UC professor's startup promotes literacy through design Renee Seward's last name is pronounced see-word, though some might not realize that when reading her name. So it's fitting that this University of Cincinnati associate professor created an app that helps users with reading, pronunciation and recognizing letters. Appropriately, the tool is called See Word Reading. Seward turned her idea -- sparked from the desire to help one child who was struggling in school -- into a bonafide business, thanks to UC's Venture Lab at the 1819 Innovation Hub, including funding and talent to support commercialization. The local business community is taking notice: Seward was a winner at the 2015 Cincinnati Innovates competition and the 2019 Cincinnati Business Courier's Innovation & Technology Awards. The See Word Reading app is currently being tested in schools from Cincinnati to Singapore. Though originally created to help children with dyslexia, the technology has broad potential, from young children learning the alphabet to future products that will meet the needs of adults for which English is a second language. Creating innovative solutions to real-world problems like this is a key component to Next Lives Here, UC's strategic direction. "The heart of the tool is to imbed images inside of the letterforms to help cue a person to what sound associates with those letterforms," says Seward, who is also the communication design coordinator in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. When a child using the See Word app on a tablet comes across a letter they can't identify, they can touch the letter. The tool then guides them to trace the letter, then cycles through images associated with that letter. For example, the letter "P" could feature images of a peach, peppermint and pie within the letter. When the user sees and hears those pronunciation cues, they can better associate the "puh" sound with the letter "P." Seward first conceived the idea when she noticed her friend's son, who was diagnosed with dyslexia, complaining about the page layout of his tests. In reality, he was having trouble identifying the sounds associated with different letters. A graduate student in North Carolina at the time, Seward set out to develop an interactive tool that could help children with dyslexia and other at-risk youth learn to read, spell and pronounce words, building basic literacy skills. When Seward received her Master of Graphic Design degree in 2007 in North Carolina, she was invited to be a visiting professor at DAAP, where she had received her bachelor's degree in graphic design in 2002. Seward brought her idea for a literacy app with her back to UC and teamed up with Allison Breit-Smith, an associate professor in UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, to create a testable tool. Together with then-UC colleagues special education professor Pam Williamson, educational psychologist Beth O'Brien and interactive design specialist Ben Meyer, they developed a prototype based on the principles Seward created in grad school. The team first tested the tool at Mount Washington School, which serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Cincinnati's public school system, as part of its after-school programming. The results were promising, but the numbers were small. Seward turned to UC's Venture Lab, the UC Office of Innovation's pre-accelerator program, to gain more education, funding and support. Housed in UC's 1819 Innovation Hub, the Venture Lab helps members of the university community turn their entrepreneurial ideas into viable businesses in a matter of weeks. At the end of the program, there's a graduation where members present their plans to a group of entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIR) from the Cincinnati startup business community. "The goal is that one or more want to jump into the CEO seat, help you think through the business model and help you use your funding to get it built and see if it can turn into a successful business so that it gets to market," Seward says. Seward was awarded $40,000 in initial State of Ohio and UC funding 2015 and partnered with EiR mentor Nancy Koors, who has worked at the executive level at a number of tech-related companies. She still works with Seward today, fine-tuning the business model and pricing while seeking potential partners. "She's been tremendous for me," Seward says of Koors, "showing me how to be a leader and the head of a company." The UC Venture Lab at 1819 has since facilitated $275,000 in additional State of Ohio and UC funding (via Ohio Third Frontier, a state development agency). Jason Heikenfeld, assistant vice president for commercialization at UC, says Seward has been a great model for how UC faculty, staff and students can bring their startup concepts to life. "Entrepreneurial success at UC happens when innovation, downright determination, and critical startup resources all collide," Heikenfeld says. "Renee brought the former two to the 1819 Venture Lab, where UC connected the latter, and when that happened, this opportunity absolutely caught fire." Today the See Word app is still being tested at Mount Washington, which Seward refers to as her "ride-or-die school." Instructors like preschool teacher Ebonne Torain appreciate how engaging the tool is. "I like that the See Word Reading app is interactive," she says. "It is more than just watching something on the screen. It requires they speak the sounds, trace letters and find the sound combinations in the stories. It forces them to pay attention to what is happening on the screen." Elsewhere, See Word is being tested in the local Princeton city schools, Cincinnati Preparatory Academy, the YMCA, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Beech Acres Parenting Center. But it's not just in the Cincinnati area -- children on the other side of the world are using the app in Singapore. Beth O'Brien from the original See Word team left UC in 2012 for the National Institute of Education in Singapore, but continued her work on the project. She introduced the app to Singapore's prime minister of education, who helped the team refine it so it would work for bilingual children there, making See Word an international effort. See Word Reading is now in a three-year pilot program in five elementary schools there. Seward continues to receive positive feedback on the app, with countless anecdotes from teachers describing how the tool is helping students meet their reading goals. Last year when Seward was introducing the tool to a Cincinnati-area school, she witnessed a kindergartner being admitted to school for the very first time, mid-year. He didn't know any of his letters, couldn't recognize his own name and had disciplinary issues. At the end of the school year when Seward returned to the school to interview teachers about using See Word, she discovered the student had been using the app to help meet his target. After a few months, there was an increase in the amount of letters and sounds he could identify and he quickly began to recognize his name -- and the teacher attributed that to See Word. In fact, because so many students enjoy using it, Seward has been told, teachers often use it as an incentive to behave and complete other work. "The kids don't refer to it as See Word," a play on Seward's own name, "they call it 'Eyeballs,' because my logo looks like an eye," she says, laughing, "I love it. I should have named it 'Eyeballs!'" Looking ahead, she's working on new font technology that will aid in literacy and hopes to expand the app to include stories for all ages, so her tool can teach English to adults as well. Seward notes that one of the biggest inhibitors of employment is a lack of English literacy. "I want to make an impact on at-risk kids in the inner city -- that's where my heart lies -- but the idea that I can help anyone who doesn't have the access to learn to read is exciting," she says. ### This story has been published on: 2019-04-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Councillor calls for law change to protect our hedgerows and wildlife as housing development sees netting then hedge removal This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 6th, 2019 Housing developers at the site of a controversial housing development of more than 360 homes in Llay have come under criticism for the removal of a boundary hedgerow. Anwyl Homes and Bellway are at the Gresford Road site doing preparation works at the Gresford Road site, which once complete will see 362 homes built on the land. A picture tweeted by Bec on Friday afternoon showed that the hawthorn hedgerow on the Straight Mile had been covered in netting with many since criticising the impact this would have on birds and local wildlife. Netting has been placed along a hedgerow to prevent birds from nesting to make way for the new housing development in Llay. Huge decline of British wildlife and this is acceptable! Please take It away. It is so sad. @wrexham @IoloWilliams2 pic.twitter.com/QH3fG4D0yv Bec (@mumpuldump1) April 4, 2019 The picture received hundreds engagements on Twitter, with many calling for the netting to be removed by the developers. Others also shared a nationwide petition to stop the use of netting to help protect wildlife. However later that the day the section of hedgerow along the Straight Mile had been cut down and replaced with metal fencing. So sad and angry. Just visited the site where the netting was yesterday on a beautiful hawthorn hedge and this was what I saw. The hedge has been ripped out. We need to stop this destruction. I am devastated.@IoloWilliams2 @wrexham @wrexhamcbc @NetsNot @AnwylConstruct pic.twitter.com/qbLkgnK625 Bec (@mumpuldump1) April 5, 2019 Concerns about the loss of hedgerow at the Gresford Road site were raised by Llay councillors Rob Walsh and Bryan Apsley at a planning meeting in August 2018. Speaking at last years meeting Cllr Walsh pointed out that the hedgerows which are in excess of over 200 years old were originally meant to be kept as part of the outline planning permission. He also raised concerns about the impact the removal could have on local wildlife. Cllr Apsley also moved a recommendation that the plans should be refused on grounds of highway safety, lack of information on plans for the Crown junction and preservation of the hedgerows. However the plans were later approved by a majority of planning committee members. The planning document approved by councillors includes detail from the head of environment and planning about the removal of the hedgerow, stating: The landscaping scheme makes provision for structured tree planting within the site as well as around the site boundaries, the provision of hedgerows and areas of wildflower meadow within the centre POS. Brick walls are to be used to enclose the corners boundaries of corner plots. Other than for a short section along the Gresford Road frontage, the hedges enclosing the existing highway boundaries will be removed. The wall enclosing the southern section of the Gresford Road frontage is also to be removed. The outline planning permission does not impose any requirements for the existing means of boundary enclosure along the two road frontages of the site to be retained. The alterations proposed are necessary in order to provide visibility splays for the proposed site accesses and to facilitate an acceptable form of development on the site as a whole. The submitted plans make provision for a landscaped buffer along the Straight Mile enclosed by 1.2m high Cheshire railings. Tree planting will take place within the buffer and hedgerows provided to the frontages of dwelling facing out onto the Straight Mile. There will also be a landscaped buffer along the Gresford Road frontage, albeit more limited in depth than the one proposed for the Straight Mile, along with hedge planting to enclose private driveways and individual accesses. The south-western corner of the site will remain undeveloped as it will form part of an area of public open space. The area of open space immediately behind the Gresford Road boundary will be enhanced with species rich grassland and tree planting. The approach taken to landscaping will enhance street scenes within the site, ensures that open spaces contribute significantly to the visual amenity of the development and whilst providing for appropriate enclosure of the external boundaries of the site. Today Cllr Rob Walsh told us, I raised the issue about protecting the hedgerows last year at Planning Committee, but the verdict was that ripping them out was acceptable, something I strongly disagree with. I have been unhappy from the word go that this development has started when there are conditions still to be discharged, yet more concerned that hedgerows have started to be ripped out and also covered in nets. I phoned the RSPB a few days ago and they said their actions would only be criminal if evidence could be provided that there were nesting birds present. We have no evidence to suggest that there are any birds` nests present, but I personally believe that no development no matter how much money it will make the developers should consider ripping down or covering hedges. Especially at this time of year, when the law of averages states that it is likely there will be birds nesting. Finding them would not necessarily be easy. I sincerely hope the law is changed sooner rather later to protect our hedgerows and wildlife. (Click for large) Extra training to be given on weedkiller use amid cancer link fears This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 6th, 2019 Extra training on spraying weed killer is to be given to council staff in Wrexham amid concerns about products which have alleged links to cancer. It comes after chemical giant Monsanto was ordered to pay $80m to a man from California who claimed that his exposure to one of the firms glyphosate-based herbicides caused him to develop non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Wrexham Council is one of many local authorities across the UK which deploys a weed killer containing the chemical to control plants. It attracted criticism after it was previously accused of over using such products by Cartrefle councillor Ronnie Prince, who witnessed it being sprayed on grass verges in Caia Park. The councils environment department has since sought to limit the amount used, particularly around play areas and schools. A new report shows new training is also being given to staff in the build up to the summer to protect peoples health. In a notice which has been circulated to all 52 councillors in Wrexham, Cllr David A Bithell lead member for environment and transport, said: Refresher training for the Streetscene operatives involved in spraying will be undertaken in late March/early April 2019. This training will also be undertaken with parks and cemetery and crematorium staff this year to ensure a consistent approach across the environment and technical department in preparation for the coming season. Only staff trained with the correct certification are able to undertake spraying work. The Welsh Government provided a guidance note on glyphosate use in August 2018. We continue to follow this advice. The reduction and targeted use of herbicide over the last year, the exploration of best practice from other authorities and trialled alternatives to the use of glyphosate all show we are working in the context of the duty. The Welsh Government has told authorities to ensure all reasonable precautions are taken to protect human health and the environment. It said the amount of weedkiller used should be as low as reasonably practicable. Council staff are being asked to focus on spraying areas, such as pathways, kerb edges and under fence lines which cant be accessed by strimmers. They are also being instructed to avoid using herbicides near water systems, play areas, parks, schools, grass verges and trees. By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme). (Click for large) Police issue be vigilant warning for Bronington and Malpas after burglary This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 6th, 2019 Police are appealing to residents in the Bronington and Malpas to be vigilant for suspicious people. With a description of an ongoing incident North Wales Police late this afternoon said: NWP currently dealing with a report of suspicious males in the rural area in particular Higher Wych. Please ensure your properties are secure and report any suspicious circumstances immediately. Police say they are hunting two young white males in dark tracksuit bottoms and white t-shirts after a possible burglary with dog units being used. More information as and when we have it. (Click for large) File photo shows the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone in Djibouti. Djibouti is not only a hub of maritime traffic and trade between Europe, Asia and Africa, but also an important gateway to Africa for the construction of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. In recent years, a number of China-Djibouti cooperation projects have made important contributions to promoting China-Djibouti economic and trade cooperation. (Xinhua/Wang Teng) ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Africa's first Luban Workshop was launched in Djibouti on Thursday with an aim to provide quality vocational training to local people, the country's youth in particular. Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Chinese ambassador to Djibouti Zhuo Ruisheng, and President of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Yuan Li were among those who took part in the opening ceremony of the workshop on Thursday. The workshop, which is the first of 10 Luban workshops to be established across the African continent, is expected to boost Djibouti's overall development through the training of the country's youth. Guelleh said during the opening ceremony that the commencement of the workshop has the potential to improve the quality of students, better serve development projects across the country, as well as provide well-trained talents to the country. Noting the various important infrastructure projects that were built in Djibouti over the past years, Guelleh stressed that the Luban workshop will "further enhance the competitiveness of Djibouti through the development of successful young talents." Djibouti needs new technology and upgraded economic development, Guelleh stressed. He described the various positive outcomes the Horn of African country achieved due to its "successful" cooperation with China, mainly in the areas of infrastructure and human resource development endeavors. The Djiboutian president urged the country's Ministry of Education and other education sector stakeholders to exert strong attention to vocational education so as to meet the needs of the society through talent cultivation. The CCECC established the workshop with academic support from Tianjin First College of Commerce and Tianjin Railway Technical and Vocational College. Yuan Li said that the workshop will "cultivate professional talents for Djibouti in line with national development needs." Yuan stressed that the workshop, by providing effective vocational training for the youths, will boost for the country's economic development. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 00:43:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ACCRA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has called on both Ghana and Cuba to continually search for ways to cooperate as prospects for scaling-up economic relations between the two countries are considerable, according to the office of the president on Friday. "I have no doubt, that, together, we can forge a new, strong partnership for cooperation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples," the release quoted Akufo-Addo as saying. It followed Akufo-Addo's bilateral discussions with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday, as part of his official visit to Cuba. Akufo-Addo noted that his visit to Cuba is to continue the process of developing stronger ties between Ghana and Cuba, and to explore new areas of cooperation to the mutual benefits of the two peoples. The Ghanaian leader thanked Cuba for dispatching medical doctors through the Cuban Medical Brigade to provide medical services to Ghanaians. Through a joint venture agreement with Labiofam S.A., a bio-larvicide factory is expected to be established in north Ghana's Savelugu. In addition, an agreement is also being reached for the sale of Ghana's cocoa liquor to the Stella S.A. chocolate factory in Cuba, while both countries are examining the possibility of the company setting up a manufacturing facility in Ghana. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 02:04:11|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of southern Gaza Strip City of Khan Younis, April 5, 2019. At least 83 people were injured on Friday during clashes that broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers near the fence of the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said. (Xinhua/Yasser Qudih) GAZA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 83 people were injured on Friday during clashes that broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers near the fence of the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said in a press statement that the Israeli soldiers, stationed on the border, fired dozens of tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and live gunshots at the demonstrators. He said that 83 demonstrators were injured, most of whom were taken by ambulances to the hospitals for medical treatment, adding that dozens were slightly injured and treated by paramedics in the field. Friday's demonstrations were part of the weekly anti-Israel protests, better known as the "Great March of Return," which started on March 30 last year. Earlier on Friday, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political bureau chief, said that "our people will not stop the march until the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip is lifted." Earlier this week, Israel eased the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007, when it expanded the fishing area off the enclave's coast from 6 nautical miles to 15 miles as part of an Egyptian-brokered calm understanding. Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar have been mediating between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to reach calm on the border between the coastal enclave and Israel. Gaza Health Ministry officials said that 271 Palestinians have been killed, including 57 children, and more than 30,000 injured by Israeli soldiers' gunfire since the start of the "Great March of Return." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 02:24:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Hamed Abdi, a health official of the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon, said on Friday that Iran is ready to help Lebanon in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, the National News Agency reported. "Iran was capable of making advanced achievements in the medical and health fields and it is ready to help its neighboring countries and Lebanon in all health areas," Abdi was quoted as saying during his meeting with Lebanon's Health Minister Jamil Jabak. Abdi said the two countries can create bilateral ties in the organ transplantation field, noting that Iran is making improvement in the area. Abdi also invited Lebanon's health minister to visit Iran to check its health centers, hospitals and drugs factories. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Lebanon in February and offered the Lebanese government support in sectors including electricity and military aid. Russian S-400 missile air defence systems on display during a parade at Red Square in Moscow, May 9, 2018. (REUTERS) MOSCOW, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a working visit to Moscow next Monday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Friday. At the eighth meeting of the Russian-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, the two presidents will discuss the implementation of joint energy projects and reconcile approaches on regional and international issues, it said in a statement. During the visit, a number of bilateral documents are expected to be signed, according to the Kremlin. Putin and Erdogan will also hold a joint meeting with businessmen of the two countries and take part in the opening ceremony of the Russia-Turkey cross-year of culture and tourism at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, it said. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Friday that Putin and Erdogan plan to discuss the situation in Syria, including in the context of the U.S. plan to withdraw part of its troops from that country. They are also expected to discuss the supply of a Russian S-400 air defense system to Turkey and the progress of the construction of the TurkStream natural gas pipeline and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey, he said. The Pentagon said Monday that it had halted deliveries of F-35 fighter jet parts and manuals to Turkey over the latter's purchase of the S-400 from Russia, the first batch of which is expected to reach Turkey in late 2019. On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that his country will not step back from the deal to buy the S-400 from Russia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 02:49:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Forces of the UN-backed Libyan government on Friday clashed with the eastern-based army forces in south of the capital Tripoli. The army took control of a few areas in southern Tripoli, said a statement of the information office. A source of the government's Tripoli Security Force told Xinhua that the clashes are still going on, providing no further details about the areas taken over by the army. The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, on Thursday launched an operation to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. The military escalation comes as the country prepares to hold a UN-sponsored national conference that is expected to gather many Libyan parties, with the aim to end the country's political crisis. Haftar's army 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 Muammar Gaddafi's regime. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 03:39:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A two-day meeting of defense ministers from nine central and eastern European countries finished here on Friday, during which the ministers held high-level discussions on common defense problems and the strengthening of NATO's eastern flank. The second gathering of the so-called "Bucharest Nine", known as B9, includes defense ministers from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The two-day event in Poland falls on the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Washington treaty which established NATO on April 4, 1949. Speaking prior to the meeting, the Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Blaszczak said: "Over the years, we have moved from new NATO members to states without which one cannot imagine the alliance today." The topics during the talks include the prospects for cooperation within the framework of EU initiatives, the European Defense Fund, and military mobility. In mid-March, Poland marked two decades as a NATO member and is known within the group as one of its keenest supporters. Warsaw views the organization as an embodiment of its transatlantic bond and vital for security. The formula of consultations of the B9 countries was inaugurated back in 2014 to create a platform of dialogue and cooperation between NATO's eastern flank countries. The following year, at a mini-summit in Bucharest, the countries of central and eastern Europe signed a joint declaration to combine efforts to ensure a "strong, credible and balanced" NATO military presence in the region. Just last week, Warsaw confirmed that it planned to open a storage facility in Poland for military equipment belonging to the United States military. Furthermore, Poland recently inked an agreement to purchase mobile rocket launchers from the U.S., and in 2018, signed a 4-billion-dollar contract for the American-built Patriot anti-missile system. Celebrations marking the NATO birthday have been muted, given the organization is going through a period of severe strain, as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to pressure some members of the alliance to increase 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. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 04:30:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Switzerland said Friday that it had signed an agreement to represent the interests of the United States in Venezuela, under a "good offices" accord between the two countries. The Federal Council, Switzerland's cabinet, said in a statement that the agreement was signed in Bern on Friday by foreign minister Ignazio Cassis and the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland Edward McMullen. The arrangement needs Venezuela's approval before coming into effect, said the Federal Council statement. "This mandate offers Switzerland an opportunity to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions between the two countries and thus play a constructive role in safeguarding regional stability, a stability that is also in the interest of Venezuela's neighbors," said the statement. This representation of interests concerns mainly consular services for U.S. citizens in Venezuela. The statement said Venezuela would examine in detail Switzerland's mandate, and if it is formally accepted, the Swiss protecting power mandate will then come into effect. "Swiss diplomacy has a long tradition of representing foreign interests, whereby it covers partial consular services and sometimes also diplomatic tasks for countries that have broken off relations if requested by the States in question," said the statement. During the Second World War, Switzerland represented the interests of more than 35 states, which led to over 200 individual mandates. Switzerland currently holds six such mandates, representing the United States in Iran; Russia in Georgia; Georgia in Russia; Iran in Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia in Iran, and Iran in Egypt. Until 2015, Switzerland also represented U.S. interests in Cuba and vice versa. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 05:45:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury on Friday listed Venezuela-related companies and vessels as its designated targets in a new round of sanctions to pile up pressure on the Maduro government. The two companies blacklisted operated in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and were accused of shipping oil to Cuba, according to a statement released by the Treasury. One vessel owned by one of the companies was also designated. Besides, the Treasury designated 34 vessels that belonged to Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), a Venezuelan state-owned oil company that was added to America's blacklist in January. As a result of the sanctions, all property of those entities that are in the United States would be blocked. Also, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from all dealings that involve any property of theirs. "Treasury is taking action against vessels and entities transporting oil, providing a lifeline to keep the illegitimate Maduro regime afloat," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in the statement. Mnuchin also accused Cuba of being "an underlying force fueling Venezuela's descent into crisis." Washington has singled out Cuba and Russia as chief backers of the Venezuelan government. The United States has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Juan Guaido. The Trump administration recognized Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on Jan. 23, days after incumbent President Nicholas Maduro was inaugurated for a second term. In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 07:46:50|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close CHICAGO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Reduced blood capillaries in the back of the eye may be a new, noninvasive way to diagnose early cognitive impairment, the precursor to Alzheimer's disease, showed a study released by Northwestern University (NU) on Friday. NU researchers recruited 32 participants who had cognitive testing consistent with the forgetful type of cognitive impairment, and age-, gender- and race-matched them to subjects who tested as cognitively normal for their age. All individuals underwent the eye imaging with OCT angiography. They then detected the vascular changes in the human eye non-invasively, with an infrared camera and without the need for dyes or expensive MRI scanners. It's known that patients with Alzheimer's have decreased retinal blood flow and vessel density. "Once our results are validated, this approach could potentially provide an additional type of biomarker to identify individuals at high risk of progressing to Alzheimer's," said Amani Fawzi, a professor of ophthalmology at NU Feinberg School of Medicine. Therapies for Alzheimer's are more effective if they are started before extensive brain damage and cognitive decline have occurred, added Fawzi. The researcher now hope to correlate these findings with other more standard but also more invasive types of Alzheimer's biomarkers as well as explore the longitudinal changes in the eye parameters in these subjects. The study was published Tuesday in PLOS ONE. A mother and her children cross from Colombia into San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela through a gap between border barriers, at the Simon Bolivar international bridge on March 29, 2019. (Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- As a result of the Venezuela migrant crisis, an estimated 1.1 million children will need protection and access to basic services across Latin America and the Caribbean in 2019, the UN children's agency said Friday. These children will include those uprooted from Venezuela, as well as returnees and those living in host and transit communities, UNICEF said, noting that the 1.1 million is a projected increase from the nearly 500,000 children in need today. The agency called on governments in the region to uphold the rights of all children, including migrants and refugees, and to ensure their access to essential services. The UN's humanitarian partners project that up to 4.9 million people in the region, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago, will need assistance this year because of political and economic conditions inside Venezuela that are driving regional migration. Uprooted children and families face challenges to regularizing their immigration status which can affect their access to social protection, healthcare, early childhood development, education, sustainable livelihoods and child protection. Meanwhile, the lack of comprehensive public policies on migratory issues in host countries is putting children at higher risk of discrimination, violence, family separation, xenophobia, exploitation and abuse. UNICEF is particularly concerned about reports of xenophobia, discrimination and violence perpetrated against Venezuelan children and families in host communities. Some migrants, including unaccompanied and separated children, pregnant women, nursing mothers as well as indigenous people, are at increased risk. "Human rights standards call for states to allow children entry and registration as a precondition for carrying out initial protection assessment procedures," said Maria Cristina Perceval, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. "Even when they are unaccompanied and without official documentation, they should be immediately directed to specialized personnel, who can assess their protection needs," she added. UNICEF has appealed for 69.5 million U.S. dollars to meet the needs of uprooted children from Venezuela and those living in host and transit communities across the Latin America and the Caribbean region. The UNICEF response involves working with national and local governments, host communities and partners to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation, protection, education and health services for uprooted children and those in vulnerable communities. UNICEF is also working with governments in transit and host countries to uphold the rights of uprooted children. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 09:17:11|Editor: ZX Video Player Close PARAMARIBO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Surinamese President Desire Bouterse and visiting senior Chinese political advisor Shao Hong met here on Thursday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral ties. Shao, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), headed a delegation of Chinese political advisors. Shao said that over the past 43 years since China and Suriname established diplomatic ties, both sides have respected each other and treated eath other as equals, making them a paradigm of friendly exchanges between countries of different sizes and cultural backgrounds and South-South cooperation. In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two heads of state, both sides have maintained close exchanges at all levels and deepened political mutual trust, said Shao. China has always attached great importance to the Sino-Surinamese relationship and hopes to further bilateral relations by taking advantage of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Shao added. Bouterse spoke highly of bilateral relationship and congratulated his guests on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and CPPCC. He said Suriname is willing to further enhance high-level exchanges between the two countries and deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields. Shao also held talks with Jennifer Simons, chairperson of the National Assembly of Suriname, and met with Surinamese Foreign Minister Yldiz Pollack-Beighle and Health Minister Antoine Elias. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 10:07:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SANTIAGO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chilean government's support has been crucial to the arrival of Chinese electric buses in the capital Santiago, said the Chilean representative for China's leading electric vehicle maker BYD. "Government support has been crucial, ... so that the electromobility market can open," Tamara Berrios said in an interview published Friday in the local daily El Mercurio. The representative emphasized that currently they do not market gasoline vehicles in Chile, nor will they do so, because they focused on the electric market. In December 2018, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera unveiled the first 100 electric buses for Santiago's transit fleet, which were made by BYD. One week later, Chilean Transport and Telecommunications Minister Gloria Hutt unveiled a second fleet of 100 electric buses made by Chinese manufacturer Yutong joining the fleet. Pinera said that the goal is that 80 percent of the public transportation buses in Santiago will be electric in 2022. Since the December unveiling, the Wi-Fi enabled red-and-white buses, fitted with USB ports and air conditioners, have become a preferred means of transport for many of the city's 5.6 million residents, who now can have a cleaner, quieter, and more comfortable ride. The Alameda, the main street in the Chilean capital, will become the most important electric transport corridor in the region with the operation of 158 electric buses. On March 12, the Chilean government presented a more modernized public transit system called Metropolitan Mobility Network (RED) to replace the old Transantiago system. The RED will cover the city's public transport means from subways to buses, bicycles and suburban trains. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 11:17:41|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday reaffirmed its support for South Africa to end child abuse in the country that has been plagued by the scourge for long. "UNICEF's core focus in South Africa is on ending violence against children," the organization said in a statement emailed to Xinhua. UNICEF was reacting to allegations of serious child abuse at a South African nursery school where a female caregiver physically abused young children. A video showing the abuse has gone viral on social media, and UNICEF said it was "appalled at the content of the video showing the caregiver at the creche physically abusing young children whilst the other caregiver was capturing the horrifying footage." The Carletonville nursery school in Gauteng Province, northeastern South Africa, has been closed and the caregiver in question has been arrested following public outrage over the incident. The fact that this incident occurred in what is considered a "safe" space, namely, a nursery school, denies these children their dignity and their right to be secure, UNICEF said. The organization said it would like to see the perpetrators of this crime facing the full might of the law so that this acts as a deterrent. UNICEF cited statistics which show that one in three children experience violence in South Africa, often by an adult who is supposed to be taking care of them. UNICEF said it has been assured by the progressive legal framework in this country that justice will be served and that the children and the families affected will receive necessary support. Both the Constitution of this country and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which South Africa is a signatory, remind people that every child in South Africa has the right to be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect in their homes and in their communities, said UNICEF. The United Nations has ranked South Africa as among the world's 10 most violent nations. According to police, 800 to 900 children are murdered every year in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 12:12:53|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the Taliban completely took control of the turbulent Ab Kamari district in Afghanistan's western Badghis province overnight, an official said Saturday. "Taliban militants finally managed to take control of Ab Kamari district, after three days of siege this late Friday night," Mohammad Naser Nazari, an official of provincial council, told Xinhua. He said the siege lasted three days and the insurgents occupied all institutions of the district after security forces withdrew and retreated to Quchaq Mountain on the outskirts of the mountainous district, in western part of the provincial capital. Security officials have not officially confirmed the district's overrun. The Taliban militants have recently intensified their offensives, taking grounds from security forces, amid efforts of peace negotiations between U.S. and Taliban representatives in the Gulf state of Qatar. Bala Murghab district of Badghis was reported to be at the brink of collapse, while elsewhere in the northern Badakhshan province, Arghanchkhaw district had fallen to the militants earlier this week, before security forces retook it a few days ago. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 12:32:56|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Imin (2nd R) and his wife (1st R) talk with local residents in Darya Boyi Town of Yutian County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) DARYA BOYI, Xinjiang, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Sheep herder Imin's home is at the heart of the Taklimakan Desert, the second-largest shifting sand desert in the world. For hundreds of years, Imin's ancestors have settled along the Keriya River, which flows from south to north into the heart of endless sand dunes, branching out like fingers and providing the source of water for human habitats. Imin, 39, knows every curve of the river, which part is muddy and must be avoided, and where to find enough weed to feed his sheep, but now he has to find a balance between maintaining his bond with nature, and carving out a future for his children. Imin calls his home Darya Boyi, meaning "by the big river." It is also known as Tonguz Baste in books written by European explorers who visited the area in the 19th century. Isolation from the outside world has kept life unchanged at the township. Now it has a registered population of 1,342 people. Some residents only started to use cell phones three years ago. Even to this day, few people other than adventurers have made it this far into the desert. It is difficult to fathom how hard it is to get there. It takes a whole day to drive through gigantic sand dunes, muddy land and rugged river rocks to reach the town, 200 km from the edge of the desert. Though the Keriya River has provided for the survival of Imin's ancestors, the environment has become less hospitable, with falling underground water level and frequent sand storms. "The river was usually flooded when I was young, but now, from July to September, it completely dries up," said Imin. A resettlement plan is underway to move the residents south to the edge of the desert, where better housing, drinking water facilities and roads are built. The Yutian County government, which administers the town, started to draft plans for resettlement in 2016, said Tang Mingsheng, head of the county's poverty-relief office. In 2017, the first batch of 396 people, including 100 children, moved into the new settlement, about 110 km from the old town. "The new town serves best for the 100 children, because they do not have to walk long distance between home and school any more," said Eziz Tohti, headmaster of the new school at the settlement. This year, another 443 people, including Imin, his wife and father, will move to the new town. "Before choosing the site of relocation, we asked if the folks would like to live in the county seat in apartments, but the folks prefer their new homes to be built closer to their old ones, where they can live the traditional way, herding sheep and harvesting desert plants," Tang said. Tang and colleagues help young people find jobs and provide them with necessary training. A kindergarten, an elementary school, a clinic, water facilities to treat high fluorine, a bus station, and a tourism center are under construction at the new settlement. A two-lane cement road was open a year ago to reach the new town. Like his father Matkurpan, 81, Imin has barely received any education and has herded sheep by the river since the age of three, but his two sons are studying in six and seventh grade on a government grant. The brothers only go home during summer and winter breaks because the journey home takes too long. "After my parents move into the new home, it is much closer to my school, and my brother and I will be able to go home at least once a week," said Bilal, the older brother. Resettling means he has to change the routine of life that has been kept for generations, but the desire to be close to his sons led him say yes to the relocation plan. Imin has an old cell phone, and he only gets weak reception up the trunk of a poplar tree in his yard and at one particular corner of his thatched fence. "It took me quite a while to find the two spots. I only call my sons from there," he said. When the people move out, the old town will still be open to people who want to herd there. The Yutian government plans to develop tourism in the area to help people improve livelihood. Yutian has 165 villages, among which 114 are in deep poverty. Tang Mingsheng and other local officials are looking for ways to eliminate the determinants of poverty by means of resettling, creating jobs, improving social welfare, providing training and others. "Poverty reduction is a hard battle to fight, but no one shall be left behind," Tang said. (Video reporters: Su ChuanyiHu Huhu; video editor: Zhang Yudong) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 13:08:03|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close YAOUNDE, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon hosted an international festival of arts and culture dubbed Tokna Massana Festival on Friday to mark the return of peace and security in the terror-hit region of the Far North. The Far North region had witnessed multiple deadly attacks from the terror group Boko Haram in the past years, but everything is "now under control," according to local authorities. The week-long festival gathered participants from the Massa tribe in Cameroon and neighboring Chad to display their traditional food, dances, rites, clothes and other products in the border town of Yagoua. "At first, it was very difficult and almost impossible to hold the festival due to insecurity. Today people have come from Chad, Cameroon and all over the world to attend the festival because peace has returned. So, this festival reminds us of the peace and security we now enjoy," Pierre Lirawa, mayor of Yagoua told Xinhua. For the Massa people who organized the event, the festival was a clear indication of their love for peace and unity. "The Massa people are an ethnic group localized in Cameroon and Chad. We were divided into different countries by politicians, but we know that we are one people with one culture," Robert Moussandi, one of the event organisers said. "The security at this year's festival was far less because we are already enjoying peace and there is no need for that. The Massa people are determined to wipe out terrorism from their territory," Moussandi added. Cameroon's Minster of Arts and Culture Pierre Ismael Bidoung Kpwatt, who presided over the festival, said the cultural jamboree was a "veritable" measure of peace and regional integration. "Cameroon is resolute to enhance development and integration through culture in its drive to become an emerging economy by 2035. This festival offers an exceptional communion between Cameroon and Chad." Kpwatt told the crowd at the festival. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 13:28:07|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday called on all forces in Libya to halt military activity amid escalating tension, stressing "there can be no military solution to the conflict" in the country. After holding consultations on Libya, the council members made the appeal in a statement, which was read out to the press by Christoph Heusgen, permanent representative of Germany to the United Nations and president of the Security Council for April. The council members expressed their deep concerns about the military activity near the capital Tripoli, "which risks Libyan stability and prospects for UN mediation and comprehensive political solution to the crisis," Heusgen said. They also called on all Libyan parties to resume dialogue and deliver on their commitments to engaging constructively with the UN political process, he said. He added the council members underlined the imperative of safety and security of UN staff and reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday concluded a visit to Libya, where he met with senior officials of the country. The country is witnessing a military escalation between the UN-backed government and the eastern-based army that is trying to take control of the capital Tripoli. The military escalation comes as the country prepares to hold a UN-sponsored national conference that is expected to gather many Libyan parties, with an aim to end the country's political crisis. The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, on Thursday launched an operation to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. Haftar's army 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 Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 13:28:09|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- While foreign and security policy has not been much of a theme in the current Finnish electoral debates so far, the discussion of Finland's relationship with NATO has got a new twist this week. Antti Rinne, the prime minister hopeful and chairman of the poll-leading opposition Social Democratic Party questioned the realism of Finland joining NATO. In an interview by a Finnish commercial TV channel, Rinne said he was not at all convinced that Finland would be "accepted as a NATO member if Finland applied." Finland is not a NATO member but its "enhanced partner for peace." According to NATO's official website, Finland is one of five countries, known as "Enhanced Opportunity Partners," that make "particularly significant contributions to NATO operations and other Alliance objectives." The option to join NATO has been described by politicians and commentators as a "fire insurance" that Finland can resort to in dire circumstances. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told the Financial Times last summer that the mere possibility that Finland could apply for NATO membership "as such strengthens Finnish security." Kreeta Karvala, a commentator for the evening paper Iltalehti, said Rinne had in practical terms terminated "the fire insurance policy." Anna Wieslander, the director for Northern Europe at the U.S. think tank Atlantic Council, was quoted by Finnish media this week as saying that the NATO Article Five security guarantees should be extended to cover "close partners" such as Finland and Sweden. Wieslander noted that the two "informal allies" would probably be given aid by NATO and be expected to act in return. She warned, however, that possible aid would depend on circumstances and the position of the two enhanced companions would possibly not be clear to all. Heikki Patomaki, professor of Internaitonal Relations at the University of Helsinki, told Xinhua on Friday that, in reality even security guarantees under NATO Article Five are also subject to political contingencies. "There is no higher international level that would supervise and sanction adherence to acting in line with Article Five," he said. "No unilateral declaration would be enough, and this would require some sort of legal authorisation," Patomaki noted. He added that people backing the idea of pushing Finland closer to NATO perhaps consider that the arrangement could be processed in parliament as a mere notification, rather than as a ratification of international agreement. In the election debates during the week, the conservative National Coalition and the Swedish People's Party have repeated their positive stance towards joining NATO. Conservative leader Petteri Orpo added that it is not realistic for the time being, as support from "the people, the parliament and the foreign policy leadership" is lacking. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 14:23:34|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 Mongolians, including firefighters, soldiers and local residents, are now battling a cross-border steppe fire that extends from Russia to easternmost Mongolia, Mongolia's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Saturday. The steppe fire started in Russia and spread across the border Friday afternoon to Bayan-Uul soum (district) in Dornod province, according to NEMA. The cause of the fire is still unknown, NEMA added. A lack of snow in most areas of Mongolia in the past winter and the current dry conditions are increasing the risk of forest and steppe fires, NEMA said, urging people to help prevent forest and steppe fires. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 14:23:35|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close KIEV, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Local experts suggested it is too early to make any predictions regarding the final winner of Ukrainian presidential elections, after the country's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced the first round result on Thursday. According to CEC, actor Volodymyr Zelensky garnered 30.24 percent of the vote, while incumbent President Petro Poroshenko gained 15.95 percent in the first round, and the two will face a run-off on April 21. Local analysts said the outcome of the first round was quite predictable as recent surveys have put Zelensky far ahead of other candidates, while Poroshenko was the runner-up. "It was an expected result ... First of all, we must understand that this was undoubtedly a protest vote ... not only against Poroshenko, but also against the political elites that have dominated Ukrainian politics for the past 25 years," said Volodymyr Fesenko, director of the Penta Center for Applied Political Studies. He said that Zelensky, who has no previous political experience, benefited from being a newcomer to the Ukrainian political arena, so he gained the support from both pro-European voters and the voters that formerly supported the Party of Regions of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. Most opinion polls released before the first round suggested that Zelensky would defeat Poroshenko in the second round. Local experts, however, believe that it is too early to predict who will be the final winner. "In the second round, the picture may change -- it all depends on the strategies that will be presented by the candidates ... Both candidates will search for new political technologies, new slogans," said Alexei Koshel, head of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine. "Both will fight for voters of the candidates who have not advanced to the second round," Koshel added. He was echoed by Evhen Mahda, an analyst at the Institute of World Policy, who said that it would be possible to assess the real chances of the candidates for victory only after they present their teams and new messages to voters. "Despite the obvious advantage of Vladimir Zelensky in the first round, Petro Poroshenko did not lose the chances to win," Mahda said. Meanwhile, Anna Derevyanko, an executive director of the Kiev-based European Business Association, said that whoever wins the election would face the same tasks to make the life in Ukraine better. "The top three expectations to either old or new Ukrainian president are the same. Firstly, it is an effective fight against corruption. It is the basis for all changes in the country. Secondly, it is a fair judicial system, because the rule of law still has to be established in our country. Thirdly, it is decent law enforcement agencies working to protect the rule of law," Derevyanko said. Only by taking these steps will Ukraine "manage to move to a higher stage of its development," Derevyanko said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 14:23:37|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CHONGQING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- In a trading center in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, ginseng produced in Wisconsin in the United States attracts a huge number of buyers. "We signed our import order at last year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, and we expect to do great ginseng business here," said the shop owner. China is opening its market wider. At the CIIE, the government pledged to import more than 30 trillion dollars worth of commodities and 10 trillion dollars worth of services in the next 15 years. The policy has allowed more imported commodities to flow into the Chinese market. At the trading center in Chongqing, business woman Liu Xiaomin sells sunflower seed oil imported from Ukraine. She snapped up her order at the ICCE too. "I decided to acquire the exclusive rights to sell the oil in China, because I knew the huge market potential here," Liu said. About 45,000 commodities from more than 40 countries, including Russia, Italy and France, can be found at the center. The center currently has 15 major stores, and five more will open soon. With improved logistics, the goods can be sent to various localities in China, or be purchased by individuals at the site. "We have seen significantly more imports recently," said Qi Dan, with a logistics company in Chongqing. "The freight we transport includes wood and sea cucumbers from Russia, wine from France and clothes from Italy." Meanwhile, the number of China-Europe freight trains is also rising. According to official figures, by March 25 this year, a total of 3,322 train journeys were made between Chongqing and Europe. The returning trains carry many foreign goods. In the first two months of this year, China's imports totaled 2.12 trillion yuan (316 billion U.S. dollars), up 1.5 percent year on year. Last month, the National People's Congress passed the foreign investment law, a landmark legislation that will provide stronger protection and a better business environment for overseas investors. The law will become effective on Jan. 1, 2020. Akos Kovacs, the general manager of a logistics company based in Hungary, plans to bring fresh agricultural products from his country, as well as those from neighboring countries, to China. "We expect more and more Chinese customers as the market opens wider," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 14:33:40|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) has helped over 30 million people since its establishment 30 years ago. The foundation has raised over 5.85 billion yuan (871 million U.S. dollars) in cash and in kind as of the end of 2018, according to sources with the foundation. The CFPA has leveraged the development of local industries to help improve people's income. It has spent 11.67 million yuan using e-commerce to help about 16,000 farmers sell their produce since 2015. About 59,000 people have benefited from local tourism development, while over 40.7 billion yuan has been offered as credit to finance farmers. The "Love Package," the most popular CFPA program, allows donors to mail care packages to help students in poor areas. The program has received 3.706 million pieces of individual donations and raised 677 million yuan as of the end of the end of 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 15:03:50|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BANGKOK, April 6 (Xinhua) -- No less than 25 parties have won MP seats in the March 24 election, the Thailand's Election Commission (EC) said. In a statement issued on Friday, the EC said that no less than 25 parties have secured a total of 500 MP seats following the nationwide election, including several parties which are believed to win only one MP seat each. The polling agency has followed the constitution's Article 91 and the organic law's Article 128 pertaining to the election of MPs in order to verify a total of 150 MPs on party-list basis in addition to a total of 350 others on individual constituency basis, according to the EC statement. However, the parties which have won MP seats in party-list mode will not be identified until after the EC has verified 95 percent of all the winning candidates as MPs in individual constituency mode, the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 15:44:07|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- On April 14, 2018, a WeChat account with the name of "reporting to the people" stopped renewing posts, for good. The owner Lan Biaohe died at the age of 44 following several straight days of work, leaving behind half-done work and a packed schedule. Lan, deputy chief of Rong'an County in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, had been working for poverty alleviation for more than 20 years. "He was expressing grateful sentiment to fellow villagers, I suppose," Lan's elderly brother Lan Biaosong, who was left to explain what the WeChat group's name meant. "Born in a poor family, we were taught by our father by his actions that we should offer a hand when fellow villagers reach out for help," Lan Biaosong said. Bearing this in mind, Lan Biaohe devoted himself to poverty alleviation over his short but fruitful 20-year career life when he visited nearly every impoverished county included in the poverty eradication campaign in Guangxi. China has set 2020 as the target year to win the tough battle against poverty. To this end, millions of civil servants and employees of organizations under central authorities visited poverty-stricken areas to facilitate the endeavor, many of whom laid down their lives like Lan Biaohe. "It is worthwhile doing something to help the needy," the late county deputy chief once said. Field trips, meetings, discussions and visits to poor households draw a sketch of his daily life. The notebooks he left highlighted frequent words and phrases, such as "keeping a close watch on the project" and "seeing to it as soon as possible." Friday, April 13, 2018, was supposed to be his time to rest after a long week of work, but Lan Biaohe rushed from the county seat to Tongshi Village, carrying some cooked meat with him. His destination was a villager's home where he invited others for a gathering. "I want to discuss with you what we should do in the future for poverty eradication." Villagers present went into brainstorming. After taking care of business, the villagers asked him to take a sip of homemade wine, but he refused, saying he planned to finish a report that night. To everyone's astonishment, the refusal heralded a last goodbye. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 16:14:12|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close GENEVA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations (UN) expert plans to meet WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London on April 25 after receiving complaints of privacy violations, a statement released Friday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said. This move was made after the expert received two separate complaints made by Assange and Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno, according to the statement. In the statement, Joe Cannataci, the Human Rights Council special rapporteur on the right to privacy, said the meeting would "help determine if there exists a prima facie case of violation of privacy that warrants further investigation." He also said that he was requesting further information from the Ecuadorian government on a complaint lodged by the country's president that his privacy had been violated by the publication of personal data. WikiLeaks said earlier this week on its verified social media account that Assange will be expelled within "hours to days," quoting "a high-level source within the Ecuadorian state." In an interview on Tuesday, President Moreno told local media that Assange has repeatedly violated protocol and conditions of his stay at the embassy. Assange does not have the right to hack private accounts or phones and cannot intervene in the politics of other countries, especially Ecuador's partners, said the president. "Several times, Mr. Assange has violated the agreement we reached with him and his lawyers," he was quoted as saying. In another statement released by the OHCHR on Friday, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said he was alarmed by reports that Assange may be expelled from the Embassy of Ecuador in London, indicating that he intended to personally investigate the case. Melzer said Assange's expulsion from the Ecuadorian Embassy could "expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." "I therefore urge the Government of Ecuador to abstain from expelling Mr. Assange from its Embassy in London, or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum until such time as the full protection of his human rights can be guaranteed," said the special rapporteur. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia tweeted on Friday that "the diplomatic asylum is a sovereign authority of a state, which has the right to grant it or withdraw it unilaterally when it deems it justified." After having established WikiLeaks in 2006, Assange has been staying at the embassy since 2012 when he was granted asylum by Ecuador as part of a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where the Australian-born whistleblower was facing allegations of sexual assault and rape. In 2017, he received Ecuadorian citizenship so as to resolve the political impasse over his continued presence in Britain. However, in 2018, Assange launched legal action through his lawyers against the Ecuadorian government, accusing it of violating his fundamental rights and freedoms. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 16:49:46|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close LAGOS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Nineteen people died and 38 were injured in a road accident in Faskari in Katsina state, northwest Nigeria on Friday, a local road safety official confirmed on Saturday. Godwin Ngeuku, state commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), told Xinhua over the phone that the accident involved a Mitsubishi Canter vehicle. He said a preliminary investigation revealed that the driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle while speeding, skidded up the road, somersaulted and killed some passengers instantly. He said the vehicle was on its way to neighboring Sokoto state and was carrying about 57 passengers when the incident occurred. The road official said the injured persons are being treated at a government hospital in the state. Ngeuku urged drivers to reject overloading, speeding and continue to abide by the traffic rules and regulations as part of measures to avert crashes on the highways. Deadly road accidents are common in Nigeria, often caused by overloading, bad road conditions and reckless driving. According to a FRSC report, there were 9,383 road traffic crashes reported in 2017 across the country, of which 2,587 were fatal and killing a total of 5,121 people. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 16:49:47|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close by Raimundo Urrechaga HAVANA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Cuba seeks to expand foreign investment in the sector to increase exploration, production and refining projects across the island, a senior industry official told Xinhua in a recent interview. Osvaldo Lopez, head of exploration at the state-owned oil firm Cuba Oil Union (CUPET), Cuba's largest oil company, said the country expects to sign at least five new contracts with foreign companies in the next three years and start a new drilling campaign in the island's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), whose estimates exceed 15 billion barrels of oil. "We hope that during this period we will have the first oil discovery in deep waters in Cuba that will allow a greater opening for foreign investment because it reduces the exploratory risk and would change the whole scenario for the country," he said. Currently, two foreign companies, Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA and Angola's Sonangol, have contracts with CUPET in this area and in the coming weeks will begin the bidding process for 24 of the 59 blocks that make up the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico. Lopez said that in the field of offshore and land exploration, there have been positive experiences with foreign companies like Canada's Sherritt International, which recently signed a contract to explore five blocks of the island's northern oil belt, while Australia's Melbana Energy Limited opted for an extensive zone in western Cuba. "Cuba has great potential in the exploration of oil and gas and from our perspective it has been an attractive return over the years and we see that our investments not only benefit the development of the country, but also us as a company," said Curtis Evert, Sherritt's vice president of exploration. The Canadian company has been operating in the Caribbean nation in the last 27 years and has produced more than 227 million barrels of oil in the wells it explores and drills on the north coast of eastern Havana, he told Xinhua. Australian public company Melbana Energy has had agreements with its Cuban counterpart since 2015 and is currently in the first phase of exploratory studies at block number nine in Cuba's western provinces of Matanzas and Villa Clara. A block refers to an area of 2,380 square km that has a very high likelihood of containing good quality oil. "The total volume of probable reserves in this area is more than 700 million recoverable barrels of oil, a figure which has been certified by international companies," Rafael Tenreyro, Melbana's office manager in Cuba, told Xinhua. Lopez said CUPET has also signed contracts with Russian companies Zarubezhneft and Rosneft, as well as Australia's Petro Australis Limited, aimed at increasing oil production in the Caribbean nation. Foreign participation, according to the CUPET official, is vital for Cuba's goal to achieve energy self-sufficiency in the coming years. In that regard, last December, Jesus Marrero, head of business at CUPET's exploration and production department, disclosed new opportunities for foreign investment in the sector. New land and exploration contracts, production improvement and non-conventional oil projects will be available in the Cuban oil industry. According to official figures, Cuba has a production potential of 16 million barrels of oil per year, as well as a significant amount of gas production to generate electricity and domestic consumption. Cuba currently produces 57,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day and this volume covers 60 percent of the national demand. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:10:12|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close GABORONE, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) in partnership with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has launched the "Support to Peace and Security in the SADC region" (SPSS) programme. Launched by Jan Sadek, Ambassador of the European Union to Botswana and SADC on Friday, the program is designed to financially strengthen the capacity of the SADC Organ in its work to promote peace, security and democracy across the southern African region. During the launch held in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, Sadek emphasized that if a region is not peaceful and stable, and its citizens do not feel secure, it will not be able to sustain its development and reap the benefits of integration. Hence, he said it is therefore natural that the EU engages with SADC in the peace and security area, as it believes that the security threats faced can only be tackled through cooperation and in the multilateral framework. While the SADC region is relatively the most peaceful region in Africa, it continues to experience acts of low intensity conflict and related violence. Hence conflict prevention is seen as crucial. The region faces a number of threats with potential impact on its security and stable democratic development such as political crisis, democracy and government deficits, uneven development and social inequality among others. The region hosts two of the most poorly governed countries on the continent, namely Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hence the launch of the support program is complementary to these challenges, Sadek said. The program amounts to some 15 million Euro, and builds on the results of a previous program on regional political cooperation. Though pleased with the EU's efforts, Lydia Mafhoko-Ditsa, Principal UN Women National Program Officer called on the EU and SADC to broaden the scope of peace and security to include human security challenges such as gender-based violence and human trafficking. Peace and security efforts, she said, should include women, as women's representation as witnesses, signatories or negotiators in formal mediation processes remains scarce. Sharing her sentiments, Sadek said statistical evidence shows that when women are involved in peace processes, the likelihood of peace lasting more than 15 years increases by over a third. Moreover he assured her that this is one area the SPSS program will address. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:10:13|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close MUMBAI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- India could save 217 billion U.S. dollars by saving 474 million tons of oil equivalent by opting for electric vehicles till 2030, a release issued by Niti Aayog said late Friday, a planning body of the government. The electric vehicle initiative will also generate CO2 savings of 846 million tons over their life time, the release said based on a joint report of Niti Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) on opportunities for the automobile sector and government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme. RMI is an Indian and global nonprofit organization focused on driving the efficient and restorative use of resources. The projections are based on India realizing electric vehicles sales penetration of 30 percent of private cars, 70 percent of commercial cars, 40 percent of buses and 80 percent of two and three wheelers by 2030, the release said. The lifetime cumulative oil and carbon savings of all electric vehicles deployed through 2030 could be many-fold larger than the direct savings from FAME II. In February, Indian government had approved a scheme to spend 1.4 billion U.S. dollars to subsidize electric and hybrid vehicle sales costing 21,177 U.S. dollars. As per the last available date in 2015, India had a total vehicular population of 210 million of which 73.5 percent two wheelers, 13.6 percent cars, jeeps and taxis, 1 percent buses, 4.4 percent goods vehicle and 7.5 percent other vehicles. The FAME II scheme, which was notified by the Union Cabinet in February 2019, aims to further accelerate the government of India's commitment to a clean mobility future with electrification of transportation being a primary focus area. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:20:22|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close King Abdullah II of Jordan gives his speech at the opening of the 17th World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa at the Dead Sea area in Jordan, on April 6, 2019. The World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa 2019 kicked off on Saturday in Jordan with more than 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries. The forum, which was the 17th in the region, called for united efforts to address the region's most pressing challenges. (Xinhua/Mohammad Abu Ghosh) AMMAN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa 2019 kicked off on Saturday in Jordan with more than 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries. The forum, which was the 17th in the region, called for united efforts to address the region's most pressing challenges. At the opening ceremony, which was held at the Dead Sea area, King Abdullah II of Jordan said that it takes a broad partnership to create a platform for economic growth. Jordan's focus on education and innovation has helped to nurture an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and start-ups, the king added. "We are also looking forward to the growth that comes with abundant and real opportunity. Jordan's economic situation is promising," he said. The king added that Jordan is actively supporting the growth of opportunity. Addressing the forum, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that in light of the pressures and challenges which the Kingdom is facing, it deserves strong solidarity from the international community. "Beyond the impact of the Syrian crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ... Jordan is also a country with large investment opportunities for the private sector and growth," Guterres said. Jordan is a leading country in the peacekeeping forces and it is the driving force behind UN resolutions on youth, he added. The UN secretary-general also reviewed challenges in the region, calling for united efforts to address them. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of WEF, said that the region has been held back by "conflict." "We are prepared to build on our long-standing commitment to dialogue to tackle issues such as the future of Iraq and Syria, relations between Israelis and Palestinians and the plight of the refugees," Schwab added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:35:27|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close SYDNEY, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A population of critically endangered grey nurse sharks has been spotted in the waters off Australias Northern Territory, with scientists and marine conservationists pointing to a major repopulation of the animals through the chance discovery. The nurse sharks, until now known to reside near Australia's eastern and western coasts, were found off the coast of the Tiwi Islands during work on gas giant ConocoPhillips new Barossa gas pipeline, the ABC news channel reported on Saturday. Scientists and marine conservationists are hoping that the isolated population could be the genetic savior of the critically endangered east coast population, according to the channel. There's about 400 breeding animals left on the east coast, they're very rare nowadays and it may mean that these animals found near the Tiwi Islands can help repopulate the East Coast," Jason Fowler from the Marine Conservation Society was quoted as saying. The numbers have declined rapidly over the last couple of decades and the number of breeding individuals and the genetic variation really don't look good for the future persistence of the species, Macquarie University biologist Adam Stow, who has been researching the grey nurse shark, told the channel. The new nurse sharks could be critical to the species' future and that attracting funding to carry out genetic tests would be the essential next steps, according to Stow. ConocoPhillips said in a statement that its independent scientific advice was that its operations were not expected to have significant impacts on wildlife in the area, including the grey nurse sharks, the channel reported. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:35:29|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- China's marriage rate has been in decline for five years in a row as the younger generations delay or have given up on marriage. The marriage rate dropped from 9.9 per 1,000 people in 2013 to a five-year low of 7.2 per 1,000 people in 2018, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The figures vary in different regions, with more developed regions having lower marriage rates. Tying the knot is no longer seen as a necessity for today's young adults, with many preferring single life. "The idea that singles are abnormal is so out of date. Being single won't make me anxious at all," said a 30-year-old woman who prefers to identify herself as Yang Le, which is a pseudo name. With a steady salary and no mortgage, she enjoys her current lifestyle, goes to the gym every week and goes outdoors with her friends on vacations. Compared with her married friends, Yang says she has more freedom to do what she likes. But she doe not reject marriage. "There is no formula that fits everyone when it comes to marriage. Being single probably fits me best at present," Yang said. Many young adults like Yang are postponing marriage. People between the ages of 20 and 24 had the highest record of marriage registrations before 2012, while people between the ages of 25 and 29 became the mainstay in 2017, accounting for 36.9 percent of all registered couples, according to MCA statistics. "The attitude toward marriage and giving birth is changing among those born in the 1980s or 1990s, with more choosing to marry late or not to marry," said Lu Jiehua, professor of sociology with Peking University. "In an increasingly tolerant society, marriage is not the only option." The growing costs of living and child education are further factors in the downward trend in the marriage rate, according to experts. According to a 2018 survey released in by Zhenai.com, a popular matchmaking website, around 80 percent of women and 40 percent of men consider owning a house a necessity before getting married. A report published by the China Institute for Educational Finance Research showed that the average cost of a child's education from kindergarten to high school accounted for 13.2 percent of a family's total cost in 2017, about 10.6 percent for rural families and 14.3 percent for urban families. "As the cost of living rises in both urban and rural areas, many young adults cannot or temporarily cannot afford to get married," said Lu Xiaowen, a researcher with the Institute of Sociology of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Today's young people have a strong sense of individuality and are unwilling to be dragged down by household financial burdens, Lu said. "I'd prefer a high-quality single life to a low-quality marriage" is a common refrain. The decrease is also closely related to the changing demographic structure, said Shi Zhilei, associate professor with the School of Public Administration of the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. "With the country's population aging, the percentage of people at marriageable ages is dropping, which is bound to result in the decline of the marriage rate," Shi said. For Liu Yuanju, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Finance and Law, it is normal for the marriage rate to drop in an increasingly developed society and the phenomenon should be viewed rationally. Nevertheless, for the purpose of raising fertility rates, measures should be taken to encourage more young adults to get married. Experts have suggested that to boost the growth of marriage rate, authorities should prolong marriage and maternity leave and provide more low-rent housing for young city dwellers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:35:31|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will repatriate two nationals who escaped from Abu Sayyaf terrorist group's custody following recent raid against the group's stronghold island in the Philippines' Sulu province, an Indonesian foreign ministry official said on Saturday. One of the two Indonesian hostages died in their struggle to swim to the province's Bangalao Island from Simusa Island which was raided by the Philippine mariner troops in the last two days. The Indonesian hostage, identified as Heri Ardiansyah, and body of Hariadin now are kept in the Philippine's Westmincom military base in Zamboanga City. They will be handed over to representatives of Indonesian government, Indonesian Foreign Ministry Citizen Protection Director Lalu Muhammad Iqbal said. "Indonesian government would repatriate them as soon as possible after the handing over session," Lalu said in a statement. Hariadin drowned in his struggle to swim out from Simusa Island with Heri Ardiansyah on Friday afternoon. They were picked up from the sea by the Philippines' navy boat patrolling around the waters. The Philippine military said that their troops managed to kill three Abu Sayyaf militants who pursued the Indonesian hostages in the sea. In a separated event, a Malaysian hostage, identified as Jari Abdullah, was shot during the raid on Thursday. He died in a Zamboanga City hospital after being evacuated from the shootout scene by the Philippines troops. Heri, Hariadin and Jari were three fishing boat crews kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants in Malaysia's Sandakan Kinabatangan waters on Dec. 5 last year. They were kidnapped for ransom by the Islamic-State (IS)-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group based in Southern Philippines. According to the ministry's data, 36 Indonesian nationals have been kidnapped in Southern Philippine waters since 2016, of which 34 have been released. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:40:33|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities have issued an action plan pledging to make all hospital toilets clean, hygienic and tidy by the end of 2019. The action plan, with a theme of jointly advancing the "toilet revolution" campaign and promoting health and wellness, was jointly initiated by the National Health Commission and the office of the National Patriotic Health Campaign Commission. The action plan is meant to raise people's awareness of public sanitation and help them cultivate a healthy lifestyle, it said. Efforts should be made to improve infrastructure and enhance sanitation management, with a focus on environmental protection, according to the action plan. An alarm system should be implemented in hospital restrooms for the convenience of the elderly while barrier-free facilities should be provided in hospital toilets for the pregnant and children, it added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:40:35|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Afghan security force members inspect the site of an attack in Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, April 6, 2019. At least three civilians, including a woman, were killed and 19 others wounded in twin blasts in eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Saturday, a local official said. (Xinhua/Saifurahman Safi) JALALABAD, Afghanistan, April 6 (Xinhua) -- At least three civilians, including a woman, were killed and 19 others wounded in twin blasts in eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Saturday, a local official said. The blasts occurred roughly at 10 a.m. local time in the Police District 4 of the city, where two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) went off resulting in the death of three civilians, including a 22-year-old woman and injury of 19 others, Ataullah Khogyani, provincial government spokesman, told Xinhua. Among those injured were two children and four women but the injured were shifted to a government-run regional hospital, the spokesman said, adding two of the injured were in critical condition. Jalalabad city, which is provincial capital of eastern Nangarhar province, has been hit by scores of bomb blasts since early last year. A total of five civilians were wounded on Thursday, when a public bus was struck by an IED in the city. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts yet. The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 3,800 civilians were killed and over 7,180 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2018 in the war-torn country, according to figures of the United Nations mission in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 18:58:09|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close People in costumes of ethnic group take part in a parade during a culture festival in Wangmo County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 6, 2019. A culture festival of the Buyi ethnic group kicked off here Saturday to celebrate "San Yue San", or the third day of the third month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which falls on April 7 this year. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 19:05:53|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- An opera dedicated to the epic Long March led by the Communist Party of China will return to the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing for this year's Army Day, which falls on Aug. 1. "The Long March" will be performed in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, in south China, at the end of May. The six-act opera is an original NCPA production that debuted in 2016 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March. The Long March was a military maneuver carried out by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army from 1934 to 1936. During this period, they left their bases and marched through rivers, mountains and arid grassland to break the siege of Kuomintang forces and continue to fight Japanese aggressors. Many marched as far as 12,500 kilometers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 19:10:55|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BUDAPEST, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Hungary and the United States have signed a defense cooperation agreement, according to official sources here on Saturday. "Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan have signed a defense cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the celebrations of NATO's 70th anniversary in Washington," the official website of the Hungarian government informed. "The new defense agreement concluded with the United States is a 'modernized version' of the defense cooperation agreement signed twenty years ago," Szijjarto was quoted as saying. "Security conditions have changed significantly in recent decades," Szijjarto underlined, adding that the new defense deal would contribute to guaranteeing Hungary's security, and ensuring that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) remain "the world's most successful and strongest military alliance in future." In a statement following the signing of the agreement, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David B. Cornstein said: "This agreement will modernize our previous status of forces agreement to reflect new realities in defense." "We look forward to an even stronger security relationship with Hungary, and we hope the Hungarian Parliament will complete its approval of the agreement as soon as possible," Cornstein added. The signing of the defense agreement comes following a visit to Hungary by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in February, when he vowed to renew U.S. engagement with Hungary and strengthen its relations with the countries in central and eastern Europe, including Hungary. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 19:20:58|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close XINING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A flock of black-necked cranes, which has listed under the top protection of the state in China, have been spotted in in a grassland in northwest China's Qinghai Province. The first group of the black-necked cranes began to arrive in mid-March at a vast grassland in Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu. The biggest group consisted of 271 cranes, according to local forestry authorities. "From mid-March to April 4, an average of more than 230 cranes flocked to the grassland each day," said Tsultrim, a local official in charge of environmental protection and forestry. The cranes usually fly to the grassland in late March, and leave by the end of October. Black-necked cranes inhabit meadows, wetlands, and lakes at an altitude of 2,500 to 5,000 meters. They mainly live in the highlands of China, India, Bhutan and Nepal. With an estimated population of around 10,200, the species is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 20:21:23|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close MANILA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and seven others injured when a bus fell into a 30-meter ravine in the central Philippine Antique province on Friday night, police said on Saturday. Police said the bus was traveling to Antique province from Iloilo City when it overshot the railing along the curve near Hamtic town and fell into the ravine at around 9:45 p.m. Police blamed the accident on busted break. The incident happened in an accident-prone area, police said, adding that Friday's incident was the first the police recorded in the area this year. Last year, police said three accidents occurred in the same place that killed at least 30. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 20:31:30|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close KUNMING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Wildlife authorities in southwest China's Yunnan Province said they will release the Asian elephant they captured Friday back into the wild in an appropriate time. The Asian elephants breeding and rescue center of Yunnan said Saturday the elephant, which ran amok in a town before it was captured Friday, would be released but needs to pass a comprehensive emotional and physical assessment first. The 20-year-old elephant Weizhayo, meaning victor in the Dai language, was an underdog in a fight for mate and turned fractious after being expelled from the pack by the winning alpha, according to the forestry and grassland administration of Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna. The 4-tonne animal intruded into Meng'a Town, Menghai County, six times between March 17 and April 4, tramping crowded roads and damaging 16 motor vehicles and five buildings. After meeting with experts, the provincial forestry authority approved the request for an "arrest." The prefecture government then formulated a hunting plan and an emergency pre-plan, and set up an operation command. On Thursday, the elephant invaded Meng'a again and walked around a school and a sugarhouse. The hunt was on. On Friday morning, an anesthetist stalked on the target near the town government building and shot a 1.2-ml narcotic needle in its rear using a blow pipe. After 12 minutes, Weizhayo fell heavily to the ground and was caged. He woke up 35 minutes later showing normal vital signs and was sent to the center, "safe and sound." During mating season, competition between male elephants can be intense and lead to frequent fights, imperiling residents in the area. A wild Asian elephant came into the city of Pu'er last April and took a stroll for six hours before it was brought under control and kept in the elephant breeding and rescue center in Xishuangbanna. Thanks to improving environment, the number of wild Asian elephants, which are under A-level state protection, has grown from 170 in the 1990s to about 300 in China, leading to more human-elephant conflict. Last month, an elephant habitat reconstruction project was launched in Yunnan to build a 51-hectare "dining area" for wild elephants to solve conflicts between the endangered animal and local residents. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 20:46:36|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait dispatched a planeload of relief supplies on Saturday to the Yemeni island of Socotra to aid the population that have been suffering from hard living conditions, the Kuwait News Agency reported. Abdulrahman Al-Aoun, director general of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) said in a statement that the new consignment of assistance supplies was a follow-up to previous batches that had been dispatched to the island when it was ravaged by a severe cyclone last year. KRCS teams will distribute fishing boats to fishermen, oversee installment of solar energy panels for 250 houses while medics would examine patients, particularly a number of the islanders who have been suffering from some skin diseases, the statement said. On May 24, 2018, the Yemeni government declared the archipelago province of Socotra a disaster area, after Cyclone Mekunu struck the island. Socotra island, at a distance of 380 km of Yemen in the Arabian Sea, is home to hundreds of plant species found nowhere else on earth and also 50,000 residents that speak their own language. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 20:56:41|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close CAIRO, April 6 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court issued on Saturday preliminary death sentences against seven defendants involved in attacking a hotel in Giza near the capital Cairo in 2016, official MENA news agency reported. The defendants are among 26 others who are accused of leading an outlawed group, supplying it with firearms and money as well as attacking the hotel, MENA said. They also face charges of illegal possession of weapons and ammunition in addition to attacking police forces and vandalizing public property during the period of mid-2015 to Feb. 13, 2016. The court set June 22 to issue its final verdict against all defendants. Terrorism prevailed in Egypt since the military ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in early July 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group. Terror attacks killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in restive North Sinai province northeast of Cairo before they gradually extended to other provinces, where dozens of civilians, mainly Christians, were killed. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:06:47|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Air force of Libya's UN-backed government on Saturday attacked forces of the eastern-based army in south of the capital Tripoli, as the army continues trying to take over the city. "Fighter jets took off from Misurata airbase (some 200 km east of Tripoli) and carried out three airstrikes against Haftar's army in two locations in southern Tripoli," a government military source told Xinhua. The airstrikes targeted gatherings of machinery and equipment of the army, the source said, revealing no details about possible human casualties. The army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, on Thursday launched an operation to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. The army's spokesman, Ahmad al-Mismari, on Friday revealed that the army is making significant progress towards the city, and that areas in southern Tripoli are now under the control of the army. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who concluded a visit to Libya on Friday, expressed deep concern over the military escalation in Tripoli. "I still hope it will be possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," Guterres told reporters before departing from the eastern city of Benghazi. 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| 2019-04-06 21:06:49|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close LISBON, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has proposed a new anti-nepotism law to prevent government appointments based on family ties, local media reported. The president made the proposal amid a growing nepotism scandal ahead of the general elections in October, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency. "We are reaching the conclusion that perhaps ethics is not enough," the president said, noting that the law in force was almost 20 years old and had not kept up with Portugal's "demanding" public opinion. Rebelo de Sousa advocated new legislation to prevent family members being selected for government positions after a senior Portuguese government official resigned recently over accusations that he had picked his cousin as his deputy. He clarified that he was referring to the Administrative Procedure Code, which currently includes an "absolute ban" in nominating close family members, with "bleaker limitations" when it comes to aunts, uncles and cousins, Lusa reported late Friday. Rebelo de Sousa was quoted as saying that if these rules existed for the public administration in general, they should be taken into account for political roles too. Jeanine Cammarata, the teacher missing since last weekend, has been identified as the victim found early Thursday morning in a Staten Island storage unit, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed Friday. Her estranged husband, Michael Cammarata, and Ayisha Egea, his girlfriend, were also charged with her death on Friday. They've both been charged with second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse, according to the NYPD. On Thursday, Cammarata's "badly burnt" body was found in an Arden Heights storage space lined with air fresheners to mask the smell, the New York Post reports. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said in a statement that Cammarata had been identified through her dental records. Cammarata was last seen by her boyfriend, Aaron Suchecki, on Saturday. Suchecki said she dropped him off at his house before driving to her estranged husband's place, with the intention to see their children. A teacher at P.S. 29, she had been in the process of divorcing Michael Cammarata and reportedly gave him divorce papers shortly before she disappeared, according to the late Cammarata's lawyer. On Monday, Cammarata missed work at school and at Dollar Tree, where she worked part-time. That day, she also missed a court date her ongoing custody battle with her husband for their children. She was reported missing on Tuesday. After Cammarata went missing, her best friend, Jessica Pobega, said she received a series of peculiar text messages, purporting to be from her missing friend. When Pobega said she was calling the police, she received a text saying: "I don't want that...I have the kids...I apologize. I have to do this for the children." After being questioned by police, Michael Cammarata said that he had hit his ex-wife when they met up over the weekend. He was immediately taken into custody, first on charges for assault and for stalking her in prior incidents. Cammarata was reportedly caught on tape transporting a sizable plastic container from his apartment to the Staten Island storage space. There, he was allegedly seen in a surveillance video, along with someone else, carting the container inside a storage unit, as The New York Daily News reports. "I will miss you forever.. I will make sure they pay," Pobega wrote on Facebook, after her late friend's death was confirmed. "I will make sure that they see my face at that trial.. you will have justice.. they had no right to take you away like that.. you deserved the world." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:31:57|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close CHONGQING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A memorial park dedicated to those that donate their bodies has opened in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. The memorial park, located within another park in Chongqing's Bishan District, covers an area of about 1,500 square meters. A monument surrounded by flowers stands in the middle of the park, and the names of the donators have been inscribed on it. A memorial service was held as the park opened Friday, China's traditional Tomb-sweeping Day. According to the local Red Cross Society of China, 3,020 names have been inscribed on the monument, while more than 1,500 people donated their organs without leaving names. The Chinese have traditionally held that a person's body should remain intact because they believe there is an afterlife, and they see a traditional burial as act of filial piety to their elders. China's body donation program started in the early 1980s. In recent years, body donation has gradually become more acceptable in society. In Chongqing alone, by March 20 of this year, 18,979 people had registered to donate their corneas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:36:59|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Bodies of two workers of PT Freeport Indonesia were recovered on Saturday after landslides hit an underground mine three days ago in eastern Papua province, spokesman of the firm Riza Pratama said. Two other workers survived the incident, albeit sustaining from minor wounds, the spokesman added. "The two bodies were found today (Saturday). The operation of the company is still normal," he told Xinhua over the phone. PT Freeport Indonesia operates the world's largest gold mine and the world's second largest copper mine in Papua province. PT Freeport Indonesia has been a subsidiary of U.S. giant Freeport McMorant,Inc since 1973, but it has been taken over by Indonesia's state firm PT Asahan Aluminium since December 21, 2018. The Grasberg mine of the firm produced a total of 270,000 tons of copper ore per day last year, according to the energy and mineral ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:47:05|Editor: ZX Video Player Close HANGZHOU, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The city of Ningbo in east China's Zhejiang Province will launch direct flights to Tokyo and Seoul this year, the city's Lishe International Airport said. Sources with the airport said it would also increase flights to domestic cities like Beijing and Qingdao in 2019. Ningbo has one of the busiest ports in the world. The airport is expanding its terminal facilities amid a surging passenger volume. The airport handled 11.7 million passengers in 2018, a yearly increase of 24.8 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:47:07|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Friday reiterated the necessity of a Libyan-owned and led process towards creating a new political dispensation in the war-torn nation. The pan African bloc made the statement following the visit of the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat to the war-torn North African nation earlier this week, the AU said in a statement on Friday. Faki made the remarks during his meeting with Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and Prime Minister of the government of the National Accord, according to the AU. The AU chairperson "emphasized the guiding principles of the AU approach, mainly the necessity of a Libyan-owned and led process towards creating a new political dispensation in the country, in support of the UN-led initiative," the AU statement read. Faki also "renewed appeal to all external actors to refrain from interference in the internal affairs of Libya." He further stressed "the continued readiness and commitment of the AU to fully cooperate with the UN and other partners to support the Libyan people achieve peace, reconciliation and development." Al-Sarraj also expressed support to the AU's initiative to hold a National Reconciliation Conference in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia in July 2019, in support of the national dialogue process led by the UN. Al-Sarraj further expressed his readiness to co-establish a preparatory mechanism to ensure the success of the Conference, the AU said. The AU chairperson held talks with a delegation of members of the High Council of State led by Khalid Al-Mishri. "The members of the High Council of State shared their views on the impasse in Libya and appealed to the AU to actively contribute to the search for a durable and peaceful solution. They assured the Chairperson of their support to the AU initiative," the AU statement read. Faki also in Benghazi met with the Libyan National Army Commander Khalila Haftar. According to the AU, Faki and Haftar exchanged on ways and means to promote peace and reconciliation in Libya, reinforce its national institutions and achieve unity. "They agreed to cooperate in the preparations of the AU-led National Conference on Reconciliation to be held in Addis Ababa in July 2019," the statement read. The AU chairperson was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, and the Commissioner of Social Affairs, Amiral El Fadil, and other senior officials of the commission. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:47:12|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SHANGHAI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Nice weather, blooming flowers and fresh tea make Shanghai a hot tourist destination for Tomb-sweeping Day holiday. On Friday, about 70,000 people visited the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao in Shanghai's Qingpu District, close to the daily peak recorded during the lunar New Year holiday. Shanghai Disney Resort and Shanghai Wild Animal Park are among the hottest tourist destinations in the city, with the Bund also a favorite among visitors. According to Shanghai railway authorities, a total of 1.64 million tourists will make trips from April 4 to 7, a year-on-year increase of about 6.2 percent. The Tomb-sweeping Day holiday lasts from Friday to Sunday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 21:57:17|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council on Saturday urged African countries to exert more concerted efforts against an increasing trend of hate speech and xenophobic attacks in Africa. The council made the call in a statement issued on Saturday following decisions made during its recent meeting under the theme "Prevention of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa." The council "expressed concern at the increasing trend in Africa of hate speech, identity and religious-based conflicts, hatred, the exacerbation of ethnic divisions, among others, that constitute strong drivers of ideology of hate which leads to hate crimes and genocide." The AU Peace and Security Council further expressed concern that "extremist ideology among religious and ethnic groups is fostering a new ground for hate speeches which constitutes a fertile ground for hate crimes and genocide." "Council noted the importance of promoting religious tolerance with a view to preventing recurrence of mass atrocities, hate crimes and ideology of genocide on the continent," the statement read. The AU Peace and Security Council expressed "deep concern of the rise of xenophobia in some parts of the continent." The council also "condemned all forms of xenophobic attacks, racism and intolerance in Africa and reaffirmed the AU's strong commitment to good neighborliness and solidarity in Africa." It reaffirmed the centrality of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948, as an effective international instrument for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. The council further urged AU member states to domesticate in their national legislation all instruments relating to the prevention and the punishment of hate speech, hate crimes and genocide, as they have the primary responsibility to protect their own citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:12:29|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close AMMAN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Saturday said that "Israel's continued occupation of Arab territories" obstructs the settlement of the conflict. In a session during the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea area, the minister stressed the importance of continued engagement with the U.S. to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "Jordan rejected U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Safadi said. Arab ministers during the session renewed commitment to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which they said is key to end the conflict. "Arabs are committed to the peace deal ... The problem is not the lack of assurances but is the continued Israeli occupation," Safadi said. Safadi made the remarks as Yusuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman, said that Israel needs assurances about its future and that the Arabs need to remove all their concerns and fears. Speaking during the session, Elias Bou Saab, Lebanon's defense minister, said that the origin of the problem in the Middle East is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. On common challenges, he said that terrorism has no boundaries and in spite of the defeat of the extremist Islamic State group, terrorism ideology remains. Sigrid Kaag, minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, said that Europe is engaged in and supports UN-led efforts to settle the conflict. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:12:31|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close XI'AN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Wild birds in the Qinling Mountains in northwest China have thrived over the years thanks to intensified protection, authorities have said. A total of 521 wild bird species have been discovered in the mountains, including 11 under Class One national protection, according to the Shaanxi Institute of Zoology. Local authorities in northwestern Shaanxi Province have taken a variety of means to protect birds, including the crested ibis, which increased from merely seven in 1981 to more than 3,000, including about 2,600 in Qinling. The Qinling Mountains are the natural boundary between north and south China. It is one of China's key areas of bio-diversity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:17:33|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BRUSSELS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- China-European Union (EU) relations in tourism get a boost as the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year has scored a success, an official recently said. During the tourism year, China and the EU held more than 100 promotional activities. It "has been extremely successful," said Eduardo Santander, executive director of the European Travel Commission (ETC). There was a 5.1-percent year-on-year increase in Chinese arrivals in EU destinations in 2018, and among the top ones in terms of the volume of Chinese arrivals were Britain, Germany and France, according to the latest figures from the ETC and the air travel analysis agency ForwardKeys. "We continue to see the benefits in 2019," Santander added. "The growth in Chinese travellers has been solid, and the near future, judging by current bookings, will see the EU continuing to increase its share of this valuable market, not just to traditional destinations, but lesser-known and emerging ones as well." Chinese bookings to the EU for the first four months of 2019 are 16.9 percent ahead of where they were at the end of 2017, said the ETC, adding that this compares very favorably to the global trend, which is 9.3 percent ahead. According to a recent report by China Tourism Academy and China's online travel agency Ctrip, 70 percent of Chinese tourists in 2018 chose "package tours" when traveling in Europe, due to language, visa, culture and other factors. Nevertheless, the proportion of independent and customized travel continues to rise. In 2018, the demand for customized European tours booked by the travel website increased by 127 percent over the past year, far higher than the growth rate of the overall market, said the report. In addition, a number of new routes were launched between China and Europe in 2018, including direct flights from Fuzhou to Moscow, Changsha to London, Jinan to Paris, and Shenzhen to Brussels. In 2018, there were more than 600 flights a week between China and Europe, according to the report. Ctrip in 2018 forecast that consumption of each tourist in Europe will exceed 25,000 yuan (about 3,721 U.S. dollars) in two years, with the total annual consumption to reach 150 billion yuan (about 22.3 billion dollars). "Our findings confirm what a concerted effort to boost tourism can achieve. It also appears to have lasting effects, as we can see in the forward booking figures," said Olivier Jager, CEO of ForwardKeys. China's domestic travel agencies are also deepening the cooperation with Europe. For example, the SkyScanner, Ctrip's online travel search platform, set up its first overseas calling service center in Edinburgh in April 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:42:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIANJIN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- For many people, late-night calls bring unwanted disturbance, but for 74-year-old Zhao Yonghua, they are a cause for excitement. When his phone rings at night, Zhao, a volunteer advocate for body donation, replies "I'll be there asap," puts on his clothes and rushes to the scene. "Sometimes a phone call informs me the death of a voluntary body donor, and in such cases every minute counts," he said. Upon arriving at the scene, Zhao helps bereaved families fill in application forms, and answers their questions on the body donation procedure. Formerly a worker in north China's Tianjin municipality, Zhao has been an advocate for body donation for about 20 years. In 2002, Zhao notarized his will for body donation, as did his wife. Before that, the couple had set up a service hotline to promote body donation and organized voluntary activities. So far, Zhao's volunteer group, which has over 100 people, has assisted more than 2,000 people to apply for body donation, with their registrations being filed. "My job does not stop at getting them to sign the papers. We visit the families of the donors often and show them respect," he said. In a memorial park in Tianjin, the names of 803 body donors are engraved on a monument, and Zhao knows a third of them. Zhang Ping, director of department of anatomy and histology at Tianjin Medical University (TMU), said that a growing number of volunteers like Zhao Yonghua had contributed to the increase of body donations in the school. "Anatomy is a basic medical course. Students can obtain a better understanding of physiology and pathology through practical operations," Zhang said. The university started receiving willed bodies for medical training in the 1980s. Total donations reached 797, among which 86 were received in 2018. Li Rui, a senior student at TMU, said she had been deeply touched after visiting the hall that was built by the university in 2002 to display the last words of the body donors. "I pay tribute to these donors and want to be one like them," Li said. Figures from the Red Cross Society of China Tianjin branch show that a total of 827 body donations, 908 organ donations and 456 cornea donations had been completed as of March 2019. In Beijing, more than 2,600 donated bodies have been used for medical research and education since the city launched body donation registry in 1999. Liu Wenhua, an employee with the Red Cross Society of China Nanjing branch, said more than 2,000 donations have been received so far in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province. China's body donation rate rose from 0.03 to 4.53 donors per million in the past decade, with the number of registered body and organ donors exceeding 1.16 million by the end of March, according to the China Organ Donation Administrative Center. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:47:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen on Saturday evening shot dead an off-duty trooper in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The trooper belonging to army was attacked at Warpora village of Sopore town, about 50 km west of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "This evening unidentified gunmen fired upon Muhammad Rafeeq Yatoo, a trooper from a point-blank range at his residence at Warpora here," a police official posted in Sopore told Xinhua. "Though he was immediately removed to hospital, the doctors there declared him brought dead." According to police, the trooper was at home on leave. Following the incident, contingents of police and troopers rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers. Police suspect involvement of militants in the killing. Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with police and defense agencies. Even people having associations with pro-India political parties and police are targeted at times. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 22:52:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SHENYANG, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A mourning service was held in northeast China's Liaoning Province to commemorate martyrs who died in their resistance against Japanese invasion. This year marks the 88th anniversary of the September 18 Incident. On Sept. 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of railway under its control near Shenyang, then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for attack. They bombarded barracks near Shenyang the same evening, starting the bloody invasion. The mourning service was held Friday in the Sept. 18 Historical Museum in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province. About 200 people attended the event, and laid flowers at a monument dedicated to the deceased. Among the participants were some middle and primary school students, as the museum is a base for patriotic education. "We have held such mourning services for 10 consecutive years," said deputy curator Zhang Yunfeng. "The public can join mourning activities by laying flowers at the site and donating books about the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," he sadi, adding that online mourning services are also available. An opera was also staged at the museum to depict the story of a heroine who fought fearlessly during the war. "We hope the high spirit and characters of the martyrs can inspire people, so that the public can carry on the spirit of the heroes and work hard towards a better future," Zhang said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 23:18:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close People visit a museum on the movie "Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo" in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), April 6, 2019. A museum based on the movie "Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo" was opened on Saturday here in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing back memories of 1970s when the movie was wildly popular, as well as values of anti-fascism and unity of the former Yugoslavia. (Xinhua/Nedim Grabovica) SARAJEVO, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A museum based on the cult movie "Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo" was opened on Saturday here in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing back memories of 1970s when the movie was wildly popular, as well as values of anti-fascism and unity of the former Yugoslavia. During the opening ceremony, Sarajevo mayor Abdulah Skaka pointed out that the museum symbolizes anti-fascist values that the city of Sarajevo has, and which are worth of respect. It was stated that the museum is dedicated to the film and the historical personality of Vladimir Peric Valter, a famous member of the Movement of Resistance and antifascist figure from the World War II. The museum will be especially interesting for visitors from China, for some two billion people have watched the movie "Valter Defends Sarajevo" since 1973 in China, Jasmin Durakovic, director of the museum, told Xinhua. Nermin Muzur, director of Canton Sarajevo Tourism Association, highlighted the importance of the museum for visitors from China in an interview with Xinhua. Muzur said some 30,000 Chinese tourists visited Sarajevo in 2018, a great increase over a year before thanks to the visa-free regime that entered into force in May 2018, and tourism promotions. "We believe that opening of the museum will definitely contribute to a greater number of Chinese tourists visiting Sarajevo," Muzur said, adding that there was already a 20 percent increase in the arrivals of Chinese tourists in the first two months of this year. "The museum is designed in a way to be attractive to all generations. There are elements of wax figures, scenography, music and multimedia. These are all interconnected to be more interesting for the youth as well," Durakovic told Xinhua. He added that they are planning a geo-mapping of locations where scenes in the movie was filmed as well as of various statues of Valter in the city of Sarajevo, and will launch a "Valter Defends Sarajevo" touristic route in May this year. "We are currently negotiating to do a remake of the film with Chinese film directors, and there is a major interest in China for doing it," said Durakovic, adding that he will be travelling to Beijing at the end of April to negotiate with Chinese directors. "Valter Defends Sarajevo" is more than a museum for three friends who travelled more than 500 kilometers to meet in Sarajevo after 26 years. "We had our dreams, our life, and the museum has managed to connect us and this was the reason for me to cross 280 kilometers to meet with my friends and to make photographs here, as we used to do before," Olivera Filipovic told Xinhua, saying that this cult movie brought back the desire to stay and live in BiH. "Valter Defends Sarajevo is a movie that we have been living our whole life, we grew up with it, and all that we saw today at the museum has evoked the memories," said Filipovic. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 23:38:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LHASA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Braving freezing snow and wind, Wang Quanquan inspects a railway construction site in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, and takes pictures of workers laying the tracks. Such an inspection is a routine repeated two or three times a day. Wang works for China Railway 11 Bureau Group Co., Ltd, and is designated as head of track laying for the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the first electrified railway in Tibet. Spanning more than 435 km, the railway, which connects Lhasa, the regional capital, and the city of Nyingchi, forms an important part of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway. Wang, 44, has witnessed the Tibetan transport system develop. Remote and hard to reach in the past, the region now has a comprehensive modern transport system featuring highways, railways and aircraft. By the end of 2018, roads had reached all counties in Tibet. In 2006, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was put into operation. Eight years later, the railway connecting Lhasa, and Tibet's Xigaze, was completed. Tibet now has five airports, with 92 air routes already launched. From 1980 to 2018, the central government allocated more than 1.2 trillion yuan (184 billion U.S. dollars) in subsidies to Tibet, accounting for 91 percent of Tibet's total expenditure. More than 15 years ago, Wang volunteered to join the building of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It was a tough job, since 85 percent of the railway was constructed in areas more than 4,000 meters above sea level. The areas have an annual average temperature below zero degree Celsius, and oxygen in most of these areas is only about 50 percent to 60 percent of that in plain areas. Under such harsh conditions, Wang became the head of a team in charge of track laying, a hugely challenging job for a man only 29 years old. "It was challenging yet meaningful to me," Wang recalled. "The project was simply significant in itself." It proved to be no easy task under such harsh conditions. Wang was sent to hospital twice due to altitude stress. But the difficulties did not put the man down. In the process, Wang and his team not only managed to carry all the trains up the plateau with cars, but they also made a record by laying more than 8 km of tracks on a plateau in just one day. "I felt huge responsibility on my shoulders when doing my job, because I cared about the safety of my workers and the safety of the project," Wang said. "When the railway was completed, I cried like a baby." In May last year, Wang went to Tibet again, to help with laying the tracks of the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway. "After the railway is completed, my life will be complete," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-06 23:43:35|Editor: zh Video Player Close Shen Yueyue (R), vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, meets with Armenian President Armen Sarkissian in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ming) YEREVAN, April 6 (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 Armenia on Saturday. During the visit at the invitation of the National Assembly of Armenia from Thursday to Saturday, Shen met respectively with Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan and held talks with Vice President of the National Assembly Lena Nazaryan. In recent years, China and Armenia both witnessed a healthy and steady growth of friendly ties, and closer cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, Shen said during her meetings with the Armenian top leaders. China respects Armenian people's independent choice of development path, highly appreciates Armenia's firm support on issues concerning China's core interest and major concerns, and will join hands with Armenia to take the opportunity of jointly building the Belt and Road to deepen practical cooperation in all fields, so as to benefit peoples of the two countries, Shen said. Shen also called on the legislative bodies of both countries to keep close contact and deepen cooperation, and to make positive contributions to the continuous advancement and further development of the bilateral ties. The National Assembly and government of Armenia would firmly adhere to the one-China Policy and thanked China for its support to the economic and social development of Armenia in all these years. They are willing to deepen cooperation with China in jointly developing the Belt and Road, further promote exchanges between parliaments at all levels and lift the bilateral ties to a new level. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 00:08:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's meat processing and marketing entity Meatco exported the first consignment of beef to China in March, signaling the commencement of a new channel of trade. The southwestern African country has about 2.4 million heads of cattle, of which 427,017 were marketed at an average producer price of 37.64 Namibia dollars per kg (about 2.66 U.S. dollars), according to Meat Board Statistics 2018. The meat processing and marketing entity said that statistics for live export for 2018 was 30,874 heads, while export abattoirs stood at 77,471 heads. Local economist Daniel Kavishe on Friday told Xinhua that ultimately any boost in exports of products that are legally sourced in Namibia is a positive for the country's foreign earnings and ultimately good for the country. The move to export beef to China should be welcomed as it allows our farmers and producers access to new markets that were previously untapped, he added. Kavishe is of the view that exporters of meat have the advantage of setting the price and managing supply. Meatco Board Member, Mushokobandji Mwilima in a statement said the Asian market gives Namibia the choice of another valuable market. "An added bonus for Meatco is the placement of our products in a niche market where we can achieve the best prices possible for Meatco producers and continue to contribute to the economy in a positive manner," he said. Mwilima said the significance of the Chinese market, compared with the EU and others, is that it allows for the exportation of bone-in beef. "The fact that Meatco will be allowed to export bone-in beef will most likely allow the Namibian producers to send bigger volumes of beef into the Chinese market," he added. Namibia's trade and industrialization minister Tjekero Tweya said at the launch ceremony of beef export to China in Windhoek last week that Namibia will focus on value addition to the beef before it is exported. He said value addition will help the beef sector generate more income and create employment. "We will not continue to send unprocessed meat, but we will have value addition," he said, reiterating that producers should take value addition seriously before exporting unprocessed products. The journey to export beef to China began in 2011 when an agreement on animal health and quarantine was signed in Beijing before a Health Certificate was approved in 2015. A final memorandum of understanding was signed on March 29, 2018, while declarations for lumpy skin disease were completed in early 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 00:13:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army on Saturday threatened to attack air bases and fighter jets of the UN-backed government in western Libya, as the army continues its efforts to take over the region. "The Main Operation Chamber of the Air Force declares the western region a no-fly military zone for any fighter jets or drones belonging to any party," said Ahmad al-Mismari, the army's spokesman, in a statement. "Any aircraft will be treated as a hostile target, and the air base from which the aircraft took off will also be targeted immediately," al-Mismari added. A few hours earlier, the government fighter jets attacked the army forces stationed in southern Tripoli, according to a military source. The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, launched a military operation on Thursday to take over western Libya, particularly the capital Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. The army's spokesman revealed on Friday that the army is making significant progress toward the capital city, saying the areas in southern Tripoli are now under the control of the army. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who concluded a visit to Libya on Friday, expressed deep concern over the military escalation over Tripoli. "I still hope it will be possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," Guterres told reporters before departing the eastern city of Benghazi. 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. An image grab taken from a video from AFPTV, on February 6, 2019, shows Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar patroling in downtown Sebha, the biggest city in southern Libya. MOSCOW, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov underlined political means in resolving disputes in a phone call with Libya's eastern-based army commander Khalifa Haftar on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. Bogdanov told Haftar that Russia supports the mediation steps of the United Nations and the UN Special Envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame, the ministry said. Bogdanov, who is also a special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Middle East and Africa, stressed the need to consolidate efforts in the fight against terrorism and extremist ideology. Haftar shared information on the actions undertaken by his Libyan National Army in recent days. He said these actions were aimed at intensifying the fight against terrorist and extremist groups in various parts of the country, including in the capital of Tripoli. According to Haftar, such groups "pose a danger to the stability of the Libyan society and impede the implementation of agreements on the establishment of a sustainable intra-Libyan inclusive political process." Haftar on Thursday launched a military operation to take over Tripoli, where the United Nations-backed government is based. 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 government in 2011. A man herds cattle on a flooded road at a village in Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran, April 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) MOSCOW, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that it had worked with its Armenian counterpart to deliver humanitarian aid to flood-hit Iran. Russia purchased more than 4,000 tents, blankets and folding beds for the Iranians, and the cargo was transferred by the Russian-Armenian Humanitarian Response Center located in the city of Yerevan. The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement expressed sympathy with and support to the Iranian people. The unprecedented floods across Iran over the past weeks have claimed the lives of at least 70 people and injured 791 others. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 01:54:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to Yemen's internationally-backed government claimed the killing of about 80 Houthi fighters during intense fighting over the past 24 hours in the country's southern part. Ferocious battles raging in the country's southern province of al-Dhalea resulted in the killing of some 80 fighters belonging to the Iranian-allied Houthi group, including key leaders, said the pro-government Giants Brigades in a statement. "Key fortifications including the strategic Shadad mountain and other nearby locations were all seized following fierce battles with the Houthis in the northern parts of the province," the statement said. Local government military officials, however, avoided commenting on the casualties of the armed forces in the attacks. But local tribal sources aligned with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces told Xinhua that dozens of soldiers were killed and injured in the ongoing battles with the Houthis. The Houthi military authorities based in the capital Sanaa have not yet commented on the casualties in the battles. Last week, the Houthis launched a series of intensive attacks on positions of the government forces in the northern part of al-Dhalea and managed to control key mountainous hills overlooking government-controlled areas in the province. The areas in the north and west of al-Dhalea have been witnessing continuous fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters for nearly four years. Yemen has been plagued by a civil war since late 2014 after Houthi rebels revolted against the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The rebels advanced from their far northern stronghold of Saada Province toward the south, and seized control over much of the country's north including Sanaa, thus triggering the civil war. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 02:39:32|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close NEW YORK, April 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academic, arts and other fields gathered here on Friday to discuss China-U.S. relationship and future collaborations of the two countries. The Committee of 100 (C100), a premier U.S. organization of Chinese-American leaders from different fields, is holding its 30th anniversary and annual conference on April 5-7, with the theme "New Visions for the United States and China." Maurice R. Greenberg, renowned U.S. entrepreneur, China Reform Friendship Medal recipient, said at the press conference that he was "positive" about the future of the relationship between the United States and China. The two countries should bridge their differences and keep working together to make the world a safer place, he stressed. "China and the United States are still bounded by strong common interests and responsibilities... in spite of all the differences, the two countries are more interdependent than ever. The right approach to address our differences is dialogue. China's development will create even more opportunities for the United States," said Huang Ping, Chinese consul general in New York, while delivering a keynote speech. Both China and the United States need "a culture of constructive realism," said Kevin Rudd, president of the non-profit Asia Society Policy Institute, noting that despite "a range of difficult challenges in the bilateral relationship," the two sides can still "make real and substantial progress... over time." At Friday's conference, I.M. Pei, globally renowned Chinese-American architect, Morris Chang, founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, and Greenberg were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contribution to the legacy of strengthening U.S.-China relations and friendship. With some 150 members who are Chinese-American leaders in business, government, academia and arts, C100 aims to facilitate bilateral communication and mutual understanding, to promote the participation of all Chinese Americans in American society. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 03:39:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close PARIS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries agreed on many issues , but the difference on issues related to the conflict in the Middle East and ties with Iran remains, French top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian said Saturday. "There is a very long, positive and comprehensive press release. Nevertheless, it shows some differences of opinion...," Le Drian told reporters at the end of a two-day meeting in Dinard in western France. "We wanted to be completely transparent and say that on two topics in particular -- the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the way to follow regarding relations with Iran -- we have divergences that are known...," he said after receiving his counterparts from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and Canada in Dinard, western France. "Despite the crisp air of Dinard, we couldn't overcome some of our differences. I think the talks were constructive and pleasant both in tone and in the fundamentals," he stressed. The French minister said the divergence did not prevent the participants from agreeing on issues including international security challenge, cyber interference in democracies and poverty in Africa, unlike the last G7 summit held in Canada in June 2018, which was marked by tense talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterparts from the club over trade and climate change. In a final joint statement, G7 foreign ministers, admitted "clear differences" over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but they said "we remain united in our belief that this conflict has gone on for too long." They asked all regional stakeholders to play a pivotal role in reviving peace process and actively supporting the parties in maintaining the conditions for meaningful negotiations. "We support the resumption of substantive peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians aimed at achieving a negotiated solution that ensures the peace and security of both parties," they added. Committed to working together and promote international peace and security, they called for "coordinated approaches to prevent the use and spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery, and reaffirm the importance of non-proliferation norms." "We are deeply concerned by Iran's ballistic missile activities, which are inconsistent with UN Security Council resolutions and which contribute to increased tensions and instability in the region," they said, asking Tehran "to immediately cease activities related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Speaking about unexpected military escalation in Libya, the top diplomats of G7 "reaffirm that there is no military solution to the conflict..." in the North Africa's main oil exporter, reiterating "the need for the international community, regional partners, and multilateral organizations to continue supporting the UN's efforts toward an inclusive Libyan-owned solution," to end the political vacuum and restore stability. The ministers also showed convergence on the necessity to join efforts to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking. "We recognize that forced displacement and migration are a challenge to be addressed through national action and appropriate international cooperation, including with countries of origin, transit and destination," they noted. They also stressed the need to work together to protect human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, including those in the most vulnerable situations, in accordance with international obligations." Recognizing the link between peace and security, economic growth and development, and the respect of human rights and good governance in Africa, foreign ministers of the seven rich countries called for commitment to invest in bilateral and multilateral partnerships with African countries to support peace and sustainable economic development across the continent. France will host this year's G7 Leaders' Summit in the southwestern town of Biarritz on Aug. 24-26. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 03:44:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 families in two villages were evacuated on Saturday after the serious flooding caused by the rising water level of the Diyala River in eastern Iraq, an official said. The families were evacuated from the villages of Kharnabat and Huweder in the north of Baquba, provincial capital of Diyala Province, after the water level reached the edges of the two villages, Abdullah al-Haiyaly, mayor of Baquba, told Xinhua. The evacuation took place smoothly with the families transferred to safer areas, al-Haiyaly said. Large areas of orchards were covered with water with the rise of the water level in Diyala River basin during the past few days, the mayor added. "The rise of water for a longer time will damage the orchards and we are concerned about the continuing rise of water," al-Haiyaly noted. The water levels in Tigris River and its tributaries have increased in central and southern Iraq during the past days because of the heavy rains and torrents which raised the water level to danger points. Moreover, many areas in eastern and southern Iraq, near the border with Iran, have been affected by torrents from the mountainous areas in western Iran, which also suffer from heavy rains and torrents. On Tuesday, Khudher al-Obeidi, a member of Diyala provincial council, said all the five dams in the eastern province are completely filled for the first time in many years. "The dams of Mandali, Qazanyah, Himreen, al-Adhaim and al-Wand, which have a total storage capacity of more than four billion cubic meters of water, were completely filled for the first time in the near history of Diyala Province," al-Obeidi said. The serious threat of flooding pushed Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to head several meetings with a crisis group formed to discuss and evaluate plans to control the floods and the expected rise of the water level of the river. In this April 17, 2017 file photo, U.S. soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division fire artillery in support of Iraqi forces fighting Islamic State militants from their base east of Mosul. (AP File photo) TEHRAN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iraq should consider the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from the country, Financial Tribune daily reported. "The presence of American military forces in regional states is to the detriment of these countries and the people in the region, so the Iraqi government needs to take action to urge Americans to pull out their troops from Iraq as soon as possible," said Khamenei during his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. "If the U.S. forces are entrenched in Iraq, it will become difficult to dislodge them in the long run," he explained. Meanwhile, the Iraqi prime minister praised Iran for standing by Iraq in hard times including during the battle against the terrorist groups. Abdul Mahdi arrived in Iran's capital Tehran on Saturday to discuss bilateral ties with the Iranian officials. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 04:09:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's net international reserves amounted to nearly 22 billion U.S. dollars by the end of March, down 1.8 percent compared to the same period last year, the Central Bank said Saturday. According to the bank's statistics, the reserves dropped by 1.4 percent compared to the end of 2018. In mid-January 2018, Morocco started the gradual floating of its currency, raising the official band of dirham's fluctuation to 2.5 percent above or below the official rate from the previous 0.3 percent. The dirham is pegged to a two-currency basket weighted 60 percent to the euro and 40 percent to the U.S. dollar. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has encouraged the Moroccan authorities to take the next step for the gradual floating of dirham currency. The Moroccan authorities remain cautious about the next phase of floating dirham. In a joint letter to the IMF director in January, the Moroccan monetary authorities said they will move to the next step "for preventative purposes as soon as economic conditions allow them to do so." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 05:00:04|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Ahmad Ezz (R, Front), chairman of the Sohag National Museum (SNM), speaks during an interview in Sohag, Egypt, on April 6, 2019. The Upper Egypt's Sohag National Museum (SNM) portrays the Egyptian identity through highlighting historic, cultural and civilizational changes, said Ahmad Ezz in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Marwa Yahya SOHAG, Egypt, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Upper Egypt's Sohag National Museum (SNM) portrays the Egyptian identity through highlighting historic, cultural and civilizational changes, said Ahmad Ezz, chairman of the SNM, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. Overlooking the Nile in the Upper Egyptian town of Sohag, about 390 km south of the capital Cairo, the SNM was established on a two-storey Ancient Egyptian temple, with a dock for ferries and exquisite landscaping dotted with water channels and fountains. Five colossi of the lion goddess Sekhmet stand before the museum's entrance to welcome visitors. "The aim of the museum was not only to reflect the unique history of the province from prehistory to modern times, but also to highlight the Egyptian identity through the changes that had taken place in Upper Egypt," Ezz said. He explained that the museum showcases six influential aspects of Egyptian life in different eras, focusing on kingship, family, cooking and cuisine, faith and religion, employment, industry and textiles and handicrafts. The museum displayed nearly 4,000 artifacts, most of which were uncovered in different archaeological sites near Sohag, Ezz highlighted. "The concept of the museum is no longer dependent on the traditional method of placing artifacts next to each other, without thematic story, to illustrate Ancient Egyptian civilization," he added. The exhibition design of the SNM provides clear information about the history of Sohag, Abydos and Akhmim, as well as the role played by local rulers in building Egyptian civilization. Sohag was the town where the kings of the early dynasties lived, which explained the selection of kingship as the first topic in the new museum. The focal object here is a colossus of the Pharaoh Ramses II because he was one of the most influential rulers in Egyptian history and had a temple in Abydos, the SNM's chairman said. The museum's first hall displayed a collection of Stelae and engravings of his father Seti I, who had a beautiful temple in Abydos, along with heads of other kings and statues of top officials who played an important role in the New Kingdom, dated from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. The second part presents the family life and bond in Upper Egypt especially the burial rituals and marriage traditions, while the third section of the museum is devoted to cooking and cuisine. The SNM's basement is allocated to the theme of pilgrimage, as the ancient Egyptians used to go to Abydos on pilgrimage where a temple to the god Osiris built by Seti 1 is located. "The most-distinguished object in the museum is a statue of the Sixth-Dynasty army leader Wini who was also the first known military leader in the Ancient Egyptian army," Ezz said. The Sohag Museum includes an audio-visual hall to provide visitors with the needed information as well as a library and a lecture hall. "History teachers in schools can deliver their classes in the museum to make them more attractive to the pupils," Ezz said. "We are working on a documentary movie for the students to explain the Egyptian history in different eras and the life of queens and kings in simple way for raising awareness of the young generations about the importance of history," he added. Sohag is well-known for its distinguished and rich archaeological sites from the early Ancient Egyptian era right up to the Ptolemaic, Graeco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic periods. But it is rarely visited by tourists, the SNM chairman lamented. The Sohag museum was inaugurated in August 2018, 29 years after its foundational stones were placed. The project was set to be completed in 1995 but the construction process has been delayed several times because of technical and interior design issues as well as lack of financial resources. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 05:55:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SAN DIEGO, April 6 (Xinhua) -- San Diego Zoo in U.S. state of California held a special ceremony on Saturday to kick off a three-week-long farewell celebration for two giant pandas. Twenty-seven-year-old female giant panda Bai Yun and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu will leave the San Diego Zoo in late April and be sent back to China, as the terms of the Zoo's conservation loan agreement with China has ended. According to the zoo, their staff are working with their colleagues in China on the future of panda conservation and research. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 06:10:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SKOPJE, April 6 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia's authorities are monitoring the situation at the southern border with Greece and are ready to face with increased pressure, North Macedonia's Defense Minister Radmila Shekerinska said on Saturday. Shekerinska was responding to reporters following the protests staged on Friday by hundreds of refugees and migrants in Greece, near the border with North Macedonia. Some 500 people have camped since Thursday afternoon outside the refugee reception facility of Diavata community, at the outskirts of Thessaloniki port city in Greece and about 60 kilometers from the Idomeni border crossing into North Macedonia. Shekerinska said that together with the Interior Ministry they are monitoring the situation at the southern border with the permanent army presence on the border. "We are ready to face with increased pressure at the border. It is important to be vigilant and ready," said Shekerinska. The minister said that the military presence at the border was justified, even in the days when there were no migrants there. On Friday, North Macedonia's Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski said that the authorities are exchanging information with the Greek authorities on a daily basis. According to Spasovski, border police have enhanced the security on the border with Greece. Meanwhile, Spasovski noted that the authorities have observed a growing trend of illegal entry on the southern border. In 2018, North Macedonia's police prevented a total of 16,900 migrants from crossing the border illegally. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-07 03:14:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DUBLIN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said that it is "extremely unlikely" that one of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) could veto any proposal to grant Britain a longer extension to strike a Brexit deal, according to a Saturday report by a local TV channel RTE. His remarks came just a few days before the European Council, the top decision-making body of the EU, is scheduled to hold a summit meeting to decide on whether the request by the British Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a further extension of Brexit to June 30 should be granted or not. Speaking on a TV program of RTE, Varadkar acknowledged that there is increasing frustration in some of the EU member states such as Malta and Lithuania, which believe that Brexit is taking up an increasing amount of time while the EU has many other things on its agenda which need to be addressed. But he believed that while everything is possible it is "extremely unlikely" that any of the EU member states would veto the proposal to grant Britain a longer extension at the coming summit of the European Council scheduled on next Wednesday despite the growing frustrated sentiments among some of the EU members. He called for solidarity, patience and understanding among the EU members while dealing with Britain over the Brexit issue. If any of the EU member states was to veto an extension, which as a result would cause hardship on Ireland as well as the Netherlands, Belgium and France, "they wouldn't be forgiven for it", he said. Any such country would know they might find themselves on the other end of that particular veto power in the future, he added. Under the current decision-making mechanism of the EU, any decisions made by the EU require an unanimous agreement among its member states, or in other words, any EU member state has the right to veto the decisions made by the EU. 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| 2019-04-05 17:53:19|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close TOKYO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Friday said a mandatory evacuation order issued in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture will be partially lifted from next Wednesday for a town that hosts the crippled Daiichi nuclear power facility. Former residents from the town of Okuma, previously a no-go zone due to high levels of radiation that leaked from the plant after its cooling systems were knocked out by a massive earthquake-triggered tsunami, will be allowed to return, the government said Friday. Following the Fukushima crisis eight years ago, around 10,000 residents were forced to evacuate from Okuma, with the neighboring town of Futaba, which also hosts the nuclear plant, remaining a no-go zone. Despite the government's decision Friday to partially lift the evacuation order, only a few of the residents who fled the areas are expected to return. According to official statistics, as of the end of March, from a population of 10,341 people who were registered as residents of Okuma where the evacuation order is set to be lifted, only about 3.5 percent of the original population, or 367 people, are still registered as residents. "Lifting the evacuation order is not the final goal. We will strive to restore a habitable environment for the population," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko told a press conference on the matter. The evacuation order is only being partially lifted, with there being no restrictions for around 38 percent of Okuma's total land area. This is due to there still being high levels of radiation in other areas that will remain off-limits. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 23:32:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANGKOK, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is promoting Songkran 2019 festivities in emerging destinations and eight other provinces to showcase local traditions of the annual Thai water festival. TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said secondary destinations offer a different take on the uniqueness of time-honored Thai traditions in the water splashing festival, the most important feast of the year. "Thailand's emerging destinations and secondary cities have a unique charm that is often found in smaller towns around the world. Some traditions are maintained in these places that might have faded in larger more established destinations like Bangkok or Pattaya," said the governor. Activities will be held in three less-known provinces including Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong. Tak province is home to spectacular natural attractions including the largest and most beautiful waterfall in Thailand. The small town in the Lower North of Thailand also serves as a key crossroads for travellers between Bangkok and Chiang Mai and is a major westerly route into Myanmar, with cross-border access now possible due to relaxed restrictions. Mukdahan is one of the northeastern provinces of Thailand bordering the Mekong River, across which lies Savannakhet Province of Lao PDR. Ranong is Thailand's most northern province along the Andaman coast sharing a land border with Myanmar. Varied attractions and activities make it a great place for anyone wanting to experience one of Thailand's lesser-visited southern provinces. Dense forest and lush agricultural lands cover much of the province, and there are numerous islands off the coastline. Songkran, informally called "the Thailand water festival," is an annual event marking the start of the traditional Thai new year. The water festival is about cleaning, purification and having a fresh start. Houses are cleaned while Buddha statues are carried through the streets in a procession to be washed with flower-scented water. Elders are honored by respectfully pouring water over their hands. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 23:57:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Palamagamba Kabudi, on Friday described China as Tanzania's all weather friend. "Be it during hard times and during glorious times, China has steadfastly remained Tanzania's friend," said Kabudi at a commemoration event to salute the tragic loss of Chinese workers and technicians who died during the construction of the 1,860 km Tanzania-Zambia railway (TAZARA) line. The railway connects Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. He said the construction of TAZARA, which is also known as the Uhuru Railway, was a very difficult undertaking. "It was constructed at the time when western countries and the World Bank rebuffed the ideas, claiming that the project was economically not viable," said Tanzania's top diplomat. Kabudi said during that testing time, China accepted a joint request made by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere and former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda to fund and construct the railway line. "At completion 89 million cubic meters of earth and rocks had been moved, 320 bridges, 22 tunnels and 225 culverts built. Indeed, the extent of heroism displayed by the Chinese engineers and workers is unmatched," he told his audience at the Chinese Experts Cemetery on the outskirts of the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. He urged people to emulate the courage of the Chinese heroes. "As we pay tribute to them, let their story guide our hearts and minds towards constantly modernizing and expanding TAZARA." The minister called for the need to ensure that the construction they did with their blood will forever bloom in order to bequeath a bountiful future for generations to come. He said there was a bigger role for TAZARA to play in future, not only in social economic development, but also in terms of the relationship among the countries of Tanzania, Zambia and China, as well as in the relationship between Africa and China as a whole. Wang Ke, the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, said during the construction of TAZARA, more than 50 Chinese experts, technicians and workers, died at their posts and were buried in Tanzania. "Among these martyrs, some sacrificed their lives because of accidents at the construction sites," said Wang, adding that upholding the TAZARA spirit of striving for success despite of great difficulties, China and Africa have managed to push forward their cooperation to bear abundant fruits. She said over the past 40 years, TAZARA has been playing an important role in economic and social development of Tanzania and Zambia. "The TAZARA spirit jointly fostered by the people of the three countries has been shining until today in China-Tanzania and China-Africa cooperative relations," said the Chinese envoy. Wang said since its completion in 1975, TAZARA has transported around 29 million tonnes of goods and some 49 million passengers, adding that the railway line has also become an important transport line connecting countries in East, Central and Southern Africa. The occupants violated the armistice five times today. The Russia-backed militants fired with mortar, grenade launchers, and machine guns. Dmytro Hutsuliak, the spokesman of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine concerning the JFO, stated this during the session, as the press service of the Ministry reports. At 1:20 AM, the enemy launched mortar shelling of defenders of Zaytseve, they used 20 shells of 120 mm caliber. Besides, 120 mm mortar they used near Pavlopil approximately at 7:00 AM. The occupants used 7 shells here. The Russian-backed militants opened fire near Shyrokino, Starohnativka, and Opytne, the report said. No casualties have been spotted. Earlier, the Pro-Kremlin militants violated the ceasefire regime 19 times in the Donbas-conflict zone. They used the Minsk-banned weaponry 16 times. One Ukrainian soldier died, and four more were wounded, as a result of the attack at the Joint Forces operation. The Russia-backed militants fired at the positions of the Joint Forces operation with artillery system, mortar, infantry fighting vehicle, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms. The enemy fired with infantry fighting vehicle, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms Open source The Pro-Kremlin militants violated the ceasefire regime in the Donbas combat zone 17 times over 24 hours, as a result, two soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded. The press service of the HQ (JFO) reports this on Facebook. On April 5, the enemy violated 17 the ceasefire regime 17 times today. 10 times they fired with the Minsk-banned weaponry, and used shells of 120 mm and 82 mm 59 calibers, the report said. The Russia-backed militants fired at the position of the Joint Forces operation, grenade launchers and small arms. Sniper opened fire three times. In Donetsk region, the enemy fired 12 times near Pisky, Avdiivka, Pavlopil, Lebedynske, Vodiane, Novotroitske and Mariinka settlement. In Luhansk region, the occupants opened fire 5 times near Novoolexandrivka, Novoluhanske, Zolote-4 and Pivdenne villages. As a result of the sniper attack, one serviceman of the Joint Forces operation died and two more were wounded. The soldiers of the Joint Forces of operation stopped fie by opening fire as well. The enemys casualties have been checking yet. Earlier, the Russia-backed militants fired at the entry-exit checkpoint Marinka in Donetsk region. As a result of the attack, one worker of Ukraines State Border Guard Service was wounded in the Donbas combat zone. Open source Pro-Kremlin militants violated the ceasefire regime in the Donbas combat zone eight times on Friday, April 5. As a result of the sniper shelling, two soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded. The press service of the Joint Forces Operation HQ reports this on Facebook. The enemy used the Minsk-banned weaponry four times. The occupants fired from an infantry fighting vehicle, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, sniper weaponry and small arms. The enemy fired six times in Donetsk region; the mercenaries fired a 120 mm mortar near Vodiane and Avdiivka settlements, a 120 mm mortar and heavy machine guns near Lebedynske village, infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2, heavy machine guns and small arms near Pavlopil settlement, and sniper weaponry near Mariinka and Novotroitske villages. Pro-Russian militants opened fire twice in Luhansk region: they used 120 mm mortar and anti-tank grenade launchers near Novoolexandrivka settlement, and heavy machine guns near Pidenne village. The soldiers of the Joint Forces of operation stopped fie by opening fire as well. The enemy casualties are being checked. Earlier on April 5, the Russia-backed militants fired at the entry-exit checkpoint Mariinka in Donetsk region. As a result of the attack, one worker of Ukraines State Border Guard Service was wounded. Envoy Tony Frisch, the OSCE Humanitarian Coordinator, visited occupied Donetsk, where he communicated with four POW hostages. Iryna Gerashchenko, President's Humanitarian Envoy at the Minsk peace talks, posted this on Facebook. According to Gerashchenko, Frisch visited the prisoners of war, whom the occupants have been refusing to return to Ukraine for four years. The occupants showed him two more civilians, who were illegally detained. According to our previous information, Frisch did not meet with other hostages, although the Ukrainian party insisted on this during the Minsk peace negotiations, in particular, with Stanislav Aseyev. In general, he managed to visit only the third part of those we urged to see, Gerashchenko wrote. The families of prisoners asked Frisch to pass their letters and bring feedbacks, as well as to ask about the telephone call possibility. The envoy handed over the letters to the ICRC, and during the talks in Minsk, it will be known whether the hostages received letters from their families. Unfortunately, instead of 10 POWs, he was allowed to meet only 4. We do not know about the detention of two civilians. Ukrainian party still has the right to the same conditions for visiting penitentiary institutions by the OSCE coordinator. In addition, we have the right to the same permission to meet the ODIR representatives, who are declared in the lists of invited persons by the Russian occupants, Gerashchenko added. Those two checkpoints are Hnutove and Mariinka On April 6, two entry-exit checkpoints Hnutove and Mariinka are closed in the Donbas conflict zone. The press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reports this. The entry-exit checkpoint Hnutove is closed for reconstructions. That is why the passage through the corridor Novoazovsk-Hnutove-Talakivka-Mariupol is stopped. The maintenance work will be conducted until April 8, the report said. Besides, the pass of persons and vehicles through the checkpoint Mariinka is stopped as well. The reason for this is yesterdays shelling of the Mariinka checkpoint. The decision to open the entry-exit checkpoint will be accepted additionally. Other entry-exit checkpoints are working within the schedule. The Russia-backed militants fired at the entry-exit checkpoint Mariinka in Donetsk region. As a result of the attack, one worker of Ukraines State Border Guard Service was wounded in the Donbas combat zone. According to the report, dozens of civilians, including children were at the checkpoint during the attack. The enemy opened fire six times Foreign ministers of the G7 said on Friday that they were strongly opposed to military action in the country and implicitly warned eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar against continuing his advance on the capital Tripoli, reports Reuters. We firmly believe that there is no military solution to the Libyan conflict, the foreign ministers from France, Britain, Germany, United States, Italy, Japan and Canada said in a statement sent amid talks in western France. We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people and standing in the way of the peace that Libyans deserve. The advance that began on Thursday by Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) force, which is allied to a parallel administration based in the east, escalates a power struggle that has splintered the nation since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Earlier the Finance Ministry of Ukraine negotiated with G7 countries on the possibility to provide the funding to Ukraine, as Interfax-Ukraine reported citing Finance Minister Oksana Markarova. We actively work on the credit, the attraction of the resources from the international financial organizations and potential bilateral lending, Markarova said. Concerning the bilateral lending Markarova specified that the department negotiates with G7 countries. At the same time, the minister did not exclude the possibility of the credits from the other countries, which will agree to finance Ukraine. The sum of the potential borrowings from the micro-financial organization and G7 countries was not specified. At the same time, she reminded that the total volume of the foreign borrowings is planned at the level of $4 billion. As we reported, Ukraine expects two tranches from the IMF in 2019 under the stand-by program opened in December last year. Berlin is in favor of maintaining the role of Germany and France as mediators during negotiations on the Donbas conflict settlement. This was stated by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas during a meeting of foreign ministers of the Big Seven (G7), reports DW. The Minister noted that both Berlin and Paris are hoping for the continuation of the "Normandy format" of negotiations to resolve the conflict in Donbas. According to Maas, the "Normandy format" negotiations to resolve the situation in eastern Ukraine should continue after the presidential election. Earlier we reported that Petro Poroshenko is going to initiate the Normandy format summit after the presidential elections. He said this in an interview to Ukrayina TV channel. Immediately after the presidential election, as I said, I will initiate the holding of the summit in the Normandy format with the coordination of our foreign American partners. I firmly believe that we must start by agreeing on a draft decision on the introduction of UN blue helmets and peacekeepers. Nothing is more important for us in order to end the war as soon as possible and begin a peaceful restoration of sovereignty, Poroshenko said. Members of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) Supervisory Board congratulated President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on holding democratic presidential elections and invited him to take part in the YES conference in September. According to the press service of the President, YES board members noted the holding of fair and transparent presidential elections in Ukraine in full compliance with the electoral standards of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The head of state was invited to take part in the September YES conference, the statement reads. In turn, Poroshenko stressed that these elections are very important for Ukraine, since we are talking about the independence and sovereignty of our country. Ukraine is fighting for its sovereignty and independence in the conditions of Russian aggression and intervention of the aggressor state in the course of the election campaign, he said. Petro Poroshenko, video message on April 5, screenshot YouTube/ScreenShot President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that he had made conclusions after the first round of presidential elections and "heard everyone." He stated this in a video message posted in Telegram. "Many people speak out against me on social networks and on television and at the ballot boxes. I heard everyone. Those who voted for me and those who supported other candidates. I made conclusions!", Poroshenko said. President noted that Ukraine is a free country of free people, and should remain like this. The head of state also called on citizens who support the course of Ukraine to the European Union to consolidate and register on the specially created website www.euua.org. "Register. Call. Bring new allies. There should be more of us. Your support is needed right now," said Poroshenko. Russian Navy ship Sputnik The Russian Navy marine detachment of the Black Sea Fleet conducted missile firing in the Black Sea and returned to the basing station in occupied Sevastopol, reports Radio Liberty. In addition to the rocket boats "Ivanovets" and "R-60", which directly carried out rocket shooting, 14 ships and support vessels of the Black Sea Fleet returned to the points of permanent deployment. They participated in the closure of the marine test site to ensure the safety of civilian shipping. The press service of the Black Sea Fleet does not officially announce the exercises. We recall that after the annexation of the Crimea in 2014, Russia conducts regular military exercises on the peninsula, which are illegal according to representatives of the General Staff of Ukraine. Earlier we reported that U.S. military could pass Ukraine another two Island-class patrol boats, in addition to these two that it handed over in September 2018. Ukrainian Military Portal reported that on Thursday, quoting Curtis Scaparrotti, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Currently, two boats of this particular kind are on maintenance in the U.S. now; the Ukrainian crews will soon arrive for training. 'We worked and we'll carry on working with their (Ukrainian, - 112 International) Navy. We're in good relations with them. Currently, there's an increase in the funding, which we requested from the Congress to pass Kyiv naval means, first of all, the two ships, the Island-class patrol boats, to start replenishing their Navy. There are other means as well', Scaparrotti said. Open source Ukraine lost the dispute with Russia in WTO concerning the traffic in transit. The WTO press service posted the decision on its website. The dispute was concerning the ban transit, which broke the shortest way of supplies of Ukrainian production to Middle Asia. Examining the arguments of both parties, the World Trade Organization decided that the political situation in Ukraine in 2014-2015 could threaten the national security of the Russian Federation indeed. That is why the set restrictions are not violations. It should be noted that this is the first case, where WTO investigated the claim on the situation, where the restrictions touch upon the national security matters. Except for Russia, the USA was against the recognizing of the claim, which actively uses the article XXI GATT, which allows the implementation of protective measures in case of a security threat, for conducting trade wars. Earlier, Ukraine appealed against the decision of the World Trade Organization in a dispute over duties on ammonium nitrate. It is expected that for several days on the WTO website will appear a document with detailed information on the appeal filed by Ukraine. After that, the parties - Ukraine and Russia - will have to wait another three months while the WTO will consider the complaint. Russia had submitted lawsuits to Ukraine and the European Union to the WTO. Claims are related to duties on ammonium nitrate and welded pipes of Russian origin. On July 20, the arbitration of the World Trade Organization decided in favor of Russia in the case of ammonium nitrate. Exclusive pictures from the labs where Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky took blood tests Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 Zoya Shu/112.ua Petro Poroshenko invited Volodymyr Zelensky to the debates. Zelensky, in his turn, accepted the invitation but presented his own demands. Among them are the debates at Olimpiyskiy stadium and delivery of medical tests. According to Zelensky, they should test the biomaterials because Ukrainians need to know that there are no alcoholics and no drug addicts among the presidential candidates. Ukraines Health Minister recommended the candidates to take all necessary tests at Olimpiyskiy stadium, as there is all the necessary equipment. But Zelenskys team informed that the candidate will not undergo medical tests there as the stadium might be unfair. Zoya Shu/112.ua Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 Zoya Shu/112.ua Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 Zoya Shu/112.ua Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 Zelensky underwent tests on April 5 at Eurolab centre at 7:45 am . A former participant of the Ukrainian cooking show Master Chief - 8 and actor from Svaty-5 Vladyslav Kyryakulov who works in this medical facility as a masseuse and doctor of general hygiene. His term of service makes ten years. Zoya Shu/112.ua Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 Zoya Shu/112.ua Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky undergoes blood test in Eurolab, April 5 According to Zelensky, the results will be ready in three days. He also stated that he did not want to do this at Olimpiyskiy stadium as there is no special lab. In his turn, Petro Poroshenko arrived at the stadium at 9 am. The entire medical procedure was broadcasted online. The President also signed permission for the announcement of results. Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko undergoes blood at Olimpiyskiy stadium, April 5, 2019 Presidential Administration press office First results were revealed in twenty minutes. They showed no psychoactive substances in his blood. After the procedure, Petro Poroshenko held a briefing for the journalists. He urged Zelensky to adhere to the law. Besides, he offered to make such procedures obligatory. 112 Agency Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko undergoes at a briefing April 5, 2019 112 Agency Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko undergoes at a briefing April 5, 2019 112 Agency Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko undergoes at a briefing April 5, 2019 Besides, Poroshenko commented on Zelenskys offer to invite Yuliya Tymoshenko, the leader of Fatherland political party as an arbiter. According to the President of Ukraine, it is disrespectful. The complete results will be published in two weeks. Open source Chairman of the Kherson Regional State Administration Andriy Gordeyev wrote a letter of resignation addressed to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. This was announced by MP Olexander Spivakovsky on Facebook. With the understanding that if there are complaints and doubts, the investigation must be given the opportunity to transparently and clearly identify all the circumstances of the terrible murder, the deputy wrote. According to him, the next step of Gordeyev will be a polygraph test. Previously, the demand to release Gordeyev and his deputy Ryshchuk was put forward by the participants of the "Who ordered Katya Handzyuk?" rally. In February, Yuriy Lutsenko said that the Prosecutor Generals Office had no evidence of involvement the chairman of the Kherson Regional State Administration Andriy Gordeyev or his deputy Yevgen Ryshchuk in the murder of Kateryna Handzyuk. On March 6, Vladyslav Manger, the suspect in the organization of murder of activist Kateryna Hanzdiuk has been suspended from duty for a month. On February 11, Vladyslav Manger was served with charge papers in Handziuks murder. In his turn, Manger said that he would not escape from the country due to suspicion of organizing the murder of Handziuk. The court ruled to arrest Manger until March 3 with the possibility of bail. However, later lawyer Dmitry Ilchenko has posted a bail for his client Kherson Regional Council Head Vladyslav Manger. On February 19, Vladyslav Manger started to wear the digital bracelet. On November 4, 2018, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at the age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the military attaches of the partner countries participated in the missile test launch The trials of the latest Ukrainian cruise missile complex for defeating the marine and coastal targets Neptune took place in Odesa. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko visited the trials, as the press service of the Administration of the President reports this. According to the report, the testing was fulfilled successfully. A group of 11 ships of the Ukrainian Navy provided safety of the trials in the Black Sea. "Today, one of the final tests of a new cruise missile, which will be adopted by the Naval Forces of Ukraine, takes place in Odesa region," Petro Poroshenko outlined. "A huge contribution, including the possibilities to increase the radius of the given missile, the use of high-precision weapons, a more powerful warhead - all this is the achievement of the defense complex of Ukraine, the achievement of Luch design bureau, the achievement of our IT sector, the sector that develops armored vehicles," the President said. The students of the Odesa Maritime Academy, who are currently studying the technology and will continue to work with it also participated in the trial. This is done to drastically shorten the period that will allow combat use in the event of the expansion of aggression against our state by the enemy", the Head of the State said. Besides, the military attaches of the partner countries of Ukraine were invited to trials as well. At the same time, the President stated that the enemy had tried to hinder the testing of missiles. "It tries to block the sky. Uses the means of electronic warfare, tries to prevent our trials. But it creates real conditions for the combat use of these missiles". "No mitigating conditions," the President stressed. According to Poroshenko, the new missile complex will be given to the Navy and the Land Forces of Ukraine in an extremely short period of time. In addition to the fact that limousine travel is very glamorous, it is also the most comfortable trip you can... Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Rzeczpospolita Ukraine lost the dispute with Russia in the World Trade Organization (WTO) concerning the restrictions of traffic in transit because it had not listened to its own diplomats and their strategy. Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin posted this on Twitter. I ask myself why has Ukraine lost the dispute in WOT. Without praising our diplomatic team, I would like to say that sometimes one should listen to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the strategy and the tactics as well, - Klimkin wrote. Ukraine lost the dispute with Russia in WTO concerning the traffic in transit. The dispute was concerning the ban transit, which broke the shortest way of supplies of Ukrainian production to Middle Asia. Examining the arguments of both parties, the World Trade Organization decided that the political situation in Ukraine in 2014-2015 could threaten the national security of the Russian Federation indeed. That is why the set restrictions are not considered violations. The debates shell take place on April 19, and then the day of the election silence and elections themselves will come Dmytro Razumkov, the Advisor of Zelensky apostrophe Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky will introduce his team until debates, with which he will work in case of victory at the presidential elections. Dmytro Razumkov, the Advisor of Zelensky, said this on air of the talk-show The Voice of the country on 112.Ukraine TV channel. Zelensky said he would introduce his team until the end of the second round of elections and would introduce the persons to the main posts until the elections. I think yes (introduce the team until debates - red.). As the day of debates, April 19, is the last day before the elections silence, Razumkov said responding to the question, whether Zelensky will introduce his team until debates. The debates shell take place on April 19. On April 3, Zelensky replied to the invitation and put forward his conditions. He wanted to hold debates at Olympic Stadium. Poroshenkos team said, the President does not perform at stadiums. A few hours later Poroshenko changed his mind and agreed to participate in the debates. 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Together with entrepreneurship mentoring organization enpact, SmartHectar launched a joint venture enable West Africa to accelerate agrifood and water tech innovations in this emerging market. Here Bulanda shares his analysis of the local startup ecosystem, discusses trends and features promising agrifood startups from the region after the launch event in Ghana last month. Why West Africa? West Africa is one of Africas most important markets, increasingly attracting foreign investment. It bears great opportunities but they come with great challenges. For instance, despite an abundance of natural resources and farmlands, West Africa has experienced some of the lowest per hectare crop yields in the world (USAID). Moreover, its population is expected to double by 2050 to 800 million putting enormous pressure on agrifood production. Crucially, agriculture is one of the main drivers of growth across the regions largest economies: Nigeria (with a population of 200m), Cote dIvoire and Ghana. The latter two economies grew at a 7-8% rate in the past two years and are undergoing a substantial transformation. Although the challenges are enormous, a digital revolution is expected to deliver sustainable solutions. Thus, providing innovation stimulus for the Agrifood Tech sector can have a significant socio-economic impact on the whole region. In order to do that the local ecosystem in Ghana requires some developments, which have been identified and recommended by the recent VC4A report that were hoping to bring to the region with enpact: quality mentorship, corporate-backed sector-specific programs, and early-stage investment. Solving real problems The startup scene in West Africa is quite young, but it is growing as fast as the general population, with more startups making it to world headlines (e.g. ThriveAgric graduating Y Combinators 2019 class). The main tech hubs are located in Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja), Ghana (Accra, Kumasi), Cote dIvoire (Abidjan), and Senegal (Dakar). The ecosystem is young but rather mature as startups engage with the real problems on the ground proving their good market fit. (Not always the case in many other developed ecosystems across the US or Europe). One of the biggest contributing factors is the young age of the population. Many young entrepreneurs are connected to agriculture one way or the other. Many young people from rural areas move to cities, where they can utilize their technical know-how of farming in entrepreneurship. As a result, the major challenges that farmers are facing are reflected by the areas in which innovation is taking place. These problems and solutions are mostly in: logistics and traceability food preservation food wastage access to data, financing and the value chain. At the same time, innovative solutions do not necessarily need to be fully digital or rely on hi-tech systems to transform farming. For example, in Ghana, the internet infrastructure is very developed in urban centers, but still very limited in rural areas. That is why most business transactions run by startups are based on USSD and rely on simple mobile phones that all farmers have (e.g. TroTro Tractor booking system is SMS-based, Agromyx sales are driven through mobile phones). That does not mean, however, that the new technologies are not embraced. QualiTrace, for instance, developed a new product for a new market segment an image recognition app for more educated farmers with smartphones on top of the existing core services that they provide via mobile phones (GSM). Others, like AcquahMeyer Drone Tech, embrace new technologies that are not constrained by the limitations of the old ones, which is a case of drones for precision farming. All in all, despite its early years the ecosystem is very well tuned to the market needs and its capacity. Collaboration builds new solutions Another important characteristic of the ecosystem in Ghana is a strong collaborative culture between the startups. Opportunities with one startup company come bundled with opportunities for another. Many young founders seem to be familiar with the famous lesson of collaboration between Microsoft and IBM. Startups in Ghana realize that through collaboration they can create new business opportunities for each other. One such collaboration story involves AcquahMeyers drone services, the QualiTrace inputs authentication services and Complete Farmers crowd farming platform. All three startups are combining their solutions to create a more attractive and complete market offer, which is valued and anticipated by investors as echoed at the recent World AgriTech Summit. This collaborative spirit we witnessed in Ghana is likely a result of a still-developing ecosystem, short of networking platforms, initiatives, and hubs. The enable launch event on March 5 is perhaps a case in point. Without having a prize, or an award bounty, startups seized their opportunity to meet, pitch, and network. Some came a long way from Burkina Faso, Togo, and Nigeria. Out of 15 startups invited to our event, a few have already started collaborating and some found new business partners. Our role has been very simple by hosting events like this we can enable startups to seize the opportunities, which we also believe is true of the corporate partners. Missing parts What the VC4A report pointed out as a weakness of the ecosystem in Ghana is its high fragmentation. There is a strong entrepreneurial culture and a growing number of supporting structures for entrepreneurs, including the agri-food sector (e.g. Kosmos Innovation Center, MEST). However, they seem to operate independently without much interaction. As a result, the startups have fewer opportunities to connect and to know what they are working on, which can lead to a concentration of solutions in one part of the value chain but not others. If we want to drive innovation in the whole agrifood sector, we need to make sure that the solutions are being developed across the entire spectrum. Part of the problem behind this fragmentation is a shortage of data. There is currently no centralized source of data on the agrifood (and water tech) startups, nor on the agrifood sector in Ghana. The startups we spoke to on the ground have all identified this as a big challenge: they do not have a reliable source of data about farming, other than their own limited research. The issue has been raised by the regional authority on agribusiness, Farmer Anthony Morrison, CEO of Ghana Agribusiness Chamber. During his keynote speech he spoke about the urgent need to address the data gap in order to drive innovation in the agriculture sector. That is why in partnership with several stakeholders enable West Africa is planning to develop an Agrifood & Water Tech database building upon the existing data sources of enpact, SmartHectar, and their partners. The initiative will focus on collaboration across the ecosystem in order to drive a necessary change to transform the face of agriculture in Ghana and West Africa. Startup profiles Our team has screened the local startup ecosystem and scouted for early-stage startups from Agrifood and Water verticals in West Africa. What they found is that most of the screened startups are active in one or more of these areas: Food waste and preservation Farm-to-market logistics and traceability Farm management (AgData capturing devices, decision support software, image recognition, big data analytics, land management, financial services) Farmer services (financial, education) Water safety (quality control) Out of 70 screened startups from West Africa, here are the 14 we invited to present their innovations at the enable kickoff event in front of investors, corporates, and other stakeholders. AcquahMeyer Drone Tech is providing farmers with drone technology for high precision agriculture UAV spraying. Agromyx is an agro-food manufacturer and distributor from Ghana that has developed instant cereal and smoothies that have no additives, no preservatives, and no sugars. FarmCrowdy has set up Nigerias First Digital Agriculture Platform empowering rural farmers. They aim to strengthen food security in Nigeria and efficiently utilize available arable farmland. QualiTrace has developed a track & trace technology to authenticate farm inputs and outputs. By providing a tool to fight with counterfeit products and promoting farmer education they are tackling food insecurity in the region. TroTro Tractor is a platform enabling farmers to request, schedule and prepay for tractor services. AgroInnova is one of the most well known agricultural startups in Ghana. They have developed Akokotakra farm management software which enables the poultry farmer to record, monitor, keep track, and analyze all their farm operations easily ColdHubs developed a solar-powered plug and play modular system for a 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of perishable foods. Complete Farmer is a crowd farming platform that gives users the opportunity to own and manage farmland on their mobile devices. Farmerline is providing farmers with access to information, inputs, and resources to increase productivity and transforming smallholder farmers into successful entrepreneurs. Kitovu is using soil and market demand data to provide farmers with soil and crop-specific inputs, while guaranteeing purchase of their produce at no extra cost. Profish has developed Lojaanor a marketplace where aquaculture farmers and fishermen can access profitable markets and deliver fish to customers when they need it. Sesi Technologies has developed GrainMate an affordable and simple-to-use grain moisture meter which helps to reduce post-harvest losses. Tekxul Smart Water Manager (SWAM) is a flagship product of TekXul. SWAM monitors and control the amount of water in storage tanks. WASHKing WASHKing is providing jobs for local workers to create cheap, eco-friendly biodigester toilets that reduce open defecation and diseases like cholera. PS. Enable West Africa is soon starting a Corporate Innovation Challenge, which will host the finals on May 31- June 2 in Accra. More soon. Runs through 05/18/2019. Named after the wounded Fisher King of Arthurian Legend, A Prairie Fisher King espouses the notion of home as both a site of idealization and a locus for wounding. Drawing from memory, a narrative is woven in the form of photographs and text of the rural Iowa countryside where my family has lived for generations. A Prairie Fisher King is an ongoing body of work reflecting on the nature of familial hardship and generational connection through the lens of place. An undertone of violence embodies the emotional distress accumulated with age as well as a looming threat posed upon the landscape. Initially conceived as a bittersweet love letter to home, A Prairie Fisher King considers the various myths we construct in order to survive in the face of inevitable change. Through the accumulation of intimately described detail a search for reconciliation becomes palpable. I assume the role of reluctant hero and return to seek the damaged king, to seal old wounds and to salve the land. __________________________________________ Chelsea Darter received her MFA at Columbia College Chicago in 2018 and her BFA from The University of Iowa in 2013. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and featured online by Light Leaked, Aint-Bad, and Fraction Magazine. Her personal work explores themes of place attachment, class, familial connection and local mythologies. She lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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!) Subject Quick Links Click on any of the badges below to see posts from that subject area. This is just a quick way to search for all posts with these labels using one click. 12:40 | Lima, Apr. 5. Ministers were able to listen to the demands, concerns, and criticisms from all the Inca country's regions and political groups, thanks to said discussion. Likewise, Del Solar indicated the cabinet arrived at Congress with the objective of gaining the confidence and not thinking about the number of votes. "The votes we have received are enough. It is what we need in order to continue working for the country," he expressed. Furthermore, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the cabinet members and team that joined them in the preparation for the address to Parliament. Del Solar went on to add the meetings he had held with Congress' political groups before his presentation will continue once a month with spokespeople and lawmakers who wish to participate. " " A heavily pregnant meerkat sits in a dry river bed, watching for predators. A new study suggests that meerkats identify group members and potential mates with help from odor-producing bacteria in their hindquarters. Dominic Cram/Getty Images If you're one of the multitude of fans of the nature show "Meerkat Manor," then you already know the miniature mongoose that roam Southern Africa in clans are adorable creatures that do adorable things. Meerkats pop out of boroughs with their cute little heads extended, darting from one side to the other to see what's going on in the world. They communicate with each other through cuddly, purring noises. OK, so meerkats also fiercely defend their territory and engage in gang-style turf fights. But they do it in the most delightful possible way. Here's one thing most folks might not know about meerkats: They smell bad. The cute little critters come with a funky scent. And why? It's because meerkats excrete a paste from under their tails that they spread around to mark their territory. Advertisement " " In South Africa's Kalahari Desert, a meerkat wipes his scent on a shrub to mark territory and convey information to other meerkats. Lydia Greene, Duke University Now that meerkats have had their turn on the little screen, you might think they'd start grooming themselves a bit more. Before you head out to the Kalahari with some wet wipes and a box of deodorant, you should know that the meerkat musk is an important part of the way the creatures live. With one sniff of a particular odor, a meerkat can tell if they are in a safe space, or enemy territory. They can also tell if another 'kat is a friend, foe or potential mate. A new study in the journal Scientific Reports shows that the smell is not something that's passed down from generation to generation through genetics as might be assumed since families of meerkats share scent identifiers but instead are a product of external bacteria from the environment that latches onto the paste. Duke University researchers swabbed paste samples from nearly 40 wild meerkats, and they found a grab bag of more than 200 chemicals. Meerkats with similar bacteria in their pastes gave off similar smells. " " With one whiff, a meerkat can tell if a scent marking belongs to a relative, a rival or a potential mate. Lydia Greene, Duke University The researchers believe the critters pick that bacteria up from roaming the same areas. Meerkats then share that bacteria with each other as a part of pack life, when they groom themselves and bump up against one another on a daily basis. Y'know, the stuff they do on "Meerkat Manor." Just stinkier. Now That's Interesting Meerkats aren't the only ones whose nose knows; research shows that humans also communicate with each other through scent. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address in connection with the Motherhood and Beauty Day, the Presidents Office told Armenpress. The address runs as follows: Dear women, On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and myself personally I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the Motherhood and Beauty Day, a warm and bright spring holiday which we always celebrate filled with boundless love and gratitude. Motherhood and beauty intersect since the most beautiful and tender, the gentlest, warmest and caring person for anyone is the mother with her wholehearted devotion, with majesty of her fragile soul, with her indispensable love. Throughout the whole life we try to find that very beauty in our wives, sisters and daughters, in women around us thereby appreciating and praising them. Dear Artsakh women, You have a unique mission and role in our lives. Being the keeper and pillar of the native hearth you also manage to make your invaluable contribution to the defense, development and strengthening of the native country, educating and upbringing the younger generation, have an active participation in social and political life being always helpful and supportive of us, men. We are endlessly thankful and grateful to you. Be always healthy, happy and joyful, surrounded by family love and warmth! May all your cherished dreams and goals come true! Congratulations on your day, dear women! Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The consecration and inauguration ceremony of the conciliar Church of Intercession will take place in Stepanakert on April 7 at 10:00, Artsakhpress reports. The Artsakh Diocese informs that on the same day the first mass will be delivered by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. The ceremony will be attended by the sons of first philanthropist of the construction of the Church Hrant Vardanyan: the Vardanyan family donated a total of 400 million drams for the construction of the Church. The representatives of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, other clergymen, officials and guests will attend the event. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Central Banks Dilijan Training and Research Centre, the PMs Office told Armenpress. The PM and Cabinet members were introduced on a number of observations carried out by the CBA and the finance ministry. The current situation and development prospects of the securities market, as well as research and programs related to ensuring financial engagement for implementing investment, infrastructure programs, the financial stability and macroeconomic policy were presented. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. During the period from March 31 to April 6 the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact about 250 times by firing more than 2500 shots from various caliber weapons at the Armenian positions, the defense ministry of Artsakh told Armenpress. The Defense Army forces of Artsakh continue fully controlling the situation in the frontline and confidently fulfill their military duties. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Armenia, Lieutenant-General Artak Davtyan visited the Defense Army of Artsakh from April 5 to 6 within the frames of the military cooperation program between Armenia and Artsakh, the Artsakh Presidential Office told Armenpress. Accompanied by Artsakhs defense minister, Defense Army Commander, Mayor-General Karen Abrahamyan, Artak Davtyan visited the military units located in southern and central direction and the frontline. On the second day of his working visit the top-military officials visited the frontline of one of the military unions, got acquainted with the combat situation, the works carried out so far. At the end of the visit the military officials clarified the future cooperation actions. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, who is in Jordan on a working visit, today participated in the opening ceremony of the meeting of the World Economic Forum dedicated to the Middle East and North Africa, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The regional forum is taking place by the support and under the auspices of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah. The meeting is attended by more than 1000 leaders of government, business, civil society, faith and academia, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan welcomed the meeting participants. The speakers in their remarks touched upon the problems and challenges facing the region and the world, in particular talking about energy security, use of clean and renewable energy sources, climate change and other issues. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Attorney Vahagn Danielyan, accused of transferring bribe to judge, has been arrested, spokesperson of the Special Investigative Service Marina Ohanjanyan told Armenpress. The lawyer has been charged for contributing to taking a bribe by a judge. Earlier the National Security Service informed that Judge Gagik Heboyan from the Kotayk Province Court of General Jurisdiction has been charged for taking bribe by the assistance of the attorney. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan Uzbekistan`s National Guard has received a batch of Russian-made upgraded VPK-233136 Tigr 4x4 multi-purpose armored vehicles, a source from the country`s defense industry told TASS. The VPK-233136 also dubbed Tiger-M is a variant of the standard Tigr 4x4 light tactical vehicle but motorized with a Russian-made YaMZ engine. VPK-233136 Tigr 4x4 multi-purpose armored vehicles at Army-2016 defense exhibition near Moscow, Russia. (Picture source Wikipedia) "The National Guard has received several Tigr armored cars in five-door configuration with additionally protected windows," said the source. He did not specify the number of the vehicles delivered to Uzbekistan. According to the source, the Uzbek Tigr armored cars have been fitted with an open-top mount for a Kalashnikov PKM 7.62 mm medium machinegun and a roof-mounted platform for additional equipment. The VPK-233136 is a special purpose armored vehicle designed to be used mainly as troop's carrier. The vehicle can carry a total of 9 military personnel including driver and commander. The hull of the vehicle provides protection STANAG 4569 Level 2, against the firing of small arms 7.62mm caliber. The VPK-233136 is motorized with a Russian-made turbocharged intercooled diesel developing 215 hp coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission incorporating a two-speed transfer case complete with an inter-axle differential lock and hub reduction. It can run at a maximum road speed of 110 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 950 km. Sean Dorney (Vanessa Gordon) SYDNEY - Veteran reporter Sean Dorney has given his name to a $10,000 journalism grant, to be awarded annually by Australias Walkley Foundation starting this year. The Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific Journalism will support a major work of Australian journalism about an underreported issue or development in the region. Walkley Foundation chief executive Louisa Graham announced the grant on Friday in the presence of Sean Dorney. Having recognised Seans outstanding contribution to journalism, we were very aware of his decades of inimitable work in the Pacific, Ms Graham said. Were delighted to be collaborating with Sean on this grant. Its a practical and powerful way to empower a journalist and a media outlet to report on the Pacific, and to continue Seans impact and legacy in the industry he loves. Sean Dorney has had a 40-year career as an ABC journalist in Papua New Guinea and throughout the Pacific islands. He retired from the ABC four years ago and is facing the challenge of living with motor neurone disease. It is essential that Australians know what is going on to our immediate north and east, Mr Dorney said. The brother of a 23-year-old ex-convict accused of pulling a cruel hoax by pretending to be a long-missing boy has apologised over his siblings behaviour. Brian Rini, from Medina, Ohio, was charged on Friday with making false statements to federal authorities after he claimed he was 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. Jonathon Rini told US television station WXIX his brother has mental health problems. He has Aspergers, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, the list goes on, Mr Rini said. Brian Rini has been charged over his claims. Source: AP He revealed his family rarely spoke with his brother and they hadnt heard from him in about four years. I hope he gets help, I also hope he goes to prison for this or at least an institution, he added. Hes been doing stupid stuff as long as I can remember. The FBI said Rini had made false claims twice before, portraying himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim. The FBI declared Rinis story a hoax after performing a DNA test. Jonathon Rini spoke out over his brothers actions. Source: WXIX Family of missing boy elated, then devastated by hoax The charge should send a message about the damage such false claims can do, said US Attorney Benjamin Glassman. Its not OK to do it because of the harm that it causes, the pain, for the family of that missing child, Glassman said. Rinis story had briefly raised hope among Timmothys relatives that the youngsters disappearance had finally been solved after eight long years. But those hopes were dashed when the test results came back. Timmothy Pitzen has been missing since 2011. Source: AP Its devastating. Its like reliving that day all over again, said Timmothys aunt Kara Jacobs. Rini was jailed for a bail hearing on Tuesday. His public defender did not immediately return a message. Rini could get up to eight years in prison. Rini was found wandering the streets on Wednesday and told authorities he had just escaped his captors after years of abuse, officials said. He claimed he had been forced to have sex with men, according to the FBI. Rini seeking father figure When confronted with the DNA results, Rini acknowledged his identity, saying he had watched a story about Timmothy on ABCs 20/20 and wanted to get away from his own family, the FBI said. Story continues Rini said he wished he had a father like Timmothys because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking, the FBI said in court papers. Glassman said authorities were skeptical early on of Rinis claim because he refused to be fingerprinted, though he did agree to a DNA swab. A slab of concrete sits in the backyard of the house where Timmothy Pitzen used to live in Aurora. Source: AP Rini also looks older than 14, but Glassman said investigators wanted to make sure there was no opportunity missed to actually find Timmothy Pitzen. Rinis DNA was already on file because of his criminal record. He was released from prison less than a month ago after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism. He twice portrayed himself in Ohio as a juvenile victim of sex trafficking, and in each case was identified after being fingerprinted, authorities said. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to court papers. Timmothy, of Aurora, Illinois, vanished after his mother pulled him out of kindergarten, 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. After Rinis account was pronounced a hoax, Timmothys grandmother Alana Anderson said: Its been awful. Weve been on tenterhooks, hopeful and frightened. Its just been exhausting. I feel so sorry for the young man whos obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was somebody else. With Associated Press 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. Three burglars allegedly took a nine-year-old boy with them when they went to rob a house in a Brisbane suburb before fleeing police at high speed. Its alleged a woman and the child stayed in a ute while two men burgled a Drewvale property on Friday afternoon. Witnesses called police and when officers attempted to intercept them, the woman fled from the ute with the men then speeding off in it. The woman then told officers the vehicle had just been stolen from her with the boy still inside. PolAir was called in and spotted the ute being driven dangerously through Mount Gravatt, running numerous red lights and narrowly missing other cars. The chase ended when the ute slammed into a power pole. Source: 7News The vehicle allegedly travelled at high speed through the south Brisbane and Logan districts, at one stage crossing through a service station car park and just missing three children who were crossing the road. The driver eventually lost control and crashed into a power pole in Carina Heights. Two men allegedly fled from the vehicle but were quickly arrested by police. The boy was found unhurt in the ute. A 26-year-old Mount Gravatt East man and a 23-year-old Regents Park man have been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, deprivation of liberty, burglary and two counts of fail to stop vehicle. A 36-year-old Boronia Heights woman has been charged with burglary. All three are due to appear in Richlands Magistrates Court on April 8. 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. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday. The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power. Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP. "At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul. Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira lost 30 percent of its value. Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later president. In Istanbul, CHP candidate Imamoglu and the AKP's Binali Yildirim both declared victory when preliminary results showed them in a dead heat. The AKP later appealed saying it had found irregularities in tens of thousands of votes. Imamoglu's party said on Saturday he was still ahead by close to 18,000 votes with half of the recount completed. He has said he expects the recount to be finished by the end of the weekend, but the AKP could still appeal again to the Supreme Electoral Council. Celik said the AKP would still control districts and municipal councils in both of the key cities even if they lost the mayor's offices. But he said the party would not deliberately block opposition mayor's agendas. Erdogan, in power for 16 years, fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey where he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation's survival. Erdogan's AKP won most votes in Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul Foreign ministers from the world's seven most developed nations met on Friday in northern France to push the fight against global inequality and cyber-crime despite the conspicuous absence of US top diplomat Mike Pompeo. The two-day Group of Seven (G7) meeting took place under cloudy skies in the Breton resort of Dinard against the background of a litany of global troubles ranging from Libya to Brexit. But the ministers from Britain, Canada France, Germany, Italy and Japan will not be joined by their US counterpart Secretary of State Pompeo, who is sitting out the meeting in what analysts see as yet another sign of American suspicion towards multilateralism. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan is representing Washington at the meeting. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who like her counterparts had met Pompeo at a NATO meeting earlier this week, expressed regret he was not attending. "I think we all regret that Mike is not here with us, but his very able deputy is here with us," adding Pompeo was "very engaged" at the NATO meeting. Britain's top diplomat Jeremy Hunt, before leaving for France, said that "what we will be talking about are the threats to democracy" including "cyber attacks, interference in democratic processes from hostile states." "We don't have a proper strategy to deter those attacks," he added. France, whose President Emmanuel Macron will host a summit of G7 leaders in Biarritz in late August, is pushing the fight against inequality as the central theme of its year-long presidency. Macron is desperate to avoid a repeat of the fiasco of the last G7 summit in Canada last year, which ended in acrimony when US President Donald Trump refused to sign the final communique in a bitter spat over trade. The G7 was founded in the 1970s under the presidency of former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing, but analysts say its clout may have dwindled with the creation of the G20 in the late 1990s. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed "regret" that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was not attending the G7 gathering Foreign ministers from the world's seven most developed nations on Saturday urged a greater role for women in solving conflicts, saying that peace settlements with female involvement were more likely to endure. The Group of Seven (G7) ministers, at their meeting in the northern French resort of Dinard to prepare a summit meeting under French presidency in August, also called on greater mobilisation worldwide to "prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict". "Women rarely sit at the negotiating table," the final statement of the meeting said, adding that only rarely do peace agreements include provisions that protect women's human rights. "At the same time, we know that when women are meaningfully included and play an influential role in peace processes, peace agreements are more likely to last," it said. According to the UN Women's agency, between 1990 and 2017, women constituted only two percent of mediators, eight percent of negotiators, and five percent of witnesses and signatories in all major peace process. France has placed gender inequality at the heart of its presidency of the G7, though a plan to create a new mechanism to warn about sexual violence being used as a weapon during war was not included in a final joint statement. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the countries had agreed a "roadmap" to adopt the mechanism. The ministers vowed to enhance coordination to support "women's participation in peace processes including in their roles as negotiators, mediators and peacebuilders." A final statement said the international community must be "mobilised to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict" but also better help survivors and assist children born as a result of sexual violence in conflict. Efforts to respond to survivors and victims' specific medical, psychological and social needs must be continued it said, hailing the efforts by 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege. Meanwhile, the G7 ministers said they committed to deepen coordination among members of the group to "enhance our rapid response support to survivors and victims". France has placed gender inequality at the heart of its G7 presidency and Saturday's foreign ministers' meeting ahead of an August summit urged a greater role for women in conflict resolution A tradie has been hailed a hero for jumping to the defence of a wheelchair-bound man after he was verbally attacked by a preacher in Sydneys CBD. Controversial Christian Philip Blair, from the US, took to the streets of the CBD earlier this week to voice his opinions with passers-by. Footage shows him approach a florist in Martin Place before targeting a wheelchair-bound man. Youre in a wheelchair. God can touch you but youre too bitter to ask, Blair shouts. Blair engages with workers at a Martin Place florist. Source: YouTube A woman hits back, telling him the man can walk before asking him to move away. A tradie then comes into shot, watching intently as Blair marches along the pedestrian area saying people are going to hell. As he continues to shout out, the worker in orange high-vis interrupts to challenge him over his comments seconds earlier. The tradie pulls him up on his remarks to a wheelchair-bound man. Source: YouTube Youve just slated your man for being in a wheelchair and youre talking about people going to hell? he says. Yes, Blair responds. Well youre going to hell for saying that about him, the tradie hits back. Blair tells him he wont and that he was there because he loves the worker. The pair share words in a heated exchange. Source: YouTube Philip Blair has been causing a stir in Australia. Source: YouTube No you dont, you dont know me, the tradie quips before turning away from Blair. Tradie speaks out over stand off The clip, which has been uploaded to The Torch of Christ Ministries YouTube page, began to circulate across social media, with many praising the actions of the tradie. Good man! The preachers obviously not the full quid, but he shouldnt be upsetting poor buggers in wheelchairs, one man wrote. Youre my hero, another said. The tradie, who wishes to remain anonymous, shook off claims hes a hero, telling Yahoo News Australia he did what any other person would do. When someone is being offensive like that, its difficult to just stand by and let it happen, he said. I recognised the man he was abusing, Ive seen him a few times in Martin Place. Nobody should be subjected to that kind of stuff when theyre merely going about their daily business. Blair was the centre of attention once again on a Sydney train just days ago when his preaching about abortions angered several commuters. Story continues 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. The United States on Friday announced sanctions on ships of Venezuela's state oil company and companies that link it to key ally Cuba, hoping to cut off vital lifelines for President Nicolas Maduro. Vice President Mike Pence unveiled the latest measures in Washington's bid to oust Maduro, a leftist firebrand who has nonetheless held on to power for more than two months, and vowed further pressure on Cuba -- a bugbear of the United States for a half-century. "Venezuela's oil belongs to the Venezuelan people," Pence said in a speech at Rice University in Houston. "Those looking on should know this: All options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America," he said. "The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy," he said. The Treasury Department said it was designating 34 vessels of state oil company PDVSA as blocked property, meaning that the United States will prohibit all transactions with them. It also targeted a tanker that ships crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba, the Despina Andrianna, as well as two shipping companies that own or register the vessel. One is based in Liberia and the other in Greece, one of the sole Western nations that backs Maduro. Pence also hinted that President Donald Trump's administration will take further action against Cuba as it considers allowing exiles to sue over property seized by the communist authorities. "In the coming weeks, the United States will be taking even stronger action against Cuba. In this administration, I promise you, it will always be Que Viva Cuba Libre," he said, using the Spanish for "Long Live Free Cuba." The push on Cuba is a sharp change from the previous administration of Barack Obama, who said that the longtime US effort to isolate the island had failed and re-established diplomatic relations. A Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States estimated that Venezuela delivered 50,000 barrels a day to Cuba -- a critical amount for the island, which in turn provides security, intelligence and other services for Maduro. "By severely impacting the shipment of that oil and the ability to get that oil from Venezuela to Cuba, there is going to be a recalibration of that relationship. This is the first step in the pressure," the official said. But Maduro also still enjoys support from China, which has lent $60 billion over the past decade to Venezuela, and Russia, which has sent military experts to Caracas and says the United States is attempting a coup. The United States itself was a key market for Venezuelan oil through Citgo, a subsidiary of PDVSA, but Washington has forced the operator to place earnings in a blocked account. US Vice President Mike Pence has announced new sanctions on Venezuela Police have issued a warning to visitors of a university over unruly inhabitants on its campus. While many would assume boozed-up students are behind the warning, officers revealed it was a handful of aggressive geese responsible. The police department said the geese have been spotted on Eastern Michigan Universitys campus in the US, and issued the warning by posting a video on Instagram showing one goose attacking and chasing a person in a school car park. The geese are swooping on unsuspecting victims. Source: Storyful Police say the attack happened on the north end of the schools campus in Ypsilanti. Two geese are nesting in the area, and the birds are protective. University spokesman Geoff Larcom says its not unusual for geese to nest on campus this time of year. He says several students have reported goose attacks, but no injuries have been reported. 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. One Sudanese protester died as thousands of demonstrators marched in Khartoum Saturday, many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since the deadly protests against President Omar al-Bashir erupted in December. Chanting "one army, one people," the protesters rallied in the capital's streets following a call by organisers to march on the compound, which also houses Bashir's residence and the defence ministry. Organisers said earlier this week that demonstrators would gather to demand the army either "take the side of the people or the dictator's". The crowds chanted the movement's catchcry "peace, justice, freedom", onlookers said. "We still haven't achieved our goal, but we have delivered our message to the army and that is: come join us," protester Amir Omer told AFP. "They were calling on Bashir to step down," another witness added. Fellow protester Adam Yagub, 40, said Bashir had "ruined the country's economy so much that people are dying even due to shortage of medicines". Police said a protester had died in the capital's twin city of Omdurman. "There were illegal gatherings in Khartoum and other states," police spokesman General Hashim Abdelrahim told the official SUNA news agency. "Police have recorded the death of one person during disturbances in Omdurman." A committee of doctors that helped organise the protests confirmed that the "martyr" was a medic. It means the death toll in protest-related violence since December has now risen to 32, according to officials. Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51 including children and medics. - 'Historic moment' - Soon after reaching the army compound, organisers called on the protesters to stand firm outside its fortified walls. "At this historic moment, we ask you to not leave the army headquarters and hold a sit-in in the nearby streets," the organisers said in a statement. Since the start of the protests, security agents and riot police have cracked down on demonstrators but the army has not intervened. After a few hours, dozens of vehicles full of riot police converged near the compound and fired tear gas at protesters in a bid to disperse them, witnesses said, adding that some demonstrators threw rocks at the police officers. Late on Saturday crowds of protesters remained outside the complex, some singing and dancing. "We will not leave this place until Bashir steps down," one protester said on condition of anonymity. Witnesses said that many demonstrators who grew tired were being replaced by newcomers, including families. - 'Further pressure on Bashir' - In a separate demonstration Saturday, protesters reached the army office in the town of Madani southeast of the capital, witnesses told AFP by telephone. "Today's turnout has been impressive," said a European diplomat on condition of anonymity. "It puts further pressure on Bashir and the regime and shows that the protest movement is not dying out." Protests have rocked the east African country since December 19, with angry crowds accusing Bashir's government of mismanaging the economy, leading to soaring food prices and regular shortages of fuel and foreign currency. They first erupted after a government decision to triple the price of bread but quickly escalated into nationwide rallies against Bashir's rule. On February 22, the veteran leader imposed a nationwide state of emergency to quell the protests after an initial crackdown failed to rein in the rallies. Since emergency rule came into effect, the demonstrations have been largely confined to the capital and its twin city of Omdurman. - Call for dialogue - April 6 was chosen for the nationwide rallies as it marked the 1985 uprising that toppled the then regime of president Jaafar Nimeiri. "Although the opposition chose this symbolic date of April 6, the government security forces treated the citizens respectfully," government spokesman Hassan Ismail said in a statement. "The government is committed to holding a dialogue because there's no other alternative." Before the protests began, security forces deployed in large numbers in key Khartoum squares and in Omdurman, across the Nile. Security agents were preventing passers-by from reaching downtown areas of Khartoum and ordered shops and markets in the area to close, witnesses said. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule. Bashir, wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and genocide in conflict-wracked region of Darfur, swept to power in an Islamist-backd coup in 1989. The veteran leader has remained defiant, introducing tough measures that have seen protesters, opposition leaders, activists and journalists arrested. Sudanese protesters chant slogans as they respond to a call to march on the army headquarters in Khartoum Since the protests erupted in Sudan late last year, security agents and riot police have cracked down on demonstrators but the army has not intervened Sudanese police fired teargas at protesters outside the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum Analysts say the protests movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators marched in Khartoum Saturday, many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly protests against President Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, witnesses said. Chanting "One Army, One People," the protesters rallied in the capital's streets following a call by organisers to march on the compound, which also includes Bashir's residence. The crowds chanted the movement's catchcry "peace, justice, freedom" as they marched towards the complex where the defence ministry is also based, onlookers said. "They were also calling on Bashir to step down," a witness said. Taking a break from shouting anti-government slogans, protester Ghada Mohamed said the rally signalled a "bright future" for Sudan. Protester Amir Omer said the demonstrators had managed to send a message to the military. "We still haven't achieved our goal, but we have delivered our message to the army and that is: come join us," he told AFP. Protest organisers led by the Sudanese Professionals Association said earlier this week that demonstrators would march Saturday to demand the army either "take the side of the people or the dictator's". - 'Historic moment' - Soon after reaching the compound, organisers called on the protesters to hold in place outside its fortified walls. "At this historic moment, we ask you to not leave the army headquarters and hold a sit-in in the nearby streets," the organisers said in a statement. "We appreciate that the army did not touch the protesters and we hope that it will take the side of the people." Since the protests erupted, security agents and riot police have cracked down on demonstrators but the army has not intervened. In a separate demonstration Saturday, protesters reached the army office in the town of Madani southeast of the capital, witnesses told AFP by telephone. Protests have rocked the east African country since December, with angry crowds accusing Bashir's government of mismanaging the economy that has led to soaring food prices and regular shortages of fuel and foreign currency. Demonstrations first erupted on December 19 after a government decision to triple the price of bread. But they quickly escalated into nationwide rallies against Bashir's rule, with protestors calling on him to step down. On February 22, the veteran leader imposed a nationwide state of emergency to quell the protests after an initial crackdown failed to rein in protesters. Since emergency rule came into effect, the demonstrations have been largely confined to the capital and its twin city of Omdurman, but organisers had called for widespread rallies and a march on the army headquarters on Saturday. - Heavy security - April 6 was chosen for the nationwide rallies as it was the day of a 1985 uprising that toppled the then regime of president Jaafar Nimeiri. Before the protests began, security forces deployed in large numbers in key Khartoum squares and in Omdurman, across the Nile. "There's a heavy security deployment where the protesters were to gather for the march, but they still came out and are chanting anti-government slogans," a witness told AFP without revealing his name for security reasons. Security agents were preventing passers-by from reaching downtown areas and ordered shops and markets in the area closed, witnesses said. "Those walking in groups were immediately detained or asked to return to their homes by security forces," another onlooker said. Activists in recent days have been circulating leaflets urging residents to participate in Saturday's march, residents said. The protest movement was initially led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, but later several political parties including the main opposition National Umma Party threw their support behind it. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule. But the veteran leader has remained defiant, introducing tough measures that have seen protesters, opposition leaders, activists and journalists arrested. Officials say 31 people have been killed in protest related violence so far, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51 including children and medics. Sudanese protesters chant slogans as they respond to a call to march on the army headquarters in Khartoum Since the protests erupted in Sudan late last year, security agents and riot police have cracked down on demonstrators but the army has not intervened Analysts say the protests movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule A group of teenagers have become unlikely heroes in the rescue of an adult male cat, which they found down a drain with its tail completely missing. The unfortunate feline was found in a terrible way in Waterfall, Sutherland Shire, on Saturday, with one of the teens taking it home where he called to tell his mother the news. His mother Seona Mercer, who had left her 17-year-old at home for the weekend, appealed for help from the community via Facebook in a desperate plea to help the animal. Stumpy sat patiently in a rubbish bin to have his photo taken. Source: Facebook/Seona Mercer She said her son hadnt yet gained his provisional licence, so couldnt take the cat which he named Stumpy to the vet without the accompaniment of an adult. Before long, the teenager received an offer from the mother of his friend to take poor Stumpy to nearby Kirrawee Veterinary Hospital to be assessed. Vet hospital director Simon Ilkin said, while the cat was extremely emaciated and weak, he had hope it could be saved and potentially be adopted once it regained full health. The teen wrapped the cat in a towel and photographed the area where its tail once was. Source: Facebook/Seona Mercer He said Stumpys tail had been removed some time ago, as the wound had completely healed over. Were hoping that somebody would want to adopt him down the track if we can get him healthy, Dr Ilkin told Yahoo News Australia. I think we owe it to him to give him a bit of a chance, thats where we are at the moment. Weve given him some food and hes absolutely demolished it. Dr Ilkin said it was likely Stumpy would stay at the vet for a couple of days before being transferred to one of their adoption partners and hopefully finding someone to take care of him. The cat was found in a drain in Waterfall by some teenagers. Source: Facebook/Seona Mercer The vet were deciding Saturday evening whether it was necessary to euthanise Stumpy. Source: Facebook/Seona Mercer The community praised the heroic actions of the teenager who refused to turn a blind eye when he encountered the suffering cat. What a brilliant young man. Restores my faith. Youve raised a beautiful son, someone wrote. Several others were quick to offer to help by picking the cat up and taking it to the vet. 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. NEW YORK On a single day last fall, over 200 people accused but not convicted of small-time, misdemeanor crimes sat in New York City's infamous Rikers Island jail because they couldn't pay bail. Nearly half were behind bars for lack of $2,000 or less, according to city statistics. Few or none would be there under a newly approved overhaul of the state's bail system, which will no longer let judges put a price on freedom for most people awaiting trial on misdemeanors, nonviolent felonies and certain robbery and burglary charges. The state budget that passed this week includes new bail rules that could affect thousands of people statewide. It's among criminal justice changes that also will require prosecutors and defense lawyers to show each other certain evidence early in a case, altering deadlines seen as some of the most eve-of-trial latest in the nation. Civil rights groups and defense lawyers see the measures as a turning point in a state where they say a progressive reputation hasn't matched reality for the accused. "These reforms help transform New York from a laggard to a leader on justice," New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Lieberman said. But the Democrat-led overhaul has drawn opposition from Republican lawmakers and some law enforcement officials who say it could jeopardize public safety. "If anyone believes crime doesn't pay, they should visit New York," state Assembly Republican Leader Brian Kolb said in a statement. People arrested in New York and other states are sometimes held until trial, particularly in major, violent felony cases. But in many cases, defendants are either released outright or offered a chance to get out by putting up bail money as a guarantee they'll return to court. If they don't, they forfeit the money. Critics say bail punishes poor people who are, by law, presumed innocent, and presents a public safety paradox: Some major-crime suspects get out because they can pay high bail, while low-level defendants who can't pay small sums stay in jail. Cities such as Atlanta, Philadelphia, and New York have cut back on cash bail in recent years, as have states including New Jersey and New Mexico. Some places have eliminated it altogether: California last year became the first state to do so, deciding to free many suspects while barring release altogether in major violent felony cases. The law is now on hold until a 2020 referendum. Washington D.C. eliminated cash bail back in the 1990s. New York's reckoning over bail has been whetted by distressing cases. A former U.S. Marine and homeless Rikers inmate, Jerome Murdough, sweltered to death in 2014 in a 100-degree cell while being held on $2,500 bail in a trespassing case. Kalief Browder, who was a teenager at the time, spent three years at Rikers on $3,000 bail before the charge against him stealing a backpack was dropped in 2013. Browder's suicide two years later helped prompt officials to cut down on using money bail in the city. Defendants were released without it in more than three-quarters of cases citywide last year, according to the New York City Criminal Justice Agency . The city-linked nonprofit says 86% of people freed without bail made all their court dates in 2017, the last year available. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has estimated the new state law will keep about 90% of defendants out of jail at least until their case gets resolved. Among other things, it requires police to release people with court appearance tickets in most misdemeanor and some felony cases, rather than hold them until they go before a judge. State data show two-thirds of the 408,000 people arrested last year were accused of misdemeanors. Some advocates for arrestees say the state needs to go further and eliminate money bail altogether. "Money is not what leads to people coming back to court," says Paul Goldberg, who runs the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund. The charity pays modest bail, averaging $1,100, for 1,200 or more New York City misdemeanor defendants each year, and offers them reminders and transportation help to get them to court appearances. Ninety-five percent make every date, Goldberg said. But some prosecutors, judges and lawmakers say bail remains a needed tool in some cases and the new law doesn't do enough to protect the public. "We believe this is a dangerous mistake," six New York City and suburban district attorneys, all Democrats, wrote in an op-ed in the Daily News last week. They suggested the law might allow detention of someone who amassed weapons but didn't have a known, specific target. Prosecutors also note that some suspects in major crimes are initially arrested in minor ones, and bail can help ensure they stick around while authorities build a case. As other states begin to assess the outcomes of reducing the use of money bail, the New Jersey judiciary this week released a largely upbeat report . It noted declining a jail population with little change in reoffense or court appearance rates. But while there has been progress on the state's goal of shrinking racial disparities in jail, black men are still overrepresented, the report said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 From 1987 until 2011-12-the most recent academic year for which comparable figures are available-universities and colleges collectively added 517,636 administrators and professional employees, or an average of 87 every working day. Congressional Democrats are reintroducing the Debt-Free College Act in an attempt to lower costs and increase federal intervention in higher education. This debt-free proposal would require the federal government to match every dollar from states' higher education appropriations to help students payof college, Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan told reporters.But while Pocan is confident that lawmakers from both parties will support his bill, he didn't say how the federal government would pay for it.That disregard of how to pay for the bill is how college became so unaffordable in the first place. The reality is that government student aid is one of the main factors fueling the high costs of higher education.As any competent economist knows, the surest way of artificially increasing the demand for something is to have the government subsidize it . By subsidizing a college education and covering most of its costs, the government drives prices higher, increasing the overall price for students-and taxpayers. Students then complain about debt and want lawmakers to pass more laws for more college subsidies. The result? A college education gets more and more expensive There is, however, a better way to control costs and help students avoid debt. Making college more affordable involves a structural change to get the government out of higher ed and a commitment from colleges to control costs.Striking a blow for affordability begins by ending federal control of student loans and cutting back on higher education subsidies. The Trump administration, for example, is currently pushing to cap loan borrowing for graduates students and their parents. Currently, undergraduates can borrow $57,500 from the federal government, but graduate students and parents have no borrowing limits and can take out as much as they want. The administration didn't release a firm plan but proposed capping the PLUS loan program , which is used by graduate students. The proposal would require students and their parents to demonstrate a credit history before they can borrow.The subsidies for colleges keep student demand-and debt-high. The federal government cannot use credit scores to approve student loan applicants, which means that low-risk and high-risk students cannot be differentiated. The result is exactly what one would expect: high delinquency rates . National student loan debt hit $1.46 trillion at the end of 2018, which was $15 billion more than in 2017. Of that aggregate debt, 11.4 percent was more than 90 days delinquent or in default, a figure that has been increasing since 2003.If government subsidies and cheap credit are ended, fewer students will end up as debt-laden dropouts and graduates will have a smaller tuition bill. This change would discourage students who don't take their studies seriously to enroll in college and motivate those students who do to graduate on time.Young people who simply cannot afford to take on a private loan will find other alternatives-like joining the workforce or getting an apprenticeship-and the academic departments that offer little actual value will dismantle. With fewer students flowing to universities across the country, colleges will be forced to lower costs or increase value to attract them. But whether a department is profitable shouldn't be the only measure of success. After all, college isn't only about worker training. For example, degrees in liberal arts like English, art history, and music theory would be more affordable with lower tuition.And when colleges pay more attention to student demands, they provide students with a better, more affordable education.Some universities have already taken it upon themselves to limit costs. When former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels became president of Purdue University in 2013, for example, he froze the school's tuition and cut expenses. The University of Oklahoma is also digging into its budget to find said university president Jim Gallogly. In late 2018, Gallogly told reporters his administration found millions of dollars in inefficiencies. To cut costs, OU didn't submit a 2019 budget and instead focused on reducing its $14.5 million budget deficit. Gallogly also promised to make the school more affordable by eliminating equipment overspending, reducing the university's vehicle fleet, and switching from paper to electronic timesheets.And in Georgia, college administrators are consolidating schools to save money. In 2017, the state's Board of Regents merged six schools into three. At the time, officials justified the consolidation by claiming that it would reduce costs, make programs more efficient, and help students improve their academic performance.The examples from Purdue, Oklahoma, and the Georgia University system are not the only ideas schools should consider copying to lower the cost of higher education. Eliminating unnecessary administrative positions can also save students on tuition. Most personnel growth at colleges comes from the expansion of university administration-and at breakneck speed, as noted by As it is, college graduates already have a hard time finding gainful employment in their areas of study. As more Americans end up working in unrelated fields, unable to put their expensive diplomas to good use, it becomes clear that the debt they incur isn't worth it.If elected officials were in the business of making the lives of their electorate easier, reintroducing a piece of legislation that will only worsen the U.S. student debt crisis is not the way to go. Especially if the goal is to make college more affordable. For solutions, they'll have to get more creative. After mega projects, government assigns Army to construct homes Amid widespread criticism that the Nepal Army is increasing its commercial activities, the government on Thursday decided to award yet another project to the national defence force It will now take the lead in the construction of houses for hundreds of windstorm victims in Bara and Parsa districts, who lost their residence in the disaster. Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues. I have not been updating this blog for years, but Im keeping it around because it has many of my posts from a decade ago! For the moment, heres why you c... 9 months ago This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way. William S. Consovoy, the attorney hired by Trump last Friday, told Treasury it should not turn over Trump's tax returns until it receives a legal opinion from DoJ. Beleaguered Donald Trump has hired a new lawyer, who has apparently told old Donnie he shouldn't give over his tax returns to Dems. "The Tax Code zealously guards taxpayer privacy," the new Trump attorney William S. Consovoy says in his letter. "It would be a gross abuse of power for the majority party to use tax returns as a weapon to attack, harass, and intimidate their political opponents." So, DARVO, as usual. Deny (and delay!), attack, reverse victim and offender. From Josh Dawsey and Jill Stein at the Washington Post: An attorney for President Trump on Friday told the Treasury Department it should not turn over the president's tax returns until it receives a legal opinion from the Justice Department, calling on Treasury to deny Democrats' demands for 6 years of the president's records. William S. Consovoy, the attorney, attacked the request from Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, as a "gross abuse of power," arguing it risks encroaching on taxpayers' privacy. On Wednesday, Neal formally requested that the Internal Revenue Service, which is part of the Treasury Department, turn over six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns. A 1924 law cited by Neal states that the treasury secretary "shall furnish . . . any return or return information specified" in a request from the head of the House or Senate tax-writing committees. But Trump has for months signaled he would resist attempts to compel him to turn over his taxes. And Friday's letter from Consovoy states that the IRS should wait for a "formal legal opinion" from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel before divulging the returns. The letter from his attorney, addressed to Treasury general counsel Brent J. McIntosh, echoes arguments made for months by congressional Republicans. The strategy, as one source says in the story, is to delay all of this until after the 2020 Presidential elections. Read the rest of the WaPo story: Trump lawyer calls on Treasury to reject Democrats' demand for tax returns until Justice Department weighs in More from reporters on Twitter below. Trump just moments ago on Dem request for tax returns. "Nothing whatsoever, have nothing to say about it I got elected. They elected me. Now they keep going. I'm under audit. When you're under audit you don't do it I always go through audit so you audit me all the time." Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 5, 2019 Trump has new counsel helping on the congressional tax demand. Here's their response: pic.twitter.com/8wjO5wbd7m Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 5, 2019 new: Jay Sekulow, a Trump lawyer who defended POTUS in the Mueller probe, tells me he's "overseeing" Trump's legal defense against House Dems demanding his & his business empire tax returns. William Consovoy, another Trump personal lawyer, is taking lead: https://t.co/TSA2gV06gH https://t.co/DXYOPjGTNH Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) April 5, 2019 With so many gangs to deal with in the country, prisons in South Africa are very important in curbing down the menace these groups cause. Unfortunately, some of these correctional facilities have not turned out to be what they were intended for. It is only by understanding what some of the notorious institutions have become that you can appreciate those that are doing a great job. Image: facebook.com, @diamondtvzambia Source: UGC Have you wondered how to survive in South African prisons, or do you have someone that has been incarcerated and are wondering about their safety? Well, these facilities come with their own issues. The following are the top ten notorious detention centres in South Africa that you would never wish a loved one to end up at. Sometimes, these facilities that were meant for correctional purposes have a hard impact of the offender. 10 terrible prisons in South Africa Have you ever wondered about what the department of correctional services is about? Well, with so many offenders and gangs around Cape Town and other places in the country, there is need for such offenders to be taken in for a specific period of time within which they are expected to have reformed before re-entering the society. While this works for some offenders, it may not always be possible for all. The ability to reform or not may be dependent on the facility of incarceration. The following 10 are probably some of the worst a criminal offender could be sent to. Before you ask how long is a life sentence in South Africa, you better start praying that a loved one is not sent to any of these centres. 1. Johannesburg prison The Johannesburg prison, otherwise often referred to as the Sun City jail is not one of the best in terms of its state. The facility which holds 2,631 inmates, 567 of whom serve not less than 10 years, in fact with most serving multiple life sentences. An unplanned raid revealed the problems of the inmates, top among them being the fact that they are overcrowded. During the raid, illegal items including drugs, cellphones, and homemade weapons were found in the possession of some of the inmates. This goes to show just how notorious this institution is. 2. Helderstroom prison Helderstroom is one of the correctional facilities that is known for violent attacks on both officers of the law and the offenders themselves. It is one of those correctional facilities in the country that has an intense initiation that is often carried out by higher-ranking offenders. Tales of torture are also commonplace. The situation is terrible to the extent that most offenders end up committing suicide, especially those that are in solitary confinement. 3. Pollsmoor prison Pollsmoor is not only the worst jail centre in South Africa but also one of the most dangerous in the world. This jail has inmates living in overcrowded spaces, and it is almost as if Cape Town gangs run it. Diseases spread rapidly due to the overcrowding menace, and some of the inmates have awaited trial for years on end without any future results. Cases of violence and crude weapons among inmates are commonplace. It gets worse since a facility that is meant to host only 3900 inmates has over 8900 inmates. 4. Goodwood prison Also making it to the list of worst correctional facilities in Mzanzi is this Cape Town facility which was started with a good intention. The centre was meant to accommodate detainees awaiting trial. It quickly became a center of excellence due to its efforts to save inmates through a variety of projects and programs it ran. Among these are Sexual Offenders Programs, Life Skills Programs, Orientation Programs, and AA Programs. Unfortunately, what started as a good plan ended up dangerous. The overcrowding of major correctional facilities led to inmates being brought to Goodwood as a way of creating space for dangerous criminals. Over time, the facility became worse as it took in dangerous gangs and became overcrowded. READ ALSO: Removal of Nelson Mandela statue for movie shoot causes outrage 5. Kokstad prison Also known as eBongweni C-Max Prison in Kwazulu Natal, this facility is considered the highest maximum correctional facility on South Africa soil. It comes with wardens stationed at every corner, ten electronically and CCTV monitored doors, as well as steel doors, that one must go through before entering or exiting the facility. This facility houses 906 of the most notorious and high-risk offenders. Among them, is Ananias Mathe who is ranked 46th. He had attempted an escape in 2013, but it backfired when guards caught up with him on his plan. 6. Grootvlei prison This facility is marred with allegations of corruption with guard officers accepting bribes from offenders that can pay for preferential treatment. On a surprise visit conducted on the facility, it was established that there were dangerous items with prisoners, something that should not have been the case, to begin with. 7. Drakenstein prison This facility was previously known as Victor Verster and is recognized as Mandela's last jail home. This 'working' facility holds some of the most notorious gang members in Cape Town. It is in fact ranked as one of the most fearsome centres in South Africa as a whole. It is where the highest number gang members are. 8. Modderbee prison Like most other jails in South Africa, this one is also a notorious center where inmates get violent especially when denied what they consider their rights. One such case was when there was a breakout where several offenders escaped, a few died, and others were injured. 9. Boksburg prison Even though there is no overcrowding at this facility, the state is still pathetic and one that shows a lot of struggling. The hygiene is wanting, and cases of sickness abound. At one time it was alleged that prisoners drank water from geysers. 10. Leeukop prison This is one of the worst jail centres because of the kind of criminals it holds. It is a special facility meant for violent and disruptive prisoners. It is used to hold down those that are categorized as dangerous according to the South African Criminal Procedure Act. Inmates are kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, and guards use specialized equipment including electric shields. Generally, though, this facility is one of the most violent, making it one of the worst. Other prisons to check out Apart from the 10 mentioned above, other facilities can be rated among the worst. These include: Worcester prison Matatshe prison Whether you have been convicted under the first time offenders act in South Africa, or you are a repeat offender, you need a safe environment to serve your time. Whenever you know that a fairly member or loved one is convicted, you better pray that he or she ends up in one of the better prisons in South Africa. It is disheartening for one to commit suicide because of hard prison environment, no matter what crime they may have committed. READ ALSO: This day in history Mandela and Buthelezi agree on cease-fire Videos of teacher allegedly abusing pre-school children sparks outrage Scandal: There are even more skeletons in the Langa family closet Source: Briefly.co.za The newly-engaged couple, Chad da Don and Kelly Khumalo, are on a role with surprises. First their surprise, "We're together and we're getting married," and now Chad's brand new single, which features his gorgeous fiancee. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! Just when we thought they convinced the world that their romance was over, they pull the wool over our eyes again, but all this while have been working on some new music together. SA Hip Hop magazine reported that Chad's new single, Gcwala, produced by Avian, features the couple on the single cover with kisses and roses showering over them as they share a romantic kiss. The song begins with Kelly singing the chorus "You thought we out, you thought we done yewena uzogcwala." Then Chad joins his with his raps in the song, making them the perfect combination. PAY ATTENTION: Do you want to know what's trending on Briefly.co.za? Join our WhatsApp group today. If you really think about it, they never really broke up at all, even when Chad came forward to confirm their breakup and said they were "too different." Looks like their breakup was just a PR stunt, and now they are engaged to be married and making music together. Fans seem mixed with emotions but preferred to keep their two cents to themselves. Only a few tweeps came forward with congratulatory comments. Here are some of the comments: READ ALSO: Warrants of arrest issued for musicians Babes Wodumo and Tipcee Two days ago, Briefly.co.za reported that we were all misinformed; Kelly Khumalo and Chad da Don are the complete opposite of broken up. A recently picture posted by Kelly suggests that the two are actually tying the knot, and soon. Kelly and Chad have had an up-and-down relationship since day one. The public was on them, spewing negativity before anything bad had even happened. Briefly.co.za learnt that the breakup rumours have officially been busted. Kelly and Chad are happier than ever, and that is probably because people finally left them alone, thinking they were no longer together. READ ALSO: The Amazing Cast Of Game Of Thrones In Then And Now (PHOTOS) Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly.co.za Featured Post Bioneers -- Ponca Casey Camp-Horinek Speaks on Tribal Rights of Nature Movements 'Were protecting our children. Were protecting all the things that we know in our blood memory have to be protected, not just for ours... Archive Search This Blog Donate to Censored News Please donate to Censored News for travel and equipment for our live coverage. Thank you, Brenda. About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 39 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com Translate News / National by Staff reporter The government says it is dismayed by the attitude of hotels and lodges in Bulawayo which have sharply hiked their rates for this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), which begins in a fortnight.This comes as most hotels have already secured full bookings for the industrial and commercial showcase, which has this year attracted significant interest among both local and regional exhibitors."I had a meeting yesterday (Tuesday) with executives of most of these hotels, together with the minister of Tourism to indicate our concern with the manner in which they are treating ZITF clients."I highlighted to them that if only they took part in aggressive marketing of ZITF, maybe then can we tolerate that kind of behaviour, than to wait for ZITF then overcharge clients."So, there are a number of issues that are critical one being the actual rates themselves which I am told are in the region ofRTGS$1 500 for some, and the second being the issue of booking - to say you can only book for seven days and not book for a day or two," an exasperated Industry minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said."They (hotels) might take ZITF as a low-hanging fruit, but certainly it doesn't augur well for the survival and growth of the hospitality industry. The minister of Tourism was not amused as well."They (hotels) indicated that they will be meeting as a sector and come back to government, and we are hopeful of the positive outcome of that," Ndlovu added.The ZITF, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, will run from April 23 to 27 under the theme "Propagating industrial growth through Trade and Investment". During the fair, many depressed businesses in and around Bulawayo - including hotels and lodges - cash in on the gathering, which is the biggest event in the country's second city.Most hotels in the city, anticipating roaring business, have hiked their accommodation rates from RTGS$325 to a whopping RTGS$1 400 a day for a standard room during the week-long business extravaganza.An executive room is priced at RTGS$2 000, from RTGS$450 which was the going rate recently. All this also means that a standard room at the official exchange rate is pegged at a staggering US$480.On their part, hoteliers told the Daily News yesterday that they were not likely to review the rates downwards, despite their discussions with the government - "because we have already made full bookings"."Some of our hotels are already fully booked and the transfers have been made ... should we refund the difference?"At the end of the day, this (better rates) would only apply to those who are still making bookings," an executive at a major hotel said.At the same time, the government has become increasingly agitated with businesses that are linking their prices to foreign currency exchange rates.This comes after Finance minister Mthuli Ncube warned business on Wednesday against profiteering. "It is actually bad economics to link price increases to the exchange rate. That's not how you do it. It is profiteering," Ncube told journalists in Harare.Meanwhile, the ZITF says it has sold 90 percent of the exhibiting space to 435 exhibitors."These statistics compare favourably to the booking situation at the same time last year. Of these, 12 percent are first time exhibitors displaying a wide range of products and services," Ndlovu said.About 59 percent of confirmed local exhibitors were from Harare, 23 percent from Bulawayo, 13 percent from other towns and five percent from other countries.The confirmed international exhibitors are from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Japan. Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and Zambia. News / National by ZimLive Vice President Constantino Chiwenga sparked fresh concerns about his health on Thursday after he was filmed fidgeting and struggling to maintain his focus while listening to survivors of Cyclone Idai.Chiwenga, who spent over two weeks in an Indian hospital in February receiving treatment for what the government said was a "minor abdominal ailment", travelled to Chimanimani and Chipinge districts with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and at least three former presidential candidates to assess the ongoing relief efforts.During a visit to Chipinge District Hospital, Chiwenga was filmed struggling to maintain his focus as an elderly man narrated how he survived the cyclone.The former army general, who led a coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017, kept on glancing sideways in-between nodding as if to indicate that he was following the survivor's narration.It is not the first time Chiwenga has been filmed exhibiting restless behaviour.In September last year, during a press conference held by Mnangagwa to announce the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the August 1 shooting death of six people in Harare by soldiers, Chiwenga was seen being restless and mindlessly tapping his fingers on a desk.Later in December, during a news conference with the health minister, Chiwenga surprised journalists by complaining that it was too hot in the room. Chiwenga struggled to sit still, exhibiting extreme restlessness and dabbing his face repeatedly with a cloth.Medical experts say Chiwenga has some kind of anxiety disorder. The vice president has previously spoken of a bizarre skin lightening condition which has also affected his wife. He said the loss of skin pigmentation began suddenly around the time he was leading the military coup. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network today held a drug awareness campaign at George Stark High School in Mbare, Harare.George Stark High is a co-education learning centre with enrolment of over 1 800 students mainly from Mbare, a high density suburb and a hotspot for illicit drug use in Harare.The students were informed of the dangers of engaging in illicit drug including health complications, arrests and social and economic challenges.The George Stark High headmaster, Mr. Zizhou and his deputy, Mrs. Masenda that the ZCLDN for affording the students a chance to hear on the effects of illicit drug use as the problem was on the increase at the school.A student drug awareness club, comprising students from the high school, was established and the ZCLDN will continuously engage the students and teachers who are part of the club. News / National by Staff reporter A HARARE magistrate yesterday blasted as unprofessional the conduct of the State anti-corruption special prosecutor in the case of Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (Potraz) director-general Gift Calisto Machengete after he failed to appear in court on four consecutive occasions.Magistrate Hosea Mujaya was unimpressed by Thabani Mpofu, who failed to appear in court to lead the State case in which Machengete is accused of violating tender procedures.Machengete, through his lawyers Selby Hwacha and Farayi Zuva, filed an application for exception of charges, challenging the facts of the State outline, which did not disclose an offence.The State was expected to respond on April 1, while the ruling was supposed to be passed yesterday.But Mpofu failed to appear in court or file a response to that application. Mpofu only asked another prosecutor Tinashe Makiya to ask for a postponement to April 9 on his behalf for submission of a response.Zuva then told court that there was no prejudice if the court proceeded to rule on the matter as the State had failed to submit the response.But Mujaya was irked by the non-availability of the State, accusing prosecutors of belittling the court."Honestly, the State is taking this court for granted. Chief Chinamhora's court is better than this one. I will make a ruling on April 17 whether the State bunks court (or not). One can only urge the court to be there. It seems like we do not have a State anymore," Mujaya said.Machengete's bail reporting conditions were removed by the court and his passport was temporarily released to allow him to attend to government business in Switzerland after he was granted a Cabinet authority to attend.He will return his passport on April 17. News / National by Staff reporter TWO Chinese businessmen were seriously injured on Thursday night after they were attacked by robbers brandishing a pistol and machetes.The robbers stormed Naizonel Investments in Bulawayo's Kelvin Industrial area got away with a vehicle, cellphones and an undisclosed amount of money.Police sources yesterday said the robbery occurred at around 5:15pm, when about five male robbers pounced on a steel-making factory."One of them was armed with a pistol, whereas four others had knives/machetes and iron bars. They force-marched the guard, employees who were just arriving for the night shift and clients who were gathered at the sales bay near the gate," a police source said."They forced them into a steel cage near the main gate, where they robbed them of their cellphones. The one holding a pistol remained near the gate, manning it and also guarding the hostages whereas others went to the main offices where they ordered everyone to lay on the ground."The police officer said the robbers went on to ransack the offices, stealing cash."Two Chinese nationals, who are part of the company management, were injured during the robbery. One was stabbed on the backside while the other suffered cuts on her head after being struck with a knife on the head," the source said. "The robbers also stole the company's vehicle, a VW Amarok twin-cab, white in colour. The total value stolen is yet to be ascertained. The injured are being treated at Mater Dei Hospital and their injuries are not life threatening."Contacted for comment, Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident."The suspects speed way in the company car valued at $45 000. They also went away with US$6 529, ZAR2 155, RTGS$1 484, five cellphones all valued at RTGS$615," Simango said."A report was made at Western Commonage Police Criminal Investigations Department Homicide who attended the scene and no recoveries or arrests were made." News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe Power Company board secretary Laura Tsomondo yesterday said former chairperson of the parastatal, Stanley Kazhanje, failed to declare his dealings with Intratrek Zimbabwe when he presided over a board which handled a case dealing with a $200 million Gwanda Solar Project tender awarded to the Wicknell Chivayo-led firm.Kazhanje is facing allegations of receiving a $10 000 bribe from Intratrek Zimbabwe not to cancel the 100 megawatt project in the event that the company failed to meet prescribed timelines.Tsomondo told magistrate Hosea Mujaya under cross-examination by prosecutor Brian Vito that board members were expected to declare their interests or disclose their dealings every January of each year and she did not remember Kazhanje doing that in relation to Intratrek Zimbabwe."Declaration of conflict of interests during the board meeting were supposed to be done before the meeting. There is a form with a section titled declaration of conflict of interests which members are supposed to fill in, but to my knowledge, Kazhanje did not fill that part in relation to his interests in Intratrek Zimbabwe," she said.Kazhanje's lawyer, Advocate Silvester Hashiti, asked Tsomondo if she knew the interests he was supposed to declare and she replied that she did not know what he was supposed to declare.Hashiti asked her if she knew the process which was taken by ZPC to award Intratrek Zimbabwe the contract. Tsomondo said she only joined ZPC in 2016 when the contract was already in existence.Tsomondo was made to read recommendations by Kazhanje to ZPC during his tenure, which Hashiti said showed that he was a professional.She, however, said the recommendations were meant to protect his dealings with Intratrek Zimbabwe.The State alleges that on January 21, 2016, and under unclear circumstances, Kazhanje received $10 000 into his Barclays Bank personal account from Intratrek's CBZ Bank account.Later, he presided over a meeting in which the board decided against terminating the Intratrek contract despite the company having failed to meet its obligations under the contract. This resulted in ZPC paying Intratrek $4 387 849 in advance.It is the State's case that the $10 000 deposit and the subsequent resolution not to terminate Intratrek's contract gave rise to reasonable suspicion that Kazhanje was influenced by this payment to decide in favour of Intratrek.The matter is expected to continue today. News / National by Staff reporter MDC'S standing committee meeting on Wednesday nearly degenerated into a war of words after a faction aligned to party leader Nelson Chamisa, accused secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora of bringing the party's name into disrepute, allegations he firmly refuted.Chamisa and Mwonzora are likely to lock horns at the upcoming elective congress next month after the latter won a tightly contested race for secretary-general post in 2014.Chamisa was later appointed vice-president by the late Morgan Tsvangirai and was elevated to party leader at his death.According to MDC standing committee sources, Chamisa started the attack on Mwonzora, who was also accused of causing the party's defeat in Bulawayo's Cowdray Park local authority by-election."Mwonzora was told by the president that this is not a peacock contest, where one is trying to spread feathers and be seen to be more attractive than others," one source said."He was accused of trying to appropriate himself to Tsvangirai's achievements and to claim all the landmarks into his name, such as the Constitution-making process. He was accused of trying to personalise everything that the party achieved, thereby bringing the party's name into disrepute."He was asked why he was contesting the race that hasn't been opened yet," the source added.According to others, the standing committee fell short of bringing the code of conduct against Mwonzora, with virtually all the leaders fighting in Chamisa's corner taking turns to accuse the secretary-general of various misdemeanours."As for the Cowdray Park, the buck stops with Mwonzora and he must take responsibility. He was reminded that instead of seeking media attention, he is supposed to put the house in order and effectively run the party," a senior party official said.During the barrage, Mwonzora, who has been openly described as a "half-wit" by other party leaders, reportedly defended himself, claiming he needed to clear his name as others were unfairly accusing and labelling him in the media.Asked to comment, the opposition party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said a resolution was made to make him the official spokesperson of the congress issues."What I can say is that the standing committee reiterated that the formal channel of communication is through the office of the spokesperson. There will be a period when all the leaders will be told to openly campaign and this is when the nomination opens," Mafume said while refusing to be dragged into the Mwonzora issue.However, Mwonzora defended himself yesterday, declaring that he would not be silenced."I was never gagged," he said."I was asked why I had said certain things in the Press and I explained that it was because those leaders were attacking me in the Press."I explained that I had the right to reply and further explained that for me, it was a reputation issue. I do not accept being portrayed as weak."Mwonzora added that many of those who were attacking him rely on urban seats which can be won safely."We agreed that we are in this position because of other senior leaders who were attacking me and nobody was there to defend me," he said."In terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, accused people have the right of reply, especially when there are lies circulating that I am being funded by Zanu-PF."In an earlier interview with NewsDay, Mwonzora accused his predecessor and current vice national chairman Tendai Biti of fanning divisions.He was responding to allegations that he was a Zanu-PF pony in MDC internal fights, which have left the party at odds with itself."What is ironic in the MDC is that the people who are raising these allegations are people who split from the party, who took money away from the party and who called (the late founding leader Morgan) Tsvangirai all sorts of names and they came back to the party. We accommodated them and what they are trying to do is to drive a wedge between myself and Nelson Chamisa as a way of getting an accommodation. Fortunately, the MDC members are intelligent enough to read through this," Mwonzora said.Contacted for comment, Biti said: "He did not mention my name, so that becomes a party issue. The party spokesperson can deal with that. I will not speak on party issues."Mafume dismissed the allegations by Mwonzora, saying those who left the party reintegrated with Tsvangirai and were now part of the MDC."We are not going to deal with innuendos. Those allegations are being raised in the wrong platform. When you have disagreements with fellow leaders, you should know where to raise them," Mafume said."We are going to congress and it's a pressure cooker, people will say a lot of things when they can't stand the heat, but we are committed to holding a successful congress and we will deliver it."Party organiser Amos Chibaya, who is looking to retain his position, is reported to be engineering Chamisa's grip on structures and ultimately, the party presidency amid allegations of voter manipulation.Chibaya, however, denied allegations that he was Chamisa's fixer, saying he was conducting party elections in line with the MDC constitution."Congress is a contest for power and people will always find a way of blaming the other person for their failures, but I can assure you that the process is going on smoothly after holding congresses in 1 954 wards. We have one unfortunate incident of violence. We have a few petitions. Surely this shows mature democracy," he said.Party vice-president Morgan Komichi said he was confident there would be no contests for Chamisa's post."The MDC people are going to nominate Nelson Chamisa with ease. He is going to be nominated by all the 10 provinces in the country and our three external ones. No one is going to be nominated except president Chamisa," he said.Those close to Mwonzora said he was not throwing in the towel yet and will be looking to repeat the 2014 feat of defeating Chamisa after securing one last-minute nomination."There are some who are saying he should pull out because the structures voting at congress appear to be in favour of Chamisa, but he is not willing to give up. He is going for the presidency, to win it," a source said.There have been attempts to paint Mwonzora as a Zanu-PF agent to, hopefully, discredit him among the MDC faithful.Mwonzora has denied the allegations, saying he has a history of defeating Zanu-PF and cannot be its agent now."I have been fighting Zanu-PF. I have a history of fighting Zanu-PF. I fought Zanu-PF as a member of Copac, they did not want that Constitution. We brought it. I fought Zanu-PF in the Supreme Court regarding political funding. Up to now, the MDC is receiving funding from the government. I have been fighting for electoral reforms, we have had success.I have been a member of almost every demonstration," he said."Now the regrettable part is that when we are going for congress, people start mudslinging. I have seen a few brick bats thrown at Nelson Chamisa, some of which are very unfair. For example, that bizarre rape case, we always go through this." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Journalist Zenzele Ndebele says he is working on setting up a Gukurahundi library that will tell the story of the ethnic genocide that claimed close to 20 000 citizens of Matabeleland and Midlands.Ndebele said he conceptualized the idea after President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently told members of the Matabeleland Collective that Gukurahundi is not a forbidden subject to discuss."In a recent meeting with civil society at the state house in Bulawayo, the President said we should talk about Gukurahundi freely. In that spirit, I am setting up a Gukurahundi library. If you have any books, pictures etc you want to donate to the library please Contact me." Ndebele said.Speaking with Civic Society leaders in Bulawayo last month Mnangagwa said the issue of Gukurahundi should be openly discussed be it on radio, television or anywhere. He said the issue of compensatory development should also be looked into.Mnangagwa is fingered as one of the key implementers of Gukurahundi during his days as State Security Minister.Documents reveal that the most brutal force during Gukurahundi was the Central Intelligence which reported to President Mnangagwa. News / National by Staff reporter MDC vice president Elias Mudzuri will not be contesting Nelson Chamisa for the top party office as had been widely expected, after the two politicians agreed to work together to reduce tensions inthe country's largest opposition party.This leaves MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora as the only presidential hopeful to challenge Chamisa at the party's congress scheduled for May 24 to 25. It will be the first congress to be held since the death of the party's founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai, early last year.The Daily News can exclusively report that the ex-Harare mayor who was also expected to challenge Chamisa for the MDC presidency, has been persuaded into an arrangement whereby he, along with his backers, would throw their full weight behind the 41-year-old advocate.In return, Chamisa and his entire campaign team will ensure that the 62-year-old Sierra Leone-trained engineer retains his position in the party. The Daily News is reliably informed that the deal was engineered by Chamisa's allies in Masvingo Province, among them James Gumbi and Takanayi Mureyi.Contacted for comment yesterday, Gumbi who chairs the province, declined to divulge details of what they agreed on, saying curtly: "You can get in touch later for the information you want because I am too busy at the moment"The Daily News can, however, reveal that Mudzuri, who could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print, met with Mureyi - an MDC national executive member representing Masvingo Province - and Gumbi at the former Warren Park legislator's home in Milton Park, Harare, two weeks ago.At the meeting, it was agreed that Masvingo Province would nominate Chamisa for president, and Mudzuri as his deputy.Mudzuri's allies in Masvingo who include James Mushonga, Peter Imbayarwo, Silas Mangono and Dereck Charamba are now expected to campaign for both candidates as part of the deal.MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume told the Daily News yesterday that Chamisa and Mudzuri had always enjoyed a cordial relationship."There was never a hatchet to be buried in the first place because one's ambition to contest a position cannot be referred to as a hatchet in a democratic party like ours but what I can confirm is that the two have always had a cordial relationship," Mafume said.Today, MDC's provincial structures will start their nominations for national positions ahead of the party's elective congress next month.Since the death of Tsvangirai on February 14, 2018, Chamisa has had an on-and-off relationship with Mudzuri.Following the former trade unionist's death due to cancer of the colon, Mudzuri was left unimpressed by the manner in which Chamisa outmaneuvered his colleagues in the MDC succeed Tsvangirai. But unlike Thokozani Khupe who opted to create another political home for herself, Mudzuri stayed put and continued as one of Chamisa's three deputies.On several occasions, Chamisa has had to come to Mudzuri's rescue. For instance, it was the MDC leader who emerged to save Mudzuri's skin after he had angered party faithful by attending a meeting of Parliament leaders with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his State House offices without the MDC's blessings.Recently, agitation for Mudzuri's ouster reached fever pitch within the MDC's standing committee, the executive committee and the national council where his rivals were demanding that the former Energy minister steps down. The motion to de-stool Mudzuri was ironically raised by Masvingo Province but Chamisa rescued his beleaguered deputy after reportedly telling his party's national council that it would be unfair to discuss the MDC vice president's case while he was absent. Female hand holding piggy bank. Save money and financial investment The governments latest budget has first-time homebuyers licking their chops to pull cash out of their RRSP to help them buy their first home. But, believe it or not, one of the best ways to use your RRSP is not to use it to buy that cash-drain of a property. The most effective way to build wealth over the long term is to buy stocks, put them in your registered retirement account, and hold them for the long run. Since you can use the RRSP to build wealth on a tax-deferred basis, every cent you keep in there will continue to generate more wealth over time. By the time you retire, if you keep yourself from touching your retirement savings, you will have a nice little nest egg to live off in your twilight years. The best stocks to own are companies that are steady, growing income stocks that possess the ability to build wealth over time. A renewable energy-focused utility company To make sure companies will be long-term performers, it is a good idea to look at industries that will likely continue to be around for years. For instance, many people are calling for the imminent downfall of fossil fuels. If this were to occur, many companies that depend on coal- or oil-burning generators for the majority of their revenues could be negatively impacted. It makes sense to own a utility that is primarily focused on renewable resources for the majority, if not all, of its energy source needs. Humans will most likely still need power in the future, and renewables seem to be the best long-term choice. Northland Power (TSX:NPI) is a good selection for this category. This company has a geographically diversified portfolio of assets, which includes biomass, geothermal, wind, and solar projects in Taiwan, Germany, the Netherlands, as well as at home in Canada. The company should continue to be able to support its dividend, with year-end free cash flow per share up 30% over 2017. Sales increased by a solid 13% as well and net income was up 47%. The companys track record of steady growth should continue well into the future. Story continues Since it is a smaller company, it has a lot of potential growth ahead of it. It also pays a dividend of 5% as of this writing a dividend that should be sustainable and growing, especially if free cash flow continues to increase at a steady pace. The dividend was increased by a hefty 11% last year. As time goes by, that income will make a serious contribution to your retirement fund. The stock has pulled back recently due to a share issuance and a block of shares being sold by the founder. While these two situations are not ideal from an investment point of view, the companys growth trajectory, income generation, and favourable long-term fundamentals should make this a decent buying opportunity for new investors. Investors should continue to keep an eye on further share dilution, as this can put pressure on the dividend and capital appreciation over time if it gets out of control. Buy this stock for long-term growth Northland Power is one company that is worth socking away in your RRSP until you retire. The move toward renewables around the globe is accelerating, so a company as focused on producing sustainable energy should have staying power. Its dividend size, growth, and security also make this an income stock worth having. As long as you are not worried about some insider selling and share dilution, Northland will be a good holding to lock away for years. Dont drain your retirement account to buy that fixer-upper of a home. Invest in solid companies for the long haul instead. More reading Fool contributor Kris Knutson owns shares of NORTHLAND POWER INC. 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 Plant shoots on stacked coins Rising uncertainty is fueling market jitters, and this combined with a range of geopolitical as well as economic threats is fueling fears that a market correction could occur in coming months. While this has seen investors shift their capital into more defensive assets, such as gold, bonds, and cash, it typically pays to remain invested in the market, even if a correction occurs. This becomes clear when it is considered that the S&P/TSX Composite Index has gained around 76% over the last 10 years, even after allowing for a range of corrections during that period. When determining which stocks to hold, it is always important to consider their economic moat, financial strength, and long-term growth prospects. Here are three stocks that possess wide economic moats, solid defensive characteristics, strong growth potential, and long histories of paying sustainable regularly growing dividends. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (TSX:BIP.UN)(NYSE:BIP) is one of the worlds largest publicly listed, diversified infrastructure players. It has a long history of unlocking value and currently pays a sustainable quarterly distribution yielding almost 5%. The partnerships assets span ports, railroads, toll roads, data centres, and energy utilities that are crucial to modern economic activity. Brookfield Infrastructures assets are located across a broad range of developed and emerging markets, giving them a degree of stability coupled with the potential for significant growth that exists in developing nations. It operates in oligopolistic markets, meaning that it can act as a price maker rather than as a price taker, further enhancing its economic moat and earnings growth. Those characteristics also provide Brookfield Infrastructure with the ability to meet its targeted long-term return of 12-15% along with the projected 5-9% increase in its annual distribution. Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) is a leading provider of energy infrastructure to North Americas energy patch and pays a regular quarterly dividend yielding a very juicy 6%. In December 2018, after a solid full-year performance, the company hiked its dividend by an impressive 10%. While Enbridge has been attracting considerable attention from short-sellers, which sees it the sixth most shorted stock on the TSX, many of the issues driving its thesis appear significantly overblown. Story continues The midstream services provider has a wide almost insurmountable economic moat. This along with the contracted nature of its operations, the relatively inelastic demand for oil, as well as natural gas and growing demand for the utilization of its pipeline network protects its earnings. Enbridges pipeline and storage infrastructure provides a crucial link between Canadas energy patch and U.S. refining markets, making it a key dependency for domestic upstream oil producers. Those attributes also secure Enbridges earnings growth. As oil and natural gas production in Canada swells, along with the company expanding its pipeline network, the volumes of oil and natural gas transported will rise at a solid clip, boosting earnings. This will support dividend sustainability and additional hikes as well as provide capital to further reduce debt. Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS), known as Scotiabank, pays a regular quarterly dividend yielding almost 5%. The bank, which is Canadas third-largest lender, is also the most international of the major financial institutions having invested heavily in expanding its operations in Latin America, notably the nations of Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. As a major bank, Scotiabank forms a pivotal part of Canadas economy. When this is combined with the industrys steep barriers to entry, significant capital requirements, and considerable regulatory restrictions, the bank is protected from competition, safeguarding its earnings as well as bolstering its growth prospects. That growth potential is boosted by Scotiabanks considerable operations in Latin America. The region is heavily underbanked and possesses a rapidly growing population, creating considerable organic growth opportunities. The gross domestic product of Colombia, Chile, and Peru are all forecast to expand by over 3% during 2019 as well as 2020, boosting Scotiabanks growth opportunities. What does it mean for investors? The combination of growth, defensive characteristics, and tasty sustainable dividend yields makes these stocks very attractive long-term investments and ideal candidates for TFSA investors. Not only can they effectively weather a market downturn, but they will also reward investors with solid growth. More reading Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. Enbridge is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. Bank of Nova Scotia is a recommendation 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 Deuba says no to early Congress convention Despite mounting pressure on Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to convene an early general convention and amend the party charter as recommended by the partys Mahasamiti meeting last year, it is unlikely that he will consider them and made a compromise with the rival factions. A Registered Education Savings Plan gets you free money from the federal government (Getty) Post-secondary education is far from cheap. Luckily, the federal government gives parents free money to help fund it. If you contribute $2,000 to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), Ottawa tops you up by $500. And yet, according to new research, only 41 per cent of Canadian parents take advantage of this. Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions can set up an account for you. But Eric Arnold, CEO of Planswell, says getting started is just too much of a hassle for a lot of parents. "Traditionally, RESPs have been expensive and time-consuming to administer, Arnold told Yahoo Finance Canada. Even with traditional institutions profiting off high-fee mutual funds or illiquid group investment plans, it has been expensive to set up for clients. A number of fintech startups, like Planswell, let you get set up in minutes with your smartphone. The company recently conducted a national study that found untapped RESPs are widespread across the country. (Planswell) Low-income families can also qualify for the Canada Learning Bond, which contributes up to an additional $2,000 to an RESP even if parents dont contribute their own money. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) estimates 3.4 million Canadians are eligible but 2.4 million people have not registered for it. "Less than 40 per cent of eligible children have accessed their Canada Learning Bond, with many families unaware of their eligibility because it can be difficult to confirm whether or not they fall under the income level to receive the grant," says Luke Connell, executive director of the non-profit community group SmartSAVER. SmartSAVER is teaming up with tax-filing platform UFile. The goal is to raise awareness about programs to help parents save for their kids education. New research conducted for UFile by Forum Research found 77 per cent of Canadians say children arent learning enough about aspects of personal finance like taxes, banking, and spending. Sign up now Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Back view of hugging couple standing with real estate agent in front of house for sale I was recently speaking with someone who wanted to buy property in our same small town. Normally, I encourage any form of investing I can, but I did the opposite. I did everything I could to try and talk her out of it. Owning physical real estate is a giant pain, especially for new landlords. These folks dont have a solid grasp on tenant laws, which means theyre prime prey for tenants who know how to exploit the rules. Just one bad renter can easily run a landlord a $10,000 bill once we factor in lost revenue and paying a lawyer to maneuver through the legal process of getting them evicted. There are other drawbacks, too. Owning physical real estate takes work. You have to show the place to prospective tenants, fix issues, deal with tenant complaints, and a myriad of other factors. Most of this can be outsourced, but that takes a big bite out of your profits. Fortunately, theres a better way. Wannabe landlords can load up on Canadas top real estate investment trusts (REITs): passive investments that offer instant diversification across both different asset classes and locations, succulent yields, and potential upside as their underlying holdings appreciate. Lets take a closer look at three of Canadas lesser-known REITs and how they can help you generate $500/month in passive income. Morguard Morguard REIT (TSX:MRT.UN) owns 49 properties spanning six different provinces, all with a combined gross leasable area of 8.6 million square feet. The trusts assets consist of 28 office and industrial properties, with the remainder being retail space. Shares currently trade hands at just over $12 each, while net asset value is closer to $26 per share. This massive discount exists because the market is not in love with Morguards Alberta-heavy portfolio. Approximately one-quarter of the portfolio is in Alberta, including some pretty heavy ownership stakes in the Calgary office market and in some regional malls in smaller centres investments the market doesnt love today. Story continues The good news is these assets have serious upside potential. And investors get paid a generous 7.8% yield to wait a payout that is covered by earnings. Granite REIT Granite REIT (TSX:GRT.UN) owns industrial warehouse and logistics real estate in North America and Europe. The companys portfolio consists of 85 properties spanning approximately 33 million square feet across nine different nations. When Granite listed as a public company back in 2011, almost all of its revenue came from Magna, the car parts giant. These days, a little less than half of its revenue comes from its largest tenant. The company is actively seeking expansion opportunities as well as identifying certain development opportunities to further diversify. Granite has one of the best balance sheets in the sector, which should allow it to easily expand. The company has raised its annual payout each year since 2012. The current payout is $2.80 per share, which is good enough for a 4.4% yield. The payout ratio is under 80% of funds from operations. Northwest Healthcare Northwest Healthcare Properties (TSX:NWH.UN) owns medical office buildings in Canada, hospitals in Brazil and Australia, various assets in Europe, and long-term care facilities in Australia and New Zealand with a partner. In total, the portfolio consists of 149 different properties and over 10 million square feet of gross leasable area. The company is in growth mode, recently announcing a deal worth more than $1 billion to expand its presence in Australia. With healthcare spending across the world ramping up, Northwest should have additional expansion opportunities. And remember, it hasnt even cracked the U.S. market. Investors are paid a $0.067 per share monthly dividend, which works out to a 6.9% yield. Collect $500 per month To get $500 per month from these three great (yet relatively unknown) REITs, youd have to invest in the following: 2,492 Northwest Healthcare Properties shares for a total investment of $29,106 717 Granite REIT shares for a total investment of $45,522 2088 Morguard REIT shares for a total investment of $25,724 In total, youd need approximately $100,000 invested to collect $500 each month. That might seem too aggressive, especially for new investors. But even starting small can have a profound impact. A $10,000 investment would generate $50 per month, which covers a nice meal out or a cheap cell phone plan. Thats a great start. More reading Fool contributor Nelson Smith owns shares of MORGUARD UN and MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC. Magna and Northwest 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 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) BUCHAREST (Reuters) - France is not specifically targeting U.S. internet giants with a planned tax on digital service companies, its finance minister said in an interview, pushing back against pressure from Washington to drop the levy. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged France in a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday not to approve the digital services tax, saying it would hurt U.S. technology firms. "France is not leading a crusade against the United States. The United States are an ally and a friend of France. France is leading a crusade against tax injustice - it's not the same thing," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Reuters. Speaking in Bucharest where he was attending a meeting with EU counterparts, he added that France was far from alone in Europe in its support for creating minimum taxation of digital service companies, with Austria, Britain, Spain and Italy also pressing ahead with own plans The emergence of internet giants such as Google, Facebook and Amazon has pushed international tax rules to the limit because they are able to book profits in low-tax countries rather than where the customer is located. The U.S. Treasury's top international tax official, Chip Harter, said last month in Paris that such taxes were potentially "discriminatory" and said Washington was looking into whether it could retaliate under WTO rules and trade treaties. Washington has said that it is better to pursue broader international tax reform at the Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD). France also firmly supports work at the OECD to update decades-old international tax rules to take better account of the digital era and has promised to drop the French tax when there is a global deal. "I call on our American friends and partners to step up work at the OECD so that we can reach as quickly as possibly - in 2020 I hope - an international solution," Le Maire said. The OECD aims to have a outline for an international deal by mid year, which will all countries to work out the technical details in time for a global accord to be signed in 2020. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Hugh Lawson) LONDON, April 4 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's first female racing driver Reema Juffali says she is ready to be thrown in at the deep end when she makes her British Formula Four debut at Brands Hatch this weekend. The 27-year-old, who will be racing for reigning champions Double R Racing in the FIA-sanctioned series, has only a few single-seater races to her name having started racing after June last year when Saudi Arabia lifted a ban on women driving. "For me, someone who has no experience, I think it's a good place to be put on the edge and be thrown out in the deep end," she told the series website (www.fiaformula4.com). "To be here today is quite unbelievable and to have done it in such a short space of time, I'm very grateful and happy about that," she added. "It's a good time in Saudi to be doing such a thing and all the support I've gotten from friends, family, people I don't even know, has been fantastic and it's only been pushing me to do better." Juffali became the first Saudi female license holder to compete in a series at the TRD86 Cup in Abu Dhabi last October. She has also competed in the MSF Challenge series in India. Saudi Arabia hosted a round of the all-electric Formula E series last December, with a number of women drivers testing there afterwards. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge) OSLO (Reuters) - Production at Norwegian aluminum maker Norsk Hydro was back to near normal after a cyber attack last month, the company said on Friday. The group halted some of its production on March 19 and switched other units to manual operation after hackers blocked its systems with ransomware. It has said it would not pay hackers to unlock its files, but has not said if it actually received any ransom demand. "In terms of production output, most operations are back to normal or near normal levels," it said. "The cyber attack has, however, caused delays to certain administrative processes, including systems for reporting, billing and invoicing." The company said it would take time to get IT operations fully back to normal after what it dubbed a sophisticated attack. It didn't give a timeframe for this. Despite the attack, Hydro's primary metals business and most other units were able to carry on production with workarounds and manual solutions, though output of its extrusion business, which makes components for carmakers, builders and other industries, was reduced by 50 percent. The unit's operations were close to normal, but still with many workarounds and local variations from plant to plant, the company said. Production in the three business units Extrusion Europe, Extrusion North America and Precision Tubing were running at an average output of around 90 percent, while Building Systems was at around 75 percent, it added. The company has given a preliminary estimate of the financial impact of the attack during the first week at between 300 million Norwegian crowns ($35 million) and 350 million. The company had a cyber risk insurance policy with AIG, but the potential compensation had a cap which the company has declined to disclose. Norsk Hydro shares were up 1.5 percent on Friday, lagging a 2.6 percent rise in Norway's benchmark stock index. (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by David Holmes) Among the hundreds of orchids on display in St. Albert at the 42nd Annual Orchid Fair this weekend, it takes a special kind of flower to stand out. "Something may have tiny little flowers in the same category as something with great big flowers," orchid judge Sandy Bedford told CBC's Radio Active on Friday, as she sized up the competition. "But they both have different potential so it's a matter of who is living up to their potential." This is the largest American Orchid Society judged show in Canada. Judges train for seven years to meet the international standards for evaluating these flowers. For many orchids sellers, they've learned the trade over generations. Ivan Portilla came to Edmonton from Ecuador for the event. His family owns Ecuagenera, a family-run orchid company that was founded in the 1950s. Ecuador is home to 4,500 native orchid species, giving his orchids an advantage when it comes attracting buyers. "People find it interesting growing the Dracula, or monkey-face, orchid," he said. Dracula or, if you want to get fancy, one of the Pleurothallidinae subtribe of orchids grow in South and Central American forests. The species, known for its flower centre that eerily resembles the image of a monkey's face, is just one variety of rare orchids that Portilla's company sells at fairs around the world. Julia Lipscombe The company travels to 72 different orchid shows every year, he said. "I do about 24, in the U.S., Canada and Guatemala, some in Europe," he said. The work is spread out among brothers, nephews and other members of his family. This weekend, for example, Portilla and his family are attending five orchid shows: in addition to the one in Alberta, there are shows in Houston, Pennsylvania, Nashville and the last sibling is in Europe. Shui-En Kao has been selling orchids since the 1970s and he said travel is part of life on the orchid circuit. He ships the delicate flowers from Taiwan to Vancouver each year, then sends them on flights from fair to fair in Canada for his operation, Ching Hua. Story continues "One year we came to Canada five or six times for orchid shows," he said. "Me and my son are always travelling. Last week Montreal and right now here in Edmonton." The orchid show runs through Sunday at the Enjoy Centre. Food-delivery drivers warned to watch out for IHIT's 'most wanted' fugitive Winnipeg-based online delivery service Skip the Dishes is moving out of the U.S. market. The company confirmed to CBC News it has entered into an agreement to transition operations of their six markets in the United States to its Chicago-based competitor Grubhub. "Our focus is on building our business and brand at home in Canada," a Skip the Dishes spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson said the company will continue to grow its international food delivery as part of the Just Eat Group. Just Eat is described as a "leading global marketplace for online food delivery headquartered in the U.K." on the Skip website. The company, which started in Saskatoon and is headquartered in Winnipeg, partners with 12,000 restaurants across the country, 600 of them in Manitoba. Skip now operates in six U.S. cities: Buffalo, N.Y.; Omaha, Neb.; St. Louis, Mo.; and Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus in Ohio. Jazib Haider, 24, has been a contracted driver for Skip the Dishes in Buffalo for the last two months, and also drives for Uber Eats. He received an email from Skip this week, letting him know about the change. He says the company told him it would continue to operate under the Skip the Dishes name until at least the end of April, and Grubhub would reach out to Skip drivers about driving for their network. Other than that, he says they haven't been clear with details about the merger. "I have no idea what's coming for us now," he said. He says he wasn't too surprised by the news. "Every time I went to the restaurant they were always complaining about how the drivers weren't on time," he said. "And after that, they would say Skip the Dishes support wasn't all that great." From a logistical point of view, he says many of the orders he took for Skip, which paid him a flat rate per delivery regardless of the distance he drove, didn't make sense. He says Uber Eats pays him per mile and for his time. Story continues "I number crunched and figured out that I was getting paid about 88 cents to a mile [with Skip]," he said. On average he says he'd make around $10 an hour for an eight- to nine-hour shift with Skip, but only if customers were tipping. The spokesperson for Skip wouldn't disclose details of the deal reached between Grubhub and Skip at this time, but said more details would be released closer to completing the transition. This is what it takes to get a foreigner to Everest Every year in the spring, hundreds of aspiring Everest climbers from all over the world arrive in Nepal, hoping to conquer the mountain. But months before the climbers even land in Kathmandu, the countrys capital, hundreds of yaks, porters, sherpas and cooks from dozens of outfitters head to Everest Base Camp to make necessary preparations for the climbing season. Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images From Town & Country From traveling around the world in private jets to dancing with the Queen at Balmoral and attending secret film screenings at Buckingham Palace, here's what it's really like working for the most famous family in the world. Here's what it takes to land a job at the palace. If you thought you slogged through the application and interview process at your current job, spare a thought for anyone wanting to work for the royal family. Simon Morgan, the founder of global security company Trojan Consultancy, who served as a Royal Protection Officer from 2006 to 2013, told T&C that to land his job with the royals, he already had be a highly experienced police officer working for the Metropolitan Police. Rather than being employed by the palace, protection officers are police officers who specifically apply to work for the royal family. "You have to be an experienced police officer first. If youre going into royal protection, youre looking at no less than 10 to 15 years service, pending on the previous roles you have come from," he said. Photo credit: PA "There is quite a rigid process to go through. You start with a written application that goes through to the royalty protection unit, and then, if you pass that element and have all the evidence and skills required around leadership and decision making, youll be invited to an interview led by senior protection officers to see who the person is behind the application." Morgan had previously worked on the frontline of firearm teams, specific armed units within the police force, and had many of the key skills required of royal protection officers already under his belt. "If you pass the interview, youll then attend a two-day selection course whereby youre tested to see if you have the mindset to be a protection officer. They give you the day from hell and assess you on how you react to it," Morgan explained. "If you pass that, you then get put on the respective courses you need. I just had to do the five-week bodyguarding course. If you dont pass, your whole application is withdrawn. The royal protection team then check in with your department to see when theyd be prepared to release you, and once released, you then join the royal protection unit." Story continues Photo credit: Chris Watt Grant Harrold, who worked as a butler to Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, from 2004 to 2011 and now runs The Royal Butler etiquette courses, revealed to T&C that working for the palace was always his biggest career goal. "I was fascinated by the film The Remains of the Day and after seeing [the movie], it became an ambition to be a butler," he said. "I, of course, thought that the highest goal was to be a butler for the British royal family, and I made that dream become a reality." After working in the household of Swiss financier Urs Schwarzenbach and later, of army officer Major Christopher Hanbury, Harrold moved to Woburn Abbey to serve as a butler to the Duke and Duchess of Bedford. "I was very lucky to have worked for a wonderful family at Woburn Abbey. This family, the Bedfords are the most wonderful, kind, and caring of people, who taught me very well in private service prior to my move to the Prince of Wales's household." Harrold saw the royal butler job advertised through an agency in London and applied. "This led me to eventually meeting the Prince of Wales at an interview after a lengthy three-month or more process," he explained. "I remember being nervous when I met the Prince of Wales, and he somehow managed to take the nerves away as we had afternoon tea and simply spoke to each other. I must have done something right that day as I was in a position very soon after." Photo credit: Karwai Tang - Getty Images Understanding the dos and don'ts of interacting with the royal family. Working for the royal family means grasping a whole new set of specific protocols. This, of course, isnt an ordinary job; your boss is the head of state. "[The royals] are used to protection, its called cradle to grave, thats what they get, and they very much know how protection officers should work, behave, and look," Morgan told T&C. "They understand all these things before you even get there." Morgan was given a "two-week introduction course," as an orientation of sorts, which gave him all the key information he needed to get started. Photo credit: Chris Ware - Getty Images "You go out with experienced protection officers, they show you around all the royal residences, you go through the family members, whos on what team, how the structure of the household works, and the chain of command that you have within that role," he said. "Youre also taught how you speak to people, and how to address the 'principle' is massively important. There has to be an acceptance that you are in their life. You have to be very respectful of the role that they occupy. Youre there to support them like any other support role, to help them do their job." For Harrold, understanding how to correctly speak to a member of the royal household was vital in his role as well. "I learned very quickly how to address a royal when meeting with them and these guidelines are even shown on the British royal family website, if anyone wants to know the correct way. I still think that being polite and yourself normally helps in any situation." Photo credit: Anna Phillips Being a royal confidant is also a big part of the job. Morgan admitted that away from the public glare of official visits, private situations often led to more personal interactions with the royal family. "Walking the dogs or generally going for a walk with them opened up a variety of conversations-sometimes that of two adults who are just talking, be it chatting about something important or trivial," he said. "If you cant communicate with someone, then you will struggle. A royal protection officer needs to be able to walk and talk at the same time." Photo credit: Tim Graham - Getty Images The perks of the job. Aside from the massive kudos you get from all your friends and family for working for the royals, there are other perks that come with the job, some bigger than others. Current employees, who have asked to remain unnamed, mentioned frequent film screenings at the Buckingham Palace cinema, which sometimes take place even before the movies hit the big screen. (Films often get sent to the palace since the royals cant head to the movies on a Saturday night like the rest of us). Theres also, rather conveniently, a Coutts cash machine for the family and staff to use. Coutts is the official bank to the royal family and known as one of the oldest and most prestigious bank in the world. Photo credit: Tim Graham - Getty Images "One of the best things about working for the royal family is when you are recognized for your hard work," Harrold told T&C. "The family would show this by inviting staff to Christmas parties, tea parties, and balls. A fond memory of mine is getting to dance with the Queen at the Gillies Ball in the Balmoral ballroom. It was a very proud moment for a Scotsman!" For Morgan, working for the royal family opened up a new world. "Id gone from wearing boots and body armor to wearing a dinner suit, so my world changed massively," he said. "You find yourself in places you wouldnt normally have access to. You are very fortunate to be in these positions, to travel by private charter, or travel first class, or to be on super-yachts, or to eat in some of the nicest restaurants the world can offer, but its just a job. You go back to your two-up two-down home and life carries on. Your environment might change but you remember you are still a police officer, employed by the Met Police." There's a lot of pressure involved in working for the royals. Working for the royal family means your private life is turned upside down. Staff members are expected to be loyal and completely dedicated, which often requires giving up a certain amount of your own personal freedom. Plus, there's a pressure that comes with doing a job so many people want. "You have long days, days when there are more challenges than others that you have to solve. As a protection officer, everybody all of a sudden looks at you for answers. The eyes turn to you," Morgan told T&C. "You are working for the worlds number one family, and there is nowhere in the world they can go without being recognized. Thats your biggest pressure, anything that goes wrong has massive implications, which include the threat of life." Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images How working for the royal family can impact a career. So, after beating thousands to work with "the firm," and serving the royal family with absolute discretion and dedication, what happens when you decide to leave? After serving as a Royal Protection Officer for seven years and working on major events such as Kate and Williams 2011 royal wedding, Morgan wanted to make a change. "My plan was always to go into the private sector after I had achieved the credibility within the police service and thats what I did," he said. "I took quite a few former colleagues with me and we set up Trojan Consultancy, offering protection for people of wealth, visibility, and status ... We look after 10 percent of the Forbes top 100 list, from famous faces to global brands. Working for the royal family gave me the grounding to do this." Photo credit: Ben Birchall - PA Images - Getty Images He added, "One client once said to me, 'If its good enough for the Queen, its good enough for me.'" For Harrold, his role as former butler has created new career opportunities hed never even considered. "I have been building my own brand and that is 'The Royal Butler.' I do television shows and media work as well as lots of training," he explained. "I work with HRH Princess Katarina [of Yugoslavia and Serbia] on royal etiquette and butler training. I like to think of myself as an unofficial ambassador for our wonderful British royal family! ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: Getty Images From Town & Country The atmosphere was buzzing in a large, bright room at the top of Londons Science Museum, where 300 people gathered for the official launch of the Royal Osteoporosis Society. Formerly the National Osteoporosis Society, the charity was given rare approval from the Queen to use a royal title. It was a big day for the organization and also for its president, the Duchess of Cornwall, whose passion for helping people with the disease stems from a very personal tragedy. Tugging at a piece of cloth to unveil a screen with the new name, Camilla clasped her hands and declared, to laughter, "Im going to say a few brief words but I havent got any notes, so I could go anywhere." She went on to speak movingly about her familys devastation at the death of her mother, Rosalind Shand, who died of osteoporosis 25 years ago. Photo credit: Desmond ONeill Standing at the back of the crowd that day in mid-February, I felt very much that this was the Duchess of Cornwall in her elementand an example of royal endorsement at its most effective. Her desire to find a cure for this illness had spurred a level of interest and understanding that meant she was able to bring much more than just her royal status to the cause. It was also clear that many of the people in the audience counted her, not just as a royal ambassador, but as an active colleague, and a friend. "I think shes fabulous. Ive met her many times and shes great at bringing this to peoples attention," says Lynn Faulds Wood, a British television personality and journalist who is an ambassador for the Royal Osteoporosis Society. "The very first time I met her she said to me 'Oh Im having trouble with my builders.' Shes very natural." The Duchess has also earned praise for being as effective outside the spotlight as she is when everyone is paying attention. "She does secret visits. She does things that get no publicity," says Faulds Wood. Claire Severgnini, chief executive of the ROS, has had the same experience. Camilla goes "to meet the health professionals and the scientists and the academics behind the scenes" and "briefs herself," she says. Story continues This is a side to the Duchess's work that the public does not get to see and one that many might find surprising. She did not, after all, see royal life as a calling. When she married Charles in 2005, as one person put it to me, she "married the man not the institution." Initially, according to one source, Camilla was "very careful about the issues that she wanted to put her name to" and made a lot of behind the scenes visits. Yet, throughout her 14 years in the royal family, these relationshipsand the way she can make a difference with themhave formed an increasingly important part of her life. Camilla was 57 at the time of her marriage to the Prince of Wales, and had never really worked outside the home. Now 71, the Duchess is patron or president of more than 90 charities and carried out 219 engagements in 2018, including 70 during overseas tours. She and Charles have just returned from a 13-day tour taking in 50 engagements across 10 islands, including an historic visit to Cuba. Camilla is not as often on the front page as Charles's sons and their wives, but her role is destined to become more prominent. The royal apparatus has begun to prepare for the inevitable moment when the Queen's reign ends. Prince Charles increasingly represents his mother, providing a steady reminder that Camilla's position will one day be by his side when he becomes king. Photo credit: Getty Images Not only has the Duchess had to adapt to royal life, she had to do so against a headwind of withering criticism. Camilla married Charles after years of being the "other woman," perceived as the wedge in Charles and Diana's "fairytale" marriage. "When she joined the royal family it was a very different situation to the one we see now," says Rebecca English, the Daily Mails royal correspondent of 15 years. Pointing out that their team had to decide how to approach Camilla's public image in her new role, English says, "They decided the way to do it wasn't to sell her. They concluded that the best way to move things forward was to just let her be herself and let people see for themselves what she is actually really like." She adds, "In just going out there and being herself she has turned her public image around from being one of the least popular royals to one of the most accepted." Photo credit: REX/Shutterstock Those who work closely with the Duchess today say she maintains the same attitude, keen to meet people and let them make up their own minds. Camilla's obvious loyalty, and how happy she clearly makes Charles, have undoubtedly played a big part in the palpable shift in public perception. "They are a partnership. Her husband comes first and foremost in everything she does," says English. But Camilla's impact on Charles is more than just companionship. "I think what she brings him is balance," says Robert Jobson, the author of Charles at Seventy: Thoughts, Hopes & Dreams. "She has a great sense of humor. As a result hes smiley and laughing." English agrees. "He's definitely a more relaxed person since she's been on the scene. I think we're starting to see a bit more of what he's like in private as well and she's responsible for bringing that out in him," she says. "Its a side to him that everyone really likes." Once described to me as a "glass-half-full" personality, the Duchess of Cornwall has a strong sense of fun. Her staff seem comfortable around her and happy in their jobs, with everyone staying pretty relaxed during moments when engagements become hectic or it looks like the itinerary might go out of the window. During a visit to Liverpools Central Library for a literacy event, she shot an amused look at a senior aide when a child she was supposed to be reading with became distracted. At another engagement in Clarence House ahead of International Womens Day, Camilla stifled laughter as Jude Kelly, founder of charity Women of the World, spoke of the "divine right of kings" perhaps not being useful any more. Happy to poke fun at herself, the Duchess even recently told an anecdote at Buckingham Palace about the moment several years ago when a taxi driver, not recognizing her, asked her what she thought of Camilla Parker Bowles. "He was incredibly charming and I gave him a huge tip," she said afterwards to laughter. Camilla is also well-liked by reporters and photographers. She is accommodating and often friendly, stopping to say hello when there is an opportunity and remembering things about the personal lives of journalists she sees regularly. Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images "She actually likes journalists; she likes the company of journalists; she likes the gossip and the fun and the sense of humor," English says. "She respects that you have a job to do and that sometimes you might write things that arent entirely comfortable for her or the family. But she doesnt let that affect her day to day working relationship with you, which is professional and refreshing." Jobson recalls one official visit to a vineyard in Crete where, he says, "she invited me to sit down and join in with the cheese and wine." Her increased acceptance has come with the appreciation that loving Diana does not mean having to hate Camilla. Photo credit: Getty Images No one exemplifies this attitude more than Dianas sons, William and Harry, who both greeted their stepmother with warm kisses on the cheek when they saw her at Westminster Abbey last month for the Commonwealth Day Service. When Harry was just 21 and still struggling to come to terms with his mothers death, he said of Camilla, "She's not the wicked stepmother... she's a wonderful woman and she's made my father very, very happy." One of her granddaughters, Eliza Lopez, was a bridesmaid at William and Kates 2011 wedding. Behind the scenes, Camilla is a driving force for keeping the family connected, spending time with Meghan and Kate when they first joined the royal family. She is also known to be the only person who might persuade Prince Charles to do something if all other avenues have failed. Just dont criticize her husband. "She's fiercely loyal to him," Rebecca English says. Yet, Camillas light touch belies the seriousness with which she now takes much of her work. Like the younger royals, she has realized that her position and influence can have a huge impact on a cause or organization. One of Camillas big charitable focusses has been helping the victims of sexual violence, putting this topic, which has not always been discussed openly, on the agenda. She came up with the idea to distribute bags filled with toiletries to victims of sexual assault in 2013 after speaking directly to survivors. The Duchess has also raised awareness of domestic violence, including quietly visiting a womens refuge during a day trip to Liverpool last month, where she turned up with books as well as jams and biscuits from the Highgrove shop for children living there. Photo credit: Getty Images Describing Camilla as "informal," one project worker says of her visit, "She seemed to have an understanding of what faces them and wanted clarification on how schooling effects the children that come in here, can the clients come back once they have left the refuge ... She definitely did seem to understand the issues that are faced." English recalls a particularly moving visit with the Duchess to hear about the work of charity SafeLives, a group dedicated to ending domestic abuse, in 2016. "All these people stood up, women who had been beaten up and abused by their husband over the years, mothers and fathers who had lost daughters to domestic violence and coercive control. She just sat there with tears trickling down her face, as did pretty much everybody who was in the room, because these stories were so powerful," English says. "I remember her turning to someone in the room and saying 'I will do everything I can to help you.'" Her royal role has clearly given her a new purpose, but Camilla still holds on to many aspects of the "ordinary" life she had before she married into the "firm." She still maintains her own home, Ray Mill House, in Wiltshire, and often spends weekends there with her two children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes and her five grandchildren. She and Charles will often go their separate ways before reuniting to enjoy each others company. Photo credit: Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA - Getty Images And while the Duchess is committed to her work, she does not quite have the stamina of her husband, who carries out more than 500 engagements each year and works late behind the scenes. She has, on occasion, traveled separately from Charles on royal tours so she can create itineraries better suited to her. In 2012, she visited a retreat in India before their Diamond Jubilee tour started, and in 2018, she returned from Australia ahead of her husband. "When he has to carry on his relentless pace, he goes off and does his thing, she will slow up and do her thing, says Robert Jobson, Charles's biographer. Camilla is also not a fan of flying but has not let that get in the way of her duties. In 2016, the Queen made Camilla a member of her most senior advisory body, the Privy Council. This move not only demonstrates the regard in which she holds her daughter in law but also, as Jobson points out, means that "she will be in the room" when he is proclaimed king. Photo credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis - Getty Images What her title will become in that moment has been the topic of much discussion. Clarence House announced when they married that the intention was for her to be called Princess Consort. Experts have since pointed out that she will legally become Queen Consort however she is styled. The general consensus is that she's not hung up on these things but many believe that it matters to Charles. "When the time comes, I believe Prince Charles will want Queen Camilla by his side," says Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine. Jobson agrees. "She will most definitely be Queen Consort, theres absolutely no question about that," he says. Either way, there can be no doubt she will be key to his reign. As Little says, "The Prince of Wales that we see today would not be the man that he is, the future king that he is, without the woman that he clearly loves." Photo credit: Peter Byrne - PA Images - Getty Images You Might Also Like 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. . ..Beyond the Great Divide..04 April '19..One of the biggest lies currently being sold to populations in the west is that anti-Israel activity is related to a movement of peace or justice. Relying on a strategy of intersectionality, this deception has permitted violent, racist ideologies to take a firm foothold within other well-known causes. Infecting them and leading them astray. These people may call themselves members of solidarity movements or pro-Palestinian but they are nothing to do with peace-makers in the traditional sense. Ive been inside these movements, pretending to be an activist, infiltrating their social media groups and Ive been researching them for years. Anti-Israel activity is full of little but fake news, hate and demonisation. In their twisted world, Palestinians are sacrificial, and these movements act as a bloodsucker, leeching onto the conflict, yearning for blood and only satiated when it flows. 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. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, April 5, 2019A Belgrade court today convicted four former Serbian state security officers of the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija, owner of the mass-circulation Dnevni Telegraf, Serbias first private daily, and the weekly magazine Evropljanin, independent regional news website Balkan Insight reported. Curuvija, 51, was shot and killed on April 11, 1999, outside his home near the Yugoslav Parliament building. We welcome decision of the Serbian court to sentence the four perpetrators responsible for the killing of Slavko Curuvija, a journalist and an outspoken critic of Slobodan Milosevics regime, to lengthy jail terms 20 years after the murder, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said. Serbian authorities should continue to work toward complete justice by identifying those who ordered the murder and pursuing their prosecution. The former head of Serbian state security, Radomir Markovic, and security service officer Milan Radonjic were each sentenced to 30 years in prison, and secret service agents Ratko Romic and Miroslav Kurak each received 20-year prison sentences, according to Cenzolovka, a website that tracks media violations in Serbia. Markovic and Radonjic were charged with instigating a grave murder, while Romic and Kurak were indicted for carrying it out, according to local news website B92. B92 also reported that the prosecution believes the murder was ordered by top state officials at the time. The courts first-instance ruling can be appealed, B92 reported. Curuvijas case was a focus of the Commission for the Investigation of Murders of Journalistsestablished in 2012 and comprised of journalists and government officialsdescribed in CPJs 2014 investigative report on breaking the cycle of impunity in the killing of journalists. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, April 5, 2019 The trial of Kirill Vyshynsky, Kiev bureau chief of the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, started yesterday in the Podil district court in Kiev, according to Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform. The court heard the prosecutors indictment and will convene again on April 15, the news agency said. The Security Service of Ukraine arrested Vyshynsky on May 15, 2018, as CPJ reported at the time. He has been charged with treason, and faces 15 years in prison if found guilty, according to Ukrinform; Vyshynsky denies the charges. Vyshynsky held both Russian and Ukrainian citizenship at the time of his arrest, but he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship during his detention, Ukrinform reported. We call on the Ukrainian authorities to immediately drop the charges against Kirill Vyshynsky and release him, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said. The authorities in Kiev should stop obstructing the work of media outlets and journalists whose views are not in line with their own. The security service alleges that Vyshinsky published reports on RIA Novosti at the Russian governments request that sought to justify Russias seizure of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, the U.S. Congress-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Security service officials also allege that Vyshinsky received financial support from the Russian government via other media companies registered in Ukraine in order to disguise links between RIA Novosti and Russian state media giant Rossia Segodnya, according to RFE/RL. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating whether the Customs and Border Protection Agency inappropriately targeted and questioned journalists and activists. The investigation, announced by CBP on March 6, came after NBC 7 obtained documents showing that the border agency compiled a list of individuals, including at least 10 journalists, for additional screening. The NBC 7 report confirmed CPJs fears that the border agency, in a coordinated effort, singled out journalists and questioned them about their work. In recent months, we have spoken with nearly a dozen journalists about their treatment at the border, and released a report, Nothing to Declare Why U.S. border agencys vast stop and search powers undermine press freedom. In meetings and emails over the past two years, we have repeatedly raised concerns and made recommendations to the agency and the Department of Homeland Security. We had been due to meet again the day after the NBC 7 story broke. But the border protection agency canceled and has not responded to multiple requests to reschedule. We sent CBP the following questions. As of publication, it had not responded. Heres what we need to know: Who authorized the creation of a database of reporters, attorneys, and activists, and what was its intended purpose? NBC 7 reported that the CBP San Diego field office compiled an internal document titled San Diego Sector Foreign Operations Branch: Migrant Caravan FY 2019 Suspected Organizers, Coordinators, Instigators, and Media. The document contained a list of 59 activists, lawyers, and journalists who were to be pulled aside for additional questioning. By weaponizing border checkpoints through the ongoing harassment of journalists, CBP is attempting to dissuade reporters from doing their job and reporting accurately on the current border situation, Bing Guan, an American student at the International Center for Photography in New York, who was stopped in San Diego, told CPJ. What Customs and Border Protection policies related to the media exist, and is the agency complying with them? The border agency told NBC 7 that it had specific provisions regarding encounters with journalists. In meetings with the border agency in November and December, however, questions from CPJ and partner press freedom organizations about guidelines on the treatment of journalists were repeatedly rebuffed. Policies published on the border protection agencys website about searches of electronic devices provide special protections for attorneys claiming privileged information, but not for people from other professions, including journalists or medical personnel. We know from news reports and journalists that in San Diego, officials searched through cameras, a documentary filmmakers cell phone, and another reporters notebook without any legal order. Journalists stopped at the border told CPJ officials repeatedly questioned them about their reporting on the migrant caravan. This behavior is in contrast to what is allowed in other agencies. If the Department of Justice wants access to a journalists communications, it needs to comply with guidelines that require the department to get a subpoena, signed off on by the attorney general. California state shield law protects journalists from having to testify about confidential sources. What happened at the San Diego border is not an isolated incident. CPJs report, Nothing to Declare, identified 37 cases of journalists who found secondary screenings to be invasive. At least 20 cases involved searches of their electronic devices. Separately, the inspector general is investigating the actions of a border protection agent in an unrelated case, who contacted a reporter and asked to talk to her about her sources, according to The New York Times. The agent allegedly claimed to be working with the FBI on a leak investigation. Does the CBP use secondary screenings to try to gather information from reporters for use in criminal investigations or intelligence-gathering operations? Journalism student Guan and journalist Go Nakamura told CPJ that in December, border agents in San Diego asked them to look at pages of photos and identify instigators of the caravan. The border agency told media that the individuals identified in the database obtained by NBC 7 were present during violence at the border, and that journalists were tracked so the agency can learn more about what started the violence. This statement is concerning, because it seems to endorse the practice of questioning journalists for the purpose of learning about their reporting. Mark Abramson, an American freelance photojournalist, told CPJ he was questioned by border agents about conditions in the caravan in January, and that an agent went through his notebook without asking permission. Im not an informant. My job is to inform the public, Abramson told CPJ. CPJs report found that journalists, especially those who are not U.S. citizens, were afraid that if they did not cooperate with border agents requests, they could be denied entry or put on a list that could hinder their travel. Of the journalists who covered the migrant caravan, at least four told CPJ that they altered travel plans because of concerns that questioning at the San Diego border could have implications for future travel. CPJs report recommended that the agency not use secondary screenings to question journalists for the purpose of intelligence gathering that goes beyond the purpose of facilitating lawful travel entry for that individual. Did the CBP comply with its own policies on the searches of electronic devices when examining the cameras and cell phones of journalists in San Diego? Were these searches carried out only to facilitate lawful entry and identify contraband? According to the Intercept, Customs and Border Protection officials stopped independent documentary filmmaker Sindbad Guggenheim, asked him to unlock his phone, and disappeared with the device for 15 minutes. (The agencys guidelines say that, with some limited exceptions, searches should be conducted in the presence of the individual). CPJ is also aware of four cases in which photojournalists said that border officials asked them to show photographs from their camera. The border agency claims sweeping powers to search the digital contents of electronic devices without a warrant to detect contraband or facilitate lawful entry. Legal experts have argued, however, that these warrantless search powers do not apply in cases that fall outside the agencys core mandate. We still dont know the rationale for the electronic device searches in San Diego. In the context of the targeting of activists and journalists, an agency whistleblower told NBC 7 that he was motived to leak documents because, Were not an intelligence agency. Did CBP share information about journalists on its list with foreign governments? Mexican authorities have denied entry to at least two journalists who had been reporting on the migrant caravan at the U.S.-Mexico border, and who had earlier been questioned by U.S. border agents. One of those, the Canadian-American photojournalist Kitra Cahana, was held for 13 hours when she arrived in Mexico on January 17, before authorities expelled her the next morning. The NBC 7 investigation later showed Cahanas photograph in internal documents from the border protection agency. It was included in a file of documents allegedly from the International Liason Unit, a U.S. border agency program that coordinates intelligence between Mexico and the United States. The file was emblazoned with the American and Mexican flag and a seal. Prior to being denied entry into Mexico, Cahana said that Mexican police photographed her passport. Several other journalists told CPJ that Mexican police photographed their passports and, when asked why, were told that the police intended to share the photographs with American border agents. In statements to journalists before the NBC story broke, the border protection agency said that it did not pass any form of security alerts to the Mexican government regarding the lawyers and journalists denied entry into Mexico. In response to queries that CPJ emailed in February, the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C. said that it had forwarded the request to the National Institute of Migration, but that it could take a while for the department to respond. As of publication, CPJ had not received a response. Liverpool are considering making a move for Manchester United misfit Memphis Depay as a replacement for Sadio Mane, according to reports in France.Depay, who moved to Lyon in 2017 after failing to make his mark at Old Trafford, is ready to leave the club with a host of Premier League sides interested in his services.According to French publication L'Equipe, Depay believes he can make the step up from Lyon and is ready to prove himself in the English top flight following his disappointing spell at United.Clubs have been monitoring Depay's situation closely but Lyon are adamant they will not entertain offers of anything less than 26million.And L'Equipe claim that Liverpool have shown interest in the 25-year-old Netherlands international in light of Real Madrid's interest in Liverpool star Mane.Mane has attracted heavy interest from the European giants thanks to his fine form this season, which has catapulted Liverpool to the top of the Premier League.The Senegal international has netted 20 times overall in the Premier League and Champions League this season and has very much taken the weight of expectation off Mohamed Salah.Madrid are looking to bolster their attacking options with star signings in the summer following a tough season, which has seen them knocked out of the Champions League in the last-16 and well off the pace in La Liga. 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 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 It is a crime to be caught with cannabis in Australia. Photo by Reuters Four Vietnamese men were sentenced on Friday to up to three years and four months in jail for crop sitting and cultivating cannabis in Australia. The four men pleaded guilty to playing different roles in a $2.8 million cannabis operation in Australia. Tuan Dac Trinh, 38, and Kim Phuong, 50, were found guilty of "cultivating a large commercial quantity of a prohibited plant" and sentenced to three years and four months each, The Herald reported. Vuong Luu Quoc, 27, was jailed for two and a half years while 26-year-old Anh Quang Pham got two years and three months. Australian police officers arrested the Vietnamese gang in February 2017 after hundreds of cannabis plants were found in six separate homes in the suburbs of Maitland, New South Wales, during multiple raids in the area. The four suspects admitted in a court in October last year to "crop sitting" the cannabis plants at homes in Tenambit, Heddon Greta and Morpeth. Crop sitting refers to the act of living inside homes while watering and keeping watch on cannabis plants grown there. Quoc and Trinh were illegal immigrants in Australia. They could be deported to Vietnam after serving their sentences, the report said. It is a crime to be caught with cannabis in Australia. However, possession of a small amount for personal use is not a criminal offense in several states. The Australian government estimates more than 2,300 Vietnamese students have overstayed their visas in the country. Many of them have been involved in growing and selling cannabis. A Vietnamese woman arrested in France last year for drug trafficking has been declared innocent by a Belgium court. After the Antwerp Court in Belgium declared her innocence, Pham Thi Tuyet Mai, 34, was given her passport back and a Paris court ordered judicial surveillance lifted. Mai returned to Hanoi Friday after spending 109 days in France. Last December, Mai was apprehended by French border police at the Charles de Gaulle airport when she and her boyfriend were traveling from Vietnam to Malta to visit his family. Her arrest, as per the European Arrest Warrant, was ordered by a judicial court in Antwerpen, Belgium back in 2013, in which it sought to execute a four-year sentence for drug trafficking between October 1, 2010 and May 10, 2011. She was allowed bail by a Parisian court of appeal a day after her arrest, but was ordered to hand over all identification documents, placed under judicial surveillance and not allowed to leave the country. Mai denied all drug trafficking and storage charges against her and said she had sufficient evidence to prove her innocence. She said she studied and worked in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, before returning to Vietnam in March 2010. She only returned to Europe once in November 2011 for work. She also had documents to prove that she was working for a company in Vietnam from May 2010 to May 2012. She added that she was not in Europe when the case happened in Belgium and proved so through the immigration stamp in her passport. Mais defense lawyer said there were "too many irregularities" in Mais 2013 verdict and that her case might have been a case of identity theft instead. One soldier killed, two wounded in Donbas in past 24 hours Russian occupation forces have violated ceasefire regime 17 times, using weapons banned under the Minsk agreements ten times, on positions of Ukrainian troops in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas over the past day, the press service of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported. "One Ukrainian soldier was killed and two were wounded in shelling," the JFO staff said on Facebook on Saturday morning. On Saturday April 6, Iran's oil-producing Khuzestan province was scrambling to evacuate many towns and villages as more rains and waters let out of dams threatened hundreds of thousands of people. Floods in Iran have killed 70 people since March 19, the head of the emergency services said on Friday according to the official IRNA News Agency. "The floods also injured 791 persons of which 45 are still hospitalized," Pir Hossein Koolivand told IRNA. Moreover, nearly half a million people are threatened by floods in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, the Islamic Republic' Ministry of Interior has warned. The governors of five provinces have been ordered to be on alert for helping people if fresh floods hit Khuzestan, Abdulreza Rahmani Fazli told local news outlets. New rains are falling in western parts of the country, which can worsen the already critical situation. Widespread criticism of the authorities continue for lack of emergency preparations and disorganized relief work. Some Iranians say the issue is not "disaster management" but "management disaster". During the past few days, there have been warnings that Khuzestan's two major dams, Dez and Kharkheh might overflow if the current rains lead to more floods. Many dams in Khuzestan in recent days have already been partially drained and inundated hectares of agricultural lands to minimize the risk of disaster. It was announced on Saturday that nine towns and several villages will be evacuated in Khuzestan, as authorities increased the water outflow from the Karkheh dam to keep it safe. Large swaths of land inundated in the path of maximum outflow released from Dez Dam. Meanwhile, overflowing rivers across the province have forced people to evacuate tens of villages. Several villages are currently surrounded by water after Dez River overflowed and the only way to provide foodstuff, medicine and drinking water for their residents is through the air. In the meantime, 110 villages threatened by possible flash-floods have been evacuated in the province. Furthermore, many roads have been flooded to the extent that rescue forces use boats for reaching the marooned people. While the rescue operations are underway, there have been reports on sporadic clashes between desperate flood-stricken people and security forces. Footage and images circulated on social media show violent clashes mainly occurred in the villages in Dasht-e Azadegan and the city of Soussangerd. According to a report, published on Thursday, April 4, by a human rights organization, Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation, a farmer, Abboud Jalizi died in hospital hours after a clash with the security forces. Nevertheless, the spokesman of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Ramazan Sharif, denied on Wednesday that there had been clashes between the flood-stricken people and IRGC's Special Units in Khuzestan. A video emerged showing clashes between security forces and residents in Soussangerd, Khuzestan, in which a farmer was injured and later died. Radio Farda cannot verify the video is from the particular incident. In neighboring province, Lorestan, deputy head of Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) for Relief and Rescue Operations Organization, Shahin Fathi, told reporters late on Friday that given the scale of the affected areas and lack of access to the sites, 40 operation teams were called on for help from other provinces to supply relief aid to the regions. While the IRGC and President Rouhani's administration are under attack for their "listlessness" in relief operations, the Chief Commander of the IRGC's extraterritorial military activities, Qassem Soleimani emerged on Friday to promise assistance to the flood-stricken people across the country. Soleimani promised to provide special luxury tents to flood victims, that are usually used for pilgrims going to Shiite holy sites in Iraq. Social media users have repeatedly criticized the Islamic Republic authorities for treating the "pilgrim-tourists" in luxurious "mokeb" tents with expensive foods and sodas, but ignoring the desperate people in the flood-hit area who are forced to live in the open, and in the cold weather without access to proper food and drink. In another development on Friday, members of the United Nations office in Tehran met with senior Iranian government officials, coordinating further rescue measures to the flood-hit people across the country, MNA reported. UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Iran, Ugochi Daniels, twitted on Friday that during the meeting, the two sides discussed the concrete humanitarian actions so far taken by the UN and its affiliated bodies regarding the victims of massive flash floods in Iran. After Iranian authorities were caught by surprise by unprecedented floods and reacted slowly to the disaster, foreign countries and international organizations also initially paid little attention to the humanitarian situation. Foreign relief is now trickling into Iran in limited fashion. In a statement on April 5, the French Foreign Ministry said Paris would airlift 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including 114 water draining pumps, 300 packages of kitchen equipment, and 5,000 blankets, to flood-hit regions in Iran. The first consignments of French aid are expected to reach Iran in the next few days, the statement noted, adding that Iranian authorities had requested the assistance. This marks the first time Tehran has openly called for foreign assistance in tackling the consequences of a natural disaster. During previous natural catastrophes in Iran, all foreign relief aid was voluntarily donated. On December 26, 2003, when a 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit the city of Bam in Kerman Province, southern Iran, the United States was at the spearhead of countries rushing to send aid to the quake-stricken areas. Dozens of other governments followed suit. Iran's president at the time, Mohammad Khatami, thanked the United States for the aid but played down talk that Washingtons contribution would thaw frosty relations. Nevertheless, Washington, showing a much cooler attitude this time, has now decided to assist flood-hit Iranians through the International Red Cross. Unprecedented heavy rains since March 19 have flooded nearly 2,000 cities and villages, killing 70 people and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to Iranian agriculture, and perhaps more to infrastructure and industry, leaving aid agencies struggling to cope. In the meantime, the number of foreign countries volunteering for assisting flood-hit people in Iran has been limited so far. Besides Turkey, which declared its readiness to send relief aid to Iran, Kuwaits ruler Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah has called on his Foreign Ministry and the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society to organize assistance to be sent as soon as possible. Kuwaits first humanitarian aid package arrived at Imam Khomeini International Airport near Tehran late on April 5, Iran's official news agency, IRNA, reported. The package includes strong water drainage pumps, pharmaceuticals, foodstuff, and other items. German Ambassador to Iran Michael Klor-Berchtold wrote on Twitter on April 4 that a charter plane with German humanitarian assistance for flood victims has landed in Tehran. Earlier in the week, he had expressed sympathy with those affected by the floods, saying the German Red Cross would provide humanitarian assistance, including boats and safety equipment, to victims. The local office of UNICEF also tweeted that it was providing assistance in coordination with the Iranian government. UNICEF and other UN agencies are reportedly assessing what the needs are in terms of health, education, water, and sanitation in affected areas. The Swiss government is reportedly also sending water purifiers. The European Commission announced an initial amount of 1.2 million euros in response to the recent floods in Iran. Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said, We stand in full solidarity with the Iranian people at this difficult time. Our thoughts are with the thousands of families affected by the deadly floods as well as with the brave responders on the ground. The EU will help deliver essential support in the impacted areas. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-run news agency, Tasnim, the new funding will support humanitarian partners, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in delivering relief assistance, which will allow those most affected to cover their urgent needs. Russia and China, considered allies by Tehran, have so far preferred only to relay messages of condolences regarding the floods. Record spring rainfall in Iran over the past two weeks caused severe flooding in many areas, mainly the provinces of Golestan, Lorestan, Khuzestan, Fars, and Ilam, forcing thousands to leave their homes. The death toll in the disaster has reached 67. A battery explosion in Irans submarine building center in Persian Gulf port city of Bandar Abbas killed several people on April 6. Ann official from the governors office in Bandar Abbas said that three people working for Irans armed forces naval industries were killed in the incident. Apparently, there are no other injuries. "Three Defense Ministry staff were martyred after a submarine battery exploded at the Shahid Darvishi shipyard in Bandar Abbas..., which builds and repairs military ships and submarines," IRIB said. Davood Abdi head of the defense ministrys public relations office said that the explosion happened when a light vessel was being repaired. Shahid Darvishi naval industries is located 37 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas and it builds, as well as repairs surface vessels and submarines. In recent years several explosion in Irans military installments has led to speculations about possible sabotage, which in some instances Iranian officials have confirmed and in other cases they have maintained silence. The latest incident happened on February 3 when three Iranian aerospace researchers died in a fire at the Iranian Space Research Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Telecommunications. Following that incident, a February 13 New York Times article suggested the reason for the failure of two Iranian space missile launches this year might have been "part of an expanding campaign by the United States to undercut Tehrans military and isolate its economy." The article said former and current administration officials speaking on the condition of anonymity "described a far-reaching effort, created under President George W. Bush, to slip faulty parts and materials into Irans aerospace supply chains. The program was active early in the Obama administration, but had eased by 2017, when Mr. Pompeo took over as the director of the C.I.A. and injected it with new resources." In previous years, cyber-attacks on Iranian aerospace and nuclear centers have caused problems for Tehran's ambitious programs. These include a joint U.S.-Israeli cyber-attack, which caused a delay in Iran's nuclear program in 2011. With reporting by Iranian media and Reuters Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 23 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 6, Trend reports. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order regarding measures to construct Kurd-Shahadat-Garabaghlar-Ikinji Arabjabirli road in Goychay district. Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.1 million manats for the construction of the road connecting four residential areas with a total population of 4,000 people. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: The next meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia will be held in the capital of one of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva told Trend. She noted that negotiations on the meeting time are currently underway. The press secretary noted that in a joint statement adopted at the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Vienna on March 29, it was noted that the sides agreed on a meeting of FMs in the near future. "In this regard, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during his visit to Brussels made a statement that an agreement was reached on the upcoming ministerial meeting and such a meeting will be held in the near future in the capital of one of the co-chair countries. As for the specific time of the meeting, it will be announced after reaching an agreement between Baku and Yerevan," she said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 Trend: Military exercises should be aimed at conducting large-scale offensive operations, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijans Defense Ministry. He made the remarks at an official meeting held at the Central Command Post April 6. The meeting held with the participation of the Deputies of Defense Minister, commanders of the branches of troops, chiefs of the main departments, departments and services of the ministry, as well as commanders of the Army Corps also involved the commanders of formations and other responsible officers via video communication. Recalling the visit of President of Azerbaijan, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev to military units and his statements made in regards with the results of the April battles, the minister of defense brought to the attention of the meeting participants the latest tasks assigned to the army. Hasanov set the tasks for the officials to increase the intensity of exercises and training conducted according to the combat training plan, especially at night, in conditions and in areas as close as possible to the combat, to increase the combat readiness of the military personnel and the combat capability of the units, to organize the preparation for transferring of weapons, military and special equipment to the summer mode of operation, to organize the process of the military discharge for servicemen who completed their military service and admission of young soldiers, called up for military service. Touching upon the irresponsible statements of the military-political leadership of Armenia, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov noted that this would lead to an increase in tension on the front line. He emphasized that all the exercises, conducted according to the plan, are aimed at conducting large-scale offensive operations. The minister gave specific instructions to commanders and chiefs of all levels to organize constant observation and to control the actions of the enemy, to give a forceful response to his every possible provocation and to be ready to begin active combat operations at any time. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has proposals for creating a mechanism for supporting the dialogue between the private and public sectors of Azerbaijan, Aliya Azimova, head of the local office of IFC, said during the presentation of the Portal of the Commission on the Business Environment and International Ratings and the Platform for Dialogue between the State and Business in Baku, Trend reports. According to her, one of them deals with the improvement of the overall investment climate, and the second with providing support in drafting and introducing amendments to the legislation, evaluating their impact on the business environment and the economy as a whole. IFC has been supporting the Commission since its inception. The Commissions activities will allow for the increase of trust between the private and public sectors, she said. Azimova also noted the importance of the private sector in creating jobs and developing the country's economy. Presentation of the website of the Commission on Business Environment and International Ratings and the Platform for Dialogue between the State and Business was held in Baku on April 5. Vusal Shikhaliyev, chief consultant of the Service of Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan on Economic Policy and Industry Issues, Deputy Minister of Economy Niyazi Safarov, Deputy Minister of Justice Azer Jafarov, Deputy Minister of Taxes Ilkin Valiyev, Deputy Minister of Energy Samir Valiyev and other officials took part in the presentation of the website. The event participants discussed economic reforms in public procurement, reforms to improve the availability of courts, a new business registration system, an e-application system for connecting to energy supply, a dialogue between the state and business, the Green Corridor system and other issues. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: The start of passenger transportation through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) transport corridor will give new impetus to the development of tourism in Azerbaijan, national secretary of Azerbaijan in TRACECA and expert in transport and logistics Akif Mustafayev told Trend. According to the expert, passenger transportation by BTK, the beginning of which is scheduled for the third quarter of 2019, will contribute to the development of tourism, as well as increase the incomes of the state budget of Azerbaijan. Mustafayev pointed out that a test passenger train along the BTK railway corridor had recently arrived in Georgia from Istanbul, adding that the train will depart from Tbilisi to Baku. "A special feature of the railway cars that will be operated by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey are special self-adjusting wheels, which allow for automatically changing the track from a broad one to a narrow one without losing time," the expert said. The BTK railway, which opened in October last year, was built on the basis of an Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish interstate agreement. At the initial stage, the volume of freight will be at the level of 6.5 million tons of cargo, and up to 1 million passengers will be transported. BTK allows to significantly shorten the time required for the delivery of goods from China to Europe through the territory of Azerbaijan, which makes this route particularly attractive. Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 6 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan with the Bulgarian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (with residence in Baku) Nikolai Yankov, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. At the talks, the parties noted the intention to build up comprehensive cooperation and readiness for joint work on its further revitalization, the information said. The development of trade and economic relations was also discussed. Interest was expressed in the development of relations in the field of culture and education. An impetus to bilateral relations was given by the visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to Ashgabat in August 2015. Energy and transport were highlighted as strategic areas of cooperation during the summit talks. The Ashgabat talks demonstrated the readiness of Turkmenistan and Bulgaria to cooperate in ensuring global energy security and diversification of energy flows. Prospects for partnership are also opening up in the field of transport in terms of developing transit-transport corridors between Asia and Europe in the East-West direction, with access to Southern and Eastern Europe, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle Eastern markets. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Development of entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan is one of the main goals of large-scale reforms implemented in the tax and customs sphere, as well as other areas, President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of Azerbaijan Mammad Musayev said, Trend reports. He made the remarks at the third forum in Azerbaijans Agstafa district dedicated to the role of entrepreneurship in the development of districts. He noted that the reforms carried out in Azerbaijan significantly improved the social welfare of citizens, the economic power continues to be strengthened and the economy is being diversified. In recent years, we have witnessed the creation of infrastructure that meets modern requirements, the launch of new industrial enterprises and support for entrepreneurship, he added. The implementation of state programs of the socio-economic development of the districts has also had a great influence on the development of the Azerbaijani districts and their reaching a qualitatively new level of development. At the same time, by enhancing the competitiveness of goods under the brand Made in Azerbaijan and by increasing profits in this sector, it is very important to develop the domestic market and in parallel to expand export opportunities. He noted that 970,000 entrepreneurs are registered in Azerbaijan, half of which are active. In 2018 alone, 87,600 taxpayers were registered in Azerbaijan, 50.4 percent of which were business entities in the districts, he said. I believe that the development of districts and the growth of regional entrepreneurship will contribute to progress in Azerbaijan, and I hope that the third regional forum in Agstafa will open up new opportunities for the development of entrepreneurship in the country. Heads of the Azerbaijani districts and their representatives, entrepreneurs, the Ministry of Taxes, the State Customs Committee, the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, the Food Safety Agency, the State Advertising Agency and representatives of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication of Azerbaijan took part in the work of the forum. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet of Pakistan has approved the fuel supply agreement with Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, Trend reports citing Pakistani media. Committee accorded approval to a proposal of Ministry of Petroleum regarding Fuel Supply Agreement between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), reads the report. Earlier, Federal Minister for Petroleum of Pakistan Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that Petroleum Division will try its best to get this agreement ratified from Cabinet so that mutual relation between both countries can be strengthened. Moreover, he noted that Pakistan and Azerbaijan will constitute a joint working group on energy, Pakistan and Azerbaijan had entered into an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) in February 2017 for supply of a number of oil and gas products, including furnace oil, petrol, diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Azerbaijan is interested in investing in LNG sector through State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Restoration of relations between Greece and North Macedonia in the energy sector can begin with the resumption of the smooth interconnection of the networks of the two countries, which may also require the development of common infrastructures, said Greek Minister of Energy and Environment Giorgos Stathakis. The minister said there is already a Memorandum of Understanding between Greek DESFA and Macedonian Energy Resources (MER). He expressed intention to join the two networks and gradually integrate North Macedonia into the broader network, which includes the interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), with the prospect of expansion to Serbia and Romania and of course the interconnection of this infrastructure with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) pipeline, which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, envisaging transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe. Stathakis noted that the idea of triple interconnection is not exhausted. The Greek government, through this triple interconnection, sees North Macedonia as a key partner in transforming the South Balkans into a key energy transit hub. TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries. Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network. The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016. Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe. TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets. The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Uzbek delegation will participate in the annual ATOMEXPO Forum held by Russian Rosatom State Corporation, Trend reports with reference to the press service of Uzatom. The Forum has established itself as the largest international exhibition and business platform, where the current state of the nuclear industry is discussed, and trends for its further development are formed. This year the forum will be held from May 15 to 16 in the Russian city of Sochi and the main theme of the 11th ATOMEXPO Forum is Nuclear technologies for a better life. This years business program is being formed for the first time by the International Program Committee, which included Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) William D. Magwood, Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Agneta Rising, former Chairman of the World Association organizations operating nuclear power plants (WANO) Jacques Regaldo, former Director General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Luis E. Echavarri and others. The forum participants will consider global issues of carbon-free energy development, a responsible approach to ecology and natural resources, "green" investment and international partnership for sustainable development. The leading companies of the global nuclear industry and related industries will present their innovations at the exhibition, a wide range of advanced nuclear technologies, new products and solutions, including those not related to energy. The exhibition area will be more than 13,000 square meters. The ceremony of awarding the international prize ATOMEXPO AWARDS will be held for the second time within the framework of ATOMEXPO-2019. This award is given for the contribution to the development and use of atomic technologies for the benefit of mankind. Uzbekistan is among 25 participants that will present their projects. Last year, Uzbekistan took part in the forum for the first time in connection with the country's plans for the development of atomic technologies and the intensification of cooperation with Russia in the field of the peaceful atom. A broader program of participation of Uzbek delegation at ATOMEXPO is planned this year. The delegation will include representatives of the Agency for the Development of Nuclear Energy under the Ministry of Energy, the Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Nuclear Physics. The forum will include meetings and negotiations with partners and other companies to discuss the prospects for cooperation in the framework of the project for the construction of nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan. Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The piping fabrication at Kipoi (Albania) is complete and over 90 percent of the piping is installed, with hydro strength testing progressing on schedule, Lisa Givert, TAP Head of Communications, told Trend. "The three compressors are installed, and final alignment is complete, with mechanical and electrical hook up in progress. The electrical low and medium voltage boards are being energized," she said. In Fier, according to Givert, the piping fabrication is also complete with piping installation over 86 percent finalized, and hydro strength testing under way. "With the three compressors installed in June 2018, final alignment has been completed," she added. Finally, the metering station at Bilisht, Albania (near the Greek border) is more than 84 percent complete overall, said Givert. "At the stations our teams are working towards overall completion scheduled towards the end of 2019. Completion process is ongoing in all three stations," she concluded. TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries. Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network. The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016. Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe. TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn The Emergency Ministries of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan had the first joint meeting in Bishkek, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan said, reports Trend citing to akipress.com Representatives of three countries considered several issues related to further development of cross-border cooperation, including cooperation and sharing practices in respond to transboundary natural and man-induced disasters; joint preventive and liquidation efforts in border areas of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; monitoring and forecasting natural disasters in border areas and ways to improve exchange of information. The countries also considered creation of the transboundary early warning system for disaster threats, joint disaster drills. The protocol was signed at the end of the meeting stipulating the joint actions aimed to improve cross-border cooperation. The President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov signed a decree on marking the 10th anniversary of the April Revolution. According to the document, an organizing committee will be formed to prepare and conduct events related to the 10th anniversary of the April Revolution, reports Trend referring to qazaqtimes.com The strong-willed sons of our people, who highly honored freedom and justice, sacrificing their lives for establishing a true democratic system in Kyrgyzstan, overthrew the family and clan regime, the decree says. Paying tribute to the deed of those killed in the tragic events on April 7, 2010, in order to perpetuate their memory, as well as to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the April Revolution in 2020, which was of great historical importance in the fight for justice, the President instructed to form an organizing committee, develop and approve a plan for the preparation and holding of commemorative events, and recommended the Government to solve financial and other issues of the implementation of the jubilee plan. Control over the execution of the presidential decree was entrusted to the head of the Presidential Administration. The organizing committee, in addition to the White House officials and the Cabinet, includes representatives of public associations of April heroes, their relatives and victims. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 6 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Exhibition-Fair and International Conference Trade and Services 2019 will take place in Ashgabat April 13-14, Trend reports with reference to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, the events organizer. The event will be supported by the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan. The exhibition will feature new methods that are being introduced into the activities of shops, markets, shopping centers, the organization of operation of catering and consumer services. The extensive exposition is aimed at promoting local food and industrial products to foreign markets. As part of the exhibition, there are plans to hold an international conference. Representatives of trade complex institutions, enterprises of the production sector, experts in the field of export, as well as the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan will take part in the conference from the Turkmen side. During the conference, best practices in the field of trade and services will be discussed, including issues of its digitalization, implementation of electronic systems, modern methods of organizing online stores and innovative marketing developments, the report said. Turkmenistan is pursuing industrialization aimed at increasing the manufacture of import-substituting products and export development. Textile and petroleum industries have progressed in Turkmenistan, and the oil - gas chemical industry, the construction materials industry are actively developing. Turkmenistan, according to a report of British Petroleum (BP), ranks fourth in terms of natural gas reserves in the world and currently exports it to China and Iran. Turkmenistan, trying to overcome the currency deficit, is looking for new gas export routes and is conducting a large-scale diversification of its economy. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: The water level of Lake Urmia in the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran has increased by 45 centimeters compared to the same period last Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), Khalil Saei, head of the provincial committee for the restoration of Lake Urmia said, Trend reports via IRNA. He said that the water level of the lake is still on the rise. He noted that the water level increased by 9 centimeters compared to last week, adding that rains increase hopes for restoration of Lake Urmia. At present, the water balance of the Lake Urmia is 1,271 meters and 19 centimeters, however, it was 1,270 meters and 74 centimeters in the same period last year, he said. There are 3.13 million cubic meters of water in Lake Urmia, he noted. The volume of water in the same period last year was 1.99 million cubic meters, he added. The current water area of Lake Urmia is 2.741 million square kilometers, while the water area was 2.276 million square kilometers in the same period last year, he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: The upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan as part of the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to be held in Moscow with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has a serious goal, a well-known Azerbaijani political analyst Arzu Nagiyev told Trend. He said that namely as part of this meeting the parties will have to hold a detailed discussion of issues relating to the situation on the frontline, as well as humanitarian issues. The political analyst reminded that during the Vienna meeting, the Armenian side again tried to talk about changing the format of the talks, and the issue was raised by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan later in Yerevan. I believe that the recent statements by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the unchanged format of the negotiation process, as well as similar statements by high-ranking officials of the EU are a serious message to the Armenian side, Nagiyev said. In turn, the position of Azerbaijan remains unchanged, we unilaterally declare that the conflicts settlement is possible under the condition of restoration of the territorial integrity and inviolability of the Azerbaijani borders. This reasonable and fair position was repeatedly voiced by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. At the same time, we propose to solve this issue through substantive negotiations, that is, step by step. As for the presence of the Russian side at the upcoming meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the political analyst called this a positive fact, noting the participation of the Russian foreign minister necessary. At the same time, the expert reminded that the UN Security Council resolutions constitute the legal basis for resolving the conflict, and unequivocally confirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the international borders of Azerbaijan, and also require the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories. 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. The head UN nuclear inspector said that his agency is asking Saudi Arabia to agree to safeguards on nuclear material that could arrive by the end of the year for its first atomic reactor, Trend reported citing AFP. Satellite imagery recently emerged of the Argentine-built project on the outskirts of Riyadh, which comes amid controversy in Washington over President Donald Trump's approval of nuclear projects with the oil-rich kingdom. But Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said there was nothing secret about the reactor and that Saudi Arabia informed the Vienna-based UN body about its plans in 2014. He said the IAEA has encouraged Saudi Arabia to put into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement, under which the agency ensures that nuclear material is not being diverted to weapons use. Saudi Arabia in 2005 signed with the IAEA a so-called small quantities protocol, which exempts countries from inspections if they have no or minimal nuclear programs. "We have proposed to Saudi Arabia to rescind and replace it by the full-fledged comprehensive safeguards agreement," Amano told reporters in Washington. "They didn't say no, they didn't say yes, and they are now giving thoughts. We are waiting," he said. "For now, they don't have the material, so there is no violation," he said. Amano said that Saudi Arabia may bring in nuclear material "by the end of the year," although he cautioned that nuclear projects frequently get delayed. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday the crisis in Libya could not be resolved through military means, but added the security situation in the country had long been a source of worry, Trend reports citing Reuters. Egypt has supported from the beginning a political agreement as a tool to prevent any military solution in Libya, Shoukry said during a joint news conference with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov broadcast on state television. During an exercise in January, a pilot of the Royal Netherlands Air Force had to reportedly opt for an emergency procedure after an F-16 was damaged by its own ammunition, some of which ended up in the jets engine, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The Dutch military is investigating an incident involving an F-16 jet that was considerably damaged by its own ammunition during a training flight this January, the outlet Nederlandse Omroep Stichting reports. The safety probe is aimed at finding out how an F-16 had struck itself and whether the flight crew or ground personnel were at risk during the training. Investigators are carrying out practical tests and are speaking with the staffers involved. "It is a serious case. Therefore, we want to find out what happened and how we can prevent this in future", says Safety Inspector General Wim Bargerbos, as cited by the outlet. According to the newspaper, the incident happened on 21 January when two F-16 jets fired at a target on the Vliehors training ground in Vlieland with their on-board cannons. One of them was allegedly struck with its own ammunition. At least one piece of the ammo damaged the cladding, while some fragments got into the jet engine itself. However, no one was injured. The pilot activated the emergency protocol and the jet safely landed at Leeuwarden Air Base. F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters are US-made fourth-generation jets. The Netherlands, along with neighbouring Belgium, has been upgrading its air force with next-generation aircraft, pressured into purchasing more up-to-date US-built warplanes. In December 2018, Dutch Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld told the ANP news agency that the Netherlands would boost its defence spending in the coming year to acquire more F-35s. The country had already purchased 37 F-35A stealth fighters, enough for two squadrons, but NATO insisted on a third, ANP reported. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern on Friday about military activity near Libyas capital Tripoli, warning that it threatens the countrys stability, and called on Libyan National Army (LNA) troops commanded by Khalifa Haftar to halt all military movements, Trend reported citing Reuters. They (the council) called on LNA forces to halt all military movements, said German U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, president of the council for April, reading a statement agreed by the body after it was briefed behind closed doors on the latest developments. They also called on all forces to de-escalate and halt military activity. There can be no military solution to the conflict, he said. At least six people, including a woman, were killed and 21 others injured in a head-on collision between a truck and a bus in Khuzdar district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, an official said, Trend reported citing Xinhua. Deputy Commissioner of Khuzdar Muhammad Ilyas Kibzai told media that an over speeding truck collided with a passenger bus coming from the opposite direction at the National Highway in Kaheer area of Khuzdar. Police and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to a hospital in Khuzdar. The official said an emergency had been imposed in the Khuzdar hospital and the best available facilities of treatment were being provided to the injured. The death toll might further rise because several injured were in critical condition at the intensive care unit of the hospital, said the official. The ill-fated bus was heading towards the southern port city of Karachi from the southwest provincial capital of Quetta. The bus was shattered completely after the speedy truck shoved it from the highway. Two borders patrol police were shot dead by gunmen when they were praying in a mosque in southern Thailand's Yala, Trend reported citing Xinhua. The shooting occurred on Friday afternoon when four armed men stormed the mosque and fired at the two policemen. The two victims were bent in prayers when the killers pulled out guns. It was not known what kind of firearms were used. Police said the fleeing killers may be southern insurgents who aimed to create unrest. Police have ordered an immediate hunt for the killers. Yala province, together with Narathiwat and Pattani, are the three southernmost provinces in Thailand that have been haunted by insurgency launched by ethnic separatists since 2004. Bomb attacks and gun shots are often reported in the restive area. The insurgency have killed more than 6,500 people. Insurgents launch frequent attacks on security forces including police, rangers and soldiers. Turkey's defense minister said three of four F-35 military aircraft were delivered by the U.S. and the last one is expected to be delivered Friday, Trend reported citing Daily Sabah. "In order to protect our right and law, we are maintaining our contacts and negotiations," Hulusi Akar said during a visit to Sultan Murat Barracks, where the Turkish Military Representative to the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) is present. Akar said Turkey has fulfilled all of its responsibilities. "We are one of the eight partners of this project. We have given a serious amount of money, we have fulfilled all our responsibilities. Within the framework of the agreement we reached, three aircraft have been delivered and the fourth one will be delivered today. We have pilots there. We have four pilots on flight training and our two pilots are doing their preparatory duties, the maintenance personnel are non-commissioned officers and they are also being trained," he said. Akar said Turkey is still interested in also purchasing the U.S. Patriot missile defense system, which the Americans are hesitant to sell. "Protecting our country and nation is our most important duty. Turkey's only goal is to protect its territory and the nation," he said. "We have been working on this. We have been saying that we can get the Patriots American air and missile defense systems at the same time while getting the S-400s. Our authorities are continuing their negotiations, so we have clearly demonstrated that we are willing to purchase Patriot," the defense minister added. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Savci Sayan, the newly elected head of the municipality of the Turkeys Agri Province, demolished all doors in the city hall, including the offices of officials, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. Reportedly, Sayan did this so that the people of Agri Province can easily enter the municipality to meet with the municipality workers. Sayan noted that earlier the employees of the municipality avoided meetings with the population in every possible way. "After the elections on March 31, a new period came, when all officials are obliged to respond to the demands of the population," said the head of the municipality. Sayan is a candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 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). Follow the author on Twitter:@rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 6 Trend: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a visit to Russia on April 8, Trend reports April 6 with reference to the press service of the Turkish leader. According to the service, the head of the Turkish Republic will take part in the eighth meeting of the Russian-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, which will be chaired by the heads of Turkey and Russia. The meeting will include issues of bilateral relations, in particular the situation in Syria, as well as other regional issues. It is planned to sign various agreements. Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin will meet with businessmen of both countries. The United States blacklisted two companies and 35 vessels related to Venezuelas oil sector, the US Department of the Treasury said on Friday, Trend reported citing TASS. Today, the Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two companies operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy," the department said in a statement. "Additionally, OFAC identified one vessel, which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, as blocked property that is owned by one of these companies." The sanctioned companies are Liberia-registered Ballito Bay Shipping Incorporated and Greek-registered ProPer In Management Incorporated. Separately, OFAC identified 34 vessels as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), which was designated on January 28, 2019, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. US citizens and companies are prohibited from maintaining business contacts with the blacklisted companies. Their business assets in the United States will be frozen. US and Chinese officials have made progress on numerous key issues during their trade negotiations in Washington, DC this week, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a press release, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "The United States and China had productive meetings and made progress on numerous key issues," Sanders said in the release on Friday evening. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and his Chinese delegation for trade negotiations from Wednesday to Friday, Sanders said. Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a message to US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed hope for an early conclusion to the bilateral trade negotiations. China and the United States have been engaged in a trade dispute since last June when Trump announced the United States would subject $50 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent tariffs in a bid to fix the US-Chinese trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have exchanged several rounds of trade tariffs. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6 Trend: The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) is soliciting applications from Azerbaijani citizens for a masters degree program in journalism and media management offered by the Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management (CSJMM) and taught by instructors from the United States, the European Union, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State. Up to five Azerbaijani students will be selected for the program, which will be offered in four semesters from September 2019 to May 2021. The program will be held in Georgia from September 2019-December 2020, with the fourth semester conducted as a self-guided project in Azerbaijan. Students will return to Georgia for the defense of their thesis/final project in May 2021. While resident at GIPA, students will have access to computers, audio and video equipment, the Internet, and a journalism library. The program produces a student newspaper, Brosse Street Journal, in print and electronic versions, and airs reports on Radio GIPA FM. The program curriculum provides a hands-on, experiential approach to learning the latest techniques of fact-based, professional reporting and writing in both print and broadcast media. Management techniques and key knowledge fields, such as economics and the judiciary, are also stressed. Strong English language skills, as demonstrated by a written exam and at an oral interview, are required. The U.S. Embassy in Baku provides tuition support and financial assistance for the duration of studies in Georgia to students who demonstrate financial need. Entrance procedures are as follows: an interview (in English) with an Azerbaijani-American selection committee in Baku, English language testing, and essay writing (in English). Deadline for application is April 25, 2019. For more information and for submitting applications, contact: Mehdi Huseynguliyev, recruitment coordinator, at [email protected]. Application Form (PDF 548 KB Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management at Georgian Institute of Public Affairs Address: 2 Brosse Street, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel/fax: 99532 93-14-66, cell: 99599 50-24-46 E-mail: [email protected] web: http://www.gipa.ge/ Additional Information: With the assistance of the U.S. government and the American National Academy of Public Administration, the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs was established in 1994 as a non-governmental, non-profit educational institution with the purpose of creating a cadre of highly trained civil servants to help support democratic and market reforms in the Caucasus. The Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management (CSJMM) was established at GIPA in 2001 to support the development of professional media in the Caucasus through educational and training programs in journalism, communication, and media management. The schools philosophy is that journalistswell-grounded in skills to report fairly and accuratelywill raise the level of journalism where they practice and will serve the public by providing truthful information and upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession. Since its opening in January 2002, CSJMMs English-language, regional program has graduated 155 students with masters degrees in journalism and media management. In Azerbaijan, CSJMM graduates hold leading positions in professional media. Graduates today are well established journalists committed to the principles of fairness, independence, honesty, and accuracy in their work for newspapers, television, and radio. New Delhi: Indian Air Force sources on Friday confirmed that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was flying a MiG-21 Bison jet, did shoot down a Pakistani F-16, 7-8 km inside POK. The IAF sources added that the Pakistan Air Force's radio communication intercepted by it confirms that one of the F-16s that attacked India on February 27 did not return to its base. IAF further confirmed spotting ejections at two different places, separated by at least 8-10 km, on that day. One was an IAF MiG-21 Bison and other a PAF aircraft. The electronic signatures gathered by the IAF indicate that the PAF aircraft was an F-16. The confirmation came after a leading US magazine questioned India's claim that one of its fighter jets shot down a Pakistan Air Force F-16 aircraft on February 27. Engineer from IIT Bombay, Kanishak Kataria tops UPSC 2018 Earlier today, a report citing unnamed US officials had claimed that all US-supplied fighter jets to the PAF have been counted and none is missing. The report in the American Foreign Policy journal had said: "Two senior US defence officials with direct knowledge of the situation talked about the recent count of F-16s and found none missing". The report said, "It is possible that in the heat of combat, Varthaman, flying a vintage MiG-21 Bison, got a lock on the Pakistani F-16, fired and genuinely believed he scored a hit. But the count, conducted by US authorities on the ground in Pakistan, sheds doubt on New Delhi's version of events, suggesting that Indian authorities may have misled the international community about what happened that day. Left BJP, as it became tanashahi from lokshahi: Shatrughan Sinha India had on February 27 claimed that the IAF has shot down a Pakistani F-16. On February 28, the Indian Air Force had displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as proof to "conclusively" establish that Pakistan deployed F-16 fighter jets during the aerial raid. In the wake of Pulwama terror attack in which more 40 CRPF Jawans were martyred, India launched a counter-terror operation against a JeM training camp in Pakistan's Balakot. The Pakistan Air Force retaliated the next day and downed a MiG-21 in the aerial combat. It also captured Wing Commander Varthaman, who was handed over to India. After coming back from her fancy vacation to Maldives, Popular TV actress Hina Khan headed to the gym to shed all the extra vacay calories. Hina Khan shared a series of videos and photos from her vacation- from diving to snorkeling. Today, Hina decided to hit the gym and sweat it out and she took to Instagram to post a couple of videos and photos where the actress can be seen all drenched in sweat. In photo, Kasautii Zindagii Kayactress wearing a pink crop top paired with shaded pink and white leggings and like always, Hina is seen clicking a mirror selfie. Rocky Jaiswal sent an adorable Gift to her GF Hina Khan on the success of Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2 This week, actress topped the TRP charts along with Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Hinas boyfriend Rocky Jaiswal, who is currently in London, send her a sweet surprise. Ek Rishta Saajhedari Ka co-stars, Kinshuk Vaidya get an amazing birthday Surprize from Shivya Pathania On the work front, Hina Khan is shooting as Komolika for Kasautii Zindagii Kay, but soon, Hina will not be seen in the show as she is taking a break from the show to shoot for her debut Bollywood film with Vikram Bhatt. When the actress was asked whether or not she will return to the show, she had said that it all depends upon how the showing is going and whether or not she is required in the show or maybe, she takes up another show by then. Dhubri: An independent candidate Sukur Ali from Modati village in Assam said that if he fails to raise the fund to contest in the Lok Sabha election, he will sell his kidney. Ali told ANI on Friday, "If I fail to accumulate funds to contest elections, I will sell my kidney." Ali said, "Since my childhood, I have seen leaders stepping into politics only to cater their personal interest. No one is willing to extend help to the needy. I want to break this tradition and for that, I will not even hesitate to sell my kidney. Pakistan announced to release 360 Indian Prisoners after India issued a note verbale A few years ago, Ali had sold a portion of his land and also worked as a labourer to collect money to construct a bamboo bridge on Shibali river. Ali is currently unemployed. The 26-year-old had even worked as a boatman free of cost. Local residents said that at present, they are facing severe water and transportation problems in the region, and want to elect someone who can resolve these issues. Akhilesh Yadav led party released its manifesto, announced many promises The voting for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam will be held in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23. Tehran: On Friday, the chief of the Iran Emergency Organization, Pir Hossein Kolivand said the unprecedented floods across Iran over the past weeks have claimed the lives of at least 70 people. Kolivand said a total of 791 people have been injured in the floods. Emergency operation teams have been sent to the cities of Poldokhtar and Mamoulan in Lorestan province which are the worst affected by the floods in western Iran, Kolivand said, Xinhua news agency reported. Iran FM Acuses US of 'economic Terrorism' as Flood-hit Cities Evacuated. also read Pakistan announced to release 360 Indian Prisoners after India issued a note verbale Here it is to be noted that since there is no access by road to the cities due to the level of water and mud, aid is being delivered to the people by air, he said. He added Medical personnel have reached the sites of the floods to help prevent the spread of contagious diseases. To be noted that due to lack of Infrastructural facility in the city many people suffered losses. also read Pakistan shows none of their F-16s is missing and all were "present and accounted for": Report Earlier, It is found that Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (ILMO) announced that the provinces of Fars and Lorestan suffered high flood fatalities, with 21 and 14 deaths respectively. Hundreds of people have been relocated as rain and floods forced evacuations. Dozens of villages have disappeared under the mud and sludge in the west of Iran. US Blames Iran for Flood Toll, Says Ready to Help. Here it is to be noted that in earlier found that since March 19, unprecedented floods have caused massive destruction to the agricultural sector, infrastructure and the residential areas. The very talented actor Vicky Kaushal has won the hearts of the audience with her performance in Sanju and URI. On the personal front, the actor broke many hearts when he confirmed that he is dating Harleen Sethi on Neha Dhupia's show No Filter Neha. But recently we got to know that the actor broke up with the TV actress and host. The rumours of their splitting up were already rife as Harleen recently unfollowed Vicky on Instagram. Katrina Kaif's latest photos from her Maldives will make you pack your bag In an award function, Vicky confirmed that the he is very much single. When asked whether he is ready to mingle, the actor said, Ready to mingle on stage with the audience. Many reports suggested that he is dating none other than Katrina Kaif and reportedly the pair called it quits because of Vickys growing closeness to Katrina Kaif. The Masan actor is now garnering as his latest Instagram post has a Friends series' connection and the same kind of hints that he is moving on with someone? the screenshots he has shared is from one of the scenes from the show which showcases how Ross moves on in his life. Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani to share screen in remake of Kanchana The scene which is from the very first episode showcased how Ross who was all over the place because of his divorce asked Rachel out (Joey had said that there are a lot of ice creams in the world (hinting at women) just grab a spoon). On his work front, Vicky soon will be seen Karan Johar directorial Takht. Vietnamese developer writes software to escape boss notice VietNamNet Bridge - Pham Van Toan, a coder in Hanoi, has created software that allows office workers to read online newspapers, surf on the internet, order food or do other tasks during working hours. The software uses artificial intelligence(AI) at a basic level. The smart software detects if the boss is near the cameras and automatically changes the computers screen to its usual status. After analyzing the face of the person coming close to it, it will decide if this is the bosss face. If so, it will shift to a window of codes, ready for coders to work. The smart software detects if the boss is near the cameras and automatically changes the computers screen to its usual status.After analyzing the face of the person coming close to it, it will decide if this is the bosss face. If so, it will shift to a window of codes, ready for coders to work.Many technologies and models are used to create smart software. These include Face Recognition, which can answer questions, collect materials and process images. Toan also uses Machine Learning which helps train algorithms.Asked about the strong points of the software, Toan said it can recognize faces quickly.You may think that the software will need several minutes to recognize faces if you watch the sample clip. In reality, the process is shorter. Just within several milliseconds, the screen begins changing, he said.However, Toan admitted that there are still some problems. Currently, it is based on facial only images, he said.Toan said he didnt intend to create a software piece to escape the boss notice, but just to test his skills. This was just for fun. The boss is not hypercritical and he is friendly. I just did not imagine that the software would be used by colleagues. AI is very interesting. It is not too abstract. Sometimes AI is applied to simple things, but it has a lot of significance, he said. Vietnam hopes it would become an AI hub in the world thanks to its qualified labor force. In Vietnam, AI is being used in apps such as face-identification technology cameras, smartphone chatbots, self-propelling vehicles, and nano robots.Some engineers are developing apps in healthcare, such as big data and AI to make diagnoses and anticipate drug reactions. Some others focus on fintech, such as credit scoring, or finding the credit index of borrowers, and a recommendation system, similar to product advertisements.Vietnamese farmers have been urged to use AI in hi-tech agriculture production.More recently, HCM City stated it is planning to use AI to further their scheme to develop a smart city. RELATED NEWS Robotics conquers 4.0 manufacturing Vietnams blockchain development plan still up in the air Thanh Lich - By Alberto Abaterusso These electric utilities companies have shown positive margins on the stock market over the past week, month, year and three years. These stocks will probably continue heading higher, as Wall Street issued an overweight recommendation rating for all of them, meaning they are foreseen to outperform either the industry or the overall market within 52 weeks. The Chilean distributor of electricity Enel Chile SA (ENIC) has climbed 0.24% over the last week, 4.1% over the past month, 11.2% so far this year, 10% over the last 52 weeks and 18.4% over the past three years through April 4. Currently, the company is paying a 3.4-cent cash semi-annual dividend per common share which, based on the share price at close April 4, leads to a forward dividend yield of 1.3% versus an industry median of 3.53%. The company has paid dividends since its inception, which was in 2016. The stock closed $5.22 per share on Thursday for a market capitalization of $7.4 billion. The stock has a price-earnings ratio of 12.62 versus an industry median of 16.12, a price-book ratio of 1.3 versus an industry median of 1.52 and a price-sales ratio of 1.79 compared to the industry median of 1.61. The enterprise value-to-Ebitda ratio is 5.76 versus the industry median of 10.53. Enel Chile SA has a financial strength rating of 4 out of 10 and a profitability and growth rating of 6 out of 10. The Peter Lynch chart suggests the stock is undervalued on the market. Wall Street issued an average target price of $5.96 per share of Enel Chile SA. Juno Beach, Florida-based contracted renewable energy projects company NextEra Energy Partners LP (NEP) has gained 2.4% over the last week, 5.7% over the past month, 11% year to date, 21% over the last 52 weeks and 83.7% over the past three years through April 4. Story continues Currently, NextEra Energy Partners is paying a 45-cent cash quarterly dividend per common share which, based on the share price at close on April 4, leads to a forward dividend yield of 3.95% compared to the industry median of 4.11%. The company has paid dividends since 2014, the year when it was founded. The stock traded around $47.77 per share on Thursday for a market capitalization of $2.68 billion. It has a price-earnings ratio of 17.04 versus the industry median of 16.09, a price-book ratio of 1.14 versus the industry median of 1.34 and a price-sales ratio of 4.33 versus the industry median of 2.06. The enterprise value-Ebitda ratio is 11.66 versus the industry median of 10.63. NextEra Energy Partners has a low financial strength rating of 4 out of 10, but a high profitability and growth rating of 7 out of 10, which results primarily from an Ebitda margin of 102% versus the industry median of 40%. The Peter Lynch chart suggests the stock is not at its cheapest. Wall Street issued an average price target of $49.2 per share of NextEra Energy Partners. The Brazilian distributor of electricity Companhia Paranaense de Energia - COPEL (ELP) has gained 0.8% over the last week, 2.6% over the past month, 19.4% year to date, 21.1% over the last 12 months and 27.7% over the past three years through April 4. Currently, Companhia Paranaense de Energia is paying a 30-cent cash yearly dividend per common share. Based on the share price of $9.35 at close Thursday, the distribution leads to a forward dividend yield of 3.23% compared to the industry median of 3.53%. Though erratically, the company has paid dividends since 1999. The company was founded in 1954. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.56 billion. It has a price-earnings ratio of 6.77 versus the industry median of 16.12, a price-book ratio of 0.55 compared to the industry median of 1.52 and a price-sales ratio of 0.73 versus the industry median of 1.61. The enterprise value-Ebitda ratio is 6.16 versus the industry median of 10.53. Companhia Paranaense de Energia has a moderate score of 5 out of 10 for financial strength but a high score of 8 out of 10 for profitability and growth. The Peter Lynch chart suggests the stock is undervalued. Wall Street issued an average target price of $9.39 per share. Disclosure: I have no positions in any securities mentioned. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Compared to the first quarter of 2018, international equity funds witnessed better growth in the first quarter of 2019. Improving macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions as well as healthy corporate earnings around the globe played a pivotal role in shaping up the international equity market in Q1. China, in particular, led the way in the developing world, courtesy of encouraging developments on the trade war front as well as Chinas economic resilience. Non-U.S. mutual funds provide excellent choices for those looking to diversify their investments across a wide range of foreign countries, including both emerging and developed nations. Thus, investing in non-U.S. mutual funds may prove profitable and more attractive than those with significant domestic exposure at this point. Non-U.S. Equity Groups Led Gains in Q1 Given the improving investment climate across the globe, international equity markets performed well in the first quarter. Among the six non-U.S. style box Morningstar Categories, foreign large-growth category and foreign small/mid-growth category delivered the highest returns, edging up 12% and 11.7%, respectively in the period between Jan 1 and Mar 27. In the first quarter, the Europe stock category increased 10.5% compared with Japans rally of only 8.1%. Notably, the Japan stock category lagged every other international stock category save for Latin American and Indian equity groups, which returned 4.1% and 3.4%, respectively. Not-so-surprisingly, China posted the biggest gain in the first quarter, returning 18.2%. This followed severe losses that the stock group suffered in 2018. Trade War Optimism and Upbeat Economic Data from China Per a report by Financial Times, trade negotiations between the United States and China are almost over. The report quoted executive vice president for international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Myron Brilliant as saying that almost 90% of the deal is done, but the last 10% is the hardest part, its the trickiest part and it will require trade-offs on both sides. Story continues Further, in a tweet on the morning of Apr 4, President Donald Trump stated that trade talks with China were moving along nicely. Meanwhile, Caixins China services purchasing managers index, a measure of the Asian giants private sector performance, increased to 54.4 in March, a 14-month high. The rise was supported by increase in new export orders. Market watchers welcomed such developments. Also, Chinas Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for March increased to 50.8 from 49.9 in February. This was its fastest expansion in eight months. 4 Best Funds to Buy Now Given such circumstances, we have highlighted four international equity mutual funds carrying a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that are poised to gain from such factors. Moreover, these funds have encouraging three and five-year returns. Additionally, the minimum initial investment is within $5000. We expect these funds to outperform their peers in the future. Remember, the goal of the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is to guide investors to identify potential winners and losers. Unlike most of the fund-rating systems, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is not just focused on past performance, but also on the likely future success of the fund. The question here is: why should investors consider mutual funds? Reduced transaction costs and diversification of portfolio without several commission charges that are associated with stock purchases are primarily why one should be parking money in mutual funds (read more: Mutual Funds: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How They Make Investors Money). Matthews China Dividend Investor MCDFX fund seeks returns through income growth. MCDFX invests the majority of its assets in dividend-paying securities of those companies that are based in China. The fund not only invests in equity securities but also convertible debt instruments. This Sector - China-Equity product has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here. MCDFX has an annual expense ratio of 1.19%, which is below the category average of 1.63%. The fund has three and five-year returns of 17.9% and 10.8%, respectively. MFS International Growth I MQGIX fund aims capital appreciation by investing primarily in securities of foreign companies, which also comprise emerging market equity securities. The fund invests in companies it believes have above-average earnings growth potential. This Sector Non Us-Equity product has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here. MQGIXhas an annual expense ratio of 0.90%, which is below the category average of 1.14%. The fund has three and five-year returns of 12.8% and 5.4%, respectively. Fidelity International Capital Appreciation FIVFX fund primarily invests in securities of foreign companies including those that operate in emerging markets. FIVFX seeks growth of capital for the long run. It measures the industrys position as well as financial and market condition of each company before selecting investments. The fund focuses on acquiring securities of companies from different countries. This Sector - Non Us-Equity product has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here. FIVFXhas an annual expense ratio of 1.19%, which is below the category average of 1.66%. The fund has three and five-year returns of 11.1% and 6.1%, respectively. T. Rowe Price Japan PRJPX fund seeks capital appreciation for the long run by investing the majority of its assets in securities of companies based in Japan. PRJPX invests in various Japanese companies and industries, irrespective of their size. This Sector - Japan - Equity product has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here. PRJPX has an annual expense ratio of 0.95%, which is below the category average of 1.26%. The fund has three and five-year returns of 13.5% and 8.7%, respectively. Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (MQGIX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (MCDFX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (PRJPX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (FIVFX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In the modern world of digital investing, it's easy to forget that shares of stock used to be tangible: Companies issued paper stock certificates, possession of which proved that you, for example, owned 100 shares of the American Cotton Oil Company. As such, they had real value. But do they still? In this mailbag segment from the Rule Breaker Investing podcast, listener Bill Halsley has stumbled across a circa-1937 Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company stock certificate that once belonged to his great-uncle. The company itself was bought long ago by Union Pacific. But does the certificate still have value? To answer, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner has recruited Motley Fool Director of Small Cap Research Bill Mann, who will explain why that stock may no longer be...well, stock, but how it could be art. A full transcript follows the video. More From The Motley Fool This video was recorded on March 27, 2019. David Gardner: Bill Halsley's question, he said: "Dear David, This is short. This belonged to my great-uncle. I've discovered this company was eventually sold to Union Pacific. I don't know what to do with it." Bill includes a picture of a stock certificate. The company is Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company. Like a lot of these certificates, this is a beautiful piece of art. Bill Mann: It's gorgeous! Yes. This is from the 1930s -- 1937 is when it was executed. So, obviously, the company doesn't exist anymore. But there are plenty of places where this stock certificate itself, particularly if it's in good condition, could net Bill a lot of money. Gardner: Is that right? Mann: I would take it to any coin and stamp store. One of the things that they also will do is, they will deal in old certificates. It's called scripophily. Story continues Gardner: S-C-R-I-P-O-P-H-I-L-Y? Mann: Yeah. Scripophily. Gardner: Dot-com? Mann: Yeah, scripophily.com. It's the collection of stock certificates. I actually recently on scripophily.com bought a share certificate just like this from my grandfather's company, which was called Cannon Mills, which is a textile company from Kannapolis, North Carolina. So yes, I can speak to this both as someone who loves collecting these kinds of things and just loves old stock certificates; but also, as someone who has recently been on the other side of this transaction. Gardner: That is a great reminder, because truly, as I read Bill's question -- first of all, I haven't had this experience, so I was like, "I have to have an expert in from The Motley Fool," and we got Bill Mann this week, which is awesome. But I was just thinking: "Maybe Union Pacific paid something for this company that's decent. Union Pacific is still around. Maybe this is worth a lot of money." But you're pointing out that whether or not that's true -- and it might be -- the artwork itself, and collectors, there's a whole market out there for these kinds of certificates. Mann: Yeah. There's something called escheat rules. Probably, if there's been sitting around -- what escheat is, it says that after a period of time, the company might consider the shares abandoned. He should absolutely check with Union Pacific. I'm guessing that they have long ago struck these shares from the register. Gardner: I see. So you're not going to find out that you're a millionaire. Mann: You could! Gardner: This is 1937. We're 82 years later right now. So, probably there's no stock market value to this. You can't claim 1% ownership of Union Pacific at this point. Mann: Highly unlikely. But it's worth checking. Union Pacific might want to get their hands on this stock certificate. They might think that that's a pretty cool thing. But it would be fabulous. I hope Bill lets us know what happens. But, yeah, because of the escheat rules, I think of this as what a collector would do with it. I guarantee you that's not worth zero. Gardner: Really cool! Last question for you, Bill, before I let you go. I'm not asking you how much you paid to buy that certificate. But typically, I'm sure a lot of us are wondering, what is the typical price for a handsome piece of art and actual stock certificate from 80 years ago? Are these $500? $1,000? Are we talking a lot more than that, or less? Mann: It certainly can be. What Bill has in his hands is something that's very special, because there are railroad collectors. Railroads and power companies and things like that, but especially the railroads. The other one that tends to be worth a lot is old Disney certificates. They can be upwards of $500. I'm really curious to know what comes of this. Bill Mann has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. KABUL, April 6 (Reuters) - The Afghan government summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks on ongoing Afghan peace talks, as tensions flared between the neighbouring countries once again. Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs summoned the diplomat to object about remarks that it deemed "explicit interference" in Afghan affairs, the ministry's spokesman, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, said on Twitter. It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan. In late March, Afghanistan recalled its ambassador from Islamabad for Khan's suggestion that forming an interim Afghan government might smooth peace talks between U.S. and Taliban officials. The ambassador returned shortly after Pakistan clarified Khan's remarks as being reported out of context. But on Friday, Khan addressed the matter again at a rally in Pakistan in which he explained his original comments as "brotherly advice," according to accounts published in Afghan media. "Afghanistan considers recent statements of Imran Khan explicit interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan and deems PM's remarks a return to his previous stance," Ahmadi tweeted. U.S. and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the Taliban has refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's mandate officially expires in May. The date for the next presidential election has been postponed twice and is now set for Sept. 28. Ghani has been shut out from the peace talks and is under pressure from rivals to step aside and allow a caretaker government to take over, a suggestion he has rejected. (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Kabul Editing by Alexandra Hudson) The newly discovered early whale Peregocetus, which lived about 43 million years ago, is pictured along the rocky shore of the southeastern Pacific in this undated artistic reconstruction obtained by Reuters on April 3, 2019. The tail fluke is hypothetical. Alberto Gennari/Handout via REUTERS By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have unearthed fossils in a coastal desert of southern Peru of a four-legged whale that thrived both in the sea and on land about 43 million years ago in a discovery that illuminates a pivotal stage in early cetacean evolution. The 13-foot-long (4-meter) mammal, named Peregocetus pacificus, represents a crucial intermediate step before whales became fully adapted to a marine existence, the scientists said on Thursday. Its four limbs were capable of bearing its weight on land, meaning Peregocetus could return to the rocky coast to rest and perhaps give birth while spending much of its time at sea. Its feet and hands had small hooves and probably were webbed to aid in swimming. With long fingers and toes, and relatively slender limbs, moving around on land may not have been easy. Its elongated snout and robust teeth - large grasping incisors and canines along with flesh-shearing molars - made Peregocetus adept at catching medium-size prey like fish. "We think that it was feeding in the water, and that its underwater locomotion was easier than that on land," said Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences paleontologist Olivier Lambert, who led the research published in the journal Current Biology. "Some vertebrae of the tail region share strong similarities with semi-aquatic mammals like otters, indicating the tail was predominantly used for underwater locomotion," Lambert added. Whale evolutionary origins were poorly understood until the 1990s when fossils of the earliest whales were found. Various fossils have shown that whales evolved a bit more than 50 million years ago in Pakistan and India from hoofed, land-dwelling mammals distantly related to hippos and about the size of a medium-sized dog. It took millions of years for them to spread around the world. Peregocetus represents the most complete quadrupedal whale skeleton outside India and Pakistan, and the first known from the Pacific region and the Southern Hemisphere. Story continues Its presence in Peru, Lambert said, suggests quadrupedal whales spread from South Asia to North Africa, then crossed the South Atlantic to reach the New World. Peregocetus shows that the first whales to reach the Americas still retained the ability to move on land. Over time, cetacean front limbs evolved into flippers. The hind limbs eventually become mere vestiges. It was not until about 40 million years ago that the whale lineage evolved into completely marine animals, then split into the two cetacean groups alive today: filter-feeding baleen whales and toothed whales like dolphins and orcas. For a related video, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds3jIX1hqUE (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler) Luxembourg April 5, 2019 (07:00 CET) - Aperam announces the publication of the convening notice for its Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders (the General Meetings), which will be held on Tuesday 7 May 2019 at 11:00 hours Luxembourg time at 24-26, boulevard d'Avranches, L-1160 Luxembourg, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The Aperam shareholders entitled to vote at the General Meetings will be those who are shareholders on the record date of 23 April 2019 at midnight (24:00 hours) Central European Time. The convening notice, the annual report 2018, the voting forms and all other meeting documentation will be available on Aperam's website www.aperam.com under Investors, Equity Investors, Shareholders Meetings - 7 May 2019 - General Meetings of Shareholders. About Aperam Aperam is a global player in stainless, electrical and specialty steel, with customers in over 40 countries. The business is organized in three primary operating segments: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions and Alloys & Specialties. Aperam has 2.5 million tonnes of flat Stainless and Electrical steel capacity in Brazil and Europe and is a leader in high value specialty products. Aperam has a highly integrated distribution, processing and services network and a unique capability to produce stainless and specialty from low cost biomass (charcoal). Its industrial network is spread in six production facilities located in Brazil, Belgium and France. In 2018, Aperam had sales of EUR 4,677 million and steel shipments of 1.97 million tonnes. For further information, please refer to our website at www.aperam.com Contacts Corporate Communications / Laurent Beauloye: +352 27 36 27 103 Investor Relations / Thorsten Zimmermann: +352 27 36 67 304 You're not alone if your Bluetooth headphones keep dropping their connection in the city If you frequently use wireless Bluetooth headphones, you may have noticed the connection can drop or deliver static in some dense, urban areas. That's because all Bluetooth devices are competing for a limited amount of spectrum. The FCC is working to increase the available spectrum for consumer gadgets to alleviate this problem. Companies like Apple are also building better technology into their Bluetooth devices. You're not imagining it. Stepping off the subway, you pop in your wireless earbuds, climb up the stairs and out into a busy intersection just to have the soundtrack to your morning commute cut out or go static. That's what frequently happened to Scott Stonham of Berkshire, England every time he approached one of the busy train stations on his daily commute. "Does anyone know why there is so much Bluetooth noise in Paddington?" he wrote last month on Twitter. "I have the same problem with my #AirPods," replied another Twitter user. On Reddit, dozens of users have complained about their wireless headphones cutting out or crackling like "static" in major urban hubs like New York City or Chicago. Some even compared the phenomenon to skipping Discman CD players of the 90s. The issue commonly referred to as Bluetooth interference has been around since the dawn of wireless technology itself and can be caused by a variety of reasons. Physical objects like metal doors can block signals, or your Bluetooth device may be using a frequency that's simply overcrowded. But it's that latter explanation that some worry could get worse as wireless technology continues to grow in popularity and get built into things like speakers, household appliances and even city infrastructure . Already, Apple AAPL 's AirPods could be the company's most popular accessory , with some estimates putting shipments for the product above 100 million by 2021. Apple released the second generation of its hit product last month, with updated features like increased battery life and improved voice commands. Story continues The popularity of wireless devices like Apple's AirPods or Samsung's Galaxy Buds means increasingly more people are competing for space on a limited number of airwaves, said Jan Rabaey, a professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences at the University of California Berkeley and the director of the Berkeley Wireless Research Center. "It's like a street," Rabaey said. "If you have a fixed street and you put more and more traffic on it, you're going to get traffic jams." Competing for limited space All wireless gadgets compete on a limited amount of available space in the available spectrum, Rabaey said. And your Bluetooth devices operate on just a fraction of that spectrum, he said, between 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz. That means your headphones are competing with most other wireless devices, including Wi-Fi routers, cordless phones and even odd appliances like microwave ovens and cheaply made power adapters. That frequency range -- along with a handful of others -- are considered "unlicensed bands," Rabaey said, meaning anyone is allowed to broadcast on them without FCC approval. But there are several other frequencies that are licensed, he said, meaning they're owned by private companies. "You're not allowed to transmit in AT&T's band," Rabaey said. "That's illegal." But for years, there's been a push to open up more frequencies for public use, said Neil Grace, a spokesman for the FCC, in an email. "The FCC has been aggressively working to push more unlicensed spectrum into the commercial marketplace," Grace said. Last month, the FCC voted to make spectrum above 95 GHz available for unlicensed use, Grace said. And last year, the FCC proposed changing how frequencies in the 6 GHz range can be used, hoping to open some licensed space up for public use or possibly sharing it. That's on top of 5 GHz opening up for commercial use over the last decade. While Bluetooth doesn't operate at those higher frequencies which require more power, opening up those ranges to the public could help alleviate traffic overall, Rabaey said. And as wireless technology continues to advance and grow in popularity, the FCC may need to do more to keep traffic at manageable levels, he said. "We're at the cusp period right now," Rabaey said. "If suddenly all your devices become useless because they're overloaded and you don't get any traffic, people are going to be very unhappy." Not a deal-breaker today For those experiencing a lot of Bluetooth interference today, solutions are limited but pretty straightforward, Rabaey said. You can stay away from highly populated areas where there's lots of Wi-Fi use, or you can switch back to wired headphones, he said. Using newer Wi-Fi routers that operate on a higher frequency can also help alleviate overall traffic in your area, Rabaey said, and investing in higher quality Bluetooth devices with better wireless chips will likely help, too. In a statement, Apple also said they were addressing issues of connectivity and interference with their Bluetooth devices. The company said that includes using the new H1 wireless chip in the newest AirPods that aim to "increase robustness, including in areas of high radio-frequency interference." The chip also reduces latency up to 30%, the statement said. The tech experts who spoke with CNBC said they don't believe Bluetooth interference will get so bad that people will stop using the technology. In fact, Bluetooth Special Interest Group, an international coalition with members from major tech manufacturers like Nokia and Intel, said that while it supports expanding unlicensed spectrum, it isn't receiving complaints from its members yet. For Stonham, his annoying run-ins with interference at the train station haven't soured him toward his wireless headphones. "If I spent a lot of time in that location, it would be a deal-breaker," he said. "Not otherwise." More From CNBC PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) today announced car rental services available to Paine Field Airport that recently opened its doors in Everett, Washington. A courtesy shuttle will meet all incoming flights and transport passengers to the full-service Avis and Budget car rental facility located less than two miles from the airport terminal. This Avis and Budget car rental facility has been a part of the Everett community for decades and were looking forward to helping both business and leisure travelers select from our full range of vehicles to explore the local area or head into downtown Seattle, said Jeff Eisenbarth, west area vice president, Avis Budget Group. Conveniently located minutes away from the airport, travelers can be on their way even faster by using the Avis mobile app to coordinate their car rental. Avis customers can manage their entire rental through an app, including booking their reservation and upgrading their vehicle, and in select vehicles, locking and unlocking car doors and flashing their car lights to easily locate it. Now that were up and running, we are committed to getting passengers on their way faster and making the travel experience easier, said Brett Smith, CEO Propeller Airports. Avis Budget Group will provide travelers in and out of Paine with a great ground transportation option for access to the greater Seattle metro area. The Avis and Budget car rental location at 12415 Highway 99 South, Everett, Washington is open to serve travelers seven days a week from 4:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. About Avis Budget Group Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of mobility solutions, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 11,000 rental locations in approximately 180 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the worlds leading car sharing network, with more than one million members. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australasia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com . Contact: PR@avisbudget.com Early bitcoin core developer Peter Todd has filed a defamation lawsuit against a person who claims he sexually assaulted them. | Source: YouTube/Binary District Early bitcoin core developer Peter Todd is fighting for his reputation. Todd, a Canadian who started contributing to bitcoins code in 2012, revealed on Twitter that he has filed a lawsuit against someone in the community who allegedly accused him of rape and sexual assault, also on Twitter. Todd vehemently denies the accusations. According to the defamation complaint, which was filed in a California federal court, he is seeking injunctive relief and damages from the defendant, a California resident whose pseudonym is Isis Agora Lovecruft. You cant make this stuff up. Todd has directed any questions to his attorneys Kronenberger Rosenfeld with the exception of saying: I hope Isis Lovecruft does the right thing here. If she does I hope the wider community acts in the spirit of forgiveness and healing, as will I. I can confirm I've filed this lawsuit, and on advice of counsel ask that questions be directed to my attorneys. That said, I hope Isis Lovecruft does the right thing here. If she does I hope the wider community acts in the spirit of forgiveness and healing, as will I. pic.twitter.com/zGHA9ygrlN Peter Todd (@peterktodd) April 5, 2019 Widely cited crypto attorney Stephen Palley suggests that Todd may have his work cut out for him, tweeting: Recently, BlackBerry Limited BB announced that it has clinched a contract from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency for its SecuSUITE for Government to encrypt the conversations of the latters technology and cyber leaders. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The NCI Agency assists NATOs 29 member-nations to communicate in a secure manner and work together in smarter ways. Notably, the cybersecurity software companys technology mobilizes secure voice and text communications from unclassified through classified levels. The solution supports Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, and can be installed on-premise in a data center or in the cloud. It protects against threats to local and national security by enabling secure communications on mobile devices. Calls are encrypted from device to the crypto gateway installed in an organizations network to combat electronic eavesdropping by cybercriminals. In addition, the company announced the creation of BlackBerry Government Solutions a new independent subsidiary which will accelerate its Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) initiatives. Headquartered in Washington, DC., BlackBerry Government Solutions has a separate corporate governance structure to comply with U.S. national security requirements. The move allows the company to deepen its reach within the U.S. government sector by ensuring that its next-generation cybersecurity solutions and Spark platform meet FedRAMP and Authority to Operate certifications while providing customers better service. Furthermore, as a leading player in the enterprise mobility management, BlackBerry is widely recognized for productivity and security innovations. The company delivers one of the most secure mobile enterprise solutions in the market through a broad portfolio of products and services. It offers an end-to-end software and services platform for the Enterprise of Things, which includes computers, vehicles, sensors, equipment and other connected endpoints within the enterprise that communicate with each other to enable smart business processes. With a holistic growth model, focusing both on organic and inorganic investments, BlackBerry aims to expand its market leadership in the enterprise mobility segment. Strong software sales are aiding BlackBerry while growth in its cybersecurity business is a huge positive. The company has completed the acquisition of Irvine, CA-based cybersecurity firm Cylance for $1.4 billion in cash. Cylances highly skilled cybersecurity workforce and market-leading portfolio of endpoint solutions are a strategic fit for Blackberry and will complement its Unified Endpoint Management and QNX businesses. The company further expects that the addition of Cylance will enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of Blackberry Spark, making it an indispensable proposition for Enterprise of Things. For fiscal 2019, BlackBerry expects total software and services revenue growth to be in the range of 8-10% year over year. It expects total software and services billings growth to be in double-digits. Driven by diligent execution of operational strategies alongside increasing market traction of coveted solution offerings, the stock has returned 24.1% compared with the industrys rise of 4.6% over the past three months. Story continues BlackBerry currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other top-ranked stocks in the industry include Ceragon Networks Ltd. CRNT, China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited CHU and KT Corporation KT, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Ceragon has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 15%. China Unicom has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 53.1%. KT has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 14.2%. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, wouldn't you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? From more than 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank, these 10 were picked by a process that consistently beats the market. Even during 2018 while the market dropped -5.2%, our Top 10s were up well into double-digits. And during bullish 2012 2017, they soared far above the market's +126.3%, reaching +181.9%. This year, the portfolio features a player that thrives on volatility, an AI comer, and a dynamic tech company that helps doctors deliver better patient outcomes at lower costs. See Stocks Today >> 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 KT Corporation (KT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ceragon Networks Ltd. (CRNT) : Free Stock Analysis Report China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd (CHU) : Free Stock Analysis Report BlackBerry Limited (BB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research BRASILIA, April 5 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA will extend a deadline for potential buyers to express interest in its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidiary Liquigas Distribuidora, it said in an exchange filing on Friday. The company did not state what the new deadline would be. The eligibility requirements for potential buyers also have been adjusted, it said. (Reporting by Jake Spring Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Trott) BRUSSELS, April 5 (Reuters) - A proposal by European Council President Donald Tusk for a year-long Brexit delay would allow the United Kingdom to leave on July 1 as well if its parliament has ratified the EU divorce deal by then, a senior official within the bloc said on Friday. Asked how to reconcile the proposal by Tusk - who will chair the Apr. 10 summit of EU leaders on Brexit - with Prime Minister Theresa May's request for a second Brexit postponement only until June 30, 2019, the source said: "Flextension allows for leaving the EU on July 1 as well. Only that they would have to finalise the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement by then," the senior official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Tusk's idea for a 'flextension' - or a 'flexible extension' of the process of the UK leaving the EU - would allow for it to be cut short if the House of Commons passes May's exit deal before the extension runs its course. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Philip Blenkinsop) Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has applied for over 200 blockchain patents, according to a report by Securities Daily News. Its rival Alibaba Group has, meanwhile, applied for 262 patents in this space, as recorded by the Intellectual Property Center of China Information and Communication. Pushing boundaries Last month, we reported that JD.com had launched JD Chain, a blockchain framework for businesses. This followed on from a blockchain technology open platform, enabling businesses to leverage pre-built APIs. The new addition means that companies can now build their own solutions, starting from the underlying architecture and without relying on pre-built APIs. This will be complemented by the JD Chain Open Source Community, which aims to promote greater discussions and pooling of resources E-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com have made it onto Chinas cyberspace administrations first list of registered blockchain service providers. There are 197 companies in all, with Alibaba and JD.com developing Blockchain-as-a-Service offerings. The regulator says that it will continue its search for other services that should register and relevant institutions and individuals who have not fulfilled the filing procedures should apply for filing as soon as possible. Logistics, government and medical services are the areas that dominate the first list. The authorised companies are not allowed to use blockchain technology for any commercial purpose. Patents Last year, Alibaba nabbed the top spot, ahead of IBM, on an iPR Daily list that ranked global organisations by the number of blockchain-related patents they had filed. The media outlet used data up until 10th August from across China, the EU, America, Japan and South Korea, and also consulted the International Patent System from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Alibaba filed 90 blockchain-related patent applications and IBM was close behind with 89. In third place was Mastercard (80) followed by Bank of America (53). Next up was Peoples Bank of China (PBoC), which filed a total of 44 patent applications around its central bank digital currency project The post China approves 197 blockchain firms, inc. Alibaba, JD.com appeared first on Coin Rivet. By Meng Meng and Chen Aizhu SHANGHAI/SINGAPORE, April 5 (Reuters) - China's independent gas distributor and terminal operator ENN Group is beefing up its global business via new supply deals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet strong Chinese demand and to grow its young trading team, a company executive said. ENN said on Friday it signed a heads of agreement (HOA) for 10 years of supply from Australia's Woodside Petroleum, the fourth supply pact the private company has announced so far. ENN started up its first LNG import facility in China in October. China has since 2017 become the world's second-largest LNG buyer after Japan, with imports of the super-chilled fuel up more than 40 percent a year over each of the past two years. Zhang Yesheng, ENN's chief executive, told reporters at the LNG2019 conference late on Thursday that the company is set to sign for several million more tonnes of LNG a year as its new terminal is ready to handle more gas amid rising Chinese demand. "Some of our global purchases will land in China ... We'll also do swaps and buy and sell to boost our international trading capability," Zhang said. ENN's terminal in the East China port of Zhoushan has since its start-up last October received just over 300,000 tonnes of LNG. All was sold in liquid form and delivered by tanker truck. That's because a pipeline linking it with the onshore gas grid is only expected to be operational this year, Zhang said. The terminal is expected to receive a total of 780,000 tonnes for the whole of 2019, Zhang said. That is far below a design capacity of 3 million tonnes, and the reason ENN had to resell some of its long-term cargoes in an amply-supplied spot market this past winter, traders have said. ENN is building its Singapore-based trading desk, and early this year it hired a former top gas executive from China National Offshore Oil Corp to head its energy trading and marketing division in the island nation. ENN, already a stakeholder in Australia's oil and gas producer Santos, is eyeing more investments in upstream businesses, including in the United States and Russia's Arctic region, said Zhang. He did not elaborate. (Reporting by Meng Meng in SHANGHAI and Chen Aizhu in SINGAPORE; Editing by Tom Hogue) * MSCI's EM index set for seventh session of gains * Volumes low with Chinese markets closed * Turkish lira down; results of Istanbul vote recount awaited By Susan Mathew April 5 (Reuters) - Hopes for progress in U.S.-Sino trade talks helped emerging-market stocks edge higher for a seventh straight session, its longest winning streak since January last year. MSCI's index of emerging market stocks rose 0.1 percent. Volumes were low with Chinese markets closed for a holiday. Focus now turns to U.S. payroll data due later in the day as the next gauge of economic growth. Friday's rise came after U.S. President Donald Trump said a trade deal with China might be announced in about four weeks and the Chinese state news agency, Xinhua, reported that President Xi Jinping said progress was being made and called for an early conclusion of trade negotiations. Stocks gained across much of Asia. Turkish shares rose 0.4 percent, its sixth day of gains out of seven. Russian shares looked set for a seventh straight session of gains and weekly gains of about 1.7 percent, their best in three months. South African shares were set to rise for a fourth straight week. A tepid dollar lent some support to emerging-market currencies. South Africa's rand gained 0.2 percent despite a decline in the central bank's net foreign-exchange reserves and Russia's rouble edged up, with both currencies on track for weekly gains. However, Turkey's lira weakened and is headed for a 0.5 percent weekly decline as markets await the outcome of a vote recount in Istanbul, where the main opposition candidate said he remained ahead by nearly 19,000 votes. The lira has been under pressure from declining economic indicators, rising tensions with the United States and uncertainty around local elections. Fears are growing that last year's 30 percent slide of nearly 30 percent will be repeated. "European investors are concerned about economic and financial market distress in Turkey. While not a part of EU, Turkey is a major trading partner of many European economies, and the demand destruction there in the past year has been felt acutely by the regional exporters," said economists at DBS Economics & Strategy. Story continues A Reuters poll showed that 2019 outlook for emerging-market currencies was mixed, despite the U.S. Federal Reserve's recent dovish stance. For GRAPHIC on emerging market FX performance 2019, see http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh For GRAPHIC on MSCI emerging index performance 2019, see https://tmsnrt.rs/2OusNdX For TOP NEWS across emerging markets For CENTRAL EUROPE market report, see For TURKISH market report, see For RUSSIAN market report, see (Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; editing by Larry King) EU Commission Vice-President for Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Valdis Dombrovskis delivers a speech during a news conference EU Commission Vice-President for Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Valdis Dombrovskis delivers a speech during a news conference on the second day of the informal meeting of European Union Finance ministers in Bucharest, Romania, April 6, 2019. Inquam Photos/George Calin via REUTERS BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Italy may be forced to freeze some of its planned public expenditures this year as the country's growth is slower than forecast, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Saturday. Brussels had predicted in February a meagre 0.2 percent expansion in Italy this year, but Dombrovskis said that growth could turn out to be "even slower" as global and domestic factors had dampened the outlook. A possible downward revision would further widen the gap with growth estimates made by Italy's eurosceptic government, which based its free-spending 2019 budget on the assumption of a 1 percent expansion. The European Commission will publish its new economic forecasts on May 7. "There are concerns as the economy has slowed down," Dombrovskis told a news conference in Bucharest. "We need to see what implications it has for the budget." Speaking the day after a meeting with Italian Finance Minister Giovanni Tria on the budget, Dombrovskis said in these circumstances Italy would probably be required to freeze 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) of spending this year in order to respect EU fiscal rules. Rome had agreed with Brussels that those 2 billion euros would be spent only if economic conditions did not deteriorate. Now this safeguard clause "should normally be activated," said Dombrovskis, who is the commissioner in charge of the euro. The clause was negotiated to make sure Rome remained broadly compliant with EU rules that require countries with large public debts to gradually reduce them. Italy's debt stands above 130 percent of output, the second highest ratio in the EU after Greece, which went through three bailouts in recent years. Dombrovskis added that Tria had assured him Italy would respect EU fiscal rules in its budgetary plans for the coming years that will be submitted to Brussels at the end of April. Earlier this week the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a club of mostly rich nations, forecast a 0.2 percent output fall in Italy in 2019. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Mark Heinrich) (Adds quotes from national diplomats) BRUSSELS, April 5 (Reuters) - European Union envoys on Friday discussed options for granting Britain another Brexit delay next week. A Brussels official said Donald Tusk's proposal for a postponement of up to a year had gained support, but national diplomats said all options were still open. EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Wednesday must decide by unanimity on any further delay. British Prime Minister Theresa May asked the bloc on Friday for a second postponement until June 30, with the possibility of leaving earlier. Tusk, who will chair the summit, has instead proposed a delay of up to one year, which could be cut short if the UK parliament approves an EU divorce deal. May is in talks with the opposition Labour party to try to get the votes. "Discussion showed wide support for Tusk's idea of a long 'flextension'," the EU official said on condition of anonymity. EU leaders only two weeks ago rejected a request from May for a reprieve until June 30 and several national diplomats said all options were still on the table - from refusing a further delay and heading towards a no-deal Brexit to granting May's request or pushing for a long postponement. "We are waiting to see if there is any real progress with Labour. Depending on what May comes with on Wednesday, how much clarity there is on the UK side, we still have the three options," said another EU diplomat briefed on the meeting. "Accepting her request is tough for some in the EU. June 30 is as tricky as it was two weeks ago because of the sensitivities around the European Parliament elections ... A long delay is a way of reducing uncertainty and avoiding constant emergency Brexit summits." May has accepted that Britain will have to prepare to elect members of the European Parliament, but hopes to leave the bloc in time to pull out of polling. As was the case two weeks ago, May will address the other 27 national EU leaders and answer their questions before leaving the room and letting them decide. Story continues The last time, she left them with the sense that she did not control the situation or have a clear plan, hardening the line of EU states such as France that say Brexit uncertainty must end as soon as possible, even if this means an abrupt split. "It is really a political decision for our leaders on the next steps from the EU side," said a senior EU diplomat who took part in the closed-door meeting. EU diplomats stressed the need for "sincere cooperation" clauses in case of any long Brexit delay, to ensure Britain does not interfere unduly with the EU's reforms, its next budget, European Parliament elections or selecting the new executive Commission. "For any kind of extension, the leaders want more clarification of the purpose ... If it is to hold another vote on the Withdrawal Agreement, this is clear. But if not, the leaders would want to know exactly what the reason would be," the senior diplomat said. (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski and Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Chiang Rai. 4th April 2019. The Central bank governors of Thailand and Myanmar have endorsed the Krungthai and Shwe Bank emittance project powered by Everex. Both countries share a common culture and traditions. Transactions will be faster and more secure, says U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Myanmar Central bank governor. There are many real life use cases of how innovative technology like blockchain can be used to meet the needs of customers. This project is an important step forward for the more than three million workers in Thailand who might have so far used unsecure channels, adds Veerathai Santiprabhob, the Central bank governor of Thailand. The main objective for Myanmar migrant workers is to send money home to their families. However, Chiang Rai. 4th April 2019. The Central bank governors of Thailand and Myanmar have endorsed the Krungthai and Shwe Bank emittance project powered by Everex. Both countries share a common culture and traditions. Transactions will be faster and more secure, says U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Myanmar Central bank governor. There are many real life use cases of how innovative technology like blockchain can be used to meet the needs of customers. This project is an important step forward for the more than three million workers in Thailand who might have so far used unsecure channels, adds Veerathai Santiprabhob, the Central bank governor of Thailand. The main objective for Myanmar migrant workers is to send money home to their families. However, on the Myanmar side banks have limited opening hours. With the Everex platform we can overcome the challenges and provide better banking services, comments U Thein Zaw, Executive Vice Chairman of Shwe Bank Alexi Lane, CEO and Founder of Everex, says: It is our great pleasure to join this project for financial inclusion. For the last few years we have been diligently working on developing blockchain-powered solutions and cross border transfers. Now we are very happy that our product will be a part of the joint venture to bring workers and people access to financial services for a better life and a better future. Everex has received a letter of approval from the Bank of Thailand to launch this project. Currently, it is conducting focus groups and is working on a pilot with the banks and Myanmar communities in Thailand to implement the service. Interested parties, Myanmar people and employers of Myanmar migrant workers can find more information at: https://www.facebook.com/everex.io/ or apply for a wallet at www.everex.cash. Everex is also looking for future bank partners in the US, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Europe to expand this programme. The post Everex to introduce blockchain-powered cross border service between Myanmar and Thailand appeared first on Coin Rivet. President Yoweri Museveni has asked officers and men of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces to be advocates for the principles of justice. Gen. Museveni, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Armed Forces, was addressing UPDF officers at Singo Military and Peace Support Operations and Training Center in Nakaseke District after inspecting the facility. He also urged the officers to learn, understand, internalize and apply the principles of principles as Patriotism Unity and democracy wherever they are deployed. Oil giant ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) has announced a multi-billion dollar upgrade of its Singapore integrated manufacturing complex to convert more fuel oil and other "bottom-of-the-barrel" crude products into higher value lube base stocks and distillates. The upgrade will also increase the capacity of the facility to produce an extra 48,000 barrels per day (b/d) of low-sulfur fuels to meet the International Maritime Organization's 0.5 percent sulfur regulation (IMO 2020), which goes into effect on January 1, 2020. Construction will begin in the latter half of this year and start-up operations are forecast for 2023. Commenting on the reason for the upgrade, Bryan Milton, president of ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants Company, said, "the demand for high-quality fuels and lubricants will increase as the global economy expands. By using a combination of proprietary catalyst and process technologies, we will increase the site's competitiveness and help meet growing demand for high-performance lubricants and cleaner fuels." The upgrades will add 20,000 b/d of ExxonMobil Group II base stocks, which are used to create automotive and engine oil lubricants. The company adds that the base stocks can also be used in other industrial applications. FreightWaves contacted marine fuel industry executives in Singapore for comment and found that the local industry welcomes the investment by ExxonMobil. "It's very good," said one maritime fuel executive. "There's high demand for fuels and lubricants in the Asia-Pacific region. ExxonMobil has its largest facility in the world in Singapore and it will be able to utilize all different kinds of feedstocks. If shipowners don't use low-sulfur fuel, then they will have to use blending with distillates and that's very expensive. You can see the value in producing fuel rather than blending stocks," the executive said. Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe A Singapore-based bunker trader also welcomed the news. "As a bunker trader, I'm always excited to hear that the oil majors are looking to expand as we're always looking for extra stock/cargoes to trade for ourselves. With them [ExxonMobil] being an oil major then they'll have great relationships with ship owners. If they are able to produce it then I'm sure that they will be able to sell it," the bunker trader said. Story continues ExxonMobil's crude oil refinery is integrated with a series of chemical plants. The first portion of ExxonMobil's complex was built in Singapore in 2001. Additional plants have been built or bought by the company over time.The facility produces 592,00 b/d of a wide range of products such as liquefied petroleum gases, motor gasoline, naphtha, gas oil and others. It additionally produces lubricants, asphalt and aromatics such as paraxylene and benzene. ExxonMobile also opened a diesel hydrotreater in 2014 to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel, which increased the facility's low-sulfur diesel capacity to 25 million litres a day (of which more than 10 million litres can meet the IMO 2020 specifications). The facility currently has more than 3,500 employees. ExxonMobil reported US$20.84 billion in earnings after taxes in 2018. The company produced 2,266 thousand barrels of liquids per day; 9,405 million cubic feet of natural gas for sale per day; 5,512 thousand barrels per day of petroleum product sales. It handled about 2.5 billion barrels of crude in 2018 across all of its businesses. Image sourced from Pixabay Permalink See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The acting top U.S. aviation regulator defended the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday from charges by an unnamed agency employee who told congressional investigators that aviation safety inspectors that worked on the certification of now-grounded Boeing 737 MAX may have been unqualified. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said the FAA's Office of Audit and Evaluation conducted a November investigation into concerns raised by an aviation safety inspector who alleged that inspectors did not meet mandatory training requirements. Elwell said the employee's claims did not involve inspectors who evaluated the heavily criticized anti-stall software on the 737 MAX. Elwell's comments came in a letter to Senator Roger Wicker. Earlier this week, the Republican senator said in a letter to the FAA that unqualified inspectors may have botched the evaluation of the 737 MAX software. More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after nearly 350 people died in crashes in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia last month. Wicker also said information from whistleblowers and documents showed the FAA was notified about the training and certification concerns as early as August 2018, which was before the Indonesia crash. Elwell said the allegations that the inspector raised, including retailiation by superiors, "were substantiated during the investigation and will be remedied as soon as possible. The front line manager that was found to have retaliated against our inspector is no longer with the FAA." Elwell said the allegations were specific to the aircraft evaluation group. While the inspectors in question did not work on the 737 Max, he did not specify which aircraft they may have inspected. The FAA has come under criticism for delegating some certification responsibilities to Boeing and other manufacturers. Elwell said last week there were "no comments made by employees to our knowledge" about the 737 MAX. "We encourage all employees to raise issues that may compromise our safety standards through the utilization of strong whistleblower protection and internal investigation programs," Elwell wrote. Boeing said last week that it was reprogramming software on its 737 MAX passenger jet to prevent erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system that is under mounting scrutiny following the two deadly nose-down crashes. On Monday, the company said it will submit the fix to the FAA for approval in coming weeks. Reuters reported Boeing is dealing with software integration issues. Federal prosecutors are also reviewing the planes certification with help from the FBI, the Transportation Department inspector generals office and a blue ribbon panel to be named by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The FAA also announced it is launching a Joint Authorities Technical Review team to review the 737 MAX. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio) In the run-up to upcoming elections in various countries, Facebook FB is going all out to secure the platform and eliminate any external interference. The company recently announced that it will temporarily stop foreign entities from buying electoral ads in Australia ahead of the federal elections in May this year. Any ads with references to politicians, parties or election suppression, political slogans and party logos will fall under electoral ads. Notably, the rule will commence the day after the election is announced. Facebook is taking improved measures to prevent any interference in elections especially after it confirmed that around 300K Australian users were affected by the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Facebook, Inc. Revenue (TTM) Facebook, Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Facebook, Inc. Quote Security Measures for Users in Australia Facebook is working with an international news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP) to launch a fact-checking program in Australia. The program will help the company easily identify false content and lower its view rate by placing it in the bottom of the News Feed. Additionally, Facebook has increased its investments in both people and technology to take down fake accounts, which are primarily responsible for the creation of misleading content. Notably, the company recently took down a few fake accounts after Kate Washington, an Australian politician, identified them. Facebook has also updated its Ad Library containing all active ads on Facebook and the Pages that feature them. The Library also includes details such as the Page creation date and primary country of people who manage Pages with large audiences. However, Facebook does not require advertisers in the country to present necessary documents, before placing political ads, per Guardian. Regulations Tightened Representatives from across the globe are coming up with strict regulations to keep a check on social media content. Australia recently approved new laws for social media companies lay down huge fines and jail terms for executives if they fail to quickly remove violent content, per Reuters. Additionally, Facebook and Alphabets GOOGL are facing increased scrutiny from Australia's competition regulator over their dominance in online ads and news. Indonesian government took a similar stance by threatening to shut down Facebook if it found any external interference during elections. Facebook employees in the country could be imprisoned for up to 12 years or fined by as much as $871,000 if they were found involved in breaching the rules. Moreover, the European Union (EU) brought into effect General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules on May 25, 2018, which placed tights control on how companies deal with user data. Failing to abide by the rules will attract huge fines. Further, the Election Commission of India (EC) mandated Facebook, Twitter TWTR and Google to follow the code of conduct for transparency in political ads. Zacks Rank & a Key Pick Facebook currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the broader technology sector is Ciena Corporation CIEN, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Long-term earnings growth rate for Ciena is projected to be 16.8%. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> 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 Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Twitter, Inc. (TWTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ciena Corporation (CIEN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Horizon National Corporation (FHN) has been named by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) as one of 70 companies on the 2019 NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women list. First Horizon takes great pride in our long history of supporting and promoting the success of women and we are honored to be recognized for the eighth consecutive year on NAFEs Top Companies for Executive Women list, said John Daniel, Chief Human Resources Officer. We are proud of our progress and will continue to work to advocate and promote the success of women in our organization. This list honors U.S. corporations that demonstrate a strong focus in moving women to senior ranks, including mentoring, sponsorship, involvement in employee resource groups and leadership development training. Other factors used to identify the top companies include benefits, flexibility, corporate culture, and CEO involvement in advancing women. The 2019 NAFE Top Companies continue to tell a progressive story about what organizations are doing to move women up into executive positions, says Subha V. Barry, president of Working Mother Media. While the results are encouraging, there is still much work to do." First Horizon Highlights: Women make up 63% of our companys workforce Our executive team comprises 32% women Our senior managers are 25% women Females represent 77% of manager roles New mothers receive an average of eight weeks of fully paid leave Individuals who adopt receive four weeks of fully paid leave and up to $15,000 in adoption reimbursement assistance, doubled from the previous year About First Horizon First Horizon National Corp. (FHN) provides financial services through its Capital Bank, First Tennessee Bank, FTB Advisors, and FTN Financial businesses. The banking subsidiary was founded in 1864, has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country and the largest deposit market share in Tennessee. The company operates more than 250 bank locations across the Southeast and 28 FTN Financial offices across the U.S. FTB Advisors wealth management group has more than 300 financial professionals and about $4.8 billion in assets under management. FTN Financial is a capital markets industry leader in fixed income sales, trading and strategies for institutional customers in the U.S. and abroad. The company has been ranked by American Banker magazine among the Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. banks and as one of the nations best employers by the National Association for Female Executives and Fortune magazine. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com. Story continues About NAFE The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972, serves members with networking, tools, and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working Mother magazine publishes the annual NAFE Top Companies list. NAFE.com provides up-to-date information, a community for women in business, and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by Bonnier Corporation. FHN-G CONTACT: Silvia Alvarez, 901-523-4465, SAlvarez@firsttennessee.com PARIS (AP) A dwindling number of protesters marched through the streets of France for the yellow vest movement's 21st straight weekend of demonstrations Saturday, with thousands of people crisscrossing Paris and a group that briefly invaded the busy beltway around the city making their presence known. Riot police rounded up the protesters on the beltway and fired a round of tear gas on the street above, apparently to stop others from entering a ramp onto the road. At another of Saturday's numerous protests around the country, police fired tear gas in Rouen, in Normandy, in a showdown with protesters after fires were set in garbage cans and elsewhere. The Interior Ministry counted 22,300 participants nationwide and 3,500 in Paris, French media reported. Those were the lowest numbers since the yellow vest protests started on Nov. 17. The movement routinely contests the government's protest attendance figures. "We will continue until victory. We give up nothing, because today, nothing has been obtained," Agnes Berger, a protester from Saint Cloud, west of Paris, said. "We still have a corrupt system, an elite that governs against the people." The number of people taking part in the yellow vest demonstrations has been falling since the first protests over fuel hikes drew hundreds of thousands of people. But the leaderless grassroots movement for social and economic justice continues to pose a challenge for French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron organized a national debate, started in January, to respond to concerns about sinking living standards, stagnant wages and high unemployment aired at the demonstrations. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is to provide an initial recap Monday, before addressing parliament. Proposals growing out of the numerous meetings were expected later. Most yellow vest protesters are skeptical, and increasingly determined. Jeremy Gibon, from the suburb of Le Mesnil-Amelot, called Saturday for a radical solution that creates a "new system." Story continues "It's a war of attrition," Gibon said. "We feel if we make everything fall, we can rebuild something....It will be for us. You'll see." The movement got its name because protesters wear the fluorescent safety vests motorists are required to carry in France. The vests initially symbolized frustration over fuel tax increases Macron ordered and since withdrew as a disincentive to drivers, an action intended to curb climate change. The movement's demands have since multiplied to include, for instance, a people's referendum and restoration of a wealth tax, with increasing buying power a bottom line. Paris police, meanwhile, have fine-tuned their strategy to make officers more mobile and more proactive in countering rowdy protesters. A new police chief was appointed. Last month, rioters set life-threatening fires, ransacked luxury stores and rioted around Champs-Elysees Avenue, famed for its high-end shops. The Champs-Elysees has since been declared off-limits to protesters. One prominent figure in the movement, Eric Drouet, was among a half-dozen protesters stopped in the prohibited area and issued a fine he plans to contest, Drouet's lawyer, Kheops Lara, told French television channel LCI. In Paris, protesters marched on Saturday from the Place de la Republique in the east to the business district, La Defense, on the capital's western edge. The finishing point was chosen because of its significance in the world of finance, Drouet said. The yellow vest movement "hasn't stopped at all," Drouet told LCI. Meanwhile, France's Constitutional Council vetoed on Thursday a measure backed by Macron's government to prevent violence during protests. The law was not proposed as an outgrowth of the yellow vest protests. The Constitutional Council struck down provisions authorizing regional prefects to ban people from demonstrations if they're considered a serious threat to public order. The council ruled that would give authorities "excessive latitude" and infringe on freedom of expression. But it approved other parts of the law not yet in force. One broadens the circumstances under which police can search protesters' bags and vehicles. The other makes it a crime for protesters to conceal their faces, with convictions punishable by up to one year in prison and a 15,000-euro ($17,000) fine. ___ Chris Den Hond and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report. By Marcelo Rochabrun SAO PAULO, April 5 (Reuters) - A new plan by cash-strapped carrier Avianca Brasil to sell its most coveted airport slots to Brazil's two largest airlines will draw intense antitrust scrutiny, which may delay or derail a pressing cash injection. Antitrust regulator CADE said on Friday that it could block the plan, which Avianca Brasil hopes could raise some $210 million later this month. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection in December. Under the plan, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA and LATAM Airlines Group would buy Avianca Brasil's airport rights, known as slots, in three high-traffic terminals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Gol and LATAM already control over two-thirds of the slots in each of those three airports. Representatives for LATAM, Avianca Brasil and Gol did not respond to requests for comment. Avianca Brasil's plan would raise much-needed funds but is high-risk, lawyers said, and could leave it hanging without quick cash. Creditors will vote later on Friday whether to approve the plan which would allow Gol and LATAM to bid on the assets. Avianca Brasil would not receive any funds until CADE greenlights the operation, said antitrust lawyer Tatiana Lins Cruz in an interview on Thursday. She said CADE could take up to eight months to analyze a case in which buyers already control more than 20 percent of a given market. Meanwhile, the airline would have to continue operations with its own money. But Avianca Brasil has been so cash-strapped that it fell behind its payroll in March. A person familiar with LATAM's thinking said the airlines hoped CADE would approve the deals because they only involve a modest increase in their presence at Brazil's busiest airports. AZUL SIDELINED The new plan is a setback for rival Azul SA, which ranks as Brazil's third largest airline and has a small presence in those three airports. In Sao Paulo's domestic Congonhas airport, Gol and LATAM already control a combined 92 percent of the slots, whereas Azul has just 3 percent. Story continues Azul had struck a preliminary deal with Avianca Brasil to take over the slots for $105 million and had already provided some $8 million so the carrier could meet its March payroll. But that deal was off once Gol and LATAM came in. CADE appeared to take a more positive view of an Azul takeover on Friday. "A scenario where Azul becomes the buyer represents a lower antitrust concern than in a scenario with LATAM or Gol," the regulator said in its report. The plan could also draw scrutiny from Brazil's civil aviation regulator, because airport slots are not meant to be bought and sold. Azul was planning to buy Avianca Brasil's assets as a single airline, but the new plan would create seven different companies, each holding little more than slots. "In our view, it is not clear whether the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) will approve this new structure," wrote analysts at Brazil bank Bradesco BBI in a note to clients. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun Editing by Brad Haynes and Richard Chang) DURHAM, NC / ACCESSWIRE / March 21, 2019 / Heat Biologics,Inc. (HTBX), a biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies designed to activate a patient's immune system against cancer, today announced an oral presentation to be held at the Chinese Society for Clinical Oncology (CSCO) Conference on Immunotherapy, endorsed by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), taking place in Shanghai, China. The oral session will be held on March 22, 2019 from 17:00 China Standard Time. Management will present the interim results of the Phase 2 Lung Cancer Data on HS-110 + Nivolumab that were presented at the ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium on February 28, 2019. Details of the presentation are as follows: Title: Viagenpumatucel-L (HS-110) plus nivolumab in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Oral Session: March 22, 2019; 17:00 China Standard Time (March 22, 2019; 2:00 Pacific Time) Location: Main Conference Room (Powerlong Ballroom), Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang Hotel, Shanghai, China The AACR is proud to work with the Chinese Society for Clinical Oncology (CSCO) and endorse this conference, which will take place on March 22-23, 2019, in Shanghai, China. The program will bring together researchers from the United States, China, and around the world to share the latest developments focusing on translational to clinical applications of immunotherapy with an emphasis on cancers with high incidence in the region. Each session will feature speakers from both China and abroad and offer ample opportunity to foster international scientific exchange. About Heat Biologics, Inc. Heat Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies designed to activate a patient's immune system against cancer using of CD8+ "Killer" T-cells. Our T-Cell Activation Platform ("TCAP") produces therapies designed to turn "cold" tumors "hot" and be administered in combination with checkpoint therapies and other immuno-modulators to increase their effectiveness. HS-110 is our first biologic product candidate in a series of proprietary immunotherapies designed to stimulate a patient's own T-cells to attack cancer. Our ComPACT technology is the first potential, dual-acting immunotherapy designed to deliver T-cell activation and co-stimulation in a single product. We are currently enrolling patients in our Phase 2 clinical trial for advanced non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb's nivolumab (Opdivo) and with Merck's pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Pelican Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Heat, is focused on the development of co-stimulatory monoclonal antibody and fusion protein-based therapies designed to activate the immune system. For more information, please visit www.heatbio.com. Story continues ForwardLooking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 on our current expectations and projections about future events. In some cases, forward-looking statements canbe identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are based upon current beliefs, expectation, and assumptions and include statements regarding the suggestion that the addition of HS-110 to Nivolumab may restore responsiveness to treatment after tumor progression on prior checkpoint inhibitor and the suggestion that HS-110 may improve outcomes for patients who are least likely to benefit from treatment with checkpoint inhi bitors alone. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict, including the ability of Heat's therapies to perform as designed, to demonstrate safety and efficacy, as well as results that are consistent withprior results, the ability to enroll patients and complete the clinical trials on time and achieve desired results and benefits, Heat's ability to obtain regulatory approvals for commercialization of product candidates or to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements, regulatory limitations relating to Heat's ability to promote or commercialize its product candidates for specificindications, acceptance of its product candidates in the marketplace and the successful development, marketing or sale of products, Heat's ability to maintain its license agreements, the continued maintenance and growth of itspatent estate, its ability to establish and maintain collaborations, its ability to obtain or maintain the capital or grants necessary to fund its research and development activities, and its ability to retain its key scientists or management personnel, and the other factors described in Heat's filings with the SEC. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Heat undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release based on new information,future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Media and Investor Relations Contact David Waldman +1 919 289 4017 investorrelations@heatbio.com SOURCE: Heat Biologics, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/539666/Heat-Biologics-to-Present-at-the-Chinese-Society-for-Clinical-Oncology-Conference-on-Immunotherapy A whopping number of 13F filings filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has been processed by Insider Monkey so that individual investors can look at the overall hedge fund sentiment towards the stocks included in their watchlists. These freshly-submitted public filings disclose money managers equity positions as of the end of the three-month period that ended December 31, so lets proceed with the discussion of the hedge fund sentiment on W.P. Carey Inc. REIT (NYSE:WPC). W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC) shares haven't seen a lot of action during the third quarter. Overall, hedge fund sentiment was unchanged. The stock was in 10 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of December. At the end of this article we will also compare WPC to other stocks including Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE:INVH), InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG), and Enel Americas S.A. (NYSE:ENIA) to get a better sense of its popularity. Hedge funds' reputation as shrewd investors has been tarnished in the last decade as their hedged returns couldn't keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. Our research has shown that hedge funds' small-cap stock picks managed to beat the market by double digits annually between 1999 and 2016, but the margin of outperformance has been declining in recent years. Nevertheless, we were still able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the market by 32 percentage points since May 2014 through March 12, 2019 (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that underperformed the market by 10 percentage points annually between 2006 and 2017. Interestingly the margin of underperformance of these stocks has been increasing in recent years. Investors who are long the market and short these stocks would have returned more than 27% annually between 2015 and 2017. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 in our quarterly newsletter. Story continues David Harding Let's check out the new hedge fund action surrounding W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC). What have hedge funds been doing with W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC)? Heading into the first quarter of 2019, a total of 10 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were bullish on this stock, a change of 0% from the second quarter of 2018. On the other hand, there were a total of 12 hedge funds with a bullish position in WPC a year ago. With the smart money's sentiment swirling, there exists an "upper tier" of noteworthy hedge fund managers who were adding to their holdings meaningfully (or already accumulated large positions). WPC_mar2019 Among these funds, Two Sigma Advisors held the most valuable stake in W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC), which was worth $24.1 million at the end of the third quarter. On the second spot was Citadel Investment Group which amassed $13.4 million worth of shares. Moreover, Renaissance Technologies, PEAK6 Capital Management, and AQR Capital Management were also bullish on W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC), allocating a large percentage of their portfolios to this stock. Because W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC) has witnessed declining sentiment from the aggregate hedge fund industry, logic holds that there lies a certain "tier" of hedge funds who sold off their full holdings last quarter. Interestingly, Israel Englander's Millennium Management cut the biggest position of all the hedgies watched by Insider Monkey, totaling about $1.2 million in stock. Dmitry Balyasny's fund, Balyasny Asset Management, also dropped its stock, about $0.8 million worth. These bearish behaviors are intriguing to say the least, as total hedge fund interest stayed the same (this is a bearish signal in our experience). Let's check out hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC) but similarly valued. These stocks are Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE:INVH), InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG), Enel Americas S.A. (NYSE:ENIA), and Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV). This group of stocks' market values resemble WPC's market value. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position INVH,16,265244,1 IHG,7,18322,4 ENIA,11,80053,0 DOV,29,529420,6 Average,15.75,223260,2.75 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 15.75 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $223 million. That figure was $49 million in WPC's case. Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is the least popular one with only 7 bullish hedge fund positions. W.P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC) is not the least popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still below average. This is a slightly negative signal and we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 15 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 19.7% through March 15th and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 6.6 percentage points. Hedge funds were also right about betting on WPC, though not to the same extent, as the stock returned 18% and outperformed the market as well. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content By Naomi Tajitsu and Sam Nussey TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor and Hino Motors are joining a venture of SoftBank Corp and Toyota Motor that will develop self-driving car services in Japan, as alliances between automakers and tech firms broaden. Under an agreement, Honda and truck maker Hino, in which Toyota owns a majority stake, would each invest around 250 million yen ($2.27 million) in the joint venture, Monet Technologies, and take 10 percent stakes in the venture, Monet said on Thursday. Tech conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp's domestic telco and Toyota formed the venture last year. It will foray in the ride-sharing sphere that is dominated by startups such as Uber, Didi Chuxing and Lyft. Honda and Hino's participation in the venture highlights the challenges facing automakers in developing new transportation services as the rise of self-driving cars could threaten vehicle sales in the future with users seen opting for pay-per-use services over car ownership. It is also the latest example in the growing trend of consolidation among automakers and technology and communications companies as they grapple with the massive investment and software expertise required to develop new services for which demand has yet to be tested. "The more automakers we can get to join the partnership, the smarter we can make our platform," Junichi Miyakawa, chief executive of Monet and chief technology officer of SoftBank Corp said at an event to promote the venture. The new investment from Honda and Hino would leave SoftBank with a 40.2 percent stake in Monet, down from just over 50 percent when the venture was formed. Toyota will hold a 39.8 percent stake. Toyota President Akio Toyoda said that increased cooperation between automakers and companies in other sectors would help make the mobility services industry more transparent. With the participation of Honda and Hino, "the auto world has taken a big step towards openness", he said at the event. Honda's investment in Monet will be its latest in new mobility services after it invested $2.75 billion for a 5.7 percent stake in General Motors Co's Cruise self-driving vehicle unit last year. Story continues The Japanese automaker, which has lagged many of its rivals in developing self-driving cars, is also an investor in Southeast Asian ride-hailing service Grab. SoftBank also invests in Cruise and Grab. The latest investment in Monet values the venture at just $22.7 million, for now making it a miniscule player compared with Cruise, which is valued at around $15 billion, and Uber, which has been valued at around $120 billion ahead of its expected IPO. For now the size of the venture is "insignificant compared with SoftBank Corp's enterprise value," said Dan Baker, analyst at Morningstar. The telco is looking to diversify beyond its core cash-generative wireless business amid pressure on carrier fees. SoftBank Group and its $100 billion Vision Fund are already a major player in ride sharing. Founder and Chief Executive Masayoshi Son says his portfolio companies, which include Uber, Didi, Grab and Ola, control 90 percent of the industry. SERVICES ON WHEELS Monet plans to roll out on-demand bus and car services in Japan in the next year, and a platform to operate self-driving vehicles as early as 2023 based on Toyota's "e-palette", a boxy multi-purpose vehicle which can be used for on-demand mobile shops, offices and other services. It plans to leverage data compiled from mobile phone users, including user location, and data on steering, braking and vehicle surroundings collected from Toyota cars to create a domestic platform to transport people and goods, along with mobile shops, restaurants and public facilities. Monet also said it had formed a consortium of 88 Japanese companies including Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, beverage maker Suntory Holdings Ltdand Yahoo Japan Corp to collaborate on projects, which could include product delivery or product-related services. ($1 = 110.0500 yen) (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu and Sam Nussey; Editing by Stephen Coates and Muralikumar Anantharaman) DINARD, France (AP) The Latest on the meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers: (all times local): 3:55 p.m. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations have revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East after wrapping up a two-day meeting in France. The ministers concluded the meeting in the seaside resort of Dinard on Saturday by issuing mildly worded joint commitments on a range of issues. Their statement cited fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger post-conflict roles in maintaining peace, and engaging with countries in Africa's troubled Sahel region to combat drug and migrant trafficking. A European Union official had expressed "regret" the diplomats' joint statement contained what she considered to be several glaring omissions, including "no reference to a two-state solution" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and "no mention" of the U.N. Security Council's resolution in favor of the Iran nuclear deal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to press ahead of the document's formal announcement. The G-7 countries are the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. By Thomas Adamson ___ 11:55 a.m. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies are wrapping up a two-day meeting in the French seaside resort of Dinard where they hope to seal joint commitments on a range of global challenges and lay the groundwork for August's G-7 summit in Biarritz. Diplomats from G-7 countries which includes the U.S., France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. want a joint statement by Saturday on the fight against trafficking drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, fighting cybercrime and stopping sexual violence against women in conflict zones, especially in Africa. But U.S. officials said that points of discord will also be discussed. Washington seems to be at odds with Italy over its stance on Venezuela and China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. SEOUL (Reuters) - LG Electronics Inc's operating profit likely fell by a smaller-than-expected 19 percent in the first quarter, even as losses in its mobile business and rising competition in the television segment pushed its revenue down to below consensus. Shares of the South Korean firm trimmed earlier gains after the news and turned down as much as 1.5 percent on Friday, in a broader market that was up 1.2 percent. The second-biggest TV set maker in the world, after Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, estimated an operating profit of 899.6 billion won ($792.77 million) for the January-March period, versus 1.1 trillion won a year earlier. That compares with an average estimate of 808 billion won from 21 analysts polled by Refinitiv I/B/E/S. Revenue likely fell 1.4 percent to 14.9 trillion won, the South Korean firm said, below a 15.3 trillion won consensus. LG did not disclose further details of first-quarter operations and will announce full results in late April. Analysts said LG's longtime loss-generating smartphone business, in the red for seven quarters, and intensifying price competition in the global TV market likely weighed on earnings. "LG's competitor Samsung recently cut prices for its TV products in a bid to get ahead as Chinese television makers have been rapidly catching up," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at BNK Securities. Analysts also have a dim view of LG's smartphone business and expect it to continue generating losses. LG held a 3 percent share of the global smartphone market in terms of shipment last year, according to a report from market tracker Counterpoint Research. The company plans to release its 5G-enabled smartphone in South Korea later this month. Mobile carriers in the country, which has one of the world's highest smartphone penetration rates, rolled out the latest wireless technology this week on Samsung's new 5G-enabled handset Galaxy S10. Samsung flagged earlier on Friday that it was heading for its lowest quarterly profit in more than two years as a glut in memory chips, slowing panel sales and rising competition in smartphones hit margins. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Himani Sarkar) Lockheed Martin and Raytheon prepare big production changes to adjust to America's dispute with Turkey over a Russian missile deal Multiple people familiar with the process explained to CNBC that Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are preparing to revise their production processes amid a contentious negotiation with Turkey. As it stands, Turkey faces removal from the F-35 program, forfeiture of 100 F-35 jets, cancellation of Patriot missile deal and imposition of U.S. sanctions as well as potential blowback from NATO. Turkey has helped finance Lockheed Martin's F-35 program, America's most expensive weapons system and the world's most advanced fighter jet. Turkey also manufactures components for the planes. WASHINGTON American defense firms Lockheed Martin LMT and Raytheon RTN 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. Story continues 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. In September, CNBC learned that Turkey was in the process of constructing a site for the Russian S-400 system despite warnings from the United States to not buy the platform, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of an intelligence report. In multiple efforts to deter Turkey from buying the S-400, the U.S. State Department offered in 2013 and 2017 to sell it a Patriot missile system. Ankara passed on Patriot both times because the U.S. declined to provide a transfer of the system's sensitive missile technology. The intelligence assessment included satellite imagery of a concrete launch facility as well as bunkers, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The new construction fits the pattern for Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system, the source indicated. The S-400 missile system, equipped with eight launchers and 32 missiles, is capable of targeting and collecting valuable technical intelligence from the F-35. Similarly, the S-400 cannot be operated alongside NATO defense systems. The Turkey-U.S. military relationship took more anxious turns Monday, when the U.S. halted delivery of two F-35 fighter jets to Ankara and an agreement to sell the Patriot system to Turkey expired. On Tuesday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he expected the dispute with Turkey over its planned purchase of Russia's S-400 system to be resolved. "I expect we'll solve the problem so that they have the right defense equipment in terms of Patriots and F-35s," Shanahan told a small group of reporters at the Pentagon. WATCH: U.S. halts delivery of F-35 equipment to Turkey More From CNBC * Group recommends 2015 Oyu Tolgoi expansion deal be scrapped * Flagship project subject to repeated political disputes * Any changes could undermine investor sentiment - advisor By Munkhchimeg Davaasharav ULAANBAATAR, April 5 (Reuters) - A group of Mongolian legislators has recommended one of the agreements underpinning Rio Tinto's Oyu Tolgoi copper mine should be scrapped and another changed, adding to the giant project's political problems. The Gobi desert copper deposit promises to become one of Rio Tinto's most lucrative properties, but it has been subject to repeated challenges from politicians who argue the spoils of the country's mining boom are not being evenly shared. It has also been at the centre of an anti-corruption investigation that has seen the arrest of two former prime ministers and a former finance minister. The original 2009 Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement granted 34 percent of the project to the Mongolian government and 66 percent to Canada's Ivanhoe Mines, now known as Turquoise Hill Resources and majority-owned by Rio Tinto. Nationalist politicians have repeatedly called for the deal to be adjusted in Mongolia's favour. Terbishdagva Dendev, head of a parliamentary working group set up last year to review the implementation of the Oyu Tolgoi agreements, told reporters this week the group had concluded the original 2009 deal should be revised. A 2015 deal known as the Dubai Agreement, which kickstarted the underground extension of the project after a two-year delay, should also be scrapped entirely, he said. "Of course there will be international and local pressure, though if we do have rule of law ... the agreements should be amended for good," he said in a separate television interview. Rio Tinto did not immediately comment on the issue when contacted by Reuters. A lawyer involved in Mongolian mining deals speaking on condition of anonymity said opponents of the original agreement argue the Dubai Agreement made changes to the 2009 deal and should therefore have been subject to full parliamentary approval. Instead it was just approved by the prime minister. Story continues The 200-page review has been submitted to Mongolia's National Security Council as well as a parliamentary standing committee on economic matters. It is unclear when or if its recommendations will be implemented. "It will be very hard to terminate the underground mine plan, since it must be done by mutual agreement," said Otgochuluu Chuluuntseren, advisor at Mongolia's Economic Policy and Competitive Research Center and a former government official. "Also foreign investors who were participating in the project finance might intervene in the process to protect their interests," he told Reuters, adding that it could also damage investor sentiment for years. The flagship Oyu Tolgoi project helped spur a mining boom that drove economic growth up to double digits from 2011-2013, but a rapid collapse in foreign investment and falling commodity prices saw Mongolia plunge into an economic crisis in 2016. Mongolia was also embroiled in a row with Rio Tinto over tax and project budget issues that saw Oyu Tolgoi's expansion put on hold. A series of other disputes with foreign miners also weakened investor sentiment. (Reporting by Munkhchimeg Davaasharav; additional reporting by Barbara Lewis in London; editing by David Stanway and Richard Pullin) Swiss pharma giant Novartis AG NVS announced it is suing partner Amgen AMGN. Both the companies had a development and worldwide commercialization agreement for migraine drug, Aimovig (erenumab). Aimovig is designed specifically to block the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor (CRGP). Per Novartis, Aimovig is the first FDA and EMA-approved CGRP-targeted therapy for the prevention of migraine in adults. The drug was approved in the United States in May and EU in July 2018. Both the companies co-commercialize the drug in the United States. While Amgen has exclusive rights to commercialize the drug in Japan, Novartis has exclusive commercialization rights in the rest of the world. However, on Apr 2, 2019, Amgen issued a notice of termination for the migraine collaboration agreements with Novartis due to an alleged material breach of the same. Consequently, Novartis has filed a lawsuit asking the court to confirm that Amgen has no right to terminate the agreements. CRGP are a new class of drugs, which are designed to reduce the number of migraine attacks and have fewer adverse reactions in clinical trials, and lesser warnings and precautions compared to other approved migraine therapeutics. Other drugs in this category are Tevas TEVA Ajovy and Eli Lillys LLY Emgality. The uptake of the drug has been encouraging, and more than 165,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Aimovig since launch. Shares of the company have gained 12.7% in the past six months compared with the industry's 2.7% growth. 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. The company acquired U.S.-based clinical-stage gene-therapy company, AveXis, Inc in 2018. Novartis 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. Story continues 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. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> 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 Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Novartis AG (NVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is interviewed by Maria Bartiromo during her 'Mornings with Maria Bartiromo' program on the Fox Business Network, in New York, April 5. AP U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that he is "confident" there will be a third nuclear summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on an as yet undetermined date. During an interview with CBS News, Pompeo was asked whether there would be another meeting between the leaders after the second one in February collapsed without a deal. "I'm confident there will be," he said, adding that he didn't know when it would happen but was hopeful it would be soon. Pompeo said the two sides have been in contact since the last summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, which he said have led to a "deeper understanding" of each other's positions. The summit broke down due to disagreements over the extent of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S. "We have had conversations after Hanoi about how to move forward," Pompeo said. President Moon Jae-in is due to hold talks with Trump in Washington, Thursday, to help restore momentum to the talks between the U.S. and the North. Moon, who brokered the first Trump-Kim summit in Singapore in June, has been eager to resume inter-Korean economic projects, which currently risk running afoul of international sanctions against Pyongyang, in order to prompt the North to abandon its nuclear weapons program and bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula. Pompeo made clear the U.S. has no plans to lift sanctions short of the North's denuclearization. "President Trump has been unambiguous. Our administration's policy is incredibly clear: Economic sanctions, United Nations Security Council sanctions, will not be lifted until we achieve the ultimate objective that we set out now almost two years ago," he said. But the secretary was vague when asked how Washington would respond to Seoul's wishes to reopen a joint industrial park in the North Korean border town of Gaeseong and resume tourism to the North's Mount Geumgang. "I talk to my South Korean counterpart a lot. She's a delightful, capable minister for their country," Pompeo said of South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, whom he met in Washington last week. "They're neighbors with the North Koreans. Many South Koreans have family members there. I understand the sentiment, but they've been great partners, and we have worked closely together to enforce these sanctions. We appreciate what they're doing," he said. The North Korean leader is expected to give a major policy speech Thursday to mark the first meeting of the newly elected deputies of the parliament. "We'll watch very closely what he says," Pompeo said. "I don't expect there'll be great surprise, but I do hope that he will share his sentiment, his sentiment that says: I believe, as the leader of North Korea, I believe the right thing to do is for us to engage with the United States to denuclearize our country, and that we'll have a brighter future for the North Korean people." (Yonhap) A new survey shows executives that do business in the United States and China are cautiously optimistic about the future of their businesses but they worry a trade deal between the two countries may not address all their major concerns. The executives are also concerned trade relations between the worlds two largest economies will follow a rocky path for the foreseeable future, according to the survey. This comes as negotiators continue to try and hammer out a trade deal in Washington. I don't want to predict the deal or not a deal, but we're very well along, President Trump told reporters on Friday morning. The U.S.-China Business Council, which represents American companies that do business in China, and the Committee of 100 a U.S. nonprofit that works to advance dialogue between the two countries surveyed 20 American chief executives and 35 Chinese executives. Eight of the Chinese companies surveyed were state-owned enterprises, though the USCBC said there were no appreciable differences between the private companies and state-owned enterprises. Most CEOs expect a trade deal Seventy-seven percent of executives said they expected a partial agreement between the United States and China. Only 4% of CEOs surveyed thought the two countries would fail to come to an agreement. Chinese business leaders were more optimistic than Americans about the chances of a deal and that business would eventually return to normal. Sixty-three percent of the Chinese CEOs expect U.S.-China relations to go back to business-as-usual after a trade deal, compared to only 24% of American executives. Less than half of the CEOs said the trade dispute has affected their ability to do business with their U.S./Chinese counterparts and 27% said the tensions have impacted their brand. The survey indicated more Chinese executives have experienced problems than American CEOs. The majority of executives from both countries said regular presidential meetings will be imperative going forward. Most of the executives plan to increase or maintain investment in the next year. Story continues Chinese CEOs are prioritizing US less USCBC President Craig Allen called the survey reflect a pragmatic outlook. Businesses in both countries plan to stay engaged with most planning to maintain or increase investments, said Allen. However, a minority of U.S. and Chinese companies are planning to curtail investments, believing that business conditions arent likely to improve enough. All of the American executives said the Chinese market would be a priority in the next five years. Fewer than half of Chinese CEOs said the U.S. market would be a priority in that same timeframe. The challenges for these companies in each others markets are reflected in the survey outcomes. While Chinese companies are more confident that business will return to normal after an agreement, fewer are prioritizing the United States than their American counterparts are in their approach to China, said C100 Chairman H. Roger Wang. Trump has said a trade deal could be announced within the next four weeks. Jessica Smith is a reporter for Yahoo Finance based in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @JessicaASmith8. Sen. Warren wants to make it easier to lock up CEOs for company wrongdoing Bipartisan bills aim to revamp retirement saving Rep. Ryan on GM tweets: Trump is a 'distraction Tax season is a waking nightmare for Americans. Well, it is for me, at least. Between figuring out how to file, trying to understand my W2 and remembering how to do basic math, it can be extremely stressful. But theres something even scarier lurking out there this time of year: tax scammers. Yes, in case wringing your hands over the tax man werent enough, criminals are out there trying to swipe your hard-earned cash and personal information from right under your nose. Luckily, there are a few ways to spot these scams and protect yourself. Fake IRS phone calls One of the most common scams out there today is the IRS phone call. It usually goes something like this. You get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. They say you havent paid your taxes properly and owe Uncle Sam some serious cash. The scammer will then demand that you pay them immediately, or theyll send the feds over and have you arrested. How to avoid these 7 major tax scams. Thats some pretty scary stuff right there, especially if you have no idea what youre doing when it comes to your taxes, and live in constant fear that you screwed up your last filing and are on the hook for thousands of dollars in fines. But the truth is that the IRS will never contact you over the phone. Whats more, they wont demand that you pay on the spot. The government actually gives you an opportunity to appeal the amount you owe. And despite how scared you might be of the government, the IRS will never threaten to send in Johnny Law to arrest you for a first-time tax problem. It should also go without saying that the feds will never ask for you to pay your taxes in gift cards. Yes, thats seriously something criminals have done. Scammers trying to confirm IRS contact information This is another phone-based IRS scam, but rather than just calling you up and demanding money, the criminals use a little more finesse to steal from you. According to the IRS, the confirmation scam sees a scammer spoof their phone number to make it look like the call is coming from the IRS. Story continues When you become suspicious, the thief will tell you to open up the IRS.gov website on your web browser and look for the services telephone number. Once you see that the number on the website matches the spoofed number the scammer called you from, they will go back to demanding money for unpaid taxes. A similar scam sees criminals pretending to be from the IRSs Taxpayers Advocacy Service, an independent internal service meant to assist taxpayers with questions and issues with their tax bills. In this instance, the scammer will spoof the number of the TAS and then ask the victim to check the number on the TAS site to prove that the scammer isnt a fake. Again, the IRS will never contact you via a phone call. And even if they did, identifying themselves using a phone number should be highly suspicious. Phony IRS emails TL;DR: If you get a random email from the IRS, its not from the IRS. These are just like those fake IRS phone calls, but in email form. Unfortunately, these can be even more convincing fakes, as they include things like official-looking IRS logos and signatures. I actually received a phony email from Britains version of the IRS, HM Revenue & Customs. Considering I live in Queens, New York, and not the U.K., though, that scammer missed the mark by a few thousand miles or so. Outside of trying to trick you out of your cash, these emails also come with the added risk of malware and ransomware if you download any files embedded in them or click on any included links. One particular way scammers try to trick consumers is by including an attachment titled Tax Transcript, though it could go by other names as well. The key here is to remember that the IRS wont reach out to you via email. The only way the IRS will try to get in touch with you is via snail mail. W2 scammers This one specifically targets companies payroll and human resources departments. The scheme works like this: Criminals send an email impersonating a companys CEO or other executive officer to that organizations payroll or HR professionals asking for personal information about employees. According to the IRS, which issued a warning about this scam in January, criminals will request items like employee names, Social Security numbers, and income data. The scammers will then try to file fraudulent tax returns using the victims information in order to receive their refunds. According to a report by Sophos Naked Security Blog, Snap, Inc. fell for this exact scam back in 2016. Fraudulent websites According to Wired, the security firm Lookout has come across a number of websites masquerading as the homepages for Intuits Turbotax and Quickbooks. The idea here is to record a victims username and password or their Social Security number in some cases. The websites are specifically crafted with URLs that line up closely to TurboTaxs and Quickbooks real URLs but are slightly off by or have added a few characters. The point is to get victims to search for either website using Google or another search engine, and then trick them into believing they are clicking a link for the actual TurboTax and Quickbooks site. The best way to avoid a situation like this is to ensure that the link youre clicking on is accurate by looking at it closely before entering your private information. The non-existent federal student tax Have you ever heard of the federal student tax? No? Good, because the IRS says theres no such thing. But that doesnt stop criminals from trying to trick people into believing there is such a tax and that they need to pay for it. This works the same way as other standard IRS scams. Victims receive a phone call or email from criminals impersonating the IRS telling them that they havent paid their student tax and that if they dont theyll be arrested or fined. The crooks will then demand that the victim pay via their credit or debit card or with gift cards. Basically, if anyone tells you theyre trying to collect on the federal student tax, tell them to take a hike. Verifying tax information This particular scam sees criminals asking victims to verify items like the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, or other tax information. The scammers could also ask for items like your bank account information or your full Social Security number. Remember, the IRS wont ask you for any information over the phone. If the person is impersonating a tax preparer or preparation agency, your best bet is to hang up and call your actual tax agent or send your real tax professional an email asking if they need your information. What to do if you suspect its a scam If you receive a phone call that you think is a scam, hang up. If you receive an email you suspect is fraudulent dont reply or click any embedded links. Instead, report it to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at the TIGTAs website, or by calling 1-800-366-4484. And if someone asks you to pay your taxes in iTunes gift cards, please ignore them. More from Dan: Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@oath.com; follow him on Twitter at@DanielHowley. Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andLinkedIn.finance.yahoo.com/ Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is currently showing strong upwards momentum following a minor dip over the weekend. My medium-term bet is that the entire cryptocurrency market will continue to turn profits, at least until there is some uncertainty in the economic panorama. As some experts point out, a shift in economic conditions could offset the market, even though there is little correlation between altcoins and other financial assets. Lets take a dive into whats going on with Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin Cash is currently sitting at around $316. After a major pump where volume spiked to yearly highs during early April, BCH seems to be stabilising above the key $300 support level, just above the 200-day EMA. Just in case BCH continues No matter where you are based in the world, learning how to trade cryptocurrency can be a daunting task for any newcomer this anxiety is exacerbated by the notorious volatility of the crypto markets. Before you begin trading cryptocurrency in the UK, you should always do your research. Without prior knowledge, you are liable to make countless mistakes. In this guide, we discuss how to trade cryptocurrency in the UK. How to trade cryptocurrency in the UK UK residents have more options when it comes to trading cryptocurrency than US residents. This is because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the USA has been fighting hard for regulation, prompting many exchanges to ban US residents from their services. Famously, crypto analyst Tone Vays had his BitMEX account terminated on the suspicion that he was a US citizen. UK residents, however, can freely trade on BitMEX at their leisure. The first point to note about crypto trading is that unlike traditional stock markets, the crypto market is open 24/7. You must then decide which type of trading you believe will suit you best and which exchange platform is right for you. Which exchange you choose will largely depend on what type of trading you wish to conduct. You can find our definitive guide to cryptocurrency exchanges here, which includes a list of some of the most popular exchanges and what to look out for. Spot and margin trading vs OTC Spot trading and margin trading are the two most common types of trading, with the exception of over-the-counter (OTC) trading. Spot trading involves buying or selling an asset with the aim of turning an instant profit. This might involve selling a certain amount of an asset you already own and then trading with two other assets. The trading will be done on speculation, so you might choose to split your funds equally or go all in on one you feel most confident about. It is then your hope that you will turn a profit on these assets before selling them and re-buying your original asset, thereby having more of the original asset than you began with. Story continues Margin trading is different because you can trade with leverage. Leverage is borrowed money from an exchange. The amount of leverage on offer to you will differ depending on the platform you are using. Using leverage means you can generate higher profits because you are staking more funds. If your trade is successful, the exchange will then reclaim the leverage and leave you with the profits. If the market moves against you, you will be liquidated. This means your original deposit is lost however, you will not have to pay the leverage back. You can learn more about the risks of spot and margin trading here. OTC trading involves buying or selling an asset directly with no middleman. Fundamentally, this can be as simple as a friend selling you 20 worth of Bitcoin. OTC trading offers benefits that exchanges do not in that you do not need to provide as much personal information. However, it does come with its own inherent risks, as does any method of crypto trading. You can read our guide on OTC trading here. LocalBitcoins.com is a popular peer-to-peer (P2P) OTC marketplace where users can facilitate trades with one another. Know when to enter the market Once you have identified the type of trading most suitable to you, it is time to learn when to enter the market. Learning about key terms, trade patterns, and previous market cycles will help you make the most informed decision about when you should buy in. The most important thing to remember is that trading is done on speculation nobody has a concrete idea of how the market will move. Firstly, you will need to know if you want to go long or short. Going long is when you believe an assets price will rise, while going short is when you believe an assets price will drop. Of course, you could also just buy some crypto when prices are low and hold on to it for as long as you want before selling when prices are higher. Learning about support, resistance, and moving averages will help you understand key levels for when to enter or exit the market. The same is true for studying graphs showing an assets trading history if you notice a pattern re-emerging, then you might be on to something. You can also do a quick Google search for trading patterns that will bring up illustrations of patterns which also give an indication of what might happen next in the market, such as a falling wedge or Bart Simpson pattern. Always read the terms and conditions and do your own research When picking an exchange, it is best to read the terms and conditions. While this might seem tedious, you can never be too careful when it comes to crypto trading, even in the UK. The crypto market is notoriously volatile and can go in any direction at any given point. On this basis, it is wise to conduct your own research because we do not recommend any crypto, exchange, or service in particular, and ultimately you are responsible for any decisions you undertake. Hopefully this guide has helped you understand how to start trading cryptocurrency in the UK. You can discover more about the top five tools to master crypto trading, CFD trading, and arbitrage with our guides. Interested in reading more trading-related guides? Discover more about bid, ask, and bid/ask spread prices with our guide. The post How to trade cryptocurrency in the UK appeared first on Coin Rivet. * Commander Haftar challenging Western-backed government * U.N. boss Guterres leaves Libya with "heavy heart" * Eastern forces say they are closing on capital * World alarmed at rapid escalation (Adds Tripoli minister saying old airport retaken) By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya, April 5 (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan troops commanded by Khalifa Haftar said on Friday they had advanced into the southern outskirts of the capital Tripoli in a dangerous thrust against the internationally-recognised government. Fighting was going on near the former international airport. The moves by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) force, which is allied to a parallel administration based in the east, escalated a power struggle that has splintered the nation since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres departed after meeting Haftar to try and avert civil war. "I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," he said on Twitter. Haftar, 75, who casts himself as an opponent of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres the operation would continue until terrorism was defeated. The coastal capital Tripoli is the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government. In 2014, he assembled former Gaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized the main eastern city of Benghazi. This year, he took the south with its oilfields. As well as visiting Haftar in Benghazi, U.N. boss Guterres had been in Tripoli this week to help organise a national reconciliation conference planned for later this month. But that plan looked in jeopardy on Thursday as LNA forces took Gharyan, about 80 km (50 miles) south of the capital after skirmishes with forces allied to Tripoli-based, U.N.-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. From there, Haftar's forces moved north, first taking the village of Suq al-Khamis, about 40 km from Tripoli, after some fighting, a resident and an eastern military source said. Story continues Then on Friday, the LNA said it took the areas of Qasr ben Ghashir and Wadi al-Rabie on the southern outskirts of the capital, seizing the former Tripoli International Airport, which has been abandoned since a 2014 battle. SETBACK TO MEDIATION PLAN There was no independent confirmation of that, but a video posted online purportedly showed LNA fighters inside Qasr ben Ghashir suburb, which includes the airport. However, the Tripoli interior minister, Fathi Bashagha, later told Ahrar TV his forces had retaken the old airport while there were clashes in the Qasr ben Ghashir area. The LNA said it had lost five soldiers since Thursday. While the advance has looked fast, so far Haftar's force has mainly crossed sparsely-populated areas after taking Gharyan, the last town in the mountains before the road descends to a coastal plain. In 2014 battles for Tripoli, it took advancing fighters weeks to reach the city centre from the old airport as snipers bogged them down. Forces from Misrata, a city east of Tripoli, sent more reinforcements to defend Serraj, residents said. Major ministries are still 20 km away. Despite their gains, Haftar's forces failed to take a checkpoint about 30 km west of the capital in a bid to close the coastal road to Tunisia. An LNA-allied armed group withdrew overnight from so-called Gate 27, leaving it abandoned in the morning, a Reuters reporter said. And in another setback, forces allied to Tripoli took 145 LNA fighters prisoner in Zawiya, west of the capital, a western commander, Mohamed Alhudair, told Reuters. An LNA source confirmed 128 had been captured. Armed groups allied to the Tripoli government have moved more machinegun-mounted pickups from the coastal city of Misrata to Tripoli to defend it against Haftar's forces. The offensive is a setback for the United Nations and Western nations trying to mediate between Serraj, 59, who comes from a wealthy business family, and military veteran Haftar. They met in Abu Dhabi last month to discuss power-sharing. The United Nations wants to find agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the prolonged instability in Libya, an oil producer and transit point for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara with the aim of reaching Europe. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as a bulwark against Islamists and have supported him militarily, according to U.N. reports. The UAE, however, joined Western countries in expressing its deep concern about the fighting. Germany called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council due to the military escalation. Russia said it was not helping Haftar's forces and it supported a negotiated political settlement that ruled out any new bloodshed. Tunisia has tightened control on its border with Libya in response to the renewed conflict, the defence ministry said. Former colonial power Italy, which lies across the Mediterranean and has been a destination for migrants, was very worried, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said. "We need to throw water on the fire, not petrol on the fire. I hope that people, acting out of economic or business self-interest, are not looking for a military solution, which would be devastating," Salvini said. (Additional reporting by Hesham Hajali in Cairo; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Alison Williams and Andrew Cawthorne) UK asks for another short Brexit delay while the EU proposes something much longer European Council President Donald Tusk has proposed to allow the U.K. the flexibility to leave the EU whenever British lawmakers approve and ratify a deal within the 12-month period. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has officially asked the EU another short extension. A flurry of Brexit activity early Friday morning saw both the EU and the U.K. move to lengthen the current timetable for negotiations, reducing the prospect of Britain exiting the bloc without a deal. First, European Council President Donald Tusk proposed allowing the United Kingdom a 12-month "flexible" extension to leave the European Union , an EU source told CNBC. Tusk's proposal, first reported by the BBC, would allow the U.K. the flexibility to leave the EU whenever British lawmakers approve and ratify a deal within the 12-month period. However, leaders of the political and economic bloc would need to agree to Tusk's plan at a summit next week. Later on Friday morning, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May officially asked the EU another short extension. A letter from May to Tusk proposes an extension to June 30, which could be terminated early if a deal is agreed. The letter also mentioned preparations for the U.K. to hold EU elections in late May. Tweet 1 At the moment, the U.K. is scheduled to leave the EU on April 12 and will be the first country to leave the bloc. The process to take the U.K. officially out of the EU began two years ago, but has yet to be finalized. U.K. parliamentarians have so far rejected the deal that Prime Minister Theresa May negotiated with the EU three times. When asked about a possible extension, Germany Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "Hopefully, in the end we will have an agreement, because this is the best outcome for all the things that are going to happen." Bruno Le Maire, the French finance minister, said the U.K. needs to have a very good reason to ask for another extension. "If we are not able to understand the reason of why the U.K. is asking for an extension, we can't give a positive answer," he told CNBC's Silvia Amaro in Bucharest Friday, before May's letter was officially sent to Tusk. Story continues Softening in May's stance Experts now believe that the EU will probably accept the U.K.'s request for a further extension, in order to avoid a no-deal scenario which could cause widespread uncertainty for business. Kallum Pickering, a senior economist at Berenberg, says there's been a significant softening in May's stance in recent days, especially by accepting that the U.K. may need to hold European elections. Watch: Niall Ferguson: Brexit has turned into a student asking for a paper extension "Mrs May has opened the door to a possibly lengthy delay than can give the U.K. the time it needs to sort out its affairs and avoid a cliff-edge hard Brexit on 12 April 2019," he said in a research note. "Her letter also puts additional pressure on parliament to get its act together unless it wants the U.K. to take part in the EU elections and see Brexit delayed even further." Meanwhile, May has been speaking this week with the rival Labour party to try to push some sort of deal over the line. She is expected to write to opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to lay out her administration's offer on Brexit, the Guardian reported on Thursday. The letter would include a proposal to offer lawmakers the option to hold a referendum on any Brexit deal, the report said. CNBC's Silvia Amaro and Stevie Young contributed to this report. More From CNBC 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. After months of coaxing allies to issue a blanket ban against Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer Huawei, the United States has reportedly failed to convince other sovereign countries to fall in line. As Washington braces for a post-Huawei era, officials are finetuning Plan B to stay secure and fortify its technological resources to avert data siphoning. Setback for Plan A Over the past few months, the United States has extensively used its diplomatic channels to urge its allies to shun Huawei from their 5G wireless networks, citing security threat and espionage by the Chinese government. However, barring Australia, none of the federal countries have agreed to it despite the perceived risks. Ignoring the vociferous U.S. lobbying, the European Commission has also turned down its security advisory for a blanket ban and instead issued a series of its own cybersecurity recommendations across the member states of the EU. The Commission has urged the EU countries to assess the threats to 5G infrastructure in their national markets on an individual basis and accordingly take a decision. Even a NATO-affiliated research center report has ratified nuanced approaches instead of a blanket ban" by the member nations. Is the Caution Warranted? The United States has long suspected Huawei to be an extension of the Chinese government due to the close ties of its founder with the military. Incriminating documents revealing the supposed ties of Huawei with two obscure companies, using which, its CFO allegedly deceived international banks into clearing transactions (worth millions of dollars) with Iran despite U.S. economic sanctions, corroborated its suspicions. Huawei was also accused of trade secret theft at the behest of R&D team based in China by T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS. The fact that Huawei products are remarkably cheap owing to the huge subsidies by the Chinese government to undercut other 5G equipment manufacturers, such as Nokia Corporation NOK, Ericsson ERIC and Samsung Electronics, further evokes a feeling of mistrust. Jim Lewis, a cybersecurity expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, observed, the Chinese government is not paying hundreds of millions of dollars to build another countrys telecom infrastructure because they admire its cuisine. The implication of the vested interests surely warrants a caution among the U.S. policymakers. Moreover, the superfast 5G networks will facilitate the transfer of a larger pool of data, making them more vulnerable and prone to cyber theft. 5G is also likely to result in $12.3 trillion of global economic output by 2035 (per data from research firm IHS Markit). Critics contend that countries could go to any extent to gain a greater pie in this trillion-dollar market in order to have a political, economical and technological advantage. Backup Plan to the Rescue To avert such potential crisis, U.S. government officials are devising ways to better encrypt communications to thwart snooping attempts. In addition to robust communication networks through anti-spying mechanism tools, the Homeland Security Department has launched a supply chain initiative to secure the telecommunications and other key industry sectors. The Pentagon is also reportedly working on ways to segregate vital communications to eliminate the risks from compromised networks. However, such technical fixes are beyond the reach of several countries as they lack both the technological and financial capabilities and have to largely depend on the low-cost Huawei equipment for developing the 5G infrastructure. Consequently, the significance of the U.S. deterrence plan to combat the risks has increased manifold to stay secure in a post-Huawei era. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, wouldn't you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? From more than 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank, these 10 were picked by a process that consistently beats the market. Even during 2018 while the market dropped -5.2%, our Top 10s were up well into double-digits. And during bullish 2012 2017, they soared far above the market's +126.3%, reaching +181.9%. This year, the portfolio features a player that thrives on volatility, an AI comer, and a dynamic tech company that helps doctors deliver better patient outcomes at lower costs. See Stocks Today >> 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 T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period and we're tracking every last dollar. Calling all entrepreneurs: We want to hear from you! If youre a freelancer or self-employed, wed love to feature your Money Diary. Submit here. Today: an account manager working in social media marketing who makes $85,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on avocados. Occupation: Account Manager Industry: Social Media Marketing Age: 27 Location: Austin, TX Income: $85,000 average ($41,500 base, $1,500-$3,500 monthly commission, and $12,000 from my personal stylist side hustle) Full-Time Job Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,470, plus $2,000-3,000 in commission once a month. In 2018, my monthly commission average was $2,616. Part-Time Job Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $768 Monthly Expenses Rent: $2,700 Student Loans: $50 Car Payment: $370 Other Loans: $300 Netflix: $10 (My parents finally cancelled theirs, so I had to get my own, which was a terrible moment of growing up.) Car Insurance: $150 HBO: $15 Utilities: $60 Produce Delivery Box: $50, twice a month Renters Insurance: $15 Retirement: I contribute 3% (about $105/month), which is matched by my employer. Emergency Fund: $400ish each month. I had a rough year of unemployment and am slowly working to build this back up while still enjoying myself a bit. Day One 7:40 a.m. I woke up SO late today. I just moved, so I'm in that weird place where every part of my life feels so disorganized. I worked so hard for the past year to afford a gorgeous downtown apartment, and while it's a huge expense, I feel so incredible every time I walk through the door, and it always inspires me to work harder. But today I don't have time to relish the view. I quickly change and grab a Lyft Line for $6.20. (I have a monthly commuter stipend from work that covers this.) Story continues 12:15 p.m. I am catching up on work after taking a few days off last week my best friend, who I haven't seen in five years, was in town, and it coincided with my move, making everything so much fun, yet stressful. The work is piling up, so I plan out lots of overtime. I'm working through lunch, but I run to the grocery store across the street from my office and grab a pear and brie baguette seriously, these are addicting. $8.50 7 p.m. I'm SO exhausted. I come home after work and take an evening nap, which is so dangerous. My ex/current bae/best friend, C., (I know, it's a WHOLE THING) calls me, as he does every night lately. He asks if he can come over and have a fun dinner in my bougie new apartment, and I agree. We make shrimp tacos, and he tells me about some job interviews he's had. We have the best time together every time we hang out, but I am treading lightly. He helped me out with moving so much, despite me trying my best to be stubborn and do everything on my own, so I'm happy to share my groceries with him. We pass out around 11. Daily Total: $8.50 Day Two 6:30 a.m. I wake up on time today, shower, and get ready. C. lies in bed and wakes up slowly he works remotely and gets to set his hours. It's been wearing on him, though, so he is deep in the job search and has a few recruiter phone calls today. When I get out of the shower, I see he walked down the street and brought back breakfast tacos. The brisket and egg taco is phenomenal! I head to work feeling so happy and lucky. 3 p.m. C. texts to tell me how his calls went and thanks me for being so supportive right now. It's really sweet. I worked through lunch and a bit late again today, but I can tell my boss is happy to have me back. He is currently hiring for a new position in the company and has been talking to me about it for a few weeks now, so I send in my application. I am one of the only women on my team, and I wish there were more of us, but it just reminds me how much of a badass I am holding it down for the ladies. I'm also one of the youngest on my team, but we get along really well. I always make everyone laugh with my stories from the weekend. I head out for a quick break to buy snacks for the team they did a great job of covering for me last week, and we're in the middle of a huge busy season. $15.75 7:30 p.m. One of my favorite things about my new apartment is that I can walk to work I've found that walking home is the best way to decompress from my pretty high-stress role. Trader Joe's is about 100 yards from my building, which is dangerous and amazing. I'm super low on groceries due to the move, so I'm slowly stocking up. I grab avocados, salad mixes, flank steak, a bottle of rose, potstickers, and a ton of vegetables. I'm persuaded to grab a rose hand cream at checkout, and omg this stuff is amaaaaaazing. $74.85 11 p.m. I work on the side as a part-time stylist, and I have to log three hours today. It's so exhausting sometimes, especially on weeks like this where I have so much going on. I don't have internet set up yet at my new place (I've been on the phone with my internet company for over four hours throughout the week, which makes me feel great and wonderful and calm), but luckily there's a gorgeous lounge on our amenity floor with wifi. I let C. know I'll be working late and am exhausted, so he stays home. I hunker down and get to work, then pass out immediately. Daily Total: $90.60 Day Three 6:30 a.m. I get ready, walk to work, and talk myself out of buying a matcha latte on my way. I love passing by all of the gorgeous cafes on foot, but my expenses are so high right now with moving, and I'm trying to be more conscious where I can. I get to work and eat my Perfect Bar and an apple. We have coffee at work, so I drink that throughout the day. 2 p.m. I have to take a break from work to rush to my old apartment to officially check out today. It's so much farther away, so I remind myself how grateful I am for my new amazing location. The price is still giving me a bit of sticker shock, but I know the lifestyle changes will be worth it plus it saves me about 90 minutes of commuting each day. I stop to get gas on the way back to work. I'm so glad moving is just about over it seriously throws off my routine, and I just want to feel relaxed in my new place. $27 8 p.m. I collapse after work into another evening nap, and then tell myself I have GOT to stop this habit once I'm fully settled in. I'm able to drag myself to the gym for the first time in a week after the craziness, and it feels amazing. I do a bunch of weight lifting and end with stretching moving seriously wrecks your body! C. is out downtown getting dinner with friends, and he comes over afterwards. He brings me a box of amazing gourmet French fries because he knows I'll love them. I'm too lazy to make dinner, so I reheat the fries in the oven and open the rose. I don't have a couch right now, so we sit on my kitchen counter getting tipsy and laughing about our days. I take a quick candid pic on my phone of the rose and fries. I don't want to post it anywhere, I just have it to remember how special little moments like this are. We stay up late because we're having so much fun just talking I don't even have a TV or internet right now. I put in a load of laundry, and we pass out at 1. Daily Total: $27 Day Four 6 a.m. I wake up early so I can fit in an Olaplex treatment and a moisturizing sheet mask before work. I unpack more of the boxes in the kitchen because the clutter and disorganization has been giving me so much anxiety. My internet company is fiiiiiiinally working with me, but their only appointment is in the middle of the day today. C. volunteers to stay at my place and work here today so he can be here for the internet set-up. I tell him he can eat whatever food he wants, and I head off to work with another Perfect Bar. I think I might be hungry later in the afternoon, so I grab two I am literally addicted to them and have no intention of slowing down. 7:30 a.m. While I'm waiting for my Lyft Line (it's warm out, and I didn't want to walk and get sweaty), a homeless man asks me if I can help him get some breakfast. He's really sweet. I don't have cash, but by some miracle of the universe I added that extra bar to my bag, so I hand it to him. I text C. and he makes fun of me because he knows how addicted I am to those damn bars. 6 p.m. I work slightly less overtime today and walk home. I'm successfully able to avoid the siren song of extra snacks and wine at Trader Joe's. C. is still at my place, the internet is good to go, and he cleaned my entire kitchen, put the towels in the laundry, and made steak fajitas. This boy sure did make some mistakes in the past, but WOW. I melt into a puddle on the floor, but then quickly recover to enjoy the amazing fajitas. I crank out three more hours of styling tonight SO much easier being able to work in my own apartment! C. heads home to prepare for some early morning interviews, and I pass out around 1. Daily Total: $0 Day Five 10:30 a.m. It's the weekend! I sleep in so much later than usual due to everything I've had going on lately. I try not to beat myself up about it, and I make a slow breakfast of avocado toast. Then I head to Target for some new apartment necessities: a shower liner, some more hangers, and my favorite yogurt cups. I also treat myself to some nail polish and some extra sheet masks because #selfcare. $31.85 1 p.m. I hunker down to start the five hours of styling I have to do today. C. comes over somewhere in the middle, grabs us coffees, and we have a slow afternoon of getting work done. When I finish, we're both restless, so I persuade him to go for a run around the lake with me it's right outside my building and so beautiful. He's stubborn about it, but we both feel so great at the end. I make us one of my salad mixes for a snack when we get back, and then we stretch each other out. 10 p.m. C. planned a fun date night it's been a long time since we've done more than cook dinner at home or swing by a divey bar. He's buried in interviews, and I have more than enough on my plate with two jobs and a move. It feels great to do my hair and makeup fully for the first time in a while, and I wear a turtleneck/skirt/tall boots combo that I know he loves. There's this great movie theater downtown, and they have balcony seats where you have a love seat, total privacy, and your own waiter. This showing is a special presentation where comedians take over and make fun of the movie. C. bought the tickets, so I cover out food. We get lobster fondue, brie and Brussels sprouts pizza, loaded queso fries, and quite a few cocktails. I normally don't like to spend this much on one night out, but things have been going super well with us, so it feels worth celebrating. We agree to have a low budget day tomorrow. $85 Daily Total: $116.85 Day Six 10 a.m. We sleep in late due to the late showing and well, all of the alcohol. I wake up before C., unpack some boxes, and text back a few friends. It has been so hard to keep up with these little things with such a busy few weeks. I make plans for a few of my friends to come see the new place next week, and I can't wait. Then I start working because I have four hours of styling to get through today. C. wakes up, and I make us avocado toast with grilled jalapenos on top with apple slices and tahini on the side. We both get back to work. 4 p.m. We're stir crazy yet feeling productive after work, so we go for a walk around the lake. We've had random bursts of super cold days lately (thanks, Texas weather), but today is a gorgeous 80 degrees outside. We spend the walk talking about our goals for the week ahead and family drama we're both going through. I try to be super mindful about how thankful I am to have someone I can tell literally anything to. After the walk, we go to a yoga class to stretch out and release stress. I pay for us both. Once we get home, C. agrees to do the sheet masks with me and then we both relax and read books in bed while we moisturize. $20 9 p.m. I'm trying to stick to our "low spend day" agreement that we made, despite the fact that we're both craving tacos. I whip up guacamole, grilled chicken, and some random roasted vegetables with a tahini dip sauce. C. leaves and I spend some time doing more laundry and cleaning. I usually FaceTime with my parents every week, but we agree to skip it because I'm so booked right now. I end the night reading through emails for both jobs so I feel organized heading into the new week. Daily Total: $20 Day Seven 6:30 a.m. I cave and buy breakfast tacos on my walk to work one migas and one steak fajita with eggs. I tell myself (again) that once my routine normalizes more, I'll have a tighter grip on these random purchases. We'll see about that. $7.25 12 p.m. Work is so busy, but I'm trying to wean myself away from doing so much overtime, so I actually take a lunch break today. I meet up with coworkers and laugh about everything we've all been going through lately. I split a sushi roll with one of my friends, and we plan our next Girls Night happy hour. It's hard sometimes to coordinate schedules, but every time we get together, I feel so supported and loved. I haven't opened up to them yet about hanging out so much with C. I want to give it more time first. $7.25 6:30 p.m. I walk home and stop at CVS to grab some more things I'm out of: dry shampoo, mascara, and hair oil. I also pick up my birth control prescription and anti-depressants. My refills on this one are out, so I put a reminder in my phone to make an appointment with both my therapist and my doctor to discuss a refill or a different medication. I head home, get through another heavy workout, and knock out four hours of work before passing out at 1. I fall asleep to texts from C. asking me to come over tomorrow night to cook and watch reality TV. $21.75 Daily Total: $36.25 Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior. The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here. Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs We want to know: Did you pay for your engagement ring? Engagement rings are expensive, and these days, it isn't always practical to expect one person to pay for it. Below, we want to know: did you pay for your engagement ring? Or part of it? What was the process like? Fill out this form for a chance to be included in a story on our site. Were working on a story that takes a look at how real couples manage their money. We want to know how you navigate finances with your significant other. What irks you? What stresses you out? How do you feel about where things are at in your relationship? To be considered for an upcoming piece as a part of a special love and money package, please fill out this form. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? I'm An Aerospace Engineer & I Make $142K A Week In North Carolina On A $53,300 Salary Here's How To Answer Those Stressful Behavioral Interview Questions U.S. media are reporting that the United States will soon designate Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization, which would be the first time Washington has given that label to the military unit of another country. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, citing U.S. officials, reported on April 5 that that Washington could add the IRGC on its Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) list as early as April 8. The issue has been the subject of speculation for several years. The United States has designated the IRGCs external branch -- the Quds Force -- and a number of individuals and entities associated with the organization as terrorist, but not the IRGC as a whole. The IRGC has been involved in enforcing Islamic codes and crushing dissent at home, experts say, while taking part in covert operations, arms smuggling, and other efforts aimed at expanding Iran's influence abroad. It answers directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The WSJ said national-security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are strong proponents of the move, asserting that it would help Washington crack down on businesses in Europe and elsewhere controlled by the IRGC. But critics and some Pentagon officials have said the move could open U.S. military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly foreign governments. The WSJ said General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the CIA oppose the move, although there were no comments from either. A senior Iranian lawmaker said on April 6 that in response Iran may put the U.S. military on its own terror list. "If the Revolutionary Guards are placed on America's list of terrorist groups, we will put that country's military on the terror blacklist next to Daesh," Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the head of parliament's national security committee, said on Twitter, using an alternate name for the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. IRGC chief General Mohammad Ali Jafari made the same warningin 2017 when he said Tehran would "consider the American army to be like [the extremist group] Islamic State all around the world" if Washington blacklisted the IRGC. At the time, Iranian President Hassan Rohani said that a blacklisting of the IRGC would be a "mistake beyond mistake." The WSJ quoted Jason Blazakis, who served until last year as director of the State Departments Counterterrorism Finance and Designations Office, as saying that the designation of IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization [FTO] is precedent-setting. Never before has the FTO sanctions tool been directed at a state body. The future ramifications of this decision will be profound, he said. The IRGC has a force of some 100,000 personnel and runs Tehrans ballistic missile programs, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has said. The IRGCs powerful Quds Force, which conducts foreign operations in the Middle East, has arranged weapons deliveries and advised pro-Iranian militias in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere. Last October, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain -- both bitter rivals of Iran -- added the IRGC and senior officers from the Quds Force to their lists of people and organizations suspected of involvement in terrorism. Saudi security services said Qassem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC Quds Force, was on the list together with Quds Force officers Hamed Abdollahi and Abdul Reza Shahlai. In 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the three amid allegations that Soleimani, Abdollahi, and Shahlai were linked to a failed plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia's former ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir. Iran at the time dismissed the accusations as false and demanded an apology from Washington. With reporting by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters Afghan officials say hundreds of Taliban militants stormed a district in the northwestern province of Badghis, killing dozens of government soldiers and police. Waris Sherzad, the district governor of Bala Murghab, said at least 30 security personnel have been killed since the Taliban launched the attack late on April 3. He said fighting was ongoing. Abdul Aziz Baig, head of the Badghis provincial council, said Taliban fighters captured several security checkpoints outside the government headquarters in Bala Murghab. He said only the district police headquarters and a base of the Afghan National Army remained in the control of the government. The Defense Ministry said in a statement late on April 4 that government forces chose to "tactically retreat" from the checkpoints to prevent civilian casualties. The ministry said it called in multiple air strikes on Taliban positions. Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi said the militant group attacked from four directions, capturing five checkpoints. The attack comes less than three weeks after 50 government soldiers were killed during a weeklong battle in Bala Murghab. Nazari said 100 Afghan soldiers fled their posts and tried to cross into neighboring Turkmenistan during the battle in mid-March. Many were captured by Taliban fighters after Turkmen government forces prevented them from crossing the border safely into Turkmenistan's territory. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa The U.S. envoy seeking a peace deal with the Taliban to end nearly 18 years of war in Afghanistan has arrived for talks in neighboring Pakistan. Zalmay Khalilzad met on April 5 with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who "reiterated Pakistan's commitment to the peace process," a Foreign Ministry statement said. Pakistan, which Washington and Kabul have long accused of harboring the Taliban leadership, is seen as playing a key role in securing a peace agreement. Khalilzad is also expected to hold meetings with Pakistans top civilian and military leaders during his visit. The veteran, Afghan-born diplomat has been shuttling back and forth to the region in a bid to garner support for a peace deal. Khalilzad has held several rounds of talks with Taliban negotiators in Qatar, saying after the latest rounds of talks in March that the sides had made "real strides." Before his Pakistan trip, Khalilzad visited Britain, Belgium, and Afghanistan. He is expected to travel to Uzbekistan and Jordan before an expected new round of talks with the Taliban in Qatar's capital, Doha, reportedly due to begin in mid-April. Based on reporting by AFP and dpa 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. Colorado is one of many states that have more adults registered as unaffiliated, or independent, than are registered in either of the two traditional parties. Alaska leads in this category with over 50 percent independents. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have close to 50 percent. New Hampshire and New Jersey have about 42 percent registered independents. Colorado is next with about 39 percent. Connecticut, Iowa and Maine come in close behind Colorado. For the record, as of April 1, 2019, Colorado has 39.3 percent active registered unaffiliated voters, 31.1 percent active registered Democrats, and 29.6 percent active registered Republicans. In only about half of the 50 states are people asked to register their party affiliation. In the other half, independent voters are identified by polling. Along with a number of other states, Colorado has gradually but steadily shifted toward independent affiliation over the past two generations. At the same time, Americans have developed more negative views of the two political parties, especially for what they believe is, for them, the opposition party. The general pattern in Colorado in recent years has been for the percentage of unaffiliated registered voters to go up, the percentage of Democratic registration to hold steady, and the percentage of Republican registration to decline. Just who are these unaffiliated (independent) voters? Throughout the nation, about 40 percent describe themselves as independents while 31 percent say they are Democrats and 27 percent call themselves Republicans. Note these figures are strikingly close with the ones we just gave you for Colorado. Scholars and analysts agree that about 75 percent of the so-called independents should more accurately be called leaners. When prodded, independents admit to regularly voting for one of the two major parties. How do we define a Democratic or Republican leaner? This is a voter who might deliberately register independent or unaffiliated and, in addition, might proudly call themselves an independent, yet they are more likely than not to vote for the same party election after election. This could be, for example, in three out of four presidential elections. Or they could vote for three-quarters of the partys ballot nominees over the course of a few state elections. Some researchers find that maybe only 10 percent to 20 percent of those calling themselves independent are so decidedly independent that they are regularly hopscotching between the two parties and have no loyalty to either. Those who view themselves as independents include a diverse group. Surveys by the Pew Research Center and others show they are younger, less interested in politics, somewhat less informed, more moderate on ideological issues and more likely to listen to the appeals of third-party candidates. There also are studies that show unaffiliated voters are less likely to vote regularly. When they do vote, they make up their minds much closer to Election Day than do Democrats and Republicans. Many independents say they are turned off by the bickering and stalemates between the two major parties that prevent progress on issues such as building roads and highway or reforming our immigration system. New independents include some former Democrats like Starbucks recently retired president Howard Schultz, who laments that too many voices in the Democratic Party are going too far to the left. He sees the greatest threat as the soaring national debt. He implies that is even more important than climate change or inequality. Then there are not a few former Republicans who are embarrassed by President Donald Trumps attitude toward Russia and dictators and his seeming tolerance of white supremacists. All of us know conservatives who no longer call themselves Republicans and social liberals who worry that the Democratic Party is promising far more in social welfare programs than it can pay for and deliver. The question is: Where can these unaffiliated people go politically? The answer is hard to provide. The pollster Peter Hart says some of the appeal of describing oneself as independent is because we all like to believe we are our own free agent and that, like a good umpire, we call them as we see them and are not prejudiced by special interests or political party ideology. Are unaffiliated voters predominantly moderate in their politics? They are more likely to describe themselves as moderate but not in a marked way. There are plenty of moderates who consider themselves conservative or liberal. The key point is that describing yourself as an independent and considering yourself a moderate are not exactly the same thing. Here are a few of the realities about independents that need to be kept in mind as the 2020 elections approach: 1. Those who call themselves independents do not have enough in common to develop a viable third party. Thus it will be unlikely for Howard Schultz or someone like him to unite those who call themselves independents and win the White House. 2. Most independents are only slightly disguised partisans. 3. Few independents win elections. Alaska had an independent governor recently and Maine has an independent U.S. senator and a handful of independent state legislators. Alaska, Vermont, and New Hampshire have also been states electing a few independent state legislators. 4. Donald Trumps job approval ratings during his first two years were more polarized along party lines than any president in recent times. He has won consistently high approval from regular Republicans at the 85 percent rate or higher. But his job ratings among independents are at 34 percent, lower than his recent predecessors. 5. Independents are more aligned with Democrats on two social issues same-sex marriage and the legalization of marijuana. Democrats favored gay marriage by 73 percent, as did 70 percent of independents. In contrast, just 40 percent of Republicans say they support same-sex marriage. Similarly, on marijuana, Democrats and independent voters support legalization by an identical 68 percent, while 51 percent of Republicans oppose it. 6. Independents who lean Republican have grown more conservative in recent years, and those who lean Democratic have grown more liberal. 7. Overall, there is a growing distance between the political parties. Democrats are more disapproving of Republicans than they used to be and vice versa. Back in 1994, for example, about a third of Americans had a favorable attitude toward both parties. That is down to 12 percent. 8. There are few signs our party divisiveness is likely to subside. More people view political issues and government challenges through a partisan lens. We may be seeing an increase in registered unaffiliated voters and self-described independents yet this should not be interpreted as a rise in moderates or a move toward some common ground. At least for the immediate future, we will have to live with the existing party system and the increased nastiness in partisan sniping. Those of us who are older are feeling great nostalgia for Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the recently deceased John McCain. These stalwarts seemed to bridge the partisan divide better than most of our current leaders. Tom Cronin and Bob Loevy are political scientists at Colorado College. Neil Armstrong called it the onward code. It was a way of living that drove a person always forward toward the new challenge and the next horizon. It was a code, historian Douglas Brinkley believes, inspired by President John Kennedys New Frontier, blending adventure, curiosity, big technology, cutting-edge science, global prestige, American exceptionalism, and a constant quest to renew the Western frontier spirit. In his new book, American Moonshot, Brinkley argues that the exploration of space continued the grand tradition that began with Christopher Columbus and flowed through Americas westward expansion, through the invention of the electric light, the telephone, the airplane and automobile and atomic power, all the way to the creation of NASA in 1958 and the launch of the Mercury missions that took the first Americans into space. That same pioneer spirit drove Armstrong from naval aviator in the Korean War to research pilot in California pioneering high-speed jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders, to NASA astronaut in Florida who, 50 years ago this summer, became the first man to walk the moon. It is in the afterglow of that improbable moonshot that the Space Symposium opens this week at The Broadmoor hotel. The relentless commitment of the country to land a man on the moon teed up the very technology-based economy that draws thousands of space-addled engineers, entrepreneurs and military experts to our city this week. Hundreds of technological capabilities that will be on display at the symposium were unfurled during the Apollo space mission: next-generation computer innovations, virtual reality devices, advanced satellite television, medical imaging, weather forecasting gear, even cordless power tools. In 1969, James Reston of the New York Times put it this way: The great achievement of the men on the moon is not only that they made history, but that they expanded mans vision of what history might be. Those were the days when all of us young boys wanted to be astronauts, and America led the world in public discovery. We were a spacefaring nation suddenly, putting aside our arguments about Vietnam and the cultural upheavals of the 1960s to look up at the sky. More than any other annual national gathering, the Space Symposium keeps that onward spirit alive, keeps us looking up. The moon landing will be a major theme of the symposium, punctuated by visits from Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom Stafford, who flew two Gemini missions and commanded Apollo 10 and the first U.S.-Soviet Union space mission, reporter Wayne Heilman writes in the Business section today. Lockheed Martins full-scale lunar habitat will be one of the dont-miss attractions. A second space age driven by private sector space barons Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Paul Allen has supplanted that first space race between America and Russia. Now its the entrepreneurs and private innovators, many of whom will be in town this week, who are capturing the countrys imagination in their quests to put everyday citizens into space, and someday shuttle them all the way to Mars. Why do so many people come to the symposium 50 years after that moonshot? To network and hobnob and sign contracts and shop their wares, sure. But theres another, more romantic reason people gather in this Western outpost, and I would argue it is the same reason we once went to the moon and continue to reach for the stars. Because going to space gives us a unifying national purpose, it serves to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, one which we intend to win as Kennedy put it in his 1963 vow we would go to the moon by the end of the decade. We go to space not because it is easy, he said, but because it is hard. Ive always marveled that the average age of the engineers and technicians and test pilots who ran the Apollo mission down in Houston was 26. They were too young to realize that what they were doing was impossible. For moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, who I hope to meet here this week, the lunar challenge did nothing less amid a year of turmoil than reaffirm that the American dream was still possible. In this 50th anniversary moonshot year, lets give the American dreamers at our symposium an especially warm welcome, and bid them lead us all in the continuing quest to live out Armstrongs code: Onward. Neon-clad dancers will greet rocket scientists, space experts and military brass Monday night in the opening ceremony as the Space Symposium kicks off its 35th year in Colorado Springs. But the bulk of attendees during the symposiums four-day run at The Broadmoor are looking forward to answers Tuesday, when leaders from acting Defense Department Secretary Patrick Shanahan to four-star generals will talk about the militarys future in orbit. Any answers we can get would be much appreciated, Colorado Springs Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn said Friday. There are basic questions. Will President Donald Trumps proposed Space Force launch? Where will its headquarters be? How will the Space Force change what the military is doing above the planet? To answer some questions the Pentagon is offering up Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Air Force chief Gen. David Goldfein and Space Commands Gen. Jay Raymond. In Colorado, politicians are worrying about the where question. Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Nebraska are among the states that are making a push to house the new Space Force and U.S. Space Command Colorado U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, and Cory Gardner, a Republican, are lobbying to keep the militarys space enterprise based here. Colorado is the epicenter of national security space and is the exact right place for critical discussions to take place on U.S. space policy, Bennet spokeswoman Shannon Beckham said in an email. Colorados missions and assets are essential to ensuring U.S. space superiority in the face of transforming threats. Colorado is also the prime location to reestablish the U.S. Space Command, and Michael will keep leading the charge to make that happen. Gardner is equally enthusiastic about keeping space operations in the shadow of Pikes Peak. Colorado has a long history of supporting our nations civilian and military space operations, and our state is uniquely positioned to house the reestablished U.S. Space Command headquarters, Gardner said in an email. The Air Force has kept its top space operations in Colorado since the 1980s. Peterson Air Force Base was home to U.S. Space Command until it was shuttered in a 2002 reorganization and has remained home to Air Force Space Command, the militarys top space headquarters now. The states prospects were buoyed last month when President Donald Trump announced that the new version of U.S. Space Command would get its start at Peterson, with Raymond, who now heads Air Force Space Command, as the boss. The new command puts the space efforts of all military branches under a single boss, and could pave the way for a separate service branch for space, which still faces an uncertain future in Congress. Lamborn said the military has spent billions of dollars to create space-supporting infrastructure in Colorado Springs. If we want U.S. Space Command to be built quickly cheaply, it must be built here, said Lamborn, who sits in the top GOP spot on the readiness panel of the House Armed Services Committee. But behind the battles over real estate, there are real questions about military missions in space, which has become a likely first battleground of any future war. Those concerns were highlighted last month with a successful anti-satellite test by India, which left a cloud of debris in orbit that could impact U.S. missions. Americas rivals are doing everything they can to be more powerful in space, Lamborn said. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Marty France, who headed the Air Force Academys satellite program and served as a top Pentagon adviser on space issues, said the India test demonstrates the hotly contested theater that space has become for military leaders. France said he has one big question for the brass who will grace the symposiums main stage Tuesday: What are we doing to not only improve our space situation awareness, but to dissuade people from doing stupid things in space? Colorado Springs has been the place where military brass have fretted war in space for years. It has been a hot topic of discussion at the symposium since 2007, when space leaders gathered here while pondering a Chinese anti-satellite test that also resulted in a massive orbiting cloud of debris. In recent years, Air Force Space Command has sounded more alarm bells as Russia has stepped up its orbital efforts. The ultrasecret National Space Defense Center established in 2015 at Schriever Air Force Base brings together military and intelligence agency experts to plan for and deal with enemy moves in space. That change came with a realization that America can no longer fight wars without its fleet of satellites for communications, navigation and intelligence. Yet, a top Air Force Space Command general this year told a Colorado Springs crowd that the Air Forces treatment of satellites to date is like leaving a Ferrari in a crowded parking lot with the keys in the ignition. The Trump administration says having a Space Force will increase the militarys capabilities in orbit by giving satellites and other systems a tighter focus. While the president has ordered the Pentagon to clear the path for creation of Space Force, the final decision rests with Congress. Lamborn says theres a growing consensus among lawmakers that military space efforts need a tighter focus and more money. Our space warfighters need to be ready, he said. But, with Democrats in control of the House and the GOP running the Senate, some lawmakers say getting a Pentagon budget passed this year looks like an insurmountable challenge even without arguments over a new service branch. And some leading Democrats oppose the new service. France said its unclear whether creating a military branch for space will make American satellites safer. Does it help us answer those questions? France asked. If it doesnt, were just spending billions of dollars in bureaucracy. Contact Tom Roeder: 636-0240 Twitter: @xroederx 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 Gov. Jared Polis should veto Senate Bill 181, which threatens to hurt Colorado's economy with excessive regulations of oil and gas production. During the lucid moments, when she was out of meds and walking the streets of Colorado Springs for days and nights on end, too afraid to sleep, Cait Pfeifer would often ponder the seemingly random domino fall that brought her down. Born to a solidly middle-class family, shed had a healthy childhood and incredible, loving and devoted parents who valued education and encouraged advocacy. But, as a young teen, she was sexually molested and suffered a breakdown that led to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and PTSD. She fought her way back with the help of her parents, doctors and medications, and by her mid-20s, she was working as a consultant and pursuing her second masters degree. It took just months, and a cascade of health and life misfortunes, to wipe out all that progress. The girl whod been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, who at 25 was not only managing her illness but launching a career and planning a startup, found herself homeless, sick and running out of hope. I was cold and hungry and so afraid. I did spend a lot of time out there, walking and thinking, trying to blame one person, Pfeifer said. Sometimes Id blame myself, and it would really weigh heavy on my shoulders that I did this. Sometimes it was the ripple effect and that theres this overall system here that really let this happen. And if it could happen to her, she reasoned as she trod alone and terrified, it really could happen to anyone. So many people with depression and anxiety dont reach out because theyre embarrassed, ashamed or lonely. When they do, we should be doing everything we can to help them. And were not. Karen Fallahi, Depression and Biopolar Support Alliance Despite 300 annual days of sun, a booming economy and an unparalleled reputation for physical fitness, Colorados residents rank among the most mentally ill people in the country. Its estimated that about 20 percent of the states adult population about 832,000 people is living with some kind of mental health condition, according to a 2019 report from Mental Health America, and nearly 450,000 of them arent being treated for that illness. That singular crisis lies at the root of so many others: homelessness, poverty, substance abuse and violence, as well as harrowing episodes of personal and family ruin. Colorados efforts to make health care effective, accessible and affordable have been inconsistent at best and a failure at worst. Scores of interviews by The Gazette with mental health experts, counselors and people struggling with mental health diagnoses and their families revealed: Hospital emergency rooms have become the primary first stop for mental health crises in Colorado, in large part due to a lack of accessible providers. Across the state, mental health crises resulted in more than 112,000 emergency room visits and 11,600 inpatient hospital stays over a recent 12-month span, the Colorado Hospital Association reported. Pikes Peak region children who require inpatient mental health care are routinely sent hours away to clinics elsewhere in the state because there arent enough open psychiatric beds locally to meet their needs. Whats more, Colorado children are routinely transferred by expensive ambulance or airplane trips to institutions in other states because of a lack of in-state beds, according to Childrens Hospital Colorado. Many people simply cant pay for mental health care, and a decade of attempts by state and national lawmakers to make that care more affordable and accessible still precludes thousands. More often than not, the destination for those who fall through the wide cracks is the criminal justice system. More than one-third of all prison inmates have moderate to critical mental health needs a far higher rate than that of society as a whole. More than half a century after the deinstitutionalization movement began in the 1960s, jails and state prisons have effectively become warehouses for the mentally ill. For a time this year, demand for beds led the states psychiatric hospital system to temporarily freeze all new admissions of patients who werent already facing criminal charges. The freeze ended in February, with the state opting instead to pay what could be millions of dollars in fines. Residents who arent inmates and seek treatment often are forced to navigate a system so confusing and costly it can be overwhelming for those facing it in an emotionally stable state. It is a ruthless cycle, said Sgt. Jason Garrett, a negotiator who leads crisis training for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. And it destroys families. It destroys the people. Even the suggestion of a coherent mental health system is a fallacy, experts say. Heidi Baskfield, vice president of population health and advocacy at Childrens Hospital, points out, for example, that the states system for juveniles does not interface with adult care. At 18, the mentally ill child ages out. There really is not a mental health system in Colorado, said Nancy VanDeMark, interim president and CEO of Mental Health Colorado and former director of the states Office of Behavioral Health. Especially if we think of mental health as including substance use services. The problem is they emptied out the hospitals, but they didnt always have the support that the person needed to be able to live in the community. Carl Clark, president and CEO of Mental Health Center of Denver To understand mental health care today is to go back more than 60 years, to a time when care was centralized in large state institutions rife with abuse. Patients were severely stigmatized. President John F. Kennedy sought to change that, spurring a movement that promised better care and less stigma, with people seeking treatment in their communities while living at home and managing their symptoms with new and game-changing psychiatric drugs. But the money to fully realize that dream of transforming care never followed, advocates say. Outpatient and community-based treatment centers never received enough funding to become viable options for the tens of thousands nationally packed behind hospital walls. The results were predictable. In 1961, more than 6,100 people were treated at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, a state psychiatric hospital that more closely resembled a village, with 75 buildings spread across a 300-acre compound and a 5,000-acre dairy farm. Over the next five decades, the number of patients there dropped more than 90 percent. By 2008, that number had dwindled to fewer than 500 people. By the numbers View more statistics on mental health treatment throughout Colorado The history is clear: Without a robust system to ensure the mentally ill received care upon their release from the sprawling state hospitals, many ultimately were swept into the criminal justice system. Today, roughly one-third of imprisoned men in Colorado and four out of every five women inmates say they have some type of moderate to critical mental health need, according to the Colorado Department of Corrections. State prisons house 13 times more mentally ill people than do the states psychiatric hospitals, though not all prisoners require such high levels of care. We just switched institutions, said Clark, of the Mental Health Care Center of Denver and a decadeslong practitioner in the state. We went from asylum care to prison care. Thats the nature of mental illness. Its like the universe knows youre sick and your plate just piles up with a bunch of stuff. Cait Pfeifer For someone living with a mental health diagnosis or mood disorder, the line between thriving and crisis can seem like a fine one. For Pfeifer, whos now 32, the tumble into despair began in 2013, when she learned shed be aging out of the insurance coverage shed had through her fathers policy. At the last minute, Pfeifers parents were able to get a temporary emergency extension to the coverage, but that adjustment came with a new doctor who wanted to change her medications and get her off lithium, which is the only drug Pfeifer says has ever successfully managed the dramatic mood swings that are a symptom of bipolar disorder. Pfeifer started rationing her pills, and thats when things got very scary, very quick. I was trying to apply for Medicaid for working adults with disabilities but nobody was really helpful in terms of how do you get this insurance. All my phone calls were unreturned, Pfeifer said. And I didnt know what I was doing. Nobody prepares you for this. She accepted a job in California with the hope of restarting her life, and her treatment, after the move. But then came a battle with hypomania brought on by the opiates prescribed in the wake of elbow surgery. And then the job in California fell through. Too ashamed to skulk back to her parents for help, Pfeifer stayed in hotels until her money ran out. She moved to a shelter but lost that bed after an emergency room visit led to a two-week stay at Cedar Springs Hospital. A 4-month odyssey, living in shelters and on the streets, came to an end after a nine-week inpatient stay at Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, during which Pfeifer reconnected with her parents and rediscovered her voice. Were down and out, were exhausted, were sick, and the onus is on us to shout louder than ever to get the care, respect and dignity we deserve, said Pfeifer, whos now back on her feet and her meds and happily married to Nick, who also serves as her in-home caregiver. Need help or support? View a list of resources for mental health care services in Colorado Springs Most people arent like me, and they give up, or turn to suicide, addictions or chronic homelessness. The cycles of social illness are pervasive and keep the mentally ill both disenfranchised and chronically sick. Every community that we go to identifies mental health or behavioral health as one of the top health-related challenges that they are dealing with. Jeff Bontrager, director of research and evaluation, Colorado Health Institute Pfeifer was one of the lucky ones: able to access help and survive the moments, days and weeks when help was out of reach. In a single hour manning the phone on a mid-February afternoon, Karen Fallahi took two calls from Springs residents hoping the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance could connect them with a local psychiatrist for an emergency appointment. One caller was a woman, in the depths of depression and desperate for an alternative because her usual provider couldnt fit her in until late May. Fallahi gave the woman names and numbers for five local psychiatrists who accept Medicare. Hopefully they will be able to fit her in but you cant just call a therapist and get an appointment. Theyre all booked up, Fallahi said. What does that lady do between now and May, if no one can get her in? On paper, Colorado ranks well for residents ability to access care, coming in 10th among the states in the recent Mental Health America report. Thats due, in part, to the states rock-bottom uninsured rate of 6.5 percent. But the challenges described to The Gazette in a wide range of interviews also show that such rankings can be deceiving. About 382,000 Coloradans living with mental illness said they couldnt get the treatment they needed, according to the 2017 Colorado Health Access Survey by the Colorado Health Institute. Its not that Colorado is doing a good job, period its just that there are so many other states that are doing a worse job, said Theresa Nguyen, Mental Health Americas vice president of policy and programs. In addition to the states discouraging statistics about those who suffer from mental health issues, 67,000 more people reported an inability to get the substance abuse services they need. Colorado had 560 opioid-related deaths last year, 92 of them in El Paso County, as part of a national epidemic involving prescription painkiller and heroin use. That, combined with a rise in methamphetamine deaths, pushed Colorados drug fatalities above 1,000 in 2017 for the first time on record. To Ted Ulibarri, substance abuse is a feeder, and outcome, of the failures in mental health care. What comes first, the chicken or the egg? The trauma or the substance abuse? We need to focus on the individual struggling with addiction and mental illness in their families, and their families need just as much support as the individual, said Ulibarri, an addiction counselor and clinical supervisor at Rocky Mountain Behavioral Health in Canon City. If we as treatment providers, medical and mental health, if we cant all get together and work on this together, were going to lose this battle. Half the states population lives in areas without enough mental health care providers, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health Workforce. Forty-nine of Colorados 64 counties do not have a single mental health inpatient bed as of 2017. One reason Colorado has so many mental health care deserts, even in its cities, is because insurance reimbursement rates for behavioral appointments typically pay less than treatments for physical ailments, experts say. That means new psychiatrists and therapists can still expect loads of student debt but less income to help pay it off. In my case, I used my military GI bill but a lot of my peers are going to be in $80,000 worth of debt, said Mari Moxley, a clinical social worker and volunteer with Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention. Theyre not lawyers, who can do pro bono work. They cannot get out of school and offer free counseling. A stigma, it seems, still looms not just over those with mental health diagnoses but over the industry itself. Mental health isnt valued, and social services arent valued, at all, in our culture. So what theyre experiencing is the cause and effect of a cultural problem, Moxley said. Coverage is good. Now we need to work more on access. Nancy VanDeMark, Mental Health Colorado Even when insurance covers treatment, it often does so at only a fraction of the actual and practical costs. When Daleth McCoys then- 8-year-old daughter, Emma, began throwing herself down the stairs and off the top of her bunk bed, McCoy knew there was more going on than the autism Emma had been diagnosed with as a toddler. A third trip to the emergency room at Childrens Hospital in Aurora, and a 24-hour suicide watch, led to eight days of inpatient treatment for Emma in the hospitals Neuropsychiatric Special Care unit, which serves children up to age 18 who have autism spectrum disorders and neurodevelopmental disabilities, in addition to medical or psychiatric conditions. Emma then transitioned to the Aurora hospitals outpatient therapeutic program, the only location in a five-state radius offering such treatment. It meant a 160-mile daily commute and temporary leave of absence for McCoy, who had just finished her masters degree and was working part time for the Fountain-Fort Carson School District. Like a growing number of people, McCoy turned to GoFundMe, a fundraising website. If you have a child who has to be inpatient, like Emma has, obviously you cant work at the same time and theres no not doing it. Its not elective, said McCoy, whose daughter is now 11. Going three weeks with no pay is really impacting when youre living month to month. We didnt have any savings, and that GoFundMe account allowed us to pay for those trips and also make our car payment and not have the electric cut off at home. For many families, when moneys tight and insurance doesnt pay or doesnt pay enough mental health treatment is a luxury. My family has had a lot of hard financial situations, so when you need therapy, its the cost, how many times, can insurance cover it, all of that, said 17-year-old Karolina Vida, a student at Pikes Peak Community College. It became, like, You can only go to therapy if we have the resources for it. We will not pay if insurance doesnt cover all of it. It was really hard, and I know a lot of teenagers out there who need therapy cant get it. Health policy experts say laws designed to make sure insurance companies adequately cover therapy and other mental services have yet to fill gaping holes in many consumers plans private insurance or government-sponsored coverage. Called parity laws, they are meant to ensure that behavioral health benefits are covered at the same level as physical benefits. But protections still aren't mandatory for Medicare or half of all employer-based plans specifically, plans offered by large companies that insure themselves. And the issue is especially pressing for substance abuse coverage. A study by the Seattle-based actuarial firm Milliman found that mental health professionals receive 30 percent less from insurers than other health care providers. Also, patients in Colorado are forced to go out of network for mental health and addiction treatment seven times more often than for physical care, according to Mental Health Colorado. Enforcement of the parity laws appears to be severely lacking, said Jalyn Ingalls, a policy analyst with the Colorado Health Institute. Rather, the onus is on people needing care even if theyre psychotic or in a crisis to make sure their insurance company is following the rules. Theres a lot of research showing that people arent necessarily willing to do that, Ingalls said. They just want to get treatment and figure out how to get better. Theyre not thinking Oh, my insurance company isnt doing this for me; were going to file a lawsuit. Thats the whole other side of the work that were doing from the education and awareness piece of it changing the way people view and think about and see mental health. Jarrod Hindman, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Even the man in charge of the Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Behavioral Health admits: We could do better. There are many components of our system that work well, said Robert Werthwein, the agencys director. The bigger question is do they work well together. And the goal really needs to be that every Coloradan gets the behavioral health services they need. Im not sure thats happening today. And I think its time for us for everybody to sort of reevaluate the system as a whole. Still, state officials say there are glimmers of hope amid this crisis. Reeling after the mass shooting at an Aurora theater in summer 2012, Gov. John Hickenlooper and lawmakers set aside $20 million to create the states first crisis response network for people in a mental health emergency. The system included the establishment of a crisis hotline, for people to speak with someone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Eleven walk-in centers called Crisis Stabilization Units opened up and down the Front Range, along with one in Grand Junction and two in Alamosa allowing people in crisis to connect with a mental health provider and talk through a problem, get a referral to a therapist or submit to a 72-hour emergency hold at a psychiatric hospital. Two of the centers are in Colorado Springs. And in some jurisdictions, small teams of law enforcement officers and mental health professionals were formed to respond to 911 calls fueled by a person having a psychotic breakdown. The goal: respond in a more empathetic and understanding way, rather than escalate the situation into a shootout. The money for those programs has steadily grown, topping $31 million this year. The new emergency programs have been busy. In a one-year span that ended June 30, 2018, more than 163,000 people 448 a day called, texted or messaged the states 24/7 crisis hotline and support line. Walk-in centers across the state saw more than 31,200 visits during that time nearly 40 percent of which came in Colorado Springs and southern Colorado. And those mobile law enforcement teams responded nearly 25,600 times to people in crisis throughout the state, or 70 times a day. Other state agencies are working to keep people from disintegrating into crisis in the first place. A few years ago, Colorado used a $65 million federal grant to place more psychiatrists and behavioral health specialists in the offices of family doctors across the state in a bid to better coordinate physical and mental health care. The goal: help doctors catch mental health issues early, during patients annual physicals, for example, or treat them more holistically whenever they have a major medical issue one that often has an underlying mental condition to blame. In late March, lawmakers in Denver introduced legislation that would crack down on insurers that skimp on behavioral health benefits. And in March, after facing a lawsuit by a Denver-area nonprofit, the Colorado Department of Human Services agreed to reform its evaluation and treatment of criminal defendants who are mentally unfit to stand trial in a bid to keep them from languishing in county jails. Hindman of the state's Health Department said Colorado and states across the nation can do a better job of addressing mental health concerns when they first start. So often, people are proactive about their weight, heart disease and diabetes, exercising more, reducing their cholesterol intake and limiting sugary foods. But that same preventative mindset has yet to become mainstream for addressing mental health concerns. The mental health field needs to shift some of its focus to the preventative framework, just like health care has, said Hindman, who oversees the CDPHEs suicide prevention efforts. Obesity prevention, heart disease prevention, primary care is so hyper-focused in a good way on what are the things you could do now to prevent negative outcomes later. We havent done that as much in the mental health field. When you call different facilities theyre going to list off for you all these great things that are available. The challenge is: Go ahead and access those things and see how easy it is. Cassandra Walton For people like Cassandra Walton, the ideal of easy access to care remains out of reach. The day she saved her daughters life completely by chance burns in her mind. Walton was forgetful that day a couple of years ago leaving something behind on her way to work, forcing her to turn around and head back home. But when she walked inside, she interrupted her daughters first suicide attempt. At first, the girl tried hiding it. But later that day, she admitted to the attempt. I said that I was so glad that she didnt do it, Walton said. And I was so grateful that she was still with us and that I had found her alive when I came home. Walton was among the lucky ones able to save her daughter, a mere 12 years old, before it was too late. Far too often, the consequences of Colorados disjointed behavioral health care system are deadly. Colorados suicide rate was ninth highest in the nation in 2017 a rate that has slowly been on the rise over at least the past 15 years. Unlike in other areas of the state, including the Denver metro area, suicides in El Paso County have nearly doubled over the past decade. More people have killed themselves in El Paso County from 2004 through 2017 than any other county in the state, and the numbers arent even close. In that time, 1,785 people completed suicide here 384 more people than Denver County, despite similar population numbers. Roughly once every other day, someone intentionally kills themselves in this region. Such completed suicides routinely account for more deaths every year than automotive crashes and homicides combined. However, the people who killed themselves here arent much different by demography or method than those elsewhere in the state. About three-quarters of that death toll were men, and slightly more than half of the people who died here used firearms both similar to state averages. Where a difference emerges is their ages. The people who kill themselves in El Paso County are generally younger than those in the rest of the state, and the county exceeds the state average in people ages 15 to 35 who died. In the 15 years, 24 of them were ages 10-14 years old. And 118 of them were ages 15-19. It has to be a real thing that is actually accessed by someone under stress. Because just imagine being a parent whos working, probably raising more than one kid, and one of their kids is in this situation. It has to be more user-friendly. Cassandra Walton When the moment of crisis does happen, trying to get help can be frustratingly difficult. For those who need inpatient treatment, there are too few psychiatric beds in the Pikes Peak region and across Colorado. The first time Michelle Kemps daughter voiced suicidal thoughts, the girl was sent to a facility in Westminster, north of Denver and 80 miles away. The second time, Kemps daughter was sent even farther: Greeley. That week, Kemp drove nearly 1,000 miles back and forth to the hospital caring for her daughter, logging more than two hours in the car each time. It was a hell year, Kemp said. Being the second-largest city in the state, I shouldnt have to be driving 200 miles for care for my kid. Numerous other parents of suicidal teens said they had to seek care at psychiatric hospitals hours away from home because they were the only ones available. The situation is even more dire for people needing care lasting several weeks or longer. Most of these kids are being shipped at a very high expense out of state, said Baskfield of Childrens Hospital Colorado. And when youre talking about kids experiencing anxiety, symptoms related to PTSD, things that come up as a result of bullying, the system doesnt effectively address their needs, either. Waltons daughters first hospitalization was an eye-opener a crash course in the Pikes Peak regions safety net for people at their most vulnerable. She went to AspenPointes Crisis Stabilization Unit off Parkside Drive in southeast Colorado Springs, and the entire hourslong stay made her feel like a prisoner kept behind bulletproof glass in a sterile, uninviting atmosphere. Over the next two years, Waltons daughter was hospitalized four times once in Denver because there werent enough beds in Colorado Springs, twice at Peak View and, most recently, at Cedar Springs. Were like veterans at it now, Walton said, speaking of psychiatric hospital stays. But that first one was terrifying. You feel so in the dark to whats happening. And unfortunately, all the staff you run into are disenfranchised. For them, its like their 20th intake of the day. For us, it was the first of our life. Between high insurance deductibles and inadequate mental health benefits, Walton estimates she has paid at least $20,000 out of pocket for that care, and an $8,000 bill is pending. These days, Walton knows how to deftly navigate the system. But she also knows many parents dont have that same experience to draw upon when their child first shows symptoms. Thats a problem, especially considering many parents are juggling their own jobs, other children in the household and the incredible stress that comes with trying to save their childs life. Its going to be probably a lifelong thing for us, and for her and our family, Walton said of her daughter. Its something she is working to live with every single day. Im proud of her every moment of every day because I know that she is trying every day. And she has become much more skillful in how she deals with her feelings. But shes still just a baby, and she has other developmental steps to fight her way through. And thats exactly what its going to be the whole way its going to be a fight. People with mental illness arent the other. This is everybody or someone they love. Jeff Venable, 35, a volunteer with Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Colorado Springs Jeff Venable was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as an older teen, after a summer of severe depression. He then spent a month in inpatient treatment at Cedar Springs, during which he celebrated his 18th birthday. Cedar Springs had to reintake me, and there was all this paperwork and all the rules changed, said Venable, whos now 35. At that point, I decided I didnt want my parents to be part of my treatment, but I was not making good decisions at the time. I was impaired. I think the laws, the HIPPA (privacy) rules, did me a disservice. Perhaps the states failing system could take a cue from the charity self-help realm, specifically the Springs chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. On most any night of the week, small groups of people battling the same conditions and the same broken system huddle in commune with one another sharing their stories and gathering strength from each others fights. Through those shared bonds, they gain strength and, often, tips on how to get help, said Lori Jarvis-Steinwert, the local NAMI chapters executive director. It speaks to the need for the state to do a better job helping people navigate the system. When you have a mental illness, probably more so than other illnesses, you tend to isolate, Jarvis-Steinwert said. So having a community when you live with a mental illness can make a huge difference in the course of that illness. We create street knowledge or street savvy. Its what its like to live day in and day out with these illnesses. When Karen Fallahi hears her 25-year-old nonprofit, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, referred to as the best-kept secret in the Springs, its a compliment that stings. It means not enough people with mood disorders, their friends and families are aware of what the alliance is doing and what it might be able to do for them, said Fallahi, who founded the nonprofit in 1994 after the death of her son, Erik, who suffered from bipolar disorder. Fallahi spent the early years operating the nonprofit from the trunk of her car before setting up in the old St. Francis Medical Center on East Pikes Peak Avenue, where the alliance was part of a health delivery ecosystem that, she said, was a model of how things could, and should, be. Theres not a metal plate between the head and the body. Mental health should always be a major part of the equation when were considering a persons overall health, Fallahi said. St. Francis closed in 2010, and Fallahi said she was told there was no room for her group at the hospitals new building on Woodmen Road. After a year of searching, Fallahi finally found affordable space and a wonderful landlord who really understands what were trying to do in an office complex off East Bijou Street. That building sold this year, and Fallahi now worries one of the nations older and larger chapters of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance may once again get squeezed out of a home. If he raises the rent, I dont know what well do, Fallahi said. But you know? We will do. Were growing, adding more groups. This problem isnt going anywhere, and neither are we. Data journalist Burt Hubbard contributed to this project. Geopolitics The new scramble for Africa This time, the winners could be Africans themselves . THE FIRST great surge of foreign interest in Africa, dubbed the scramble, was when 19th-century European colonists carved up the continent and seized Africans land. The second was during the cold war, when East and West vied for the allegiance of newly independent African states; the Soviet Union backed Marxist tyrants while America propped up despots who claimed to believe in capitalism. A third surge, now under way, is more benign. Outsiders have noticed that the continent is important and becoming more so, not least because of its growing share of the global population (by 2025 the UN predicts that there will be more Africans than Chinese people). Governments and businesses from all around the world are rushing to strengthen diplomatic, strategic and commercial ties. This creates vast opportunities. If Africa handles the new scramble wisely, the main winners will be Africans themselves. The extent of foreign engagement is unprecedented. Start with diplomacy. From 2010 to 2016 more than 320 embassies were opened in Africa, probably the biggest embassy-building boom anywhere, ever. Turkey alone opened 26. Last year India announced it would open 18. Military ties are deepening, too. America and France are lending muscle and technology to the struggle against jihadism in the Sahel. China is now the biggest arms seller to sub-Saharan Africa and has defence-technology ties with 45 countries. Russia has signed 19 military deals with African states since 2014. Oil-rich Arab states are building bases on the Horn of Africa and hiring African mercenaries. Commercial ties are being upended. As recently as 2006 Africas three biggest trading partners were America, China and France, in that order. By 2018 it was China first, India second and America third (France was seventh). Over the same period Africas trade has more than trebled with Turkey and Indonesia, and more than quadrupled with Russia. Trade with the European Union has grown by a more modest 41%. The biggest sources of foreign direct investment are still firms from America, Britain and France, but Chinese ones, including state-backed outfits, are catching up, and investors from India and Singapore are eager to join the fray. The stereotype of foreigners in Africa is of neocolonial exploiters, interested only in the continents natural resources, not its people, and ready to bribe local bigwigs in shady deals that do nothing for ordinary Africans. The stereotype is sometimes true. Far too many oil and mineral ventures are dirty. Corrupt African leaders, of whom there is still an abundance, can always find foreign enablers to launder the loot. And contracts with firms from countries that care little for transparency, such as China and Russia, are often murky. Three Russian journalists were murdered last year while investigating a Kremlin-linked mercenary outfit that reportedly protects the president of the war-torn Central African Republic and enables diamond-mining there. Understandably, many saw a whiff of old-fashioned imperialism. However, engagement with the outside world has mostly been positive for Africans. Foreigners build ports, sell insurance and bring mobile-phone technology. Chinese factories hum in Ethiopia and Rwanda. Turkish Airlines flies to more than 50 African cities. Greater openness to trade and investment is one reason why GDP per head south of the Sahara is two-fifths higher than it was in 2000. (Sounder macroeconomic policies and fewer wars also helped.) Africans can benefit when foreigners buy everything from textiles to holidays and digital services. Even so, Africans can do more to increase their share of the benefits. First, voters and activists can insist on transparency. It is heartening that South Africa is investigating the allegedly crooked deals struck under the previous president, Jacob Zuma, but alarming that even worse behaviour in the Democratic Republic of Congo has gone unprobed, and that the terms of Chinese loans to some dangerously indebted African governments are secret. To be sure that a public deal is good for ordinary folk as well as big men, voters have to know what is in it. Journalists, such as the Kenyans who exposed scandals over a Chinese railway project, have a big role to play. Second, Africas leaders need to think more strategically. Africa may be nearly as populous as China, but it comprises 54 countries, not one. African governments could strike better deals if they showed more unity. No one expects a heterogeneous continent that includes both anarchic battle zones and prosperous democracies to be as integrated as Europe. But it can surely do better than letting China negotiate with each country individually, behind closed doors. The power imbalance between, say, China and Uganda is huge. It could be reduced somewhat with a free-trade area or if African regional blocs clubbed together. After all, the benefits of infrastructure projects spill across borders. Third, African leaders do not have to choose sides, as they did during the cold war. They can do business with Western democracies and also with China and Russiaand anyone else with something to offer. Because they have more choice now than ever before, Africans should be able to drive harder bargains. And outsiders should not see this as a zero-sum contest (as the Trump administration, when it pays attention to Africa, apparently does). If China builds a bridge in Ghana, an American car can drive over it. If a British firm invests in a mobile-data network in Kenya, a Kenyan entrepreneur can use it to set up a cross-border startup. Last, Africans should take what some of their new friends tell them with a pinch of salt. China argues that democracy is a Western idea; development requires a firm hand. This message no doubt appeals to African strongmen, but it is bunk. A study by Takaaki Masaki of the World Bank and Nicolas van de Walle of Cornell University found that African countries grow faster if they are more democratic. The good news is that, as education improves and Africans move rapidly to the cities, they are growing more critical of their rulers, and less frightened to say so. In 1997, 70% of African ruling parties won more than 60% of the vote, partly by getting rural chiefs to cow villagers into backing them. By 2015 only 50% did. As politics grows more competitive, voters clout will grow. And they will be able to insist on a form of globalisation that works for Africans and foreigners alike. Grand Old Partisan salutes Oliver Dickey, born this day of 1823. His father was a two-term Whig congressman. He attended Dickinson College and would be elected county attorney. Dickey was delegate to the 1860 Republican National Convention. During the Civil War, he served as lieutenant colonel of the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry and colonel of two militia regiments. Business ventures included a cotton mill and hosiery workshop. In 1868, Dickey was elected to complete the congressional term of Thaddeus Stevens, his former law partner. He won two more terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Shortly before death, he was selected to be delegate at the 1876 Republican National Convention. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ttmx2pxItL8 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" 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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This time I spoke at an evangelistic meeting on "The Existence of God." This meeting was held in a local church in a somewhat run-down neighborhood. What I later learned is that this is a Muslim section of town with many immigrants, and so a sizeable part of the large audience that night was Muslim, as we could readily see from the head coverings worn by the women. I was shocked that they would attend a Christian meeting in a church. But the Lord is doing a good work in this community. One man we met, now an ardent Christian, told me that 2 and 1/2 years ago he was a member of ISIS! During the question-and-answer [period,] we once again had intelligent questions posed by both secularists and Muslims in the audience. The Christian philosopher William Lane Craig went on a speaking trip to Denmark in March, from the 18th to the 25th, and had an interesting encounter:Turns out, there is here still some common ground where Muslims and Christians can meet and discuss even theology. Some Muslims may even know the name "William Lane Craig" because he has almost singlehandedly resuscitated the Kalam Argument, an argument developed in the Muslim world, formulated to prove that the world has a beginning at a finite time in the past.Let me offer an example. A church service might seem to have gone on forever, but it has to have had a beginning at a finite time in the past, or we would never have gotten to this point in the sermon. Labels: Kalam, Muslim " " The sun sets over Little Colorado River at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Kerrick James/Getty Images The Grand Canyon Escalade is either: A) A bold vision that will open the depths of the Grand Canyon to millions of people who would never get to see it, boost the economic outlook of a proud people who desperately need it and help build a brighter future for the Navajo people, or Advertisement B) A bald money grab by outsiders that will encroach on sacred Native American land and spoil one of the world's greatest natural wonders forever. That's pretty much it. One or the other. That's how the sides line up in this struggle for control of 420 acres (170 hectares) of undeveloped desert on the eastern edge of Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park. "It can be described that simply," Roger Clark, the Grand Canyon Program Director for the Grand Canyon Trust, a group that opposes the Escalade project, tells HowStuffWorks. "If one just boils down motives to economics, then yes, it's that simple. "But what's at stake are values that go well beyond economics." A Brash Proposal The proposed Grand Canyon Escalade development, backed by a Scottsdale development group called Confluence Partners, features a hotel, motels, RV park, restaurant, a Native American museum (tentatively, the Navajoland Discovery Center) and various shops perched on the mesa above the canyon. The big attraction, and the most controversial by far, is a "sky tram" that will whisk visitors on a roughly 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) trip into the canyon, onto an elevated walkway (complete with a place to buy gifts, a snack shop and restrooms) near the canyon floor. " " Map of the Grand Canyon highlighting the area proposed for the Grand Canyon Escalade development Globe Turner, LLC/Getty Images At the end of August a bill that calls for approval of the ambitious project some estimate its cost at more than $1 billion was brought before Navajo Nation lawmakers. After a five-day public comment period, they sent the issue to committee. If the bill makes it out of committee, the fate of the project, first proposed several years ago, will rest on a vote before council in October. It's easy, perhaps especially for the cynical, to say that the Escalade project is all about money. And, certainly, there's a lot of money at stake. For many Navajo, that can't be ignored. Some 44 percent of Navajo children under 18 live in poverty, according to the 2010 census. The median income in Navajo households in 2010 was $27,389, about half what it is for all U.S. households. (It may be less than that; the Division of Economic Development of the Navajo Nation says it's $20,005.) In all, 38 percent of Navajos live in poverty; it's 14.8 percent for the entire U.S. population. The jobs that the Escalade promises maybe more than 3,000 could mean a lot in a place where the unemployment rate, according to the Navajo Nation, hovers around 42 percent. "I want people to have a better life. They need jobs. They need homes. They need good homes," former Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly told NBC News. "A lot of people, they want to go back to the old ways. You can't go back." But new president of the Navajo Nation Russell Begaye, who assumed office earlier this year, opposes the Escalade. He, like many, questions whether the promises of jobs and income are inflated. (As it is, developers estimate that the Navajo Nation will get just 8 to 18 percent of the gross revenues from Escalade and 50 percent of lease payments.) All that brings into play another factor often lost in the discussion: concerns about the sovereignty of the Navajo people in making their own decisions. Opponents of the project point out that many of the developers of the project have no ties to the Navajo Nation. More Than Money at Stake Beyond the question of money, though, is the mere idea of the ills Escalade might bring; a cacophony of tourists that will wipe out the serenity and sacredness of the site. Besides the obvious visual scars it may leave, the Escalade's walkway is planned for an area within a few hundred feet of the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers. That's a sacred site for the Navajo and many other Native Americans. From Smithsonian Magazine: For the Hopi, as well as for other tribes, it is central to their origin story. The sipapu a travertine bulge of mineral deposits with a hole in the center, which lies on the banks of the Little Colorado River a short distance upstream from the confluence is the place through which all human beings migrated from the subterranean Third World to today's Fourth World. Here's a picture of the site, too. " " The confluence at Grand Canyon National Park, a site that's sacred Jeff Foott/Getty Images Former Grand Canyon National Park superintendent David Uberuaga calls Escalade and another proposed development away from the rim the biggest threats to the park in its nearly 100 years of existence. "It is a World Heritage site, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and that is not a place that needs additional development," Uberuaga tells National Geographic. "It is not a place to be entertained, but a place to come to connect to creation and this experience." Proponents fire back, pointing out that Escalade is 1/20th of the size of Grand Canyon Village, the main tourist stop on the South Rim. They say they can better control unruly tourists and what they might do a constant problem in the canyon with a project like Escalade. " " People peer out at the Grand Canyon from Navajo Point. ElOjoTorpe/Getty Iamges And the fight goes on. Even if the Navajo Nation council approves Escalade, the National Park Service disputes the rights of the Navajo to build the walkway and could scuttle the project in court. There are questions about the availability of water in the area, and what ecological damage might occur in looking for it. Many of the neighboring Hopi oppose the project on legal and moral grounds. "Assuming that Lamar Whitmer and the confluence Escalade developers are unsuccessful and we have every reason to believe they will be unsuccessful there's still the issue of what's next," Clark says. "I think if you look at all the speed bumps, if not the roadblocks ... there's a long litany of litigation that's going to occur, and will not be settled in my lifetime." Despite the rancor, the fight over Escalade has illuminated the subject of the canyon and how best to preserve, protect and responsibly develop it. And that, Clark says, is a good thing. "I think if we step back and take a deep breath, what happens here says a lot about our character as a nation and who we are as a people," he says. "I know we can do better." NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Most people hiking on one of the Grand Canyon's more popular trails can get to the floor of the canyon in four to five hours, according to the National Park Service,. It may take twice as long coming back, which is why the NPS does not recommend trying to go in and out in one day. The proposed Escalade tramway would make a one-way trip to the elevated walkway, just off the canyon floor, in about 10 minutes. Who among us wouldnt make an investment that returns $4.78 for every $1 spent? According to an independent report by Texas A&M University, every $1 invested in the dairy checkoff netted a $4.78 return on investment from demand-enhancing activities. Those results were verified by USDA in a recently released report, U.S. Department of Agriculture Report to Congress on the Dairy Promotion and Research Program and the Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Program, 2016 Program Activities. Butter is best The returns varied by dairy product category. Butter led the way with a $22.74 return to dairy farmers for every $1 in contributions. Next came dairy exports at $8.10. That was followed by cheese at $4.81 and fluid milk at a $4.11 return for every $1 of dairy farmer investment. When reporting the data, its easier to convert calculations to a $1 basis. In reality, dairy farmers contribute 15 cents per hundredweight for dairy promotion. Texas A&M also looked at the value of the Fluid Milk Processor campaign. That netted $3.73 for every $1 of investment. The national programs have effectively increased demand for promoted dairy products, especially cheese and butter, while moderating the decline in per capita fluid milk consumption, concluded Texas A&M economists. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2019 April 1, 2019 IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. 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. Ichabod explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, with an emphasis on UOJ, Church Growth, and Emergent Church heresies. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the mainline denominations. 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 LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 429525 04-06-2019 04:39 PM Post: #10 RE: 14 million files of potentially damaging evidence on Trump spo snouou Wrote: (04-06-2019 03:44 PM) link to image: https://i.imgur.com/MspUyDP.jpg Ya can't find something you don't look for. Obama got a pass from the law on just about everything. The press was in his corner backing him at almost every turn. Even when he was sued or tried or accused it was downplayed and the opposition demonised. Anyone saying anything bad about Obama or anything he did was instantly labelled a racist. There was no investigation, there was no discussion. All we got was the rabid left shouting us down and screaming that we were wrong. You can't find something if you don't look for it. Black privilege in the White House and in Congress. https://downtrend.com/katrina/exposed-ho...-licenses/ Quote: Obama surrendered his law license on charges that he lied on his bar application. What? Saint Obama lied? Say it aint so! In 1993, Michelle surrendered her law license when a federal judge told her she could either surrender her license or be charged with insurance fraud. https://eaglerising.com/61800/flashback-...donations/ Quote: Barack Obamas presidential campaign committee has been handed a $350,000 fine for campaign finance violations from 2008, one of the largest fines ever levied on a presidential campaign. This is all an important reminder as liberals claim that Donald Trump committed campaign finance violations. As it happens, Obama tried to hide nearly $2 million in illegal campaign donations, according to the Federal Election Commission. The violations include illegal contributions, improper disclosures, fraudulent filings, as well as taking too long to rectify the donations even after it was pointed out. These things don't make it to CNN or other liberal rags, they don't talk about it, they downplay it when they do talk about it. Almost the exact opposite of coverage or PRESIDENT Trump. There's a lot more where that came from. Remember, the lying press is lying to you too, don't fall for it. Ya can't find something you don't look for.Obama got a pass from the law on just about everything.The press was in his corner backing him at almost every turn.Even when he was sued or tried or accused it was downplayed and the opposition demonised.Anyone saying anything bad about Obama or anything he did was instantly labelled a racist.There was no investigation, there was no discussion.All we got was the rabid left shouting us down and screaming that we were wrong.You can't find something if you don't look for it.Black privilege in the White House and in Congress.These things don't make it to CNN or other liberal rags, they don't talk about it, they downplay it when they do talk about it. Almost the exact opposite of coverage or PRESIDENT Trump.There's a lot more where that came from.Remember, the lying press is lying to you too, don't fall for it. Poll: Should Flat Earth be Moved to Religious Sub Forum? This poll is closed. Yes 16 69.57% No 7 30.43% * You voted for this item. Show Results] Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Thread Rating: 11 Vote(s) - 3.91 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 4 5 ... 18 If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:15 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #1 If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Advertisement If The Flat Earth Society is a religion, I think they should be moved to the religious sub forum. Please vote and let your voice be heard. LunaC \_()_/ User ID: 441651 04-06-2019 07:16 PM Posts: 20,943 Post: #2 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Flectere Si Nequeo Superos Acheronta Movebo I never dreamed I'd grow up to be an asshole. But here I am. Killing it. Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:19 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #3 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? LunaC Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:16 PM) Thanks. Don't forget to vote. Thanks. Don't forget to vote. Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:21 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #4 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? If it acts like a religion.... and looks like a religion.... It's a religion. And they don't have to pay taxes because they are a church. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 482541 04-06-2019 07:23 PM Post: #5 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Skippy Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:15 PM) If The Flat Earth Society is a religion, I think they should be moved to the religious sub forum. Please vote and let your voice be heard. link to image: https://i.imgur.com/OMAqQtM.jpg link to image: https://i.imgur.com/dDR1VRF.jpg life is god = earth life is god = earth general mishka Registered User User ID: 496337 04-06-2019 07:24 PM Posts: 23,107 Post: #6 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? I had to vote No because it didn't fit the Wiki definition 'Religion is a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements. However, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion.[1][2] Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine[3], sacred things[4], faith,[5] a supernatural being or supernatural beings[6] or "some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life".[7] Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred scriptures, and symbols and holy places, that aim mostly to give a meaning to life. Religions may contain symbolic stories, which are sometimes said by followers to be true, that have the side purpose of explaining the origin of life, the universe, and other things. Traditionally, faith, in addition to reason, has been considered a source of religious beliefs.[8] ' Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:30 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #7 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? general mishka Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:24 PM) I had to vote No because it didn't fit the Wiki definition 'Religion is a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements. However, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion.[1][2] Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine[3], sacred things[4], faith,[5] a supernatural being or supernatural beings[6] or "some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life".[7] Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred scriptures, and symbols and holy places, that aim mostly to give a meaning to life. Religions may contain symbolic stories, which are sometimes said by followers to be true, that have the side purpose of explaining the origin of life, the universe, and other things. Traditionally, faith, in addition to reason, has been considered a source of religious beliefs.[8] ' Anyway, if you really want to know about the Flat Earth Society, it's run by Charles K. Johnson, Box 2533, Lancaster, CA, 93539-2533., phone 805-727-1635. This group is not a joke; it is deadly serious and manages to publish some of the most anti-intellectual and vicious (not to mention illiterate) prose I've seen in a while. For example, in the Sept 1988 issue, we have the tasty little excerpt: "IN USA today, as in Russia in '20s and NAZI Germany in '40s full scale campaign to create USA ALSO A BEAST NATION... no God... no right no wrong no up no down 2 added to 2 is whatever scientists say it is... Adults today either jailed or shot down... at own homes for even teaching their own children... GOD EXISTS and Right and Wrong exists (State of Utah)... bells have been tolling for so long... for the helpless pitiful innocent 'animals' as they are tortured to death by priests of the State Religion 'GREASE BALL SCIENCE'... now ... 1988 ... no use, too late... to send to see for whom the bell tolls... THE BELL TOLLS FOR THEE!" [Sic. Totally sic, as in word for word, character for character.] http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flatearth.html Anyway, if you really want to know about the Flat Earth Society, it's run by Charles K. Johnson, Box 2533, Lancaster, CA, 93539-2533., phone 805-727-1635. This group is not a joke; it is deadly serious and manages to publish some of the most anti-intellectual and vicious (not to mention illiterate) prose I've seen in a while.For example, in the Sept 1988 issue, we have the tasty little excerpt: LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496520 04-06-2019 07:32 PM Post: #8 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? No FE and 99% of the other threads should be moved to the new BullChit Subforum. general mishka Registered User User ID: 496337 04-06-2019 07:33 PM Posts: 23,107 Post: #9 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Skippy Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:30 PM) [quote='general mishka' pid='2127442' dateline='1554571450'] Anyway, if you really want to know about the Flat Earth Society, it's run by Charles K. Johnson, Box 2533, Lancaster, CA, 93539-2533., phone 805-727-1635. This group is not a joke; it is deadly serious and manages to publish some of the most anti-intellectual and vicious (not to mention illiterate) prose I've seen in a while. For example, in the Sept 1988 issue, we have the tasty little excerpt: "IN USA today, as in Russia in '20s and NAZI Germany in '40s full scale campaign to create USA ALSO A BEAST NATION... no God... no right no wrong no up no down 2 added to 2 is whatever scientists say it is... Adults today either jailed or shot down... at own homes for even teaching their own children... GOD EXISTS and Right and Wrong exists (State of Utah)... bells have been tolling for so long... for the helpless pitiful innocent 'animals' as they are tortured to death by priests of the State Religion 'GREASE BALL SCIENCE'... now ... 1988 ... no use, too late... to send to see for whom the bell tolls... THE BELL TOLLS FOR THEE!" [Sic. Totally sic, as in word for word, character for character.] http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flatearth.html Most of the threads we have had on this forum are from posters that claim Flat Earth Society is a government disinformation agency Most of the threads we have had on this forum are from posters that claim Flat Earth Society is a government disinformation agency Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:37 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #10 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? general mishka Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:33 PM) Skippy Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:30 PM) [quote='general mishka' pid='2127442' dateline='1554571450'] Anyway, if you really want to know about the Flat Earth Society, it's run by Charles K. Johnson, Box 2533, Lancaster, CA, 93539-2533., phone 805-727-1635. This group is not a joke; it is deadly serious and manages to publish some of the most anti-intellectual and vicious (not to mention illiterate) prose I've seen in a while. For example, in the Sept 1988 issue, we have the tasty little excerpt: "IN USA today, as in Russia in '20s and NAZI Germany in '40s full scale campaign to create USA ALSO A BEAST NATION... no God... no right no wrong no up no down 2 added to 2 is whatever scientists say it is... Adults today either jailed or shot down... at own homes for even teaching their own children... GOD EXISTS and Right and Wrong exists (State of Utah)... bells have been tolling for so long... for the helpless pitiful innocent 'animals' as they are tortured to death by priests of the State Religion 'GREASE BALL SCIENCE'... now ... 1988 ... no use, too late... to send to see for whom the bell tolls... THE BELL TOLLS FOR THEE!" [Sic. Totally sic, as in word for word, character for character.] http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flatearth.html Most of the threads we have had on this forum are from posters that claim Flat Earth Society is a government disinformation agency But the thread that stands out the most here is the Dedicated Flat Earth thread. When newcomers find this forum, they see that thread is the biggest most popular thread by far here so they associate it with the entire forum. I don't want to be associated with them anymore. They are a religion and should be moved to the religious forum. But the thread that stands out the most here is the Dedicated Flat Earth thread. When newcomers find this forum, they see that thread is the biggest most popular thread by far here so they associate it with the entire forum.They are a religion and should be moved to the religious forum. PopEye I Yam What I Yam User ID: 436592 04-06-2019 07:37 PM Posts: 12,714 Post: #11 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Yes. The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who haven't got it. George Bernard Shaw A New Cosmic Day Registered User User ID: 441934 04-06-2019 07:38 PM Posts: 2,761 Post: #12 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Skippy Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:21 PM) If it acts like a religion.... and looks like a religion.... It's a religion. And they don't have to pay taxes because they are a church. On could say politics is a religion as well. Politics As Religion https://www.amazon.com/Politics-as-Relig...0691113939 From amazon review.... In this important book, Emilio Gentile defines political religion as a "more or less developed system of beliefs, myths, rituals and symbols" that creates an aura of sacredness around an entity belonging to the world and "turns it into a cult or object of worship or devotion." "Gods" are one class of entities that human beings worship. However, other objects become sacred within societies. One such entity worshiped in the modern world---inspiring a cult of devotion---is the Nation-State. The state may appear as an "enthralling and awe-inspiring power that invokes a feeling of absolute dependency." Contemporary social theory--focusing on the concept of power---demonstrates how forces "from above" impose themselves upon "the subject." Gentile puts forth a more sophisticated---psychological--paradigm based on recognition that human beings possess a desire to attach to and worship objects greater than the self. This is an essential work toward a psychology of nationalism. Just let it go. On could say politics is a religion as well.Politics As ReligionFrom amazon review....Just let it go. Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:38 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #13 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? PopEye Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:37 PM) Yes. Don't forget to vote in the poll. Don't forget to vote in the poll. general mishka Registered User User ID: 496337 04-06-2019 07:39 PM Posts: 23,107 Post: #14 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? Skippy Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:37 PM) general mishka Wrote: (04-06-2019 07:33 PM) Most of the threads we have had on this forum are from posters that claim Flat Earth Society is a government disinformation agency But the thread that stands out the most here is the Dedicated Flat Earth thread. When newcomers find this forum, they see that thread is the biggest most popular thread by far here so they associate it with the entire forum. I don't want to be associated with them anymore. They are a religion and should be moved to the religious forum. I think that thread has played out and should be locked I think that thread has played out and should be locked Skippy Enough Already User ID: 402368 04-06-2019 07:39 PM Posts: 9,556 Post: #15 RE: If Flat Earth is a Religion, Should Their Thread be Moved to the Religious Forum? For the guests that can't vote in the poll, just state your vote in a reply here and it will be counted. Advertisement Back to Forum He said: There are a number of people who have spent two nights in open fields and have taken refuge in the mountains. They have nothing and the helicopters that go in those areas only give them a few packages of food. He called for food, water, tents, and warm clothes to be sent to the area and argued for roads to be reopened. Floodwaters have so far devastated vast areas on Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces, with reports of 200 deaths and hundreds of injuries. In fact, 10 villages in just one district of Khuzestan are underwater, despite the fact that the main floodwaters have yet to reach the province. There has also been extensive damage to roads and canals (estimated at $60 million), as well as to 70,000 hectares of agricultural land in Kermanshah. Although the monetary value of the disaster is still being assessed, officials said that $1 billion has been lost from the agricultural sector across 12 provinces. Worse still, the suffering is set to continue with more rain forecast and the Regimes aid efforts sorely lacking. Mahmoud Sadeghi warned President Hassan Rouhani that Lorestan province is facing a tragedy, highlighting the lack of drinking water and medicine. He wrote: Mr Rouhani! Lorestan is on the verge of a disaster. Poldokhtar has slumped into mud. The basic needs of the people including food, water and medicine have not been provided. Disorder and lack of planning are extensive. Organizing this situation needs national management and a large budget. The situation will not be managed with weak provincial management and donations. Mohsen Rezaee, a senior conservative politician and former IRGC commander, warned that water needed to be released from Karkheh Dam in Khuzestan before it overflowed or a big tragedy [could] happen. While an official from Dez Dam said water is entering the dam at over 3,000 cubic meters per second, which indicates a massive threat of floods still to come. It says something that even the regimes senior officials are forced to acknowledge the massive destruction and their failures in helping the people. The first round of re-imposed penalties took effect after a 90-day waiting period, and then secondary sanctions on the Iranian oil industry began to be enforced in November. Since then, more than 20 former importers of Iranian oil have cut their loadings to zero, according to the fact sheet. The State Department also found than over 100 corporations have exited the Iranian market altogether, many of them responding in advance to the mere expectation of further growth in economic pressures on the Islamic Republic. The Trump administration has long promised to pursue a strategy of maximum pressure, although it has only taken incremental steps toward that goal, partly out of fear that the complete severance of Iranian oil supplies from the global market would cause a harmful spike in prices. Nevertheless, the fact sheet emphasizes that the monthly exports of Iranian oil have fallen by 1.5 million barrels per day, to about half the volume that was being traded prior to the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. On the basis of that trend, the State Department unequivocally states that purchases of Iranian crude will soon be at zero. This line from the fact sheet reflects what was said earlier in the week by Brian Hook, the departments special envoy for Iran policy. Hook was responding to speculation about the future of sanctions waivers for leading importers of Iranian oil when he said, There are better market conditions for us to accelerate our path to zeroWe are not looking to grant any waivers or exceptions to our sanctions regime. This was also the administrations position prior to the return of sanctions in November, but ultimately waivers were granted for eight nations China, India, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Taiwan. According to OilPrice.com, and in spite of the State Departments account of the prior successes of the sanctions regime, it is generally expected that waivers will be extended for the first five of these countries before their expiration next month. OilPrice even suggests that these waivers are already priced into the market, making it difficult for White House to immediately move toward zeroing out Iranian oil exports without risking a surge in prices. On the other hand, the same article notes that Venezuela has recently stabilized its output amidst domestic unrest a fact that may challenge the US governments foreign policy aims for that country while also providing more leverage in its efforts vis-a-vis Iran. At the same time, Brian Hook has indicated that three of the eight waiver recipients are among those 20-plus countries that have reportedly reduced their own loadings of Iranian oil to zero. This will presumably give the administration license to withhold renewal for at least a portion of the waivers, while also making the remaining renewals conditional upon further reductions in imports from Iran. Similar demands were already imposed in line with the previous waivers, and the affected nations reportedly complied with these demands, or even exceeded them. South Korea, for instance, imported 38.5 percent less Iranian oil in the first two months of 2019 than in the same period last year. And South Korean authorities are already anticipating the need to further reduce their averages by anywhere between five and 20 percent during the next waiver period. As such, Reuters reports that the nations oil industry is currently experimenting with super-light oil imported from the US, as an alternative to some of its traditional Iranian imports. Such efforts will presumably help to put the US on track toward what Reuters says is its short-term goal: to reduce Irans overall oil exports below one million barrels per day. Thursdays State Department fact sheet is not specific about when it expects the further reduction to zero. But OilPrice suggests that this may be a realistic goal in November, at which time any waivers that are renewed in May will be expiring again. The reports of advance South Korean compliance with expected cuts may also undermine Irans efforts to turn its attention to Asia after writing off the prospect of serious expansions in European markets. This Iranian strategy was highlighted on Thursday by Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who conveyed sharp criticisms of the European Union and the three European signatories to the JCPOA via the official website of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Seemingly disavowing his own prior contributions to the long-term nuclear negotiations that led to that deal in July 2015, Zarif said that the Islamic Republic never had any hopes for its relations with Western powers. The countrys top diplomat also suggested that the EU was both unwilling and incapable of defying US sanctions, as by utilizing the special purpose vehicle for transactions with Iran, which was officially established earlier this year but has yet to become active. Somewhat incongruously, Zarifs criticisms were accompanied by statements indicating that Iranian officials would continue pressing the Europeans to uphold the JCPOA and expand trade relations with Iran. But the EU and its member states may have a difficult time finding incentive to act counter to the US strategy of maximum pressure, if Iran is giving the impression that it is disinclined to take these efforts seriously. And Zarifs remarks to that effect are not the first of their kind. As Tasnim News Agency reiterated on Friday, Supreme Leader Khamenei already set this tone for Iranian foreign policy in his remarks to the nation last month, on the occasion of the Iranian New Year holiday, Nowruz. It is a bitter joke, he said in reference to the special purpose vehicle, or Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges. This financial channel does not make any sense. There is a world of difference between what constitutes their duties and what they are saying in the present time. On our last international issue, the Europeans stabbed us in the back, just like what they did in the past. They betrayed us. They cannot be expected to do anything. We cannot have any expectations of them. To the extent that these sorts of statements represent growing tensions between Tehran and the nations of Europe, they are likely a contributing factor in the confidence that was on display in the State Departments fact sheet on Thursday. Indeed, that fact sheet made reference to both increasing diplomatic engagement and restoring deterrence, to emphasize a trend toward closer international alliances in opposition to the Iranian regimes interests. The department credited European governments with pushing back against Iranian terrorist activity through economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation, following multiple thwarted attacks in 2018. It also pointed to the ongoing expressions of concern about Irans ballistic missile program development and testing, which defies the UN Security Council resolution that accompanied the January 2016 implementation of the Iran nuclear deal. These and other actions by the international community may represent meaningful sources of support for the US strategy of maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic, which is still being advanced in an incremental fashion, but has reportedly made significant gains in the 11 months since it was announced. Hubbards reporting suggests that Iran can no longer finance civilian projects or credit lines in Syria. Hezbollah fighters and Palestinian militants arent being paid, and their families are losing subsidized housing. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has complained publicly about the effects of U.S. sanctions. Additionally, the U.S. is no longer ignoring Hezbollahs criminal enterprises, including drug smuggling and money laundering. And Irans protest movement has been renewed, mostly because of public fury that the regime spends money on foreign adventures while economic conditions worsen at home. Most importantly, Iran has not used the U.S. withdrawal from the deal to restart its nuclear programs, despite its threats to do so. Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told me that the sanctions needle now stands at around a 6, but he says, We need to get to 11. With Iran still exporting about 1 million barrels of oil a day, the administration should bring it to zero by refusing to hand out sanctions waivers. Also, The State Department should designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. Dubowitz says that such a designation, would make the entire Iranian economy radioactive to foreign investment. since the IRGC is heavily involved in scores of Iranian businesses. The US isnt to trying to punish Iran for punishments sake, but to create leverage for a better nuclear deal. Mike Pompeo set a dozen parameters for an agreement, including unqualified access to U.N. nuclear inspectors, permanent cessation of uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing, the end of Irans ballistic-missile program, withdrawal of its forces from Syria, and the release of U.S. nationals held in its prisons. Most of these demands have been alternatively dismissed as silly or reckless by most of Washingtons foreign policy establishment. The Iranian regime is hardly a giant on the world stage, immune to any form of economic pressure. In fact, Irans gross domestic product is roughly equivalent to that of the greater Boston area, with 17 times the population. The regime may be a force to be reckoned with in the Middle East, but the Trump administration has raised the costs for Irans behavior, at no cost to the United States or our allies. The people of Iran are angry. Not just because the Iranian regime has failed to help the people, but also because it is the regimes destructive policies that have worsened the impact of the heavy rainfall. For years, the regime has been over constructing and removing flood barriers. Deforestation has also worsened the consequences. Earlier this week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed top-level civilian officials for not anticipating the floods. He implied that they should have been able to prepare for the worst. The Supreme Leader said that any construction near rivers should have never happened and that deforestation should have been banned. He said that before the rainfall and storms hit, the dams and rivers should have been dredged. However, his criticism is ironic. He is the Supreme Leader the person with most power in the country. He is the one that is ultimately responsible for this crisis. He is arguably the most corrupt in the whole of the corrupt leadership. Why is the Supreme Leader trying to pass the blame when he is the one that can hire or fire any single person in the leadership as he sees fit? The entire leadership is falling to pieces in Iran. It is at its weakest point and it is verging on collapse. The peoples anger is palpable. Before the floods hit, the peoples anger was already evident but this new crisis has been the final straw for many. And Khamenei knows this. That is why security forces were sent to the streets to prevent public gatherings. In another attempt to prevent public anger from spilling out, the Supreme Leader said that the assistance given to those affected by the floods has been outstanding and he called on officials to take measures that would solve the problems of those who have suffered losses. The people will not be fooled. They have already been critical of the regimes response and they know that it is completely incapable of doing anything to help them. Instead of even allowing the true impact of the flooding be known, regime officials have been downplaying the damage and loss of human life and dismissing the gravity of the situation. Since the end of 2017, millions of Iranians have been striking, holding anti-government rallies and participating in protests. They made it very clear that they will accept nothing less than regime change, and crises like these where the regime is showcasing its inability to respond in the way it should will only make their resolve stronger. Maryam Rajavi said that the real issue faced by the regime is not an individual crisis. Indeed, the crisis is the Regime and the only solution is overthrow. Of course, the mullahs know this so they are doing anything to keep themselves in power; mainly demonising and destroying the legitimate opposition, which is Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian Resistance. In 2018 alone, the mullahs planned: to bomb the New Years gathering of the Iranian Resistance in Tirana, Albania to bomb the Iranian Resistances Free Iran gathering in Paris, France conducted several terrorist and espionage schemes against the Iranian Resistance in the US increased their smear campaigns against the Iranian Resistance, using attack websites, propaganda movies, state-run media, fake social media accounts, and disinformation agents both in and outside Iran Maryam Rajavi said: Their terrorism and demonization efforts, however, were not successful. But in all honesty, they were truly successful in accomplishing one major task and that was to clearly show, hundreds of times, that their main threat and the alternative to their regime are the Mojahedin (the PMOI/MEK), the National Liberation Army and the National Council of Resistance of Iran. She explained that the Regime has been dreaming of taking down the Resistance for 40 years now. The mullahs though that the movement would die after then imprisoned thousands of Resistance members in the early 1980s or when they executed 30,000 in the 1988 massacre, or when they bombed the Resistances camps in Iraq in the early 2010s, forcing them to flee twice; once to another camp in Iran and the second time to Albania. Maryam Rajavi said: It was proven that [the Regime] will have to take those goals to their graves. Last year, the Liberation Army was revitalized and resistance units sprang up across Iran to aid the Iranian people in their uprisings. Now the people of Iran are expressing the positions of the Iranian Resistance at their strikes and protests. Maryam Rajavi said: The overthrow of the clerical regime is the desire and demand of all of the people in Iran. The Iranian nation in its entirety is demanding the overthrow of the regime. These resistance units did plenty of good work when it came to helping the strikes hit at the core of the Regime, with over 100 acts of protest every month in the past year Maryam Rajavi said: [It] was the year of the proliferation of the strategy of the Iranian Resistance, a year in which the prospect of the regimes overthrow loomed large and the path and roadmap became even clearer. Yes, now, the Army of Spring is on its way, the army of spring with 100,000 flourishing roses. In October, Twitter made tweets from 770 accounts potentially originating in Iran publicly available. The study analyzed the content of more than 154,000 Arabic tweets from those accounts. What they found was an Iranian-based systematic disinformation campaign. The tweets pushed an Iranian political narrative, including criticism of Saudi Arabia and support of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Noting that interference has become more conspicuous since the Arab Spring of 2011, the study said, While Iran has constantly interfered in Arab politics, either militarily or by supporting non-state actors, digital interference operations appear to be a recent strategy adopted by Iran to exert influence in the Arab world. The suspended accounts promoted content of Iranian-based websites and were registered using fake names and false information. The study explained that they were meant to give the impression that they were run from different Arab countries. The majority of the tweets published by the Iran-linked accounts were written in French, English, and Arabic, with only 8 percent written in Irans official language, Farsi. The oldest account was created in April 2009, and the newest was created in August 2018. Researchers found that around 40 percent were created in 2017. Creation dates peak between May 2017 and January 2018. These dates appear to correspond to the Iranian presidential elections that took place in May 2017, and with the Iranian protests in January 2018. This seems to indicate that the accounts were initially created to support the Iranian state, the study has concluded. The Iranian accounts promoted more than 23,000 hashtags associated with Arabic-language tweets. The study showed that the most frequently used hashtags reflect issues of Iranian interest. As well, among the most frequently used hashtags in its data set, five referred to countries in which Iran has a political interest, namely Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Libya. One of the main tools used by the Iranian accounts to interfere in the Arab world, was impersonating news outlets. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 5 Vote(s) - 3.4 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 4 5 ... 7 CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496559 04-06-2019 11:47 PM Post: #1 CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher Advertisement CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/04/healt...index.html (CNN)The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, Greenland was mostly green, sea levels were up to 20 meters higher and trees grew on Antarctica, according to scientists who warned this week that there is more CO2 in our atmosphere today than in the past three million years. Using a new computer simulation, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, found that the last time the earth's atmosphere had a CO2 concentration as high as today's was during the Pliocene epoch, the geological period 2.6-5.3 million years ago. CO2 emissions from human activities are the leading cause of climate change. Effects of global warming around the world Photos: Effects of global warming around the world The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere today is "unnatural", lead-author Matteo Willeit told CNN. Willeit said that according to the simulation CO2 levels should not be higher than 280 parts per million (ppm) without human activity, but that they are currently 410 ppm and rising. Global mean temperatures are rising much faster than any time since the Pliocene, Willeit added. In that time they have never exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2C, but current models show that temperatures will rise by 4C between 2000 and 2100 if steps are not taken to slash emissions, he said. Into unknown territory Willeit said rising CO2 levels are pushing earth beyond any climatic conditions ever experienced by humans. If CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise, "our planet will change" and sea levels will rise by one or two meters in the next 200 years, he added. 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching This research isn't the first to suggest that today's CO2 levels are the highest since the Pliocene, but the Potsdam researchers say their work is the first to combine ocean-floor sediment data with analysis of past ice volumes, and is more sophisticated than other model studies. Scientists at a Royal Meteorological Society meeting on the climate of the Pliocene in London on Wednesday discussed how sedimentary records and plant fossils from near Antarctica show that during the Pliocene epoch Arctic summer temperatures were 14C higher than today. Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London, speaking at the event, said the findings offered a view of the earth's future if drastic steps are not taken to address global warming. (CNN)The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, Greenland was mostly green, sea levels were up to 20 meters higher and trees grew on Antarctica, according to scientists who warned this week that there is more CO2 in our atmosphere today than in the past three million years.Using a new computer simulation, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, found that the last time the earth's atmosphere had a CO2 concentration as high as today's was during the Pliocene epoch, the geological period 2.6-5.3 million years ago.CO2 emissions from human activities are the leading cause of climate change.Effects of global warming around the worldPhotos: Effects of global warming around the worldThe amount of CO2 in the atmosphere today is "unnatural", lead-author Matteo Willeit told CNN.Willeit said that according to the simulation CO2 levels should not be higher than 280 parts per million (ppm) without human activity, but that they are currently 410 ppm and rising.Global mean temperatures are rising much faster than any time since the Pliocene, Willeit added.In that time they have never exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2C, but current models show that temperatures will rise by 4C between 2000 and 2100 if steps are not taken to slash emissions, he said.Into unknown territoryWilleit said rising CO2 levels are pushing earth beyond any climatic conditions ever experienced by humans.If CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise, "our planet will change" and sea levels will rise by one or two meters in the next 200 years, he added.'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleachingThis research isn't the first to suggest that today's CO2 levels are the highest since the Pliocene, but the Potsdam researchers say their work is the first to combine ocean-floor sediment data with analysis of past ice volumes, and is more sophisticated than other model studies.Scientists at a Royal Meteorological Society meeting on the climate of the Pliocene in London on Wednesday discussed how sedimentary records and plant fossils from near Antarctica show that during the Pliocene epoch Arctic summer temperatures were 14C higher than today.Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London, speaking at the event, said the findings offered a view of the earth's future if drastic steps are not taken to address global warming. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496559 04-06-2019 11:48 PM Post: #2 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher Atmospheric CO2 Levels Are Now At The Highest Level In The Past 3 Million Years https://greatlakesledger.com/2019/04/06/...ion-years/ LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496559 04-06-2019 11:50 PM Post: #3 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher More CO2 than ever before in 3 million years, shows unprecedented computer simulation https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/...040319.php "CO2 greenhouse gas amounts in the atmosphere are likely higher today than ever before in the past 3 million years. For the first time, a team of scientists succeeded to do a computer simulation that fits ocean floor sediment data of climate evolution over this period of time. Ice age onset, hence the start of the glacial cycles from cold to warm and back, the study reveals, was mainly triggered by a decrease of CO2-levels. Yet today, it is the increase of greenhouse gases due to the burning of fossil fuels that is fundamentally changing our planet, the analysis further confirms. Global mean temperatures never exceeded the preindustrial levels by more than 2 degrees Celsius in the past 3 million years, the study shows - while current climate policy inaction, if continued, would exceed the 2 degrees limit already in the next 50 years. Changes in CO2 levels were a main driver of the ice ages "We know from the analysis of sediments on the bottom of our seas about past ocean temperatures and ice volumes, but so far the role of CO2 changes in shaping the glacial cycles has not been fully understood," says Matteo Willeit of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, lead author of the study now published in Science Advances. "It is a breakthrough that we can now show in computer simulations that changes in CO2 levels were a main driver of the ice ages, together with variations of how the Earth's orbits around the sun, the so-called Milankovitch cycles. These are actually not just simulations: we compared our results with the hard data from the deep sea, and they prove to be in good agreement. Our results imply a strong sensitivity of the Earth system to relatively small variations in atmospheric CO2. As fascinating as this is, it is also worrying." Studying Earth's past and its natural climate variability is key to understanding possible future pathways of humanity. "It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period, the Quaternary," says Willeit. "A period that started almost 3 million years ago and saw human civilization beginning only 11,000 years ago. So, the modern climate change we see is big, really big; even by standards of Earth history." "CO2 greenhouse gas amounts in the atmosphere are likely higher today than ever before in the past 3 million years. For the first time, a team of scientists succeeded to do a computer simulation that fits ocean floor sediment data of climate evolution over this period of time. Ice age onset, hence the start of the glacial cycles from cold to warm and back, the study reveals, was mainly triggered by a decrease of CO2-levels. Yet today, it is the increase of greenhouse gases due to the burning of fossil fuels that is fundamentally changing our planet, the analysis further confirms. Global mean temperatures never exceeded the preindustrial levels by more than 2 degrees Celsius in the past 3 million years, the study shows - while current climate policy inaction, if continued, would exceed the 2 degrees limit already in the next 50 years.Changes in CO2 levels were a main driver of the ice ages"We know from the analysis of sediments on the bottom of our seas about past ocean temperatures and ice volumes, but so far the role of CO2 changes in shaping the glacial cycles has not been fully understood," says Matteo Willeit of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, lead author of the study now published in Science Advances. "It is a breakthrough that we can now show in computer simulations that changes in CO2 levels were a main driver of the ice ages, together with variations of how the Earth's orbits around the sun, the so-called Milankovitch cycles. These are actually not just simulations: we compared our results with the hard data from the deep sea, and they prove to be in good agreement. Our results imply a strong sensitivity of the Earth system to relatively small variations in atmospheric CO2. As fascinating as this is, it is also worrying."Studying Earth's past and its natural climate variability is key to understanding possible future pathways of humanity. "It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period, the Quaternary," says Willeit. "A period that started almost 3 million years ago and saw human civilization beginning only 11,000 years ago. So, the modern climate change we see is big, really big; even by standards of Earth history." LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496559 04-06-2019 11:51 PM Post: #4 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher The Pliocene: The Last Time Earth had >400 ppm of Atmospheric CO2 https://www.rmets.org/event/pliocene-las...pheric-co2 Very serious situation.... Very serious situation.... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 495379 04-06-2019 11:53 PM Post: #5 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-06-2019 11:47 PM) CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/04/healt...index.html (CNN)The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, Greenland was mostly green, sea levels were up to 20 meters higher and trees grew on Antarctica, according to scientists who warned this week that there is more CO2 in our atmosphere today than in the past three million years. Using a new computer simulation, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, found that the last time the earth's atmosphere had a CO2 concentration as high as today's was during the Pliocene epoch, the geological period 2.6-5.3 million years ago. CO2 emissions from human activities are the leading cause of climate change. Effects of global warming around the world Photos: Effects of global warming around the world The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere today is "unnatural", lead-author Matteo Willeit told CNN. Willeit said that according to the simulation CO2 levels should not be higher than 280 parts per million (ppm) without human activity, but that they are currently 410 ppm and rising. Global mean temperatures are rising much faster than any time since the Pliocene, Willeit added. In that time they have never exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2C, but current models show that temperatures will rise by 4C between 2000 and 2100 if steps are not taken to slash emissions, he said. Into unknown territory Willeit said rising CO2 levels are pushing earth beyond any climatic conditions ever experienced by humans. If CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise, "our planet will change" and sea levels will rise by one or two meters in the next 200 years, he added. 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching This research isn't the first to suggest that today's CO2 levels are the highest since the Pliocene, but the Potsdam researchers say their work is the first to combine ocean-floor sediment data with analysis of past ice volumes, and is more sophisticated than other model studies. Scientists at a Royal Meteorological Society meeting on the climate of the Pliocene in London on Wednesday discussed how sedimentary records and plant fossils from near Antarctica show that during the Pliocene epoch Arctic summer temperatures were 14C higher than today. Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London, speaking at the event, said the findings offered a view of the earth's future if drastic steps are not taken to address global warming. Nonsense! They just want to collect more tax dollars. Snap out of it Nonsense!They just want to collect more tax dollars.Snap out of it LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493154 04-06-2019 11:53 PM Post: #6 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher Butteh. In those times, was it from Volcanoes? Cos, I would imagine that besides CO2 levels, a whole lot of other nasty gasses, many probably also trapping heat, methane, sulfur, were also a lot more in the sky. Sooo. We only have the CO2 part, so I give you maybeee a 2 meter rise. Wild guess.... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496559 04-06-2019 11:59 PM Post: #7 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher Burning of fossil fuels !!! FOSSIL- FOOLS!!! FATAL-FOOLS!!! CO2 levels now, are not naturalBurning of fossil fuels !!!FOSSIL- FOOLS!!!FATAL-FOOLS!!! VM Registered User User ID: 496348 04-07-2019 12:08 AM Posts: 5,597 Post: #8 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher 3 million years ..... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-07-2019 12:25 AM Post: #9 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher Stop exhaling. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493154 04-07-2019 12:30 AM Post: #10 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-06-2019 11:59 PM) CO2 levels now, are not natural Burning of fossil fuels !!! FOSSIL- FOOLS!!! FATAL-FOOLS!!! Live being on planets breaking and killing things seems pretty natural to me... Live being on planets breaking and killing things seems pretty natural to me... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 386858 04-07-2019 02:21 AM Post: #11 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher nothing that drastic will happen for at least 100 years deal with it then, are technological capabilities will be vastly greater in 100 years LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493154 04-07-2019 02:29 AM Post: #12 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-07-2019 02:21 AM) nothing that drastic will happen for at least 100 years deal with it then, are technological capabilities will be vastly greater in 100 years Not if we keep doing, energy wise, what we have been doing the previous almost hundred years. Not if we keep doing, energy wise, what we have been doing the previous almost hundred years. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-07-2019 02:30 AM Post: #13 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-07-2019 02:29 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-07-2019 02:21 AM) nothing that drastic will happen for at least 100 years deal with it then, are technological capabilities will be vastly greater in 100 years Not if we keep doing, energy wise, what we have been doing the previous almost hundred years. We call it civilization--fuckwit. We call it civilization--fuckwit. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496575 04-07-2019 02:51 AM Post: #14 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-06-2019 11:47 PM) CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/04/healt...index.html (CNN)The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, Greenland was mostly green, sea levels were up to 20 meters higher and trees grew on Antarctica, according to scientists who warned this week that there is more CO2 in our atmosphere today than in the past three million years. Using a new computer simulation, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, found that the last time the earth's atmosphere had a CO2 concentration as high as today's was during the Pliocene epoch, the geological period 2.6-5.3 million years ago. CO2 emissions from human activities are the leading cause of climate change. Effects of global warming around the world Photos: Effects of global warming around the world The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere today is "unnatural", lead-author Matteo Willeit told CNN. Willeit said that according to the simulation CO2 levels should not be higher than 280 parts per million (ppm) without human activity, but that they are currently 410 ppm and rising. Global mean temperatures are rising much faster than any time since the Pliocene, Willeit added. In that time they have never exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2C, but current models show that temperatures will rise by 4C between 2000 and 2100 if steps are not taken to slash emissions, he said. Into unknown territory Willeit said rising CO2 levels are pushing earth beyond any climatic conditions ever experienced by humans. If CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise, "our planet will change" and sea levels will rise by one or two meters in the next 200 years, he added. 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching 'Dead corals don't make babies': Great Barrier Reef losing its ability to recover from bleaching This research isn't the first to suggest that today's CO2 levels are the highest since the Pliocene, but the Potsdam researchers say their work is the first to combine ocean-floor sediment data with analysis of past ice volumes, and is more sophisticated than other model studies. Scientists at a Royal Meteorological Society meeting on the climate of the Pliocene in London on Wednesday discussed how sedimentary records and plant fossils from near Antarctica show that during the Pliocene epoch Arctic summer temperatures were 14C higher than today. Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London, speaking at the event, said the findings offered a view of the earth's future if drastic steps are not taken to address global warming. I read a very serious article about how the lack of oxygen is going to start affecting certain people in the world. I am not a global warming freak or anything; when I read this article it gave me the creeps. Basically we are running out of oxygen, we my start seeing people walking around with oxygen scrubbers on their back. It was very serious, they said we did not have long. I read a very serious article about how the lack of oxygen is going to start affecting certain people in the world.I am not a global warming freak or anything; when I read this article it gave me the creeps.Basically we are running out of oxygen, we my start seeing people walking around with oxygen scrubbers on their back.It was very serious, they said we did not have long. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493154 04-07-2019 03:02 AM Post: #15 RE: CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years -- when seas were 20 meters higher LoP Guest Wrote: (04-07-2019 02:30 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-07-2019 02:29 AM) Not if we keep doing, energy wise, what we have been doing the previous almost hundred years. We call it civilization--fuckwit. We had civilisation before we had oil... fu*k ...wit We had civilisation before we had oil... fu*k...wit Advertisement Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Seventy-five persons were arrested in simultaneous police operations in Pasay City Friday night as part of the police crackdown on suspected drug dealers and other criminal elements in Metro Manila. Pasay City police chief Senior Supt. Bernard Yang said among those arrested were 16 individuals engaged in drug dealing and using methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu. He added the 16 drug personalities are now detained and were already charged with violation of the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) before the Pasay City prosecutors office. Yang said 56 other persons were arrested in different barangays for violating city ordinances such as smoking ban, drinking and urinating in public and caught loitering the streets half naked. Two other persons were arrested by virtue of warrant of arrest and another was accused of robbery. All the arrested persons were brought to Pasay City police station headquarters for documentation and proper disposition, said Yang.Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar commended Yang and his men for their successful operations, which he said, is in line with the National Capital Region Police Offices support to the directive of PNP chief Oscar Albayalde to go against illegal drugs and other criminality. Eleazar had also ordered his men to fully enforce the PNPs anti-crime campaign dubbed as SACLEO, or the simultaneous anti-criminality and law enforcement operations, aimed to ensure peace and order in the community. SACLEO is an all-out police operation simultaneously conducted in identified areas against illegal drug personalities, most wanted persons, bearers of loose firearms, illegal gamblers, and city ordinance violators. - Yasmien Kurdi graduated as Magna CumLaude with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science - The Kapuso network was very proud of her - Netizens flood the network's page with congratulatory messages for the actress PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed! Yasmien Kurdi has just finished her college degree from Arellano University and she did it with a loud bang! The 30-year-old Kapuso actress has just posted her medal which bore her name and the Latin honor inscription "Magna CumLaude." Of course, the name of the school was also engraved in it, signifying that she has successfully completed the program from Arellano. The actress posted a very nice caption on her IG. "Finally I am beyond grateful and humbled. All the hard work for many years in College paid off To all the working students, never stop reaching for your goals and dreams in life! Do your best all the time :) Life is hard but you have to keep pushing forward. Feed your mind with positivity like ideas of success, not failure. Let life be a learning experience and always believe in yourself! Thank you Arellano University To God Be The Glory!" PAY ATTENTION: 90s Rage: Celebrities Whose 90s Look You've Never Seen Befor GMA was very proud of Yasmien's achievement that they immediately posted her graduation photo and her medal on their page. They captioned it with, "Yasmien Kurdi graduates Magna CumLaude with a Bachelors degree in Political Science. Were very proud of you, Kapuso! Congratulations!" Aside from GMA, many netizens also gave Yasmien congratulatory messages! 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! Congratulations Yasmien! You are an inspiration not only to your fellow celebrities, but also to the rest of students out there! Yasmien Kurdi is a 30-year-old actress of GMA. She is married to a pilot and has one daughter Ayesha. She recently graduated from Arellano University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. POPULAR: Read more about Yasmien Kurdi Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Bea Alonzo reveals how ghosts intervened in the process of the "Eerie" movie shooting. Spooky and exciting moments first-hand, from one of the greatest movie stars in Philippines! Watch it here. Source: Kami.com.ph Doing as little as possible at all times and thoroughly enjoying life in doing so... Chinese national nabbed for molesting teenager in Pasay posted April 06, 2019 at 11:40 pm by Joel E. Zurbano April 06, 2019 at 11:40 pm Authorities arrested a Chinese national for sexually molesting a teenage girl in Pasay City late Friday night. Jihua Yang, 31, temporary residing at 1150-D, Shell Residences, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, was charged with molesting the 17-year-old girl, a resident of Sto. Nino, West Cupang, Alabang Hills, Muntinlupa City. Reports from the Southern Police District said that the victim was at the lobby of Shell Residences building with her aunt around 11: 45 p.m. when the suspect approached and touched her left breast. The report added that the foreigner was apparently under the influence of liquor when the incident happened. The incident reportedly took place in front of the duty security guard of the condominium.The duty guard identified as Geoffer Garbo, 23, immediately placed the suspect under arrest and turned him over to the Pasay City police station where he is presently detained. SPD spokesperson Jenny Tecson said the case is being handled by investigators police officers Dearleen Kahalan and Vannessa Camisera, both of the Women and Childrens Protection Unit of the Pasay City police station. Police are also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to check Yangs records for his possible deportation. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. 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 By Marcos Najera Most people know the acronym "LAPD" as shorthand for the L.A. Police Department, but it also stands for "Los Angeles Poverty Department" -- an award-winning performance group made up of people from all over the country who wound up homeless on L.A.'s streets, forming on Skid Row back in 1985. Their aim: to tell stories for, with, and about homeless people. This weekend, the troupe presents their latest show, I Fly! or How to Keep the Devil Down in the Hole at the REDCAT theater downtown. They say they created the show after a beloved member of their community was shot and killed by police. People like Stephanie Bell, who live and work on L.A.'s Skid Row, have lots of stories to tell. Bell joined the Los Angeles Poverty Department a long time ago to make sure her stories are heard. She's worked with the group for 24 years. She loves to sing out about the joys and pains she's felt during the nearly three decades of living with this community. Bell said LAPD's shows even help her remember the friends she's lost along the way. "Matter of fact, I'll be speaking about one of them in my play -- Kevin Michael Keith. That was my heart," Bell explained. "He helped a lot of people down here in the community, plus me, once upon a time. And then he passed away two years ago. He had cancer." John Malpede is the founding artistic director of the Los Angeles Poverty Department. He formed LAPD to collaborate with the residents of Skid Row. Their goal is to use theater, music, and spoken word as tools to confront the urgent issues of this community -- from health, to happiness, to public safety. "I've been working here for three-and-a-half decades," Malpede said. "One thing that was clear from the very beginning was that because there is such a wide range of experience among people here, maybe more than in most places -- that means that people here have a wisdom and a know-how to deal with a wider range of experience." Henriette Brouwers is Malpede's wife and co-director of their latest show. They've been rehearsing inside a large makeshift dining room at the Church of the Nazarene in the Skid Row neighborhood. It's a devised piece of theater -- meaning there was no written script when the company started working on the play nearly two years ago. They began with writing workshops and acting exercises first, and then wrote the script based on their discoveries. Drummers from the Skid Row Playaz and a funk/soul band from the church eventually added the sound. Skid Row Playaz (Marcos Najera for LAist) Just outside the rehearsal hall, a half-opened fire hydrant leaked. Someone put down a bucket filled with dishes and clothes to capture the drops. Around the hydrant were endless rows of tents filled with folks going about their business. A few years ago, when the troupe was rehearsing a different show, they heard gunshots coming from a tent city. They ran outside, only to learn that police had shot and killed a community member known as "Brother Africa," Charley Leundeu Keunang. "It was like everybody came back were just in shock. We couldn't do a rehearsal," Walter Fears, a core member of the troupe, said. He remembers that day well. Police ended up settling following an excessive force verdict for $1.9 million. "What can you do besides police the block, you know, 24 hours?" Fears said. "What can you do besides create a piece or march -- y ou know what I'm saying? We went back to rehearsal with all these things. People were crying. People were upset. We couldn't rehearse anymore that day." But what they could do was turn their anger and sadness into this new show -- inspired by Brother Africa's death. The show explores issues of public safety. It asks the question: "What can residents do alongside law enforcement to keep people safe?" The play is set at the Festival for All Skid Row Artists. That is an actual annual event at which performers from Skid Row share their work with the public. This October will mark the 10th anniversary. While it's taken years to establish art as a regular presence in the community, Walter Fears fondly remembers those early days when John Malpede and Henriette Brouwers would hold public meetings to raise support. (Marcos Najera for LAist) "And then they were here doing this symposium -- it was all these white people there talking about black people, and I was like, 'what?'" laughed Fears. "How y'all going to talk about black people? There ain't no black people in here, y ou know what I'm saying? They came up to me and they said, 'Well, why don't you come to our space?' They invited me that night, and I've been with them ever since." Fears said he's originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, and comes from a family of sharecroppers. When he originally joined LAPD, he said, he found himself living on the streets after graduating from college, joining the military and teaching in Orange County. A swimming pool accident left him unable to work while recovering in a hospital for months. Eventually, symptoms of PTSD stemming from his military service slowly crept up on him. And soon, he said, he became addicted to meds. But he was unable to complete his treatment. "The insurance company dropped me. The hospital kicked me out. That's how I ended up on Skid Row," Fears aid. "My first night, it was a little scary. It was horrible. I had no idea, the first thing about being homeless. I ended up meeting a guy who was a veteran. He showed me how to dumpster dive, you know, go get cardboard and tie it up so you can crawl inside and the rats won't get in. And the next morning, he took me to the missions -- where to get food, get exchanges of clothes, and showed me where the doctor was -- the eye doctor. And I was just blown away, because there were all these services here! [Laughs.] And you couldn't get these in Orange County, but here they are." Fears felt that there should have been a support system to catch someone like himself -- a working person and a veteran. "But there wasn't. But it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because I ended coming here and finding myself," Fears said. Now Fears has a place to live and a new wife. But he keeps coming back to work with LAPD and his friends in this neighborhood because, he said, there's still lots of work to be done. "Because this community, in a way, it saved me," Fears said. "Because these people, they took care of me when I couldn't take care of myself. That's the nature of Skid Row. People look out for each other here." The Los Angeles Poverty Department's show I Fly! or How to Keep the Devil Down in the Hole plays through Saturday at the REDCAT theater in downtown L.A. (Marcos Najera for LAist) Listen to this story on KPCC's The Frame podcast. The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has strongly advised Filipinos to postpone their travel to Tripoli and surrounding areas due to military movements towards the Libyan capital. READ: OFWs in Libya told: Take precautions Filipino workers from Tripoli and the surrounding areas who are currently on vacation in the Philippines and are scheduled to return to Libya in the coming days are strongly advised to postpone their travel until the tensions subside, the DFA said in a bulletin Friday night. At the same time, it asked Filipinos in the Libyan capital to exercise extreme caution and specifically called on nationals living within a 100-kilometer radius of the Libyan capital to remain vigilant. Tensions continued to flare up near Tripoli, triggered by a military movement from the east of the country. Recent report from the DFA said limited clashes south of Tripoli left one person dead. The bulletin, a follow-up to an advisory issued earlier, echoed the request of the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli for members of the Filipino Community to stay indoors; avoid any unnecessary movement and public gatherings, and to follow the instructions of their employers until such time that the situation normalizes. Although, the early Friday advisory has the elements of a Level III or voluntary repatriation situation, Charge daffaires and Embassy head of mission Elmer Cato clarified that the crisis alert level in Libya remains at Level II or restriction phase. The situation in Tripoli itself has not reached the point where we would have to recommend raising the Alert Level from II to III. There is a possibility it would be raised at any time, he told the Philippine News Agency on Saturday. READ: DFA lowers Libya alert Unlike in previous advisories, Cato also noted that the latest one applied only to Filipinos working in Tripoli and in areas within a 100-km. radius of the capital. Nevertheless, Filipinos who wish to be repatriated are advised to immediately contact the Embassy so arrangements could be made for their return to the country. The department will shoulder the repatriation of any Filipino who requests our assistance in going home, he said. We remain in touch with members of the Filipino Community who have been providing us with updates on the situation in their respective areas. So far, no Filipino has requested us for assistance, he added. Filipinos in need of urgent assistance may contact the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli through the number +218-91-824-4208 or through the Philippine Embassy in Libya Facebook Page. Friday, April 5, 2019 This isn't so much a news item for you as it is me thinking out loud about how the weather can impact the lives of elders. Living in Florida (and far enough South in Florida that frost is something we read about happening to others), absent a big weather event (think hurricane or tornado) we don't have to deal with the aftermath of significant winter weather events. What got me thinking about this was the bomb cyclone from a few weeks ago. I was out in Colorado when it was moving through and although on the fringes of the storm, it was enough. The weathercasters were urging people to stay indoors and some folks lost power for a while. After the storm passed, the state and local DOT did amazing jobs clearing the roads, and businesses cleared their drives and sidewalks. But not every property owner seemed to be as diligent about doing this. And there is was the melt and freeze cycles of the day, slush and puddles as the temperatures rose, turning to sheets of ice at nights and in the mornings. This situation is possible in any location that gets snow or even rain. It made me think about navigating the aftermath of weather events, especially if we are looking toward making communities more livable and more walkable. What help is available for older persons who can get out and about, but shouldn't be out and about walking on icy sidewalks (really I guess, who should?). How do municipalities get businesses and property owners to clear sidewalks and driveways? What help is available to survive the cold during a power outage? Ready.gov has helpful info about dealing with snowstorms (as well as other types of disasters). Google elderly and snowstorm and you will find lots of wonderful stories about neighbors helping elders . Area Agencies on Aging are always a good start for info as well as Senior Centers. Once the storm went through and we went outside, let me tell you the landscape was breathtakingly beautiful! The folks in Colorado are masterful at handling these snow events and I have no doubt that those who live there know how to navigate Mother Nature's events (just like we in Florida know how to deal with the humidity!) The mother of one of my dearest friends lives there and just shrugs it off when I ask her about navigating snow. Or maybe it is simply me, a Floridian, unable to process the concept of living in and navigating weather other than the kind we experience on a daily basis. Remember-planning ahead is critical. Just like we in Florida have our hurricane kits ready starting June 1, get a "blizzard box" or snowstorm survival kit together! https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/elder_law/2019/04/winter-snowstorms-impact-on-elders.html Anne Bradstreet was the first person on the North American continent to publish poems, but her legacy has largely been lost to time. Now, professors and students at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts are trying to find where she is buried. They also are working to build her legacy and, what they say is, her rightful place in Western literature. Christy Pottroff is an assistant professor of English at Merrimack College. She and associate English professor Ellen McWhorter are leading several students in a project called Finding Anne Bradstreet. Even though we dont know much about her, she was a household name in the 17th century, both here and in England, Potroff told the Associated Press. Bradstreets book of poetry, The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America, was popular both in the North American Colonies and in her native England. It was published in 1650. People in her home country were very interested in her descriptions of everyday life in the New World. Bradstreet was a member of a well-known family that held important positions. Her father, Thomas Dudley, served as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She married Simon Bradstreet, who also served as governor. She died in 1672. Her family was powerful and wealthy so she received more education than many women in her community of Puritans, a Christian religious group. Most of her writings were about home life in the Colonies, her position as a woman and mother of eight and her love of her husband. I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold, she wrote in the poem, To My Dear and Loving Husband. She also wrote about watching the familys home catch fire. Then, coming out, behold a space, The flame consume my dwelling place, she wrote in Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666. All of Bradstreets writing was strongly influenced by her Puritan religious beliefs. She thought poetry was a vehicle for glorifying God, McWhorter said. Bradstreet did not set out to become a published poet. Her writings were at first shared with family. But her brother-in-law took her writings to London, where they were published. Some experts believe he did so without her knowledge, but it is more likely she did know he planned to have them published, Pottroff said. The Merrimack project began just last year. But McWhorters interest in Bradstreet dates to 2009 when she was interviewing for a job at the college. At that time, she heard that Bradstreet was buried somewhere on the schools grounds. It turns out that is not true. But researchers think she was buried not too far away in North Andover. The professors and students believe she was buried where her family home used to be, which is now private property. They aim to use radar technology to find underground objects that might suggest a burial site. The goal is just to find the burial site and bring Bradstreets work and life back into the light. We want to rebuild some of her legacy that has been lost, said Emma Leaden, an English student at Merrimack helping with the project. Leaden had never heard of Bradstreet but quickly got involved in the project. I just thought finding the grave of Americas first poet sounded exciting and very Indiana Jonesy, she said. The group is developing a software application about Bradstreets life so people can take guided walks to follow her footsteps. The professors and students also are preparing a Bradstreet lesson plan for high school teachers to use in the classroom. Im Pete Musto. Mark Pratt reported on this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Who was the earliest poet in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story legacy n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past thy adj. relating to or belonging to you doth v. ancient third person singular present form of the verb do consume v. to destroy something with fire dwelling n. a place where a person lives glorify(ing) v. to honor or praise a god or goddess interview(ing) v. to participate in a formal meeting in which you are being considered for a job or other position Sudanese officials are seeking to end months of anti-government protests. More than 50 people have died in the unrest. Now, a Sudanese woman is creating street art portraits to honor those killed. Assil Diab lives in Qatar. But earlier this year, she returned to the country of her birth. Diab says she came to honor protesters who were killed in demonstrations against the Sudanese government. "Once I got here, I heard a lot of stories about the martyrs. And it was very emotional, and I just knew that I had to do something about that." Diab began visiting the families of protesters who died. She then went to work painting pictures of the victims on the walls of the buildings where they once lived. Abubakr Omer's 24-year-old son, Abdulazeem, was killed in January. He reportedly was shot by police during a protest. Omer told VOA that Diab's painting has brought back memories of his son. He added that whenever he sees the painting, he feels like Abdulazeem is still alive. Diab also creates portraits of those killed in earlier protests, like Adiyla Mustafa's son Musab. He was shot during protests in 2013. Mustafa says that she was not present when Diab made her sons painting. When she saw it for the first time, she was surprised. She added that his image is a painful memory for her. At least 50 people have been killed in Sudan since the demonstrations started in late December 2018. Protesters criticized the government for price increases and fuel shortages. They soon began calling on President Omar al-Bashir to leave power. Rashid Diab is a Sudanese artist whom many consider a leader of Sudans modern art movement. He says Assil Diab's graffiti art is empowering the protests. He adds that freedom of expression in painting is very important. He said it gives actual value to the revolutionary act and increases its power and importance. Assil Diab's paintings of protest victims can be found in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities, such as Omdurman and Bahri. Diab says her street art provides a way for people to talk about how unarmed protesters lost their lives. "And once I start painting a martyr in the streets, people as well, the audience, they stop and ask as well. It connects me with the families and the families with the public and there's an immediate connection between everyone that walks past the art work." As Diab prepared to leave Sudan this month, she visited the families of those who died in the protests. Diab says she hopes that on her next visit to Sudan, there will be fewer portraits for her to paint. Im Jonathan Evans. Naba Mohiedeen reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story martyr n. a person who is killed or who suffers greatly for a religion or cause portrait n. a painting or image of a person that usually only includes the person's head and shoulders graffiti n. a picture, image or words added secretly, often illegally, to a wall, building or marker Aid groups have criticized the United States for its decision to cut assistance to three Central American nations. They warned this week that the decision is likely to backfire. The charities added that they believe it will increase the numbers of Central Americans moving north toward the U.S. border to escape violence and poverty. The U.S. State Department announced last weekend it would end foreign aid to programs in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- three countries known as the Northern Triangle. President Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he planned to suspend the aid. He criticized the three for doing little to stop the movement of migrants and asylum seekers, many of whom want to live in the United States. Charities receive money from the U.S. government to assist with economic and social development in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The groups say aid cuts will not stop the migrants and may make the situation worse. "The people who are really going to get hurt by this are the people who are small farmers and teenagers trying to avoid the pressures of joining gangs and escape violence," said David Ray. He is with the international aid group CARE. "Poverty, violence and insecurity - those are exactly the drivers of migration. (It) seems to be self-defeating," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The United States provides hundreds of millions of dollars every year for aid projects in the Northern Triangle. U.S. aid to Central America dropped to $527.6 million this year from $655 million in 2017. Those numbers come from the Washington Office on Latin America, a research group. Trump's idea to reduce aid to the Northern Triangle could add to migration north as the situation in their countries worsens, experts said. "He is concerned about border security," said Robert Zachritz. He is vice president for advocacy and government relations at the charity World Vision. "(This move) is counterproductive," he added. World Vision usually receives about $127 million in U.S. government money for Northern Triangle projects. CARE would have to greatly reduce efforts in the area, including a project that helps poor farmers in Guatemala. Battle Ahead Reducing aid is likely to meet strong opposition in the U.S. Congress. To make changes, lawmakers must approve Trump's plan to change spending bills already passed. To get congressional approval, the Trump administration must make an official request explaining its plan for removing the aid money from the budget. "It is Congress that decides on how much foreign assistance the U.S. is going to provide," said Adriana Beltran. She is head of WOLA's Citizen Security Program and a Central America expert. She added that because Congress controls all the money, there will be a fight between it and the Trump Administration. Rick Jones works as an advisor for Catholic Relief Services. Last year, the group planned projects in the Northern Triangle with the help of $34.4 million in U.S. government money. It also said a reduction of aid will increase migration. It is morally wrong and is counterproductive," Jones said. One of its endangered projects provides training and jobs to more than 5,000 young people in poor, violent communities in Honduras and El Salvador, he said. Vicki Gass is a senior policy advisor at Oxfam, a British aid organization that does not receive U.S. money. She said a reduction in aid will create greater instability that will lead to more migration. She said that if aid groups dont work to stop the causes of problems such as violence and poverty, they will just get worse and lead to even greater numbers of migrants. Im Susan Shand. The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story backfire v. to have the opposite result of what was desired or expected triangle n. a shape that is made up of three lines and three an gang n. a group of criminals; a group of young people counterproductive adj. not helpful; making the thing you want to happen less likely to happen instability n. the state of being likely to change Malacanang has sharply criticized several groups calling for the resignation of Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde over the recent police operations in Negros Oriental which resulted in the death of 14 farmers suspected as communist rebels . There is absolutely no basis in fact and in law for the PNP Chief, General Oscar Albayalde, to resign, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement on Friday, saying the operation that led to the killing was legitimate. We reiterate that the incident in Negros Oriental arose from a legitimate police operation, Panelo said, adding authorities were implementing search warrants that were duly issued by competent courts.'' In separate police operations, 14 residents died when they fought with the law enforcers who were just implementing the search orders of the said local courts. Panelo said Karapatan and other groups were using the incident to sow hate and spread fear towards our duly constituted authorities. As the PNP explained, this is not a case of massacre given the fact that those who surrendered without forceful resistance were lawfully apprehended unharmed following the discovery of illegal items pursuant to the court-sanctioned search. In fact, a policeman was wounded which goes to show that there were indeed some who used violent resistance when authorities were conducting the search, he said. He added: General Albayalde has even acted objectively by relieving administratively ranking officers from their posts just to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation free from any possible undue influence and to determine whether lapses were made during the conduct of these operations. he added. Albayalde on Tuesday ordered the relief of Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office director Colonel Raul Tacaca, chiefs of police Lieutenant Colonel Patricio Degay (Canlaon City Police Station), Lieutenant Kevin Roy Mamaradlo (Manjuyod Municipal Policed Station) and Captain Michael Rubia (Sta. Catalina Municipal Police Station) as the probe into the incidents started. READ: 4 top cops sacked over Negros 14 Meanwhile, a militant lawmaker on Saturday voiced concern over what he called intensified militarization of agricultural areas in Samar, Negros, Surigao del Sur, Quezon and Camarines Norte. Farmers are calling out against the aamilitarization of their communities and we join their demand of military pull-out and stop to human rights abuses, Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said in a statement. Casilao, member of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, joined the National Fact-finding Mission in Negros Oriental on the mass killing of 14 farmers last March 30.Casilao said based on information collated by Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and reports from various peoples organizations noted following: On March 22, the mass evacuation of more than 1,400 farmers from three barangays of San Juan De Buan town in Samar due to incessant military operations since March 8 by elements of the 87th Infantry Battalion under the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army; On March 31, the mass evacuation of 28 lumad families or more than 160 individuals in Lianga town, Surigao del Sur, due to artillery fire and helicopter bombardment of their communities by units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; On April 1, the mass evacuation of more than 1,700 farmers from Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental to other barangays and town center due to military operations of the 62nd IBPA; On April 3, the strafing of a house of peasant leader in Sta. Elena town, Camarines Norte, the victim is a leader of Gateway to Bicolandia Farmers Association and a coordinator of Neri Colmenares for Senator Movement, due to massive military operations extending Guinayangan, Lopez, Macalelon, San Francisco, Sariaya and other towns in the Quezon province; On April 5, the raid by more than 100 elements of the 79th IBPA of a house of a Pamalakaya fisherfolk leader and another in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, the victims were arrested due to trumped-up charges. These atrocities are aside from the Negros mass killing that brutally killed 14 [farmers] in March 30, Casilao said. He associated the intensified attacks against the agricultural areas as brought about by the Memorandum Order 32 of President Duterte, allegedly targetting activists in Samar, Negros island and Bicol region, and the martial law in Mindanao. We urge various sectors in Metro Manila to extend support to the victims, as it is clear that democracy, human rights, justice or rule of law and due process are already seriously trampled upon by the state, Casilao said. READ: Shootout, not massacrePalace An Indonesian fisherman held hostage for four months by Islamic militants in the Philippines has drowned, a military spokesman said Saturday, while two other captured men have been rescued. The men had been held on a remote island in a standoff for nearly six weeks after Filipino troops blockaded the island in a bid to close in on the kidnappers. The men were seized from their fishing boat in early December last year. The captors, from Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, fled the southern island of Simusa Friday, bringing their hostages with them, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana. One Indonesian fisherman, Heri Ardiansyah, was rescued as the militants tried to flee, but anotherHariadindrowned in the escape bid. Another hostage, Malaysian Jari Abdullah, was rescued by Filipino troops a day earlier and is now in a stable condition with gunshot wounds at a military hospital, Besana told AFP. The island had been blockaded for the past 41 days. They (kidnappers) probably thought they could slip past us by swimming, he added.Three of at least seven kidnappers who were with the hostages were killed in the operations, he said. The military got wind of the hostages location in late February and ordered the small civilian population on the island to leave, Besana said. Abu Sayyaf is a group of self-proclaimed Islamic militants based in the southern Philippines who have engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries for ransom since the early 1990s. In recent years the group has also preyed on cargo ships, tugboats and fishing vessels in poorly policed waters of the region near the sea borders with Malaysia and Indonesia. Dutch birdwatcher Ewald Horn, abducted in 2012, a Vietnamese seaman and four Filipinos are believed to be still in Abu Sayyaf captivity, Besana said. The Commission on Human Rights on Saturday said it is the governments duty to protect rights and liberties and not curtail them. This, as CHR spokesman and lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia called on President Rodrigo Duterte to promote the rights and liberties enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. READ: Abolish CHR only a jokeDuterte Open and free discourse is a crucial facet of a democracy. It is a right guaranteed by the Constitution and guided by different laws, De Guia said in a statement. In this case, criticisms, especially if warranted and is (sic) viewed for public interest, should not be used as a justification to curtail other rights, lest we spiral into a dictatorship, she added. The task before all freedom-loving Filipinos is vigilance against possible oppressions and abuse of power, De Guia said. President Duterte drew flak Friday for suggesting he would declare a revolutionary government and throw his critics in jail if they push him to the wall. However, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Friday her father could not suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus as he planned to do. Speaking before the 31st annual convention of the Prosecutors League of the Philippines in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Thursday, the President was visibly irked by the advice of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon that the administration should tread carefully or risk being sued, after Duterte had ordered a review of all government contracts.F*** you, how dare you say that to me, Mr. Drilon? the President said. I have enough problems with criminality, drugs, rebellion and all but if you pushed me to the wall, I will declare the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all of you. You are with the rebels, the criminals and the drug addicts. Then, you burden me? I will declare a revolutionary war until the end of my term, Duterte said. Meanwhile, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara believes as mere loose talk President Dutertes threat to arrest critics and declare a revolutionary government. I dont think he will do it. He is just exasperated with the way things have turned out [in] some areas, said Angara, who is seeking reelection in the midterm election. He is also a man of the law so I suspect he is thinking aloud, more than anything, added Angara. Senator JV Ejercito branded unnecessary Dutertes plan for a revolutionary government due to his overwhelming mandate. The government is functioning. We should not take it seriously. He is emphasizing a point, Ejercito said. Senator Cynthia Villar also said the words of the President on this matter should not be taken seriously. (HealthDay)U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Ibrance (palbociclib) capsules has been widened to include men with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer, the agency said Thursday in a news release. "Today we are expanding the indication for Ibrance to include male patients based upon data from postmarketing reports and electronic health records showing that the safety profile for men treated with Ibrance is consistent with the safety profile in women treated with Ibrance," Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence, said in a statement. Ibrance, a kinase inhibitor, was first approved in 2015 in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as the first hormonal-based therapy in women who have gone through menopause. The drug's manufacturer provided results of an analysis of real-world data from electronic health records as further supportive evidence to characterize the use of Ibrance in combination with endocrine therapy in male patients with breast cancer. The data were based on observed tumor responses in this rare subset of patients with breast cancer. Ibrance's most common side effects are infections, leukopenia, fatigue, nausea, stomatitis, anemia, hair loss, diarrhea, and thrombocytopenia. Doctors should tell male patients with female partners of childbearing age to use contraception during treatment with Ibrance and for three months after the last dose, the agency advised. Ibrance is produced by Pfizer, based in New York City. Explore further Pfizer breast cancer drug gets early FDA approval More information: More Information Health News Copyright 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Dr. Sunita Sah practiced general medicine for several years in the United Kingdom's National Health Service. When she came to the United States, she noticed something strange. The U.K. guidelines for tests such as mammograms and colon cancer screenings drastically differed from those in the U.S. - even though they were based on the same medical evidence. "Having colonoscopy at the age of 50that struck me as rather odd when I moved to the U.S., because you don't really hear about people having colonoscopies as a screening procedure in the U.K.," said Sah. "It's much less invasive to test for blood in the stool. It's also less costly and doesn't have the risks of undertaking a colonoscopy." Now an assistant professor of management and organizations at Cornell, Sah and Ismail Jatoi of the University of Texas Health, San Antonio, say the treatment guidelines recommended by medical specialist organizations are more likely to call for greater use of health care services and exacerbate overdiagnosis, overtreatment and spiraling health care costs. Their commentary, "Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Overuse of Health Care Services: Need for Reform," appeared March 18 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The implications are significant, she said, because guidelines are supposed to provide standard evidence-based treatment practices for all doctors. "The recommendations put out by specialty organizationslike the American College of Cardiology or the American College of Radiologyshow specialty bias in recommending more aggressive and/or more frequent screening procedures," said Sah, an expert on conflict of interest. "In the U.S. in particular, where the fee-for-service compensation model dominates medicine, which is different from countries like the U.K., you see even more recommendations for greater use of health care services." Specialty bias refers to the tendency of physicians to recommend the treatments in which they are trained to deliver. For example, localized prostate cancer can be treated with either surgery or radiation. "If you go to a surgeon, chances are that they are more likely to recommend that you have surgery; if you go to a radiation oncologist, they are more likely to recommend that you have radiation," she said. "They each often believe that the treatment that they're trained in is the better one." In the case of screening for colorectal cancer, the American College of Gastroenterology's panelall of whom were gastroenterologistsrecommended colonoscopy as the best strategy. But the United States Preventive Task Force, with no gastroenterologists or gastrointestinal surgeons, recommended testing the stool, sigmoidoscopy (an exam of only the lower part of the colon) or colonoscopy as a last resort. Stool testing was also recommended by the European Society of Medical Oncology panel, which consisted of six medical oncologists, no gastroenterologists and one gastrointestinal surgeon. The panel said there was limited evidence that screening colonoscopy is effective. "Colonoscopies are more invasive than stool testing and come with potentially greater risks and costs for patientsbut increased clinical volume and profits for gastroenterologists," Sah said. Specialty guidelines are also subject to fee-for-service bias, according to the commentary. Doctors who receive a payment for each treatment may tend to recommend that treatment more often, because they have a financial interest in it. "The bias is not necessarily malicious or intentional," Sah said. "In a fee-for-service environment, they may be biased to do more rather than less, so it becomes a habit." But more is not necessarily better, she said. "Sometimes the risks of those procedures are just not worth the benefits." The authors call for a reduction in conflicts of interest in the fee-for-service model, and more professional diversity in the makeup of the guideline committees. "You need a variety of different voices on those committees," Sah said. And patients could ask their doctors which guidelines they follow and why. "Ask them questions," she said. "Ask your doctor to explain their thought process in recommending the particular guideline and the advantages or disadvantages of one guideline versus another." Explore further Clinical guidelines from specialty societies often biased More information: Ismail Jatoi et al, Clinical practice guidelines and the overuse of health care services: need for reform, Canadian Medical Association Journal (2019). Journal information: Canadian Medical Association Journal Ismail Jatoi et al, Clinical practice guidelines and the overuse of health care services: need for reform,(2019). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.181496 (HealthDay)There is a positive association between use of topical corticosteroids and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online April 1 in Diabetes Care. Yuki M.F. Andersen, M.D., from the University of Copenhagen in Hellerup, Denmark, and colleagues assessed whether topical corticosteroid use in real-world settings is associated with an increased risk for T2D among two cohorts (115,218 adults with new-onset T2D in a Danish cohort and 54,944 adults in a U.K. cohort). The researchers found that topical corticosteroid use was significantly associated with T2D in the Danish (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35) and U.K. (adjusted odds ratio, 1.23) case-control studies. In the Danish cohort study, a similar association was seen for incident T2D among individuals who were exposed to topical corticosteroids (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.27). Significant dose-response relationships were seen between T2D and increasing potency of topical corticosteroids in the two Danish studies. "Clinicians should be cognizant of possible diabetogenic effects of potent topical corticosteroids," the authors write. Explore further Corticosteroid use during pregnancy not linked to facial clefts in infants Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. A new study indicates transgender men and women have a higher risk of heart attackmore than four times in some instancesthan people who identify as the gender with which they were born. The findings are being presented Friday at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions in Arlington, Virginia. The George Washington University-led study also appears in the AHA journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. "This has not been a topic that has been discussed a lot in the past," said Dr. Tran Nguyen, one of the study's principal authors. "But previous studies have shown that the transgender population has been more prone to more cardiovascular risk factors, such as poverty, smoking and depression," said Nguyen, an internal medicine resident at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. "What surprised us was that the rate of heart attacks would be that much higher." A 2016 analysis by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimated about 1.4 million Americans identify as transgender. The researchers analyzed data spanning 2014-2017 from a nationwide health survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the questions were whether respondents had ever had a heart attack and whether they classified themselves as transgender. Even after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes and lack of exercise, transgender men (who were born biologically female but now identify as male) had more than four times the rate of heart attack as cisgender women (who were born biologically female and identify as female)7.2 percent compared with 3.1 percent. Transgender men also had more than twice the rate of heart attack as cisgender men (who were born biologically male and identify as male). Transgender women (who were born biologically male and identify as female) had more than twice the rate of heart attack as cisgender women. There was no significant difference in heart attack rates for transgender women and cisgender men. "We need more research about causation," Tran said. "But I hope this will bring awareness to both the health care providers and the transgender population." Dr. Paul Chan, a cardiologist and professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, agreed. But he deemed the study preliminary, for many reasons. "It begins the conversation and that's the important thing," said Chan, who was not involved in the study. "But it's an observational study, and that is very limited." For example, Chan said, the survey did not ask how long the subject had identified as transgender, whether the heart attack occurred before or after changing gender identification, and whether the subjects had undergone gender reassignment surgery. Most importantly, he said, the survey did not include data about hormone therapytestosterone for transgender men and estrogen for transgender womenwhich has been linked to increased risk of heart disease. In addition, "The majority of population reporting as transgender are younger, so the true risk of heart attack may not be known for years," Chan said. "We need large cohort studies to follow up," he said, referring to research that establishes links between risk factors and health outcomes. "And we need to think about how we design gender questions, not just perpetuate the issue as binary because we only give two options. That will give us a lot more data about risks and benefits." In the meantime, Nguyen said, transgender patients and their doctors need to be especially vigilant in controlling other risk factors for heart disease. "They need to have open conversations about this," she said, "so we can decrease the risk in this population." Explore further Transgender individuals likely have higher risk for heart disease 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. As Miami Dade Colleges Board of Trustees searches for a successor to the retiring and revered Eduardo Padron, there are but a few concrete requirements: The next president must have a doctorate, and must have 10 years of senior management experience, six of them at an institution of higher learning. But theres another qualification that, while not exactly set in stone, carries weight: The colleges next president must work well with the people who hold the purse. For all of the unequivocal praise heaped upon Padron toward the end of his nearly 25 years atop the college, few would quibble with the belief that his relationship with Tallahassee Republicans could have been better. Padron, a Democrat, infamously called current House Speaker Jose Oliva a college dropout during a 2014 meeting with the Miami Herald Editorial Board about the colleges unsuccessful pursuit of a local half-penny sales tax to support the college, and said the cigar company executive was born into money. So, as the search for Padrons replacement gets going, there are some around the process who want to make sure that the colleges leadership finds someone who will not only know Miami inside and out, but also Tallahassee. Every year, dealing with the Legislature is a saga, MDC Board of Trustees Chairman Bernie Navarro said late last month during the first meeting of a selection committee put together to help vet and pare down an expected lengthy list of candidates. And we have to understand theyre 50 percent of our stakeholders. Lawmakers in state government do indeed have a great deal of influence over the laws that govern the colleges operations, as does the governor, who just appointed four of the seven members on the board. They help set the budget for the Florida College System a network of 28 community colleges of which Miami Dade College is a member and control, for instance, the extent to which MDC can offer four-year degrees. Read the rest here. Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario commended President Rodrigo Duterte for taking a strong stance against perceived Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea amid huge presence of its vessels near islands occupied by the Philippines. Our President is manifesting his own brand of leadership which in this instance is both appropriate and admirable, Del Rosario said in a statement. Let us all be one in standing behind him, said Del Rosario, who, along with former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, filed a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing him of committing crimes against humanity in connection with Beijings activities to gain control over most of the resource-rich South China Sea. Duterte on Friday threatened to send troops on a suicide mission if China should undertake aggressive actions on Philippine-occupied features in the South China Sea, particularly Pag-asa Island. Let us be friends, but do not touch Pag-asa Island and the rest, Duterte was quoted as saying at a rally in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. READ: Duterte to China: Back off from Pag- asa If you make moves there, thats a different story. I will tell my soldiers, Prepare for suicide mission. Im just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there. The government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday called illegal the presence of about 275 Chinese vessels near and around Pag- asa island , saying it was an infringement of Philippine sovereignty. In a related development, Senator Richard Gordon lashed back at China, saying China was not a friend because its actions did not demonstrate the actions of a friend. China said they are our friends but a friend does not send hundreds of army, hundreds of navy, does not send hundreds of vessels to harass our fishermen in our territory, stressed Gordon. The senator said he was glad Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin already filed a diplomatic protest on March 29. If we do not have a strong Navy, if we do not have a strong Army, we will be pushed around by other countries, Gordon said. Gordon pointed out that he fought to have 13 percent of the proceeds from TRAIN 1 allocated for the military, on top of the budget from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, to ensure that soldiers will not go to war without the proper equipment. It is the militarys duty to protect the integrity of our territory and to protect our country but they would not be capable of doing that without the right equipment. Let us remind our leaders to learn from history. We should follow Japans mottoEnrich the country, strengthen the military, he said. About 275 Chinese vessels were spotted near and around Pag-asa, which China calls Zhongye, from January to March this year, according to the Philippine military. China said the vessels are civilian ships, mostly fishing boats. Meanwhile, opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called the Philippines unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court as a self-serving act that would weaken the Filipinos defense against foreign aggression and state-led abuses. De Lima, a human rights and social justice champion, lamented that more than Duterte, the countrys unilateral withdrawal from ICC would greatly benefit foreign aggressors, especially China, to the detriment of the Philippines interests and security. She warned that Dutertes withdrawal from the Rome Statute becomes nothing more than a self-serving act that also favored his Chinese patron, with the Philippines as the major loser, she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 494. Because as sure as anything, Duterte will continue to commit crimes against humanity on his countrymen, and China will continue to commit acts of aggression against Filipino fisherfolks beyond March 17, 2019. The Philippines has just been stripped naked of ICC protection from both, she added. The Philippines withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect last March 17, which means that any future act of aggression by foreign countries and crimes against humanity committed by Duterte after March 17, 2019 can no longer be raised by the Philippines to the ICC. Additionally, the ICC can only investigate summary executions carried out by policemen and vigilantes, upon Dutertes directive, from June 30, 2016 to March 16, 2019 due to the said withdrawal.Before March 17, Del Rosario and Carpio-Morales, along with a group of local fishermen, were able to file a communication before the ICC against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials for crimes committed in the disputed South China Sea. While she lauded the move, De Lima was concerned that Chinas acts of aggression complained of in Del Rosarios and Moraless ICC communication definitely will not be the last to be committed by a foreign country or leader against the Philippines and Filipino citizens. De Lima said she was also alarmed that Dutertes unilateral withdrawal from the countrys membership to the Rome Statute without the Senates concurrence might also prompt him to eventually withdraw from other significant treaties should issue affecting him arise. Another point. With the now emboldened President Duterte, whose unilateral act of withdrawing sans Senate concurrence was left unchecked by the Supreme Court, what would prevent him now from likewise withdrawing, whimsically and capriciously as he did as to the Rome Statute, from other major treaties like the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty? she asked. In short, the grievously ill-advised and arbitrary unilateral withdrawal from the Rome Statute was a colossal blunder, she added. In 2018, De Lima sought the Supreme Courts approval to allow her to personally appear and argue on the petition that she and her colleagues filed challenging the Philippines unilateral decision to withdraw from the ICC. However, the SC junked the minority senators motion to allow De Lima to argue for the position of non-withdrawal from the Rome Statute, maintaining that the case will not be prejudiced if a lawyer other than De Lima argued their petition before the Court. In other developments, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Saturday said he would file a resolution to investigate the sand extraction attempt of a Chinese-manned dredging ship off the coast of Lobo, Batangas, and know if the incident was happening in other areas. He said the Senate probe into the poaching or export of sand and other landfill materials should cover not only the reported sand dredging in Batangas but similar cases in other parts of the country. Have we become a land reclamation material supplier? Are we exporting our sand? Recto asked. If our mountains have been flattened and transported ship by ship to reclaim islands, some of which are within our territory, then that is land transfer of the worst kind, he said. Recto said if reports are true that the Chinese ship was dredging sand for use in the building of Hong Kong airports third runway, then it is our second contribution to the projectthe first being the P700 million that Filipino travellers pay a year for the expansion of the Hong Kong airport. It is in the fine print of a round-trip plane ticket to Hong Kong. Nasa ticket yan. You pay 90 Hong Kong dollars as Hong Kong airport construction fee, Recto said. Given the global shortage of sand and rising local demand for the construction material, Recto said it is time for the government to review existing policies on sand and gravel quarrying, transport and sale. There are many provinces in the country that are sand and gravel poor. Kaya tumataas ang home construction cost kasi minsan binabarko pa ang mga ito from one province to another. Many government road projects have been delayed by the lack of gravel and aggregates, Recto said. Sand is in high demand worldwide. According to the United Nations, sand and gravel account for 85 percent of everything mined worldwide annually. And China, which accounts for half of the global demand, is like a huge sand-and-gravel suction machine, he said. Recto said the high demand for sand has given birth to sand mafia in many parts of the world, and possibly, there are local groups here which are trafficking that sellable commodity. Vietnams domestic demand for sand exceeds the countrys total reserves. Many beaches in other countries have been stripped bare of sand. Strip mining also happens in coastal areas. This should not happen in our place, said Recto, citing the need for an inventory and a good policy on these resources. He said this could begin with the no-export policy of these resources. READ: Pinoy fishers urged: Avoid Scarborough " " Graduates of Bowie State University put messages on their mortarboard hats during the school's graduation ceremony in College Park, Maryland, 2013. Should paying for college take precedence over saving for retirement? Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Every parent wants their child to succeed and have every advantage in life. With student loan debt now averaging more than $34,000 per college graduate, it's natural for parents to want to protect their kids from this crippling financial burden. But financial professionals agree that the best way to take care of your kids is to take care of yourself first. That means saving for retirement before saving for college. Here are four reasons why. Advertisement 1. There Are No Loans for Retirement. In a perfect world, parents would earn enough and save enough to fully fund both their retirement and their kids' college educations. But for most families, one savings goal needs to take priority over another. In that case, financial planners say, you need to look at all the options. "There are many ways to fund college -- scholarships, loans, work-study programs, part-time employment -- but when was the last time a 70-year-old unemployed person with no regular income obtained a loan for living expenses?" says Allison Alexander, financial adviser for Savant Capital Management in Rockford, Illinois, in an email. Student loans aren't ideal, but at least they're a low-interest option for paying off debt over decades. If a retiree runs out of savings, there really are no options. They'll have to sell off their assets and try to live off Social Security benefits. The choice between saving for college and saving for retirement doesn't need to be a zero sum game, but parents should do everything possible to avoid running out of money when working is no longer an option. Ideally, experts say, parents need to come up with a dollar figure that will allow them to be financially independent in retirement and save toward that goal. "Once that number is known, it's very easy to see if there's anything left over to go to a 529 college savings plan if a child is young, or directly to paying tuition if they're already in school," says Richard Kahler, president of the Kahler Financial Group in Rapid City, South Dakota. Advertisement 2. 'I'll Just Work Until I'm 70' Isn't a Plan. One reason why parents are so strongly motivated to save for college over retirement is that college may only be 10 or 15 years away, while retirement seems way beyond the horizon. Most parents in their 30s or 40s assume that they'll always be healthy and that their incomes will only grow with age. "People have this illusion of control, that if they need to work longer, they can work longer," says Christian Mauser, a financial adviser with the Resource Planning Group in Atlanta. "They say, ''I'm going to spend this money now on my kid's college education and I'll just work until I'm 70. That won't be a problem.' What I've found is that people don't realise that a lot of that is out of their control." Mauser has a client who went to great lengths to pay for her son's college education, pulling money from her retirement savings and drawing equity from her house. Then, at 60 years old, she was laid off and hasn't been able to find work. Now her savings have dried up, and the only option is to sell the house and collect Social Security. The kid is fine, but she's in bad shape. "Guaranteeing your children's success can have an equal impact on your retirement," says Mauser. Advertisement 3. What's the Cost of Supporting an Elderly Parent? Good parents pay for their kids' college tuition and don't saddle them with debt. That's what most parents believe. The problem with that mind-set, says financial adviser Kahler, is that if parents fail to plan for their own retirement, it's going to fall on the kids to take care of them. Let's say a child decides to attend an out-of-state public school. That runs about $25,000 a year for a total of $100,000 over four years. That's a lot of money, and likely a lot of loans. But compare that to the cost of supporting an elderly parent who failed to save enough for retirement, which Kahler estimates as between $300,000 and $700,000. "Even the low side of that is high," says Kahler. "It's substantially in the kid's best interest to pay for their own college and for the parents to fund their retirement. That's the loving thing to do." Jamie Slaughter, a financial adviser with Strasbaugh Financial Advisory in Colorado Springs, Colorado, agrees, saying that it's not fair (or smart) to rely on your children's earnings as a retirement plan. "It's to their detriment if you put all your money toward their college and then they have to help you later on. You're really doing them a disservice," says Slaughter. "They may get out of school and have a degree, but are they making enough to support you? Likely not." Advertisement 4. Roth IRAs Allow You to Be Flexible. Many young parents immediately start socking money away in a 529 college savings plan when their baby is born. And that's smart, because 529s offer a lot of benefits when saving for college. Not only are contributions tax deductible in many states, but the money grows tax-free, and all withdrawals are tax-free if they're used to pay tuition or other qualifying educational expenses. But what if junior decides not to go to college? Or what if 10 years from now the traditional four-year college degree is upended by online learning and college costs a fraction of what it does today? (We can dream, can't we?) If you have most of your money saved in a 529, you'll pay a 10 percent penalty each time you withdraw cash for noneducational purposes. That's why Robert Schmansky, a financial adviser at Clear Financial Advisors in Livonia, Michigan, is such a strong proponent of Roth IRAs. He says that most parents are only familiar with the retirement benefits of Roth IRAs, namely that you can withdraw money tax-free once you're older than 59. "But you can also use Roth IRAs to help pay for college," says Schmansky. "You're allowed to deduct your contributions for any reason whatsoever without a penalty, just not the growth." What that means is that parents can take out any of the money they've put into a Roth IRA without incurring the 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty. They just can't touch the interest. The result is flexibility. If a child needs help paying for tuition or covering student loans, mom and dad can pull some money from their Roth IRA. But if the kid doesn't need the money, mom and dad aren't stuck with an education-only savings account, and they can keep more for retirement. Roth IRAs do have some limitations: You can't contribute more than $5,500 a year, or $6,500 a year if you're 50 or older. These amounts "phase out" or get reduced once you start making over $118,000 as a single person or $186,000 for married couples filing jointly. (More details here.) Now That's Interesting Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel prize-winning father of behavioral economics, found that nearly all financial decisions are based in emotion. That's why financial advisers have to be one part accountant and one part psychologist. "A big part of my job is encouraging clients to acknowledge their emotions," says Kahler. "Only when they're aware of their emotions can we do anything about them." Warning Mr. Trump - Know Your Enemies President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500. Mr. President, I write to you because Im seeing something unfold that concerns you, and I have no way of knowing if youre aware of it, nor have I seen anyone else mention it. That is, sir, you are being set up, a trap is being set for you, and unless you are aware of it, you may well walk into that trap eyes wide open. It may not be in your briefing this morning, but the WikiLeaks organization has reported that high-ranking Ecuadorean state officials have told them Julian Assange will be expelled from their London embassy in a matter of hours to days. Now, I dont know what your personal opinion is of Mr. Assange, maybe you think he deserves punishment for leaking secret files to the public. Your personal opinion of Mr. Assange, however, is not the most important issue here, no offense. Whats most important to your own situation, as well as that of Mr. Assange, is that the people who are after him are the very same people who have been after you for 3 years, and who will double their efforts after suffering a huge loss due to Robert Muellers No Collusion report. What the trap set for you consists of is that if you let these -largely anonymous- deep state actors get their hands on Mr. Assange, you will greatly empower them (even further). But, sir, his enemies inside US intelligence are the same as yours, and empowering ones enemies is not the way to do battle. We know they are the same people because of Robert Mueller. Mr. Assange was the only way Mr. Mueller could think of to link you to the Russians. This is a narrative built upon the -false- notion that Russians hacked the DNC servers and sent the contents to Mr. Assange. The narrative has been fully discredited by multiple voices multiple times, but Mr. Mueller has never retracted it. For good reason: this way he -and others- can leave the story, and suspicion, open that there is a link between you, Mr. Assange and the Russians, despite the Mueller reports no collusion conclusion. And do note: it not only maintains the popular and media suspicion of Mr. Assange, it also leaves suspicion of you alive. Former British ambassador Craig Murray explained the intricacies -again- a few days ago: Muellergate and the Discreet Lies of the Bourgeoisie Robert Mueller repeats the assertion from the US security services that it was Russian hackers who obtained the DNC emails and passed them on to Wikileaks. I am telling you from my personal knowledge that this is not true. Neither Muellers team, not the FBI, nor the NSA, nor any US Intelligence agency, has ever carried out any forensic analysis on the DNCs servers. The DNC consistently refused to make them available. The allegation against Russia is based purely on information from the DNCs own consultants, Crowdstrike. William Binney, former Technical Director of the NSA (Americas US$40 billion a year communications intercept organisation), has proven beyond argument that it is a technical impossibility for the DNC emails to have been transmitted by an external hack they were rather downloaded locally, probably on to a memory stick. Binneys analysis is fully endorsed by former NSA systems expert Ed Loomis. There simply are no two people on the planet more technically qualified to make this judgement. Yet, astonishingly, Mueller refused to call Binney or Loomis (or me) to testify. Compare this, for example, with his calling to testify my friend Randy Credico, who had no involvement whatsoever in the matter, but Muellers team hoped to finger as a Trump/Assange link. The DNC servers have never been examined by intelligence agencies, law enforcement or by Muellers team. Binney and Loomis have written that it is impossible this was an external hack. Wikileaks have consistently stressed no state actor was involved. No evidence whatsoever has been produced of the transfer of the material from the Russians to Wikileaks. Wikileaks Vault 7 release of CIA documents shows that the planting of false Russian hacking fingerprints is an established CIA practice. Yet none of this is reflected at all by Mueller nor by the mainstream media. Collusion may be dead, but the Russiagate false narrative limps on. Mr. Trump, sir, I dont doubt you have realized by now that you are not rid yet of Robert Mueller. But Mr. Mueller is but one cog in the large wheel of intelligence running against you. Yes, the same wheel that runs against Mr. Assange. Im sure you recognize that its hugely ironic, but there is a for now unbreakable bond between the two of you. Not because of anything you did yourselves, but because Russiagate conspirators in the media, the Democratic party and the intelligence community have created it. And you need to be careful on account of that bond, because theyre going to -try to- use it against you. I may be a lot more sympathetic to Mr. Assange than you are, but as I said before, this has nothing to do with personal opinion. This is about a trap being set for you. And Mr. Assange is an important part of that trap. Through him, and especially if they keep him incommunicado, they can keep Russiagate alive, which allows for hundreds of billions of dollars in annual arms expenditures and the 24/7/365 threat of war. Without the empty allegations against Mr. Assange, Robert Mueller would have had to drop his probe much earlier, but in keeping the allegations alive by silencing Mr. Assange, Russiagate can live on, because the link between Russian hackers and WikiLeaks can be left hanging in the air. And that, Mr. President, will be bad news for you, whether you like it or not, whether you acknowledge it or not. We havent talked about the media yet, but theres another giant irony in the US media clamoring about press freedom, and using it to smear you for 3 years, but not saying a single word to defend that same freedom when it comes to Mr. Assange. They, too, will continue to haunt you, using Mr. Assange as their bait. Dont let them. I dont know what you intend to do about Russiagate and its main perpetrators, but I do know you can make things much easier for yourself if you solve the Assange conundrum first. And you cant do that by allowing your own enemies to get their hands on him and rendition him; that will backfire on you. You could pardon him, but that may be a step too far for you at this point. It might be better to simply allow him to go home to Australia. What would amuse me to no end is if you would personally nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. That would piss off so many of your enemies it would be a sight to see. The biggest bird you can flip them all. And then after that, you know, go talk to Vladimir Putin and tell him youre sorry for all this bad theater. Theres this scene in the Godfather where Marlon Brando as the ageing Don tells Al Pacino how to recognize the traitor in his own midst: the one who suggests setting up a meeting. This is very similar: whoever comes to you to suggest the harshest treatment of Julian Assange, will be the one(s) intent on coming after you too. One last thing, Mr. President: Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden are among the best, brightest and bravest people our world has to offer. We need people like them, and we need them badly. And its a lot more stupid than it is simply ironic, that they are the ones we are locking up and silencing. That way America will never be great again, guaranteed. And you, sir (I know, more irony) may be their -and our- best and even last hope. You have the power to set free our best. Please use it wisely. And Mr. President, sir, be careful out there. Know your enemies. By Raul Ilargi Meijer Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2019 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. We are ready for December, everything ... How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Thats a quote from Winnie the Pooh, which Barbara Wiggins, owner of Mustard Seed Clothing Company, used to announce her retirement. She continued thusly, After much thought and reflection, I have decided to hang up my bonnet and pursue a life of blissful retirement. The store will close on April 27. Its time to bow out gracefully, take up sky diving and adventure seeking before my kids take my car keys away and put me in a nursing home! said Wiggins. From the Mustard Seeds beginning in St. Helena to our move to downtown Napa, I have thoroughly enjoyed the business, but have mostly enjoyed the relationships I have built with you; so much more than customers you are friends. When thinking back over the years of changes and evolution in Downtown Napa one thing remained constant your loyalty. Floods, fires, and earthquakes didnt keep you away and I am grateful for your years spent shopping with us. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have made my career immensely satisfying, fun, rewarding, and memorable. I wouldnt have done it for so long if it werent for you. She signed it and added, The Seeds, Sue, Sue-2, Bobbi, Emily, Cami and Hailey and I, will be celebrating with fun, laughs, memories and THE BIGGEST AND BEST DARN SALE EVER! Come on down, lets party!!! 1227 First St. Open daily. Happy #5! Cigar aficionados will want to circle this date May 31, Napa Cigars, at 1147 First St., celebrates their fifth anniversary of being downtown. We love it here, said owner Eric Smaldino. He and his co-owner/partner originally opened in Wyoming, where they still have a store, and they heard that downtowns only cigar shop was closing. Smaldino and his wife, Lindsey, visited Napa to check out the business climate, liked what they saw, and fell in love with the area in general. Things get a little busier and a little better every day. Its great being downtown, especially on First Street. They will celebrate the anniversary with Arturo Fuente Cigars and Duckhorn wine, and you are invited. Check the website napacigars.net for information, or call 251-1513. Have you ever used a computer? Okay, thats a rhetorical question if there ever was one, but do you know what that blue light your screen emits does to your eyes, and what you can do about it? Dr. Craig Sultan, owner of Eye Works on Pearl Street, is an expert in the matter. He offers free suggestions for selecting a brightness setting for your screen, what size monitor is best, and even the proper dot pitch setting. These and a whole slew of tips are available at the-eyeworks.com. Even better, make an appointment with Dr. Sultan for one of the most thorough eye exams available in the county. See you downtown! Craig Smith is the executive director of the Downtown Napa Association and also the author of Lies That Bind How Do You Arrest Somebody Who Doesnt Exist? Reach him at 257-0322 or craig@donapa.com. 19412019 19412019 Nikki May Derr, a long time resident of Napa, died Sunday the 31st of March at the Napa Valley Senior Living (NVSL) care home. Born in 1941 in Joplin, MO, She came to Vallejo in 1942 with her family when her father joined the US Navys Submarine Service. She attended Vallejo public schools and was a graduate of Vallejo Senior High in 1958. She married Larry J. Derr in 1960 and they raised a family of two boys; Larry J. Derr Jr. of Apple Valley and Randy Jay Derr of Healdsburg. They lived in Vallejo until 1975 when they moved to Napa. Nikki and Larry moved to Japan in 1989 and on to Guam in 1990 and then back to Napa in 1992. While in Guam Nikki became the first civilian wife to head the Marianas Naval Officer Wives Club and enjoyed multiple buying trips throughout Asia to contract merchandise and luxury goods to be sold at the MNOWC BAZAAR located on top of Nimitz Hill, Guam. All proceeds from which were for the benefit of Navy/Marine families. Nikki loved people and was a lifelong owner and lover of Beagles. She was an accomplished Scuba diver and made many trips throughout the world to enjoy the waters of far off islands from Tonga; Australia; Fiji; French Polynesia; Indonesia; Marianas; Hawaiin Islands; Malaysia; the Great Barrier Reef to the SE Carribbean. She loved to fish in the small streams of the high Sierras. In their sixties she and Larry made several long hiking trips in the south of France stopping each night in the hill towns of Provence. They hiked across Scotland from sea to sea and climbed several of the Munros in northern Scotland and spent an exilerating night in the drizzle at Edinburgh castle watching the annual Tattoo of military pipe bands. An avid birdwatcher she enjoyed trips with her husband to Latin America, South Africa and southwestern United States looking for rare birds. Always up for the next adventure, she loved traveling to new places. Her favorite spots in all the world was Port Douglas, Australia before the Japanese bought it and Siena Italy. She was a passionate supporter of charities for service veterans and worked tirelessly to raise funds to provide service dogs and training for Northern California post 9/11 veterans impacted by Post Traumatic Stress in residence at the Pathway Home in Yountville. The greatest moment in her life was the birth of her only grandchild, Nicholas. Present at the moment of his birth, the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes were something to remember. A great wife, a wonderful mother and a superb grandmother she is survived by her husband Larry; both sons Larry Jr. and Randy; her grandson Nicholas and his mother , a special daughter-in-law to Nikki, Marie Derr of Windsor. Many thanks for the dedicated care of her primary Kaiser physicians, Dr. Julie Ann Winter and Dr. Lynn Marie Kostecki-Csanyi and for the love and care given by the staff at the NVSL, in particular Sweet Sue, Brother Rueben, little Sister Teresa and Commander Ian. She wanted no services, memorial gifts may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project. He was 21, with an unremarkable background, a spotty work history and no criminal record. He observed a girl getting on a school bus, stalked her and meticulously planned his crime. He abducted the girl, throwing her in the trunk of his car after brutally murdering her parents. He imprisoned the girl in his home, turning a radio up to drown out any possible sound when family members came to visit. Jake Pattersons crimes are hard to wrap ones mind around. Even for an expert in deviant criminal behavior. To go from a few areas of rejection to this extreme is very rare, said Robert Geffner. Which is why this particular situation doesnt match most of the others we read about or hear about. Although he lives in San Diego, Geffner was like so many transfixed by the story of 13-year-old Jayme Closs Jan. 10 escape from Pattersons home near Gordon after she had been held captive for 88 days. Patterson pleaded guilty March 27 to the Oct. 15 shooting deaths of James and Denise Closs and the kidnapping of their daughter, Jayme, from the familys Barron home. Geffner had more than a casual interest in the case. Geffner is president of the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute in San Diego and is an adjunct professor in the California School of Professional Psychology with specialties that include violent offenders, sex offenders and emotional abuse. In a telephone interview in the days following Pattersons arrest, Geffner said what was known about Patterson didnt fit the patterns that typically emerge in criminal deviance. First, you dont have any contact that anybody knows of ahead of time which is very unusual, Geffner said. You have a complete stranger who evidently decides for some unknown reason to attack and then goes to very extreme (measures) to essentially eliminate any contacts for her. Her family is basically destroyed in front of her. Geffner made it clear that he wasnt conducting a long-distance psychological evaluation. But the behavior was so atypical, Geffner said, it would be difficult for anyone to understand. Whats known of Pattersons past also doesnt fit any patterns, Geffner said. At least according to the records that have been publicized, no history of violence, he said. Normally, you would see either some type of delinquency or acting out or violence toward animals or some type of what we would call antisocial behavior. Mental health professionals have a long way to go when it comes to predicting violent behavior, Geffner said. But the risk factors that are known someone with a history of violence, someone with serious mental health or psychotic episodes, someone with significant trauma issues, someone who had been exposed to significant violence dont seem to apply to what is known about Patterson. It appears from what is known that Patterson terrorized Jayme to the point that she experienced learned helplessness or learned hopelessness, Geffner said. He noted that Patterson felt confident enough to have family over for Christmas while keeping Jayme under a bed. Those circumstances make Jaymes escape all the more remarkable, Geffner said. Although the good news of that bold escape after Jayme survived such a horrific crime made her story a national sensation, the underlying role of violence in our society doesnt get enough consideration, Geffner said. We dont pay enough attention to the violence that occurs in homes and communities on a daily basis around our country, he said. Were getting desensitized to the violence in our society, and to me thats a very dangerous road to be on. Local elected officials on Friday decided Clover Flat Landfill operators have breached their contract because of repeated alleged violations since August, ranging from failure to provide proper firefighting capabilities to leakage of contaminated water into a creek. The Upper Valley Waste Management Agency Board of Directors oversees the franchise agreement for the landfill in the mountains east of Calistoga. It announced its decision after a closed session during an afternoon meeting at Yountville Town Hall. This is the first step of a process that would allow for the revocation of the contract, agency Manager Steven Lederer said after the meeting. But the contract allows them to cure the breaches before that happens. Directors present were Yountville Town Councilwoman and agency Chair Margie Mohler, Calistoga Mayor Chris Canning, St. Helena City Councilmember Mary Koberstein and Napa County Supervisors Diane Dillon and Alfredo Pedroza. We strongly encourage the company to continue to focus their efforts on meeting the regulatory requirements of all the agencies involved, Mohler said. The operators face further actions because of the most recent alleged problem, the runoff of contaminated water into a creek that ultimately runs to the Napa River. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board could issue fines. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking into the matter and could work with the county District Attorneys Office to seek penalties. In addition, Napa Countys Planning, Building and Environmental Services department is the Local Enforcement Agency overseeing the landfill on behalf of the state. It has the power to issue fines or seek revocation of the operating permit. County officials said no landfill water as of Thursday was running into the creek, though they said more leakage might occur with more rain. The landfill at 4380 Silverado Trail is owned and run by the California corporation Clover Flat Landfill. It is where curbside trash is hauled from Calistoga, Yountville and St. Helena but not Napa or American Canyon and local officials dont want weekly collection service interrupted. Bryce Howard, general manager of the landfill, during a meeting break depicted problems as being due to a convergence of factors. Among them was accepting 160,000 tons of fire debris following the October 2017 wildfires on top of the usual 35,000 tons; the loss of a full-time onsite manager; a wet winter; and the loss of a market for urban wood such as sawed lumber and pruned branches. The county in a notice to the landfill said the loss of a full-time site manager about a year ago is the direct reason for the landfills string of alleged problems. Howard said the company has tried to fill the position. Weve interviewed a number of candidates, Howard said. It got down to housing costs. Howard recently stepped in to serve as interim site manager. The countys Planning, Building and Environmental Services department has issued a series of violation notices for Clover Flat over the past year. A March 29 notice sums them up. On Aug. 8, 2018, the county issued a violation notice saying the landfill had failed to provide adequate water and other resources for firefighters to fight an Aug. 6 fire there. Operators had used processed green waste as a landfill cover, which contributed to rapid fire spread. The landfills facility manager position had been vacant for six months. On Jan. 29, county inspectors noticed drainage and erosion issues near the active face of the landfill. A Feb. 13 follow-up inspection showed little or no progress had been made to solve the problems, the county notice said. The slope near the active landfill face continued to erode and a significant amount of storm water was running through the exposed landfill into storm water drainage channels. The inspector saw large areas of exposed trash near the active face of the landfill, the county notice said. When questioned, the operator was unsure how to address the issue due to recent rains and saturated conditions, the notice said. The operator didnt have enough approved tarps to cover exposed trash. As a temporary measure, the operator used plastic tarps from its county compost facility, the notice said. On March 26, the county and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board inspected the landfill. The Water Board inspector described black oily-looking water running from the landfill into a creek. In addition, tanks for contaminated water from the landfill had no secondary containment and clearly have a history of repeated overflows. The landfill still didnt have enough tarps to cover trash, continued to use processed green waste as an intermediate cover and still hadnt installed all of the needed fire protection infrastructure, the county notice said. Another inspection on March 28 found contaminated storm water running into a creek. Because the operator failed to immediately divert the water as previously instructed, the violation persisted and had been exacerbated, the notice said. The site operator has failed to make any meaningful progress in addressing the violations since prior inspections, further indicating the operators insufficient number of qualified personnel on hand or readily available to address the serious violations that have been and continue to occur, the county notice said. On March 29, the county ordered Clover Flat Landfill to be closed to members of the public bringing trash. Commercial haulers can still use the site. The operators were forbidden from spreading green waste or wood chips anywhere at the landfill for any purpose. The operator was to address the leakage problem and hire a permanent facility manager or designate an interim manager by April 2. It must submit a long-term plan to prevent erosion and manage storm water within 15 days of receiving the notice. It must provide adequate water to fight fires and take other fire protection steps within 30 days. Howard said some of the alleged violations as described in the countys notice are accurate and some probably arent. His focus during Fridays meeting was on making changes at the landfill to deal with the issues. 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. For roughly 25 years, the movement against abortion has been predominantly incrementalist. Its focus has been on restricting abortion in relatively modest ways rather than on amending the Constitution to prohibit it altogether. In the 1990s, the anti-abortion movement began to campaign to ban a method of abortion they called partial-birth abortion. More recently they have sought to ban abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. The theory behind this strategy is that changes to the law would reduce abortion rates, and debate over these changes would turn public opinion against abortion. Small victories today would enable bigger ones tomorrow. That day has come, in the eyes of some in the anti-abortion movement. Writing for National Review Online, for example, David French argues that incrementalism undermines both the political and the legal goals of the movement: It cultivates a degree of comfort with the persistence of abortion in American culture, and it sends a clear message to the judiciary that there is no true public outcry against the fundamental right to kill a child. French wants more states to pass heartbeat bills that prohibit almost all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected and fight for those bills all the way to the Supreme Court. Its time to throw down the gauntlet, declare to the world (and to the Court) that the era of incrementalism is over, and show that the people are ready to embrace life, he writes. Nearly everyone who is active in the movement agrees with French that its ultimate goal should be that, as the anti-abortion slogan has it, every child is welcomed in life and protected in law, which requires that Roe v. Wade and its successors be overturned completely. People who agree on that goal are divided, however, on how to get there. French is underestimating the practical advantages of gradual, step-by-step progress. It is true, as he suggests, that the Supreme Court can allow limited measures such as 20-week bans without dismantling its abortion jurisprudence. If it took up a heartbeat law, it would have to choose either to keep or scrap its precedents. A major anti-abortion objective would be in sight. But since heartbeat laws are flatly inconsistent with the precedents, the justices might not have to take them up in the first place: Lower courts could strike them down, and the justices could merely decline to hear appeals. Lets say, though, that a case reached the high court. Frenchs argument presupposes that some justices are on the fence. If so, wouldnt they be less likely to uphold a more far-reaching abortion restriction than to uphold a limited one? The upholding of a limited restriction would put future anti-abortion litigators in a stronger position to win more legal ground; the turning back of a more frontal challenge would put them in a worse one. Polling does not suggest that anti-abortion activists incrementalist approach has led to entrenched support for abortion in our culture. The movements turn toward incrementalism coincided with a substantial increase in the percentage of Americans who identified with it. In 1995, Gallup found that 56 percent of Americans favored abortion rights and only 33 percent considered themselves anti-abortion. Its latest finding was a much more even 49-45 plurality favoring abortion rights. There is some evidence that the recent attention to third-trimester abortion and to infants who survive abortions has shifted opinion toward the anti-abortion side as well. Even if the Supreme Court were to declare that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, and thus put legislatures in charge of setting abortion policy, there would continue to be a political logic to moving gradually. Anti-abortion activists would consider it morally obligatory to press for the maximum feasible legal protection for unborn children that could be sustained over time. But the risks of a backlash that set back that protection would be substantial, particularly in some states. At each time and place, the task of the anti-abortion movement will be twofold: putting into law those protections that command a consensus and working to change that consensus in the direction of more perfect justice. Each stage of this process of democratic persuasion will require difficult judgments of what is achievable. One oddity of Frenchs case against gradualism is that he doesnt follow it to its logical conclusion, which is that the heartbeat bills dont go far enough. Their sponsors almost certainly want to prohibit abortion from conception onward, even before a heartbeat is present. They have chosen to make the presence of a heartbeat the dividing line, one assumes, on the theory that it makes for more politically attractive legislation. They have embraced incrementalism; theyre just going for a very big increment. But their ability to reach the right political judgment is hampered by their incorrect sense that it is morally wrong to make one in the first place. People against abortion should feel a righteous impatience, but should not let it have the last word. Ramesh Ponnuru, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, is a senior editor at National Review, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Ramesh Ponnuru, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, is a senior editor at National Review, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. When a whistleblower revealed the Trump administration's decision to overturn 25 security clearance denials, it was the latest in a long and storied history of insiders exposing significant abuses of public trust. Whistles were blown on U.S.involvement in Vietnam, the Watergate coverup, Enron's financial fraud, the National Security Agency's mass surveillance of domestic electronic communications and, during the Trump administration, the corruption of former Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, Cambridge Analytica's theft of Facebook users' data to develop targeted political ads, and harm to children posed by the "zero tolerance" immigration policy. Despite the essential role whistleblowers play in illuminating the truth and protecting the public interest, several myths persist about them, some pernicious. Myth No. 1: Whistleblowers are employees who report problems externally. Often a distinction is made between employees who raise concerns inside their organizations and those who turn to outside entities, such as Congress, enforcement agencies or the press, to disclose concerns about wrongdoing. People in the corporate ethics and compliance sector try to steer workers away from whistleblowing by creating "speak up" cultures within agencies or companies. Many employees who report problems internally don't think of themselves as whistleblowers, noting that they are just doing their jobs or helping the company. And the notion that whistleblowers are employees who report externally is implicitly reinforced at times by the press, probably because the whistleblower sources with whom reporters work have, obviously, decided to take their concerns outside the walls of their employers. But under most whistleblower protection laws, employees have rights to report wrongdoing both internally and externally, free from reprisal; so failing to consider workers who disclose serious misconduct to be whistleblowers because they haven't reported the problems externally could make them liable to retaliation by their employers. The overwhelming majority of employees who see problems want to blow the whistle internally first. Understanding this can - and should - encourage employers to respond appropriately when workers report problems, protecting them from reprisal and investigating and addressing their disclosures thoroughly. Similarly, employees who understand that they are in fact whistleblowers when they raise concerns inside the workplace will be better prepared to navigate their rights, risks and options. Myth No. 2: Whistleblowers are either disloyal or heroes. A Forbes article, "Whistleblower: Warrior, Saboteur Or Snitch?," is illustrated with a picture of a street sign with divergent directions for "loyalty" and "whistleblowing." This is just one of many articles noting the widely held public perception of whistleblowers as disloyal, with terms such as "disgruntled," "self-serving," "narcissistic" or even "traitor." These negative perceptions direct focus onto the whistleblower's motive while calling into doubt the legitimacy and importance of the reports of misconduct. The image of whistleblowers as disloyal is often held in tension with a belief that they are heroes, as the articles also note. But this perception is not accurate, either. In reality, most whistleblowers are motivated by a deep sense of loyalty to their employers and are exercising both a high degree of professional ethics and a belief that their employers will address the problem. While many employees who witness wrongdoing in the workplace stay silent, fearing reprisal or futility, those who do raise concerns - and again, most do so internally first - demonstrate faith that their employers are committed to compliance and that they can make a difference. For those whistleblowers who report externally, it is typically because the problem is significant and their employers have failed to address it or engaged in reprisal (or both). At this point, government whistleblowers may decide that their loyalty is to the Constitution they swore to uphold; others may feel impelled by loyalty to professional ethics codes or to their own moral compass. Myth No. 3: 'Leaker' is another term for 'whistleblower.' "Leaking" has been used by both the Obama and Trump administrations to describe, and typically disparage, legitimate national security whistleblowers. A 2013 New York Times article switches between "leaking" and "whistleblowing" indiscriminately while parsing whether Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning are heroes or traitors. Leaking, however, is not the same as whistleblowing. Whistleblowing is defined under the Whistleblower Protection Act, the primary law that covers nonintelligence federal workers, as disclosure of information that an employee "reasonably believes" demonstrates "a violation of a law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; a gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific threat to public health and safety." This describes misconduct that is of serious concern to the public interest. Leaks typically don't reveal this level of misconduct, instead sharing information that may be salacious, embarrassing or otherwise interesting, even if sometimes quite important. Even though protections for intelligence community whistleblowers are weak and dictate how those employees must report concerns, Snowden's revelations about the NSA's unconstitutional mass collection of telephone metadata, and Winner's disclosures about Russian efforts to hack state elections as the Trump campaign was denying Russian involvement, clearly meet this standard of significance. While reporters may use the term "leak" to describe information received from anonymous insiders, the failure to distinguish between leaking and anonymous whistleblowing risks undermining the legitimacy and importance of disclosures that clearly advance the public's interest in accountability and a functional democracy. Myth No. 4: Remaining anonymous is the best strategy for whistleblowing. Journalists and public-interest organizations have taken to urging government and private-sector workers to disclose information to them, promising anonymity. News outlets actively promote their mechanisms for secure communication; some nongovernmental organizations have launched anonymous hotlines for reporting corruption or assaults on science. These messages perpetuate a myth that anonymous disclosures are both possible and in the best interests of potential whistleblowers. Efforts like these are needed, but reporting serious wrongdoing is risky business, and employees who believe this myth may be inadvertently hurt in the course of disclosing what they have witnessed. Because most workers raise concerns internally first, and because their information is often tied to their responsibilities and expertise, their fingerprints are metaphorically on their disclosures. Under the law, an employee who suffers reprisal for whistleblowing needs to show that the employer had knowledge that they raised an issue. A sophisticated employer may be able to suss out the identity of a whistleblower and retaliate, but an employee's attempts to remain anonymous may make it more difficult to prove the employer had that knowledge. Anonymity can weaken a whistleblower's ability to gain support from public-interest organizations, professional associations, sympathetic members of Congress, enforcement agents and even other co-workers who might want to come forward. And finally, the reporter's privilege for protecting communications is not as strong as the attorney-client privilege, and even employees who reach out to public-interest organizations staffed with lawyers fielding hotlines may not have the benefit of that privilege because they are not seeking or receiving legal advice - they are disclosing information. Myth No. 5: Julian Assange is a whistleblower. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is widely described as a whistleblower. A 2010 interview in the Guardian titled "Julian Assange: the whistleblower" promotes this myth directly, and as recently as last year, ABC News called him "the world's most famous whistleblower." This myth muddies already difficult waters for whistleblowers. WikiLeaks is a self-described "media organization" that "specializes in the analysis and publication of large datasets of censored or otherwise restricted official materials involving war, spying and corruption." Before being implicated in the acquisition and release of the Hillary Clinton campaign's emails in 2016, Assange and WikiLeaks published diplomatic cables and video footage of an Iraqi airstrike that killed two Reuters photographers, provided by whistleblower Chelsea Manning. But unlike Manning, Assange did not discover or disclose wrongdoing as an insider. Rather, he received information from a whistleblower and published it. His methods differ from those of most journalists, but the publication of documents that reveal wrongdoing does not make Assange a whistleblower, any more than are the New York Times and Washington Post journalists who published the Pentagon Papers - or, for that matter, than I am when I advocate on behalf of my whistleblower clients, which sometimes involves helping expose the misconduct they have discovered and disclosed. They're the true whistleblowers. Dana Gold is senior counsel and director of education for the Government Accountability Project, a non-profit law organization that promotes government and corporate accountability through litigating whistleblower cases, publicizing whistleblowers disclosures and developing legal reforms. She wrote this for The Washington Post. How well do we really know merlot? Most Napa Valley wine enthusiasts can tell you that it is the second most important (planted) red grape in The Bangladesh government has expelled scores of Rohingya refugee children from secondary schools near the refugee settlements in the Coxs Bazar district on grounds that they dont have citizenship. This has provoked an outcry in the global human rights community which is very focused on the Rohingya situation. The Bangladeshi governments policy of tracking down and expelling Rohingya refugee students instead of ensuring their right to education is misguided, tragic, and unlawful, said Bill Van Esveld, senior childrens rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. Education is a basic human right. The solution to children feeling compelled to falsify their identities to go to secondary school isnt to expel them but to let them get the education they deserve, Bill added. The expelled students were born in Bangladesh after their parents fled Myanmar as refugees in the early 1990s. They were not allowed to enroll in Bangladeshi schools. They attended non-formal primary schools in refugee camps but had no access to secondary education that would let them go to a university or even become an accredited high school graduate. So Rohingya families paid for Bangladeshi birth certificates or obtained other documents to allow their children to pass off as Bangladeshi nationals in order to continue their education. Human Rights Watch interviewed 13 Rohingya refugee students, including 4 girls, who were expelled from six secondary schools this year when school administrators went to each classroom and read out a government-issued notice ordering their expulsion. The students are among the 34,000 registered Rohingya refugees living in camps in the Teknaf and Ukhiya sub-districts, in Coxs Bazar. Their legal status is distinct from the 740,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar since August 2017 and the estimated 200,000 who had escaped previous crackdowns by Myanmars military. Bangladesh does not formally recognize these latter groups as refugees or permit them to access any formal education. However, under international human rights law applicable to Bangladesh, all children, including refugees, have an equal right to education. In November 2018, the Prime Ministers Office raised concerns about Rohingya children attending Bangladeshi secondary schools, leading to a government investigation. On January 23, the Bangladeshi official responsible for refugee issues in Coxs Bazar sent a notice to directors of seven secondary schools in Teknaf and a government official in Ukhiya. The notice, seen by Human Rights Watch, warns that the rate of Rohingya students attending school has been increasing, and that dishonest public representatives have helped them obtain Bangladeshi documents, and that the number of Rohingya refugees is increasing day by day. We were informed by the intelligence agencies under the Prime Ministers Office that Rohingya children are attending different educational institutions in Teknaf sub-district. It is ordered to take strict measures so that no Rohingya children can attend any Bangladeshi educational institutions outside of the camps, said a school director but he was unwilling to be named. A Rohingya community leader told Human Rights Watch that police, intelligence, and other officials visited four Bangladeshi secondary schools in the Teknaf sub-district on January 15 and 16 and ordered them to expel Rohingya students. The founder of Leda High School said intelligence officials warned him that having Rohingya students was not safe for the country, not safe for our people, Reuters reported. School officials knew which students were Rohingya or could find out by examining their enrollment records. The notice lists the names, secondary schools, parents names, and refugee-camp addresses of 44 Rohingya students, including 13 girls, and orders schools to expel them and other Rohingya students. Six Rohingya students who had been in grades 9 and 10 at various schools but had been expelled said that all 89 of their Rohingya classmates were expelled, although they did not know the total number expelled from all classes. A Reuters report said 64 students had been expelled from one school. About 470 Rohingya students from one refugee camp had been enrolled in Bangladeshi schools, with some still at risk of expulsion, a Rohingya camp representative said. Bangladesh has provided no legal pathway for Rohingya refugee children to attend school, and prohibits them from receiving formal education in the camps or enrolling in schools outside the camps. One student said his family borrowed and saved for months to pay 3,500 taka (US$42) to buy a Bangladeshi birth certificate. Another said he had to pretend his parents were dead to avoid reporting their refugee camp address on his school application and convinced a Bangladeshi teacher to pretend to be his uncle with a gift of fruit worth 1,000 taka (840 Indian rupees). If education is for all, said an expelled Rohingya student, then education should be for Rohingya too. Expelled students protested to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and tried to meet with Bangladeshi officials, but without success, they said. Aisha A., 17, said her headmaster warned Rohingya students not to return: Dont come tomorrow. If you do, we will hand you over to the TNO [Thana Nirbahi Officer, a local civil service executive official]. We face many troubles because of you. Denial of Education to Rohingya Refugee Children The vast majority of Rohingya children, including those born in Bangladesh into unregistered families, as well as those who arrived since the military began a campaign of ethnic cleansing in August 2017, are not formally recognized as refugees and face restrictions on access to education. There are an estimated 1.2 million ethnic Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In addition to the 740,000 Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar in August 2017, an estimated 200,000 Rohingyas had fled previous attacks and persecution, and lived as unregistered refugees in Bangladesh. In addition, there are about 34,000 registered Rohingya refugees living in two official camps in the Coxs Bazar district, including 8,000 school-age children who are enrolled in schools in the camps. Beginning in the late 1990s, the Bangladesh government allowed Rohingya children who were registered refugees to attend two hours of classes per day with volunteer teachers, but did not allow a formal curriculum. Later, they could attend schools in the camps for registered refugees that are supported by UNHCR. Since 2007, the government has allowed the schools to teach a version of the Bangladeshi curriculum, but has not accredited the camp schools, which only run through class 8. Refugee children at the camp schools, unlike Bangladeshi students, cannot sit for national examinations or receive official certification that they passed primary school, junior high school, or secondary school. Government officials say that refugee children are barred from receiving a formal education at schools outside the camps. Without formal education, Rohingya children have no official recognition of their education and no opportunity to apply to universities. The Rohingya students expelled from secondary schools since January had overcome a haphazard, disruptive educational history in the camps. Initially, in 2007, these children began to study a version of the Bangladeshi curriculum translated into English, but only from class 1 to class 4 of primary school. Three students told Human Rights Watch that they had to repeat a year or more of primary school in the camp while waiting for higher-level classes to be opened up. School authorities in the camp also required them to repeat several years of primary school after introducing the Bangladeshi curriculum. One student said that his class was told to repeat their entire first four years of primary school, at which point 40 out of his 60 classmates dropped out. Later, by 2017, the government allowed Rohingya refugee children to pursue schooling up to class 8. Some of the children then paid for Bangladeshi identity documents to continue their education in schools in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), which guarantee childrens rights to free primary education, available and accessible secondary education, and higher education on the basis of capacity, regardless of their immigration or refugee status. The CRC specifies that education should develop respect for a childs own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, (and) the country from which he or she may originate. Human Rights Watch claims that by ratifying the CESCR, Bangladesh declared it would implement the right to education in a progressive manner, in keeping with existing economic conditions. In April 2018, the UN expert committee that monitors compliance with the covenant called on Bangladesh to withdraw its declarations, and was deeply concerned that Rohingya refugees do not have access to education. The UN children rights committee has said that countries facing resource constraints may progressively realize the right to education, but also found that states parties have immediate obligations in relation to the right to education, such as the guarantee that the right will be exercised without discrimination of any kind. Why Rohingyas are suspects! Bangladeshs Awami League government suspects many Rohingyas to be hardline Islamist radicals and feels most Rohingyas are too far Islamized and not inclined to accept the Bengali way of life. They see Rohingyas as potential or actual supporters of hardline Islamist groups like the Jamaat-e-Islami, which supported Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War and many of whose leaders have been hanged in the last eight years after they were found guilty of war crimes in 1971. Bangladesh intelligence also suspects that a section of the Rohingya youths are joining the countrys Islamist radical groups like Jamaat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) . A top Awami league leader, on condition of anonymity, told this writer that the Burmese call Rohingyas illegal Bengalis but Rohingyas are not Bengalis , rather they are mixed race with strong Arab influence and who practice a much more orthodox form of Islam than Bengali Muslims do in Bangladesh. Their huge presence in a sensitive area like the Chittagong-Coxcs Bazar corridor does not augur well for our security, the leader said. The Sheikh Hasina government, having opened the doors for the fleeing Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds , is now pushing the international community and powerful neighbours India and China to pressurise Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees. Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker receives Matthias Luttenberg Newspaper: 3 sections of highway to Armenia's Voskepar will be on Azerbaijani border, alternative roads to be built Yerevan court examining National Security Service's motion to arrest opposition 'Armenia' Alliance member (LIVE) Karabakh State Minister: Lachin corridor can't be under any kind of control of Azerbaijan Armenia President sends congratulatory message to Iran's Ebrahim Raisi on occasion of his birthday Pashinyan-Michel-Aliyev meeting kicks off in Brussels Armenia Ombudsman: We visited Armenian soldiers arrested after returning from Azerbaijani captivity Israel, Azerbaijan hold security forces drill Armenia justice minister discusses subjecting judges to disciplinary liability with Venice Commission President Armenia's Pashinyan: Azerbaijan is trying to bring opening of regional communications to a standstill Aliyev declares that checkpoint regimes of Zangezur and Lachin corridors need to match Armenia's Pashinyan, Charles Michel express hope for effective meeting with Aliyev (PHOTOS) Earthquake hits 2 km northeast from Armenia's Shorzha, felt in Gegharkunik, Kotayk and Tavush Provinces Stoltenberg declares NATO neutrality towards Armenia and Azerbaijan Aliyev and European Council head speak on normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia Putin, Macron discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, results of trilateral meeting in Sochi Armenia justice minister attending conference with counterparts of CoE member states in Venice Armenia's Pashinyan meets with European Council President in Brussels NEWS.am daily digest: 14.12.21 Armenia Central Bank head on coronavirus vaccinations Georgia to build road leading to border with Azerbaijan Armenia Central Bank chief presents forecasts for economic growth in 2021 and 2022 Armenia Parliament Speaker receives Kazakhstan Ambassador Azerbaijan opens new military unit on border with Armenia TNI: Can Armenia and Azerbaijan settle differences at Eastern Partnership Summit? Armenia Central Bank: National currency increasing in value Armenia ex-FM on Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Brussels Central Bank chief: 12-month normal inflation in Armenia has increased to 8.4% Meeting of Charles Michel and Ilham Aliyev is taking place in Brussels Dollar drops considerably in Armenia Ruling force MP: Establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey is in Armenia's state interests Armenia ex-foreign minister: Current objective of Co-Chairs of Minsk Group is to prove their viability Armenia PM arrives in Brussels, to hold meetings with Charles Michel, Ilham Aliyev and European counterparts Lawyer: Opposition Armenia Bloc member detained Armenia ruling party MP fails to answer question about price to pay for normalization of ties with Turkey Bloomberg: Turkey attempting to normalize Armenia relations to please Biden Armenia Prosecutor General's Office files cassation appeal under case of Robert Kocharyan and other ex-officials Turkey companies begin taking over Azerbaijan-occupied territories of Artsakh Armenia ruling power MP questions role of former commander of Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh in releasing of captives Opposition MP: Armenia still on Turkey-Azerbaijan agenda Armenian advocate: Decision is rendered to detain NGO head and member of 'Armenia' Alliance Armenia President, EU ambassador confer on regional security 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 ex-President Kocharyan, former deputy PM now MP Gevorgyan case court hearing rescheduled again 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 Within the cooperation program between the two Armenian republics, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Artak Davtyan has visited the Artsakh Defense Army. Accompanied by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Army, Major General Karen Abramyan, the Chief of the General Staff visited the permanent deployment sites of the military units in the southern and central directions, as well as the leading edge. During the visit, special attention was paid to the organization of effective interaction between military associations and units, and coordination of actions. At the forefront, the head of the General Staff and the commander of the Defense Army get acquainted with the operational and tactical situation, engineering work, and social conditions of the personnel. The governments of France, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates have expressed deep concern over fighting in Libya and urged all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions, which are hindering prospects for UN political mediation. n a joint statement issued Thursday, the five countries said at this sensitive moment in Libyas transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos. We strongly believe that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict. Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict, added the statement. UN Chief Antonio Guterres also called Thursday for calm and restraint following reports of clashes between Tripoli-based Presidential Council (PC) allied forces and the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) of warlord Khalifa Haftar. Residents in the town of Gharyan, outskirt of Tripoli, reported a small scale clash between Haftar forces and the PC-aligned forces. The confrontation came following orders by Haftar to his troops to take over Tripoli through peace or by force, reports say. In an audio recording posted on facebook Thursday, the Eastern Libya strongman asked his forces positioned around the Libyan capital to enter the city for its control but they should spare civilians, state institutions and personal properties. Guterres on two-day visit to the oil-rich African country, on Twitter expressed his concerns as the UN is about to host in the Libyan capital a national dialogue conference this April 14-16. I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation, the UN Chief said. There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint, He added. In their joint statement, the five countries voiced their backing to UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Ghassan Salame as the UN seeks to break Libyas political deadlock, improve transitional governance, and chart a path toward credible and peaceful elections. They called on all Libyan actors to work constructively with SRSG Salame as the UN finalizes plans for the national conference planned for April 1416. The UN Security Council will hold this Friday a closed-door emergency meeting on the situation in Libya after Commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops to launch an offensive on Tripoli, vowing to liberate it from all illegal armed groups. The court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan sentenced the deputy from the Prosperous Armenia Party, Eduard Babayan, to 3.5 years in prison, the head of the public relations department of the General Prosecutor's Office, Arevik Khachatryan told Armenian News - NEWS.am. By a court decision, Babayan was released under an amnesty. Criminal charges have been filed against Eduard Babayan, the head of the security service of Prosperous Armenia Party leader and tycoon MP, Gagik Tsarukyan. According to the Special Investigation Service (SIS) statement, along the lines of the respective criminal case, charges were filed Thursday against Babayan, and for striking punchestogether with a group of menand deliberately causing life-threatening serious injuries to Vyacheslav Arutyunov. In August 2018 Eduard Babayan was freed on 20 million AMD bail. Within the World Economic Conference held in Jordan, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Highlighting the importance of Armenias relations with the UN, Armen Sarkisian noted that Armenia is actively involved in the work of the organization and its structures. Armen Sarkissian expressed wish to enhance cooperation with the UNESCO and UNICEF and highlighted the contribution of Antonio Guterres to the activities of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. The sides exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation. The President highly appreciated the UN assistance to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs as the only internationally mandated international structure. The Armenian President and the UN Secretary General welcomed the meeting of the Armenian PM and Azerbaijani President in Vienna and noted that there is no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, who is on a working visit to Jordan, took part in the New Energy for the Middle East discussion at the World Economic Forum. During the discussion, the president touched on energy sources in the modern world, in this context highlighting the importance of respecting the environment and the use of renewable energy. The president also highlighted the importance of using nuclear energy. Armenia, like many countries, has a very balanced energy portfolio, he said referrimg to a Soviet-are nuclear power plant. The Armenian president also said that water, as an energy resource, is also very important, and that Armenia is unique in this respect as water is extremely important because in 50-100 years it will be a source of energy Armen Sarkissian noted the need to use new technologies. According to him, we cannot ignore nuclear power because we are afraid, and parallel processes are needed - to fight coal, to use oil and gas more correctly, to use renewable energy, nuclear energy, to use new technologies to the maximum. * Netanyahu is competing for votes with far-right parties * Palestinians condemn Netanyahu's remarks * Most countries deem settlements as illegal (Adds fresh Palestinian comment) By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM, April 6 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that he would annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins another term in office, a last-minute pre-election promise likely to enrage Palestinians and the Arab world. In an interview with Israeli Channel 12 News three days ahead of the April 9 poll, Netanyahu was asked why he had not extended sovereignty to large West Bank settlements, as Israel did without international recognition in east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, both captured in the 1967 Middle East war. "Who says that we won't do it? We are on the way and we are discussing it," Netanyahu said. "You are asking whether we are moving on to the next stage - the answer is yes, we will move to the next stage. I am going to extend (Israeli) sovereignty and I don't distinguish between settlement blocs and the isolated settlements." The veteran right-wing Israeli leader, who has dominated Israeli politics for a generation, is fighting for his political survival against former top general Benny Gantz, a political novice campaigning on a centrist platform. Netanyahu has cast Gantz as a weak leftist who would endanger Israels security by giving territorial concessions to the Palestinians. But Netanyahu, who has fought the election campaign under the shadow of corruption allegations, is also competing for votes with far-right parties who advocate annexation. His comments are likely to appeal to hardline voters, who oppose ceding lands. Palestinian leaders immediately reacted with anger. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator and a close aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "Israel will continue to brazenly violate international law for as long as the international community will continue to reward Israel with impunity, particularly with the Trump Administration's support and endorsement of Israel's violation of the national and human rights of the people of Palestine." Story continues In Gaza, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri urged Abbas's western-backed Palestinian Authority to halt its security cooperation with Israel in the occupied West Bank. "Netanyahu's dreams of annexing the West Bank will never be achieved and we will not allow that to happen," he said. "It is time for (the PA) to stop security coordination with the occupation, and to get united in the face of the challenges." WEST BANK Settlements are one of the most heated issues in efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, frozen since 2014. After decades of settlement-building, more than 400,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank, according to Israeli figures, among about 2.9 million Palestinians according to the Palestinian Statistics Bureau. A further 212,000 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Palestinians and many countries consider settlements to be illegal under the Geneva conventions that bar settling on land captured in war. Israel disputes this, citing security needs and biblical, historical and political connections to the land. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, all territory Israel captured in 1967. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and withdrawn from Gaza. The West Bank remains under Israeli military occupation with limited Palestinian self rule. Netanyahu's remarks follow a series of announcements and policy changes by U.S. President Donald Trump that were seen to favor Israel. In March, Trump broke with decades of international consensus by recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory Israel captured from Syria. That followed his December 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to move the U.S. embassy there. Both moves delighted Israel, infuriated Palestinian and Arab leaders, and were opposed by most U.S. allies. With Trump's moves on Jerusalem and The Golan, the Israeli leader may feel emboldened to advocate for annexation. U.S. officials have said they would unveil a long-awaited Trump administration Middle East peace plan after the Israeli election, but prospects to restart negotiations appear dim. The Palestinians have been boycotting the Trump administration over its Jerusalem moves and other recent decisions they view as pro-Israel bias. ELECTION CAMPAIGN The U.S. State Department declined to comment about Netanyahu's remarks, which were viewed in the Israeli media as an attempt to draw right-wing votes rather than an immediate change of policy. Netanyahu has been plagued by corruption allegations throughout the election campaign, after Israel's attorney general publicly announced in February that he intends to indict Netanyahu. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in three cases of alleged bribery and fraud, but the allegations could cloud his political future and that of any government he might head, possibly leading to a new election. His main election rival, Gantz, has vowed to pursue peace with the Palestinians, but he has also stopped short at embracing their quest for statehood. A spokeswoman for Gantz declined comment on Netanyahu's remarks. On Friday, the last day polling is allowed, Gantzs centrist Blue and White party was projected to take 30 seats, more than the 26 forecast for Netanyahus right-wing Likud, according to a poll in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. But this and other polls also projected a majority of the Knesset's 120 seats will go to the parties in Netanyahus right-wing bloc, giving Netanyahu a slim but workable majority. A few days before the previous Israeli election in 2015, Netanyahu vowed there would never be a Palestinian state under his watch but then backtracked on that statement after a rebuke from Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama. Last year, however, Netanyahu told members of his right-wing Likud party that Israel and the United States were discussing the possibility of Israel annexing settlements. The White House swiftly denied that. While vowing that he would not evacuate settlers from their homes, Netanyahu has also said in the past that the future of the settlements should be determined in peace talks with the Palestinians. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah Editing by Stephen Farrell, Peter Graff and Diane Craft) (Recasts with Libya statement) * Libya military push takes U.N. by surprise * Libya concern heightened by migration tensions * France downplays Pompeo absence * Iran, Russia not expected to attract much debate * Focus on cyber, Sahel trafficking, violence against women (.) By Richard Lough and John Irish DINARD, France, April 5 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich nations implicitly warned eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Friday against an advance towards the capital Tripoli as they scrambled to defuse a dangerous escalation in the north African oil producer's power struggle. A military advance towards Tripoli and Libya's U.N.-backed government by Haftar has taken the United Nations and Western powers by surprise, just as its secretary general was in the capital to plan a peace conference this month. The news intruded on an annual meeting bringing together the top diplomats from Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and the United States, who had been negotiating on norms to tackle cyber interference in democracies and sexual violence in Africa. "We firmly believe that there is no military solution to the Libyan conflict," the ministers said in a statement sent amid talks in western France. "We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people and standing in the way of the peace that Libyans deserve," the statement said, without naming Haftar directly. The ministers said they backed U.N. efforts just hours after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres departed Libya following a meeting with Haftar to try to avert civil war. Concern over Libya's stability is heightened by continuing political tensions around Europe over migration from north Africa, despite the fact that the numbers of new arrivals in Europe via the central Mediterranean have plummeted. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had earlier welcomed his counterparts from the club of big, rich nations under a dull grey sky in Brittany, for a meeting already overshadowed by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's absence and Britain's Brexit meltdown. Story continues French diplomats say Paris has scaled back its ambitions for France's presidency of the club of major industrialized countries after U.S. President Donald Trump threw last year's summit in Canada into disarray, backing out of a joint communique and firing barbs at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A French diplomat sought to downplay Pompeo's snub saying: "We're working well with the Americans. Yes, we have differences on some subjects, but that isn't holding back the quality of our dialog." The ministers had aimed to agree on Friday on a code of conduct to tackle cyber interference in their democracies, but had turned their focus to Libya instead, diplomats said. BREXIT LOOMS LARGE Workers at dawn had furiously scrubbed away at graffiti spray-painted onto buildings near the secure zone in Dinard that attacked capitalism and President Emmanuel Macron. The slogans screamed "Thieving banks," "Revolution" and "No to the G7," mirroring the anger vented across France in five months of anti-government "yellow vest" protests fueled by perceptions of a growing rich-poor divide and aloof politicians. The summit is expected to result in three joint statements on cyber security, sexual violence against women in armed conflict and trafficking in the Sahel region, and not too much wrangling over issues where there is less consensus such as Iran and Russia. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he would use the summit to call on his European counterparts to support his government's request for a short delay to Britain's exit from the European Union. British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote to Brussels on Friday asking for a delay of Brexit until up to June 30, while saying she aims to get Britain out of the EU earlier to avoid it participating in European elections. "What we are looking for is to avoid a long extension," Hunt said. "We are a democracy with a hung parliament, so its not easy." Hunt said the G7 was proof Britain would not play a diminished international role after Brexit. (Reporting by Marine Pennetier and Julie Carriat; additional reporting by William James in London, Editing by Peter Graff, William Maclean and James Dalgleish) * France wants G7 presidency with no fireworks * Ministers push on cyber crime, inequalities, trafficking * Libya unites, but Middle East and Iran divides (Writes through) By John Irish and Richard Lough DINARD, France, April 6 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven nations ended a foreign ministers' meeting in western France without quarreling on Saturday, as they looked to lay the groundwork for a leaders' summit in August despite the absence of the U.S. Secretary of State. U.S. President Donald Trump had thrown last year's summit of the club of major industrial countries in Canada into disarray, backing out of a joint communique and firing barbs at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. France, which now has the G7 presidency, scaled back its ambitions for the latest meeting, focusing on areas where consensus could be found including the dangers of cyber crime for democracy, tackling inequalities between men and women, and trafficking in Africa's Sahel region. "Last year there was an end of G7 that did not go very well but the G7 here in Dinard went very well," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters, seeking to put a positive spin on the two-day meeting. The meeting was overshadowed by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who sent his deputy in his place. One diplomat said it sent a message that he "had better things to do." However, it did lay out ambitions for a cyber security initiative designed to help protect liberal democracies and defend civil liberties from digital attacks, though it was the turmoil in Libya that appeared to unite them the most. As eastern commander Khalifa Haftar swept towards Tripoli, they pressed him to halt his forces' advance on the capital as concerns grow of a civil war resurgence. Urging restraint from all factions, the G7 said Libya's oil installations should not be used by any group for political gain. "At least there seems to be a good degree of convergence on Libya from the international community," Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Milanesi told reporters. Story continues KEY ISSUES Despite that unity, Le Drian pointed out that differences on key issues were still evident, especially on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how to handle Iran. "Despite the crisp air of Dinard, we couldn't overcome some of our differences," Le Drian said. A spokeswoman for Japan's foreign ministry described the debate as friendly but at times heated and frank. President Trump last year pulled the United States out of Iran's international nuclear deal, rejecting the approach favored by Washington's allies to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The final communique made no mention of the Iran accord, which France, Britain and Germany continue to abide by. However, it outlined concerns over Iran's regional and ballistic missile activities, and its human rights record. "We intend to continue our work to counter Irans regional proliferation of ballistic missiles and its unlawful arms transfers," the communique said. The biggest difference was on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In March, Trump recognized Israels 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights in an election boost for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing direct or implied criticism from the European Union and European capitals. "We had an exchange of views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and there were clear differences," the communique read. G7 leaders meet in southwest France at the end of August. (Reporting by John Irish, Julie Carriat and Marine Pennetier Editing by Richard Lough and David Holmes) * Commander Haftar challenging Western-backed government * U.N. boss Guterres leaves Libya with "heavy heart" * Eastern forces say they are closing on capital * World alarmed at rapid escalation (Adds U.N. Security Council statement in paragraphs 6-7) By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya, April 5 (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan troops commanded by Khalifa Haftar said on Friday they had advanced into the southern outskirts of the capital Tripoli in a dangerous thrust against the internationally recognized government. Fighting was going on near the former international airport, which Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) force controlled by nightfall, an LNA spokesman and residents said. The move by the LNA, which is allied to a parallel administration based in the east, escalated a power struggle that has splintered the nation since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres departed after meeting Haftar to try to avert civil war. "I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," he said on Twitter. The U.N. Security Council was briefed behind closed doors on the latest developments on Friday and expressed deep concern in a statement read after the meeting by German U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, president of the council for April. "They (the council) called on LNA forces to halt all military movements. They also called on all forces to de-escalate and halt military activity. There can be no military solution to the conflict," Heusgen said. Haftar, 75, who casts himself as an opponent of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres the operation would continue until terrorism was defeated. The coastal capital Tripoli is the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government. Story continues In 2014, he assembled former Gaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized the main eastern city of Benghazi. This year, he took the south with its oilfields. As well as visiting Haftar in Benghazi, Guterres had been in Tripoli this week to help organize a national reconciliation conference planned for later this month. But that plan looked in jeopardy on Thursday as LNA forces took Gharyan, about 80 km (50 miles) south of the capital after skirmishes with forces allied to Tripoli-based, U.N.-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. From there, Haftar's forces moved north, first taking the village of Suq al-Khamis, about 40 km (25 miles) from Tripoli, after some fighting, a resident and an eastern military source said. Then on Friday, the LNA said it took the areas of Qasr ben Ghashir and Wadi al-Rabie on the southern outskirts of the capital, seizing the former Tripoli International Airport, which has been abandoned since a 2014 battle. SETBACK TO MEDIATION PLAN The LNA was in control of the former airport, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said, rejecting a claim by the Tripoli interior minister, Fathi Bashagha, that his forces had retaken it. The LNA said it had lost five soldiers since Thursday. While the advance has looked fast, so far Haftar's force has mainly crossed sparsely populated areas after taking Gharyan, the last town in the mountains before the road descends to a coastal plain. In 2014 battles for Tripoli, it took advancing fighters weeks to reach the city center from the old airport as snipers bogged them down. Forces from Misrata, a city east of Tripoli, sent more reinforcements to defend Serraj, residents said. Major ministries are still 20 km away. Despite their gains, Haftar's forces failed to take a checkpoint about 30 km west of the capital in a bid to close the coastal road to Tunisia. An LNA-allied armed group withdrew overnight from so-called Gate 27, leaving it abandoned in the morning, a Reuters reporter said. And in another setback, forces allied to Tripoli took 145 LNA fighters prisoner in Zawiya, west of the capital, a western commander, Mohamed Alhudair, told Reuters. An LNA source confirmed 128 had been captured. Armed groups allied to the Tripoli government have moved more machinegun-mounted pickup trucks from the coastal city of Misrata to Tripoli to defend it against Haftar's forces. The offensive is a setback for the United Nations and Western nations trying to mediate between Serraj, 59, who comes from a wealthy business family, and military veteran Haftar. They met in Abu Dhabi last month to discuss power-sharing. The United Nations wants to find agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the prolonged instability in Libya, an oil producer and transit point for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara with the aim of reaching Europe. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as a bulwark against Islamists and have supported him militarily, according to U.N. reports. The UAE, however, joined Western countries in expressing its deep concern about the fighting. Russia said it was not helping Haftar's forces and it supported a negotiated political settlement that ruled out any new bloodshed. Tunisia has tightened control on its border with Libya in response to the renewed conflict, the defense ministry said. Former colonial power Italy, which lies across the Mediterranean and has been a destination for migrants, was very worried, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said. "We need to throw water on the fire, not petrol on the fire. I hope that people, acting out of economic or business self-interest, are not looking for a military solution, which would be devastating," Salvini said. (Additional reporting by Hesham Hajali in Cairo and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Daniel Wallis and James Dalgleish) (Adds quote from Trump interview, background) WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had not read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia that his Democratic opponents say should be released in full. "I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion." U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said he plans to make public a redacted copy of the nearly 400-page investigative report into Russian interference in the 2016 election by the middle of this month, if not sooner. On March 22, Mueller completed his 22-month probe and Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress two days later outlining the main findings. Barr told lawmakers the investigation did not establish that members of Trump's election campaign conspired with Russia, but also did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. Barr said he had concluded there was not enough evidence to show that Trump committed the crime of obstruction. But news media reports this week said members of Mueller's team were unhappy with the way Barr, a Trump appointee, had characterized the report's conclusions. U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a roundtable discussion on immigration and border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station before visiting the U.S.-Mexico border in Calexico, California, U.S., April 5, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Asked in an interview with Fox and Friends Weekend about calls for the release of the full confidential report, Trump said: Its really up to the attorney general, whatever he wants to do. In another tweet, Trump called the report "a total waste of time." Barr did not meet a demand by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide the unredacted report to lawmakers by April 2. He told Congress in a letter last week he must redact material that was presented to a grand jury, as required by law, as well as information that could reveal U.S. intelligence agencies' sources and methods. Congressional Democrats have indicated they will fight those redactions in court if the subpoena is ignored. Russia's government has denied interfering in the U.S. election. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani and David Brunnstrom Editing by Tom Brown) (Refiles to fix typo in first paragraph) By Costas Pitas LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Saturday that the longer it takes to find a compromise with the opposition Labour Party to secure a parliamentary majority for a Brexit deal, the less likely it is that Britain will leave the European Union. May has so far failed to secure backing for her negotiated agreement with Brussels as some Conservative lawmakers and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which props up her minority government, have voted it down. She has since turned to the opposition Labour Party in a bid to secure a majority for an orderly Brexit, although its leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Saturday he was waiting for May to move her Brexit red lines. "The fact is that on Brexit there are areas where the two main parties agree: we both want to end free movement, we both want to leave with a good deal, and we both want to protect jobs," May said in comments released by her Downing Street office. "That is the basis for a compromise that can win a majority in Parliament and winning that majority is the only way to deliver Brexit." "The longer this takes, the greater the risk of the UK never leaving at all," she said. May has a plan to enshrine in law a customs arrangement with the EU to win over the Labour Party, and her aides have discussed offering the opposition a place in the British delegation to Wednesday's EU summit, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. The prime minister has asked EU leaders to postpone Britain's exit from the bloc until June 30. The EU, which gave her a two-week extension the last time she asked, insists she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her thrice-rejected divorce deal in the British parliament. It is the latest twist in a saga which leaves Britain, the world's fifth-biggest economy, struggling to find a way to honor a 2016 referendum vote to take the country out of the globe's largest trading bloc. Story continues PRESSURES ON BOTH PARTIES May reiterated on Saturday her hope that lawmakers would approve a deal to allow Britain to leave the bloc as quickly as possible. "My intention is to reach an agreement with my fellow EU leaders that will mean if we can agree a deal here at home we can leave the EU in just six weeks," she said. One of the most senior Brexiteers in her government, the leader of the lower house of parliament Andrea Leadsom, also said there was a risk of Brexit slipping further from grasp. "The vision we had of Brexit is fading away and we are running out of time to save it," she wrote in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper. Some of May's lawmakers are warning they will try to oust her if Britain participates in EU parliamentary elections next month and is forced to extend membership of the bloc beyond June, The Observer newspaper reported. The Sunday Telegraph said ministers are discussing whether to resign if a Brexit delay means Britain must field candidates. In a further sign of the ever heavier strains on the Conservatives, more than 100 candidates for upcoming local elections wrote to May warning of the growing anger at the grassroots level and among the public. "Our party and our government have completely lost touch with voters," the candidates said, according to The Sunday Telegraph. "Let's be clear: more fudge and a further dilution of Brexit is not the answer." Opposition leader Corbyn also faces pressure as more than 80 of his lawmakers warned that another vote on Brexit must be a red line in Labour's talks with the government, The Independent newspaper said. (Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Daniel Wallis) * UN envoy striving to prevent escalation of Libyan crisis * Eastern commander menacing Western-backed Libyan government * G7 warns of possible action unless Haftar halts advance * Russia tells Haftar by phone there must be political solution * (Adds Tripoli PM) By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya, April 6 (Reuters) - The United Nations is determined to hold Libya's national conference on possible elections on time despite eastern forces' advance on the capital Tripoli in an escalation of the conflict, a senior U.N. envoy said on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers warned eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar to halt his thrust on Tripoli, menacing the internationally recognized government based there, or face possible international action. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) said on Friday its forces had advanced into the capital's southern outskirts and taken its former international airport. Its spokesman Ahmed Mismari said 14 LNA troops had been killed so far The offensive by the LNA, which is allied to a parallel administration based in the main eastern city of Benghazi, intensifies a power struggle that has fractured the oil-producing country since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. The United Nations aims to stage a conference in the southwestern town of Ghadames on April 14-16 to weigh elections as a way out of the country's prolonged factional anarchy, which has seen Islamist militants establish a toehold in some areas. Ghassan Salame, the U.N. special envoy to Libya, said he was striving to prevent the new crisis from getting out of control. "We have worked for one year for this national conference, we wont give up this political work quickly," he said. We know that holding the conference in this difficult time of escalation and fighting is a difficult matter. But we are determined to hold it on time unless compelling circumstances force us not to, he told reporters in Tripoli. Story continues The Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, who relies on various armed groups, said Haftar's move was a coup. "He (Haftar) will find in us only steadfastness and strength from all those are coming from all over the country to defend Libyans' dream of a civil sovereign state," he said in a televised speech. At a G7 meeting in France, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he and his counterparts had agreed they must exert pressure on those responsible for the upsurge of fighting in Libya, especially Haftar. Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said the G7 statement "should be seen as an appeal to General Haftar to consider with a sense of responsibility peaceful solutions for stabilizing Libya under the UN umbrella." Russia also called for restraint, saying Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Haftar that Moscow continues to insist on a political solution to "disputed issues" in Libya. Haftar told Bogdanov about what he described as efforts to fight terrorists in Libya, including near Tripoli, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. CRUCIBLE OF INSTABILITY The United Nations wants to find agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the protracted instability in Libya, an important oil exporter and transit point for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara with the objective of reaching Europe across the Mediterranean Sea to the north. In Cairo on Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the crisis could not be settled by military means, though insecurity in Libya had long been a source of worry. At a news conference alongside Shoukry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow wanted all political forces in Libya to strike an agreement in support of peace and warned against foreign meddling there. There were no reports of significant fighting on Saturday. Haftar's LNA said on Saturday its positions were attacked in an air strike south of Tripoli but there were no casualties. Haftar, 75, who casts himself as a foe of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new dictator in the mould of Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres his offensive would continue until terrorism was defeated. A former officer in Gaddafi's army, Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as a bulwark against Islamists and have supported him militarily, according to U.N. reports. The UAE, however, joined Western countries in expressing its deep concern about the fighting. In the past, Haftar has struck deals with armed factions outside Tripoli to advance his forces. But gaining control of Tripoli - the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government - would be far more complicated. Armed groups allied to the Tripoli government have moved more machinegun-mounted pickup trucks from Misrata to Tripoli to defend it against Haftar's forces. The city is known for a spirit of resisting "old regime" figures, developed during 2011 when pro-Gaddafi forces besieged it for three months. The LNA says it has 85,000 men but this includes soldiers paid by the central government that it hopes to inherit. Its elite force, Saiqa (Lightning), numbers some 3,500, while Haftars sons also have well-equipped troops, LNA sources say. In 2014, he assembled former Gaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized Benghazi. This year, he took control of Libya's south with its oilfields. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Ulf Laessing in Cairo, John Irish in Dinard, France, Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow, Michael Georgy in Dubai and Giselda Vagnoni in Rome Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alexandra Hudson) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A ferryboat collided with a bridge pillar in Brazil's Amazon region Saturday, causing the span's central roadway to plunge into the Moju River along two cars and cutting a highway to one of the country's busiest ports, authorities said. Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho told reporters that witnesses reported seeing the two small cars fall into the water during the accident on a highway leading to the port city of Belem, the state capital. It was unknown how many people were in the cars, and fire department scuba divers were searching the river. The state government said the five crew members on the ferry survived, but it had no information about any victims as about 650 feet (200 meters) of the half-mile (860-meter) bridge collapsed. "This is a sad day with this regrettable episode," Barbalho said in an initial statement. "Right now our priority is to speed up the search for the victims and give total support to their families." Local media reported that a January inspection of the bridge found corrosion problems on the pillars. At the time, the government didn't think the problem was serious enough to close the span, but did request funds for emergency measures, the reports said. The structure is part of a complex of bridges that span a labyrinth of rivers at the mouth of the Amazon river basin to provide a road connection between many rural cities and the state capital. The state government said it would install ramps and have barges ferry cars from one end of the broken bridge to the other while the span is rebuilt. The governor estimated repairs and new safety measures would cost $25 million and take about year. Barbalho also said officials would install buffers and warning signs on the pillars of other bridges in the complex. In 2014, a boat collided with a pillar of another bridge in the same bridge complex, causing about 160 feet (50 meters) of the span to collapse. Civil police were investigating Saturday's accident and looking into whether the ferry was officially registered. KABUL (Reuters) - The Afghan government summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks on ongoing Afghan peace talks, as tensions flared between the neighbouring countries once again. Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs summoned the diplomat to object about remarks that it deemed "explicit interference" in Afghan affairs, the ministry's spokesman, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, said on Twitter. It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan. In late March, Afghanistan recalled its ambassador from Islamabad for Khan's suggestion that forming an interim Afghan government might smooth peace talks between U.S. and Taliban officials. The ambassador returned shortly after Pakistan clarified Khan's remarks as being reported out of context. But on Friday, Khan addressed the matter again at a rally in Pakistan in which he explained his original comments as "brotherly advice," according to accounts published in Afghan media. "Afghanistan considers recent statements of Imran Khan explicit interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan and deems PM's remarks a return to his previous stance," Ahmadi tweeted. U.S. and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the Taliban has refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's mandate officially expires in May. The date for the next presidential election has been postponed twice and is now set for Sept. 28. Ghani has been shut out from the peace talks and is under pressure from rivals to step aside and allow a caretaker government to take over, a suggestion he has rejected. (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Kabul; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Abidjan (AFP) - Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, known as Africa's richest man, told a forum in Ivory Coast on Saturday how he once took $10 million in cash out of the bank just to look at it and get it into his head that this was real money, not just figures on paper. "When you're young your first million is important, but after, the numbers don't mean much," Dangote, a manufacturing tycoon with a range of companies spanning cement to flour, told the Mo Ibrahim forum in Abidjan. "One day, I cashed 10 million, put them in the boot of my car I put it in my room. I looked at them and thought 'now I believe I have money' and took it back to the bank the next day," he told his audience. Anecdotes aside, Dangote said that the two most promising sectors for Africa's future were agriculture and new technologies. But he advised young African entrepreneurs not to get carried away by the first flush of success. "Often in Africa we spend our projected incomes. There are ups and downs" in business, he warned. Dangote said he regretted the customs and administrative problems that hamper business development throughout the continent. As an example he cited the difficulties his cement group faces in exporting to Benin from Nigerian factories 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border. Benin imported "more expensive" cement from China instead. Aloha! Hawaiian Airlines' service from Boston to Honolulu has officially begun. The airline's Flight 90 made history Friday as the country's longest interstate route, traveling from Honolulus Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Thursday and arriving at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Friday morning. Hawaiian Airlines announced the new route in September. Boston was the biggest U.S. market that didn't have nonstop service to Hawaii before today. Going west, from Boston to Honolulu, the flight runs approximately 11.5 hours, and Honolulu to Boston runs about 10 hours. Travelers will fly 5,095 miles. "On behalf of the Commonwealth, we are pleased to welcome Hawaiian Airlines to Massachusetts," Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement. "This new service will provide access to new markets for businesses and connect two exciting destinations for travelers in both states." One such business is the seafood industry. On Flight HA89, which left Boston for Honolulu Friday morning, one-and-a-half tons of live lobster were aboard. Approximately 127,000 people from New England traveled to Hawaii in 2018, per the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Providing nonstop service from one of our largest mainland markets will be a welcomed opportunity for our residents and visitors who will now have more options to travel," Chris Tatum, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority said in a statement. "We congratulate Hawaiis hometown airline and look forward to helping make this route successful." Flights to Hawaii have been the talk of the industry: Southwest Airlines' Hawaii service debuted last month, giving the nation's largest domestic carrier a footprint in the vacation hot spot. But once the flights went on sale, travelers trying to snag cheap tickets to Honolulu or Maui from cities including Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis turned to social media and the airline's reservations center in droves to find out why they could book a flight to Hawaii but weren't finding any flights home. Story continues The issue? Southwest's initial, limited flight schedule from Hawaii to California doesn't get passengers into California in time to catch Southwest flights to most cities east of California. Contributing: Dawn Gilbertson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aloha! Hawaiian Airlines' debuts Boston to Honolulu flights as longest route between states PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) It all started with a video posted on social media: a secret recording from 2016 that appears to show a well-known local tycoon hand over an envelope containing bundles of cash to a party associate of Montenegro's long-standing leader. The prominent businessman, a former close friend and confidant of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, released the video late last year in retaliation for charges filed against him for fraud and money laundering, which have prompted him to flee to London to avoid prosecution. The tycoon, Dusko Knezevic, also gradually released a series of documents accusing the president and his ruling party of corruption, cronyism and abuse of office, claiming he has cashed in millions of dollars to Djukanovic and his ruling party so the authorities turn a blind eye to his shady business dealings. The "Envelope Affair" has triggered weeks of anti-Djukanovic protests, demanding the resignation of one of Europe's longest-lasting leaders after his almost 30 years in power. The anti-government demonstrations came as similar protests were taking place in neighboring Serbia and Albania where demonstrators are also seeking the ousters of leaders whom they accuse of autocratic rule and corruption despite their proclaimed bids to take their countries into the European Union. The almost simultaneous eruption of strong anti-government movements in the region has prompted talk of a "Balkan Spring," in reference to a wave of protests and revolutions across the Arab world in 2010. While none of the protests so far have managed to unseat Balkan leaders, they have encouraged civic resistance and shaken their firm grip on power and the support they have been receiving in the West. In Montenegro, Djukanovic has long faced accusations of corruption and links to organized crime. The recent video was seen as the most serious blow to his so-far unchallenged rule. In an interview with The Associated Press, Djukanovic denied the accusations, saying that pro-Russia opposition parties and "foreign factors" are behind the protests even though they are formally led by civic groups. Story continues Djukanovic suggested the protests are aimed at unseating pro-EU leaders and turning the Balkans away from the West in favor of closer ties with Russia. "I think that (throughout the Balkans) this basically is not a 'spring' movement, but rather a bleak autumn movement," he said. "We are talking here about attempts to stop the Balkans" from joining the EU. Montenegrin protest organizers insisted the demonstrations represent a genuine civic movement without any foreign or opposition party influence. Their weekly rallies have drawn thousands of people in the biggest such gatherings in years. "The trigger was that envelope which was given by a businessman who belonged to the heart of the regime to the former Podgorica mayor, with the intention to bribe voters" in 2016 parliamentary election, said Dzemal Perovic, an organizer of protests in the Montenegrin capital. "Our goal is the change of the regime," he said. "A peaceful transition from a corrupt regime that has been in power for 30 years and which has won elections through bribery and rigging." Since coming to power in late 1980s, "Milo the Czar" as he's commonly called in Montenegro has been calling the shots as president, prime minister or party leader thanks to his switching between posts. But he has also been a key Western ally in countering Russian influence in the region and previously for splitting from former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the wars of the 1990s. In Serbia, populist President Aleksandar Vucic has also portrayed himself as a pro-European leader while facing accusations of curbing democratic and media freedoms at home. Political tensions soared last month when protesters burst into the state TV building angry over the station's reporting that they view as biased. The incidents were the first in months of peaceful marches throughout the country that started after thugs beat up an opposition politician in November. The demonstrators are demanding Vucic's resignation, free elections and media, and more democracy. They plan a major rally next week in Belgrade to press for their demands. Vucic too has sought to downplay the protests as an attempt by the opposition to seize power by force while pro-government media have blasted opposition leaders as foreign stooges. Albanian opposition parties have returned to the streets since mid-February calling for the government's resignation and an early election. There, the center-right opposition accuses the leftist Socialist Party government of Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption and links to organized crime, which the government denies. Those protests have been violent, with Albanian opposition supporters repeatedly trying to enter the parliament or government buildings in Tirana and police using tear gas and water cannons to stave them off. "The common characteristics of all those protests are that people are dissatisfied with the long-standing and corrupt regimes, the anger which has accumulated for years, if not decades," Montenegrin political analyst Stevo Muk said. ___ Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania and Predrag Milic in Podgorica, contributed to this report. When it comes to safety, modern commercial aircraft are known not only for having backup systems, but in some cases, backups of their backups. So even as Boeing has taken responsibility for a fatal flaw in a key anti-stalling system in its 737 Max 8, mystery still surrounds why the software was designed to be dependent on a single outside sensor though it was equipped with two, triggering a chain of events that led to the crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines jetliners less than five months apart. Boeing "violated a basic principle of aircraft design by allowing a single point failure to trigger a sequence of events that could result in a loss of control," said Brian Alexander, an attorney for a law firm specializing in aviation accidents, Kreindler & Kreindler in New York, that is contemplating lawsuits on behalf of victims' families in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Based on an initial report from crash investigators, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg acknowledged Thursday that erroneous data sent to the system led to the Lion Air crash off Indonesia in October that killed 189 passengers and crew and the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in Africa that took 157 lives on March 10, both in the 737 Max 8. He vowed Boeing would fix the problem. Others, however, aren't so sure that Boeing can find an adequate repair and say the twin crashes are proof that the plane's problems run deeper than flawed sensors. They say the design itself has created inherent problems that simple fixes won't solve. "You go to the source of the problem, not the symptom," said consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who lost a niece in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. "An aircraft has to be designed stall-proof, not stall-prone." For now, all Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 aircraft around the world have been grounded amid investigations into the source of the problem. Boeing, on the basis of inquiries into the two crashes, has focused on the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Story continues The system is supposed to automatically push down the plane's nose when either of two angle-of-attack sensors, one mounted on each side of the fuselage, detects that the plane had pointed upward so steeply that it can stall. MCAS was added because of the possibility the nose can pitch up as a result of the larger, heavier engines that were added to the Max. But in an unusual move, engineers designed MCAS to initiate when it detected too steep of an ascent from either sensor. The sensors didn't work in tandem. In a statement to USA TODAY, a Boeing spokesman said the commercial aircraft giant followed established industry "assumptions and processes" in creating the fight control systems. "Single sources of data are considered acceptable in such cases by our industry, and additional changes to the system were not deemed warranted," spokesman Peter Pedraza said. The company felt safe in adding MCAS because if there was a malfunction, "a pilot would be able to counteract erroneous system input" using either of two methods, Pedraza said. One way would be to use switches on the control wheel to adjust the plane's trim, which adjusts control surfaces to make the plane easier to fly, like cruise control in a car. Or the same task can be done manually. Either way, the goal would have been to control the angle of the aircraft. Crash aftermath: Boeing to slow production of 737 Max as it continues working on software fix Yet apparently those procedures didn't work for the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crews. In the case of Ethiopian, which encountered problems soon after takeoff from Addis Ababa, pilots tried Boeing's procedures for an MCAS malfunction repeatedly and still couldn't control the plane, Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges said Thursday. The single source of data seems unusual given the lengths Boeing has gone to build redundancies into its jetliners. For the 777, Boeing's twin-aisle intercontinental jet, engineers created triple redundancy for its computers, hydraulics, communications and electrical power. Perhaps the best illustration of the lengths the company was willing to go on backups was found in the plane's primary flight computer. It was built with three microprocessors instead of one, and each came from a different manufacturer: Intel, AMD and Motorola, according to an account by a Boeing engineer. The decision on how many backups to have isn't easy, said Peter Seiler, an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Minnesota who used to work at Honeywell, a subcontractor for Boeing. It depends on how critical to safety the system is considered, how much it will distract an already-busy flight crew if it fails, and the odds of it failing, among other factors. "I spent four years working on the 787, and I spent all my time thinking about every possible way things can go wrong," he said. It may be that Boeing didn't consider MCAS crucial enough to warrant a backup. It was designed, after all, as part of an overall goal of making Max jets fly and feel like the previous 737 version, the Next Generation or NG, and the ones before it. "If the MCAS fails, the crew loses a little bit of stall protection, but stall protection is primarily the responsibility of the crew," said Clint Balog, a 42-year pilot and an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With the 737 update, Boeing saved time by not having to create an all-new jet. It also could sell the 737 to airlines on the basis that because Max was just an update, pilot training costs would be limited. Boeing's proposed fix of the problem to the FAA involves requiring that MCAS constantly monitor readings from the two sensors and disengage if they differ widely from each other, and to make standard a cockpit warning light that used to be an option. "Whenever there is an accident or incident, our industry has a history of going back and challenging the basic assumptions, and when appropriate, making changes," Boeing spokesman Pedraza said. "This process has led to over 50 years of continuous safety improvement." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boeing's 'single point failure': Why was there no backup system on 737 Max jet? London (AFP) - With lawmakers voting for a law to block Britain from leaving the European Union without a deal, and with the government and opposition holding talks to break the deadlock, where is Brexit heading? Britain is left with three general directions: back a deal, end up leaving with no deal or negotiate a long delay to work out an entirely new strategy. Here is what could happen: - No-deal Brexit on April 12 - British MPs forced through legislation instructing Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a delay rather than leave without a deal on April 12, the current legal cut-off point if nothing else has been agreed. The bill has yet to be approved by the House of Lords. But the EU may not necessarily approve an extension. And critics have note that the hastily drafted legislation could even increase the risk of leaving without a deal as it contains no mechanism for British MPs to respond in time if the EU demands different delay terms than those approved by Britain's parliament. Economists warn a no-deal Brexit could generate economic shockwaves on both sides of the Channel and cause severe delays at border points, despite preparations to mitigate these risks. - Leave with changes to May's deal - After failing three times to get her deal through parliament, May is currently locked in talks with the opposition Labour Party -- who favour keeping closer ties with the EU -- to try and break the impasse. If they agree a deal that passes through parliament before next week's extraordinary EU summit, Brexit could still happen by May 22, allowing time for Britain to pass the necessary laws confirming its departure. The withdrawal agreement allows for a long transition period and time for trade ties to be negotiated. The EU has ruled out any changes to it but has said it could speedily rewrite the political declaration -- an accompanying document on future trade ties. In a desperate gamble to get the deal over the line, May even told her MPs that she would resign before the start of full-blown trade negotiations with the EU if they backed it, but it still failed. Story continues - New plan, long Brexit delay - If no deal is agreed, Britain could make a request for a longer delay next week, which would entail Britain holding European Parliament elections in May. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has advised EU leaders that this longer extension should be at least until the end of 2019 and possibly much longer to allow for a proper change in Brexit strategy. The longer delay would open up options such as holding a general election, a leadership election to replace May or, perhaps, a second referendum. A general election would reset parliament, and a clear outcome with a government majority could result in a much stronger administration. But there is a danger it could result in the same situation as now with no one party holding a majority. And for both major parties, finding a definitive manifesto position on Brexit that all their MPs can commit to could prove a challenge. A long delay also opens up the possibility of another referendum, with finance minister Philip Hammond on Wednesday calling it a "perfectly credible" option, and Labour reported to be pushing for the move in return for approving May's deal. But Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Thursday "the issue is frankly a red herring, it's not something we countenance," adding that it "would have a very corrosive impact" on the country. Nicola Coates made accusations about her husband on Facebook - JULIAN SIMMONDS When Nicola Coates was pushed against a sofa by her husband who put his hands on her throat and "tried to strangle" her she thought it would be one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. In fact, those fleeting moments in which she feared that she might die were just the beginning of a much bigger ordeal. Her description of the attack on Facebook, written in the heat of the moment as she struggled to come to terms with spending Christmas apart from her son, was later dissected word for word by a judge who admitted that he didnt understand social media. Using a Victorian law the comment was defined by the Oxford English Dictionary and it was ruled on that basis she had defamed her husband by implying that he was trying to kill her. Now, just days after that decision was overturned by the highest court in the land, she has spoken in detail about her experience for the first time. Miss Coates, who was named in court papers as Stocker but has now reverted to her maiden name, believes the British Courts are being abused by rich men and need to catch up with the realities of modern life. I think there is a pattern of women being threatened with the courts and to be quite honest most people dont want to go through what I have been through, she said. The whole judiciary needs to catch up and they need to realise that courts are being used to silence and control women, and thats not being recognised. In some cases its an extension of the abusive relationship that is already there. Ronald Stocker and Deborah Bligh arriving for the Supreme Court hearing The family courts are particularly vulnerable to abuse and men with the bigger cheque books can hire multiple barristers and bring the case back to court again and again, she warned. Many people would have walked away as they saw the legal bills soaring to almost 200,000, but as she celebrated her victory Miss Coates said: I never wanted to give up because I knew I told the truth. She fell in love with Ronald Stocker and they married in 1999 before she gave birth to their only son. Story continues But the cracks soon began to show and in 2003 an argument escalated into the incident which years later would be relived in court rooms as the topic of her Facebook post. The police arrived around two hours later as she was packing her bags and found reddening on her neck still. Maybe it would have been better if I had left him then, but I didnt and you cant change that, said Miss Coates. They stayed together for another seven years but in the end she chose to leave, which was possibly my biggest crime in the world. Nicola Coates has reverted to her maiden name after her divorce from Mr Stocker Credit: JULIAN SIMMONDS Looking back she can see things that she didnt then, and now feels that she was controlled by him. The couple divorced in 2012 and on 23 December that year his new lover Deborah Bligh wrote on Facebook that she was looking forward to waking up with my man and his son on Christmas Day. In the following exchange between the two women, which Miss Coates maintains she thought was a private conversation, she revealed that her ex-husband had tried to strangle me. She though little more of the conversation, and tried to limit her contact with Mr Stocker. But their battles in the family courts continued and he threatened her with libel in April 2013. It was horrific when I found out he was taking me to court, Miss Coates remembers. I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and I had spent so much money fighting him through the family courts I definitely didnt have money to fight a libel claim. I thought why would you put the mother of your child through this? Why would you put your child through this when he has already gone through enough? Her ex-husband on the other hand, a millionaire businessman who dabbled in property development, had very deep pockets. In the middle of her chemotherapy she turned up at the offices of David Price QC, who agreed to represent her on a no-win no-fee basis. Speaking from her home in Longwick, Buckinghamshire, which she turned into a B&B in the wake of her divorce in order to pay the bills, she said: I was quite confident. What I had said was the truth, I had the police reports. After some delays so that she could concentrate on her cancer treatment, the couple faced each other in the High Court in 2016. But as the judge summed up the case he described Mr Stocker as a shrewd and successful businessman and her heart sank. It was as if domestic abuse couldnt happen in middle England, Miss Coates remembered. And then he delivered the fatal blow - that the dictionary defines strangle as either "to kill by external compression of the throat or painfully constricting the neck. The judge said that "he had succeeded in painfully constricting her neck, and therefore by using the words tried to she must have meant her ex was trying to kill her. This was defamatory as Mr Stockers intention was to silence, not to kill, Mr Justice Mitting ruled. As she walked out of court deflated a young female solicitor told Miss Coates: I cant believe what (the judge) said in there, it was so wrong. And at that moment I knew that I would hate it if she was in a relationship where she had been assaulted and then a judge just thought that that was fine, she said. She said that she could not let this become a definition of acceptable behaviour or allow the judiciary to have a complete disregard for womens safety. I dont want another woman to be in a position where they cant stand up and say this is wrong, she said. She appealed the ruling and Lady Justice Sharp, the only female judge on the panel, began asking questions about the original incident. Miss Coates said. She said that it must have been terrifying and a really frightening experience and I though at last, someone gets it. But whatever sympathy there may have been the appeal was denied. Finally last week the Supreme Court overturned the two previous rulings, with the judges noting that the reader of Facebook does not over-analyse things but their response is fleeting and impressionistic. Mr Stocker told the Telegraph that he was disappointed by the ruling, but added that the trial judge found against my ex-wife regarding many of the allegations made about me and these findings were not appealed. We both need to move on from our unhappy marriage and put these proceedings behind us. For Miss Coates, who has become involved with the Centre for Womens Justice and met other women in similar situations, moving on will be educating others on the dangers of abusive relationships. Many women in relationships believe that they have failed, because that is what they are being told, that they are not good enough," she said. Hopefully out of my case and other high profile cases awareness will be raised. Our children are educated in school on how to avoid being groomed into joining the Taliban or being groomed by sexual predators, but they are not educated about coercive control. Bruises are something that you can see and understand, but mental abuse can be just as damaging and people need to be educated in that. She hopes to help but it is not without awareness that her life has been completely transformed by that Facebook comment. David [Price] said to me when we won I bet you didnt think you would be a feminist idol at the end of this, she laughed. And I didnt, but I also didnt do it for me. I did it for a much bigger picture than me - to stand up for what is right. London (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May asked the European Union on Friday to delay Britain's departure from the bloc until June 30, with the extension ending earlier if parliament approves her Brexit deal. "The United Kingdom proposes that (the extension) should end on June 30 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated earlier," May wrote in a letter to EU Council president Donald Tusk. Downing Street released May's letter moments after a senior EU official told AFP that Tusk was proposing to postpone Brexit day by up to a year, also pending parliament's approval of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. Prime Minister Theresa May asked the European Union on Friday to delay Britain's departure from the bloc until June 30, with the extension ending earlier if parliament approves her Brexit deal. May also told EU Council president Donald Tusk in a formal letter that Britain would start preparing for its participation in European Parliament elections in case it is still a member of the bloc when they begin on May 23. "The United Kingdom proposes that (the extension) should end on June 30 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated earlier," May's letter said. Downing Street released May's request moments after a senior EU official told AFP that Tusk was proposing to postpone Brexit day by up to a year, also pending parliament's approval of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. The current deadline is April 12, which has already been pushed back once from March 29 because of the UK parliament's failure on three occasions to back the deal May signed with the other 27 EU leaders in December. In her letter, May said she wanted to make sure that Britain left the bloc after 46 years in an orderly manner, with an agreement that could help unwind intricate political, security, diplomatic and economic ties. Story continues "The government's policy has always been and remains to leave the European Union in an orderly way, and without undue delay," May wrote. "The government agrees that leaving with a deal is the best outcome," she said. - European elections - May is racing against the clock in a desperate bid to get her deal approved in time for an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on Wednesday, when a formal decision on any extension will be made. EU nations must give unanimous backing to any new deadline. Some, like French President Emmanuel Macron, have said they want to hear a clear reason from May as to why Brexit should be delayed yet again -- a move that would add to uncertainties weighing on business across the bloc. May's team is currently holding negotiations with leaders from Britain's main opposition Labour Party in a bid to secure enough votes to push through her deal on a fourth attempt. But the talks so far have failed to clinch a breakthrough. "I don't think we are quite at the point where the government can indicate where their concessionary strategy might apply," deputy Labour leader Tom Watson told BBC radio. May's letter said that should she fail to find a compromise with Labour, the two sides "would instead look to establish a consensus on a small number of clear options on the future relationship to be put to (parliament) for a series of votes to determine which course to pursue". But she conceded that this process could take time and will probably force Britain to take part in European Parliament elections at the end of May, nearly three years after UK voters opted to leave the bloc. If Britain "were still a member state of the European Union on May 23 2019, it would be under a legal obligation to hold the elections," May wrote. "The government is therefore undertaking the lawful and responsible preparations for this contingency." Presidential elections are decided by many things: media exposure, financial backing, personal chemistry, timing and luck. Policy positions often are just a way of signaling where a candidate stands on the political spectrum. But 2020 is shaping up to be different, the most ideas-driven election in recent American history. On the Democratic side, a robust debate about inequality has given rise to ambitious proposals to redress the imbalance in Americans economic situation. Candidates are churning out positions on banking regulation, antitrust law and the future effects of artificial intelligence. The Green New Deal is spurring debate on the crucial issue of climate change, which could also play a role in a possible Republican challenge to Donald Trump. Yahoo News will be examining these and other policy questions in The Ideas Election a series of articles on how candidates are defining and addressing the most important issues facing the United States as it prepares to enter a new decade. In the past few decades, the racial wealth gap doubled. African-Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of whites. They die at a higher rate than white Americans. And their homeownership has reached record lows. These disparities can be traced back to centuries of slavery and subsequent generations of oppression under Jim Crow. And reparations, repairing the harm done by slavery, have been sporadically pitched for years as a way to acknowledge, apologize and compensate descendants of slaves for past and continuing harms. Compensation can be anything that helps people of African descent in this country build wealth, said Kamm Howard, a co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA). It can be a check. It can be some type of tax relief. It can be business grants. It can be education grants. It can be anything to help us build wealth. But most people look at compensation as a personal check and we're not in disagreement with that. Story continues Reparations advocates like Howard argue theres enough evidence to prove the lasting effect of generational trauma on people like descendants of Jews who were victims of the Nazis. Or they cite the 2016 United Nations report which found the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge. However, reparations has been largely considered impractical. Not all people of color in the United States are descended from slaves, and not all are impoverished. Its also expensive and would cost the U.S. government $6 trillion to as much as $14 trillion. University of Connecticut professor Thomas Craemer arrived at that range by calculating the value of slave labor at prevailing wages from 1776 to 1865, compounded at 3 percent annually. Presidential candidates have offered up race-blind economic policies as feasible approaches to reparations. But far-reaching programs that are nonracial programs arent reparations, said Howard. Toward the end of the Civil War, the idea of compensation for black slaves emerged in 1865, when Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman issued an order granting freed slaves 40 acres of land along the southern coast. (The phrase 40 acres and a mule would later come from this order.) But that promise was broken when, after Abraham Lincolns assassination, President Andrew Johnson reversed the order, returning the land to its original owners. The idea of reparations resurfaced during the civil rights movement, in a 1969 Black Manifesto, which in part demanded $500 million in reparations from white churches and synagogues for Black enslavement and continuing discrimination and oppression. In 1972, around the time of a presidential election, civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson demanded a $900 million freedom budget. And when Jackson first ran for president in 1988, he made monetary reparations a part of his campaign platform. Still, the idea has remained mostly on the margins of political discourse in America. But by 1989, when Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., first introduced a bill called the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, the idea of seeking financial redress from the government wasnt considered so outlandish. Japanese-Americans had won reparations for forced internment by the U.S. government during World War II. That program was based on a report by the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. Backers of slave reparations say the same process should apply to their cause. Conyerss bill, H.R. 40, in homage to 40 acres and a mule, requested a commission to acknowledge and study the impact of slavery and of the economic, social and political discrimination against descendants of enslaved Africans in America. Once the effects of slavery were legitimately established, the commission would then make recommendations for repairing the harm done to living African-Americans. In order to claim reparations, harm or injury has to be proven. Historians have argued that reparations were at least owed to former slaves for property they should have received. But they also note that slavery alone may not account for the entire disparity in wealth between whites and African Americans, which could also be the result of policies put in place after the end of Reconstruction. Over the next 28 years, Conyers repeatedly introduced the reparations commission bill in the House, where it received little bipartisan support. In public arena, writers like Ta-Nehisi Coates (who had previously opposed reparations) resuscitated the idea. In 2014, he published his widely debated essay The Case for Reparations in the Atlantic magazine. Coates, reflecting in a recent interview with New York magazine, said, When I wrote The Case for Reparations, my notion wasnt that you could actually get reparations passed, even in my lifetime. My notion was that you could get people to stop laughing. ... Once you got them to stop laughing, you could get them to start fighting. But even Americas first black president, Barack Obama, dismissed reparations as politically impractical, and focused instead on race-blind policies in a lift all boats approach to economic inequality. Before resigning in 2017, Conyers reintroduced the bill with a new title, The Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, which again called for appropriations for a commission study, but also included a directive to create a plan for how the country would remedy the long-lasting harm of slavery through reparations. After Conyerss resignation, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, in 2018 stepped in as the bills new sponsor and one year later reintroduced it to Congress. She also advocated for a commission that, according to a press statement, would make recommendations concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long delayed process of atonement for slavery. It was around this time presidential candidates began launching their White House bids and would be asked at town halls and in media appearances their stance on reparations. Four have either pitched policies that take an indirect approach to reparations or proposed full-blown compensation. When initially asked about reparations, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said she was serious about taking an approach that would change policies and structures and make real investments in black communities, but then in a follow-up interview said she wasnt going to do something thats only going to benefit black people. Harriss LIFT the Middle-Class Act isnt race-specific, but the presidential hopeful has said it would uplift 60 percent of Black families who are in poverty, along with all low- to middle-class Americans. The aggressive antipoverty bill would give families with an income of $100,000 or less up to $500 in monthly cash payments, in addition to public benefits and tax credits they already receive. Only working families, those struggling with stagnant income and rising costs of living, would benefit from this race-blind policy that would redistribute wealth. But although Harris claims her proposal would lift 9 million people out of poverty, it wouldnt specifically benefit African-Americans, whose unemployment rate is double that of white Americans, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., like Harris, hasnt outright endorsed reparations but offered an ambitious class-based policy to address the racial wealth gap. His American Opportunity Accounts Act, also known as his baby bonds, would set up newborns from low-income families, regardless of race, with a low-risk savings account. The poorest families in this wealth-building program get up to a total of $50,000 in their childs trust account managed by Treasury, which would receive annual deposits in proportion to the familys income. At 18, the child can withdraw the money and use it for wealth-building uses like paying for college or buying property. Researchers have applauded Bookers baby bonds plan as a race-neutral way to achieve reparations and close the racial wealth gap, considering that among 18- to 25-year-olds, the average white American has a net worth of $46,000, whereas the average black American has $2,900. But if Booker becomes president and his bill passes his first year, the first babies to receive a savings account wont be born until around 2022. The first beneficiaries wouldnt be able to withdraw funds until they turn 18 in 2040 One of the few candidates whos explicitly endorsed slavery reparations, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, said its one way for America to resolve its original sin of slavery. It is interesting to me that, under our Constitution and otherwise, that we compensate people if we take their property, Castro said in an interview. Shouldnt we compensate people if they were property, sanctioned by the state? Castros pro-reparations proposal aligns with H.R. 40, in establishing a commission to determine the best way to repay descendants of slaves. Marianne Williamson is the only candidate to take a bold stance on monetary compensation to descendants of slaves. The best-selling author and self-help guru has listed reparations as one of her key campaign issues and proposed a $200 billion $500 billion plan of reparations for slavery, the money to be disbursed over a period of twenty years. Although shes the only candidate to specify an amount for reparations, Williamson hasnt offered a plan for distributing these funds, except through an esteemed council of African-American leaders council. Yet shes criticized policies that dont directly offer monetary compensation, like those offered by her presidential competitors, telling Fortune, Race-conscious policies are not a substitute for reparations, because they treat a symptom without acknowledging the cause. Reparations have become a litmus test for Democratic candidates looking to secure diverse, progressive voters. Black voters, especially black women, will be a key demographic for the Democratic Party in 2020, and the issue of reparations has been a way to gauge candidates loyalty to this traditionally loyal Democratic base. But the support for reparations among Americans is complicated. While 58 percent of black Americans support reparations, 81 percent of white Americans oppose them, according to a 2016 Marist survey. And the 2018 Data for Progress survey showed the idea remained unpopular, supported by only 26 percent of Americans. The first question to be made [in the case for reparations] is a practical one, which is how can we imagine putting together a political alliance that can prevail on an issue like that, Adolph Reed, a University of Pennsylvania professor and a left-wing critic of reparations, told Yahoo News. Appealing to the majority of the Democratic base is the only way to implement big ideas like reparations, said Reed, who worked on Sanderss 2016 presidential campaign. The more broadly based coalition you can build, the better you are [at winning], he said. And winners, added Reed, can create political and economic reform that promises to improve the material conditions of the vast majority of black Americans and increase the economic security of other Americans as well. Reed argued that Democrats, prompted by the question of reparations, will have to choose between two visions for the party, one that is identity-based and the other that seeks economic equality for all, whichever is more capable of resonating with the American population of all races, ethnic groups and so forth and so on. And reparations might not be the best idea for a candidate to rally behind in a crowded field. Still, the opportunity for a national conversation is better than before, says Duke University professor and reparations advocate William "Sandy" Darity, who says policies like reparations represent a break with kind of the moderatism that's been characteristic of the Democratic Party. This break could be disastrous for Democratic candidates who are trying to strike a balance between appealing to minorities and millennials while also ensuring they dont alienate white voters. In a climate where people are considering things that are bolder, more dramatic, more transformative, Darity, whos written extensively on reparations and was one of the economists who created Bookers baby bonds model, credits the last presidential election with the willingness of 2020 candidates to discuss bold ideas like reparations. The changed environment might be a consequence of the shock effect of the Trump election, he said. It's created an opportunity for the conversation to turn to reparations in a much more serious way than it has in the past. Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP, Reuter, AP, Reuters _____ Read more from Yahoo News: PHOENIX Rebecka Johnson stood in front of her fifth-graders at Holdeman Elementary School in Tempe on Thursday with a printed statement in her hand. She looked at her students faces, their eyes big as they watched her. A group of counselors and administrators stood along the classroom wall. Johnson read aloud from the statement: It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Holdeman student Summer Bell. Summer Bell Brown was 10. She was shot in her driveway in an apparent road-rage incident. Her father also was shot but survived. Johnson choked back tears. She pressed her fingernails into her palm and kept going. Summer died suddenly yesterday evening. For those of you who knew Summer and her family, we ask that you remember and celebrate Summers laugh, smile and personality. More: Road rage suspect arrested in shooting death of 10-year-old girl, Phoenix police say Her classmates started to cry. A few put their heads down. The students were supposed to take a state standardized math test that day. Johnson had put smiley-faced pencils and a pack of Smarties on each desk. The test could wait. Johnson put down the statement and went to them, hugging and consoling them. In her 15 years as a teacher, this was the first time shed lost a student. Johnson went to Summers box and pulled out a drawing of a red robin. She was the first done with almost every assignment and would help her classmates. She loved to dance and draw. On Wednesday, the class had started an art project to go along with their reports on birds. Summer had finished her report that same day, even though it wasnt due until Friday. Johnson would make a copy of the drawing for each student. Johnson asked her students if they would like to write to Summers family. Children cope better if there is something to do. Some wrote more than others. Some drew pictures. She wanted to keep things as normal as possible, but there was no ignoring this. A counselor stayed in her classroom. Story continues A few parents came to pick up their kids when they heard the news. I want to stay here, Mrs. Johnson, one boy said. He stayed. It seemed better that they were together. Only one student left. It was a hard day, Johnson said. She lay cool lemon-lavender scented cloths on the back of their necks. She touched their foreheads and their faces. They talked about Summer, sharing happy memories of her. They talked of being sad and how their insides felt twisted. Lets do the math activities because Summer loved them, Johnson said. Math was Summers toughest subject, but on her last test, on March 28, she got a 100 percent. They worked at math stations and played math bingo until lunch. When the students came back from lunch, something had changed. A student in another class had heard on the news how Summer had been killed. One boy was angry Johnson hadnt told them. Johnson understood. I was just dumbfounded, Johnson said on Friday. How can a person do this? Not even the teacher knows the answer. Johnson started to read Summer's essay on the golden eagle to the class but choked up again. "I'm going to need your guys's help," she told the class. The students passed Summers essay from one student to the next, reading aloud. I know she wants you to finish yours, Johnson told the class. So get it done. On Friday, Johnson heard her students say, I miss Summer again and again. So in reading, they wrote poems about Summer. Johnson will give them to her family. In her classroom, quiet after the students were gone, Johnson went to Summers desk. In it, she found an order form for spring picture day and the beginnings of a letter: Dear Mrs. Johnson. Johnson had wondered what to do with Summer's desk. She asked her pupils. They wanted to leave it where it was as a reminder of Summer. Maybe they could write to Summer, Johnson suggested, and leave the notes in her desk. Maybe Ill be too sad, one girl told Johnson. Thats OK, too, Johnson said. They dont have to decide right now. Follow Karina Bland on Twitter @KarinaBland. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: After their classmate's shooting death in road rage, teacher gives a lesson about tragedy 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. We'll use ROE to examine PageGroup plc (LON:PAGE), by way of a worked example. Over the last twelve months PageGroup has recorded a ROE of 33%. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.33. View our latest analysis for PageGroup How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for PageGroup: 33% = UK104m UK319m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) It's easy to understand the 'net profit' part of that equation, but 'shareholders' equity' requires further explanation. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets. What Does Return On Equity Mean? ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies. Does PageGroup Have A Good Return On Equity? One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for 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, PageGroup has a better ROE than the average (19%) in the Professional Services industry. LSE:PAGE Past Revenue and Net Income, April 6th 2019 That's what I like to see. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently. Story continues Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the use of debt will improve the returns, but will not change the equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. PageGroup's Debt And Its 33% ROE One positive for shareholders is that PageGroup does not have any net debt! Its impressive ROE suggests it is a high quality business, but it's even better to have achieved that without leverage. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company. But note: PageGroup may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free 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. 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. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC (LON:MRW). Our data shows Wm Morrison Supermarkets has a return on equity of 5.3% for the last year. That means that for every 1 worth of shareholders' equity, it generated 0.053 in profit. View our latest analysis for Wm Morrison Supermarkets How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Wm Morrison Supermarkets: 5.3% = UK244m UK4.6b (Based on the trailing twelve months to February 2019.) 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 earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company. What Does ROE Signify? Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Wm Morrison Supermarkets Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Wm Morrison Supermarkets has a lower ROE than the average (7.0%) in the Consumer Retailing industry. Story continues LSE:MRW Past Revenue and Net Income, April 6th 2019 Unfortunately, that's sub-optimal. We'd prefer see an ROE above the industry average, but it might not matter if the company is undervalued. Nonetheless, it could be useful to double-check if insiders have sold shares recently. How Does Debt Impact ROE? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow 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. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Wm Morrison Supermarkets's Debt And Its 5.3% ROE Wm Morrison Supermarkets has a debt to equity ratio of 0.28, which is far from excessive. Its ROE isn't particularly impressive, but the debt levels are quite modest, so the business probably has some real potential. Careful use of debt to boost returns is often very good for shareholders. However, it could reduce the company's ability to take advantage of future opportunities. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. 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. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. 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 report on analyst forecasts for the company. 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. By John Whitesides NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders, courting the black voters who did not support his 2016 White House run, drew a sharp personal contrast on Friday with what he called President Donald Trump's racist policies. Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, told a crowd of African-American activists that his push for economic equality, including universal healthcare, free public college and a higher minimum wage, would help ease the country's racial wealth gap. "Like many of you here, I have been fighting for economic, social and racial justice. As this presidential campaign begins, I believe that is the defining difference between President Trump and me," Sanders said at the Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network in New York. "Donald Trump is a man who has said he believes Nazis and white supremacists are 'very fine people,'" Sanders said, a reference to Trump's comments after violence at a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. "I am the son of an immigrant whose family was murdered by the Nazis, and so, from a very young age, I knew that we must stand up to bigotry wherever it exists." Sanders, whose father was an immigrant from Poland, struggled to win black support in his losing 2016 Democratic primary race against Hillary Clinton, who along with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had proven appeal to black voters. Since launching his 2020 presidential campaign, Sanders has made an effort to emphasize his history of civil rights activism and make an explicit case for how his economic policies would benefit African-Americans. 'HE HAS LIVED UP TO EVERYTHING' At the conference, Sanders drew words of praise from Sharpton, who has said he will not endorse a Democratic candidate until later in the year. Sharpton reminded the crowd, however, of his breakfast in Harlem with Sanders at the height of the campaign for president in 2016. "I can say in the two years since, he has lived up to everything he has said to me and more. I want you to know he has done what he said," Sharpton told the crowd. Sanders was one of seven Democrats who spoke to the conference on Friday. Five others in the growing Democratic 2020 White House field appeared at the conference earlier in the week. The candidates have backed an array of policies to close the racial gap in economic equality, improve access to healthcare and institute criminal justice reforms including eliminating cash bail, outlawing the death penalty, legalizing marijuana and wiping clean the records of non-violent drug offenders. Democrats in the 2020 race have intensified their outreach to black voters this year following the first decline in African-American turnout in 20 years during the 2016 election, which helped sink Hillary Clinton and contributed to Trump's stunning upset victory. The historically diverse 2020 Democratic field includes black, Hispanic and openly gay candidates, as well as a record six women so far. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren raised the prospect in her speech of eliminating the Senate filibuster, the procedural rule that requires a 60-vote supermajority in the 100-member chamber, for legislation, saying it had been used through history to block civil rights and other bills. Democrats eliminated the filibuster for some executive branch and lower-level judicial appointments when they controlled the Senate under Democratic President Barack Obama. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has curtailed it further to apply to Supreme Court nominations. Eliminating the filibuster for legislation would be a significant escalation of the partisan battle that has raged in Congress in recent years. "For generations, the filibuster was used as a tool to block progress on racial justice. And in recent years, its been used by the far right as a tool to block progress on everything," Warren said. "When Democrats have the White House again, if Mitch McConnell tries to do what he did to President Obama, and puts small-minded partisanship ahead of solving the massive problems facing this country, then we should get rid of the filibuster," Warren told the conference. (Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Bill Berkrot) Outgoing CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo revealed that the regulatory agency faced major pushback for its pro-bitcoin stance. | Source: SIFMA/YouTube The CFTC chief delivered more than an earful about the way some outsiders really feel about bitcoin. J. Christopher Giancarlo, chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is nearing retirement when his term ends later this month. Known as Crypto Dad to the SECs Crypto Mom Hester Peirce, Giancarlo might deserve the title as Crypto Hero, instead, considering the heat he has had to endure for refusing to stifle blockchain innovation. Crypto Dad Defends CFTCs Blockchain Stance Against Bitcoin Skeptics cryptodad j. christopher giancarlo cftc bitcoin CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo has more than earned his affectionate Crypto Dad nickname. | Source: YouTube In a speech at the Eurofi Financial Forum in Bucharest, Romania, Giancarlo was generous with his opinions, citing Romanian poet Ion Luca Cariagiale who once said: Opinions are free, but not mandatory. Giancarlo might think he used the platform to put forth a few free opinions, but he also dropped a bomb with details of his experience as a regulator in the crypto space. While he didnt squeal on anyone, the CFTC chief said enough. Crypto Dad made it clear that while the CFTCs approach has been to nurture the development of new derivatives products on crypto-assets like bitcoin, not everyone he comes across feels the same. We have resisted calls to use our legal powers to suppress the development of crypto-assets and the underlying technologies that support them. Instead, we have favored close monitoring of market developments while not hindering the introduction of new products like bitcoin futures, which have proven invaluable in letting market forces determine the appropriate value of the bitcoin. This resistance Crypto Dad refers to has been a hurdle not only to innovation but also to the adoption of blockchain technology by businesses across jurisdictions. Read the full story on CCN.com. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Nearly half a million dollars was diverted out of the city of Tallahassees employee payroll this week after a suspected foreign cyberattack of the city's human resources management application. Hackers attempt every day to breach the citys security, officials say, but Wednesday's operation netted about $498,000. The employees have all been paid, said city spokeswoman Alison Faris, and officials are working to determine the hacks origins. Early indication is that it was possibly initiated outside of the U.S., Faris said in an email. The out-of-state, third-party vendor that hosts the city's payroll services was hacked and as a result the direct deposit paychecks were redirected. Employees throughout the citys workforce were affected. The city is working with its bank to recover the money and already has recouped 25 percent of the missing funds. It is also in touch with its insurance company and law enforcement to pursue criminal charges. Officials learned of the security breach when the city's bank contacted them and employees saw that they had not been paid. This is the second time in a month the city's online security has been compromised. Last month, a Dropbox link was sent out from the email account of City Manager Reese Goad. The phishing email, which originated externally, contained a virus. It is unclear how many people the email went to, but there does not appear to be any lingering impacts, officials said. Faris said the two attacks do not appear to be related, but IT professionals say phishing attempts can often garner passwords and other data that give hackers the tools to strike. Usually the way they get in is through email," said Blake Dowling, president of technical support and cyber security company Aegis Business Technologies. Those happen all the time. If youre not trained to be on the lookout for something, about how that may look or feel or the implications, it can bring your city to a crawl. Story continues Even for IT professionals, cyber-attacks can be tricky to recognize, Dowling said. Their imprint can be as minute as a slow internet browser or momentary delay in a document. Secure networks can easily fall prey. Once a breach happens, Dowling said, ransomware can covertly record key strokes and collect data behind the scenes until its used in an attack like the one on the city this week. The Tallahassee hack is the latest attack on area government targets. Security protocols in the Thomas County School System in Thomasville thwarted an attempted payroll attack last month in which hackers tried to steal $2 million. Atlantas city government was crippled by cyber attackers demanding it pay $51,000 in the crypto currency Bitcoin, which it refused to pay. In 2017, Leon County's website fell prey to hackers who changed its home page to a photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and audio of a 1964 Ronald Reagan speech. No important data was compromised in the attack by the ISIS-linked group. Follow Karl Etters on Twitter: @KarlEtters This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Cyberattack diverts almost $500,000 out of city of Tallahassee payroll account 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. Despite guidelines recommending music or dancing for people with dementia, such therapies had not been widely adopted - Getty Images 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. It follows research which found that giving people with dementia personal playlists resulted in a 60 per cent reduction in the need for mind-altering drugs. 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. He has previously called on GPs to prescribe personal playlists to reduce agitation in patients with dementia. Speaking following a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales at Clarence House in support of "social prescription" therapies, Mr Hancock said doctors were dishing out too many pills, when other options should be offered. He 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. "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." Officials said that such therapies should be used in addition to conventional medicine. Around 850,000 people in the UK have dementia and this is projected to rise to more than a million in under a decade. Research suggests that singing and listening to music can help people with dementia, in some cases reducing the need for medication. Studies suggest it can help reduce agitation and minimise the need for restraint, helping people with dementia and their families cope better with symptoms. One charity Playlist for Life which creates personal playlists for people with dementia has achieved a 60 per cent reduction in the use of psychotropic medication at one care home. Story continues A collaboration between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Hulls stroke recovery service, used music sessions to help people after they had suffered a stroke. Nearly 90 per cent of patients saw improvements in their physical and mental health, with fewer dizzy spells and epileptic seizures, less anxiety, improved sleep, improved concentration, and memory. In Gloucestershire, hospitals are now referring patients with lung conditions to singing sessions, while a scheme in Cheshire connects school choirs to local care homes. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Gage Roads Brewing Co. Limited's (ASX:GRB) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Gage Roads Brewing has a P/E ratio of 36.87, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay A$36.87 for every A$1 in trailing yearly profits. See our latest analysis for Gage Roads Brewing How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Gage Roads Brewing: P/E of 36.87 = A$0.099 A$0.0027 (Based on the year to December 2018.) Is A High P/E Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each A$1 the company has earned over the last year. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up. It's nice to see that Gage Roads Brewing grew EPS by a stonking 123% in the last year. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 37%. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio. How Does Gage Roads Brewing's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. The image below shows that Gage Roads Brewing has a higher P/E than the average (23.5) P/E for companies in the beverage industry. Story continues ASX:GRB Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 5th 2019 Gage Roads Brewing's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. 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 Gage Roads Brewing's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio? Gage Roads Brewing has net cash of AU$4.8m. That should lead to a higher P/E than if it did have debt, because its strong balance sheets gives it more options. The Verdict On Gage Roads Brewing's P/E Ratio Gage Roads Brewing's P/E is 36.9 which is above average (16.3) in the AU market. With cash in the bank the company has plenty of growth options -- and it is already on the right track. Therefore it seems reasonable that the market would have relatively high expectations of the company Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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. You might be able to find a better buy than Gage Roads Brewing. 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. U.K. dog owners are reportedly on alert after a Shih Tzu who had never traveled far from their Hetfordshire, England, home died after contracting a tropical disease known as leishmaniasis. According to Yahoo, the 3-year-old Shih Tzu developed symptoms, including weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea, over a three-week period, and was eventually put down. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease most commonly spread by bites from infected female phlebotomine sand flies, reports the Center for Disease Control. These flies are found in southern Europe and subtropical and tropical climates not in the U.K. The Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield told Yahoo that the Hetfordshire Shih Tzus case was likely the first reported case of leishmaniasis in a U.K. canine that has not traveled to or come from an endemic area. RELATED: Theres a Mysterious, Highly Contagious Disease Affecting Dogs in Virginia: What to Know Experts believe the Shih Tzu contracted the disease after being bite by a dog originally from Spain, who had been living with the Shih Tzu, reports The Daily Star. This dog developed leishmaniasis after being imported from Spain and was euthanized six months before the Shih Tzu died. Dogs and other non-human animals can transmit the disease to each other through biting, but non-human animals cannot directly transmit the disease to humans. Humans can still contract the disease through a sand fly bite. Canine leishmaniasis is still not well known here in the U.K. Vets would not have seen these cases 15 years ago, but they are becoming more frequent now as it becomes easier for pets to travel across Europe and the UK, Paolo Silvestrini, a lecturer in small animal internal medicine at the University of Liverpool, told Vet Times. Silverstrini also said it is important for U.K. veterinarians to familiarize themselves with these disease now that more dogs are being imported from or adopted out of countries that have sand flies infected with leishmaniasis. Story continues RELATED: Zombie Raccoons Stumbling Around Illinois Could Have Distemper, Arent Actually Undead According to the CDC, there are two common forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and visceral leishmaniasis, which affects several internal organs. Virtually all dogs will develop the visceral form of the disease. Ninety percent will also have cutaneous involvement, VCA Hospitals said of dogs who contract leishmaniasis. The clinical signs associated with the visceral form include fever, anorexia, weakness, exercise intolerance, severe weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding from the nose, and blood in the stool. Most dogs will develop swollen lymph nodes and an enlarged spleen, and will progress to kidney failure, the site continues. Cutaneous leishmaniasis symptoms for dogs include thickening and hardening of the tissues on the muzzle and footpads, hair loss and hard bumps on the skin. If you think your dog has leishmaniasis, it is important to take to them to the vet right away. Leishmaniasis can be fatal and often requires a special drug from the CDC as treatment. The US has no more room for immigrants, according to Donald Trump, who made the statement during a tour of the US-Mexico border on Friday evening. Mr Trump visited a section of fencing in Calexico, California, using the opportunity to reinforce immigration as a campaign issue. He warned Mexico of economic sanctions and even threatened to close the border if the country did not do more to stop migrants crossing into the USA. The system is full. We cant take you anymore. Wether its asylum, whether its illegal immigration, Mr Trump said. Thanking Republicans for their support, Mr Trump took several swipes at Democrats for their resistance to providing border wall funding. Its very, very tough to get money from the Democrats, he said. The wall is like pulling teeth. Its pretty tough. Opponents of the president argued that Mr Trumps claims about the US being full were rooted in racism, not in the United States actual capacity to welcome immigrants. What he means is America is full if you are a black or brown immigrant, tweeted Adam Best, an activist and liberal podcaster. The presidents trip has been promoted by the White House as something of a victory lap for the president, who has claimed credit for the two-mile portion as the first completed construction on his border wall even though a 3.2km (2 mile) border fence existed along the corridor previously, and plans to renovate the barrier first started during the administration of Barack Obama. Walking near the border with the 30-foot steel slat wall behind him, Mr Trump said the new construction looks great, and claimed they plan on building a new wall that is better and faster. Border officials meeting with Mr Trump promised on Friday to construct more than 400 miles of further border fencing over the next year and a half, a feat they say will be funded through the $1.4bn in border wall appropriations approved by congress and the roughly $8bn in funds Mr Trump has diverted as a part of his national emergency declaration. Story continues That emergency declaration has been met with legal challenges, and prompted the first veto of Mr Trumps presidency after Democrats forced a measure to terminate his declaration, with the help of a few Republicans in congress. In the month since he declared the emergency Mr Trump has considered several approaches to secure the border and to take pressure off of a system he has described as overburdened even as his administration has implemented policies that critics say has exacerbated the problem. Among those ideas was the threat to close the US-Mexico border, a move that could impact billions worth of trade between the two countries and significantly alter life in communities along that divide. But, after pushback, Mr Trump backed down and suggested there were other routes to get what he wanted. The only thing frankly better, but less drastic than closing the border, is to tariff the cars coming in, Mr Trump said on Thursday in the White House. Were going to give them a one-year warning and if the drugs dont stop or largely stop, well put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars. The Trump administration has described the crisis at the US-Mexico border as one that threatens Americans across the country, but also one that is a humanitarian imperative to keep migrants safe. The president himself has made it clear that this is a humanitarian crisis, Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of Homeland Security, said on CNN on Thursday night. He recognises that humanitarian crisis and hes trying to take it to the people who can fix it. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Canadian National Railway Company's (TSE:CNR) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Based on the last twelve months, Canadian National Railway's P/E ratio is 20.48. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 4.9%. View our latest analysis for Canadian National Railway How Do You Calculate Canadian National Railway's P/E Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Canadian National Railway: P/E of 20.48 = CA$120.7 CA$5.89 (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 CA$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. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers. Canadian National Railway shrunk earnings per share by 19% over the last year. But it has grown its earnings per share by 17% per year over the last five years. How Does Canadian National Railway's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. As you can see below, Canadian National Railway has a higher P/E than the average company (18.1) in the transportation industry. TSX:CNR Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 6th 2019 Canadian National Railway's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. 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 Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. 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. Is Debt Impacting Canadian National Railway's P/E? Canadian National Railway has net debt worth 14% of its market capitalization. That's enough debt to impact the P/E ratio a little; so keep it in mind if you're comparing it to companies without debt. The Bottom Line On Canadian National Railway's P/E Ratio Canadian National Railway has a P/E of 20.5. That's higher than the average in the CA market, which is 15.2. With a bit of debt, but a lack of recent growth, it's safe to say the market is expecting improved profit performance from the company, in the next few years. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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 Canadian National Railway. 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. The Hague (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May's request to delay Brexit until June 30 "doesn't answer" the EU's key questions about London's plans, Dutch premier Mark Rutte said on Friday. Rutte said May's letter seeking the extension "raises many questions" and there will have to be "intense discussions" ahead of a crucial summit of European leaders next Wednesday that will decide on the issue. "The plan was that the British would explain what they wanted from the EU," Rutte told a weekly press conference. "A letter was sent today which, as far as I am concerned, doesn't answer this request (from the EU for more information). I hope it will be possible to give the answers to these questions." Rutte -- who has been one of the most outspoken EU leaders on Brexit as his country faces the risk of an econmic shock if Britain leaves without a deal -- said the letter had "no full plan, there was only part of a plan." "We hope London will provide more clarity before Wednesday," he said, adding that there would now have to be "intense discussions on the telephone in coming days, and at the European Council (summit)." "The ball is not here in The Netherlands, or in Paris or Berlin. The ball really is in London." His comments echoed those of France, which said the British request was "premature" and a "clumsy trial balloon", and Germany, whose foreign minister said "many questions" remained. Lev Radin/Getty Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is expected to issue the strongest indictment of the Senate filibuster of her campaign for president thus far during a speech at the National Action Network convention on Friday morning. Last year the Senate passed a bill that would make lynching a federal crime, Warren will say, according to prepared remarks viewed by The Daily Beast. Last year. In 2018. Do you know when the first bill to make lynching a federal crime was introduced? 1918. One hundred years ago. And it nearly became the law back then. It passed the House in 1922. But it got killed in the Senateby a filibuster. And then it got killed again. And again. And again. More than 200 times. An entire century of obstruction because a small group of racists stopped the entire nation from doing what was right. Warren goes on to say that the filibuster has been used in recent years by the far right as a tool to block progress on everything. Ive only served one term in the Senatebut Ive seen whats happening, she says, according to the remarks. We all saw what they did to President Obama. Ive watched Republicans abuse the rules when theyre out of power, then turn around and blow off the rules when theyre in power. Democrats running for president in 2020 have been debating Senate rules for months, as activists push for a change that would not necessitate a 60-vote supermajority to pass sought-after legislation like Medicare for All or the Green New Deal, both of which have been endorsed by a large share of the Democratic candidates currently running. But many of the same candidates, including the senators in the race, have been resistant to institutional changes. The one candidate who has affirmatively campaigned on its elimination in order to address climate change is Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Many others, like Warren before Friday, had said theyd consider it, and she previously said all the options are on the table. Story continues But these new comments mark a shift in Warrens thinking on the matter, arriving as the Republican-led Senate invoked the nuclear option again this week to expedite the appointment of President Trumps nominees. So let me be as clear as I can, Warren says in the remarks. When Democrats next have power, we should be bold and clear: Were done with two sets of rulesone for the Republicans and one for the Democrats. And that means when Democrats have the White House again, if Mitch McConnell tries to do what he did to President Obama, and puts small-minded partisanship ahead of solving the massive problems facing this country, then we should get rid of the filibuster. An aide to the senator told The Daily Beast that McConnells actions alone this week didnt motivate the subtle change in thinking. We cant sit around for 100 years while the rich and powerful get richer and more powerful and everyone else falls further and further behind, Warren continues. We cant sit around for 100 years while climate change destroys our planet, while corruption pervades every nook and cranny of Washington, and while too much of a childs fate in life still rests on the color of their skin. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Berlin (AFP) - Right-wing populist parties are gearing up to campaign for European Parliament elections next month, but policy differences and the Brexit drama threaten their dream to "unite the right". Many fear the May 26 vote will be a wake-up call for Brussels on the reality that Europe's anti-immigration and blood-and-soil patriotic forces have moved from the fringes to the mainstream. Once considered outsiders, they could now end up with one fifth or more of the seats, allowing them to shift the tone of political discourse and make a claim for legitimacy. Key players are Marine Le Pen's National Rally (NR) in France and the Italian League of Matteo Salvini, who is hosting a meeting of like-minded right-wing groups in Milan on Monday. In the EU's top economy, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the biggest opposition party by railing against Chancellor Angela Merkel and her 2015 decision to allow a mass influx of asylum seekers. The AfD launched its election programme in the southwestern city of Offenburg on Saturday, calling for "a Europe of fatherlands" and opposing the EU's immigration, financial and climate policies. "This European campaign is a campaign about identity," said Party co-leader Alexander Gauland. "The European Union is not a state, it doesn't need a parliament," he added. Despite financial scandals the AfD enjoys the support of ten percent of voters, according to opinion polls, with its popularity highest in the former East Germany. - International of nationalists? - On Monday in Milan, Italian deputy PM Salvini will follow up and gather allies from across Europe to try to lay the foundations for a future hard-right grouping in the now 751-member European Parliament. Salvini and Le Pen also agreed to call another meeting in May, after they met in Paris on Friday, a NR source said. "The leaders are considering a common manifesto to close the electoral campaign and announce the start of a new Europe," said a spokesman for Salvini. Story continues So far, Europe's right-wing nationalists have been divided into three blocs and a tangled web of alliances in the legislature that moves between seats in Brussels and the French city of Strasbourg. They are the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group, which includes the RN and League, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD). The dream of Salvini -- and of Steve Bannon, the former advisor to US President Donald Trump -- has been to unite the disparate patriotic forces and form an "international of nationalists". But so far such efforts have met with only limited success, in part because the parties' nationalist focus runs counter to a multi-national approach. - Divided on key issues - Another problem for the groups has been that, despite their shared dislike for immigration, multiculturalism, the left and the EU, they remain divided on other key issues. On economic policy, the AfD and their Scandinavian allies tend to believe in the market economy, while the French RN favours a more protectionist and statist approach. While Italy's League, Poland's PiS and Hungary's Fidesz highlight Europe's Christian cultural roots, the RN has shied away from taking a similar stance in a country where the majority is in favour of secularism. And even on immigration, Salvini's League favours an EU-wide redistribution of asylum seekers while others demand an outright stop to immigration. On relations with Russia, Salvini has praised President Vladimir Putin, a view not shared by Poland's governing party. - 'Patriotic alliance'? - The AfD's top candidate Joerg Meuthen said he expects big gains for nationalist parties but that they will have trouble forming a "patriotic alliance" with a common agenda. There are also strategic deliberations. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has voiced admiration for Salvini but was considered unlikely to come to the Milan meeting given his Fidesz party still belongs to the centre-right European People's party (EPP) group, despite its temporary suspension. Meanwhile, most parties have also toned down their anti-EU rhetoric as the Brexit debacle has made the prospect of leaving the bloc look far less appealing. Le Pen renounced a "Frexit" after the 2017 presidential election and her disastrous debates against Emmanuel Macron, while Germany's AfD has downgraded a "Dexit" scenario to a "last resort". Still, the potential of the far-right must not be underestimated, said Sven Hutten, political scientist at Berlin's Free University. He warned that such groups target "15 to 30 percent of the population" and that at the moment "the populist right is fighting for unity and to build a single bloc". Tripoli (AFP) - The leader of Libya's UN-backed government, Fayez al-Sarraj is a trained architect who has for years struggled to political and economic crises to rebuild the North African country. A businessman who spent years working in both private and public sector roles, 59-year-old Sarraj entered parliament in June 2014. But just two months later, an alliance of militias took control of the capital Tripoli, forcing the government and newly-elected parliament to flee to eastern Libya. Sarraj fled to Tobruk, where the parliament remains to this day, while his architect wife and their three children moved abroad. He began following in the footsteps of his father, Mostafa, who had an influential role in creating the state of Libya after independence in 1951. Described as "very calm" by a childhood friend, the younger Sarraj grew up in a wealthy family which had business interests and land in Tripoli. A political novice following the ousting of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Sarraj rose to international prominence in December 2015 when he was picked to head the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). After years of chaos and violence following the uprising, he was tasked with putting state institutions in order and launching a reconciliation process. But his premiership got off to a shaky start, seeing him stranded in Tunisia until April 2016 when a Libyan naval vessel brought him to Tripoli. Early success saw Sarraj rally the country's economic and political authorities. But he failed to gain the support of the administration in the east, which is backed by his main rival Khalifa Haftar. Just months after taking the helm, forces loyal to the GNA retook the city of Sirte from Islamic State group jihadists in December 2016. But the government has proven unable to establish a regular police force or army, and militias remain a powerful force in Tripoli and across western Libya. Sarraj reached agreements with armed groups in the capital to secure relative stability, but some analysts say such dealings have made him a hostage to militias. Story continues The few positive developments under the GNA have been overshadowed by numerous failures, particularly the government's inability to improve daily life in Libya amid insecurity and ongoing economic hardships. While Sarraj has floundered despite ongoing United Nations support, in the east Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army have gained in strength. Haftar, a former army officer, has picked up a series of foreign backers, including Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and this week his troops advanced towards the capital. By Kenneth Li and Ju-min Park NEW YORK/SEOUL (Reuters) - When it comes to who triumphed in the multi-billion dollar global race to launch the world's first 5G next generation wireless network, the winner is clear ... depending on who you ask. Early Wednesday in South Korea, Reuters published a story quoting South Korean officials declaring victory over the United States and China as the site of the world's first commercial launch of a fifth generation telecoms network. They made their assertion on the basis that the new network connected to an actual 5G phone. U.S. carriers disputed South Korea's claims to be first. After the piece was published, AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc intensified their angry rejections of South Korea's boast in post-publication communications sent to Reuters on Wednesday. AT&T said it was the victor because it announced on Dec. 18 that it planned to launch its 5G network in 12 U.S. cities that month. However, its network is available only to consumers using a mobile hotspot device, not on 5G phones. Verizon, for its part, countered that it had come first. Hours after the Reuters report, it said it had already launched its 5G network and that it would be available on a new Motorola phone - though only in Chicago and Minneapolis. "We stand by our story," a Reuters spokeswoman said. The intensity with which company representatives disputed each other's claims underscores the high stakes in the battle for supremacy over an industry that is expected to spend $275 billion over seven years in the United States alone, according to Accenture estimates. The winner is seen playing a central role in helping to generate some $12.3 trillion in annual revenue across a broad range of industries by 2035, according to IHS Markit. The technology, which can provide data speeds at least 20 times faster than 4G, will also underpin the great advances of the next era, from self-driving cars and augmented reality to smart cities and artificial intelligence. Story continues "Being first is important in our industry and we want that recognition," an AT&T spokesman said, adding that the company spent $130 billion over the last five years to upgrade its network. Some experts point out that the jockeying will mean little to consumers. "The reason you're getting that reaction is this is a battle of marketing vaporware rather than real network evolution," said Craig Moffett, telecoms and communications analyst at MoffettNathanson. "They're tripping over themselves to claim they have a 5G network," he said. "But we're years away from it having any impact on user experiences." Bragging rights aside, being first is a matter of national pride. So excited was U.S. President Donald Trump about dominating the telecoms future, he invented a technology that does not yet exist - 6G - in a Feb. 21 tweet. "I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind," he tweeted. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. RACE TO LAUNCH South Korea's carriers had announced plans to launch their 5G networks by Friday. But by 5 p.m. local time Wednesday word began to spread that Verizon was planning a surprise debut of its own 5G network as early as Thursday, a full week ahead of its original intended schedule, an official at South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT told Reuters. To snatch victory from the jaws of Verizon, the South Korean carriers raced against the clock and agreed to collectively light up the country's 5G networks just six hours after finding out about Verizon's plans, said the official, who declined to be named. South Korean carriers including SK Telecom and KT Corp flipped the switch at 11pm local time (1400 GMT/1000 EST), nearly an hour ahead of when Verizon confirmed it had launched in the two markets in the United States at 10:55am EST (1455 GMT). "It is a pretty big deal for every mobile carrier who can be called the world's first," the Ministry of Science official said. On why Verizon accelerated its launch plan by a week, a Verizon spokesman said its network was ready. "Our customers were enthusiastic and ready to use 5G," the spokesman added. (Reporting by Kenneth Li in New York and Ju-Min Park in Seoul; additional reporting by Angela Moon in New York; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) Paris (AFP) - France considers it "premature" to discuss an additional delay to Britain's exit from the European Union, demanding that London present "a clear plan" that would justify pushing Brexit back again, a French presidency source said Friday. France had "taken note" of Britain's formal request Friday for an extension to June 30, the source said, adding: "We are waiting for a credible plan between now and the (EU) summit on April 10, when we will study the request." "A delay is a tool, but not a solution in itself," the source said. In a letter, British Prime Minister Theresa May told EU Council president Donald Tusk that she wanted to ensure her country left the bloc in an "orderly way", as she fights to have the current exit deal approved by parliament. The EU has already agreed to move back the original March 29 deadline to April 12 to give May more time to win backing from MPs for a deal. British lawmakers have already rejected the deal she negotiated with the EU three times. Earlier Friday, an EU official said Tusk would suggest to member states that they offer Britain a flexible 12-month delay to Brexit, removing some of the pressure on May to ram through a deal by next Wednesday's summit meeting. But a French diplomatic source appeared to pour cold water on that idea as well, calling "the rumours about such an extension a clumsy trial balloon." 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. Dinard (France) (AFP) - Foreign ministers from the world's seven most developed nations on Saturday urged a greater role for women in solving conflicts, saying that peace settlements with female involvement were more likely to endure. The Group of Seven (G7) ministers, at their meeting in the northern French resort of Dinard to prepare a summit meeting under French presidency in August, also called on greater mobilisation worldwide to "prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict". "Women rarely sit at the negotiating table," the final statement of the meeting said, adding that only rarely do peace agreements include provisions that protect women's human rights. "At the same time, we know that when women are meaningfully included and play an influential role in peace processes, peace agreements are more likely to last," it said. According to the UN Women's agency, between 1990 and 2017, women constituted only two percent of mediators, eight percent of negotiators, and five percent of witnesses and signatories in all major peace process. France has placed gender inequality at the heart of its presidency of the G7, though a plan to create a new mechanism to warn about sexual violence being used as a weapon during war was not included in a final joint statement. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the countries had agreed a "roadmap" to adopt the mechanism. The ministers vowed to enhance coordination to support "women's participation in peace processes including in their roles as negotiators, mediators and peacebuilders." A final statement said the international community must be "mobilised to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict" but also better help survivors and assist children born as a result of sexual violence in conflict. Efforts to respond to survivors and victims' specific medical, psychological and social needs must be continued it said, hailing the efforts by 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege. Meanwhile, the G7 ministers said they committed to deepen coordination among members of the group to "enhance our rapid response support to survivors and victims". It was only a few weeks ago that France seemed to be on the verge of total breakdown. The flammable environment of French politics was created by the political disconnect between provincial France and the Parisian elite. French president Emmanuel Macron announced a simple policy adjustment in that environment, and suddenly the country and its cities lit up with explosive protests that shut down the cities. Donald Trump is looking to do the same here in the United States. It wont generate the same kind of movement American politics are not as combustible as their French counterpart but its just as stupid here as it was there. The policy is raising taxes on gasoline. Trump is considering a 25-cent per-gallon tax that would fund infrastructure projects. The Chamber of Commerce supports the idea. Democrats are excited about it and Republicans are reported to be divided by it. Heres how McClatchy put it in a recent report: Last week, President Donald Trumps transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, told senators that a gas tax hike was on the table when asked whether the White House would support such a move. And this week, Democrats are indicating that they too are ready to consider a tax increase an effort that would fund publicly popular infrastructure improvements but has hit a hard wall of opposition for years from fiscal conservatives and advocates for low-income people alike. The last president to raise taxes on gas was Bill Clinton. He did so in 1993, just before the landslide election that created the modern Republican congressional majority. Its difficult to express how stupid this gas tax would be, though Tucker Carlson tried in a notable segment on his prime-time show. Carlson called the tax so mindless and counterproductive there is literally no way you could get reelected after doing it in a riff that suggested Donald Trump was purposely sabotaging his reelection to escape from his imprisonment in the White House. Story continues Gas taxes are insidiously regressive. They dont just impose extra costs on those who commute long distances. Over time the raised fuel costs of trucking, delivery, fertilizing, and harvesting flow through to everything. You wake up and every bite of corn flakes is more expensive. Your morning commute is of course more expensive. The tax gets priced into your property tax bill, which goes up to pay the higher fuel bill for the fleet of school buses for public schools. Snowplow services become more expensive. A gas tax like this follows people everywhere. Admittedly, the American situation is different from that of France. Our economy is more dynamic, and were riding on what seems like the froth of a long recovery and economic boom that has brought the unemployment rate way down, and wages up. The French economy is far more sclerotic, and far more protectionist. What France lacks in dynamism during good times is traded for more security during rough ones. But this regressive fuel-tax increase would come after Trump had passed a major tax reform that slashed corporate taxes. Yes, there is some evidence that these slashed rates have goosed the economy and contribute to the general uptick. But the benefits are also concentrated among wealthy and upwardly mobile people who run their income through corporate structures, often with their family names attached to them. Notably it is those voters who find Trump most repulsive and who have been abandoning the GOP for the Democrats since his nomination. The Trump revenue legacy is becoming almost a caricature of the country-club Republicanism he ran against. It is relatively easy to avoid the increased prices on certain appliances due to Trumps trade wars. It would be impossible to avoid the costs that a gas tax would impose, which would fall disproportionately on the people Trump claims to serve. And it would do so at a time when gas prices are already rising quickly. If it wasnt clear already, a gas tax like this makes Trumps nationalist populism even more of a fraud. Trump announces an end to Americas war in Syria, and the CIA and DOD announce that it will continue. He announces the creation of a workers party, and he rewards bosses and asset-rich entrepreneurs instead. He says he will fight for the forgotten American, and then he sticks those Americans with the bill for his infrastructure dreams. Trumps enemies Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, and the leading Democrats should be laughing at their good fortunes. Those fortunes are growing by the day. More from National Review W&T Offshore, Inc. WTI holds tremendous upside potential due to its growing presence in the deep-water and shelf of Gulf of Mexico (GoM), wherein production grew more than 500% and proved reserves surged nearly 900% over the past eight years. The companys increasing reserve base in the GoM, the second-largest basin in the United States in terms of production, will boost output in the coming quarters. Lets delve deeper to analyse the factors that make W&T Offshore an attractive investment option at the moment. Offshore Resurgence: We would like to remind investors that the steadiness in oil prices at the current levels of above $60 per barrel is driving operators to make longer-term plans, as deepwater projects become cost effective. Producers like Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A, which holds huge potential in the U.S. GoM, recently put up an interesting picture for investors at the Scotia Howard Weil Energy Conference in New Orleans. These companies expect offshore production to come out of the shadows of shale drilling, reflecting a resurgence. GoM Strength: The companys extensive presence in the GoM is commendable. Its operations are spread across roughly 48 oil and gas offshore fields, covering around 650,000 gross acres. It covers roughly 440,000 gross acres in the GoM shelf, while the company operates across 210,000 gross acres in the deepwater. Notably, W&T Offshore created a joint venture with a group of investors to drill 14 pre-defined projects in the GoM over more than three years. The GoM provides unique advantages, including low decline rates, world class permeability and significant potential reserves that are untapped. The company recorded 60.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe) of proven or 1P reserves in the GoM shelf. In the deepwater GoM, it has 21.7 MMBoe of 1P reserves. Significant proved reserve bases in both the shelf and deepwater resources will contribute to the upstream energy players cash flows. Story continues Surging Cashflow: Through 2018, the company generated $321.8 million of operating cash flows, which more than doubled from the 2017 level of $159.4 million. We expect this momentum to continue in the coming quarters as well, backed by higher realized crude and natural gas liquids prices, and lower expenditure on plugging and abandonment activities. Liquidity: By the end of 2018, W&T Offshore reduced its long-term debt by 34.6% from the year-ago level to $634 million. This visible downward trend can be noticed in the companys balance sheet for the last few years, as shown in the figure below. Moreover, total liquidity of $252.7 million, as of Dec 31, 2018, for this small cap company is remarkable. Overall, the financial flexibility enables the company to support its growth projects. Upbeat Production Guidance: For full-year 2019, W&T Offshore expects production in the band of 12.9-14.3 MMBoe. The upper limit of the band is much higher than the 2018 level of 13.3 MMBoe. As you can see, the companys strong fundamentals and strategic positioning makes it well poised to outperform the market in the coming days. The analysts also believe so and consequently hiked its guidance in the last few weeks. Over the past month, earnings estimates for the current year have risen from 43 cents per share to 73 cents. Price Movement: The Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) companys upside potential has also been reflected in the stock movement. Its shares significantly outperformed the industry in the past year. During the said period, the upstream company gained 58.7% against the 18.9% decline of its industry. Moreover, on the basis of the trailing 12-month enterprise value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, the industry is currently trading at 5.3X, significantly lower than one-year high mark of 7.2X. This also confirms the stocks strong upside potential. 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. Other Stocks to Consider Investors interested in the energy sector can opt for other top-ranked stock as given below: Denver, CO-based Antero Resources Corp. AR is an upstream energy company. In 2019, the companys top line is expected to increase nearly 5% year over year. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Houston, TX-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. COG is an exploration and production company. In 2019, the companys bottom line is expected to surge nearly 65% year over year. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> 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 Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) : Free Stock Analysis Report W&T Offshore, Inc. (WTI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Antero Resources Corporation (AR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research We are upbeat about Whiting Petroleum Corporations WLL prospects and believe it is a promising pick at the moment. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of B. Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 offer the best investment opportunities. Lets delve deeper to analyze the factors that are working in favor of this upstream energy player. Focus on Prolific Williston Basin Whiting Petroleum has a strong foothold in the prolific Williston Basin where North Americas significant oil deposits are located. In the Williston Basin, Whiting Petroleum has drilled 1,347 net wells across 470,443 net acres. The company is planning to spend a major chunk of its 2019 capital budget on the Williston Basin. Of the total capital spending projected by the company in the band of $800-$840 million, Whiting Petroleum has decided to expend $662 million on Williston Basin operations. This is likely to help the company to reach its production growth target of 11% in the basin through 2019. Since Whiting Petroleum is an oil-focused explorer and producer, recovering crude prices is likely to back the companys production volumes. Cash Costs Plunge, Free Cashflow Robust Total cash costs of Whiting Petroleum declined 27% through 2018 from 2014, providing support to the bottom line. The company recorded total cash cost of $13.65 per barrel of oil equivalent (BoE) in 2018, substantially lower than $18.73 per BoE in 2014. Through 2018, the company recorded free cash flow of $280 million. Moreover, Whiting Petroleum projects robust free cash flow for 2019 on the assumption that average oil price will rise above $55 a barrel. Other Stocks to Consider A few other prospective players in the energy space are Antero Resources Corporation AR, NGL Energy Partners LP NGL and ProPetro Holding Corp. PUMP. While Antero Resources and NGL Energy sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), ProPetro Holding carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Story continues Antero Resources is likely to see earnings growth of 20% over the next five years. NGL Energy is likely to witness earnings growth of 227% for the fiscal year ending March 2019. ProPetro Holding is likely to see 19.5% earnings growth through 2019. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> 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 NGL Energy Partners LP (NGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Whiting Petroleum Corporation (WLL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Antero Resources Corporation (AR) : Free Stock Analysis Report ProPetro Holding Corp. (PUMP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Over the past 10 years Guangzhou R&F Properties Co., Ltd. (HKG:2777) has been paying dividends to shareholders. The company currently pays out a dividend yield of 8.3% to shareholders, making it a relatively attractive dividend stock. Let's dig deeper into whether Guangzhou R&F Properties should have a place in your portfolio. Check out our latest analysis for Guangzhou R&F Properties 5 questions to ask before buying a dividend stock When assessing a stock as a potential addition to my dividend Portfolio, I look at these five areas: Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers? Does it consistently pay out dividends without missing a payment of significantly cutting payout? Has dividend per share amount increased over the past? Does earnings amply cover its dividend payments? Will it have the ability to keep paying its dividends going forward? SEHK:2777 Historical Dividend Yield, April 6th 2019 Does Guangzhou R&F Properties pass our checks? The company currently pays out 47% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. However, going forward, analysts expect 2777's payout to fall to 41% of its earnings. Assuming a constant share price, this equates to a dividend yield of 13%. However, EPS should increase to CN3.93, meaning that the lower payout ratio does not necessarily implicate a lower dividend payment. When assessing the forecast sustainability of a dividend it is also worth considering 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. 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. Although 2777's per share payments have increased in the past 10 years, it has not been a completely smooth ride. Investors have seen reductions in the dividend per share in the past, although, it has picked up again. Story continues Compared to its peers, Guangzhou R&F Properties produces a yield of 8.3%, which is high for Real Estate stocks. Next Steps: With this in mind, I definitely rank Guangzhou R&F Properties as a strong dividend stock, and makes it worth further research for anyone who likes steady income generation from their portfolio. Given that 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. There are three essential aspects you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 2777s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 2777s outlook. Valuation: What is 2777 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 2777 is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. 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. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! In this article, I will take a look at Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s (NYSE:WSM) most recent earnings update (03 February 2019) and compare these latest figures against its performance over the past few years, along with how the rest of WSM's industry performed. As a long-term investor, I find it useful to analyze the company's trend over time in order to estimate whether or not the company is able to meet its goals, and eventually grow sustainably over time. See our latest analysis for Williams-Sonoma Did WSM beat its long-term earnings growth trend and its industry? WSM's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 03 February 2019) of US$334m has jumped 28% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of -0.5%, indicating the rate at which WSM is growing has accelerated. What's the driver of this growth? Well, lets take a look at whether it is solely because of industry tailwinds, or if Williams-Sonoma has seen some company-specific growth. NYSE:WSM Income Statement, April 6th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Williams-Sonoma has invested its equity funds well leading to a 29% return on equity (ROE), above the sensible minimum of 20%. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 12% exceeds the US Specialty Retail industry of 7.1%, indicating Williams-Sonoma has used its assets more efficiently. However, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Williams-Sonomas debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 34% to 26%. This correlates with an increase in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio rising from 0.3% to 26% over the past 5 years. What does this mean? Williams-Sonoma's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. While Williams-Sonoma has a good historical track record with positive growth and profitability, there's no certainty that this will extrapolate into the future. I recommend you continue to research Williams-Sonoma to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for WSMs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for WSMs outlook. Financial Health: Are WSMs 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 03 February 2019. 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. Concluding its first full year of mineral production at the Brucejack mine in British Columbia -- the company's single asset in production -- Pretium Resources (NYSE: PVG), a mid-tier gold producer, had a lot to celebrate in 2018. In addition to reporting revenue of $455 million, a 155% year-over-year increase, the company reported earnings of $0.20 per share, representing a significant turnaround from the $0.09 loss per share that it reported in 2017. The glittering results extended to the cash flow statement as well. While Pretium reported $73 million in operational cash flow in 2017, the increased gold production at Brucejack helped the company to generate $197 million in cash from operations in 2018. Will the coming year be as lustrous? Let's dig into Pretium's forecast for 2019 to see what investors can expect. Gold glitter surrounds the numbers 2019 in gold. Image source: Getty Images. Prognostication for the portfolio While Pretium reported an average 2,755 metric tons milled per day in 2018, management forecasts this increasing to 3,800 metric tons per day by the end of the year, thanks to a mill upgrade and underground expansion at Brucejack. Furthermore, management believes this will translate to an average milling rate of 3,500 metric tons per day at a grade of 10.4 grams per metric ton, or g/t. Although the forecast grade is lower than the 11.9 g/t that the company reported in 2018, management, on the Q4 2018 conference call, explained that "the lower grade in 2019 reflects a sequencing of stopes in the mine plan to achieve the development ramp-up to 3,800 tonnes per day, working within geotechnical and ventilation constraints." Speaking further to the anticipated average grade of 10.4 g/t, management suggested that the grade is not indicative of that which will be recognized during the remaining life of the mine. Should the company succeed in recognizing the increase in production, management estimates gold production will rise to 390,000 to 420,000 ounces for 2019. Story continues More gold... but at what cost? Although Pretium forecasts that gold production will rise in 2019 compared with 2018, the company also forecasts an increase in all-in sustaining costs (AISC). Whereas the company reported AISC of $764 per gold ounce sold in 2018, management sees this rising to $775 to $875 per gold ounce sold in 2019. Granted, investors will find the expected AISC increase to be undesirable, but on the recent conference call management explained that the AISC forecast includes several "one-off capital items and expense growth costs," including access road and camp upgrades and an underground maintenance shop. Take out these one-off capital items and the expense growth costs, and management estimates AISC of $675 to $775 per ounce of gold sold. An aerial view of the Brucejack mine. Image source: Pretium Resources. Despite providing a detailed forecast regarding gold production and AISC, the company didn't reveal its expectations regarding profitability and cash flow. Nonetheless, the company appears optimistic that its prowess in digging gold out of the ground will translate to generating plenty of green. For example, the company plans on shoring up its balance sheet in the coming year, targeting debt reduction of approximately $140 million, which will be sourced from operating cash flow. The yellow brick road to the future Attempting to extract even more value from Brucejack, Pretium is working to expand the mineral resource at the Canadian mine. According to an updated mineral reserve estimate from 2016, the Valley of the Kings zone contains proven and probable gold and silver reserves of 8.1 million ounces and 5.9 million ounces, respectively, while the West Zone contains proven and probable gold reserves of 0.6 million ounces and silver reserves of 26 million ounces. Early in the second quarter, investors can expect these figures to be updated, however, as management plans to release updated mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates. In addition, Pretium aims to provide an updated life of mine plan for Brucejack in the second quarter. Based on a feasibility study from 2014, the mine life for Brucejack stands at 18 years. Why Pretium could look golden Between clear mineral production figures and cost guidance, there are plenty of metrics that investors can monitor in the coming months to see if the company performs as well as management believes it could. Perhaps the most important figures to watch, however, are the gold production and cash flow, since a short-seller's report, penned by Viceroy Research Group, raised doubts regarding Pretium's ability to service its debt and the gold mineralization at Brucejack. If the company succeeds in achieving its gold production forecast and reduces its debt by the anticipated $140 million, it could go a long way in the company's fight to regain confidence in the eyes of investors. More From The Motley Fool Scott Levine 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. This article was originally published on Fool.com DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Iran moved on Saturday to evacuate more towns and villages threatened by floods after forecasts for more rains in the southwest of the country, state television reported, as the nationwide toll from the flooding reached 70. Many residents of Susangerd, with a population of about 50,000, and five other communities in the oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan were being moved to safer areas as officials released water from major river dams, the television reported. "An evacuation order has been issued and we are recommending women and children to leave but we are asking the men and youth to stay and help us (in the rescue effort)," the provincial governor, Gholamreza Shariati, told state TV. In the neighboring Lorestan province, seven villages threatened by landslides were to be evacuated, the television reported. At least 70 people have been killed, the head of the country's emergency services, Pirhossein Koulivand, told the state news agency IRNA. About 1,900 cities and villages have been affected by floods after exceptionally heavy rains since March 19. The disaster has left aid agencies struggling to cope and seen 86,000 people moved to emergency shelters. The government has told citizens, and especially flood-affected farmers, that all losses will be compensated. Iran's state budget is already stretched under U.S. sanctions on energy and banking sectors that have halved its oil exports and restricted access to some revenues abroad. As waters continue to submerge villages, the government said it had deployed more mobile medical units to the southern provinces. Around 1,000 people have been airlifted by emergency helicopters to safety in recent days. The head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards reiterated that the armed forces "were using all their power" to minimize damages in Khuzestan. Iranian drilling companies and other energy firms have been assisting rescue efforts in flooded areas, using pumps to remove water. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iraq on Saturday to demand U.S. troops leave "as soon as possible", during a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi that showed off Tehran's strong influence in Baghdad despite U.S. pressure. Iran and the United States have been competing for clout in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, an enemy of both countries. Many of Iraq's leaders, from its Shi'ite majority, have close ties with Iran, the main Shi'ite power in the Middle East. Over the past four years, both Iran and the United States helped Iraq defeat Islamic State fighters that captured a third of Iraq in 2014. "You must make sure that the Americans withdraw their troops from Iraq as soon as possible because expelling them has become difficult whenever they have had a long military presence in a country," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state media. "The Iraqi government, parliament and current political activists in the country are undesirable for the Americans ... and they are plotting to remove them from Iraqi politics," said Khamenei. Iran and Iraq fought a devastating 1980-88 war but the 2003 U.S.-led invasion prompted a long Sunni Islamist insurgency during which Irans regional sway rose at Washington's expense. The long enmity between Iran and the United States worsened further following President Donald Trumps decision last year to pull out of an international accord curbing Tehrans nuclear program and to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran. During Abdul Mahdi's visit, President Hassan Rouhani called for Iran and Iraq to expand their gas and electricity dealings and boost bilateral trade to $20 billion. "The plans to export electricity and gas and hopefully oil continue and we are ready to expand these contacts not only for the two countries but also for other countries in the region," Rouhani said in remarks carried by state TV. In March, the United States granted Iraq a 90-day waiver exempting it from sanctions to buy energy from Iran, the latest extension allowing Baghdad to keep purchasing electricity from its neighbor. "We hope that our plans to expand trade volume to $20 billion will be realized within the news few months or years," Rouhani said. Iranian media reports have put the current level of trade at about $12 billion. Rouhani also expressed hope that work on building a railway linking the two countries would begin within the next few months. The railway project was part of deals reached during Rouhani's March visit to Baghdad. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian gas to feed its power stations, importing roughly 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day via pipelines in the south and east. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Peter Graff) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iraq on Saturday to demand U.S. troops leave "as soon as possible", during a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi that showed off Tehran's strong influence in Baghdad despite U.S. pressure. Iran and the United States have been competing for clout in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, an enemy of both countries. Many of Iraq's leaders, from its Shi'ite majority, have close ties with Iran, the main Shi'ite power in the Middle East. Over the past four years, both Iran and the United States helped Iraq defeat Islamic State fighters that captured a third of Iraq in 2014. "You must make sure that the Americans withdraw their troops from Iraq as soon as possible because expelling them has become difficult whenever they have had a long military presence in a country," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state media. "The Iraqi government, parliament and current political activists in the country are undesirable for the Americans ... and they are plotting to remove them from Iraqi politics," said Khamenei. Iran and Iraq fought a devastating 1980-88 war but the 2003 U.S.-led invasion prompted a long Sunni Islamist insurgency during which Irans regional sway rose at Washington's expense. The long enmity between Iran and the United States worsened further following President Donald Trumps decision last year to pull out of an international accord curbing Tehrans nuclear programme and to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran. During Abdul Mahdi's visit, President Hassan Rouhani called for Iran and Iraq to expand their gas and electricity dealings and boost bilateral trade to $20 billion. "The plans to export electricity and gas and hopefully oil continue and we are ready to expand these contacts not only for the two countries but also for other countries in the region," Rouhani said in remarks carried by state TV. Story continues In March, the United States granted Iraq a 90-day waiver exempting it from sanctions to buy energy from Iran, the latest extension allowing Baghdad to keep purchasing electricity from its neighbour. "We hope that our plans to expand trade volume to $20 billion will be realised within the news few months or years," Rouhani said. Iranian media reports have put the current level of trade at about $12 billion. Rouhani also expressed hope that work on building a railway linking the two countries would begin within the next few months. The railway project was part of deals reached during Rouhani's March visit to Baghdad. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian gas to feed its power stations, importing roughly 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day via pipelines in the south and east. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Peter Graff) Jerusalem (AFP) - Final authorised opinion polls published Friday just days ahead of the Israeli general elections showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heading for a fifth term in office, leading a right-wing coalition. The polls revealed the rival centrist Blue and White list led by former military chief Benny Gantz was running virtually neck-and-neck with Netanyahu's Likud ahead of Tuesday's vote. But while most polls saw Gantz's list as scooping slightly more votes than Likud, neither party was predicted to win over 25 percent of seats in parliament. And the polls were unanimous in forecasting that Likud would be able to build a viable ruling coalition to beat off Gantz's challenge. None gave a figure for undecided voters, although the number is reportedly high enough to swing the outcome. "Past polls have shown that nearly one out of every six-seven voters makes a decision only in the last two days before the elections, and it isn't clear what will be the dynamic of the coming few days," Maariv daily wrote Friday. - 'Referendum on Netanyahu' - A poll by Smith Research for the Jerusalem Post published Friday showed Gantz's Blue and White, picking up 28 seats in the 120-member Knesset, with the right-wing Likud at its heels with 27. But it found that overall the right and centre-right would control 68 seats compared to 52 from the centre and left. This election is more than ever a referendum on the character of Netanyahu, 69, who has spent a cumulative 13 years in office. He is running under the shadow of probable graft indictments, although he denies all accusations. The attorney general has announced his intention to charge Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust pending a hearing, to be held after the election. Friday is by law the last day on which surveys can be released before the ballot boxes open on Tuesday morning. A poll published late Thursday by public broadcaster KAN gave the right a narrower, although still decisive, lead of 64 to 56. Story continues Top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot put the gap as narrower still, at 63-57. Polls have been wrong in the past, notably in 1996 when Netanyahu fought Labour leader Shimon Peres in what were then direct elections for the premiership. When voting closed on the night of May 29 Peres was seen ahead, but by morning Netanyahu had the lead. The final count handed him victory by just 30,000 votes, less than one percent. - Threshold uncertainty - Tuesday's fight, under different electoral laws than 1996, will be more complex by far. Voters no longer vote for the premier but for a party, of which there are around 40 registered to run. Less than half are expected to score the 3.25 percent threshold of total votes cast needed to enter the legislature so despite voters' stated preferences many of them will never see a seat in parliament. "All of the hair-splitting calculations about the right wing bloc versus the centre-left bloc are based on the assumption that aside from Gesher, all of the parties will pass the electoral threshold," veteran political commentator Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot. "Nobody can be certain of that." Gesher, focused on social issues, has a single seat in the outgoing parliament which most polls see it as losing. A poll published Friday by pro-Netanyahu freesheet Israel Hayom gave the right-wing parties 64 seats and those dubbed "the left" 56. But it showed 35 percent of respondents were still unsure how to vote on Tuesday. Netanyahu has for several days been urging Likud voters to get out and vote and not assume that a right-wing victory is in the bag. About 6.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote with polling stations in cities and towns open on Tuesday from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm (0400 - 1900 GMT). Turnout in the previous election in 2015 was 72.3 percent. When results are in, President Reuven Rivlin, will consult all the elected parties to hear who they recommend should try to form a government. On the basis of those talks he asks the person he judges has the best chances, which may not necessarily be the leader of the largest party. ISTANBUL (AP) The opposition party's mayoral candidate in Istanbul said Thursday's he's confident that the result of a recount of votes in the city will confirm his victory, and renewed an appeal to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to help end the standoff. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ekrem Imamoglu said that while Erdogan's ruling party has the right to appeal the vote, an unprecedented move in Istanbul for a recount of ballots that were declared void was being carried out in an apparent effort to try and tip the vote in Erdogan's favor. Imamoglu won the tight race for Istanbul in Sunday's local elections in a major upset for Erdogan, who rose to power as the mayor of the city of 15 million and has said that whoever wins Istanbul wins the whole of Turkey. The opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, also gained control of the capital, Ankara, which was Erdogan's stronghold for decades. The ruling party has contested the results in both cities, alleging irregularities. A recount is underway in several Istanbul districts. On Thursday, Ali Ihsan Yavuz, a deputy chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, said the difference in votes between the two parties had narrowed to around 19,000 on Thursday from the previous 25,000, with a multitude of ballots still to be recounted. Imamoglu, who has called on electoral authorities to confirm his win, said his party estimates that the race could end in between 18,000 and 20,000 votes in favor of his party. "I requested that (Erdogan) contribute to the election process and to intercede as soon as possible for the (results) to become clear," he said. The ruling party says it is using its democratic right to appeal the vote and has called on Imamoglu to respect the appeals process. Yavuz, the AKP official, has called the election "one of the most stained in our democratic history." That was in stark contrast with past statements from government officials, who dismissed allegations of foul-play in recent elections and insisted Turkey's electoral system is fair. Story continues Asked whether he was concerned about possible manipulation of votes to ensure a victory for the ruling party, Imamoglu said: "We would be upset if (the recount) were to lead to a process of uncertainty." Imamoglu, a 49-year-old former businessman and the little-known mayor of the Istanbul district of Beylikduzu, led a campaign during which he promised to build bridges in the highly polarized country. He even visited Erdogan in Ankara and asked for his vote too. "We have a huge responsibility" to change Istanbul, he said. "If this success is achieved then changes in the political climate (in Turkey) may be cemented." __ Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed. Tripoli (AFP) - Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose forces are battling to seize the capital Tripoli, is widely seen as a hawk hunting for greater power in violence-wracked Libya. White hair framing his stark black eyebrows, the 75-year-old former army officer presents himself as Libya's saviour in the face of a growing jihadist threat. But his opponents accuse of him of seeking to establish a new military dictatorship in the oil-rich North African country. A controversional but key player in Libya since it spiralled into chaos after the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Haftar groups all of his opponents under two labels: "terrorists and mercenaries". His self-proclaimed Libyan National Army launched an offensive this week to take Tripoli, seat of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj. Haftar and his forces back a parallel administration in the east, and Sarraj has ordered GNA loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". Vowing to "cleanse" the country of jihadists, Haftar's forces pushed hardline militias out of the eastern city of Benghazi in 2017 after a deadly three-year battle dubbed "Operation Dignity". After being hospitalised in Paris for two weeks in early 2018, fuelling speculation about his health, Haftar returned to Benghazi to great fanfare in April. - Military might - To reaffirm his military clout, he quickly launched a successful operation to oust Islamist militias from the city of Derna, which had been the only part of eastern Libya out of his control. Capitalising on that success, his forces in January launched a new offensive into the oil-rich desert south, ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. They quickly overran the region's largest city and a major oil field without a fight, before turning their sights on the capital this month. Originally from Cyrenaica in Libya's east, Haftar received military training in the Soviet Union before taking part in the 1969 coup which brought Kadhafi to power. Story continues He served in Kadhafi's armed forces but fell from grace when he was captured by troops from Chad during Libya's ill-fated 1978-1987 conflict with its southern neighbour. Tripoli denied Haftar was part of the Libyan army, and he languished in jail until Washington granted him political asylum. After more than two decades living in the United States, where he was rumoured to be working for the CIA, in 2011 he returned home to take part in the uprising against Kadhafi. Critics say Haftar owes his military success to undeclared foreign backers including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France and most recently Saudi Arabia. Three French troops were killed in a 2016 helicopter crash in Libya while on an intelligence gathering mission for Haftar's forces. The UN-backed government in Tripoli called their presence a "violation" of Libya's sovereignty. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump and immigration (all times local): 3:05 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democrats will sue to prevent what they say is President Donald Trump's "stealing" of billions of dollars from federal programs and diverting it to building barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. The legal challenge has been expected ever since Trump declared a border emergency so he could shift more money to constructing the wall he's promised since his presidential campaign. He acted after Congress approved less than he demanded for the wall project. Pelosi says Trump's emergency declaration was a "sham." The California Democrat says money transfers to the wall have "undermined our democracy" and flout "the vote of the bipartisan Congress, the will of the American people and the letter of the Constitution." Congress voted to block the emergency declaration but Trump vetoed that measure. __ 12:50 p.m. President Donald Trump is threatening to slap tariffs on cars produced in Mexico unless the country does more to stop migrants trying to enter the U.S. Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that if that "powerful incentive" but "less drastic measure" doesn't work, he'll go through with his standing threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border. The Republican president had threatened last week to close the border this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States." He has since praised the country for doing more. Trump also is threatening tariffs if Mexico doesn't halt the flow of illegal drugs across the border. And he says he's giving Mexico "a one year warning" to comply. He says: "I'll do it. I don't play games" The Latest on the 2020 presidential race (all times EDT): 8 p.m. Beto O'Rourke says he hasn't thought about running for Senate in Texas if his White House bid is unsuccessful, and wants to focus fully on winning the Democratic presidential nomination. O'Rourke tells The Associated Press while campaigning in Des Moines: "The only way I can run is by focusing forward, on the task at hand, and for me right now it's meeting everybody that I can in Iowa and in the other states who will decide who the Democratic nominee will be." O'Rourke says thinking about an alternative position would be a distraction. The former Texas congressman came within about three points of defeating Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last November. Some Texas Democrats had hoped he would run against Republican Sen. John Cronyn, who's up for re-election in 2020. ___ 7:15 p.m. Sen. Michael Bennet is trying to keep his recent prostate cancer diagnosis out of mind as he mulls a run for president while visiting New Hampshire. The Colorado Democrat spoke to a group of roughly 30 people at a coffee shop in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Saturday afternoon. The Senator focused on health care and improving the Affordable Care Act at the event, while also criticizing the Republican Freedom Caucus as "tyrants." Speaking after the event, the 54-year-old said he'll have surgery at the beginning of the Senate recess and hopes to be on the move again a few weeks after. "I don't think there's any point in dwelling on it," he said. "If it turns out to be worse than I think, I'll deal with it then." ___ 7 p.m. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is wrapping up three days of campaigning aimed at reaching out to black voters, who are key to a Democratic presidential effort in southern states. Hickenlooper said Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina, that he's making an effort to "meet people where they are" in getting to know the diverse electorate in states outside his own. Story continues Hickenlooper this week addressed the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, using his speech to the group in New York to outline his record on policing. Hickenlooper suggested that the nation "shutter some prisons altogether." He then visited a lynching memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. On Saturday, Hickenlooper met with two survivors of a racist attack on a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. South Carolina is the first state on the primary calendar with a largely black electorate. ___ 3:45 p.m. Elizabeth Warren says the Democrats running for president will have to do more than campaign on an anti-Donald Trump message if they want to take back the White House in 2020. The Massachusetts senator says they'll have to explain their own vision for the future of the country. Warren is visiting the early caucus state of Nevada. She tells about 500 people at a rally in a high school gymnasium in Reno that she has an ambitious agenda that would force billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes, strengthen labor unions and protect everyone's right to vote. She says it's important to build a broad grassroots campaign in Nevada and other places now to have a chance to win next year. Warren says that "if our message is 'not Trump,' it's not going to work." ___ 3:45 p.m. Beto O'Rourke may be competing against Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) for the Democratic presidential nomination, but the former Texas congressman is still a fan of the South Bend, Indiana mayor. O'Rourke says "I like him a lot" when he was asked about the fact that the two politicians have a similar message and profile, and may be competing for similar voters. O'Rourke, who's making a series of stops in Iowa, says he likes the way Buttigieg is approaching voters and "the seriousness with which he answers questions, the thought that he's put into it. I think he's terrific." O'Rourke made the comments while leaving a house party in the Des Moines area. ___ 8 a.m. It's Bernie versus Beto in Iowa. The 2020 Democratic presidential candidates are holding dueling events Saturday just days after Bernie Sanders won the campaign cash derby for the first quarter of the year. The Vermont senator raised more than $18 million in 41 days, while Beto O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman, reported $9.4 million in 18 days. Iowa hosts the nation's first nominating caucuses. Other declared or prospective candidates are in early-voting New Hampshire and South Carolina. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) of South Bend, Indiana, along with Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER'-sten JIHL'-uh-brand) of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado are visiting New Hampshire. John Hickenlooper, a former Colorado governor, is meeting with survivors of the 2015 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina. In a letter sent to Morgan Stanley on April 2, Lyft questioned the firm about its role in helping market certain products that would help pre-IPO investors bet against the stock. CNBC reviewed a copy of this letter, which was signed by Peter Stris of the law firm Stris & Maher, serving as the counsel for Lyft. Morgan Stanley said it "did not market or execute, directly or indirectly, a sale, short sale, hedge, swap or transfer of risk or value associated with Lyft stock for any Lyft shareholder identified by the company or otherwise known to us to be the subject of a Lyft lock-up agreement." Lyft LYFT has threatened litigation against Morgan Stanley MS , accusing the firm of supporting short-selling for investors who are subject to lock-up agreements. In a letter sent to Morgan Stanley on April 2, Lyft questioned the firm about its role in helping market certain products that would help pre-IPO investors bet against the stock. CNBC reviewed a copy of this letter, which was signed by Peter Stris of the law firm Stris & Maher, serving as the counsel for Lyft Lyft declined to comment. The letter was prompted by reporting in the New York Post, which said that Morgan Stanley had been selling a short product to pre-IPO investors and cited three sources close to the situation. Lyft asked for Morgan Stanley to be on record saying that they did not create such a product, and that they had engaged in the proper due diligence in marketing such a product. The letter, which copied Lyft's lead underwriters JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, also asks that if Morgan Stanley did engage in such activity that they stop immediately and turn over a list of shareholders who participated. While the letter requested that Morgan Stanley respond by the end of the day on April 2, two source close to the matter said that as of late Friday, the firm had yet to do so formally. Both people asked for anonymity discussing private details involving the dispute. Story continues However, a Morgan Stanley spokesperson provided a statement to CNBC, saying that the firm "did not market or execute, directly or indirectly, a sale, short sale, hedge, swap or transfer of risk or value associated with Lyft stock for any Lyft shareholder identified by the company or otherwise known to us to be the subject of a Lyft lock-up agreement." The Information first reported that Lyft and its IPO syndicate had sent a letter to Morgan Stanley over its purported role in creating special instruments for pre-IPO investors to short. In the letter, Lyft said that it has the ability to take legal action against Morgan Stanley and asked that the firm turn over relevant documents in advance of potential litigation. Lyft's counsel believes that Morgan Stanley could be found to have engaged in tortious interference with the lock-up agreements if it were true that the firm actively sought to circumvent them. Lyft's shares plummeted as much as 12% on their second day of trading, following their IPO debut on March 29. Some traders in the market speculated that the drop was partly due to early demand for short selling the shares. The stock rebounded over the course of the week. "Our firm's activity has been in the normal course of market-making, and any suggestion that Morgan Stanley has engaged in an effort to apply 'short pressure' to Lyft is false," the spokesperson for Morgan Stanley said. Morgan Stanley's short sales were less than 1.3% of the total volume of Lyft, according to a person familiar with Morgan Stanley's operations. The single largest short trade executed on behalf of a client was 425,000 shares, said the person, who asked not to be named discussing private details about the firm's trading activity. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or Finra, which is the self-regulatory organization that patrols the banking industry, has already gotten engaged on the matter, one person with knowledge of the matter said. This may also fall under the domain of the Securities and Exchange Commission, although CNBC was unable to learn whether the SEC has started any discussions at this time. The Information reported earlier that Finra has gotten involved in the matter. The dispute also comes as a long pipeline of tech companies are waiting to make their own debuts this year. Lyft's rival, Uber, is set to go public in the coming months. Morgan Stanley had won the coveted role of underwriting Uber's IPO. The bankers who are managing that deal were also copied in on the letter, which is notable because the creation of financial products for short selling would be typically done in another division at the firm not within investment banking. More From CNBC A 20-year-old Arizona man was arrested following the shooting death of 10-year-old Summerbell Brown in an apparent road rage incident, authorities announced on Friday. Joshua Gonzalez was booked into a Maricopa County jail on one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault stemming from the attack, according to the Phoenix Police Department. ABC News reports that the suspect has an extensive criminal history and has had numerous contacts with law enforcement. Photo: AP Gonzalez was allegedly driving his white pickup truck on Wednesday evening when he began closely tailing the Brown family's sedan, which was carrying Summerbell, her sister and the girls' mother and father. The disgruntled suspect followed the family into their driveway where, without leaving his truck, he opened fire before fleeing the scene. It remains unclear what may have incited the incident, but police believe road rage played a significant role. "He was ready to start shooting," the victim's father, Dharquintium Brown, said. "I got out of my vehicle, and asked him, 'What's going on?' ... and he just got to firing. He shot my car, and he shot me, and he shot up my house and he killed my daughter." Both Summerbell and her father were wounded in the attack. The10-year-old was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. Brown was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released from the hospital. Summerbell's mother, Taniesha Brown, who was not physically injured in the shooting, spoke out following her daughter's tragic death. "There was no reason for her to be taken like this. I wish it was me instead of my baby," she told reporters. "This nightmare's going to be playing in my head every day. I just really hope she's at peace." A man showing flu symptoms has become the fourth and latest person in recent months to die in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, officials announced on Friday. Abel Reyes-Clemente, 54, was handed over to the agencys Florence Service Processing Center in Arizona after being released from Maricopa County Jail in February, where he was serving time for a misdemeanor DUI conviction. He was last deported in 2008, for the fifth time, eventually returning to the U.S., the agency said. On Monday, Reyes was placed into medical observation at the SPC after presenting signs and symptoms of influenza, ICE said. By Wednesday morning, facility personnel found Mr. Reyes unresponsive and not breathing, the agency added. According to the agency, the ICE Health Service Corps was then alerted and medical staff and paramedics responded, attempting without success to resuscitate Reyes. Within 21 minutes, it said, he was declared deceased by the Mountain Vista Medical Center. An autopsy will determine the cause of death, ICE said. In its statement, the agency emphasized the more than $269 million it spends each year on health care, asserting that it provides necessary medical attention to those who need it: Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment detainees arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All ICE detainees receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to daily sick call and 24-hour emergency care. Reyes death follows three others that occurred in November, including those of a Cuban man and two Russians, one of whom appears to have died by suicide, according to an agency report. In December, two children died in Border Patrol custody after experiencing vomiting, among other symptoms. One was 7 years old and the other was 8. Since then, two adults have died while being held by Border Patrol. Story continues Despite ICEs claim that it offers adequate medical care to detainees, last June, a Human Rights Watch investigation of government records on deaths from December 2015 to April 2017 led the organization to conclude that of 15 cases, poor medical care contributed to at least eight of the deaths. During that 17-month span, a total of 16 people died, meaning HRW found that substandard care played a role in half of them. Related Coverage 7-Year-Old Migrant Girl Dies Of Dehydration In Border Patrol Custody U.S. Says 8-Year-Old Guatemalan Boy Has Died In Custody Trumps Border Wall Could Result In More Child Deaths, Advocates Worry Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Marvell Technology (MRVL). Shares have added about 11.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Marvell due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Marvell Reports Q4 Results Marvell reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2019 non-GAAP earnings of 25 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 26 cents. It also declined 21.9% from the year-ago quarter. Marvells revenues increased 21.1% year over year to $745 million and surpassed the consensus estimate of $740 million. For full-fiscal 2019, revenues came in at $2.9 billion compared with $2.4 billion a year ago. The companys shift of focus to the infrastructure market was a positive. The Cavium business continued to positively contribute to the top line. However, lower-than-expected performance in the networking and storage businesses was an overhang. Quarter Details In the end markets, storage revenues (43% of total revenues) declined 2% year over year and 22% sequentially to $317 million. Fall in demand for storage controllers due to factors like macroeconomic issues, reduction in cloud capital spending and CPU shortages, affected the segments results. Additionally, shift in demand for products consigned to vendor-managed inventory arrangements was also a headwind. The networking business (52%) jumped a whopping 60% year over year to $387.5 million, driven by stronger-than-expected demand from the wireless base station market, resulting in strong growth in embedded processor revenues. During the quarter, Marvell secured design wins in 5G, including a long-term partnership with Samsung to deliver embedded processors and baseband processors for both LTE and 5G base stations. Marvell's Ethernet switch and PHY business revenues grew in double-digits, driven by its refresh product portfolio. Design win pipeline was strong. The company continued to progress in ARM server processor evaluations with cloud and high performance computing customers. Management is optimistic about its next-generation ARM server processor ThunderX3, which is being developed in 7-nanometer technology. It is expected to be tested with customers in the second half of 2019. Marvells liquid security products continue to gain momentum in the cloud market. The companys automotive business also continued to make steady progress. Other product (5%) revenues during the quarter declined 20%, on a year-over-year basis, to $40.3 million. Margins Marvells non-GAAP gross profit came in at $480.1 million, up 25.3% on a year-over-year basis. Non-GAAP gross margin increased 220 basis points (bps) to 64.5%, Non-GAAP operating expenses rose 31.5% year over year to $286.1 million. However, non-GAAP operating margin fell 90 bps to 26%. The company reported non-GAAP net income from continuing operations of approximately $168.1 million during the quarter compared with $164.8 million in the prior-year quarter. Balance Sheet Marvell exited the quarter with cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $582.4 million compared with $610 million in the previous quarter. The company has a long-term debt of $1.7 billion. During the quarter, Marvell paid off $75 million of its debt. Cash from operating activities amounted to $106.6 million compared with $299.4 million in the prior quarter. Marvell paid dividend of around $39 million to shareholders and bought back $50 million of its shares. Guidance Marvell projects first-quarter fiscal 2020 revenues of $650 million, subject to a change of about 3% up or down. This reflects an expected 10% sequential decline in revenues due to residual impact from the tight inventory control from customers, seasonality and the continued uncertainty in demand from China-based customers. The company expects revenue growth to resume from the fiscal second quarter. Revenues from networking are expected to fall in the fiscal first quarter. Management expects non-GAAP gross margin to be approximately 64% for the first-quarter fiscal 2020. Non-GAAP operating expenses are estimated to be within $295-$300 million. The company anticipates non-GAAP earnings per share in the band of 12-16 cents in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The fully integrated Cavium business is projected to rake in approximately $200 million in revenues in the full fiscal year. The company expects to realize a $50 million cost of synergy with Cavium acquisition in the fiscal year. Management expect shipments of 5G products to start ramping up toward the end of this fiscal year and continue to grow beginning fiscal 2021. Marvells WiFi business is expected to start boosting next-generation products built on the latest WiFi 6 standard, leading its WiFi business to return to growth from the second quarter of fiscal 2020. Story continues How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? Fresh estimates followed a downward path over the past two months. The consensus estimate has shifted -70.92% due to these changes. VGM Scores At this time, Marvell has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the lowest quintile for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Marvell has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months. 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 Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (MRVL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. MEXICO CITY (AP) A baby giraffe in Mexico City's zoo has been named Jirafifita, which translates as Uppity Little Giraffe a play on the president's favorite word for dismissing critics. Mexico City environment minister Marina Robles joked during the name reveal Saturday that "maybe the president will like this 'fifi'?" ''Fifi" is slang for uppity, and populist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador frequently uses the word to describe opposition politicians and others who question his decisions. The capital's municipal government is run by Lopez Obrador's Morena party and it put the choice of a name for the giraffe in Chapultepec Park Zoo to an internet vote. Several Twitter users declared the baby naming a win for the opposition. Mike Pompeo said the alliance Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has appealed for unity to confront "great power" challenges from Russia, China and Iran on the 70th anniversary of Nato. "We have rightly sought peace through strength here in Nato. 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," he told a meeting of the alliances foreign ministers. The ministers approved a new raft of measures in the Black Sea to counter Russia and boost Georgia and the Ukraine - two aspiring Nato members - with increased maritime co-operation, patrols and port visits. The 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 US has said it will withdraw from the 1987 treaty in August unless Russia returns to compliance. However the meeting in Washington, intended to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, was also marked by a number of public rifts between the member states. The US has publicly rebuked Turkey over its planned purchase of a Russian air defence system and demanded that other allies, particularly Germany, boost their defence spending. A public row with Canada over steel tariffs also hung over the commemoration ceremony in the US capital. Mr Pompeo said addressing the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran as well as terrorism, uncontrolled migration and new technologies, required enhanced defence and security spending. Mr Pompeo did not address the spat with Turkey in his speech on Thursday, but in a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday he made clear Washingtons displeasure with Ankara for insisting it would buy Russias advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. Meanwhile, Canadas Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland used the Nato meeting to register Ottawas displeasure with being labelled 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. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Leaders with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered spiritual guidance aimed at strengthening members' faith amid a world of temptation and immorality and reaffirmed the faith's opposition to gay marriage during a church conference Saturday in Utah. Many church members had been bracing for more announcements of change during the two-day conference because church President Russell M. Nelson has made a flurry of moves in his first year at the helm. Those decisions included the surprising repeal Thursday of 2015 policies that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and labeled people in same-sex marriages as sinners eligible for expulsion. But through the first three sessions Saturday, faith leaders instead focused speeches on how members can become better followers of the faith. During an all-men's session Saturday night, Nelson encouraged men to be better husbands by making their wives a higher priority than watching sports. "Your first and foremost duty as a bearer of the priesthood is to love and care for your wife. Become one with her. Be her partner," Nelson said. "Make it easy for her to want to be yours. No other interest in life should take priority over building an eternal relationship with her." Neil L. Andersen, a member of a top governing panel called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke about the importance of one of the religion's signature proclamations that states marriage should be reserved for relationships between man and a woman and that a person's God-given gender is an essential part of a person's eternal identity. "If we pick and choose what we accept in the proclamation, we cloud our eternal view," Andersen said. He acknowledged that not all church members fit within the proclamation's boundaries and seemed to suggest there is room for LGBTQ members by offering an example of a gay member who follows church teachings to not engage in same-sex relationships to remain a faithful member. Story continues "Some will say, 'You don't understand my situation.' I may not, but I testify that there is one who does understand," Andersen said. "There is one who, because of his sacrifice made in the garden and on the cross, knows your burdens. As you seek him and keep his commandments, I promise you that He will bless you and lift the burdens too heavy to bear alone." The Utah-based faith widely known as the Mormon church has long opposed gay marriage and same-sex intimacy. But it has spent much of the last decade trying to carve out a more compassionate and welcoming stance toward LGBTQ members. The conference brings about 100,000 people to Salt Lake City to watch five sessions in person. Millions more watch live broadcasts and livestreams. Ulisses Soares, a Brazilian-born member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, cited Nelson's recent remarks about a world with "rampant immorality and addictive pornography" as he told members to root their families in the teachings of Christ and never reject family members or friends who stray from the correct path. "Fill your hearts with compassion, run to them, fall on their neck, and kiss them, like the father of the prodigal son did," Soares said. Becky Craven, a member of the Young Women General Presidency, dovetailed on Soares' speech by instructing members not to fall victim to temptation and be diligent following the faith's teachings. Craven advised members to make sure they don't let modern fashion prevent them from dressing modestly, especially in worship settings. "As a covenant people, we are not meant to blend in with the rest of the world," Craven said. "We have been called a peculiar people - what a compliment." The Utah-based faith teaches abstinence from alcohol, instructs members to wait until marriage to engage in sexual relations and encourages a modest dress code. The faith opposes same-sex relationships. The religion, widely known as the Mormon church, also asks members to avoid coffee and hot drinks as part of its health code. Dieter Uchtdorf, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, issued a plea for members to openly discuss their faith with others in ways that feels normal and natural and embrace the proselytizing component of the faith. He said church members can share their faith through an act of kindness or by posting testimonials on social media. Uchtdorf encouraged members to talk about the new shortened Sunday worship schedule, from three hours to two, or explain the faith's push for use of the full name that emphasizes the faith's belief it is the "Church of Jesus Christ." The religion is trying to end the use of previously accepted shorthand names "Mormon" and "LDS." Church membership growth and the number of convert baptisms have slowed in recent years. The new total membership announced Saturday of 16.3 million marked a mere 1.2 % increase from 2017 the slowest membership growth rate since 1937 according to independent church researcher Matt Martinich. Uchtdorf advised members not to get discouraged by people who don't immediately accept an invitation to join, suggesting patience is key. "If we interact with people with the sole expectation that they soon will don a white jumpsuit and ask for directions to the nearest baptismal font, we're doing it wrong," said Uchtdorf, referring to a baptismal ceremony for new members. "Some who come and see will, perhaps, never join the church; some will at a later time. That is their choice. But that doesn't change our love for them." Nelson, 94, ascended to the presidency in January 2018 after nearly three decades in a governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve that helps the president lead the faith. He launched a campaign calling on people to stop using the shorthand names "Mormon" and "LDS," severed the faith's ties with the Boy Scouts of America after a century, revised how leaders handle closed-door interviews with young people and changed rules to allow missionaries to speak with their families more often. Quorum of the Twelve member M. Russell Ballard said Nelson is "carrying the Lord's work forward at a breathtaking pace." "I worry that the spiritual purposes of these adjustments might become lost in the excitement about the changes themselves," said Ballard, adding later: "Let's not complicate things with additional meetings, expectations, or requirements. Keep it simple. It is in that simplicity that you will find the peace, joy, and happiness." Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term as prime minister - REUTERS Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Right-wing Israelis that he is in danger of losing power if they do not rally around him, as the final polls of the election showed his party trailing its centrist rival. The last set of public polls before Tuesdays election showed the centrist Blue & White coalition, led by former army chief Benny Gantz, on course to win more seats than Mr Netanyahus Likud party. However, the same polls also showed that Likud and other Right-wing parties would still hold a slim majority in parliament, which could be enough to give Mr Netanyahu a fifth term as Israels prime minister. Blue & White is hoping to win at least four more seats than Likud and then appeal to Israels president to give them the first chance to form a coalition, even if their path to cobbling together a majority is unclear. One poll released on Friday showed Blue & White winning by five seats and another showed them up by four seats. Under Israeli law, no more polls can be published before the election. . -4-5 . . , , pic.twitter.com/Ci8yG0VjN3 Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) April 5, 2019 Mr Netanyahu seized on the polling to urge supporters of other Right-wing parties to rally around Likud. The Right is in danger, he said. If those on the Right do not go to the polls as a single force and vote for Likud, a Left-wing government will arise here. His last-minute appeal is in some ways a replay of the last election in 2015. Polls then showed Mr Netanyahu losing to a Centre-Left challenger but he ultimately won by poaching votes from smaller Right-wing parties at the last minute. Story continues In Israels political system, the president summons all the party leaders in the days after the election and asks them who they support to be prime minister. If Mr Netanyahus party secures the backing of majority in parliament then he should be able to carry on as prime minister, even if his party has not won the most seats. However, the situation becomes more complicated if Blue & White wins the most seats by a clear margin. The Israeli president, Reuven Rivlin, may then feel obligated to let them try to form a government. Reuven Rivlin, Israel's president, will decide who gets to form a government Credit: EPA/ABIR SULTAN Yair Lapid, the deputy leader of Blue & White, said he was sure his party would lead the government if it beat Likud by four seats or more. Theres no power on earth that will prevent us from doing so, he said. The largest party has formed the government after almost every single Israeli election. But in 2009, Mr Netanyahu was able to become prime minister even though Likud won one less seat than its main challenger. Blue & White has said it will not serve in government with Mr Netanyahu, who is facing criminal corruption charges. However, there is speculation that the party could form a national unity government with Likud if a deal can be reached between the two sides. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the upcoming general election. "I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don't distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said in an interview to Channel 12 television. Settlements built on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are deemed illegal by the international community and their ongoing construction is seen as a major barrier to peace. Annexation could prove to be the death knell for the two-state solution. Netanyahu's annexation remark comes just three days before the April 9 general election and could be seen as an appeal to rightwing voters who don't believe in the feasibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. In an interview broadcast Friday, Netanyahu said he told US President Donald Trump he would not remove settlements or people as part of a future American peace plan. "I said there shouldn't be the removal of even one settlement" from the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 13 television. Washington is expected to unveil proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace sometime after Tuesday's Israeli election in which Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term. The Israeli prime minister was asked if he was familiar with the details of the US plan, replying he knew "what should be in it." Along with settlements, "our ongoing control of all the territory west of the Jordan" River was a further condition set by the Israeli premier for any US-led peace initiative. Netanyahu said he informed Trump not "even one person" would be evicted from a settlement More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements as part of its military occupation of the territory, while a further 200,000 live in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty. Story continues While Netanyahu has a close relationship with the US president, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut off relations with Washington after Trump declared the disputed city of Jerusalem Israel's capital in December 2017. The Palestinians say the US government's pro-Israel bias meant it could no longer lead peace negotiations between them and Israel, while US officials argue their plan will be fair. Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have been at a standstill since 2014, when a drive for a deal by Barack Obama's administration collapsed. Suweimeh (Jordan) (AFP) - A top Omani government official on Saturday said Arabs must take initiatives to make Israel overcome "fears for its future" in the region, drawing criticism from Jordan. The remarks by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, the minister responsible for foreign affairs in Oman, came on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum hosted by Jordan on the shores of the Dead Sea. "The West has offered Israel political, economic and military support and it now holds all the means of power... but despite that it fears for its future as a non-Arab country surrounded by 400 million Arabs," he said. "I believe that we Arabs must be able to look into this issue and try to ease those fears that Israel has through initiatives and real deals between us and Israel," he told a panel discussing geopolitics. The panel's moderator, journalist Hadley Gamble, interrupted him to ask if the best solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict is "recognising Israel and its right to exist". The minister said no. "Not recognising, but we want them themselves to feel that there are no threats to their future." Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, whose country is the only Arab nation along with Egypt to have a peace treaty with Israel, dismissed the remarks saying "the issue is that there is an occupation" of Arab land. "The Arab world has recognised Israel's right to exist. The Palestinians themselves recognised the Israeli right to exist... that is not the issue," Safadi told the panel. "The issue is that there is an occupation. Is this occupation going to end or not? Israel, Safadi said, must "withdraw from Arab lands occupied since 1967 and allow" the creation of a Palestinian state. "This is the issue," he said. "If they (Israel) say they are not comfortable, that is not my problem," said Safadi. "The problem is not with Arabs giving assurances... the problem is with Israel doing what is right for peace," he added. Story continues "Israel... is not doing the right thing. Actually it is doing more of the wrong things by suffocating Palestinians," the Jordanian foreign minister said, referring to the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. "Gaza, is probably as you heard many times, the world's largest prison," he added. In recent months, Israel has been courting Gulf Arab states. In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met one-on-one with Bin Alawi at an international conference in Warsaw, attended by officials from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. In October last year, Netanyahu held surprise talks with Oman's Sultan Qaboos in Muscat -- raising Palestinian fears of a normalisation of ties. Last year Bin Alawi told a regional conference in Bahrain it might be "time for Israel to be treated the same (as states in the Middle East) and also bear the same obligations". Bahrain endorsed the remarks which at the time were said to be aimed at moving the Israeli-Palestinian "narrative from intractability to a new focus of pragmatism". DEAD SEA, Jordan (AP) Oman's foreign minister urged Palestinians on Saturday to reassure Israel that it is not under threat in the Middle East, drawing a rare public rebuke from his Jordanian counterpart. Oman's Yusuf bin Alawi and Jordan's Ayman Safadi shared the stage at a regional gathering of the World Economic Forum, held on Jordan's shores of the Dead Sea. Bin Alawi spoke at a time of warming ties between Israel and several Gulf Arab states, as part of an unofficial alliance against Iranian influence in the region. The Omani minister said that Palestinians "should help Israel to get away from" what he said was its mistaken sense of being threatened. Safadi responded sharply, to applause from the audience. "I beg to differ on a number of issues," said Safadi. He noted that in 2002, as part of the Arab Peace Initiative, scores of Arab and Muslim countries offered Israel recognition in exchange for a withdrawal from occupied lands sought for a Palestinian state. Safadi said the problem is whether Israeli occupation "is going to end." Lebanon's defense minister and Bahrain's foreign minister were also present on stage during the exchange. The recent rapprochement between Israel and several Gulf states has been fueled by deepening rivalries between regional camps, led by Saudi Arabia and Iran, respectively. The Trump administration's hard anti-Iran line has contributed to growing regional tensions. In October, Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Oman and Israeli officials visited the United Arab Emirates in recent months. Meanwhile, the Palestinians feel increasingly sidelined, fearing Israel, Gulf states and the U.S. plan to strike a deal behind their backs about the future of war-won lands they seek for a future state. Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel, considers itself a strong advocate for Palestinian political demands. A majority of the kingdom's citizens are of Palestinian origin. Motza Illit (Israel) (AFP) - Eyal Vardi has voted for Israel's Labour party for most of his adult life, but the 60-year-old wants to support a winner in April 9 elections. Attending a recent open house for a candidate for another party in an affluent community west of Jerusalem, Vardi points out that Labour has all but abandoned its leftwing roots anyway. He'll vote for the centrist Blue and White party instead. "They're not really different. So it's better to give my voice to him," he said, beckoning to Blue and White candidate Michael Biton. "And that's probably what I'm going to do." Vardi's decision is indicative of the way in which Israel's Labour party has fallen out of favour with many voters. The party dominated politics in the years after the country's founding in 1948 and sealed the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s with the Palestinians, but it has seen its influence wane as Israeli politics has shifted to the right. Under the leadership of Avi Gabbay, Labour has largely abandoned its doveish past and has embraced a mix of policies. Opinion polls show it winning around 10 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Meanwhile, the centrist Blue and White, led by former military chief Benny Gantz, is posing a serious challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party. - Gradual decline - Labour and its earlier incarnation under the name Mapai was Israel's unchallenged ruling party from the state's inception in 1948 until 1977, when the Likud wrested the premiership away. It has since then held power for a total of eight years, two of them as part of a unity government with the Likud. That period included the 1990s Oslo accords, negotiated by prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and then foreign minister Shimon Peres. Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist in 1995, and the Oslo accords remain highly controversial among Israelis. Ehud Barak's victory in the 1999 elections and his two-year premiership were the last time an Israeli coalition was led by Labour, which has been in decline since. Story continues A last-minute merger between Labour and centrist Hatnuah ahead of the 2015 elections to form Zionist Union helped make the alliance the second-largest in parliament after Likud. Labour, running on its own this year, is unlikely to finish any higher than third. Voters as well as politicians have found their way from Labour to other parties. Biton served two terms as a mayor in southern city Yeruham for Labour before joining Blue and White. -'Stuck in limbo'- "Labour identified historically with the Oslo process," said Shmuel Rosner, author of the recently published "#IsraeliJudaism, a Portrait of a Cultural Revolution" and a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute. The agreements with the Palestinians, however, failed to achieve lasting peace, and the Palestinian uprising that began in 2000, known as the Second Intifada, was to many Israelis proof of why they were misguided. "Once the process went up in smoke and became unaccepted within the Jewish public in Israel, Labour failed to shift swiftly enough to the centre. It took it time to realise the way the wind was blowing," he said. The centre was quickly occupied by newly forged centrist parties, and the space to the left of Labour was already held by another party, Meretz. "Labour got stuck in limbo," Rosner said. In the vacuum created since, Labour "can barely survive" and "certainly not become a ruling party". Another key factor involves demographic changes among Israeli Jews, Rosner said. Labour historically appealed to "a profile of an Israeli that is decreasing in size -- Ashkenazi, farming communities, very secular," he said, referring to Jews of European origin. It has appealed less to growing sectors such as Jews of Middle Eastern and North African origin, known as Mizrahi, he said. Choosing Gabbay, who is Moroccan origin, as leader was one way of seeking to address that. Despite its struggles, Labour cannot be counted out completely. Tanyah Murkes, 34, a resident of central city Modiin, said she was deliberating between Blue and White, Labour and Meretz. "I think in the end I'll give my vote to Labour, to strengthen the Israeli left," said Murkes, the director of Forum Dvorah, an NGO advancing women in foreign policy and national security institutions. Meretz are too small, and Blue and White "are not presenting a centre-left policy. They are leaning more to the right," she explained. A strong Labour party could "unite the nation" and provide a "counterweight to the right, which is very strong now." "I'd like to vote for a party that would be a significant part of the coalition, or lead the opposition," she said. By Tatiana Bautzer and Gram Slattery SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A consortium led by France's Engie SA submitted the highest offer for a major gas pipeline unit owned by Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the state-run oil firm said on Friday, as the company's biggest divestment draws to a close. In a filing, Petrobras, as the company is known, said the Engie consortium, which includes Canada's Caisse de Depot e Placement du Quebec, presented an $8.6 billion bid for 90 percent of the TAG gas pipeline unit in northern and northeastern Brazil. That topped offers by two competing consortia, led by Itausa Investimentos Itau SA and EIG Global Energy Partners with Mubadala Investment Co, respectively. Two sources with knowledge of the matter said the difference between the bids was very small. The second highest bid, delivered by EIG Global Energy Partners and Mubadala Investment Company, was less than 1 percent below Engie's bid, they said. Engie subsidiaries in different countries account for 75 percent of the winning consortium and the Canadian pension fund the other 25 percent, one of the sources added, asking for anonymity to discuss undisclosed details. Around 60 percent of the bid was financed by Itau Unibanco Holding SA , Banco Bradesco SA and Banco do Brasil SA . The EIG-Mubadala group was financed by JPMorgan Chase & Co and Goldman Sachs. The third group, led by Brazilian holding Itausa Investimentos Itau SA, was also financed also by local banks. Banco Santander Brasil SA was Petrobras adviser on the deal. The price tag includes the payment by the Engie group of $800 million in debts to Brazilian state development bank BNDES. At an exchange rate of 3.85 reais to $1, Petrobras said, the deal values all of TAG at 35.1 billion reais. The divestment represents a victory for current Petrobras leadership and Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco, who is pushing to aggressively unload assets in a bid to cut debt and refocus on exploration and production. Story continues The sale process began in October 2017 but was interrupted last year by a Supreme Court injunction. In September 2016, Petrobras sold a larger gas network pipeline, Nova Transportadora do Sudeste, for $5.2 billion to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP, which beat out a bid by Engie. Petrobras will continue to distribute natural gas through the TAG system under the terms of long-term contracts, the company said in the statement. Bloomberg reported on the TAG sale earlier on Friday. (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo and Gram Slattery in Rio de Janeiro; editing by Matthew Lewis, Bill Berkrot and Sonya Hepinstall) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday he hoped North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would use a meeting of the country's parliament next week to state publicly "it would be the right thing" for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly is due to hold its first meeting this year on Thursday and could feature the first public comments from Kim about a second summit between him and U.S. President Donald Trump Hanoi in February that collapsed. "It's something that's an annual event where the leader of North Korea speaks to his people," Pompeo told "CBS This Morning." "We'll watch very closely what he says." "I don't expect there'll be great surprise," Pompeo said, "but I do hope that he will share his sentiment, his sentiment that says: We I believe, as the leader of North Korea, I believe the right thing to do is for us to engage with the United States to denuclearize our country." Pompeo said U.S.-North Korea diplomatic channels remained open and the two sides have "had conversations after Hanoi about how to move forward," but he did not elaborate. He said he was "confident" there would be a third summit between Trump and Kim but did not have a timetable although he hoped it would be soon. Pompeo stressed though that economic sanctions would not be lifted until North Korea gave up its nuclear weapons. Pompeo said on Monday he hoped the two leaders could meet again "in the coming months ... in a way that we can achieve a substantive first step or a substantive big step along the path to denuclearization." The Hanoi summit, the second between Trump and Kim in less than a year, fell apart over a failure to reconcile North Korean demands for sanctions relief with U.S. demands for Kim to give up a nuclear weapons program that now threatens the United States. North Korea has warned since that it is considering suspending talks and may rethink a freeze on missile and nuclear tests, in place since 2017, unless Washington makes concessions. According to a document seen by Reuters last week, on the day their Hanoi talks collapsed, Trump handed Kim a piece of paper that included a blunt call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States. Analysts said the move was probably seen by the North Korean leader as insulting and provocative. Next week's North Korean parliament session will coincide with a visit to Washington by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has pushed talks between the United States and North Korea in the past year and advocated sanctions relief. Pompeo told CBS that the United States and South Korea had "worked closely together to enforce ... sanctions." (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Pro-government militias prepare to defend the capital - AFP Forces loyal to Libyas beleaguered UN-backed government carried out airstrikes on Saturday to try to stop rebel troops advancing on Tripoli, raising fears the country may be heading back to full-blown civil war. As the army of Khalifa Haftar, a military strongman in control of eastern Libya, claimed to have seized control of Tripoli's airport, EU officials warned that instability could trigger a fresh flow of migrants and refugees heading towards Europe. A meeting of G7 foreign ministers called on Gen Haftar to halt his offensive and even his traditional supporters Russia and Egypt expressed concern that his sudden advance would plunge Libya into chaos. The 75-year-old generals advance on Tripoli appears to be a power play designed to strengthen his negotiating position ahead of a UN-brokered conference on Libyas future scheduled for later this month. Since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been fractured and its government divided. A UN-backed government controls Tripoli with the support of several militias from western Libya while Gen Haftar is in charge of most of the east. The UN hoped that the conference would pave the way for national elections but Gen Haftar decided to use military force against his western rivals. Haftar felt that Tripoli players had not submitted enough to him ahead of the national conference," said Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute. "So he chose military force to change the facts on the ground. The UNs envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said he hoped the conference would still go ahead as planned. Gen Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) said Saturday they had seized control of Tripolis main airport, which has not been functional since large parts of it were destroyed in fighting in 2014. Militia forces supporting the government carried out at least one airstrike south of Tripoli against his troops. No casualties were reported. The LNA said it would shoot down any aircraft over western Libya and target the airfields from which they took off. Story continues Up to 1 million refugees and migrants are estimated to be in Libya, many being held in horrific conditions in militia-run detention centres. The EU has supported Libyan militia coastguards to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean towards Europe. The U.N. Envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, speaks during a news conference in Tripoli, Libya April 6, 2019. Credit: REUTERS/Hani Amara Antonio Tajani, president of the European parliament, warned that fighting in Libya would risk generating a new migratory crisis, with increased flows heading mainly towards Italy and other Mediterranean countries. He called on the EU to intervene immediately to prevent a chaotic escalation. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) also raised concerns about the fate of migrants being held in detention centres if fullscale fighting broke out around them. The safety of migrants in detention is especially concerning should there be an escalation in military action, the IOM said. G7 foreign ministers meeting in France called on Gen Haftar to halt all military activity and movements towards Tripoli. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, said: There is a fundamental principle in Libya. There will be no military victory. The solution can only be a political solution. The foreign ministers of Russia and Egypt, which have both backed the military strongman, met in Cairo on Saturday and also said there needed to be a political solution in Libya. However, Russia also warned against efforts to blame Gen Haftar for the insecurity in the country. While Gen Haftars troops have advanced rapidly over 48 hours, it is not clear they have the strength to defeat the coalition of militias supporting the government and seize control of Tripoli. Nearly 150 of his soldiers and dozens of vehicles were captured by pro-government forces on Friday as they tried to join the offensive towards Tripoli. MALE, Maldives (AP) People in the Maldives voted in a crucial parliamentary election on Saturday that many hope will help President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih overcome a coalition split that has hampered his efforts to restore political freedoms and tackle corruption. Some voters who had lined up earlier were allowed to cast their vote well after balloting officially ended at 6 p.m. in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation known for its luxury resorts, said Ahmed Akram, an election official. He said voter turnout was over 78 percent. Officials were planning to announce results later Saturday night. Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party is seeking at least 44 seats in the 87-member parliament for a majority to pass legislation needed to implement pledges from last year's presidential campaign. His coalition currently has 52 seats, but one partner with 22 seats is now aligned with former strongman Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Solih defeated Yameen last year, giving new hope to the young democracy that has gone through a tumultuous transition that threatened to drag the Maldives back to its autocratic past. Yameen had curtailed freedom of speech and jailed his political rivals. The Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 after decades of autocratic rule. Solih was only a fallback choice as president for his party because charismatic former President Mohamed Nasheed had been sentenced to prison under Yameen and was ineligible to run. Solih promised reforms, an end to political influence over the courts, police and the bureaucracy, and the recovery of money lost through corruption. Opposition politicians came together in a grand alliance to defeat Yameen, their common foe. But soon the coalition cracked and despite repeated efforts, Solih failed to secure parliamentary approval for promised commissions to inquire into corruption, the disappearance of a journalist and the killing of a blogger during Yameen's rule. Afshan Latheef, the campaign spokeswoman for Solih's party, said it was only fielding candidates from within the party to ensure stability in parliament and the fulfillment of Solih's promises. Story continues Yameen is facing corruption charges and is under house arrest while his case is being heard. He did not run in Saturday's elections but will be on the political front line after the vote, party official Abdul Rahim Abdulla said. Ahmed Tholal of the group Transparency Maldives said the political squabbles among the parties have eclipsed the real problems facing the country. "They are taking away the real issues. Corruption, health and human rights issues are not being highlighted in the campaign," he said. Ahmed Saaif Shiyad, a 20-year-old student, said the election is important because the country hasn't had political stability since Nasheed resigned in February 2012 amid public protests over his decision to arrest a top judge. Yameen won the presidential election the following year. "In order to have political stability it's important to give a majority to the ruling coalition," Shiyad said. Nasheed, who was released by the courts after Solih's election, ran for a seat in Saturday's elections. More than 264,000 people were eligible to vote for 386 candidates running for the 87 seats in parliament. ___ Associated Press writer Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributed to this report. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iranian authorities ordered the evacuation of six more towns in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, which is widely inundated with floods, state TV reported on Saturday. Gholamreza Shariati, the provincial governor, told state TV that rescue teams are taking residents to nearby shelters, including three army barracks. Evacuation orders came as a new round of raining and floods is expected. Shariati said emergency discharges from dams and reservoirs were adding to the high floodwaters, but such measures were essential to prevent the dams from overflowing or catastrophic breaches, with river waters continuing to rise upstream from the province. Young men were asked to remain behind to help with rescue operations. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told state TV that some 400,000 people are at risk out of the province's population of 5 million. Eleven towns and scores of villages have been already evacuated. There have been no evacuation orders for major cities, including the province's capital of Ahvaz, which has 1.7 million residents. There have been no reports of damage to the province's petroleum facilities, which account for roughly 80 percent of Iran's oil production. Authorities have put the number of dead at 70 people, as major flooding has hit the western half of the country, after years of drought. Iraq's border crossing authority announced Saturday it was closing one of its crossings with Iran because of the flooding. In a statement, the authority said al-Sheeb crossing was closed for passengers and commerce after a request from the Iranian side. The crossing, in Miysan province, is one of several with Iran. It was not clear when it would reopen. Besides heavy rains, heavy damage from the floods has been blamed on widespread disregard for safety regulations in building and road construction near rivers. ____ Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed. The appeals court in Casablanca upheld the prison terms handed to dozen Rif protest leaders after a first instance verdict gave sentences from one year suspended to twenty years in jail. The Protests, which rocked Al Hoceima in 2016 and 2017, were sparked after a fishmonger was crashed in a garbage truck while trying to retrieve his confiscated fish. Authorities accused the activists of undermining public order and national unity as well as violence against law enforcement agents. The movements leader Nasser Zefzafi and three others received prison terms of 20 years for threatening the security of the state. Other sentences also confirmed on appeal ranged from one to 15 years. Eleven others were pardoned last year by King Mohammed VI. Journalist Hamid el Mahdaoui was sentenced to three years for failing to tell authorities he had been offered weapons during the protests The 2016 and 2017 protests over social grievances led to clashes between police and demonstrators, leaving people injured on both sides. More than 600 security forces personnel were wounded and seven million dirhams ($730,000) of damage caused, according to Moroccan authorities. Chris Larsen, Co-Founder of Ripple, his wife Lyna Lam and non-profit venture Rippleworks are stumping up $25 million in XRP for a university in California. The donation to San Francisco State Universitys College of Business is believed to be the largest gift ever made in a digital asset to a university in the US. SF State now plans to name the Universitys College of Business the Lam Family College of Business. The money will support the Lam-Larsen Fund for Global Innovation and two endowed chairs. The main aim is to support students in learning about and becoming changemakers of local and global entrepreneurial and FinTech ecosystems. This groundbreaking gift will position the College of Business as an evolving, distinctly diverse and industry-relevant epicentre of business innovation and entrepreneurship, says University President Leslie E. Wong. Chris, Lyna and Rippleworks are innovators, and their gift will inspire our students to creatively and strategically approach the business and tech landscapes to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and global business leaders. Ripple for Good Last year, Ripple launched Ripple for Good, which focuses on projects related to education and financial inclusion. When we reflected on the unique role Ripple could play from a social impact standpoint, we kept landing on the idea that the benefits of these new technologies should reach as many people as possible, said Ken Weber, Head of Social Impact for Ripple. If we are truly committed to transformative global change, we will work to help ensure that innovations in banking and global payments are available everywhere to everyone, among unbanked and underbanked populations and in economies and economic sectors that serve the greater good. Our goal is to deliver on the promise of an Internet of Value for all. Ripple for Good is collaborating with RippleWorks, which was co-founded by Larsen and Doug Galen. Story continues Ripple was built upon the belief that its technology could improve lives, and they had the foresight to support RippleWorks four years ago as proof that those werent just words. Since then, it has worked on 70 projects in 55 countries to improve the lives of over three million patients, six million students and 250 million people, said Galen. This announcement to create an even deeper alignment with RippleWorks is another validation of our long-standing commitment to leverage our technology, financial resources and team to improve lives. RippleWorks is thrilled to have even more of Ripples help to solve the massive challenges facing people throughout the world. The post Ripples Chris Larsen gives groundbreaking donation to SF State appeared first on Coin Rivet. SAN FRANCISCO The lunchtime line is out the door at Creator, a recent addition to this citys hip downtown foodie scene. But the chef here has no Michelin stars, no attitude and no heart. Because the chef is a robot. Steak, tomatoes, onions, buns and condiments get loaded into an ingenious machine, and a freshly ground, gourmet hamburger rolls out. And its only $6, says Creator founder, Alex Vardakostas, 34, who started flipping patties at his parents Southern California burger joint A's Burgers at age 9 and figured he could find a better way to make this American classic. For the price of a Big Mac, youre getting organic ingredients and a perfect hamburger, every time. Creator is a novelty to be sure, but it also is a harbinger of a robotic invasion that brings with it big questions about the future of food, employment and social interactions. Not surprisingly, the Bay Area is proving to be both ground zero and test market for the march of artificial intelligence into the culinary world. Chalk that up to a variety of factors, including the prevalence of venture capitalists looking for the next tech breakthrough, a ready pool of voracious if time-crunched millennials, and a food-worker labor shortage that has forced a number of restaurants to close. Its a real struggle, look at employment listings in the food industry here and youll see job availability at everything from top-rated restaurants to coffee shops, says Gwyneth Borden, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, whose upcoming conference will include a session called Robot Revolution: Are Robots the New Tool for Scaling? In any cities where the cost of living is going up, this is an issue, says Borden. Thats causing food business owners to get creative to hire people, whether thats by looking at hiring the homeless or former convicts, or by offering workers gym memberships. Or by bringing in robots. It's a shift is happening across the U.S. and the world. In Boston, customers at Spyce get served up health food bowls by an automated machine. In Brooklyn, BigEve Sushi has robots doing the rolling. Brussels-based Alberts is peddling its Smoothie Stations across that country. And the scientists at British-based Moley are working on a robot that will take over all chores in your home kitchen. Story continues San Francisco has fast become an epicenter of this automated trend. Beyond the burger robot at Creator, theres the dancing coffee shop robot at Cafe X, Sally the salad making robot at an undisclosed tech company cafeteria, and the fresh baguettes pumped out by the Le Bread Xpress robot at a local mall. Then add in the fresh smoothie robot at Blendid on the campus of the University of San Francisco, and Zume pizza in Silicon Valley, where employees share duties with robots. Robots = low cost, better food The entrepreneurs behind these ventures all lay out the same rationale for pushing a robotized food future. They say that robots do monotonous, repetitive-stress jobs exceedingly well, which leaves humans to serve in more high-touch roles such as advising customers on menu selection. Robots happily work 24/7, allowing for access to more high-quality foods in environments where traditional food services close, such as hospitals and universities. And at popular restaurants robots quickly pay for themselves, allowing owners to put more money into ingredients while keeping prices down. By eliminating the barista pushing buttons on a coffee machine, we can provide a very high-quality drink quickly at a lower price, says Henry Hu, who came up with the idea for Cafe X five years ago while in college and now has three locations with another one coming to San Franciscos airport. Theres little doubt about Cafe Xs target demographic. Step into one of their shops and youre greeted with a modernist decor, thumping music and a robotic arm that dances. Customers invariably walk in and pull out their cellphones for photos and videos. More than half of our customers are repeat, and our sales have doubled every year, says Hu, who, in a familiar debate for robot food purveyors, is still deciding whether to own and operate his growing stable of robots or license the technology. I think the future will be a mix of robot foods and places where you have personal experiences. Food writer Eve Turow Paul, whose forthcoming book Hungry tackles the future of food, says the potential upside of robots in the culinary world is the democratizing of good food. Given the hectic all-hours pace of todays work life, there is going to be less and less time in the day to eat well, says Paul, who is also the author of A Taste of Generation Yum about millennials and food. So if theres a meal that is transparent, of high quality, fast and affordable, why wouldnt people try it? Beware the pitfalls of robot chefs But Paul also warns of potential pitfalls to an AI-powered foodie future. These include huge displacements of food workers over the next 10 years, or less, says Paul. No one will be flipping burgers anymore. Those most impacted will be workers on the low end of the pay scale, small salaries that ultimately will be made expensive when compared to robot overhead. According to a recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute, of the 73 million U.S. jobs that will be lost to automation by 2030, those most susceptible are physical ones in predictable environments. Those include workers who operate machinery, prepare fast food, collect and process data. About half of workers who make minimum wage, which is typical in food services, are under age 25, according to a 2018 Bureau of Labor Statistics report on low-income workers. Le Bread Express, a growing robot-driven kiosk in France, is taking root in San Francisco, where foodies get to have their French bread baked within minutes of pushing buttons. Once robots are implemented in eateries, Paul is concerned that big fast food chains may just opt to put savings generated from employee cuts into their coffers and not into higher quality ingredients. Another big by-product could be simply losing touch with the very meaning of a meal, she says. Having a sensorial communitarian experience is a reason to go to a nice restaurant, says Paul. When theres a robot making that food, youre forgoing a certain sense of intimacy with another human being. Benoit Herve knows all about the dining ritual as a Frenchman coming from a family of bakers. And yet in his thinking, creating a stand-alone machine that can deliver hot baguettes is not sacrificing any gourmet experience and, instead, allows the masses to experience what he grew up with as a kid. Le Bread Express is not a vending machine, let us be clear, the former tech worker says in his accented English. "We load half-baked loaves into the machine so that it can create something true and fresh for you for $4 in minutes. We keep the quality of a real French baguette and use technology to bring it to you. Herves lone kiosk is currently in a Bay Area mall, which he says is not the ideal location. Instead, hes in negotiations with a range of area universities and hospitals, places where something fresh at all hours might be more appreciated. Thats the identical mission of Blendid CEO Vipin Jain, a machine learning expert whose last venture was bought by Barnes & Noble. Blendid uses robotics to automated the more labor-intensive part about making a smoothie. Although Blendids lone smoothie making machine now is in a university setting, hes looking for more high-traffic locations where people might want access to a robot that can whip up exotic organic drinks with fresh coconut water, flax and ginger. Jain says the robots ability to expertly dispense precise amounts of aromatic ingredients guarantee a perfect concoction at a reasonable average price of $6 a drink. And, like many of his inventor peers, he says that what is lost in low-wage jobs is replaced by more specialized employment opportunities. This is a debate thats been going on since the Industrial Revolution, and we as a society have to create jobs in a different, higher quality, he says. We need people to design, manufacture, install, service and monitor these robots. We are creating 21st century jobs. Machine skills expand exponentially But humans will need to stay one step ahead of a robot's growing skill set. Experts in this field say that eventually the jobs being assigned to robots are bound to get even more complex. For example, Sally the salad making robot, which is built by Deepak Sekars whimsically named company Chowbotics, does a great job assembling a salad based on ingredients pre-loaded by a chef. What is very difficult for a robot to do is prepare those ingredients, chopping and dicing and slicing, its one of the hardest things to automate, says Sekar. At present, Sally is working inside the cafeteria of an undisclosed tech company, where, he says, it allows employees working late to enjoy the same quality salad they might get from the chef during the day. A customer tries out Sally, a salad-making robot that uses pre-stocked fresh ingredients to make meals on the spot for on the go workers. This machine is at an undisclosed tech company cafeteria. Sekar and his team are continually tweaking Sallys algorithms and robotic chops, and have given it the ability to make a variety of Indian and Chinese bowl meals. Getting robots to work flawlessly across hundreds of locations is not easy, he says. But this is coming, and its going to change restaurants. Tech has already changed up the popular notion of what a burger restaurant can be. The McDonalds model, which in a way was the first mechanized approach to burger-making with humans filling the roles of robots, has given way in this century to more hand-crafted burger places such as Shake Shack. But thats now under threat by Creator, whose riveting robot has commanded the attention of legions since its unveiling here last fall. Robots can create a 'utopian world' There are occasional failures one of the two Creator burger machines conked out during a recent visit, causing lines of an hour which did not thin but mostly founder Vardakostas is bullish on the future. I like to think were creating a more creative world, a more utopian world, he says. "Creator is automating a major segment of food for the first time, one where you get high-quality ingredients often from local suppliers, youre getting big chefs who have offered to program our machines to make their favorite burgers, and youre getting it at a good price. As Vardakostas tells it, his obsession with this idea was born while flipping about 300,000 burgers for his parents at their Dana Point, California, eatery. In college, he majored in physics and started to think about how robots could be made to automate, to perfection, the tedious jobs of slicing a bun, tomatoes and onion, and doling out precise amounts of seasoning. One Creator burger favorite, called The Recreator, calls for exactly 1 gram of habanero sea salt. Any more, and it would ruin the burger, but the robot gets it right, he says. Vardakostas saddled himself with one particularly challenging mission: ensuring that the robot could not only grind fresh beef for each patty on demand, but deliver the strands of beef to the griddle vertically as opposed to in a smashed patty, to better preserve flavor. All told, nine years and many fitful engineering team sessions went into building Creators burger-making beast. Once it was ready for prime time, Vardakostas, backed by unnamed venture funds, took a chance on a space not far from the teams robot lab. Customers almost immediately flooded in to see his creation with its 350 sensors and powered by 20 computers make them lunch. As he watches diners eat their burgers on a recent day, Vadakostas smiles and shakes his head. Its as if he knows what hes seeing is a dream come true, but one that, he admits, has nightmarish possibilities. Creators of new technologies need to also be good shepherds of that technology, he says. You need to make careful choices, because this all can be abused. All I can say is, we have created a machine designed for a world that we who work here all want to live in. Follow USA TODAY national correspondent @marcodellacava This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robots invade foodie San Francisco, promising low prices, tasty meals and cheap labor BERLIN (Reuters) - Software company SAP said the head of its cloud business group had quit, the latest in a string of top departures as Europe's most valuable technology company reshapes its operations. Robert Enslin, who joined SAP in 1992 and had served on its board since 2014, had been tipped by some as a potential successor to Chief Executive Bill McDermott but has departed to take an unspecified opportunity elsewhere. During his two-year tenure as head of the cloud business group, Enslin helped build out SAP's cloud portfolio, including its $8 billion deal last year to buy Qualtrics, which specialises in tracking online sentiment. SAP did not say if he was getting any sort of payoff. Enslin's exit follows other high-profile departures, including Bjoern Goerke, chief technology officer and head of SAP's cloud platform business, and Bernd Leukert, the board executive who ran global service and support. Programming gurus Rich Heilman and Thomas Jung - both highly respected among SAP developer specialists - said last month they had been let go by SAP, but have now found new roles and are staying, a company spokesman said. The departures underscore McDermott's long-stated ambition to transform SAP into a digital platform business, but the exit of long-serving and well-regarded staff with extensive know-how risks alienating core customers. SAP said in January around 4,400 people would leave under a restructuring. Arch-rival Oracle has also announced layoffs and some of its top talent has defected to Google. SAP shares have risen steadily in recent weeks from a nine-month low of 83.95 euros set on Jan.3. They closed at 102.5 euros on Friday, down 1.1 pct on the day. SAP said board member Jennifer Morgan, who joined the company in 2004 and most recently co-led SAP's global customer operations, would succeed Enslin as president of the cloud business group with imminent effect. Adaire Fox-Martin will take sole responsibility for global customer operations as president. Story continues In a Tweet, Enslin said: "Though my tenure with #SAP has come to an end, my personal belief and public advocacy for SAPs innovation and vision to help the world run better never will. Thank you ... dear colleagues for 27 spectacular years." SAP will report its results for the first quarter as planned on April 24. (Reporting by Caroline Copley and Douglas Busvine Editing by Mark Potter and David Holmes) The arrests come just days after a group of womens rights activists, detained since May, were in court - REUTERS At least eight writers and activists, including two dual US citizens and a heavily pregnant woman, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, despite recent pressure from western governments to release human rights advocates already in jail. The latest round of arrests targeting critics of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the countrys 33-year-old de facto ruler, is the first since Washington Post columnist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October. Those detained were vocal supporters of womens rights in the country and had ties to activists already imprisoned. Most were taken from their homes in the capital Riyadh on Thursday. Among them were two dual Saudi-US citizens: Badr al-Ibrahim, a writer and doctor, and Salah al-Haider, the son of prominent Saudi womens rights activist Aziza al-Yousef, who is currently on trial herself but has been temporarily released from prison. Saudi Arabia was already under pressure from the US Congress over its treatment of dual citizen Walid al-Fataihi, imprisoned since 2017, whose family alleges he has been tortured. Theyre really sticking their finger in the eye of the Americans, says Adam Coogle, Middle East Researcher at Human Rights watch. Its clear the Saudis feel they have [the Trump] administration in their back pocket and theyre not going to lose support. An activist who spoke under condition of anonymity for security reasons told The Telegraph there is particular concern over the health of feminist writer Khadija al-Harbi, who is in the late stages of pregnancy. Her husband was arrested along with her. The arrests come just days after a group of womens rights activists, detained since May, were in court. They say they have faced abuse during their incarceration, including waterboarding, electric shocks, and threats of rape and murder. The Saudi government denies their claims. News of the arrests came as a surprise, say rights groups. It had been expected that the womens rights activists currently on trial would be temporarily released this week. This shows the total impunity that MBS is operating with, says Coogle. It certainly shows that this whole narrative of him learning from his youthful mistakes, we need to put that to bed at this point. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (LON:RBS). What Is Insider Selling? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.' Check out our latest analysis for Royal Bank of Scotland Group Royal Bank of Scotland Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when Christopher Marks sold UK657k worth of shares at a price of UK2.53 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of UK2.52. While their view may have changed since the sale, this is not a particularly positive fact. We generally tread carefully if insiders have been selling on market, even if they sold slightly above the current price. In the last twelve months insiders purchased 158.71k shares for UK373k. But insiders sold 416.30k shares worth UK1.1m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Royal Bank of Scotland Group shares, than buying. The sellers received a price of around UK2.68, on average. It's not too encouraging to see that insiders have sold at below the current price. But we wouldn't put too much weight on the insider selling. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! Story continues LSE:RBS Recent Insider Trading, April 6th 2019 If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Royal Bank of Scotland Group Insiders Are Selling The Stock There was substantially more insider selling, than buying, of Royal Bank of Scotland Group shares over the last three months. In that time, Christopher Marks dumped UK657k worth of shares. Meanwhile insiders bought UK450 worth. Because the selling vastly outweighs the buying, we'd say this is a somewhat bearish sign. Insider Ownership of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Royal Bank of Scotland Group insiders own about UK11m worth of shares. That equates to 0.04% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. What Might The Insider Transactions At Royal Bank of Scotland Group Tell Us? Unfortunately, there has been more insider selling of Royal Bank of Scotland Group stock, than buying, in the last three months. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. But since Royal Bank of Scotland Group is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. But note: Royal Bank of Scotland Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free 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. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! It hasn't been the best quarter for SKM Egg Products Export (India) Limited (NSE:SKMEGGPROD) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 22% in that time. But over five years returns have been remarkably great. To be precise, the stock price is 370% higher than it was five years ago, a wonderful performance by any measure. So it might be that some shareholders are taking profits after good performance. But the real question is whether the business fundamentals can improve over the long term. See our latest analysis for SKM Egg Products Export (India) While SKM Egg Products Export (India) made a small profit, in the last year, we think that the market is probably more focussed on the top line growth at the moment. Generally speaking, we'd consider a stock like this alongside loss-making companies, simply because the quantum of the profit is so low. For shareholders to have confidence a company will grow profits significantly, it must grow revenue. You can see how revenue and earnings have changed over time in the image below, (click on the chart to see cashflow). NSEI:SKMEGGPROD Income Statement, April 6th 2019 We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. This free interactive report on SKM Egg Products Export (India)'s earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for SKM Egg Products Export (India) the TSR over the last 5 years was 381%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. Story continues A Different Perspective SKM Egg Products Export (India) shareholders are down 42% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 1.8%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 37%, each year, over five years. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. If you want to research this stock further, the data on insider buying is an obvious place to start. You can click here to see who has been buying shares - and the price they paid. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on IN exchanges. 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. Social Security provides a key financial lifeline for tens of millions of Americans, most of whom get their benefits only after they've retired. For many, paying payroll taxes for decades without seeing any immediate payback seems like a bad deal, especially given the uncertainties surrounding the financial viability of the Social Security program beyond the next 15 years or so. It's therefore understandable that many Americans would prefer to see a more immediate reward for the taxes they pay into Social Security. That's part of the appeal of recently proposed legislation that would allow people to claim parental leave from Social Security. Yet there's a trade-off involved for parents who would take advantage of this program if it were offered -- and it's one that families might not fully appreciate until after they've already made the decision to sacrifice a portion of their financial future to help with near-term needs. Woman sitting in a chair holding a baby, with a man looking on, in a room with crib and a bed. Image source: Getty Images. The latest on parental leave Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) recently introduced their proposal for providing a form of parental leave tied to a family's Social Security benefits. Under the proposal, dubbed the New Parents Act, families would be able voluntarily to claim paid parental leave benefits from the federal government. The details of the proposal aren't entirely clear, but the summary of how the program would work provides some rough details. Under the plan, parents-to-be would file applications with the Social Security Administration in order to participate in the program, and the SSA would then verify their eligibility. Parents would then provide further documentation following the birth of the child, and the SSA would then pay benefits as called for by the law and as elected by the family. Parents would be able to choose to take one, two, or three months of benefits to finance their leave. According to Rubio and Romney, the amount of the benefit would be large enough to let nearly all parents at or below the median household income of roughly $60,000 to take leave with benefits replacing at least two-thirds of their working income. Lower-income parents would likely be able to cover more than three months' worth of leave with the benefit. For households including both parents, coordination of benefits would also be available, allowing limited transfer of benefits between the two parents. Story continues What you'd give up to get parental leave from the SSA However, the parental leave benefits wouldn't come without a cost. Those who voluntarily choose to receive parental leave benefits would have to elect one of two ways to pay for them. They could choose to increase their full retirement age under Social Security by three to six months "per benefit taken" -- perhaps referring to each month of paid parental leave. Alternatively, they could elect to have their monthly retirement benefits reduced by an unspecified amount for the first five years of their retirement. Rubio and Romney's proposal isn't the only one on Capitol Hill tied to family leave. Other Republicans have made similar suggestions tied to Social Security, while some Democrats have sought outright expansions of federal benefits to cover paid family leave. Moreover, Rubio introduced similar legislation last year, but Congress didn't push it forward before the midterm elections. Without details, it's tough to do a full analysis of exactly what the trade-offs involved with electing parental leave under the proposal would be. However, a six-month boost to full retirement age would reduce monthly Social Security retirement benefits permanently by 2.5% to 3.3%. Presumably, the five-year reduction would be somewhat larger in order to front-end the reimbursement. Opponents argue that this reduction would jeopardize new parents' long-term financial futures in exchange for a quick windfall. Watch Washington for more For now, with so many competing proposals and a divided government, it's unclear whether any of these parental leave proposals will make it through both chambers of Congress, let alone earn a signature from the Oval Office. Yet as presidential campaigns start to get into full gear, you can expect paid parental leave to become an issue once again, and the proposals tying that leave to Social Security could give would-be parents a tough financial choice to make. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. By Praveen Menon CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) - Australian Brenton Tarrant appeared in a New Zealand court on Friday where the suspected white supremacist was charged with an additional 49 counts of murder following his arrest after mass shootings at two mosques last month that killed 50 worshippers and wounded dozens. The High Court judge overseeing the appearance also ordered Tarrant, who was not required to submit a plea, to undergo a mental assessment to determine whether he was fit to stand trial. In an attack broadcast live on Facebook, a lone gunman armed with semi-automatic weapons targeted Muslims attending Friday prayers in Christchurch on March 15. Tarrant, 28, has been moved to New Zealand's only maximum-security prison in Auckland and appeared at the Christchurch High Court through a video link. Police added the additional murder charges, as well as 39 charges of attempted murder, to the one murder charge that had been filed the day after the attack. Tarrant was then remanded to custody until June 14. Prison officials say Tarrant is under 24-hour surveillance with no access to media, according to news reports. He appeared via video handcuffed and seated, wearing a gray prison t-shirt. He listened calmly throughout the hearing, which lasted roughly 20 minutes. Around two dozen family members of victims and some survivors of the attacks were present in the courtroom. Tofazzal Alam, who attended the hearing, said: "I wanted to see the man who killed so many of my friends." A regular at one of the mosques, Alam was not there during the attack. "The man had no emotion," he said when asked about seeing the suspect on video. Tarrant would be represented by two Auckland lawyers, one of them, Shane Tait, said in a statement on his website, which did not include any comments on the case. Media had reported that Tarrant wished to represent himself and legal experts have said he may try to use the hearings as a platform to present his ideology and beliefs. Although journalists were able to attend and take notes, coverage of the hearing was restricted. Judge Cameron Mander said media could only publish pixilated images of Tarrant that obscure his face. Graphic: Terror in New Zealand interactive - https://tmsnrt.rs/2Fg1guM Graphic: New Zealand mass killings - https://tmsnrt.rs/2UAuXM9 'ALL HUMANS' The massacre, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled terrorism, was New Zealand's worst peacetime mass killing. Dozens of representatives from around the world joined a national memorial service last week attended by Ardern and tens of thousands of New Zealanders. Muslims worldwide have praised New Zealand's response to the massacre, with many singling out Ardern's gesture of wearing a headscarf to meet victims' families and urging the country to unite with the call: "We are one." Thousands of visitors to the reopened Al Noor mosque, where 42 people were killed, have offered condolences and sought to learn more about Islam, said Israfil Hossain, who recites the daily call to prayer there. "They are coming from far just to say sorry ... although they never did anything to us," said Hossain, 26. On Thursday, a group of Carmelite nuns stood for the first time inside a mosque, holding back tears as they talked with worshippers about the two faiths. "Everybody has their own problems and they have their own ideas about religions, and that's fine, and we should all have that, we're all different," said one nun, Sister Dorothea. "But we're all humans and that's the most important thing, our humanity." (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Darren Schuettler, Peter Cooney and Daniel Wallis) LAFAYETTE, La. Fires that destroyed three predominantly black Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish in the last 10 days are "suspicious," the state's top fire investigator said Thursday, adding that theyve discovered several patterns at the three crime scenes. But its too soon to classify the fires as arson, State Fire Marshal Butch Browning said at a press conference, walking a tight line without actually linking the three blazes. There certainly is a commonality, he said. Whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just dont know. And thats not unusual for us not to know at this point. The fact that it is three black Baptist churches in the same parish is obviously a pattern. And there are several other patterns, Browning added. Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in St. Landry Parish damaged in a fire Thursday. The third St. Landry Parish church fire in 10 days erupted early Thursday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church south of Opelousas. Mount Pleasant is about 10 miles south of Greater Union Baptist Church, which burned down early Tuesday. St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre was destroyed in a fire early in the morning on March 26. St. Landry Fire District 3 received a 911 call about the Thursday fire at about 3:40 a.m., said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshals Office. The fire consumed the inside of the rural church, burning holes through the roof, but leaving much of the brick exterior standing. At daybreak, smoke continued rising from the historic structure. State troopers had a section of the highway in front of Mount Pleasant blocked off early Thursday. Firefighters at the scene of a fire that destroyed Mt. Pleasant Baptist Chiurch located on La. 182 about three miles south of Opelousas. The Rev. Gerald Toussaint, who leads Mount Pleasant, said he was heartbroken when he saw what remained of his church, which he said is more than 140 years old. My church has a lot of history, he said. I dont understand it. What could make a person do that to a church? Toussaint, who works full time as a truck driver, said he was on his way to work in Lafayette when he received news of the fire from his wife. He immediately turned around and headed to the church. Story continues By the time I got back here, it was gone, he said. It burned hot and fast. St. Landry Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said he is working with Opelousas police to provide extra security and patrols to the parishs churches. He said hes willing to do whatever it takes to prevent these fires and to try to catch this individual. We have a lot of churches in this parish. Lots of churches, Guidroz said. Were going to take it one day at a time and try to provide the security that they need. In addition to the State Fire Marshal, the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office and the St. Landry Fire District 3, the Opelousas Police Department, the Louisiana Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI also are investigating the fires. Our churches are sacred, central parts of our communities and everyone should feel safe in their place of worship, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a written statement. In general, church fires are not uncommon in the United States, according to National Fire Prevention Association data. There were about 1,660 fires in religious and funeral properties in 2011, with the vast majority of those occurring on religious properties. Intentionally set fires account for only about 16 percent of fires at religious properties in the U.S. Thats still more than 250 fires per year, said Greg Harrington, a fire protection engineer with the NFPA. Having a string of fires like youve experienced down there in such a short period of time, I would say its safe to say thats unusual, Harrington said. It certainly seems appropriate that theyve been deemed suspicious. The United States has a long and complicated history of church arson, which was common during the civil rights movement. In the 1960s, white supremacists attacked black churches for both symbolic and practical reasons. They often served as strategic command posts for the civil rights movement, said Christopher Strain, a professor of American studies at Florida Atlantic University and the author of Burning Faith: Church Arson in the American South. A 1996 House Judiciary Committee report found an out-sized percentage of church arsons were at black churches in the South. But Strain said not every instance of church arson is hate-based or racially motivated. Churches burn for a variety of reasons, he said, and because they are often unoccupied, they are ripe targets for firebugs and vandals. Arsonists are drawn to inviting targets, and churches unfortunately often make inviting targets. Browning, the State Fire Marshals Office chief, said there are many reasons people burn churches, including to disguise burglaries and because of religious disagreements. He pointed out that the three churches burned in St. Landry were vulnerable because of their remote locations. These buildings are kind of off the beaten path, kind of out of town, he said. St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre was destroyed by fire on March 26. Investigators are looking for possible links to a April 2 fire at nearby Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas. Leaders of several of the parishs black Baptist churches met Thursday morning at First Benjamin Baptist Church to talk about the fires, discuss options for protecting their buildings and to offer one another support. The Rev. Freddie Jack, president of the Seventh District Missionary Baptist Association, said he is encouraging members to install security systems and surveillance cameras, make sure they have adequate insurance and to consider hiring security guards. The churches that havent been affected by fires are offering their facilities to the churches that have burned, he said. We dont want nobody losing their members, he said. Jack said the local Baptist pastors arent afraid, but theyre concerned about the fires. They remain optimistic. Other than that, were going to do everything necessary to try to prevent any re-occurrence, Jack said. Were just going to trust in believe in God to prevent this from happening. Contributing: Bobby Ardoin This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Suspicious fires destroy three black churches in 10 days in Louisiana parish Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Aurora Police On the morning of May 11, 2011, Amy Fry-Pitzen signed her 6-year-old son Timmothy out of his kindergarten class and hit the road. Police would later determine they visited a zoo and two water parks within a three-hour drive of their Aurora, Illinois, home. Three days later, police found Amy dead of suicide in a Rockford, Illinois, motel room. But there was no trace of Timmothyjust a note from his mother saying he was safe with unnamed people. It contained a chilling prediction: You will never find him. For nearly eight agonizing years, that was true. But in an extraordinary turn of events, a battered and frightened 14-year-old boy surfaced in Kentucky on Wednesday claiming to be a kidnap victim. His name, he said, was Timmothy Pitzen. 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. Really you felt bad for him, his face looked like hed been beat up. He had a really big bruise on his face. I was hurt for him. Police have not said whether they have confirmed the teenager is, in fact, the same boy who walked out of Greenman Elementary School, wearing a Spider-Man backpack, with his mom years earlier. Preliminary DNA test results were expected sometime Thursday. Details of where the teenager has been and who was holding him are also scant. A police report said he described his captors as two male, whites, body-builder type build, with tattoos and a vehicle with Wisconsin plates. He told cops he escaped from a Red Roof Inn and ran across a bridge into Newport, Kentucky, where he asked strangers for help. The FBI offices in Louisville and Cincinnati were working with three police agencies to vet the teens story. Police fanned out to Red Roof Inns in surrounding towns in an effort to corroborate the account and find the men the teen described, according to local reports. Story continues Pitzens father, James, who has mounted a tireless search for the boy and never gave up hope he was alive, did not respond to inquiries from The Daily Beast on Wednesday night. Timmothys grandmother, Alana Anderson, told NBC Chicago she was waiting anxiously for the test results. 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. Amy Fry-Pitzen, 42, had grappled with depression for much of adulthood but both her husband and her family have described her as a loving motherthats the the epitaph on her gravestonewho would not hurt Timmothy. James Pitzen told People magazine in 2015 that there were tensions in the marriage but nothing that would suggest Amy or their child was in any danger. I always wonder what she told Timmothy, he told the magazine. 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. We got one of those little IDenticards for kids, with his fingerprint and his name and a picture of him, so if he got lost somewhere you could find him. Amys mother, Alana Anderson, told People she could not explain her daughters actions. You dont give your children away. I had some trouble forgiving her for what she did to herself. I dont think I can ever forgive her for what she did to her child, Anderson said. Authorities ran down every possible lead to find Timmothy: a painstaking forensic analysis of his mothers abandoned SUV, checking out alleged sightings, distributing an age-progression photo. But as the years went by, it seemed more and more likely the prediction in Amys note would turn out to be truea scenario that haunted Aurora police Detective Lee Catavu. I'll be in bed at night and all these thoughts swirl in my head, he told the Aurora Beacon-News in 2015. When I get a free moment, even on vacation, my mind will drift over to this case. Now Catavu and everyone else is waiting to find out if the teenager in Newport is really Timmothy Pitzen. If so, it will mean the mantra that James Pitzen has repeated every night before he goes to bed since 2011 has finally come true: Maybe Ill see Tim in the morning... maybe tomorrow theyll find him. Read more at The Daily Beast. Bill de Blasio in Iowa, where he has not exactly wowed the locals. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images The human ego is a powerful beast that grows luxuriant in the soul of career politicians. We are seeing an egregious example in the proto-presidential campaign of New York mayor Bill de Blasio, who, according to the New York Times, is bulling ahead toward a formal candidacy despite multiple indicators that its a very bad idea. He has traveled to three early presidential primary states, held $5,000-a-plate events for donors and hired a small-dollar fund-raising consultant. He spoke at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group, and is now on another trip to raise money in Boston, after which he will meet with Democratic activists in Las Vegas. These are the concrete steps of a man preparing to run for president. There have been so signs of any craving for a de Blasio candidacy on the trail so far. His first two recent trips to Iowa have been, in a word, fiascoes (his first, last December, was marked by NYPD protests, and during the second, in February, he was stranded in a blizzard at a Super 8 motel and dined on a gas-station burrito). He hasnt been listed in most 2020 polls, and his peak performance in any has been a booming one percent. Its hard to discern any path to the White House for Hizzoner. Lets say he can revive his sagging reputation as a fighting progressive. Is he really going to challenge Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris in that lane? None of the early states would strike you as de Blasio Country, unless New York chooses to have a relatively early primary next year (it was in April in 2016, and the legislature has yet to set a 2020 date). But then again, its not like New York is a hotbed of BDB 20 enthusiasm. Au contraire, as the Daily News noted after a new Quinnipiac poll of his constituents was released this very week: A whopping 76% of New Yorkers polled said de Blasio should not run for president with just 18% supporting a bid. The feeling was as universal among New Yorkers as their contempt for bagels sliced like bread every single party, gender, racial group, borough and age group polled agreed Hizzoner should not run. Those polled didnt just think the potential run was a bad idea they thought it would be bad for New York City, by a margin of 47% to 32%, the poll found. As de Blasio himself ruefully observed when asked about the poll: Im glad I could unify the people of New York City. Still, he seems determined to plow ahead: I feel like hes going to run, said Rebecca Katz, a former adviser to Mr. de Blasio and his family who is not currently attached to his exploratory bid. I think he wants to be talked about in a serious way. De Blasios belief that this will make him the object of serious rather than derisive talk may be a throwback to the days when mayors of New York (and also governor of the Empire State) were considered ex officio presidential timber. The last mayor who made the mistake of running for president, of course, was Rudy Giuliani, who quickly crashed and burned in 2008 after leading in a lot of early polls. De Blasios aspirations are reminiscent of those of a different two-term mayor, John Lindsay, who, after a narrow reelection win in a three-way race in 1969, abandoned the Republican Party and ran for president as a Democrat in 1972. He had good looks, a liberal reputation, and some high-life political talent (former Bobby Kennedy hands Jeff Greenfield and Jerry Bruno were onboard), but finished sixth in two primaries and ninth in another and dropped out. He thought Big Apple fame meant the kind of glamour the benighted rest of the country craved, and found out otherwise. Even beyond de Blasios city, the national political influence of New York has declined as steadily as the states electoral votes (41 when Lindsey ran, 29 today, and likely 27 after the next reapportionment). Want to stump even political junkies with a trivia question? Ask them the identity of the last New York resident to serve as president of the United States. The answer: that famous Gotham favorite, Richard M. Nixon, who moved to New York after his humiliating defeat in the 1962 California governors race. Bill de Blasio might want to scout out a new home, too, if he persists in running for president and humiliates his own state and city. Geneva (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in several Swiss cities against climate change, the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS reported. Around 50,000 marched in all, the news agency report estimated, including 15,000 in Zurich and up to nine thousand in the capital Berne and in Lausanne. "It's about knowing if finally we want to listen to the voice of science," high school student Jan Burckhardt told ATS. "Save the climate please: it's the last time we ask politely," read one of the placards at the Lausanne demonstration, an AFP photographer saw. The marches were organised by an alliance of activist groups in Switzerland, including Greenpeace, Swiss Youth for Climate and green groups. "We don't want to stop our movement as long as our claims have not been heard, as long as we have not obtained concrete results," said Laurane Conod, one of the organisers of a smaller march in Geneva. The climate change protests in Switzerland were in part inspired by the teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who started weekly school strikes calling for policy change on the climate issue. Tegucigalpa (AFP) - Thousands of people marched through the streets of the Honduran capital Friday night demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and an investigation of him and his family. The protestors, from the so-called Movimiento Indignados (Indignant Movement) and numbering around 5,000 according to reporters, shouted "get out J.O.H.," as they marched to the public prosecutor's office. "We demand the immediate removal of Juan Orlando Hernandez from the post he is currently usurping, as well as an urgent investigation of him and his family circle and political associates," the movement said in a statement. It alleged Hernandez has links to people accused of corruption and drug trafficking, including his brother Antonio Hernandez, a former lawmaker who was arrested in Miami, Florida on November 23 and is accused of "large-scale drug trafficking." President Hernandez has said he was shocked by his brother's arrest but that nobody was above the law. The opposition says Hernandez, a conservative backed by the United States, was illegitimately re-elected in a November 2017 vote marred by delays and alleged fraud. The "indignados" have made a return to the streets after their 2015 demonstrations against Hernandez, who was accused of illegally using government money for the 2013 presidential election that he won. Hernandez admitted his conservative ruling National Party had accepted $94,000 that had been misappropriated from social security funds but said the funds had been used without his knowledge. The opposition however charged that more than $300 million was skimmed from the poverty-stricken country's public health system. Honduras is plagued by endemic corruption and gangs that control drug trafficking and organized crime. This phenomenon has caused a wave of illegal immigration to the United States, notably by minors who fear being forced into gang enrollment. BAMAKO (Reuters) - Thousands rallied in the Malian capital Bamako on Friday to protest at the failure of the government and international peacekeepers to stem rising ethnic and jihadist violence, notably the massacre of around 160 villagers last month. The protest was one of the largest in Mali in recent years. It followed the March 23 massacre by suspected militiamen from the Dogon ethnic group of rival Fulani herders in the village of Ogossagou, the deadliest act of ethnic bloodshed in West Africa's Sahel region in living memory. Six years after French forces intervened to halt a jihadist advance from Mali's desert north, the violence has spread across the Sahel, an arid region between the Sahara desert and Africa's savannas, to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. While helmeted riot police looked on, protesters held signs calling on Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and the United Nations MINUSMA peacekeeping mission to leave. Keita has responded to the attack on the Fulanis by disbanding an anti-jihadist vigilante group, whose fighters are suspected of being behind the massacre. Over 200 people had been killed by anti-jihadist self-defense groups in Mali since the start of this year, according to the United Nations, which has dispatched human rights experts to investigate the March attack. Friday's march of religious, civil society and opposition leaders reflects growing frustration at the escalating violence. "We hold the government responsible for the deterioration of the situation," said former minister Hamadoun Dicko. Friday's march was largely peaceful, although at one point police fired tear gas and some protesters threw stones in response. Organizers have called for another protest next week. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo, Souleymane Ag Anara, Fadima Kontao and Cheick Diouara; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by John Stonestreet) New Delhi (AFP) - India's alpha-male Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces three formidable women looking to spoil his chances of winning a new term in elections beginning next week. AFP profiles them here: - 'Big sis' - Feisty and fiery Mamata Banerjee is the first female chief minister of the eastern state of West Bengal -- home to more people than Germany -- where Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) needs to do well. The diminutive 64-year-old is one of Modi's most vociferous critics and has been working to cobble together an anti-Modi alliance. "We can tell you one thing, that we are all together against the BJP government to save the nation," she says. Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress party rules the roost in West Bengal, has succeeded in keeping the BJP at bay so far despite the growing popularity of Modi. The former national railways minister known as "didi", or big sister, enjoys a mass following not least because of her humble upbringing and lowbrow style. "Banerjee is a very important leader. She is a struggler and a fighter to the core," Manisha Priyam, a Delhi-based political analyst, told AFP. "If she does well in the state, she will be an important player in the formation of a government." A budding poet, painter and author -- Banerjee dons many hats. While her fans swear by her oil paintings and poems, critics deride her work as trash. - Lower-caste champion - Known as the "Dalit Queen", Mayawati, 63, has had a colourful career as champion of lower caste Dalits. She wields considerable influence in 200-million-strong Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and the election's biggest prize. Her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was decimated in the 2014 polls but she has stitched up an alliance with her sworn enemy, the Samajwadi Party. Analysts blamed her 2014 rout on her penchant for extravagance -- she once sent her private jet to pick up a pair of sandals according to leaked US cables -- and a controversy over building concrete parks full of statues of herself. Story continues But if her party performs well this time, she could once again play a pivotal role in coalition negotiations. She has hit the right notes so far, calling out the BJP for its "divide and rule communal politics" while cosying up with her once arch-rival Akhilesh Yadav who helms the Samajwadi Party. "She does have a cadre which has been built up astutely. No politics can go ahead in UP by disrespecting her. No one can afford to take her lightly," said Priyam. - Indira reborn? - The youngest scion of the famed Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered the family business of politics in January after years of steering clear -- and has made a splash. And what could be a better battleground for the charismatic younger sister of PM-hopeful Rahul Gandhi than Uttar Pradesh -- the Hindu heartland where Modi has his core support base. Priyanka, 47, has been tasked with reviving the Congress party in the state, where it was thrashed in 2014 polls -- winning just two of the 80 parliamentary seats in contrast to BJP's 71. She seems to have taken the challenge head-on, launching her campaign in Modi's constituency of Varanasi on a motorboat that traversed the Ganges, a river revered by Hindus. The symbolism was not lost on analysts, saying her move was aimed at snuffing out criticism that her Congress party has been ignoring majority Hindu voters and appeasing India's 170 million Muslims. Her fans say her common touch, as well as her appearance, are reminiscent of Indira Gandhi, her grandmother who was India's first woman prime minister -- and a divisive figure assassinated in 1984. On Wednesday, a teenage boy told police that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who has been missing since 2011. Officials are working to determine the identity of the boy who fled across a bridge in Kentucky and looked like he'd been "jumped." He said his birthday is Oct. 18, 2004, which matches Timmothy's date of birth. Timmothy, from Aurora, Illinois, would be 14 years old now. He was last seen at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, on May 12, 2011, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. With details still emerging about the possible recovery of Timmothy Pitzen, we remain hopeful," the center said in a statement. "Here at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, we never give up our search for a missing child. If the teen is Timmothy, he could join a list of other missing children that made headlines when they were miraculously found alive: Jayme Closs On Jan. 10, at age 13, Jayme Closs freed herself from the northern Wisconsin home of Jake Thomas Patterson after nearly three months in captivity. Patterson, 21, was charged with fatally shooting Jayme's parents and holding Jayme at his home, often hidden under a twin bed. Patterson pleaded guilty last month to the kidnapping and killings, a move that spared the teenager and her family from enduring a trial. More: Teen found by police says he is Timmothy Pitzen, Illinois child who disappeared 7 years ago Elizabeth Smart Elizabeth Smart was abducted in 2002 at knifepoint by Brian Mitchell while sleeping in her home. She was 14 years old. Her captors, Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, kept her in an encampment in the mountains outside her hometown of Salt Lake City. In 2003, Smart was spotted on a street with her captors by police and rescued. Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison. Barzee served prison time and has been released. Smart is now a child-safety advocate and married with three young children. Story continues When I look in the mirror, I also see a mother and a wife, and someone I am proud to be, Smart told The Arizona Republic. I see an advocate. I see a survivor. More: Elizabeth Smart kidnapper living near elementary school in Salt Lake City Jaycee Dugard Jaycee Lee Dugard was 11 years old when she was kidnapped by a married couple in June 1991 while walking to a school bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, California. While imprisoned, she gave birth to two girls fathered by one of her captors, 58-year-old Phillip Garrido. She was forced to live in the backyard of the home in sheds and tents with her two children until they were rescued. Garrido would be sentenced to 431 years in prison for the crimes. His wife, 54-year-old Nancy Garrido, received 36 years to life in prison for her involvement. Dugard went on to found a nonprofit that helps families during the reunification process. More: Jayme Closs captured our attention. Why dont these other missing kids? Amanda Berry, Georgina Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight Michelle Knight, then 20, vanished in August 2002. Amanda Berry disappeared on April 21, 2003 a day before her 17th birthday. Georgina Gina DeJesus disappeared in 2004 on her way home from school. Their abductor, Ariel Castro, tortured, beat and raped the women for years in his Cleveland home. The trio escaped May 6, 2013, when a neighbor heard Berry scream for help. "It's hard for me to believe that I actually got out alive and I'm here," Knight said two years after she became free. "Because there were days that I thought I wasn't going to make it." Castro was sentenced to life in prison, where he later took his own life. More: 'She is a survivor': Elizabeth Smart talks healing as Jayme Closs starts to reclaim her life Sean Hornbeck and Ben Ownby The driver of a white pickup knocked Shawn Hornbeck off his bike in the fall of 2002 before kidnapping him and holding the 11-year-old in his St. Louis-area apartment, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Four years later, a computer-generated image of what an older Hornbeck might look like was distributed. A boy named Mitchell Hults later saw Hornbeck in a truck as his captor kidnapped another boy, 13-year-old Ben Ownby. Authorities eventually discovered the boys days later in the apartment of their abductor, Michael Devlin, who was sentenced to life in prison. More: Jake Patterson targeted Jayme Closs after seeing her board school bus, complaint says Carlina White Carlina White was a newborn when Ann Pettway, wearing a nurses dress, kidnapped the baby from a Manhattan hospital in 1987, the New York Times recounted. Pettway took the infant to Connecticut and renamed her Nejdra Nance. White eventually solved the mystery of her own identity after finding a photo that looked like her as an infant on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website, the newspaper reported. Pettway was later sentenced to 12 years in prison. Alicia Kozakiewicz Alicia Kozakiewicz was 13 years old when she was abducted by a man who contacted her in a chatroom, she wrote for the BBC. He kidnapped her outside her parents' Pittsburgh home before driving her to his home in Virginia, where she was held for four days before the FBI rescued her. Her kidnapper, Scott Tyree, was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Kozakiewicz is now a motivational speaker. She also worked to pass a law to secure funding for Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program in all 50 states. Kamiyah Mobley Kamiyah Mobley was only eight hours old when a woman posing as a nurse kidnapped her from a Florida hospital in 1998. A helicopter search ensued around the hospital, but she wasn't found until 18 years later when DNA analysis helped a suspecting Mobley discover her true identity. Her kidnapper, Gloria Williams, raised her under a different name in Walterboro, South Carolina, before being charged with kidnapping. Williams was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Steve Carter Charlotte Moriarty kidnapped her boyfriend's infant son on a summer day in 1977 in Hawaii, according to People magazine. The child, Steve Carter, was eventually adopted by an Army officer. After noticing an odd date on his birth certificate, Carter did his own research decades later and found an image of what one boy who had gone missing might look like as an adult. It looked just like Carter, he told People. A DNA test confirmed his identity in 2011 before he reconnected with his biological father after 35 years. Contributing: The Arizona Republic, The Associated Press Follow Ashley May and Josh Hafner on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets and @JoshHafner This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timmothy Pitzen found? Here's a list of kids found alive after their disappearances made headlines The founder of the #MeToo movement has hit out at Joe Biden for jokingly referring to complaints made against him by women about unwanted physical contact. Tarana Burke, who founded the movement against sexual harassment and assault, said the former vice presidents light-hearted response was disrespectful and inexcusable. Ms Burke, who first started using the phrase MeToo to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual misconduct in 2006, said the women were right to speak out against the veteran Democrat. But she Mr Biden appeared to be misconstruing the point they were attempting to make. So now hes making jokes? This is disrespectful and inexcusable, she wrote on Twitter. She added: Its not that people become more sensitive over time as Biden suggested. And its not just about personal space or intention its about bodily autonomy, its about power and leadership, and its about living into who we say we are and who we want to be. He has *not* been accused of sexual assault. No one is calling for him to be incarcerated or sent away. He has been called to task for deeply problematic behaviour that many folks, particularly men, engage in regularly and thats a GOOD thing. Society could not only be angry when it is a Weinstein situation, Ms Burke said, referring to disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein who has been accused by more than 80 women including some of the most famous actors in Hollywood of varying degrees of sexual misconduct going back decades. He is currently facing criminal charges on five counts of sexual abuse, including rape, relating to two accusers charges he denies. Ms Burke said that lesser talked about, often ignored violations and indignities serve to intensify a culture of silence around all sexual harassment and violence. Mr Biden did not directly address the accusations in his first public appearance since several women came forward with allegations of unwanted physical contact. Story continues Yes, Biden has been instrumental in work to support women. No, that doesnt mean hes above reproach or cant course correct but FIRST he has to do some personal work and not just being mindful but apologizing and using the tons of resources available to him. Tarana (@TaranaBurke) April 5, 2019 The 76-year-old, who is widely expected to enter the 2020 presidential race, was introduced by the president of the union, Lonnie Stephenson, as he took the stage in Washington at a gathering of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Friday. I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie, Mr Biden quipped. The crowd, which was largely male, burst into laughter. The politician later made a similar joke after inviting a group of children onstage and putting his arm around a young boy. By the way, he gave me permission to touch him, he said, again sparking laughter. Mr Biden said: Everybody knows I like kids more than people. The politician, who has been jointly elected twice as the running mate of former president Barack Obama, has not been accused of sexual assault or harassment but the women have said they felt he violated their personal space. Before his appearance Mr Biden, who is likely to be among Democratic favourites if he were to launch his third run for the White House, promised to change his behaviour in a video. He said: 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 of personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it. Speaking to reporters after Fridays event, Mr Biden was asked if he would apologise to the women directly. He said: Im sorry I didnt understand. Im not sorry for any of my intentions. He added: I literally think it is incumbent upon me and I think everybody else to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone, its with their consent, regardless of your intention. At least four women have recently come forward to accuse Mr Biden of unwanted physical contact. Lucy Flores, a Democrat who served in the Nevada state assembly, former congressional aide Amy Lappos, Caitlyn Caruso and DJ Hill. All said he either touched them or hugged them in a way that made them uncomfortable. Donald Trump, who was accused of sexual harassment or assault by two-dozen women when he ran in 2016, has capitalised on the allegations to mock Mr Biden and tweeted a doctored video showing Mr Biden appearing to put his hands on his own shoulders. Pressed about whether he deemed Mr Biden a threat on Friday, the president replied: No, I dont see Joe Biden as a threat. No. I dont see him as a threat. I think hes only a threat to himself. The Top 7 Reasons Your Credit Card Can Be Declined Declined! It's one of the most awkward moments anyone with credit cards can experience. Your face turns red, the store employee uncomfortably looks away into the distance, and you both agree that it must have been a technical issue. You ask them to run the card again. Declined! You can easily avoid these awkward moments if you know what's causing the problem. Here are seven of the most common reasons credit cards are declined, and what you can do to keep it from happening again. 1. You made a purchase abroad Photo by Steven Lewis on Unsplash It's important to make sure your bank or credit company is aware of your travel plans It's important to make sure your bank or credit company is aware of your travel plans. If they're unaware, any international purchases could lock your card. A number of banks and credit card companies now have websites and apps that allow you input your travel details. This saves you from having to dial the number on the back of the card and wait on hold for a customer service agent. Note that a purchase made over internet from the comfort of your home can trigger an alert, if you're buying clothing or booking a hotel from an international seller and the transaction is processed abroad. 2. You accidentally triggered anti-fraud software Photo by David Cohen on Unsplash If you anticipate that a purchase you're about to make might be out-of-character, then click or call ahead. Certain "out-of-character" activity can freeze your credit card, too. Large purchases, or buying things from stores you've never shopped at before can be seen as suspicious by the software your bank or credit card issuer uses to monitor for fraud. The software is incredibly sensitive. It's intentionally designed this way because banks and credit card issuers lose millions of dollars every year to fraud. If you anticipate that a purchase you're about to make might be out of character, then click or call ahead. 3. You entered the wrong information Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash A typo. This might seem like a silly reason, but it happens often and to the best of us! A typo. You might have mistyped your credit card number, expiration date or security code. You might have used the wrong ZIP code, or if you've recently moved, your credit card details might not have been updated. Story continues If you're making an online purchase and it wont go through, double-check your information and try again. If you regularly buy things online, use your browser's auto-fill feature to help you fill out forms efficiently and correctly the first time. To set this up, access the browser's auto-fill settings and fill out the auto-fill form carefully with the correct personal details. The next time you visit an online merchant's payment page, your browser will attempt to fill every field with the appropriate information. 4. You missed a credit card payment Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash Take a moment to consider whether it was forgetfulness or an inability to make payments This seems like an obvious one, but if you've fallen behind on payments, you'll need to catch up before your card will work again. It's highly unlikely that your bank or credit card issuer will freeze your card if you miss one payment. But if you have a long history of not making payments, or you've missed more than one payment, you're more likely to lose access to your card. If you're regularly unable to make payments, you should consider seeking the advice of a credit counselor. 5. You hit your credit limit Micolas/Shutterstock Your credit limit exists to cap the spending on your credit card Your credit limit exists to cap the spending on your credit card. Your bank or credit card issuer will prevent new payments from going through if you reach your limit. To ensure you never go over your limit, track your spending! You can do that with help from a free app like Mint or YNAB, or access the online portal for your bank or credit card issuer, to see your spending in near-real time. If you notice that you're approaching your limit, pay down all or some of your balance or request an increase to your credit limit (if you have a good credit score). You can check your credit report and score for free on Credit Karma or myFICO. Some credit cards also have daily spending limits. If you anticipate spending more than your limit in one day, click or call your credit card issuer or bank and let them know, so they'll allow the payment. 6. Your card has expired Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock As a fraud-protection measure, all credit cards have an expiration date As a fraud-protection measure, all credit cards have an expiration date. Your bank or credit card issuer will likely send you a new credit card a few months in advance of your existing credit cards expiration date. An expired credit card will not function. But you might not notice your card has expired until it gets declined. You will have to update your credit card details with every utility and website where your credit card details have been stored. So, take out your smartphone and set a reminder a few days ahead of the expiration of your credit card even if it's years out. 7. Your credit score went down Casper1774 Studio/Shutterstock Go through your credit report to see if there is any outdated or missing information Being in good standing with your credit card is not enough to keep your card in good standing. Banks and card issuers regularly pull your information from credit agencies to see how you're doing with your other payments and loans. If something has happened to negatively impact your credit score, your card issuer may lower your credit limit. There are various ways to see your credit report and score for free, so you'll want to check regularly to see how your score is doing. While there are laws that limit how banks and credit card issuers can react to changes in your credit report, they can make changes to your terms if they give you notice. They will likely send you a letter in the mail telling you about pending changes to your credit terms. Make sure to read all letters from your credit provider to keep on top of any changes. Follow us on Twitter: @moneywisecom NEW YORK Top House Democrat Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told Yahoo News that pursuing the impeachment of President Trump is extremely premature, but there is still a possibility Democrats could seek to oust the president. Its off the table until its on the table. And at the moment its off the table, Jeffries said. Jeffries echoed what he has said in the past, which is that he has agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis assessment of what would be necessary to move forward with impeachment proceedings. As Speaker Pelosi has indicated, we should only go down that road if the case is compelling, the evidence is overwhelming, and the public sentiment around impeachment is bipartisan in nature, Jeffries said. Those conditions dont exist right now. Yahoo News spoke on Friday by phone with Jeffries, the fifth-highest-ranking House Democrat, shortly after he delivered a blistering speech in which he cited some of the close Trump associates who are facing jail time after special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. (Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Jeffries compared their situation to the Biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three men thrown into a furnace on a kings order when they refused to worship a false idol. Sometimes youve got such an arrogant, narcissistic, self-centered, out of control ruler that the people closest to him are the first ones to go down in flames, Jeffries said. Jeffries went on to shout the names of top Trump campaign aides who were charged as part of Muellers probe. Late last month, Trump declared himself exonerated after Attorney General William Barr released a letter summarizing Muellers report. According to Barr, Mueller did not find evidence Trumps campaign team had colluded with Russian attempts to interfere with the election and declined to make a decision whether the president should be charged with obstruction of justice. Reports have since emerged that Mueller prepared his own public statement on his conclusions and that members of the special counsels team were frustrated with Barrs summary. Story continues Jeffries blasted Barrs letter and said House Democrats will do everything possible within the law to ensure Muellers full report is released publicly. The Barr letter seems to me to be a complete and total fraud, and recent reports that public summaries had been prepared by the Mueller team for the American people only provide further evidence that we need to get a full and complete understanding of the work that the Mueller team did, Jeffries said in the interview with Yahoo News. Jeffries argued Trump is hiding Muellers report from the American people despite claiming that it vindicates him. This is a smoke and mirrors presidency, Jeffries said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: The Trump administration is reportedly planning to designate Irans Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation, in an unprecedented step aimed at escalating Washingtons campaign of maximum pressure. According to the Wall Street Journal, the administration is preparing to announce the move as early as Monday. It would mark the first time the US has designated a branch of the armed forces of a foreign government as a terrorist group. The US state department declined to comment on the report on Friday evening. Experts said it was unclear how much concrete difference the terrorist designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would make. It is already heavily sanctioned by the US as a terrorist supporter, and Iran is designated a state sponsor of terrorism. It is hard to imagine a bigger sanctions stick than that, said Richard Nephew, a former principal deputy coordinator for sanctions policy at the state department, and the author of The Art of Sanctions. Frankly, I still dont believe that this is consistent with the intent of the underlying law, which was to target non-state actors. Related: Trump wants to keep US troops in Iraq to 'be able to watch' Iran The move, if carried out, is likely to increase the trepidation on the part of foreign companies when it comes to trading with or investing in Iran. The IRGC controls a large slice of the Iranian economy (the Trump administration claims up to half), and the US treasury and state department have stressed that the onus is on foreign companies to find out if the partners they deal with in Iran are tied to sanctioned groups. This is uncharted territory. We havent done this before, said Ariane Tabatabai, an Iran expert at the Rand Corporation. It is a sign the US is prepared to fully escalate maximum pressure but what is lacking is a clear endgame. There is a confusion of means and ends. The administration sees the damage inflicted as success. But thats not how it works. Story continues The IRGC has always thrived under pressure, Tabatabai, the coauthor of a book on Iranian foreign policy, Triple Axis: Irans Relations with Russia and China, added. The Wall Street Journal report said that senior Pentagon officials were apprehensive about the move, fearing it could provoke a backlash against US troops in the region. Mohammad Ali Shabani, an Iran scholar at Soas University of London, said that if the designation is announced, the Iranian government is likely to respond in kind. Related: US will expel every last Iranian boot from Syria, says Mike Pompeo First and foremost, the Iranian parliament may move to label the US military a terrorist organization, Shabani said, but he added he thought the Iranian military would avoid being drawn into a direct clash with US forces in the region. He argued that it marked an attempt by Iran hawks in the administration, like the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and the national security adviser, John Bolton, to box in future decision making on Iran. The point of all of this is to constrain Trumps deal-making instinct as much as possible and make it as difficult as possible for the next US president to return to sanity on Iran. The Trump administration claims it needs up to two years to identity and locate an unknown number of migrant children who were separated from their families at the US border as part of the so-called zero tolerance policy. Federal judge Dana Sabraw last year put an end to the controversial practice of splitting children from their parents and criminally prosecuting the adults, as part of a tactic to dissuade migrants from Central America trying to enter the country. He ordered that 2,700 children who were in government care on June 26 2018 be reunited with their families. In January, the department of health and human services admitted that thousands more children may have been separated than had been previously acknowledged. Now, the government has said it needs to review as many as 47,000 cases of unaccompanied children taken into government custody between July 1, 2017 and June 25, 2018, and has requested up to two years to do so. The Associated Press said the department of justice made the request in a court filing late on Friday at the southern district of California federal court in San Diego. Mr Sabraw ruled last month he could hold the government accountable for families that were separated before his June order and asked the government submit a proposal for the next steps. A hearing is scheduled April 16, the AP said, In an affidavit, Jonathan White, of the department of health and human searches, said the job of identifying the children was more difficult because of the sheer scale involved. The policy of splitting children from their families sparked global outcry. While the Trump administration claimed it was merely enforcing rules established by Barack Obama - a claim that was not true - the president eventually signed an executive order terminating the policy. First lady Melania Trump also criticised the tactic. Were going to have strong very strong borders, but we are going to keep the families together, Mr Trump said last June in the Oval Office as he signed he order. I didnt like the sight or the feeling of families being separated. Story continues Activists have condemned the governments proposal to take up to two years to identify the migrant children and reunite them with relatives. The administration refuses to treat the family separation crisis it created with urgency, said the American Civil Liberties Union. The government swiftly gathered resources to tear families apart. It must do the same to fix the damage. The department of justice did not immediately respond to enquiries on Saturday. As it was, Saturday marked the anniversary of Mr Trumps zero tolerance policy to criminally prosecute every adult who entered the country illegally from Mexico - a policy he was forced to drop. A fire destroyed the main offices of the Highlander Education and Research Center in New Market, Tennessee, on Friday, March 29. Photo: New Market Fire and Rescue Team When the governor of Tennessee revoked the Highlander Research and Education Centers charter in 1961, its founder, Myles Horton, said he wasnt worried about the future of the civil-rights institution. My friend here, he thinks hes padlocking Highlander, he explained to a reporter 20 years later. But Highlander is an idea. You cant padlock an idea. Horton was right. Highlander survived, even thrived. The idea at the heart of the Highlander to organize the South for civil rights drew activists like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Representative John Lewis to its workshops and training sessions. The same idea has long made the center the focus of attacks from segregationists and other factions of the far-right. Now Highlanders supporters fear that someone may have targeted the center again. On March 29, a fire destroyed the centers main office building in New Market, Tennessee. Days later, the center and local authorities confirmed that staff had discovered a symbol associated with white supremacy in a parking lot. Jefferson County sheriff Jeff Coffey described it as the hashtag symbol; a photograph from the scene published in the Knoxville News Sentinel shows three vertical lines crossed with three horizontal lines, drawn in black spray paint on the pavement. The symbol originated with the Iron Guard, a fascist group active in Romania in the 30s and 40s, and its been resurrected by some contemporary right-wing extremists. The Christchurch mosque shooter drew the mark on his rifle, and it was used by members of the recently disbanded Traditionalist Worker Party, a white-nationalist group. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Department says its investigation into the symbol and the fire is ongoing. Ash-Lee Henderson, a native of east Tennessee and the first black woman to become Highlanders executive director, believes the incident may be connected to a growing global white-power movement. Their presence has been more overt so that more and more people are seeing it, whether the attacks in technocratic terms have been increasing or not, she told New York. Highlander has been working to oppose these forces since it was founded in 1932, as the Highlander Folk School. Though it initially provided vocational training to adults in Grundy County, Tennessee, Myles Horton had political ambitions for his new school, too. Their founding documents basically state that they wanted to create a new social order in the South, explained Emily Senefeld, a visiting lecturer in history at Sewanee, the University of the South. That new social order had a distinctly left-wing shape. In its early years, the center helped train labor activists and played an integral role in helping to desegregate the trade-union movement. As a consequence, anti-communists began smearing the school within months of its creation. Even in the late 1930s, Highlander was being targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee long before the better known investigations of the 1950s, she said, referring to probes by the governments of Georgia, Arkansas, and Tennessee. By that point, the center had begun training and hosting civil-rights activists, including John Lewis. It was at the Highlander Folk School that I shared a meal for the first time in my life in an integrated setting. I was a young adult, but I had never eaten a meal in the company of black and white diners, Representative Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, explained in a statement shared with New York. Highlander, he added, was where Rosa Parks witnessed a demonstration of equality that helped inspire her to keep her seat on a Montgomery bus, just a few days after her first visit. Henderson, the centers executive director, describes Highlander as part of a broader southern freedom movement, which has gained strength even as white nationalists grew their own networks. Theres this long and radical legacy of resistance, like the black liberation movement, which some people call the civil-rights movement. That was rooted in the South. Even before that, the struggle to abolish slavery obviously is a southern story. And we won some victories there, Henderson said, laughing. Faced with a decades-old smear campaign, the center has repeatedly proven its resilience. After the state of Tennessee confiscated Highlanders Monteagle property in 1961, the school renamed itself the Highlander Education and Research Center, and moved first to Knoxville and then to its current location in rural New Market. Though its name and location have changed, the character of its work remains roughly the same. Today the center helps fund the STAY Project, which supports young environmental and civil-rights activists in central Appalachia, along with National Bail Out Collective, which coordinates bail for incarcerated low-income people, and the Power U Center for Social Change, which works with youth of color in Miami, Florida. If Marchs fire turns out to be a hate crime, there doesnt appear to be a specific, catalyzing moment to explain why someone would attack the center now. Highlander is doing what Highlander has always done. But broader trends may offer an explanation. Nationally, hate crimes are on the rise. In 2018, the FBI reported that rates of reported hate crimes increased 17 percent from 2017. (The real figure is almost certainly higher, as many victims dont report hate crimes.) Since President Trump took office, white-nationalist violence has claimed lives in a number of high-profile incidents, from Heather Heyers death in Charlottesville, Virginia, to the killing of 11 worshippers in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, synagogue. Members of Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group, have been linked to five murders nationwide. There have been other near misses, like the arrest of Christopher Hasson, a Coast Guard lieutenant who reportedly dreamed of a white homeland and had a kill list. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has taken steps that reduce the governments focus on white-nationalist violence as a security threat. Weeks before the violence in Charlottesville, the Department of Homeland Security rescinded a grant to Life After Hate, a nonprofit that helps individuals transition out of white-nationalist organizations. Just this week, the Daily Beast reported that sometime last year the Department of Homeland Security disbanded a group of analysts that focused on domestic terrorism. (DHS disputed the notion that its reduced its commitment to defeating all forms of radical ideology including white supremacist and domestic terrorist, telling the Daily Beast thats patently false and the exact opposite of what we have done.) Though white nationalists have always been active in east Tennessee, theres now some evidence of increased activity. Before the Traditionalist Worker Party dissolved last year, its founder, Matthew Heimbach, was spotted repeatedly in Knoxville. He counterprotested the Knoxville Womens March in January 2018, then held a talk on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the following month. A cached version of a Twitter account under Heimbachs name which was created in February and may have been deleted earlier this week shows his location as Tennessee, though it doesnt specify the town. (A source familiar with the matter told New York that Twitter did not take action on the Heimbach account.) Knoxville Radical Alliance, a local anti-fascist group, posted images of masked fascists marching in the area last weekend, and referenced a newly formed fascist group. A website for the group, which calls itself the Legion of St. Ambrose and uses Orthodox Christian imagery, appeared earlier this year. Flyers from the TWP and Identity Evropa, another white-nationalist organization that has since attempted to rebrand itself, have been discovered on the campus of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. Henderson said that Highlander hasnt received any recent threats, though Monica Hernandez, who worked at the center for a decade before she became the founding president of the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, recalled receiving threatening email and hate mail before she left in 2011. There was some activity that we were aware of, with white supremacists in the area, she added. We were always super vigilant. For now, Highlanders staff and supporters are waiting for the investigation to conclude. Henderson told New York that they havent yet been able to access the burned building and assess their losses. What we do know is that it is unlikely that we didnt lose some historic documents that we kept in the building, she said. What we know we lost for sure is some of the other, just as powerful memorabilia that we had in the office. Cards that people sent us thanking us for being who we are to movements. Pictures that our children drew. Things that we brought from our homes to remind us of how this place is also a home for so many, including our staff and participants. Despite these losses, Henderson says that the center intends to break ground on the construction of a new library, named for civil-rights icon Septima Clark. Hernandez says she believes that Highlander will continue to thrive. The fire, she said, is a warning to all of us that we need to be alert. But I know the spirit of Highlander, she added. I know its beloved by thousands of people here and all over the world. I know the mission will continue, and it will flourish. Despite vowing to revisit the idea of closing the US-Mexico border in a years time, Donald Trumps retreat from his threat this week served as the latest example of his inability to address the signature issue of his presidency. Related: Trump backtracks border closure and levies new threat at Mexico Throughout his first two years in office, Trump has cast a sustained spotlight on the border while sounding the alarm over immigration, in the hopes of enacting the restrictive agenda that helped propel him to the White House in 2016. He has rescinded protections for Dreamers, the young undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children; he has scaled back protections for asylum seekers and other immigrants from vulnerable countries; and perhaps, most infamously, his administration separated parents and children at the US-Mexico border in a humanitarian crisis with lasting impact. But Trumps numerous actions have yet to produce any results, experts say, reinforcing that his approach is more politically motivated than driven by any coherent policy. His motivations, they argue, are more rooted in fanning the flames of nationalism than seeking the kind of deal on immigration that for decades has eluded his predecessors. Sign up for the US morning briefing He hasnt really been able to get a handle on the issue, said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. I think that among his staunch supporters, immigration is the one policy area where hes most vulnerable. And thats because arguably his strongest suit as a candidate was to pledge to crack down on immigration and the successful effort to play the white nationalist card. This year alone, Trump led the US into the longest government shutdown in history after Congress rebuffed funding a border wall. He subsequently declared a national emergency, ignoring warnings from his own party and drawing a formal rebuke from lawmakers in Washington. Trumps tough talk on closing the border appeared to be his latest gambit emboldened by close allies at Fox News as he sets his sights toward his 2020 re-election campaign. Story continues Trump rooted his rationale in what he claimed was Mexicos failure to stop the illegal flow of drugs and immigration across the US border. Although he had long talked about shutting the border without actually following through he insisted over the past week that such an action was imminent. The pushback was comprehensive. Experts warned of significant damage to the US economy, pointing to a close trade partnership that in 2018 amounted to roughly $502bn in goods exchanged across the border. Some estimates have suggested nearly 5m American jobs rely on the US-Mexico trading relationship. Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, publicly urged the president not to act upon his threat. Trump was dismissive of the economic concerns, telling reporters earlier this week: To me, trading is very important, the borders are very important, but security is what is most important. I mean we have to have security. Just 48 hours later, Trump had changed his tune. Mexico was receiving a one-year warning, he said, to stem the flow of illegal drugs. In he meantime, Trump declared plans to impose auto tariffs even as he is soon seeking approval from Congress to ratify the revamped North American Free Trade Act (Nafta) negotiated under his administration. I dont think well ever have to close the border, Trump said, contradicting his own claims. Daniel Garza, executive director of the Libre Initiative, said Trump was not wrong in his desire to reform Americas immigration system. But he took issue with Trumps repeated use of executive action, as opposed to negotiating a legislative solution through Congress. I would encourage the president to channel his frustration into an opportunity to arrive at a consensus, a bill that both sides feel they could win on, as opposed to unilateral or executive action, Garza said. But legislative progress has largely been stymied by Trump himself. In early 2018, Trump engaged in his characteristic showmanship in the pursuit of a bipartisan immigration deal that would address the plight of Dreamers after he rescinded the protections granted to them under Barack Obama. He televised his meetings with members of Congress and engaged with a bipartisan working group that appeared to reach a breakthrough. A narrow compromise would have provided tighter border security measures in exchange for temporary status for Dreamers. Trump gave the proposal his blessing in an unexpected shift from his previous objections to granting what hard-right conservatives deride as amnesty to undocumented immigrants. Days later, following immense backlash from anti-immigrant voices such as Ann Coulter, Trump reversed course. The White House later embraced a proposal that would have granted protections for Dreamers in exchange for building a wall and dramatically reducing even legal immigration a non-starter with Democrats. Related: Students charged for border patrol protest speak out: 'I'm afraid to go to class' It was amid the same negotiations that Trump reportedly referred, behind closed doors, to certain African and Latin American nations as shithole countries. Putting together the presidents claims of cultural threat from immigration with his vilification of nonwhite immigrants, these statements suggest support for white nationalist ideas, Jayashri Srikantiah and Shirin Sinnar, both law professors at Stanford Law School, wrote in an essay identifying white nationalism as the driver of Trumps immigration policy. On the campaign trail, Trump has continued to employ stark rhetoric linking immigrants to violence and crime. We are on track for 1 million illegal aliens trying to rush our borders, Trump claimed at a rally in Michigan last week. It is an invasion, you know that. I say invasion. The message was reminiscent of Trumps closing argument leading up to last Novembers 2018 midterm elections. But now Trump will also be forced to contend with a failure to fulfill his promises on immigration. Lou Dobbs, a Fox News Business host who ranks among Trumps most vocal on-air champions, expressed frustration this week at what he said was Trumps lack of results on border security. That is a horrible worsening vulnerability for this president, a glaring electoral burden facing 2020, Dobbs said. In the wake of President Donald Trumps executive order to protect free speech on college campuses, which allows federal research and education grants to be withheld from public higher education institutions if they do not promote free and open debate on campus, some fear universities will feel pressure to protect the rights of guest speakers at the expense of the students who protest them. On Friday, a third University of Arizona (UA) student was charged with a misdemeanor and is now facing up to six months in jail, after protesting the presence of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on campus. The charges come one year after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law a measure to protect free speechfor both student activists and speakers on college campusesin response to riots over a scheduled appearance by alt-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, at the University of California, Berkeley. Yiannopoulos was expected to out undocumented students at the event. Michelle Tellez, an assistant professor in the department of Mexican American Studies at UA said the charges against students are a move toward silencing progressive activists. They exercised their right to protest and thats whats being seen as a threat, she told Fortune. And now the students are being charged and its egregious. UA said the CBP agents were invited by some of its students. University of Arizona president Robert Robbins called the protesters actions a dramatic departure from our expectations of respectful behavior and support for free speech and university police charged three with interference with the peaceful conduct of an educational institution. Student protest is protected by our support for free speech, Robbins said in a statement. But disruption is not. A video of the incident shows a student protester standing outside the event and later walking behind Border Patrol agents, calling them murderers and arguing that the college is supposed to be a safe space for students. Story continues Videos of the protests were shared online after some media outlets called them an example of free speech being impeded by liberals and leftists. But the free speech argument has been used as a talking point in recent years to protect white nationalist organizing and speakers on college campuses. Public universities, like UA, are already required to uphold the First Amendment. But in some cases, the ideals behind free speech might not apply in the same wayespecially when students feel threatened. UAs Immigrant Student Resource Center and the Mexican American Studies (MAS) department said they had to close earlier this week after professors in the department were targeted online by far-right hate groups. This is not new, as threats of violence towards students who protested Border Patrol on campus continue to be (sic) grow, the Center wrote in a Facebook post. Tellez explained that the student protest against the agents, who were fully uniformed and armed, should not be disconnected from the context of Arizonas anti-immigrant policies, and what she described as Border Patrols culture of cruelty. According to the Southern Border Communities Coalition, an organization formed in 2011 that promotes policies that seek to improve the quality of life for people living along the Southern border, 83 people have died in the custody of, or in encounters with, U.S. border agents in the past nine years, with causes of death ranging from illnesses to fatal shootings. Even here in recent days theres been families separated and residents in Tucson being detained by border patrol, so we cant dehistoricize and depoliticize whats happening here in Tucson and Arizona more broadly, said Tellez. But the disruption on the University of Arizonas campus also exists in the context of ongoing controversy around free speech on college campuses, especially in recent years. Ben Cooper, a junior at Arizona State University (ASU) and the communications director of the Young Democratic Socialists of America at the school told Fortune hes always been concerned the [college] administration and police will take action against students holding protests. According to Cooper, since as recently as 2016, ASU created what he called free speech zones on campus where students are allowed to protest. Students at ASU organized a march on Thursday in a public area open to student action to protest Border Patrol agents who were invited to recruit there at a career fair. Some held signs that read, Solidarity with U of A. Protesters were not allowed into the building where the event was held, but, Cooper said, Someone poured water on us from a building and the police didnt do anything. Trump first proposed his executive order on free speech in a two-hour speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 2. During this speech, Trump highlighted cases of conservative students being targeted on college campuses, including a member of Turning Point USA, a far-right organization with connections to white nationalists. Trump officially signed the order at a White House ceremony on March 21, two days after the incident at UA. If a college or university does not allow you to speak, Trump said during the signing, we will not give them money. DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] recipients at the University of Arizona wrote an open letter of support for the student activists who disrupted the CBP event, saying the presence of agents poses both a physical and emotional safety concern to undocumented students and local undocumented residents. The discomfort and fear we face at the sight of Customs and Border [Protection] is overwhelming, they wrote. 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 in academics. UA said that college Republicans did hold a second event with a Border Patrol agent that was protested by about 50 students. There was no disruption, both groups had the event they planned and both groups departed without incident, a UA spokesperson told Fortune. This is much more typical of how we hold events on campus involving potentially controversial speakers and topics. But Tellez said the first incident could have had the same result, without the student activists facing charges. The presenters could have continued with their presentation and protesters could have continued, she said. But [Border Patrol] chose to leave campus and there was no aggression in any physical form [toward them]. Two of the charged students are scheduled to appear in the Pima County Justice Court on April 22, 2019, and a third is scheduled to appear in the Pima County Justice Court on April 25, 2019. The University of Arizona Police Department said it is continuing its investigation into the incident, but they dont anticipate any more arrests. President Donald Trump's decision not to follow through with a shutdown of the Mexican border comes as a big relief for U.S. automakers, especially considering the industry is already struggling with the administration's tariffs on imported aluminum and steel and a slowdown in U.S. sales. Nearly every major automaker saw sales fall in March and for the first quarter as a whole with Cox Automotive predicting U.S. new vehicle demand will be off as much as 7% for all of 2019. "The industry had a tough first quarter," Reid Bigland, the head of U.S. sales for Fiat Chrysler(FCA-IT), said during a conference call with reporters this week. He said the automaker was hoping the industry would see the market pick up steam in the weeks ahead during the traditionally strong spring buying season. A shutdown of the Mexican border could have scuttled that, threatening to leave dealers facing short supplies. Mexico grows Mexico has grown from an automotive backwater to become the fifth-largest producer of fully assembled vehicles in the world, according to federal data. All told, about 2.57 million light-duty vehicles were exported from Mexico to the U.S. last year, industry data show. That included about 30 models sold by 15 different automotive brands, according to Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica. It's a diverse list that includes the likes of Fiat Chrysler's new heavy-duty pickup, the Ram 2500, the Audi Q5 crossover and the all-new Chevrolet Blazer SUV. The latter is one of General Motors'(GM) newest products, and dealers are still struggling to build up inventories to meet anticipated demand. They'd have been hit hard by even a brief border closure. 'Devastating consequences' But even products built north of the border were at risk, according to industry analysts. Anything more than a brief shutdown could have had "devastating consequences" on the U.S. assembly and parts plants that employ about 1 million American workers, cautioned David Cole, director-emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research, or CAR. Story continues Since the original North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, went into effect on January 1, 1994, "the auto industry has developed a highly integrated manufacturing network that has essentially eliminated borders" between the three trade partners, Cole added. CAR research shows that $112 billion in autos and auto parts were imported from Mexico in 2018, while $36 billion was exported. On an average basis, that would work out to more than $400 million in automotive goods per day that could have been stuck at the border. In some instances, the impact, as Cole noted, could have been minor. Dealer's routinely keep about 60 days of vehicle inventories on their lots, though that can run far longer for slow-selling models. But American-made vehicles, especially hot-selling products such as the new Ford Ranger pickup assembled in suburban Detroit, could have been hit by a border closure. While the figure varies by manufacturer and model, industry data indicate that 38% of the imported parts used in American plants come from Mexico. Maquiladoras Many of those are relatively small and inconsequential items, such as trim pieces. But other parts are large and expensive, like the transmissions used in the Chevrolet Corvette. Even before NAFTA and the explosive growth of Mexican auto assembly operations over the past quarter century, Mexico was already carving out an automotive niche for itself by creating a special export zone called the maquiladoras, just south of the U.S. border. It has come to all-but-dominate supplying some key components about 70% of the wiring harnesses used on American assembly lines today coming from Mexico. Automakers have occasionally found ways to keep assembly plants running despite shortages of inconsequential parts. The assembly process can barely begin, however, without those bundles of wires that thread throughout every new vehicle. Just-in-time Back when NAFTA was new, the auto industry might have been able to live through a brief border shutdown by drawing down factory inventories. No longer, said analyst Cole. Today, the just-in-time manufacturing system, with inventories trimmed to the bare minimum, has become the norm. It helps manufacturers reduce costs and keep a better handle on quality, but even brief logistical disruptions can prove calamitous. A fire at a single supplier plant in Michigan last May resulted in lost production of thousands of Ford F-Series pickups. A border shutdown, CAR and other industry experts said, could be several times more severe. And finding alternative parts is, with rare exception a non-starter, at least on short order. "Any action that stops commerce at the border would be harmful to the U.S. economy, and in particular, the auto industry. Access to Mexico's market place and North American integration are critical to operations in the U.S.," Matt Blunt, president of the trade group, the American Automotive Policy Council, said earlier this week. Several senior automotive executives told CNBC they were "monitoring" developments in the president's ongoing dispute with Mexico, privately admitting they are pleased by the decision to abandon the idea of a border shutdown at least for now. Industry officials have been reluctant to openly criticize the president for fear of becoming a target of his frequent tweets. What next? The question is what happens next. During a White House meeting on Thursday, Trump told reporters, "If the drugs don't stop or largely stop, we're gonna put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars. The whole ballgame is cars. If they don't do it, we're gonna tax the cars. And if that doesn't work, we're gonna close the borders." In an industry used to long-term planning, a year isn't very much time. But the auto industry has other matters to worry about that could hinge on what Trump does in the coming months. There are the tariffs enacted last year on metal imports that, according to GM and Ford, added about $1 billion in costs for each of them in 2018 alone. An even bigger issue is how the president will respond to a recently completed Commerce Department study that explored whether auto imports pose a threat to national security. The president will have to decide what to do by next month but could enact up to 25% tariffs on cars and car parts imported from many parts of the world. As with the border shutdown, the impact could hit even American-made vehicles, Toyota estimating such a move might raise the price of a Kentucky-assembled Camry sedan by $1,600. That, trade groups such as the American International Automobile Dealers Association have warned, could really send the U.S. car market crashing, raising concerns about not only the 1 million Americans working at auto and auto parts plants, but the hundreds of thousands of others at dealerships and other related businesses. Attorneys representing Donald Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen have told members of congress their client has a substantial trove of documents relevant to their investigations, in a bid to keep him out of prison. In a letter sent to the lawmakers on Thursday, Cohens legal team said he had recently accessed a hard drive with more than 14 million files including emails, voice recordings and attachments from his computers and phones. The lawyers said the presidents former fixer has identified documents which will be of interest to Democrats currently investigating Mr Trump. To date, Mr Cohen has located several documents that we believe have significant value to the various congressional oversight and investigation committees, wrote lawyers Lanny Davis, Michael Monico and Carly Chocron. They also claimed Cohen would not be able to finish reviewing all the material if he reports to prison on 6 May as scheduled, asking the lawmakers to write letters explaining their client was still cooperating. The lawyers said he had a substantial trove of new information, documents, recordings, and other evidence to offer. Cohen, who pleaded guilty last year to tax evasion, fraud, lying to congress and campaign finance violations, has already received one delay on medical grounds while he recovered from a shoulder surgery. He has been sentenced to a three-year term in jail. The new request was sent to US representatives Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, Maxine Waters and Elijah Cummings. If any lawmakers were to write such a letter, it would be useful in Cohens attempt to delay his prison report date. Cohen testified in front of the House Oversight Committee in February (EPA) In their letter, Cohens lawyers admitted they were still holding out hope that federal prosecutors in New York would not only back another delay in the start of his prison term, but agree to reopen his case and advocate for a lighter sentence. It is our hope that the authorities in the Southern District of New York will consider this total picture of cooperation by Mr Cohen, verified by your letter and the important new evidence he has made available or could make available to assist the government, and the particular facts involved here to grant Mr Cohen a reduced term following the rules and procedures of the Southern District of New York. Story continues Cohen testified before a series of congressional committees in February, including a televised hearing in front of the House Oversight Committee in which he denounced the president as a conman and a cheat. Additional reporting by agencies WASHINGTON President Donald Trump used a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition Saturday to highlight his administration's work in the Middle East and policies benefiting Israel while targeting the Democratic Party as one rooted in anti-Semitism. The president started his nearly hour-long speech in Las Vegas thanking lawmakers and public officials in the room, then joked, "Special thanks to Rep. Omar of Minnesota," a mention of the freshmen Democrat who sparked controversy for criticizing Israel's treatment of Palestinians and Israeli lobbying efforts. The comments were criticized as playing into enduring stereotypes about Jewish money controlling politics. "Oh, I forgot. She doesn't like Israel," Trump said sarcastically as the crowd booed. "I forgot. I'm so sorry." The president's joke about freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., came just one day after a New York man was arrested on federal charges of threatening to kill her and accusing her of being a terrorist. "Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, she's an (expletive) terrorist. Ill put a bullet in her (expletive) skull," Patrick W. Carlineo, 55, is accused of saying to a member of Omar's staff after calling her office last week. More: 'Ill put a bullet in her': Trump supporter charged with threatening to kill Rep. Ilhan Omar More: House overwhelmingly passes resolution condemning hate after Rep. Ilhan Omar's comments Throughout Trump's speech, he touched on his administration moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, stopping illegal immigration, halting the Iran nuclear deal and his work to restore peace in the Middle East. "I would like to see peace in the Middle East," the president said. He added, "If those three can't do it, you'll never have it done," referring to White House advisers Jared Kushner, who is also his son-in-law, Jason Greenblatt, a former Trump Organization employee and adviser on Israel, and David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel. Story continues Trump also took credit for eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians and for pulling the U.S. out of several U.N. organizations, the U.N. Human Rights Council and UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias in their agendas. He attacked Democrats, painting them as "anti-Israel" and pointing to the controversy surrounding Omar, whose comments spurred a resolution in the House denouncing hate and anti-Semitism. "Democrats have even allowed the terrible scourge of anti-Semitism to take root in their party and in their country. They have allowed that," the president said. "Republicans believe that we must never ignore the vile poison of anti-Semitism." He pinned Israel's future to the 2020 elections, saying that "the Democrats' radical agenda would destroy our country, cripple our agenda and leave Israel all by itself." The Jewish Democratic Council of America denounced Trump's speech as lies and fantasy, saying policy between the United States and Israel should be bipartisan and not pivot parties against one another. "Trumps claims of Republicans doing well in the 2018 election and of American Jews leaving the Democratic Party are completely false. This is a fantasy of the Republican Party," said the organization's executive director Halie Soifer. "What happened today in Las Vegas was a shameful display of lies and arrogance. We hope Trumps continued assault on decency and truth will stay in Vegas." The president spoke to the group in Vegas following a two-day swing through the west that included a visit to newly replaced border barriers in California and a pair of fundraisers. Trumps remarks come just weeks after he and others in the White House opened a new line of attack against Democrats by claiming the party had become anti-Israel and anti-Jewish" in the aftermath of Rep. Omar's comments. Democrats increased their share of the Jewish vote between the 2016 and 2018 elections, from 71% to 79%. A new Gallup report, based on tracking poll data from 2018, said that "one in six U.S. Jews identify as Republican." About half described themselves as Democrats. After a fractious House debate last month over a resolution condemning hate, Trump raised the stakes while speaking with reporters as he left the White House on a weekend trip to Florida, describing the Democrats as an "anti-Israel party." Donald Trump "They've become an anti-Jewish party and that's too bad," he said while traveling to Alabama to review tornado damage. Despite slamming Democrats, Trump has faced his own criticism from the Jewish community. Trump was slow to condemn white supremacists who marched violently in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The previous year, he circulated an image of a six-pointed star alongside a photo of Hillary Clinton, a pile of money and the words most corrupt candidate ever. According to exit polling conducted for a consortium of news organizations for the 2016 election, Clinton defeated Trump 71% to 24% among Jewish voters. In last year's congressional elections, according to those exit polls, Jews broke for Democratic candidates over Republican ones by 79% to 17%. Jexodus: Trump predicts Jewish voters will switch to GOP. Democrats call it fantasy Contributing: John Fritze; Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump trolls Rep. Omar, who was victim of death threat, boasts Israeli relations at Vegas event Monastir (Tunisia) (AFP) - Tunisia's 92-year-old president said Saturday he did not plan to stand for re-election in the November polls, in order to make way for someone younger. "In all honesty, I don't think I will put myself forward," President Beji Caid Essebsi told the Nidaa Tounes party which he founded in 2012, adding it was time "to open the door to the youth". His speech before thousands of members at the party's congress came several days after Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the 82-year-old ailing leader of neighbouring Algeria, resigned in the face of huge protests ending two decades in power. Essebsi, Tunisia's first democratically elected president, urged his party however to overcome bitter internal divisions and to bring Prime Minister Youssef Chahed back into the fold. Tensions have flared between Chahed and Essebsi's son, Hafedh Caid Essebsi, leading to the premier being sidelined from Nidaa Tounes and forming his own rival party, Tahia Tounes. Essebsi's secularist Nidaa Tounes won the 2014 elections and formed a coalition with the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha that lasted four years before the two parties split. Presidential elections are due on November 17, after parliamentary elections which have been scheduled for October 6. Tunisia, whose 2011 revolt toppled longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring uprisings, has been hailed as a model of democratisation in the Arab world, but has faced economic woes and jihadist attacks. None of the North African country's main political parties have yet announced their candidates for the presidential polls. WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had not read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia that his Democratic opponents say should be released in full. "I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion." U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said he plans to make public a redacted copy of the nearly 400-page investigative report into Russian interference in the 2016 election by the middle of this month, if not sooner. On March 22, Mueller completed his 22-month probe and Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress two days later outlining the main findings. Barr told lawmakers the investigation did not establish that members of Trump's election campaign conspired with Russia, but also did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. Related: Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the Oscars through the years Barr said he had concluded there was not enough evidence to show that Trump committed the crime of obstruction. But news media reports this week said members of Mueller's team were unhappy with the way Barr, a Trump appointee, had characterized the report's conclusions. Asked in an interview with Fox and Friends Weekend about calls for the release of the full confidential report, Trump said: Its really up to the attorney general, whatever he wants to do. In another tweet, Trump called the report "a total waste of time." Barr did not meet a demand by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide the unredacted report to lawmakers by April 2. He told Congress in a letter last week he must redact material that was presented to a grand jury, as required by law, as well as information that could reveal U.S. intelligence agencies' sources and methods. Congressional Democrats have indicated they will fight those redactions in court if the subpoena is ignored. Russia's government has denied interfering in the U.S. election. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani and David Brunnstrom Editing by Tom Brown) Geneva (AFP) - An independent rights expert will visit WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadoran embassy in London to assess whether privacy violation claims involving him merit investigation, the UN rights office said Thursday. "The Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, Joe Cannataci, plans to meet WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 25 April," the UN office said in a statement. The meeting will take place at the Ecuadoran embassy in London, where Assange has been living for more than six years, and would be facilitated by the Ecuadoran government, it said. The announcement came after Quito filed a formal complaint to Cannataci accusing WikiLeaks of spreading private information linked to President Lenin Moreno. Photos, videos and private conversations appeared on portals such as Twitter and Facebook. Moreno was also forced to deny allegations of corruption which surfaced on the website inapapers.org, with the president claiming he knew who was responsible for the accusations. An informed source said the special rapporteur would also investigate allegations made by Assange that his privacy had been violated during his time holed up in the embassy. "The UN expert said the meeting would help determine if there exists a prima facie case of violation of privacy that warrants further investigation," the UN statement said. In an interview broadcast by several Ecuadoran radio stations this week, Moreno said: "Assange has too often repeatedly violated the agreement we have with him and his legal team," without saying whether Ecuador would withdraw asylum. - 'Abstain from expelling Assange' - Another UN rights expert, Nils Melzer, meanwhile voiced alarm Friday at reports that Ecuador was preparing to expel Assange from its embassy, and said he planned to investigate the case. WikiLeaks tweeted Thursday that it had learned through a high-level Ecuadoran source that Assange would be expelled within "hours to days". Story continues "In my assessment, if Mr. Assange were to be expelled from the Embassy of Ecuador, he is likely to be arrested by British authorities and extradited to the United States," said Melzer, who is the UN Special Rapporteur on torture. "Such a response could expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment," he warned. "I therefore urge the government of Ecuador to abstain from expelling Mr. Assange from its embassy in London, or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum until such time as the full protection of his human rights can be guaranteed," he added. Assange sought refuge at the Ecuadoran embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced accusations of sexual assault that prosecutors in Stockholm have since abandoned. Assange has refused to leave the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States to face charges over his website publishing huge caches of hacked State Department and Pentagon files in 2010. The 47-year-old Australian denies the rape claims, and said he feared Sweden would pass him on to US authorities if he was extradited. The Swedish chief prosecutor dropped proceedings against him in 2017 because going ahead and serving notice of charges would necessitate Assange's presence in court. Mayor Pete Buttigieg at a West Hollywood fundraiser last month. Photo: Allison Zaucha/The Washington Post/Getty Images One of the reasons I thought Donald Trump would win in 2016 was not just that he was focusing on the core issues roiling the middle classes (immigration and globalization). It was because he had the perfect foil for his persona in Hillary Clinton. Trump was fresh to politics, anti-Establishment, an outsider, populist, alpha male, and nationalist, with a base primed to despise Clinton. Clinton had been in power forever, was pure Establishment, a total insider, globalist, alpha female, predictable, with a base stunned by Trump. It was the kind of contrast Trump longed for, and it was a central element in his success. And these matchups matter. Trump is widely unpopular by himself. He will need a good foil to win in a binary race. So, leaving policy aside for a second, who would be the best Democratic foil from the anti-Trump perspective? By which I mean, which set of qualities is most likely to contrast with Trump in a way that makes the Democratic contender seem fresh, and the president appear old, clueless, and malevolent? I suspect it is this question that is behind the budding candidacy of one Pete Buttigieg. When you think of him in a debate with Trump, one-on-one, everything gets scrambled. I dont know what that dynamic would be like exactly, but it feels a lot less predictable than, say, Elizabeth Warren or Beto ORourke. Trump would be the oldest president in history at 74; Buttigieg would be the youngest at 39. Trump landed in politics via his money and celebrity after years in the limelight; Buttigieg is the mayor of a midsize midwestern town, unknown until a few weeks ago. Trump is a pathological, malevolent narcissist from New York, breaking all sorts of norms. Buttigieg is a modest, reasonable pragmatist, and a near parody of normality. Trump thrives on a retro heterosexual persona; Buttigieg appears to be a rather conservative, married homosexual. Trump is a coward and draft dodger; Buttigieg served his country. Trump does not read; Buttigieg does. Trumps genius is demonic demagoguery. Buttigiegs gig is careful reasoning. Trump is a pagan; Buttigieg is a Christian. Trump vandalizes government; Buttigieg nurtures it. To put it simply, Mayor Pete seems almost designed to expose everything that makes the country tired of Trump. David Brooks rightly notes Buttigiegs Obama-like combination of somewhat banal leftism with personal rectitude and calm. After the fever of the culture wars of the high-temperature Trump era, this might come across as a welcome balm. Voters tend to go for a contrast with the current president, a correction of sorts. The mood swings like a pendulum from Carter to Reagan, or from Bush to Obama. (I asked Obama once early in his second term what kind of president he thought would succeed him, and he wryly responded: Someone not aloof or professorial. He wasnt wrong.) In style, generation, demeanor, and background, Buttigieg is a near-perfect way to put a drop shadow behind all of Trumps grandiosity, age, temperament, and privilege. More importantly, he would mitigate our current polarizing patterns. Hes not sanctimoniously woke, but woke enough to have the social justice left potentially buy in (if its members can get over their fear of white cis gay men as oppressors). Hes a left-liberal, but relatively unformed on policy, and has carved out a moderate place in a field careening leftward. Even his most daring ideas expanding the Supreme Court to 15 are designed to reduce polarization. Hes midwestern the swingy region where the election will likely be decided and, unlike the vast majority of his fellow elite members, he didnt stay on the coasts, but returned home to the heartland after he won the glittering prizes, including being named a Rhodes scholar. That says something about him (either that hes the real thing, or that his ambition really is sky-high). Hes absurdly brainy, but doesnt give off an air of condescension or exasperation with the less IQ-ed like Al Gore did. His political record is relatively thin, not apparently strewn with scandal, and so the negative campaigning will have to focus on his Marxist dad. And, yes, theyll go there. But its telling to me that Rush Limbaughs first response was positive, before he decided Buttigieg was a commie like his father. Theres something both very new and yet very traditional about the mayor and thats appealing to moderate conservatives. Too gay? They said Barack Obama was too black. Bad name? Sure, but again: Barack Hussein Obama. (My gay hack for pronouncing his name is to think of him as a booty judge.) Too young? Thats possible. Hed be approaching 40 at his inauguration, but his affect is younger. There remains something boyish about him, which is something Trump would immediately fasten onto as rendering him a lightweight. But Buttigieg can rebut that in a simple and powerful way: He can say he was man enough to serve his country in uniform, which should be man enough for any president. (The contrast with the aged, spoiled draft-dodger brat could be deadly.) But its also important to say that 39 is not that young for high office. Emmanuel Macron was the same age when he became president of France. Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand at the age of 37. Sebastian Kurz became chancellor of Austria at the age of 31. Leo Varadkar became prime minister of Ireland at the age of 38, and came out as gay (like Buttigieg) in his 30s. Buttigieg is also a local pol, arriving in national politics from the ground up, in contrast to Trumps top-down intervention. And local politics, as Jim and Deb Fallows have noted, has far less of the tribal and cultural trauma of the national stage. In an age when nothing seems to be able to get done nationally, a serious pragmatist with an actual record of governing has an opening. And he has a good line when confronted with lack of experience: He will have had more experience actually governing than Trump. He has some obvious vulnerabilities. The Democrats have to rally the black vote to counteract Trumps rural strength. Mayor Pete hasnt proved he can do that, even though his city is over 26 percent African-American. Hes also a little too similar to Macron: a technocratic elitist, globalist, careerist. He also has almost too perfect a resume. And at 38, its all a little too polished and too familiar a trajectory. But when oppo researchers go after him, we could find out more and his husband, Chasten, is certainly colorful on Twitter. My favorite tweet: Ever since I saw that @GoogleTrends gif of @PeteButtigieg surging in 2020 searches Ive had Mileys The Climb stuck in my head. #ICanAlmostSeeIt. If Pete isnt gay enough, Chasten has it down. Another flaw is one that all the current Democrats have, which is that they, simply, are on the wrong side of the immigration argument, the core issue shaping Western politics. Macron, Ardern, and Kurz won in part because they recognized the need to control legal and undocumented immigration before they did anything else. Macron tightened asylum laws, expedited deportation of the ineligible, and criminalized unauthorized entry into France. Arderns leftist Labour Party campaigned on halving legal immigration, and went into coalition with the populist right. Kurz was on the populist right from the start. Buttigiegs immigration policies are very vague he favors a path to citizenship. My own view is that the only Democrat who will beat Trump next year will campaign for control of immigration, legal and undocumented, in a sane and humane way. The issue will be dominant again because of a huge wave of migrants, many of them rural Guatemalans, who are overwhelming the border, trying to enter the U.S. at a current pace of 100,000 a month. Their ability to claim asylum under current law permits them to show up at the border, get admitted and processed by the Border Patrol, and then released into the interior, to reside here until a court date, which could come up years later. The backlog in the underfunded immigration courts is vast, with more than a million still in line for a hearing. Many of the migrants wont show up for the court date; those who do can still resist deportation indefinitely. What this means is that the U.S. now has an effectively open border with Mexico, and, according to the American Bar Association, the immigration system is irredeemably dysfunctional and on the brink of collapse. Repeating the Democratic mantra that there is no border crisis will not work for much longer. This year will see more undocumented immigrants than in any year under Obama. And the high rate of success among those trying to enter to the country now encourages more migrants to make the journey, especially given the forces of disorder and climate change that are forcing people to flee. The lesson from Europe in 2015 is that a migrant surge fuels itself, as word gets back home. And then white nationalism takes off. We could, in other words, be in the mother of all immigration scares as the first primaries take place. We could have a million more migrants to grapple with. Currently, no Democrat has any response to this. The only candidate with an actual immigration policy, Julian Castro, favors a much more lenient system and an end to criminalizing illegal border crossing. He wants the immigration surge to become a flood, all but guaranteeing Trumps reelection. If Buttigieg counters with a campaign for a path to citizenship for most here, but also in favor of mandatory e-verify (a completely humane way to enforce immigration law in the interior of the country via employment), hed break out of the pack. Just actively treating the fears about immigration as legitimate and seeking to assuage them would mark him as a different kind of Democrat. Im also struck by his clear religious faith and the winsomeness with which he expresses it not something you see too often in a millennial Democrat. The collapse of Evangelical Christianity into a political cult has left a yawning chasm for actual Gospel-based faith in America. Buttigieg speaks to that quietly but defiantly. Like Obama, he has a living faith and it points in a progressive direction: When I think about where most of Scripture points me, it is toward defending the poor, and the immigrant, and the stranger, and the prisoner, and the outcast, and those who are left behind by the way society works. And what we have now is this exaltation of wealth and power, almost for its own sake, that in my reading of Scripture couldnt be more contrary to the message of Christianity. So I think its really important to carry a message (to the public), knitting together a lot of groups that have already been on this path for some time, but giving them more visibility in the public sphere. Two more things: I met Buttigieg in the Real Time green room. Impressive, calm, open but no Obama. Maybe that aura and an elusive sense of authority will grow, as his confidence does. And, of course, Buttigiegs emergence has a personal salience for me. He is, quite simply, what many of us in my generation of gays fought for and rarely believed could happen: He is proud to be gay but not defined by it, happily married, a veteran, wickedly smart, and completely integrated. When I read some LGBTQ activists push back on him for not being gay or intersectional enough, it depresses me beyond measure. His candidacy is as historic as Obamas. His potential presidency even more so. That so many see him as a credible, formidable candidate is a reminder that in America, we can still unite in a more humane consensus. Trump has eclipsed that possibility in a welter of poison. Buttigieg quite simply rescues it again. Yet Another Brexit Twist The news on Brexit is a big deal. Earlier this week, Theresa May admitted defeat in getting her withdrawal agreement through Parliament via her own coalition. She tried three times to get the Tory Brexiteers and the Northern Irish Protestant Party (DUP) onboard; but they refused to go along each time, effectively stalling for a no-deal Brexit (which was the default if no one budged). After a seven-hour Cabinet meeting, it became clear that May was not going to preside over a damaging crash out of the EU, but without Tory support, she had no choice but to seek support from the Labour Party. She and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn are now in talks on what options to present to Parliament in order to get a majority for something. And then, by a tiny one-vote margin, the Commons voted against crashing out of the EU without a deal on WTO trading rules, cementing the new status quo. So May blinked. In the end, she simply wasnt prepared to risk economic meltdown, especially if she would be blamed for it. Some deal will therefore have to happen, and an extension of Article 50, postponing Brexit, will almost certainly be sought from the EU and almost certainly granted. What comes next is hard to tell, but it will at least require some kind of customs union with the EU, which will prevent Britain from independently negotiating trade deals with other countries. That means that more than half the Tory party, and especially its base, is livid. The risk now is to the cohesion of the Conservatives. Their rules forbid them from removing May as party leader for months; but they are in a virtual insurrection as I write this. But there is also a risk to Labour. A big swathe of its voters largely white and working class and in the North voted to leave the EU. But a bigger, urban, cosmopolitan majority voted to remain. If Corbyn helps May achieve a soft Brexit, sharing the political costs, hell get serious blowback from his own Remain ranks. But if he acquiesces to a second referendum, as his party policy officially demands, he could lose his Leave working class support. Thats why hes been so cagey thus far in the debate. Now, hell have to face the same grim challenge as May: how to get through the next few months without his party falling apart. Maybe May and Corbyn will avoid a second referendum or what theyre calling a confirmatory vote and get a Brexit deal close to Mays through the Commons. But its just as likely that the only way to do this is by subjecting it to a new plebiscite. What would be the choices? Simple, really: the May-Corbyn Brexit deal, as passed by Parliament; a crash-out no deal; or a full-on Remain option, taking everyone back to square one. One way to run the referendum would be by alternative vote, i.e., by each voter ranking the three options 1, 2 and 3. Whichever option gets the fewest votes on the first count will then disappear and all the second choices reapportioned. What you get with this formula is the result least objectionable to the most people. As long as a no-deal option is on the ballot, the right cannot really complain; ditto Remain for the left. But the blowback could be enormous. Before the 2016 referendum, everyone said on both sides that this was it. If Brexit won, there would be no way back. To renege on that promise and on a referendum with the biggest turnout in British history would directly play into the populist argument that the elites always foil what the people really want. White nationalism would be given a huge boost. The Tories could split between a moderate, centrist faction and a hard-right Brexit insurgency. Labour could hemorrhage white working-class votes to the far right. This was always the risk of a compromise. Which is to say: The Brexit story is by no means over; nor is anti-immigration populism. It may, in fact, be about to surge. Can the center hold? Thats what we are about to find out. It will tell us a lot about the future of the West. Dont Be So Certain A long, long time ago, I can still remember how the Mueller investigation came to be. It was an attempt, after James Comeys departure from the FBI, to determine what lay beneath all the obvious shenanigans of the Russian government in the 2016 elections, all of which was to benefit the Trump campaign. We knew very, very little but suspected a lot. I was a skeptic of the idea that Russia was responsible for Clintons defeat, and still am, but thought Mueller was a fantastic choice to get to the bottom of it. I even offered the outrageous opinion that we should all just wait until the report came out, and then read it all carefully, and decide what to do. That rather quaint idea is one Ill stick to. But its a lonely task. The spectacle of the last two years of breathless impeachment porn on CNN and MSNBC has not been an edifying one. Of course, they should aggressively pursue this story, but if it was once possible to distinguish Rachel Maddows conspiracy mongering from Glenn Becks, it no longer is. But equally, the recent rush of the Russia-skeptics to claim total vindication before we have read the report is surreal. Im glad Glenn Greenwald and Michael Tracey exist; their skepticism has been a valuable counter to hysteria. But their total certainty, in the absence of the actual evidence, that there is and never was anything to this story is no more admirable than that of the new Cold Warriors. We only know one thing: that Mueller felt unable to prove a conspiracy to corrupt the elections beyond a reasonable doubt, and didnt indict anyone in the higher reaches of the Trump administration and family. In fact, he hasnt indicted any Americans on conspiracy charges. But that really is all we know. Attorney General Bill Barrs stated belief that there was also no obstruction of justice remains simply that: a matter of his belief. When you consider the broad record of Barrs judicial philosophy, you realize that he probably would have written this even if obstruction screamed from the pages of the document. He doesnt really believe that a president can obstruct justice in firing an FBI director, for example, because the president is the FBI directors boss. The rest of us may beg to differ. The truth is: We can wait. The public hasnt leapt to any conclusions; polling shows little shift from before Barrs spin. There is plenty of time to hold the president accountable. So chill. Well know soon enough. And I have a feeling we are still in the middle of this story rather than the end of it. See you next Friday. 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. (Refiles to fix spelling of byline) * UN envoy striving to prevent escalation of Libyan crisis * Eastern commander menacing Western-backed Libya government * Italy warns of possible international action against Haftar * Neighbor Egypt says there's no military solution in Libya By Ahmed Elumami TRIPOLI, April 6 (Reuters) - The United Nations is determined to hold Libya's national conference on possible elections on time despite a surge of fighting in the country's eight-year conflict, a senior U.N. envoy said on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers warned eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar to desist from his thrust on the capital Tripoli, menacing the internationally recognized government there, or face possible international action. Ghassan Salame was speaking to reporters in Tripoli a day after Haftar's forces said they had advanced into the capital's southern outskirts and taken its former international airport. The offensive by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), allied to a parallel administration based in the eastern city Benghazi, escalated a power struggle that has fractured the oil-producing country since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. The United Nations aims to stage a conference in the southwestern town of Ghadames on April 14-16 to weigh elections as a way out of the country's factional anarchy, which has seen Islamist militants establish a toehold in some areas. Salame, then U.N. special envoy to Libya, said he was striving to prevent the new crisis from getting out of control. "We have worked for one year for this national conference, we wont give up this political work quickly," he said. We know that holding the conference in this difficult time of escalation and fighting is a difficult matter. But we are determined to hold it on time unless compelling circumstances force us not to. At a G7 meeting in France, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he and his counterparts had agreed they must exert pressure on those responsible for the intensification of fighting in Libya, especially Haftar. Story continues Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said Haftar must heed international warnings to halt his advance on Tripoli or else "we will see what can be done." CRUCIBLE OF INSTABILITY The United Nations wants to find agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the prolonged instability in Libya, an oil producer and transit point for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara with the aim of reaching Europe. In Cairo on Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the crisis in neighboring Libya could not be resolved through military means, though insecurity there had long been a source of worry. "Egypt has supported from the beginning a political agreement as a tool to prevent any military solution" in Libya, Shoukry said during a joint news conference with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov broadcast on state TV. Lavrov said Russia wanted all political forces in Libya to find an agreement and warned against foreign meddling there. There were no reports of significant fighting on Saturday, a day after an LNA spokesman and residents reported that Haftar's forces had seized Tripoli's former international airport. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres departed after meeting Haftar to try to avert full-blown civil war. "I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," he said on Twitter. Haftar, 75, who casts himself as a foe of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new dictator in the mould of Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres his offensive would continue until terrorism was defeated. The coastal capital Tripoli is the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government. In 2014, he assembled former Gaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized the main eastern city of Benghazi. This year, he took Libya's south with its oilfields. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo and John Irish in Dinard, France Editing by Mark Heinrich) The Hague (AFP) - A campaign by the Dutch railway infrastructure operator to shock young people into responsible behaviour near rail tracks using ripped clothes to symbolise the mangled garb of victims hit by trains unleashed uproar on Saturday. Operator ProRail said it used the controversial images to show the potential consequences of straying too close to railway lines. But their "Vict_m Fashion - created by accident" strapline, accompanying ripped clothing was widely branded as shocking. "I have expressed our surprise, displeasure and horror to the management of ProRail," the head of Dutch rail operator NS Marjan Rintel told ANP news agency, while drivers and politicians were also highly critical. ProRail, which manages Dutch track infrastructure, launched the campaign Thursday, showing replicas of badly ripped garments -- some missing an entire shirt sleeve or trouser leg. Other photos show shredded shoes and dresses. ProRail says the shocking images are necessary "to wake young people up and give them a shake." The company said: "Sadly, bad things still happen too often on and around rail tracks because of lack of attention and recklessness," ProRail said. It added it had "deliberately" set out to shock in a campaign aimed at 12- to 18-year-olds. Deaths on and around Dutch rail tracks have steadily risen in recent years from six in 2016, to 12 in 2017 and 17 last year with minors among the fatalities. ProRail said many accidents are down to people's attention being fixed on their smartphones. While NS notably said it felt the nature of the campaign went too far, minister of infrastructure, Stientje van Veldhoven was slightly more measured in his criticism. "Everyone favours less dangerous behaviour around railway tracks. And communication on this subject is important. "But the campaign as it has been organised is unduly harsh for drivers (notably those who have witnessed accidents) and the relatives of those killed on the tracks," the minister said. Caracas (AFP) - Opposition supporters thronged the streets of Caracas and other cities on Saturday to protest against President Nicolas Maduro's government, as massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies further exacerbated a growing political crisis. The United States meanwhile has stiffened its economic sanctions against the government, and one top US official on Saturday warned Venezuela's military that it must protect the rights of peaceful protesters. Opposition leader Juan Guaido -- whose claim to be the legitimate interim president is supported by around 50 nations -- had called for a huge turnout in Caracas, announcing in a phone message to supporters "the greatest escalation of pressure we have seen in our history." Pro-Guaido protests drew thousands in rallies across the country, while a pro-Maduro counter-demonstration in Caracas drew thousands of people who marched toward the Miraflores presidential palace. "Together, permanently mobilized, let's keep defending national peace and independence; no more interference!" Maduro tweeted. Two opposition deputies were detained during an anti-government protest in the western city of Maracaibo, but a few hours later, Guaido told a crowd of thousands in Caracas that the two -- Nora Bracho and Renzo Prieto -- had been released. Deputy Elimar Diaz, who took part in the Maracaibo march, told AFP the protest there had encountered "brutal repression," including the firing of tear gas canisters from helicopters. Diaz said people in the area had gone "days without electricity" amid "inhumane rationing" by the government. Maduro has blamed US-backed sabotage for the massive blackouts that have deprived millions of power. The opposition blames a failure to maintain critical infrastructure. - Crumbling economy - Facing intense pressure at home and abroad, the Maduro government has sought to weaken Guaido's position. Story continues The government has stripped him of his parliamentary immunity, authorized his prosecution for proclaiming himself acting president in January and has banned him from holding public office for 15 years. Guaido said earlier this week he feared abduction by government agents. The United States meanwhile kept up the international pressure on Maduro to step down. Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced fresh sanctions against 34 vessels belonging to Venezuela's state oil company and two companies that ship crude to Cuba. He said in a speech in Houston that "the United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy." "Those looking on should know this: all options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America." "This is only a first step," US national security advisor John Bolton tweeted on Saturday in reference to the sanctions. He cautioned Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino in a separate tweet of his "constitutional responsibility to protect innocent civilians who are peacefully demonstrating," adding: "Do not let the Cubans or the 'colectivos' inflict violence against Venezuelan patriots." The "colectivos" are armed paramilitary groups that support Maduro and are accused by the opposition of often resorting to violence. - Security Council to meet - Maduro enjoys important backing from his nation's military as well as from China and Russia as he clings to power. The US and its allies view the socialist president as illegitimate since he took office in January for a second six-year term following elections seen as deeply flawed. With its crude exports collapsing and international sanctions piling up, Venezuela's oil economy has crumbled. Malnutrition and disease are on the rise as living conditions plummet. In the face of the worsening humanitarian crisis, the US has convened a session of the UN Security Council for Wednesday. Since Venezuela's massive blackout of March 7, the country has been subject to repeated power cuts, with electricity being rationed outside of Caracas. The blackouts have knocked out water supplies as well as transport and communications, forcing many people to trim their work days to six hours. "We are tired," said Verony Mendez, 48, whose water was cut off two months ago. "But we have to take to the streets because it is the only way to get these people out!" Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido urged his supporters to demonstrate in the streets Saturday to maintain pressure on his rival President Nicolas Maduro, amid rising anger over the collapse of public services. Thousands of opposition supporters are expected to march through the capital Caracas from 11:00 am on Saturday as Venezuela's power struggle is exacerbated by massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies. Guaido, recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, said in a Twitter message on Friday: "Let's remain firm in the streets, this fight is for the lives of all Venezuelans." Maduro, who blames US-backed sabotage on recent blackouts that deprived millions of power, has also called a pro-government march in Caracas, urging his supporters onto the streets for a "March in defence of peace." Guaido said earlier this week he feared abduction by government agents after pro-Maduro lawmakers stripped him of his parliamentary immunity on Tuesday and authorized the country's top court to prosecute him for proclaiming himself president. The United States, among the first countries to recognize Guaido when the National Assembly leader proclaimed himself interim president on January 23, meanwhile kept up the international pressure on Maduro to step down. Vice President Mike Pence announced fresh sanctions against 34 vessels belonging to Venezuela's state oil company and two companies that ship crude to Cuba. "The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy," Pence said in a speech in Houston, Texas. "Venezuela's oil belongs to the Venezuelan people," he said. "Those looking on should know this: All options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America," he said. - Crumbling economy - Story continues The action is the latest by the United States as it tries to choke off revenue for the cash-strapped leftist government, which has nonetheless held onto power and enjoys backing from China and Russia. It comes ahead of a meeting of the UN Security Council next Wednesday, called by the US to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Latin American country. "The United States will urge the world to reject Maduro's failed regime, to stand with the Venezuelan people, and to help us bring the humanitarian crisis to an end." Venezuela's oil economy has crumbled under the collapse of crude exports and international sanctions against Maduro. The socialist president is viewed by the US and its allies as illegitimate since taking the oath of office in January for a second six-year term, following elections last May seen as deeply flawed. 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. The blackouts have knocked out water supplies as well as transport and communications. "We are tired but we have to go out on the street because it is the only way to get these people out," said Verony Mendez, 48, adding that his household has been without water for two months. DES MOINES, Iowa A jury awarded $12.25 million Friday to an Iowa man who underwent debilitating prostate cancer surgery then learned he didn't have cancer. An Iowa Clinic pathologist mixed up slides of Rickie Huitts non-cancerous tissue samples with those of a man who had prostate cancer. The mistake led to an incorrect diagnosis, and a surgeon removed Huitts prostate gland in April 2017. The operation damaged nearby nerves, leaving Huitt impotent and incontinent. The Iowa Clinic, which is the Des Moines area's largest group of specialty physicians, admitted the error. But the two sides disagreed over how much compensation Huitt deserved. The retired John Deere factory worker from Panora and his wife, Judy Huitt, filed suit, seeking $15 million in damages from the Iowa Clinic and its pathologist, Joy Trueblood. A lawyer for the clinic and the doctor recommended Friday that jurors in Polk County award $750,000. Theres never been a dispute that there was an unnecessary surgery, defense lawyer Jack Hilmes told the jury Friday morning. Hilmes asked jurors to set reasonable damages. Clearly, we disagree that $15 million is reasonable compensation, he said. The Huitts four-lawyer team was led by Nick Rowley, a nationally known medical-malpractice attorney who joined the case last week. Rowley told jurors that $15 million was a fair appraisal of how much the couple had suffered because of the Iowa Clinics negligence. The Iowa Clinic's headquarters in West Des Moines. Rowley urged jurors to ignore the defenses claim the Huitts didnt deserve so much money because Rickie Huitt, 67, is still able to do activities such as mow his yard, attend the State Fair and pick up his granddaughters from school. For him, hes lost his manhood, Rowley said in his closing argument. If he had lost his left leg, there wouldnt be any reason to talk about his nose or his ears or his left hand. The trial, which began Tuesday, included emotional testimony from the Huitts about how the side effects of the surgery damaged their life. Story continues Judy Huitt repeatedly teared up as she told jurors how her husband felt diminished as a husband because of his impotence. She echoed his earlier testimony that they had an active love life until his mistaken surgery. Its changed our world forever, she testified Thursday. Details of the lab mix-up werent discussed in the trial. She said she and her husband were relieved the trial was over. It was embarrassing and stressful to testify about such personal problems, she said. "It was horrible, like standing up there in front of everyone. It was raw," she said. When asked for comment after the verdict, Iowa Clinic spokeswoman Amy Hilmes replied in an email: We are disappointed in the jurys decision but have great respect for the legal process. We will be evaluating our legal options. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Wrong-patient prostate cancer surgery costs medical group $12.25 million in malpractice case Armed police officers stand guard outside the Christchurch District Court in Christchurch - AFP 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 hes fit to stand trial. High Court judge Cameron Mander made the order during a hearing in which 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant appeared via video link from a small room at the maximum security Paremoremo prison in Auckland. Mr Mander said nothing should be read into his order for the mental health assessments, as it was a normal step in such a case. Lawyers said it could take two or three months to complete. The judge said Tarrant was charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder. Police initially filed a single, representative murder charge before filing the additional charges this week. Tarrant was wearing handcuffs and a gray-coloured 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. A man in a wheelchair is escorted from outside the High Court in Christchurch Credit: AP 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 didnt come through because the sound was muted. It wasnt clear if his link had been deliberately or inadvertently muted. The courtroom was filled with more than two dozen reporters and about 60 members of the public. A court registrar greeted people in Arabic and English as the hearing got underway. Some of those watching got emotional and wept. In the March 15 attacks, 42 people were killed at the Al Noor mosque, seven were killed at the Linwood mosque and one more person died later. The day after the attacks, Tarrant dismissed an appointed lawyer, saying he wanted to represent himself. But he has now hired two Auckland lawyers to represent him, Shane Tait and Jonathan Hudson. Story continues Brenton Tarrant, charged for murder in relation to the mosque attacks, is seen in the dock during his appearance in the Christchurch District Court last month Credit: Reuters Legal experts have said he may try to use the hearings as a platform to present his ideology and beliefs. "If he has lawyers, he will be speaking a lot less in court," said Graeme Edgeler, a Wellington-based barrister and legal commentator. "He can still give evidence...that's possible, but if he's represented by lawyers and it goes to trial he won't be asking questions of people." The next court hearing was scheduled for June 14, and the mental health findings would determine whether he is required to enter a plea then. Outside the courtroom, Yama Nabi, whose father died in the attacks, said he felt helpless watching. "We just have to sit in the court and listen," Nabi said. "What can we do? We cant do nothing. Just leave it to the justice of New Zealand and the prime minister." Tofazzal Alam, 25, said he was worshipping at the Linwood mosque when the gunman attacked. He felt it was important to attend the hearing because so many of his friends were killed. Alam said he felt upset seeing Tarrant. "It seems he dont care what has been done. He has no emotion. He looks all right," Alam said. "I feel sorry. Sorry for myself. Sorry for my friends who have been killed. And for him." Barely a few days after the execution of Kudirat Afolabi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences, Saheed Ayinde Sobade, another Nigerian national, was allegedly nabbed on Thursday with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder in Jeddah. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, senior special assistant to the president on foreign affairs and diaspora, made this known while speaking at a programme on Arise Television on Friday. I have bad news for you. Just yesterday, in the midst of the cacophony of 20 to be killed, eight have been killed, another Nigerian was caught with cocaine in Jeddah, said Dabiri-Erewa. He was caught with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder. As he was arrested, the mission was informed and his name is Saheed Ayinde Sobade. On Thursday, the federal government had condemned the execution of Afolabi a widow and mother of two who was executed on April 1, saying that the Saudi authorities did not inform the Nigerian missions in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the deceased Nigerian. Dabiri-Arewa further stated that the Saudi authorities have never spared any country when it comes to drugs, adding that Nigeria only advocates for fair trial. She also called on Nigerians not to tribalise crime, no matter what. Its a sad commentary that at this point in our lives we are tribalising crime. Crime is crime. We should not debase the green passport. We should not allow a few bad eggs to spoil the bond. The Dubai thing was all over the places. We saw the faces released to the public; only the eyes were covered and also the names, said the presidential aide. So, theres no reason why it will not be mentioned. However, for the Saudi incident, the woman that was executed, we have to tell the family first before making an announcement. So after informing the family, the minister for foreign affairs issued a statement stating her name, Kudirat Adesola Afolabi, a lady and a mother of two. KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived city of Amman in Jordan, to participate in the Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference (World Economic Forum). This was confirmed by the Government of Nigeria via its verified Twitter handle. According to a statement forwarded by Buharis Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, his principal is at the event on an invitation by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan. According to the statement, President Buhari will deliver an address at the opening of the plenary alongside King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and join world economic leaders in an informal gathering at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre. The Nigerian leader will also hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders on the sidelines of the Forum. President Buhari will depart Amman Sunday for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the ninth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting, April 8-10, 2019. Invited by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rachid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, 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. Adesina quoted the organisers of the event as saying 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. KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Saturday morning arrived Doha, Qatar, as leader of the National Assemblys delegation to the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The scheduled meeting was billed to commence on April 5, and to end on April 8. In a statement by Sarakis Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu and made available to newsmen in Abuja, said Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yussuf Lasun Suleimon is the Deputy leader of the delegation. He added, Other lawmakers on the trip include Senators Duro Faseyi and Ibrahim Rafiu Adebayo. Hon. Ikon Samuel Okon, Hon. Igbokwe Raphael Nnanna, Hon. Fulata Abubakar Hassan, Hon. Goodhead Boma and Hon. Dasuki Abdussammad, are also part of the delegation. National Assembly officials on the trip include the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, Director, General Duties, Ms. Navati Illiya, Director (H/R), Mr. Atiku Ibrahim, Director, Secretary to the Delegation, Shehu Umar and Clerk, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Bernard Okoh, among others. Onogu affirmed that Saraki was expected to make a presentation on the topic: Parliaments as platforms to enhance education for peace, security and rule of law during the General Assembly of the IPU tomorrow (Sunday). Part of the statement reads, Saraki is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the President of the IPU, Ms Gabriela Cuevas Baron, Speaker of the Qatar Parliament/Chairman of the Consultative Assembly of Qatar, Ahmad Bin Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, United Nations (UN) Undersecretary, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov and the Speaker of the Parliament of Kenya, Mr, Kenneth Lusaka. The President of the Senate is expected to take a complimentary tour of Aljazera Headquarters and meet with an executive of the global television outlet, Mr. Naseer Al-Saadi. The delegation is expected back in the country on Tuesday. KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW Chicago mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images Chicago voters on Tuesday elected the citys first black woman mayor, but the historic nature of her victory quickly soured due to the backlash it provoked. Lori Lightfoot is a self-styled political outsider and out lesbian who has never held elected office. Yet her Establishment ties run deep, especially with local law enforcement. Lightfoot was a federal prosecutor in the 1990s. She served as president of the Chicago Police Board and chairwoman of the Police Accountability Task Force under outgoing mayor Rahm Emanuel. She has characterized Mayor Emanuels $95 million investment in a new police-training facility as meager, [if] youre really going to do it right. None of this has endeared her to the black activists whove spent years fighting to divest from policing and invest in black communities. Where outsiders see a political newcomer, we see an adversary with whom we have been actively entangled for years, activist Benji Hart wrote for the Advocate. The manifestations of this entanglement are myriad. Campaigns like #StopLightfoot and labor groups like the Chicago Teachers Union have opposed her, citing her law-enforcement pedigree and coziness with public-school privatizers. Black LGBTQ advocates who might otherwise celebrate her win as theirs have blasted her lack of interest in using rent control to address living costs. Lightfoot has responded by creating a web page to rebuff their critiques. The Facts About Lori Lightfoot, housed on her campaign site, has a retort or explanation for most. Where activists see an Establishment toady who often declined to hold police accountable for misconduct, she sees a commitment to affecting change from the inside: With Lori as president, the board fired 72 percent of officers [found guilty], up from just 37 percent before [her] time, it reads. Where critics say Lightfoot has been disrespectful to police-violence victims and their families, she says she took care not to show emotion in support or against the families to preserve the credibility of any ruling the Board would make. Incremental progress and preserving institutional credibility sound reasonable, at least superficially. But the crises that threaten Chicago especially black Chicago require more in 2019. After decades of brutal treatment of the community at the hands of police in particular, it is reasonable for activists to reject any official who does not stand unequivocally behind black victims. Voters may have handed Lightfoot a resounding victory at the polls. But on-the-ground organizers are bracing for something closer to a redux of the Emanuel administration, a cool bureaucratic detachment from their plight beneath a veneer of progressivism and inclusivity. This expectation is earned. An oft-cited YouTube video of Lightfoot presiding over a 2015 Police Board hearing casts light on the tensions at play. At issue during the hearing was whether former Chicago police detective Dante Servin would be fired. Servin shot and killed Rekia Boyd, a black 22-year-old, in 2012. Boyd and three friends were attending a party in a park near Servins home. Servin, who was off duty, called in a noise complaint and approached the group with a gun. The circumstances under which Servin killed Boyd and injured her friend Antonio Cross have been disputed, but Servins claim that he feared for his life because Cross reached toward his waistband appears moot none of the group was armed, and Cross had only a cell phone. Servin opened fire nonetheless. In April 2015, a judge dismissed the involuntary-manslaughter charges he faced because there was no evidence of recklessness. The states burden of proof was not met because Servin was in full control of his actions when he killed Boyd. In essence, he was freed because he was intentional about what he did. The emotional fallout from the decision was shouldered heavily by Martinez Sutton, Boyds brother and most vocal advocate following her death. Sutton testified before the police board the following August, when it was mulling Servins fate. In the footage, Lightfoot, the police board president, can be seen toward the left of the screen, wearing a gray suit. Sutton is in obvious distress but stays lucid. He details allegations that Servin boasted to his face about killing his sister. He demands that the then officer be fired. He holds up a bag, saying that when he asked for his sisters things after the investigation, he received a bloody hat. He raises his voice. I understand that you have a lot of emotion, Lightfoot says in response. But we will not tolerate [this]. At that point, a group of young black activists there to support Sutton begin chanting and issuing demands. They are raucous. Lightfoot beckons to police to have them corralled. As they continue, Lightfoot adjourns the meeting, visibly annoyed. Anyone who was not able to speak tonight because of the disruption, well call you next time in the next few weeks, she says. Sorry for this. Lightfoots response to Sutton cannot be described accurately as combative or even adversarial. Nor can it be said to presage a lax ruling on the Servin matter. (Servin resigned in May 2016 before the Board ruled, preserving his pension and having all disciplinary charges dropped.) But it was brusque, bordering on callous in the face of his despair. It accommodated procedure over a communitys pain. As with other stances for which she has been criticized by activists, Lightfoots response was that of a dispassionate bureaucrat intent on letting the established mechanisms for accountability take their course. But the activists correctly understood those same mechanisms as inherently permissive and inclined to exonerate the very systems they were meant to regulate. This does not make Lightfoot a reactionary ghoul or unmoved by inequality. It makes her a pragmatist when Chicago needs a revolution. Her approach is reasonable in theory but corrosive in action. And it affirms her role as a steward of the status quo rather than an advocate for those it harms. Comments Policy Comments that are excessively crude, obscene or profane - especially when they consist of nothing more than gratuitous insults or aspersions upon the character of authors or other commenters - will be vigorously discouraged. Therefore, if you find your comment has been deleted, you will know why. Binance Singapore The China-based crypto exchange giant Binance has announced that it will launch Binance Singapore this month, a fiat-to-crypto exchange with support for the Singaporean Dollar (SGD). Binance offered few details in the Twitter announcement except for the explicit confirmation that the exchange will be operational within a matter of weeks. This news has been in the making for several months. At an event in Singapore in September 2018, Binances founder and CEO, Zhao Changpeng, reportedly discussed potential plans for opening an exchange in the country, and he confirmed these plans via Medium the following month. This move continues a trend at Binance of expanding internationally across multiple continents. In 2018, for example, Binance sought expansion in Malta and South Korea. In January 2019, a British expansion allowed users all over the European Union to access the exchanges services. And this was not the only announcement that Binance made on April 3. The company tweeted that its upcoming decentralized exchange service, Binance DEX, is scheduled to have its mainnet launch this month as well. This service, as described in a company press release, is Binances attempt to create what Zhao called a decentralized exchange with a decentralized network of nodes, where you hold your own private keys and manage your own wallet. The feature runs using Binance Chain, a blockchain developed by the company and its community members. From what the developers have teased so far, Binance DEXs user interface is very similar to that of Binances existing exchanges. Finally, Binance also described some planned functionality updates to its wallet software. Binances Trust Wallet is going to include a staking feature, which involves the act of holding cryptocurrencies as part of the process of running blockchains that use [a] Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, giving users the ability to vote on changes in the blockchain and receive income for validating transactions. This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine. 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. Photo: Susan Watts/Getty Images For some New York City children, preschool might not be in session on May 2. In solidarity with their unions decision to demonstrate against unfair salaries funded by the City of New York, our employees may not report to work on this day, Michelle Paige, the associate executive director of University Settlements early childhood education division, wrote in a letter to parents on Friday. Despite University Settlements advocacy efforts, the early childhood employees are still fighting for salaries that support their professional dedication to the education and care of our children. The potential strike has been in the works for weeks. University Settlements letter follows March strike authorization votes by members of AFSCME District Council 1707; the union represents educators employed by community-run day cares and preschools. They need to be paid what theyre worth, Kim Medina, the district councils executive director, told WNYC on April 2. Though the city doesnt directly pay these educators, it does provide funding for them in its budget. A strike, then, is a headache Mayor Bill de Blasio doesnt want. The mayor just brandished his pro-labor credentials on Thursday, when he criticized the management of BuzzFeed News for standing up its staff union at a scheduled meeting. Memo to @BuzzFeedNews: New York City is a union town. You didn't just snub @bfnewsunion yesterday, you insulted all working New Yorkers. To the union: This city stands with you. To the management: Come. To. The. Table. Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 4, 2019 Universal pre-kindergarten is one of de Blasios signature programs, and it has extra significance now, amidst reports that the mayor is seriously considering a run for president. Expanding public access to free pre-k helped the mayor polish his reputation for progressive politics. If he runs for president, the program would likely become a key selling point for his candidacy; not only does he need the program to work, he needs it to work without engendering much controversy. Though the program accomplished the mayors basic goal of getting more children in pre-k and now pre-3 education, teachers in community-run preschools say it hasnt been quite as beneficial for them, and controversy may soon become unavoidable. DC 1707s demands center on the issue of pay parity. Teachers employed by community-run preschools and day cares say theyre getting paid less than their peers in public schools, even though theyre part of the same pre-k program. According to WNYC, educators at community-run programs in NYC make $15,000 to $30,000 less than comparably-trained educators in public schools. One teacher told Chalkbeat.org in March that she sometimes skips lunch because she cant afford to eat, and that despite a decade of work experience, she makes barely over $15 an hour. These low salaries are in keeping with national trends. Though the cost of child care is steadily rising, one state-by-state analysis released in 2018 revealed that 86 percent of infants and toddler teachers make less than $15 an hour, Education Week reported at the time. The University Settlement letter urges parents to contact city council members and ask them to include pay parity in future budgets. 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. I remember this. I was a senior in high school and it was a nice spring day. I was hanging out with my friend possibly in our matching flannel shirts and we heard it on her car radio. Reply Thread Link I was watching MTV and suddenly they had breaking news. Kurt Loder came on and said Kurt Cobain was dead. Courtney reading his suicide note on tv was surreal. Reply Thread Link Surreal is the right word. I still remember it like it was yesterday Reply Parent Thread Link I was an actual little kid playing on the stairs at my cousins house and my other cousin was downstairs watching mtv and I remember this. He was sitting at the week in rock desk and I remember feeling sad for all the sad dirty kids Reply Parent Thread Link The shit Courtney went through from Nirvana fans after he killed himself. I dont know how she did it tbh Reply Thread Link I dont remember when Kurt died - I was 7 - but I remember when Jerry Garcia died because I think that was the first time I saw my dad really cry and it was scary. Reply Thread Link its wild how michael stipe lost river phoenix and then kurt cobain within a year of each other. he was working on music with each one around the time they passed too. i don't recommend looking at his tag on social media rn since photos of his body come up (another similarity with river, sadly) rip Reply Thread Link https://www.splicetoday.com/music/sexual-violence-and-the-tortured-genius Everytime I see Kurt Cobain mentioned I think about this: Reply Thread Link Yeah ever since someone posted about that in a post in the last year or so, Ive had a hard time listening to Nirvana or seeing people praise him. Reply Parent Thread Link this just almost made me cry. i hope this girl is ok and out there living her best life. what an asshole group of people Reply Parent Thread Link ever since i learned this, listening to kurt has never been the same. i was taken waaay off guard by it in montage of heck. Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you for posting this. I think about this poor girl (woman, now) every time he is mentioned. Reply Parent Thread Link I hate people man Reply Parent Thread Link buzz from the melvins said this was bullshit but this kind of shit does happen Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, there has been a lot of excuse making and conspiracy theories about this but it was included in biographies about Cobain long before the documentary and it makes zero sense why FBC and Court would allow this in if it was bullshit. I think the most prevalent stan excuse making is that it was a "short story" that Kurt once wrote. Yet then later chose to record himself reading. And then it was found and his wife and daughter found and insisted on being included. A lot of people also like to pretend he was noble for not completing the rape and that it was part of a bigger plan where he just wanted to have sex before he killed himself later that night. They tend to dismiss him giggling over him finding her repulsive and that her vagina was too smelly for him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link holy shit Reply Parent Thread Link I would have worn my Nirvana shirt today if I didn't have to work I hope he's at peace, wherever he is Reply Thread Link I was 7. I remember it because my sister was 17 and she and her best friend were upset. Reply Thread Link I'd rather remember how much Kurt Cobain loved cats. So here's a bunch of pics of Kurt and kitties. pic.twitter.com/A5Me5D5lMS Gene Park (@GenePark) April 5, 2019 Reply Thread Link Oh my gosh! Reply Parent Thread Link He was also incapable of taking care of them. He abandoned one of his cats to starve to death in his Olympia house to go on tour. A lot about Kurt is romanticised to the point of canonisation but he was a very flawed human being. Reply Parent Thread Link The photo oh the cat on his shoulder was my screensaver for years. His love for cats was one of my favourite things about him. He was so troubled and so deeply flawed but he was also so incredibly soft and gentle. I hope hes resting easy, making sweet ass music with his idols. Reply Parent Thread Link "Heart-shaped box" is def my fav Nirvana song. Crazy to think that he would be 52 today. Reply Thread Link I was only 10 when this happened. And I remember my mom taking it really hard and sobbing. She had a dream about him afterwards (a couple years down the road) He came to her and told her that he was okay. And not to be sad about it. It gave her some peace. Reply Thread Link I was 13. I found out Monday morning from inside edition. I had heard about all the times he overdosed and left rehab, so I was sad for his family but not surprised. It was the first time I heard Hole's Miss World. I was memorized. I went to the radio to find what station may play it and that was the start of my love of alternative music. Nirvana was played on mainstream music shows. I didn't have cable. I always felt guilty about the saddest day for so many was my day I discovered a whole new world from whfs in dc. That was also the start of so many deaths. The lead singer of blind melon going on letterman with a question mark on his head. He was gone soon after. The lead from sublime. Lead from inxes. I see people wearing the nirvana t shirt I ask what their favorite song is. They don't know the band, they just like the shirt. Its weird. Reply Thread Link Chris Cornell and Scott Weilands deaths hit me hard. I know a lot of people expected Weiland to die sooner rather than later, but it was still shocking. I cant with the what did you expect? attitude from some people. Reply Parent Thread Link white king! he was ahead of his time. always calling out white people for being awful. Was he without his faults...absolutely not and no one would ever say he was. Reply Thread Link Also a feminist who supported gay rights. <3 Reply Parent Thread Link He raped an intellectually handicapped girl. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This meme has been all over fucking Twitter. Non-stop. Reply Thread Link was sentenced by the Paris Court of Appeal last month after being accused of harboring terrorists. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link tbh the first time I saw it I thought, "he is a whole ass snack" then I read up on who he was and it kinda killed me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He make my blood pressure skyrocket. Reply Parent Thread Link When is this fucker going to go to Mars? Reply Parent Thread Link this is my first time seeing this Reply Thread Link Same lol Reply Parent Thread Link well that is not ideal Reply Thread Link Something gets a few hundred retweets and its viral. Sad Reply Thread Link The initial tweet had a shitton of retweets tho, and its been everywhere. Reply Parent Thread Link That would have been nice to have in the original post. Or examples. But Ill take your word for it. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lol this meme is literally everywhere as mentioned by the previous user. People all over the world are using it and it gets thousands of retweets and likes. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Was wondering where it came from and wow, adds a whole new meaning to all these captions people have been adding to it. Reply Thread Link Julius arriving early for Beyonce's Reebok meeting and getting a head count of all the black people in the room pic.twitter.com/ZL0CKwPxkQ Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) April 5, 2019 Reply Thread Link Lmfaooooo Reply Parent Thread Link Oh here it is lol. Reply Parent Thread Link LOL Reply Parent Thread Link lollll Reply Parent Thread Link Never saw this before. Some examples would have been nice, OP. Reply Thread Link https://www.npr.org/2019/03/29/708153416/man-in-france-accused-of-sheltering-isis-terrorists-sentenced-to-4-years-in-pris But also can we like not turn criminals into memes. Well this is even crazier than I thoughtBut also can we like not turn criminals into memes. Reply Thread Link Bendaoud told the owner of a local pizzeria about the 'dodgy Belgians' he had rented a flat to, but he told the court he had not recognised them as the wanted terrorists because he had been high on crack cocaine after a 19-year-old who he was having an affair with told him she was pregnant. He later said the TV in his bedroom had been broken so he had not seen the news." Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Who hasnt been there? Reply Parent Thread Link Idk about French law but I didnt know I was doing a crime cuz I was on crack isnt a great excuse around here. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link At first I was like oh no thats a terrible origin story for this meme But then I read this and Im like... ok... not AS terrible but... still terrible Reply Parent Thread Link he had been high on crack cocaine after a 19-year-old who he was having an affair with told him she was pregnant. Haaaa! How does a judge keep a straight face when this comes out? Reply Parent Thread Link This! But anything for likes/retweets, right? Reply Parent Thread Link it was everywhere on french twitter but late on american/english-language twitter so im guessing this? Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO mte Reply Parent Thread Link There was a tweet that said I've seen this guy more than my family this week and I really felt that lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Omg, sameeeeee tho. Hes there every single day. Reply Parent Thread Link yes that was the one i rt and then when your teacher gets a bad report from the sub one Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link my boyfriend showed it to me and I said who dat? He was like damn you really don't go on twitter do you Reply Parent Thread Link Lol right Reply Parent Thread Link it's no left shark Reply Parent Thread Link a lot of these people are old Reply Parent Thread Link Im confused at you guys acting like this isnt a legit viral meme. Ive seen it used far too many times in the past 3-5 days. Like...large numbers of retweets as well. Reply Thread Link Same, I barely even use twitter myself but I've seen this a bunch of time posted elsewhere as caption memes. I was going to google the source but now I don't have to, lol. Reply Parent Thread Link Same Reply Parent Thread Link ONTD is old Reply Parent Thread Link Same here Reply Parent Thread Link How can anyone be confused when half of us here are not on Facebook and most of us don't use Snapchat and all of us are on Livejournal. We are not in synergy with the rest of the internet. Reply Parent Thread Link same lol i have seen this guy's face SO MUCH the last few days. Reply Parent Thread Link Ontd is full of old millennials lol Reply Parent Thread Link same Reply Parent Thread Link i dont have a twitter account which explains why i havent been seeing this Reply Thread Link i have one i barely use lol Reply Parent Thread Link Same lol Reply Parent Thread Link Yea, I don't see most memes and I think that's why, I only use instagram and don't follow people who post them. I've seen this though lol, can't remember where. Edited at 2019-04-06 02:35 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link same . i deactivated mine a few months ago Reply Parent Thread Link Twitter gives me a headache. Idk why I feel like people are obnoxious. There are some quality memes I'm unfortunately missing out on but the bullshit isn't worth trawling through lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link we always stay a good 3-5 days behind pop culture here Reply Parent Thread Expand Link same, twitter is so pointless to me Reply Parent Thread Link I don't either, but saw it on Facebook. I saw this used for one about EMS walking into the ED waiting to give a report so they can go home. Reply Parent Thread Link I have not seen that meme anywhere. Reply Thread Link Facebook Twitter Google RAMBLER&Co ID By logging in to LiveJournal using a third-party service you accept LiveJournal's User agreement The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress. Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions. Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs. The former Nanticoke Generating Station site, located on the northern shore of Lake Erie, has been transformed into a 44-megawatt clean energy facility that hosts 192,431 solar panels across 260 acres. The project has just been completed by PCL Construction, a company that was commissioned to design, engineer and build it, as well as supply the photovoltaic solar panels and racking system. Behind the idea and funding are Ontario Power Generation, the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Former Nanticoke Generating Station. Photo by Ontario Power Generation. The opening of the solar facility coincides with the one-year anniversary of the demolition of the Nanticoke 650-feet smokestacks. It has also been almost five years since the station burned its last piece of coal. In its heyday, the Nanticoke Generating Station was the largest coal-fired plant in North America, providing 15% of Ontarios electricity. After serving the province for more than 40 years, it stopped using coal as fuel in 2013. Two years later, the site was safely closed while the switchyards, operated by Hydro One Networks, remain in operation as a significant hub for the electricity grid in the southwestern part of the region. Official information indicates that some parts of the former facility, such as the powerhouse, still need to be torn down. Following the last demolition scheduled for September 2019, the site will undergo a restoration process in 2020. Since 2014, Ontario Power Generation stopped using coal to generate electricity in Canada's most populous province, a move that resulted in the equivalent of taking 7 million cars off the road. By Mining.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Weeks after Norways government proposed that the countrys US$1-trillion fund divest from pure exploration and production oil companies, the cabinet said on Friday that it will allow the worlds biggest sovereign wealth fund to invest in unlisted renewable energy infrastructure. The Government is now allowing for the Government Pension Fund Global to be invested in unlisted renewable energy infrastructure. The investments shall be made within the scope of the special environment-related mandates only, the Norwegian government said in a statement. Norway is also doubling the upper limit on unlisted green energy investments from US$7 billion (60 billion Norwegian crowns) to US$14 billion (120 billion crowns). The market for renewable energy is growing rapidly. A major part of the renewable energy investment opportunities is found in the unlisted market, especially in unlisted infrastructure projects. Expectations of significant investments going forward mean that this market is of interest to institutional investors such as the Government Pension Fund Global, according to the Norwegian government. We are not stipulating that the Fund shall be invested in unlisted renewable energy infrastructure, but are enabling Norges Bank to make such investments if deemed profitable, Norways Finance Minister Siv Jensen said. Related: Is This The End Of Colorados Shale Boom? The worlds largest sovereign wealth fundcreated three decades ago to safeguard and manage Norways oil wealth for future generationsmade headlines last month, when the government proposed that the fund divest from oil and gas exploration companies. The move by the Norwegian government and the fund comes at a time when investors are increasingly pressing major oil companies to start taking climate change seriously and to prepare their business portfolios for a world of peak oil demand, whenever that may come. Norway, however, claims that its decision is motivated by financial reasons, with the country aiming to cut exposure to the oil price risk. More importantly, the fund will not be divesting from any of the Big Oil firms. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Bihar Board 10th Result 2019: The Bihar School Examination Board has declared the BSEB matriculation exam results on their official site. The pass percentage has increased and touched a record of 80.73% this year. Candidates can check their results on bsebinteredu.in. Reportedly, the website of BSEB was crashed earlier due to heavy traffic and that is why the result was delayed which was scheduled to be declared at 12.30 PM. Students can also check other websites like examresults.net, results.gov.in for their results. The BSEB has also announced cash prize for toppers. The toppers will be given a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each, along with a laptop and a kindle e-reader, as per reports. However, the cash prizes for second and third topper are Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. The fourth and fifth rank holder from each stream will get Rs 15,000 and a laptop each. The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) exams were conducted from February 21 to February 28. The first paper was English and the exams concluded with the optional subject paper. More than 16 lakh candidates appeared for the Bihar Board matric examinations this year. Last year 68.89% students passed the examination. Candidates must keep in mind that this year they will get the option of downloading a softcopy or PDF of their score card. Once the BSEB Matric Result 2019 results are declared, students can apply for re-evaluation of their answer sheets. They will have to pay a nominal fee for the same. One can check the official site for more information on this. How to check BSEB Class 10 board exam results online: Visit the official BSEB website biharboardonline.in/result Look for the Class 10 or BSEB matric results notification Open the page, enter all the required information Click on submit, the result will be displayed on the screen Take print out, email or save the screenshot of the result for future reference How to check BSEB Class 10 board exam results on SMS: SMS BSEBROLLNUMBER and send it to 56263 There are rumours floating around that BSEB Class 10 board results have been declared. However, it is not true and the results are yet to be declared. The 10th result is expected to be better this year, as compared to last year. The 12th Board results have been really impressive this year and the BSEB has created history by announcing the results in March itself, that are usually out by May end. A total of 79.76% of students had passed the 12th board examinations in Bihar this year. Also read: Bihar Board 10th Result 2019: Topper Sawan Raj Bharti scores 97.2%; top 17 out of 18 scorers from same school Also read: UPSC Final Exam Results: Kanishak Kataria from IIT Bombay tops 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? 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El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! " " A sarcophagus and mummy from the later Ptolemaic Period (664-30 B.C.E.) on display at the National Museum of Denmark. Prisma/UIG/Getty Images Mummies are useful for lots of things: Halloween costumes, Scooby-Doo episodes, ancient Egyptian crafts, and you can get a lot of mileage out of mummy puns, if you're into that sort of thing. But an international team of researchers has just discovered they're also good for parsing the origins of ancient Egyptians themselves. Scientists have long assumed mummies were a dead end as a source of DNA helpful for studying ancient human populations. Over the years, researchers have tried different methods of extracting genetic material from mummified remains, but Egypt's hot climate, the humidity of the tombs in which the mummies were buried, and the chemicals used in the mummification process have, up until now, rendered their DNA unreadable. Advertisement Looking Back Through Time A new study, though, published in the journal Nature Communications shows that sequencing DNA from mummies is possible it just takes an international team of ancient DNA specialists and some futuristic sequencing techniques to figure out how. " " Verena Schuenemann, group leader at the University of Tuebingen and one of the lead authors of a new study on ancient Egyptian DNA, examines mummy remains. Johannes Krause So, what do you do with reliable mummy DNA data? You figure out what the deal is with the ancient Egyptians, of course. Ancient Egypt's political history was incredibly long and turbulent all its neighbors had a go at the empire at some point: Assyrians, Nubians, Persians, Greeks and Romans, just to name a few. "We wanted to test if the conquest of Alexander the Great and other foreign powers has left a genetic imprint on the ancient Egyptian population," said co-author Verena Schuenemann of the University of Tuebingen, in a press release. The researchers sampled 151 mummies dating from between 1388 B.C.E. and 426 C.E., excavated in the 20th century from an archaeological site along the Nile in middle Egypt called Abusir el-Meleq. The team obtained mitochondrial DNA (which tells the story of the DNA that's passed down from the mother, but reveals nothing about the father) from 90 mummies, and retrieved completely intact genomes from three. Advertisement Ancient Insights This data revealed some insights into what ancient Egyptians were like. First, the genomes didn't change much over the 1,300-year span of history represented in these mummies, and that's despite the constant invasions. Second, when the researchers compared the DNA of the three intact mummy genomes to those of modern people from the same region of Egypt, they found these ancient Egyptians were genetically more closely related to people of the Near East present-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine than they were to contemporary Egyptians. These days, about 20 percent of the DNA of modern Egyptian populations can be traced to sub-Saharan African origins, whereas ancient Egyptians had none. In fact, the data suggest modern Egyptians share about 8 percent more ancestry with sub-Saharan Africans than with ancient Egyptians. "This suggests that an increase in sub-Saharan African gene flow into Egypt occurred within the last 1,500 years," said co-author Stephan Schiffels, of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. This is possibly due to more recent long-distance trade between sub-Saharan Africa and Egypt on the Nile, and to the trans-Saharan slave trade that started around 1,300 years ago. And in addition to revealing information about human migration, the new findings also underscore that as far as Egyptian mummies go, much more remains to learn from remains. Now That's Interesting In order to find viable DNA in the mummies, the research team had to extract it from their bones and teeth rather than soft tissue. Police have detained more than 60 suspects and seized thousands of cannabis plants in a major operation against Albanian gangsters spanning Belgium, France and the Netherlands, Belgian prosecutors said Friday. A three-day wave of raids beginning on Wednesday netted more than 8,200 cannabis plants, along with 200 grams of cocaine, luxury cars including a Ferrari and nearly 90,000 euros in cash. Nearly 650 officers were involved across the three countries, prosecutors in the southern Belgian city of Mons said, with the target an Albanian criminal network involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking, forgery and money-laundering. Of the 63 people held, 15 have been formally arrested and three charged already, prosecutors said, adding that while the main suspects were based in Brussels, Amsterdam and the eastern Belgian city of Liege, the network also operated in Britain, France and Italy. Most of the arrests were in Belgium but seven were held in the Netherlands and two in France. This week's raids were the result of information police obtained when they dismantled a cannabis plantation in southern Belgium last year, prosecutors said. India has identified and shared a list of 380 products including horticulture, textiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals with China as their shipments hold huge export potential in the neighbouring country, an official said. Increasing exports of these products would help India narrow the widening trade deficit with China, which stood at USD 50.12 billion during April-February 2018-19. During the period, India's exports to China grew by 28.61 per cent to about USD 15 billion, while imports contracted by 6.29 per cent to about USD 65 billion. The official said that in the recent months, India's exports of marine products, cotton, organic chemicals, grapes and plastics have increased significantly. Indian exporters face certain non-tariff measures in Chinese markets, which restrict exports to that country. The commerce ministry on April 4 had called a meeting of stakeholders including export promotion councils and other government departments to discuss ways to increase exports to China. India is taking several steps to promote shipments to China. Recently, it has managed to export agricultural goods such as non-basmati rice to China. India is seeking greater market access for various agricultural products, animal feeds, oil seeds, milk and milk products, pharmaceuticals in light of the potential of these products/services in the Chinese market The official also said that next month Chinese Vice-Minister for General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) is expected to visit India to discuss trade related issues. In that meeting, some more protocols for India's exports are expected to be finalised, the official added. Also read: China asks for duty-free import of 85% of its products into India Also read: US plan to remove preferential trade status won't really hurt India; to impact duty reduction worth $190 million China and the European Union may not be able to issue a joint statement during Premier Li Keqiangs visit to Brussels next week as the two sides are bickering over the extent to which access to Chinas market should be improved, EU sources told the South China Morning Post. Germany, France, Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands are understood to be among the countries strongly opposed to putting their names on a final deal, despite Chinese efforts to conclude an agreement with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council leader Donald Tusk. An EU source with direct knowledge of the preliminary negotiations with China expressed discontent over the new foreign investment bill that Beijing passed in a move that was widely viewed as an effort to placate Washington amid trade talks. Many EU countries also worry about a surge of Chinese takeovers in critical sectors. The EU would like to see improved conditions for European companies in China, an EU source said on Friday. We think its necessary to have an equal degree of openness for EU companies to access the Chinese markets, as Chinese companies find here in the European market. Pointing to the new foreign investment law, the source said: Unfortunately the law does not address some of the EUs main concerns, notably a long list of restricted sectors for foreign investments, the continuation of a dual regime for foreign and domestic operators, which becomes particularly worrisome when it comes to authorisation and licensing. The law also failed to halt Chinas policy of forcing foreign companies operating in the country to transfer their proprietary technology to Chinese joint venture partners, he said. Beijings envoys to Brussels have been negotiating with the EU for months over a possible joint statement. Parties in a high-profile bilateral summit generally follow the diplomatic convention of issuing such statements to define policy agendas once the meeting is over. Story continues According to an early draft of the final EU-China communique obtained by Reuters, the EU sought to make Beijing complete negotiations on an investment deal and make a commitment to remove what it saw as unfair barriers to trade. But according to EU officials, Beijing refused to include any reference to a rules-based international order in the joint statement, despite the two sides reaffirming their commitment to the concept at the 20th EU-China summit in July in Beijing. China also rejected including any reference to extending the mandate of the global steel forum, a soon-to-expire mechanism that G20 leaders created in 2016 to reduce excess production capacity in steel and address Beijings subsidies to the steel industry. The EU wouldve thought that China would be more cooperative, given our concession in 5G, a source said, referring to the EUs ignoring of Washingtons call for a blanket ban on 5G gear made by Chinas Huawei Technologies in Europe. The US has been pressuring its allies to boycott telecoms services and networking gear from the worlds largest telecoms equipment supplier, citing national security concerns. European leaders also are said to be unhappy with the way Beijing is sowing European disunity through actions such as signing agreements with Italy and Luxembourg for their participation in Chinas massive trade and infrastructure programme, the Belt and Road Initiative. But an EU source said neither Juncker nor Tusk was likely to ask China to abandon its effort to sign up EU member nations to the initiative, stressing that the union had already put in place guidelines on sustainability and international norms and standards for member states to follow when exploring the potential opportunities in belt and road participation. Some countries are riding on the strong US position and the possibility of Washington succeeding in pushing China to make concessions, another diplomatic source said. We, too, expect China to deliver [on] the long-overdue promises of reforms. Li is to meet Juncker and Tusk on Tuesday for a three-hour discussion on an array of issues covering World Trade Organisation rules, economic policies, 5G technology and the belt and road plan. Human rights also will be on the table, according to EU sources, with Tibet, the Uygur Muslims situation in Xinjiang and the social credit system possible topics of conversation. Despite its issues with China, the EU appears to have stepped away from the strong rhetoric of certain individual leaders, most notably French President Emmanuel Macron. Days before hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in France last month, Macron said the time of European naivety towards China was over. The EU had committed a strategic error by allowing Chinese companies to buy up EU infrastructure, such as ports, he said. More from South China Morning Post: This article China, EU leaders plan for joint statement in Brussels hits snag over market access row, EU sources say first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. 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 FOR being confused about his particular residence and not stating a specific residence, the Municipal Circuit Trial Court Seventh Judicial Region has denied the petition of Cordova mayoral bet Pablo Villaber to be included in the list of registered voters. This does not automatically mean, though, that he is disqualified from running for Cordova mayor since he can still appeal the decision, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official said. In a five-page decision signed by Presiding Judge Jocelyn Uy-Po on April 3, the court said it was not convinced that Villaber is a resident of Barangay Gabi, Cordova town. The fact that petitioner (Villaber) does not state any specific residence and is even confused where his particular residence is because he has another residence or is a domicile of another place, part of the court decision read. Earlier, the barangay captains of Gabi and Poblacion issued separate certifications stating that Villaber was not a resident of their barangays. The issuance was an offshoot of the verification conducted by the Election Registration Board of Cordova to check Villabers correct residence. A joint affidavit was submitted by Villabers son Paul and his employees Marycil and Alberto Saavedra, Rebecca Uy, Victoria Racaza and Winston and Delilah Rodriguez alleging that the mayoral bet put up a business in Cordova and resided there. The court, though, found this to be colored with self- interest. The court added that while the elder Villaber may have resided in these houses, it does not engender the kind of domicile or residence that the law demands because the latter allegedly intends to go back to Davao del Sur. Section 117 of the Omnibus Election Code states that every citizen of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, 18 years of age or over, who shall have resided in the Philippines for one year and in the city or municipality wherein he proposes to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election, may be registered as a voter. Story continues The denial of this court of the petition (of Villaber) does not in any way violate his constitutional right since his right to vote has not been negated. He can still validly vote on his previous domicile which could be Davao del Sur, the judge said. A candidate of Lakas-CMD, Villaber was headed to a four-pronged race against reelectionist Mayor Teche Sitoy, Dody Jumao-as of PDP-Laban and independent aspirant Sherly Pogoy. Sought for comment, Acting Cebu Provincial Elections Supervisor Jerome Brillantes said Villaber may still appeal the decision. If ever he opts not to appeal, then the judgment will become final, hence, votes rendered to his favor will be a stray vote, he told SunStar Cebu in a text message. He said Villaber is not disqualified yet because the decision denying his petition as a registered voter of Cordova is not yet final and executory. But if he decides not to contest the courts decision, then he will be considered disqualified, said Brillantes. (RTF) Hong Kong customs seized HK$16.5 million (US$2.1 million) worth of rhino horns in transshipment cargo at the airport on Friday, marking a record haul of products related to the endangered species. The smuggled items from South Africa were declared as vehicle parts destined for Malaysia. X-ray images of the cargo had raised suspicions and officers acted on a tip-off. Authorities found 82.5kg of suspected rhino horns and body parts in the consignment. No arrests were made, and a senior customs source said they believed no local offenders were involved in the case. According to the source, authorities have been monitoring smuggling trends with rhino horn being sought after in China and Southeast Asia for its perceived medicinal properties. South Africa is home to most of the worlds rhino population and therefore, is a common source of smuggled rhino horns, the source said. South Africa is home to most of the worlds rhino population and therefore, is a common source of smuggled rhino horns Customs source Seizures of wildlife products have been on the rise last year and totalled 270 tonnes, a threefold increase in quantity from the year before. On Valentines Day this year, customs seized HK$8 million in rhino horns on two passengers at the airport. Both men were arrested after arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa and found to be carrying 40kg of wildlife products in two check-in boxes. The pair were in transit to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. Asked if smugglers were using Hong Kong as a trafficking hub, the source said syndicates could be capitalising on the citys busy and extensive air routes to move their illicit wildlife products. The two cases in February were handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action. In January, authorities landed the citys biggest ever seizure of pangolin scales after more than HK$62 million worth of such products, including elephant tusks, were discovered in a shipping container from Africa. Story continues The haul included more than 8.2 tonnes of scales believed to have come from thousands of endangered pangolins, with an estimated street value of HK$42 million. In all, the city recorded 745 cases of endangered species smuggling last year a surge of 72 per cent compared with 2017 and 528 arrests. Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of HK$10 million. This article Customs seizes HK$16.5 million record haul of rhino horns in Hong Kong first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. 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 Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to investigate the reported abuse of several overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Citing a report by Philippine Overseas Labor Office- Jeddah Labor Attache Nasser Munder, Dole Secretary Silvestre Bello III said there is a need for an investigation on the cases of four household service workers and another unidentified OFW. Dole vows to prosecute the employers, as well as to run after the recruitment agencies, who deceived some overseas Filipino workers while one was allegedly raped by her agency representative, said Bello. In his report to Bello, Munder said four household service workers were forced to work for more than 10 hours in different households, and render another two hours of duty at the household of their employer. They were identified as Samra Musa Lidasan, Lyn Silongan Sali, Norhen Gayo Sarat and Noraima Mamadra Bandara. Munder said the four ran away from their employer and have since sought refuge at the Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center in Jeddah on March 1. He also reported an alleged rape case involving another OFW by her agency representative on December 28 last year. The 22-year old OFW was only identified as Saida. The victim is presently staying at the Bahay Kalinga while the case is being handled by the Assistance to Nationals Section of PCG Jeddah. In both cases, Munder said, involved are the Saudi Recruitment Agency Madar Al Kharj Recruitment Agency, and Philippine Recruitment Agency Iemploy Manpower Services Inc. Bello said Munder has already recommended the suspension and cancellation of the licenses of the concerned recruitment agencies. (HDT/SunStar Philippines) An Indonesian fisherman held hostage for four months by Islamic militants in the Philippines has drowned, a military spokesman said Saturday, while two other captured men have been rescued. The men had been held on a remote island in a standoff for nearly six weeks after Filippino troops blockaded the island in a bid to close in on the kidnappers. The men were seized from their fishing boat in early December last year. The captors, from Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, fled the southern island of Simusa Friday, bringing their hostages with them, said military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Gerry Besana. One Indonesian fisherman, Heri Ardiansyah, was rescued as the militants tried to flee, but another -- Hariadin -- drowned in the escape bid. Another hostage, Malaysian Jari Abdullah, was rescued by Filipino troops a day earlier and is now in a "stable" condition with gunshot wounds at a military hospital, Besana told AFP. "The island had been blockaded for the past 41 days. They (kidnappers) probably thought they could slip past us by swimming," he added. Three of at least seven kidnappers who were with the hostages were killed in the operations, he said. The military got wind of the hostages' location in late February and ordered the small civilian population on the island to leave, Besana said. Abu Sayyaf is a group of self-proclaimed Islamic militants based in the southern Philippines who have engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries for ransom since the early 1990s. In recent years the group has also preyed on cargo ships, tugboats and fishing vessels in poorly policed waters of the region near the sea borders with Malaysia and Indonesia. Dutch birdwatcher Ewald Horn, abducted in 2012, a Vietnamese seaman and four Filipinos are believed to be still in Abu Sayyaf captivity, Besana said. The head of Libya's UN-backed government Fayez al-Sarraj on Saturday accused his rival Khalifa Haftar of betraying him over a military offensive against the capital Tripoli which risks plunging the country into civil war. Forces loyal to the Libyan commander have pressed on with their assault despite international calls to halt hostilities. In a televised address, Sarraj warned of a "war without a winner". "We have extended our hands towards peace but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Haftar... he will find nothing but strength and firmness," he said. Pro-Haftar fighters have been slowed in their advance by forces loyal to Sarraj's Government of National Accord (GNA), which is based in the capital. For the first time, forces backing the GNA launched air strikes earlier Saturday on Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) -- which vowed to retaliate -- around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tripoli. Pro-government forces in Tripoli confirmed they had targeted Haftar's men with "intensive strikes". The air strikes came as fresh fighting flared Saturday south of Tripoli between the pro-government forces and Haftar's troops despite calls from the international community to halt the military offensive. Several European foreign ministers warned Haftar not to countenance any further military action, with France's Jean-Yves Le Drian warning "there will be no military victory". German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there should be pressure on all the actors in Libya "especially general Haftar". A similar stance was taken by the UN Security Council which, following a closed-door emergency meeting Friday, said those responsible for re-igniting the conflict will be held responsible. - Residents stockpile - Libya has struggled to counter unrest since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, leaving dozens of militia to fill the void and ally with either the GNA or the rival administration in the east backed by Haftar. At least one armed group from Misrata -- whose forces are mostly loyal to the UN-backed government -- arrived Saturday in eastern Tripoli to join the counter-offensive, according to an AFP photographer. "We are waiting for orders to repel any advance by the enemy towards Tripoli," said the group's spokesman Khaled Abu Jazia. Dozens of armed vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns were gathered in Tajura, in the suburbs east of the capital. Tripoli residents have expressed concern that large-scale fighting could break out and began stocking up on food and petrol. On Saturday large queues formed at petrol stations and supermarkets, an AFP journalist said. "We must store everything we need for the family, just in case, especially those with young children," said Farida, a mother pushing a full shopping cart. "You never know how long it will last," she added. Haftar's forces were driven back by a few kilometres on Friday evening after briefly seizing Tripoli's international airport, which was destroyed in 2014. They were also pushed back from a key checkpoint west of the capital, less than 24 hours after seizing it during their lightning offensive towards Tripoli. - UN 'determined' for talks - The latest escalation in the conflict-wracked country comes just days ahead of a UN-backed conference intended to unite Libya's rivals and pave the way for elections. Russia's top diplomat on Saturday called for Libyans to "decide their future themselves" through "inclusive" dialogue. "Without any sort of artificial dates that some are trying to force upon them from outside," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to Cairo. Despite the Tripoli flare-up, UN envoy Ghassan Salame insisted the April 14-16 talks in the Libyan city of Ghadames would go ahead. "We are determined" to hold the talks "as scheduled" unless prevented by serious obstacles, Salame told a press conference. "We want to reassure Libyans that we will stay alongside the Libyan people to make the political process a success without resorting to escalation." Libya's unity government was created at UN-backed talks in 2015 but it has struggled to assert control, while a number of international initiatives since have failed to unite the country. 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 IT WAS only my second visit to Italy. I dont know why it took me 35 years to go back. Temperatures were a little chillymostly hovered around 14-15 Celsius but felt more like 11-12 due to the winds. Pleasantly cool temperatures for brisk walking around the city. I like to walk on vacation because I dont get to do it in the concrete tropical jungle I live in where its usually hot and humid, dusty and dirty and where Im often a magnet for mosquitoes and other insects. Its the bane of my life. I attract the wrong species. Theres also the danger of being mugged. To be fair, you can get mugged in Italy, too, especially in mafioso territory. But we loved Napoli. And thats where we got lost the mostin the historical city center, in the unsavory parts of town they call the authentic part of Napleswhere one can easily lose ones bearings in the maze of narrow alleys akin to the medinas of Morocco. But we survived. We sinfully feasted on calorie-laden Italian confections so to ease our guilt, we decided to walk our calories off. We averaged 12 kilometers daily for two weeks. There were days when we walked up to 17 kilometers meandering through the maze of Italian lanes, lost. It was fantasticat least, for me. Under the right conditions, I love walking. My cousin ribs me all the time that my tours are the only ones wherein participants actually have to train before joining. Mt. Vesuvius is not a long trek but its a steep trek. You dont need to be an athlete to climb it but couch potatoes might need a stretcher half-way into the climb. Our guide in Pompeii told me she personally preferred Vesuvius from afar. Do you think that dissuaded me? It had the opposite effect. At the parking lot, my sister and cousin sheepishly and almost simultaneously tell me, Umm...go ahead. Dont wait up for me. Im just going to go as far as I can go. Im so disappointed with these two. We havent even begun but theyve already bailed out. Ten minutes into the climb, I feel like dying but Im determined to go on. I stay away from the edge. I avert my eyes. Im afraid of heights. But I plod on. I will not give up. Story continues But guess what? We all made it to the top. After all, I was not the only braveheart. Truth be told, I conveniently forgot to tell them we were climbing a volcano on our vacation. They say nothing beats the first time. Not always true. Its like watching a film for the second time, you become aware of nuances that escaped your attention the first time aroundnuances that give the story greater meaning and changes your perspective about everything. My first time in Italy was magical. My second time was more profoundprobably because I now paid attention to the most important things. And I understood better what I did wrong the first time around. Lifes like that, too. Opposition supporters thronged the streets of Caracas and other cities on Saturday to protest against President Nicolas Maduro's government, as massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies further exacerbated a growing political crisis. The United States meanwhile has stiffened its economic sanctions against the government, and one top US official on Saturday warned Venezuela's military that it must protect the rights of peaceful protesters. Opposition leader Juan Guaido -- whose claim to be the legitimate interim president is supported by around 50 nations -- had called for a huge turnout in Caracas, announcing in a phone message to supporters "the greatest escalation of pressure we have seen in our history." Pro-Guaido protests drew thousands in rallies across the country, while a pro-Maduro counter-demonstration in Caracas drew thousands of people who marched toward the Miraflores presidential palace. "Together, permanently mobilized, let's keep defending national peace and independence; no more interference!" Maduro tweeted. Two opposition deputies were detained during an anti-government protest in the western city of Maracaibo, but a few hours later, Guaido told a crowd of thousands in Caracas that the two -- Nora Bracho and Renzo Prieto -- had been released. Deputy Elimar Diaz, who took part in the Maracaibo march, told AFP the protest there had encountered "brutal repression," including the firing of tear gas canisters from helicopters. Diaz said people in the area had gone "days without electricity" amid "inhumane rationing" by the government. Maduro has blamed US-backed sabotage for the massive blackouts that have deprived millions of power. The opposition blames a failure to maintain critical infrastructure. - Crumbling economy - Facing intense pressure at home and abroad, the Maduro government has sought to weaken Guaido's position. The government has stripped him of his parliamentary immunity, authorized his prosecution for proclaiming himself acting president in January and has banned him from holding public office for 15 years. Guaido said earlier this week he feared abduction by government agents. The United States meanwhile kept up the international pressure on Maduro to step down. Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced fresh sanctions against 34 vessels belonging to Venezuela's state oil company and two companies that ship crude to Cuba. He said in a speech in Houston that "the United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy." "Those looking on should know this: all options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America." "This is only a first step," US national security advisor John Bolton tweeted on Saturday in reference to the sanctions. He cautioned Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino in a separate tweet of his "constitutional responsibility to protect innocent civilians who are peacefully demonstrating," adding: "Do not let the Cubans or the 'colectivos' inflict violence against Venezuelan patriots." The "colectivos" are armed paramilitary groups that support Maduro and are accused by the opposition of often resorting to violence. - Security Council to meet - Maduro enjoys important backing from his nation's military as well as from China and Russia as he clings to power. The US and its allies view the socialist president as illegitimate since he took office in January for a second six-year term following elections seen as deeply flawed. With its crude exports collapsing and international sanctions piling up, Venezuela's oil economy has crumbled. Malnutrition and disease are on the rise as living conditions plummet. In the face of the worsening humanitarian crisis, the US has convened a session of the UN Security Council for Wednesday. Since Venezuela's massive blackout of March 7, the country has been subject to repeated power cuts, with electricity being rationed outside of Caracas. The blackouts have knocked out water supplies as well as transport and communications, forcing many people to trim their work days to six hours. "We are tired," said Verony Mendez, 48, whose water was cut off two months ago. "But we have to take to the streets because it is the only way to get these people out!" 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. BJP rebel MP from Patna, Shatrughan Sinha, today officially joined Rahul Gandhi's Congress party. Sinha is likely to participate in the upcoming polls as the opposition alliance candidate from Bihar's Patna Sahib. He left Bhartiya Janata Party on its Foundation Day, April 6. Congress, hours after he joined the party, fielded the actor-turned-politician as its Lok Sabha poll candidate from Bihar's Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency against Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE updates: Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress; says differences with BJP leaders left no option According to sources, the proverbial last straw in Sinha turning to Congress was the BJP shunning him and naming Ravi Shankar Prasad, in Patna Sahib, which was Sinha's constituency of 10 years. Shatrughan Sinha,72, tweeted, "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP." It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP. I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in - Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 Sinha had announced his decision to quit the BJP and join the grand old party last week. Additionally, while addressing a public meet after joining Congress, Sinha stated that Bihar Congress' leader Shakti Singh Gohil has been the backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat. However, he corrected himself later. #WATCH: Shatrughan Sinha after joining Congress says, 'Shakti Singh Gohil ji (Bihar Congress In-charge) has been backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat,' corrects himself later. pic.twitter.com/ktaMjkkgSW - ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 The two-time Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister said that he left the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) because it had moved from being democratic to autocratic. He added that BJP, in terms of decision making, had turned into a "one-man show" and a "two-men army," in a jibe at PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Sinha said that he doesn't have any complaints against most of the BJP leaders and it became an autocracy "after LK Advani". Sinha in a series of tweets, praised the Congress party, along with the RJD. Sinha, in one of his tweet, said that he has forgiven those "responsible for the injustice" given out to him. He said, "I would like to include some of those who've not lived up to the expectations, to those who are responsible for the injustice and for turning Lok Shahi into Tana Shahi. I forgive and forget at this juncture. The differences I have with some of the present people and policies of the party, leave me with no option but to part ways with it." Sinha added, "I'm hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory. This is a party of great nation builders and luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and many others. "Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, Rahul Gandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction. Long live democracy and the ...Congress party, along with the alliance of Lalu and Tejasvi's RJD. Long live our great India. Jai Hind." (Edited by Vivek Dubey) Also Read: Demonetisation was for national interest; not for political gains: PM Modi Also Read: 'It doesn't matter to me': PM Modi on Priyanka Gandhi's entry into politics 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 Lessors to Jet Airways Ltd are planning to ask India's aviation regulator to de-register many more planes leased to the airline, three sources said, signalling a planned bailout of the debt-laden carrier is failing to assuage their concerns. About six lessors are expected to apply to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to de-register up to 15 planes that have already been grounded, over the next 10 days, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. This is in addition to the five planes that MC Aviation Partners, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp, applied on Friday to de-register, the source said. Once de-registered, lessors can take the plane out of the country and lease them to other airlines. While some lessors have already taken their planes out after a mutual agreement with Jet, sources say the latest applications to do so are on a non-consensual basis. This deepens the crisis for Jet that has had to ground more than three-quarters of its fleet of 119 planes, many due to non-payment to lessors, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations. It was not immediately clear which of its lessors were planning to apply for de-registration in the coming days. About 100 of Jet's 119 mainly Boeing planes are leased by companies such as Avolon, GE Capital Aviation Services and AerCap Holdings. Avolon, one of the world's biggest aircraft lessors, on Thursday applied to the DGCA to take two of its planes placed with Jet outside of India, making it the first to pull planes out on a non-consensual basis. "The lessors are really hassled," said one of the sources, declining to be identified as the discussions were private. "Nobody wants to take risks." Jet, India's oldest private carrier now controlled by its lenders, did not respond to requests for comment. Reflecting the overall risk-off sentiment, Indian Oil halted jet fuel supplies to the airline from Friday noon, saying it hopes to soon resolve payment issue with Jet. Jet shares ended down 1.6 percent in a positive Mumbai market. DOWN TO THE WIRE India is keen to save Jet to prevent thousands of job losses, which could potentially dent sentiment days ahead a federal election in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to secure a second term. Jet's lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), last month agreed to bailout the airline in a complex deal that involved the banks taking a majority stake in the company, while they continue looking for a new investor, and providing a fresh loan of $218 million. The lenders said late on Thursday they intended to push forward with their plan but offered no clarity on the interim funding. Some lessors have been sceptical about whether this proposed bailout can clear their dues on time. Several have not been paid for five to six months, a source has told Reuters. "It's getting down to the wire. If nothing comes out by next week, I think it's done," said another source. After Kingfisher Airlines' disorderly collapse in 2012, India modified rules in line with the Cape Town convention, an international treaty that makes it easier for foreign lessors to repossess aircraft during payment defaults. In theory, lessors have the option to file a complaint with the DGCA, which in turn can cancel a plane's registration within five working days. But this is subject to some conditions such as clearing dues owed to airport operators, fuel vendors, tax authorities and other private entities. The government also needs to revise some local laws that conflict with the full implementation of the convention, making it a more complicated process in India than in some other countries. Also read: Jet Airways' lenders to invite bids for stake sale on April 6 Also read: Jet Airways operating with 26 aircraft, fulfils norms to fly abroad: Aviation secretary Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Rahul Gandhi's Congress party, on Saturday, lashed back at Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, for making allegations in the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers case. Randeep Surjewala, Congress's chief spokesperson, said that the Jaitely is showing immense trust in "diary entries" to level "bogus" charges, even as the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is "mute" on Yeddy and Sahara diaries. Finance Minister had said that the Congress should respond as to who were mentioned as "RG", "AP" and "FAM" in documents summoned by the ED in the AgustaWestland case. He added that Swiss police, in 2013, had also confiscated records carrying similar initials in its raids in connection with the case. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE updates: Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress; says differences with BJP leaders left no option Surjewala tweeted, "Suddenly, FM shows immense faith in 'Diary entries' to make Bogus Allegations! What's good for the goose is good for the gander!" He added, "Why is PM Modi & BJP silent on Sahara Diaries? Why is PM Modi & BJP are mute on Yeddy Diaries? Duplicity & Doublespeak is ingrained in BJP's DNA." The purported Sahara diaries were recovered following raids conducted in November 2014. Reportedly, the Sahara diaries listed alleged pay-offs to politicians. The Yeddy diaries refer to former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's alleged diary which, according to Congress, had accounts of 'bribes' given to BJP leaders. The PM Modi's government had dismissed all such accusations. On Friday, the Congress had said that the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge-sheet filed in the AgustaWestland case before a Delhi court was a 'cheap election stunt' to divert attention from the 'imminent defeat' of BJP in the upcoming polls. Arun Jaitley, claiming that oral evidence confirmed about details inside the diaries, had said the investigation agencies began probing when the Congress was in power, in 2013. According to the charge-sheet, Michel has identified the initials 'AP' as Ahmed Patel, who is a senior Congress leader. Patel hit out at the government on Friday over the ED charge-sheet, citing "baseless and laughable" charges and "jumlas" are raining this poll season. The Enforcement Directorate, on Thursday, had told the Delhi court that Michel and other accused have received around 42 million euros as payments in the VVIP choppers' deal. With PTI inputs (Edited by Vivek Dubey) Also Read: Demonetisation was for national interest; not for political gains: PM Modi Also Read: 'It doesn't matter to me': PM Modi on Priyanka Gandhi's entry into politics Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed...Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight, 'Tis ever the same, to serve our home and country's need. -- JOSE RIZAL, "My Last Farewell" // Sapagkat ang mundo'y bayan ng hinagpis Mamamaya'y sukat tibayan ang dibdib... -- FRANCISCO BALAGTAS, "Florante at Laura" // AI has delivered us to a point in time where we have to start seriously thinking about whether we really want killer robots choosing targets to take out in our battles. Ask anyone on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan what they think about drone strikes with remote selection of targets in a less-than-discerning manner. But weve already gone beyond the impersonal drone strike. Weve taken that leap into a much more stunning form of weaponized robotics. Last fall, the EU passed a resolution calling for an " International ban on the development, production and use of weapons that kill without a human deciding to fire". The power to decide over life and death should never be taken out of human hands and given to machines, Reuters cited Bodil Valero, security policy spokesperson for the EU Parliaments Greens/EFA Group, as saying. This is about a principle known as Martens clause--which states that "the human person remains under the protection of the principles of humanity and the dictates of the public conscience. In other words, not under the dictates of robots. However fantastically well machines operation, they should never be charged with making life-and-death decisions in warfare. Prior to that, in July last year, 2,400 researchers, including Elon Musk, signed a pledge not to work on robots that can attack without human oversight. That, however, was just paying useless lip service to the public. It was a scream in the tundra. In reality, no ones putting the brakes on this: The most powerful countries in the world, including the U.S., China, Russia, Israel--and even South Korea and the United Kingdom--are moving closer to autonomous weapons systems. The armed drone was just the harbinger-the test-run. Related: The Biggest Problem In The Cashless Revolution In more innocuous-sounding terms, they are called lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWs)--though the acronym is much more ominous when we consider that the LAW is basically going to be given to AI. Proponents argue that LAWs might cause less collateral damage. They also believe that artificial intelligence would be more selective in its strikes than humans. Most people dont understand that these systems offer the opportunity to decide when not to fire, even when commanded by a human if it is deemed unethical, said Professor Ron Arkin, a roboticist at the Georgia Institute of Technology. According to Arkin, LAWs would be fitted with an ethical governor helping to ensure they only strike legitimate targets and avoid ambulances, hospitals, and other off-limits targets. The reality is that we havent even mastered drone strikes or laser-guided bombs. In but one example in August last year, a laser-guided bomb from the Saudi coalition struck a bus full of schoolchildren in Yemen, killed 40. True, says Arkin, There is no guarantee it would work under all conditions. But sometimes is better than never. But is it? Related: Africas First Unicorn IPO Is Coming To The NYSE As it turns out, thats an irrelevant question. When theres piles of money to be made, and plenty of demand (and everyone else is doing it, so we need to keep pace), killer robots will come, regardless of principles. DARPA has already announced a new $2 billion investment in "next wave" military AI. With AI Next, we are making multiple research investments aimed at transforming computers from specialized tools to partners in problem-solving. Today, machines lack contextual reasoning capabilities, and their training must cover every eventuality, which is not only costly, but ultimately impossible. We want to explore how machines can acquire human-like communication and reasoning capabilities, with the ability to recognize new situations and environments and adapt to them, according to Agency director Dr. Steven Walker. As far back as 2017, Russian news agency TASS reported that Russian arms maker Kalashnikov had developed an automated weapon that was able to identify targets and make decisions. The U.S. Marine Corps has already tested a bot with a .50-caliber machine gun, and drone warfare has been a key element of the U.S.s War on Terror. But replacing soldiers is a rather giant leap. In a 2013 article published in The Fiscal Times, David Francis cited Department of Defense figures showing that each soldier in Afghanistan costs the Pentagon roughly $850,000 per year. At the same time (back then) a TALON robot rover capable of being outfitted with weapons cost around $230,000. The endgame, though, is exactly that--replacing soldiers. Earlier this year, Russian state media published a video of the militarys new combat robots, designed to serve alongside infantry on the battlefield. They still require plenty of human intervention, but developers are working on replacing that intervention with algorithms. Basically, that means letting a robot decide whether youre a terrorist or not. Or whether youre with the wrong terrorist group of the moment. By Michael Kern for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Education Reporter Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe. Letters to the Editor: What would the Democrats do?; Have evidence? Let's see it " " Subglacial geothermal caves in Antarctica can get pretty warm, thanks to the sunlight shining through thin ice. Chadden Hunter/Nature Picture Library/Getty Images Aboveground, Antarctica appears barren and sterile. But tucked within warm pockets of volcanic ice caves, diverse plant and animal life may flourish. Steam and gas spewed by active volcanoes at Mount Erebus on the continent's Ross Island, and at three volcanoes on nearby Victoria Land, have carved out heated oases in ice domes, towers and cave systems. "The caves are covered with ice, and there's ice all around, but some are as warm as a summer's day over 20 degrees Celsius [68 degrees Fahrenheit]," Ceridwen Fraser from Australian National University's Fenner School of Environment & Society tells HowStuffWorks via email. "In most, it's pretty dark as not much light gets through the thick ice, but in others, where ice cover is thin, light can filter through." It's in these caves that Fraser's research team collected soil samples that yielded the DNA of dozens of plant and animal species. Most of the DNA collected from the caves match with species of, say, moss, algae and nematodes already detected at other sites on the continent. But Fraser says the team also identified genetics of life that may be unique to the unusual environment of the volcanic ice caves. "There were some sequences that didn't make a close match to DNA in online databases ... which makes me wonder if there might be species that are specially adapted to the caves and found nowhere else," Fraser says. "It opens up the doors to some exciting discoveries about biodiversity in Antarctica." While the DNA captured from the volcanic areas did not conclusively prove that the sites host living forms of the plants and animals, the samples nonetheless offer a tantalizing glimpse into what forms of life might live there. The researchers' next step will be to find direct evidence namely, the life itself in samples. Advertisement Looking for Life in All the Hard Places Getting samples from the Antarctic volcanic sites is no easy task. Laurie Connell, a researcher in molecular and biomedical sciences at the University of Maine, is a co-author of the study that led the team to the geothermal sites. The journey "takes a lot out of you," she says in a phone interview. Once the researchers reached the continent, they were flown by helicopter part way up Mount Erebus. They stayed in tents at least two nights to acclimate to the higher elevations, and from there they either hiked or snowmobiled to the ice cave hollows. At one point Connell and her colleagues were forced to ride out a blizzard and spent four long days stuck in their tents as wind and snow howled outside. Since conditions were so harsh, they couldn't leave the tents to go to the bathroom ("We had a poop bucket in the tent," Connell says) or to access their food stash. "It was over Thanksgiving so we decided to save our remaining dry soup mix and crackers for Thanksgiving day," Connell says. "When we woke up on Thanksgiving for our 'feast' and made our soup, we realized our hot water was no longer hotjust tepid. It was pretty pathetic." Once the researchers managed to reach the field station at the volcano Mount Erebus, where temperatures away from the geothermal sites get to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34 degrees Celsius), the team fanned out to various sites and used ropes and harnesses to access a range of geothermal features. The features included areas of soil that were heated from the volcanic activity, but still exposed; "ice hummocks," which are domes of unstable ice covering a heat-spewing volcanic vent; and ice towers and caves that presented intricate labyrinths of icy underworlds. Among the unidentified DNA recovered at the volcanic sites, the closest match the scientists could find are arthropods. This category of animals features external shells and jointed limbs, and includes over a million known species, ranging from lobsters to centipedes to microscopic copepods. Arthropods have been found elsewhere on the Antarctic continent, including on patches of exposed ground that make up the mere 0.3 percent (or less) of Antarctica that is not covered with ice. In these regions, life has to contend not only with extreme cold, but also with extreme dryness. Even though much of the continent is coated in ice that is up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) thick in parts, Antarctica's inner regions receive an average of only 2 inches (5 centimeters) of precipitation primarily snow each year. But despite the harsh conditions that exist away from its coast, Antarctica hosts vast biomes under the ice that scientists are now exploring. " " Geothermal sites at Mount Erebus and other icy locations in Antarctica may be home to extremely diverse biological populations. 2009 Eli Duke/CC BY-SA 2.0 Advertisement A Desert Teeming With Organisms "We think of Antarctica as a wasteland," Fraser says, "but even in that extreme environment life thrives in amazing placeson rocks on top of mountains, in the lower layers of sea ice, in dry 'deserts'why not also in these warm, hospitable caves hollowed out by steam between the ice and the rock?" In East Antarctica, Lake Vostok is buried under 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers) of ice and hasn't been near open air for some 15 million years. Samples taken from the lake in an unrelated study yielded genetic sequences for 3,507 recognizable species, according to a 2013 study, as well as about 10,000 species not yet known to science. Scientists have also found hardy forms of bacteria within networks of salty liquid water discovered at Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys, which feature striking, blood-red falls of iron-rich outflow. However, scientists must be mindful of whether the DNA they find at these extreme Antarctic sites represents life that truly exists there, or organisms that were transported in and persisted only temporarily. "Organisms could be transported aerially especially microbes and spores or by inadvertent contamination of clothing, scientific gear, etc.," says Bradley Tebo, a professor at Oregon Health and Science University who has also gone on expeditions to take samples at Mount Erebus. Indeed, Connell says her team was aware that a British group summited Mount Erebus over 100 years ago and visited many of the sites where they took their samples. Six men from the team of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott ventured up the 12,448-foot-tall (3,794-meter-tall) volcano in 1912 to collect geological specimens and do surveys of the region. "We found fragments of ash trees and other things that they likely had in their equipment," Connell says. "So one of our questions is which of the DNA represents things that were left over from these very early expeditions to Antarctica and which may represent life there now?" Still, the DNA discoveries at Mount Erebus may only represent a fraction of diverse life housed within its volcanic ice caves. Antarctica is home to more than 100 volcanoes, each of which may host its own network of ice caves and tunnels. "We don't yet know just how many cave systems exist around Antarctica's volcanoes, or how interconnected these subglacial environments might be," Charles Lee, another co-author of the research, said in a statement. "They're really difficult to identify, get to and explore." Antarctica may be difficult to get to and explore, but there are even more challenging places. Many scientists believe understanding the life and its subsurface environs in the harsh climate of Antarctica could lend clues to possible life on places in even more extreme locations like Mars. "This research, and other research indicates that volcanic activity can foster life in extreme conditions," Fraser says. "And yes, there is the potential that around volcanoes on other planets and moons we might find life, even when exposed atmospheric conditions are harsh." Now That's Interesting NASA takes great effort to ensure that robots sent to Mars are not contaminated with traces of life from Earth. Such traces can throw off results from sampling performed by rovers while on the red planet. Of course, distinguishing native DNA from contaminating DNA in samples from Antarctica is easier, since the location in question is already here on Earth. Connell says researchers are able to take direct samples and can then perform culture tests to determine whether life is still active at the geothermal locations. She and her colleagues have been performing these kinds of tests and plan to publish results soon. US District Court declares unconstitutional Illinois host-site rules that has led to indefinite detention of hundreds of sex offenders | Main | Shouldn't every criminal justice institution include leaders with past criminal justice involvement? April 6, 2019 "Making Jail a Last Resort" or "If Prisons Dont Work, What Will?" The title of this post are the two somewhat different (bad) headlines I have seen for this great New York Times commentary authored by Emily Bazelon (whose great timely new book is titled "Charged: The New Movement to Transform Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration.") I am much more partial to the first headline than the second, but neither comes close to capturing effectively the spirit and themes of the wide-ranging piece. So, go read the full piece, and here are some extended excerpts: The United States spends far too much money locking up far too many people for far too long. A few years ago, a politician had to be brave to say anything like that out loud. Now its a mainstream and bipartisan view.... Its all pretty head-spinning after decades of elected officials competing to lock more people up and spotlight the scariest crimes. Now, with public opinion shifting far and fast and politicians hurrying to catch up, you could even argue that criminal justice reform has become the new marriage equality in terms of the turnaround in public attitudes. That presents a major opportunity for Democratic presidential candidates. But for all the energy behind reform, no presidential candidate has articulated a big, comprehensive vision for transformational change. Theres a consensus that the system is broken, but no agreement on how to fix it. The presidential candidate looking to distinguish herself might start by looking at a new wave of reform-minded district attorneys who are challenging conventional law-and-order approaches in red states and blue ones. For the candidates, thematically, a starting point should be that wealth should not determine a persons fate in court, and profit should not drive the system. Bail bonds, privatized probation and corporate-run prisons are parasitic features of the justice system. Ending cash bail should be at the top of every candidates criminal justice agenda. So should getting rid of fines and fees that help fund local governments but trap people in cycles of debt.... To end mass incarceration, however, exempting nonviolent offenses from jail time isnt enough. People convicted of violent crimes make up more than half of the countrys state prison population. But the image of prisons overflowing with murderers and rapists is wrong. In many states, violent felonies include offenses like breaking into an empty house or snatching a purse or iPhone on the street. Reducing sentences for these offenses and changing what counts as a violent felony to begin with is a good way to start lowering this share of the prison population. And that fits in with a second theme for candidates: People deserve a second chance, because many grow and change. They robbed to feed an addiction and then got sober. They assaulted someone because they were mentally ill and then got treatment and stabilized. They mature as they age beyond their teens and early 20s. Thats why it makes sense to reconsider how long a person should stay in prison after doing some time.... Parole offers another opening for second chances. In Texas, says Scott Henson, an activist who blogs at the site Grits for Breakfast, our parole rates have gone from 15 percent to the high 30s in the last decade, He said the increase is having more impact than any bill weve passed even through the legislature. He thinks the reason for the rise is a humdrum logistical one: The state unofficially uses parole as a way to reduce prison overcrowding. We should also focus on redefining the terms of the public safety debate. Ending mass incarceration, and ensuring fairness throughout the criminal justice system, arent in tension with public safety. Theyre integral to it. People tend to uphold the law when they believe its reasonable and applied evenly. When people have that faith, they are more likely to help the police solve crimes.... Finally, incarceration should be the last resort, not the default. In Brooklyn, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has said this idea is central to his tenure. His counterpart in Boston, Rachael Rollins, last month instructed prosecutors to ask for jail only when any other recommendation would compromise safety. When no other option than jail or prison will do, its important to remember that the vast majority of people who go in also get out. Making sure they have the tools to lead productive lives when they emerge like job training and access to decent housing is a public good. Presidents dont actually control the key levers of the American punishment machine. About 80 percent of the people who are locked up today are in state and local jails and prisons. But presidents, and presidential campaigns, can raise the profile of an issue and set a tone. The way they talk about repairing our broken criminal justice system speaks loudly to broader issues about racial and wealth inequality. Presidents can also shape the behavior of states and cities with funding and other incentives, like redirecting money to treatment and prevention programs. Were I in charge of devising a headline for this piece, I might go with something like "How Prosecutors and Presidential Candidates Advance Criminal Justice Reform." But this is not the first, nor will it be the last, great newspaper piece without a headline to serve it well. Of course, the piece itself leaves out some important stories like the achievement of the FIRST STEP Act and the need for clemency reform (points recently stressed by Senator and Prez canadide Amy Klobuchar). But there is so much getting done and needing to be done in this space now, it is hard to fault any piece of writing for not covering everything. April 6, 2019 at 10:51 AM | Permalink Comments According to the US Census in 1850 the combined state prison population was 6,700 and by 1870 it was 32,900 a growth factor of 4.9 in 20 years or an annual rate of 0.25. From 1870 to 1910 the state prison population grew at an annual rate of 0.05. In 1910 the prison population was 67,800 and by 1938 it peaked at 162,400 with a temporary dip caused by WW I. The growth factor was 2.4 in 28 years giving and annual rate of 0.08. In the 45 years between 1938 and 1983 except for population dips caused by WW II and the Vietnam war the annual rate was 0.05. The growth from the dip in 1972 caused by the Vietnam War to 1983 was caused primarily by the recovery from the war. There were several drug related spikes in arrests and emergency room visits that occurred later. The last persistent episode of rapid prison population growth was from 405,000 in 1983 to 1,407,000 in 2009 a growth factor of 3.5 in 26 years an annual rate of 0.13. In 2016 the combined state prison population was 1,375,600 and the growth factor was -0.022 with an annual rate of -0.003 essentially constant. The historical growth rates for combined state prison populations were 0.25 when the US population was increasing rapidly, 0.05, 0.08, 0.05, 0.13 and -0.003. From 1850 to 2016 we have experience high, medium, low and essentially zero prison growth rates. In the past mass incarceration follows a transition from low to medium or high growth rates. What happens next depends on the actions of governors and state legislators. Nothing good happened when the feds horned in on state correction policies. Posted by: John Neff | Apr 6, 2019 9:28:02 PM Post a comment In wake of gruesome DOJ report, Alabama Gov plans to build three large new prisons with taxpayer price tag of about a billion dollars | Main | US District Court declares unconstitutional Illinois host-site rules that has led to indefinite detention of hundreds of sex offenders Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is running for President and who served as a local prosecutor for eight years, has this notable new commentary at CNN running under the headline "On criminal justice reform, it's time for a second step." Here are excerpts: Our criminal justice system is broken. Today we know that our country has more than 20% of the world's incarcerated people, even though we have less than 5% of the world's population. And we know racial disparities at every level of our system have removed millions of people of color from our society, destroying families and communities for generations. Thanks to the work of countless reform advocates, we have finally started to acknowledge that there is racism in our criminal justice system and that we need to take action to fight it. But the next president will have to do more than just talk about these issues. She will have to take action. Our criminal justice system cannot lose sight of the principles of fairness and compassion -- for victims, yes, but also for offenders. Our Founding Fathers understood this point when they gave the president the power to grant clemency.... As president, I would create a clemency advisory board as well as a position in the White House -- outside of the Department of Justice -- that advises the president from a criminal justice reform perspective. Law professors such as Rachel E. Barkow from New York University and Mark Osler from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota have described what a better clemency system could look like. Currently, the Department of Justice includes an Office of the Pardon Attorney, tasked with investigating and reviewing all requests for clemency for federal offenses and ultimately preparing a recommendation for the president. Although the voices of our prosecutors and law enforcement officials are important and should continue to advise the president, there are additional voices that a president needs to hear. A diverse, bipartisan clemency advisory board -- one that includes victim advocates as well as prison and sentencing reform advocates -- could look at this from a different perspective. And a criminal justice reform advocate in the White House will ensure that someone is advising the president on criminal justice reform. That's why I'm committed to making these important changes during the first month of my presidency, should I be elected. But we cannot solve the many problems associated with mass incarceration through better and smarter use of the presidential pardon alone. Last year, we in Congress passed the First Step Act, which changed the overly harsh sentencing laws on nonviolent drug offenders and reformed our federal prisons. But now it's time for the Second Step Act. The reforms in the First Step Act only apply to those held in the federal system. The new law doesn't help the nearly 90% of people incarcerated in state and local facilities. One of my top priorities will be to create federal incentives so that states can restore some discretion from mandatory sentencing for nonviolent offenders and reform the unconscionable conditions in state prisons and local jails. We have to do more to reduce inflexible mandatory minimums and add safety valves, building on the federal reforms we made last year. True criminal justice reform includes the cash bail system, expanding funding for public defenders and eliminating obstacles to re-entering and participating fully in society. That's why we also need better educational and job training programs that can help people both before and after they are released. I'm also working to change the dialogue on drug and alcohol treatment and mental health services. I did this in Minnesota as Hennepin County attorney, I've fought for expanded drug courts as a senator, and I'll make this a priority as president. Senator Klobuchar talking up "second step" criminal justice reforms with a focus on the clemency process | Main | "Making Jail a Last Resort" or "If Prisons Dont Work, What Will?" April 6, 2019 US District Court declares unconstitutional Illinois host-site rules that has led to indefinite detention of hundreds of sex offenders Via the always terrific Marshall Project, I came across a notable opinion by US District Judge Virginia Kendall finding constitutionally problematic a remarkable set of rules used to restrict the release of sex offenders from prison in Illinois. This local press report on this ruling provides these basics: A federal judge in Chicago has found the Illinois Department of Corrections is violating the constitutional rights of prisoners convicted of certain sex crimes by making the restrictions on where they can live so stringent that inmates are often locked up long beyond their sentences. In a ruling issued Sunday, Judge Virginia Kendall wrote that hundreds of offenders in the states prison system successfully complete their entire court-ordered sentences yet remain behind bars indefinitely. Kendall found the corrections department is depriving them of fundamental rights, and if they had money and support, theyd be able to leave and begin serving out whats called mandatory supervised release. Mark Weinberg, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the decision could mean relief for hundreds of people who have been in prison even though theyve served their time.... Prisoners call the time they serve beyond their sentences often many years dead time.... Will Mingus, executive director of the nonprofit Illinois Voice for Reform which advocates for more effective sex offender policies, says the states laws are counterproductive they actually keep these prisoners from receiving the support that research shows will help them rehabilitate. The laws [the legislature is] creating are not solving the problem, theyre not creating safety, theyre creating the illusion of safety, Mingus said. Studies that have been done for years now youll see that having stable housing, having a job, having social support, those are the things that help people reintegrate into society and help reduce recidivism. Mingus said he understands it is difficult to have practical conversations around paroling and rehabilitating sex offenders, but he thinks the judges ruling is common sense. I think itll be a win for the people currently sitting in prison long past their out date because they simply cannot find a place to parole to, Mingus said. Adele Nicholas, an attorney for the plaintiffs, says there are a couple of potential solutions the department of corrections could implement. One would be making available different forms of free housing that people who cant afford a place to live could go to, Nicholas said. Whether thats allowing people to parole to homeless shelters, or making it so there are halfway houses people could live in, or work release. Currently, there are no halfway houses in Illinois that will accept someone convicted of a sex offense. Kendall wasnt clear on exactly what the solution will be to get the men released from prison quickly. She expects to hold a hearing April 22 to begin determining that, she wrote. The full 61-page ruling in Murphy v. Raoul, No. 16 C 11471 (N.D. Ill. March 31, 2019), is available at this link. Here is how it starts and ends: The Paul Murphy is indigent and homeless. He was convicted of possession of child pornography in 2012 and received a sentence of three years probation. Five years after his release date, and nearly twice the number of years of his sentence, he remains incarcerated because the Department of Corrections cannot find an appropriate place for him live. Illinois, like many states, requires sentencing courts to follow a term of imprisonment with a term of mandatory supervised release. Supervised release is a form of post-confinement monitoring intended to assist individuals in their transition from prison to liberty. Most supervised release terms are determinate, but some including those that apply to several sex offenses are indeterminate, meaning they range from three years to natural life. The clock on these terms does not start ticking until sex offenders are out of prison, but some never make it that far because they are indigent and the State demands that they first secure a qualifying host site before it will release them. Many offenders successfully complete their entire court-ordered terms of incarceration yet remain detained indefinitely because they are unable find a residence due to indigence and lack of support. The question presented is whether this practice violates the Constitution. The plaintiffs are a class comprising the affected sex offenders and the defendants are the Attorney General of Illinois and the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. Both parties moved for summary judgment. The Court now grants the plaintiffs motion in part, denies it in part, and denies the defendants cross-motion in full. At the very heart of the liberty secured by the separation of powers is freedom from indefinite imprisonment by executive decree. The Attorney General and Directors current application of the host site requirement results in the continued deprivation of the plaintiffs fundamental rights and therefore contravenes the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States.... Sex offenders are criminals, plain and simple. Yet the one enduring lesson in the long struggle to balance individual rights against societys need to defend itself against lawlessness, is that it is easy to make light of insistence on scrupulous regard for the safeguards of civil liberties when invoked on behalf of the unworthy. It is too easy. History bears testimony that by such disregard are the rights of liberty extinguished, heedlessly at first, then stealthily, and brazenly in the end. United States v. Montoya de Hernandez, 473 U.S. 531, 567 (1985) (quoting Davis v. United States, 328 U.S. 582, 597 (1946) (Frankfurter, J., dissenting)). The Illinois Legislature thought it best to rehabilitate sex offenders by reintegrating them, like all other convicted felons, into the community after prison. The Constitution thus entitles them to the same conditional liberty that all other releasees receive. Because the defendants current application of the host-site requirement permits the indefinite detention of the plaintiffs, it breaches the promises enshrined in the Bill of Rights. The Court accordingly grants the plaintiffs motion for summary judgment as to their equal protection (Count II) and Eighth Amendment claims (Count IV), denies it as to their substantive (Count I) and procedural (Count III) due process claims, and denies the defendants cross-motion in full. Although the Court today decides liability, it reserves ruling on the proper remedy to afford the plaintiffs. The Court sets a status hearing for 4/22/2019 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss a trial date for the procedural due process claim and the need for a remedial hearing to determine the scope of equitable relief. April 6, 2019 at 10:28 AM | Permalink Comments If SCOTUS overturns this U.S. District Court ruling, then civilly committed former sex offenders will have nothing to lose by rising up in insurrection as inmates did at Attica back during the early seventies. Nobody should tolerate a law that keeps one beyond his or her prison sentence. If that person were so dangerous, they should have given that person a longer sentence to begin with. Posted by: willilam r. delzell | Apr 6, 2019 3:17:42 PM I agree. Obe fix would have the court order the socalled mandatory supervision time not freeze untill released bur instead be counted from theur legal release date. That way uf the state qants to be retarded and keep them past thier legal release date if they are really stupud enough that the spend their whole supervised probation i. Prison....hust too damn bad. Release them or get ready to die when they killed you like the kudnapping criminals you are. Because legally once that release date hirs your legal right to hold them for anything but a new crime is done. You are now the criminal. Posted by: Rodsmith | Apr 7, 2019 12:30:34 AM Speaking of sentencing alternatives. What if the offer was sterilization in lieu of prison. Does that change the calculus? And if so, which way and why? Posted by: justme | Apr 7, 2019 2:24:02 AM No it only adds a new crime comitted by the state. In these cases we are talking about people who have already been to court ans received a sentence. They have FINISHED it. But because of a set of retarded useless rules added to the probation housing requirements. Not to the parole.....just probation that are impossible for someone just released from prion to meet are then illegally being held in prison. The new crime of course would be extortion and torture and mulitation. Posted by: Rodsmith | Apr 7, 2019 9:51:26 AM Wisconsin, in a remarkably bad practice, requires lifetime GPS monitoring of some sex offenders even if their prison sentences are over and they are off paper. It's not a punishment, the courts have found; it's just a public safety measure. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2018-05-18/supreme-court-lifetime-gps-monitoring-not-punishment Posted by: Gretchen Schuldt | Apr 8, 2019 5:54:18 AM My son James R. Weeden, is in the correctional Facility in Robinson IL' I am his mother, He is way past his out date, yet can not be released. he said the parole board and the IOC keep passing their names back and forth, so no one gets out. I did research, and it stated that Robinson,, IL was the worst place for a sex offender to be released and I can not find a place for him to live.I am now looking to rent a house, with a understanding that he can live with me. which is still a challenge. I live in Fox Lake IL the first P.O. in LAKE COUNTY, I TURNED IN OVER 170 HOUSES TO MR Williams, he was very lax in looking them up, when he did always came up with the same excuse, and by that time they were already rented. I called State 3 times and was told, NO I could not change to a different P O and they were on their own, if they wanted to work or not, they still got paid. So therefore I am having a hard time finding a place for him to live... My daughter Jan, in researching public records last year, found that he was to be released Aug 14, court date 18th. I checked with the Clerk of Court in Waukegan Il and he said yes and gave me the room number. Some one from the Crime division was to go down and get him,and bring him up to court, no one did. The Judge appointed him a lawyer, I talked to her when I was told, have not heard from her again. So the whole system is lax... I can not find any more out since the April 6th hearing. If you have any more information, please forward it to me. thanking you in advance. Mary Weeden . Posted by: Mary Weeden | May 29, 2019 5:32:26 PM Dear Mary you situation is mine as well I have been following this case they have been to court twice since April last date was June 18 they are in settlement conference as of this point you can follow it on court listeners it has not been updated for 6/18 but it will I hope this help with some releif. Posted by: Robin moore | Jun 22, 2019 12:39:37 PM Post a comment Chinese investors led the so-called Golden Visa boom in Greece, where residence permits issued to non-E.U countries citizens grew 46 percent last year. Other crisis-hit countries like Portugal and Spain have used the scheme for years to lure investors in a bid to stoke an economic recovery. Spending a minimum of 250,000 euros on a home in Greece secures a five-year renewable visa. According to the latest data from the migration policy ministry published by the Kathimerini newspaper on Saturday, Chinese investors account for 58 percent of the residence permits issued from 2013. Since the launch of the programme until the end of the first trimester of 2019, a total of 4,154 permits were issued. Of these 1,399 were handed out last year, up from 961 in 2017. Chinese investors have acquired 2,416 out of the 4,154 permits issued so far. Russian citizens came second with 428, followed by Turks. The European Commission published a report earlier this year, urging members to curb the practice of granting golden visas and passports to foreign investors. It singled out Cyprus, Bulgaria and Malta for running schemes granting citizenship to foreign investors for anywhere between 500,000 euros ($570,000) and two million euros. The report said wealthy candidates for residency or citizenship do not face adequate security and background checks. The Greek government brought last month a bill to the Parliament, broadening the criteria of the Golden Visa programme. Non-EU nationals will now be granted a five-year residency permit provided that they invest at least 400,000 euros in Greek companies or if they buy Greek bonds through a Greek bank of the same value. By Alasdair Reilly LONDON, April 5 (LPC) - Singapore-headquartered agribusiness Olam International has secured an innovative new type of corporate loan that links pricing to the borrowers progress towards its digital transformation. The US$350m three-year revolving credit facility is a digital loan (D-loan), a form of positive incentive loan (PIL), which rewards borrowers that achieve pre-arranged targets by cutting their borrowing costs. Olams financing, which refinances existing loans, is the first time that a syndicated loan has been linked to the digital maturity of a company, the company said. The rise in PILs over the past two years has been dominated by credit facilities linked to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals. Increasing numbers of companies, especially in Europe, are trying to cut the cost of corporate loans by linking pricing to pre-existing ESG commitments, but loans with broader positive incentives are gathering momentum. Positive incentive loans are really taking off. Clients are busy looking at their options. There has been a broadening away from purely environmental and social elements to more business related developments, a senior banker said. These types of loans help communicate a message to the world, showing companies moving in the right direction, while lenders can demonstrate their support for a particular strategy, he added. Like ESG-linked RCFs, D-loans are for general corporate purposes and are not earmarked for a specific kind of investment. Olam and its lenders agreed on digital score targets to be reached during the life of the financing. If Olam meets those targets, its loan pricing will reduce. This is an important financial incentive to borrowers to improve their digital maturity as fast as possible, BBVA, the digital coordinator and facility agent on Olams deal, said. Olams digital maturity score will be determined using Boston Consulting Groups Digital Acceleration Index methodology, which will assess Olam across four digital criteria including business strategy driven by digital; digitising the core; new digital growth; and enablers. Story continues The financing is being equally provided by mandated lead arrangers BBVA, DBS Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, JP Morgan, Mizuho Bank, Natixis and Standard Chartered Bank. We believe that companies that undertake a digital transformation will be the winners in their sector in the long term, Ricardo Laiseca, BBVAs head of global finance, said. Digitisation translates into greater competitiveness and profitability, which will allow these companies to stay ahead of the competition. Olams deal shows that the range of targets around which PILs are structured is expanding. Already PILs have been tied to a wide range of goals including carbon emissions, fuel and water usage, employment, renewable energy, access to affordable energy, child labour, and the empowerment of women. In February UK-based educational technology group Pearson agreed a US$1.19bn sustainability-linked loan refinancing, the first syndicated loan globally with targets linked to education. The margin on the 5+1+1-year loan is linked to Pearsons commitment to extend its vocational educational reach internationally in support of the United Nations sustainability goals, especially Goal 4 on education. The revolving credit was coordinated by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Barclays as bookrunning mandated lead arrangers. ANZ, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan, MUFG and TD Bank were mandated lead arrangers. BNP advised on the sustainability element of the loan, while Barclays is facility agent. (Editing by Christopher Mangham) KARACHI/MUMBAI: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for whipping up war hysteria over claims that India shot down a Pakistani F-16 during a standoff in February, saying the truth is always the best policy. US-based Foreign Policy magazine, citing US officials, said all of Pakistans F-16 combat jets had been accounted for, contradicting an Indian air force assessment that it had shot down one of the jets. The truth always prevails and is always the best policy, Khan said in a Tweet. BJPs attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistans fleet. Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan engaged in an aerial battle over the disputed region of Kashmir a day after Indian jets crossed over into Pakistan to attack a suspected camp of anti-India militants. An Indian jet was brought down during the fight and its pilot captured when he ejected on the Pakistani side of the border. He was later released. India said it too had shot down a Pakistani aircraft and the air force displayed pieces of a missile that it said had been fired by a Pakistani F-16 before it went down. Foreign Policy said in a report published on Thursday two US defence officials with direct knowledge of the matter said US personnel had done a count of Pakistans F-16s and found none missing. Details of the India-Pakistan air engagement have not been fully provided by either side. If the US report turns out to be true, it would be a further blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said that India had taught Pakistan a lesson, ahead of elections next week. The BJP is campaigning on a platform of tough national security, especially with regard to arch foe Pakistan. New Delhi blames Pakistan for stoking a 30-year revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir but Islamabad denies any involvement. BJP spokesman Bizay Sonkar Shastri dismissed Khans accusations. Firstly, their (Pakistans) habit of lying is no secret to the world. Secondly, this is absolutely clear that the roots of terrorism lie in Pakistan and terrorism is cultivated in Pakistan, he told Reuters. The success of Indian air strikes on a camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group in northwestern Pakistan has also been thrown into doubt after satellite images showed little sign of damage. High-resolution satellite images reviewed by Reuters last month showed that a religious school run by Jaish appeared to be still standing days after India said its warplanes had hit the Islamist groups training camp on the site and killed a large number of militants. Pakistan closed its airspace amid the standoff but most commercial air traffic has since resumed and major airports have opened. Pakistan offered to open one air route on Friday, an Indian government official said, without specifying details and declining to be named as the matter was not public. An Air India official said on condition of anonymity that Pakistan has opened one of its 11 air routes, from the southern side, adding that the carrier began operations via this route on Friday. Pakistan has opened one air route over India on April 4th, it is a north-west bound route, Mujtaba Baig, a spokesman for Pakistans Civil Aviation Authority, told Reuters on Saturday. An email sent to the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation was not immediately answered. Air India did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Bangladesh police have prevented 115 Rohingya refugees from being smuggled to Malaysia in rickety fishing boats, officials said Saturday, but no suspected traffickers were detained. The group from the Kutupalong camp near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar -- the biggest refugee settlement in the world -- were stopped as they headed to boats in the Bay of Bengal. The operation, which took place late Friday, was the latest in a series involving Rohingya refugees seeking to leave squalid camps for Malaysia, a more prosperous Muslim-majority nation. "We stopped a convoy of 15 auto-rickshaws and rescued 50 men, 39 women and 26 children," Bangladeshi police officer Anwar Hossain told AFP. "But we could not catch any traffickers." The officer said the Rohingya, who had already paid the traffickers some money, would be taken back to the camp. About 740,000 of the Muslim minority Rohingya fled Myanmar for Bangladesh following a brutal military clampdown in the Buddhist-majority nation in August 2017. They joined another 300,000 Rohingya who have already been living in the overcrowded camps in the Cox's Bazar area following previous bouts of violence. Thousands have risked their lives travelling to Malaysia and Thailand by boat when the Bay of Bengal is calm before monsoon season sets in at the end of March. So far this year, Bangladeshi security forces have stopped more than 300 Rohingya from attempting the trip on small fishing boats, which experts say are not fit for deep-sea navigation. The group detained Friday was the third prevented from heading to Malaysia this week alone. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has said the vulnerability of Rohingya to trafficking has increased enormously as livelihoods, support networks, and other fundamental systems are disrupted. "It is hard to comment on the scale of the activity, due to the clandestine nature of the activity," UNHCR spokeswoman Caroline Gluck told AFP. "The community finds it difficult to speak up." Hong Kong should clearly define how far back in time its fugitive law would apply, in an effort to ease concerns over the contentious plan to allow the transfer of suspects to mainland China, Macau and Taiwan, a pro-Beijing lawmaker said on Saturday. The suggestion by lawyer Paul Tse Wai-chun was part of attempts to find a compromise amid fierce debate over the bill, which pro-democracy lawmakers fear could lead to Hongkongers being victimised across the border. But the idea was quickly struck down by pan-democrats who said such restricted retroactivity failed to address their core concerns. They argued local people had no confidence in the judicial system on the mainland. Tse, who is expected to chair a Legislative Council committee examining the bill, said on Saturday that a clear cut-off date would address worries among the business community. Do we have to handle all the cases in the past? Or can we impose a restriction practically and intelligently by, for example, drawing a line and not handling cases from more than a year ago, Tse said. Maybe we could exempt a bunch of people so they dont have to worry about their past. This is a compromise, a way of sacrificing a little bit of the past for the sake of the future. He later clarified that his suggestion would be better applied to non-violent offences only. Under the current proposal, the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance would be amended to allow the transfer of suspects on a case-by-case basis to jurisdictions the city has no extradition agreement with. The government has said the bill aims to address a loophole exposed by a case in which a Hongkonger suspected of killing his girlfriend in Taiwan in 2018 could not be sent there for trial. But the proposal has sparked concerns that people could be handed over at the request of mainland authorities for political, religious or ethnic reasons. Both the international and local business communities have warned it could damage the citys reputation as a haven for free commerce. Story continues The bill is also facing a legal challenge from fugitive tycoon Joseph Lau Luen-hung, who lodged a judicial review against it last week. He argued it was unconstitutional and should not have any retroactive effect. Lau has been hiding in Hong Kong to avoid serving a jail term in Macau for bribery. Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said Tses suggestion missed the crux of the issue. It is meaningless. The authorities across the border can just frame somebody they want and fabricate a charge, Wu said. Fellow party member and lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting said it would be unfair to arbitrarily draw a line at a certain date. Do we backdate the bill to the time when the Taiwan murder case took place? This goes against the legislative intent, which is to unplug the loophole in the current system, Lam said. The root problem of the whole proposal is that people find the mainland legal system not independent, not fair and not transparent. This article Hong Kongs proposed fugitive law allowing transfer of suspects to mainland China needs cut-off date for past cases first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Local academics fear fallout from MITs move to tighten vetting on research partners in Hong Kong and mainland China Hong Kongs academic sector has voiced concern over the decision by a top US university to tighten its scrutiny and vetting for joint research projects with the citys educational institutions. Polytechnic University, which has ties with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said the new measures may prolong approval processes. The alarms came after MIT announced on April 3 that it would add new reviews to its usual evaluation process for international proposals that carried elevated risk, including projects funded by people or entities from China, Hong Kong, Russia and Saudi Arabia. Special attention would be paid to areas such as intellectual property, export controls, data security and human rights, said Maria Zuber, MITs vice-president for research. The university also cut funding ties with Chinese telecoms Huawei and ZTE, citing ongoing US federal investigations over violations of sanction restrictions. Huawei has faced a string of charges from the US, including that the company stole trade secrets and violated economic sanctions. Huawei has denied the charges. MIT is a private school but some of its projects had been funded by government agencies. In response to inquiries, PolyU confirmed the two schools had recently sent delegations to their respective campuses to discuss potential research collaboration. The reciprocal visits went well and we reached fruitful discussions on future partnerships, a spokeswoman said in a statement. Although PolyU was not in a position to comment [on] geopolitical scenarios, the statement said, the new requirements might lengthen the process for some projects. It added that it hoped the additional processes would not hamper the collaborative efforts between MIT and institutions in Hong Kong. Professor Alexander Wai Ping-kong, PolyUs vice-president in research development, earlier told local media he was shocked over MITs decision. He raised concern over whether more US institutions would follow suit if the US government exerted pressure on schools behind the scenes. Story continues Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has had an alliance consortium with MIT since 2014. The consortium is a collaboration between the university, technology companies and governments to conduct research in industries like advanced manufacturing and biomedical systems. The University of Hong Kong, PolyU, Chinese University and City University also took part in the alliance, which has 16 active projects and 14 scheduled. A spokesman for HKUST said it had no comment on other universities policies, and Chinese University said it had not received any notification from MIT on the issue. There is also the MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node. Set up in the city in 2015, the programme allows local university students to work with MIT students to develop ideas and create prototypes in engineering, business, computer science and design. Education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen said that it was very rare to see the US-China trade war spill over into the academic sector. Academic collaborations between Hong Kong and other places may become more difficult if [the US and China] have continued mistrust and mutual resistance, he said. The Education Bureau said it would not comment on individual institutions outside Hong Kong. It added, however, that the Research Grants Council had various joint research schemes with mainland institutions and with global universities, including in France and the other European Union nations. And the Innovation and Technology Bureau said: Regardless of the inclination of individual American universities, we will go ahead with building the InnoHK technology clusters as an international [innovation and technology] hub, in the furtherance of the well-being not only of Hong Kong, but of humankind. Additional reporting by Danny Lee More from South China Morning Post: This article Local academics fear fallout from MITs move to tighten vetting on research partners in Hong Kong and mainland China first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. The Maldives on Saturday held its first parliamentary election since former strongman leader Abdulla Yameen was forced to stand down, with his arch-rival tipped to make a big political comeback. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih appealed for a high turnout as unusually hot weather saw slow voting early in the day. Voting was extended for two hours to encourage the public to come out. Election officials estimated the final turnout to be between 70 and 80 percent, down from the 89 percent recorded at the September presidential election which unexpectedly toppled Yameen. "I urge Maldivians to go out and vote," Solih said after voting in the capital, Male, where his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) fielded former president Mohamed Nasheed as a candidate. Nasheed, 51, is the highest profile contender for the 87-member People's Majlis, or parliament that is elected for five years. Over 385 candidates are in the fray. The first results are expected Sunday. Nasheed returned from an enforced exile abroad after his deputy Solih's unexpected victory in September. Solih said he expected Saturday's poll to return a strong legislature led by his MDP. Nasheed is expected to wield considerable influence in any new government. He cast his ballot in Male, but made no comment. - No complaints - The opposition coalition that helped Solih win has since come apart, with constituent parties going their separate ways for Saturday's election. Solih has however made it clear that he wants an MDP-led government. "I want to stress that I would like the next parliament to be made up of members who are familiar with our policies, and fully support it," Solih told a campaign rally on Thursday night. Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on a controversial terrorism charge when Yameen was in power. However, the conviction was overturned last year after the presidency changed. Election commissioner Ahmed Shareef told reporters there had been no complaints of irregularities in the runup to the vote. Voting took place for overseas Maldivians in neighbouring India and Sri Lanka, as well as London. Former president Yameen was not a candidate, but his Progressive Party of Maldives was seen as the main challenger to the MDP. Last week, the High Court ordered authorities to lift a freeze on Yameen's bank accounts holding about $6.5 million. But it said a money laundering case against him would proceed. Yameen received the payments just before he lost his re-election bid in September. Since then, all dissidents have returned to the Indian Ocean archipelago and most have had their convictions quashed. The Maldives was on the verge of being slapped with Western-led sanctions before Solih won the presidential election on a pledge to end corruption in the country best known for its luxury tourism. I should just warn you, Im not gonna be singing and Im not gonna be dancing, said Chris Ward, president of Coventry Motors Corporation. But I am gonna talk to you about some great cars. It was Wards first time in the Philippines and he expressed excitement over the fact that he was going to share some great interesting products and details about whats in store for the Jaguar Land Rover brand in the country. We are very proud of heritage, which is very hard to match in the auto industry. But whilst our sights are clearly and firmly set on the future, its very relevant to know that we still retain design cues from our past, Ward said. British multinational automotive company Jaguar Land Rover carries three nameplates: Jaguar, Land Rover, and Range Rover. The brand offers both lifestyle and life stage vehicles, giving car buyers a range of 13 models to choose from, all imbued with the distinct Jaguar Land Rover motorsport pedigree. Its just been over a year since Jaguar Land Rover appointed Coventry Motors as the official importer for the British marque in the Philippines, and soon after, appointed All British Cars as the official retailer. The next big step, Ward said, is the arrival of the all-new Range Rover Evoque. The Evoque first hit headlines back in 2011, Ward said. Since then, sales globally have been an enormous success for the company. This isnt a facelifted car, he emphasized. This is an all-new car, right from the ground-floor up. So although it has similarities of course to the original, its a very different car. Ward then introduced a sneak peek of the brand new Evoque via a visual presentation. Like its bigger brothers the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Velar, the all-new Evoque will bring luxury and technology with a less is more theme via cleaner lines, reduced levels of noise vibrations and harshness in the car, and a new interior with improved functionality and cool technology. Story continues Speaking of cool technology, Ward also introduced the new ClearSight rearview mirror and ground view. The ClearSight rearview mirror brings the driver clear visibility even when youve loaded the boot, obscuring the rear mirror. Theres a camera mounted on the little shark fin on the roof which beams up to the rearview mirror so you can still see even though youve loaded the boot. The ClearSight ground view, on the other hand, puts cameras in front of the car, so you can see the things youre about to go over. This can be especially useful for those who go off-road often. Meanwhile, urban drivers now have a way to confirm if its a stray kitty or just road debris thats blocking their way. While the outgoing Evoque shared its platform with the Jaguar Freelander, the latest version uses that of the Range Rover Velar, which adds one mm to the total length, and a whopping 20 mm to the wheelbase, allowing for a more spacious cabin. Unfortunately for those who would like to lay their eyes on the real thing, the all-new Evoque is still being shipped to the country and couldnt make it for MIAS 2019. But Ward and his cohorts at Coventry were able to provide the next best thinga virtual reality simulation of the car where you can put goggles on so you can view the car in VR. If you cant be satiated by the VR experience, Ward promised a proper formal launch of the new Evoque as soon as it arrives. EDITORS NOTE: For the meantime, heres a photo of the all-new Range Rover Evoque that we took at the Singapore Motorshow last January. The post MIAS 2019: Jaguar Land Rover PH Gets Down to Business appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Suspected Lake County Child Abusers Arrested in Indiana The couple is suspected of forcing children to ingest marijuana, and other abusive events. (PORTLAND, Ore.) - In January 2019, Oregon State Police Detectives began an investigation into reported abuse of two young boys living in the town of New Pine Creek, Oregon, located in southern Lake County near the California border. The boys were assessed at Klamath-Lake CARES (Child Abuse Response & Evaluation Services) where they disclosed extensive physical abuse and being forced to ingest marijuana. The Lake County District Attorneys's Office brought the charges before a Grand Jury and warrants for the arrest of 26-year old Shawn Michael Fortune and 31-year old Jamie Baust of Lake County, Oregon were issued for Causing another person to ingest a controlled substance, Criminal Mistreatment First Degree, Assault Third Degree, Assault Fourth Degree, and Unlawful Use of an Electrical Stun Gun, Tear Gas or Mace. Fortune and Baust fled Lake County and the state of Oregon prior to being apprehended on the listed charges. OSP Detectives enlisted the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force. The U.S Marshals Service located Fortune and Baust in South Bend, Indiana. On April 4, 2019, the South Bend Indiana U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Fortune and Baust and took them into custody without incident. They will be held in Indiana until they can be extradited to Oregon. Source: OSP _________________________________________ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the upcoming general election. "I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don't distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said in an interview to Channel 12 television. Settlements built on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are deemed illegal by the international community and their ongoing construction is seen as a major barrier to peace. Annexation could prove to be the death knell for the two-state solution. Netanyahu's annexation remark comes just three days before the April 9 general election and could be seen as an appeal to rightwing voters who don't believe in the feasibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. In an interview broadcast Friday, Netanyahu said he told US President Donald Trump he would not remove settlements or people as part of a future American peace plan. "I said there shouldn't be the removal of even one settlement" from the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 13 television. Washington is expected to unveil proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace sometime after Tuesday's Israeli election in which Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term. The Israeli prime minister was asked if he was familiar with the details of the US plan, replying he knew "what should be in it." Along with settlements, "our ongoing control of all the territory west of the Jordan" River was a further condition set by the Israeli premier for any US-led peace initiative. Netanyahu said he informed Trump not "even one person" would be evicted from a settlement More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements as part of its military occupation of the territory, while a further 200,000 live in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty. While Netanyahu has a close relationship with the US president, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut off relations with Washington after Trump declared the disputed city of Jerusalem Israel's capital in December 2017. The Palestinians say the US government's pro-Israel bias meant it could no longer lead peace negotiations between them and Israel, while US officials argue their plan will be fair. Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have been at a standstill since 2014, when a drive for a deal by Barack Obama's administration collapsed. MANILA, Philippines The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has hit an all-time high record haul of 776 kilograms of shabu valued at P5.27 billion this first quarter of 2019. This is the first time that the agency was able to confiscate such volume the highest in the agencys drug law enforcement history. PDEA Director Aaron Aquino noted that the overall yield in the first quarter surpassed the combined volume of 672.42 kilograms (P4.58B) of shabu in the same period in 2009 and 2018 by 103.64 kilograms (P704.75M). The PDEA director credited this accomplishment to the series of anti-drug operations in Cavite, Muntinlupa and Manila. The agency was able to hold a total of 2,034 anti-drug operations and arrested 2,818 drug personalities for the period, also the highest in the agencys overall record. Aquino said this record is an indication that we are conducting high-impact operation and hitting high-value targets. The agency, according to Aquino, remains focused on the implementation of all its anti-illegal drugs advocacies as well as strengthening its cooperation with foreign counterparts for the exchange of intelligence gathering. Marje Pelayo The post PDEA hits all-time high record haul of P5.27B worth of shabu in Q1 appeared first on UNTV News. The telegenic leader of an anti-junta political party who rose to prominence in Thailand's election last month was charged with sedition Saturday, drawing hundreds of his supporters onto the streets urging him to "fight". Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads the youth-oriented Future Forward Party which won more than six million votes in the March 24 poll, the first since a 2014 coup, with its message of ousting the military from politics. It had joined an anti-junta coalition with six others claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of the disputed vote whose full results are expected by May 9. Earlier this week he posted on Facebook that police had summoned him to appear on Saturday to face a sedition charge relating to an anti-junta rally in 2015. He said the charge was "politically motivated". Hundreds turned up on Saturday morning in front of Pathumwan police station in downtown Bangkok, wearing T-shirts bearing the tycoon's face and shouting "Save Thanathorn!" while waving placards that said "Military, get out!" While inside, he and his party members tweeted out photos of what was happening, showing Thanathorn affixing his fingerprints on the charges and representatives from foreign embassies and the UN observing the police procedure. More than two hours later, he emerged from the station and told reporters he had been charged with "inciting unrest.... helping the suspect escape... and the illegal assembly of more than ten people" for his actions in 2015. "We believe we are innocent. I did everything in good faith," he said, denying the charges. Before leaving the police compound, Thanathorn flashed a three-finger salute, a resistance symbol borrowed by Thailand's anti-junta movement from the Hollywood movie "The Hunger Games", as his supporters did the same while shouting "Thanathorn, fight, fight!" The charismatic leader is already being investigated under Thailand's Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he criticised the junta in a Facebook Live discussion last year. Supporter Woranuch Sirithonchai, who travelled three hours from her coastal hometown of Rayong, said she supports Future Forward's anti-junta policies and "progressive thinking". "This incident happened since 2015 so why do they just summon him now? It's because he has gained popularity," she said. The telegenic leader of an anti-junta political party who rose to prominence in Thailand's election last month was charged with sedition Saturday, drawing hundreds of his supporters onto the streets urging him to "fight". Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads the youth-oriented Future Forward Party which won more than six million votes in the March 24 poll, the first since a 2014 coup, with its message of ousting the military from politics. It had joined an anti-junta coalition with six others claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of the disputed vote whose full results are expected by May 9. Earlier this week he posted on Facebook that police had summoned him to appear on Saturday to face a sedition charge relating to anti-junta rallies in 2015. He said the charge was "politically motivated". Hundreds turned up on Saturday morning in front of Pathumwan police station in downtown Bangkok, wearing T-shirts bearing the tycoon's face and shouting "Save Thanathorn!" while waving placards that said "Military, get out!" While inside, he and his party members tweeted photos of what was happening, showing Thanathorn affixing his fingerprints to the chargesheets and representatives from foreign embassies and the UN observing the police procedure. More than two hours later, he emerged from the station and told reporters he had been charged with "inciting unrest... helping the suspect escape... and the illegal assembly of more than 10 people" for his actions in 2015. "We believe we are innocent. I did everything in good faith," Thanathorn said, denying the charges. - 'Rogue state' - The case will be tried in a military court and the maximum sentence is seven years, said his lawyer Krisadang Nutcharut. "We oppose this because civilians should not stand trial in military court," Krisadang told AFP. He added that Thanathorn could lose his seat in parliament if he is convicted. Before leaving the police compound, Thanathorn flashed a three-finger salute, a resistance symbol borrowed by Thailand's anti-junta movement from the Hollywood movie "The Hunger Games", as his supporters did the same while shouting "Thanathorn, fight, fight!" The charismatic leader is already being investigated under Thailand's Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he criticised the junta in a Facebook Live discussion last year. Human Rights Watch's Sunai Phasuk told AFP Future Forward's anti-military policies have made Thanathorn "an enemy of the junta" and decried the "trumped-up" charges. "By seeking to prosecute Thanathorn in a military tribunal... the junta has turned Thailand into a rogue state," Sunai said, calling this move an example of "entrenched repression". Thailand's powerful military has staged more than a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy, citing the need to maintain stability and curb corruption. Junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha is currently tipped to return to power as a civilian premier under his military-aligned Palang Pracharat party, which won the popular vote. But the anti-junta coalition, which Future Forward is a key member of, says it has the majority of seats in the lower house. Supporter Woranuch Sirithonchai, who travelled three hours from her coastal hometown of Rayong, said she supports Future Forward's "progressive thinking" and anti-junta policies. "This incident happened since 2015 so why do they just summon him now? It's because he has gained popularity," she said. Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators marched in Khartoum Saturday, many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly protests against President Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, witnesses said. Chanting "One Army, One People," the protesters rallied in the capital's streets following a call by organisers to march on the compound, which also includes Bashir's residence. The crowds chanted the movement's catchcry "peace, justice, freedom" as they marched towards the complex where the defence ministry is also based, onlookers said. "They were also calling on Bashir to step down," a witness said. Taking a break from shouting anti-government slogans, protester Ghada Mohamed said the rally signalled a "bright future" for Sudan. Protester Amir Omer said the demonstrators had managed to send a message to the military. "We still haven't achieved our goal, but we have delivered our message to the army and that is: come join us," he told AFP. Protest organisers led by the Sudanese Professionals Association said earlier this week that demonstrators would march Saturday to demand the army either "take the side of the people or the dictator's". - 'Historic moment' - Soon after reaching the compound, organisers called on the protesters to hold in place outside its fortified walls. "At this historic moment, we ask you to not leave the army headquarters and hold a sit-in in the nearby streets," the organisers said in a statement. "We appreciate that the army did not touch the protesters and we hope that it will take the side of the people." Since the protests erupted, security agents and riot police have cracked down on demonstrators but the army has not intervened. In a separate demonstration Saturday, protesters reached the army office in the town of Madani southeast of the capital, witnesses told AFP by telephone. Protests have rocked the east African country since December, with angry crowds accusing Bashir's government of mismanaging the economy that has led to soaring food prices and regular shortages of fuel and foreign currency. Demonstrations first erupted on December 19 after a government decision to triple the price of bread. But they quickly escalated into nationwide rallies against Bashir's rule, with protestors calling on him to step down. On February 22, the veteran leader imposed a nationwide state of emergency to quell the protests after an initial crackdown failed to rein in protesters. Since emergency rule came into effect, the demonstrations have been largely confined to the capital and its twin city of Omdurman, but organisers had called for widespread rallies and a march on the army headquarters on Saturday. - Heavy security - April 6 was chosen for the nationwide rallies as it was the day of a 1985 uprising that toppled the then regime of president Jaafar Nimeiri. Before the protests began, security forces deployed in large numbers in key Khartoum squares and in Omdurman, across the Nile. "There's a heavy security deployment where the protesters were to gather for the march, but they still came out and are chanting anti-government slogans," a witness told AFP without revealing his name for security reasons. Security agents were preventing passers-by from reaching downtown areas and ordered shops and markets in the area closed, witnesses said. "Those walking in groups were immediately detained or asked to return to their homes by security forces," another onlooker said. Activists in recent days have been circulating leaflets urging residents to participate in Saturday's march, residents said. The protest movement was initially led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, but later several political parties including the main opposition National Umma Party threw their support behind it. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule. But the veteran leader has remained defiant, introducing tough measures that have seen protesters, opposition leaders, activists and journalists arrested. Officials say 31 people have been killed in protest related violence so far, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51 including children and medics. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had not read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia that his Democratic opponents say should be released in full. "I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion." U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said he plans to make public a redacted copy of the nearly 400-page investigative report into Russian interference in the 2016 election by the middle of this month, if not sooner. On March 22, Mueller completed his 22-month probe and Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress two days later outlining the main findings. Barr told lawmakers the investigation did not establish that members of Trump's election campaign conspired with Russia, but also did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. Barr said he had concluded there was not enough evidence to show that Trump committed the crime of obstruction. But news media reports this week said members of Mueller's team were unhappy with the way Barr, a Trump appointee, had characterized the report's conclusions. Asked in an interview with Fox and Friends Weekend about calls for the release of the full confidential report, Trump said: Its really up to the attorney general, whatever he wants to do. In another tweet, Trump called the report "a total waste of time." Barr did not meet a demand by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide the unredacted report to lawmakers by April 2. He told Congress in a letter last week he must redact material that was presented to a grand jury, as required by law, as well as information that could reveal U.S. intelligence agencies' sources and methods. Congressional Democrats have indicated they will fight those redactions in court if the subpoena is ignored. Russia's government has denied interfering in the U.S. election. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Tom Brown) US says theres still significant work to be done in trade talks with China Washington said there was still significant work to be done in trade talks with Beijing, with officials from the US and China set to continue negotiations next week via video conference. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders made the remarks after both sides said there had been progress on the text of a trade deal in the latest talks that wrapped up in Washington on Friday, though they were cautiously optimistic over whether a deal could be reached in the coming weeks. In a statement, Sanders said the two sides had discussed intellectual property, forced technology transfers, non-tariff barriers, agriculture, services, purchases and enforcement. Significant work remains, and the principals, deputy ministers and delegation members will be in continuous contact to resolve outstanding issues, she said. White House adviser Larry Kudlow said trade negotiators would continue their talks next week by video link, in a further step to end the nine-month trade war. We are making headway in a lot of areas. That includes enforcement, that includes IP [intellectual property] theft, that includes forced technology transfers, ownership, cyberspace, commodities and all the rest of it, Kudlow said on Bloomberg Television. Those are of course in the middle of the negotiations that are ongoing but weve come further and farther than ever before. Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He met US President Donald Trump on Thursday, with Trump saying the two nations would know over the next four weeks whether a trade deal could be reached. Chinese state media said significant progress had been made during the different rounds of talks, but a deal could not be rushed through. A China National Radio commentary said negotiations were expected to get tougher as the talks approached the final stage. The US demands cover intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers, along with cutting subsidies to state-owned enterprises, and China would face penalties if it did not fulfil promises made in the trade deal. China, meanwhile, has demanded all US tariffs imposed since July be lifted. Story continues Washington could extend an olive branch to Beijing by delaying the sale of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan after a trade deal is agreed, Time magazine reported on Thursday, citing unidentified US officials. But Taiwans foreign affairs and defence ministries denied there was any plan to delay the sale. Brock Silvers, managing director of investment advisory firm Kaiyuan Capital, said while Beijing had pledged to buy more US products, it was not enough for Washington. Beijings new foreign investment law was a positive step, but lacks details and wont even go into effect for almost another year. Thus theres probably little chance that US negotiators will agree to an immediate removal of all tariffs, Silvers said. Progress has been made, and a deal in the next one to two months seems quite possible, but looks likely to include a wide variety of both promised reforms and continued tariffs, he added. Nick Marro, an analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, said the enforcement mechanisms seemed to be the main sticking point. China doesnt have a great track record with implementing its previous trade commitments. This is the consequence of Chinas trade behaviour from over the past decade it has eroded a lot of diplomatic credibility, he said. Marro also noted reports suggesting Beijing was considering offering foreign technology firms better access to Chinas cloud market in one of its free-trade zones as a concession in the talks. This would require a significant overhaul of Chinas data governance policies, as well as alignment between economic policymakers and the national security apparatus. The latter has long seen foreign investment into telecommunications as a security risk, and its unlikely that this would change overnight, Marro said. Any trade agreement would also be blunted by the trajectory of Chinas larger economic policy agenda, which remains committed to strengthening the role of the state and promoting economic self-sufficiency, primarily in the tech sector, he added. This will inevitably constrain any agreement aimed at improving market access. More from South China Morning Post: This article US says theres still significant work to be done in trade talks with China first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday launched what he promised will be a "definitive" escalation of pressure to force the country's embattled leftist leader from office. Addressing a giant anti-government rally in Caracas, Guaido -- whose claim to be interim president is supported by around 50 nations -- kicked off what he called "Operation Liberty," his plan to oust President Nicolas Maduro. "Everyone to the streets, let's start the final phase of the end of the usurpation!" he told supporters, speaking from the back of a pickup truck. He called for a huge nationwide turnout on Wednesday, and urged his followers to redouble their efforts to maintain pressure in the streets. "The greatest escalation of pressure we have seen in our history" has begun, Guaido said. The call comes amid massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies affecting the nation, further exacerbated a growing political crisis. The United States meanwhile has stiffened its economic sanctions against Maduro, and one top US official warned Venezuela's military that it must protect the rights of peaceful protesters. At the rally, Guaido also warned Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel that the supply of subsidized Venezuelan oil to the Caribbean communist island nation was over. Venezuela has been sending cheap oil to Cuba in exchange for labor from Cuban doctors and teachers, but Guaido said the oil was actually financing a Cuban intelligence group known as G2 that was cracking down on Maduro opponents in the Venezuelan military. "The exploitation of Venezuelan oil is over, so Mr Diaz-Canel... Venezuelan oil will not be used to submit and investigate our military officials" through the G2, he told the crowd. Pro-Guaido protests drew thousands in rallies across the country on Saturday. A pro-Maduro counter-demonstration in Caracas, with supporters dressed in red, drew a large crowd that gathered at the Miraflores presidential palace. "Together, permanently mobilized, let's keep defending national peace and independence; no more interference!" Maduro tweeted. Later, he called upon Mexico and Uruguay to relaunch their proposal for dialogue to resolve the crisis without foreign intervention. The two countries had first introduced that idea in January. Two opposition deputies were detained at an anti-government demo in the western city of Maracaibo, but a few hours later Guaido announced that the two had been released. Elimar Diaz, a lawmaker who marched in Maracaibo, told AFP the protest there had encountered "brutal repression," including tear gas canisters dropped from helicopters, the use of National Guard armored vehicles and attacks by members of the pro-government militia, known as "colectivos." Diaz said people in Maracaibo had gone "days without electricity" amid "inhumane rationing" by the government. Maduro Saturday claimed that attacks on electricity infrastructure had been carried out from Chile and Colombia with the support of the US. The opposition blames a failure to maintain critical infrastructure for the blackouts, which have deprived millions of power. - Abrams an 'assassin' - Facing intense pressure at home and abroad, the Maduro government has sought to weaken Guaido. The government has stripped his parliamentary immunity, authorized his prosecution for proclaiming himself acting president, and banned him from holding public office for 15 years. Guaido said earlier this week he feared that he could be abducted by government agents. Speaking to the pro-government Constitutional Assembly, Maduro's top lieutenant Diosdado Cabello slammed the US point man on Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, as an "assassin." "It is Abrams who should be in prison, condemned in the United States for genocide in Central America," said Cabello, referring to the US official's controversial role in the Central American conflicts of the 1980s. Washington meanwhile kept up the international pressure on Maduro to step down. Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced fresh sanctions against 34 vessels belonging to Venezuela's state oil company and two companies that ship crude to Cuba. "This is only a first step," US national security advisor John Bolton tweeted on Saturday in reference to the sanctions. He cautioned the Venezuelan defense minister in a separate tweet of the official's "constitutional responsibility to protect innocent civilians who are peacefully demonstrating," adding: "Do not let the Cubans or the 'colectivos' inflict violence against Venezuelan patriots." - Security Council to meet - Maduro is supported by the Venezuelan military, China and Russia. Washington and its allies view the socialist president as illegitimate since he took office in January for a second term following elections widely seen as deeply flawed. Washington has convened a UN Security Council meeting for Wednesday to discuss the Venezuelan crisis. Since Venezuela's massive blackout of March 7, the country has been subject to repeated power cuts, with electricity being rationed outside of Caracas. The blackouts have knocked out water supplies as well as transport and communications, forcing many people to trim their work days to six hours. Images by author. When I playfully suggest that Brad Bowyer meets me in a hawker centre for a casual photoshoot to mock the stale trope of politicians in hawker centres, he gamely suggests Adam Road Food Centre. All things considered, Adam Road Food Centre is not your typical hawker centre. Its situated along Dunearn Roadprime real estate for societys upper echelonsand its partially open-air environment makes the spot less harsh and stuffy than ones situated in heartland wet markets. On a Thursday at 9 AM, with only half its stalls open for business, it feels like Im in one of those spot-the-difference puzzles, where everything feels perfectly normal save for one thing thats out of place. Adam Road Food Centre is a tad too clean and orderly for a hawker centre. In other words, it is the ideal uncanny backdrop for a politicians next viral Facebook post about walking the ground and meeting residents. But Brad is no politicianat least not yet. The 52-year-old, who grew up in a council flat in East London, only recently gained popularity online because of his speeches at Hong Lim Park this year. One was for the Abuse of Process Rally, and another was about accountability in Singapore. In fact, my first exposure to Brad came through a video on The Online Citizen, where the new Singaporean spoke about his reasons for entering Singapore politics. Even though he was more eloquent than many in Parliament, I remained unimpressed by this random white man who I assumed just had a saviour complex. I was also put off by the opposition politicians he seemed to court, from Chee Soon Juan to Lim Tean. Naturally, these photos seemed to attract hardcore opposition and PAP supporters, who were full of commendation and criticism respectively for his perspectives and presence in local politics. So I reached out to this ang moh sinkie politician, a moniker given by a Hardware Zone thread that comes up on the first page of results when I google his name. And, truth be told, I half-expect to be met with the ang moh version of the oppie stereotype: a disgruntled, elderly ex-British citizen having second thoughts about becoming Singaporean. Story continues After the unexpected results of the 2011 General Elections, Brad joined the PAP to see if he could give back to his new country by being part of the ruling party. He knew former PAP MP, Michael Palmer, from his junior college days. Michael introduced him to Lui Tuck Yew, the former MP of his GRC. Brad began his political journey as a regular volunteer at Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS), where he wrote letters about residents problems. MPS introduced him to some of the heartbreaking problems that needy Singaporeans faceeducation, immigration, legal issuesand the systems rigid bureaucracy that renders them helpless. Even when MPs sign off on letters, the respective public agencies arent always able to help the residents. Id say 80% of people have genuine grievances, which we can do something about. But we only help about 20% of the cases. It feels like we choose not to do anything about most problems because then youre introducing uncertainty into a rigid system, he says. In Singapore, few people take initiative because their entire career depends on saying yes to the guy above them. Theres almost no humanity or flexibility. Throughout our conversations, I gather that Brad thinks our governments rigidity is one of their greatest weaknesses. Even though yes men still possess valuable skills, such as being detail-oriented, good at writing reports, and collecting facts and figures to make decisions, he doesnt think scholars who havent lived a life outside their bubble should be the leaders making big decisions. Brad posits that the government seems averse to adaptability because they fear change and a loss of control. For some reason, theyve decided that anyone who doesnt follow their line is an enemy, but this is Brads country now, and he wants to help. He still hopes the government can change their mindset that all detractors are necessarily disloyal citizens. In fact, some might argue that criticising the government is part of loving your country. Every time something or someone doesnt go [the governments] way, they change the rules so that they stay inside their little island castle. I dont believe they have a negative agenda; its just evolved that way because theyre so obsessed with stability, security, and continuity that they forget you need adaptability. Look at nature, the most successful communities are those who collaborate, he explains. Considering all the ideological issues that PAP had, Brad still stayed on, until the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was established. He feels the TPP sold out Singapore to foreign corporations. As a new citizen whod seen the everyday struggles of ordinary Singaporeans that were frequently disregarded, this was the final straw. Shortly after leaving PAP, Brad went on a few walkabouts with the National Solidarity Party (NSP), or, as he calls them now, the Not Serious Party. When Lim Tean, the former Secretary-General of the NSP left to start Peoples Voice, Brad joined him. Unfortunately, Brads new party aspirations were cut short. On 31 March, Brad detailed reasons why he left Peoples Voice on his podcast, Brads Bitez. During the last five months in the party, he got frustrated at their lack of substantial planning, and found that he couldnt advocate for a party that didnt seem able to serve Singaporeans best interests. Singaporeans have been disappointed so many times. They want a serious alternative, not just rah-rah talk. Peoples Voice constantly said theyd work on policy research later, but get the message out first. Im a bit more old school; I told them they needed to back up what they were saying with data now. At least have some idea how theyre going to deliver, he explains. Ideally, all 89 MP seats should be contested individually, and not allow less deserving or less capable people to get elected on the GRC vote. But he has no plans to run as an independent candidate, as it only further divides an already scattered opposition. He is even quite happy to never be a politician, explaining that he simply saw no choice at this moment. Im just doing this so my sons and his friends can grow up in a country where they can have a good future, but Im quite happy to step aside. If we can find 89 true blue Singaporeans who can get off their arse and stand up, then they can do it, and I can help them, he adds. I dont hide my scepticism: do you really have to be a politician to affect change in Singapore? If you have a responsive government who listens, you dont. When I was with PAP, I participated in a national conversation. There was lots of good feedback, but I dont know if any was listened to [to] affect policy. From my position, it felt like the government knew what the people wanted, yet crafted their message so people would do what they wanted instead, he replies. Because the GRC system will probably never be abolished as long as the PAP remains in power, Brad says the opposition should work together to get into Parliament. Specifically, they need to form an informal political coalition. Hypothetically speaking, even if they win 45 out of 89 MP seats, each opposition party would only have a few seats. The PAP would still have the majority at 44. But this solution, he believes, presents a real alternative choice for Singaporeans. Without consolidating efforts, most interested candidates have a tendency to work individually. They may help residents on the ground with municipal issues as much as possible, like cleanliness or covered walkways, but these efforts would likely be overwhelmed by the negativities of national policy. Their residents are still subject to deeper systemic issues that can only be affected through policy, such as high costs of living or elitism in education. Its obvious to me that Brads dream of getting the opposition to band together wont happen in his lifetime, for two basic reasons. First, not every opposition party attracts equally talented members who are big-hearted enough to serve tirelessly, and adept in thinking about big-picture policy and smaller-scale implementation. To merge opposition parties would dilute each partys distinct strengths, if any. And that cannot happen because of the second reason: human naturespecifically, male nature. Opposition politics appears to be built on the indestructible yet fragile foundation of male ego. Every opposition party wants to lead the opposition charge, but almost none possess robust and feasible policy suggestions to back up their self-interested rhetoric. I raise the latter point to his bemusement: Some of it is ego, yes. Ironically, the infuriating reason he left the PAP is the same reason Singapore probably wont benefit from a stronger opposition anytime soon: an unequivocal desire to uphold the status quo. It seems that no matter which direction our political leaders lean, they are merely on the different side of the same coin. There is no greater similarity than being victims of the same education system. While Brads gripes about the PAP and opposition may be valid, there are more important matters to discuss: his concrete policy suggestions for the most critical issues he believes Singapore faces today. To increase political awareness from a young age, he suggests introducing civics type of subjects from young, like how Japanese kids clean their classroom to learn about social responsibility. Additionally, religious studies could also be taught in mainstream schools, simply to help everyone be aware from a young age that were part of a community and we need to understand people. As Brad reiterates, Our civil service is highly established and functional. Police officers would still do their job, just as doctors, nurses, and even permanent secretaries would. The ship wont sink if the current captain is not there. His suggestions dont just address the issue that Singaporeans lack social and political awareness, but the language to express our perspectives. Our political discourse is permanently black and white; formulaic and uncreative. Its also framed with glib rhetoric and hackneyed branding. Anyone who has been paying attention over the last year should know by now that it doesnt matter if our politicians are relatable in their private actions, if the public policies they propose or vote on dont aim to improve the lives of Singaporeans. And because we neither understand how our politics work nor have been taught the importance of caring enough to find out, we are happy to defer to figures of authority. We believe that if we dont vote for the incumbent, society would collapse. This dystopian rhetoric reinforces and thrives in a culture of fear, and its ultimately unhelpful. Second, Brad argues that the proposed anti-fake news bill would stunt our critical thinking. Its more important to educate people to be discerning, and to learn how to make considerate decisions than to pass laws. To do this, he proposes working with community centres or the Peoples Association to hold media and community education programmes. These would equip people with the skills to discern the validity and accuracy of information sources, as well as to question their own biases. A fundamental part of media literacy is you dont immediately take anyones point of view as the truth. Yes, some information presented may totally align with your personal agenda, but is it true? Sometimes your personal agenda is wrong. You have to be mature enough to accept that, he says. Proper media literacy also trains individual proactiveness, as developing a personal system to search for the truth requires one to engage in self-exploration and self-learning. With citizens who were trained in critical thinking, he believes the current government could have been prevented from getting to this point. If the government does its job right, then you would believe in them. You dont disagree for the sake of it. Finally, we move on to the big picture. Brad states that globalism is failingand Singapore is on the losing end because wed bet on the wrong horse. Namely, wed bet on the American Democratic Partys ideologies, and placed our assets in old companies and organisations, which are part of old systems that are not changing. Yet, in an ever-changing world, its even more crucial to adapt. Expecting to rule different countries, each with their own unique cultures and values, with an identical political ideology across the board doesnt work anymore. To put it simply, one cannot develop partnerships with China, Finland, and India that are governed in the same way. How do we wanna make sure we dont lose out when everything changes, and find partners who want to work with us? How do we make ourselves relevant for the new geopolitical and economic waters? We talk about innovation. We need to change ourselves into a true knowledge economy that supports entrepreneurship, he explains. Then, drawing upon an ocean metaphor again, he likens Singapore to a little boat drifting in the worlds ocean with the wrong captain steering it. The key is to thrive in a new world order, and to ensure that other countries continue to invest in our city. As it is, the most valuable assets we have are our people, but our system doesnt develop us to be our most creative and nimblest, or to provide value that others seek. Brad adds that it would be nice if Singapore could be an example to the rest of the world. Were neither extremely socialist nor capitalist, which he says helps us strike a balance. We are small, yet we have the resources. We could build enough of a social safety net so that people are not focused on surviving and can focus on thriving. At the same time, we can maintain the drive for capitalism, he says. You cant guarantee its going to be perfect or work out, but its better than where we sit. A few days ago, while scrolling through Brads Facebook page, I came across several Facebook commenters disparaging him for a lack of loyalty to one party. The way I see it, being willing to adapt ones stance after knowing better, to learn from mistakes and to rectify them, and to constantly look for better ground seem to be more important qualities in a political leader than blind loyalty. There was also another commenter who chided Brad for being too idealistic. This commenter argued that his views take time, and we dont have the luxury of time. In response, Brad gave the comment a sad reaction. I might not agree with everything Brad has said, but well-placed idealism is necessary for effective governance, even though it might be at odds with our pragmatic policies. Major change doesnt come about through moderate or incremental steps, especially if theyre only taken to placate the people into believing the government is listening. Next week, Brad plans to start pushing out articles comprising research that women make better politicians on his Facebook page, in hopes that more women can come forward to serve our country as political leaders. In case this would appear to be mere identity politics, he will provide data to support his stance. This momentarily gives me pause as we wrap our final conversation. Not because I too feel that women make better leaders in general (though I do believe that), but because I have heard a grand total of zero out of the 101 seats in Parliament raise the same point. A quick google search for women make better politicians Singapore brings up a patronising report from 2018 that having three female cabinet ministers is a boost for diversity. Its disheartening that it takes an outsider to remind me about the first thing Ive always thought our government direly needs to change, but Im also encouraged to know that my dream of seeing greater female political leadership in my lifetime isnt entirely far-fetched. If Im being honest, his simple passing remark unexpectedly renews my excitement about understanding complex policy, so I can critique it through more creative and accessible ways. To answer the question in this storys title, yes, an ang moh politician can succeed in Singaporebut only if we look beyond our traditional definition of political success. The man doesnt need to be an MP, give his GRC clean streets, or donate free meals to the underprivileged, though all those help. We dont even have to be on the same page. But if just one person were inspired to question existing structures, think critically about how to create a more inclusive Singapore, then moved to actually do something after reading Brads views, he would have succeeded. That has always been the point. How can we make our political coverage more creative? Tell us at community@ricemedia.co or grace@ricemedia.co. The post Brad Bowyer Wants to Help. But Can an Ang Moh Politician Succeed in Singapore? appeared first on RICE. Its no secret that weddings are expensive. The average cost of a wedding in 2018 was $33,931 (and that's before the honeymoon). If you opt for a destination wedding, you could end up spending even more than that, depending on your venue and the city. Weddings at French chateaus or Napa vineyards dont necessarily come cheap. On the flip side, you can find cheap destination wedding packages starting at less than $1,000. Regardless of your price point, the argument for a destination wedding is compelling. If your guests are going to spend money on a plane ticket anyway, why not have them come to Aruba instead of your hometown? A destination wedding gives you the opportunity to choose a place both you and your fiance want to visit. And, a destination wedding can also be the perfect jumping off point for a romantic honeymoon. If youre looking into affordable destination weddings, youre bound to come across one of the most intriguing trends for anyone trying to not spend a fortune on their nuptials: the free destination wedding. Thats right there are some resorts that will throw in a wedding on the house to show their appreciation for your booking. What to Know About Free Destination Weddings The first rule of the free wedding club is that you need to be discerning about who you work with. You should have complete confidence in a brand if youre going to use their free wedding service, and you should favor a place that is ready to go above and beyond for you. You dont want a free wedding to be something that ends up causing you a lot of logistical stress make sure youre choosing a resort that will minimize your stress instead of increasing it Our aim to make it easy for a couple to travel here and then have absolutely everything taken care of for them, said Filo Saunitoga, the wedding concierge at Namale Resort and Spa. The luxurious Fiji property offers a complimentary wedding package when you book seven nights or more. They say its a $999 value and includes your choice of venue, coordination by the wedding concierge, a wedding cake, and local flowers for the bride, among other things. Story continues Saunitoga said that while their guests love taking advantage of the free wedding package, they also typically pay for add-ons. Add-ons are huge in the world of free weddings, to the extent that you may find your free wedding is more of a heavily discounted wedding, because personalized elements like music or high-end food choices come with additional costs. At Namale, Saunitoga explained, their free wedding covers sparkling wine and a delicious meal for two. So while your secluded, tropical reception is complimentary, its only free for you and your new spouse. If youre planning a 15-person elopement, youll still end up paying for meals and place settings for your guests. This is fairly typical for free weddings you need to know about the add-on costs going in, and work with a hotel thats completely transparent about what they charge for various services. Consider the Add-ons Debra Kasen, who plans tropical destination weddings at Romance Globe Travel, said that photography, a DJ or live music for the reception, and flowers can be some of the most costly add-ons, apart from food and drink for additional guests. When people see the [add-on] pricing, they sometimes look at outside vendors, though some resorts may charge an outside vendor fee (anywhere from $300 to $1,000 per vendor) or not allow outside vendors at all, Kasen said. While it seems like most clients end up adding to free wedding packages, there is still a lot to be said for getting a free venue and use of an on-site wedding planner, which is almost always included under the free umbrella. Complimentary wedding packages tend to come with perks before or after the wedding day, too. Saunitoga mentioned their package comes with a luncheon the next day in a remote Fijian location, for example. And if you book 20 room nights, you qualify for additional free services, like a couples massage the day after the wedding. In essence, the bigger the wedding, the more complimentary services, said Saunitoga. How to Get More Freebies This seems to be a theme in the free destination wedding game; The resorts offer more free perks if youre staying longer or bringing plenty of guests. When determining complimentary services to throw in, the resort will be looking at total revenue earned from a group event, said Kasen. Kasen stressed that you really need to look out for your best interests, because some resorts are looking to create a stunning personal experience for their clients, while others are trying to make a buck. She said occasionally resorts will even charge guests more for rooms if theyre offering a free wedding a practice you need to avoid. Do your due diligence when youre planning the financials of your wedding: Make sure youre only charged for previously agreed upon services and that your guests arent getting upcharged. I like to show [clients] how to max out the perks and have a long conversation with them about how if they change or even customize one petal on their bouquet, that all bets can be off and pricing [can] go up, said Kasen. If personalization is where you end up racking up a bill, opting for a less expensive but ultimately more generic wedding package might be costly, because youll end up spending more on add-ons. Saunitoga said one of the reasons couples are so impressed by Namales destination weddings is that they are focused on exclusivity, authenticity, and exceptionally personalized service. Couples receive a high-touch experience rather than a standardized wedding offering available at other destinations, he explained. So, the biggest asterisk on free weddings is that, unsurprisingly, you will still spend money. If youre thinking of booking a free wedding, there are two choices. The first is to go with a luxury resort, where you wont have to lift a finger once you arrive, but the exclusivity means youll pay a high premium to stay. If you choose a small luxury resort, the property will be more equipped to accommodate your requests and your wedding will feel tailormade to you and your spouse. However, you run the risk that some of your guests will be unable to attend because of the accommodation prices, so this route might be best for small weddings and elopements. On the other hand, opting for a less expensive resort might mean you spend a little more on add-ons such that the ceremony and reception still complements you and your partner. The accommodations will be affordable, so youre not asking as much of your guests, which allows you to have a bigger wedding. Also, some of the standard free wedding packages come with complimentary anniversary nights, so you can return and keep cashing in on perks long after your wedding day. What Kasen and Saunitogas experience prove is that you shouldnt pick your destination just based the free ceremony offering. Pick a venue you love, or choose a spot youd want to spend a week in for your honeymoon, and then see if the free wedding package still suits your needs. Divers who are captivated by Belizes Great Blue Hole no longer have to travel to Central America or even the ocean to experience the plunge. The worlds deepest pool is opening in Poland this fall and is positioned to be the perfect training spot for beginner and professional scuba divers. Courtesy of Flyspot/Deepspot At its deepest point, the Deepspot pool is 148 feet deep and holds 27 times the amount of water of an average pool. Divers can explore overhangs and underwater caves, while non-divers can watch from an underwater tunnel. Deepspot will also have conference rooms, training rooms, and hotel rooms with underwater views of the pools interior. Courtesy of Flyspot/Deepspot %image1 The pool is being built in Mszczonow, a town southwest of Warsaw, and will be constructed using an estimated 1,100 tons of steel. When it opens, Deepspot will dethrone the current deepest pool, Italy's Y-40 Deep Joy. However Deepspot may be surpassed as soon as 2020 by a pool in Britain that is being designed to be 164 feet deep. No other Democrat running for president has a more straightforward message than Jay Inslee, the second-term governor of Washington state who has built his 2020 bid entirely around addressing climate change. The science is clear, he wrote in a January op-ed laying out his case before he had even jumped in the race. We have a short period of time to act. And whether we shrink from this challenge, or rise to it, is the biggest question we face, as a nation and as a people. Hed soon kick off his campaign with an 80-second video that uttered the words climate change or global warming a dozen times. Advertisement Its natural, then, that Inslees campaign often gets boiled down to two words, climate change, but what truly distinguishes him from his Democratic rivals is a different word: priorities. To govern is to choose, as he likes to put it. Other White House hopefuls talk about the urgency of climate change, Inslee argues, but hes the only one in the field who will prioritize it above all elseeven health care (though hes careful to note that global warming affects everything from public health to social justice). Given his long track record of climate advocacy and action, theres good reason to believe that he really would deliver on his promise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inslees pragmatism doesnt make for the most compelling stump speech, considering Democratic voters have been hearing a version of it for decades. Hes spent the first month of his campaign inside the margin of error in most polls and struggling to get noticed. But given the massive gap between what the United States is currently doing to limit the impact of global warming and what the science says it needs to be doing, Inslees pitch is radical in its own way. His problem is that his approach can look, well, kind of boring when compared with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs Green New Deal. Her wide-ranging proposal is backed by Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and a number of other White House hopefuls, at least nominally, and has come to define how many progressives, particularly younger ones, view the issue. Inslee has had kind words for AOCs effort, but he has not endorsed it as his preferred solution. Instead, he offers a more traditional and technocratic approach, one that applies the lessons hes learned back home, where his state government has invested heavily in clean-energy research and development and is trying to cap emissions but has now failed twice to put a price on carbon. The Green New Deal is inviting Americans to reimagine the very role of the federal government in their lives; Inslee, by contrast, is simply asking them to picture what it would be like to have someone in the Oval Office who makes climate change his top priority day in and day out and who is willing to accept small, incremental victories where he can get them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inslee has not yet released a detailed climate plan, but his stated goals overlap with elements of the Green New Deal and will sound familiar to anyone whos heard a Democratic candidate talk about climate recently: He wants to transition the U.S. economy entirely to clean energy and net-zero greenhouse gas pollution, invest heavily in green jobs and infrastructure, end subsidies for fossil fuels, and fight for environmental justice and economic inclusion. Like the rest of his rivals, he also says that hed rush to reinstate the Obama-era climate rules that the Trump administration has rolled back and to reenter the Paris climate accord. Thank goodness for President Obamahe did take action against climate change, Inslee told the audience at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such praise for Obama is a bit jarring given that he didnt go nearly as far as many climate hawks would have preferred. If to govern is to choose, as Inslee says, then Obamas climate critics will tell you he chose expanding health care over combating global warming. But Inslee doesnt necessarily see it that way. In his telling, the climate failures of the past are not the result of a failure of imagination or lack of sufficient effort from his party but instead a result of circumstances outside Democrats control. Consider what he recently told the New Yorker was the biggest missed opportunity on climate in recent memory: Advertisement Advertisement I think we could have taken Ralph Nader out on a ship before he could file for President. And set the ship adrift. And allowed him to be fed and healthy before the filing deadline. That would have been the most significant thing where we missed our opportunity. I mean, really! You think about how different the world could have been for three hundred and fifty votes that Ralph Nader took out of Al Gores pocket. Every time I think about that it just drives me nuts. Advertisement Advertisement Inslee was joking about setting the 2000 Green Party nominee out to sea, but he sounds earnestly like he believes that the Democratic Party has largely been on the right path for years. He offers a similar reading of the two other major inflection points in the climate debate this century: the defeat of cap and trade, which was thwarted by a GOP filibuster during Obamas first term, and Donald Trumps Electoral College victory in 2016, despite losing the popular vote. Here Inslees solutions are again almost radically simple. He wants to end the filibuster and abolish the Electoral College, putting him to the left of several progressive rivals on issues of democratic process while he simultaneously sits closer to the center of his party on matters of climate policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inslee is neither preaching to the choir nor necessarily looking for converts. Instead, he is putting his faith in the polls that suggest that voters are already sufficiently worried about man-made climate change to want real action. The number of Americans who say they are either alarmed or concerned about the issue has doubled in the past five years to 59 percent, according to the latest survey taken by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, while the number who are doubtful or dismissive has dropped by more than half to just 18 percent. The publics growing acceptance of the problem is good newsfor both the planet and for Inslees campaignbut being concerned is not the same as being concerned enough to prioritize climate above all else, as Inslee is asking them to do. In a Pew Research Center poll early this year, for instance, global warming came in second from the bottom on a list of Americans 18 top policy priorities26 percentage points behind the economy. Democrats in the states with the first nominating contests, however, tend to view climate change as a far higher priority, giving Inslee an opening, albeit a tiny one. In a recent Center for American Progress poll, climate change and health care topped the list of priorities for early-state primary voters. But Inslee is asking them to choose one issue over the other, while many of his rivals are promising theres room for both. Its to his credit that he concedes his singular focus means deferring other worthy goals, but that doesnt change the reality that the Democratic base has a lengthy wish list that voters are unlikely to sacrifice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inslees climate crusade has overshadowed his reliably progressive track record: While in Congress, he voted for a ban automatic weapons and voted against the Iraq war, the repeal of Glass-Steagall, and the 2008 bank bailout. As governor, hes overseen the implementation of paid family leave, a minimum wage hike, the legalization of pot, and a moratorium on the death penalty. Likewise, hes called for a state-run public health care option and played a leading role in the state-led efforts to challenge Trumps Muslim ban. With that kind of resume, Inslee could make an intriguing option to round out the eventual Democratic ticketa way for the nominee to signal to voters that climate change remains a top priority for the party. With Inslee in the No. 2 spot, though, it would also serve as a reminder that climate change is not the No. 1 priority. Meanwhile, Inslees presence on the primary campaign trail and potentially on the debate stage would, in an ideal world, force his Democratic rivals to get more specific about how much of their limited political capital theyd be willing to spend on climate change. In the real world, however, there are no such guarantees. Inslees climate pitch may get lost amid all the other flashier promises offered by a historically large primary field. The best laid climate plans, then, may once again get derailed by something outside of his control. Former President Barack Obama went to Europe but delivered a message that seemed to be directly aimed at Democrats in the United States. Speaking at an Obama Foundation event in Berlin, the former president said he was concerned that members of the progressive wing of the party could end up shooting themselves in the foot by focusing their ire on other Democrats who should be seen as allies. Specifically, Obama talked about how he had to compromise in order to pass the Affordable Care Act, which was hardly his ideal solution to the U.S. healthcare system, and the Paris Climate Agreement, which he knew was not enough to tackle the huge issue of global warming. Advertisement One of the things I do worry about sometimes among progressives in the United States maybe its true here as well is a certain kind of rigidity where we say, Uh, Im sorry, this is how its going to be, and then we start sometimes creating whats called a circular firing squad, where you start shooting at your allies because one of them has strayed from purity on the issues. And when that happens, typically the overall effort and movement weakens, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is important, Obama went on to say, for both citizens and political leaders to accept that some compromise is necessary and it doesnt have to mean putting your core values on the table. You have to recognize that the way we structure democracy requires you to take into account people who dont agree with you, and that by definition means youre not going to get 100 percent of what you want, he said. The important thing, Obama said is to clearly know what your principles are because just like you cant set up a system in which you dont compromise on anything you also cant operate in a system where you compromise on everything. Advertisement Advertisement The former president issued the warning at a time when Democrats are gearing up for what looks to be a brutal primary battle as more than a dozen have already jumped into the ring. And it also comes at the end of a week when his former vice president, Joe Biden, has been on the receiving end of criticism even though he has yet to formally announce he is entering the race. In another part of his address, Obama spoke up against rising nationalism around the world and issued an ominous warning about its possible consequences. Nationalism, particularly from the far-right, has re-emerged, he said, adding that it amounts to a style of politics that divides us into us and them. Obama went on to say that we know where that leads. Europe knows better than anyone where that leads. Two weeks ago, Attorney General William Barr issued a letter that characterized, in terms favorable to President Donald Trump, special counsel Robert Muellers findings in the Russia investigation. Based on that letter and the ensuing Republican spin, the media reported that the investigation had largely cleared Trump. But what if these initial portrayals of Muellers report were misleading? What if Republicans fed the press and the public a pack of lies? Until we see the report, we wont know whats in it. But we do know what Republicans have said about it, and eventuallyunless its buried foreverwell be able to check these descriptions against the document. Heres a catalog of what Trump and his surrogates have said since Barrs letter came out. Some of these claims have been repeated uncritically by TV anchors, headline writers, and reporters. If the claims prove to be false, the media has a clear duty: to acknowledge that the report is more damning than we were told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1. The report exonerates Trump. The report is there, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney proclaimed in a CNN interview on March 31. It completely exonerates the president. Trump, the White House, and the Republican National Committee have used the same word. Vice President Mike Pence has twice called the report a total vindication of the president. 2. The report rules out collusion. According to the spin promulgated by Republicans and parroted by reporters, Mueller didnt just fail to prove a conspiracy; he certified that no collusion took place. In a Fox News interview on March 24, GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel attributed that verdict to the special counsel: The Mueller report and the findings of this report that say there was no collusion. The next day, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders concurred: They were incredibly clear in the report that there was no collusion. Not just not by the president but by any American. No one on his team. Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference on March 25, Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, assured the public, The conclusion was firm, without equivocation, that no one on the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy added, There has never been a more thorough, in-depth research that weve had from the American government. And without a shadow of doubt, it said no collusion. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway put the same words in Muellers mouth: Thats exactly what Director Mueller said: There is no collusion. Advertisement 3. Theres no evidence of collusion. According to the Trump camp, Mueller didnt just debunk the collusion myth; he found it was completely unsupported. The Mueller team came forward and said there is absolutely no evidence of collusion, said McDaniel. Graham made the same assertion about the special counsels report: Mr. Mueller said there was no evidence of collusion between President Trump or anybody on his campaign with the Russians, period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a March 26 press conference, House Republican leaders called Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe to the microphone to deliver their summary of the report. The special counsel did issue one clear indictment, said Ratcliffe. Its an indictment of those folks who accused the president of conspiring or colluding with Russia. As McCarthy, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney looked on, Ratcliffe averred that Mueller didnt just find insufficient evidence of collusion or conspiracy. He said there was no evidence. The special counsel said there is no evidence of a Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy. 4. Theres no circumstantial evidence. This is considered the weakest form of evidence. Even so, McCarthy says its been proved not to exist. Based on Muellers report, said the House Republican leader, Those who said for more than two years that there was circumstantial evidence of collusion owe America [an] apology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 5. Nobody talked with Russians. Speaking at the White House on March 26, Conway dismissed the idea that any of us in Trumps campaign would talk to Russians. Five days later on Fox News, she said she had been vindicated by the investigations ultimate conclusions of no conspiracy, no collusion, no contact with any Russian at a campaign that I managed. 6. No American was involved in Russian interference. This is a broader claim than denying conspiracy or coordination. In a CNN interview on March 25, Sanders said the report found that absolutely no American citizen, including the president, including everyone on his team, had anything to do with interfering in the election in 2016. 7. No coordination was even attempted. In a statement issued on March 24, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell claimed that Mueller backed up this denial by Trump: The Special Counsels conclusions confirm the Presidents account that there was no effort by his campaign to conspire or coordinate with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement 8. Trump and his associates never came close to accepting Russian help. On March 28, speaking on the House floor, Scalise noted that according to Barrs letter, Mueller had documented multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. Scalise said the report showed that Trump and his associates never even came close to accepting these offers. Advertisement 9. The campaign rebuffed Russian offers. On March 25, McCarthy said the report found that Russians tried to get involved in the campaign. The Trump campaign said no. On March 28, Scalise claimed that Muellers investigators saw the Trump campaign pushing back at even offers for help. Neither Scalise nor McCarthy specified the nature of the alleged pushback. 10. Muellers questions to Trump were immaterial. Late in the investigation, Mueller submitted written questions to Trump, and Trump responded with written answers. On March 25, a reporter asked Conway, Why shouldnt the country be able to see the presidents written responses? Conway replied: Because he was responding to questions that, it turns out, werent particularly relevant or important to anything. Advertisement 11. The report rules out obstruction of justice. On March 26, Trump said Mueller specifically cleared him of obstruction. The Mueller report was great, Trump told reporters. It said, No obstruction. No collusion. On March 31, Mulvaney backed up this assertion. The report said exactly what the president said it would say, Mulvaney told ABC News, which was there was no collusion and no obstruction. 12. The report found no obstructive conduct. This is a broader claim than denying obstruction of justice. On at least five occasions since Barrs letter came out, Conway has asserted that the letter and the underlying report explicitly deny that Trump engaged in obstructive conduct or obstructive activity. The letter said no obstructive activity, Conway told reporters at the White House on March 25. I read the quotes, no obstructive conduct. On March 26, she added, Thats exactly what Director Mueller said: There is no collusion, no obstructive conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 13. The report found no attempts to interfere with the investigation. In a March 25 interview on PBS, Conway assured viewers, The president didnt try to interfere with the investigation. And that, of course, we know, is in the documentation: that nobody at Justice felt that Mr. Mueller could not do his work. 14. Mueller was unconstrained. In a statement on March 24, McCarthy said that Mueller was given unfettered authority to investigate Trumpand that this allowed [Muellers] team to fully pursue any matters that arose. Days later, on Fox News, McCarthy claimed that the investigation proved Trumps innocence because there was no stone unturned. Mulvaney, citing Barrs letter, insisted that Mueller gave the president absolutely zero special treatment. Advertisement 15. Mueller saw no reason to interview Trump. Why didnt Mueller get an interview with Trump? Because Mueller didnt want one, says Conway. On March 25, she told reporters, Apparently Mr. Mueller and Mr. Rosenstein saw no reason to subpoena the president. They had his answers to written questions and they saw no reason to subpoena the president for testimony. 16. Mueller decided the evidence of obstruction was insufficient. In a CNN interview on March 27, Graham summarized the special counsels conclusion: He says, I dont have sufficientIm not comfortable with the fact pattern and the law to recommend to you that you should charge the president with obstruction. Advertisement 17. Mueller asked Barr to decide whether Trump obstructed justice. At his March 25 press conference, Graham said Mueller gave Barr his proxy to resolve the obstruction question. He decidednot Mr. Barrto give that decision over to the attorney general, Graham said. Sanders, in a CNN interview, claimed that investigators sent that to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general to make that determination. Advertisement Advertisement 18. Reports of Trump-Russia contacts were fake news. Last year, the New York Times and Washington Post won Pulitzers for 20 articles about Russia and the Trump campaign. Some of the articles addressed Trumps efforts to thwart the investigation, but most detailed Russian contacts with Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn, and Jeff Sessions. On March 25, Conway and Sanders argued that Muellers findings debunked these reports. Conway said the investigation proved that major papers in this country won Pulitzer prizes over their reporting on something that is totally fake. Sanders said the Post and Times stories were based on something that we found out to be a complete and utter lie. So thats the list. Some of these claims about Muellers reportstarting with the pretense of exonerationconflict with Barrs letter. Others conflict with one another. How, for example, can Mueller have cleared Trump of obstruction while simultaneously leaving that decision to Barr? Trumps allies have also made further statements that seem far-fetched or absurd. A 19th claim, made at least eight times by Graham in the past two weeks, is that Muellerwho wasnt appointed until May 2017has been investigating Trump and Russia for two and a half years. A 20th claim, made by McCarthy, is that Muellers report vindicates Rep. Devin Nunes, the former Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who alleged a deep-state conspiracy behind the investigation of Trump. At a press conference on March 28, McCarthy declared, Devin Nunes was proven correct. Thats what the report says. Eventually, well see the report, or at least the parts that arent redacted. It might show that some of these claims are true. But if theyre falseif Republicans lied about the report, and the media fell for those liesthen it will be time to talk less about exoneration and more about cover-up. The Barr letter and the blitz of spin around it could turn out to be another chapter in a Republican campaign to bury the truth. President Donald Trump gave an interview to Fox News that was aired Saturday in which he made clear what his new message is for those who are seeking to migrate to the United States through the southern border: theres no more space. The country is full, our system is full. We cant do it anymore, Trump told Fox News Griff Jenkins when he asked whether the arrival of undocumented immigrants meant there was a second generation of people who could benefit from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Advertisement Trump characterized migration into the United States as being at record high levels. Theres never been so many people coming up and thats because theyre gaming the system and the system is changed for the worse because of what happened with Democrats and what theyve done in terms of Congress, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the interview, he also questioned those who seek asylum in the United States, saying the system was being abused by gang members who suddenly say they dont feel safe in their own country. The asylum is being scammed, he said. You have gang members, tough people saying theyre afraid to be in their country. Theyre not afraid, and then theyll come up with flags, holding flags from their country. During the interview, Trump doubled down on a message he gave Friday when he traveled to a Calexico for a briefing on immigration. The system is full. We cant take you anymore, Trump said at the event that included law enforcement officials and local leaders. Our country is full Turn around. Trump made it sound like his hands were tied on the issue. When its full, theres nothing you can do. You have to say, Im sorry, we cant take you. Advertisement The president also took the opportunity to insist that there is indeed an emergency on our southern border. Trump said there had been a sharp increase of border crossings. Its a colossal surge and its overwhelming our immigration system, and we cant let that happen. Advertisement Advertisement President Trump was rage tweeting Saturday morning, going on a bit of a tweetstorm against special counsel Robert Muellers investigation and Democrats for insisting on seeing the full report of the probe. Trump started by acknowledging that he had not read the full Mueller report yet even though he has every right to do so. He only knows theres no collusion and that our great A.G. found No Obstruction. The president went on to characterize Muellers team as a group of Trump hating Dems who were given two years and $30 million, and they found No Collusion, No Obstruction. Even so, the Democrats, no matter what we give them, will NEVER be satisfied. Advertisement I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so. Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion. Likewise, recommendations made to our great A.G. who found No Obstruction. 13 Angry Trump hating Dems (later brought to 18) given two..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 6, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement .....years and $30 million, and they found No Collusion, No Obstruction. But the Democrats, no matter what we give them, will NEVER be satisfied. A total waste of time. As @FrankLuntz has just stated, Enough, America has had enough. What have you accomplished. Public is fed up. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 6, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Democrats in Congress have been trying to get a resolution passed that would declare the contents of the Mueller report to be of overwhelming public interest. But Republicans have blocked the resolution, which already passed the House of Representatives, five times. Yet as part of his tweetstorm Saturday, Trump sent a clear message that the whole endeavor was pointless because the investigations conclusions are already clear. Rather than seek to see the report, he wants to change the focus to take action and make sure another president doesnt have to endure the same kind of investigation. So the 13 Angry Democrats were investigating an event that never happened and that was in fact a made up Fraud, Trump wrote. He then added: This Russia Hoax must never happen to another President, and Law Enforcement must find out, HOW DID IT START? Advertisement So, lets get this straight! There was No Collusion and in fact the Phony Dossier was a Con Job that was paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC. So the 13 Angry Democrats were investigating an event that never happened and that was in fact a made up Fraud. I just fought back.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 6, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement A 55-year-old man from upstate New York has been charged with threatening to kill Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar. Patrick Carlineo, of Addison, N.Y., allegedly made the threat during a call to the Democrats office in Washington, D.C. on March 21. Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, shes a fucking terrorist. Ill put a bullet in her fucking skull, Carlineo allegedly said, according to the court filing. Advertisement When authorities went to Carlineos home he seemed to know why the FBI wanted to speak to him. He stated that he was a patriot, that he loves the President, and that he hates radical Muslims in our government, notes the affidavit. He also said that Omar supported Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and that her election to Congress was illegitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlineo initially told authorities he had told Omars staffer that if our forefathers were still alive, theyd put a bullet in her head, denying he called her a terrorist and threatened to kill her. But after he was warned that it was a crime to lie to an FBI agent, he acknowledged he may have said something to that effect. When he was asked whether there were any weapons in his house, Carlineo said he had a shotgun and a .22 caliber gun. He first tried to claim the firearms belonged to his girlfriend but later admitted they were his. The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) characterized this as another example of how President Donald Trumps rhetoric has emboldened bigots. The political environment, led by an Islamophobe in the White House, has normalized hate speech and emboldened bigots in their actions, CAIR-NY executive director Afaf Nasher said. The rising threat of Islamophobia and white supremacy must be taken seriously. We are thankful that law enforcement tracked this individual down before he could act on his hatred for Muslims. 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. How many have you visited? Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide As the days are lasting longer and becoming warmer, many people are looking for new tips for places they can visit and see something interesting. There are many lookout towers in Slovakia and new ones are going up all the time. The website Zena.sme.sk has chosen the nine most interesting ones you should definitely visit: Velka Homola The new lookout tower on Velka Homola hill near Modra has been accessible to the public since November 2018. The town of Modra built it on the site of the former wooden tower that no longer met the security parameters according to structural engineers. The construction took five months. The upper lookout platform is at a height of 20.4 metres and 120 stairs lead to the top. The lookout tower is open all year round and admission is free. Source: SITA Terchovas Heart One of the most architectonically interesting lookout towers is Terchovas Heart on Oblaz hill in Terchova village. The tower offers a panoramic view of the village, Big and small Rozsutec, Boboty and Tiesnavy. It takes only few minutes to get there thats why it is a favourite spot for many people. Be prepared for more tourists here. Source: SITA Tokai The most extraordinary lookout tower is in the village of Mala Trna which is surrounded by vineyards. Besides the view of the vineyards and neighbouring Hungary, it also offers the perfect spot for relaxing. Nearby there is also a children's playground with a gazebo which is popular especially among tourists and cyclists with children. Source: TASR Hradova This cylindrical tower located at the edge of the castle. It is 21.5 metres high and offers a view of the Kosice region. Source: TASR Ceresenka This unusual lookout tower is 11 metres high and stands in a field in the Kosice self-governing region. The field has been famous since 1312 when the battle of Rozhanovce, considered to be the most cruel battle since the Tatar invasion, took place there. The tower is named after the old cherry tree standing nearby and was built in a style to commemorate the historic events that took place there. Source: SITA Cajka (Seagull) One of the most recent projects is the Cajka lookout tower in Bojnice. More than 30 metres high the path is also ideal for wheelchairs or pushchairs. More than a tower, it is a path hanging in the air. Part of the construction is a slide, visitors can use to get down. It offers views of Bojnice town and Bojnice castle. Source: SITA Tlsta Hora (Fat Hill) In Puchovska valley stands the tower of Tlsta Hora. It is 21 metres high and tourists must walk up 81 stairs to reach the top. It provides views of the Low Tatras, Small Fatras and Strazovke mountains. Source: SITA Krahulsky Hill When visiting Kremnica, you should not miss the three-floor lookout tower at Krahulsky Hill. It is possible to see Kremnicke and Stiavnicke Hills from here. When the weather is good, even the Small Fatras may appear. Source: SITA Bobovec The village of Stara Bystrica is not only interesting because of its astronomical clocks. Nearby is also the hill of Bobovec on which stands a structure reminiscent of a of fairy-tale tower. The tower itself is 16 metres high and offers views of the Small Fatras, especially Martinske Hole. But it is also possible to see Lysa Hora in the Czech Republic. A small claims court case involving the fluke pregnancy of a Standardbred yearling filly has garnered national news. The Canadian Press has reported on the recent ruling of a case involving Putnams Snowstorm and three Nova Scotia horsemen. Bred by Shawn Putnam of Great Village, the grey Force Of Life-Reading Terminal filly was purchased for $10,000 from the Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale in early October 2017 by Emmons Ralph MacKay of Truro and Paul Smith of Wallace. Unbeknownst to all, the filly was two months pregnant at the time. When her pregnancy was discovered months later, the filly's training was halted and her racing career delayed as she delivered a non-Standardbred foal. According to adjudicator Eric Slone's ruling, MacKay and Smith were seeking $25,000 in damages (although citing losses in excess of $99,000) that included the sale price, training and anticipated earnings for breach of contract and negligence. They claimed breach of contract noting the filly was sold with the intention of racing and negligence arguing Putnam should not have exposed the filly to stallions and should have known that she was possibly in foal. The ruling states that Putnam was floored to learn of the pregnancy and pinpointed an occasion where the filly had managed to escape her enclosure and was found near a couple of his male horses. Seeing no signs that any act of mating had occurred and believing she was too young to mate, Putnam testified that he was convinced that no harm had come from the incidental exposure and did not believe it even merited disclosure. The ruling states that Putnam was apologetic and when both parties could not agree on fair compensation, he reluctantly fell back on his legal rights. The case was ultimately dismissed based on the applicable Conditions of Sale that indicate the "buyer assumes all risk and responsibility for the yearling" and "there is no guarantee of any kind as to the soundness or condition or other quality." The Conditions of Sale also limits Right of Return warranties to seven days from the date of the sale. To read the complete ruling, click here. University of California-Irvine The University of California-Irvine provides a program that encourages students to work hard toward their writing goals. This MFA is a two- to three-year program, which has distinguished writers on the faculty, including a variety of authors known for their novels, poetry, and nonfiction works. The core of this program consists of writing workshops focusing around fiction and poetry. Only a small number of students are accepted each year because it is important for each student to get one-on-one time with faculty members. California College of the Arts The MFA at California College of the Arts is a two-year program that encourages a variety of different writing forms, including memoirs, short stories, and creative nonfiction pieces. Students also have the opportunity to explore other visual art that can be incorporated into their work, such as film and sculpture. This program takes place on the main San Francisco campus, where MFA students have access to the Writer's Studio, which often hosts presentations by well-known writers. Students receive regular feedback on their work, both from writing workshops and meetings with full-time faculty members. This program allows a great deal of collaboration and workshops, which are necessary to all writers. California State University, Long Beach This full-time program takes two years to complete and consists of 48 units of coursework. The MFA faculty consists of four fiction writers and four poets. Writing workshops are held in rotations, so each student will get to work with each faculty member at least once. This degree is primarily for students looking to publish for a wide range of outlets, as well as for students who wish to teach at a post-secondary level. The personal one-on-one interactions with faculty is an important factor in this program. Students need the chance to spend time with faculty of all different backgrounds and writing styles who can give them different points of view on their work. Mount Saint Mary's University Mount Saint Mary's University's two-year, 36-unit MFA program is training for students who are interested in writing professionally. This Catholic college is located in Los Angeles, and the MFA program offers instruction in a variety of mediums, such as novels, short stories, poetry, and screenplays. Mount Saint Mary's offers continued mentoring to help students prepare for the publication market. This program meets every other weekend, six times a semester, so that students can attend school and keep their other commitments. University of California-Riverside This two-year MFA program includes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, and playwriting. The program consists of writing workshops in different genres, resulting in a final project that showcases each writer's talents. This final project can be in the form of a poetry collection, novel, short story collection, memoir, essay collection, screenplay, or full-length play. In this MFA program, students are required to major in one genre, but are encouraged to explore different genres throughout the program, as well. The Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage , Japan - Arriving in Kobe, a Rat Falls from the Ceiling, and the Art of Kyosai Arriving in Japan was a bit disorienting. Everywhere there are SO many people, all busy and well-versed in navigating busy streets, crossroads, trains and subway stations. After three months in the isolated, snowy mountains of Colorado, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the hum of the city, the sirens of the emergency vehicles, the loudspeakers announcing political candidates, the noisy Pachinko parlors, and other markers of life in the urban core. We landed in Osaka and spent one night in the city center. The next morning we had a delicious Japanese breakfast of all sorts of root vegetables and tofu prepared in many ways, miso soup, steamed rice, an assortment of pickles and other healthy and delicious items. We made our way to the huge Bic Camera store, to purchase travelers Sim cards for our phone and iPads. At the cash register, the lady cashier handed us a printed sign in English, saying that Sim cards are not refundable and that they offer no exchanges and no support. This is very discouraging to tourists, but we have done this dozens of times and we knew what to do. We affirmed that we understood, and after purchasing the Sim cards, we sat on benches in the store and proceeded to successfully register and activate our new Sim Cards. From Osaka, we took a train to Kobe. We decided to give ourselves a few days to acclimate to the different time zone and climate, before starting to walk the pilgrimage. It was a good plan, because every evening we felt sleepy by 8PM and woke up full of energy to start the day, by 3AM. Kobe is a city known for Wagyu Kobe beef. There are many eateries around town offering Kobe beef. We, of course, as pilgrims on a major Buddhist pilgrimage, did not try any of the beef. But we did visit Kobes famous Chinatown. We walked around the stalls offering small wraps filled with Peking duck, all sorts of Chinese dumplings, sweets and food on wooden sticks. To be honest, all the restaurants in the middle of Chinatown looked dingy and unhygienic. But we chose a place to eat lunch anyway, despite our instincts. We reminded ourselves that while traveling in China, we often had some fabulous meals in places with floors full of dirt, carpeted with cigarette butts, dirty paper napkins and chicken bones strewn all over. Well, this place had all the minuses and none of the pluses of China. The food was pretty bad, and after eating and paying our bill, while Jules was in the toilet, I saw a rat fall from the second floor ceiling onto the middle of the restaurants floor. Somehow, despite its loud landing, it was alive and it scurried away. Two girls, who were waiting for their food order, ran out of the restaurant, explaining to the stunned waiter that they had just seen a rat fall from the ceiling. I also grabbed our bags and ran out of the restaurant. I explained to Jules what had happened and we both laughed nervously, hoping we would be able to digest the questionable food. Jules was OK, maybe because he had not actually seen the rat fall from the ceiling. I was not so well, maybe BECAUSE I did see and hear the rats loud landing. I ended up vomiting my guts out in a nearby malls toilets. We promised ourselves that from now on and during the whole pilgrimage, we will eat ONLY in clean and harmonious places. It was not hard to eat in nice and cool places in Kobe, as long as we stayed away from Chinatown. The city of Kobe is wedged between the mountains and the sea. The mountains were hazy from the smog, and the sea is dominated by a big commercial harbor. There are memorial parks along the harbor, commemorating the great Kobe earthquake of 1995 that nearly demolished the entire city. The highlight of our stay in Kobe was our visit to the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art. They had the opening of an exhibition of paintings by the artist Kyosai. Kyosai Kawanabe (1831-1889) was a very prolific painter of great talent. His art is wonderfully rendered, whimsical and very philosophical, bordering on the cynical, comical, and even morbid. Kyosai lived an interesting life; he was drunk a lot in his youth, but later in life, he devoted much of his time to his spiritual search.. He changed the first character of his name from meaning wild or crazy to meaning daybreak dawn or enlightenment. The last series of paintings that he did, in the final year of his life, was a series of daily sketch drawings of the Goddess Kannon. I was very moved by his artwork, and decided that since we will be walking the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, I will also make a quick ink drawing daily of Kannon, the Goddess of unconditional love and compassion. Wishing you a great day/night, 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. 2 hours ago Is Hexos New Strategic Plan Worth Another Look? Hexo Hits New Low In Wake Of Q1 Earnings Hexo (NYSE: HEXO) reported its Q1 earnings and provided a forecast for profitability that has shares of the stock on the move. The caveat is that shares are moving lower right now and are just off the new low set in the wake of the report. Read Article As 14 new security cameras are about to be installed in Luxembourg City, it is time to check their efficiency, says Pirate Party MP Sven Clement. In a recent parliamentary question to Minister of Defense Francois Bausch, Pirate Party MP Sven Clement wanted to know more about the efficiency of security cameras in Luxembourg City. The number of people caught in the act of committing a crime remains relatively low: in 2017, 7 people were caught red-handed while in 2018, there were only 3. Statistics attest to the efficiency of security cameras: the recordings of the Visupol system have for example been used 175 times during court proceedings. In most cases, the footage helps to shed light on what exactly happened during hit-and-run, vandalism and assault incidents. Bausch also explained that the cameras are installed in a way that their field of vision does not cover private properties like shops and apartments. On the other hand, the watchful eye of the cameras does oversee the pavement. The footage can only be viewed and analysed by people who were specially trained for this kind of work, Bausch stressed. In other words, access to the security footage is strictly limited. There are currently 125 cameras in Luxembourg city; 67 of them are operational around the clock. The efficiency of the Visupol system is also currently being analysed by the General Police Inspectorate (IGP). Assets of an unfinished steel factory project in north-central Vietnam is set to be liquidated at auction at a starting price only one tenth of the total investment it had received before construction came to a complete halt a decade ago. The auction is part of the process to liquidate relevant assets of the Van Loi steel factory, whose developer had the investment license for the project revoked in 2015. Located in the Vung Ang Economic Zone, Ky Anh Town, the north-central province of Ha Tinh, the steel mill was expected to be put into operation by 2010, with total investment estimated at VND1.7 trillion ($73.32 million). However, after more than ten years of construction since the first sod was turned in 2008, the project now remains a scrap heap consisting of numerous unfinished construction units and rusted machines and equipment sets. Currently, only ten workers are hired to look after the construction ruins, one of them told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. By the time construction was suspended in late 2010, the project had consumed some VND1 trillion (US$43.13 million) worth of investment, a majority of which, or VND750 billion ($32.35 million), are loans from local commercial banks. In May 2015, the Ha Tinh administration decided to revoke investment license of Van Loi steel plant and requested that the projects developer coordinate with relevant agencies to liquidate assets and dismantle facilities at the plant. As part of this process, assets at the project will liquidated at an auction scheduled for April 26 at a starting price of VND108.6 billion ($4.68 million), according to appraisal agencies. The land plot that houses the facility is apparently the most valuable asset of this ill-fated steel mill. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities in the Japanese city of Osaka have ordered the recall of over 18,000 bottle of chili sauce imported from Vietnam for containing a banned food additive, the citys online portal reported this week. Ta Duc Minh, trade attache to the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan, confirmed the news with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday. According to information published on https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/ on Tuesday, 18,168 bottles of Chin-su chili sauce produced by Vietnams Masan Group are being recalled for containing an additive known as benzoic acid, which is not approved for use in food in Japan. Osaka-based company Javis imported the amount of Chin-su chili sauce between October and December 2018, according to the site. The condiment was found to contain benzoic acid at concentration levels of 0.41-0.45 grams per kilogram of chili sauce, which violates Japans food safety law. The chili sauce bottles were produced in three separate lots with expiration dates of June 10, June 17, and July 6, 2019. Chin-su chilli sauce are seen on sale at a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre In a statement on Saturday, Masan said it had never exported its Chin-su chili sauce to Japan through Javis, either directly or indirectly. As of today, Masan only directly exports its chili sauce to the U.S., Canada, Australia, Russia, Czech Republic, China, and Taiwan, a company representative told Tuoi Tre. The bottles of chili sauce recalled by Japanese authorities are labelled Exclusively for sale in Vietnam. Exports are not authorized., suggesting they had been manufactured for the domestic market, the representative said. It appears that the Chin-su products affected in the recall in Osaka were imported to Japan through a third party, and Javis failed to provide adequate information of the benzoic acid content on the sub-labels of the condiment. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that humans benzoic acid intake be limited to under five milligrams per kilogram of body weight a day to avoid adverse health effects. As benzoic acid is detected in Chin-su chili sauce at a maximum concentration of 0.45g/kg, a person weighing 50kg can still consume 0.56kg of the Vietnamese chili sauce per day for a lifetime without any health damage, the Japanese site claims. In Vietnam, food safety regulations allow for benzoic acid levels in food of up to one gram per kilogram of finished product. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams budget carrier Vietjet on Saturday simultaneously inaugurated five new routes connecting the Mekong Delta hub of Can Tho with provinces and cities in the Central Highlands, south-central and northern regions. The inaugural flights for all the five new services are scheduled for April 26, Vietjet said at a ceremony held in Can Tho, with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc among the attendees. The domestic routes will connect the Can Tho International Airport with airports in the northern city of Hai Phong, Vinh City and Thanh Hoa Province in the north-central region, the south-central city of Nha Trang and the Central Highlands city of Da Lat. The low-cost carrier is already flying between Can Tho and Hanoi and the central city of Da Nang. Vietjet will become the carrier with the most flights from and to Can Tho following the launch of the five new routes. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (third right) joins the ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the new routes. Photo: Chi Quoc / Tuoi Tre I believe that new routes will not only create convenient traveling opportunities for local people and tourists by civilized, safe, modern air transportation, but also promote foreign trade and contribute to increase investment attraction for Can Tho, said Vietjet chairman Nguyen Thanh Ha. Speaking at the ceremony, PM Phuc hailed the new air services for their contribution to the development of the Mekong Delta, a region with a population of 20 million people that is still facing several obstacles to live up to its potential. As people from more localities are now able to travel by air to Can Tho, where they can continue to explore other Mekong Delta provinces and cities, the premier requested that local authorities find ways to ensure that tourists will return to the region after their first trips. The head of government also suggested that Vietjet consider opening new international routes from Can Tho. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The all-time favorite classical ballet Cinderella by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev will return to Ho Chi Minh City next weekend with two performances and the municipal Opera House. Premiered in Moscow in 1945, Cinderella was first performed in Vietnam by HBSO in 2013 in coordination with Norways Transposition project, which works to promote classical arts in Vietnam. The ballet has since been performed annually in Ho Chi Minh City. Cinderella dances with Prince Charming at a Royal Ball in this photo taken from the ballet Cinderella. Photo: HBSO In this years return of the ballet, the titular lead role will be played by Tran Hoang Yen, an excellent graduate of the Vocational Ballet School of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam Military University of Arts and Culture. Hoang Yen injured her knees five years ago and was advised to give up dancing, but she kept pursuing her passion and became one of the most decorated ballerinas in Vietnam today. When I dance, it feels like fairytale exists in real life, she said. Guests dance with joy at a Royal Ball in this photo taken from the ballet Cinderella. Photo: HBSO Japans Fukuda Hiroya and Yuki Hiroshige will play Prince Charming and Fairy Godmother, respectively. Cinderella revolves around a girl named Cinderella who is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, but is magically saved by her fairy godmother and lives happily ever after with Prince Charming, the love of her life. With touching storyline and melodious background music, the play has made a great impact on Vietnamese audience and hailed as a spiritual gift for people of all ages, especially children. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Tourists visiting the city of Hoi An in central Vietnam on these early April days find themselves lost in thousands of mouth-watering mulberries in the warm summer breeze. Mulberry trees are widely grown in many regions across Vietnam for multiple purposes from collecting their leaves to feed silkworms to harvesting their fruits for food. The mulberry season in Hoi An starts in the middle of November or late March, bringing along the fresh and juicy taste of summer to the resort city. Mulberries are rich in protein and other nutrients that can help prevent cancer, aging, liver diseases and bacterial infections. Beside the medical use, a combination of sweet-and-sour mulberries mixed with ice and syrup is definitely a refreshing treat for everyone, especially ladies. There used to be many orchards growing this typical summer fruit in Hoi An, but the citys growing tourism industry in recent years has led to people cutting down mulberry trees for development of tourist services. Le Van Chinh, a resident in Hoi Ans famous mulberry-growing ward of Cam Chau, owns a plantation of 50 mulberry trees, which is one of the areas largest mulberry orchards that remain until this day. After each years harvest, Chinhs family can make a profit of up to VND20 million (US$869) out of 40 kilograms of freshly-picked mulberries. Le Van Chinh picks ripe mulberries from a tree in Hoi An City, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre A close-up of a mulberry grown in Hoi An City, Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre When mulberries ripen, they slowly turn black. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Le Van Chinhs son holds a basket of freshly-picked mulberries in excitement. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Fresh mulberries are in season in Hoi An City, Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre. Young mulberries are red in color and taste a little sour . Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre A summer treat of juicy mulberries mixed with ice and syrup. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A two-day exhibition that opened on Saturday in Ho Chi Minh City is giving visitors the old vibes of 20th-century Saigon with its collection of vintage cars and motorbikes. The second edition of the Saigon Vintage Autos Fest is running from April 6-7 at the Dam Sen Theme Park in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of members of many vintage car clubs from across Vietnam. The fest serves as a playground for vintage cars and motorbike enthusiasts to showcase their collection as well as exchange or trade vehicles and components with others. For each successful transaction made at the event, organizers will donate five percent of the vehicles value to a charity that provides food and clothing to underprivileged children in the city. World-famous automobiles manufactured between the 1930s and 1970s such as Fords Mercury Cougar, Lincoln Continental 1966, Citroen ID 19, Peugeot 203, Volkswagen Beetle, and Citroen Traction Avant captivate visitors to the Ho Chi Minh City exhibition with their classical and timeless beauty. Backdrops featuring photos of 20th-century Saigon, the former name of Ho Chi Minh City, are also erected at the exhibition for visitors to take pictures with the vintage collection. Saigon Vingage Autos Fest was first held in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018 as an initiative by the Saigon Vintage Autos Club. Below are photos taken at the festival by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper's Gia Tien. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out todays leading news stories! Society -- Two were dead and three were seriously injured after a car collided with a truck on a bridge leading to the northern entrance of the Hai Van road tunnel in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on Friday evening. -- Eighty six percent of criminals captured by the Unit 911, a special force set up to patrol and tighten control over security in streets in the central city of Da Nang, are drug users, officers reported at a meeting on Friday. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs held a workshop on Friday to share experience in the implementation of an underway project to promote child-friendly education environment and protection for vulnerable children, aiming to help build a sustainable society. Business -- Vietnams government earmarked VND99,128 billion (US$4.26 billion) for clearing its debt in the first three months of this year, equal to VND1,101 billion ($47.34 million) a day, the deputy chief of the Office of the Ministry of Finance reported at a press conference in Hanoi on Friday afternoon. -- Ho Chi Minh City-based Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine on Friday signed a public-private partnership (PPP) advisory services agreement for its namesake hospital in the southern Vietnamese metropolis with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). -- Vietnams newest carrier Bamboo Airways announced at a press conference in the Japanese prefecture of Ibaraki on Friday that it will operate daily charter flights using Airbus A321 Neo aircraft from Vietnam to Ibaraki airport and vice versa from April 28 to May 2. Lifestyle -- Free tickets to watch 14 movies nominated for the 2019 Canh Dieu Vang (Golden Kite) Awards, which is organized annually by the Vietnam Cinema Association to honor the countrys best motion pictures, television dramas and documentaries from the previous year, are available from today, April 6, in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Interested audience in Hanoi can get the tickets at 465 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Ba dinh District, while those in Ho Chi Minh City should come to 135 Hai Ba Trung in District 1 and 190 Quang Trung in Go Vap District. -- Over 1,000 stone objects and 600 pieces of meteorite dating back 800,000 years have been unearthed at archaeological sites in An Khe in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday. Sports -- Vietnams Le Quang Liem on Saturday (Vietnam time) brought home the second prize at the 2019 Sharjah Masters international chess tournament in the United Arab Emirates, earning the same 7.5 points after nine matches as the Georgia winner Mikheil Mchedlishvili, but having lower additional figures. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The War Powers Resolution/Act was passed in 1973 in the context of the Vietnam War to try to boost the power of Congress to decide whether war will exist or not, by adding specific language in a statute in addition to the Constitutional statement in Article 1, section 8: "The Congress shall have Power ... To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water". The Vietnam War was a full-fledged, real war, but it was not authorized by a Congressional declaration of war pursuant to the constitution. It passed the Senate by a 54-46 vote, and in the House by 247-175 (voting present, 1; not voting, 9). A few Republicans joined the Democrats to push it through [2]. Senate Joint Resolution 7, first introduced in the Senate on 30 January 2019 by co-sponsors Bernie Sanders (Independent [Dem.] Vermont) and Mike Lee (Repub. Utah), is entitled: "A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress" [1]-- While the mass media tries to distract and influence the people by using topics on the federal income tax returns of Donald Trump's numerous limited liability companies and corporations, and what the Robert Mueller group might have said in its "report", something of real importance happened yesterday. Congress as a whole finished passing a resolution under the War Powers Act, also called the War Powers Resolution, to stop involvement in the Yemen war without further authorization. The War Powers Resolution is in Title 50, U.S. Code, chapter 33, sections 1541-1549. This official text from the House of Representatives publication of the laws includes added information about authorizations to use force, including one regarding a "Multinational Force in Lebanon" (Public Law 98-119 from 1983)-- http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title50/chapter33&edition=prelim Section 1549 of Title 50 was added in 2017. The War Powers law is also published at the location referenced in the citation below [3]. Sections 1544(b) and (c) have the language for terminating activity, especially part (c)-- "Concurrent resolution for removal by President of United States Armed Forces. Notwithstanding subsection (b), at any time that United States Armed Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the United States, its possessions and territories without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall be removed by the President if the Congress so directs by concurrent resolution". The operative language of S.J.Res.7 is in section 2, requiring that U.S. armed forces stop not later than 30 days from yesterday, with an "exception"-- "... except United States Armed Forces engaged in operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces, by not later than the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution (unless the President requests and Congress authorizes a later date), and unless and until a declaration of war or specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces has been enacted. For purposes of this resolution, in this section, the term 'hostilities' includes in-flight refueling of non-United States aircraft conducting missions as part of the ongoing civil war in Yemen". Since a lot of governmental law is vocabulary and definitions, various interpretations may be forthcoming of applicable words: "United States Armed Forces", "operations", "al Qaeda", "or associated forces", and "hostilities". Congress did make a beginning effort on the word hostilities, saying that it does include "in-flight refueling of non-United States aircraft". Regardless of any twisting and turning of language that might subsequently occur, and opposition by almost all Republicans, this resolution is an important step. [1] Information on S.J.Res.7 and plain text and pdf versions of it. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/7/all-info https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/7/text?format=txt https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/sjres7/BILLS-116sjres7es.pdf [2] The roll call votes passing the resolution in the Senate and House. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00048 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll153.xml [3] Title 50, U.S. Code, chapter 33, sections 1541-1549. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33 An important development here has been rather well covered by Chuck Ross, in a recent Daily Caller piece headlined Cambridge Academic Reflects On Interactions With Spygate Figure and one on Fox by Catherine Herridge and Cyd Upson, entitled Russian academic linked to Flynn denies being spy, says her past contact was used to smear him. However, the evidence involved has ramifications which they cannot be expected to understand, as yet at least. (See https://dailycaller.com/201... ; https://www.foxnews.com/pol... .) At issue is the attempt to use the apparently casual encounter between Lieutenant-General Flynn and Svetlana Lokhova at a dinner in Cambridge (U.K.) in February 2016 to smear him by, among other things, portraying her as some kind of Mata Hari figure. Among interesting dates, it appears that Stefan Halper was already trying to reach out to Lokhova in January-February 2016 a lot earlier than his approaches to Papadopoulo s and Page. This was done through Professor Christopher Andrew, co-convenor with Halper and the former MI6 had Sir Richard Dearlove of the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar. This suggests that this was not simply a case Halper acting on his own. It also I think brings us back to the central importance of Flynns visit to Moscow in December 2015. Meanwhile, Lokhova has set up a blog on which she has posted a some interesting relevant material, with perhaps more to come. It is very well worth a look. (See https://www.russiagate.co.uk .) Of particular interest, to my mind, is the full text of her unpublished May 2017 interview with the New York Times. This points us back to is the fact of which Lokhova shows no signs of awareness that the idea that the Western powers and the Russians might have a common interest in fighting jihadist terrorism has been absolute anathema to many key figures on both sides of the Atlantic, with Dearlove certainly am ong them. Some of Lokhovas comments on twitter are extremely entertaining. An example, with which I have much sympathy: AN APOLOGY: Yesterday, I compared @nytimes journalists, who smeared @GenFlynn and accused me of being a Russian spy, to cockroaches. In good conscience, I must apologise to the cockroaches for the distress caused to them for being compared to @nytimes #Russiagate hoaxers. Sorry! (See https://twitter.com/RealSLo... .) Meanwhile, another interesting recent tweet comes from Eliot Higgins, of Bellingcat fame. He is known to some sceptics as the couch potato perhaps he should be rechristened king cockroach. It reads: Looking forward to gettin g things rolling with the Open Information Partnership, with @bellingcat, @MDI_UK, @DFRLab, and @This_Is_Zinc https://www.openinformation... (See https://twitter.com/EliotHi... ) There is an interesting backstory to this. The announcement of an FCO-supported Open Information Partnership of European Non-Governmental Organisations, charities, academics, think-tanks and journalists, supposedly to counter disinformation from Russia, came in a written answer from the Minister of State, Sir Alan Duncan, on 3 April. (See https://www.theyworkforyou.... ) In turn this followed the latest in a series of releases of material either leaked or hacked from the organisations calling themselves Institute for Statecraft and Integrity Initiative by the group calling themselves Anonymous on 25 March. (See https://www.cyberguerrilla .... ) The centrepiece of this is a proposal submitted to the FCO in August last year by what seems to be essentially the same consortium whose existence as a government contractor has now been made public. The Institute for Statecraft has vanished, and one consortium member, Aktis Strategy, has gone into liquidation. But other key members are the same. A central underlying premise is that if anyone has any doubts as to whether the White Helmets are a benevolent humanitarian organisation, or the Russians were responsible for the poisoning of the Skripals or the shooting down of MH17, the only possible explanation is that their minds have been poisoned by disinformation. An interesting paragraph reads as follows: An expanded research component could generate better understanding of the drivers (psychological, sociopolitical, cultural and environmental) of those who are susceptible to disinformation. This will allow us to map vulnerable audiences, and build scenario planning models to test the efficiency of different activities to build resilience of those populations over time. They have not yet got to the point of recommending psychiatic treatment for dissidents, but these are still early days. The Sovietisation of Western life proceeds apace. In fact, what is at issue an ambitious project to co-ordinate and strengthen a very large number of organisations in different countries which are committed to a relentlessly Russophobic line on everything. (The possibility that it might not be very bright to push Russia into the arms of China, the obviously rising power, does not seem to have occurred to these people perhaps they need less ons from Sir Halford Mackinder, or indeed Niccolo Machiavelli, on statecraft.) Study of the proposal hacked/leaked by Anonymous bring out both the boondoggle element there is a lot of state funding available for people happy to play these games and also the strong transatlantic links. A particularly significant presence, here, is the DFRLab. This is the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council, where Eliot Higgins is a nonresident senior fellow. The same organisation has a Cyber Statecraft Initiative where Dmitri Alperovitch is a nonresident senior fellow. It cannot be repeated often enough that it is difficult to see any conceivable excuse for the FBI to fail to secure access to the DNC servers. One would normally moreover expect that, on an issue of this sensitivity, they would have the digital forensics done by their own people. There can be no conceivable excuse for relying on a contractor selected by the organisation which is claiming that there has been a hack, when an alternative possibility is a leak: and the implications of the alternative possibility could be devastating for that organisation. To rely on a contractor linked to the notoriously Russophobic Atlantic Council is even more preposterous. The clear close integration of other cyber people from the Atlantic Council into Orwellian information operations sponsored by the British Government simply puts these facts into sharp relief. There has to be a strong possible prima facie case that anyone in authority prepared to accept the digital forensics from CrowdStrike is complicit in the conspiracy against the constitution, and/or the conspiracy to cover-up that conspiracy. This certainly goes for Comey, and I think it also goes for Mueller." ABC series The Recording Studio begins next week as everyday Australians record the one song that means more to them than any other. Across 10 episodes audiences get to know each person and the reason behind their recording, guided by professional producers. From opera to rap, and country to contemporary music, original compositions and classics, songs are recorded at Studio 227 where acts like the Foo Fighters, Paul Kelly, The Strokes, Silverchair and Missy Higgins have recorded. The Recording Studio will also access The Eugene Goossens Hall, home of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Each contributor is mentored by a team of the music industrys most acclaimed and talented producers. All experts in their genres, with a bucket load of Australian and International hits under their belts, the producers use their skilful hands to bring out the power and the story of each recording. Working with acclaimed recording engineer Anna Laverty, whos worked with everyone from Florence and The Machine to Nick Cave, and respected Music Director and accomplished pianist, Scott Aplin, the team bring the recordings to life with the technical know-how only usually afforded to professionals. With such unique industry talents on hand to offer advice and industry know-how, each recording is a special and powerful lasting memory in song. People of all ages and from all walks of life reveal their songs, their talents and most importantly, their stories. From the hardship of life in the Australian bush to celebrating the preservation of Indigenous language. We hear songs to walk down the aisle to, songs celebrating family and cultural diversity. Each song and story is unique and is performed as a gift to someone very special. Voiced by music industry heavyweight Megan Washington, The Recording Studio celebrates the power of music to heal inspire and to transform! Production details: Produced in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2018 FremantleMedia Australia Pty Ltd and Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Based on the format The Recording Studio. Created by Boundless, part of Fremantle, UK. 8pm Tuesday April 15 on ABC. Nine has confirmed commissioning a new drama project, Informer 3838, based on the life of lawyer Nicola Gobbo. The news comes 6 weeks after Foxtel also announced plans for a series on the Melbourne gangland lawyer-turned-police informer. Screentime will produce the series for Nine. Although actors from previous Underbelly seasons could reprise characters the series will not be known as part of the Underbelly franchise (NB: Nine previously produced Underbelly Files dramas to accommodate funding rules which limit subsequent seasons). But it could be a race to the screen with Foxtel announcing its own Lawyer X drama in February. It was Herald Sun journos who uncovered the story of Gobbo. We believe its a story that will travel and its the sort of story that requires the investment level of international players, Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh told TV Tonight. I think it will be a significant and substantial series for television and Im very confident we will be attracting some very big international names both on and behind the camera. Filming of the Nine drama will commence in Melbourne later this year. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews ordered a Royal Commission following revelations of the case. Source: Sydney Morning Herald After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in and , among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family. Find her at . Sybil Johnsons love affair with reading began in kindergarten with The Three Little Pigs. Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. Boeing says it is "making progress" on updated 737 MAX software that it hopes will prevent future accidents. The aircraft-maker's chief executive Dennis Muilenburg admitted the "erroneous activation" of the MCAS software had been a "common link" between the crashes of Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air. Both crashes involved the 737 MAX 8, which has an automated system that pushes the plane's nose down when the possibility of an aerodynamic stall is detected. Mr Muilenburg said in a statement: "We have the responsibility to eliminate this risk, and we know how to do it. "As part of this effort, we're making progress on the 737 MAX software update that will prevent accidents like these from ever happening again. "Teams are working tirelessly, advancing and testing the software, conducting non-advocate reviews, and engaging regulators and customers worldwide as we proceed to final certification." The crash in Ethiopia on 10 March killed all 157 people on board and a preliminary report , based on flight data and cockpit voice recorders, showed the faulty sensor sparked a series of events that caused the pilots to lose control of the plane. The problems were similar to those reported on the Indonesian Lion Air flight that crashed last October, killing all 189 people on board. The 737 MAX was grounded by the world's aviation authorities after the Ethiopia crash. Mr Muilenburg said that the firm would adjust its 737 production to allow it to prioritise software certification and returning the MAX to flight. This will see it move from a rate of 52 planes per month to 42 from mid-April. "At a production rate of 42 airplanes per month, the 737 programme and related production teams will maintain their current employment levels while we continue to invest in the broader health and quality of our production system and supply chain," he said. Boeing is finalising new pilot training courses and educational material for airlines using the MAX. Also, the firm's board of directors has been asked to form a committee to review policies and processes for aircraft design and development. Story continues Mr Muilenburg said: "Safety is our responsibility, and we own it. "When the MAX returns to the skies, we've promised our airline customers and their passengers and crews that it will be as safe as any airplane ever to fly." Shares in Boeing fell around 1% as the market closed on Friday. Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel has formally apologized for the country's role in kidnapping mixed-race children from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi between 1959 ... On behalf of the federal government, I apologize to the mixed race people with roots in Belgian colonization and to their families for the injustice and suffering they went through. I also wish to express all our compassion for the African mothers whose children were torn away from them, said the PM at the Belgian Parliament Thursday evening.The metis problemThe kidnapping of mixed-race children in the former colonies started around the turn of the 20th century.Belgium had created a policy of racial segregation during the colonial period whereby marriages between white and black people were illegalbut many relations took place between white [Belgian] men and African women, Assumani Budagwa, the author of Noirs-Blancs, Metis - La Belgique et la segregation des Metis du Congo belge et Ruanda-Urundi (1908-1960) (Black-White, Metis Belgium and the segregation of Metis in Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi), told RFI.When many of the Belgian men were on mission to a village for a few days or weeks, they would often ask the chief of the village for a female companion.Often this female would be the young daughter of the chief. These 'companions' led to many illegal mixed relations.Other times, the Belgians had a female companion as part of their entourage who travelled with them. In other situations, the women were simply raped.Belgium obliged to actMost of these children would grow up with their mothers in the village. But as more and more of these children became visible, Belgium felt it had to do something.These children posed a problem. To minimize the problem they kidnapped these children starting at the age of two and placed them in boarding schools that were cut off from both the European and African world, a kind of cocoon to ensure they had relations with no one, says Francois Milliex, the director of the Belgian Association of Metis, who was brought to Belgium under the same policy.He adds that the Belgians feared that once these children became of age they might try to incite revolt-- as had been the case in Canada in the Red River Rebellion of 1869-1870.The also feared that they would demand certain privileges from the Belgian government as Europeans."The presence of these metis children in the villages was also seen as a blow to the white race and so they decided to keep these children away from the looks of the natives, explains Budagwa.In some cases, the children were hidden and raised amongst family, adds Milliex.However, the majority of these children were brought up in these isolated Catholic institutions or orphanages by priests or nuns away from family and often away from their country of origin as the majority of these schools were in what was then Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanada and Burundi).Once they came of age, they were married off to another metis, explains Budagwa.To Belgium they goWhen the colonies began seeking independence, the Save convent in Rwanda - Save was one of the first Catholic missions in Rwanda - was worried about the welfare of the children after independence.The Belgian government and the missionaries believed that these children would be subjected to major problems by the local population if they stayed on in these independent countries. And so they brought some 1000 children.to be adopted, raised in boarding schools or to live amongst foster families in Belgium, explains Milliex.Many of the mothers were contacted and forced to sign a letter allowing their child to be taken to Belgium.Many of those who refused, Budagwa says, were threatened with having to pay the school fees for their child. In other cases, the mothers werent contacted at all.One mans personal journey to BelgiumMilliex says he was brought over to Belgium at the age of 15 from Ruanda-Urundi.We were seven brothers and sisters. And authorities told my father, who was a Belgian colonial and plantation owner that the metis children had to be evacuated.Upon arrival, the older three brothers were separated from the other siblings who were split up and put into foster homes.My brothers and I were put into a home for delinquent children. So our first contact with Belgium was this home for delinquent children, explains Milliex.He and his brothers were old enough to fend for themselves, so they wrote letters to authorities asking to be placed into a more appropriate home.Eventually they were moved and even managed to bring over their Rwandan mother.His case is exceptional.Initially all metis children were granted Belgian nationality, but this was later revoked.That meant Milliex and others like him of metis race were forced to engage with the authorities to buy back their nationality. Those who couldn't afford such procedures remained stateless.Uncovering Belgium's pastAssumani Budagwa, originally from Belgian Congo, only came to learn about this chapter in Belgiums history through his cousin.Her two metis children were forcibly taken from her in 1959, even though she was married to a European man.But under Belgian rules, mixed marriages were not recognized.When the girls were of a certain age, a nun came by and asked if she would accept to put her daughters in a boarding school in Ruanda [Rwanda] even though they were in eastern Congo," Budagwa says.Many months later, the same nun came back to visit my cousin with her youngest to say that at the orphanage a white woman came by and wants to adopt your daughter.'" She urged the mother to come to the court to sign the adoption papers.His cousin refused the adoption.But the girl was taken away in a car and she never saw her daughter again.She immediately went to Rwanda to get her other daughter, but upon arrival she learned that the nuns had already organized the departure of all children to Belgium.Over the years she tried to contact her daughters or find their whereabouts but to no avail.Budagwa decided to try and find his young cousins years later in 1986.In doing so, he uncovered this chapter in Belgium's history, and finally found his cousins. One was living in Germany and the other in Belgium.Apology: too little too late?The apology is a bit late, but at least it's happening, says Milliex.This topic of metis is one that others have dealt with in other colonies, as was the case by the French and the Portuguese," adds Budagwa.This topic was taboo for a very long time. As Metis ourselves, we didnt talk about it together. Instead we did our best to create our lives in Belgium without causing much stir. But its only after we began to have a family of our own that our children started asking us questions, 'Who is your mother? Who is your dad? Where are they from?' But most people didnt have an answer," says Milliex.He adds that when they began soliciting help from parliamentarians to seek concrete measures from the government three-fourths of the deputies had never even heard about this.In 2017 the Catholic Church appologized for its role in the kidnapping and segregation of the metis children and from banning mixed-race marriage.This apology from Belgium is the first time the country has taken any responsibility for atrocities committed during its colonial rule of over 80 years.The government says it will provide assistance to those who need it and ultimately open up the archives to everyone so they can have a way of tracing their family lineage. Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel has formally apologized for the country's role in kidnapping mixed-race children from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi between 1959 ... On behalf of the federal government, I apologize to the mixed race people with roots in Belgian colonization and to their families for the injustice and suffering they went through. I also wish to express all our compassion for the African mothers whose children were torn away from them, said the PM at the Belgian Parliament Thursday evening. The metis problem The kidnapping of mixed-race children in the former colonies started around the turn of the 20th century. Belgium had created a policy of racial segregation during the colonial period whereby marriages between white and black people were illegalbut many relations took place between white [Belgian] men and African women, Assumani Budagwa, the author of Noirs-Blancs, Metis - La Belgique et la segregation des Metis du Congo belge et Ruanda-Urundi (1908-1960) (Black-White, Metis Belgium and the segregation of Metis in Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi), told RFI. When many of the Belgian men were on mission to a village for a few days or weeks, they would often ask the chief of the village for a female companion. Often this female would be the young daughter of the chief. These 'companions' led to many illegal mixed relations. Other times, the Belgians had a female companion as part of their entourage who travelled with them. In other situations, the women were simply raped. Belgium obliged to act Most of these children would grow up with their mothers in the village. But as more and more of these children became visible, Belgium felt it had to do something. These children posed a problem. To minimize the problem they kidnapped these children starting at the age of two and placed them in boarding schools that were cut off from both the European and African world, a kind of cocoon to ensure they had relations with no one, says Francois Milliex, the director of the Belgian Association of Metis, who was brought to Belgium under the same policy. Story continues He adds that the Belgians feared that once these children became of age they might try to incite revolt-- as had been the case in Canada in the Red River Rebellion of 1869-1870. The also feared that they would demand certain privileges from the Belgian government as Europeans. "The presence of these metis children in the villages was also seen as a blow to the white race and so they decided to keep these children away from the looks of the natives, explains Budagwa. In some cases, the children were hidden and raised amongst family, adds Milliex. However, the majority of these children were brought up in these isolated Catholic institutions or orphanages by priests or nuns away from family and often away from their country of origin as the majority of these schools were in what was then Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanada and Burundi). Once they came of age, they were married off to another metis, explains Budagwa. To Belgium they go When the colonies began seeking independence, the Save convent in Rwanda - Save was one of the first Catholic missions in Rwanda - was worried about the welfare of the children after independence. The Belgian government and the missionaries believed that these children would be subjected to major problems by the local population if they stayed on in these independent countries. And so they brought some 1000 children.to be adopted, raised in boarding schools or to live amongst foster families in Belgium, explains Milliex. Many of the mothers were contacted and forced to sign a letter allowing their child to be taken to Belgium. Many of those who refused, Budagwa says, were threatened with having to pay the school fees for their child. In other cases, the mothers werent contacted at all. One mans personal journey to Belgium Milliex says he was brought over to Belgium at the age of 15 from Ruanda-Urundi. We were seven brothers and sisters. And authorities told my father, who was a Belgian colonial and plantation owner that the metis children had to be evacuated. Upon arrival, the older three brothers were separated from the other siblings who were split up and put into foster homes. My brothers and I were put into a home for delinquent children. So our first contact with Belgium was this home for delinquent children, explains Milliex. He and his brothers were old enough to fend for themselves, so they wrote letters to authorities asking to be placed into a more appropriate home. Eventually they were moved and even managed to bring over their Rwandan mother. His case is exceptional. Initially all metis children were granted Belgian nationality, but this was later revoked. That meant Milliex and others like him of metis race were forced to engage with the authorities to buy back their nationality. Those who couldn't afford such procedures remained stateless. Uncovering Belgium's past Assumani Budagwa, originally from Belgian Congo, only came to learn about this chapter in Belgiums history through his cousin. Her two metis children were forcibly taken from her in 1959, even though she was married to a European man. But under Belgian rules, mixed marriages were not recognized. When the girls were of a certain age, a nun came by and asked if she would accept to put her daughters in a boarding school in Ruanda [Rwanda] even though they were in eastern Congo," Budagwa says. Many months later, the same nun came back to visit my cousin with her youngest to say that at the orphanage a white woman came by and wants to adopt your daughter.'" She urged the mother to come to the court to sign the adoption papers. His cousin refused the adoption. But the girl was taken away in a car and she never saw her daughter again. She immediately went to Rwanda to get her other daughter, but upon arrival she learned that the nuns had already organized the departure of all children to Belgium. Over the years she tried to contact her daughters or find their whereabouts but to no avail. Budagwa decided to try and find his young cousins years later in 1986. In doing so, he uncovered this chapter in Belgium's history, and finally found his cousins. One was living in Germany and the other in Belgium. Apology: too little too late? The apology is a bit late, but at least it's happening, says Milliex. This topic of metis is one that others have dealt with in other colonies, as was the case by the French and the Portuguese," adds Budagwa. This topic was taboo for a very long time. As Metis ourselves, we didnt talk about it together. Instead we did our best to create our lives in Belgium without causing much stir. But its only after we began to have a family of our own that our children started asking us questions, 'Who is your mother? Who is your dad? Where are they from?' But most people didnt have an answer," says Milliex. He adds that when they began soliciting help from parliamentarians to seek concrete measures from the government three-fourths of the deputies had never even heard about this. In 2017 the Catholic Church appologized for its role in the kidnapping and segregation of the metis children and from banning mixed-race marriage. This apology from Belgium is the first time the country has taken any responsibility for atrocities committed during its colonial rule of over 80 years. The government says it will provide assistance to those who need it and ultimately open up the archives to everyone so they can have a way of tracing their family lineage. Labour has accused the government of failing to offer real change or compromise during talks to end the Brexit stalemate - as new exit dates are considered. In a statement following more talks between the opposition and a team appointed by Theresa May to agree a way forward, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "So far, the government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration. "Now obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change. "We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise." But Number 10 insists it has made "serious proposals" during the talks and is "prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration" and carry on with efforts over the weekend. :: What happens next? A timeline of the week ahead Prisons minister Rory Stewart has said there is "quite a lot of life" left in the talks yet and that despite tensions, the two sides are "very, very close". It comes as the prime minister wrote to EU Council President Donald Tusk to ask to delay Brexit until 30 June this year so British MPs could agree a withdrawal deal. However, Mr Tusk has been formally telling officials from member countries to endorse a much longer extension - until 31 March 2020. Mr Tusk told officials that the only "reasonable" way out of the Brexit deadlock in parliament is to allow another year for talks. However, the bloc could offer a clause to allow the UK to leave early if a deal is struck. Speaking to Sky News, an EU source said Mr Tusk told officials: "The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension. I would call it a 'flextension'. "How would it work in practice? We could give the UK a year-long extension, automatically terminated once the withdrawal agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons. Story continues "And even if this were not possible, then the UK would still have enough time to rethink its Brexit strategy. Short extension if possible and a long one if necessary. "It seems to be a good scenario for both sides, as it gives the UK all the necessary flexibility, while avoiding the need to meet every few weeks to further discuss Brexit extensions." Requesting a much shorter extension until the end of June, Mrs May wrote: "If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early. "The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdrawal from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible. "It is frustrating that we have not yet brought this process to a successful and orderly conclusion." The letters have sparked anger on both sides of the Channel, with other European leaders and some British MPs unhappy about a potential extension. Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, said the latest request was "unsurprising but unsatisfactory". Mrs Foster said: "Exiting the EU has become chaotic because of intransigence in Brussels and ineffectiveness in London. "The United Kingdom fighting the European elections almost three years after a clear majority voted to leave the EU sums up the disorganised and slapdash approach taken to negotiations by the prime minister." She added that the DUP wants a "sensible deal which protects the union and respects the referendum result" - and warned it was "foolish" from a strategic point of view to take no deal off the table. Mrs Foster said: "The prime minister should not waste any extension by subcontracting the UK's future to Jeremy Corbyn." Emmanuel Macron has said talks of further extension are "premature" and the French president wants a clear idea of the future plan by Tuesday. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the options to prevent no-deal are limited, adding the letter was not enough to give a further extension. Sky News' Europe Correspondent Mark Stone said Mr Tusk's suggested "flextension" did not receive full backing at a meeting of ambassadors from the 27 remaining EU countries because of a tweet by Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. Shortly before the meeting, Mr Rees-Mogg wrote: "If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible. "We could veto any increase in the budget, obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macron's integrationist schemes." Stone said the tweet was discussed at the ambassadors' meeting. He added: "My sense is that ultimately the EU will grant the UK an extension. It may not be the short one that Mrs May wants to the end of June, but a longer one... but there is concern that the UK, over the course of this next year - if they get the extension - really could cause the EU trouble. "As the French have been saying, it could infect the business of the EU as a bloc." However, the Republic of Ireland's Leo Varadkar appeared to back Mr Tusk's suggestion, saying it would make more sense to offer a longer extension than a rolling one. Mrs May had to set out future plans to the EU by this week, under the terms given by the bloc for the first Brexit extension, which is set to end at 11pm on 12 April. :: Sky Data poll: Quarter of Britons would boycott European elections The South West of England may have to give formal notice for the European elections by 12 April, as the area includes Gibraltar, whose deadline is that day. Other regions would have to publish notice by 15 April. Tom Watson, Labour deputy leader, said the party has opened nominations for candidates for the European elections. And Chuka Umunna, former Labour MP-turned The Independent Group member, confirmed his new group will also be preparing to field candidates in May elections. He told Sky News: "In order to hold a people's vote we need a relatively long extension, so that is better from our point of view. "We have now had two rounds of voting [indicative votes in the Commons] on each occasion a people's vote has topped the poll. "We need to complete that voting, we've had group stages and we need the final stages." Mrs May is to spend the weekend at her country retreat Chequers, where she will continue working on a Brexit compromise. Talking about the technical talks between Labour and the government, Sky News' deputy political editor Beth Rigby said: "The PM knows a long extension is likely to mean a softer Brexit, or none at all." CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday the crisis in Libya could not be resolved through military means, but added the security situation in the country had long been a source of worry. "Egypt has supported from the beginning a political agreement as a tool to prevent any military solution" in Libya, Shoukry said during a joint news conference with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov broadcast on state television. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Mark Potter) Hundreds of protesting migrants have clashed with police for a third straight day outside an overcrowded refugee camp. Demonstrators threw rocks at officers, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Protesting migrants shout slogans during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece (Giannis Papanikos/AP) Several migrants, including children, fainted amid the clouds of tear gas outside the camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, on Saturday. A man reacts as children cry during the clashes (Giannis Papanikos/AP) The protesters lit fires to make the air more bearable, but blazes also erupted from exploding stun grenades. A protesting migrant throws a tear gas canister back at riot police (Giannis Papanikos/AP) Greek officials said the migrants have been mobilised by fake news originating on social media and false reports that the road to central Europe, tightly sealed to migrants for three years, is open, and that buses chartered by non-governmental organisations are waiting on the other side of the border with North Macedonia, about 40 miles (60km) to the north. An Indonesian hostage of the Muslim militant group Abu Sayyaf swam to safety, but another drowned and a Malaysian hostage was shot in the back, according to a military spokesman.The rescue attempts had taken place over two days, Philippine regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana said on Saturday.He added that this happened while Philippine marines were attempting to rescue them from Simusa Island in Southern Sulu province.Abu Sayyaf terrorismAbu Sayyaf is recognized by the Philippines as a terrorist organization, aligned with the Islamic State, and has carried out a number of bombings, kidnappings, and beheadings in the past.Heri Ardiansyah, the Indonesian who swam to safety, was rescued by marines on board a gunboat, while the body of his fellow Indonesian Hariadin, who only uses one name, was recovered from the water.Escape attemptThe military said Jari Bin Abdullah, the Malaysian, was shot by militants as he tried to escape on Thursday. The marines tried to rescue him and had a gun battle with Abu Sayyaf militants."The act of shooting the kidnap victim is indicative of the Abu Sayyaf's hopelessness and desperateness as the militants are now surrounded by our pursuing troops," said military commander, Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr.Bin Abdullah was airlifted to a Zamboanga city hospital, where he remains in critical condition, said the Philippines military.The military had surrounded Simusa Island in order to capture the remaining Aby Sayyaf gunmen. The military said they seized four assault rifles, a grenade launcher, and ammunition.All three hostages had been kidnapped on the island of Borneo in Malaysia last December and were taken to Sulu, a poor, Muslim-majority province where a few hundred Abu Sayyaf militants remain.The army exchanged fire with about 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Patikul town, where three soldiers and four militants died. The military said several were wounded on both sides.Abu Sayyaf said it had killed three and wounded 13 soldiers, but denied there were casualties on their side, saying "the mujahideen returned safely to base."Those on Simusa Island are part of the group headed by Commander Hajan Sawadjaan. On Simusa Island, two Filipinos remain in captivity, along with Elwold Horn, a Dutch bird watcher who was kidnapped in 2012. An Indonesian hostage of the Muslim militant group Abu Sayyaf swam to safety, but another drowned and a Malaysian hostage was shot in the back, according to a military spokesman. The rescue attempts had taken place over two days, Philippine regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana said on Saturday. He added that this happened while Philippine marines were attempting to rescue them from Simusa Island in Southern Sulu province. Abu Sayyaf terrorism Abu Sayyaf is recognized by the Philippines as a terrorist organization, aligned with the Islamic State, and has carried out a number of bombings, kidnappings, and beheadings in the past. Heri Ardiansyah, the Indonesian who swam to safety, was rescued by marines on board a gunboat, while the body of his fellow Indonesian Hariadin, who only uses one name, was recovered from the water. Escape attempt The military said Jari Bin Abdullah, the Malaysian, was shot by militants as he tried to escape on Thursday. The marines tried to rescue him and had a gun battle with Abu Sayyaf militants. "The act of shooting the kidnap victim is indicative of the Abu Sayyaf's hopelessness and desperateness as the militants are now surrounded by our pursuing troops," said military commander, Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr. Bin Abdullah was airlifted to a Zamboanga city hospital, where he remains in critical condition, said the Philippines military. The military had surrounded Simusa Island in order to capture the remaining Aby Sayyaf gunmen. The military said they seized four assault rifles, a grenade launcher, and ammunition. All three hostages had been kidnapped on the island of Borneo in Malaysia last December and were taken to Sulu, a poor, Muslim-majority province where a few hundred Abu Sayyaf militants remain. The army exchanged fire with about 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Patikul town, where three soldiers and four militants died. The military said several were wounded on both sides. Story continues Abu Sayyaf said it had killed three and wounded 13 soldiers, but denied there were casualties on their side, saying "the mujahideen returned safely to base." Those on Simusa Island are part of the group headed by Commander Hajan Sawadjaan. On Simusa Island, two Filipinos remain in captivity, along with Elwold Horn, a Dutch bird watcher who was kidnapped in 2012. The Taoiseach the prospect of one of the EU27 saying no to another extension at next week's European Council is 'extremely unlikely'. Any EU country that vetoed a further Brexit extension would not be forgiven by other member states, Irelands premier has said. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he believed the prospect of one of the EU27 saying no to another extension at next weeks European Council meeting was extremely unlikely. He suggested his own preference was for a longer extension than the June 30 date proposed by the UK. Mr Varadkar also said that, in a no-deal scenario, the logical way to ensure a free-flowing Irish border would be for regulatory checks to take place between Great Britain and Northern Ireland at sea ports in Belfast and Larne. The Taoiseach acknowledged that there was increasing frustration at the Brexit process within the EU27, particularly among countries which were less dependent on trade links with the UK and wanted to focus on other key issues affecting the bloc, such as migration and the next EU budget. He said he had asked for their patience and solidarity. Today we have got that and I think that will continue, he said. Mr Varadkar said the prospect of a crash-out Brexit next Friday was unlikely. Because nobody wants no-deal I think the likelihood is an extension, he told RTE Radio Ones Countrywide programme. But what we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertainty. So Id prefer to see a longer extension during which the United Kingdom has more time to decide really what future relationship it wants to have with the European Union, rather than the alternative, which could be rolling extensions every couple of weeks, every couple of months. Asked about the potential of one EU state vetoing an extension, the Taoiseach said: To wield the veto is something that is rarely done. Im nearly two years now representing Ireland at the European Council and I have never seen the veto used once. Story continues We tend to operate by consensus and certainly that can take time and sometimes it is messy but its actually how the European Union works and its why it works, and if one country was to veto an extension and, as a result, impose hardship on us, real problems for the Dutch and Belgians and French as neighbouring countries they wouldnt be forgiven for it and they would know they might find themselves on the other end of that veto power in the future so it is extremely unlikely that I could see any country vetoing it. He said the UK and Ireland would find themselves in a dilemma in the event of a no-deal because they would have to balance obligations under trade rules to check goods and obligations under the Good Friday Agreement to keep the Irish border open. It would be up to us to protect the single market and it would be up to the United Kingdom to enforce WTO rules, he said. We would both find ourselves in a dilemma because, on the one hand we would have obligations under the European treaties, they would have obligations under the World Trade Organisation. But then theres the Good Friday Agreement and, to me, that is equally important and the Good Friday Agreement is about the peace process, its about ensuring we have free movement of people, goods and animals. Mr Varadkar said Ireland was exploring the possibility of conducting regulatory checks away from the border, potentially on business premises. He noted that the UK Governments no-deal plan suggested initially treating Northern Ireland differently from Great Britain in terms of tariffs and checks. That opens up the potential to have the checks at the ports in Larne and Belfast, which is the logical place to have them of course, not on the land border, he said. The Taoiseach said he would like the principles behind the Withdrawal Agreements contentious border backstop to be honoured even if there was no deal. The reason we came up with the backstop is because it is the solution and, even in the event of a no-deal we will be saying to the UK You still have obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, you still committed to full regulatory alignment back in December 2017 and we still want the arrangements that are in the backstop to apply, he said. Ireland is getting two extra seats in the European Parliament as a result of Brexit, increasing its quota from 11 to 13. Mr Varadkar said two counts would have to be run in Ireland if the UK decided to contest the European elections one to determine the results on the basis of 11 seats, and the other on the basis of 13. FILE PHOTO: Traders work at their desks at CMC Markets in London, Britain, January 16, 2019. REUTERS/John Sibley By Muvija M (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 held firmly at its six-month high, marking a strong finish to the week as better-than-expected U.S. jobs data eased fears of a global economic slowdown while the pound weakened on growing Brexit jitters and lifted exporters. The blue-chip index advanced 0.6 percent, outshining its European peers and recording its biggest weekly gain in two months, while the midcaps rose 0.2 percent as weakness in the local currency capped gains. Oil majors Shell and BP surged over 1 percent, tracking a rise in oil prices over fears that an escalating conflict in Libya could disrupt oil supplies from the OPEC member. [O/R] Miners followed suit, with a 0.8 percent rise as they found their support in higher Zinc prices. The FTSE 100 was already cheery as international companies rose on expectations that a China-U.S. trade dispute could be nearing an end, with President Donald Trump saying a deal could be reached in about four weeks. Financial heavyweights with a larger exposure to Asian markets, such as HSBC and Prudential, were among the biggest boosts. The blue-chips, which earn 70 percent of their profits in the U.S. dollar, got a boost from sterling, which weakened as doubts mounted over British Prime Minister Theresa May's attempt to further delay Brexit. May wrote to Brussels asking to delay Britain's EU exit date until the end of June to allow lawmakers to agree a withdrawal deal, but Donald Tusk, who chairs EU summits, has proposed a longer postponement of one year. Dublin's main index, considered a gauge of Brexit fears, jumped 1.1 percent to levels not seen since October. "Irish stocks were under pressure recently and it has been overly priced in that a no-deal Brexit is going to happen. I think it is more of a relief rally for Irish stocks," CMC Markets analyst David Madden said. A sour spot on the UK markets were housebuilders, which slumped 1 percent after data from mortgage lender Halifax showed that house prices dipped last month. Prices have been under pressure as Britons have held back on buying homes due to Brexit uncertainties. Story continues The price drop "was an unpleasant reminder to the sector over what is at stake, and potentially a tease for a nastier drop if the UK does crash out of the European Union without an agreement in place", Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell said. The sector has lost 2 percent since the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, heavily underperforming a 17 percent gain in the FTSE 100 over the same period. Among midcaps, power generator ContourGlobal jumped 7 percent after hiking its dividend for 2018, while Funding Circle slumped 8 percent after saying it plans to close its listed fund Funding Circle SME Income Fund. (Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong and Muvija M; additional reporting by Samantha Machado in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams and Ed Osmond) By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan will release 360 Indian prisoners this month, the foreign office said on Friday, as the nuclear-armed neighbours scale back from a confrontation that prompted world powers to urge restraint. Tension has been running high since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police on Feb. 14, but the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Feb. 27, when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base. The following day Pakistan shot down an Indian fighter jet and captured its pilot who was later released. Pakistan has decided that 360 Indian prisoners having breakup of 355 fishermen and five civilians, who have completed their term of sentence, will be released," Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for the Pakistan Foreign Office, told reporters. He said the prisoners would be released in four batches starting from April 8. Due to the rocky relations between the two sides, prisoners who have completed their jail terms often languish in each other's jails for months, if not years, afterwards. According to the lists exchanged by both sides in January, there are 347 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, 249 of whom are what the spokesman described as civilians and 98 fishermen. There are 537 Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails, 483 of whom are fishermen. We hope that India will reciprocate this, the foreign office spokesman said. Pakistan's F-16 combat jets have all been accounted for, U.S.-based Foreign Policy magazine said, citing U.S. officials, contradicting an Indian air force assessment that it had shot down one of the jets in the February standoff. (Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Nick Macfie) The 21st weekend of anti-government protests called by the Gilets Jaunes, the Yellow Vests, a group of discontented French citizens, are scheduled to take place in several towns and cities in France. The protest movement is into its fifth month.Two authorised rallies are planned in Paris. Demonstrators will march across the city from different points. One will leave from the Place de la Republique north west to the La Defense business district, the other is due to begin in the south of the city, at the Montparnasse Station and will head north to the La Villette area in the north east of Paris.The police have maintained the ban imposed last week on marches in the Champs-Elysees or around the Arc de Triomphe.Central metro stations are closed. Many bus routes are not operating.Other towns and cities where protests have been announced are Rouen, Lyon, Dijon, Nice, Nantes, Montpellier, Bordeaux and Toulouse.Five months of sporadic unrestThe Yellow Vests protest was sparked in autumn 2018 over a fuel hike the government hoped would raised funds for climate change-capping projects. Under the pressure from the movement, and in a bid to halt violent incidents on the sidelines of the demonstrations, prime minister Edouard Philippe's government gave up the fuel hike.Since the start of the year the President has visited hundred of places in France, some of them outlying villages, to meet local officials and French citizens.Government's next stepsNext week, Philippe is to draw conclusions from the so-called 'Grand Debate', and put them to both houses of parliament, the National Assembly lower house and the Senate. Macron is expected to announced measures inspired by the reach-out by the middle of April. The 21st weekend of anti-government protests called by the Gilets Jaunes, the Yellow Vests, a group of discontented French citizens, are scheduled to take place in several towns and cities in France. The protest movement is into its fifth month. Two authorised rallies are planned in Paris. Demonstrators will march across the city from different points. One will leave from the Place de la Republique north west to the La Defense business district, the other is due to begin in the south of the city, at the Montparnasse Station and will head north to the La Villette area in the north east of Paris. The police have maintained the ban imposed last week on marches in the Champs-Elysees or around the Arc de Triomphe. Central metro stations are closed. Many bus routes are not operating. Other towns and cities where protests have been announced are Rouen, Lyon, Dijon, Nice, Nantes, Montpellier, Bordeaux and Toulouse. Five months of sporadic unrest The Yellow Vests protest was sparked in autumn 2018 over a fuel hike the government hoped would raised funds for climate change-capping projects. Under the pressure from the movement, and in a bid to halt violent incidents on the sidelines of the demonstrations, prime minister Edouard Philippe's government gave up the fuel hike. Since the start of the year the President has visited hundred of places in France, some of them outlying villages, to meet local officials and French citizens. Government's next steps Next week, Philippe is to draw conclusions from the so-called 'Grand Debate', and put them to both houses of parliament, the National Assembly lower house and the Senate. Macron is expected to announced measures inspired by the reach-out by the middle of April. FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators from Amnesty International stage a protest on International Women's day to urge Saudi authorities to release jailed women's rights activists Loujain al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan and Aziza al-Yousef outside the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Paris, France, March 8, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has arrested eight people, including two dual U.S.-Saudi citizens, in an apparent crackdown on supporters of women activists whose trial has drawn Western condemnation, rights groups said on Friday. The 11 women on trial had campaigned for the right to drive and an end to the kingdom's male guardianship system. Their case has intensified criticism of Riyadh's rights record, already in the spotlight after last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The U.S. nationals are journalist Salah al-Haidar, whose mother Aziza al-Yousef is among those on trial, and Bader al-Ibrahim, a doctor and author of a book about Shi'ite Muslim politics, the associate and London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said. Those newly detained, seven men and one woman, are not frontline activists but have expressed support of women's rights and other reforms. They were detained late on Wednesday and Thursday, according to ALQST and an associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Five other people close to the women have also been placed under a travel ban since February, they added. The Saudi government communications office and the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh did not respond to requests for comment. Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty Internationals Middle East research director, said the authorities were "signalling to their entire people that there will be zero tolerance of any form of criticism, let alone questioning, of the states authoritarian practices." A Riyadh court last week temporarily released three of the women on trial, including Yousef, raising hopes of a more lenient handling after months of lobbying by Western governments. But the new arrests could signal that the authorities will resist international pressure and pursue harsh sentences. TORTURE ALLEGATIONS Khashoggi's murder tarnished the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who courted Western support for his efforts to modernise Saudi Arabia. The CIA and some Western countries believe he ordered the killing, which Saudi officials deny. Story continues Dozens of other activists, intellectuals and clerics have been arrested separately in the past two years in an apparent bid to stamp out opposition. The women on trial were arrested last May and branded as traitors. At least one of them has been charged under the kingdom's cybercrime law and faces up to five years in prison. Five men arrested at the same time are not on trial. Rights groups say two of them have been released, but the others' status is unclear. Another U.S.-Saudi national, Walid al-Fitaihi, has been detained since 2017 under Riyadh's anti-corruption campaign. His son told U.S. senators last month he had been tortured in detention, including electric shocks and whipping. Some of the women activists have also alleged torture and sexual assault, which the authorities deny. The siblings of one woman, Loujain al-Hathloul, who have publicised her case in U.S. media, say men describing themselves as "close to the state" had asked his parents to stop them from speaking out. "We stayed silent for eight months. We thought that being silent would solve the issue," Walid al-Hathloul told CNN on Thursday. "We found out at the end of the day that this made the case even worse and that's why we're speaking out now. At the end of the day we didn't have any options but to speak out." (Reporting By Dubai newsroom, Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, William Maclean) Mary Lou McDonald added that while uncertainty remains over whether the poll will take place in the north, she will ensure her party is prepared. Sinn Fein is ready to fight European elections in Northern Ireland, its party president has said. Mary Lou McDonald and other senior party leadership figures discussed the prospect of a poll north of the border at a meeting of the Sinn Fein ruling council in Dublin on Saturday. If an election happens, we will fight the election. We are ready, she said. One of the uncertainties is around the whole issue of elections in the north, whether or not there will be European elections. Speaking to media in Dublin with @MaryLouMcDonald After a week of more Brexit chaos, the status quo of uncertainly remains. We will travel to London on Monday for a series of meetings including meeting with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Protection of the GFA is non negotiable! pic.twitter.com/riKmyEG2Dg Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) April 6, 2019 We will be ensuring that we will be prepared, and above all this is about protecting Irish interests. It never ceases to shock me the extent to which our nearest neighbours can disregard the effects of their actions or inactions on all of us who live in this island. Sinn Fein has one outgoing MEP representing Northern Ireland, and three representing the Irish Republic. The party is already campaigning south of the border ahead of Mays European poll. Mrs McDonald said a no-deal Brexit remains a real and live possibility. She said the democratic mandate of people in Northern Ireland to remain in the EU must be acknowledged. The Sinn Fein president said commitments made by the UK and EU to protect the Good Friday Agreement and ensure no hardening of the border also have to be honoured. We look across the water with some despair at the chaos in Westminster, she said. Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftars advance on Tripoli has shocked the international community and sparked a UN call for a military halt. But is it too little too late to contain the self-aggrandising military mans ambitions? On Thursday, April 4, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in a heavily fortified UN compound in Tripoli when Khalifa Haftar ordered his fighters to move on the Libyan capital with the bravado of an ancient warrior king launching a military conquest.Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, began Haftar in an audio statement released online, invoking the Islamic In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful incantation. Today we are responding to the call of our people in our precious capital.Guterres however was in the capital to respond to an internationally-backed call for peace, to help organise a planned national reconciliation conference and the chutzpah of Haftars timing stunned the international community.Declaring an operation to move on Tripoli the same day that Guterres arrived hoping to give impetus to the forthcoming peace conference was really audacious, said Mary Fitzgerald, a researcher specialising on Libya. Haftar has tried to undermine the UN process at every step. He wants to create facts on the ground ahead of that UN conference planned for mid-April.But Haftars designs didnt go quite as planned. The strongmans self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) was repulsed late Thursday by anti-Haftar forces at the Checkpoint 27 also called Gate 27 a strategic checkpoint on the coastal road between Tripoli and Zawiya, a city located around 45 kilometres west of the Libyan capital. In another blow to Haftar, more than 120 LNA fighters were taken prisoners in Zawiya late Thursday.Its a major setback for Haftar and a reminder that this operation [to take Tripoli] is not going to be as easy as he believed, said Fitzgerald.By late Friday, forces loyal to Haftar and those opposed to him were making claims and counterclaims about battlefield gains in and around Tripoli. But with fighting increasing, Haftars assault on Tripoli looked set to turn brutal, bloody and contested.For Libyans opposed to Haftar, the commanders setbacks were particularly sweet and resonant with a history that is often lost on outsiders. The operation by western Libyan troops to counter Haftars attack on Tripoli is called Wadi Doum 2 after the crushing 1986 Wadi Doum battle [Ouadi Doum in French] during the Libyan-Chad war when Haftar -- who was then a commander in Muammar Gaddafis army -- was captured and taken prisoner by Chad. It underscores a warning that many Libyans and analysts have raised, but have fallen on deaf ears in key Arab and European capitals due to geostrategic reasons that do not always overlap.The disregard has raised fears of bloodshed in the heart of the Libyan capital and risks plunging the oil-rich North African nation into its worst civil war since Gaddafi was ousted.Stability via a military Ponzi schemeThe 75-year-old Haftar, who has switched sides and loyalties in the course of a military career spanning half-a-century, has portrayed himself as the only man who can bring stability to Libya and crush the Islamists in the North African nation.Its a pitch that has won Haftar audiences with leaders in Paris, Rome, Moscow, Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. But analysts warn that the self-aggrandising military man is unlikely or unable to deliver on both fronts.Libya today is divided between two rival governments: one in the eastern city of Tobruk backed by Haftar and an internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli. But the competing administrations are not the only ones vying for power. In the vast, sparsely populated south, tribal rivalries spar for control of lucrative cross-border smuggling and human trafficking routes.Haftars recent advances in southern Libya have been achieved by what Fitzgerald calls a strategy of outreach by buying out or forging shaky alliances with various tribal militias. Haftars expansions to-date have relied on co-opting new local forces into the LNA franchise in what appears to be the military equivalent of a Ponzi scheme. Keeping the LNA functional requires continuous expansion and income that is driven towards the operations core and leadership. At this point, his forces are overextended, his finances stretched, and if hes forced to fight, he may be more fragile than many realize, noted Tarek Megerisi, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, in a paper published Friday.But while the Ponzi scheme strategy worked in southern Libya, there are pockets of fierce opposition to his bid to take the capital, particularly among the Zintan militias southwest of Tripoli and in Misrata, a city ferociously opposed to Haftar. If Haftars latest military advances gain momentum, some of the groups opposing him may fall behind him. But powerful forces such as the armed groups from Misrata will attempt to counter him, said Fitzgerald.But even if Haftar succeeds in making military gains in or around Tripoli, Megerisi notes that, it is unlikely that any rule he concocts will be stable for long after his expansion ceases. An anti-Islamist using Salafists A popular joke in anti-Haftar circles is that his self-styled Libyan National Army is neither Libyan (since he has Sudanese and Chadian fighters), nor national, nor indeed is it an army.While Haftars military prowess may be the butt of dinner table jokes, the contradictions and hypocrisies of his second international selling point is no laughing matter for many Libyans.Over the past few years, Haftar has gained powerful supporters in the West with his vitriolic tirades against takfiri terrorists and Kharijites, terms dating back to Islams early history that the military man employs to burnish his anti-Islamist credentials.But Haftar has forged close ties with a branch of Salafists, called Madkhalists, using their fighters and incorporating their conservative ideology in LNA-controlled parts of eastern Libya, including a ban on women travelling without a male guardian.Madkhalism is a strain of Salafism based on the teachings of Saudi cleric, Rabi al-Madkhali, who has written fatwas supporting Haftar. A fundamental tenet of the movement is to obey any prevailing Muslim leadership with unquestioning loyalty regardless of its track record, a doctrine particularly suited for Saudi Arabias ruling House of Saud.The Madkhalists do not participate in elections or democratic institutions, putting them at odds with the Muslim Brotherhood, fellow Islamists who endorse participatory democracy.Both Haftar and the Madkhalists are fiercely opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood, also known as the Ikhwan in Arabic.Haftar has recruited Madkhalists partly due to their animus towards political Islamists like the Brotherhood, explained Fitzgerald.In a complicated twist of competing Islamisms, Haftars Muslim Brotherhood aversion mirrors those of the rulers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, countries that staunchly support the Libyan strongman.Haftars use of the hardline Madkhalists challenges his narrative, which is very seductive in France, that hes a strongman against Islamists, said Fitzgerald.France hedges its betsFrances focus on containing the jihadist threat in the region is particularly critical since Paris fears a contagion spreading across Libyas western borders to former French colonies, Tunisia and Algeria. To the south, Libyas borders with Niger and Chad are of particular strategic interest to Paris since Niger has critical uranium deposits and the Chadian capital, NDjamena, is home to the headquarters of Operation Barkhane, Frances anti-insurgent operation in the Sahel region.On the diplomatic front, France backs the UN-sponsored peace process between Libyas main competing leaders, including the GNAs Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Haftar.But France has been accused of providing military backing for Haftar, raising eyebrows in international circles and condemnation from the GNA. In July 2016, a French military helicopter crash near the eastern city of Benghazi killed three French soldiers and forced Paris to confirm, for the first time, that its special forces were operating in Libya.Libya's UN-backed government responded by saying that their presence was a "violation" of the nation's sovereignty. It said in a statement that it was "displeased with the French government's announcement".Khalifa at that point was making significant gains in his assault on Benghazi, the birthplace of the 2011 anti-Gaddafi uprising, and military analysts suspected it was largely due to logistical support from French special forces operating in Libya. A year later, when Haftars forces took Benghazi, Paris welcomed the advance.Francess shift towards supporting Haftar has been mainly championed by the foreign minister in the new [Emmanuel] Macron government, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who also served as minister of defence from 2012 to 2017 in the government of previous president Francois Hollande, noted Libyan academicGuma El-Gamaty in a Middle East Eye column published last year.French President Macron has held two much-heralded rounds of Libya peace talks, where rival Libyan leaders were invited to the table. France -- like Egypt, the UAE and Russia are all paying lip service to the GNA while hedging their bets in Libya, explained Fitzgerald.But Frances and by extension, Europes tacit support for Haftars belligerence has helped the military commander undermine UN-backed peace negotiations by territorial expansionism.Europeans need to re-evaluate their approach to Haftar given recent events, noted Megerisi. Their immediate priority should be to facilitate a ceasefire and a peaceful National Conference process that can produce a political roadmap for building stability in Libya. Such a roadmap would offer Haftar a negotiated route to participation in the Libyan government rather than allowing him to dictate terms.A failure to do that, Megerisi warned, would make a renewal of violence inevitable. This would set Libyas transition back by years and create a new body of destabilising threats to the region and across the Mediterranean. Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftars advance on Tripoli has shocked the international community and sparked a UN call for a military halt. But is it too little too late to contain the self-aggrandising military mans ambitions? On Thursday, April 4, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in a heavily fortified UN compound in Tripoli when Khalifa Haftar ordered his fighters to move on the Libyan capital with the bravado of an ancient warrior king launching a military conquest. Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, began Haftar in an audio statement released online, invoking the Islamic In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful incantation. Today we are responding to the call of our people in our precious capital. Guterres however was in the capital to respond to an internationally-backed call for peace, to help organise a planned national reconciliation conference and the chutzpah of Haftars timing stunned the international community. Declaring an operation to move on Tripoli the same day that Guterres arrived hoping to give impetus to the forthcoming peace conference was really audacious, said Mary Fitzgerald, a researcher specialising on Libya. Haftar has tried to undermine the UN process at every step. He wants to create facts on the ground ahead of that UN conference planned for mid-April. But Haftars designs didnt go quite as planned. The strongmans self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) was repulsed late Thursday by anti-Haftar forces at the Checkpoint 27 also called Gate 27 a strategic checkpoint on the coastal road between Tripoli and Zawiya, a city located around 45 kilometres west of the Libyan capital. In another blow to Haftar, more than 120 LNA fighters were taken prisoners in Zawiya late Thursday. Its a major setback for Haftar and a reminder that this operation [to take Tripoli] is not going to be as easy as he believed, said Fitzgerald. By late Friday, forces loyal to Haftar and those opposed to him were making claims and counterclaims about battlefield gains in and around Tripoli. But with fighting increasing, Haftars assault on Tripoli looked set to turn brutal, bloody and contested. Story continues For Libyans opposed to Haftar, the commanders setbacks were particularly sweet and resonant with a history that is often lost on outsiders. The operation by western Libyan troops to counter Haftars attack on Tripoli is called Wadi Doum 2 after the crushing 1986 Wadi Doum battle [Ouadi Doum in French] during the Libyan-Chad war when Haftar -- who was then a commander in Muammar Gaddafis army -- was captured and taken prisoner by Chad. It underscores a warning that many Libyans and analysts have raised, but have fallen on deaf ears in key Arab and European capitals due to geostrategic reasons that do not always overlap. The disregard has raised fears of bloodshed in the heart of the Libyan capital and risks plunging the oil-rich North African nation into its worst civil war since Gaddafi was ousted. Stability via a military Ponzi scheme The 75-year-old Haftar, who has switched sides and loyalties in the course of a military career spanning half-a-century, has portrayed himself as the only man who can bring stability to Libya and crush the Islamists in the North African nation. Its a pitch that has won Haftar audiences with leaders in Paris, Rome, Moscow, Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. But analysts warn that the self-aggrandising military man is unlikely or unable to deliver on both fronts. Libya today is divided between two rival governments: one in the eastern city of Tobruk backed by Haftar and an internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli. But the competing administrations are not the only ones vying for power. In the vast, sparsely populated south, tribal rivalries spar for control of lucrative cross-border smuggling and human trafficking routes. Haftars recent advances in southern Libya have been achieved by what Fitzgerald calls a strategy of outreach by buying out or forging shaky alliances with various tribal militias. Haftars expansions to-date have relied on co-opting new local forces into the LNA franchise in what appears to be the military equivalent of a Ponzi scheme. Keeping the LNA functional requires continuous expansion and income that is driven towards the operations core and leadership. At this point, his forces are overextended, his finances stretched, and if hes forced to fight, he may be more fragile than many realize, noted Tarek Megerisi, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, in a paper published Friday. But while the Ponzi scheme strategy worked in southern Libya, there are pockets of fierce opposition to his bid to take the capital, particularly among the Zintan militias southwest of Tripoli and in Misrata, a city ferociously opposed to Haftar. If Haftars latest military advances gain momentum, some of the groups opposing him may fall behind him. But powerful forces such as the armed groups from Misrata will attempt to counter him, said Fitzgerald. But even if Haftar succeeds in making military gains in or around Tripoli, Megerisi notes that, it is unlikely that any rule he concocts will be stable for long after his expansion ceases. An anti-Islamist using Salafists A popular joke in anti-Haftar circles is that his self-styled Libyan National Army is neither Libyan (since he has Sudanese and Chadian fighters), nor national, nor indeed is it an army. While Haftars military prowess may be the butt of dinner table jokes, the contradictions and hypocrisies of his second international selling point is no laughing matter for many Libyans. Over the past few years, Haftar has gained powerful supporters in the West with his vitriolic tirades against takfiri terrorists and Kharijites, terms dating back to Islams early history that the military man employs to burnish his anti-Islamist credentials. But Haftar has forged close ties with a branch of Salafists, called Madkhalists, using their fighters and incorporating their conservative ideology in LNA-controlled parts of eastern Libya, including a ban on women travelling without a male guardian. Madkhalism is a strain of Salafism based on the teachings of Saudi cleric, Rabi al-Madkhali, who has written fatwas supporting Haftar. A fundamental tenet of the movement is to obey any prevailing Muslim leadership with unquestioning loyalty regardless of its track record, a doctrine particularly suited for Saudi Arabias ruling House of Saud. The Madkhalists do not participate in elections or democratic institutions, putting them at odds with the Muslim Brotherhood, fellow Islamists who endorse participatory democracy. Both Haftar and the Madkhalists are fiercely opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood, also known as the Ikhwan in Arabic. Haftar has recruited Madkhalists partly due to their animus towards political Islamists like the Brotherhood, explained Fitzgerald. In a complicated twist of competing Islamisms, Haftars Muslim Brotherhood aversion mirrors those of the rulers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, countries that staunchly support the Libyan strongman. Haftars use of the hardline Madkhalists challenges his narrative, which is very seductive in France, that hes a strongman against Islamists, said Fitzgerald. France hedges its bets Frances focus on containing the jihadist threat in the region is particularly critical since Paris fears a contagion spreading across Libyas western borders to former French colonies, Tunisia and Algeria. To the south, Libyas borders with Niger and Chad are of particular strategic interest to Paris since Niger has critical uranium deposits and the Chadian capital, NDjamena, is home to the headquarters of Operation Barkhane, Frances anti-insurgent operation in the Sahel region. On the diplomatic front, France backs the UN-sponsored peace process between Libyas main competing leaders, including the GNAs Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Haftar. But France has been accused of providing military backing for Haftar, raising eyebrows in international circles and condemnation from the GNA. In July 2016, a French military helicopter crash near the eastern city of Benghazi killed three French soldiers and forced Paris to confirm, for the first time, that its special forces were operating in Libya. Libya's UN-backed government responded by saying that their presence was a "violation" of the nation's sovereignty. It said in a statement that it was "displeased with the French government's announcement". Khalifa at that point was making significant gains in his assault on Benghazi, the birthplace of the 2011 anti-Gaddafi uprising, and military analysts suspected it was largely due to logistical support from French special forces operating in Libya. A year later, when Haftars forces took Benghazi, Paris welcomed the advance. Francess shift towards supporting Haftar has been mainly championed by the foreign minister in the new [Emmanuel] Macron government, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who also served as minister of defence from 2012 to 2017 in the government of previous president Francois Hollande, noted Libyan academicGuma El-Gamaty in a Middle East Eye column published last year. French President Macron has held two much-heralded rounds of Libya peace talks, where rival Libyan leaders were invited to the table. France -- like Egypt, the UAE and Russia are all paying lip service to the GNA while hedging their bets in Libya, explained Fitzgerald. But Frances and by extension, Europes tacit support for Haftars belligerence has helped the military commander undermine UN-backed peace negotiations by territorial expansionism. Europeans need to re-evaluate their approach to Haftar given recent events, noted Megerisi. Their immediate priority should be to facilitate a ceasefire and a peaceful National Conference process that can produce a political roadmap for building stability in Libya. Such a roadmap would offer Haftar a negotiated route to participation in the Libyan government rather than allowing him to dictate terms. A failure to do that, Megerisi warned, would make a renewal of violence inevitable. This would set Libyas transition back by years and create a new body of destabilising threats to the region and across the Mediterranean. Talk about a Prime delivery! A Wisconsin womans hilarious April Fools Day prank went viral this week, with two videos racking up over 800,000 combined views on Facebook as of Thursday. Maureen Pritchard, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, spent six months saving Amazon boxes to pull the ultimate prank on her husband. On Monday, Pritchard stacked up dozens of the empty Amazon boxes outside of her house, just in time for her husband, Rob, to arrive home. In one video posted to her Facebook page, Pritchard films from inside as Rob pulls up in his car and gets out, looking shocked at all the boxes as he gestures to his wife inside. After he walks into the house, a second video shows his reaction: Rob silently shakes his head and walks away, again looking stunned by the number of boxes. RELATED: 20 of the Best Celebrity Pranks Ever Ive been planning an April Fools joke to play on Rob for MONTHS!! Pritchard wrote in a Facebook post. I got him good! I wish I would have continued to record right away when he came in the house. When he saw me recording out the window I thought he realized that it was a joke, but when he came inside he kept asking, What IS all that?!? I had to explain that it was 6 months of saved boxes, from us, my parents and my sister! Pritchard continued, writing jokingly, Anyone need any boxes?!? You have no idea how many people slowed down or stopped in front of our house all day today! RELATED: We Wish the US Opens Puppy-Filled April Fools Day Prank Was Real Facebook users loved Pritchards creative prank. Priceless!!! one user wrote on her post, while another chimed in, I would love to try this on my husbandbut he has a fit if just one package comes. Id be afraid hed have a real heart attack! A man who called for acid attacks on women's rights activists during the April 5 protests in Algeria was forced to apologise after a public outcry. But the harm caused by his video, posted on Facebook earlier this week, has already been done, says our Observer, an activist who has received several threats of acid attacks. An Algerian man living in the United Kingdom posted a Facebook video on April 3 calling for acid attacks against female activists participating in Friday's protest. The weekly mass demonstrations, now in their third month, led to the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and protesters are now demanding an overhaul of the entire political system.In the video, the man, who appears to be in his 30s, said that people would attack the women with "no mercy," even those standing on street corners away from the center of the protests. "You women calling for freedom and who go out on Fridays to hang posters, who yell at people, and who say you are looking for freedom, freedom for women, I am going to tell you something: you'll be covered in acid! the man says. After online users swiftly identified him and filed a complaint, the man posted a second video apologising for his threats and explained that he had lashed out in "anger." He then contacted several women's rights activists to ask them to delete his video from their Facebook pages, according to Daria (not her real name), an activist with the group "Femmes insoumises," or Women Unsubdued, who received one such request. "We wont give up because we are a part of this countryDaria, who lives in the Mediterranean coast city of Bejaia, said the man left her a voicemail on Wednesday. > He said, Im the one who made the video about the acid. Please delete it from your page. I'm going to try to make another video to make things better. I asked him to make another video stating clearly that people should not to carry out acid attacks against womens rights activists. But he didnt do that, he just settled for apologies.> > After his video was posted, we received numerous threats of acid attacks, rape, and murder. [Editors note: The Observers team viewed these messages and will not publish them due to their violent nature.] These hateful messages were then shared on pages that have more than a million members, many of whom are teenagers who might easily be influenced. > > Some of these people managed to get a lot of Facebook pages that promote women's rights deleted by reporting them en masse. Our Femmes insoumises page was deleted and my own page was also blocked. > > We noticed that a lot of the men who sent us death threats are living abroad. But many Algerians also messaged us saying that they had reported the man who made the video to the British police. Others alerted the French police.> > We've received many messages of support from Algerians on social media.One Twitter user reminded people to take screenshots of threats of acid attacks and file police complaints, adding that, "The fight for women's rights is also a man's fight!"Repeal of the Algerian family codeWomens rights activists have joined the widespread political protests in Algeria in recent weeks, with a new demand: the repeal of the family code, which severely limits women's rights in marriage. Their presence has riled some protesters, who on March 29 surrounded and shouted insults at a group of women carrying a banner that called for gender equality in front of a university building in Algiers. An activist using the pseudonym Milord Barzotti, who is a friend of our Observer Daria, was shoved that day as she hung posters calling for the repeal of the family code. Daria told The Observers that the poster campaign was part of a coordinated effort from several Facebook groups, including Femmes insoumises, Les Algeriennes (Algerian Women), Enough Algeria, and Srabbles, planned before the political protests began in mid-February.> On March 29, Milord Barzotti from Enough Algeria was hanging up posters in Algiers, and I was doing the same thing in Bejaia. A group of people grabbed them from her, then began shoving and shouting insults at her. A video of the assault was shared widely on social media.> > In Bejaia, people came up to me and told me that it was not the right moment to call for womens rights. They said it would be better to stick to slogans calling for regime change. Thats their opinion and they had the right to express it as long as they remained respectful toward me.> > After we shared this campaign on social media, we got a ton of death threats.> > An activist from Femmes insoumises hanging up posters on March 29. > > Posters from Femmes insoumises in Bejaia, Algeria.> > Despite the intimidation and the harassment, we arent going to give up. We have been criticising the system for years through our campaigns for womens rights. We are part of this country. Tourists who visit Mai Khao beach on Thailand's island of Phuket may want to think twice before taking a selfie. Located near Phuket International Airport on the island's northwestern coast, Mai Khao beach has been a popular destination for thrill-seekers who can watch planes fly extremely low before landing on the airport's runway. Airport officials, however, have voiced concerns that taking selfies can distract pilots and have threatened the maximum penalty-death, in this case-for those who don't stop immediately. Authorities have discussed ways to close off the area adjacent to the runway, which has become known as "Unseen Phuket." Deputy airport chief Wichit Kaeothaithiam met with provincial officials earlier this year and said that a new safety zone is currently in development. "People and tourists will not be allowed to enter this area to take photos," he told the Chiang Rai Times. Specific details regarding the zone were not provided, but tourists and locals can still visit the rest of the beach, where picture-taking is welcome. "The airport wants to boost tourism revenues, but at the same time, it must make sure there will not be any problem with aviation regulations," Kaeothaithiam told The Phuket News. "Tourism and safety must co-exist." Phuket34 Though there is no concrete evidence that taking a selfie poses a direct danger to pilots, a report revealed complaints over the use of drones and laser pens on the beach, according to the Daily Mail. Anyone found guilty of purposely disturbing the pilots is subject to punishment under the country's Air Navigation Act. "The penalty for anyone failing to comply with this regulation includes the death penalty, a life sentence, or a jail term of between five to 20 years, as per the Air Aviation Act 1978," airport director Monrudee Gettuphan told The Phuket News. Since the announcement of the safety zone, the beach's locals have raised objections, claiming that creating a restricted space will hurt business. Many work under a community project that allows locals to operate food stalls and drive tourists from a car park to Mai Khao's most heavily visited area. "If the beach is closed, we will have serious problems because many tourists simply will not come," Winai Sae-io, head of a local entrepreneurial stimulus program, said. "I want [Airports of Thailand, which operates Phuket International Airport] to look at us and support locals in making [a] living here, too." 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. Now that the J.T. Helstrom mystery has finally been solved, "The Young and the Restless" is headed in a bold new direction. Fan favorites like Paul, Ashley, and Traci have returned and viewers are beyond ecstatic. Spoiler alerts now confirm that Greg Rikaart will reprise his role as Kevin Fisher later this spring and he may be responsible for leading Victor to Adam. A new storyline with the Newman patriarch began on Friday (April 5) when Brandon told Victoria that her father was at a high stakes poker game in Vegas. This is probably a clue that will lead to Nick and Vicky's half brother coming back to town. Kevin and Victor work together again Victor and Kevin worked together in the past when they stole Nick's inheritance from his bank account. Greg Rikaart was only on "The Young and the Restless" a few days and viewers wanted more. There was never any explanation as to why such a popular character was written out, but now he is back and will be part of an intriguing storyline. Celeb Dirty Laundry indicates that Kevin will be working with Victor and instrumental in Adam's return. This brings up the question of where Adam has been all this time and why he has stayed away so long. How did Victor and Kevin come to the conclusion that Adam is alive? How did Adam escape the explosion? Why would he allow Nick to date Chelsea and raise Christian as his own? In order to make this work, "The Young and the Restless" may have to rewrite some history. Soap Dirt reports that a recast for Chelsea is in the works, so this will make things pretty interesting. There is also the issue of Chloe and whether or not she will return to Genoa City with her husband. Discuss this news on Eunomia Kevin, Adam, Chelsea will bring new life to 'Y&R' Soap Dirt reveals that the actor portraying Adam has been aged down, so a new Chelsea will probably be younger as well. This will put them in a category a little older than Kyle, Summer, and Lola, but younger than Nick. Kevin will probably fit right in with his old friends, and spoilers tease that perhaps his mother, Gloria, may return to Genoa City as well. For the past year, "Y&R" has revolved around the Rosales family, but now Arturo is leaving town and Mia may soon follow. Their departures will pave the way for Kevin, Adam, and, hopefully, Chelsea to ease back into the swing of things in Genoa City. There are also additional "Y&R" storylines coming. Continue watching the daytime drama, each weekday afternoon on CBS, at 12:30 PM ET. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has dropped hints about possibilities of a third Trump-Kim summit. While interacting with a section of the media, he admitted that the summits did not meet expectations but when the two leaders left Hanoi, Vietnam, they had a deeper understanding of each other. President Donald Trump and the North Korean supremo, Kim Jong-un met twice to arrive at a peaceful solution to the unrest in the Korean peninsula. The first time it was in June 2018 in Singapore, where Kim agreed to denuclearization but the progress was slow. Hence, there was a second summit in Hanoi in February 2019 and it did not even take off. The two leaders left quickly because of major differences. Trump laid emphasis on denuclearization, but Kims priority was relief from sanctions. It was an obvious conflict of interest. New York Post reports on Mike Pompeos version. He admits that denuclearization will be a long drawn out process and he reiterated that North Korean leader had promised both him and President Donald Trump that he would denuclearize. Despite two failed attempts at brokering a firm agreement to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he's confident a third summit will take place between President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. https://t.co/Wswi0AqBui CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) April 6, 2019 . Moon Jae-in to visit the White House The failed Hanoi summit was a setback to the peace efforts in the Korean peninsula. Donald Trump said North Korea wanted the United States to eliminate all sanctions imposed on the country and in exchange, it would close down only one of its nuclear facilities. That was not what Trump had in mind so he said - Sometimes you have to walk. Reportedly, he decided to cut off the summit after he gave Kim a piece of paper before the talks collapsed. Discuss this news on Eunomia On @CBSThisMorning, @SecPompeo says he's confident there will be a 3rd summit between Pres Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, but doesn't know when. Though 2nd summit failed to produce an agreement, Pompeo is convinced North Korea will denuclearize. pic.twitter.com/ZGMErKMG9A Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 5, 2019 New York Post goes on to add that Mike Pompeo confirmed the diplomatic channels continue to be active between the two countries in spite of the failed summits. He added that economic sanctions on the North would remain until denuclearization happens. In this connection, the visit of South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the White House is a significant development. He has always been in favor of normalizing relations with his Northern neighbor and was involved in the previous summits. Kim Jong-un visits his fathers birthplace According to Time, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un usually pays a visit to his fathers place of birth before embarking on something important. In November 2013, it was before the execution of his uncle and apparent political rival. Subsequently, in late 2014, it was before he announced his intention to hold a summit with South Korea. Then came another visit after his first summit with Donald Trump in Singapore, followed by one more visit before his third summit with Moon Jae-in. After the failure of the Hanoi summit, he indicated in mid-March that he would resume his nuclear and missile testing. Anyway, his latest visit was under the guise of an inspection of the region and some observers interpret it to their advantage. They see a third summit in the offing. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 79F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Areas of patchy fog. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Sam Carter at The Quarterly Conversation: Maria Sonia Cristoff has often recounted one of her formative reading experiences. Hired to translate the diaries of Thomas Bridgesa nineteenth-century Anglican missionary in Argentinashe traveled from Buenos Aires to his familys farm outside of Ushaia, which sits at the southern edge of Patagonia in the Tierra del Fuego province. There she was given a room with a window overlooking the Beagle Channel and a stack of papers with a pencil mark indicating where she should begin. She lacked any access to the rest of the diary since Bridges heirs, insisting on a neutral voice for the new rendering of his work, replaced translators every two months, assigning each one a single section of the work. After working on the translation during the day, Cristoff occupied herself on this far-flung farm by reading through the collection of travel writings its small library contained. As she consumed the accounts of Francis Drake, Charles Darwin, Ernest Shackleton, and others who had passed through those lands and the nearby waters, Cristoff was struck by the similarities between traveler and translator. In the tale of a traveler in a foreign land, she recalled, I found the resources, the torments, and the joys of a translator in her travels through a foreign language. more here. Sarah Weinman in Crime Reads: Sandy Fawkes landed in Atlanta on the night of November 7, 1974. Shed spent the day in Washington on a fruitless quest to interview former Vice President Spiro Agnew, part of a one-month tryout with an American weekly newspaper that paid her extraordinarily well, including travel and hotelfar more than her usual employer, the Daily Express, could afford thanks to the countrys current economic crisis. Sandy had no plans for the evening. As was her habit when landing in a new city, she checked in with the local paperhere, the Atlanta Constitutionto see if one of their reporters might show her around. No one was available. The next option: the hotel bar. Sandy was nervous at the prospect of drinking alone in the South. Atlanta wasnt London, where the pubs in Soho were so familiar to her they functioned as a second home. As she wrote a few years later, years of pulling in pubs and clubs had taught her that, despite being a bit broad in the beam and not exactly a raving beauty, she had a magnetism that drew men as if to a pile of iron filings. Sandy was single, in her mid-forties. She could travel, pursue flings with younger menearly to mid-twenties was the ideal rangedrink heavily without hangover, and keep primary focus on her work. The year before she had published her most personal piece yet, a stirring account of the heartless murder of seven-year-old Maria Colwell by her abusive stepfather. More here. Sarfaty was speaking as director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, which the AAFP helped found. Now, as a charter member and secretary of the Academy's new Climate Change and Environmental Health Member Interest Group (MIG), Sarfaty will help to leverage primary care physicians' power in service of that opportunity. The mission of this MIG, the AAFP's 17th, is to "increase the understanding of family physicians about the health harms of climate change and environmental degradation and the health benefits of climate solutions and environmental justice." Matthew Burke, M.D., of Seattle, chairs the new MIG. The co-vice chairs are Zach Wachtl, M.D., of Denver, and Barbara Doty, M.D., of Wasilla, Alaska. The AAFP's Commission on Health of the Public and Science oversees the MIG. Burke, who has spoken about climate change to AFP chapters, told AAFP News last October that physicians are uniquely convincing advocates. "If you go to a state lawmaker who is different-minded from you, and you say that this is science, and this is bad for my patients, you can affect legislation from a position of scientific and moral authority," he said. The objectives of the new MIG are to educate AAFP members about the health harms of climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions; share ideas to encourage policies that support energy efficiency, build resilience against health dangers and displacements associated with climate change and environmental degradation, and increase use of renewable clean energy; spread understanding that climate change is a human-caused problem that reinforces environmental injustice and undermines health equity; help recent residency graduates pursue fellowships focused on solutions to climate change; increase and support applicable advocacy from the AAFP and members; and help recruit and retain members who are interested in climate change and environmental health. Among the MIG's long-term goals is establishment of at least one fellowship for family physicians who want to be more involved in policy issues surrounding climate change and healthy environments. You can sign up for the MIG by using the "Visit Online Community" button on the MIGs page, where you can also explore the Academy's other MIGs: academic mentorship, adolescent health, breastfeeding medicine, direct primary care, emergency medicine/urgent care, global health, hospital medicine, independent solo/small group practice, lifestyle medicine, obstetrics, oral health, point-of-care ultrasound, reproductive health care, rural health, single-payer health care and telehealth. Related AAFP News Coverage Fresh Perspectives blog: Let's Take a Public Health Approach to Climate Change (2/18/2019) More From AAFP Environmental Concerns in Public Health In the Trenches blog: Protecting the Environment, Our Health (4/17/2018) South Dakotans lack trust in state Legislature, poll finds South Dakotans are not as trusting of the state Legislature as they are of other government or legal institutions, according to a recent statewide poll. Lauded as a hero, not only for his work as a Rio Rancho Police officer and a Sandoval County deputy, the late Joe Harris has a memorial set in stone, now that a school in Rio Rancho has been named in his honor. Harris was killed in a shootout in a cabin in the remote La Cueva area of the Jemez Mountains in the summer of 2009, and RRPS Superintendent Sue Cleveland said it was hard for her to believe almost 10 years have passed. He made the ultimate sacrifice as a police officer, she said, (but) Joe was even more to us. Joe was a constant in the Rio Rancho public school district is so many different ways, she added. He put such a positive face for law enforcement in front of young people. They loved him and would tell him the most incredible stories. There was hardly a kid in the district who did not know who he was. Cleveland said she didnt receive any dissenting calls about RRPSs decision to name its newest elementary after Harris. I cannot tell you the number of calls and positive comments that we got, she said. The biggest concern was, Whats taken you so long? Certainly, the Great Recession intervened and with that came a cutback in terms of growth and dollars. We are just thrilled to be able to begin construction on this school, she said. It is wonderful and fitting that this school is named for him. He had a heart of gold and he loved people, added the district chief operations officer, former Rio Rancho Police Chief Mike Baker, who introduced Harriss sons, Joe and David, and their wives. Joe and I were essentially hired on the same day together, Baker said. He knew everybody. I would tell Joe, Joe, when you retire, youve got to run for mayor.' Joe Harris Jr. told the gathering, I think theres no better way to repay him for everything he did for our city than by giving him an elementary school; our children will benefit from it. Its what he would have wanted; he was all about the kids and the community, the younger Harris said. Board President Catherine Cullen thanked all who were going to make the school a reality, including Los Diamantes developer Pierre Amestoy and the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority. With the growth of the southern part of Rio Rancho, the board decided to move Joe Harris Elementary, she said. We are at capacity at some of our schools in the south part of the district, Cullen said. We will be able to alleviate the overcrowding with this school. Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said he pitched the location of the new school to the district. They immediately got the vision; they immediately got on board and were supporting this project from the get-go, he said. Hull touted Amestoys help, along with the cooperation of SSCAFCA to resolve possible flooding, in light of 450 or so homes in a master-planned community soon to be built in the vicinity of the school. When we think about opening a school like this, we think about the fact Rio Rancho has been visionary from the very beginning, with Dr. Sue Cleveland having a vision and separating from (Albuquerque Public Schools in 1994) and creating our own school district so that we can live by our own standards and educate our own children and create what is arguably the greatest school district in the state of New Mexico. Later in the week, Vista Grande Elementary Principal Trent Heffner was named as the first principal at Joe Harris Elementary. The new 87,630-square-foot school, to be designed by Wilson & Co. and built by Bradbury Stamm Construction, will be between 21st Avenue and Westside Boulevard, about 1 mile west of Unser Boulevard. It will have a capacity of 800 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Bonds approved by school district voters in 2016 made the project possible. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Compared with some of her predecessors, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham displayed veto pen restraint in the aftermath of the 60-day legislative session that ended last month. But she did strike down before a Friday bill signing deadline a measure that would have allowed small amounts of beer and wine to be delivered to homes and hotel rooms with food orders and a proposal that would have changed New Mexicos rules for probation and parole. District attorneys from around the state and Attorney General Hector Balderas had urged the governor to veto the probation and parole measure, House Bill 564, after it passed both the House and Senate by broad margins. Lujan Grisham ultimately did so, but said Friday that she was disappointed the prosecutors had not been more engaged as the bill advanced during the legislative session. She also said she expects them to work closely with bill backers before the 2020 legislative session to come up with a compromise. Being tough on crime is not inconsistent with being smart on crime, and our government needs to be both, Lujan Grisham wrote in her veto message. New Mexico District Attorneys Association issued a statement lauding the governors veto, while adding that prosecutors are willing to work with backers of the bill to craft new legislation that can change the states probation and parole system without negatively affecting public safety or victims rights. In all, the first-term Democratic governor signed 281 of the 309 bills passed by lawmakers during this years session. Of the 28 bills she vetoed, 14 were pocket-vetoed when Lujan Grisham did not act on them before the deadline. Among the bills the governor signed into law was legislation making changes to New Mexicos medical marijuana program, which has grown steadily over recent years and now has more than 70,000 licensed members. That measure, Senate Bill 406, authorizes the use of medical marijuana in schools and extends the length of an approved patient identification card from one year to three years, among other changes. A day after signing into law a $7 billion budget bill that will boost state spending to an all-time high, Lujan Grisham also signed a separate bill that contains more than $900 million in public infrastructure spending. The governor used her line-item veto authority to strike dozens of projects from the bill, though the total value of vetoed projects was only about 1 percent of the total bill or roughly $9.5 million. Vetoed projects included $300,000 to develop a Corrections Department master plan and $222,0000 to renovate a conference room at a state courthouse in downtown Santa Fe. Money to pay for this years capital outlay projects comes from an unprecedented $1.2 billion budget surplus, due primarily to an oil drilling boom in southeastern New Mexico. That means the state will not have to issue bonds to pay for them, as is typically done. But Lujan Grisham said she will push for future changes to the capital outlay system, which has come under scrutiny in recent years for being secretive and often providing piecemeal funding for projects. Several bills aimed at making changes to the system stalled during this years session. I think we can have a better, more cohesive approach thats transparent, the governor said during a Friday news conference in Santa Fe. Overall, Lujan Grishams veto rate of 9.1 percent was much lower than that of her predecessor, former Gov. Susana Martinez, in most years. As recently as 2017, Martinez, a Republican, vetoed more than half of the 277 bills that reached her desk, although some of those vetoes were later found to be unconstitutional after a long-running court challenge. Lujan Grisham said Friday that she tried to get to yes on all bills passed by lawmakers, a task that might have been made easier by the fact Democrats hold a majority in both chambers of the Legislature. I feel incredibly prepared to defend the decisions we made, the governor said, while joking she had consumed a record amount of coffee during the bill signing period. She also said her staff had aimed to provide messages explaining her reasoning for most of the measures she vetoed, so that lawmakers could come back next year with changes. Meanwhile, the governor did not hold back in touting the sessions legacy. We did more on education and transitioning to a clean energy economy (this year) than any other state, Lujan Grisham said. I would argue this was the most productive legislative session in the history of New Mexico. A local salon owner is accused of raping and assaulting a co-worker after inviting the man over for drinks at his Albuquerque home last August. Christopher Babb, owner of Christopher James Hair & Skin, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration, battery and one count of aggravated battery, according to court records. Second Judicial District Attorneys Office spokesman Michael Patrick said the assault took place Aug. 17, when Babb allegedly invited the co-worker over to share a bottle of wine. He said the co-worker felt uncomfortable but went to Babbs home anyway. The co-worker told prosecutors he had some wine and soon felt strange and weak as if he had been drugged. Then Babb allegedly punched the man, who lost consciousness. Patrick said the co-worker awoke in Babbs bed, with Babb biting him in all sorts of private places before he raped him. Afterward, the man was given a sexual assault exam, and multiple different injuries were discovered on his body. The co-worker told prosecutors that Babb later texted him asking for another rendezvous. Babb did not return calls for comment Wednesday. SANTA FE A young Espanola man who was acquitted of taking part in a brutal rape of a high school senior in 2014 has now been indicted on several charges on assaulting a household member with a knife. Irin Martinez, 21, has been indicted on one count of aggravated battery against a household member, one count of battery against a household member, two counts of aggravated assault against a household member and two counts of interfering with communication. The charging indictment doesnt provide much detail other than saying that the crimes were committed against one female victim on May 15, 2018. Martinez was 16 when he was charged in the brutal rape of a Pojoaque Valley High School senior at a post-prom party at his grandparents house in April 2014. Medical experts testified at a November 2015 trial that the victim was severely injured by a sharp object during the rape and nearly died of blood loss. Martinez was acquitted of criminal sexual penetration, conspiracy to commit the rape and false imprisonment, but was found guilty of tampering with evidence. He was required to serve two years at the Youth Diagnostic Development Center in Albuquerque and could not be sentenced as an adult for the conviction. Also in April 2014, 12 days before the rape, an ex-girlfriend filed a domestic violence petition against Martinez that said he threatened to kill her and told her she would never see her family again. The girlfriend also claimed that another time Martinez pulled alongside her in traffic, pointed a gun at her and ran her off the road. Martinez was also accused of exposing himself to other inmates at the Taos County juvenile detention center in June 2014 while awaiting trial. Another man, Jacob Martinez, who was 15 at the time, was found guilty of criminal sexual penetration and conspiracy in August 2015 for his part in the Pojoaque rape. Santa Fe District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer sentenced him to incarceration until age 21 after finding that prosecutors didnt prove that he wasnt amenable to treatment. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Attorney General Hector Balderas is warning sheriffs and police chiefs throughout New Mexico that they risk legal liability if they refuse to enforce the states new background checks law for gun sales. The legislation, which takes effect this summer, emerged as one of the most fiercely debated proposals of the 2019 session, with sheriffs and their deputies turning out in force to testify against it. Some said they simply wouldnt enforce it if it became law. But Balderas, a Democrat, sent a letter to every law enforcement agency in the state Thursday, warning them of a legal obligation to uphold the requirements outlined in Senate Bill 8, regardless of whether they agree with the legislation. As law enforcement officials, Balderas said, we do not have the freedom to pick and choose which state laws we enforce. His letter comes after at least 26 counties in New Mexico passed Second Amendment sanctuary ordinances in opposition to gun laws that were debated by state lawmakers this year. Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace, a Democrat, said Friday that law enforcement officers already have discretion in how they enforce the law. A deputy, for example, can issue a warning rather than a citation after pulling over a speeding driver, he said. Furthermore, Mace said, the letter is premature because the new law doesnt go into effect until July 1. Were elected by the people in our communities, he said of his fellow sheriffs, and thats what were looking at what do the people in our communities want? Mace is president of the New Mexico Sheriffs Association. All but a few of the states 33 county sheriffs opposed gun legislation debated by lawmakers this year. The Legislature ultimately passed and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed bills requiring background checks before most gun sales and prohibiting the possession of firearms by domestic abusers. Another proposal a red flag law allowing a court to order the temporary seizure of guns from someone deemed an immediate threat failed to make it through. Senate Bill 8 was perhaps the most controversial. It passed the Senate 22-20 and the House 42-27. The bill will require a background check before nearly any gun sale, including between two individuals. There will be exceptions for sales between two close family members and between law enforcement officers. Licensed dealers already must do the checks, but supporters of the legislation say a loophole in the system allows two individuals to arrange a sale on their own through, say, a classified ad and avoid a background check. Senate Bill 8 calls for people who want to sell a gun to arrange for a licensed dealer to do the background check. The dealer could charge up to $35. Supporters said the law will make it more difficult for criminals or others prohibited from having a weapon to obtain a gun. Opponents said that criminals will just ignore the law and that the background checks will be a burden on law-abiding gun owners. In his two-page letter, Balderas said a police chief or sheriff who refuses to enforce the law could be held liable if a gun sale results in a prohibited person obtaining a firearm and doing harm. In short, he said, the taxpayers of your city or county assume the financial risk of your decision to impose your personal views over the law. The attorney general said he realizes that sheriffs and police chiefs have discretion over how to run their agencies. But personal political opinions do not absolve us of our duty to enforce validly enacted laws, Balderas said. Discretion, he added, cannot subvert the rule of law. All New Mexicans, including public officials, are equally subject to the law. During the legislative session, sheriffs repeatedly spoke out against the gun legislation, sometimes bluntly. As the sheriff of that county, I will not allow that law to be enforced, Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington told the Journal after a Senate floor vote on the bill in February. The states three most populous counties Bernalillo, Dona Ana and Santa Fe didnt join the movement against the bill, and Lujan Grisham last month accused the sheriffs who opposed the new law of being part of a national misinformation campaign driven by the National Rifle Association. Nonetheless, top-ranking House Republicans said the outcry shows lawmakers ignored the will of New Mexicans, especially those in rural parts of the state. They are pursuing a petition to repeal the background check law by way of the rarely used voter referendum process. An officer shot and wounded a stolen car suspect Friday evening following a car crash and short foot chase in the southeast part of the city, according to Albuquerque police. Police spokesman Simon Drobik said at least one officer opened fire when the suspect pointed a gun at officers. The suspect was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. No officers were hurt, but another person was injured after the suspect crashed into their car. That persons condition was unclear. These are high-intensity situations, no officer wants to wake up in the morning and wants to get into his type of situation, Drobik said at the scene. He said the incident unfolded when someone called 911 around 5:30 p.m. to say they saw their stolen car being driven through a southeast Albuquerque neighborhood. Officers were able to deploy a spike belt, and the vehicle crashed into another car at the intersection of Bell and Grove SE. Drobik said the suspect ran and police gave chase on foot. At least one officer fired at the suspect when he pointed a gun at them. The individual was shot, sustained a non-life-threatening injury, and is at a local hospital, Drobik said. Officers recovered the suspects gun. We have a lot of evidence to collect and people to interview, he said around 9:15. Well be out here for quite some time. Several police vehicles blocked streets in every direction from Bell and Grove SE. Two mobile crime labs could be seen near two civilian cars that had crashed into each other near the middle of the intersection. Im writing to respectfully ask Judge Sarah Singleton to reject the proposed New Mexico budget as it relates to her directives in the Yazzie-Martinez case. As she reviews the general budget, I believe shell find that efforts to sufficiently fund public education and support our at-risk kids fall far short of what she required. Very simply, here is why. First and foremost, kids dont show up to our schools at risk as soon as they turn 4 or 5 years of age. The unfortunate circumstances which contribute to our large number of at-risk kids begins at birth. And so it stands to reason that a profound and demonstrable commitment to these kids must be addressed at this stage in their development and education. Implementing thoughtful and proven best practices to meet these challenges begins with funding education and support services from birth through pre-K. And then, of course, sufficiently funding and implementing programs for grades K through 12. The proposed budget does not accomplish this. The proposed increased allocation of $113 million to the at-risk index merely scratches the surface. Within the overall legislative planning for district programs are also several unfunded mandates as well as programs which must be applied for and can therefore be denied, putting districts in greater financial distress. This forces districts to reallocate funds from other worthy and necessary endeavors. In this area, what the Public Education Department and Legislature must do first is determine exactly what needs to be done, first most immediately and then in the long term, and put a realistic number to the cost. More bilingual and special needs teachers and programs; additional efforts to attract and compensate nurses, counselors, social workers and the wrap-around support services necessary; making and demonstrating a commitment to equity creating a level playing field of opportunity and wellness for all of our kids; and addressing the specific needs of our rural and tribal communities. With regard to teacher pay, raising the base salaries to $40,000, $50,000 and $60,000 for the three-tier system is necessary and nice. And the 6 percent raise is long overdue. But it still leaves our teachers woefully behind the starting pay in our surrounding states. By willfully falling short in this area, our Legislature has decided to keep New Mexico at a severe disadvantage as we desperately need to attract, recruit and retain more teachers and support staff. Data clearly indicate that our high rate of turnover negatively impacts student success and particularly that of at-risk youths. Continuity of staff and instruction are vital in achieving student success. And Im not talking test scores here. Im talking about the stability needed in our schools and our culture to create an environment conducive to learning. As it relates to pre-K, elementary and secondary school education, the proposed budget does little to address educating our educators, the overwhelming need to support our colleges and universities in preparing 21st century teachers for our 21st century schools. Current programs to fast-track teacher certification and licensure short-change our students and compromise our public education system. All children, regardless of family income or ZIP code, deserve to have a classroom-ready teacher. This just isnt happening. Sufficient funding has to apply to our higher education institutions in developing a new and vibrant teacher pipeline. This must also include the funds required for ongoing teacher professional development and advanced certifications. As it relates to sufficiently funding public education, pre-K and programs to support at-risk youths, this budget is less of a moonshot and more of a bottle rocket. Please, Judge Singleton, on April 15 send our Legislature and our chief executive back to the drawing board to comply with your order. Our kids deserve nothing less. One of the driving forces at UNM-Gallup is a fundamental value of open access. Providing noncompetitive admissions allows us to concentrate our efforts on transforming lives, and providing a road map for people to achieve their educational and professional goals. With an open admissions structure, UNM-Gallups doors are wide open, and students are met at whatever place they are in their educational journeys and their lives. Two-year campuses, like UNM-Gallup, serve multiple roles within their communities, including career training venues, transfer centers and continuing education hubs. UNM-Gallup serves a diverse population of students, many of whom are part time (students) or adults returning to school later in life. The availability of associate degrees and short-term certificates propels students either directly into the workforce or on to a four-year institution to continue their education. Community colleges generally offer lower tuition rates and a close-to-home advantage, and often serve as the first college exposure for many students and their families. With an eye toward inclusion, UNM-Gallup has improved access by increasingly extending services to high school students through a variety of concurrent educational options. UNM-Gallup believes students of all ages and walks of life should be able to benefit from equitable opportunities within higher education. UNM-Gallup supports the operation of three on-campus concurrent enrollment programs. The Center for Career and Technical Education (CCTE) represents a cooperative effort between UNM-Gallup and the Gallup McKinley County School District, Rehoboth Christian School, Zuni Public School District and Wingate High School. Students are offered career and technical education coursework in programs of study not available at their home high schools. Through this local mill-levy-supported program, CCTE students are transported to the UNM-Gallup campus for classes in areas such as automotive technology, construction technology, criminal justice, cosmetology and early childhood multicultural education. Upon high school graduation, credit hours earned can be applied to certificate or degree programs. The Middle College High School (MCHS), an on-campus charter school, is housed on the UNM-Gallup campus. Through a lottery-based system, students are admitted to MCHS and take both high school and college classes simultaneously. The school is chartered by the state of New Mexico and governed by a council of community members. While some core classes are taught by faculty of MCHS, the majority of classes are offered at the college level by university faculty. The McKinley Academy (MA) is the newest of the collaborative programs and is a partnership with the Gallup McKinley County School District. Acceptance into MA is performance based, and students receive their academic coursework on the college campus, while still maintaining enrollment in their home high schools. Freshmen through seniors benefit from high school core and concurrent enrollment college classes under the instruction of both school district and UNM-Gallup faculty. There are multiple benefits for students of all the UNM-Gallup high school collaborative programs. Concurrent students are able to accumulate a nest egg of college classes without having to incur tuition expenses. In addition to this affordability, students get a head start on college classes while still benefiting from the supportive environment of high school counselors, college advisors and personal support systems. By hovering between high school and college, students benefit from accelerated coursework, while getting a glimpse of the rigors of college life. Through exposure to a number of different academic programs, students also learn of career pathway options that can guide their post-high school planning. With 50 years of higher education experience behind us, UNM-Gallup looks forward to our future. We will continue to offer educational opportunities across a number of disciplines to our richly diverse, academically motivated and culturally engaged student body by insisting on access, support and, ultimately, student success. Say, heres an idea for something Congress can do while they anxiously await release of the Mueller report. How about doing something to directly and positively help countless millions of Americans every single day? Stop all those %&*#@!* robocalls that plague us once and for all! No one on the planet welcomes a robocall. No one. We dutifully sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry but they still come, billions of times every month. They are the daily bane of our already harried existence. There is a renewed move in the U.S. Senate to crack down on companies that launch these maddening and mostly illegal intrusions but, frankly, I fear it is way too little, way too late. Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., have a bill that they say could help cut down these calls. Weve heard this before from other senators, like Chuck Schumer, whose bill to deal with the problem died in committee in 2016. Color me skeptical of this latest attempt. The inaptly named Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act carries only civil consequences and no criminal penalties for those who chronically disturb our peace and scam our citizens with these calls. Instead, the legislation calls for the Federal Communications Commission to increase fines to up to $10,000 per call, and it allows the FCC to go after intentional violators for up to three years instead of the current one-year window. The proposal also requires adoption of authentication technologies so consumers can have more confidence that incoming calls and texts are from legitimate numbers. And, it brings together the FCC, the Federal Trade Commission, the departments of Justice, Commerce, State and other federal agencies, along with state attorneys general so they can devise ideas to deter and prosecute robocall scammers. Shouldnt they already have been doing that? Federal laws against unwanted calls have been on the books since 1991! This TRACED Act seems to be a big yawn. Upping the fines for robocallers will be meaningless. The Wall Street Journal reports that since 2015 the FCC has ordered bad actors to pay more than $208 million. Guess how much has been collected? Just $6,790. Pathetic. To be fair, the FCC doesnt have the authority it needs to collect from all the violators, so it passes cases to the DOJ where they, apparently, fall into a black hole. I cant understand why anyone would fall for a robocall scam, but they do. And the unscrupulous make so much money from the racket that paying fines is just part of the cost of doing business. Smaller players simply declare bankruptcy and move on, perhaps to start another robocall group. To borrow a phrase from actor Peter Finch in the movie, Network, Im mad as hell and Im not going to take this any more! The other day I counted that of the 12 calls I got on my cell phone, eight were pre-taped messages trying to get money from me. This, even though I long ago joined that toothless Do Not Call registry. I say it is time to get tough with these people. How about attaching criminal penalties to this pending Senate bill? If the culprit running the company is a repeat offender, make the punishment include actual prison time. Dont give up completely on the fines, but dont accept cash. Instead seize the personal property of the boss homes, vehicles or business buildings to satisfy any monetary penalty. Nefarious activity is only stopped when the person at the top has to pay a personal price rather than just write a check. Look, there are good and legal uses for robocalling technology. Calls alerting people to an emergency situation, upcoming appointments, a delayed school opening or a pharmacy refill, for example. Also legal now are those annoying calls from politicians looking for votes which I would gladly do without. Wait a minute. Am I on to something here? Maybe our elected officials lack of definitive action to shut down robocallers stems from the fear of disrupting their own campaign tactics? Hmmm. There were an estimated 26.3 billion robocalls last year, and likely billions more will come this year. Something drastic has to happen! Congress has to find the guts to stamp out this menace. Some phone companies have introduced their own call filtering apps. The premium versions will cost you a recurring monthly fee, usually $2.99, but the apps reliability in blocking spam calls is reported to sometimes be spotty. There are several other independent apps out there, too. But is it fair that we must to take steps to stop the illegal actions of others? We could all run around trying to find ways to block these miserable calls, or Congress could do its job and protect us from them. Seems like a no-brainer to me. www.DianeDimond.com; e-mail to Diane@DianeDimond.com. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal As New Mexico enacted adult guardianship reforms aimed at transparency and accountability last summer, the owner of an Albuquerque fiduciary company allegedly began skimming money from the very people the new law was supposed to protect. But the new guardianship law that took effect last July 1 actually helped uncover the alleged embezzlement scheme and enabled the courts to alert the state Attorney Generals Office, which launched an investigation of Guardian Angels Representative Payee Services, said state Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon. A state grand jury indicted the companys CEO, Pamela Crumpler, on criminal charges last month. Before last years reforms, If I saw a problem, there was no path (in the law) that would really allow me to report that to law enforcement, said Bacon, a former state district judge in Albuquerque. Now the system is no longer so sequestered that judges cant report problems to law enforcement. she said in a recent interview. Now its a much easier path. Less than a year old, the new guardianship law is having great effect, Bacon told legislators recently. On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 395 to further bolster the reforms. During a news conference Friday at the Roundhouse, Lujan Grisham said, I wish wed done a little more on guardianships. But SB 395 contains many reforms, including requiring certification and training of professional guardians and conservators and setting up of a standardized grievance process for complaints about the treatment or welfare of incapacitated people living under court-imposed guardianship or conservatorship. The new measures were recommended by a steering committee of legislators, judges and the executive branch. This is the next logical step in the guardianship and conservatorship reform statewide, Bacon said. The judiciary still cant say how many incapacitated people, who need someone to manage their affairs, are currently under guardianship or conservatorship. District courts around the state are still sifting through their case files to weed out those in which the protected person has died, moved or no longer needs court protection. Also working under the legislation passed last year, the State Auditors Office is examining annual reports that guardians and conservators file with the courts on the status of a protected person, and few red flags have pointed to exploitation or mismanagement, Bacon said. But there has been underreporting of income and then there have been problems with how folks have been reporting, Bacon said. Beginning with an investigative report in late 2016, the Journal has detailed how weaknesses in the states adult guardianship/conservatorship system have left vulnerable, incapacitated people open to abuse and exploitation. The push for reform was further fueled by the federal indictment in the summer of 2017 of the two principals of a large Albuquerque guardianship and fiduciary firm, Ayudando Guardians. That same summer, the CEO of an Albuquerque conservatorship and financial firm, Desert State Life Management, was discovered to have embezzled more than $4 million from vulnerable clients. Both firms closed. Desert State CEO Paul Donisthorpe is serving a 12-year prison sentence, and the Ayudando defendants are set for trial later this year on charges of bilking about $4 million mostly from military veterans who were clients. At a March 12 hearing on the latest reform initiative, House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, asked Bacon, Do you have provisions now where you believe you can prevent the abuse that occurred by the corporate guardian (Ayudando)? Bacon responded that the new law has added transparency and accountability in several ways. She told the committee that new reporting forms required of guardians and conservators beginning last July are far more detailed and are actually auditable. The number of pages for guardian reports went from two to 20 under last years changes. Bacon cited the more stringent reporting in explaining to legislators how she discovered what she believed was skimming from client accounts by the Guardian Angels firm. Last week, Bacon told the Journal that after new, more detailed annual reports were required, a court-appointed professional guardian was sifting through all kinds of information to make sure she was up to speed on a particular client. Thats when the guardian noticed that a clients bank account had been transferred from Ayudando to Guardian Angels by the U.S. Marshals Service, which oversaw the closure of Ayudando and reassignment of 1,400 clients to other firms and guardians. Ayudando, while providing both guardianship and conservatorship services, had also served as a representative payee for some clients, overseeing the regular Social Security or Veterans Affairs benefits received and paying client bills each month. (In some cases, the guardian or family member performs representative payee duties, but other times a private company is appointed and charges a fee for its services.) Bacon said the professional guardian noticed that Guardian Angels, as the representative payee, had moved a clients funds from one bank to another, and saw that the $200 promotional bonus for opening the new account had been withdrawn by Guardian Angels. After more digging, the professional guardian alerted Bacons office and a hearing was held, which Crumpler attended. As the hearing progressed, Bacon said, she ultimately felt compelled to read Crumpler her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. I had this very good sense that this was a bigger problem, and so other judges started seeing the same thing and having hearings, Bacon said. So I reported it to the AGs Office, and the AG ran with it. Crumpler was charged March 12 with a second-degree felony of embezzlement and tampering with evidence stemming from nearly $50,000 in transfers she allegedly made from client accounts, beginning in June 2018 and continuing through November. According to the AGs Office, Crumpler opened new accounts for 247 clients, withdrew the $200 bonus and placed it in her own account. She is alleged to have put the money back into the clients accounts to avoid being caught. Bacon said last years law relaxed the traditional confidentiality imposed in guardian and conservator cases to give judges the discretion to allow access to a protected persons case information, if warranted. It goes all the way back to the changes that we made and that there was a responsible corporate guardian who was able to access more records and ask questions. Typically, the courts arent involved in appointing representative payees. That is left up to federal agencies. Waiver of liability Another reform in the latest law bars conservators from requiring a waiver of liability before heirs to an estate can receive an inheritance or a share of assets. With some regularity, we saw two different things were happening, Bacon said. One, the conservator was holding hostage funds (heirs were waiting for) and saying, youre going to sign a release (of liability). Or, the conservator was asking an incapacitated person to sign a release. Well, they (the protected person) dont have (mental) capacity. The conservators, she said, were using that to walk away from any perceived liability. Now, such waivers are null and void in future cases. State Sen. James White, R-Albuquerque, who sponsored the legislation along with state Rep. Daymon Ely, D-Corrales, said of the new reforms, I think weve raised the level of attention to this. Hopefully, we closed all the loopholes, but you never know. Some guardianship reforms contained in Senate Bill 395: Permits judges to appoint court investigators to conduct on-site reviews every 10 years to assess the protected persons status and continued need for a guardianship. Requires a lawyer appointed for the alleged incapacitated person, a guardian ad litem, to submit a written recommendations to the judge before a hearing on whether to grant a guardianship or conservatorship, thus allowing additional time for review. Specifies the type of document, such as a will, a person can use to designate choice of guardian or conservator if he or she becomes incapacitated in the future. Health care. Its a hot-button topic across the United States. In New Mexico, rural health care is a big issue as alcohol and drug addiction rank high in the maladies providers treat. Three New Mexico-based health care providers will be in the national spotlight when the Independent Lens documentary, The Providers, premieres at 9 p.m. Monday on PBS. The documentary was filmed over the course of two years by Laura Green and Anna Moot-Levin. The filmmaking duo cast a nationwide net to tell the story of rural health care in the United States. After dozens of calls and feelers, the duo found their story in New Mexico. The lead characters are Matt Probst, Dr. Leslie Hayes and Chris Ruge. Probst is a physician assistant and medical director of El Centro Family Health, which serves northern New Mexico. Hayes is a family physician and Ruge is a nurse practitioner. We kind of talked to between 50-60 rural health practitioners and wanted to represent the issue and personal stories, Green said. We got on the phone with Matt Probst from El Centro. His passion and his vision were what drew us to him. Hes an in the trenches guy. He uses his position as a much bigger fight and hes the person that brought the story to life. The Providers documents the lives of the three, who serve the people in rural areas around the city of Las Vegas, N.M. In addition to being a physician assistant, Matt Probst is a leader and inspires a team of health care practitioners who serve a rural community of people who would otherwise lack access. Probst is a New Mexico native and grew up in the Pojoaque Valley. He graduated with honors from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2003. After graduation, he knew he always wanted to move back to rural New Mexico and give back. This community, its so much a part of who I am. I cant separate myself from it, Probst said. I couldve done a lot of different things besides medicine. I could make a lot of money, live wherever I want. But, I cant turn my back. Over the course of the film, the three providers remain unfailingly compassionate despite a range of challenges from the system to their patients, and sometimes even their own families. Hayes believes it is critical for primary care doctors to treat patients who use opioids as part of their regular practice. When other physicians dont want those people in their medical center, she says, theyre already in your waiting room youre just not identifying and treating them. Probst is coping with a physician shortage and has begun training physician assistants to be the new front line of medical care. His own background includes two family members who have struggled with addiction his father and sister. With it being a documentary, it gets into my personal life, Probst said. In hindsight, in some ways, I was the patient living through hardships. I dont know if I would have let them in for the story. My life was tough at the time of filming. My struggles became part of the story. The pain that Ive experienced, Im hoping that by sharing the story my family and community will see it and be able to save many lives. Ruge is part of a special program that allows him to visit the homes of the most marginalized patients, and he believes his relationship with them is making a difference. The job offers me the opportunity to actually be walking alongside patients and helping them find the door, Ruge said. Some people you need to open the door just once. Other people its months and years. If you open enough doors they will walk through that door with you. Green and Moot-Levin traveled to New Mexico for over two years to film the documentary. Production was done over the course of 120 days. Probst is ready to take the conversation to a national level with the premiere of the documentary. The knowledge is at our fingertips, Probst said. Everything in our community and culture is about helping each other out. Its about learning how to survive and all of that is how Im wired. I say to the students at UNM that rural health care is a battle. You can come out of a rural community, get educated and return to give back to it. I did it and hope that inspires others to follow a similar path. On TV Independent Lens The Providers will premiere at 9 p.m. Monday. The documentary was filmed in New Mexico. Why does it seem like the political equivalent of a Mafia hit job on Joe Biden, who is being whacked before a much-anticipated announcement of his presidential plans? Most people who pay attention to such things have seen Bidens hands-on approach when it comes to women. Not until the last few days when two women have come forward to accuse Biden of inappropriate touching that made them uncomfortable have the major media and Democratic presidential candidates paid much attention to his behavior. That behavior doesnt come close to former President Bill Clintons treatment of women or President Donald Trumps but the fact that many Democratic candidates piled on Biden suggests it was an inside job. Biden spokesman Bill Russo told The Associated Press that right-wing trolls from the dark recesses of the internet are responsible for conflating images of Biden embracing, touching and sometimes kissing women on the cheeks or the back of their heads during swearing-in ceremonies when he was vice president. Some of those he touched have issued statements saying they never felt uncomfortable in Bidens presence. In a statement from his office, Biden says he meant no harm to anyone, but his female accusers should speak and be heard and he will be among those who listen. That wont be enough for those who want him out of the race before he gets in. In the #MeToo era, his actions wont be permitted, although a double standard exists when it comes to other politicians accused of inappropriate behavior. Two women have publicly accused Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax of Virginia of being forced to have sex with him. Appearing on CBS This Morning, Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson told their stories to Gayle King. Watson called Fairfax a predator and described how he forced her to perform oral sex on him during the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. She admits going to his hotel room and willingly kissing him, but then, she said, he went further against her wishes. Fairfax has vehemently denied their accusations and claims the sex was consensual. His office says he passed a polygraph test. Biden has not been accused of the things Fairfax or Clinton have been accused of by numerous women, one of whom alleges that Clinton raped her. Biden is more experienced than any of the announced Democratic presidential candidates, which may be why the others want to derail his potential candidacy. It would be helpful to our political dialogue if a standard existed for what is to be tolerated and what is not when it comes to relations between men and women in political life, and then to see it equally applied. By todays standards, a series of pictures on the internet of Biden hugging, touching, squeezing and kissing women and even young girls looks creepy. He says it merely reflects his affectionate side. Someone should ask Clinton and even Trump what they think. Their answers would be interesting. If Biden announces for president, the conversation and debate over what is permitted and what is not will only grow. Im betting that Biden will choose not to run. If he does, these allegations by the two women are likely to cause donors to look elsewhere and convention delegates to do the same. E-mail tcaeditors@tribpub.com. 2019 Tribune Content Agency LLC. No parent should have to choose between their child attending school or access to needed medication. But for New Mexico parents whose children need medical cannabis oil, its a choice theyve had to make. Until now. Under bipartisan legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico students with prescriptions will now be allowed to take specific forms of medical marijuana such as oils, tinctures and edibles on school grounds with district approval. It has been a long time coming. More than a decade has passed since the outset of New Mexicos compassionate care medical marijuana program, when lawmakers defied federal law and approved cannabis as an acceptable medical remedy for a number of ailments. Some children with rare or severe medical issues have found relief only in prescribed cannabis oil. Yet until this week state law effectively kept kids from getting the medicine they need during school hours. Plenty of safety rules are written into Senate Bills 406 and 204, two measures with similar language that were both approved by Lujan Grisham this week. Proof of the childs prescription and other documentation as required by local boards or charters will be required up front, along with a written treatment plan. Vaping and inhalants are not allowed, the administration of the medicine cant interfere with the educational environment, and the medicine must be administered by school personnel or a parent/guardian. If a school district or charter chooses not to allow on-campus cannabis by asserting it would lose federal funding as a result, parents can appeal. And unless and until the federal government starts withholding funding for allowing specific forms of medical marijuana on campus, districts should put the health and comfort of their students first. Adding opioid addiction to conditions Meanwhile, the state Medical Cannabis Advisory Board has recommended for the third year in a row that opioid addiction be added as a qualifying diagnosis for access to medical marijuana, a decision Department of Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel is expected to make soon. That addition cant come quickly enough. We have so few weapons at our disposal in the fight against opioid addiction, and we know now that marijuana has been successfully used to treat the excruciating process of opioid withdrawal and dependence recovery. New Mexico legalized medical marijuana to alleviate the pain, nausea and other symptoms of some of the states most vulnerable residents. And New Mexico routinely ranks in the top states for opioid overdose deaths. The February Consumer Reports included that growing research suggests that CBD may help ease pain, seizures, and anxiety. Yet unlike cannabis other well-known compound, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD does not get people high. It went on to state that CBD may help some wean off addictive pain medications and cited New Jerseys commissioner of Public Health, who referred to studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that in states where people could legally use marijuana, the number of filled opioid prescriptions dropped significantly, and there were lower rates of opioid overdose and death, compared with states without legal cannabis. Growing research shows that medical marijuana mitigates the symptoms of opiate withdrawal and helps addicts step down their drug use; the state should add this use to qualifying conditions. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A former New Mexico prison inmate was awarded a $2 million verdict in a lawsuit he filed against the state Corrections Department for being left in a hot prison transport van in July 2013. A federal jury ruled in favor of 36-year-old Isaha Casias on Thursday after a four-day trial in Roswell. Casias filed a state court lawsuit against the department and corrections officers Taracina Morgan and Herman Gonzales in October 2015, but the case was later moved to federal court. The jury awarded Casias $1 million in compensatory damages and another $500,000 in punitive damages against each of the two officers. The lawsuit says that the officers held Casias and 10 other inmates in a van outside the Penitentiary of New Mexico south of Santa Fe on a hot summer day for about 45 minutes to an hour as part of a transport trip that also included the Los Lunas state prison on the way to the lockup at Hobbs. Some of the inmates passed out, including Casias, and the suit says some of the prisoners thought they were going to die. One inmate said he felt like he literally began to cook, according to the lawsuit. Casias said in a phone interview Friday that reliving the incident during trial was traumatizing, but that hes happy with the result. It was the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life, Casias said. There are no words to express how horrible it was. Casias was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon in 2013 and was released in August 2014. The lawsuit says Casias fell out of the van while unconscious when an officer opened a van door and hit his head on a bumper. Casias attorney, Matthew Coyte, said prisoners in New Mexico are mistreated on a daily basis while being transported. I think this is an important case that sheds light on the horrors that take place on these transport rides in New Mexico, Coyte said in an interview Friday. Corrections Department spokeswoman Ashley Espinoza said Morgan is still employed with the department and that Gonzales retired in October. She did not provide any additional comment on the case. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Escorted by FBI agents from Morocco to face federal child sex abuse charges last September, former Albuquerque Catholic pastor Arthur Perrault made a startling admission he said he had sexually molested a boy a half century earlier. And he recalled his name. In addition to that testimony from a now-retired FBI supervisor on Friday, federal prosecutors in Perraults jury trial introduced a handwritten letter Perrault wrote to the King of Morocco seeking permission to stay in that country rather than return to the U.S. for prosecution. The letter stated, in part, even though one is innocent until proven guilty, lying to the FBI is a felony. Therefore, Perrault wrote, he would have to admit to molesting teens 50 years ago. FBI agents found the letter in Perraults belongings, which Moroccan authorities confiscated when they arrested him on a warrant stemming from the multi-count federal indictment in New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland Kastrin told the jury Friday that Perrault was cooperative (with the FBI agents) but wasnt entirely truthful. He is charged with the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old altar boy on federal property at Kirtland Air Force Base and Santa Fe National Cemetery from 1991 to 1992. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison. Perrault told agents on the plane trip he didnt perform funerals at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, when records show otherwise, Kastrin said. He also gave FBI agents an earlier time frame as to when he had access to Kirtland Air Force Base as a chaplain than what military records show, she said. And while Perrault mentioned the name of an altar boy who he abused 50 years ago, he never admitted to molesting the altar boy identified as John Doe No. 1 in the federal indictment. Both former altar boys, now adults ranging from 38 to 60 years old, testified against him this week in U.S. District Court in Santa Fe. Perrault also asked the FBI agents about the statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual abuse criminally, Kastrin told the jury. Perrault relocated to Morocco sometime after he abruptly left Albuquerques St. Bernadette parish in the fall of 1992. At the time, testimony showed this week, newspaper and TV reporters were trying to interview him about allegations that he sexually abused altar boys. In Tangier, he taught at an American school. Testimony about Perraults statements on the plane trip from Morocco to Albuquerque came from retired FBI supervisor Ben Bourgeois, who was the final prosecution witness in the trial that began Tuesday. Testimony resumes Monday with Perraults court-appointed attorney presenting his defense. Deputies say a fight between two men outside a taco truck Thursday led to one of them being gunned down in his driveway in the South Valley a few hours later. Deputies say a fight between two men outside a taco truck Thursday led to one of them being gunned down in their driveway a few hours later in a Southwest Albuquerque neighborhood. Raymond Aragon, 57, has been accused of the shooting. He and Angelo Vigil, 23, now face murder, stolen vehicle, tampering with evidence and other charges in the death of Carlos Armijo, 42. Both were booked into the county jail. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office deputies found Armijos body in the driveway of his home in the 2800 block of Gun Club SW, east of Coors, around 7 a.m. Friday. He had been shot several times and there was a handgun next to him. Neighbors reported that several gunshots rang out around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, which was nothing new, but a vehicle was seen fleeing afterward. A friend of Armijo told deputies they were at a taco truck off Coors Thursday when Aragon walked up and hit Armijo in the face, starting a fight in the parking lot. Deputies say Armijo and his friend saw Aragon walking in the Valley Gardens neighborhood afterward and Armijo pulled over and got into another fight with him. Aragons girlfriend told deputies he knew Armijo for years and didnt like him. At Aragons home, deputies found Vigil in a stolen car that matched the one seen leaving Armijos home after the shooting. Initially, he provided a false story and eventually agreed to be truthful, a detective wrote. Vigil told deputies Aragon showed up beaten up and bleeding Thursday night and had him drive by Armijos house several times to fight one-on-one. Deputies say Vigil told them when Armijo came out, Aragon pulled a rifle and shot him several times. When deputies caught up with Aragon, he told them about fighting with Armijo but denied shooting him. However, detectives asked (Aragon) what he was thinking or feeling before he pulled the trigger he made an utterance that he was thinking about how he got his ass kicked, a detective wrote. The Barker family was settling into their Airbnb in Cork, Ireland, another stop on their 14-month trek around Europe, when they discovered something disturbing. On the ceiling in the living room, hidden inside a detector, was a camera. We have encountered lots of weird and wonderful things and like to think we take most things in our stride, Nealie Barker told New Zealands Stuff. However this was shocking. The family, residents of New Zealand, said it confronted the homeowner and complained to Airbnb, setting off a monthlong saga with the company that has drawn international attention. Just this week, after 33 days and stays from 10 other unsuspecting guests, Airbnb removed the listing and problematic host, Barker wrote on Facebook. The safety and privacy of our community is our priority, Airbnb said in a statement Saturday. Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously. We have removed the host from our platform. Our original handling of this incident did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves, and we have apologized to the family and fully refunded their stay. There have been over half a billion guest arrivals in Airbnb listings to date and negative incidents are incredibly rare. The Barkers, a crew of two adults and five children, only found the camera because Nealie Barkers husband, Andrew, works in IT. He connected his phone to the WiFi network and noticed a device labeled IP camera, Stuff reported. He scanned that devices ports and found the live video feed, Nealie Barker told Stuff. We were all watching ourselves on his mobile phone. Next, Andrew Barker called the owner to ask what the fudge sticks was going on, Nealie Barker wrote on the family blog. The host hung up, Barker told CNN. He later called back and said there was only one camera in the home, the one the family had already discovered. We didnt feel relieved by that, Barker told CNN. There is no way to know whether the camera was recording, she told Stuff. We asked the host but he refused to answer. We also asked if it was recording audio, again he refused to answer. The family relocated to a hotel and notified Airbnb the next day, but the investigation the company promised did not meet their expectations, Barker said in her Facebook post. Two weeks later, Barker wrote that the company had exonerated the host and returned the listing online. Barker claims Airbnb did not permanently ban the alleged bad actor until the family reported the incident on social media. She told Stuff the investigation process was hopeless and involved a total lack of transparency. In her Facebook post, Barker called on Airbnb to better vet hosts, to improve transparency around investigations and to adopt a no-tolerance policy around hidden cameras. According to its standards and expectations, Airbnb requires that hosts disclose all rules for electronic surveillance devices in their listings. Additionally, devices are banned in private areas such as bathrooms and bedrooms, even if they are disclosed. Hosts must disclose to guests if they are actively recording, according to the rules. If they do not, or if guests are informed after they book the listing, Airbnb permits cancellations and refunds. The policy states that Airbnb hosts might face cancellation penalties. In 2018, Airbnb added another feature to bookings. If hosts indicate there are cameras on site, the feature flags their location and prompts guests to click an agree box ensuring theyve been alerted to the recording devices, the Atlantic reported last month. In its reporting into Airbnbs camera policies, the Atlantic said, four guests who found cameras in their rentals told The Atlantic the company has inconsistently applied its own rules when investigating their claims. The company told the Atlantic that it tries to filter out predatory hosts by matching their names against sex-offender and felony databases. If a guest flags a problem, the company said, new accommodations are provided and an investigation is opened. An Airbnb representative told the Atlantic that they take reports of privacy violations very seriously. In interviews, the Barker family has made clear that they love the service Airbnb provides and plan to continue using the platform to book accommodations on their travels. When they spoke to CNN this week, the family had moved beyond Ireland and were adventuring in Budapest. But Nealie Barker told CNN theyve become much more cautious. Her husband wrote a post on their travel blog with instructions for finding hidden monitoring devices. We think people need to realize that the travel market is largely unregulated and if you would take issue with being filmed, then you need to take all steps properly, Nealie Barker told CNN. 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. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? 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. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. -CAL FIRE investigators have released the cause of the Wall Fire, which destroyed 41 homes in southeast Butte County in 2017. The fire was determined to have been started by a defective electrical panel at a home on Chinese Wall Road, north of Bangor. The Wall Fire was first reported on July 7, 2017. It ultimately burned 6,033 acres and destroyed or damaged another 57 structures before being contained on July 15. The Wall Fire was the first of four major destructive fires in Butte County in 2017, said Unit Chief David Hawks. We hope valuable lessons were learned by this fire and remind residents to keep electrical and other ignition sources in good repair and clear of flammable materials and vegetation. SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) - The Trump administration wants up to two years to find potentially thousands of children who were separated from their families at the border before a judge halted the practice last year. The Justice Department said in a court filing late Friday in San Diego that it will take at least a year to review the cases of 47,000 unaccompanied children. The American Civil Liberties Union says it strongly opposes a plan that could take two years. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press) Butte County, Calif. - Saturday, April 6, 2019 is California Drowsy Driving Awareness Day. It's intended to draw attention to and make people more aware of the dangers of drowsy driving. Rod and Mary Cassidy, who lived in Paradise prior to losing their home to the Camp Fire, are on a quest to get the word out because their 19 year old daughter Cassidy was killed in a head-on collision on the Skyway in December of 2014, caused by a driver who was sleepy and lost control of his car. The Cassidys have founded the Brianna Cassidy Wings of Passion Foundation in their daughter's memory to help combat drowsy driving. They say it's a problem that gets very little attention, and they had to create their own education materials like brochures and wristbands because none existed. They are availablel to present to schools and service clubs and they encourage people to reach out. They have also partnered with Kohl's Department Store in Chico. Saturday, April 6th Kohl's will distribute educational materials and offer coupons to shoppers to help get the word out. Brianna Cassidy worked for Kohl's. The Cassidys have also worked hard to get guard rails approved for the stretch of the Skyway near Lookout Point where their daughter died. On April 19th they will meet with Engineeers about the design. To learn more you can visit the Wings of Passion Foundation at www.briannacassidy.com. You can also contact Rod and Mary Cassidy by email at briannamcassidy@gmail.com. CHICO, Calif. -Chico State is hosting its annual Choose Chico event on Saturday for prospective students. More than 3,000 students and their families will be in town to visit the University. The event includes an open house of the campus in advance of the Fall semester. The event starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, with tours of the campus. Updated 10:14 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020 - A film premiere of the docuentary "Voices of the Golden Ghosts" will be shown on Vimeo, along with an opportunity for conversation with producers, researchers, and actors. CLICK HERE to watch the documentary for free through November 14, 2020. CLICK HERE to register for the online conversation, which will be held Nov. 14 at 7:00 p.m. The Voices of the Golden Ghosts is a project of Shasta County Arts Council. The organization has been supporting the project since 2018. To date, the research collected and translated into theatrical vignette performances has been presented in front of live audiences at Shasta College Theater, Sons of Italy Hall in Weed, CA and POPS in Dunsmuir, CA. The documentation was also exhibited at Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Museum, winter through spring of 2020. More performances were scheduled in Chico, Oakland and Anderson, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, all of the performances had to be cancelled. Instead, the producers, researchers and participating actors have been working on this video-recorded version of the performances. The project continues its research and recording work, and will also include a book publication. --- Updated 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Apr. 7, 2019 - According to the Shasta County Arts Council, some film was screened at the event on Saturday, but the entire film will not be made until more funding is acquired. CLICK THIS LINK to find the gofundme page with more information about the project. --- Updated 10:08 a.m. Sunday, Apr. 7, 2019 - We have added photos from the Saturday night film screening event to the photo gallery. We will add more as we receive them. --- REDDING, Calif. - This historical documentary film screening event in Redding is hosted by Voices from the Golden Ghosts and the Shasta County Arts Council. It takes place on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Shasta College Theatre. Filmmaker Mark Oliver said history textbooks often flatten the narratives, excluding events and upholding a Eurocentric narrative of what constitutes "history." Oliver's new project, "Voices from the Golden Ghosts," is a new community-driven, multi-disciplinary film about the North State's African-American history during the Gold Rush. By 1852 over 2,000 men of African American descent were in the California gold fields. However, today little is ever mentioned about the free and enslaved black men who lived in the northern California wilderness by pick and shovel, said Oliver. Oliver has collaborated with history professionals and local artists and communities in Redding and Siskiyou County to tell the story of migration and of the experience working in often remote mines. The project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CLICK HERE to visit their website. Mark Oliver PROJECT DIRECTOR Mark has been making art and films for over 40 years. He has received numerous residencies, grants and awards for his films and art and has produced and directed over 7 films and videos while living in the Mount Shasta area since 2000. His 2011 documentary "From the Quarters to Lincoln Heights" won awards both nationally and internationally. Most recently his video "CAVE" was shown at ARTZOND 2018 Festival, St Petersburg, Russia. His work was selected for the West Coast Biennial 2019 at Turtle Bay. He has a MFA from the University of California at San Diego. Tanisha LaRaye ACTOR | CO-DIRECTOR Tinasha LaRaye is an Oklahoma native who identifies as a renaissance artist. This poet, actress, director, filmmaker and former Miss Black Oklahoma is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance and a Master of Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Screenwriting and Directing. Some of her Oklahoma acting credits include Michelle in "Dreamgirls" and Lil Inez in "Hairspray" with Lyric Theatre, Nettie in "The Color Purple" with Poteet Theatre and Mrs. Muller in "Doubt, a Parable" with Carpenter Square Theatre. In Los Angeles, LaRaye originated the role of PFC Linda Baldwin in the World Premiere of "Stand Off at Highway #37" and she was also featured in "Queenie Pie," a Duke Ellington Opera with Long Beach Opera. Her film credits include Jasmine in "Unsolved" and Andrea in "San Andreas Quake." LaRaye is an award-winning, and Heartland Regional Emmy nominated filmmaker for her documentary short, "First & Female." She most recently was nominated for several awards at a California Film Festival, including Best Local Short for her short romantic comedy film, "Punchline." For more information on tickets to Voices of the Golden Ghosts at Shasta College Theater, click here. Forbes India launched its first Forbes India Design Awards to celebrate the brightest design talent in the country and turn the spotlight on Indias design mavericks. The Forbes India Design Awards 2019 were presented at a high-profile evening in Mumbai and were attended by the biggest names from the Indian design industry. The awards recognized and honored an entire spectrum of architectural and interior practices in India that are globally competitive and yet, are in sync with the countrys landscape, climate and environment. They were presented across 11 categories, including conservation & preservation of heritage monuments as well as social impact projects. The winners were chosen by a team of 11 eminent jury members, who have set new benchmarks with their own practices and helped impart a contemporary language to the Indian design industry, while reinterpreting the countrys rich design past in newer, more modern ways. The winners were judged on very relevant criteria such as the sustainability factor embedded in their design, the use of local adaptive material and innovation. Besides awarding established practices chosen by the jury from the submissions received, the Forbes India Design Awards 2019 also assume significance for recognising emerging talent in architecture and interiors. The winners of the Forbes India Design Awards 2019: Best Retail and Hospitality Interiors - FADD Studio for Misu Restaurant Best Institutional Interiors Archohm Consults for The Design Village Best Office Interiors Artha Studio for The New Studio Best Commercial Architecture Dipen Gada & Associates for Sanket India Stapati for Malabar Headquarters Best Group Housing Architecture Seza - Seema Puri And Zarir Mullan Architects And Interior Designers for Pali Palms Best Hospitality Architecture Kumar La Noce for Cardamom Club Best Architecture: Institution/Culture/Public Calm Studio for Apollo Tyres Global R&D Centre Best Architecture: Social Impact Projects Venkataramanan Associates for Church Street Redevelopment Project Best Conservation and Restoration Architecture Spaces Architects@ka for Haveli Dharampura Best House Architecture Malik Architecture for House of Three Streams Artha Studio for A Farmer's Abode By Trend The Russian Federation Council announced that Iran, Russia and Turkey parliaments are to hold a joint meeting to address situation in Syria, Trend reports citing IRNA. The meeting is slated to be held in State Duma on April 10. Konstantin Kasachov, chairman of the Russian Duma's International affairs is to head the Russian delegation and Heshmatollah Falahat Pisheh, Head of the Iranian parliamentary Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy will head the Iranian delegation. The event seems to be held in line with Iran, Russia and Turkey cooperation in the framework of Astana to bring peace and security to Syria. The Astana talks, started in 2017, are an initiative of Iran, Russia and Turkey meant to sort out the eight years of war in Syria through trilateral negotiations. The trio have held 11 rounds of such negotiations so far that have led to important decisions about a peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict. Syria future after US withdrawal, establishing constitution committee, discussing the latest developments in northern Syria, ending humanitarian aids to Syrians were among the most important topics discussed during the 4th round of Sochi meeting between Iran, Russia and Turkey. Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says strong campaign against terrorism and stabilization of security in Syria are the joint objective of Iran, Turkey and Russia. He added the fourth summit was within framework of Astana process and the common goal of Iran, Russia and Turkey is stern campaign against terrorism, restoration of stability and security to Syria, compilation of new constitution and consolidation of a democratic government in the country, return of refugees and reconstruction of Syria. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has rolled out its biggest social activism movement #ActivIndia. Honda is spearheading the mission to create meaningful difference in the society, fuelled by citizen partnership. #ActivIndia ignites every Indian to exercise their most important form of self-expression their right to vote. With lack of transportation often being a hurdle in the worlds biggest democratic process, Honda proposes a fresh solution by asking every two-wheeler rider to pledge that #KoiSeatNaJayeKhali (no seat should go empty). Ensure that your pillion seat doesnt go empty when you ride to vote. Ride with your friend, relative, neighbour, etc., on pillion and ensure every two-wheeler rides two votes to the polling booth! Commenting on Hondas biggest social initiative, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior Vice President, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, As a responsible corporate, Honda has always looked beyond business to contribute in empowering India, be it through our various CSR initiatives or even road safety commitment. After gaining the trust of India, Honda is now sparking positive social change and striving to evolve India into #ActivIndia. Together lets make each citizen socially aware, more responsible and drive the change. Just give a missed call on 9870500111 and support the #ActivIndia movement by taking a pledge to vote. Starting April 6, 2019, the first phase of #ActivIndia campaign triggers duty to vote as the main action for voters. The movement will further deepen public awareness through campaigns across all 6,000 Honda network touchpoints, workplace locations supported by marketing communications across all mediums. While Somali children make up only 6 percent of the student population, they are 25 percent of those in the autism special education program. Harrington pointed out that these kids are also affected with the most severe forms of the disorder. Harrington was also interviewed by Reuters reporter Elizabeth Gorman. In "A mysterious Connection: autism and Minneapolis' Somali children" on July 24, Harrington talked about the role vaccines might play in this crisis. 'They're given more [vaccines] than we get and sometimes they're doubled up. Then their children are given immunizations. In Somalia, their generations have not received these immunizations, and then suddenly they're getting just a wallop of them in the moms and then in the babies. That's certainly a concern that's been expressed to me by the Somali population.' In another part of the Reuter's piece Harrington was quoted saying, 'It's got to be preventable.' August 24, the Minneapolis Star Tribune ran the story by Maura Lerner, "Autism statistics alarm Somalis." Lerner interviewed autism medical expert, Dr. Dan McLellan, who made it clear that this is a serious problem for the Somalis. He said 10 percent of his patients are Somalis. McClellan believes 'there's something up with this,' but he admits he can't explain it. In the same piece, Judy Punyko from the Minnesota Dept. of Health was cited as the head of a newly formed study group that would look into autism in the Somali population. She said, 'We want to understand the numbers. That's my goal,' meaning that they didn't know for sure just how bad the rate is for the Somalis in Minneapolis schools. She further said, 'We have a condition that has no known cause and there is no cure. And people are looking to us to provide them with answers.' On November 15, the public gathered to get those answers. Officials addressed autism in the Somali community with a day-long forum held in south Minneapolis. Representatives from the Minnesota Dept. of Health, the public schools, the Somali community, and various autism groups were in attendance. A handout told the audience, "The primary objective of this Forum is to raise awareness in the Somali community about developmental delays in children with specific emphasis on autism and to engage the community." Among other things, attendees would "learn concrete facts about autism. . . and connect to appropriate screening, assessment, and treatment services." What I found was an attempt by public health officials to downplay the seriousness of the Somali situation and to ignore the demand for answers from the parents of affected children. Most of all, it was used as an opportunity to publicly deny any connection between vaccines and the outbreak of autism among the Somali children in Minneapolis. Dr. Sanne Magnan, Commissioner of the Minnesota Dept. of Health opened the meeting by talking about available services. She then addressed the vaccine issue, making it clear, "There is no association." She cited the CDC website as the official source for the facts about vaccine safety. Next to clear air and water, she told us, vaccines are the greatest modern improvement in health care. She was obviously unwilling to consider the claims of parents who believe vaccines caused their child's autism. She told us, "Those are the facts," which meant of course, that anything challenging her denial was relegated to the opinion category. Magnan called autism a "complex disorder" and she said, "For every complex problem, there's a simple solution-and it's usually wrong." Magnan wasn't available to respond to parents because she had to be at another meeting immediately after her talk. Other education and health experts talked, noting the services provided for children with autism. Among the speakers were three of the same people covered in the Somali-autism news stories back last summer. Anne Harrington was there but she didn't talk about Somalis being over-vaccinated like she did in the Reuters piece from July. Nor did she again say it's preventable. Instead, she talked about the help the schools provide and she made a strange comment about how "reassuring" it was to see that the rise in the autism population in MN was the same as the rest of the country. Dr. McLellan was heard from again in the first panel to present information. His main message didn't sound anything like what he had said in the Tribune. He wasn't concerned that there was 'something up with this.' Instead, he knew all about autism and he wasn't worried. He wasted no time in getting out the message that autism is nothing new. He told us about the "long history of autism' which went back to the 1500's. His position was clear: we've always had kids like this. McLellan noted that 1943 was the beginning of the modern understanding of autism. No longer was autism seen as possession by the devil or as a mental illness. According to the doctor, genes are to blame. "Genes program our brains" as children move from one stage of development to another. He had a generalized definition of autism which was something about kids with autism having "major difficulties with how they cope with life." Only once did vaccines get a mention. McLellan told us that the vaccine schedule has been around since the 1960s and we haven't had any problems. Judy Punyko, epidemiologist for the MDH, was also on one of the panels. She talked again about her big project: a major prevalence study to look into the Somali situation. We were cautioned that this would "not be an incidence study." Punyko has been working all these months to get the numbers from the schools so the MDH could determine if there's been a real increase. This was happening because "last summer there were some concerns" about the number of Somali kids suddenly diagnosed as having autism. The study would find out if there are really more kids or if it just seems that there are. "Are there a lot of Somali kids with autism?" There might be. There might be even lower numbers among the Somalis than the general population. This study would tell us. Punyko warned us that her study wouldn't however tell us what was causing autism. It will also take several months to gather data and determine the results. She advised us that she'd have her findings in March. The person who had the most to say about vaccines and autism was the woman in charge of the vaccine program for the Dept. of Health, Kristen Ehresmann. She's also the mother of a son with autism. She assured parents that she understood their concerns. Ehresmann told us about the life-saving benefits of vaccines. She also noted that next to clean water, nothing has more beneficial for the health of our kids than vaccines. She warned us about kids dying from vaccine-preventable deaths if parents don't vaccinate. She had the answers about vaccine safety. She wanted us to know, "Vaccine safety standards are higher than for any other drug." Many studies are done before vaccines are licensed. Regarding thimerosal in vaccines, she said that it's been used since the 1920's. Most Americans over the age of six received thimerosal in their vaccines and there haven't been any problems. Ehresmann announced that since 2002, no vaccines have contained more than a trace of thimerosal, except for influenza vaccines. Even after thimerosal was removed, autism rates have continued to climb and this is further proof that it's not related to autism, according to Ehresmann. Ehresmann believes it's a coincidence that some children regress into autism following vaccinations. In response to one question about immigrants getting repeated vaccinations upon entering the U.S., she said "It would be okay." When answering a question about thimerosal, Ehresmann made the remark that there's "a small amount of mercury" in thimerosal. In my opinion, the best speaker of the day was in the last panel. Abdulkadir Khalif, father of a three and a half year old year old son with autism, addressed the vaccine controversy. He stated that if autism's always been around, "it's not what I see in my child." He told us about his belief that components of vaccines are the trigger for autism. He received resounding applause when he announced to the crowd that the cause and the cure for autism would be found. (This was something that wasn't said by MDH officials that day. Instead, we were simply told by them that autism is a lifelong disability with no known cause or cure.) During the lunch break, I had the opportunity to sit down with several participants to get their perspective on the day. Two parents, both fluent in English, gave me their opinion. One was the end speaker Adulkadir Khalif. He told me about his son, Abdimalik, who was normally developing, but following routine vaccinations, regressed into autism. His bright, verbal little boy suddenly stopped talking or recognizing his father. Khalif came to this forum with plenty of questions, but he got no answers that day. He told me that there was nothing new in what the speakers had said. He commented that Somalis know how "to Google" for information too. He believes that officials are simply in denial. To get a true picture of what's happening, he said they need to focus on who got sick. Are Somali children who have autism only the ones born in the U.S.? If that's true, then something here is affecting children. Among the parents I talked with was a young mother, Hodan Hassan, who said that officials have to address concerns about the vaccine schedule so kids don't get so many so soon. So far they've only said they "will consider" this action. Later she sent me an email about the day and told me, "It did not go the way I thought it will happen. I know now that we were not even respected." Khalif also wrote to me about his reaction. He told me that the parent panel, where he talked about the link to vaccines, was purposely put at the end. Speakers like Health Commisioner Magnan, pediatrician McClellan, and chief of the immunizations section at the MDH, Ehresman, had all left by that time. To the Somali mother who felt that they weren't shown respect at this forum, I can only say that it's nothing new and it's not because they are a newly arrived immigrant group. I couldn't miss the similarity between how MN health officials are addressing the Somali autism crisis and how the Institute of Medicine reported their findings in 2004 as well as how the CDC handles autism. Minnesota state epidemiologist Punyko is still unable to give us a definitive answer about autism among Somali students but she hopes she'll know something by March. This is what the autism community is used to. The CDC has been counting U.S. children with autism for years and they still don't know if there are more of them or if they're just the result of "better diagnosing" and no real increase at all. When the IOM Report was released in 2004, it gave vaccines a clean bill of health. They have no connection to autism. All the important studies said so. It was supposed to end the controversy, but it's now the most heated issue in medicine. The MDH made a impressive showing for the Somali community. They assured people that vaccines couldn't be the reason that they now had all these disabled children to care for. Officials could talk about services and support groups but that's not why parents came to the meeting. They wanted answers and there were none, just as the IOM Report had nothing worthwhile for parents. Minnesota health officials may think that they've addressed the issue but nothing was settled. What's happening in the Somali community in Minneapolis is happening everywhere and authorities can't continue to pretend that it's not. As a nation, having so many disabled children that no one can explain is a prescription for disaster. As I'm always saying, show us the adults with autism at a rate we see in our children. So far, no one has ever been able to produce the studies on autism among adults. All the officials at the Minneapolis meeting who showed no alarm, no sense of urgency over the reported autism rate of one in every 28 Somali schoolchildren, can't point to a similar rate of autism in Somali adults. That should call all the safety claims into question. That should be scaring everyone at the Minnesota Dept. of Health. -- ANNE DACHEL IS MEDIA EDITOR OF AGE OF AUTISM. For Aiken Department of Public Safety recruits Andrew Anderson and Derek Penvose, the day begins at 5:30 a.m. with stowing away personal belongings and carefully making their beds. "We have a system in play where, if you dont accomplish anything today, if you dont learn anything, at least you come home to a well-made bed," said Capt. Michael Regal of the South Carolina Fire Academy. "Were just setting a standard of discipline this is how we want things done here." Regal is in charge of training recruits like Anderson and Penvose, who will be at the S.C. Fire Academy for a total of eight weeks of training to become firefighters. Anderson, who grew up in North Augusta, joined the armed forces when he turned 18, shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks. "... When I got out it felt like I was missing something in my life, so I joined the public safety office, because I have that community service," Anderson said. "I want to do something bigger for my community, something bigger than myself. Ive always had that kind of mindset and attitude. So when they had the call, I answered it." Penvose, of New Ellenton, previously volunteered with the New Ellenton Fire Department. For him, public service is about helping people and looking forward to the future. His goal is to leave the community a better place than he found it for the next generation. "... Everybody needs help at some point," Penvose said. "You always say its not going to be me, but that day comes and you need somebody to be there, and if nobody decides to step into that place, then whos going to help you when you do need that call? And thats what were here for. Were basically here to help you on your worst day. Its your worst day of your life 9 times out of 10 if youre calling us." During their training, they stay in dorms at the S.C. Fire Academy's 200-acre facility in Columbia. They will train alongside recruits for fire departments and public safety offices all across the state. The facility has many stations powered by gas lines that simulate fires in a variety of situations, even air plane fires. All the water used during practice is drained into a retention pond, recycled and reused for training. "... Around 6 oclock in the morning were raising our flag, rendering our honors to the nation and our great state of South Carolina," said Anderson. "After the honors are rendered we go to the bay and do our morning maintenance cleanup and make sure everything is all nice and pretty and clean." Andrew Anderson "...We wear whatever hat is needed for the time being. So, most of the time we are enforcing the law, running in patrol vehicles. But if a fire call comes down well go run fire calls. If a first responder call comes down, well go do that. Well do what the city needs us to do." Andrew Anderson, ADPS recruit After cleanup comes breakfast, followed by physical training, where the recruits do exercizes such as lifting heavy ladders and dragging water hoses with weights attached to end. "Your bodys wanting to tell you to stop, but you have to mentally...keep going," said Penvose. "Because if you stop, its over. That could be someones life, or your partners life, or your life. Your body might be saying its tired, but that job has got to get done." On Wednesday, the recruits also had their first training session with live fires. They practiced extinguishing simulated structure and vehicle fires. But running suicide laps isn't the most challenging part of their day. For Anderson and Penvose, it's what comes after training that poses a big challenge: classwork. "A lot of people dont realize the fire service is like taking a college-level course," Anderson said. "So when you take this course in this particular program, its eight weeks long. You only probably have about five weeks' worth of classroom time. Youve got to put in a book thats more than about a thousand pages in just five weeks time." Firefighters 040 ADPS recruits Timothy Gilbert, left, with Andrew Anderson and and Derek Penvose, right. For ADPS recruits, the training won't stop with the S.C. Fire Academy. Public Safety officers not only serve as the city's firefighters; they are law enforcement officers, first responders and rescue teams. "... We wear whatever hat is needed for the time being," Anderson said. "So, most of the time we are enforcing the law, running in patrol vehicles. But if a fire call comes down well go run fire calls. If a first responder call comes down, well go do that. Well do what the city needs us to do." The training can be challenging; the job even more so. Public Safety officers face all the risks and dangers of firefighting and law enforcement. It's dangerous an idea that was reinforced that day when a memorial service was held Wednesday out to honor fallen firefighters. "Its just part of the job," Penvose said. "You just have to be mentally prepared. Its a mentally draining job, not only physically, but it can be mentally draining. You just have to wake up and think that hey, something can go wrong today, but Im strong enough mentally to be ready for that ... In my volunteer career Ive had some traumatic experiences ... weve all been through it, so knowing that theres that support group, that family outside of your own family to be there for you, it makes the job a lot easier to prepare for it every day." Anderson also said the public safety service was like a second family. Many of the recruits are veterans like him. They also have some advice for people considering entering public service. "If youve ever had the idea of doing public service, give it a shot," Penvose said. "Its not for everybody, but you never know until you try." 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. Twelve senators introduced legislation on Thursday that would ban the Donald Trump administration from attacking Iran without congressional approval. The bill, introduced by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., with the support of Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., boasts the support of one Republican: Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Why it matters: The bill, which mirrors legislation Udall first introduced in September, marks the latest salvo in the increasingly partisan battle over the future of US Iran policy. The liberal lobbying group J Street immediately endorsed the legislation, arguing that the Trump administrations destructive approach is alienating key US allies and courting disaster. The bill is unlikely to gain much bipartisan support, given that Udall and Durbin accused the Trump administration of agitating for war with Iran in a Washington Post op-ed last month. With Democrats in control of the House, however, it could pass at least one chamber of Congress and spark a debate over Iran policy ahead of the 2020 elections. While Iran is no innocent actor, the Trump administrations policies and pronouncements have only increased tensions in the region, the senators wrote. Ever since President Trump churlishly withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, the president has engaged in saber-rattling rhetoric meant to accelerate hostility. Indeed, the US administration has hinted at more sanctions ahead of the first anniversary of its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. And this week the State Department also revealed that the United States deems Iran responsible for 603 or 17% of all American deaths during the invasion of Iraq, adding to the popular opprobrium against Tehran. Republicans are also hitting back. Shortly before Congress passed a resolution directing Trump to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition against Yemens Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee derided the legislation as pro-Iran. Meanwhile, Iran hawks who are worried that a Democratic president could unravel Trumps sanctions are also taking action. This week, Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the hawkish Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed calling on the Trump administration to build a sanctions wall to safeguard them. He also called on the administration to step up sanctions against Irans Central Bank and designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Politically, it would be hard to make the case for dismantling these sanctions, since all evidence points to Tehrans wrongdoing, wrote Dubowitz. If blocked from delivering sanctions relief to Iran, the next administration would have little choice but to wield US economic leverage and negotiate a follow-on agreement that addresses the fundamental flaws of the [nuclear deal]. Whats next: Look to Democrats running in 2020 to come under increasing pressure to take a stance on Iran and whether to reenter the nuclear deal, and under what conditions. Know More: Read Congressional correspondent Bryant Harris story on which Democratic candidates are ready to reenter the deal. -Bryant Harris In the 40 years since Irans Islamic Revolution, consecutive Iranian governments have pursued social justice as a key policy principle. The distribution of so-called justice shares, beginning almost 12 years ago, is one such example of a populist policy that had been promised to underprivileged Iranians under mass privatization programs. The aim of the justice share program was to distribute stocks of state-owned enterprises that could yield dividends to millions of poverty-stricken families. Although some meager dividends have been paid to justice share owners, those who subscribed to the scheme are not yet the direct shareholders, as initially intended. This is chiefly due to the programs multiple inherent complexities, including legal, technical and operational impediments. According to data posted on the Justice Shares Information Center website, more than 47 million Iranians own justice shares. The number of state-owned enterprises that were supposed to be privatized under the justice share program is now 49, down from 60. These enterprises are valued at almost 918 trillion rials ($21.8 billion). However, most of them are not currently profit-making and consequently do not pay dividends. Had the justice share scheme not been ill-devised from its early stages, such shares could have been utilized as a security in the Tehran Stock Exchange for trading and investment. But since non-economic incentives were behind the implementation of the program, justice shares are not yet tradable. Interestingly, the head of the Securities and Exchange Organization recently announced that exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will eventually enable the trading of justice shares on the Tehran Stock Exchange. But this raises questions about who will assume ownership of the preferred units of the ETFs; e.g., will government-affiliated agencies continue to manage the ETFs and exert their influence in order to retain their majority voting rights in the ETFs underlying assets? According to Article 44 of Irans Constitution, and specifically its section six, which pertains to the distribution of justice shares, direct state involvement in ownership or management of its underlying assets is prohibited. However, it appears that the government has been negligent of its obligations under the law, which clearly objects to state dominance over the economy and rather favors privatization. Mindful that the ultimate goal of privatization is to increase efficiency, productivity and create sustainable employment, the outcome of the justice share program thus far has proved to be the contrary. Appropriate privatization encourages investment of natural or non-state legal persons in economic projects or entities and allows them majority shareholding to control relevant enterprises. In contrast, transferring ownership of companies while government control remains does not constitute real privatization, but rather a simple ownership transfer. The latter has been common practice concerning privatization in Iran over the past decade. In Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union namely, countries that opted for coupon privatization the authorities wrongfully considered the key to improving economic conditions to be change of ownership. The Chinese, however, chose to focus on improving healthy competition as the solution to economic expansion. The ultimate outcome of these policies is clear: an absolute disaster for the former Soviet Union, while China has undergone an economic miracle in past decades. The Chinese cut back barriers to private sector participation in the economy, improved the business environment and finally provided a platform for the growth of the private sector. Thus, they reduced the state's share of the economy and unveiled a new form of a non-state economy. On the contrary, Russia and its satellites began to privatize their economies, supposedly transferring ownership of state-owned firms to ordinary citizens. But, in fact, elites hijacked public property in the guise of private sector management. Their political networks tied up with wealth accumulated after the privatizations only reinforced their monopolies and restricted competition. Against this backdrop, the supervisory and executive bodies established under the justice share scheme in Iran appear to have been abused by relevant trustees or administrators for their own personal advantages in past years. Indeed, these underperforming institutions have been converted to platforms for the membership of government officials or their close circles in boards of directors of the enterprises subject to privatization programs. For instance, according to parliamentarian Mohammad Reza Pourebrahimi, head of parliaments economic commission, the justice share scheme is effectively controlled by a 250-member mafia that is not held to account for its actions, he told the state broadcaster in December 2016. This mafia is said to manage enterprises in the justice shares portfolio. Pourebrahimi alleged that part of the corruption in these enterprises ironically emanates from lack of oversight of the entity tasked with overseeing the whole scheme in the first place. As such, the distribution of justice shares has severely impeded genuine privatization of state-owned enterprises while also failing to transfer equity to holders of such shares. Mindful of the latter, it is clear that if the ownership of enterprises is changed while barriers to real privatization remain in place, it will only result in a situation in which fair and healthy competition is obscured in the Iranian economy. Under such circumstances, more monopolization and downward competition awaits the business climate in the aftermath of the implementation of the justice share scheme. This condition makes a transition to an open economy even more difficult and adds to the complexity of the already troublesome economic issues in Iran. The UAE is a unique model of the emerging industrial power that is inspired by the values of innovation and global prosperity and seeks to devote it to both local and global levels, according to Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry. This came during the UAE's participation in Hannover Messe 2019 exhibition in Germany - one of the largest industrial exhibitions in the world - under the leadership of Al Mazrouie. He pointed out that the UAE regarded global partnerships as the best way to build a global industrial economy that guaranteed the achievement of comprehensive and sustainable industrial development. The UAE Minister attended the opening ceremony in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivered the official speech along with other words delivered by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, as well as a number of leaders of German and international industrial sector. Roughly 6,500 exhibitors from around the world presented solutions for the future of manufacturing and energy supply, including more than 500 examples of the deployment of artificial intelligence in industrial manufacturing, 5G applications, and solutions for the energy and mobility transitions. Leading robot manufacturers and robotics startups demonstrated real-world applications for all industry sectors. With 160 exhibiting companies, Partner Country Sweden stood out as a high-tech nation. On the sidelines of the exhibition, Al Mazrouei participated in a panel discussion organised by the Global Manufacturing & Industrialisation Summit attended by Li Yong, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido), in the presence of more than 200 global industry leaders. He also affirmed the UAE's move towards establishing its position as the capital of the global movement for the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, benefiting from the vision of its leadership and its national companies, which have been able to take a prominent place in the global value chains of the most advanced industries worldwide. He pointed out that the UAE seeks to add a unique value to the global industrial sector by dedicating the international industry's commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that all countries in the world have the opportunity to build a comprehensive and sustainable industrial sector based on a global partnership. Al Mazrouei also met Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the UAE and Germany in the industry fields and strengthening the role of SMEs in the industrial sector. He later held a meeting with Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade & Industry of Singapore, and discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation in innovation, research, and development. During the expo, he visited several pavilions of national and international companies in the industry, automation, digital transformation, as well as small and medium innovation companies.-TradeArabia News Service The Arab Israeli rapper Tamer Nafar released a new song on April 4, five days before Israelis head to the polls. Called Nafar hopes the song, Tamer Must Vote, will get Arab voters to surge to the polls. Either we vote / Or end up/ Outside of the homeland, he sings. In October 2016, Culture Minister Miri Regev had demanded the cancellation of an appearance by Nafar at the Haifa Festival on the ground that he rejects Israel as the state of the Jewish people. The month before, she had boycotted an appearance because he would sing lines from a song by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. In the new song, Nafar highlights the issues Arab voters are deliberating in considering whether to boycott the election: Did they deal with poverty? Did they bring us schools and jobs? After all, we only see them out there during elections. Why should I lose a day's work? I voted last time and it fell apart. He then asserts, For my brothers and sisters in '67, I'm going to vote. For the March of Return, I'm going to vote. It doesn't make sense for me to give up a tool when I hardly have any tools. For all the refugees, Im going to vote. For domestic violence victims, Im going to vote so that I can sing for those who boycott me instead of talking to them on the transfer trucks. Nafar also suggests getting revenge on former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who introduced legislation in 2015 to raise the vote threshold with the intent of preventing the Arab parties from entering the Knesset. As it turns out, that move could now backfire on Liberman. According to many of the latest polls, Libermans Yisrael Beitenu wont pass the vote threshold. If our vote can help send Bibi to jail and throw Liberman out of the Knesset then it's already worth voting, Nafar sings. The irony of fate is that the same Liberman who views Arab Israelis as a fifth column, who has based his campaigns on efforts against them and who has demanded their annexation to a future Palestinian state is now asking for their vote. To that end, the number four member on his party list, former Foreign Ministry official Eli Avidar, who speaks fluent Arabic in Egyptian dialect, appears in a video that can only be described as opportunistic. Who are you going to vote for? he asks Arab voters in Arabic. [Taal party leader] Ahmad Tibi, who dismantled the Joint List and is now working for the Palestinian Authority? Would you vote for Balad and the Islamic Movement? You wouldnt be voting for them but for Qatari money. Avidar then recounts additional reasons why Israeli-Arabs shouldnt vote for any Arab or Jewish party, since all of them threw them to the dogs. He then suggests why they should consider voting for Yisrael Beitenu. Im Jewish, Im Israeli, and according to the philosopher Michel Aflaq [a founder of the Syrian Baath Party], Im also Arab, he asserts. Yisrael Beitenus call for Arabs to vote for it is delusional, but Liberman's party isn't the only one in search of Arab votes. It seems that all of the Zionist parties have suddenly discovered that some 16% of the voter roll is Arab. About half of those do not intend to vote, according to an internal poll by the Hadash-Taal. Arab voters are disappointed about the dismantling of the Joint List. That said, they are also disappointed with the party having failed to improve their economic and social status after hopes were raised in 2015. Instead, incitement against Arabs has increased, and the Nationality Law was passed, codifying the Jewish identity of Israel and designating non-Jews as second-class citizens. None of this, however, has deterred the Zionist parties from asking for their votes, perhaps because a Statnet poll showed that 27% of Arab voters, representing 150,000 votes, intend to or are considering voting for a Zionist party. The Labor Party claims that it has identified a potential 150,000 Arab votes for itself. Its hard to tell where these numbers came from, however, since the party chair Avi Gabbay showed former Knesset member Zouhir Bahloul the door, and Labors current lineup has a Druze representative 17th on its list (Saleh Saad) and a Muslim in the 23rd position (Ahsan Halailah). According to polls, neither will make it into the Knesset because they are too far down the list. Labor formerly a member of the Zionist Camp, a name that drove away Arab voters in the previous election hasnt done a thing during the last Knesset term to show Arabs that its acting on their behalf. Raleb Majadele, the first Muslim minister from Labor, sharply criticized his party in a March 31 interview with Israel HaYom, saying, Its a fact that the Labor Party erased the Arab sector. The Arab sector will return [the favor] in kind. The thought that Arab voters would support a party that tossed out Bahloul and put a Muslim candidate in an unelectable spot on its list is no less crazy than Yisrael Beitenus video. The ultra-Orthodox Shas is trying to recruit Arab voters, as it has in every campaign. In 2015, it managed to win 52 votes in the Arab city of Taybeh. According to Shas' leader, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, he has done many things for the Arabs, most of whom unfortunately are on the side of the [Palestinian] state they dont have, as he remarked in 2012. Right-wing parties like the New Right and the Union of Rightwing Parties arent deluding themselves like Yisrael Beitenu, but they arent giving up on Arab voters either. On April 1, Rafi Peretz, leader of the union, arrived at a party event in Kasra-Samia, in the Galilee, to recruit Druze voters, brothers in arms, but he and his people found attendance to be close to zero. It turns out the Druze have not forgotten the humiliation of the Nationality Law. The one party that could win a large number of Arab votes is Meretz. Among its top five candidates are Issawi Frej (number 4), a Muslim resident of Kufr Qasem, and Ali Salalah (number 5), a resident of the Druze town of Beit Jan and its high school principal (who managed to raise the number of students qualifying for a matriculation certificate from 13% to 100%). In the meantime, Tamer Must Vote is spreading on social media, targeted primarily at young Arabs. Right now theres a threat to us and our children, he sings. Don't underestimate their fascism. Look what they did to our grandparents. Maybe a rapper from the mixed city of Lod will succeed in awakening hope among Arab voters. Up to six months ago, no one believed Benny Gantz would come so close to replacing Benjamin Netanyahu as the prime minister of Israel. Many Israelis willing to give a kidney just to see Netanyahu pack his bags and vacate the official residence on Jerusalems Balfour Street are now pinning their hopes on this gangly, introverted, shy and soft-spoken officer. Just over four years ago, this seemingly unimpressive man set out to find himself after a lifelong military career that took him to the pinnacle of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as chief of staff. In December 2018, the retired lieutenant general formed a political party called the Israel Resilience Party, bringing the entire political establishment to its knees. Among the many aspiring to Netanyahus crown, Gantz became an odds-on favorite to achieve what no one had managed to do over the past decade. With his party overtaking Netanyahus Likud, Gantz turned into the great white hope of the anti-Netanyahu camp. There were other wannabes for the title in the past, such as head of the centrist Yesh Atid party Yair Lapid, head of the right-wing Yisrael Beitenu party Avigdor Liberman and leader of the New Right party Naftali Bennett. Then there were former Likud Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and even the popular former IDF chief whom Gantz replaced in 2011, Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi. However, Ashkenazi, tarnished by scandal (the Harpaz affair) over a falsified document and ugly turf war, waited too long to decide; Liberman missed his chance in the 2015 elections; Bennett was trampled by Netanyahus political machine and Lapid was unable to break through his glass ceiling. Benny Gantz, the man from nowhere, did it. On the final days before the April 9 elections, the polls paint a confusing picture. Some have Likud neck-and-neck with Gantzs Blue and White party (a merging of the Israel Resilience Party and Yesh Atid), but with an advantage for the right-wing bloc. One poll had Likud bypassing Blue and White to lead the race once again by one or two Knesset seats. Survey results by top-rated pollsters Mina Tzemach and Manu Geva for Channel 12 news have Gantz pulling ahead of Netanyahus Likud by an impressive four seats. None of the polls give the center-left bloc led by Gantz any prospects of overtaking Netanyahus bloc. But the 2015 elections taught pollsters and analysts that public opinion surveys are valid only for the moment, at best. Nonetheless, unlike the 2015 elections, this time Mr. Security Netanyahu is facing three former IDF chiefs (Gantz along with Yaalon and Ashkenazi who have joined him), two highly regarded former major generals (Elazar Stern and Orna Barbivai), and the lean, well-oiled political machine Yair Lapid built for Yesh Atid. This is a completely new ballgame. Gantz turns 60 this coming June. He is the son of Holocaust survivors from Romania and Hungary. The Nazis at Bergen-Belzen murdered Gantzs grandfather on his mothers side. Gantz grew up on a cooperative farm (a moshav) and attended a national-religious school. He started his military service in the paratroopers, rising through the ranks and gaining a reputation as a relaxed, sometimes too relaxed, officer. A combination of coincidences, great luck and support from higher-ups paved the way for his repeated promotion, despite his average performance. He was chosen for the top IDF slot by default after a corruption scandal forced out the leading candidate, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant. Gantz was only fourth in line on the list of candidates favored by Netanyahu and his then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak, but he got the job against all odds and after he had already been decommissioned. Gantz was known as an easy-going army commander who avoided infighting a team player who just wanted to make it home safely. Nonetheless, he was appointed the IDFs 20th chief of staff and saw through a reasonable four-year term during which the Arab Spring transformed the Middle East and Israel went to war with Hamas in a 2014 campaign codenamed Operation Protective Edge. Gantz adhered to the line espoused by the generation before him Ashkenazi, late Mossad chief Meir Dagan, former military intelligence head Amos Yadlin and former Shin Bet agency head Yuval Duskin who were all firmly opposed to an Israeli attack on Irans nuclear facilities. On this issue, Gantz displayed rare determination and adherence to principle. Upon leaving the army, Gantz took a coast-to-coast road trip through the United States and then turned to business. Here, too, his career was unimpressive. The Fifth Dimension, a cyber technology firm he chaired in recent years, collapsed before it could sell even one product. Meanwhile, Gantz racked up mileage in various Western capitals, maintained ties he had made when serving as Israels defense attache in Washington and built up a following. He also built up a donor base and collected quite a bit of money before he entered politics, when he was still allowed to do so. When he decided to form a political party, he was equipped with a supportive economic infrastructure. Talk of politics started emerging some two years ago, initially at a low key. At that point, Gantz did not even dream of having his own party. He believed what had been said and written about him that a relatively sensitive guy like himself would not survive for even 15 minutes in the cruel arena of Israeli politics. Gantz conducted quiet talks with Netanyahu and considered offers to serve as defense minister in his government. He then played around with the offer to serve as foreign minister and even as Israels ambassador in Washington. At that point, however, polls started gauging his popularity. The results stunned the political arena. Three years after leaving his job as the countrys top soldier, the public viewed Gantz as the only credible alternative to Netanyahu. He decided to turn down Netanyahu and establish a party of his own. The plan was simple. A new party would catapult Gantz ahead of Labor Party chief Avi Gabbay and Yair Lapid and pull the rug out from under them. Yaalon, who had not managed to go it alone at the head of the small Telem party, would join Gantz. He would then draw in Lapid and perhaps popular Knesset member Orly Levy-Abekasis, who had also formed a party of her own. From then on, everything went according to plan. Gantz founded Israel Resilience, signed up Yaalon and together they soared in the polls to over 20 Knesset seats. Lapid and Gabbay, on the other hand, crashed. Lapid hesitated, deliberated, agonized and decided to demand that Gantz share the prime ministers job with him under a rotation model in return for joining him. To everyones surprise, Gantz agreed. Yesh Atid joined, followed by the mother of all trophies when Ashkenazi, particularly popular with Likud voters, took the plunge and joined the group, giving them over 30 Knesset seats in the polls by early March, where they have remained to date. Gantz will need a lot more of the luck he enjoyed throughout his military career to translate the poll results into a real shot at the premiership. His party will have to garner more votes than the Likud, and he will have to hope that one or more of the small right-wing parties does not get enough votes to make it into the Knesset, thereby weakening the right-wing bloc. He needs President Reuven Rivlin to task him with forming Israels next government (if he gets more votes than Netanyahus Likud). He needs a total cosmic storm and combination of circumstances to unseat the man who took control of Israeli politics and dominated them for the past decade. As of now, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. On Wednesday morning, April 10, we will know whether they are real. All Arab civil wars are not created equal. Libya has been in a state of civil war for five years now, yet it hasnt been a civil war full of massacres or famines like the sectarian wars in Yemen and Syria. Libyas war has certain highly unusual characteristics: low death tolls, high diffusion of arms, two governments (both of whom claim sovereignty but do not actually exercise it), extreme fragmentation of fighting forces, and the same central bank paying the fighters on all sides. From a military perspective, the defining characteristic of Libyas war relates to how territory is captured. Where there have been protracted pitched battles, usually against jihadists, exchange of territory happens slowly and destructively. Conversely, where there have been huge gains and losses of territory, it usually transpires with groups being bought off to switch their allegiances, or with one force marching its column of technicals across a highway and the other side running away with nary a shot being fired. What does this say for the prospects to resolve Libyas civil war militarily, as one actor is now trying to do? On April 4, Field Marshall Khalifa Hifters Libyan National Army (LNA) announced that it was going to finally take Tripoli by force its stated ambition for years now. This is not coming out of the blue. It is actually the tail end of a five-year process since Hifter launched Operation Dignity with the proximal aim of ridding Benghazi of jihadists and a distal aim of conquering the whole country. Does this announcement represent a fundamental change in Libyas war or just a natural culmination? Is Hifter on the precipice of victory? As this article goes to press, the country is truly holding their collective breaths in fear of a new phase of violence in which a genuine hot war would engulf Tripoli, possibly destroying prospects of a political agreement that was supposed to be formalized and endorsed by the Libyan people at an upcoming National Conference only 10 days from now. My 11 years of work in and on Libya leads me to believe that we are not on the verge of something genuinely new, but only another iteration in a long, drawn-out process. Why is this happening now? While the UN secretary-general was giving a press conference in Tripoli to support Libyans in making the long-awaited national conference happen, LNA leader Hifter chose to declare the beginning of Operation Tripoli Liberation in a bombastic statement, triggering a mix of emotions throughout a country fatigued with conflict. Although Hifters supporters traditionally come from the countrys east and it has long been axiomatic that he is hated in the countrys west, the reality is that most Libyans are simply tired of fighting but they have opposing ideas on how to end the conflict. About half the civilians would likely welcome his troops into the capital if it meant the end of the civil war, while the other half would join the resistance and fight the LNA tooth and nail. What Hifter appears to be trying to do is create a popular groundswell of support for him as Libyas savior and an alternative to the UN-backed political process. He is doing so in a very 2019 kind of way: as a neo-populist authoritarian who manipulates the media, promotes fake news and claims to represent the people while the wealthy and connected get rich. That said, he might be more on the savvy side of neo-populism. This is evidenced by the fact that, even while he is likely benefiting from Russian media and military help, Hifter and his supporters grasp the longings of the populace more than any of the other political actors. The assault on Tripoli is a form of kabuki theater. Hifter thinks he can benefit from the appearance of the assault, knowing that a genuine hot war would not succeed and would harm his interests. Hifter is keen to use this moment to capitalize on media attention and insert himself in the national conversation and tip the conversation before the National Conference. That is the media angle. But is now the right time, from a military perspective, for his announced putsch? There cant be a compelling military reason, as a stealth assault is far more likely to succeed than one telegraphed over Twitter. Presumably, Hifter is afraid of his supporters being unfairly represented at the National Conference or an agreement emerging that does not reflect his gains on the ground. As such, it is the approach of the conference and the genuinely novel political track that it represents that has triggered this timing. Therefore, the assault on Tripoli is a form of kabuki theater. Hifter thinks he can benefit from the appearance of the assault, knowing that a genuine hot war would not succeed and would harm his interests. Using columns of tanks and tweets to conquer the news cycle rather than assault Tripoli seems a savvy strategy. A military conquest is genuinely impossible, and the threat of it is already causing a rallying of domestic and international forces against Hifter. The ensuing backlash could potentially exclude him from rather than his presumed goal of, including him in, or being crowned by the National Conference. Moreover, Hifter lacks the firepower to hold Tripoli. Once his forces become overstretched, they would suffer a series of guerrilla challenges from myriad opponents, including a resurgent jihadi movement. Has Hifter overplayed his hand, then? That is certainly my first inclination and that of most other commentators, but maybe we are missing something. Hifter is a skilled puppet master. He took the oil crescent region in September 2016 from federalist warlord Ibrahim Jadhran after luring Jadhrans tribal support away by payoffs. Yes, Jadhran retook the oil crescent briefly three times over the next two years, but he did so by stealth and guile, not by sheer military force. In each instance, when Hifter finally retook the strategic area he did so with barely any causalities. This pattern of changing the alliance structure and local narrative so as to make lightning territorial gains has recently played out in Libyas south. Libyas largest oil field, Sharara, located in the extreme southwestern part of the country, was shut down by a protesting militia in December. Hifters forces advanced methodically hundreds of miles into the desert and retook the field by making a patchwork of local deals with tribal, ethnic and local groups. In each of these instances, the LNAs maneuvers have their local detractors, and yet the LNA has bought off just enough groups to extend its control. Densely populated Tripoli, with its concentration of strategic chokepoints, would appear to be a whole different kettle of fish. Maybe Hifter has bitten off even more than he can chew, even if a real military assault was never intended. The media optics might run away from him in this instance. And here is where Libyas unique way of fighting could provide the answer for what will next happen. The warring factions have proved remarkably casualty averse. It is quite possible that Hifter calculated that many of Tripolis militia groups would simply switch sides and support him, due to his savvy media narrative. This does not appear to be happening just yet. Some Madkhali Salafist brigades may peel off from the anti-Hifter UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). Yet his most implacable opponents in Misrata and in the main security forces that buttress the GNA have rallied around the defense of Tripoli. In Libya, anything can yet happen. But even though Libya's civil war is witnessing its biggest escalation since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi and violent skirmishes are bound to break out and troops get captured, the safe money is still that a genuine blood bath will be avoided and the end result will be some sort of fudge with certain factions switching sides and columns of tanks darting forward and retreating. Yet, when the smoke clears, no one faction will control the country and a political compromise will still remain the only way forward. As the rollout for the United States long-expected Middle East vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace approaches, Palestinian voices rejecting the process and the authors of the plan have risen. A White House official speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity stressed that the US peace team has written a vision for peace comprised of many pages enough for each Israeli and Palestinian to read and imagine what peace could look like and what their lives could be if we succeed. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser who is spearheading efforts to formulate the deal, has said the it would be released after the April 9 Israeli elections. It is not clear if the announcement will be made immediately after the vote or if the US team will wait until a government is formed and confirmed by the Israeli Knesset. The White House official noted that the US plan, referred to in the Arabic press as the deal of the century, is dozens of pages long and not a simple two- to three-page plan. Ghassan Khatib, a senior member of the Palestinian Peoples Party and presently a lecturer at Birzeit University, told Al-Monitor that the best way to respond to the US plan is to reject it. If a plan is made, it should be totally rejected. No one should discuss it or negotiate about it because the United States is unqualified to play the role of arbitrator. Khatib, who participated in peace talks in the 1990s, said that the Americans have violated the 1993 declaration of principles of which Washington was a witness and a guarantor. Khatib believes that the Arab peace plan should be supported by a pan-Arab diplomatic effort. In the 2002 Arab Summit held in Beirut, the Arab League presented a comprehensive peace initiative that has been reaffirmed in every Arab summit since. Aaron Miller, a former Middle East peace envoy for both Republican and Democratic US administrations, told Al-Monitor that he believes that the Trump administrations plan is possibly 50 pages long. The logic is to bury the plan in details in order to draw attention away from brevity and generality of treatment of core issues, like the Clinton Parameters. Miller, now a senior fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, believes that Israel will say yes but so will Arabs, and Palestinians will say no. The former American diplomat suggests that Washington should focus on Gaza instead. If Kushner wanted to make an impact, hed focus on Gaza and cut the economic/political accord between Israel and Hamas, Miller said. Palestinian activists are similarly opposed to the expected US plan. Fatah's spokesman for international affairs Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad told Al-Monitor that the Palestinian leadership had already rejected the deal. Since the beginning of talk about the plan, the Palestinian leadership has rejected the deal of the century and continues to say no to the US administration, which aims to eliminate the Palestinian cause with support from right wing elements in Israel. Nasser Atta, a senior Palestinian reporter for the American ABC News network, told Al-Monitor that Palestinians need a new political strategy. They have to find new allies and play politics with other forces in the Middle East that are not part of the US allies in the Middle East," he said, suggesting the Palestinian leadership hold talks with Hamas in Gaza without any conditions concerning weapons and form a unity government similar to that of Lebanon, where "Hezbollah civilian nominees are part of the government without the government being delegitimized by the international community." Atta, however, has little trust in the current leaders whose time, he says, is over. The current leadership is expired and has nothing to offer to the Palestinian people and should be replaced by a new leadership through elections or another creative way. While Palestinians are adamant about rejecting the expected US plan, saying no is about all they can do. At the same time, Washington has lost all its leverage to pressure them. The result will no doubt be a continuation of the status quo, which will be largely pleasing to the Israelis and harmful to Palestinians on the ground. Eight months into the current school year, Sumter Countys Board of Education is still trying to kick out a charter school heralded as one of the Black Belt countys first meaningful attempts at integrated schooling in generations. The latest argument comes down to real estate. At a hearing held in the Sumter County court house in Livingston in west Alabama on Friday morning, Circuit Judge Gaines McCorquodale listened as attorneys for both sides argued over an agreement between the University of West Alabama, who bought the old Livingston High School building in 2011, and Sumter County's Board of Education. The racial divide was evident during the hearing, with two white attorneys representing the university and two black attorneys representing the school board. Attorneys for the school board argued that the agreement on the sale of the building stipulated the building not be used as any type of K-12 school. Sumter County's school board filed suit in May 2018, providing documents showing where the agreement was made in writing in the sales contract. But those terms were not transferred to the deed, and that is at the heart of the dispute. In July, McCorquodale sided with the university and allowed University Charter School to open. The integrated charter school, in what has been called Alabama's most segregated county, made national headlines. McCorquodale - overseeing the case after Sumter County Circuit Judge Eddie Hardaway recused himself - has been asked to rule on the University of West Alabamas motion to dismiss the lawsuit. In the hour-long hearing Friday morning, attorneys for Sumter County argued that the restrictions should still apply and should be transferred to the deed, preventing the charter school from using the building as a school, effectively kicking them out. Attorneys for West Alabama argued that the terms became unenforceable when Alabama lawmakers passed the public charter school law in 2015 and gave public charter school operators the "right of first refusal" to any vacant public school property. Tensions rose when university attorney Mike Kendrick, disputing the school board attorneys arguments to enforce the eight-year-old covenant, said that was similar to when real estate covenants could restrict people of color from purchasing property. Sumter County school board member Julene Delaine became visibly upset at Kendricks comment, shifting in her seat uncomfortably for much of the remaining hearing. Kendrick said the 2015 charter school law, which came after the 2011 sale, gave charter schools the right to open in unused public schools. He said that nullified any previous terms of sale in the same way judges struck down those real estate restrictions. School board attorney Alicia Bennett told the judge Kendrick's comparison was not valid. "We are not dealing with a case where a class of people were denied rights," she said. The Sumter County school board closed Livingston High School at the end of the 2010-11 school year. The Alabama State Department of Education intervened in the districts operations in 2010 due to financial struggles the district faced. State education officials authorized the sale of the school to the University of West Alabama in 2011. Sumter Countys school board recently hired retired federal Judge U. W. Clemon, a civil rights icon, to join the case. Clemon did not appear in court on Friday. McCorquodale did not indicate a timeline for when he will issue an order. In Sumter County, recently recognized as the poorest in Alabama, the opening of University Charter School was seen by many as a step forward, as it would open with nearly an equal number of black students and white students, something not seen in the county's public schools before. Token school desegregation occurred in Sumter County in the mid- to late-1960s, but when a federal court order required immediate integration, white families pulled their children out of the public schools, effectively ending any chance for the public schools to become fully integrated. Meanwhile, white families sent their children to either Sumter Academy, one of many segregation academies opened in Alabama after federal judges ordered schools to integrate, or to surrounding city or county school systems. The public system was populated with nearly all black students by the early 1970s and remains so today. Enrollment in Sumter County schools has continued to decline, as it has in many rural areas of Alabama. The system today educates 1,300 students, down from 2,300 students 10 years ago. Three of the county's four schools landed on the state's "failing" public school list, meaning student test scores are in the bottom 6 percent statewide. Faced with a need to improve K-12 education in Sumter County, in 2016 the University of West Alabama began exploring options. By 2017, the idea to open a public charter school emerged, and the old high school property became University Charter School in August 2018. The charter school's opening was not welcomed by Sumter County school administrators and others in the community who question whether the charter school is just a replacement for the financially troubled segregation academy, which closed at the start of the 2017-18 school year. Other public charter schools have also been opposed by Birmingham City schools, and charter operators have had to go to the state to seek approval. Three charter schools will open in Alabama in August. Woodland Prep will open in Washington County in southwest Alabama, Legacy Prep will open in Birmingham, and LEAD Academy will open in Montgomery. In Livingston, University Charter School will add a ninth-grade class for the 2019-20 school year. Because enrollment requests exceeded capacity, the charter school held a lottery in February for the coming school year and is expected to enroll more than 400 students, nearly all of whom are residents of Sumter County. The racial balance of students at the charter school, currently 55 percent black and 45 percent white, is expected to shift slightly toward a higher percentage of black students according to charter school officials. Authorities have released the name of a man shot to death Friday night inside an east Birmingham home. Birmingham police identified the victim as Gregory James Clark. He was 31. East Precinct officers were dispatched at 9:08 p.m. Friday to a home in the 9600 block of Westfield Road. Once on the scene, said Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Rod Mauldin, they found Clark suffering from a gunshot wound in the living room. Clark was pronounced dead on the scene by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service. Officer Rod Mauldin said a gathering was taking place at the home when the shooting happened. A suspect was taken into custody, but his name has not been released and no charges have been filed. Neighbors said everyone at the home at the time were friends and they were surprised that anything violent had taken place there. The area is usually quiet and trouble-free. Clark was a producer with Gorilla Media, a Birmingham-based company that produces music and provides photography, graphics, t-shirts and any type of visual media services. He was a father to 1 girl and two boys. He is Birminghams 29th homicide this year. Of those, five have been ruled justifiable and therefore arent deemed criminal by the Birmingham Police Department. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 46 homicides this year including the 29 in Birmingham. Police are asking anyone with information to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. India's ready-to-eat food market is poised for solid growth with a CAGR of more than 16%, during 2018-2023, on account of expanding distribution network, aggressive marketing strategies by major ready-to eat-food manufacturers, increasing number of modern retail chains and innovation in products offerings, according to TechSci Research report. Moreover, increasing urbanization, rapid development of fast food chains coupled with longer shelf life and easy availability of frozen food products is further anticipated to fuel growth in India ready-to-eat food market during forecast period, stated TechSci Research in its report, India Ready-To-Eat Food Market By Segment, By Distribution Channel, By State, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2023. Indian market is broadly segmented into frozen ready-to-eat and shelf stable ready-to-eat food. The former dominates the market and is anticipated to continue its dominance during forecast period as well on account of high penetration rate and easy availability of a wide variety of ready-to-eat products in different packaging formats at various retail points. Moreover, leading market players are offering frozen food products keeping in mind taste and preferences of consumers. Among regions, North India emerged as a major revenue generator in India ready-to-eat food market as the region is developing at a faster rate, which is resulting in improvement in lifestyle, increase in per capita disposable income due to higher working population and rise in migrant population supported by available employment opportunities. These factors are consequently resulting into need for convenience food, which, in turn, is increasing the sales of ready-to-eat food products in the region, stated the report. The majority of the demand in the northern region is emerging from Delhi & NCR (National Capital Region) area. In NCR area, Gurgaon and Noida are the key demand generators owing to existence of a large number of offices and other commercial hubs. The working population is among the major buyers of ready-to-eat food products in the region. "India ready-to-eat food market is growing as rising number of consumers are gradually inclining towards easy, convenient and less time-taking food items such as ready-to-eat food products, which include frozen and shelf stable food items," noted Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Convenience is a major factor contributing to the demand for ready-to-eat food products in the country. Further, to promote benefits and create awareness about frozen food products, manufacturers are investing in marketing strategies and introducing new products in innovative packaging, which is helping them to increase brand value as well as sales of their products," stated Chechi. These developments are expected to drive the market for ready-to-eat food products in India over the next five years, he added.-TradeArabia News Service By continuing to use AliExpress you accept our use of cookies (view more on our Privacy Policy). You can adjust your Cookie Preferences at the bottom of this page. Some health workers say they are better prepared for an Ebola outbreak, but survivors are not so sure. Yusuf Kabba is a 30-year-old teacher living in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. He is softly spoken and confident but there was a time when he was depressed and felt isolated. I spent a lot of time alone trying to deal with what had happened to me. I had major body issues and I was also dealing with losing friends and relatives, some died in front of me. He is one of the tens of thousands of Ebola survivors who have been struggling to rebuild their lives since the virus struck West Africa in 2014. He was a single, carefree 25-year-old student when he fell ill in October 2014. It took him months to recover from the disease. Many Ebola survivors experience side effects including vision problems, tiredness and male infertility. Although he was lucky to survive and not face stigma from his community, he was mentally and physically traumatised by Ebola. Kabba is the head of the Association of Ebola Survivors. The organisation has over 4,000 members who attempted and failed to sue the former government of Sierra Leone, led by President Ernest Bai Koroma, for violating the human rights of its citizens during the outbreak. I remember, one day the health workers sat in front of us and refused to work, said Kabba. They said they were waiting for the government to give them their health allowance and protective clothing. I was with other patients, we were suffering, in a lot of pain but they said they could not help us. The case was rejected by the regional ECOWAS Court in Nigerias capital Abuja on March 1. Healthcare workers adjust gear before they enter a room where there is a baby suspected of dying of Ebola in Beni, North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, December 13, 2018 [Goran Tomasevic/Reuters] It accused Koromas administration of misappropriating $42m of Ebola funding, much of which came from the international community to assist with the crisis. Their claim was strengthened by a 2015 internal government audit carried out by Sierra Leones auditor general who found that a third of resources allocated to fight Ebola in 2014 could not be properly accounted for. It added that proper use of the funds could have saved more lives. Nearly 4,000 people died in Sierra Leone and around 250 of them were healthcare workers. We believe as victims that part of the money could have been used to help us in our recovery. Our lives were changed, some are still dying from complications, many are traumatised and so many orphans need care. They violated our right to health and our right to life, said Kabba. The current government of Julius Maada Bio was not in office during the Ebola pandemic. Reacting to the ECOWAS Court ruling, a government spokesman said more would be done to help the survivors affected by Ebola during the outbreak. Tens of thousands affected The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the largest since 1976 when the virus was first discovered in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. By the time it was declared over in 2016, more than 28,000 people had confirmed, probable and suspected cases and more than 11,000 had died. At least 10,000 survivors were registered in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Thousands of them included orphans many of whom are caring for themselves today. Medical teams with Doctors without Borders, known by their French initials MSF, in West Africa were the first to sound the warning in early 2014, after the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the first case in December 2013 in Guinea. The patient was an 18-month-old boy from a small village on the Guinea-Sierra Leone border. He is believed to have been infected by bats. WHO believes the virus was brought into Sierra Leone in January 2014 by a woman who had been visiting the boys home when he fell sick. At least 639 people have died from Ebola in eastern DRC since August [Al-hadji Kudra Maliro/AP] Dr Axelle Ronsse is MSFs emergency director for the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country which has had more than 10 Ebola outbreaks in 40 years. Ronsse is coordinating MSF, and local teams, managing the current outbreak in DRC. She says it was frustrating when the United Nations, WHO and local health officials refused to act on their calls for help to contain the virus in Guinea. The response was that MSF is always eager to sound the alarm. By the time the agencies and local health ministries acted, it was too late. Ebola was not known in the three affected countries and the early response in Sierra Leone has been described as chaotic and confused. Brigadier General Foday Sahr was the head of the Medical Wing of the Sierra Leone Army. He says it is unfortunate that Ebola was not taken seriously until it reached the densely populated capital. By then, his unit was tasked with setting up a surveillance system to ensure the sick were confined. 190328062938247 We realised very quickly that we had poor health systems and needed to strengthen them. Five years after the outbreak, Shar is cautiously optimistic that Sierra Leone would cope if Ebola returned today. The government is investing more in health services, but we need more investment in doctors and nurses. Unfortunately, the emphasis on basic hygiene like hand washing is fading away. The practice of minimal contact is also forgotten. Kabba, the head of the Association of Ebola Survivors, is less optimistic and fears Ebola could return. He does not believe the country is any better prepared today than it was in 2014. We still have poor sanitation in Freetown, the water facilities at public institutions that were in place during Ebola are no longer used or theyve been removed. People still spend time with and touch the bodies of dead relatives even though we stopped this burial practice during Ebola. He says there are few clinics in Freetown and healthcare services are still largely unavailable to people in rural areas. Meanwhile, MSF continues to monitor some of the survivors three years after the countries were declared Ebola-free. The last patient was born at the end of the outbreak and she is now four years old and healthy. The NGO believes that although the healthcare systems in the three nations took a battering, they are now better prepared to detect Ebola earlier should it return. There is now greater emphasis on developing relationships with local communities as early as possible. MSF doctor Ronsse says this has meant that healthcare workers have been able to start on vaccinations to prevent the spread of the virus and use experimental drugs on the sick. The new treatment centres allow closer contact with patients, who must be isolated. Heavy-duty protective wear used during the 2014-2016 pandemic has been modified to include clear plastic gloves, so health workers can be nearer to patients without putting themselves at risk. In Sierra Leone, Kabba remains disappointed by the ECOWAS Court ruling and says the case was not brought to seek financial compensation, but to receive acknowledgement from the authorities that they failed their citizens during the Ebola pandemic. It appears that he just may get that acknowledgement soon, after the new government recently indicated that it is willing to sit down for the first time with survivors to listen to their concerns. Recent diplomatic initiatives in the Horn are a positive step, but the region needs much more to achieve lasting peace. Following his recent efforts to achieve normalisation with Eritrea, Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed embarked on a shuttle diplomacy mission across the Horn of Africa. Since the signing of the landmark June 2018 peace agreement between the two long-warring nations, Abiy held several bilateral and tripartite summits both in Addis Ababa and in other Horn of Africa capitals to help resolve some of the regions deep-rooted problems and kick-start a process of political integration. In September 2018, a tripartite cooperation agreement was signed between Abiy, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Somalias President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo following a meeting in Ethiopia. On February 20, 2019, Ahmed met Muse Bihi Abdi, leader of the breakaway northern Somalia territory of Somaliland, in Addis Ababa to strengthen bilateral ties, discuss regional security issues and try to meditate in its dispute with the central government in Mogadishu. Somali President Farmajo, who was reportedly invited to the meeting, refused to participate, but later voiced his administrations appreciation of Abiys mediation efforts and Bihis willingness to work with the Somali government in a tweet. On March 4, Abiy met Afwerki and South Sudans President Salva Kiir in Juba to further the Intergovernmental Authority of Development-led peace process in the country. Three days later, Abiy, Farmajo and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta got together in Nairobi to try to resolve the maritime dispute between Kenya and Somalia. However, this meeting failed to produce a tangible solution, with Mogadishu making it clear that they will wait for the decision by the International Court of Justice. While Abiys shuttle diplomacy received praise, admiration and positive media coverage both in the region and across the world, it clearly failed to produce any practical results on the ground and even led to some new concerns and tensions. The tripartite cooperation agreement between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, for instance, has spawned new concerns among neighbouring countries about Ethiopias plans for the region. Somaliland took Ethiopias undertaking to respect the territorial integrity of Somalia fully as indicative of a change in Ethiopias policy that might not be in Somalilands interests. Furthermore, Ethiopias renewed diplomatic ties with Eritrea and Somalia caused its traditional allies, Sudan and Djibouti, to feel sidelined. Abiys mediation efforts and other Horn of Africa leaders willingness to take part in them are undoubtedly a positive step towards political integration, sustainable peace and meaningful cooperation in the region. Diplomatic shuttles and media coverage of rapprochement efforts play an important role in generating the political will for, and public acceptance of, such a process. However, shuttle diplomacy alone cannot resolve major international problems. For such efforts to have practical consequences, they need to be backed by well-deliberated and radical actions actions that have the potential to bring down the multiple barriers that currently make political integration an impossibility in the region. The first barrier to integration in the Horn of Africa is pervasive and entrenched distrust between states. Real political integration requires a regime of free movement of people, goods, services and money; and this can only be achieved if there is a high degree of trust between all involved actors. Unfortunately, in the Horn region, such confidence is in short supply. Historical animosities, security threats within and beyond borders as well as deep-rooted suspicions among state officials about the motives of neighbouring states increase the trust deficit. Ongoing conflicts, and serious transboundary resource disputes, which together have displaced more than 10 million people and resulted in the presence of four peace missions (in Darfur, Sudan; the Sudan-South Sudan border; South Sudan proper and Somalia) and the continuing presence of more than 50,000 UN and AU peacekeeping troops in the region pose another barrier to political integration and feed into the trust deficit. Border disputes between South Sudan and Sudan over the future of Abyei, and between Eritrea and Ethiopia over the control of towns such as Badme still persist. Kenya and Somalia are locked in a dispute over their maritime border in the Indian Ocean, and Kenya and Uganda are still competing over the tiny Migingo Island in Lake Victoria. Foreign interference in the region is yet another obstacle to deepening cooperation and integration. Strategically positioned at the major geopolitical and geo-economic nexus of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, the Horn is also a battleground for global forces fighting for the control of large national markets and maritime domains. The region currently hosts tens of thousands of foreign troops, with new military bases in Djibouti and other countries in the region. Several secessionist movements are alive and kicking in the region, with South Sudan and Eritrea providing living examples as to how de jure independent states can be established by any one of these movements under the right circumstances. Somaliland and its push for independence from Mogadishu also provides a cautionary tale for all the nation states in the region. The suspicion that secessionist threats are being fuelled by neighbouring states and foreign forces is making many countries in the region reluctant to push for further regional integration. There are still ongoing tensions between states with devolved and federated systems across the region. Forces pushing for decentralisation, as well as internal border disputes between subnational units, are also causing insecurities in many federated countries, such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. There is a persistent danger that small isolated wars may erupt any time between autonomous subnational entities, threatening the security of both the host states and their neighbours. Intent on manipulating these volatile political fault lines, governments in the Middle East and from more distant regions have lent their support to various conflicting parties. Fuelled by new changes and old tensions, traffic in small arms and light weapons has proliferated, while the Horn has become highly militarised. These peace and security challenges make political integration an agenda hard to sell in the Horn of Africa, especially when pushed to include too many countries too quickly. Mediation and integration can only succeed if they come on the back of serious consultations and institutionalised efforts to build inter-state trust and end historic animosities. One such attempt can be the transformation of artificial borders drawn by colonial forces into drivers of integration that reflects the socio-economic realities on the ground, including traditional movements of people, infrastructure and commercial ties. This type of progress cannot be achieved in a day or over a short summit between a couple of leaders. First, institutional and financial arrangements would need to be made to sustain a long peace process. Second, geographic proximity, commonly shared interest and vision should be used to lay a foundation of economic integration and eventually political one. Third, plans need to be drawn and efforts made to establish a strong political union under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). In this context, it is clear that Abiys well-intentioned diplomatic efforts are doomed to failure, as they lack the depth and capacity to heal the regions trust deficit and to propose resolutions to the multidimensional conflicts and threats it is currently facing. What is needed to bring political integration to the Horn of Africa is not diplomatic shuttles and official meetings, but well-thought-out initiatives and long-term plans with institutional support from IGAD. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The countrys constitution stipulates that the speaker of the upper house of parliament should take presidential reins. Algerias parliament will meet Tuesday to name an interim successor to Abdelaziz Bouteflika, according to state media, a week after widespread protests forced the ailing president to cede power. It was decided to hold a meeting of the two chambers of parliament on Tuesday at 9am (08:00 GMT), the upper house of parliament said on Saturday in a statement carried by the official APS news agency. Algerias constitution stipulates that the speaker of the upper house of parliament, currently 77-year-old Abdelkader Bensalah, should take the presidential reins. He is to serve for up to 90 days, during which a presidential election must be organised. The legislators are expected to finalise the vacancy of the post of president and then designate Abdelkader Bensalah as head of state, Salim Rabahi, communications head for the upper house of parliament, said. Faced with weeks-long demonstrations and having lost the support of the army, Bouteflika resigned on April 2 after two decades in power. The 82-year-old had come under mounting pressure to step down over his decision to seek a fifth term despite rarely being seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2013. Algerians once again rallied on Friday in a continued push for sweeping reform, calling out key Bouteflika allies who have been entrusted with overseeing the political transition. They are targeting a triumvirate they dub 3B Bensalah, head of the constitution council Tayeb Belaiz, and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. Critics say all three have always served Bouteflika faithfully and should follow his lead and resign. Protesters are calling for transitional institutions to be set up to implement reforms and guarantee free elections. Women suing Cosby say he defamed them by branding them liars after they accused him of sexual assault. Convicted sex offender Bill Cosby has agreed to settle lawsuits filed by seven women who have said he defamed them when he accused them of lying about sexual misconduct allegations. Court documents filed on Friday in Springfield, Massachusetts, show the two sides have negotiated a settlement since Cosby went to prison last fall in a separate Pennsylvania sex assault case. The 81-year-old comedian is serving a three to 10-year prison sentence there. The judge overseeing the defamation case in Massachusetts must still approve the settlement. The terms are confidential. It is not yet clear whether Cosby will now drop his counterclaims against the seven women, including Louisa Moritz, an actress best known for appearing in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, who died in January at the age of 72. They are among the dozens of women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. He has denied their allegations and is appealing his Pennsylvania conviction. Neither Cosbys spokesman or a lead lawyer in the defamation case immediately returned messages from the Associated Press seeking comment. The women suing Cosby for defamation have said he defamed them by branding them liars after they went public with allegations of sexual assault. 190225173100944 They include Tamara Green, Therese Serignese and Barbara Bowman. Cosby has denied their allegations. Lawyer Joseph Cammarata, who represents the women, told The Associated Press on Friday that each plaintiff is satisfied with the settlement.. He declined to comment further. Counterclaims However, Cammarata warned in a status report also filed on Friday that his clients would seek to depose Cosby and gather other documents and evidence if he does not drop the counterclaims, which accuse the women of harming his reputation through their accusations. Cosbys wife, Camille, had been ordered to give a deposition in the case in 2016, after a heated court fight over her testimony. Lawyers for the Cosbys tried to quash her subpoena to give evidence, saying she didnt have any relevant information on the womens claims and that any marital conversations she had with her husband of 50 years were confidential. The judge agreed that marital conversations were private, but the womens lawyers noted she also served as his business manager throughout their long marriage. The case had largely been put on hold, though, while Cosby was amid the Pennsylvania criminal case, which involved a 2017 trial that ended in a deadlock and his conviction at a 2018 retrial. Tunisia is due to hold elections later this year, the third since 2011 uprising that toppled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Beji Caid Essebsi, Tunisias 92-year-old president, has said he does not wish to contest elections scheduled for later this year but added he is yet to make a final decision. I do not have the intention to be nominated for a second term although the constitution gives me the right to run again, Essebsi told a meeting of the ruling Nidaa Tounes party in the coastal city of Monastir on Saturday. I think Tunisia deserves change. It is full of qualified men, he added, according to state news agency TAP. It is necessary to clear the way for the youth. However, Essebsi, who has been in power since late 2014, said it is still too early to say if we will run or not and promised to announce his decision in due time. Tunisias presidential elections are due to be held in November. The polls will be the countrys third after the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. So far, no prominent figures have declared their candidacy for the presidency. Nidaa Tounes was founded by Essebsi in 2012, but a series of events in recent months has exposed deep internal divisions. Earlier in the year, dozens of former Nidaa Tounes members resigned and formed Tahya Tounes (Long Live Tunisia). The newly founded party is expected to be led by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and to run in the upcoming elections. The North African country is widely seen as the sole democratic success story of the so-called Arab Spring uprisings during 2010-11 but has struggled with an economic slowdown and social unrest. Tunisia has also experienced a series of attacks by armed groups which have dealt a blow to its vital tourism industry. In March 2015, 21 tourists and a Tunisian police officer were killed when gunmen attacked the Bardo National Museum in the capital, Tunis. Three months later, 38 tourists, mostly Britons, were killed in an attack at a hotel in the coastal city of Sousse. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL or ISIS) had claimed responsibility for both the attacks. New tools and strategies for tuberculosis diagnosis, care, and elimination: A PLOS Medicine special This week, publication of a special issue on tuberculosis (TB) begins in PLOS Medicine, advised by guest editors Richard Chaisson of Johns Hopkins University, Claudia Denkinger of the University of Heidelberg, and Mark Hatherill of the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Institute. An estimated 10 million people developed tuberculosis (TB) and 1.6 million died of TB globally in 2017, making it the number one cause of death from a single infectious agent. Last year the United Nations held a High Level Meeting on TB, where heads of state pledged to eliminate the disease by 2030. The Special Issue opens with publication of two original research articles: In the first article, Radojka M. Savic, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues, develop a model for estimating the distribution of TB drugs in patients' lung lesions. They used data on 329 plasma- and 1,362 tissue-specific drug concentrations from 9 distinct lung lesion types obtained from 15 patients (10 men, 5 women) undergoing lung resection surgery, to develop and evaluate a site-of-action mechanistic pharmacokinetic model for 7 major TB drugs (rifampin [RIF], isoniazid [INH], linezolid [LZD], moxifloxacin [MFX], clofazimine[CFZ], pyrazinamide [PZA], and kanamycin [KAN]). The researchers found that patients receiving standard doses of RIF and INH, who are at the lower range of exposure distribution, spent substantial periods (>12 h/d) below effective concentrations in hard-to-treat lesions, such as caseous lesions and cavities. Standard doses of INH (300 mg) and KAN (1,000 mg) did not reach therapeutic thresholds in most lesions for a majority of the patient population. The investigators also found that the majority of TB drugs showed poor penetration into the cavitary lesions, leading to inadequate drug levels at the site of disease and increased risk of developing drug resistance. The authors note that this was a small group of patients from a unique population of TB patients who failed treatment and underwent lung resection surgery. Still, the authors note that the finding that TB drugs do not penetrate equally in different tissues suggests that a patient-focused approach to optimize drug regimen to the disease extent, lesion type, and individual drug-susceptibility profiles may eventually be useful to guide selection of tailored drug regimens with improved outcomes. They provide a web-based tool to further explore this model and results at http:// saviclab.org/tb-lesion/. In the second article, Ankur Gupta-Wright, of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and colleagues develop a clinical risk score for identifying HIV-positive patients diagnosed with TB with an increased chance of dying within 2 months. The risk score includes 6 factors that can be measured upon hospital admission, including a urine TB diagnostic test to detect the protein lipoarabinomannan [LAM], age, sex, previous experience on antiretroviral treatment, anaemia, and ability to walk unaided. The score was derived in a cohort of 315 patients from the STAMP TB screening trial in Malawi and South Africa, and externally validated in 644 patients from 2 other studies done in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Kenya. For patients identified by the score as high-risk, the odds of dying within 2 months were about 5 times greater (odds ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval 2.2-9.5) compared to patients classified as low-risk in the validation cohort. The authors note that this risk score depends on access to urine LAM testing, does not measure all potential predictors of mortality (e.g., TB drug resistance), and further validation in larger and diverse cohorts is necessary. However, this risk score may be able to identify patients who could benefit from enhanced clinical care, follow-up, and/or adjunctive interventions. In addition to the research articles this week, the Special Issue includes a blog on Speaking of Medicine featuring the stories of six survivors of TB, discussing their experiences with different aspects of the TB care cascade, and how it led them to advocate at a local and global level to improve TB care. The Special Issue will continue with further research and discussion articles appearing over the next several weeks. ### Research Article--Savic et al Funding: This work was carried out with funding from US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants R01AI106398-01 and R01AI111967 (RS and VD), grant OPP1066499 (VD) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Intramural Research Program of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (CEB), the Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens (CPTR) Initiative, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, grants OPP1031105 and the GC11 Grand Challenges in Global project, which was jointly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (37882) and the Wellcome Trust (077381). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Citation: Strydom N, Gupta SV, Fox WS, Via LE, Bang H, Lee M, et al. (2019) Tuberculosis drugs' distribution and emergence of resistance in patient's lung lesions: A mechanistic model and tool for regimen and dose optimization. PLoS Med 16(4): e1002773. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pmed. 1002773 Author Affiliations: Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America International Tuberculosis Research Center, Changwon, Republic of Korea Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea Public Health Research Institute and New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals. plos. org/ plosmedicine/ article?id= 10. 1371/ journal. pmed. 1002773 Research Article--Gupta-Wright et al Funding: The funding for the STAMP trial was provided by the Joint Global Health Trials Scheme of the UK Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for International Development, the Global Challenges Research Fund, the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust (MR/M007375/1). AG-W has received a Royal College of Physicians London JMGP Fellowship, ELC has received a Wellcome Trust Fellowship (WT200901/Z/16/Z). Funding for LAM-RCT was provided by the European Developing Clinical Trials Partnership the South African Medical Research Council, and the South African National Research Foundation for the TB Neat project. The MSF cohort study at Homa Bay County Hospital, Kenya was funded by Medecins Sans Frontieres. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: KD has obtained speaker fees at industry-sponsored symposia and non-financial support from Alere in the form of kits and test strips, outside the submitted work. No other authors declare competing interests. Citation: Gupta-Wright A, Corbett EL, Wilson D, van Oosterhout JJ, Dheda K, Huerga H, et al. (2019) Risk score for predicting mortality including urine lipoarabinomannan detection in hospital inpatients with HIV-associated tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa: Derivation and external validation cohort study. PLoS Med 16(4): e1002776. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pmed. 1002776 Author Affiliations: TB Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom Malawi-Liverpool- Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi Department of Medicine, Edendale Hospital, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Epicentre, Paris, France Division of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Institute of Research for Development (IRD), UMI 233 TransVIHMI-UM-INSERM U1175, Montpellier, France Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals. plos. org/ plosmedicine/ article?id= 10. 1371/ journal. pmed. 1002776 This story has been published on: 2019-04-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Europe's Airbus has secured a multi-billion dollar order for 300 planes from China, shaking arch-rival Boeing's grip on one of the world's fastest-growing airlines. The order, estimated to be worth $34 billion, was signed during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Paris. The mammoth Airbus deal delivers a blow to Boeing as it continues to deal with the grounding of all of its 737 Max jets after two fatal crashes. The European planemaker signed a deal with China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) signed covering the purchase by Chinese airlines of 290 A320 Family aircraft and 10 A350 XWB Family aircraft, it said in a statement. We are honoured to support the growth of Chinas civil aviation with our leading aircraft families single-aisle and widebodies, said Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO. Our expanding footprint in China demonstrate our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners. According to Airbus latest China Market Forecast 2018 to 2037, China will need some 7,400 new passenger and freighters aircraft in the next 20 years. It represents more than 19 per cent of the world total demand for over 37,400 new aircraft. By the end of January 2019, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators totalled some 1,730 aircraft, of which 1,455 are A320 Family, and 17 are A350 XWB Family planes. - TradeArabia News Service Amid fierce clashes, Fayez al-Sarraj says the self-styled Libyan National Army will meet resistance in march on Tripoli. The head of Libyas internationally recognised government has accused renegade General Khalifa Haftar of betraying him after the latter launched a military offensive aimed at capturing the capital, Tripoli, in a showdown that has sparked fears of a renewed war. In a televised speech on Saturday, Fayez al-Sarraj said Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) would meet firm resistance from forces loyal to his United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). We have extended our hands towards peace but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Haftar and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital he will find nothing but strength and firmness, al-Sarraj said. He also warned of a war without winners. Al-Sarraj and Haftar held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, during which they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the UN. They also agreed on ways to maintain stability in the country and unify its institutions, the UN Libya mission said in a Twitter post after the Abu Dhabi meeting. Battle for airport The GNA controls Tripoli, situated in northwestern Libya, while the LNA is allied to a parallel administration based in the east of the oil-rich country, which splintered into a patchwork of competing power bases following the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Clashes between the rival forces escalated on Saturday, two days after Haftar ordered his eastern forces to storm their way into the capital, with fighting erupting in several areas on the southern outskirts of Tripoli. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from the capital, said the citys disused international airport and a clutch of other nearby neighbourhoods on Saturday witnessed military deployments and sporadic fighting. 190405214022194 GNA officials told Al Jazeera they had taken full control of the airport just hours after the LNA said in a statement they were carrying out an operation to secure the site, which sits some 30km south of Tripoli. The facility has been abandoned since 2014, after suffering extensive damage during heavy fighting between rival armed groups. Its fall would be a largely symbolic development, even though the LNA said they planned to use the airport as a launching point for missions aimed at seizing key sites within the capital. Pro-GNA forces have also amassed in the outskirts of the city in a bid to push back the LNA offensive, including truckloads of fighters from different powerful militias arriving from Misrata. We are getting reports from the eastern outskirts of Tripoli saying that more military units and detachments from Misrata are joining the battle, moving towards the southern outskirts of Tripoli, Abdelwahed said. In response to Haftars drive, the GNA has also authorised air attacks against any military activities by [LNA] forces trying to enter the capital, Abdelwahed said. Haftars spokesman, Ahmed al-Mesmari, said the LNA was targeted by four air raids on Saturday, including one in the al-Aziziya region, about 50km south of Tripoli. Any fighter jet flying over Tripoli will not be allowed and will be targeted, the airbase it came from will also be targeted, al-Mesmari said. He added that no LNA troops were wounded in the air raids. UN, world leaders call for de-escalation Amid growing alarm, human rights groups and a chorus of international powers called for a cessation of all hostilities, warning that civilians could suffer possible abuses if the fighting escalated. Such a flare-up also threatens to torpedo a UN-led national reconciliation conference scheduled for next weekend, aiming to hammer out a plan for the elections. 190406075042211 The UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, who met al-Sarraj on Saturday, said he was determined that the conference scheduled for April 14-16 would be held on time. In his televised address, al-Sarraj said that the reconciliation meeting offered the only way out of the countrys political crisis, Abdelwahed said. He added that al-Sarraj had called on the international community to differentiate between aggressors and those who are defending themselves, between those who want a military country and those who want civilian rule. Haftar, who casts himself as a foe of extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new authoritarian leader in the mould of Gaddafi, has vowed to continue his offensive until Libya is cleansed of terrorism. Activists accuse Haftars forces of committing human rights violations, with Human Rights Watch saying in a statement on Saturday that LNA fighters have a well-documented record of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, summary executions of captured fighters, and arbitrary detention. But the right groups statement also noted that militias affiliated with the GNA and based in western Libya also have a record of abuses against civilians. The warning came after the G7 a bloc comprised of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom and the UN Security Council called on Friday in separate statements for all parties to the conflict in Libya to end military activities. For almost three weeks, heavy rain and flash floods have battered most of Irans 31 provinces. At least 70 people have been killed in flash floods in different provinces of Iran. For almost three weeks, heavy rain and flash floods have battered most of Irans 31 provinces. Aid workers are struggling to reach at least 350 villages that are completely cut off. The government says US sanctions are impeding aid efforts, while Washington accuses the government in Tehran of failing to manage its emergency response. Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports. After re-imposition of US sanctions on Iran, Iranian students struggle to cope with devastating financial stress. Washington, DC Thirteen years ago, when Shayan Karimi was 11 years old, he begged his parents for a guitar. Around the same time, a relative introduced him to Elton John and Pink Floyd. From that point on, Karimi knew he wanted to be a musician. In late 2016, his dream moved closer to reality when he was awarded a partial scholarship to study music at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Owing to the absence of a US embassy in Iran, Karimi travelled to Dubai to apply for a visa later that year. He arrived in the United States in January 2017, bringing with him a financial plan for the next four years. But months of renewed US sanctions and US President Donald Trumps travel ban have made life challenging for Iranian students at American universities. Trumps decision last May to formally withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement triggered a currency crisis that hammered the value of the Iranian rial. More pain followed in November after the re-imposition of oil and financial sanctions ushered in banking restrictions that have made direct wire transfers to and from the country all but impossible. Many students, including Karimi, have struggled to afford tuition and living expenses. I came to Berklee with a financial plan for a four-year programme, and it made sense with the exchange rate when I left Iran, he told Al Jazeera, but with this devaluation, it doesnt make sense any more. Karimi added, It has been very challenging and frustrating. The money we had in Iran isnt worth much any more. Karimi, who said he was already working the maximum number of hours permitted under his F1 visa, found himself stretched thin. He struggled to find the money to pay his living costs and tuition expenses not covered by his partial scholarship. With no other options, Karimi did what many others like him have had to do: He turned to crowdfunding his education on GoFundMe. So far, he has raised about $8,000, less than one-third of his intended goal. Despite this, he said he remains hopeful about the campaign, especially after several Iranian celebrities shared his page on their social media accounts. Iranian students struggle Karimi is not alone. Leila Austin, president of the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), said her organisation has received a surge of requests from students looking for help. We had students reaching out to us, calling and explaining the situation of struggling to pay tuition because of devaluation of currency and the difficulties in transferring money from Iran to the US because of the re-imposition of sanctions, she told Al Jazeera. If they dont have the money to pay for their tuition, they will no longer be enrolled at a US university and would then have to go back to Iran, she added. Hedieh*, an undergraduate engineering student in New York City, has made handmade hats and gloves to raise money for her tuition. Before the [reimposition of] sanctions, my parents were sending me money, but they cant any more, she told Al Jazeera. Ever since the [reimposition of] sanctions, my father said he cant send dollars any more. It is a really high conversion rate, she added. 190318094228084 Studying in New York had been Hediehs dream her entire life. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who had studied in the US in the 1970s. Because of her stories, I wanted to follow her path and experiences she always spoke highly about being in America. If Hedieh cannot pay for her tuition to keep her full-time student status, she risks the possibility of having to return to Iran before finishing her degree. Hedieh said the financial situation has caused her immense anxiety, affecting her ability to focus and maintain her grades. How can students focus on their studies and do well with this amount of stress? she asked. I feel hopeless and worried. I had so many hopes but now I dont feel confident any more. Its an emotional rollercoaster, Hedieh said. There is no data showing how many students have been forced to leave the US due to insufficient funds, but according to the Institute of International Educations 2018 report of Open Doors, 12,783 Iranian students are currently studying at US institutions. Travel ban In addition to the financial challenges, students faced another hurdle after Trump included Iran in a travel ban order, barring nationals from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. In June 2018, in a 5-4 ruling, the US Supreme Court upheld the third iteration of the ban, which has suspended entry to nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, as well as North Korea and Venezuela. Currently, the only visas being issued to Iranians are for students entering on F1 or J1 visas. Many receive only single-entry visas, meaning they must reapply if they leave the US. Students have expressed frustration and disappointment that their parents could not visit during their studies and attend their graduation. 190227210725292 When Ali Taleghani left Iran in September 2016 to study in the US, he promised his mother he would return to visit her soon. He had been accepted into a PhD programme in bioengineering at the University of Missouri. When I left Iran, I told my mother to not be upset, that I would be able to see her soon and come during the summer break, the 32-year-old student told Al Jazeera, but Taleghani has not been able to go home or have his mother visit because of the challenges in place. There were already several barriers to Iranian students attending American universities: application fees, test fees for entrance exams like the SAT or TOEFL, and the need to visit a consulate outside of Iran to obtain a visa. These issues have not just affected students in the US, but also in Canada, the UK, and other countries. In December 2018, the University of Reading in the UK told Iranian student Parsa Sadat to return to Iran to obtain $6,898 in cash to pay his tuition. Meanwhile students like Karimi do their best to try and navigate the geopolitical storm that threatens to derail their studies. This is out of our control. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from this, Karimi said. We wouldnt be struggling if it werent for [the sanctions] it has completely changed our lives. *The individuals name has been changed at her the request to protect her privacy. Recent polls suggest Palestinian-Israeli voter turnout could be lower than the last elections. Israel heads to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new government. Almost a fifth of the voters are Palestinian-Israelis, who say they are actively discriminated against. And it seems many of them intend to boycott the election. Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker reports from northern Israel. The decision, rumoured for years, is expected to be announced by the US State Department as early as Monday. The United States is expected to designate Irans elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation, the Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed officials. The move would mark the first time Washington formally labels another countrys military a terrorist group. The decision, which critics warn exposes US military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad, is expected to be announced by the US State Department as early as Monday, the officials told the Wall Street Journal. The change of designation has been rumoured for years. The Pentagon declined to comment and referred queries to the State Department. The State Department and White House also declined to comment. 190326161903698 The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a strident Iran critic, has advocated for the change in US policy as part of the Trump administrations tough posture towards Tehran. The announcement would come before the first anniversary of President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and to reimpose sanctions that had crippled Irans economy. The US has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for their affiliations with the IRGC, but the organisation as a whole is not. The latest sanctions were imposed in March on a network of companies and individuals said to be transferring billions of dollars and euros to IRGC. In 2007, the US Treasury designated the IRGCs Quds Force, the unit in charge of operations abroad, for its support of terrorism, and has described it as Irans primary arm for executing its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups. Implications of move Iran has warned of a crushing response should the US goes ahead with the designation. IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari warned in 2017 that if Trump went ahead with the move then the Revolutionary Guards will consider the American army to be like [the] Islamic State all around the world. Such threats are particularly ominous for US forces in places such as Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shia militia are located in close proximity to US troops. 180508141155625 Republican Senator Ben Sasse said the move would be an important step in the USs maximum pressure campaign against Tehran. A formal designation and its consequences may be new, but these IRGC butchers have been terrorists for a long time, Sasse said in a statement. There are legitimate arguments both ways, but there are definitely second and third-tier level [implications] that have to be considered, a US official told the Wall Street Journal. Those who have argued against the move, think those second and third-tier levels havent been fully considered. New leadership has decided to look at things differently, added the official. Former Under-Secretary of State and lead Iran negotiator, Wendy Sherman, said she worried about implications for US forces. One might even suggest, since its hard to see why this is in our interest, if the president isnt looking for a basis for a conflict, said Sherman, who is the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. The IRGC is already fully sanctioned and this escalation absolutely endangers our troops in the region. Revolutionary Corp reach Set up after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect the Shia clerical ruling system, the IRGC is Irans most powerful security organisation. It has control over large sectors of the Iranian economy and has a huge influence in its political system. The IRGC is in charge of Irans ballistic missiles and nuclear programmes. Tehran has warned that it has missiles with a range of up to 2,000km, putting Israel and US military bases in the region within reach. The IRGC has an estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units and answers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As global powers plead for de-escalation, LNA troops clash with forces loyal to UN-backed government near Libya capital. Fighter jets have targeted forces under the command of Libyas renegade General Khalifa Haftar in a bid to halt his military assault on the capital, Tripoli, that threatens to further destabilise the country. As clashes continued on the outskirts of the city on Saturday, human rights groups warned of civilians suffering possible abuses if the fighting escalated, joining a chorus of international powers calling for a cessation of all hostilities. Haftars self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) said in a statement on Saturday it was carrying out an operation to secure Tripolis former international airport, which sits some 30km south of the city, and would later use it as a launching point for missions aimed at seizing key sites within the capital. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli later on Saturday, said that high-ranking GNA officers confirmed they are in full control of the airport. In fact, as they say, they are pushing back Haftars forces from the outskirts of Tripoli towards the city of Gharyan, he added, referring to a city south of the capital that was taken by the LNA on Thursday. The wrestle over the airport comes two days after Haftar ordered the eastern forces to march on Tripoli, which is controlled by the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and protected by an array of militias. The LNA is allied to a parallel administration based in the east of the oil-rich North African country. Sporadic fighting Al Jazeeras Abdelwahed said the area surrounding the airport and a clutch of other nearby neighbourhoods were witnessing military deployments and sporadic fighting, accounting for one of four major confrontation zones. These areas are on the southern outskirts of Tripoli, near the western gate of Tripoli and two major front lines in the west of Libya, Abdelwahed said, adding that clashes could erupt in each of the locations at any time. The LNAs advance has escalated a power struggle that has splintered Libya into a patchwork of competing power bases since the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. 190405214022194 In response to Haftars drive, the GNA has authorised air attacks against any military activities by [LNA] forces trying to enter the capital, Abdelwahed said. Pro-GNA forces have also massed in the city in a bid to push back the LNA offensive, with military units and detachments arriving from cities such as Misrata and Zawiya, Abdelwahed added. We are getting reports from the eastern outskirts of Tripoli saying that more military units and detachments from Misrata are joining the battle, moving towards the southern outskirts of Tripoli, he said. As fresh fighting between the competing factions flared, LNA forces alleged they had been targeted by four air raids, including one in the al-Aziziya region, which sits about 50km south of the capital. Any jet fighter flying over Tripoli will not be allowed and will be targeted, the air base it came from will also be targeted, Haftars spokesman, Ahmed al-Mesmari, said. He added that no LNA troops were injured in the raids. UN pushes for reconciliation conference Amid the escalating tension, an array of international leaders and organisations have called for all parties to put an end to the ongoing conflict and instead focus their efforts on planning elections to resolve Libyas prolonged instability. On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned over the possibility of bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli. The UN is committed to facilitating a political solution and, whatever happens, the UN is committed to supporting the Libyan people, Guterres said. UN Secretary-General Guterres (left) held talks with Haftar (right) in Libyas second most populous city, Benghazi, on Friday [LNA war information division/AFP] Guterress comments came as he wrapped up a visit to Libya, aimed at helping organise a national reconciliation conference planned for later this month. The UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, who is set to meet GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli on Saturday, said he was determined that the conference scheduled for April 14-16 would be held on time. In a televised speech on Saturday, al-Sarraj vowed to remain firm in the face of Haftars offensive and stated the reconciliation meeting offered the only way out of Libyas political crisis, Abdelwahed said. World leaders call for de-escalation In a statement on Saturday, Human Rights Watch warned that civilians could be caught in the middle of fighting. Armed groups loyal to both sides have a record of abusing civilians, the rights group said, adding that LNA fighters have a well-documented record of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, summary executions of captured fighters, and arbitrary detention. The statement noted that militias affiliated with the GNA and based in western Libya also have a record of abuses against civilians. 190406075042211 HRWs caution came after the G7 a bloc comprising the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom issued a statement on Friday saying there was no military solution to the Libyan conflict. We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people and standing in the way of the peace that Libyans deserve, it added. Meanwhile, after a closed-door emergency meeting in New York, the UN Security Council urged Haftars forces to halt their advance and warned that those responsible for reigniting conflict would be held responsible. The appeal was unanimously backed by the council, including Russia, which has previously supported the 75-year-old. The council called on LNA forces to halt all military movements and on all forces to de-escalate military activity, said German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who holds the councils presidency. Haftar, who casts himself as a foe of extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new authoritarian leader in the mould of Gaddafi, has vowed to continue his offensive until Libya is cleansed of terrorism. But analysts speculated that the LNA chiefs move might in fact be an attempt to shift the power balance ahead of the reconciliation conference in a bid advance his demands. Negotiations, at the end of the day, are reflections of power on the ground, Ibrahim Fraihat, an associate professor in international conflict resolution at the Qatar-based Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera. As clashes break out near Tripoli, alarm grows over danger of major escalation in Libyas years-long power struggle. Forces loyal to Libyas renegade General Khalifa Haftar are marching in the capital, Tripoli, igniting fears of renewed war in the chaos-wracked country. The assault by Haftars self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) raised fears of a full-blown battle in Tripoli, the seat of a UN-recognised government that is protected by an array of militias holding sway over the citys economy and institutions. Following Haftars move on Thursday, the Tripoli-allied militias mobilised for war by deploying troops and moving weapons from the coastal towns of Misrata and Zawiya to areas around the capital. As skirmishes broke out near Tripoli on Friday, Antonio Guterres, the UN chief who was in the capital to help organise a conference aimed at hammering out a plan for elections, headed to the eastern city of Benghazi to meet Haftar. But he wrote on Twitter later in the day: I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli. The escalation threatens to undermine UN-led efforts to bring stability to a country that has for years been split between the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east allied to Haftar. The 75-year-old former army officers rise, including advances on strategic oil fields and port cities, has come on the back of support by countries such as neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. He has portrayed himself as the only solution to Libyas instability, but many in the country fear he could try to reinstate authoritarian rule. Haftars rise After decades of exile in the United States, Haftar returned to Libya in 2011 to take part in the uprising against longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. In the years that followed Gaddafis removal and killing, various armed groups vied for control in of the oil-rich country. Amidst the chaos, Haftar launched Operation Dignity in 2014 to cleanse the country of what he called terrorist militias. In July 2017, Haftar said his forces had seized Benghazi after a bloody three-year battle. Last year, the LNA gained control of Derna, the last bastion of opposition against Haftar in the east of the country. Then in January this year, he launched a new offensive into oil-rich Fezzan in Libyas south-west. The LNA made deals with the local tribes and overran the region without a major fight. Haftars ultimate goal when he went into Fezzan was to take Tripoli, said Jalel Harchaoui, a research fellow at the Netherlands-based Clingendael Institute. You cannot rule Libya unless you control Tripoli. Because all the money, diplomatic missions and most of the population is there everything is concentrated there. UN Secretary-General Guterres (left) held talks with Haftar (right) in Libyas second most populous city, Benghazi, on Friday [LNA war information division/AFP] Stunned by LNAs southern advance, the UN scrambled to mediate between Haftar and Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the GNA. The pair met in Abu Dhabi in February, and the UN said they had agreed to hold elections by the end of the year. In March, the UNs mission in Libya announced that a national conference would be held on April 14 to 16 to discuss a timetable for long-delayed elections and unify the country. Harchaoui said Haftar agreed to the election plan to buy more time for his long-promised offensive on Tripoli. Haftar used UN diplomacy to make military progress. His aim is to change the facts on the ground to his political advantage. Tide is turning Speaking from Benghazi in eastern Libya, Mansour El-Kikhia, a professor at the University of Texas, argued that Haftar was likely to succeed in his Tripoli push. 190405141340254 Its a foregone conclusion that Haftar will take over Tripoli and end the reign of the militias, he claimed. Even the residents of Tripoli are sick and tired of the status quo. Its not because of a love for Haftar. Its a desire for peace, quiet and normalcy. As things stand today, its a mess. The militias are kleptomaniacs. They loot the countrys wealth while people are going hungry. Describing the armed groups allied to Tripoli as kids with guns, El-Kikhia said they were no match for Haftars estimated 25,000 forces, who are well trained and hardened after four years of fighting against terrorists. But other analysts disagreed. When asked if Haftar was likely to succeed, Saleh El Bakkoush, a Tripoli-based political analyst, replied: Absolutely not. Noting that forces supporting the Tripoli-based government captured on Friday more than 140 LNA-backed troops at a checkpoint some 30km west of the capital, El Bakkoush said: Theres great excitement among the GNA-allied troops The tide is turning. Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of GNA, visits military and security commanders [Mahmud Turkia/ AFP] Little room for de-escalation Emad Badi, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute, said that unlike the tribal groups Haftar subsumed in the south, the militias in and around Tripoli were likely to put up resistance. They see Haftars attack as an existential threat, Badi said from the British capital, London. The military forces in the west have a vested interest in continuing to exist, because that leads to them having some sort of benefit, whether money wise or through illegal means of rent-seeking. Harchaoui said residents in the west of the country dont care about liberal democracy as much as they did eight years ago. But compared to the rest of Libya, there is still a decent percentage of people there who have no interest in the authoritarian model Haftar promises. As foreign countries expressed growing alarm over the potential of renewed conflict, analysts underlined the importance of the response from Misrata, a wealthy city east of the capital and home to nearly half a million people and some of the most powerful militias backing the GNA. On Friday, Tripoli-allied forces reportedly moved troops and machine gun-mounted vehicles from Misrata to the capital, vowing to repel Haftars assault on the city. Misrata will resist, said Harchaoui. But El-Kikhia disagreed: They arent going to fight him if they can avoid it. They will lose. Meanwhile, Badi, at the Middle East Institute, said that open conflict was likely to break out in the coming days. Noting the outcome of Haftars meeting with Guterres, he said: There is now very little room for de-escalation. If Haftars forces do not disengage, there will be open conflict for a while. In emergency session, UN Security Council calls on Haftar to stop military march on Tripoli, amid reports of fighting. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the G7 are calling on troops loyal to Libyas renegade General Khalifa Haftar to halt their military advance on Tripoli as clashes near the capital prompted concerns of a wider escalation in the North African country. Militias loyal to the UN-backed government in Tripoli say they captured more than 100 of Haftars self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) fighters west of the capital on Friday. Fighting was reported on Friday night into Saturday morning near Tripolis international airport, about 30km south of the city. After a closed-door emergency meeting, the UNSC warned that those responsible for reigniting the conflict would be held to account. The UNSC called on LNA forces to halt all military movements and on all forces to de-escalate military activity, said German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who holds the council presidency. 190405141340254 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who was in the Libyan capital to help organise a conference aimed at hammering out a plan for elections, held a series of meetings on Thursday and Friday with senior officials including Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Haftar. But he wrote on Twitter on Friday: I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli. Al Jazeeras Mike Hannah at the UN said Guterress meeting with Haftar did not go well. Haftar reportedly said he was confident and defiant and the characterisation of the meeting was that Haftar insisted he was not going to back down. Rights group Human Rights Watch called on all forces to abide by the laws of war. Armed groups loyal to both sides have a record of abusing civilians, it said in a statement on Saturday. Fighters led by General Khalifa Haftar, known as the Libyan National Army (LNA), have a well-documented record of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, summary executions of captured fighters, and arbitrary detention, it said. Local militiamen say they seized vehicles from Haftars forces in the coastal town of Zawiya, west of Tripoli [Mahmud Turkia/AFP] Militias affiliated with the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and based in western Libya also have a record of abuses against civilians. The military escalation threatens to undermine UN-led efforts to bring stability to a country that has for years been split between the internationally recognised GNA in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east allied to Haftar. The 75-year-old former army officers rise, including advances on strategic oil fields and port cities, has come on the back of support by countries such as neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. He has portrayed himself as the only solution for Libyas instability, but many in the country fear he could try to reinstate authoritarian rule. Haftars rise After decades of exile in the United States, Haftar returned to Libya in 2011 to take part in the uprising against longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. In the years that followed Gaddafis removal and killing, various armed groups vied for control in of the oil-rich country. Amidst the chaos, Haftar launched in 2014 Operation Dignity to cleanse the country of what he called terrorist militias. In July 2017, Haftar said his forces had seized Benghazi after a bloody three-year battle. Last year, the LNA gained control of Derna, the last bastion of opposition against Haftar in the east of the country. Then, in January this year, he launched a new offensive into oil-rich Fezzan in Libyas southwest. The LNA made deals with the local tribes and overran the region without a major fight. 190403155045917 Haftars ultimate goal when he went into Fezzan was to take Tripoli, said Jalel Harchaoui, a research fellow at the Netherlands-based Clingendael Institute. You cannot rule Libya unless you control Tripoli. Because all the money, diplomatic missions and most of the population is there everything is concentrated there. Stunned by LNAs southern advance, the UN scrambled to mediate between Haftar and al-Serraj, the head of the GNA. The pair met in Abu Dhabi in February, and the UN said they had agreed to hold elections by the end of the year. In March, the UNs mission in Libya announced that a national conference would be held on April 14 to 16 to discuss a timetable for long-delayed elections and unify the country. Harchaoui said Haftar agreed to the election plan to buy more time for his long-promised offensive on Tripoli. Haftar used UN diplomacy to make military progress. His aim is to change the facts on the ground to his political advantage. Port city at epicentre of cyclones landfall struggles to deal with humanitarian emergency created by storm, floods. Beira, Mozambique Ripped off rooftops, lacerated power cables and makeshift mounds of sand dot the streets of Beira. The port city on Mozambiques central coast bore the brunt of Cyclone Idai, which made landfall on March 14, bringing torrential rain, heavy winds and widespread flooding in parts of southeastern Africa. Now, more than three weeks after the storm battered Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Madagascar, killing hundreds and displacing hundreds of thousands, Beira has become a major hub for the coordination of the Mozambican aid efforts, prompting its pre-Idai population of approximately 500,000 to proliferate quickly. Thousands of people forced from their homes have found shelter in Beiras makeshift relief camps, set up by the government and run by humanitarian groups. Arrivals are only projected to increase as relief agencies reach affected villages that were previously inaccessible, but camp facilities are overstretched and some people are already struggling to find a space in which to recuperate. In recent days, humanitarian efforts have focused on containing an outbreak of cholera that has affected some 2,000 people. Health officials have launched a mass vaccination campaign, while humanitarian organisations have been distributing hygiene kits to prevent the spread of the bacterial disease. Cyclone plunges Beira into crisis Beira had infrastructural challenges before it was hit by Idai, including poorly maintained public buildings as well as roads filled with potholes and littered with rubbish. The storm drastically worsened pre-existing problems, destroying an estimated 90 percent of the city. 190404170952343 As a result, power cuts have become more frequent due to the destruction of vital cables, meaning internet services are erratic and residents often wait several hours to get online. Meanwhile, some businesses have been forced to temporarily halt operations while they carry out repair work on damaged property. Samilo Anifo runs an event centre that was partially destroyed by the storm its roofs were ripped off, while some parts of the complex collapsed entirely. We had bookings for weddings, parties and some religious events. Weve not been able to host any of the programmes because, as you can see, we have to rebuild some parts of the compound, Anifo told Al Jazeera. I am using money I have saved for several months to pay for the rebuilding. The government cant do it for me. I have to continue my business as soon as possible, he said. Some people have no alternative for their event venues. They have to wait for us to fix the buildings. Power cables pulled down by the storm in Beira [Fidelis Mbah/Al Jazeera] Allegations of government neglect Located in Sofala province, Beira is the commercial nerve centre of Mozambiques central region. The city, however, is considered a stronghold of the opposition Renamo party, prompting some to argue that it has been deliberately neglected by the countrys ruling Frelimo party. Nothing works here and the government doesnt care, said a man who simply identified himself as Miguel. If not for the humanitarian organisations that quickly came to our rescue, more people would have died. The government has not shown any serious concern because we dont support President Filipe Nyusi, Miguel told Al Jazeera. Nyusi visited Beira shortly after Cyclone Idai made a landfall, promising to assist displaced people and provide seeds for farmers. Homes, farms destroyed Many in Beiras sprawling camps face an uphill battle in their attempt to rebuild their lives post-Idai, including a looming food crisis. Rural communities have been particularly hit, as an estimated 700,000 hectares of crops have been lost in central Mozambique as a result of widespread flooding and heavy winds in the wake of Idai. A number of those who have arrived in the city from neighbouring villages suffered double losses, with the storm wiping away both their homes and sources of livelihood. Even if their modest houses are still standing, they may require major rebuilding work once the flood waters recede. I am happy that I am alive, said Esther Zalimba, who is from Buzi, a storm-hit village southwest of Beira and has found shelter in the citys Ifapa camp. I will sleep whenever I find. My entire village was flooded and even if I go back now, I wont be able to get a place to sleep. The killing of at least 157 people is believed to be the deadliest incident of ethnic violence in Mali in a generation. Thousands of protesters in Mali have condemned the government, saying it is not doing enough to stop ethnic violence. The demonstration one of the biggest in recent years follows the killing of almost 160 villagers from the Fulani community. Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports. Public diplomacy has become an important factor in the modern world political process. Interstate bodies and diplomatic agencies are often asking active part of society to help them, since it's capable of expanding existing international contacts. These contact can help to resolve tasks that mediators face today when they're resolving conflicts in the South Caucasus. Global trends in humanization of international relations dictate new ideas, according to which the use of military force or its constant buildup cannot be regarded as an effective way of conducting foreign policy. Public diplomacy has different forms and methods of cooperation, allowing to convey realities of the country to citizens of other countries. Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh is ready for a constructive dialogue with Armenian population of the region. Interethnic hatred, which so-called experts on the Karabakh issue often mention, doesn't exist. In reality, people of Azerbaijan and Armenia want peace. The most progressive part of Azerbaijani society, despite occupation of a part of the republic's territory, believes that Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan can once again coexist peacefully within internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. For centuries, both peoples lived side by side, during this time many contact were established, there was cultural exchange, and poly-ethnic families appeared. In other to resume contacts between Armenian and Azerbaijani communities, humanitarian ties must be used to help form a circle of partners, colleagues, and true friends in both republics. Unfortunately, modern conflicts always go with fake news. In conditions of information wars, obtaining reliable information is extremely difficult, there are risks of intensification of interethnic crises through targeted presentation of incorrect information. Cooperation that can be achieved through bilateral contacts between communities can help to overcome mental conflicts, actualizing real problems of the population of this region. People aren't interested in virtual world, full of myths and conjectures. First of all, it's important for them to have stable jobs, ability to provide for their families, take care of parents and ensure future of their children. Not a single virtual concept can satisfy social needs of citizens, so these concepts are outside of rhetoric of public diplomats who have experienced real confrontation. Public diplomacy helps to overcome ethnic stereotypes, forming basis for solidarity of society. Isolation of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh is a dangerous phenomenon for the entire region, since it contributes to stereotyping of interethnic relations, spreading idea of denying the existence of Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh. In fact, this community does exist, its number currently exceeds 80 thousand people. Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh has legal structure headed by professional diplomat Tural Ganjaliyev. Leadership of the community always proposes to resume negotiations with representatives of Armenian community of Karabakh. There have been episodes in the Karabakh settlement's history when productive negotiations were conducted between representatives of those communities. Communities' representatives have participated in negotiations from 1992 to mid 2000s, which confirmed willingness of people to achieve peace, which frightened those interested in freezing negotiations. The latter encouraged spread of the myth about ethnic incompatibility of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, impossibility of coexistence between communities of Nagorno-Karabakh. By the way, after another escalation of the conflict, Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan resorted to similar tactics at different times. Public diplomacy can give impulse to negotiations and bring peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan closer to peace. Nikol Pashinyans desire to involve representatives of Karabakh in the talks is welcomed, especially since the need for contacts at intercommunity level is noted in early OSCE documents. That's why current Prime Minister of Armenia has a chance to resume negotiations with the involvement of communities. The stigma of rape in Africa is profound and being fathered by a Hutu rapist is considered worse. Rape is often used as a weapon of war during conflicts. When Rwandas 1994 genocide happened, the scale of the crime was unimaginable. The United Nations estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 Tutsi women were raped. And those born as a result is one of the most under-reported aspects of the genocide. Al Jazeeras Andrew Simmons visited one woman who wanted to speak, for the first time, about her suffering. Twenty-five years on, Rwanda keeps alive the memory of more than 800,000 people killed during 100 days of Hutu violence. Kigali, Rwanda Rwanda is set to start a week-long event marking 25 years since the 1994 genocide, considered one of the worst atrocities of the twentieth century, in which more than 800,000 people were killed. Across the capital, Kigali, last minute preparations are being made to get the city ready for the first day of the remembrance on Sunday. In the citys national stadium, Amphora, young Rwandans are rehearsing a play that they will perform for world leaders who will attend a vigil at the ground on Sunday. Most in the 30,000 capacity stadium were not born when more than 800,000 of the Tutsi ethnic group were killed during 100 days of violence by forces and vigilantes from the Hutu ethnic group. Thousands of moderate Hutus were also killed in the violence. We should never forget our past, Deborah Mwanganjye, 19, told Al Jazeera, as her friends practised a short distance away under a light afternoon drizzle. We need to remember our past so we never ever make the same mistakes, Mwanganjye, who is starting university to study interior design this summer, said. Like almost all her friends, the genocide one of the bloodiest events of the last century has touched her personally. Only my dad survived the genocide. The rest of his family were killed. It is tough to take in but that is life, Mwanganjye said, taking a deep breath while looking at the cloudy sky. Except for her father, all of 19-year-old Deborah Mwanganjyes direct family members were killed during the 1994 genocide [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] The countrys population was estimated to be around eight million when the genocide took place. More than half of the countrys 12 million population were born after the genocide, according to official government statistics. Sheltering from the drizzle in the covered stand of the stadium, Jean Michel Iradukunda, 19, told Al Jazeera he was one of the lucky few who did not lose a family member in the genocide. Both my parents and all my siblings are alive. I know Im very lucky. But I also feel the pain of my friends who have lost family members, the student, who just graduated from high school, said. Following the genocide, the tiny central African country banned ethnic labels, removing tribe names from identification cards, and authorities encouraged people to identify themselves as Rwandans not Hutu, Tutsi or Twa. Discriminating against someone based on their ethnic background has also been made a crime punishable by a jail term. I dont see the need to identify myself using ethnic labels. It only leads to bad things and discrimination. I see myself as Rwandan. Ethnic labels only take you to one path that of a genocide, Maurice Kwizerimana, a youth leader who runs Gira Ubumuntu a charity that looks after street children, told Al Jazeera. Kwizerimana was five years old on April 7 when the genocide started. He knows how lucky he is to have survived. They were killing everyone they suspected of being a Tutsi, even babies. They were going door to door. Then a neighbour came to my family and made me wear a dress. I pretended to be girl and that is how I survived, he said. His cousin was not so lucky. She was raped then hacked to death, Kwizerimana said. Jean Michel Iradukunda is one of the lucky few who has not lost any family member in the genocide [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] Moving on All the three say they are proud how far their country has come since the genocide. Im very happy and proud to be a Rwandan. We have come a long way from the dark days and have moved on. Our country has a bright future. Our countrys strength is its youth, Iradukunda said. Thiery Gatete, a political analyst based in Kigali, agrees with them but adds that the country still has a long way to go to make sure the same mistakes are not repeated. The genocide ideology still exists in the minds of some people. Not many but some. All Rwandans must do more to make sure we challenge them and change their mindset, Gatete said. Banning ethnic labels is the first step. We must take many more steps to eradicate the dangerous ideology that led to the genocide, Gatete added. Following the genocide, more than 100,000 people were arrested for their role in the massacre. Thousands are today serving a jail term for taking part in the slaughter of their fellow countrymen. But for Rwandan youth, they say forgiveness is the way forward. I cant forget the bad things that were done to my family. But I have forgiven the perpetrators. It is the best thing to do if we want our country to move forward, Mwanganjye said. Follow Hamza Mohamed on Twitter: @Hamza_Africa The deal will allow Malaysia Airlines subsidiary Firefly to start operations at Seletar Airport this month. Singapore and Malaysia have reached an agreement to end their months-long airspace dispute, the transport ministers of the two neighbouring countries said in a joint statement on Saturday. Under the deal, Singapore will halt instrument landing system procedures at its Seletar Airport, while Malaysia will open up a restricted area near the countries border. Singapore will withdraw the Instrument Landing System procedures for Seletar Airport and Malaysia will indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang, the statement of Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapores Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said. This will allow Malaysia Airlines subsidiary Firefly to start operations at Seletar Airport this month, the statement said. Media reports said the airline postponed its plans to fly out of Seletar Airport last year due to the dispute. 190205012027817 The dispute began in December when Malaysia said it wanted to take back control of airspace managed by the city-state since 1974, because Singapores new instrument landing system at Seletar airport involved a flight path over Malaysian airspace. The ministers also said in the joint statement that the two countries have set up a committee to review the 1974 airspace agreement. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysias Mahathir Mohamad are scheduled to meet on April 8 and 9 in Putrajaya. The protests come on the 34th anniversary of the overthrow of President Jaafar al-Nimeiri in a bloodless coup. Thousands of people have marched in Sudans capital, Khartoum, with many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly demonstrations against President Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, according to reports. The protests began in December as a movement reacting to spiralling prices and a failing economy but quickly escalated into demands for Bashirs departure after three decades in power. Chanting one army, one people, the protesters on Saturday heeded a call by the organisers to march on the army headquarters, located near Bashirs residence. Witnesses told Reuters news agency that security forces used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. Some protesters were reportedly arrested. Protesters chanted the slogan of the movement peace, justice, freedom as they marched through the streets of Khartoum and reached the army building, which also houses the Defence Ministry, according to onlookers. Mamadou Abozeid, a Sudanese activist, told Al Jazeera that the crowds were able to voice their concerns. The longer it takes for Bashir to step down, the bigger the protests will get, he said, speaking from Khartoum. Meanwhile, Sudanese security forces broke into the Al Jazeera office in Khartoum and briefly detained three journalists Taher al-Mardi, Ismail Adam and Majdi al-Sadik. They were released after a couple of hours. Anniversary of uprising 190222193100058 On February 22, Bashir imposed a nationwide state of emergency after an initial crackdown failed to rein in demonstrators. Since the emergency rule came into effect, protests have been largely confined to the capital and its twin city of Omdurman. But organisers called for widespread rallies and a march on the army headquarters on Saturday, the 34th anniversary of the 1985 uprising that toppled the then-government of President Jaafar al-Nimeiri. The military removed Nimeiri before handing over power to an elected government, which in turn was overthrown by Bashir in a coup. Before the demonstrations began, security forces were deployed in large numbers at key squares in Khartoum and Omdurman, across the Nile. Theres a heavy security deployment where the protesters were to gather for the march, but they still came out and are chanting anti-government slogans, a witness told AFP news agency without revealing his name for security reasons. Witnesses said plain-clothes security agents were preventing even passers-by from reaching central areas. Shops and markets in central Khartoum were ordered shut before the march by security agents, according to onlookers. Those walking in groups were immediately detained or asked to return to their homes by security forces, another onlooker said. 190310173226119 In recent days, activists have been circulating leaflets urging residents to participate in Saturdays march, several residents said. The protest movement was initially led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions, that has called for fresh protests in the lead up to the march. Several political parties, including the main opposition National Umma Party, have also supported the movement. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashirs rule. However, the veteran leader has remained defiant and has introduced tough measures that have seen protesters, opposition leaders, activists and journalists arrested. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence so far, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51, including children and medics. In a joint press conference, the two leaders agree on the need for stability and peace in the region. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has visited Tehran for talks with Irans President Hassan Rouhani, marking a further deepening of ties between the two neighbours. At a joint news conference on Saturday, Rouhani hailed Iran and Iraqs shared stance on key regional issues. We hold common viewpoints on Al-Quds [Jerusalem] being the permanent capital of Palestine, Golan being an inseparable part of Syria and that the war in Yemen should finish soon and that the solution to the Yemeni crisis should be a political one, he said. Rouhani added that the two countries agreed upon the necessity of peace and stability in the entire region. Abdul Mahdi echoed the Iranian presidents comments, adding that economic and security cooperation were also discussed in their meeting. We wish to see our well-developed relations, bilateral relations, to be an example to follow and also as a precursor to similar ones with all the regional countries, he said. The Iraqi prime ministers visit to the Iranian capital followed Rouhanis trip to Baghdad less than a month ago. Al Jazeeras correspondent Dorsa Jabbari said the two sides have made very strong gains in the past years. The Iraqi prime minister said that according to Iraqs constitution, Iraqi soil will not be allowed to be used by foreign troops or fighters to launch any attacks against Iran, she said, speaking from Baghdad. According to Iranian state TV, Rouhani on Saturday called for both countries to expand their gas and electricity dealings and boost bilateral trade to $20bn, despite difficulties caused by sanctions imposed by the United States against Tehran. Iranian media reports have put the current level of trade at about $12bn. The plans to export electricity and gas and hopefully oil continue and we are ready to expand these contacts not only for the two countries but also for other countries in the region, Rouhani said. US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Irans energy exports in November citing its nuclear programme and meddling in the Middle East, but has granted waivers to several buyers to meet consumer energy needs. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian gas to feed its power stations, importing roughly 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day via pipelines in the south and east. Meanwhile, Irans top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Abdul Mahdi to ensure US troops leave as soon as possible. You must make sure that the Americans withdraw their troops from Iraq as soon as possible because expelling them has become difficult whenever they have had a long military presence in a country, Khamenei said, according to Iranian state media. Bangkok, Thailand Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 40, raised three fingers in the air at a crowd of hundreds of supporters and journalists before walking into Bangkoks Pathum Wan police station for questioning on Saturday. The salute, adopted from the Hunger Games films, has become a popular and powerful sign of defiance against the military leadership in Thailand. Thank you for coming out, he said before entering the building. Thanathorn, the rising opposition leader of Thailands popular new political party, Future Forward, met police to address new sedition charges filed against him by government representatives for causing disorder and disobedience among the public that could lead to the acts of rebellion. According to police, he faces three charges for allegedly breaking article 116 for sedition, article 189 for assisting others who committed a serious crime, and article 215 for an unlawful assembly of more than 10 people. Thanathorn has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. Representatives from the United Nations, various international rights groups and 11 other foreign embassies observed the process today. Future Forward party, the influential political group that has gained unprecedented popularity since being formed in 2015, came in third on election day, winning 6.2 million votes. And judging by how well the progressive and youth-favoured party did, many observers suspect this latest round of legal charges are a response to Future Forwards commitment to undo the legacy of military rule and undertake democratic reforms. The sedition charges were filed just a day after Thailands army chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, warned supporters of anti-military government parties, like Future Forward, and anyone who threatens Thailands constitutional monarchy, to be cautious. He said that the military will do whatever is necessary to protect the countrys Thai-style democratic system. The army does the armys duty, which is to protect, maintain, and defend the institutions of nation, religion, and monarchy, General Apirat said on Tuesday. After receiving the police summons, Thanathorn took to social media to respond to the charges. 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 wrote on Facebook. Theyre afraid of our wins that exceeded the expectations of many, afraid of politics based only on policies and ideologies that can build faith and support from the public without money or authority, afraid of the truth that nearly 6.3 million people sincerely support Future Forward Party, he wrote. Immediately after his posts, #savethanathorn shot to Thailands top trending hashtags. Supporters of Thanathorn react during his arrival at a police station in Bangkok [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters] In the months leading up to the election, government representatives took up a cybercrime case against Thanathorn for criticising the government on a Facebook Live video, although it is yet to be determined if he will go to trial for that charge. 190211092412442 They also lobbed more legal cases at his party for allegedly spreading false information. The charges could have cost the party their ability to run as the Election Commission could have disbanded them. Although these charges were costly, there is no doubt that this latest complaint is the most severe thus far, as Thanathorn could face nine years in prison if he is convicted. Police have also summoned prominent opposition activist, Nuttaa Bow Mahattana, and a local news commentator for VoiceTV, Sirote Klampaiboon, for allegedly conspiring to defame the Election Commission through their criticism online. Rights groups are also monitoring the case with concern. Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watchs senior researcher on Thailand, told Al Jazeera that the legal cases against Thanathorn prove that the military government is using undemocratic tactics to maintain control. The criminal cases against Thanathorn show the military governments contempt for the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful dissent. It a glaring example of how draconian laws are the pulled out of thin air and arbitrarily enforced to punish the prominent opposition leader, he said. Thai people went to vote for Thanathorn and Future Forward Party in expectation that their voices would bring about change and end military dictatorship. But it is clear that the military government has no commitment to fulfil its promises to make Thailand a rights-respecting democratic country, he continued. The election is over and now what we see in Thailand is entrenched repression. Police say the sedition charges date all the way back to 2015 when a pro-democracy group staged a protest against the military government. Although police claim Thanathorn allegedly helped protesters flee from a police station, leaders from the pro-democracy group say he did not play a role in helping them. Recounts and by-elections Two weeks have passed since the country held elections, yet the nation still doesnt know precisely who won. On election day, a series of awkward events, compounded by an array of suspicious ballot counting, left the country confused as to what exactly happened. But the Election Commission released unofficial numbers placing Phalang Pracharat, the military-backed party, in first place, with Pheu Thai, overthrown former Prime Minister Thaksins alleged proxy party, in second, and Future Forward coming in third. But due to the voting discrepancies found on March 24, Thai authorities have ordered recounts and by-elections in areas where they found abnormalities. The Election Commission stated that the numbers of voters at these locations did not match the numbers of ballots submitted. They said that they would be recounting in two polling stations in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen, along with by-elections at six polling stations spread throughout the country. Analysts believe these recounts will have minimal effect on the outcome. Rigged election? Now, opposition groups are claiming that the elections were rigged as the Election Commission is backed by the military. Shortly after the election, Future Forward joined an alliance with other anti-military parties, led by the powerful Pheu Thai party, in an attempt to form a government to block military-backed Prayuth Chan-ocha from maintaining power. 190324174814612 On top of this, political activists are also questioning the controversial Election Commission. Opposition activists submitted a petition to the National Anti-Corruption Commission to ask that the Supreme Court impeach seven Election Commissioners for the voting abnormalities found on March 24. They have collected over 7,000 signatures so far but expect to receive much more support in the coming days. Academics throughout the country have also voiced their concern over what seems to be a rising climate of litigation as a tool to silence dissidence. Clearly, its [the sedition charges] an attempt to weaken the democratic front coalition led by Pheu Thai and Future Forward to oppose to the new government supposedly led by Prayuth, says Prajak Kongkirati, head of the government and politics department at Thammasat University in Bangkok. He told Al Jazeera that the military-backed government and establishment are afraid of Thanathorn because they know he presents a new political movement with a powerful progressive social force. They are also afraid of the political awakening of the youth and of over six million voters who voted for Future Forward. But, with the alleged electoral fraud, this highly politically motivated charge against Thanathorn could backfire delegitimising the junta [military government] even further. Outside of the crowded police station, hundreds of onlookers screamed chants of support as Thanathorn moved towards his vehicle to leave. We believe in our innocence, he told the crowd before leaving, adding: This isnt about me. This is about everyone who fights for justice. Demonstrators take to streets of Bamako nearly two weeks after the massacre of at least 153 people in Fulani village. Thousands of people have rallied in Malis capital, Bamako, to protest against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keitas failure to stem a surge of intercommunal violence in the centre of the country. The demonstration on Friday was called for by Muslim religious leaders, opposition parties and civil society groups, including organisations representing the majority-Muslim Fulani herding community. Organisers said 15,000 people were part of the march and a mass prayer ceremony, which came nearly two weeks after last months massacre of at least 153 people in the Fulani village of Ogossagou, near the town of Mopti in central Mali. Police put the number of demonstrators at 10,000. The killings in Ogossagou, which left the charred bodies of women and children smouldering in their homes, shocked a population that has grown increasingly frustrated by the failure of government forces to protect them from both armed groups onslaughts and ethnic reprisals. The March 23 massacre was allegedly carried out by members of the Dogon ethnic group a hunting and farming community with a long history of tension with the nomadic Fulani over access to land. Keita, also known by his initials IBK, responded to the attack on the Fulani villagers by sacking and replacing two generals and disbanding a vigilante group, whose fighters are suspected of being behind the killings. Instability grips central Mali Critics argue that the Malian leader has not done enough to prevent intercommunal violence. On Friday, demonstrators called for him to get out of office, with some holding signs demanding the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, MINUSMA. The United Nations has more than 16,000 personnel on the ground in Mali, including a contingent of 12,418 troops made up of forces from countries including Burkina Faso, Senegal, Niger, Togo and Chad. Our children, our husbands and our parents are dying because of the bad government of IBK and his clan, Mariam Fomba, the widow of a soldier, told AFP news agency at the protest in Bamako. Enough is enough, we cannot continue with this regime, Fomba said. 190404121552036 Mali has struggled to return to stability since armed groups linked to al-Qaeda took control of the countrys north in early 2012, prompting a military intervention by France the following year. Although the armed groups were driven back, they have since spread into the ethnic mosaic of central Mali and across the wider Sahel, an arid region between the Sahara desert and Africas savannas, to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the Ogossagou massacre marked a surge in violence across communal lines and by so-called self-defence groups apparently attempting to root out violent extremist groups in central Mali. More than 200 people have been killed by the vigilante groups since the start of this year, according to the UN, which has dispatched human rights experts to investigate the March attack. Trump lawyer William Consovoy says a request for the presidents tax returns would set dangerous precedent if granted. A lawyer for US President Donald Trump on Friday characterised an effort by the Democratic head of a powerful US House of Representatives committee to obtain six years of the presidents tax returns as political harassment and said it flouts constitutional constraints. The requests for his private tax information are not consistent with governing law, do not advance any proper legislative purpose, and threaten to interfere with the ordinary conduct of audits, lawyer William Consovoy, of Consovoy McCarthy Park, said in a statement. We are confident that this misguided attempt to politicise the administration of the tax laws will not succeed, he said. The request from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig on Wednesday was viewed by Democrats in the House as a vital first step towards oversight of Trumps income taxes and business network, which some legislators believe could be rife with conflicts of interest and potential tax law violations. 190404004311712 It is critical to ensure the accountability of our government and elected officials, Neal said at the time. Setting a precedent 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. The IRS has said that Trump could release his returns even while under audit. In a letter to IRS General Counsel Brent McIntosh on Friday, Consovoy called the request a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from the other party because they dislike his politics and speech. He argued that any request from the House committee for private tax returns would need to have a legitimate legislative purpose, which Neals request lacked. Even with such a purpose, a request for returns could not be made to punish taxpayers for their speech or politics, Consovoy wrote. Chairman Neals request flouts these fundamental constitutional constraints, he said. Last Sunday, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) won local elections in 39 provinces of Turkey. Its candidates won the elections for mayors of Bursa, Gaziantep, Trabzon, Samsun, Kayseri. Voters cast their ballots for candidates from the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) in 21 provinces, including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Adana. As Daily Sabah writes in the article Turkey's road map after the elections, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came in first in Sunday's local elections, winning 16 percent more votes than its closest rival, the Republican People's Party (CHP). In addition, the AK Party won Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) strongholds such as Bitlis, Srnak and Agr and boosted its power in Kurdish-majority cities. This was also the approval of the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been recently carrying out a strong struggle against the People's Protection Units (YPG), a PKK offshoot. While HDP votes declined in all Kurdish-majority provinces, AK Party votes were on the rise. At the same time, however, obviously, it is time for the AK Party, which lost metropolises such as Antalya, Adana and the capital of Ankara, to adopt a new discourse and policy in metropolises. At the moment, everyone has been watching to whose favor will the 0.002 percent difference between the AK Party and the CHP will end up. After the AK Party's applications, incorrect vote entries in the system by ballot box numbers or votes that were unfairly cancelled are being corrected in some districts of Istanbul. In other words, a re-counting process continues at district election boards that accepted the AK Party's appeals. There are also districts such as Beyoglu and Beylikduzu which did not accept the counting. During the recounting process, each party has its own watchdogs. What is hard to understand is that U.S. or German authorities press Turkey to "accept the result," while the recounting process continues in some other provinces of Turkey and it is an ordinary legal process which is resorted to in a number of elections from U.S. presidential elections to European elections. What Al Gore said during the recounting process in the state of Florida in the 2000 U.S. presidential elections applies to Turkey today: "Ignoring votes means ignoring democracy itself." As a matter of fact, AK Party candidate Binali Yldrm stated that he would be the first person to congratulate the CHP candidate if he lost as a result of the recounting, adding, "Whether they have voted for us or not, it is my conscientious responsibility to make sure that the votes of each of my fellow citizens have been delivered to the right place." Every election is a re-affirmation of democracy. Although results are not predictable in a country like Turkey where the electoral turnout is over 85 percent and whose fair and transparent electoral system is accepted by international watchdogs as well, there is one thing certain: President Erdogan has a mandate until 2023 and Turkey will have a 4,5-year election-free period. This is an excellent opportunity for Turkey both to achieve its foreign policy goals, especially peace in Syria, and to focus on domestic issues, especially economic reforms. Dr Marc Lamont Hill is an award-winning journalist and author and is the Steve Charles Professor of Media, Cities, and Solutions at Temple University. Hill is known for his work addressing the intersections of race, justice, politics and culture. His latest best-selling book is We Still Here: Pandemics, Policing, Protest and Possibility which follows on the success of Nobody: Casualties of Americas War on the Vulnerable from Flint to Ferguson. Hill has received numerous prestigious awards from the US National Association of Black Journalists, GLAAD, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. President Trump appointed the famously NeverTrump Elliott Abrams into his Venezuela point man job to scare the hell out of Maduro. Why is he helping the Venezuelan dictator sleep more soundly at night instead? Elliott Abrams, the United States envoy to Venezuela, has surrendered: I do not think Europe, Latin America, Canada and the United States are thinking, at this moment, of a military reaction. It was his response to concern about whether interim president Juan Guaido should request a military intervention, or cooperation, through the activation of Article 187, Section 11 (which establishes that the National Assembly can authorize foreign military missions in Venezuela). I think its premature. I think its not the right timeMy advice would be that at this time it would not be very useful, he stressed in an interview with Caracol Radio [Note: This is a major broadcaster in Colombia]. The United States has thus neutralized, with Abrams statements, the credible threat. He has just uncocked a loaded revolver, pointing at Maduro. And the dictator can breathe a sigh of relief. I first saw it a couple days ago in this pair of tweets from Venezuela's democratic leaders and hoped I was reading it wrong: MC, tenemos la obligacion de explicar nuestro caso...pero eso de imponer es como mucho cuando el dinero y los ejercitos son de otros. Hay que ser mas sensatos/realistas al disponer de los $, activos y las vidas de otros. Nuestros tiempos son urgentes, pero eso no obliga a otros. https://t.co/rxXIpFqjyl Pedro Mario Burelli (@pburelli) April 5, 2019 Notice that Burelli, who initially cheered Abrams' appointment, is trying to soothe Machado, who noted that Venezuela's situation was urgent and politely noted that Abrams had a different sense of timing. Here's a rough Google translate: MC, we have an obligation to explain our case... But that of imposing is as much when the money and the armies are of others. You Have to be more sensible/realistic to Have the $, assets and lives of others. Our times are urgent, but that does not oblige others. Burelli further clarified, here, that there are people pushing acting President Juan Guaido to call for military intervention "for scenarios not yet materialized" and it's irresponsible. But Machado, who's inside Venezuela and constantly in danger, has reasons to be disappointed, as Avendano notes. Maria Corina Machado has a lot riding on this. She is the one who has spent weeks championing a proposal: the activation of Article 187, Section 11. The key Venezuelan opposition leader understands well, and has made it clear, that only our allies have the ability to help us, the Venezuelan people, to restore our freedom. She has boldly fought for her ideas, and with them, the urgency of invoking this uncomfortable article. Her work, in favor of activating this constitutional provision, has now been sabotaged by Abrams, who dismissed the Machado route. Burelli makes a lot of sense, but it still does appear that Abrams has taken a loaded weapon off the table by making assurances there are no plans for military intervention in Venezuela. How's Maduro going to read that? Any questions as to why Russia is now digging in harder in its aim to defend its little Venezuelan Marxist pawn at all costs? Not only have Russian troops entered Venezuela, the Russian parliament has threatened Colombia, and now Russia says it might be sending even more troops. They're advancing as the U.S. is retreating, and sure enough, statements of weakness are coming out from the U.S. It's positively Obamaesque. Can we blame Abrams alone? It's a possibility. Abrams is a NeverTrump and was initially rejected for a State Department job based on his record of neocon nationbuilding and NeverTrump grandstanding. Yet in January, he was put there, seemingly incongruously, by President Trump, presumably to scare the hell out of Maduro. He was useful that way, there was no other reason to appoint him. Here was my initial reaction to Abrams being appointed back in January: Abrams is indeed famous for using force and intervention, and that has potential to be good stuff, too, starting with the coming to life of Maduro's worst nightmare. Trump is against Iraq War-style force, so I can't see an actual Marine invasion happening although I don't want to say it won't happen. But just the threat of force is sometimes all it takes, and Abrams embodies that. He will unnerve Maduro. Rest assured, as the left that Maduro listens to screeches, you can bet they will be expecting the very worst of Bush-style interventions. That works to Trump's advantage. Now there's no threat of force. Yet he's kind of a swamp thing, someone who wants the good opinion of the swamp establishment, too. This we saw in his behavior to undercut the free marketers in Pinochet's Chile, as I noted earlier here. Some kind of statusy thing with him. But to be fair, it may not be him alone. We already know that President Trump is no fan of military intervention. Abrams spoke on Caracol Radio, which is a huge Colombian broadcaster, so these don't seem to be off the cuff remarks, for one - they may have been well coordinated with President Trump from the top. Second, notice Vice President Mike Pence's words on Venezuela as he announces another round of sanctions on the Chavistas - and they were made after Abrams' remarks: "Those looking on should know this: All options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America," he said. "The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy," he said. Diplomatic and economic, I don't see military there. Plan on some more testing Mike, given that military options aren't on your list. Maduro, remember, is held in power solely by military options from his own side. It's possible they are betting they can run out the clock on Maduro on economics alone, although as the Castro regime in Cuba has demonstrated - it's possible to slip very very low on the economic scale and still see a determined dictatorship with a brutal state apparatus survive. Or, maybe they have intelligence that Maduro wouldn't believe him, so it doesn't matter what they say, so the threat remains and Maduro will still be sleeping with one eye open. Another thing may be that the U.S. has failed to rally the region's allies. As I noted here on Trump's meeting with Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, the latter looked rather glum and Trump didn't seem that happy, either. Was there a conflict of visions on whether to enact military intervention on Venezuela? Maybe there was. The same scenario seemed obvious in Colombia, the other pillar of Maduro resistance. President Trump made the seemingly bad move of calling out Colombia's new conservative president, Ivan Duque, for not solving the entire drug war in his first seven months of office. Was that based on Duque not being willing to militarily play ball on getting rid of the Maduro regime and just wanting the U.S. to take care of the matter, or worse still, not offering logistical support? Maybe. Whatever it is, it's not a good look for us. Russia is strengthening its hand. The U.S. seems to be retreating. One can only hope that if we're going to take military intervention off the table, we have something even scarier in store for Maduro. I don't know what that can be, but that's the nature of surprises. Have you heard? The Electoral College is bad. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and others support its abolition. On March 28, Delaware became the thirteenth state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) in which members agree to award their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. The compact goes into effect only when the combined number of electoral votes of member states reaches 270, assuring their candidate victory. Legislation affixing New Mexico to the NPVIC sits on the desk of Governor Michelle Grisham (D). She's expected to sign it, giving the coalition 189 votes. The debate surrounding this issue is another example of proponents avoiding the salient points. I pose the following four questions to those who would undo the electoral college system, with the goal of promoting clarity and focusing on the nub of the matter. If you support the direct democracy of a popular vote system, do you also reject republicanism as our form of government? Opponents of the electoral college premise their argument on the claim that the system is undemocratic. This is largely true. In Federalist 10, James Madison wrote of the destructive power of factions, what Tocqueville later called "the tyranny of the majority." For this reason, the Founding Fathers created a republican form of government rather than a direct democracy in order to mitigate the passions and imperfections of the people. Elected representatives would, it was reasoned, take a measured, deliberative approach to governance. A popular vote system, on the other hand, is an instrument of direct democracy and a rejection of republicanism. If, as Madison argued, factions pose such a danger to our republic, and if our Founding Fathers were so leery of direct democracy, what has changed? Ironically, there is no better example of a faction than the states participating in the NPVIC. Madison defined the term as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community." Is there any doubt that NPVIC members are motivated in part by a sense of injustice following the elections of 2000 and 2016? Further, given that the NPVIC scheme may award a state's electoral votes to a candidate (the national popular vote winner) who did not carry that state, is there any doubt this scheme operates in a manner adverse to citizens' rights? If you reject the notion of disproportional representation, do you reject the institution of the U.S. Senate? Certain opponents of the electoral college accept the notion of our republican system but take umbrage at the disproportionate representation that contributes to the way in which states' electoral votes are determined. The electoral college allots votes based on the number of a state's federal legislative representatives, meaning the disproportionate representation of the Senate creates a system where certain voters have relatively less or more power than others. Those who oppose the electoral college must therefore also oppose the representative scheme of the Senate and would look to rework or eliminate this institution. It won't do, as some have claimed, to suggest that altering the Senate would be too cumbersome or radical. The design of the electoral college, like that of the Senate, is written into the Constitution; altering either would require a new amendment, or perhaps convening a constitutional convention. If you oppose disproportional representation, it is only logical to oppose it everywhere. Parity between the states was key to ratification. Does parity not matter anymore? Disproportionate representation was part of the Great Compromise of 1787, which established a bicameral legislature to ensure some degree of parity between the states. The House of Representatives, with its proportional representation, was meant to address the people's business, while the Senate's disproportionate representation would ensure states could engage on a level playing field on issues that mattered most to them. The fear that larger states like Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts would overwhelm the smaller states was palpable. Context here is important. The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and granted each state a single vote on matters that came before it. Amending the Articles required unanimous consent among the states. When the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia to address these shortcomings, smaller states were loath to sign on to an agreement that limited their power against that which might be wielded by larger states. Without the Great Compromise, ratification would never have happened. The issue of parity remains. In the early days of our republic, state population differences were a fraction of what we see today. In a direct democracy system, California, with its nearly 40 million residents, would have more voting power than the 20 least populous states combined. Parity is, by design, key to our federal system. Article 5 of the Constitution notes that "no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of this equal suffrage in the Senate." Without the disproportionate representation of the Senate and the electoral college, states like Vermont and Rhode Island would not have viewed the Constitution as a path toward a more perfect union. Is a popular vote system a cure for the disease? Some of the reasons given for the electoral college have been proven wrong. In Federalist 68, Hamilton envisioned a system that would yield leaders "pre-eminent for ability and virtue." Of course, today's mass media make this a very heavy lift regardless of the system employed. Still, we are the beneficiaries of several of the electoral system's unforeseen advantages. For example, the electoral college system confers legitimacy. Under it there is little chance third- party candidates will succeed, and so the number of contenders for the presidency is limited. By contrast, a popular vote system is likely to attract more candidates, with the winner receiving a mere plurality of votes. In parliamentary systems, it's not uncommon for the winning party to garner a 25% share; such instances are followed by dicey periods of coalition building, where the winning party attempts to cobble together a governing majority and a patina of legitimacy. Israel's current government is a coalition of five parties that hold 61 of the Knesset's 120 seats. The Likud party, winners of the 2015 legislative election, earned just 23.4% of the vote. Switzerland's coalition government has four parties, Germany's three. The electoral system offers other advantages, such as limiting the incentive for and impact of voter fraud, and encouraging broader campaigns. Despite its shortcomings, the current system has proven effective in surprising ways, and any replacement must at least meet this bar. It's not clear a popular vote system can do so and, indeed, won't be fraught with unforeseen liabilities. At the very least, sober analysis should attempt to ferret these liabilities out. To be sure, states have the power to determine how their electoral votes are apportioned. But the NPVIC goes further. It promotes combination among the states, creating a de facto popular election system that is blatantly anti-constitutional and almost certainly unconstitutional. Image credit: Croppped from Pixabay R. E. Bowse teaches in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. So much for "Semper Fi." Get a load of this un-Marine-like behavior from the Obama-era appointee leading the Marines, from The Hill: The Marines' top general allowed the leak of internal Pentagon memos to publicize hardships military families faced during the deployment of troops to the southern border, according to a Newsweek report. Marine Corp Commandant Gen. Robert Neller allowed two Defense Department memos to leak to NBC News and the Los Angeles Times in the past two weeks, Newsweek reported, citing two Pentagon sources. The Hill's headline states that President Trump's move to send troops to defend our unguarded border was an actual blow to our military readiness. Though the press certainly played it that way, the Hill's lede doesn't support it. Improvements to military readiness are not a matter of buying new houses for military wives and families. It may be a good thing, sure, and military housing may be lousy, but let's face it: these military leaders have had years to fix this, and they didn't do it. Now the border issue came up, the Marines were rightly asked to assist, and the Deep State wanted things to be business as usual. But for one of them to be leaking to the press to call out Trump for trying to guard the border over this is wrong. It's two commanders at once. It only highlights that there's a reason Trump is the commander in chief and Gen. Neller is not. The report also states that military exercises were delayed, and that got leaked as well in order to undercut President Trump's bid to guard the border as a million unvetted foreign nationals approach. Exercises are important to military readiness, but they are premised on hypothetical situations in far flung places. The border crisis, by contrast, which Trump was responding to, is a live thing, something already happening. That an exercise could be more important than responding to an actual threat of inundation of the homeland by gangs, cartels, terrorists, and welfare-seekers from every corner of the globe in real time is absurd. Once again, we can see why Trump is commander in chief and Gen. Neller is not. What we have here is another effort by the Deep State to undercut the president. Leaks are a sneaky maneuver to undermine the commander in chief and something enemies like to do. It's really amazing to see coming from a Marine leader instead. The Marine leader is leaving office as an impressive new successor is expected to take his place, and he knew there would therefore be no consequences to him when he was caught. He also may be anticipating that his successor may expose his failures on military housing and other matters, so he's playing politics to get the upper hand instead. Regardless of what it was, Neller leaked to get his licks in, which is what this looks like, and is taking advantage of the fact that because he's retiring, no one can get back at him. Trump should give him some consequences such as was given to deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, who got fired a day before he was expected to retire and lost his pension. If it can be done at all, Neller looks like a good one to get McCabe'd to rid the Corps of politicking disloyalists. While the Democrat socialist gaggle of declared 2020 presidential hopefuls attempt to woo the masses by promising a feast of free stuff, potential independent candidate Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO, continues to test the campaign waters. In a recent Fox News town hall broadcast, Mr. Schultz deftly and with polished ease impressed a small studio audience by employing straight forward frankness and common sense. His disapproval of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal differs greatly from the socialist screed, parroted in unison by the gaggle. Suffice it to say, should Mr. Schultz decide to run for president, his candidacy is guaranteed to frustrate and anger the far-left liberals and perhaps appeal to the centrist Democrats, in addition to offering up a sobering alternative to the NeverTrump crowd. For the record, I watched the Fox News town hall meeting, and I have to admitI was impressed. Disclaimer: What follows is not an endorsement, simply an observation. Without a doubt, Howard Schultz is intelligent, articulate, and an eloquent speaker. It's immediately apparent that he does not hail from the D.C. political swamp. Furthermore, during the town hall audience questioning; he never once wandered off into the weeds, attempting to dodge or avoid the questions. In fact, his replies were concise and sincere. More importantly, he's clearly challenging the Democratic Party's descent into socialism, which explains why Tom Perez, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, isn't happy about a Schultz candidacy. Not of the socialist mindset and unwilling to run under the Democrat banner, Howard Schultz doesn't believe in government giveaway programs; quite the opposite. He reiterated that Medicare for All is unaffordable and the Green New Deal is unrealistic and immoral. In fact, Howard Schultz is a thorn in the side of the DNC. He's certain to incite far-left liberal angst while attracting the attention of disenchanted centrist Democrats, many of whom are unwilling to jump on the socialist bandwagon. With the exception of Mr. Schultz, all of the declared 2020 presidential candidates are far-left ideologues, fully embracing the socialist utopian myth. To the man (and woman), each has promised free health care, free college, college student loan debt forgiveness, and guaranteed jobs, and some have even endorsed the idea of universal basic income. As expected, centrist Democrats have remained subdued, although some have openly "walked away." Mr. Schultz hopes to capture this segment of the Democratic Party demographic. For instance, instead of looting the U.S. Treasury, he proposes repealing the Trump tax cuts. He's also of the opinion that taxing the rich at higher percentage rates is fair, in addition to returning corporate tax rates to previous levels. And while the socialist Democrats shamelessly pander for votes by promising all sorts of free stuff, to include paying monetary reparations to ancestors of slaves (which Howard Schultz also opposes), he wants to immediately address the nation's $22-trillion debt, which he identifies as America's greatest threat, not climate change. His business acumen is acute, and he's convinced it's paramount to get the United States on sound, fiscal footing, unlike the declared socialist Democrat candidates, none of whom has mentioned the nation's debt. Contrary to the liberal media narrative, he doesn't discount President Trump's successes, acknowledging that the president has revived the economy and significantly lowered unemployment. Schultz has refrained from hurling vile insults, although he thinks President Trump has damaged America's image abroad and that neither Trump nor the Democrats are working in the best interest of the people. To my knowledge, he hasn't disparaged Trump-supporters, some of whom I suspect Mr. Schultz wants to corral in his corner. In plain speak, he's offering an olive branch as the independent candidate. It's no secret that the NeverTrump crowd, still identifying as conservatives, have remained fierce in their opposition to the president. Some have capitulated, but for the most part, they weren't Trump-supporters in 2016, and they aren't Trump supporters now. Donald Trump is anathema to them; Howard Schultz might be the next best thing. He's likeable, he's thoughtful, and he's smart. He oozes charisma, and he's a proven leader with a successful track record. More important, for centrist Democrats and the NeverTrump crowd, his proposed platform isn't based on the radical socialist agenda. It's no wonder that the socialist Democrats are worried they should be, but so should the Trump White House. Howard Schultz is poised to be a spoiler. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. As they say, it was an exciting Wednesday around here. This is a summary of the events: Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 280 employees at a technology repair company in Collin County, Texas, on charges of working in the United States illegally. It's the largest work site raid in the country in more than a decade, according to a Homeland Security Investigations official. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division received tips that the company CVE Technology Group may have knowingly hired undocumented immigrants [sic] and that several workers were using fraudulent identification documents, said Katrina Berger, special agent in charge in HSI's Dallas office. Hiring irregularities found during an audit of the company's I-9 forms confirmed those tips. CVE hasn't responded to media requests for comment. Federal hiring laws require that employers have new hires fill out I-9 forms. The laws perform "necessary and common sense functions," Berger said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. "They ensure U.S. citizens and legal U.S. residents are hired for jobs in the U.S.," Berger said. "They also ensure that illegal workers are not preyed upon or paid less than the going wage or otherwise coerced or cheated or subjected to unsafe working conditions without any means of complaint." Businesses that knowingly hire undocumented [sic] workers "create an atmosphere poised for exploiting an illegal workforce," Berger said. The Republicans have almost twice as many Senate seats up for re-election as Democrats do in 2020 (22 to 12), raising the prospect of Democrat control of both the House and Senate. While it is unusual for the party of a president to pick up seats in a midterm election, the Democrats had 26 seats up for re-election, and the GOP was able to pick up 2, enlarging its majority. That majority is fragile in 2020. But news from Senator Joe Manchin raises hope of at least one GOP pickup. Burgess Meredith reports in Politico: Just five months off the race of his life, Joe Manchin is mulling a run for governor in 2020 against GOP Gov. Jim Justice. The Democratic senator said in an interview Thursday that he's once again "thinking about" running for the "best job in the world": governor of West Virginia. "I think about it every minute of every day. Now, thinking about it and doing it are two different things," Manchin said. "I'll make a decision this fall sometime. I don't think there's any hurry at all." I imagine that it is not a lot of fun for Manchin being in the Senate minority with New Yorker Chuck Schumer as his minority leader. Keeping his constituents happy while also making Schumer happy would be tricky. Life in Charleston must look pretty good by comparison. This means you, Sen. Manchin. Photo credit: famartin (cropped). Manchin won re-election to the Senate in 2018 by only 3 percent facing a weak candidate. If he goes for governor, the GOP is likely to pick his Senate seat. Run, Joe, run! The U.S. is expected to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, perhaps as early this week. The move is part of the Trump administration's increasingly aggressive posture toward the Iranian regime that include sanctions on the leadership and the country's energy sector. The Revolutionary Guards are a key component of both the regime's foreign policy and domestic oppression. They are under the direct command of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The Guards have been active in Syria, working side by side with the Lebanese terrorist group Hezb'allah. CNN: Defense officials have told CNN that US troops in Syria and Iraq often find themselves operating in close proximity to members of the IRGC. Last year, CNN reported that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats cautioned the administration that designating the IRGC could pose dangers to US forces, according to one source familiar with the matter. "Under the cover of the Syrian war, the IRGC is now trying to plant military roots in Syria and establish a new strategic base to threaten Syria's neighbors such as Israel," Brian Hook, the State Department's special representative for Iran, told reporters Tuesday. During the Obama administration, the Guards acted with impunity, killing hundreds of American soldiers. "In Iraq, I can announce today, based on declassified US military reports, that Iran is responsible for the deaths of at least 608 American service members. This accounts for 17 percent of all deaths of US personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2011. This death toll is in addition to the many thousands of Iraqis killed by the IRGC's proxies," he added. Several individual Guard commanders are already under sanction. That's because the Guards not only function as a military and paramilitary outfit, but also own lucrative businesses in the telecommunications and energy industries. But designating them a terrorist group carries with it some risk. U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria work in close proximity to the Revolutionary Guards in our fight against ISIS. While technically our enemies, there has been an uneasy truce for years as both the Guards and U.S. troops share a common enemy in ISIS. This move is long overdue. Since the early 1980s, the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards has operated beyond the borders of Iran, murdering dissidents and assisting Hezb'allah in carrying out terrorist attacks. Naming them a terrorist organization will not materially affect their ability to operate outside Iran, but it ratchets up the pressure on Iran by a few notches. Vestnik Kavkaza continues a series of interviews with president of the Russian State Humanitarian University, member of the Russian Historical Society Council, Yefim Pivovar. Yesterday's conversation took place against the background of meeting between heads of Foreign Ministries of the CIS countries, so Yefim Pivovar focused on humanitarian cooperation within the framework of the Commonwealth. - What do you think about the level of humanitarian cooperation between the CIS countries? - One of these instruments of this cooperation is preservation and use of Russian language. It's not just state language of the Russian Federation, it's a language that allows us to expand contacts. It's a language of international communication for many countries. We lived in one state, everyone learned and still know Russian language. We have not only common past, but also common humanitarian space, which we must preserve and strengthen through joint efforts. I believe that forum of creative and scientific intelligentsia, which takes place annually in all CIS countries, is one of the tools of such preservation and strengthening. It will be held in Ashgabat in May of this year, before that it was held in Astana. There are other instruments where educational factor is important - training of humanitarians from all member-countries of the CIS; exchange of experience in humanities; preparation of textbooks; adjustment of curricula and programs, joint educational projects, including joint undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate studies. Acceleration of work in one of these area will create certain challenges. Humanitarian cooperation provides important guidelines in the education of younger generation. Through humanitarian knowledge, through promotion of adequate modern approaches to humanities in general, through cooperation in humanitarian sphere between all our countries, we can influence education of younger generation in the spirit of good neighborliness, which is extremely important, since we have not just common past and present, but also common future in terms of geography. We're interested in friendly relations with our neighbors. In other to achieve them, it's just necessary to strengthen humanitarian cooperation. The world is changing, we need adequate responses to existing challenges. Together, we will achieve much more than individually. It's necessary to share experience in the fight against these challenges and other threats. This is also a part of humanitarian cooperation. Terrorist attacks, information threats, cyber attacks, environmental problems - all of this is associated with humanitarian cooperation. If we don't copperate when we try to respond to these challenges, we may lose. Of course, it's not military sphere, but there's also important element of mobilization, because in the modern world, when information spreads so fast and reaches millions of people, it's necessary to stop harmful elements. We can do it only together. The same applies to psychological problems, because if we don't prevent violence, propaganda of violence, terrorism, radical religious cults through explanation of these dangerous approaches to the population, then we will lose. That's why all countries of the world, especially neighbors, are extremely interested in working on this together. I'm glad that meetings between foreign ministers are held constantly. They are one of the mechanisms that allow us to resolve many problems that our countries are facing right now. - How active is cooperation between historians of the post-Soviet space? - The work in this direction is being carried out right now, and it's very important. But there are also ways to improve this work, to expand its scale. Right now joint research is being prepared by historians from different countries. At the RSUH, we're working together with our Belarusian colleagues. As president of the university, I actively participate in this work. The same work will be continued with Uzbek colleagues. We look forward to working with Kyrgyz, Tajik, Moldavian colleagues, Azerbaijani colleagues. Another important area includes meetings between history specialists of our countries. In May, Moscow will host the next meeting of a group of historians from Russia and Kazakhstan. We're preparing a program for it, there will be joint publications from both countries. Historians are also actively involved in organization of meetings of rectors and deans of humanitarian universities of the two countries. The RSUH initiated this work, and we expect that another meeting will be held in Moscow at the beginning of next year. They were held before, the first one was held in 2010 in Baku. Publications are very important. We invite colleagues to our publication "Bulletin of Eurasian Studies" and publish annual works of the Institute of Post-Soviet and Interregional Studies of the RSUH. We have already published two issues with participants from Kazakhstan and other countries. We're preparing another volume on Azerbaijan. This is also an extremely important work in terms of humanitarian cooperation. But this work should be more intensive, more systematic. We also publish joint monographic works, we review each other's works. Two books of Kazakhstani archivists have just been reviewed - those were collections of documents. One is dedicated to Komsomol, and the other to the problems of mass repression in Kazakhstan in the 1930s, to deportation in the entire country. As a result of Trump Derangement Syndrome, a political era of low-grade (so far) terror has been imposed on visible Trump-supporters and Republicans in California. People like me are forced to conceal our politics when out and about. My MAGA hat has never been worn outside the confines of my house, and a bumper sticker is out of the question. This is not civil political disagreement; it is an atmosphere of intimidation, and if anything, it is getting worse. Democrats made a choice right after Election Day in 2016 to attempt to delegitimize the presidency of Donald Trump based on the phony Russia collusion charge and, deriving from and in support of that, to characterize him and his supporters as racists, traitors, and evil. The Democrat Media Complex has created a tidal wave of deliberate lies and misrepresentations to support this view, the most prominent being distorting Trump's remarks about good people on both sides in Charlottesville, specifically directed at supporters of retaining historical statues of Confederate figures into purported support for neo-Nazis, a tiny fraction of those present. Similar treatment has altered his remarks about rapists being among those flooding across our border an indisputable fact into a supposed blanket condemnation of Hispanics. These are vicious lies, and they have gained a lot of credence among progressives, already full of hate. As a result, in places where progressives think they are in charge, the weak-minded and disturbed among them feel they have a license to harass a and attack. The bizarre and widely reported incident in a Palo Alto Starbucks this week got a fair amount of coverage in conservative media nationally and, because it was close to home, in Bay Area mainstream media. The Mercury-News, for example, reported: A Palo Alto woman's tirade against a 74-year-old man wearing a Make America Great Again hat inside a Starbucks has sparked a social media firestorm and national debate about whether her actions reflect this country's political divide or simply epitomize out-of-bounds extremism. Rebecca Parker Mankey berated the man Monday in a Palo Alto Starbucks on California Avenue for wearing the red MAGA cap made famous by President Donald Trump, then posted about the encounter on her Facebook page. Mankey (YouTube screen grab, cropped). The post picked up by multiple conservative accounts on social media backfired by inciting vitriolic attacks and even death threats against Mankey and resulting in her forced resignation from her job and departure from at least one local civic group. ... Mankey yelled at the man repeatedly, saying, "It is not okay to hate brown people" and eventually chasing him out of the Starbucks, using an expletive to tell him to get "out of my town and never come back," according to her Facebook post. "He will never forget me and will think seriously about wearing that hat in my town ever again," she wrote. Channel 5 in San Francisco has a worthwhile two-and-a-half-minute video report on the incident: This incident got some attention because the behavior and the individuals involved were, shall we say, colorful, and because it took place in Palo Alto, Ground Zero of Silicon Valley, arguably the defining location for the transformation that is altering the world. But elsewhere in California, the terror continues, with far less attention. The Humboldt County (in the "emerald triangle" up north) GOP emails: Living in California is dangerous if you are a Republican. The Humboldt County Republican Party's office was vandalized last week. Broken windows. Glass shattered throughout the floor. Here's a couple pictures of the attack: This is the 5th time in two years the office has been attacked--which we are told by authorities are "random acts of vandalism." Interesting enough, the Humboldt County Democrats have NOT had their office vandalized. From Berkeley to Humboldt, conservatives who dare speak their mind are increasingly at risk for their safety. Hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of repairs are needed. That's why are putting together a fund to help rebuild Humboldt County Republican Party's headquarters. Please chip in whatever you can to help today. Chip in $1 Chip in $5 Chip in $25 Chip in $100 Chip in other It seems to me that we ought to be making more of an issue of this reign of low-grade terror, and start shaming people including, for example, Robert Francis O'Rourke, who just this week took the distorted version of Trump's Charlottesville remarks to liken America to Nazi Germany for inciting violence. A DNA test performed on the bones of Polish Revolutionary War hero General Casimir Pulaski reveal several characteristics that suggest he may have been a woman, or intersex. The bones were confirmed to be Pulaski's when they were tested against a DNA sample from one of his descendants. But it's what researchers found when they performed a DNA profile on Pulaski that has raised some eyebrows. NBCNews: One of the ways that male and female skeletons are different is the pelvis, Virginia Hutton Estabrook, an assistant professor of anthropology at Georgia Southern University, told NBC News. In females, the pelvic cavity has a more oval shape. Its less heart-shaped than in the male pelvis. Pulaskis looked very female. While the Pulaski skeleton showed tell-tale signs of extensive horseback riding and a battle wound on the right hand that the general is known to have suffered, the facial structure and jaw angle were decidedly female, Estabrook said. Estabrook said her team is not the first to suspect that Pulaski might not have been a man. Others also noticed the delicate bone structure after the skeleton was extracted from the Pulaski monument in Savannah, Georgia. The general was only between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-4 inches tall. Since the average male at the time was only 5'6", that's not much of an indication that Pulaski was a woman trying to pass as a man. Indeed, the DNA test found plenty of male hormones: Was Pulaski aware of being different from the men around him? Probably he was not completely aware, Estabrook said. What we do know about Pulaski is that there were enough androgens (male hormones) happening in the body, so that he had facial hair and male pattern baldness. Obviously, there was some genital development because we have his baptismal records and he was baptized as a son. But Pulaski never married. And while Pulaskis letters reveal he had a close relationship with a woman who ended up marrying a Polish prince, its not clear whether there were any other women in his life. A lot of biographies play up that lost love romance angle, Estabrook said. "Intersex" is a loaded definition. There are millions of people walking around, living perfectly normal lives, who carry both male and female hormones or possess other characteristics of the opposite sex. It really isn't that big of a deal. It's not "transgenderism," or homosexuality and the variance in what constitutes "intersex" is wide. Pulaski lived his life as a man. And what a man he was. As a cavalry officer, he was fearless in battle. He was killed during the seige of Savannah 1779 and was buried there. This interesting academic exercise shouldn't color opinions of Pulaski as a hero of the Revolution or a Polish-American icon. Nothing in his DNA changes his deeds or his many accomplishments, perhaps most notably, being known as "The Father of the American Cavalry." I don't know why the attorneys representing the reported 37 people indicted by Special Counsel Mueller haven't challenged the law on behalf of their clients, considering the illegal FISA warrant. Under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Supreme Court has enunciated the "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine, first in Nardone v. United States (1939) and later applied it in other cases, such as Mapp v. Ohio. It generally holds that evidence that is the direct result or immediate product of illegal conduct on the part of an official is inadmissible in a criminal trial against the victim of the conduct or other person with standing. Having stated that, as a long retired law enforcement officer in police and corrections, I recollect from my training and academy classes that if a warrant was false or tainted, all of the charges brought against someone would be thrown out under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine. In Mueller's case, the phony report made up by British agent Christopher Steele that was used to get the FISA warrant to spy on Carter Page for colluding with Russia was in and of itself an illegal submission that would taint the reason for the investigation. Disgraced former FBI director James Comey stated that the report is unverifiable, all the while colluding and conspiring with his cohorts to take down the president, which should tell all that the warrant was tainted right from the get-go. In my day, in order to get a warrant, the rule was that "no warrant shall be issued but upon probable cause." Probable cause stems from evidence compiled by the people seeking the warrant, which means that in the case of the FISA warrant, it was submitted without real evidence to justify the warrant, using a report of innuendo and falsehoods made up by people who were undermining the rights of an American citizen. From my understanding of the doctrine, knowing there are exceptions, once the warrant was illegally obtained, any of the actions stemming from the investigation by Mueller isn't admissible, meaning all of the indictments that followed should be thrown out. No one who was indicted would have been but for the warrant and investigation. Having said that, I want to add that there were crimes committed that involved the Mueller investigation that were totally ignored. Otherwise, we would have heard about it. Hillary Clinton and her ilk were responsible for getting the phony report through Fusion GPS. She destroyed evidence and obstructed justice. Comey stated as much in his interview before Congress and the news media. What she and her co-conspirators did was unconscionable. Graphic credit: Mike Youngson. The year 1977 was an important year in the history of home computing. That year, the worlds first microprocessor-driven personal computer was releasednot one, not two, but three different models by three different manufacturers: the highly successful Apple II, the Commodore PET and the TRS-80, which actually outsold the Apple II by a factor of five until the early 1980s. All these machines and the ones that came after had cassette tapes for mass storage, because hard disk drives were still very expensive. It was only during the 1980s that personal computers started offering hard drive storages, first as peripherals and later as internal drives. The cassettes tapes that these early computers used to store programs and data were the same audio cassettes we used to listen to music before digital music players such as iPods and smartphones became popular. The use of audio cassettes as storage was one of the factors that helped the initial adoption and growth of personal computers because it brought down the total cost of owing one. Before long, kids were swapping programs and games on audio cassettes the same way they swapped music. In the early 1980s, engineers over at the Dutch broadcasting organization Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) had this fantastic idea of distributing computer programs over the radio. Because programs and data were stored on audio cassettes, it was possible for these data cassettes to be played back on a cassette player, and the resulting audiowhich sounds very much like a dial-up modemwas broadcasted over the radio waves. Listeners recorded the audio onto cassettes and loaded the programs into their computers. The radio program named Hobbyscoop became wildly popular. They even developed a new format called BASICODE to ensure maximum compatibility between different personal computers that were available at the time. Original software that came with the Apple II Computer on two cassette tapes. Photo credit: Jim Abeles/Flickr A selection of Commodore VIC-20 games on cassette. Photo credit: Grant Hutchinson/Flickr Broadcasting computer programs over radio turned into a craze and several radio stations in different European countries started doing it. In Finland, a similar show went on air on the YLE public radio station. In 1985, a pilot program was broadcasted and successfully downloaded 600 km away from the station. In Yugoslavia, a show called Ventilator 202 on Radio Belgrade became very popular among computer geeks, broadcasting about 150 computer programs between 1983 and 1986. These included programs for mathematical calculations, short educational programs, mini-encyclopaedias, simple games and even a flight simulator. The first time a program was sent, the radio host Zoran Modli had to inform the Radio Belgrade technicians on duty that for the next few minutes only hissing and growling would be heard. Lay people were confused and wondered, What is this lunatic doing? But those who listened and understood excitedly contacted us by telephone to say they had successfully loaded the program onto their computers! recalls Zoran Modli. http://archive.kchungradio.org/2019-03-26/special_collections-03.26.2019.mp3 Listen to the sounds that was transmitted over the radio. Sound Courtesy KChung Radio. In the UK, Joe Tozer of Radio West came up with the idea independently almost at the same time. The first program they broadcasted was a 40 pixel by 80 pixel Teletext-style black and white image of Charlies Angels star Cheryl Ladd. Later, the show called Datarama began transmitting all kinds of programs written specifically for the show including minigames and an application that translated keyboard inputs into Morse code. Distributing programs via the radio came to an end in the mid- to late- 1980s when 8-bit computing gave way to 16-bit computing. The new processors were faster but they were also data hungry, consuming more than two hundred and fifty times the data as an 8-bit computer. A cassette simply could not hold that much data. Consequently, cassette storage became a thing of the past, and floppy disk and hard disk drives became the preferred mass storage devices. It wasnt until the turn of the 21st century, that wireless downloading of programs became possible again, via Wi-Fi. Googles Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC) has been shut down less than two weeks after its conception, according to a recent report. The reason for the AI ethics boards premature cancellation lies with the choice of board members and a controversy that pushed thousands of Google employees to sign a petition calling for the removal of one board member in particular. Controversy from the start Namely, one of the original ATEAC members revealed last month by Google was Kay Coles James, president of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization which previously shown skepticism regarding climate change. The petition signed by thousands of Google employees highlights that Kay Coles James has also been historically vocal about her stance against immigrants and the LGBTQ community. Advertisement Seeing how ATEAC was formed in a quest to provide an outside perspective regarding Googles use of AI and AI-related ethics, Kay Coles James inclusion in the ATEAC board raised concerns not only amongst Googles employees but other board members as well, including leading philosopher and expert in digital ethics, Luciano Floridi, who wrote on Facebook that asking for [Kay Coles Jamess] advice was a grave error and sends the wrong message about the nature and goals of the whole ATEAC project. Luciano Floridi recommended Google to remove Kay Coles James from the board, all the while another board member, Alessandro Acquisti, leading behavioral economist and privacy researcher decided to leave the board altogether. Other board members who have decided to remain a part of Googles ATEAC have started being questioned on social media as to why they havent heft the organization. Needless to say, the main purpose of ATEAC was lost amid controversy and Google had to make a choice. Google decides to pull the plug Advertisement The implementation of ATEAC was officially announced less than two weeks ago on March 26 but in short time the goal of ATEAC was buried under uncertainties regarding its structure and ability to tackle the ethical questions that may arise from Googles AI Principles program. As a result, Google decided to pull the plug on the board and is now reconsidering how it should continue tackling the problem. Its become clear that in the current environment, ATEAC cant function as we wanted. So were ending the council and going back to the drawing board. wrote Google in an update of the original ATEAC announcement. Of course, the main idea behind ATEAC was for Google to gain an outside perspective on the topics of AI, its uses, and ethics, and the tech giant will continue to look for different solutions as to how this goal can be achieved without the original council. Dissolving ATEAC is an understandable move from Googles part especially given the previous controversies its been involved in as well as the morale of employees who have been vocal against Googles decision to train machine learning solutions for Pentagon military drones last year using microworker services. But this series of events also shows that Google may have laid the ATEAC foundations wrongly from the very beginning given the polarized opinions of some of the board members. Perhaps going back to the drawing board is the best way to progress. Advertisement AI can be an extremely powerful tool and Google along with other tech giants involved with AI development will face many challenges as to how this new tool should be used to benefit humanity. ATEAC was meant as a step towards answering some of the ethical questions surrounding AI but its early demise should encourage Google to carefully consider and find a better solution moving forward. The First Deputy Chief of the police department of the Kyzylorda region and an employee of the department for combating organized crime were detained by operatives of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, the message of the department reads. The men illegally extorted money from an individual entrepreneur: for a reward, they promised him to stop conducting checks on his betting shop. The suspects were caught red-handed receiving 300 thousand tenge from the businessman, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports. Samsung is in for a rough year as the honeymoon period that lasted longer than most analysts expected due to an unprecedented chip industry boom is now definitely over. While the company already gave investors some cause for concern last quarter, the 28-percent profit drop it saw over the final three months of 2018 fades away in comparison to its latest guidance which estimates the technology giants bottom line will be roughly 60-percent slimmer in Q1 2019. That isnt to say Samsung is scraping by; naturally even a massive drop-off still leaves plenty of net income for its investments and savings. The Seoul-based chaebol is estimating it ended the first quarter of the year approximately $5.5 billion in the black. This weeks guidance is yet another confirmation Samsungs record-breaking results posted over the course of the last couple of years were primarily driven by its foundry business whose semiconductors were not only in high demand but were more or less without true competition, particularly in the NAND flash memory market. Advertisement Even though Samsung continues to enjoy a significant technological advantage over most chipmaking rivals when it comes to embedded solutions for smartphones, connected vehicles, and Internet of Things applications, that likely wont be the case by the time the global demand for those technologies picks up again. The company isnt sugar-coating the current state of affairs; simultaneously with its latest guidance, Samsung released a rather pessimistic warning to investors that outlines the aforementioned situation and advocates for a patient approach to portfolio management moving forward. A giant corporation telling shareholders not to worry on the heels of an objectively horrible quarter is often a recipe for panic but Samsung stock was little change following the guidance, having only dropped by the equivalent of 0.26 cents throughout Friday, way under a single percentage point. Besides a weaker demand for all kinds of chips that brought down their prices, Samsung is partially attributing its massive drop-off to its supply clients such as Apple; with the global smartphone industry stagnating in recent times and even declining to a degree, Samsung was unable to sell as many small-sized OLED panels as it used to. Advertisement The uncharacteristically mature reaction even the smallest of Samsung investors had to the news can be largely explained by the rest of the companys guidance, which provides crucial context to Samsungs sustainability. Namely, even as its profits eroded by quite a margin over the course of the last twelve months, the company is only expecting a 12-percent revenue decline. In other words, theres little Samsung could have done to avoid the current situation and many analysts were rather vocal about pointing that out in the past, warning investors the juggernauts period of insane growth is not sustainable simply due to how well its foundry bet made around fifteen years prior paid off. What remains to be seen is whether Samsung will at least pick up the pace in the mobile segment where it lost significant momentum throughout 2018, emboldening Huawei thats now publicly and brazenly announcing its coming for its number-one vendor spot. This week has seen an increased interest in Android TV albeit for all the wrong reasons. It recently came to light that Android TV devices had started to display a Sponsored row on the home screen. At the time it was unclear what this was for, or even what devices were affected which all led to a fair amount of confusion on the topic. Advertisement Since then some of the confusion has been cleared up a little as Google released a statement on the matter explaining this was a pilot program. In addition, its understood this (currently) seems to be only an issue for owners of a Sony TV powered by Android TV. What still remained a little unclear was what exactly this Sponsored row was showing? After all, if the feature was relevant and intelligent enough then maybe it could be a good addition to the platform. That now seems unlikely to be the case. Advertisement The first image that came to attention showing the feature was a little bare-bones with no discernible content in play. Since then other images (like the one above) have come to light and provide a better look at what Google understands sponsored content to be. Based on the new images, this is definitely and heavily an ad-based addition to the experience. Whats more, its not one thats resigned to third-party content either but one which looks likely to work as a tool for Google to push its own services to Android TV users. For example, both YouTube and YouTube TV are displayed in the image above but neither ad is pushing the actual app. Instead drawing on specific shows/elements to drive traffic towards. In YouTubes case its music, while in YouTube TVs case its March Madness. Advertisement The other two ads on show are for Mental Samurai and what seems to be Fox Nation both of which are shown on Fox. This is likely to be the best way to understand the difference between the Sponsored row and Apps Spotlight as the latter is designed to promote an app on the whole while the former focuses in on specific shows and interests. While its still unknown just how targeted these are, it stands to reason given Googles take on ad delivery in general that the ads will be at least somewhat relevant to the viewer. TV habit-tracking has become big business of late and delivery of contextual and relevant ads is one of the driving forces behind this. Advertisement If these are relevant enough then thats likely to be of some benefit to some users who want to be served content recommendations they like, but this is almost certainly more beneficial to advertisers than anyone else. This approach (compared to Apps Spotlight) is likely to affect all users in largely the same way as the YouTube ad shown in the image clearly indicates these ads will surface whether or not you have the app installed, acting as further evidence that the Sponsored section is not designed to drive users to app installs, but to content. Thats not to say they wont also include apps a user doesnt have installed, as they most likely will, but the difference is Sponsored adopts a content-first approach. Advertisement For those unhappy with having these ads delivered directly to them, the jury is still out on just how much control you as the viewer/device owner has. Disabling the feature is technically possible as other users have highlighted there is an option buried within the settings under Channel Customization and then Promoted Channels (as shown below with more details here) to toggle the feature on and off as you can with Apps Spotlight and most other apps that adopt Oreos home screen channel feature. Advertisement However, there are mixed reports on the functionality of this with some users stating the Sponsored row eventually reactivates itself after a period of time, while others have claimed that you cannot currently disable/enable the feature to begin with in spite of it showing up in the settings. Most of these users attribute this to Google disabling the ability (directly and indirectly) to turn off the feature. Whether thats the case, it is worth keeping in mind this is apparently only a pilot program and so Google may opt to offer user-control or not. Neither outcome is guaranteed until if and when the feature exits its pilot status. In the meantime, Sony has updated its support pages acknowledging the addition of a sponsored channel, advising that it came through along with the latest update to the Android TV Launcher app, and that content shown on this channel is managed by Google. Along with the recommendation that those who want to disable the feature will have to opt for a restricted profile. Advertisement A solution thats unlikely to appeal to most device owners. The plane, which was supposed to fly to Tokyo, had to be evacuated because of the message about the explosive device at the Moscow Domodedovo, a source familiar with the case reported. According to him, the Boeing Dreamliner of Japanese Airlines (JAL) was already preparing for departure at 17:15 Moscow time. But the emergency services received an anonymous signal that a bomb was allegedly planted on the board. The commander decided to immediately evacuate the passengers and postpone the departure, Interfax quotes the source as saying. The death toll from spring floods in Iran reached 67 as rescue workers pulled one more body from a river in the northern province of Mazandaran, Tasnim news agency reports. According to Ahmad Shojaee, the highest number of casualties occurred in the province of Fars with 21 deaths, followed by the western province of Lorestan where 15 people have died. Record spring rainfall that has battered Iran in the past weeks caused serious flooding in many areas, mainly the provinces of Golestan, Lorestan, Khuzestan, Fars and Ilam, forcing thousands to leave their homes. Shah spoke highly about airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan following the Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. BJP chief Amit Shah holds a sword after being felicitated by party leaders during an election rally at Changlang districts Bordumsa, Arunachal Pradesh, on Friday. (Photo: PTI) Imphal (Manipur): (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah on Friday said that Narendra Modi has made the country more secure by becoming the first Prime Minister to destroy terrorist camps across the borders. He spoke highly about airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan following the Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Such retaliation made the country third in the world after the US and Israel to avenge any loss of its soldier's lives, Mr Shah said while addressing a public rally at Wangjing locality, as part of an election campaign for BJP's Outer Manipur candidate Benjamin Mate. Making a fulsome praise of five years of Modi government, the BJP chief remarked that from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari and from Gujarat to Assam there are echoes of Modi's name which meant that the people are with him. Hitting out at the Congress, Shah said the price of essential items had sky-rocketed under the Congress rule, owing to incessant bandhs and strikes, but the incumbent government has made the state blockade-free. Heaping praise on the BJP-led government in Manipur for its development work, Shah said Chief Minister Biren Singh can be termed a true chowkidaar (watchman) as he has served in the Border Security Force. Mr Shah highlighted various changes brought by N. Biren Singh's government in the last two years. The terrorists barged into the residence of Mohammad Rafi Yatoo, an army jawan, and fired at him indiscriminately, a police official said. Police official said Yatoo was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to injuries. (Photo: Representational/PTI) Srinagar: An army jawan was Saturday shot dead inside his home in the Sopore area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir by terrorists, police said. The terrorists barged into the residence of Mohammad Rafi Yatoo, an army jawan, and fired at him indiscriminately, a police official said. He said Yatoo was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to injuries. Contending that evidence is over-whelming and needle of suspicion is clear, Mr Jaitley said he is demanding political answers to the allegations. New Delhi: Reminding the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi that silence is never an answer to documentary evidence of corruption, Union minister Arun Jaitley on Friday wondered why names close to the Opposition partys first family start appearing whenever evidence is collected in a controversial defence deal. Mr Jaitleys remarks came after ED chargesheet in the AgustaWestland copter case which reportedly has reference to Congress leader Ahmed Patel and the family. Hitting back, the Congress said that the chargesheet was a cheap election stunt to divert the peoples attention from the imminent defeat of the Modi dispensation. BJP president Amit Shah said Mr Gandhi now sees the entire humankind as full of hate, except himself. Fine example of arrogance and delusion! Now he sees the entire humankind as full of hate, except himself of course. Get well soon Yuvraj! he tweeted. Hatred is cowardice. I dont care if the entire world is full of hatred. I am not a coward. I will not hide behind hate and anger. I love all living beings, including those temporarily blinded by hatred, Mr Gandhi tweeted. Questioning Mr Gandhis silence on the EDs charge sheet in the AgustaWestland choppers case, Mr Jaitley said the Congress should answer as to who were referred to as RG, AP and FAM in documents cited by the ED. Right to silence is for accused not for the one who is dreaming to be the countrys Prime Minister, the BJP leader said adding if no reply is given in case of such serious allegations, the country is entitled to presume that no reply could have been given. Earlier, in a blog post on the issue, Mr Jaitley said Mr Gandhi talks on several subjects with which he does not even have a nodding acquaintance and makes wild and unsubstantiated allegations against all and sundry. However, the only subject he refused to speak about or respond is the one on which he alone knows the truth his own accounts. Contending that evidence is over-whelming and needle of suspicion is clear, Mr Jaitley said he is demanding political answers to the allegations. The more you suppress the truth, the more it spreads so it is necessary that reply be given by the Congress, said the Union finance minister. The initials were allegedly mentioned in the dispatches of Christian Michel, an alleged middlemen in the deal scam, which is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI. According to the ED charge sheet, Michel is understood to have identified the initials AP as Ahmed Patel, the senior Congress leader close to Gandhi family. However, Michel has filed an application in a Delhi court on Friday claiming he has not named anybody in connection with the deal. The ED had told the court on Thursday that Michel and other accused received 42 million euros as kickbacks in the defence deal. Reacting to the chargesheet, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said a panic-stricken Modi government is using rehashed insinuations through its puppet ED, which it dubbed as Election Dhakosla (sham) for manufacturing lies. A single uncertified page leaked by ED of a purported charge sheet is a cheap election stunt to divert attention from the imminent defeat of the Modi government. The ED has become Election Dhakosla of a government manufacturing a lie a day...All these rehashed insinuations and lies were bundled out earlier too through a set of pliable media. Ultimately, they failed in an international court and were rejected as trash. A panic-stricken Modi government and its puppet ED will not be able to change the exit date and fate of a government and PM already rejected by the people, Mr Surjewala asserted. Diya Kumari was earlier the BJP's Sawai Madhopur legialator and had vacated her seat in the 2018 Assembly polls for another BJP candidate Asha Devi. Jaipur: In an effort to target the influential Rajput community in Rajasthan, the BJP is eyeing to field Jaipur princess Diya Kumari in the forthcoming general elections. A former state legislator, Kumari, is likely to debut on the national stage in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It is learnt that Kumari is the frontrunner from Rajsamand Lok Sabha constituency. The party is considering her for the Lok Sabha, sources said. Kumari did not contest the recent Rajasthan assembly election in which the party fared badly and lost the state to Congress. Diya Kumari was earlier the BJP's Sawai Madhopur legialator and had vacated her seat in the 2018 Assembly polls for another BJP candidate Asha Devi. It is learnt that Kumari and her mother Padmini Devi had earlier also held a one-on-one meeting with party chief Amit Shah at their residence in Jaipur which has further fuelled the talks of her being fielded as a probable Lok Sabha candidate Sources stated that Diya Kumari has been stealthily put to use by the BJP to repair its frayed relationship with the states powerful Rajputs. BJP voters by tradition, Rajasthans Rajputs have reportedly been miffed with former chief minister Vasundhara Raje over a host of issues, beginning with the denial of candidature to former union minister Jaswant Singh in 2014. Deploying Kumari to soothe the Rajputs was a last-minute strategy devised by the BJP, sources said. The former royal has reportedly been speaking to influential community leaders of the state to secure their support for the BJP. The community is said to be the most powerful in Rajasthan despite comprising less than 10 per cent of its population, on account of its vast land and commercial interests. The community has the power to influence the voting outcome in at least half of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. The sudden development has ended the month-long suspense over her re-nomination from the seat, paving the way for nomination of a fresh candidate. New Delhi/Bhopal: Joining the list of BJP veterans who have been denied a ticket to contest the coming parliamentary elections for crossing the unofficial age bar of 75 years, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday wrote a strongly-worded letter to party president, asking why her name had not been announced for re-contesting the Indore seat. She also dramatically anno-unced that she will not contest the Lok Sabha poll from eight-time constituency in Madhya Pradesh. Apparently miffed over the party leaderships delay in announcing the candidate for Indore parliamentary seat, which she was hoping would come to her, Ms Mahajan, 75, wrote to BJP president Amit Shah and later told reporters in Indore that she has freed the party to make its choice. I declare that I will not contest Lok Sabha elections, so party is free to decide, without any hesitation, she wrote. The sudden development has ended the month-long suspense over her re-nomination from the seat, paving the way for nomination of a fresh candidate. Ms Mahajan who turns 76 next Friday, just above the BJPs age bar of 75 for candidates, has now joined the club of party seniors who are not contesting this election L.K. Advani, 91, M.M. Joshi, 85, Karaj Mishra, 77, and B.C. Khanduri, 84. Ms Mahajan, popularly known as Tai, wrote, Till date, the BJP has not declared its candidate for the Indore seat. Why this state of indecision? It is possible that the party is hesitating to take a decision. Even though I held discussions with the leadership and left the decision to them, it seems they still have reservations. So, I announce I will not to contest the LS elections, so that the party can take a decision freely without any hesitation. Sources disclosed that Ms Mahajan had held a discussion with the party top brass a few months back over her re-nomination and had asked whether she should continue visiting her constituency or the party leadership wants to field a new candidate from there. Ms Mahajan, sources said, was told that she should continue. Also, her suggestion that her eldest son could be considered to succeed her was not met with a positive response from the party leadership and now speculation is rife that Indore mayor and BJP MLA Malini Gaur could replace her. There had been speculations whether the party would field someone who has crossed the 75-year age bar, so I decided to end them and free the party to make its choice,she said, adding that she would continue to work for the party and campaign for it. Incidentally, Ms Mahajan had been campaigning in Indore constituency for the past two weeks despite speculations that she would be denied a ticket on the ground of her age. Madhya Pradesh BJP president Rakesh Singh said a decision on party candidate for Indore seat would be taken only after consulting with Ms Mahajan. Interestingly, Ms Mahajans letter to Mr Shah came a day after party veteran L.K. Advani wrote a blog after a gap of almost five years and also after the party denied a ticket to the nonagenarian. On Friday, M.M. Joshi, another BJP veteran who has been denied a ticket this time, met Mr Advani at the latters residence. Members of the BJPs Margdarshak Mandal, both Mr Advani and Dr Joshi, had kind of revolted against the party leadership after its defeat in the Bihar Assembly polls of 2015. The duo, along with Himachal Pradesh Shanta Kumar and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, had demanded a thorough review of the reasons for the partys poor performance and also of the way the party is being forced to kowtow to a handful. Banerjee, who spoke at length on various issues, termed the CAB a conspiracy, alleging that the government was doing mere lip service. Guwahati: West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee who on Friday addressed a public rally in Wes-tern Assams Dhubri said that National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Bill are two lollipops doled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fool the people of Assam. Though the Trinamul Congress (TMC) has very little at stake in Assam, Ms Banerjee flew to Dhubri in a helicopter to address a public meeting in which she raked up Sharadha chit fund scam and accused the Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of being the rec-ipient of scam money. Doling out some documents to her party candidate from Dhubri Lok Sabha seat, Ms Banerjee claimed that she was handing over documents to people of Assam that contains the evidence as to how the owner of the chit fund company had confessed to having paid Rs 3 crore to Mr Sarma. You have Himanta babu here. Who is he? He is your minister. He is also in this chit fund scam. `3 crore was paid to him, the owner has said in this document, she said adding, Has any action been taken against him (Himanta Biswa Sarma)? Why has Prime Mi-nister Modi not been able to arrest him? the Trinamul Congress chief said. Ms Banerjee also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government, claiming that her Trinamul government in neighbouring West Bengal has been able to benefit the people against the false promises to the people of Assam by its government. Referring to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, she said, NRC is a lollipop, CAB is a lollipop. She pointed that her government was the only one that spoke out for the 40 lakh applicants whose names were excluded from the final draft of NRC while questioning the reason for putting a question mark on the citizenship of Indians from other states residing in Assam. Ms Banerjee, who spoke at length on various issues, termed the CAB a conspiracy, alleging that the government was doing mere lip service. Ms Banerjee also took a dig at the state government for alleged deplorable condition of detention camps. She said that even children are languishing in these camps. Trinamul Congress has received many threats for raking up these issues. But we cannot be bought by money, fear or threats. We are a party of ma, mati, manush (mother, motherland, people) and we are not afraid of anything, Ms Banerjee asserted. She was campaigning for Trinamul candidate Nurul Islam Choudhury, who is pitted against two-time MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, president of All India United Democratic Front. The polling for Dhubri Lok Sabha seat will take place in the third and final phase of polling in Assam. IAF on Friday reasserted its claim that during a dogfight on Feb 27 its MiG-21 shot down a Pak F-16 in Nowshera sector. Indian security forces also has intercepted transmission between Pakistan security personnel which shows that two planes were hit. (Photo: Representational | PTI) New Delhi: Rubbishing claims made by an American magazine, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday fielded its high ranking official Air Vice Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor, assistant chief of air staff (operations), to assert that Indias MiG-21 fighter jet did shoot down a Pakistani F-16 on February 27. According to sources, India has Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) images which show one F-16 near MiG-21 suddenly disappearing from screen, radio transmissions, missing call signal of one of the F-16, sightings by Army personnels on ground of two parachutes and initial statement by Pakistan itself to prove that Wing Commander Abhinand-an Varthaman shot down an F-16. During the aerial engagement, one MiG-21 Bison of the IAF shot down one F-16 in Nowshera sector, said the Air Vice Marshal. He said the Indian forces have confirmed sighting ejection at two different places on that day. He said that two sightings were at places separated by at least 8-10 kilometres. One was an IAF MiG-21 (flown by Wing Com-mander Abhinandan Varthaman) and the other a Pakistan Air Force aircraft. Electr-onic signatures gathered by us indicate that the PAF aircraft was a F-16, said Air Vice Marshal Kapoor. American magazine Foreign Policy in a story on Thursday said that Indias claim that one of its fighter pilots shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet in an aerial battle on February 27 appears to be wrong. The magazine, citing two unnamed US defence officials, had claimed that US personnel recently counted Islamabads F-16s and found none missing. The findings directly contradict the account of IAF officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile, the report said. The dogfight between IAF and PAF fighter planes took place on February 27, when a group of Pakistani jets entered Indias airspace after Indian airstrikes on Jaish terror camp at Balakot. Air Vice Marshal Kapoor said that a large force of PAF F-16s, JF 17s and Mirage aircraft were picked up by IAF radars on that day. They were intercepted by IAFs Su-30, Mirage 2000 and MiG-21 fighter guided by ground radars and AWACS. All attempts of the PAF to attack any targets were thwarted by the IAF, he added. The AWACS pictures with IAF show that MiG-21 flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and F-16 were near each other, said sources. Then there is another picture after few seconds where the F-16 is missing from the display and there is only MiG-21 left, said sources. The monitoring of radio transmission of the F-16 reveal that call sign of one of their aircraft was missing, said sources. Indian ground forces also sighted two parachutes coming down at Sabi Kot and Tandar following the aerial combat on February 27, said sources. The government also has media interview of an old tribal from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) who claims that they had captured three pilots. Indian security forces also has intercepted transmission between Pakistan security personnel which shows that two planes were hit. One was our MiG. Which was the another one. It was Pakistans F-16, said sources. One of the intercepted message is (in Urdu) says, Enemy ka jo tabah huwa parinda wala pakad ke hum apni unit me laye abhi. Dusra bhi 658 (Pak Army unit) waalon ne unko pakad liya. Over (Fighter from enemys destroyed bird has been caught and just brought in our unit. The second one has been caught by 658 (another Pak Army unit). Another messages says, (In Urdu) Wing commander Abhinandan MiG 21 pilot, dusra zakhami CMH transfer. Dusra ek hai zakhami wo CMH me hai. (Wing commander Abhinandan MiG-21 pilot and second one injured transferred to military hospital. There is another one who is injured and has been transferred to military hospital.) Among those whose security cover has been withdrawn includes 22 separatist leaders. The home ministry was also of the opinion that many undeserving people had been provided security cover which was putting additional burden on the forces in the militancy-infested Valley. New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir administration, in consultation with Central security and intelligence agencies, has withdrawn the security cover of as many as 919 undeserving people. Following this, 2,768 police personnel and 389 vehicles which were deployed in providing this security cover are now being utilised in other law and order duties in the state. Among those whose security cover has been withdrawn includes 22 separatist leaders. The decision to conduct a detailed security review assessment was taken in wake of the Pulwama terror attack in February with both the home ministry and J&K administration sending out a clear signal to the separatist leaders that those involved in anti-national activities will not be given security cover by the state administration. There was a view among the security establishment that policemen deployed for providing security cover could instead be better utilised in other law and order arrangements. The home ministry was also of the opinion that many undeserving people had been provided security cover which was putting additional burden on the forces in the militancy-infested Valley. A home ministry official said, Following a detailed security review it has been decided that security cover of 919 undeserving persons is being taken back since the state has come under Governors Rule on June 20, 2018. The move will release 2,768 police personnel and 389 vehicles which would be deployed in other security activities. Earlier, the home ministry had asked the state administration, currently headed by governor Satya Pal Malik, that a case-by-case in-depth review may be taken on merits. Following these strict directions, the Jammu and Kashmir State Security Review Co-ordination Committee (SRCC) held regular meetings to examine all the cases to ensure strict compliance of norms. After the review, the state government has withdrawn 2,768 police personnel from 919 undeserving persons and also from those who were having security cover excess than their entitlement. A total of 389 vehicles were also withdrawn, the official added. In wake of the home ministry directives the SRCC will continue to examine and review the requirement of security cover on case-to-case basis, based on merit, so that scarce and expensive resources could be freed and engaged to do regular police work, the second official said. As soon as photos of Hema's act went out on the social media, people started questioning the BJP candidate over her fancy campaigning. BJP candidate Hema Malini sits on a tractor during an election campaign in Mathura on Friday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Actor-turned-BJP lawmaker Hema Malini, who has been garnering headlines ever since she hit the campaign trail after being named as the BJP candidate from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, has been trolled by politician Omar Abdullah over her latest photograph while driving a tractor on a field visit in Mathura. Days after images of her cutting crop with sickle in a field splashed the social media, the BJP candidate was spotted trying to ride a tractor in her constituency. Hema, 70, has her hands on the steering wheel, wearing a pink sari, sunglasses and a smile. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took to Twitter on Friday to mock her, saying: What are those drums on the side? Please don't tell me those are mist generators for cool air? Wow, that's one fancy tractor. Hema Malini, who won the Mathura seat defeating RLD candidate Jayant Chaudhary by over three lakh votes in 2014, was on Friday campaigning in Govardhan. During her trip, the actor-turned-politician sat on a tractor and flashed the victory sign for the photographers. Video aired by TV channels showed a man holding an umbrella as Hema Malini tried to get into the tractor. Agencies As soon as photos of Hema's act went out on the social media, people started questioning the BJP candidate over her fancy campaigning. Many voters this time have complained that they hardly saw the former filmstar and classical dancer in the past five years, and that little work had been done in the constituency. In photos from her campaign, Hema Malini has been seen cutting crop with women on fields and greeting people through the sunroof of her Mercedes. Rival parties accused her of putting up an act in poll season. Defending the images, Hema Malini told a news channel, I am an actress, a celebrity. I don't see this in Mumbai. When I go to the villages, I like that environment and I like it. Even if I acted, it was fun. What is wrong with it? Everybody was happy to see the picture back in Mumbai. Meandering through narrow lanes of Ghaziabad constituency, adjoining the national capital, Ms Vadra alleged that Modi is anti-poor and anti-farmer. Ghaziabad: Standing atop an SUV and posing liberally for selfies, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday launched an acerbic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned him on what he had achieved in the last five years. Meandering through narrow lanes of Ghaziabad constituency, adjoining the national capital, Ms Vadra alleged that Mr Modi is anti-poor and anti-farmer. PM Modi keeps asking what did Jawaharlal Nehru do, what did Indira Gandhi do. What did you do in the past five years? said Ms Vadra, questioning Mr Modi on his performance. They should respect the father of the Opposition party, she said. As her cavalcade travelled through the industrial city, Ms Vadra said, PM Modi has travelled the world, but in five years he has not for once visited a family in his constituency and asked how they have been. The PM hugs all world leaders. Have you ever seen him hug a poor family in Varanasi? She hit out at the Prime Minister for waiving off a huge amount of sum for the wealthy but not doing enough for the poor, who will benefit from the Congress proposed minimum income scheme. Highlighting issues like farm distress and curbs on free speech, the Congress star campaigner said, It is not democracy when you are not allowed to speak, when the farmer is in distress. Asking people to vote cautiously, she said, Chose the party that will work for you. Read the Congress manifesto. Ask what is in store for me. We asked shopkeepers, farmers and the young people what they want. After that, we came up with the manifesto. Good governance is your right, no leader should act like he is doing you a favour, she said. Showcasing key poll promises of the Congress, Ms Vadra said, All citizens have the right to education, the right to succeed. The Congress wants to work for you. We want to waive off farmers loans, provide minimum income guarantee. Ghaziabad voters will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 11. Congress Dolly Sharma is pitted against Suresh Bansal of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate and General Singh is the BJP nominee. Clad in a purple sari, Ms Vadra, targeted the BJP over the faulty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax saying that with GST,the government broke the backs of small traders. Ironically, they were the ones who had supported him. France had "taken note" of the formal request that Britain had made on Friday for an extension to June 30th, the source said, adding: "We are waiting for a credible plan between now and the (EU) summit on April 10th, when we will study the request." "A delay is a tool, but it is not a solution in itself," the source said, The Local France reports. In a letter, British Prime Minister Theresa May told EU Council president Donald Tusk that she wanted to ensure her country left the bloc in an "orderly way", as she fights to have the current exit deal approved by parliament. The EU has already agreed to move back the original March 29th deadline to April 12th to give May more time to win backing from MPs for a deal. British lawmakers have already rejected the deal she negotiated with the EU three times. Earlier, the EC had removed two top bureaucrats from their posts during election time. The Election Commission on Friday removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha from the post. (Photo: Twitter/ @JaiTDP) Amaravati: Reacting to the removal of the Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu dared the centre to arrest him and demanded that the Election Commission give reasons for the removal of the chief secretary. The Election Commission on Friday removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha from the post and appointed senior-most IAS officer LV Subrahmanyam of the 1983 batch in his place. "First they (ECI) transferred a district Collector. Then the Intelligence DG and two district SPs and now the CS. Why? They did not give any reasons," he said, addressing a road show in Visakhapatnam. Naidu went to add that he too might be arrested. "They may also arrest me tomorrow or day after. I am prepared to go to jail. I will fight from there itself," he said. The EC stated this in a communication to the Andhra Pradesh government. Earlier, the EC had removed two top bureaucrats from their posts during election time. The EC also directed that Punetha, scheduled to retire from service May-end, be posted to a non-election'' position. Punetha had filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on March 27 challenging the EC order, transferring the Director General of Intelligence A B Venkateswara Rao. He contended that the EC did not have any ''untrammelled powers'' to interfere with the course of administration that is unconnected to polling. "The EC cannot engage in an unchecked, arbitrary and uncanalised exercise of power. The EC order suffers from the vice of lack of jurisdiction, suffers from being a colourable exercise of power and is based on alien purposes or oblique motives which have nothing to do with the conduct of polling duties," state Political Secretary (General Administration Department) N Srikant had said in the petition, filed on behalf of the Chief Secretary. Punetha had complied with the EC order on Tuesday midnight and transferred the Intelligence DG, along with two district SPs, but cancelled the Intelligence chiefs transfer order on Wednesday morning, after the Chief Minister allegedly raised a hue and cry. The High Court had rejected the Chief Secretary's petition last Friday, forcing him to issue an order shifting the DG intelligence. Meanwhile, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao said the Chief Secretary became a ''scapegoat'' of Chandrababu Naidu. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Brahmins have been loyal BJP supporters since the Ram Mandir movement of the early Nineties. Are members of the Brahmin community upset with Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Thats the question doing the rounds in the Bharatiya Janata Party following Mr Modis constant references to his humble origins and that he is an OBC. This pitch has paid him rich political dividends as the non-Yadav backward classes have gravitated towards the BJP. But there is an apprehension that, in this process, the party could alienate its upper caste core vote. This fear has become more pronounced after the BJP denied tickets to senior Brahmin leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalraj Mishra, Shanta Kumar and B.C. Khanduri while Sumitra Mahajan has announced in anger that she will not be contesting this election. BJP insiders said the party cannot afford to upset the Brahmins as it recently lost three important leaders from the community: Ananth Kumar, Manohar Parrikar and Anil Dave. Other senior Brahmin leaders like Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj are out of the race on health grounds. Brahmins have been loyal BJP supporters since the Ram Mandir movement of the early Nineties. BJP leaders never tire of pointing out that though they are numerically small, Brahmins yield immense influence over other communities during elections. When poll strategist Prashant Kishor joined the Janata Dal(United) last year and was immediately named vice-president, it was presumed that he was the number two in the party, given his proximity to JD(U) president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. But, of late, there is a noticeable chill in their relationship. Mr Kishor recently declared that he was not handling the party's poll campaign while Mr Kumar debunked reports that the new JD(U) vice-president was second in line in the party. This falling out between the two has been attributed to Mr Kishor's closeness to the newly-appointed Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Mr Kishor had established a good rapport with Ms Vadra when he was handling the Congress poll campaign in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election. Mr Kishor had even described her appointment as Congress office-bearer as the most-awaited entry in India politics. Kishor and Priyanka are said to be in regular touch and it is learned her recent Gangayatra from Prayagraj to Varanasi was also his idea. With Kishor keeping one foot in the enemy camp, it is not surprising that Nitish Kumar is miffed with him. Bengali actor Nusrat Jahan, who has been fielded as the Trinamul Congress candidate from the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal, is being widely acclaimed as a new age woman. She has been trolled viciously after her candidature was declared by Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, but she has managed to hold her own. Jahan has also been in the firing line for her role in the well-known Park Street rape case. Her boyfriend Kader Khan was the main accused in the case and she was alleged to have covered up for him and even helped him evade arrest. Instead of shying from the subject, Ms Jahan spoke at great length about the case in a recent interview. She did not attempt to justify her role then, putting it down to the fact she was very young then and did not have the mental and emotional space to handle the case. It was initially believed that veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani was upset because the party did not re-nominate him from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. It now transpires that he is unhappy for other reasons. Apparently, the party was planning to give a ticket to Mr Advani's son, Jayant Advani. But Mr Advani was not on the same page as he sees his daughter Pratibha as his political heir and is known to have a soft corner for her. According to the Delhi political grapevine, Mr Advani let it be known that if the BJP did not agree to field Pratibha, then no one from his family should be considered for a party ticket. The current BJP leadership did just that and ignored the Advani clan. Infighting and the Congress are known to be synonymous. Each state unit is riven by internal bickering as leaders openly undermine each other. This rivalry also extends to senior leaders in Delhi. Many of them do not shy away from giving out juicy tidbits about each other to journalists in private conversations. If seniors like Ambika Soni and Sheila Dikshit are old adversaries, it is also an acknowledged fact that Digvijaya Singh and Janardhan Dwivedi have never seen eye to eye. The same can be said about Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh. The list also includes P. Chidambaram who is not known to have too many friends in the party. This tension among Congress leaders was inescapable when a former minister was chatting with journalists after the party's election manifesto was released. The former minister steadfastly refused to comment on the manifesto, stating snidely that he could not possibly say anything on it as this was Mr Chidambaram's domain who, according to him, does not like anyone treading on his toes. Mr Chidambaram was head of the party's manifesto committee and the document was penned under his direct supervision. The EC derives its powers from a categorical provision in the Constitution. The Election Commission (EC) justifiably enjoys a great deal of respect. Over the years, it has established for itself a reputation of conducting elections in India including that of the President and Vice-President of India with commendable efficiency and dedication. By and large, the impartiality of the EC has not come under a cloud, and its autonomy, as an institution, is not in doubt. However, the efficacy of the EC is in question today. This is not because of lack of good intent, but because the EC, for whatever reason, seems to be reticent when it comes to taking action in a dynamic and decisive manner whenever the model code of conduct (MCC) in force is violated. What is the cause of this reticence? Does the EC lack sufficient deterrent powers, or does it not want to fully use these powers even when the situation so demands? This is a fundamentally important question, since the parliamentary elections the world's largest-organised human exercise wherein the electorate is a staggering 900 million is about to unfold, and it is imperative that people retain their faith that the supervision and conduct of these elections by the EC is done effectively and impartially. The EC derives its powers from a categorical provision in the Constitution. Article 324 vests it with the powers to conduct elections. This is an all-powerful, omnibus clause. In pursuance of this clause, the EC puts out an MCC for all political parties and candidates. The MCC is not a wishy-washy document. For instance, it clearly says that no party shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic. It also says, inter alia, that there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feeling for securing votes. These are unambiguous injunctions. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is ensconced with full security of tenure. Clause 5 of Article 324 says that the CEC shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court (SC) and the conditions of service of the CEC shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment. This literally means that while in office, the CEC is near-unimpeachable, for as in the case of an SC judge he can only be removed when a resolution is passed by a two-thirds majority of both Houses of Parliament on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The CEC, and the two Election Commissioners, draw salaries and allowances at par with those of the judges of the SC. Why then is the CEC, and his two colleagues, so diffident and restrained in acting against open violations by the political class? The MCC is a mandatory document. The powers of the EC are unfettered under the Constitution. And yet, what we see is the EC issuing at best a rap on the knuckles or an ineffectual reprimand when politicians flout the MCC. The most recent example is the ECs response to Yogi Adityanath's attempt to politicise the Armed Forces by using the phrase Modiji ki Sena. Instead of taking suo motu deterrent action in the matter, the EC issued him a notice, and then merely said that he should exercise caution and be more careful in future references to the Armed Forces in his poll campaign speeches. When the process is so dilatory, and the deterrence so mild, is it any wonder that in spite of the ECs notice to Yogi Adityanath for using such a phrase, a senior cabinet minister in the government, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, used precisely this very phrase again. Another example is that of Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh. He was video-taped openly saying that he is a BJP supporter, and exhorting people to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is a grave violation of his constitutional mandate to be apolitical. The EC took cognisance of this violation, and sent its views to the President of India, who passed them on to the home ministry for advice. Nothing further has been heard of the matter. A similar event happened during the Assembly election in UP in 2012, when the CEC wrote to the President seeking his intervention in a matter in which two Cabinet ministers of the UPA government willfully and repeatedly flouted the instructions of the EC. The President passed on the CEC's letter to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Given the fact that the two erring ministers belonged to the then PM's party, it was not surprising that he did very little about the matter. The fact is that the worlds largest democracy needs a makeover of the role of the EC. If the EC does not itself proactively take deterrent action in conducting the elections, its role is weakened and its instructions rendered ineffective. Frankly, our politicians cutting across all parties care little for epistles advising caution or expressing displeasure. They will behave as per the rules only when they believe that the EC can and will punish them for deliberate violation of the MCC. Such punishment could include suspension of campaigning for a defined period of time, or even countermanding of an election, or disqualification of the candidate. This fear of the law can be instilled by a powerful autonomous body deriving its powers from the Constitution, which the EC is. It is not surprising that the ordinary citizen misses the likes of T.N. Seshan, who instilled fear in the political class in the interests of the impartial conduct of elections. Ultimately, the EC is as good as the incumbent at the helm, and it is for precisely this reason that the SC should take quick action on the matter pending before it on whether or not the CEC and the Election Commissioners should be appointed by a collegium, and not merely by choice of the ruling party in power. The manner in which the EC currently acts reminds me of a couplet of Ghalib: Hamne maana ke taghaful na karoge lekin, khaq ho jayenge hum unko asar hone tak (I accept that you may not reject but yet I will be reduced to ashes by the time you react). The doomed flight crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in clear conditions. Faulty sensor readings and multiple automatic commands to push down the nose of a Boeing plane contributed to last months fatal crash in Ethiopia, leaving the crew struggling to regain control Faulty sensor readings and multiple automatic commands to push down the nose of a Boeing plane contributed to last months fatal crash in Ethiopia, leaving the crew struggling to regain control, according to a preliminary accident report. The first substantial account of the last minutes of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi on March 10 described how the captain three times called out: Pull up and was acknowledged by the first officer, but to no avail. Boeings top-selling aircraft, the 787 MAX, has been grounded worldwide since the March 10 disaster, which killed 157 people and came just five months after a Lion Air crash in Indonesia that killed 189 in a plane of the same model. Families of the victims, regulators and travelers around the world have been waiting for signs of whether the two crashes are linked, and the extent to which Boeing technology and the actions of the Ethiopian Airlines pilots played a role. The doomed flight crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in clear conditions. Most of the wreckage was found buried in the ground, said the report by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authoritys Accident Prevention and Investigation Bureau published on Thursday. It recommended that Boeing review its flight-control systems and that regulators properly verify the review. Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital the crew had performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing, but safety experts said this was likely to spark debate with US regulators and Boeing. Boeing said its coming software fix for the anti-stall system that pushes down the planes nose would give pilots the authority to always override the system if activated by faulty sensor data. Id 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 Chief Executive Kevin McAllister. We will carefully review the AIBs preliminary report, and will take any and all additional steps necessary to enhance the safety of our aircraft. QUESTIONS RAISED The report leaves unanswered questions, some experts said, such as why the planes trajectory did not respond to pilot and automatic commands including two final nose up commands from the pilots about 30 seconds before the plane crashed. Those should literally follow each other, said one US-based expert, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. I think this is a more complex problem than what we initially thought. Questions have also been raised over whether crew followed guidance not to restore power to a troublesome anti-stall system following the sensor damage, possibly caused by a bird strike. The plane was also set to unusually high thrust, data suggested. 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. Some pilots expressed disquiet that following Boeings checklist for the malfunction had not appeared to work. If the preliminary report from the Ethiopian authorities is accurate, the pilots quickly identified the malfunction and applied the manufacturers checklist. Following this checklist did not appear to allow the pilots to regain control of the aircraft, said Captain Jason Goldberg, spokesman for Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots. The Federal Aviation Administration, which has come under fire over the way it decided to certify the plane and its so-called MCAS anti-stall software, cautioned the investigation had not yet concluded. We continue to work toward a full understanding of all aspects of this accident. As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action, the US agency said in a statement. Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc, the two largest US operators of the MAX with 34 and 24 jets respectively and dozens more on order, each said on Thursday that they continued to await guidance from US regulators and Boeing on when the MAX could resume flying. Ethiopian investigators did not blame anyone for the crash, stressing the importance of international rules requiring civil probes to focus on recommendations for safer flight. Most accidents take months of analysis because of the need to trace backwards to find a root cause from tangled evidence. There is a big difference between having the data and knowing the cause, a senior European investigator said. Officials denied reports of tensions between Ethiopian officials and US and other foreign investigators accredited to the probe. We dont have any reservations from different stakeholders who were engaged in the investigations, chief investigator Amdye Ayalew Fanta said. Following a previous Ethiopian Airlines accident off Beirut in 2010, Addis Ababa authorities rejected the conclusions of a Lebanese investigation citing pilot error and suggested the aircraft had exploded in a possible act of sabotage. Aviation safety analyst Paul Hayes said deeper investigation would delve into the role played by software and how pilots were able to respond, and said he hoped scars from the 2010 dispute would not get in the way of a comprehensive investigation. Pilots shouldnt have to cope with such an emergency situation. We need to understand what are the factors that meant these two crews were overcome, said Hayes, safety director at UK-based consultancy Flight Ascend. It is unusual for there to be a single cause, he added. The United States is expected to designate Irans elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization. The United States has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC. (Photo:AP) Washington - The United States is expected to designate Irans elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization, three US officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labelled another countrys military a terrorist group. The decision, which critics warn could open US military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad, is expected to be announced by the US State Department, perhaps as early as Monday, the officials said. It has been rumoured for years. The Pentagon declined comment and referred queries to the State Department. The State Department and White House also declined to comment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also Read: Iran to blacklist US military if Washington designates militants as 'terrorists' U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a strident Iran hawk, has advocated for the change in US policy as part of the Trump administrations tough posture toward Tehran. The announcement would come ahead of the first anniversary of President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and to reimpose sanctions that had crippled Irans economy. The administrations decision to make the designation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The United States has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC, but the organization as a whole is not. In 2007, the US Treasury designated the IRGCs Quds Force, its unit in charge of operations abroad, for its support of terrorism, and has described it as Irans primary arm for executing its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups. Iran has warned of a crushing response should the United States go ahead with the designation. IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari warned in 2017 that if Trump went ahead with the move then the Revolutionary Guards will consider the American army to be like Islamic State all around the world. Such threats are particularly ominous for US forces in places such as Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shiite militia are located in close proximity to US troops. Republican Senator Ben Sasse said the move would be an important step in Americas maximum pressure campaign against Tehran. A formal designation and its consequences may be new, but these IRGC butchers have been terrorists for a long time, Sasse said in a statement. Former Under-Secretary of State and lead Iran negotiator, Wendy Sherman, said she worried about implications for US forces. One might even suggest, since its hard to see why this is in our interest, if the president isnt looking for a basis for a conflict, said Sherman, who is director of the Centre for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. The IRGC is already fully sanctioned and this escalation absolutely endangers our troops in the region. Set up after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect the Shiite clerical ruling system, the IRGC is Irans most powerful security organization. It has control over large sectors of the Iranian economy and has a huge influence in its political system. The IRGC is in charge of Irans ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. Tehran has warned that it has missiles with a range of up to 2,000 km (1,242 miles), putting Israel and US military bases in the region within reach. The IRGC has an estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units and answers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards march during a military parade to commemorate the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war in Tehran September 22, 2007. It is unclear what impact the US designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization might have on Americas activities in countries that have ties with Tehran, including in Iraq. Baghdad has deep cultural and economic ties with Iran and Oman, where the United States recently clinched a strategic ports deal. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Since the beginning of 2019, foreigners made more than 1.6 million visits to Georgia, which is 2.2% more than during the same period last year. The National Tourism Administration of the country reported that persons over 15 years visited the country 1.3 million times. In addition, during the first quarter of the year, 117.8 thousand representatives of the Georgian diaspora visited the country, which is 2.3% more than in 2018. According to the tourism administration, the income from foreigners visiting Georgia for the three months of this year amounted to $ 333.7 million, which is $ 15 million more than a year earlier, Sputnik-Georgia reports. Hector Estrada was returning home with grocery bags when he was approached by 2 young men in his driveway, NBC Bay Area reports. One of them demanded that he hand over the keys to his Nissan Sentra , which Estrada refused to do. The teen then got into the driver seat and, prying the keys from Estradas hands, tried to leave.The old man tried to pull the thief out from the car, so the thief retaliated by delivering at least a couple of punches to his face, after flashing a gun at him. The incident was captured on Estradas security camera, which he had installed precisely because there had been several carjackings in the area. He told the teen that he was on camera, hoping this would discourage him from taking the car.It didnt. I dont care, the teen told Estrada before getting inside the Nissan and speeding off. He wouldnt get very far, though: about 10 minutes later, he ran a red light and crashed into a Dodge Challenger , totaling the stolen vehicle.The suspect then got out of the car and ran on foot, threatening a witness who had tried to stop him with his gun. Police caught arrested him the next day, thanks to the footage Estrada had recorded. Estrada says hed like the teen to be trialed like an adult, just so he could go and sit in at his trial, in the hope of understanding what would prompt him to lead such a life of crime.The suspect was booked into Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall on charges of carjacking, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse. SUV Carmakers in particular are in the unique position of having a virtually endless supply of prank subjects, due to the nature of their business. In 2019 too, just as in the previous years, marketing and public relations departments went into overdrive and came up with announcements so ludicrous it's impossible not to love or hate them.You can have a look at what we loved and hated this year in the material below.Tornado Skydiving (Mercedes-Benz) back in 2007, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart was fitted with 144 powerful air jets smack down its middle. When engaged, the jets would form a 34.4-meter-high artificial tornado in the 42-meter-tall atrium of the building for purposes of smoke evacuation during a fire.Listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "strongest artificially generated tornado in the world," the air jet was declared open to the public starting April 1, 2019, for skydiving purposes . This indoor recreational activity would have been a real head turner for people visiting the site.Everyone Is a Moon (BMW) there are a number of ways one can juice up an electric car, but most of them have to do with laying down wires, connecting to plugs and waiting for ages for the battery levels to go up a notch. There is also solar charging but, you know, that works only during the day and requires ugly solar panels.For BMW, the Moon is not a harsh mistress, and could even have been, in an alternate universe, a source of power for electric cars. All one would need is the Lunar Paint photovoltaic technology announced on April 1. Shinning!Look, Honey! (Audi) the e-tron name has a twisted and unsuccessful story to it. Weve had the e-tron (2009), A1 e-tron (2010), e-tron Spyder (2010), A3 e-tron (2012), two e-tron R8s, several other e-tron concepts and finally the e-tron. And we still dont like it.So Audi thought of sweetening the deal with the b-tron instead. A car that does not work on electricity, but on honey, thanks to a technology developed by the Germans Made Up Entirely division. Sweet ride, coming up!Sub-compact ute (Toyota) in a world where coupe and convertible SUVs are as real as taxes, why not a sub-compact ute? You know, the chopped (mostly) American cars used in Australia, only this time its Japanese (twice over) and could sell in the U.S: the Toyota Yaris Adventure A Brain with Two Wheels (BMW Motorrad) - Autonomous cars are just around the corner, but not the same can be said for motorcycles. That's because, well, no one is seriously working on such a thing. And why would they, as having a bike drive itself kind of defeats the purpose of owning one.But since most newbies dream of racing their bikes on the worlds circuits, BMW thought it was a good idea to have them believ an iRace Kit could control the machines in their place and ensure a lap time for the track in question up to a maximum of eight seconds over the current record.Location, Location, Location (Land Rover) modern human life is addicted to cords, wires, and chargers. The fear of running out of battery on the gazillion gizmos that control our lives is likely getting written in our DNA, for future generations to enjoy forever.From time to time we naturally look for an escape, usually in the wild natural wonders like the Isle of Skye. But what do you know? Theres a Land Rover charging point , right there! Now thats ruined too.QR Code Beats Horse (Porsche) Porsches horse-centered crest is about seven decades old. And a time of novel ideas and new powertrains, out with the old, in with the new fits the bill just about right, so why not replace the horse with a QR code Cars with Prescription Glasses (Volkswagen) short and far-sighted drivers are a dime a dozen. They live among us, controlling their cars just as well or just as bad as anyone else. But how would a car wearing prescription windscreens help them get rid of glasses?By not allowing them to move much, so the driver's position doesnt alter the optimum distance between the eyes and the lens contact in the windscreen. Looking cool? SUV HP Even though the Cayenne is in its 3rd generation, the newcomer is very much its superior in the performance department. In fact, there's very little that can keep up with the 650 HP Urus. For whatever reason, Porsche caps its V8 engines at 550 horsepower, even though they are clearly capable of much more. But if you want Turbo S levels of output, you'll need to buy a much more expensive and heavier hybrid system which isn't even available on the Cayenne yet.That's how the Lamborghini Urus is allowed to boast 100 more ponies, even though it's based on the same platform as its VW Group counterparts. A small torque gap exists as well, as the Italian super-makes 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) while the German model packs only 770 Nm (568 lb-ft).What's that, you want even more specs because the drag race video is too short? Well, according to the official numbers, the Urus is supposed to do the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds and tops out at 190 mph (305 km/h) top speed. Meanwhile, the German SUV requires 4.1 seconds and will run out of steam at 178 mph (286 km/h), but only if you ordered the Sport Chrono Package.And even though supercars are known for being lighter, these two competitors are about even in that department. But it's now time to find out if Lamborghini's extra work in the engine tuning department pays off. The reaction times of both SUVs is pretty bad, which is mostly due to their automatic gearboxes. But once it gets going, the Urus is way faster, finishing the 1/2 mile rage 2 seconds faster and with a 10km/h-higher top speed.Of course, there are other super-fast SUVs out there, but the Russians have never been big fans of Tesla or the Model X. The upcoming BMW X5 Competition should put up a good fight, as would the 635Bentley Bentayga Speed. Beyond that, we know a couple of 800+ HP GLE 63 model As a matter of fact, Cars Direct reports that both Versa models suffered a 29-percent drop in combined sales in 2018 compared to the previous year. Given the rising demand for crossovers such as the Kicks and Rogue Sport, were not exactly surprised that even the sedan is suffering as a result of changing consumer preferences. mini-MPV that poses as a tall hatchback, the Versa Note can trace its roots back to 2004. The second generation received sharper styling and superior equipment in 2012, and the U.S. model was revealed in 2013 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.Care to guess which were the best and worst years of the Versa in the United States? Combined sales of both models peaked in 2015 with 144,528 units, then came crashing down to 75,809 last year. Only 2006 was worse with 22,044 units, but back then, the hatchback-bodied Versa Note wasnt available to purchase in this part of the world.At $16,545, the 2019 Versa Note is currently one of the automaker's most affordable models, just over $1,100 pricier than the CVT-equipped Versa sedan. Cars Direct points out that automatic emergency braking isnt available, not even as an option. Less than 300 examples of the breed are available to purchase at the time of writing, and given how hard it is to sell these things, Nissan dealers are sure to offer discounts.The Kicks comes as an interesting alternative to the Versa Note, but its also more expensive at $19,585 from the get-go. More cargo space and no penalty in fuel economy are the highlights, although were not that fond of the styling. The bug-eyed Juke was much better in this regard but worse in terms of practicality.On that note, look forward to the 2020 Nissan Versa Sedan on April 12th at the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Windy with periods of rain. Morning high of 50F with temps falling to near 40. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Russia proceeds from the need for rigorous respect for Syrias sovereignty and the inadmissibility of Israeli shelling of Syrias territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Egypts Al-Ahram newspaper, TASS reports. "Our principled stance concerning shelling Syrias territory has remained unchanged. We have always clearly expressed our attitude to that. We proceed from the need for strict respect for Syrias sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We are opposed to turning the countrys territory into a scene of armed standoff between various regional players," he said when asked to comment on remarks by some political analysts about softening Moscows stance on Israeli shelling. "During our contacts with all parties concerned, we highlight the importance of preventing an upsurge in tensions and the dangerous escalation of the situation in Syria, which are fraught with negative consequences for both neighboring countries and the Middle East region in general," Lavrov stressed. Russias top diplomat noted that Russia, cooperating with Iran and Turkey, contributed to work to set up a de-escalation zone in Syrias south and southwest. "Now these areas are under the control of the Syrian government. Russian military police officers help maintain law and order there," Lavrov added. Three historically black churches have burned in Louisiana's St. Landry Parish in 10 days, alongside a fourth predominantly black church that officials said was "intentionally set" ablaze 3 hours north in Caddo Parish, the New York Times reports. There is clearly something happening in this community, the states fire marshal said Thursday. What's happening: Law enforcement hasnt ruled out the possibility of arson or that the fires are related, and said they found suspicious elements in each case. St. Landry Parish is 56% white and 41% black, and the Times interviewed a reverend of one of the burned churches who said that "relations were generally good between black and white residents." Church burnings were a common, and often unreported, crime in the south during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and earlier. Millennials face one of the toughest economic landscapes of any generation since World War II: they are working for relatively low pay and, for college graduates, they're saddled with an average of some $30,000 in student debt. But now, they are about to confront yet another challenge robots. Millennials will be the first generation to absorb the full impact of the new age of automation, which, if history is a teacher, will wipe out jobs faster than the economy can create new ones. What's happening: Millennials came of age during the Great Recession. Since then, three-quarters of all new U.S. jobs have paid less than a middle-class income, according to Labor Department data. These minimum- or lower-wage jobs are the ones that millennials ages 23-38, born between 1981 and 1996, and the largest generation in the country are often taking. are the ones that millennials ages 23-38, born between 1981 and 1996, and the largest generation in the country are often taking. Unlike prior generations, there may not be much of a ladder up from there. Part of that is economics tech and globalization have hollowed out middle-skill, middle-wage jobs. And part of it is the continued aftermath of the financial crash. There has been political fallout: On top of all this, millennials are on the hook for the public spending excesses of the baby boomers. In an Axios/SurveyMonkey poll last year, 51% of millennials said they resent boomers for their financial circumstances, tension likely to play out in the politics of the coming decades. The bottom line : Prior technological revolutions have led to decades-long interregnums before real wages returned to prior levels. And those thrown out of work often had trouble finding new jobs. The new automation is tech on steroids. As time goes on, it will strike hard at blue-collar millennials in cities and more rural parts of the country alike. : Prior technological revolutions have led to decades-long interregnums before real wages returned to prior levels. And those thrown out of work often had trouble finding new jobs. The new automation is tech on steroids. As time goes on, it will strike hard at blue-collar millennials in cities and more rural parts of the country alike. Look for even greater disaffection and raw unhappiness from left-behind Americans. Take John Russell, a 27-year-old farmer from Galena, Ohio, who tells Axios that, until now, millennials in his area had three relatively secure jobs at Walmart, a Walmart warehouse or driving a semi-truck. But, Russell says, "warehouses and semi-truck jobs the most security you can have in the Ohio Valley are at risk of automation. What's going to happen when they go away? The companies will get a big boost in profit, but the people will have to figure out what to do." "warehouses and semi-truck jobs the most security you can have in the Ohio Valley are at risk of automation. What's going to happen when they go away? The companies will get a big boost in profit, but the people will have to figure out what to do." Russell himself, who has a degree in agricultural science from Cornell, works a 21-acre farm bought by his parents. So does a brother who is an arborist. who has a degree in agricultural science from Cornell, works a 21-acre farm bought by his parents. So does a brother who is an arborist. In a chat in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he was attending a political event, Russell told me he earns most of his money contracting out to grind up tree stumps. This was a recurring theme in conversations in rural Iowa: finding work is a matter of providence, often involving your family. David Rosmann, a 37-year-old farmer from Harlan, said that between college and returning to his parents' 700-acre organic farm in 2014, he has been a line cook, a rural organizer, a lumberyard worker, and a graduate student. from Harlan, said that between college and returning to his parents' 700-acre organic farm in 2014, he has been a line cook, a rural organizer, a lumberyard worker, and a graduate student. As time goes on, "guys my age aren't going to be able to farm unless they are an heir or someone will take them under their wing," Rosmann said. "My brother and I realize how fortunate we were we had jobs waiting for us." The bottom line: The future of work for millennials looks no rosier than it has been the last decade and may be worse. "Innovation creates more jobs than it destroys, but not always in the same place or with the same people," former Congressman John Delaney, a Democratic candidate for president, told me in Storm Lake. The government needs to step in and bridge the gap, he said. Rosmann said the bias should be against the robots. "Is your bottom line more important than the people around you who need work?" Go deeper: 1 big thing: A world with a lesser Barrier Reef 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 new results add to a series of grim findings about just how vulnerable this reef community, long viewed as too big to fail. The new findings also raise the provocative question of what healthy coral reefs will look like in the future, if they exist at all, as ocean waters continue to heat up from human-caused global warming. What they did: For the study, researchers at Australia's Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies examined coral reproduction, or spawning, rates from one year to the next, by combining years of 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. Such heat waves are also known as coral bleaching events for their tendency to turn corals a ghostly white as heat stress causes organisms to kick out symbiotic algae that lends corals their vibrant colors. The study found that such heat events compromise the reef's capacity to recover by causing a sharp plunge in reproduction rates. By killing adult corals, the heat waves slashed the rate of reproduction and skewed 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: The increased frequency of bleaching events means that more corals could perish 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. But, but, but: Severe coral bleaching events mean that the surviving corals may be more heat-tolerant and could survive future events, if they're allowed to mature first. Madhavi Colton, program director with the nonprofit Coral Reef Alliance, says she's eager to see what happens with coral recruitment (the process by which coral larvae attach themselves to existing coral) beyond just a single year after the bleaching events. 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. The bottom line: According to Kim Cobb, a climate scientist and coral expert at Georgia Tech, the future of the world's reef ecosystems will look nothing like what we've known. 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. She added, though, that the outlook for the world's reefs is "pretty bleak." Go deeper: In a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition conference Saturday afternoon, President Trump described how he took the decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. What he's saying: Trump said he was talking on the phone with the U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman about a different topic while his senior adviser Jared Kushner and special envoy Jason Greenblatt were also in the room. At that time Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Israel, but Trump didn't mention him as being part of this specific discussion. Trump said he heard about the Golan Heights issue for a long time but during the phone call with Friedman he asked to get a "quickie" about the history of the area and its importance. Trump said Friedman and others in the room explained the Golan was important for Israel because it was a high ground essential for security. Trump said he then asked Friedman who was on the line and the others who were in the room: "How do you like the idea of me recognizing exactly what we are discussing?" who was on the line and the others who were in the room: "How do you like the idea of me recognizing exactly what we are discussing?" Trump said Friedman was surprised and he said: "You would actually do that, sir?". Trump said he told Friedman: "Yes I think I am doing it right now lets write something up". The bottom line: The next thing that happened, Trump said, was his tweet stressing it was time for the U.S. to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel. "We make fast decisions ... and I went 'bing' and it was done... it was a big story for two days no repercussions." President Trump visited the southern border in Calexico, Calif. on Friday, a day after the White House retracted its nomination of 30-year border official Ron Vitiello to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in favor of going in a "tougher" direction. What he's saying: "It's a colossal surge and it's overwhelming our immigration system, and we can't let that happen. So, as I say, and this is our new statement: The system is full. Can't take you anymore. ... Our country is full," Trump said on Friday. Before his nomination was revoked, Vitiello was expected to join the president on the border trip. The big picture: "Trump has become increasingly exasperated at his inability to do more to halt the swelling numbers of migrants entering the country," the AP reports. "There's not a lot they can do," he said in a statement on Friday, referring to U.S. troops stationed at what he described as an "emergency" on the southern border. "We're gonna bring up some more military." The latest: On Saturday, President Donald Trump said there would be traffic and commercial delays along the southern border after his administration increased the number of immigration officers processing migrants attempting to enter the United States via Mexico until Mexico used its immigration laws "to stop illegals from coming through Mexico into the U.S., and removing them back to their country of origin." Chaser: Selvin Alvarado, a 29-year-old father, told the N.Y Times he exposed corruption in his hometown in Honduras then fled into Mexico, followed by an armed group, in an attempt to win asylum in the United States. "I prefer 1,000 times being jailed than being dead," he said. Go deeper: DHS Secretary Nielsen describes "system-wide breakdown" An Armenian law-enforcement agency has refused to launch a formal criminal investigation into allegations to that former President Robert Kocharian rigged a presidential election to come to power in 1998. Vahan Shirkhanian, who was a deputy defense minister at the time, made the allegations in an incriminating open letter to Kocharian released last month. He claimed that Karen Demirchian, Armenias Soviet-era leader, was the rightful winner of the two-round election held in February-March 1998. Demirchian refused to concede defeat, alleging widespread fraud strongly denied by Kocharian and his allies. Western election monitors reported serious irregularities during the ballot. Shirkhanian stood by his claims when he was questioned by the Special Investigative Service (SIS) later in March. The SIS said on Friday that it will not open a criminal case because of the statute of limitations. It also refused to act on Shirkhanians claims that Kocharian was not eligible to run for president in the first place. The SIS explained that similar allegations made in the past were investigated by law-enforcement authorities and proved unsubstantiated. Shirkhanian accepted the SIS explanations, while deploring the fact that Kocharian will not be prosecuted for vote rigging. The ex-president, who ruled Armenia for ten years, was arrested in December on different coup charges which he rejects as politically motivated. During the 1998 presidential race, Shirkhanian was a figure close to then Defense Minister Vazgen Sarkisian, arguably the countrys most powerful man. Sarkisian and Demirchian subsequently co-founded a political alliance that won parliamentary elections held in May 1999. Sarkisian became prime minister while Demirchian parliament speaker as a result. Both leaders as well as six other officials were killed in the October 1999 terrorist attack on the Armenian parliament. In his open letter, Shirkhanian also accused Kocharian of covering up the attack. For his part, the ex-president claimed in a memoir published in 2018 that Shirkhanian tried to use the shock assassination to replace him as head of state. In 2015, Shirkhanian was arrested and charged with plotting to seize power together with members of a clandestine militant group led by Artur Vartanian, an obscure man who had reportedly lived in Spain for many years. He, Vartanian and about two dozen other individuals went on trial a few months later. The National Security Service (NSS) said at the time that Vartanian and his associates drew up detailed plans for the seizure of the presidential administration, government, parliament, Constitutional Court and state television buildings in Yerevan. It claimed that Shirkhanian agreed to participate in the alleged plot and suggested in 2015 that the armed group assassinate then President Serzh Sarkisian, instead of focusing on the seizure of the key state buildings. Shirkhanian denied the accusations as politically motivated. He was released from custody in June 2018 pending the outcome of the high-profile trial. Vartanian and core members of his group remain behind bars. Eighty-three Palestinians have sustained injuries in the recent clashes with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the Gaza Strip border, the Palestinian Healthcare Ministry said in a statement, Urdu Point reported citing Sputnik. "Eight-three civilians have sustained gunshot wounds fromthe Israeli forces. Dozens have suffered from suffocation by tear gas near the border fence separating eastern Gaza [from Israel]," the statement, issued on Friday, read. Ten days after inaugurating a new factory in the presence of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, the official owner of Armenias leading freight and agribusiness company faced on Friday tax evasion charges which he strongly denied. The State Revenue Committee (SRC) said that the Spayka company evaded over 7 billion drams ($14.4 million) in import taxes as it asked a court in Yerevan to allow the pre-trial arrest of Davit Ghazarian. In a statement, the SRC said that the accusations stem from large quantities of cheese and agricultural produce which were imported to Armenia by another company, Greenproduct, in 2015 and 2016. It claimed that Greenproduct is controlled by Spayka and that the latter rigged its customs documents to pay less taxes from those imports. The court held hearings on the SRC demand later in the day. Ghazarians lawyer, Karen Sardarian, told reporters that the court will announce its decision on Monday. Ghazarian angrily denied the accusations and accused the authorities of paralyzing his companys operations at a news conference held before the court hearings. He insisted that Spayka is not connected to Greenproduct and has only carried out cargo shipments for it. The businessman said that she was charged because he refused to pay Greenproducts back taxes after being summoned to the SRC late on Thursday.They told me, Either you will sign [a relevant document] or be arrested, he claimed. I view this as Spaykas persecution by the SRC because nobody from Greenproduct is willing to pay up. Ghazarian implied that Pashinian had a hand in the criminal charges brought against him. He [the SRC chief] went to the boss and told him that we owe 7 billion drams, he said. The boss, our prime minister, whom we all respect, said that if they owe the money then they must pay it. As recently as on March 26, Pashinian visited Spaykas sprawling premises in Yerevans southern Noragavit suburb to attend the inauguration of a state-of-the-art dairy factory built there. Ghazarian showed him around the facility. A March 26 statement by the prime ministers office gave details of the $15 million business project. 120 new jobs have been created under the project, it stressed. Ghazarian said that Spayka planned to invest another $100 million this year. The Kazakhstan-based Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has already frozen planned funding for the project because of the tax fraud case, he said. Spayka was set up in 2001 and has since become Armenias leading producer and exporter of fruits, vegetables and some prepared foodstuffs. The company currently employs more than 1,200 people mostly working in its greenhouses and buys produce from thousands of Armenian farmers. It also has a large fleet of heavy trucks. Ownership of Spayka has long been a subject of Armenian media speculation. Some media outlets have linked it to the family of former President Robert Kocharian and his successor Serzh Sarkisians son-in-law, Mikael Minasian. Ghazarian again asserted on Friday that he is the companys sole real owner and has no business relationship with Minasian. Spayka was already fined about 2.5 billion drams ($5 million) for profit tax evasion in July last year, two months after Sarkisians resignation and Pashinians rise to power. The company agreed to pay the fine at the time. Ghazarian claimed on Friday that that SRC penalty was also unfair and that he agreed to pay it in order to have Spaykas bank accounts unfrozen. By Trend Since February 2019, 307 Azerbaijani entrepreneurs have applied for permission to use the Green Corridor customs system, the Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Javad Gasimov said at the presentation of the Portal of the Commission on Business Environment and International Ratings and the Platform for Dialogue between State and Business in Baku, Trend reports. So far, 193 entrepreneurs have been granted permission to use the Green Corridor system, Gasimov said. The Green Corridor, launched on February 1, 2019, allows transporting goods through the border upon a brief declaration, which helps to speed up customs procedures and implement a more flexible and transparent customs control. Presentation of the website of the Commission on Business Environment and International Ratings and the Platform for Dialogue between the State and Business was held in Baku on April 5. Vusal Shikhaliyev, chief consultant of the Service of Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan on Economic Policy and Industry Issues, Deputy Minister of Economy Niyazi Safarov, Deputy Minister of Justice Azer Jafarov, Deputy Minister of Taxes Ilkin Valiyev, Deputy Minister of Energy Samir Valiyev and other officials took part in the presentation of the website. The event participants discussed economic reforms in public procurement, reforms to improve the availability of courts, a new business registration system, an e-application system for connecting to energy supply, a dialogue between the state and business, the Green Corridor system and other issues. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The next meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia will be held in the capital of one of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva told Trend. She noted that negotiations on the meeting time are currently underway. The press secretary noted that in a joint statement adopted at the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Vienna on March 29, it was noted that the sides agreed on a meeting of FMs in the near future. "In this regard, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during his visit to Brussels made a statement that an agreement was reached on the upcoming ministerial meeting and such a meeting will be held in the near future in the capital of one of the co-chair countries. As for the specific time of the meeting, it will be announced after reaching an agreement between Baku and Yerevan," she said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan as part of the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to be held in Moscow with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has a serious goal, a well-known Azerbaijani political analyst Arzu Nagiyev told Trend. He said that namely as part of this meeting the parties will have to hold a detailed discussion of issues relating to the situation on the frontline, as well as humanitarian issues. The political analyst reminded that during the Vienna meeting, the Armenian side again tried to talk about changing the format of the talks, and the issue was raised by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan later in Yerevan. I believe that the recent statements by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the unchanged format of the negotiation process, as well as similar statements by high-ranking officials of the EU are a serious message to the Armenian side, Nagiyev said. In turn, the position of Azerbaijan remains unchanged, we unilaterally declare that the conflicts settlement is possible under the condition of restoration of the territorial integrity and inviolability of the Azerbaijani borders. This reasonable and fair position was repeatedly voiced by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. At the same time, we propose to solve this issue through substantive negotiations, that is, step by step. As for the presence of the Russian side at the upcoming meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the political analyst called this a positive fact, noting the participation of the Russian foreign minister necessary. At the same time, the expert reminded that the UN Security Council resolutions constitute the legal basis for resolving the conflict, and unequivocally confirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the international borders of Azerbaijan, and also require the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories. 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 Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. During the meeting, the sides expressed satisfaction with the high level of political dialogue and multi-directional cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia, and some issues of mutual interest were discussed. Elmar Mammadyarov is on a visit to Russia to attend a meeting of the CIS Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Moscow. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Holding close ties in many areas of cooperation, Azerbaijan and Pakistan are also committed to energy cooperation. Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet of Pakistan has approved the fuel supply agreement with Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, Trend reports citing Pakistani media. Committee accorded approval to a proposal of Ministry of Petroleum regarding Fuel Supply Agreement between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), reads the report. Earlier, Federal Minister for Petroleum of Pakistan Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that Petroleum Division will try its best to get this agreement ratified from Cabinet so that mutual relation between both countries can be strengthened. He said that Azerbaijans daily production of crude oil was approximately 860,000 barrels per day (bpd) and its annual gas production was approximately 29.4 billion cubic feet. Moreover, he noted that Pakistan and Azerbaijan will constitute a joint working group on energy. PSO and SOCAR had finalised a term sale and purchase agreement (TSPA) for supply of petroleum products under the inter-governmental agreement (IGA) signed in 2017. Pakistan and Azerbaijan had signed IGA in February 2017 for the supply of a number of oil and gas products, including furnace oil, petrol, diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, the documents of the deal turned into a shuttlecock between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) offices in Karachi and the Petroleum Division in Islamabad due to bureaucratic hiccups. Pakistan signed government-to-government deals with Azerbaijan in various areas including supply of electricity, crude and refined oil products, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) on June 20, 2016. The agreements were set to alllow the two countries to sign multibillion-dollar agreements for trading in oil and gas without going through the bidding process. Azerbaijan is interested in investing in LNG sector through State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR. Pakistan has long been an importer of crude and refined oil products from Middle Eastern countries and is now exploring opportunities of importing LNG from other countries including Italy, France, China and Malaysia. AzerbaijanPakistan relations are considered to be of "strategic partners" nature. The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Pakistan has contributed to the cooperation in economic, trade, military-technical, energy, tourism and other spheres. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Restoration of relations between Greece and North Macedonia in the energy sector can begin with the resumption of the smooth interconnection of the networks of the two countries, which may also require the development of common infrastructures, said Greek Minister of Energy and Environment Giorgos Stathakis. The minister said there is already a Memorandum of Understanding between Greek DESFA and Macedonian Energy Resources (MER). He expressed intention to join the two networks and gradually integrate North Macedonia into the broader network, which includes the interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), with the prospect of expansion to Serbia and Romania and of course the interconnection of this infrastructure with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) pipeline, which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, envisaging transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe. Stathakis noted that the idea of triple interconnection is not exhausted. The Greek government, through this triple interconnection, sees North Macedonia as a key partner in transforming the South Balkans into a key energy transit hub. TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries. Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network. The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016. Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe. TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets. The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Representatives of Nyda-Resource production company of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, are on a working visit to the Papan district of the Namangan region of Uzbekistan, Trend reports via Uzbek media. Delegation from Yamal is taking part in business events organized by the Uzbek authorities to develop trade relations with this Arctic region. Cooperation began in January this year at the Green Week international exhibition in Berlin, where the export-oriented enterprise Nyda-Resource signed a number of agreements to cooperate with companies of the agro-industrial complex of Uzbekistan. The purpose of the trip to Uzbekistan is to participate in activities aimed at the implementation of joint projects for the production, import and export of food. The visit was organized by the Department of External Relations of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey has the last word on the results of the municipal elections of the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said commenting on the results of the municipal elections in Istanbul, Trend reports via Turkish media. The head of state noted that each political party has the right to appeal when it comes to the election results. The president added that the Justice and Developed Party (AKP), as a whole, won the elections in Turkey. Commenting on the statements of the representative of the US State Department regarding the municipal elections, Erdogan noted that Turkey is not the state, in whose internal affairs it is possible to interfere. Earlier, the representative of the US State Department Robert Palladino called on the Turkish authorities to recognize the results of the municipal elections. The US hopes that Turkey will recognize the legitimate results of the municipal elections after the AKP appealed to the Supreme Electoral Council on the preliminary results of the election of the mayor of Istanbul, which was won by the opposition candidate, Palladino said. The Justice and Development Party presented facts of falsification of 11,000 votes in Istanbul in favour of the candidate of the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) Ekrem Imamoglu. Earlier, Bayram Senocak, head of the Istanbul branch of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), stated that the ruling party has evidence of the election results in Istanbul being falsified in favour of candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party Ekrem Imamoglu. Sadi Guven, head of the YSK, said that the results of the municipal elections in Istanbul remain unchanged. As reported earlier, 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 us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan with the Bulgarian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (with residence in Baku) Nikolai Yankov, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. At the talks, the parties noted the intention to build up comprehensive cooperation and readiness for joint work on its further revitalization, the information said. The development of trade and economic relations was also discussed. Interest was expressed in the development of relations in the field of culture and education. An impetus to bilateral relations was given by the visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to Ashgabat in August 2015. Energy and transport were highlighted as strategic areas of cooperation during the summit talks. The Ashgabat talks demonstrated the readiness of Turkmenistan and Bulgaria to cooperate in ensuring global energy security and diversification of energy flows. Prospects for partnership are also opening up in the field of transport in terms of developing transit-transport corridors between Asia and Europe in the East-West direction, with access to Southern and Eastern Europe, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle Eastern markets. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The project company Akkuyu Nulear, which carries out the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in southern Turkey under the Rosatom project, submitted to the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK) an application for a license to build the third unit of the nuclear power plant, the press service of the company reported. The message of the company clarifies that the request was made at the end of March. Akkuyu Nuclear prepared and submitted to TAEK a corresponding package of documents, RIA Novosti reports with a reference to the companys message. By Trend An explosion occurred at a submarine battery in Shahid Darvishi Shipyard belonging to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics in the Bandar Abbas district of Hormozgan province of Iran, Trend reports via ILNA. Three workers were killed in the explosion, according to the report. The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics hasnt yet commented on this. Shahid Darvishi Shipyard belonging to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics is located 37km west of Bandar Abbas district, Hormozgan province of Iran. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The authorities of Turkmenistan plan to build a roadway from Turkmenbashi to Kazakhstan through the Garabogazgol Bay, which will connect the country with Kazakhstan, the governmental newspaper Neitrailny Turkmenistan reports. The 225 km long road will pass through the bay, where a 350-meter-long bridge will be built. The President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow already discussed with the members of the government the stages of its construction, RIA Novosti reports. The construction of the route will help to solve the problem of communication between the two countries and will increase the trade turnover, as well as the volume of freight traffic , Deputy Prime Minister for the construction complex of Turkmenistan Dadebay Amangeldiev said. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Rain, heavy at times early. High around 45F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 39F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. On April 8, an interregional conference of rectors of universities of Russia and Uzbekistan will take place in Astrakhan, its topic is the modern realities, trends and prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan in the field of higher education, the organizers published a relevant message. The event was organized in accordance with the final resolution of the first Russian-Uzbek educational forum "New Personnel for the New Economy", held on October 18 last year in Tashkent. The conference will bring together representatives of the authorities and leaders of more than 40 universities of both countries. A battery explosion in Irans submarine building center in Persian Gulf port city of Bandar Abbas killed several people on April 6, Radio Farda reports. An official from the governors office in Bandar Abbas said that three people working for Irans armed forces naval industries were killed in the incident. Apparently, there are no other injuries. "Three Defense Ministry staff were martyred after a submarine battery exploded at the Shahid Darvishi shipyard in Bandar Abbas, which builds and repairs military ships and submarines," IRIB said. Davood Abdi head of the defense ministrys public relations office said that the explosion happened when a light vessel was being repaired. Bristol (Conn.) Hospital posted a profit of nearly $2 million in 2018, compared to a $6.15 million loss the year prior, according to a Hartford Courant report. The financial improvement, revealed April 3, was partially attributable to the independent facility's new 15-bed senior behavioral health unit, hospital officials said. The behavioral health and psychiatric unit for senior citizens, which opened in early 2018, admitted 170 patients in its first year. Hospital officials also announced April 3 that the new 60,000-square-foot medical office and lab building in Bristol is scheduled to open on June 10. The hospital will offer outpatient care in cardiology, neurology, urology, rheumatology and orthopedics in that building, according to the report. Other hospital plans include a multimillion dollar emergency room expansion and rebranding itself as Bristol Health. Read the Courant's full story here. More articles on healthcare finance: Medical specialties with the largest share of out-of-network bills for in-network hospital admissions 6 recent RCM tips North Carolina lawmakers introduce surprise-billing legislation Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chair Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., spoke to HHS Secretary Alex Azar on the Senate floor April 4 about what the Trump administration is doing to combat high healthcare costs. Three things to know: 1. Mr. Alexander spoke about how the HELP committee is working with Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to identify how to best reduce healthcare costs. 2. Mr. Alexander said the HELP committee wants to make a recommendation on the matter by June or July. 3. He asked Mr. Azar if the Trump administration is "willing to work with us and support our efforts to address these issues like surprise medical bills, prescription drugs, direct primary care, transparency, rebates, other issues?" Mr. Azar said the administration is fully supportive of the efforts. A jury has decided that San Francisco-based Dignity Health must pay $3.4 million to a former outpatient pharmacy manager who claimed she was wrongly fired in 2015 for not fudging documents ahead of a federal probe, according to the Sacramento Bee. The former pharmacy manager, Mandy Kazminy, PharmD, worked for Dignity Health's Woodland (Calif.) Memorial Hospital, which was the focus of a state and Drug Enforcement Administration investigation of why thousands of pills were missing from its narcotics inventory. In the lawsuit, Dr. Kazminy claimed she was fired after refusing to fudge the pharmacy's pill totals ahead of the investigation. The jurors awarded Dr. Kazminy more than $1 million in compensatory damages and another $2.4 million in punitive damages, according to the report. Dignity Health told the Sacramento Bee that it was disappointed with the verdict and plans to "continue to explore all legal options, including appeal." Read the full report here. The president of the Ulster Farmers' Union has warned that a no-deal Brexit will be "economically disastrous" for Northern Ireland. Speaking in Enniskillen yesterday after a meeting with the presidents of the largest farming bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic, Ivor Ferguson called for "sufficient time" to enable a way forward on Brexit to protect agri-businesses. The farming leaders met ahead of a UFU event at the Lough Erne Resort in Co Fermanagh, with Theresa May's request to extend Article 50 topping the agenda. Mr Ferguson said it remained crucial for politicians to prioritise the needs of business and the welfare and long-term prosperity of the agri-food sector. "We want to make clear that a no-deal exit would be economically disastrous, and that we need to avoid a catastrophic, disorderly exit from the EU," he said. "Any extension must be used constructively and not merely delay no-deal, setting up another 'cliff edge' scenario." Mr Ferguson said the choice of the border location for yesterday's meeting was significant. "Farming families in border regions, like Co Fermanagh, have much to lose in a no-deal scenario or a badly managed Brexit," he warned. "It is unbelievable that farmers and growers in the UK, Ireland and in the rest of Europe are still operating without any certainty on a future trading relationship. This is having real world business consequences right now as well as causing unnecessary stress and huge anxiety for farmers who simply don't know what trading conditions they will be operating under in the future," he continued. "There is a common call coming from organisations representing thousands of farming families to ensure free and frictionless trade, alignment on high standards of production, and a determination to cooperate for the best possible future for our members. The Freight Transport Association says fears and anxiety within the industry have yet to be allayed Business leaders here have cautiously backed Theresa May's request to the EU for an Article 50 extension until the end of June, but said a longer delay may be needed to avoid a no-deal Brexit. With MPs yet to back a withdrawal deal, the UK is due to leave the EU on April 12. Yesterday the Prime Minister asked the EU for more time, repeating her earlier request for a June 30 deadline in order to reach a deal. But it is understood that senior EU figures may want a 12-month flexible extension to Article 50. Northern Ireland's main business bodies appear to support that course. Chief executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Anne McGregor, said that while most businesses will support the shorter extension if it averts a disorderly exit, it still leaves companies with little clarity about the future. "Once again, businesses are left waiting for a consensus on the way forward and are losing faith that they will achieve this," she said. "Rather than be drawn into the politics of Brexit, firms are looking for stability and answers." Read More Seamus Leheny of the Freight Transport Association said while avoiding a cliff-edge no-deal Brexit is welcome, the fears and anxiety within the industry have yet to be allayed. "Businesses need long term clarity and it must be the priority of all politicians to get a sensible deal agreed," he added. "Many businesses who began stockpiling in anticipation of leaving the EU on March 29 are still paying these costs, which they cannot continue to absorb for much longer. "That is why we need a clear timeframe and plan from Government so that businesses can react accordingly." Chief executive of Retail NI, Glyn Roberts, said a 12-month extension is a more realistic option to allow time for a cross-party consensus in London and potentially enable a confirmatory referendum. "No-deal is not an option and it is vital the UK Government takes the time to get it right. We should be in no rush to leave," he said. Stephen Kelly of Manufacturing NI predicted the EU is likely to refuse the June 30 request in favour of a longer extension. He said businesses will need at least a transition period to adapt to Brexit. "If the UK is to leave the EU, it must be after agreement and not by crashing out. The way to do that is to secure a withdrawal agreement in Parliament," he added. "If that means more time is needed for discussion between the parties, then so be it." Roger Pollen, the head of external affairs at Northern Ireland's largest business body, the Federation of Small Businesses, gave Theresa May's request a cautious welcome. "The uncertainty around the Brexit process is causing our members great concern and is negatively impacting recruitment and investment decisions. "Accordingly, the Prime Minister's re-stated request for an extension is to be given a cautious welcome, in as much as it helps avoid the immediate risk of a chaotic cliff-edge exit; however, such an extension also prolongs the uncertainty and means we have still not reached the point where businesses can make detailed plans for the future." Aodhan Connolly, director of the NI Retail Consortium, echoed the sentiment. He said: "A further extension, if granted by the EU, could be hugely beneficial, but only if the time can be used effectively to break the political impasse in Parliament and approve a deal. "What NI retailers can't afford to see is a cliff-edge, no-deal scenario continuing, with all the pressures that brings. "Rather than face rolling cliff-edge deadlines - March 29 , April 12, May 22, June 30 - MPs must find a compromise which can avoid a disastrous no-deal scenario and secures a transition period in which NI firms can start preparing for life outside of the EU. "The alternative is a no-deal with rising costs that will affect the most vulnerable in our society." How did you spend last evening? Few people would dare respond that they were at home listening to a Michael Jackson album, or watching a Kevin Spacey movie. The disgrace of an artist is swiftly followed these days not just by their removal from the public sphere, but also from private discourse. And, crucially, any affection for work once held in the highest esteem, is outlawed. The documentary Leaving Neverland, in which two men recounted in graphic detail their alleged abuse as children by Jackson, was followed immediately by streaming services and, reportedly, Radio 2 banning his music. Even his glove has been removed from a children's museum in the United States. Commentators were united as one in saying that such was their disgust with the once revered King of Pop that they could no longer listen to his music (though in the muddled confusion that surrounds these issues, the hit show Thriller, built around his music, continues to draw the crowds in London's West End). Spacey, an Oscar-winner and for more than a decade the artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre, has not yet been tried in a court of law, but accusations of improper conduct against young men seemed damning enough for him to be removed by director Ridley Scott from a movie and replaced by another actor, left out of the last series of TV's House of Cards and all but written out of history at the Old Vic. When the artist is shown to have transgressed, his art, too, is forever spurned. Or is it? It seems to me there are bewildering inconsistencies in whom we choose to damn and whom we choose to indulge. The Master of Suspense, the all-but-immortal film director Alfred Hitchcock, has in recent years been shown to be far from a perfect human being. Indeed, one of his biggest stars, Tippi Hedren, the leading lady in The Birds, who is still alive, has gone on record accusing Hitchcock of serial sexual harassment, mixed with threats to the victim's career if she did not comply. Yet the Master remains The Master and there is no sign that the British Film Institute will cease to show Hitchcock seasons. Michael Jackson had an infatuation with prepubescent adolescent boys and, disturbingly, had them stay at his home. The late Benjamin Britten, the greatest British composer of opera, had an unhealthy infatuation with pre-pubescent adolescent boys and, disturbingly, had them stay at his home. Were he alive now, I suspect that Britten would come under an unforgiving media spotlight. But, as things stand, there is no sign of the Royal Opera House excluding him from their repertoire. Michael Jackson may well have been a paedophile. Paul Gauguin certainly was. The artist, famous for his paintings of young girls in Tahiti, had relationships in Tahiti with those girls when he was not only middle-aged, but syphilitic. Tamar Garb, professor of history of art at University College, London, has commented in The Sunday Times: "Scholars have fought about Gauguin for the past 25 years. He's a paedophile racist, running around with these 13-year-old girls, who become his so-called wives. Many scholars think it completely compromises you when you look at those doe-eyed, brown bodies and how they were representative of a culture of racism and colonialism." At the time of writing, the National Gallery has not considered removing his works from display. And take the curious case of The Rolling Stones. Bill Wyman, their bass guitarist for over two decades, had, in the early-Eighties, when he was 47 and still a member of the band, a relationship with 13-year-old Mandy Smith, whom he later married. One might have thought that this "relationship'' between a 47-year-old rock star and a 13-year-old-girl might be enough to see a demand for some sort of sanction against his band. But neither then, nor now, has there been any call by Radio 2 or anyone else to ban their music. Such are the inconsistencies and anomalies when one rushes to ban an artist's work. It is a very vexed area, as I found myself when I became involved in a particularly notorious and deeply distressing case. Indeed, the most upsetting interview I have carried out in my career was with Jill Craigie, a notable film-maker, as well as being the wife of the former Labour leader, Michael Foot. It had emerged that many years earlier she had been raped by the acclaimed novelist Arthur Koestler. A biography of Koestler by Professor David Cesarani in 1999 had revealed him as a serial rapist and disclosed how one of his victims had been Jill Craigie in 1951. I was the first journalist to speak to Craigie after the publication of the biography and she described to me in horribly graphic detail, and still in evident distress at the memory, how he had attacked her, while a guest in her home. It was difficult to listen to and it was difficult to process, not just because of the disgraceful nature of the episode, but because Koestler's reputation was bound up with his writing, epitomised by the novel Darkness at Noon, which had had a profound effect on me in my in my teens, exposing as it does the horrors of totalitarianism. How could a man capable of work of such integrity and liberalism also be capable of assaulting and demeaning women? And how should one henceforth regard his novels? Students at Edinburgh university made up their minds very quickly, demanding the removal of a bust of Koestler from the university grounds. Now, once again, 20 years or so after my interview with Craigie and the unmasking of Koestler, the question of how much we should separate the art from the artist is as topical as it has ever been. As are the inconsistencies. Indeed, those inconsistencies abound. Let us not forget Roman Polanski, still in possession of an Oscar, still acclaimed by many of his peers, yet guilty of a particularly vile act of rape against a 13-year-old girl. As Spacey comes to terms with the fact that he will probably never work again, he can ponder with the rest of us this lack of consistency. It is not just the inconsistency which is disturbing; it is the Stalinist nature of literally writing people out of the script. Can Spacey's acting really not be divorced from his character? Perhaps time will heal. It certainly seems to have done in the case of Koestler, let alone Gauguin. It is ironic, because it could be argued that Koestler is more deserving of a total ban than any of those in the current spotlight of infamy. The reason for that is that Koestler's work is so linked to personal integrity that it becomes that much harder to swallow when you know that its creator lacked any integrity in some of his personal relationships. But why is it that we do not make equivalent judgments when it comes to the visual arts? Gauguin is revered as a key figure in the history of modern art. Also revered, of course, is Caravaggio, an undisputed Old Master and a murderer of an innocent acquaintance, which turned the artist into an exile and outlaw. He, too, can be viewed with impunity at the National Gallery. Could it be then that the passing of time is a factor in how we make these judgments? The sins of 100 years ago and more quite simply weigh less heavily on our moral compasses than those of contemporary figures? Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter are manifestly lesser artists than those hitherto mentioned (though that in itself is a curious reason for making a moral judgment), but we can be sure that those two convicted paedophiles won't be appearing on radio playlists in the near future, probably not in our lifetimes. But if one can listen to Britten's Peter Grimes with a clear conscience and congratulate oneself on appreciating a Gauguin exhibition, why should one feel a shudder in listening to Bad and Dangerous, or watching an old House of Cards? It is hard to ignore revulsion at a personality defect so marked that it can harm, degrade and traumatise fellow human beings. But ignore it one must, I would argue, when it comes to a work of art. It is quite understandable that one does not want to see the work's creator, as the Edinburgh students did not want to look on the image of Koestler. But appreciating the finished work is not an endorsement of the person who created it. We can, as seems to happen now, write known abusers, and even alleged abusers, and their work out of history. Or, we can judge a work of art as an entity in itself and put the flawed, even criminal creator out of mind, but at the same time deprive known abusers of the opportunity to make any more art. Or, we take the view that once a work is created, its creator is irrelevant. Judge the art, not the artist. Having said that, to put actors, comedians, directors, musicians with chequered pasts before the public and pay them well for it does seem to condone their crimes, or alleged crimes. But their previous work, work that was acclaimed before they became subjects of infamy, should still be accorded the same critical judgment as it was at the time. Spacey's Oscar-winning performance in American Beauty remains an excellent performance in Sam Mendes's excellent film. Michael Jackson was once accorded the title King of Pop, so his work must have had merit. We surely have to be consistent in respect of our own critical judgments already made. Kevin Spacey is unlikely ever to work again. Except by the most devoted fans, Michael Jackson will never again be regarded with affection. Artists are often flawed, some are distasteful, some are clearly criminal. But none of that excuses hypocrisy in the viewer and listener. Great art by flawed artists remains great art, and, crucially, critical judgments we have made in the past are still subject to those same critical criteria, even if we now feel revulsion at their creators. It's hard and it's uncomfortable to have to separate the art from the artist. But if we don't, we are hypocritical about our own critical judgments, write people's achievements out of cultural history and behave with remarkable inconsistency about which art is deemed "acceptable". The Arc de Triomphe may be a very long way from Ardoyne, but for Father Aidan Troy the north Belfast community still holds a very special place in his heart. The 73-year-old former Belfast priest, who won international respect for protecting children during the loyalist Holy Cross school protests of 2001, is now based in the English-speaking parish of St Josephs in Paris. He lives in a quiet suburb, just two streets away from the Champs Elysees, in an area that has seen its fair share of troubles in recent times with the yellow vest protests. So much so, that some international journalists have asked Father Troy if he brings trouble with him, or if it just follows him around. I left Ardoyne and I have been here just over 10 years, he says. The parish is situated in a very lovely location, close to the Arc de Triomphe, just two streets away from the Champs Elysees. I live at the church, above the church. Theres a multi-storey building and were on the first floor and there are offices above us. We have a daily mass here and then every evening there are different things on. There is a marriage course, Bible studies and all the other parish activities. We have five weekend masses one vigil mass and four on a Sunday which are all very busy. All our masses are in English. We get a lot of people from the north coming here for mass, maybe they are visiting Paris or are in Disneyland Paris with their children and they call to see me. Everything is done in English here, but you obviously have to have a working knowledge of French. I wouldnt like anyone who is very good at French to hear me. People call up for various things, from offices and from the diocese, and I would speak French to them. But once you realise that youre never going to be a great French speaker, you dont worry any more. Father Troy says that his experiences in the Ardoyne protest which saw images of Catholic schoolgirls running a gauntlet of abuse from loyalist protesters as they walked to school beamed across the world gave him a wealth of knowledge and indeed resilience for what would later happen in Paris. I do miss Ardoyne, he says. I would very much keep in contact and have been back a few times. It was a huge part of my life. In my own heart it will always hold a very special place. I knew nothing when I went to Ardoyne. I lived in Rome before going there. But when I got there, I knew the right thing to do. I knew those children were so wonderful and so were their families. And at the end of the day we had to get through that situation in a way that nobody was a victor and no one was a loser. We had to come out of it that the children were alright and the protesters were alright. There was no other way. Through mutual understanding, over the next two years relations improved and I got to know so many of the people who had been originally been protesting. Like everything else, we are all the same. Im not saying that politically or religiously or making little of it. But you have to talk to someone at some stage and you have to say Ill try and stand in your shoes and you try and stand in mine. I think thats the only way. The people in Ardoyne taught me so much about conflict, about family and about good times and bad times. The Troubles were here in Paris in 2015 with the awful attack on Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan attack and now we have the yellow vest protests. Its extraordinary, I have a lot of meetings with the police and they come and say things to me about what is happening and I tell them I have a little bit of experience in these matters. And they say how come? And I tell them I was in Belfast for a few years and they tell me that I probably know more than they do about all this. Its just part of the world in which we live and it makes me even more grateful to the people of Ardoyne, who took care of me, who protected me and who opened their hearts to me. Some of those children from Holy Cross School are now parents themselves. I still keep in contact with some of them. Sometimes one or two of them have called here and rung the doorbell to say hello. Its lovely. Father Troy was born in 1946 in Bray, Co Wicklow. His father worked on the trains while his mother stayed at home to look after their three children. He graduated from University College Dublin in 1967 with a BA in Philosophy and from Clonliffe College, also in Dublin, in 1971 with a Bachelor of Divinity. In previous interviews he has said that there was no great Damascus moment in terms of the priesthood, just a slowly growing wish to give the priesthood a try. It was no stronger than that and my calling is still day-by-day by God. Father Troy says that it was only when he reached Paris that he was able to absorb what he had been through and says that the trouble and threats he was subjected to prepared him to help navigate his Paris parishioners through their own troubled times, including current fears about attacks on churches and synagogues. It was only when I got to Paris I began to look back, he says. I would sit and think not just me but us all how did we all come through it? I both grew from it and I also had some scars from it. But I will say this. I wouldnt have missed that part of my life for anything. I was threatened many times. The first few times it happens you are absolutely terrified, but after a while it becomes almost normal. I suppose I thought that Paris might be calmer, but the city has been so badly hit by terrorism over the last number of years. Any public building is under threat from terrorism. You cant say that a church wouldnt be attacked. Police have asked the churches, synagogues and mosques to take the normal precautions of any public building with large numbers of people coming in. I think that its true that I can help parishioners navigate their way through this, in the sense that I am terribly aware of the dangers, but I dont run scared from it. I stand with them and I tell them that we are going to do everything possible to keep them informed. I speak to police regularly and they inform me what they know. The police dont know too much. We know that the very nature of an attack is that it has to be a surprise, but they are very helpful and they give us advice. We have been very fortunate that we have been able to continue, even with the Saturday yellow vest protests. And he says that he fears Brexit will impact on peace back home. I watch the Brexit issue extremely closely, he says. It will affect me too. I can see difficulty in immigration delays and passport controls. Its been just wonderful here so far; if I need to go to London I just hop on the Eurostar and the train and I can do both immigration in the Gare du Nord and St Pancras in London. And that is all going to change. That is nothing as bad as what people with businesses will feel. God help them. And people travelling. I just hope that there will be some smooth transition, for everyones sake. Brexit is threatening the Northern Ireland peace process also. I think anyone who is negotiating who has even read about never mind lived through it and has seen the last 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement just couldnt contemplate going back to what we left. Without doubt its one of the greatest examples to the world of how people from diametrically opposed views were able to get something together that is an internationally binding treaty that gives us the peace that we have had for the last 20 years and I think its a huge responsibility on government, on citizens, on everybody, that we do everything possible to preserve that. I just couldnt contemplate how bad it would be if that was to break down. He says he would never want to see Northern Irelands peace destroyed by Brexit and perhaps another Holy Cross situation arise from divisions. There was a feeling at that time that the situation was in no way going to undo the Good Friday Agreement, he says. But still it just reminded everyone and it went around the world of just how very fragile community relations can be. Father Troy says that despite the challenges facing the Catholic Church worldwide he hasnt experienced any anti-clericalism in his role in Paris. Despite dwindling numbers attending church in Ireland, his services in Paris are always full. I think we are a slightly different type of parish, with us being a language parish, he says. We have over 2,000 people every weekend coming through our doors. The churchs capacity is quite small, so we are packed for every single mass, which is a lovely experience. We have around 40 different nationalities and there are a lot of young people who come to mass here. There are as many young people as old people. Its a lovely balance. The challenges facing the Catholic Church over here are more or less the same as in Ireland. There have been a lot of scandals here as well. There has also been a very definite separation between church and state. Theres obviously a very different atmosphere here, although there is a lot of clarity about it and there is no hostility. Obviously here, like everywhere, you would have a certain amount of anti-clericalism, but I have never personally, come across any nasty incidents at all. I say that truthfully. I have never found, even when I am dressed as a priest on the train or buses, anyone passing any remarks. Father Troy is set to lead a Retreat at Long Tower Parish in Londonderry next week. Beginning tomorrow, the Retreat talks will focus on Baptism and Reconciliation, with a final talk on the Eucharist on Wednesday, April 10. The event is a parish retreat, he says. Derry had a huge tradition all over the years where they would bring in people to speak in parishes during Lent in preparation for Easter. I have been very kindly invited to go along to Long Tower Parish and to be there for a number of days. We will have Mass in the morning, sermons at night and I am just so honoured to be asked to go and do that. I wont be speaking about any of my experiences with regards peace and reconciliation. I am not going to give talks about conflict resolution, sectarianism or anything. It will be more concentrated on the people, however examples may come in. But Im not big enough in the world just yet to do a lecture tour! Ill be really talking in the context of the parish and people preparing for Easter. But people can come and see me and talk to me. She may have taken the crown this week as new and undisputed queen of Instagram but Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has apparently lost the tiara. According to reports, Her Majesty the Queen, no less, has decided that Meghan is to be banned in future from borrowing certain jewellery items from the fabulous royal collection that dates back 400 years and is worth even more than Mark Zuckerberg. The thinking behind the move is said to be "to maintain order, hierarchy and precedence". In other words, to show who's who in the pecking order. This is not the first time Meghan has been caught up in what one headline this week gloriously referred to as "tiara tensions". First there was her reported determination to wear an emerald tiara to her wedding - scuppered after it was revealed the provenance of the piece could not be established and there were concerns it may have come from Russia (were they worried Vladimir Putin would want it back?). The set-to over this tiara led to the alleged (and now infamous) declaration by Harry that: "What Meghan wants, Meghan gets." You can imagine how this type of diva strop would have gone down with the Queen, a woman known to breakfast from Tupperware, to prefer jumpers and wellies to ballgowns, and blustery weather to baby showers. On then to "tiara tension" mark 2. During an official visit to Bali the Duchess had reportedly planned to wear another tiara she'd eyed out. Prince Charles put the kibosh on that. He is said to have pointed out that flaunting gem-encrusted headgear on that occasion would be deemed inappropriate. Much has since been made of the fact, however, that on the same evening, at a ball in London to welcome visiting royals, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, sported a priceless tiara worn by her late mother-in-law Diana. Did Meghan, and by extension Harry, subsequently feel put out? That they were being shown their place? For months now rumours have persisted about a duel between the duchesses and a rift between their respective husbands. The fallout from that was never going to help bolster the monarchy. But undoubtedly destabilising too was the injection of Hollywood extravagance Meghan brought to the stuffy corridors of royalty. Her no-holds-barred splashing out on a lavish and wildly expensive couture wardrobe has dazzled but also dismayed. Then there was that baby shower in New York with macaroon towers alone which cost more (350) than many a weekly wage back home in the UK. The words Marie Antoinette have been mentioned... never a great comparison for a royal. It's suggested that it may be hard to put the PR brakes upon Meghan, though. She's used to being in the limelight. She's comfortable centre stage. But if it is indeed true that the Queen has turned the lock on the tiara cabinet and will in future decide who is loaned what bauble, there's a very real signal there that someone in royal circles feels Megs needs to learn her place. The message isn't just that Kate and William rank above Meghan and Harry. But that their position must be acknowledged and respected. The Cambridges are, compared to the glitzy, shiny Sussexes, a more muted, serious couple. A lot less showy. Although it has to be acknowledged that both also live lives of enormous privilege. Kate too spends a fair oul bit on the wardrobe. The trick with such great privilege and wealth is in not being seen to rub people's noses in it. Meghan is still learning the ropes, of course. Being suddenly related by marriage to the Crown Jewels could turn any girl's head. But gaining a reputation for being the cause of friction between two brothers, not to mention being labelled extravagant, difficult and demanding doesn't just hurt Megan. This continuing tiara tension takes a bit of shine of the Crown. The Duchess of Excess needs to reel it in a bit. Rodgers fired up over pallets Understatement of the week. The comment from councillor Jim Rodgers that it's too early to be building bonfires. On a couple of recent occasions council workers have had to remove material (ie pallets) from Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast. If the bonfire builders are starting this early you can just imagine the size of the intended pyre. What I've always wondered is where do all these pallets come from? Isn't there some way to trace them to source? Tandragee stalking me online You know that thing where you're trawling through a website and it keeps firing up ads tailored to suit your particular demographic or previous online activity? That pair of shoes you considered buying that are now taunting you on every site you click on to. This week I'm being stalked by Tandragee. Dozens of ads mentioning Tandragee. Such as the "laser eye treatment that's sweeping Tandragee". It's years since I've even been to Tandragee. Why is Tandragee now coming to me? Better beware of being DUPed The DUP saw some slippage in their role as lynchpins in the Government's Brexit battle this week. The party had the rug pulled from under them when so-called supporters Boris and Moggy U-turned away from their previous avowed position as defenders of the Union. Then, to make matters worse, the DUPers found themselves frozen out after the detente between Mrs May and Jeremy Corbyn. Trying to work out where the party goes from here is a bit like trying to calculate the trajectory of a defunct satellite spiralling to Earth. It could land anywhere. In fairness they aren't alone in putting their trust in others whose own best interests may define future strategy. Taoiseach Mr Varadkar has been much in demand this week. Feted by Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Hosting Angela Merkel in Dublin. How they all love Leo! For an obvious reason. To them he is the one-man hard border sneering at all attempts by the hapless British Government to try to find a way out of the backstop quandary. The EU that now fawns over him wasn't quite so accommodating, however, when Ireland was badly hit by recession. So Leo would do well to learn from the DUP's mistake in depending on those who side with you primarily to advance their own agenda. Brexit, however it pans out, will impact most upon Ireland, north and south of the border. People living along that border will be affected. But so too will people all across this island. Not just in the south. Not just nationalists. Wouldn't it be an idea then for politicians from opposing sides from both sides of the border to sit down together like Theresa and Jezza? To talk to each other. Not at each other. 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. At 11.35pm on Sunday, April 14, 1912, the 33-year-old Countess of Rothes was fast asleep in cabin C-77. There were rose-coloured sheets on her bed in a stateroom with a mahogany dresser, a small chandelier and an electric heater that hummed to combat the freezing air outside, the same chill that the countess had discussed with a steward who brought coffee to her table while she listened to an after-dinner concert a few hours earlier. The crew member told the countess, once toasted as the "most beautiful" socialite at the court of King Edward VII, that the reason for the sudden drop in temperature was because the ship was in the vicinity of icebergs. The countess was still slumbering in her cabin's cosy splendour when one of those icebergs swept past her portholes, seconds after it had inflicted multiple wounds on the Titanic. The ship was so immense that the countess managed to sleep through the initial collision. She neither felt nor saw the iceberg that would ultimately cause 1,500 deaths. It was only when the ship's engines stopped that she and hundreds of other passengers finally woke up. The countess is one of six main figures I study in my new book, The Darksome Bounds of a Failing World, which is an account of the Titanic disaster of 1912 and the unravelling of the society that had created it. The title comes from a Viking king who, when he saw a field of icebergs, turned back because he knew man cannot defeat nature - a lesson the Edwardian era, and perhaps our own, forgot entirely. I am usually an historian of the elite. I am fascinated by the forces that make privilege tick, coalesce and disintegrate. My previous work was a biography of Henry VIII's fifth wife, the gorgeous and unlucky Catherine Howard, and the dementedly improbable world of the Tudor upper classes; an earlier book, The Emperors, looked at the collapse of the Austrian, German and Russian monarchies at the end of the First World War. The Darksome Bounds of a Failing World explores the British and American elite in 1912, and the Titanic is a wonderful metaphor for that story. Its operators, the White Star Line, were British, but as of 1903, White Star's overall owner was the American tycoon J P Morgan. On the day the Titanic was launched into the waters of the Lagan, one Belfast newspaper said that her two owners made the ship a perfect symbol of the bond between the "greatest empire in history" and "the mighty republic in the west". Through each of the figures I picked to focus on for this book, I tried to tell a wider story of what was going on in the 1910s: silent movie star Dorothy Gibson was the first actress to hit on the idea of turning up to her premiers; like Gone With The Wind's Rhett Butler, aged businessman Isidor Straus had once been a blockade runner for the Confederacy, but, later in life, he had to endure anti-Semitism from the well-to-do of New York; our very own Thomas Andrews was, in the words of a relative, "an imperialist" who was passionately opposed to Home Rule. While these were the stories I wanted to tell, each book is something of a journey, both in self-discovery and knowledge of others. Research leads you in many different and unexpected directions, but what I had not anticipated, perhaps foolishly, was just how heavily my childhood in Northern Ireland would impact this particular book. I was raised on stories of the Titanic. My great-grandfather, Tommy Hutton, used to perch me on his knee to tell me about the Belfast of his childhood. Later, I would sit on the rug by his fireplace and he would perform the song he remembered his father and other workers in the shipyard singing when they heard the news of the disaster - "I lost the best friend that ever I had, when the great ship Titanic went down". It was a very happy moment for me when I was able to include those words in one of the book's final chapters; it felt like I was preserving something and giving a voice to those men who had laboured in the construction and then suffered such grief when news broke in Belfast that the Titanic had sunk four days into her first commercial voyage. I was enthralled and horrified by the Titanic as a child, and it was to Papa that I brought the first in a coming avalanche of Titanic books. It started with colouring books and moved to children's novels. To each and every one, Papa was encouraging, even though he himself could not read, because in 1912, he had snuck out of school to try to earn money for his family. He knew the Bible better than nearly any man I ever knew; he memorised it at church and through sermons. It was a towering testimony to his faith. Socially, his wife Elizabeth came from a very different background, and it was through her memories that I began to understand that, although they had both seen the same thing back in 1912, no two people really 'see' the same thing. Our perceptions, our views, are irrevocably shaped by our background and the expectations they give us. Papa was, as I have mentioned, a devout Christian, so too was my late grandfather, Robert - everybody called him Bob. As I wrote and researched, the lessons they taught me through the way in which they lived their lives came back to me. The Titanic existed in an era when such values were commonplace. It is very easy to dismiss genuine religious zeal as posturing, a performance, a quest for respectability, or approval from one's peers. I'm sure there are many such cases. Yet, equally, there are many people who have a vibrant, sincere and potently good sense of faith. Those two men whom I knew and loved certainly did and it influenced me in understanding some of the Titanic's most moving moments. The aforementioned Countess of Rothes was nearly certain they would freeze to death in the lifeboats, but, rather than let anybody else sense her fear, she began singing hymns, including Lead, Kindly Light. Military historian Colonel Gracie joined a railway heir, a ship's officer and stokers from the boiler rooms in the Lord's Prayer as they shivered on an overturned escape craft. Father Thomas Byles led 70 or so people in prayers as the deck of the Titanic slowly tipped from under them, he welcomed Protestants and Jews to join their circle, while a socialist journalist who watched them sneered that all they were doing was "praying to God and Mary to save them" without lifting a finger to help themselves. That's not to say I can't empathise with survivors who were so traumatised that they became angry at the very mention of religion - a Broadway producer's widow snapped "God went down with the Titanic" - but I was happy to be able to write about both sides of the coin and, hopefully, to do justice to the faith that helped so many people endure the worst, or even last, hours of their life. I love Northern Ireland. Your home is always with you. This is a wonderful place. Yet, there is no point in pretending that it does not have a torturous political history, to put it mildly, and many of the weeds that choke us today were taking root in 1912. The Home Rule crisis was accelerating as the Titanic began her sea trials in Belfast Lough. Money and munitions were pouring into Ireland to arm loyalist and nationalist paramilitary groups; King George V was genuinely terrified that Ireland was about to slide into a full-scale civil war. My book's second chapter is called The Sash My Father Wore, not just because it focuses on a family who were strongly unionist, but also as a play on the sheer weight of history in Ireland. We wear it around our necks and I was initially nervous about writing on the Home Rule issue. It still means so much to people, on both sides of the political aisle. Eventually, I had to be firm with myself - this is my job and there should be no harm in the truth. There were valiant women and men who believed in Home Rule; the same is true for those who thought any form of independence would be a catastrophe. Perhaps part of the joy was discovering things I had not known, in-depth, before - Edward Carson made some scorchingly unkind comments about the Orange Order; Theresa, Marchioness of Londonderry, wrote letters to friends expressing her delight at the number of guns she had bought for the UVF; a shipwright called James Dobbin was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he died, after a heavy piece of timber collapsed on him during the Titanic's launching ceremony. These anecdotes help make the past breathe. Writing any book requires an historian, and their readers, to be prepared to question what they once "knew". I was able to prove in this book, for instance, that the third-class passengers were never locked below during the evacuation of the Titanic. In studying the era, it also meant challenging and critiquing many of the issues that the Edwardian age bequeathed to us. We are still grappling with the inheritance of the years before the First World War and it was an absolute privilege to tell that story through a few extraordinary days on a doomed ship. The Titanic was made in Belfast, its story was shaped by it profoundly and it felt like a homecoming of sorts to write about it as a Northern Irish writer. In the Fifties, with the number of survivors dwindling, a young American called Walter Lord began contacting those who had sailed on the Titanic as research for his haunting, beautiful novel A Night to Remember. One of those who responded was the Countess of Rothes and I was fortunate enough to see her letter to him, now housed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. In her heyday, the Countess had been a suffragette, a unionist, a Red Cross nurse, a Tory, the toast of high society, a friend of royalty and one of the most generous, and effective, philanthropists in Britain. Now, decades on, as she approached the end of her life, Lord's queries turned her mind back to the night she had escaped from the Titanic, then rowed and steered for six hours to help the crew in the lifeboat. Her letter to the young historian is, as you might expect, exquisitely polite, although you can sense her bewilderment when, towards the end, she asked him: "Can you tell me anything more about your book and the reason you are interested in the Titanic disaster?" I don't know if I could answer the Countess's query. On the one hand, the Titanic was just a ship. A ship that hit an iceberg and sank. On the other hand, it is one of the greatest metaphors for, and from, the 20th century. It is an ark of many tales - dying privilege, greed, toil, arrogance, prejudice, faith, unimaginable bravery and pitiable cowardice. And, for me, the impact of its birthplace, and mine, is an integral and fascinating thread that still weaves through the Titanic's story. The Darksome Bounds of a Failing World by Gareth Russell is published by William Collins, priced 25. Situated a few miles from Downpatrick, Ballymote House doesn't have the grand facade of other country manors in Northern Ireland. In contrast to the neo-classical design favoured by architects during the 18th and 19th centuries, there is nothing showy or flamboyant about Ballymote. Built in a vernacular style, the two-storey, five-bay Georgian property is in keeping with its surroundings and reflective of its era. But when it comes to character and charm, Ballymote House is in a league of its own. Down through the centuries, it has been home to some fascinating characters. And, as I discovered when I went to meet James and Nicola Manningham-Buller, its current owners are no exception. Gathered around the kitchen table, James made coffee while Nicola told me about the origins of Ballymote House. "It's very interesting because historically there's no record of a house ever having been here," she says. "Back in January 1991 when we bought the place, Dick (Richard) Oram, a conservation architect and then head of the Department of the Environment's historic monuments, told us it pre-dated 1730. "We think it originally started out as a linen warehouse before being converted to a house. There's some evidence to back up the theory. For example, there was a field around here called the bleaching green as well as a lot of workers' cottages. At the time, linen was very much a cottage industry and there was some very beautiful sewing work and embroidery done in this area. "We think that this place was once the manager's house. There are a lot of little clues. For example, upstairs one of the bedroom doors looks more like a front door and, in our room, there's a very elaborate ceiling rose that seems slightly too grand for a bedroom." In the 18th century, the nearby village of Killough, then known as St Anne's Port, was one of Northern Ireland's major seaports. At the time, many of the larger properties in the area were used as 'letting houses' and rented out to corn merchants. It's likely that Ballymote also had a series of tenants. However, a 1911 census identifies one of its earliest owners as Captain John Bowen Colthurst. "He was the very same Colthurst who was linked to the Skeffington murders in Dublin, during the 1916 Easter Uprising," James confirms. The story of how Captain Colthurst arrested and subsequently executed writer and pacifist Francis Sheehy Skeffington, aka 'Skeffy', along with two other Irish journalists, during the disturbances is well-documented. How ever, James adds an interesting observation. "Colthurst had been out at the Western front during the war and must have suffered shell shock because when they sent him to Dublin to deal with the simmering trouble in Ireland, records show he had a complete mental breakdown. Colthurst was eventually court martialled for murder, declared insane and sent to Broadmoor Asylum where he stayed for two years. He lived out his remaining years in Canada where in 1965 he died of a coronary thrombosis. But what interests me about the Colthurst/Skeffington affair, and something that no one seems to mention, is that Skeffington (who took his wife's name, Sheehy) actually grew up in Downpatrick where his father was a school inspector and his murderer, Colthurst, lived here at Ballymote, just a few miles away." Compared to Colthurst, Ballymote's next owner lived a relatively uneventful life. His name may be absent from history's hall of fame but as Nicola reveals, he will never be forgotten or indeed forgiven, by art lovers, especially in Northern Ireland. "He had some kind of an egg business going on," she explains. "He kept day-old chicks, in what is now my dining room. When we lifted the floor we found old pieces of grain etc. Anyway, at some stage the famous Belfast artist Colin Middleton had stayed here and left a huge amount of his drawings and pictures that were painted on card. They would have been worth a fortune. Anyway, not knowing what they were, this man decided to use them as egg packaging and bedding for his chicks. Can you imagine that!" Nicola and James have clearly done their homework. Their knowledge of Ballymote's previous residents is both impressive and entertaining but, as its latest custodians, I was keen to hear more about their own story. Nicola, daughter of the late Sven (Lavens) Mackie, formerly of James Mackie and Sons, agrees to go first. "Originally, my father's family home was on the outskirts of Belfast, in a place called Rathfern, but after the war it was the subject of compulsory purchase to make way for a housing development. It's now the Rathcoole estate. I was born in 1961 in Johnston House at the Royal Hospital and grew up in a place called Snipe Island, out at Templepatrick. My parents had bought a beetling mill there and spent the Sixties renovating it as well as a full working water mill. It was quite an idyllic childhood and later, I was sent off to boarding school in Ascot." Boarding school stories are often laced with homesickness and loneliness but Nicola seems to have enjoyed the experience. "Yes I did quite like it. To be honest, I really didn't think about it," she shrugs. "I suppose, coming from a generation that went to boarding school, we didn't query it. We accepted it and got on with things. I did miss my riding, though. In our circle of family and friends, everyone was involved with horses. My family competed, I competed internationally and our daughter also followed the family tradition. I was still entering competitions right up until after James and I got engaged." When she wasn't riding horses, Nicola was busy working in the City in London. "Growing up, I had no particular career ambition but my father did a very sensible thing," she says. "He said I could take a gap year and then he sent me into the City. I was one of the first girls working in the Stock Market. Imagine, 750 men and me! Back then, in the early Eighties, it was a very different world. It seems incredible now but at the time, I wasn't allowed to use public transport to go to work. Apparently, ladies didn't do those things. I was given my own car parking space instead. They also gave me Friday afternoon off to have my hair done. Not me! Instead, I'd climb into my tiny Fiesta and go bombing off up to North Yorkshire to race horses. I never did go to the hairdresser." She laughs at the absurdity of wasting precious time in a salon when she could be doing something fun, like horse riding. "I was working in one of the very grand stockbrokers," she continues. "At just 23 I was an assistant director of the US Merchant Bank. In fact, even today, my very best friend is one of the very powerful girls in the City." It's time for James to take his turn in the hot seat. "I was born in Northampton in 1956, my grandfather was MP there," reveals. "Indeed, all my family were either politicians, judges or in the military. My grandfather was Lord Chancellor in 1962. But if we go back to my great-grandfather, 13-times great, we find Sir Edward Coke, a Lord Chief Justice who was very influential on the judicial system. "He made judges write down their judgements which created judicial precedents. Do you know, that if you go to the Supreme Court building in Washington DC, there is a bronze door with eight panels with illustrations, depicting the evolution of justice in the western tradition. "On the second panel on the right, there's a picture of Coke telling King James that the judiciary is independent. That is partly what the American Constitution is based on it." James almost added a new career to the family tradition. "When I left school, I did various odd jobs and at one point I went down to the Labour Exchange to see if I could get anything that would cover the six months until I started my full-time employment," he remembers. "They sent me to a job shop where there was a selection of cards advertising different jobs. One said they were looking for a 'pole' bearer and I thought it had something to do with scaffolding. I applied and put my suit on because I'd always been told to wear a suit to an interview. Anyway, I got the job. But it turned out, it had nothing to do with the building trade. "It should have read 'pall bearer' so I spent six months working with the Tooting Royal Co-Operative Funeral Services!" At this point, we decide to move the conversation from the kitchen to the sitting room. Passing the stairway, James points out a number of framed watercolours lining the wall. Beautifully detailed, the paintings depict a series of military scenes that, I discover, are the work of another of James's ancestors. "They are by Colonel Coote Manningham, founder of the Rifle Brigade," he says. "You see, at the time, Army officers were taught to paint. There was no photography so this was how they captured events during wars." James patiently explains each individual scene, singling out a painting for particular note. "This one is Gibraltar, on the eastern side of the rock. It depicts the story of two soldiers who had deserted," he says, drawing my attention to the corner of the painting where the artist has painted a little symbolic flag. "One of the soldiers died and this tiny flag marks the spot." Nicola contributes another little nugget of information. "They were painted on cloth, you know," she says. "They did it that way so that the paintings could easily be folded up and kept in the artist's pocket." Just as we're about to enter the living room, I catch sight of another wall hanging, this time it's a framed cartoon. "Oh that's George Thumb," James smiles. "Have you ever heard of the saying 'the rule of thumb'? Well, that's George Buller, my great-grandfather, five times removed. Judge Francis Buller reportedly made a ruling that you can beat your wife with a stick, as long as its no bigger than the size of your thumb." Really? "Yes, but he never said how long your thumb should be!" he chuckles. Like the rest of the house, the sitting room at Ballymote is tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished. Seated in front of an open fire, Nicola shows me a photograph of her and James on their wedding day and tells me how they met. "It was 1983, I was on holiday in Cyprus, staying at the home of a schoolfriend. We were enjoying a lovely time on the beach when suddenly James, who was working in Cyprus at the time, came walking along. I remember feeling a bit irritated by the interruption!" "I knew Charlotte, Nicola's friend," James explains. "I didn't notice Nicola at first but later, when we met up at the hotel, I thought she was an incredibly interesting person. I'd say there was a definite spark." After the holiday, James contacted Nicola and before long the spark had been fanned into a flame. "We were engaged pretty quickly," Nicola smiles. "The proposal was just before Christmas and we were married in the cathedral in Downpatrick the following May, 1985. We had around 500 guests at the wedding, so it was quite big. In old families, an engagement was never a long drawn out affair. The attitude was, if you want to get married, just get on and do it. Weddings today are such major events." And James chips in: "In our day, we didn't go in for all the fuss. The only time you appeared in the paper was in the event of a hatch, match or dispatch." Hatch, match and dispatch? I'd never heard the saying but Nicola enlightens me. "Yes, births, marriages and deaths," she says. In 1989, the young couple decided to move to Nicola's parents' new place, Ballydugan House. By this stage James had found a job in Northern Ireland. "I had been a Lloyds broker," he recalls. "After a while I'd been doing wholesale broking, fine art, gold bullion and jewellery. But I wanted to get out and build a business dealing with clients. I got a job in Belfast but later went out on my own, running my own insurance brokerage from here." I wondered whether he found it difficult to adapt to life in Northern Ireland. "I've always loved it here," he says. "There is still very much a community spirit. Perhaps the best way to describe it is the 'net curtain' analogy. In England, people would often look out to see what so and so was wearing. Here it's more caring and, in the same situation, they'd probably be wondering why they hadn't seen a neighbour around. I think that caring interest tends to be lost in England now." Since purchasing the house in 1991, the couple have made Ballymote their family home. But for the past decade, the place has been carving a niche in the hospitality industry. Situated in beautiful countryside, a stone's throw from Downpatrick, Killough and the popular Game of Throne's locations, it's among Northern Ireland's favourite bed and breakfasts. With just 11 acres, Ballymote may not have a lot of land but they do have an unusual feature well worth a visit. "Our grounds are about 50% parkland with some fabulous specimens of trees, including a really unusual combination of ash and sycamore planted on purpose in the same hole at the same time," Nicola reveals. "This was I gather a very popular and trendy idea to do around the 1820s. There must have been some really special trees at one point but a previous owner cut vast swathes down in order to pay for the property. One tree that escaped is a variegated holly, and that has been estimated to be about 300 years old." One of Ballymote's biggest attractions is Nicole's cooking skills. "I love cooking," she tells me. "When I was a child, we grew vegetables and raised food for the table. We ate things that were in season and hated waste. Nowadays, ingredients such as mangetout, coloured beetroots, yellow and pink carrots or even Jerusalem artichokes tend to be considered trendy or a little exotic. But back then, we were already growing and eating these kind of foods at home. I remember we had an elderflower lemonade which was really wonderful. Today, I make a lot of jams such as nectarine and rose, really delicious." Nicola offers to give me a tour of the upstairs, where I notice some of the bedrooms have been given a name. It's a style I've noticed elsewhere so, naturally, I ask where titles such as Archie and Trellis originate. "Well Archie is named after my nephew, he was the first to stay there," she laughs. What about Trellis? "Oh that's easy," she opens the bedroom door and points to the trellis design on the wallpaper. "We just decided to name it after the wallpaper." There's nothing pretentious about Nicola Manningham-Buller and her laugh, which comes often and easily, is infectious. Yet, Nicola has had more than her share of trouble. It isn't until I ask whether she still finds time to ride horses that she finally mentions her accident. "I suffered a serious head injury in 2000 that left me in quite a bad way," she says with characteristic candidness. "I lost my speech, in fact, I lost just about everything. I had to learn how to walk again and how to do things for myself. It was a long, hard slog. The thing is, I wasn't even properly riding at the time. I was only bringing the pony in from the fields and had hopped on when I was promptly bucked off. It was such a simple exercise, I did it all the time. But stupidly, I wasn't wearing a riding hat. So when I fell and hit my head, the consequences were major. I have to say, though, that I was very lucky. Here in Northern Ireland we are fortunate to have one of only two places with a community based rehab centre, Thompson House in Lisburn. They were wonderful. They came here three to four days a week for four years and worked with me. They're amazing people. Yes, I was so lucky." The couple have two children, Edward (28) and daughter Camilla (25). Back in 2000 when Nicola had her accident, her son and daughter were still quite young - so how did she and James cope? "Like all families in these kind of situations, we just had to cope," she says, keeping drama to the minimum. "I suppose you just get through it. We worked it out together." When I ask if she's better now, she purses her lips and thinks for a moment "Yes but I still have my moments, especially if I'm tired, and then concentration is difficult. I also need to have a lie-down and rest for a bit. But other than that, I'm fine." It's obvious she doesn't like to dwell on the subject and, considering her hectic schedule and busy workload, she doesn't let anything, not even a serious head injury, get in her way. Back downstairs, James asks whether I'd like to see Ballymote's 'Rogues' Gallery'. Naturally, I can't wait. His rogues gallery turns out to be the downstairs loo and, as I've come to expect from Ballymote House, even it has a quirky, historic theme. The walls are covered in so many interesting photographs that visitors would be willing to spend more than a penny for the privilege of seeing them. Even the toilet, with its Victorian design of pull chain flush and decorative bowl, is a work of art. As the interview comes to a close, and Nicola tells me about the tourist attractions in the surrounding area, it occurs to me that Ballymote House should be a destination in its own right. For more information, visit www.ballymotehouse.com Marks & Spencer, black cabs and her mum; three things Kate Beckinsale, quite understandably, misses about life in the UK. Never mind the fact that, over here, "everyone has the same silly references that you have and a certain sort of sense of humour". "Most particularly in men. There's a kind of machismo in America," suggests the London-born actress (45), who now lives in California. "I love that English men have a kind of self-deprecating humour about themselves, on the whole. It's really healthy and I miss that." It's been 26 years since Beckinsale made her film debut in Much Ado About Nothing, while still a student at Oxford. She later moved to work in Hollywood and became famous for a variety of roles, including Pearl Harbor and the Underworld series. But last year saw her return to the UK for a job - new ITV drama The Widow, in which she plays the lead role, Georgia Wells. The mysterious story follows Georgia as her search to solve the disappearance of her husband Will (Matthew Le Nevez) leads her to the Congo. For Beckinsale, the character was "somebody who has had blow after blow personally and was in an incredibly vulnerable state of retreat". She elaborates: "She's moved to this very remote area of Wales, she doesn't interact with human beings very much, she's clearly depressed and at a real kind of crossroads in her life." In the first episode, Georgia is sitting in a doctor's waiting room watching the news, when she sees a man on-screen who she thinks might be her husband. The next thing you know, she's jumping on a plane to the Congo to find out if it could really be him, considering she believed he died in a plane crash three years earlier. Does Beckinsale think she would act in the same way in Georgia's situation? "It's one of those things that's very common when somebody's lost a loved one. Almost everyone's had that weird experience when they're on the Tube and think they see them, or they're somewhere public, 'Oh my God, there's my boyfriend, or my dad, or my mum'. And that's such a jarring thing," says the actress, who is the only child of actors Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe. The process of filming The Widow was quite an unusual one for Beckinsale. Initially, she was only given the first few episodes to read (the rest weren't written yet), so, she signed on completely unaware of the outcome of the series, which is written by brothers Harry and Jack Williams, also responsible for hit dramas such as The Missing and Liar. "It was very intriguing to receive the first few episodes and go, 'I wonder what's going to happen to this woman', but at the same time, it's a bit unnerving. Normally, you're not four months into shooting when you find out what happens at the end." The actress has appeared on-screen a couple of times with daughter Lily-Mo Sheen, in rom-com Click and Underworld: Evolution. But she isn't sure the 20-year-old, whose dad is Welsh actor Michael Sheen (he and Beckinsale met while starring in a play together in 1995, but split in 2003), will end up following her parents' footsteps into the acting industry full-time. "She's an extremely talented actress. She's also very good at a lot of other things. One of the nice things about the university years is that you get to really feel your way through to see what your deep passion is. She's got a lot of options. Following me not being high priority, I think." There has been a fair bit of media attention on Beckinsale's love life over the years - most recently she's been papped on what looks like dates with 25-year-old Pete Davidson, a comedian known for Saturday Night Live. But while there's no denying she's a much-talked about star, she comes across as charmingly down-to-earth. "There's an English shop here where you can buy food that you would never buy in England, so you find yourself coming home, emotionally clutching a bag full of brown sauce and Instant Whip and things like that, that you'd never buy at home," she says. "And it's a bit similar with television - you suddenly find that you've watched every Loose Women episode or you're devoted to Celebrity Big Brother." She's invested enough time in Loose Women to discuss her favourite panel member. "That's tricky. In terms of who would I go on holiday with? I'd say I'm always quite pleased when Katie Price is on, but if I had to go on a mini-break, I'd probably go with Jane (Moore) or Nadia (Sawalha). I might go with Nadia." The Widow, ITV, Monday, 9pm Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he believes the UK will be granted a Brexit extension and warned that any country that uses a veto against the move "wouldn't be forgiven". The Republic of Ireland's leader was speaking after Prime Minister Theresa May wrote to the European Union to request a further Brexit delay until June 30 in an attempt to find a solution. It has been reported that European Council President Donald Tusk will propose a 12-month extension to Brexit, with the option of cutting it short if an agreement is reached. All 27 member states would have to agree on any extension before it could be granted. Read More Mr Varadkar said that it would be difficult to forgive a country that vetoed an extension which could then cause hardship to Ireland and other EU member states. He warned that any country that vetoed the request could "find themselves on the other end of that veto power in the future". The Taoiseach told RTE that while he felt an extension being vetoed was "always a possibility", it was highly unlikely it would be used. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mr Varadkar said that the European Council is working together on Brexit, but acknowledged that the issue was frustrating smaller countries like Malta and Lithuania who were not directly affected. He said the prospect of a crash-out Brexit next Friday was unlikely. Because nobody wants no-deal I think the likelihood is an extension, Mr Varadkar said. But what we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertainty. So Id prefer to see a longer extension during which the United Kingdom has more time to decide really what future relationship it wants to have with the European Union, rather than the alternative, which could be rolling extensions every couple of weeks, every couple of months. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is set to visit Ireland on Monday for talks with Mr Varadkar. The visit is seen as a sign of solidarity for Ireland ahead of an emergency EU summit in Brussels next week. Mrs May will also travel to Brussels next Wednesday for the summit, ahead of the UK's tentative departure date of April 12. A previous request for a June 30 extension was rejected by the EU because of the need for the UK to take part in upcoming European elections. The PM has indicated that the UK would be willing to field candidates in the European Parliamentary elections on May 23 if an agreement cannot be reached by then. If a deal is reached the UK would then seek to leave the EU before the June deadline. As it stands the UK will leave the EU without a deal on April 12, though if MPs can agree on a plan, a further extension could be granted until May 22. The jurors at the inquests into the victims of the Birmingham bombings have concluded they were "unlawfully killed" by the Provisional IRA, which in plain language means that they were murdered. During the hearings harrowing evidence was heard of what happened and, although these dreadful events took place 45 years ago, there is still an immediacy about the horror and the hurt involved. Relatives of the victims gave moving and graphic accounts of the loss they still feel and rightfully they have urged the police to bring the killers to justice. Given the reality that no-one has yet been convicted of these dastardly crimes, it is likely the families and friends will feel deep frustration until they see justice being done. However, there may be some cathartic effect in the public disclosure and airing of what happened, but the pain will continue as in the case of the wrongfully convicted Birmingham Six, who could never be expected to come to terms with what they went through. It may be that some people achieve a recovery of sorts, but we know all too well in Northern Ireland that, while life has to go on in some form after such a loss, things will never be the same again. The evidence heard in Birmingham has also been a sad yet salutary reminder to us of the grief and suffering which the Troubles exported around the world. Even if the Birmingham inquests may not on their own bring closure, at least they have taken place after far too long. Sadly over here the important legacy issues continue to be a 'will-o-the wisp', with relatives incessantly searching for justice but being unable to find it. And even more unfortunate, some of them are beginning to think that somehow their long search for closure has become a kind of problem for the rest of us and that they may be regarded as pariahs. Or with the passage of time, they may die without ever getting the closure and justice they so rightfully deserve. The resolution of this deeply sad and frustrating situation, where an increasingly ageing group of the bereaved and heartbroken can find some solace, rests firmly with Stormont politicians and successive Secretaries of State, who so far have shown an inability to deal with the issue. The marked failure to do so properly simply victimises people over and over again and remains a stain on all of us. Police have said that the family of missing 32-year-old Gareth Conaghan are becoming increasingly concerned for his wellbeing. Mr Conaghan was last seen in the Abbots Walk area of Londonderry at 5am on Saturday morning. He is described as being 61 in height, medium build, and black spikey hair. He has several tattoos especially on both arms and has pierced ears. Mr Conaghan is believed to have been wearing dark blue jeans, dark top and a black coat. Police appealed for him to make contact with them or his family. "We are appealing for Gareth to make contact with police or his family or if anyone knows of Gareths whereabouts please contact police at Strand Road on 101 quoting ref number 601 6/4/19," a PSNI spokesperson said. Mrs Mays request for a June extension will be considered by the EU on Wednesday Theresa May has come under attack from the DUP for seeking a further delay to Brexit, with claims she is taking a "disorganised and slapdash" approach to negotiations with the EU. The Prime Minister has asked for Brexit to be delayed until June 30, but Brussels is expected to insist on a longer extension. The UK is due to leave the EU next Friday, but the withdrawal agreement has not been approved by MPs. Hopes are dwindling that the Government's talks with the Labour Party to try to find a compromise will succeed. DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "The Prime Minister's latest plea to Brussels for an extension to Article 50 is unsurprising but unsatisfactory. It should not have been like this. Exiting the EU has become chaotic because of intransigence in Brussels and ineffectiveness in London. "The UK fighting European elections almost three years after a clear majority voted to leave the EU sums up the disorganised and slapdash approach taken to negotiations by the Prime Minister." Mrs Foster added: "It was foolish strategically in the negotiations to limit the UK's leverage by removing 'no-deal' from the table. "The Prime Minister should not waste any extension by subcontracting the UK's future to Jeremy Corbyn. This time should be used to get a better deal which works for every part of the UK so the entire nation can leave the EU together." Read More Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said it "beggared belief" that Mrs Foster was unhappy with the extension request. "The DUP approach is a major contributory factor to the current crisis," he said. "They have blocked the Withdrawal Agreement and their Malthouse alternative has been debunked as unworkable. Despite all the warnings, they are continuing to enable a catastrophic no deal outcome." Mr Farry said an extension until only June 30 would not work. "It does not provide sufficient time for any proper reconsideration of Brexit and brings complications for the EU. It is inevitable they will require a different approach," he added. TUV leader Jim Allister lambasted the Prime Minister's Brexit approach, and said she should resign. "The betrayal of Brexit has taken another stride forward with Mrs May's further grovelling plea to the EU to stay even longer," he said. "Democracy is being shredded by the Prime Minister. With the biggest democratic mandate in our history we instructed parliament and government to leave. "Three years later the political elite remain in defiance and connive by every conceivable dodge to subvert the will of the people. "Such might fit exactly with the EU's contempt for national will, but in this UK cradle of democracy it is an indelible stain of totalitarian rejection of the people's vote." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood welcomed reports that European Council president Donald Tusk was set to propose a year-long delay to Brexit. He said Brexit had been "derailed by ideological intransigence" from the DUP and their European Research Group allies. "Their push for a hard Brexit, that will inevitably create a hard border, has killed this version of a deal, but it's also killed their influence over the process," he said. "The SDLP welcomes European Council President Donald Tusk's proposal for a long delay to Brexit. We have been calling for the British Government to revoke Article 50 and create breathing space to reflect on where this process has taken us." Sinn Fein MLA Caoimhe Archibald said: "It will be for the EU to decide whether or not a further extension to Article 50 is granted. There should not be an extension without a purpose. The only way to avoid a disastrous crash-out Brexit is through the withdrawal agreement and the backstop it contains." The Prime Minister wrote to Mr Tusk requesting the Brexit delay, with an option to leave earlier if she can get her deal through the Commons. Mrs May said she will seek to secure ratification of the deal before EU elections on May 23, but will make "responsible preparations" for the UK to take part in the poll if that does not prove possible. Her cross-party talks with Labour appear to have stalled, with shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer saying it was "disappointing" that the Prime Minister was refusing to consider changes to her deal. The request for an extension will be considered at an emergency EU summit on Wednesday where it requires the unanimous agreement of the leaders of the remaining 27 member states. EU sources said Mr Tusk is recommending a longer postponement of one year, with a break clause in the case of earlier ratification, in a so-called "flextension" deal. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said a longer delay to Brexit "might make more sense" than the UK seeking "rolling extensions where there is an extension every couple of weeks or every couple of months because that just adds to the uncertainty for citizens, for businesses and for farmers". International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has been urged to intervene in the case of two Northern Ireland journalists who were arrested by the PSNI. Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were detained last year over the alleged theft of documents, linked to the Loughinisland massacre, from the Police Ombudsman's Office. Amnesty International has asked Mrs Clooney, who was appointed yesterday as the Government's special envoy on media freedom, to take on the case. Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty's Northern Ireland programme director, said his organisation was seeking an early meeting with the high-profile lawyer about the treatment of Mr Birney and Mr McCaffrey. "We welcome the UK Government's initiative to promote press freedom around the world. However, the UK must also address concerns here at home if it is to have credibility as an international champion for media freedom," he said. "The arrest of these widely-respected journalists has had a chilling effect on media across Northern Ireland and we are in no doubt that press freedom is now at grave risk." Mr Birney (51) and Mr McCaffrey (48) were arrested last August in connection with the alleged theft of confidential documents. The papers relate to the RUC investigation of the murder of six men in a bar in Loughinisland, Co Down, in 1994. A 2016 report from the Police Ombudsman found there had been collusion between the RUC and the UVF killers and that the subsequent police investigation had been undermined by a desire to protect those responsible for the massacre. The 2017 film 'No Stone Unturned' explored the unsolved killings and police investigation in detail and named one of the alleged killers. Both Mr Birney and Mr McCaffrey had been involved in the documentary about the massacre. Last August, officers from the PSNI and Durham Constabulary raided the journalists' homes and offices, seizing documents and computers, which the journalists are fighting to have returned. NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "This case is the biggest specific threat to press freedom in UK at the moment. "The arrest of two NUJ members and the ongoing legal threats are an appalling abuse of power and should be a major concern to all journalists and everyone who cares about investigative journalism, human rights and civil liberties." Amal Clooney said she was "honoured" to have been appointed a special envoy on media freedom. She was made special envoy by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Mrs Clooney will also chair a panel of legal experts to find ways to prevent and reverse media abuses. "Through my legal work defending journalists I have seen first-hand the ways in which reporters are being targeted and imprisoned in an effort to silence them and prevent a free media," she added. "I welcome the UK Government's focus on this issue at a time when journalists are being killed and imprisoned at record levels all over the world, and I look forward to working on new legal initiatives that can help to ensure a more effective international response." Any EU country that vetoed a further Brexit extension would not be forgiven by other member states, Irelands premier has said. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he believed the prospect of one of the EU27 saying no to another extension at next weeks European Council meeting was extremely unlikely. He suggested his own preference was for a longer extension than the June 30 date proposed by the UK. Mr Varadkar also said that, in a no-deal scenario, the logical way to ensure a free-flowing Irish border would be for regulatory checks to take place between Great Britain and Northern Ireland at sea ports in Belfast and Larne. The Taoiseach acknowledged that there was increasing frustration at the Brexit process within the EU27, particularly among countries which were less dependent on trade links with the UK and wanted to focus on other key issues affecting the bloc, such as migration and the next EU budget. He said he had asked for their patience and solidarity. Today we have got that and I think that will continue, he said. What we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertaintyLeo Varadkar Mr Varadkar said the prospect of a crash-out Brexit next Friday was unlikely. Because nobody wants no-deal I think the likelihood is an extension, he told RTE Radio Ones Countrywide programme. But what we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertainty. So Id prefer to see a longer extension during which the United Kingdom has more time to decide really what future relationship it wants to have with the European Union, rather than the alternative, which could be rolling extensions every couple of weeks, every couple of months. Asked about the potential of one EU state vetoing an extension, the Taoiseach said: To wield the veto is something that is rarely done. Im nearly two years now representing Ireland at the European Council and I have never seen the veto used once. We tend to operate by consensus and certainly that can take time and sometimes it is messy but it's actually how the European Union works .... so it is extremely unlikely that I could see any country vetoing itLeo Varadkar We tend to operate by consensus and certainly that can take time and sometimes it is messy but its actually how the European Union works and its why it works, and if one country was to veto an extension and, as a result, impose hardship on us, real problems for the Dutch and Belgians and French as neighbouring countries they wouldnt be forgiven for it and they would know they might find themselves on the other end of that veto power in the future so it is extremely unlikely that I could see any country vetoing it. He said the UK and Ireland would find themselves in a dilemma in the event of a no-deal because they would have to balance obligations under trade rules to check goods and obligations under the Good Friday Agreement to keep the Irish border open. It would be up to us to protect the single market and it would be up to the United Kingdom to enforce WTO rules, he said. We would both find ourselves in a dilemma because, on the one hand we would have obligations under the European treaties, they would have obligations under the World Trade Organisation. But then theres the Good Friday Agreement and, to me, that is equally important and the Good Friday Agreement is about the peace process, its about ensuring we have free movement of people, goods and animals. Mr Varadkar said Ireland was exploring the possibility of conducting regulatory checks away from the border, potentially on business premises. The reason we came up with the backstop is because it is the solutionLeo Varadkar He noted that the UK Governments no-deal plan suggested initially treating Northern Ireland differently from Great Britain in terms of tariffs and checks. That opens up the potential to have the checks at the ports in Larne and Belfast, which is the logical place to have them of course, not on the land border, he said. The Taoiseach said he would like the principles behind the Withdrawal Agreements contentious border backstop to be honoured even if there was no deal. The reason we came up with the backstop is because it is the solution and, even in the event of a no-deal we will be saying to the UK You still have obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, you still committed to full regulatory alignment back in December 2017 and we still want the arrangements that are in the backstop to apply, he said. Ireland is getting two extra seats in the European Parliament as a result of Brexit, increasing its quota from 11 to 13. Mr Varadkar said two counts would have to be run in Ireland if the UK decided to contest the European elections one to determine the results on the basis of 11 seats, and the other on the basis of 13. Campaigners for LGBT rights have held a protest outside a Christian conference claiming to offer support to people experiencing same sex temptations. The day-long event in Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast was organised by the True Freedom Trust. Demonstrators held a peaceful picket outside the church, branding the conference a form of gay conversion therapy. But the True Freedom Trust said the protesters had misunderstood its message. It insisted it did not provide therapy or counselling, rather pastoral support for Christians who find themselves attracted to members of the same sex but who want to adhere to the Biblical definition of sex as between a married man and woman. Expand Close LGBT campaigners protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast (David Young/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp LGBT campaigners protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast (David Young/PA) Around 25 to 30 people gathered outside the church in south Belfast on Saturday morning to highlight their opposition. They waved rainbow flags and held placards proclaiming that love needs no cure. The demonstration was largely silent, with no songs, chants or speeches. A number of police officers maintained a low key presence, monitoring the event from the other side of the road. The protest was organised by LGBT health advocacy group the Rainbow Project. Expand Close John ODoherty, director of the Rainbow Project, said the conference promoted a homophobic message (David Young/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John ODoherty, director of the Rainbow Project, said the conference promoted a homophobic message (David Young/PA) Rainbow Project director John ODoherty said the conference was engaging in quackery. The True Freedom Trust is a reparative therapy organisation that believe that there is something wrong with being gay and people should move away from being gay, he said. We will always stand opposed to this type of quackery in Belfast, we will always protest these events. The actions of all reparative therapy and conversion therapy groups are the same they believe that theres something wrong with being gay and they seek to support people in moving away from being LGBT. We dont believe thats the case, we believe that sharing that message is homophobic, we believe that the sharing of that message particularly within faith groups has caused huge harm to our community, including substantial loss of life [through suicide]. We will always stand opposed to it because this message is harmful to our community and LGBT people deserve to know that they are equal to anybody else within society and their identity is something to be celebrated, not something to be shameful of. Expand Close True Freedom Trust director Stuart Parker urged protesters to respect his right to hold to a Biblical view on sexual relationships (David Young/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp True Freedom Trust director Stuart Parker urged protesters to respect his right to hold to a Biblical view on sexual relationships (David Young/PA) The Belfast conference is one of a series being held by the True Freedom Trust across the UK. In promotional literature, the trust said the event was aimed at Christians who experience same-sex temptations. Stuart Parker, the director of True Freedom Trust, said he respected the protesters right to disagree, but he urged respect for his right to hold to his Christian beliefs. The True Freedom Trust is an organisation for Christians, we have been going since 1977, and we seek to encourage those, particularly those who have same-sex attractions and believe in an orthodox understanding of what the Bible says about sexuality, just seek to encourage them in their faith and their walk with God, he said. Its very clear in our policies and on our website that we dont point people toward conversion therapy, we are not a therapeutic organisation. We are a pastoral ministry, so we look to point people to what the Bible says, to encourage people in their Christian walk. We might point people towards a good quality counsellor but not one who wants to direct people to a certain outcome, so we just encourage good quality ethical counselling, but we are not a counselling organisation ourselves. He added: Our interpretation of the Bible, which is the mainstream orthodox position of the church in the UK, is that sexual behaviour, God has made it for the marriage for a man and a woman. That is the traditional orthodox position and thats what we would encourage people to believe. We are not out there to change other peoples minds, we are just here to support and minister to those people who agree with that position. Asked what message he had for the LGBT protesters, Mr Parker said: They are very welcome to believe what they want to believe but I think they have misunderstood what we are about we are not a therapeutic or counselling organisation, we are not here to push our views on other people who disagree with them. We respect other peoples right to believe whatever they want, we just ask that they would respect our right to hold to an orthodox position on the Bible. Two people arrested on suspicion of the murder of Bangor woman Lisa Dorrian have been released on bail. A 49-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested in the Newtownards area on Friday. Police were granted an extra twelve hours to interview the pair on Saturday morning. Both have now been released on bail pending further enquiries. A large scale search operation took place earlier this week in the caravan park in Ballyhalbert where Lisa was last seen alive in 2005. Lisa had been socialising with a group of people throughout the weekend of Friday February 25 and Sunday February, 27 2005. She ended up at a party at the caravan site, 30 minutes from her home in Bangor. Lisa was last seen alive in the caravan around 10pm on Sunday February 27. Police believe she was murdered that night or in the early hours of the following moring. Her body has never been recovered. A medic who wrongly diagnosed Denis Doran with a hernia before he suffered a fatal heart attack was "not sufficiently qualified" to work as a consultant in the UK, the coroner found. Patrick McGurgan told the devastated family of Mr Doran (57) that the Lurgan businessman would probably still be alive if not for the individual failings of a locum consultant at Craigavon Area Hospital in August 2016. He said Dr Mohammod Asaduzzeman "lacked the robust training" and was therefore "not sufficiently qualified" to be working as an acute medical locum consultant. Earlier this week the Bangladeshi-born doctor admitted he failed to recognise textbook cardiac symptoms which Mr Doran presented with to A&E. The married father-of-two, who was known as Denny, died almost two months later on November 19, 2016. Read More The coroner said that Dr Asaduzzeman's incorrect diagnosis meant there was no follow-up investigations which ultimately contributed to his "preventable" death. However, he also found that a catalogue of "heart-wrenching" revelations showed "systemic" failings within the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. Mr McGurgan expressed alarm that less stringent rules around the appointment of locum consultants allowed Dr Asad (as he was referred to in court) to work in that capacity despite not having "satisfactory experience". The coroner previously branded the ability of medics who trained outside the UK to "circumvent" the system as appalling. He expressed concern that there was no formal interview of Dr Asad who simply forwarded his CV to the Trust. It was also accepted that no formal induction process was given to Dr Asad, who told the inquest he was "not aware" that a Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic existed. "He simply attended his shift and commenced his ward round," Mr McGurgan said. He said there was no scrutiny of the doctor's competencies. Mr McGurgan also found that waiting times - which still exceed the two week target - for access to a Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic represent a potential risk to public safety and resulted in a "missed opportunity" in this particular case. It was almost a month after being wrongly diagnosed that Mr Doran was eventually referred to the clinic by his GP, but he died before the appointment. Mr McGurgan said an earlier referral and shorter waiting time would have resulted in a "different outcome" for the patient. The coroner stressed his belief that Dr Asad is "genuinely contrite" about his error. Two people were still being questioned last night in connection with the murder of Bangor woman Lisa Dorrian 14 years ago. The 25-year-old was last seen alive in the Ballyhalbert Caravan Park in Co Down on February 28, 2005. She had been attending a party before she went missing and her body has never been found. Yesterday the PSNI said detectives had arrested a 49-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman in the Newtownards area on suspicion of murder. Both were taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning. The arrests follow a fresh appeal for information and new searches earlier this week to recover Ms Dorrian's body. With new information from the National Crime Agency and the use of new technology, the latest search operation concentrated at a disused airfield beside the caravan park. Chief Constable George Hamilton led the original investigation in 2005 and said the PSNI will not give up on the case. At the Policing Board earlier this week, he appealed for anyone with information to examine their conscience and come forward. Police say the new information from the NCA suggests Ms Dorrian was killed within hours of going missing. New technology is being used in the latest searches, helping to examine underground areas. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy is leading the new investigation. Appearing alongside Ms Dorrian's family earlier this week, he said he believed a small number of individuals had been involved in her death and disappearance. "Those small number of individuals feel bonded together in what they know, and in effect if one tells they're all in serious trouble," he said at the time. The victim's sister Joanne Dorrian, appearing alongside her father John and sisters Michelle and Ciara, also made an emotional plea for information. "This is for Lisa, this is not for us," she said. "The people who know where Lisa is knew Lisa; they knew the kind of person that she was, they knew the funny person that she was, and I just ask them to remember that. "If they can come forward and please just help us to get some sort of peace, that's all that we can ask for." A 43-year-old man was yesterday warned he faces an "inevitable, lengthy sentence" after being found guilty of raping two young women in his Belfast apartment. Following a trial spanning over two weeks, a jury of five men and seven women found Orhan Kibar unanimously guilty on three counts of rape, and a charge of false imprisonment. Originally from Turkey, Kibar has been living in Northern Ireland since 2005. He raped the two friends in his Russell Court flat in the early hours of November 24, 2017. As the verdicts were passed at Belfast Crown Court, one of the victim's mothers raised her arms and said "yes", while Kibar's father wept on the other side of the public gallery. Despite Kibar's denials that the women - who were 18 and 19 at the time - wanted to come to his flat for a "sex party" and that all sexual activity with them was not only consensual but instigated by them, he was found guilty on all four charges. During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV evidence which showed Kibar meeting the women outside the Student Union at Queen's at around 1.30am, and entering his apartment block on Claremont Street with them a short time later. Once inside his flat, the 19-year-old soon fell asleep, while the 18-year-old was offered a cigarette. The 18-year-old then left the living room to go to the bathroom, and when she was on the toilet, she said Kibar came into the bathroom and grabbed her. She said he was aggressive, there was a struggle and that during the incident, he sexually assaulted her. She later told police she bit him and was finally able to flee the bathroom and make her escape from the flat. As she was fleeing, she didn't see her friend sleeping, and she left her coat and phone in the apartment. She ran on to the street and by chance bumped into someone she knew. In a distressed state, she described what had just happened and the police were called immediately. Meanwhile, inside the flat Kibar then turned his attention to her sleeping friend, who was woken with him on top of her, raping her. She told Kibar she needed to go to the toilet, and after a few minutes he let her go to the bathroom. As she stepped out, a now naked Kibar pushed her back into the bathroom and during a struggle he broke one of her fingers. He then held her down and raped her a second time, before she too managed to escape. As she was fleeing the apartment, she encountered police officers alerted by her friend in the corridor of the block of flats. She was able to point them to Kibar's flat, and he was arrested. During his evidence at the trial, Kibar claimed that he had sex with both women separately - but only because they wanted him to. He denied hurting them, said the sexual activity they instigated was consensual, and when asked about the bite to his hand, he said this was down to "rough sex" with the 18-year-old. His version was rejected by the jury, and after the verdict was passed, Crown prosecutor Charles MacCreanor asked that bail be revoked. Telling Judge Paul Ramsey the offences Kibar has been convicted of were "serious", Mr MacCreanor said: "We would object to any further bail at this stage." Defence barrister Sean O'Hare pointed out that since being granted bail last January, Kibar has surrendered his passport, is tagged, and has not breached any of his conditions. However, Judge Ramsey said: "I agree with Mr MacCreanor, this is a serious case. "There will be an inevitable, lengthy sentence. I will revoke bail and remand Mr Kibar in custody." The case will be reviewed again next month, and Kibar is due to be sentenced in May. A west Belfast mum has said that she fears being killed by the UVF after masked men broke into her house and pointed a gun at her and her baby. The woman, aged in her twenties told the Irish News that she knew at least two of the men who entered her Mountjoy Street home on Thursday evening. Read More Police have confirmed that a man, woman and child were threatened in their Belfast home by a gang armed with metal bars and a suspected firearm on Thursday around 10pm. They are treating the incident as an aggravated burglary. The woman, who does not wish to be named, told the Irish News that up to five men entered her home and told her and her partner to "leave the Shankill or else". After recognising two of the men, the woman wanted to provide their names to police, but said she first wanted to establish if it is safe to do so. The woman, originally from east Belfast, told the Irish News that the men claimed to be from the Shankill Road UVF. The front door was closed but not locked so they just walked in and said: Were the Shankill Road UVF.," she said. The last one in pointed a gun at me and my daughter. He told me not to move. My daughter was as traumatised as I was. She was screaming. The other men went into the kitchen and held a gun to my partners head." The woman said she felt her life was at risk. Im really fearful for my life. I dont think the police are doing enough to protect us and I dont think that loyalist community workers are doing enough to protect me and my daughter," she said. There was no robbery reported. It was intimidation, Ive been told I need a police escort just to go back for my belongings. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd told UTV that "it's too early to say who would have been involved in the incident". What it isnt too early to say, however, is that it is another example of how paramilitary groupings if thats who was involved break into peoples homes and, like the dissident republicans putting contractors under threat, seek to put people in harms way and put people in fear, he said. 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. A woman who saw her prison officer husband killed by the IRA has spoken of her sadness that acts of violence are still part of life in Northern Ireland today. Beryl Quigley watched in horror with her daughter as Bill McConnell (35), deputy governor of the Maze Prison, was gunned down in 1984. She features in a new documentary telling the story of how she displayed inspirational courage and compassion despite such great personal loss during the Troubles. Moments after her husband was left bleeding to death in the driveway of their Belfast home - while the two gunmen were still fleeing the scene - Mrs Quigley said she received a message from God compelling her to forgive the killers. She said that while she tries not to think about the men who murdered her husband, she does hope they are able to enjoy a life of love with their families. Her story features in the documentary Guardians Of The Flame, produced by Jonny Clark. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mrs Quigley said: "At the time my husband was murdered I didn't know anything about who these people were but I was praying for them, thinking what they have done is a very serious thing, and I was praying: 'Please Lord, don't let them murder anybody else'. "I didn't want any other woman to have to cope with the pain and the uncertainty and the whole trauma that that brings." She added: "Bill was murdered on a Tuesday morning and I think that evening at my daughter Gail's bedtime, after I had read her a story and was praying with her before she snuggled down for a sleep, she interrupted my prayers. "Aged just three-and-a-half years old, she said: 'God, did you know there were bad men who came and killed my daddy, would you make them into good men?' "At that early age, she already knew that only God can change people's hearts. "But while I wouldn't speak about it in front of Gail because I didn't want to add to her trauma, I would have prayed for these guys myself." One man was later convicted of Mr McConnell's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Mrs Quigley said she chose not to be "consumed" by the trauma surrounding the court case, but explained that she had once been contacted by a journalist who informed her that the person had been let out of prison. She added: "I said at that time, I really hope this guy can go back home and build a relationship with his wife and children if he has any, put this behind him and live a half-decent life and try and make sure his kids don't get into trouble and end up in prison or whatever. "That would have been my deep desire, that somehow he would have had the time in prison to realise that this was an awful way of spending your life when there was a life outside that he could have been living with his wife and children and enjoying." Mr Clark's documentary also features Alan McBride, whose wife Sharon was killed by the IRA in the Shankill bomb, and Eugene Reavey, whose three brothers were murdered in cold blood while watching TV in their family home in January 1976. The documentary will be shown in Londonderry on Tuesday as part of the Towards Healing And Understanding project run by the Holywell Trust, where Mrs Quigley and Mr Clark will address the audience. Mrs Quigley said: "Jonny Clark's documentary was made just a couple of months ago and while I had known Alan McBride's story, I didn't know anything about Eugene Reavey's story at all. "What he and his family suffered was horrendous and I found that very painful. "I think when you hear of other people's pain it brings into sharp focus the tragedy that all of those years of the Troubles have brought to so many homes and families throughout this island." Mrs Quigley said that while we have managed to move beyond the dark days of the Troubles, it is "desperately sad" that beatings and shootings are still happening. She added: "Alan McBride in one part of the film says there is hardly a day in the year that's not an anniversary of some tragedy or other. "Sadly there is a whole raft of young people, and not so young, who have grown up not knowing the impact of the Troubles or they have been impacted by the Troubles and they are in a place of great pain and difficulty, maybe looking for justice or maybe looking for their day in court, and maybe not being able to forgive." Mrs Quigley also warned that people here have not yet been able to deal with the legacy of the Troubles. "We have not got over the past yet and we haven't found a way of dealing with it in a healthy way," she added. "I am very grateful for my particular journey, although I am not grateful for every part of that journey. "But I am grateful that forgiveness is not something I am struggling with. "I have been able to forgive, within minutes, for my husband's death. "And through those years since that I have been able to enjoy bringing up my little daughter and enjoy life and all it has." Victims (top row, from left) Michael Beasley (30), Stan Bodman (47), James Craig (34), Paul Davies (17), Trevor Thrupp (33), Desmond Reilly (20) and James Caddick (40); (second row, from left) Maxine Hambleton (18), Jane Davis (17), Maureen Roberts (20), Lynn Bennett (18), Anne Hayes (18), Marilyn Nash (22) and Pamela Palmer (19); (bottom row, from left) Thomas Chaytor (28), Eugene Reilly (23), Stephen Whalley (21), John Rowlands (46), John Cliff Jones (51), Charles Gray (44) and Neil Marsh (16) (no picture available) Relatives of people killed in the Birmingham pub bombings have urged police to "redouble" their efforts to bring those responsible to justice. It comes after an inquest jury found a botched IRA warning call led to the deaths of 21 people unlawfully killed in the 1974 atrocity. Two massive detonations caused what one witness described as "pure carnage", ripping apart the packed Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs on the night of November 21, killing 21 and injuring 220. The 11-member jury, which sat for almost six weeks and deliberated for almost five hours, unanimously concluded an inadequate warning call by the Provisional IRA, which carried out the attacks, cost police vital minutes. Jurors also determined the victims were unlawfully killed. They also found there was "not sufficient evidence" of any failings, errors or omissions by West Midlands Police's response to the bomb warning call, or in regards to two alleged tip-offs to the force, giving advanced warning of the blasts. Qualifying the jury findings in relation to the police's response, the foreman told the court: "The decision was based on the balance of the evidence provided." Victims' families called on police to bring the killers "to justice". Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine was one of those who died, said: "West Midlands Police have always told us when they get new evidence they will act on it, well here you go, you have the new evidence and I'm sure there is more to be had and more to be found." She did not describe the inquests' conclusion of unlawful killing as "vindication", but said it "gives us hope to move forward to get those who are still alive caught and for justice to be had". West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson described the pursuit of any suspects in connection with the bombings as "a very active investigation". Asked if, as was suggested in the inquest, the Good Friday Agreement had blocked any realistic prospect of bringing the killers to justice, he said it would not "prevent" that process. He said: "This is simply about the evidence. The criminal investigation will take the direction it is going to take. "We will bring people to justice within our ability to do that. "I don't see anything in terms of any political arrangement that prevents us carrying out that enquiry." In a separate development last night the DUP called on Sinn Fein leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill to condemn the Birmingham bombings and support the victims' call for the culprits to be brought to justice. East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said: "Whilst Michelle O'Neill has met the Birmingham families, the Sinn Fein leadership should explain their position on justice for the families. "Do Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald condemn the Birmingham bombers and do they support the bombers being brought to justice?" Sinn Fein said the party had met the Birmingham families and extended sympathies to those killed and injured. "All victims of the conflict and their relatives are entitled to access to the truth about what happened to their loved ones," the party said. "Mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the conflict were agreed in the Stormont House Agreement in 2014 by the two governments and the political parties. Six months have now passed since the end of the public consultation on those mechanisms, so the British Government should stop delaying their implementation and set up the legacy structures." Giving conclusions yesterday, the jury found a coded telephone warning by the IRA to the Birmingham Post and Mail at 8.11pm was wholly inadequate. The call gave the bomb locations as the famous Rotunda building and the nearby Tax Office in New Street, making no mention of pubs. Police first on the scene searched the Rotunda office block, wrongly believing one of the bombs was inside. In evidence, it emerged front line officers had no standardised training or procedures to work from when dealing with bomb warnings. During evidence, medical experts said those killed suffered "unsurvivable" injuries but that hospital medical care had been "very impressive", even by modern standards. However, there were not enough ambulances to go around, and taxi drivers had to take casualties to hospitals. The inquests threw up dramatic evidence when a former IRA member named four of the men he claimed were involved in the bombings as Seamus McLoughlin, Mick Murray, Michael Hayes and James Francis Gavin. The man, identified in court only as 'Witness O', said he had been authorised to give those names by the current head of the IRA in Dublin. McLoughlin, who was said to have planned the operation, died in 2014, and Gavin in 2002, while Hayes, who is alive, has previously said he took "collective responsibility" for the bombings. Murray, who died in 1999, is said to have called in the botched warning. Former MP Chris Mullin, who helped free the Birmingham Six, was called a "disgrace" by Julie Hambleton when he refused to name any of the still-living bombers during his evidence. He had to be escorted from the building by security and police. The pub bombings were the deadliest post-Second World War attack in Britain until the 7/7 London terrorist attacks in 2005. A botched investigation by West Midlands Police led to the 1975 convictions of the Birmingham Six, but their convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1991. Members of a victims' group have had a "very frank" meeting with the Secretary of State. Karen Bradley met relatives to update them on the legacy consultation and possible next steps. Representatives of the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) described the meeting with Mrs Bradley and her officials as "very frank and robust". The Government is currently sifting through more than 17,000 responses to its Stormont House Agreement consultation on dealing with the Troubles, which closed last October after five months. It has said it will publish its next steps "shortly". Speaking following yesterday's meeting in Belfast, SEFF's director Kenny Donaldson said they pressed Mrs Bradley on various issues such as the lack of contribution from the Republic of Ireland to disclose evidence to the Historical Enquiries Team. Mr Donaldson added: "We raised the immoral and unsustainable victims' definition and provided her with proposals on how the matter could be dealt with. "We again raised our fundamental objections against the Historical Investigations Unit as it is currently constructed in the Draft Bill. "Within all of our discussions we reiterated our deep frustration that the UK Government in failing to exert pressure on the Republic of Ireland state." Mr Donaldson said many victims were "open to doing business". "Our objective has always been the furtherance of a genuine peace and reconciled society - that cannot and will not happen without accountability of the past and the acceptance by two states, the terrorist organisations and their political annexes that in the context of the Troubles criminal violence was wrong and wholly unjustified. "No legacy legislation can go forward minus community confidence, and presently it's not there," concluded Mr Donaldson. Mrs Bradley said afterwards that it had been "an enormous privilege" to hear the stories and perspectives of organisations and individuals "working tirelessly to support victims and survivors of the Troubles". "I updated them on the legacy consultation," she said. "We received over 17,000 responses to the consultation and I am grateful to all who took the time to respond. "We are rightly taking the time to consider all responses. We hope to announce next steps shortly." A woman in her 20's was taken to hospital. A woman in her 20's is currently in hospital after being hit by a car in Cookstown in the early hours of Saturday morning. She was struck by a black Seat Leon car in the James Street area. The incident was reported to police shortly after 3:20am. They described it as a "serious road traffic collision". Read More Police attended the scene along with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service who transported the pedestrian to hospital for treatment of her injuries. Sergeant Clifford appealed for witnesses to the crash to come forward. I want to appeal to anyone who was in the James Street area around the time the collision was reported to us and who witnessed what happened, or any driver who may have captured the collision on their dash cam to call us on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 160 of 06/04/19." A number of roads that were closed following the incident have since re-opened. EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will visit Dublin on Monday for talks with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It is seen as a sign of solidarity for Ireland ahead of an emergency EU summit in Brussels next week. It comes after Prime Minister Theresa May wrote to European Council president Donald Tusk requesting a Brexit delay, with an option to leave earlier if she can get a leave deal through Parliament. A spokesman for the Taoiseach confirmed yesterday that Mr Barnier and his team would travel to the Irish capital. "The aim is to take stock of developments in London as well as the ongoing planning for a possible no-deal scenario," the spokesman said. Mr Barnier will also meet with Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney and Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe. The visit comes within days of Mr Varadkar holding bilateral meetings with French and German leaders. Mr Coveney said it was not surprising that Mr Barnier would visit Dublin before the summit. "What he will want to do first of all is show solidarity with Ireland," Mr Coveney told RTE News. "But also I think he'll want a detailed conversation in terms of Ireland's perspective on the most recent ask from the Prime Minister for an extension of time." He added: "Ireland is of course willing to give the process more time, but we like many other EU member states will want to see a plan to go with that to show that there is a proposed way of finding a majority support in Westminster for a way forward." Asked about the Republic's position on Mrs May's June 30 request versus a possible flexible one-year extension, Mr Coveney said: "We're open to either in truth." "As long as there is a credible plan in order to get a deal across the line, then I think European leaders will look at an extension positively," he added. "But they will need to see a credible plan to go with the ask." Sean Quinn Jr, Aoife and Brenda during the long legal action at the Four Courts in Dublin If the end of the line for the Quinn family was the Four Courts on a chilly Dublin morning earlier this week, the seeds of their downfall can be traced back many years to much sunnier climes. Avenida Arriaga, a tree-lined boulevard in Funchal, Madeira, was a long way from Sean Quinn's base in Cavan and Fermanagh. But it was here the one-time industrial group magnate chose to locate a company called Bazzely V Consultadoria Economica E Participacoes Sociedade Unipessoal LDA. His five children, who have spent recent years embroiled in various court battles, may very well wish they had never heard of this company. Set up in 2005, Bazzely was the vehicle used by Mr Quinn to indulge in massive stock market bets using financial instruments known as contracts for difference (CFDs). These allow investors to speculate on the performance of shares without actually owning them. Documents shed much light on how the company was used for the secret betting spree. At the time Bazzely was set up, Quinn Group was worth between 4bn and 5bn, making Mr Quinn one of the richest people in Ireland. At first his bets were successful, but when the tide turned he would lose billions. This had massive implications for him personally, his business empire, Anglo Irish Bank and taxpayers. It has also haunted his children. Although he called the shots, Sean Jr, Ciara, Colette, Aoife and Brenda Quinn were the shareholders in Quinn Group. They were the ones who signed guarantees in connection with 2.34bn in loans advanced by Anglo so their father could cover CFD losses. With Mr Quinn subsequently declared bankrupt, the children were also the ones pursued by Anglo's successor, the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), when debts were being called in. This sparked a series of legal wrangles which rumbled on for eight years. The children sued IBRC, claiming loan guarantees they signed were invalid. IBRC countersued, seeking 82m from each of them. It also took another case, alleging the family engaged in an asset stripping scheme intended to put 455m of foreign properties beyond IBRC's reach. On Tuesday, the High Court in Dublin was told all matters had been settled. Under the agreement, the children have had a series of multi-million euro judgments entered against them. But these will be stayed as long as they co-operate with IBRC's efforts to recover and sell the foreign properties. Things could have been very different if their father had ditched his share speculation scheme when it began making losses. Instead, he dug himself further and further into a hole. Between October 2005 and April 2010 Mr Quinn sank 2.4bn into CFDs and Bazzely's losses amounted to 2.1bn. Bazzely was no ordinary company. It had no staff, no premises and no bank account. Its day to day administration was carried out by certain staff at the headquarters of Quinn Direct Insurance (QDI) in Cavan, with the help of colleagues in other Quinn firms. To make the most of the CFD investments, the company used the Avenida Arriaga address in the Madeira offshore zone to avail of corporate tax exemptions. Emails show a staff member at QDI kept track of cash transfers and contacts with brokers. Other QDI staff were authorised to sign for payments made on behalf of Bazzely. The advantage of trading in CFDs was that rather than buying the underlying stock, Bazzely only had to pay a fraction of the share value up front. This is known as the "margin rate" and, in the case of most of Bazzely's initial investments, it tended to be around the fifth of the value of the shares. CFDs also did not have to be declared in the same way as shares, so trading could be largely done in secret. The downside was that when share prices fell, Bazzely had to make "margin call" payments to keep the CFDs open. Initially, Bazzely had an extremely diverse CFD portfolio. For example, in December 2006, it had open CFDs on 134 million shares in over 50 companies. These included European banks, international mining corporations, oil exploration firms and Japanese real estate companies. Punts were also taken on Irish companies C&C, CRH, Paddy Power and rival insurance firm FBD. All these bets were placed via major brokers such as Credit Suisse, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Cantor Fitzgerald, Davy and IG Index. It is clear Mr Quinn was closely following the fortunes of various companies. Quite often substantial CFD bets were placed immediately after a positive announcement, such as Ryanair announcing new routes in December 2005. This and other investments netted Bazzely a tidy profit. As 2006 drew to a close, Bazzely recorded profits in relation to 36 of the 51 companies whose shares it had speculated on. On paper, Mr Quinn had made 296m. But in 2007 he changed his investment strategy. He cashed in most of his portfolio and focused on just 10 companies: Anglo; McInerney Holdings; Tullow Oil; Ryanair; AIB; Bank of Ireland; Banca Italease; Dragon Oil; Hypo Real Estate, and Peter Hambro Mining. Anglo's shares had proved a very profitable bet for Mr Quinn in 2005 and 2006. Heading into 2007, Bazzely had already banked 22.9m in profits on Anglo CFDs which had been closed out. Those which were still running were in profit to the tune of 157m. Although he was speculating on the share price of fewer companies, the number of shares involved skyrocketed. By the end of 2007, Bazzely had CFD bets open on 272 million shares. Some 209 million of those were in Anglo. The Anglo holding, which represented CFD positions on around a quarter of all the bank's shares, was built up using nine different brokers and involved shares being traded on the Dublin and London stock exchanges. The method used to build up the stake meant few observers, least of all the bank, had an appreciation of how deep into Anglo Mr Quinn was. Various brokerage balance sheets show just how vulnerable he had become after placing so many of his eggs in the Anglo basket. He was buying into Anglo when the share price was as high as 16.22 only to see it slump to 10.94 by the end of the year. Bazzely would record losses of 168.8m on Anglo CFDs throughout 2007, but worse was in store. Running losses on Anglo CFDs which were still open at that time amounted to 282.9m and these losses would have to be faced up to in 2008. It wasn't just the Anglo investment which tanked in 2007. The next biggest loss was one of 36.7m on McInerney Holdings CFDs. Punts on Banca Italease, Bank of Ireland and Hypo Real Estate also lost him millions. After Mr Quinn had burned through his own reserves, including 678m transferred from QDI, borrowings of 1.8bn from Anglo were used to pay down CFD debts and plug holes in Quinn company balance sheets. Brokerage reports show Bazzely had lost 1.77bn on Anglo shares in 2008 after the controversial unwinding of the CFDs that July. Astonishingly, Mr Quinn continued to use the company to speculate on the stock market after this. The gambling continued until at least April 2010. By November of the following year he was filing for bankruptcy. The family of a man shot dead in 1976 say they have been failed by the Irish Government and the gardai. Seamus Ludlow (47), a forestry worker, was killed on his way home from a local pub in Dundalk, Co Louth. His family have long maintained Mr Ludlow was an innocent victim of a loyalist death squad comprising a Red Hand Commando and two members of the UDR, who crossed the border to commit the murder. They are now demanding a full public inquiry into his death after they won permission from the High Court in Dublin to challenge the decision not to prosecute members of the British Armed Forces and loyalist paramilitaries identified as suspects. The family claim the Irish Government are frustrating efforts to win justice for Mr Ludlow, and say the gardai were passed the names of the suspects but "put them in a drawer and closed it". The RUC told the Garda in 1979 the names of four loyalists it suspected of being involved in Mr Ludlow's killing but the information was not pursued at the time. In 1998, four named suspects were arrested and questioned by the RUC and two allegedly made confessions about their involvement in the murder. The family also believe Gardai were complicit in spreading false rumours that Mr Ludlow was killed for being an IRA informant. An Irish parliamentary committee in Dublin recommended more than 10 years ago that two commissions of investigation be held into the murder and subsequent events, after an official judge-led report damned the original botched Garda probe. Neither of the recommendations have been implemented by the Irish Government. Gavin Booth, a solicitor for the family, said the case is strong that there have been failings on behalf of the state on both sides of the border. "There is a political failure here to deal with the past in the north, and this spreads into the south. Unfortunately families have been left without proper disclosure of details," he said. Irish justice minister Charlie Flanagan said: "The murder of Seamus Ludlow was a brutal and despicable act of random violence perpetrated against an innocent man. "It is a matter of sincere regret that nobody has been held accountable for his murder. It is acknowledged that there were serious failings in the investigation at the time. "The family are currently engaged in litigation against the State regarding the establishment of a Commission of Investigation and it would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time." A woman has been charged by detectives who seized guns, drugs and a monkey during a raid in Dublin. The woman, who is in her 30s and was arrested along with two men after Fridays search operation, has been charged under Irelands Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001. She has been released and is due in court at a later date. The two men, one aged in his 30s and one in his 40s, have been released without charge, with gardai to prepare evidence files on the pair for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Expand Close Items seized in the raid (Garda) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Items seized in the raid (Garda) Officers conducted the searches at a halting site on the Ratoath Road in Finglas in north Dublin on Friday morning. One machine pistol, one sub-machine gun, one .357 calibre revolver, 300 rounds of assorted 9mm and .357 ammunition and 227 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun cartridges were seized. Gardai also discovered almost 30,000 euro worth of cannabis and cocaine worth an estimated 97,300 euro. Clothing with a value of 3,000 euro was found. A monkey in a cage was also found during the search. It was taken away by animal welfare officers and is being cared for by the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA). The body of Robert Scoular was found in a loch (Police Scotland/PA) The body of a missing man has been found in a loch in Edinburgh. Robert Scoular, 34, left his home in the citys Lochend on Wednesday at around 10pm, saying he was going to the local shop. He was reported missing after failing to return home. Police officers searching Lochend Loch found his body at around 4pm on Saturday. He was recovered from the water and formally identified. Police Scotland Inspector Colin Fordyce said: Our deepest sympathies are with Roberts family and friends at this time. Inquiries are ongoing but there appear to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Britain has joined countries across the world in condemning military action in Libya amid concerns of another civil war. Foreign ministers from the G7 group, which includes the UK, released a joint statement warning that fresh fighting in the country was harming innocent people and urged all parties to immediately halt all military activity. It came as forces under Khalifa Hifter, leader of the self-styled Libya National Army based in the countrys east, clashed with pro-government militias in western Libya. Hifter had declared an offensive to seize the capital of Tripoli, which is controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, and his forces were reported to be on the outskirts of the city late on Friday. G7 JS on #Libya: We express our deepest concern about military operations near #Tripoli Libya We urge all involved parties to immediately halt all military activity & movements toward Tripoli which are hindering prospects for the UN-led political process... pic.twitter.com/B4TRL3NOOa UK in Libya (@UKinLibya) April 5, 2019 In their statement, the G7 foreign ministers said: We urge all involved parties to immediately halt all military activity and movements toward Tripoli, which are hindering prospects for the UN-led political process, putting civilians in danger, and prolonging the suffering of the Libyan people. We firmly believe that there is no military solution to the Libyan conflict. We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people and standing in the way of the peace that Libyans deserve. The fighting has prompted fears of the worst escalation of violence since the 2011 civil war which led to the toppling and death of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in the country for his first visit as UN chief on Thursday, but tweeted a day later that he was leaving with a heavy heart and deep concern. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting late on Friday at Britains request. I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli. The UN is committed to facilitating a political solution and, whatever happens, the UN is committed to supporting the Libyan people. Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 5, 2019 The G7 group added: We reiterate our full and united support to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salame as the UN seeks to help Libyans overcome Libyas political stalemate, and help Libyans chart a path toward credible and peaceful elections as soon as possible, as agreed by the Libyan parties in Paris in May 2018 and in Palermo in November 2018. We further call on all Libyans to constructively support the UN-led process and the international community to demonstrate full unity and cohesion towards the shared objective of the sustainable stabilisation of Libya. Mr Hifters troops captured the town of Gharyan on Thursday, 31 miles south of Tripoli. Groups allied with the government reportedly captured more than 100 of his soldiers as his forces pushed westward. Protesteers outside the front door of the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane (Joe Gammie/PA) Crowds surged through barriers outside the Dorchester Hotel and took their protest against Bruneis anti-LGBT laws to its front doors. More than 100 people, many bearing a mixture of rainbow flags, banners and placards, chanted shame on you outside the luxury hotel in Park Lane. The protest comes on the back of the growing movement against hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei in response to the nations new Islamic criminal laws punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death. Signs called for homophobia to be stamped out while many people held placards saying LGBT+ lives matter. Messages were scrawled in chalk on the pavement in front of the hotel alongside piles of rainbow-coloured stones, a reference to the punishment of stoning offenders to death. One man climbed up and hung a rainbow flag from the building. Police officers stood in front of the doors, blocking the noisy crowd from getting too close. Expand Close Protesters outside the Dorcester Hotel (Sophie Hogan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters outside the Dorcester Hotel (Sophie Hogan/PA) The protest initially surrounded the front of the hotel, with barriers set up around the small car park. But the crowds suddenly surged through the barriers and into the car park and up to the main doors. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told the crowds that if the Sultan did not revoke the laws the British government should sever all ties with the regime. He added: If the Sultan will not listen to reason and compassion we believe the British government should sever all diplomatic, economic and military ties with the regime. Expand Close Demonstrations outside the Dorcester (Sophie Hogan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Demonstrations outside the Dorcester (Sophie Hogan/PA) What is shameful is that our Royal Family puts royal ties before human rights. The Queen has said today that the Royal Family will not sever ties with the Sultan. There were cries of shame from the crowd when Mr Tatchell said the Royal Family were not going to cut ties. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry told the crowd that if the laws are not revoked Brunei should be chucked out of the Commonwealth. She added: Any hatred against anyone is hatred against all of us. Our fight is with the Sultan of Brunei. Our fight is with this terrible law. We say no. The new laws in the south-east Asian country came into effect on April 3 amid an international outcry. Under the new laws, which apply to children and foreigners, even if they are not Muslim, those found guilty of gay sex could be stoned to death or whipped. 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. Expand Close Peter Tatchell addresses protesters (Sophie Hogan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Tatchell addresses protesters (Sophie Hogan/PA) Even before 2014, homosexuality was already punishable in Brunei by a jail term of up to 10 years. Ahead of the demonstration the University of Oxford said it would reconsider its decision to award an honorary degree to the Sultan. In a statement on Saturday, the university said it shared the international revulsion of the laws and that the decision to confer the honorary degree of civil law by diploma to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in 1993 would be reconsidered through its established process. But it stressed no one had the right summarily to rescind it and added: We also believe in due process. Just as nobody has a right to confer an honorary degree, nobody has a right summarily to rescind it. The decision to confer this degree 26 years ago was recommended by a committee and approved by council and by congregation at the time. We will reconsider this decision through our established process in light of the information now available, as other British universities are doing. Sir Elton John and George Clooney are among stars who have spoken out against the laws, demanding a boycott of the hotels owned by the Sultan, including The Dorchester Hotel and 45 Park Lane. The Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), through the Dorchester Collection, owns Londons The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane as well as Coworth Park in Berkshire. Also in its portfolio of hotels, among the worlds most exclusive, are two of Hollywoods best-known establishments, The Bel-Air and The Beverly Hills. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received dozens of gifts for their baby last year (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been inundated with presents for their baby from slippers to a pair of Wellingtons. Harry and Meghans first child is expected in the coming weeks and the baby already has a nursery full of soft toys, booties and shawls, revealed in the list of official royal gifts presented last year to members of the monarchy. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump gave a fishing rod to the Duke of Edinburgh during their UK visit, while the King of the Asante, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, presented the Prince of Wales with a selection of chocolate bars when Charles visited Ghana. Expand Close Mr Trump and his wife are welcomed by the Queen to Windsor Castle (Chris Jackson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Trump and his wife are welcomed by the Queen to Windsor Castle (Chris Jackson/PA) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridges dog Lupo probably benefited from pet grooming equipment they were given during a visit to Sweden in 2018, and last summer William was given a chess set by Jordans Crown Prince Hussein. The Sussexes went on a major tour of Commonwealth nations in the South Pacific last autumn, and in the Australian city of Dubbo, New South Wales, received a complete baby set from Dubbo Regional Council. It gave the couple a soft toy elephant, a bib, baby milestone cards, a pair of baby socks, a baby wearing sling, two swaddle blankets, a sleep suit, a comforter and a pair of baby slippers. Expand Close Harry and Meghan look at Ruby Caroll as they visit a local farming family, the Woodleys in Dubbo, during their tour Australia last year (Paul Edwards/The Sun) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry and Meghan look at Ruby Caroll as they visit a local farming family, the Woodleys in Dubbo, during their tour Australia last year (Paul Edwards/The Sun) Among the more unusual presents was a childs lifeguard outfit, from an unnamed well-wisher in Australia, while another gave them a wetsuit for when their son or daughter is a little older. Meghan and Harry were given armfuls of gifts for their baby including more than 90 soft toys from well-wishers ranging from toy elephants and kangaroos to sheep and possums. They also received 18 pairs of bootees, 15 baby vests, seven swaddle blankets, six bibs, four rattles and four matinee jackets. Official gifts given to the Queen were also revealed including a pair of lace pearl drop gold earrings with garnets and amethysts from Lee Hsien Loong, prime minister of Singapore, and his wife Ho Ching, presented after the Queen hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, staged in the UK in 2018. Expand Close Meghan holds a soft toy a gift from a member of the public during a visit to Fraser Island, Queensland, during their tour of Australia (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meghan holds a soft toy a gift from a member of the public during a visit to Fraser Island, Queensland, during their tour of Australia (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) Mr Trump and his wife gave the Queen a Boardman pewter thoroughbred horse statuette and a wood-engraved print of Opening Day at Jerome Park when they visited the head of state at Windsor Castle for tea last year. In keeping with Charles belief in sustainability an unnamed individual gave him a Bamboo iPod speaker and a packet of bamboo drinking straws in Ghana and during his autumn tour of West Africa he was presented with five bottles of whisky. The spirit themed gifts continued when the administrator of the Northern Territory presented the heir to the throne with a bottle of gin when he toured Australia. The Tories and Labour have been holding negotiations on a Brexit deal (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Theresa May has been warned that accepting a lengthy delay to Brexit would be a suicide note for the Tory party. Government minister Nadhim Zahawi issued the stark warning about the seismic changes to British politics that would be unleashed if the UKs delayed departure from the EU meant May 23 European Parliament elections went ahead. The Prime Ministers efforts to stave off a lengthy extension to the Brexit process by securing Labour support for a deal have also foundered, with Jeremy Corbyn accusing the Government of failing to offer any great change to Mrs Mays red lines. Education Minister Mr Zahawi said the situation needed to be resolved quickly in order to avoid the existential threat posed if the UK remained in the EU at the time of the elections next month. It would be, I think, a suicide note of the Conservative Party if we had to fight the European elections, he said. He said that if Labour could not sign up to a joint approach, then MPs should be forced to find a compromise through a preferential voting system in order to resolve the situation. We need to do that quickly because, I think, going into the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we havent been able to deliver Brexit, I think would be an existential threat, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Downing Street offered further contact with the Opposition this weekend but Labour leader Mr Corbyn expressed his frustration with the lack of movement from the Government side. Speaking to reporters in Plymouth he said: The Labour position is a customs union with the European Union, access to European markets and the retention of regulations for environment, consumers, and workplace rights as a base on which we can build a dynamic relationship which means we can never fall below them. Weve set all that out. I havent noticed any great change in the Governments position so far. Im waiting to see the red lines move. Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted the Government had no red lines in the talks and he was optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour. Asked about the prospect of a second referendum being part of that compromise, he said: We should try to complete this process in Parliament, thats the right way to do it. But we should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us, of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion. We are engaged in these talks in good faith but the Government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so farDiane Abbott The talks broke down on Friday night after shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration, the blueprint for the future UK-EU relationship. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: We are engaged in these talks in good faith but the Government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far. Pressed on whether any agreement must have a second referendum attached to it, she told Today: We are not saying anything definitively but we have a position. While it has to be part of the negotiations, Ms Abbott said we have not gone into these talks being dogmatic. She added: I think a Peoples Vote has its difficulties. I think if we had that vote tomorrow, I believe Leave would win. European leaders are considering Mrs Mays request for another delay to Brexit, with a decision expected at Wednesdays emergency summit in Brussels. Mrs May has asked for a delay until June 30 but wants to terminate any extension before the European polls if she is able to get a deal through Parliament. #Brexit: "Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing," says Europe Minister @AdeMontchalin: https://t.co/bagQYZwApB pic.twitter.com/2sOiKYtb6F French Embassy UK (@FranceintheUK) April 5, 2019 European Council president Donald Tusk is recommending a longer postponement of one year, with a break clause in the case of earlier ratification, in a so-called flextension deal. An extension is not automatic and requires the agreement of all 27 other EU countries, with France demanding a plan from Mrs May that has clear and credible political backing. Irish premier Leo Varadkar warned that any EU country vetoing an extension would not be forgiven. If one country was to veto an extension and, as a result, impose hardship on us, real problems for the Dutch and Belgians and French as neighbouring countries they wouldnt be forgiven for it and they would know they might find themselves on the other end of that veto power in the future so it is extremely unlikely that I could see any country vetoing it, he told RTE Radio One. Mrs May has already obtained one extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process, postponing the date of Brexit from March 29 to April 12. Mr Hammond acknowledged the frustration with the British among the 27 other EU members. Most of the colleagues that I am talking to accept that we will need longer to complete this process, so I am optimistic about the council on Wednesday, he said. I understand that EU colleagues are somewhat fed up that the process has taken as long as it has; we are also fed up that we havent been able to complete this earlier, but I am very confident that we will get it done. Shane OBrien, pictured, has been charged with the murder of Josh Hanson (Metropolitan Police/PA) A man arrested in Romania over the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Josh Hanson in 2015 has been charged with his murder. Shane OBrien, 31, was charged on Friday evening after arriving back in the UK following his extradition from Romania, the Metropolitan Police said. He is due to appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday. Expand Close Josh Hanson was stabbed to death in a bar in London in 2015 (Metropolitan Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Josh Hanson was stabbed to death in a bar in London in 2015 (Metropolitan Police/PA) Mr Hanson, from Kingsbury in north-west London, was knifed to death in RE Bar in Hillingdon, west London, in October 2015. He was found with a serious wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck. OBrien was detained in Cluj-Napoca last month and arrived at Heathrow Airport at 7.30pm on Friday. Labour said the Prime Minister has to come forward with genuine changes (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Theresa May has been warned that a lengthy delay to Brexit could destroy the Conservative Party, with a minister claiming it would be a Tory suicide note if the UK had to fight the European elections. The stark warning about the seismic changes to British politics that would be unleashed if the May 23 European Parliament elections went ahead came as the Government sought to revive talks with Labour aimed at finding a Brexit compromise. Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the situation needed to be resolved quickly in order to avoid the existential threat posed if the UK remained in the EU at the time of the elections next month. It would be, I think, a suicide note of the Conservative Party if we had to fight the European elections, he said. He said that if Labour could not sign up to a joint approach, then MPs should be forced to find a compromise through a preferential voting system in order to resolve the situation. We need to do that quickly because, I think, going into the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we havent been able to deliver Brexit, I think would be an existential threat, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Arrival and doorstep by #UK #Hammond at the Informal #ECOFIN on 6 April 2019, in #Bucharest. On #Brexit: "We want to get this done as soon as we possibly can and, obviously, we want to do it in a good and orderly way."https://t.co/wL9t8e0GWc EU Council TV News (@EUCouncilTVNews) April 6, 2019 Downing Street has offered further talks with the Opposition this weekend after efforts to find a breakthrough stalled, but Labour said the Prime Minister had to come forward with genuine changes. Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted the Government had no red lines in the talks and he was optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour. At a meeting of EU finance ministers in Bucharest, he said: The conversations with the Labour Party are continuing, they were continuing last night, we are expecting to exchange some more texts with the Labour Party today. Asked about the prospect of a second referendum, he said: We should try to complete this process in Parliament, thats the right way to do it. But we should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us, of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion. We are engaged in these talks in good faith but the Government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so farDiane Abbott The talks appeared on the verge of collapse on Friday night after shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration, the blueprint for the future UK-EU relationship. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: We are engaged in these talks in good faith but the Government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far. Labours position was that it wanted a customs union, single market alignment, protection of rights and some kind of Peoples Vote. Pressed on whether any agreement must have a second referendum attached to it, she told Today: We are not saying anything definitively but we have a position. While it has to be part of the negotiations, Ms Abbott said we have not gone into these talks being dogmatic. She added: I think a Peoples Vote has its difficulties. I think if we had that vote tomorrow, I believe Leave would win. European leaders are considering Mrs Mays request for another delay to Brexit, with a decision expected at Wednesdays emergency summit in Brussels. Mrs May has asked for a delay until June 30 but wants to terminate any extension before the European polls if she is able to get a deal through Parliament. #Brexit: "Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing," says Europe Minister @AdeMontchalin: https://t.co/bagQYZwApB pic.twitter.com/2sOiKYtb6F French Embassy UK (@FranceintheUK) April 5, 2019 European Council president Donald Tusk is recommending a longer postponement of one year, with a break clause in the case of earlier ratification, in a so-called flextension deal. But an extension is not automatic and requires the agreement of all 27 other EU countries, with France one of those most cautious about agreeing to it. French Europe Minister Amelie de Montchalin said an extension would require the UK to put forward a proposal with clear and credible political backing and in the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner. Mrs May has already obtained one extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process, postponing the date of Brexit from March 29 to April 12. Mr Hammond acknowledged the frustration with the British among the 27 other EU members. Most of the colleagues that I am talking to accept that we will need longer to complete this process, so I am optimistic about the council on Wednesday, he said. I understand that EU colleagues are somewhat fed up that the process has taken as long as it has; we are also fed up that we havent been able to complete this earlier, but I am very confident that we will get it done. Lieutenant Colonel Craig Palmer has said helping to bring the attacker to justice was immensely rewarding (MoD/PA) A senior Army officer who rushed into the aftermath of the Parsons Green tube bomb has been awarded an honour for bravery. Lieutenant Colonel Craig Palmer, 50, ran towards the explosion on the District Line train in London on September 15 2017 and his bravery helped bring the terrorist attacker to justice. The married father-of-three, who was awarded a Queens Commendation for Bravery, is among several soldiers to be handed honours, the Ministry of Defence has announced. Lt Col Palmer, originally from Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees, was two carriages from the bomb planted by Iraqi asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan, 18, who has since been jailed for life. Expand Close Ahmed Hassan was jailed for planting the Parsons Green Tube bomb which injured 51 passengers (Metropolitan Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ahmed Hassan was jailed for planting the Parsons Green Tube bomb which injured 51 passengers (Metropolitan Police/PA) He said: As the train came in to Parsons Green there was a flash and a commotion and lots of screams and people came charging down the platform running for the exits, but my instinct was to stand-fast. The Royal Regiment of Artillery officer, who has been in the forces for more than 26 years, said previous terror attacks, including at Westminster Bridge, combined with his military experience, had conditioned him to act. He said: I couldnt see a terrorist, but I could see what I thought was a burning bomb and realised the terrorist must be on the run. I saw horrified people, school children, all running past me and from my previous operational experience I knew that the first few moments after any incidents are crucial to gathering evidence. So I went into the carriage, there was no one else there, and I could see that there was a bomb in a Lidl carrier bag on the floor, so I took three pictures of it on my phone and left the carriage straight away to let the police know what Id seen. It could have gone off at any moment...I thought there's a 50/50 chance that if it goes off I dieLieutenant Colonel Craig Palmer It was still venting fumes and could have gone off at any moment. It was a calculated risk army officers are in the business of taking such risks, and I thought theres a 50/50 chance that if it goes off I die. Lt Col Palmer, whose award is for non-operation gallantry, later gave evidence at the trial which led to Hassans conviction. Others honoured include Acting Lance Corporal Jacob Francis Campbell Fisher, who was given a Queens Commendation for Valuable Service. He saved the lives of several Somali soldiers after an open-backed truck accident on February 25 2018, when he was part of an operation to train troops in the African country. The then inexperienced Combat Medical Technician, from the Royal Army Medical Corps, took ownership of the situation as nine Somali troops received life-saving treatment, and there were no fatalities. Lance Corporal Lewis Staton, 30, who also served in Somalia, was awarded an MBE for his work in a team training the Ethiopian National Defence Force and other soldiers from the African United Mission. The father-of-two, from Wirral, Merseyside, who is in the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, said receiving the honour still hasnt sunk in. Staff Sergeant Patrick Robert Jean Lia, from the Corps of Royal Engineers, and Colonel Sion Duncan Walker, a Reservist, were both given a Queens Commendation for Valuable Service. What the papers say April 6 (PA) A mixed bag of news makes the headlines on Saturday from Theresa Mays Brexit delay request to reports of a big cat on the loose in Cornwall. The Daily Telegraph reports that the Prime Minister has been warned holding European elections would pose an existential threat to the Conservative Party after she asked the EU to delay Brexit until June 30. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Tories face "existential threat"' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ix9v1BilSU The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 5, 2019 European leaders have given a cool response to Mrs Mays request for another delay as the EU wrestled with whether to postpone Britains departure for up to a year, the Financial Times says. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition, Saturday April 6 https://t.co/Fxxv0H1TvC pic.twitter.com/GfSqcgU3g2 Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) April 5, 2019 Labour claimed the PM had failed to offer real change or compromise during cross-party talks aimed at breaking the Brexit deadlock, The Guardian says. Guardian front page, Saturday 6 April 2019: Labour: May is refusing to compromise in Brexit talks pic.twitter.com/LM64NhlcOg The Guardian (@guardian) April 5, 2019 And The Times reports that France has warned that Britain risks crashing out of the EU in a disorderly manner. The paper leads, however, on an investigation into estate agents misleading sellers by overvaluing properties. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that West Midlands Police are not handing out warnings to everyone caught with cannabis because police do not want to harm their life chances. The i leads on an investigation which found businesses paid 123 million last year for police officers to provide security. And The Sun claims a big cat is stalking a village in Cornwall, with a dog having been mauled and five pet cats feared dead. Tomorrow's front page: A big cat is stalking a Cornish village - mauling a dog and chasing its owner https://t.co/TaL3LBXKZk pic.twitter.com/erfaCJiMDm The Sun (@TheSun) April 5, 2019 In other news, the Daily Express reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond is to give millions of Britons a tax cut. Here is tomorrow's @Daily_Express front page: - Millions get tax boost (EXCLUSIVE) - Frilling day at the races!#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/UmvaYi2KMs Daily Express (@Daily_Express) April 5, 2019 And the Daily Mirror says EastEnders actor June Brown is going blind. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges. The diplomats in attendance projected a united front while walking side-by-side along a seaside promenade before they released the agreement from their two-day meeting in Dinard. The agreement included mildly worded joint commitments on issues such as fighting cyber-crime, giving women bigger peacemaking roles, and engaging with countries in Africas Sahel region to combat migrant trafficking. But what was omitted from the G7s positions said as much as what was included. The differences could set the stage for tensions at an August summit of the leaders of the G7 advanced economies the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the UK A European Union official expressed regret the document had what she considered to be several glaring omissions that conflicted with non-negotiable positions of the EU. They included no reference to a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and no mention of the UN Security Council resolution in favour of the Iran nuclear deal, she said. The official said the language used to describe the G7s deep concern over Irans continuing support for terrorist organisations and armed militias was not language EU members tend to use. Four of the G7 nations are in the European Union. The foreign ministers joint statement itself acknowledged clear differences on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after an exchange of views. Expand Close French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hosted the G7 meeting (David Vincent/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hosted the G7 meeting (David Vincent/AP) The agreement included an initiative to help countries share best practices on encouraging responsible online behaviour. The group also pledged to encourage the creation of funds to help survivors of sexual violence in danger spots, and to encourage Sahel countries to take steps to end trafficking. It additionally reaffirmed the G7s commitment to a rules-based international order. Discord is becoming a theme for the group. Last June, US President Donald Trump roiled the G7 meeting in Canada by first agreeing to a group statement on trade, then withdrawing support from it and sending a string of negative tweets about the summit and its host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Expand Close The G7 attendees had earlier put on a united front for the cameras (David Vincent/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The G7 attendees had earlier put on a united front for the cameras (David Vincent/AP) On Saturday in Dinard, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was missing from the final group photo after attending Fridays session. This, combined with the absence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, raised questions about the G7s relevance. US officials acknowledged points of discord at the talks hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. US Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan, who went in Mr Pompeos stead, said Washington would use the G7 forum to galvanise support for Venezuelas opposition leader, Juan Guaido, whose claim to the presidency is backed by the US and about 50 other countries. But the meeting failed to change the position of Italy, the sole G7 member state not to back Mr Guaido. Riot police clash with protesting migrants outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece (Giannis Papanikos/AP) Hundreds of protesting migrants have clashed with police for a third straight day outside an overcrowded refugee camp. Demonstrators threw rocks at officers, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Expand Close Protesting migrants shout slogans during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece (Giannis Papanikos/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesting migrants shout slogans during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece (Giannis Papanikos/AP) Several migrants, including children, fainted amid the clouds of tear gas outside the camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, on Saturday. Expand Close A man reacts as children cry during the clashes (Giannis Papanikos/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A man reacts as children cry during the clashes (Giannis Papanikos/AP) The protesters lit fires to make the air more bearable, but blazes also erupted from exploding stun grenades. Expand Close A protesting migrant throws a tear gas canister back at riot police (Giannis Papanikos/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protesting migrant throws a tear gas canister back at riot police (Giannis Papanikos/AP) Greek officials said the migrants have been mobilised by fake news originating on social media and false reports that the road to central Europe, tightly sealed to migrants for three years, is open, and that buses chartered by non-governmental organisations are waiting on the other side of the border with North Macedonia, about 40 miles (60km) to the north. Rwandan refugee children plead with soldiers to allow them across a bridge separating Rwanda and the country then known as Zaire where their mothers had crossed moments earlier (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) Twenty-five years ago, Rwanda descended into an orgy of violence in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by the majority Hutu population over a 100-day period in what was the worst genocide in recent history. The massacres, mostly by gangs wielding machetes, swept across Rwanda and groups of people were killed in their homes and farms, and where they sought shelter in churches and schools. Expand Close A Rwandan Hutu refugee child desperately tries to waken his mother (Javier Bauluz/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan Hutu refugee child desperately tries to waken his mother (Javier Bauluz/AP) The mass killings started after a plane was shot down on April 6 1994, in the capital, Kigali, killing President Juvenal Habyarimana. Expand Close A Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel walks by the plane wreckage in which Rwandas president Juvenal Habyarimana died (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel walks by the plane wreckage in which Rwandas president Juvenal Habyarimana died (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) The killers were encouraged by hate messages broadcast on radio stations while Rwandan police, military and other government authorities did not stop the killings. Expand Close A starving woman, one of thousands of civilians caught in the fighting between government troops and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels, sips milk at a makeshift health clinic in Ruhango (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A starving woman, one of thousands of civilians caught in the fighting between government troops and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels, sips milk at a makeshift health clinic in Ruhango (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) Scores of thousands of terrified Tutsis fled Rwanda for neighbouring countries including Zaire, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. Expand Close Tens of thousands of Rwandan refugees, who were forced by the Tanzanian authorities to return to their country despite fears they would be killed upon their return, stream back towards the Rwandan border (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tens of thousands of Rwandan refugees, who were forced by the Tanzanian authorities to return to their country despite fears they would be killed upon their return, stream back towards the Rwandan border (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) The waves of murders continued until the rebel forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country. Expand Close A Rwandan child too weak to stand in line to receive a vaccination rests his head at the SOS village orphanage housing about 3,000 Rwandan children near Goma in the country then known as Zaire (Jacqueline Arzt Lama/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan child too weak to stand in line to receive a vaccination rests his head at the SOS village orphanage housing about 3,000 Rwandan children near Goma in the country then known as Zaire (Jacqueline Arzt Lama/AP) Paul Kagame, who led the rebels, helped re-establish order in the country and served as vice-president and defence minister from 1994 until he became Rwandas president in 2000. Expand Close Some of the 334 inmates, who were accused of committing war crimes and participating in the genocide, in prison in Kibungo, Rwanda, in 1994 (Javier Bauluz/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Some of the 334 inmates, who were accused of committing war crimes and participating in the genocide, in prison in Kibungo, Rwanda, in 1994 (Javier Bauluz/AP) The scale of the killings in 1994 was unimaginable but the reporting and photographs taken at the time helped to inform the world of the horrors of the genocide. Militias in western Libya fought forces under rival army commander Khalifa Hifter on Friday, capturing 100 of his soldiers and waging an air strike on one of his positions a day after he declared an offensive to seize Tripoli. The violence came as the UN chief wrapped up his visit on Friday aimed at avoiding an expanded conflict and said he left with a heavy heart and deep concern. The escalation comes after forces commanded by Mr Hifter, who runs the self-styled Libya National Army based in the countrys east, pushed westward. He brought his troops closer to Tripoli, which is controlled by the UN-backed Presidential Council and Government of National Accord and supporting militias. A UN diplomat said late on Friday that Mr Hifters forces were reported to be on the outskirts of Tripoli. So were militias from the western city of Misrata who now control everything from the eastern edges of the capital to Libyas western border, the diplomat said. The UK called this meeting at short notice because we are concerned about the events over the last two/three days in Libya, specifically the military activity we've seen and the advance towards Tripoli. There is no military solution in Libya @AmbassadorAllen | #UNSC #Libya pic.twitter.com/e86aCaoNWq UK at the UN (@UKUN_NewYork) April 5, 2019 A showdown between Mr Hifters army and the militias could plunge Libya into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It would also put at risk upcoming peace talks between rivals brokered by the UN and aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections. Those talks are scheduled for April 14-16. The UN Security Council held an emergency closed-door meeting on Friday at Britains request and called on Mr Hifters forces to halt all military movements. It also urged all Libya forces to de-escalate and halt military activity. G7 JS on #Libya: We firmly believe that there is no military solution to the Libyan conflict. We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people... UK in Libya (@UKinLibya) April 5, 2019 After a briefing by the UN envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, the council said there can be no military solution to the conflict. Council members called on all parties to resume dialogue and deliver on their commitments to engage constructively with the UN political process. Mr Hifters troops on Thursday captured the town of Gharyan, some 31 miles south of Tripoli without a fight, putting them closer to the militias than ever before. Mr Hifter then ordered his forces to march on the capital, saying in an audio recording posted online: We are coming Tripoli, we are coming. He 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. The march appeared to have faced a set-back on Friday, however. Militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misrata, which control Tripoli, said they had mobilised to confront Mr Hifter. I am leaving Libya with a heavy heart and deep concernUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres We are the revolutionaries and the elders we declare we are in full mobilisation and war, they said in a video statement posted online. A group of allied militias called the Joint Tripoli Protection Force based in the area around the Libyan capital announced they would also deploy to repel Mr Hifters offensive. Over 100 of Mr Hifters soldiers were captured by Zawiya militias, said army spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari. He said the soldiers commander was being investigated. Anti-Hifter activists on social media posted pictures of what they described as militiamen from Zawiya capturing dozens of Hifters forces and armoured vehicles carrying stickers reading 106th Battalion. The unit is known to be commanded by Mr Hifters son, Khaled. It is one of the largest units Mr Hifter has deployed to march on Tripoli. Also, Misrata militias launched an air strike targeting Mr Hifters position at the foot of the mountains of Nafusa, he said. He did not elaborate on the number of casualties. The renewed fighting came a day after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived for his first visit to Libya as UN chief. On Friday, Mr Guterres went to the eastern region, which is the seat of a rival administration and parliament that Mr Hifter is aligned with. Mr Guterres met with Agila Saleh, head of the east-based parliament, according to spokesman Abdullah Ablahig. I am leaving Libya with a heavy heart and deep concern, he told reporters at the airport shortly after meeting with Mr Hifter. I still hope, if possible, to avoid armed confrontation around Tripoli, he said. The United Nations remains available to facilitate any political solution. Three activists from an Indonesian group calling itself the Civil Society Coalition hold up messages saying Golput (abstaining from voting) is not a crime, during a press conference in Jakarta, Jan. 23, 2019. Lini Zurlia received a torrent of abuse, as well as support, after posting a photograph of herself on Twitter holding a small sign that read Saya golput a declaration of her intention not to vote in Indonesias upcoming presidential election. The tweet has turned the 31-year-old self-described queer feminist activist into an icon of the Indonesian golput movement, which literally means white group but refers to people who choose to abstain from voting mainly because of their disenchantment with the candidates and political parties. Her message, posted on March 28, drew nearly 2,200 likes and 1,500 retweets. But it did not sit well with supporters of incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodo, she said. I was called crazy, ugly, stupid and other names, the bespectacled Lini told BenarNews. Proponents of voting abstention say they hope that at least 12 percent of Indonesias 192 million registered voters (see video) will opt not to vote in the presidential and legislative elections scheduled to take place simultaneously on April 17. The percentage of eligible voters who have not voted has increased steadily, from 23 percent in 2004, when the countrys first direct presidential election was held, to 30 percent in 2014, according to the Indonesian electoral commission. And according to a recent survey, as many as 30 percent of respondents said they planned to golput in this years election, the Straits Times, a Singaporean newspaper, reported this week. President Joko will face former army general Prabowo Subianto in the April 17 election, in a repeat of the 2014 polls that Jokowi narrowly won. Some of those Indonesians who have pledged to be non-voters supported Jokowi in the 2014 race, but say they have grown disillusioned with what they see as his failure to keep campaign promises. These include solving past human rights cases, improving economic growth and promoting pluralism in the worlds largest Muslim majority country, which only transitioned to a democracy 21 years ago after the fall of President Suharto, a longtime dictator. Human rights activists say Jokowi has yet to take meaningful action to resolve past rights cases and has shown authoritarian tendencies with what some say his governments politicization of law enforcement. Critics said that Jokowi had also failed to step growing religious and ethnic intolerance. Prabowo, for his part, has a poor human rights record as a commander of the armys special forces in the 1990s. He was accused of kidnapping several pro-democracy activists in the dying days of the Suharto rule in 1998. He has denied the allegations. Lini is among the disappointed ex-backers of Jokowi. Lini said she voted for Jokowi in 2014 because he was an outsider, and did not come from the countrys military and political elite. But after he was elected, he has not been firm and made good on his promises, she said. #SayaGolput In the run-up to the polls, the hashtag #SayaGolput which also accompanied Linis tweet has generated an online debate in Indonesia among those citizens who are eligible to vote but choose to abstain, versus others who criticize people who opt not to vote, according to media reports. Arip Yogjawan, a leader of the Civil Society Coalition, a grassroots group that says Indonesians have a right to abstain from voting or to cast blank ballots, claimed that non voters had been threatened directly or indirectly because of their views on the issue. In January, the Legal Aid Institute (LBH), a human rights group, held a press conference to declare that Indonesians had the right to abstain from voting, in response to statements made on social media that campaigning for abstention was illegal. Choosing to abstain is not a crime. Its a legitimate political expression, LBH director Arief Maulana said. However, government officials, namely security minister Wiranto, have warned that people who try to persuade others not to vote through online campaigns can be charged under the draconian electronic information law. Wiranto had earlier suggested that anyone who spread rumors that there would be unrest on election day could be charged under terrorism laws. We urge people not to abstain from voting. Come on to the polling stations. It is safe, he said. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI), the nations top Muslim clerical and scholarly body, has said that voting is an obligation for Muslims if there is a suitable candidate, citing a fatwa issued by the council in 2014. Choosing a leader is part of religious obligations to guarantee public welfare, the secretary of MUIs fatwa commission, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, said late last month. But Donal, a 43-year-old citizen, said he would not go the polls because he had no confidence in either of the two presidential candidates. The candidates are picked based on the flawed electoral system, he said, referring the fact that no independent candidates are in the race. I want a president who is honest, firm and courageous. Both candidates dont have those attributes, he told BenarNews. Always abstainers in every election Syamsudin Haris, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, predicted that the Golput movement would not make a dent on either camp in the election. They wont have much of an impact because their number is not significant. There are always abstainers in every election, he told BenarNews. People choose not to vote because they are not happy with the candidates or disappointed with the governments performance, while the opposition has little to offer, he said. He said most voters had made up their minds about the preferred candidate. The government needs to be more persuasive to convince voters not to abstain, he added. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, my take on the first leg of the Trump-O'Reilly History Tour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 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 Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Ecole secondaire Neelin High School students rehearse The Crucible earlier this week. (Submitted) Students at Ecole secondaire Neelin High School will stage a musical adaptation of Arthur Millers "The Crucible" next weekend. The play was created in 1953, and is a dramatized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts in 1692. The content is relatable even today, director Melissa Martin said. "It talks about mass hysteria and witch hunts, which is kind of a popular theme in the news," Martin said. "Not necessarily looking for witches, per se, but I think with the events going on in the States with the presidency and everything like that, you can see how the themes are repeating themselves." Ecole secondaire Neelin High School students rehearse The Crucible earlier this week. (Submitted) America has a history of playing on mass hysteria, she said, especially looking back at 9/11, when citizens were called upon to turn in their neighbours or anybody engaging in suspicious activity. "(They were) starting what we would refer to as a modern-day witch hunt of turning on each other, just kind of convincing the public that there was a force bigger than them that was out there that it was going to get them if they didnt take action." "This plays relevancy will always be applicable in a world where people make false accusations in order to gain more power for themselves," a description said online. Theyve modernized the language and adapted it to fit the stage, and added popular artists from the present day, including Kesha, Pink, RagNBone Man and Ed Sheeran. The group has been working since January. There are more than 60 students involved on the stage, and backstage they have another 30 people working with hair and makeup. The show will appeal to a wide audience, Martin said. "Younger people will like it because of the modern music," she said. "I think its catchy tunes that are on the radio and thats what theyre listening too. And for older people, maybe theyre more invested in the news and have more kind of understanding of world events and can apply the lessons learned in The Crucible to whats happening in todays society." The musical is open to the public to attend. There will be a show April 11 at 7:30 p.m., April 12 at 7:30 p.m. and two shows on April 13 one at 2 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and students, and $12 for children 12 and under. Martin said she hoped the show will draw in a large crowd. "I know its never been done in musical form before here," she said. "If the public can just give it a chance I think theyll be really entertained and moved by the story." mverge@brandonsun.com Twitter: @Melverge5 Local advocates are angry and disappointed after learning the province has received $4.1 million in federal funding for addictions treatment but has yet to do anything with it. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Local advocates are angry and disappointed after learning the province has received $4.1 million in federal funding for addictions treatment but has yet to do anything with it. According to freedom of information documents obtained by the Manitoba NDP, the province received the federal funding available through a one-time emergency treatment fund in December after a bilateral deal was signed with Ottawa. Kim Longstreet The funding is meant to pay for flexible-length treatment beds for those with addictions to opioids and methamphetamine. The request for proposals for those treatment beds has not been issued yet due to "complications," Health Minister Cameron Friesen said Thursday, adding he became aware of the delay a few weeks ago and wasnt "pleased at all." Friesen said he hopes the RFP will still be posted this spring, as previously announced. Westman Families of Addicts founder Danielle Lalonde said shes disappointed with the delay. Danielle Lalonde "Theyve had more than enough feedback from the public and information, facts and statistics to know that we need help. Honestly, Im at a total loss," Lalonde said. "This isnt a new problem, and its getting worse by the day. Its time to pull it together. It was time to pull it together two years ago." Westman Families of Addicts is currently supporting approximately 250 families in the area, and that number is growing, Lalonde said. "Were getting overwhelmed." Kim Longstreet, a local advocate for addictions treatment, said she has been in communication with different levels of government via emails and letters since December regarding this funding, which according to the bilateral agreement aims to increase "flexible-length withdrawal management services in Winnipeg and Brandon" for meth users while reducing the number of meth-related ER visits, hospitalizations and deaths. She has yet to get a response as to the reason for the delay. "(The provincial government) has been sitting on this and not moving on these dollars that they know can help this situation. Thats where Im disappointed," said Longstreet. "I dont think this government has a solid plan. I have yet to see that." Both Lalonde and Longstreet said the first step in the process was supposed to be the Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinics; however, with a lack of a detox centre and no long-term treatment options theyve just become a revolving door. "Weve got this rapid access to addictions medicine, but we dont have anywhere to send people after that. To me, it was rolled out backwards," Lalonde said. "You can rapid access all you want, but if you dont have anywhere to go from there, then that becomes the issue." "At this point, The RAAM clinics are stalled because theres no place to put these people," Longstreet said. Westman Families of Addicts also submitted a proposal through Prairie Mountain Health early last year, Lalonde said, adding they never received a response. Prairie Mountain Health held meetings with multiple stakeholders last year to talk about the challenges of substance abuse, a PMH spokesperson said, however the meetings were held to brainstorm possible solutions and were not related to the federal addictions-treatment funding. "The delay is costing lives. Its putting a strain on our health-care system and on our justice system. Its somewhat unnecessary," Lalonde said. "The delay has just prolonged the agony and prolonged what is going to take us even longer to get ahead of now," Longstreet said. "There are no more excuses as to why they cannot be doing the things they need to be doing immediately." edebooy@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press Twitter: @erindebooy Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Andreas Souvaliotis stands on Rosser Avenue. (Drew May/ The Brandon Sun) For Andreas Souvaliotis, this weekend will be a homecoming. The founder and CEO of Carrot Rewards, an app that rewards people for healthy habits, was back in the Wheat City to speak at Brandon University for a book launch on Friday. Hes a graduate of the post-secondary institution, having attended after immigrating from Greece 37 years ago. "It all began here, my real sort of transformation, my Canadianization, my falling in love with inclusion and diversity and all this country stands for, it kind of all began in this place," Souvaliotis said. Souvaliotis calls himself a "misfit," which is also the title of his newly released memoirs. He is gay, on the autism spectrum and an immigrant to Canada, differences he said gave him an advantage in business and in life. "Even here, this place enjoyed different, everybody here enjoyed that difference in whichever way I was and embraced me and I really felt very hugged. This feels like coming home." In his memoir, Souvaliotis details his time going to university in Brandon. He said in an interview it was an incredibly formative time for him coming here at 18 and thousands of kilometres away from home. His parents wanted him to pursue music, but he wanted to study computer science. Brandon University was seen as a compromise because of its strong music conservatory. "I was so hungry to be accepted and to belong somewhere, and thats the beauty of what this little town did to me; it totally embraced me, people noticed me, people liked me, people remember me to this day." In the 1980s, the Greek community was very small, forcing Souvaliotis to expand his horizons and integrate with the rest of the city, which he described as being very white and anglo at the time. Despite this, he ran the Greek language school and had a weekly Greek language program on the local television station. "Had I showed in Toronto, I would probably have ended up immersed myself in the Greek community, I would have been half-adjusted immigrant. When you show up in Brandon that was so anglo, so middle-Canada in that sense, I immersed myself in it very quickly and learned so much about the country that embraced me." Being different made him stick out in the city and in his career, but it also made him successful. He said one of his "hard edges" being autistic gave him a brain wired for numbers and to see things that could influence people, such as climate change. He also has "soft edges," such as being gay, which made him stand out in the business world. "Even though being gay wouldnt have been a difference in terms of my career success, it was definitely a differentiator in terms of how I felt. ... I empowered a lot of the younger people and a lot of the more junior people in the company to come out behind me and that gave me an incredible amount of fulfillment." Souvaliotis said one of the most important things hes learned to do in life is to embrace change and be different. His advice is to harness it instead of wasting it and letting it go to waste. "When you figure out what is different about you, just dont be afraid to talk about it, to think about it, to compare notes with your friends about it and along the way these opportunities might show up." With Carrot Rewards, he said, being different allowed him to see the potential in the idea. Canadians are addicted to accumulating reward points, Souvaliotis said, and Carrot helps them do that. Its cheaper to nudge people in the right direction to living healthier lives than to treat the problems associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. In the future, all companies will have to do something to make the world a better place to stay afloat. He said consumer and investor trends are favouring businesses that have a positive impact at the same time as making money. "Millennials no longer want to go work in a company that doesnt generate impact," he said. "Theres an enormous shift happening." "Theres even a big shift happening around investors, because theyre seeing these dark clouds gathering: Im not going to invest my money in a tobacco company or a carbon company, because I know that those things will eventually fall apart; Im going to invest my money in a good company." While hes since left Brandon to pursue business success in other parts of the country, Souvaliotis said he will always remember the years he spent in Brandon and the lesson he learned by being different in the community. "This feels like my roots, this is my Canadian roots right here. It has been a very long journey from living in little Brandon, Manitoba, to kind of living and working in downtown Toronto, but somethings just never get erased, so its just super special being here." dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ VANCOUVER - Premier John Horgan says British Columbia, as the country's gateway to Asia, is bearing the brunt of the impact of Canada's tense relationship with China over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Premier John Horgan makes an announcement at Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, March 15, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito VANCOUVER - Premier John Horgan says British Columbia, as the country's gateway to Asia, is bearing the brunt of the impact of Canada's tense relationship with China over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Speaking at the Council of Forest Industries convention in Vancouver Friday, Horgan described Meng's arrest as "profoundly regrettable," but adds "extradition treaties are extradition treaties" and he doesn't think the federal government had any other option. Meng was arrested in Vancouver in December on a request from the United States, which wants her extradiated to face charges including conspiracy, fraud and obstruction. Horgan says the province does have an option, and that's to continue to be aggressive and forward-looking when it comes to trade with Asia. He says it's a critically important market and boosting innovation in export products will be a ticket to success, adding that the province has an opportunity to grow the market for engineered wood products. B.C. does billions in trade with China and Horgan says he's confident that relationship remains in good shape. DINARD, France - Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges but was shaken by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. DINARD, France - Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges but was shaken by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The diplomats in attendance projected a united front while walking side-by-side along a seaside promenade before they released the agreement from their two-day meeting in Dinard. The agreement included mildly worded joint commitments on issues such as fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger peacemaking roles, and engaging with countries in Africa's Sahel region to combat migrant trafficking. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini arrives on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) But what was omitted from the G-7's positions said as much as what was included. The differences could set the stage for tensions at an August summit of the leaders of the G-7 advanced economies the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. A European Union official expressed "regret" the document had what she considered to be several glaring omissions that conflicted with non-negotiable positions of the EU. They included "no reference to a two-state solution" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and "no mention" of the U.N. Security Council resolution in favour of the Iran nuclear deal, she said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to the news media, said the language used to described the G-7's deep concern over Iran's "continuing support for terrorist organizations and armed militias" was not language EU members tend to use. Four of the G-7 nations are in the European Union. French police officers on horses patrol on the beach during the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) The foreign ministers' joint statement itself acknowledged "clear differences" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after "an exchange of views." The agreement included an initiative to help countries share best practices on encouraging responsible online behaviour. Also, the group pledged to encourage the creation of funds to help survivors of sexual violence in danger spots, and to encourage Sahel countries to take steps to end trafficking. It also reaffirmed the G-7's "commitment to a rules-based international order." Discord is becoming a theme for the group. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Britain's Director General for Political Affairs at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Richard Moore, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini walk for a group photo on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) Last June, U.S. President Donald Trump roiled the G-7 meeting in Charlevoix, Que., by first agreeing to a group statement on trade, then withdrawing support from it and sending a string of negative tweets about the summit and its host, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On Saturday in Dinard, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland tweeted a photo of herself and her counterparts from Germany, France and Japan. "Many of today's greatest challenges are global and they can only be solved when we work together. That is why Canada stands united with its German, French, and Japanese friends," Freeland wrote, adding the hashtag #AllianceofMultilaterists. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Britain's Director General for Political Affairs at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Richard Moore, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini walk for a group photo on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was also missing from the final group photo after attending Friday's session. This, combined with Pompeo's absence, raised questions about the G-7's relevance. U.S. officials acknowledged points of discord at the talks hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drain. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, who went in Pompeo's stead, said Washington would use the G-7 forum to galvanize support for Venezuela's opposition leader, Juan Guaido, whose claim to the presidency is backed by the U.S. and about 50 other countries. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland attend a working session during the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (Stephane Mate/Pool photo via AP) But the meeting failed to change the position of Italy, the sole G-7 member state not to back Guaido. "We spoke about it. The Italian position on Venezuela is pretty clear," said Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero. "It is an extremely difficult situation, especially in light of the humanitarian emergency that weighs the most in our hearts." Guaido has set out to topple the socialist administration of President Nicolas Maduro amid deepening unrest in the country, which has been plagued by nearly a month of power outages. Italy also has irked EU and U.S. allies by becoming the first G-7 member to sign up to a Chinese plan to build a Silk Road-style global trade network, the Belt and Road Initiative. Any reference to the contentious trillion-dollar plan was missing in Saturday's texts. ___ Trisha Thomas and Masha Macpherson contributed to this report. MONTREAL - A foundation that educates young people about genocide says it is partnering with the Quebec government to offer high school teachers a guide on how to sensitize students to the warning signs leading to the systematic destruction of a group of people. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL - A foundation that educates young people about genocide says it is partnering with the Quebec government to offer high school teachers a guide on how to sensitize students to the warning signs leading to the systematic destruction of a group of people. Beginning this fall, a selection of high schools across Quebec will be offered the universal teaching guide on genocide as part of a pilot project, said Heidi Berger, head of The Foundation for Genocide Education. The goal is to have the guidebook in every public and private high school across the province by 2020, she said in an interview Friday. "The guide is going to give educators all the resources they need to be able to teach this sensitive topic with knowledge and confidence," Berger said. As a daughter of Holocaust survivors who lived through the Second World War in a Polish ghetto, Berger said she learned early about the horrors of genocide. "My mother witnessed many cruel and violent acts," she said. "Her brother and father taken away; the rape and murder of her best friend; the machine-gunning of her mother as she was hiding in an attic." Berger worries young people aren't being sufficiently exposed to the history of the Holocaust and of the genocides since then. If students are ignorant of history, she says, they won't fully understand where hate and intolerance can lead. And she has some numbers to back up her concerns. A September 2018 survey that polled 1,100 Canadians, conducted by New York City-based Schoen Consulting, indicated 22 per cent of respondents between 18 and 34 years old were unaware or unsure if they heard of the Holocaust. The guide is composed of a series of case studies that explain the major genocides of the 20th century, including the horrors that took place in Germany and Poland, Armenia, and Rwanda. "The importance is that the students develop critical thinking so they understand intolerance and hate," said Berger. She said the Quebec Education Department will decide how many schools will participate in the pilot project. A spokesperson for the department did not return a request for interview. Berger says her foundation and the Education Department are aiming to have the guides in every secondary school by next year. Kyle Matthews, executive director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at Concordia University, was alongside Berger in meetings with the education minister to develop the guide. Most Holocaust survivors are elderly and every year there are fewer alive who can visit schools to talk about their experiences, Matthews said. He added that Quebec's high school curriculum doesn't included detailed lessons on genocide. "With the rise of the far-right and the far-left and terrorism around the world ... we are in a very difficult moment and we need to learn the lessons about what happens when hate goes out of control," he said. The lessons are all around us, Matthews said, pointing to ISIS recently attempting to destroy the Yazidis in Syria, the Rohingya being persecuted in Myanmar and China imprisoning up to one million Muslim Uighurs. Moreover, Canada has had a "really high" number of citizens who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight for ISIS, he added. A 2018 report on terrorism by Public Safety Canada indicated there were roughly 190 "Canadian extremist travellers" in the region and about 60 have returned home. "We have our own citizens who have travelled abroad and helped a group commit genocide," Matthews said. "That's not in the past that's the present." A man in his 20s has been hospitalised after being shot in the leg in Coolock. Gardai believe that the victim was shot twice with a handgun by a man who approached him from a car at Belcamp Crescent. A woman in her 30s has died in a road collision in Co Meath. The crash, involving a car and a van, occurred on the Slane to Drumconrath Road at Lobinstown in Navan at around 9pm last night. The French regulator has decided to ban seven brands of breast implants. Canada and the Netherlands have followed suit and Australia is under pressure to do the same. This is on the basis of a rising number worldwide of a type of cancer, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, or BIAALCL, linked to implants with a rough or textured surface. I understand that the French regulator is keen to act decisively to ensure that French women are not exposed to unacceptable risk. It wants to avoid a repeat of the PIP crisis when it came under fire for a failure to prevent French breast implant manufacturer Poly Implant Prothese from using non-approved industrial grade silicone in its implants. PIPs founder was sentenced to four years in jail. Here in Australia we are hugely aware of the risks these textured implants pose. Much of the latest research and risk calculation around breast implant cancer has been led by Australia and New Zealand. We were the first to alert our regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, of the growing numbers of cases and the first to perform detailed studies using capture of cases and analysis of industry sales numbers to arrive at a true estimate of risk. However, this new cancer crisis is just the latest in a long line of scandals, industry cover-ups, and regulatory action in relation to breast implants. Banning these types of implants will reduce risk to women in future but what about women who already have these implants? And a ban on them will not stop new crises emerging. More than a dozen museums across Australia have come together to find ways to counter extremism in the wake of the Christchurch shooting. Museums with mandates to share stories of migration particularly after World War II are looking to revive or create exhibitions and programs that address social attitudes of intolerance and Islamophobia. Museums can be agents of social change, says Kevin Sumption, director of the Australian National Maritime Museum. Credit:Nick Moir A high level communique is being developed with signatories to include directors from the Australian National Maritime Museum, Islamic Museum of Australia, Jewish Museum of Australia, Sydney Jewish Museum, Museum of Chinese Australian History, National Museum of Australia, Migration Museum of South Australia, Immigration Museum of Victoria, National Museum of Australia and Western Australian Museum. Kevin Sumption, director of the Maritime Museum which holds 14,450 objects from Australia's migrant past, conceived the joint approach after watching the events of Christchurch in which an Australian gunman allegedly shot dead 50 people in two mosques. Police could have done more to prevent a traffic cop from leaking details of a domestic violence victim to her abuser, a tribunal has found, ruling the Queensland Police Service breached her privacy. Senior Constable Neil Punchard, 52, was stood down from official police duty late last year, after accessing the confidential police database QPRIME to find information about Jodie*. Police could have done more to protect the domestic violence victim. a tribunal found. Credit:Shutterstock In a judgment published on Friday, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal member Susan Gardiner found police did not take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised use of Jodies personal information. Jodie was forced to go into hiding after Senior Constable Punchard allegedly texted her address to her former husband, who was the officers childhood friend. A central Queensland pub was held up by a man wielding a tomahawk on Saturday night. An employee at Rockhampton's Raffles Hotel was threatened and was forced to hand over cash to the robber about 10.15pm. Police were investigating the armed robbery of a licensed premises in Berserker, Rockhampton on Saturday night. Credit:Queensland Police Service The man was dressed in a long-sleeved jumper with a white motif on the front, dark jeans, black shoes with white shoe-laces and had a dark-coloured T-shirt wrapped around his head. He fled with the money in a light-coloured bag. One is stability. Theres obviously a lot of fatigue in the community about instability in government, and I can understand that. They want stability, but they also want a fresh agenda and new ideas, and our team has the right balance of those two things. Cr Schrinner said the LNPs track record of long-term mayors, most recently with Campbell Newman and then Cr Quirk, proved the party had the experience to continue leading the city. Facing the prospect of having just a year to convince voters to re-elect him and his colleagues, Cr Schrinner said any administration focused on elections rather than governing is focused on the wrong thing. However, he has the new slogans ready building and protecting Brisbane; a cleaner, greener Brisbane; the Brisbane of tomorrow. And the council the new lord mayor leads will undoubtedly be a different beast to the institution Cr Quirk led. Cr Quirk became Brisbane's 16th lord mayor on April 7, 2011. Deputy Adrian Schrinner (right) will take his place on Monday. Credit:Chris Hyde Weve had a continual injection of new people into the team over those years and that will continue as well, he said. "Obviously some of our councillors like Julian Simmonds will be standing down. Therell be new councillors coming in." His first announcement the building within the next 10 years of five new green bridges to get pedestrians, cyclists and buses across the city was met with a mixture of praise and scepticism. Loading The announcement was fitting for a new lord mayor who has spent several years chairing the public and active transport committee, leading the $900 million Brisbane Metro project to transform the city's central public transport. With four of the bridges concentrated on inner-city suburbs such as West End and Kangaroo Point, what about the suburbs outside the inner-city ring? Every person on foot, on bike or on scooter is potentially taking another car off the road, so that doesnt just benefit them, it benefits people who have no choice but to drive as well, he said. So what kind of Brisbane will lord mayor Schrinner want to leave behind, when some time in the future he too announces his retirement, or his defeat in an election? As he becomes lord mayor, he leaves his ward of Chandler behind, and the beginning of his legacy. "In my mind the biggest achievement was the green space we protected in the eastern suburbs, with the ... koala bushland in suburbs like Belmont, Gumdale, Chandler, Burbank," he said. It's a legacy he hopes to take city-wide. Infrastructure is an ephemeral thing, always growing, always changing. But bushland, protecting the increasingly rare natural wildlife that still calls Brisbane home despite increasing pressure from residential, industrial and community needs, is a high priority for Cr Schrinner. "The existing bushland that weve got in the city needs to be protected and were doing that," he said. "Thats really a lasting legacy in the 10 or 20 years down the track. "People will look back and say weve made the right choice to invest in parkland, invest in bushland, saving bushland." Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner speaking to media about the Wynnum Road extention on October 3, 2014. Credit:Glenn Hunt He hopes, too, to create and lead a city where the character of its suburbs is protected, the "tin-and-timber" beloved by Queenslanders. Earlier this year the council submitted a request to State Development Minister Cameron Dick to approve a temporary local planning instrument a two-year order stopping the development of townhouses and apartment blocks in low-density-zoned suburbs. Labor councillors criticised the LNP for taking action months after the opposition had already raised the issue as an urgency motion in council and the proposal was met with some hesitancy from the state development department. As public and active transport chair Adrian Schrinner has championed the CityCycle program. Credit:Lucy Stone/Fairfax Media The two-year ban would influence how Brisbanes suburbs develop well into the future, potentially halting higher density developments in places traditionally known for big blocks and Queenslander houses. This is something I have long felt strongly about, Cr Schrinner said. In many cases the level of concern generated around townhouses is significantly higher than you get for high-rise buildings. Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and his wife Nina, and children Octavia (6), Nina, Petra (14 months), Wolfgang (4), and Monash (2), in April 2019. Credit:Brisbane City Council Cr Schrinner said while apartment buildings were often focused more in areas of the city already prepared for high density living, such as the inner city and CBD, townhouse developments were more often suburban. The state is concerned the proposed two-year ban, and legislative amendment to follow and make the ban permanent, could cause issues in population density and permanently alter the growth of Brisbanes suburbs. But Cr Schrinner said he would continue to push the issue, saying the two-year ban needs to happen. The people of Brisbane want it to happen and it is a shame its taking so long at a state government level, he said. Outside the harder political issues, taking on the role of lord mayor is not just a change for the council - or for the new lord mayor. His wife Nina and their children Octavia, 6; Wolfgang, 4; Monash, 2; and Petra, 14 months, are all facing a different life ahead. A key role for the new lady mayoress will be that of chairing the Lord Mayors Charitable Trust, taking the reins from the departing Anne Quirk. Nina is really excited about getting involved in the Lord Mayors Charitable Trust, shes really passionate about that, Cr Schrinner said. An 83-year-old woman has died after a car reversed into her at a shopping centre in Brisbane's south. Police said the woman fell to the ground after being struck at the Mount Gravatt Plaza on Wednesday morning when a 36-year-old man reversed out of a parking space. An 83-year-old has died after being hit by a car at the Mount Gravatt Plaza shopping centre on Creek Road. Credit:Google Maps The woman was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital but died on Saturday morning. Police from the forensic crash unit appealed for witnesses or other drivers with dashcam vision from the area to come forward. A worker who suffered serious burns after a Campbellfield factory exploded into a toxic blaze has emerged from an induced coma and is being moved out of intensive care. Vignesh Varatharaja remains in a specialist burns unit at The Alfred hospital. His condition had improved to stable on Saturday. Mr Varatharaja was pumping a chemical drum when it exploded into flames during the Friday morning fire that sent a huge toxic pall of thick, black smoke billowing across Melbourne's north. Firefighters on the scene in Campbellfield. Credit:Paul Jeffers The fire at Bradbury Industrial Services, which contained a massive quantity of illegally stored chemical waste, is continuing to smoulder. Melbourne risks undoing decades of habitat restoration and losing platypuses and growling grass frogs unless more is done to prevent improper waste storage and factory fires, environmental experts warn. A toxic inferno erupted in the city's north on Friday when a Campbellfield factory stockpiling chemical waste was engulfed in flames, sending plumes of black smoke across the city. Factory fire on Thornycroft Road in Campbellfield. Credit:Paul Jeffers The liquid waste treatment facility had its licence suspended in March, after an EPA inspection had found the company had a stockpile exceeding its permit. It was the eighth factory fire in Melbourne since October last year, several of which were caused by illegally or improperly-stored waste. Internal Liberal Party polling is "diabolically bad" for Tony Abbott in Warringah, according to senior Liberal sources, with the former prime minister facing a 12 per cent swing that could sweep him out of his blue-ribbon seat. But with Prime Minister Scott Morrison poised to call an election any day, the Liberal Party is increasingly confident of a positive or neutral result in NSW by regaining Malcolm Turnbull's old seat of Wentworth and even winning Lindsay from Labor in the western suburbs. Tony Abbott arrives at Brookvale Oval with his daughter Bridget on Saturday for the NRL game between Manly and South Sydney. Credit:Kevin Rawsthorne Rocked by the disastrous state election loss last month, Labor hardheads now hope to hold steady on 24 federal seats in NSW. A Labor loss in Lindsay could be offset by victories in the South Coast seat of Gilmore or the Strathfield seat of Reid. A very senior NSW Liberal source said Wentworth was "looking good" and Liberal candidate Dave Sharma was "tracking well". But the same source said polling was "diabolically bad" for Mr Abbott in Warringah against independent challenger Zali Steggall. Federal Labor will widen the northern section of the Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to Pine Rivers from four lanes to six lanes, matching the governments $1.5 billion promise in the federal budget on Tuesday night. Nearby on the Bruce Highway, the opposition party has promised to upgrade the intersection between the Gateway Motorway and Dohles Rocks Road, and upgrade four feeder roads to take traffic off the highway. Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as the 2019 election nears. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen It has also pledged $112 million for stage three of the Gold Coasts light rail network, planned to run from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads. This means Labor has matched most of the governments known transport infrastructure promises to Queensland, including setting up a $500 million rural and regional roads fund. Rwanda's genocide was ignited on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital, Kigali, killing the Rwandan leader, a Hutu. Rwanda's Tutsi minority was blamed for the crash, igniting a killing spree of revenge attacks targeting Tutsis across the country of 12 million people. Photographs of some of those who died hang on display in an exhibition at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Credit:AP Jannette Mukabyagaju remembers the words of her father when the family heard the news that the president's plane had been shot down. "We are now finished," he said. "That is the last time I saw my father. He died with the rest of the family members the following days," Mukabyagaju, a Tutsi survivor, who is now 42, told The Associated Press. In the family of eight children, only Mukabyagaju, one sister and a brother survived. Shrill broadcasts in the government media incited the killings, portraying Tutsis as dangerous, bent on dominating Hutus. During the genocide, political and military leaders also encouraged rape to further destroy the Tutsi ethnic group, which today makes up just 14 per cent of the population. Genocide survivor Jannette Mukabyagaju, 42, recounts her experience as her daughter Natasha Umutesi, 8, listens, in their home in the reconciliation village of Mbyo. Credit:AP Mukabyagaju's family lived in Muhanga, a village near a military barracks attached to the President's office in Kigali. "The presidential guards from the military zone descended on the village, accusing all Tutsis, including children, of being behind the death of their president," she recalls. "It was useless to tell militiamen the children didn't have any idea about the president's death," said Mukabyagaju, who was 17 at the time. "But as you know, during the genocide, all sense had gone." Disguising herself, Mukabyagaju managed to escape to a church in the nearby village of Kabgayi that gave refuge to thousands seeking protection. "The Tutsis working at the church helped us with food, but soon they, too, were killed by the militia," she said. Skulls of some of those who were slaughtered as they sought refuge in the Catholic Church in Ntarama, Rwanda, are placed in a glass case next to photographs of some of them, kept as a memorial to the thousands who were killed in and around the church during the 1994 genocide. Credit:AP For two months she hid in and around the church until the Rwanda Patriotic Front, a rebel group headed by Kagame, seized power, forcing out the Hutu extremists and bringing an end to the genocide. Mukabyagaju said she asks herself why she survived. "I believe it was God's mercy that I didn't die," she said. "I have decided to let anger go and forgive all people, including those who killed my family." Today Mukabyagaju lives in Mbyo, where 54 families of genocide survivors and perpetrators live side by side among the village's green fields. Rwanda's dark past is contradicted by the peals of laughter of children descended from both sides of the killing, playing and going to school together. "We are grateful by the fact that Rwandans are united today," said Frederick Kazigwemu, another convict released after serving nine years in prison for genocide crimes, including murdering a neighbouring family. "Seeking forgiveness from a family where you killed relatives is an act of courage. But after turning your heart to God, this was possible," said Kazigwemu, who today is Mbyo's village leader. Not all Rwandans think reconciliation has succeeded. Sam Nshimirimana, a Rwandan genocide expert and survivor, said forgiveness would be more meaningful if it were initiated by the survivors and perpetrators themselves and not promoted by the government or charitable organisations. "The government tells perpetrators that once they apologise to the victims, they will be released from prison," he told the AP. "Obviously, they apologise in order to be released. This is an artificial apology." Loading At the same time, "many survivors forgive because they are poor and need shelters or school fees," Nshimirimana said. Ethnic reconciliation is a cornerstone of the rule of Kagame, Rwanda's de facto leader since the genocide ended in 1994 and the country's President since 2000, who is credited with bringing Rwanda stability, economic growth, improved health and education. Kagame has also pushed to have more women in political office and 64 per cent of the representatives in Rwanda's Parliament are women, the highest percentage of any country in the world. In the early 2000s, Kagame's government enacted the laws that allowed those convicted of genocide crimes to walk out of prison if they apologised to survivors and sought their forgiveness. Both Nkundiye and Kizigwemu were released from prison under this arrangement. However, Kagame's critics charge that he is intolerant of criticism and his government is repressive, jailing opposition leaders. Some opponents say that Rwanda's reconciliation is forced. In Mbyo, however, it is hard to argue that the community is artificial. "What we did was horrible," said Nkundiye, who remains haunted by memories of the screams of helpless women and children and the sight of Tutsi men throwing themselves into rivers to drown rather than be chopped to death by machetes. As for Mukalemera, the widow of the man he killed, "I didn't know that it was Nkundiye who killed my husband. He came and told me he did it and showed me where my husband's body was buried. When he confessed and apologised, I forgave him." She hugged Ndundiye in greeting as they met to discuss the upcoming planting season. "I found I could not live with anger forever," she said. Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had not read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia that his Democratic opponents say should be released in full. "I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion." US Attorney General William Barr has said he plans to make public a redacted copy of the nearly 400-page investigative report into Russian interference in the 2016 election by the middle of this month, if not sooner. On March 22, Mueller completed his 22-month probe and Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress two days later outlining the main findings. Barr told lawmakers the investigation did not establish that members of Trump's election campaign conspired with Russia, but also did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. Consumer goods major Asian Paints is putting the building blocks in place to capitalise on the growth momentum in the market. The firm is likely to post its fifth straight quarter of double-digit sales volume growth for the three months ended March 2019, with analysts pegging the number to be between 15 and 20 per cent. For the quarter ended December 2018, Asian Paints had reported volume growth of 20-22 per cent, which was the highest in eight years. The company had also sharpened its focus on its core paints business as well as allied segments such as waterproofing, adhesives and ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Thermal coal prices are on a downward spiral globally. Australian coal prices have fallen nearly 20 per cent in the past week, and 40 per cent from their peak of 2018, according to Reuters. For domestic power producers, that import coal, this should come as good news. However, the extent of benefit will be limited as Indian firms import largely from Indonesia and South Africa. India does not import much from Australia. The decline is more volatile and is not meaningful for companies to strategise accordingly. There may be some cost advantage due to the fall, but it will not be ... Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday announced she would not contest the Lok Sabha election starting next week. The eight-time Member of Parliament from Indore spoke out against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a letter. Mahajan, known as "Tai" to the people of Indore, wrote, "The BJP has not declared its candidate for the Indore seat till now. Why is this situation of uncertainty? The party may be hesitant to take a decision. I had, however, spoken to seniors in the party in this context quite early on and left the decision on them. It seems they still have some ... In the dream, or so it is claimed, Chaudhary Charan Singh, former prime minister, farmers leader and the most influential Jat politician in independent India, appears to tell his clan folk which symbol they should vote for. Not just the candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but those also of the gathbandhan, as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)Samajwadi Party (SP)Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance is being ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor (ANSA) - Rome, April 5 - Two children, their mothers and a pregnant woman are refusing to leave the Alan Kurdi migrant rescue ship, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Friday. The kids, aged one and six, their mothers and the pregnant woman were given permission to land in Lampedusa for medical reasons by the interior ministry earlier. "All that remains is to wish them bon voyage towards Berlin," said Salvini. The Alan Kurdi is run by German migrant rescue NGO Sea Eye. Sea Eye said later its policy was not to split up families. "Italy offered to evacuate two children and their mothers, The accord with the German government was, however, that families would be evacuated. We will not make any family separation active!" It added: "this is an emotional torture and puts the wellbeing of the child at risk". A German foreign minister spokesperson, meanwhile, said that "we are in direct contact with our Italian partners" about the ship. A European Commission spokesperson said that the EU executive was following the case and had requested the creation of a coordination group. Germany also said it was willing to take some of the migrants on board the vessel. Two children, their mothers and a pregnant woman are refusing to leave the ship, Salvini said. The kids, aged one and six, their mothers and the pregnant woman were given permission to land on Lampedusa for medical reasons by the interior ministry earlier. "All that remains is to wish them bon voyage towards Berlin," said Salvini. Coast guard and finance guard motor launches had left Lampedusa Friday to take the four on board. Sources said they would be taken to Lampedusa. The Alan Kurdi is currently reported to be zigzagging about 15 nautical miles from Lampedusa, respecting an Italian interior ministry warning Thursday that its course was to be considered "not inoffensive" to Italy, sources said. The ship has yet to obtain from the Roma coast guard maritime coordination centre an authorisation to enter Italy's territorial waters. At Lampedusa, coast guard motor launches and finance guard vessels are said to be monitoring the situation, local sources said. Lampedusa is a stepping stone island for migrants, closer to Libya than to Sicily. It has borne the brunt of migrant landings over the past few years. People who get to do yoga at work may be less stressed out than their peers who dont, a research review suggests. At any given time, as many as one in six working people suffer from stress and other symptoms related to mental illness, researchers note in Occupational Medicine. Yoga is one of many approaches a growing number of employers are using to combat stress and improve workers mental health, but research to date has offered a mixed picture of how well these efforts are working. For the current study, researchers examined data from 13 trials with about 1,300 ... This week, he took more painful measures, firing dozens and more cuts are likely, people familiar with the matter said. But as Woehrmann toils away at restoring growth and profitability at DWS Group, one question looms large over the 53-year-old: How long can his roughly $750 billion firm continue on its own in an industry thats dealing with massive pressure on margins, and where ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Singapore and Malaysia reached an agreement to end their months-long airspace dispute, the transport ministers of the two neighbouring countries said in a joint statement on Saturday. Under the deal, Singapore will halt instrument landing system procedures at its Seletar Airport, while Malaysia will open up a restricted area near the countries' border. "Singapore will withdraw the Instrument Landing System procedures for Seletar Airport and Malaysia will indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang," the statement of Malaysian Transport ... A crash of an Ethiopian Airlines-manned Max in March just five months after a Lion Air jet of the same type went down has put the planemaker at the center of a political, legal and increasingly financial firestorm where its reputation for safety is being openly questioned. A fix for a flight-control system thats believed to have been a factor in both accidents is taking longer than expected amid the scrutiny, and Boeing ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Hyderabad police has seized Rs 9.45 crore cash, freebies worth Rs 3.73 lakh, Rs 9.15 lakh worth gold, 135 litres of liquor, 40 kg cannabis and 11 bags of gutkha this month. "On Thursday, Banjara Hills ACP K.S Rao and with his team seized Rs 1 crore from Zahira Nagar with the help of information and also raided another two places and seized Rs 3.80 crores at Divyashakti complex. An investigation is in the process," Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police Hyderabad, told media here. "Rs 9.45 crore of cash, Rs 9 lakhs worth gold, 135 litres of alcohol and 40 kgs cannabis were seized in this month. All accused are arrested and an investigation is under process. In all these cases, people of Telangana helped to find these illegal activities," Kumar added. Telangana will go for polls on April 11. 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.) In a bid to make sure the right to vote is exercised, persons engaged in election duty were allowed to vote for Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency candidates through a postal ballot system here in Krishna district on Friday. "Government employees and teachers who will work at various polling booths were given an opportunity to cast their vote today," an Election Commission official said. In Machilipatnam, postal ballot voting was held at Hindu College. As some technical problem occurred in the process, the polling began 2 hours later than the scheduled time. However, 2,000 police personnel were unable to exercise their franchise as there was no proper election duty order copy with the returning officer. Around 33,000 employees and teachers have been assigned election duties in Krishna district. Simultaneous elections will be held in Andhra Pradesh on April 11 for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats. 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.) Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan said that people like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh who are occupying "constitutional posts are criminals". While he called Yogi a murderer, he called Kalyan Singh a criminal, who was convicted by the Supreme Court for a day. Referring to Adityanath, Khan said, "You are the so-called flag-bearer of Dharma and the priest of Gorakhnath Temple, but you are also a murderer of a Yadav policeman." He further said that people "sitting on constitutional chairs are all criminals". "You made Kalyan Singh a Governor who was convicted for a day by the Supreme Court. When you make a criminal a Governor, he will commit crime again in front of the Election Commission," charged Azam Khan even as he slammed the EC as biased. "Yogi said 'Modi ki fauj hai', Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also said the same thing but EC did nothing. No action against Kalyan Singh either. But when I said we will shed the last drop of our blood to protect our borders, EC stopped me from speaking. What justice is this?" said Khan addressing a public gathering here on Friday. He said that the Muslim population of India is worried and the United Nations is doing nothing. "The second largest population of the country is worried, I am not being allowed to speak. Where is the United Nations? I refuse to recognise the UN now on," he said. A case has been registered against Khan on Tuesday for allegedly making provocative remarks against four senior district officials after a complaint was filed by Congress leader Faisal Khan Lala. Khan is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The state will go to polls in seven phases from April 11 to 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.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that the BJP's "attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria" has backfired. He was referring to the US-magazine Foreign Policy's article which claimed that all F-16s sold to Pakistan were accounted for indicating that India's claim of shooting down F-16 may not be true. "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," Khan tweeted. Foreign Policy's Lara Seligman claimed in an article on April 4 that US officials told her that all of Pakistan's F-16 jets were accounted for, following a recent check by US personnel after the February incident with India. This is in direct contradiction to India's claim that IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a US-supplied Pakistani F-16 with his MiG-21 Bison before his plane was downed. Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani forces and later released as a peace gesture, according to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Indian Air Force dismissed the US magazine's claim on Friday, asserting that electronic signatures had shown that it shot down a Pakistan Air Force F-16 jet opposite the Nowshera sector in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the aerial skirmish. IAF sources said radio communication of Pakistan Air Force, intercepted by it, confirmed that one of the F-16s that attacked India on February 27 did not return to its base. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Boeing on Friday said that it will cut down the production of 737 MAX aircraft from mid-April amid reports of safety concerns. "We have decided to temporarily move from a production rate of 52 airplanes per month to 42 airplanes per month starting in mid-April," CNN quoted Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg as saying. The 737 MAX jets came under scrutiny after 346 people lost their lives in two deadly plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. On March 10, 157 people on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight - a Boeing 737 MAX jet - lost their lives after their flight crashed just a few minutes after it took off from Adis Ababa. Meanwhile, in October last year, a Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air flight crashed in Indonesia, claiming the lives of all 181 people on board. Investigations are ongoing into both the incidents. The March 10 incident became the second instance that the Boeing 737 MAX jet was involved in a crash within a span of five months. This triggered safety concerns, leading to several countries and airlines grounding the aircraft around the The latest reports come after preliminary reports, released on Thursday, regarding the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy noted that the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) was activated in the two flights during the final minutes when the pilots started struggling to keep the plane level downwards. Muilenburg on Thursday said that the company is working in close collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration to finalise and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again. The new software update will let the pilot have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the aircraft, ensuring that the pilot always has the upper hand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court seeking permission to arrest former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha Chit fund scam. The central probe agency also sought recalling of the top court's order of February 5 granting protection from arrest to the ex-Kolkata top cop. The probe agency further mentioned that the custodial interrogation of Kumar is required to unravel the conspiracy and nexus between directors of Saradha Group and the politicians related to the case. CBI further stated that Rajeev Kumar, who appeared before the agency for questioning in Shillong as per the Supreme Court order, remained elusive and evaded all pertinent questions. It also said that Kumar did not assist the CBI in making available crucial evidence in the case and has not disclosed any crucial information he was privy to. CBI states Kumar who was in-charge of day-to-day functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the case, failed in collecting certain key electronic evidence. "...in order to recover the material evidence and to investigate into the acts of commission and omission on the part of Bidhan Nagar Police Commissionerate and the SIT in causing concealment or causing disappearance of evidence that was collected by them during their investigation, and to investigate into the larger conspiracy aspect, it is requested that CBI be allowed to examine Rajeev Kumar and other police officers and the consequent investigation and collection of evidence if so necessitates then for subject them to custodial interrogation," the agency said in its plea. On March 26, the SC bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi while perusing the status report filed by the agency, said that the document reveals "something very, very serious". The court's observation came after it perused the CBI's status report on the examination of Kumar in Shillong in connection with multi-crore ponzi scam cases, including the Saradha and Rose Valley scams. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the CBI, had said the statements made by Kumar and other contemnors in their affidavits in contempt petition were "misleading and demonstrably false". The court then had asked the CBI to file an application listing the allegations supported by full facts and particulars. CBI had filed the contempt plea in the apex court against the three officers for alleged willful and deliberate violation of the top court's orders. The plea was filed after the unprecedented chain of events in February when a CBI team was detained by the Kolkata Police when they reached Kumar's residence. It was followed by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the top cop's residence. The CBI officers were taken to a police station and released later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On a breezy summer afternoon, homemakers, entrepreneurs and experts from various fields gathered at Bangalore Central Residency Road, for one reason- to voice out for the cause they care for in a curtain raiser for Ramp the Cause, which is scheduled to be organised on Saturday. Ramp the Cause is a prestigious fashion fundraiser initiative by Sanrakshan Pte Ltd. Singapore. It is executed in India by Bizwingz Production House. The mission is to call people from all kinds of backgrounds to come and walk the ramp to represent the causes that they strongly feel for. The main focus will be on Child Safety and Gender Equality. Central Residency Road has joined hands with the initiative as a Lifestyle and Hospitality partner. During the registration and the main event, many activities will take place on various topics like health, nutrition, marketing as well as a styling workshop for participants. Also, the initiative was strongly supported by industry leaders, Gayathri Suresh, Shalini Sankar, and Bala Gandhekar. Ramp the Cause takes a unique way of making people express the cause by using fashion as an art form. It celebrates the social change peacefully with beauty and grace. Fund raised through Ramp the Cause India will be given to NGO that works towards the prevention of childhood sexual abuse and women empowerment in India which is Faith Foundation Bangalore. The curtain raiser was graced by guests from various walks of life such as Anil Shetty, Parul Malik, Shivapriya D, Prithvi Banwasi ,Shreya Krishnan,, Minnku Buttar, Jyosthna Venkatesh, Vandana Upadhyay, Shubha Shriram, Major Aditi, Revathy Kumar, Chavi Sharma, Latha Murthy, Sudarshan Sampath, Nagasri, Vamasi Krishna, Dr Vani Rao, Feroz Khan and many others. The event also attended by members and Trainers Barnali, Divya, Gaurav, who have worked towards safeguarding children from abuse in Bangalore by representing the teachings and core values of Sanrkashan in India. The main gala of the show will see experts from different genre come together such as Nutritionist, fitness, marketing, mental health, wellness and much more to guide the participants of Ramp the Cause and help them to take the causes close to their heart on a higher level. "Our Mission is to gather more people who can join hand with us and create awareness about the causes that we care for, hence we aim to do more such galas and spread the word and create awareness. The curtain raiser is just a glimpse of what we aim to do and the main event will see more. Our vision is to run the galas in various progressive cities of India", said Madhu H S, CEO, Ramp the Cause. "Each registration will help us create safe space for three children," he added. 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.) Clashes broke out here on Friday between forces aligned to Eastern Libyan army commander Khalifa Hafter and the UN-backed pro-government soldiers. Quoting sources, CNN reported that the clashes impacted regions located 50 kilometres south of the Libyan capital. Meanwhile, Haftar's office said that his forces indulged in "violent fighting on the edge of Tripoli with armed militias". In addition, Haftar also told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that his operation towards Tripoli will continue until terrorism has been defeated. The statement by Haftar came a day after Guterres on Thursday pushed for a bid to avoid a military escalation on Tripoli. Guterres met Haftar in Benghazi, a day after his troops launched an offensive against the UN-backed government in Tripoli which the Eastern Commander dubbed as 'terrorists'. "I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," Guterres said on Twitter. "The UN is committed to facilitating a political solution and, whatever happens, the UN is committed to supporting the Libyan people," he added. An audio message posted on Libyan National Army (LNA) Facebook page on Wednesday said that Haftar, who commands the LNA from its eastern base of Benghazi, earlier took over Gharyan, a town 100 kilometres south of Tripoli and is now heading towards to the western part of the country. "We are coming Tripoli, we are coming," Haftar was heard as saying in the audio. The audio recording came during Guterres's visit to the war-torn country, where he said he was "totally committed" to support a Libyan-led political process. Guterres' visit comes amid talks aimed at drawing a roadmap for new national elections in Libya. 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," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A complaint has been filed against Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for allegedly violating the election's Model Code of Conduct by holding meetings with government officers. A copy of the complaint, filed by an advocate, has been sent to the Chief Election Commissioner of India. Pointing out that the 2019 Model Code of Conduct strictly prohibits ministers from having any official discussions with officers, advocate Aires Rodrigues in his complaint has stated that Sawant and some of his ministers have been blatantly holding meetings with government officials. Rodrigues alleged that the chief minister had held a meeting of police officials on 3rd April at the Secretariat. Rodrigues in his complaint has sought that the flying squads of the Election Commission be directed to maintain a strict vigil at the offices and residences of Sawant and his cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Model Code of Conduct is strictly adhered to. Rodrigues in his complaint has called upon the Chief Electoral Officer to call for a report and after examining the same, take appropriate action against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant by registering an FIR against him for violating the Model Code of Conduct. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress party of planning to burden the middle class with more taxes to fund its poll manifesto promise, which he said offered nothing to the middle class. Termed the Congress manifesto as 'dakosla patra' (fraud document), Modi said: "The NDA government's decision of waiving income tax up to Rs 5 lakh has brought numerous benefits to the middle class. Congress has clarified that they consider the country's middle class greedy and selfish and therefore they talk about putting the burden of tax on the middle class. So much tax that it will create problems for the middle class, the Prime Minister said while addressing an election rally here. Stating that the middle class is the biggest power to run the country, the Prime Minister urged people to be "alert as a watchman" as whenever the Congress is faced with a crisis it makes false promises and then becomes Gajni (a movie character who suffers from memory loss). Modi's comments come in an apparent reference to Congress' ambitious minimum income support guarantee scheme Nyantam Aay Yojana (NYAY). The Congress in its manifesto has promised to give Rs 72,000 per year to the 20 per cent of India's poorest under its minimum income scheme NYAY if his party comes to power. Launching a scathing attack on Conference leaders, Modi said: "Congress and its allies want two Prime Ministers - one at Delhi while other at Jammu and Kashmir. Mahagathbandhan allies former CM Umar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah openly say that the country will have two Prime Ministers." Speaking at a rally, Abdullah had said: "Rest of the princely states merged with the country without condition but we had said that we will have our own identity, our own constitution. We had our own "'Sadar-e-Riyasat (President)" and "Wazir-e-Azam (Prime Minister)" too. By God's grace, we will bring that back." The Prime Minister also accused the Congress party of engaging in corruption in defence deals of the country. "Not only terrorism, but it is the Congress that promotes corruption in the country. Particularly those linked to the army, they are very much like the brokerage in the country's security-related work. The bigger the deal, the more the cream. From the jeep scandal to the brokerage of Bofors and helicopters, they have flown very well," Modi said. "Naamdars helped Michel mama of Italy in escaping. Chowkidar has brought him and his allies from Dubai. In the charge sheet, he has revealed who was involved in corruption." Modi attacked Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Kerala after the Congress President filed his nomination for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Modi also said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has opted for a second seat where the "majority community is in a minority". "People anger has made Congress disturbed. 'Naamdar' (dynast) has found a seat using his microscope where he would be able to fight. A seat where the country's majority is in minority. The fight is such that he won't say anything against their opponents. Amethi people should remember this insult," he said. "Social media images of his rally. It was difficult to notice the Congress flag as per images on social media when 'naamdar' did a road show. The condition of the Congress is like the Titanic ship, they are all drowning with a new day." Modi further said: "Everyone who was sitting in the ship with the Congress, as the NCP, is either drowning himself or rising up and running away." As per the seat-sharing arrangement, the Congress party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are fighting on 24 and 20 seats respectively out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharastra. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party is relying on turncoats in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, said a party leader requesting anonymity on Saturday. Talking to ANI, the party leader annoyed with ticket distribution said, "In Moradabad, many veterans were eyeing Congress ticket, but an Urdu poet Imran Pratapgarhi was chosen by the party. Congress has been unable to find candidates for the high-profile seats of Lucknow and Varanasi." The leader added, "Congress neglected its own party workers when it came to ticket distribution in Uttar Pradesh and relied on turncoats." The leader cited examples of Fatehpur, where a former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Rakesh Sachan is contesting on a Congress ticket and Sitapur where a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, Kaiser Jahan, is the Congress candidate. In Shravasti, Dhirender Pratap Singh who was earlier a member of BSP and later the BJP is now contesting from Congress. The party has given preference to Singh denying tickets to former Member of Parliament (MP) Vinay Pandey and another Congress leader Rizwan Zaheer. Seven-phase elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19. Counting of votes will be held on May 23. There are 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Uttar Pradesh, polling for which will be held in all seven phases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American actor-wrestler Dave Bautista has closed a Netflix deal to star in an upcoming film 'Army of the Dead'. The zombie heist thriller is being directed by Zack Snyder, who has previously helmed films like 'Justice League' and 'Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice,' and 'Man of Steel', reported Variety. Shay Hatten and Snyder are writing the screenplay for the upcoming film which is set amid a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, when a group of mercenaries takes the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantined zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. Principal photography of the film is set to begin later this year. Snyder made his directorial debut with 'Dawn of the Dead' about 15 years ago. The film was a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 movie and starred Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer. It grossed USD 102 million worldwide on a USD 25 million budget. It led to Snyder and Joby Harold writing a sequel for 'Dawn of the Dead', but ultimately got scrubbed in 2012. 'Army of the Dead' is not a sequel to 'Dawn of the Dead'. Apart from this film, Bautista will reprise his Drax role in the highly-anticipated 'Avengers: Endgame', which will release on April 26, this year. He also stars in the Fox comedy 'Stuber', which will hit the theatres on July 12 and STX's comedy 'My Spy', which debuted its trailer this week. The actor is also shooting for 'Dune'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) England all-rounder, Ben Stokes has expressed his fear of losing his career after the Bristol incident, in September 2017, where he was involved in a fight outside a nightclub and said that he will always carry that. "No matter what happens in life with me now, the Bristol thing will always be there. It's something I'll always carry with me. It'll always be there. Always," ESPN cricinfo quoted Ben Stokes as saying. Stokes missed last year's Ashes tour of Australia after being suspended by the ECB and the case concluded in December last year. While expressing his fear of losing his career, the 27-year old said, "I was that close to my career ending and being thrown away just like that." Stokes is also looking at the positives from the fight as he said that the incident could have been the best thing that has happened to him, in terms of the way he thinks. "It sounds silly but, could Bristol have been the best thing that could have happened to me? Who knows. But maybe in terms of my way of thinking," he added. Stokes also insisted that he does not want to be remembered as 'a guy who had a fight in the street' rather he wants to be remembered for the things he does on the field. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pradeep Singh, whose father works at a petrol pump, on Friday, cracked the UPSC exam securing a brilliant all India rank of 93. Manoj Singh, father of Pradeep while talking to ANI said: "I work at a petrol pump in Indore. Pradeep had told me that he wanted to take the UPSC exam. However, I was short of money and hence decided to sell my house in order to fulfil his dreams". He further explained that it had been a tough journey but he always educated his children. "It has been a tough journey. However, I always wanted to educate my children so that they do well in life" he said. The IAS aspirant's father wanted his son to "work for the society and for the people residing in every stratum of the society". After completing his BCom from IIPS Indore, Pradeep went to Delhi for UPSC preparations. The final ranks were announced on Friday. A total number of 759 candidates were recommended for appointment in Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, and Central Services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The soldiers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were the first to cast their vote for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday as Service Voters. The first round of service voting by secret postal ballot began at 10 am on Friday at ITBP's Animal Training School (ATS) located at Lohitpur in Arunachal Pradesh. The first vote of the country was cast by DIG Sudhakar Natarajan, head of ATS ITBP. Apart from the ATS unit of nearly 30 soldiers, other ITBP units deployed in the state also cast their votes through postal ballot. Nearly 5,000 personnel from the security forces voted, out of which close to 1,000 were from ITBP alone. Ballot papers have been despatched to Uttrakhand, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and many other places for the service personnel to vote. This year, the Election Commission has taken several steps to add more service voters in the election process. Awareness campaigns through electronic, social, print and other media were given due attention. This would probably be for the first time that a large number of service voters count is expected. Service voter belonging to defence and paramilitary forces have the option of either voting through postal ballot or through a proxy voter duly appointed by him/her. There are roughly 30 lakh service voters including defence and paramilitary forces who (in many cases with families at family stations) will cast their votes through service voter facility. The voting for general people to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha begins from April 11 and will continue till May 12 in seven phases. Counting for all seats will be on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his remark on the party. The IUML complained against Adityanath's tweet in which he called the political party a "virus" and Congress "infected" with it. The UP Chief Minister tweeted, "Muslim League is a virus. If somebody is infected with the virus he cannot be saved and today the principal Opposition party Congress is infected with it. Just think if they win then what will happen? The virus will spread across the nation." In a subsequent tweet, Adityanath said: "In the 1857 war of independence, the whole nation stood with Mangal Pandey and fought the British, then this Muslim League virus came and spread in such a manner that the nation was partitioned. Again the same fear is hovering, the green flags are again waving. The Congress is infested with Muslim League virus. Beware!" ECI has already issued a censure on Adityanath over his 'Modi ki Sena' remark. The poll body advised Adityanath to be more careful in the future as a "senior political leader". While addressing a public rally in Ghaziabad on April 1, 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 the previous Congress government. "Things which were impossible for SP-BSP, are now possible; it is possible since Modi is here. Congress used to feed biryani to terrorists but Modi ji ki sena (Prime Minister Narendra Modi's army) gives them only golis and golas (bullets and bombs). This is the difference," the Chief Minister had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A large number of protesters took to streets here earlier this week, after law enforcement agencies arrested some youth for raising their voice against the administration after a local died allegedly due to the negligence of doctors and the absence of an adequate healthcare system in the region. People raised anti-government slogans and sought an immediate release of arrested youth. Local leaders demanded the administration to expeditiously deliver justice, "warning" the authorities with consequences if it continued with "oppressive measures." "If you want to shoot somebody, shoot us. I want to say this to Superintendent of Police and DC to immediately quash this FIR against the boys and release them. They have just asked for a hospital, nothing more," a protester said. "This type of injustice will not be given any space in Palandari. They won't able to suppress youth the way they want to. They will come out and the establishment and the local administration of Palandari will be responsible for damages occurring due to this," they added. Locals have claimed that the hospitals and dispensaries in the region are of negligible benefit to them since doctors are rarely available and those who are there are very few in number. People are seen swarming and choking the outpatient clinics and emergency rooms where specialist doctors are spare and treatment options limited, the protesters said during the agitation. They also highlighted that successive governments in the region have traded the blame for the "appalling" healthcare situation. "We are not some animals. We are humans. You all get treatment Islamabad and other parts of the People are being meted out with atrocities and injustice. They don't do our ultrasound citing power failures. We don't get the results of our tests. How are we going to receive treatment if there is no proper diagnosis?" another protester said, voicing their disappointment with local administration. "Seven incidents similar to yesterday's have happened in the past. We condemn that people are being mistreated instead of receiving treatment. Be dutiful. Do your work. If the working strength of doctors is 22 then all should be available," the protester further stated. The people have earlier asked for an expansion to the doctor's team in the region, but their pleas seem to have been falling on deaf ears. With no relief in sight for the people who are bearing the brunt of this acute situation, the region can be called one of the least healthcare equipped places. Due to no meaningful response by the government, the people have grown disillusioned, the protesters outlined. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government for stopping the aid under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) for the farmers while accusing the party of encouraging middleman in the scheme. "Rs 75,000 crore would be provided to 35 lakh farmers' families under PM-KISAN scheme. They have a problem since the money is being directly transferred. They have not provided the full list of farmers which is why only a few people got the first instalment of money," the Prime Minister said while addressing an election rally here. Under PM-KISAN scheme, an amount of Rs 2,000 each in three instalments will be transferred directly to the bank account of beneficiaries through the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme. More than 12 crore farmers are expected to get the benefits of this scheme. "They are afraid because through direct benefit transfer their agents will not able to make money. We are a supporter of DBT, they too support it. For us, DBT means direct benefit transfer. For Congress, it is direct bicholiya (middleman) transfer," Modi said. Modi also charged the Congress government in the state of doing false promises over farm loan waiver. "Their intentions are not good that is why they made false promises on farmers' loan waiver. Has all farmers' loans been waived in the state? Has Congress fulfilled its promises to youth? In every election, Congress releases manifesto to confuse people. This has been their politics," he said. The Prime Minister reiterated his poll rhetoric and drew a line between a helpless government with a strong government at the Centre. "Congress and its allies are fighting elections to create a 'Mazboor Sarkar' (helpless government) and we are doing it to form a 'Mazboot Sarkar'. Do you need a chowkidar or a barat of corrupts?" "When there is a strong government, the country does not keep mum on terrorist attacks and hit back at them by entering their territory. Surgical strike and air strike also happen." Modi also criticised the Congress party for reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), if voted to power. "Our jawans are fighting naxals and guarding the borders. They have a special 'Raksha kavach' (security guard). Congress has promised in 'dakosla patra' (hypocrisy document) to remove the Raksha kavach," he said. "You are trying to make our security forces unarmed. Why don't you come out of this 'Surakha kavach' (security cover)? Should anti-nationals get help or those who save the country?" Modi added. Taking a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi on contesting from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, Modi said: "Naamdar (Rahul Gandhi) who had considered a seat as his legacy, he also escaped from there. Abhi toh chunav ka rang jama hi hai (election mood is just setting in) and he is running away from the seat. This situation arose since his intentions are not good." Chhattisgarh will witness polls in its 11 Lok Sabha seats in the first three phases of General elections, starting April 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It needs to come out how the charge sheet was leaked, said a Special CBI court here on Saturday while hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking issuance of notice to a TV channel for leaking the document before cognisance of the matter was taken. "It needs to come out how the charge sheet was leaked," said Special Judge Arvind Kumar while directing the agency to submit a report on the leaking of the document and posting the matter for hearing on April 11. Over the ED's request for issuing a notice, the judge said that it will consider the move after considering the reply filed by the agency. It will file the reply in a sealed cover. The agency requested the court seeking issuance of a notice to the TV channel for accessing the charge sheet before cognizance. ED also sought inquiry into the leaking of charge sheet matter. It is to be noted that both ED and the alleged middlemen in the AgustaWestland deal Christian Michel have backed for issuing notice to the channel. On Friday, Michel's counsel Advocate Aljo K Joseph told the court that a copy of the charge sheet was provided to media before it was provided to Christian Michel. He also pleaded that he had not named anyone during the probe. Michel through his counsel Joseph raised questions on how the charge sheet was leaked to the media even before the consideration and the cognisance of the same could be taken. "Since 6 pm yesterday live debates have been going on," Joseph told the court. On Thursday ED claimed that it 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 DP Singh told Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Investigation Agency on Saturday arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative over his involvement in the 2017 terror attack on a CRPF camp in Lethpora in South Kashmir, officials said. The accused identified as Syed Hilal Andrabi , an over ground worker of the JeM and is allegedly a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF group centre before the attack was carried out. During the investigation, the trio which carried out the terror attack in 2017 was identified as Fardeen Ahmad Khandey, Manzoor Baba both residents of Pulwama district and a Pakistani terrorist Abdul Shakoor. "All three terrorists were killed in the encounter. In this attack, 5 CRPF personnel were martyred and three were grievously injured," a statement from the NIA read. "After his arrest from Jammu, accused Syed Hilal Andrabi was produced before the competent court and his five days' police custody has been obtained for unearthing the larger conspiracy behind this attack," the statement said. The terrorist attack on the CRPF group centre occurred on December 31, 2017 by by three terrorists of proscribed terrorist of JeM. Further investigation in the matter is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to micro-blogging site Twitter on Saturday to greet the people on the auspicious day of Ugadi, a festival that marks the New Year for the people of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. "I pray that this auspicious occasion leads to the fulfilment of all your aspirations. May everyone be blessed with happiness and best health," said PM Modi in a tweet. In Hyderabad, people welcomed the Telugu New Year by decking up their houses and temples with mango leaves and flowers. As a part of the celebration, people devour Ugadi Pachadi (Ugadi Pickle), made of raw mango, neem flowers, pepper, jaggery, salt and tamarind juice, which signifies that the life as a mixture of happiness, anger, disgust, sadness, fear and surprise. "As per Telugu panchangam [calendar], today is the first day of the Telugu year named "Vikari". On this day, Telugu Devotees around the world visit temples and consumes Ugadi pachadi," Grish Kulkarji, a priest of a temple in Hyderabad told ANI. "Ugadi is New Year for Telugu people and every year we visit the temple to pray before Lord Balaji," said Swetha Kunal, a devotee. (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 Saturday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the prime minister's leadership made China, for the first time, to retreat from Doklam in Bhutan. Speaking at an election rally here, Adityanath said, " China tried to forcefully enter India's borders & threaten our security in Doklam, govt under the leadership of Modi ji displayed strong will power & our soldiers gave China a befitting reply. For the first time, China was forced to retreat." In a bid to woo voters of North-East, Adityanath said that only NDA government has ensured equal participation of eight sisters state. He said: "BJP five year back said that 'sabka sath sabka vikas'. We came to Assam also, asked people to choose us. So that sabka sath, sath vikas could be ensured. We do what we said, BJP has performed in the last five years. We have ensured development, security and harmony in the country and in the region." "Nobody has taken care of this region as PM Modi did. Earlier no minister used to visit. Now, Prime Minister Modi asked them to make a visit every 15 days to the field to ensure work." Attacking the Congress party for leaving the entire North East region in entire "mess", Adityanath said, " Only PM Modi has brought change and that's why people have elected us. They will do it again also." Voting for 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state will be held in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23. 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.) US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Friday said that the attempt by a Chinese citizen to enter the private Mar-a-Lago resort without authorisation is an example of the "threat that China poses" to the United States. "I think this tells the American people the threat that China poses, the efforts they're making inside the United States, not only against government officials but more broadly," CNN quoted Trump as saying on a CBS morning show. A Chinese woman named Yujing Zhang was arrested after she tried to enter the resort last week. The resort was purchased by US President Donald Trump in the 1980s. She was carrying a thumb drive with malicious malware, two Chinese passports, four cell phones, a laptop and a hard drive when arrested from the private club. She reportedly made her way past a security checkpoint at the club shortly after noon last Saturday and told security officials she was there to go to the swimming pool. "Zhang additionally did not give a definitive answer when asked if she was there to meet with anyone. Due to a potential language barrier issue, Mar-a-Lago believed her to be the relative of member Zhang and allowed her access onto the property," a court document quoted by The Washington Post said. Trump, responding to the incident, said that he was not concerned at all, praising the receptionist at the resort for swiftly alerting Secret Service agents once the Chinese national started behaving suspiciously. "The result is they were able to get her, and she is now suffering the consequences," the US President added. The FBI is looking at the possibility of espionage. Pompeo, meanwhile, has said that the incident was discussed during the trade talks between US and China. "It's one of the topics that's being discussed in these trade negotiations. The theft of American intellectual property is big business, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, and President Trump is determined to push back against it," the US Secretary of State added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], Apr 6 (ANI): Congress party's General Secretary for UP East, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will be amongst the star campaigners for Lok Sabha elections. As per the Star Campaigners list submitted by the Congress Party to the Election Commission, Priyanka's name has been included along with party president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh among others. "A request on behalf of the Chhattisgarh Unit has been sent to AICC headquarters, for a road show of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Durg and adjoining areas of Chhattisgarh. The program is currently under consideration, the party's Chhattisgarh in-charge PL Punia told ANI, "We have requested the party for a road show of Priyanka Gandhi in Dehradun and Rudrapur on Sunday. If her office okays the program, then it will be her first election campaign outside Uttar Pradesh," said a senior Congress leader from Uttarakhand. This is the first election in which Priyanka is campaigning as a general secretary of the party. Although, she has been canvassing in elections since 1999 but kept herself restricted herself Raebareli and Amethi, the constituencies of her mother and brother respectively. According to a senior leader and her close aide, Priyanka will campaign wherever Congress president asks her to. Her office is working on the proposals sent by the party's state units. During her recent tours in Uttar Pradesh, she went on Ganga Yatra from Prayagraj to Varanasi, where she met party workers as well as locals. She hit out at the state and central governments during her rallies and interactions. She is expected to jointly address three rallies with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Western Uttar Pradesh's Kairana, Bijnor and Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituencies on April 8. Seven-phase elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and go on till May 19. Counting of votes will be held on May 23. There are 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Uttar Pradesh, polling for which will be held in all seven phases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government of making policies to favour the "big corporate companies" of the country. Addressing a People's Agenda Programme endorsed by more than 200 organisations here, Sonia said: "The incumbent government makes policies which suit big corporate companies. We should revolt against it. In the past few years, the government has crushed the very soul of the nation." She added, "When the UPA was in power, under the leadership of Manmohan Singh, the government and civil society worked together," she added. Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Gandhi said: "Regressive forces have systematically dismantled our institutions. The current government has undermined the welfare architecture that was laid down over the last 65 years." She also accused the BJP-led NDA government of not enduring anyone who revolts against it. "BJP government turns its face when people are attacked. They are not ready to maintain law and order situation in the country," she added. She emphasised that Congress, if voted to power, will fulfil every promise it has made. Urging people to vote for the Congress, Sonia said: "I request the people of the country to elect the government who is responsible and cares about the security and dignity of the people. We will not let anyone take away these rights from you". Lok Sabha elections will start on April 11 and will go on till May 19. Results will be announced on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) hit out at special counsel Robert Mueller over his report on alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election, terming it a "made-up fraud". In a series of tweets, Trump reiterated that he did not read the report while asserting that he has "every right to do so". He once again denied any collusion and termed the move by the Democrats a "total waste of time". "I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so. Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion. Likewise, recommendations made to our great A.G. who found No Obstruction. 13 Angry Trump hating Dems (later brought to 18) given two years and $30 million, and they found No Collusion, No Obstruction. But the Democrats, no matter what we give them, will NEVER be satisfied. A total waste of time," he wrote on the micro-blogging site. In a veiled jibe at Mueller, Trump said that such a thing should not happen with other US Presidents in the future. "So, let's get this straight! There was No Collusion and in fact the Phony Dossier was a Con Job that was paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC. So the 13 Angry Democrats were investigating an event that never happened and that was in fact a made up Fraud. I just fought back against something I knew never existed, Collusion with Russia (so ridiculous!) - No Obstruction. This Russia Hoax must never happen to another President, and Law Enforcement must find out, HOW DID IT START?" read another tweet by the US President. Trump has been a vocal critic of Mueller's investigation into possible links between the Russian government and his campaign and repeatedly called it a "witch hunt" and "unnecessary". On March 24, Attorney General William Barr submitted his principal conclusions from Mueller's 22-month long investigation into alleged Russia interference in the 2016 elections to the US Congress. While Mueller stated that Trump and his associates did not conspire with Russians, he has not completely exonerated the US President. The special counsel did not "make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" in his report, according to Barr. While Trump and top Republican leaders welcomed Barr's summary of the Mueller report, several Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have alleged discrepancies and called for transparency. In the Mueller inquiry, 500 witnesses were interviewed and more than 3,500 subpoenas and warrants were obtained of various types. As many as 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence were also made as part of the massive investigation. While there are no further indictments, the probe saw charges being filed against 37 defendants, seven guilty pleas and one conviction. Meanwhile, Barr had said that process to release further information from Mueller's report began at the Department of Justice. He also added that Mueller would be involved in the scrubbing of the report for releasing it to the public. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump on Friday visited Calexico in southern California to inspect a section of the new wall that is being built on the US' southern border with Mexico. "If you want to climb that, it's pretty sharp up on top, too. If you want to climb that then you deserve whatever you can get, but it's very, very hard. It's meant anti-climb. It's called anti-climb, so it's a great wall and ... I think it looks fantastic -- very see-through, so you're able to see the other side, which is a very important element," CNN quoted Trump as saying during his visit along with law enforcement and immigration officials near the border. While addressing a roundtable meeting on border security here, the US President noted that the immigration system in his country is "full", regardless of whether the individuals seeking to come into the US are seeking asylum or not. "The system is full. We can't take you anymore. Whether it's asylum. Whether it's anything you want. It's illegal immigration," Trump said. "Can't take you anymore. Can't take you. Our country is full... Can't take you anymore, I'm sorry. So turn around. That's the way it is," he added. The President further said that "close to 400 miles" of border wall will be completed within the next two years. The President said that his administration has made progress in its push to dub the border situation as "an absolute emergency." "I see some of our biggest opponents over the last two days have said it really is an emergency, they can't believe what's happening. Part of it is because of the fact that the country is doing so well. Part of it is a scam. People want to come in. They shouldn't be coming in. They shouldn't be coming in," he said. Trump on Thursday threatened to impose tariffs on automobiles made in Mexico and close the southern US border if the country did not stop "massive amounts of drugs" coming into the US within one year. Last week, the Pentagon notified the US Congress that it had transferred USD one billion to begin new wall construction at the US-Mexico border at the behest of the US President. The border wall is one of the long-standing promises that the US President had made during his 2016 presidential campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kanishak Kataria, Akshat Jain, and Junaid Ahmad, the top rankers of this year's Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, expressed gratitude to their respective families while confessing that they were taken aback by their achievements. Speaking to ANI, Kanishak, who hails from Rajasthan, said, "It is a very surprising moment. I never expected to get the first rank. I thank my parents, sister and my girlfriend for the help and moral support. People will expect me to be a good administrator and that's exactly my intention." Akshat, who also hails from Rajasthan, said, "I want to give credit for this achievement to God, my family, and my friends, for always supporting me. I had to study a lot, but it doesn't mean that I was working like a machine. I used to take breaks and go out with my friends." Junaid, a native of Madhya Pradesh, said, "I had a few books suggested by seniors that helped in creating a base. But internet helps you a lot, everything is available online. Productive use of internet helped me. I expected to be in the list but never expected the third rank." Among the women candidates who appeared for the examination, Srushti Jayant Deshmukh topped the charts while securing the fifth rank overall. The final ranks were announced based on the results of the written part of Civil Services Examination, 2018 held by the UPSC in September-October, 2018 and the interviews for Personality Test held in February-March, 2019. A total number of 759 candidates were recommended for appointment in Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, and Central Services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States is expected to label the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation by next week, a government official said. CNN reported that the decision is a part of the White House's increasingly aggressive strategy towards Iran. The decision that was formally under the State Department's purview earlier marks the first time when Washington has designated any foreign country's military as terrorists. Meanwhile, neither the White House National Security Council nor the State Department made any comments in this matter. US Defense officials further told CNN that US troops in Syria and Iraq often operate in close collaboration with the members of the IRGC. Last year, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats had warned Washington that such a decision could pose dangers to the US forces. "Under the cover of the Syrian war, the IRGC is now trying to plant military roots in Syria and establish a new strategic base to threaten Syria's neighbours such as Israel," Brian Hook, the State Department's special representative for Iran, told the media on Tuesday. "In Iraq, I can announce today, based on declassified US military reports, that Iran is responsible for the deaths of at least 608 American service members. This accounts for 17 per cent of all deaths of US personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2011. This death toll is in addition to the many thousands of Iraqis killed by the IRGC's proxies," Hook was quoted as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Conference chairman Farooq Abdullah on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of lying to the nation. At a public meeting in Srinagar, Abdullah said that the American government has refuted claims of Indian Army bringing down a Pakistani F-16 jet. "He first promised 15 lakh rupees in every Indians bank account, that never happened. For a few seconds, he sent some jets in Pakistan's Balakot to drop some bombs and then said 300 people died. Some said 500 had died, some 700. Even if one man dies everybody hears about it, so how is it possible that 300 men died without any news," Abdullah said. He then went on to add, "They then claimed that they had brought down one Pakistani F-16, just today the American government has refuted that claim stating that all Pakistani F-16 jets are intact. Not one has been shot down. There is some basis to even a lie. Why do you lie Modi ji? Did you defeat Pakistan? Did Pak stop existing? Why do you lie Modiji? Whichever government comes to power in the centre, I pray this one doesn't come back." In a twist to the claims made by India of shooting down US-made Pakistani F-16, the Foreign Policy magazine in an article said that America has not found any planes supplied to Pakistan missing from the inventory. Foreign Policy's Lara Seligman claimed that United States officials have told her that all of Pakistan's F-16 jets are accounted for and none of them is missing, following a recent check by US personnel after the February incident with India. This is in direct contradiction to India's claim that IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 with his MiG-21 Bison before his plane was downed. Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani forces and later released as a peace gesture, according to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 243 candidates are in the fray in Kerala's 20 Lok Sabha constituencies, with Wayanad, from where Congress President Rahul Gandhi is contesting too, topping the list with 22. In all, 303 candidates had filed their nominations but 60 were rejected during scrutiny. The final list was released on Saturday after candidature of solar scam accused Saritha Nair, who had filed her nominations from the Wayanad and Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituencies, was rejected as she failed to submit certain documents required to be produced before 10.30 a.m. Wayanad has a record 22 candidates in the fray while Kottayam and Alathur (SC) have the least at seven each. Attingal has the second highest number of candidates (21), followed by Thiruvananthapuram (17). Polling in all seats will be held in the third phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on April 23. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the Congress-led United Democratic Front had 12 seats and the ruling Left Democratic Front the remaining eight. --IANS sg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Air Force has identified the six military bases that could house the military's newest combatant command, Space Command, according to a defence memo. Four of the proposed locations are located in Colorado -- Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Peterson Air Force Base Schriever Air Force Base, CNN quoted the memo as saying on Friday. The other two locations are in Alabama -- Army's Redstone Arsenal -- and California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. The memo, which has been approved by Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, also said that "the projected manpower" for the US Space Command is 1,450 personnel -- 390 military officers, 183 enlisted personnel, 827 civilians and 50 contractors. About 350 of those personnel will be drawn from the existing Joint Force Space Component Command, which is currently part of US Strategic Command. Last month, President Donald Trump nominated Air Force Gen. John Raymond, who currently leads Air Force Space Command, to head the new Space Command. The Air Force's analysis used a set of criteria to determine where the command was to be housed, which included cost, co-location with an existing military organisation that will become a component of the future Space Command, access to a C-17 aircraft capable airfield, communications connectivity, administrative buildings and available base support. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While bananas and blueberries have been commonly used in porridge, a new study suggests that adding chokeberries, called 'the healthiest fruit in the world', can help boost health. High in antioxidants, chokeberries -- native to North America and also known as aronia berries -- are not damaged when mixed with porridge unlike some other fruits, the Daily Mail reported. "The results demonstrate that porridge enriched with chokeberry fruit have a potential for becoming a good source of natural antioxidants," said lead author Anna Oniszczuk from the Medical University of Lublin in Poland. For the study, the team made porridge with varying contents of chokeberry, with the highest one containing 20 per cent fruit. The findings, published in De Gruyter's journal, revealed that the nutritional properties of the porridge did not degrade during the production process, despite the high temperatures used. This makes it appealing because the antioxidant capacity of some fruits can be significantly diminished by heat or oxidation during processing. In addition, increasing the chokeberry fruit content made the breakfast bowl higher in antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids and free phenolic acids, the study said. "Due to the high levels of antioxidants in the berry and its resistance to high temperatures during processing, the research highlights how important the berry could be for the production of functional foods such as porridge," Oniszczuk said. Besides their high concentration of antioxidants, chokeberries are full of vitamins, such as vitamin C and flavonoids. Chokeberries are also believed to have anti-ageing properties, good for the heart and can even work as an aphrodisiac. --IANS pb/rt/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy said on Saturday that there was no possibility of debris from the anti-satellite (ASAT) test conducted by India on March 27 hitting the International Space Station (ISS). He said there were chances of some debris going up but since 10 days have passed since the launch, there was no possibility of it posing any threat to the ISS. The risk analysis simulation based on an internationally accepted software also showed that there was no threat to the space station. The DRDO chief said that all the debris should be dissolved within 45 days. Responding to the observations made by NASA Administrstor Jim Bridenstine about the possible threat to the International Space Station, Reddy said when India conducted the test, the space station was over French Guyana. Bridenstine had said that the ASAT test by India had created 69 pieces of orbital debris posing risk to the International Space Station. On March 27, India shot down one of its satellites in space with an ASAT missile, which made it only the fourth country after the US, the USSR and China to have used such a weapon. --IANS gd/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Biocon's global contract research arm Syngene International has opened a centre for advanced protein studies here as part of the national biopharma mission, the leading biotech firm said on Saturday. "The centre has been set up with the biotechnology industry research assistance council at our campus, where a good laboratory practice (GLP) accredited analytical laboratory will be hosted," Biocon said in a statement here. Noting regulatory approval of biological molecules involves advanced analytics, including assessment of physio-chemical characteristics, efficacy, immunogenicity (antidrug antibody), contamination and strength in a GLP-compliant facility, it said that the centre will help address the challenge of getting certified facilities at affordable costs by start-ups, small, micro and medium enterprises and academia across the country. The 2,000 square feet centre will run under the 'Innovate in India' programme of the National Biopharma Mission and the Department of Biotechnology. "India has scientific and entrepreneurial talent to emerge as the next research and development (R&D) hub for the global biotechnology industry. The centre provides the ecosystem for the talent to pursue their research objectives," Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said in the statement. Apart from providing infrastructure support at affordable cost, the centre will focus on advancing technical skill development to global standards, by conducting training and workshops involving eminent subject experts. "As the country's largest scientific services provider, the collaboration will help us play active role in the development of the biotechnology industry and as well as nurture the innovative spirit within the industry," Syngene Chief Executive Jonathan Hunt said in the statement. --IANS fb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday accused India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "whipping up war hysteria" and cited a US report to dismiss its claims of downing an F-16 fighter of the Pakistan Air Force. "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," he said in a tweet. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reiterated that it shot down a PAF F-16 on February 27 as it thwarted a retaliatory attempt from the neighbouring country after hitting a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot the previous day. The issue came back to the fore after American magazine Foreign Policy reported US officials as maintaining that a count of the F-16s with Pakistan has found that none was missing. The IAF said that its MiG 21 Bison shot down a Pakistani F-16 aircraft in Nowshera sector, but Pakistan has denied that it had deployed F-16 fighter jets on February 27 and said it had used the JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft. The Indian Air Force had conducted the Balakot strikes after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir. --IANS mag/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is keeping everyone guessing with his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also by forgiving the Congress. With just four days left for simultaneous elections for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Jagan told a television channel that he has forgiven the Congress. "I believe in God. I pray to God. I read the Bible every day. Vengeance is not for me. I am forgiving and I have forgiven," he told the channel. The YSRCP chief also lauded Modi for showing a stronger will than any other prime minister. He, however, said Modi may have done far better in the rest of the country, but in Andhra Pradesh he is portrayed as someone who betrayed the state by not giving it special category status. Jagan, who foresees a hung Parliament, has been saying that he will back any party or parties wanting to form the government provided they promise to confer special status to the state. The Congress party has already announced that if voted to power at the Centre, it would grant the special status to Andhra Pradesh. By "forgiving" the Congress, the YSRCP chief apparently wants to keep his options open. His remarks also assume significance as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, with whom he is locked in bitter power battle, had been working with the Congress since last year to cobble up an anti-BJP front at the national level. The TDP also had a poll alliance with the Congress in sthe Telangana Assembly elections held in December 2018 but after it came a cropper, the Congress decided to go alone in the Andhra elections. The national party, however, has considerably weakened with many top leaders crossing over to YSRCP and TDP over last five years. This is not the first time Jagan has praised Modi. At an election rally a couple of days ago, the Leader of Opposition had said the credit for bringing Kia Motors plant to Andhra Pradesh goes to Modi. However, Jagan's praise for Modi may not go well with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which, along with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), is working to form the Federal Front as an alternative to both the BJP and the Congress. At the two election meetings Modi addressed in Telangana, he launched a bitter attack on KCR over various issues and the latter also hit back hard at him. In January, TRS working president K. T. Rama Rao had met Jagan to invite him to join the Federal Front proposed by his father and TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao. Jagan agreed to work together with the TRS. TRS has been predicting that Jagan's party will not only sweep the Assembly polls but will win 20-22 Lok Sabha seats. Jagan told an election rally last week that he is working with the TRS as it has assured him of its support for the special category status demand. The YSRCP leader's remarks about Modi and TRS have provided further ammunition to ruling TDP, which has been accusing him of being hand-in-glove with Narendra Modi and TRS to work against the state's interests. TDP leaders point out that both Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, at their election rallies, targeted the TDP but avoided attacking Jagan. Jagan, a businessman-politician, had revolted against the Congress after it rejected his claim for the Chief Minister's post following the death of his father and then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in 2009. He later quit the Congress floated the YSRCP, which has now become a key force in the state and a strong contender for power in next week's elections. Jagan also spent 16 months in jail in quid-pro-quo cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The cases relate to the investments received by his businesses from various firms and individuals in return for the land and other favours they received from his father's government during 2004-2009. However, after his release from the jail in September 2013, Jagan strengthened the party. In the 2014 elections, YSRCP bagged 67 seats in 175-member Assembly but the votes it polled were a mere 1.6 per cent less than the TDP-BJP combine. The YSRCP also won eight Lok Sabha seats. The elections saw the Congress party drawing a blank in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha as people vent their anger against the party for the bifurcation of the state. (Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in) --IANS ms/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A couple was injured on Saturday in Pakistani firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, police said. Sanjeev Kumar and his wife, Rita Kumari were injured in the firing in Kalal area of Nowshera sector at around 2 a.m.. "The couple has been shifted to a hospital for treatment. The incident occurred as the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked shelling of mortars and firing with small arms to target Indian positions and civilian facilities," the police said. Firing exchanges have been taking place between the two armies on almost a daily basis on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts during the last fortnight. --IANS sq/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Saturday issued summons to a partner and two firms of British national Christian Michel, the middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case. After taking cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)chargesheet, Special Judge Arvind Kumar asked Michel's partner David Syms and authorised representative of his two firms Global Services FZE, UAE, and Global Trade and Commerce Ltd, to appear before it on May 9. The court also listed Michel's plea seeking a "free and fair" trial as the fresh supplementary chargesheet filed in the case was accessed by some media outlets for further hearing on April 12. The ED on Thursday filed the fresh supplementary chargesheet in the case. It said the bribe from AgustaWestland was routed through Global Services and Global Trading. Michel had used the companies as a conduit for receiving money. He was extradited to India on December 4, 2018, from the United Arab Emirates. --IANS akk/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted party members on BJP's Foundation Day, saying the party stands tall due to it's democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah remembered all the leaders, who dedicated their entire lives for the party that was established in 1980. Greeting party workers, Modi tweeted: "39 years ago on this day, BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our karyakartas (workers), BJP has become India's preferred party." The saffron party has always remained connected to the ground, and at the forefront when it came to helping fellow Indians, he added. "The BJP stands tall due to it's democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India. "I am confident that the entire family of BJP karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. "In the last five years lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added. Shah, on the other hand, said that the BJP is an organisation having uncounted people without any family. "They consider the party as their family... The journey of party's progress and political splendour has been possible because of the dedication of these members," Shah tweeted in Hindi. He also urged the party workers to toil tirelessly to create a new India under Modi's leadership. --IANS nks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senator Kamala Harris is leading the pack of younger aspirants for the Democratic Party's nomination in next year's presidential election, behind the two tired politicians in their 70s who are first out of the starting gate in a race that has brought ideological fissures to the fore. For now, the ghost of 76-year-old former Vice President Joe Biden's unannounced, but presumptive, candidacy with 28.8 per cent support looms over the race denying it a definitive delineation because of the uncertainty - and the recent allegations of his impropriety with women. Bernie Sanders, 78, the self-described socialist who undercut Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, is the other front-runner with 21.8 per cent support according to the polls aggregator RealClear The two men have the most face recognition with their decades-long exposure to national politics, but its an open question how viable are their candidacies over time in the race for party nomination - and then the contest against incumbent Donald Trump, 72, or, if there is a political cataclysm, another the Republican contender. The 14 or so other candidates in an ever-expanding field are a picture of America's ideological and racial and other identity diversities, with Harris, 54, leading them with 9.8 per cent support. The charismatic Beto O'Rourke, 46, who lost the Senate election last year in Texas, is at his heels with 9.2 percent support. Looking at fundraising, another measure of popularity, Sanders is ahead with $18.2 million raised in this year's first quarter; Harris follows with $12 million and O'Rourke with $9.4 million. Although Pete Buttigieg, 37, a gay mayor in an Indiana city, is at a distant seventh place with only 2.3 per cent support, he raised $7 million empowering him to shake-up the race. Since he is not officially a candidate, Biden hasn't built campaign coffers. Both the popularity in opinion polls and the number of campaign contributors will count towards determining who gets to participate in the party debates that start in June and give the candidates and their platforms national exposure. The course of the Democratic race hinges on Biden, who has let slip he will run, but hasn't formally declared. If he drops out, the centrist and centre-left candidates will be vying for his supporters, and if he does decide to run, there will be a free-for-all attempt to topple him, while Sanders holds on to his support and, possibly, adds to it. The Democratic contest plays out against two factors that are defining the 2020 presidential race: The outsize personality of Trump, and ideology, both his and its articulation within the Democratic party. Trump's abrasive persona may rally many voters to the Democratic Party as it did last year costing the Republicans their majority in the House of Representatives, but retaining them in 2020 will require a more inclusive platform, but that also runs the risk of alienating the assertive left within the Democratic Party as it had in 2016. The competition is turning into a cauldron of ideological and personal conflicts where the candidates will fight it out going into the primaries and caucuses when the party members will select the nominee starting in February next year. Biden is the pragmatic centrist and Sanders the leftist, with Harris in the middle and others arranging themselves within that spectrum. In the personal battles, Biden is the first to suffer a seriously attack after he was hit with allegations in the #MeToo age of acting improperly with women. The first to make the charge was a Sanders supporter, Lucy Flores, who said that Biden had kissed the back of her head at a 2014 party event. Other women followed with similar allegations, although many in the party have tried to brush them off as innocent, if discomfiting, touchy-feely shows of affection. He also has his establishment image to contend with having contested his first election 50 years ago. This may seem reassuring after Trump to some voters, especially at the centre, but to others not inspiring enough for future challenges. Trump gleefully tweeted about the Sanders connection to Flores' attack on Biden: "The socialists are really taking care of him." And the Republicans will be counting on the Democratic candidates to weaken each other. Sanders' populism is a draw for the young and the left-progressives, but a turn-off for most in the broad centre of the political spectrum, as it was in 2016, where he put up a good show but not powerful enough to even get his party nomination. Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, draws advantage from being a woman after the defeat of Clinton and the rise of feminist consciousness that followed. Many Democrats feel it should be another woman candidate, especially with the perception of Trump demeaning women. As a woman of colour, she is also seen as the anti-dote to assertions of white identity in Trump's base. But her past as a tough prosecutor in California is coming to haunt her. Her critics have dug up her prosecutions or those under her as Attorney General and the policies she advocated to claim that she harmed the poor and people of colour. She is married to a white man, a negative to people on either extremes of the racial divide, but a rainbow of reassurance to others. Despite his seeming charisma and charm, O'Rourke has to overcome the fact the that he could not even win the state-wide Texas Senate election, beside the view of some that he and Buttigieg are well-off white dilettantes. Within the party, the voluble left made headway in the mid-term elections gaining support from the youth, the millennials in their 20s and 30s. The candidates' campaigns will skew during the primaries to this group, a risk for the final presidential election. The Democratic Party has has thrown up a wide range of ideologically-driven policy options and on most there is a broad consensus, while differences run deep on the extent of their implementation. At the top is universal healthcare, although differences persist on how to make it available, the cost and role of private insurance. The other items that have come up include education reform and teachers' salaries, reducing college costs, reducing income inequalities, national minimum wage, guaranteed income for all, housing, immigration reform, control of tech giants, reining in Wall Street and big businesses, and criminal justice reforms. Differences run deep on how these are to be translated into practice. On immigration reform, for example, suggestions run from virtually opening the borders and abolishing enforcement to only legalising some categories of illegal immigrants. Free college is an attractive idea, but cost weighs it down. Senator Elizabeth Warren's proposal to break up tech giants may seem extreme to some. Fear of Trump may not be enough to get the winning votes for the ultimate Democratic candidate. By the time the party holds its national convention in July 2020 to anoint the candidate and publish the manifesto, they would have to build a consensus that would enthuse their base while embracing the broad centre. For the first time, the serious declared candidates include a Hindu, Tulsi Gabbard, who is yet to make a dent in the polls. The list of candidates will be winnowed down by this time next year, but most of them approach the contest as an opportunity to build a national profile rather than go to White House. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS al/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "A cat has nine lives, but Deve Gowda has 10!" is an oft-repeated phrase in Karnataka, as the former Prime Minister and ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo battles at the age of 86 to baptise two of his grandsons in the political terra firma. As one of the powerful families in the southern state, belonging to the politically dominant Vokkaliga community, Gowda told the media recently that he was keen on ensuring his two grandsons carry on his family's tradition of serving the people as two of his four sons have been doing over the years, "What's wrong if he wants his grandsons to follow in the footsteps of their fathers and grandfather, as they were born and brought up in a political family? and serving the people is in their DNA," JD-S spokesman Ramesh Babu told IANS here. Refuting suggestions that Gowda was perpetuating dynastic by fielding grandsons Prajwal and Nikhil in the party's bastions Hassan and Mandya Lok Sabha seats in the old Mysuru region, Babu said there was nothing wrong if the progeny took to like coots and ducks take to water. "Why single out Gowda's family when hundreds of families continue in the occupations of their fathers and forefathers, be it agriculture, business, commerce, films, industry, politics or trade? It's common for every generation to carry on the legacy of its previous or past generations," Babu asserted. Polling is on April 18 in both the constituencies, along with 12 others in the state's central and southern regions. Voting in the remaining 14 seats in coastal and northern regions is on April 23. The vote count, like in the rest of the country, will be on May 23. Though the state's late Congress chief minister S. Bangarappa groomed his two sons -Kumar and Madhu into politics as a career, it is the Gowda clan that stands out tall in the state, as the octogenarian's third son H.D. Kumaraswamy is a second time Chief Minister and second son H.D. Revanna is a senior cabinet minister in the 10-month-old JD-S-Congress coalition government since May 2018. Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister for the first time in February 2006 in the state's second coalition government in alliance with the BJP for 20 months till October 2007. Revanna was then the PWD minister, as now. Even Gowda was a PWD minister in Ramakrishna Hegde's Janata Party government from 1983 to 1988. Prajwal is the son of Revanna and Nikhil son of Kumaraswamy. Gowda senior opted to contest from the Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency instead of from Hassan, which he represented for a record six times since 1991, paving way for Prajwal to enter politics in a big way. Nikhil is also an upcoming Kannada film star, having acted in a couple of films, including one in Telugu. Though Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha is a second time legislator from Ramangaram, Revanna's wife Bhavani is politically active, helping her husband in looking after their pocket borough of Hassan. Call it luck or god's grace, Gowda is the only Karnataka politician to become Prime Minister. This happened in June 1996 after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee realised his 13-day BJP government would fail to get a vote of confidence in parliament. Gowda is only the second politician from south India to become Prime Minister after P.V Narasimha Rao from the undivided Andhra Pradesh, who was in office from June 1991 to May 1996. Gowda, however, lasted as Prime Minster for only 10 months (till April 1997) as the Congress, which extended support to the United Front-Left Front (UF-LF) government, withdrew this when Sitaram Kesari was its president. The state's 14th Chief Minister, Gowda's tenure as the head of a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) government lasted from December 1994 to May 1996 as he resigned to become the country's 11th Prime Minster in New Delhi. Gowda returned to state politics after the UD-LF government at the centre, headed by I.K. Gujral, fell in March 1998 when the Congress again withdrew its support, leading to a mid-term general election in January-February, 1998. After Karnataka's JD-U government under J.H. Patel fell in October 1999 following its defeat in the assembly elections, Gowda broke away from the JD-U and formed the JD-S, with a modest presence then. When the 2004 assembly elections threw up a hung house, the Congress formed a coalition government with the JD-S under its Chief Minster N. Dharam Singh, which lasted for only 20 months. Fearing poaching by the Congress and split in the party (JD-S), Kumaraswamy revolted and joined hands with the BJP to form the second coalition government in February 2006 defying Gowda. Betraying the BJP by not extending support to its coalition government and the exit of Siddaramaiah from the party in 2005 cost the JD-S dearly as it went downhill since the 2008 assembly elections, with its influence shrinking to the old Mysuru region. Siddaramaiah had left JD-S in 2005 over differences with Deve Gowda. He was then Deputy Chief Minister in the Congress-led coalition government from June 2004 to February 2006, when Kumaraswamy toppled it. Siddarmaiah joined the Congress in 2006 but became its Chief Minister only in May 2013 when the party returned to power after a decade. A split verdict in the May 2018 assembly elections and a hung house revived the fortunes of the JD-S as a defeated Congress rushed to Gowda to extend unconditional support and promised a 5-year stint as Chief Minister to Kumaraswamy to keep the BJP out of power at any cost. Now, Gowda has said he could not ask for more in life than seeing his grandsons in the Lok Sabha and his son Kumaraswamy completing his 5-year term and keep the JD-S alive and kicking. (Fakir Balaji can be reached at fakir.b@ians.in) --IANS fb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (EC) on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) theme song composed by Asansol MP cannot be played anywhere. "Firstly, the theme song was not pre-certified for which we had informed the Commission. Also, the song is being played in different places so there are instructions for stopping it," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu told reporters. The (BJP) member who had applied for the song's certification has been conveyed the EC's decision. Not seeking prior permission from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) is a violation of the model code of conduct, the official said. Incidentally, West Bengal's ruling had filed a complaint regarding the content of the song. Later, the BJP had submitted the lyrics of the song for permission after which the state Chief Electoral Office asked the party to submit a revised version. Meanwhile, following the EC's order to remove some senior police officers in the state, Chief Minister on Saturday wrote to the poll panel alleging that the decision was "arbitrary, motivated and biased". The EC on Friday removed Commissioner Anuj Sharma, his counterpart in the Bidhannagar Commissionerate Gyanwant Singh and two Superintendents of Police -- Shyam Singh of Birbhum and P.S. Selvamurugan of Diamond Harbour police district. "The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e., the BJP," Banerjee said in the letter. Asked about the Chief Minister's letter, Basu said: "Yes, we have accepted the letter". --IANS bnd/bdc (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 Election Commission's decision to shunt out senior officers ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, can spark a clash with the Trinamool Congress going by the way Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went all guns blazing against the panel after it cracked similar whips during the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state. On both occasions in 2014 and 2016, Banerjee had made the EC's action a poll issue, describing it as an "insult" to the state and to the officers from Bengal. She had attacked the EC at meeting after meeting, even assailing it for "acting at the behest" of the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). There was high drama in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, as Banerjee, then three years into her chief ministerial tenure, refused to carry out the transfer orders. Instead, she got her Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra to write to the EC seeking reconsideration of the names of new appointees. But the EC had stood firm, giving the state government a deadline to comply with the orders. It was only then at the insistence of the Chief Secretary that Banerjee relented, but declared that she would reinstate the removed officers in their previous posts soon after the polls. She kept her word. Interestingly, one of the IPS officers shifted out in 2014 was then Jhargram police Superintendent Bharati Ghosh, who later fell out with Banerjee and is now a BJP candidate from Ghatal constituency. In 2016 again, the EC had slapped transfer orders on a number of IAS and IPS officers, including Banerjee's blue eyed boy -- then city police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Banerjee had again come down heavily on the panel, but unlike in 2014, did not delay implementation of the order. But in an action replay of 2014, she had reinstated all the removed officers in their original posts within 48 hours of the poll results. Some of the officers, who had worked with great zeal during the elections after the EC appointed them to crucial posts, were given less significant postings. A few of them were even sent to compulsory waiting. --IANS ssp/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The major Sanskrit epic of ancient India Mahabharata has inspired yet another theatrical production 'Kiratputra', a play depicting the life of Eklavya that premiered at the Alliance Francaise, here on Saturday. The two-hour play narrates the story of Eklavya, a dedicated disciple who had resolute will to master archery even after being rejected by the Guru Dronacharya, from whom he aspired to learn archery. The play, with dialogues delivered poetically, was directed and written by Navodit Sharma, actor and founder of Navyam Studio Works. "Theatre gives a chance to actors to interact with the live audience. This is what we miss out in films. Theatre is live -- one needs to act and engage with the audience at the same time. I have a strong background of theatre. Whenever I am stuck as an actor, I follow the basic rules of the theatre," the premiere's chief guest and Bollywood actor Nalin Singh told IANS. --IANS sj/rs/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attacking the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said if its leaders are truly patriotic, they would respect country's martyrs -- including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi -- irrespective of their caste, religion or political background. "If BJP leaders, who talk big about patriotism, are true patriots, they would respect martyrs of the country -- whether that martyr is Hindu or Muslim or the father of their political opponent. He is a martyr. You can't be selective in which martyr you respect. If you are true patriots, respect all martyrs including Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi," she said at a street corner meeting here. "If they are truly patriotic, they would not have turned away and shut their doors on farmers when they came to Delhi to tell the government the problems they were facing... If they are truly patriotic, they would have delivered on the promise of creating jobs that they made to you," she added. Calling the upcoming elections crucial for deciding the fate of the country, Vadra told the gathering that she was there to remind them of what true patriotism was all about. "Every election, the BJP brings up the issue of patriotism and there is no talk on issues like development. I am here to remind you what true patriotism is all about," she said. She said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked people to stand in queues to deposit their money in banks calling it a patriotic act that would bring back black money. "Did black money come back? Not even a single paisa... True patriotism is believing in democracy and casting your vote responsibly by choosing those who work for you, and those who deliver on their promises. Political leaders quickly forget who brought them to power. You need to be aware and you need to remind them," Vadra said. Attacking Modi, the Congress General Secretary said that when she went to Varanasi, the Prime Minister's constituency, she was told the government had built a 15-km road from the airport to the city in the name of development. "The Congress had announced that road spanning 150 km, and they built only 15 km from airport to the city so that it is visible to people," she said. She also claimed that people told him that Modi did not visit a single village in the constituency after becoming the Prime Minister. "This is his patriotism that he can visit Africa, US, China, Japan, Pakistan...have biryani and come back. But he can't come to his constituency to ask the well-being of even a single family." Gandhi said unlike Modi's promise of Rs 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account, the Congress would deliver on its Nyay scheme which promises Rs 72,000 annually in bank accounts of the poor. "We waived loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in 10 days after forming government... Congress has proved it can deliver -- be it MGNREGA or farm loan waivers," she said. --IANS vv/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 90 semi-finished pistols, were seized from an illegal arms factory in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, police said on Saturday. The factory has been sealed. The Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar Commissionerate police personnel conducted a joint raid in Rajarhat's Donnagar area and unearthed the arms factory on Thursday. Seven persons were arrested. "Based on the information provided by Munna, one of the arrested persons, one more illegal arms factory was unearthed on Saturday in Rajarhat's Chhoto Ganti village," an STF officer said. He mentioned that 10 more semi-finished 7 mm pistols were recovered along with one lathe, one milling, one grinding and one polishing machine. Five of the seven persons booked under the Arm's Act are residents of Munger in Bihar. --IANS bnd/ssp/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Income Tax (IT) Department and the Election Commission of India (ECI) should disclose the names of all the people from whom unaccounted cash and valuables were seized in Tamil Nadu, said a senior DMK leader. "The ECI has seized over Rs 250 crore worth of cash, valuables in Tamil Nadu. It should declare the names of the people from whom the seizures were made," T.K.S. Elangovan, DMK spokesperson, told IANS. He said the IT Department and the ECI were partial as search operations carried out on the premises of DMK leaders like Duraimurugan are given publicity while remaining silent on other raids. In a recent search operation in Vellore district, the IT Department seized Rs 11.5 crore cash from a cement warehouse belonging to a DMK official. Elangovan said the media is being tipped off in the case of IT searches on DMK officials' premises while no information is available on the search operations carried out on the premises of rival parties. He said the ECI is expected to decide on April 10 whether to hold the Lok Sabha polls for the Vellore seat on April 18 or postpone it. The IT Department has given its report to the ECI on the cash seized from the DMK official in Vellore district. A senior IT official had told IANS that the cash was stacked and numbered division and ward wise for distribution. --IANS vj/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's remarks that he has forgiven the Congress could lead to new alignments after the Lok Sabha elections if there is a hung Parliament and parties now perceived to be friendly to the BJP adopt a different course. With some surveys predicting that National Democratic Alliance would fall short of numbers in forming a government, the post-poll scenario will present interesting possibilities. Much would depend on the stance parties such as the Biju Janata Dal, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the YSR Congress that seek to maintain distance from both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. While these parties are seen as potential backers of a BJP-led government, they have not spelled out their stance and could easily be part of a grouping of regional parties if they can together form a government or be could be a part of a government that has the backing of Congress. Poll surveys have predicted the BJP-led NDA taking a major dent in Uttar Pradesh and getting almost half the 73 seats it won in 2014. The ABP-Nielsen survey released on Thursday said that the alliance of Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is set to get 42 seats in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal are likely to get 36 seats. India TV-CNX pre-poll survey has predicted BJP-led NDA getting 41 seats and SP-BSP-RLD getting 35. Though the BJP is making efforts to make up for possible losses in Uttar Pradesh and Hindi heartland states by giving a lot of thrust to Odisha and West Bengal, the party may not be able to fully compensate its losses. Shiromani Akali Dal, a key NDA partner, is also not seen to be on a strong footing. While the NDA may find it easy to attract regional parties if it reaches around 245 seats, any number below 220 will make the task of getting majority more difficult. Regional players feel that a hung parliament will allow them to exert pressure on the Central government to get their demands filled. The single-largest party or the single-largest pre-poll formation is likely to be invited by the President to form the government. However, after the 1989 general elections, Congress under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had emerged as the single-largest party but had declined to form a government as it had lost over 200 seats. With just four days are left for simultaneous elections for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Jagan, as the leader is popularly known, told a television channel that he has forgiven the Congress, in which he was till 2011. "I believe in God. I pray to God. I read the Bible every day. Vengeance is not for me. I am forgiving and I have forgiven," he said. The YSRCP chief has also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for showing a stronger will than any other Prime Minister. He, however, said Modi may have done far better in the rest of the country, but in Andhra Pradesh he is portrayed as someone who betrayed the state by not giving it special category status. Jagan, who foresees a hung Parliament, has been saying that he will back any party or parties wanting to form the government provided they promise to confer special status to the state. The Congress has already announced that if voted to power at the Centre, it would grant the special status to Andhra Pradesh. By "forgiving" the Congress, the YSRCP chief apparently wants to keep his options open. His remarks also assume significance as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, with whom he is locked in bitter power battle, had been working with the Congress since last year to cobble up an anti-BJP front at the national level. In January, TRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao had met Jagan to invite him to join the Federal Front proposed by his father and TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao and he had agreed. Jagan, a businessman-politician, had revolted against the Congress after it rejected his claim for the Chief Minister's post following the death of his father and then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in 2009. He later quit the Congress and floated the YSRCP, which has now become a key force in the state and a strong contender for power in next week's elections. --IANS ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LG Electronics Inc. has said its first quarter operating profits are expected to drop 18.8 per cent from a year earlier, mainly due to its sluggish smartphone business. In an earnings guidance, the South Korean electronics major said it expects to post 899.6 billion Won ($791.8 million) in operating profits in the January-March period -- above the average market expectation of around 800 billion won. Its sales are expected to be 14.9 trillion Won in the first three months of 2019, sliding 1.4 per cent from a year ago, the firm said. The company did not provide detailed performances for each division, saying it will release its earnings report later in April, Yonhap news agency reported. The operating profit in the preliminary earnings report was up more than 11 times from the previous quarter figure and the company's second-highest quarterly record. Market watchers say the strong demand for home appliances was expected to have improved its profitability, offsetting losses from the sluggish mobile business. In the wake of the worst bout of fine dust in South Korea this year, LG Electronics posted brisk sales of products related to air quality, such as air purifiers, dryers and clothing-care home appliances. Sales from its home appliance rental service have also been on the rise as more people opt for renting gadgets to save money on purchases, installations and maintenance. "The release of new televisions and home appliances are expected to enhance LG Electronics' profitability, but it may be hard for the mobile communication division to make a turnaround in the first quarter," Park Sung-sun, an analyst at BNK Investment and Securities, said. In March, LG released its new flagship smartphone -- the G8 ThinQ -- which drew a lukewarm market response compared with Samsung's Galaxy S10. It plans to release the V50 ThinQ, its first 5G smartphone with a detachable second screen, in South Korea on April 19. Analysts estimated LG posted over 200 billion Won in operating losses from its mobile business in the first quarter, extending losses from a year ago and marking the eighth consecutive quarterly deficit. According to industry tracker Strategy Analytics, LG smartphones' market share fell from 17.4 per cent in 2017 to 14.3 per cent in 2018 in South Korea. Its share in the North American market also fell from 16.9 per cent to 15.9 per cent over the cited period. "It is important to create enough demand to cover the rise in marketing costs when the flagship smartphones go into full-scale sales in the second quarter," Koh Ui-young, an analyst at HI Investment and Securities, said. --IANS ksc/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday exuded confidence that the lotus will bloom in Odisha as he targeted the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress for "territorial discrimination". "The discrimination on the basis of territory that the BJD government is doing in Odisha, the same discrimination the Congress and its allies have done for decades with the entire eastern India," Modi said while addressing an election rally in Sundargarh. "Do you want development or discrimination? If you want development, let the lotus bloom in the state. "This time lotus will bloom in Odisha. I can say with certainty that the maximum number of lotuses will bloom in the state," said Modi. The Prime Minister said the BJD has obstructed development in the state while it has no good intention to see the state prosper. He added that the BJD has obstructed the implementation of financial assistance to farmers, free treatment to the poor under the 'Ayushman Bharat Yojana' and the BJD needs to be punished for that. "The 2019 election is very crucial for Odisha. You have to decide whether you want to vote for a hardworking and honest party or a corrupt one," said Modi. He alleged that both the BJD and Congress were not concerned about the safety of women. The Prime Minister also targeted the Congress for going soft on terror groups. "India now enters the homes of terrorists and kills them. There were governments earlier, but there was no surgical strike and aircraft did not eliminate terrorists' hideouts by crossing the border of other countries.AIt's indicative of strengthening India," said Modi. With the Bharatiya Janata Party commemorating the foundation day, he praised the sacrifices of the party workers to make it the world's largest democratic party. "The BJP was formed out of the sacrifice of 'karyakartas'. Today the BJP flag is fluttering proudly in regions where it was unimaginable at one point in time. BJP is the biggest democratic organisation in the world. It is a party of young India, it is a party of the aspiration of India. "We are now a strong option to the Congress and other parties which were formed from within Congress," he added. He said while several parties are built with money power, the BJP is established by the sweat and blood of its workers. The Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. --IANS cd/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 'Mahagatbandhans' have been formed only after Lok Sabha elections since 1977 and this time too, such a grand alliance would be formed after the polls, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Saturday. "Since 1977, no 'Mahagatbandhan' had been formed before the elections, it has taken shape only afterwards... In same way, this time, a grand alliance would be formed after the current polls and an alternative government would take shape at the Centre," he said at an election rally here. The Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary said that if his party gets maximum seats in the Lok Sabha, they would not raise the issues of Left parties, but give voice to the people's miseries and their necessities. "The MGNREGA (rural jobs guarantee scheme), the Forest Rights Act and many other historic acts were passed by the Parliament only due to the pressure and demand of the Left parties. The BJP-led government, during the past five years, held a lesser number of Parliament sessions only to curtail the rights and voices of the people," he alleged. Yechury said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party only directs people on what to eat, what to wear and who their companions or friends will be and if anyone do not follow these dictates, their cadres are attacking them. Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "Chowkidar" (watchman) of "antariksha" (outer space)", the Left leader said that Modi has been witnessing many things from space as he seen the strike by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan's Balakot and was taking credit for it as well as for the missiles to destroy satellites in low-Earth orbit. Noting different BJP leaders and ministers had given numbers, spanning 0 to 430, for those killed in the Balakot strike, Yechury accused the BJP of trying to spread the fear of terrorism, Pakistani phobia and use violent to govern the country and win the elections. "Farmers are committing suicide, workers losing jobs, people have been facing unprecedented miseries and country's economy is ruined... but Modi and his party leaders are highlighting fake credit for their government." Also accusing Prime Minister Modi of "violating" the model code of conduct many times, he said that the Election Commission yet to take any action. Terming Modi and BJP President Amit Shah as "Duryodhana and Dushasana" respectively, Yechury said the BJP must be defeated in the current elections to protect India and also to change India. CPI-M politburo member and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, party's state Secretary Gautam Das, Central Committee member Bijan Dhar were among the other Left leaders also addressed the main election rally ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to Tripura's two seats on April 11 and 18. --IANS sc/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maldives headed to the polls on Saturday to vote in a parliamentary election deemed crucial for the future of the island nation. After a long and competitive campaign that spanned over four months, people began queuing outside voting stations as early as 5.30 a.m., reports Efe news. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. across the country in the third parliamentary elections since a democratic constitution was adopted in 2008. The previous two parliamentary elections held in 2009 and 2014 were also significant as the polls took place just six months after the presidential election. The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected as President last September and the party has been campaigning with the 'Agenda 19' slogan. The agenda includes 19 different bills to be approved in the next parliament. The MDP has said that it needs a full majority to pass laws to fulfil pledges made during the presidential polls. Its leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed is also running for a seat and rivals says he wants to become prime minister by changing the system of governance. Nasheed has not denied the allegations, but during an appearance on a television debate, he said that a public referendum would be called for such a decision. The MDP's decision to field candidates in all 87 seats has also caused rifts in the four-party ruling coalition. Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim accused the MDP of reneging on a coalition agreement for the four parties to jointly contest the parliamentary polls. The disagreement within the coalition resulted in the Jumhooree Party forming an alliance with the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives and People's National Congress. The Elections Commission's president Ahmed Shareef told Efe news on Saturday morning that voting was continuing smoothly with no major complaints. "I assure that this is a fair election being held in accordance with the laws and regulations," he said. Shareef said some 37 international observers, 1,904 local observers, 1,998 local monitors and 1,545 candidate representatives were observing the election. Some 264,689 people are eligible to vote. There are 386 candidates. Voting was scheduled to end at 4 p.m. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) 2019 kicked off on Saturday in Jordan with over 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries. The 17th WEF meeting in the region called for united efforts to address the most pressing challenges of the area. At the opening ceremony, King Abdullah II of Jordan said it takes a broad partnership to create a platform for economic growth, Xinhua news agency reported. Remaking that Jordan's focus on education and innovation has helped nurture an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and startups, the king said, "We are also looking forward to the growth that comes with abundant and real opportunity. Jordan's economic situation is promising". Addressing the forum, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in light of the pressures and challenges that the kingdom was facing, it deserved strong solidarity from the international community. "Beyond the impact of the Syrian crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Jordan is also a country with large investment and growth opportunities for the private sector," Guterres said. Jordan, a leading country in the peacekeeping forces, was the driving force behind UN resolutions on youth, he said. The UN secretary-general reviewed the challenges in the region and called for united efforts to address them. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of WEF, said the region has been held back by "conflict". "We are prepared to build on our long-standing commitment to dialogue to tackle issues such as the future of Iraq and Syria, relations between Israelis and Palestinians and the plight of the refugees," Schwab said. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Producer Anand Pandit says the team of "PM Narendra Modi" is planning to release the film in 38 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE. Directed by Omung Kumar, the film narrates the story of Modi from his humble beginnings to becoming the Prime Minister of India. "PM Narendra Modi's life has great interest not just among Indian audiences but also cinema-goers across the world. We plan to release the film not just in the country but in at least 38 countries," Pandit, one of the producers and distributors of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a statement. "The film will release in 1700 screens in India and we plan to release it in about 600 screens overseas," he added. The release date of "PM Narendra Modi" has been set for April 11, when the Lok Sabha elections begin, the makers announced on Friday. It will be available in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. The team is planning to release it on the same day in other countries as well. Earlier, the makers of "PM Narendra Modi" received flak for planning to release the movie on April 12. Its release date was then changed to April 5. The film's makers later deferred its release from April 5, following the Supreme Court's decision to set the date to hear a plea seeking to block the movie's release, for April 8. Pandit said: "Now there should be no doubt on what the film is. It is a cinematic product. Those who have questioned the film and asked for a ban on it are the ones who have tried to stifle freedom of expression. "Isn't it hypocritical that the very people who criticise when other films are banned are now calling for a ban on 'PM Narendra Modi'?" However, a plea by Aman Panwar, a Congress spokesman, contends that the release of the Modi biopic ahead of the election would disturb the level playing field. Dismissing the criticism against the film as being propaganda, Pandit said: "This is a film that is inspiring and at the same time entertaining. Those who are calling it agenda-driven haven't even seen the film. "We have not made this film to glorify the Prime Minister or counter the questions raised by the opposition parties. We have focused on his journey instead of getting into hardcore politics." --IANS nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was once known as the badlands on the eastern fringes of the national where only the brave stirred after dark. Then came roads, industries, a railway junction, educational institutes, shopping complexes, Metro connectivity and even condominiums, so much so that it has become the preferred residential destination of Noida's young upwardly mobile brigade. Along the way, it has become a high profile parliamentary constituency - being represented by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the City Mayors Foundation, a global think tank on urban affairs, Ghaziabad is the second fastest growing city in the world. Unlike its sister constituency Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad has a distinctly urban sheen. Of the total 27.26 lakh registered voters in the Lok Sabha seat, the metropolitan assembly constituencies of Sahibabad and Ghaziabad together account for 51 per cent of votes. It's a tougher battle for votes in the rural pocket. The rural part of the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat - comprising Loni, Dhaulana (partial) and Muradnagar assembly constituencies - accounts for only 32 per cent of the voters. As per the 2011 Census, the constituency has 25.34 per cent Muslims, 72.93 per cent Hindus and 16.5 per cent people from the Scheduled Castes. Unofficial caste estimates put Gujjars at 11.2 per cent of the total population, Vyasas 9.6 per cent, Rajputs 8.6 per cent, Tyagis 8.22 per cent, Brahmins 4.6 per cent and Yadavs 2 per cent. To this extent, although General V. K. Singh won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls with a margin of more than over 5 lakh votes - the second highest after Prime Minister Narendra Modi - retaining the Ghaziabad constituency will have to depend on a lot more than the euphoria generated by his political plunge immediately after stepping down as the Indian Army chief. A major factor in the election is the resentment of the local MLAs at not being given a shot at the seat. Singh is facing a tough challenge from Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Suresh Bansal, a former Ghaziabad MLA who had fought the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket but lost to the BJP's Atul Garg. In 2017 Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won all the five Assembly segments of this parliamentary constituency and many of the MLAs were contenders for a Lok Sabha ticket. In 2009, the BJP had fielded Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and he won. He became the first Lok Sabha MP from Ghaziabad after the constituency came into existence in 2008 as part of the delimitation process. Singh had defeated the Congress party's Surendra Prakash Goyal by a margin of 90,681 votes at a time when there were 16 candidates in the fray. In last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP again denied a ticket to any of the locals and fielded V.K. Singh. Gaining from the Modi wave, the former General bagged the seat in 2014 with a record margin and later became a minister in the Modi government. Singh, who filed his nomination papers on Monday, had announced that he will focus on development of his constituency but locals said he was busy in urban areas and could not focus on rural areas. "The General will win for sure. But the people in the villages are not happy with him because he kept his focus on urban areas," Nitesh a resident of Loni, said. Rahul Chouhan, a resident of Crossing Republik, said that the General will secure victory because the BJP has a huge following in the constituency, but the fight will be tough because SP's Bansal has the support of both the SP and the BSP supporters. "Bansal's selection is really a good choice of alliance parties and he would undoubtedly give a fight to the BJP," Chouhan said. Arun Tyagi, a property dealer and resident of Dundahera, told IANS that the BJP's inner clash against outsider candidates may shrink its vote bank but there is no doubt about the party's victory. "V.K. Singh's margin of vote is going to shrink this time because there is the issue of local and outsider candidate. The five MLAs of the BJP were waiting that the party would select one of them for the seat as they are the hard working candidates of the party. "But the renomination of the General really has affected their blind faith in the party which is being seen on the ground. The issue is not new for this constituency," Tyagi said. Arpit Sirohi, who runs a medical shop in Raj Nagar, agreed. "BJP will win from the seat but his vote margin will go down as Sharma of the Congress will cut its Brahmin votes and help Bansal," Sirohi said. Bansal, on the other hand, is from the Vaishya community and has a good hold in the business community, he added. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) --IANS rak/bns/vm/am (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir's former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday blamed Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) summons to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in the terror funding case. Talking to media on the sidelines of a party rally in Kupwara district, he said: "NIA filed an FIR against Mirwaiz in 2017 when Mehbooba Mufti was the Chief Minister of the state so she alone is responsible for the notices NIA is sending to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq." The Mirwaiz was on Friday served a third notice by the NIA to appear before the agency on April 18 even as the senior separatist leader had expressed his inability to appear before the agency in Delhi in response to two earlier NIA summons. Abdullah, the National Conference's Vice President, also demanded revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir as has been done in case of Arunachal Pradesh. --IANS sq/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal has said that Islamabad will never accept India repealing Article 370 of its Constitution that gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. Faisal made the remark during his weekly press briefing on Friday here, reports Radio Pakistan. "Pakistan will never accept the repeal of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution... Kashmiri people will also not allow this to happen ever. "Besides violating the rights of Kashmiris, it will also contravene relevant UNSC (UN Security Council) Resolutions," the spokesman said while replying to a question. Article 370 was incorporated in India's Constitution in October 1949. It exempts Jammu and Kashmir from the country's Constitution, while allowing the state to draft its own. It also gives power to the state legislature to define Jammu and Kashmir's residents and their privileges. In the briefing, Faisal regretted that India postponed the Kartarpur Corridor meeting earlier this week. "Indian side has expressed willingness to attend a technical-level meeting on the issue on 15th and 16th of this month, which will hopefully set the pace for further talks," Radio Pakistan quoted the spokesman as saying. He reiterated Pakistan's commitment to complete its side of Kartarpur Corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh founder Guru Nanak later this year. Faisal also announced that Pakistan was releasing 360 Indian prisoners -- 483 fishermen, 54 civilian -- on humanitarian basis upon completion of their sentences from April 8 onwards. "One hundred fishermen will be released on Monday (April 8) with another batch of hundred on the 15th of this month. "It will be followed by the release of additional 100 fishermen on April 22." He said the last batch of 60 Indian prisoners -- five fishermen, 55 civilians -- will be released on April 29. --IANS ksk/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Janhvi Kapoor feels actor Pankaj Tripathi thinks she is a creep. During a conversation with host Anaita Shroff Adajania on an episode of Voot's "Feet up with the Stars", the "Dhadak" actress said that she has great respect for Pankaj. The daughter of late Sridevi narrated an incident from a party where she heard Pankaj drawing similarities between acting and cooking mutton. Janhvi joined the conversation and expressed her views. "Sir, par aap toh ice cream ho, aap sabko pasand ho (You are like an ice cream. Everyone likes you). Right after I said it, he gave me a look," Janhvi said. "He probably thinks I am a creep, but yes I feel he is a legendary actor and there is no one like Pankaj sir. I couldn't hold back and immediately expressed my fondness for him," she added. On the film front, Janhvi will be seen in producer Dinesh Vijan's film "Rooh-Afza" and Karan Johar's multi-starrer "Takht". She is also said to be working on a biopic of Gunjan Saxena, an Indian Air Force combat pilot. --IANS sug/vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mega poll campaigner for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to hold around four public rallies on April 10 in his home state Gujarat. The saffron party aspires to repeat its previous election's performance of 2014 by winning all 26 Lok sabha seats of Gujarat. With a strong anti-incumbency factor, especially in the Saurashtra region, which has eight of these 26 seats, the feat seems unlikely to be repeated. The saffron party is banking on Modi to turn the tide. Modi will arrive on April 10 morning at Rajkot for his first rally at Junagadh. This will be his first address in Gujarat after the polls being declared. People of Junagadh and another Saurashtra constituency Porbandar will be expected in the gathering. Modi will then travel to Surat and address a public gathering at Songadh in South Gujarat, a place near the Bardoli Lok Sabha constituency. People of Bardoli and other south Gujarat constituency, Navsari, are expected to hear the PM. Rallies are also being planned in Amreli, Jamnagar and Surendranagar in Saurashtra, Patan, Banaskantha, Anand and Chhota Udaipur. Modi is also expected to hold rallies on the April 15, 17 and the 20. "The state BJP unit had requested the PM to hold rallies in all the constituencies, but he is likely to campaign in only 8-10 seats," a BJP source said. Besides Modi, BJP is heavily banking on their star campaigners from BJP, party president Amit Shah, who began campaigning from Saturday in Ahmedabad, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and CMs and ex-CMs of other states will also be campaigning. A surprise from the BJP in this list of star campaigners in Gujarat is Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, who has starred in Modi's biopic. Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini will also campaign in Gujarat. --IANS desai-amit/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telugu New Year 'Ugadi' was celebrated with traditional fervour on Saturday across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, though elections overshadowed the celebrations. A festive atmosphere prevailed in both the Telugu states as thousands thronged the temples, praying for prosperity on the occasion of Sri Vikari Nama Ugadi. Special prayers were held at Tirumala, Srisailam, Vijayawada and Bhadrachalam temples. People offered special prayers, decorated the entrances of their houses and shops with strings of mango leaves, savoured traditional food and heard the 'panchangnam' to usher in the New Year. Women prepared 'Ugadi pacchadi', a mixture of neem buds, raw mango, tamarind juice, pepper, jaggery and salt, which is a necessary part of the celebratory dishes. The mixture symbolises various hues of life. Politicians stayed away from the official celebration in Telengana. Chief Secretary S. K. Joshi attended the main official function in Hyderabad. The priest, who read out 'panchangnam' on the occasion, forecast that the state will see rapid development and good rains. He also forecast that Kaleshwaram and other projects will be completed. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu attended the main official event held in Amaravati. Speaking on the occasion, Naidu appealed to every citizen to drive away what he called "vultures" hovering over Andhra Pradesh. He said people of the state had to courage to overcome any odds. He warned that those trying to create problems for Andhra Pradesh would face the backlash. The forecast by pandits at the celebrations held at the party offices had political overtones. At the opposition Congress party's office in Telangana, the pandit predicted that the state may witness political instability. He also forecast less than normal rainfall. Veda Pandits of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), Yadadri and Bhadradri temples bestowed 'Chaturveda Asheervachanam' on Governor of both the states, E.S.L. Narasimhan and his wife Vimala Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad. The leaders wished for peace and prosperity for the Telugu-speaking people living across the world. The Governor, Chief Ministers, Leaders of Opposition and eminent personalities greeted the people. However, the celebrations were held on low-key due to the model code of conduct. The political parties also paused their campaign during morning hours in view of the festival. Elections to all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the two states and 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly are scheduled on April 11. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said he is "confident" that Washington will hold another summit with Pyongyang to further denuclearization talks, a follow-up to President Donald Trumps fruitless meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February. "I am confident there will be" a third summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, Pompeo said on Friday, adding that he did not know when such a summit will occur. "We came out of Hanoi with a deeper understanding of each other," he was quoted as saying by the Hill magazine. "The positions that the two sides had, the two leaders were able to make progress in that respect. We didn't get as far as the world is demanding. These are global sanctions that are on North Korea today." Trump and Kim appeared to be on verge of signing an agreement on nuclear disarmament vows in February meeting, but scuttled those plans last minute, when the two sides could not find compromise. At their meeting in Vietnam, Kim had sought full relief from US sanctions in return for partial steps towards denuclearization, an agreement Trump and the US delegation didn't accept, ending the summit hours earlier than expected. Pompeo said he was not disappointed by the outcome of the second summit and maintained that the US and the UN Security Council would not lift sanctions on North Korea until complete denuclearization was achieved. He said that diplomatic channels remained open between Washington and Pyongyang and between North and South Korea. Trump is expected to host South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House next week to discuss North Korean nuclear diplomacy on the same day Kim delivers an annual address to his country, the report said. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was trolled on Twitter on Saturday after she greeted the people of the Kashmir Valley 'Nauroz Mubarak', instead of 'Navreh' which is the Kashmiri Pandits' new year celebrations. In a tweet, Gandhi said: "Nauroz Mubarak to all my Kashmiri sisters and brothers!! Despite my mother's 'don't forget to make the thali' messages, I had no time to make my thali (plate) yesterday but came home after (a) roadshow and found it placed on the dining table. How sweet are moms?" But Gandhi was soon trolled on social media as she mixed up 'Navreh' with 'Nauroz' which is the Parsi New Year. "Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their New Year's Day on the first day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (March-April) and call it Navreh - the word navreh, derived from the Sanskrit nava varsha, literary meaning 'new year'," a Twitter user said. "It's very nice to be inclusive and secular. I like you didn't forget Navroz. But what you are referring to here is 'Navreh', the Kashmiri Pandit festival and Navreh thaal' a Pandit ritual. Anyway, Navreh Mubarak to you too," another user added. However, there were some who "respected her feeling", saying although the spelling was wrong but she referred to the correct custom. "Navreh or Nauroz is perfect as long as feelings are genuine," read one tweet. --IANS nks/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil service exam-2018, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from the same Kerala Lok Sabha seat, congratulated her for being the first tribal woman from the district to attain that feat. "Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanya's hard work and dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great success in her chosen career," Gandhi tweeted. She was ranked 410th in the Civil Services Examination, 2018 conducted by the UPSC. --IANS nks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spending time online, gaming or watching TV, especially before bedtime, may not damage young people's mental health, finds a new research challenging previous notions on screen time. The study, published in Psychological Science journal, casts doubt on the widely-accepted relationship between screen time and well-being in adolescents. The research examined more than 17,000 teenagers and found that adolescents' total screen time per day had little impact on their mental health, both on weekends and weekdays. It also found that the use of digital screens 2 hours, 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime didn't have clear associations with a decrease in adolescent well-being, even though this is often taken as a fact by media reports and public debates. "We found little clear-cut evidence that screen time decreases adolescent well-being, even if the use of digital technology occurs directly before bedtime," added Professor Andrew Przybylski, at the University of Oxford. For the study, the team analysed data from Ireland, the US, and the UK and used a rigorous methodology to gather how much time an adolescent spends on screens per day, including both self-reported measures and time-use diaries. "Implementing best practice statistical and methodological techniques, we found little evidence for substantial negative associations between digital-screen engagement and adolescent well-being," said Amy Orben, researcher at the varsity. --IANS rt/pg/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Separated due to visa-related discrepancies from her 11-year-old daughter who is currently under care of temporary guardians in Goa, a 42-year-old Polish single mother stranded in Thailand, has now reached out to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter for help in desperation. Marta Kotlarska, a Polish artist and photographer who is on a multiple entry B-2 business visa to India, was turned away from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, after she returned from Sri Lanka on March 24. Kotlarska said that she was blacklisted by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, for overstaying "due to a misunderstanding", but added that she had paid the requisite fines prescribed by law. She had left for Sri Lanka a few days earlier from Goa, because she was about to exceed her 180-day limit of stay in India and visa renewal norms required for foreign nationals to formally re-enter the country. "On my way back from Sri Lanka, at the Bengaluru airport, to my utmost shock, I was refused entry to India and had to fly to Bangkok. I had to fly to a destination where I knew someone and could solve my problem and plead to the Indian Embassy," Kotlarska told IANS over phone from Thailand, where she is currently stranded. In her desperation to unite with the her daughter, who is currently being looked after by the parents of a classmate in North Goa, Kotlarska has now reached out to Sushma Swaraj for help. "Respected @SushmaSwaraj I beg of you my 11-year-old daughter is separated from me as I was refused entry to India. Please request MHA Foreign division to treat my case as a priority since minor child is (in) India, where she studies without her mother," Kotlarska tweeted. Kotlarska arrived in Goa from Warsaw in September 2018 to work on a photography project to capture Goan culture and bridge the inter-generational gap between the young and old in the coastal state. She registered her daughter with the FRRO in Panaji, in October 2018. Kotlarska is desperate to re-unite with her daughter, who has been away from her mother for more than a week now. The mother said that Sushma Swaraj is "my only hope for now, because the authorities do not seem to be taking note of the fact that I am separated from my daughter, who is all on her own now and I fear for her". She also requested "dear @HMOIndia I beg you to treat my case as priority since minor girl child is involved, I'm separated from her and her school ends end of June". She has also begged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help. "Respected @narendramodi I beg you for your help. please request officials in MHA Foreign division to treat my case as priority since minor is involved and her is at stake." --IANS maya/in/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amidst the controversy over election rule violations by the makers of "PM Narendra Modi" biopic, the film's lead actor Vivek Anand Oberoi on Saturday said the delay caused by "strong opponents" will not deter them. Vivek, who will be seen playing the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the forthcoming biopic, shared a video of himself talking about the film's release on Twitter. He said: "We all have put in efforts to make a film 'PM Narendra Modi', which we wanted to share with you on April 5 but some people put us in so much of tough time that we couldn't make it... We are trying that we come and show you the film on April 11." The 42-year-old actor thanked the "Indian judiciary for giving justice" and the audience for giving their support. He added: "On Monday, we are being taken to the Supreme Court. We are hopeful that we will get blessings and support from there as well... Me and My team would like to thank you because you support gives us courage... We are feeling lonely right now... When you send your blessings and supports.... We feel stronger." Vivek said that stronger opponents cannot unnerve him or the makers. "Even though our date has been delayed, we are undeterred. There are powerful people who are standing against us including many renowned lawyers of the Supreme Court. But we are certain that they can delay us, but cannot deter us," he said. Vivek also tweeted to Congress President Rahul Gandhi moments before putting out the video. "Dear Rahul Gandhiji, on Monday morning in the Honourable Supreme Court, will you also try to stop your alliance partner Lalu Prasadji's autobiography? Or is it just our film you're after?," he asked. The makers of "PM Narendra Modi" deferred the release from April 5, following the Supreme Court's decision to set the date to hear a plea seeking to block the movie's release, for April 8. Earlier, producer Sandip Ssingh and other makers of "PM Narendra Modi" received flak for planning to release the movie on April 12, just a day after the first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections. Its release date was then preponed to April 5. However, a plea by Aman Panwar, a Congress spokesman, contends that the release of the Modi biopic ahead of the election would disturb the level playing field. Directed by Omung Kumar, the film narrates the story of Modi from his humble beginnings to becoming the Prime Minister. The makers announced on Friday that the biopic will release on April 11, when the Lok Sabha elections begin. --IANS dc/nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump paid a visit to the US-Mexico border on Friday, following a week of confusing comments over whether he'd shut it down. The President stopped in Calexico, California, on Friday afternoon to tour replacement border fencing and participate in a border security roundtable. According to the Arizona Republic, the two-mile stretch replacement barrier he'll see was authorised prior to when he came into office, but a plaque on the bollards calls it "the first section of President Trump's border wall." During the roundtable, Trump said the immigration system is full, regardless of whether the individuals seeking to come into the US are seeking asylum or not, CNN reported. "The system is full. We can't take you anymore. Whether it's asylum. Whether it's anything you want. It's illegal immigration," Trump said. "Can't take you anymore ... I'm sorry. So turn around. That's the way it is." He also repeated his claim asylum seekers were perpetrating a hoax on the US. "They have lawyers greeting them. They read what the lawyer tells them to read. They're gang members and they say 'I fear for my life,'" he said. "They're the ones who are causing fear for life. It's a scam, OK? It's a scam. It's a hoax. I know about hoaxes. I just went through a hoax," Trump said to laughter in the room. "So our system is full. We're not taking them anymore." The visit follows a series of threats Trump made calling for Mexico and Congress to shape up or face the closure of the southern border. The initial threat Trump issued last week was that he'd close down the southern border within a week if Mexico didn't increase migrant apprehensions on its southern border, where Central American migrants seeking to move northward may eventually try to illegally enter the US. The threat then evolved earlier this week when Trump began to push the responsibility from Mexico to Congress, after the White House began to claim that Mexico was doing more to stop border crossings and shifting its one-week ultimatum to an indefinite deadline. But by Thursday, Trump's demand morphed into a tariff threat. He said he'd give Mexico a one-year warning and potentially implement a 25 per cent auto tariff if the country didn't stop the flow of illicit drugs being smuggled into the US. The tariffs, he suggested, would make a border closure unnecessary. "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 per cent, will be massive." Despite the clear pivot, Trump said on Friday ahead of his California departure that he "never changed his mind" about his threat to close the southern border. "I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point, but I'd rather do tariffs," Trump told reporters. "The tariffs will work just like they've worked with steel," he said. The auto tariff, he added, "supersedes" the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. The President also said he's "looking at an economic penalty on all the drugs that are coming in through the southern border and killing our people." However, further details on the potential economic penalties or the auto tariffs have yet to be announced by the Trump administration. Trump, during Friday's roundtable on the border, called his one-year warning on a southern US border closure "fake news." --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A UN expert plans to meet WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on April 25 after receiving complaints of privacy violations, a statement released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said. The statement was released on Friday after the expert received two separate complaints made by Assange and Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno. In the statement, Joe Cannataci, the Human Rights Council special rapporteur on the right to privacy, said the meeting would "help determine if there exists a prima facie case of violation of privacy that warrants further investigation". He also said that he was requesting further information from the Ecuadorian government on a complaint lodged by the country's President that his privacy had been violated by the publication of personal data, Xinhua news agency reported. WikiLeaks said earlier this week on its verified social media account that Assange will be expelled within "hours to days", quoting "a high-level source within the Ecuadorian state". In an interview earlier this week, Ecuador President Lenin Moreno told local media that Assange had repeatedly violated protocol and conditions of his stay at the Embassy. Assange does not have the right to hack private accounts or phones and cannot intervene in the of other countries, especially Ecuador's partners, said the President. "Several times, Assange has violated the agreement we reached with him and his lawyers," Moreno said. In another statement released by the OHCHR on Friday, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said he was alarmed by reports that Assange may be expelled from the Embassy of Ecuador in London, indicating that he intended to personally investigate the case. Melzer said Assange's expulsion from the Ecuadorian Embassy could "expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights". "I therefore urge the Government of Ecuador to abstain from expelling Assange from its Embassy in London or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum until such time as the full protection of his human rights can be guaranteed," said the special rapporteur. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia tweeted that "the diplomatic asylum is a sovereign authority of a state, which has the right to grant it or withdraw it unilaterally when it deems it justified." After having established WikiLeaks in 2006, Assange has been staying at the Embassy since 2012 when he was granted asylum by Ecuador as part of a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where the Australian-born whistleblower was facing allegations of sexual assault and rape. In 2017, he received Ecuadorian citizenship so as to resolve the political impasse over his continued presence in Britain. However, in 2018, Assange launched legal action through his lawyers against the Ecuadorian government, accusing it of violating his fundamental rights and freedoms. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With less than a week left for the first phase of the general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally in north Bengal's Cooch Behar on Sunday, four days after his twin rallies in the state. The meeting will be held at the sprawling Rash Mela ground near the Cooch Behar Palace, where West Bengal Chief Minister and one of the most vicious critics of Modi, Mamata Banerjee is set to address a rally the next day. The Lok Sabha constituency of Cooch Behar will go the hustings along with the neighbouring Alipurduar seat on April 11, during the first phase of polling in the state. Modi is expected to address issues like border security, infiltration, refugee rights and law and order problems besides continuing his tirade against Banerjee's Trinamool Congress government during his speech at the border district. The two opposing parties locked horns over building the stage at the rally venue after the Trinamool initially refused to stop building the temporary shade for the attendees at the Chief Minister's rally on Monday, which would have occupied nearly half of the rally ground. According to the Bharatiya Janata party's local leaders, the cloud of uncertainty has cleared out after the local Trinamool leaders held talks with the Special Protection Group team that visited the spot on Friday and agreed to dismantle the structure partially. "Initially there was a disagreement over building the dais as they (Trinamool) refused to dismantle the temporary shade from the ground. They have been intentionally occupying the ground since long in the name of the Chief Minister's rally. But they have now agreed to partially remove the structure, after coming under pressure from the people of Cooch Behar," Malati Rava, BJP's district chief, told IANS. She said there is "unprecedented enthusiasm" among people as Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the town after Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s. "It was a long-standing demand of the people of Cooch Behar town. None of the Prime Ministers have addressed a public rally after Rajiv Gandhi. They are extremely enthusiastic over tomorrow's meeting as Modiji has agreed to come. The turnout will be massive," she said. The saffron outfit has fielded erstwhile youth Trinamool leader Nisith Pramanik, who has 11 criminal cases against him including attempt to murder, outraging the modesty of women, dacoity and theft. Pramanik, whose candidature evoked tumultuous protests within the party's local unit, is pitted against Trinamool's Paresh Chandra Adhikary, Gobinda Roy of Left ally Forward Bloc and Congress' Piya Roy Chowdhury. Rava, however, emphasised that he was popular and could win the seat for the party. "We are hoping that he will emerge victorious. The charges labelled against him by the police are false. People are coming out in massive numbers in his support. Tomorrow's meeting will show that people of Cooch Behar are with Modi ji and his wave of development," she added. --IANS mgr/ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special prayer is dedicated to the general election that starts on 11 April. Non-Christian believers were also present at the blessing of the oils. The Diocese of Miao is new, created 13 years ago. The bishops focus is on the youth ministry. Miao (AsiaNews) The Diocese of Miao, Arunachal Pradesh, celebrated the chrism Mass with a special prayer for the general election, which begins on 11 April, said Fr Felix Anthony, spokesman for the Catholic Church in north-eastern India and pastor of the Sacred Heart Church in Neotan, which hosted the service yesterday. Speaking to AsiaNews, the clergyman said that the event was important "because it was the first Chrism Mass organised in the village". Every year the diocese organises Chrism Masses in different centre of the diocese, with the blessing of the oils. Yesterday, many Catholics attended the event in the village, as did some 200 priests and nuns. Among those present were believers of other religions, the priest noted, curious about the celebration organised in the village for the first time." The Diocese of Miao is new, created 13 years ago. "It is very important for us to make people aware of the beauty of the Catholic Church, Fr Anthony explained. The presence of many young people is also a testimony to the dioceses youthfulness. "Most of them are new Christians, or became Catholic from other Churches." The bishop, Mgr. George Pallipparambil, is especially focused on them through the pastoral ministry, evangelisation, socialisation as well as drug prevention and control outreach. We are very close to the Holy Week, the prelate explained. State and centre elections are around the corner. Both are very important. As we will be reflecting on the Lords Passion, Death and Resurrection, let us also pray for a fair election and may people elect the right leaders to take the country forward, he added. According to the bishop, everyone must vote. "Your vote is your right to shape the country. Cast your vote and tell others to do the same. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) is planning to celebrate Ram Navami on April 14 in a big way in West Bengal by bringing out over 700 processions across the state, an official said here on Saturday. "Last year, we organised the festival on a very large scale. This year, we will surpass that," VHP's Bengal unit spokesman Sourish Mukherjee told IANS. Mukherjee said around 40 lakh people had taken part in the celebrations last year and the number will go up this time. Asked about the focus areas, he said the organisation was expecting a congregation of 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh people at Islampur of North Dinajpur district. The Darivit High School in Islampur saw much unrest last September when two former students were allegedly killed in police firing. There were protests against the recruitment of two new teachers, one of them for teaching Urdu. A section of the students and alumni of Darivit High School had clashed with the police demanding teachers for literature and science subjects. Incidentally, Islampur comes under the Raiganj constituency where the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be a formidable force in the Lok Sabha polls. Raiganj is scheduled to go to the hustings on April 18 - four days after the Ram Navami celebrations. However, Mukherjee denied any connect between the polls and the congregation at Islampur. "We are a Hindutva organisation. Our aim is to unite and strengthen the Hindu society. We have no political agenda. We don't get involved in " To a poser as to whether the participants at the rallies would carry weapons, he said: "No weapon will be carried in the processions in various areas being brought out for the first time. But in areas like Purulia, Midnapore and Kharagpur, there is a tradition of carrying traditional weapons. So there, the participants may carry weapons". --IANS ssp/pg/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Saturday extended by two more days the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. Gupta was presented before Special Judge Arvind Kumar on the expiry of his three-day ED custody. He was arrested on March 26, a day after the court allowed Rajiv Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman and another alleged middleman in the deal, to become approver. The ED told the court that Gupta would be confronted with some documents. Meanwhile, Gupta moved an application seeking bail, which has been listed for April 9 for further hearing. Saxena in his disclosure statement submitted to the ED revealed that Interstellar Technologies, a company that received AgustaWestland kickbacks, was controlled by Khaitan and Gupta. It said Saxena had also presented two diaries, some loose sheets, and other documents and a pen drive, all related to Gupta. Opposing the ED plea, Gupta's counsel said he was co-operating in the investigation. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) security agencies had picked up Saxena from his Dubai residence on January 30 and extradited him to India. He was granted bail on medical grounds last week. The ED did not oppose his bail application. According to the ED, Saxena, in connivance with Khaitan, developed the global corporate structure that laundered money for payment to politicians, bureaucrats and Indian Air Force (IAF) officials to influence the contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers in favour of AgustaWestland, the Rome-based helicopter design and manufacturing company. --IANS akk/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a stinging attack, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known as a "Feku" (fibber) the world over for his penchant of resorting to lies. He said that since the past five years of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule, Modi has been spreading "untruths" on everything, whether it be the IAF strikes or various government policies and promises like "Achhe Din", "Rs 15 lakh for every Indian", "Vikas", "employment", "demonetisation", "Made in India", etc. "Now, even the US government's report has come out rejecting India's stand on the IAF strikes. Modi must reply to that," Thackeray said at a huge gathering at Shivaji Park this evening on the occasion of Maharashtra New Year, Gudi Padva. He also played an earlier video of Modi in Jammu and Kashmir and said that rather than appreciating the jawans, the PM had lodged cases against the brave soldiers who were engaged in fighting terrorists and the Pakistani army, braving great odds in those cold altitudes. Combining the rally to drum up support of the Opposition Congress-led Mahagathbandhan in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Thackeray said that over 100 people died in queues during demonetization and over 4.5 crore jobs have been lost since then (November 8, 2016), besides huge industrial losses all over the country. However, he accused the PM of "only speaking out lies" and not replying to any of these major burning issues of public concern, nor showing courage to address a single press conference in his five years' rule as "he is scared of uncomfortable questions being raised by the media". "Instead, the BJP keeps raising different political cards, like the Hindu card, the Ram temple in Ayodhya, cow protection, politicizing the Pulwama attacks and sacrifices of our soldiers, exploiting the IAF actions. But the PM never discusses any of the real problems concerning the masses," Thackeray said. He charged Modi with changing names of all the schemes/policies originally launched by the previous Congress government, and claiming them to be (NDA-II) government's achievements. "It is only when the Congress is defeated and the opposition parties come to power that we know the value of (Congress). We are witnessing this situation now. People are absolutely fed up with the BJP and the PM's lies," Thackeray rued. He also slammed Modi and BJP President Amit Shah of sidelining senior party leaders like L.K. Advani who built the party from scratch and brought it to the status of capturing power, but was deprived of the PM's post. Thackeray contended that the "nation is facing a crisis" of Modi and Shah, and vowed to work and ensure the crisis can be overcome, for which he will address around 8-10 rallies in the coming weeks, averaging to two for each of the four-phased elections in Maharashtra. --IANS qn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury here on Saturday said the Congress had been calling meetings of 21 opposition parties, including the Left parties, in Delhi, but its President Rahul Gandhi was contesting against the Left in Kerala's Wayanad. Addressing an election rally, "Gandhi could have contested against the BJP or the Shiv Sena instead of the Left in Kerala," the CPI-M leader said. Gandhi has filed nomination from two parliamentary seats -- Amethi in UP and Wayanad in Kerala. --IANS sc/mag/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Farmers in Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, who hit the headlines after 179 of them enteredthe fray in the Lok Sabha polls to highlight their demand for remunerative price for their produce Saturday decided hold a public meeting on April 9. The 'Rythu Aikyatha Sabha' (meeting to express the unity of farmers) would be held at Armoor near Nizamabad on April 9, farmers' leaders said. The total number of candidates in the fray in Nizamabad is 185, including 179 farmers, according to official sources. The Election Commission is making elaborate arrangements to conduct the poll on April 11 (when Telangana goes to polls) in view of the high number of candidates in the fray. Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) office said that Rs 41,04,71,113 was seized as on April 6 as part of continued implementation of the model code of conduct. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nineteen people were killed when a truck veered off of the road in northern Nigeria's Katsina state, a road safety official said on Saturday. "The accident happened around 7:00 am (local time) on Friday when the driver lost control due to fatigue and overloading," Ibrahim Abdullahi of the Federal Roads Safety Commission told AFP. "We evacuated 19 dead bodies and 38 injured passengers," he said. The accident happened at Daudawa village, 130 kilometres south of the state capital. The truck was travelling from nearby Zamfara state where kidnapping and cattle rustling is rampant. Accidents are common on Nigerian poorly-maintained roads due to speeding, reckless driving and disregard for traffic rules. Last week, 13 people were killed on a road in northern Bauchi state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have arrested two people for allegedly killing a trader and his associate here, an official said Saturday. They also seized one .315 bore rifle, a country-made pistol and 20 live cartridges from their possession, said SP (Rural) Neeraj Kumar Jadoun said. The accused persons were identified as Sunil alias Vickey and Akbar. Eleven out of 12 suspects named in the murder case have been sent to jail, the SP said. On March 20, Vishal and his accomplice Akash were shot dead over personal enmity in Rishi market colony here. Based on a complaint lodged by the family members of Vishal, a case was registered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripura Director General of Police, Akhil Kumar Shukla Saturday said 64 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have arrived in the state for smooth and peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha elections. Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats - West Tripura and East Tripura, the elections for which would be held on April 11 and April 18 respectively. The DGP said the 856 km long border with Bangladesh would be sealed before the elections and BSF was asked to maintain a strict vigil along the border. BSF DIG and chief PRO of Tripura frontier, C L Belwa said, 18 battalions of BSF are posted in Tripura and border vigil was intensified in view of the elections. Shukla said the CAPF personnel have been deployed in different parts of the state along with state police to provide security for smooth and peaceful conduct of parliamentary elections. The DGP told reporters that 180 Static Surveillance Teams (SST) and 180 Flying Squad teams (FST) are in position in different parts of the state to control any attempt of sabotage, detect movements of illegal items and also to look after other law and order related issues. He said all the 23 candidates in the fray in the two constituencies have been given adequate security. The DGP said so far 1395 non-bailable and permanent warrants have been executed after the announcement of poll dates by Election Commission. "Nobody would be able to escape the Law. We have pasted the names of suspected criminals with warrants in different public places for awareness of the people," he said. So far 35 election related cases were registered, 23 accused were arrested, and notices were served to 62 persons, the DGP added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the successful anti-satellite missile test, India is capable of hitting a target at a range of over 1,000 km in space and a lower orbit was chosen for the mission to avoid threat of debris to global space assets, DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said Saturday. On being asked whether multiple satellite targets can be hit, he said, "It is a question of how many launchers we have, and with multiple launchers, one can have multiple engagements. But, multiple (targets) is definitely feasible." India shot down one of its satellites in space on March 27 with an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile to demonstrate this complex capability, joining the elite club of countries -- the US, Russia and China -- which have such capabilities. "The A-SAT test was successfully conducted with a new interceptor missile against a live orbiting satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a hit-to-kill mode. The interceptor has the capability to hit target at a range of 1,000 km, which covers most of the LEO satellites," he told a press conference at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Bhawan here. "An orbit of around 300 km was chosen for the test for capability demonstration and the purpose was to avoid threat of debris to any global space assets," Reddy said. His remarks come days after NASA raised concerns about the spread of debris from the A-SAT test India conducted under Mission Shakti. "The debris created following the intercept will decay in a matter of weeks," he added. Addressing the mediapersons, Reddy also said, "For a similar application we don't need another test." On Tuesday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had termed a "terrible thing" India's shooting down of its satellite, saying the hit-to-kill mission created about 400 pieces of orbital debris. "Some debris going up could be a possibility, as per our simulation also. We don't have information on that.. From our simulation, we can very clearly say that the possibilities of (debris) hitting the ISS are not there," Reddy said. He said the first 10 days since the test were critical and that have passed, and in 45 days all debris will disintegrate. The Ministry of External Affairs too has said the test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hailed the A-SAT test's success as "an unprecedented achievement" that makes India a "space power". Some 150 scientists, including at least 40 women scientists, worked round-the-clock, and especially in the last six months on this project. About 2,000 components were sourced from 50 private industries. The idea began around 2014 and development started in 2016 with a go-ahead from the government. The press interaction came days ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 11 due to which the model code of conduct is in place. He also said that earlier in the day there was a meeting with eminent scientists to inform them about the A-SAT test. He also responded to a question on Congress leader P Chidambaram's criticism of the government on the test, who had said that "only a foolish government" would reveal a defence secret. "Mission of this nature after a test is conducted can't be kept secret. The satellite is tracked by many stations across the world. All necessary permissions were taken, Reddy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Aam Aadmi Party will stitch an alliance with the Congress in Delhi only if Rahul Gandhi's party agrees to fight the Lok Sabha polls jointly in Haryana and Chandigarh too, sources said Saturday. According to them, as another pre-condition for firming up an alliance, the AAP has asked the Congress to openly declare its support to full statehood for Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai held a meeting over the issue Saturday and they were in agreement over the two pre-conditions set for an alliance with the Congress, a source said. "An alliance with the Congress is possible only if the party agrees to do it for 10 seats in Haryana, seven seats in Delhi and the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Also, the party should also openly declare support to full statehood for Delhi if it wants to forge an alliance with the AAP," the source said. The AAP has reportedly conveyed to the Congress that it would support the grand old party in Chandigarh only if it gets to contest three seats in Haryana Faridabad, Gurgaon and Karnal. "The party wanted to included Punjab in the pre-conditions for an alliance, but that was left out considering Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's rigid stance," the source said. Meanwhile, amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday discussed the issue again with senior party leaders from the city. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Gandhi's residence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The nuns suffered injuries in an attack against the Little Flower Higher Secondary School in Chinnasalem. Hindu extremists tried to strangle them with Rosary beads. Bishop Mascarenhas asks "What is this country coming to?" New Delhi (AsiaNews) The "four nuns wounded in the attack by Hindu radicals were discharged from hospital and are back in the convent, said Sister Devaseer Mary, provincial superior of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, speaking to AsiaNews. The nuns in question were the victims of a vicious attack in Tamil Nadu by a crowd of 200 members of the extreme right-wing Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who tried to strangle them with the rosary beads they wore around their necks. "They were hospitalised for a few days, Sister Devaseer explained, first in the Kallakurichi Government Hospital, later at the Krishna Hospital in Cuddalore. Thanks to Divine Providence and the good guidance of our Lord, the sisters have recovered from pain and are now feeling better. The attack against the Little Flower Higher Secondary School in Chinnasalem, a Catholic educational facility located some 260 kilometres south-west of Chennai (Madras), took place on 26 March. The school is run by the congregation to which the superior belongs and was founded 74 years ago to educate children of poor families. Presently, some 2,150 students are enrolled. The building was devastated: classrooms, desks, windows, auditoriums. The attackers did not spare the chapel. The attack was apparently a reaction to the suicide of a 10th grade student who was disappointed by her poor exam results. "It seems that the reason for the attack was money, the nun said, but it is impossible to know what was in their mind. They only did what political parties and some influential local figures told them to do." Currently, "six people have been arrested and many others are under investigation is underway. According to Mgr Theodore Mascharenhas, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), the incident "has nothing to do with money" since the nuns had already decided to help the students family before the desecration. "For us, this attack is a very sad thing. The whole school was mourning the death of the girl. We love our pupils as if they were our children, the prelate said. "How is it possible for such a large crowd to act against a school? Why did no one stop them?" he asks. For the bishop, "power, violence left in the hands of a mob is a danger to everyone in India, not only for minorities. This is what troubles us. The problem is that in the country different groups are spreading a climate of hatred. "If it were just a question of money, they would not have desecrated the Crucifix. Even the attempt to strangle the sisters with their Cross, is a contempt of faith." Sadly, "Sisters strangled with the Crucifix? What is this country coming to?" In Indian culture sacred objects are sacred for everyone, regardless of religion, Mgr Mascarenhas explained. Such lack of respect, and the hatred caused by such lack of respect are the countrys greatest danger." "We have already seen this kind of hatred in Kandhamal (2008 pogroms), in the killing of Rev Graham Staines in 1998 (burnt alive with two of his children), in various violent incidents, in the attack against schools in Sagar and Vidisha. As a people, the country must purge itself of such hatred. BSP president on Saturday said senior BJP leader L K Advani's remarks in a blog post were a "reality check" on the functioning of the BJP government led by Prime Minister She was referring to Advani's statement that the BJP never considered those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" or "enemies" but only as adversaries. In a tweet, said, "BJP patriarch L K Advani's reality check admonition on the functioning of the BJP/Modi govt on the party's foundation day is a serious no-confidence against them besides a fervent appeal to the people that this despotic/anti-people Modi Govt is unworthy of returning back to power (sic)." Advani's remarks posted in a blog were construed by many political watchers as a veiled criticism of the party leadership which has often likened its rivals to enemy like Pakistan and accused them of abetting anti- elements. An Afghan official says Taliban have killed at least four policemen when they stormed a security checkpoint in northern Sari Pul province. Mohammad Noor Rahmani, head of the provincial council, said five others were wounded in Saturday's attack on the outskirts of the province's capital city. Police in eastern Ghazni province say Taliban also launched attacks on security checkpoints there on Saturday, killing three personnel and wounding seven others. A spokesman for the provincial police chief, Ahmad Khan Serat, said police killed seven insurgents during the gun battle. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in Ghazni, but made no statement on Sari Pul. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Saturday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on plea of Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, alleging the agency of politicising the case by leaking the chargesheet copy to the media. The agency, on the other hand, sought an enquiry as to how the copy of the charge sheet was leaked to the media and asked for issuance of notice to a organisation asking to explain how they accessed the document. Special judge Arvind Kumar issued notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michel's plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the ED and that even though the court has not taken cognisance over the documents filed before it, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the charge sheet. The court will take up the matter of leaking of the charge sheet copy on April 11. The court also issued summons to Michel's business partner and middleman David Nigel John Syms as accused in the case. Syms, named as accused in the charge sheet, will have to appear before court on May 9. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alternate arrangements were being made at Kanhum village in Mizoram-Tripura border, where 15 special polling stations, erected for the 12,081 Bru voters lodged in six relief camps in Tripura, were damaged in thunderstorm, CEO Ashish Kundra Saturday said. Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram and by-election to the Aizawl West - I would be held simultaneously on April 11. The Chief Electoral Officer said while 15 special polling stations were established at a playground and a nearby community hall for the Mizoram Assembly election held on November 28 last year, alternate arrangements were being made to erect nine polling stations at a nearby Catholic School building. The CEO said that the logistics would be like as was done during last year polling and the Tripura government would arrange the vehicles for transportation of the Bru voters from the relief camps to the Mizoram border. Over 6,000 Bru voters had exercised franchise at the 15 polling stations in Kanhmun village during polling for state Assembly elections last November. The NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), an umbrella organisation of the major civil societies and student organisations of Mizoram, which had threatened to boycott the coming election by organising state-wide indefinite bandh from Monday next, withdrew its plan of agitation. The pleas of the Bru leaders to the Election Commission to allow them to cast their votes at their respective relief camps has been rejected by the poll panel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi man was apprehended on Saturday by the CISF at the airport here for allegedly carrying unaccounted USD 70,000 in cash, a senior official said. He said Abdul Sobhan (37) was carrying the foreign currency, equivalent to about Rs 47.42 lakh, by placing it inside a false cavity in his bag. Eight bundles totalling USD 70,000 were found from the man, a Bangladesh national, who was supposed to take a flight to Dhaka from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, he said. As the man could not furnish any reason for carrying the cash, he was handed over by the CISF personnel to Customs authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid speculation that the Akali Dal may shift her to the Ferozepur parliamentary seat for the Lok Sabha polls, Union Minister and party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal Saturday said Bathinda will always be in her heart. Wife of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat said she was "fine" with whichever seat the Akali Dal fields her from as her aim was to serve the people of Punjab. The SAD leader also attacked the ruling Congress and wondered how its candidates will seek votes as the party had "failed" to fulfil promises made before the assembly polls. "I have affection for the people here (Bathinda) where I have done hard work for 10 years. They stood by me during the toughest tests. I cannot ever forget that," the sitting MP from Bathinda said. "My heart is over here but of course my aim is to serve the people of the state. It is ok wherever I am sent (by party), I am fine. But Bathinda will always be in my heart," she added. Despite speculation that Harsimrat Kaur Badal may be fielded from Ferozepur, she has been meeting party workers in villages falling in Bathinda parliamentary seat. SAD chief Sukhbir Badal had earlier said that the party's core committee would take a decision on her candidature. Harsimrat Kaur Badal had first won from Bathinda in 2009 when she defeated Raninder Singh, son of chief minister Amarinder Singh by 1.20 lakh votes. In 2014, she trounced Manpreet Badal, estranged cousin of Sukhbir Badal, by over 19,000 votes. Harsimrat Kaur Badal said ensuring progress and development and maintaining brotherhood and peace in Punjab are her top priorities. She also took credit for several development projects in Bathinda including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), an airport and upgradation of a railway station. Lambasting the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab, she said: "I fail to understand which promises they (Congress government) have fulfilled in two years." How will they seek votes from the people, I am surprised. The people are fed up with the state government, she added. She exuded confidence that the SAD-BJP alliance would win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. She also accused finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal of shying away from contesting from Bathinda seat and alleged that every section of the society was hit by his decisions like reducing the salaries of contractual teachers and refusal to regularise 27,000 contractual employees. Hitting out at Punjab Ekta Party chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who is contesting from Bathinda, Harsimrat called the party as a "B team" of the Congress. She also lashed out at SAD (Taksali), breakaway faction of Akali Dal, saying, "Their impact is going to be zero in the elections". "They used to win because of the party (SAD). Now they want to dance to the Congress tune. People have seen them and they do not have much of standing in their own area," she added. Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and Sewa Singh Sekhwan had floated their own party SAD (Taksali) after revolting against the SAD leadership. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Boeing announced Friday it would cut the production schedule of its 737 aircraft line following the two recent crashes that have seen the 737 MAX grounded worldwide. The aerospace giant plans to trim production to 42 planes per month, down from 52 per month, starting in mid-April. Boeing shares tumbled after the disclosure, which was released just after the closing bell on Wall Street. Boeing also announced it was establishing an advisory panel to review its company-wide policies for designing and developing planes. The Federal Aviation Administration earlier this week said more work was needed before the aerospace giant could even submit a proposed fix that is believed to be a factor in the disasters. Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and said it would not affect current employment levels for the 737 and related programs. "We are coordinating closely with our customers as we work through plans to mitigate the impact of this adjustment," Muilenburg said in a statement. "We will also work directly with our suppliers on their production plans to minimise operational disruption and financial impact of the production rate change." Boeing has continued to manufacture 737s since the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash killed 157 people, the second deadly crash in five months after an October 2018 Lion Air crash killed 189 people. However, Boeing has been unable to make deliveries of the planes to customers, a key stoppage that will dent revenues. Boeing is scheduled to report first-quarter results on April 24. On Thursday, an initial report by the Ethiopia Transport Ministry found that the crew of the doomed plane repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, confirming concerns about the flight control system on the plane. Scrutiny has centred on the plane's anti-stall system, Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which is believed to be at least partly at fault. The Washington Post on Thursday that US regulators had ordered Boeing to fix a second flight-control problem, not related to MCAS, but which officials nevertheless deemed critical to flight safety. The head of the FAA faced tough questioning from a Senate panel last month. Top Boeing officials are expected at a follow-up hearing that could also be contentious. Boeing said the new advisory panel will be led by retired US Navy Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, former vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The committee will confirm the effectiveness of our policies and processes for assuring the highest level of safety on the 737 MAX program, as well as our other airplane programs, and recommend improvements to our policies and procedures," Muilenburg said. "Safety is our responsibility and we own it." Shares of Boeing fell 2.3 per cent to USD382.92 in after-hours trading. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday warned of the risk of interference by Russia in Canadian parliamentary elections scheduled for this fall. "We've seen over the past number of years an increase in the interference or the implication of foreign actors in democratic processes," Trudeau told a conference in Toronto. "We saw very clearly that countries like Russia are behind a lot of the divisive campaigns, a lot of the divisive social media, you know, spreads that have turned our even more divisive and more anger-filled than they have been in the past," he said. "Our minister of democratic institutions, Karina Gould, is moving forward on a number of significant ways to ensure that the election that is coming up in six months will be decided by Canadians," he added. "That is what Canadians expect." The Canadian leader echoed his foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, who said that outside interference in the country's upcoming vote was "very likely." "We are very concerned. Our judgment is that interference is very likely and we think there have probably already been efforts by malign foreign actors to disrupt our democracy," Freeland said on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in northern France. "What we are seeing in many liberal democracies, the effort is not so much to secure a particular outcome in an election," she said. "The effort is to make our societies more polarized and make us, as citizens of democracies, more cynical about democracy and that it can work." Facing such risks, Ottawa announced in late January the establishment of a special task force to fight disinformation and foreign meddling in the upcoming polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Saturday said that while the "chowkidar" has demonstrated courage to hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, the Congress wants to dilute the powers of the armed forces. The prime minister has on several occasion said he's the (watchman) of the country and serves to protect its best interests. "The is fighting terrorists, while the Congress is working to dilute the powers of the armed forces," he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Sundargarh, referring to the party's plan to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. "There were governments in the past too, but they could never think of undertaking surgical strikes. They did not have the courage to cross the border by aircraft and kill terrorists," the prime minister said. The Congress is trying to protect people who shelter terrorists and Maoists, he alleged. The prime minister said people have to decide whether they want to choose an honest and principled government committed to the development of all, or a corrupt and unprincipled one. ALSO READ: PM Modi accuses Congress of using poverty as a major political weapon "This time lotus will bloom in Odisha. The will taste victory. I can say with certainty that the maximum number of lotuses will bloom in the state," PM Modi said. Similarly, the will again come to power at the Centre as the country needs a strong and decisive government to ensure national security as well as speedy development, the prime minister said. Only the is capable of providing a strong and decisive government, he said. Hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha, the prime minster said its intentions are not good and the 2019 polls are significant for the future of Odisha as well as country. On the 39th foundation day of the BJP, Modi said, "The party was born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money. It came into being and grew manifold with the sweat and labour of its workers." He said the BJP has been guided by stalwarts such as Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Jagannathrao Joshi, Rajmata Scindia and Murli Manohar Joshi. "I salute every worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP is the biggest democratic organisation in the world. We are now a strong alternative to the Congress and other parties which were born out of it," he said. Read our full coverage on Lok Sabha elections 2019 Asserting that the BJP all along fought to safeguard democracy, he said lakhs of party workers and leaders were jailed while protesting the Emergency. There was a time when no one could imagine that the BJP would be able to form government with absolute majority at the Centre, Modi said, claiming that now even leaders of the Congress are now not ready to repose faith in their own party. Now all sections of society including farmers, jawans, women, youths, Dalits, tribals and backward segments have associated themselves with the BJP, he said. The prime minister said people across the country have embraced the BJP and reposed faith in the party which can be seen from the fact that the party has formed government in a large number of states. "Right from the northeast, the BJP's flag is flying all over India as people have given place to the BJP in their hearts," he said. The prime minister called upon the people of Odisha to bring a "double engine" government by voting the BJP to power both at the Centre and in the state in order to ensure speedy and balanced development. This was Modi's third visit to Odisha in a week in the run-up to the elections. He had addressed rallies in Jeypore and Bhawanipatna on March 29 and April 2, respectively. Assembly election in Odisha will be held along with in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday alleged that the Congress has entered into an "unholy alliance" with the Muslim League which was evident from the green flags seen when Rahul Gandhi went to file nomination in a procession from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. Gandhi filed his nomination paper from Wayanad which has a sizable Muslim population, on Thursday. A video of Gandhi's procession while going to file nomination at Wayanad has gone viral. It was recorded from a spot that showed green flags of the Muslim League fluttering over the procession. "Gandhi ran away from Uttar Pradesh and filed his nomination from a seat in Kerala. In his procession there was neither the Indian Tricolour nor the Congress symbol 'hand' but only the Muslim League's green flag with stars and mooon," he claimed while addressing an election rally here in Central Assam. "This unholy alliance has exposed the mindset of the Congress. The Muslim League was responsible for the partition of the country and the killing of lakhs of people during that time. Now the Congress has a political alliance with the same party," the UP chief minister said. In Assam too, the Congress has entered into an understanding with Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF which is responsible for myriad problems in the state, he alleged. "The Congress has compromised the national security and your security by entering into both these alliances," he told the rally. He asserted that India under Modi has emerged as a global economic power attaining the sixth position from the earlier 11th place under the UPA regime. Adityanath was campaigning for BJP's Nowgong candidate Rupak Sarmah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In all, 1,900 cities, towns and villages have been affected. More downpours are forecast today. Deforestation and climate change are among the main causes. The UN emergency agencies have not been able to intervene because of sanctions. Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) Floods caused by recent heavy rains have displaced thousands of people in Iran with the death toll standing at 70 for now. As people struggle to recover from the natural disaster, which has been blamed on climate change and deforestation, fingers have also been pointed at US sanctions for the arrival of hindering the humanitarian aid the country extremely needs. The extremely heavy rain began on 19 March in northern Iran with the first ten casualties with the emergency eventually affecting the mostly arid south and west. Heavy downpours are now set to strike the south-western provinces and officials say they will release water from key river dams that are dangerously full. Women and children are being moved to safer areas whilst men have been asked to stay to assist with relief efforts. Some 1,900 cities, towns and villages have been affected. The town of Susangerd, with a population of 50,000, is under evacuation orders. Thousands of roads, bridges and buildings have already been destroyed. So far, 86,000 people are living in emergency shelters, of which about 1,000 were airlifted to safety. Sanctions, which were re-imposed after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal last year, have hampered rescue operations, this according to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Iranian-American political scientist Kaveh L. Afrasiabi agree. 'Due to the illegal and unjust US sanctions, in violation of UNSC 2231, international efforts to assist Iran have been seriously hampered and there has not been even a trickle of assistance from the UN relief agencies, some of whom have cited the US sanctions, writes Afrasiabi in his letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution UNSC 2231 for a joint plan of action on the Iranian nuclear issue. With fissures in the ruling front coming to the fore again ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Congress' Karnataka unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Saturday said a meeting has been convened with its coalition partner, the JDS, here Sunday to sort out the problems. The statement comes in the wake of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy accusing the Congress and others of hatching a 'chakravyuh', a deadly formation in the epic Mahabharata, to defeat his son and JDS nominee Nikhil in the Mandya Lok Sabha seat. Conceding that there were problems in Mandya, Rao told PTI, "Almost all the problems are solved and we will solve the Mandya problem also. Tomorrow we will be having a meeting where we will be taking a decision." Rao reiterated that Nikhil would win without any doubt. While 80 per cent of the Congress workers were toiling to ensure Nikhils victory, the remaining were creating problems, he said. "To sort out our problems, a meeting has been convened in Bengaluru Sunday where prominent leaders of Mandya will participate," Rao asserted. The Congress state president said there were directions from the party high command to ensure the JDS candidates' victory. "Rahul Gandhi has said the party should see that the JD(S) candidates are elected. If that does not happen then, if our workers are creating problems, then either that has to be sorted out or the party will take serious action against them," Rao said. According to party sources, Chaluvaraya Swamy, Ramesh Bandi Siddegowda, Narendra Swamy, Ganiga Ravi, K B Chandrashekhar and Ravishankar are among the prominent leaders from Mandya who would attend the meeting Sunday. Bringing to the fore again deep fissures in the Congress-JDS front, Kumaraswamy Friday lashed out at the Congress and others for "colluding" with independent candidate and film actress Sumalatha, wife of late Congress leader and actor Ambareesh, in Mandya, instead of working for Nikhil. He was replying to queries on JD(S) supremo and his father H D Deve Gowda's remarks that things have gone out of hand in Mandya, which goes to polls on April 18, and even former chief minister and Congress strongman Siddaramaiah cannot reverse it. 'Chakravyuh' is a deadly battle formation narrated in the Mahabharata in which Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was trapped and killed by the Kauravas. The BJP is backing Sumalatha instead of fielding its candidate. There is widespread resentment within the local Congress over the JDS being alloted the seat under an electoral arrangement between the coalition partners. Disgruntled JD(S) leaders are also reportedly working against the third generation of the mighty Deve Gowda clan. Gowda's another grandson Prajwal Revanna, son of minister H D Revanna, is contesting from Hassan, where also a similar situation prevails with the Congress at the grassroot level openly expressing opposition to the JDS. According to the coalition arrangement, JD(S) is contesting in seven seats and the Congress, 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AINRC Saturday charged the Narayanasamy-led Congress government here with having "failed" to maintain cordial relations with the Centre and consequently causing "disruption" to the development of the Union Territory. Urging the electorate in neighbouring Muthialpet to exercise their franchise in the April 18 Lok Sabha poll in favour of the party nominee K Narayanasamy, AINRC founder N Rangasamy alleged that no schemes were evolved by the territorial government to tackle unemployment problem faced by the educated youth. Rangasamy, who is also Leader of the Opposition said the Chief Minister had been blaming the Lt Governor and the NDA government at the Centre for lack of development of Puducherry. Rejecting this as totally "unacceptable," he said during his tenure as Chief Minister he had brought in various developmental schemes by maintaining cordial relations with the Centre. He said that he had fielded a young candidate in the Lok Sabha poll inorder to "encourage the younger generation in public life." During the AINRC rule here, he claimed to have evolved various welfare schemes and educational advancement of the youth was among the priorities of his administration. The AINRC nominee K Narayanasamy and leaders of the alliance parties also spoke during the campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Saturday dismissed electoral challenge from the party, describing it to be "like a Titanic ship which is sinking", while also slamming it for promising to scrap the law. Addressing a poll rally in Nanded in support of BJP candidates from Nanded, Latur, Hingoli and Parbhani in central Maharashtra, also said that has opted for a second seat where the "majority community is in a minority". With an apparent reference to the Congress' manifesto promise of ensuring a minimum income guarantee to the poor, the prime minister said the opposition party plans to burden the middle class with more taxes to fund the scheme. It offers the middle class, which is the backbone of the country, nothing, claimed. Whenever the is in trouble, it makes false promises and then becomes "Gajini" (the character, played by Aamir Khan, which suffers from memory loss), Modi said. "The Congress is like a Titanic ship which is sinking," Modi said, adding the party was reduced to just 44 seats in 2014 and it stares at a worse situation this time around. He said the Congress has more factions in than the number of MLAs it has in the state. "The Congress' promise of scrapping the law is like giving an open licence to the 'tukde-tukde gang' (those who want disintegration of India)," Modi said. He sad the the Congress' "naamdar" (dynast, referring to party chief Rahul Gandhi) had to use a microscope to look for a second "safe" seat. In the constituency he has chosen, "the majority community is in minority. He has also said he will not speak against his main Left rival," Modi said. Earlier, at a rally at Wardha on April 1, Modi had said that Congress leaders were afraid of contesting from "constituencies dominated by majority population (Hindus)". Gandhi is contesting from Amethi in as well as Wayanad in Referring to pictures of Gandhi's roadshow in Wayanad, Modi quipped, "One had to find Congress flags in the Congress president's roadshow." "Will Amethi tolerate this insult?" he asked. "Congress (sitting) MP in Hingoli (Rajiv Satav), (NCP chief) and his commander have run away from the electoral field," Modi said. All three leaders are not contesting the elections. The Congress was responsible for the problems in Jammu and Kashmir, and those of terrorism and Naxalism, Modi alleged. The prime minister accused the Congress of wanting to hold talks with separatists "who take money from Pakistan". "The Congress and its allies want two prime ministers -- one in and another in Jammu and Kashmir", Modi said, referring to a demand made by National Conference leaders A couple was injured Saturday in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said. Sanjeev Kumar, 32, and his wife Rita Kumari, 28, were hit by bullets inside their house during unprovoked firing by Pakistan in the Kalal area of Nowshera sector around 2.30 am, they said. The officials said both the injured were immediately evacuated to a hospital and their condition was stated to be stable. Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing which was retaliated by the Indian Army, they said, adding the cross-border firing lasted for a brief period. The officials said there was no report of ceasefire violation from any other sector along the LoC in Rajouri and the nearby Poonch district. Ten persons, including four security personnel, have been killed and nearly 45 others, mostly civilians, injured in the twin districts since India's preemptive air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot on February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Pakistan army has also suffered heavy casualties in the retaliatory action with Indian Army on Thursday destroying seven Pakistani military posts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Saturday summoned David Nigel John Syms, an alleged middleman and business partner of British- Christian Michel, a co-accused arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. Special judge Arvind Kumar asked Syms, named as an accused in the supplementary charge sheet, to appear before the court on May 9. The court also summoned two firms -- Global Services FZE and Global Traders -- as accused in the case. Michel and Syms are directors of the two firms. It also extended by two days the custody of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an alleged defence agent arrested by the agency in the case. The custody was extended after ED's advocate Samvedna Verma said his further interrogation was required in the case. It further sought a reply from the agency on Gupta's bail application by April 9. Gupta was arrested by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe agency had said Gupta's role in the case came to light on the basis of disclosures made by Rajiv Saxena, who has turned approver after he was deported from the UAE and arrested by the agency here. Michel was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the or CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime. The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. Four persons working at a petrol pump in Maharashtra's Nashik district were Saturday assaulted and Rs 1.5 lakh cash looted by dacoits, police said. The incident happened at Shirwadephata petrol pump on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway at around 3am, an official said. "The dacoits, riding motorcycles, assaulted the petrol pump staff and snatched Rs 1.5 lakh cash. A case has been registered with Pimpalgaon police station and efforts are on to nab the dacoits," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Commission For Women has rescued a three-year-old girl, who was allegedly neglected by her alcoholic father and was found lying in her excreta. The child was admitted to a hospital where doctors found the child's private parts severely infected due to dirty diaper and poor hygiene, the commission said. Neighbours alleged the father would give the girl liquor in her milk bottle when she would cry for food. On receiving a complaint on its 181 helpline, the Delhi Commission for Women rescued a three-year-old girl from a room in Prem Nagar on Friday, officials said. The caller said the girl had not been fed for three days by her father. Based on the complain, a team of DCW counsellors rushed to the address and found the minor lying in a pool of her own urine. She was emaciated and appeared to be severely ill, they added. The DCW counsellors found her father sleeping in the same room, which was littered with empty liquor bottles. The neighbours said the father was a drunkard and would not wake up for hours even if his daughter cried due to hunger and filth, the women's panel said. According to the neighbours, the child's mother had died a year ago and the father was a rickshaw puller, they said. The father would keep the girl alone in the room, whenever he went to work and did not allow the neighbours to help him. The neighbours said they had seen the father give the girl liquor in a milk bottle, officials said, adding no one seemed to know when and how the man gave food to the child. When the father was forcibly woken up by the DCW team, he was violent and refused to cooperate in taking the child to a hospital, officials alleged. Following which, the DCW team then called the police and managed to produce the father and child before the station house officer of Prem Nagar police station. However, no FIR was registered in the matter, they said. "She was running high temperature and had injury marks on the body. The child is being treated at the hospital and is under the care and protection of the DCW counsellors. She will be shifted to a shelter home after being discharged," they said. The women's panel is taking up the matter with the deputy commissioner of police, Rohini, as to why no FIR was registered in the case and the father not arrested, they said. Officials said the police also helped in the rescue operation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Commission For Women has rescued a three-year-old girl, who was allegedly neglected by her alcoholic father and was found lying in her excreta. The child was admitted to a hospital where doctors found the child's private parts severely infected due to dirty diaper and poor hygiene, the commission said. Neighbours alleged the father would give the girl liquor in her milk bottle when she would cry for food. On receiving a complaint on its 181 helpline, the Delhi Commission for Women rescued a three-year-old girl from a room in Prem Nagar on Friday, officials said. The caller said the girl had not been fed for three days by her father. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi BJP has demanded a high-level investigation into the death of a class 8 student inside a government school in Rohini. The party has also asked the Delhi government to give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the boy's family. The 13-year-old boy died allegedly due to a seizure attack in the school on Friday. He was in the washroom when he had the attack. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said the death of the boy in the school toilet is not only sad but also shocking. He alleged that there was no doctor or medical facility available in the school, whereas according to Rule 38 of the Delhi School Rules, 1973, it is mandatory to appoint medical officer and provide related facilities in government schools in Delhi. "If the required medical facilities were made available to the student in time, his life could well have been saved. He asked why an FIR was not lodged by the administration in the matter," Gupta said. "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Minister Manish Sisodia are maintaining silence on the incident," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a 31-year-old alleged drug supplier from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, officials said Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rashid Khan, a resident of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, they said. On March 28, 2016, police arrested one Ajay Kumar and Parveen Kumar, members of a drug syndicate from Moti Nagar and recovered a huge consignment of narcotics, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. During investigation, it was also revealed that Ajay and Parveen used to procure the drugs from Khan based in Bareilly, Yadav said. He said a police team rushed to Bareilly based on a tip-off about Khan. On Tuesday, police were informed that Khan would come to his village Behra in Bareilly on Wednesday, the DCP said. Subsequently, a raid was conducted at Behra village and Khan was held, police said. During interrogation, Khan said he had been running the drug syndicate for the last three to four years and used to supply various narcotics to Delhi and other states, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Every year, about 100,000 young men are drafted in April. If the number of volunteers is low, the other soldiers are picked by a lottery. The Ya Nak shrine is a popular pilgrimage destination for those trying their luck. Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) Many young Thai men flock are flocking to a famous Buddhist shrine in Bangkok this week to offer prayers, in the hope of avoiding the military draft. In Thailand, every 21-year-old male is potentially required to serve in the Forces. The process begins in April and involves enlisting about 100,000 recruits, for up to two years. Whilst some volunteer, most are selected via a lottery system whereby young men pick coloured cards out of a box: red for the draft and the coveted black for exemption. For those who fear military service, the Ya Nak (Grandma Nak) shrine, located in Bangkoks Wat Mahabut temple, has become a popular pilgrimage destination. Represented by a golden statue that depicts a woman with long black hair, sitting cross-legged with a child, Ya Nak is surrounded by gifts of flowers, toy cars and traditional Thai clothes. Legend has it that whilst her husband was doing his military service, she died alone during childbirth. Among those who turn to the sacred image are transsexuals not yet operated, such as Pasakorn Raksri. Hailing from Kanchanaburi province, he endured the five-hour journey to Bangkok. "One of my concerns is my sexual appearance as it is not exactly what the army is looking for," Pasakorn said. Others pray to Ya Nak because they have financial commitments as the sole breadwinner. "I am the only one who works in the family," said Thawatchai Saisawang, the father of a young girl. Finally, there are those who were able to avoid the draft and return to Wat Mahabut temple out of gratitude. Utain Kamrit, a 22-year-old worker, is one of them. Last year, during the lottery he prayed to Ya Nak. As it turned out, there was only one black card left in a box full of red cards. "I was thinking about her, asking her to help me," he said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and British- Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Saturday sought before a Delhi court an enquiry into the purported leakage of the supplementary charge sheet filed in the case to media. The urged the court to issue a notice to a news organisation asking it to explain how it accessed the documents, whereas Michel supported the demand of a probe while accusing the agency of politicising the matter. ED's special public prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta claimed that the matter was "serious". "The charge sheet's copy is yet to be supplied to the accused persons. However, Michel's lawyers came to know what we have written in it and filed an application on that behalf. This is a very serious matter and an enquiry must be ordered to ascertain how the copy of the charge sheet was leaked," the said. Special judge Arvind Kumar issued notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michel's plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the and that even though the court has not taken cognisance of the documents, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the charge sheet. The court will take up ED's plea related to leakage of the charge sheet copy on April 11. Meanwhile, the court issued summons to Michel's business partner and middleman David Nigel John Syms as an accused in the case. Syms, named as accused in the charge sheet, is asked to appear before court on May 9. The court also summoned two firms -- Global Services FZE and Global Traders -- as accused in the case. Michel and Syms are directors of the two firms. The court directed to keep the copy the charge sheet in a sealed cover until further orders. It also extended by two days the custodial interrogation of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an alleged defence agent arrested by the agency in the case. It further sought a reply from the agency on Gupta's bail application by April 9. Gupta was arrested by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe agency had said Gupta's role in the case came to light on the basis of disclosures made by Rajiv Saxena, who has turned approver in the case after he was deported from the UAE and arrested by the agency here. Michel's counsel Aljo K Joseph Friday moved an application before the court, saying, "Michel has not named anyone in his statement before the agency which is being leaked to media. This is only to make the matter sensational and prejudice the case against my client." He claimed the copy of the charge sheet was provided to the media before it was provided to Michel. Michel was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime. The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. The EU on Saturday declared its support for the International Criminal Court, voicing "serious concern" after the US revoked the chief prosecutor's visa over a possible investigation into American soldiers' actions in Afghanistan. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's office confirmed Friday that Washington had revoked her visa for entry into the US -- a move that came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced restrictions on ICC staff who probe US or allied personnel. A spokesperson for the EU's diplomatic service said the bloc "fully supports the ICC and its independence" and said Brussels expects the US to comply with its "international obligations" towards the court. "The European Union reiterates its serious concern about the US policy towards the ICC," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The ICC plays a key role in the fight against impunity. The EU emphasises that protecting the neutrality and judicial independence of the ICC is paramount to its effectiveness and proper functioning." Bensouda asked ICC judges in November 2017 for authorisation to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by the Taliban, Afghan government forces and international forces including US troops. The court has not yet decided whether to launch a full-blown probe. The US has never joined the ICC and does not recognise its authority over American citizens, saying it poses a threat to national sovereignty. Washington also argues that it has its own robust procedures in place to deal with US troops who engage in misconduct. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EU foreign ministers on Saturday upped pressure on Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar to halt his offensive on Tripoli, urging the strongman to commit to a political solution. Khalifa's dramatic bid to take Tripoli came as a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers was being held in northern France with the club issuing a statement on Friday urging an immediate halt to "all military activity and movements toward Tripoli". Several European ministers on Saturday warned Haftar not to countenance any further military action, saying that this could destroy a UN-backed peace process. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the Tripoli operations as "untimely initiatives" that could further destabilise Libya. "There is a fundamental principle in Libya. There will be no military victory. The solution can only be a political solution," he added. He said that France and Italy, the two European powers with the most influence in north Africa, were "on the same wavelength". "It is important that all of the international community takes the same line," Le Drian added. Experts say Haftar had had backing from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as France, which is seen as his closest ally in Europe. Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said that the G7 statement, which was also echoed by the UN Security Council, showed that the international community was not prepared to tolerate military action. "We think the military initiatives are not the best ones to grant peaceful developments in Libya and a constructive path forward for stabilising the country," he said. Asked if sanctions could be imposed against Haftar were he to fail to comply with the demands of the international community, he replied: "We have stated quite clearly what our position is and we very much hope that he (Haftar) will take it into consideration. If this will not happen, then we can see what can next be done." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there should be pressure on all the actors in Libya "especially general Haftar". He said it was important to "make sure that there is no further military escalation". The growing international pressure on Haftar came as fresh fighting flared Saturday south of Tripoli between the pro-government forces and Haftar's troops. On Friday Haftar's forces were pushed back from a key checkpoint west of the capital, less than 24 hours after seizing it during the lightning offensive towards Tripoli. Despite the flare-up, UN envoy Ghassan Salame insisted Saturday that talks planned to be held next week in Libya would go ahead. Le Drian expressed particular frustration over the escalation given that Haftar and the head of the Tripoli-based government, Fayez al-Sarraj, had come to agreements earlier this year in talks in Abu Dhabi. "They need now to overcome their past differences in the interest of the Libyan people. The Libyan people have had enough of this violence," the French minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Producer Dinesh Vijan says the entire team of "Angrezi Medium" got emotional when Irrfan Khan gave his first shot for the film. The 52-year-old actor recently returned to the country and started the shoot of his comeback project "Angrezi Medium", a year after he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was being treated abroad. "Irrfan is undoubtedly one of the best actors in the country. When he gave his first shot everyone around got emotional. For me it was one of those life-defining moments working with him again after 'Hindi Medium'. Having him and Homi together was something all three of us have always wanted," Dinesh said in a statement. The producer said Irrfan was not emotional and remained his "usual self." "Wry humour, crackling one-liners and back on his own turf. Deepak (Dobriyal) and his improvisations brought the house down. It was like the first day of 'Hindi Medium,'" he added. While Irrfan's character in "Hindi Medium" was Raj Batra, a Delhi based businessman with a sari showroom, he plays Champak from Udaipur who is in the sweet business. According to the synopsis, Irrfan and Deepak will play brothers in the film who have inherited a 100-year-old sweet business and are also rivals. A distant cousin, played by Manu Rishi, who owns the biggest sweet shop also adds to the rivalry within the family. The film features Radhika Madan as Irrfan's daughter and talks are on for another leading lady. The crew will be shooting in Rajasthan till April end after which they move to London as in the film Irrfan's daughter has aspirations of studying abroad. "Angrezi Medium" is directed by Homi Adjania. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies were wrapping up a two-day meeting in the French seaside resort of Dinard on Saturday where they hope to seal joint commitments on a range of global challenges and lay the groundwork for August's G-7 summit in Biarritz. Diplomats from G-7 countries, which include the US, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the UK, walked side-by-side against the rocky Atlantic coast backdrop and in the fresh Brittany air to project a united front before a working lunch. They hope to agree on a joint statement on the fight against trafficking drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, fighting cybercrime and stopping sexual violence against women in conflict zones, especially in Africa. But British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was missing from the group photo after attending Friday's session, as was US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, raising questions about the relevance of the G-7 meeting. US officials also said that points of discord will also be discussed at the talks led by the host, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. US Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan said that Washington will use the G-7 forum to galvanise support for Venezuela's opposition leader, Juan Guaid, who the US has backed to lead the country into a "democratic transformation from the failed regime" of President Nicolas Maduro. Guaid has embarked on an international campaign to topple the socialist administration of Venezuela's president amid deepening unrest in the country, which has been plagued by nearly a month of power outages. Washington seems to be at odds with Italy over its stance on the crisis-hit South American country, being the sole G-7 member state to not back Guaid. The US and Canada have pursued a pro-active stance on widening support for Guaid, according to French officials. But there has already been widespread alarm after Guaid was stripped of immunity by Maduro loyalists earlier this week. "With Juan Guaid being stripped of his immunity ... we don't want the situation to escalate," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Dinard on Saturday. "We are still of the opinion that free elections should take place during which Venezuelans can decide themselves who will lead the country," he added. Italy has also irked EU and US allies by becoming the first G-7 member to sign up to a contentious Chinese plan to build a Silk Road-style global trade network, the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday filed his nomination papers from Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency where he is locked in a keenly-watched triangular contest with RJDs Tanveer Hassan and CPI debutante Kanhaiya Kumar. The firebrand BJP leader performed worship at a local Shiva temple before reaching the collectorate keeping the affair rather low key in view of Fridays mishap on the outskirts of the town where a truck had ploughed through a roadside hut killing seven people, including a minor girl. Talking to reporters on the occasion, Singh claimed that he was sensing an "unprecedented" enthusiasm among the voters of the constituency who seemed to display "full faith in the countrys development, the valour of our armed forces and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." He thereafter left for the venue of a rally in a huge procession wherein he travelled by an open car, waving at the crowds which hurled garlands and flower petals at the Union minister whose change of constituency was necessitated by Begusarai MP Bhola Singhs death and Nawada going to alliance partner LJP headed by Ram Vilas Paswan. At the rally, the firebrand BJP leader was joined by the partys state unit chief Nityanand Rai, Deputy CM and senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi besides RCP Singh, a top leader of Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U) which is the third NDA constituent in the state. The NDA leaders exhorted the public to vote for Giriraj Singh in large numbers and expressed confidence that the BJP-led coalition will bag all the 40 seats in Bihar. Hassan, who was the runner-up here in 2014, and Kumar - who shot to fame upon being booked for sedition while he was the president of JNU students' union three years ago - would file their nominations next week. Votes will be cast in Begusarai during the fourth phase of polls on April 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Saturday pressed on with an offensive on Tripoli, defying international calls to halt hostilities which risk plunging the country into civil war. Pro-Haftar fighters have been slowed in their advance by forces loyal to Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), which sits in the capital. For the first time, forces backing the GNA launched air strikes on Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) -- which vowed to retaliate -- around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tripoli. Pro-government forces in Tripoli confirmed they had targeted Haftar's men with "intensive strikes". The air strikes came as fresh fighting flared Saturday south of Tripoli between the pro-government forces and Haftar's troops despite calls from the international community to halt the military offensive. Several European foreign ministers warned Haftar not to countenance any further military action, with France's Jean-Yves Le Drian warning "there will be no military victory". German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there should be pressure on all the actors in Libya "especially general Haftar". A similar stance was taken by the UN Security Council which, following a closed-door emergency meeting Friday, said those responsible for re-igniting the conflict will be held responsible. Libya has struggled to counter unrest since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, leaving dozens of militia to fill the void and ally with either the GNA or the rival administration in the east backed by Haftar. At least one armed group from Misrata -- whose forces are mostly loyal to the UN-backed government -- arrived Saturday in eastern Tripoli to join the counter-offensive, according to an AFP photographer. "We are waiting for orders to repel any advance by the enemy towards Tripoli," said the group's spokesman Khaled Abu Jazia. Dozens of armed vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns were gathered in Tajura, in the suburbs east of the capital. Tripoli residents have expressed concern that large-scale fighting could break out and began stocking up on food and petrol. On Saturday large queues formed at petrol stations and supermarkets, an AFP journalist said. "We must store everything we need for the family, just in case, especially those with young children," said Farida, a mother pushing a full shopping cart. "You never know how long it will last," she added. Haftar's forces were driven back by a few kilometres on Friday evening after briefly seizing Tripoli's international airport, which was destroyed in 2014. On Friday they were pushed back from a key checkpoint west of the capital, less than 24 hours after seizing it during their lightning offensive towards Tripoli. The latest escalation in the conflict-wracked country comes just days ahead of a UN-backed conference intended to unite Libya's rivals and pave the way for elections. Russia's top diplomat on Saturday called for Libyans to "decide their future themselves" through "inclusive" dialogue. "Without any sort of artificial dates that some are trying to force upon them from outside," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to Cairo. Despite the Tripoli flare-up, UN envoy Ghassan Salame insisted the April 14-16 talks in the Libyan city of Ghadames would go ahead. "We are determined" to hold the talks "as scheduled" unless prevented by serious obstacles, Salame told a press conference. "We want to reassure Libyans that we will stay alongside the Libyan people to make the political process a success without resorting to escalation." Libya's unity government was created at UN-backed talks in 2015 but it has struggled to assert control, while a number of international initiatives since have failed to unite the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister on Saturday accused the BJP of "whipping up war hysteria", saying its false claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 has "backfired", days after a leading American magazine claimed that none of the US-manufactured fighter jets of the PAF were missing. Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine reported on Thursday that American personnel recently counted the (PAF) F-16s and found none of the planes missing. It quoted two senior US defence officials with direct knowledge of the situation. The Indian Air Force, however, stuck to its stand on Friday, saying that it had conclusive proof of shooting down a PAF F-16 on February 27. Reacting to the Foreign Policy report, Prime Minister Khan took to Twitter to criticise the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," he said in a tweet. The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet. (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2019 The on February 28 displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir. Pakistan has denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. According to the magazine, Pakistan invited the US to physically count its F-16 planes after the incident as part of an end-user agreement signed when the foreign military sale was finalised. "The findings directly contradict the account of officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile," the report said. Lara Seligman of the magazine later updated the story, saying "the F-16s Pakistan bought from Jordan have also been included in the count and even third-party transfers of US equipment must go through the US government". Reacting to the report, the IAF asserted that it had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the PAF on February 27 during aerial combat. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, "during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector." IAF sources also said it has conclusive "circumstantial evidence" including wireless intercepts, signals and graphic captures from airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and electronic signatures to conclude that the F-16 jet was shot down during the aerial combat. On Friday, the Pakistani military called on India to "speak the truth" about the "actual losses". India's imports from China stood at USD 60 billion during the April-January period of 2018-19 fiscal, a deceleration of 5 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago, PHD Chamber of Commerce said Saturday. According to the chamber, India's trade deficit with China also eased to USD 46 billion in April-January 2019 from USD 53 billion in the same period a year ago. "Despite substantial volume of imports from China, of lately, India's import growth from China shrunk from 24 per cent during April to January 2018 to (-) 5 per cent during April-January 2019," PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Secretary General Mahesh Reddy said. Commerce Ministry data showed India's export to China totalled USD 13.8 billion whereas its imports from the neighbouring country stood at USD 60.1 billion during the April-January period. Indian shipments to China totalled USD 13.33 billion in 2017-18 (April-March), whereas the country's imports from China stood at USD 76.38 billion in the period. The chamber said India has seen a major breakthrough in its exports to China during the last few months whereas imports of Chinese products in India are decelerating. Its exports to China grew 31 per cent in April-January 2019, increased from USD 10 billion in April-January 2018 to USD 14 billion in April-January 2019, Reddy said. Although the trade deficit with China is substantial, given the recent trends and amendments in the foreign trade policy 2015-20, the volume of trade deficit is expected to ease in the coming years, he added. Over the past decade, China has been able to enhance its footprint in India to a greater extent. However, the trend has seen a reversal in the April-Jan 2018-19, the chamber said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chairman of the overseas wing of the Congress Sam Pitroda said Saturday that Indians living outside the country are more concerned about their traditions, and this "connects" them to the BJP. The technocrat-turned-politician was speaking to reporters at the Mumbai Press Club here. "You have a whole new generation in USA that get paid millions of dollars in salary. When I went to Chicago, there were 500 people of Indian-origin and today this number has gone up to three hundred thousand," he said. "There was no temple in 1965 and today you can find 30 temples in Chicago. What do these people do there? They pray and (perform) havan and puja. They are more concerned about preserving their traditions and that connects them to the BJP and (prime minister Narendra) Modi," he opined. Pitroda, who was part of the Congress' manifesto committee for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, claimed that fulfilling the promises made in the document was feasible. Saying that it was drafted after enough consultations and homework, he added that it could be fulfilled just as "we achieved (implementation of) NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme". On the flak he faced for seeking more information about the Balakot air-strike conducted by the Indian Air Force, Pitroda said the statement was made in his personal capacity, and therefore it would not hurt his party. On comparison between the media in India and in foreign countries, he said foreign media focuses on issues and not on personalities, unlike in India. "In the international press, they ask probing questions. They prefer issues and not personalities....While here partly because of feudal and hierarchical mindset, we tend to focus on who says it," he said. Pitroda, credited with playing important role in ushering in telecom revolution, also said that electronic voting machines (EVMs) were not foolproof. "I have tried to study EVMs, whose design is 15-year-old and information about these machines is very sketchy. "Transportation of these machines and counting are the two areas that can have leakages," he said, adding that though he could not pinpoint where the weakness in EVMs lies, "if you say these are 100 per cent foolproof, I don't buy it". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka claimed Saturday that the mistrust between the ruling partners in Karnataka was growing and it has peaked during the days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "This is mostly evident in Mandya where actress Sumalatha Ambareesh is contesting against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamys son Nikhil," Ashoka told reporters here. The supporters of Congress are openly campaigning for Sumalatha in the segment, he claimed. "Trouble is brewing in Hassan also where JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowdas grandson Prajwal Revanna is contesting," Ashoka said. He ridiculed Congress candidate for Dakshina Kannada Mithun Rai visiting temples wearing saffron shawls, saying "Congress is behaving like a drama troupe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Floods in Iran since March have killed 70 people the head of the emergency services said on Friday according to the official IRNA Agency. "The floods also injured 791 persons of which 45 are still hospitalised," Pirhossein Koolivand, the head of the national Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Organisation said. A report published on the EMS website showed the southern Fars Province had the highest fatalities with 23 dead. The report also listed four people were missing. All in all 20 out of Iran's 31 provinces reported casualties from the floods. Iran has been hit by unprecedented flooding across most of the country in the last 19 days. The country's northeast was swamped on March 19 before the west and southwest of the country were inundated on March 25, killing a total of 45 people. On April 1 the west and southwest were again swamped by floods when heavy rains returned to the area. "2,199 rural roads and 84 bridges have been washed away," said Behnam Saeedi, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Organisation. "Across 15 provinces, 141 rivers burst their banks and around 400 land slides were reported," he told state TV. The government said the flooding had damaged nearly 12,000 kilometres of roads, or 36 per cent of the country's entire network. The worst hit in the latest deluge was Lorestan Province where in some cities whole neighbourhoods were washed away and many villages are still cut off. Fourteen deaths have been reported from Lorestan so far. The usually arid country is still battling the floods as the water from Lorestan and Ilam Provinces has now converged on the oil-rich Khuzestan Province with more heavy rain forecast for Saturday. Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned that up to 400,000 people in Khuzestan could be exposed to the floods, IRNA reported. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian authorities ordered the evacuation of six cities along the Karkheh river in southwestern Khuzestan province on Saturday after more rain sparked fears of new flooding, state agency IRNA said. Six cities alongside Karkheh river in southwestern Iran "must be evacuated as soon as possible," Khuzestan governor Gholamreza Shariati told IRNA. The oil-rich province of Khuzestan has an extensive range of dams, which have swelled upstream due to fresh downpours. The floodwater's intensity has forced authorities to open emergency discharges at Karkheh dam, one of the largest in the area, thus sparking fears of fresh flooding. The situation appears to be "critical", he said. "We advise all women and children to be evacuated to shelters and youngsters to remain and help," he added. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned that up to 400,000 people in Khuzestan could be exposed to the floods, IRNA reported. Iran, a usually arid country, has been hit by unprecedented flooding across most of the country since mid-March with 70 people killed, according to the country's emergency services. Heavy rain was forecast for Saturday in Khuzestan. The country's northeast was swamped on March 19 before the west and southwest of the country were inundated on March 25, killing a total of 45 people. On April 1 the west and southwest were again swamped by floods when heavy rains returned to the area. The government said the flooding had damaged nearly 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) of roads, or 36 per cent of the country's entire network. The worst hit in the latest deluge was Lorestan Province where in some cities whole neighbourhoods were washed away and many villages are still cut off. Fourteen deaths have been reported from Lorestan so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 80 ITBP personnel cast their ballot under the service voter category from a border location in Arunachal Pradesh, a senior official said Saturday. The troops voted for their respective constituencies in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh among few others, from the Animal Training School of the frontier guarding force in Lohitpur on Friday, he said. This is the first case of service voters exercising their franchise in this north eastern border state in 2019. These postal ballots will now be sent to their respective constituencies for counting on May 23. "The first service vote in Arunachal Pradesh was cast by Deputy Inspector General Sudhakar Natarajan. A total of 80 personnel voted. "Other units of the force in the state and other far-flung areas are undertaking the same process," an Indo-Tibetan Border Police force spokesperson said. Personnel of the armed forces, armed police forces and state police personnel deployed outside their constituencies are considered as service voters. Diplomats and other support staff serving in embassies are also service voters. The Election Commission had said in February that there was a substantial increase in the number of service voters in the country enrolled ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as compared to 2014. A total of 16,62,993 service personnel have been enrolled as service electors in the country in the electoral roll for 2019 polls, it had said. The seven phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 11 and end on May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Indian Union Muslim League Saturday took strong objection over the tweet posted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said it had filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the matter. "IUML filed a complaint today with Election Commission against the malicious tweet of Yogi Adityanath that Muslim League is a virus. IUML does not need a certificate about its nationalist or patriotic credentials from any quarters, including Yogi Adityanath", IUML National General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty said in a statement. The IUML is a recognised party in Kerala and has a long history of upholding the "secular democratic ethos of our Constitution", he said. The agenda of creating divisive by these "forces" in this country would not succeed as the people are determined to expose these forces and their game plans through the mighty force of the ballot paper, Kunhalikutty said. He claimed that the entire country recognised and appreciated the IUML leadership for upholding the secular fabric and communal harmony of the country. "Today, faced with several of their own senior leaders coming out together to expose BJP's dangerous and devious designs, to cause tensions in the country, the frustrated and discredited elements like Yogi are trying to malign our progressive political forces", the IUML leader said. Stating that Adityanath's statement was highly objectionable and illegal,Kunhalikutty said IUML has urged the Election Commission to take appropriate action against such forces "who are out to tarnish the image and secular credentials of IUML." The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had tweeted that the Muslim League is a virus and the Congress was affected by it. "Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he cannot survive and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Think, if they win what will happen? This virus will spread in the entire nation," Adityanath had tweeted. He also brought in the 1857 movement for freedom and its hero Mangal Pandey. "In 1857, entire country fought against Britishers with Mangal Pandey, then this Muslim League virus came and spread in such a way that the country was divided," he said. "The same threat is looming over the country again. Green flags are once again furled. Congress is suffering from Muslim league virus,remain alert," another of his tweets had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP has retained five sitting MPs, fielded a state minister in the first list of Lok Sabha candidates for Haryana announced Saturday. It has dropped its Karnal MP and fielded a former Indian Revenue Service officer from Sirsa. The party has not yet announced candidates from Hisar and Rohtak seats, currently held by opposition INLD and Congress respectively. Haryana has 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP has retained its MPs from Gurugram (Rao Inderjit Singh), Faridabad (Krishanpal Gurjar), Ambala (Rattan Lal Kataria), Sonipat (Ramesh Chander Kaushik) and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh (Dharamvir Singh). It has fielded Haryana minister Naib Singh Saini, who enjoys good rapport with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, from Kurukshetra. Its sitting MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini had turned rebel and floated his own outfit last year. The party has dropped its Karnal MP Ashwani Kumar Chopra, who has been critical of the BJP leadership for some time, and fielded its state general secretary Sanjay Bhatia from there. Bhatia is considered a confidant of Khattar, a legislative assembly member from Karnal. Former Karnal MP Arvind Sharma, who recently joined the BJP, was a strong contender from the seat. He is said to be miffed with the party after his candidature was ignored. There is speculation that Sharma may now be fielded from Rohtak, a seat where the names of state ministers Manish Grover and O P Dhankar are also doing the rounds. From Hisar, state BJP chief Subhash Barala's name is being speculated. From Sirsa (SC) seat, currently represented by the Indian National Lok Dal, BJP has fielded former IRS officer Suneeta Duggal. She has served as the chairperson of the Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corp and had unsuccessfully contested the previous state assembly poll. Former IPS officer V Kamaraja had thrown his hat in the ring from Sirsa for a BJP ticket. The sitting MP from Ambala, Kataria, thanked the party's senior leadership for reposing faith in him. "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the country has made progress quickly. The entire world is recognising India's might. We are confident that people will again repose their faith in BJP and we will form the next government at the Centre," Kataria said. Minister Saini said he felt honoured by the decision to nominate him from Kurukshetra. "I am a disciplined soldier of my party and ever ready to take up any task given to me. I thank my party's central and state leaderships for choosing me to fight from Kurukshetra. The BJP will win all 10 seats from Haryana," he said. He hit out at BJP's rebel MP Raj Kumar Saini, saying his political career has been marked with "opportunism and letting down people of his own constituency". At BJP office in Panipat, sweets were distributed when of Bhatia getting party ticket from Karnal broke out. Panipat is Karnal's adjoining town. Bhatia has been politically active in the Panipat region. His sister Meetu Bhatia said it was a great honour for them. "We will win Karnal and other nine seats with huge margins," she asserted. Out of 10 Lok Sabha seats, the ruling BJP has seven MPs. In 2014 LS polls, BJP had contested eight seats, leaving two Hisar and Sirsa for then alliance partner Haryana Janhit Congress, led by former chief minister Bhajan Lal's son Kuldeep Bishnoi. It had lost Rohtak to Congress party's Deepender Hooda, while HJC had lost both seats to the INLD. HJC later merged with Congress. A series of meetings among senior party leaders, including members of the screening committee, were held in Rohtak recently to discuss the names of the candidates. Some of the screening committee members are in-charge of Haryana BJP Kalraj Mishra, national general secretary Anil Jain, Chief Minister Khattar and state party chief Subhash Barala. A state BJP leader said the winning potential of the candidates, their adherence to the party ideology and loyalty were factored in during the selection process. Polls for all the 10 seats in Haryana will be held on May 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani-American actor Kumail Nanjiani is in negotiations to join Angelina Jolie in Marvel's upcoming film "The Eternals". The role will mark Nanjiani's first venture into the superhero realm. According to Variety, details about the movie and what characters Nanjiani and Jolie would play are being kept under wraps. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, the story of "The Eternals" is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the celestials genetically experimented on humans to create super-powered individuals known as the Eternals along with the villainous Deviants. Chloe Zhao is directing the film from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige is producing. Marvel gave no confirmation about Nanjiani's possible casting in "The Eternals". The studio has also not made any formal announcement on Jolie joining the film. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lightning strike has been stated to be the cause of a major forest fire that killed 27 fire fighters and three others recently in southwest China's Sichuan Province, media reported. The provincial forestry and grassland administration cited police as saying that the lightning igniting the fire was first witnessed and reported by local people in Muli County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. State-run Xinhua agency reported on Friday that after a thorough investigation, police found an 18-meter pine tree as the starting point of the fire. The lightning tore apart the tree trunk and was transmitted to ignite the humus layer on the ground, it said. The forest fire broke out on March 30 on top of a remote mountain at an altitude of over 3,700 meters. Local authorities dispatched more than 600 people to put out the blaze. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday wrote to the Election Commission protesting transfers of four IPS officers, including Kolkata and Bidhannagar police commissioners. The Election Commission's decision is "unfortunate", highly arbitrary, motivated and "biased" and was taken at the behest of the BJP, she said in the letter, content of which was shared with PTI. She has asked the poll panel to review its decision and also initiate a probe as to how and under whose guidance the decision of the transfers was taken. "I strongly feel that the EC plays a neutral role to save democracy in India. But, it is very unfortunate that I have to write this letter today to raise strong protest against the transfer order dated April 5, 2019 issued by the EC by way of removing four senior officers from their existing positions," Banerjee wrote in her letter. "The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e the BJP," the letter read. The EC on Friday night removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh in a major shake-up in the police establishment of the state. Dr Rajesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Pollution Control Board, was made the new Kolkata top cop, while Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, was named the new Bidhannagar police commissioner. The poll body named Avannu Ravindranath, DC (Airport Division) of Bidhannagar, as the new superintendent of police (SP) of Birbhum and appointed Srihari Pandey, deputy commissioner of Kolkata Armed Police, 3rd Battalion, as the Diamond Harbour police superintendent. Banerjee alleged that the EC transfer orders came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a BJP candidate said in a TV programme that law and order situation in West Bengal is bad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded the resignation of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairman Prasoon Joshi over allegedly giving preferential treatment to the makers of the upcoming biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The film, titled "PM Narendra Modi" and directed by Omung Kumar, has been criticised by the opposition parties, who claim that the biopic could give undue advantage to the BJP in the polls as it will arrive in theatres before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The seven-phase polls will begin on April 11, the day the film is scheduled to release. "As per the rule, the producers have to submit the final copy of the film to the censor board 58 days prior to the date of the exhibition. So why was special treatment given to the biopic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi?" Amey Khopkar, President of Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, said in a statement. Khopkar said the board went "out of its way" to give certification to the biopic. "We condemn the censor board which went out of its way for this film to appease the government. Prasoon Joshi should resign immediately from his post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "liar" and accused the BJP of trying to turn legal citizens of the country into foreigners in the name of NRC and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. She claimed that her party TMC will lead the formation of the new government at the centre. In an apparent dig at Modi, Banerjee wondered how a person who didn't look after his wife would look after the citizens of the country. "The BJP has to be defeated in order to save the people of this country. The TMC will lead the formation of the new government at the centre," she said addressing a public rally at Barobisha area of Alipurduar district. "Prime Minister Modi is a liar. He has been blabbering lies in the last five years. He has not fulfilled a single promises he made in 2014," she said. "The NRC and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill are another ploy to turn legal citizens of this country into refugees," the fiesty TMC supremo said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of "lying" to the nation on the Balakot air strike and shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 in the aerial dogfight between the IAF and the PAF. Abdullah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Srinagar constituency, said the BJP-led central government carried out the aerial strike as the Prime Minister had "failed" in delivering on his promises made during the last general elections in the country. "He (Modi) had promised that Rs 15 lakh will be put in your accounts, did you get Rs 15 lakh? When he failed in all these things, his head was hanging whenever I used to see him in Parliament during the last few days as he realised that his power is gone. "At that time, some MPs would say that he would do something...Attack Pakistan so that everyone feels that Hanuman ji has come. What did he do? For a few seconds, he sent three planes to the border which is known as Balakot and dropped bombs there," Abdullah said addressing an election rally in the Fakir Gujri area here Friday. The former chief minister said the government claimed that a number of terrorists were killed but there is no clarity. "Some people said 500 were killed and some others even said 700 were killed. Here if one person is killed, the whole world comes to know. Would no one know if 300 were killed?" he asked. On the report in a US journal that the US count claims no F-16 jet was shot down by IAF's MiG-21 Bison, Abdullah asked the prime minister why he was "lying" to the people of the country. "He (Modi) said we shot down their (Pakistani) fighter plane F-16. Now, the US has come up saying all the Pakistani F-16s are counted. Not one has been shot down. There must be some basis for even lies, Modi ji. How long will you lie to people. And did you win (the battle)? Has Pakistan disappeared? Why are you lying? Do you think the Hindus will buy into all this?" he said. Hoping that the BJP will not return to power at the Centre, Abdullah said whichever party comes to power "they will definitely talk to Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir will be the first priority". "We can't bear living like this ...That deaths take place everyday," he said. About the government's decision to ban public traffic on Jammu and Srinagar highway two days every week, Abdullah said the road was not even closed during Kargil war. "Are we at war today that the government has closed the highway for two days a week? Are we slaves? Is Jammu and Kashmir a colony? We were never slaves and will never be. We have said goodbye to kings in 1947. Don't threaten us, you are not our god," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was lying by commenting that the opposition party will remove immunity of the armed forces under AFSPA if voted to power. He asserted the Congress manifesto only states that there would be no immunity for armed forces only in cases of "enforced disappearance, sexual violence or torture". Chidambaram sought to know whether Modi supports "enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture", the allegations which are common in areas where AFSPA is in force. "Mr Modi is lying when he says that Congress will remove the immunity to Armed Forces. Congress Manifesto says there will be no immunity only in cases of enforced disappearance, sexual violence or torture," he said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said, "Mr Modi must also answer this question: why did he totally withdraw AFSPA from Tripura, Meghalaya and three districts of Arunachal Pradesh?" The Congress and the have been engaged in a war of words over the former's pledge in its manifesto to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Jammu and Kashmir. The prime minister had Friday accused the Congress of hurting the morale of the armed forces by seeking a review of the AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir. "What will happen to the country (if they do so)? You are committing the sin of removing the protective cover from the security personnel for votes? Shame on you for your politics. Any terrorist can file any kind of FIR against the Army and security personnel if the AFSPA is withdrawn," Modi had said. The controversial AFSPA gives a degree of immunity from prosecution to the security forces deployed in "disturbed areas". The Congress in Karnataka Saturday said the Mysore Lok Sabha seat was a prestigious one and there were "some challenges" but it would be sorted out, as it sought to downplay the opposition of some local JDS workers to extend support to the Congress candidate C H Vijayashankar. At a meeting of JD(S) leaders and workers in Mysuru on Friday, party workers openly opposed supporting the Congress candidate and demanded that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hold discussions with them, seeking support. JD(S) workers pointed at Congress not supporting their candidate in Mandya and threatened to support the BJP in Mysore seat in front of minister for higher education G T Deve Gowda. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is the JDS candidate contesting from Mandya. Reacting to the development, Siddaramaiah Saturday said the incident was blown out of proportion by the media. "Some lower rung workers yesterday said at a meeting of G T Deve Gowda that they wont vote for Congress. That became a big Statements of a few individuals are not significant. We clearly tell those working against the party to quit the party and go," Siddaramaiah said. He said Mysore Lok Sabha constituency was a prestigious seat and there were "some challenges." "But it will be sorted out once we start a joint campaign," Siddaramaiah told reporters after former JDS leader K Harish Gowda joined the Congress at a function in the party state headquarters. Congress state chief Dinesh Gundu Rao announced Harish Gowda's entry into the party and welcomed him along with his core team members. Harish Gowda had rebelled against the JDS leadership and stood as an independent garnering about 22,000 votes in the 2018 Assembly elections from Chamaraja constituency in Mysuru. Congress will need JD(S)' support to win in Mysore Lok Sabha seat as a majority of legislators there are from the regional party, with two of them being Ministers. BJP has fielded its sitting MP Prathap Simha as its candidate from the constituency. Congress leaders in Mandya are miffed over the party'sdecision to cede the seat to the JD(S) and have stayed away fromcampaigning, with most even extending support to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, who has reportedly the BJP's backing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 20-year-old member of the Neeraj Bawana gang was arrested from Outer North Delhi's Bawana area, police said Saturday. The accused has been identified as Parmod Kumar, a resident of Jhajjar district in Haryana. A murder case on October 7, 2018 at Bawana police station and three robbery cases in Haryana were registered against him, they said. According to Gaurav Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North), "On October 6, 2018, a firing incident took place in Bawana where one Amit was shot dead and his friend Pinki (name changed) got injured". During investigation, it was revealed that Pinki was cousin of Neeraj Bawana and she was in a relation with Amit. Neeraj and his other family members were against the relation between the two and Pankaj Sehrawat, brother of Neeraj, asked one Raj Kumar to kill Amit and Pinki, the DCP said. Thereafter, Raj, along with Harish and his brother-in-law Pramod, attacked them. After the incident, Harish and Raj were arrested but Pramod was at large. However, on Friday, police got a tip-off about Pramod and laid a trap near Choti Pulia, Kanjhawala Road, Bawana and nabbed him, the DCP said. One country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from his possession, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank if re-elected, a dramatic policy shift apparently aimed at rallying his nationalist base in the final stretch of the tight race. Netanyahu has promoted Jewish settlement expansion in his four terms as prime minister, but until now refrained from presenting a detailed vision for the West Bank, seen by the Palestinians as the heartland of a future state. An Israeli annexation of large parts of the West Bank is bound to snuff out any last flicker of hope for an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of a Palestinian state on lands Israel captured in 1967. A so-called two-state solution has long been the preferred option of most of the international community. However, intermittent US mediation between Israelis and Palestinians ran aground after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital early in his term. The Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, suspended contact with the US. More recently, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967. The move was viewed in Israel as a political gift by Trump to Netanyahu who is being challenged by former military chief Benny Gantz. Polls have indicated a close race, though Netanyahu's Likud Party is expected to have a better chance than Gantz's Blue and White slate to form a ruling coalition. Polls forecast more than 60 out of 120 parliament seats for the Likud and smaller right-wing and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. On Saturday, Netanyahu gave an interview to Israel's Channel 12 TV at the top of the prime-time newscast. Netanyahu portrayed the US policy shifts on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as his achievements, saying he had managed to persuade Trump to take these steps. Netanyahu pledged that he would not dismantle a single Jewish settlement and that Israel would retain control of the territory west of the Jordan River the West Bank. More than 600,000 Israelis now live on war-won lands, two-thirds in the West Bank. The interviewer asked why he hadn't annexed some of the larger settlements during his current term. "The question you are asking is an interesting question, whether we will move to the next stage and the answer is yes," he said, adding that the next term in office would be fateful. "We will move to the next stage, the imposing of Israeli sovereignty." "I will impose sovereignty, but I will not distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said. "From my perspective, any point of settlement is Israeli, and we have responsibility, as the Israeli government. I will not uproot anyone, and I will not transfer sovereignty to the Palestinians." In any partition deal, the more isolated Jewish settlements would likely have to be uprooted to create a viable Palestinian state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday slammed Pakistan for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil despite India providing it evidence several times. Sitharaman told reporters here that Pakistan did not want to eliminate terror. "Pakistan is interested in promoting terrorism. It does not want to eliminate terrorism," the senior BJP leader said when asked about Pakistan stonewalling dossiers on terrorists supplied by India. "Not just this government, but even earlier governments have given dossier after dossier, evidence after evidence but Pakistan has done nothing on them," she said. Talking about the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, she said even the first court in the neighbouring country had not completed the job of trying the accused. Claiming that only the Narendra Modi government could give a befitting reply to terrorists, she said opposition parties were insulting soldiers by questioning the February 26 air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. The air strikes were carried out after the JeM terror outfit claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred. She said the morale of the armed forces was high and people's support had raised their motivation level even further. On a query on the Rafale fighter jet purchase in which the Congress has alleged irregularities, Sitharaman said the deal followed laid down norms and was made in national interest. "Bofors was a scam. Not Rafale. Rafale will bring back the Modi government to build a new India and stamp out corruption," she claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police in has seized 18 live bullets of an anti-aircraft gun from a plot near Prime Minister Imran Khan's private residence. Khan's residence Banigala is in Islamabad suburbs where he lived before shifting to the official residence. The bullets seized from the plot is located about half-a-kilometre away from his private residence where he often visits. A senior officer of a foreign mission noticed the ammunition and informed the police, Dawn news reported. A patrolling team cordoned off the area. Teams from different police wings, including Counter-Terrorism Force, Crime Investigation Agency and Bomb Disposal Squad seized 18 bullets of the anti-craft gun. The bullets, seemed to be old, were 30mm in length and de-coloured, a police officer said. Security has been stepped-up in the area. Police suspect that someone had brought the ammunition to the plot during the last a couple of days and tried to hide them in garbage. The ammunition were shifted to a safe place and would be sent to a lab for forensic analysis, said the officer. So far, nobody claimed responsibility for placing the ammunition near Khan's residence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said people have to decide whether they want to choose an honest and principled government committed to development of all, or a corrupt and unprincipled one. "This time lotus will bloom in Odisha. The BJP will taste victory. I can say with certainty that maximum number of lotuses will bloom in the state," Modi said at a rally in tribal-dominated Sundargarh. Similarly, the BJP will again come to power at the Centre as the country needs a strong and decisive government to ensure national security as well as speedy development, the prime minister said. Hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha, the prime minster said its intentions are not good and the 2019 polls are significant for the future of Odisha as well as country. On the 39th foundation day of the BJP, Modi said, "The party was born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money. It came into being and grew manifold with the sweat and labour of its workers." Asserting that the BJP all along fought to safeguard democracy, he said lakhs of party workers and leaders were jailed while protesting the Emergency. "Now the BJP has emerged as the world's largest democratic organisations. It fought to protect democracy during Emergency," he said. Assembly election in Odisha will 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.) DMK president M K Stalin Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of launching the Rs 6,000 per annum assistance to marginal farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls. Alleging that it has become Modi's habit to claim there was a danger to religion if he was targeted, Stalin said his party was confident that "young leader Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister." Addressing a poll rally here, he praised the Rs 6,000 per month Minimum Income Support Scheme of the Congress party and said the BJP-led NDA's Kisan plan was however announced for the sake of the polls. "Prime Minister Modi made the Rs 6,000 assistance announcement (under the Kisan scheme) with an eye on the polls. Has any one got the assistance,?" he asked. Stalin said Modi also made several promises in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election and wanted to know if such assurances had been fulfilled. Training his guns on the AIADMK regime, which, he said, was in power for eight long years, Stalin assured that "Makkal Nala Paniyalargal," (Workers for People's Welfare), who were dismissed from service by the incumbent government would be reinstated. "We are going to appoint 50 lakh women as Workers for People's Welfare," he said. The DMK had in its manifesto promised that it would press the Centre to emulate its model and appoint 50 lakh women across the country as welfare workers. Seeking votes for DMK's ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi candidate D Ravikumar, Stalin assured Rs 4,000 per tonne for sugarcane and Rs 2,500 for paddy as Minimum Support Price per quintal. VCK is contesting in the DMK's rising sun symbol in Villupuram Lok Sabha seat. Stalin said that steps would be taken to ensure that cane farmers got their remittances within 100 days for the produce procured from them. Both the Centre's Fair and Remunerative Price and the State Advised Price for cane would be remitted to farmers through cooperative, State-run and private sugar mills, he said. The Tamil Nadu government had last year decided to switch to a new pricing policy (from the SAP) to ensure better remuneration for farmers. The DMK chief also assured steps to roll back the hike in cable television charges. Hitting out at Chief Minister K Palaniswami for taking pride in being a farmer, Stalin alleged that "Palaniswami claims that Stalin is against a farmer ruling Tamil Nadu. A farmer can helm the state.. I will support. But Palaniswami is not a farmer, he is a poisonous gas." Alleging that Palaniswami did not even visit the cyclone Gaja hit people in the Cauvery delta region for a week, he asked: "People are protesting against the Salem-Chennai expressway project. Is Palaniswami, who is continuously allowing land acquisition for the project a farmer...?"In the morning Stalin sought votes here while on his routine morning walk. MNPs were recruited during the DMK regime and the party had said years ago that it was aimed at providing employment to rural youth. After AIADMK assumed power in 2011, the posts were disbanded and the matter reached the Madras High Court and later the Supreme Court. Modi in February launched the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. In its interim budget 2019-20, the Centre had announced the PM-KISAN scheme which envisages transfer of Rs 6,000 per year in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers having upto two hectares land. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MNS chief Raj Thackeray Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi frittered away the huge mandate he had won in 2014 and spent the last five years in changing names of the schemes that were launched by the previous Congress regime. Addressing a gathering of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, Thackeray referred to a recent statement from the US which stated that all the F-16 jets in Pakistani fleet were accounted for, contrary to the Indian government's claim that one intruding jet was shot down after the Balakot aerial strike. "Why did PM Modi lie on this? He should answer that. Modi had got such a rare opportunity, as the BJP had won the majority vote in 2014, 30 years after (late PM) Rajiv Gandhi secured such a huge mandate. What did you do in five years?" Thackeray questionned. He also drew a parallel between the "acche din" promise and a similar slogan given by the then US President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940s and by German dictator Adolf Hitler. Apparently referring to BJP veteran L K Advani, the MNS chief said people spend their entire life wishing to be the prime minister, but Modi, "who won the majority by a fluke", kept "lying" to people all these years". "In the last five years, the prime minister has not held even a single press conference. Why is he scared to face journalists and answer their questions? He could have done so much," he said. The MNS chief further said that importance of the Congress is realised only when the party is not in power. "What (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi has said is right. PM Modi has taught us a lot. We abuse the Congress when it is in power," he said. Thackeray, who used to praise Modi when he used to be chief minister of Gujarat before turning his fierce critic, also clarified his position. "People ask me why did I support the PM earlier and now I criticise him. My explanation is that since the man (Modi) has changed so did my stand," he said. "Traits of Modi and Hitler are similar. The then US president Franklin Roosevelt had also said that good days would come. Even Hitler had said the same. And now Modi is also talking about 'acche din'," he said. Further attacking the prime minister, Thackeray said even when he goes to meet his old mother once a year during her birthday, he takes press photographers along. "What is this? My mother lives with me. Should I also start taking cameras when I go to meet her in the next room?" he quipped. "Modi could have done wonders in the country because he had a majority government. He, however, only changed the names of the schemes implemented by the Congress," Thackeray said. He named schemes like the National Girl Child Day programme and Rajiv Awas Yojana to stress his point. Slamming Amit Shah over his statement that 250 terrorists were killed in the Balakot air strike in February this year, the MNS chief wondered how did the BJP president know that exact number. "Was he (Shah) sitting in the back of the IAF plane? Even IAF chief had said that the exact numbers were not available. Had even ten terrorists been killed, Pakistan would not have released Wing Commander Abhinandan (Varthaman) from its custody," he said. Wing Commander Varthaman was captured after his MiG-21 Bison went down during a dogfight with an intruding F-16 jet after the Balakot strike. Thackeray further said if Modi returns to power again, holding of elections will stop and democratic rights will be taken away. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on April 13 to campaign for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said. He will address an election rally at Nehru Maidan in the city at 3.30 pm in which more than a lakh people will take part, the sources said. Meanwhile, election officer and Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil held a meeting here to finalise the security arrangements to be made for the visit. District superintendent of police B M Laxmi Prasad, city police commissioner Sandeep Patil and zilla panchayat chief executive officer R Selvamani attended the meeting. The Lok Sabha elections will be held in two phases in Karnataka on April 18 and 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar Saturday criticised Shatrughan Sinha's decision to join the Congress and called switching parties " of dishonesty". Apart from Sinha, who joined the Congress earlier in the day, Kumar also hit out at former chief minister Sukh Ram for joining the grand old party. He demanded that Ram's son, Anil Sharma, should resign as a minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government. Saying he was hurt by Sinha joining the Congress, Kumar said: "I have been personally attached to Shatrughan Sinha's family since the late eighties. I asked Shatru and his wife, Poonam, several times not to leave the BJP." "The of dishonesty begins when the leaders switch parties. The trend of switching parties is deeply damaging politics," the BJP leader said. Kumar said he was against such where people shift parties to suit their motives. He said "aaya Ram gaya Ram" was the main feature of Haryana politics, alleging that Ram had defamed Himachal by switching parties five times. "Sukh Ram's son has to leave the ministerial chair he is occupying in Himachal. His grandson (Aashray Sharma) will be defeated in the Mandi seat. Only then, Sukh Ram will realise what he has lost at the fag end of his life," Kumar told reporters here. Asked about denying tickets to old stalwarts of the BJP, Kumar said when the party decided that the old leaders would not be allowed to contest election, it must be endorsed by everyone in the party. "I have played a long innings in politics and now I am a writer first then a politician. And, as a writer, I must say that age should not be considered the eligibility criteria in any field." He said the young leaders working against of any party were the real elderly people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The arrest of a Chinese woman who allegedly brought malicious software to President Donald Trump's Florida resort shows that Beijing poses a threat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday. Zhang Yujing was arrested last week at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was on one of his frequent visits, after attempting to enter while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware, according to court documents. "I think this tells the American people the threat that China poses, the efforts that they're making here inside the United States not only against government officials, but more broadly," Pompeo said in an interview with CBS "The theft of American intellectual property is a big business to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, and President Trump is determined to push back against it," he said. He was referring to ongoing trade talks in which the United States is pressing China to take action to protect intellectual property. Pompeo said the administration was looking closely at the arrest but declined further comment, saying the investigation was ongoing. There has been no evidence presented publicly that Zhang was sent by the Chinese government, although Beijing says it is providing consular assistance. Zhang was accused of making false statements to federal officers after first claiming to be a member who wanted to use the pool, and then saying she was attending a non-existent Chinese-American friendship event. The security of Mar-a-Lago itself has drawn scrutiny in light of the unusual situation of a president who frequently hobnobs with members who pay to be part of his club. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday discussed the issue again with senior party leaders from the city. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Gandhi's residence, a source said. The meeting comes days after the Congress decided to go it alone in Delhi and not have any alliances with the ruling AAP. Chacko has been in discussion with AAP leader Sanjay Singh and the two have held several rounds of talks over the issue. These discussions mark a fresh round of talks between the Congress and AAP leaders after renewed efforts by some opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar who urged both the parties forge an alliance in Delhi. According to sources, Delhi Congress leaders told Gandhi about the party's prospects in Delhi in these Lok Sabha polls and if the party goes for a pre-poll alliance what effects it may have, given that Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled in 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday said the BJP should not question the feasibility of the minimum income scheme promised by his party when, he alleged, the Narendra Modi government had no qualms in "giving money" to businessmen like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Addressing rallies at Almora, Srinagar and Haridwar in Uttarakhand to drum up support for party candidates in the five Lok Sabha seats of the state going to polls on April 11, Gandhi said, "He (Modi) didn't think for a moment when he took your money to give it to the likes of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Anil Ambani." "And now, when it has come to paying some money to the poorest as an income support, he is asking where will the money come from," the Congress president said. "I have consulted economic experts and they said it is feasible without derailing the economy," he said. Gandhi claimed that minimum income scheme for the poor promised in the Congress' poll manifesto will be a surgical strike on poverty without burdening the economy. "Before making the scheme a part of our manifesto I took the advice of our economic experts like P Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh on how to give money to the poor without derailing the economy and they came up with a figure of Rs 72,000 per year. The amount will be credited into the account of the 20 per cent poorest families every year," Gandhi said addressing a rally in Srinagar. Thus a total of Rs 3.6 lakh will be deposited into the account of each beneficiary over a period of five years, he claimed. Accusing Modi of letting down farmers and the youth by going back on all the promises made to them in 2014, the Congress president asked what happened to the slogan of Rs 15 lakh in everyone's account, the loan waiver promised to farmers and the two crore jobs for the youth annually. "Why doesn't Modi speak about these slogans at his election rallies?" he asked. Dubbing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Gandhi claimed that it has destroyed the small and medium businessmen who generate employment, and promised that the unified tax regime would will be simplified if the Congress is voted to power. He also asserted that the Congress' manifesto clearly states that farmers cannot be jailed for non-repayment of loans. "If Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi are not being jailed why should farmers go to jail? The Congress is with the farmers, let Modi go with the capitalists," he said. Besides waiving farm loans, Gandhi said a separate budget would be presented for farmers to give them a clear idea of how much money the government has allocated for them. He also alleged that Modi did not have any agenda for the country's development and was only making false promises to come back to power. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP in Kerala Saturday criticised AICC chief Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that the Narendra Modi-led government was neglecting south India. The saffron party said the allegation was part of Gandhi's "divisive politics" and further criticised him for contesting the general elections from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency with the support of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Speaking to newspersons here, BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged the IUML and the Communist party had favoured the partition of the country. When the country gained independence, the Communists had wanted to divide the country into 16 sovereign republics and to carry out a referendum, Pillai alleged. "Gandhi's allegation that the Modi government is neglecting south India is divisive Even the Congress party has not raised such an allegation so far," he said, while speaking at a meet-the-press programme here. The attitude of the Congress to field its party chief from a constituency with the support of the IUML, which had allegedly favoured the partition, was "wrong", Pillai contended. Those who had suffered the ill-effects of partition were viewing this move with "grave concern", he said. On his candidature from Wayanad, Gandhi had said he wanted to "send the message that India is one." "There is a very strong feeling in south India that they are not being carried (along) by the current government. South India feels hostility from Mr Narendra Modi, they feel that they are not being included in the decisions of the country," Rahul Gandhi had said. Pillai alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government in the state was slapping cases against the leaders and cultural activists of his party in connection with the Sabarimala women's entry issue with "political vengeance". "It is illegal and unethical and the misuse of the criminal law," the BJP leader added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP general secretary Ram Madhav Saturday sought people's cooperation in wiping out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. "Our fight is against terrorism which is your problem as well. We have almost finished terrorism from the state and need your cooperation to wipe it out completely," Madhav said, addressing election rallies in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Seeking support for the party candidate from the Jammu parliamentary constituency Jugal Kishore, he said "where there is terror, there can never be peace". "We have to wipe out terrorism and our government has taken various steps in this direction. When we entered into a coalition with late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (former chief minister and PDP patron), our common focus was eradication of terrorism from the state," he said. He said his party considers the people of all the regions of the state as its own. "When we say Jammu and Kashmir is ours, we do not just mean the land but the entire population of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir regions. They are our own people who want development," Madhav said. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party celebrated its foundation day at the party headquarters in Jammu, where state BJP president Ravinder Raina alleged that leaders of opposition parties were "traitors". "One is shocked over their election manifestos and it seems that the documents are prepared in Pakistan," he alleged. "This is a fight of nationalists against traitors. Every BJP worker is a fighter like a soldier who is ready to sacrifice his life for the nation, for the honour of the tricolour," Raina said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rameez rises early. By 7 am, he is near the popular Clock Tower in central Saharanpur, waiting for people to hire his rickshaw. The Tower area is a busy place with a diverse group of visitors, who have just enough time to amuse themselves with a discussion on Kulsoom is a final-year student at a college in the western Uttar Pradesh city. She says the discussion at her home these days is only about And Pankaj owns a grocery store on Abdul Salam Road, the epicentre of the famed handmade wooden craft of Saharanpur. He, too, interacts with people from diverse backgrounds with varied interests at his shop. All three said they are yet unsure who to vote for this election. Or, they want to keep their decision to themselves. An interesting three-way contest is underway in Saharanpur, a city of 17.22 lakh voters, of which 6 lakh are Muslims. Two strong Muslim candidates - Imran Masood (Congress) and Faizul Rehman (BSP) - are into the fray against the sitting BJP lawmaker, Raghav Lakhan Pal. The name Rameez in Urdu means "level-headed". But, standing near the Clock Tower, he said he is in a fix about who to vote for on April 11, when the Lok Sabha election will be held in the constituency. "Imran Masood is a good leader. He should be given a chance. But I know all Harijan votes would go to Faizul Rehman and I really want BJP to lose. So I am unable to make up my mind who to vote for," Rameez said. Saharanpur residents believe the BJP has an edge over its rivals because of a possible split in Muslim votes, a deciding factor in the city. The BJP here has historically benefited from Jat votes, which has remained largely intact behind the party over the years. There are around three lakh SC/ST voters followed by 1.5 lakh Gujjars. Punjabis and Sikhs are around 1.45 lakh. Kulsoom has a different set of demands. She wants a strong leader to lead Saharanpur and a university which would improve her prospects to become a teacher. "I want a strong leader who could stand up for the rights of Muslims. But I am unable to decide who to vote for," she said. "A long, passionate discussion takes place in my home on this every evening." She said the BJP had promised a university in Saharanpur, but it is not yet fulfilled. There are 8 lakh female voters in the district. Pankaj said the division of Muslim votes could favour the BJP. "We know that SC/ST votes would shift to the mahagathbandhan candidate (Rehman) along with a percentage of Muslim votes which would be a loss for the Congress (Masood)," he said. He did not appear very enthused with the work done by the sitting BJP lawmaker, saying the roads are damaged and wracked by potholes. A section of people believe Masood's prospects may improve after Congress General Secretary incharge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad in Meerut last month. But the new outfit has rebuffed the Congress's overtures, saying the party has done "nothing" for Dalits during its 60-year rule. "The Bhim Army is from Saharanpur and it is popular among Dalit youths in western UP," said Samiran, a handicraft trader. "It would be interesting to see the poll results. There is a very good chance of Muslim votes deciding the results," he added. Lakhan Pal said the BJP is fighting the election on the agenda of development and claimed he has support from all sections of society. "We have focussed on development earlier and even now development would be our agenda. My wish is that no one has to migrate to other places for employment. I would start working towards it as soon as I am elected," the BJP candidate said. Masood said the Muslim vote is an ideological vote. If Mayawati Ji is not interested in talking to Congress then she is splitting the secular votes," he said. We should get above of hatred and polarisation. My focus is providing employment to the youth, ensuring dues are paid to farmers. In 2014, Masood had made offensive comments against the prime minister and he was asked by the Congress to issue a public clarification. On his comments made then, he says all that is behind him now. Raat gaye, baat gaye. But at a rally in Saharanpur on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the people of the district of Masood's "boti-boti" remark. Beside the caste-religion factor, what effect does the populist schemes political parties have announced to implement if voted to power would have on the electorates? Rameez said he earns Rs 600 per day and is content with it, but doesn't mind if a little more money coming his way. He, however, said he does not believe the parties which have promised to transfer money directly to the bank accounts of the poor. In his early 60s, he said he everytime voted believing these promises, not this time. "It is only during elections that parties remember the poor". Saharanpur's political significance can be gauged from the fact that the Uttar Pradesh BJP started its election campaign this time from the constituency and Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal combine will hold its first joint rally in Deoband on Sunday. The Lok Sabha constituency includes five assembly seats Behat, Saharanpur, Saharanpur Dehat, Rampur Maniharan and Deoband. In 2014, Pal won with a narrow margin of 65,090 votes. Congress leader Masood came second with 4,07, 909 votes. Jagdish Singh Rana contested from BSP and got 2,35,033 votes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh Saturday mocked at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for writing to the Election Commission over the transfer of four IPS officers and claimed that many more transfers are in the pipeline. "This is just the beginning. Many more list of such transfer are on the pipeline. Why is the chief minister so angry? Is it because her plans to use the police to help her cadre loot votes and engage in rigging has fallen flat," Ghosh said. The state BJP president alleged that most of the senior police officers in Bengal were behaving like TMC cadres. His comments come against the backdrop of Banerjee writing to the EC to protest the transfer of four IPS officers, including the Kolkata and the Bidhannagar police commissioners. The EC decision is "unfortunate, highly arbitrary, motivated and biased, and taken at the behest of the BJP," the chief minister's letter said, urging the poll panel to review the move. The EC had on Friday night removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh in a major shake-up ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state. Rajesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Pollution Control Board, was made the new Kolkata top cop, while Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, was named the Bidhannagar police commissioner. The poll body also named Avannu Ravindranath, Deputy Commissioner (Airport Division) of Bidhannagar, as the new Birbhum Superintendent of Police and appointed Srihari Pandey, Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Armed Police, 3rd Battalion, as the Diamond Harbour Superintendent of Police. The EC's announcement came days after opposition parties in the state alleged that free and fair elections would not be possible under these officers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former union minister Renuka Chowdary of the Congress is locked in a straight fight with Nama Nageswara Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Khammam Lok Sabha constituency, where "settlers" in two assembly segments bordering neighbouring Andhra Pradesh could well hold the key to poll outcome. It is turning out to be a prestigious battle -- the Congress pinning lot of hopes here, while the TRS President and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is determined to assert his party's supremacy here as it had a poor outing in the district in the 2018 assembly polls. The CPI-M and the BJP have also put up their candidates for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in this segment, where the Congress has won 11 times since 1952 and others on the remaining four occasions. This is the third time that Rao, promoter of diversified Madhucon Group, and Chowdary are fighting against each other in Khammam. Chowdary won 2004 and Rao in 2009. The Khammam Lok Sabha seat was bagged by P Srinivas Reddy on a YSR Congress Party ticket in 2014 with a margin of about 12,000 votes. Later, Reddy defected to the TRS. The YSRCP has not fielded candidate this time, and it's no secret that it would back the TRS this time. Rao unsuccessfully contested on TDP ticket in Khammam in the assembly polls in December 2018 but defected to the TRS last month. The fight has generated a lot of interest. The constituency has seven assembly segments. In the December 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress bagged three seats and the TDP two, and the TRS and Independent one each. But in a boost to the TRS during the last month, two of these Congress MLAs, one TDP lawmaker and the independent announced their decision to join the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party. A large chunk of settlers in Sathupalli and Asawaraopet in Khammam Lok Sabha segment who voted for the TDP in the last assembly polls may support the Congress this time, according to political observers. These people from Andhra Pradesh are now settled in Telangana. The defection to the TRS of S Veeraiah who won from Sathupalli on TDP ticket may not go down well with voters, who may work against their legislator this time, one of them said. Aswaraopet TDP legislator Macha Nageswara Rao has extended support to Chowdary and is canvassing for her. The lone TRS MLA from Khammam, Puvvada Ajay Kumar, who went door to door and campaigned against Nama Nageswara Rao in the last assembly elections, is now seeking votes for the MP candidate of his party. "In Khammam, TRS government carried out development work worth Rs 1000 crore. Many admired the work and joined the TRS. There is a notion that TRS is strong (only) in north Telangana. But by winning this seat, I am going to prove that it is strong even in Khammam," said Nama. Chowdary said she has been getting good response from voters and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) workers and leaders. Though Telangana Jana Samithi, TDP and CPI were part of the Congress-led "Prajakutami" (People's Front) in the assembly elections in December last year, there is no formal alliance for the April 11 Lok Sabha polls among them. "It is heartening that even Telugu Desam Party cadres are coming out and supporting me. As daughter of the soil, I developed this constituency. My opponent (Rao) contested on one party ticket just a few months ago and now switched to another party just for the sake of ticket. He was not to be seen anywhere after he was defeated in 2014 elections. I think people see and understand that," Chowdary said. The BJP has fielded Devaki Vasudeva Rao and the CPI-M Boda Venkat for Khammam which has voter base of over 15 lakh. As many as 23 candidates including independents are in the poll race. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dissident BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha Saturday joined the Congress, which welcomed him with a Lok Sabha ticket, as he lambasted his former party, terming it a "one-man show and two-men army". The 72-year-old actor-turned-politician said he left the BJP, on its foundation day Saturday, with "immense pain and heavy heart". He alleged there is no place left in the party for dialogue and its leadership does not value its own veterans, and views its opponents as "enemies". Sinha also heaped praise on Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He is a dynamic, "tried, tested and successful" leader and the face and future of India, the Patna Sahib MP said. Within hours of joining, the Congress fielded Sinha from Bihar's Patna Sahib seat, where he will contest against BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Sinha had met Rahul Gandhi on March 28. Attacking the BJP's top leadership, Sinha said, "Today there is no place left for dialogue in the BJP anymore," and if one speaks the truth he is termed as a rebel. "If speaking the truth is rebellion, then I am rebel," he said addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters here. Party veterans are not being looked after in the BJP and are being sent to 'margdarshak mandal', he alleged. "In the BJP, democracy has slowly and surely turned into dictatorship. The party has become a one-man show and a two-men army," Sinha alleged without naming anyone. He claimed whenever he tried to make a point, he was called a "traitor". That Sinha was not happy with the BJP and the government led by it was clear from the past few months, during which he put out several tweets critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party and the government. In his tweets, he has also been full of praise for Gandhi and RJD leaders, including its jailed president Lalu Prasad. In an apparent reference to Modi, Sinha said, "People have called your bluff and understood your hollow promises. You have been exposed." Sinha said the BJP has now been "exposed" and people can see through its "hollow" promises. "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas (foundation day) of BJP. "I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in this party," Sinha later tweeted. He alleged that, like BJP's founding member L K Advani, other stalwarts including Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha were not given respect and not "treated properly" in the party. He also attacked the Modi government, alleging, "everything happens from the Prime Minister's Office...ministers can't work freely." Terming demonetisation as "probably the world's biggest scam", Sinha said, "It was a mindless decision...Several people died and we were told it was normal."Sinha also said the country would have transformed if the money splurged by the BJP on its publicity campaign was spent on development. Lauding the Congress' proposed Nyuntam Aay Yojna (Nyay) scheme, he said the country has not seen such thing in past. "I am hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory," he also tweeted. He hailed the Congress as a "party of great nation-builders and luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and many others" and exuded confidence that the grand alliance in Bihar will emerge victorious. "Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, Rahul Gandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction. Long live democracy and the Congress party, along with the alliance of Lalu and Tejasvi's RJD. Long live our great India. Jai Hind," he also tweeted. Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and AICC in-charge for party's Bihar unit Shaktisinh Gohil welcomed Sinha into the party fold. Venugopal said Sinha was "in wrong party" earlier and has "now joined a right party". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday urged people to assess the Congress' five years in the opposition, claiming it was creating chaos to stop the government from doing good work. She said the amount of 72,000 per year, promised by the Congress to the poor under its NYAY scheme, was half of what the Narendra Modi government is giving away currently to poor citizens through direct subsidy transfers. While addressing professionals and intellectuals of the city here as part of BJP's Lok Sabha campaign, she said though PM Modi was ready to reply to the Congress' questions in Parliament, leaders in the opposition created chaos and did not allow him to do so. "Before 2014, the BJP was in opposition and it campaigned to uproot a corrupt government. Now, we are in power while the Congress is in opposition. You should compare our performance as an opposition and that of the Congress," she said. "As an opposition party, we used to raise questions in the Parliament. But, we never made any baseless allegations. Now, though Modi ji was ready to give answers, he was not allowed by the opposition leaders who created chaos in the Parliament. This is today's opposition. They are trying to stop us from doing good work," she claimed. "This is what the opposition has become. You have to think about this too," Sitharaman told the gathering. On the minimum income guarantee scheme promised by the Congress, Sitharaman said "The Rs 72,000, which Congress is promising to give, is less than what Modiji is giving right now to the needy citizens through direct subsidy transfers." She said because of the efforts of Modi, no country had criticised India for its February 26 Balakot air strike. "Pakistan is already in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force for not taking sufficient action against terror outfits. Now, it may be added in the black list of FATF," she said. "Even Pakistan has admitted that they are on the verge of being blacklisted because of India's campaign. Why did such things not happen earlier? Because Modi hai to mumkin hai (With Modi, it is possible)," said the BJP leader. When queried on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah's allegation that the Modi government was lying about the shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 in the aerial engagement on February 27, she said the Indian Air Force had already presented proof to establish it. "There are many who are spreading such misinformation. Those who are questioning our army are part of the bhajan mandli of the Congress. What more I can say when some Indians are saying such things. It is painful" she said. Responding to a question about Rahul Gandhi's allegations of irregularities in the Rafale deal and the involvement of Anil Ambani, Sitharaman dared the Congress chief to provide proof. "Just show a simple proof to validate your allegation that Rs 30,000 crore was given to him (Ambani). If you can't show that proof, you do not have any right to say that the PM is a thief. I challenge you to show proof. If you cannot, you must stop levelling false and baseless allegations," she said. The Congress allegations have been refuted routinely by the Centre as well as Ambani. She was here to campaign for BJP national president Amit Shah who is contesting from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh will kick off its joint campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, holding its first rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. The top leaders of the parties will address the Deoband meeting just days before Saharanpur and seven other western UP constituencies go to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11. "BSP president Mayawati will address the rally organised near Jamia Tibbiti Medical College in Deoband on Sunday, a Bahujan Samaj Party spokesperson said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh and RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary will also attend the rally, party spokespersons said. This will be the first joint public meeting by the three parties after they formed the alliance to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey claimed the impact of the alliance is evident by the irresponsible statements by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the rally will give a further momentum to the campaign of the "grand alliance", which he claimed is very comfortably placed in the state. After cobbling together the alliance, Akhilesh Yadav had announced that joint rallies will be held in different parts of the state. Yadav and Mayawati had together drawn up a strategy to start the campaign during 'Navratri', which began Saturday, from western UP, a leader said. The SP and the BSP, which announced their alliance in January, will contest on 37 and 38 seats respectively. The RLD will fight on three seats. The alliance has decided not to field candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi, the constituencies held by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Yadav, Mayawati and RLD's Ajit Singh will address 11 joint rallies between April 7 and May 16, a spokesperson said. After Deoband, rallies will be held in Badaun, Agra, Mainpuri, Rampur, Firozabad, Kannauj, Faizabad, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Varanasi. In Mainpuri, the SP has fielded Mulayam Singh Yadav, while Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting from Kannauj. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fugitive Polish "multi-millionaire" at the heart of an eavesdropping scandal that contributed to the ruling Civic Platform liberals losing elections in 2015 has been arrested in Spain, police said Saturday. Marek Falenta was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in Poland in December 2016 for setting up an eavesdropping system in swanky restaurants in Warsaw that saw waiters record conversations between businesspeople and politicians. That led to a major scandal that erupted in 2014 with media publishing extracts of incriminating conversations including Poland's then foreign minister who allegedly slammed Warsaw's alliance with the United States as "worthless". The scandal contributed to then prime minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform losing in 2015 to the conservative opposition Law and Justice party now in power. While not identifying him by name, Spanish police said in a statement they and some of their Polish counterparts had arrested a "multi-millionaire" wanted by Warsaw in a luxury apartment in the eastern seaside town of Cullera. They only gave his initials as "M.A.F" and stated he came 67th in Poland's Wprost list of top fortunes in 2013. Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski confirmed in a tweet that the man arrested was Falenta, a businessman. "When police turned up at the flat, the suspect's partner asked agents to enter immediately as M.A.F, realising police were there, threatened to throw himself off the balcony on the ninth floor," police said. They eventually convinced him not to jump and detained him. A police spokeswoman was unable to say when exactly Falenta was detained but said it was recent. It was also unclear when he fled Poland. Polish authorities had issued a European arrest warrant for him. Falenta was due to be questioned by a judge, the police spokeswoman said, a necessary step before any extradition process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Taron Egerton is rooting for his "Rocketman" co-star Richard Madden to be the next James Bond. The 29-year-old actor, who has been touted as one of the contenders for the role of the suave spy after Daniel Craig steps down, believes Madden will make a better Bond than him. "I want Richard (Madden) to be the next Bond, end of," Egerton told GQ magazine. Recently, veteran actor Judi Dench had said that Hollywood star Idris Elba will make a "brilliant" Bond. When asked about possibility of Madden getting the part, she had said, "I don't know Richard Madden." The 84-year-old actor played MI6 chief 'M' in seven Bond films before her character met her end in 2012's "Skyfall". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three men were arrested in two different incidents for allegedly supplying illicit liquor in the national capital, police said Saturday. The accused were identified as Ranjit (25), a resident of Najafgarh, Ankit (22) and Soni (24), residents of Kharkhoda, Haryana, they said. Police received information about one Ranjit who was involved in the supply of illicit liquor in Delhi. Thereafter, a trap was laid and Ranjit was apprehended from near Tamanna Farm House on the Bawana-Kanjhawala Road, Rajiv Ranjan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) said. He was driving a car which was found loaded with 70 cartons of illicit liquor, he said. During interrogation, Ranjeet disclosed that the liquor had been bought from Haryana to Delhi, police said. In the second incident, based on a tip-off police apprehended Ankit and Soni on the Kutubgarh- Kanjhawla road, police said, adding a total of 110 cartons of liquor made in Haryana were seized. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TikTok, the controversial video creation app from Chinese giant which faces a ban in after a recent ruling, has been found to have failed to remove online predators, according to a new investigation. Over three months, the Trending collected hundreds of sexual comments posted on videos uploaded by teenagers and children on the app. The investigation found that was failing to suspend the accounts of people sending sexual messages to teenagers and children. While the company deleted the majority of offensive comments, the users who posted them were able to remain on the platform, despite TikTok's own rules against sexual content directed at children. The probe was also able to identity a number of users who, again and again, approached teenage girls online to post sexually explicit messages on their videos. The investigation comes after a ruling concluded that the app "encourages pornography" and "the future of the youngsters and mindset of the children are spoiled". The Chennai court's interim order this week also asked local media not to broadcast any videos shared via In response, has said that it is awaiting an official order from the court and will take action after an internal review. "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," the company said. In reference to the Trending investigation, it noted that child protection was an "industry wide-challenge" and that promoting a "safe and positive app environment" remains the company's top priority. It claims to use a combination of technology and human moderation to remove content. "We are committed to continuously enhancing our existing measures and introducing additional technical and moderation processes in our ongoing commitment to our users," TikTok said in a statement. The company says it has more than 500 million monthly active users around the world and its community guidelines forbid users from using "public posts or private messages to harass underage users". It said if the company became "aware of content that sexually exploits, targets, or endangers children" it may "alert law enforcement or report cases". The BBC probe found that while many users hide behind anonymous profiles to send disturbing messages, others - often adult men - use what appear to be their real names and photos and upload their own videos on the app. It also found instances where children were sent threatening or violent messages. "We need to have robust age verification tools in place," said Damian Collins, Chair of the House of Commons' Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee. "The age policies are meaningless if they don't have the ability to really check whether people are the age or not. We've been discussing content regulation with a number of different and will certainly be taking a good look at what's been happening at TikTok," he said. A Congress bastion for decades till 2009 when it slipped into BJD control, the tribal dominated Koraput Lok Sabha constituency in south Odisha is set to witness a keen triangular contest in the coming polls. An intense battle appears to be on the cards with BJP fielding tribal heavyweight Jayaram Pangi, who had snatched the seat from Congress in 2009 as a BJD nominee defeating veteran leader and nine-time MP Giridhar Gamang. While Pangi is in the BJP camp this time, BJD nominee Kaushalya Hikaka and Congress candidate Saptagiri Ulaka are set to fight their maiden electoral battle in Koraput, where voting is slated to be held in the first phase on April 11. What initially appeared to be a bipolar contest between the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD and Congress has now turned into a triangular fight with Pangi, an influential Kondh tribe leader, hitting the battle ground in his saffron avatar. While Biju Janata Dal (BJD) fielded the wife of its sitting MP Jhina Hikaka in its bid to retain the seat, Congress is working hard to bounce back in the segment it lost after decades of dominance in 2009 with the defeat of former Chief Minister and ex-Union Minister Giridhar Gamang. In 2014 too, BJD nominee Jhina Hikaka defeated the then Congress stalwart Gamang, who is now in BJP. The abduction of Hikaka by Maoists who kept him hostage for 34 days in 2012 appeared to have played a major role in 2014 parliamentary elections. The situation has changed now with discontentment brewing in the area over tardy implementation of MPLAD funds and locals alleging that Hikaka spent more time in Bhubaneswar that affected public outreach. While Hikaka has taken a back seat, his wife Kaushalya, a school teacher in Bhubaneswar, is in the fray as BJD nominee from the tribal seat. Expressing confidence about her victory, Kaushalya says the development programmes and welfare schemes undertaken by the BJD government in the state will go in her favour. Congress, on the other hand, has nominated Saptagiri Ulaka, son of veteran Congress leader and former state minister Ramachandra Ulaka, from Koraput. Considered a political novice, Ulaka, who happens to be a software engineer, is hopeful of putting up an impressive show to regain Congress dominance in the seat under the "dynamic" leadership of party chief Rahul Gandhi. BJP, on its part, appeared to have received considerable boost after former chief minister and nine-time MP from the constituency Giridhar Gamang, who belongs to Saura tribal group, quit Congress and join the BJP about two years ago. Saura tribe happens to be the second largest dominant community after Kondh tribe in Koraput and Gamang still enjoys considerable following. While Kondhs form around a significant 47 per cent of the population in the area, candidates of all the three major political parties belong to Kondh community. An estimated 14.08 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in Koraput (ST) constituency spread over seven assembly segments. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJD nominee had polled 39.93 per cent of votes in Koraput, followed by Congress share of 37.98 per cent, while BJP came a third with 9.03 per cent votes. In the rural polls held in 2017 also, BJD had won 25 zilla parishads in Koraput while Congress managed to bag win four. Though BJP put up a poor show, saffron leaders including party nominee Pangi are now in buoyant mood and say BJP's poll prospects in Koraput are bright because of pro-poor and pro-tribal works done by Narendra Modi Government at the Centre which ensured speedy development. As Assembly election in Odisha will be held along with Lok Sabha polls, anti-incumbency in assembly segments has posed a major challenge for BJD which can be seen from the party dropping two sitting MLAs from Pottangi and Gunpur. In 2014, Congress had won three of the seven assembly seats under Koraput Lok Sabha constituency. These included Koraput assembly seat where Krushna Chandra Sagaria had won. However, Sagaria recently resigned from Congress and Joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). His exit is likely to dent Congress votes in the area. Congress has retained its candidates in two seats - Laxmipur and Jeypore, but field a new face in Koraput (SC) Assembly constituency. BJD has changed candidates in two other assembly segments. An aggressive BJP has fielded new candidates in five assembly seats under the Lok Sabha constituency. While Sishir Gamang, son of Giridhar Gamang, has been fielded from Gunpur, Siba Ulaka is nominated from Bissam Cuttack seat. While no major issue is being raised in the run up to the 2019 polls, local problems relating to drinking water, uninterrupted electricity supply, health services and rural roads are highlighted from time to time. However, locals allege that the sitting BJD MP failed to reach out to the people at the grassroots through development projects. Though Hikaka had adopted a panchayat in Semiliguda block under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana in 2015, residents of the area allege the parliamentarian never visited the area. The constituency has witnessed high voltage campaign by stalwarts of all major political parties. While the prime minister has addressed a BJP election rally at Jeypore, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has campaigned for his party in Koraput with both seeking to woo tribal and women voters. Besides trading charges, both have hit out at the BJD Government in Odisha alleging misrule, inefficiency and corruption with an appeal to voters to throw it out. Leading the BJD campaign, Naveen Patnaik has been undertaking whirlwind tours across the state accusing both BJP and Congress of having neglected Odisha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tunisia's 92-year-old president said Saturday he did not plan to stand for re-election in the November polls, in order to make way for someone younger. "In all honesty, I don't think I will put myself forward," President Beji Caid Essebsi told the Nidaa Tounes party which he founded in 2012, adding it was time "to open the door to the youth". His speech before thousands of members at the party's congress came several days after Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the 82-year-old ailing leader of neighbouring Algeria, resigned in the face of huge protests ending two decades in power. Essebsi, Tunisia's first democratically elected president, urged his party however to overcome bitter internal divisions and to bring Prime Minister Youssef Chahed back into the fold. Tensions have flared between Chahed and Essebsi's son, Hafedh Caid Essebsi, leading to the premier being sidelined from Nidaa Tounes and forming his own rival party, Tahia Tounes. Essebsi's secularist Nidaa Tounes won the 2014 elections and formed a coalition with the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha that lasted four years before the two parties split. Presidential elections are due on November 17, after parliamentary elections which have been scheduled for October 6. Tunisia, whose 2011 revolt toppled longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring uprisings, has been hailed as a model of democratisation in the Arab world, but has faced economic woes and jihadist attacks. None of the North African country's main political parties have yet announced their candidates for the presidential polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Saturday claimed there was a turf war between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar over shortlisting of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that several Congress leaders had rebelled against those who had been given tickets. "There is a turf war between Amarinder and Sunil Jakhar. Amarinder does not want candidates proposed by Jakhar and the Punjab Congress chief also does not want inclusion of names of candidates which have support of Amarinder. There is an open fight between both of them," Badal claimed. "Congress ticket aspirants have rebelled against those who have been given tickets," he told reporters in Kurali, about 25 km from here. Former Congress MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who was denied ticket from the Jalandhar seat, had said that he would take a call on contesting as an independent candidate after consulting his supporters and family. The Congress has nominated sitting MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary from Jalandhar. Former MP Santosh Chaudhary has also expressed resentment for being ignored. The Congress has given ticket to sitting Chabbewal MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal from the Hoshiarpur seat instead of Chaudhary. Amloh MLA Randeep Singh Nabha had also declared not to campaign for Preneet Kaur for the Patiala seat after his candidature was ignored. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur attended a rally in favour of SAD candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra from the Anandpur Sahib seat. "Generally, the discussion on performance of five-year term of the government takes place. But now there is no scope for discussing such issues. People have made up their mind that India needs strong leadership and it can only be given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," said Thakur. Talking about his own state, Thakur said he has asked his minister Anil Sharma to campaign for the party. "Anil Sharma fought on BJP ticket and now Power minister in the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh. We have told him to campaign for the BJP," he said. Anil Sharma had said that he would not campaign against his son Aashray Sharma, who had been declared the Congress candidate in Mandi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two terrorists were killed in a brief gunbattle with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Saturday, police said. The terrorists opened fire on a patrolling party of the Army from an orchard in Shopian, following which the soldiers retaliated, a police official said. He said two ultras were killed in the exchange of fire. The identity and the affiliation of the slain terrorists were being ascertained, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ugadi, the Telugu new year was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across Telangana on Saturday. Telugu people wore traditional attire and offered special prayers in the morning. People adorned their homes with mango leaves and flowers and also consumed Ugadi 'Pachadi,' which is made with neem flowers, jaggery, pepper or green chillies, salt, tamarind juice, small pieces of raw mango. It signifies that life is a mixture of different experiences, which should be accepted with equanimity throughout the year. Ugadi was celebrated by the state government and the Congress, TDP and other parties in their offices. State Chief Secretary S K Joshi was the chief guest at the official celebrations organised by the state government. 'Panchanga Sravanam' (recitation of almanac) sessions were held at temples and other places as part of the celebrations. The state's financial position would be sound and the welfare measures would gain momentum during the year, the pandit who read out the almanac at the official celebrations said. Telangana would be able to provide guidance to other states in the implementation of welfare schemes, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by a group of people after her son eloped with a girl of his village, police said on Saturday. Guddu eloped with a girl of Vilayat Nagar village. Infuriated over the incident, a group of villagers attacked his mother on Friday, injuring her seriously. According to Station House Officer G S Gill, police have registered a case. The injured woman is undergoing treatment at a hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has reached Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap for the fiscal year 2020, after it started receiving the applications for the most sought-after work visa among foreign, including Indian, professionals. The is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The USCIS, the federal agency mandated with task of approving such applications, on Friday said "it has received a sufficient number of petitions projected as needed to reach the congressionally-mandated 65,000 regular cap for fiscal year 2020." The fiscal year begins October 1, 2019 and the USCIS started receiving the visa petitions from April 1. However, the agency did not revealed the number of petitions received by it in the first five days. The USCIS, said, it will next determine if it has received a sufficient number of petitions to meet the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap. The agency said it will reject and return visa fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not prohibited multiple filings. It will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap. Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2020 H-1B, the USCIS said. It did not say if it would resort to computerised draw of lots as was the case in the last several years. Last year, the USCIS received 190,000 cap-subjected H-1B petitions. In 2018, it received 199,000 applications while in 2017, 236,000 petitions in the first five days after it started receiving the applications. The USCIS received 232,972 H-1B cap-subject petitions in 2016 and in 2015, it received 172,581 cap-subjected petitions. This is the first season of H-1B petitions after the USCIS announced enforcing new rules for the most sought-after US work visa applications for foreign professionals. The new rules give preferences to those who have completed their post-graduation degree course from any US educational institutions. This year the USCIS has suspend the electronic registration requirement for the fiscal year 2020 cap season to complete user testing and ensure the system and process are fully functional. Under the news system, the USCIS first selects H-1B petitions submitted on behalf of all beneficiaries, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. Thereafter, the USCIS will select from the remaining eligible petitions, a number projected to reach the advanced degree exemption. Changing the order in which the USCIS counts these allocations will likely increase the number of petitions for beneficiaries with a master's or higher degree from a US institution of higher education to be selected under the H-1B numerical allocations. The USCIS says that the change will result in an estimated increase of up to 16 per cent (or 5,340 workers) in the number of selected petitions for H-1B beneficiaries with a master's degree or higher from a US institution of higher education. "These simple and smart changes are a positive benefit for employers, the foreign workers they seek to employ, and the agency's adjudicators, helping the H-1B visa program work better," USCIS Director L Francis Cissna had said in a statement. "The US employers seeking to employ foreign workers with a US master's or higher degree will have a greater chance of selection in the H-1B lottery in years of excess demand for new H-1B visas," Cissna said. In April 2017, US President Donald Trump, had issued the 'Buy American and Hire American Executive Order', instructing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "propose new rules and issue new guidance, to supersede or revise previous rules and guidance if appropriate, to protect the interests of US workers in the administration of our immigration system." The executive order specifically mentioned the H-1B program and directed the DHS and other agencies to "suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries. Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido urged his supporters to demonstrate in the streets Saturday to maintain pressure on his rival President Nicolas Maduro, amid rising anger over the collapse of public services. Thousands of opposition supporters are expected to march through the capital Caracas from 11:00 am on Saturday as Venezuela's power struggle is exacerbated by massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies. Guaido, recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, said in a Twitter message on Friday: "Let's remain firm in the streets, this fight is for the lives of all Venezuelans." Maduro, who blames US-backed sabotage on recent blackouts that deprived millions of power, has also called a pro-government march in Caracas, urging his supporters onto the streets for a "March in defence of peace." Guaido said earlier this week he feared abduction by government agents after pro-Maduro lawmakers stripped him of his parliamentary immunity on Tuesday and authorized the country's top court to prosecute him for proclaiming himself president. The United States, among the first countries to recognize Guaido when the National Assembly leader proclaimed himself interim president on January 23, meanwhile kept up the international pressure on Maduro to step down. Vice President Mike Pence announced fresh sanctions against 34 vessels belonging to Venezuela's state oil company and two companies that ship crude to Cuba. "The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy," Pence said in a speech in Houston, Texas. "Venezuela's oil belongs to the Venezuelan people," he said. "Those looking on should know this: All options are on the table. And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America," he said. The action is the latest by the United States as it tries to choke off revenue for the cash-strapped leftist government, which has nonetheless held onto power and enjoys backing from China and Russia. It comes ahead of a meeting of the UN Security Council next Wednesday, called by the US to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Latin American country. "The United States will urge the world to reject Maduro's failed regime, to stand with the Venezuelan people, and to help us bring the humanitarian crisis to an end." Venezuela's oil economy has crumbled under the collapse of crude exports and international sanctions against Maduro. The socialist president is viewed by the US and its allies as illegitimate since taking the oath of office in January for a second six-year term, following elections last May seen as deeply flawed. 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. The blackouts have knocked out water supplies as well as transport and communications. "We are tired but we have to go out on the street because it is the only way to get these people out," said Verony Mendez, 48, adding that his household has been without water for two months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said only a strong government can punish terrorists and achieve development, and alleged the Congress and its allies were fighting the elections to give a free hand to terrorists. Addressing a poll rally at Hathuad in Balod district of Chhattisgarh, Modi also said the "naamadar" (dynast) of the Congress (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi) party had to run away to find a "safe" seat. The Congress president is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from two seats -- Uttar Pradesh's Amethi and Kerala's Wayanad. When the government is strong, the country does not sit quiet after a terror attack, the prime minister told the audience. "Didn't you feel proud when the country punished perpetrators of terror." The Congress and its allies were contesting the Lok Sabha elections to "give a free hand (khuli chhuth) to terrorists and separatists" while the BJP was in the fray to "punish terrorists and separatists for their sins", he said. "Do you want a government of chowkidar or a procession of corrupt (Bhrastachariyon ki baraat)," he asked the gathering. Modi has often referred to himself as the country's 'chowkidar' (watchman) protecting its interest within and outside India. "When there is a strong government," Modi said, "there is surgical strike and air strike and the world listens to us." Calling the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act a "Suraksha Kavach" (armour)) of the armed forces, he slammed the Congress over its manifesto promise to review the act. Saying the Congress' "Naamdar" family was out on bail, Modi alleged their "intentions" were not good and they "take bribe" even in a helicopter purchase deal. He also accused the Congress of "betraying" the farmers of Chhattisgarh with a "false" assurance of loan waiver. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan has said that it will not accept the abrogation of of the Indian Constitution in Kashmir, saying it would be a violation of UN resolutions. The is a "temporary provision" with respect to and restricts the applicability of various provisions of the Constitution by "curtailing" the power of Parliament to make laws on subjects which fall under the Union and Concurrent lists. Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal, while addressing the media in Islamabad on Friday, made the comments on the issue of abrogation of in Kashmir, saying it will be in violation of the UN resolutions. "The abrogation of Article 370 of Indian constitution is violation of UN resolutions. We will not accept it under any circumstances and the Kashmiris will also not accept it, he said. Senior BJP leaders have repeatedly emphasised the party's commitment to abrogate Article 370 from the state. According to media reports, BJP President Amit Shah said it remains committal to remove the Article from the state but their lack of majority in Rajya Sabha is the reason why it has not been done so far. Shah's comments were met with some sharp criticism from political leaders in Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said when the country got independence, a Constitution was created in which certain provisions were kept by which the state's identity could be safeguarded. "It included Article 370 and Unfortunately, some of our leaders made Article 370 hollow for their personal gains," he said. His father and Conference President Farooq Abdullah had said that the relationship between New Delhi and the state will be over if Article 370 is repealed. : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address two public meetings in Telangana on April 7 in the run up to the coming Lok Sabha elections in the state, BJP sources said. They said Adityanath would first address a public meeting at the government junior college at Pddapalli in support of the party's candidate, S Kumar. He would be accompanied by Dr K Laxman, the BJP state president. BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao would also participate in the meeting. Adityanath's next public meeting would be at Yellareddy where he will canvass in support of Banala Laxma Reddy. G Premender Reddy, BJP state general secretary and other party leaders would accompany him, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I am sorry three little words that can mean so much or nothing at all. How apologies are given and perceived differ across the world, and learning how to properly apologize according to different cultural customs can greatly impact your business for better or worse. Industry professionals from around the world said those who work internationally need to understand the importance of proper apologies and how to best deliver them. Yaniv Masjedi, chief marketing officer at Nextiva, said it is critical for businesses to be culturally sensitive. "Whether your internal team spans multiple continents, [or you] want to ensure that your team treats your international customer base properly, it's important to be aware of how to properly relate [to one another] within each culture," Masjedi told Business News Daily. Regardless of which country you work in, there are some common elements of a poor apology that can be agreed upon. Improper apology etiquette consists of forcing an apology, including the word "but" after your apology, justifying your actions and failing to make corrective behavior afterward. In any culture, sincerity is an essential part of a proper apology, but how the apology is delivered is also crucial. For example, some cultures place importance on intricate, multifaceted apologies, whereas other cultures prefer to avoid drawing additional unwanted attention to the problem. United States of America In the U.S., apologies often come by way of assuming guilt. If you have done something wrong, you should apologize by expressing remorse and admitting responsibility. Although apologies are best delivered in person, American's widespread use of technology is making digital apologies more commonplace. The first step of acknowledging your mistake and expressing remorse often requires a simple "I'm sorry" or "I apologize." These words need to be authentic and are best received when they are followed by listing the specific action you are sorry for. In the second step of admitting responsibility, empathize with how the other person felt about your actions. By admitting fault, you can restore trust and goodwill from the person you hurt. After apologizing, it is important you correct the behavior to avoid making the same mistake. Don't offer excuses, and don't expect instant forgiveness. Argentina In Argentina, the best way to apologize in business is by inviting the other person to a one-on-one work lunch. Cristian Rennella, CEO and co-founder of elMejorTrato.com, said this in-person encounter is the best way to show your remorse and open up a relaxed dialogue to resolve the inconvenience. "The worst way to do it is in writing (chat, email, letter, etc.)," said Rennella. "It is seen as impersonal, [with a] lack of affection and reciprocity, [and] should be avoided." Brazil In Brazil, the best way to apologize is by giving a small gift accompanied by a note of apology. Rennella said this gift must be related to the tastes and preferences of the other person. This shows you were thinking about him or her and that you care. "The worst way is to do it is publicly with the rest of the team present or in a meeting," Rennella said. "Always seek to avoid these situations when there are other people around." Canada In Canada, a country that is notorious for apologizing, the term "I'm sorry" does not assume guilt so much so that the country created an Apology Act to protect individuals from legal suit. The phrase is commonly used when minor transgressions occur, and it is typically the individual not at fault who apologizes. This is done as a way to imply that they don't take offense to the slight that occurred. To deliver a proper apology in Canada, it is important you are sincere in acknowledging your wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. Be prepared to apologize multiple times and explain how you will change your behavior. Don't view an apology as a win-or-lose situation; it simply means that the relationship is worth more than your ego. China Depending on the type of apology you want to convey, there are multiple ways to say sorry in China. The phrase "yi han" is used to express regret or pity. An example is if you have to turn down an invitation or deliver bad news. "Bu hao yi si" is used to apologize for an embarrassing situation or something that isn't your fault. An example of when this phrase may be used if you show up late or interrupt somebody. Finally, "dui bu qi" or "bao qian" are used when you want to accept blame. This apology can be used for both big and small mistakes. It is important to know the distinction between the different terminology and when to use each. France If you do not speak French, you will often be expected to first apologize for your lack of fluency before engaging in further conversation. This can be done with a simple "excusez moi," "pardonnez moi" or "desole." Sophie Vignoles, team lead for French and Scandinavian languages at Babbel, said an apology is best conveyed with little formality. Be straight and to the point, without delving too much into detailed excuses. "One-word apologies are sufficient," said Vignoles. "Saying sorry for something that doesn't really require an apology, like interrupting someone, will signal a lack of sincerity." For more serious apologies, Masjedi suggests providing a peace offering, such as a bottle of wine or a decent cheese. If the recipient invites you to enjoy these items with them, you should always accept, as this is your opportunity to smooth things over. Japan Apologizing is seen as a virtue in Japan and is often coupled with a bow. The more sorry you feel, the deeper you bow. When apologizing to a senior colleague or new acquaintance, you can say "moushiwake arimasen," or "sumimasen." The latter is more common and can also be used to show gratitude. If you are apologizing to a close friend or family member, you can use the phrase "gomennasai," commonly shortened to "gomen ne" or "gomen." However, this is a casual phrase and can come across as childish, so it should never be used in a professional setting. Mexico In Mexico, pairing the phrase "lo siento," "disculpame," or "perdon" with a courteous "senor" or "senora," can go a long way. While there are many people proud of their pre-Columbian roots, there are an equal number who believe Mexico to be an established world player on its own. Because of this, Masjedi said it is important to avoid insulting Mexican indigenous customs or Spanish heritage when you apologize. If you accidentally transgress on this front, acknowledge your ignorance of Mexican culture and history. When you admit your ignorance, be sure to ask for advice on how to correct the situation. Russia In Russia, there are several ways to apologize, and it is important to know which apology is most appropriate in the given context. Vignoles said the correct apology to use in a working environment depends on whom you are apologizing to. "If it is a senior colleague or a new business acquaintance, you would use 'izvinite,' which means 'excuse me,' while if [you were] speaking to a close colleague, you can get away with the less formal 'prosti,' which simply means 'sorry' or 'forgive me'," said Vignoles. Vignoles added that Russians can be upset if you don't put your phone on silent in a meeting. If you find your phone ringing or audibly vibrating, apologize as quickly as possible. Sweden In Sweden, punctuality is key, so arriving late to a business meeting is likely the most common situation in which you'll find yourself needing to offer an apology. According to Vignoles, Swedes are very direct and appreciate honesty, so the worst thing you can do is lie or come up with a lengthy excuse. "It is best to give a truthful reason for what caused your delay, apologize by saying 'jag ber om ursakt,' and then get straight to business," said Vignoles. United Kingdom (UK) In the U.K., you can never apologize enough. Vignoles said that members of a working environment may be expected to apologize for walking past a colleague in the office or making a point in a meeting. You may even be expected to apologize to somebody that you are about to give a reprimand to. "The simple rule to remember is that the British take apologizing very seriously," said Vignoles. "If in doubt, always apologize! If you don't, you will immediately be 'tutted,' which is a separate issue altogether." After you apologize Having the acumen to read social cues is not only important before an apology but afterwards as well. Paying attention to body language and cultural differences allows you to see whether the other party has been positively or negatively impacted by your apology. This behavior and attention to detail allows you to see if your apology was successful, or if you need to make another attempt at restoring a positive interaction. International business isn't without its difficulties, and learning the customs of another culture takes time. However, educating yourself (and your team) about the customs of other cultures goes a long way in sustaining successful business relationships abroad. The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has declared the matric results. The topper Sawan Raj Bharti from Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya of Jamui district secured an overall 97.2% (486 marks) in the 10th board examination. After Bharti, the top four rank holders are Rounit Raj, Priyanshu Raj, Adarsh Ranjan and Aditya Roy, all from the same school. Reportedly, out of the top 18 rankers, 17 belong to the same school as the first rank holder. The 9th rank holder, Ankesh Kumar, is, however, a student of Alok Bharti Shikshan Sansthan Bettiah which is situated in the West Champaran district of Bihar. Bihar Board matric toppers list 2019 from the school Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya, Jamui: Sawan Raj Bharti (Rank-1) Rounit Raj (Rank-2) Priyanshu Raj (Rank-3) Adarsh Ranjan (Rank-4) Aditya Roy (Rank-5) Praveen Prakhar (Rank-6) Harsh Kumar (Rank-7) Roshan Kumar (Rank-8) Ankesh Kumar (Rank-9) Abhinav Kumar (Rank-10) Piyush Kumar (Rank-11) Amit Kumar (Rank-12) Aman (Rank-13) Chanchal Kumar (Rank-14) Ram Kumar Singh (Rank-15) MD Saif Alam (Rank-16) MD Shakil (Rank-17) Raushan Kumar (Rank-18) The principal of Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya has said that they are "ready for investigation" as questions have been raised regarding the toppers list (top 17 rank holders belong to the same school), as per reports. "As the school is a government entity, they have no vested interests behind the results. The school is open for any kind of investigation", the Indian Express quoted Principal Rajiv Ranjan as saying. The pass percentage has also increased and touched a record of 80.73% this year. As per reports, a total of 6,83,990 boys have passed the examination while the number of girls who have cleared the examination is 6,36,046. This year, around 13.2 lakh students (13,20,036) have cleared the class 10 board examination. As per reports, BSEB chairman Anand Kishor had announced the BSEB 10th board results at a press conference which was held at the BSEB office in Patna. RK Mahajan, Additional chief secretary of the Bihar Education Department was also present at the press conference. Kishor had earlier told in a press conference about the steps taken by the BSEB to monitor the Bihar Board examinations. A control room was put up along with a 24X7 WhatsApp group for monitoring purposes. All the district nodal officers, district education officers and the DMs were connected in the WhatsApp group, as per reports. (Edited by: Nehal Solanki) Also read: Bihar Board 10th Result 2019: BSEB declares matric exam results; here's how to check Also read: Meet Kanishak Kataria, the IIT Bombay graduate who is now an IAS topper The Election Commission of India reiterated certain instructions under the Model Code of Conduct for political parties contesting in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The ECI released the reiterated advisory less than a week before the first phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the six-point advisory, the Election Commission of India (ECI) clarified that candidates should desist from using photographs of defence personnel as part of their election campaign or propaganda. The commission also advised against any political propaganda involving the operations carried out by defence forces. The ECI cautioned the candidates to make no appeal on basis of caste or communal feelings of the voters. No activity, which may aggravate existing differences, create mutual hatred, or cause tension between different castes, communities, religious or linguistic groups shall be attempted, the advisory further said. The ECI advisory said that no aspect of the private life of leaders or workers of other parties should be criticised. The ECI advised the candidates to avoid criticism on the basis of unverified allegations or on distortions should be avoided. No place of worship or religious symbols should be used for election propaganda, the ECI further said. "All the above instructions should be brought to the notice of candidates and all political functionaries of your political party for strict compliance during the elections," the ECI said in the advisory to political parties. ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi consults Delhi Congress leaders about alliance with AAP ALSO READ: Demonetisation was for national interest; not for political gains: PM Modi On BJP's 40th foundation day, Shatrughan Sinha left the party to join Congress. At a press conference, Sinha spoke about how the BJP is a one-man party. He also said that the party became autocratic from democratic "after LK Advani". He also tweeted about joining Congress and said that the differences that he has with come people from the party left him with no option. Sinha added that he doesn't have any ill will as the party was like a family. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister addressed a public meeting in Odisha's Sonepur and criticised the NYAY scheme. He said that it will lead to inflation and that they want to burden the middle class. He also said that generation after generation the Congress has only given slogans on eradication of poverty while its ministers continued to increase their wealth. At another public meeting in Odisha's Sundergarh, Modi spoke about how the party came to be and said that the party is not made on "borrowed ideology". He added that the hardwork of party karyakartas has made BJP what it is today. Follow the Lok Sabha Elections LIVE blog on BusinessToday.In : 7:00pm: JD Lakshminarayana, Jana Sena candidate from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat, released party's manifesto on bond paper. "I signed on bond paper which features party manifesto for Visakhapatnam. Voters can drag me to court if I fail to fulfil the promises," he said. Andhra Pradesh: JD Lakshminarayana,Jana Sena candidate from Visakhapatnam LS seat,releases manifesto on bond paper; says."I signed on bond paper which features party manifesto for Visakhapatnam. Voters can drag me to court if I fail to fulfil the promises.Our party has such guts" pic.twitter.com/7D3xxN2JhQ ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 6:29pm: BJP president Amit Shah is conducting a road show Jan Sampark Abhiyan in Sabarmati, Gujarat. 6:22pm: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul will file their nominations together for the State Assembly bypoll and 2019 Lok Sabha elections respectively in Chhindwara on April 9. 5:57pm: BJP has released a list of four candidates for Rajasthan. The party has fielded Diya Kumari, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, from Rajsamand. 5:41pm: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a road show in Balasore, Odisha. Odisha: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan holds a road show in Balasore district's Nilagiri area. pic.twitter.com/eMxrWJK3WJ ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 5:40pm: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi held a road show in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh. Congress General Secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds roadshow in Fatehpur. pic.twitter.com/WoRa4L3l6l ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 6, 2019 5:25pm: Lt. General (Retired) Sarath Chand, former Vice Chief of Army Staff, has joined BJP. Delhi: Lt. General (Retired) Sarath Chand, former Vice Chief of Army Staff, joins BJP in presence of Union Minister & party leader Sushma Swaraj. pic.twitter.com/cHlZBgm7xi ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 4:00pm: "I personally believe we need younger people in politics. People like us should back off," says Sam Pitroda of Congress. Sam Pitroda, Indian Overseas Congress Chief: I personally believe we need younger people in politics. People like us should back off. If someone asks me to be in the govt, I will not accept it. My days are over. And it's tough sometimes for people to let go. pic.twitter.com/bXGM1MCrto ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 3:35pm: BJP releases list of 24 candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. BJP releases list of 24 candidates for #LokSabhaElections2019, 2 candidates for Odisha Legislative Assembly Elections & 2 candidates for by-election to the Legislative Assembly for Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) & Nighasan (Uttar Pradesh). pic.twitter.com/tpn1DeNLJ2 ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 3:20pm: Today we are being taught a new definition of patriotism, says Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi in Delhi: Today we are being taught a new definition of patriotism. Those who do not accept diversity are being called patriots. Humse umeed ki ja rahi hai ki khaan paan pehnaave aur abhivyakti ki azaadi ke maamle mein kuch logon ki manmaani hum bardaasht karein. pic.twitter.com/yAXAvV019h ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 3:05pm: Congress has released a list of five more candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, including Shatrughan Sinha. 3:00pm: Shatrughan Sinha will contest from Patna Sahib seat on Congress ticket against Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. 2:17pm: Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav, has filed her nomination for the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat on Samajwadi Party's ticket. Dimple Yadav, Samajwadi Party's candidate from Kannauj files nomination. Akhilesh Yadav,Ramgopal Yadav,Jaya Bachchan and BSP's SC Mishra also present pic.twitter.com/zjVjKH5s7u ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 6, 2019 2:00pm: "Manifestos have become a farce nowadays. Some parties claim that they'll do many things, they don't even know intricacies. But we have clear vision. We have fulfilled many promises,more than the said ones," said Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu. 1:50pm: Rahul Gandhi arrives at G.I.N.T.I. Ground in Uttarakhand. 1:40pm: "Once our govt is formed in the state and the centre, Odisha will be recognized for tourism instead of migration of masses. This election isn't for electing an MLA, MP or a PM. It's for building a New India and future of your children," said PM Modi in Sonepur. 1:35pm: "Congress has planned to implement policy that will lead to inflation. Senior leaders of Congress have been heard stating that the middle-class are selfish. They want to burden them with heavy taxes," said PM Modi in Sonepur. 1:30pm: "People support and trust me because I've given free LPG connection to the women and free electricity connection to the needy," said PM Modi. 1:20pm: I have travelled across India and I've seen a wave. But some people can't see this massive wave: PM Modi in Sonepur. 1:15pm: "Generation after generation the Congress was able to give only slogans for eradication of poverty. People got poorer and their ministers got richer," said PM Modi at a public meeting in Odisha's Sonepur. 1:05pm: "When China tried to forcefully enter India's borders and threaten our security in Doklam, govt under leadership of Modi ji displayed strong will power and our soldiers gave China a befitting reply. For the first time China was forced to retreat," said UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Assam's Hojai. 12:45pm: At a press conference Shatrughan Sinha said that BJP is a one man show and a two man army. He also criticised how "BJP treated Sumitra Mahajan". 12:27pm: Veteran actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress in the presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala. Read the full story here. Delhi: Veteran actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress in presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala pic.twitter.com/T1izPmSEEu ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 12:20pm: "The differences I have with some of the present people and policies of the party, leave me with no option but to part ways with it. I'm hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory. This is a party of great nation builders and luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and many others. Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, Rahul Gandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction. Long live democracy and the Congress party, along with the alliance of Lalu and Tejasvi's RJD. Long live our great India. Jai Hind," tweeted Shatrughan Sinha. . I'm hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory. This is a party of great nation builders and luminaries like Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 12:15pm: Shatrughan Sinha said, "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP. I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru and guide L.K Advani. I would like to include some of those who've not lived up to the expectations, to those who are responsible for the injustice and for turning Lok Shahi into Tana Shahi. I forgive and forget at this juncture." this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM #atalbiharivajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru & guide, Sri. L.K #Advani. I would like to include some of those who've not lived up Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 12:02pm: "The BJD govt has obstructed the implementation of financial assistance to farmers, free treatment to the poor under Ayushman yojana. It shows that they have evil and doubtful intentions. We have well-thought policies and have good intentions. Because of this we have worked for the welfare of the poor, the deprived and the marginalized people of the society," said PM Modi in Sundergarh. 11:58am: "In Jharkhand, the development has reached every corner. Now, they don't have to migrate to other states. They have options to earn livelihood in their state. This is what happens when you have same govt in the state and the centre," said PM Modi in Sundergarh. 11:55am: "No party ever thought of carrying out air strike and surgical strike. It's indicative of strengthening India. A strong govt is necessary for strong and empowered India," said PM Modi in Odisha. 11:47am: "Today, BJP has govt in all four corners of the country. People have embraced the BJP and it's in their heart. It's one of the largest democratic political party. People from all section of the society are becoming part of the BJP," said PM Modi. 11:47am: "In Kerala and West Bengal, our karyakartas are killed every now and then. However, it doesn't deter BJP karyakartas," said PM Modi in Sundergarh. 11:45am: "Today is the 40th founding day of BJP. It's not made of borrowed ideology from outside. It has taken birth from the aspirations of the people of India. We aren't based on a family or money. Karyakartas and their hard work have made this party," said PM Modi. 11:40am: "It's not a PM who is visiting Sundergarh. A pradhan sewak of Odisha has come here," said PM Modi at a public address in Odisha's Sundergarh. 11:35am: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) delegation arrives at the Election Commission of India office to complaint against UP CM Yogi Adityanath, for his comment, "Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he cannot survive and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Just think what will happen if they win. This virus will spread in the entire nation." 11:30am: AITC MP Derek O'Brien criticises NaMo TV. #CheatIndia A TV channel gets launched breaking every rule and without permission. All this while other political parties have to get every word of every script vetted by some high powered committee. This govt, thats crossed its expiry date, is oh-so desperate Derek O'Brien | (@derekobrienmp) April 6, 2019 11:20am: "I am pleading with you, don't believe the Prime Minister Modi's colourful words," Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy said at a rally. "Why should we have enmity with neighbouring countries? Two years ago, a military officer had told me the Prime Minister will make stories before elections to get votes. They do not ask for votes on the basis of development," he added. 11:15am: Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, who is the first tribal girl to be selected for the civil service from Kerala. Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanyas hard work & dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great successs in her chosen career. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 6, 2019 11:10am: "I have campaigned in nearly 30 parliamentary constituencies till now. I have sensed public mood, they are fed up of Modi in Centre and Edappadi K. Palaniswami government in state and people want to put a full stop to these governments," said DMK chief MK Stalin. 11:00am: On BJP's 39th foundation day, the Prime Minister took to Twitter to thank the party karyakartas. "BJP has become India's preferred party," he said. 39 years ago on this day, @BJP4India was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become Indias preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Partys Foundation Day. pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 10:50am: Visuals from Amit Shah's Jan Sampark Abhiyan in Ahmedabad. Boeing has decided to cut the production rate of its 737 Max jets from this month. Reports suggest that only 42 Boeing 737 Max aircraft will be produced in a month, as opposed to the earlier 52 planes. The company will instead turn its attention to fixing the glitches in the flight-control software of the narrow body aircraft series which had led to two deadly crashes. Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the production cut was temporary and in response to the suspension of 737 Max deliveries. In a statement, he said the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment in effect, slowing down production now to avoid a deeper cut later, if fixing the plane takes longer than expected. The decision to reduce production comes on the back of Boeing's announcement that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max. This might impact the company's plan to get its grounded planes back in air and expand production. The American plane maker had hoped to expand production of its Max jets to 57 planes a month within this year. ALSO READ: Pakistan opens airspace for west-bound flights from India: Officials A company spokesperson called it a "relatively minor issue" and said a fix was already in the works. He said the latest issue is not part of flight-control software called MCAS that Boeing has been working to upgrade since the first crash. The company has already suspended deliveries of the aircraft after regulators around the world grounded the 737 Max planes in fleets under their jurisdiction. So far, Boeing has delivered less than 400 Max planes but has more than 4,600 pending orders. Analysts say the absence of deliveries will eat into Boeing's cash flow as the company gets most of the cost of a plane upon delivery. Airlines that operate the Max will be squeezed the longer the planes are grounded, particularly if the interruption extends into the peak summer travel season. ALSO READ: Jet Airways crisis: Lessors ask DGCA to deregister more planes leased to airlines Boeing 737 Max jets were grounded after two fatal crashes involving these planes operated by Indonesia-based Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines. Preliminary investigation into the accidents revealed that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that caused the planes to nosedive. Efforts by pilots to regain control of the automated system failed to check the descent of the aircraft. Boeing has been facing financial troubles after its most popular aircraft series was grounded. The focus on fixing the glitches in the 737 Max aircraft could help Boeing get the jets back in operation. The company has been facing several lawsuits filed by families of the victims who died in the two crashes. A total of 346 people died in the two plane crashes. Additionally, Boeing has also announced to set a special board committee to review airplane design and development. ALSO READ: Aircraft lessor Avolon applies to de-register two planes leased to Jet Airways Pakistan has opened one of its eleven air routes enabling west-bound flights from India to make use of its airspace. Airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have reportedly started using it. This comes after Pakistan closed its airspace for commercial flights amid escalated tensions with India. "Pakistan has been opening its airspace in tranches. On Thursday, it opened one of the 11 routes for west-bound flights. Therefore, airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it," a senior official was quoted by PTI. The route P518 was opened on Thursday evening. However, as per reports, American airlines company United Airlines announced on Friday about the suspension of its flight connecting Newark airport and Delhi for two weeks. "Since the route P518 that has been opened passes over south Pakistan, the air travel time for west-bound flights from Delhi will not decrease substantially," the official clarified. As per reports, Pakistan had opened its airspace for all flights except for Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur on March 27 itself. Pakistan had closed its airspace completely after Indian Air Force (IAF) carried pre-emptive aerial strikes on a terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. On February 26, after IAF's aerial strikes, majority of the airlines had suspended their Delhi-bound flights as it was commercially not feasible for them to take a longer route through the Mumbai airspace. Reportedly, the Air India flights bound from Delhi-Washington and from Delhi-Chicago have been stopping at Mumbai for the purpose of refuelling and change of crew. The national carrier had announced on March 13 about the suspension of flights on the New Delhi-Madrid and New Delhi-Birmingham routes from March 16 "till further notice" due to "operational reasons". As per reports, Air India on March 14, 2019, had announced that it would combine its Mumbai-New York-bound flight with its Mumbai-Newark flight from March 16 to May 31. Due to the closure of Pakistan airspace, the state-run airlines on March 15 had requested its "inactive" crew members to join the work immediately as it had been forced to reroute and cancel a number of Europe and US-bound flights. (Edited by: Nehal Solanki) Also read: Boeing cutting production rate of troubled 737 Max jet Also read:Jet Airways crisis: Lessors ask DGCA to deregister more planes leased to airlines news, act-politics The ACT government has decided "It's Time" to expand cat containment in Canberra, bringing a Kerr's purr to the future suburb of Whitlam. The expansion of cat-containment policy in the Molonglo Valley came as the government released a new draft plan on cat management in Canberra for the next 10 years. The draft plan would expand mandatory cat-containment measures into established suburbs, as well as newer suburbs backing onto bushland areas. Whitlam has become the 17th suburb in Canberra where cat containment is enforced, with it already in place in suburbs including Gungahlin, Coombs, Crace, Lawson and Forde. Owners whose cats roam the streets in these areas face fines of up to $1500. As part of the measures, cat owners have to keep their cat inside their property at all times and cats are not allowed to wander outdoors. Last year, Domestic Animal Services was forced to expand cat holding facilities due to the number of roaming cats in cat containment areas. City Services Minister Chris Steel said the recent expansion of cat containment into Whitlam would protect native wildlife. "We are expanding cat containment to Whitlam particularly because it is close to the Kama Nature Reserve and Lower Molonglo Reserve, a habitat for native wildlife including the rare pink-tailed worm lizard," Mr Steel said. "It is important we have a conversation on how we can all work to protect our environment from cats as well as keeping our cats safe." The draft plan for cat management would also consider strengthening laws and penalties for abandoning cats, and aim to reduce the number of semi-owned or unowned domestic cats in Canberra. "Community-based programs may be effective in reducing unowned and semi-owned cat populations, including free or lower-cost cat desexing and microchipping that may encourage some people to adopt neighbourhood cats," the report said. "However, cats that remain semi-owned or unowned would need to be trapped and relocated to a rescue centre." The draft report also called for adequate cat-management facilities to adequately support finding and rehoming lost cats. Changes are also being considered where cat owners would be able to walk their cats on a leash in cat-containment areas, although cats would still be banned from nature reserves and national parks. Feral cats would also be targeted under the draft plan, with cat-free conservation areas like Mulligans Flat being expanded, and more predator-proof fences installed in nature reserves. ACT conservator of flora and fauna Ian Walker said feral cats had directly caused the extinction of 20 Australian mammals. "In recent years, small carnivorous marsupials, including two species of antechinus and a dunnart, have disappeared from many of the Canberra nature parks where they once were common," Mr Walker said. "Today these animals only thrive behind the cat- and fox-proof fence at Mulligans Flat." Mr Steel said submissions on the draft plan were now open for cat owners to have their say on the proposal. "The draft cat plan supports a vision where all cats will be owned, wanted and cared for by responsible owners," he said. "We want the feedback from the community on a range of cat management issues and proposed actions including cat containment, desexing and the control of unowned and stray cats." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/104050b6-56cf-4791-9e95-2b580f6fd486/r0_291_5568_3437_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news If not for a treasured French army helmet, Canberra man Igor Dopita might never have been born. That's why the Farrer resident is so desperate for its return that he's offering $500, no questions asked, to anyone who can return the M15 Adrian steel helmet. The combat helmet was among a box of possessions Mr Dopita's mother gave away at the St Vincent de Paul store in Queanbeyan about five months ago, around the time Mr Dopita's father died of liver cancer. He said the piece of armour was "completely irreplaceable", and credits it for potentially saving his great-grandfather's life. Mr Dopita's great-grandfather Alfred Bernard was wearing the helmet when he was shot while serving with the French army during World War I. Mr Dopita said the bullet had hit the joining rim around the helmet, making the bullet ricochet off at an angle and preventing it making a bigger hole. "[The bullet] still did some severe damage to him and he had a huge scar and apparently a few mental issues after that, but he was still able to have my grandma," Mr Dopita said. "Obviously thats where the chain that leads to me really comes from. "Its completely irreplaceable. I could buy the same sort of helmet, but it wouldnt be worth the same to me. "It means the world to me and its the only item that my parents had that ties me to my family history." Mr Dopita said he had only found out the helmet was gone this week, and he was especially disappointed for his three children, who he hoped to be able to pass the helmet onto one day. He said he had been in contact with management at the St Vincent de Paul store, as well as antiques stores, eBay, Gumtree and the Australian War Memorial, but no one knew what had become of the treasured item. Now, Mr Dopita has turned to the internet in the hope of being reunited with the helmet, posting calls for information on several community Facebook pages and collectibles groups across Canberra and the Queanbeyan region. "I am offering a $500, no questions asked, reward for its return," he said. "Its just such a piece of history. "This was the one thing that bound me to my past and gave me a feeling of belonging to something so much bigger." Mr Dopita asked anyone with information on the helmet to email him at igor.dopita@gmail.com /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/6e5a3b96-68bf-4e91-b875-8a5c99fea35b/r0_213_3981_2462_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Two missing hikers have been found safe and well, according to ACT Policing. Early on Saturday morning, police appealed for help to track down the 54-year-old woman and 43-year-old man, who had last been seen at the man's home in Lyneham on Friday morning. Police believed the pair had gone hiking in the areas near "Smokers Trail", west of Paddy's River. At 9.15am on Saturday, police thanked the public for their help and said the duo were safe and well. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/47594974-2dba-4479-b9a5-25c8a235ed45/r0_17_320_198_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg comment, editorial, If there's one thing the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse taught us, it's that secrecy perpetuates abuse. Which is why it's hard to comprehend that the ACT government, less than two years after that royal commission's final recommendations were handed down, seems to have forgotten that lesson. In February, senior legal figures criticised the government for having the most secretive child protection system in Australia, saying it was designed to protect the government rather than the vulnerable people involved. In March, the government moved to increase the veil of secrecy over child protection by proposing to exempt all child protection reports from freedom of information requests. Just this week, that veil was extended to an inquiry into school violence. Schools and the child protection system both centre on children, and have harboured abuse in the past. A prime example in a school was the case of an autistic child kept in a cage. In that instance, The Canberra Times protected the identity of the family and the child involved. Another example, in child protection, was the murder of nine-year-old Bradyn Dillon at the hands of his father. Bradyn's mother said she spent three years trying to get the child protection system to listen to her. Why is the ACT government so intent on hiding information that could help it build better systems and responses? The government continues to claim it is to protect the children, carers and those involved. Yet there are already measures in place to protect those people. This newspaper routinely protects vulnerable individuals and children in circumstances that warrant that protection. Senior lawyer Philip Walker said recently: "Nobody needs to know their name, but it is absolutely appropriate that people see exactly what cases are advanced by welfare authorities and can judge whether they're discharging their responsibilities properly and effectively." The question must be asked, is the secrecy to protect those involved, or to protect the government from scrutiny? Education Minister Yvette Berry's decision to order a parliamentary committee to keep some evidence confidential during its upcoming inquiry into violence in Canberra schools is galling. The opposition described it as a dangerous overreach. The move, the minister stressed, was not about shying away from scrutiny. But when there are measures in place to protect the identity of children involved in these matters, through means that include redacting (blacking out) their name and identifying features, the minister can't defend this decision with that response. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/25582ee1-e1b2-4113-bf71-594066608ce0/r0_116_2000_1246_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, federal-politics Australians are about to witness an election campaign with an enormous policy gulf between the two major parties and huge scope for surprises and scares. The stakes are so high that some candidates may be caked in mud by the time the campaign is over. The desperation is palpable in this campaign, more so than in recent times, because the opinion polls have encouraged the assumption that Scott Morrison cannot win and Bill Shorten cannot lose. Shorten has only one chance at victory because he cannot retain the Labor leadership if he loses this "unlosable" election. Morrison has only one chance at being confirmed in power by the Australian public and proving to Liberal colleagues they were right to choose him after their nervous breakdown over the leadership last August. Do not be surprised if both sides go negative. Labor prospered from its "privatising Medicare" scare at the last election. The Liberals regretted being too positive in 2016 and are desperate enough this time to throw everything at their opponents. One view within the government is that Morrison should take more time to sell the budget before calling the election, but there are clear signs the campaign is imminent. Firstly, the government has nothing to gain from allowing the Senate to resume on Monday as scheduled for committee inquiries that might uncover bad news. Secondly, ministers rushed to fill vacancies on government boards on Friday in the apparent belief they will not be able to do the same on Monday. "I go to church on Sunday, mate," Morrison told 2GB host Ben Fordham on Friday when asked about his plans for the weekend. He confirmed he would be in Sydney and noted that Governor-General Peter Cosgrove "lives next door" at Kirribilli House. Morrison also named three potential dates in May for the election: the 11th, the 18th and the 25th. Morrison frames this as an election about rewarding aspiration and opportunity, asking voters to trust him to deliver tax cuts over a decade. Shorten has changed the subject to health with a commitment on cancer treatment. The campaign begins with a $341 billion difference between the two parties in their competing budget policies over a decade. This sums up Labors increases in tax revenue, such as its negative gearing and dividend policies, and its rejection of government tax cuts. The 10-year forecasts are unreliable but they measure the philosophical gulf between the parties. Morrison warns of a bigger tax burden under Labor but Shorten can use the money to spend on services and, most likely, promise a bigger budget surplus. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/62ad92dc-6936-4d5a-a803-33c01ecc40bf/r0_63_1164_721_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, 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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 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. The School Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, has invited applications in a prescribed format from eligible Indian nationals for filling 47 vacancies to the post of Assistant Professors on contract in various disciplines comprising Urban Design, Transport Planning, Landscape Architecture, Housing, Industrial Design, Architectural Conservation, Regional Planning, Physical Planning, Environmental Planning, Transport Planning, Building Engineering & Management, Urban Planning and Architecture through direct recruitment. The offline application process towards the same starts from April 04, 2019 and closes on June 10, 2019. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Professors Organisation School Planning and Architecture (SPA) Educational Qualification Bachelor's Degree (Architecture) and Master's Degree in relevant discipline Experience Freshers can apply Job Location New Delhi Industry Education Application Start Date April 3, 2019 Application End Date June 10, 2019 Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for the post of Assistant Professors through SPA Delhi Recruitment 2019 must meet the age criteria set by SPA Delhi's governing body. For details, visit the official SPA website at http://www.spa.ac.in/Home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f For details regarding application processing fee, refer to the official notification here http://spa.ac.in/writereaddata/Contract%20Faculty%20Appointments.pdf TCIL Recruitment 2019 For Assistants, JE, AE (Telecom/IT/Civil); Application Starts From April 11 Educational Criteria Desirous candidates applying for the post of Assistant Professors through SPA Delhi Recruitment 2019 must possess Bachelor's Degree (Architecture) and Master's Degree in relevant discipline from a recognized University/Institute Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates as Assistant Professors through SPA Delhi Recruitment 2019 will be done through Shortlisting and Interview scheduled on June 27 and 28, 2019 at SPA, New Delhi. Candidates selected as Assistant Professors will be paid an emolument in the scale of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 70,000 per month ARO Lansdowne Recruitment 2019 For Soldiers General Duty, Tradesman, Technical And Clerk Posts How To Apply Candidates applying for the post of Assistant Professors through SPA Delhi Recruitment 2019 must fill the application form in a prescribed format attached with the advertisement, and e-mail a scanned copy of the same at contract_faculty@spa.ac.in on or before June 10, 2019 Read the detailed notification about SPA Delhi Recruitment for Assistant Professors here http://spa.ac.in/writereaddata/Contract%20Faculty%20Appointments.pdf Environmentalist and human rights groups said on Friday they had started a lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands to force the energy firm to cut its reliance on fossil fuels. The groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Netherlands, handed over a court summons to Shell at its headquarters in The Hague, demanding it stop extracting oil and gas and cut its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. Shell spends billions on oil and gas exploration each year, with current plans to invest just 5 percent of its budget in sustainable energy and 95 percent in exploiting fossil fuels, the groups said. They said Shells plans were incompatible with the goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming under the goals set out in the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Shell on Friday said the case should not be brought to court as it supports the goals of the 2015 pact and has promised to cut its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050. We also feel action against climate change is needed right now, the company said in a statement. We have invested billions of dollars in a range of CO2-light technologies, such as biofuels, hydrogen and wind energy and we want to continue to grow these activities. Activists say this commitment does not go far enough to ensure climate goals can be reached on a global scale. With their current strategy, they will keep the world dependent on fossil fuels in the next 40 years, Greenpeace campaigner Eefje de Kroon said. The groups said more than 17,000 Dutch citizens signed up to support their case against Shell. The company has about six weeks to reply to the court summons, after which a judge will decide on further proceedings. Erlanger Health System, Tennessee Donor Services and LifeShare of the Carolinas representatives as well as organ donor families and recipients raised the Donate Life flag at Erlanger Western Carolina, Bledsoe, East, North and Baroness Hospitals to recognize and honor 36 Erlanger patients who gave the ultimate gift of life as organ donors in 2018. Thanks to the organ donations of these 36 individuals, 130 lives were saved last year. Erlanger Health System joins thousands of hospitals and organizations across the nation by flying the flag in recognition of Donor Awareness Month and in honor of the uncountable lives touched by organ, eye and tissue donation. Guest speakers include: Krysta Davis shared the story of her daughter. Rylei was diagnosed with anencephaly when Krysta was 18 weeks into her pregnancy. Krysta decided to carry to term so her child could be a donor and help other families. Rylei beat all odds as she was expected to live only hours but lived seven days. She donated her heart valves for transplant and lungs for research. Deandra Shavers family shared her story. Deandra, who was a donor this past January, passed away following a seizure event. The family asked for two directed donations; one to Deandras mother-in-law and one to a friend at church. She was a match for both recipients and both patients received the life-saving gift of kidney transplants. One of the recipients was transplanted at Erlanger. In 2018, Erlanger East Hospital had seven tissue donors and three organ referrals a gift that can improve the lives of 50 or more individuals. Jerri Gun, the mother of Rocky Trammell, shared her personal story of how organ donation has impacted her life. Rocky Trammell was 20 years old when he was in a fatal car accident in June of 2014. Several days later, he gave the ultimate gift of life to several people through organ donation. One of those individuals, Kinah Sander, was the recipient of one of Rockys kidneys. Jerri Gunn and Kinah met in October 2014 and have remained friends ever since. Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, along with LifeShare of the Carolinas, held an event recognizing and honoring their organ donors. In 2017 and 2018, four donors who were treated at Erlanger Western Carolina provided organ, eye and tissue donations for 42 recipients from 13 states and South Korea. Currently, Erlanger Health System is the second leading donor hospital system in Tennessee. More than 113,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and more than 3,000 of those live in Tennessee. Every day 20 people die waiting for a transplant, and every 10 minutes a new name will be added to the list. For more information on organ and tissue donation, visit www.donatelife.net Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, after touring the southern border with President Trump in Calexico, Calif., on Friday, said he is more convinced of the need for "immediate action." He said, I have always believed there was a crisis at our southern border, but upon the conclusion of my trip today I am more convinced than ever that immediate action is necessary. When speaking with border patrol personnel, it is clear they do not have the manpower or funds to properly secure our nation, and this issue must be addressed in Congress. The most important take away was that walls work. When touring the miles of border wall with President Trump, border patrol agents made it clear that thanks to the new wall construction they are safer and able to do their job more efficiently. "The new wall is a step in the right direction toward a more secure nation, and we must continue this momentum. It was a privilege to tour the border with President Trump and my colleagues. Now it is time to get back to work, address our archaic asylum laws, provide more wall funding, give our law enforcement agents the resources they desperately need, and stop this humanitarian crisis. The Great War [1914-1918] changed the world and its impact was felt throughout international relations in the 20th century. Four major dynastic empires disappeared from Europe [Austria-Hungary, Empire, Russia, the Ottoman Empire and the Imperial German nation], with the Bolsheviks gained control of Russia and rise of Fascism first in Italy and eventually in Germany. In the United States, a move toward isolationism was coupled with an apprehension of future modern warfare. In the midst of the uncertainty, the American Legion was born. According to the Legions history, a group of officers who had served in the American Expeditionary Forces in France, led by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., proposed the creation of an organization that would unite the veterans and improve troop morale. An initial group of approximately 1000 officers and enlisted men attended the exploratory meeting in Paris and agreed that an organization should be founded in which all veterans could be actively involved. By May 1919, the American Legion had a constitution and a national charter was granted in September of that year, with work beginning on the four pillars of service and advocacy: Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism and Children and Youth. By the fall of 1919, the American Legion had become a vital part of our nations history. As we look back to 1919, it is important to remember how the events of the early 20th century unfolded and the role the American Legion would play in the century beyond the Great War. U. S. citizens watched from a distance as war erupted across Europe beginning in the summer of 1914, following the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the mobilization of a series of entangling alliances, The Great War raged and the names of battles Somme, Ypres, Jutland, Verdun, Gallipoli and others became familiar to Americans as did the increasingly horrific number of casualties. Despite the nations strong ties to Great Britain and France, President Woodrow Wilson easily won reelection in 1916 with a pledge to keep the USA out of the war. By April 1917, the situation had changed and, on April 2, Wilson addressed Congress, identifying the reasons why the United States could no longer remain neutral, asked for a Declaration of War and concluded his remarks with a stirring and solemn statement, It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts -- for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. And, while the U.S. losses in the Great War were modest compared to the other nations who had warred for more than four years, when the guns fell silent at the 11th hour on Nov. 11, 1918, the United States had lost more than 116,000 of the 4.7 million men who had served, with an additional 320,000 veterans who would carry their war wounds with them for the remainder of their lives. Interestingly more American troops were lost to disease than to combat wounds, largely due to the influenza epidemic of 1918. More than 130,000 soldiers from Tennessee were drafted or enlisted and sailed for Europe, often after having trained at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. More than 3900 died in combat with another 6000 seriously wounded. United States citizens welcomed the doughboys home with parades and pledges that never again would the world engage in the horror of war. Veterans joined together to commemorate their service, while simultaneously returning to their homes to rejoin a life interrupted. The American Legion, chartered by Congress one hundred years ago in 1919, was organized as a patriotic veterans organization. With a focus on service to veterans, current service members and local communities, the American Legion grew into one of the most influential non-profit organizations in the nation, boasting a membership of more than 1 million veterans. Today, the American Legion has over 2 million members in 13,000 posts worldwide. Next Installment in the American Legion story: An interview with Brigadier General Carl Levi regarding his involvement at the local, state and national level in the American Legion and why he supports the organization and its goal. - - - Linda Moss Mines is the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Historian, a member of the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Regent-elect of the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR. They say when you marry someone, you marry their family as well, so impressing your in-laws is of the utmost importance. For the Duchess of Sussex, that saying is even truer. The approval and acceptance of her new royal family are paramount to the success of her relationship with Prince Harry and her standing in England. One of the most important people to impress is typically your significant others mother. Unfortunately, Meghan Markle never got the chance to wow Princess Diana with her beauty and charm, but that doesnt mean that Markle isnt constantly paying tribute to her mother-in-law. How does Markle keep Diana around? Since her death, Harry and Prince William have always tried to do things to keep their mothers spirit alive and her memory vivid in their minds. Since Markle married Harry, she has joined in on the efforts. One way that the Ducchess shows homage to the late Princess is through her choices in jewelry. After announcing that she and Harry would be having a new baby, Markle took some of her mother-in laws jewelry on tour with her. The day after Harry and Markle landed in Australia for their first royal tour as a married couple, Markle wore a gold bracelet that belonged to Diana. The former actress also wore a pair of Dianas butterfly earrings while in Australia. On Markles wedding day, she wore an aquamarine ring that belonged to the late Princess to her wedding reception at Frogmore House. And most recently, the Duchess wore that same ring in Tonga while on her royal tour. Markles engagement ring From the very beginning of their relationship, the couple has honored Diana through jewelry. Even the engagement ring that Harry gave Markle ties back to his mother. Markles ring has three diamonds. The one in the middle is one that the Prince chose from Botswana, but the two on the side are from his mothers personal collection. Did Markle get banned from wearing the Queens jewelry? Recently, The Sun claimed that the Queen had banned Markle from wearing some of the jewelry in the Royal Collection. This was reportedly due to the fact that Princess Dianas jewelry was causing tension between Harry and William so the Queen stepped in because Kate Middleton is higher up in the royal line of succession. But senior royal sources told Vanity Fair that the Queen never banned Markle from wearing Dianas jewelry. I find it very unlikely, one source said. Its not the kind of thing the Queen would do. She is very generous when it comes to lending jewels to her family. Would Diana have liked Markle? Though Markle and his mother never got to meet, Harry has made it clear that he thinks Diana would have loved his new wife. Theyd be thick as thieves, without question, Harry told the BBC during his and Markles engagement interview. I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me. But I think she would have been best friends with Meghan. Read more: Royal Split: What Does Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Splitting the Royal Household Mean? Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Princess Beatrice is a young, hip member of the royal family, popular with royal watchers and British citizens alike. The young royal is eighth in line to the throne, and although her fashion frequently gets front-page headlines, its her love life that has become a hot topic in days of late. Where was Princess Beatrice raised? Princess Beatrice was born to her royal parents Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York in August 1988. She is the fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and is often regarded as one of the more modern royals. She studied history in college and graduated from Goldsmiths College in London in 2011. In the past ten years, Princess Beatrice has gotten much more involved with charity work and frequently lends her time to organizations that are important to her, including the Teenage Cancer Trust and Springboard for Children. Although Princess Beatrice lives her life through the microscope of fame, in many ways, she is a normal young woman with regular interests and hobbies. She and her sister, Princess Eugenie, are frequently spotted out together enjoying parties and all the hottest nightclubs around town. She is a well-known devotee of fashion, and her outfits (including her penchant for crazy headgear) are documented by royal watchers. Who is she dating now? #PrincessBeatrice's new boyfriend is casually a multi-millionaireand they're already talking engagement! pic.twitter.com/ruobilQosN InStyle (@InStyle) December 9, 2018 Princess Beatrices love life is also a topic of interest to fans of the royal family. Her first documented boyfriend was American Paolo Liuzzo, whom she dated briefly before beginning a relationship with Dave Clark, a businessman with Virgin Galactic. She dated Clark until 2016. In late 2018, rumors started swirling that Princess Beatrice, the cousin of Princes William and Harry, had a new love in her life. She was spotted around town with millionaire Count Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Mozzi was a controversial choice for Princess Beatrice, as he has been married before and has a young son. The pair didnt confirm their relationship to the media and seemed to want to protect their privacy during the budding days of their relationship. Reportedly, Princess Beatrice actually met Mozzi in 2011, but things didnt turn romantic until much more recently. Will they get married soon? Princess Beatrice of York took to the red carpet for the first time since her sisters wedding when she attended the star-studded #GlobalGiftGala which has raised funds and awareness for the #GlobalGiftFoundation. #PrincessBeatrice pic.twitter.com/br5PkQiXLO The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) November 3, 2018 Late last year, Mozzi and Princess Beatrice took their relationship to the next level when they took a grand vacation together. They visited an island off the coast of Kenya, a spot which reportedly holds a lot of meaning to Mozzi. It was the precise location where he proposed to his former flame and immediately set tabloid tongues wagging that Princess Beatrice would be the next royal to tie the knot. Then in March, Princess Beatrice took her millionaire boyfriend to their first red carpet event, which was also attended by the Duchess of Cambridge. Taking her boyfriend to such a formal event might have been a signal to the press that they should start expecting engagement news in the near future. Royal family members are experts at calculating public appearances, so the glamorous event could certainly have been a subtle clue as to Princess Beatrices future plans. If in fact, the couple is planning on getting engaged, Mozzi will most certainly have to get permission from Princess Beatrices grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. The more likely scenario is that the young couple is planning on taking it slow. Although they have been friends for years, a romantic relationship is a whole different dynamic. It is also likely that Princess Beatrice will want to be sure that her billionaire beau is properly prepared to join the royal family. Although official engagement news could be years away, royal watchers will certainly be on high alert. Weve learned plenty about the Duggars over the years thanks to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar bringing their kids on to the scene with shows like 19 Kids and Counting. Now, the kids who were once just teens are growing up fast, and weve all developed our favorites as theyve married off and started living their own lives. Fans seem to love Jinger Duggar, as shes always struck viewers as one of the more rebellious members of the family. And it seems she and husband Jeremy Vuolo are making a decision weve never seen from a Duggar before and thats that theyre moving to the West Coast. Jessa Duggar is extremely close with sister Jinger and we wouldnt be surprised if she has a hard time with the move. Heres why. Jinger has always dreamed of life in the big city, and now shes making it happen If theres one member of the Duggar family whos spoken of their hopes and dreams of leaving Arkansas in pursuit of bigger and better things, its Jinger. We remember when Jinger mentioned she wanted to move to New York City long ago, Radar Online reports. Unfortunately, Michelle was quick to shut that idea down. She meant that she wants to live closer to a city. Were talking right near a city, but not New York City. Jinger meant she wanted to live 15 minutes from Walmart, Michelle told the publication. Now that Jingers married and is free to do as she pleases with husband Jeremy, the two are set to adventure out west. While they already made a big move to Laredo, Texas, theyre ready to experience city life in Los Angeles. As they said on their blog, Through much prayer and counsel, the next step for our family is to relocate to Los Angeles to attend Grace Community Church as Jeremy pursues graduate studies at The Masters Seminary. Jessa found it difficult when Jinger made the decision to move to Texas If theres any family member who may be having a hard time with Jingers move to Los Angeles, its certainly Jessa. Jessa and Jinger are incredibly close, and Us Weekly reminds us that when Jessa went on dates with Ben Seewald prior to their engagement, she would always choose Jinger as her chaperone so she wouldnt feel left out of the spotlight. With just a year between them, Jinger and Jessa seemed to be an inseparable duo. Us Weekly also explains that when Jinger announced she was moving to Texas, Jessa had mixed feelings here, too. Im thrilled for Jinger and Jeremy. I know theyre meant to be, but at the same time, I wish Jeremy wasnt taking her so far away. If I think about it, I get emotional, and Ive already cried several times, Jessa said when thinking about Jingers initial move. When shes gone, Ill probably have a meltdown. And if the Texas relocation was meltdown-worthy, we cant imagine what Jessa thinks of Jingers next big move. Is jealousy a factor? Some fans think so Some fans think Jessa will indeed take issue with Jingers move to Los Angeles, but not because of how close they are. Instead, some seem to think that Jessa may actually be jealous of Jingers relocation. Considering how active the Duggar sisters are on social media and how frequently they post on each others Instagrams, it appears that Jessa has yet to post any congratulations to Jingers post about the move. As far as reactions from the family go I noticed no one commented except Anna that they happy for them on social media, one Reddit user noted. Theres also been past speculation that Jessa may be jealous of Jinger, too. Inquisitr notes Jessa seemed to be hypercritical of a few aspects of Jingers home in Laredo for no reason, and it struck fans as Jessa being envious. Well have to wait and see if Jessa goes and visits Jinger in her California home in the future. Perhaps if Jessa really loves the Los Angeles sunshine, she and Ben will plan a move out there as well. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Though they seem polished and domesticated now, the romance between Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton was an epic saga that spanned nearly a decade before they walked down the aisle. Though the couple began dating during the second term of their freshman year at St. Andrews University in 2001 two breakups, some inappropriate behavior by the prince, and the pressure of the public took its toll on their seemingly picturesque romance. In fact the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges romance had so many ups and downs that Kate Middleton was dubbed Waity Katie by the press. Why was Kate Middleton called Waity Kaity by the press? Middleton and Prince William broke up in 2003 for the first time, but the pair quickly reconciled. However, after they pulled the plug on their romance in 2007 and then got together again everyone was certain wedding bells were in the air. Still, the prince would not pop the question for another three years which confused everyone from Middletons parents to the press. The duchess had been dubbed Waity Katie since she had been waiting so long for a marriage proposal. In fact, as the years went on, 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. Middleton hated the cruel nickname. Luckily, the duchess would have a ring on it before the end of the following year. Why did Prince William and Kate Middleton wait so long before getting engaged? Prince William and Kate Middleton were just teenagers when they fell in love. With the pressure of life, and the princes eventual title as the King of England the pair wanted to be absolutely sure they were ready for marriage before they took the plunge. Katie Nicholl told Vanity Fair that the royal duo made a secret pact about marriage after they got back together in 2007. After all, the prince knew that he had to finish his military training as a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot before he could marry Kate. Nicholl said, I suppose what none of us knew was that [she] and William had actually made a secret pact to be married way back in 2007, after they got together after their second major breakup. This was a secret pact. And we know that this is a couple who are very good at keeping secrets. So really, Kate had the last laugh, because shes got her prince. How did Prince William propose to Kate Middleton? 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! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been married for almost a year, but it definitely hasnt been an easy year. Meghan, the newbie in the royal family, has been the subject of vast criticism and rumors ever since she married into the family. When it comes to popularity, the British public tends to favor Kate Middleton over Meghan Markle. But a recent Instagram caption just surprised people with something that few knew about the duchess. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Meghan and Harry started dating in 2016 The royal couple met through a mutual friend, and after one date, they knew they liked each other. Things moved fairly quickly once they hit it off. The two dated for about a year and a half before Harry proposed in November 2017. After they announced their engagement, they planned a wedding within six months and were married in May 2018. Only about two months later, the couple got pregnant, and in October 2018, they announced theyd welcome their first child in spring 2019. But once Meghan married into the family, the negative comments about her instantly picked up. Meghan had done philanthropic work with Harry before the two were married The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently got their own Instagram account, and some fans were thrilled. The purpose of the account is to allow the public to follow Meghan and Harry through all of their royal engagements, charity work, and family time. The Instagram set a world record by hitting one million followers in less than six hours. On one recent post, the royal family highlighted the work both Harry and Meghan had done on behalf of mental health back in 2017, before Harry and Meghan were married. Fans of the royal family were shocked and pleased to learn Meghan had dedicated time to philanthropy before her marriage When users read the caption, they couldnt believe Meghan had joined in on the philanthropic work before officially marrying the prince. Meghan has always been vocal about helping others, including protesting for gender equality, and, in this case, advocating for communities and wildlife around the world. The caption of the Instagram photo reads that Meghan and harry did this work in 2017, which shows that Meghan was already getting involved with helping others prior to being an official royal family member and the public loved to see it. Wow, so Meghan was already doing this work with Harry before they were even engaged. So impressed by this couple! one user commented; it received nearly 900 likes. Im so here for this information we didnt know! Meghan already doing work with him pre-engagement We appreciate this so much! another comment read. Meghan is still new to the family, but hopefully opinions will change the longer she and Harry are married Ever since Meghan and Harry wed, plenty of the public turned a blind eye to her in favor of Kate. However, Meghan is still new to the family, and she may still need a bit of time to prove herself. People clearly were unaware that Meghan had been doing work with Harry prior to their engagement, which helped people see a new side of her. In time, once the public sees a bit more of her and sees her parenting with Harry, she will likely grow on people even more. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter forBorderland Beat?We love to have you in our team, sendoran email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. These days, Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys relationship is the talk of the blogs and tabloids. However, when they first met the royal duo were able to have a secret romance flying under the radar of the public and allowing their relationship to blossom in private. The pair met in July 2016 when they were set up on a blind date in London. Shortly after that, the prince convinced the stunning former actress to fly away with him to Botswana. During their engagement interview with BBC in Nov. 2017 the prince explained, She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic. Then we were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to get to know each other. As a result, Botswana has become a very special place for the couple. Theyve been there several times and the large diamond on Markles engagment ring is from the region. They recently shared a never-before-seen photo from when they began dating. A new photograph of Meghan and Harry assisting in elephant tracking was shared on the Sussex Royal Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/zVZWGdjyyH Meghans Mirror (@MeghansMirror) April 4, 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared a never-before-seen photo from when they were dating Recently, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry launched their official Instagram page @sussexroyal. On their account the pair shared a photo from their Aug. 2017 trip to Botswana where they celebrated the Duchess of Sussexs 36th birthday. In the photo, the usually regal royal couple are seated on the ground next to a sedated elephant as they carefully put a collar around its neck allowing scientists to track it in the future. The Instagram caption said, Their Royal Highnesses travelled to Botswana to assist Dr. Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders in equipping a bull elephant with a satellite collar. Approximately 100 elephants are poached/killed every day for their ivory tusks. Using satellite technology allows conservationists to track their critical migratory patterns and to protect them and the local communities from human wildlife conflict. The elephant pictured was sedated for just 10 minutes before he was up and back with his herd. Tracking his movements has allowed conservationists to better protect him and other elephants and ensure heightened protection for these beautiful creatures moving forward When did Prince Harry know Meghan Markle was the one? Blind dates typically arent anything to write home about. Therefore, both Markle and Prince Harry reluctantly met for a drink at Soho House in London. However, the prince was immediately smitten. He later told BBC that he was sure his wife was the one, The very first time we met. He continued, the fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was a sort of confirmation to me that everything, all the stars were aligned. Everything was just perfect. It was this beautiful woman just sort of that she tripped and fell into my life; I fell into her life. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! A Wyoming therapist wanted her ex-husband dead, but she wasnt willing to do the deed herself. So she hired someone to pull the trigger for her. Fortunately for her ex, the man she made the deal with turned out to be an undercover cop. The shocking story of Cynthia Guy, who is now serving 25 years in prison for attempting to have her former husband Terry Thomas killed, is explored in the first episode of Murder for Hire, a new true-crime series from Law & Order creator and producer Dick Wolf premiering Sunday, April 7 on Oxygen. A therapists betrayal Murder for Hire | Oxygen The first episode of Murder for Hire introduces viewers to the seedy world of contract killings. The story begins when Cynthia and Terrys marriage sours. The Cheat Sheet got a sneak peek at the episode, where Terry explains that his wife had a Jekyll and Hyde personality and would suddenly snap without warning. Eventually, the couple divorces, but Cynthia who was upset about how much money she had received in the divorce settlement isnt willing to let go. I believe her ultimate goal was to destroy me financially and in any other way that she possibly could, Terry recalls. Cynthia, determined to get revenge on her ex-husband, blackmails one of her patients who she believes has a connection to a drug cartel into helping her find a hitman who will murder Terry. The terrified patient instead goes to the police. I remember initially thinking that it probably wasnt true, says Special Agent Tina Trimble with the Wyoming DCI in the episode. Maybe this patient was making up a story you just dont hear of those types of situations happening. Preventing a murder But an investigation soon revealed that the patient was telling the truth. That meant that police needed to act swiftly to nab Cynthia before she was able to put her plan into action. First, officers informed Terry of his exs plan. My jaw dropped. It was shock, terror, disbelief, Terry says of his reaction when an FBI agent told him his former wife planned to have him killed. Everything in one. At that point, he wanted to make sure that I disappeared and checked into a hotel. Meanwhile, the patient bravely agreed to pretend to help Cynthia arrange a murder for hire. Through undercover footage, viewers watch as the therapist calmly agrees to pay someone she believes is a contract killer $4,000 to murder Terry. You get one shot, Cynthia tells the undercover officer. Dont f*ck it up. An in-depth look at disturbing crimes Each stand-alone episode in the series will look at a different murder-for-hire plot. In episode 2, police rely on an undercover civilian informant to find out if a doctor wants to murder his estranged wife or if its really his jealous girlfriend who is behind the plot. Future episodes will look at other relationships gone terribly wrong, and the people who are willing to go to the ultimate lengths to settle a score or get revenge. Some of the most horrifying crimes are crimes of passion and money, and we are the first to explore in depth the motives and tactics used in these murders for hire, executive producer Dick Wolf said in a statement. Viewers will be stunned when they understand the lengths to which aggrieved parties go to get revenge. Murder for Hire premieres Sunday, April 7 at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The Brown family has officially left Las Vegas. The town that largely welcomed the alternative family allegedly is no longer a good fit for the Browns, at least by Kodys standards. Now, the Sister Wives clan is off to a brand new adventure in Flagstaff, Arizona, but fans find the reasoning suspect. Not only did the Browns rip their children from their schools but theyve plunked them down in the middle of a town that knows very little about polygamy. Fans on Reddit, however, theorize that the entire move , and all of the past moves, are for one reason and one reason only; to feed Kody Browns constant need for attention. The move from Utah was an attention grabber The Browns drew in viewers first with their rose-colored portrayal of plural family life, but thats not enough to keep viewers hooked on a show; every show needs to have a little bit of drama, and the Browns have delivered in spades. During the shows earlier seasons, the Browns left Lehi, Utah under cover of darkness when they believed the state was ready to prosecute them for living as a plural family. While the state of Utah has particularly strict laws against polygamy, fans theorize that the state didnt care nearly as much as the family asserted. A family member seems to confirm the theory. According to Radar, Kristyn Decker, Christines aunt, alleges the family didnt leave Utah in the hurry they portrayed on the show. She argues they the clan had long planned to leave the state but added a spoonful of drama to help their shows ratings. The family enjoyed relative anonymity in Las Vegas Christine, Meri, and Janelle, as well as the kids, seemed to enjoy Las Vegas. Not only did the family get to blend into the larger city, but in a place like Vegas just about anything goes. While polygamy may not be exactly common in Sin City, most residents and visitors to the city dont have the moral hang-up about plural marriage that is common in a place like Utah. (L-R) Janelle Brown, Meri Brown, Kody Brown and Christine Brown (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for AEG Live) Reddit users surmise that Kody may have decided it was time to move on from Vegas because he wasnt receiving the attention he wants while living in such a liberal city. The theory, which has no real evidence to back it up, hangs on the idea that Brown, himself, is a bit of an attention-seeker and enjoys being in the spotlight, even if its at the detriment of his family. Moving to Flagstaff could save a stagnant show Lets be honest; the Browns are going to need to do something interesting to keep Sister Wives running. Fans need a little bit of drama to continue tuning in, and the family has already discussed Meris indiscretion and the infighting between the wives to death. A move might be just what the doctor ordered to buoy the shows ratings. Moving to a locale like Flagstaff will bring new challenges for the ever-expanding family; especially if Kody starts to hunt for more wives while in the Grand Canyon State. Not only will cameras roll while the family figures out their living situation, but they will also follow the family as they acclimate to yet another community. Recording reactions, and the familys interactions in Flagstaff will likely buy the Browns another season or two from TLC. Meghan Markle has been the subject of many headlines since coming into Prince Harrys life and a fair share of articles written about her have been less than flattering. Why has Markle faced so much scrutiny and is there an end in sight? Meghan Markle | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Why articles about the Duchess of Sussex have been an attack Though Markle isnt the first royal family member to come under the media microscope, one royal expert believes theres something different in the medias approach to covering Markle. While others have been criticized publicly, royal historian Marlene Koenig, author of Queen Victorias Descendants, told Vanity Fair that the tone for Markle is much more of an attack, noting, Its a pile-on. Vanity Fairs Michelle Ruiz took a deep dive into why Markles coverage is different, noting that the level of vitriol lobbed at the biracial duchess during her pregnancy is rooted in the same systemic racism and sexism that has dogged her since she first began dating Harry in 2016. Ruiz points further to unsubtle nods to the angry black woman stereotype, sharing that theres been a certain discomfort with a woman of color finding a fairy-tale romance. Maiysha Kai, managing editor of the Roots fashion and beauty site, the Glow Up, called out the real issue involved in Markles coverage, noting: You see it in the reporting about Meghan, but people dont want to speak honestly about the real issue: they dont believe a black woman has a place in the royal family. There is this sense that shes never going to be enough. Some of Markles pregnancy coverage has been negative While this is a joyous time for Prince Harry and Markle, as theyre expecting their first baby together, according to Ruiz, media coverage has been dominated by negative narratives that drown out the excitement. That included the odd focus on Markle cradling her baby bump at the BAFTAs, with Ruiz pointing out the Express headline Meghan CANT STOP showing off: Duchess uses these SNEAKY tricks to flaunt her baby bump. There was also a ridiculous amount of attention over Markles New York City baby shower with friends, as the cost of the lavish party was reported on in detail. Kai noted that the shower might have been over the top in comparison to other royals as they just dont do baby showers the way that Americans do, noting that the backlash also comes back to this sense that black women arent supposed to function on this level. Will the media be nicer when Baby Sussex is born? While Markle has endured a fair share of rude stories about her in the media, there might be a change coming when Baby Sussex is born. Coryne Hall, author of an upcoming book on Queen Victoria, believes that the excitement surrounding the couples first child might just dominate the headlines more than criticism of Markle. Hall explained: They build someone up and put them on a pedestal, and when they cant find anything more to say, they start knocking them down. Once the baby is born, the coverage of Meghan will go the other way again. She wont do any wrong. That would be a refreshing change of pace. The happy occasion of Baby Sussexs arrival could very well warm the medias hearts as they can now shift the narrative to the couples journey into a new chapter of their lives. Hall shares: Well have this lovely baby and a reminder that [Meghan] makes Harry happy. Prince William and Prince Harry seem to be the definition of what brotherhood is all about. Growing up in the royal spotlight under constant scrutiny from the public as well as the media is not easy for anyone. To make matters even more difficult, the two princes were not given a choice in the matter, as they were born into the royal way of life. While they embrace it completely and represent their country with pride and dignity, there have to be times when things get a bit overwhelming for the two of them. Luckily, William and Harry have each other to lean on. With William being a future king, he is likely under slightly more pressure than Harry and is certainly glad that he has such a wonderful brother. So, why is it that Prince Harry is the perfect younger brother for Prince William? Harry shows William the lighter side of life Harry loves to have fun, and he shows his older brother that even when you will be ruling monarch of the United Kingdom someday, you dont always have to take life so seriously! The younger prince is the perfect person for William to go to when he needs to kick back, let loose, or just have a good laugh after a long day. We can only imagine that the brothers spend plenty of quality time together, sharing fun stories about their adventures and life in general! Prince Harry supports his brother in all that he does In 2011, Harry famously served as Prince Williams best man in his wedding to Kate Middleton. Although the favor was returned several years later, it was wonderful to see Harry standing by his brothers side as he married Kate while millions of people around the world were watching. William later admitted that he was quite nervous on that day, so he was certainly glad to have Harry there for support. They love to share memories of Diana The royal brothers love to keep Princess Dianas memory alive! Although Harry was a bit younger than William when Diana passed away, he still looks back on the 12 years he got to spend with her with extreme love and fondness, and he is the perfect person for William to talk to so that he never forgets the unconditional love that Diana had for her boys. There are stories and memories that William can likely only talk to Harry about, as he is the one person who truly understands how William feels. What a special bond the brothers have! Harry is a great uncle to Williams children Harry is currently expecting his first child with Meghan Markle, and he has had plenty of years of practice to prepare him for his new adventure in the world of fatherhood! With William and Kate having three adorable children, Harry has had many opportunities to get in touch with his inner child and connect with them. The younger prince is notoriously excellent with kids, and he loves his nephews and his niece deeply. There no doubt that being around them helped Harry to realize that he would be an excellent father as well, so we are so glad he was able to spend time being the wonderful uncle that he is! He is a great friend to William Harry, Duke of Sussex | John Phillips/Getty Images Above all, Harry is more than just a younger brother, he is also Williams close friend. The two brothers have a bond that cant be broken and will follow them through all of lifes ups and downs. We cant wait to see how their relationship grows even deeper in the upcoming weeks when baby Sussex makes his or her entrance into the world! Mike Huckabee identifies 'biggest threat' to moral fiber of US, why it's the Church's fault Christian Post Contributor | 06 April, 2019 by Leah MarieAnn Klett Redefining gender and sexual identity is the "greatest threat" to the moral fiber of America, said former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and the fault lies with the Church. "The biggest threat to biblical principles today is the failure to apply a biblical standard of maleness and femaleness," Huckabee told The Christian Post during a sit-down interview last week in Anaheim, California. "We are creating this illusion that there is no gender, there is no identity, and I'm blaming the Christian Church." The 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate explained that California's introduction of "no-fault divorce" in 1970 created the mindset that marriage "wasn't really that important" and that one "could go in and out of it without a second thought." Prior to that time, some kind of marital fault had to be demonstrated before a divorce could be granted. "That's when we first started losing that sense of sacredness of what marriage meant," he argued. "So I'm not really that surprised that same sex-marriage has become in vogue because the Christian Church were the ones who essentially abdicated a strict responsibility about what biblical marriage should look like." "Once you've destroyed that, why can't you have any and everything?" he continued. "The gender dysphoria we're seeing today is largely due to the fact that the Church has failed to present very clearly the words of Jesus and Genesis 5:2: 'Male and female He created them.'" Huckabee pointed out that society today celebrates single parenting and posits the idea that fathers "really aren't necessary" when it comes to raising children. "There are some people who are in single parenthood, not because they want to be, but because they were forced to be. And we ought to give [them] all the support," he clarified. "But we should never pretend that it is as good as a loving mother and father in a home where a child sees both genders play out their norms because that's the modeling of behavior that would be ideal for a child to grow up in." Huckabee, who served as a Southern Baptist pastor before entering politics, said that in order for things to change, the Church needs to clearly present a biblical view of gender and identity even though it's not considered "politically correct." "People are afraid that if they are really biblical, it will alienate people and I think that's nonsense," he contended. "Yes, it will alienate some people who are more interested in preserving the lifestyle they have chosen than a lifestyle that will be practical and will work. But it will also be a lifesaver for the people who are really looking for genuine truth." Read more from "Mike Huckabee identifies 'biggest threat' to moral fiber of US, why it's the Church's fault" on The Christian Post. 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. 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. 6 Pastors Arrested in Rwanda for Planning to Defy Gov't Ban on 'Unclean' Churches Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Rwandan police have arrested six Christian pastors on grounds that they are planning to defy a recent order that closed more than 700 churches that allegedly don't meet safety and cleanliness standards. AFP reports that authorities in the African country announced Tuesday that they had arrested six "masterminds" plotting to defy the government's shutdown of 714 churches and one mosque that were deemed unsafe, unclean and noisy in the capital city of Kigali. The government accuses the religious leaders, all Pentecostals, of holding meetings where they discussed resistance of the order, which was issued last week. "After the suspension of churches that did not meet required standards, some church leaders began illegal meetings intended to defy and obstruct the directive," Rwanda National Police spokesperson Theos Badege told the international news agency. "Police began investigations to find the masterminds behind this illegal act." Badege added that the shutdown mainly affects Pentecostal churches. The churches have been asked to "halt operations until they meet the requirements." "Some churches conduct their worship services in shoddy and unclean structures, to the detriment of people's health and safety," Anastase Shyaka, who heads the government board that oversees public and private organizations, told AFP last month. "Cases of noise pollution have also been reported while some operate without the required operation permits." As BBC notes, the number of Pentecostal churches run by charismatic pastors have increased rapidly in Africa over the last several years. While some are massive and attract thousands every Sunday, other churches are simple structures built without government approval. A Rwandan official told BBC that some of the churches affected by the order have already reopened after being approved by inspectors. Some church leaders have criticized the order. "Those [churches] that failed to implement a few requirements should be reopened and allowed to work while fixing the problems raised," Bishop Innocent Nzeyimana, who is the president of the Churches' Forum in Nyarugenge district of Rwanda, told AFP last month. Rwandan authorities are also trying to make it more difficult to form and open new churches. A recently proposed law would make it so that a theological degree is required to open a church. AFP reports that the proposed law is expected to pass this year and would be a response to the fact that some preachers "deceive their congregation with misleading sermons." A number of preachers oppose the proposal and argue that it is a government attempt to censor their message, AFP reports. The order against the churches comes as the Rwandan government has been accused of stifling freedom of expression for political opposition groups and civil society organizations. Last month, the government fined and suspended for one month Christian radio station Amazing Grace FM for airing a sermon from evangelist Nicholas Niyibikora that it deemed discriminatory to women. Additionally, the radio station was ordered to issue an apology and a statement of correction. Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) Director General Brigadier Magosi says he is disappointed by former Minister Dr. Pelonomi Venson-Moitois claims that security agents are following her around the country. Dr Venson-Moitoi whom next week will challenge President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) presidency recently revealed that DIS agents have been following her around the country as she canvasses for votes. He revealed that she has since expressed her concern to Magosi about the agents who are always following her. In an interview with this publication Magosi expressed his disappointment at the utterances made by the former cabinet member. He stated that politicians have the tendency of being paranoid and thinking that they are being tailed around by DIS agents.She is one of the first people I engaged when the standoff between the president and his predecessor started. I requested that since she is the eldest between Dr Masisi and former President Dr Ian Khama and a senior BDP member she has to intervene. I asked her to request the former to acknowledge that Dr Masisi is the current head of state and deserves the respect any president must be given. I went to her because I treat her like my mother, said Magosi indicating that he was later shocked to see Dr Venson-Moitoi attacking his organisation in the media. According to Magosi, he has no reason to be following Dr Venson-Moitoi around. He said if he has any issue with her, he would go straight to her and state his case. Magosi explained that what is being said about his agents is not true, positing that DIS is not the only law enforcement agency that uses unmarked motor vehicles. Magosi wondered why politicians would be the only ones among citizens complaining that the DIS is targeting them. He said his aim is to ensure that he runs a clean and respected agency. I will never have the DIS accused of things that are not true. This is why I am going around the country to address councils to allay fears that the DIS is targeting politicians or members of the public. Under my leadership the DIS will not be accused of violating human rights in this country. Anything that could happen of such nature I will take stern action against perpetrators because I will never sanction such action. I will even take action before such acts are committed under my leadership, he stated. Evangelical Advisory Board Is 'Photo Op' for Donald Trump, Pastor AR Bernard Says on Exit Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A day after announcing his official resignation from President Donald Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board citing a "deepening conflict in values" between himself and the administration political kingmaker and leader of New York City's largest church A.R. Bernard called the board a "photo op" and urged white evangelical leaders to hold the president "accountable to an agenda." Bernard, who is founder, senior pastor and CEO of the 40,000-member Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, announced his departure from the board on Friday in the wake of the deadly unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia. "I quietly stepped away from the board several months ago, and submitted my formal letter of resignation as of Tuesday, Aug. 15. I am always grateful and honored by any opportunity to serve my country," Bernard said in his statement. He later explained to CNN's Don Lemon over the weekend that he was willing to face a "degree of risk" to his reputation by working with the Trump administration for the greater good. However, Bernard said be believes Trump's leadership is compromised by his lack of a consistent set of "core values." "I think that as time progressed you, look for change, you look for consistency, you look for responsibility and leadership and I didn't see consistency in a set of core values that influenced and shaped his thinking. And when he vacillated over the last week, especially over Charlottesville, I had come to the point where I had to make a decision to more than just step away. I had to fully disengage myself," Bernard said. "When you vacillate like that, it means that there's not a set of core values that you have determined to guide your thinking, your decision-making. Instead, it demonstrates that you are being tossed between opinions of those around you. And I've got a problem with that kind of lack of leadership." Bernard also quickly formed the opinion that no real work was being done through the evangelical advisory board after he joined the group to effect change and be a voice for people of color. "We all went in, at least I did and those who expressed it to me, believing that we could influence some kind of change," he said. "I have to say there was a boundary for me. There was a line for me. ... The board with a significant number of individuals was not afforded the proximity to the president to give the kind of necessary influence that all of this called for," he continued. "There were some who had that close relationship. ... I couldn't say 'ok I will call the president' and respond to something that he said." He further noted that while the board "should have teeth, it should be more than a photo op. It should be substantive," it was none of those things up to the point of his resignation. "During the campaign and right up to the present moment, there were meetings and there were group photos after that but nothing substantive moving forward," Bernard explained. "They were photo ops," Lemon interjected. "Yeah," Bernard replied. "For me I want to roll up my sleeves and get things done. I was excited when I heard part of his campaign speech included African American initiatives especially with regard to the inner city. I was very excited about that." Earlier this year, Bernard encouraged faith leaders at a Jewish-Evangelical Round Table meeting in New York to work through the current "noise" around the Trump administration while positing that Trump will do everything in his power to avoid a failed presidency. "You have to work through the noise," Bernard stressed. "There was a lot of noise in the campaign last year and there is still a lot of noise and I understand that there are individuals who are spending tens of millions of dollars to undermine the new administration. They tried to do it before the inauguration. It still continues, I get that. "This is not new to American history. You talk about Nixon, the issues of the war, you know I remember those protests that I was involved with at the time. So you look at the Trump administration, I have to ask the question, how [do] I engage an administration like this?" he continued. "He is going to do everything he can not to fail because it's more than just winning an election. It's a presidency and the legacy left by that. He understands that winning the election is just a small part of it because he doesn't want to walk out of that office be it four years, be it eight years, and having done nothing that could be respected, admired and recognized." Bernard also noted that the Trump administration at the time was having a hard time attracting quality people to work with because of the attacks they would have to endure from his detractors. When asked if his exit from the Evangelical Advisory Board was partly influenced by race, Bernard quickly admitted that it was a factor. "I would love to be Christian first but America has created an environment where I'm forced to be a black man living in America first and I'm a Christian. That's my reality and that is not the same reality that many of the white evangelical leaders experience. It's two different Americas," he said. "I would love some substance. I would love for them to sit down and say 'hey, let's roll up our sleeves and let's really hold the president accountable to an agenda," he added about white evangelical leaders. Despite repeated allegations from many critics that president Trump is racist, Bernard noted, however, that he is not of that opinion. "I had the opportunity of meeting him years ago at a particular social event. I sat down, I spoke with him, we shared, we broke bread together, and he didn't come across as racist. Is he playing politics? I would lean in that direction," he said. The Christian Post reached out to Bernard's church for further comment Monday but he was unavailable. Other evangelical advisers to Trump have already made it clear that they are not selling themselves to the president. Ronnie Floyd, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, told CP earlier that they "are not for sale" and that they are fully committed to the Gospel. They are there to serve and to pray and feel that the evangelical influence on the administration is "making a difference," pointing to Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch to be a Supreme Court Justice, among other things. Advisory board member Johnnie Moore, who is also a senior editorial adviser to CP, said in an earlier statement that he has the deepest respect for Bernard. "Sometimes, friends disagree and that doesn't change our commitment to our shared faith and friendship. We have every intention to continue to extend invitations to him to contribute his perspective on issues important to all of us," he said. What's the future of the Church as it loses favor in secular society? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment ALEXANDRIA, Virginia If the Western Church is to be effective in its mission as it loses favor in secular society, it's going to mean embracing peacemaking and remembering our role as a royal priesthood, speakers at Missio Alliance's Awakening Conference advised. Theologians and pastors from around the country spoke about the future of the Western Church as Christianity loses its place of privilege in secular society that it held for centuries. The discussion was part of a panel at Alfred Street Baptist Church on March 29. Faced with the need for a new missional approach to engaging the culture, Al Tizon, a professor of missional and global leadership at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois, said he believes Christians must embrace peacemaking and reconciliation as a Gospel imperative. "In our brokenness we have made a bloody mess of God's beautiful, diverse world," Tizon said, adding that the human condition is the same all around the world. "I contend that in a world literally quaking and cracking along racial, ethnic and cultural fault lines, the Church must embrace peacemaking and reconciliation as the primary paradigm for mission today," he continued. "We can no longer relegate peacemaking to fringe pacifists and historic peace churches. Peacemaking needs to be central to the whole churches whole mission throughout the world." He added that he wants the word "peace" to become as hip as justice has become. Keesha Polonio, associate director of the Tampa Underground Network, stressed that it's vital for Christians to consider the image of the curtain in the temple being torn when Christ was crucified, particularly their role as priests. "We need to remember that the veil was split in two and that now I, you, we can interact and engage with the Holy One. We have direct access," she said, referencing 1 Peter 2:9 in which Apostle Peter speaks of God's people being a royal priesthood. "But I wonder if the Church has forgotten this?" she posited. "Will the Church give everyone an opportunity to live out their responsibility as a priest?" That might mean for churches to give up their freedom to dream in order that the dreams of others can live, she suggested. What this would look like, she said, would mean "we'd let the voices of the people we seek to serve to dictate our programs and our infrastructure and not the other way around. And don't let our fear and the risky nature of freedom constrict us and control us. "We have to suspend the idea that our way is the right way. We have to give up our bent toward micromanaging" and instead release people to do what God has called them to do, she stressed. In many respects the Church and its insistence upon specific structures needs to get out of the way, she said. In Polonio's ministry, she said they try to see everyone as priests. Her "parish," she said, is in strip clubs as she ministers to women ensnared in the sex industry. On any given Friday when she gives altar calls it is to music blaring overhead, surrounded with the smells of drugs and alcohol. "My sermons are small. And they start with makeup tutorials" she said, as people often ask her about her hair and what products she uses. "But at the end, I get to remind them of the truth, in 1 John, that there is a God who sees them, who knows them and is calling them out of their darkness into a wonderful light. Our missional future hinges on the Church remembering that the veil is torn, that we are all a priesthood of believers, a community of sent ones. "We have simple ecclesiology," she said, "Worship, mission, and community. Wherever those three things come together, that is the church." When everyday people realize that they are priests they are empowered to do whatever it is that God has called them to do and the church infrastructure supports to come alongside them, she said. The Awakenings Conference was a three-day event that concluded March 30. Genocide killer turned 'prophet' led thousands of Rwandan prisoners to Christ and repentance Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment SOUTHERN PROVINCE, Rwanda Callixte Karemangingo was among the thousands of Rwandans incited by extremist propaganda and nefarious leaders in government to carry out one of the worst atrocities the world has ever seen. But that was before he became a Christian and realized he had spiritual gifts. During the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, Tutsis looking to keep their lives were told to go to certain locations where they believed they would be safe. As countless Tutsis gathered at these locations (in many cases churches or places of worship), many of them turned out to be slaughter traps. Despite being a predominantly Christian nation, over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the span of three months, from April to July 1994, by enraged Hutus and military forces. Neighbors killed neighbors and Christians killed Christians. Callixte, a Hutu cattle farmer living in the Nyamagabe district, was among the Hutus who led his Tutsi neighbors to a "safe" place in their community despite knowing that was the place where they'd be executed. Some of them were people he considered friends. But those relationships didn't stop him from leading them to certain death. Why? Because there was hatred in his heart that was inspired by toxic extremism and government propaganda that led Callixte and tens of thousands of others to believe that Tutsis were the enemy of the Rwandan state. But after the genocide ended and the rise of a new government, Callixte was sent to jail in May 1995. He was there along with thousands of other genocide perpetrators and even Hutus who had nothing to do with those crimes against humanity. Spending five years in prison, Callixte eventually began a personal relationship with Christ. "[I repented] on Feb. 8, 2000. That is when I had my revelation," Callixte told reporters who visited him, his wife, and their friends while on a trip with the humanitarian agency World Vision. "I had a voice telling me that the air is going to blow but the one who has repented of his sins from the bottom of his heart, that air will do nothing to him." It was at that point that Callixte took his relationship with Christ to a new level. He was preached to and started reading the Bible on a consistent basis. "That is when I started repenting of my sins, each and every sin. I mainly focused on the sin of participating in genocide," he said through a translator in his native tongue of Kinyarwanda. "I was thinking about the Rwandans who were blamed for their tribe when they were not the ones guilty themselves. When I would think about it, I would just bust out and start crying." Inspired by the word of God and the teachings of reconciliation and unity promoted by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, which rose to power following the genocide and end of the Rwandan Civil War, Callixte said he made the decision to live a godly life. He said he knew that he should listen to the "good leadership" that rose to power in his country instead of the "bad leadership" that enabled the genocide to occur. Songs of peace and reconciliation As a musician, Callixte's change of heart inspired him to compose songs centered around love, unity, peace and reconciliation. He said he could prophesize through music. "Those songs actually touched people's lives, mostly the prisoners, and they started to change their ways," he said. "When I started composing those songs, they started moving me [to different places] in other districts to sing those songs. I even went to the city to sing those songs." Callixte also said he began preaching inside the overcrowded prison. "I became a teacher of the community court within the prison. I could teach them about living with others," he explained. "I could always emphasize on the fact that God told me whoever asks for forgiveness, he would be forgiven." At first, he said, his fellow prisoners were still influenced by the ideology that got them into prison and rejected his teachings. But eventually, he said, many prisoners started listening to him. As a musician, Callixte got involved in different competitions where he sang songs and was even rewarded for it. Even though he was still a prisoner, he said the government allowed him to keep the money he earned from those competitions. As he became a vocal leader among the prisoners, he said he helped lead at least 8,600 prisoners to repentance with many of them coming to know Christ. "The number [8,600] is really small compared to the number of people that requested for forgiveness and were released because they told the truth," he said. One of the main Bible passages Callixte would recite while preaching in the prisons was 1 Corinthians 1:1-30. That passage calls for believers of Christ to be perfectly united in mind and thought an idea that might have seemed far-fetched considering the ethnic tension that had existed in the country for at the time. Callixte's request for fellow prisoners to repent of their sins was aided by the fact that the Rwandan government had launched an initiative allowing perpetrators to seek forgiveness through local community "Gacaca" courts. The Gacaca initiative presented not only the opportunity for perpetrators to seek forgiveness of their crimes from their victims but also for community members to decide what a perpetrator's punishment should be. This initiative was launched as there were too many cases for the nation's judiciary system to handle in a timely manner. "Many people came to know Christ and confess their sins. I was preaching on two things: the Gacaca government directive and the word of God," Callixte recalled. "So for me, asking for forgiveness was not that difficult." 1 2 3 Next Mike Huckabee identifies 'biggest threat' to moral fiber of US, why it's the Church's fault (EXCLUSIVE) Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment ANAHEIM, California Redefining gender and sexual identity is the greatest threat to the moral fiber of America, said former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and the fault lies with the Church. The biggest threat to biblical principles today is the failure to apply a biblical standard of maleness and femaleness, Huckabee told The Christian Post during a sit-down interview last week in Anaheim, California. We are creating this illusion that there is no gender, there is no identity, and I'm blaming the Christian Church. The 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate explained that Californias introduction of no-fault divorce in 1970 created the mindset that marriage wasnt really that important and that one could go in and out of it without a second thought. Prior to that time, some kind of marital fault had to be demonstrated before a divorce could be granted. Thats when we first started losing that sense of sacredness of what marriage meant, he argued. So I'm not really that surprised that same sex-marriage has become in vogue because the Christian Church were the ones who essentially abdicated a strict responsibility about what biblical marriage should look like. Once you've destroyed that, why can't you have any and everything? he continued. The gender dysphoria we're seeing today is largely due to the fact that the Church has failed to present very clearly the words of Jesus and Genesis 5:2: Male and female He created them. Huckabee pointed out that society today celebrates single parenting and posits the idea that fathers really arent necessary when it comes to raising children. There are some people who are in single parenthood, not because they want to be, but because they were forced to be. And we ought to give [them] all the support, he clarified. But we should never pretend that it is as good as a loving mother and father in a home where a child sees both genders play out their norms because that's the modeling of behavior that would be ideal for a child to grow up in. Huckabee, who served as a Southern Baptist pastor before entering politics, said that in order for things to change, the Church needs to clearly present a biblical view of gender and identity even though its not considered politically correct. People are afraid that if they are really biblical, it will alienate people and I think that's nonsense, he contended. Yes, it will alienate some people who are more interested in preserving the lifestyle they have chosen than a lifestyle that will be practical and will work. But it will also be a lifesaver for the people who are really looking for genuine truth. The younger generation, Huckabee said, is obsessed with saying: "Heres what I feel, heres what I believe, heres what I think," and "this is my truth." We need to be bold and say, It doesn't matter what you feel. It doesn't matter what you think, or what you believe; what matters is truth, he said. Real truth is objective; its not subjective. We may see things differently, but there's only one truth. Parents, he added, have an obligation to teach this truth to their children and to protect and shield them from destructive political agendas. I worry for my grandchildren because somebody with an iPhone can easily expose them to pornography and other disgusting things that no 6-year-old kid should see and should have to have explained to them, he said. Parents have to, more than ever, have very tight supervision and have screening tools, supervision, and limited time frames when it comes to iPads and iPhones. I know it sounds archaic, but you don't let your children play in a busy street. Why? Because they could get hurt. Why do you not let them just have unrestricted access to a mobile device? It's because they can actually get hurt. I think parents have a harder role to play than ever before because there's so much content out there, and very little of it is wholesome and so much of it is really hurtful. Huckabee, who today hosts a weekly program on the TBN Network, told CP that in an increasingly divided society, its becoming harder to find common ground with those who hold opposing viewpoints. The Left, in particular, he said, wants little to do with those who disagree with them. We try to get people from the other side of the aisle to come on my show, and we find it's very difficult because they don't want to do it. They want to stay in their own water even though we make it clear that were not going to brush them, he said. Its really unfortunate. The only thing I know to do is to keep trying. Earlier in the day, Huckabee spoke at the TV & Film Summit at Proclaim 19, the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention. He recalled that he told Matt Crouch, chairman and president of TBN, Id like to do a television show that is unlike what people are used to. Id like to have a show that is a variety show enough politics to keep it interesting, but not so much to raise everybodys blood pressure to 300 over 200. I do believe there is a place for a show thats wholesome, refreshing, variety, thats entertaining, informative, inspirational all of those things in an hour that it moves fast enough that nobody is just lost in a deep, long segment, he said. Huckabee said his goal is to tell stories that matter and give a platform to ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things. It just makes me feel really good to know that there are still people in the human race who are absolutely remarkable and have Gods imprint in their soul, he said. Presidential candidate Beto ORourke tells voters systemic racism is killing black mothers and babies Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment NEW YORK Former Texas representative and 2020 Democrat presidential candidate Beto ORourke told black voters Wednesday that systemic racism is partly responsible for black mothers and their infants dying at a higher rate than their white counterparts. Speaking to a predominantly African American audience at Al Sharptons National Action Network convention at the Sheraton Times Square hotel, ORourke said that even when women of color have access to health care their lives and that of their infants continue to be impacted by systemic racism. We have an infant mortality discrepancy between white and black America that is worse today than it was in 1850, 15 years before the abolition of slavery, he said. Infant mortality, according to the CDC, is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. We have a maternal mortality crisis in this country. It is three times as deadly for women of color, ORourke continued. And it is not just owing to the fact that we do not have universal health care for every American, which we must. And its not just to blame on the state of Texas, the epicenter of the maternal mortality crisis that has shut down more than a quarter of its family planning clinics, denied so many women the right to a cervical cancer screening, family planning help or a provider of any kind, he said. It is the way that this country was founded. It is the system in which these women are living right now. The daily weathering that they endure when even they are able to get health care, it is not sufficient, it is not enough and it only begins to help to explain these discrepancies, he said. A year ago, The New York Times reported that in 1850, when babies died so often parents regularly waited a year before naming them, the black infant-mortality rate was 340 per 1,000, while for whites, the rate was 217 per 1,000. Recent government data now shows that black infants in America are now more than twice as likely to die when compared with white infants despite advances in medical care. Some 11.3 black babies die per 1,000, compared with 4.9 per 1,000 white babies. The CDC says more than 22,000 infants died in the United States in 2017. The five leading causes of infant death in 2017 were listed as: birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, maternal pregnancy complications, sudden infant death syndrome, and injuries. The Maternal Health Task Force at the Harvard Chan School, also noted that black women in America die at a rate that ranges from three to four times the rate of their white counterparts 42 deaths per 100,000 live births among black women versus 12 deaths per 100,000 live births among white women as of 2010. It is a disparity that has remained unchanged for the past six decades. After much lobbying from activists, such as Charles Johnson IV, son of TV Judge Glenda Hatchett who lost his wife, Kira, at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a scheduled C-section more than two years ago, Congress unanimously approved a bill that was signed into law by President Donald Trump last December to investigate Americas growing maternal mortality rate. The bill, H.R. 1318, Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2017, reauthorizes, amends, and expands the Safe Motherhood initiative within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including authorizing support for State and Tribal Maternal Mortality Review Committees that meet certain requirements. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., who is one of the original sponsors of the bill, dedicated it to the mothers who we have lost, such as Johnsons wife, when Congress passed the bill last year. Beutler explained that the U.S. is ranked 47th globally for maternal mortality, and has a record on the issue that is worse than Irans. Many are shocked to learn that the U.S. has not only the worst maternal mortality rate in the entire developed world but that these rates are on the rise. Seriously folks, were worse than Iran, she said. Every year between 700 and 900 maternal deaths occur in the United States and Ive seen tears brought to the eyes of many a colleague when they learn that over 60 percent of these deaths could have been prevented, according to the CDC, she explained. Rwandan Genocide Survivor Turned to Christian Faith While Hiding in Bathroom as Family Was Butchered Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Rwandan woman who survived the 1994 genocide by hiding in a bathroom while much of her family, along with hundreds of thousands of people, were slaughtered, said turning to God is the only thing that led her away from hate and into forgiveness. Immaculee Ilibagiza, now a U.S. citizen and best-selling author who has published a number of books about her experience, including Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, has been sharing her story of how her father saved her life when the mass slaughter began across the country, according to the Leader-Telegram. The woman recalled that her father gave her rosary beads and led her to a local pastor's house, who sheltered her and seven other women in a three-by-four bathroom for 91 days, while the genocide spread across villages and towns. Ilibagiza and the other women stayed safe, but could hear the villagers being murdered outside. She turned to prayer as she was being filled with anger and resentment, asking God to save her from hate. When she was finally able to leave the bathroom, she found out that nearly her entire family, including both her parents and two of her siblings, had been killed in the rampage. Only a single brother, who was studying abroad, was left alive. Final figures of the ethnic genocide, largely sparked by a Hutu-led government that targeted Tutsi people, are still not available, though it is estimated that somewhere between 800,000 and one million people died in total. Ilibagiza, like many other Rwandan survivors, has had to find a path toward forgiveness. At one point she even met and forgave the man who murdered her family members. She told Post and Courier in a previous interview in January that all the forgiveness occurred in the bathroom where she hid. "I said no more, and through prayer, I was thinking, 'God help me, help me,' but I was just getting this ugliness of anger. It was hurtful. I could feel my anger, and my body was aching. I had a headache thinking about all these people. That process happened for weeks," she recalled. "I said to God, 'Help me out. If you say pray this way, you must know it's possible. Help me to forgive. I'm willing. ... Then the day came, and I realized in the moment I was competing with evil," Ilibagiza continued. "I realized the plans I had, to drop bombs on the country, would not just kill those who were against me, it would kill their children. It would kill maybe people who were not even born yet. ... All these things came to light. It was the moment that changed everything." Reflecting on meeting the murderer in prison, she said that something in her heart was pushing her toward him. "When I told him I forgave him, he covered his face. He looked down and he covered his face," she said. The author affirmed that letting anger control her life would not have solved or improved anything. "My hope is that people can see the power of prayer, that God is great, that this life is short for everybody. Everybody dies in the end," she shared. "And I hope through my story they can unload their own unforgiveness in their family, among husband and a wife, children and parents, community people, friends who hurt each other." The Christian Post also spoke in 2014 with a genocide survivor who forgave the people who murdered his family. "It was a miracle that God opened up the opportunity for me to meet one of the guys, the guy who killed my uncle, and I was able to share that message of love and forgiveness, and to be able to plant the seeds of hope and love in his life. And [tell him] that Christ also came and died for him, and He loves him just as much as He loves me," said Alex Nsengimana of Operation Christmas Child. "It was probably one of the toughest days of my life, but also one of my most freeing days, because I was able to let go and was able to have the peace that only Jesus Christ can offer." Testosterone being given to 8-y-o girls, age lowered from 13: doctors Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON Medical doctors and a mom of a trans-identifying child are urging the government to shut down medical operations that are harming children. Their efforts to resist the medicalization of gender has led them to discover that government-funded research now allows wrong sex hormones such as testosterone to be given to girls as young as 8. At a Thursday panel at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Dr. Michael Laidlaw addressed the medical harms of hormonal treatments and surgical interventions being performed on young people who believe they are the opposite sex. Doctors administering these treatments are advocating these harmful practices on increasingly younger children, he explained. Today, medical scenarios such as girls as young as 13 and 14 undergoing double mastectomies and 17-year-old boys with penises of 9-year-olds, developmentally speaking, because of chemical puberty blockers, are now showing up, Laidlaw, a Rocklin, California-based endocrinologist, explained in his remarks. Under the nebulous concept of "gender identity," children as young as 8 are receiving injections for gender transition treatment, he explained. The phrase was defined in a recent court case as a person's "core internal sense" of their own gender and that it was the "primary factor" in determining their sex, not biology. This is false, the endocrinologist said. No blood test, genetic testing, or brain imaging scans can find a "gender identity," Laidlaw said, adding "there is no objective test to diagnose this, yet we are giving very harmful therapies on the basis of no objective diagnosis." To date, hormone blockers such as Lupron, which is used to treat both prostate cancer patients and children with precocious puberty, has never been through an FDA-approval process for the purpose of blocking normal puberty, and is prescribed off-label. Laidlaw refers to puberty blockers as a form of "chemical conversion therapy" and noted that the largest professional association for endocrinologists, The Endocrine Society, now recommends delaying puberty in gender dysphoric youth at Tanner stage 2, which is soon after the pubertal signals in the brain begin to occur. The reason that Jazz Jennings, transgender star of the TLC series "I am Jazz," has reportedly never had any sexual sensations or orgasms is because his natural puberty was halted at this stage and was not allowed to occur, the California doctor explained. These puberty-blocking drugs also disrupt normal brain and bone development, putting kids at future risk of osteoporosis, he said. In England, Oxford professor Michael Biggs discovered through a freedom of information request that at the Tavistock gender clinic, children reported greater self-harm with these particular medications, and girls exhibited greater emotional problems and dissatisfaction with their bodies, Laidlaw noted. "Now you'd think if you had these side effects of these medications, wouldn't you want to stop?" Laidlaw asked. During his presentation, he played video clips of two doctors active in the medical transitioning of children, Ilana Sherer and Johanna Olson-Kennedy. Sherer explained that puberty blockers are given to children at age 8 or 9, when they are in third and fourth grades. Olson-Kennedy is doing a 5-year study, for which she has received a $5.7 million National Institutes of Health research grant, and in one of her publications, it shows that mastectomies have been done on girls as young as 13. In the clip Laidlaw showed, Olson-Kennedy is seen on tape insisting adolescents have the capacity to make life-altering decisions, including to have their breasts removed. "And here's the other thing about chest surgery: If you want breasts at a later point in your life, you can go and get them," she says in the video. Laidlaw asked those in attendance: "Is that correct? Can you just get a new organ, mail-order it and have surgeons put it in? You cannot." "This whole thing is an experiment on children. We are ignoring the voices of desisters and people who have come out of this and recognize their sex. And the NIH is allowing unethical research to be conducted on adolescents, in my opinion." Laidlaw and his colleagues used FOIA requests to obtain more information about Olson-Kennedy's study at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and found that in 2017 they lowered the minimum age for cross-sex hormones from 13 to 8. "Imagine giving 8-year-old girls testosterone," Laidlaw said. "They are in 3rd or 4th grade. This is unbelievable. But this is going on." Marian Rutigliano, an internal medicine specialist from Baltimore, explained in her remarks how those who have dared to resist these untested gender treatments have been systematically smeared, bullied and silenced by trans-activists and noted how entrenched transgender ideology has become in the upper echelons of professional medical associations. Respected figures in the medical and psychological fields, such as J. Michael Bailey, Kenneth Zucker and James Caspian have borne the brunt of the transgender activists' wrath, the Baltimore doctor explained. In recent years, these men have had their reputations ruined, their families harassed and doxxed, their research and scholarship misrepresented, and their clinics shut down, among other things, she said. The nation's largest LGBT rights group, the Human Rights Campaign, had a leading role in co-authoring the American Academy of Pediatrics 2016 professional guidelines on care for transgender-identifying children, she noted, and the lead author of those guidelines was a 25-year-old trans-identified female and is not a doctor. Out of the 12 authors, only five were physicians. Of the 66,000 pediatrician members of the AAP, "the input was really from less than 30 people," Rutigliano said, adding that one of the contributors of the guidelines included a physician who was the director of a transgender health clinic at which 100 percent of the kids who came in were considered "appropriate for transition." In response to a question from The Christian Post on how the NIH could have approved a study on chemical puberty blockers and why it was allowed that the age of administering cross-sex hormones be lowered from 13 to 8, Laidlaw said he did not know how the oversight processes work or how it got past any relevant committees. "We've done Freedom of Information requests to get something as simple as consent forms and were not able to get them, so there's some sort of potential cover-up going on," he said, noting that members of Congress are looking to potentially investigate this. Rutigliano added that a problem complicating the matter is that a sort of "consensus" exists that these medical treatments are fine, which then influences reviews that institutional review boards conduct on the worthiness of a research study. "It's kind of like the jury has already decided," she said. Laidlaw added: "There are laws governing this; ... laws have been broken." A mother of a trans-identifying child, "Elaine," also spoke Thursday, imploring people to speak out against the transgender medicalization and "gender-affirmative" therapies. "Its not acceptable for doctors to remove healthy limbs from children, so why is it acceptable for doctors to remove healthy reproductive organs from children?" she asked, her voice wavering at times. "The 'experts' tell parents that it is harmful to question their childrens beliefs, that they must support their childrens medical transition, which includes a lifetime dependence on hormones, and that if parents do not comply, their children will be at higher risk of suicide," she said. "These parents are being lied to as their children are harmed and their families are torn apart." Children who are confused about their bodies, "need proper therapy and guidance, not drugs and surgeries. And the medical practices that are abusing them need to be shut down," she said. Elaine is now a part of the Kelsey Coalition, a newly formed group of apolitical parents who have trans-identifying children that have been harmed by physicians, therapists and clinics throughout the United States, according to its website. They believe that "gender identity" should not be conflated with sexual orientation. "We, as parents of these [trans-identifying] young people advocate for our children because we love them. Many of us are going through unimaginable grief because we love them," she said. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Jesus is a television star once again. 'Jesus: His Life' is airing on the History Channel through Easter. According to the shows website, the series interviews and consulted with a diverse group of scholars, faith leaders and theologians from across the ideological spectrum. It views Jesus through a unique lens: the people in his life who were closest to him. Meanwhile, 'The Chosen' will debut online April 15. The series is intended to be faithful to the biblical text while gritty in tone. Jesus is clearly popular in our culture. Barna research reports that 73 percent of Americans identify as Christians. According to Gallup, thats far higher than the percentage of Americans who identify as Republicans (26 percent) or Democrats (30 percent). Census data shows that Christians outnumber any racial demographic in our country. However, while nearly three in four Americans say they are Christians, Barna reports that only 55 percent attended a church service in the last six months. Other studies show that only 23 to 25 percent of us attend three Sundays out of eight. Clearly, Jesus is more popular than the church today. What can you and I do about this? Why do we need bold humility? As I've noted, the need of our day is for Christians to manifest boldness with humility. Why are both essential in our post-Christian (or at least post-church) culture? The more people reject Christian truth, the more they need to hear it. The sicker the patient, the more he or she needs a doctor. Thats why we must use our influence to speak biblical truth in every way we can. Every non-Christian we meet is someone whose soul is in eternal peril. Many Americans have not heard biblical answers to cultural questions. According to Pew Research Center, nearly half of Americans seldom or never read Gods word. Paul asked, How are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? (Romans 10:14). But we must speak biblical truth with biblical humility. When we convey the impression that we think we are better than others or are judging them, they are understandably resistant to our message. Speaking the truth in love is the mandate of our day (Ephesians 4:15). Heres the other side of the story: as much as our culture needs us to embrace bold humility, many are suspicious of both. Our society has decided that absolute truth does not exist (which is an absolute truth claim, by the way). We therefore have no right to force our beliefs on others. If we stand boldly for biblical truth, we are accused of intolerance, bigotry, and so on. This standard apparently does not apply to those on the other side of the cultural wars. For instance, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting on Alyssa Milanos crusade for a boycott of Georgias film industry over a bill that would prohibit most abortions after a heartbeat is detected. I have seen no one in the mainstream media accuse her of intolerance or bigotry toward pro-life supporters. Humility is a countercultural value as well in a society that elevates the self-made hero. Our ethos claims that we can do anything if we get up earlier, stay up later, work longer, and try harder. Admitting that we need God and other people is a recipe for scorn and worse. How, then, can you and I embrace and exhibit bold courage tempered by genuine humility? Embracing our identity in Christ is the key. When we know that we are loved absolutely and unconditionally by God, we are free to stand for truth no matter what others think of us. The apostles could stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life (Acts 5:20), knowing that the worst that could happen to themmartyrdomwould lead to the best that could happen to thementrance into Gods perfect paradise. Because they knew they were loved, they were free to speak boldly whatever the cost. Jesus loves every person we know as much as he loves us. Knowing that our value rests in Gods love for us also engenders humility. We are no better than those we are seeking to persuade and serve. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Jesus loves every person we know as much as he loves us. Because the Apostles knew they were loved, they were empowered to love others as they were loved. The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people. G. K. Chesterton Our culture is clearly interested in Jesus. If we want people to be interested in his message, we need to deliver it with bold humility birthed in our identity in him. Then they will see his love in ours and be drawn to his love for them. Who are your neighbors today? Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Anyone whos ever been verbally bullied can tell you that the old saying sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me is nonsense. Words are powerful things. They can harm people. In fact, words can create whole categories that confuse men and women into a twisted understanding of their bodies and souls, and can even wreck their lives. To be clear, Im not talking about just insults. Im talking about labels the words we use to think about ourselves and the power they have to shape our lives, especially our sexual identities. Just ask Jamie Shupe, who recently told his story in the Heritage Foundations Daily Signal. Shupe was Americas first legally-recognized non-binary person. In fact, his case opened up the nonbinary status for people in 11 states and counting. His journey didnt begin with reworking gender labels. Before he won the right to be known as nonbinary, he claimed to be a transgender woman, writing about his experience in The New York Times and receiving rock-star treatment from the LGBT movement. There was just one problem: Shupe wasnt, in fact, a woman trapped in a mans body or a genderless being. He was a victim of childhood sexual abuse and a veteran with PTSD. Now, after changing his mind and going back to living as a man, he admits that assuming new gender identities and fighting for their legal recognition was his way of trying to make a fresh start. The scary part is how, at every step, the medical community, state governments, and the news media legitimized his confusion. As Shupe writes: When a licensed medical doctor writes you a letter essentially stating that you were born in the wrong body and a government agency or court of law validates that delusion, you become damaged and confused. The truth is that my sex change to nonbinary was a medical and scientific fraud. I hope youll read Jamie Shupes sad but revealing story. Its heartbreaking. And the saddest part of his story is that it exposes the new gender identities embraced by so many as artificial, harmful, and dehumanizing. Of course, there have always been those who have experienced gender confusion, and who have dealt with their sexual attraction in ways that are at odds with our God-given purpose. Whats new today is the set of scripts thats currently imposing these confusions on individuals: If youre a little girl who plays with trucks, one script goes, you must really, deep down, be a boy. If youre a young man who has trouble relating to others of your sex, you must really, on the inside, be a woman. And if you have a mix of both traits or just cant decide, well then, theres a new script for you too. Youre nonbinary. In all of these cases, it is the words the categories that our culture has made up and imposed on real people that carry all the power. In the long run, the mismatch between these categories and the people on whom theyre imposed becomes painfully obvious. Last year on BreakPoint, we highlighted a study that called transgender identification a social contagion among teenagers in other words, its something many adopt because its what all the cool kids are doing. We also know that between 63 and 94 percent of minors who identify as transgender will later change their minds, or desist as its medically termed. This research, and stories like Shupes, show how easily the new gender labels can consume a persons identity while burying real trauma that needs treatment. Young people especially need to know that turning words such as transgender and nonbinary, and even gay and lesbian into categories of identity is a practice younger than I am. Seriously, this just started yesterday. But now, theyre so often assigned as identity labels to anyone who fits an arbitrary set of stereotypes. As a result, they dominate lives and cause immeasurable damage. Thats why refusing to accept these labels isnt an act of hate, as we are told, but rather its an act of love. As Christians called to this confused cultural moment, we should be sensitive to peoples experiences, recognizing that trauma often plays a major role in gender confusion. At the same time we should be clear that trendy labels and identities arent the answer, and the best way to honor others humanity is to refuse to perpetrate this medical and scientific fraud against them. Originally published at Breakpoint. Artificial intelligence can now emulate human behaviors soon it will be dangerously good When artificial intelligence systems start getting creative, they can create great things and scary ones. Take, for instance, an AI program that let web users compose music along with a virtual Johann Sebastian Bach by entering notes into a program that generates Bach-like harmonies to match them. Run by Google, the app drew great praise for being groundbreaking and fun to play with. It also attracted criticism, and raised concerns about AI's dangers. My study of how emerging technologies affect people's lives has taught me that the problems go beyond the admittedly large concern about whether algorithms can really create music or art in general. Some complaints seemed small, but really weren't, like observations that Google's AI was breaking basic rules of music composition. In fact, efforts to have computers mimic the behavior of actual people can be confusing and potentially harmful. Impersonation technologies Google's program analyzed the notes in 306 of Bach's musical works, finding relationships between the melody and the notes that provided the harmony. Because Bach followed strict rules of composition, the program was effectively learning those rules, so it could apply them when users provided their own notes. The Bach app itself is new, but the underlying technology is not. Algorithms trained to recognize patterns and make probabilistic decisions have existed for a long time. Some of these algorithms are so complex that people don't always understand how they make decisions or produce a particular outcome. AI systems are not perfect many of them rely on data that aren't representative of the whole population, or that are influenced by human biases. It's not entirely clear who might be legally responsible when an AI system makes an error or causes a problem. Now, though, artificial intelligence technologies are getting advanced enough to be able to approximate individuals' writing or speaking style, and even facial expressions. This isn't always bad: A fairly simple AI gave Stephen Hawking the ability to communicate more efficiently with others by predicting the words he would use the most. More complex programs that mimic human voices assist people with disabilities but can also be used to deceive listeners. For example, the makers of Lyrebird, a voice-mimicking program, have released a simulated conversation between Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. It may sound real, but that exchange never happened. From good to bad In February 2019, nonprofit company OpenAI created a program that generates text that is virtually indistinguishable from text written by people. It can "write" a speech in the style of John F. Kennedy, J.R.R. Tolkien in "The Lord of the Rings" or a student writing a school assignment about the U.S. Civil War. The text generated by OpenAI's software is so believable that the company has chosen not to release the program itself. Similar technologies can simulate photos and videos. In early 2018, for instance, actor and filmmaker Jordan Peele created a video that appeared to show former U.S. President Barack Obama saying things Obama never actually said to warn the public about the dangers posed by these technologies. In early 2019, a fake nude photo of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez circulated online. Fabricated videos, often called "deepfakes," are expected to be increasingly used in election campaigns. Members of Congress have started to look into this issue ahead of the 2020 election. The U.S. Defense Department is teaching the public how to spot doctored videos and audio. News organizations like Reuters are beginning to train journalists to spot deepfakes. But, in my view, an even bigger concern remains: Users might not be able to learn fast enough to distinguish fake content as AI technology becomes more sophisticated. For instance, as the public is beginning to become aware of deepfakes, AI is already being used for even more advanced deceptions. There are now programs that can generate fake faces and fake digital fingerprints, effectively creating the information needed to fabricate an entire person at least in corporate or government records. Machines keep learning At the moment, there are enough potential errors in these technologies to give people a chance of detecting digital fabrications. Google's Bach composer made some mistakes an expert could detect. For example, when I tried it, the program allowed me to enter parallel fifths, a music interval that Bach studiously avoided. The app also broke musical rules of counterpoint by harmonizing melodies in the wrong key. Similarly, OpenAI's text-generating program occasionally wrote phrases like "fires happening under water" that made no sense in their contexts. As developers work on their creations, these mistakes will become rarer. Effectively, AI technologies will evolve and learn. The improved performance has the potential to bring many social benefits including better health care, as AI programs help democratize the practice of medicine. Giving researchers and companies freedom to explore, in order to seek these positive achievements from AI systems, means opening up the risk of developing more advanced ways to create deception and other social problems. Severely limiting AI research could curb that progress. But giving beneficial technologies room to grow comes at no small cost and the potential for misuse, whether to make inaccurate "Bach-like" music or to deceive millions, is likely to grow in ways people can't yet anticipate. Ana Santos Rutschman, Assistant Professor of Law, Saint Louis University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Bishops and campaigners want Westminster Abbey to cancel nuclear deterrent service Westminster Abbey is being urged to cancel a forthcoming service to mark 50 years of nuclear deterrents in British waters. The invitation-only service has been organised by the Royal Navy to "recognise 50 years of continuous at sea deterrent". It is also billed on the Abbey website as a chance to "pray for peace throughout the world". The Bishop of Colchester, the Rt Rev Roger Morris said the ceremony was out of step with Church teachings. "To celebrate a device that is designed to indiscriminately kill and destroy thousands of innocent civilians is totally incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and with our commitment as a Church to peace and to the flourishing of all humanity," he was quoted as saying by Church Times. The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, has also expressed dismay, saying that while he does not doubt the Abbey's "good intentions" to celebrate servicemen and women in the Royal Navy, it is "impossible not to view this service as appearing also to celebrate the weapons themselves". Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is among those due to attend the service. Despite the criticism, the Abbey has so far not changed its plans to host the event. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has condemned the plans and vowed to hold protests at Westminster Abbey if the service goes ahead. It says that the decision to host the thanksgiving service in Westminster Abbey contradicts a motion passed by the Church of England's General Synod last year stating that "nuclear weapons, through their indiscriminate and destructive potential, present a distinct category of weaponry that requires Christians to work tirelessly for their elimination across the world". Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: "It's morally repugnant that a service of thanksgiving for Britain's nuclear weapons system is due to be held at Westminster Abbey. This sends out a terrible message to the world about our country. It says that here in Britain we celebrate weapons - in a place of worship - that can kill millions of people. "If the Defence Secretary doesn't cancel this service, we call on the Church authorities to step in to stop it. "CND will hold protests at Westminster Abbey on the day of the service if this celebration of nuclear weapons goes ahead." Celebrated composer John Rutter lifts hearts and voices at Bradford Cathedral English composer and conductor John Rutter CBE was at Bradford Cathedral earlier this month to share some snippets from his decades in choral music. The cathedral was packed as young and old came together to hear more about the glittering career of the celebrated composer, whose own work, This is the Day, was among the numbers performed at Westminster Abbey during the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But it wasn't just a chance to hear from the composer, it was also a chance to learn as Rutter conducted the more than 300 locals who came to the event as they sang together with a choir. Dean of Bradford Cathedral, Jerry Lepine said: "It was clearly a wonderful day's engagement with one of the great names of contemporary choral composition and Bradford Cathedral's hospitality was appreciated by all. "We aim to be a joyful presence and this event fulfilled that aim." Rutter's love of choral music goes back to his days at Highgate School, in London, where he was a member of the choir. During his time at the school, he was one of the choristers to be conducted by Benjamin Britten in the first recording of his War Requiem in 1963. Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding wasn't the first time Rutter was called upon by the Royal family for his musical genius. In 2002, his setting of Psalm 150 was performed at the Queen's Golden Jubilee thanksgiving service in St Paul's Cathedral, London. Churches rally in London's Trafalgar Square against the devastation of knife crime Churches have come together with the Ascension Trust to hold a major rally in London calling for an end to knife crime. The Standing Together rally on Saturday is being joined by young people, families and communities affected by the violent crime epidemic. Organisers are demanding urgent action to stem the violence affecting young people, but the rally is also intended to be a symbol of support for hurting communities and those who have lost loved ones. It is taking place after a string of stabbings in the capital as well as other cities across the UK in the first few months of 2019. The extent of London's knife crime problem was laid bare in shocking new figures published in the Evening Standard revealing that 40 knife incidents a day were reported to police over 2017 and 2018. The figures, revealed after a Freedom of Information Request by the newspaper, showed that on average one person was stabbed to death every four days in the capital. Over the same two year period, Met Police dealt with a total of 29,232 knife offences. The rally on Saturday has been organised by the Ascension Trust, which operates the Street Pastors initiative offering practical and spiritual help on town and city streets on the busiest nights of the week. Church leaders attending the event include the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Nichols, who said priests in the Archdiocese had been increasingly engaged in tackling knife crime and youth violence. He said the rally was a chance to speak up for young people and "for their generosity and sense of justice". "We will be speaking out against knife crime. We will be lamenting with all who have lost loved ones or suffering injuries on our streets at this time," he said. Iraq church leader pleads with UK Government to help rebuild devastated Christian town An Archbishop in Iraq is pleading with the UK Government to help rebuild a Christian town that was devastated by the Islamic State. Archbishop Petros Mouche, of the Syriac Catholic Church, said it had been a struggle to rebuild homes in Qaraqosh, the largest Christian-majority town in the Nineveh Plains, Aid to the Church in Need reports. The ferocity of the assault by ISIS forced many of the town's inhabitants to flee three years ago. Around 120,000 Christians fled to Kurdish northern Iraq, while thousands more sought shelter abroad. But with the Islamic State now in retreat, thousands of Iraqi Christians have been making their way back home. Archbishop Mouche said the town was "coming back to life" but there are still huge challenges, with more than 6,300 homes damaged in the conflict and another 14,000 needing to be rebuilt. Aid to the Church in Need is helping to repair and rebuild some of these homes but Archbishop Mouche believes it will take wider efforts by the international community to really get the region back on its feet again. "We are waiting and hoping that governments like that of the United Kingdom will step in and help us on this front," he said. He is critical of the Iraqi government's efforts to help rebuild Qaraqosh and other communities in Nineveh, saying that most of the positive change has been the result of outside help. "Our confidence in the state is low. The Iraqi government has made many promises, but few projects have been implemented," he said. Not everyone has returned home, though, and Archbishop Mouche believes more help from countries like the UK would go a long way to assuring the town's former inhabitants that they can find "peace and stability" back in Nineveh. In spite of his optimism, he still harbours fears that some in the town may yet leave if the local government is not able to protect Christians. "There is not one specific party with plans to attack Christians," he said. "However, whoever has ambitions to grab our land... does not respect the rights of others. Such parties don't feel comfortable with our survival and ongoing presence." Archbishop Mouche added: "The Church as a whole is sparing no effort to claim the rights of its people and to secure an area where we can live in dignity and peace. "Church leaders do their best to instil confidence and hope in our people, but without forcing anyone to return, stay or be displaced. That decision each family must make for itself, the decision that guarantees its dignity, its future, especially the future of the children." Leaving the EU without a deal would be 'reckless', says Church leader The Government will be putting communities and institutions at risk if it allows the UK to leave the EU without a deal, a leader in the Church of Scotland has said. The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, convener of the Kirk's Church and Society Council said it was crucial that the UK seek a long extension to Article 50 in order to avoid leaving the EU without a deal. He said such a move risked alienating the UK's relationship with its "closest neighbours" and warned of "significant damage to our shared wellbeing". It would also leave the most vulnerable people in society worse off as a result of the predicted adverse effect on supplies of food and medicines, he said. Dr Frazer said the UK "needs more time" to find a way forward on "common ground" and explore its future relationship with the EU. In particular, he said it was necessary for the four nations of the UK to reach agreement on Brexit and "use whatever mechanisms are necessary" to buy more time in order to achieve this. "As the Prime Minister seeks a further extension to Article 50 we must recognise that it is not just within the UK Parliament where there is a lack of agreement, as a society, we are divided," he said. "Reconciling this divide requires a different approach; it will require time, humility and a willingness to listen and build consensus not just in Westminster but across our communities." He continued: "Crucially, we must avoid leaving the EU without a deal; to do so not only represents a loss of good faith with our closest neighbours on which we depend for our common good, but also would place many of our communities and institutions in harm's way." He added: "To leave without a deal would be reckless not only in the short-term but would damage our ways of relating to one another for generations to come. This is not in anyone's interests, particularly in a world where many of the problems we face must be addressed together." Poorer summer holiday experiences for children linked to worse mental well-being (Photo: Unsplash/Herson Rodriguez) For most children and young people, the school holidays are a time to have fun with friends and family, and do everything they might not be able to do during term time. As one of the world's richest economies, you might expect plenty of opportunities for UK children to enjoy the halcyon days of summer. But our new research shows that's not necessarily the case, and this is having a serious impact on their mental health and well-being. Following prolonged periods of austerity, many families are struggling to make ends meet. The UK's income gap between rich and poor is very wide compared to other developed countries. And this is driving inequalities in child and adolescent health, with effects that can last into adulthood. The financial pressures faced by low income families can be intensified during school holidays. They have to find additional money to cover the free school meals that their children usually have in term time. The cost of childcare is high, too, and young people's participation in activities such as play schemes, cinema and day trips are restricted by cost. Families also struggle to cover fees for transport and snacks. Previous research has found that children from poorer families are more likely to report worse well-being compared to those from richer families. We also know that problems such as food insecurity and loneliness can have profound effects on mental health and well-being. In addition, there is some evidence that children and young people from low income families often experience greater "learning loss" during the school holidays than their peers. Differences in school holiday experiences mean that they may take longer to catch back up to where they were at the end of the previous year. Until now, however, no studies had looked at how different summer holiday experiences might lead to differences in children's mental well-being when they return to school. But our latest study suggests that children from poorer families may have worse mental health when they go back to school, due, in part, to their less positive experiences during the long summer holiday. At Cardiff University's DECIPHer research centre, we collect survey data from school children every two years via the School Health Research Network. We use it to increase our understanding of risk factors for health, and to help schools and other stakeholders to improve the lives of young people in Wales. For this study, we wanted to find out how young peoples' experiences during the long summer holiday might explain socioeconomic differences in mental health and well-being on their return to school. We asked 103,971 children aged between 11 and 16, from 193 secondary schools across Wales, about their experiences during the summer break. This included how often they went to bed hungry or felt lonely, as well as how often they spent time with friends or doing physical activities. We also asked questions about their mental health and well-being. The survey took place in the autumn term, immediately after the summer holidays. We found that children from poorer families were more likely to report loneliness and hunger during the summer holidays, and were less likely to spend time with friends or engage in physical activities. In turn, these experiences were related to worse mental health and well-being upon return to school in September. Of all the experiences measured, loneliness had the strongest link with well-being and mental health, and played the greatest role in explaining differences in mental well-being between young people from more and less well-off families. Over a fifth of young people from poorer families experienced loneliness at least "often" or "all of the time" more than twice as many as their wealthier peers. Recent years have seen an increase in charitable and government funded school holiday provision, particularly for families experiencing poverty. These have often focused on the immediate effects of poverty such as hunger and under-nutrition, but have increasingly moved to a more holistic focus on the well-being of young people and their families. The Welsh government, for example, funds summer holiday school lunch and fun clubs, while in England 9m was recently allocated for organisations to provide similar schemes. But initiatives which are able to reduce negative summer holiday experiences (like loneliness, hunger, social isolation and physical inactivity), are only a partial solution at best. In unequal societies like the UK's, well-being support throughout the school holidays may well have a role to play in ensuring that no child's mental health is affected by socioeconomic inequality during school holidays. Kelly Morgan, Research Fellow, DECIPHer, Cardiff University and Graham Moore, Reader in Social Sciences and Health, Cardiff University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Sinclair Broadcast Group, the nation's largest TV station owner, rolled out its latest news and public affairs program this week, a one-hour broadcast called "America This Week" hosted by Eric Bolling. If Bolling's name is familiar, it may be because he spent a decade on Fox Business Network and Fox News, hosting opinion shows such as "The Five." He left Fox in 2017; Sinclair hired him to host the new show, naming him its senior political anchor. Bolling isn't the only prominent former Fox personality to make the move to Sinclair, a company based in suburban Baltimore that owns 191 TV stations across the country, including WJLA, Washington, D.C.'s ABC affiliate. Last month, Sinclair signed up former White House adviser and Fox commentator Sebastian Gorka as a contributor. In January, it hired veteran Fox reporter James Rosen, adding him to its Washington bureau. The Fox-centric background of Sinclair's new hires may be little more than a coincidence, but it could also reflect a mini-Fox-ification effort by Sinclair. Both have long aired commentary that appeals to conservatives. "We look for people who have credibility and show a commitment to quality journalism," a Sinclair spokesman, Rob Ford, said in a statement that made no mention of Fox. "For years, Sinclair has been one of the most honored and awarded broadcasters in the industry, and we are always looking for ways to expand our already impressive roster of talented journalists. We have hired talent from some of the biggest networks and will continue to seek out new additions wherever they exist as part of our commitment to bringing diverse viewpoints to our audiences." Fox and Sinclair compete for news viewers in different ways.Fox airs nationally via cable; Sinclair is more decentralized. Its stations broadcast in small towns (Elko, Nevada) and large cities (Baltimore, Seattle). Many of its stations produce their own local news programs, but Sinclair supplements these with commentary segments and news reports produced in Washington. It often orders its stations to carry these segments on a "must-run" basis, giving its newscasts both a local and a national focus. The company drew attention last year when a video went viral showing its many news anchors reading a seemingly Trump-friendly promotion about "biased and false news" from the same company-supplied script. Sinclair's chief political analyst, Boris Epshteyn, is a former Trump campaign and White House adviser who reliably sides with the president in commentaries that Sinclair distributes to its stations. Epshteyn appeared frequently on Fox and other cable networks as a Trump surrogate during the 2016 campaign and during the early days of the new administration. He also wrote opinion columns for Foxnews.com, although he was never employed by the network. Sinclair's national news reporting often stays close to Trump's line, too. The day before the 2018 midterm elections, WJLA aired back-to-back interviews with the president's son, Eric Trump, and an exclusive interview by Sinclair's Washington bureau with the president. There were no equivalent interviews with Democratic candidates or party representatives. Sinclair reportedly was gearing up to create a competitor to Fox News last year. At the time, it was on the verge of acquiring 42 major-market stations owned by Tribune Media for $3.9 billion and supposedly was considering converting one of the Tribune outlets, cable superstation WGN, into a news and commentary network. Among its rumored hires was Bill O'Reilly, who was forced out of Fox News in 2017 over sexual harassment allegations. Sinclair denied the reports at the time. Any such plan was ultimately scotched by federal regulators, who delayed approval of the Sinclair-Tribune merger on regulatory grounds, leading Tribune to pull out of it and to sue Sinclair. Since then, there has been no sign of any effort by Sinclair to create such a network. Bolling's first show this week brought together his old Fox colleagues Gorka and Rosen as interview guests. Bolling also conducted interviews with Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and adviser to his 2020 campaign; Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former campaign manager; and Stephen Bannon, Trump's former White House chief strategist. Bolling has also moderated televised town halls for Sinclair, including a discussion of the opioid crisis. Bolling's 19-year-old son died of an overdose in 2017. Both Bolling and Rosen - who was with Fox nearly 19 years - were forced out under controversial circumstances. Bolling parted ways with the network in 2017 a month after he was accused by three colleagues of sending unsolicited and lewd photos to them, as first reported by HuffPost. (He disputed the allegations.) Rosen was reportedly forced out for making "sexual advances toward three female Fox News journalists," according to NPR, which also reported that Rosen was accused of groping a colleague in 2001 when they traveled together. (Rosen did not comment on NPR's report.) Neither Bolling nor Rosen responded to requests for comment from The Washington Post. Gorka, who appeared regularly on Fox News star Sean Hannity's show, said last month that he decided not to renew his contract with Fox because of his new gig with Sinclair. His early projects for Sinclair included a 30-minute special last year about the failures of socialist regimes around the world titled "Inside Socialism." Another Gorka-hosted special last year was titled "The Rise of Terrorism: A Clash of Cultures." It featured Gorka, a hard-liner on immigration, asking viewers, "Can the teachings of Islam and Western values ever be reconciled? Is it possible for the waves of refugees arriving in the West to assimilate and coexist peacefully?" Gorka's hiring at Sinclair, however, apparently doesn't preclude him from appearing on Fox. He told the Hollywood Reporter last month that "I'm still supporting Sean Hannity and other Fox shows as a free agent as my new schedule permits." WASHINGTON - What the heck does Steve King do all day? Shunned by his party's leadership, bounced from congressional hearings, removed from key parts of the legislative process, and serving in the House minority - the Republican from Iowa has less to do than any congressman in recent history. But he still must do something, right? Does anyone know? "I'm not sure what he's been up to," said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the minority whip and man in charge of knowing what other Republicans are up to. In January, House Republicans decided that King - a longtime promoter of white supremacy - had finally gone too far. "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization - how did that language become offensive?" he asked in a cringe-filled interview with the New York Times. Those words brought punishment and King was stripped of his committee assignments; making him a congressman minus responsibility. "From my point of view he used to be contributing negatively - but at least he was contributing," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, one of King's former committee assignments. Today, King has less goodwill and more free time than ever. One thing he's doing today is avoiding discussing what he's doing. "I'm done talking," King said, waiting for an elevator outside of his Capitol Hill office, after this reporter stuck a recorder in his face. King tapped his foot impatiently and scratched at his comb-over. He looked up with his glacial blue eyes to watch the floor numbers change, the air gently whistled through his nose hairs. A silent Steve King was once a rare thing. He's known to speak his mind, and to do so with just about anyone who will listen. The gabbing used to be a big part of his schedule, but now he's operating under what he called "new rules." "Let's just end this so you don't have to go through any more frustration," he said. "And I can pay attention to what I'm doing." Which, again, is what, exactly? - - - To spend the better part of a week figuring out what Steve King does all day is to be confronted with a bigger, existential question: What do any of these people do all day? For the most part, the successful members of Congress wake up early for some fundraising over breakfast, commute to work (while fundraising), meet with some lobbyists and constituents in their office, yuk it up with colleagues during votes on bills that rarely become laws, then it's off to happy hour for some quick fundraising before finally settling down with some of their closest donors for dinner, dessert and fundraising. (Or, as King was spotted doing on a cold evening earlier this winter, visiting a Capitol Hill liquor store in a suit and sandals and talking about how the Irish make the best booze). Oh yes, and for almost all members of Congress, some time needs to be set aside for crafting legislation and preparing for (and attending) committee hearings. Almost all members, that is, other than King, and his two compatriots, Rep. Chris Collins of New York and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, both of whom are under federal indictment and were booted from their committees. "It sucks," said Collins, who noted that he plans to fill his time with caucus meetings - caucuses that include: the Toy Caucus, the Propane Caucus, the Battery Storage Caucus, and, for some reason, the Morocco Caucus. Last week the House judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights and civil liberties held a hearing on presidential pardon power. It was a heady conversation about a topical issue ("The possibility of the pardon power being used for corrupt purposes is no longer a mere academic exercise," one witness testified). King used to chair this subcommittee. But now that he's barred from participating, he had other meetings to attend. Meetings like this one: "His grandmother is my aunt," said Ray Harm after exiting King's office. Harm was in from California to see the cherry blossoms and had decided that he would call the office of his distant relative and see whether the congressman might have some time to catch up. He did. "We were trying to remember all of my aunts and uncles and my brother and where they fit in," Harm said. They spoke for more than half an hour. King met with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, even though he no longer sits on the Agriculture Committee. He met with a woman representing Easterseals, a nonprofit organization that provides services to disabled Americans, and later representatives from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, where they talked about efforts to save the bald eagle. He was "warm and welcoming" to the Save the Children Action Network, telling them he would look over and be supportive of early-childhood education but couldn't offer specifically what he could do for them. Those who sat with him described him as chatty and in high spirits - though one attendee of a meeting said before King launched into a "tirade" about how silly it is that his critics are "perpetually offended" by everything he says. Those critics, however, have been bipartisan. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, said King should "find another line of work"; Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-most-powerful Republican in the House, called King's comments "absolutely abhorrent"; and just last week Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, had this to say: "I have no idea what Steve King does all day. I just know that every now and then he makes a very racist statement." - - - Over the years, King has had plenty of time for such statements. There was the time he compared immigrants to "bird dogs," or warned about the ones with "calves the size of cantaloupes" who bring marijuana "across the desert." Even after being stripped of his committees, King hasn't fully put the lid on it: tweeting out a meme about how Southern states, with all their stockpiled bullets, would win if there were to be a second Civil War or disparaging Hurricane Katrina victims as overly government-dependent at a recent town hall. In the meantime, King has drawn competitive Republican primary opponents back home. His fundraising - never the most pressing concern in his ruby-red district - has been down every cycle since 2012. He faced his closest reelection campaign of his career last year, and because of that has made himself much more visible at home: hosting more town halls than ever, sitting in on more constituent meetings than he used to. But in Washington, many Republicans don't seem all that concerned about his prospects. "Congressman Steve King's recent comments, actions, and retweets are completely inappropriate," Rep. Steve Stivers, the then-leader of the National Republican Congressional Committee, wrote shortly after King's interview with the Times. "We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms, and I strongly condemn this behavior." So, Steve King has been shunned. But really, it's a light shunning. He's still allowed to attend the weekly Republican conference meeting, which he does, though quietly. "There are a few people who are always at the microphones, and he isn't one of them," said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. "Not that that's a bad thing." He hasn't been disinvited from the semiregular Iowa delegation breakfast that Sen. Joni Ernst organizes (though he did skip the last one), and he's the host of his own breakfast series, the Conservative Opportunity Society breakfast, featuring guest speakers such as former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka. And at a recent vote series, while King stood in the back of the chamber, texting and muttering quietly to himself, he was approached by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., and they two laughed and laughed about who knows what. "Oh, Steve's doing good," Yoho said, coming off the House floor. "He's resilient. I think he'll get put back on committees." Yoho, a large-animal veterinarian by training, once said he would not be intimidated by Congress because: "Intimidating is going up to a growling Rottweiler and having to squeeze his anal glands. . . . I think I can handle Congress." But now, he's frustrated by the place, and the King situation hasn't helped. It's "hypocrisy" at its finest, he said, that King would be punished for his comments by Republicans when, say, Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, has been able to maintain her committee assignments despite comments perceived as anti-Semitic. "It's like raising kids," he said. "You can't treat them separately for doing something bad." - - - It was the end of the day, back in the waiting room of King's congressional office. A shelf near the ceiling overflowed with eagle busts, hard hats and elephant statues. "It's bearable, we're getting through it," said Garrett Elmy, King's staff assistant. In the other room, King meets with his communications director, John Kennedy, explaining how he had eschewed the media for another day. "I told him, John Kennedy is my gatekeeper," King said, his voice sounding particularly nasal from behind a closed door. "That's all I said." He seemed content on avoiding the media and seeing whether he could wait out the outrage. In a post-shame society, it's seemed to work for plenty of other politicians (see: Northam, Ralph and Trump, President). King's days may be numbered in Congress, but who knows how big that number is? Moments later King emerged into the hallway to scurry to the last votes of the evening. He stepped into an elevator designated "members only" and disappeared into the bowels of Congress. Where, apparently, he still belongs. - - - The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis and Travis Andrews contributed to this report. A man has accused former Conroe priest Manuel La Rosa-Lopez of exposing himself during confessional at the Montgomery County parish, according to a lawsuit filed Friday against the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The man, identified by his initials in the lawsuit is suing LaRosa-Lopez and Sacred Heart Catholic Church for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and agency. The victim alleged the La Rosa-Lopez began the sexual abuse in the summer of 2000, when he was 15. He has since dealt with anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence, the lawsuit said. The abuse occurred during confession after the victim came out as gay to La Rosa-Lopez. The priest then asked him inappropriate questions before opening the partition window to flash his genitals to the teenager. "The abuse he incurred caused him shame about his sexual orientation and he has spent and continues to spend time and money on years of therapy and medication," the lawsuit read. La Rosa-Lopez was arrested Sept. 11 on four counts of indecency with a child, stemming from the abuse alleged by two adults who attended the Conroe church as teens from 1998-2000. A grand jury has yet to convene for La Rosa-Lopez's criminal case. He is awaiting trial on his charges. He was most recently assigned to a parish in Richmond. He was then removed from the ministry, pending the outcome of the investigations. More than 300 priests were identified as "credibly accused" on Jan. 31, when 14 of the Catholic dioceses in Texas released the results of internal investigations into past allegations since the 1940s and 1950s. Many of the accused priests transferred from church to church, and sometimes from diocese to diocese, and most are now dead. ALLEGATION: Houston priest removed from ministry amid sex abuse allegation in Colombia La Rosa-Lopez is awaiting trial on his charges. He was most recently assigned to a parish in Richmond. He has since been removed from the ministry. More than 300 priests were identified as "credibly accused" on Jan. 31, when 14 of the Catholic dioceses in Texas released the results of internal investigations into past allegations since the 1940s and 1950s. Many of the accused priests transferred from church to church, and sometimes from diocese to diocese, and most are now dead. 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. A suspect in a 2016 fatal shooting in the Fourth Ward neighborhood was arrested Wednesday, Houston police say. Jerome Moore, 20, was charged with capital murder in connection to the deaths of Daquarius Tucker, 19, Charles Jackson, 29, and Jamal Dixon-Lackey, 26. Police reported that there was a neighborhood fireworks display for the 4th of July in the 1300 block of Robin Street, which the three men had been attending. Tucker was shot by a rival gang, along with Jackson and Dixon-Lackey, who were standing near Tucker. COMMUNITY TURNOUT: Neighbors gather to honor 2016 Fourth Ward victims Two more people -- a 37-year-old male and a 10-year-old boy -- were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening wounds. "Further information led to the development of Moore as the suspected shooter in this case and, on April 3, 2019, he was arrested without incident and subsequently charged," an HPD press release read. 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. Chick-fil-A franchise owner/operator Rusty Wylie and Camp Journey owner Suzette Coates have been selected as the Katy Area Hometown Heroes to be recognized by The Arc of Katy in 2019. The Arc of Katy launched the Katy Area Hometown Heroes program in 2018 to demonstrate the organizations pride in the community and to recognize those who make it a great place to live for its program participants, members and families. The dictionary defines hero as one who is admired for achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage. Both Wylie and Coates were selected by a committee of Katy area citizens as individuals who fit that definition. The Arc of Katy will celebrate them at the organizations 2019 Gala on May 3 at the Omni Houston Hotel Westside. Visit https://thearcofkaty.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/TheArcofKaty2019/tabid/1022727/Default.aspxfor to register for or sponsor the event. Also to be honored at The Arc of Katys annual gala are Rhonda Johnstone and Dennis and Jeanne Ann Combrink. Johnstone has been selected by the organizations Board of Directors to receive The Arc of Katy 2019 Ann Davis Founders Award and the Combrinks have been named as the organizations Volunteers of the Year. Wylie is being honored as the Hometown Hero for A Great Place to Live for community service, support of numerous non-profit organizations in the Katy area and the contributions by his three Chick-fil-A restaurants. The organizations that Wylie and the Katy area Chick-fil-A stores support regularly include Compassion Katy, Clothed by Faith, Katy Christian Ministries, Grace Fellowship, Kingsland Baptist Church, The Fellowship of Cinco Ranch, Second Baptist Church, Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD) Education Foundation, Katy ISD schools, Faith West Academy, The Ballard House, Living Water, Young Life, Hope Impacts, Friends of Sundown and others. As to why they support so many organizations, Wylie said, We want to be an indispensable blessing to our community. Katy is our home. We want to be part of the Katy story of giving and serving others. Serving others is also an attribute for Coates. Through her 15 years of work with individuals with special needs, Coates is being honored as a Katy Area Hometown Hero for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Coates operates Camp Journey that offers several programs for individuals with IDD and other disabilities. She reports that the inspiration for her work generated from a friendship in elementary school with a young boy with autism. He would come over on his bike and play a little with our friends and that always touched my heart, and I felt the need to befriend him, said Coates. I feel like its my calling in life, my lifes passion. Coates began her career in 2004 in the Special Education Department of Katy ISD. While still teaching in Katy ISD, Coates started Camp Journey in 2008 and later expanded it to include summer camp and after-school programs. For her work, in 2013, Coates won Teacher of the Year honors from the LIVE with Kelly and Michael television show. In 2015 she began to work full time on Camp Journey. Johnstone is being recognized with The Arc of Katy Ann Davis Founders Award for a lifetime of service to individuals with IDD. As a child, the words be a friend to everyone surfaced in my mind and I feel like God has impressed upon me to do that, she said. Johnstone started her career as a recreational therapist in Beaumont, for high school students with emotional disabilities and also developed day activity camps for students with developmental disabilities. Her career took her to Enid, Okla., and then to the Briarwood School in Houston and finally to Katy ISD. Johnstone helped launch The Arc of Katy Day Program and after retiring from Katy ISD, also served as executive director of The Arc of Katy. Today, she continues her work as an instructor with The Arc of Katys Be Strong Program which provides water therapy, water aerobics, weight training and various other exercises for participants of the day program who wish to enhance their health and well-being. The Combrinks will be honored as The Arc of Katy Volunteers of the Year for their many years of service to the organization. They served on the social committee for several years prior to their daughter Joys death in 2006. Joy was born with Down syndrome, so we wanted to be involved in her activities as much as possible, said the Combrinks. After we moved to Katy, we were thrilled to find The Arc of Katy. Joy was always very sociable and especially enjoyed attending the day camp and social events with her friends. Dennis and Jeanne Ann continued work with the social committee after their daughters death, serving as co-chairman of the committee since 2015. Dennis also is a member of The Arc of Katy Board of Directors and the Program Committee. For more information, contact Margaret Laney, board member, The Arc of Katy, and 2019 Gala co-chair, at 832-541-3809. courtesy of the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office A Montgomery County jury deliberated for about 30 minutes before sentencing a 37-year-old man from Spring to life in prison on Wednesday for stalking and harassment after hearing the more than 150 voice mails he left his accuser. Jason Brian Hamlin received 25 years to life after being convicted Tuesday in presiding Judge Phil Grants 9th state District Court for the felony offense following two days of testimony. Assistant District Attorney Kristina Pekkala played the voice messages to jurors as evidence of Hamlins telephone harassment. Hamlin and his accuser had previously dated, according to a press release from the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office. Dressed in their very best, hundreds of women and a few gentlemen showed up Friday to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center for the eighth annual Giving Goes Glam event. The entire glamorous luncheon served as a fundraiser for Interfaith of The Woodlands and Junior League of The Woodlands, and an upbeat atmosphere of both philanthropy and fashion was tangible in the room. Beginning with a silent auction, ladies placed their bids on jewelry pieces, wine baskets and exclusive experience packages. Items were scattered on tables decorated with large geode stones. Then, event chairs Emily Wilcox, with Junior League, and Nicole Murphy, with Interfaith, welcomed those in attendance. For the past eight months, we have worked with the very best committee ever to put together an afternoon of friendship and the most beautiful spring fashion trends, all while supporting our wonderful community, Murphy said. SAVE THE DATE: Preparations for 2019 Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival in full swing Miss Texas USA 2018, Logan Lester, served as the emcee of the event and let the crowd know that the event organizers had a goal to raise $325,000 by the end of the day. It isnt just a party, is it? We are here to raise some funds, Lester told the crowd. Before the fashion fun started, Junior League President Jennifer Colerick and Interfaith President and CEO Missy Herndon called upon attendees to give. Our organizations are dedicated to serving and building our community. We stand here representing a combined 80 years of service to our community, millions of volunteer hours and thousands of lives impacted by the many programs, services and leadership of these great organizations, Herndon said. With your gifts, we really do have the power to change lives. In one of the most anticipated parts of the event, three community models from each organization walked the runway with radiance and poise. NEW TERRITORY: Relay For Life in The Woodlands has new location for annual day of celebration Herndon explained that the community models were chosen because of their commitment to their causes, how they exhibit passionate professionalism and their selfless servant-leadership. In brightly colored frocks, Perisha Burnham, Stacey Fontenot and Bobbi Jo Miller strutted down the center of the room as they represented Junior League. Looking elegant, Debbie Sukin, Ty Tillman and Amy Torres did the same on the elevated platform as they represented Interfaith. All were met with cheers from the audience. Then, Jim Parisi, President of CHI St. Lukes Health The Woodlands the events presenting sponsor said a few words, reflecting on the events transpiring in the room. The holistic work (these organizations) initiate throughout South Montgomery County is astounding. Today we are proud to honor (the community models) for the significant role they hold in each organization. I am truly humbled by your selflessness and your spirit of caring, Parisi said. After a live auction of an indulgent girls trip for four people to New York City, it was time for the professional models to take the stage in the last event of the luncheon. Presented by Saks Fifth Avenue, the models showed off intricate looks in full hair and makeup as upbeat music played and attendees cheered and photographed their favorite looks. jane.stueckemann@chron.com JERUSALEM - When Israel's top satire show launched its recent election special, it depicted an impersonator of Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu breaking out of chains in a Houdini like-feat. With a smirk he turns to exit, before realizing his foot is still shackled. Netanyahu has escaped many a peril in the quarter of a century that he has been a dominant figure in Israeli politics, including 13 years as prime minister. There was the first "Bibigate," when he dramatically confessed an extramarital affair to the Israeli public and the second when he was investigated during his very first year in office on allegations of influence peddling. More investigations would follow over the years as stories of extravagant spending allegedly at the taxpayer's expense filled Israeli papers. There was the $1,600 bill for his hair styling and another $1,750 for makeup on a 2015 New York trip. There was the $127,000 spent on installing a double bed on an El Al plane for a five-hour flight to London and a $2,700 ice cream budget. And still, he has survived, denying all accusations of wrongdoing, staying put when others might have resigned and winning a pair of elections in which he was widely written off. But the latest corruption cases, which involved allegations of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, have overshadowed this year's election campaign and left Israelis wondering whether he could be caught in that last shackle. Just days before Israelis vote on Tuesday, polls suggest the prime minister is in a dead heat with his main rival. If he prevails and stays in office through mid-July, Netanyahu would become Israel's longest serving prime minister, surpassing the country's founding father David Ben-Gurion. But the question remains: Will his legal troubles catch up with him or can he escape them once more? "The guy has the best staying power in politics," said Eyal Arad, an Israeli political strategist who was an adviser to Netanyahu in the 1980s and 1990s. "He falls, he recuperates, but then he goes on to the next battle." That, in part, he said, comes from his unshakable belief in himself. "He believes that he is the only one who is capable to lead Israel," Arad said. "He absolutely believes that." That self-belief has only grown over the years, former advisers say, as he has defied the odds to stay in power. Last time around, in the 2015 election, Netanyahu had been widely expected to lose. Aron Shaviv, his campaign adviser, recalls how five days before the vote, defeat seemed imminent. "We were staring down the barrel of a five or six percent loss," Shaviv said. But Netanyahu remained "cool and calculated," he said. "Straight away we got down to business to work through all the options of this serious problem." With a relentless work ethic, Netanyahu would call him throughout the night. If Shaviv screened the calls on his cellphone, Netanyahu would call on the house phone and keep ringing until Shaviv picked up. "My wife always used to joke that she felt like she was in bed with him," he said. "He has such a deep voice, she could still hear him through the phone." To win, Netanyahu had to do something that did not come naturally: admit he was likely to lose. Campaign research showed that right-wing Israelis were leaning toward smaller parties instead of Netanyahu's Likud party, confident that Netanyahu would still be the prime minister. He was not quick to heed the warnings. "Bibi being Bibi said, 'I don't trust you, but I do trust the data so prove it to me,'" Shaviv said. He watched five hours of focus group videos before he was convinced. Shaviv said Netanyahu immediately went out to do what he does best: conduct more than 40 interviews to warn supporters he was about to lose - and that the left would win. Then, on Election Day, his campaign released a last-minute video declaring Israeli Arabs were flocking to the polls, potentially threatening to thwart his reelection. The video, which was condemned by many Israelis as racist but may have succeeded in spurring his supporters to vote, was entirely the prime minister's call, Shaviv recalled. It worked, and Netanyahu ultimately won. "He felt that almost with his bare hands, he managed to win," said Aviv Bushinsky, another former adviser and chief of staff to the prime minister. Netanyahu's decision to release that video fits a long pattern of divisive politics, critics say, and early on those politics almost tripped him up. When Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by an ultranationalist Israeli in 1995, Netanyahu as leader of the opposition was blamed by some Israelis, including members of Rabin's family, for stirring up an atmosphere of hate and fear. Many political observers thought he was too tarnished to defeat Rabin's successor, Labour Party leader Shimon Peres, in the election a year later. "After Rabin's assassination, everyone thought it would be a walk in the park for Peres," recalled Nahum Barnea, a veteran Israeli journalist. "Nobody believed Netanyahu had a chance." But when Palestinian suicide bombers began blowing up buses and restaurants in Israel, the shine came off the peace process championed by Rabin and Peres. Public opinion swung toward Netanyahu. Barnea said Netanyahu's skills as a public speaker also helped him turn the campaign around. Shortly before the election, Netanyahu participated in a debate, which was prerecorded at the Labour Party headquarters in Tel Aviv. Barnea watched the session live with about a dozen other journalists. They thought Netanyahu performed well. Then, when Barnea reviewed the recording on television, Peres came off even worse, he said. "I ran from the studio to our office," Barnea said. "I went to the editor in chief and said Bibi won the debate." Netanyahu would go on to win the election with a razor-thin majority. Netanyahu was not originally tapped to be the star of his family, growing up in the shadow of his older brother Yonotan, or Yoni, who he idolized. But Yoni was killed, the lone Israeli casualty in an operation to rescue more than 100 Israeli passengers and a flight crew held hostage at Uganda's Entebbe Airport after their plane was hijacked. If Yoni had lived, Netanyahu might have stayed in the United States - where he was partially raised and attended Harvard and MIT - and never entered politics. But he did and despite that privileged upbringing, he went on to find a fierce following among Israel's blue-collar voters. Painting himself as a repeated underdog who's been unfairly targeted by the elitist establishment, Netanyahu has tapped into the resentment of Israel's Mizrahi Jews, whose roots mostly lie in other Middle Eastern and North African countries and long felt shut out of power by Ashkenazi Jews of European ancestry. While Netanyahu is also of Ashkenazi stock, his family felt alienated from Israel's Zionist establishment. Netanyahu's father Benzion had been a follower of the revisionist leader Binyamin Zeev Jabotinsky, a rival of left-leaning socialists who dominated the early Zionist movement. Netanyahu has survived in part by telling his political base that it is us against them, right versus the weak, dangerous and Arab-loving left. "Netanyahu's greatest achievement is keeping his base disgruntled and dissatisfied and angry despite Likud having been in power for three quarters of the last four decades," said Anshel Pfeffer, author of "Bibi: The turbulent life and times of Benjamin Netanyahu." "Netanayhu's biggest political asset is that he knows how to latch on to his voters' phobias and keep them alive." Yet despite presenting himself as a candidate of the people, he has a love for the high life, which biographers say is his Achilles' heel. Over the years, Israeli newspapers have highlighted his penchant for leaving restaurants without picking up the bill and reported scintillating details of the extravagant habits of the Netanyahus. Two months ago, the Israeli attorney general decided to charge him in three criminal cases, pending a hearing in which he can present his defense. One of those cases centers on allegations that he and his wife, Sara, received gifts of cigars and jewelry worth around $280,000 in exchange for political favors. But Netanyahu, who strongly denies all charges, has built a loyal base that supports him no matter what and can deliver enough votes to keep him atop Israel's fragmented politics. "He just needs to keep his right-wing base voting for him, which he's done very effectively," said Arad. The personal stakes for Netanyahu are higher in this election than ever before. "He understands that the only good way, from his perspective, to fight his legal battles is from power," said Bushinsky. Others might have resigned already. Rabin stepped aside in his first term when it emerged that he still had a U.S. bank account several years after working at the Israeli embassy in Washington, in contravention of Israeli currency regulations. Netanyahu's most recent predecessor Ehud Olmert, who stepped down when he was indicted, was sentenced to eight months in jail for corruption in 2015. But Netanyahu is cut from different cloth and has vowed to stay in office even if he is indicted. Bushinksy said if Netanyahu is in power, he is in a stronger position to influence the time-frame of the corruption investigations and could even push for legislation to prevent charges being pursued against a sitting prime minister. He has beaten the legal rap each since the first criminal investigation back in 1997. At the time, police recommended he be indicted after he was accused of appointing an attorney general who, in return for political support, agreed to be lenient in a pursuing an extortion case against one of the prime minister's political allies. In an April 29, 1997 editorial, The Washington Post asked, "Can Mr. Netanyahu hang on?" The editorial noted that less than a year into office he was already "hip-deep" in controversy. But already, he had a reputation as a survivor, if not an escape artist. "The prudent expectation must be that Mr. Netanyahu will somehow come through . . .," The Post editorial said. Not a day went by between the end of Bill Johnson's tenure as president of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Thursday's naming of Johnson as the new chief executive of Pacific Gas & Electric, the troubled California utility that has been reeling from two seasons of destructive wildfires sparked in part by its own equpment. PG&E filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, saying it couldn't afford the tens of billions of dollars in wildfire costs. And the company said that the appointment of Johnson along with installation of ten new board members from the world of finance, utilities and federal regulation would help the utility "address California's evolving energy challenges." Johnson, 65, whose $6 million compensation package made him the federal government's highest-paid employee, brings with him extensive experience in a highly political management job, which will be needed in his new job, too. More than half of Johnson's incentive pay will be tied to safety performance. At TVA, he has cut expenses and reduced the agency's debt by $3.5 billion, in part by eliminating 3,000 jobs. He has presided over the continued phase-out of coal from the TVA fleet, and defended the agency's decision to retire an aging coal plant even after President Donald Trump, in a tweet, urged TVA to keep it open. An advocate for nuclear power, Johnson is also a defender of the authority of a state like California to set its own goals. "I've spent six years at TVA, one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's experiment from the New Deal," Johnson said last week in an interview with The Washington Post. "Most people remember it from school but don't really know what it does." Like the Green New Deal, which Johnson called "aspirational," the original version was woven together with the economic agenda. "The old New Deal came at a different time," Johnson said, "when the country was on the brink of disaster. His idea was to put the country back to work. His objectives were more concrete and achievable - dams, parks, highways." He paused, "maybe they're similar." Johnson's tenure at TVA has been as much about dismantling as building. The agency, which serves customers in seven states, relied on coal for 60 percent of its electricity generation in 2005 and will rely on it for just 17 percent by the end of this year. Johnson said it was a simple matter of costs and that the agency's aging coal plants should be closed even if one or two newer ones remain. He said the new TVA plan for the future set goals of retiring more coal plants, buidling utility scale solar plants, and build new natural gas-fired plants that can quickly come on line if needed to help intermittant solar plants. Johnson has overseen the addition of one gigawatt of solar and 1,400 of wind. The TVA's carbon emissions fell about 50 percent over the past decade, much of that during Johnson's time. TVA's reliance on coal at all was because "we have put a lot of money in those plants and they have all the modern equipment. But the future is big solar backed with gas," he said. "I am in the camp saying we need to do something about climate change," he said. "I think the question is how long that transition will take from gas to the next thing. I don't think it's a decade. I think everything is moving in right direction but I think the question is whether it is fast enough." He noted that California does not tax carbon dioxide emissions, but has made those costs part of electric rates. "I live in the south," Johnson, who earlier was chief executive of Progress Energy, said. "I am a states' rights person. I think if you live in a state that wants to do that, that's what you should do." PG&E, which has 24,000 employees and 16 customers, faces legal and operational challenges. The state wants to utility to continue to meet ambitious renewable portfolio standards that would boost the use of solar and wind. Yet some of the contracts California utilities have signed are above the free market levels and a bankruptcy judge might order a renegotiation. While California has launched a plan to shut down its two nuclear reactors, Johnson said he is a fan of nuclear power - though he said companies must learn to build reactors on budget. "I'm a long-time pro-nuke person. I'm actually pro-consumer and pro-environment, which leads me to be pro-nuke. If you really think climate is an issue, you can't get there without nuclear." But given enormous cost overruns and the shelving of two reactor projects in South Carolina, Johnson said "you'd have to be a very brave person." Even the half-finished nuclear reactor TVA completed and put into service cost $4.7 billion, way beyond the $2.5 billion estimate. "We don't do enough engineering before we get in the field," he said. "So we tend to run into problems when constructing. In this country we have lost a lot of our ability to build major projects. Could this country build the Hoover Dam today? I don't think we could. We've lost a lot of that capability." Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced a new round of sanctions intended to further starve Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduros regime of resources and, drawing parallels with the crisis-stricken Latin American country, warned that socialism is beginning to take root in the United States. Pences speech at Rice Universitys Baker Institute to a crowd of about 300, including many Venezuelan expatriates, came as about 100 students gathered across the street to protest the vice presidents appearance. Many came with rainbow flags showing their support for the LGBT community and posters bearing words such as VICE BIGOT, No to Pence. Yes to Peace, and Go Away Satan! At times, the muffled cries could be heard inside the institute, where Pence delivered a message largely rehashing the Trump administrations position that opposition leader Juan Guaido should be recognized as Venezuelas interim president. The vice president also devoted several minutes to what he cast as the creeping influence of socialism in the United States. The truth is, were living in a time in this country of growing support for socialism, and growing intolerance for diverse viewpoints, including on many college campuses across America, Pence said. Pence announced the United States will impose sanctions on 34 vessels owned or operated by PDVSA, a Venezuelan state-owned oil firm, as well as two other companies and a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba. The move aims to put pressure on Cuba as a way to get to Caracas. Despite falling oil production and a mounting economic crisis in Venezuela, Cuba still has been receiving shipments of PDVSA oil as an important part of its energy mix. Cuba is a major importer of crude oil and in return it sends assistance to Venezuela in the form of political advisers, intelligence and military officials and medical professionals. Venezuelan oil belongs to Venezuelan people, Pence said. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top ranking Republican on the House Foreign Relations Committee, expressed support for the move after Pences speech. McCaul also recalled his recent trip to Cucuta, a Colombian city that borders Venezuela and serves as a major crossing point for refugees. Its a humanitarian and refugee crisis. As long as Maduros there, its going to continue, McCaul said. The Austin Republican also largely agreed with Pences contention that socialism is taking hold in the U.S. He noted that some South American countries that long have practiced socialism are now adopting capitalistic economies. It is kind of odd to see Latin America, which has been under socialism for quite some time, moving in that direction, McCaul said. And, yet, you have these elements I would call more fringe elements that are moving toward socialism in the United States. Pences announcement Friday is part of the White Houses ongoing effort to ramp up pressure on Maduro and the Venezuelan government. Last week, President Trump met the wife of Juan Guaido, Fabiana Rosales, and called for the removal of Russian military forces assisting the Maduro government. On Tuesday, Pence met with families of six executives from Citgo Petroleum who have been detained in Caracas for about 17 months with no due process after they were arrested on what their families say are trumped up charges. Pence demanded Maduro release the prisoners. Outside the Baker Institute, meanwhile, protesters directed their criticism toward Pences views on issues beyond Venezuela, appearing to make a broader critique of the Trump administration. I am really excited about how all communities at Rice have pulled together in unity behind this event. Theres 1,000 different reasons in this crowd to oppose Mike Pence, but everyone is here behind the same idea, said Franz Brotzen, the president of Rices Young Democrats. Not every student agreed with the protesters. After the official student speakers finished, organizers opened the stage to others. The first who took the stage urged students to be understanding of Pence. But (Pence) hates us! a student in the crowd retorted. Perhaps, but we have to have to respect the man for who he is, he said before leaving the stage. jasper.scherer@chron.com marissa.luck@chron.com AUSTIN Lawmakers on Friday grilled the director of the states top environmental agency and local government officials on whether Texas laws are doing enough to protect the public from incidents like the Deer Park chemical fire. Over about three hours, members of two legislative committees in the Texas House pressed for more information on failures exposed by the March 17 fire. Those included a lack of critical information for the public in a timely manner and what some described as lax regulations that allow polluters to keep a clean record. Rep. Mary Ann Perez, D-Houston, read transcripts of 911 calls and news reports from within the first hour of the fire in which local officials did not know what chemicals were burning at the tank farm owned by the Intercontinental Terminals Co., or what effect they were having on the air quality. That information should have been released by ITC minutes after the fire started, she said, but instead the public and emergency responders waited nearly an hour for details, as residents were ordered to remain indoors. FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Deer Park plant on fire at Intercontinental Terminals Co has history of environmental violations That was very disturbing to me because I would imagine you would need information timely enough to know, No. 1, what was burning in order for you to call a shelter-in-place? Perez said. In a best case scenario, how soon would you like to know whats burning? Perez and other lawmakers suggested companies should be required to report basic information about chemical fires almost immediately. But while some pushed for such change, Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton said he was proud of the overall response and doubted anything could have been improved. Mouton blamed residents for spreading misinformation on social media. I dont think legislations going to solve this, Mouton said about the response time, adding later, whether it be here on the state level or Washington. Mouton said legislative changes dictating response protocol could be an overreach by the state government into local matters. I respectfully disagree, said Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington. I think local control is really important, but when it comes to the safety and security of the human beings, the people of Texas, I think potentially we may need to do some sort of legislation to set certain standards for those emergency operations and decision points. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE: Deer Park plant fire: What you need to know about benzene Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Director Toby Baker was more open to the idea as Rep. Ed Thompson, R-Houston, pressed him on whether regulatory laws are effectively holding companies accountable. The cause of the fire has not been determined; investigating agencies include the Harris County fire marshals office and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. When the cause of the fire is ultimately identified, I commit that were going to look at what overlays with our permitting and enforcement process, Baker said. If there's something administratively or statutorily that needs to be changed, we will be looking at those options. Baker said in the short term, the agency has asked for funding for handheld air monitors and mobile monitoring units as well as iPads and software that would allow TCEQ to upload air quality data in real-time. The agency currently writes measurements down on paper and transcribes them to computers with a delay of up to two hours. During a similar hearing Thursday, state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, told Harris County officials that they, too, should request state funding for monitoring equipment before the end of the legislative session. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE: In wake of Deer Park fire, Harris County officials lament lack of air monitors Another tense moment arose Friday when Rep. Cesar J. Blanco, D-El Paso, questioned Baker about how ITC could retain a satisfactory rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency despite repeated violations. ITC has been cited for violations of the federal Clean Water Act in 9 of the past 12 quarters. A bill Blanco filed, House Bill 4087, would eliminate the states so-called affirmative defense program, which exempts polluters from some financial penalties if the impact is not considered excessive. My point is Texas really talks tough about going after polluters, but the reality is we have a mechanism do you not agree? that is currently in our books that allows polluters to escape liability, Blanco said. Baker said he thinks the program works and that outside of what I would call the bad actors, companies work hard to try not to pollute. Erin Zweiner, D-Driftwood, referenced a September 2017 order from TCEQ that found that ITC failed to prevent an unauthorized emission of over 1,509 pounds of benzene, a carcinogen. Zweiner said the agency determined that the company reaped an economic benefit of about $6,900 over the period of the leak but levied a fine of just under $4,000. A bill Zweiner authored, House Bill 3035, would ensure pollution penalties are at least equal to the economic benefit of noncompliance. My question to you is what is the incentive for companies like this to stay in compliance if its more cost-effective for them to not be in compliance and if TCEQ takes 19 months to follow up on the violation of the penalty? Zweiner said. Baker agreed that 19 months is long but said investigations are time-intensive. He said the agency receives many complaints and must look into each one. As investigations into the Deer Park fire unfolds, Baker said he would be interested to know what action ITC took immediately after the fire and if there was there more they could have done. I think a lot of us know there was more they could do, said Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park. Buea Council seals shops respecting ghost town Archives True to type and like he had promised, Ekema Patrick Esunge, Mayor of the Buea Council in Cameroons South West Region was out on April 5, 2019 to seal all shops and business establishments that closed their doors in respect of the separatist imposed 10-day lockdown. Reports say at least 20 business premises were sealed from Molyko through Bonduma to Bokwoango under the supervision of the municipalitys Chief Executive Officer and security officers. Not even mobile telephony agencies, banks, money transfer shops were spared when the team stormed Molyko. In a radio announcement dated April 4, 2019, Ekema called on the general public and economic operators to desist from respecting ghost town calls emanating from unknown individuals . The mayors outing came on the heels of a 10-day lockdown ordered by separatists loyal to the self-declared state of Ambazonia geographically Cameroons North West and South West Regions. Ekema warned that: any business premises found going against this municipal order as from April 5, 2019 will be sealed for 30 days. The Mayor recalls that several meetings have been held to put an end to the so called ghost town phenomenon. He cites two meetings held with transporters syndicates on December 27 and 28, as well as those held with public and private economic operators of the Buea municipality. After a tour of the municipality on Friday, Mayor Ekema says the people of the town of excellence are tired of respecting the dictates of unknown individuals. His words: I think the population is fed-up with these unwanted and spontaneous calls by unknown bandits in the forest who will sit and decide on the economic, social, educational and political life of free citizens. The Buea population has demonstrated a mark of responsibility today. That they are no longer interested in these unwanted callsLet these fellows learn to understand that you dont push a man to the wall. So, the population says no to these unnecessary instructions coming from the forest. Ekema went on to thank the population of Buea for being so supportive. The lockdown, according to Chris Anu, Secretary of Communication and Spokesperson of the Ambazonia Interim Government, is meant to frustrate the Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture, FESTAC, which begins today to run up to April 13. Going by Anu, such events like FESTAC should not be taking place in times of war, and especially at a time when people are mourning their loved ones. He added that the Interim Government had earlier informed the authorities of Limbe to put such a celebration on hold. For progressives hoping for a full Albany transformation, New Yorksnew $175 billion state budget was sobering. There were real victories on criminal justice reform and a statewide ban of plastic bags, as well as the outlines of a congestion pricing plan. But other aspirations, like marijuana legalization, were left out, and the public financing of elections a long-held goal of progressive organizations was put in real jeopardy. If state election rules arent overhauled, 2019 will be a profoundly missed opportunity. Instead of creating a matching funds system to publicly finance candidates, the Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of commission that will consider whether to implement these reforms at all. Commissions, traditionally, are where all good policy goes to die. Wealthy donors dominate state politics thanks to New Yorks porous campaign finance laws. Donation limits are extremely high and elected officials have no incentive to chase small donors. While a matching funds system is not a panacea, it forces politicians to take a greater interest in lower-income individuals who contribute $5 or $10, relative to the corporate titan or real estate developer who can come in with a $10,000 check. Its a system that rewards good behavior. When Republicans controlled the state Senate, both Cuomo and the Democratic Assembly voiced support for a statewide public matching funds system modeled on the one in New York City. The idea is simple: Severely restrict the size of donations candidates can receive and in turn match these donations with public cash. For eligible donations, candidates for municipal offices can now see small contributions matched at an 8-to-1 clip. Good government groups, progressive organizations like Citizens Action New York, and left-leaning lawmakers have long proposed a 6-to-1 system for the state Legislature and statewide offices. When Democrats took control of the state Senate this year, a matching funds system looked like an inevitability. Senate Democrats were supportive, the Assembly had voted for it in the past, and Cuomo who has his own history of exploiting New Yorks lax election laws toraise cash almost exclusively from wealthy people and corporations said he would sign a bill. Once there was a real opportunity, support in the Assembly collapsed. Many veteran members, unused to running in competitive elections, perhaps feared public moneywould incentivize more insurgents to get into politics. Others disingenuously balked at the relatively minor cost $60 to $100 million per year,or far less than 1 percent of the state budget and whined about fiscal prudence. In true Albany fashion, the future of public financing will now be left to a nebulous commission, thanks to a dubious agreement reached between the legislative leaders and Cuomo. This is a Cuomo specialty, and should raise doubts about how earnestly he ever embraced public financing. Five years ago, Cuomo created the Moreland Commission to fight public corruption and once the commission started sniffing around the executive branch, hepromptly shut it down. No reforms came of it. And questions that are crucial to the outcome remain unanswered. Who is on the commission? We dont know yet. There will be nine members. Cuomo gets two appointments. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins get two each. Each Republican minority leader picks one commissioner. The ninth member is collectively chosen by Cuomo, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins, and the commission is not constituted unless the ninth member is chosen. The commission has until Dec. 1 of this year to make binding recommendations, and these will become law if the Legislature doesnt act by Dec. 22. It takes a 5-4 majority to make recommendations official. Cuomo, who is obsessed with undercutting the labor- and activist-backed Working Families Party, has also tasked the commission withexploring whether New York should end the practice of fusion voting, which allows candidates to run on multiple party lines at once. There are valid reasons forquestioning fusion voting sham organizations like the Independence Party get to have an outsized influence on local elections but none of them have to do with the public financing of elections. The commission could make a binding recommendation to end fusion altogether, pairing it with a robust matching funds system. This kind of poison pill would force WFP and other fusion-supporting organizations and elected officials to either accept both changes or fight for a legislative override of a fusion ban before the Dec. 22 deadline. All of this can get very messy. And considering thedivide-and-conquer games Cuomo long played with the Legislature, this kind of chaos may be exactly what he wants. This also isnt the first time Cuomo has attempted a half-baked reform that pleased just about no one: In 2014, in the middle of statewide elections, he cut a deal with the Legislature to create a public financing pilot program that only targeted the state comptrollers race. The Democratic incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, did not opt in, and the pilotwas quickly forgotten. As the good-government group Reinvent Albanypointed out, there are several glaring problems with the new commission. Since Heastie, who is now a public financing skeptic, and each Republican leader gets appointment power, as many as four out of the nine commissioners could be outright opponents of instituting a matching funds system. There is no plan, as of now, to lower donation limits for candidates who do not opt into a public matching funds system. New York has some of the highest donation limits of any state. A state Senate candidate, for example, can accept up to $18,000 from an individual donor in an election cycle, while a gubernatorial candidate can rake in up to $65,000. Presidential candidates, in comparison, are limited under federal law to $2,700 from individuals for their primaries and the same amount again for the general election. There is also no plan for an independent entity to oversee a new program. In New York City, the Campaign Finance Board provides robust oversight, heavily fining candidates who run afoul of laws. The state Board of Elections would likely be overseeing any matching funds program on the state level. This is not good: The BOE rarely fines rule-breaking candidates and it isrife with patronage. A commission allows legislators and Cuomo to evade accountability for what they do or dont do. Unlike legislation, outcomes are not guaranteed. Instead, writing the law is farmed out to appointees with unknown agendas. Supporters of public financing have a right to be skeptical and worried. Now, the only hope for campaign finance reform advocates is to organize and pressure lawmakers and Cuomo to appoint commissioners who will follow through and fix New Yorks dysfunctional election system. It can be done. It just shouldnt be this hard. Like a dozen or so Democratic lawmakers, organized labor found lots to love and hate in the $175.5 billion state budget. Public sector employees received significant new collective bargaining protections, but an effort to increase union wages on publicly supported construction projects did not make it into the budget deal. Additionally, some unions were unhappy with other provisions that made the cut: Firefighters unions are concerned about congestion pricing, teachers unions worry that the permanent 2 percent property tax cap will limit education funding and a range of complaints have been lodged against a plan for publicly financed political campaigns. And despite widespread support for a slate of union-friendly legislation that will be on the table in the second half of the session, fault lines remain on issues like marijuana legalization and single-payer health care, which have both drawn criticism from organized labor. While union leaders applauded the new protections for public sector employees, there was a shared sense among some labor leaders some of whom declined to comment on the budget that some of their priorities fell by the wayside during budget negotiations as Democrats pursued other proposals. They tried to catch up on things they have not been able to get done because of a Republican Senate, said Gerard Fitzgerald, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York Local 94. Theyre really going nuts. Congestion pricing was one issue that concerned the firefighters union, especially if they are not able to secure a exemption for members who enter the congestion zone in Manhattan in their private vehicles for unexpected shifts, he said. The passage of a proposal to establish a publicly funded campaign system could cost up to $100 million annually, which also did not sit well with some union officials. How can we even think about that when we have so many needs? said Fran Turner, legislative director at the Civil Services Employees Association Local 1000, which represents state workers. When it comes to priorities, public financing is not one of them and it shouldnt be. The passage of a permanent local property tax cap was also a big loss for New York State United Teachers, which had vehemently opposed the proposal. A spokesman declined to comment on the unions reaction to the budget. While some progressive legislation included in the budget did not go over well, union leaders said that the budget contained some big wins for public sector unions. New rules will prevent state government from disclosing the personal information of public employees, which could be used to undermine union membership. This had been a big concern for public sector unions following the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, which found that requiring nonunion workers to pay union dues was unconstitutional. According to Turner, after the court decision, union members faced a deluge of emails, phone calls, Facebook ads and even people showing up at their doors telling them how they could quit their unions. By codifying the provisions of an executive order issued by Cuomo last year, unions members are now sheltered from such union-busting outreach. Unions also secured in the budget the right to meet with new employees while another provision prevents nonmembers from suing unions for the dues they paid prior to last year. Moving forward, I think we are in very good shape, Turner said of collective bargaining rights for public employees in New York. There is not much else that needs to be done that hasnt been done. But a proposal to pass a public works bill that would expand the use of the prevailing wage did not make it into the budget. A bipartisan bill aims to expand the scope of public projects that would be have to pay union members and other workers a higher wage than currently required. Some critics have questioned whether this would be a good policy in practice, especially considering how it could significantly raise the costs of public projects. There are also issues to be worked out in terms of how the bill would affect affordable housing construction and women and minority contractors, according to Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, who chairs the Labor Committee. There was significant movement and it appeared to be coming together, Crespo said. But like a lot of things, it did not come together. Cuomo has said the public works bill remains a priority this year and state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who chairs the Labor Committee in the upper house, said she is pushing to get the bill though this year. But that is not all that unions want done this year. Unions are looking to get several issues addressed through the legislative committees overseeing the civil service system. The firefighters and police unions want better pension benefits. Park rangers have collective bargaining concerns of their own, and employees at state universities and public teaching hospitals say they are not done pushing for tuition assistance programs and other funding programs. At the same time, police unions are continuing to oppose recreational marijuana legalization. Other unions want to block single-payer health care. Anthony Wells, president of Social Service Employees Union Local 371, said that a renewed push for single-payer health care in New York is concerning. Some unions though certainly not all of them have opposed single-payer because they do not want to sacrifice medical benefits they have secured through collective bargaining at the expense of wages. It is going to cause some problems, Wells said of the New York Health Act. Its not going to accomplish what they are seeking to do. What the budget process did make clear is while organized labor may have challenges nationwide, it remains a formidable force in New York politics. At a March 27 rally inside the state Capitol, the hold that organized labor has on Democrats and Republicans alike was on full display. Republican Assemblymen Edward Ra and Michael LiPetri stood alongside Ramos, a Democrat, as dozens of construction workers chanted count me in as part of a final effort to get the public works bill in the budget. While there was already a sense that the effort would fall short, Michael Hellstrom, a union leader from the Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York and Long Island, made sure to note that organized labor was keeping track of which lawmakers supported, and opposed, their legislative priorities. Ill remember who stood with me, he told the crowd. And who stood against me. With the passage of a new state budget, New York may be moving toward a congestion pricing system and a campaign public financing model. But despite agreeing to those hefty proposals, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders are leaving it up to unelected members of new commissions to hammer out the details. A six-person commission dubbed the Traffic Mobility Review Board will make recommendations to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority about how the states new congestion tolling system should work, with details like the price of tolls and exemptions included in their considerations. Meanwhile, another commission will draw up the rules for how the $100 million set aside in the budget for campaign matching funds will be awarded. That commission will make its report in December, and unless the state Legislature agrees to modify or reject it within 20 days, the commissions choices will have the force of law. The use of panels and commissions isnt new one was created last year to decide lawmakers pay raises. But some have argued that punting on these decisions isnt the right approach to making policy. A few have even argued that its unconstitutional. So we turned to the experts to weigh in on whether this moment in time represents an unprecedented embrace of commissions, and if and when their use is appropriate. For this weeks Ask the Experts feature, we reached out to Gerald Benjamin, director of the Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz; Democratic political consultant Bruce Gyory; Alex Camarda, senior policy advisor at Reinvent Albany; Ben Max, executive editor of the Gotham Gazette; and Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York. Is the use of commissions a turning point in delegating responsibility on contentious issues? Alex Camarda: The governor's use of commissions in the budget this year isn't new it is a tool he frequently uses. Past commissions include the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, the Moreland Commission on Utility Storm Preparation and Response, The Sage Commission to Modernize Government, among others. Ben Max: The ghost of the Moreland Commission on public corruption that the governor empaneled, interfered with, and disbanded prematurely does not seem to dissuade him from the use of commissions, panels, task forces and other entities to help decide contentious issues. The Legislature has been willing to go along, seemingly OK with ceding significant responsibility and power. The governor was happy with the results of the compensation commission, and as long as he gets more results he likes, we could easily see more of these. Gerald Benjamin: Old-fashioned study commissions, comprised of people with status, prestige and expertise, are generally used to define policy alternatives, make recommendations and give these weight. Politically, they can either be used to build support or kick the can down the road (seeming to act without acting). And of course those who appoint them are not obligated to accept the outcome. Bruce Gyory: I dont see it as a turning point. Instead, I see these commissions as filling a need when the governor and the Legislature come to the conclusion something needs to get done, but that a commission is the best approach. The real model for these commissions is the base closure model in Washington. When Washington determines that military bases need to be cut, they use a commission because it is just too painful to ask members of Congress to sit there and be the ones picking the bases to close. Another example was during the Reagan era, when the Social Security Commission became the basis for the compromise brokered by Senators Robert Dole and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Here in New York, financial control boards are a variation of the commission idea. The Emergency Financial Control Board, which saved the day in the fiscal crisis in New York City back in the 1970s, and more recent control boards that have helped other localities in subsequent decades, have performed ably. Ultimately, the governing authority will continue to rest with the executive and legislative branches, but there are times when a commission becomes a useful tool in the governance shed to avoid gridlock on contentious issues. Susan Lerner: For any issue other than compensation, its a ploy to remove power from the Legislature, by delegating the authority of our duly elected representatives to a mystery commission. This should not be the new norm. We need to be investing more in the legislative process outside of the budget. Procedurally, are commissions the right approach? Bruce Gyory: I dont see these commissions as always a right or a wrong approach the real answer is it depends. The national commission that extended the solvency of Social Security for decades clearly worked and performed a necessary service. The Simpson-Bowles Commission to close federal deficits did not work, as a bipartisan consensus could not be bridged melding tax hikes and spending cuts to shrink the long term federal deficit. That does not mean that the Simpson-Bowles commissions work was a waste of time, it just meant the political and governing system was not ready to confront that problem. Here in New York state, if the congestion pricing commission creates a workable system that succeeds in both getting necessary funding for the MTA and the commuter railroads, while lessening gridlock in Manhattans central business district and improving air quality, a great public service will have been performed one that could be a national model for other regional mass transit needs. If, however, this commission creates a Rube Goldberg system to implement congestion pricing that does not work, you can bet there will be fewer of these commissions in the future. Alex Camarda: Whether it is the right or wrong approach really depends on the particular issue. Some issues are very complicated and are perhaps better suited for in-depth study by experts over time like energy deregulation. However, it is important to strike the right balance so the Legislature is not delegating its responsibilities away to do oversight and dig in on issues. For example, the Legislature was certainly capable of examining public financing through oversight hearings because they know campaigning well, having run for office. And they can still do that to inform and shape the work of the commission which will tackle the issue of public financing. Gerald Benjamin: The more recent salary and public finance commissions are designed to make decisions on matters of policy where there may be agreement on a principle or goal but not on details, where details might destroy the supporting coalition for the agreement, or where there is an effort to avoid responsibility for a desired but potentially unpopular outcome. These are akin to what was called base closing commissions, first used at the federal level to get locally controversial decisions on closing military bases passed. Congress agreed to package all recommended closings in one bill and act on them up or down, to block log rolling on individual cases. Susan Lerner: We call them lawmakers for a reason they make laws. The normal legislative process should take precedence over commissions/panels. Most other states like Texas and California have active committees, where legislation is shaped and developed out in the open, with input from many different stakeholders, including members of the public at official hearings and committee meetings. We need a real process with hearings and public input, that ultimately delivers well crafted bills. Ben Max: Commissions, panels and such can be very helpful, in large part by bringing together experts with various backgrounds and affiliations, and should be in the toolbox. They can help inform legislative and executive decision-making processes in important ways, and thats largely, if not exclusively, what they should do. Why wasnt there a commission on congestion pricing and/or campaign finance reform established earlier this year, with recommendations due by March 1, thus allowing elected leaders and their staffs to finalize decisions on these policies in the state budget? Politically, are commissions the right approach? Alex Camarda: Again, it really depends on the issue. In the case of the Compensation Commission, lawmakers should not vote on pay raises for themselves (or the next seated legislature) because it is a conflict of interest. Yet others see a direct vote as being the best form of accountability. Similarly, we believe an independent redistricting commission should be used to draw district boundaries for lawmakers rather than lines being drawn by lawmakers because of the conflict that arises from having a huge stake in the outcome. Gerald Benjamin: I think that these more recent commissions, not even requiring legislative action on specifics but acting subject to legislative veto, are unconstitutional delegations of legislative authority. They are out of accord with the institutional design of our separation of powers system. Their coming into more general use avoids responsibility and diminishes accountability. This is bad governance and, over the longer term, bad politics, as well. Susan Lerner: There are times when a commission may be appropriate, like the legislative pay commission. We dont want lawmakers fixing their own salaries, so it was necessary to avoid a conflict of interest. But we should not be punting the work of the Legislature to unelected people. Ben Max: The commission avenue allows elected leaders to avoid tough decisions and at least some political blowback. It reduces risk, but to what extent is unclear these commissions can get messy; members of the media will still explain to the public who is really responsible for the outcomes; critics and opponents will still figure out who to blame for policies they dont like. But the use of commissions does allow elected officials some distance from decisions and some ability to claim credit when they choose. I hesitate to say they are the right approach politically, but, overall, they may be advantageous to the electeds involved. Still, the fact that the new congestion pricing tolls wont go into effect until just after the next state legislative elections is government at its near-worst, the type of thing that, in combination with the use of these commissions at all, can foster greater political cynicism. Bruce Gyory: My own view is that these commissions can be useful when they tackle major issues where there is a consensus that something big must be done, but there is either little consensus on what is to be done or where the solution lies in both sides of the political aisle needing to eat their spinach so to speak, namely enacting some hard things they dont really want to do to make a grand bargain. I sense the danger lies if we overuse these commissions and kick too many things to them. We dont want future governors and legislatures to throw in the towel, just cause tough issues are staring them in the face. 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BROOK PARK, Ohio -- Adolphe Musanga of Brook Park has been named to the All-Ohio Community College Academic Team, which is comprised of top students from the states two-year colleges. Musanga, who received first team honors, is studying business management at Cuyahoga Community College and expects to earn his associates degree in May. He plans to transfer to Cleveland State University in the fall. And Musanga, whose goal is to become an entrepreneur and business owner, is currently writing a book detailing his experiences immigrating to the United States from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He serves as treasurer of the student government at Tri-Cs Westshore campus, where he is also involved with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and several clubs. Musanga is in the colleges honors program and he is a Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholar. Sixty-nine students from across Ohio were selected for this years team on the basis of their outstanding records. First-team honorees will receive $1,000 scholarships, while second-team members get $500 scholarships and third-team members $250. A recognition program for team members will take place April 25 in Columbus during Community College Month. The All-Ohio Academic Team program is supported by the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Honda of America Mfg. Inc. Spring arts event: The Berea Fine Arts Club, in honor of its 86th birthday, is planning an array of artistic activities to help make this a memorable season. A fundraising event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. April 27 at the Little Red Schoolhouse, 323 E. Bagley Road in Berea. Join the celebration, which will include a Japanese Taiko drum concert by Yume Daiko, followed by games and raffles. Admission is free and parking is plentiful. Artsy giveaway: The Berea Fine Arts Club will sponsor a month-long raffle of original artwork, including pottery, metalwork, jewelry, photography, illustrations, fine art prints and other prizes valued at $25 and up, all donated by club members. There are 31 chances to win, with one prize raffled off each day during the month of May. Tickets are $10 each. Winners will be announced on the Berea Fine Arts Facebook page throughout the month of May. Winners will also be notified via phone and email. Earth Day event: Rachel Carson raised the red flag decades ago -- pesticides were not only killing insects, but also disrupting the balance of nature. To commemorate Earth Day 2019, the Northeast Ohio Sierra Club is extending an invitation to attend The Next Silent Spring? from 2 to 4 p.m. April 28 at the Cleveland Museum of Art Recital Hall, 11150 East Blvd. The documentary Nicotine Bees will be shown, revealing information concerning the crash of the nations honeybees and the decline of other insect populations. Guest speaker Dr. Mary Dardiner, associate professor in the Ohio State University Department of Entomology, will discuss her program introducing pollinator pockets throughout vacant lots in Cleveland. Team is tops: Students on the culinary and management teams at Polaris Career Center, 7285 Old Oak Blvd. in Middleburg Heights, have won top honors at the Ohio ProStart Invitational Competition in Columbus. This is the ninth time in 10 years that Polaris has taken first place in the culinary event. The school will represent Ohio at the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May. Team members include Berea-Midpark High School students Jeffrey Paul and Cory Conroy. Science smarts: Ten students who took part in a recent St. Adalbert Academy Science Fair will be going on to the Northeast Oho Science and Engineering Fair at Cleveland State University. The students include Lauren Rolda, Jaylen Morales, Aiden Hahn, Daniel Anthony, Thomas Bender, Ryan Breudigam, Beckett Hahn, Joey Joseph, Christian Scott and Kiley Kobie. Lauren, Aiden, Beckett, Anthony, Thomas and Ryan will also participate in the Ohio Academy of Science District 5 Science Day at the University of Akron. Pantries benefit: The Rotary Club of Berea has presented checks totaling $2,500 to two local food pantries. The funds were equally divided between Berea Community Outreach and SCAN (Southwest Community Access Network) and were Berea Rotarys portion of the proceeds from Strongsville Rotarys Taste of Strongsville fundraiser in October. The checks were presented by Berea Rotary Club President Bob Huge and Judy Stull, vice president. Berea Rotary also collects food items, paper products and personal care items that are donated to the pantries each month. Just for vets: Apple Computer has opened an online store for current U.S. service members, National Guard personnel, veterans and close family members. The Apple Veterans and Military Store provides a 10 percent discount on purchases. Verification of military service is required at check-out. Visit apple.com/shop/browse/home/veterans _military. Explore art: Kids in grades K-8, engage your imaginative self with open-ended art exploration from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Cuyahoga County Librarys Brook Park Branch, 6155 Engle Road. Come and examine the works of art masters and explore various media, including paint, pastels and clay. All materials are included. For more information, contact the library at 216-267-5250. Special needs: Activities for those who have special needs are held throughout the year at the Middleburg Heights Recreation Center, 16000 Bagley Road. Berea Pantry hours: The Berea Community Outreach Food Pantry, 535 Wyleswood Drive (at front of Smith School) is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, call 440-826-4891. SCAN food pantry: The SCAN Hunger Pantry, 398 West Bagley Road, Suite 7, in Berea, has hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second Friday of the month and from 4- 7 p.m. the fourth Friday of the month. Contact SCAN by phone at 440-260-7726. Please email information (people photos, too -- include IDs) on items youd like to see in this column, to richatsun@gmail.com. For more stories from the News Sun, click here. CLEVELAND, Ohio The MetroHealth System will host a transgender job fair April 6 at the main campus, 2500 MetroHealth Drive. The event, the fifth annual Northeast Ohio Transgender Job Fair, is designed to help address the challenges transgender people face in finding jobs. Those who are transgender experience a roughly 15% unemployment rate, which is far above the national rate, according to the 2015 Transgender Survey Report. Nationwide, 4.1% of Americans identify as LGBT, compared to 3.5% in 2012, according to a Gallup poll. MetroHealth will team up with local businesses for the event, which is free and open to the public. Participating companies include Progressive, KeyBank, PNC, Hyland Software, Hilton, Goodyear and the Cleveland Clinic, among others. The event runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a free hot breakfast will be provided at 8 a.m. Registration is available online. MetroHealth long has been known as a leader for LGBT care in Northeast Ohio. The systems PRIDE Clinic is in its 12th year and its PRIDE Network, a network of LGBT health services at other locations, now is a few years old. Employees for MetroHealth also wear pronoun pins to open up conversations about identity. FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- Disorderly conduct, Lorain Road: On March 26, an officer was at Cash for Gold checking on items that had been turned in to the store. While there, an intoxicated man staggered into the business to sell some items. The officer spoke with the man and learned that the man had driven to the business and his car was outside. The 36-year-old North Olmsted resident was arrested. Prior to heading to the police station, the man claimed alcohol poisoning and was instead cited and taken to a hospital by paramedics. Fraud, West 223rd Street: On March 27, a resident reported unauthorized charges on her credit card. She later learned that a teenager she had hired to walk her dog had used her card, charging over $4,000. The woman later reported that the teens mother had reimbursed her for the charges. Fraud, South Sagamore Drive: On March 29, a resident reported that her bank account had been hacked. Two transactions totaling $300 were made on her account. It is unknown how her account information was compromised. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. For more news from the Sun Post Herald, visit here. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One man is dead and another is seriously injured in an early Saturday morning shooting at a Cleveland bar, police say. The dead man, a 27-year-old who has not yet been identified, was shot multiple times to his head and body, Cleveland police Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. A 28-year-old man, who also has not been identified, was shot multiple times and taken to MetroHealth for treatment. His condition was not immediately available. The shooting happened about 1 a.m. at The 49th Bar on East 49th Street near Hamilton Avenue, police said. A fight broke out in the bar, causing security to push people outside, police said. Police have not said what caused the fight. People started firing shots into the crowd and the two men were hit. Police did not say if the two men knew each other. The 27-year-old man was taken to University Hospitals where he was later pronounced dead. No arrests have been made. If youd like to comment on this story, visit Saturdays crime and courts comments section. COLUMBUS, OhioA federal bankruptcy judge has rejected a multi-billion-dollar plan by a FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary that would have allowed the Akron-based utility to avoid paying cleanup and decommissioning costs for several nuclear and coal power plants. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Alan Koschik ruled on Thursday that the companys restructuring plan was patently unconfirmable, handing a win to state and federal regulators who argued that FirstEnergy was attempting to abuse the bankruptcy system to avoid paying such costs for the plants, which are scheduled to be shut down in the next few years. Its the latest setback for FirstEnergy Solutions, which filed for bankruptcy last year to separate itself from FirstEnergy Corp. In January, FirstEnergy struck a deal under which it would give $1 billion to pay back creditors and forgive $2.1 billion in claims but only if FirstEnergy wasnt on the hook for cleanup costs. FirstEnergy Solutions said in a statement that it is already working on a revised disclosure plan that addresses Koschiks ruling. The company remains focused on a plan that will significantly strengthen its financial position and allow it to exit Chapter 11 in 2019, said FirstEnergy Solutions CEO and President John Judge in a statement. FirstEnergy also released a statement voicing optimism that a solution can be found soon, noting that the ruling involves hypothetical environmental claims that could only arise should FirstEnergy Solutions or a future owner of the plants not be able to pay for them. Meanwhile, Koschiks ruling was praised by the Environmental Defense Fund, a New York-based environmental advocacy group. FirstEnergy hoped to simply walk away from a steaming pile of expensive, hazardous waste, said Dick Munson, the EDFs director of Midwest clean energy. Thankfully, todays decision makes clear that the company cant avoid its environmental responsibilities. By 2021, FirstEnergy Solutions plans to close three nuclear power plants: Davis-Besse (just east of Toledo), Perry (northeast of Cleveland), and Beaver Valley (in Pennsylvania northwest of Pittsburgh). By the end of the following year, the company also expects to shut down three coal power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as a diesel oil generator. Dismantling the Perry and Davis-Besse plants could take as long as 60 years. But in another twist, reports surfaced Friday that Ohio lawmakers are preparing legislation that would impose a customer surcharge to keep those two plants open. Protest at Nigerian Embassy in South Africa Facebook Reports say at least one hundred Cameroonians from the crisis hit North West and South West regions have asked the Nigerian government to respect an Abuja court decision, ordering the released of some detained Anglophone leaders, arrested on Nigerian soil. These Southern Cameroonians werethis Friday, at the Nigerian embassy in Pretoria, where they staged a protest, asking the country of Mohammadou Buhari, to implement the courts decision, that asked the government of Nigeria, to bring back Secessionist leader, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and others, to Nigeria and also implement a compensation to these members, in line with the Geneva convention. The court in March, condemned as "illegal and unconstitutional" the arrest and deportation of Cameroonian separatists who had applied for asylum in Nigeria. In January 2018, Nigeria arrested and sent back 47 Anglophone separatists who had fled Cameroon following a crackdown by the authorities. Few weeks later, Nigerian officials sent the group back to Cameroon. This move was denounced by the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, which said most of them had filed asylum claims. It accused Nigeria of breaching international agreements. For months, the 47 were held in isolation at a high-security facility at police headquarters in Yaounde. The Yaounde Military Tribunal opened a trial against Ayuk Tabe and nine others for "terrorism" and "secession". Many Cameroonians are anxious about the outcome of the case, which many believe might prolong the current crisis or lead to the creation of a genuine political dialogue platform, to see an end to the current suffering in the North West and South West, affecting other parts of Cameroon as well. Till date, separatists have been calling for ghost town in the Anglophone regions, every Monday afternoon in protest against the detention of their leaders amongst many other grievances. COLUMBUS, Ohio Controversial legislation that would allow customer surcharges to keep two Northern Ohio nuclear power plants running is expected to be introduced in the Ohio House late next week, according to the sponsors office. The much-anticipated bill, which is still being drafted by Republican state Rep. Jamie Callender of Lake County, is the latest attempt to effectively bail out the Davis-Besse nuclear plant just east of Toledo and the Perry nuclear power plant northeast of Cleveland. FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., plans to close both plants by the end of 2021. A draft version of the bill, acquired by Energy News NetworksJohn Funk, would add monthly surcharges of $2.50 for every residential electricity customer, $20 for commercial customers, and $250 to industrial customers. The $300 million per year raised each year would be given to the newly created Ohio Clean Air Program, controlled by the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority. About $180 million of that would go to subsidize the two nuclear plants, according to the Energy News Network. The draft legislation seeks to soften the blow of the new surcharges by eliminating existing surcharges that residential and commercial customers pay for energy-efficiency and peak reduction programs. However, Callenders legislative aide, Bob Reed, warned that the draft reported by the Energy News Network was already out of date. Reed declined to say what the latest version of the bill draft contained, saying things were still in a state of flux. Reed said the legislation will likely be formally introduced late next week. Previous legislative attempts to subsidize the nuclear plants (so-called ZEN bills, for zero-emission nuclear) failed to get enough support to pass. However, the ideas chances have improved this year at least in the Ohio House, now that the House speaker is Republican Larry Householder, a vocal proponent of subsidies. State Rep. Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican who also supports the subsidies, said Friday that when the legislation is introduced, it will be assigned to Ohio House Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy Generation, then the full committee. Supporters of subsidies -- which include FirstEnergy Solutions, local leaders of areas near the plants, and some labor unions -- say they are needed because nuclear plants cant generate power as cheaply as power plants that run on cheap natural gas. They argue that its worth keeping the plants going because theyre reliable sources of power and dont generate a lot of carbon emissions. Opponents -- which include the oil and gas industry, consumer and business groups, and anti-nuclear activists -- say that the state shouldnt force Ohioans to pay higher electric bills to bail out a utility company. State lawmakers dont have a lot of time left to decide what to do: FirstEnergy Solutions must decide by June whether to order new fuel for the Davis-Besse plant or shut it down. FirstEnergy Solutions also suffered a blow earlier this week, when a federal bankruptcy judge rejected its multi-billion-dollar plan to lift itself out of chapter 11. FirstEnergy Solutions spokeswoman Angela Pruitt, in an email, declined comment Friday on the grounds that no legislation has actually been introduced yet. That said, we support any effort by legislators to promote clean energy while preserving an important tax and job resource for Ohioans, Pruitt stated. Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks at the National Action Network convention on April 5, 2019 in New York City. A slew of democratic candidates hoping to challenge President Donald Trump for the White House spelled out their views on racial justice Friday in progressive campaign pitches to crowds at Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention. Nearly all of the 15-plus Democrats who have launched campaigns in the 2020 election showed up to the civil rights organization's annual conference this week in a Sheraton hotel ballroom in Manhattan's Times Square. Eight of those candidates gave speeches on Friday including Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who had just announced his campaign a day earlier touching on a range of issues including taxes, child care and climate change. But the predominant themes of their remarks mirrored the NAN's own stated priorities, particularly reforming the criminal justice system with the past and current impacts of racism in America at top of mind. And most of the 2020 contenders, often prompted by Sharpton himself, also affirmed their support for a bill introduced in Congress that would create a commission to study reparations for African-Americans. "When I am elected president, I will sign that bill," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told Sharpton to raucous applause from the convention hall crowd. Harris also pledged to double the size of the civil rights division of the Justice Department: "Justice means recognizing domestic terrorism, including white nationalist extremism," which Harris said "should be considered a national security priority." Bernie Sanders, the Independent senator from Vermont and self-described democratic socialist who is running as a Democrat in 2020, called to repair the "racial wealth gap," establish a single-payer health care system for all Americans, make public colleges and universities tuition-free and force large corporations to "start paying their fair share." He also appeared to spend significantly more time than the other candidates attacking Trump. "We have a president," Sanders said, "who is a racist, who is a sexist, who is a homophobe, who is a xenophobe, and who is a religious bigot." At the end of many of their speeches, Sharpton asked them point-blank if they supported Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee's legislation in the House that, according to its press release, "seeks to establish a commission to also examine the moral and social implications of slavery." Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who began with a longer response to Sharpton's question about the bill, offered a playfully curt "yes, I'm gonna pass it!" when pushed by a shout from the audience to simply tell the crowd: "Yes or no?" Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she would support the bill as well. Warren tore into Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., during her speech, and called for eliminating a Senate filibuster rule for legislation when the next Democrat takes over the White House. She also went into detail about her campaign proposal for universal childcare, recounting her own difficulties finding and paying for daycare for her children while pursuing education and a career. Sanders told Sharpton that "if the House and Senate passed that bill, of course I would sign it." Sanders had been less committed to the idea of reparations in the form of payment when asked about it on ABC's "The View" last month. "I think that right now, our job is to address the crises facing the American people and our communities, and I think there are better ways to do that than just writing out a check," he said at the time. Some of the candidates took the issue further. "I firmly support congresswoman Jackson Lee's bill," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said during a luncheon attended by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and 2020 candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who also spoke. "But we must not only study the problem," she said, promising to address a range of related issues if elected president, such as affordable housing, environmental justice and the practice of redlining. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., added a note of caution in his speech Friday afternoon, telling the crowd that the conversation around reparations "cannot become just a political box-checking exercise." Opposition activists wearing gas masks clash with riot police during an anti-government protest in Caracas. SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images The first major showdown of our new era of great power competition, unfolding with accelerating speed over the past ten weeks in Venezuela, has entered a dangerous new phase. That is true, most of all, for the Venezuelan people, but also for Latin American democracies and for vital US interests in the Western Hemisphere. How this drama turns out may mark the most significant test yet of the Trump administration's credibility, following a highest-level chorus this week of President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, who all declared in one way or another that Russia had to get out of the country. Vice President Mike Pence ratcheted up the pressure further on Friday, announcing at a speech in Houston with new sanctions on the state-owned oil company PDVSA as well as two additional companies that transport Venezuelan crude to Cuba. Pence, who will address the UN Security Council next week on Venezuela, also said the US would increase its pressure on Cuba. What raised the stakes was Russia's well-publicized and provocative move on March 23 to land two planes with some 100 soldiers in Caracas. The ostensible reason for their arrival was to service Venezuela's Russian-made S-300 air defense systems, which are said to have been damaged in recent energy blackouts. Other Russian military contractors and mercenaries are already believed to be providing security support for the Maduro regime. That was accompanied by this week's decision of Maduro's puppet National Constituent Assembly to strip interim President Juan Guaido of his immunity. Guaido assumed power under a constitutional provision which stipulates that in the absence of a legitimately elected President, the President of the National Assembly takes up presidential powers on an interim basis. That raises the possibility, perhaps as early as this weekend, that the Maduro regime could arrest and imprison Guaido with widespread, anti-Maduro and pro-democracy protests expected for Saturday. Putin's big bet What concerns US officials is that Vladimir Putin may be laying the ground for making Venezuela the defining foreign policy debacle for President Trump in the same way Syria became that for the Obama administration. Indeed, this week the Maduro and Assad regimes showcased their solidarity in Damascus, where Maduro Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza met with the Syrian leader. "The two Syrian and Venezuelan peoples' fight against U.S. conspiracies and imperialism and the two will emerge victorious," Arreaza said. Though there is a great deal that differentiates Venezuela and Syria, what connects them is considerable: a weakened dictator, who would be much more likely to fall without Moscow's support, a U.S. declared red-line that the Kremlin finds unconvincing, and a chance for Putin to shore up his global reputation at the expense of Washington this time in the Western Hemisphere. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton laid down a tough line, with echoes of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, with his warning to Moscow: "We strongly caution actors external to the Western Hemisphere against deploying military assets to Venezuela, or elsewhere in the Hemisphere, with the intent of establishing or expanding military operations. We will consider such provocative actions as a direct threat to international peace and security in the region." Exactly one month ago, I wrote in this space, "As the country with the world's largest proven oil reserves and one of its greatest humanitarian disasters, Venezuela is a place whose destiny in any case would have had outsized consequences for Latin American and global energy markets. Given the involvement of the U.S. and its democratic allies on the one side and China, Russia and Cuba on the other, the stakes are even higher geopolitically." As is so often the case in the Trump administration, there is also a personal element for a president who has refrained from the tough language toward Putin and Russia employed by the top US officials around him. Writes David Sanger in the New York Times, "Would Venezuela be the place where Mr. Trump, who has often seemed willing to tolerate Mr. Putin's most audacious provocations, finally draws his own red line? And if so, does he have a plan to enforce it?" Putin is betting big that Trump has neither the will nor the plan. NATO's challenge It was by coincidence that the situation around Venezuela was heating up even as the NATO alliance marked its 70th anniversary in Washington, DC, this week. Amid the celebration, however, experts raised new questions over whether the alliance was sufficiently equipped for the long period of strategic geopolitical competition that likely stands before us. "NATO is the most successful Alliance in history because we have always been able to change as the world changes," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said before a Joint Session of Congress, the first time any leader of a multilateral organization has been invited to give such an address. Yet if the consensus is right that the 21st century's great challenge would be a competition between democratic and authoritarian countries and systems, and in particular China and Russia, then Russia is making the next play in our hemisphere, and NATO is already behind the curve. "the United States should lead a more concerted effort to thicken the political bonds and operational ties between NATO and its global partners," said the Atlantic Council's Damon Wilson in testimony before a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "Specifically, the United States should consider formalizing the links among US treaty allies in Europe and those in Asia, namely Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, we should begin fostering alliance-like links among our existing allies with strategic partners such as India and, in Latin America, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico." He sees all that as a possible precursor "to a more formal alliance among democracies who are committed to protecting their way of life and a democratic international order." There are plenty of reasons to think such ambitions are fanciful when President Trump remains ambivalent about the value of alliances, NATO's European members are so divided on how to manage relations with China and when only a minority of Europe's NATO members have risen to their promised defense spending obligations. Yet NATO has learned over the years that the alternative to changing when the world changes is irrelevance and a world whose guiding rules and principles would no longer be shaped by democracies. Venezuela may be the right place to catalyze deeper links among the United States, Canada, key European allies and leading democracies of Latin America. Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, prize-winning journalist and president & CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of the United States' most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor and as the longest-serving editor of the paper's European edition. His latest book "Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth" was a New York Times best-seller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his look each Saturday at the past week's top stories and trends. Market sentiment is not great for Gulf states at the moment, Deutsche Bank's Middle East and Africa CEO said Saturday, acknowledging the concerns that investors have held about the region in recent years. "The private sector across the region, frankly, is still, sentiment-wise, not feeling too positive," Jamal Al Kishi told CNBC's Hadley Gamble, discussing his economic outlook at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in Amman, Jordan. "The economy has hit a soft patch following the collapse of crude prices." Indeed, forecasters point to falling numbers on a range of fronts. While Saudi Arabia saw strong economic growth toward the end of last year, "a slowdown has almost certainly got underway at the start of 2019 on the back of oil production cuts," according to London-based consultancy Capital Economics. Bahrain had to get a $10 billion aid package from its from its neighbors late last year, and Moody's has stripped Oman of it's last investment-grade rating. Activity in non-oil sectors of the UAE are sluggish, and the country fell into deflation in January. Property prices in the commercial hub of Dubai are down some 25 percent since 2014 and growth slowed to 1.9 percent last year from 3.1 percent in 2017, the lowest rate in eight years. The transport and storage sector, a pillar of the city's operations as a logistics hub, grew 2.1 percent in 2018, down from 8.4 percent in 2017 "the slowest rate of growth since 2013," according to Emirates NBD, Dubai's largest bank. This was linked to the slowdown in trade volumes worldwide amid rising protectionism. Dubai's stock market in 2018 was the worst performer of all its Middle East peers. Siege du MRC a Douala MRC Militants of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party in Douala, didnt show up on the streets, after a government order banned their anticipated one week protest, starting this Saturday, April 6. Government deployed heavy security across major junctions within the city of Douala, to counter any civilian protest. Unlike the January 26, nationwide protest that saw many of these militants marching across the streets of Bafoussam and other parts of the West region, no CRM militant or sympathiser, has so far dared to march, following the threat which could lead to a suspension of the party. The January 26 protest against electoral fraud following the 2018 presidential elections, more than 150 CRM militants were arrested and transferred to Yaounde, where they await trial. They were taken along with the leaders of the party, such as President Maurice Kamto, Barrister Michele Ndoki amongst others. In a press release on April 5, Minister Atanga Nji banned the one week protest called by some members of the party, calling the move provocative. He added that the move has an undertone to cause an uprising in Cameroon, after some members of the party in the diaspora, destroyed property in the Cameroonian embassies in Paris and Berlin. To the Minister, the 6th of April remains a painful day to Cameroonians, paying allusion to an unsuccessful attempt on the 6th of April 1984, to impeach President Paul Biya from seat. He further threatened to suspend the CRM party, if they continue to hold manifestations, despite government's restrictive moves, following the provision of law on political parties, signed on the 19th of December,1990. Cameroonian authorities are seemingly bent on crushing all attempts at causing a revolution in the country. Despite all attempts by the international community and other political parties, calling on government to release CRM militants, government remains intransigent. LOS ANGELES Just over a year ago, Disneyland Resort's relationship with its hometown of Anaheim was tense. Now, the two sides have "reset" ties as the park prepares to open its largest single-themed land expansion ever, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. As many other California municipalities struggle to generate new revenue sources, Anaheim is in the enviable position of having a cash cow in its backyard. Even Burbank, a city where Disney's corporate offices are located, has struggled fiscally with deficits in recent years due to worker pensions and other costs. Anaheim is anticipating the new 14-acre expansion will provide a big boost in tourism and hotel taxes, which make up about half of Anaheim's annual general budget of $330 million. Galaxy's Edge reportedly cost Disney about $1 billion. Several hotels report being sold out for the first few weeks of the Galaxy Edge's opening on May 31. Anaheim's hotel tax revenues soared after Disneyland in 2012 opened a 12-acre Cars Land at its California Adventure park. "We are anticipating millions of annual new visitors here and a very positive impact on the revenue that we see from hotel stays but also to sales tax," said Mike Lyster, a spokesman for the city of Anaheim. "There is no doubt that Cars Land had a serious impact on bringing more people here to Anaheim and had a very positive impact on the revenue we've seen." Disneyland officials declined to discuss projections for the new Galaxy's Edge, which has been in the works for several years. It follows Disney acquiring Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise in 2012. Egypt's goal to be a net gas exporter by the end of this year will strengthen it politically, Egypt's petroleum minister said Saturday, stressing the opportunities for growth that would come from the recently-launched Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum. "We cannot deny that if we are able to have our own energy this will give us some not independence but let us say some strength, edge," Tarek el Molla told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in Amman, Jordan. The minister was speaking in response to a question about many Middle Eastern countries' reliance on their wealthier Gulf patrons like Saudi Arabia and the fact that economic support from the Gulf also often means forfeiting independence in the foreign policy arena. "The destiny of each country is at its own decision, however, you get to capitalize on what you have so if you have the resource, the gas, you can play smart. And of course it would be a tool, or a card, that you can play with in politics, definitely," el Molla said. "When I talk about the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and we talk about the hub, I say that we will together be the hub," the minister stressed. "Egypt will not ever be able to be the hub, no, it will be the hub together with its neighboring countries, allies, partners we are complementing each other in this field." The forum, which aims to establish a regional gas market and offer more competitive prices, consists of Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and the Palestinian Authority, with its headquarters in Cairo. El Molla has described high investor interest in the opportunities the forum will offer. Elias Bou Saab, the minister of national defense of Lebanon, believes that dialogue with Hezbollah rather than sanctions would prove more successful in dealing with tensions in the region. Speaking in Jordan at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), he said Lebanon was a "mosaic country" that had to be dealt with in a different way. "I believe the policy on Lebanon with that regard is not going to be paying off," he told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Saturday, referring to the U.S. administration's approach to Hezbollah, which is financially and militarily supported by Iran. "Lebanese people know how to handle the situation internally without creating another civil war in Lebanon. No-one should or could be pressing us in one direction that may create instability in my country," he added. Saab's comments come after recent reports indicating that the United States is considering sanctions against allies of Lebanon's parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri due to his ties with Hezbollah and Iran. "We are talking with the Americans. We are having dialogues with them and we are explaining the situation. Hezbollah they are Lebanese, they are part of the Lebanese community, the have mayors, they have elected members of the Parliament, they are in the government," he added. Hezbollah, which operates as both a political party and paramilitary group and is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization, made record gains during Lebanon's elections in May 2018. It is widely seen as the most powerful political force in Lebanon today. The only group to maintain a paramilitary force since the end of Lebanon's bloody 15-year civil war in 1990, the Shia organization ignores the official Lebanese policy of staying out of regional conflicts and has been active most notably in Syria in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Saab is a member of Lebanese President Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, a Maronite Christian party and a political ally of Hezbollah. In 2006, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding, the first such alliance between major Shia and Christian parties in Lebanon's history. Lyft President John Zimmer (R) and CEO Logan Green speak as Lyft lists on the Nasdaq at an IPO event in Los Angeles March 29, 2019. Lyft has threatened litigation against Morgan Stanley, accusing the firm of supporting short-selling for investors who are subject to lock-up agreements. In a letter sent to Morgan Stanley on April 2, Lyft questioned the firm about its alleged role in helping market certain products that would help pre-IPO investors bet against the stock. CNBC reviewed a copy of this letter, which was signed by Lyft's counsel Peter Stris of the law firm Stris & Maher. Lyft declined to comment. The letter was prompted by reporting in the New York Post, which said Morgan Stanley had been selling a short product to pre-IPO investors and cited three sources close to the situation. Lyft asked Morgan Stanley to go on record saying that they did not create such a product, and that they had engaged in the proper due diligence in marketing such a product. The letter, which copied Lyft's lead underwriters JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, also asks that if Morgan Stanley did engage in such activity that they stop immediately and turn over a list of shareholders who participated. While the letter requested that Morgan Stanley respond by the end of the day on April 2, two source close to the matter said that as of late Friday, the firm had yet to do so formally. Both people asked for anonymity discussing private details involving the dispute. However, a Morgan Stanley spokesperson provided a statement to CNBC, saying that the firm "did not market or execute, directly or indirectly, a sale, short sale, hedge, swap or transfer of risk or value associated with Lyft stock for any Lyft shareholder identified by the company or otherwise known to us to be the subject of a Lyft lock-up agreement." The Information first reported that Lyft and its IPO syndicate had sent a letter to Morgan Stanley over its purported role in creating special instruments for pre-IPO investors to short. In the letter, Lyft said that it has the ability to take legal action against Morgan Stanley and asked that the firm turn over relevant documents in advance of potential litigation. Lyft's counsel believes that Morgan Stanley could be found to have engaged in tortious interference with the lock-up agreements if it were true that the firm actively sought to circumvent them. Lyft's shares plummeted as much as 12% on their second day of trading, following their IPO debut on March 29. Some traders in the market speculated that the drop was partly due to early demand for short selling the shares. The stock rebounded over the course of the week. "Our firm's activity has been in the normal course of market-making, and any suggestion that Morgan Stanley has engaged in an effort to apply 'short pressure' to Lyft is false," the spokesperson for Morgan Stanley said. Morgan Stanley's short sales were less than 1.3% of the total volume of Lyft, according to a person familiar with Morgan Stanley's operations. The single largest short-trade executed on behalf of a client was 425,000 shares, said the person, who asked not to be named discussing private details about the firm's trading activity. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which is the self-regulatory organization that patrols the banking industry, has already gotten engaged on the matter, one person with knowledge of the matter said. This may also fall under the domain of the Securities and Exchange Commission, although CNBC was unable to learn whether the SEC has started any discussions at this time. The Information reported earlier that Finra has gotten involved in the matter. The dispute also comes as a long pipeline of tech companies are waiting to make their own debuts this year. Lyft's rival Uber is set to go public in the coming months. Morgan Stanley had won the coveted role of underwriting Uber's IPO. The bankers who are managing that deal were also copied in on the letter, which is notable because the creation of financial products for short selling would be typically done in another division at the firm not within investment banking. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for "whipping up war hysteria" over claims that India shot down a Pakistani F-16 during a standoff in February, saying the truth is always the best policy. U.S.-based Foreign Policy magazine, citing U.S. officials, said all of Pakistan's F-16 combat jets had been accounted for, contradicting an Indian air force assessment that it had shot down one of the jets. "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy," Khan said in a Tweet. "BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet." Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan engaged in an aerial battle over the disputed region of Kashmir a day after Indian jets crossed over into Pakistan to attack a suspected camp of anti-India militants. An Indian jet was brought down during the fight and its pilot captured when he ejected on the Pakistani side of the border. He was later released. India said it too had shot down a Pakistani aircraft and the air force displayed pieces of a missile that it said had been fired by a Pakistani F-16 before it went down. Foreign Policy said in a report published on Thursday two U.S. defence officials with direct knowledge of the matter said U.S. personnel had done a count of Pakistan's F-16s and found none missing. Details of the India-Pakistan air engagement have not been fully provided by either side. If the U.S. report turns out to be true, it would be a further blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said that India had taught Pakistan a lesson, ahead of elections next week. The BJP is campaigning on a platform of tough national security, especially with regard to arch foe Pakistan. New Delhi blames Pakistan for stoking a 30-year revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir but Islamabad denies any involvement. BJP spokesman Bizay Sonkar Shastri dismissed Khan's accusations. "Firstly, their (Pakistan's) habit of lying is no secret to the world. Secondly, this is absolutely clear that the roots of terrorism lie in Pakistan and terrorism is cultivated in Pakistan," he told Reuters. The success of Indian air strikes on a camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group in northwestern Pakistan has also been thrown into doubt after satellite images showed little sign of damage. High-resolution satellite images reviewed by Reuters last month showed that a religious school run by Jaish appeared to be still standing days after India said its warplanes had hit the Islamist group's training camp on the site and killed a large number of militants. Pakistan closed its airspace amid the standoff but most commercial air traffic has since resumed and major airports have opened. Pakistan offered to open one air route on Friday, an Indian government official said, without specifying details and declining to be named as the matter was not public. An Air India official said on condition of anonymity that Pakistan has opened one of its 11 air routes, from the southern side, adding that the carrier began operations via this route on Friday. "Pakistan has opened one air route over India on April 4th, it is a north-west bound route," Mujtaba Baig, spokesman for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority, told Reuters on Saturday. An email sent to the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation was not immediately answered. Air India did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. President Donald Trump talks with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol Agent while participating in a tour of U.S.-Mexico border wall prototypes near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, California, March 13, 2018. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters President Donald Trump's decision not to follow through with a shutdown of the Mexican border comes as a big relief for U.S. automakers, especially considering the industry is already struggling with the administration's tariffs on imported aluminum and steel and a slowdown in U.S. sales. Nearly every major automaker saw sales fall in March and for the first quarter as a whole with Cox Automotive predicting U.S. new vehicle demand will be off as much as 7% for all of 2019. "The industry had a tough first quarter," Reid Bigland, the head of U.S. sales for Fiat Chrysler, said during a conference call with reporters this week. He said the automaker was hoping the industry would see the market pick up steam in the weeks ahead during the traditionally strong spring buying season. A shutdown of the Mexican border could have scuttled that, threatening to leave dealers facing short supplies. Mexico grows Mexico has grown from an automotive backwater to become the fifth-largest producer of fully assembled vehicles in the world, according to federal data. All told, about 2.57 million light-duty vehicles were exported from Mexico to the U.S. last year, industry data show. That included about 30 models sold by 15 different automotive brands, according to Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica. It's a diverse list that includes the likes of Fiat Chrysler's new heavy-duty pickup, the Ram 2500, the Audi Q5 crossover and the all-new Chevrolet Blazer SUV. The latter is one of General Motors' newest products, and dealers are still struggling to build up inventories to meet anticipated demand. They'd have been hit hard by even a brief border closure. But even products built north of the border were at risk, according to industry analysts. Anything more than a brief shutdown could have had "devastating consequences" on the U.S. assembly and parts plants that employ about 1 million American workers, cautioned David Cole, director-emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research, or CAR. Since the original North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, went into effect on January 1, 1994, "the auto industry has developed a highly integrated manufacturing network that has essentially eliminated borders" between the three trade partners, Cole added. CAR research shows that $112 billion in autos and auto parts were imported from Mexico in 2018, while $36 billion was exported. On an average basis, that would work out to more than $400 million in automotive goods per day that could have been stuck at the border. In some instances, the impact, as Cole noted, could have been minor. Dealer's routinely keep about 60 days of vehicle inventories on their lots, though that can run far longer for slow-selling models. But American-made vehicles, especially hot-selling products such as the new Ford Ranger pickup assembled in suburban Detroit, could have been hit by a border closure. While the figure varies by manufacturer and model, industry data indicate that 38% of the imported parts used in American plants come from Mexico. Maquiladoras Many of those are relatively small and inconsequential items, such as trim pieces. But other parts are large and expensive, like the transmissions used in the Chevrolet Corvette. Even before NAFTA and the explosive growth of Mexican auto assembly operations over the past quarter century, Mexico was already carving out an automotive niche for itself by creating a special export zone called the maquiladoras, just south of the U.S. border. It has come to all-but-dominate supplying some key components about 70% of the wiring harnesses used on American assembly lines today coming from Mexico. Automakers have occasionally found ways to keep assembly plants running despite shortages of inconsequential parts. The assembly process can barely begin, however, without those bundles of wires that thread throughout every new vehicle. Back when NAFTA was new, the auto industry might have been able to live through a brief border shutdown by drawing down factory inventories. No longer, said analyst Cole. Today, the just-in-time manufacturing system, with inventories trimmed to the bare minimum, has become the norm. It helps manufacturers reduce costs and keep a better handle on quality, but even brief logistical disruptions can prove calamitous. A fire at a single supplier plant in Michigan last May resulted in lost production of thousands of Ford F-Series pickups. A border shutdown, CAR and other industry experts said, could be several times more severe. And finding alternative parts is, with rare exception a non-starter, at least on short order. "Any action that stops commerce at the border would be harmful to the U.S. economy, and in particular, the auto industry. Access to Mexico's market place and North American integration are critical to operations in the U.S.," Matt Blunt, president of the trade group, the American Automotive Policy Council, said earlier this week. Several senior automotive executives told CNBC they were "monitoring" developments in the president's ongoing dispute with Mexico, privately admitting they are pleased by the decision to abandon the idea of a border shutdown at least for now. Industry officials have been reluctant to openly criticize the president for fear of becoming a target of his frequent tweets. What next? L'opposant camerounais Maurice Kamto, le 14 aout 2018 a Yaounde AFP/Archives/Reinnier KAZE Eric Dupond-Moretti and Antoine Vey, seasoned French attorneys have seized the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) with a demand for the immediate release of their client, Professor Maurice Kamto. The international lawyers say Kamto, the National President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) and his aides and supporters are being illegally detained by the authorities in Yaounde because of their political views. Eric Dupond-Moretti and Antoine Vey in a press release dated April 4, 2019 say the Cameroon justice system has proven its inefficacity, a situation further compounded by the unwillingness of the Yaounde authorities to engage dialogue in a bid to resolve the matter agreeably. The French lawyers have thus filed a suit in favour of Maurice Kamto, Albert Dzongang and Christian Penda Ekoka before the Geneva-based United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The duo is yet to understand why their clients were arbitrarily arrested for expressing their political opinions. They claim that kamto and his aides are being held under inhumane conditions and tried in a Military Court even though they are civilians. The lawyers insist that the arrest and detention of Kamto and other CRM militants is a violation of their basic and fundamental rights, alleging that the arrest and detention is politically motivated. It would be recalled that the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had ordered for the unconditional release of detained former Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Marafa Hamidou Yaya. The ex-secretary general at the poresidency oif the republic was arrested on April 16, 2012 and is currently serving a 25.year jail term. It is not known if the authorities in Yaounde will respect the decision of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention if they were to order for Kamtos release. Barrister Eric Dupond-Moretti and Antoine Vey were in Cameroon in March and during their press conference they stated that Magistrates at the Yaounde Military Tribunal have claimed they are not aware of Kamto and co case file. They argued that the matter was purely political and requested dialogue between Kamto and Biya failure to which they would seek international jurisdictions. However, with the lengthy bureaucratic maneuvers involved, it may take some time before Kamtos case is being heard by the Geneva body. Worthy of note is the fact that on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Kamto and his co-accused were at the Centre Appeal Court, where the Judge requested their Habeas Corpus submissions to take place behind closed doors which they all refused and walked out of the court. Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. Rebecca Pow is MP for Taunton Deane. At first sight, you may not realise that the UK seas are home to some of the richest and most diverse marine life in the world. Despite the grey chill of the North Atlantic, our coasts are teeming with wildlife. Many of these species and habitats, however, are under pressure from human activity. Left alone by people, marine ecosystems renew themselves. But recent generations have been heavy-handed, dramatically depleting wildlife and habitats in ways that make natural recovery impossible. We know that about 90 per cent of large fish are already gone, and that 90 per cent of global fish stocks are over-exploited. The consequences of this are not just about food security or the odd snorkel in Cornwall. What we forget (even when we are trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change) is that healthy oceans absorb half the CO2 that we produce. So what happens when the planets lungs pack up? Fortunately the UK has a unique chance to make sure we never have to find out. With nearly 18,000 km of mainland coastline, we have the widest range of marine habitats in Europe. And with 14 Overseas Territories, our total marine estate is the fifth largest in the world. We are one of the worlds most significant marine custodians, and are uniquely placed to show leadership on this global issue. Conservative Environment Network (CEN) MPs recently met with the Secretary of State to make the exactly this case so I was delighted by the Chancellors pledge in the Spring Statement to protect the waters around Ascension Island, one of our Overseas Territories and a biodiversity jewel in the crown. This announcement will form part of the UKs hugely important Blue Belt programme, and is a massive step forward for ocean conservation. Ascension Island, as Lewis Pugh has pointed out, is a rare survivor of extraordinary abundance in a sea of decline. It harbours the second-largest green turtle breeding population in the Atlantic, an entirely unique frigate bird species and some of the largest recorded Atlantic blue marlin. The Atlantic waters around Ascension literally teem with life, in a Biblical way that is foreign to modern generations. And now it will become the largest marine reserve in the Atlantic. It will become another step towards our goal to establish a Blue Belt of over four million square kilometres of marine protected areas (MPAs). Heroic organisations brought together by Great British Oceans have pointed out that all this can be protected from just 50p per square kilometre per year. That is a total of just 2 million for the Ascension Island. And included in this price is a critical level of protection for a sustainable local economy that relies on local natural resources. Ascension Island simply could not afford to fund a project like this, despite knowing how important a healthy ocean is to their island economy. The UK is at the forefront in establishing MPAs, with almost 300 sites established so far. Now we must continue to work closely with our international friends to spread this model through programmes like the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance. Commonwealth friends have some of the largest coastlines in the world, including Canada at 202,080 kilometers, and Australia at 25,760 kilometers. We need to work with governments, scientists, NGOs, universities and local communities in these countries to spread the idea of a Blue Belt and to safeguard our oceans for future generations. For it is only by granting special protection that we can properly monitor and measure the full value of marine environments, and incorporate them into all aspects of policy-making. New and improved understanding of our oceans will allow us to demonstrate their vital importance and help us to set new ambitions and global benchmarks. Our new network of MPAs will help oceans to begin to recover their health so that our children and grandchildren can learn how to draw down on the riches of the sea sustainably. In places as far away as Antarctica, and the Pacific and Indian Oceans, we have a unique opportunity to protect precious marine habitats using local knowledge, world-leading science and global leadership. Yesterday the tide turned on Ascension Island; tomorrow it will turn on the world. Its the end of the first week of Theresa Mays talks with Jeremy Corbyn and the comrades. How is it going? Not well, according to Labour, who unsurprisingly dont appear that keen on giving their opponent what she wants, when they could instead play willing and deepen the crisis engulfing the Prime Minister. Keir Starmer is telling all and sundry that the Government is not willing to change its position, or even the wording of the deal, suggesting all that is on offer are reassurances. Perhaps thats spin, or perhaps its true. It would, of course, be very unwise for the Prime Minister to start promising Starmer any of the many bad ideas which he would love to secure from her (not that unwisdom makes something impossible in this Downing Street). But that does rather raise the question of why she opened the door to Labour in the first place. As this site expected, doing so has incurred a sizeable cost infuriating many of her MPs, party members and voters, and running directly contrary to the entirely reasonable message that Corbyn must never be allowed near the levers of power. Nigel Adams cited her decision to work with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first in his resignation letter, and plenty of others either share his distaste or view the decision as a strategic blunder (or both). Paying the political price of this decision, only to find that there appear to be no actual benefits to it because Labour are unlikely to want to be helpful, and because their idea of helpful is neither acceptable nor desirable in the Governments eyes is the worst of both worlds. The only person who has gained so far is Corbyn, who accrues a little more legitimacy, and walks a little taller, when a Tory Prime Minister comes begging for his help. And thats bad news all round. 100% Website gouts-et-terroirs.ch uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 57499 bytes (56.15 kb uncompressed) and 10359 bytes (10.12 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-01-20, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 60% Website korabli.eu uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 48911 bytes (47.76 kb uncompressed) and 12679 bytes (12.38 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-12-04, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. If we've proven anything in the last seven nuclear meltdowns, nothing spurs evolution more than a bunch of rude humans wrecking the place up. That's why some critters have decided to skip the natural struggle altogether, and focus instead on finding ways to make it in the big city. Like ... 5 Bears Are Exploiting A Hunting Rule To Better Care For Their Cubs Aside from trying to keep your stockpile of pic-a-nic baskets safe, there really isn't a good reason left to hunt bears. Nonetheless, shooting the big salmon suckers remains a popular pastime in Sweden, which apparently hasn't gotten Netflix yet. But there are a set of limits to the practice which change the ways bears are hunted, and which hunters should probably memorize. Because the bears certainly have. One of the most important rules in bear hunting is never killing a mama bear still raising her cubs. Anytime a hunter sees a group of tiny bear brats following their target, they have to back off. And the bears, using their instinctual ability to sense legal loopholes, have adapted to this by caring for their cubs longer. Like, a whole year longer, which in bear years is the equivalent of guilting your 18-year-old into going to the nearby community college so they don't have to move out. The Le Bougainville and the Le Dumont dUrville are edging closer to their deliveries, under construction at VARD in Norway. The Le Bougainville is set to leave the yard in April, while the Le Dumont dUrville is poised for an August delivery. Both ships are part of Ponant's six ship Explorer class, with two ships delivered last year and another two 184-guest ships set to follow in 2020. The Norwegian Joy is out of the drydock in Singapore and heading for the West Coast ahead of her debut into the booming Alaska cruise market. After a year-and-a-half in the Chinese cruise business, the ship has been Westernized and will sail from Seattle for the summer season. MJM Marine was appointed as the main outfitting contractor by Norwegian Cruise Line for the refurbishment of Norwegian Joy as the company played the lead role in the design, manufacture, installation and project management of the interior refit of the ship. While work began in early March in China, the ship's Pacific crossing will be a working event with no guests, with interior renovations set to conclude later this month as the ship reaches Seattle. Among new shows for guests will be Footloose along with the aerial acrobatics show, Elements, and the wine-tasting comedy, Wine Lovers: The Musical. Photos: Singapore Cruise Society by Mathias Hariyadi Starting with a photograph and an initial, the nun was able to find the woman. J.M. could not remember her family or native village. East Nusa Tenggara is the Indonesian province most affected by human trafficking. Since 2014, more than 2,600 Indonesian migrants have either died or gone missing. Jakarta (AsiaNews) An Indonesian woman who left for Malaysia in search of fortune and went missing 14 years ago was able to hug her elderly father again (picture 1) thanks to the incredible efforts of Sister Laurentina (picture 2), a member of the Sisters of Divine Providence (PI). The story started in Kupang, capital of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), an Indonesian province on the border with East Timor. "I receive a phone call from the BP3TKI, the Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers. Can you help us get information on a missing Indonesian migrant? the official asked. We only have her initial." A small photograph and the letter J are the only clues Sister Laurentina received. The nun is troubled, but not by what or whom she had to find. A second phone call came to complicate things. She is told that the woman in question might be in a medical centre run by the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The woman cannot remember either her family or her place of birth. Thanks to the police commander of the district of Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) and another local source, Sister Laurentina managed to discover the first letter of her surname: M. Thanks to this information, she was able to identify a village with residents whose surname had the same initial. The settlement is very far from Kupang. "It takes almost six hours by car to reach the local parish. From there we must continue for another three hours, then leave the car and walk along mountain paths, the nun said. In December 2018, Sister Laurentina travelled to Timor Tengah Selatan to visit the village of Oenlansi along with Fr Eko Aldianto, from the Commission for Justice, Peace and Care of Migrants of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI). This was the right chance to reach the village of the missing young woman. "Together with Fr Sebastianus Kefi, the local priest in Oinlansi, we reached the remote place of Obibi, where the settlement is located. The two priests and the nun arrived in Kualiu (picture 2), but there was still one more effort to make: the house they were looking for stood at the top of a steep hill (picture 3). "I was almost out of breath when reached it, Sister Laurentina said. However, the sight of the elderly father was a great relief for me. I was also very moved: the girl's father is sick and lives in a small traditional house. Known as T M, he suffers from a serious leg illness, which does not allow him to walk properly. "Do you have a daughter named J M?" Sister Laurentina asked, showing him the small photograph. A local man offers to translate the nuns request from Indonesian into Dawan, the local language. "Yes, said the elderly gentleman bursting into tears. My family and I don't know anything about her since 2006. Is she alive, dead?" "She is alive, she is in Kuala Lumpur, the nun replied. Soon she will be repatriated. "Sister, please bring her back to me." For Sister Laurentina, "Things were still unclear. I didn't even know if I would ever see the father again. I wanted to tell him yes, I will, but I could not know how the matter would end . . . Then I said: With Gods help, you will meet each other again, she said, a lump in her throat. A friend who works at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) told Laurentina - who has since returned to Kupang that she was not sure that the woman was still in the Kuala Lumpur shelter. For the nun, that led to days of despair. In the following weeks, however, she received an unexpected phone call. Fr Perno told her that he was certain that "the young woman is alive and at in the centre." However, she had some health problems to deal with before returning to Indonesia. Sister Laurentina did not waste time, and immediately contacted the embassy to organise the repatriation. "The young woman arrived in Kupang on 25 March, on a (state carrier) Garuda Indonesia flight," the nun explained. After dealing with some paperwork at the airport, Sister Laurentina immediately set off with J M. The road between Kupang and Timor Tengah Selatan district is long. In Kaileu, the family had waited for J M for 14 years (picture 4). Due to widespread poverty, the remote and predominantly Christian East Nusa Tenggara province is the most affected by human trafficking. In the past, generations of residents have emigrated to Malaysia to work as domestics or on plantations. But in recent years migrant trafficking has increased and more and more young people - especially women - fall into the trap of underpaid work or forced prostitution. According to the BP3TKI, more than 2,600 migrants have died or gone missing since 2014. Finding the latter is almost always impossible, as traffickers change names, birthdays and addresses on migration papers. The Church is one of the few institutions trying to prevent and counter the problem. Some priests and nuns have dedicated their lives to this mission. Sister Laurentina has been crisscrossing the region in 2012 to inform villagers about the dangers of trafficking. She began to help victims directly in 2014, at the Migrant Care Centre in Jakarta. Since 2017 she has been the anti-trafficking coordinator for the island of Timor and is head of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) of the Archdiocese of Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara. Currently, she is also involved with KWIs Commission for Justice, Peace and Care of Migrants. One of the tasks her Order has assigned her is caring for victims who return to their villages from abroad. But not everyone can return: some die in accidents or from illnesses; others because of negligence and abuse. "For this reason, she noted, in addition to offering comfort to survivors of human trafficking, my job is also to receive coffins at the airport and deliver the remains of those who did not make it to their families. NEW MILFORD A traditional seder encourages Jews to envision themselves as the slaves who fled Egypt thousands of years ago, but on Thursday the women at the seder table were able to see themselves. Temple Sholom held its first womens seder, changing the words to honor the women in the Exodus story and connect it to modern Jewish women. A change from the traditional Haggadah that focuses on the men, such as Moses. The traditional Haggadah asks us, Why is this night different from all other nights? Debbie Heckmann, a committee member, told the 25 women seated around a long table. Tonight is different from all other nights because tonight we join as one community of modern women, together as one group, as women at the table. At Thursdays womens seder, the traditional four sons became four daughters; the four questions examined what the Exodus story means for women today and Elijiahs cup of wine was replaced with Miriams cup of water. Miriam, Mosess sister, is often associated with water and even is believed to have had a well that followed her as the Israelites left Egypt and crossed the desert. She is considered to be a central part of the story, though never mentioned in the traditional Haggadah. The traditional song Dayenu, which translates to it would have been enough, listed ways for women to lighten their load, including only serving on one volunteer committee, working 45 hours a week instead of 60 and buying a dessert instead of making one from scratch. The 10 plagues were adapted to take on modern symbols, including a lack of affordable housing, climate change, gun violence, childhood hunger and domestic violence. We have these 10 contemporary plagues that very often affect women, Breznick said. The Haggadah built on the women who came before, including Miriam, the midwives Shifra and Puah, the daughters of Zelophehad who demanded their inheritance rights and the suffragettes of the early 1900s. Womens seders have been around since the 1970s. Joan P. Ivler, a committee member for this event, had participated in one on Long Island about 20 years ago and suggested Temple Sholom have one, building on the popularity of womens events. She suggested it after services one day in January and Heckmann and Cantor Laura Breznick readily agreed. Breznick then spent the next three months or so crafting the Haggadah with the committee so that it would speak to the group of women. It was a journey, to say the least, Breznick said. It was a labor of love. Heckmann said the event is designed to open the table to not only members of the synagogue but the surrounding community, including to those who arent Jewish. Its really about building community, she said. Thats what were trying to do. The organizers said the events attendance exceeded their expectations. Gretchen OShea, of New Milford, said she came because Ivler is her neighbor and the two had been planning to attend each others services for a while. OShea, an Episcopalian, said she appreciated learning about Passover and the corresponding traditions, as well as a deeper exploration of the Exodus story, which is in the Old Testament of the Bible. She attended a seder years ago at a Catholic church in Washington, but this was her first Jewish seder. It was a great experience, but it wasnt the real thing like this is, OShea said. I feel like Im at the authentic thing. The womens seder is designed to compliment the traditional family seder, which will happen in two weeks when Passover begins. Hannah Schear, one of the other guests at the womens seder, said she enjoyed adding this to the mix with the traditional seder. Its great, she said. Its nice when we get together. She said the woman-centered twist also inspired reflection. Ive been thinking about the women who need our help and dont have the advantages we have in the U.S., Schaer said. The organizers are already looking ahead to the possibility of another womens seder. Normally, we say Next year in Jerusalem, but I say Next year, here, Breznick said at the end of the night. Let this be the beginning of our womens seder journey. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345 SEYMOUR After the death of a retired town police officer, the Seymour Police Department remembered his 19 years of service with the department in a post on Facebook. Retired Seymour Police Officer James L. Martin, 77, of Beacon Falls, died Tuesday at his home surrounded by his family, an obituary said. Martin was born in Norwalk on July 20, 1941. Jim proudly served his country as a member of the United States Marine Corps, obtaining the rank of Lance Corporal, the obituary said. Upon his retirement from military service, Jim went on to a career in law enforcement. He was an officer for the Auxiliary Connecticut State Police, the Oxford Police Department, the Beacon Falls Police Department, the Southbury Police Department and the Seymour Police Department, the obituary said. The Seymour Police Department said of Martins 30-year career in law enforcement, he spent 19 of those years serving on the Seymour police force. The Officers of the Seymour Police Department extend their heartfelt condolences to the Martin family, the department said in a Facebook post. Among the awards Martin received were National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Citation for Meritorious Service from the Connecticut State Police, Exemplary Performance of Duty from the Connecticut State Police and Citation for Distinguished Service from the Town of Seymour. But above all else, Martin loved spending time with his family and friends, the obituary said. He will be sadly missed by all, but will remain forever in our hearts, it said. Martin is survived by his wife of 25 years, Mary Babineau Martin, his children, his brothers, his grandchildren and his great-granddaughter. Calling hours for friends and relatives will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 at the Miller-Ward Funeral Home in Seymour. There will be a funeral service held with full military honors on Friday, April 12 at 1 p.m. in the Chapel of the State Veterans Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane in Middletown. In lieu of flowers, Martins family asks for memorial donations made in Martins honor to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Donations can be mailed to 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle, VA, 22172 or online at www.marineheritage.org. This WWII vet wants to find, thank the girls who gave him a gift news SPRINGFIELD A detective with the Upper Chichester Township Police Department is facing felony charges connected to an alleged off-duty, drunk driving crash in which he reportedly struck a pedestrian, seriously injuring the man, and then left the scene, according to court documents. John Peter Montgomery Jr., 49, a veteran of the force, was charged with aggravated assault while driving under the influence, a second-degree felony, and accidents involving death or personal injury, a third-degree felony. If convicted, he would face a possible maximum prison sentence of 10 years for the DUI charge, and seven years for the accidents charge, which requires motorists to stop their vehicle at the scene of an accident. He is also charged with driving under the influence as a stand-alone offense. Montgomery, of Aston, is a veteran criminal investigator with the Upper Chichester department, who has also worked with the Delaware County District Attorneys Criminal Investigation Unit on narcotics cases in the past, according to press reports. He was arrested on Jan. 16, 10 days after the crash. The arrest, by Cpl. Michael Santos with the state police barracks at Media, was not publicly reported at the time. It came one month before the township began dealing with the tragic consequences of a drunk driver who slammed into the car of a Brookhaven couple, killing the wife and seriously injuring her husband. A preliminary hearing for Montgomery is set for Thursday, April 11, before Magisterial District Judge James Merkins of Springfield. The attorney listed as representing Montgomery, Mark Much of Media, did not return telephone calls Friday seeking comment. A spokesman for the state Attorney Generals Office, Joe Grace, confirmed that the state is prosecuting the case, on a referral from the Delaware County District Attorneys Office because of an unspecified conflict of interest. A spokeswoman for the Delaware County District Attorneys Office did not return a call seeking comment. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Christopher Phillips. Attorney Michael Pierce of the law firm of Pierce & Hughes of Media, the Upper Chichester solicitor, said the township would have no comment on the charges pending against Montgomery. It was on his own time, in his private vehicle, Pierce said of the crash. It is an ongoing investigation that is being handled by the Attorney Generals Office. Pierce said that Montgomery had been placed on limited duty, but that he was still working a non-patrol shift with the department. He will be allowed to maintain that status until the final disposition of the criminal charges against him, the solicitor said. According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Santos was called to investigate a one-vehicle crash in the 2800 block of Larkin Road in Upper Chichester at 11:22 p.m. on Jan. 9. Santos was told that the operator of the vehicle was an off-duty Upper Chichester officer and that he had struck a pedestrian. The scene of the crash is a residential area south of Route 322, about two miles from Montgomerys home address. When Santos responded, he encountered Montgomery with an Upper Chichester officer at the intersection of Chichester Avenue and Chelsea Parkway, about 1 1/2 miles from the spot where the pedestrian was allegedly struck. When he spoke with Montgomery, he noticed that the driver had bloodshot and glassy eyes, and had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Asked what had happened, Montgomery allegedly told Santos that he had been driving his Ford 150 pickup truck on Larkin Road when he struck what he thought was a deer. He said that he turned around to check what had happened, but did not see anything. He drove away, but was stopped by an Upper Chichester patrol officer a short time later and detained. Santos wrote in his complaint that Montgomery admitted to having had a couple of beers at a friends house earlier that evening, but nothing since crashing. Santos asked Montgomery to perform two field sobriety tests, and the suspect showed signs of impairment in doing so, according to the affidavit. A preliminary breath test showed a positive result for the presence of alcohol. Montgomery was then taken into custody and transported to the Media barracks, where he was given another breath test, which reportedly showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.143, more than the legal limit of 0.08. In the complaint, Santos said that the victim of the crash was taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, where he was admitted for treatment of serious injuries, including a broken right clavicle and a broken left fibula. The 43-year old victim in the case, whose name was not listed in the complaint, said he had been walking on Larkin Road wearing reflective bands around his legs and a flashing red light on his back when he was struck from behind. The impact of the crash broke off the side-view mirror of Montgomerys pickup truck. The scene of the crash is less than four miles from where David Strowhouer, a Willistown man with five prior DUI convictions, allegedly struck a car near the CSX railroad crossing on Market Street on Feb. 16, killing 45-year-old Deana Eckman of Brookhaven and seriously injuring her husband, Christian Eckman. Strowhouer, who admitted to driving heavily earlier in the day, is currently in Delaware County Prison awaiting trial on third-degree murder and homicide by vehicle while DUI charges. For most of her premiership, Theresa May refused to rule out a hard Brexit. No deal is better than a bad deal was her mantra, endlessly repeated. It made her the heroine of the Tory partys hard Brexiteers. She consolidated this position with her Lancaster House speech in January 2017, when she set out her vision of the future of Britain outside the single market, outside the customs union and, of course, no longer subject to the European Court of Justice. Continuing to entertain the prospect of a No Deal was a crucial part of Mrs Mays strategy of keeping the Tory party together. The Prime Minister is conscious that Europe has broken the last three Conservative prime ministers. She did not want to be remembered as the leader of the Tory party which finally and decisively split over the European Union. But even more importantly, nor does she want to be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Theresa May did not want to be remembered as the leader of the Tory party which finally and decisively split over the European Union. But even more importantly, nor does she want to be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom According to numerous sources Ive spoken to this week, that is why, after the historic seven-hour long Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister effectively ruled out a No Deal Brexit in her statement to the nation. It was a momentous occasion in which she tore up her long-standing political strategy. She would no longer be pressing on with her vision of Brexit with the support of (some of) the Conservative party and its Democratic Unionist Party allies alone. Instead she was turning her back on many of her own Tory supporters and, by inviting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to participate in talks, looking towards gaining Labour votes for her deal instead. The brutal conclusion must be that Mrs May is going to find it very difficult to keep the Tory party together. She knows that perhaps half of her backbench MPs will vote against a customs union, which is the likely outcome of any deal with Jeremy Corbyn. But for the sake of delivering Brexit, she has risked her dream of Tory unity because patriotism comes first. I am told that she first woke up to the huge dangers inherent in a No Deal Brexit on her visit to Northern Ireland in February. She returned deeply shaken after being warned that a hard Brexit would lead, as night follows day, to the destruction of the United Kingdom. If any one thing changed the Prime Ministers mind, it was this, a Downing Street source told me. She was told of the tensions that No Deal would cause. Sinn Fein has already been campaigning for a fresh referendum on Northern Irelands future in the United Kingdom. She knows that perhaps half of her backbench MPs will vote against a customs union, which is the likely outcome of any deal with Jeremy Corbyn. But for the sake of delivering Brexit, she has risked her dream of Tory unity because patriotism comes first May was told that pressure for such a poll would become irresistible if a hard border was put up between the North and South in the event of No Deal such an arrangement would breach the Good Friday Agreement. Furthermore, sentiment is changing in Northern Ireland. They have seen the rebirth of prosperity in the South due largely to the largesse of the EU and they want the same. It is by no means certain that the Unionists support will hold. Meanwhile, a No Deal Brexit would trigger calls for another EU referendum in Scotland, which overwhelmingly voted Remain and, many believe, would re-ignite calls for independence. In light of this, it is scarcely surprising that there are widespread rumours among senior ministers that the Queen herself has expressed concern as well she might about the future of the Union. It is, of course, the case that the weekly meetings between the Queen and her Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace are entirely private. But Palace sources told me yesterday that it was impossible that the Queen would have made such an intervention in British politics. That may well be the case, but I can reveal the contents of another private conversation that has certainly contributed to the Prime Ministers thinking. Recently, she had a 20-minute conversation with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who took the opportunity to warn her of the dire consequences of Brexit. A hard Brexit would be immoral because of the economic impact on poorer people, he said. Mrs May is the daughter of the Reverend Hubert Brasier, the former vicar of St Marys in Wheatley, Oxfordshire. These sombre words struck home. She knows that perhaps half of her backbench MPs will vote against a customs union, which is the likely outcome of any deal with Jeremy Corbyn. But for the sake of delivering Brexit, she has risked her dream of Tory unity because patriotism comes first. Pictured: Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer after a meeting with Theresa May It is fair to say the woman who has been derided for so long as stubborn beyond imagining has not only changed her political strategy regarding a hard Brexit, she has also changed her mind. Hence her letter yesterday to the EU President Donald Tusk requesting a further delay to Brexit until June 30. Initially, it seemed there was grounds for optimism. Even before the letter was dispatched, Tusk himself was suggesting a 12-month Brexit flextension. Unfortunately, other EU leaders proved less sympathetic yesterday with the Germans, Dutch and French questioning a fresh Brexit delay when Britain has no credible new plan. As I write, only six days remain until Britain is set to leave the EU by automatic operation of law unless there is some extraordinary intervention or more hardline Brexiteers and the DUP suddenly see sense and back Mrs Mays withdrawal deal. Of course, the PM may, against all odds, be successful in coming to an agreement with Jeremy Corbyn sufficient to get her deal through. But I am pessimistic. Remember Mrs May has pledged to resign the moment that Britain leaves the EU. There will then be a leadership contest which is highly likely to be won by a hard Brexiteer who would immediately set about pulling to pieces whatever commitments she had made to get Labour votes. This is why those around the Labour leader warn him not to trust Mrs May, however well-intentioned she may be. Terrifyingly, we remain too close to the cliff edge. Chaos and confusion still reign. And I fear that not even the Archbishop of Canterbury can dispel them. In the same week that he tried (and failed) to recruit Sky News presenter Kay Burley as his Press secretary, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt successfully hired human rights barrister Amal Clooney as his special envoy on media freedom. No doubt, when the Prime Minister inevitably steps down, Clooney will be swiftly drafted into Hunts leadership campaign team. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt successfully hired human rights barrister Amal Clooney as his special envoy on media freedom Hunt should, of course, be careful. The last Tory politician to go on a celebrity hiring spree was William Hague first with Olympic athlete Lord Coe, as his chief of staff, then with Hollywood siren Angelina Jolie on a sexual violence initiative. Unsurprisingly, neither ploy went down well with the public. The truth hurts for Brexiteers who try to fake a poll position Thursday saw senior Brexiteers such as former cabinet minister Peter Lilley as well as 25 Labour MPs claim a new poll showed the majority of the public wants a No Deal Brexit. As so often with hardcore Brexiteers, they were being disingenuous. Indeed, so misleading were they that the pollster YouGov issued a statement explaining that the opposite was true: Only 25 per cent of people would consider a No Deal Brexit to be a positive outcome. Twice as many (50 per cent) would see it as a negative, and 37 per cent as a very bad outcome. Even among Leave voters, only half of them see a No Deal conclusion as positive. That the No Deal brigade should resort to blatant falsehoods shows how desperate they have become. According to the Conservative magazine, The Spectator, embittered Tory rivals have dubbed Home Secretary Sajid Javid Sajid Chavid. Why? Because despite being Culture Secretary four years ago, he has never seen an opera, apparently. These Tory snobs evidently forget that, unlike many public school alumni, sons of Pakistani bus drivers rarely have a family box at the Royal Opera House. I have no brief with Javid, but it is disgusting that he should be gratuitously smeared in such an ugly manner. People will call the police for the most bizarre reasons to help solve their problems even if the problems have nothing to do with the law. A hilarious online thread featuring police reports that were published in local newspapers has lifted the lid on what officers have to deal with from their constituents on a daily basis. Officers were called for a number of strange reasons, including one woman complaining about her neighbor leaving the Christmas decorations up and another person reporting the mailman for traveling from mailbox to mailbox. Other situations involved a man calling in because someone stole his Facebook password and ruined his Farmville account, as well as a mom phoning the police to complain about her disobedient children not doing their chores. Ultimately, no one was charged in any of the weird incidents reported. But they still ended up in the local newspapers for other people to enjoy. Bizarre: A hilarious gallery of police reports shows the insane incidents officers put up with on the daily. One police report involved the claim stray cats lived in a mill Suspect: One man decided to phone police because of a 'suspicious' peanut in his backyard Time to go back! Officers arrested a man on cocaine as he was celebrating his completion of a drug rehab program. The program clearly didn't work Priorities! It took one man 18 months before he reported his wife was missing Upset: Another police report involved a man complaining about someone stealing his Facebook password and ruining his Farmville account Very suspect: One person hilariously reported the mailman because they saw the person stopping mailbox to mailbox throughout the neighborhood Important details: Some of the police reports involve hilarious details provided by the person Makes sense: One person reported shots being fired near an active shooting range Your point? Another upset person called the police to express his concern about a 'belligerent squirrel' near his boat dock Unfortunate: One poor woman thought her lack of birthday cards on her birthday were the result of her mail being stolen Rude: Cards will say a plethora of things, and apparently one woman was upset that a card she received told her to close her legs Twins: A caller told police there was an infant in a trash can but it was actually just a burrito Hilarious: A majority of the police reports should the ridiculous things people would complain about to officers Need a fix: Officers received one report of multiple break-ins into a clubhouse. Apparently the person ate hotdogs and watched TV during these break-ins Innovative: One person was reported to the police for holding up a sign that encouraged others to smile Creative: The police reports only got better as they detailed people getting reported for yelling at cats and for faking sick on dates Interesting: In one hilarious incident, the report claimed a duck refused medical treatment Fair: One person's car was reported in the McDonald's parking lot after spending a lot of time there. It turns out the people were just using the restaurant's free WiFi Strange: A woman called the police because she thought her neighbor was in her garage, but it was actually her husband No holiday spirit: Another woman called the police because her neighbor refused to take down the Christmas decorations Scaredy cat: An officer stopped a man running down the street only to discover he was running cause he just watched a scary movie Incredible: A cardboard cutout of Arnold Schwarzenegger was reported to police after people thought it was a real person Never mind: One woman decided to report her boyfriend for taking her car but then changed her mind after he returned it Not good: A police report was filed after someone randomly dug a hole in the street Strange activity: Police responded to a report about someone ringing the doorbell and disappearing only to find a package was left behind by a delivery person A mother-of-two has become an online star thanks to her hilarious photos that candidly depict the daily struggles of motherhood while reminding fans it's OK to not be perfect all of the time. The comical images show social media influencer Sara Emilie Tandberg, 26, from Nittedal, Norway, holding up a series of boards with lettering describing the 'behind-the-scenes' moments of motherhood. Sara's pictures aim to empower women to become comfortable in their own skin, and she even pokes fun at her postpartum body and how her weight has changed throughout her pregnancy. Honest: Sara Emilie Tandberg, 26, from Nittedal, Norway, decided to use her Instagram to detail the behind-the-scene realities of being a mom Lighthearted: The mom-of-two uses her account to poke fun at stuff including her body and the difference between being a mom and being a dad Open book: 'It's OK to talk about stretch marks, weight gain and all the hard things about motherhood,' Sara said and will even talk about breastfeeding Motherhood: Sara is a mother to Liam, three, and nine-month-old Emma (both pictured). They also are featured on her Instagram Some pictures reveal the clear differences between the life of the mom and of the dad; including a board that describes the definition of 'man flu' compared to 'mom flu'. In one image, Sara is nursing her baby with a blanket wrapped her face while holding a board that says 'cover yourself up while breastfeeding.' Sara, who is a mom to Liam, three, and nine-month-old Emma, said she felt so alone during her first pregnancy, and those feelings continued when she became a mom. After she became pregnant with Emma, she decided to set up her Instagram page to empower other moms, so they won't feel as alone as she did. Patience: One of her Instagram posts encouraged women to be patient when attempting to lose weight after giving birth She now has nearly 200K followers and posts humorous images of her family daily. 'When I became a mom to Liam, I was the first one out of all my friends. I had no other moms to talk to, and I felt like I was so alone with the struggles as a new mom,' Sara said. 'So, when I got pregnant with Emma, I wanted to make a difference. There's so much out there that no one talks about regarding motherhood, because people are embarrassed or don't know what's normal. 'I didn't want other people to feel so alone like I did when I first became a mom, so I started my Instagram lifestyle account to show fellow mothers that it's normal to cry, normal to never be in the bathroom alone. 'It's OK to talk about stretch marks, weight gain and all the hard things about motherhood. I also wanted to help people to change their mindset, about the postpartum body and the fact that this is only for a short time of your life, and you will miss it.' 'I made a lot of mom friends, and I talk to a lot of other moms on my social media channels. Sometimes when I post my letter board pictures, I think, "Oh wow, what if I'm the only one and people will be like - what?" 'But so far, that has never have been a problem, and I love to hear stories from other moms and to hear that they feel what I feel, and that we can help each other out.' Incredible: Another one of her posts detailed the difference between when dad has the flu and when mom has the flu Oops! There was no topic about motherhood that Sara was afraid to speak about on her Instagram account True: She and her husband also hilariously depicted how their life has changed since having children Incredible: She now has nearly 200K followers and posts humorous images of her family daily Family life: Not all of her posts are funny. Sara also shares adorable pictures of her family together for her followers Very true: 'I also think it's taboo to talk about how you don't love everything in general, it's OK to say you are exhausted - it does not mean you don't like being a mom,' she said She continued: 'What you can see in my pictures is all sides of "mom life"; the hard and the amazing things. I love to do it with humor, but also some deep important ones. 'My biggest focus is postpartum body, the struggles about how your body changes, how social media often can give you the wrong impression about how life should be. 'I also want to normalize breastfeeding; that people should not be ashamed of needing to do it anywhere.' She has since received an overwhelmingly positive response from her followers, and it has helped her connect with many women in her situation. Sara's aim is to show that it is OK to not be perfect constantly. 'I want to change their mindset when they look in the mirror and see the changes in their body in a positive way,' she said. 'I also think it's taboo to talk about how you don't love everything in general, it's OK to say you are exhausted - it does not mean you don't like being a mom. 'It is OK if your house isn't one-hundred percent clean. We need to love our exceptions and some days, just to take care of the baby is more than enough. Not seeking perfection: Talking about a woman's postpartum body has been a huge focus for her as she feels there is huge pressure for moms to bounce back quickly Amazing: Sara admitted she has received a few negative comments about her posts, most of which are around the ones of her breastfeeding Cuties: She hopes people will realize it is OK to talk about breastfeeding instead of making it this taboo topic Precious moments: 'Follow your own mom heart and don't listen to everyone else,' Sara advised to women. 'Every baby is different, and stop comparing, especially on social media' Compassionate: Sara wanted to use her page to uplift women and make them feel better about the highs and lows of being a mom She continued: 'The toughest challenge is definitely the little sleep you get, and to understand that you can't do it all. Moms are really good at putting themselves down and comparing themselves to others. 'They think they need to have a picture-perfect life. I want to show that if my kids get hot dogs two days in a row, the house is a mess and I didn't shower that's OK. 'I have gotten some few negative comments, mostly about breastfeeding. Some countries have rules for not breastfeeding public, and that's so sad. That must be really hard. 'So, some comments about that I should hide when I breastfeed, but other than that I get really positive comments about how I made their day - and that's why I do this. 'Just remember that your kids won't remember that you are behind on your laundry or didn't clean. They will remember the love, the time you spend with them and other things can wait. 'Follow your own mom heart and don't listen to everyone else. Every baby is different, and stop comparing, especially on social media. 'In 2019 it's so normal to only show the 'picture perfect' side and my goal is to show mom life behind-the-scenes.' Viagra could be used an unlikely treatment for women with the serious pregnancy condition pre-eclampsia, scientists claim. The erection pill could be used to reduce blood pressure in women with a condition which raises it both them and their babies. Pre-eclampsia is a condition which affects around one in every 16 mothers in the UK and increases the risk of pregnancy complications. Kim Kardashian and Mariah Carey famously suffered from the illness which, as well as raising blood pressure, can cause headaches and pain for the mother and raises the risk of the child having a stroke in later life. Viagra is a drug originally designed to tackle angina chronic chest pain but scientists found it gave men erections. Researchers say it could protect babies' hearts in the womb (stock image) Researchers from the University of Mississippi found taking sildenafil citrate the active ingredient in Viagra could protect the heart of unborn babies. In research on rats they found that, when the animals were given sildenafil, their blood pressure rose less when they were exposed to stress created to mimic pre-eclampsia. Traditional blood pressure drugs, or no treatment at all, did not manage to control the blood pressure as well, they found. Children born to mothers with pre-eclampsia have a higher risk of serious illnesses like high blood pressure, kidney disease and stroke as they grow up. Study leader and doctoral student Hannah Turbeville said: 'The ultimate goal of our work is to improve the long-term health of women and children affected by pre-eclampsia. 'There are limited guidelines for addressing the health risks to these groups. 'We hope not only to bring attention to these risks but also to propel research forward that will inform preventative interventions.' In earlier research the same team found sildenafil could successfully treat pre-eclampsia while also decreasing blood pressure in unborn baby rats. Kim Kardashian (left) and Mariah Carey (right) both suffered from pre-eclampsia during their pregnancies as a result, Carey had a c-section delivery after 38 weeks and Kardashian reportedly had labour induced five weeks early This study was designed to test how well the erection drug protected the mother and baby from stressors which increased blood pressure from the outside. Ms Turbeville added: 'Our studies demonstrate the potential for targeted therapy of the nitric oxide pathway to improve the body's response to stressors in the later lives of children of women who experienced pre-eclampsia. 'This pathway plays an important role in improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.' The researchers are now working to better understand the gender-specific response to sildenafil citrate. The findings will be presented at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida this weekend. Elly Neville (pictured), 9, has helped raise a staggering 191,228 over the past three years to go towards improving cancer services at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest At just nine years old, Elly Neville is already a charity champion. The schoolgirl from Pembroke, West Wales, has helped raise a staggering 191,228 over the past three years to go towards improving cancer services at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest and she secured support from Theresa May and the Dalai Lama in the process. It is an achievement all the more impressive because her initial target, set back in 2015, was far more modest. We thought the most we would get would be 50, says her father Lyn, 56, a charity worker who himself had treatment for blood cancer at the hospital in 2005. He says staff at the hospitals oncology unit, known as Ward 10, were always on hand to provide reassurance and support at an anxious and frightening time. We will never forget the care we received. A friend said why not set up an online donation page, and then Elly had an idea. Elly, who was five at the time, had won a school St Davids Day competition for the best collage of the Pembrokeshire flag made with tissue paper and bottle tops. The flag was then raffled, but the winners returned it for Elly to keep, so she decided to use it in the familys fundraising efforts. It was the beginning of the Flying The Flag For Ward 10 campaign, which went on to secure donations from the public and big business. Those who donate to its JustGiving page will be entered into a raffle to win the flag in July. The money Elly has raised will go towards improving cancer services at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest (pictured) In the process, Elly has won an award from Mrs May to recognise outstanding UK volunteers. We started out really wanting to raise cancer awareness as much as funds, says Lyn. Now the Welsh Assembly has agreed to provide funding of more than 3 million to help develop cancer services at the hospital. And weve been told that probably would not have happened without Ellys campaign. We couldnt be more proud of her. For Emma Williams-Tully and her husband Dan, the news that they were expecting a baby was even more emotional than for most newlyweds. Emma had been told many times by doctors that she may never have children because she suffers from a debilitating and painful condition which causes cells from the lining of her womb to grow elsewhere in the body. Endometriosis affects as many as one in ten women in the UK and causes excruciating pain, infertility, extreme fatigue and depression. It had taken Emma, from Wrexham, North Wales, 11 years just to get a diagnosis a common obstacle facing those suffering from the condition. Emma had been told many times by doctors that she may never have children because she suffers from the debilitating and painful condition. But on Valentines Day in 2014, months after their wedding, the couple found out to their joy and astonishment that Emma was pregnant (pictured with her daughter) Since then, she had undergone keyhole surgery four times to remove the excess tissue which left her in such agony she was unable to walk or even leave the house. But on Valentines Day in 2014, months after their wedding, the couple found out to their joy and astonishment that Emma was pregnant. Emma recalls: My consultant said the term miracle baby was often used, but mine really was one. Their daughter, Annabelle, now four, is all the more precious because she will be Emma and Dans only child. After Annabelle arrived, Emma was advised that because her endometriosis was so severe, she should have a hysterectomy, a procedure that can ease the pain for some women. But even that took three seven-hour operations over a 17-month period to complete because of the extent of the damage her condition had wreaked on her organs. The surgery was so complex that it left her with a perforated bowel and severed ureter, and needing a blood transfusion. Frustratingly, it also hasnt made much of a difference, she says. She struggles to take her daughter to the park, is affected by chronic fatigue and pain and is unable to work. Inspired by Marilyn Monroe, who was also a sufferer, Emma (pictured in the calendar) has put together a charity calendar to raise funds for the charity Endometriosis UK But Emma, 33, is determined to raise awareness of endometriosis, and of the 1.5 million women in the UK who are bravely battling the condition. Inspired by Marilyn Monroe, who was also a sufferer, Emma has put together a charity calendar to raise funds for the charity Endometriosis UK. The glamorous retro-themed calendar, shot in a 1950s diner in Blackpool, brought together 11 other women who also suffer from the condition and has already raised more than 4,000. Emma says: Ive always been passionate about raising money for charity but its usually been fundraising at BBQs, that sort of thing. Id just had another bout of surgery and it was a sink-or-swim moment I could feel myself getting really quite depressed about the effect the condition was having on my life. I advertised for models with endometriosis on Twitter and they came from all over the UK. Wed never met before but it felt like wed known each other for our whole lives. It was amazing. I couldnt be more pleased that its helping to raise awareness of this awful condition. In a normal menstrual cycle, the lining of the womb thickens to prepare for a fertilised egg. If a pregnancy does not occur, the lining breaks down and is released. The glamorous retro-themed calendar (inspired by Marilyn Monroe, pictured), shot in a 1950s diner in Blackpool, brought together 11 other women who also suffer from the condition and has already raised more than 4,000 With endometriosis, cells like those in the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the body, including around other internal organs such as the bowel and bladder. These cells are also subject to the hormonal signals that govern the fertility cycle, and break down too, but have nowhere to go and so cause inflammation, pain and the formation of scar tissue. There is currently no cure, and treatment including surgery, hormone therapy and pain relief can only help manage the symptoms, which are often confused with other conditions. It means the average time for a woman to be diagnosed is about seven-and-a-half years. Emmas symptoms began when her periods started at the age of ten. They were immediately extremely heavy and painful, but she was dismissed by doctors who told her it was supposed to hurt. An ultrasound found nothing wrong. She says: I remember sobbing and thinking, whats going on with me? I thought I was losing my marbles. Like many women with gynaecological problems, Emma was prescribed different versions of the contraceptive pill which failed to have any effect. Then a doctor suggested injections which stop the body producing the hormone oestrogen, inducing a false menopause. Oestrogen fuels the spread of endometriosis and the injections, of a drug called leuprorelin (also known by the brand name Prostap), can not only help with the pain but can allow doctors make a formal diagnosis. Despite the terrible emotional side effects and hormonal sweats, Emmas pain subsided indicating that the cause was indeed endometriosis. Emma says: It was on my uterus, bladder, bowel, hips, back, rectum it had spread like wildfire. She has now had nine surgical procedures, including three to remove her womb and ovaries, as the cells continue to multiply. Its completely and utterly debilitating. The damage has been horrific. The toll it has on my life, and on my familys lives, is unspeakable. Im exhausted the pain makes me feel physically ill. Sometimes it feels like its poisoning my body. Id love to be able to go to work, to take Belle to the park without getting exhausted. Despite everything, her message is one of hope. I want to tell women never to give up. Im hopeful well have a cure one day. Were such a strong community, we endo sisters, and its amazing what we can do when we stand together. Emma Cox, chief executive of Endometriosis UK, said: Many women find symptoms difficult to talk about and dont realise what they are suffering from and that the level of pain they experience is not normal. As the symptoms overlap with other conditions, cases continue to go under-diagnosed. The calendar shoot will undoubtedly help normalise invisible menstrual conditions like endometriosis, and raise the vital awareness that the condition needs to help drive down alarming diagnosis times. The Endometriosis UK calendar costs 7.99 and is available from endometriosis-uk.org/calendar-girls. Ever wonder why you have an appendix? It has long been dismissed as a useless evolutionary left-over, but the appendix may actually have a very important role. According to researchers from Midwestern University in Arizona, the worm-shaped organ helps the body recover from stomach bugs. The scientists claim that the appendix is a safe house for good bacteria, with beneficial bugs taking refuge there when bad bacteria are overrunning the gut, ready to recolonise the digestive system after the infection eases. Support for the theory comes in studies showing that people who have had their appendix removed take longer to recover from stomach bugs. Health hacks: Take a hot bath to cut your risk of a stroke A long soak in a hot bath five times a week could cut your risk of having a stroke and its not just because its so relaxing. A Japanese study of more than 800 people aged 55 to 77 found those who regularly soaked at 41C had healthier arteries. The team from Kyoto University concluded that being immersed in hot water may increase blood flow to the heart and ease the opening and closing of blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and the risk of stroke. A long soak in a hot bath five times a week could cut your risk of having a stroke and its not just because its so relaxing Yes please: Energy boost vitamin tea Cant stomach vitamin pills? Try sipping your daily nutrients instead, in this raspberry and pomegranate tea packed with fatigue-fighting B12, B6, thiamin and riboflavin. 3.95, vitabiotics.com As a trained Army sniper in peak physical condition, Marcus Horton was ready for action in a war zone at a moments notice. But nothing could have prepared him for the agonising battle he faced after waking one morning in January 2017 to find the whole right side of his face had completely collapsed, leaving him drooling, speechless and unable to close his right eye. I was terrified that Id had a stroke, says Marcus, 31, who was serving with the Royal Welsh Regiment at the time. His quick-thinking fiancee, Hannah, immediately searched his symptoms online and found a perfect match: Bells palsy. Marcus Horton is pictured left before he suffered from Bells palsy. And he's pictured right afterwards The surprisingly common condition occurs when the cranial nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face becomes inflamed. This prevents it from transmitting signals to the muscles around the eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks and forehead, leading to half the face becoming paralysed. It can affect anyone: Hollywood stars Pierce Brosnan, George Clooney and Angelina Jolie are among those who have had it, and recovered. Bells palsy strikes at least 25,000 people a year in the UK the equivalent of nearly 70 every day and is often triggered by something as innocuous as a cold. Marcus had been bedridden with flu just days earlier. More than 70 per cent of sufferers make a complete recovery as long as they are treated with high doses of inflammation-dampening steroid tablets within 72 hours of symptoms appearing. The drugs work by easing the problematic swelling around nerves in the face. Engulfed by crippling depression, in October 2018, Marcus (pictured with Bell's palsy) was medically discharged from the Army, signalling the end of his dream career. He postponed his wedding to Hannah too embarrassed that he would not be able to smile on the big day But after that window of opportunity, the chances of a full recovery plummet because the nerves and muscles can become so damaged that it is impossible to restore them to their full capacity, often leaving sufferers with permanent facial disfigurement that can wreck their lives. When Marcus and Hannah got to Salisbury General Hospital near where he was stationed, doctors initially dismissed the couples suggestion of Bells palsy and tested for meningitis. They drew a complete blank, says Marcus. Then, five days after I was admitted, a specialist from Southampton came to see me. The moment she walked in the door, she said I did in fact have Bells palsy. It was a crushing blow, not least because by then Marcus had missed the vital chance to get the drugs he needed. Over the next two years, he lost vision in his right eye as he was unable to blink and suffered hearing loss and facial pain as a result of the nerve damage. He had to start teaching himself to speak again using YouTube videos. Engulfed by crippling depression, in October 2018, Marcus was medically discharged from the Army, signalling the end of his dream career. He postponed his wedding to Hannah too embarrassed that he would not be able to smile on the big day. It felt like nobody could help me, he says. And it seems Marcus is far from alone. In fact, thousands of Britons are at risk of being disfigured for life as they slip through the medical net and dont receive the right treatment for facial paralysis. Shocking new figures suggest that almost one in five equivalent to about 5,000 people across the UK every year are initially misdiagnosed, delaying their access to vital drugs by weeks or even months and increasing the chances of permanent facial damage. Two-thirds also wait more than a year to see a specialist, despite NHS guidance that patients should be referred within three months. How Bell's palsy can hit your eating, speaking and blinking Bell's palsy can strike in minutes. It occurs when the cranial nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face becomes inflamed. This stops the nerve from sending signals to muscles around the eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks and forehead. Each side of the face has its own nerve and the condition typically affects only one side, usually the right. Paralysis of the eyelid muscles can prevent blinking and mean that the affected eye has to be taped shut overnight. Eye drops are put in daily to stop the eye from drying out. There can also be problems with eating, drinking, speaking and making expressions. The condition occurs mainly between the ages of ten and 40 and is more common during pregnancy and in people with diabetes. Rates tend to be higher in winter when viruses such as those that cause cold sores and flu are more likely to circulate. facialpalsy.org.uk Advertisement According to the new survey of more than 400 patients by the charity Facial Palsy UK, more than 40 per cent of patients who pleaded for help found their GPs were unable to refer them for specialist treatment as they didnt know which was the right doctor to see them. The poll results back up disturbing findings from a 2013 study in the British Medical Journal, which found that as many as 44 per cent of UK Bells palsy patients were not given urgent steroid treatment. Mr Bill Townley, a consultant plastic surgeon at Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust in London and an expert in the condition, says the underlying problem is that many doctors still see it as purely a cosmetic issue when in fact it has devastating physical and mental health consequences. Mr Townley says: Theres no coherent strategy in place nationally, which means hundreds if not thousands of patients each year are left with lifelong facial palsy that could have been avoided with earlier intervention by specialists. About two-thirds of those who are given steroid treatment early will make a full recovery. He says patients who do not respond to rapid steroid therapy can still recover, but this depends on them getting specialist physiotherapy in the first few months after falling ill, when the nerves and muscles in the face are still partially working. Karen Johnson, deputy CEO of Facial Palsy UK, says special exercises can at least partially reverse much of the damage, even years later. The right kind of facial training is crucial, she says. If you suspect you have Bells palsy and your GP is reluctant to refer you to a therapist experienced in the management of it, direct him or her to our website. You may need to insist. Marcus and Hannah did finally wed, in April 2018, despite his fears about his appearance on the big day. He says: I just want my story to help someone else with Bells palsy get the early treatment they need to make a proper recovery. Best-selling author MC Beaton is often described as the queen of cosy crime. Her army of devoted fans cant get enough of the quirky, gently amusing mystery stories about her two beloved characters, Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin, whose battles with poisoned quiches and despicable dustmen have made her one of the top ten most popular authors at British libraries. Not that she appreciates the title. I dont like the word cosy because its patronising, she says firmly. They dont say Agatha Christie is cosy, do they? My books are very easy to read, which means people assume theyre easy to write, which isnt the case. Best-selling author MC Beaton is often described as the queen of cosy crime. Her army of devoted fans cant get enough of the quirky, gently amusing mystery stories At 82, shes earned the right to criticise what she views as condescension about the merits of her work, comfy as it undoubtedly is. The Glasgow-born author, whose real name is Marion Chesney, has written more than 160 novels over the course of a 40-year career and still writes two every year. Her latest, Agatha Raisin And The Dead Ringer, is the 29th in the immensely popular series about a retired PR turned amateur sleuth. Its about bell-ringers a particularly English thing, she says. Theres a nasty bishop and a lot of murders. Agatha begins solving crimes after selling her public relations firm in Londons Mayfair, moving to the Cotswolds to take early retirement. In the 15th book, Agatha Raisin And The Deadly Dance, she sets up her own detective agency, despite the police insisting her crime-solving abilities are sheer luck. Over the series, Agatha has grappled with a litany of rural villainy including a vet murdered with his own horse tranquiliser and a lothario stabbed with the vicars letter-opener. Later this year, a second series of the television adaptation, starring Ashley Jensen as the chain-smoking, killer-heels-wearing sleuth, will be shown on Sky. The first eight-part series of the comedy drama was a hit when it aired in 2016. Its wit, sharp social observations and idyllic Cotswolds setting earned it the description by one reviewer as Desperate Housewives crossed with Midsomer Murders. The inspiration for the first Agatha Raisin book came in 1992 when Beaton was asked to bake something for a charity sale at her sons school. I went to Waitrose and bought a quiche, wrapped it in some greaseproof paper and sold it, she says. It was a great success. When Agatha follows suit, it backfires when the quiche poisons one of the judges. Today, 27 years on, the character is having quite a moment. Her fans include best-selling author Lee Child and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who has spoken of going to bed with an Aggie. Beaton believes the secret to the series popularity lies in its lack of political correctness. Agatha swears, she drinks and she smokes, she says. She wears these very high heels and fur coats and says things I wouldnt say. She has vulnerabilities about ageing and getting a moustache, which women sometimes think theyre the only ones to have experienced. And the stories show village life in the Cotswolds, which is a Britain people think is dead and gone. Were talking at a restaurant in just such a chocolate-box Cotswolds village, close to where shes lived alone since her husband Harry Gibbons, a former journalist, died in 2016. The waspish sense of humour and un-PC attitude loved by devotees of her writing are in evidence during our conversation. When she began writing novels in 1979, she had also spent many years as a journalist, first in Glasgow, where she witnessed terrible poverty in the crime-ridden tenements. There were lots of murders, razor gangs and middle-aged prostitutes with no teeth, she says. It put me off real-life crime. It was so brutal. In the Sixties she worked on Fleet Street, where she got to know the TV presenter Anne Robinson. There were hardly any women, so we became close friends, she says. Ashley Jensen as amateur sleuth Agatha Raisin in the Sky TV series Their friendship has endured; during Beatons successful treatment for breast cancer in 2001, The Weakest Links formidable presenter visited her in hospital regularly. On her way out, shed tell the staff, Do remember that Marions my best friend, and terrify them all to make sure they looked after me well, she says, chuckling. Despite her illness, she only gave up her packet-a-day smoking habit recently. I miss it terribly, particularly when Im writing, she says. I hate the nanny state. Her first forays into fiction were Regency romances, for which she used the pen name Ann Fairfax. Shes disarmingly frank about her motivation, admitting: I was out of work and I needed to pay my sons school fees. Youre not supposed to say you write for money. But Dr Johnson said only a blockhead would write for anything else. You're not supposed to say you write for money, but I needed to pay for my sons school fees It was while she was living in New York in the Eighties that she first had the idea for a series of mystery novels set in the Scottish Highlands, featuring an unambitious but intuitive policeman named Hamish Macbeth. I was desperate to get out of 1811, and I also wanted to write the kind of novels I enjoy reading myself, she says. There wasnt much in between Mills & Boon and the Booker Prize. All I ever wanted to do was tell stories and give some fun to people to pass a wet day or when theyre going through a bad time. The stories were made into a hit BBC series in the Nineties starring Robert Carlyle. Beaton was among the few viewers who didnt like it. The production company sneered at me, and they had my nice policeman smoking pot. I asked Robert Carlyle why and he said, All policemen smoke pot, she says in a tone that reveals her scepticism about this claim. Five other 'cosy crime' novels to enjoy The Stone Circle Elly Griffiths Quercus 18.99 The key to a great cosy series is a lovable central character and theres none more appealing than forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway (not to mention her crew of unlikely helpers). A Shot In The Dark Lynne Truss Raven 12.99 The consistently funny Lynne Truss has launched a new series of cosy crime novels set in Fifties Brighton and evoking the hallowed shades of the Ealing Comedies. The Road To Grantchester James Runcie Bloomsbury 14.99 The brand new prequel to Runcies much-loved series takes Archdeacon Chambers right back to his time as a demobbed young soldier in post-war London. A Quarter Past Dead TP Fielden HQ 8.99 A pitch-perfect tribute to the golden age of British crime writing, as Cornish Riviera reporter Judy Dimont finds trouble in paradise. Auntie Poldi And The Fruits Of The Lord Mario Giordano John Murray 8.99 The second instalment in a charming Sicilian series sees the redoubtable Poldi taking on the Mafia. Theres only ever going to be one winner John Williams Advertisement The Agatha Raisin adaptation, on the other hand, meets with her approval, despite Ashley Jensen bearing no resemblance to the frumpy Agatha of the books. In the books shes 53 with brown hair and comes from Birmingham, whereas Ashleys younger, slimmer, blonde and Scottish. But shes wonderful. Shes funny and she brings a warmth and vulnerability to the part. Happily for fans of the TV series, who are now discovering the books, she has no plans to retire, despite admitting that sometimes, writing is the very last thing she feels like doing. I get a sudden inspiration to defrost the freezer or iron my sheets. But then shell overhear a conversation in the hairdressers or witness a couple arguing in the street and inspiration will strike. As long as I find other people more interesting than I find myself, Ill keep having ideas, she says. Agatha Raisin And The Dead Ringer is out now, published by Constable, priced 8.99. The first series of Agatha Raisin is available on Sky TV. Series two will be on Sky One in July. MC Beaton will be appearing at the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. Tickets on sale from Tuesday Pie Fidelity Pete Brown Particular Books, 16.99 Rating: 'The British Empire was created as a by-product of generations of desperate Englishmen roaming the world in search of a decent meal. The American food writer Bill Marsanos pithy summation of our culinary heritage is the mainspring for Pete Browns quest to discover and codify the nations nine most popular meals, from the humble cheese sandwich, through fish and chips and curry, to the ubiquitous Sunday roast. This mouthwatering menu is rendered even more piquant by his decision to sample an archetypal example of each dish, rather than necessarily the best. Thus he enjoys a sandwich in Sandwich, fish and chips in Blackpool, and searches (largely in vain) for a traditional Soho greasy spoon at which to enjoy a fry-up. The result is part Nigel Slater, part Bill Bryson, and wholly delicious. Pete Brown enjoys a sandwich in Sandwich, fish and chips in Blackpool, and searches (largely in vain) for a traditional Soho greasy spoon at which to enjoy a fry-up 'The British Empire was created as a by-product of generations of desperate Englishmen roaming the world in search of a decent meal. The American food writer Bill Marsanos pithy summation of our culinary heritage is the mainspring for Pete Browns quest The book ends, as it should, with a traditional Sunday roast in this case at The Crown in Woolhope, Herefordshire Its a sign of how readily Britain has appropriated and customised other nations food that so many foreign dishes now make it on to the list, including spag bol (best eaten on a rainy night in November) and, of course, curry, which Brown asserts is not truly an Indian dish Brown hails from Barnsley, where the constituent aroma of the marketplace was that of new wool, fresh meat and hot pastry, and where his dad rented out a chippy to a bloke named Greasy Graham who worshipped the motorcyclist Barry Sheene and adorned the walls of his premises with photos of him. Back then, anything foreign was viewed with suspicion, and a cheese sandwich was two slices of Mothers Pride smeared with Blue Riband marge and covered in Primula (the first time the author cut his sarnies diagonally rather than lengthways his younger brother sneered: Look at you, youve gone all posh). IT'S A FACT Indian-born novelist William Thackeray inflicted a blisteringly hot curry on his anti-heroine Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair. Advertisement But its a sign of how readily Britain has appropriated and customised other nations food that so many foreign dishes now make it on to the list, including spag bol (best eaten on a rainy night in November) and, of course, curry, which Brown asserts is not truly an Indian dish but more an Anglo-Indian creation. The restaurant Al Frash in Birminghams Balti triangle is his destination for a spectacular and scale-buckling vindaloo, and his description of his meal had me reaching for my local takeaway menu before Id finished the chapter. But as Brown notes, the best thing about an Indian meal is its sense of occasion, with its starched white tablecloths, heavy cutlery, and everyone digging in. The style of eating evokes a banquet, he writes, the fizz of the lager, the warm reassurance of the curry means we are all princes and princesses, even if just for an evening. Brown tries everything from the humble cheese sandwich, through fish and chips and curry, to the ubiquitous Sunday roast Funny, informative and written with passion, Pie Fidelity is a love poem to all thats great in British cooking Whats more, eating well and eating British doesnt require you to splash out, if only you know where to look. His trip to Nellys cafe in Ilfracombe for a Devonshire cream tea at only 4.50 (Jam first? Cream first? Who cares?) is contrasted with the farrago of the same dish at the Ritz in London, where gullible tourists are offered a disappointing facsimile for 58. The book ends, as it should, with a traditional Sunday roast in this case at The Crown in Woolhope, Herefordshire, where the beef has hints of butter, iron and caramel, and where the rich Rioja gravy is a meal in itself. Funny, informative and written with passion, Pie Fidelity is a love poem to all thats great in British cooking. Ideal for intimidating political opponents, keeping you calm when on the brink of war and, of course, adding the charisma-boosting factor, too Susan Hope goes for walkies down the corridors of power with historys top dogs Winston Churchill with Rufus II Winston Churchill He may have been famous for his bulldog spirit but Churchill had a soft spot for poodles. A few months after his beloved pet Rufus died in 1947, killed by a bus during a Conservative party conference in Brighton, the former prime minister was given another french miniature poodle, which he named Rufus II. The dog ate in the dining room at Chartwell, Churchills Kent home, along with the rest of the family, and no one was allowed to start until the butler had served Rufuss meal. In fact, Churchill was so conscious of his pets wellbeing that once, while watching the film Oliver Twist with Rufus, during the scene when Bill Sikes is about to drown his dog Bullseye, Churchill covered Rufuss eyes, saying, Dont look now, dear. Ill tell you about it afterwards. John F Kennedy John F Kennedy A huge dog fan, the US president had nine during his time in the White House. When the 1962 Cuban missile crisis kicked off, it was his favourite, a welsh terrier called Charlie (far right), that Kennedy called to the hectic war room to help him relax. When Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave Kennedys daughter Caroline a puppy, because of political tensions at the time, Pushinka as the dog was named had to be checked for listening devices before being allowed to move into the White House. Vladimir Putin with Angela Merkel and Konni Vladimir Putin His love of dogs is well documented, so it is perhaps no surprise that, in 2007, when Russian President Putin met German Chancellor Angela Merkel at his Sochi residence, his large black labrador Konni joined them. Merkel, however, who has a fear of dogs since being bitten by one in the 1990s, looked decidedly uncomfortable. Later, Putin denied rumours that he had used his pooch to intimidate her. Konni died in 2014 but Putin owns several other dogs including a sarplaninac puppy called Pasha given to him in January by Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic. Barack Obama The Obamas with Bo (right) and Sunny After promising his daughters Malia and Sasha that they would get a dog after the election, US President Barack Obama made good his pledge when Bo joined the family at the White House in 2009, followed by Sunny in 2013. The portuguese water dogs became so in demand with the press that, like the president, they were given their own schedules. In her recent memoir, Michelle Obama revealed that the dogs were like stand-ins for their daughters. Knowing that Malia and Sasha were off-limits, the White House communications teams began requesting the dogs for official appearances, says Michelle. They made excellent ambassadors, impervious to criticism and unaware of their own fame. Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Lucky The US presidents dog Lucky arrived at the White House in 1984. According to first lady Nancy, Lucky grew from a ball of fluff to the size of a pony. The pooch was a bouvier des flandres, a powerful breed, and there are many pictures of Reagan walking Lucky or rather being dragged along after him including one with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1985. Lucky (named by Nancy in honour of her mother, Edith Luckett Lucky Davis) later went to live at the Reagans ranch in California. George and Laura Bush with Barney George W Bush The US president and first lady Laura owned scottish terriers Barney and Miss Beazley. According to their daughter Jenna, Barney, who died in 2013, was a real jerk. She said, He didnt like strangers and he actually bit one of my dads friends not once, but twice. When President Putin met Barney, Bush got the distinct feeling that the Russian wasnt impressed. A year later in Moscow, this suspicion was confirmed when, Bush says, Putin introduced me to his dog a huge hound, comes bounding across the lawn and he says, Bigger, stronger and faster than Barney. Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron and Nemo The French president and his wife got their labrador-griffon from an animal shelter in 2017. Following the Central Canine Society of Frances rules that pedigree dogs born in 2017 should have a name starting with N, they called him Nemo. The dog hit the news later that year when he was filmed urinating on a fireplace in the Elysee palace during a government meeting. Harold Wilson and Paddy The former British prime ministers golden labrador Paddy was unfairly blamed for tripping and almost drowning his master while on holiday in the Scilly Isles in 1973. Wilson fell overboard while trying to get out of his dinghy and had to be rescued by passers-by. How does a programme reach through the television screen to its audience? Especially when that viewer is a child the most discerning and easily distracted audience ever. The programme has to talk only to them and make them feel special. There may be a grown-up in the room, but the successful childrens show has to reflect their curiosity, their sense of fun and their hopes for the future without judgment or irony. If you add animals to the mix, theyve got to be loyal and messy, lovable and unpredictable just like real pets (and children, come to that). And you have to make sure you pair them with an owner who is all that and more. John Noakes and Shep both loved it when things went wrong and appropriately always cheered on the underdog Blue Peter got the mix exactly right and the result was magical. From their first appearance together in September 1971, John Noakes and Shep were the perfect double act. Johns boyish enthusiasm was easily matched by his border collies appetite for life as evidenced in that familiar catchphrase: Get down, Shep! The two of them could be very naughty. They both loved it when things went wrong and appropriately always cheered on the underdog. The questioning of authority and rules that made John so watchable, so funny and so influential was replicated in his devoted pets behaviour. And Shep was his pet make no mistake about it. No just on camera, then off with a handler stuff here. It was a real, 24-hours-a-day relationship with that much sought-after quality: chemistry. Like all the best partnerships, they knew each other well and loved each others work. Live television can be chaotic but nothing fazed these two and because they were so at ease, we could relax as well. Not all dogs take to the studio. Hardly any presenters live on in so many memories. I can see them, playful and unforgettable, in countless joyful recordings but, most of all, I hold them in my heart. Actor Martin Freeman Also that month... Dressing little Betty in pyjamas, pooch playdates Has our dog-loving obsession gone too far? Introducing this weeks special issue, Michael Hogan reveals just how canine crazy weve become We call ourselves proud parents and refer to them as our babies. We agonise over their names, splash our cash on the latest kit and spoil them rotten. We dress them in jumpers that match our own and make them pose for social media pics. We build our lives around them. Of course you know Im not talking about our children Im talking about dogs. As a nation, we Brits have always been dog-mad, but in recent times this has spiralled into full-on obsession. Im as guilty as anyone. We adopted a rescue puppy from the Dogs Trust charity a year ago: a staffie cross called Betty. Within hours of her turning our household upside down, we couldnt imagine life without her. Todays dogs can lead almost an identical life to their owner drinking, dining, even going to the office with them I tell myself were sensible owners who treat Betty like the dog she is. She sleeps in a basket, not our bed. She fetches sticks and splashes in puddles. She rarely gets picked up, let alone put in a handbag. She isnt allowed scraps from our table, no matter how much she pleads. Yet, deep down, I know Ive become a dog bore. I post more photos of Betty than is necessary. I talk about her not to mention to her more than is probably healthy. And Im not the only one. Todays dogs can lead almost an identical life to their owner drinking, dining, even going to the office with them. Dogfriendly.co.uk lists thousands of pup-welcoming pubs, many laying on special menus, treats and bowls of water. Ditto dog-friendly cafes, which serve the likes of pupcakes. Both dog and owner can then work it all off with dog yoga (aka doga). Dog-friendly holidays are doing brisk business, thanks to websites such as PetsPyjamas.com. If youre more of a festival type, try Dogstival in the New Forest. And for fashionistas there was last months London Dog Week. The hound pound is worth a fortune. Data research firm Mintel estimates that Britons spent 1.7 billion on pets in 2018 and predicts a 25 per cent increase over the next four years. Much of this spending will go on doggy daycare services. Career advisers take note: the future is canine. Its cash-rich, time-poor millennials aged 19 to 38 who are the most likely to lavish money on their pets, fuelling sales of everything from nonalcoholic pawsecco wine to pooch PJs. Why is this generation so canine-crazed? Well, I was only half joking when I said that dogs are the new babies. As we not only have fewer children but leave parenting until later in life, theres more time for four-legged additions to the family. Some couples view having a dog as a test run for parenthood. Tom Hardy and Kylie Jenners dogs have attracted almost as many column inches as their owners TV presenter Ant McPartlin is in a custody dispute with ex-wife Lisa Armstrong over their labrador Hurley Dog names have also become as competitive as childrens. The current trend is for ones befitting a Downton Abbey servant, such as Mabel, Ethel, Alf or Stanley. Our Betty often plays in the park with Reggie, the staffordshire bull terrier owned by Primal Screams Bobby Gillespie. As they gambol around together, I invariably point out that Reg and Bet sound like an old couple off EastEnders. Similarly, it has become a ritual to visit friends with new puppies, bearing gifts and cooing adoringly. Once they get older, there are doggy playdates. All this humanisation of hounds has led to the rise of such icky terms as fur baby and women describing themselves as mummy to a dog. However, using such lingo isnt as tragic as it sounds if youre looking for love on dating apps. One survey found that 69 per cent of women and 38 per cent of men got more matches by adding a dog pic. An affinity for dogs tends to suggest youre nurturing. And dog ownership makes men more attractive, hence the Hot Dudes with Dogs Instagram account. Indeed, mutt-mania is furthered by those juggernauts of the 21st century: social media and celebrity culture. Ariana Grande, Tom Hardy and Kylie Jenners dogs have attracted almost as many column inches as their owners. Oscar-winner Olivia Colman goes everywhere with her border terrier Alfred, Lord Waggyson. When famous couples break up, the latest battleground is over who gets the dog. TV presenter Ant McPartlin is in a custody dispute with ex-wife Lisa Armstrong over their labrador Hurley. Similarly, married YouTube superstars Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman are co-parenting their sausage dog Martha since splitting up. Almost half of new pups now get their own Instagram profile. The most popular attract millions of followers and lucrative sponsorship deals. Who needs Kardashians when you could have dachshunds? Insta-hot breeds include bulldogs, pugs and chihuahuas. Other It-breeds? Labradoodles, french bulldogs, whippets, schnauzers and cockapoos. Talking of which, the next mixed breeds predicted to be big are (deep breath) puggles, pomchis, yorkiepoos, sprockers and goldendoodles. Ill let you work out what theyre a cross between. Dogs are the perfect antidote to loneliness, providing love and physical contact, while walking them promotes social connection spontaneous small talk is all part of being out and about with a dog. The rise in working from home is another reason for the increase in dog ownership. In turn, this has led to many offices, including Amazon and Google, becoming pet-friendly. Ariana Grande with her beloved pet. Insta-hot breeds include bulldogs, pugs and chihuahuas Dogs are also now more central to our homes. Curled up on Loaf sofas or sprawled on designer rugs, they are part of the decor hence the rise in high-end accessories from the likes of Mungo & Maud and Fetch & Follow. Many companies will paint their dog furnishings to match your Farrow & Ball walls or supply custom-made kitchen units with built-in dog beds. There has also been a surge in owners commissioning portraits of their dogs. Remember Matt Goss in the must-see documentary Bros: After The Screaming Stops? This is one of the loves of my life: Alfie my bulldog, he said proudly. I had him painted holding a pint of beer. Matt was on to something just as craft beer has taken over our pubs, there is now a wide selection of dog-friendly ales on offer. Bettys favourite tipple, incidentally, goes by the tasteful name of Bottom Sniffer. Cheers! And, ahem, bottoms up. From sunscreen to foundation, clever little compacts are having a moment StyleDrys Original Dry Shampoo Compact Powder (14.95, harveynichols.com) Compact and bijou or compacts and bijou: thats the curatorial beauty mood Im in this week. Suddenly Im all about ye olde approach to styling make-up, one where it all comes in flip-top squat discs for on-the-go reflection perfecting. So much these days comes in squeezable tubes or innovative pens and whatnot that it almost feels revolutionary to handle a chunky circle. Not that the contents of these feel very traditional. In fact, that may well be why Im grooving to them so much. Take StyleDrys Original Dry Shampoo Compact Powder (14.95, harveynichols.com), for instance. Its all about dry shampoo with a difference: no aerosol, no nozzle, no overloading. Instead it is pressed powder that you apply with a brush (much like root touch-up brushes to cover greys) in a targeted way, even when on the move and you can pack this in hand luggage on a plane with no drama. Plus, it works. Clarins new Mineral Sun Care Compact for Face SPF 30 (27, clarins.com) Then theres Clarins new Mineral Sun Care Compact for Face SPF 30 (27, clarins.com). I really love this stuff. Easy to chuck into a handbag, its a liquid formula that dispenses via perforations on the inside of the compact simply press it down and some slivers of tinted sunscreen wriggle out (in only one shade though). Its a great texture, feels lightweight on the skin and its results are like a cross between a CC cream and a foundation with SPF, of course. Its all still plant-based with organic filters including senna and baobab. The compact isnt refillable but is made from recycled plastic. Max Factor Miracle Touch Foundation (13.99, boots.com) Lastly, theres Max Factor Miracle Touch Foundation (13.99, boots.com), which has been reformulatedto include hydrating hyaluronic acid and SPF 30, so is new-ish. This is a screw-top lid (no flipping or mirror) and the revamped contents are the bees knees. I usually only use liquid foundations as I find they feel lighter and look more natural but this one glides on and doesnt settle in lines. Id probably use it on days when I wanted just that little bit of extra coverage but that doesnt mean it looks or feels heavy. And worth noting Stories by Eliza Grace No 01 Eau de Parfum (from 80, elizagrace.com) Forget K, J and A-beauty Korean, Japanese and Australian-inspired which have been leading product and ingredient trends of late. Or at least set them to one side and allow space for a newcomer. For NI-beauty is having a moment: Northern Ireland. Yes, Ulster is suddenly in the frame as a place where some interesting brands are starting up. Theres Vita Liberata self-tanning for starters. Then along came natural-haircare label We Are Paradoxx, which I was raving about just a few weeks ago (see Beauty Therapy: My New Hair Heroes at you.co.uk). And now theres Belfast-based fragrance brand Stories by Eliza Grace. Im currently obsessing over the No 01 Eau de Parfum (from 80, elizagrace.com). Its an elegant fragrance delivering old-fashioned glamour, yet its modern and steeped with an air of possibility. The notes include bergamot, amber, jasmine and sandalwood. 'It feels as though shes trying to steal my life maybe my husband is next!' 'A single friend has started copying everything I buy, from my choice of wallpaper to my new trainers. It feels as though shes trying to steal my life maybe my husband is next! Were both in our late 40s, and she regularly comes over for Sunday lunch. She says my husband, children and I are her family.' Amanda, London Perhaps, as a test, you should start buying some very tasteless items and see what she does. If she doesnt copy you, youll realise that she does have good taste and isnt desperately trying to be you she just loves your style. Then you can go back to your usual labels. But keep an eye on your husband. I suspect you dont really think that she is after him nevertheless, it might be time to check how close you feel to him. I think we women become more aware of potential threats if we are feeling a little uncomfortable about our relationships. How high is your self-confidence at the moment? Are you happy about your own appearance? I also wonder if your friend has had a recent change of circumstances herself, something that accounts for this loss of identity. Are you being there for your friend, or just feeling annoyed with her? Perhaps its time to stop noticing how much shes copying you and check that shes OK. Alternatively, I would just be flattered. Some women grow up without a style role model, or they never develop their own look. Shes learning from you, and feeling better for it. When I went to Ireland to launch my make-up brand, a third of the ladies at the department store Brown Thomas came in wearing different parts of my wardrobe. Although it was a little surreal, I hope they are getting as much pleasure out of that coat, brogue, lip colour or top as I am. You might let yourself enjoy the fact that you can help another woman feel good about what she buys; perhaps you can take her shopping and point out things that really suit her and dont suit you. This week Im bonkers about Evolve beauty 22, evolvebeauty.co.uk The Gentle Cleansing Melt is phenomenal. The texture is between a gel and a balm I use it with a hot cloth. It beats Eve Lom cleanser hands down. Aurora nutrascience from 20, victoriahealth.com These liquid vitamins are much easier to absorb than pills. I take CoQ10 and R-Alpha Lipoic Acid, which are both powerful antioxidants. F unction of beauty Function of beauty from around 28, functionofbeauty.com A US brand that uses a questionnaire to help you choose shampoo and conditioner to suit your hair type you can even have your name printed on the bottle. V estiaire collective Vestiaire collective I love shopping at Vestiaire Collective (vestiairecollective.com) for used designer clothes and accessories. Theyre all authenticated so you know youre buying a Chanel bag, but at 25 to 40 per cent less than the original price. Klairs (20.10, beautyandseoul.co.uk). I recently introduced this Korean brands Supple Preparation Facial Toner into my skincare routine. I dont use a cotton pad to apply it; instead I gently press the liquid into my face. It hydrates, moisturises, balances the skins pH and reduces inflammation and it also works well for oily skin. Last month former Militant firebrand was controversially readmitted to the party Days later he was suspended again after he sent out allegedly anti-Semitic tweet Said all Jews had duty to speak out on the 'murdering being carried out by Israel' Derek Hatton withdrew his application to re-join Labour last night after a storm over an allegedly anti-Semitic comment. Last month the former Militant firebrand was controversially readmitted to the party 34 years after being expelled. ADVERTISEMENT Days later he was suspended again after it emerged he had tweeted that all Jews had a duty to speak out against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel. Yesterday his case was discussed at a disciplinary hearing, at which Labours deputy leader Tom Watson argued he should remain barred from the party. Derek Hatton withdrew his application to re-join Labour last night after a storm over an allegedly anti-Semitic comment Mr Hatton later confirmed he had withdrawn his application to re-join Labour. A party spokesman said: Derek Hatton has withdrawn his membership application and is therefore not a member of the Labour Party. It emerged earlier this month that Mr Hatton, 71, had been let back in the party after its general secretary discussed the case with Jeremy Corbyn. Jennie Formby overruled a senior party official who urged her to block the former Militant leaders bid to re-join the party. The row over Mr Hattons readmission came as he tweeted: Jewish people with any sense of humanity need to start speaking out publicly against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel! Click here to resize this module Labour MP Neil Coyle said his comment seemed to imply that every Jew, wherever they live in the world, is responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. Mr Hatton, the former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council, had also questioned whether Labours anti-Semitism crisis existed and backed Ken Livingstone after his suspension. He attacked Jewish MPs such as Dame Margaret Hodge, saying her criticisms of the leader were nothing to do with anti-Semitism but all to do with trying to remove Corbyn. ADVERTISEMENT He also supported former London mayor Mr Livingstone when he claimed Hitler was a Zionist, tweeting: Where is the lie in what he said? Advertisement There were plenty of tears in the 8 West ward. Nurses were crying, so too were the other patients in the four-bed room. But these were tears of joy. Because after 19 years of not seeing him, and an international search, Addy Reehal had finally tracked down his father, Raj, to a bed at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. Addy's search came to an end in late March after his father was robbed and bashed while living on the streets. Armed with nothing more than a photograph of his father 20 years ago, the 34-year-old trawled the streets until he found him. Thanks to a train station master, who recognised the man in Addy's picture and directed him towards the hospital, the father and son were reunited for the first time almost 20 years. Addy Reehal (left) tracked down his father Raj (right) in Melbourne this week, almost 20 years after he last saw him. Raj moved to Australia to work and send money back to his family, but along the way fell on hard times and ended up homeless - that was when Addy came to rescue him Having not heard from his dad in almost a year Addy, 34, saved up his holidays and flew out to Australia to look for him. Armed with only a two decade old photo of Raj, now 63, Addy walked the streets hoping that someone would recognise his father Raj had moved to Australia in 2000, working hard to send money back to his wife, Satnam, and their two sons, Addy and Gurnam, so they could eventually leave their home in Punjab, a region in northern India. He spent time in Sydney before going to live with his brother - who years earlier had also moved to Australia - but after a number of years the pair had a falling out. Around that same time Raj lost his job and was forced to sleep rough on the streets of Melbourne, leaving him with few possessions and very little money - and more importantly, no way of contacting his distant family. Having not heard from his father for close to a year, Addy saved up his holidays and came to Australia to walk the streets in a desperate bid to rescue him - with only an old photo to help. When the pair met face-to-face for the first time in two decades, Raj tearfully admitted that on the nights he spent sleeping on a train station platform he thought to himself: 'I may die without ever seeing my family again.' Addy said he initially didn't give much thought to his dad leaving behind his family and moving so far away. 'That's how our culture works. Dad came to Australia to work for his parents and for us,' his youngest son told Daily Mail Australia. 'After he'd been gone eight or ten years we said to him: "You've worked enough for us it's time to come back now". 'But he refused. He always said: "When I get tired I'm going to tell you and then your time starts". But he never did.' Initially Raj worked hard and sent enough money back to his family that they were able to leave India for a new life in Northern Ireland. For the first decade or so that he was in Melbourne, Raj regularly kept in touch with his family, calling every two or three weeks and always sending the money back on time. But while his loved ones were flourishing, half a world away he began to struggle. When he initially moved to Australia, Raj (right) kept in regular contact with his family over the phone. But Addy (left) said that contact ended about 12 months ago After visiting Adelaide and Sydney without luck, Addy arrived in Melbourne to continue the search earlier this week. A family friend said the last time he saw Raj was at Tarneit train station - so after walking around the CBD, Addy took his search there Raj holds up the photo of himself from almost 20 years ago that Addy showed to people as he walked the streets of Melbourne 'Slowly we came to know something was not right - when my brother and I would call he didn't answer,' Addy said. After saving up his holidays Addy decided to take three weeks off and fly to Australia earlier this month, along with his mother, to try and find the man he hadn't seen since he was a kid. They arrived in Adelaide last weekend and went straight to their family friend's home to see if they knew about his father's whereabouts. ADDY'S SEARCH TO FIND HIS DAD: September 2000: Raj leaves his home in the Punjab region of India and moves to Australia. - This is the last time Raj sees his wife and two sons. 2008: After Raj saves enough money, his family are able to leave India for a new life in Northern Ireland. - Raj is still in regular contact with his wife and sons. 2018: Raj had been living with his own brother in Melbourne, but is made homeless after they have a falling out. Mid-2018: This is the last time Addy and his brother have regular contact with their father. They soon realise he may need their help. March 2019: After saving up his holidays, Addy and his mother arrive in Australia. - They land in Adelaide, before going to Sydney and finally taking the search to Melbourne. - March 26: Addy finally reunites with his father for the first time in 19 years at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne. Advertisement They didn't, but told Addy to visit friends in Sydney, near where their dad lived when he first arrived in Australia. With no luck again, mother and son decided to travel to Melbourne - the last place to which Raj had been linked. 'I booked a hotel which was about 20 minutes from Southern Cross train station, so when I got in I began walking,' Addy said. 'I didn't want to catch a taxi. I knew it was a needle in a haystack, but I thought: "If I walk, maybe I'll bump into dad somewhere?".' After a number of calls to his father's ex-employers, Addy was finally put in touch with someone who had seen his father recently - a week or so earlier when he had given him a lift to Tarneit train station, in Melbourne's west. Proving his best lead so far, Addy left his mother in the hotel room to rest and hopped on a train to Tarneit with the old photo of his father in hand. He very quickly found out that he was getting close. 'I spoke to the station attendant and showed him that photo and he said: "Oh I know that man",' Addy said. 'He said: "Is his name Raj?" I couldn't believe it... I left my number and said: "If you see him, keep him at the station and call me, I'll be here within an hour". 'The man said: "OK, but I haven't seen him in three or four days, and the last time I saw him he was in trouble".' What Addy didn't know was that while his dad had been in Tarneit a few days earlier, he was now in hospital some 30km away in Melbourne's CBD. After hitting a number of dead ends Addy followed a lead to Tarneit station (pictured), in Melbourne's west, where he showed the photo of his father around. He left his phone number with a station attendant who said: 'I haven't seen him in three or four days, and the last time I saw him he was in trouble' What Addy didn't know was that while he was out searching in Tarneit, his father was actually at St Vincent's Public Hospital in the city. While sleeping rough at the train station Raj had been assaulted and robbed, leading him to be transferred to hospital Raj and Addy enjoy a laugh with Lindsey Dobeson, the manager of the 8 West ward at St Vincent's. Ms Dobeson said that when Raj was brought into the hospital he was confused and incoherent, leading a social worker to ring Tarneit train station in an attempt to find out more about the patient. By chance she spoke to the same station attendant, who gave her Addy's number 'The social worker called me and said: "Are you looking for someone call Raj?" I went numb... I told her I was his son and she gave me the address to the hospital and I caught the train in,' Addy recalls Just days before his son arrived at the station to look for him, Raj had been robbed and assaulted while sleeping. The incident left Raj feeling a bit worse for wear and so he was taken to St Vincent's Public Hospital for a check up. But with his wallet gone and the effects of the robbery leaving him incoherent, nurses at the hospital found it hard to work out exactly who their new mystery patient was. 'He (Raj) came with no ID, so the social worker was trying to work out who he was because he was quite confused when he first arrived,' Lindsey Dobeson, the manager of the 8 West ward, said. 'She knew he'd come from Tarneit station so she called and by chance spoke to the same station attendant Addy had spoken to that day. 'He asked the social worker to describe the man and said: "I think we have his son here looking for him". 'It's one of those moments where the universe was working together, because the station attendant said he was about to walk out the door to end his shift when he took the call.'' Addy had planned to stay at Tarneit station until the last train left, but in between trains had wandered over to the nearby Tarneit shopping centre. There, as he sat at a table in the food court thinking 'what do I do next?', the St Vincent's social worker rang. 'She said to me: "Are you looking for someone call Raj?" I went numb... I told her I was his son and she gave me the address to the hospital and I caught the train in,' Addy said. He admits that the whole way in on the train all he could think about was how he was going to react. Was it actually his dad? Was he going to notice him after 20 years? Why was he in hospital? Was he going to be OK? 'I went into his room and a nurse was in there and she said to me: "Can I help you?",' Addy recalls. 'I said: "I am looking for Mr Janak Raj". She said to me: "Are you the son?" I nodded and she had this big smile - her lips were touching her ears. 'The curtains were closed, so I stood at the end of the bed and she opened them. Addy vividly remembers walking into his father's hospital room (pictured) and having a nurse ask him if he need help. 'I said: "I am looking for Mr Janak Raj"... she said: "Are you the son?" I nodded and she had a big smile - her lips were touching her ears.' Addy said that when his father first saw him he did not know who it was. When he told him that he was his son, Raj could not believe it. 'He was shocked, all he said was: "How did you find me? How did you find me?" He just kept saying it!' Addy recalls 'I may die without ever seeing my family again': Raj tearfully admitted what was running through his mind on those nights he spent sleeping on a train station platform One of the only photos taken of Raj (left) at their home in the Punjab region of India, prior to him moving to Australia in 2000 'My full name is Winder, which is a common name in India, so when I saw dad I said: "It's Winder". 'But he didn't recognise me, because I was just a teenager when he last saw me so he said to me: "Which Winder?" 'I said: "It's Winder, your youngest son". 'He was shocked. The first thing he said was: "How did you find me? How did you find me?" He just kept saying it... so I told him: "I said I would come to find you and I found you".' As his son re-tells the story, Raj sits across the table fighting back tears. 'I thought I would die without seeing my family again,' the now clean shaven and smartly dressed father-of-two admits. Having rescued his dad from the streets of a foreign country, Addy now plans to take him back to Northern Ireland to meet his two daughters - the grandchildren Raj has never seen in person. He says that in the days since they were reunited, people have told him his story sounds more like the script for a Hollywood blockbuster than real life. But he says it's simply what you do for those you love. 'We have a saying: "If you decide to do something with your heart, the whole universe gets together to help you do it",' Addy said. 'I think this was our time.' Michael Coutts-Trotter's first unavoidable task as the new head of Australia's largest prison system was to tell his staff he had once been a heroin addict and drug supplier who spent almost three years in jail. In an email sent to the 40,000 men and women who make up the New South Wales Department of Justice, Mr Coutts-Trotter dealt with his criminal past head-on. 'There's one thing I want to tell you about myself,' he wrote in an introductory note. 'You may know it already. But, if not, I want you to hear it from me first. 'As a teenager I used and supplied drugs. In 1984 I was imprisoned for conspiracy to import heroin. 'I spent nearly three years in jail and then around 18 months on parole.' Michael Coutts-Trotter, who has just been announced as the new boss of the NSW Department of Justice, served almost three years in prison for conspiring to import heroin when he was 19. He believes his experiences will give him a unique perspective running the state's jails As a teenager Michael Coutts-Trotter was injecting up to 3 grams of heroin a day. He funded his addiction by dealing to other users then set out to import heroin from Thailand. After his arrest in 1984 he entered rehab (pictured) before he was sent to maximum security jails Mr Coutts-Trotter was followed by police from the Redfern Mail Exchange after he picked up a package of heroin sent from Thailand. He is pictured here on that spot on Friday afternoon. Mr Coutts-Trotter went on to explain how that background would be an asset rather than a liability as he took over running the state's courts and jails. Addiction helped explain his crime, but didn't excuse it, Mr Coutts-Trotter told all his team members, from judges and jail governors to court registrars. He deserved to go to prison, but needed to be locked up only once. Many of those who received the email knew part of their new boss's background but his candour was still shocking - and inspirational - for most. One employee said it was 'perhaps the most memorable opening email from anyone I've worked for before.' Now in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Australia given four floors above the spot where he was arrested as a teenager, the 54-year-old has opened up to tell his full story for the first time. Mr Coutts-Trotter is one of the country's most senior public servants whose wife, federal Labor MP Tanya Plibersek, could be deputy prime minister in a couple of months. He was already secretary of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) - a role he will keep as he takes control of Justice. But 35 years ago prison halted the same man's potential descent into an adult life of misery or premature death by overdose. Mr Coutts-Trotter has revealed how he came to be addicted to heroin, how he was arrested and what it was like being surrounded by murderers and rapists in maximum security jails. He recalled a stabbed inmate running across a yard at Bathurst clutching his stomach so his intestines didn't fall out of his body and a kid staggering out of his cell at Parramatta after being gang raped. Mr Coutts-Trotter, pictured as a 17-year-old in 1982, was injecting two-and-a-half grams of heroin at the height of his drug addiction. He was arrested in 1984 and jailed in 1986 Power couple: Secretary of the NSW Department of Justice with Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek pictured at the federal parliamentary Mid Winter Ball in September last year He remembered getting into a scuffle with Michael Murphy, one of the men who raped and murdered nurse Anita Cobby, in an argument over who could use a telephone. He spoke of how prison could be used to help rehabilitate young men like himself who had made terrible decisions and why there were recidivists so 'irredeemably dangerous' they should never be let out. Mr Coutts-Trotter's current office is in a building on the site of what was the Redfern Mail Exchange, where 35 years ago he was followed by police after picking up a package of heroin sent from Thailand. From that fourth-floor office the father-of-three said he expected to be asked about his criminal past as a drug user and dealer, considering the nature of his new job. 'I do think they are legitimate questions and they are obviously particularly legitimate questions if I'm to be the Secretary of Justice,' he said. 'And in some ways it's helpful that people are prepared to ask them because it gives me a chance to account for myself a little bit for the people who work in the system.' In his email to Justice department staff Mr Coutts-Trotter wrote: 'Addiction helped to explain my crime, but it didn't excuse it. I deserved to go to prison.' After four to six weeks on remand Mr Coutts-Trotter was bailed to the Salvation Army's William Booth facility at Surry Hills then accepted into the Miracle Haven rehab centre (pictured) 'While the police who arrested me wanted me jailed, they only wanted me locked up once, not again and again,' says the man in charge of Australia's largest court and prison system 'And while the police who arrested me wanted me jailed, they only wanted me locked up once, not again and again.' Some of Mr Coutts-Trotter's story is horrific but it is ultimately one of redemption and hope. He was born in the United Kingdom to an Australian mother and English father who had met in the late 1950s. She was a cook and he was a butler. The family moved to Australia in 1976, but unknown to young Michael his father had cancer and within months of arriving had died. 'I was just really overwhelmed by his death, as was my mum,' he said. Mr Coutts-Trotter was sent to St Ignatius College, Riverview, to be taught by the Jesuits on a scholarship but could not quite fit in with any group. 'There were a few things about my life that made me stand out a bit,' he said. 'I was just a posh-sounding English kid trying to fit in and I didn't.' All teenagers need some sort of friendship group and he found the wrong one. 'I started to fit in with kids who felt pretty marginalised themselves and those were the kids who were drinking, smoking and stealing things,' he said. Mr Coutts-Trotter pictured with his wife Tanya Plibersek and children Anna, 18 and Joe, 14 At Long Bay jail (pictured) Mr Coutts-Trotter was locked up with some of the state's most notorious inmates including armed robbers Jockey Smith, Graham Henry and Arthur Loveday He would binge drink and began smoking marijuana as soon he could. 'In the modern language I self-medicated.' The self-medicating stopped for a while when he fell in love with competitive rowing but that didn't last either. 'The moment that finished I was really just off the rails again.' Mr Coutts-Trotter sat for his Higher School Certificate exams a week after taking 'a lot of hallucinogens' in what he called 'self-sabotage'. He finished school at the end of Year 12 aged just 16 years and 9 months, left home not long after and was soon injecting drugs with new friends. 'I don't remember quite when but in inner-city Sydney in the early 1980s heroin was the primary drug of choice and I found it pretty quickly,' Mr Coutts-Trotter said. 'It made me feel complete. You hear that a lot but it just suddenly I felt at ease in my skin and I felt at ease in the world.' While Mr Coutts-Trotter initially found some comfort in heroin it eventually took over his life. He funded his habit by supplying the drug. 'I was using two-and-a-half, three grams of heroin a day plus a whole lot of other uppers and downers but heroin was my drug of choice,' he said. Mr Coutts-Trotter decided to move from small time dealer to drug smuggler when he became involved in a scheme to import half a kilogram of heroin from Thailand. On Monday Mr Coutts-Trotter revealed his past to all Justice department staff. One employee said it was 'perhaps the most memorable opening email from anyone I've worked for before' A joint Commonwealth-NSW police task force was aware of his plans and he was followed from Redfern Mail Exchange to a private hotel on Elizabeth Street near Central train station. A dozen police officers arrested the 19-year-old carrying about 100g of the drug, part of an intended half-kilogram haul. [One of the policemen peripherally involved in the operation was Clive Small who would go on to lead the team of detectives who arrested backpacker killer Ivan Milat in 1994]. Upon his arrest Mr Coutts-Trotter, who is 193cm tall, weighed just 50kg. 'The drug addiction is an explanation but it's not an excuse,' Mr Coutts-Trotter said. 'There was still a choice - choices - that I made along the way that I could have made differently. 'Quite sincerely, I deserved to go to jail for those choices. I made choices that were not driven solely by my addiction. I could have been a small time supplier rather than seeking to be a larger supplier. That's a choice.' Mr Coutts-Trotter admitted to conspiring to import a prohibited drug and was remanded to Long Bay. After four to six weeks he was bailed to the Salvation Army's William Booth facility at Surry Hills then accepted into Miracle Haven rehabilitation centre on the Central Coast. That place 'was actually well named' and Mr Coutts-Trotter spent more than a year on their drug rehab program. 'When I say I was lucky, I mean I was really lucky. I was given bail and the police were prepared to extend bail while I was in rehab and making some changes,' he said. After completing that program, Mr Coutts-Trotter went back to William Booth then found work with a public relations firm. By the time he was sentenced aged 21 he was clean of drugs, working for the same PR company and had re-established relationships with his family. 'Jail is calm until it's not and then it's just chaotic,' says Michael Coutts-Trotter. Pictured are inmates in the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater in Sydney's west He had a group of friends who weren't using drugs and 'the ability to go to jail and get through it.' Early in his sentence he took time to 'learn, look, absorb, watch.' Nonetheless Mr Coutts-Trotter was locked up for two years and nine months - much of it in maximum security - and never sought protective custody. 'In the culture of the time you were a dog if you went into protection and there was some pride in the fact that you could make a go of it in the main population,' he said. At Long Bay's Central Industrial Prison (CIP) he was incarcerated with some of the state's most notorious inmates including armed robbers Jimmy 'Jockey' Smith, Graham 'Abo' Henry, Arthur Loveday and Freddie Owens. 'I remember them very clearly - particularly Arthur Loveday and Freddie Owens because they were just scary,' he said. He did time in Bathurst with infamous armed robber and escapee Ray Denning and in Parramatta with kidnapper and rapist Billy Munday. 'I was just unbelievably lucky to not get hurt.' 'I saw people brutally bashed in a cell with a wooden stool in CIP. In Bathurst I saw someone running across the yard trying to hold their intestines back into their stomach cavity. 'I saw a kid stagger out of a cell in Parramatta who'd just been gang raped. Lots and lots of fights that ended with two, three, four, people piling on one person. 'Jail is calm until it's not and then it's just chaotic.' 'You can't be in jail and not come away thinking there are people who need to be under lock and key for the safety of everybody else,' NSW Justice secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter says At Parramatta he had a confrontation with Michael Murphy, the Cobby killer who died at Long Bay in February after serving 33 years of a life sentence in jail. 'I had one scuffle to use the phone queue at Parramatta. We had a very brief, very un-physical scuffle - just, you know, push, pull.' Later at Bathurst there were opportunities for work and training - which weren't available at Long Bay or Parramatta - and at the end of his sentence he was able to undergo work release at Silverwater. That chance to work and the fact he remained clean and sober helped Mr Coutts-Trotter adjust to life on the outside. Mr Coutts-Trotter has also always been conscious that if he had been arrested somewhere other than Australia the consequences could have been fatal for him. 'Conspiracy to import heroin - half a kilo of heroin - is an offence that carries the death penalty in at least 13 or 14 countries,' he said. 'And my conspiracy involved importation of heroin from Thailand. If I'd been arrested in Thailand and not in Australia it's quite possible we would not be talking to each other because I would not be alive.' Asked why a former inmate should given the opportunity to run the state's prisons, Mr Coutts-Trotter said he hoped he would be judged on his public service career. 'Really, all I'd say about that is don't just judge me on what I did 35 years ago, judge me on what I've done since,' he said. 'The best way to keep us all safe is to stop people offending and stop them re-offending and I do think that there is something about my history that gives me a bit of an insight into the job.' By the time Mr Coutts-Trotter was sentenced aged 21 he was clean of drugs, working for a PR firm and had re-established relationships with his family. (Pictured about 1985 in drug rehab) 'Once you've done your time in Australia - extraordinarily - you get a chance to have a second go, and for people who want to take that chance we should be there to give them a hand to do it.' Mr Coutts-Trotter was understandably interested in rehabilitation but said he was no 'bleeding heart'. 'You can't be in jail and not come away thinking there are people who need to be under lock and key for the safety of everybody else,' he said. 'They need to be closely managed under lock and key for the safety of other people who are locked up and the people who work there because they are irredeemably dangerous. 'There's nothing that is going to give them the necessary empathy for other people that means they will change their behaviour. They don't have it. 'They have no concern for anybody else and they will do whatever they want. 'There are those people and then there are people like me. I've met a lot of other wide-eyed people like me who are just getting by day-to-day, who you hope will be there once. 'We needed to be there but we needed to be there just once.' HOW DID MICHAEL COUTTS-TROTTER GET HIS JOB? In some countries a man with a criminal record such as Michael Coutts-Trotter's would have trouble finding stable employment, let alone be able to run government departments. 'If I was in the US there's a whole heap of jobs I would not be able to do because of a 35-year-old criminal record,' he said. 'In some states I wouldn't be able to work in pig farms, I wouldn't be able to be a hairdresser and I certainly wouldn't be able to do that job I do.' After prison Mr Coutts-Trotter completed a degree in communications at the University of Technology Sydney in 1995 and his earliest days in the public service were not smooth. His first job after university with Labor deputy prime minister Brian Howe was derailed when ASIO would not provide him with security clearances. He was then hired as a press secretary by Michael Egan, treasurer in the newly elected Carr Labor government. Mr Egan, a man Mr Coutts-Trotter described as a 'feisty, Irish, working-class republican' did have initial reservations about his past. 'He wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the Jesuit background and the hyphenated surname just seemed a bit toffy to him,' he said. 'But he got past it thankfully. He came around and he made my career.' Within a few weeks of going to work for Mr Egan, the young press secretary's story was revealed on the front page of a Sunday newspaper. Mr Egan immediately fronted a press conference and backed his junior employee. 'He just dashed out there and said, "Look, this bloke was a teenage scumbag but he's doing a good job for me, he deserves a second chance and he's not going anywhere".' Mr Coutts-Trotter described that loyalty and support as 'literally life-changing.' 'He could have played it a different way - he didn't. He just stuck with me and gave me a go.' 'There's been a couple of people along the way like Michael who've just made it possible. It's a lot about good luck, it's a lot about the generosity of other people and I've had an abundance of both.' Mr Coutts-Trotter's conviction does not affect his ability to visit prisons, which he has done in his previous and existing roles. Whether or not he would be allowed to work in a prison is not clear. 'I would have to explain myself and it would be open under policy for Corrections to employ me but equally they may decide not to,' he said. Advertisement Mr Coutts-Trotter has gone on to an illustrious career in the public service. He was appointed director-general of the Department of Education and Training in 2007 and director-general of the Department of Finance and Services in 2011. He has now worked for seven premiers - both Liberal and Labor - across five portfolios and is equally respected on both sides of politics. Former Liberal premier Barry O'Farrell told Daily Mail Australia that on Tuesday morning he had run into a senior judicial figure who told him about the email Mr Coutts-Trotter sent to his Justice staff. 'He said in all his years of working as a lawyer and judicial officer he had never read a more powerful, honest and inspiring email from the head of a government department,' Mr O'Farrell said. Mr Coutts-Trotter's new job also puts him in charge of bodies including the Sheriff's Office, Office of General Counsel, Crown Solicitor's Office, Victims Services, Trustee & Guardian and the Anti-Discrimination Board. FACS and Justice are to be combined in a new cluster of departments to be known as the Department of Family and Community Services and Justice from July 1, when he will have about 50,000 staff to oversee. Mr Coutts-Trotter has had an illustrious career in the public service. He has been director-general of the Department of Education and and the Department of Finance and Services His profile may increase further after the federal election which could see Ms Plibersek become deputy prime minister. The couple has three children: Anna, 18, Joe, 14 and Louis, 8. Despite - or because - of his achievements in the public's service, Mr Coutts-Trotter recognised the questions about his criminal past might never stop. 'I don' know - probably not,' he said. But whenever his criminal conviction was raised in the media he received correspondence from the mothers of young men and women addicted to drugs. 'If nothing else it just gives them the sense that there is not an inevitable and tragic end to addiction but people can and do get through it and recover from it,' he said. 'And that's a good thing.' Authorities in southern Louisiana are investigating a string of 'suspicious' fires at three black churches in recent days. The first fire occurred on March 26 at St Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre and the second happened on April 2 at Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas. On Thursday morning, the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, also in Opelousas, caught fire. During a news conference on Thursday, Fire Marshal H 'Butch' Browning said it wasn't clear whether the fires in St Landry Parish are connected and that it was too soon to say whether they were acts of arson. Authorities in southern Louisiana are investigating a string of 'suspicious' fires at three black churches that have occurred in the last 11 days. Pictured: Fire at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisiana The first fire occurred on March 26 at St Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre. Pictured: The remnants of St Mary Baptist The second fire occurred on April 2 at Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas. Pictured: The remnants of Greater Union Baptist Browning would not confirm whether the fires were definitively linked, but said there were certain 'patterns' the three fires had in common. 'There certainly is a commonality,' he said, according to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. 'Whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just don't know. And that's not unusual for us not to know at this point.' Louisiana Fire Marshal's Office spokeswoman, Ashley Rodrigue, says all three churches have African American congregations. The churches were vacant at the time of the fires, and no one was injured. The Daily Advertiser reported that St Landry Fire District 3 received a 911 call about the fire at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, around 3.40am. While the fire did not destroy much of the exterior of the 140-year-old church, almost the entire interior was burned, Browning says the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI are also involved in the investigation. On Thursday, around 3.40am, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church (pictured) , also in Opelousas, caught fire, the third black church in 11 days Officials said that all three churches were vacant at the time of the fires, and no one was injured. Pictured: Mount Pleasant Baptist Church after the fire Fire Marshal H 'Butch' Browning would not confirm whether the fires were definitively linked, but said there were certain 'patterns' the three fires had in common. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards released a statement in support of the affected congregations. 'Our churches are sacred, central parts of our communities and everyone should feel safe in their place of worship,' he wrote. St Landry Sheriff Bobby Guidroz told the Daily Advertiser that other parishes are being provided with additional security. 'We have a lot of churches in this parish. Lots of churches,' he said. 'We're going to take it one day at a time and try to provide the security that they need.' According to data from the National Fire Prevention Association, there were 1,660 fires at religious and funeral properties in 2011. This includes churches, temples, mosques, religious education facilities, funeral parlors and other properties. Sunday was the day most fires occurred, with about 30 percent caused by cooking equipment. Intentionally-set fires only accounted for about 16 percent. However, as Greg Harrington, a fire protection engineer with the NFPA, told the Daily Advertiser, 16 percent still accounts for at least 250 fires per year. St Landry Sheriff Bobby Guidroz told the Daily Advertiser that other parishes are being provided with additional security. Pictured: Fire at Greater Union Baptist Church According to the National Fire Prevention Association, there were 1,660 fires at religious and funeral properties in 2011. Pictured: Remnants of Greater Union Baptist Church Intentionally-set fires only accounted for about 16 percent, which is about 250 fires per year. Pictured: Remnants of St Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre 'Having a string of fires like you've experienced down there in such a short period of time, I would say its safe to say that's unusual,' he told newspaper. 'It certainly seems appropriate that they've been deemed suspicious.' Racism has motivated prior attacks against black churches, as was the case when white supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine congregants at a black church in Charleston in 2015. Other incidents have turned out to have more inscrutable motives. Last month, Andrew McClinton pleaded guilty to setting fire to the predominantly black Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi, and spray painting 'Vote Trump' outside on November 1, 2016. McClinton was a member of the Hopewell congregation, and is himself black. An illegal immigrant who snuck into Australia on a shipping vessel is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an asylum seeker recourse centre. Ajith Nirojan Veerasooriya, 29, is accused of abducting the woman and sexually assaulting her before dumping her at a train station in North Melbourne. The alleged victim had been attending the Footscray refugee help centre in the city's west to collect groceries and household items as her protection visa did not allow her to receive government benefits. Ajith Nirojan Veerasooriya is accused of abducting the woman and sexually assaulting her before dumping her at a train station in North Melbourne Veerasooriya allegedly preyed upon an older woman on a cold and rainy day. He is accused of sexually assaulting her Police allege Veerasooriya sat next to the woman at lunch with a bowl of yogurt on August 29 last year and struck up a conversation before he found out that she had had a hard time getting to the centre from Broadmeadows on the train. The 46-year old woman told police she felt comfortable with Veerasooriya because he was about the same age as her own son. The mother of three accepted a ride, but soon came to regret her decision. Veerasooriya, who arrived in Australia illegally in 2012 from Sri Lanka and secured a protection visa, allegedly took her phone and told her there would be no charge for the ride. Ajith Nirojan Veerasooriya has been committed to stand trial at the County Court of Victoria But the court heard he tried to take payment in other ways and continued to sexually assault her in a harrowing trip across Melbourne. The woman recalled to police travelling through a tunnel, which was nowhere near where she needed to go. Veerasooriya allegedly continued to sexually assault the hijab-wearing woman despite her begging him to stop. At one point, she told police she contemplated jumping out of the moving vehicle as her mobile phone went flat. Veerasooriya eventually dropped her off at North Melbourne station, allegedly shouting 'f**k off', and 'Me petrol no sex'. The woman was so distraught she wet herself. Veerasooriya has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and will go to trial at the County County Court of Victoria. Hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio (pictured) and his wife Barbara are donating $100 million to support public education and new businesses in some of Connecticut's most disadvantaged communities One of the world's wealthiest couples announced Friday they are donating $100 million to support public education and new businesses in some of Connecticut's most disadvantaged communities. The contribution from hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio and his wife, Barbara, is believed to be the largest known philanthropic donation to the state, according to Gov. Ned Lamont's office. The Dalios live in Greenwich and Ray Dalio is the founder of the investment firm Bridgewater Associates. Forbes lists his net worth at more than $18 billion. He said the donation is earmarked for areas with high poverty and drop-out rates, and will create career paths that encourage kids to stay in school. 'Our No. 1 objective is to get, particularly those who are having the most trouble, to get them through high school and into jobs,' Ray Dalio said Friday. 'Education can't be theoretical; it's got to deliver an outcome.' The governor says the state plans to leverage the donation into a $300 million investment over five years, with Connecticut matching Dalio's $100 million and another $100 million from other philanthropists and business leaders. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (left) announced Friday Dialo's donation on Friday Gov. Lamont (far right) says the state plans to leverage Dalio's donation into a $300 million investment over five years Dalio (left) and the state say his $100 million donation will be used to fund entrepreneurs with small loans and early-stage equity capital, while providing mentorship The state and Dalio Philanthropies said the money will be used for such things as funding entrepreneurs with small loans and early-stage equity capital, while providing mentorship. It also will be used to create education programs in schools that directly link students to jobs and help get those who have dropped out of school back into educational or job-training programs. Lamont said a board will be established to decide what programs receive funding. 'The ideas are going to come from you,' Lamont told teachers and students at East Hartford High School, where the announcement was made. 'You tell us the type of things that will make sure you and your friends have the programs and the confidence and the inspiration going forward, and we're going to make sure we can make it happen.' Dalio, who lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with his wife, Barbara, has been on a mission to reform capitalism and close the nation's wealth and income gap Dalio's donation is the latest move in his ongoing mission to reform capitalism and the nation's widening wealth and income disparity, which he says poses an 'existential risk' for the nation. In a LinkedIn essay published Thursday, Dalio linked the widening wealth gap with lower high school graduation rates, greater disparity in test scores, and lower teacher pay in the US compared to Americans with similar education levels over the last three decades. He cited recent studies illustrating the nation's declining rate of upward economic mobility and the correlations between poverty, school funding, and overall quality of life outcomes, referencing the cost and effects of more impoverished and poorly educated Americans on the nation as a whole. Dalio also pointed out that the US currently ranks in the bottom 15th percentile among developed nations in the world when it comes to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a global study by that evaluates educational systems by measuring 15-year-old students' scholastic performance on mathematics, science and reading. In a LinkedIn essay published Thursday, Dalio linked America's widening wealth gap with lower high school graduation rates, greater disparity in test scores, and lower teacher pay in the US compared to Americans with similar education levels over the last three decades Dialo cited recent studies illustrating the nation's declining rate of upward economic mobility and the correlations between poverty and school funding with graduation rates and overall quality of life outcomes Dalio pointed out the US is currently in the bottom 15th percentile among developed nations in the world when it comes to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a global study by that evaluates educational systems by measuring 15-year-old students' scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading A graph showing the where the US ranks among developed nations in terms of its share of disadvantaged students who report significant social or emotional problems The studies Dalio cited showed differences in PISA scores are linked to poverty levels. High-poverty school test about 25% lower than schools with the least amount of poor students. 'Low incomes, poorly funded schools, and weak family support for children lead to poor academic achievement, which leads to low productivity and low incomes of people who become economic burdens on the society,' Dalio wrote. 'Though there are bright spots in the American education system such as our few great universities, the US population as a whole scores very poorly relative to the rest of the developed world in standardized tests for a given education level... To me, leaving so many children in poverty and not educating them well is the equivalent of child abuse, and it is economically stupid.' The Lamont administration has a close connection to the Dalios. Ryan Drajewicz, the governor's chief of staff, was a senior management associate at Bridgewater Associates. The investment firm also received $22 million financial-aid package from the state in 2016, as part of then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's First Five program. The deal, which included $5 million in grants and a low-interest $17 million loan, came in exchange for a promise to retain 1,400 jobs at the company's Wesport offices and add another 750 by 2021. A police officer is lucky to be alive after he was mowed down by a teenage motorcyclist during a traffic stop in central Puerto Rico. Traffic officer Angel L. Santiago Silva and his partner were conducting a checkpoint near Highway 1 in Cayey on Wednesday afternoon when he stepped into the road to stop an oncoming motorcycle. Video footage shows officer Santiago Silva extending his right arm out to slow the two youths on the bike, who were not wearing helmets. The motorcyclist refused to stop and plowed straight into the traffic cop, sending him flying several feet into the air before crashing hard onto the sidewalk face first. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES A pair of traffic cops (right) in central Puerto Rico attempt to stop a motorcyclist (left) before he suddenly mowed down one of the police officers Wednesday afternoon Officer Angel L. Santiago Silva (right) is upended after a motorcyclist refused his orders to pull over at a checkpoint in Cayey, Puerto Rico Santiago Silva was transported to a nearby hospital where he was treated for injuries to the chest and his extremities. His patrol partner averted serious injury by quickly stepping out of the path of the motorbike. The distressing footage shows the motorcycle sliding down the road as Santiago Silva's partner runs after the minors, both aged 16. The cop managed to arrest the passenger, who engaged the cop in a fight before he was subdued. The motorist fled the scene, but his mother later accompanied him to a local police station where he turned himself in. Police officer Angel L. Santiago Silva is left lying face down but his partner manages to subdue the motorcycle passenger A bystander (center) stands over the injured cop (left) while his partner (right) pins down of the two minors that were traveling on a motorcycle Police lieutenant colonel Jorge Hernandez Pena told Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora that the department would recommend to the prosecutor's office that both teens be charged with attempted murder. 'They must be processed as adults, at age 16, imagine those individuals at 17, at 18,' Hernandez Pena said. The injured cop and his partner are part of a unit that recently started an operation aimed at hauling in boys as young as 14 that were recklessly operating vehicles at a stretch of the road that connects the towns of Cayey and Cidra. 'We are after these irresponsible drivers who believe that because they are 14, 15, 16 years old, the road and space is theirs,' Hernandez Pena added. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for reparations to black Americans for slavery. The freshman Democrat is pushing the controversial policy that has gained traction among the field of candidates bidding to oust Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform. 'That is the moral political and economic underpinning of making bold investments and dignified jobs because that is the necessary plan to fix the pipes in Flint [Michigan] and clean the air in the South Bronx,' the rising political star said. She went on to call for unionized energy jobs for transitioning workers in Appalachia and West Virginia, as well as single-payer health care and Medicare-for-all. Adding: 'Tuition-free public colleges and universities to prepare our nation for the future, and for the end of mass incarceration, the war on drugs, examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations and fixing the opioid crisis too.' Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy and energy usage, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform Ocasio-Cortez said the policies she had in mind were generational rather than geared around a presidential cycle. The recently sworn-in Congresswoman's support of progressive policies highlights a shift further left by the Democratic Party, whose leading figures in the past - including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders - all came out against it. It remains unclear how the reparations would be delivered, however. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who introduced a bill on the subject in January, said that 'the impact of slavery and its vestiges continues to affect African Americans and indeed all Americans in communities throughout our nation.' She said the measure, formally known as the 'Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act', would examine the 'institution of slavery in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present, and further recommend appropriate remedies.' Residents from a remote Aboriginal village are suing Seven West Media after footage of them was shown during a controversial panel discussion about the Stolen Generations. The background footage was originally filmed for a health promotion in Yirrkala - approximately 700km east of Darwin. But it was shown in the while journalists discussed the adoption of indigenous children by white parents. During the segment co-hot Samantha Armytage incorrectly stated that Aboriginal children at risk of 'rape, assault and neglect' could not be adopted by white families. Prue MacSween, a conservative commentator, suggested that the children should be taken from their families 'just like the first Stolen Generation'. The comments sparked protests outside the Seven studio in Sydney. During the introduction of the 'Hot Topics' on Sunrise, co-host Samantha Armytage (pictured), stated that Aboriginal children could not be adopted by white families if they were at risk of rape, assault or neglect Now, the community which where shown during the discussion say they were clearly identifiable during the segment and are seeking damages. Lawyers for the Yolngu group say the use of the footage implied they had abused, assaulted or neglected their children. 'The plaintiffs assert that the segment about child sexual abuse and the forced removal of children while showing identifiable images of innocent people is defamatory,' lawyers for the Yolngu group told NITV News. Lawyers from Yolngu group said the footage was barely blurred and their clients were easily identifiable, which could imply they had been abused, assaulted or neglected as children (stock image of Sunrise protest) 'The plaintiffs are Aboriginal people from a remote part of Australia, they should not be depicted in this manner in the context of this program, just because they are Aboriginal. A Seven spokesperson stated they the media organisation believes they can defend the case. 'The proceedings relate to some footage used in the background to the story which was blurred to prevent any person being identified and Seven is able to defend the case on that basis,' a Seven spokesman told NITV News. 'The plaintiffs are Aboriginal people from a remote part of Australia, they should not be depicted in this manner in the context of this program, just because they are Aboriginal': lawyers for the Yolngu group told NITV News (stock image of Sunrise protest) The segment, which aired on March 13, 2018, discussed Aboriginal adoption where conservative commentator, Prue MacSween, suggested that these children should be taken from their families. 'Please, don't worry about the people who decry and hand-wring and say this will be another Stolen Generation,' MacSween said. 'Just like the first Stolen generation, where a lot of children were taken because it was for their wellbeing, we need to do it again, perhaps.' 'Just like the first Stolen generation, where a lot of children were taken because it was for their wellbeing, we need to do it again, perhaps.': The segment, which aired on March 13, 2018, discussed Aboriginal adoption where conservative commentator, Prue MacSween (pictured left), suggested that these children should be taken from their families The other guest, Ben Davis, agreed with MacSween and Armytage did not challenge the controversial statement. Protests outside of Sunrise's studio in Sydney were held condemning the segment and another protest was held during the filming of an outside episode on the Gold Coast. An investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority was launched following the segment and Seven was found to be in breach of television codes of practice. The media watchdog also concluded that Seven did not make any 'appropriate' corrections despite airing a follow-up segment. A mysterious disease has been slowly killing hundreds of Aboriginal people on a remote island at the top of Australia. For a long time many people on Groote Eylandt, about 50km from the Northern Territory, thought they were cursed. Residents said that those affected would develop problems with walking, talking, eating swallowing, and going to the toilet and no one knew why. For Gayangwa Lalara (pictured), mid-70s, the disease has long been part of her life For a long time many people on Groote Eylandt, about 50km from the Northern Territory, thought they were cursed They eventually discovered it was a disease known as Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) that was causing hundreds to die a slow and painful death - but sadly there is still no cure. MJD is a hereditary neuro degenerative condition which results in lack of muscle control and is often confused with Parkinson's disease. The Northern Territory has the highest concentration and the most severe strain of MJD in the world. An estimated 654 residents, most of who live on the island, are at risk of developing the disease and more than 100 currently display symptoms. For Gayangwa Lalara, who is in her mid-70s, the disease has long been part of her life. WHAT IS MACHADO-JOSEPH DISEASE? MJD occurs because of an abnormal protein in the brain caused by a faulty chromosome. This protein causes nerve cells to die prematurely in a part of the brain called the cerebellum. The damage to the cerebellum initially causes muscular weakness and progresses over time to a total lack of voluntary control and very significant permanent physical disability. Source: MJD Foundation Advertisement Her father developed MJD when he was an older man, and all six of her brothers and sisters were affected by their 40s. 'They used to say it was a curse but it was inside us all along,' she told The Australian. Now her nieces and nephews have been diagnosed and one died in 2014. Research suggests the effects of the disease are appearing earlier with each generation. Libby Massey, MJD Foundation director of research and education, said the number of younger people developing symptoms has been increasing. 'Every time someone with MJD has a child, that risk is there. The numbers will continue to grow, there's no two ways about it.' According to the MJD Foundation the disease occurs because of a fault in a chromosome that results in the production of an abnormal protein. This protein causes nerve cells in the brain to die prematurely. An estimated 654 residents, most of who live on the island, are officially at risk and more than 100 currently display symptoms The damage to the cerebellum initially causes muscular weakness and progresses over time to a total lack of voluntary control and very significant permanent physical disability. In the later stages, the person cannot move or talk but remains fully alert - often referred to as 'locked in syndrome'. Scientists have started using zebrafish in their search for a cure. Zebrafish are genetically manipulated to carry the human gene that is known to cause the disease. Scientists have been working towards testing different drugs that might help to clear the toxic protein that is known to cause the disease. A former assemblywoman who accused Joe Biden of inappropriate touching in 2014 has slammed the veteran politician after he refused to apologize for his actions. Lucy Flores doubled down on her criticism of Biden today, writing that he had not 'reflected on how inappropriate and unsolicited touching' would make women feel uncomfortable. Her words came hours after Biden took the stage in Washington and cracked jokes about his handsy reputation to an audience of union workers. A former assemblywoman who accused Joe Biden of inappropriate touching in 2014 has slammed the veteran politician after he refused to apologize for his actions (the pair are pictured together at the Nevada rally in 2014) Biden's refusal appears to have added further fuel to Flores' fire, as she took to Twitter today to slam the increasingly likely presidential candidate. Last month, Flores alleged that Biden had kissed her on the back of her head at a 2014 Nevada rally, a move that made her feel 'uneasy, gross, and confused.' Biden remained silent on the subject until this week when he defiantly refused to apologize for his history of over-familiar touching and behavior towards women. His refusal appears to have angered her even further as she took to Twitter today to slam the increasingly likely Democrat presidential candidate. She wrote: 'It's clear @JoeBiden hasn't reflected at all on how his inappropriate and unsolicited touching made women feel uncomfortable. To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have.' Earlier today Biden spoke to reporters in Washington following his speech and addressed the accusations - but eschewed a direct apology. He said: 'I'm not sorry for any of my intentions. I'm not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I have never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman. 'So that's not the reputation I've had since I was in high school, for God's sakes,' During the speech, which was to International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Biden shook hands with union president Lonnie Stephenson and gave her a pat on the back. The former vice president then quipped to the audience: 'I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie'. His words drew cheers and laughter from the audience. Flores alleged that Biden had kissed her on the back of her head at a 2014 Nevada rally, a move that made her feel 'uneasy, gross, and confused' (pictured again at the Nevada rally) Biden pictured with Flores and actor Eva Longoria - co-founder of the Latino Victory Project Later in his remarks, Biden invited a group of children on stage and shook each child's hand, then put his arm around the shoulder of one boy. 'By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,' Biden joked once again, before returning to his speech, where he stressed the value of workers, invoked his Scranton roots, and talked of recognizing the toil of American workers. Meanwhile, Biden is reportedly close to announcing his intentions to run as a presidential candidate. Speaking to reporters Friday, he hinted at his plans but did not want to formally announce them for legal reasons. 'I am told by the lawyers that I've got to be careful what I say,' he explained, 'so that I don't start the clock ticking and change my status.' The Federal Election Commission is strict in its distinguishing between 'declared' candidates and people in an 'exploratory' stage of their political planning. Those designations can affect fundraising limits, reporting requirements and other facets of campaigning. Biden said he is 'very close to making the decision to stand before you all relatively soon.' Biden would enter the race as something of a paradox, a popular, deeply experienced front-runner but also a flawed candidate whose weaknesses are on full display. 'He has considerable assets, but the downside of 45 years of experience and relationships is 45 years of experience and relationships,' said David Axelrod, a longtime political adviser to President Barack Obama. A father has told of the terrifying moment he found his 12-year-old son unconscious and not breathing in his bedroom after trying take his own life. The unnamed dad-of-three said he 'failed to read those little signs' in the run-up to the horrifying incident. The Queensland man said his eldest son attempted suicide in February following intense bullying at school. He has spoken out to warn other parents and reduce stigma around youth suicide and mental health. A Queensland father-of-three found his eldest son unconscious and not breathing after school. He gave him CPR until the ambulance arrived in February 'We had told him to go to his room and do his homework,' he said to the ABC. 'Something just made me go in and check on him.' He gave his son CPR until the ambulance arrived and it took another eight minutes for the boy to regain his pulse. The boy spent four days in an induced coma after being flown to a Brisbane hospital. The boy was rushed to a local hospital where he was flown by helicopter to Brisbane hospital. He was put into an induced coma for four days at the city hospital His parents were told by doctors that their son would suffer severe brain damage because oxygen was cut off to his brain for 30 minutes and he could spend the rest of his life in the vegetative state. Thankfully the boy has been recovering well, although the long term effects on his brain are unknown. The family realised they 'failed to read those little signs' and want their traumatic experience to a cautionary tale for other parents The shaken family want their traumatic experience to be a cautionary tale for parents. 'We failed to read those little signs and being his age, we thought that a lot of his anger and frustration was him going through the change of life and becoming a teenager,' the father said. There were 180 deaths of people under 19 years old in 2017, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. The 15-year-old Louisiana girl who is believed to have run off willingly with a family friend who is more than 30 years her senior has been found and the man she was with has been arrested. Authorities said Domeanna Spell was located with Cory 'Shane' Disotell, 47, on Friday in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, which is 1,165 miles from where she was last seen just over one week ago. Spell, who has been deemed safe, had been missing for just over one week, after being previously last seen getting off the school bus at Port Barre High School in Louisiana at around 7am on March 28. 'This was a joint effort with our agency, the FBI, US marshals, state police, St. Landry Parish sheriffs office and many other agencies and organizations, working tirelessly and fervently,' Port Barre Police Chief Deon Bordeaux said. 'We are so thankful that the hard work paid off and the end result was this girl was found safe.' Scroll down for video Domeanna Spell, 15 (right), who is believed to have run off from Louisiana willingly with Cory 'Shane' Disotell, 47 (left), has been found in Colorado and Disotell has been arrested. Spell is said to be deemed safe Authorities said Domeanna Spell was located with Cory 'Shane' Disotell, 47, on Friday in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, which is 1,165 miles from where she was last seen just over one week ago in Port Barre, LA Spell's sister, Jerrie Cradeur, said the believed the teen willingly walked across the street after getting off the school bus and got into a car with Disotell on March 28. 'He probably has her believing that she's safe with him and that she's madly in love with him,' Cradeur told KATC before Spell was found. 'I do believe he did brainwash her. It was told to me that he is manipulative and he would have done it.' Spell's sister, Jerrie Cradeur, said the believed the teen willingly walked across the street after getting off the school bus and got into a car with Disotell on March 28 before leaving the area, t be found on Friday 1,165 miles away in Pagosa Springs, Colorado Spell has been found safe and will be home in Louisiana soon, according to her family Tiffany Lynn Gramm Cormier, the fiancee of Spell's other sister, Keisha Cormier, confirmed Spell had been found in a video shared to Facebook on Friday. 'Domeanna has been found, she is safe, she was found in Colorado,' she said, before thanking the people who shared information during the search for the teen. 'We don't know anything else besides that. He has been arrested,' she added, referring to Disotell. 'He probably has her believing that she's safe with him and that she's madly in love with him,' Cradeur told KATC of Disotell (right) before Spell (left) was found. 'I do believe he did brainwash her. It was told to me that he is manipulative and he would have done it' Cradeur revealed that Disotell had become 'really good friends' with her and Domeanna's parents. 'They even got a deer lease together because they were really close friends,' she said. 'Domeanna started babysitting for his granddaughter, and come to find out there was no granddaughter there for her to be babysitting.' Disotell had been giving Spell money every weekend, leading her parents to believe that she was babysitting for him. Disotell had been giving Spell (pictured0 money every weekend, leading her parents to believe that she was babysitting for him. Cradeur believes they were secretly having a relationship 'She probably left on her free will, and I don't think he would harm her in any way,' she said. 'But he is said to be aggressive.' Cradeur said Spell's family tried to keep Disotell away, however, once the family came to believe the two were carrying on a secret relationship, according to Heavy.com. She added Disotell even told Spell's parents, Nicholas and Elizabeth Spell, that he was in love with the teen and wanted to marry her a few months. At that point, Cradeur said Spells parents told him to stay away from their daughter and forbid her from seeing him, but the relationship is believed to have continued in secret. When neighbors saw a man sneak into Spell's bedroom through the window, her parents called the police, Cradeur said, and that's when an investigation into Disotell's and Spell's relationship first began. That investigation was said to have been ongoing when Spell disappeared on March 28. Social media posts indicate Disotell is divorced with children (he is pictured with his ex-wife) According to online records and social media posts, Disotell is divorced with children. Disotell and his former wife, Misti Hyatt, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2005. Court documents showed the pair owed sums ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 to at least 20 creditors, with assets valued at less than $100,000. Creditors listed on the petition included Chase Bankcard Services, Discover Card, the IRS, the La Capitol Federal Credit Union, the Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation, the Office of Employment Security, Sallie Mae, Teche Federal Savings and Wells Fargo Financial. At the time of the bankruptcy filing, the couple was listed as living in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, which is located about 25 miles east of Port Barre. Disotell's LinkedIn profile shows he has operated a side business called SD's Tree Service since March of 2003. Online records show he filed to create an LLC in 2013, but the license was revoked in August of 2016. It is state policy to revoke an LLC license if the proper annual renewal forms aren't filed after three years of the initial filing, Public Information Director Brandee Patrick said. Social media postings appear to show that Disotell and his former wife Hyatt have not been together since at least 2018. Hyatt shared an article about Spell's disappearance on social media on March 31, but refrained from commenting publicly on the post. Disotell could face charges for contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile because he and Spell are believed to have left Louisiana without permission or consent from the teen's parents. Disotell does not appear to have a prior criminal record. Michael McDonagh, 19, was arrested after his victim recognised his car's sounds A burglary victim recognised the make and model of the intruders getaway car from the sound of its engine, enabling police to trace him. Although the homeowner, who is a car industry expert, did not see the vehicle, he told police he believed the thief and his accomplice fled in a Vauxhall 1.6 diesel. Officers found the exact make and model near Michael McDonaghs home 12 miles away. The 19-year-olds fingerprints were found on the car and McDonagh was arrested. After his arrest, the homeowner picked him out of an ID parade and he admitted burglary. Tragically, the unnamed victim blames the trauma of the break-in for his pregnant wife suffering a miscarriage the next day, the court was told. McDonagh, from Coventry, broke into a man's house last year but the homeowner recognised the sound of the getaway car's engine as a Vauxhall 1.6 diesel (pictured) He was sentenced with a 12-month community order at Warwick Crown Court McDonagh broke into the couples home in Warwick at 3am on January 13 last year, Warwick Crown Court heard. The wife was alone in bed at the time and her husband returned home to find McDonagh ransacking the house. As the man took hold of him, McDonagh shouted to an accomplice out of the window: Help, hes got me! The prosecution said a voice from outside responded: Stab him then, f****** stab him. The householder let him go and he escaped with an Armani watch and a handbag containing 140 in cash and gift cards. McDonagh, from Coventry, also admitted a later offence of possessing an offensive weapon, after confronting a young man with a hammer while on bail for the burglary. Julian Lynch, defending, said: Hes a young, relatively vulnerable man. He was with some older males. He was out with them in their car and he was pushed into it by them. Imposing a 12-month community order, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said: The appropriate sentence for the burglary would have been 27 months. If you breach this order, if you steal so much as a packet of Polos from a shop, you will come back here. If I see you again, that is the sentence I will pass. Despite not yet finishing the term, President Trump is reportedly already eager to publish his post-presidential memoir and get some payback on detractors at the same time. According to the Daily Beast, Trump has been discussing producing his explosive memoir that he predicts will be a New York Times bestseller since 2017. 'He sounded excited about it,' a source who was present when Trump made remarks about the book told the website. 'He said it would sell better than even 'The Art of the Deal.'' President Trump arrives on Air Force One to the Los Angeles International Airport on a one day trip for a West Coast fundraiser following a trip to the border on Friday. Even as he continues his first term, Trump is reportedly eager to publish a post-presidential memoir An aerial view of people walking (right) on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border on the beach on April 5. Trump, whose border wall idea was present in his book 'Crippled America' looks to get back into the publishing game 'Crippled America,' published in 2015, the year before Trump was elected to the presidency Trump has talked about how such a book could be weaponized to settle some scores with the media, Democrats, disloyal Republicans, law enforcement, and even people inside his own administration, according to a friend of the president. On at least one social occasion, this friend allegedly heard the president refer to something that just happened by saying, 'that'll go great in a book.' The president is reportedly motivated by the numerous books written about him, adding to his desire to get his memoir published. He's been aggrieved by figures such as Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former friend and co-star who worked in his administration and used recordings of him for her own book, 'Unhinged', railed at former communications aide Cliff Sims for his book 'A Team of Vipers' and ended up dismissing former chief strategist Steve Bannon for his cutting remarks about Trump family in Michael Wolff's book 'Fire and Fury'. The president, who has several books under his name, reportedly is anxious to write his post-presidential memoir because of others who have made money writing about him Omarosa Manigault Newman drew a great deal of ire from the White House after using audio recordings to leverage a book deal Michael Wolff's bestseller 'Fire and Fury' ended Steve Bannon's tenure in the White House for including the former chief strategist's inflammatory remarks about members of the Trump family 'I think I'll save it for a book like everybody else and I'll write it,' Trump said in an October press conference when asked about accusing an unnamed lawmaker about sexual misconduct. 'I'm not giving it to you.' Trump's previous ghost-written book 'The Art of the Deal' has sold possibly over a million copies over its lifespan. His 'Crippled America', the last book published under his name and also a bestseller, featured his call for the construction of a southern border wall and was released a year before his election. However, current publishers may be less enthusiastic for future books from the president. Some publishing houses allegedly shrank away from a seven-figure deal for a book by the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., for a book that ended up not getting published in 2018, and a number of publishing houses have voiced concerns about how to market a book by the controversial president himself. Still, though sources say that a deal for a Trump presidential memoir would fall short of the kinds of deals former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama received, he would still be likely to garner a low seven-figure contract. Michael Gove joined in the Great British Spring Clean yesterday as the number of volunteers rose to 533,469. The Environment Secretary helped a band of litter pickers in the Surrey countryside, collecting 25 bin bags full of rubbish along a nature trail. They found discarded waste had lodged itself in all sorts of places, some easy to get at, some a real challenge. Environment Secretary Michael Gove helped a band of litter pickers in the Surrey countryside, collecting 25 bin bags full of rubbish along a nature trail. He joined the clean-up on the Blackwater Valley Path near Camberley There were energy drink and lager cans in the undergrowth, polythene bags caught in brambles, cigarette packets, an old tyre even old flower pots. Mr Gove praised wonderful local activist Philippa Anderson for organising the clean-up on the Blackwater Valley Path, which runs alongside a busy A road near Camberley. He said: Its fantastic Keep Britain Tidy and Philippa have brought so many people together to ensure this stretch by the A331, where you see all kinds of things strewn around, gets cleaned up. Its a constant battle but half a million volunteers are committed to doing their part to help us deal with the scourge of single-use plastic and other litter that harms our environment and ruins our green spaces. Mr Gove said the litter pick showed how important a deposit scheme for bottles and cans would be. The Government is committed to introducing such a scheme by 2023. He added: A deposit scheme would mean that instead of being thrown away, bottles and cans are placed back in the system. Mrs Anderson, who lives in nearby Chobham and is the deputy chairman of Keep Britain Tidy, which is behind the Mail-backed Great British Spring Clean, said: Much of this litter, including plastic packaging and cans, has clearly been flung from passing vehicles. It damages the environment, is a risk to the wildlife and could find its way into the water course and out to the ocean. Church of England Lowers the Boom on Stephen Sizer | Main | Where's the Coverage? NY Times Correction Undermines Anti-Netanyahu Narrative Promoted by NY Times February 10, 2015 CNNs Zakaria Puts Foot in Mouth Again with Israel-ISIS Analogy Fareed Zakarias take on Feb. 9, 2015 cited the Irgun, a covert Jewish group in British Mandatory Palestine, as an inspiration for ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) terrorism. Irgun was one of three Jewish underground military organizations in 1945-1948 that fought to bring about the end of the U.N. Mandate and the establishment of a Jewish state. Zakaria has demonstrated a compulsion to see Israel darkly, regardless of facts (examples here, here, here), and this is one more piece in the pattern. Here, Zakaria implicitly equates ISIS to Irgun Islamic fundamentalists who commit mass murder of children, trade captured minority women as "wives" and "execute" prisoners by beheading and immolation to Jewish nationalists who usually attempted to avoid non-combatant casualties. ISIS slaughters and enslaves as many as it can of those opposing its ideology bent on establishing a world wide caliphate under sharia (Islamic law). The Irgun aimed primarily at destroying property, typically targeting British and British-affiliated facilities, although there are historical accounts of it killing and wounding Arabs in reprisal attacks that were criticized by many Palestinian Jews. It used violence to attempt to compel Great Britain either to fulfill its responsibility under the League of Nations/U.N. Mandate for Palestine and let Jewish refugees, particularly those in Europe displaced by the Holocaust, in or to terminate the mandate and get out. The Irgun was not trying to force non-Jews to convert or, unlike ISIS's dreams of a regional if not worldwide "caliphate," impose Jewish rule over the Middle East and beyond. Zakaria said, The group [ISIS] well understands that the primary purpose of terrorism is to induce fear and overreaction The Irgun knew that they could not defeat the mighty British Army so they decided to blow up buildings and create the appearance of chaos.? On Irgun, Zakaria scavenges a 40-year-old article by historian David Fromkin. Writing in Foreign Affairs (The Strategy of Terrorism? in July, 1975 issue). Fromkin recounted what an Irgun founder said in 1945 at a meeting in New York: His organization would attack property interests. After giving advance warning to evacuate them, his small band of followers would blow up buildings. This, he said, would lead the British to overreact by garrisoning the country with an immense army drawn from stations in other parts of the world. But postwar Britain could not afford financially to maintain so great an army either there or anywhere else for any extended period of time... the plan of attacking property without hurting people proved to be unrealistic. Accidents inevitably occur when violence is unleashed The bloodshed caused by the Irgun isolated it politically and alienated the rest of the Palestinian Jewish community... Yet despite its flaws, the strategy was sufficiently ingenious so that the Irgun played a big part in getting the British to withdraw.? The Irgun did play a part in raising the cost to Great Britain depleted of manpower, impoverished by World War II and facing challenges in colonies such as India of hanging on to its Palestine Mandate. But in doing so, its tactics were far from ISIS' use of self-publicized wholesale and retail barbarism to outdo its parent, al-Qaeda, in imposing sharia, harsh Islamic religious law, on as much territory as possible. Zakaria's Irgun-to-ISIS analogy, hijacking Fromkin's article that essentially dealt with other issues in the rise of modern terrorism, is one more symptom of his underlying Israel-obsessive syndrome. Whats the secret of Zakarias charmed life on CNN? Viewers see what CNN management still won't; in addition to past plagiarism and insufficiently cited sources, his misplaced appeals to authority and tortuous analogies do not make Zakaria a foreign policy expert. Rather, they undermine his pretense to being one. Posted by MK at February 10, 2015 07:20 PM Fareed Zakaria sounds like another CNN version of Jim Clancy. http://freebeacon.com/culture/cnn-anchor-resigns-following-anti-israel-meltdown/ CNN Anchor Resigns Following Anti-Israel Meltdown January 16, 2015 Posted by: Barry Meridian at February 12, 2015 09:41 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Six British Army soldiers have been arrested over an alleged sex attack on a sleeping teenage colleague, reports claim. The woman, 17, is said to have screamed when she woke to find the men - one of whom was a staff sergeant - gathered around her. Her attackers, who are believed to have been drinking, then fled and she reported their actions to bosses, the Sun said. The woman, 17, is said to have screamed when she woke to find the men - one of whom was a staff sergeant - gathered around her (stock photo) Those involved were arrested by military police last Friday and Monday. They have since been released under investigation. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'There's no place for this kind of action in the military. If true, those involved must face the full force of the law.' He was said to be so 'appalled' by the allegation that he ordered a review into bullying and harassment in the Armed Forces on Friday. This will aim to ensure an incident of this nature does not happen again. General Sir Mark Alexander Popham Carleton-Smith, Chief of the General Staff, said: 'Inappropriate behaviour is downright unacceptable. It's in stark contrast with everything the Army represents. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was said to be so 'appalled' by the allegation that he ordered a review into bullying and harassment in the Armed Forces on Friday 'It betrays an indiscipline wildly at odds with the values and standards that represent the fabric of not just our Army but the nation's Army.' Insiders told the Sun that the teenager has been offered counselling and has been supported after the alleged attack. The allegations come days after four members of the Parachute Regiment filmed themselves shooting at Jeremy Corbyn's face during target practice in Afghanistan. A childcare worker has successfully sued his former boss for nearly $240,000 after she sent out an email defaming him to a group of parents. Matthew Bowden, 21, was working part-time at Chatswood's Hubba Bubba Childcare on Haig, Sydney, while also studying at TAFE. Mr Bowden resigned from his position after he struggled to balance his work and study commitments. Just days before Mr Bowden's employment concluded, he was escorted out of the childcare centre and was not allowed to talk to parents. The centre's director, Karen Chapman, also emailed 35 parents stating that Bowden was fired due to disciplinary reasons. Matthew Bowden, 21, was working part-time at Chatswood's Hubba Bubba Childcare (pictured) on Haig, Sydney while also studying at Tafe but resigned after he struggled to balance his work and study commitments The email Ms Chapman sent to the parents also suggested that Bowden lied to her about his studies alongside other issues. 'Whilst being good with the children in general, Matt was not truthful with us regarding his studies and some other issues, and I felt it was better for him to move on and possibly gain more life experience,' Ms Chapman said in the email obtained by the ABC. Ms Chapman had also called another parent stating that: 'Although Matt was really good with children... he couldn't be trusted.' Mr Bowden found out about the email he became anxious and depressed, becoming withdrawn, struggled to eat and had to seek professional help. Before Mr Bowden's employment concluded, he was escorted out of the Childcare centre, was not allowed to talk to parents and centre director, Karen Chapman, emailed 35 parents stating that Bowden was fired due to disciplinary reasons (stock image) Mr Bowden sued the childcare centre and Ms Chapman in the NSW District Court alleging that the email had defamed him. His lawyers argued that the email suggested he was fired for disciplinary reasons and he was dishonest, untruthful and was unfit to work in the childcare industry. Ms Chapman defended the email stating that she fired Mr Bowden because he had lied about his qualifications and babysitting children from the centre. Mr Bowden sued the childcare centre and Ms Chapman for defamation in the NSW District Court alleging that the email had defamed him. His lawyers successfully argued that the email suggested he was fired for disciplinary reasons and he was dishonest, untruthful and was unfit to work in the childcare industry During the judgment handed down this week, Judge Leonard Levy said that Ms Chapman had acted maliciously by sending the email and she had defamed Mr Bowden. 'Although the initial audience of the defendants' publication was limited, the group to which the defendants chose to send the emails was vital to the plaintiff's advancement in his chosen career,' Judge Leonard Levy said as reported by the ABC. Judge Levy awarded Mr Bowden $237,970.22 in compensation, which included his legal costs and aggravated and special damages. A headmaster hoping to turn around an academy rated inadequate by Ofsted has introduced what is probably Britains first scout group in a state secondary school. Nathan Jenkins, who became head in September, hopes the group will make pupils more confident and considerate individuals as well as teach them basic life skills such a sewing, ironing and boiling an egg. The idea was proposed by English teacher and local Scout leader Lizzie Harvey when Mr Jenkins searched for ways to improve the schools rating. The headmaster of an 'inadequate' academy - King Alfred School in Highbridge, Somerset, is launching a Scout group The group at the King Alfred School, in Highbridge, Somerset, launched in January this year. It is currently the only one in a state secondary school and scouting chiefs say it may well be the first in the history of the movement. Since January, almost 100 year seven and eight pupils, aged 11 to 13, have joined the 1st King Alfreds Scout Group. It is more than double the size of most of those outside schools and is a full member of Scouting UK, with pupils working towards the same badges as other Scouts. Miss Harvey, 27, said: We were expecting around 25 or 30 kids to sign up. They keep telling their friends about it, so we keep getting more coming along. She is one of ten staff volunteers who run the weekly group after lessons in the school hall. Since January the group has seen almost 100 children in year seven and eight join up to the 1st King Alfred's Scout Group Miss Harvey, 27, said: 'The idea is to encourage confidence, communication, teambuilding, resilience, honesty' The idea is to encourage confidence, communication, teambuilding, resilience, honesty, she said, adding that the childrens involvement in Scouts was beginning to be reflected in their classroom behaviour, too. Year seven pupil Reuben Kemp said that his favourite part of the Scouts was learning skills he can use to help out at home. Year eight pupil Vibeke Farnsworth said: I like learning things that some of my friends outside of Scouts dont know how to do. Mr Jenkins said: This group is just one piece of the outstanding school we are working towards. You cant just manufacture the level of happiness and energy you see among the Scout group. If they werent learning these skills, the likelihood is that they might go home and spend hours staring at a screen. The group now hope Chief Scout Bear Grylls will visit. He has already praised them as absolutely brilliant. Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes called the pupils incredible, adding: Outdoor activities make for brilliant people, well rounded and with self-confidence to try to achieve the impossible. Campaigners say many of the wipes end up in rivers and the sea via the sewage system Tesco was criticised by environmentalists yesterday over its 'flushable' wet wipes that come with a warning that they are harmful to aquatic life. Campaigners say many of the wipes end up in rivers and the sea via the sewage system. Although the retailer says the warning is simply a legal requirement as the wipes do not pose a risk once they are in water, there were still calls for them to be removed from sale. While makers claim some wet wipes are flushable, water companies say the term is misleading as synthetic wipes often do not break down quickly enough in water. The Tesco cleaning wipes contain methylisothiazolinone, which the packet says 'may produce an allergic reaction'. Environmentalist group the Green Dream Foundation said: 'It actually says on the back 'harmful to aquatic life'. And they are flushable! Where do they think the wipes will end up?' A Tesco spokesman said: 'This warning is a legal requirement and it's on a number of household products. The wipes aren't harmful to aquatic life after they've been flushed but we're working with our supplier to change the ingredients.' The middle classes are more likely to have taken class A drugs than their working class counterparts, a study has revealed. Around one in ten of all adults surveyed admitted they had taken drugs like cocaine and ecstasy - with one in seven of those aged between 18 and 49 admitting the same. Nine per cent of those from middle classes revealed they had tried class A drugs, in comparison to eight per cent of those from working classes, a YouGov poll of 1,730 adults showed. Around one in ten of all adults admitted to having taken drugs like cocaine and ecstasy - with one in seven of those aged between 18 and 49 admitting the same (Stock image) And 5 per cent of all adults asked said they would consider trying class A drugs if they were legalised, the Telegraph reported. It comes amid concerns that illegal drugs like cocaine and ecstasy are fuelling knife crime by drug gangs in Britain. Cressida Dick, the Met Police commissioner, recently accused middle class drug users of having 'blood on their hands' over a series of violent crimes. She said: 'There are a whole group of middle-class people who will sit round happily and think about global warming and fair trade but think there is no harm in taking a bit of cocaine. Nine per cent of those from middle classes revealed they had tried class A drugs, in comparison to eight per cent of those from working classes, a YouGov poll of 1,730 adults showed (Stock image) 'Well, there is. There's misery throughout the supply chain.' It comes as the Thames Valley Police piloted a scheme where people caught with small amounts of drugs are not arrested but are instead encouraged to seek support. Those caught are only prosecuted if they fail to engage with treatment and are caught again in possession of illegal substances. Almost 200 jobs are under threat at GKN just a year after the engineering giant was seized by corporate raiders. The companys new owner Melrose was last night accused of a breach of faith after plans to close a factory in Kings Norton, Birmingham, were revealed. Workers were told the site, which makes windows and canopies for military and civilian aircraft, would be gradually shut down by 2021. Bosses also said jobs could be moved abroad to low cost areas, it is understood. It has sparked fresh fears for GKNs operations in the UK, after critics previously warned Melroses takeover could lead to a wave of closures and fire sales. GKN's new owner Melrose was last night accused of a breach of faith after going through with plans to shut down the factory by 2021 The company, which goes by the motto buy, improve, sell, bought GKN for 8.1 billion after a battle over the firms future with the previous management. Melrose insisted it was not involved in the decision to close the Birmingham factory, saying it was taken by GKN managers. Birmingham Erdington MP Jack Dromey said that workers were 'being sold down the river' However, it came just days after the asset stripper told investors of its plans to squeeze more profits out of GKN by pushing through brutal cost savings. MPs and unions said the closure flew in the face of pledges made before the takeover. At the time, Melrose promised not to sell GKNs aerospace division for five years and to pump investment into the 260-year-old group. But yesterday Labours Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham Erdington, said there were fears British jobs would be moved to factories abroad. He said: Workers are devastated by this announcement they are now being sold down the river. Fellow Labour MP Richard Burden added: Barely a year has passed since Melrose were falling over themselves to tell everybody how committed they were to UK manufacturing, but their words ring hollow today. Union leaders said they were seeking urgent talks with Melrose over the factory closure plans. Rhys McCarthy, of Unite, said: This has come totally out of the blue for the world-class Kings Norton workforce who have worked hard to make GKN a success. A GKN spokesman said: Having carried out a thorough assessment of our Kings Norton site, we have regrettably concluded it does not have a long-term, sustainable future within the business. A mother charged with manslaughter after her two Aboriginal sons drowned in a river has been refused bail. The bodies of Barak Austral, 5, and Jhulio Sariago, 3, were found in Townsville's Ross River after wandering away from their home on February 25. Their mother Leanne Chyrsilla Eatts appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Saturday morning facing manslaughter charges. Leanne Chyrsilla Eatts (pictured) appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Saturday morning facing manslaughter charges Tragic: Barak Austral (left), five, and Jhulio Sariago (right), three, were found dead in the Ross River near Cranbrook in Townsville in February She has also been charged with trafficking dangerous drugs, supplying drugs to a minor, possessing drugs, permitting a place to be used in the commission of a drug offence and unlicensed driving. The supplying drugs to a minor charge is not related to her sons. Magistrate Peter Smid said Ms Eatts safety could be at risk if she was released on bail. Outside court Townsville Indigenous elder Gracelyn Smallwood told reporters she believed Ms Eatts had been visited by the Department of Child Safety. 'If DOCS had done their job by regularly checking on the welfare of the children, this too could have been avoided.' It has been alleged police received information that Leanne Chyrsilla Eatts was recovering from a heavy night of drinking when her two sons left home and later drowned, according to the Townsville Bulletin. During a press conference on Friday, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said the charges related to the care and responsibility a parent should have for children. Police will allege the boys were left regularly unsupervised, Snr Sgt Miles said. The boys' mother Leanne Eatts (left) was arrested in relation to the death of her two sons on Friday An amber alert was issued after the boys went missing from their home in the suburb of Cranbrook about 5.30pm CCTV footage tragically shows the last time the boys were seen alive, with Barak wearing his school uniform (in red shirt on the right) 'As a result of what's been a fairly arduous investigation over the last five weeks, we've taken the boys' mother into custody,' Snr Sgt Miles said. 'This investigation centres around the care of these young boys and what led to their tragic passing. This is a catastrophic result for this family and it is a preventable tragedy.' 'There is no way that these boys should be been able to go down to the river. Their deaths, under appropriate supervision and management by a parent, would have been averted.' Police will allege Ms Eatts was 'solely responsible for the failure of these two young boys', Mr Miles said. Ms Eatts next court appearance will be on May 17. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles (pictured) said the charges related to the care and responsibility a parent should have for children A western New York man has been charged with threatening to assault and murder US Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Patrick Carlineo Jr., 55, was arrested after placing a threatening call to Omar's office in Washington D.C. last month, Federal prosecutors announced on Friday. Carlineo told the FBI that he is a patriot, 'loves the president and that he hates radical Muslims in our government,' the criminal complaint read. Authorities did not say when Carlineo was arrested, but noted that he identified himself to a staffer while making the threat. Omar is among the first of two Muslim women to serve in Congress. Patrick Carlineo Jr. of western New York has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill US Representative Ilhan Omar (pictured) of Minnesota The FBI said in a criminal complaint that Carlineo called Omar a 'terrorist' and threatened to shoot her during a phone call on March 21. During the call in question, a voice can be heard saying, 'Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, she's a (expletive) terrorist. Ill put a bullet in her (expletive) skull,' the Department of Justice said in a press release. The bureau said that Carlineo sounded angry during the call but 'spelled his name correctly and provided contact information' to a staffer. Carlineo's defense attorney declined to comment on the charges on Friday. Omar's early weeks in office have been met with backlash for remarks she made about Israel, including comments that American supporters of Israel are pushing people to have 'allegiance to a foreign country.' Some people perceived Omar's comments as anti-Semitic. She later apologized, saying 'anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes.' Omar, a Somali-American, has also been the subject of anti-Semitic and racist comments. For his alleged threatening remarks against Omar, Carlineo made his first appearance on Friday afternoon before US Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson. If convicted of the charge against him, Carlineo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He is being held pending a detention hearing on April 10 that has been scheduled for at 10.30am. Two Chinese nationals have been charged with laundering money for Irish roofing scammers who targeted the elderly. Two men, aged 26 and 28, were arrested in Ashfield, in inner west Sydney, and Brookvale, northern Sydney, on Friday for their alleged involvement in the scam. Police launched an investigation after numerous reports that Irish nationals were targeting older residents and demanding money for roofing repairs that were not required. (File picture) Two Chinese nationals have been charged with laundering money for Irish roofing scammers The Chinese nationals are alleged to have laundered the proceeds of fraudulent 'roofing repairs' through financial institutions across the city. Both men have been charged with recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime. They were refused bail and are due to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. The men were refused bail and are due to appear at Parramatta Bail Court (pictured) on Saturday Police believe the Chinese nationals were involved in the same roofing scam syndicate which included three Irish nationals who were arrested last month, The Daily Telegraph reported. It's understood in one incidence the men targeted a 72-year-old man from southwest Sydney. The man is believed to have handed the men thousands of dollars for work that had left his roof with holes in. Three Irish nationals were charged in March in connection to the alleged scam. President Trump seems to have met his match - but it's not another world leader or business tycoon but an umbrella. The president once again struggled to close his umbrella as he boarded Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Friday morning. A video posted by The Hill on Twitter shielding himself from the rain as he climbs the ramp of his jet to travel to California. When he gets to the top of the stairs, he turns to wave and then gives the still open umbrella to a hand sticking through the doorway of the presidential plane before disappearing inside. The hand-off marked the latest moment that Trump appeared in public with his trusty black umbrella, a subject of some controversy several times. Scroll down for video President Trump boards Air Force One as a hand emerges from the doorway to take the still open umbrella from him on Friday April 5, at Andrews Air Force Base, en route to California The unseen aid was dubbed an 'umbrella guy' by a Twitter user President Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, headed to California. pic.twitter.com/ETBuv332Ft The Hill (@thehill) April 5, 2019 In January, Trump was accused of abandoning First Lady Melania Trump and son Barron to the elements after he boarded Air Force One under the comfort of the umbrella, but leaving the family members exposed. In October, the president baffled observers by appearing unable or unwilling to collapse the umbrella, leaving it on the rolling stairs to Air Force One to blow in the wind. Trump was widely mocked as the discarded canopy lay there for quite some time before another member of his team was forced to skirt around the swaying obstacle obstructing the entryway. The latest incident has led Twitter users to speculate about Trump's relationship to umbrellas once again. Trump decides to hand off his trusty black umbrella at the doorway rather than take care of it himself Trump waves as he gets to the top of the ramp before entering Air Force One. He will not be closing the umbrella in his hand before entering President Trump arrives at Andrews Air Force Base on Friday morning before his trip to California Trump drops his umbrella before entering Air Force One on October 27, 2018 'This is so weird: Trump now appears to have an 'umbrella guy' to take the umbrella from him, because he seemingly cannot any longer (assuming he ever could) operate an umbrella successfully, or at all really,' wrote Twitter user Simon Maginn. 'How do we have a president who doesn't know how to close an umbrella?' asked author Molly Jong-Fast. 'Watch Trump board Air Force One a few minutes ago. He's so lazy he doesn't even close his umbrella,' tweeted pundit Scott Dworkin. 'He just hands it off while the umbrella's still open, to someone inside the plane. Doesn't even take it through the door.' User @simonmaginn dubbed the disembodied hand reaching out from Air Force One 'umbrella guy' Molly Jong-Fast wonders how it is Trump does not appear to know how to simply close an umbrella Hundreds of animal rights activists have called for an end to slaughterhouses in a mass rally. About 500 protesters marched in an anti-clockwise route around the outskirts of the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne on Saturday, with a speech and demonstration at the front entrance to the meat and fish hall. The march coincided with other rallies across the world, including in the United States, England, France, Spain and Canada. Scroll down for video About 500 protesters marched in an anti-clockwise route around the outskirts of the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne The march coincided with other rallies across the world, including in the United States, England, France, Spain and Canada Guest speaker and president of Animal Liberation Tasmania, Kristy Alger, said that market shoppers seemed 'intrigued' by the protest Guest speaker and president of Animal Liberation Tasmania, Kristy Alger, said that market shoppers seemed 'intrigued' by the protest. 'We need to create a world of justice through our compassion and our mercy and our love banding together as a movement,' she said. Spokesperson Leah Folloni said the market was symbolically chosen. 'It's a place where the dismembered bodies of animals are being sold,' she said. Hundreds of animal rights activists have called for an end to slaughterhouses in a mass rally The march was run by March to Close all Slaughterhouses, an organisation calling for abolition of the practices that harm animals Hundreds came with large banners protesting the rights and animals not to be slaughtered 'We're raising awareness of the detrimental effects of slaughterhouses, and the effects not just on animals but on the human animal as well. 'I think people are waking up and realising that humans are also animals and we all feel pain and we all feel fear and we all love our family.' The march was run by March to Close all Slaughterhouses, an organisation calling for abolition of the practices that harm animals. Protesters of all ages turned up around the outskirts of Queen Victoria market on Saturday Protesters aimed to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of animal slaughterhouses A Sri Lankan refugee who was injured during a chemical factory fire in Melbourne is recovering in hospital after being engulfed in flames. Vignesh Varatharaja, who fled the civil war in Sri Lanka to start a new life in Australia, was set on fire after a chemical drum he was pumping exploded. Mr Varatharaja was taken to a specialist burns unit where he remains unconscious in a serious but stable condition. More than $13,000 has been raised by the Migrants Workers Centre to help meet Mr Varatharaja's upfront medical costs. Vignesh Varatharaja's (pictured) body was set on fire after a chemical drum he was pumping exploded and started burning The chemical fire tore through the waste management factory, which stores hazardous waste, in Campbelltown early on Friday morning. Footage of the fire showed a gas canister launching into the sky after being ignited by the blaze. The fire caused thick, black smoke to spew over Melbourne yesterday and firefighters have yet to completely extinguish the blaze. About 30 firefighters and 11 trucks continue to fight the blaze but they are being cautious as the structure of the building has been compromised. An investigation into the fire has been launched following a request from the fire brigade. The chemical fire occurred at a waste management factory (pictured), which stored hazardous waste, in Campbelltown early on Friday morning The secretary of the The Australian Workers Union (AWU), Ben Davis, shared concerns about Mr Varatharaja's condition. 'He was working out there at the company when the fire started, he was immediately transported to the Northern Hospital and then from there to the Alfred hospital,' Mr Davis told the ABC. 'As we all know you don't get to the Alfred unless you're quite unwell. He is quite badly hurt.' Bradbury Industrial Services, who operated the factory, had their license to accept material revoked on March 15 by Victoria's Protection Authority (EPA). The inspection conducted by the EPA found that the company had stored 400,00 litres of hazardous material on site when their license only permitted 150,000 Members of AWU stated they raised concerns last year about the factory's unsatisfactory health and safety conditions. In the wake of the fire, it has been revealed by 9News that the owner of the factory is linked to four other warehouses stocked with hazardous material. Bradbury Industrial Services, who operated the factory, had their licence to accept material revoked on March 15 by Victoria's Protection Authority (EPA). The inspection conducted by the EPA found that the company had stored 400,00 litres of hazardous material on site when their license only permitted 150,000. The EPA stated that the day before the fire, 300,000 litres of hazardous material remained at the factory. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has drawn criticism for seeming to affect an accent while speaking to a mostly black audience at a conference held by the Rev. Al Sharpton. 'Ain't nothing wrong with that,' the freshman Democrat drawled while speaking on Friday at Sharpton's National Action Network conference in the Sheraton Times Square in Manhattan. 'I'm proud to be a bartender. Ain't nothing wrong with that,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'There's nothing wrong with working retail, folding clothes for other people to buy.' Conservative pundits quickly pointed out the jarring accent that Ocasio-Cortez seemed to slip into repeatedly, which sounded halfway between Southern drawl and Boricua twang. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges 'We've played a lot of clips of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she doesn't talk like that in a single one of them. That's fake, that what that is,' Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson said on his Friday show. Other critics from the right took to Twitter to mock Ocasio-Cortez for her newfound accent. 'I got five seconds into the video of AOC putting on an accent before cringing out,' wrote Washington Free Beacon reporter Alex Griswold. 'Ocasio-Cortez speaks in an accent that she never uses while telling a room of predominately black people that there is nothing wrong with them folding clothes, cooking, and driving other people around on a bus for a living,' wrote Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra. 'She literally pulled a Hillary Clinton,' he continued, referring to Clinton's habit of slipping into Southern accents in front of certain audiences during her Senate campaign. Ocasio-Cortez hit back instantly, defending the accent as authentic. 'Folks talking about my voice can step right off,' she wrote on Twitter. 'Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what's up. My Spanish is the same way.' 'As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when I'm fired up and especially when I'm home. It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponized against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time,' she continued. Ocasio-Cortez grew up in the Bronx until she was five, when her family purchased a home in Yorktown Heights in upstate Westchester County. She returned to the Bronx after graduating from Boston University in 2011. At the event on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez used her speech to call for reparations to black Americans for slavery. The freshman Democrat is pushing the controversial policy that has gained traction among the field of candidates bidding to oust President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges. Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform. 'That is the moral political and economic underpinning of making bold investments and dignified jobs because that is the necessary plan to fix the pipes in Flint [Michigan] and clean the air in the South Bronx,' the rising political star said. She went on to call for unionized energy jobs for transitioning workers in Appalachia and West Virginia, as well as single-payer health care and Medicare-for-all. Adding: 'Tuition-free public colleges and universities to prepare our nation for the future, and for the end of mass incarceration, the war on drugs, examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations and fixing the opioid crisis too.' Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy and energy usage, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform Ocasio-Cortez said the policies she had in mind were generational rather than geared around a presidential cycle. The recently sworn-in Congresswoman's support of progressive policies highlights a shift further left by the Democratic Party, whose leading figures in the past - including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders - all came out against it. It remains unclear how the reparations would be delivered, however. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who introduced a bill on the subject in January, said that 'the impact of slavery and its vestiges continues to affect African Americans and indeed all Americans in communities throughout our nation.' She said the measure, formally known as the 'Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act', would examine the 'institution of slavery in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present, and further recommend appropriate remedies.' More than 40 Australians are being held in refugee and detention camps in Syria following the defeat of Islamic State. The 43 people identified include at least 40 women and children living in cramped refugee camps in the country's north. The number of Australians identified is expected to rise in the coming weeks, according to The Australian. Pressure has been mounting on the government to show compassion and bring the women and children home. One expert even said it would make the country safer to let the former ISIS brides back in so they cannot radicalise more people in Syria. More than 40 Australians are being held in refugee and detention camps in Syria including the orphaned children (pictured) of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf (Zaynab, top left; Hoda, top right; Humzeh, bottom centre; and deceased Abdullah, bottom right; Zarqawi, bottom left) 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 Among those held in camps and begging to come back to Australia include 21-year-old Oliver Bridgeman from Toowoomba in Queensland. He claims he travelled to Syria to be a humanitarian worker rather than fight in the war-torn nation but has since had his passport cancelled by the Australian government. Sydney woman Rayan Hamdoush was given refuge in the Al-Hawl camp just two days after ISIS was defeated. With her in the same camp are three pregnant Australian women, including the 17-year-old daughter of terrorist Khaled Sharrouf, Zaynab. Alongside Zaynab are her two remaining siblings, 16-year-old Hoda and eight-year-old Humzeh, who have been held at the camp since mid-March. Their Sydney-based mother, Tara Nettleton, smuggled the children out of Australia but is believed to have died in 2016, while Sharrouf and his two sons are believed to have died during an airstrike in 2017. Mahir Absar Alam, 26, joined Islamic State just four weeks after it declared its caliphate in 2014 and has allegedly told family members he regrets joining. Ex-Sydney tradesman Mohammed Noor Masri, 26, was captured by Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces and is being kept in a Syrian camp. Sydney man Ahmed Merhi, 27, has begged Australia to help him escape Iraq, where he has been sentenced to death by hanging. Former Melbourne-woman Zehra Duman, 24, is believed to also be at the Al-Hawl camp with her two-year-old son and six-month-old daughter and says she's been trying to leave ISIS for two years. Janai Safar, 24, is also living in a refugee camp in northern Syria after joining the terror group in 2015, but has vowed to never return to Australia. Shayma Assaad (pictured) was 15 when she moved to Syria from Australia with her parents, and she later married Mohammed Noor Masri, 26 Oliver Bridgeman (pictured), 21, claimed he travelled to Syria to be a humanitarian worker '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,' Ms Safar said. The parents of 24-year-old pregnant Australian Kirsty Rosse-Emile have begged the government to let their daughter back in the country. Ms Rosse-Emile 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. She and her two-year-old daughter are just two of the 73,000 people who are being held at 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. There are currently 27 Australians under the age of 18 living in run-down tents in the Al-Hawl camp or the Roj camp (stock image) Mrs Assaad was 15 when she moved to Syria from Australia with her parents, and she later married Mohammed Noor Masri, 26, but has since begged to be allowed back in Australia with her three sons. There are currently 27 Australians under the age of 18 living in run-down tents in the Al-Hawl camp or the Roj camp. 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. Tyrelle Burke (pictured above) was stabbed in Manchester on Friday A young man who died after being stabbed in Manchester has been named as Tyrelle Burke. The 20-year-old was taken to hospital on Friday after police were called following reports of an attack. They were called to an area in Wythenshawe on Friday morning at around 9am. Tyrelle, who was described by friends and family as the 'sweetest lad' was taken to hospital with stab wounds where he later died. Police have now arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of murder. Tributes came flooding in over social media for the 20-year-old who some described as 'being taken too soon'. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, one woman, who attended school with Tyrelle said: 'He was known by a lot of people. He was the most warm-hearted person ever. 'I can speak for everyone when I say he might be gone, but he'll never be forgotten. It's so sad.' Others posted that they couldn't believe the news. One social media user Chloe Nash said: 'Can't believe what I'm hearing. RIP, Tyrelle. Taken far too soon in one of the cruelest ways. Rest easy.' This is while Kasie Hunter said: 'So sad, RIP Tyrelle. Thoughts are with family.' The death of Tyrelle comes just one month after Yousef Ghaleb Makki was stabbed to death near Altrincham. Forensic officers were pictured on Crossacres Road last night following the stabbing of Tyrelle Burke on Friday morning Three people were also arrested in Bury on Monday after a teenager was stabbed outside a restaurant following a dispute. The deaths follow what has been described as an epidemic across the country with reports suggesting that stabbings in the first quarter of the year have almost doubled since 2015. Reported blade attacks came in at 662, a rise of 95%, with 66 victims killed, according to the Anti-Knife campaign group. A private Instagram page was launched in memory of the teenager which urged people to 'drop the knives'. The biography of the page stated: 'Memorial Page (Positive Vibes) lets fix our environment! Drop The Knife/Turn Them Into Chains'. Friend Adam Bates said: 'I used to play football with him as kids and manhunt around the estate. 'It's taken a while to sink in. We didn't really speak much any more. He didn't deserve this. Rest easy, Tyrelle.' Police were parked outside a property in Wythenshawe yesterday following the arrest of a 17-year-old boy, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder In a statement Greater Manchester Police said they had launched a murder investigation after a man was found collapsed at a property at 8.45am on Friday. 'A 20-year-old man was taken to hospital in a critical condition. He has since sadly died. 'A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.' Residents on the street had reportedly heard men arguing and members of the public had seen a large police presence following the incident. Speaking in regards to Tyrelle Burke's death, Detective Chief Inspector Carl Jones of GMP's Major Incident Team said: 'Our thoughts are with the man's family at this unimaginably difficult time and we are committed to giving them the answers they deserve. Yousef Ghaleb Makki (pictured above) was stabbed in Altrincham on March 2 'We have arrested one person in connection with this murder and are appealing for the public to come forward with any information they might have. 'Were you in the vicinity of Crossacres Road at around 8.30am on Friday 5 April? 'Did you see anything suspicious or have any information that can assist us? If so, get in touch with us immediately.' The force has urged anyone with any information to contact police on 0161 856 0039 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A heartbroken mother is suing a hospital after her baby boy tragically died as he co-slept with her in her hospital bed. Lucces Batten was barely two days old when his mother Aymee Batten found him 'limp, blue and cold' in her bed in Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, 12km from Perth, in February 2016. Ms Batten claims staff had 'encouraged' her to co-sleep with her son, but had not kept watch on the pair properly. Aymee Batten found her two-day-old baby boy 'limp, blue and cold' in her bed in Fiona Stanley Hospital (pictured) Ms Batten and her partner Michael Hardman are now suing the hospital and South Metropolitan Health Service for their alleged negligence in the death of Lucces. A writ submitted in both New South Wales and Western Australia details the couple's complaint. It outlines that Ms Batten only had five hours sleep in 72 hours following a difficult labour, according to The Western Australian . '[Ms Batten] was encouraged to co-sleep with Lucces throughout this period ... and it appears that very little monitoring was provided to both the plaintiff, notwithstanding the protracted labour, analgesics provided and noted lack of sleep,' the writ states. (File picture) Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon reiterated the safest place for a baby to sleep with in a cot It also claims a 'reasonable and competent' individual should have taken precautionary measures to stop any potential harm. 'The injury was preventable through the adoptions of precautions and could have been avoided with the exercise of reasonable skill and care,' it noted. It also says the health service 'failed to provide advice and stop co-sleeping'. It added that the cot is 'the safest' place for a baby to go to sleep. On Friday Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon reiterated the safest place for a baby to sleep was in a cot. (File picture) A writ submitted in both New South Wales and Western Australia details the couple's complaint He also noted the case was a tragic reminder of the adverse consequence of a parent sleeping in a bed with their baby. Scientific evidence has found co-sleeping can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS). According to a report, in 2017 there were 87 deaths categorised as Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI). The number of deaths included SIDS casualties as well as fatal sleeping accidents. A spokesperson for South Metropolitan Heath Service said they were unable to comment. 'This is subject to the legal proceedings and therefore we are unable to provide any comment on it. 'It will be raised through the Courts at the appropriate time,' the said. Daily Mail Australia understands the hospital will contest the womans claims. When Jordie-Jay was born at 24 weeks weighing just 1lbs 7oz, doctors warned it would take a miracle for him to survive. His mother Kirsty Byass, 28, was ready to turn off the premature child's life support as his prospects looked increasingly bleak and consultants 'admitted defeat'. The child's family had prepared to say their gut-wrenching final goodbyes at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. Jordie-Jay had been born after potentially life-threating complications with Ms Byass' pregnancy forced doctors to perform a C-section, and the child suffered with premature chronic lung disease. Jordie-Jay was born at 24 weeks weighing just 1lbs 7oz, and doctors warned it would take a miracle for him to survive His mother Kirsty Byass, 28, pictured with Jordie-Jay's father Ryan Pearce. Ms Byass was ready to turn off the premature child's life support as his prospects looked increasingly bleak She had stayed in hospital for around four weeks and was put to sleep for an operation as the situation worsened - knowing her baby might not survive. Jordie-Jay was born on November 20 and did well at first, before taking a turn for the worse. Ms Byass had made the impossible decision to turn off his ventilator and let him pass away peacefully. She had agonisingly explained to her other two boys, aged 11 and 7, what was going to happen and picked out clothes for the baby to wear, before making the sombre journey to the hospital. Ms Byass, a cleaner from Norton, told Teesside Live: 'Jordie-Jay has premature chronic lung disease and the doctors said he has it so severe that they only get children like him once every two years. Jordie-Jay was born on November 20 and did well at first, before taking a turn for the worse The youngster was moved to end of life care and suddenly had a massive turnaround 'He just wasn't getting any better, the doctors kept putting me into a room and telling me there's nothing else they can do for him. 'I begged them to help him, and the truth is they were, but nothing was happening.' She continued: 'My kids were heartbroken, the nurses said they had to take time out the room because it was heart-wrenching watching my boys so broken.' But then, Ms Byass changed her mind about turning off the child's life support, feeling she couldn't go through with it. A nurse said she had never seen such a recovery in her decade in the profession 'I couldn't do it, we became desperate,' she said. 'I rang hospitals over the over side of the country, I asked for a second opinion, we researched things that could help him, I even asked them to use him as a guinea pig if it would save his life.' The youngster was moved to end of life care and suddenly had a massive turnaround, much to the delight of Ms Byass and the child's father, 25-year-old asbestos stripper Ryan Pearce. The tiny baby began making remarkable progress. A nurse said she had never seen such a recovery in her decade in the profession. Ms Byass said: 'Miracles do happen. 'I didn't think they would happen to me, but they do. 'Even one of the consultants said "I can't believe it".' Jordie-Jay is now 132 days old and weighs 8lbs 2oz. He still has a way to go, but Ms Byass has been left overwhelmed at the 'miracle' transformation. Jordie-Jay was recently transferred to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, and it is hoped he can go home a week on Sunday. Ms Byass added: 'I want to say thank you to the hospital staff. It's because of them that he's here today.' Advertisement Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared an affectionate photo of them together on their new joint Instagram as they asked fans to stop sending gifts for their new baby and donate to charity instead. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recommended charities which fans could support instead of buying presents for their first child, who is due in the next few weeks. In the second post on their new account, which was launched on Tuesday and already has four million followers, the couple said they were 'immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and support in anticipation of the birth of their first child'. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared their first romantic photo on their joint Instagram account (above) and asked fans to stop sending gifts for their first baby and to donate to charity instead But they added: 'In lieu of sending gifts, the couple have long planned to encourage members of the public to make donations to select charities for children and parents in need. 'If you already made a donation, the couple send you their greatest thanks. 'If you are thinking about it, they ask that you kindly consider the following organisations they've selected.' The pair recommended four charities which fans could support: the Lunchbox Fund, which works to provide a daily meal for impoverished children in South Africa; Little Village HQ, which provides clothes and equipment for children under five; WellChild, which tries to get ill children out of hospital and back home; and Baby2Baby, which tries to provide necessities for children up to 12 years old. Since the post was published yesterday afternoon, one of the named charities said they had been 'completely overwhelmed' by the response from fans. Little Village, which was founded in 2016, have seen their Instagram followers jump by more than 1,000 to nearly 3,000 since the royal post. In the Instagram post on their joint account, they thanked fans for the 'love and support' which has come ahead of their child's arrival But instead of fans sending more gifts, they recommended four charities which they could support: The Lunchbox Fund, Little Village, WellChild and Baby2Baby Chief executive Sophia Parker said: 'We've been completely astounded by the response we've received since being mentioned on the Duke and Duchess' Instagram account. 'We've received messages and donations from as far afield as Australia, Texas and Hong Kong, it's fantastic to think that people across the world appreciate our work. 'We're a very small charity, so support like this is crucial. We often see families whose babies are being forced to sleep on cushions on the floor and children with shoes two sizes too small. We support families by providing clothing for their children, safe places for them to sleep, and toys and books to help them thrive. 'We receive no public funding so are reliant on donations and the generosity of the public - every penny really does count,' she added. The Lunchbox Fund works to provide a daily meal for impoverished children in South Africa According to a list of official gifts presented to the royal family in 2018, Harry and Meghan's new baby has already received more than 90 soft toys, 19 teddy bears, a pair of wellies and 15 baby vests. Baby milestone cards were also among the gifts, as well as hats and dungarees. Last month, some other favourite charities of the royal couple were inundated with donations after Twitter campaign #GlobalSussexBabyShower encouraged fans to support Meghan's causes. Fans of Meghan, 37, celebrated the upcoming birth of Baby Sussex with the hashtag and asked one another to share donations or other items with charities associated with the Duchess of Sussex. Charities including the Mayhew, an animal welfare charity, and CAMFED, which works to educate girls in rural Africa, were among those that received donations from the campaign. Baby2Baby tries to provide necessities for children up to 12 years old who are living in poverty in the United States WellChild tries to get seriously ill children out of hospital and back home to their families After the Twitter campaign took off CAMFED posted on social media to say they were 'floored' by the response to the campaign, writing: 'You made our year!' Harry and Meghan recently went for some relaxation time ahead of their child's arrival by going on a lavish three-night 33,000 'babymoon' at a five-star Hampshire hotel. The couple stayed at the five-star Heckfield Place hotel in Hook, Hampshire, which is an 18th-century Georgian mansion and a favourite among celebrities. They booked out the most expensive apartment, which for 10,000-a-night boasts its own dining room and private terraces. Little Village HQ has offices in Wandsworth, Camden and Southwark and provides donated clothes for children under five who are in need In November last year, Harry and Meghan announced that they will be moving to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, despite their 21-bedroom apartment in Kensington Palace recently being renovated for 1.4million. It was previously thought they would take a spacious main apartment inside the palace in preparation for the imminent arrival of their baby. The Queen has gifted Harry and Meghan Frogmore Cottage, which will also need to undergo 'major building work' and a multi-million pound revamp to transform it from staff accommodation to a family home. The bolthole of the stars: Heckfield Place Hotel In 1794, Jane Austen's mother wrote a poem about her daughter not being invited to a dinner given by the Lefevre family at Heckfield Place, an 18th Century Georgian manor house. Rooms at the countryside retreat start at 350, working upwards to 10,000-a-night. The 480-acre estate in the Hampshire countryside has 45 rooms and suites, two lakes, and its own arboretum and staff are dressed as if on the set of a period drama, with billowing skirts, waistcoats and frilly necklines. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are set to welcome their new baby in just a few weeks, stayed at Heckfield Place hotel (pictured) which is situated in 400 acres of countryside An entire farm has been created to supply Heckfield, including an orchard with more than 400 fruit trees. The manager of the organic farm even shampoos its pigs in tea tree. All the food - under the guidance of Skye Gyngell - is homemade, from the mustard to the butter. Hong Kong-born American billionaire Gerald Chan (co-founder of a private equity group) planned to relaunch Heckfield Place after a loving renovation in 2012, but wasn't satisfied with the finished product. In October 2018, it finally came to life, with one glossy mag suggesting it could be the 'most exciting country house hotel to have opened in the past 21 years'. Chan, who is based in Boston, was dubbed the 'invisible billionaire' by the Boston Globe because of his low profile. The 63-year-old has four university degrees, is on the Forbes billionaire list, and gifted Harvard University some $350 million. As a thank you, Harvard renamed its public health school after Chan's late father. Advertisement On Friday, the Royal family hit back at claims that the monarch had 'banned' the Duchess of Sussex from wearing some of the priceless items from her own private collection. A palace insider had 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. Advertisement Britain is gearing up for BBQ and T-shirt weather this weekend as the sunshine returns - but not for long as temperatures will plunge mid-week with cold chills brought from the Arctic. Parts of the UK will enjoy warm Spring weather across Saturday and Sunday with temperatures reaching 16C - and those heading to the Grand National at Aintree will be treated to ideal weather for the races. Spring sunshine means families may take to the outdoors to enjoy the clear skies, but those heading to the beach might want to think twice about taking a dip in the sea as temperatures around the coast are on the chilly side. Beach goers make the most of sunshine in Wemouth, Dorset as Britain gears up for BBQ and T-shirt weather this weekend Dog walkers enjoy the bright and dry sunny spell in Weymouth, but those heading to the beach might want to think twice about taking a dip in the sea as temperatures around the coast are on the chilly side Race-goers enjoy the sunshine and dry weather as they arrive at Aintree for the Grand National on Saturday Britain is set for BBQ and T-shirt weather this weekend as the sunshine returns - but not for long as temperatures will plunge mid-week with cold chills brought from the Arctic And Brits will need to make the most of the balmy conditions before a colder snap next week, with the possibility of wintry showers and frost sweeping across the country. Those prone to hayfever will need to be careful this weekend as pollen levels will soar, particularly in Wales and south-west England. The country will be split with the best weather in the west and southwest, and patches of rain and cold wind in Scotland and the east as chills are brought in from the North Sea. Met Office Forecaster Marco Petagna said: 'There is very much a northeast and southwest divide this weekend, with Scotland seeing cloudy and colder weather and patchy rain throughout the day and south west England and Wales seeing drier conditions. 'Its quite a contrast from yesterday, which had a lot of wet weather and conditions are much drier today. Race-goers enjoy the sunshine and dry weather as they arrive at Aintree for the Grand National on Saturday Revellers at Aintree enjoy clear blue skies with only pathces of cloud during Grand National celebrations Crowds bask in the warm weather as they make the most of the sunshine at Aintree ahead of the races The sun shines in Weymouth as Brits will need to make the most of the balmy conditions before colder snap next week The country will be split with the best weather in the west and southwest and patches of rain and cold wind in Scotland and the east as chills are brought in from the North Sea Those prone to hayfever will need to be careful this weekend pollen levels will soar, particularly in Wales and south-west England Crowds arrive at Aintree as blue skies and sunshine set to make a lovely day for the Grand National 'This weekend will see temperatures at 14C and 15C and at a push 16C which makes it great weather for the Grand National. 'Pollen levels are high in Wales and the south-west from tree pollen which may affect some peoples hayfever.' Next week will see colder temperatures than average for this time of year at 8C, with northwesterly winds bringing the cold weather. Met Office Forecaster Mr Petagna said: 'Next week will see some colder weather and temperatures at 8 to 10 degrees and the possibility of winter showers with the risk of frost.' A Met Office summary read: 'Early low cloud, hill fog and rain in the northeast will become more extensive over Scotland and northeast England. 'Drier, brighter and warmer elsewhere with the best of the sunshine in the southwest, although an isolated shower is possible.' It came as Britain was hit by storms and hail this week as heavy snow and hail hit the west of Britain. Commuters faced disruption to their journeys with a yellow warning for snow over southern and central Wales on Thursday, as one and two inches of snow fell. 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 Like a scene from a postcard! The snow was captured falling heavily in Northumberland, with the classic red telephone box in shot Rain and sleet also affected driving conditions, including in the West Midlands. 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. The Met Office 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. 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'. Australia's spy chief has revealed the greatest threats facing the country and said they are almost endless. Director of the Office of National Intelligence Nick Warner said there are currently about 90 or 100 security risks. Papua New Guinea's rapid population increase, right-wing and Islamist terrorism and a trade war with China are part of the top six threats the country is facing. Director of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) Nick Warner (pictured) told the ABC there are currently about 90 or 100 security risks TOP SIX THREATS FACING AUSTRALIA 1. Papua New Guinea's population growth 2. Territorial disputes over the South China sea and the East China sea between China and the US 3. Right-wing and Islamist terrorism 4. Technological change 5. North Korea's nuclear weapons program 6. Threats to 'rule-based order' Advertisement Papua New Guinea's population is expected to increase to 20 million in 20 years. The island gained independence on September 16, 1975. The island's growing population will threaten its natural resources such as electricity and water supply. 'Its issues and problems will impact more directly on Australia than they have at any time since independence in 1975,' Mr Warner told the ABC. Mr Warner did not outline why the island's population would directly impact Australia but there are fears it could lead to increased illegal immigration. China and the United States have been undergoing territorial disputes over the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The tensions between the two superpowers will affect Australia's economic growth, putting the country's exporters and consumers at risk of being caught up in the trade war. 'China's rise is vitally important to Australia's economic prosperity,' Mr Warner said. China and the United States have been undergoing territorial disputes over the South China Sea and the East China Sea The tensions between the two superpowers will affect Australia's economic growth, putting the country's exporters and consumers at risk With the Christchurch mosque massacre in neighbouring country New Zealand and the pressure on the Government to bring home scores of Australian families living in refugee camps in northern Syria and Iraq, Australia faces ongoing risks of right-wing and Islamist extremism. Fifty lives were killed by an accused white supremacist gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15. At least 30 Australians are stuck in the Al-Hawl refugee camp in Syria, following the fall of the ISIS stronghold at Baghouz. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday the government was working with the Red Cross to process the return of the Australian women and children. Assessments would have to take place, including a citizenship and formal identification check, before being granted travel documents. At least 30 Australians are stuck in the Al-Hawl refugee camp in Syria, following the fall of the ISIS stronghold at Baghouz Mr Warner says technological changes such as smartphones will impact the country because it allows people to have the ability 'to move money around'. Other significant technological innovations such nanotechnology, facial recognition and gait recognition will create an impact on the global scale and will change the business of intelligence. The historical tension between India and Pakistan since 1947 saw the recent Pulwana attack in February. The terrorist attack was instigated by an Islamist group in Pakistan. Mr Warner said has diminished slightly but hasn't gone away completely. Mr Warner says technological changes such as smartphones will impact the country because it allows people to have the ability 'to move money around' North Korea have not curtailed their nuclear weapons after a failed negotiation between US President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un, creating a security risk for Australia. 'We're a very long way now again from complete, verifiable and irreversible disarmament,' Mr Warner says. The 'rules-based order' is 'under threat' because Mr Warner says the power of states has precedence over 'the rules that inform the behaviour of states'. The rules-based order is described as a shared commitment by all countries to adhere to international law, security and trade agreements. She's known for being a free-spirited Californian who favours wellness and once declared 'Yoga is my thing'. And Meghan Markle even has her meditation guru on speed dial in case of emergencies after claiming in her now defunct blog that it 'makes her happier'. The Duchess of Sussex was in regular attendance at classes run by Light Watkins, who is a meditation teacher for the stars, and said the 'mystical man' transformed her life. Meghan Markle has continued her healthy living ethos by introducing meditation to the royal family after claiming in her now defunct blog that it 'makes her happier' The Duchess of Sussex was a regular at meditation guru for the stars Light Watkins' (pictured) classes and said the 'mystical man' transformed her life While an actress filming Suits, she wrote on her blog The Tig: 'I can't put my finger on the why or the how, but I will tell you this much, for me... I am much happier and meditation has much to do with that.' Back then she said she favoured twice-daily meditation 20 minutes in the morning and afternoon. And it has obviously rubbed off on her husband, as in Birkenhead this year Harry, once known as the 'party prince', told a Buddhist monk he practises meditation 'every day'. Guru Mr Watkins, 45, who teaches mainly in Los Angeles and New York, offers a 750 four-day course which was frequented by the Duchess of Sussex. The Duchess of Sussex was a regular at meditation guru for the stars Light Watkins' classes and said the 'mystical man' transformed her life The mediation guru revealed Meghan still has his phone number and email address in case she needs any help, the Times reports. He is a celebrity go to for relaxation, having taught more than 2,500 people including Hollywood actors, chief executives and athletes. He told the Times: 'If you make meditation your habit it can impact all the other habits you want to have - eating better, being a better communicator in your relationships, being more productive at work, sleeping better. 'But in order to get the benefits, you have to meditate every day.' It's the same sentiment he had for the Duchess of Sussex when he first taught her. She wrote on her blog: 'I told Light I didn't have enough hours in the day to do it, and he told me that's why I needed to do it twice as much. It has obviously rubbed off on her husband, in Birkenhead this year Harry told a Buddhist monk he practises meditation 'every day' 'Not gonna lie, I rolled my eyes thinking "Oh give me a break, mystic man." But lo and behold, this mystical man was right.' Most of Mr Watkins' classes involve chanting a private Sanskrit mantra, and he claims his practice helps with sleep, patience and overall well-being. It's not just Meghan who has grown to love the ancient practice, as Harry recently revealed that he 'meditates every day' while chatting to a Buddhist monk. The couple stayed in the 10,000-a-night Long Room for three nights on their recent 'babymoon' at Hampshire's Heckfield Place (pictured) It may not be just Meghan's influence. In a 1992 letter, Princess Diana spoke of her interest in the Indian spiritualist teachings of Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov. Prince Charles has also been on meditative retreats to Mount Athos, in Greece. Even the Duchess of Cornwall is in on the hobby: during an Indian retreat she undertook daily dawn yoga and meditation sessions. It comes as Meghan and Harry recently checked into Heckfield Place hotel in Hampshire for three nights for a 'pre-baby honeymoon'. It boasts an organic ethos, a yoga studio and a spa offering 'all-natural treatments', and holds mind-expanding talks on subjects such as 'How the world thinks'. Meghan is a well-established devotee of both vinyasa and hot yoga with mother Doria being an avid teacher of the practice. Just a stone's throw from Kensington Palace where Harry and Meghan were living until they moved out this week is Notting Hill's Ilapothecary wellness boutique (Pictured) She has continued doing yoga during pregnancy and has even introduced Harry to the mindful pursuit. The couple's new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, has reportedly been equipped with a yoga studio. Meghan has also long been a proponent of acupuncture, which she credited with helping her beat debilitating migraines. According to Vanity Fair, she has visited celebrity acupuncturist Ross Barr during pregnancy. Back in 2015 Meghan said: 'I have been a long-time believer in acupuncture. I used to have debilitating migraines [I was] hospitalised for them and acupuncture changed my life.' Prior to their wedding, Harry and Meghan reportedly both visited Barr, who offers 45-minute sessions costing between 90 and 120. Last week they were spotted leaving a Notting Hill wellness shop which offers 'energy healing' and meditation with 'singing bowls'. Just a stone's throw from Kensington Palace where Harry and Meghan were living until they moved out this week Notting Hill's Ilapothecary wellness boutique could have been tailor-made for Meghan. Buckingham Palace refused to comment on whether Meghan still uses Light Watkins as her meditation teacher. Prime Minister Theresa May has been warned that holding European elections could pose an existential threat to the Conservative Party after she asked for a flextension to Brexit from the EU. A poll will take place on May 23 and Mrs May has urged party members to prepare to take part, which has prompted a backlash from activists who may now refuse to campaign for candidates. It comes as Brussels attempts to force Britain to accept a year-long Brexit flextension which could keep the UK in the EU up until March next year. Executive secretary of the Conservative Party, Nigel Evans said the future of the party could be in danger if the country takes part in European elections and that Leave voters would never forgive such a betrayal. Donald Tusk (left) has offered Prime Minister Theresa May (right) an extension to the Brexit deal Nigel Evans (pictured above) warned that the future of the Conservative Party could be in danger He said: This is an existential threat to the Conservative Party. We have seen all the cut-up membership cards on social media. No-one will believe anything said in a manifesto we put out. President of the European council Donald Tusk yesterday unveiled plans to offer Mrs May a year-long extension that would be terminated once a deal passes through the commons. Mr Tusk said he was in favour of the flextension which could be cut short if MPs come to an agreement on Mrs Mays deal. The move could lead to a revolt by Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers and Tory MPs who fear that Britain could be forced to take part in the next round of European elections in May. The extension could also mean that the UK would remain in Britain almost four years after voting to leave. The Telegraph reported that Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay had told Theresa May in a heated meeting that the country needs to get out of the EU as he implored her to avoid European elections. The move could lead to a revolt by Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers and Tory MP. Picture shows a debate in parliament discussing the legalities of extending Article 50 Defeated Newport by-election candidate, Matthew Evans said that if Mrs May accepts a long extension next week then she would have just days left as leader. However, its not just Conservative MPs who arent happy about the proposed extension. Yesterday French president Emmanuel Macron said he only wanted a short delay with his office describing Mr Tusks plan for an extension as a clumsy trial balloon. Macron is leading European efforts to stop Britain from getting any new delay to Brexit without a 'clear and credible' plan for leaving, saying we should otherwise be left to quit 'in a disorderly manner'. Emmanuel Macron (pictured yesterday, second from right) believes it is 'premature' to assume they will grant Britain another extension to the Brexit negotiation period And European affairs minister Amelie de Montchalin warned that Theresa May's desire for a short extension of Article 50 with a break mechanism to leave sooner if a Withdrawal Agreement passed through Parliament was not likely to succeed. This is while many seem unfazed by the proposition of an extension, with the DUPs Arlene Foster saying that the move came as little surprise, following Mrs Mays lamentable handling of negotiations. Matthew Evans (pictured above) warned that if May accepts an extension then she could be out as leade She said: It should not have to be like this. Exiting the EU has become chaotic because of intransigence in Brussels and ineffectiveness in Brussels. The UK fighting European elections almost three years after a clear majority voted to leave the EU sums up the disorganised and slapdash approach to negotiations taken by the Prime Minister. Some MPs have come out in support for the Prime Minister, with Jeremy Hunt having said that the UK would be left with no choice but to request an extension if the dead lock continued. He said it wasnt ideal to have an extension but that the party still hopes to leave the EU in the next couple of months. Brexiteers have pledged to 'go nuclear' and accused Theresa May of 'abandoning' her party - and leave voters - after she wrote to the EU begging them to extend Article 50 until June 30. There is also fury that she promised Brussels that British taxpayers would stump up 108million to hold European elections in late May if she fails to make a deal with Jeremy Corbyn by then. Australians won't be learning the date of the next federal election on Sunday, as the Morrison government buys itself more time to sell its budget. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided against visiting Government House on Sunday, with the election date now more likely to be May 18. A delayed election announcement would advantage the government by stretching out their access to taxpayer funds for advertising policies and programs. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided not to an election on Sunday increasing the chances of a May 18 election date Since January, an independent committee has approved 15 major government advertising campaigns covering energy, health, roads and schools. It would also allow MPs, who have already left Canberra, to spend more time spruiking last Tuesday's budget in their electorates. On the downside, the Senate is scheduled to continue with budget estimates this week, hearings that could potentially be damaging for the government. As well, Nationals members are hoping for a conclusion to the environmental assessment on the proposed Adani Carmichael mine in Queensland, which they can take to the election as a win for jobs and the economy. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who recently released his first budget, said the election timing was up to the prime minister Despite the delay, Liberal strategists and staff have begun arriving at their campaign headquarters in Brisbane while Labor staffers are setting up their base in Parramatta in western Sydney. Bill Shorten says Labor is ready for whenever Mr Morrison calls the election. The Labor leader told reporters in Launceston the government had given up governing. 'If the prime minister wants to play games about when he calls the election, I'm just not interested,' the opposition leader said. Bill Shorten is already in campaign mode and spent his Saturday visiting a Melbourne shopping centre to win over voters in the close race Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the election timing was up to the prime minister. 'It will be made in due course. An election will soon be upon us, but the contest will be very clear,' he said. Bill Shorten is already in campaign mode and spent his Saturday visiting a Melbourne shopping centre to win over voters in the close race Mr Morrison is attending an NRL match on Saturday night between the Cronulla Sharks and the Parramatta Eels. He's also expected to attend church in Sydney on Sunday. An average of opinion polls puts Labor ahead of the coalition 53-47 on a two-party preferred basis, which would deliver Mr Shorten a comfortable majority. Half the Senate is up for re-election, with a number of crossbenchers expected to lose their seats while the major parties consolidate their numbers. Meanwhile, the Liberal National Party pre-selected marketing expert Angie Bell as its candidate for the safe Gold Coast seat of Moncrieff, being vacated by former minister Steve Ciobo. Philip Hammond has announced sweeping tax cuts today - in a move that will impact half the country. The chancellor also pledged an extra 1.1billion funding for police, 1.1billion for schools and 1.3billion for local councils. It comes amid mounting pressure on the government over the links between police funding cuts and a surge in violent crime, as well as a backlash from teachers over school funding. A key part of Mr Hammond's plan will see an overhaul to income tax which will result in an increase in the tax-free personal allowance - from 11,850 last year to 12,500. Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced tax cuts that will be felt by 32million people - half the country A rise in the higher rate threshold to 50,000 will also give an extra 495 a year for higher rate taxpayers. Brexit uncertainty has led many across the country to tighten their belts - with fears heightened after sterling fell 0.66 per cent against the US dollar last month. Britons from all parts of society have even been stockpiling goods, with more than 4.6billion spent on household items as of last month. The country is set to leave the EU on April 12 without an agreement in place unless a plan is reached or a further extension is granted. What are the chancellor's tax gifts? Police and schools both get 1.1billion extra funding Local councils see 1.3billion extra Tax-free personal allowance raised from 11,850 to 12,500 Higher threshold rate increased to 50,000 National Living Wage up from 7.83 to 8.21 National Minimum Wage now at 6.15 for 18 to 20-year-olds and 7.70 an hour for 21 to 24-year-olds Pension contributions increased to 5 per cent per worker and 3 per cent for employers Advertisement Mr Hammonds tax cuts today may be seen as sweeteners ahead of a potential general election after weeks of Brexit deadlock in the House of Commons. Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to hold talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn last week to try to broker a Brexit agreement. The chancellor's gifts included a further 2.1million people to get a pay rise as he boosted the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage. The National Living Wage has been increased from 7.83 to 8.21, meaning an extra 690 a year in people's pockets. And the National Minimum Wage has gone up to 6.15 for 18 to 20-year-olds and 7.70 an hour for 21 to 24-year-olds. It comes as the new financial year begins today, with Mr Hammond capitalising on a tax windfall as the economy grew. The chancellor a potential Conservative leadership candidate - said the move will benefit 'families and grafters' across the UK. Writing in the Express, he said: 'They are the lifeblood of our economy who keep the country going no matter what.' He continued: 'For the first time in a decade, we will have genuine and sustainable choices about our future,' he says following years of austerity to help balance the books.' 'Some people have argued that we should increase taxes. But we promised to keep taxes as low as possible so that you can keep more of your hard-earned cash.' Mr Hammond speaking today in Bucharest about the talks with the Labour party He added: 'Overall, including our increase to the higher rate threshold, this means a tax cut for 32 million people. The tax cuts will benefit 4.8million in the South East, 4.3million in London, 3.4million will have more money in the North West and 3.2 million in the East of England. It will also come as a boost for 5million in the Midlands, 2.8million in the South West, 1.2million workers in the North East and 2.5million people will save in Yorkshire and the Humber. And Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will see 1.4million, 2.4million and 760,000 face income tax cuts respectively. Elsewhere in Mr Hammond's plan, minimum contributions for the ten million people automatically enrolled on workplace pensions are set to change. Staff are now required to contribute 5 per cent and employers 3 per cent towards their pensions - when combined contributions used to be 5 per cent. It means people will lose around 30 from their pay each month, but it is estimated there could be an extra 55,000 for a pensioner if they start contributing aged 22. Shelby Burns, 19, had no heartbeat for 40 minutes after falling into the waves in Blackpool, Lancashire on January 4 A teenager who was found floating face-down in the Irish Sea has made a miracle recovery - and now wants to be a lifeboat volunteer herself. Shelby Burns, 19, had no heartbeat for 40 minutes after falling into the waves in Blackpool, Lancashire on January 4. But the heroic actions of lifeboat volunteers, paramedics, and Victoria Hospital medics saved Ms Burns - and her mother Helen Adams, 40, says Ms Burns is now thinking of volunteering when she has fully recovered. After spending the last three months recovering, Ms Burns returned to the RNLI station on the Promenade this week to thank those who pulled her from the waves. She said: 'If it wasn't for them, I definitely I wouldn't be here. They saved my life that day.' Lifeboatman Shaun Wright, 45, who took part in the mercy mission, said: 'I have been a lifeboat man for over 20 years, so I have been to quite a few incidents, but in all my 23 years only three times have I seen something like this. 'Shelby was extremely lucky. It's a rare thing that someone can leave hospital alive after us picking them up face-down from the water. 'The chances of survival are very slim.' And heart surgeon David Rose, who was called in to operate at just a few minutes' notice, said: 'I have never had any experience like this one.' Ms Burns' ordeal started at around 9.20pm on Friday, January 4. She was standing on a concrete walkway while on a night out with two pals when she was washed into the Irish Sea by a wave. Ms Burns returned to the RNLI station on the Promenade this week to thank those who pulled her from the waves (pictured). She said: 'If it wasn't for them, I definitely I wouldn't be here' After the unforgiving winter water bashed her against the seawall, the teen was knocked out, sparking a race against time to save her life. Mr Wright said: 'It was dark and cold. The sea had a bit of a swell and there were a few waves. 'We went to North Pier and as we got there we could see a life belt that had been thrown down over the pier, and there was a security guard shining a light down on the place he last saw Shelby. 'We spotted her in the searchlight face-down, getting washed against the stanchion of the pier.' Ms Burns was hauled aboard the lifeboat, given life-saving CPR, and taken ashore on a Land Rover, before being put into a waiting ambulance - all within 10 minutes - and taken to Victoria Hospital. It was 10pm when she arrived in cardiac arrest - with only the CPR keeping her alive. A&E workers continued to give Ms Burns First Aid as she was given urgent treatment for hypothermia, where the body is at a dangerously cold temperature, and sent to an operating theatre for specialist treatment. She was induced into a coma and put on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine, which spent 24 hours pumping the blood around her body and warming it back up again. Her family kept a bedside vigil, fearing the worst. Her mother Helen Adams said: 'The police came to the house looking for me and her dad. They took us to the hospital and told us that she had been in an accident at sea. 'When we got to the hospital they did say it was really touch-and-go. It was very frightening. It's nothing you would wish on anybody at all. 'We were prepared to say our goodbyes. The whole family came through from Manchester and never left her side.' Ms Burns said: 'I'm just glad I'm here. I just can't believe it' But Ms Burns, who lives in Livingstone Road, central Blackpool, with her family, astounded doctors by coming round and, after six weeks on a ward, was allowed home. Life hasn't been the same since, however, though there are hopes a full recovery will be possible in time. Ms Burns now suffers short-term memory loss and numbness in her left side, and had to drop out of Blackpool and The Fylde College, where she was taking a mechanics course. She said: 'I have been told what happened, but I don't remember what happened. I don't remember that day at all. The whole thing has gone blank. 'I just remember waking up in the hospital very confused. I think I said I had had a car crash. 'I'm just glad I'm here. I just can't believe it. 'My life has changed completely. I don't feel like the same person any more. I forget things that I have said. I forget what I'm going to say when I speak. 'I feel shocked, happy, and at the same time upset.' Mrs Adams added: 'Like the nurses at the hospital said, we are taking each day as it comes and hoping for the best. 'She has been very lucky. The lifeboat men said the condition she was in, her age, and the fact that they were so close saved her life. Any other night and they don't think she would have pulled through. It's a miracle. 'They have done an amazing job and even Ms Burns is thinking when she's fully recovered she wants to go and be a volunteer herself. If it wasn't for them she wouldn't be here today. It's a fantastic job they do.' Mr Rose, who works at the Vic's lauded Lancashire Cardiac Centre, said: 'The expertise and teamwork shown by all the emergency services quite literally saved a life. It can't be said strongly enough. 'The quick decision-making of establishing ECMO to start the rewarming process and let the heart recover from the injury was only possible thanks to the collaboration between surgical, anaesthetic and perfusion team.' Lifeboatman Mr Wright added: 'This was our first call of 2019 and at the time it was a horrible call-out. Last year, we had over 100 call-outs but a lot of calls there was nothing at the end. 'We had been launching and searching, but people were found elsewhere. So the crew to see that after such a long period was quite shocking. 'It's really nice to see you have made a difference and it makes all the volunteering and getting up at unsociable hours worthwhile. 'It can be stressful for everyone involved. I'm a father myself, I have got two kids, and to know that we have made a different and saved (Ms Burns) is fantastic, and the fact that she came back to say thank you. 'We don't do it to get a thank you, but it's nice.' RNLI volunteer Danny Sharratt, who also helped rescue Ms Burns, said: 'We were thrilled to see Shelby at the lifeboat station. Last time we saw her she was extremely poorly so it's wonderful to speak to her and see her looking so well. Meeting people we've helped makes all of the time and effort we put into our volunteer roles really worthwhile.' And Paul Little, the station officer for the Coastguard, which helped guide the lifeboat and look after Ms Burns' friends, added: 'More often than not, in incidents like this it does not have a positive outcome. 'We're very pleased Shelby has bucked the trend!' David Rigby, Fylde Sector Manager for North West Ambulance Service said: 'It's great to see that Shelby has made a good recovery which is a real testament to the fantastic way that all the agencies involved came together to help save her life. 'Paramedic Brad Peacock is a volunteer for RNLI and quickly responded to the incident in his own time where he worked alongside his colleagues to help give Shelby the all-important CPR which meant that she was stable enough to receive hospital treatment.' Chancellor Philip Hammond has said the government has no 'red lines' with Labour when it comes to Brexit negotiations. Mr Hammond today said that he is 'optimistic' that the Conservatives will be able to reach some sort of agreement with Labour, and that the Tories will keep an open mind when it comes to discussions. Speaking at a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Bucharest, he said that the conversation with the Labour party will continue and that it is an ongoing process. He once again highlighted Downing Street's willingness to involve Labour in the discussions and said that they expect to form 'some sort of agreement'. Philip Hammond (centre) is attending a meeting in Romania with governors of central banks Philip Hammond has said that Theresa May (pictured) should be open minded when entering into talks with Labour Mr Hammond said talks would continue today after they collapsed last night with no sign of a breakthrough with Labour blaming Mrs May for refusing to budge. He said: 'Parliament will be sitting next week so if there is something to consider then we can put it to parliament. 'We should be open to suggestions that others have made our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines.' Mr Hammond said that he would be going into the talks with an open mind and would aim to discuss things in an 'open fashion'. Philip Hammond said talks with Labour (leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured above) are ongoing Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond arrives for the second day of the informal meeting of European Union Finance ministers in Bucharest, Romania His declaration of no red lines may come as a surprise to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as Theresa May had previously stated that an adamancy it would cease freedom of movement and a steadfast opposition to a second referendum. Labour could refuse to come back to the negotiating table unless the Tories agree that Britain stays in the EU customs union after Brexit. Labour's Brexit chief, Sir Keir Starmer said: 'So far, the Government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration. 'Now, obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change. We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government but we do need change if we're going to compromise.' On Friday the Prime Minister wrote to European Council president Donald Tusk asking for a further delay to Brexit, which would otherwise happen at 11pm on April 12. The UK's exit from the EU had already been delayed from March 29 and she has now asked for the extension to stretch to June 30. She has asked for the UK to stay part of the EU to June 30, after it was already delayed from March 29. Last night Labour accused Theresa May of failing to offer opposition 'real change or compromise' after a third day of talks between senior frontbenchers and officials on both sides. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer leaving the Cabinet Office yesterday following cross party talks in London With just days to go to find a consensus and get an agreed deal though the Commons after months of division, Labour voiced 'disappointment' at the way they had gone. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was 'not countenancing any changes' to the wording of the Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future UK-EU relationship. In a sign that talks with ministers have so far failed to produce a breakthrough, he said: 'Well, we've had two rounds of talks and today we've had an exchange of correspondence with the Government. 'So far, the Government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration. 'Now obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change. We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise.' A Labour spokesman added: 'We are disappointed that the Government has not offered real change or compromise. 'We urge the Prime Minister to come forward with genuine changes to her deal in an effort to find an alternative that can win support in Parliament and bring the country together.' A Second World War booklet providing instructions for German troops on how to occupy Norway and subjugate its people has been rediscovered in an archive. Archivists at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem found the guide, entitled Simple Steps for Occupying a Peaceful Democratic Country, which was captured during a British raid in 1941. Composed of a series of documents written by Nazi officials, it sets out how the press should be repressed, while another document says that all political parties must be dissolved and banned, The Times reported. A Second World War booklet providing instructions for German troops on how to occupy Norway and subjugate its people, which was captured during a British raid on Nazi-occupied Norway, has been rediscovered in an archive. Above: one of the documents from the guide Shai Ben-Ari of the National Library wrote in Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the guide constitutes a 'brief, practical manual on how to take over a democratic country and suppress its population'. In March 1941, nearly a year after Allied soldiers' evacuation from Dunkirk, British commandos launched a raid in Norway to destroy factories producing fish oil and to destroy or capture German ships. Germany had been occupying Norway following their invasion of the country in April 1940. Papers making up the guide on the occupation were captured during part of the raid, named Operation Claymore, which also obtained parts for a German Enigma machine from a German trawler which helped the Allies crack German naval codes. The papers were brought back to Britain and translated before being collated into a booklet and a copy has now been unearthed in Israel, Haaretz said. Surprisingly, the guide urges invaders to exercise 'restraint and caution' in dealing with Norwegian dissidents or locals who insult their occupiers. Papers making up the guide on Germany's occupation were captured during a March 1941 raid by British commandos on Norway's Lofoten islands (pictured). They were brought back to Britain and translated before being collated into a booklet It said the 'severest measures' should be reserved for those who threatened soldiers. Some of the notes were written by the commander of German forces in Norway, General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, Mr Ben-Ari said. 'It has become necessary, and it is more than ever urged, that restraint and caution be exercised,' the General wrote. However, those who insult or strike a German national should be reported or arrested, although religious clerics preaching subversive sermons should only be reported rather than arrested. A different document in the cache says that all political parties must be dissolved and banned, except for the far-right party, Nasjonal Samling, founded by Vidkun Quisling. His name is now synonymous with someone who collaborates with an enemy or occupying force. The papers set out how the press should be repressed, while another document says that all political parties must be dissolved and banned. Above: Burning oil during the British raid on the Lofoten Islands Another stricture lays out how the press should be repressed, with German comminiques needing to be run on the front page of newspapers and printed with larger headlines. Economic news must be entirely positive, as should newspaper reporters to their Nazi occupiers. 'There can be no mistake, the instructions were written in the spirit of National Socialism,' Ben-Ari added. Members of Parliament who have a record of military might are fast emerging as contenders who could propel Britain's next Prime Minister to power. As a leadership race looms amid Prime Minister Theresa May's compromising with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit, a number of MPs with military backgrounds are been preened by rival candidates who are seeking support. Desirable skills such as being willing to take risks and thinking ahead are seen as key assets to any leadership campaign and will come in good stead in a post Brexit period, which is set to be extremely challenging for the party. Leading candidates to support those vying for leadership include all-round hero Tobias Ellwood who in 2017 tried to save the life of PC Keith Palmer when he was stabbed by Khalid Masood during the Westminster terror attack. Tobias Ellwood (pictured above) is an MP for Bournemouth and has served in Northern Ireland Tobias Ellwood is reportedly being touted by Boris Johnson (pictured above) as well as Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove Mr Ellwood is currently a defence minister and is being actively courted by a number of key leadership contenders including Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, of whom he previously worked with at the foreign office. The 52-year-old is a Lieutenant Colonel with the 77th reservists and is being touted as a possible candidate for Defence Secretary. A source said that the MP for Bournemouth who served in Northern Ireland as well as Bosnia and Germany was a big name on 'every wannabe PM's hit list'. Speaking to the Telegraph they said: 'The support of someone like Tobias can help to bring a lot of MPs across. Boris is very keen on landing him, as are Gove and Hunt although many aren't ruling out him putting his own hat into the ring.' Another hopeful is James Cleverly, who was this week promoted to become Brexit minister. James Cleverly (pictured above) is the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and has been scouted by leadership hopefuls In 1991 he was commissioned into the Territorial Army and rose through the ranks to become a major in 2003. Before standing for political office he had been selected as a candidate for Bexley and Bromley in 2007. Mr Cleverly had worked for the Greater London Authority while Boris Johnson had been Mayor, with many touting his support of the foreign secretary's leadership bid a given. One of his main appeals is his ability to reach out to young Conservatives. He acted as Mayor Johnson's 'Youth Ambassador' as is said to boast great grassroots connections. The 49-year-old father-of-two was born to a British father and a mother from Sierra Leona and is the MP for Braintree. One of his best-selling points however is his ability to handle media interviews and his social media presence. He has been known to take no prisoners when it comes to tearing down other party's polices and one MP previously referred to him as an 'attack dog'. 'He can be brutal. You'd want him on your team and not anyone else's. He's a very committed Tory and very good at making the arguments eloquently and with passion. Downing Street often sends him on Good Morning Britain because no one else is brave enough to take on Piers Morgan.' Another ex-military man who is also a hit with the media, but has no ministerial experience is 37-year-old Johnny Mercer. Johnny Mercer has previously said that many veterans accessing mental health care services feel that 'they don't really matter' and that the Government 'just doesn't get it' He did three tours of Afghanistan and has previously starred on Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted alongside Sky News' Kay Burley. The MP for Plymouth Moor View recently described the government has a 's*** show' and hit out at colleagues had briefed against the Prime Minister anonymously insisting that they should lose their anonymity or 'shut the f*** up'. A fellow party member said that Mr Mercer is a rising star in the party but that he is completely untested. 'He goes on the media and mouths off because he can as a backbencher. But he's the kind of guy that needs to be given a ministerial post so he can be given the chance to put his money where his mouth is.' Tom Tugendhat (pictured above was elected in 2015 Another ex-military man, who has been tipped as a future Prime Minister despite ministerial experience is chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, Tom Tugendhat. The 45-year-old, who once changed his daughter's nappy during a BBC interview had risen through the army ranks to become a lieutenant colonel with the Intelligence Corps, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was elected MP in 2015 for Tonbridge and Malling and fellow Tories have said he has a lot of potential. One MP said: 'He's being courted by the leadership rivals because he shown so much potential as a committee chairman. Tom also talked about as a potential leader but having not yet held a cabinet post, many think it is too soon.' Another rising star is Rory Stewart, who with limited army experience compared to the other rising stars is sought after due to his work with the UK Diplomatic Service. He is was admired as Britain's representative to Montenegro in the wake of the Kosovo crisis and in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. However, the fact that he had once been a member of the Labour party could stand in his way. As well as the fact that he is a prominent remainer. An investor has labelled Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'financially illiterate' for her role in destroying the Amazon deal which saw the retail giant pull out of New York. Tracy Maitland, president and chief investment officer of Advent Capital Management, was speaking at an Al Sharpton conference in the city where AOC had herself earlier unveiled a radical 2020 victory plan for Democrats. During a panel discussion Maitland said: 'The people campaigning against the Amazon campus are financially illiterate.' He later told The New York Post: 'This was a disgrace. I partially blame AOC for the loss of Amazon. She doesn't know what she doesn't know. That's scary. 'We have to make sure she's better educated or vote her out of office.' Tracy Maitland, right, president and chief investment officer of Advent Capital Management has labelled Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, left, 'financially illiterate' for her role in destroying the Amazon deal which saw the retail giant pull out of New York CUNY chairman Bill Thompson also said the pull out meant job opportunities were 'snatched away' from students of the City University. He said: 'We were at the table talking to Amazon on how students could get jobs, those opportunities were snatched away. Speaking about the predominately black and Latino students, Thompson added: 'Those students look like us. Were talking thousands of high-paying jobs. It was a disappointment from a CUNY perspective.' Earlier Ocasio-Cortez had called for reparations to black Americans for slavery. The freshman Democrat is pushing the controversial policy that has gained traction among the field of candidates bidding to oust Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. It was among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges and speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges And she also drew criticism for seeming to affect an accent while speaking to a mostly black audience at a conference. 'Ain't nothing wrong with that,' the freshman Democrat drawled while speaking on Friday at Sharpton's National Action Network conference in the Sheraton Times Square in Manhattan. 'I'm proud to be a bartender. Ain't nothing wrong with that,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'There's nothing wrong with working retail, folding clothes for other people to buy.' Conservative pundits quickly pointed out the jarring accent that Ocasio-Cortez seemed to slip into repeatedly, which sounded halfway between Southern drawl and Boricua twang. Ocasio-Cortez hit back instantly, defending the accent as authentic on Twitter. 'Folks talking about my voice can step right off,' she wrote on Twitter. 'Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what's up. My Spanish is the same way.' She originally celebrated when Amazon announced they would not be coming to Queens after all Trolled in Times Square: This billboard was put up in the center of New York city to attack Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez The congresswoman was heavily criticized for her opposition to the Amazon deal, which would have brought an estimated 25,000 jobs to New York. Amazon cited her opposition as part of the reason they changed their mind about building in Queens, a billboard went in Times Square offering a mocking 'thanks' to Ocasio-Cortez for her opposition while members of both parties criticized her for helping kill the deal. Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest member of Congress and a self-described socialist, celebrated when Amazon announced it would not be building a second headquarters in Queens, near her congressional district. 'Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon's corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world,' she tweeted at the decision. But she also came under fire from both Democrats and Republicans when she argued the $3 billion in tax breaks offered to Amazon to build a second headquarters in Queens, New York, would be better spent hiring teachers and fixing the city's crumbling subway system. She responded to that criticism defensively with a prolonged twitter ranted, which consisted of a thread of seven tweets that repeatedly defended her mental prowess on the issue and ended on a whimsical note with a shrugging girl emoji. Ocasio-Cortez had long been a strong opponent to Amazon's plans, citing rent hikes and local displacement - as seen around the tech firm's headquarters in Seattle - as grounds for why New York City should reject the company's proposal. Amazon pushed the blame back on her and other opponents, saying they had created a hostile 'environment' for the company. The plan was announced last November and would have created over $10 billion in revenue over the next 20 years. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the city lost a golden opportunity to be 'an emerging center for tech' and previously said the Amazon move was 'an extraordinary economic win not just for Queens and New York City, but for the entire region, from Long Island to Albany's nanotech center.' Customers are being warned to watch out for excessive contactless card fees. Businesses have to fork out expensive fees to process tap-and-go payments, charged through their bank. Some sneaky retailers are passing the extra costs of tapping to consumers without telling them, even though they must be transparent about the charges by law. Some sneaky retailers are passing the extra costs of tapping to consumers without telling them even though they must be transparent about the charges by law Businesses may have a 50 cent surcharge for every customer that makes a contactless card payment Some businesses may have a 50 cent surcharge for every customer that makes a contactless card payment. For example, supermarket giant ALDI has a 0.5 per cent surcharge for every payPass or payWave transaction, which is perfectly legal. Some simply increase the cost of goods throughout the store to cover costs. Many assume flat-rate surcharges are illegal but some retailers are given a flat processing cost for each tap-and-go fee. Customers 'could be getting hit with unfair surcharges if retailers are doing the wrong thing', financial comparison website RateCity's spokeswoman Sally Tindall told News Corp Australia. Excessive fees can be avoided by swiping or inserting the card with a pin or by paying with cash. Consumers who suspect businesses are charging fees higher than they should be should complain to the ACCC Although businesses have a right to charge customers for tap-and-go payments, they cannot profit off the charges, according the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chairman Dr Michael Schaper. Consumers who suspect businesses are charging fees higher than they should be should complain to the ACCC. The ACCC had already issued and infringement notice to a retailer for charging than they should. Visitors at a theme park in Staffordshire were forced to evacuate a rollercoaster after it stopped pulling people up. Joyriders on the standing coaster Shockwave at Drayton Manor theme park in Tamworth, Staffordshire, were seen exiting the attraction down the stairs. An 11-year-old girl died at the theme park in May 2017 after she fell off a water rapids ride while on a school trip. The Shockwave ride at Drayton Manor theme park in Tamworth, Staffordshire, was evacuated earlier today A video filmed by Greg Taylor showed the ride stopped with people on board. 'Many people evacuated and nobody from Drayton Manor would comment,' said Taylor. Another visitor to Drayton Manor posted on Twitter that other rides weren't working at the theme park. 'Shocking day,' said Robin Hendon. 'Shockwave broke down with first load on, Maelstrom off, Pirate Ship off, Air Race off, not got on a ride yet.' The Shockwave ride at Drayton Manor theme park re-opened at 2pm today following a fault with the ride's lift system Drayton Manor theme park said they hoped the ride would re-open later this afternoon William Bryan, Managing Director of Drayton Manor Park said Shockwave stopped working at 10.35am today due to a 'temporary stoppage' on the lift. 'At no point was guest safety compromised,' he said. 'A number of other rides were also temporarily closed but these are now all back up and running. 'We sincerely apologise to our visitors for any inconvenience caused and stress that the safety of our guests is our priority.' Shockwave re-opened at 2pm this afternoon after it was closed for three hours and 30 minutes. Evha Jannath, 11, fell overboard from a craft on the Splash Canyon water ride at Drayton Manor theme park in May 2017 It is one of the only stand-up rollercoasters in Europe. Guests are shot along at speeds of up to 53mph as the ride bends through twisting corkscrews and loops. On the theme park's website, it is described as the 'ultimate for speed-demons and adrenaline junkies'. 'Shockwave powers you through twisting corkscrews, loops and bends so brace yourself and wait for the green light to experience the ride of your life!' This follows the death of an 11-year-old girl on a water rapids ride when she was on a school trip. Police decided not to press criminal charges against the park for corporate manslaughter or gross negligence earlier this month over the tragic death of Evha Jannath on the Splash Canyon water ride on May 9, 2017. She plunged from the six seater ride and was swept away at the Staffordshire attraction. Evha, from Leicester, was airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital after being pulled from the water by theme park staff but was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem originally revealed she died as a result of catastrophic chest injuries but last month it emerged a forensic pathologist has concluded she had drowned. Staffordshire Police also said the case did not meet the threshold to press gross negligence or corporate manslaughter charges. The force has now passed the investigation to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which will consider if any other offences have taken place. Lenrey Briones, 19, was charged on Friday with attempted aggravated mayhem and attempted robbery. The ex-convict was on three years probation A 19-year-old ex-convict who prosecutors say slashed the faces of nine people as he rode through the streets of Los Angeles and surrounding communities on a bicycle was charged on Friday with aggravated mayhem and attempted robbery, prosecutors said. Lenrey Briones, who was taken into custody earlier this week in the attacks, which disfigured seven of his victims and left parts of America's second-largest city on edge, faces a possible sentence of life in prison if found guilty. Briones was taken into custody shortly after 1pm on Wednesday near a homeless camp in the city where a bike resembling the one used by the slasher was found. The suspect is described as a transient. Briones did not enter a plea to the charges during a brief initial appearance in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday where he was ordered held on $9million bail, said Paul Eakins of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The injuries allegedly caused permanent disfigurement to seven of the victims It was not clear if Briones had an attorney. He was serving three years probation for a September 2018 arson conviction at the time of his arrest, Eakins said. The suspect was sentenced to three years in state prison and 344 days in county jail in the case where he pleaded no contest to an arson charge related to a March 2018 incident. The suspect was seen wearing a dark-colored shirt and dark pants at the time of the attacks The cyclist was last seen along Slauson Avenue from Main Street on a black and green mountain bike, the LAPD shared Los Angeles law enforcement are searching for a cyclist who has been riding around and cutting people's faces since March 20 But three other arson charges and one count of assault with a deadly weapon were dropped. Briones is accused of slashing the faces of nine people, seemingly at random, as he rode a mountain bike through Los Angeles, South Gate and Lynwood between March 20 and April 1. Victims included men, women and a 13-year-old boy, prosecutors said. Los Angeles police officials say they were tipped off to Briones after releasing photo and video images of the suspect in attacks, which often took place in broad daylight. He was charged with seven counts of aggravated mayhem, two counts of attempted aggravated mayhem, and one count of attempted second-degree robbery, with allegations that he used a dangerous weapon in commission of the crimes and attempted to steal a purse from a female victim. The suspect was described as being a Hispanic man who is approximately 5'6" to 5'8" and weighs roughly 150lbs His mayhem charge is related to accusations of intentionally causing permanent disability or disfigurement of another person or depriving them of a body part. The latest two slashings occurred on Monday when officers responding to a radio call at around 8.40pm found a man suffering from a severe wound to the left side of his face. About 15 minutes later, a young woman was cut by the same assailant. One victim required 20 stitches. Stefany Coboz,a Wilmington resident, told KNBC-TV she received a deep gash under her ear, and the attacker turned and laughed as he rode away. The Los Angeles Police Department released video footage and images of the suspect this week. Three of the attacks have been reported to have taken place in the Florence neighborhood of South Los Angeles, while another is said to have taken place in South Gate. The LAPD described his weapon as only having an 'edge'. 'You never know, he could kill someone,' she said to NBC Los Angeles. Coboz was slashed in her neck and rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Stefany Coboz, a Wilmington resident and one of the eight victims, shared that the man rode off laughing after he slashed her 'He just came in back of me and hit me,' Coboz added. 'I just started looking at him, he looked back, I grabbed myself, full of blood.' Police were searching for the man throughout Wilmington and South Gate, all the way to Lynwood and South Los Angeles. The suspect was described as being a Hispanic man who is approximately 5'6" to 5'8" and weighs roughly 150lbs. He was seen wearing a dark-colored shirt and dark pants at the time of the attacks. The cyclist was last seen along Slauson Avenue from Main Street on a black and green mountain bike, the LAPD shared. Briones is due to be arraigned April 24. Anonymous tips can be submitted to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, www.lacrimestoppers.org or by downloading the 'P3 Tips' mobile app and selecting the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as the local program. Advertisement North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was pictured beaming happily in the spring sunshine as he inspected construction at the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort. Kim's trip was his second involving 'field guidance' visits to sites of economic importance since the Hanoi summit with President Donald Trump. Kim stated that works should 'never be carried out in a slipshod manner' as he toured the area, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un visits the construction site of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist area in Yangdok County, South Phyongan Province, North Korea Kim stands beside his men who wear Moscow-inspired wide brimmed caps. He hopes his project will be completed to coincide with his grandfather Kim Il-Sung's birthday on April 15, 2020 State media released on Saturday showed him wearing his signature black suit surrounded by officers diligently taking notes. He decreed that work should continue for another six months and be completed on the birthday of his grandfather Kim Il-Sung on April 15, 2020, the Korea Times reported. Last time he toured the area in November he reference international sanctions, but he avoided such discussion this time out. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday he hoped North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would use a meeting of the country's parliament next week to state publicly 'it would be the right thing' for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly is due to hold its first meeting this year on Thursday and could feature the first public comments from Kim about a second summit between him and U.S. President Donald Trump Hanoi in February that collapsed. 'It's something that's an annual event where the leader of North Korea speaks to his people,' Pompeo told 'CBS This Morning.' 'We'll watch very closely what he says.' 'I don't expect there'll be great surprise,' Pompeo said, 'but I do hope that he will share his sentiment, his sentiment that says: We a I believe, as the leader of North Korea, I believe the right thing to do is for us to engage with the United States to denuclearize our country.' Kim walks along the sandy beach in the spring sunshine as an entourage of his men carefully listen to what he has to say, he told them work should 'never be carried out in a slipshod manner' Pompeo said U.S.-North Korea diplomatic channels remained open and the two sides have 'had conversations after Hanoi about how to move forward,' but he did not elaborate. He said he was 'confident' there would be a third summit between Trump and Kim but did not have a timetable although he hoped it would be soon. Pompeo stressed though that economic sanctions would not be lifted until North Korea gave up its nuclear weapons. Kim adresses his men as sunlight glints over the building works at the new tourist destination on North Korea's eastern coast Kim appeared to be enjoying some sea air and sun beside the Sea of Japan in the state images released on Saturday Pompeo said on Monday he hoped the two leaders could meet again 'in the coming months ... in a way that we can achieve a substantive first step or a substantive big step along the path to denuclearization.' The Hanoi summit, the second between Trump and Kim in less than a year, fell apart over a failure to reconcile North Korean demands for sanctions relief with U.S. demands for Kim to give up a nuclear weapons program that now threatens the United States. North Korea has warned since that it is considering suspending talks and may rethink a freeze on missile and nuclear tests, in place since 2017, unless Washington makes concessions. This is the shocking moment a crazed thug wielding a 10-inch blade is run down by police officers after attacking a teenager in the park. The terrified 17-year-old girl can be heard screaming 'help me, help me' as Nabil Errouam held what a judge described as a 'fearsome' knife to her neck. The 35-year-old, who was in a psychosis fuelled by a cocktail of strong cannabis and alcohol, then ran from police and stabbed a partially-sighted man walking with his guide dog, before holding a second teenage girl at knifepoint. Errouam was jailed for six years yesterday and shocking footage of the attack has been released by police as knife crime continues to plague the UK. Police were seen trying to fire a taser at Nabil Errouam after he repeatedly knifed a 17-year-old girl More than a dozen terrified members of the public called 999 around 4.20pm on December 13 last year and some tried to fight Errouam off with sticks as he went on a crazed rampage in a park in Southampton. Body-worn camera footage shows officers shouting 'drop the knife' after he stabbed the 17-year-old 13 times in her legs and buttocks and took her hostage. Police can be seen firing a taser at Errouam however it did not penetrate his clothing. He can then be seen fleeing through the park as officers chase. After attacking the 50-year-old partially-sighted man and an 18-year-old girl, Errouam was tasered again and brought down. An officer can be seen holding a taser to Errouam who continues to drag the girl around the park in Southampton Errouam can be seen grabbing the 17-year-old as officers try and calm him down, urging him to put down the knife Police chased Errouam before he was tasered to the floor. He then told officers he wanted to be killed Southampton Crown Court heard Errouam told officers he wanted to be killed and screamed 'shoot me' during the chase on Southampton Common. Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said the 17-year-old has been left 'absolutely terrified' by the attack. He said: 'She thought she was going to die. She said that he kept trying to pull her towards the woods and she thought he was going to kill her in there.' The partially-sighted man said in a statement he was 'shocked by the randomness of the attack', while the second girl was 'extremely shocked'. Southampton Crown Court heard how Errouam attacked a partially sited man during the rampage Mr Lawson also referred to statements from police officers, with many describing it as 'the most frightening incident they had ever had to deal with'. Mr Lawson added: 'One officer said if he was armed with a gun he would have used it and would have shot to kill.' Judge Nicholas Rowland, jailing Errouam for six years, said: 'The weapon you had was quite rightly described as a fearsome knife. 'This must have been a terrifying episode for the victims. It was a wholly volatile situation which could have led to a tragic loss of life.' Richard Onslow, defending, said: '[Errouam] says if he could turn the clocks back and live that day differently he would give almost anything to do that.' Errouam, of Southampton, admitted kidnap, affray, possessing a bladed article in a public place, threatening a person with a bladed article in a public place and two counts of wounding. Algerian-born Errouam will face deportation from the UK once his sentence is served. A family has been left too scared to sleep in their own home after four men broke in and threatened to kill them. The Perth couple and their three and a half week old baby were at home sleeping when intruders broke into their Beckenham home at 4.30am on Saturday. The couple said the men smashed down the door to their home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash, jewellery, a laptop and their 2014 BMW SUV. Scroll down for video 'One of the men were armed with a knife and another may have had a firearm. They were wearing dark clothing and had their faces covered,' WA Police said in a statement. The father then confronted the men and one of them grabbed him by the shirt and threatened him. 'The other one pointed a firearm at me and then he said, 'Give me the car keys or I'll kill you',' he said. The couple said the men smashed down the door to their home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash, jewellery, a laptop and their 2014 BMW SUV One of the men then tried to take a swing at the father using an axe but he was able to block it with his hand. The intruders took off with the family car but not before attempting to pull down some of the security cameras but were not successful. The family, who are too scared to be identified, said it was the fourth time they have been robbed in two years. 'I don't blame the burglars any more, I just blame the system, authorities and police,' 7 News. Police are asking anyone with information on the intruders or information on the robbery to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Advertisement A bride has been pictured near her bombed-out family home on the day of her wedding amid rising tensions between Israel and Palestine. Shayma Al-Huwaity, 20, stands waving the flag of Palestine beside the property in Gaza City which was damaged during an Israeli air strike on a nearby Hamas site. It is believed the house was destroyed as Israeli military forces pounded targets across Gaza in response to a rocket attack on an Israeli house last Monday. The military wrecked the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's office in the strike, which was confirmed by Hamas' radio station. Despite the conflict, the matter has not been a talking point in Israel's general election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud Party has offered no plan for what many believe is the country's most existential problem. His main challenger - in the vote that will take place on April 9 - speaks vaguely of 'separation,' while Netanyahu's hard-line partners speak openly of annexing all or parts of the West Bank. But talk of a Palestinian state - the international community's preferred solution for the past two decades - has not been mentioned. It is a far cry from past elections, when peace with the Palestinians was the central issue for voters. The apparent lack of interest reflects widespread disillusionment in Israel over years of failed peace efforts. Bride Shayma Al-Huwaity holds a Palestinian flag as she visits her collapsed family home in Gaza City, Gaza today. Her Gazan groom took her from Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniya's house instead of her family home after it was destroyed in an Israeli attack The 20-year-old wears a wedding dress which also has the flag of Palestine on it. She is led away from Haniya's house with a hood pulled over her head Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniya (centre) walks to attend the wedding in Gaza City today with a group of men and closely followed by television crews. Since March 2018, Hamas has orchestrated weekly border protests against an Israeli-Egyptian blockade Haniya (second from right) stands near the bride and groom ahead of the wedding. Family members look on as the new couple leave the venue Ms Al-Huwaity dons a brown jacket as she is led approaches what appears to be her wedding car with a bouquet on it. The background shows bombed-out buildings in Gaza City The bride stands before her crumpled family home. The property was damaged during an Israeli air strike on a nearly Hamas site The military wrecked the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's office in the strike as well, which was confirmed by Hamas' radio station last Monday She crouches in her traditional Palestinian wedding gown other Palestinians look on from the ground and buildings beside her wrecked family home Another angle shows the devastation left by the bombs. The bride's wedding vehicle, a Hyundai, is parked next to the scene with flowers arranged on it Friends of the bride work to sort out the back of her dress as a television cameraman records the ceremony. The backdrop of her former family home shows a large pile of the family's belongings The family push past the cameraman and Al-Huwaity raises her hand as a relative holds the flag of Palestine as they stand in front of their destroyed family home Nearly 40 million people across the south-central US are at risk of experiencing heavy rain over the weekend. Americans from Texas to Mississippi can expect to see severe thunderstorms along with hail, flash flooding and even isolated tornadoes. Texas is expected to get the brunt of the storm, with wind gusts of up to 70mph moving from the central to the eastern part of the state. Nearly 40 million people from Texas to Mississippi are at risk of severe thunderstorms over the weekend Meteorologists say these storms carry the risk of damaging wind gusts, hail, flash flooding and even isolated tornadoes Texas is expected to get the brunt of the storm (pictured, center), with wind gusts of up to 70mph moving from the central to the eastern part of the state According to Accuweather, storms developed in western Texas on Friday night and headed to central Texas on Saturday morning. 'At this time, it appears the greatest threat for severe weather will remain to the north of downtown Houston,' meteorologist Ryan Adamson told Accuweather. Experts say that residents should expend rain storms to head south near the Rio Grande Valley. The storm model is expected to then make its way east and hit southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana with at least moderate rain on Saturday afternoon. Severe thunderstorms with flash flooding, isolated tornadoes and even hail could travel as far north as Oklahoma City. These same storms are expected to travel to Memphis, Tennessee, with rain through Tuesday evening. ABC News has reported that another storm system will develop and travel from San Antonio, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana. The storm model is expected to then make its way east and hit southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana with at least moderate rain on Saturday afternoon Between one and to two inches of rain are expected to fall in Texas, two to three inches may fall in northern Louisiana, southern Arkansans and central to northern Alabama However, in west-central Mississippi, more than four inches of rain could fall through Monday evening 'Through Saturday, the most likely hazards will be large hail, flash flooding and damaging wind gusts,' Adamson told Accuweather. 'However, an isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out, especially during Saturday to Saturday night.' The corridor along the Gulf of Mexico will be subject on Sunday to heavy winds, hail and isolated tornadoes. Between one and to two inches of rain are expected to fall in Texas, two to three inches may fall in northern Louisiana, southern Arkansans and central to northern Alabama. However, in west-central Mississippi, more than four inches of rain could fall through Monday evening. 'The storms are likely to gradually weaken later Saturday night as they continue to move eastward,' Adamson said. Controversial Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied has slammed Senator Fraser Anning after he tweeted that Australians have the right to 'preserve our ethno-cultural identity'. Anning, who caused a storm when he released a statement blaming Muslims for the Christchurch terror attack last month, posted the controversial tweet on Thursday. He wrote: 'We have the right to preserve our ethno-cultural identity. Europeans are heading towards becoming a minority in their own countries around the world. We have a right to defend our people and our way of life.' Abdel-Magied, a former ABC presenter who left Australia in 2017 after being trolled for using Anzac Day to make a political point about detention centres, took him to task in a series of tweets. Controversial Muslim youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured) has slammed Senator Fraser Anning with a series of tweets for his latest divisive comments Mr Anning has been heavily criticised for his views on Muslim immigration and made headlines for slapping 17-year-old Will Connolly who cracked an egg on his head Over a series of 22 tweets, Ms Abdel-Magied slammed the politician and told him his role as a representative of Queensland comes with responsibilities. 'Alright son. You're living in Australia, a nation that was stolen from the Indigenous people who happen to be blakkkkkk, ya know? So the foundation of your arguments are rubbish,' her first tweet read. 'Also, who are your people and what is your way of life and why do you have the right to defend it?' She continues to say she's 'done with this rhetoric' and tells Mr Anning that he doesn't have the right to defend a way of life that is harmful to others. The former ABC presenter attacked the senator after he tweeted saying Australians have the right to 'preserve our ethno-cultural identity' Over a series of 22 tweets, Ms Abdel-Magied slammed the politician and told him his role as a representative of Queensland comes with responsibilities 'You have the right to opinion and expression. Sure. But are also an elected official with responsibilities and duties of care that come with that and right now it appears that you are not doing your duty,' she wrote. Ms Abdel-Magied then said Mr Anning was failing to complete his duty and questions why he is worried about Europeans becoming a minority. 'Is it because you know that traditionally minorities get treated like s**t?' she asked. The former ABC presenter followed it up with: 'Do you fear what has been done to others will now be done to you? Scary, huh.' In his most recent comments, the 69-year-old Queensland federal MP posted to Twitter: 'Europeans are heading towards becoming a minority in their own countries around the world' 'Scary to think that a group might come in, with little disregard to you or your way of life, stop you from speaking your language, take away your children, take away your educational opportunities, take away your land and your home and your way of life... That's terrifying.' Ms Abdel-Magied continued to express her anger by saying the senator isn't the 'most competent person' to be in a position of power and finishes off the thread with a jab at herself. 'Okay Im more annoyed at myself now for giving this energy when I could be doing more productive things. Im going now - might delete this later,' she wrote. Ms Abdel-Magied, who was born in Sudan and grew up in Brisbane, provoked outrage in April 2017 when she used Anzac Day to make a political statement. Ms Abdel-Magied continued to express her anger by saying the senator isn't the 'most competent person' to be in a position of power 'Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine),' she wrote on Twitter, but later deleted her tweet and apologised unreservedly. Towards the end of 2017, she likened the criticism she faced in Australia to 'dating an abusive guy'. Despite coming under fire from politicians and being raked over the coals in the media, Ms Abdel-Magied won a free speech prize for the controversial tweet. Liberty Victoria awarded her their Young Voltaire Award for 2018, saying she deserved recognition for weathering criticism from 'internet trolls, tabloid newspapers and even numerous members of parliament'. Militant vegans who illegally invade farms can now face huge on-the-spot fines of hundreds of dollars. Queensland state politicians have vowed to 'get tough' on farm invaders to tackle a 'completely inappropriate era of activism.' New regulations are being drafted to allow police to fine activists caught trespassing. Militant vegans now face on-the-spot fines for illegally invading farms as new regulations are introduced 'These activities create a serious biosecurity issue as well as putting the lives of farmers, workers and indeed animals at risk,' Queensland Agricultural Minister Mark Furner, Furner told The Courier Mail. 'We are getting tough on farm invaders because their actions are dangerous.' It comes as thousands of militant vegans plan to descend on Brisbane for the 'biggest animal rights protest the world has ever seen'. The protest is scheduled for April 8 at a secret location in the Queensland capital, raising fears activists will illegally invade nearby farms. The date is set to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Dominion, an anti-farming documentary loved by vegans. A Facebook event titled Dominion Anniversary Action has 224 people going and 652 interested. Activists have outraged farmers following by sticking warning on meat and dairy products 'Make sure your fuel tanks are full. We hope that you can join us to make this the biggest animal rights direct action the world has ever seen,' the post read. Organisers specified the protest is peaceful and denounced any kind of violence but said they are keeping the location secret until the day to stop counter protests. Queensland Police said it is aware of the planned demonstration. 'The QPS respects the rights of people to protest lawfully and peacefully in Queensland, however, also acknowledges the rights of landholders and business operators,' a spokesman said. 'If a property owner has any concerns or should any unauthorised person attend their property, they are encouraged to contact Policelink on 131 444 or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.' Feedlots attract a lot of attention from activists across the globe as they are used to increase the amount of meat each animal produces The biggest vegan demonstrations in the world have numbered many thousands of people - such as a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2015 attended by 10,000. Last week, dozens of vegans stormed a Queensland cattle farm as part of their fight for 'animal liberation'. The shocking footage showed a distressed farmer watch about 150 activists enter the property at Millmerran, 75 kilometres west of Toowoomba. The protesters, wearing white overalls covered in black shirts that read: 'Meat the Victims', cut across Lemontree Feedlot as the farmer chased after them. Lot feeder David McNamee later told Daily Mail Australia the vegans' actions were distressing for his family and had put his livestock at risk. The footage showed the farmer shouting at the mob to 'get off my f***ing country.' 'Don't go f***ing through,' he adds. One protester can then be hear yelling back: 'You're hurting animals here, we're here to show the truth of what you're hiding. 'The only reason you're upset is because you've got something to hide.' Protesters then spread through the feedlot, where they captured images of three dead cows lying in muddy pens. The farmer, overwhelmed by the number of activists on his his property, said to the camera that the animals were shot humanely. 'How do you humanely shoot a cow?' a protester asks. Feedlots attract a lot of attention from activists across the globe as they are used to increase the amount of meat each animal produces. The Queensland farmer appeared overwhelmed as about 150 animal rights activists swarmed his feedlot on Saturday One activist, Yaz Ustani (pictured), posted footage of the protest to Facebook The message from the group was: 'The animals do not need better welfare standards or conditions, they need to be liberated, they need people to live vegan' When police arrived a short time later, the protesters left the property. A police spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia no arrests were made. Footage from the protest was posted to the Facebook page of Animal Activist Collective. The post included a comment from Leah Doellinger, which read: 'The message we are sharing is simple; animals are here with us, not for us. 'Animals lives are their right and what is happening to them is unjust, needless violence. There is no humane way to exploit and kill someone. 'The animals do not need better welfare standards or conditions, they need to be liberated, they need people to live vegan.' Mr McNamee said the protesters had put his family, staff and livestock at risk. 'It remains unclear why our family business has been targeted by this group of activists.' The lot feeder said he was committed to industry best practice but even the best efforts could not prevent occasional deaths. It was the second time in a month that a feedlot in the area had been targeted by animal rights activists. The Wonga Plains feedlot at Bowenville near Toowoomba was targeted by a group last month who claimed cattle were being mistreated. Actor Isaiah Washington has slammed Barack Obama for not supporting 'Africa or the Black Agenda' while praising Donald Trump for inviting him to the White House to celebrate the First Step Act prison reform. The former Grey's Anatomy star tweeted his thanks to '45' while criticizing '44' in a series of posts where he shared pictures of the current president from this week. Washington was at the White House to see the celebrate a prison reform bill, the First Step Act, which is focused on inmate rehabilitation. He wrote: 'I voted for 44 twice. I even checked my emails in his Senate Office while lobbying for Salone to be given another chance to rebrand. 'Not once in 8 years was I given any support regarding Africa or the Black Agenda, but 45 invites me to the WH to celebrate the #FirstStepAct.' Actor Isaiah Washington has slammed Barack Obama for not supporting 'Africa or the Black Agenda' while praising Donald Trump for inviting him to the White House The former Grey's Anatomy star tweeted his thanks to '45' while criticizing '44' in a series of posts where he shared pictures of the current president Responding to the backlash Washington hit back, writing: 'I may have 99 problems with 45, but mass incarceration ain't one of them.' Congress passed legislation last year called the First Step Act that gives judges more discretion when sentencing some drug offenders and boosts prisoner rehabilitation efforts. The effort drew strong support from Republicans and Democrats worried that mandatory minimum laws had generated unfair sentences in many drug-related cases. He said a 'Second Step Act' will focus on 'successful re-entry and reduced unemployment for Americans with past criminal records.' His goal is to cut that unemployment rate for ex-prisoners to single digits within five years. Washington shared pictures and videos of himself from inside The East Room and added: 'Those who know, know that I'm not a Democrat or a Republican. I will work w/h anyone as long as things get done.' Speaking directly to Trump he said: '@realDonaldTrump you freed 3,000 Federal Prisoners, got 16,000 in drug rehabilitation programs and now you just need to deliver.' Washington tweeted his thanks to president Trump while criticizing former president Obama in a series of posts His comments provoked a mixed reaction with some comparing his reaction to Daniel Kaluuya's main character from Get Out, an African-American victimized by a white family Some suggested it was a way for Washington to get extra publicity, writing: 'I guess this is one way to get on camera' One Twitter user wrote: 'You cannot be serious! Trump is undoing a problem HE created! Barack is the best that ever did it! That buffoon you are sucking up to has not once condemned the white supremacists who have killed all in the name of MAGA' Another simply said: 'Not interested in Isaiah Washington any more!!!!!!' Other praised his tweet, writing: ' Glad to see you accepted @realDonaldTrump's offer! He wants to improve the lives of all Americans, and the partisanship in DC only makes that job harder. Whether we lean left or right, we're all Americans.' One simply called his tweet 'real talk' before adding: 'Thank you' One Twitter user agreed, saying Obama had disappointed them, writing: 'I'm so very disappointed with 44 but to be honest 45 has impressed me more than I ever expected. GOD bless and continue to use 45 to improve lives' His comments provoked a mixed reaction with some comparing his reaction to Daniel Kaluuya's main character from Get Out, an African-American victimized by a white family. Other suggested it was a way for Washington to get extra publicity, writing: 'I guess this is one way to get on camera.' Some defended Obama, saying he is the 'best' and calling Trump a 'buffoon'. One Twitter user wrote: 'You cannot be serious! Trump is undoing a problem HE created! Barack is the best that ever did it! That buffoon you are sucking up to has not once condemned the white supremacists who have killed all in the name of MAGA.' Another simply said: 'Not interested in Isaiah Washington any more!!!!!!' But other praised his tweet, writing: ' Glad to see you accepted @realDonaldTrump's offer! He wants to improve the lives of all Americans, and the partisanship in DC only makes that job harder. Whether we lean left or right, we're all Americans.' And one Twitter user agreed, saying Obama had disappointed them, writing: 'I'm so very disappointed with 44 but to be honest 45 has impressed me more than I ever expected. GOD bless and continue to use 45 to improve lives.' Responding to the backlash Washington hit back, writing: 'I may have 99 problems with 45, but mass incarceration ain't one of them.' Washington was fired from Grey's Anatomy in 2007 for making a homophobic slur. Isaiah Washington starred in the award winning Grey's Anatomy until he was fired in 2007 Protesters have broken through a barricade outside the Dorchester Hotel as they rally against its owner the Sultan of Brunei and his new LGBT laws, reports suggest. Around 500 people turned out to take part in the protest in Park Lane, central London, after the Sultan announced the change in law last week. The Sultan decided to start whipping or stoning gay people to death from next week - when the strict new laws are introduced. The gathering, led by human rights activist Peter Tatchell, saw many of the protesters carrying placards and banners calling for homophobia to be stamped out, as well as rainbow flags. Two protesters outside the hotel wear colourful clothes and hair and hold a sign which reads: 'Stoning has no place in the 21st Century' As many as 500 people reportedly took part in the protest in Park Lane, central London, after the Sultan of Brunei announced changes in laws on LGBT rights last week The rally was led by human rights activist Peter Tatchell (pictured centre), with many of the protesters carrying placards and banners calling for homophobia to be stamped out, as well as rainbow flags The five-star Dorchester Hotel is owned by the Sultan and there has been a growing movement against hotels owned by him Placards and banners calling for homophobia to be stamped out were waved alongside rainbow flags Mr Tatchell said if the Sultan did not revoke the laws the British Government should sever all ties with the regime. He added: 'If the Sultan will not listen to reason and compassion we believe the British Government should sever all diplomatic, economic and military ties with the regime. 'What is shameful is that our royal family puts royal ties before human rights.' There were cries of 'shame' from the crowd when Mr Tatchell claimed the Royal Family were not going to sever ties with the regime. The protest comes on the back of the growing movement against hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei - including the Dorchester - in response to the nation's new Islamic criminal laws punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death. On Thursday a group of protesters stormed the Dorchester with a megaphone and called for it to be boycotted. Canadian writer Jordan Tannahill, along with friends Andy Field, Crispin Lord and Nick Finegan, booked a table at the hotel at around 1pm before they began their protest. But they were quickly escorted out by the hotel's security staff. Barriers had been put up around the front of the hotel today and an estimated 500 people lined the surrounding streets, chanting and holding up signs. A cut out of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour says 'Deny Brunei' at the protest today Piles of rainbow-coloured stones had been laid on the pavement. Ahead of the demonstration, Oxford University said it would reconsider its decision to award an honorary degree to the Sultan. In a statement today, the university said it shared the 'international revulsion' of the laws and that the decision to confer the honorary degree of civil law by diploma to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in 1993 would be reconsidered through its 'established process'. But it stressed no one had the right 'summarily to rescind it' and added: 'We also believe in due process. Just as nobody has a right to confer an honorary degree, nobody has a right summarily to rescind it. 'The decision to confer this degree 26 years ago was recommended by a committee and approved by council and by congregation at the time. 'We will reconsider this decision through our established process in light of the information now available, as other British universities are doing.' Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry attended the march and made a speech this afternoon. Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry (pictured today)made a speech at the rally Ms Thornberry told the crowd, 'Until and unless the sultan of Brunei gets rid of these appalling laws he will continue to see demonstrations against him and the properties he owns including this hotel,' the Evening Standard reported. Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and Londonwide Assembly Member Tom Copley AM were also expected to speak. Organiser Benali Hamdache said: 'The Sultan's brutally homophobic and misogynistic new laws have no place in the 21st Century. 'It's time to show his tyranny is not welcome in London. We're starting our protests outside the Dorchester, calling for a mass boycott of the Sultan owned luxury hotels.' He added: '[It's] clear people were really passionate about demonstrating their disgust for these homophobic laws. Its time for the government to take action and the Sultan of Brunei to rethink.' A man takes a selfie during the protest outside the Dorchester today, holding an LGBT Live Matter placard A placard outside the five-star hotel says that singer 'Carly Rae Jepsen wouldn't stand 4 this!' The protesters were reported to have broken through a barricade outside the hotel this afternoon The Dorchester Hotel has lost a string of high profile bookings in the days following the law change. Among the events that will be held in alternative venues were the TV Choice Awards, the English National Ballet and the Make A Wish Foundation. According to the Thompson Reuters Foundation, travel agents, London's transport network and finance houses were among a rising number of companies on Friday to cut ties with businesses owned by Brunei to protest over the Sultanate's introduction of the death penalty for gay sex and adultery. The tiny oil-rich nation already implements Sharia laws, with homosexuality punishable with up to ten years in prison. But from the start of next month the government plans to amend the penal code to mean LGBT people and adulterers could be stoned to death, with thieves facing having hands or feet amputated. Amnesty International has slammed the plans, describing the Islamic criminal laws for gay sex and theft as 'vicious'. Oxford University has said it will reconsider its decision to award an honorary degree to the Sultan of Brunei (pictured) Brunei was the first East Asian country to introduce Islamic criminal law in 2014 when it announced the first of three stages of legal changes that included fines or jail for offences like pregnancy outside marriage or failing to pray on Friday. Previously, homosexuality was illegal in Brunei and punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. But the changes would allow whipping and stoning to death for Muslims found guilty of adultery, sodomy and rape, said human rights groups. The new penalty for theft is amputation of the right hand for a first offence and the left foot for a second offence. The new penalties, which also apply to children, are in new sections under Brunei's Sharia Penal Code and will come into effect April 3, Amnesty said in a statement. The country delayed implementing the final two stages of changes after an international backlash in 2014 which included a boycott of the Beverley Hills Hotel, which is linked to Brunei's government. But now Brunei authorities plan to go ahead with both stages, said Matthew Woolfe, founder of human rights group The Brunei Project. Brunei's sultan instituted the Sharia Penal Code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the tiny, oil-rich monarchy, which has long been known for conservative policies such as banning the public sale of liquor. The Sultan is no stranger to controversy at home - the monarchy was deeply embarrassed by a family feud with his brother Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. Court battles and investigations revealed salacious details of Jefri's un-Islamic jetset lifestyle, including claims of a high-priced harem of foreign women and a luxury yacht he owned called 'Tits'. Brunei first announced the measures in 2013 but implementation has been delayed as officials worked out the practical details and in the teeth of opposition by rights groups. Amnesty labelled the penal code as a 'deeply flawed piece of legislation' with a range of provisions that violate human rights. The legal changes were announced in a discreet notice on the attorney general's website, the human rights group said. Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei researcher at Amnesty International, said some of the potential offences 'should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender'. She added: 'To legalise such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself. 'Brunei must immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments and revise its penal code in compliance with its human rights obligations. 'The international community must urgently condemn Brunei's move to put these cruel penalties into practice.' There has been no vocal opposition to the law in Brunei, where Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah rules as head of state with full executive authority. Public criticism of his policies is extremely rare in Brunei. The Sultan, who has reigned since 1967, has previously said the Shariah Penal Code should be regarded as a form of 'special guidance' from God and would be 'part of the great history' of Brunei. Under secular laws, Brunei already prescribes caning as a penalty for crimes including immigration offences, for which convicts can be flogged with a rattan cane. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said Brunei will become the only country in Southeast Asia to punish gay sex with death if it pushes through with the law. He warned that implementation of the law 'will quickly drive the country towards human rights pariah status in the eyes of foreign investors, tourists, and international agencies'. Under a shift towards hardline Islamic law, Brunei in 2015 banned excessive Christmas celebrations for fear that Muslims could be led astray. ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a Manila-based human rights group, confirmed the implementation of the remaining changes were due to take place on April 3, citing government documents. Manila-based OutRight Action International also confirmed Brunei was about to implement a new stage in its sharia laws. Socially conservative attitudes prevail across Asia with Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei banning sexual relationships between men while Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people in recent years. Brunei, a former British protectorate of about 400,000 nestled between two Malaysian states on Borneo island, is the first country in east Asia to adopt the criminal component of sharia at a national level. The horrifying moment a young mother pulled her two children from her car just seconds before it burst into flames has been caught on camera. Catherine Mayes, from Canberra, is lucky to be alive after her four-year-old Mazda CX-5 filled with smoke before exploding into fire. Ms Hayes was having problems with her car battery so she decided to buy a back-up battery pack to keep in her car and jump start the engine when need be. Catherine Mayes (pictured), from Canberra, is lucky to be alive after her four-year-old Mazda CX-5 filled with smoke before exploding into fire The horrifying moment a young mother pulled her two children from her car just seconds before it burst into flames has been caught on camera However, when the young mother pulled up to a park with her four-year-old and five-month-old, the battery pack 'popped open and made a fizz sound'. 'I quickly got Tommy out and as I was getting him out it exploded and let out a crazy amount of smoke and started to catch fire so I raced to get Hunter out,' Ms Hayes wrote on Facebook. Seconds after she grabbed both her boys and ran away from the smoke, the car exploded into flames and was caught on nearby CCTV. The young mother's panic was caught on voicemail to her partner John Stasik, where Ms Hayes can be heard saying 'We gotta get away bubba' to her panicked children. 'I was just like autopilot, like I need to get my babies out,' Ms Hayes told Nine News. Mr Stasik received the worrying voicemail as he was driving home and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the cloud of smoke. Catherine Mayes is lucky to be alive after her Mazda CX-5 exploded into flames (pictured with partner John Stasik) Seconds after she grabbed both her boys and ran away from the smoke, the car exploded into flames and was caught on nearby CCTV (pictured) The battery pack is made by the brand Boxo and has a warning about not being left in the sun for too long The battery pack is made by the brand Boxo and has a warning about not being left in the sun for too long. But technology expert Trevor Long said it's concerning that such a high powered battery can have such a dangerous outcome when it fails. Although Ms Hayes says the 'what ifs are overwhelming', she knows both she and her family are extremely lucky. 'I am so lucky that it happened while I wasnt driving, and that I went into auto mode and got my boys out of the car and away from danger,' she wrote. Mr Stasik received the worrying voicemail as he was driving home and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the cloud of smoke Advertisement It is no secret that Area 51 is perhaps the most secretive place in the world. But revelations and pictures shared in the 2011 book 'Area 51: An Uncensored History' provides an inside look at one of the United States' greatest mysteries. The book primarily focuses on the Roswell UFO incident of 1947 and disproving long held conspiracy theories that a flying disk crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. Author Annie Jacobsen posits that the incident was actually linked to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in an attempt to cause disarray in the United States. Scroll down for videos Area 51: An Uncensored History' provides an inside look at one of the United States' greatest mysteries - the Roswell UFO Incident of 1947 that rocked Area 51 Photos include an aircraft designed the Horten brothers of Germany in 1945. The United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps went on an extension manhunt for the brothers, following the 1947 crash, in hopes of finding their 'flying disk Trailers at Area 51 where U-2 pilots like Hervey Stockman and Tony Bevacqua slept while learning how to fly the CIA's first spy plane Pictures also show the area before it became a government hot spot. The area now known as Area 51 is actually the dry lake remains of Groom Lake, Nevada She specifically alleges that Sputnik lead inventor Sergei Korlev, Russia's atomic bomb lead developer Igor Kurchatov and mathmatician Mstislav Keldsh were tapped by Stalin to be a part of his secret UFO study team. Jacobsen also suggests that children, up to the age of 12, were found inside the aircraft that eventually crashed. Jacobsen spoke with more than 70 scientists, pilots and engineers who were able to provide insight into the peculiar test site. Photos include an aircraft designed the Horten brothers of Germany in 1945. The United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps went on an extension manhunt for the brothers, following the 1947 crash, in hopes of finding their 'flying disk.' The U-2 spy plane is photographed as it is tested at Area 51 in 1955. Early missions involving the plane were used throughout the Cold War for surveillance over Cuba, the Soviet Union and China Author Annie Jacobsen spoke with more than 70 scientists, pilots and engineers who were able to provide insight into the peculiar test site Part of a U-2 spy plane seen in 1955 coming out of a transport airplane at Area 51 - where the secret craft was designed and perfected Pictures also show the area before it became a government hot spot. The area now known as Area 51 is actually the dry lake remains of Groom Lake, Nevada. Area 51 has long been lauded as one of the greatest American mysteries as enthusiast have worked tirelessly to find out more about extraterrestrials. Bob Lazar, a government scientist and engineer, allegedly worked to reverse-engineer alien technology and claimed that he had seen many 'flying saucers' in the area in 1989. He claimed the government was hiding Martian vehicles at the 'third dry lake bed from Area 51', which is believed to be close to the Papoose Lake range. Jacobsen posits that the incident was actually linked to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in an attempt to cause disarray in the United States, She specifically alleges that Sputnik lead inventor Sergei Korlev, Russia's atomic bomb lead developer Igor Kurchatov and mathmatician Mstislav Keldsh were tapped by Stalin to be a part of his secret UFO study team Until 1945, these men worked for Adolf Hitler, but as soon as the war ended they began working for the American military and various intelligence organizations under 'Operation Paperclip' An overhead look at southern Nevada, where Area 51 is said to be Advertisement Penguins don't often look graceful on land, often pictured shuffling awkwardly over a thick sheet of ice. But, the trend certainly didn't apply to these two young penguins snapped in a mirror-image position to the pair that danced with Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. In scenes reminiscent of the Disney classic, the gentoo penguins were photographed in line with one foot off the ground in the Barrientos Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Andre Erlich, 71, who captured the iconic image while on an expedition from Paris, France, said the two posers were chasing after their parents begging for food. Gentoo penguins are the third largest species alive with adults weighing up to 17.6 pounds, according to the Australian Antarctic Division. The species numbers around 387,000 breeding pairs with the largest populations found on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. The two gentoo penguins were pictured in the iconic position reminiscent of the two waiter birds in Mary Poppins on the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica Their positioning looked similar to the two waiter penguins that were seen with Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins The two youngsters were apparently running towards their parents to get food, according to Andre Erlich, 71, who took the photographs reminiscent of the Disney classic The two birds were captured seemingly in step with wings up and each having the same foot lifted off the ground in the South Shetland Islands The mother of a severely epileptic nine-year-old wept when cannabis she tried to bring in to the UK illegally was confiscated at the airport today. Emma Appleby, from Aylesham near Dover, flew back to Britain from Holland on Saturday morning with her partner Lee and a supply of medical cannabis oils for nine-year-old Teagan. But the three-month supply of medicines, which cost 4,600, was seized after the family landed at Southend Airport in Essex. Emma Appleby, from Aylesham near Dover flew back to Britain from Holland on Saturday morning with her partner Lee and a supply of medical cannabis oils for nine-year-old Teagan Teagan suffers from a rare chromosomal disorder called Isodicentric 15 as well as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which causes up to 300 seizures a day Teagan suffers from a rare chromosomal disorder called Isodicentric 15 as well as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which causes up to 300 seizures a day. She suffered a seizure while on the plane. The family flew out on Thursday, got the medicine prescribed by a paediatric neurologist at the Erasmus Hospital in Rotterdam, collected it from a pharmacy and paid using their own and fundraised money. Three double blind randomised controlled trials have proven CBD, an element found in cannabis plants, can reduce the number of seizures for those with Dravet and Lennox Gastaut syndromes. Ms Appleby was comforted in Southend Airport's terminal building by fellow campaigner Hannah Deacon, who last year became the first to be allowed to bring THC oil through a UK airport legally for her seven-year-old son Alfie Dingley, who has epilepsy The law in the UK was changed last November to make access to medical cannabis legal but parents have been struggling to secure prescriptions, in part due to reluctance within the medical community Ms Appleby was comforted in Southend Airport's terminal building by fellow campaigner Hannah Deacon, who last year became the first to be allowed to bring THC oil through a UK airport legally for her seven-year-old son Alfie Dingley, who has epilepsy. The law in the UK was changed last November to make access to medical cannabis legal but parents have been struggling to secure prescriptions, in part due to reluctance within the medical community. NHS England guidance says it expects that cannabis-based products for medicinal use should 'only be prescribed for indications where there is clear published evidence of benefit' and in 'patients where there is a clinical need which cannot be met by a licensed medicine and where established treatment options have been exhausted'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in the Commons last month that his 'heart goes out' to parents experiencing anguish over difficulties in obtaining medicinal cannabis. He said he is working to 'unblock' some of the challenges in the system but, ultimately, 'these things need to be clinician-led'. NHS England guidance says it expects that cannabis-based products for medicinal use should 'only be prescribed for indications where there is clear published evidence of benefit' and in 'patients where there is a clinical need which cannot be met by a licensed medicine and where established treatment options have been exhausted' Ms Appleby, who has met Mr Hancock, said she had no choice but to seek medical cannabis outside the UK. But the items were taken from her at the airport. 'I'm really gutted,' she said. 'They just took everything. 'They knew apparently, they had been notified from social media. 'I hadn't said where we were coming in but obviously everyone knew, all you've got to do is put it on the passport. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in the Commons last month that his 'heart goes out' to parents experiencing anguish over difficulties in obtaining medicinal cannabis 'They asked me at border control how long we were away for. 'I thought 'They're asking questions as someone's notified them'. 'Then they asked if I had anything to declare, and there were loads of them waiting so I knew if I said no I was going to get myself in deeper so I just said yes.' She said border staff were told not to destroy the medicine but to seize it and hold it, and she hopes to apply for an import licence to get it back. Tory MP Sir Mike Penning, co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Medical Cannabis Under Prescription, said: 'This is a shattering blow for Emma and Teagan. 'It's a damning indictment of the way this policy has been implemented. 'I will be urging all my parliamentary colleagues to get this medicine returned to Emma soonest and demanding that the Department for Health, the NHS and everyone involved gets together urgently so families don't have to go through the stress and trauma of travelling abroad to get a medicine that is now legal here. The family flew out on Thursday, got the medicine prescribed by a paediatric neurologist at the Erasmus Hospital in Rotterdam, collected it from a pharmacy and paid using their own and fundraised money 'We need compassion not entrenched positions.' Peter Carroll, director of the campaign group End Our Pain, said no family should go through what Emma, Teagan and Lee have been through. 'This is a medicine that's legal in the UK,' he said. 'The law was changed for a reason. 'It was changed on scientific advice as well. 'To put these families who have already got this stress and worry of caring for very sick children through all the trauma - Emma has been passed from pillar to post, she's tried to do the right thing at every stage of this process. 'I call on everybody from Matt Hancock, the leaders of the NHS, the leaders of all the medical professions, I know you must all be caring people but the system that you have put in place is resulting in this kind of trauma for families like Emma's. 'It's totally wrong. It's time now for compassion to dictate what happens next and we'll be unstinting in our fight to get this medicine back for Emma and, just as importantly, to make sure this doesn't happen for any other family. 'It's unforgiveable.' Mr Carroll said the Home Office had been approached for an import licence on compassionate grounds to help Teagan ahead of the journey but this had been refused. Ms Appleby's MP, Conservative Charlie Elphicke, has been pushing the Home Office to grant a licence for cannabis oil treatment for Teagan. A Government spokesman said: 'The decision to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use is a clinical decision for specialist hospital doctors, made with patients and their families, taking into account clinical guidance. 'It is unlawful to import unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use to the UK without the prescription of a specialist doctor and a Home Office importation licence. 'Border Force has a duty to enforce the law and stop the unlawful import of controlled substances into the UK.' Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has denied accusations she affected her accent when talking to a predominantly black audience at a conference held by the Rev. Al Sharpton Friday. The freshman Democrat's jarring accent was quickly criticized online by users who called the accent 'fake' and cringe-worthy. But AOC immediately hit back, defending it as authentic on Twitter. 'Folks talking about my voice can step right off,' she wrote on Twitter. 'Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what's up. My Spanish is the same way.' 'As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when I'm fired up and especially when I'm home. It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponized against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time,' she continued. Ocasio-Cortez grew up in the Bronx until she was five, when her family purchased a home in Yorktown Heights in upstate Westchester County. She returned to the Bronx after graduating from Boston University in 2011. 'Ain't nothing wrong with that,' the freshman Democrat drawled while speaking on Friday at Sharpton's National Action Network conference in the Sheraton Times Square in Manhattan. 'I'm proud to be a bartender. Ain't nothing wrong with that,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'There's nothing wrong with working retail, folding clothes for other people to buy.' Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges The speech sparked a fierce debate on Twitter over whether AOC is 'real'. Conservative pundits quickly pointed out the jarring accent that Ocasio-Cortez seemed to slip into repeatedly, which sounded halfway between Southern drawl and Boricua twang. 'We've played a lot of clips of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she doesn't talk like that in a single one of them. That's fake, that what that is,' Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson said on his Friday show. Other critics from the right took to Twitter to mock Ocasio-Cortez for her newfound accent. 'I got five seconds into the video of AOC putting on an accent before cringing out,' wrote Washington Free Beacon reporter Alex Griswold. 'Ocasio-Cortez speaks in an accent that she never uses while telling a room of predominately black people that there is nothing wrong with them folding clothes, cooking, and driving other people around on a bus for a living,' wrote Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra. 'She literally pulled a Hillary Clinton,' he continued, referring to Clinton's habit of slipping into Southern accents in front of certain audiences during her Senate campaign. Congressional Candidate Aja Smith wrote: '@AOC it was an insult for you to try a FAKE southern accent to impress people in a crowd...you might as well put on black face!' 'Whats with AOC changing her accent every time she goes to a new place to try and fit in? So fake', another user added. She was branded condescending by others, who wrote: 'Congratulations I think your fake accent was better than Hillary's - just a little condescending don't you think to try immitate (sic) the way others speak?' Another added: '@AOC mocks this African American audience by using an accent she thinks they ALL have. To Cortez, everything is about identity politics and every black person sounds like this. Shame.' But others rushed to defend Ocasio-Cortez, saying: 'Im a Nigerian, black, educated lawyer. At any given time my accent goes every which way because how I talk w/ my parents, w/ my friends, & at work differs. Its a privilege/skill to even be able to codeswitch. Yall cant turn us against@AOC. Try again.' 'Isnt she from the Bronx? Please correct my if I'm wrong but her accent sounds like a New York one. If you think thats "ghetto" Mark you need to get your head out of your ass', another added. Several commentators referenced code-switching, alternating between languages or varieties of language in conversation. One said: 'People who dont understand the concept of code-switching and how it is part of the lives of people of color need to talk to more people.' Another added: 'It's hilarious that white people think this is some kind of "gotcha!" for them to use against @AOC, when they don't get that code-switching is something that virtually every professional person of color learns as a teenager. 20% of the black retail experience is specifically this.' In February AOC was forced to insist that she does live in the Bronx, despite claims that her neighbors have never met her. Through a spokesman, the New York Democrat strongly denied a report in the New York Post, which claimed there was scant evidence that she lives in the Bronx condo where she is registered to vote. 'She lives there,' the freshman congresswoman's spokesman Corbin Trent told DailyMail.com, referring to a condo in the Parkchester neighborhood that was owned by Ocasio-Cortez's late father. 'That's home, period, for her. That's where she gets her energy, her drive. She not only lives there, that's where her heart's at, period,' Trent said of the condo. He said that he had worked for Ocasio-Cortez for two years, and personally knew that Ocasio-Cortez lived in the condo during that time. Trent then said she actually lives 'a block and a half away' from the listed address in a two bedroom apartment with her boyfriend, having made the switch last month. But Instagram clips then appeared to show she moved into new apartment in November despite spokesmans claims she settled in February. In July, DailyMail.com reported that Ocasio-Cortez had actually spent much of her youth living in upscale Westchester County, in seeming contrast with a hard-luck campaign biography touting her Bronx roots. After living in the Parkchester condo until she was around age five, her family moved to the suburban home for better schools, selling it when her father tragically died of cancer in 2008, but retaining ownership of the Bronx condo. Earlier this week she revealed she still sleeps on a mattress on the floor of her unfurnished Washington apartment as she showed her followers around her home. Others rushed to defend Ocasio-Cortez. Several commentators referenced code-switching, alternating between languages or varieties of language in conversation At the event on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez used her speech to call for reparations to black Americans for slavery. The freshman Democrat is pushing the controversial policy that has gained traction among the field of candidates bidding to oust President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Ocasio-Cortez used her platform at an Al Sharpton-sponsored conference in New York on Friday to call for the 'examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations' - among a list of other left-leaning policies including support for free public colleges. Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform. 'That is the moral political and economic underpinning of making bold investments and dignified jobs because that is the necessary plan to fix the pipes in Flint [Michigan] and clean the air in the South Bronx,' the rising political star said. She went on to call for unionized energy jobs for transitioning workers in Appalachia and West Virginia, as well as single-payer health care and Medicare-for-all. Adding: 'Tuition-free public colleges and universities to prepare our nation for the future, and for the end of mass incarceration, the war on drugs, examining and pursuing an agenda of reparations and fixing the opioid crisis too.' But an investor speaking at the same event has labelled Ocasio-Cortez 'financially illiterate' for her role in destroying the Amazon deal which saw the retail giant pull out of New York. Tracy Maitland, president and chief investment officer of Advent Capital Management, said: 'The people campaigning against the Amazon campus are financially illiterate.' He later told The New York Post: 'This was a disgrace. I partially blame AOC for the loss of Amazon. She doesn't know what she doesn't know. That's scary. 'We have to make sure she's better educated or vote her out of office.' CUNY chairman Bill Thompson also said the pull out meant job opportunities were 'snatched away' from students of the City University. Speaking about her cornerstone Green New Deal, which would entail a radical government-led overhaul of the economy and energy usage, Ocasio-Cortez said she 'would not shy away' from bold decisions on health care, wages and prison reform Ocasio-Cortez said the policies she had in mind were generational rather than geared around a presidential cycle. The recently sworn-in Congresswoman's support of progressive policies highlights a shift further left by the Democratic Party, whose leading figures in the past - including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders - all came out against it. It remains unclear how the reparations would be delivered, however. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who introduced a bill on the subject in January, said that 'the impact of slavery and its vestiges continues to affect African Americans and indeed all Americans in communities throughout our nation.' She said the measure, formally known as the 'Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act', would examine the 'institution of slavery in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present, and further recommend appropriate remedies.' A 22-year-old student has been charged in a shooting scare at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Noah Lee posted a video to Instagram on Friday waving what appeared to be a handgun to the camera. He then ended the video, which showed him in a stairwell on campus, with the words: 'School shooter, Thank god its Friday.' According to several local news reports, the video was recorded at FIT, but when is unclear. Noah Lee, 22 (left and right), posted a video to Instagram on Friday waving a gun to the camera. He ended the video with the words: 'School shooter, Thank god its Friday' FIT issued a 'shelter in place' warning and students hid from 6pm to 7pm. Pictured: Lee's video 'warning' of a school shooter In response to the video, FIT issued a 'shelter in place' warning to all students and teachers from about 6pm to 7pm. Social media postings showed students hiding in classrooms, closets and the dining hall, reported CBS 2 New York. 'He was in my class,' student Gianna Kingsland told the station. 'He asked the professor to leave early because he didn't feel well.' Police found him an hour-and-a-half later at a Barnes & Noble book store one mile away near Union Square. They recovered a pellet gun and a gas mask. Police found him an hour-and-a-half later at a Barnes & Noble book store one mile away near Union Square. They recovered a pellet gun and a gas mask. Pictured: FIT in lockdown Lee has been charged with two counts of terrorism, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of criminal possession of a firearm, 'Excellent Teamwork tonight by @NYPDPSA4, @NYPDSpecialops @NYPDPBMS, @NYPDCT @NYPDDetectives, and all the Tenth Precinct first responders for investigating and apprehending an individual who made threats with this pellet gun,' the NYPD 10th Precinct tweeted. 'My roommate and I were freaking out,' FIT sophomore Kayla Cariffe, who hid in the dining hall, told the New York Post. 'Everyone was texting their parents, saying: "We're safe, we love you". I'm still shaken up, very shaken up. It was just very scary at the time.' Lee has been charged with two counts of terrorism, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of criminal possession of a firearm, reported The Hollywood Reporter. DailyMail.com was unable to confirm if he has an attorney or when he will next be appearing in court. Barack Obama has warned the Democrat party is creating a 'circular firing squad' and said he worries the far-left wing is unwilling to compromise. The former president was speaking at an Obama Foundation town hall event in Berlin, Germany Saturday when he rebuked those who 'start shooting at their allies because one of them has strayed from purity on the issues'. Obama said the party infighting usually leads to 'the overall effort and movement weaken(ing)', CNN reports. He told the crowd: 'One of the things I do worry about sometimes among progressives in the United States, maybe it's true here as well, is a certain kind of rigidity where we say, "Uh, I'm sorry, this is how it's going to be," and then we start sometimes creating what's called a "circular firing squad", where you start shooting at your allies because one of them is straying from purity on the issues.' 'You have to recognize that the way we've structured democracy requires you to take into account people who don't agree with you, and that by definition means you're not going to get 100 percent of what you want,' Obama added. Barack Obama has warned the Democrat party is creating a 'circular firing squad' and said he worries the far-left wing is unwilling to compromise. Obama greets German Green Party member Katharina Schulze during the event The former president was speaking at an Obama Foundation town hall event in Berlin, Germany Saturday when he rebuked those who 'start shooting at their allies because one of them has strayed from purity on the issues' A total of 17 candidates are already in the running for the party's 2020 presidential nomination with more to come. Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke have all already said they are want to stand. Former vice president Joe Biden may have throw his name into the hat. Biden has recently come under fire from both the left and the right after he was accused of being overly tactile with a number of women. Obama said: 'You can't set up a system in which you don't compromise on anything, but you also can't operate in a system where you compromise on everything.' Obama also vowed support for young leaders in Europe and elsewhere who are trying to tackle problems such as climate change and inequality. He told the town hall meeting that mentoring activists through his foundation may help encourage 'millions of people who are working on the values and causes that we so deeply believe in'. Former vice president Joe Biden may have throw his name into the hat. Biden has recently come under fire from both the left and the right after he was accused of being overly tactile with a number of women Kamala Harris, left, and Elizabeth Warren, right, have already said they are running for president in 2020 Obama said despite Europe's wealth, social achievements and decades of peace, 'we also know that powerful forces are working to reverse many of these trends'. He offered activists advice on a range of topics, from capitalism to mindfulness. He also suggested that fostering reasoned debate online should be a key task to keep politics from going in a negative direction. The Trump administration wants Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro out of office and on Friday America stepped up its efforts to make that happen sooner rather than later. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence addressed the international humanitarian crisis happening in Venezuela on Friday during a speech in Houston where a hand-picked crowd of 300 people from the city's large community of ant-Maduro Venezuelan expats were gathered. Pence announced America would be stepping up efforts to force Maduro from office by imposing new sanctions on his nation's oil shipments. He also promised to take 'stronger action' against Cuba for helping to keep the Maduro regime afloat after the island nation reportedly sent troops to Venezuela to help the government battle back against rebels seeking to overthrow it. Scroll down for video VP Mike Pence addressed the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela Friday during a Houston speech in front of expats who oppose President Nicolas Maduro Pence announced America would be stepping up efforts to force Maduro from office by imposing new sanctions on his nation's oil shipments. Those sanctions were imposed shortly after his speech 'The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy' in Venezuela, Pence said at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, calling oil shipments 'the lifeblood' of Maduro's 'corrupt regime.' The United States and leaders of most nations in the Western Hemisphere consider Maduro's 2018 reelection illegitimate and have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the company's interim president, Reuters reported. Maduro dismisses Guaido as a US puppet. After Pence's speech, the US Treasury announced sanctions on 34 vessels owned or operated by Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA that carry oil to customers outside the region. It also sanctioned two shipping operators and a vessel that delivered oil to Cuba in February and March. Pence bashed the island nation's leaders as the 'real imperialists' in the Western Hemisphere, adding: 'The time has come to liberate Venezuela from Cuba.' Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (left) has resisted calls to relinquish his power after remaining in office following what his political rivals and foreign nations have recognized as a rigged national election against opposition leader Juan Guaido (right) The US Treasury also sanctioned two shipping operators and a vessel that delivered oil to Cuba in February and March after the island nation's president Miguel Diaz-Canel (pictured) reportedly sent troops to aid Maduro's embattled regime An estimated 50,000 Venezuelans, the second-largest expatriate community outside of south Florida, live in Houston. Many of them support U.S. efforts to rid Venezuela of Maduro, having fled the socialist politics of former leader Hugo Chavez for a home in Houston's energy industry. However, some Venezuelan expatriates in Houston believe tougher actions than Pence's proposals on Friday were needed to replace the government. 'It's going to take more than economic sanctions,' said Andres Carvallo, a former Venezuelan lawyer and journalist who attended the speech. In addition to sanctions, the United States should organize a military coalition of countries to remove the current government, he said. Francisco Monaldi, a Venezuelan native and Latin American energy expert at Rice, said many expatriates had hoped that Pence would deliver a plan to get the Venezuelan military to stop supporting Maduro. Venezuelans fill containers with water from tanks in a service area organized to help the community by the Ministry of Popular Power for Ecosocialism and Waters in Parque del Este, on Thursday in Caracas, Venezuela. Since March 7, the country has been suffering intermittent blackouts that affected the water supply The US Treasury announced sanctions on 34 vessels owned or operated by Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA immediately after Pence's speech 'It doesn't seem the military is willing to remove support from Maduro,' which has proven more difficult than opposition leaders had expected. 'We want to see more than barking. We want to see action,' said Miguel Eljuri, a Venezuelan living in Houston who also once worked for PDVSA. Maria Gonzalez, an economist who listened to the speech, welcomed tougher action, adding her mother in Venezuela lacks water, power and basic supplies. As for the Trump administration's reversal of the U.S. opening to Cuba, she said: 'they do not deserve our help.' Donald Trump has labelled the Russia probe a big hoax saying the Democrats have done a lousy job as they keep up the pressure to make the Mueller report public. The president himself admitted to having not read the full 400-page report, which which found no evidence the president was involved in collusion, but said he has 'every right to do so' in a series of tweets Saturday. Speaking Friday in footage aired on Fox News Saturday: 'You know there's no collusion, OK? The famous word 'collusion.' There's no obstruction because they put a decision and the attorney general made the decision, he said no obstruction. 'So there's no collusion, there's no obstruction. There's no nothing. It's all a big hoax and the Democrats want to keep playing it because they've done a lousy job.' The House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to authorize subpoenas for the full report. Trump spoke to the network on a trip to inspect the 30-foot 'bollard wall' at the Calexico-Mexicali border. In a chat with Fox News Trump labelled the Russia probe a big hoax saying the Democrats have done a lousy job as they keep up the pressure to make the Mueller report public The president later tweeted Saturday, to confirm he still had not read the Mueller report but repeated his assertions the probe into any collusion with Russia was 'ridiculous'. Trump tweeted: 'I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so. Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion. 'Likewise, recommendations made to our great A.G. who found No Obstruction. 13 Angry Trump hating Dems (later brought to 18) given two years and $30 million, and they found No Collusion, No Obstruction. 'But the Democrats, no matter what we give them, will NEVER be satisfied. A total waste of time. As @FrankLuntz has just stated, Enough, America has had enough. What have you accomplished. Public is fed up.' Trump has railed against the investigation since it ended and cleared him and his campaign of any collusion with Russia in the 2016 election. The event that sparked the $25 million, 22-month probe was a concern from federal officials that there was a tie between Trump's campaign and hacked emails from Democrats that appeared on Wikileaks. The president later tweeted Saturday, to confirm he still had not read the Mueller report but repeated his assertions the probe into any collusion with Russia was 'ridiculous' Trump followed up Saturday with: 'So, lets get this straight! There was No Collusion and in fact the Phony Dossier was a Con Job that was paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC. 'So the 13 Angry Democrats were investigating an event that never happened and that was in fact a made up Fraud. 'I just fought back against something I knew never existed, Collusion with Russia (so ridiculous!) - No Obstruction. This Russia Hoax must never happen to another President, and Law Enforcement must find out, HOW DID IT START?' The chairmen of several House committees asked for the full, unredacted report last week after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary laying out the reports 'principal conclusions'. Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees that a redacted version of the full 300 page report would be released by mid-April, 'if not sooner.' Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and will almost certainly be unhappy with the amount of information provided by Barr when the department releases the report in the coming weeks. Photo: The Canadian Press Premier John Horgan says British Columbia, as the country's gateway to Asia, is bearing the brunt of the impact of Canada's tense relationship with China over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Speaking at the Council of Forest Industries convention in Vancouver Friday, Horgan described Meng's arrest as "profoundly regrettable," but adds "extradition treaties are extradition treaties" and he doesn't think the federal government had any other option. Meng was arrested in Vancouver in December on a request from the United States, which wants her extradiated to face charges including conspiracy, fraud and obstruction. Horgan says the province does have an option, and that's to continue to be aggressive and forward-looking when it comes to trade with Asia. He says it's a critically important market and boosting innovation in export products will be a ticket to success, adding that the province has an opportunity to grow the market for engineered wood products. B.C. does billions in trade with China and Horgan says he's confident that relationship remains in good shape. A father has claimed his 14-year old son found a knife in a bag of Cadbury miniature chocolate eggs. Michael Thomas, 44, claimed his son Ethan pulled a knife out of the sealed 99p bag of eggs purchased on a trip to a local Aldi near Salisbury. The boy's mother Amanda first thought the bag was contaminated due to the novichok nerve agent attacks last year which happened in the same city, The Mirror reported. The teenager, 14, allegedly pulled a knife out of a sealed bag purchased on a trip to a local Aldi. Mondelez International, which owns the chocolate brand, allegedly blamed 'co-packers' for the incident. The boy's father Mr Thomas said he believes his claim was not taken seriously The company then picked up the knife (pictured above) via courier but the family refused an offer of a hamper. The boy's mother Amanda first thought the bag was contaminated Mr Thomas took the packet back to the store, which did not package the product. He then contacted Mondelez International, which owns the chocolate brand. Mondelez allegedly said 'co-packers' were responsible for the incident but Mr Thomas said he believes his claim was not taken seriously. The company then picked up the knife via courier but the family refused an offer of a hamper. Michael Thomas, 44, claimed his son Ethan Thomas pulled a knife out of the sealed bag purchased on a trip to a local Aldi near Salisbury The company then offered to donate money to a chosen charity, and the family picked Salisbury hospital. However, the company then allegedly said the donation request would be passed on to the 'co-packer'. Mr Thomas told The Mirror: '[Mondelez] have passed the buck and made no real attempt to make us feel like they care'. A Mondelez International spokesperson said: 'We're grateful to Mr. Thomas raising this issue with us, and apologise for his experience. 'The safety and quality of our products is extremely important to us and we launched a thorough investigation with our third party packaging supplier, as soon as we were made aware. 'We have taken the necessary steps to ensure this does not happen again and have offered the customer a gesture of goodwill.' Andreas Gal (pictured), an engineer from Apple, said he was detained by US Customs and Border Protection agents in November 2018 and claims they demanded he hand over his iPhone XS and MacBook Pro for a search An Apple employee has filed a complaint against US border agents after they allegedly demanded he hand over his iPhone and MacBook. Engineer Andreas Gal was returning home to San Francisco International Airport following a business trip in Sweden in November 2018, reported ABC News. Three armed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents detained Gal for an hour, asked him about his job at Apple and his previous job at Mozilla, and demanded they be allowed to search through his iPhone XS and MacBook Pro. However, Gal told the agents that the phone and laptop are owned by Apple and he was worried about revealing its contents due to a non-disclosure agreement he signed. 'Because I was uncertain about my legal responsibilities to my employer, I asked the agents if I could speak to my employer or an attorney before unlocking my devices,' Gal wrote in a post on Medium about the experience. 'This request seemed to aggravate the customs officers.' Gal told ABC News that he's gone on more than 100 business trips in the past and has never been stopped before. 'They told me at the border, even as a US citizen, I don't have any rights to an attorney,' Gal told the station. 'I told them I wanted to speak to an attorney. Then they said they would keep my devices and I said I don't consent to it but I would comply.' The officers allegedly threatened him that he failed to hand over his devices, he would be in violation of federal criminal code. Gal was allowed to leave, but the CBP officers confiscated his Global Entry card and revoked his status, which allows him to go through expedited security lines when traveling to the US from abroad. Gal told the agents the devices were owned by Apple and he was worried about revealing its contents due to a non-disclosure agreement he signed. The CBP officers allegedly told him that if he didn't comply he would be in violation of federal criminal code On his next trip to Europe, Gal said his boarding pass said 'SSSS' in the corner, which stands for secondary security screening (pictured). The ACLU, which filed the complaint on Gal's behalf, says the incident violated his rights under the First and Fourth Amendments He said that on his following trip to Europe - specifically Copehagen, Denmark - his boarding pass said 'SSSS' in the corner, which stands for secondary security screening. In the complaint, which was filed on his behalf with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, Gal says the incident violated his rights under the First and Fourth Amendments. Gal mused that he might have been stopped because of his outspokenness on online privacy or his political views. 'My past work on encryption and online privacy is well documented, and so is my disapproval of the Trump administration and my history of significant campaign contributions to Democratic candidates,' he wrote on Medium. CBP said it was not able to comment on the case due to an ongoing investigation and pending litigation. 'Keeping America safe and enforcing our nation's laws in an increasingly digital world depends on our ability to lawfully examine all materials entering the US,' a CBP representative wrote in a statement to CNBC. Gal said that the experience has made him fearful of traveling and that he doesn't know what agents were looking for. There's no such thing as a cursory inspection of the contents of your cell phone,' he told ABC News. 'This is essentially my entire life for the last 10 to 15 years I'm carrying with me on my cell phone. And CBP seems to believe without a court-issued warrant they can inspect the last 10 to 15 years of my life just because I'm traveling internationally.' The 'American Pyscho' author was pointing out how obsessive the 'liberal media' has become with villianizing Kanye's relationship with the president Author Bret Easton Ellis took a moment out of his new book to celebrate his 'casual' friend Kanye West - and complain about how the 'liberal media' has villianized the rapper's relationship with Donald Trump. The 'American Pyscho' writer has warned that the left is making a big mistake by dismissing Kanye as 'delusional' for supporting the president, in a passage of his new book 'White.' Ellis recalled that he first met Kanye in 2013 at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, a day after North West was born. 'We spent four hours there talking about the movie project and a wide range of subjects everything from Yeezus to porn to 'The Jetsons' until Kim Kardashian came out of her room cradling their newborn North,' Ellis shared in a piece for the New York Post, adding that Kanye offered him some Grey Goose as the author tried to leave. The best-selling author shared that he worked with Kanye over the years on a series of projects that never saw the light of day, calling them all 'complicated and strange.' Ellis attacked the left, calling them 'horrified schoolteachers' who attacked the ways in which Kanye tweeted and demanded that he apologize for harmful remarks that he made in association with the president - including that slavery was a choice (Kanye West and Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016) Ellis then relished in the 'amazing stream-of-conscious thoughts' of Kanye's controversial Twitter as the means in which he was keeping up to date on the rapper's antics. 'These tweets were a reminder of why I liked Kanye,' Ellis asserted. 'They were sweet and mysterious, dumb and profound, funny and playful, part absurdist stunt as well as a genuine reflection of where Kanye West was in that moment. Passage came from his new book 'White,' Bret Easton Ellis's first book in almost a decade The author highlighted Kanye's San Jose concert rant, his tweet about how he and President Trump had 'dragon energy', and his trip to the Trump Tower in 2016 to show how 'obsessed with showbiz and spectacle and power' the artist is. Ellis starts attacking the left, calling them 'horrified schoolteachers' who attacked the ways in which Kanye tweeted and demanded that he apologize for harmful remarks that he made in association with the president - including that slavery was a choice. 'The media became derisive and speculated that Kanye had to be on drugs to say anything of the sort,' Ellis continued. 'Anyone but an idiot could tell what Kanye was trying to say, however garbled and clumsy it was, but given the bias infecting everything in 2018, the press worried that he was having 'delusional episodes' and probably needed to be treated for drug abuse. 'The consensus, in postmortem editorials everywhere, was that he would never have a career again after the slavery comment and the Trump tweets. It was all over for Kanye.' The author highlighted Kanye's San Jose concert rant, his tweet about how he and President Trump had 'dragon energy', and his trip to the Trump Tower in 2016 to show how 'obsessed with showbiz and spectacle and power' the artist is Kanye appeared on SNL in September and went on a rant against the 'one-sided liberal media' while also praising Trump It is important to note that Kanye would eventually apologize for his comments during an appearance on 107.5 WGCI, where he acknowledged that the 'one-two effect of the MAGA hat into the slave comment,' was hurtful. And at that same TMZ interview where he made the comments about slavery, Kanye also admitted to heavy opioid use as being the reason he was so wild in his tweets. Kanye appeared on SNL in September and went on a rant against the 'one-sided liberal media' while also praising Trump. During an October meeting at the White House, Kanye told Trump that the president made him feel 'manly' while being candid about his struggles with mental health. Ellis shared that he worked with Kanye over the years on a series of projects that never saw the light of day, calling them all 'complicated and strange' Ellis mentions the meeting, when talking about Kanye's infatuation with the Make America Great Again hat. 'Wearing the hat had become, for some, an act of defiance it could be dangerous and you could get into trouble, which is exactly why it became a fetish object Kanye loved, and said, in a meeting with the president at the White House a week later, that wearing the hat made him feel like Superman.' The author relishes that he was able to meet the busy musician while all the commotion was taking place. The two were to discuss a TV project that they had worked on in 2015 and obviously fizzled out, like most of their other projects together. 'In the five years I'd casually known him, I'd never seen him so attentive and focused and happy,' Ellis claimed. 'This was Kanye at his most lucid, and this afternoon confirmed for me that he was, in fact, sane: his own man, no apologies, not some drugged-out freak gibbering on Twitter. 'Wearing the hat had become, for some, an act of defiance it could be dangerous and you could get into trouble, which is exactly why it became a fetish object Kanye loved, and said, in a meeting with the president at the White House a week later, that wearing the hat made him feel like Superman,' Ellis said 'People simply needed to acknowledge not approve or to embrace that here was someone who saw the world in his own way and not according to how other people thought he should see it. 'What Kanye was championing in his Trump tweets was an idea of peace and unity, imagining a place where different sides could work together despite vicious ideological differences that's it. Ellis claims that no one is actually concerned about politics anymore but actually concerned about the hoopla and misgivings of Trump. He argues that Kanye - and everyone else - look at the world as a 'theater where a musical was always playing and hopefully starring someone like themselves voicing their own opinions. He added: 'But in Kanye's case with the appropriate amount of narcissistic dragon energy, a power that allowed him, no matter what others thought, to be totally free.' Ladies' Day may have been and gone at Aintree but that didn't stop the glamorous punters wearing their finest at the final day of the Grand National. The stylish crowd cheered on as Tiger Roll romped home to victory in the famous steeplechase. And they certainly looked their part as they watched history being made as the winner became the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to claim the famous race back-to-back. Taste of victory: Racegoers drink champagne on the final day of the Grand National at Aintree as Tiger Roll wins for the second year in a row Glamorous women dressed in bright, eye-catching outfits cheer on as Tiger Roll romps home to victory The racegoers wear colourful dresses and hats at the famous three-day horse-racing festival The punters made the most of the sunny conditions on the final day of the festival wearing all white and eye-catching headwear Ladies' Day took place yesterday but that did not stop racegoers dressing up in their finest for the centrepiece of the festival One woman pouts and another sticks out her tongue for a selfie in the stands of the Aintree racecourse Wearing brightly coloured frocks, eye-catching hats and sunglasses, the ladies were treated to glorious weather on the final day of the festival. More than 150,000 people went to the three-day meeting, which is in its 180th year and hosts the showpiece Grand National race on Saturday afternoon. They cheered on from the stands wearing an array of eye-popping dresses for the biggest betting race in the UK. One spectator wore a nude sleeved dress with a plunging neckline at the Liverpool racecourse Favourite Tiger Roll romped home to victory in the steeplechase which is the biggest betting race in the UK, clearly to the delight of these supporters More than 150,000 people went to the three-day meeting with Saturday's showcase steeplechase the main event Some guests opted for all-yellow ensembles while others chose a more understated polka dot sleeveless dress. As always, an eclectic range of headwear was on show with many women enjoyed the sunny conditions after a spell of cold and wet weather earlier at the festival. But the day was marred by tragedy this afternoon as Tiger Roll's competitor Up For Review had to be put down after a fall at the very first hurdle. The horse, ridden by Danny Mullins, was the first to be killed in the 5.15pm steeplechase since the deaths of Synchronised and According to Pete in 2012. It is believed Up From Review suffered a broken leg - which is a common injury in racing - after footage showed the stallion's back leg at full stretch as it fell. Crowds of excited racegoers gasp from the grandstand as the competing horses rushed to the first of thirty jumps on Saturday Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo (left) was among several stars attending the Grand National today to watch the action, wearing a pink coat dress and carrying a small maroon handbag. This is while Michele Mone was also in attendance (right) Spectators in the stands are all smiles clutching their drinks as they watch the exciting action unfold Women pulled out all the stops today and wore brilliant fascinators and hats to match their fabulous outfits Racegoers take a selfie to capture their eye-catching outfits and smiles amid others competing for fashion praise The Grand National Festival is renowned for its daring displays of fashion, and day three of this year's event has been no different All eyes were on this afternoon's race, at Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside, which kicked off at 5.15pm and saw Tiger Roll and Davy Russell take their place in history to win the world's greatest steeplechase for the second time. According to racecourse bosses, there's no strict dress code for the festival unlike Royal Ascot. But that didn't stop attendees from making a real effort with their outfits, with their bright colours competing for attention. Girls just wanna have fun! These women look like they are having a blast together as one woman protectively puts her arm around another's waist and the other hold the one in the centre's hand Spotted a winner yet? These two women on the right had a chat overlooking the racecourse while both wearing stunning emsembles of baby pink and navy. Another group of women (left) looked like they were having fun as the giggled with each other Racegoers were in good spirits this afternoon as they raised their hands in the air. These two women were beaming as they enjoyed the day Advertisement Hundreds of protesting migrants clashed with police for a third straight day in northern Greece on Saturday, with migrants throwing rocks at officers who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Authorities say the demonstrations outside a migrant camp in Diavata have been triggered by false reports on social media that restrictions on travel to northern Europe had been lifted. Several migrants, including children, fainted amid the clouds of tear gas Saturday. The protesters have lit fires to make the air more bearable, but blazes have also erupted from exploding stun grenades. In Athens, migrants left a main railway station after blocking trains on Friday and services resumed Saturday. Hundreds of protesting migrants clashed with police for a third straight day in northern Greece on Saturday, which were triggered by false reports of open borders in northern Europe The skimishes began at a migrant camp in Diavata after migrants threw rocks at officers who then responded by volleying back tear gas and stun grenades A post in Arabic had been circulating on social media falsely claiming that the Greek government were going to open the border to North Macedonia Greek officials say the migrants have been mobilized by false reports originating on social media that the road to central Europe, tightly sealed to migrants for three years, is open again, and that buses chartered by non-governmental organizations are waiting on the other side of the border with North Macedonia, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) to the north of Diavata. 'We must constantly fight the fake news,' Nikos Ragos, the migrant policy ministry's coordinator for northern Greece, told The Associated Press. The protesting migrants in Diavata are mostly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of them are not camp residents, but came from all over Greece in order to reach the North Macedonia border Police line up to throw tear gas and stun grenades at the protesting migrants, after previously being attacked with rocks Greek Police were on high alert as they repelled protestors during the third day of skirmishes between the opposing sides He added that some of the migrants were now questioning the false reports, but that cybercrime police must find the source and the motive for spreading the claims. Greek TV station Ant1 showed a migrant's cellphone screen containing a social media message, in Arabic, sent earlier this week from a purported NGO called 'Caravan of Hope' advising migrants that Greece was to open the border with North Macedonia on April 5 at noon. The protesting migrants in Diavata are mostly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of them are not camp residents, but came from all over Greece in order to reach the North Macedonia border. Some who tried to break into the camp were thrown out by police and at least two were arrested. Almost none of the camp dwellers, and certainly none among the protesters, want to stay in Greece. They want to move on to wealthier central and northern European countries, especially Germany. Many feel trapped in Greece and despair with the slow pace of the processing of asylum applications. Among the casualties were women and children, who suffered from tear gas inhalation. Some of the migrants have been in the camp for more than one-and-a-half years A young boy gets liquids poured onto him to clear his eyes of tear gas in the migrant camp Protesters lit fires in an attempt to disperse tear gas that was fired off by the Greek Police in an attempt to stop them throwing rocks 'We have problems here. I arrived a year and a half ago and they have set my (asylum application) interview for December 2021,' Shapour Karimi, 43, an Iranian and father of one child, told the Associated Press. 'What will I do all this time? A solution must be found so we can depart.' A day earlier, migrants had gathered in the field hoping to make their way illegally up through the Balkans towards northern Europe. In Athens, refugees were seen lying on train tracks shouting 'Germany!' and 'open the borders' in a separate protest at the main railway station in Athens. Hundreds of migrants have stormed a train station and clashed with riot police in Greece as part of an attempt to reopen a land route to Germany. A woman is pictured running with her baby next to flames during heated clashes with cops in nortern Greece today A female migrant collapses on the ground in Diavata, Greece amid violent clashes between refugees and riot police. It comes after rumours started spreading that the borders had re-opened Anger: A migrant woman pushes with riot police outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata. Hundreds gathered in a field amid online rumours of a bid to reopen a land route to Germany Refugees sit on the railway tracks in front of a train during a protest at the central railway station in Athens Up in flames: A crowd trying to make its way towards the Greek border scuffled with police who responded with tear gas. TV footage showed shrubs burning nearby Children were seen crying and huddling together after police used tear gas during clashes outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, today Separately, migrants holed up in Turkey were heading towards that country's border with Greece following false rumours that Ankara had opened its border gate. Turkish authorities have detained nearly 1,200 migrants there, Turkish media reported. By Friday morning migrants had set up more than 100 tents in the field at Diavata. A crowd trying to make its way towards the Greek border scuffled with police who responded with tear gas. TV footage showed shrubs burning nearby. 'It's a lie that the borders will open,' Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Vitsas told Greek state television, urging migrants to return to their accommodation centres. In Athens, a group of about 50 migrants squatted on the tracks of the capital's main railway station shouting 'Germany!' and 'Open the borders.' Several more were at the station under heavy police presence. Services from the station were suspended. 'We want to go to Thessaloniki and then to the borders,' said Amin Omar, a 27-year-old Iraqi Kurd sitting on the tracks. 'We don't know if they are open.' A migrant shouts during a protest outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, this afternoon Flash point: A woman carrying a baby clashes with riot police during chaotic scenes outside a refugee camp in northern Greece today Riot police pin a man to the ground during the clashes in northern Greece this afternoon. Migrants had gathered in the field hoping to make their way illegally up through the Balkans towards northern Europe A man holding two baby strollers runs to avoid tear gas thrown by riot police during the violence A man in a wheel chair faces a cordon of heavily armoured Greek riot police outside of the refugee camp Riot policemen try to detain a migrant during the rally near the vastly populated refugee camp Riot police fired tear gas into fields full of migrants as they attempted to disperse the protesting crowd A woman attacks riot police officers near Daviata on Friday as police try desperately to make the migrants go back to their camps The situation revived memories of the 2015 migrant crisis, when more than one million people, mostly fleeing conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, travelled via Turkey, Greece and the Balkans towards wealthy western Europe. Turkey drastically curtailed that exodus in 2016 under a deal with the EU. Soon after, Balkan countries shut their borders, blocking a main passage way to northern Europe and stranding tens of thousands in Greece. Miltiadis Klapas, a Greek migration ministry official, said the latest movement towards the border was 'the result of completely unfounded information that there will be a mass gathering on the borders and that they will open'. 'The borders are closed because of initiatives by other countries,' he said. Turkish police have detained 496 people in Edirne, the province bordering EU member states Greece and Bulgaria, after migrants flocked there in the hope of crossing the border, state-owned Anadolu news agency said. A family run as Greek riot police throw tear gas outside a refugee camp in Diavata, a west suburb of Thessaloniki, A woman holding her child washes her face after Greek riot police threw tear gas during the clashes in northern Greece today The Athens protest occurred a day after clashes broke out near a camp for refugees and migrants in northern Greece Authorities did not immediately intervene to disperse the demonstrators but waded in after it became violent The migrants, mostly Afghan, Iranian or Pakistani, referred to themselves as the 'Convoy of Hope', it said. Some 700 migrants were also caught in the neighbouring province of Tekirdag after police were positioned on the highway in the direction of Edirne, Demiroren News Agency said. Authorities were not immediately available to confirm the reports. Reuters Television footage shot on Wednesday showed Turkish policemen in plain clothes chasing migrants around train tracks and putting them on to buses. Another group, who were sent back to Turkey after illegally crossing into Greece, anxiously waited to be sent to a repatriation centre. Greek police fired tear gas on Friday to disperse migrants who had gathered in a field near the country's border with Northern Macedonia in the hope of making their way illegally up through the Balkans towards northern Europe Hundreds have made their way to the field in the village of Diavata since Thursday, galvanized by reports on social media of plans for an organised movement to cross Greece's northwest border with Albania in early April The situation revived memories of the 2015 migrant crisis, when more than one million people, mostly fleeing conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, travelled via Turkey, Greece and the Balkans towards wealthy western Europe Migrants try to break the police cordon during clashes outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki The clashes in northern Greece occurred outside an overcrowded migrant camp where police used tear gas and stun grenades to push back hundreds of protesters carrying their belongings and trying to walk to the border with North Macedonia, about 40 miles to the north In Athens, police said about 300 protesters gathered at Larissis Station, many sitting on the tracks in front of trains. Authorities did not immediately intervene to disperse the demonstrators, while officials from the United Nations refugee agency were trying to persuade them to leave voluntarily Migrants blocked the main railway station in Athens in protests authorities said were triggered by false reports on social media that restrictions on travel to northern Europe had been lifted The protest in Greece today occurred a day after clashes broke out near a camp for refugees and migrants in the country, after protesters tried to break through a police cordon and reach the border with North Macedonia, which has been fenced off and heavily policed for the past three years. The German humanitarian group Sea-Eye says it is asking Berlin to use diplomatic channels to find a safe port for the 64 migrants it rescued off Libya earlier this week. Sea-Watch spokesman Carlotta Weibl said Friday that the rescue boat Alan Kurdi remains in international waters off Lampedusa and will not approach Italy's southernmost island until it has permission. She said conditions on board were worsening and that a storm was approaching. She said a request has been made to the German foreign ministry to find a solution. Malta and Italy have refused to open ports to humanitarian rescue ships, saying their activities encourage smugglers to pack unseaworthy rubber dinghies with migrants looking for sanctuary in Europe. A migrant man with his child sit at the side of blocked rail way at Larissis rail way central station in Athens Hundreds gathered in the hope of reviving a route that saw hundreds of thousands enter more prosperous countries in Europe A migrant holds a banner pleading for urgent help as he takes a stand near tents outside the refugee camp Refugees sit on the raliway tracks in front of a train during a protest at the central railway station in Athens Roger Stone, a longtime strategist of President Donald Trump, went after late first lady Barbara Bush in a rather nasty Instagram post on Friday. Stone shared a photo of Bush and wrote in the caption: 'Well she's dead and he's president - who won that one?' He continue his tirade against her, following attacks made at Bush after a new biography revealed that the late first lady strongly disliked him. Stone referred to Bush, who died in April 2018 at age 92 as 'nasty, rude, vindictive, entitled, self-important'. Roger Stone, a longtime strategist of President Donald Trump, went after late first lady Barbara Bush in a rather nasty Instagram post (pictured) on Friday referring to her as a 'nasty, rude, vindictive, entitled, self-important' Bush told her biographer she had a countdown clock marking the end of Trump's presidency on a bedside table. Stone (pictured, March 2019) wrote: 'Well she's dead and he's president - who won that one?' This is the second time that Stone attacked Bush in a week. In an Instagram post on April 4, he claimed Bush lied about having Stone fired from her husband's 1988 campaign for president. 'The problem with this lie is that I did not work on her husband's 1988 campaign and never wanted to,' he wrote. 'Barbara Bush was a mean spirited, self important, nasty and entitled woman bitter over her husband's long term and quite public affair with the frowsy Jennifer Fitzgerald.' This is in reference to George HW Bush's alleged 12-year affair with his secretary. The former first lady didn't make her dislike of Trump no secret. In the book titled The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of a Dynasty by journalist Susan Page, Bush blamed Donald Trump for her heart attack, reported The Hill. She also said that she no longer considered herself a Republican due to Trump's rise through the party. Bush also told Page that she had a countdown clock marking the end of Trump's presidency on a bedside table. In a new biography, The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of a Dynasty by journalist Susan Page, Bush (left and right) blamed Trump for her heart attack and said she no longer considered herself a Republican due to Trump's rise through the party In January, Stone (pictured, January 2019) was indicted on seven counts during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election 'She had a "countdown clock' for @realdonaldtrump presidency?' Stone asked incredulously in his caption. Trump told The Washington Times in an interview that he believes the former FLOTUS had a right to be angry with him due to his treatment of her sons. 'I have heard that she was nasty to me, but she should be. Look what I did to her sons,' Trump told the news outlet. During his campaign for the presidency in 2016, Trump made fun of former President George W Bush and referred to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, whom he was running against for the GOP nomination a 'low energy Jeb'. 'Look, she's the mother of somebody that I competed against. Most people thought he [Jeb Bush] was going to win and he was quickly out,' Trump told the outlet. In January, Stone was indicted on seven counts during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election Stone says he's innocent on charges include lying to prosecutors, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. He's set to go to trial in November. The 27-year-old mother sitting beside me on a suburban park bench is trembling with a mixture of fear and rage. She can barely suppress her anger as she recalls the moment she watched a video of a refugee being escorted from an aircraft at Heathrow after a mutiny by passengers halted his deportation. As The Mail on Sunday revealed last year, that man was Yaqub Ahmed, a Somalian who a decade earlier had been convicted and jailed with three others for a sickening gang rape. Today his victim breaks her silence and, in an exclusive interview, condemns the holidaymakers who stepped in to defend him, ignorant of the horrifying attack that ripped her life apart. In the video, filmed by a passenger, Ahmed, 29, is seen screaming as a group of people on board bellow at officials to take him off the plane! For Hannah (not her real name), those pantomime-style cries were as nothing compared to her terrified screams as she fought for her life during Ahmeds gangs attack in a dingy flat in North London in August 2007 when she was just 16. You think that was a bad scream? Try hearing the screams that I made, says Hannah in a powerful message to the bleeding heart passengers who decided to intervene in Ahmeds deportation. And she asks them: How could you defend a rapist? How could you intervene? He was in handcuffs, he was being taken out of the country who are you people to interfere with justice? Fair enough you didnt know the situation, but now I hope you feel proud of yourselves because you stopped something that I have waited for for so long: something that made me feel that little bit safer. Her four tormentors were jailed for a total of 35 years and, while one is believed to have died after fleeing to Syria to fight for the Islamic State group, she is haunted by the thought of seeing the others who have now been released and remain in the UK. Ahmeds deportation would have given Hannah a modicum of comfort, but since the failed attempt to kick him out, her mental health has collapsed. Yaqub Ahmed, 29, was convicted of gang raping a 16-year-old in a North London flat in 2007 Already struggling to cope with the complex post traumatic stress disorder triggered by her rape, she is now too terrified to travel more than two miles from her home. In November she quit a job that she loved due to her mounting anxiety and stress. A lot of the time I just feel hopeless, its never going to end, Im never going to get away from it, she says. They need to deport him. How have they allowed this to happen? Its an absolute farce. I thought there was meant to be victims rights. Where are my rights here? Officials escorting Ahmed on the flight to Turkey last October abandoned his deportation shortly before take-off after around a dozen passengers unaware of his sickening crime took pity on him and angrily intervened. The three-and-a-half minute video posted online showed passengers waving camera phones amid a barrage of shouts and whistles. One bearded British man in a blue T-shirt approached Ahmed before telling fellow passengers: He says theyre separating him from his family, his familys here. Another man jabbed his finger at an official and, drawing his finger across his throat for dramatic effect, barked: When he gets to Mogadishu, theyre going to kill him. Ahmed's victim, known as Hannah for this article, spoke to the Mail on Sunday about seeing the video of her attacker To applause from the passengers, the four-strong Home Office team finally relented and frog-marched Ahmed from the aircraft as one holidaymaker shouted: Youre free man! Hannah was unaware of the failed deportation until she read this newspapers front page story five days later and realised Ahmed was one of her rapists. Eventually she summoned the strength to click on the video and, as she sat in her bedroom, was horrified by what she saw. I couldnt bring myself to watch the video at first, I just read the article, but when I finally did watch it, I was in my room and it was just awful. I got so angry and upset, she says. I feel like I should have been told, so I didnt have to find out in the way that I did. I just didnt want to see his face again. They applauded and cheered and said, Youre free man! It just enraged me. Five months later, Ahmed remains in an Immigration Removal Centre at a cost to taxpayers so far of at least 18,000. Home Office sources say the Government is still planning to deport him, although he appears to have launched yet another appeal. He was listed to appear before an immigration tribunal in Nottingham on March 14. Both the Home Office and the tribunal last week refused to reveal the outcome of the hearing. For Hannah, the intense focus on Ahmeds botched deportation has brought horrific memories of the incident from 11 years ago flooding back. Ahmed was going to be deported to Somalia, before a group of passengers intervened last year By her own admission, she was a wayward teenager and by the age of 16 had moved out of the family home and was living in a hostel. Her life changed after she enjoyed a night out at the Zoo Bar in Londons Leicester Square. After becoming separated from her friend she was approached by a man now known to be Adnan Mohamud who persuaded her to go to a flat in Crouch End on the false pretext that her friend was there waiting for her. I couldnt find her and I had no phone or bus pass. She had everything, Hannah recalls. I was calling out and this guy approached at me and said, Your friend has gone with one of our friends. She then recalls the terrifying moment she realised that she had been lured into a trap. I got to the place and my friend wasnt there. They said she had gone to the shop and that she was coming back. She buries her head into a pale blue scarf and sobs, before bravely continuing: They did what they did. They held me down. They took turns. The passengers told Home Office officials that the man was being separated from his family I kept trying to get at them. Thats why they had me on my front, so I couldnt get to them easily and then one of them turned me over and I got him by the neck. I just felt this adrenaline. I remember just grabbing him, trying to get any part of him, trying to grab his face. I was trying to bite and claw. Hannah punched one of her attackers, only to be punched back. Despite being stunned by the blow, she managed to force her way past the men and escape, tumbling down a flight of stairs as she fled. By the time she burst free, neighbours who had heard her screams had alerted police who arrested the men at the scene. Despite overwhelming forensic evidence, the men, aged between 18 and 20 at the time, denied rape, forcing Hannah to relive the ordeal during several days of cross-examination at a trial. It left her even more traumatised. They had four barristers and they were saying some awful things to me. The things they said to me messed me up for years. One man yelled out 'youre free man' after Ahmed was escorted off the plane and back to Heathrow Airport Yaqub Ahmed, then 19 and living in Clerkenwell, North London; Adnan Mohamud, 19, who lived in the flat where the rape took place; and Adnan Barud, 21, from Holloway, North London, were each jailed for nine years for planning and carrying out the rape. A fourth man, Ondogo Ahmed, 19, also of Holloway, received eight years for conspiracy to rape. As he sentenced them, the judge said their actions would have a severe psychological impact on their victim an assessment that has tragically proved only too true. Various therapies have so far failed to help Hannah, who has struggled to access the specialised mental health care she needs. The PTSD thing is the worst because that can come in at any time. Certain things will just trigger me off. Ondogo Ahmed, was one of one of Yaqub's accomplices. He disappeared from the UK and died while fighting for ISIS in 2013 Hannah says her primary school-aged daughter has provided something to live for but fears her anxiety affects their relationship. She is my world but I am not able to be the best mum at the minute. She has seen me crying recently and its hard its spilling out into my mothering duties. Hannah, who has now moved out of London, contrasts her struggle to find help with the huge sums of taxpayers money spent on Yaqub Ahmed, who is thought to have been granted refugee status after arriving in Britain from Somalia as a youngster. Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed how Ahmeds lawyers had been reimbursed 3,339 in legal aid for their work in challenging his detention and removal between 2010 and 2016. The solicitor and barrister who acted for him at his Crown Court trial got 28,000 and his ongoing stay in a detention centre is believed to cost 100 a day. Ahmed is not the only gang member the Government has failed to kick out. Mohamud, also born in Somalia, was released from prison in May 2013 and initially told that he was not liable for deportation. The Home Office reversed that position eight months later when the security situation in Somalia improved, but he has been fighting the move ever since. A spokesman for his legal firm Fountain Solicitors declined to comment. Meanwhile, Barud, who was released in July 2014, cannot be deported because, while born in Somalia, he has British citizenship. Hannah was saved by the police, after she burst free from her attackers and screamed for help Ondogo Ahmed, who is thought to have been born in Eritrea, was released in 2012 and, despite being on licence, astonishingly managed to sneak out of Britain and join IS in Syria. The Ministry of Justice told Hannah earlier this month that he is believed to have been killed there but there is still an outstanding warrant for his arrest, should this information not be correct. She is understandably astonished that he was able to flee. How was he allowed to abscond when he was meant to be on licence? Isnt that their job, to be keeping tabs on dangerous individuals? But Hannah saves her anger for the officials on the deportation flight. They should have executed their job, which is to calm things down, to tell the passengers if they dont stop causing trouble they will be removed from the flight just like any other unruly passenger. The more they stuck up for him, the more he screamed. Its like a kid having a tantrum, the more attention you give that kid, the worse their screams get. She thinks the passengers were seized by a mob mentality. Its the bleeding heart brigade. They see someone in handcuffs and they are assuming its an injustice. Hannah was particularly aggrieved at the Home Office officials who took Ahmed off the plane Those people should have realised it takes a lot to get someone deported, maybe we shouldnt interfere. It was just people who wanted to do a good deed and feel proud of themselves. Sarcastically clapping their actions, she adds: Well, I hope you all feel proud of yourselves. Hannah says she has decided to speak out in the hope that her attackers are finally booted out of the UK. Her pleas for information from the Home Office fell on deaf ears until The Mail on Sunday intervened and a Victim Support Team got in touch. A Home Office spokesman said: We are determined to protect the public by removing foreign national offenders who commit criminal offences. We are committed to ensuring that the victims of foreign national offenders receive the information they are entitled to should they request it. But Hannah despairs of the glacial deportation process and, appallingly, it is she who is now considering leaving Britain. I just want to be able to move around freely, and until I know that they are out of the country Im never going to get that peace, she says. It shouldnt have come to this. It should have happened already. All I want to do is have the opportunity to rebuild, to recover. I just want what everyone else has. EE bah gum asylum seekers in Bradford are being schooled in how to 'speak Yorkshire' to help them fit in. Local phrases including 'ey up', 'ta love', 'tarra' and 'I'm off t'shops' are being taught to immigrants at evening classes held at a sixth form college. The students hail from countries as diverse as Syria, Pakistan, all over Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Local phrases including 'ey up', 'ta love', 'tarra' and 'I'm off t'shops' are being taught to immigrants at evening classes held at a sixth form college. A stock picture is used above [File photo] Chris Baillie, manager at Forster College, told The Telegraph that she began running the 12-week courses in June last year after English students struggled to understand the local dialect. She said: 'Students would go out in the city and would come back and ask 'What does 'ta love' mean?' 'They were coming here with such limited English but in Bradford, it's a different animal.' Ms Baillie said many of her students were asylum seekers who attend weekly dialect classes with up to 15 people in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Britain. One pupil, Ahmad Maaitah, a lawyer from Jordan, said that the classes have proved so helpful that he even managed to teach some Londoners 'a bit of Yorkshire' recently on a trip down south. Mr Maaitah, 52, who has been in the UK for a year, said: 'The classes are fun. I've learned phrases like 'ta', and 'ey up', 'out' and 'nought'. 'I like them. I'm learning how to have Yorkshire accent.' Tory MPs are increasingly pinning their electoral hopes on a joint ticket between Boris Johnson and Amber Rudd, codenamed 'Bamber' by allies of the two former foes. Under the plan, Ms Rudd would swing the support of her 50-strong group of pro-Remain MPs behind a Boris leadership in an attempt to heal the party's increasingly bitter Brexit divisions. Despite Rudd famously announcing during the 2016 referendum campaign that Mr Johnson was 'not the man you want driving you home at the end of the evening', the two politicians are personally friendly and meet regularly for lunches and dinners. If the faces fit: They have been at odds but Amber Rudd and Boris Johnson could now combine to make a bid to win power News of the joint ticket comes as the main Tory leadership candidates step up their preparations for a campaign which could be triggered within weeks if the Brexit crisis finally overwhelms Theresa May's Government. One Tory MP said last night that they would 'crawl across broken glass' to vote for the 'unity' ticket, in which Rudd would hold a senior Cabinet post such as Chancellor. The MP added: 'Amber would take half the party with her, while Boris is the man you need to beat Corbyn at a General Election.' And supporters of Mr Johnson are keen on the joint ticket because they fear that, despite being the most popular candidate among ordinary voters, he might not get enough support among MPs to reach the final run-off with Tory members. It is hoped the joint ticket will help real the divisions in the Tory party caused by Brexit Ms Rudd set up her new One Nation group of 40 socially liberal Tory MPs to counter the hardline Brexiteer European Research Group and is likely to 'whip' them to weigh in behind her choice of leadership candidate. Whoever Ms Rudd backs is also likely to then receive the support of Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who is one of Ms Rudd's closest political soulmates. Not to be confused with... Multiple killer Jeremy Bamber Bamber Gascoigne, University Challenge presenter Everyone's favourite cartoon deer Bambi Advertisement Allies of both Ms Rudd and Mr Johnson play down the issue of their starkly contrasting Brexit stances, saying the UK would 'hopefully' have left the EU by the time of a leadership contest, allowing the new Prime Minister to focus on the less contentious second stage of trade negotiations. Ms Rudd's support for Mr Johnson is not a done deal: she feels that supporting Michael Gove would be a better 'fit' politically, but doubts whether the Environment Secretary could win an Election. Ms Rudd has also held talks with current leadership frontrunner Jeremy Hunt, which included the suggestion that she could succeed him as Foreign Secretary in a Hunt Cabinet something she rejected on the grounds that it would require too much time away from her marginal Hastings constituency. But it is the 'Bamber' alliance which is currently exciting most interest in the Commons tearoom. Mr Johnson hinted at his interest in an 'across the barricades' alliance last week when he said that the party 'needed to get back to explaining our One Nation Tory approach and the vital symmetry between great public services and a dynamic free market economy'. One source said: 'Amber is torn: her politics mean she is most inclined towards Michael, but she thinks Boris has the best chance of beating Corbyn in an Election.' Ms Rudd, whose brother Roland Rudd is chair of the People's Vote campaign for a second referendum, decided earlier this year not to run in a leadership contest herself. Friends say she realised the next Tory leader had to be pro-Brexit; she also feared the impact of media exposure on her two children. They say she is more concerned about trying to dilute the influence of the so-called 'Spartans' in the ERG who have fought bitterly against Mrs May's Brexit deal. This weekend, Mrs Rudd's One Nation group, which also includes former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, tried to crank up the pressure on the ERG by launching a 'code of conduct' for its members aimed at ending 'the era of made-for-social-media-soundbites'. In a deliberate swipe at ERG members such as Mark Francois, who told the BBC that he wouldn't vote for Mrs May's deal 'if they put a shotgun in my mouth', Mrs Morgan said the code would demand that members acted 'even-handedly, respectfully and generously'. Mrs Morgan, the One Nation caucus co-leader, said: 'We are living through unprecedented times, with many members unable to spend as much time with their families as they would like to and it's not at all helpful to every day hear people albeit a minority competing to be the loudest and boldest. 'The One Nation group will pledge that all members will engage only in constructive, polite and respectful discourse. We hope this is the beginning of a change in tone at Westminster and invite all members to sign our pledge. Hancock fury at BBC 'scaremongering' Health Secretary and Tory leadership contender Matt Hancock has launched a blistering assault on the BBC, accusing them of Brexit scaremongering. In an eviscerating letter to Newsnight bosses, the Department for Health claimed a report warning of shortages of epilepsy drugs was 'inaccurate in parts and misleading in others'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has launched a blistering attack on the BBC The Corporation's flagship current affairs show aired a story last Wednesday claiming that some life-saving drugs are impossible to stockpile and there was therefore a risk they would run out if the UK's borders are blocked during a disorderly EU exit. Mr Hancock is understood to be infuriated by the allegation, and his department's letter branded it 'inaccurate reporting which could needlessly cause substantial worry to anyone reliant on epilepsy medication'. Health chiefs insist that they are ready for a potential No Deal exit, with detailed plans to fly in critical medical supplies should there be disruption to traditional supply chains. Allies of Mr Hancock insist that Health is the best-prepared government department for a No Deal exit, which could come as soon as this Friday if EU chiefs veto another Brexit extension. A Government source said: 'We have robust contingency plans in place for all eventualities, but others seem to be most interested in scaremongering and unnecessarily stoking fears about medicine supply.' In the letter to the BBC, seen by The Mail on Sunday, an aide to Mr Hancock writes: 'The scaremongering tone and inaccuracies in the piece will unnecessarily worry patients with epilepsy. This is irresponsible reporting.' The letter goes on to dismiss what it said were suggestions that the Department of Health or the NHS had tried to 'cover up' the possibility of shortages occurring as 'completely misleading and untrue'. Last night, a BBC spokesman hit back at the accusations. He said: 'We strongly refute any suggestion that our reporting has been inaccurate or 'scaremongering'. 'The piece was a fair reflection of the legitimate concerns of some senior clinicians to the current approach to aspects of No Deal planning, and it was therefore appropriate to bring the issues to the attention of our audience.' Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab described her 'desperate' Brexit negotiations with Jeremy Corbyn as a 'major mistake' Theresa May has been warned that striking a deal with Jeremy Corbyn risks handing the keys to Downing Street to an avowed Marxist and destroying Brexit in the process. Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab one of the frontrunners to succeed Mrs May describes her desperate negotiations with Mr Corbyn as a major mistake... bad for Brexit, bad for the Tory Party and potentially disastrous for the nation. His powerful intervention in an article for todays Mail on Sunday on the right of these pages comes amid a growing revolt in the Tory party over the cross-party talks, with local associations threatening to go on strike in next months local elections. Tory MPs fear Mrs May has legitimised Mr Corbyn with the talks and that, if he were to win power, he would be impossible to shift. They fear he would legislate to reduce the minimum voting age to 16, warping the electoral system in his favour. And a new poll reveals how seriously out of touch with younger people the Tories are seen to be, with the party now struggling more over age than class. The Onward think tank, set up by former May aide Will Tanner, will tomorrow publish a report warning that the Conservatives are losing support among younger voters, with the tipping point at which people typically switch to voting Tory rising to 51 from 47 in 2017, due to falling home ownership and austerity. Mr Raab warns: If the PM bends to Mr Corbyns whims now, we can kiss goodbye to the opportunities Brexit offers us. Tory MPs fear that Mrs May has legitimised Mr Corbyn with the talks and that, if he were to win power, he would be impossible to shift The former Minister, who resigned from the Cabinet last year over Mrs Mays deal, says: Labours antics are designed not to deliver a Brexit faithful to the referendum but to create chaos which Mr Corbyn wants to exploit to seize power. He has a history of sympathising with the IRA, Hamas and Hezbollah, so it is no surprise Mrs Mays overtures have gone down badly with Conservatives. Our supporters are frustrated or simply giving up, with many threatening to take their vote elsewhere, to Ukip or even Nigel Farages Brexit Party. There is now a danger that Brexit could be lost and that the Government could fall handing the keys to Downing Street to the very man the PM is depending on. Mr Raab adds devastatingly: As Brexit Secretary... I urged her to take a firmer line with Brussels. My efforts were undermined by others within Government. And his concerns have been echoed by grassroots Tories, with dozens of once-loyal activists sharing pictures of their cut-up membership cards on social media. Bob Perry, deputy chair of Hornchurch and Upminster Conservative Association in East London, warned that apoplectic party members are ready to strike to get Mrs May to step down, adding: The party will be annihilated in local elections because loyal activists, understandably, want nothing more to do with the party. They will only return when she goes. By collaborating with Corbyn over Brexit, she has alienated the grassroots more than any party leader in history. And Dinah Glover, chairman of London East Conservatives, said: This last week has been a turning point for many members who were willing to give the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt. She added: The membership is completely demoralised that democracy is being overturned and we are failing to deliver what we promised to the British public. Ed Costelloe, chairman of the Grassroots Conservatives group, accused the PM of being on a different planet, adding: Theresa May has little or no reputation left and her time is nearly up. Dominic Raab: If Mrs May bends to Corbyn's whims, all Brexit's benefits will be lost Three years after the nation voted decisively to leave the European Union, Brexit still hangs in the balance. In a final, desperate bid to get her EU deal through Parliament, our Prime Minister has teamed up with the Marxist Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. This is a major mistake bad for Brexit, bad for the Tory Party and potentially disastrous for the nation. Mrs May must change course, and quickly. Mr Corbyn, remember, has no serious interest in securing an effective Brexit. Throughout the whole process, he has zig-zagged like a drunk stumbling home from a Communist Party knees-up. Rather he will demand what amounts to a Single Market something my party has explicitly rejected. If the PM bends to Mr Corbyns whims now, we can kiss goodbye to the opportunities Brexit offers us. Indeed, there would be no way of taking back control of our laws from Brussels and Strasbourg. We would be stuck with the freedom of movement of people, with no control of our borders. And we would give up the right to strike global free-trade deals with fast-growing and emerging economies, which would help create more jobs here as well as cutting the cost of living. Mr Corbyn has even held talks with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, and the two are actively coordinating their positions to dilute or derail Brexit. When the PM returns to Brussels this week to seek another delay to Brexit, the EU will probably try to impose punitive conditions already discussed with Mr Corbyns team. At the same time, the Labour leader will want to set conditions on the PM before allowing Labour MPs to support her approach in the Commons. Labours antics are designed not to deliver a Brexit faithful to the referendum, but to create chaos which Mr Corbyn wants to exploit to seize power. He has a history of sympathising with the IRA, Hamas and Hezbollah, so it is no surprise Mrs Mays overtures have gone down badly with Conservatives. Our supporters are frustrated or simply giving up, with many threatening to take their vote elsewhere, to Ukip or even Nigel Farages Brexit Party. Indeed, her approach threatens to damage the Conservatives for years. But just as serious is the danger from Mr Corbyn and the hard Left Labour rabble he wants to put into power. The Government has spent years explaining why Mr Corbyn would sink our economy with his Loony Left ideas. Why rehabilitate him now? Why sub-contract the biggest decision we have faced in a generation to a man whose unsavoury friends and anti-Western obsessions threaten national security? Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, warned in this newspaper earlier this year that Mr Corbyns adviser, Seumas Milne, would have no chance of passing Whitehall security checks. Mr Corbyn has no intention of putting the country first. But by inviting him into the Brexit process, the Government is giving him a veneer of credibility. There is now a danger that Brexit could be lost and that the Government could fall handing the keys to Downing Street to Corbyn. As Brexit Secretary, between July and November last year, I warned the Prime Minister we could end up in this position. I urged her to take a firmer line with Brussels, insisting on an ability to exit the now-notorious backstop a regime of laws to be imposed on the UK without us having any say. My efforts were undermined by others within Government. The Government also failed to heed the concerns of the DUP and other MPs about the arrangements for Northern Ireland. Brussels connived with the Irish government on a protocol that threatens the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK. The Government should have seen off this predatory pincer movement. Two more Ministers have resigned in frustration at these failings. On Wednesday, the Brexit Minister responsible for No Deal planning, Chris Heaton-Harris, stepped down after the PM announced she would delay Brexit again, as did Nigel Adams, a Wales office minister and whip the latest in a long list of Ministers who have left in despair at the Governments failure to keep its promises. If the EU continues to seek to humiliate our country, the Government must not cower. Instead, buoyed by the self-belief and courage of the British people, we should step out of the failing Eurocracy and walk tall in the world. By: Dominic Raab Advertisement Strained Corbyn lines up fiery stand-in A Left-wing rising star is being lined up to replace Jeremy Corbyn amid fears the Labour leaders health will force him to stand down before he can get to No 10. Dockers daughter Rebecca Long Bailey has been privately anointed by leading Corbynistas as their best hope of carrying on the Corbyn project, sources said last night. The claim emerged after the fiery Labour business spokesman, a protegee of key Corbyn ally John McDonnell, was picked to form part of Labours Brexit team last week to thrash out a deal with the Government. Pictured: Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer and Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long Bailey But it also comes amid increasing predictions from Labour colleagues that Mr Corbyn, 70 next month, is already feeling the strain and will have to step aside. Just two weeks ago, his office was forced to confirm that he was undergoing treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London for a muscle weakness in his right eye which required him to wear corrective glasses. The revelation was quickly followed by Labour insisting that Mr Corbyn goes for regular runs, cycles and goes to the gym. But the keep-fit counter-claims have failed to convince many fellow MPs. One said: The strains of being Opposition leader would tax a man 20 years younger and its clearly taking its toll on Jeremy. Not only does he look much older, but he needs time off after stressful days to recover. Many of us expect him to stand down before too long. Last night, party insiders said leading Corbynistas were now throwing their weight behind Salford MP Long Bailey, 39, to pick up the reins. One of 36 MPs who originally nominated Mr Corbyn for the leadership in 2015, the former solicitor is seen as fiercely loyal to his Left-wing vision. Labour MPs say the fact she was on the Brexit talks team alongside chief Corbyn aide Seumas Milne and Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer demonstrated how much Mr Corbyns inner circle now trust Ms Long Bailey. One said: Shes also fearless in front of the cameras and nearly always sticks to the Corbynista line. But critics argue she is too young and inexperienced to take on the top job in the near future. One said: Rebecca may be very good but shes just not ready yet. Ms Long Bailey is also expected to be up against tough competition from party schools spokeswoman Angela Rayner, who has angered Mr Corbyns office by reportedly despairing that he will ever lead the party to power. Deputy leader Tom Watson and Shadow Chancellor Mr McDonnell himself are also understood to have leadership ambitions. But last night, Labour dismissed talk of Mr Corbyn having to step down. A party spokesperson said: False speculation about peoples health is contemptible. Jeremy is in good health, on the campaign trail every week, travelling the country, and runs and cycles regularly. Photo: The Canadian Press Declaring "our country is full," President Donald Trump on Friday insisted the U.S. immigration system is overburdened and illegal crossings must be stopped as he inspected a refurbished section of fencing at the Mexican border. Trump, making a renewed push for border security as a central campaign issue for his 2020 re-election, participated in a briefing on immigration and border security in Calexico before viewing a 2-mile see-through steel-slat barrier that was a long-planned replacement for an older barrier and not new wall. "There is indeed an emergency on our southern border," Trump said at the briefing, adding that there has been a sharp uptick in illegal crossings. "It's a colossal surge and it's overwhelming our immigration system, and we can't let that happen. ... We can't take you anymore. We can't take you. Our country is full." As Air Force One touched down in the state, California and 19 other states that are suing Trump over his emergency declaration to build a border wall requested a court order to stop money from being diverted to fund the project. But Trump, who ratcheted up his hard-line immigration rhetoric in recent weeks, declared that his move, which included vetoing a congressional vote, was necessary. Also on Friday, House Democrats filed a lawsuit preventing Trump from spending more money than Congress has approved to erect barriers along the southwestern border. Congress approved just under $1.4 billion for work on border barricades. Trump has asserted he can use his powers as chief executive to transfer an additional $6.7 billion to wall construction. Trump, who earlier in the week threatened to shut down the border over the high numbers of migrants trying to enter the U.S., appeared to walk back his comments Thursday. He said Friday that it was because Mexico had gotten tougher in stopping an influx of immigrants from moving north. "Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days," the president said as he left the White House. "I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point." The president's visit came a day after he withdrew his nominee to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Longtime border official Ron Vitiello appeared to be cruising toward confirmation, but Trump said Friday that he wanted to go in a "tougher direction." Trump downplayed the claims of people seeking asylum at the border, declaring that many are gang members. "It's a scam, it's a hoax," Trump said. "I know about hoaxes. I just went through a hoax." Meghan Markle, 37, has decided against using the delivery team that has been present for the past three of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's births The Duchess of Sussex has delivered an astonishing snub to the Queens highly-regarded doctors, insisting she doesnt want the men in suits to oversee the birth of her first child. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that, in a significant break with Royal tradition, 37-year-old Meghan has appointed her own delivery team, led by an unnamed female doctor. Royal Household gynaecologists Alan Farthing and Guy Thorpe-Beeston who is a specialist in high-risk births attended at the arrival of all three of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges children. They are among the best in the world but neither has been given the leading role in Meghans care. And she has politely declined their services as lead physicians for the birth. In keeping with protocol, the Queens doctors cannot be excluded completely. Royal Household gynaecologists Alan Farthing (right) and Guy Thorpe-Beeston (left) who is a specialist in high-risk births are among the best in the world but have been snubbed by Meghan who is instead opting for a female-led birthing team There will be some role for them, and should something go wrong as it did with the Countess of Wessex the Queens doctors would step in and take over. One source said: Meghan said she doesnt want the men in suits. She was adamant that she wanted her own people. It did leave a few of us a little baffled. Another said: It is slightly surprising. These people [the Queens doctors] are the best of the best and when it comes down to it, their role would actually be very limited in the birth itself, assuming all goes to plan. It is understood that meetings to discuss the birth will be held as the due date approaches, with the baby expected next month. Other Royals to have given birth under the care of Royal gynaecologists include Princess Diana and Princess Anne. Sources close to the Duchess stressed the personal nature of her decision, with one insider saying: Above all, this is her birth, her baby, and she must do whatever feels right for her. How could anyone judge her for that? There will be some role for the gynaecologists, and should something go wrong as it did with the Countess of Wessex the Queens doctors would step in and take over There is concern however that Meghans choice will viewed by some as unnecessarily extravagant. The Queens physicians do not charge a fee, yet taking on a new team of specialists will cost tens of thousands. A source explained: Working for the Royal Household is seen as an honour and attracts other high-profile fee-paying patients. Sources close to the Duchess insisted last night that her preference has not caused any offence. One said: No one has thought anything of it because it really is ever so personal. In another break with tradition, it emerged last week that the Duchess has chosen not to give birth in the Lindo Wing at St Marys Hospital, Paddington, which has been used by several other Royal mothers. It is likely Meghan and Harry will choose a hospital nearer to their new home, Frogmore Cottage at Windsor, for the birth. As the baby will not be a direct heir to the throne, the couple are said to believe they should not have to pose for the worlds media with the new arrival. There is expected to be a brief announcement shortly after the birth with a picture released later. Its understood that Meghan does not want the pressure of dressing up and posing just because people think she should. The source added: It is impossible to compare to the Duchess of Cambridge because she is married to the future King. While the focus is very much on Harry and Meghan at the moment, this is not going to last particularly as the Cambridge children grow up and become the core Royal family. Meghan follows a number of other Royals to give birth at a later age. The Queen was the same age when she gave birth to Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex was 38 when she had her daughter, Lady Louise, and 42 when she had James, Viscount Severn, while the Duchess of Cambridge was 36 when Prince Louis was born last year. Queen Victoria had her youngest child when she was 37. She will always be remembered as the fiercely uncompromising Iron Lady who struck terror into her political opponents. But in private Margaret Thatcher had a surprisingly touchy-feely side, according to author Salman Rushdie, who has revealed he was even groped by the late Prime Minister. During an America TV discussion about claims that former US Vice-President Joe Biden touched a number of women inappropriately, Mr Rushdie, 71, said: I have a little experience of being sexually violated by a powerful politician. In my case it was Margaret Thatcher. Salman Rushdie with second wife Marianne Wiggin. The pair divorced in March 1993. The writer and Thatcher were often at loggerheads politically. However, he was always grateful to her for the firm stance she took in reaction to the threat on his life from Iran following the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses in 1988, when she provided him with police protection Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher drinks tea in the drawing room of her official residence at 10 Downing Street in 1987. Thatcher died aged 87 in 2013. Mr Rushdie claimed that the late Prime Minister had a softer side and even groped him once The thing that people dont know about Margaret Thatcher is that she was very touchy-feely. Youd sit with her, and shed put her hands all over you. I had this meeting with her, and she was, like, pawing at me, and I thought, Im being groped by the Prime Minister! The writer and Thatcher were often at loggerheads politically. However, he was always grateful to her for the firm stance she took in reaction to the threat on his life from Iran following the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses in 1988, when she provided him with police protection. Speaking on the HBO show Real Time With Bill Maher, Rushdie also described a risque encounter between Thatcher and Christopher Hitchens, the famously outspoken commentator who died in 2011. Salman Rushdie and Pia Glennat (left) at the Vanity Fair party to celebrate the Tribeca Film Festival at the State Supreme Courthouse. Mr Rushdie with his ex-wife and fellow author Padma Lakshmi (right). The couple filed for divorce in 2007. The author of 'Fury' claimed in an interview with HBO that the former Prime Minister 'groped' him Mr Rushdie said: Margaret Thatcher, by the way, spanked Christopher Hitchens. She heard Christopher had written something she didnt like, and she met him at a party conference, and she said to him, Youve been a naughty boy, havent you? And he said, Well, yes, Prime Minister, I suppose I have. And she said, Youd better bend over. She made him bend over, and she spanked him with a rolled-up magazine. Rushdie has previously spoken about the softer side of Thatcher. Following her death aged 87 in 2013, he said: She would tap you on the arm and say, Everything OK? I hadnt expected that touch of tenderness. A massive explosion brought terror to a packed block of flats in Paris tonight as a blaze swept through the building. The fire broke out in a flat in Boulevard Macdonald, in the 19th arrondissement, just north of the Gare du Nord Eurostar hub soon after 9.30pm on Saturday night, spreading to 26 other modern apartments. Despite the ferocity of the blaze, early indications were that 'for the moment there are no victims - nobody injured,' said Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the Paris fire brigade. This is the moment a Paris apartment complex exploded this evening More than 50 firefighters are battling the blaze which caused major damage to the building Amazingly, initial reports suggest that there have been no serious injuries despite the blast He also said that there was 'no gas supply into the building', but that 'bottles of gas or a barbeque may have caught fire on a balcony, causing the explosion.' Dramatic videos posted by neighbours on Twitter showed the ferocious explosion, but it appeared that the building had been evacuated by this time. 'There are around 50 fire fighters involved in the operation to bring the fire under control,' said Commandant Plus. He said 27 flats had been damaged in the six storey building, adding just before 11pm: 'At the moment, we do not know of any casualties. 'A number of people had been evacuated before our arrival and the reconnaissance we are conducting now suggests that no one is hurt or victim of the fire.' In January, four people died in a massive gas explosion in the nearby 9tharrondissement of Paris. Officials believe the explosion may have been caused by a bottle of gas attached to a BBQ Two firefighters, a Spanish tourist and a local woman were caught up in the blast which gutted part of a building, injured dozens more people and badly damaged nearby apartments. The explosion destroyed a bakery, leading to an investigation being carried out by Paris prosecutors. Men who identify as women are being allowed to live in refuge hostels for female victims of domestic and sexual violence even if they have not undergone sex-change treatment but simply say they want to live as a woman, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The move follows a radical change in policy by charities that receive millions of pounds in public money to run refuges for women fleeing abusive relationships. In one shocking case, The Mail on Sunday discovered that a transgender ex-prisoner and convicted domestic abuser, who made chilling death threats to the mother of his child, has been allowed to come and go from a female-only refuge after he changed his name to Melissa. Mark Addis, 44, was deemed such a threat to his former partner that he spent six months on remand in a male prison in 2014 after sending threats that he would kill her. One of his terrifying messages contained a picture of a dead body in a shroud. Mark Addis, 44, was deemed such a threat to his former partner that he spent six months on remand in a male prison in 2014 after sending threats that he would kill her A whistleblower has told the MoS that despite knowing about Addis's convictions, bosses at homeless charity St Mungo's still allowed her to make 'almost daily' visits to a women-only hostel. Last night, Addis confirmed that she would come and go from the East London Women's Project, where she would visit her support worker and also attend social functions, such as summer barbecues. One St Mungo's source claimed Addis had caused 'alarm and distress' to female residents at the women's shelter by behaving aggressively in front of them. But managers at the charity are accused of ignoring concerns from staff because they 'slavishly' followed a politically correct agenda promoting transgender rights. Another charity, Women's Aid, confirmed that its member services set their own policies and are already supporting trans women, in accordance with the Equality Act, in refuges and community-based services. The charity said: 'We are committed to ensuring that trans people are treated with respect and do not experience discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of their gender identity. 'Our member services told us they assess every survivor, including trans women, on a case-by-case basis and if they are unable to support a trans survivor they will help refer her to another service.' A recent report by LGBT rights charity Stonewall found the majority of providers for women-only shelters now allow transgender women to stay in their hostels. Last night, our revelations sparked fury. Erin Pizzey, who set up the world's first women's domestic violence hostel in Chiswick, West London, in 1971, said: 'The most important thing in women's hostels is their safety. If you add a male into a women's environment, it will cause havoc. 'It's completely unacceptable to have men who have not gone through any medical transition entering women-only spaces. 'I believe homeless charities are betraying women by introducing this new policy.' Karen Ingala-Smith, chief executive of the domestic and sexual violence charity Nia, said: 'Homeless charities helping men who identify as transgender is a good thing but it should not be at the expense of women's safety, wellbeing and recovery. 'Allowing a male who identifies as transgender with a history of domestic violence to enter what is supposed to be a safe space for women just shows utter contempt for women in that space.' Our revelations are the latest in a series of controversies about transgender rights. There was fury last summer when it emerged that transgender prisoner Karen White who was convicted as Stephen Wood of two rapes on women had sexually assaulted two prisoners after being transferred to a women's jail, despite not undergoing any sex-change surgery. Further cases have included trans women being treated on women's hospital wards and being allowed into women's changing rooms. There is a febrile debate over a proposed change in the law which would allow someone to 'self-identify' their gender without going through a medical or legal process. A whistleblower has told the Mail on Sunday that despite knowing about Addis's convictions, bosses at homeless charity St Mungo's still allowed her to make 'almost daily' visits to a women-only hostel Critics say that introducing such a legal reform would threaten women's safety and privacy because it would allow males who have not undergone any physical transition into female-only spaces. Shelters that exclude men were first established in the 1970s to create safe havens for women who have been attacked by men. The majority of hostels have women referred to them by prison probation services and homeless charities. The residents are helped by a support worker to sign up for housing benefit to pay for their rent. Charity staff then help them to get into social housing, with residents typically leaving the hostel after 12 to 18 months. The high-security refuges have strict rules banning all men from entering the premises, with their locations kept a secret. Any male visitors, including contractors, have to be escorted by staff, who are all female. But even though the law has not been changed to allow men to self-identify as women, charities are now allowing men who live as women to visit their shelters. St Mungo's, which operates 27 sites across London and the South of England, allowed Addis to gain 'almost daily' access to a women-only hostel in East London despite knowing about her criminal past. Addis then living as a man was arrested in November 2013 for his hate campaign against Julie Lane, and spent six months on remand in a male prison before his case came to trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to 'putting a person in fear of violence by harassment' and was sentenced in June 2014 to an 18-month supervision order, 40 days on an integrated domestic abuse programme, and given an indefinite restraining order to stay away from his victim. A whistleblower told the MoS that the Stonewall Housing Association, which helps to house homeless lesbian, gay and transgender people, referred Addis to St Mungo's after he became homeless following his release from prison. He was living in a hostel called the LGBTQ Project for trans, lesbian and gay people run by the same charity when he began to identify as a woman. St Mungo's, which received 95 million in social housing grants from government bodies last year, then allowed Addis through the doors of its East London Women's Project, half a mile away. A source said Addis and other transgender women were granted unfettered access to see their support worker and attend social events because the charity ran an administration office there. The whistleblower said: 'When the trans women clients came into the women's hostel and started acting aggressively, the women were absolutely terrified. 'Addis was in our trans hostel and coming into the women's hostel almost on a daily basis. She was coming into the women's hostel shouting, crying, threatening violence against the other trans women, but doing this in front of frightened, vulnerable women.' The source said a staff member complained about Addis's behaviour and about the policy of allowing transgender women into the female-only hostel, but their complaints were 'shut down' by senior management. One St Mungo's source claimed Addis had caused 'alarm and distress' to female residents at the women's shelter by behaving aggressively in front of them (Stock image of a St Mungo's hostel) According to the source, the policy of allowing transgender women into the women-only hostel started in 2016 and was driven by Simon Hughes, St Mungo's regional director for East London. The source said: 'The mantra was that trans women are women and they are vulnerable. Even if they have a criminal record, if they are transitioning, they are not a risk any more because they are women now. There was no room for debate. To even suggest you had an issue with that, that's it you were out. It was really unsettling and terrifying for the women living at the hostel. These are women who are traumatised.' Last night, Addis told the MoS that she and other transgender women living at the LGBTQ Project had regularly visited the nearby women's shelter and attended social functions such as barbecues. Addis denied any aggressive behaviour towards the women residents of the East London Women's Project, adding: 'I could have lived at the women's hostel myself if I had asked the lady who was in charge. They would have allowed me because I live as a female now.' Addis said the manager of the women's refuge was 'very nice' and allowed her to 'watch telly with girls,' adding: 'I got on with the girls. They classed me as a female.' She said she had moved out of St Mungo's LGBTQ hostel in May last year when her lease expired. But a source who has known Addis for almost 20 years claimed: 'Addis got chucked out of the other hostel for violence and anti-social behaviour.' They said her relationship with her former partner was 'volatile,' adding: 'Women [in the hostel] would not be safe with Addis there.' Last month, St Mungo's published a three-year Women's Strategy which stated: 'Trans women are welcome to our women-only services and spaces, in accordance with the law and our values as an organisation.' The charity refused to answer questions about Addis last night, saying it does not comment on individual cases. Nor would it say how many transgender women were living or working at its women-only refuges, and it declined to answer questions about its government funding. St Mungo's provided supported housing to 1,216 women in 2017-18, according to its annual report, that said four per cent of its clients (48) were transgender. However, it refused to disclose how many of those are transgender women living in female-only hostels. A spokesman said: 'St Mungo's is a trans inclusive organisation recognised by Stonewall as a top trans employer.' Stonewall is the leading lesbian, gay and transgender rights charity, and has championed the rights of transgender women to access women's refuges. Last year, the organisation interviewed managers from 15 organisations that provide shelters for female victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence across UK. Its report Supporting Trans Women In Domestic And Sexual Violence Services revealed the 'majority of participants have supported trans women in their women-only services before many have been doing this for some time.' In its anonymised report, one shelter manager stated: 'If we have a client who wants to come in that identifies as female, they can come into our refuge or any part of our service.' Another manager said: 'We are very clear from the start that we do have transgender [women] and women of different faiths and cultures and beliefs through our door constantly.' Another said: 'We wouldn't exclude somebody from any of our existing services based on the fact that they were transgender.' Another interviewee added: 'We would never ask for evidence of someone's sex or gender because we're open to women on a self-identifying basis.' Women's Aid also confirmed that transgender women are living in women-only refuges. A spokeswoman said: 'We are of the view that we want all survivors to get the support that they need.' Last July, its chief executive Katie Ghose said: 'Women-only spaces provide a physically and emotionally safe environment that is vital to survivors' safety and recovery after experiencing domestic and sexual abuse. 'Women's Aid member services assess every survivor, including trans women, on a case by case basis in order to best respond to their needs. Our member services tell us that they are already supporting trans women in accordance with the Equality Act in refuges.' Four soldiers filmed shooting at a photograph of Jeremy Corbyn face the sack for breaching the Armys strict disciplinary codes. The troops, from the Armys elite Guards Parachute Platoon, have been flown home from Afghanistan to face the wrath of top brass who have come under pressure from MPs and media commentators. The footage filmed at an indoor firing range in Kabul was shared on Snapchat and then went viral when it was leaked on Twitter. The Labour leader said he was shocked at the film and there were extraordinary claims that it might lead to a repeat of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and that extreme Right-wing political groups could have infiltrated the Army. Video has emerged of soldiers on a shooting range in Kabul firing at a target of Jeremy Corbyn In an unprecedented message on YouTube, the Armys most senior officer yesterday conceded that the troops behaviour had damaged our reputation. General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the Chief of the General Staff, said: This hasnt been a good week for the Army. It has damaged our reputation which is exceptionally hard-earned and includes the sacrifice of our friends on the battlefield. We are proud custodians of that reputation, which needs all of us each and every one of us to do better. Lets make sure that together we get this right. His uncompromising words added to fears that the troops will be booted out even though hundreds of others have been given second chances after being caught taking drugs in recent years. A fifth soldier who recorded the incident on a mobile phone also faces disciplinary action, although military insiders hope that once the political storm abates, he and the comrades who fired at the photograph will be spared the sack. Sources close to the investigation say the men have also been helped by the failure of the Armys initial investigation to find any evidence of links to fascist or far-Right political organisations. In addition, each of the soldiers whose ranks range from private to corporal has a clean record. However, commanders believe that their actions have brought the Army into disrepute. Sanctions for doing so include discharge from the ranks or demotion. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is seen with bullet holes at a British army base in Kabul A defence source said: These soldiers behaved stupidly, but we are confident they are not extremists and that their conduct amounted to misguided horseplay. This was not, in my view, a politically motivated stunt. The Mail on Sunday has established that two of the soldiers are from Northern Ireland and that top brass are anxious that they remain anonymous to ensure their families safety. The men had spent five months in Kabul, where they protected VIPs visiting the Afghan capital. The job required the troops to memorise the faces of politicians who they might be required to guard. To prepare, the soldiers often print off images and pin them up on the firing range. Colonel Richard Kemp, who served as a British commander in Afghanistan, suggested that the use of the image may have been legitimate. These soldiers trained by firing at a target array of enemy fighters with VIPs and uninvolved civilians among them, he said. Yes, there seem to have been shots on Corbyns picture. That happens in training and helps reduce the likelihood of it happening for real. The Guards Parachute Platoon, part of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, can trace its history back to the Second World War. The soldiers, drawn from units such as the Coldstream Guards, are handpicked to undergo exhaustive airborne training before being seconded to 3 Para. Donald Trump took to Twitter to attack his political opponents for their 'fraudulent Russian witch hunt' against him and branded the Mueller investigation 'a total waste of time.' POTUS reiterated claims that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller was run by '13 Angry Trump hating Dems' who found no wrongdoing by him after spending $30 million over the course of the investigation. He tweeted on Saturday: 'Why should I be defending a fraudulent Russian Witch Hunt. Its about time the perpetrators of this fraud on me and the American People start defending their dishonest and treasonous acts. Donald Trump, (pictured) took to Twitter to attack his political opponents for their 'fraudulent Russian witch hunt' against him POTUS branded the Mueller investigation 'a total waste of time' and accused perpetrators of the 'witchunt' of dishonest and treasonous acts 'How and why did this terrible event begin? Never Forget!.' His tweets come following reports that some members of the special counsels team have been frustrated by the way U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr cast his findings before he submitted them to Congress last month. Trump also tweeted earlier in the day: 'So, lets get this straight! There was No Collusion and in fact the Phony Dossier was a Con Job that was paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC. So the 13 Angry Democrats were investigating an event that never happened and that was in fact a made up Fraud. 'I just fought back........ against something I knew never existed, Collusion with Russia (so ridiculous!) - No Obstruction. This Russia Hoax must never happen to another President, and Law Enforcement must find out, HOW DID IT START?.' In his letter dated March 24, Attorney General William Barr quotes from Mueller's report saying the investigation 'did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.' The letter does not detail what Mueller learned about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition period. It also doesn't answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or Congress during the Russia probe. Trump also cited an editorial in Saturday's edition of the New York Post titled: 'Give up Trump-haters' which claimed Democrats were looking to find wrongdoing when none existed OTUS reiterated claims that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller was run by '13 Angry Trump hating Dems' who found no wrongdoing by him after 'spending $30 million' His tweets come following reports that some members of the special counsels team have been frustrated by the way U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr cast his findings Barr is confronting concerns that his four-page letter unduly sanitized the full report in Trump's favor, including on the key question of whether the president obstructed justice. House Democrats have approved subpoenas for Mueller's entire report and any exhibits and other underlying evidence that the Justice Department might withhold. Trump also cited an editorial in Saturday's edition of the New York Post titled: 'Give up Trump-haters.' The editorial states: 'Proving themselves happy to pander to folks who cant let go of the Collusion Delusion, The New York Times and Washington Post are both suggesting that Attorney General William Barr spun special counsel Robert Muellers report to make President Trump look good. 'But neither account amounts to more than clickbait.' Special Counsel Robert Mueller carried out his report into claims of Russian collusion in the 2016 election, but Attorney General William Barr's summary of it was a more 'sanitized' version Democrats are demanding an unredacted copy of Muellers approximately 400-page report, which was provided to Attorney General Bill Barr more than two weeks ago. The request shows congressional Democrats 'will never be satisfied,' Trump stated Saturday. This week, the House Judiciary, Intelligence and Oversight committees have all stepped up probes into different aspects of Trumps financial history, policy agenda and campaign. Trump was also asked on Thursday with a formal request from Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal for his individual tax returns dating back to 2013. Activists participate in a 'Release the Report' rally in Times Square on Thursday Democratic political activist groups MoveOn.org and Indivisible hosted rallies in several U.S. cities to call on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to 'immediately release Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election This week, the House Judiciary, Intelligence and Oversight committees have all stepped up probes into different aspects of Trumps financial history, policy agenda and campaign It was reported on Friday that investigators believed the results of their probe into the president and his associates were far more damaging than Trumps attorney general made them out to be. But Trump criticized the Times reporting as 'fake news' in a tweet on Friday, shortly before departing Washington for a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to highlight a newly renovated section of the current barrier that exists. But Trump may not be out of the woods yet. He played a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. Trump allegedly directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to make illegal hush-money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Trump's inaugural fund. People may need three jabs to use controversial Covid passports for entry to large venues by January, the Health Secretary warned. Sajid Javid told the Commons that people will only be considered 'fully vaccinated' once they have had their booster, and that three doses will be required for vaccine passports once all eligible adults in England have had 'a reasonable chance' to get another jab. But he refused to indicate when this would come into effect, as confusion mounts over whether the Prime Minister's promise in his TV address on Sunday means everybody will have had their booster by December 31 or will just be offered a third dose by then. The Health Secretary also pointed out that the incoming rules on Covid passes meant that from Wednesday people will need to show a negative lateral flow test to go to nightclubs or large events. Mr Javid's extraordinary statement comes amid murmurings of a large Tory rebellion to Boris Johnson's so-called 'Plan B' restrictions, which include the passports as well as orders to work from home and compulsory facemasks for further public spaces. The push for all over-18s to have a booster - which will need more than a million jabs given out each day until the end of the year (top right) - saw big queues outside vaccination centres today (bottom right). Freshman Democrat Ilhan Omar responded to Donald Trump's comments mocking her in a speech to conservative Jewish lobbying group on Saturday. Trump was speaking in Las Vegas at the annual meeting of the National Jewish Coalition, a political lobbying group that supports Jewish Republicans. Trump mockingly thanked Omar, who represents Minnesota, as he began his speech, before adding, 'Oh, I forgot. She doesn't like Israel, I forgot, I'm sorry. No, she doesn't like Israel, does she? Please, I apologize.' He also accused Democrats of allowing anti-Semitism to 'take root' in their party. In a response late on Saturday night, Omar responded in a tweet with one phrase which she also translated into Arabic. Trump was speaking on Saturday in Las Vegas at the annual meeting of the National Jewish Coalition, a political lobbying group that supports Jewish Republicans She countered: 'My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know.' In February, Omar, who is Muslim, was accused of 'anti-Semitic tropes' for suggesting that money influences American's foreign policy toward Israel. On Friday, a New York man was arrested and charged with threatening to assault and murder Omar, federal prosecutors said. Patrick Carlineo Jr, 55, of Addison, New York, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. Trump mockingly thanked Omar (above) as he began his speech, before adding, 'Oh, I forgot. She doesn't like Israel, I forgot, I'm sorry' In a response late on Saturday night, Omar responded in a tweet with one phrase which she also translated into Arabic saying: 'My, lord forgive my people for they do not know.' Attendees hold up signs while waiting to see Trump speak during the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting at The Venetian Las Vegas on Saturday According to prosecutors, Carlineo spoke by telephone with one of Omar's staff members on March 21 and asked the employee: 'Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, she's a (expletive) terrorist. I'll put a bullet in her (expletive) skull.' In his speech on Saturday, Trump warned that a Democratic victory in 2020 could 'leave Israel out there,' as he highlighted his pro-Israel actions in an effort to make the case for Jewish voters to back his re-election. Trump touted his precedent-shredding actions to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and recognition last month of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel seized from Syria in 1967. 'We got you something that you wanted,' Trump said of the embassy move, adding, 'Unlike other presidents, I keep my promises.' Trump speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting A man wears a Trump yarmulke while waiting for Trump to address the Republican Jewish Coalition 2019 Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas The distinctive Trump red headwear was seen throughout the crowd in Las Vegas on Saturday Trump admits Golan Heights shift was a snap decision made after 'quickie' talk with Jared Kushner Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Saturday, President Donald Trump admitted that he changed decades of U.S. policy on the Golan Heights after a quick conversation with his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. 'I said, 'Fellows, do me a favor. Give me a little history, quick. Want to go fast. I got a lot of things I'm working on: China, North Korea. Give me a quickie,' Trump said to laughter from the Las Vegas crowd. ''How do you like the idea of me recognizing exactly what we're discussing?'' said Trump, recounting the conversation. Trump, who typically demands short sharp briefings and is known for his colorful retelling of stories, said Friedman was shocked, 'like a wonderful, beautiful baby,' and asked the President if he would actually do it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Trump last month. At their March 25 meeting, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan as Israeli territory, a dramatic departure from decades of U.S. policy. The move, which Trump announced in a tweet days prior, was widely seen as an attempt to boost Netanyahu who is up for re-election on April 9. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally. 'I went - 'BING!' - it was done,' Trump said on Saturday, describing the swiftness of his decision. 'We make fast decisions. And we make good decisions.' Advertisement The group, backed by GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson, supported Trump's 2016 campaign and is preparing to spend millions on his 2020 effort. 'I know that the Republican Jewish Coalition will help lead our party to another historic victory,' Trump said. 'We need more Republicans. Let's go, so we can win everything.' Jewish voters in the U.S. have traditionally sided heavily with Democrats - and are often ideologically liberal - but Republicans are hoping to narrow the gap next year, in part as Trump cites actions that he says demonstrate support for Israel. Trump earned standing ovations and chants of 'four more years' for recounting both the embassy move and the Golan Heights recognition. Trump noted it had long been a priority for Adelson and his wife, Miriam. 'That is the most important thing that's ever happened in their life,' Trump said. 'They love Israel.' Trump's speech comes weeks after he suggested Democrats 'hate' Jews. Before Trump's appearance, people assembled for the event carried signs with 'We are Jews for Trump' and 'Trump' written in Hebrew. Dozens of men and several women wore red yarmulkes with 'Trump' in white that were distributed at the event. A man in a hat reading 'Make Israel & America Great Again' holds up a sign at the event Attendees wear 'Trump' yarmulkes before President Donald Trump speaks at an annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition Trump also took credit for eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians and for pulling the U.S. out of several U.N. organizations, the U.N. Human Rights Council and UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias in their agendas. Trump criticized some 2020 Democrats who have suggesting they would re-enter the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, from which Trump withdrew the United States. The agreement was fiercely opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has cheered as Trump re-imposed stringent new sanctions on the country that Israel regards as an existential threat. Trump is closely aligned with Netanayu, who's seeking to return power in Tuesday's national election. Trump predicted that election is 'gonna be close,' adding it features 'Two good people,' seemingly referring to Netanyahu and his chief threat to Netanyahu's coalition, former Israeli army chief of staff, Benny Gantz. Despite his criticism of Democrats, Trump has faced his own criticism from the Jewish community. Trump was slow to condemn white supremacists who marched violently in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The previous year, he circulated an image of a six-pointed star alongside a photo of Hillary Clinton, a pile of money and the words 'most corrupt candidate ever.' When he addressed the RJC in 2015 he said he didn't expect to earn their support because he wouldn't take their money. 'You want to control your politicians, that's fine,' Trump said at the time. Ultimately, the group and many of its donors backed Trump. Trump met privately with Adelson before speaking, according to an official. Adelson has cancer and has been in poor health, but he and his wife attended Trump's remarks - receiving a standing ovation when they entered the ballroom. A guest wearing a cap 'Make America Great Again' with badges of US President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at the event Trump earned standing ovations and chants of 'four more years' for recounting both the embassy move and the Golan Heights recognition The Adelsons gave Trump's campaign $30 million in 2016. They followed that by contributing $100 million to the Republican Party for the 2018 midterm elections. Introducing Trump, former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., the chairman of the RJC, led the audience in an adapted version of the Passover reading Dayenu, as he recounted what Trump had done for Israel. Stuart Weil, a Jewish man from Fresno, California, said Americans have traditionally been very supportive of Israel but the progressive, liberal wing of the Democratic Party is changing that. Weil, who wore a blue Trump-style hat that read, Making Israel & America Great Again, says hes a Republican because of the partys strong stance on Israel. According to AP Votecast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters and 3,500 Jewish voters nationwide, voters who identified as Jewish broke for Democrats over Republicans by a wide margin, 72 percent to 26 percent, in 2018. Over the past decade, Jewish voters have shown stability in their partisanship, according to data from Pew Research Center. Jewish voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party over the Republican Party by a roughly 2-1 ratio. Jack Shepherd is set to be extradited back to Britain from Tbilisi, Georgia, on Wednesday. He could be given an extra jail term of up to a year as punishment for absconding in 2015 Fugitive speedboat killer Jack Shepherd is finally set to face British justice this week. He is due to be extradited from Georgia to the UK on Wednesday. Shepherd, 31, could then be brought before an Old Bailey judge on Thursday. It will be the first time the family of Charlotte Brown, 24, who died when his speedboat flipped on the River Thames, will have a chance to look him in the eye since he went on the run. The judge is expected to send him straight to a London prison to belatedly start his six-year sentence for her death on their first date. He could also be given an extra jail term of up to a year as punishment for absconding. On Wednesday evening, he is due to be flown into London Gatwick aboard a Georgian Airways flight, according to sources in the capital Tbilisi. As a convicted killer, he is likely to be escorted by at least two guards as he will be seated among paying passengers aboard the five-hour commercial airline flight. Miss Brown died in December 2015 as drunken Shepherd was showing off in his defective speedboat on their first date, tearing up the Thames before the craft overturned in the darkness. The web designer fled to Georgia in March last year, a few months before his manslaughter trial. The new father abandoned his wife and young child to try to start a new life in the former Soviet republic. His Old Bailey trial went ahead in his absence in July and he was found guilty. Victim: Charlotte Brown, 24, died after a speedboat crash on the Thames, Jack Shepherd was found guilty of her death at the Old Bailey Undated handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of the speedboat owned by Web designer Shepherd who has been found guilty of killing his date, Charlotte Brown Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (pictured) is expected to be sent to a prison in London to belatedly start his six-year sentence The fugitive sparked public outrage by appealing his conviction from his hideaway, via his London lawyers and in a further monstrous injustice British taxpayers had to fork out because he got legal aid to fund it. In January, the Daily Mail launched a worldwide campaign to track him down, and within a month Shepherd handed himself in complaining our coverage had been very hurtful and he wanted to set the record straight. He has been locked up in Gldani No.8 prison, in Tbilisi, for 10 weeks while he fought against being extradited. He finally threw in the towel last week by accepting to a judge that he had no option but agree to be returned. Shepherd, originally of Exeter, also faces a separate charge for allegedly glassing a barman in a Devon hotel in March, just days before he absconded. He was due to appear at Newton Abbott Magistrates Court on June 6, last year, to face an accusation of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. But by that time, he was on the run in beautiful, affordable Georgia, where he worked as a web designer in the capital Tbilisi, learnt to ski and found a glamourous new girlfriend, Maiko Tchanturidze, 24, who is the same age as Miss Brown when she died. Asked about Shepherds return to the UK, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: We are not giving a running commentary. Thousands of people with heart failure could see their lives extended if the NHS allowed them to be fitted with a device currently reserved for those awaiting transplants, according to leading surgeons. The doctors say it is a scandal that heart-failure patients are being left to die by the effective ban on the use of the special pumps. NHS guidelines state that left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can be implanted only in limited circumstances due to the cost of the operation to fit them about 80,000 and the potential complications they can cause, such as blood clots. Ian Potts from Appleby, Cumbria who has survived for 10 years with his heart pump The pumps can improve the efficiency of the patient's heart and health But respected transplant surgeons Stephen Westaby, Stephan Schueler, Andre Simon and Pedro Caterino say such risks need to be weighed against the declining health of those with poorly treated heart failure. In 2000, Professor Westaby implanted the first LVAD into a 61-year-old male patient called Peter Houghton, who went on to live for a further seven years. Prof Westaby said: Heart pumps can extend lives and ought to be offered to patients routinely. Its a scandal that they are not. Weve been saying this for years to the NHS. Heart failure is caused by the slow death of heart muscle, leading to poorer circulation and crippling exhaustion. Most sufferers are given medicines to slow the effect, but the surgeons say improved LVAD technology now offers up to an extra 15 years of life. Prof Simon, head of transplant at the Harefield Hospital in Uxbridge, Middlesex, said: We want to use more heart pumps and assist devices but we cant get the approval. Ive a patient whos been on a heart pump for 15 years, which shows how good this technology is becoming. Ian Potts, 78, was fitted with an LVAD after suffering a heart attack a decade ago. The retired music teacher from Appleby, Cumbria, said he was grateful to still be alive and carrying a battery pack to power the apple-sized pump was a small price to pay. Prof Schueler, of the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, said there were many people like Mr Potts who could benefit if the rules were changed to allow more than the current number of between 100 and 150 LVADs per year to be fitted. Its so frustrating, added Prof Schueler, who is working with an Israeli firm to develop a device with an internal power source. Mr Caterino, a surgeon at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, said the reliability of the pumps now rivals the gold standard of a heart transplant. A spokesman for NHS England, which last year conducted a two-month review of the use of the devices, said: The results of that consultation are currently being analysed and will be published shortly. Photo: The Canadian Press A salmonella outbreak including two deaths in Manitoba is now affecting six provinces. The Public Health Agency of Canada warned Friday that the source of the outbreak has not been identified, and there are now 63 confirmed cases of infection, including 23 in B.C., 10 in Alberta, eight in Saskatchewan, 10 in Manitoba, 10 in Ontario and two in Quebec. Ottawa is working with provincial health agencies and the Canada Food Inspection Agency to investigate the outbreak, CTV News reports. Eighteen people have been hospitalized between November and March, the government says, and there could be more infections that have not been reported. Symptoms of salmonella include fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, a headache, nausea and vomiting. Consumers are urged to wash hands before and after preparing food and to not eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or egg products. with files from CTV Vancouver Q. My husband is a recovering alcoholic and wed love to go on a cruise where there is no alcohol. Can you help? Rosemary, by email Tough one: cruising and boozing are pretty closely entwined. Its possible to buy all-inclusive packages for some ships without alcohol included (which are considerably cheaper), but our cruise expert, Lesley Bellew, says she hasnt heard of a totally booze-free cruise. How about a visit to an alcohol-free country such as Iran, taking a train journey to different sights, instead? The Holiday Guru suggests visiting an alcohol-free country like Iran for a recovering alcoholic rather than going on a cruise. Pictured is the historic Iranian city of Shiraz Persian Voyages offers a 14-night, tailor-made trip in Iran visiting Isfahan, Persepolis, Shiraz, Tehran and Yazd with hotels, trains, flights and visas from 3,250 pp (persianvoyages.com). Q. Please could you advise me how to get to Saint-Laurent in French Guiana in South America? I have been told there are no direct flights. Peter Durrell, Ipswich This is true. You must fly via Paris, taking Air France. Current return fares in August are from about 1,000. The best depart from London Heathrow at 7.45pm and arrive in the small overseas French department at 2.40pm the next day (airfrance.com). Worth the wait: Red-brick buildings in Cayenne greet visitors to French Guiana, although they will have to change planes in Paris If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions and provide tips on how to make the most of your precious time off. Please send questions to holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk or write to Daily Mail Travel, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT and include your contact details. We will do our best to answer your queries but we cant reply to every enquiry. Please do not send in any original documents. We look forward to hearing from you. Advertisement Where I live and write in Bath, heavy traffic shakes my building. Family, work deadlines, my bank account and, yes, Brexit all conspire to make me feel hemmed in. 'The essential test of freedom asks how far in any direction we can move from where we now sit without deviating or meeting obstacles,' wrote the novelist DBC Pierre. He reckoned 20 metres, tops, and his solution was brilliantly straightforward. He went to Coober Pedy, a South Australian opal-mining town surrounded by endless sand and rock, to enjoy 'a gateway to relentless space'. Splendid isolation: Author Dan Richards has spent years seeking the farthest-flung outposts beacons, shebangs, mountain expedition stations, tundra, forests, and oceans I have spent the past few years seeking the farthest-flung outposts beacons, shebangs, mountain expedition stations, tundra, forests, and oceans. Part of the allure of such places is their simplicity: enough architecture to keep the weather at bay but not so much as to distract from the natural world. Outpost, my new book, charts a course from the simulated Mars bases of the Utah desert to Dylan Thomas's boathouse in Laugharne via Cairngorm bothies and Australian islands. I've sought out landscapes that have inspired writers, artists and adventurers to discover why we're all so drawn to wilderness. Here are my favourite destinations which all give a sense of the wild, far away and remote... SWISS ALPINE EYRIE Cabane Rossier is an impressive mountain cottage overlooking the Ferpecle glacier, pictured, in Switzerland close to the Alps Cabane Rossier is an impressive mountain cottage overlooking Ferpecle glacier in Switzerland. It usually caters to climbers en route to the summit of the mighty Dent Blanche, which at 4,357m is one of the highest peaks in the Alps. Its guardian, a fierce lady on first meeting, who softens to those English people who carry cash (there are no card payments at 3,507m), cooks wonderful rosti. The gite is accessible only by trekking several miles from Ferpecle on a rough path through stone fields and over the snout of the glacier. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Keep an eye out for bearded vultures. HOW TO DO IT: Access involves a glacier crossing, so you must have good boots and crampons. The hike should take six hours. Rossier is staffed from mid-July until mid-September and bunks are priced at 35 a night (cas-jaman.ch/cabanes/dent-blanche.php). Fly to Geneva from London from 31 each way (ba.com). SECLUDED COTTAGE IN WALES A waterfall in Snowdonia National Park seen from Ffestiniog narrow gauge heritage railway, near Coed-y-Bleiddiau A house high on a forested hillside in North Wales, Coed y Bleiddiau has its own private station on the Ffestiniog Railway. Recently restored by The Landmark Trust, this snug lodge was built in 1863 for the railway's superintendent, who would travel to work on the first slate train of the day and home on the last. Visitors today can also hail a steam train to Porthmadog, hopping aboard from its private platform to trundle above the Dwyryd River and down through ancient woodland, villages and marsh flats. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Coed y Bleiddiau means 'wood of the wolves'. HOW TO DO IT: Four-night stay at Coed y Bleiddiau, which sleeps four, from 375 (landmarktrust.org.uk). Train details at festrail.co.uk. NORDIC GHOST TOWN Svalbard in Norway, pictured, is accessible by snowmobiles, dog sleds and skis in the winter and by boat in the summer Frozen in time, Pyramiden in Svalbard, Norway, is accessible by snowmobiles, dog sleds and skis in the winter and by boat in the summer. It's at the head of Billefjorden, opposite the opalescent majesty of Nordenskiold glacier. Pyramiden was founded by Sweden in 1910 and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927 The coalmining town was abandoned in 1998, but tourism has given it fresh life. Hotel Tulpan, the most northerly on Earth, features rooms in a very basic 'old Soviet' style. Tours of the town are available from friendly Russian guides with flare guns to ward off polar bears. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Look out for Pyramiden's Arctic foxes. HOW TO DO IT: A twin room at Hotel Tulpan from 89pp a night (visitnorway.com). Scandinavian Airlines flies Heathrow to Longyearbyen via Oslo from 313 (flysas.com). Boat trips to Pyramiden from Longyearbyen from 150pp return (en.visitsval bard.com). For tours, see bettermoments.no. LIGHTHOUSE ESCAPE The decommissioned Belle Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head by the English Channel, pictured, reopened as a B&B in 2010 Poised on the edge of the South Downs by the English Channel, the decommissioned Belle Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head reopened as a B&B in 2010. Guests have a choice of rooms, of which the highest is The Keeper's Room, reached using the original ladder. Once home to the beacon men's bunks, the chamber now houses an altogether plusher double bed. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Enjoy the glorious sunrises over the Channel. HOW TO DO IT: Belle Tout, six miles from Eastbourne, has a two-night minimum stay. Rooms from 160 a night (belletout.co.uk). JAPANESE MOUNTAIN TEMPLE The bewildering building of the Nageiredo Temple on the scared Mount Mitoku, which is perched on a sheer cliff face QUOTES TO HELP INSPIRE YOU And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. John Muir The desolation of that place was a thing exquisite. Cormac McCarthy If youre lonely when youre alone, youre in bad company. Jean-Paul Sartre One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin. William Shakespeare For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. Vincent Van Gogh No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored solitude in the wilderness. Jack Kerouac Advertisement Nageire-do on sacred Mount Mitoku is a bewildering building, the secluded inner sanctum of the Sanbutsu-ji Buddhist temple. Perched on a sheer cliff face, it was (apparently) magicked into place by the mystic En no Gyoja in about 706, and you reach it via a winding pilgrim path. The climbing season runs from April 1 until the first snow of winter, generally early December. This is a unique opportunity to learn about Japanese Buddhist/Shinto nature worship and to explore the surrounding primeval forest. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: The son of the head priest at Sanbutsu-ji temple is a top guide. HOW TO DO IT: Nageire-do entry is 3. Stay at a hostel at a Buddhist temple further down (tottori-tour.jp). Fly London to Osaka return from 861 (www.uk.jal.co.jp). STAY IN A VIKING BUNKHOUSE The sluhus shelters of Iceland are an eccentric joy. The Norse people raised these buildings to make crossing Iceland's vast hinterland possible. Sluhus means 'house of joy', such was the pleasure with which the Vikings beheld them. Today, the Feroafelag Islands oversee 37 sluhus scattered around Iceland. I stayed at Hvitarnes, a lodge built in 1930 on the shore of a glacial lake. It's a timber refuge standing in a sea of grassy tundra overflown by honking Brent geese. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: It's said to be one of Iceland's most haunted buildings. HOW TO DO IT: Sluhus can be booked from 40 a night (fi.is/en/mountain-huts). Return flights London to Reykjavik from 264 (icelandair.com). ISOLATION IN MONTANA A panoramic view of the Kootenai National Forest in Montana. The lookouts in this national park rarely have a power supply In the summer of 1956, writer Jack Kerouac sat alone on the summit of Desolation Peak watching for forest fires, spending 63 days overlooking the Cascade Range, one of the great wilderness areas of the U.S. In 2017, I booked Big Creek Baldy Lookout in Kootenai National Forest, Montana. The tower was used as an observation point for more than 60 years but is now available to rent by tourists. A 41ft tower with a 15ft x 15ft box atop, it offers panoramic views of forest and mountain. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Lookouts rarely have a power supply. HOW TO DO IT: Retired watchtowers such as Big Creek Baldy can be rented for as little as 19 a night (recreation.gov). GREEK ISLAND ODYSSEY The Greek island of Spetses sits in the Mediterranean Sea. The wild isle's interior has remained rugged and mysterious The island of Spetses sits in the Mediterranean Sea. Humans first lived there during the Mesolithic Age but I first visited aged nine months, in 1983, when my parents moved there for a year. Although Spetses Town and harbour is now rather chi-chi and something of a jet-set haunt, the wild isle's interior has remained rugged and mysterious. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Stay away from the harbour for peace and quiet. HOW TO DO IT: The island is awash with Airbnbs (airbnb.com). Athens is the closest airport and return flights cost from 94 (easyjet.com). Three-hour ferries from Piraeus from 22 each way (hellenicseaways.gr/en). HIDE IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL A grassy granite outcrop lying in the Bristol Channel, off Devon's north coast, Lundy is home to 23 self-catering properties. Pictured is North Lundy Lighthouse A grassy granite outcrop lying in the Bristol Channel, off Devon's north coast, Lundy is home to 23 self-catering properties manors, beacons, radio rooms and fisherman's cottages as well as castle keeps. Access is by boat or helicopter and sailing times are posted at Lundy's only pub, the Marisco Tavern, which is the only building left lit after the island's generators shut down for the night. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Lundy means 'puffin island' in Norse. HOW TO DO IT: A night's stay is from 32pp (landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland). In the summer, the MS Oldenburg departs several times a week from Bideford or from Ilfracombe with returns costing from 70 (landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/timetable). Walk down Market Hill in Sudbury and you could be back in 1727 the year the towns most famous son, Thomas Gainsborough, was born. The painter would recognise the splendid medieval churches of Sudbury: St Gregory, St Peter and All Saints. He would know the 16th-century, half-timbered Black Boy Hotel and surely love its ales brewed by Greene King. Charming: The medieval timber-framed houses of Lavenham High Street in Suffolk Most of all, he would recognise the house where he was born now called Gainsboroughs House, on Gainsborough Street. His house is one of Britains most charming museums. If you missed the recent Gainsborough show at the National Portrait Gallery, even more reason to visit his birthplace. From the outside, the grand, red-brick house looks much as it did in his youth he lived there till 1740, before being sent to London to study art. The late medieval building was given its lovely facade by the artists father soon after he bought it in 1722. The classic, panelled rooms follow themes in Gainsboroughs life. Downstairs, you get a good introduction to his life story. Upstairs, youll find a fine selection of his pictures, among them some of his portraits, which he called The cursd face business as it kept him from his landscapes. Before you leave Sudbury, track down his bronze statue, paintbrush and palette in hand, on Market Hill. Then head into the beauties of rural Suffolk, remarkably unchanged since Gainsborough died in 1788. Look out for landscapes that are uncannily like the background of Gainsboroughs Mr and Mrs Andrews, now in the National Gallery. The landscapes around Suffolk are uncannily like the background of this painting by Gainsborough - Mr and Mrs Andrews Gainsborough returned to Sudbury in 1749, with his wife, Margaret Burr, an illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Beaufort. Its thought he painted Mr and Mrs Andrews a year later. Take a trip to Long Melford, which has Holy Trinity one of the greatest churches in the country, a vast, stately, medieval building, towering over Melford Green. Just a ten-minute walk away lies the National Trusts Melford Hall, an Elizabethan brick pile on the outside all pepperpot towers and leaded windows. On the inside, it has a delicate, Georgian, classical style. The prettiest village is Lavenham. In the shadow of the flint tower of St Peter and St Pauls Church is the finest row of timber-framed houses in Suffolk. Keep an eye out across the county for lovely, pink plasterwork in medieval times a dash of oxblood was added for colour. Then theres my favourite Suffolk village of Stoke-by-Nayland, with its secondhand bookshop, village shop, 15th-century church and two pubs, the Angel Inn and the Crown Inn. And the best thing? The Crown has wonderful views of Gainsborough country, which are free. Last Easter in Venices Guggenheim Museum, my daughter Deia, then aged 13, announced shed had enough culture for one morning, was fed up with my selfishness and wasnt prepared to do what I wanted a minute longer. I want to go shopping, she insisted mutinously. So we trudged to a grimy area near the station in search of Sephora, the cosmetics outlet. The Venice trip was disastrous, so I planned another mother-daughter foray with trepidation. We eventually went for Malta not too far, nice and warm and decided that instead of stretching the budget over a week, I would splash out on a fancy hotel for three nights. CHECKING OUT THE HOTEL The hotel that Charlotte and daughter Deia stayed in was the new Cugo Gran Macina Hotel, on the Grand Harbour in Valletta, pictured Mother: The new Cugo Gran Macina Hotel, on the Grand Harbour across from Valletta, did not disappoint. Its hewn from, and designed around, the monumentally thick 16th-century fortress walls, full of light and soaring vaulted limestone ceilings, with a rooftop pool and bar. In our suite with harbour views, Deia hummed as she unpacked. She was thrilled to be in such a lush establishment and happily swapped her hoodie and tracksuit bottoms for a dress to dine in Hammetts Macina, the hotels swish new restaurant. Daughter: When I went with Mum to Venice, we stayed in a grotty hotel with barely room to breathe. It wasnt really my ideal girl getaway trip, if Im honest. But I was thrilled we didnt have a small, stuffy room in Malta. From that moment on I was excited. TIME FOR SIGHTSEEING... Mother: Forget the outdated notion of strolling the streets, map in hand. Thats so last-century and will lead inexorably to a confrontational declaration of boredom. Instead, we went sightseeing in Rolling Geeks, electric buggies unique to Malta, kitted out with sat-nav routes and a running commentary. Later we visited the walled medieval city of Mdina, known as the Silent City. Theres a museum where you can watch clips of all the movies and TV series such as Game Of Thrones that have featured Mdina. I was surprised how Deia admired both the churches and the restored knights residences. Historic: A bright performance in the walled city of Mdina. Theres a museum where you can watch clips of all the movies and TV series such as Game Of Thrones that have featured Mdina We carried on up to Maltas highest point for a Segway tour of the countryside. Once I overcame my fear, I enjoyed doing something that Id probably never have done with someone my own age. Daughter: The Rolling Geeks were definitely a highlight. You could take selfies from the control panel. We saw nearly all of Malta and it was certainly better than dragging ourselves around all day by foot like Mum made me do in Venice. The Segway trip was by far my favourite activity. I was good at it and it was such a fun way to see all the amazing views. Mum struggled a bit and had to be led by the guide. ... AND SHOPPING Fun break: Charlotte and daughter Deia. One thing they agreed on - Malta isn't the place to go if you want to shop Mother: Teenagers want to shop, so first I took Deia to a flea market, but it was a fiasco. So we headed for the Apple store in Valletta. It was shut, so we visited a dismal mall instead and both agreed that if you want to shop, Malta isnt the place. Daughter: Imagine my disappointment when we arrived at the flea market in a dirty car park with old Barbies and car parts lying on the ground. I was hoping to find some edgy Malta-styled clothes, not packets of old lip gloss and creepy dolls. Mum was a little stressed, but we bonded over how awful it was. EATING OUT TO AVOID ROWS Mother: Malta is really good at food. Restaurants range from traditional family-run places to hip bars. At the fishing village of Marsaxlokk we ate lunch in the sunshine at The Three Sisters, served by the ladies themselves. My husband caught the octopus this morning, announced Lily, the youngest of the trio, plonking down a platter. We also tried the hotels sister restaurant, Hammetts Gastro Bar in bustling Sliema, all industrial chic with cement floors and petrol-blue velvet banquettes. For lunch, the pair ate at a restaurant in the pretty fishing village of Marsaxlokk, pictured On our last night we went to Tal-Petut, a tiny restaurant hidden away down an alley. Deia put aside her mobile and we cheerfully discussed usually taboo subjects, culminating in her giving me a lecture on dating. Daughter: Usually Mum is ruthless and drags me around museums, churches and galleries endlessly, so I was so relieved when we stopped at a chocolate place called Sunday In Scotland. It was literally melted chocolate in a mug. I quite liked the visit to MUZA (the new art gallery) as the sculpture was fantastic. I didnt even mind spending ages in St Johns Co-Cathedral. It was pretty spectacular with all the gold. THE VERDICT Mother: Stay somewhere snazzy, snack regularly and find inventive ways to sightsee, then even the most monosyllabic teenager is capable of relinquishing their phone and becoming a delightful travel companion. Daughter: Mum tried really hard to make the trip fun, so I didnt mind too much when we had to do all the sightseeing. We ate some fantastic food, I loved learning to ride on a Segway and I got some great Instagram photos. In the end we actually got on really well. We hardly argued at all. Seldom does one leave a hotel with a feeling that you might have made a difference. You do here at the Good Hotel, a former floating prison that was towed across the North Sea two years ago and is now moored at Londons Royal Victoria Dock. The man behind it is Dutch entrepreneur Marten Dresen, founder of the Good Hospitality Group, who as the story goes was backpacking in Guatemala when he came across a young girl called Mirna. She was not wearing shoes so he bought her a pair; such was the reaction from her family that he decided to raise money for a school, which opened in 2009. The Good Hotel, a former floating prison that was towed across the North Sea two years ago and is now moored at Londons Royal Victoria Dock Then came the Good Hotel in Amsterdam, before it moved to London, offering hospitality training to the unemployed in East London via a shared scheme with Newham Council. Create beauty. Be good, says a sign in the Living Room, a huge open space where people are encouraged to pop in and make use of the free wi-fi and reasonably priced food and drink. There are some 150 rooms that were once cells. They are small but all have little shower rooms. There are no TVs. We plonk ourselves down on a sofa and order a couple of delicious burgers and a bottle of pinot noir. A couple join us and we get chatting. The woman grew up in the Docklands in the Sixties. I just wish me nan was here she would be 102 to see what its like now, she says. The hotel is in the heart of London's Docklands. There are some 150 rooms that were once cells My partner and I treat the hotel as our local boozer. The idea was that after five years the Good Hotel would float off somewhere else, but discussions are ongoing with Newham Council to keep it here a lot longer. We hope it stays. It might not be a thing of beauty but its doing something positive and we like waking up on Sunday morning and seeing hearty swimmers in the water. Breakfast is a big buffet for 9, and it seems quite natural to share a table with a family of Germans, who tell us they wouldnt dream of staying anywhere else in the capital. Advertisement Picking the perfect seat in economy class is a minefield. But a little research can go a long way and make your flight much more agreeable. The big problem is that many airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and all budget airlines now charge passengers who book basic hand baggage-only versions of economy-class tickets to select a seat. This means that, depending on which type of economy ticket you have bought, there will be different charges and rules for when you can select your seat (if you can at all). Knees up: A male passenger takes up a cramped position while his fellow traveller decides to relax, reclining her seat into his precious space. If only he'd visited seatguru.com, he might have selected a better row in which to travel For example, if travelling with hand baggage-only economy basic on BA from Heathrow to Geneva on April 17, the current price of 92 does not let you select a seat. Instead, your seat will be allocated. You will also be required to board the plane last (just to rub your nose in it). So if your instinct is to fly as cheaply as possible, its a lottery although for 19 extra you may be tempted to upgrade to economy plus. This allows you to select your own seat, but you can only do so 48 hours before departure. Thats just with BA. Each airline seems to have its own set of rules, which can vary depending on whether you are travelling short-haul or long-haul. Virgin Atlantic has no fewer than three types of economy seat on some planes. Its Heathrow to Orlando service offers economy light, economy classic and economy delight. With the first, you may select a seat at check-in; with the second, you are allowed to choose your seat at any time after booking; and when it comes to the final poshest economy seat you can opt for one with extra legroom. For a Virgin flight from Heathrow to Orlando this summer the price could be as much as 357 in light, 457 in classic and 557 in delight. These figures might well differ depending on when you fly, a Virgin spokeswoman said. Ever since budget airlines burst onto the scene in the mid-Nineties, the variations and prices of economy seats have been like shifting sands. The simple old days of economy, business and first-class are well and truly over. So what can you do? Well, first of all it pays to bone up on the basic rules before you even book your flight. Go online and check out what each class offers. Vital statistics: A comparison of six airlines identifies the pros and cons of seats on a typical plane and their particular fit. Emirates offers the best seat pitch - at 32 to 34 inches - which gives just a little more breathing space in economy class BA has a page entitled Reserving your seat in advance, while you can find Virgins seat comparison section via its Fly with us page. Most airlines, including BA and Virgin, also provide seat maps. Knowing whats what ahead of time helps, as the impulse is to hurry when you are mid-booking, which can lead to mistakes. Then there is the website seatguru.com. Its so trustworthy a BA spokeswoman said that she relies on it. The best and worst seats are clearly marked simply enter your flight number or the route you intend to take (see examples above). Tips include paying to pick economy seats near the back on long-haul flights, as airlines tend to allocate seats from the front. You might end up with three seats to yourself on less packed flights, says Tom Otley, editor of Business Traveller magazine. On a Boeing 777, he advises checking if the economy cabin is configured with nine seats or ten seats abreast obviously there is more room with nine. BA is converting cabins from nine to ten on some routes. And the bigger the seat pitch, the better its the distance from one part of a seat to the same part on the seat in front. Know when checking-in opens set an alarm on your phone to warn you and pounce to secure the seat you prefer, ahead of everyone else, as soon as it is allowed. When doing so, consider whether you intend to travel with small hand luggage that will fit beneath your feet, or a bigger bag. Booking an aisle seat for a short-haul flight in Europe might make sense if you have a small bag that can be tucked beneath the seat in front, as you can board later than others to avoid all the kerfuffle of finding spaces in overhead bins. Finally, the perennial question: Window or aisle? Mr Otley says many passengers think being by a window means you are stuck, and all you get is a pretty view. In fact, they mean you are never disturbed, he says. If you want to get up, it only takes a moment for others to move. Tom Chesshyre is the author of How Low Can You Go? Round Europe For 1p. Each Way (Plus Tax). Every week our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don't have to. This week he finds out how to cut the cost of a holiday flight. What's worse than being squeezed into a middle seat on a packed flight? Finding out that people with more legroom paid a lot less for more comfort. But complex airline economics mean that on most planes, almost every passenger will have paid a different fare. Here are six ways to get a cheap seat. Find the 'golden month' Fare play: The best time to book a flight to Sydney, above, is eight months before departure Most flights are released a year before departure, but that's rarely the best time to book. Comparison site Kayak says long-haul prices tend to be high 11 months before departure, then fall and finally shoot up as the date approaches. It says the cheapest Sydney, Tokyo or Bali flights come up eight months in advance, while the best Las Vegas, Los Angeles or New York fares are offered six months before departure. Dubai bargains come up three months beforehand, Orlando two months and Miami, amazingly, just one month before departure. Get a room Airlines collect a lot of commission (and capture valuable data) if they arrange hotel deals alongside flights. To encourage passengers to stick with them, airlines make packages cheaper than shopping around separately for flights and accommodation. For example, book two economy-class BA flights from Gatwick to Las Vegas in May and you'll pay 1,255, while a week at the Wynn hotel costs 1,844, taking the trip total to 3,099. But book the same flights and hotel as a BA package and the total is 2,456, a hefty saving of 643. If you're appy and you know it: Technology plays a large part in helping travellers maximise their chances of flying cheaply. Travellers can learn from comparison website Kayak how long it will take to get the best deals after the release of tickets Mix and match On short-haul trips, you can save money by flying out with one airline and back with another. For instance, you can save 25 by flying Jet2 from Manchester to Alicante and returning with Ryanair. Comparison sites let you mix and match easily, and always check one-way fares on charter airlines too. You can save even more if you mix airlines and airports, flying with one operator out of Luton and returning to Stansted with another, for example. Double dip for discounts Get an airline credit card and earn miles when you pay for flights and when you fly. Using the miles for 'free' flights isn't easy, but most airlines let you exchange miles for discounts on future flights. However, make sure you stay up to date on reward-scheme changes. Last summer, Nectar card-holders automatically got points by booking trips on Expedia. Now you get them only if you go to nectar.com first, then click through to Expedia. AV Geeks, aviation fans, are always scouring the internet looking for flight bargains - and many share their findings Join the geek squad A community of aviation fans (known as Av Geeks) scour the internet looking for flight bargains and they're happy to share their findings. Sign up for emails from experts' choice JacksFlightClub.com and you should hear first about flash sales and sudden price drops. A lot of the other big Av Geek sites are aimed at American travellers, though the forums on sites such as FlyerTalk.com and BusinessTraveller.com work well for bargain-hunting Britons. Watch those hidden costs New transatlantic 'economy-light' fares look good but they only work if you're sure you can fly without frills. Basic Virgin Atlantic flights from Glasgow to Orlando in July cost 1,151 return, an 80 saving on regular economy. But opt to choose your seat in advance and check in a bag (free on regular economy fares) and your savings disappear as your 'economy light' total hits 1,301. Advertisement Sheltering beneath a camel-hair canopy in the worlds largest desert, I want to pinch myself. Before me lies an endless sea of glistening golden sand and I am entranced. Ive long wanted to visit the Sahara Desert, to ride a camel across the dunes and enjoy the culinary delights of the nomadic people who still roam this harsh terrain. And now I can tick these three things off my bucket list. After escaping the vibrant madness of Marrakech, we have arrived at the remote Nubia Desert Camp at Erg Chegaga in Morocco, eager to experience a way of life enjoyed by the Berbers. Many still live in or near the desert, remaining loyal to their traditions. Actually, its remarkable just how much life there is in the Sahara, which stretches for 1,500 miles from the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco across North Africa to Egypt. I was surprised by the greenery interspersed between the rolling dunes and flat plains are scrubland and the occasional oasis. The table is set for private dining at the Nubia Desert Camp at Erg Chegaga in a remote part of Morocco in the desert The Berbers enjoy a simple life. Despite the unexpected sight of such modern contraptions as solar panels, wealth and comforts are still measured by how many camels and goats one owns. Nothing is wasted, every item has value and every meal is made from scratch. If you want a holiday a world away from your normal life but have only a few precious days to spare, Morocco delivers. The Beldi Collection tour aims to help city-dwellers like me reconnect with the natural rhythms of life and to go home with renewed energy and enthusiasm. The peacefulness of the camp is certainly cathartic. Turn off your phone at the airport and dont even think about switching it back on until you touch down upon your return. You can experience this on a four-day trip, as I did, or longer with some wild camping along the way. Adrenaline junkies can even ride down the dunes on a sandboard or opt for desert quad-biking. Guests can also choose to break up the journey by staying at a hotel along the way in Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate or Zagora. Morocco is the place to enjoy the best Berber cuisine and the fragrant tagines are a delight. A tagine is named after the special earthenware pot in which the food is cooked slowly at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat, aromatic vegetables and a rich sauce. There is always an element of heightened expectation as you wait for the cone-shaped lids to be removed. My favourite dish was a sweet and savoury blend of beef, apricot, almonds and spices. And my most memorable meal was the one served to us by Hra, a shy, friendly young woman who lives in a clay dwelling with no electricity or running water. It is near an oasis, but in the middle of nowhere. Like most Berber women, Hra covers her hair and face with a scarf as she squats on the ground to prepare the meal. The camp offers total peace and serenity and helps city dwellers reconnect with the rhythms of life and to go home with renewed energy and enthusiasm Watching her bake bread was especially humbling. First, she roasted barley grains on the fire, and then ground them in a stone mill to produce the flour used as the base for traditional flatbread. In no time we were sitting in the sunshine eating the delicious warm bread served with spicy olives and a large selection of healthy salads. But lets be clear: this trip is glamping on a scale that usually only attracts the rich and famous. Last year, rock star Robert Plant booked the entire Nubia Desert Camp for a family break. Each tent has a toilet, sink and shower with hot water, using solar and wood-burning energy. The shower took five minutes to warm up and barely trickled through the shower head, but thats about the same for my bathroom in London. At night, we huddled around a blazing campfire (temperatures often plummet to below freezing) and watched the constellation in the sky, before settling down in our tents for the night. I felt a little lost in the ultra-king-size bed, which could easily sleep a family of four. A luxury suite at the camp. Last year, rock star Robert Plant booked the entire Nubia Desert Camp for a family break Theres an eerie silence in the desert when the wind dies down and you feel a great sense of peace, just sitting and being in nature. On the first morning, we woke early to have breakfast, which included tucking into Berber omelettes (cooked in a tagine with tomatoes and onions at the base) before going camel-trekking high into the dunes. We stopped to stare in awe at a herd of about 100 camels grazing serenely in a field of rocket. Who knew rocket grew in such abundance out here? Its peppery zing made my tastebuds go wild. Back in Marrakech for the final night, the heat and the bustle reminded me of London. How I missed the serenity of the desert. But the city, which is also home to the Moroccan king and his family, is irresistible. The outdoor eating area at the desert camp. Morocco is the place to enjoy the best Berber cuisine and the fragrant tagines are a delight The royal palace, souk and main square are just a stones-throw from Hotel Riad Louhou, which is also owned by the Beldi Collection. With five bedrooms, it is bijou but so exquisitely furnished, like an oasis in the heart of this wonderful city. Riad Louhou can arrange a range of activities for guests, including cooking classes, tours of the medina and day trips to the coast and Sahara, and can also book treatments at Les Bains de Marrakech, the citys best hammam and spa, which is just minutes away. The heat, colours and mouth-watering aromas of spices bombarded my senses and left me with an unforgettable experience and a craving for the simple life at least while on holiday. She's always been vocal about her passion for singing, even attempting to launch a music career a few years back. So it's no wonder Jess Wright left fans stunned with her vocal abilities as she took to Instagram on Friday to upload a clip of herself singing a moving version of Shallow from the film A Star Is Born. The reality star, 33, shared a video of herself singing a duet with her pal Duane Lamonte, with Jess channeling Lady Gaga while Duane took on Bradley Cooper's part. Wow: Jess Wright left fans stunned with her vocal abilities as she took to Instagram on Friday to upload a clip of herself singing Shallow from the film A Star Is Born Sharing the clip to her 1.4m Instagram followers, Jess captioned the snap writing: 'SHALLOW swipe for both parts. A beautiful & challenging song but we loved singing this.' The duo were joined by guitar player Ash Brandon as they sat on white chairs for their vocal performance. Their astounding vocals left fans blown away, with many rushing to comment that the duet gave them 'goosebumps'. 'Wow got goosebumps,' said one fan, while another gushed: 'That was truly amazing x. Wow loved the film, more so the music, that my lovely was spot on. You need to sing all the time x.' Talented: The reality star, 33, shared a video of herself singing a duet with her pal Duane Lamonte, with Jess channeling Lady Gaga while Duane took on Bradley Cooper's part 'Gave me goosebumps. Beautiful Jess,' said a third person, with a fourth watcher sharing: 'OMG this is amazing well done. this gave me serious chills, its not always easy covering and amazing song but yous done a brilliant job.' Meanwhile, her supportive famous brother Mark Wright commented: 'Amazing x' Jess has previously embarked on a music career, releasing singles and videos including 2012's Dance All Night and 2013's Come With Me. She was also part of girl band LOLA which featured Megan McKenna who came into prominence with an appearance on TOWIE and were managed by Jess' sibling Mark. Rendition: Sharing the clip to her 1.4m Instagram followers, Jess captioned the snap writing: 'SHALLOW swipe for both parts. A beautiful & challenging song but we loved singing this' Blown away: The duo were joined by guitar player Ash Brandon as they sat on white chairs for their vocal performance However, they were dropped by their record label and disbanded in 2011. In her personal life, meanwhile, Jess recently hinted that she's in a new relationship after sharing a cryptic upload on her Instagram story in February. The star posted a snap hand-in-hand with a mystery male suggesting she has been dating someone new. The former TOWIE star gushed over her new mystery man as she typed on the offering: 'Weekends with you' alongside a heart emoji. Amazing: Their stunning performance left many fans blown away, with many rushing to comment that the duet gave them 'goosebumps' Recently, Jessica dished the details of her love life in a cosy chat with MailOnline and she even hinted there was a potential new beau on the horizon. Speaking at the O2 ICON Outlet bash in October, the reality TV star said: 'I am dating, but it is really hard to let someone in, especially because Im such a busy and independent person. 'Im working, Ive got a big family, so if I bring someone into my life, it has to be someone really special, someone I literally see the rest of my life with, otherwise theres no point. 'However, I think there could be someone on the horizon, I am dating.' Passion: Jess has previously embarked on a music career, releasing singles and videos including 2012's Dance All Night and 2013's Come With Me She burst onto screens as lovable bad-girl Maeve Wiley on Netflix's Sex Education. And Emma Mackey put on an elegant display on the pink carpet at the opening ceremony of the Cannes International Series Festival (Canneseries) at the Palais des Festival in Cannes, France on Friday. The 23-year-old dressed for the event in a long pale pink, sheer frock by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini that hinted at her white slip dress underneath. Dressed to impress! Emma Mackey put on an elegant display on the pink carpet at the opening ceremony of the Cannes International Series Festival in Cannes, France on Friday Her dress also featured a unique black leaf pattern and subtle frills that cascaded down and highlighted her slender figure. She teamed the look with a pair of barely-there sliver heeled sandals to elevate her ensemble. For make-up she kept it simple with a deep mauve smokey eye, lashings of mascara and she styled her luscious brunette locks into a bun. All eyes on her! The 23-year-old dressed for the event in a long pale pink, sheer frock by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini that hinted at her white slip dress underneath The British-French beauty is at the Cannes Series Festival as a jury member to judge programmes from around the world. She posed for a photo with fellow jurors Italian actress Miriam Leone, French musician Rob, Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick and Swiss director Baran bo Odar. This comes after she recently discussed what it was like filming sex scenes in Sex Education with her on-screen boyfriend in a post #MeToo environment. Meet the judges: Emma (centre) posed for a photo with fellow jurors (left to right) Italian actress Miriam Leone, French musician Rob, Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick and Swiss director Baran bo Odar She told ES magazine: 'The nudity and the sex stuff was fine, because I knew I had to do it. We had a workshop and worked with an intimacy co-ordinator. 'We were sorted really, there was a lot of self-love in the show, some full nudity and some half nudity.' Emma stars as Maeve Wiley in the teenage drama which also features X-Files legend Gillian Anderson as a sex therapist and Asa Butterfield as her son who starts his own sex advice clinic at school alongside Maeve. Photo: AP News Two Makah whalers stand atop the carcass of a dead grey whale in 1999. A Washington Indigenous tribe may soon be allowed to hunt grey whales off the coast. On Tuesday, the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced its proposal to allow the Makah tribe to hunt between one and three Eastern North Pacific grey whales each year over a 10-year period, as reported by CTV News. "This is a step in the healing direction from my community," said Makah councilman Patrick DePoe. There's a lot of reference to whales in my community It's our identity. This is who we are. We've always been known as Makah whalers. The tribe is based about 190 kilometres northwest of Seattle, and about 1,100 of the tribe's 2,800 members still live in the area. Currently, only tribes in Alaska can legally hunt for whales as a source of food. Michael Milstein of the NOAA says while grey whales were once a protected endangered species, their population is probably as large as it's ever been. The proposal still needs to be approved by a judge, and a court hearing is scheduled for mid-August. with files from CTV Vancouver She is remembered for sparking 663 Ofcom complaints with a dangerously plunging dress on Britain's Got Talent. And Amanda Holden, 48, vowed to never cover up on television as she gushed over Alesha Dixon's 'generous' cleavage in a candid interview with The Sun. In defence of her racy wardrobe choices, the BGT star shrugged off the British public's complaints. 'I will not be covered up': Amanda Holden, 48, vowed to never cover up on television as she gushed over Alesha Dixon's 'generous' cleavage in a candid interview (pictured in 2017) She told the publication: 'Its been called another national crisis but, oh no, I will NOT be covered up. 'That dress was hysterical it was Julien Macdonald. I had bits of fish wire underneath my breasts trying to hold that together. But, look, Im from a small-chest family, plus you know Im 48 years old.' Completely enamored with her Britain's Got Talent co-star Alesha Dixon, Amanda gushed over her friend's astounding cleavage in a complimentary fashion. Bold: In defence of her racy wardrobe choices, the BGT star shrugged off the British public's complaints (pictured in April 2019) Shying away from the spotlight, the television presenter insisted everyone should be talking about Alesha's cleavage because her 'boobs are much better'. She added: 'Aleshas boobs are much better than mine. Talk about hers!' Amanda has always had a penchant for incredibly risque outfits but it was the 11,250 dress by Julien Macdonald that caused the most controversy. Are you excited? No doubt Amanda has plenty of raunchy outfits for this year's Britain's Got Talent to get the audience and her fellow judges' jaws dropping (London, October 2018) The daring dress with its plummeting neckline garnered a huge backlash from 663 outraged viewers who complained about the offending garment. It notoriously received more complaints than Russell Brand's crude language and sexual references during Comic Relief which in itself is quite an impressive feat. No doubt Amanda has plenty of raunchy outfits for this year's Britain's Got Talent to get the audience and her fellow judges' jaws dropping. Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli have been plagued by rumours of strife in their relationship. But the Married At First Sight couple looked to be stronger than ever as they enjoyed a romantic dinner date in Melbourne ahead of the show's explosive reunion dinner party on Sunday. Make-up artist Martha, 30, seemed utterly smitten with her PE teacher beau, 27, as she cuddled him in the doorway of an upscale restaurant on Friday evening. Still going strong: MAFS' Martha Kalifatidis was spotted enjoying a romantic dinner date with Michael Brunelli in Melbourne on Friday ahead of explosive reunion dinner party The Sydney-based star looked typically chic for the outing, rocking a loose fuchsia shirt tucked into a paisley-print wrap miniskirt. Letting her statement outfit do all the talking, Martha accessorised with a simple silver necklace and her favourite Fendi bag. She styled her raven tresses in tumbling waves and framed her features with a slick of taupe lipstick and smokey eyeshadow. Michael, meanwhile, kept things casual in a multi-coloured printed shirt and jeans. Packing on the PDA: Make-up artist Martha, 30, seemed utterly smitten with her PE teacher beau, 27, as she cuddled him in the doorway of an upscale restaurant In recent weeks, the couple's romance has been rocked with rumours they may be 'faking' it for the cameras. On Monday, NW magazine claimed Martha has been 'secretly meeting up with co-star Sam Ball for five months'. Despite this, Martha and Michael were filmed arriving at the show's reunion in Sydney on January 24 while hand-in-hand. Martha has been hitting the headlines with her antics in the reunion dinner party, during which she reportedly throws wine at co-star Cyrell Paule. Looking good: Michael, meanwhile, kept things casual in a multi-coloured printed shirt and jeans The pair have had a long-running feud on the show due to petty gossip about Cyrell's ex, Nic Jovanovic, and Martha's friend, Jessika Power. One incident saw Cyrell grabbing the lapel of Martha's robe after a disagreement escalated. But according to a teaser trailer for the upcoming reunion episode this Sunday, things are set to become even more hostile between the pair. 'If there is anything that I haven't said to someone that I've been dying to say, that's all going to come out tonight,' Cyrell is heard saying in the trailer. Creating a spill: Martha has been hitting the headlines with her antics in the reunion dinner party, during which she reportedly throws wine at co-star Cyrell Paule During a conversation at the table, Martha announces to a few of the others that's she's 'going to pour my drink on her'. She's then seen storming over to Cyrell, before it cuts to some of the show's grooms trying to restrain the two women as a fight breaks out between them. 'I'm just going to say it now. You are as fake as your nose, lip and boob job,' Cyrell can be heard telling Martha. 'It's a shame you couldn't find a plastic surgeon that could fix your personality, because that's what's the fakest.' Advertisement The Real Housewives of Sydney's Krissy Marsh has slashed the asking price of her plush Double Bay apartment. The 47-year-old originally listed the three-bedroom apartment for a whopping $5 million, but the star has now shaved around $700,000 off the price. According to The Daily Telegraph, Raine & Horne in Double Bay are now offering the unit with a guide of $4.28 million to $4.38 million. Scroll down for video Bargain? The Real Housewives of Sydney's Krissy Marsh originally listed her three-bedroom apartment in Double Bay for a whopping $5 million, but the reality star has now shaved around $700,000 off the price The publication previously reported that Krissy purchased the apartment for $3.5 million in 2015 when her family were based in the Chinese city of Shanghai, and that it has been leased for an eye-popping $2650 per week. The reality star used the apartment as her 'base' while filming the first season of The Real Housewives of Sydney, with the interior featured in a number of episodes of the show. The lavish apartment offers plenty of room with three bedrooms - two of them complete with generous en suite bathrooms and private balconies. Pricey: Krissy shelled out $3.5 million for the impressive Bay Street property back in 2015 The light and airy pad has a combined formal lounge and dining area, as well as a separate media room. There is also a separate family room and full-width terrace on the property. The lavish home has a mix of floorboards and carpeting, along with features such as grid windows. Chic: The apartment, which Krissy used as her 'base' while filming the first season of RHOS, features a combined formal lounge and dining area The listing of the luxury property comes after news that Real Housewives of Sydney won't be picked up for a second season, leaving Krissy free to pursue other projects. Foxtel executive director of television Brian Walsh told the Daily Telegraph last year that the series went 'too far'. Light and airy: The lush pad has a combined formal lounge and dining area, as well as a separate media room Formal: The home has three bedrooms with two of them with en suite bathrooms Spacious: The home has a large kitchen with bi-fold windows opening to a large terrace 'A lot of the women in this show were nasty for nasty's sake and have no redeeming features,' he said. Brunette beauty Krissy herself was called a number of names by co-star Lisa Oldfield, 43. Krissy's husband John Marsh is an architect and property developer, who splits his time between Sydney and Shanghai. Desirable: There is also a separate family room and full-width terrace in the rental property The couple bought a block of land in Sydney's prestigious Dover Heights for $1,975,000 in 2003, building a four-level home with a gym, cinema, heated plunge pool and a rooftop terrace. Krissy recently failed to find a buyer when she listed the property for $8 million. This is Krissy's main residence alongside their three children Billy, Nicco and Milana and their two toy poodles, Bondi and Bronte. Fleabag star Sian Clifford has confirmed that the cult comedy will not return for a third series. In an interview with BBC breakfast the actress, who plays Fleabag's uptight sister Claire, said: 'There will not be a third series. This is it.' When asked why the show was coming to an end, the actress said: 'I think I've described it online as this beautiful perfect ending, and I think it is. Scroll down for video 'There will not be a third series': Fleabag star Sian Clifford has confirmed the cult comedy will not return for a third series in an interview with BBC Breakfast 'But I think what it's closer to is poetry. I think people will accept that this is the end when they see it because I think it is complete. I think the story is complete.' The comedy-drama follows Fleabag, a woman, played by the creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, navigating modern life in London as she comes to terms with a recent tragedy. She told the BBC earlier this year season two's finale would be 'the final curtain'. 'This is it': Sian, who plays Fleabag's uptight sister Claire (pictured in Fleabag), said of the finale: 'I think people will accept that this is the end when they see it.' 'I have thought about it and there isn't going to be one,' she added. The show, which first aired on BBC Three in July 2016, received widespread acclaim and Phoebe received a BAFTA for her portrayal of the struggling millennial. Phoebe previously spoke to the Guardian about the contradictions women face in modern life and how she tried to combat these beliefs. 'The final curtain': The comedy-drama follows Fleabag, a woman, played by the creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (pictured in character), navigating modern life in London She said: 'Its such a weird conflicted message: I must be more promiscuous, I must make the most of this dying, shrivelling shell that Ive been gifted but, at the same time, its "dont be a s**t". 'I felt really strongly while writing Fleabag that there was no such thing as a s**t, and I was just going to erase that from the equation.' The final episode of Fleabag will air on BBC One at 10.35pm Fans will remember the model quit Love Island 2016 series when her mother was taken ill, just days after she was stripped of her beauty pageant status. And Zara Holland enjoyed some special time with her mum Cheryl Hakeney on arrival at the Barbados airport for their Caribbean holiday on Friday. The former Love Island star, 23, was the picture of summer in her neon yellow T-shirt as she strolled through the terminal alongside her ITV antiques expert mum. Bright: Love Island's Zara Holland looked summery in a neon yellow T-shirt as she and her mum Cheryl Hakeney arrived in Barbados for their holiday on Friday Already in the holiday spirits, the reality star couldn't resist a few bargains in Harvey Nichols and Duty Free while she kept herself amused at the airport. The former beauty pageant was ready to relax in trainers and cut-off white trousers with a quirky neon stripe running up the side of her leg. Keen to maintain her beauty queen image, Zara ensured she topped her pretty features with make-up and she styled her golden locks in delicate curls. Shopping spree! Already in the holiday spirits, the reality star couldn't resist a few bargains in Harvey Nichols and Duty Free while she kept herself amused at the airport Zara has an incredibly close relationship with her mum and she shared an emotional message on Mother's Day saying she was the 'best mummy in the whole wide world'. She wrote: 'Happy Mothers Day to the best mummy in the whole wide world! I love you so so much, thank you for everything you do for me.' Zara's holiday shortly follows Zara branding the steamiest show of the summer that made her famous a 'posh prison'. So much love: Zara has an incredibly close relationship with her mum and she shared an emotional message on Mother's Day saying she was the 'best mummy in the whole wide world' Shattering the glamorous TV illusion, she claimed the reality of Love Island sees the stars have no clocks, no music and controlled meal times. In a vicious critique, the contestant lifted the lid on living in the villa where everything was 'scripted' by TV bosses and the stars were told how to act. She wrote in a column for Grazia magazine: 'I call it "posh prison". You don't know the time, you don't get music, you're told when you're getting your meals... It's just a very controlled environment.' Time to chill: The former beauty pageant was ready to relax in trainers and cut-off white trousers with a quirky neon stripe running up the side of her leg Zara offered an insight into how the show was 'set up' as she went onto explain the cast were told 'where to sit and what to talk about'. The Love Island bombshell claimed she was forced to 'act' in the reality television show which she likened to being in a soap. She said: 'You are set up in that show to make things happen, they tell you where to sit and what to talk about. But that is reality TV, it's like a soap. In a way, you are acting.' The TV personality bemoaned how Love Island didn't prepare her for fame with the whole eyes of the British nation judging her. She said: 'Sometimes I feel I can't escape that.' Bit of a break! Zara was ready for her Barbados holiday with her mum Cheryl Moving on: Zara's holiday shortly follows Zara branding the steamiest show of the summer that made her famous a 'posh prison' Viewers will remember Zara had her Miss Great Britain title taken away after she had sex on Love Island with Olivia Buckland's now-husband Alex Bowen. Not only did Zara compare the villa to a luxurious jail, she claimed the eight days she spent in lockdown prior to the show were like a 'psychological experiment'. She added: 'Beforehand, I spent eight days in lockdown in the middle of nowhere and I didn't have a phone or anything to watch...It is like a psychological experiment.' Is it a fix? The Love Island bombshell claimed she was forced to 'act' in the reality television show which she likened to being in a soap MailOnline approached Love Island representatives for further comment. Zara has boosted her social media profile since appearing on Love Island series two as she has the attention of 301,000 Instagram followers. Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey, who now raise their son Freddie together, were crowned the winners of the second series. Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen, who were the first Love Island couple to get married, were runners-up on the show. Margot Robbie embraced a casual look while arriving to the set of Birds of Prey on Friday afternoon. The 28-year-old actress was seen running across the street, heading to the wardrobe trailer to get into costume for the day's shoot. Filming has been under way since mid-January on this DC superhero adventure, with Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn from 2016's Suicide Squad. Margot on set: Margot Robbie arrives on set before heading to the wardrobe trailer ahead of shooting the day's scenes on Birds of Prey Robbie was wearing a white shirt that read 'Be Happy' in pink with hearts above it, along with light blue jeans and an off-white sweater. She also donned a pair of brown boots with a small black purse hanging over her shoulder as she ran to the wardrobe trailer. The actress was also wearing a few chains around her neck and holding a bottle of water as she went to work on the set. Birds of Prey follows Harley Quinn after she splits with The Joker and teams up with a group of female heroes to save a young girl from the clutches of a crime lord. On set: Robbie was wearing a white shirt that read 'Be Happy' in pink with hearts above it, along with light blue jeans and an off-white sweater Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey follows Harley Quinn, after she splits with The Joker, who teams up with a group of female heroes to save a young girl from the clutches of a crime lord Robbie stars alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli, a.k.a. Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance, a.k.a. Black Canary and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya. The cast also includes Ewan McGregor as the villainous Black Mask, Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz and Derek Wilson as Tim Evans. Robbie is gearing up for a big year in 2019, with two high-profile movies, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and an untitled drama about the Roger Ailes scandal. Robbie plays iconic actress Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, before her grisly death in August 1969. Post-Squad: Birds of Prey follows Harley Quinn, after she splits with The Joker, who teams up with a group of female heroes to save a young girl from the clutches of a crime lord The actress also portrays Kayla Pospisil in the Untitled Roger Ailes Drama, alongside Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson and Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly. Robbie is also attached to star in Marian, portraying Maid Marian from Robin Hood lore, who must lead her people in battle after Robin Hood dies. She is also attached to play Barbie in a new live-action film based on the popular Mattel toys, slated for release on May 8, 2020. The actress also has Ruin in pre-production, set in the aftermath of World War II, following an ex-Nazi captain tracking down an SS death squad. She's no stranger to flashing the flesh on social media. And London Goheen was up to her old skin-baring antics on Friday, as she went topless for a jaw-dropping Instagram snap. The 21-year-old American model left little to the imagination in the racy bathroom shot, covering her modesty with just one hand and a bottle of body lotion. Avert your eyes! London Goheen was up to her old skin-baring antics on Friday, as she went topless for a sizzling Instagram snap She captioned the sizzling photo: 'Love you. ps - this is my new bathroom!!' And London didn't stop there, going on to pose in a tiny black thong and skintight cropped green turtleneck. Meanwhile, the brunette beauty could be set to rival her boyfriend Reece Hawkins' ex fiancee Tammy Hembrow as she teased a collaboration with two fashion brands. The American model looks to be working on a clothing and footwear line, after Tammy's successful launch of Saski Collection. No thanks: he 21-year-old American model made a statement with her chic sports-luxe top London took to Instagram last month, teasing a collaboration with London-based footwear designer Naked Wolfe, and Australian bespoke fashion line, Her Pony The Label. A photo saw the brunette beauty standing in front of a car park in Los Angeles, in a white singlet top, black mini-skirt, black blazer and chunky '90s style white sneakers. Without giving away the exact details of the project, London wrote in the picture's caption: 'Working on some things for all my girlies... can't wait to share, soon!!! xo.' Set to rival Tammy? It comes after she teased a collaboration with two fashion brands, after the launch of Hembrow's Saski Collection New flame: American model London began dating Reece Hawkins (pictured), just months after he split up with his fiancee Tammy Daily Mail Australia has reached out to London for comment. London's yet to be unveiled collaboration could potentially rival Tammy's successful athleisure brand, Saski Collection. The 24-year-old fitness model created the brand in 2017, combining her passion for fitness and fashion. Vague: Without giving away much detail, London told Instagram fans on Saturday that she's creating something for 'all my girlies' Bindi Irwin has launched her very own 'health orientated' tea range. The wildlife warrior, 20, has partnered with Australian brand, Tea Tonic, to create her personalised brew - 'Bindi Tea Tonic'. Bindi, who is the daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, has released a 'Wild By Nature' tea blend and a 450ml thermal bottle with a 'loose leaf tea infuser'. You brew-ty! Bindi Irwin (pictured) has launched her very new 'health orientated' tea range and revealed every item sold 'supports' her family's Wildlife Warriors organisation 'Tea makes everything better!' the famed Wildlife Warrior wrote in the caption. 'I'm so happy to announce that I have partnered with Australian tea gurus Tea Tonic to create "Wild by Nature" - a fresh, sweet and minty tea combining botanical flowers such as sea lavender, rose buds, monk fruit and butterfly pea,' she added. Bindi also revealed every item sold will 'support' Wildlife Warriors, a conversationalist organisation established by her late father, Steve and mother, Terri Irwin, in 2002. 'Tea makes everything better!' Bindi, who is the daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, has released a 'Wild By Nature' tea blend and a 450ml thermal bottle with a 'loose leaf tea infuser' (pictured) 'This health orientated brew and partnering tea infuser means so much to me as every item sold supports Wildlife Warriors conservation work,' she said. Bindi's loved ones, including her brother, Robert Irwin and boyfriend, Chandler Powell took to the photo-sharing app this week to congratulate her. 'My amazing sister now has her own tea! (And its awesome)!' the 15-year-old captioned a photo of himself, Bindi and Chandler holding the bottle and infuser. 'My amazing sister now has her own tea! (And its awesome)!' Robert Irwin, 15, (left) captioned a photo of himself, Bindi (centre) and Chandler (right) holding the bottles and infusers 'I'm so excited for Bindi!' Meanwhile Chandler (right) shared a picture of the smitten couple cuddling alongside a table display of Bindi's (left) new tea line Meanwhile, Chandler shared a picture of the smitten couple cuddling alongside a table display of Bindi's new tea line. 'I'm so excited for Bindi Irwin as she has launched her very own tea blend!' Chandler began. He continued: 'With a mix of flowers such as sea lavender, rose buds and butterfly pea this minty tea is AMAZING and supports Wildlife Warriors.' Fans can purchase the Bindi Tea Tonic Wild By Nature Tea for $15 and the Bindi Tea Tonic Bottle with Infuser for $40. Animal loving family: Bindi is the daughter of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, who tragically died when a stringray barb pierced his heart in 2006 The Irwin family run Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast and have purchased almost half a million acres of land in Queensland for conservation purposes. In 2015, Bindi also competed in the US version of Dancing With The Stars, taking home first prize alongside partner Derek Hough. In March last year, Bindi was selected as the inspiration for one of 17 barbie dolls made especially for International Women's Day. Singled out: Bindi was selected as the inspiration for one of 17 dolls made especially for International Women's Day Carrie Underwood rocked some retro gear while attending a 54th Academy of Country Music Awards event in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon. The 36-year-old country star was seen posing with fellow country music superstar Cassadee Pope, just a few days ahead of the actual awards show. Underwood will performing with Chrissy Metz, Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton and Maddie & Tae. Carrie and Cassadee: Carrie Underwood poses with Cassadee Pope at a Academy of Country Music Awards event in Las Vegas on Friday The songstress gushed on Instagram about the line-up, 'Looking forward to performing with these amazing women and supporting such a great cause!' During the event, Underwood was seen wearing a retro Wham! sweatshirt under light blue denim Levi's bibs, and brown shoes. The blonde country star was seen posing with 29 year old Pope, who was wearing an off the shoulder brown, black and white striped top with matching shorts. Underwood was also seen engaging in an interview with two hosts for Cumulus/Westwood One Radio Remotes. High spirits: The blonde country star was seen posing with 29 year old Pope, who was wearing an off the shoulder brown, black and white striped top with matching shorts Underwood is nominated for Female Artist of the Year for the Academy of Country Music Awards, which air on Sunday April 7 on CBS. She also recently got two nominations for the Billboard Music Awards, Top Country Album for Cry Pretty and Top Female Country Artist. The Billboard Music Awards will be announced on May 1, the same day she hits the road for her Cry Pretty Tour. Interview: Underwood was also seen engaging in an interview with two hosts for Cumulus/Westwood One Radio Remotes Underwood's Cry Pretty Tour kicks off May 1 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The first leg of her tour goes through June 23, with a performance at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. After a two month break, her tour resumes September 10 at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. Awards: Underwood is nominated for Female Artist of the Year for the Academy of Country Music Awards, which air on Sunday April 7 on CBS The tour runs for another month of nearly non-stop performances, ending October 31 at the Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Cry Pretty marked her seventh consecutive album to debut at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. The album was the best-selling solo female album and the seventh best-selling album overall, with over 401,000 copies sold. Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber were the image of showbiz chic when the swung by Thursday's grand opening of the Las Vegas nightclub KAOS. The 53-year-old iconic 1990s Supermodel showed off her cleavage in a slinky red cocktail dress that emphasized her enviably svelte figure. Meanwhile, her dashing husband wore a sleek black suit with a white dress shirt, going without a tie and leaving his top button beguilingly open. Hot couple: Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber were the image of showbiz chic when the swung by Thursday's grand opening of the Las Vegas nightclub KAOS The duo posed up a storm with Frank Fertitta III - the owner of the Palms Casino Resort, where KAOS is located - and his platinum blonde wife Jill. Sandra Denton, otherwise known as Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa, slid herself into a busty crimson dress that matched her sky-high stilettos. She added a splash of glitz with a medallion necklace, throwing on an asymmetric glittering gold wrap and carrying a black handbag. Francia Raisa, an actress who is also Selena Gomez' close pal and kidney donor, shot her best model smoldering stare at the cameras at the fete. Hello, gorgeous: The 53-year-old iconic 1990s Supermodel showed off her cleavage in a slinky red cocktail dress that emphasized her enviably svelte figure Meanwhile: Her dashing husband wore a sleek black suit with a white dress shirt, going without a tie and leaving his top button beguilingly open Top brass: The duo posed up a storm with Frank Fertitta III - the owner of the Palms Casino Resort, where KAOS is - and his platinum blonde wife Jill Red alert: Sandra Denton, otherwise known as Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa, slid herself into a busty crimson dress that matched her sky-high stilettos Coordinated: She added a splash of glitz with a medallion necklace, throwing on an asymmetric glittering gold wrap and carrying a black handbag What a look: Francia Raisa, an actress who is also Selena Gomez' close pal and kidney donor, shot her best model smoldering stare at the cameras at the fete The Los Angeles born 30-year-old Grown-ish star slid into a robe-like gold sequined mini-dress with a hem at mid-thigh to show off her shapely legs. Her outfit featured black lapels and a matching trim around her waist, and she swept her dark hair tightly back into a high ponytail. Accentuating her screen siren features with a heavy dose of makeup, the 5'3" Chastity Bites actress lent herself some extra stature with high heels. Dazzle: The Los Angeles born 30-year-old Grown-ish star slid into a robe-like gold sequined mini-dress with a hem at mid-thigh to show off her shapely legs The look: Her outfit featured black lapels and a matching trim around her waist, and she swept her dark hair tightly back into a high ponytail Legging it: Accentuating her screen siren features with a heavy dose of makeup, the 5'3" Chastity Bites actress lent herself some extra stature with high heels Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who has a restaurant in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, also swung by the grand opening of KAOS. Bobby cut a dapper figure in a navy suit, white dress shirt, walnut brown dress shoes, Oxford blue tie and snappy white pocket square. Michael Symon, a chef who has a restaurant actually at the Palms, wore jeans with a swirly-print shirt, a true blue blazer and black dress shoes. Smiling ear to ear: Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who has a restaurant in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, also swung by the grand opening of KAOS Tres elegant: Bobby cut a dapper figure in a navy suit, white dress shirt, walnut brown dress shoes, Oxford blue tie and snappy white pocket square Brand loyalty: Michael Symon, a chef who has a restaurant actually at the Palms, wore jeans with a swirly-print shirt, a true blue blazer and black dress shoes Jessica Szohr went for sporty style, throwing a pageboy cap over torn ripped olive green trousers and a white tank top that played up her cleavage. Alexis Rupp flashed her enviably chiseled midriff in a white tank top of her own, slipping into a black miniskirt and midnight blue denim jacket. Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay continued the crop top theme, wearing her black hair down and balancing on sky-high ankle-strap stilettos. Amazing: Jessica Szohr went for sporty style, throwing a pageboy cap over torn ripped olive green trousers and a white tank top that played up her cleavage Radiant: Alexis Rupp flashed her enviably chiseled midriff in a white tank top of her own, slipping into a black miniskirt and midnight blue denim jacket Celebs all around: Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay continued the crop top theme, wearing her black hair down and balancing on sky-high ankle-strap stilettos Ariel Winter, 21, caught the eye at the nightclub opening on the arm of her 31-year-old live-in boyfriend Levi Meaden, who was casual as can be. The Modern Family actress, who used to get trolled online for her fuller figure, slid her slimmed-down frame into a gleaming LBD. She wrapped a gold-trimmed black robe over the dress and swept her hair elegantly up into a lopsided bun, opting for a shoe that showed off her red toenail polish. Date night: Ariel Winter, 21, caught the eye at the nightclub opening on the arm of her 31-year-old live-in boyfriend Levi Meaden, who was casual as can be When you got it: The Modern Family actress, who used to get trolled online for her fuller figure, slid her slimmed-down frame into a gleaming LBD Having a ball: She wrapped a gold-trimmed black robe over the dress and swept her hair elegantly up into a lopsided bun, opting for a shoe that showed off her red toenail polish Audrina Patridge, who shot to fame on The Hills and will be featured on its revival when it begins airing on MTV this summer, was at the fete as well. The 33-year-old blonde slipped into a rust-colored dress that tightened about her trim physique an went off-the-shoulder at the right side. Slinging a navy handbag from her left forearm, she beamed for the shutterbugs and flashed a bit of leg through her gown's thigh-slit. Back in the spotlight: Audrina Patridge, who shot to fame on The Hills and will be featured on its revival when it begins airing on MTV this summer, was at the fete as well Looking fab: The 33-year-old blonde slipped into a rust-colored dress that tightened about her trim physique an went off-the-shoulder at the right side Photo: The Canadian Press Camryn Bloom, 6, sits on the shoulders of family friend Paul Pellerin at Queen's Park to protest the provincial government's recently announced changes to education. Throngs of demonstrators covered the lawn in front of the Ontario legislature Saturday afternoon to protest the Progressive Conservative government's changes to the provinces education system. Many in the crowd carried signs declaring "Cuts hurt kids" or "Standing together for students," while others banged on drums or chanted slogans denouncing the government's measures. The Tories under Premier Doug Ford have come under fire for recent changes including increasing class sizes, making students take more online courses and overhauling the province's autism program. Sam Hammond, the head of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, opened his speech with a call-and-response session with the boisterous crowd. "Work with me here: If you're here to stand up for and fight for children with autism and their parents.... If you're here to protect publicly funded education.... Say 'I am!'" Hammond shouted to raucous cheers. Hammond's union is one of five labour groups, representing education workers across Ontario, that organized Saturday's rally. The ETFO said earlier in a statement that thousands of people were expected to attend and more than 170 buses were bringing teachers to the rally from as far away as Sudbury. The event followed mass student walkouts that took place across Ontario on Thursday, which Education Minister Lisa Thompson characterized as "political stunts" encouraged by unions. Hammond forcefully denied that claim on Saturday, saying the student activism on display showed the province's future is in good hands. "Don't forget, Doug Ford: those students are going to be voting in the next provincial election. And we're voting with them!" he said. In a statement Friday, Thompson said the government would not be distracted by what she called "union tactics" such as protests and rallies. "The fact is that Ontarios teacher unions have been handed control of the education system for the past 15 years," Thompson said. "Despite what unions say, their priority has not been student success and as a result our province's math scores are dropping and our students find themselves falling further and further behind." She's made no secret of her weight loss journey that saw her shed almost half her body weight and lose an impressive 30kg. And now, former MAFS star Alycia Galbraith is ready to reveal exactly how she did it, with the release of her new weight loss eBook: Transformation by Alycia Galbraith. Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 29-year-old qualified fitness instructor proudly announced the release, saying she had poured her 'heart and soul' into the book. How she did it: Former MAFS star Alycia Galbraith releases eBook that reveals how she achieved her staggering 30kg weight loss (pictured L in 2011 and R in February) 'There are so many lessons and messages of strength within these pages, as well as steps on how I lost 30kgs,' she announced in the lengthy post. The reality star also recalled a 'disaster' trip overseas that ultimately began her journey of transformation. 'Upon a trip to Thailand that turned out to be a bit of a disaster, I realised that I felt so unhappy in my own skin and lifestyle choices that I locked myself in my hotel room and had a complete breakdown,' she wrote. Transformation: Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 29-year-old qualified fitness instructor proudly announced the release, saying she had poured her 'heart and soul' into the book Pretty in pink! The stunning blonde now feels happy in her body and frequently posts images of herself in bikinis at the beach 'This breakdown lead to a breakthrough in transforming my life for the better as a whole. Not only did I physically shed a massive 30 kilograms in weight, I became an entirely new person psychologically.' She revealed some of the things that she was struggling with. 'Reaching a point where I struggled with obesity, a toxic relationship, friends and employers who took advantage of me as well as low self-esteem, these elements combined ruled my life as I cowered to them.' 'My story provides insight as to how behaviours and thought patterns learnt from childhood subconsciously influenced me as an adult, understanding that my actions unknowingly welcomed toxicity, deciding I wanted far better and the steps taken to finally find health, happiness, respect and a great love for myself.' Inspirational: Alycia says her new eBook 'provides insight as to how behaviours and thought patterns learnt from childhood subconsciously influenced her as an adult' Alycia says in the book she 'reflects on raw thoughts, emotions and experiences as a big-hearted dreamer who had no idea how much internal power she possessed'. Although she had lost the weight before the filming of MAFS in 2018, the fitness-guru was still not willing to share her story. Before filming her season, she was reluctant to share photos of her at her biggest to producers, after they were interested in displaying them on the show to add to her backstory. 'I said no to sharing photos initially as it is hard to look at them myself let alone have others judge me,' she said in an Instagram post last year. Stunning bride: Before filming her season of MAFS (pictured on the show), she was reluctant to share photos of her at her biggest to producers, after they were interested in displaying them on the show to add to her backstory Unhappier times: Alycia was 'married' to Mat Lockett (pictured) in the 2018 season of MAFS but was left heartbroken after he infamously walked out on her 'Literally the only reason I said yes to sharing my story in the end is because I was promised that it would help people and I really hope it can.' Alycia then 'reclaimed' her images by posting a before and after shot of her to her followers on social media, saying she achieved the amazing weight-loss feat by eliminating 'toxicity' from her life. Alycia was 'married' to Mat Lockett in the 2018 season of MAFS but was left heartbroken after he infamously walked out on her. Her eBook Transformation by Alycia Galbraith is now available through her website. Mama June Shannon was famously arrested alongside boyfriend Geno Doak last month and charged with crack cocaine possession after 911 callers claimed they saw a nasty domestic fight. Friday's episode of Mama June: From Not to Hot showed how six months earlier June had to spring Geno from jail following an arrest her family believes sparked the terrible spiral leading to her own arrest. June, 39, was shown fighting to get Geno, 42, released from Spalding County Jail in Georgia in the days leading up to daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson's premiere on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors last October. Trouble in paradise: Friday's episode of Mama June: From Not to Hot showed how six months ago June had to spring Geno from jail He was in there for failing to finish community service for an earlier DUI seemingly giving no hints of what was to come. 'At the time of Geno's release from jail, the only thing our family was concerned about was Alan's premiere of Dancing With The Stars,' insisted June's daughter, Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon, in a current-day confessional. 'Looking back now, we didn't know that Geno's arrest would result in a downward spiral for everybody.' Pumpkin, 19, had also opened the episode, titled Love After Lockup, addressing her family's recent 'rough couple of weeks.' Confessional: June, 39, was shown fighting to get Geno, 42, released from Spalding County Jail in Georgia in the days afterward 'Looking back, I don't really know what we could have done differently,' she insisted. 'Geno getting arrested was a shock to all of us. And he really let us down. 'We didn't have the full story of what was going on and we couldn't imagine what was coming next,' she added with a sigh. At the time, June did not seem concerned about Geno's arrest and was mostly upset at how it would look to others. Looking back: 'At the time of Geno's release from jail, the only thing our family was concerned about was Alan's premiere of Dancing With The Stars,' said Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon 'I've talked Geno up to be a good guy. Now he goes and goes to jail. What are people gonna think now?' she asked. 'He couldn't complete community service like he was supposed to? I mean, c'mon now that's quite disappointing.' Her sister, Doe Doe, however, insisted: 'I'm not surprised Geno got arrested. I always told June there was something about him.' Geno later claimed of Doe Doe: 'Somebody needs to kick you in the balls.' Troubled times: At the time, June did not seem concerned about Geno's arrest and was mostly upset at how it would look to others The family finally got to see him when he appeared in Spalding County Courthouse four days after his arrest, cuffed and wearing a prison jumpsuit. 'To see Geno in shackles it was kinda upsetting,' 13-year-old Alana said. 'I used to live up to Geno and now I don't know what to think. I though Geno was a good person ... should I look up to him still?' The next day five days after his arrest he finally left a free man, with Alana joining Pumpkin and her husband Josh by wearing prison jumpsuits to greet him, with handcuffs decorating the car. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: The family finally got to see him when he appeared in Spalding County Courthouse four days after his arrest, cuffed and wearing a prison jumpsuit 'I feel like I've let them down,' Geno admitted. 'I want to show them that they can still look up to me.' He had a heart-to-heart with Alana who told him she felt 'neglected' and feared he would split the family. 'I love you, I love your mom... I love everybody and I'm not going anywhere,' he told her. In scenes that may now haunt him, he then linked little fingers with Alana and told her: 'Pinky promise, I'm not gonna go jail again and I promise I'll be here for you.' Sweet: In scenes that may now haunt him, he then linked little fingers with Alana and told her: 'Pinky promise, I'm not gonna go jail again and I promise I'll be here for you' 'You never break pinky promise,' Alana said. 'That's one thing you don't do.' June, meanwhile, was more worried about finally admitting to her man that she was not actually pregnant with him not taking the news well, saying it left him 'a little bit mad, sad, confused.' 'Makes me question my trust for her,' he insisted. 'I feel like I've been lied to, led on. But I still love her.' 'I'm not gonna go anywhere. But it's gonna make things different,' he said. 'Mad, sad, confused': June, meanwhile, was more worried about finally admitting to her man that she was not actually pregnant with him not taking the news well Pumpkin took the news even worse coming just after she signed a year's lease for a new apartment she could not really afford, wrongly thinking she had to leave home for a new brother or sister's arrival. 'You just kicked us out for an invisible baby?' Pumpkin asked, infuriated. Alana was now even more upset that they had left Hollywood. 'You basically took my dreams, put them in the toilet and flushed the toilet,' she told her mom, adding later to camera: 'You made me give up my dreams on a movie role ... so you could not have a baby. I am so mad!' 'I am so mad!': 'You basically took my dreams, put them in the toilet and flushed the toilet,' Alana told her mom upon learning June was not actually pregnant Doe Doe once again stood alone, happy at the news as she said: 'Thank God June ain't pregnant by that jailbird.' Alana had been nervous in the build-up to her big DWTS premiere because of all the 'haters' online. Her family threw a party for the opening episode with them all wearing 'Team Alana' shirts and her gushing over the online feedback turning almost completely positive. 'Maybe I might get a movie or something,' Alana smiled. 'I think I might get a couple of producer calls.' Unsparing: June's sister Doe Doe once again stood alone, happy at the news as she said: 'Thank God June ain't pregnant by that jailbird' Committed to the new apartment, Josh started job hunting, though laughing at how his resume listed experience as 'a lot of gas, grass and a**.' His wife bragged about having 'a masters degree in b.s.' and wildly embellished the resume leaving Josh embarrassed on his first interview. 'How was Harvard? It's quite the institution,' his interviewer asked, with Josh initially saying he did not like to brag about his time there. He finally confessed after being challenged over just how fluent he was in Spanish, admitting: 'Burrito, taco that's about as far as it goes. And Model citizen: Committed to paying for his family's apartment, Josh started job hunting, though laughing at how his resume listed experience as 'a lot of gas, grass and a**' 'I have no idea where Harvard's even at.' Still, he got the job getting 'poo-poo-tank dirty' cleaning toilets after the interviewer admitted: 'You're one of two applicants, and the other one didn't show up.' June's manager, Gina Rodriguez, invited the star to lunch to discuss a 'big opportunity' shocking her by having ex-husband Sugar Bear's new wife, Jennifer, there too. 'This is some bulls**t. You're fixing to get fired,' June snapped, with her manager warning: 'All of the same people who were interested in you are interested in her.' Surprise: June's manager, Gina Rodriguez, invited the star to lunch to discuss a 'big opportunity' shocking her by having ex-husband Sugar Bear's new wife, Jennifer, there too She then told the women how Star magazine wanted them to both pose allowing viewers to vote on which of them would be the cover star. 'Star magazine is not gonna want Jennifer as their cover. They're gonna want a star as their cover,' June insisted, while her rival warned: 'Your fans are gonna be my fans.' 'There ain't no competition because June ain't no competition to me,' Jennifer bragged in a confessional. Gina, frustrated at how June was putting back much of the weight she lost, insisted: 'This competition might be just what June needs a little kick in the a**.' Amanda Stanton went stag to the star-studded grand opening of the Las Vegas nightclub KAOS at the Palms Casino Resort this Friday night. The 28-year-old platinum blonde The Bachelor alumna slid into a powder blue mini-dress and balanced on black ankle-strap stilettos. Her outing in Sin City comes after her ex-boyfriend Bobby Jacobs used Instagram to confirm that he and Amanda have ended their romance. Flying solo: Amanda Stanton went stag to the star-studded grand opening of the Las Vegas nightclub KAOS at the Palms Casino Resort this Friday night Although his Instagram page is private, People discovered week-old comments he made regarding the breakup and his enduring bond with Amanda's daughters. The 33-year-old shared his 'love' for Charlie, five, and Kinsley, seven, and said that 'Ill still be apart of there lives no matter what,' adding that he 'Talked to them both on the phone last night and were taking them to Disneyland for Kinsleys Bday.' There were rumors that the breakup was connected to Amanda's falling victim to a hacker who circulated topless photos of her among her acquaintances. Amanda went public about the hacking on her Insta Stories this Tuesday, weeping and explaining the snaps were pre-op pictures taken before a breast augmentation. Hello, gorgeous: The 28-year-old platinum blonde The Bachelor alumna slid into a powder blue mini-dress and balanced on black ankle-strap stilettos Bobby shared on Instagram that his split from Amanda was 'Not at all' about the hacking. 'I told her to bring it public weeks ago that way it wouldnt shock so many people when they received the pictures. A not so sharp attorney told her otherwise.' Charlie and Kinsley were fathered by Amanda's hunky ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio, who had an Instagram spat with Bobby this January. Amanda and Bobby's romance hit the headlines last September 10 when the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested her for domestic violence. End of the affair: Her outing in Sin City comes after her ex-boyfriend Bobby Jacobs used Instagram to confirm that he and Amanda have ended their romance 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.' 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. Married At First Sight fans are eagerly awaiting the finale which stars on Sunday. And now Event Cinemas will be screening the two-part finale for free at 24 complexes across the state on Sunday and Monday night. On the Event Cinemas website it says: 'Grab your nearest and dearest and get ready to join us at our Married at First Sight Finale free screening parties! That's right free screening parties!' Only days away! Eager fans can watch MAFS FINALE at free screening parties in Event Cinemas across Sydney and NSW... so where's the closest big screen to you? (pictured: Jules Robinson and Cameron Merchant) 'Who's going to fight with who? Who's going to end up in tears? Will Jessika and Dan make it after her confession to Nick is exposed? Oh, the drama! Watch it all unfold on the screen across two exciting nights!' it concludes. It's first in best dressed on the night so get in early to secure your seats, get yourself some champagne and popcorn and get ready for the drama. There are 17 different cinema locations in urban areas of New South Wales and seven cinemas that will be hosting the event in rural areas of the state. The suspense! Its first in best dressed on the night so get in early to secure your seats, get yourself some champagne and popcorn and get ready for the drama (pictured: Michael Brunelli and Martha Kalifatidis) Last week it was announced Event cinemas in Campbelltown will be airing the two-part finale on Sunday and Monday night, according to the Wollondilly Advertiser. 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. 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) Cyrell 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. Plenty of drama! Cyrell (pictured) then furiously charged at Martha before being physically restrained by her male co-stars Scandalous! 'Go do it,' Ines Basic (L) said, egging on Martha before the incident '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. She always looks nothing short of glamorous when she attends events. And on Saturday, Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer once again stunned as she stepped out at the Bentley Polo in the Valley in Perth, Western Australia. The 28-year-old British model and socialite looked gorgeous in a black and white floral dress. Picture perfect: Lady Kitty Spencer stuns in a black and white floral frock at the polo in Western Australia Kitty's frock featured a high-neck and billowing sleeves, with a floaty skirt. The blonde teamed the look with black platform heels and a pink shoulder bag. Kitty wore natural-looking makeup and pulled her locks off her face and into a low bun. Elegant: Kitty wore natural-looking makeup and pulled her locks off her face and into a low bun Gorgeous! Kitty's frock featured a high-neck and billowing sleeves, with a floaty skirt A fun day out: She appeared in high spirits at the event, smiling and eagerly watching on as she joined the crowd She appeared in high spirits at the event, smiling and eagerly watching on as she joined the crowd. The event helps support Youth Focus and Telethon, with Kitty telling Perth Now this week how much she loves supporting such positive initiatives. 'It is amazing how generous and passionate the community of Perth is and this really motivates me to come here,' Kitty said. A good cause: The event helps support Youth Focus and Telethon, with Kitty telling Perth Now this week how much she loves supporting such positive initiatives Downtime: She added how much she likes to spend time in Perth She added how much she likes to spend time in Perth. 'Everyone is so warm and welcoming, it's a great lifestyle and I love how positive everyone is,' she said. While in town, Kitty made sure to check out the local sites and even paid a visit to the Cottesloe Beach Hotel. Taking to Instagram, Kitty shared a stunning snap of herself in a floaty printed dress at the eatery, saying: 'Beautiful day in WA.' Jenna Coleman has revealed she is running out of noises to make during her labour scenes when filming Victoria. The actress, 32, stars as the monarch on the ITV series and told how she has watched One Born Every Minute to prepare for the labour scenes, as Victoria had nine children. Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show, she said: 'I have had many a labour scene now, Im running out of noises for labour scenes. Scene: Jenna Coleman has revealed she is running out of noises to make during her labour scenes when filming Victoria 'I try to [change it up]... Ive just given birth to the seventh child now. And there is still no pain relief as of yet either [in the era the show is set] 'To be honest, I find if I build up adrenaline and then dont think about it and then watch it back, I think I sounded like a sheep on one thing that I saw back before. 'Id just have loads of caffeine and then get really built up and then Im sure one day maybe if I ever give birth Ill realise I was totally wrong.' The actress has also found the music of Mumford & Sons helpful to listen to before she films the intense scenes. Method: The actress, 32, stars as the monarch on the ITV series and told how she has watched One Born Every Minute to prepare for the labour scenes She said: 'I try to [change it up]... Ive just given birth to the seventh child now. And there is still no pain relief as of yet either [in the era the show is set]' She said: 'On set, I have got into the habit of listening to Mumford & Sons during the birth scenes. I think there is something about the banjo, something about the adrenalin.' Olivia Colman has taken over from Claire Foy on The Crown to play an older version of Queen Elizabeth II but Jenna doesn't know if Victoria will take a similar route. She said: 'There are conversations happening about jowls and how realistic we can go with jowls. She added: 'I find if I build up adrenaline and then dont think about it and then watch it back, I think I sounded like a sheep on one thing that I saw back before' 'I dont know yet, there is lots of talk of who will be the older Victoria but I dont know as to when that is going to happen, genuinely.' Speaking about her past role as Clare Oswald on Doctor Who, Jenna revealed she 'stole' quite a few items from the set, including a piece of the Tardis. She said: 'I stole quite a lot actually. I stole it but somebody helped me, in the props department so I feel like that was okay. I stole a piece of Tardis. In character: The actress has also found the music of Mumford & Sons helpful to listen to before she films the intense scenes 'A proper gallifreyan full on piece under my jumper but it was in conjunction with the props team, they gave me the wink. 'Ive also got the neon sign of the police box sign and Ive got that in my dining room and it lights up.' The Jonathan Ross Show airs tonight at 10:30pm on ITV. She recently returned from Portugal where she lost a stone at an intensive boot camp And Imogen Thomas looked sensational as she attended the premiere of the new flick Wonder Park at Chessington World of Adventure on Saturday with her daughters Ariana Siena, six, and Siera Aleira, three. The former Big Brother star, 36, cut a casually cool figure in a red top which she teamed with a padded jacket and skinny jeans. Cute: Imogen Thomas attended the premiere of the flick Wonder Park at Chessington World of Adventure on Saturday with her daughters Ariana Siena, six, and Siera Aleira, three Imogen added to her look with a pair of comfortable trainers while toting her belongings in a matte black Gucci handbag. The former Miss Wales enhanced her striking features with a simple coat of make-up, while her brunette tresses were tousled to perfection. Imogen shares her children with ex Adam Horsley, who she split with a year ago after six years together. Trendy: The former Big Brother star, 36, cut a casually cool figure in a red top which she teamed with a padded jacket and skinny jeans Fashionista: Imogen added to her look with a pair of comfortable trainers while toting her belongings in a matte black Gucci handbag A statement released to MailOnline at the time read: 'Imogen is completely heartbroken and devastated about the break up, however she has amazing friends and family who are very supportive and will help to get her through this difficult time. 'Her two beautiful children are her priority moving forward, and she will continue to focus on the positive things in her life such as her business Chasing Summer.' Imogen has thrown herself onto the dating scene since the split, telling MailOnline she's been enjoying 'lots of dates'. Pretty: The former Miss.Wales enhanced her striking features with a simple coat of make-up, while her brunette tresses were tousled to perfection She said: 'I'm really really strict. So, I will always try and maintain my weight and shape now. 'For me, since becoming single, I need to be looking my best. I keep thinking "I'm single, I'm single, I need to look my best." 'Because when you're in a relationship you get so settled, you eat loads and go out for meals. But when you're single you have to look your best. 'There's no one on the scene right now, but I've had a lot of dates. It's been fun, crazy fun.' Gordon and Tana Ramsey were seen leaving Portland Hospital with their newborn baby, Oscar. The pair, who are now doting parents to five children, looked happy as they hopped into their vehicle and took their precious new bundle of joy home on Saturday. After announcing the arrival of their baby boy on Thursday, Tana looked surprisingly relaxed as she got comfortable in the front seat alongside her husband. Big moment: Gordon, 50, and Tana Ramsey, 44, were seen leaving Portland Hospital with their newborn baby, Oscar With her brunette tresses falling in glossy tousles, Tana proved to be absolutely glowing as she headed home with their new addition to the family. Letting his wife relax, Gordon, who was clad in a grey hoodie, was the designated driver. Their sighting comes after the adorable newborn had his first ever photo shoot before even leaving the hospital in a sweet video shared to his Instagram account - which boasts 21, 700 followers- on Saturday. In the clip, big sister Megan, 21, was seen holding her baby brother's hands as a professional photographer took some snaps for his first passport. Doting parents: The pair, who are now doting parents to five children, looked happy as they hopped into their vehicle and took their precious new bundle of joy home on Saturday Radiant: After announcing the arrival of their baby boy on Thursday, Tana looked surprisingly relaxed as she got comfortable in the front seat alongside her husband Behind the wheel: Letting his wife relax, Gordon, who was clad in a grey hoodie, was the designated driver Expanding family: Gordon and Tana now have a brood of five Hinting at his jetsetting lifestyle the caption read: 'Had my first photo shoot today !! Cant travel until I have a passport photo. Little Oscar looked cute in a dove grey onesie as he was snapped by the photographer. This comes after the chef's children paid a sweet tribute to their new baby brother as twins Jack and Holly shared beautiful snaps with the newborn. Jack, 19, was a proud older brother as he cradled newborn Oscar and planted a sweet kiss on his head in two adorable photos. Baby boy: Gordon and Tana's newborn Oscar had his first ever photo shoot before even leaving the hospital in a sweet video shared to his Instagram account on Saturday Adorable: In the clip, big sister Megan, 21, was seen holding her baby brother's hands as a professional photographer took some snaps for his first passport Adorable: Hinting at his jetsetting lifestyle the caption read: 'Had my first photo shoot today !! Cant travel until I have a passport photo Angel: Little Oscar looked cute in a dove grey onesie as he was snapped by the photographer New arrival: This comes as Gordon Ramsay's children paid a sweet tribute to their new baby brother as twins Jack (above) and Holly shared beautiful snaps with the newborn. Cute: Jack's twin Holly said she 'loved Oscar so much' in her adorable post Smiling happily in the photos, he captioned the post: 'Love you bro x' Holly also shared a beautiful photo cradling Oscar, with another black and white snap of her holding Oscar's tiny hand. She wrote: 'Welcome to the world baby Oscar James I love you so so much already and thank you for the happiness you have bought us all xx.' This comes one day after Gordon and Tana announced the arrival of their fifth child - with the television chef, 52, sharing two snaps on social media, writing: '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.' Loved: Jack, 19, was a proud older brother as he cradled newborn Oscar and planted a sweet kiss on his head in two adorable photos Sibling bond: Holly also shared a beautiful photo cradling Oscar, with another black and white snap of her holding Oscar's tiny hand New parents: This comes one day after Gordon and Tana announced the arrival of their fifth child - with the television chef, 52, sharing two snaps on social media Gordon wrote: '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 beautiful newborn has already got its own Instagram account and one very famous follower, Brooklyn Beckham, who is friends with the Ramsay children. The news comes just three months after Tana, 44, confirmed her pregnancy. She had broken the news in a celebratory Instagram video posted from the family home in south London on New Year's Day. That didn't take long: The beautiful newborn has already got its own Instagram account and one very famous follower, Brooklyn Beckham, who is friends with the Ramsay children Special moment: Tana, already a parent to children Megan, 21, Matilda, 17, and fraternal twins Jack and Holly, 19, with the celebrity chef Magical: Tana looked beautiful as she tenderly cuddled her much longed for baby, just moments after she had given birth Tana had revealed a prominent baby bump that suggested she was already some months into her pregnancy. Posted on Gordon's official Instagram account, the short video panned to each of their children as they wished followers a happy new year before finally settling on Tana, who lifted her sequinned top to reveal the highly noticeable bump. Captioning the video, Kitchen Nightmares star Gordon wrote: 'Exciting news! Happy new year from all the Ramsays.' Happy news: Tana had confirmed she was pregnant with a sweet Instagram video, shared on New Year's Day Prominent: Tana had revealed her baby bum in a video shared on new year's eve Brood: Posted on Gordon's official Instagram account, the short video which announced Tana's pregnancy panned to each of their children as they wished followers a happy new year Gordon and Tana suffered a miscarriage in June 2016, and the celebrity chef admitted, in spite of the tragedy, the devastating loss brought his family closer together. Gordon reflected in an intimate interview with the Daily Mail's weekend magazine: 'It has brought us all so much closer. 'You realise how lucky you are and you reflect on what you have, how fortunate you are with your remaining children and you remind yourself of what youve got. Its made the family unit even tighter.' The TV personality jubilantly spoke about expecting their fifth child on The Late Late Show in the US - telling good friend and host James Corden 'We have three girls and a boy... and one more on the way!' But five months into the pregnancy, his wife was taken into the Portland Hospital in London, where they were left grief-stricken upon discovering they had lost the child. Gordon said the family battled through their pain with the help of supportive relatives and friends. He said: 'The support weve had has been unbelievable. You dont realise until it happens to you how many people are affected. Sadly it happens every day. 'Friends have rallied and weve got through it together, as a family. We were devastated, but thankfully were through the worst now. It could happen at any time to anyone.' He first found fame when he competed on the ninth series of the X Factor in 2012. And Rylan Clark-Neal has revealed that he thinks anonymity would now improve his life, as he told The Guardian on Saturday that he felt like there was 'no hiding'. When asked about what single thing he'd like in life, the 30-year-old This Morning presenter explained: 'Anonymity. I am not being ungrateful, and I love meeting people, but being six foot four, with big teeth and a beard theres no hiding.' Stepping out of the limelight: Rylan Clark-Neal claimed that having anonymity would improve his life... seven years after finding fame as a contestant on the X Factor Rylan began a novelty act sashaying across the X Factor stage in gold lame, when he performed on the competition show to reach ninth place. He's always maintained good humour over his hilarious turn on the show, and he told the publication he wanted to apologise 'to the British public for my time on X Factor.' With peroxide blonde locks and a hunger for fame, Rylan impressed judges including Gary Barlow and Rita Ora with his tenacious approach to the limelight Rise to fame: Rylan began a novelty act sashaying across the X Factor stage in gold lame, when he performed on the competition show to reach ninth place Stand-out performer: While his singing voice didn't set the world on fire, Rylan did wow judges with his performances and unique outfits While his singing voice didn't set the world on fire, Rylan did wow judges with his performances and unique outfits. The television work has rolled in for Rylan since and while his outfits and tan may have been toned down, his on-screen charisma has seen him offered lucrative commercial jobs. In his personal life, the star married his beau Dan Neal in 2015 and the pair are regulars at red carpet events. And continuing his conversation with the Guardian, he gushed that the best kiss he's ever had with his husband in late 2013, because he 'just knew'. In the throes of romance: The star married his beau Dan Neal in 2015, and he gushed that the best kiss he's ever had with his husband in late 2013, because he 'just knew' Back in November, Rylan reiterated how upset the cancellation of Big Brother has left him in an exclusive interview with MailOnline. He said:'My brain just doesn't understand that it's not coming back. To me, I can't understand that I have presented it for the last time. It's going to be majorly missed. 'And trust me, I am doing everything I can do in my power to get it back.' To Rylan, the show was not just a job; after his stint on The X Factor in 2012 he entered CBB in January 2013 and won it. Soon after, he was brought back to present BOTS for both the civilian and celebrity versions of the show, consequently meeting his now-husband Dan Neal, who was a housemate that summer in civilian BB. 'I can't imagine Big Brother not being around. It has shaped my life. I am really in a world of denial about this. I want it back. Many people do.' She announced she was expecting her fourth child in January. And Abbey Clancy covered up her baby bump as she attended the Wonder Park event at Chessington World of Adventures Resort on Saturday, with her three children. The model, 33, who is now thought to be at least six months pregnant, was a sophisticated expectant mother as she posed with daughters Sophia, eight, Liberty, three, and son Johnny, 15 months - who she shares with husband Peter Crouch. Growing brood: Abbey Clancy covered up her baby bump as she attended the Wonder Park event at Chessington World of Adventures Resort on Saturday, with her three children The former Britain's Next Top Model star slipped on a black military style coat which skimmed over her baby bump, and completed the ensemble with studded leather boots. Her tresses were styled sleek and straight while she shielded her sparkling peepers from the sun with a pair of round black shades. Little Sophia was a doting older sister as she carried Johnny around, while Liberty posed with the film's mascot Boomer. The star revealed she discovered she was expecting her fourth baby while on a modelling assignment. Cute: The model, 33, who is now thought to be at least six months pregnant, was a sophisticated expectant mother as she posed with daughters Sophia, eight, Liberty, three, and son Johnny, 15 months (above) - who she shares with husband Peter Crouch Pose: The former Britain's Next Top Model star slipped on a black military style coat which skimmed over her baby bump, and completed the ensemble with studded leather boots (with Kate Thornton) She told You magazine: I was on a photoshoot and the photographer, a woman who I work with a lot, said, Your boobs look really big. And I said, Actually I was thinking that. 'Then I looked at my diary and thought, Oh, no. I mean, (youngest son) Johnny wasnt even one yet and Ive been so ill with my other pregnancies that I thought I wouldnt be able to spend any time with him, and Im just gone with love for him, Ive been enjoying having a son so much. She added: You know, I do feel very blessed to have a fourth baby and I do think its a gift, but I was so ill with Johnny, I couldnt get out of bed. I was in hospital twice on a drip. Abbey and Burnley striker Crouch only welcomed their third child, son Johnny on January 3, 2018, while they also share daughters Sophia, seven and Liberty, three. Chic: Her tresses were styled sleek and straight while she shielded her sparkling peepers from the sun with a pair of round black shades Adorable: Johnny looked cute in his stroller as mum Abbey pushed him along The pair celebrated Johnny's first birthday on January 3, with the model admitting as recently as September 2018 that she wasn't sure if she would have more children. She told MailOnline: 'I think Im so lucky, I have three healthy kids and Ive got two girls and one boy, but no I dont want another one... 'If it happens it wouldnt be the end of the world, but going through what I went through being pregnant with Johnny it definitely does put me off a bit. It was quite a bad time but worth it in the end.' The pair officially became an item more than 10 years ago in 2006, and they took their relationship to the next level when they got engaged in 2009. Before they tied the knot, Abbey gave birth to their first daughter Sophia Ruby in March 2011. The couple went on to marry in a romantic ceremony at Stapleford Park Hotel in Leicestershire in June 2011. They welcomed their second daughter Liberty Rose in June 2015. Is a Fake Twitter Account Outed by NY Times Really Real? | Main | The New York Times' Slow Reaction to Hamas Crackdown on Palestinian Protesters April 03, 2019 CNNs Zakaria Deals With U.S. Proclamation Recognizing Golan As Part Of Israel Fareed Zakaria hosted an eight-minute discussion of the Golan matter at the end of his weekly (weekend) program, Global Public Square (GPS) hour-long Cable News Network (CNN) broadcast. The broadcast, on both CNN and CNN International, aired on March 30, Saturday, with repeats on Sunday. In his introductory comments in the Golan segment, Zakaria claimed that there is a question about the legality of that gift [President Trumps proclamation recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israeli territory]. However, he failed to elaborate on what he meant by the legality question. Presumably he hoped that either of his quests would pick up on it but that didnt happen. Zakaria discussed the matter with Peter Beinart, author and commentator, and Einat Wilf, author and former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset (parliament) and had previously served as an Israeli military intelligence officer. Beinart, persistent critic of the Jewish state, has routinely authored error-laden commentaries disparaging Israels policies toward the Palestinians. The segment featured an interchange of views in which Beinart criticized the recognition of Israels sovereignty in the Golan, saying that [While] nobody thinks that Israel is going to give back the Golan Heights to Syria during a civil war there are two dangerous precedents. The first is the notion that if you take territory by force, you can keep it, which the Russians are already saying is a precedent for what they've done in Crimea. The second is the precedent that Israel might apply this to the West Bank to annex parts of the West Bank, settlements in the West Bank. Wilf disagreed, saying, The only precedent that was set was that Syria and other Arab actors were allowed to operate for decades with zero consequences for aggression. Syria could invade Israel, refuse to recognize Israel, refuse to set an international border, use the plateau of the Golan Heights in order to shell down on Israeli civilians, host terrorist organizations that were responsible for some of the worst attacks on Israeli civilians. Beinart expressed disagreement with Wilfs assessment on precedents and noted that the proclamation was a blatant American interference in the Israeli election if we want people to stay out of our elections, we should stay out of their elections. Beinart here had the last word. This seems like generally good advice although overstated (at the least) or misplaced in this instance. This advice seems applicable to the 2015 Israeli election. The interference, at that time intended to hurt the chances of the prime minister, has been documented by, among others, the Washington Post. Unsurprisingly, theres no indication that Beinart has ever complained about U.S. interference in that Israeli election. The inadequacy of the discussion Wilf was not able to provide adequate balance mainly since Beinart was allowed to dominate, including having the last word. Viewers could have been informed of the historical/biblical aspect of the Golan. The ancestors of todays Jewish Israelis resided in the Golan long before any Arabs or any Muslims arrived in the area. Evidence of this is found in the Bible; references to the Golan are contained in Deuteronomy 4:43, Joshua 20:8, Joshua 21:27 and 1 Chronicles 6:56. The region known today as the Golan Heights was a part of the area of Bashan in the territory assigned to the Israeli tribe of Manasseh thousands of years ago. Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that these ancestors ever willingly relinquished their rights to the land. Zakarias legality point Zakaria might be referring to the claims that Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights violates international laws and resolutions condemning the acquisition of territory by war. But these condemnations apply only to offensive wars. Israel had seized the Golan in the defensive Six-Day War of 1967. The Syrian military had repeatedly used it to shell the Galilee area of Israel from the Golan high point putting Israeli population centers in jeopardy. Currently, if Israel were to lose control of the Golan, the Galilee would be undefended against the predations of Iran which is intent on destroying the Jewish nation-state. As legal scholar Alan Dershowitz observed recently, No country in history has ever given back to a sworn enemy, militarily essential territory that has been captured in a defensive war (Alan M. Dershowitz, Trump Is Right about the Golan Heights, Gatestone Institute, March 30, 2019). CNN and Zakaria are problematic Fareed Zakaria is not the best person, given his problems regarding Israel, to host such a discussion although he was relatively muted here. Zakaria has demonstrated a compulsion to view Israel darkly, regardless of facts. In 2015 he implicitly equated the Irgun group to ISIS, the Islamist terrorist organization. Irgun was a Jewish underground military organization in 1945-1948 that fought to establish a Jewish state while usually managing to avoid non-combatant casualties. Previously he had cast the Lebanese terror group, Hezbollah, as a model of religious tolerance. Additionally, in 2014 his journalism ethics were called into question when he was caught plagiarizing. On CNN, given its dismal record regarding coverage of the Israeli-Arab conflict, as well as the predilections of Zakaria and Beinart, the Jewish state could have come off worse here. But the broadcast still managed to mislead viewers. Posted by MK at April 3, 2019 07:53 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 She is no stranger to flashing her surgically enhanced frame on social media. And Chloe Khan set pulses racing as she stripped naked for a steamy shoot for Playboy Magazine. The former Celebrity Big Brother star, 26, who has spent an estimated 100,000 on plastic surgery, showcased her ample assets and peachy derriere as she posed with just a sparkling white towel covering her modesty. Naked ambition: Chloe Khan set pulses racing as she stripped naked for a steamy shoot for Playboy Magazine Keen to appear fresh out of the shower, the star revealed her bronzed legs as she posed in a bathroom, with her hair hidden under a white towel. In another sizzling snap, the bombshell shed her towel completely to show off her naked, toned body as she struck a seductive pose in a doorway. Chloe then slipped into a black lacy bralet, matching thong and fishnet stockings as she cupped her bare breast while posing on a bed. Next up, the star put on a cheeky display in a semi-sheer thong, paired with a pastel pink satin lingerie set and suspenders, as she saucily grabbed hold of her derriere. Eye-popping: The former Celebrity Big Brother star, 26, who has spent an estimated 100,000 on plastic surgery, showcased her ample assets and peachy derriere as she posed with just a sparkling white towel covering her modesty Peek-a-boo: The star covered her bare breast with her hand as she struck a raunchy pose in black lace lingerie The star then donned a black lace underwear set as she sultrily reclined on a bed in a killer pair of heels, flashing her very ample cleavage. The social media star opted for bombshell make-up with smoky shadow and nude gloss while her raven locks were styled in voluminous waves. Chloe has been candid about her love of going under the knife and spending 100,000 on cosmetic surgery. Cheeky: Chloe slipped into a semi-sheer thong to flash her pert behind Raunchy: Chloe left nothing to the imagination as she sprawled on a bed in skimpy lingerie Derriere: Chloe flashed her pert derriere as she slipped on black stiletto heels to pose She has certainly been making the most of her trip, squeezing in as many social media opportunities as possible . The Playboy model's, 1.5 million Instagram followers have certainly not been complaining about her relentless posts. Chloe first slipped into a tiny black two-piece that highlighted her ample assets - the result of two boob jobs - as well as her peachy posterior, following her Brazilian bum lift. Wow factor: Chloe donned a pastel pink lingerie set and stockings and suspenders as she put on a busty display Chloe has been open about having nose jobs, lip enhancements, breast augmentations and even a bottom enlargement. Last year, the jet-setter took a break from her travels to appear on Good Morning Britain to debate with Aisleyne-Horgan Wallace about corrective plastic surgery. Chloe locked horns with the beauty when she argued the NHS shouldn't fund corrective procedures. Aisleyne said: 'People don't go abroad and think, I'm going to have real bad problems when I come back, I'm going to have to turn to the NHS.' Sultry: Chloe flashed her ample assets as she saucily reclined on a bed Chloe bit back: 'Do you not think that people should take responsibility for a choice, if you have surgery, it's your choice, you're taking a risk, you know that. 'I myself have had a very bad cosmetic surgery and I would never dream of looking to someone else to pay for it. It was abroad.' Aisleyne didn't hold back when she called out Chloe for getting expensive cosmetic procedures for free by advertising them. She called out: 'But you get your surgery for free because you advertise it!' leading Chloe to retort 'So, you've had things done for free as well! I've paid for surgery too.' They're the Australian power couple who each have legions of fans. But Hamish Blake has told Stellar magazine he finds it strange when people see his entrepreneur wife, Zoe Foster Blake, as just his partner. The 37-year-old comedian says: 'I find it a very bizarre thing. Especially because I am sitting there seeing firsthand that Zoe has created her own skincare line, she's written 10 books, she had a TV series. 'She is just an amazingly beautiful and unique voice in the world': Hamish Blake (pictured) gushed about wife Zoe Foster Blake in an interview in Saturday's Stellar magazine 'She is just an amazingly beautiful and unique voice in the world,' he added. Hamish went on to say that he would be happy to take a backseat to his author wife's career. He said: 'As her closest bystander most of the time, it's the weirdest for me to see that work is sometimes not the thing that she's known for, and it's instead who she's married to. Sweet: The 37-year-old comedian says: 'I find it a very bizarre thing. Especially because I am sitting there seeing firsthand that Zoe has created her own skincare line, she's written 10 books, she had a TV series' Tricky! In the shoot accompanying the interview, Hamish, donning a full beard, looks very dapper in a tuxedo and bow tie, as he poses doing a series of circus tricks 'Having said that, I will ride her coat-tails! I will be Zoe's husband all day long.' In the shoot accompanying the interview, Hamish, donning a full beard, looks very dapper in a tuxedo and bow tie, as he poses doing a series of circus tricks. Hamish and Zoe met in 2004 at a media event she later described as a 'horrible men's deodorant launch.' Couple: Hamish went on to say that he would be happy to take a backseat to his author wife's career. I will ride her coat-tails! I will be Zoe's husband all day long' he said. Hamish is pictured with Zoe Foster Blake Family: The couple have been married for seven years and share two children: Son Sonny, four, and daughter Rudy, one (pictured) The couple have been married for seven years and share two children: son Sonny, four, and daughter Rudy, one. Zoe recently revealed the secret to a happy marriage is spending time away from her husband. She wrote in an a column for The Daily Telegraph: 'To stay together you also need to be apart. So, go do something with your mates, or family, or self, and give yourself a chance to miss each other'. Pia Miller and Tyson Mullane have split, according to a new report. On Saturday, the Daily Telegraph claimed the pair had ended their engagement after 18 months. The paper alleges that the couple have 'recently moved out of their shared home' but that the split is amicable and they remain 'close friends'. Already over? On Saturday, The Daily Telegraph claimed Home and Away star Pia Miller (right) and Tyson Mullane (left) have split just 18 months after announcing their engagement Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Pia Miller's representatives for comment. Pia, 35, and Tyson, 30, first sparked split rumours in January when fans took to Instagram to ask about the status of the couple's relationship. Many had noticed that film producer Tyson hasn't appeared on Pia's page since September last year. Out? The paper alleges that the couple have 'recently moved out of their shared home' but that the split is amicable and they remain 'close friends'. Pictured in August 2018 Ringing it in: The mother-of-two had recently been spotted without her engagement ring on multiple occasions. Pictured in a recent social media snap The mother-of-two had recently been spotted without her engagement ring on multiple occasions. Pia and Tyson first began dating in 2015 before publicly announcing their romance on Valentine's Day in 2016. They got engaged 18 months later in November 2017. Engaged! Pia and Tyson first began dating in 2015 before publicly announcing their romance on Valentine's Day in 2016. They got engaged 18 months later in November 2017 The actress was previously married to former AFL player Brad Miller for eight years, before they separated in 2015. She is mum to son Lennox, 11, with former husband Brad and 15-year-old Isaiah from a previous relationship. Tyson previously dated model Cheyenne Tozzi. She recently enjoyed a sunny getaway with her husband Mark Wright in Barbados. And Michelle Keegan was seen enjoying the sunshine in Hale Village, Cheshire on Saturday afternoon. The actress, 31, put on a trendy display as she showed off her figure in a pair of black dungarees over a white top. Time off: Michelle Keegan, 31, was seen enjoying the sunshine in Hale Village, Cheshire on Saturday afternoon Enjoying the brief summer spell, Michelle carried her brown coat in her arm as she strolled along in a pair of comfortable. She opted for a simple slick of make-up and let her brunette tresses run free. Her sighting comes after she continued to drive her husband Mark wild with delight, as he left a gushing comment under one of her recent sexy snaps. Sitting at the bar as she rocked a skintight snakeskin mini-dress, the former TOWIE hunk, 32, gleefully commented that the dress was 'beautiful' but also added she 'wasn't bad either.' Fashionista: The actress put on a trendy display as she showed off her figure in a pair of black dungarees over a white top Loving life: Enjoying the brief summer spell, Michelle carried her brown coat in her arm as she strolled along in a pair of comfortable Primped and preened to perfection, Michelle looked in her element as she blew a kiss to the camera. With her toned bronzed legs on full display in a pair of towering strappy black heels, the camera no doubt caught the attention of her followers as they showered it with likes. The snap was also noticed by her husband Mark, who left his gushing comment under the snap she captioned: 'I promise you I have friends with me at this bar. Wearing one of my favourite dresses from my @veryuk collection!' The smitten sighting comes after Michelle and her Mark cosied up to each other on Friday for romantic social media snap from their getaway, which the reality star captioned: 'I got you babe'. 'Beautiful': This comes after Michelle continued to drive her husband Mark Wright, 32 ,wild with delight, as he left a gushing comment under one of her recent sexy snaps Love: The smitten sighting comes after Michelle and her Mark cosied up to each other on Friday for romantic social media snap from their getaway Mark's Extra co-host Mario Lopez couldn't resist poking fun at the pair as he posted a cheeky comment on the picture telling Mark: 'Nice to see Mrs Wrighty #SheExists'. Michelle looked sensational in a printed cutaway bikini which showed off her sensational figure to perfection. She clad her eyes in a pair of sunglasses and radiated happiness with her husband of nearly four years as he threw his arms around her. Meanwhile Mark showed off his muscular physique in a pair of printed pink swim shorts. Wow: Michelle showcased her jaw-dropping physique in a tropical cut-out swimsuit, as she flaunted her gym-honed physique for the camera on Thursday 'She exists': The former TOWIE star's Extra co-host Mario Lopez couldn't resist poking fun at the pair as he posted a cheeky comment on the picture As his post racked up the likes and his pal Mario took to the comment section, Mark quipped back at his pal with a snoring face. Earlier in the week the pair took to social media to show off the sandy shores of the Sandals Royal Barbados on Thursday. Michelle showcased her jaw-dropping physique in a tropical cut-out swimsuit, as she flaunted her gym-honed physique for the camera. She shielded her eyes from the rays with a pair of rounded shades, while wearing her brunette tresses in voluminous beachy waves. Beach body: Mark showed off his muscular physique in a pair of printed pink swim shorts It's no surprise that Mark couldn't keep his eyes off his stunning wife, as he gazed adoringly at her in the sweet couple's snap which Michelle posted on Instagram. Mark held his wife's hand, while showing off his rippling abs as he went shirtless in a pair of pink palm tree print swim shorts. The married couple have shared a series of posts from their holiday to Barbados, which they made clear to fans was a gifted holiday in a nod to the Advertising Standards Agency's outlines. Looking every inch the perfect couple, the pair displayed the delights of their holiday - including a host of boozy treats, meeting a monkey on the beach and enjoying an idyllic dinner. Picture perfect: Michelle and Mark looked the picture of happiness as they relaxed on the sandy shores of the Sandals Royal Barbados Ray of sunshine: Michelle and Mark made their love of the perks of the job clear as they took to Instagram to share a series of posts from their holiday to Barbados Mark and Michelle have kept their followers up to speed on their holiday antics as they shared a series of snaps from a romantic beach date night. Throughout the trip, they have been tagging their location and writing '#ad' on their posts to adhere with the Advertising Standards Authority rules surrounding paid posts on Instagram - in which it must be clear they are being paid for the posts. Last year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducted an investigation into concerns that social media stars are not properly declaring when they have been paid, or otherwise rewarded, to endorse goods or services. Under consumer protection law, influencers are required to clearly state if they have received payment for products they endorse - either in gifts, money, trips or by loan of the products - hence the obedient couple's clear markings. They've been trying to put their differences behind them after finding themselves in the middle of a love triangle with Sam Mucklow. And things seem to be going swimmingly with Demi Sims and Shelby Tribble despite the initial drama, as the newcomer coyly discussed the perks of bisexuality with her curious co-star, 26. In an exclusive clip revealed to MailOnline on Saturday, they turned up the heat as they debated whether they should be hooking up with each other. TOWIE EXCLUSIVE: Demi coyly discussed the perks of bisexuality to a curious Shelby... as they debate hooking up to END Sam love triangle During their conversation, which they had alongside Courtney Green, Demi spoke honestly about her trepidation over her relationship with Sam. She explained: 'Im undecided at the moment. Its different for me, I usually date girls. Girls keep you on your toes but in a nice way, do you know what I mean? The conversations flow easier because you can be like babe can I borrow your make-up?' Courtney then turned the conversation to Shelby as she said: 'I mean Shelbs you havent really had much luck with guys have you?' Could there be something there? In an exclusive clip revealed to MailOnline on Saturday, they turned up the heat as they debated whether they should be hooking up with each other Turning the tables: During their conversation, which they had alongside Courtney Green, Demi spoke honestly about her trepidation over her relationship with Sam To which Shelby replied candidly: 'Ive had enough of men, so Im considering turning the other way.' Demi asked if Shelby was 'coming onto [her] boat', to which the reality starlet joked: 'Listen, imagine me nicking you off Sam. As if he didnt hate me anymore and then Im nicking his bird.' The bisexual TOWIE star said she was 'pulling all the stops out,' which prompted Shelby to become red-faced in embarrassment as she giggled and hid her face. Asking herself why she was 'getting all embarrassed', Shelby admitted she could feel herself 'going really red', while Demi said she was feeling 'really shy' afterwards. Stand out: The bisexual TOWIE star said she was 'pulling all the stops out,' which prompted Shelby to become red-faced in embarrassment as she giggled and hid her face Newcomer: Demi joined TOWIE this season, and has already been causing waves over her budding romance with Sam Demi joined TOWIE this season, and has already been causing waves over her budding romance with Sam. The starlet - who identifies as bisexual - caught Sam's eye during a cast trip to Thailand, and he has been wooing her in recent weeks. The romance has not been without drama, however, as Sam was sleeping with Shelby Tribble at the time, leading to an explosive row that saw Shelby throw a drink over him, whilst he retaliated by calling her a 's**g'. Demi hasn't allowed the scandal to deter her, however, as she explained that although she has found herself in the centre of drama, she won't stop seeing Sam. Close: Asking herself why she was 'getting all embarrassed', Shelby admitted she could feel herself 'going really red', while Demi said she was feeling 'really shy' afterwards Blossoming romance: The starlet - who identifies as bisexual - caught Sam's eye during a cast trip to Thailand, and he has been wooing her in recent weeks Speaking to MailOnline last week after going on a 'mates date' with Sam, she explained: 'Everythings new between me and him. 'If you get on, you go on a "date date" afterwards. Its a surprise. Ill have to wait and see,' she teased while insisting to MailOnline that she hadn't kissed him and has yet to say that she likes him. On her bisexual orientation, Demi was also vocal about her disappointment in there being no women to date on the show. Looking for love: On her bisexual orientation, Demi was also vocal about her disappointment in there being no women to date on the show Speaking to MailOnline, Demi also explained that it was difficult for herself to avoid drama after Shelby embarked on a furious row with her ex Sam after she heard of his plans to make a move on her. However, she revealed she had attempted to put her differences with Shelby behind her, revealing: 'We had a conversation earlier, we spoke to each other. 'I dont really know her that well. We just wanted to say we haven't got a problem with each other. Theres no animosity.' She's considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. And Sofia Vergara proved worthy of the title as she turned heads during a casual outing in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 46-year-old bombshell commanded attention even in a low-key ensemble of sweater and denim for her sunny day out in the tony neighborhood of Beverly Hills. Stunner: Sofia Vergara, 46, turned heads during a casual outing in Los Angeles on Saturday Daring to impress, the Colombian stunner showcased her ample assets in the formfitting navy top. Her gorgeous gams were thrust on center stage as the faded denim legging proved skintight with a roll at the hem. Not seen was her husband Joe Manganiello with whom she celebrated their third wedding anniversary in November. The actors tied the knot on November 21, 2015 in Palm Beach, Florida. Bombshell: The bombshell commanded attention even in a low-key ensemble of sweater and denim for her sunny day out in the tony neighborhood of Beverly Hills 'Happy anniversary love of my life!!!!!!!' Sofia wrote on Instagram. Joe responded: 'Thankful that three years ago today I made the best decision of my life...' Sofia is currently filming the 10th and final season of Modern Family, which premiered on September 26. She is one of the highest earning actress of television, with reported earnings in 2017 of $41.5 million, according to Forbes. Family love: Sofia shared a cute snap of her husband Joe Manganiello and their puppy on Saturday Half of her money comes film her role on the hit ABC sitcom, but her endorsement and licensing deals with Cover Girl, Pepsi and Head & Shoulders accounts for the rest. Along with her final season of Modern Family, Sofia appeared in two movies last year. She starred alongside Karl Urban and Andy Garcia in Bent and with Tim Roth, Alice Eve and Maggie Q in The Con Is On. She will also star with her husband Joe in Stano, a true story adaptation in theaters this year. She's a proud mom-of-one. And Courteney Cox, 54, recently enjoyed a girlie beach break with her daughter Coco. The star looked radiant as she was spotted as she stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles on Thursday, after a spring break vacay with her 14-year daughter by ex-husband David Arquette. The one where she went for food: Courteney Cox was spotted heading out for dinner in Los Angeles on Thursday The Friends star showcased her slender physique in a simple and stylish jeans and blazer combo. She added classic black heels and a black leather bag. The beauty appeared to be sporting a golden tan from her beach break, which she shared with fans on her Instagram account. Looking good: The star looked radiant as she was spotted as she stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles on Thursday The natural beauty wore little to no make up, and glasses, but could not disguise her striking cheekbones and blue eyes. Her glossy dark tresses were in a loose updo with tendrils framing her face. The star raised a smile as she stepped into the restaurant solo, no doubt rested from her sunny vacation. Night out: The natural beauty wore little to no make up, and glasses, but could not disguise her striking cheekbones and blue eyes Relaxed: The star raised a smile as she stepped into the restaurant solo, no doubt rested from her sunny vacation The star - who is now dating Johnny McDaid from Snow patrol - enjoyed a beach break with Coco, sharing cute selfies with her teen. Courteney hit the big time after playing Monica Gellar in the hit series Friends, which follows the lives of a group of 20-somethings living in New York City. Fans got a blast from the past when the actress revisited the famous apartment the show was set at, in an Instagram video posted Wednesday. Vacay all day: The star - who is now dating Johnny McDaid from Snow patrol - enjoyed a beach break with daughter Coco Mommy daughter time: She shared cute selfies with her teen Fun times: She posted her antics on the sand 'Good night guys, going home!' the actress told the camera as she approached the iconic building, just as music from the show faded into the background. 'The One Where My Rent Went Up $12,000 #friends #mollymcnearney #missthosedays,' she captioned the video. Courteney starred opposite Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc in the show, which aired from 1994 to 2004. She's been busy reprising her role as Harley Quinn from the 2016 smash hit, Suicide Squad. And there was no rest for Margot Robbie on Friday night, seen shooting scenes from her latest film, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). In one shot, the 28-year-old beauty looked completely distraught as she appeared in tears while sitting in a convertible car. Is everything alright? Margot Robbie appeared completely distraught on Friday night as she filmed scenes for Birds Of Prey while dressed up as Harley Quinn Margot stunned in a black and red crop top and a pair of high-waisted metallic striped trousers. The Australian beauty's character had a navy colored blazer with various bold patches and lightning bolts of fire on the rim. She opted for a bleach blonde wig and tamed the look with a pair of black patent leather boots. Margot, is that you? Margot Robbie was nearly unrecognizable as she filmed Birds Of Prey as Harley Quinn on Friday night Stylish:Margot stunned in a black and red crop top and a pair of high-waisted metallic striped trousers Margot's glam saw her sport a clear complexion with a sweep of blush, dark eye and a bold red lip. Filming for the upcoming film has been under way since mid-January. Birds Of Prey follows Harley Quinn after she splits from The Joker and teams up with a group of female heroes to save a young girl from the clutches of a crime lord. Birds Of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) sees the star form an alliance with a group of XX-chromosomed warriors. Hard at work: Filming for the upcoming film has been under way since mid-January. Birds Of Prey follows Harley Quinn after she splits from The Joker and teams up with a group of female heroes to save a young girl from the clutches of a crime lord She's back! Birds Of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) sees the star form an alliance with a group of XX-chromosomed warriors Following the events in that film, Gotham City is left vulnerable by the disappearance of Batman. 'This is not Batman's Gotham. It's a scrappier Gotham,' revealed the cast in a pre-recorded teaser interview at CinemaCon on Tuesday. Margot added: 'I love long titles. It's bat s**t crazy.' Last week the beauty was seen filming scenes in Los Angeles for the upcoming flick, carrying a tray of margaritas in the colorful ensemble. Another shot had her wear a statement shirt with a pair of shimmery silver bootcut trousers. Next role: In July this year, Quentin Tarantino's latest project, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood will be released; Margot plays the late Sharon Tate The breakup scene saw The Joker throw out some items from a two-story window before Margot is seen frantically running away. Having left The Joker, Quinn joins forces with Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to protect young girl Cassandra Cain, who finds herself in trouble after discovering diamond belonging to local crime lord Black Mask. The film also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who takes the role of Huntress, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, Ewan McGregor as Black Mask and Jussie Smollet's sister - Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary. In July this year, Quentin Tarantino's latest project, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood will be released; Margot plays the late Sharon Tate. Margot, who scored her first Oscar nod for her role as disgraced ice skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, made her Hollywood breakthrough in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street. Kim Zolciak is anything but shy. The 40-year-old reality star is known to post bikini selfies to Instagram and proved on trend as she shared pics from her Turks & Caicos holiday on Saturday. Looking fit and fabulous, the Don't Be Tardy lead played coy as she captioned a video of herself in a yellow swimsuit: 'Last day in Turks you guys.. you can definitely tell ive been eating my ass off.. but I've had a blast.' Never shy: Kim Zolciak, 40, shared pics from her Turks & Caicos holiday on Saturday 'I'd like to stay another week,' she added at the end of the scintillating clip. The blonde bombshell was looking in the mirror as she rubbed her flat and toned tummy before insinuating she had gained weight during the vacation. Meanwhile, Kim's daughter Brielle Biermann has been showing off her impressive bikini body as well. On Wednesday, the 22-year-old siren was seen in her leopard print bathing suit as she sat on a Sea Dog jet ski in an image shared to social media. PLaying coy: Looking fit and fabulous, the Don't Be Tardy lead played coy as she captioned a video of herself in a yellow swimsuit: 'Last day in Turks you guys.. you can definitely tell ive been eating my ass off.. but I've had a blast' Bombshell: The blonde bombshell was looking in the mirror as she rubbed her flat and toned tummy before insinuating she had gained weight during the vacation The caption read, 'Lemme drive da boat @sunandfunseasport.' The beauty had a deep tan and oiled up body as she leaned forward onto the jet ski which was green and white. Earlier she showed off her bottom while in a blue and white bikini. More time please: 'I'd like to stay another week,' she added at the end of the scintillating clip Sitting pretty: Brielle Biermann has an impressive bikini body and she has been showing it off nearly daily as she enjoys a dream vacation She was laying face down on an outlet made of large stones that was surrounded by light blue water. The star had on a thick French braid and her face could not be seen. The caption read, 'Sunny & 75 and yall still have a better view than i do.' Another look at her: Earlier she showed off her bottom while in a blue and white bikini The greatest view from here: Brielle takes in the view while wearing a red bikini A family affair: Biermann also posted some family snaps She's a doting mother and lover of the four-legged friend. And Melissa McCarthy proved worthy of both titles as she was spotted out with her adorable daughters and cute canines in Los Angeles on Saturday. The Oscar nominee, 48, enjoyed a lovely stroll with Vivian, 11, and Georgette, nine, as they walked their dogs in the tony neighborhood of Toluca Lake. Family outing: Melissa McCarthy, 48, was spotted out with her adorable daughters Vivian, 11, and Georgette, nine, and their cute canines in Los Angeles on Saturday The Can You Ever Forgive Me star protected her alabaster skin from the bright sunlight with the help of a visor and retro shades. Both Vivian and Georgette played small roles in Melissa's 2016 movie The Boss. Melissa shares her daughters with husband Ben Falcone, an actor and alumnus of The Groundlings, whom she married on October 8, 2005. Meanwhile, Melissa put her outrageous comedic skills on full display alongside Ben on Tuesday. Sunny stroll: They walked their dogs in the tony neighborhood of Toluca Lake Getting in on the act: Both Vivian and Georgette played roles in Melissa's 2016 movie The Boss The dynamic duo had fans bursting out in laughter when they donned dragon costumes to promote their upcoming action-comedy, Superintelligence at CinemaCon 2019 in Las Vegas. In Superintelligence, McCarthy plays a former corporate executive whose life is turned upside down when she is selected for observation by the worlds first super-intelligence a form of artificial intelligence that may or may not take over the world, according to Variety. The couple have already collaborated on three comedies together: Tammy (2014), The Boss (2016) and the upcoming film Life Of The Party, which is based on Rodney Dangerfield's 1986 hit Back To School. Superintelligence is slated to premiere December 20, 2019. It is no secret that Chloe Sims and Dan Edgars unlikely romance has divided the cast of TOWIE. And Georgia Kousoulou, 27, launches into a fiery rant at Courtney Green, 23, in upcoming scenes of Sunday's hit ITVBe show. In a clip obtained from The Sun, it sees Georgia warn Courtney that her thoughts on Chloe and Dan will 'f**k up' their romance, after she claims he's still in touch with his ex Amber Turner. Fiery: Georgia Kousoulou, 27, launches into a fiery rant at Courtney Green, 23, in upcoming scenes of Sunday's episode of TOWIE During their conversation, Georgia blames Courtney, who is best friends with Dan's former flame Amber, for rocking the boat as she lays into her. Georgia begins: 'When were hearing your opinion, it just looks bitter on your behalf, because youre not in the friendship group.' Seething with rage, she adds: 'And if you carry on, and people carry on with these opinions, its going to f**k it up for them.' Standing up for herself Courtney responds: 'For me, it is a bit of a shock. Im not saying they shouldnt be together, but youve got to see it from my point of view. Pushing back: During their chat Courtney spills that Dan is still in touch with his ex Amber Turner despite his new romance with Chloe 'Its one of my best friends ex-boyfriends so when they move on it does get weird.' Georgia is not swayed as she reminds Courtney that Amber is 'no longer in the picture' as she does not star in the Essex show. To which Courtney then spills: 'Amber and Dan are still in contact with each other. This is what Im hearing. 'I dont think Dan is good enough for Chloe, thats just my opinion. I dont think hes good enough for his ex.' Furious: Georgia is not swayed as she reminds Courtney that Amber is 'no longer in the picture' as she does not star in the Essex show Reeling at this revelation, Georgia spouts: 'They aint hurting anyone, let them be! Everyone needs to f**k off, theyre upset. Theyre getting s**t from every angle. They dont need all these f**king opinions that are so irrelevant to their lives.' The chat follows on from scenes that aired last weekend that showed Courtney and Daigs catching up on Dan and Chloe's unlikely love story. Diags suggested that Dan had gone against the rules by getting close to one of his friend's family members. He said: 'Our group of boys we just don't get with each others family, it's just a thing that we don't do because it just causes a whole load of agg.' Dan's ex: Georgia is not swayed as she reminds Courtney that Amber (pictured) is 'no longer in the picture' as she does not star in the Essex show Courtney said she doesn't think that Chloe, who has made no secret of her desire to settle down, will be satisfied by a relationship with Dan. She said: 'From my point of view I don't think it's going to end well, I don't, I love Dan but I don't think he's enough for her. I think she needs someone more than him.' Diags replied: 'I just think for what's happening and what it's causing between our mates, her cousins really upset about it and he's obviously my best mate and he's giving me loads of stuff about it.' 'But on the other hand if you do stop it then Chloe's going to be upset, so it's like an impossible situation.' Diags then sweetly admitted that the reason everyone is so concerned about the romance is because they all love Chloe so much, he said: 'If it was another girl it wouldn't matter nobody would care... 'But it's Chloe we all love Chloe, so if you're gonna hurt Chloe - he needs to say straight up, you know what I'm not in that stage of time to think I'm going to commit and settle down because I'm not. 'All us boys know it, so just be honest, but when I speak to Chloe about it it just goes round in circles because she's like "I don't want that, I just want to see where things go". But I know what Chloe wants.' Courtney then bluntly said: 'I think everyone knows what Chloe wants, she's always been at that stage where she wants to find the one - but Dan isn't it.' Tough time: Chloe Sims and Dan Edgars unlikely romance has divided the cast of TOWIE Things heated up between Chloe and Dan when they were away filming The Only Way Is Essex in Thailand. The former salon owner laid her cards on the table as she admitted she'd 'marry him right now' during their candid talk. However, viewers were left doubting about Dan's emotions for Chloe because he divulged he was weary over the 'pressure' of their relationship. Chloe sat on the beach with Dan as she said: 'You know that I've always thought you were beautiful and a nice person. So for you to say you had those feelings, I was really happy. There isn't any pressure from me.' The hunk revealed he also holds feelings for his love interest but confessed he's worried about the pressure from their close friends. He shared: 'I feel like there's a load of pressure, that didn't need to happen. I feel like I'm going to end up hurting someone... you know that I care about you a lot, but it's been a lot to take in. 'It's frustrating that there's pressure from outside. It's so early and so ridiculous to have all of this at this stage. 'Lets see how things happen when we get home. I don't get on with any girl better than you.' The Only Way Is Essex airs on Sunday 7 April at 9pm on ITVBe. The O.C. star Logan Marshall-Green's wife has revealed that she's divorcing him for adultery. Diane Gaeta, 38, who married the 42-year-old actor in December 2012, told her Instagram followers that 'people aren't always what they seem' in a damning post on Friday. She explained: 'I filed for divorce today from @elemgy because people arent always what they seem and to every woman out there: always trust your gut.' Sharing: The O.C. star Logan Marshall-Green's wife has revealed on Instagram that she's divorcing him for adultery Split: The couple have been married since 2012 (pictured May 2018) and share a son Gaeta, who stars in movie Adopt a Highway which was written and directed by her husband - and also stars Ethan Hawke - appeared to go a step further and name the woman she suspects he had cheated on her with. She accused actress Sarah Hay of sleeping with him; the 31-year-old Flesh and Bone star set her Instagram to private and made no comment. 'And beware of the faux woman champion like @sarahhayofficial because those girls dont care about sleeping with a married father of two. Peace and Love, thanks for letting me share,' Gaeta wrote. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Gaeta filed for divorce on Friday in Los Angeles. Elbow: Gaeta filed for divorce on Friday in Los Angeles from actor Logan Marshall-Green (pictured May 2012) The couple Gaeta and Marshall-Green, 42, tied the knot in 2012 and share son, Tennessee Logan, who turns five this month. Marshall-Green is also stepfather to Culla Mae, Gaetas daughter from a previous relationship. As well as roles in television series The O.C. and 24, the actor has also been featured in films including Prometheus and Spider-Man: Homecoming. The actor premiered his directorial debut, Adopt a Highway, at the South by Southwest festival in March, which also stars his estranged wife. Meanwhile, Hay, 31, an actress and former ballet dancer, has been seen in HBOs Room 104 and movie Black Swan. The star, who is not currently married, was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2016 for her role in the Starz miniseries Flesh and Bone, where she played a tormented ballerina. Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife Beth Chapman has been hospitalized. Beth 51, who has been battling throat cancer, was rushed to hospital in Hawaii on Saturday. Us Weekly reports that the mother-of-five was taken to a medical facility 'with serious breathing issues'. Not well: Beth Chapman, wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter, has been admitted to hospital in Hawaii 'She hasnt been feeling well of late and Dog is by her side. One thing everyone knows about Beth is that shes a fighter.' a source told the site. Beth started chemotherapy treatment in Los Angeles in December. She revealed her stage II cancer diagnosis in September 2017 and announced she was cancer-free a few months later. However, the cancer returned a year later, which led to her having emergency surgery to remove a mass in her throat. Partners: Dog, 66 (real name Duane Chapman), told DailyMailTV last month that his wife of 13 years wanted to spend her last days on the hunt, tracking down fugitives for their new WGN America show Dog's Most Wanted Several weeks after the operation, Us reported that Beth's cancer was incurable and had spread to her throat and lungs. Dog, 66 (real name Duane Chapman), told DailyMailTV last month that his wife of 13 years wanted to spend her last days on the hunt, tracking down fugitives for their new WGN America show Dog's Most Wanted. 'My baby has cancer and she is fighting like hell. I have cried a lot over this because Beth is my everything. 'Despite all of the obstacles I have overcome, this is by far the biggest test of my life and mark my words, I will not let her die. 'She is my rock and my bodyguard. I will do everything I can to keep her here.' Dog, real name Duane Chapman, told DailyMailTV last month 'She is my rock and my bodyguard. I will do everything I can to keep her here.' Dog said, 'If this were me, I would be a big sissy. But not Beth. She is still hitting the ground running with me. Beth is determined cancer won't slow her down. 'In fact, I am so amazed by Beth's strength and positive attitude. 'She has told me repeatedly that if these are her last days on earth she wants to spend every moment with me on the hunt, living life to the fullest and enjoying the time we have left together. Married At First Sight's Matthew Bennett has moved on with Annabel Jameson after splitting from 'TV wife' Lauren Huntriss. And the 30-year-old appeared to take a swipe at his former flame, in a post shared to Instagram on Friday. While showing gratitude for his British girlfriend, the reality star warned his fans to 'be very careful' of who you let into your life. 'Be very careful who you let into your life': MAFS' Matthew Bennett [left with Annabel] appeared to take a swipe at 'ex-wife' Lauren Huntriss [right] as he paid tribute to new girlfriend Annabel Jameson on Friday Matthew shared a photo of himself and Annabel holding hands in front of Indonesia's Borobudur Temple. The couple, who were dressed casually, looked smitten as they gazed into one another's eyes. Matthew revealed his gratitude for meeting his new girlfriend in the post's caption, while also seemingly taking a swipe at his 'ex-wife' Lauren Huntriss, 32. 'The road ahead is unpredictable and may be tough, but as long as you have the right person by your side you can deal with anything,' the videographer wrote. 'Be very careful of whom you choose to let into your life, not everyone deserves to get everything you have to offer.' New flame: The 30-year-old videographer went public with his new romance in February Speaking to Sunshine Coast Daily recently, Matt revealed he met Annabel after filming wrapped on MAFS. 'I'm crazy about her. I've never been with someone who makes time disappear when I'm with her,' he said. 'And whilst reliving the experiment on TV and in the media is certainly putting strain on this new relationship, we're working through it and I'm optimistic for the future.' The pair got together after Matthew failed to find love with his 'wife', make-up artist Lauren Huntriss on Married At First Sight. Interesting story: Matt told Channel Nine's Today show that the couple 'met trying out for wrestling, like professional wrestling'. Pictured together on the Today show They endured a bitter split, with Lauren left devastated when Matthew admitted he wasn't sexually attracted to her - despite losing his virginity to her on the show. Earlier this month, fans noticed that Lauren had been 'liking' comments falsely suggesting Matthew is gay. Two of the comments Lauren later admitted to 'liking' included: 'This guy is gay' and 'Matt... just admit you're gay and get on with your life'. Australians cut their total food wastage by $700 million in 2018 but experts say we are still buying too much from the shops and letting too much produce go off before it can be finished. A survey of Australia's consumption habits by rural-focused lender Rabobank has revealed each household binned an average $890 worth of food last year for a total annual wastage bill of $8.9 billion. Friday's survey showed Aussies are slowly improving their habits, with the 2018 wastage figure down seven per cent from $9.6 billion in 2017, but the country remains firmly in the world's top five for waste per capita - each person binning nearly 300 kilograms of food annually. "While it is pleasing that Australian consumers are wasting less food compared to 12 months ago, there is clearly much to do to raise awareness about food production and waste and more urgently implement better practices to reduce waste," said Rabobank Australia's head of client experience Glenn Wealands. The main culprit for food waste was food going off before it could be finished (75 per cent) while 45 per cent of Australians were buying too much at the shops. About one in three admitted they wasted food because of insufficient meal planning. Mr Wealands said cutting food waste was critical if the planet was to be able to feed a projected 9.2 billion people by 2050. "For the current rate of consumption, we would need four planets by then," he said. Meanwhile, Rabobank's global chairman Wiebe Dreijer said the big supermarkets also had a greater role to play. "There is a massive amount of things that (retailers) currently throw out under the heading 'this cannot be sold' that many consumers would be happy to take," Mr Dreijer said. He called for a single definition of ultimate 'date of use' labelling for food, and highlighted the effectiveness of initiatives such as active in-store pricing based on remaining shelf life. A spokesperson for Coles said the supermarket worked closely with non-profit organisations SecondBite and Foodbank to reduce food waste and provide meals to people facing hardship by rescuing surplus, edible food from stores and distribution centres nationwide. Woolworths said it had saved more than 54,000 tonnes of surplus food from going into landfill through their partnerships with hunger relief agencies, farmers and commercial composters. The head of Rabobank Direct Bede Cronin said ultimately consumers would need to take ownership of the issue and affect change through their purchasing. "The real momentum will come when consumers' attitudes and expectations come together with retailers realising they can reduce waste and still increase their bottom line by partnering with innovators and financial tech... and then government coming into bat," he said. Today's Birthday, March 3: Lucy Lawless, New Zealand actor (1968 - ) Known to many as Xena: Warrior Princess, Lucy Lawless has spent her years off-camera as another kind of hero - one fighting climate change. The New Zealand actor joined forces with Greenpeace against oil drilling companies, jumping onboard ocean ships protesting "the age of oil". "There are a few things that want me to go full Xena helter-skelter at times and that is climate change. The greed and stupidity which is driving climate change makes me want to go postal," Lawless told Women in the World in 2015. As the title character from television series Xena, Lawless shot to cult fame, inspiring fear in warlords and monsters with her piercing battle cry and trademark weapon - the chakram. Despite fears she would never shake the image of an Amazonian warrior, she appeared in re-imagined science fiction series Battlestar Galactica a few years later between 2005 and 2009. Her next high-profile role was risque, baring all as Lucretia, an avaricious wife of Roman figure Batiatus in three series about Spartacus the gladiator (2010 - 2012). The double threat has also sung with Smokey Robinson and Kenny Loggins on Celebrity Duets. In 2007 she appeared on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm as herself. Born Lucy Ryan, she grew up in Mount Albert in Auckland. Aged 18 she travelled to the Australian outback where she worked in the gold mines. Here she met her first partner Garth Lawless and returned to New Zealand where the pair had their first child. After a string of roles in New Zealand television, she took up co-presenting travel show Air New Zealand Holiday. When the Xena production ventured to New Zealand, they insisted on American actors for key roles. But when their first choice pulled out from playing the title role, producer Rob Tapert turned to a local warrior princess. Lawless and Tapert later married in 1998 and have two children together. Xena debuted in the US in 1994 and became the highest rating new syndicated series, inspiring action figures and a passionate fan base. Following the show's end in 2001, Lawless headlined two TV movies Locusts and Vampire Bats. She recently starred opposite Bruce Campbell in Ash vs Evil Dead. Last year she was cast in Australian crime drama My Life is Murder. Two brothers accused of murder were "normal, middle-class family men" but a perceived debt of about $300,000 led to the bashing of a business associate who then suffered a "fatal cardiac event", a Perth court has heard. Ambrose John Clarke, 54, and Xavier Gerard Clarke, 52, are facing a retrial in the West Australian Supreme Court charged with murdering 51-year-old Peter Davis. Mr Davis' body was found wrapped in plastic inside the boot of his vehicle at the Great Eastern Motor Lodge on May 31, 2011. The father-of-four was allegedly lured to an address in Malaga the day before and killed after intimidation and attempts to recover the money through an unlicensed debt collector failed. The jury was told on Thursday to ignore the fact it was a retrial and warned not to do their own research. Prosecutor Paul Usher argued Mr Davis did not die from natural causes. He said the brothers were close and killing Mr Davis was a "family affair". "Whatever they did and however they did it, they intended to cause the death." The brothers acted together but may have had different roles, Mr Usher added. The court heard Ambrose Clarke had started a franchise of Mr Davis' business, but in 2009, Mr Davis suspected Clarke was stealing money, so they severed ties. Mr Davis also complained to police. Clarke was allegedly aggrieved and felt animosity towards Mr Davis, believing he was owed money. By May 2011, Clarke's bitterness had allegedly increased as he faced "huge financial pressure". Mr Usher said Clarke had abandoned hope of receiving money from Mr Davis, so he turned to getting retribution. Mr Davis was allegedly lured to a property under the guise of giving a business quote on May 30, 2011, then met with foul play between 6.50am and 7.12am. He was dead or near death when he was put in his car, the court heard. His son found the car the next day and had his own car rammed by Ambrose Clarke's vehicle, which he was a passenger in at the time and was wearing white forensic overalls, the court heard. Prosecutors will rely on mobile phone evidence to pinpoint the location of Mr Davis and the Clarke brothers. Mr Usher said Mr Davis' "holiday" mobile phone, a page from his diary and other items were found at Ambrose Clarke's home. He said Xavier Clarke's DNA was on Mr Davis' pants and this thumb prints were on the plastic sheet. Ambrose Clarke's defence counsel Shane Brennan said Mr Davis died from a heart attack and the injuries to his body were not life-threatening. "His heart was absolutely shot," Mr Brennan said. "It was just a matter of time." He also said the brothers denied having any confrontation, altercation, meeting or dealings with Mr Davis or his body. The defence opening addresses are yet to be completed. About 100 witnesses are expected to testify during the 10 week trial. Small businesses will soon be able to access free advice to reduce their power bills through a $10 million federal government program. The NSW Business Chamber will be running the program nationwide from next month, building on a similar service provided to its members. The service helped Meals on Wheels save $17,000 a year, allowing the charity to offer 3000 extra meals for those in need. "The power is the same power coming out of the power point, it's just that they weren't on the best deal available," NSW Business Chamber CEO Stephen Cartwright told AAP. "All we really need is for small businesses to get help when the opportunity is there, because they really have no idea how much they may be able to save." The initial program has already helped 2500 small businesses save a collective $5 million from their annual power bills. The energy efficiency and retail market advice will be available either face-to-face or through digital platforms. The program will run alongside an online tool giving small businesses the chance to compare their energy spend against other businesses. Breast cancer patients will soon save up to $1500 per scan, regardless of which major party wins the federal election in May. Labor leader Bill Shorten is promising to boost funding for Medicare by $47 million to provide affordable access to breast cancer scans and drive down the cost of cancer treatment. "Medicare already subsidises similar MRI scans for men with prostate cancer - but not for women with breast cancer, except in extremely limited circumstances," Mr Shorten said on Friday. "As a result, thousands of women are being charged up to $1500 in out-of-pocket costs for the scans used to diagnose their cancer, decide on treatment and ensure cancer does not return." The cost of multiple scans can add up to many thousands of dollars. Health Minister Greg Hunt is also promising to boost Medicare funding by $32.6 million for breast cancer scans. Mr Hunt expects about 14,000 per year to benefit. The government is also planning to add PET scans for advanced breast cancer to the Medicare list from November this year, helping about 10,000 patients save up to $1000 per scan. "These scans will save lives and reduce out-of-pocket cost for families fighting breast cancer," Mr Hunt said. Labor health spokeswoman Catherine King said the cost added significantly to the stress women were already going through as they dealt with a cancer diagnosis. "In the worst-case scenario, some women may forego these scans altogether because they simply cannot afford to pay the high out-of-pocket costs," she said. Labor's Medicare items will be designed in consultation with experts, and the extra funding would come from closing multinational business tax loopholes. A list of criminals who still are behind bars because of information barrister and snitch Nicola Gobbo passed to police about her clients still hasn't been handed over by Victoria Police. A royal commission into police use of informers is looking at convictions that could have been tainted by the criminal lawyer's informing, but counsel assisting, Chris Winneke QC is losing patience. Ms Gobbo represented up to 600 clients while she was a registered police informer and source between 1995 and 2010, including underworld boss Carl Williams and drug lord Tony Mokbel. Prosecutors are investigating how many convictions could have been tainted, and a working group is giving priority to those still in jail. "You're aware the royal commission has been asking for a considerable period of time, weeks, to be given a list of people in custody so it can get on with its list to prioritise," Mr Winneke said, quizzing Assistant Commsisioner Neil Paterson on the topic for a second day on Thursday. Mr Paterson, who said internal investigations had so far found only one case among 37 requiring disclosure of further information to prosecutors, said the request seemed a simple one. "I will commit that we find out that exact number and provide that as soon as we can," he said on Thursday, after a further prod from commissioner Margaret McMurdo. Mr Paterson is due to take the stand again on Friday, a day after admitting police knew future prosecutions and previous convictions could be jeopardised by using her. Junior officers raised concerns in 2008, three years before legal advice was sought. Handlers became worried during a "tug of war" with officers who wanted Ms Gobbo to become an official witness. She became one in investigations into the murder of fellow informer Terrence Hodson and his wife Christine, and prostitute Shane Chartres-Abbott. "Was their a concern about the risk of a royal commission into source handling in the [Source Development Unit]," counsel assisting, Chris Winneke QC asked. "Yes, there was," Mr Paterson replied. Mr Paterson was also asked why there'd been no investigation into police behaviour after a 2015 anti-corruption watchdog report by Murray Kellam "negligence of a high order" in use of Ms Gobbo. Mr Paterson stood by the police response at the time - that they'd not been asked to investigate. A number of other police are due to take the stand, including Ms Gobbo's first handler Sergeant Trevor Ashton and Assistant Commissioner Jack Blayney, who called her a "loose cannon" in 1996. Microsoft's president has urged Australia and other countries to regulate facial recognition before democratic freedoms are impacted. Brad Smith said a global conversation was needed to discuss issues such as bias and discrimination, commercial privacy and a potential impact on democratic freedoms if facial recognition is misused and abused. At the moment, market leaders such as Microsoft and NEC are making the decisions on where to draw the line on each issue. "What we want to avoid is a commercial race to the bottom," he told a business conference in Sydney on Thursday. "We don't want a race to the bottom where people just scoop up deals based on technology that is not ready, with customers in countries that may not live up to human rights and democratic ideals, and see the market go in that direction. Mr Smith said governments have an "increasingly important" role to play in new technology such as AI. "We are the first people in the history of humanity who will give this power to machines, he said. "So, for the future of humanity, it is essential we think this through." Less than two months out from a federal election, Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O'Dwyer is ramping up her attacks against Labor's "radical" ideas for Australian workplaces. Delivering a major speech to one of the nation's largest employer groups, Ms O'Dwyer will argue the Australian economy is at a crossroads ahead of the election in May. She is urging voters to look past "deceptive slogans and the politics of envy" when weighing up which party is best for their jobs, wages and cost of living pressures. Industrial relations is shaping as a key battleground issue ahead of the federal poll, and Ms O'Dwyer claims Labor has "the most radical" agenda in decades. Addressing the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Melbourne on Friday, the minister will take particular aim at Labor's claims of increasing casualisation of the workforce. Ms O'Dwyer says official data indicates the proportion of casual employees in the workforce has remained steady for 20 years, and dropped slightly in the past 12 months. The proportion of contractors and labour hire workers has also remained steady over the past decade. "Notwithstanding this data, demonising the prospect of a more flexible labour market overlooks the fact that part-time and casual work is a genuine and fulfilling choice for many people," she will say. "Particularly those balancing work with studying or caring responsibilities." Ms O'Dwyer warns Labor's plans to increase the minimum wage will "break the nexus" between employee income and the capacity of employers to pay. She has also railed against suggestions the union movement will push a Labor government to ensure workers can take industry-wide strike action as part of a promised revamp of bargaining laws. "Make no mistake, Labor's radical change of industry-wide bargaining is a big risk to our economy, to jobs and to our national prosperity," she says. Australia's energy and resources exports will rake in a record $278 billion this financial year, a report on the sector reveals. The report released on Friday outlines the five-year forecast for the value, volume and price of the nation's resources and energy commodity exports. Commodity prices are expected to decline in 2019/20, which will see export earnings drop slightly to $272 billion. Australia is the world's largest exporter of iron ore with 836 million tonnes sent offshore last year - enough to build 10,050 Sydney Harbour Bridges. Iron ore export earnings are expected to increase by 21 per cent to $74 billion in 2018/19, the second highest amount on record, and will be $60 billion by 2023/24. This decrease is due to a projected fall in prices. China accounts for 68 per cent of global iron ore imports, but the country's demand is projected to decline over the outlook period. However, this is expected to be partially offset by a decline in Australia's domestic iron ore production. Australia is the second largest exporter of thermal coal in the world, with 208 million tonnes exported last year to the value of $26 billion. One tonne of coal powers an average household for about four months. Thermal coal export volumes are forecast to grow from 203 million tonnes in 2017/18 to 225 million tonnes by 2023/24. Export earnings are predicted to reach a record $27 billion in 2018/19 before declining to $20 billion by 2023/24. China imports the most thermal coal but it also poses the greatest risk to prices due to ongoing uncertainty over its import policy. In recent months there have been delays on coal imports being processed at Chinese ports. Prices could be pushed lower if China imports less of the energy resource. Australia's LNG exports totalled 70 million tonnes last year, and the nation is the second largest exporter in the world. The value of LNG exports is forecast to reach a peak of $51 billion in 2019/20 before easing to $41 billion in 2023/24. On current predictions, Australia will surpass Qatar to become the world's largest LNG exporter this year until 2024. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hopes the remembrance service for victims of the Christchurch terror attacks will herald the beginning of necessary shifts in New Zealand society. Delegates from nearly 60 countries will join thousands of New Zealanders for the service at Hagley Park on Friday, marking two weeks since a gunman claimed 50 lives in a mass shooting at two mosques. The Muslim community will be at centre of the ceremony but many of their leaders and other visiting dignitaries haven't been identified for security reasons. Media reports say snipers and elite staff from the Australian Federal Police will patrol the park in what is being described as the country's biggest security operation. Ardern confirmed Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will attend, along with opposition leader Bill Shorten and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove. Ardern said her country has had time to come to terms with the horrific nature of the massacre and hopes there is a groundswell for change. "I want to acknowledge that New Zealand is now on the beginning of a journey," she said. "We have never been free of racism. We have never been free of violent ideology but our over-riding values are ones of fairness, compassion and diversity." Musician Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, will perform at the service which will be broadcast live around New Zealand and internationally. Pauline Hanson claims she and her One Nation colleagues are the victims of an elaborate stitch up, and has labelled the prime minister a fool for cutting her minor party adrift. Senator Hanson has gone on the attack after appearing to suggest the Port Arthur massacre was a government conspiracy. She is also digging in behind her chief of staff James Ashby and Queensland One Nation leader Steve Dickson, after they were caught talking about seeking donations from America's gun lobby. Hidden camera footage by undercover Al Jazeera journalist Rodger Muller, who was posing as a gun advocate, appeared to show Senator Hanson questioning the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. "An MP said it would actually take a massacre in Tasmania to change the gun laws in Australia," she said. "I've read a lot and I have read the book on it, Port Arthur. A lot of questions there." Senator Hanson said her remarks about Port Arthur were "heavily edited" and did not reflect her views on the mass shooting. "There is no question in my mind that Martin Bryant was the only person responsible for the murders of 35 innocent lives," she told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday. The footage also appeared to show her staffers seeking foreign donations and discussing weakening Australia's gun laws. Senator Hanson said both men made stupid comments "taken completely out of context", but claimed they were set up and deserved a second chance. The men claim they were "on the sauce" when the conversations took place. Her Port Arthur comments were the final straw for Scott Morrison, who declared the Liberals would preference One Nation below Labor at the federal election in May. "Prime minister, you have just handed the keys to The Lodge to Bill Shorten, (Greens leader Richard) Di Natale and the CFMEU," Senator Hanson said. "You're a fool." The Queensland government says its bottom line will be hit by a write down of GST across the nation. Changes to the way GST is shared among states and territories and the folding of natural disaster recovery payments into those funds means Queensland will get less. "It presents significant problems," Treasurer Jackie Trad said when asked what impact the Morrison government's budget would have on state coffers. She went on to tell a gathering of business leaders on Wednesday that Queensland would lose $560 million in GST in the next financial year. "And why the national GST write down of $8.3 billion in last night's budget?" she said. "It's because Australians who have endured years of stagnant wages and escalated cost of living pressures are understandably spending less in the economy." Queensland ministers lined up during parliament on Wednesday armed with heavy criticism of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's spending plans and equally his lack thereof. But Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington says its the state Labor leaders who need to work with the Morrison government. Lawyers and a leading employer group have urged the government to slam the brakes on harsh new penalties for social media companies that broadcast horrific terrorist attacks. Legislation cleared the Senate on Wednesday night, leaving the government one day to secure its passage through the House of Representatives before next month's election. The Morrison government announced the legislative changes after the Christchurch terror attack, in which 50 people were killed, was broadcast by the shooter on Facebook. Under the proposed measures, social media executives could face a jail sentence and companies would be breaking Australian law if they did not take down footage of terrorist acts immediately. Law Council president Arthur Moses said steps needed to be taken to ensure social media was not weaponised but proper consultation was needed. "As we know, laws formulated as a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic event do not necessarily equate to good legislation and can have myriad unintended consequences," he said on Thursday. The Law Council wants the proposed laws referred to a parliamentary committee. But the bill looks likely to pass parliament on the final sitting day before next month's election, with Labor supporting its passage through the upper house. Mr Moses said the legislation could silence and criminalise whistleblowers trying to bring attention to violent atrocities occurring overseas. He said imposing penalties on companies based on their annual turnover rather than a maximum set of penalties could lead to difficulties with sentencing. "This would be bad for certainty and bad for business. It could have a chilling effect on businesses investing in Australia," the law council president said. "We also need to be sensible when working on these offences and not demand of social media companies what they cannot reasonably be expected to do." Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said the bill deserved full consideration and scrutiny. "We urge all political parties to resist the temptation to rush new social media legislation through the Parliament without proper consideration," he said. Facebook took down 1.5 million posts of the footage of the Christchurch shootings but says none of the 200 people who watched the live video of the massacre immediately reported it. Child abuse victims' advocates want urgent action to fix the national redress scheme, warning a report demanding significant changes must not be ignored because of the federal election. A federal parliamentary committee, survivors and advocates want the scheme overhauled so it adopts key recommendations of the royal commission into child sexual abuse in Australian institutions. "We can and should do much better than what is on offer today," the committee's deputy chair Sharon Claydon told federal parliament. "We note that the scheme is at serious risk of not delivering on its objective of providing justice to survivors." The cross-party committee's "damning" report concluded that without legislative change, the redress system may never be properly accepted by survivors as a fair scheme and a real alternative to litigation. "Significant changes to the scheme cannot wait - they must be made now," it said. Maurice Blackburn abuse specialist Michelle James called on all sides of politics to urgently commit to implementing the joint select committee's recommendations. "This report cannot be allowed to sit on a shelf gathering dust and ignored, simply because an election is imminent," Ms James said. "It is too important for that - survivors have waited long enough and they deserve a scheme that stands true to the recommendations of the royal commission in putting their needs first." The federal government said it will carefully consider the report before formally responding, noting many of the recommendations require the full cooperation of state and territory governments or may have legislative implications. Labor is also considering the recommendations but pledged to work with the states and territories to improve the scheme if it wins the election. "It is clear more needs to be done to get the redress scheme working for victims and survivors who have waited too long for justice," the opposition said. Labor has previously raised concerns about some aspects of the scheme, including the maximum redress payment and adequacy of counselling services. The committee's key recommendations include raising the maximum payment from $150,000 to the royal commission's $200,000 cap, changing the framework for how applications are assessed and providing lifelong counselling for survivors. The committee also demanded churches and charities be penalised, such as through losing tax concessions and their charitable status, if they refuse to participate in the scheme. Is Greg Inglis on his last legs? Can one of rugby league's true all-time great's bung shoulder survive a 15th gruelling NRL season - and beyond? They're the burning questions just three rounds into 2019, with fears Inglis's battered body is at breaking point after almost 350 games at club, state and national level. "He is iconic, but I've just got the feeling that maybe we are seeing that the body is saying we are almost at the end of the road," Queensland great Billy Moore told Fox Sports' NRL 360. "I hate to say it because I look at 'GI' and he struggled during the last part of last season. "He's come back, but he seems to have struggled all the way from the beginning of this year. "I just look at Inglis and is his body saying the past has caught up with me and the greatness that, I had I still want to do it but my body is saying no more." Widely considered a future Immortal, Inglis debuted in the NRL as an 18-year-old for Melbourne back in 2005, starring in two grand final wins for the Storm before famously leading South Sydney to premiership glory in 2014. But the backline utility's incredible longevity has come at a price. Now 32, Inglis missed all but one game of the 2016 with a knee injury and is now battling a shoulder complaint that threatens to cruel his 2019 campaign. Penrith great Greg Alexander, who many believe correctly called time on Johnathan Thurston's legendary career last season, isn't ready to write off Inglis. "I don't know if he has been in this sort of position exactly before, but he has been down before," Alexander said. "And when he has been down, he has been able to lift himself and get himself back. "The Origin series last year he was down and he lifted himself back up. "I don't know his mental space and how much he wants to play rugby league, so that is the question and only he knows that answer." More than 200 students had to be evacuated from two hostels at north Queensland's James Cook University after a fire broke out. Emergency services were called to the campus in Douglas just before 1am on Thursday after a blaze began at one of the accommodation blocks. The fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured. The blaze caused moderate damage to the building. Police are working to set up an evacuation centre for about 220 students. Forensic officers will examine the scene at first light, with the cause of the fire unknown at this time. Millions of dollars have been set aside to pursue an indigenous voice to federal parliament, despite the prime minister's opposition to the idea. Buried deep in the federal budget is $7.3 million to develop a model for the indigenous voice, which the government plans to put to Australian voters in a national referendum. Late last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected an indigenous voice to parliament, claiming it would be nothing more than a "third chamber" of power. However, a bipartisan committee later urged the government to kick-start a co-design process with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The budget papers said the government "remains committed" to the process of constitutional recognition for indigenous people, and will conduct a referendum once a model has been settled. Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie has defended the federal budget containing no new money for the Murray-Darling, saying rain was more important. Senator McKenzie said Commonwealth cash was not the answer to the drought-stricken river system. "You know what's going to help the Murray-Darling Basin system? It's farmers, it's people and the environment," she told ABC Radio National on Thursday. "It'll be rain. It'll be more water into the system." Senator McKenzie said some regional communities had been in drought for seven years. "The only thing that's going to fix that is more water through the system," she said. GrainCorp has announced plans to demerge its global malting business and list the new company on the ASX. The spin-off would create MaltCo, a global malting and craft brewing distribution business, while GrainCorp would be rebranded New GrainCorp, with its focus to remain on domestic and international grain handling, storage, trading and processing. If approved by shareholders, MaltCo will be the world's fourth largest independent maltster with malting houses in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK, Graincorp told the ASX on Thursday. Taxpayer-funded electoral allowances for MPs won't be used for TV and radio advertisements during the federal election campaign. The Senate dumped a Morrison government regulation late on Wednesday night, meaning $22 million of public money will not be used for political ads in the lead up to next month's poll. The coalition had argued lifting the ban on TV and radio promotions would have put Australian media on a level playing field by ensuring all communities had the same access to information from their federal MP. But Labor frontbencher Don Farrell, who moved the disallowance motion in the Senate, accused the prime minister of wasting taxpayers' money in a bid to save his job. "Publicly funded office budgets are for members and senators to communicate with their constituents - not for spamming voters with hollow election slogans from the ad man, Scott Morrison," he said. With the support of the Greens and a handful of crossbench senators, Labor won the disallowance vote 34 to 28. A parliamentary inquiry has kicked the idea of a bill of rights down the road, but suggested in the short-term ensuring all Australian laws align with international pacts on freedom of religion or belief. A second interim report was tabled in parliament on Thursday by the human rights sub-committee. The inquiry found while Australians generally enjoy freedom of religion and relief, there is little formal protection to this right. "The right of individuals to believe in, and a society's tolerance towards, differing religions or beliefs is a fundamental component of any healthy democracy," committee chair and Liberal MP Kevin Andrews said. The report recommends Australian law be reformed to fully align with Articles 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights. Australia's meat processing industry is bracing for further hardship as the impact of natural disasters continues to send shock waves through the supply chain. The devastating effects of drought across eastern Australia and floods in north Queensland are being felt as the number of cattle available for slaughter falls. Australian Meat Processor Corporation chief executive Peter Rizzo said reports suggested there would be a two per cent reduction in the national herd to between 26 and 27 million cattle. "As a processing sector the impact is not felt initially, it's obviously felt post-event when we don't get the livestock or the progeny that comes from those animals we've now lost," he told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday. He said AMPC - the industry's research and development body - was expecting the revenue from producers' levies to be at its lowest level since 2012. "The big impact for us is when the drought breaks," Mr Rizzo said. Processing plants are expected to shut down and take 18 months to regenerate once the boom cycle replaces the bust. "There are the skeletons of old processing plants all over Australia that have lived and died on the vagaries of the supply metrics that we have," Mr Rizzo said. New figures have also laid bare the competitive challenges the meat industry faces through labour, energy and certification costs. AMPC research released last week showed the average cost of processing to after animals are slaughtered are about $360 a head in Australia. That's higher than $305 in New Zealand, $290 in the United States, $205 in Argentina and $172 in Brazil. Labour makes up the majority of those figures, costing $210 in Australia, $164 in NZ, $129 in the US and less than $90 in the two South American nations. Australia also led the way for energy costs which averaged to $21 for every animal, with NZ and the US lower at $16 and $12 respectively. Certification costs $7.30 per head of cattle, while in Brazil it is 50c, $1.50 in the US and $2.20 in Argentina. "We just can't ratchet these costs up and be competitive internationally," Mr Rizzo said. Security agencies had no information to suggest the Australian man accused of the Christchurch mosque massacres should be placed on a watchlist or prevented from leaving the country. Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo, who is responsible for most of the country's security and intelligence edifice, said the accused gunman had spent just 45 days in Australia during the past few years. "There was no reason to restrict his movement because nothing had come to attention ... to suggest that he was on a pathway to violence," Mr Pezzullo told a budget estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday. "There was nothing in any of our systems that would have suggested that either this person's travel be restricted, or that he otherwise be the subject of laws enforcement attention, up to and including arrest." Australian man Brenton Tarrant has so far been charged with one count of murder and will appear in a New Zealand court on Friday. He had travelled extensively since 2010 before settling in the New Zealand city of Dunedin. Some 50 people died and dozens more were injured after a gunman opened fire in two mosques in Christchurch last month. Labor has unveiled a $37.7 million package for programs to support young Australians with cancer if it wins the election. A Shorten government would give $24 million to continue CanTeen's Youth Cancer Services program and would also create a $20 million Children's Cancer Endowment Fund to support research, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and shadow health minister Catherine King said in a joint statement on Sunday. The endowment fund would include $10 million from the government and $10 million from the Children's Cancer Foundation, and would fund research projects in children's cancer. "At least 1700 Australian children and young people are diagnosed with cancer each year. And tragically, cancer kills more children than any other disease," the statement said. "Children and families who are battling this insidious disease deserve the best possible care and support." CanTeen's Youth Cancer Services was set up by Labor in 2012 to help young patients connect with specialists and support services, but the coalition government is set to end its funding next year. As well as extending the CanTeen program, Labor's package includes $3.7 million for Camp Quality so the organisation can continue working with cancer co-ordinators in hospitals who support children and their parents. "This is another part of Labor's $2.3 billion Medicare Cancer Plan - the most important investment in Medicare since it was created by Bob Hawke," Mr Shorten and Ms King's statement said. "Our Medicare Cancer Plan will deliver cheaper cancer scans, cheaper cancer specialist consultations and cheaper cancer medicines." Topuz, who faces life in prison if found guilty, will next appear in the Istanbul court on May 15 A Turkish court on Thursday ordered a US consulate staffer accused of spying held in detention while he is on trial, his lawyers said. The case of Metin Topuz, a Turkish citizen and liaison for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, is part of a growing rift between Washington and Ankara. First arrested in 2017, Topuz is accused of contacts with police and a prosecutor suspected of ties to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says ordered a failed 2016 coup. "Under normal circumstances, he should have been released based on the evidence presented to the court," lawyer Halit Akalp told reporters in Istanbul's Caglayan court where Topuz went on trial on Monday. Topuz, who faces life in prison if found guilty, will next appear in court on May 15. "I am innocent, I did not commit any crime," Topuz told the court on Thursday, an AFP reporter said. "All my contacts were just part of my job." US embassy and consular officials, who have dismissed the charges as being without merit, were also at the courthouse to observe proceedings. "We did not see today any evidence of criminal wrongdoing and we reiterate our government's call for swift and fair resolution of this matter," US Consul General Jennifer Davis told reporters. - Spying charge - The trial has begun at a time when NATO allies United States and Turkey are increasingly at odds over Syria, a Turkish purchase of a Russian missile system and the US refusal to extradite Gulen back home. According to his indictment, Topuz is accused of espionage as well as arranging arms trafficking through exchanges on the Whatsapp messaging service. Since the failed 2016 coup against Erdogan, tens of thousands of people have been arrested over suspected ties to Gulen and more than 100,000 people have been suspended from public sector jobs. Gulen rejects the coup accusations. Ankara has been criticised by its Western allies and rights defenders over the crackdown, which they say has weakened democracy. But Turkish officials say the raids are needed to purge Gulen's influence from judiciary, police and military. Ties were already strained over US support of Kurdish forces in Syria, which Ankara brands as a terrorist group tied to PKK Kurdish militants fighting an insurgency against the Turkish state. Erdogan's decision to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia has provoked warnings from Washington that the deal may impact its sale of US-made F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and trigger sanctions. Nigerian women have an average of 5.53 children, according to the World Bank, but the rate fluctuates greatly between major cities like Lagos and rural areas, where it reaches up to eight children per woman When Charles Immanuel Akhimien was a medical student he was shocked to learn that a former classmate had died from a back-alley abortion. The brilliant young woman's life may have been spared if she had the kind of apps that are available today that discreetly inform young people about sex, Akhimien said. "When it comes to contraception, the lack of communication generates more and more AIDS infections and unwanted pregnancies. These tragedies could be avoided," Akhimien told AFP. In the doctor's native Nigeria, 3.1 million people are HIV-positive and 34,000 women die each year from botched abortions, according to official statistics. Akhimien's app "myPaddi" anonymously connects young people with doctors who advise them on sex and contraception. The software was among 30 medical innovations showcased at the World Health Organization's second Africa Health Forum, hosted in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde in West Africa. Selected from among more than 2,400 submissions, many of the apps address reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases in countries where sex education is often taboo and abortion is generally illegal. Akhimien's compatriot Morenike Fajemisin has the same determination to combat the paucity of sex education in Nigeria and to help women claim control over their own bodies. A pharmacist, the 30-year-old developed a cellphone app called "Whispa" -- suggesting discretion -- through which women can obtain contraception anonymously, without having to answer probing questions. "If a young girl asks for the pill at a doctor's office or in a pharmacy, she might be lectured," Fajemisin said. "Isn't she too young? Is she a virgin? How many partners did she have?" - 'No human bias' - "These intrusive questions can block young women, who might be scared to speak about their sexual life to doctors. With a mobile app, there's no human bias," she said. She said a cousin she grew up with would likely not have got pregnant in high school if she had had Whispa. "She would have continued her studies. She was a brilliant girl. I hope my innovation will allow every girl to make her own choices," Fajemisin said. Even when a pregnancy is wanted -- and having children is widely encouraged in Africa -- few apps are adapted to local traditions and culture. Examples are the Zimbabwean app "Afrimom", available in English and local languages, and "My Pregnancy Journey", being developed by South African entrepreneur Jacqueline Rogers with her own funds. Rogers' app, to come out in April, offers advice to expectant mothers, spelling out month by month what they may encounter during the course of their pregnancies. "I want African women to have access to every possible knowledge about their pregnancy -- and influence positively motherhood in Africa," Rogers said. "In Africa, the needs for reliable information regarding pregnancy are huge," she added. Nine of the world's 10 countries with the highest infant mortality rates are in Africa, and half the children who die before age five live in sub-Saharan Africa, noted WHO's regional director Matshidiso Moeti at the start of the Forum. Some 437,000 people have fled the fighting, according to the United Nations, which called Tuesday for $184 million (163 million euros) to help the displaced At least 170 civilians have been killed since October in fighting in English-speaking western Cameroon between separatists and government forces, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. "Government forces in Cameroon's anglophone regions have killed scores of civilians, used indiscriminate force, and torched hundreds of homes over the past six months," the rights group said in a report. The group based its findings on interviews with 140 victims, family members and witnesses between December and March, it said. "Since October, at least 170 civilians have been killed in over 220 incidents... according to media reports and Human Rights Watch research," it said. Another 31 members of the security forces were killed in operations between October and February, it said. "Given the ongoing clashes and the difficulty of collecting information from remote areas, the number of civilian deaths is most likely higher," it added. HRW did not explicitly blame government forces for all 170 civilian deaths. It said armed separatists assaulted and kidnapped dozens of people during the same period, executing at least two men. The government sent a letter to HRW denying "exactions" by the army described in the report, the group said. The conflict broke out in October 2017 when the anglophone separatists launched an armed campaign. The International Crisis Group has said the death toll since the start of the fighting has topped 500 for civilians and more than 200 for members of the security forces. English speakers, who account for about a fifth of Cameroon's population of 24 million, have chafed for years at perceived discrimination in education, law and economic opportunities at the hands of the francophone majority. The anglophone movement radicalised in 2017 as the authorities refused demands for greater autonomy for the Northwest and Southwest Regions. On October 1 that year, separatists declared the creation of the "Republic of Ambazonia" in the two regions, named after the local Ambas Bay. The declaration has not been recognised internationally. "Cameroon's authorities have an obligation to respond lawfully and to protect people's rights during periods of violence," said Lewis Mudge, HRW's Central Africa director. "The government's heavy-handed response targeting civilians is counterproductive and risks igniting more violence." Some 437,000 people have fled the fighting, according to the United Nations, which called Tuesday for $184 million (163 million euros) to help the displaced. Comoros Islands One of the world's poorest countries, the Indian Ocean island nation of the Comoros has endured years of political turmoil including a spate of coups. Here is some background on the country, where gunfire erupted near a military barracks in the capital Moroni on Thursday after the arrest of a defeated presidential candidate. Incumbent President Azali Assoumani was delcared the winner of Sunday's poll but the opposition says the results were rigged. - 'Islands of the Moon' - Made up of the islands of Anjouan, Grande-Comore and Moheli, the small country has a population of nearly 814,000 on a land surface of 1,870 square kilometres (772 square miles). It is densely populated, with about 400 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,150 inhabitants per square mile), according to World Bank data. The Comoros, which means "Islands of the Moon" in Arabic, are situated between Madagascar and Mozambique, and next to the French-administered island of Mayotte. It embraced Islam in the 12th century and 99 percent of its people are Muslim, mostly Sunnis. Just over half are aged under 20 years. - Tensions with France - The Comoros became independent from France in 1975, breaking away in a referendum in which nearby Mayotte opted to remain with the colonial-era power. The Comoros continues to lay claim to Mayotte and is backed by several UN resolutions. Mayotte is relatively well-off compared to the impoverished and unstable Comoros, and grapples with an influx of illegal migrants -- many of whom make the 70-kilometre (40-mile) crossing in makeshift boats. - Coups and mercenaries - Since independence, the Comoros has endured more than 20 attempted coups, four of which were successful. The first president, Ahmed Abdallah, was ousted a month after independence with the help of renowned French mercenary Bob Denard. In 1978 Denard organised a coup to reinstate Abdallah and became army chief. Abdallah was assassinated in 1989 in as yet unexplained circumstances. Denard, then head of the presidential guard, tried to take control but fled as France intervened militarily. The island of Anjouan seceded in 1997 and only rejoined the others in 2001 after a new constitution created the Union of the Comoros that allowed more autonomy, including rotating the presidency between the islands. The incumbent president Azali seized power in a coup in 1999. He was re-elected in a 2016 vote marred by violence and allegations of irregularities. - Controversial reforms - Tensions have been running high since a contested referendum in July 2018 that enables the rotating president to hold two five-year mandates instead of one. After his victory on Sunday, Azali is considered as starting a first term, allowing him to vie for a second in 2024. The referendum sparked violent protests and dozens of officials and opposition activists have been arrested in recent months. In October an armed rebel group clashed with Comoran security forces in Mutsamudu, the capital of opposition-leaning Anjouan which had been next in line for the presidency. Both observers and community groups have questioned the credibility of the election, which saw Azali declared the winner with almost 61 percent of the vote. - Ylang-ylang and poverty - Lacking the infrastructure that draws tourists to Mauritius and the Seychelles, the country's main activities are fishing and agriculture. Vanilla, cloves and above all ylang-ylang -- the tree whose fragrant oil is used to make perfume -- are the principal sources of hard currency. The country is heavily dependent on remittances from emigrants, notably in France which is home to 200,000-300,000 Comorans. It is at the tail end of the UN's Human Development Index -- which compares life expectancy, education and living standards -- and ranked 165 from 189 in 2018. The World Bank says the Comoros must tackle hunger and malnutrition, with almost 18 percent of its population living on less than $1.90 a day, the international poverty line. It projected economic growth in 2018 at a stable 2.7 percent. La Scala opera house says it is refunding three million euros to Saudi Arabia after an outry over a funding deal that would have given the Saudis a place on the board Milan's prestigious La Scala is planning to open a conservatory for 600 children in the Saudi capital, media reported Thursday after the opera house agreed to refund three million euros ($3.4 million) to the kingdom. The refund followed an outcry over a major funding deal which would have given Saudi Arabia a place on the board at La Scala. The conservatory won the backing of the board of the La Scala Theatre's Academy Foundation chaired by Alexander Pereira, Il Sole 24 Ore reported. La Scala could not be immediately contacted to confirm the reports. The conservatory, which would be overseen by teachers from La Scala, was part of a broader deal Pereira had been negotiating with the culture ministry in Riyadh. No caption It would open in September and take in boys and girls aged six to 10 years old, media reports said. The deal to use some 15 million euros in Saudi government funds for the historic theatre came under fire amid anger over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The October killing of the Washington Post contributor in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul sparked international outrage. Riyadh denies involvement and says the killing was carried out by rogue agents. The deal could have seen Saudi culture minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah take up a seat on the board, according to reports. Modi's economic record has come under steady attack from a resurgent opposition India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a campaign blitz Thursday with three huge rallies where he declared voters would reward his decision to test new weapons and bomb Pakistan with a thumping election victory. The Hindu nationalist leader addressed tens of thousands of supporters in three northern cities in his first official campaign events since the announcement of the election earlier this month. Modi, 68, hit the hustings a day after India destroyed a low-orbiting satellite using a ballistic missile -- a military feat only equalled by China, Russia and the United States. That came a month after Indian warplanes bombed Pakistani territory for the first time in decades, drastically escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed foes. Modi, whose economic record has come under steady attack from a resurgent opposition, said these decisions proved his mettle as a strong leader. "For the first time, this country has seen a decisive government which knows how to turn its words into action," he told supporters in Meerut, northeast of the capital Delhi. "India's 1.3 billion people have already made up their minds. Once again, a Modi government is going to be formed in this country." He picked up on the theme again in two separate rallies, pointing to last month's "surgical strikes" on Pakistan and India's successful missile test as evidence of his government's ability to defend the country. "(Be it) land, sky or space, my government has shown courage to conduct surgical strikes in all spheres," he said. The main opposition Congress party and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, have accused the prime minister of stoking nationalist fervour to curry votes. Indians will start voting April 11 in the world's largest election, a nearly six-week affair involving 900 million voters and one million polling booths. Gandhi has relentlessly attacked Modi for failing to fulfil his 2014 election promises, pointing to rising unemployment and farmer suicides as evidence of his failures. The Congress leader has offered 50 million of India's poorest families -- an estimated 250 million people -- a guaranteed basic income of $1000 a year, if his party wins power on May 23. Belhassen Trabelsi, pictured in 2010, was granted bail by a French court and has agreed not to leave France A French court on Thursday granted bail to Belhassen Trabelsi, a brother-in-law of ousted Tunisian leader Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who was arrested on fraud charges this month after three years on the run. The court in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, said Trabelsi deposited 100,000 euros ($112,000) and agreed not to leave France nor meet with others charged in his case. "I will abide by all the measures taken -- Give me the chance to prove I am not a fugitive but a normal man who keeps his word," Trabelsi told the court. The millionaire businessman and brother of Ben Ali's wife Leila Trabelsi left Tunisia in January 2011 when the Arab Spring uprising forced the veteran leader to flee to Saudi Arabia. Trabelsi and his family flew in a private jet to Montreal to seek Canadian political asylum, a request that was denied twice. He disappeared in June 2016 just days before he was to be expelled from Canada. French prosecutors have charged him with aggravated fraud and money laundering, though they have not yet revealed specifically what they are investigating. Tunisia wants Trabelsi extradited so he can face charges of fraud as well, saying he was the target of 17 arrest warrants at home as well as 43 international warrants. Trabelsi, whose holdings included hotels and an airline, has denied the corruption allegations against him, saying he accumulated his wealth legally. A leaked US diplomatic cable in 2008 described Trabelsi and his family as a "quasi-mafia" involved in a series of suspect businesses and deals. The bomb blast hit a restaurant in Mogadishu as people were eating lunch At least 15 people died when a car bomb exploded on a busy street and ripped into a nearby restaurant in Somalia's capital on Thursday, medics said. Security officials and witnesses reported bodies strewn on the ground as plumes of smoke rose high into the air after the bomb detonated on Mogadishu's Maka Al-Mukarama road, one of the seaside capital's main thoroughfares, an area busy with businesses and travellers. It struck as people were eating lunch. The attack was claimed by Al-Qaeda's Somali affiliate Al-Shabaab, in a statement posted on a pro-Shabaab website. Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan, director of the Aamin Ambulance service, said that 15 people had been killed, as well as several more wounded by the ferocious blast. Witnesses described scenes of devastation. "The car bomb struck a restaurant along the road," said Abdulahi Osman, who was nearby when the blast hit. "This really was a disaster." Vehicles were tossed into the air by the force of the explosion, which also damaged surrounding buildings. Witnesses said several cars and three-wheel motorbikes were destroyed. - 'Another day, another funeral' - "I saw 16 people carried from the blast scene -- and more than 10 of them were already dead," Osman added. Ambulance workers rushed in to help take the wounded to hospital. Mogadishu has been hit frequently by Al-Shabaab attacks "I don't know whether they were dead or wounded, but I could see several people strewn in the street -- some of them were motionless," said Suado Ahmed, another witness who was at the scene moments after the blast. Teams of ambulance workers carried away those killed and wounded on stretchers, while volunteers also helped by using plastic sheeting to lift the bodies away. The bombing is the latest in a recent string of blasts in Mogadishu, which has been hit frequently by Al-Shabaab attacks. On Saturday, Shabaab gunmen attacked a complex housing government ministries in Mogadishu, killing 11 people including the deputy labour minister. Somalis rushed in to help take the wounded to hospital after the bombing Since then at least four people have been killed this week in three blasts, including car bombs and roadside explosions. "Another day. Another funeral. Another friend dead. Another acquaintance burnt alive. I have been to 4 funerals in 4 weeks. Mogadishans used to talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time, now its degenerated to being at any place at any time," city resident Dalmar Hassan wrote on Twitter. Shabaab fighters have been fighting for more than a decade to topple the government. They fled fixed positions they once held in Mogadishu in 2011, and have since lost many of their strongholds. But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country, and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities, striking at the heart of Somalia's government, despite years of foreign military support. Some are calling Merkel's arms exports policy 'unpredictable' German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government was Thursday struggling to overcome divisions on whether to extend or scrap a weapons export embargo against Saudi Arabia. Berlin last October reacted to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul by declaring a freeze on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries involved in the Yemen war. It has since faced protests by EU partners because the ban, originally imposed until March 9, has impacted joint defence projects such as the Eurofighter and Tornado jets. While France and Britain have urged Germany to end the export halt, human rights groups argue strongly that it should stay in place beyond a new deadline on Sunday, March 31. That view has many backers among the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners to Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU bloc in the coalition government. "We oppose defence exports to dictatorships and into active conflict zones," SPD deputy leader Ralf Stegner said on public TV. Merkel's bloc favours resumed sales, at least of joint European defence projects. "Another unilateral German stop to defence exports, imposed without coordination with European and NATO partners, would be wrong and dangerous," its economic policy expert Joachim Pfeiffer told the Passauer Neue Presse daily. - Rights violations - This week French ambassador Anne-Marie Descotes criticised Germany's "unpredictable" arms export policy and pointed out that some companies in the sector were marketing products as "German free" in terms of components. A German security council meeting Wednesday including Merkel failed to resolve the issue, media reports said. One reported compromise proposal was to give the green light to multinational defence products with a German share of no more than 20 percent. Stegner urged "a sensible solution", stressing that the SPD too wants Germany to cooperate with other European powers on joint defence projects. Media reported another idea on the table would be for Germany to hold onto six naval patrol vessels and a training ship that had been ordered by Saudi Arabia. Media group RND said that if the Saudi export stop is extended by six months, the German state could buy the ships for its navy, customs service and federal police. At least 10,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Yemen war since March 2015. This week more than 20 non-government groups operating in Yemen wrote to Merkel to urge her to maintain the freeze, citing the "great risk" that the arms would be used to "facilitate violations of international humanitarian law and human rights". Germany is among the world's top arms exporters, a group led by the United States that also includes Russia, China, France and Britain. The women, including activist Aziza al-Youssef, were held for a year before facing trial Saudi Arabia on Thursday released three out of 11 women detained last year in a sweeping crackdown on activists, a close relative and London-based rights group ALQST said. Blogger Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Youssef, a retired lecturer at King Saudi University, and academic Rokaya al-Mohareb were freed following the second hearing on Wednesday of their high-profile trial in Riyadh's criminal court, a relative of one of the women told AFP. The conditions of their release were unclear and there was no immediate comment from the court. But the relative said that the women, freed after nearly a year in detention, will still have to appear in court next Wednesday when the trial resumes. ALQST confirmed the news on Twitter, adding that the other detained women were expected to be released on Sunday. Most of the women were detained last summer in a sweeping crackdown on campaigners just before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female motorists. The women had long campaigned for the right to drive and to abolish the restrictive guardianship system that gives male relatives arbitrary authority over women. Their trial has intensified criticism of the kingdom over human rights following global outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder by Saudi agents last October. The decision to drop all 16 felony charges against US actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of staging a hoax hate crime attack against himself, has revived debate about prosecutorial discretion A television actor claims to be the victim of a racist, homophobic hate crime. Chicago police say he staged the whole thing. The chief prosecutor says she believes he is guilty. So why isn't the matter going to trial? The curious case of Jussie Smollett, who stars on Fox music drama "Empire," got even weirder when prosecutors in Illinois' Cook County -- who handle crimes in Chicago -- dropped the charges Tuesday. On Thursday, President Donald Trump said that the FBI and the Justice Department will review the case -- calling it "outrageous" and an "embarrassment to our Nation!" All of this has revived the long-simmering debate in America about how just the US justice system really is, whether the rich get off easy -- and whether prosecutors should have so much discretion. At both the federal and state level, prosecutors are widely free to pursue cases as they see fit. They supervise the initial investigations, take cases to trial or not, and recommend sentences. 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett appears in court with his attorney Tina Glandian (L), who says no deal was made for the dismissal of felony charges against him "It's a long-standing tradition, a cultural norm in the United States," says Rory Little, a professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. "Prosecutors want to have flexibility," Little told AFP. For Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond's TC Williams School of Law, "a big concern is overreach, that they go too far... prosecuting people who should not be prosecuted or by seeking penalties that are too large for the infraction." This can especially be a concern at the state level, where prosecutors are elected officials, and want to show constituents they are being tough on crime. But in Smollett's case, some say they did not go far enough. - 'Prosecutors caved' - This file handout booking photo released by the Chicago Police Department shows actor Jussie Smollett on February 21, 2019 Smollett, who is black and openly gay, said he was attacked on the streets of America's third-largest city in late January by two masked men hurling abuse at him. The 36-year-old claimed they tied a noose around his neck and doused him with a chemical substance. But quickly, the story unraveled. Police say Smollett hired a pair of brothers he knew from the "Empire" set to stage the attack -- and paid them for it. Nevertheless, the actor has maintained his innocence. "I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one," Smollett told reporters on Tuesday. Prosecutors said Tuesday they made a deal with the actor under which he agreed to perform community service and forfeit a $10,000 bond payment in exchange for the 16 felony counts to be dismissed. But his attorneys say no agreement was made. And after Trump's probe announcement, his attorney Tina Glandian told NBC News on Thursday: "Nothing improper was done." Some experts say the actor definitely got special treatment. "I think prosecutors caved to the court of public opinion and gave the case away," said Bob Bianchi, a former prosecutor in New Jersey, decrying a "sickening abuse of prosecutorial discretion." Tobias says prosecutors "are often overloaded -- they have too many cases to give all of them the attention they need, so they need to have the flexibility to cut plea deals." Indeed, prosecutor Joseph Magats said Cook County's limited resources were better used focusing on gun violence in the Windy City, and not on Smollett. - 'Whitewash' - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is angry about the resolution of the Jussie Smollett case without trial, calling it a "whitewash of justice" The controversy over the case is far from over. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has called the result a "whitewash of justice." "You cannot have, because of a person's position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else," he said. Under fire, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said she believed Smollett was guilty and insisted he was treated the same way as many other low-level offenders. "I cannot offer him the opportunity to forfeit his bond... if I didn't believe he is guilty," Foxx told Chicago television station WGN. "I have an ethical obligation that, if I believe someone is not guilty, I have to drop the charges without condition," she said. "This wasn't about the integrity of the case." But skeptics remain unconvinced, especially as details of the case were sealed. "Isn't it a hopeful sign for America that regardless of your race or sexual orientation, all rich famous people get off easily?" late-night comic Stephen Colbert quipped. Dr Dorry Segev -- seen here in 2012 during a kidney transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital -- is leading the team behind the groundbreaking transplant involving the HIV-positive patients The kidney of a 35-year-old HIV-positive woman has been transplanted into another patient with the AIDS virus, US surgeons announced Thursday, in a major medical breakthrough. The surgeons at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore performed the operation on Monday, calling it the first in the world of its kind. The donor, identified as Nina Martinez, was to address reporters alongside her doctors at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT). The recipient has not been named. Martinez initially wanted to donate the kidney to a friend, but after that friend passed away, she pursued her wish to be an organ donor, Johns Hopkins said. Before this transplant operation, doctors had believed it was too risky to leave an HIV-positive patient with only one kidney. The decision to move forward with the transplant highlights the confidence scientists have in current anti-retroviral medication, which allows those with HIV to lead normal, productive lives. Thousands of people die each year in the United States awaiting organ transplants. Dorry Segev, an associate professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says about 500-600 HIV-positive patients could donate organs each year, benefitting about 1,000 people with the virus. Until now, only organs removed from dead HIV-positive patients were eligible for transplants to people with the virus. The possibility of using organs from living donors would significantly change the equation. Johns Hopkins University Hospital received authorization in 2016 to move ahead with the first transplant from a living donor with HIV. Surgeons had been waiting to find compatible patients. Martinez and the recipient of her kidney will have to keep taking their anti-retroviral medication. "When I take this recipient off the list, everyone moves up," Martinez told The Washington Post, "whether they have HIV or not." The Goldman Sachs Manhattan headquarters stands is seen December 17, 2018 in New York City US banking giant Goldman Sachs has been fined 34.3 million ($45.3 million, 40.2 million euros) over failures to report transactions properly, British regulators said Thursday. The Wall Street titan was fined for "failing to provide accurate and timely reporting relating to 220.2 million transaction reports" between late 2007 and March 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said in a brief statement. "The failings in this case demonstrate a failure over an extended period to manage and test controls that are vitally important to the integrity of our markets," said Mark Steward, FCA executive director of enforcement and market oversight. "These were serious and prolonged failures. We expect all firms will take this opportunity to ensure they can fully detail their activity and are regularly checking their systems so any problems are detected and remedied promptly, unlike in this case." Goldman Sachs agreed to resolve the case and faced a 30-percent discount from a potential penalty of more than 49 million, according to the FCA. The fine is the second of its kind this month after the FCA fined Swiss bank UBS 28 million on March 19 for a similar offence. New York State attorney general Letitia James has unveiled the latest lawsuit against manufacturers, the Sackler family and distributors of opioids New York state accused the billionaire Sackler family on Thursday of attempting to shield money from their company, Purdue Pharma, to avoid damage payments from lawsuits over the opioid Oxycontin. "As the lawsuits have piled up against Purdue, they continued to move funds into trust and yes, offshore accounts, to be out of reach of potential recovery," New York Attorney General Letitia James told reporters. Purdue became a dominant force in the pharmaceutical industry largely due to the blockbuster painkiller OxyContin, the highly addictive drug now subject to more than 1,000 lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis. The Connecticut-based company has denied the claims. "Such serious allegations demand clear evidence linking the conduct alleged to the harm described, but we believe the state fails to show such causation and offers little evidence to support its sweeping legal claims," it said in a statement. "Instead, the state is seeking to publicly vilify Purdue and its former directors while unfairly undermining the important work we have taken to address the opioid crisis." Purdue insisted that OxyContin -- a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists -- only accounts for less than two percent of total opioid prescriptions. The lawsuit filed in New York on Thursday by James expands on one already brought against Pharma and other pharmaceutical giants such as Johnson and Johnson in the state. "The opioid epidemic has ravaged families and communities across New York," James said in a statement. "We found that pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors engaged in years of deceptive marketing about the risks of opioids and failed to exercise their basic duty to report suspicious behavior, leading to the crisis we are living with today. "As the Sackler Family and the other defendants grew richer, New Yorkers' health grew poorer and our state was left to foot the bill," she said. "The manufacturers and distributors of opioids are to blame for this crisis and it is past time they take responsibility." Purdue Pharma, based in Connecticut, released OxyContin in 1995 and the powerful drug reportedly has generated more than $30 billion in revenue. In 2017, 70,000 people died of overdoses in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That same year, 1.7 million people were suffering from addiction to painkillers like OxyContin. Purdue Pharma reached a $270 million settlement earlier this week in a lawsuit in the state of Oklahoma, but the company faces hundreds of other suits besides the ones in New York. The bulk of the settlement money will go toward establishing an addiction treatment and research center at Oklahoma State University. The Sacklers have been high-profile philanthropists but museums and galleries have recently been rebuffing their donations because of the opioid crisis fallout. Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October A UN human rights expert said Thursday that Saudi Arabia needed to hold public trials for those accused of murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi in order for the process to be credible. "Contrary to Saudi Arabia assertions, these are not internal, domestic matters," said Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. The kingdom "is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community," she added in a statement. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. Riyadh initially said it had no knowledge of his fate, but later blamed the murder on rogue agents. The public prosecutor in the Saudi capital has charged 11 people over his murder and the government has rejected calls for an independent international investigation. Callamard is conducting what she has described as "an independent human rights inquiry" into Khashoggi's death. She has previously stated that the killing was "planned and perpetrated" by Saudi officials, but her probe was not established by a United Nations resolution and it does not carry the weight of a formal inquiry. UN special rapporteurs are also independent and do not speak for the world body. Callamard on Thursday issued a set of recommendations to make the Saudi-led process more credible. They include making public the names of the accused and charges against them as well as publicising all trial proceedings and the evidence presented. Callamard also called on international monitors to be allowed at the trial and full transparency regarding any efforts to locate Khashoggi's remains. "The rights of the victim and his family are at stake, but so too are the rights of other states under international treaties and law," she added. Saudi officials have previously said they were insulted by calls for international supervision of the Khashoggi case, dismissing them as unfair attacks on the integrity of its judicial system. Hundreds of thousands of troops from NATO have served in Afghanistan since 2001 and the force continues to provide training to the Afghan army Top NATO officials in Afghanistan on Wednesday heralded key gains from more than 17 years of war, even as the United States seeks to end the grinding conflict that President Donald Trump this week called "ridiculous". Despite hundreds of thousands of troops from NATO having served in Afghanistan since the September 11, 2001 attacks, last year was the bloodiest on record and the Taliban have made gains across the country. The Islamist extremists now control more Afghan territory than any time since they were ousted in the US-led invasion of 2001, and once again are imposing their strict interpretation of Sharia law. Trump is fed up with the war, which has killed more than 2,300 American troops and cost the US taxpayer more than $1 trillion. The Afghanistan war is "unfortunate, it's ridiculous," Trump said Tuesday in Washington. In December, he told advisors he wanted to pull about half of America's 14,000 troops out of Afghanistan, a decision apparently made without consulting NATO allies. But in a ceremony marking at NATO's 70th anniversary at their intensely fortified compound in Kabul on Wednesday, dignitaries sought to put a positive spin on things. Afghanistan "is a modern and vibrant emerging democracy", said Nicholas Kay, NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan. "We all salute the improvements in women's rights, for millions of children and notably girls enrolled in schools, the free press and notable advancements in health care," he added. That narrative is under increasing pressure, however, with the Taliban growing ever stronger and Afghanistan's security forces dealing with horrendous losses. Last year, a United Nations agency documented 3,804 civilian deaths in Afghanistan, with another 7,819 people injured in the war. - Tough love - Kay was joined by Afghanistan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and NATO's Afghanistan commander General Scott Miller, who championed the alliance's enduring "cohesion". Command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan General Scott Miller (L) and Nicholas Kay, NATO's senior civilian in Afghanistan (C) shake hands with Afghan Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah (R) "We all remain committed to this nation," he said. Trump, however, has frequently hammered NATO -- accusing longstanding allies of being freeloaders who do not pull their weight on military spending. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has embraced Trump's tough-love approach and credited him with a big increase in member state defence spending. As for the Afghan gains, many fear America's desire to withdraw from Afghanistan will ultimately see the Taliban back in power. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is in Afghanistan this week as part of an ongoing drive to find a way out. He has met with various Afghan politicians and stakeholders, including women representatives, ahead of an expected new round of peace talks with the Taliban in Doha. Kay insisted NATO is determined to stay in Afghanistan to protect hard-won gains for Afghans. "We will remain here to assist Afghans until the conditions are right for a change in our posture," he said. Algerians have staged weeks of mass demonstrations since Bouteflika announced a bid for a fifth term in power Flag-waving Algerians have celebrated the resignation of veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, but vowed Wednesday to keep protesting to demand sweeping change to the country's political system. The 82-year-old's departure, announced on state media late Tuesday, followed weeks of massive demonstrations that have shaken the North African nation. Car horns sounded on the streets before jubilant crowds converged in the centre of the capital Algiers to cheer his departure. Many Algerians have never known any president other than Bouteflika, who held power for two decades but was rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Abdelaziz Bouteflika Protesters in Algiers welcomed his departure but said they were determined to continue demonstrating, rejecting any transition that leaves power in the hands of the "system". "I want my daughter to remember this historic day. Bouteflika's gone, but it's far from over," said 35-year-old Amal, who wore a T-shirt with the slogan "I am against the system" and vowed to march again on Friday. For 44-year-old engineer Hamid Boumaza, Bouteflika's resignation was "too little, too late". "Bouteflika's departure is no longer enough. We want them all to go. We want full freedom and we will march for as long as necessary." - 'Appeasement of hearts' - Algeria's Constitutional Council said Wednesday it had accepted Bouteflika's resignation and informed parliament that his post was officially vacant. Some 20 Algerian civil society groups said they would refuse a transition of power that kept the same structure in place, calling for protests Friday for "democratic change". Jubilant crowds converged in the centre of Algiers "Bouteflika's resignation... is a first victory... but it is not enough," they said in a joint statement. Algeria's constitution says that the speaker of the upper house of parliament, currently 77-year-old Abdelkader Bensalah, should now act as interim leader for up to 90 days during which a presidential election must be organised. Algeria has largely avoided the turmoil unleashed by the Arab Spring uprisings that brought down rulers in neighbouring Tunisia and Libya. But discontent, particularly among the young, turned to anger after Bouteflika announced in February that he would seek a fifth term in office in an election that had been scheduled for this month. He dropped his bid in the face of the mass protests but also postponed the vote, angering Algerians who saw the move as a ploy to stay in power. Pressure mounted Tuesday when armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah called for the president's impeachment, insisting the military's "sole ambition" was to "protect the people". Soon after, state television announced that Bouteflika had submitted his resignation to the Constitutional Council. The decision aimed "to contribute to the appeasement of the hearts and minds of my compatriots, to allow them to take Algeria towards a better future to which they legitimately aspire," his resignation letter read. Footage showed Bouteflika, dressed in a beige North African tunic and sitting in his wheelchair, handing the letter to the council's head, Tayeb Belaiz. In another letter published Wednesday by state news agency APS, he offered his apologies to the Algerian people for "every shortcoming", but said he was "proud" of his contribution to the country. "I leave the political stage without sadness or fear for the future of our country," he wrote. "God is witness to my sincerity and my loyalty." Hundreds of thousands of Algerians had taken to the streets in recent weeks demanding longtime leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika resign Although credited with helping foster peace after Algeria's decade-long civil war, Bouteflika has faced criticism for perceived authoritarianism. Former prime minister-turned-rival Ali Benflis said his departure was the "woeful epilogue" to the past two decades and praised the protest movement as "a peaceful people's revolution". - Calls for 'democratic transition' - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised "the mature and calm nature in which the Algerian people have been expressing their desire for change," said a UN statement. "He looks forward to a peaceful and democratic transition process that reflects the wishes of the Algerian people," it added. Abdelaziz Bouteflika has long been accused of clinging to power The United States said the future of the country "is for the Algerian people to decide". Long-time ally Russia called for a transition without foreign "interference". The foreign minister of former colonial power France, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said he was confident Algeria's "democratic transition" could continue "in the same spirit of calm and responsibility" seen in recent weeks. Algerian business tycoon and long-time Bouteflika backer Ali Haddad was placed in detention Wednesday, days after being arrested while trying to cross into Tunisia with undeclared currency and two passports. Haddad, described by Forbes as one of Algeria's wealthiest entrepreneurs, was widely seen as a political tool of Bouteflika. The judiciary has launched graft investigations and, local media report, banned a dozen Bouteflika-linked businessmen from leaving the country. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures during a campaign rally in Kolkata on Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi staged a massive rally in India's east on Wednesday, stepping up the battle with a local rival who could frustrate his party's return to power. Modi addressed tens of thousands of supporters in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, as its leader Mamata Banerjee, a powerful Modi enemy, campaigned against the prime minister elsewhere in the state. Voting in India's massive election -- the biggest in history, with 900 million eligible voters -- begins in a week and West Bengal is a key battleground for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling party has campaigned hard against Banerjee, fearing she could lead a possible alliance of India's disparate regional parties against the BJP and dent its re-election prospects. "I haven't seen a massive turnout like this before in West Bengal. I bow to your love and affection," Modi told a sea of supporters in Kolkata. "Your vote will help us reach new heights of development in 2019. The BJP will overthrow (Banerjee's) misrule in the state." The fiery West Bengal leader took on the prime minister at a counter-rally, declaring: "I am not Modi. I don't tell lies." Her profile has grown considerably since her party took most of the state's 42 parliamentary seats in 2014, and she remains hugely popular especially among poorer voters. West Bengal sends the third-highest number of lawmakers to the Lok Sabha, the country's lower house of parliament, and the BJP is desperate to make inroads in the key state of 90 million. Analysts say the BJP could be targeting West Bengal for seats to offset potential losses in other important states. The BJP fears Banerjee could cobble together an alliance against them, as smaller parties did in Uttar Pradesh, a bellwether state often considered India's most important to win. If the BJP and Congress, the main opposition party challenging Modi, fail to get a decisive share of the 545 parliamentary seats, Banerjee could also become one of the top contenders for the prime minister's job. The Hindu nationalist party has attacked her record on law and order following a spate of election-related violence last year, and promised to crack down on Muslim immigrants in the state. Migrants have long been accused of grabbing land in West Bengal and stoking tensions with locals. India's general elections will run from April 11 to May 19 in the largest democratic exercise of its kind ever held. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which is in the final phase of ground tests, is set to be launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Boeing has delayed from April to August its test flight for its Starliner capsule, intended to carry American astronauts to the International Space Station. The US space agency NASA blamed the delay on "limited launch opportunities" in April and May from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It noted that the August launch target is a "working date and to be confirmed." The Starliner spacecraft, which is in the final phase of ground tests, is set to be launched into space atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. If the unmanned test goes well, the capsule's next flight will have three astronauts aboard -- NASA's Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke, along with Chris Ferguson of Boeing. Ultimately, Starliner will be one of two American vehicles used to carry NASA astronauts to the ISS -- the other is SpaceX's Dragon capsule. In March, SpaceX successfully completed a nearly weeklong test mission in space. The Dragon capsule successfully docked at the ISS before returning to Earth. The first manned mission aboard the Dragon spacecraft is set to take place by the end of the year, with the date due to be confirmed "in the next couple weeks," according to NASA. Bin Yasir, the brother of Afzal Kohistani, who was gunned down last month, speaks to media along with the younger son of Kohistani, in Peshawar on Wednesday The brother of a whistleblower murdered over a notorious "honour killing" case vowed Wednesday to take up the cause, even as he feared becoming the latest to pay for it with his life. Bin Yasir's brother Afzal Kohistani was gunned down last month, igniting fresh outrage over a years-long case in which video of wedding guests enjoying themselves led to bloodshed. Yasir said three other brothers had also been murdered as a result of the case. "Our entire family lives in fear," Yasir told a press conference in the northwestern city of Peshawar at which he demanded a new investigation into the case. "Afzal had the same fear and later he was killed. I, too, fear death. One day, they will kill me too -- but we will not backtrack from this issue." The wedding video emerged in 2012, showing women clapping as two men danced in the deeply conservative mountainous area of Kohistan, 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of the capital Islamabad. The men and women had allegedly been in the same room, in defiance of strict tribal customs that separate men and women at weddings -- though the video does not show them together. A local cleric sentenced several women and men to death over the video. Kohistani is believed to have been related to some of the men in the video and his entire family were banished from the region as a result. He took the rare step of pushing the case before the media and the justice system. The Supreme Court launched a commission to investigate -- but in June 2012 was told no women had been murdered. A fact-finding team met the women who were purportedly in the video, but Kohistani insisted they were not the same people and that the death sentences had been carried out. Yasir said he now has responsibility for 22 of his nephews and nieces. "Our opponents have seized our lands, we have left that place, four of my brothers were killed and now 22 of their kids are living a miserable life," he said. He called for a new investigation team to take the case out of local police hands, and demanded authorities ensure his security. Rights activists have long fought against the patriarchal notion of "honour" which remains prevalent across South Asia. Women have been shot, stabbed, stoned, set alight and strangled for bringing "shame" on their families. Men can be victims too, though it is rarer. US President Donald Trump is not not clear of the russia meddling investigation after a House panel voted to subpoena the entire Mueller report into collusion and obstruction allegations The House Judiciary Committee authorized a subpoena Wednesday for the full Russia investigation report, setting up a high-stakes legal battle over secret testimony that could be damaging to President Donald Trump. Ten days after Attorney General Bill Barr cleared Trump of any wrongdoing in his summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, the House panel gave Barr just days to voluntarily turn over the entire report and underlying investigative materials. "We are going to work with the attorney general for a short period of time in the hopes that he will reveal to us the entire report and the underlying materials," said Democratic committee chairman Jerry Nadler. "But if that doesn't work out, in a very short order we will issue the subpoenas," he said. Barr last week told Congress he was prepared to hand over the Mueller report by mid-April, but one stripped of the extensive grand jury interviews and subpoenaed material; materials collected by intelligence sources; and evidence related to other investigations and third parties. Nadler, whose committee would preside over any impeachment proceedings against the president, said the committee has the right to see the entire 400-page report and all supporting evidence. The Democrat-controlled committee voted to authorize one subpoena for the full report and underlying evidence, and separately to subpoena five former Trump aides, including strategist Steve Bannon, lawyer Don McGahn, and chief of staff Reince Priebus. "The committee is entitled and must see the material," Nadler said after the vote. "We are not willing to let the attorney general, who after all is a political appointee of the president, substitute his judgement for ours." The demand could set up a constitutional showdown over whether the House has a right to demand normally secret grand jury materials that could hurt the president. In Barr's March 24 four-page summary of Mueller's conclusions, he said there was no evidence that anyone in the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to skew the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. Barr also declared that while Mueller himself reached no conclusion on the issue of whether Trump criminally obstructed the Russia investigation, his own review found there was not enough evidence to support obstruction allegations. Trump at the time declared that the report was a "complete exoneration" of him. But Democrats say it is clear that Mueller had reason to suspect Trump of obstruction and that the public deserves to see the full picture, and not rely on Barr's judgement. Iran has been hit by major floods across most of the country since March The death toll from major floods swamping much of Iran over the past 15 days has risen to 62, the head of the Iranian Legal Medicine Organisation told local media Wednesday. Ahmad Shojaee told the semi-official Fars news agency the southern province of Fars has been hit the hardest with 21 dead. The western province of Lorestan and the northern province of Golestan followed with 14 and 8 dead respectively, he said. Flood-related deaths have been reported in 11 out of Iran's 31 provinces, Shojaee added. The semi-official ISNA news agency said the current toll was a tally of the victims whose bodies have been transferred to coroner offices across the country -- indicating the count could still rise. Iran has been hit by flooding across most of the country since March. The country's northeast was swamped on March 19 before the west and southwest of the country were inundated on March 25, killing a total 45 people. Flooding in the west and southwest continued on April 1 when heavy rains returned to the area. "Seventy-eight intercity roads have been blocked, as many as 2,199 rural roads and 84 bridges have been washed away," said Behnam Saeedi, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Organisation. "Across 15 provinces, 141 rivers burst their banks and around 400 land slides were reported," he told state TV. The government said the flooding had damaged nearly 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) of roads, or 36 percent of the country's entire street network. Uganda Ugandan security forces are hunting gunmen who abducted an American tourist and her driver inside a national park close to the border with Democratic Republic of Congo, police said Wednesday. Four kidnappers stopped a group of tourists at gunpoint around dusk on Tuesday as they drove through the Queen Elizabeth National Park 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 kidnappers, using the victim's phone, have demanded $500,000," police spokeswoman Polly Namaye said a statement. "We strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap." Two other tourists, whom police described as an "elderly couple", were present when the gunmen attacked, but were not abducted or physically harmed. They managed to raise the alarm from the lodge where they were staying. The attack took place between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm (1500-1600GMT) on Tuesday, police said. A day later, soldiers have fanned out along the porous border with DR Congo, but as night fell, police said they believe the pair remain in the country. "A joint operation by the Uganda police, Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Wildlife Authority game wardens is under way to locate and rescue them," government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said. "The priority at this point is to locate, rescue and bring them back to safety." - Elite squad deployed - Uganda police's tourist protection force has also deployed a special response unit. "The police have despatched an elite squad from the tourism police to reinforce the security teams at Queen Elizabeth National Park, to actively pursue a group of four unknown gunmen," Namaye said. "Joint security teams have cut off all exit areas on the border between Uganda and the DRC in search for the victims," she added. Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the East African nation's most famous 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. 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. It is also about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous among tourists for gorilla trekking. Uganda is home to over half of the worlds endangered mountain gorillas. In 1999, Rwandan rebels killed eight foreign tourists 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. Army spokesman, Brigadier Richard Karemire, insisted the kidnapping was "an isolated incident" and that Uganda remains safe for tourists. "The security agencies, including the military, are working together to ensure the tourist and the driver are freed unharmed," Karemire said. The Red Sea's unique coral reefs are threatened by ocean plastic Egypt's Red Sea Governorate is to introduce a ban on single-use plastics that are destroying marine life, the province's top official said Wednesday. The ban, set to take effect in June, covers items including disposable plastic bags, cutlery and cups, and aims to protect the area's unique sea life, governor Ahmed Abdallah said. "We want to limit this phenomenon to preserve our maritime environment," he told AFP. The world currently produces more than 300 million tonnes of plastic annually, and scientists estimate there are at least five trillion pieces of the stuff floating in our oceans. Egypt's Red Sea province depends heavily on income from tourists, many of whom come to snorkel and scuba dive among its spectacular reefs. The vulnerable shallow-water ecosystems are under threat by both global warming and plastic pollution. Abdallah said businesses and families in the province will be required to replace plastic with paper and reusable bags. Heba Shawky, head of the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association which campaigned for the ban, said it was "a huge step forward, because plastic bags cause a lot of damage." The Egyptian decision comes after countries agreed at a UN conference in March to "significantly reduce" use of single-use plastics, but failed to agree on a full ban, disappointing environmental campaigners. Sources close to the talks said rich nations, led by the US, were influential in watering down the pledge. Egypt's Red Sea province had mulled a ban of single-use plastics prior to the 2011 revolt that toppled longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak, but the ensuing political turmoil put those plans on hold. The country's crucial tourism industry, hit hard by the uprising, has bounced back in recent years with tourist arrivals reaching 8.3 million in 2017, according to government figures. That falls far short of the figure in 2010, when Egypt welcomed 14.7 million tourists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces the return of the remains of Sergeant Zachary Baumel, a soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon war Israel announced Wednesday that the remains of a soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon war had been returned to the country, bringing to a close a highly sensitive case for Israelis. Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel had been missing since what is known as the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, said Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus. "It is one of the most moving moments in all my years at the head of the country," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address from his Jerusalem office. "This operation is the result of major diplomatic efforts that we will speak about one day." Israel's military declined to provide details on how the remains were retrieved, including where they were found. Baumel was born in the United States in 1960, but immigrated to Israel. Conricus called the recovery, labelled "Operation Bittersweet Song", a "special and moving moment". "His body is in Israel. The body has been identified," he said, adding that DNA evidence had been used in the identification and that personal belongings were also found. Israeli soldiers fought with Syrian forces in the battle on June 10-11, 1982 in the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub, near the Syrian border. Some 20 Israeli soldiers were killed in the battle. Baumel and two other soldiers, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, have been listed as missing and presumed killed since. The other two remain missing. The families of all three have been notified, said Conricus. They were part of an armoured battalion and were in two separate tanks. Baumel was a tank driver. The military quoted from Baumel's last postcard to his family in Israel, which read: "Don't worry, everything is okay, but it looks like I won't be home for a while." - 'Locate the body' - It was not clear if Baumel had been killed in battle or after being captured, said Conricus, saying an investigation was underway to try to determine that. His body has been in Israel "for a few days", delivered on an El Al plane, Conricus said. "Over the years the (military) has undertaken significant intelligence and operational efforts in order to find the locations and to bring back the remains of those missing in action," he said. "Over the last year there were significant developments and the opportunity arose to locate the body." Israel is still technically at war with Lebanon and Syria. Netanyahu is in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with Syria, where Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria, where Moscow has been supporting President Bashar al-Assad's regime in his country's civil war. Netanyahu is due to travel to Moscow to meet Putin on Thursday, just five days ahead of Israeli elections. The military did not indicate whether Russia was involved in the diplomatic efforts to return the remains. In 2016, Russia returned a tank to Israel from the same battle. 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 its 1948 founding. Both the military and Netanyahu pledged efforts to bring home four soldiers still missing in action as well as the remains of dozens of others declared dead. The four missing include Feldman and Katz, as well as Ron Arad, taken prisoner after a dogfight over Lebanon in 1986, and Guy Hever, who disappeared in the Golan Heights in 1997. In one high-profile case, the families of two soldiers killed in Israel's 2014 war in the Gaza Strip have pressed the government to bring back their remains, believed to be held by Hamas. A US Customs and Border Protection officer inspects Mexican pineapple in Laredo, Texas Picture an economic shockwave: Thousands of workers laid off and supermarket shelves made barren. Auto plants darkened overnight. Precious supplies of avocados, so dear to American hearts, wiped out, while other fresh fruits and vegetables also rot in trucks, with supplies exhausted in as little as 48 hours. Fuming over migration, President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated his threat to close the US-Mexico border -- among the busiest in the world, across which $1.7 billion in goods and hundreds of thousands of people travel in both directions every day. This has drawn a collective gasp from economists, Congress and industry, who fear a catastrophe that could tip the world's largest economy into recession as ties with Mexico, its third-largest trading partner, grind to a halt. "It comes close to being unthinkable," Daniel Griswold, director of the trade and immigration project at George Mason University's Mercatus Center, told AFP. He spoke of waves of joblessness, lost business and deepened suffering among farmers who have already been hurt during Trump's multi-front trade wars with China, Europe, Canada and Mexico. Aerial view of cargo trucks lining up to cross to the United States near the US-Mexico border at Otay Mesa crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on April 2, 2019 "It would be like erecting a wall in the middle of the factory floor. It would be a complete disruption and it wouldn't be immediately undone if the borders re-opened." "The losses would be huge and grinding," he added. Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday US officials were working to minimize the economic impact from any closure of the border -- including keeping truck lanes open. On average, more than 17,000 trucks cross into the United States from Mexico every day, according to US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, hauling the lion's share of the $612 billion in two-way trade recorded last year. US officials say the port of San Ysidro, which lies between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico, is the busiest land port in the Western Hemisphere, processing 70,000 northbound vehicles and 20,000 northbound pedestrians every day. In 2018, the largest US imports were Mexican-made autos and auto parts, which together totaled $114 billion, according to Commerce Department figures, while just in petroleum and coal products, industrial chemicals and machinery, the United States sent back more than $70 billion. - No seatbelts? No cars - When it is too cold in the United States, Mexico and points south produce the avocadoes Americans cherish The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement -- which Trump is seeking to replace with a revamped version -- allowed manufacturers and farmers to exploit continent-wide supply chains, taking advantage of low-cost labor in some regions and high-tech capacities in others. Auto manufacturers have therefore interwoven their supply chains across North America, with parts produced in one country added in others, meaning motor vehicles may cross borders repeatedly before they are completed. And halting this trade would do nothing short of drive the US economy into recession, according to Kristin Dziczek, vice president of the Center for Automotive Research. "We see all production halting within a week," she told AFP, adding that this would result in immediate layoffs. Just-in-time supply chains mean there are no reserves to fall back on in case of a border closure, according to Dziczek. "As soon as they don't have one part, production stops," she said. Mexico provides about 70 percent of all the wiring harnesses used to transmit power within US-manufactured vehicles and 60 percent of the seatbelts, meaning American auto plants would be crippled without the Mexican-made goods, she said. "Want to buy a car without a seatbelt?" she asked, noting that it was illegal in the United States to sell incompletely assembled vehicles. - Agricultural imports - Pedestrians walk towards the US-Mexico border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on March 29, 2019 in San Diego, California For each US auto assembly worker, there are seven to nine other jobs in industries directly dependant on auto production and marketing: shipping, rail, accounting, engineering, advertising, she added. Meanwhile, Mexico is also the largest source of US agricultural imports, sending more than 6 billion pounds (2.7 million metric tons) of produce northward annually -- feeding much of America in the colder months when fresh fruits and vegetables are out of season. Perishable tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, bell peppers, mangoes and avocados do not languish in warehouses, according to Allison Moore, vice president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, Arizona. "We're not in the storage business," Moore told AFP. "You're gonna see us run out of product in two days, max." Research produced with the University of Arizona, a US state that sits atop a fertile corridor of farmland south of the Mexican border, shows that nationwide about 30,000 US jobs are tied just to importing Mexican tomatoes, she said. "When there's no work at local warehouses, there are gonna be layoffs," said Moore. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres flew into Libya ahead of a planned conference aimed at paving the way for elections to end years of chaos United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Libya Wednesday ahead of a conference aimed at paving the way for elections to help end years of chaos in the country. "I have just arrived in Libya, totally committed to support a Libyan-led political process leading to peace, stability, democracy and prosperity for the Libyan people," Guterres said on Twitter. The UN has announced an all-party conference expected for April 14-16 in western Libya to draw up a roadmap towards elections and out of the turmoil it has faced since a 2011 uprising. The national conference aims to fix dates for legislative and presidential elections in the North African state, which has been torn apart by military, political and tribal feuds since the NATO-backed ouster of longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi. Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli, is rejected by a rival administration in the east of the country that is backed by strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army. Unity government leader Fayez al-Sarraj and Haftar agreed at a February meeting in Abu Dhabi to work towards organising elections. "To avoid any major confrontation and to create the conditions to stabilise the situation in Libya, it's essential to unify the institutions of Libya," Guterres said in Cairo before flying to Tripoli. "We hope that the conversations that took place between Sarraj and Haftar in Abu Dhabi and the understanding will be an important step to guarantee that, and that this can be consolidated by a national conference." The visit by Guterres was the first by a UN Secretary General to Libya since 2014. US President Donald Trump has threatened to close the US border with Mexico, which is heavily traveled at points like this one near San Diego, California Closing the US-Mexican border would "not be good for anyone," Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez warned Wednesday, as his American counterpart, Donald Trump, kept up his threats to do just that. The leftist leader made the comment after Trump tweeted there was a "national emergency" on the border and renewed his threat to close it partly or entirely -- the latest jab in his fight to curb immigration and build his border wall. "Closing the border would not be good for anyone. It's not the most advisable" option, Lopez Obrador told a press conference. He said, however, that his government had "very good communication" with the United States on the border and migration issues. "We're helping, and we're going to continue helping to avoid a conflict ... We're going to try to defuse the tension," he said. Lopez Obrador, who took office in December, has sought to maintain a cordial relationship with Trump, despite their ideological differences. Trump nevertheless returned last week to the Mexico-bashing of his 2016 election campaign, tweeting that the United States's southern neighbors "just take our money and 'talk'" and threatening to close the border. He has struck a softer tone this week, praising Mexico for taking a "big step over the past two days" and detaining "large numbers" of irregular migrants from Central America trying to reach the United States. That caused head-scratching in Mexico, where there has been no significant change in migration policy recently. Lopez Obrador was happy to take the praise, however. "I'm glad the United States government recognizes that we are helping," he said. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told him the United States will not close the border, despite Trump's threats. Travelers and truckers coming from Mexico have, however, faced huge lines at the border since last week, caused by the Trump administration's decision to reassign hundreds of border officers to deal with migrants. Despite wait times of up to eight hours to cross the border -- which handles $1.7 billion in goods and hundreds of thousands of people each day -- Lopez Obrador downplayed the matter. "There are no major problems" at border crossings, he said. Haftar's forces already control much of Libya's east and south, including the southern city of Sebha Forces loyal to Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar are preparing to advance on the country's west, including the capital Tripoli, a spokesman said Wednesday. Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled long-time ruler Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. But Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army has emerged as a key player, opposing a United Nations-backed unity government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. He launched an offensive into oil-rich southern Libya in January ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. Haftar has repeatedly expressed his intention to march on Tripoli. LNA spokesman Ahmed Mesmari said at a press conference Wednesday that "preparations are on the point of being completed... to purge the west of terrorists and mercenaries". The force's press office said on Facebook earlier 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. 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". Haftar's advance into southern Libya has been helped by some local support. His forces have been able take certain locations, notably the southern city of Sebha and a key oil field, without a fight. But analysts say the LNA will face a much tougher challenge in the west, where groups such as the powerful Misrata militias bitterly oppose him. Sarraj pointed out that Wednesday's announcement came ahead of a UN-backed conference in mid-April aimed at laying out a roadmap to stabilise the country. "Libyans see (the conference) as a glimmer of hope and a way out of the crisis," he said, adding that his opponents were aiming to undermine the process. "Social norms are changing, I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying," the 76-year-old Biden said in a message on his Twitter account Former vice president Joe Biden, who is mulling a White House run, said Wednesday after coming under fire over his physical contact with women that he will be "more mindful" in the future about respecting personal space. "Social norms are changing, I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying," the 76-year-old Biden said in a message on his Twitter account. "Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future," he said. "That's my responsibility and I will meet it," said Biden, who is considering whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Two women have gone public in the past week with claims that Biden inappropriately touched them years ago. Former US vice president Joe Biden says he will be 'more mindful' in the future about respecting personal space "It wasn't sexual, but he did grab me by the head," Amy Lappos told Connecticut's Hartford Courant newspaper about an incident at a 2009 political fundraiser. Former Nevada state lawmaker 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. Biden, in a video which accompanied his Twitter message, said that in his long political career he has "always tried to make a human connection. "That's my responsibility, I think -- I shake hands, I hug people," he said. "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," he said. Biden added that he "gets" that the "boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset." "I get it," he said. "I hear what they're saying. I understand it. And I'll be much more mindful. "That's my responsibility and I'll meet it." Biden has yet to declare his candidacy, but he is already the early favorite to win the Democratic nomination and challenge Donald Trump in next year's election. Chicago mayor elect Lori Lightfoot, (L) shown kissing her wife, is the latest member of the LGBTQ community to win a major election, a sign of growing acceptance of gay candidates by American voters The election of Chicago's first black lesbian mayor and the rise to prominence of a gay presidential candidate have shown beyond a doubt that in US politics -- at least among Democrats -- being LGBTQ is now utterly accepted. Another lesbian candidate just won the mayoral race in Madison, Wisconsin, while a third earned a spot in a runoff to be mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. The latest victories come after a steady shift in cultural attitudes fueled a "Rainbow wave" of gay and lesbian candidates across America in 2018, even as Donald Trump's administration has chipped away at protections of the LGBTQ community. The number of openly gay elected officials nationwide nearly doubled last year, to 682, according to the Victory Fund, which supports the election of LGBTQ candidates. The group backed Lori Lightfoot, who won Chicago's mayoral race despite never having held public office. Young Americans are "watching us, and they're seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different," Lightfoot said in her victory speech. "It doesn't matter who you love, just as long as you love." That acceptance is taking hold nationwide, empowering a community that has been traditionally under-represented in US politics, where sexual orientation and family values have often stirred debate. As recently as 2006, polls showed a majority of Americans were uncomfortable or had reservations about a gay presidential candidate. Today a combined 68 percent are either enthusiastic or comfortable with such a candidate, according to an NBC News survey this week. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is aiming to become the first openly gay American ever elected to the presidency Congress now has a historic number of openly lesbian, gay or bisexual members, all Democrats: eight in the 435-seat House of Representatives and two in the 100-member Senate. Last November, Colorado's Jared Polis became the first openly gay person elected governor. "As the nation becomes more accepting of LGBTQ people, voters are focusing less on a candidate's sexual orientation and gender identity and more on their issue positions and their vision for the future -- and they tend to like what they see," the Victory Fund's Elliot Imse told AFP Wednesday. But while LGBTQ Americans make up 4.5 percent of the population, they only hold 0.1 percent of elected offices nationwide, he said. "So it's incredible progress being made, but the numbers that we have to make up are quite extraordinary as well." - 'Not there yet' - The shift in American attitudes is particularly good news for Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a rising star presidential hopeful. Buttigieg, a Harvard graduate who put his mayoral duties on hold to serve in Afghanistan as a Navy intelligence officer, is openly gay, and has spoken warmly about his marriage to Chasten Glezman. With voters knowing he will be rock solid on equality issues, Buttigieg is freed up to address concerns more germane to presidential contests, such as the economy, climate change and foreign policy. Several LGBTQ Democrats embraced that approach, and it worked. Gay lawmakers have been in the Republican Party in the past, but its lack of an openly LGBTQ lawmaker in Congress is glaring given that Trump became his party's first nominee to mention gay rights in his nomination acceptance speech. Trump's pick as ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, last year became the highest ranking openly gay official ever in a Republican administration. But Imse said Trump has surrounded himself with officials whose anti-LGBT bias has driven his agenda, including moving to bar transgender people from the military, rolling back Barack Obama's protections for LGBTQ workers, and supporting the right of businesses not to serve gay couples in the name of religion. Trump's vice president, conservative Mike Pence, has aggressively opposed both abortion and LGBTQ rights as a lawmaker, becoming a hero of the religious right. Pence served as Indiana governor during Buttigieg's first years as mayor, and they clashed on social issues. Buttigieg said he looks forward to the day being gay is seen as the least interesting thing about a politician. "Shouldn't it just be that I, like, show up at some event, my date's a dude, and everybody puts it together and nobody cares?" he posited on a podcast last month. "I think that's the destination. But I know that we're not there yet." Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, pictured February 2019, said that his country would continue to pressure European countries to act on their obligations within the Iran nuclear deal but added that "we never had any hopes" in them Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Wednesday European powers were incapable of bypassing sanctions imposed on Tehran by the US after it withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Iran and six world powers agreed on a deal in 2015 that severely restricted Tehran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief and economic incentives. However President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal -- technically called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- last May, reimposing punishing sanctions on the Islamic republic. The other parties to the nuclear deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia along with the European Union -- however insist they remain committed to making the deal work. "The Europeans at first viewed the JCPOA (nuclear deal) as an achievement, but maybe they were not prepared to, and certainly they were not capable of standing up against U.S sanctions," Zarif said in an interview with Khamenei.ir, the official website of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "We will continue pressing the Europeans to implement their commitments. Europe must know that they cannot shy away from their responsibilities with a few statements and some unaccomplished plans," he added. Zarif, who was his country's chief negotiator in the negotiations leading to the deal, said that Iran would continue to pressure the Europeans to act on their obligations within the deal but added that "we never had any hopes" in them. Instead of the western powers the Islamic republic has turned to its traditional partners such as Russia and China, Zarif said, adding "the future of our foreign policy lies in that way." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presses Turkey over Syria and its arms purchase from Russia during a meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu 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. Speaking at a forum earlier in the day, Cavusoglu said bluntly when asked if he thought the United States had a clear policy in Syria: "No, and this is the problem." The State Department Pompeo pressed him about Turkey's plans to buy the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The United States on Monday suspended Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program over the deal with Russia. Pompeo also voiced concerns over Turkey's detention of US consulate employees and US citizen Serkan Golge, a joint national jailed on terror charges amid a sweeping national crackdown. Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn -- seen here on April 3, 2019, outside his lawyer's office -- is reportedly being rearrested as prosecutors look into fresh charges against him Tokyo prosecutors on Thursday entered the home of former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, who is out on bail, to rearrest him on a new allegation of financial misconduct, local media said. Public broadcaster NHK and other media said prosecutors had entered Ghosn's temporary accommodation in central Tokyo early Thursday and planned to detain the auto tycoon while they investigate a new charge against him. An AFP reporter outside the home saw three men in dark suits guarding the entrance to the building's car park and a police officer patrolling, as dozens of journalists gathered. Reports emerged Wednesday that prosecutors were weighing rearresting Ghosn as they investigate a potential fourth charge against him related to at least $32 million 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 losses to Nissan's books. He has denied any wrongdoing. Ghosn took to Twitter for the first time Wednesday, using a newly created account that his spokespeople confirmed was authentic to announce that he plans to hold an April 11 press conference. "I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening. Press conference on Thursday, April 11," said the tweet, sent in English and then Japanese. But with prosecutors apparently poised to detain Ghosn, it was unclear whether the press conference could be held. Ghosn has been out on bail since his surprise release last month after more than 100 days in detention. 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. 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. US lawmakers are calling for action over alleged human rights abuses ordered by Chen Quanguo, the top Chinese official in the northwestern region of Xinjiang 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. US President Donald Trump has refused to release his tax returns, raising speculation among critics about his revenue sources and net worth 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 signaled 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. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has praised the "change agenda" of the Democratic Republic of Congo's new president, Felix Tshisekedi US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday praised the "change agenda" of the Democratic Republic of Congo's new president, Felix Tshisekedi, hailing his actions against corruption and other longtime scourges. Tshisekedi, who took office in January in the vast country's first peaceful transition of power, met Pompeo in Washington on a trip where he also spoke to business leaders. Pompeo "expressed support for President Tshisekedi's change agenda focused on fighting corruption, strengthening governance, advancing human rights and accountability for human rights abuses and violations, promoting stability and security and attracting American investment in the DRC," the State Department said. It said that Tshisekedi committed to "good governance and respect for human rights." Tshisekedi's election was marred by allegations of widespread fraud, with rival Martin Fayulu saying the vote was stolen. But the international community quickly rallied around Tshisekedi after his election was validated, hoping to avoid the sort of unrest that has plagued the former Zaire since its independence from Belgium in 1960. Since taking office, Tshisekedi has taken actions that have won support in the West including blocking corruption-tainted senators from being seated and moving to repair historically tense relations with Rwanda. Texas carried out 13 of the 25 executions in the United States in 2018 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. Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi says the US is the "perfect partner" to contribute to his agenda for change The new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo asked for US assistance to help lift his vast country out of a decades-long crisis during a visit to Washington on Thursday. Tshisekedi, who took office in January in the vast country's first peaceful transition of power, talked of the new "balance" his election had brought to a nation "on the verge of collapse" under his predecessor Joseph Kabila. "That's why I'm here: to ask the Democratic Republic of Congo's traditional partner, the United States, to help us maintain this fragile balance," he told a conference organized by the Council on Foreign Relations. Tshisekedi vowed to focus on "corruption, mismanagement, bad governance" and arbitrary arrests that had been the hallmark of the DRC's "dictatorial system." According to Tshisekedi, the US is the "perfect partner" to contribute to his agenda for change, including military reforms, which will aim to attract new investors. He urged Americans to see the DRC's huge potential, including its plentiful natural resources. But he also had a warning on what he called the nascent "Islamist threat" in the historically tumultuous central African nation. "This is becoming an international problem," he said, voicing concern that jihadists recently forced out of Iraq and Syria could gain a foothold among "desperate" youth in the DRC. He had criticism too, cautioning against American sanctions targeting the head of his country's electoral commission. Tshisekedi's election was marred by allegations of widespread fraud, though the international community quickly backed his mandate in an effort to avoid conflict. Tshisekedi met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday and is due for talks Friday with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, though no meetings are planned with President Donald Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in Tuesday's election Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the upcoming general election. "I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don't distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said in an interview to Channel 12 television. Settlements built on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are deemed illegal by the international community and their ongoing construction is seen as a major barrier to peace. Annexation could prove to be the death knell for the two-state solution. Netanyahu's annexation remark comes just three days before the April 9 general election and could be seen as an appeal to rightwing voters who don't believe in the feasibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. In an interview broadcast Friday, Netanyahu said he told US President Donald Trump he would not remove settlements or people as part of a future American peace plan. "I said there shouldn't be the removal of even one settlement" from the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 13 television. Washington is expected to unveil proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace sometime after Tuesday's Israeli election in which Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term. The Israeli prime minister was asked if he was familiar with the details of the US plan, replying he knew "what should be in it." Along with settlements, "our ongoing control of all the territory west of the Jordan" River was a further condition set by the Israeli premier for any US-led peace initiative. Netanyahu said he informed Trump not "even one person" would be evicted from a settlement More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements as part of its military occupation of the territory, while a further 200,000 live in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty. While Netanyahu has a close relationship with the US president, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut off relations with Washington after Trump declared the disputed city of Jerusalem Israel's capital in December 2017. The Palestinians say the US government's pro-Israel bias meant it could no longer lead peace negotiations between them and Israel, while US officials argue their plan will be fair. Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have been at a standstill since 2014, when a drive for a deal by Barack Obama's administration collapsed. Le Drian's discussions with Japan's foreign minister came after a Japanese court ruled that Carlos Ghosn must remain in custory until at least April 14 France's foreign minister on Saturday urged Tokyo to ensure consular protection and the presumption of innocence in talks with his Japanese counterpart over the case of Carlos Ghosn, after the re-arrest of the former Nissan and Renault boss in Japan. Jean-Yves Le Drian said he had talked about the Ghosn case with Taro Kono on the sidelines of the meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in the French resort of Dinard. Their talks came a day after a Japanese court ruled Ghosn must remain in custody until at least April 14 following his re-arrest in Tokyo. "I of course spoke about the the Ghosn case with my colleague," Le Drian told reporters after the end of the G7 meeting. "I told him two things: That France respects completely the sovereignty and independence of the Japanese judiciary. And I also reminded him of our attachment to the presumption of innocence and the full rights of consular protection." Ghosn spent 108 days in detention in northern Tokyo before being dramatically released on bail of around $9 million on March 6. But his re-arrest last week came as authorities look into new allegations that Ghosn transferred some $15 million in Nissan funds between late 2015 and mid-2018 to a dealership in Oman. In an interview with French television recorded just before his latest arrest, the businessman, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, called on the French government "to defend me," and press the Japanese authorities respect the presumption of innocence. Ghosn had long been lauded as the architect of the alliance between Renault and Nissan -- and later Mitsubishi -- before his shock arrest in Tokyo in November. LONDON (AP) - Britain's Brexit logjam has become a pileup. Lawmakers have voted, and the results are a mess. They don't want Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal, don't want to leave without a deal, and don't want any of the other options on offer. The country faces a deadline of April 12 to present the European Union with a new plan or crash out of the bloc. A look at the most likely options: MAY'S DEAL After almost two years of negotiations, Britain and the EU struck a divorce deal in November, laying out the terms of Britain's departure from the bloc and giving a rough outline of future relations. It needs to be ratified by the British and European Parliaments - and U.K. lawmakers have rejected it twice by huge margins, first in January and then in March. Anti Brexit protesters hold onto their flags and placards as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. British Prime Minister Theresa May's government says Parliament's decision to take control of the stalled process of leaving the European Union underscores the need for lawmakers to approve her twice-defeated deal. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) The deal is a compromise that has pleased almost no one. Pro-Brexit lawmakers think it keeps Britain too closely tied to EU rules. Pro-EU legislators argue it is worse than the U.K.'s current status as an EU member. May still wants to try again, and has called a new Brexit debate in Parliament for Friday, though it has not confirmed whether it will include another vote on the deal. In a dramatic bid to win over opponents, May promised to quit if her deal passes and Britain leaves the EU. That has led some pro-Brexit lawmakers to say they will support the agreement, but the key Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland remains opposed. ___ CUSTOMS UNION With May's deal stuck, Parliament took control of the Brexit process Wednesday to hold a series of "indicative votes" on possible alternatives, from quitting the EU without a deal to canceling the decision to leave. The exercise did not provide clarity - all eight options on offer were defeated. But it did hint at a potential compromise. The measure that came closest to a majority, defeated by 272 votes to 264, called for Britain to remain in a customs union with the EU after it leaves. May has always ruled that out, because sticking to EU trade rules would limit Britain's ability to forge new trade deals around the world. But it would ensure U.K. businesses can continue to trade with the EU, and would solve many of the problems that bedevil May's deal. In particular it would remove the need for customs posts and border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland There's a good chance a withdrawal agreement that included a customs union pledge would be approved by Parliament, and welcomed by the EU. ___ NEW REFERENDUM The other option with significant support called for any deal to be put to public vote in a "confirmatory referendum." The idea was backed by 268 lawmakers and opposed by 295, and has significant support from opposition parties, plus some members of the Conservatives. The government has ruled out holding another referendum on Britain's EU membership, but could change its mind if there appeared no other way to pass its Brexit deal. ___ NO DEAL OR LONG DELAY Parliament has voted repeatedly to rule out a no-deal Brexit - but it remains the default position unless a deal is approved, Brexit is canceled or the EU grants Britain another extension. While a minority of lawmakers would welcome what they call a "clean Brexit," most politicians, economists and business groups think it would be disastrous. The alternative to 'no-deal' is to delay Brexit for at least several months while Britain sorts out the mess. The EU is frustrated with the impasse, and says it will only grant another postponement if Britain makes up its mind on a new course before April 12. The bloc is reluctant to have a departing Britain participate in May 23-26 European parliament elections, as it would have to do if Brexit is delayed. But EU Council President Donald Tusk has urged the bloc to give Britain the extension if it plans to change course. A long delay also raises the chances of an early British election, which could rearrange Parliament and break the political deadlock. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Brexit protesters demonstrate near the House of Parliament in London, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. British Prime Minister Theresa May's government says Parliament's decision to take control of the stalled process of leaving the European Union underscores the need for lawmakers to approve her twice-defeated deal. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - A former minister accused of grooming a 14-year-old girl for sex and then encouraging her to engage in sex with two other pastors has been convicted of child sex trafficking. A federal jury found Anthony Haynes guilty of multiple charges Wednesday, hours after he denied having sex with the girl and said she tried to manipulate him, telling jurors, "I'm not a pervert." Haynes, 40, now faces up to life in prison. Two other Toledo-area pastors who have pleaded guilty in the investigation also are awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors showed jurors evidence that included text messages, photos, voice mails and DNA evidence from Haynes' church where the girl said they would meet. The now 19-year-old woman testified that Haynes paid her for sex during a three-year period after promising her mother he would protect her and act as a father figure. Prosecutors said Haynes pledged in front of his congregation to look out for the girl because she had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused by a relative. She said Haynes began grooming her when she turned 14 and later introduced her to the two other pastors, Kenneth Butler and Cordell Jenkins. Sometimes, the two men joked about the arrangement, prosecutors said. Michael Freeman, an assistant U.S. attorney, said the woman is doing well now. "She's been carrying this burden with her since 2014 and now she feels relieved," he said. Defense attorneys declined to comment. In addition to the charges against the men, Haynes' wife and stepdaughter are accused of abducting the victim at gunpoint in January and warning her not to testify at the trial. Court documents say the pair forced the teenager from her apartment, choked her with a cord and told her to take back statements she made to investigators. Attorneys for Haynes' wife and stepdaughter have declined to comment. JERUSALEM (AP) - The Latest on the Israel-Palestinian conflict (all times local): 6:10 p.m. The Israeli military says it has beefed up its troop presence along the border with the Gaza Strip and completed preparations for possible renewal of hostilities with Palestinian militants this weekend. The army said Thursday that Israeli forces "are continuing with advancing readiness ahead of a possible escalation" following this week's cross-border violence and planned mass protests along the Israel-Gaza border on Saturday. The military issued a video showing soldiers massing near the border and performing urban combat drills. Earlier in the week, Israel mustered reservist troops and deployed tanks and armored personnel carriers near the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers sit on top of mobile artillery near the border with Gaza, in southern Israel, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) Egyptian mediators are trying to reach a negotiated truce between Israel and Hamas ___ 3:45 p.m. Israel's prime minister says he is prepared to take further military action in the Gaza Strip, but only as a last resort. Benjamin Netanyahu made his comments Thursday as Egyptian mediators were trying to broker an expanded cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers following a new round of fighting. Netanyahu visited troops sent to the Gaza border this week after a two-day outbreak of fighting. "If we need a broader operation, we will enter it strong and confident, and after we have exhausted all other options," he said. Israel carried out retaliatory airstrikes against Hamas after a rocket fired from Gaza destroyed a house north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven Israelis. Palestinian militants responded with rocket barrages in some of the most intense fighting since a 2014 war. ___ 3:10 p.m. Egyptian mediators are heading to Israel to discuss a potential cease-fire plan with Hamas to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip that began earlier this week. Three Hamas officials familiar with the negotiations said Thursday that the Egyptians offered Hamas a series of measures to ease the Egyptian-Israeli blockade on Gaza. In exchange, Hamas would have to pledge to halt rocket fire and keep protests along the Israeli border under control. The officials say the deal would only take effect after a planned mass demonstration along the Israeli border. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were ongoing. One of the officials described the atmosphere as positive. Another official said the Egyptians were discussing the proposal with Israel on Thursday afternoon. There was no immediate Israeli comment. HILO, Hawaii (AP) - Scientists have downgraded the alert level for Hawaii's Kilauea volcano in response to reduced activity, saying the next eruption is likely a few years away. The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory announced Tuesday that the alert level for the Big Island volcano has been lowered from "advisory" to "normal," the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported . The volcano has returned to a non-eruptive, state following the eruption in the lower East Rift Zone that began last May, according to the observatory. Lava flows from the eruption destroyed more than 700 homes and covered nearly 14 square miles (36 square kilometers). "Monitoring data over the past eight months have shown relatively low rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas emission at the summit and East Rift Zone including the area of the 2018 eruption," the observatory said in a notice. The volcano's surface has not had active lava for those eight months, marking the longest period without an eruption in nearly four decades, the observatory said. The volcano went 17 months without an eruption starting in November 1979. Seismic activity remains low, but the number of earthquakes occurring weekly is above levels before the 2018 eruption. The Observatory said most are aftershocks of the magnitude 6.9 quake that hit on May 4, 2018. FILE - In this July 14, 2018 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava from Kilauea volcano erupts in the Leilani Estates neighborhood near Pahoa, Hawaii. Scientists have downgraded the alert level for Hawaii's Kilauea volcano in response to reduced activity, saying the next eruption is likely a few years away. The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory announced Tuesday, March 26, 2019, that the alert level for the Big Island volcano has been lowered from "advisory" to "normal," the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported. (U.S. Geological Survey via AP, File) Based on past observations, the next eruption will likely be in the caldera, the observatory said. The next eruption in the rift zone could be in a decade or longer. ___ Information from: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/ KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donors and foreign help even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached, a U.S. watchdog said Thursday. The warning by Washington's Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which monitors billions of dollars in U.S. aid to the country, came in a new report identifying main high-risk areas for Afghanistan. John F. Sopko, head of SIGAR, urged policymakers to plan for the "day after," saying a peace agreement won't automatically resolve Afghanistan's many crises. "Should peace come, if that peace is to be sustainable, it will come at an additional price that only external donors can afford," Sopko said, according to a statement emailed to The Associated Press ahead of the report's release. The report said main points of concern include widespread insecurity, underdeveloped civil policing capability, endemic corruption, sluggish economy, the Taliban-run narcotics trade and threats to women's rights. Over the past months, the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to resolve Afghanistan's 17-year war - America's longest conflict - and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has held several rounds of peace talks with the Taliban, with both sides citing progress in the negotiations. In this Wednesday, Mar. 27, 2019 photo, construction projects can be seen in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction monitors billions of dollars in U.S. aid to the country. It issued a new report on Thursday identifying main high-risk areas for Afghanistan. They said concerns include widespread insecurity, underdeveloped civil policing capability, endemic corruption, sluggish economy, the Taliban-run narcotics trade, threats to women's rights and the reintegration of as many as 60,000 heavily armed Taliban fighters. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) But despite the talks, the Taliban stage near-daily attacks on Afghan forces, inflicting staggering casualties, and now hold sway over half of the country. Also, the insurgents refuse to talk directly with the government in Kabul, considering it a U.S. puppet. If a peace deal is struck, SIGAR said another concern would be the reintegration of as many as 60,000 heavily armed Taliban fighters and their families back into Afghan society. Donor countries are expected to finance approximately 51 percent of Afghanistan's 2019 government spending of $5 billion. Yet the Afghan government's capabilities are generally weak and it often lacks the capacity to manage and account for donor funds, the report said. FILE - In this March 6, 2019 file photo, Afghan security personnel man a checkpoint at the airport after a suicide attack, in Jalalabad province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan. In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 report the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, a U.S. watchdog, said that Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donors and foreign help even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached. The report identified main high-risk areas including widespread insecurity. (AP Photo/Mohammad Anwar Danishyar) FILE - In this Saturday, Mar. 23, 2019 file photo, a wounded man is tended to following multiple explosions in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan. In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 report the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, a U.S. watchdog, said that Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donors and foreign help even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached. The report identified main high-risk areas including widespread insecurity. (AP Photo/Abdul Khaliq, File) FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2019 file photo, an Afghan street vendor waits for customers on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 report the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, a U.S. watchdog, said that Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donors and foreign help even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached. The report identified main high-risk areas including the sluggish economy. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File) FIILE - In this March 8, 2019 file photo, an independent Afghan artists draws graffiti on a barrier wall of the Ministry of Women's Affairs to mark International Women's Day, in Kabul, Afghanistan. In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 report the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, a U.S. watchdog, said that Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donors and foreign help even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached. The report identified main high-risk areas including threats to women's rights. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File) MOSCOW (AP) - The head of a Siberian region has banned some foreigners from an array of jobs amid high tensions after an attack on a local woman, allegedly by migrants. The ruling by Sakha Republic head Aisen Nikolaev was made public Thursday. It bans migrants from driving trucks or buses, producing food, repairing vehicles and other jobs. Sakha is a sprawling region in Russia's far northeast, about 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) from Moscow. Tensions between locals and migrants soared this month after three Kyrgyzstan citizens were arrest in a rape and kidnapping case. Nikolaev aide Irina Efimova said the order does not include migrants from the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Kyrgyzstan. But Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which have many migrants in Russia, are not part of that group. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky's education commissioner says school superintendents who had to cancel classes while teachers protested at the state Capitol should close loopholes in sick leave policies. News outlets report Commissioner Wayne Lewis sent a memo to 10 school superintendents recommending they have teachers use personal leave instead of sick leave to engage in political advocacy. He said on Wednesday that he has "no intention" of punishing teachers, but districts should investigate to determine if discipline is warranted. His comments come after superintendents turned over the names of teachers who used sick days to protest at the Capitol. Some districts had to cancel days of classes. Teachers protested as lawmakers considered proposals to change who manages the teachers' pension fund and indirectly support private schools with tax credits. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - An appeals court in North Macedonia has reduced the six-year prison term of a former interior minister who was sentenced over the purchase of a bulletproof Mercedes. The court ruled on Thursday to lower Gordana Jankuloska's prison term to four years. Jankuloska was convicted of abuse of power for influencing Interior Ministry officials to recommend the 600,000 euro ($690,000) purchase of the car for use by the prime minister at the time. Jankuloska denied wrongdoing. The former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, was sentenced to two years in prison in the same case. Gruevski, whose conservative party governed from 2006-2015, fled the country to avoid serving the time and was granted political asylum in Hungary. North Macedonia is seeking his extradition. CHICAGO (AP) - President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that the FBI and Department of Justice will review the "outrageous" case of "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago, calling it an "embarrassment" to the country. Prosecutors offered little explanation and infuriated Chicago's police chief and mayor this week when they dropped 16 felony counts against Smollett related to making a false police report, yet still insisted the actor faked a racist, anti-gay attack on himself in January. Trump tweeted: "FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment to our Nation!" The two brothers who claim they worked with the actor to stage the January attack are lying, according to Smollett attorney Tina Glandian. She said Smollett, who is black and gay, had hired one brother as a personal trainer but had no idea who attacked him along a Chicago street until the brothers were later identified by police. Police said investigators believe Smollett hired the brothers to stage the early-morning Jan. 29 attack, and that Smollett hoped to gain attention to help advance his career. Police also allege that before the attack, Smollett sent a letter threatening himself to the Chicago television studio where "Empire" is shot. The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment. Smollett has repeatedly insisted the attack was real, saying two masked men used racial and homophobic slurs, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured an "unknown substance" on him. Police said Smollett also told detectives the attackers yelled he was in "MAGA country," an apparent reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. Actor Jussie Smollett talks to the media before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) Prosecutors initially charged Smollett with one felony count, in February. Then earlier this month, a grand jury indicted him on 15 more counts. In a stunning reversal Tuesday, the Cook County state's attorney's office abruptly dropped all charges against Smollett, abandoning the criminal case only five weeks after the allegations were filed. In return, prosecutors said, the actor agreed to let the city keep his $10,000 in bail. The dismissal drew a backlash and raised the question of why Smollett was not forced to admit any wrongdoing. Among those sure to keep pressing for answers is Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He appeared blindsided by the decision and visibly angry during a Tuesday press conference, calling it "a whitewash of justice." ___ Check out the AP's complete coverage of the Jussie Smollett case. Actor Jussie Smollett, center, leaves the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago after prosecutors dropped all charges against him on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Actor Jussie Smollett talks to the media before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, right, and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, center, appear at a news conference Tuesday, March 26, 2019, after prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, abandoning the case barely five weeks after he was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago. The mayor and police chief blasted the decision and stood by the investigation that concluded Smollett staged a hoax. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson speaks during a news conference Tuesday, March 26, 2019, after prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, abandoning the case barely five weeks after he was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago. Johnson stood by the department's investigation and said Chicago is "is still owed an apology." (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, right, and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson appear at a news conference in Chicago, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, after prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, abandoning the case barely five weeks after he was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago. The mayor and police chief blasted the decision and stood by the investigation that concluded Smollett staged a hoax. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) Actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County Court after his charges were dropped Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) WASHINGTON (AP) - A Russian gun-rights activist will be sentenced next month after admitting she was a secret agent for the Kremlin who tried to infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups as Donald Trump rose to power. Maria Butina appeared briefly Thursday in federal court in Washington and U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan set Butina's sentencing for April 26. Butina, who wore a green jail uniform with her hair pulled back in a long ponytail, did not speak during the court hearing. In December, she pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent and agreed to cooperate with investigators as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Butina admitted that she and former Russian lawmaker Alexander Torshin used their contacts in the National Rifle Association to pursue back channels to American conservatives during the 2016 campaign, when Trump, a Republican, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton. The charges against Butina were brought by federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., and her case is unrelated to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. FILE - In this April 21, 2013 file photo, Maria Butina, leader of a pro-gun organization in Russia, speaks to a crowd during a rally in support of legalizing the possession of handguns in Moscow, Russia. Butina appeared briefly in federal court in Washington on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan set Butina's sentencing for April 26. Butina pleaded guilty in December to a conspiracy charge and agreed to cooperate with U.S. investigators. (AP Photo/File) Mueller concluded his investigation and turned over his report to Attorney General William Barr last week. In a four-page letter to Congress, Barr said the special counsel did not find that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, but the attorney general said there was insufficient evidence Trump obstructed justice by trying to interfere with Mueller's probe. Butina faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, though her lawyers have previously noted that federal sentencing guidelines recommend no time to six months. She has been jailed since her arrest in July. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tim Burton gave his live-action remake of "Dumbo" a more contemporary feel, but the film's stars say the director kept the simple essence and elegance of the 1941 Disney 'toon intact. "He's not just an incredible visual artist, he's just got tons of heart," said the film's star, Colin Farrell. "He's the right guy because at the center of this film ... are themes like inclusion and celebrating difference and acceptance." Farrell, who plays Holt Farrier, a wounded World War I veteran who along with his children seek to protect Dumbo from those who would exploit him. Michael Keaton said Burton has successfully created a movie that will appeal to families, but also fans of Burton's view-askew style. "This movie is so stunningly beautiful," Keaton explained. "And it's got Tim's fingerprints on it." The film, out Friday, is the latest in a string of live-action versions of Disney animated classics dating back to Burton's 2010 film "Alice in Wonderland." ''Dumbo" is the first of three such adaptations coming this year alone, with "Aladdin" arriving in theaters in May and "The Lion King" set for a July release. Burton wanted "Dumbo" to deliver something new while remaining faithful to its source. This image released by Disney shows director Tim Burton on the set of "Dumbo." (Leah Gallo/Disney via AP) "It's of its time so ... for me the whole reason to do it was in the spirit of what Dumbo is about," Burton said last week at the film's London premiere. "The flying elephant represents so many things about you know like being different and using a disadvantage to an advantage." Still, he said in a separate interview earlier this month that he wants moviegoers to draw their own conclusions about what they're seeing. For Danny DeVito, who plays the owner of a small-time circus where Dumbo first takes off, the story is an allegory for how divided the world has become and how "we look at people as different than we are. "Dumbo is so different, with his big ears and you know, people make fun of him, or think of him as a threat ... and actually what we should be doing is embracing each other, and enjoying each other, and allowing each other to live and have a good time," DeVito said. The film is a reunion of Keaton, DeVito and Burton, who worked together on the 1992 hit "Batman Returns." The actors' roles have switched somewhat for the Disney film, with Keaton playing a treacherous P.T. Barnum-esque showman looking to exploit Dumbo, while DeVito lacks the menace of his penguin character from the superhero sequel. DeVito, who has since worked with Burton on "Mars Attacks" and "Big Fish," said those earlier collaborations helped build trust and make a better film. Burton said he hadn't seen Keaton in 20 years before filming "Dumbo" but working with the actor was instantly familiar. "That's a strange feeling to have in your life: when you haven't seen somebody for so long, then it's - boom! - like I just saw him yesterday." ___ Watson contributed from London. This image released by Disney shows Colin Farrell, Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins in a scene from "Dumbo." (Disney via AP) This image released by Disney shows Danny DeVito in a scene from "Dumbo." (Jay Maidment/Disney via AP) This image released by Disney shows a scene from "Dumbo." (Disney via AP) Actor Colin Farrell poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Dumbo' in London, Thursday, March 21, 2019. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Actor Danny DeVito poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Dumbo' in London, Thursday, March 21, 2019. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Norway's justice minister has submitted his resignation after his partner was accused of setting his car on fire and other threatening acts. Justice Minister Tor Mikkel Wara said during a news conference on Thursday: "There is someone who needs me more than the government does...my family." Earlier in the day, Norway's domestic security agency said the minister's partner, Laila Bertheussen, was detained for questioning in eight crimes targeting Wara since December. The agency, known as PST, said they include the car arson, sending an anonymous threatening letter to Wara, setting the garbage container outside Wara's home on fire and scrawling graffiti on the house. Bertheussen denies wrongdoing. Wara joined Norway's center-right government last year. He said he is stepping down Friday. HOUSTON (AP) - The chief executive of a Houston-area petrochemical storage company has apologized more than a week after a fire erupted, causing school closures , an order for residents to stay indoors and the partial closure of a critical commercial waterway. Intercontinental Terminals Company CEO Bernt Netland said in a brief video posted Wednesday to YouTube that he's "very sorry" for the fire's effect on the area southeast of Houston. Also Wednesday, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia called Netland and other senior ITC executives "cowardly" for not being more visible and transparent in the aftermath of the dayslong fire that began March 17. Garcia's district includes the tank farm in Deer Park. All of the Houston Ship Channel was reopened to daytime traffic Wednesday after flammable chemicals seeped into the busy channel. Firefighters arrive at the site where the Intercontinental Terminals Company petrochemical fire reignited, Friday, March 22, 2019, in Deer Park, Texas. The efforts to clean up a Texas industrial plant that burned for several days this week were hamstrung Friday by a briefly reignited fire and a breach that led to chemicals spilling into the nearby Houston Ship Channel. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle via AP) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a Florida middle school student was injured when a pellet from a BB gun hit him in the back while on a school bus. Jacksonville Sheriff's Lt. Derek Boucher tells the Florida Times-Union the bus was taking 27 Mayport Middle School students home Wednesday afternoon when the pellet pierced a window. He says the bus driver heard what appeared to be glass breaking and by the time she reached an intersection, a student said he was hit. The bus driver called 911 and pulled into the parking lot of Lake Lucina Elementary School. Investigators don't know where the BB gun was fired from. Boucher said students were released to their parents after talking to police. An investigation continues. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jay-Z will receive the President's Award during the 50th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday. The NAACP announced Thursday it selected the 49-year-old rapper and entrepreneur for "shedding light on the issues that plague the black community including systematic racism and unjust treatment under the law." Previous recipients have included Jesse Jackson, Muhammad Ali and Condoleezza Rice. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was the first hip-hop artist inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Beyonce, have three children. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters will receive the NAACP chairman's award and radio host Tom Joyner will be honored with the Vanguard Award. The winners of the 50th NAACP Image Awards will be revealed during a TV One broadcast Saturday from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - The Latest on the alleged abduction of an Algerian media group's CEO (all times local): 4:20 p.m. An Algerian media company says its chief executive has been released several hours after what it described as his kidnapping by security forces. The Echourouk Group television station said CEO Ali Fodhil "was released on orders of the prosecutor" following the alleged abduction outside Fodhil's house. Earlier Thursday, the TV station tied the episode to Fodhil's allegation this week that the brother of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was linked to corruption. Fodhil alleged this week on TV that Algeria was run by "extraconstitutional forces" and that the president's younger brother, Said Bouteflika, was "head of the gang." In this picture taken on June 27, 2012, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, left, and his Army chief of staff, Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, attend a military parade in Cherchell near Algiers, Algeria. Algeria's powerful army chief, Ahmed Gaid Salah, insisted Wednesday that the military won't get mixed up in politics, a day after he said a constitutional process should be set in motion to declare ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika unfit for office. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) ___ 3:30 p.m. A media company in Algeria says its owner was kidnapped by security forces and tied it to his blaming the president's brother for alleged corruption. The television channel of the Echourouk Group reported that chief executive was abducted Thursday as he left home for work. Fodhil alleged this week on TV that Algeria was run by "extraconstitutional forces" and that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's younger brother, Said Bouteflika, was "head of the gang." Corruption has long been considered widespread in the North African country, but the president's critics allege it has grown during Bouteflika's two decades in power. It's among the chief complaints of protesters who have been demanding that Bouteflika step down. Massive protests started last month and have thrown Algeria into an unprecedented political crisis. The chief of a media company was released Thursday, several hours after being "kidnapped" by security forces, the Echourouk television station announced. Ali Fodhil "was released on orders of the prosecutor after being kidnapped this morning," the TV station said. It has tied the episode to Fodhil's allegation this week that the brother of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was linked to corruption. It said Fodhil was abducted as he left home for work Thursday morning. He was released in mid-afternoon, the TV station said. Fodhil alleged this week on TV that Algeria was run by "extraconstitutional forces" and that the president's younger brother, Said Bouteflika, was "head of the gang." Corruption has long been considered widespread in the North African country, but the president's critics allege it has grown during Bouteflika's two decades in power. It's among the chief complaints of protesters who have been demanding that Bouteflika step down. Massive protests started last month and have thrown Algeria into an unprecedented political crisis. FILE - In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sits in a wheelchair after taking oath as President, in Algiers. Algeria's powerful army chief said Tuesday March 26, 2019 that he wants to trigger the constitutional process that would declare President Abdelaziz Bouteflika unfit for office, after more than a month of mass protests against the ailing leader's long rule. (AP Photo/Sidali Djarboub, File) PETOSKEY, Mich. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan says it has reached an agreement with Meijer on policy changes and training after a pharmacist at one of the retailer's stores refused to fill a prescription to help a woman complete a miscarriage. The ACLU said in a news release Thursday that the Midwestern retailer's new policies include requiring a second pharmacist to immediately fill a prescription if another pharmacist has a religious objection. Customers also are to receive prescriptions without knowing about a pharmacist's objection. A pharmacist in the northern Michigan community of Petoskey, citing his religious beliefs, refused to fill Rachel Peterson's prescription last July for misoprostol so she could accelerate a miscarriage and avoid infection. Misoprostol is sometimes taken as part of a drug combination to induce abortion. Peterson later got the medication from another Meijer. Meijer spokeswoman Christina Fecher said in an email that the retailer always is "focused on providing the best service to all" its "pharmacy patients, while also ensuring" pharmacists "work in a supportive environment." JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - An abortion-rights group is asking a federal judge to block a Mississippi law that will ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy. The Center for Reproductive Rights on Thursday expanded a lawsuit it filed last year challenging a Mississippi law that banned abortions after 15 weeks' pregnancy. A federal judge declared that law unconstitutional. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed the heartbeat bill March 21, and it is set to become law July 1. It's one of the strictest abortion laws in the nation. Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement that the law is "a near total ban on abortion." "Many women don't even know they're pregnant at six weeks, and this law would force them to carry their pregnancies to term," Northup said. "Just four months ago, a federal judge told Mississippi they cannot ban abortion after 15 weeks, and now they've banned it even earlier. We will keep taking them to court until they get the message." After Bryant signed the law, he said expected a legal challenge but was not bothered by that. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is surrounded by lawmakers on Thursday, March 21, 2019, as he signs a bill that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, at the capitol in Jackson, Miss. The bill is set to become law July 1, 2019 and would be one of the strictest abortion laws in the nation. The Center for Reproductive Rights calls the law unconstitutional and says it will sue Mississippi to try to block the law from taking effect. (AP Photo/Emily Wagster Pettus) "They don't have to sue us. It's up to them," Bryant said. "If they do not believe in the sanctity of life, these that are in organizations like Planned Parenthood, we will have to fight that fight. But it is worth it." Mississippi is one of several states where Republican leaders are considering abortion-restriction bills this year. Abortion opponents are emboldened by new conservatives on the Supreme Court and are seeking to challenge the court's 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The Mississippi law says a physician who performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of his or her state medical license. It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a woman's life or one of her major bodily functions. The House and Senate both rejected efforts to allow exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Georgia is among the states considering similar bills. Kentucky's law banning abortion after the detection of a heartbeat was immediately challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union when Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signed it on March 14, and a federal judge temporarily blocked it. A federal judge on Wednesday also blocked another Kentucky law that would ban abortion for women seeking to end their pregnancies because of the gender, race or disability of the fetus. ___ Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus . BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO has extended the mandate of its top civilian official, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, for two years, making the former Norwegian premier one of the longest-serving heads of the military alliance. Stoltenberg said Thursday he is "honored" by the decision made by the 29 allies and "I thank them for putting their trust in me." He said: "We face the biggest security challenges in a generation and I look forward to continue working with all allies to adapt and modernize NATO." Stoltenberg, who assumed office in 2014, will now hold the post until Sept. 30, 2022. Only former Dutch foreign minister Joseph Luns, who spent 13 years in office from 1971, will have served in the post longer if Stoltenberg sees out his term. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, and Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili shake hands for the media during their meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A judge is expected to hear arguments next week about whether a man charged with killing five people at a Maryland newspaper office should have more time to consider an insanity plea. Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Laura Ripken met with prosecutors and Jarrod Ramos' attorneys on Thursday in chambers for about an hour. State's attorney Anne Colt Leitess told reporters that Ripken set an April 4 court date to hear arguments and issue a decision. Because of additional case materials they have received, Ramos' attorneys have asked for 60 to 90 days beyond an earlier March 15 deadline to consider changing their client's plea from not guilty to not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. Ramos is charged with murder in the June attack in the Capital Gazette newsroom. What the Finnish concept of sisu can offer the world If you ask Finns about what defines Finnishness, the word sisu is sure to come up--even if they can't always put it into words. In 1940, during World War II, The New York Times declared sisu to be 'the word that explains Finland.' Sisu has traditionally been elusive and poorly defined but a new study from Aalto University is the first to break down the cultural construct in a systematic way to describe a universal phenomenon of hidden energy in the human system. 'Sisu is a Finnish word that goes back hundreds of years and a quality that Finns hold dear but the phenomenon itself is universal,' says Emilia Lahti, a doctoral student at Aalto University and author of the study. 'Taking a close look at the concept reminds us that, as humans, not only are we all vulnerable in the face of adversity but we share unexplored inner strength that can be accessed in adverse times.' In her study, Lahti analysed more than 1000 responses from Finns and others knowledgeable about sisu on what the concept means--as well as whether it is inherently a good thing. One of the most prominent aspects apparent in the data: extraordinary perseverance, in other words, an individual's ability to surpass preconceived limitations, either mentally or physically, by accessing stored-up energy reserves. Lahti also found the concept to be marked in the responses by a consistent courageous approach to taking action against slim odds, in some cases appearing to the respondents almost as a 'magic' source of power that can help pull through tremendous challenges, whether self-selected like an ultra-run or something unexpected like a health struggle. It is hard to exhaustively describe sisu but, according to the study, it denotes an internal, latent force that moves you forward when you think you have reached your limit. It is almost like a spare tank of gas, Lahti explains; its benefits are thanks to adversity, not in spite of it. Sisu is not always, however, for the better. 'Sisu will help us take the next step--or the first one--but the outcome of that action will depend on how we use it. In that sense, sisu can be constructive or it can be destructive.' It was apparent from the data that too much sisu can result in burnout, exhaustion, disconnection and even create an attitude of mercilessness as the individual imposes his or her own harsh standards on others. It seems that sisu is neither good nor bad, but a tool you must learn to master. While the public discourse at large glorifies mental strength and perpetuates a 'faster, higher and stronger' mentality, the answers in the data displayed an alternative view. '[Too much sisu leads to] denying the realities of life, as well as the limits of human strength, therefore denying the very core of our humanity in ourselves and others,' one respondent wrote. As an action researcher, Lahti sees the study results as an opportunity to engage in a broader societal conversation on how we might improve the quality of human life through greater self-understanding that includes the sisu construct. 'Finland is an interesting case,' she says. 'We've again been named world's happiest country and in global terms we have an excellent social welfare system, but at the same time we are a country that, also, struggles with things like suicide, depression and domestic violence.' With global conversations on burnout and the tolls of modern life, understanding the extent and limits of human strength through new cultural contexts, like Finland, can contribute to a roadmap toward a more harmonious way of living. 'We need sisu, but we also need things like benevolence, compassion and honesty with ourselves, Lahti says. 'The study is basically an invitation to talk about balance.' Lahti has also recently explored sisu in her personal life by running the length of New Zealand in 50-days as part of her non-profit that seeks to build cultures of zero violence. ### This story has been published on: 2019-04-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Toronto In the United States, entering the child welfare system doubles a students risk of chronically missing schoolbut for educators hoping to boost attendance, context is key. A new study previewed here at the American Educational Research Associations annual meeting suggests that different kinds of family problems can aggravate students absenteeism in different ways, and schools should work to understand that context when crafting supports to help students get to class. Kevin Gee, an associate education professor at the University of California Davis, looked at national absenteeism data for a representative sample of 250 school-age students who were involved in a formal child protective services investigation between 2008-09 and 2011-12. That information, which came from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being, represented 160,000 students involved in the system. Eighteen percent of the students missed at least 15 days of school in the year they were involved in investigations, Gee foundtwice the national absenteeism rate. Nearly 3 in 4 of those students were investigated because of suspected neglect, but Gee found those students werent driving the increase in absenteeism. Rather, physical abuse was associated with significantly more school absences than neglect or emotional or sexual abuse. Interestingly, Gee found a students physical-abuse history was more strongly associated with chronic absenteeism than a student switching foster care placements. While a few states, such as Oregon, require districts to take student trauma into account when planning to improve student attendance , Gee said many schools know little about how to address issues of abuse or home instability in efforts to address chronic absenteeism. In fact, because most states have been slow to share data among school districts and child welfare agencies as called for under the Every Student Succeeds Act, in many schools, teachers arent even aware when a students family is under investigation, much less why. The most common reporter of abuse and neglect for adolescents are the schools themselves, said Rob Geen, the director of policy reform and advocacy at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which studies children in foster care. So having child welfare systems work collaboratively with the schools would ... provide an opportunity to wrap around services and supports to the family. Thats better for everyone involved. Schools Supporting Families In fact, school outreach to families in distress can be critical to reduce both student absenteeism and the number of students entering foster care, Geen said. Data released earlier this week by the Casey Foundation show fewer children entering the foster care system , in part due to changes in state and federal laws that encourage more family supports. The Family First Act, passed last year as part of the Congressional budget reconciliation, provides money for state efforts to reduce the number of children entering foster care, as well as to keep those who are in the system in family placements rather than group homes. The law allows states to reimburse mental health care, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, and in-home training programs to boost parenting skills. Were at a sort of unique moment in time, a moment of opportunity right now, Geen said. States now have new resources and an opportunity to design interventions that are focused on preventing kids from coming into care. If I was an education person, I would want to be at the table providing advice on what I see and what I think is needed. For students who are removed, the Casey Foundation found the percentage of foster children placed with families , as opposed to group homes, has ticked up over the last decade across all states and Washington, D.C., from 81 percent in 2007 to 86 percent in 2017. We believe that if a child cant be with someone they already know, the next best option is a well-supported family that can give them individualized attention and care, Geen said. That matched Gees findings. Children placed with a biological or adoptive parent were less likely to miss school than those placed with a relative, he found, and children cared for in homes with more children overall missed more school than students placed in homes with fewer children. I think in some ways we need to flip the narrative on absenteeism. We focus a lot on problems with the kids, or drama with the family, but I thing there are also broader systemic issues involved, Gee said. MOSCOW (AP) - A prominent Russian human rights activist is calling on Russia's Investigative Committee to open a criminal case in the alleged abuse of Jehovah's Witnesses adherents by investigators. The religious denomination, which is banned in Russia, says seven of its believers were beaten, shocked and suffocated during interrogation in February at the Investigative Committee office in the city of Surgut. The committee's regional office on Wednesday denied that the injuries were inflicted during interrogation. Lev Ponomarev, head of the For Human Rights organization, told a news conference Thursday that he would push for a criminal case. The religion's headquarters in the United States meanwhile said that police have raided the homes of Russian members this week in the cities of Chelyabinsk and Kirov. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A federal judge ordered a Maine jail to provide medication-assisted treatment to an inmate who says it's necessary to keep her opioid addiction in remission, a ruling that a civil rights group called a breakthrough in the battle against opioid abuse. District Judge Nancy Torresen granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday requiring the Aroostook County Jail to provide physician-prescribed buprenorphine to Brenda Smith, who says the drug alleviates painful withdrawal symptoms and reduces the possibility of a relapse. The ruling comes at a time when jails and prisons across the country are starting to provide addiction medications to inmates, as resistance from long-skeptical corrections officials appears to be waning amid the national drug epidemic "This ruling is a breakthrough in the fight against the opioid crisis. The court rightly found that jails must provide necessary medical care for opioid use disorder, just like any other disease," said Emma Bond of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, which sued on her behalf. Peter Marchesi, an attorney for Aroostook County Jail, said the jail plans to pursue "all available legal opportunities" to seek redress. But it may be too late to change the outcome for Smith. The Madawaska woman is due to report to jail Monday to serve a 40-day sentence for theft. The judge's ruling follows a weeklong trial in February in which she heard from the plaintiff and from corrections officials and medical experts. Smith says she had multiple relapses before being prescribed buprenorphine and that she has not had a relapse in the five years since she has been on the drug. During that time, she has earned her high school diploma and regained custody of her children. "Society will be well served if Ms. Smith is able to continue to care for her children, maintain her housing, and work. History has shown that if she relapses into active use, she will lose all that she has worked so hard to achieve," the judge wrote. The Aroostook County Jail says buprenorphine, which is known under the brand name Suboxone, is coveted contraband in jail because it can produce a high and is often taken in a dissolvable strip that's easy to conceal and transport. The judge's decision also ignores legal precedent that courts must defer to jail officials when it comes to matters of safety and security, Marchesi said. Jails and prisons that use medication-assisted programs have education, policy development, and training necessary in place, Marchesi said. The Aroostook County Jail is currently working on such a program but doesn't yet have one in place, he said. DETROIT (AP) - Lawyers say they've exhausted efforts to slow down or suspend the deportation of Iraqi nationals from the U.S. after a court refused to set aside a decision from one of its three-judge panels. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday there's no interest in taking another look at the case. The lawsuit was filed in 2017 after the U.S. government began arresting hundreds of Iraqi nationals to enforce deportation orders. They had been allowed to stay in the U.S. for years because Iraq wouldn't accept them. The lawsuit's goal was to suspend deportations and allow people to make new arguments about their safety in Iraq. Detroit federal Judge Mark Goldsmith made a series of decisions in favor of the immigrants, and hundreds have benefited. But the appeals court said in December that Goldsmith exceeded his authority. WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Judiciary Committee approved subpoenas Wednesday for special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as Democrats pressure the Justice Department to release the document without redactions. The committee voted 24-17 to give Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mueller's investigation. Nadler has not yet said if he'll send the subpoenas, which would be the first step in a potentially long fight with the Justice Department over the materials. The Judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorize subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, stepping up a separate, wide-ranging investigation into Trump and his personal and political dealings. On the Mueller report, House Democrats had given Attorney General William Barr until Tuesday to provide an unredacted verson to Congress, along with underlying materials. The Justice Department ignored that deadline, with Barr telling committee chairmen in a letter last week that he was in the process of redacting portions of the almost 400-page report and it would be released by mid-April, "if not sooner." The vote further escalates the Democrats' battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually head to court if the two sides can't settle their differences through negotiation. Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Barr. In the letter last week, Barr said he is scrubbing the report to avoid disclosing any grand jury information or classified material, in addition to portions of the report that pertain to ongoing investigations or that "would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties." House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., surrounded by his staff, passes a resolution to subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller's full report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Democrats say they want access to all of that information, even if some of it can't be disclosed to the public. Nadler said he will give Barr time to change his mind on redactions, but if they cannot reach an agreement they will issue the subpoenas "in very short order." He also said he is prepared to go to court to get the grand jury information. "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," Nadler said. The five former Trump advisers who could receive subpoenas are strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Donaldson served as McGahn's chief of staff before both left the administration. The five were key witnesses in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice and were sent document requests by the Judiciary panel last month, along with dozens of other people connected to Trump. Nadler said he is concerned about reports that documents relevant to Mueller's investigation "were sent outside the White House," meaning the committee should have access to them because they may not be covered by executive privilege. The top Republican on the Judiciary panel, Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, said at the vote that the five subpoenas are misguided because two of the individuals have already provided 3,000 documents to the committee and that the other three have indicated a willingness to cooperate. Collins said the authorization for all of the subpoenas is "reckless" and that Democrats shouldn't be asking for documents that the Justice Department can't legally disclose to the public. The committee rejected a GOP amendment that would have blocked the subpoenas from applying to grand jury information. "We have a pre-emptive chairman who has gone out with pre-emptive subpoenas today on a report that has already been promised him," Collins said. "This is nothing but political theater." Trump himself has largely deferred to Barr on the report's release while also saying he wouldn't mind if the full version was made public. Still, he has criticized Democrats for seeking the unredacted information. He tweeted Tuesday that "there is no amount of testimony or document production that can satisfy" Nadler or House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, who has also called for the full release. Mueller notified Barr that he had completed the investigation March 22 and sent him the report. In a four-page summary of that report released two days later, Barr wrote that the special counsel did not find that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. He also said Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out "evidence on both sides" of the question. Barr himself went further than Mueller in his summary letter, declaring that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Democrats criticized Barr's assessment, saying they instead want to see what Mueller wrote. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins, R-Ga., makes an objection to the resolution by Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, to subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller's full report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian media are reporting that the number of dead from recent flooding has risen to 62, up from 57 the day before. A Wednesday report by the semi-official Fars news agency quotes Ahmad Shojaei, head of the country's forensic medicine department, as saying the casualties were in various provinces that experienced flooding over the past two weeks. Also on Wednesday, Iran President Hassan Rouhani called U.S. sanctions that have allegedly blocked international relief assistance to needy people in flood-stricken areas an "unprecedented crime." Iran has been facing major flooding that has struck hundreds of villages, towns and cities in the western half of the country, where authorities declared an emergency in some places. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the United States and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (all times local): 2:40 p.m. In the first address to Congress by a NATO head, Jens Stoltenberg has acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance. He also has 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. The NATO secretary general said: "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." ___ 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) 10:35 a.m. The head of NATO is using the alliance's 70th anniversary to make an unprecedented pitch to a joint meeting of Congress for trans-Atlantic unity. Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday will be the first NATO secretary-general to make such an address. The venue highlights the strained relations between President Donald Trump and NATO members that have long looked to the United States for leadership and support in defending Europe and North America. Trump has questioned the value of NATO, its benefit to the United States and the motive of members he considers to be freeloaders. Stoltenberg is a two-time former prime minister of Norway and has praised Trump for pushing members to spend more on defense. He said before his speech that the invitation to appear before Congress was an expression U.S. public support. ___ 12:10 a.m. President Donald Trump wants NATO members to continue increasing their financial contributions, offering allies his praise for stepping up those contributions in recent years but still complaining the U.S. continues to carry more than its share of costs. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visited the White House on Tuesday ahead of an address to Congress that's scheduled for Wednesday. His trip to the U.S. comes as the alliance marks its 70th anniversary. Trump took credit for the increased defense spending by NATO members even though the upswing began before Trump took office. 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. 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) MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - A North Dakota business where an owner and three employees were found slain this week reopened with a police presence on Wednesday, though authorities still haven't said how they were killed. State and local police later in the day searched in a field about half a mile from the business, though they did not immediately say whether the search was related to the case. Half a dozen vehicles, including a state Bureau of Criminal Investigation truck, were at the scene, parked near a snowbank in the field. Police discovered the bodies 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." Investigators say they don't know who the killer is, but that the person is not among the dead. The mood at the company was somber as a police officer monitored the parking lot and workers quietly talked with one another outside before the company opened Wednesday morning. Company co-owner Jackie Fakler, whose husband was among the dead, also returned to work. She and others declined comment, saying they were dealing with a difficult time. But on its Facebook page, the company thanked the community for its "generosity and support" and said donations of money, food and other items would go to the dead workers' families. Police have released few details about the case, including whether investigators have identified a potential motive. However, Police Chief Jason Ziegler said authorities do not believe the public is in danger. 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) The people who died have been identified as Robert Fakler, 52, co-owner of the property management business; employee Adam Fuehrer, 42; and married workers Lois Cobb, 45, and William Cobb, 50. According to its website, the family-owned company has been handling 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. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake 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) 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) 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) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Boeing's new space capsule for astronauts faces more launch delays. The Starliner capsule was supposed to make its debut this month, after a series of postponements. But the first test flight is now off until August. And the second test flight, with astronauts, won't occur until late in the year. NASA announced the revised lineup Wednesday. At the same time, officials said the first Starliner crew will remain at the International Space Station longer than the few weeks originally anticipated. The mission length will be decided later. SpaceX, NASA's other commercial crew provider, successfully flew its new Dragon capsule without a crew to the International Space Station last month. The first flight with astronauts could be as early as this summer, but the schedule is under review. Boeing said the last major milestones have been cleared and the capsule is almost finished. But scheduling conflicts with an early summer Air Force launch helped push the Starliner's debut into August. The Starliner will fly on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket, the same kind of rocket needed for the Air Force's critical mission in late June, from the same pad. In this February 2019 photo made available by NASA and Boeing, Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson helps NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, left, and Mike Fincke, right, train for a spacewalk inside the International Space Station Airlock Mockup at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The three are assigned to Boeing's Crew Flight Test, Starliner's first flight with crew as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The Starliner capsule, supposed to make its debut in April 2019, was pushed back until August. (NASA/Boeing via AP) While the first SpaceX astronauts will visit the space station for a few weeks at most, the Starliner's three-person crew will move into the orbiting complex for an extended period. The typical station stay is about six months. NASA wants to reduce its reliance on expensive Russian Soyuz capsules as soon as possible, and so the Boeing test flight will double as a taxi mission for station residents. NASA astronauts have been stuck riding Russian rockets since the end of the space shuttle program. SpaceX Dragons and Boeing Starliners will return human launches to Florida, following the eight-year hiatus. NASA contracted with the two companies to handle space station ferry flights, so it could focus on getting astronauts to the moon and, eventually, Mars. ___ 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. NEW YORK (AP) - Fifty years and five books since he left the newspaper business, Robert Caro gets a familiar feeling every time he hunts down a document, makes an extra phone call or asks just one last question. "I still think of myself as a reporter," says Caro, the former investigative journalist for Newsday known to millions for his Robert Moses biography, "The Power Broker," and his four Lyndon Johnson books. "I see my life as a continuum. When I went from being a reporter to working on the 'The Power Broker,' it was a seamless thing." Caro's most recent Johnson biography, "The Passage of Power," came out in 2012, and the next remains ever in progress. Fans eager to hear from him - to hear anything from him - now have "Working." Completed within months - a night's homework assignment by Caro's standards - the 207-page book combines speeches, interviews and essays with new material about his life on the job. If "Master of the Senate," his 2003 book on Johnson's years in the Senate, became a guide for Washington legislators, "Working" reads like a primer for authors and journalists. Caro relates how to never give up on getting a source to talk to you, and how to keep quiet when an interview is going well (he writes SU - "Shut Up"- in his notebook). He remembers best the advice given in the 1960s by Newsday managing editor Alan Hathway, who reminded the young reporter that when looking through papers, "Turn every page. Never assume anything. Turn every goddamned page." Journalists from Ron Chernow to David Maraniss have become acclaimed biographers, but no one has applied the craft on the scale of the 83-year-old Caro, whose books usually take up to a decade to finish. At Newsday, he was lucky to get a month to work on a story. For the Johnson books, he might spend weeks to prove a single fact or track down an interview subject. FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2016 file photo, author Robert Caro attends the East Hampton Library's 12th Annual Authors Night Benefit in East Hampton, N.Y. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File) To better understand Johnson's childhood, he and his wife, Ina, relocated for a time to Texas. In Washington, he would retrace LBJ's early morning walks to the Capitol in his days as a young congressman. "His research methods are always at the top of my mind as I go about my work," says Maraniss, the Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post reporter whose books include biographies of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Vince Lombardi. "One of my mantras is Go There, wherever there is, to infuse myself in the culture and geography of a place. I learned this mostly from his moving to the Texas Hill Country to start his majestic Johnson biography. When I decided to do Lombardi, I knew that I had to move to Green Bay, and for the winter. When I'm at an archive, I can hear Caro saying to me 'Turn every page.' And the patience that requires has so often made the difference," Maraniss says. Anne Marie Lipinski is curator of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University, where Caro was a fellow in the 1960s. "So many professions want to claim him - historians and nonfiction writers and the rest, but I think of him as quintessentially a journalist," she says. "He has this method I would call 'extreme reporting,' that is uncompromising, exhaustive journalism." Caro spoke recently to The Associated Press at his Manhattan office suite, itself a testament to tradition, and the endurance of ink and paper. Documents and transcripts fill file cabinets, a typed and annotated outline for that final Johnson book covers a wall, and Caro still uses index cards to write himself the occasional reminder. For much of his career as an author, he has had the same publisher (Alfred A. Knopf), editor (Robert Gottlieb), literary agent (Lynn Nesbit) and typewriter (Smith Corona). Caro's method is not just to document history but to "make it personal." For "The Power Broker," he wrote about the New York City neighborhoods destroyed by Moses' highways, and the people who had the misfortune to be in his way. To capture the hold of Southern segregationists while Johnson was in politics, he used the life of the longtime Senate leader and LBJ mentor, Georgia's Richard Russell, visiting Russell's old hometown to get a sense of his stature. "You tell the story through Richard Russell and make it a narrative that ties in with the main narrative and will have the additional power of being rooted in reported facts," Caro says. Caro's previous books included in-depth sections - dozens of pages of more - on an isolated subject or time frame, whether rural electrification in Texas or Johnson's first days as president, after John F. Kennedy's assassination. For his next book, which covers Johnson's presidency and continues through his death, in 1973, Caro has two such take-outs in mind: what life was like for the elderly before the 1965 passage of Medicare, and the impact of American bombing on a Vietnamese village. He hopes to visit Vietnam and meet with people on the other end of the attacks Johnson personally directed. "This will be a very long book," acknowledges Caro, whose shortest Johnson biography, "Means of Ascent," was over 500 pages. Even reconstructing a meeting can be an investigative project. Caro mentions a White House discussion about the Vietnam War, with Johnson at the head of the table and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and Secretary of State Dean Rusk among others in the room. Research meant tracking down every related memo and speaking with the attendees. He would interview McNamara for his perspective, then Rusk for his. Many historians, Caro believes, would stop there. "But then I would I go back to McNamara: 'You said so and so, and Rusk said so and so. How do you square that?' And then you go back to Rusk and you say the same thing about McNamara," he explains. "You keep going back and that way you keep getting closer to the truth." Caro pauses, smiling in amazement. It's all an outgrowth of his time as a journalist, he realizes, the old rule of asking questions until you have none left to ask. He reaches for an index card and picks up a pen, repeating to himself, "I never thought of that. I never thought of that." MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Latest on the Justice Department's report finding unconstitutional conditions in Alabama's prisons (all times local): 9:45 a.m. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says the state is working on solutions after the Department of Justice issued scathing findings about Alabama prisons. Ivey said Wednesday morning that federal investigators "identified many of the same areas of concern that we have discussed publicly for some time." The Justice Department said Wednesday that Alabama's prison system has been violating the Constitution by failing to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse. Ivey said her administration will be working with the department to address the concerns. Ivey has previously proposed building three large regional prisons for men. The Alabama Department of Corrections is seeking legislative funding this year to add 500 correctional officers. That's just a fraction of the number a federal judge said the state should add. --- 8:56 a.m. The Justice Department says Alabama's prison system has been violating the Constitution by failing to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse. The federal government's findings were disclosed in a scathing letter reviewed Wednesday by The Associated Press. The letter described the problems as "severe" and "systemic." The Justice Department also warned that it may sue the state within the next two months if Alabama doesn't fix the problems. The findings are the result of an investigation opened in 2016 at the end of the Obama administration. The report is the latest blow to the troubled Alabama prison system, which has been criticized for overcrowding, violence, and a high suicide rate. A federal judge ruled in 2017 that the state has provided "horrendously inadequate" care to mentally ill inmates. --- Eric Tucker contributed from Washington, D.C. MILAN (AP) - Italy's interior minister said Wednesday that he won't offer safe harbor to 64 migrants rescued off Libya by the German humanitarian group Sea Eye. The people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy off the coast of Zuwarah, west of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby, the group said. Sea Eye said on Twitter that its rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi, picked them up after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea Eye is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the ship. Italy's anti-migration interior minister, Matteo Salvini, said the Alan Kurdi, like other private rescue ships before it, won't 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," 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 migrants to land while European countries haggle over which will take them in. Sea Eye said another 50 migrants it has been searching for since Monday remain missing. 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) ___ This story has been corrected to show that the German humanitarian group involved is Sea Eye, not Sea-Watch. 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 on a rubber dinghy are approached by 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) 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) BALTIMORE (AP) - "Healthy Holly" is a polite African American girl with devoted parents and a little brother. She loves exercise. She craves fresh fruit and vegetables. And she's now the bane of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's existence. Since the state prosecutor's office began a criminal investigation into Pugh at the Maryland governor's request earlier this week, there's been a growing tide of examinations spurred by revelations that she was paid $700,000 over roughly eight years for her self-published paperback series about the fictional "Healthy Holly." By Wednesday afternoon, the total grew to $800,000 after a businessman divulged that his financial firm gave Pugh $100,000 after she clinched the 2016 Democratic primary. The first-term mayor went on an indefinite leave of absence amid the accelerating scandal involving the lucrative sales of her obscure children's books to a $4 billion hospital network she once helped oversee and a major health plan that does business with the city. Al Redmer, Maryland's insurance commissioner, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his regulatory agency is now looking at Kaiser Permanente, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, and a state car insurance fund for possible wrongdoing. "To the extent that any insurance carrier would divert funds away from that mission is something that could be concerning based on the facts," Redmer said in an interview. "Our role is to make sure that entities that we regulate have in no way violated the law or regulations." Pressure on Pugh ratcheted up dramatically after the Kaiser Permanente disclosed Monday that it paid her limited liability company about $114,000 between 2015 and 2018 for roughly 20,000 copies of her illustrated books. The company said it "purchased Healthy Holly books because we believe residents would be inspired by a book about health and wellness authored by a member of the Baltimore community." FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2016 file photo, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh delivers an address during her inauguration ceremony inside the War Memorial Building in Baltimore. Maryland's chief accountant is calling for Pugh to step down, calling the latest revelations about lucrative deals to sell her self-published children's books "brazen, cartoonish corruption." In a Monday, April 1, 2019 tweet, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot wrote: "The Mayor has to resign - now." His comments came on the same day that Kaiser Permanente disclosed that it paid Pugh's limited liability company about $114,000 for roughly 20,000 copies of her "Healthy Holly" children's books. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) Another city health provider, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, said it made contributions to Associated Black Charities, a nonprofit that manages the city's taxpayer-funded Children and Youth Fund, to purchase and distribute books. CareFirst declined to comment, while Kaiser said it would cooperate fully with any investigation. Pugh's attorney has said she looks forward to cooperating with the state prosecutor's probe and will provide "as much information as possible to put this matter to rest." Also Wednesday, Acting Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young, who has taken over Pugh's day-to-day responsibilities since she went on leave, told reporters he's directed Baltimore's law department to pull dozens of the most recently authorized city contracts for review. In a closed-door meeting, Baltimore's ethics board voted to open a probe into Pugh's book deals. Johns Hopkins Health System disclosed that Pugh, during her days in the state senate, once approached a senior employee to buy her illustrated books. The employee declined. Hopkins spokeswoman Kim Hoppe said they've found no evidence of any Healthy Holly purchases or donations to Pugh's company. J.P. Grant, the Maryland businessman who revealed his firm's $100,000 payment Wednesday in an interview with The Baltimore Sun, said Pugh told him his company's check would help distribute Healthy Holly books to schoolkids. Citing deteriorating health from pneumonia, Pugh abruptly retreated to her home Monday amid multiple calls for investigations of her highly lucrative book deals, including a $500,000 arrangement with the University of Maryland Medical System. There was no contract behind the deal and the hospital network described some of the purchases as "grants" in federal filings. Pugh, who sat on a state Senate committee that funded the regional health network before becoming mayor, began serving on the system's board in 2001. She stepped down from the volunteer board last month and returned her most recent payment of $100,000. The nonprofit Associated Black Charities said five organizations donated $87,180 to pay for "Healthy Holly" books, of which the charitable group kept $9,552 to use as "general support." One of those groups was apparently the quasi-public Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund. Its former executive director, M. Kent Krabbe, authorized a $7,500 donation in 2012, shortly before Pugh - then a state senator - successfully sponsored legislation supported by the company. That donation was first reported by the Baltimore Business Journal. Krabbe left his leadership role at the car insurance fund in 2015, eventually becoming a director of Pugh's inaugural committee in 2016 and then joining the Baltimore Department of Transportation as operations manager for special events, a newly created position that came with a $107,100 salary. He could not be reached for comment. Mark McCurdy, the current director of the state's car insurer of last resort, said there was nothing in their records to say why Krabbe had the auto insurance carrier write a check to Pugh's Healthy Holly company for its outreach program with Associated Black Charities. "On the surface, it's not the kind of donation that fits our philosophy," said McCurdy, stressing that the car insurance fund never received or distributed any Healthy Holly books. Meanwhile, the University of Maryland Medical System's acting CEO has announced that the former state Sen. Francis X. Kelly and two of his sons would also take voluntary leaves from boards of six affiliated organizations. Kelly & Associates Insurance Group has done millions of dollars in business with the hospitals. About 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. ___ Follow McFadden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcfadd 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) - On the opening day of a gathering of black leaders and voters in New York, two Texans seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination delved into the issue of reparations for African Americans over slavery. Speaking at the four-day conference of the National Action Network, the civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro weighed in on the topic. The question of whether to support reparations for African Americans as a means of addressing centuries of slavery and legal discrimination emerged as something of a litmus test earlier this year for Democratic presidential candidates. After a speech that at times drew on stories of civil rights history from O'Rourke's hometown of El Paso, he was asked by Sharpton whether he would back a House bill that would create a commission to study the issue of reparations. He said equivocally that he would back the bill, sponsored this year by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. Later, O'Rourke said that he'd discussed the issue with Brian Stevenson, the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. "Foundational to reparations is the word repair, foundational to repair is the truth," O'Rourke said. "Until all Americans understand that civil rights" also involves "the injustices that have been visited and continue to be visited on people, we will never get the change that we need to live up to the promise of this country. So absolutely I would sign that into law," he said. According to Jackson Lee, the bill would "make recommendations concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long delayed process of atonement for slavery." Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) O'Rourke is the latest 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to back the legislation. Castro, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey also support it. Castro, one of the most vocal candidates on the issue, said Wednesday that he has long believed "that our country will never truly heal until we address the original sin of slavery." "If, under our Constitution, we compensate people if we take their property, why wouldn't we compensate people who were considered property and sanctioned by the state?" he asked the crowd. The annual Manhattan conference plays host to presidential hopefuls and other influential speakers each year. By the end of the week, a dozen Democrats running in 2020 will take the stage alongside Sharpton to make their pitch to black voters. While the candidates who spoke Wednesday drew distinctions on their views on reparations, they also discussed reforming the cash bail system, endorsed automatic and same-day voter registration, and voiced support for legalizing marijuana. O'Rourke also said that he would support reversing an order from the Trump Justice Department that restricted the federal government's ability to use court-enforced consent decrees when state and local law enforcement agencies are accused of abuse. Filed in federal court and overseen by a monitor, a consent decree is generally a road map for changes in fundamental law enforcement practices. Civil rights groups have said the move by the Trump Justice Department rolled back progress made under the Obama administration. "There must be accountability for enforcement of the law, there must be accountability for use of force, and federal funds to local police departments and sheriff's departments must be tied to accountability," O'Rourke said Wednesday. Following his remarks, O'Rourke was asked by reporters about the scrutiny former Vice President Joe Biden is facing over his past behavior with women. Two women have said that Biden - who is considering a 2020 presidential bid of his own - had touched them in overly familiar ways. Biden has said he doesn't believe he has acted inappropriately during his long public life but will pay attention to women's experiences. "I think we need to listen to those who are raising their stories who have the courage to come forward," O'Rourke told reporters. Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Theresa May has brought a new word to the Brexit lexicon: compromise. May met Wednesday with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to try to avoid Britain's chaotic departure from the European Union in little over a week. The shift came after lawmakers rejected the government's Brexit deal on three occasions and twice failed to agree on any other option. What might happen next: NO DEAL If Britain can't break its Brexit impasse, it risks crashing out of the EU in nine days. A pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporter holds up placards outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. After failing repeatedly to win Parliament's backing for her Brexit blueprint, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May dramatically changed gear Tuesday, saying she would seek to delay Brexit _ again _ and hold talks with the opposition to seek a compromise. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Last month, the EU agreed to postpone the original departure date of March 29, but gave Britain only until April 12 to pass a deal, come up with a new plan and seek a further extension, or leave without an agreement or a transition period to smooth the way. Most politicians, economists and business groups think leaving the world's largest trading bloc without an agreement would be damaging for the EU and disastrous for the U.K. It could lead to tariffs imposed on trade between Britain and the EU, and customs checks that could cause gridlock at ports and shortages of essential goods. A hard core of pro-Brexit legislators in May's Conservative Party dismiss this as "Project Fear" and argue for what they call a "clean Brexit." But most lawmakers are opposed to leaving without a deal. Parliament has voted repeatedly to rule out a "no-deal" Brexit - most recently on Wednesday, when the House of Commons passed a bill that forces the government to ask for a delay to Britain's exit rather than crash out. But a no-deal Brexit is still the legal default position, and could happen if the EU refuses to grant another extension. The bloc says it will only do that if Britain comes up with a new Brexit plan. ___ A COMPROMISE DEAL After almost two years of negotiations, Britain and the EU struck a divorce deal in November, laying out the terms of the departure from the bloc and giving a rough outline of future relations. But it has been thrice rejected by Parliament amid opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the Brexit divide. Pro-Brexit lawmakers think it keeps Britain too closely tied to EU rules. Pro-EU legislators argue it is worse than the U.K.'s current status as an EU member. This week May finally acknowledged her bind, and began seeking a compromise with her Labour opponents to try to win their backing for the withdrawal deal. That's likely to include a pledge to keep closer economic ties with the bloc than she has long advocated. ___ SOFT BREXIT? May's offer of opposition talks suggest she is pivoting to a softer form of Brexit than the one she has described for almost three years. May has always insisted Britain must leave the EU's single market and customs union in order to forge new trade deals around the world, but those ideas have strong opposition support. Tweaking her deal to adopt a customs union, which would ensure seamless trade in goods with the EU, could gain May valuable votes in Parliament. It also would probably be welcomed by the EU and would allow Britain an orderly departure in the coming months. However, it could also create a schism in the Conservative Party, leading to potential resignations of pro-Brexit government ministers. That instability increases the chance of an early British election, which could rearrange Parliament and break the deadlock. ___ BREXIT DELAYED May has conceded that Britain will need a further delay to its departure in order to sort out the mess and avert a "no-deal" departure. The EU is frustrated with the impasse and has said it will only grant another postponement if Britain comes up with a whole new plan. Both Britain and the EU are reluctant to have the U.K. participate in May 23-26 elections for the European Parliament but have signaled it could happen if necessary. EU Council President Donald Tusk has urged the bloc to "be patient" and give Britain a Brexit extension if it plans to change course. ___ BREXIT RECONSIDERED This week, Parliament narrowly rejected a proposal for a new referendum on whether to leave the EU. The proposal for any Brexit deal to be put to public vote in a "confirmatory referendum" was backed by opposition parties, plus some of May's Conservatives. The government has ruled out holding another referendum, saying voters in 2016 made their decision to leave. But with divisions in both Parliament and in May's Cabinet, handing the decision back to the people in a new plebiscite could be seen as the only way forward. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Anti-Brexit remain in the European Union supporters protest backdropped by the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. After failing repeatedly to win Parliament's backing for her Brexit blueprint, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May dramatically changed gear Tuesday, saying she would seek to delay Brexit _ again _ and hold talks with the opposition to seek a compromise. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) 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. 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 (AP) - The Latest on Renault's board meeting and the investigation into former chairman Carlos Ghosn (all times local): 5:15 p.m. Renault says that certain expenses incurred by its former chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, "involve questionable and concealed practices and violations of the Group's ethical principles." Ghosn was arrested in November in Japan, where he also served as chairman of Nissan. He has been charged with breach of trust and with falsifying financial reports in understating his income. He denies wrongdoing. Further reports have emerged of suspicious payments to a Renault-Nissan distributor in Oman under Ghosn's watch. After a special board meeting, Renault said an internal investigation into Ghosn's practices shows a serious lack of transparency at the joint venture it has with Nissan, RNBV, which Ghosn headed. Junichiro Hironaka, lawyer of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, right, attends a press conference in Tokyo, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Hironaka said his client cannot get a fair trial under the same judge as the Japanese automaker, which is a co-defendant in a pending financial misconduct case, arguing Nissan has been acting "as one" with the prosecutors.((AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) It said: "Certain expenses, which have yet to be precisely quantified, but may amount to several million euros since 2010, raise serious questions as to their conformity with RNBV's corporate interest. ___ 10:15 a.m. The board of carmaker Renault is meeting to settle ex-chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn's final paycheck - and wrap up its investigation into possible financial wrongdoing under his leadership. The meeting Wednesday at Renault's headquarters in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt comes after new reports of suspicious payments to a Renault-Nissan distributor in Oman under Ghosn's watch. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing, and announced Wednesday that he will hold a news conference next week "to tell the truth about what's happening." He's facing financial misconduct charges in Japan, where he also served as chairman of Nissan before his November arrest. The Renault meeting will finalize pay packages for Ghosn and other executives for 2018. Ghosn's fixed salary at Renault was 1.2 million euros ($1.3 million) but he also received variable pay based on company and personal performance. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Wednesday to rein in what the administration calls the "Wild West" of online trafficking in counterfeit goods. The memorandum is aimed at stopping the sale of counterfeit products on sites like Amazon, eBay and China's e-commerce leader, Alibaba. "This president has decided that it's time to clean up this Wild West of counterfeiting and trafficking," said Peter Navarro, director of the White House National Trade Council. "The central core of the problem is that right now, third-party online marketplaces ... have zero liability when it comes to trafficking in these counterfeit goods. That simply has to stop. We are going to attack that on numerous fronts." In a statement released on Wednesday, Amazon said that it "strictly prohibits" the sale of counterfeit products and welcomes more coordinated support from law enforcement to stem the problem. Amazon said that last year it spent more than $400 million fighting counterfeits, fraud and other forms of abuse. "We have built industry-leading tools like Brand Registry, Transparency and our newly launched Project Zero to protect our customers and help rights owners drive counterfeits to zero," the company said. "With these and other tools, we ensure that over 99% of the products that customers view on Amazon never receive a complaint about counterfeits." President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual spring dinner in Washington, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Navarro said discussion of possible actions the administration will take to deter online trafficking in counterfeit merchandise is premature. He says the directive orders the Department of Homeland Security to work with other agencies on a report identifying the scope of the problem. The report also is to identify the origin of the fake goods and recommend administrative, regulatory, legislative or policy changes to stem the problem. Alibaba also released a statement saying it would welcome the administration's work to combat counterfeiting. The company said it has developed systems to protect intellectual property and has worked with brand name companies, law enforcement, consumers and trade associations to battle the problem. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that the value of trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is about a half trillion dollars a year, with roughly 20% infringing on U.S. intellectual property, according to the directive. The U.S. is engaged in a trade dispute with China after the Trump administration made several complaints, including that China was stealing U.S. trade secrets and was forcing companies to give them technology to access its market. Trump imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports, about half what the United States buys from that country. China retaliated with tariffs on about $110 billion of U.S. items. Trade talks are ongoing. Navarro told reporters in a conference call, however, that the new memorandum has nothing to do with the U.S.-China trade talks or Trump's criticism of Amazon owner, Jeff Bezos. Trump has accused Amazon of not paying its fair share of taxes, harming the U.S. Postal Service and putting brick-and-mortar stores out of business. A recent Government Accountability Office report examined four categories of frequently counterfeited goods, and, based on a small sample of these goods purchased through various online third-party marketplaces, investigators found that more than 40% were counterfeit, Navarro said. ___ AP Retail Writer Joseph Pisani in New York contributed to this report. SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - A federal judge dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Georgia sheriff sued by the family of a man who died in jail after being strapped into a chair and shocked four times with a Taser. Mathew Ajibade, 21, died in a cell at the Chatham County jail in Savannah hours after he was arrested on Jan. 1, 2015, following a fight with his girlfriend. Attorneys for his family said Ajibade was having a manic episode, after failing to take his medication for bipolar disorder, when he got into a bloody brawl with deputies trying to book him at the jail. Investigators found that Ajibade was carried to a cell and strapped into a restraint chair after the fight. Deputies placed a mask over his face to prevent him from spitting. While Ajibade was restrained, a deputy used a Taser to shock him four times. He was still strapped to the chair when a jailer later found him dead. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker granted Sheriff John Wilcher's request to be dropped from the lawsuit March 28, ruling no evidence showed the sheriff personally harmed Ajibade or established any policies or practices that ultimately violated the dead man's rights. "No one disputes the tragedy of Mathew Ajibade's death and the emotional pain that his family has no doubt endured," the judge said in his ruling. "Sherriff Wilcher cannot be held legally responsible for that tragedy merely due to his supervisory position." In 2016, Ajibade's family filed suit in U.S. District Court against the Chatham County sheriff, the jail's medical care contractor and several deputies. The civil lawsuit accused the sheriff and others who worked under him at the jail for excessive use of force as well as indifference to Ajibade's medical needs. The defendants included two deputies and a jail nurse who were acquitted of manslaughter charges in a 2015 criminal trial. The deputy who used the stun gun on Ajibade, Jason Kenny, was convicted of cruelty to an inmate and was sentenced to a month in jail that he was allowed to serve on weekends. Kenny's fellow jailer, Maxine Evans, was convicted of faking jail records and perjury and received probation, as did jail nurse Gregory Brown, who was found guilty of lying to investigators. An autopsy found no single cause for why Ajibade died. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner told jurors during the criminal trial that Ajibade was "stressed to death." Civil claims against Kenny, Evans and Brown are still pending. So are claims against Corizon Health Inc., the jail's former medical services contractor. Wilcher wasn't the Chatham County sheriff when Ajibade died. He inherited the role of defendant in the Ajibade lawsuit after being elected to replace Sheriff Al St. Lawrence, who died from cancer in November 2015. The judge also dismissed all civil claims against two deputies - Debra Johnson and Andreux Evans-Martinez - who responded to the fight between jailers and Ajibade but remained outside the cell where he died in restraints. ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - The man who ruled Algeria for 20 years has resigned under pressure from protesters unhappy about years of economic decline and accusations of corruption. As the future of the country under new leadership remains unclear, questions are swirling about what will happen to its oil and gas industry. Here's a look at the industry and its outlook. ___ HOW MUCH ENERGY DOES ALGERIA PRODUCE? It produced a bit over 1 million barrels of crude oil a day in 2018. By contrast, the United States pumps over 11 million barrels daily, according to U.S. government figures. FILE - This Dec. 14, 2008 file photo shows the Krechba gas plant in Algeria's Sahara Desert, about 1,200 kilometers (720 miles) south of the capital, Algiers. Algeria's Constitutional Council met on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, to confirm President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation as the country's political shake-up raises questions about the energy industry. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou, File) Almost 60% of Algeria's oil goes to Europe, mainly France and Britain. The U.S. used to be a big importer from Algeria but has cut those purchases as it ramped up its own domestic production. Algeria also exports about 2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year, with over 80% of that going to Europe. Italy and Spain are the biggest destinations. ___ HOW LIKELY IS AN OUTAGE? Analysts at research firm Petromatrix say that the fact that the Algerian military appeared to trigger the retirement of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika points to some level of stability. The military is seen as wanting to secure the status quo. "This makes it unlikely that the street protests will degenerate in anything that puts at risk the oil supply," the analysts wrote in a briefing to investors. Many production sites are also far from city centers, often in the middle of the desert, where protesters would have trouble reaching. A bigger danger in the past has been attacks from extremist groups. In 2013, a group of Islamic extremists attacked the Ain Amenas facility near the Libyan border, taking hundreds of workers hostage. By the time the facility was freed, 37 hostages and 29 militants were killed. ___ WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT OF OUTAGES BE? For countries that buy Algeria's oil and gas, the impact would likely not be great as there are other producers that can ramp up supply. Nations in the OPEC oil cartel did so when Iraq, Iran and Libya were producing at low levels because of internal conflicts or sanctions. Whereas oil deliveries are made by ship and can be rerouted, natural gas is more vulnerable to disruption as it is shipped through pipelines. Here, too, the impact is not expected to be big. Algeria's biggest customer, Europe, has production of its own in the North Sea and imports from Russia, among other places. Russia delivers around 90% of its 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to Europe and has vast reserves. Any outages could have a bigger impact within Algeria as it relies on its own energy production. And it has little spare capacity, meaning that in case of outages at some plants, it would have trouble ramping up output at other facilities. ___ HOW DEPENDENT IS ALGERIA ON OIL AND GAS? Very. Energy accounts for over 90% of the country's exports and a third of the government's revenues. That makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the price of oil. Over the years, that has also distorted the local economy, where other sectors have not developed as much. The Algerian government says it has tried to make its economy less dependent on oil and gas, but progress has been slow. And the riches from the sector are perceive to have increased corruption and helped entrench the group of ruling politicians that the protesters are demonstrating against. FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2008 file photo, a worker inspects the Krechba gas plant in Algeria's Sahara Desert, about 1,200 kilometers (720 miles) south of the capital, Algiers. Algeria's Constitutional Council met on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, to confirm President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation as the country's political shake-up raises questions about the energy industry. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's Senate GOP allies, frustrated by delays in confirming dozens of lower-profile nominees, rammed through a rules change Wednesday that cuts back debate on most of his picks. In a series of procedural votes, the Republicans indefinitely restored rules in place during the first couple years of President Barack Obama's second term. Those rules had lapsed, allowing any senator to force 30 hours of debate on a nominee. The new rules limit debate on most nominees to two hours instead of 30. White House selections for the Cabinet, Supreme Court and appeals courts would be exempted. Every Democrat opposed the maneuver in a pair of 51-48 votes, and they were joined by two Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Mike Lee of Utah. The Senate action came after a partisan debate that featured unusually personal finger-pointing between the chamber's party leaders, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. They have battled over judicial filibusters since the administration of President George W. Bush. McConnell, no stranger to obstructionist tactics himself, said the situation had gotten out of hand, with the Senate taking 128 votes to end debate on Trump's nominees during his first two years in office, far more than under other presidents. "The comprehensive campaign by Senate Democrats to delay Senate consideration of presidential nominations is now more than two years old," McConnell said. "It's time for this sorry chapter to end." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks to members of the media following a Senate policy luncheon, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Pointing at Schumer repeatedly during a tartly worded speech, McConnell said the battles on presidential nominees date back to Schumer-led filibusters of Bush appeals court picks such as Miguel Estrada, whose nomination stalled after a lobbying campaign by liberal judicial activists. "He started this whole thing that we've been wrestling with since 2003, cooked it up, convinced his colleagues to do it," McConnell said. Schumer said McConnell was Machiavellian, cynical and hypocritical, and used his speech to recount a series of GOP power plays. "This is a very sad day for the Senate. At a time when Leader McConnell brags about confirming more judges than anyone has done in a very long time, he feels the need to invoke the terribly destructive and disproportionate procedure of the 'nuclear option' in order to fast-track even more of President Trump's ultra-conservative nominees to the federal bench," Schumer said. Schumer, however, supported this step in a 2013 vote orchestrated by then Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that eliminated the filibuster on Cabinet nominees and most judicial appointees. The maneuver allows the majority to change the rules on a party-line vote. Republicans said at the time that Reid and Democrats would come to regret the change, which has given Trump largely free rein to fill numerous judicial vacancies that have piled up over the years. "I share some of the responsibility for where we find ourselves today," said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. He said McConnell "said at the time that 'you're going to come to regret this decision,' and I will say this about him, he was right. I do." Many Democrats, who benefited from prior rules changes under Obama, now say the GOP move will enable Trump and future presidents, so long as their party controls the Senate, to run roughshod over the Senate. They say the hurdles required to win confirmation should be difficult as a way to ensure nominees are ethical, qualified and responsive to requests by senators for information. "There is no emergency that justifies changing the Senate rules. Sen. McConnell himself admitted the Senate has plenty of time to consider nominees," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "This is all about avoiding close scrutiny for extreme ideological nominees that Republicans want to pack onto the federal courts for lifetime appointments." But other Democrats, McConnell said, indicated behind the scenes that they could support the rules change provided that it wouldn't take effect until the next administration. Democrats also say that GOP complaints over their tactics now ring hollow after the obstructionism Obama experienced over his two terms. Merrick Garland, a federal appeals court judge nominated to the Supreme Court by Obama, failed to get a Senate hearing, and Republicans stalled numerous other Obama judicial nominees - both when the GOP was in the minority and then after retaking the Senate in 2015. Armed with the White House and control of the Senate, Trump is now confirming both district and appeals court judges at a dizzying pace and is positioned to reshape the federal judiciary even if he fails to win a second term. NEW YORK (AP) - Candace Barr showed all the signs: She was exhausted, stressed out and "starting to resent my clients." Barr had so much work in her resume writing business that it was a struggle to get it all done. In short, she was burned out. While burnout is a common phenomenon in the workplace, it's particularly frustrating for entrepreneurs whose dream was to escape the daily grind of employment and find fulfillment in running their own companies. "I had major deadlines every week," recalls Barr, owner of Birmingham, Alabama-based Strategic Resume Specialists, who discovered that burnout can occur even when a business is flourishing. Like many owners who realize they're burned out, Barr made adjustments. She scheduled breaks and turned down some requests. In this March 26, 2019, photo Victoria Bogner poses for a photo in her office in Lawrence, Kan. While burnout is common with workers, students and caregivers, it's particularly frustrating for entrepreneurs. Bogner, who describes herself as a perfectionist and control freak, burned out after becoming head of two financial advisory firms. "I eventually found myself spinning some huge plates as a CEO, chief investment officer, and a financial advisor with my own clientele," says Bogner. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) "Saying 'no' does not come easily when someone says they might get their dream opportunity," she says. But, Barr says, putting quality over quantity makes the process easier. Exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed and even getting sick can make owners dread the very things about their companies that once brought them joy. Victoria Bogner, who describes herself as a perfectionist and control freak, burned out after becoming head of two financial advisory firms. "I eventually found myself spinning some huge plates as a CEO, chief investment officer, and a financial advisor with my own clientele," says Bogner, a co-owner of McDaniel Knutson Financial Partners in Lawrence, Kansas. Bogner started getting sick and felt light-headed. Her doctor told her she was stressed out, needed to take a vacation and to figure out how to dial back. Her husband had a warning of his own: "It's affecting our marriage." At about that time, Bogner became pregnant with her first child. She realized she had to delegate tasks to staffers and relinquish her need for perfection. And set firm boundaries between work and her personal life. Now, at home with her two children, "I put my computer and phone away and focus on them. No insidious multitasking that makes us all believe we can answer emails and be present with our family at the same time," Bogner says. Florent Defontis worked 18 hour-days and gave up exercising as he built his software business, Air360. He loved the work but so focused on it that he neglected his health. He ended up in the hospital on the verge of an ulcer. Defontis cut the number of hours he worked. And he returned to one of his great loves, exercising and jogging outdoors. A resident of Paris, he realizes he should have been taking advantage of the city's great parks all along: "It's stupid now, when I think of it." Business partners can suffer collective burnout. Five years ago, when Paul Altero and Bill Hart had opened eight Bubbakoo's Burritos restaurants, they were both overwhelmed from the juggling required to create new locations, work on their strategic plan and run day-to-day operations of the Point Pleasant, New Jersey-based chain. Altero remembers having panic attacks. It was so draining that "we would look at each other and say, 'OK, do we stop?'" Altero recalls. "Another part of us would say, 'we can't stop, it's working.'" The partners had resisted delegating but realized they needed to make some key hires. A district manager and an administrative assistant came on board, followed eventually by a vice president to oversee construction of new locations. The company now has 25 restaurants with 10 more planned. Burnout may not be a one-shot deal. Dentist Ben Dancygier, like many practitioners, handles accounting, staffing issues and other tasks that accompany running a business. He's suffered burnout several times from working too much. "You think the more hours you put in, the more that gets accomplished but then suddenly it hits you that you aren't getting anything done because you can't think straight," says Dancygier, who owns Valley Pediatric Dentistry, which has offices in Jefferson Valley and Hopewell Junction, New York. Dancygier has learned to delegate more and to take breaks. But every year or so, especially after taking on a new project, he starts feeling moody and uninspired. "We're all susceptible to falling back to our own ways," he says. Annemarie Fowler has felt burned out several times since starting her online learning company, Speak Confident English, in 2014. Fowler remembers feeling overwhelmed in the beginning because there was so much to learn and do - such as marketing, accounting, and developing a website. The feelings returned as she signed up clients around the world. Trying to keep up with the expectations of people in multiple time zones became exhausting. "I was waking up at 2 a.m. and not functioning well. I was getting angry and frustrated. I knew something needed to give," says Fowler, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Fowler's solution included time for herself in her calendar; not just workout time, but also 15 minutes for morning coffee. She gets alerts when it's time to shut down the computer and quit for the day. And the last half-hour of her day is spent reading for pleasure. "It makes it easier to come back and sit at the computer and feel fulfilled instead of overwhelmed," she says. ____ Follow Joyce Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg . Her work can be found here: https://apnews.com . In this March 26, 2019, photo Victoria Bogner poses for a photo in her office in Lawrence, Kan. While burnout is common with workers, students and caregivers, it's particularly frustrating for entrepreneurs. Bogner, who describes herself as a perfectionist and control freak, burned out after becoming head of two financial advisory firms. "I eventually found myself spinning some huge plates as a CEO, chief investment officer, and a financial advisor with my own clientele," says Bogner. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) - Hillary Clinton will deliver the keynote speech at a commencement ceremony for a gifted and talented high school that she played a role in establishing in Arkansas. The former U.S. Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee will give the address on May 25 at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts. The school in Hot Springs was created by legislation signed by Clinton's husband, then-Gov. Bill Clinton, on March 1, 1991. The school says Hillary Clinton was involved in the planning for the public high school, which offers free room and board for gifted and talented students. The school initially focused on math and science, but an arts component was added in 2004. NEW YORK (AP) - In a story April 3 about tips to help small business owners avoid burnout, The Associated Press misidentified the company owned by Annemarie Fowler. It is Speak Confident English, not Speak English Confidently. A corrected version of the story is below: 5 strategies to help small business owners battle burnout Small business owners can struggle with burnout when they try to do too much all by themselves and for too many hours in a day By JOYCE M. ROSENBERG AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Small business owners can struggle with burnout when they try to do too much by themselves and for too many hours in a day. Those who have found themselves burned out have developed strategies aimed at preventing a recurrence. Among them: - Set limits. When Victoria Bogner gets home after a day at the financial advisory firms she runs, her phone and laptop go into a separate room; she doesn't answer calls or emails while spending time with her two young children. And, Bogner says, "I've trained my clients and staff that, unless there's a big emergency, I'm not working on the weekends." Bogner, CEO of McDaniel Knutson Financial Partners in Lawrence, Kansas, was burned out five years ago from working 60-plus hours each week. - Delegate, delegate. Paul Altero and Bill Hart tried to build and run Bubbakoos Burritos restaurants themselves and then realized they were burning out. The partners, whose company is based in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, were so exhausted they considered giving up on their plans when the chain had grown to eight locations. They began making big hires - managers, construction supervisors, an administrative assistant - and got back their energy and momentum. - Learn to say no. Candace Barr burned out after taking on too much work in her resume business, Strategic Resume Specialists. She realized that not only was she exhausted, but she couldn't deliver the high quality expected by clients paying $1,600 to $1,800 for an executive-level resume. She began turning down some business. "It was hard for me to say no and it's still hard for me to say no," Barr says, but she recognized she had to do it. - Make R&R a priority. Owners need to schedule periodic breaks and vacations - and not spend their time off staring at a laptop and emailing on their phones. Annemarie Fowler schedules break times every day, including 15 minutes for coffee every morning and half an hour of reading for pleasure at the end of the day. Fowler, owner of the online learning website Speak Confident English, burned out after trying to keep up with her clients around the world, even in Australia, half a world away from Fowler's home in Omaha, Nebraska. - Watch for the warning signs. Dentist Ben Dancygier has had periodic burnout, and recognized it when he developed some typical symptoms: "My body ached. I was exhausted, moody, eating poorly. I was putting everything, everyone, the business first and foremost and hadn't taken any days off." Dancygier, owner of Valley Pediatric Dentistry in Hopewell Junction and Jefferson Valley, New York, has felt burned out several times in the 18 years since he started his practice, usually when he plunges into a new project. _____ Follow Joyce Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg. Her work can be found here: https://apnews.com. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Supporters of Judith Clark, a former radical activist who has served more than 36 years of a life sentence for her role in a deadly 1981 Brink's heist, have asked a state panel to grant parole, saying she meets every legal and social test of rehabilitation. Clark, 70, is scheduled to appear this week before the parole board, state corrections officials said Wednesday. The board would have two weeks to make a decision. Clark, a former member of Weather Underground, a 1960s group of increasingly violent anti-war activists, drove a getaway car in the suburban New York robbery of a Brink's armored truck that led to the deaths of two police officers and a security guard. In a 2002 sworn statement, Clark expressed regret and said she had rejected her radical beliefs. In 2017, a parole panel denied Clark's release, to which there is still strong opposition. Norma Hill, whose car was commandeered during the heist and who testified against Clark, was among those submitting a letter supporting her release. She wrote that Clark has "constantly expressed her remorse to me" and "tried to make peace without ever forgetting her participation" in the Brink's robbery. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised Clark's behavior as a model prisoner when he commuted her sentence in 2016 to make her eligible for parole. He noted that she received one of the longest sentences of her six co-defendants, including the same sentence as one of the shooters. FILE - In this Nov. 24, 1981 file photo, Weather Underground member Judith Clark is handcuffed as she is escorted into Rockland County Courthouse, in New City, N.Y. Supporters of Clark, age 70, a former radical activist who has served more than 36 years of a life sentence for her role in a deadly 1981 Brinks heist, are asking a state panel to grant her parole. (AP Photo/David Handschuh, File) During her time behind bars, Clark tutored other inmates, trained service dogs and founded an HIV and AIDS education program. But some, including law enforcement officials and the families of victims, oppose her release. "As a member of law enforcement at the time of this incident, I strongly believe Clark deserves the same sentence she inflicted on her victims," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement Wednesday. "Releasing Clark would be an atrocious travesty of justice and an affront to our criminal justice system," the Rockland County District Attorney's Office said. Clark's legal team said a diverse coalition of prominent New Yorkers was urging the parole board to release her. They include former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, 11 members of New York's congressional delegation and Elaine Lord, a former superintendent of Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, where Clark is incarcerated. A joint letter signed by more than 70 elected officials across the state said the correctional system exists for rehabilitation as well as punishment. "While parole can cause great pain to victims and their families, it is your role to hold open the door of mercy in appropriate circumstance," the letter said. After the parole board denied Clark's release in 2017, state Supreme Court Justice John Kelley ordered a new hearing, saying the panel "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" by giving more weight to the severity of the crime than to her rehabilitation. Kelley's ruling was overruled by a state appellate court. BERLIN (AP) - The German state of Bavaria is set to accept in large part a plan by environmentalists to save bees and protect biodiversity, averting a referendum on the issue. In February, backers of the plan collected nearly 1.75 million signatures, over 18% of the region's electorate and enough to force a vote. It would set aside more space to protect imperiled insects and banish many pesticides from a third of Bavaria's agricultural land. Leaders of Bavaria's two governing parties - both traditional allies of farmers, who have criticized the proposal - said Wednesday that they would back the plan in the state legislature. But news agency dpa reported that they said some aspects would be clarified and there would be payments to farmers to cushion the impact. NEW YORK (AP) - Fox News Channel says that Sen. Bernie Sanders will appear on a televised town hall on April 15, making him the first Democratic candidate to venture onto Fox for this type of event in the current presidential cycle. It's an important booking for Fox, after the Democratic National Committee announced last month that it would not hold any of its presidential debates on the network. The committee said it was concerned about whether Fox could hold a fair and neutral event. Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will co-anchor the town hall, which will be held in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Scheduled for the day taxes are due, the forum will focus on the economy and jobs, Fox said on Wednesday. It will air at 6:30 p.m. EDT. That avoids the prime-time hours where opinion shows hosted by Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham reign, and where Fox gets most of its viewers. The Democratic National Committee says it stands by its decision not to put Democratic presidential hopefuls onstage together for a Fox event. But party leaders say that individual candidates are free to make their own decisions about media appearances. Fox, the network of choice for many fans of President Donald Trump, is routinely the most-watched cable network in the country. "The DNC believes that we must reach all voters, including (the Fox) audience," said party spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa, who is among the handful of aides to party Chairman Tom Perez coordinating 2020 debate plans. "Candidates should do what they need to do in order to engage these voters directly." In this April 1, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during the We the People Membership Summit in Washington. Sanders is leading Democratic presidential candidates in the early money chase with more than $18 million in contributions during the first seven weeks of his candidacy. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Bill Sammon, Fox's senior Vice President and managing editor in Washington, said he believes the same logic should extend to the debates, and he hopes the DNC will reconsider its decision. Sanders appeared in a Fox town hall during his 2016 primary campaign. The Democratic socialist elected to the Senate from Vermont as an independent might seem like an ill fit for a Fox audience that regularly hears hosts and guests bash Democrats and "socialism" as fundamental threats. Yet Sanders, perhaps more than any of his primary rivals, might be able to use the network as a bridge to white working-class voters who might respond to his economic populism and broadsides against the establishment. His decision was met with surprise and dismay among some liberals, many of whom let their opinions profanely be known online. Carolyn Fiddler, political and communications strategist for the progressive website Daily Kos, called Sanders' decision to do another Fox town hall "unfortunate and dismaying" and said it's certain to upset many Daily Kos followers. The site earlier this year gathered more than 100,000 signatures on a petition that urged Perez not to select Fox News as a debate partner during the 2020 campaign. "I don't know why he would lend his considerable presence to a network that routinely pushes sexist and racist tropes about progressives and his supporters," Fiddler said. The liberal watchdogs Media Matters for America, which has urged advertisers to avoid Fox's opinionated shows, said the timing of Sanders' appearance is bad. "If you want to go on Fox, fine," tweeted Angelo Carusone, Media Matters' president. "But wait until after the ad sales period is over. If you go on Fox between now and May, they will use your appearance to help neutralize all the advertiser blowback." Fox had no direct response to the critics. But it has stressed the news chops of its journalists like Baier, Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith, and says it is making a point by scheduling the town hall to straddle news hours regularly hosted by Baier and MacCallum. Fox held its first-ever sales presentation to advertisers last month, where news was emphasized over opinion. Sanders' decision may give cover to other Democrats who worry that courting Fox's large audience could alienate liberal fans. Baier tweeted in response to Wednesday's news: "Looking forward to it. Others are in the works." Town halls are attention-getters for cable networks and can draw big audiences. CNN has already held eight such events for the 2020 nomination fight and has five more scheduled. MSNBC has only held one town hall, with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, but candidates have appeared for interviews on MSNBC programs. ____ Political writer Bill Barrow in Washington contributed to this report. ____ This story has been corrected to remove an incorrect reference to Hillary Clinton not appearing at a 2016 Fox town hall. She did appear in a town hall on the network. NEW YORK (AP) - 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 rock's 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 traveling to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, where it will be on view from Nov. 20, 2019 through Sept. 13, 2020. "We're 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 organized "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' roll's most iconic objects up close," says Dobney. A guitar played by Chuck Berry is displayed at the entrance to the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Highlights include Chuck Berry's ES-350T guitar (at the entrance to the exhibit), John Lennon's 12-string Rickenbacker 325, an electric 500/1 "violin" bass on loan from Paul McCartney, Keith Moon's 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 Berry's guitar - he was all in. "My guitar was confiscated if I took it to the school field to play," he says. "That's the kind of respect given to guitars in those days. "So to see guitars from people I listen to . it's absolutely phenomenal. It's 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 rock's 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 revolutionize the sound, establishing the electric guitar as the genre's 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 Clapton's 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 genre's powerful rhythms, with accented backbeats created using a drum set and electric bass guitar. Even as guitars were lovingly painted, and sometimes even built by the musicians who played them (like Eddie Van Halen's 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; a Gibson SG Special guitar destroyed by Townsend during a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for Rolling Stone (and preserved in Lucite); and a modified Hammond L-100 organ used by Keith Emerson as a "stunt instrument," which he would jump on, pull on top of himself, stick knives in and - in this instrument's case - set ablaze during performances. "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 Prince's "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 rock's most iconic moments, along with decades of posters advertising groundbreaking concerts. "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll" is accompanied by a hefty and detailed catalog of the same name (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, distributed by Yale University Press, 2019). Instruments used by members of The Beatles are displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Electric guitars are displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Electric guitars are displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A guitar made and played by Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A custom guitar played by Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A customized organ used by Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A stunt organ with knives that Keith Emerson used to hold notes is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) An electric piano with a customized housing used by Lady Gaga is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Electric guitars are displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Electric guitars are displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A man inspects a guitar made and played by Eddie Van Halen during a press preview of the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A double-neck guitar played by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A guitar decorated by Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) An outfit and guitar used by Prince is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A five-neck guitar used by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick is displayed at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Guitars used by Jimi Hendrix, left, and Eric Clapton are displayed with concert posters at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, April 1, 2019. The exhibit, which showcases the instruments of rock and roll legends, opens to the public on April 8 and runs until Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) DALLAS (AP) - The Dallas County district attorney's office says it will not prosecute a black woman after police earlier had charged her with criminal mischief following a confrontation with a white man who beat her. A spokeswoman for the office said Wednesday that it will not prosecute 24-year-old L'Daijohnique Lee on a criminal mischief charge. Dallas police had charged Lee earlier this week following her confrontation last month with 30-year-old Austin Shuffield over a parking dispute. Video recorded by a witness shows a man striking Lee with at least five blows to the head. Police say Lee shattered a windshield on Shuffield's pickup moments after the assault. Shuffield is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony. A police affidavit says Shuffield claimed to fear for his life after Lee threatened to call friends who would shoot him. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said Wednesday he's asked prosecutors in Boston and North Carolina to investigate sexual assault allegations two women have made against him. Speaking at a news conference, Fairfax again said the allegations are untrue and the sexual encounters he had with the women were consensual. His lawyer has contacted prosecutors in Boston and Durham, North Carolina, where the women say the assaults took place, and have asked them to investigate the allegations, Fairfax said. He said he would cooperate fully with the investigations. "I knew that the allegations against me were false from the moment I first heard them," he said. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson leveled their accusations against Fairfax in February. Tyson says Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex in 2004. Watson says Fairfax raped her in 2000 when both were students at Duke University. The Associated Press typically does not identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Tyson and Watson stepped forward voluntarily and have expressed a desire to testify in public. Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax addresses the media during a news conference in his office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Fairfax addressed sexual misconduct allegations made by two women against him and presented the results of a polygraph test. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Their allegations have received new attention after televised interviews this week with CBS News in which they tearfully described their experiences. Fairfax, a Democrat, said the news media attention has been painful to him and his family. "Sensationalizing allegations does not make them true. Yet airing salacious allegations without evidence does enormous damage," Fairfax said. Both women have indicated a desire to testify before state lawmakers, who could impeach Fairfax. Republican lawmakers have said they are willing to hold a hearing and accused Democrats of blocking those efforts to project Fairfax. Democrats rejected any GOP overtures to hold a hearing, and have said allegations should be investigated by law enforcement. In a statement issued Wednesday, Tyson's lawyer Lisa Banks said the lack of a public hearing "sends a devastating message to sexual assault survivors." "A politician's fitness for office is wholly independent of the workings of the criminal justice system," Banks said. Nancy Erika Smith, Watson's lawyer, said Fairfax is trying to avoid having to answer tough questions in public. "He says he wants due process, but a hearing is due process," she said. Republican Majority Leader Del. Todd Gilbert said both women made compelling appearances during their CBS interviews and deserved a forum to share their stories with the General Assembly. "If anybody who watched that wasn't moved by it, then I would say their heart isn't in the right place," Gilbert said. A former prosecutor, Gilbert said he does not believe a legislative hearing would impede any criminal investigation. There's been no indication of any ongoing law enforcement investigations. Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office in Massachusetts declined to comment on the status of any sexual assaults investigations in general, or the Fairfax matter in particular. Officials in North Carolina did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fairfax said he is confident law enforcement personnel will reach the same conclusions as a polygraph test he said he's releasing Wednesday that showed he is innocent. Fairfax released a polygraph report conducted by a former FBI agent that said Fairfax did not appear to lie when he answered questions about whether he'd assaulted Tyson and Watson. Gilbert scoffed at the polygraph test, saying it did not clear Fairfax's name and that numerous criminals have successfully duped such tests in the past. "Ted Bundy passed a polygraph," Gilbert said. The accusations against Fairfax were part of a series of scandals in early February that upended Virginia politics. The women leveled their allegations against Fairfax at a moment when he seemed poised to ascend to the governor's post. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was facing numerous calls to resign after a racist photo showing a person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan costume was found on his medical school yearbook page. Then, the next in line after Fairfax, Attorney General Mark Herring, acknowledged he appeared in a photo wearing blackface as a student at the University of Virginia, and the prospect of all three statewide officeholders leaving and handing power to Republicans cooled demands for their resignations. Northam, Fairfax and Herring, all Democrats, have remained in office and at the head of their party ahead of November elections in which Democrats hope to gain control of the General Assembly. ___ Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed to this report. Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax addresses the media during a news conference in his office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Fairfax addressed sexual misconduct allegations made by two women against him and presented the results of a polygraph test. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax addresses the media during a news conference in his office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Fairfax addressed sexual misconduct allegations made by two women against him and presented the results of a polygraph test. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Pilots of an airliner that crashed last month in Ethiopia initially followed Boeing's emergency steps by disconnecting a system that can force the nose of the plane down, but they could not regain control. Data from the plane indicates that the pilots then broke from Boeing recommendations by reconnecting power to the system, according to an official familiar with the crash investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because a preliminary report on the March 10 crash has not yet been made public. Ethiopian investigators are expected to release the report on Thursday. News that pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max turned off a critical flight-control system suspected of playing a role in an earlier crash of the same model was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper said the pilots' actions are still being evaluated by investigators but could raise questions about assertions by Boeing and U.S. regulators last year that pilots could regain control in some emergencies by following steps that include turning off an anti-stall system designed specifically for the Max. In a statement, Boeing urged against speculating before the preliminary report and flight data from the plane are released. 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) Investigators are examining the crashes that killed all 346 people aboard the two 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 Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators. The official who discussed the matter with The Associated Press said that data downloaded from the plane's so-called black boxes indicates that the pilots of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 followed recommendations by flipping two switches that disconnected power to the system. Sources told the Journal that despite that step, the pilots could not make the plane climb. The pilots then reversed the power switches that they had turned off - a step not included in Boeing-approved recovery procedures - which reactivated MCAS and pushed the plane's nose down, the official told the AP. Boeing's procedures instruct pilots to leave the MCAS system disconnected and continue flying manually for the rest of the flight. Boeing developed MCAS for the Max because the plane has larger engines that sit higher and more forward under the wings than the engines on previous 737s, which gives the new model a greater tendency for the nose to tip upward in some situations. John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said MCAS was designed largely to reduce the nose-up effect during takeoff and avoid a dangerous aerodynamic stall, or loss of lift from air flowing over the wings. Pilots can turn off MCAS by pressing a button on their control column, although the system can resume if pressure is released. If pilots opt instead to disable the system by flipping a pair of toggle switches, it cuts power to part of the tail called a horizontal stabilizer used to point the plane up or down. Flipping the switches requires pilots to manually turn a wheel to operate the stabilizer. "The pilot not flying should be cranking that wheel," Goglia said. If the Ethiopian pilots followed all of Boeing's procedures and disengaged the MCAS but the plane still crashed, the company has some explaining to do, he said. But, he added, restoring power to the system "is not in the procedure." 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. ST. LOUIS (AP) - A federal judge should end restrictions on when St. Louis police use chemical agents such as pepper spray and tear gas to break up protests, according to a court filing on behalf of the police department. The 39-page motion filed Friday seeks to dissolve a preliminary injunction issued in 2017 after the American Civil Liberties Union sued on behalf of protesters who took to the streets in response to the acquittal of former officer Jason Stockley. A judge on Sept. 15 2017, found Stockley, who is white, not guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith, a black drug suspect. Within minutes of the announcement, protests broke out. Demonstrations lasted for weeks, and some turned violent. Police were at times pelted with bricks and bottles. Several officers suffered minor to moderate injuries. About 300 people were arrested. But police were accused of abusive actions that included arresting law-abiding demonstrators, innocent bystanders and journalists, and inappropriately using tear gas and pepper spray. The police actions spurred nearly two dozen lawsuits and prompted a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that led to indictments of four officers . U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry's November 2017 injunction in the ACLU lawsuit said police can't end protests or use chemical agents to punish people for exercising their right to free speech. Her order said that before using chemical agents, police need probable cause to arrest a person, must first give "clear and unambiguous warnings," and must allow people enough time to obey police commands. The judge cited testimony and video evidence showing that officers acted "in an arbitrary and retaliatory fashion to punish protesters for voicing criticism of police or recording police conduct," she wrote at the time. But police in the new filing said their own video evidence gathered from media, police officers, even plaintiffs in the lawsuit, suggested that officers were under siege. The filing said police used pepper spray only to clear streets, come to the aid of officers, and defend Mayor Lyda Krewson's home after hundreds of protesters gathered outside of it in September 2017. The filing also compared St. Louis' response favorably to what happened in nearby Ferguson, Missouri, and in Baltimore during protests that followed officer-involved fatalities. Police "on the whole responded to extremely difficult challenges with disciplined effectiveness," the filing said. "St. Louisans did not experience the violence and terror of full-scale riots, as did Ferguson or Baltimore in similar situations. For this the community (including plaintiffs, though they may not realize it) owes a debt of gratitude to the vast majority of St. Louis police officers." The case is scheduled for trial Aug. 26. ACLU attorney Tony Rothert said he'll save the thrust of his response for trial. "We view the case and the evidence that we've gathered in the last year-and-a-half quite differently than the city does," Rothert said. In November, the Justice Department announced the indictments of officers Dustin Boone, Randy Hays, Christopher Myers and Bailey Colletta. Boone, Hays and Myers were accused of beating an undercover officer during a Stockley protest, unaware he was a colleague. Colletta was accused of conspiring to cover up the crime. Concerns about police behavior were raised again in January, when officer Nathaniel Hendren was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of another officer, Katlyn Alix. Charging documents said they had been drinking and playing a variation of Russian roulette, taking turns pointing a gun loaded with one bullet at each other and pulling the trigger. Alix died of a chest wound. ___ This version of the story corrects the date of the filing to Friday from Monday. ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says it has summoned an Indian diplomat to lodge a strong protest over what it says was this week's intentional targeting of civilians by Indian troops in disputed Kashmir that killed four. India says two of its civilians and a soldier were killed in Monday's skirmishes. Both sides claim they did not initiate the fighting. In Wednesday's statement, the ministry said several villagers were also wounded because of Indian shelling in Pakistan's part of Kashmir. Pakistan's move to summon the Indian diplomat came a day after the country's military said Indian fire killed three of its soldiers and a civilian on the Pakistani side of Kashmir, which is split between the two South Asian neighbors and claimed by both in its entirety. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on charges that North Carolina's Republican Party chairman and a major donor sought to bribe the state's top insurance regulator to secure special treatment (all times local): 4:30 p.m. Federal bribery and conspiracy charges against a major North Carolina political donor is increasing scrutiny of other politicians he supported. Federal prosecutors say investment firm founder Greg Lindberg offered the state's top insurance regulator up to $2 million in campaign contributions to go easy on his companies. State Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes relinquished his party activities Wednesday, a day after he was also charged. Lindberg has donated more than $7 million to state and federal politicians and political committees in the past three years. That includes Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who is gearing up for a bid to challenge Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper next year. 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) Two political committees supporting Forest and other statewide Republican candidates have received more than $2.4 million from the Durham businessman since early 2017. Forest has taken credit for that fundraising. ___ 12:30 p.m. North Carolina's Republican Party chairman is giving up party control as he faces criminal charges that he and a major donor tried to bribe the state's top insurance regulator. The state GOP said Wednesday that Robin Hayes will give up operational control to a regional party leader from western North Carolina. Aubrey Woodard has headed the Republican organization in the 11th Congressional District. Hayes will keep the title of chairman until a new election for the post in June. Hayes, investment firm founder Greg Lindberg and two Lindberg associates are facing federal bribery and wire fraud charges after prosecutors say they sought to funnel up to $2 million in campaign funds to the state's insurance commissioner money. Prosecutors say Lindberg wanted special treatment for his insurance companies. ___ 2 a.m. North Carolina GOP Chairman Robin Hayes and investment firm founder Greg Lindberg are among four people facing federal bribery and wire fraud charges. In federal indictments, prosecutors say that in a series of clandestine meetings in closed restaurants and small airport terminals, the pressured insurance magnate and his associates offered North Carolina's insurance commissioner money for special treatment. 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. 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. The four defendants appeared Tuesday before a federal magistrate. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Angelina Jolie is not ruling out running for public office. The 43-year-old actress and U.N. special envoy tells People magazine "never say never!" However, Jolie says she's "looking to others for leadership." In her role with the U.N.'s High Commission for Refugees, Jolie recently urged nations to deploy more women peacekeepers in order to prevent sexual violence against refugees. Jolie says "we have to change laws that treat women as second-class citizens." Since breaking up with Brad Pitt more than two years ago, Jolie is focused on their six children and her work. Her oldest, Maddox, enters college in the fall. She wrapped up her first starring movie role in four years in "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil." It's due out in October. The interview appears in People's April 15 issue. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Republican-led Texas House has approved a bipartisan school finance bill that would pour $9 billion into the state's public education system - lawmakers' latest attempt to revamp a funding structure the state Supreme Court has deemed barely constitutional. Houston Republican Rep. Dan Huberty's proposal would pump $6.3 billion into the state's public education system and send another $2.7 billion to schools to tamp down ever-growing property taxes. Texas has no state income tax, meaning schools rely heavily on local property tax revenue. But lawmakers have promised to increase classroom funding while cutting property taxes. "We are finally reforming public education in the state of Texas and not by court order, so that's a pretty important thing," Huberty said when introducing the bill. "A lot of provisions in this bill reflect your ideas, your priorities, and frankly compromises that we worked out together." The bill passed the state House after relatively quick and smooth debate, with all but one lawmaker supporting it. It now moves on to the state Senate for consideration. Texas educates 5.3 million-plus public school students, more than any state except California, but has endured nearly 50 years of legal battles, with the Legislature frequently cutting classroom budgets and school districts responding with a series of lawsuits that worked their way through state courts. No school finance fix is required this session since Texas' Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that the system was deeply flawed but also minimally constitutional, despite budget cuts approved by the Legislature in 2011 that removed $5.4 billion in classroom funding and educational grant programs. State Rep. Dan Huberty, left, R-Houston, speaks with Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, right, before the chamber debates a bipartisan school finance bill that would pour $9 billion into the state's public education system Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Clarice Silber) School finance is so complicated that, in the past, the Legislature was loath to tackle it unless ordered to do so by the courts. Yet lawmakers are vowing to do it this time regardless. The measure would increase annual, per student funding by nearly $900 to $6,030 while boosting funds for children who need extra instruction to learn English. It would fund full-day pre-kindergarten for low-income students and provide further funding to better educate dyslexic students. A portion of the bill that would have given school districts discretion over how to allocate their funding was changed to mandate across-the-board raises for teachers and school employees. That could quash a previous sticking point with the state Senate, where lawmakers have promised educators a $5,000 pay hike that ranks among the biggest in the U.S. since a wave of teacher protests began in other states last year. The amendment offered by Rep. Chris Turner, the Democratic leader in the Texas House, would mandate that school districts earmark at least 25% of their added funding to provide wage increases to all full-time employees. Turner said his amendment would guarantee that at least $2.4 billion included in the bill will go toward a pay raise for every teacher and support staff member. "It starts with a recognition that every person who has a positive effect on a child's life, for our schools that means our teachers, it means our nurses, our counselors, educational aids, custodial workers, bus drivers, every full time employee should get and deserves a raise," Turner said. Though the measure passed the House, it could face hurdles in the Senate, as the two chambers will likely spar over how to properly take action on heavily sought property tax cuts. The House's measure looks to lower school property tax rates by 4 cents statewide and adjust the current "Robin Hood" system, reducing recapture payments by more than 38% over the next two years. That system is meant to force school districts in wealthy areas to share some local property tax revenue with those in poorer parts of the state. Disagreements over both issues during the 2017 legislative session left lawmakers unable to pass a measure that would have pumped $1.6 billion into state classrooms - despite bipartisan support. Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ___ April 1 Los Angeles Times on the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle: The killing of rapper Nipsey Hussle on Sunday afternoon was especially heartbreaking because of his journey - from his participation in Los Angeles street gang life in his young adulthood to musical and commercial success and ultimately leadership in the fight against violence. He emerged, he created, he invested in his neighborhood, and he led, only to be shot dead in the bright afternoon outside his own clothing store ... Born Ermias Davidson Asghedom, Hussle earned the deep respect of other artists, many of whom paid him tribute in the aftermath of the killing. That's as it should be, but in mourning his death and decrying the killing, it's essential to remember that too many young men whose names are known only to their families and friends are lost to violence before they have a chance to make their own mark in the world. Some of the most gifted hip-hop artists have come from the streets of South Los Angeles and used their considerable talents to document and comment upon a life that a modern, wealthy society like our own should not countenance. Young African American men deserve the same life as their counterparts in other parts of town, without guns, without gangs, without hustling, with education rather than incarceration, with safe streets, with adults able to find good jobs. Struggle and inequality can make for great art among a select few; but as Hussle's killing reminds us, their artistry and their success does not necessarily free them. So how do we make it better? The Los Angeles Police Department responds to spikes in gang violence by swarming the streets with cops to search cars for guns and question young men who might look like perpetrators or victims. And it works - in the sense that guns are found and confiscated, crime abates and residents are safer from gun violence for a period of time. But the police often leave behind a community that feels invaded, violated, disrespected. Hurt and anger grow. Violence returns. There may be better ideas, different things to try, and some of them may have been among the topics that Hussle was planning to discuss with Police Commission President Steve Soboroff and LAPD Chief Michel Moore on Monday afternoon. Meetings were to go forward in Hussle's absence, and in his memory. In remembering Hussle, let's remember as well those many young men and women, their families and their neighbors, who continue to be affected by violence. Online: https://www.latimes.com/ ___ April 2 The Washington Post on President Donald Trump's threat to shut down the southern border: Belatedly, it occurred to the Trump administration that closing the U.S.-Mexico border, as the president threatened, posed the risk of paralyzing manufacturing assembly lines, leaving grocery shelves bare and throwing the U.S. economy into a tailspin, if not outright recession. Bad idea. So now the White House has seized on Plan B, which seems to entail leaving commercial traffic intact while locking down the frontier for everyone else, meaning huge numbers of people who cross in both directions daily. This approach is a wild overreaction that would not stop the surge of asylum-seeking migrants. However, it is in keeping with the president's own instincts, which are untroubled by the prospect of inflicting misery on foreigners. Each day, about 1 million people cross the 1,954-mile frontier, making it by far the world's most transited border. The vast majority do so legally. Mr. Trump's closure would play havoc with those people's lives, livelihoods, schedules and families. And make no mistake: Many would be U.S. citizens. Meanwhile, desperate refugees would continue to cross the border to request asylum; recently, some have been lining up alongside the existing border fence. Still, in the hijacked name of border security - or, more to the point, a migrant surge he cannot abide - the president would have it be known that he is prepared to slam the door unless Mexico and Central America's immigrant-generating countries take steps to impede the flow of migrants. The demand is reasonable enough - although Mexico has already taken extensive steps to cooperate with Washington, both during the 2014 migration spike and in the current surge. Its government has issued work permits and asylum to thousands of migrants who want to remain in Mexico. As for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, the so-called Northern Triangle countries from which most migrant families are now leaving in hopes of entering the United States, there are at least two problems. One is their limited capacity to stanch emigration and close their borders in the face of waves of their own citizens fleeing crime, violence and dysfunction. Another is the diminution of Washington's leverage by Mr. Trump's foolish decision to halt the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. aid intended to tackle the very problems impelling the current wave of migration. It's hard to know where the president's bluster ends and real action may begin. "I'm not playing games," he said last Friday, in threatening again to shutter the border after assigning blame to Mexico for the influx of migrants. Four days later, it dawned on him that threatening to choke off trade is, in fact, a game, and a ludicrous one at that. The number of migrants now flooding the border is a genuine humanitarian crisis, but not one susceptible to solution by hyperbole and bluff. It must be treated with greater resources at the border and also at the source, in Central America. In the absence of a real long-term strategy along those lines, Mr. Trump can huff and puff and blow the doors shut, but the migration problem will not disappear. Online: https://www.washingtonpost.com ___ April 2 Chicago Tribune on Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot, who is the city's first black woman and first openly gay person elected to the office: Lori Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor and the ninth candidate to jump into the race for Chicago mayor 11 months ago, won election Tuesday in a nearly 3-to-1 landslide over establishment candidate Toni Preckwinkle, an early favorite in a crowded field. A likely reaction from the Chicago Home for Experienced Political Pros: How'd that happen? ... Lightfoot will take her oath of office next month, replacing two-term Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He leaves City Hall steadier financially than when he took office in 2011 - although Chicago and its taxpayers still face deep debts and structural deficits. ... So who's the mayor-elect who must confront all of this? The Ohio-born Lightfoot, 56, lives in Logan Square on the city's Near Northwest Side with her wife, Amy Eshleman, and their 11-year-old daughter. Lightfoot got into the race in May 2018 to challenge Emanuel, who had appointed her to two police oversight posts but who, she thought, wasn't addressing Chicago's underdeveloped neighborhoods or the exodus of residents from them. After Emanuel announced in September that he wouldn't run again, some higher-profile candidates - Preckwinkle among them - jumped in. Lightfoot mounted a strong, steady campaign that broke nearly every rule in Chicago's political playbook. Pundits dismissed her viability early on, saying she had "no path" to victory: What was the constituency for a black, gay corporate attorney facing a field of mostly insiders? ... And rather than benefit from what's left of the Democratic machine in these nonpartisan elections, Lightfoot beat all of its preferred candidates. ... She didn't have the endorsements of city aldermen that often translate into Election Day success. ... She didn't have a ground game. Lightfoot comes across in person as reserved. But she dove into retail politicking and handshaking. Rather than relying solely on paid advertising, she went everywhere and met with everyone. ... She also ran on ideas. While many candidates get away with brushing past specifics, Lightfoot on several controversial subject areas - curbing violence, overhauling the Chicago Police Department, encouraging affordable housing, reforming the City Council and expanding City Hall transparency, to name a few - offered detailed proposals. She answered questions straight on. She didn't always stick to careful talking points. How Lightfoot embraced running for mayor, and how Chicagoans citywide embraced her, brought refreshing change to Chicago politics. She broke the typical campaign template and won. We think she'll govern just as capably. ... Online: https://www.chicagotribune.com/ ___ April 3 The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, on a college student who mistakenly got into a car she thought was an Uber and was kidnapped and killed: One of the first things we teach our children is to never, ever get into a stranger's car. In the age of Uber and Lyft, we all need to relearn that lesson. Along with: The later you're out at night, the greater your chances of running into the wrong person. And: It's always safer to travel in groups. Nothing can ever mitigate the heartbreaking tragedy of the killing of University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson, who was abducted and slain after she got into what she mistakenly thought was an Uber ride-share she had ordered. But maybe it can be some small comfort to her family if her death leads more young people to follow the advice of Ms. Josephson's father, Seymour Josephson, who urged students to stay in groups at night and called on ride-sharing services to do more to make sure passengers get into the right cars. It's never been safe to be out in bar districts in the wee hours of the morning, and certainly not to leave your friends and strike out on your own. But the ubiquity of ride-sharing services - which many of us inexplicably consider safer than the more heavily regulated and more easily identifiable taxi services - has caused many people to let down their guard. Not only do we wander out alone, sometimes after consuming too much alcohol to drive safely, but we don't follow basic safety precautions when we think we spot our ride. Gregory Yee and Andy Shain of The Post and Courier talked to a former bar owner who recounted three instances of young women trying to get into his car on a recent night when he was serving as designated driver for a group of friends in Columbia's Five Points, the bar district from which Ms. Josephson was abducted. ... While lawmakers, regulators and the ride-share services consider what additional measures are needed, there are several precautions everyone who uses the services can and should take to protect their own safety. ... Perhaps most importantly, if you don't feel safe, walk away. Don't worry about being charged for canceling a ride; ride-sharing services usually will refund the money if you don't feel safe. And even if they don't, the money isn't worth your life. ... Online: https://www.postandcourier.com/ ___ April 2 USA Today on medications that can reduce opioid deaths: Walter Ginter began using heroin in the early 1970s while serving in the Army. By 1977, desperate to kick the habit, he turned to daily doses of methadone, a synthetic opioid that eases withdrawal and decreases cravings. The treatment worked. "I have a good life today," says Ginter, 69, project director for the New York-based Medication Assisted Recovery Support Project. "I wouldn't have it without medication." Ginter was a member of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine committee that examined the three medications - methadone, buprenorphine (typically sold under the Suboxone brand name) and extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol) - that the government has approved to treat opioid addiction. Two days before the Mueller report landed at the Justice Department, the National Academies' report was released March 20 with little fanfare and less attention than it deserves. Its recommendations, if more widely embraced, have the potential to significantly reduce the toll of the nation's opioid epidemic. The findings are unambiguous: "These are highly effective medications, and they save lives," says Alan Leshner, chairman of the panel that prepared the study. Yet most people who could benefit from the drugs don't receive them. More than 2 million people in America are estimated to have opioid use disorder, but less than 20% are being treated with these medications. Of the residential treatment programs in the USA, only 36% offered any medications in 2016, and only 6% offered all three. The medications, of course, aren't a panacea for the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the nation by increasing crime, reducing productivity, spreading infectious diseases, clogging emergency rooms, and taking an incalculable toll on families. It can be difficult to get people who are addicted to accept treatment, and to stick with it once they begin. Some people can succeed without medications, but the vast majority who try to do so end up relapsing. Like any medication, each of the three Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs has drawbacks. Methadone is typically administered only through doses given out daily at regulated clinics; areas around the clinics have been known to serve as magnets for heroin dealers looking for customers. Buprenorphine tablets and under-the-tongue films can be misused or diverted. Naltrexone can only be administered to people who've been off opioids for about a week, and it has high discontinuance rates. Even so, all of the drugs alleviate withdrawal symptoms, curb opioid cravings, and reduce relapse and death rates. For people who stay on the approved medications for the long term, the risk of mortality drops by 70%, according to Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which co-sponsored the National Academies report. Why aren't these life-saving drugs used more widely? One reason is that opioid addiction is too often regarded as a moral weakness or failure of willpower, rather than a treatable chronic brain disorder. Other reasons include inadequate education and training of personnel who work with people who are addicted, excessive regulations surrounding distribution of the medications, and highly fragmented payment policies. Among the steps that can and should be taken: -Allow methadone to be distributed, by prescription, in settings such as drugstores or doctors' offices. -Certify more doctors to prescribe buprenorphine, and loosen the unnecessarily strict training requirements. -Require prisons to offer the medications, and Medicaid to cover their cost. -Do more research into which combinations of medications and behavioral interventions are most effective in treating addiction. Overdoses of legally prescribed and illicit opioids killed more than 47,000 people in 2017 alone. An additional 500,000 lives could be lost in the next decade, more people than in the city of Atlanta. ... Online: https://www.usatoday.com/ ___ April 3 China Daily on the United States' role in NATO: NATO will be 70 on April 4. It is a timely occasion for the world's largest military alliance to reflect on whether it has helped make the world a safer place, and whether it has a role to play today. Born in the Cold War era and bearing the brunt of military confrontation between the United States and the former Soviet Union, NATO expanded eastward to take in more members after the Soviet Union's collapse and it now comprises 29 North American and European countries. Yet rather than upholding its intended purpose of mutual defense in response to an attack by an external party, the world has been witness to its aggression as other NATO members have supported the United States in the many wars and military operations it has launched against a string of sovereign states under various excuses. Ironically, despite allowing the US to lead it by the nose, it is the US that has become NATO's biggest existential threat. Since entering the White House, each time US President Donald Trump has attended a NATO meeting, he has blown it up, questioning NATO's value to the US, and whether it should continue its commitment to its allies. On Tuesday, two days before NATO marks its 70th anniversary, Trump again urged his European allies to increase military expenditure, claiming that the US is paying a "very big" and "disproportionate share" for defending Europe. This attitude has become the most pressing challenge to the alliance. Yet from the first Gulf War to Afghanistan, NATO members have participated in all the US waged wars, and its military intervention footprints now extend from the Middle East to Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Each time, the US and NATO have produced justifications for these military operations - claiming they are for humanitarian or anti-terrorism purposes. And each time, the world has found it increasingly difficult to buy their excuses. So too have some NATO members. Intrinsically, the problems NATO faces stem from the confusion among its members over what role the alliance should play amid the changing international reality. In recent years, there has been a rising trend for international community to seek to resolve issues through dialogue and consultations, rather than force. And whether it is responding to the menace of nontraditional security threats or trying to project its power, NATO has to learn to coexist with others in a harmonious way and try to work with them to address global challenges. To strengthen its raison d'etre and credibility in a world that has fundamentally changed from that in which it was born, NATO should seek to play a constructive role in defending world peace and stability. Online: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - People who kill or seriously injure police dogs in Florida soon could face tougher penalties after the Senate unanimously passed a bill inspired by the shooting death of a canine named Fang. "This bill has been a roller coaster of emotions," said Sen. Aaron Bean. "Fang was executed." Fang was a 3-year-old German shepherd at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He was fatally shot as officers chased a 17-year-old carjacking suspect. Bean said he decided to sponsor the bill after learning the penalty for killing the dog was a maximum of five years in prison. The bill would make the crime a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. "The double hurt came not only in losing the animal, but we discovered the penalty for harming an animal ... was only a third degree felony," Bean said. "It was just sad." Bean noted that just last weekend a police K-9 was shot in Pinellas County after a traffic stop, though the dog is expected to survive. In making his case for the bill, he turned to Republican Sen. Tom Wright, a former Rochester, Minnesota, police officer who was assigned a K-9. He told stories about two incidents when his K-9, Officer Denver, stopped an armed suspect he was pursuing. "Just two examples of I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this dog," Wright said. "These are officers, they just happen to have four legs." The increased penalties would also apply to anyone who seriously injures or kills a police horse or canines used by fire departments and search and rescue teams. A companion House bill is ready to be considered by the full chamber after unanimous approval in each of its committee stops. KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - The thriving presidential campaign of Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy may seem improbable, but his campaign adviser says the country is at the point where it needs reforms from untraditional sources. Oleksandr Danylyuk spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, three days after an election in which Zelenskiy received the most votes by far, easily outpacing the incumbent president and a former prime minister. "Now is the time for a new leader to form a new and strong team, and show everyone that reforms are possible and can be made by those people from whom this is least expected," Danylyuk said. Zelenskiy and President Petro Poroshenko are set to face off in an April 21 runoff. If Zelenskiy wins, observers have suggested his adviser might become prime minister. Unlike his candidate, who stars on a television series about a teacher who becomes president after a video of him denouncing corruption goes viral, Danylyuk has high-level experience in Ukraine's government. He served as finance minister under Poroshenko for two years before being dismissed in 2018 after complaining that needed reforms to combat corruption were being stalled. Oleksandr Danyliuk, former Ukrainian Minister of Finance and advisor to presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy, talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The thriving campaign of comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be Ukraine's president may seem improbable, but his campaign adviser says the country has reached the point where it needs reforms from seemingly unlikely sources. Oleksandr Danylyuk spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, three days after the election first round in which Zelenskiy easily outpaced incumbent Petro Poroshenko. (AP Photo Efrem Lukatsky) Ukraine's pervasive corruption is at the heart of Zelenskiy's appeal. His popularity on TV and at the ballot box reflects widespread disappointment in Poroshenko, who took office in 2014. Danylyuk said he thinks Poroshenko was able to formulate an effective anti-corruption program, but unable to implement it. "We don't need new promises, to invent something new - we need to do something that (Poroshenko) couldn't do or didn't want to do," Danylyuk said. Zelenskiy's first step if he is elected president would be reviving anti-corruption and judicial reforms and judicial reforms, Danylyuk said, including the launching of a long-awaited anti-corruption court. His favoring of a referendum to determine if Ukrainians want their country to seek NATO membership prompted criticism the candidate might be too sensitive to views in Russia, Danylyuk said Ukraine's course on joining NATO and the European Union would be maintained under Zelenskiy. "As for the foreign policy of both accession to the EU and NATO, the Ukrainians made their choice. There are even changes in the Constitution," he said, referring to Poroshenko's signing an amendment this year committing the country to pursuing membership in both the European bloc and the Western military alliance. Economic reforms also would continue, meeting aid conditions set by the International Monetary Fund and encouraging investors, Danylyuk said. "I communicate with many foreign investors who look at Zelenskiy as reliable," he said. Zelenskiy has proposed direct discussions with Moscow about the war with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Danylyuk said the five-year conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people cannot be stopped quickly. "This is a difficult question, and there is no ready solution," he said. FILE - In this file photo taken on Friday, March 29, 2019, Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, center, gestures during a comedy show at a concert hall in Brovary, Ukraine. Zelenskiy has no political experience, but took a commanding lead against the incumbent in Sunday's presidential election, putting him in a strong position for the runoff election in three weeks' time. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) Oleksandr Danyliuk, former Ukrainian Minister of Finance and advisor to presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy, talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The thriving campaign of comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be Ukraine's president may seem improbable, but his campaign adviser says the country has reached the point where it needs reforms from seemingly unlikely sources. Oleksandr Danylyuk spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, three days after the election first round in which Zelenskiy easily outpaced incumbent Petro Poroshenko. (AP Photo Efrem Lukatsky) Oleksandr Danyliuk, former Ukrainian Minister of Finance and advisor to presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy, talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The thriving campaign of comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be Ukraine's president may seem improbable, but his campaign adviser says the country has reached the point where it needs reforms from seemingly unlikely sources. Oleksandr Danylyuk spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, three days after the election first round in which Zelenskiy easily outpaced incumbent Petro Poroshenko. (AP Photo Efrem Lukatsky) Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, takes part in a press conference, after the presidential elections in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, March. 31, 2019. Exit polls indicated Zelenskiy would get about 30 percent of the vote, far short of the absolute majority needed to win the first round. Most exit polls said incumbent Petro Poroshenko received the second-biggest support, which would put him and Zelenskiy in a runoff on April 21. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) FILE - In this file photo taken on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who played the nation's president in a popular TV series, is photographed on the film set in Kiev, Ukraine. Zelenskiy has no political experience, but his easygoing manner and snappy talk on the campaign trail strongly resembled his character in "Servant of the People", a schoolteacher catapulted into the presidential seat. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) FILE In this file photo taken on Friday, March 29, 2019, Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy hosts a comedy show at a concert hall in Brovary, Ukraine. Zelenskiy has no political experience but seems to have won Sunday's presidential vote, putting him in a strong position for the runoff election in three weeks' time. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) Oleksandr Danyliuk, former Ukrainian Minister of Finance and advisor to presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy, talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The thriving campaign of comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be Ukraine's president may seem improbable, but his campaign adviser says the country has reached the point where it needs reforms from seemingly unlikely sources. Oleksandr Danylyuk spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, three days after the election first round in which Zelenskiy easily outpaced incumbent Petro Poroshenko. (AP Photo Efrem Lukatsky) DETROIT (AP) - The state of Michigan is placing a frail paroled prisoner in an assisted-living center at taxpayer expense after the federal government declined to deport him to Cuba, officials said. Prudencio Loyrafuls' life sentence for drug crimes was reduced in December by then-Gov. Rick Snyder, an exceptional decision that made him eligible for release after 30 years in prison. The parole board knew the 72-year-old wasn't a U.S. citizen and figured that federal authorities would take him off the state's hands. But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said no. As a result, the Corrections Department has spent weeks trying to come up with a solution for Loyrafuls, a native of Cuba who doesn't speak much English and uses a wheelchair. Since winning parole in January, he has stayed at a prison hospital in Jackson and been shuttled between prisons in Muskegon and suburban Detroit. "We're just not going to drop him off in the middle of town and say, 'good luck,'" said Chris Gautz, a department spokesman. He said the parole board believed Loyrafuls wasn't a threat to public safety, a key factor in any release. But Gautz acknowledged that deportation was a consideration, too, when the board looked at his application. This undated photo provided by the Michigan Department of Corrections shows Prudencio Loyraful. The state of Michigan is placing the frail paroled prisoner in an assisted-living center at taxpayer expense after the federal government declined to deport him to Cuba, officials said. (Michigan Department of Corrections via AP) "If another country was going to take him back, that's one less individual that taxpayers here have to pay and take care of," he said. Loyrafuls declined to speak to The Associated Press. He was convicted of cocaine trafficking in Macomb County and sentenced to life in prison in 1989, nine years after entering the U.S. Loyrafuls wasn't a model inmate: He had 32 major misconduct tickets. He also wasn't contrite when he appeared at a public hearing in December, a critical step for any prisoner seeking to have a sentence shortened by a Michigan governor. Many of Loyrafuls' statements to the parole board chairman were hostile and didn't make sense. "You're just playing me. ... I'm not going to tell you anything. ... I am number one in this country," he said, according to a transcript. Nonetheless, the board recommended that Snyder cut Loyrafuls' no-parole sentence. He signed the order days before leaving office on Jan. 1. ICE, which was aware of Loyrafuls, declined to take him. Spokesman Khaalid Walls said it was a matter of "prosecutorial discretion" after a "comprehensive review." He didn't elaborate. The Corrections Department subsequently has worked to send Loyrafuls somewhere. He is supposed to be placed at an assisted-living center this week, said spokeswoman Joelle Craddy. "We will pay until other sources can be arranged. The goal is generally 90 days or less," she said. Luciano Perez, a former prisoner who shared a cell with Loyrafuls, tried to put his friend in a good light. "I'm blessed to have met him because I look at him like a grandpa. ... He is remorseful for what he did," Perez, who owns a trucking company, told the parole board. "He might not flat-out tell you like this, but I promise you that he's no longer a threat to the public." ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteap CROSBY, Texas (AP) - The U.S. Chemical Safety Board announced Wednesday that it will investigate a fire at a Houston area chemical plant as the facility's operator identified the worker killed in the blaze. James Earl Mangum was killed in the Tuesday fire at a KMCO chemical plant in Crosby, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Houston, a company spokesman said. The two other workers who were injured during the blaze remain in critical condition. Their identities were not released. An autopsy found that Mangum's accidental death was caused by "sharp force injuries" that cut a major artery and vein in his right arm, a spokesman for Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences said. The Chemical Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates industrial chemical incidents, said it will join other agencies probing the cause of the deadly fire. It is also investigating the March 17 blaze at a petrochemical storage facility in nearby Deer Park . All operations at the KMCO plant are suspended indefinitely and the site is under control of Texas fire officials, according to the company. Fire investigators haven't yet been able to enter the plant because of ongoing clean up and emergency operations, said Rachel Moreno of the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office. This aerial photo shows the KMCO chemical plant as firefighters spray water on a fire on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Crosby, Texas. Pilar Davis, a product manager with KMCO, says the fire initially ignited with isobutylene and was fueled by ethanol and ethyl acrylate. All three are chemicals and solvents used to make fuel additives at the plant. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) County officials said Wednesday that ongoing air monitoring shows no health risks to the area around the plant. This aerial photo shows firefighters spraying water on a fire at the KMCO chemical plant on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in Crosby, Texas. Authorities say the fire has been contained at the plant near Houston and they have lifted an order that instructed residents within a 1-mile (1.6 kilometers) radius of the facility to stay indoors. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) Harris County Constable Precinct 3 deputies direct traffic away from closed roads as firefighters battled a chemical fire at the KMCO plant Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Crosby, Texas. A shelter-in-place was ordered for people living within one-mile radius of the plant. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle via AP) This aerial photo shows the KMCO chemical plant in Crosby, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Houston, Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in Crosby. A tank holding a flammable chemical caught fire at the plant Tuesday, killing one worker, critically injuring two others and sending panicked employees fleeing over a fence to safety. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - MEChA, a Mexican American student group founded 50 years ago at the end of the turbulent 1960s, is considering a name change, highlighting the divisions between older civil rights leaders and college activists who are shunning traditional modes of ethnic identity. At a meeting Sunday in Los Angeles, student leaders voted almost unanimously to drop the reference to "Chicano" and "Aztlan" from the name Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan) over concerns the words are homophobic, anti-indigenous and anti-black. Chicano, which refers to Mexican Americans, gained popularity during the militant Chicano Movement of the 1970s. Aztlan is the mythical home of the Aztecs, which some activists say is the present-day U.S. Southwest. Students at a national conference for the group said Chicanx, the gender-neutral term used by young activists, symbolized an era when Mexican American civil rights groups excluded gays, lesbians and transgender people, according to people who attended the meeting. They also said the concept of Aztlan excluded other groups such as black people and Native American tribes, attendees said. Emilio Balderas, new co-leader of the group and a University of Chicago student, tweeted Monday that the name change "was the product of our organization's work to right our past wrongs and stand with our indigenous (brothers and sisters) who felt hurt by Aztlan." FILE - In this May 9, 2000 file photo, Mexican opposition candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, left, of the Democratic Revolution Party, poses for a photo with Candy Angel, right, president of the Mexican American student group, MEChA, during a visit to the Chicano Studies Department at California State University-Northridge in Los Angeles. MEChA, a Mexican American student group founded 50 years ago, is considering a name change, highlighting the divisions between older civil rights advocates and younger activists. Student leaders voted Sunday, March 31, 2019, in Los Angeles to drop the reference to "Chicano" and "Aztlan" from the group's full name Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) He urged MEChA alumni to "hold your friends accountable for ageism & trust our student movement." Student leaders of the group did not immediately return emails and social media messages. In its five decades, chapters of the group have been responsible for pressuring universities to create Chicano and ethnic studies programs. Chapters also raise money for scholarships and hold their own graduation ceremonies for Latino college students. The group, which has dozens of members across the country, did not decide on a new name. The vote drew a strong reaction from MEChA alumni who said the students were buying into corporate and university-sponsored rhetoric about inclusion while erasing the history of people of color. Revo Grafia, 56, a former MEChA member in the 1980s, said the name change came from a lack of awareness about history and unfairly placed homophobia on the term Chicano. "It negates the struggle of the Chicano people at the expense of inclusion," said Grafia, a Los Angeles-based activist who spoke out against the name change at the meeting. He questioned why students who didn't agree with MEChA's mission would join only to destroy it. "They have a right to start their own group," Grafia said. "I wouldn't go to a Black Lives Matter rally and demand they change it to 'All Live Matter' because I'm Chicano." Historian Rudy Acuna, author of the pioneering 1972 book, "Occupied America: A History of Chicanos," joined veteran activists to denounce the change. "I respect MECHA but its current name changes are not going to further the building of a movement," Acuna wrote on Facebook. "This is not done by wiping out the history of Chicanas/os, Aztlan, and rewriting the past." Elizabeth Silva, a doctoral student at the University of Utah who is studying MEChA, said she understood the concern about the historic homophobia among Mexican American civil rights groups. However, the changing of the name risks erasing history, she said. "It's a little bit dangerous," Silva said. Silva said MEChA historically has helped train students who later went on to academia or became leaders of important political and nonprofit groups. MEChA was founded in 1969 after militant Mexican American high school students in California and Texas began walking out to protest discrimination and the lack of Latino teachers. It developed into a coalition of loosely connected chapters on college campuses in California, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona and Colorado. ___ Russell Contreras is a member of The Associated Press' race and ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Prosecutors in Arkansas plan to pursue the death penalty for one of two brothers accused in the killing of a Little Rock mother and her two young children in 2017. Pulaski County Chief Deputy Prosecutor John Johnson told Circuit Judge Herb Wright on Tuesday that prosecutors would seek the lethal injection for 26-year-old Michael Collins of Colorado, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The county last sought the death penalty in 2009. Collins and his brother, 22-year-old William Alexander of Little Rock, have been charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery in the deaths of 24-year-old Mariah Cunningham, 5-year-old A'Layliah Fisher and 4-year-old Elijah Fisher. The family was found stabbed to death in their Little Rock home in December 2017. The brothers will stand trial separately. Collins' trial date will be scheduled at his next hearing on May 28. The death penalty won't be sought for Alexander, prosecutors said. Collins and Alexander were also charged in July with capital murder and aggravated robbery in the death of Billie Thornton, 64. Thornton was found dead in his Little Rock apartment in July 2017. Arkansas hasn't performed any executions since 2017, when four inmates were executed in eight days. This March 28, 2018 booking photo released by Polaski County, Arks., Sheriff's Office shows Michael Collins of Colorado. Chief deputy prosecutor John Johnson told a judge Tuesday, April 2, that prosecutors would seek lethal injection for Collins. Collins and his brother, 22-year-old William Burnell Alexander, have been charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery in the deaths of Mariah Cunningham, 5-year-old Alaylah Fisher and 4-year-old Elijah Fisher. The Fishers were found stabbed to death in their Little Rock home in December 2017. (Polaski County Sheriff's Office via AP) The last of the state's lethal injection drugs expired in January. Arkansas doesn't have any executions scheduled, and state prison officials last year said they wouldn't search for any new lethal injection drugs until a law keeping the source of drugs secret is expanded to cover manufacturers. ___ Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com PARIS (AP) - A Paris auction house says it's selling a revolver that was possibly used by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh to take his own life. Described by some as the art world's most famous weapon, the 7mm pocket revolver will be put up for sale by Auction Art on June 19. The handgun was discovered in the 1960s in fields in the northern French village of Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh is widely believed to have shot himself in the chest in 1890. He died two days later. 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. The revolver going under the hammer in Paris was part of a 2016 exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. TUNICA, Miss. (AP) - A north Mississippi woman has died after authorities say she was caught in the crossfire of a shooting while driving home from church. WHBQ-TV reports 26-year-old Skyeesha Pige was shot in the head and died after being taken to a Memphis, Tennessee, hospital. Anfernee Harris and Dontarrius Hibbler are each charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault. A judge denied bail to Hibbler because he's already on bail for 2018 aggravated assault charges. Harris remains jailed until he posts $300,000 bail. It's unclear if either has a lawyer. Ray Conley, Pige's fiance, says he was mowing his lawn when a man arrived and began shooting at a second car. He says someone down the street started shooting. Conley says a bullet hit Pige in the eye and she crashed into a car. DENVER (AP) - Colorado lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a measure that would dramatically change the way the state regulates its booming oil and gas industry, shifting the focus to protecting public health instead of encouraging production. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the measure. "The governor is thrilled to see it pass," said his spokeswoman, Laurie Cipriano. "This bill protects the health and safety of Colorado families and communities and it represents a meaningful step forward for the state," she said. Opponents immediately announced an attempt to repeal and replace the measure. Driven by majority Democrats, the bill survived fierce challenges from the industry and GOP lawmakers, who warned it could gravely damage a multibillion-dollar industry. Final passage came on a 19-16 party-line vote in the Senate. FILE--In this Aug. 16, 2018, file photo, a pump jack works in a recently constructed residential development in Frederick, Colo. On Wednesday, April 3, 2019, the Colorado Legislature gave final approval to a bill that would dramatically change how the state regulates the oil and gas industry, shifting the focus from encouraging production to protecting public health and the environment. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who is expected to sign it. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) Conservation groups praised the bill as a step toward protecting people and the environment. "These are the protections Coloradans are clamoring for," said Sam Gilchrist, Western campaigns director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "They're vital for our health and safety and are needed nationwide." Industry groups said it threatens a vital segment of the state economy. "Our industry remains firmly opposed to this bill because it threatens one of the pillars of Colorado's economy," the Colorado Oil and Gas Association and the Colorado Petroleum Council said in a joint statement. Colorado is a major energy-producing state, ranking fifth in the nation for crude oil production and sixth in natural gas. But fast-growing communities north of Denver have expanded into the rich Wattenberg oil and gas field, triggering frequent complaints from residents about noise, lights, air pollution and the threat of explosions. Besides changing the priority of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the industry, the bill gives local governments the power to restrict the locations of new wells. Under current law, only state regulators have that authority. The bill changes the makeup of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to weaken industry influence. After Wednesday's vote, the commission postponed its regular monthly meeting for April, saying it wanted to give Polis time to evaluate the measure. The measure also sets tougher requirements for "forced pooling," a practice that allows an energy company to extract oil and gas owned by multiple parties - even those who object - and then distribute the profits among them. Republicans and the industry won a few concessions, including a change in the bill's language so new state and local restrictions would have to be "necessary and reasonable." The bill also makes Oil and Gas Conservation Commission members full-time professionals instead of part-time volunteers, in hopes of minimizing delays in rule making and approving drilling permits. Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer and former Arapahoe County Commissioner John Brackney said Wednesday they will try to put a measure on the November ballot asking voters to annul the changes and create a nonpartisan state regulatory body. "What we're trying to do is narrow it to one independent commission and prevent one party or another from politicizing it," said Kirkmeyer, an outspoken proponent of oil and gas development. The bill is the first significant setback the industry has suffered in Colorado in years. Energy companies spent heavily on advertising to defeat a ballot issue in November that would have increased the minimum distance between new wells and homes and schools to 2,500 feet (750 meters), up from the current 500 feet (150 meters). But in the same election, Democrats won control of the state Senate while retaining their hold on the House and governorship, allowing them to push through the new rules. The oil and gas industry says it contributes $32 billion annually to the state economy, including taxes and 89,000 direct and indirect jobs. Analysts have so far avoided making predictions on the impact of the new rules. They point out that it may have little effect in the heart of the Wattenberg field, where energy-friendly Weld County is unlikely to impose tighter rules. But communities on the edges of the field, including Boulder and the Denver suburbs, are expected to impose their own restrictions. Even before the bill passed, Adams County, on the southern fringe of the Wattenberg, imposed a moratorium on new drilling. County officials said they feared a rush of permit applications from companies trying to get projects approved under the old rules. The overall impact of the bill would be to raise the cost of producing oil and gas in Colorado, which could drive some production to states with more lenient rules, said Bernadette Johnson, vice president for market intelligence for Drillinginfo Inc., which provides data and analysis to the oil and gas industry. "I would say in general, what the bill does is it makes it harder to do business in Colorado," Johnson said in an interview last week. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The U.S. Justice Department says that in addition to long-term measures, the Alabama Department of Corrections should make immediate changes in response to constitutional violations in its prisons. Here is a brief summary: UNDERSTAFFING AND OVERCROWDING - Staff and electronically monitor the perimeters and screen anyone entering facilities. - Consult with an approved expert on the feasibility of realigning low-risk, nonviolent inmates to local oversight. - Hire 500 additional corrections officers in prisons in the short-term, but by 2020 bring staffing in compliance with a judge's orders in an ongoing prison mental health lawsuit. The judge has said the state will need to add as many as 2,000 or more officers by 2022. - Work with federal experts to assess the skills and continued leadership of all wardens. FILE - In this June 18, 2015, file photo, prisoners stand in a crowded lunch line during a prison tour at Elmore Correctional Facility in Elmore, Ala. The Justice Department has determined that Alabama's prisons are violating the Constitution by failing to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse and by housing them in unsafe and overcrowded facilities, according to a scathing report Wednesday, April 3, 2019, that described the problems as "severe" and "systemic." (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) VIOLENCE - Stop subjecting victims to discipline for unrelated conduct when they seek help or protection from harm. - Provide remedial security training to all correctional staff. - Conduct documented security rounds in all living areas at least once every hour, every half-hour with special management populations and even more frequently with prisoners on suicide watch. - Develop a centralized autopsy system, assess for trends and correct problems. CONTRABAND - Shake down at least 15% of housing units every day. Search all group areas weekly and other areas daily, documenting the results and addressing patterns. - Ensure every entrance to every facility has a working metal detector, with a procedure to use them on everyone coming in. - Consult with an approved expert on other ways of detecting illegal drugs and other contraband, and change screening methods accordingly. - Provide adequate evidence-based medical treatment for all prisoners detoxifying as illegal drugs are eliminated. SEXUAL ABUSE - Avoid subjecting victims to discipline when they seek help because of threatened or actual sexual abuse. - Bring in professionals to investigate and properly document every allegation of sexual abuse. - Hire an approved, nationally recognized expert on prison rapes to suggest immediate and long-term remedies - Reclassify every prisoner to ensure potential predators are separated from potential victims. FACILITY CONDITIONS - Identify all the broken locks and repair them. - Ensure at least 80% of each prison's toilets, sinks and showerheads work. - Install cameras in federally approved locations, retaining video relevant to assaults until they are fully prosecuted or dismissed. Wardens should review video at least monthly. Broken equipment should be replaced within 72 hours. - Take preliminary steps to provide humane living conditions in the three prisons in the worst physical condition. FILE -In this March 12, 2016 file photo, the sign to The William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., is displayed. he Justice Department has determined that Alabama's prisons are violating the Constitution by failing to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse and by housing them in unsafe and overcrowded facilities, according to a scathing report Wednesday, April 3, 2019, that described the problems as "severe" and "systemic."(Sharon Steinmann/AL.com via AP, File) SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Four men who say they were sexually abused by the same Roman Catholic priest decades ago have recounted the details of their experiences as children as federal jurors prepared Wednesday to hear more about the alleged patterns of abuse. The trial of 81-year-old Arthur Perrault before a federal judge in Santa Fe began Tuesday and is expected to last another two weeks. Perrault's case marks an unusual federal criminal prosecution of a former priest in a state where dozens of clergy abuse victims have won more than $50 million in settlements from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The archdiocese also is in the midst of bankruptcy proceeding as a result of the church-wide scandal, which has tarnished parishes across the globe. Testimony on Tuesday by one of the unnamed men revealed that the archdiocese in 1992 had denied that he had been sexually abused by the priest but the claims were settled out of court at the time with the promise that Perrault would get therapy to prevent another boy from being harmed. That man, identified only as John Doe #8, told jurors the first assault occurred when he was 12. Perrault was driving the altar boy to the mountains outside of Albuquerque. He told the boy's parents they would be doing "church business." The man testified that the groping started 30 minutes into the trip, the Albuquerque Journal reported . Perrault was accused of pulling off the road and finishing the assault. FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, the sun sets on a sign in front of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe offices in Albuquerque, N.M. A priest who fled the United States decades ago faces a federal trial on charges that he sexually abused a New Mexico boy in the early 1990s at an Air Force base and veterans' cemetery. Arthur Perrault, a one-time pastor in Albuquerque, has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse and others counts. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) They later arrived at what the victim now believes was the Servants of the Paraclete center in Jemez Springs, a secluded retreat in the mountains of northern New Mexico that served as a treatment center for pedophile priests. Records show Perrault was sent there in 1965 after he was accused of molesting young men while serving in Connecticut. When Perrault and John Doe #8 arrived at the center, they lit candles, knelt down and prayed. "I remember him saying that he cared about me and that I was now a man," he testified. Perrault has pleaded not guilty to seven federal charges involving another former altar boy. That boy was allegedly sexually assaulted repeatedly by Perrault more than 20 years after John Doe #8 first tried to tell his mother about the abuse. While wiping tears from his face, John Doe #8 testified that he still sometimes thinks about dying but that he couldn't do that since he now cares for a son who is a quadriplegic. Prosecutors called John Doe #8 and the other men as witnesses to show Perrault's alleged "propensity" for molesting boys. Perrault spent nearly three decades working as a priest in the Albuquerque area after being released from Servants of the Paraclete. Perrault was arrested in 2017 in the Moroccan city of Tangier, where he taught at an English language school after disappearing from the U.S. in the early 1990s when allegations of his sexual misconduct first came to light publicly. Perrault is listed on the Santa Fe Archdiocese's list of clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse. Church officials have vowed to update the list as more names come are vetted through the proof of claims that are being filed as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Amnesty International urged Sri Lanka Wednesday to halt plans to resume executions after more than four decades, saying capital punishment will not end drug-related crimes. The statement by the rights group came two days after Sri Lanka president Maithripala Sirisena announced that dates have been set for the country's first executions in 43 years amid rising alarm over drug-related crimes. Authorities have intensified a crackdown on narcotics to deter smugglers from using the Indian Ocean island nation as a transit point for distribution in the region. Biraj Patnaik, South Asia director of Amnesty International, said there is no perfect criminal justice system and the risk of executing an innocent person can never be eliminated. "There is no coming back from an execution," Patnaik said. Amnesty International says legislative amendments in Iran have resulted in a significant decrease in executions of people convicted of drug-related offences. It said trials in Sri Lanka of those facing possible execution could fail to meet fair international standards, due to torture and forced confessions being routinely practiced in the criminal justice system, as noted by the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and United Nations officials. "The death penalty is also a punishment that disproportionately affects people from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds," Patnaikhe said. Sri Lanka last executed a prisoner in 1976. Currently, 1,299 prisoners are on death row, including 48 convicted of drug offenses. Prison authorities have advertised to recruit two hangmen. Sri Lanka is predominantly Buddhist, a religion that advocates non-violence. Sirisena has said the country has had positive influences from all religions but tough law enforcement is necessary to curb crime and maintain order. Sirisena's move has drawn criticism from Great Britain and the European Union. On Monday, police publicly destroyed 770 kilograms (1,695 pounds) of drugs seized in 2016 and 2017. Police have seized 731 kilograms (1,608 pounds) of heroin, 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocaine and 1,607 kilograms (3,535 pounds) of marijuana so far this year. Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in Sri Lanka, followed by heroin and cocaine. Drug-related arrests rose 2 percent in 2017 from the previous year to 81,156. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A girl who received the transplanted heart of a slain infant has met the boy's mother in an emotional encounter at Walt Disney World. Alicia Erchul, whose 4-month-old son Gabriel was killed by her then-husband in 2014, met 4-year-old Morgan Price and her family last month. After Gabriel died from brain swelling from trauma in Jacksonville, a grieving Erchul decided to donate his heart and liver. The Orlando Sentinel reports Morgan showed Erchul the scar over her chest that the she calls "my zipper." Morgan was born in Birmingham, Alabama, weeks apart from Gabriel. Her enlarged heart didn't pump enough blood, requiring a transplant. Erchul said meeting Morgan "brought a sense of peace that I didn't realize I was missing." Erchul's ex-husband is serving a 40-year prison sentence. ___ Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on a lawsuit about a man's stabbing of fellow inmates at an Ohio prison (all times local): 2:20 p.m. A union says officers at an Ohio prison followed policies and procedures when responding to an inmate's stabbing of four fellow prisoners who were handcuffed to a table and couldn't defend themselves. A civil rights lawsuit filed Wednesday by two of the injured men alleges officers watched and laughed as the 2017 attack occurred at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. It also alleges officers didn't strip-search the attacker as required, didn't provide first aid to the bleeding inmates and treated the white attacker differently from the black victims. All four survived. Chris Mabe is president of the union that represents the guards. He says reviews of what happen found officers followed prison policies, and none was disciplined. Ohio's prisons agency won't comment on pending litigation. ___ 11:20 a.m. A lawsuit alleges officers at an Ohio prison watched and laughed as an inmate slipped his handcuffs, pulled out a blade, and repeatedly stabbed four fellow prisoners who were handcuffed to a table and couldn't defend themselves. The lawsuit filed Wednesday by two of the injured men, Shamieke Pugh and Maurice Lee, also alleges officers hadn't strip-searched the attacker as required and didn't provide first aid to the bleeding inmates. All four survived the 2017 attack at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. The lawsuit against the warden, two officers and other staff alleges civil rights violations, including different treatment of the attacker, who is white, and the injured inmates, who are black. Messages seeking comment were left for Ohio's prisons department and the union representing prison officers. RENO, Nev. (AP) - Burning Man organizers say the U.S. government wants to place unreasonable conditions on a proposal to expand the counter-culture festival's capacity to 100,000, including stepped-up security searches and new perimeter barriers that land managers say would reduce vulnerability to acts of terrorism. Group leaders say the Bureau of Land Management's proposed stipulations for a new 10-year special use permit would for the first time require certified building inspections, maintenance of a county road and air quality mitigation that could raise their costs by $10 million a year at the annual event in the desert 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Reno. The draft environmental impact statement points to the mass shooting at a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in October 2017. It's apparently the first time the agency has analyzed terrorist threats as part of an environmental review for proposed activities on federal land. While terrorism has never occurred at Burning Man, "several vulnerabilities exist," the 372-page document warns. It says the big crowds, "iconic status of Burning Man and widespread media coverage of the event could make the festival an attractive target for an individual or team of attackers." Crowds at the weeklong celebration culminating on Labor Day weekend with the burning of a towering wooden effigy have grown from about 30,000 in 2002 to 79,000 in 2017. Attendance currently is capped at 80,000. The draft issued last month says an attack could result in mass casualties that exceed the capacity of law enforcement and medical resources on-site. FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2006 file photo, The Man, a stick figured symbol of the Burning Man art festival, is silhouetted against a morning sunrise in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Burning Man organizers say the U.S. government wants to place unreasonable conditions on a proposal to expand the counter-culture festival's capacity to 100,000, including more security searches and hardened barriers around the perimeter that the agency says would reduce vulnerability to terrorism. (AP Photo/Ron Lewis, File) "Since the event is a soft target with the potential to draw the ire of international and domestic terrorists, tactics from active shooter, vehicular assault and improvised explosive devices are real threats with a low to moderate risk of occurrence," the document said. Without naming best-selling author Brad Thor's spy-thriller "Use of Force," it notes that "a novel depicting the Burning Man Event as a terrorist target was published in 2017 and depicts weaknesses in the event security." "Limited access controls and lack of professional security resources at entrances points into the city, coupled with limited law enforcement staffing, are two critical event vulnerabilities," the agency said. Bureau field manager Mark Hall said it's the first time he's aware of his agency has analyzed terrorism in an environmental review on federal land. "Since the October 1, 2017 shooting in Las Vegas, however, a greater emphasis on large scale outdoor gatherings has evolved and (the Department of Homeland Security) recently provided new protocols for outdoor mass gathering event safety," he said in an email to The Associated Press. The draft EIS proposes 10.4 miles (16.7 kilometers) of perimeter fencing under the 100,000-capacity scenario that would enlarge the closure area to 23 square miles (60 sq. kilometers). Hardened physical barriers would reduce the risk of vehicle entry through the current "orange plastic trash fence," the agency said. Private security portals would reduce entry of firearms "and other contraband." Burning Man leaders say the proposal would force them to hire private security "to conduct unwarranted searches without probable cause as a condition of entry into this section of public land." Dominque Debucquoy-Dodley said in an email to AP on behalf of Burning Man Project that several stipulations would result in the government replacing, overseeing or managing operations organizers "have successfully built and managed for decades." "Our initial assessment reveals that the measures recommended by BLM in order to issue our next permit are unreasonable" and "would forever negatively change the fabric of the Burning Man event," he wrote. He said "one brazen measure" would force the private organization to pay for maintenance of a public highway. "This and many of the mitigations ... would raise ticket prices substantially." Other alternatives analyzed would maintain capacity at 80,000, reduce it to 50,000 or deny a permit altogether. Hall said it's the largest recreational permit BLM issues and one of the largest on all federal lands. He declined to speculate on mitigation costs. The agency will pick a preferred alternative in the final EIS after a public comment period closes April 29. Public hearings are scheduled April 8 in Reno and April 9 in Lovelock. HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) - Authorities who searched a home and dug up a basement in northern New Hampshire said Wednesday they found no evidence of a college student who disappeared after crashing her car nearby 15 years ago. Maura Murray, a 21-year-old University of Massachusetts-Amherst nursing student, left campus on Feb. 9, 2004, after lying to professors about a death in the family. She drove north to New Hampshire and was last seen shortly after crashing her car on Route 112, a road in Haverhill that leads to the White Mountain National Forest. Authorities had searched outside the home soon after Murray disappeared but had not searched inside until this month. The new search was prompted by outside searches using dogs owned by private citizens and a radar scan that suggested the ground had been disturbed, said Associate Attorney General Jeffery Strelzin. "State Police reviewed the video from those dog searches as well as the results from the ground penetrating radar, and based on that review we determined there was no credible evidence that there was any evidence connected to this case in that home, and certainly no evidence of human remains. There was certainly no probable cause to do any search on that home," he said. "Despite that, we did contact the homeowners and they graciously gave us consent to search that home." Digging in the basement turned up only what might have been a piece of pottery or an old pipe, Strelzin said. Murray's father, Fred Murray, and supporters organized a search of a basement near the crash site last fall after getting the homeowner's permission. Murray said two separate visits by cadaver dogs and a radar scan last fall identified something underneath the basement floor. He believes his daughter is dead, the victim of a crime, and said Wednesday he's not satisfied with the authorities' conclusions. "You dug down today, but did you dig in toward the corner of the wall?" he said. "What I'm unsure of at this point, given the fact that our dogs - accredited dogs - is it possible they're both wrong? It's unlikely, isn't it?" Fred Murray speaks to reporters in Haverhill, N.H., on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, after authorities said searching a home and digging up a basement revealed no evidence tied to the disappearance of his daughter, Maura Murray, in 2004. Maura Murray, a college student at the time, was last seen after crashing her car in Haverhill. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Murray said Wednesday's news was harder than previous incidents when seemingly promising leads didn't pan out. "This one hurts, because I thought we finally had it," he said. "This one is worse than the other false alarms and dead ends. I was pretty sure." Maura Murray's family and some investigators believe she just wanted to get away for a few days. She had recently resolved a criminal matter involving use of a stolen credit card and caused extensive damage to her father's car during a crash. A few days before she disappeared, she was working her security job at UMass-Amherst when the phone rang, and she burst into tears. The caller and the subject of the call remain unknown. After the crash, a couple who lived nearby called police. A school bus driver who also lived nearby asked her if she wanted him to call police. She said no, but he called anyway. By the time officers arrived, she was gone. Strelzin said such cases typically have periods of dormancy and activity, and this one has been particularly active in the last year or so. "This case has generated a tremendous amount of activity, some it you'd maybe call wild speculation. But regardless, the State Police and our law enforcement partners have continued to follow up on every single lead, and we encourage people to contact us with information," he said. "Sometimes people think, maybe the police already know that but we encourage people to contact us." Murray said he won't give up, but he needs more help to continue his own investigations. "I'll stick my nose back on the trail," he said. "It's all I can do." ___ AP writer Kathy McCormack in Concord contributed to this report. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations is expressing concern that Tunisia is still holding a member of the U.N. panel of experts monitoring sanctions against Libya despite his diplomatic immunity. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Mocef Kartas has been detained since he was arrested on arrival in Tunis on March 26. He reportedly has dual German-Tunisian citizenship, Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the issue of Kartas' diplomatic immunity when he was in Tunis attending the Arab League summit last weekend, "and we are continuing to be in touch with the relevant authorities." He stressed that "the immunities and privileges granted to U.N. staff, to experts on missions, are for member states to respect and uphold." Kartas is also a researcher at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. 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. FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2014, file photo, a female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound west of Seattle, as seen from a federal research vessel that has been tracking the whale. 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, April 3, 2019, to order officials to reconsider a 2009 finding that commercial and recreational fisheries were not likely to contribute to the orcas' extinction. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) 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. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - 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." In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology facial recognition researcher Joy Buolamwini takes questions from reporters at the school, in Cambridge, Mass. Buolamwini's research has uncovered racial and gender bias in facial analysis tools sold by companies such as Amazon that have a hard time recognizing certain faces, especially darker-skinned women. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) 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 recognizing 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%. By contrast, the maximum error rate for lighter-skinned males was less than 1%. 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 analyzing 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. They criticized Amazon's response, especially its distinction between facial recognition and analysis. "In contrast to Dr. Wood's claims, bias found in one system is cause for concern in the other, particularly in use cases that could severely impact people's lives, such as law enforcement applications," they wrote. Its few publicly known clients have defended Amazon's system. Chris Adzima, senior information systems analyst for the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Oregon, said the agency uses Amazon's Rekognition to identify the most likely matches among its collection of roughly 350,000 mug shots. But because a human makes the final decision, "the bias of that computer system is not transferred over into any results or any action taken," Adzima said. But increasingly, regulators and legislators are having their doubts. A bipartisan bill in Congress seeks limits on facial recognition. Legislatures in Washington and Massachusetts are considering laws of their own. Buolamwini said a major message of her research is that AI systems need to be carefully reviewed and consistently monitored if they're going to be used on the public. Not just to audit for accuracy, she said, but to ensure face recognition isn't abused to violate privacy or cause other harms. "We can't just leave it to companies alone to do these kinds of checks," she said. ___ Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus contributed to this report from Hillsboro, Oregon. In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology facial recognition researcher Joy Buolamwini stands for a portrait at the school, in Cambridge, Mass. Buolamwini's research has uncovered racial and gender bias in facial analysis tools sold by companies such as Amazon that have a hard time recognizing certain faces, especially darker-skinned women. Buolamwini holds a white mask she had to use so that software could detect her face. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology facial recognition researcher Joy Buolamwini stands for a portrait at the school, in Cambridge, Mass. Buolamwini's research has uncovered racial and gender bias in facial analysis tools sold by companies such as Amazon that have a hard time recognizing certain faces, especially darker-skinned women. Buolamwini holds a white mask she had to use so that software could detect her face. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology facial recognition researcher Joy Buolamwini stands for a portrait behind a mask at the school, in Cambridge, Mass. Buolamwini's research has uncovered racial and gender bias in facial analysis tools sold by companies such as Amazon that have a hard time recognizing certain faces, especially darker-skinned women. Buolamwini holds a white mask she had to use so that software could detect her face. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) - Husky Energy said Wednesday that it will invest more than $400 million to rebuild its oil refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, and will continue its use of a highly toxic chemical that raised fears in the community after an explosion at the refinery last April. The blast injured 36 people and required the evacuation of much of Superior largely because of the presence of hydrogen fluoride, which can be hazardous to human health. The tank containing the chemical wasn't damaged by the explosion, which was caused by a hole in a valve . Company CEO Rob Symonds told Wisconsin Public Radio that company officials explored using alternatives to hydrogen fluoride, but there is no better option. "The hydrogen fluoride alkylation unit, as it's called, is fundamental to making gasoline," Symonds said. "This is the gasoline that we all use in our cars today." Symonds said if they didn't use the chemical, it would make the refinery "nonviable." The mayors of Superior and adjacent Duluth, Minnesota, called on Husky Energy to remove hydrogen fluoride from its operations. Some community members and groups have also pushed for its removal, including the Twin Ports Action Alliance. Ginger Juel, co-founder of the Twin Ports Action Alliance, said other methods can produce high-octane gasoline, such as sulfuric acid and ISOALKY technology. Symonds said a conversion to sulfuric acid has never been done in the global refining industry and that such a transition would require taking out everything that exists. He said it also would require the use of sulfuric acid. "Put in context, today we have one truck a year that brings in hydrogen fluoride," he said. "If we were to go to sulfuric acid, we would go to one truck a day." Construction is set to begin this fall and the refinery expects to resume partial operations in late 2020. Company officials said the refinery employs 200 workers and it expects to create 350 jobs during construction. "We very early on decided we did want to rebuild," Symonds said. "We wanted to stay in the Superior area and we wanted to continue to invest in the refinery." ____ The spelling of Superior in the dateline was corrected in an earlier version of this story. It had been misspelled "Superios." ___ Information from: Wisconsin Public Radio, http://www.wpr.org INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed legislation Wednesday aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law, saying that the conservative Midwestern state has "made progress and taken a strong stand against targeted violence." The Republican governor signed the measure into law one day after the GOP-dominated state Senate voted 34-14 to approve the bill's bias crimes language. 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. The bill's passage and Holcomb's signing it into law comes after repeated attempts to pass a bias crimes law in Indiana failed amid fierce opposition from conservatives who said it would unfairly create specially-protected classes of victims and wrongly restrict free speech. Holcomb had pushed for more comprehensive legislation with an enumerated list of traits that include gender and gender identity. But he and other Republicans argued that the measure covers all 6.6 million Hoosiers because it covers all characteristics and traits, whether expressly listed or not. Holcomb said in a statement after signing the legislation, which takes effect July 1, that "our goal was to achieve a comprehensive law that protects those who are the targets of bias crimes, and we have accomplished just that." "We have made progress and taken a strong stand against targeted violence. I am confident our judges will increase punishment for those who commit crimes motivated by bias under this law," he said in his statement. FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019 file photo, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Holcomb on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 signed legislation aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law. The other states without such laws are Georgia, South Carolina, Wyoming and Arkansas. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) The Anti-Defamation League lists Indiana as one of five states, along with Georgia, South Carolina, Wyoming and Arkansas, without hate crimes protections. It's unclear whether the law will result in Indiana being removed from that list. The ADL said Friday that the legislation "does not meet our standard for a real and effective hate crimes bill in 2019." Jessica Gall, the co-Interim regional director of ADL Midwest, did not immediately reply to messages left Wednesday asking whether the new law is sufficient to get Indiana off its list. But Gall said in a statement earlier Wednesday that the ADL does not consider Indiana's law "to be an adequate hate crimes law." "The failure to explicitly list gender identity, gender, or sex is unacceptable. In addition, the overbroad and vague language of SB 198 dilutes the legislation's ostensible intent and prevents it from being a real hate crimes law," she said in her statement. Indiana's law will allow judges to impose longer sentences for crimes motivated by bias and 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 law, however, 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." A former Indiana Supreme Court justice, Frank Sullivan, Jr., said in a letter he sent Wednesday to Holcomb that the law's language "is legally sufficient" to enable Indiana trial court judges to impose harsher sentences, including "for a crime committed with bias due to the victim's gender or gender identity." "Just because a characteristic or trait is not specifically listed does not prevent it from being used to impose a harsher sentence ... Indiana now joins as it should the mainstream of states in punishing crimes of bias," wrote Sullivan, who was appointed to Indiana's high court in 1993 by Democratic Gov. Evan Bayh and retired in 2012. 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 legislation after new language was added to an unrelated bill. 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. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) - 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 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." Ivanka Trump, assistant to the president, stands up as she is recognized by President Donald Trump at 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/Susan Walsh) 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 $50 million fund using dollars already budgeted. The president's 2020 budget proposal requests $100 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 criticized last year after his private comments about "s---hole countries" in Africa and other regions were leaked to journalists. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration overcame a significant hurdle Wednesday in its effort to bolster ranks at the State Department. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to advance 23 nominations to senior State Department positions. The nominations included an ambassador to Iraq, an ambassador to Saudi Arabia and two assistant secretaries of state. Moving forward on nominations was an important step to "get the State Department up and running," said the committee chair, Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho. But he warned "all is not well," citing 40 more nominations that the committee has not yet considered. "I don't want to escalate this to the point where we start arguing," Risch told the top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, pledging to keep working on the nominations in a bipartisan fashion. Menendez shot back that of the 40 people nominated to State Department positions, only seven are ready for a hearing. "The others are not, plain and simple," Menendez said. He said many of President Donald Trump's nominees were not vetted properly and others had incomplete files. "I'm not responsible for nominees who don't fill out their files," Menendez said. "We work extremely hard to do this." Menendez cited one case where a nominee was found to be under a restraining order and another where the nominee was found to have made insulting comments about senators on the committee. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged to fill top posts when he took over last year as America's chief diplomat and has since blamed Senate Democrats for stalling the process. The State Department lost many of its top diplomats under former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who implemented a sweeping redesign of the agency. Among the 23 nominees advanced Wednesday was retired Gen. John P. Abizaid, nominated for ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and current U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Matthew H Tueller, nominated for ambassador to Iraq. The nominees await confirmation votes from the full Senate. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on change-of-plea hearing for gamer involved in "swatting" death of a Kansas man (all times local): 2:20 p.m. An Ohio gamer has pleaded guilty to asking a prankster to make a bogus emergency call that got an unarmed Kansas man killed by police. Nineteen-year-old Casey Viner of North College Hill, Ohio, changed his plea Wednesday to guilty on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. He's accused of trying to hide his involvement. Sentencing for Viner has been scheduled for June 26. Viner became upset while playing Call of Duty: WWII online with 20-year-old Shane Gaskill of Wichita. Prosecutors say Viner then asked Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles to "swat" Gaskill. Police responding to the call shot the unarmed man, Andrew Finch, when he came to the door. Swatting is sometimes used by gamers to send first responders to an opponent's address. Barriss was sentenced last week to 20 years. Gaskill's trial is April 23. ___ 12 a.m. An Ohio gamer accused of recruiting a prankster to make a bogus emergency call is expected in federal court to answer for his alleged part in the hoax that got an unarmed Kansas man killed by police. A change-of-plea hearing is Wednesday for 19-year-old Casey Viner of North College Hill, Ohio. He initially pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice, wire fraud and other counts. Viner allegedly became upset over a $1.50 bet while playing Call of Duty: WWII online with 20-year-old Shane Gaskill of Wichita. Prosecutors say Viner then asked Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles to "swat" Gaskill. Swatting is sometimes used by gamers to send first responders to an opponent's address. Barriss was sentenced last week to 20 years. Gaskill's trial is April 23. HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) - The Latest on the search of a New Hampshire home in relation to the 2004 disappearance of a college student (all times local): 3:35 p.m. Authorities who searched a single-family home in northern New Hampshire say they have found no evidence connected to a college student who disappeared in 2004 after her car crashed. Associate Attorney General Jeffery Strelzin said at a news conference Wednesday that authorities found "absolutely nothing" connected to the disappearance of Maura Murray after they cut and removed some concrete in an area where ground-penetrating radar had indicated a disturbance. Authorities searched several feet down, and all they found was a small piece of possibly pottery or old piping. Murray was a 21-year-old University of Massachusetts-Amherst nursing student when she lied to professors about a death in the family and left campus on Feb. 9, 2004. Murray's father believes his daughter is dead, the victim of a crime. ___ 12:30 p.m. Authorities are in an area of a northern New Hampshire town related to an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 21-year-old woman back in 2004. Maura Murray was last seen on Route 112 in Haverhill after she crashed her car. The University of Massachusetts-Amherst nursing student left campus on Feb. 9, 2004. A spokeswoman for the attorney general's office said in a statement Wednesday the office's presence "is related to an ongoing investigation into the Maura Murray case." She couldn't provide further information. Murray's father, Fred Murray, believes his daughter is dead, the victim of a crime. In February, the attorney general's office said it was aware of his contention that cadaver dogs and a radar scan identified something hidden in the basement of a house in the area. EL PASO, Texas (AP) - An immigration court in El Paso, Texas, that only approves a handful of the asylum cases it considers each year routinely violates due process, attorneys contend in an administrative complaint filed Wednesday. The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association claim in their joint complaint that the court at the El Paso Service Processing Center has arbitrary and unjust rules that decrease asylum-seekers' chances of staying in the country. In 2017, the most recent year for which data was available, the El Paso court approved only 4 of the 88 asylum cases it considered, or about 4.5%. The previous year, it approved just 3 out of 130 applications, or 2.3%. Nationwide, about 40% of asylum seekers are approved, and their cases largely depend on which judge they go before. In New York, some judges grant asylum to 60% of applicants. Kathryn Shepherd, an attorney for the American Immigration Council, said the court is dysfunctional and abusive. For example, the court limits the amount of evidence that asylum seekers can submit in their cases. For those seeking to avoid deportation, the court requires them to submit all of their evidence before it will schedule a merits hearing, which forces such migrants to proceed without necessary evidence or stay locked up while waiting to receive such evidence. The court also doesn't allow lawyers to represent their clients by phone, which reduces immigrants' access to representation, the complaint states. "This is just barely scratching the surface of the devastating impact of this toxic court because we will never know how many lives have been ruined or harmed as the result of this court's practices," Shepherd said. A spokeswoman for The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which oversees immigration courts, said it would not comment on the complaint, which was filed administratively and is not a lawsuit. The groups are asking the agency's oversight body to investigate the court. The allegations come as the number of immigrants who are crossing the border near El Paso has skyrocketed. Most are Central American families fleeing extreme violence and poverty, and many seek asylum. In El Paso on Wednesday, border authorities were holding immigrants in a tent on the northeast side of the city following the closure of a temporary holding facility under a bridge that drew outrage after families staying there said they had to sleep on gravel in cold temperatures. It's unclear how many people were in the new facility or how long they had be there. NEW YORK (AP) - CBS News says that Bianna Golodryga, one of the four hosts on "CBS This Morning," is leaving the show and the network. CBS on Wednesday confirmed a Huffington Post report about Golodryga's exit. She was told on Monday that CBS News President Susan Zirinsky had different ideas for the show, and was offered other work, but decided to leave CBS instead. She was added last fall to the three other co-hosts, Gayle King, Norah O'Donnell and John Dickerson. CBS' morning show had been rising in the ratings with a newsy approach compared to rivals "Good Morning America" and the "Today" show, but lost momentum when Charlie Rose was fired after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced. Golodryga's agent did not immediately return a message seeking comment. "We thank her for her many contributions during her time here at CBS News and wish her the very best in her future endeavors," CBS said in a statement. Golodryga has worked at CBS with a job-sharing arrangement with CNN. This Oct. 3, 2018 photo released by CBS shows Bianna Golodryga, one of four hosts on "CBS This Morning," on the set in New York. Golodryga is leaving the show and the network. She was told on Monday that CBS News President Susan Zirinsky had different ideas for the show, and was offered other work, but decided to leave CBS instead. (Michele Crowe/CBS via AP) Three months into her job, Zirinsky's efforts to create her own vision for the network have become uncomfortably public, occasionally the subject of gossipy stories in the press. Her top priority has been negotiations to keep King, whose contract expires at the end of the year. King's string of newsmaking interviews, most notably last month with musician R. Kelly about sexual misconduct charges against him, have suddenly made her CBS' indispensable star. She's also considering replacing "CBS Evening News" anchor Jeff Glor, perhaps with O'Donnell. The show has long been third in the ratings behind ABC and NBC, but the gap has widened since Glor took over for Scott Pelley. Zirinsky is also expected to name a new executive producer for "CBS This Morning" soon. WASHINGTON (AP) - As Mississippi's governor toured massive flooding in the state, the Trump administration said Wednesday that it is giving another look to a long-dead flood control and drainage project in the Mississippi Delta that had been killed by the George W. Bush administration because of its potential impact on wetlands and wildlife. The project, which the late Sen. John McCain once called "one of the worst projects ever conceived by Congress," had called for huge pumps to be built at the confluence of the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers in Mississippi. It was rejected by the Bush administration in 2008. "Had that veto not occurred, we believe that the flooding, particularly in the Yazoo backwater, would have been much less damaging," said Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, after touring the region by helicopter. Opponents say the pumps could worsen flooding downstream. After touring the flooded region, Bryant told journalists that he had spent Monday and Tuesday in Washington, lobbying the administration to override the 2008 EPAs decision to kill the project. On Wednesday, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler confirmed to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing that his agency is now reconsidering that 2008 decision. Communities along the lower Mississippi River have been dealing with flooding for nearly two months. More than 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) are submerged in the region, including more than 200,000 acres (80,000 hectares) of farmland. Farmers say flooding is harming them financially. In this photo provided by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Gov. Phil Bryant looks out at the backwater flooding surrounding the Valley Park community and neighboring farmland in Issaquena County, Miss. during a Wednesday, April 3, 2019 flyover by state and federal officials. (Ray Coleman/Mississippi Emergency Management Agency via AP) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local agencies are deploying a complex system of levees, dams, floodgates and floodways to try to contain high water and limit damage along the more than 2,000-mile river. Floodwaters "have placed a tremendous burden on the lives and property of thousands of Mississippians," Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Mississippi Republican, told Wheeler at Wednesday's hearing. Bryant, who has aligned himself tightly with President Donald Trump, said Wednesday that more than 1,100 homes are affected, although some of those are not flooded, but in areas with roads cut off by flooding. Water is so common in the region that some people build small levees around their houses. Environmentalists say the pumps would be capable of draining more than 200,000 acres (80,000 hectares) of wetlands - an area larger than all five boroughs of New York City. The soggy and frequently flooded lowlands have comparatively few houses but are vital to waterfowl and other wildlife, environmental groups say. The National Wildlife Federation said the pumps would serve primarily "so large landowners can increase agricultural production on marginal lands that have always flooded." Bob Irvin, president of the American Rivers conservation group, said in an email Wednesday that the EPA was moving to revive a "zombie" project. "Nothing has changed since the first Bush administration recognized that the Yazoo Pumps project was an environmental disaster and an economic loser," Irvin said. The Bush administration had invoked the Clean Water Act, saying it would cause "unacceptable damage" to valuable resources. At the time, it was one of only about a dozen times the federal water law had been invoked to reject a project outright. The pump project has been heavily pushed by the Delta Council, a farming and business lobbying group that includes many large farmers in the fertile Mississippi Delta. Before retiring from the Senate, Thad Cochran, long a proponent of the project, made a final attempt last year to put language in a spending bill ordering pump construction to begin despite the EPA veto; it failed. Sharkey County Supervisor Bill Newsom, who also manages a cotton gin, is one of many proponents of the pumps. He says farming is the only industry in the region, and says he doesn't want to drain the region's wetlands, just control flooding. "We're just simply wanting to have a flood level we can live in," Newsom said last month. ___ Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi. Associated Press writer Rogelio Solis in Flowood, Mississippi contributed to this report. In this photo provided by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, homes in the Eagle Lake community of rural Warren County, Miss., are under siege from back flow waters as well as the lake, as seen in this image taken during a Wednesday, April 3, 2019 morning flyover by state and federal officials. (Ray Coleman/Mississippi Emergency Management Agency via AP) Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant speaks about the extensiveness of the backwater flooding that has taken over thousands of acres in the Mississippi Delta, Wednesday morning, April 3, 2019, in Jackson, following a fly over the flooded Mississippi Delta farm lands with FEMA and state emergency management officials. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Just weeks after winning a key regulatory approval, one the nation's largest wind energy projects is facing a new obstacle from Missouri legislation that could prevent the proposed high-voltage power line from being strung across the property of uncooperative landowners. A Missouri House panel advanced legislation Wednesday that would prohibit the use of eminent domain to acquire easements for the Grain Belt Express project. The proposed 750-mile (1,255-kilometer) transmission line would carry wind power from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois into Indiana, where it would connect to a power grid that serves eastern states. The $2.3 billion project has been repeatedly delayed by regulatory hurdles and court battles but won a significant victory in March, when Missouri's utility regulatory commission reversed its previous denials and approved the project. Missouri's "certificate of convenience and necessity" deems it a public utility, which allows it to pursue condemnation cases in local courts against landowners who refuse to sell easements. The legislation is intended to block that - either forcing the power line to zig zag around unwilling sellers or zapping it altogether. Clean Line Energy Partners, based in Houston, has been pursuing the project since 2010. In November, Chicago-based Invenergy announced it was buying the project - a deal that would strengthen the project's finances but still needs regulatory approval. Unlike traditional power line projects, the Grain Belt Express is not part of an existing energy distribution system and would not carry power directly to residential customers. It instead would sell power to other utilities. A coalition of Missouri municipal utilities has agreed to purchase some of the energy, but the vast majority would go to eastern states. That's sparked opposition from some Missouri landowners and politicians. "We're asking our Missouri farmers and rural areas to give up their land and their rights so that people further east can save on their energy bills? I don't think that's good for Missourians," said Republican Rep. Dean Plocher, the chairman of the committee that advanced the eminent domain legislation. Invenergy spokeswoman Beth Conley said the legislation would delay or prevent residents in dozens of Missouri communities that agreed to purchase the wind power from saving millions of dollars annually through cheaper rates. While approving the project last month, the Missouri Public Service Commission concluded that "the broad economic, environmental, and other benefits of the project ... outweigh the interests of the individual landowners." At a legislative hearing this week, Marilyn O'Bannon vowed that she and her relatives never would agree to provide easements for the transmission line to pass through about 5 miles of her family's farmland near Madison. She expressed concerns that their farms would be harmed by the construction without benefiting from any of the electricity passing overhead. Her family's farms get their power from a rural electricity cooperative. "They think we're just out here complaining because it's our land, but every acre really counts, especially when the commodity prices are where they are today," O'Bannon told The Associated Press. Other property owners appear more willing to sell easement rights without going through condemnation proceedings. "I really believe in renewable energy," said Donna Inglis, whose Huntsville property lies in the path of the power line. She added: "I think a lot of the people on the line are being very selfish, because they're worried about me. They're not worried about the better good." ___ Follow David A. Lieb at: https://twitter.com/DavidALieb MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - The Latest on bodies found at a business in Mandan, North Dakota (all times local): 3:10 p.m. State and local police have searched in a field about half a mile from a North Dakota business where an owner and three employees were found slain. Authorities didn't immediately confirm whether Wednesday's search was related to the bodies discovered Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, just outside Bismarck. Investigators say they don't know who the killer is, but that the person is not among the dead. Police have classified the case as a "multiple homicide." The people found dead were Robert Fakler (FAWK'-lur), who co-owned the property management company, along with employees Adam Fuehrer, Lois Cobb and her husband, Bill Cobb. 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) The company reopened Wednesday with a police officer stationed outside. On its Facebook page, the company thanked the community for its "generosity and support." ___ 9:40 a.m. A North Dakota business where an owner and three employees were found dead has reopened with a police presence, though police still haven't said what caused their deaths. The bodies were discovered early Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, a city just outside Bismarck. Police have classified the case as a "multiple homicide," but police haven't said how the four died or identified a suspect. The people found dead were Robert Fakler (FAWK'-lur), who co-owned the property management company, along with employees Adam Fuehrer, Lois Cobb and her husband, Bill Cobb. Fakler's wife and company co-owner Jackie Fakler returned to work Wednesday as a police officer monitored the parking lot. She and other workers declined comment, saying they were dealing with a difficult time. On its Facebook page, the company thanked the community for its "generosity and support." 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) 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) 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) NEW YORK (AP) - News publishers would gain greater power to negotiate terms with Facebook and Google under terms of a bill filed Wednesday in the House of Representatives. The proposal aims to give newspaper and digital publishers who have been struggling financially the right to bargain collectively with the tech giants. The publishing group says revenue has plummeted by $31 billion since 2006, due primarily to the disappearance of advertising. Publishers are more optimistic about the legislation, which has failed in the past, because it now has bipartisan support. Congress in general has been taking a greater interest in the tech giants' operations. The bill is being sponsored by Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a Democrat, and Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, a Republican who is ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. The News Media Alliance, which represents the publishers, say the right to work together would give them a better chance to negotiate licensing fees for use of their stories. They also want access to data collected by Facebook and Google about who reads their work. They want the companies to give better exposure to the news organizations that produce articles on their sites and notice of when the companies change algorithms that suddenly make certain work less visible, said David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance. The Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building is visible as cherry blossom trees bloom on the West Lawn, Saturday, March 30, 2019, in Washington. Peak bloom is expected April 1, according to the National Park Service. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The publishers say that Facebook and Google is now responsible for 90 percent of all digital ad revenue growth. The Computer and Communications Industry Association, which advocates in Washington on behalf of the Internet companies, said they had no immediate comment on the proposal. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa Republican senator is expressing irritation at what he calls "idiotic" comments by President Donald Trump about wind energy. Trump, at the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual spring dinner Tuesday night, said noise from wind turbines causes cancer. Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday that the comments "were first of all idiotic and it doesn't show much respect for Chuck Grassley as the grandfather of the wind energy tax credit." Grassley was instrumental in approving a federal tax credit 26 years ago that has spurred wind energy development. The White House declined to comment. Iowa is a national leader in wind energy, with more than 4,000 turbines. Asked about Trump's claim, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds refused to say the president was wrong, saying it was not her place to do so. "You know how those things change. One year coffee is good for you and the next year coffee causes cancer," she said. "That's what happens. We've got a lot of people that are driving the industry and investing in the industry and we should be proud of our position." She noted Iowa generates 40% of its electricity from wind. WASHINGTON (AP) - Washington's cherry blossom season has gone well this year, thanks to warm weather that has coincided perfectly with the annual blooming that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each spring. But officials are claiming 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 107-acre man-made reservoir borders the Jefferson Memorial and is home to the highest concentration of cherry blossom trees. "The Tidal Basin is at a pivotal moment," said Jeff Reinbold, acting superintendent for the National Mall and Memorial Parks division of the National Park Service. "The area was never designed for the kind of use it sees today." 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. Twice a day at high tide, a large stretch of sidewalk next to the Jefferson Memorial is submerged by the rising waters. During the heavy rains that routinely occur in Washington, the floodwaters completely overflow the sea wall in multiple locations and soak the tree roots. Part of the sidewalk near the Jefferson Memorial is covered in water during high tide at the Tidal Basin in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. 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 manmade 107-acre reservoir that borders the Jefferson Memorial, home to the highest concentration of cherry blossom trees. (AP Photo/Ashraf Khalil) It's more than just an inconvenience. 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. "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." Early estimates are that the rehabilitation project would require as much as $500 million, with organizers seeking a combination of government money and private donations. The organizations are partnering with American Express, which is funding the creation of the Tidal Basin Ideas Lab and inviting architectural and landscape design firms to submit proposals for replacing the sea wall and refurbishing and modernizing the entire area. 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 wasn't equipped to handle the kinds of crowds and traffic the area now receives. That traffic has only increased as more monuments have been added to the Tidal Basin area over the years: a memorial to Franklin Roosevelt opened in 1997, and the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial was inaugurated in 2011. Even without the worsening flooding problem, Kenneally said the entire network of sidewalks and pathways needs to be expanded to accommodate the modern visitor numbers. "People have started making their own paths through the grass because the walkways are either not wide enough or underwater," Kennealy said. "The trees just aren't being protected the way they should be." For now the Tidal Basin's structural issues remain fairly low key. Janice Contreras, a tourist from Arizona visiting the Tidal Basin on Wednesday, said it didn't really affect her experience. But it's hard not to notice a large stretch of sidewalk seemingly being reclaimed by the advancing waters. "Does that really happen twice a day," she asked. "It doesn't really bother me, but there's no way that's good for the trees, right?" Part of the sidewalk near the Jefferson Memorial is covered in water during high tide at the Tidal Basin in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. 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 manmade 107-acre reservoir that borders the Jefferson Memorial, home to the highest concentration of cherry blossom trees. (AP Photo/Ashraf Khalil) HOUSTON (AP) - Prosecutors said Wednesday they are dropping a murder charge against a former deputy who had been accused, along with her husband, in the strangulation death of a man they confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant. The Harris County District Attorney's Office said that after reviewing all the evidence in the case, prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Chauna Thompson had committed a crime. Chauna Thompson and her husband, Terry, were both indicted for murder in the May 2017 death of John Hernandez. Her trial was set to begin April 26. The incident began after Terry Thompson confronted Hernandez, 24, about urinating in the parking lot of a Denny's in Sheldon, about 25 miles northeast of Houston. Chauna Thompson, who was off-duty, then arrived and helped subdue Hernandez before later performing CPR on him. She was later fired by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. First Assistant District Attorney Tom Berg said Thompson failed both morally and as a sheriff's deputy. "She should have done more as a peace officer to intervene but that is not a crime," Berg said. "Our job is to do justice, not just seek conviction." Prosecutors filed a motion Wednesday to drop the murder charge and a judge was expected to accept the request, Berg said. A jury in November sentenced Terry Thompson to 25 years in prison. Prosecutors said at trial that Thompson kept Hernandez in a chokehold even after he stopped resisting. Hernandez died in a hospital three days after the confrontation. A medical examiner ruled he died of lack of oxygen to the brain caused by strangulation and chest compression. Prosecutors took into consideration that Chauna Thompson performed CPR on Hernandez as one of the factors when making their decision to drop the charge, Berg said. The Hernandez family will never truly have justice because this should not have happened to him, said Cesar Espinosa, the executive director of FIEL Houston, a community group that has worked with the family since his death. "It's 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 said. Greg Cagle, Chauna Thompson's attorney, said his client should not have been charged because she was the only person who did anything to help Hernandez. When she realized Hernandez was in trouble, Cagle said she told her husband to get off him, called the sheriff's office and performed CPR for 12 to 14 minutes until an ambulance arrived. "She's very happy to not have to go to court and potentially spend the rest of her life in prison for something that we now agree she's not guilty of," Cagle said. Thompson's appeal of her firing was put on hold pending the outcome of her case. Cagle said that appeal can now proceed but he has not discussed the issue with Thompson. In a statement, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said it "continues to offer its condolences to the Hernandez family," and that Thompson's appeal of her firing is pending before the Civil Service Commission. Hernandez's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in June 2017 against the Thompsons and Denny's, asking for at least $1 million in damages. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. health officials are investigating whether electronic cigarettes may trigger seizures in some people who use the nicotine-vaping devices. The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it has reviewed 35 reports of seizures among e-cigarettes users, mainly in young people. Regulators stressed it's not yet clear whether vaping is responsible. But they said they're concerned and encouraged the public to report information about the issue. These cases warrant "investigation into whether there is in fact a connection," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. Gottlieb is stepping down on Friday after nearly two years heading the agency. Cases go back to 2010 and were reported to the FDA or poison control centers around the country. Regulators said they detected an uptick in reports beginning mid-2018. While they represent a tiny fraction of Americans who have used e-cigarettes, many safety issues with foods, supplements and other consumer products can go unrecognized because reporting is voluntary. Most e-cigarettes heat a flavored nicotine solution into an inhalable vapor. The battery-powered devices have grown into a multibillion dollar industry though there are few standards, including how much nicotine they deliver. Additionally, many refillable e-cigarettes can be used with nicotine formulas of varying strength. Nicotine poisoning can cause seizures, convulsions, vomiting and brain injury. The FDA has previously warned of potentially fatal nicotine poisoning in infants and children who accidentally swallowed nicotine solutions. FILE - In this April 10, 2018, file photo, a high school principal displays vaping devices that were confiscated from students in such places as restrooms or hallways at the school in Massachusetts. On Wednesday, April 3, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it has not established a direct connection between vaping and seizures but is seeking more information. Regulators noted that seizures and convulsions are a known side effect of nicotine poisoning. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) Seizures usually last a few seconds or minutes and rarely cause permanent injury. But they can be a sign of underlying neurological disorders that need medical attention. Laboratory and animal studies have found a link between nicotine and hyperactivity in the brain. What needs further study is what type of e-cigarette could deliver levels of nicotine capable of causing seizures, said Maciej Goniewicz, a toxicologist at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. The FDA said the handful of seizure reports often lack information about the brand of e-cigarette or whether users had a medical condition that might have contributed. In some cases, e-cigarettes were being used with drugs like marijuana and amphetamines. Some seizures were reported after just a few puffs of the device, others after a day of use. The FDA is asking consumers to report problems to an online site. The agency is seeking details about vaping brands and models and whether users who have experienced problems were also taking medications, supplements or other drugs. A spokesman for the American Vaping Association called the FDA announcement "incredibly irresponsible," given the uncertain connection between e-cigarettes and the handful of reports cited. "It would actually be highly unusual if zero consumers of a product used by millions of adults over the last decade reported suffering a seizure," spokesman Gregory Conley said in a statement. It's not the first time the FDA has flagged a potential health hazard with vaping devices - the agency has warned of rare burns and explosions related to overheating of batteries that power the devices. The latest concern comes amid a nationwide push to fight underage use of e-cigarettes, which have surged in popularity among high school and middle school students. Last month the FDA outlined new restrictions on retail and online sales of most flavored e-cigarettes. Meanwhile, local and state officials are considering age restrictions, taxes and flavor bans to keep the products away from teenagers. ___ Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter ___ 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. WASHINGTON (AP) - 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 defense system despite widespread U.S. and international opposition. Pence's escalating rhetoric came after Turkey insisted Wednesday that 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 U.S. 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 U.S. threats, saying that buying the Russian S-400 system "is a done deal. We will not step back from this." Vice President Mike Pence addresses the Atlantic Council's "NATO Engages The Alliance at 70" conference, in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) The U.S. 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 U.S. 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. Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said they cautioned Cavusoglu that deepening ties with Moscow "will risk sanctions and Turkey's involvement in the F-35 program." The U.S. 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 U.S. 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, U.S. 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 Gen. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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. ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Vice President Mike Pence waves as he speaks at the Atlantic Council's "NATO Engages The Alliance at 70" conference, in Washington, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas lawmakers sent the governor legislation Wednesday to expand the secrecy surrounding the source of the state's lethal injection drugs, over the objections of media organizations, pharmaceutical companies and death penalty opponents. The House voted 71-16 to approve a bill prohibiting the release of any information that directly or indirectly would identify the maker or supplier of Arkansas' execution drugs. The Senate-backed measure now heads to Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who plans to sign it into law. The bill makes recklessly disclosing the information a felony punishable by up to six years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Arkansas doesn't have any executions scheduled, and the state's supply of the three lethal injection drugs it uses has expired. Prison officials have said they won't search for any replacements until the secrecy law is expanded to include the drug's manufacturers. "The passage of this bill is the only way we're ever going to be able to institute the death penalty and carry out the sentence that was handed down by juries," Republican Rep John Maddox said on the floor before the vote. Arkansas and a dozen other states have enacted laws since 2011 preventing the release of information about the source of their execution drugs, while several other states have invoked existing laws or regulations to keep that information secret. Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, says Arkansas' proposal would be the most extreme in the country. "It's a combination of withholding all the information and making it a felony to even unintentionally but recklessly disclose it," said Dunham, whose group has criticized the way states carry out executions. "What also stands out is the level of conscious disregard for the facts and conscious disregard of the potential effects." Jeff Rosenzweig, an attorney for death row inmates challenging Arkansas' execution protocol, this week called the measure "blatantly unconstitutional." Rosenzweig said that under the measure companies could face criminal penalties if they filed lawsuits challenging how Arkansas obtained the drugs. The measure is a response to state Supreme Court rulings that the state's current execution secrecy law only keeps the supplier and not the manufacturer under wraps. Hutchinson and Republican Attorney General Leslie Rutledge had both backed the measure. "The will of the people, the judicial system in Arkansas, will be stymied if you don't have the capacity to acquire those drugs and confidentiality is an important part of that," Hutchinson told reporters before the vote. "It's just a necessary step." The Arkansas Press Association has opposed the measure, saying it would grant sweeping power to the state to withhold information about executions. It also has drawn objections from two pharmaceutical companies - Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Fresenius Kabi USA - who have said it would hamper their ability to prevent their products from being used in executions. Fresenius said the measure could lead to unintended consequences, including drug shortages because of European Union regulations aimed at preventing the export of drugs used in executions. Arkansas hasn't carried out an execution since 2017, when it planned to put eight inmates to death over an 11-day period. The state ultimately put four men to death over eight days after half the executions were halted by the courts. The state scheduled the executions before its supply of midazolam, a sedative used in its lethal injection process, expired. Hutchinson said the bill and another measure he signed addressing a state Supreme Court ruling over how death row inmates are found competent to be executed set the stage for Arkansas to resume executions, but said it's unclear how quickly the state will be able to do so. ___ Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - A previously little-known Venezuelan congressman, Juan Guaido, leaped to the front stage of Venezuela's political conflict early this year by declaring himself interim president in a bid to force the removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro loyalists so far have stopped short of arresting Guaido, but that may not last long. A pro-government assembly voted this week to strip Guaido of the immunity enjoyed by congressmen, paving the way for him to be prosecuted and potentially jailed for allegedly violating the constitution. Guaido says he's undeterred, despite the risks he runs for threatening to end 20 years of socialist rule. The power struggle is playing out amid growing social unrest as millions of Venezuelans have endured nearly a month of rolling blackouts that have crippled water services, public transportation and electronic communication. The question looms more than two months after Guaido claimed presidential powers: Whether he'll ultimately succeed and topple Maduro - or land in jail. Here's a look at what led to Venezuela's political stalemate and what's next. ___ Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president, is greeted by a supporter as he leaves a meeting at a university in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, April 1, 2019. He's backed by more than 50 nations, which consider Nicolas Maduro's presidency illegitimate following what they call sham elections last year. "We must unite now more than ever," said Guaido, speaking at the university. "We must mount the biggest demonstration so far to reject what's happening." (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) WHO ARE THE TWO MAIN PLAYERS? Guaido, a 35-year-old engineer, was first elected to the Venezuela's National Assembly in 2015 and became the opposition-dominated body's president in January, rising from relative obscurity. He launched his campaign to oust Maduro on Jan. 23 before a cheering crowd in Caracas. He claimed Maduro's re-election last year was fraudulent, making the head of congress acting president. He is vowing to hold free elections to end what he calls Maduro's "dictatorship." Maduro, the 56-year-old hand-picked successor to the late President Hugo Chavez, took the helm of government following Chavez's 2013 death. Maduro won a second, six-year term a year ago in elections rejected by critics as a sham because the most popular challengers and political parties were banned. Maduro denies being a dictator or the need for early elections, calling Guaido a "puppet" of the U.S. ___ WHAT DOES GUAIDO WANT? At each public event, he calls for an end to Maduro's "illegitimate rule" with the president's departure from power, and then the creation of a transitional government to oversee free presidential elections. Guaido has tried, unsuccessfully, to lure soldiers away from support for Maduro and has urged Venezuelans into the streets for protests, some of which have turned violent. It's unclear whether Guaido would eventually launch his candidacy. ___ WHO'S BACKING EACH OF THEM? Guaido has won support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump among 50 nations that reject Maduro's rule. The U.S. tried to send emergency aid to Venezuela, which Maduro refused to allow in, saying it was an attempt by Washington to launch an invasion. Trump adviser John Bolton recently tweeted that any threats or acts against Guaido would trigger a "strong and significant response." Meanwhile, Maduro continues to hold power over all state agencies. His primary backers are Cuba, Russia, China and Turkey. Most countries still recognize him as president. ___ HOW HAS MADURO'S GOVERNMENT RESPONDED TO GUAIDO? Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly - filled with Maduro loyalists - unanimously stripped Guaido of immunity this week, paving the way for the opposition leader's prosecution and potential arrest for supposedly violating the constitution when he declared himself interim president. He's also under investigation on suspicion of inciting violence at the rallies. Officials have jailed Guaido's chief of staff as an accused "terrorist" and barred Guaido from holding public office for 15 years for allegedly hiding or falsifying data in his sworn statement of assets. ___ WHAT'S NEXT? Experts say Maduro's government is unlikely to follow through and arrest Guaido, which would trigger a stronger response from Washington. However, actions taken to silence Maduro's past challengers suggest otherwise. Prominent opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez - Guaido's mentor - was jailed, and he's now under house arrest banned from speaking publicly. Other leaders in the opposition have sought refuge in foreign embassies or fled abroad, fearing for their safety. Others say Maduro's government is testing the waters by stripping Guaido's immunity, weighing how the international community would react to detaining him. Juan Guaido, President of National Assembly and self-proclaimed interim president waves to the gallery during a session of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Venezuela's chief justice on Monday asked lawmakers of the rival pro-government National Constituent Assembly to strip Guaido of his parliamentary immunity, taking a step toward prosecuting him for alleged crimes as he seeks to oust President Nicolas Maduro.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano) CROSBY, Texas (AP) - The Latest on a fire at a Houston area chemical plant that killed one worker and injured two others. (all times local): 4:30 p.m. Company officials have identified the worker killed in a fire at a Houston area chemical plant as James Earl Mangum. KMCO says the two other workers who were injured during the Tuesday fire at the company's facility in Crosby remain in critical condition. Their identities were not released. The company says that all operations at the plant are suspended indefinitely and that the site is under control of Texas fire officials. ____ This aerial photo shows firefighters spraying water on a fire at the KMCO chemical plant on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in Crosby, Texas. Authorities say the fire has been contained at the plant near Houston and they have lifted an order that instructed residents within a 1-mile (1.6 kilometers) radius of the facility to stay indoors. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) 12:30 p.m. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board says it will investigate a fire at a Houston area chemical plant that killed one worker and injured two others. The Chemical Safety Board said Wednesday it will join other agencies probing the cause of Tuesday's blaze at a KMCO chemical plant in Crosby, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Houston. The safety board, an independent federal agency that investigates industrial chemical incidents, is also probing the March 17 blaze at a petrochemical storage facility in nearby Deer Park . Rachel Moreno, with the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, says her agency's investigators haven't been able to enter the plant because of ongoing clean up and emergency operations. Harris County officials say ongoing air monitoring shows no health risks to the area around the plant. This aerial photo shows the KMCO chemical plant in Crosby, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Houston, Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in Crosby. A tank holding a flammable chemical caught fire at the plant Tuesday, killing one worker, critically injuring two others and sending panicked employees fleeing over a fence to safety. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Jen and Sarah Hart and three of their adopted children died of broken necks after their SUV plunged off a Northern California cliff, a forensic pathologist testified during a coroner's inquest Wednesday to help authorities classify the deaths. A jury in Willits will decide whether the March 2018 deaths of the two women and their six children were accidental or a murder-suicide. The crash happened just days after authorities in Washington state opened an investigation following allegations the children, ages 12 to 19, were being neglected. The bodies of the women were inside the SUV when it was discovered, but one of them fell out as the vehicle was being towed up the cliff off the coast of Mendocino County, Sheriff Deputy Robert Julian said during testimony livestreamed online. Julian testified he was able to identify Sarah Hart through a Minnesota driver's license found near the car. "I wasn't able to identify Jennifer Hart due to her fall," Julian said. She was later identified by authorities. FILE - This June, 2014, file photo shows some of the Hart family at the annual celebration of "The Goonies" movie in Astoria, Ore. Authorities in Northern California will hold a coroner's inquest to determine the manner of death for eight members of the family, whose SUV plunged off a coastal cliff last year. Mendocino County sheriff's Capt. Greg Van Patten says that during the two-day inquest starting Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a jury will hear from officials and experts, and decide whether the deaths of Jen and Sarah Hart and their six adopted children were accidental, a murder-suicide or undetermined. (Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian via AP, File) Forensic pathologist Greg Pizarro testified that Jennifer Hart was drunk when she drove her large family off the cliff, saying an autopsy found she had a blood alcohol level of 0.102. California drivers are considered drunk with a level of 0.08 or higher. She was also the only one wearing a seatbelt, he said. Sarah Hart and the children had large amounts of diphenhydramine in their systems, a drug that can cause drowsiness, authorities have said. The bodies of siblings Markis, Jeremiah and Abigail were found the same day near the car. Weeks later, the body of Ciera Hart was pulled from the Pacific Ocean. Pizarro said Ciera's body was too decomposed and he couldn't determine a cause of death. "You can only assume her manner of death was similar to all the other children," Pizarro said. Human remains found in a shoe were matched to Hannah Hart through DNA testing. The remains of 15-year-old Devonte Hart have not been found. A neighbor of the Harts in Woodland, Washington, had filed a complaint with the state, saying the children were apparently being deprived of food as punishment. No one answered when social workers checking on the report went to the family's home near Portland, Oregon, on March 23. Three days later, their SUV was found partially submerged in the ocean, below a rugged cliff more than 160 miles (250 kilometers) north of San Francisco. Sarah Hart pleaded guilty in 2011 to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota over what she said was a spanking given to one of her children. Oregon child welfare officials also investigated the couple in 2013, but closed the case without taking any action. COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) - The Latest on governors meeting with federal officials about flooding (all times local): 6:10 p.m. The governors of three Midwest states ravaged by March flooding say they will pushing for more control over management of the Missouri River that borders their states. Management of the dams and levees along the river falls to officials of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who met with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson for much of Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The three governors, all Republicans, questioned a shift by the Corps in 2004 to no longer prioritize flood control along the river over other goals, such as maintaining fish and wildlife habitat. Asked whether the Corps indicated it would or could cede some river management decisions to the states, Parson replied, "Well, they listened." Recent floodwaters from the Platte River filled the Nebraska National Guard's primary training base, Camp Ashland, with sand, water and debris Thursday, March 28, 2019, near Ashland, Nebraska. (Ryan Soderlin/Omaha World-Herald via AP) The governors said they plan to work together for that change, even if it means petitioning Congress to give states more authority in river management. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has been slated to attend Wednesday's meeting, but ran into travel problems that required her to back out. ___ 2 p.m. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials were set to meet Wednesday with the governors of four flood-ravaged Midwestern states amid criticism of the federal agency for its management of swollen waterways. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, all Republicans, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, were to meet with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Council Bluffs. Parson is among critics who have accused the Corps, which manages the river's dams, of making the flooding worse. Last month, Parson admonished the agency to prioritize human safety and property over other goals, such as preserving fish and wildlife habitat. But the Corps has said it works to balance all its priorities and that much of the flooding was well out of its control. The agency said that much of the water that created the flooding came from record rains and melting snow that flowed over frozen ground and directly into the river downstream of its dams, all while massive amounts of water filled Missouri River reservoirs and had to be released. SALEM, Ore. (AP) - 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 kilometers). 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. 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) 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, gray 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 kilometers) 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. 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 WASHINGTON (AP) - A bipartisan group of 14 U.S. senators introduced a bill Wednesday that they say will help restore democracy and address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Sen Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, said the proposed legislation is "much more expansive" than the three bills on Venezuela adopted last week by the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. The House bills would add new restrictions on the export of tear gas, riot gear and other items to Venezuela that could be used for crime control; urge the Trump administration to provide up to $150 million in humanitarian aid; and require the State Department and intelligence agencies to provide an assessment of the threat from Russian influence in the South American country. The Senate bill would accelerate planning at international financial institutions for Venezuela's reconstruction, authorize $400 million in new humanitarian assistance and formally recognize and support efforts by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to restore democracy. It also would remove sanctions on designated Venezuelans not involved in human rights abuse if they recognize Guaido as the country's interim president, something the U.S. and about 50 other governments have done. They contend Nicolas Maduro's re-election as president last year was not legitimate. The U.S. has revoked dozens of visas and imposed multiple rounds of sanctions as part of a campaign to force Maduro to turn over power to Guaido. A woman collects water from a brook in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Since a massive power failure struck on March 7, the nation has experienced near-daily blackouts and a breakdown in critical services such as running water and public transportation. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) The Senate proposal does not include the "all options are on the table" language used by the White House when referring to its Venezuela policy, even though U.S. officials have said Washington is not pursuing a military option at this time. Menendez told reporters in a conference call that he is optimistic about the prospects for the bill in the Senate, citing backing from Sen. James Risch, an Idaho Republican who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He said Risch voiced support for the measure as long as Menendez and Republican Sen Marco Rubio of Florida remain among its sponsors. The 14 senators introduced their bill one day after over 40 organizations sent letters to members of Congress urging support for dialogue to resolve the crisis in Venezuela and opposing the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. "We call on you to take a strong, public stand against these immoral, reckless, and illegal policies and to support efforts to advance peaceful dialogue, before it is too late," the letter said. ___ Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugo A children bathes in a brook in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Since a massive power failure struck on March 7, the nation has experienced near-daily blackouts and a breakdown in critical services such as running water and public transportation. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Residents collect water from a ditch next to a highway in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Since a massive power failure struck on March 7, the nation has experienced near-daily blackouts and a breakdown in critical services such as running water and public transportation. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A man kicks away a tear gas canister launched by an unknown person near the site where supporters are waiting for Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido to speak, in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, April 1, 2019. Officials loyal to Nicolas Maduro have said that Guaido is under investigation for inciting violence against the government and receiving illicit funds. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The father of an 8-month-old boy whose body was found buried in a backpack in a San Antonio field earlier this year has been indicted on a charge of injuring the child. The Bexar County district attorney's office announced the indictment Wednesday against 34-year-old Christopher Davila. Prosecutors say Davila struck King Jay Davila on Jan. 3 with an unknown object and then failed to seek medical treatment, resulting in the child's death. Christopher Davila initially claimed the child had been abducted. Davila, his mother and a cousin are charged with tampering with evidence for concealing the child's car seat. Davila is also charged with tampering with evidence by concealing a body, as well as drug and weapons charges. MILWAUKEE (AP) - The fired chief financial officer of a former Wisconsin-based trucking company was arrested Wednesday and charged as part of an ongoing federal probe into what authorities say was a complex $245 million stock scam. Peter Armbruster, 60, of Milwaukee turned himself in Tuesday, a day after a 19-count superseding indictment against him and two former Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc. controllers was unsealed, the Journal Sentinel reported. The two other men, Bret Naggs and Mark Wogsland, were arrested in their suburban Milwaukee homes last summer after they were indicted. The new 19-count indictment charges the men with conspiracy, securities fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and attempting to influence auditors to falsify the company's books in order to artificially inflate the firm's earnings. Andrew DeVooght, Armbruster's attorney, said his client "is not guilty of any of the allegations in the indictment and he looks forward to the opportunity to prove his innocence." Attorneys for Naggs and Wogsland did not return calls to the newspaper for comment. The indictment states that from 2013 to 2017, the three men and others "agreed to defraud Roadrunner's shareholders, lenders and the investing public" by employing several schemes including concealing "millions of dollars in misstated accounts at several operating companies." Roadrunner was based in Cudahy, Wisconsin, until 2017 when it moved to the Chicago area. Its financial problems were discovered shortly before its move when the company fired top executives and restated its financial results, which drove the stock price down, costing shareholders about $245 million. ___ Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com CAIRO (AP) - The Latest on developments in Libya (all times local): 4:35 p.m. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says his country is opposing unilateral attempts to determine who is to blame in Libya. Lavrov's comments come hours after the U.N. Security Council called on the forces of rival Libyan army commander Khalifa Hifter to halt all military movements and urged all forces in Libya "to de-escalate and halt military activity." Hifter, leader of the self-styled Libya National Army, has deployed his forces to seize Tripoli, the seat of Libya's U.N.-backed government, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias. Lavrov says Moscow is in touch with all parties to the conflict in Libya and backed efforts by all political forces in the country to reach a mutual agreement. He was speaking in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart on Saturday in Cairo. 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) ___ 4 p.m. Forces loyal to rival Libyan army commander Khalifa Hifter say they have seized control of the main airport in Libya's capital Tripoli, two days after Hifter ordered his forces to seize the seat of Libya's U.N.-backed government. Hifter's media office says Saturday that troops also captured the area of Wadi el-Rabeia, south of Tripoli, amid clashed with rival militias. The airport has not been functional since fighting in 2014 destroyed much of the facility. There was no immediate statement from the U.N.-backed government, the militias that support it, or the U.N.. Hifter's forces have sparked fears of a major showdown with the militias. Such a conflict could plunge Libya into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi Nicola Sturgeon has described a rise in child poverty as deeply regrettable as she defended her governments record on the issue. The First Minister argued the welfare policies of the UK Government were to blame for the 10,000 increase revealed in new official figures. Alison Johnstone quizzed the First Minister on the issue (Lesley Martin/PA) Both Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard and Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone asked about child poverty at First Ministers Questions. They called for the Scottish Government to bring forward plans an income supplement scheduled for 2022. Brexit chaos is distracting attention away from heartbreaking decisions facing families, Mr Leonard warned, pointing out new statistics showed half a million food parcels were handed out in Scotland in the last 18 months. Mr Leonard added: This mornings figures show that 10,000 more children in Scotland are living in poverty, that means almost quarter of a million children in Scotland are living in poverty today. No wonder Dr Mary McCloud from the anti-poverty project Menu for Change said the Scottish Government must give people living on cups of tea and thin air more to sustain them. Referencing the pledge of an income supplement for low-paid families, he added: Children in poverty really cant wait until 2022 so First Minister, can you tell us why are you making children wait? Ms Johnstone also urged the income supplement to be brought forward. She said: While we continue to call for an end of the mean-spirited, punitive welfare policies of UK Government, its clear that the Scottish Government must do all that it can to raise the living standards of our poorest families. But is the First Minister really saying that low-income families in Scotland will have to wait until 2022 before the Scottish Government introduces a desperately-needed income supplement? In response to the Labour leader, Ms Sturgeon said: Child poverty, if we look at the figures from this morning, has increased and I think that is deeply regrettable. We know why its increasing, and thats because of the welfare cuts and the austerity being imposed by Tory governments. Child poverty and poverty generally in Scotland is too high but its important to note that its lower in Scotland than either England or Labour-run Wales. Nonetheless, it is because child poverty is too high that we are firstly taking steps to mitigate the impact of Tory welfare cuts. Its why we are taking steps to invest in reducing poverty and its why we are committed to the introduction of an income supplement but one that lifts more children out of poverty by making sure we target that resource to those who most need it. Ms Sturgeon added: We are doing the work to make sure we have a policy that can be delivered, a policy that can be paid for and a policy that lifts the maximum number of children out of poverty. MPs are to vote again on Brexit on Friday, but the debate will not amount to a third attempt to pass a meaningful vote on Theresa Mays EU withdrawal package. Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom told MPs that the House of Commons will hold an unscheduled sitting on March 29 originally slated to be Brexit Day to consider a motion on EU withdrawal. Ms Leadsom appeared to indicate that MPs could be asked to approve the Withdrawal Agreement reached last November, but not the Political Declaration setting out plans for a future trade and security relationship with the EU. Passing the Withdrawal Agreement alone would allow the UK to qualify for an extension in Brexit talks to May 22 under the terms set down by the European Council last week. But it would not fulfil the requirements of last years EU Withdrawal Act, which stipulates that both elements must be approved by MPs to pass the meaningful vote allowing the deal to be ratified. Asked by Labour MP Chris Bryant whether the two parts of the Brexit package were being separated in this way, Ms Leadsom replied: What a motion that comes forward tomorrow must do is is it must enable us to meet the Council conclusions which say that any unilateral commitment, statement or other act should be compatible with the letter and the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement. No information was being made available on the wording of the motion to be tabled later on Thursday, but a Downing Street source said it would not be the third meaningful vote under the terms of the Act known in Westminster as MV3. The Prime Minister must secure Commons approval for her deal by 11pm on Friday for the UK to be granted an automatic delay to May 22 of the date on which it leaves the EU. Fridays debate is dependent on a business motion being moved and passed by the House later on Thursday, and on Speaker John Bercow deeming that the Governments proposal is in line with parliamentary rules which ban the same motion being repeatedly tabled. Downing Street has previously indicated that a third meaningful vote would only be attempted if the Prime Minister felt there was a credible chance of success, after its defeat by 230 votes in January and 149 in March. The Democratic Unionist Party said on Thursday that its opposition to the Withdrawal Agreement remained unchanged. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not accept any attempt to separate the Withdrawal Agreement from the Political Declaration, which he warned would result in the blindest of blindfold Brexits. Following Mrs Mays announcement on Wednesday that she will stand down before negotiations on the future relationship begin, a failure to seal the Political Declaration could leave the UK facing a Boris Johnson Brexit, a Jacob Rees-Mogg Brexit or a Michael Gove Brexit, he warned. We would be leaving the EU, but with absolutely no idea where we are heading, Sir Keir told a conference of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). That cannot be acceptable and Labour will not vote for it. Ms Leadsom told MPs that talks were ongoing to ensure Fridays motion complies with Mr Bercows ruling that MPs must be offered a proposal which is substantially different from earlier versions. Andrea Leadsom (Aaron Chown/PA) She said: The European Council has agreed to an extension until May 22 provided the Withdrawal Agreement is approved by the House of Commons this week. Its crucial we make every effort to give effect to that and to allow the House to debate this important issue. We do not want to be in a situation of asking for another extension and, of course, for the requirement to undertake European Parliament elections. Talks were continuing on Thursday to try to win round the Conservatives DUP allies, who indicated on Wednesday that they were not willing to back the deal because of its controversial backstop provisions for the Irish border. However, the PMs spokesman had no information about Mrs May getting personally involved in meetings with the Northern Irish party. The Prime Ministers dramatic promise to resign if her deal goes through has convinced some key Tory Brexiteers finally to back her, raising hopes in Downing Street of a breakthrough. But with the DUP and a hardcore of Tory Eurosceptics holding out against the deal, the Government appears not to have the numbers in the Commons to be sure of victory. The support of the DUP had been seen as crucial, both in making up the numbers for the vote and in winning over Tory waverers. Mr Rees-Mogg, leader of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) who is now supporting the deal, suggested a way could still be found to get the DUP on board. Im in favour of the deal and I hope the DUP will come over to the deal but well have to wait and see what they do, he said. Mrs Mays effective deputy David Lidington pleaded with MPs to back the Brexit deal. Speaking at the BCC conference, he recognised real frustration in the business community over the uncertainty caused by Brexit. From the Prime Minister down, the Government is doing all it can to secure a Brexit that does follow the result of the 2016 referendum but does so in a way that protects jobs and economic growth, he said. Mr Lidington acknowledged that a chaotic, disorganised Brexit without an agreed deal is something we should not be seeking to have. Stopping Brexit must be the top priority, Nicola Sturgeon said as she claimed it is now possible for the UK to remain part of the European Union. The Scottish First Minister argued the mess created by the Conservatives in the Brexit process could provide pro-EU politicians with a means of preventing the UKs exit. She spoke out after MPs in the House of Commons held a series of indicative votes as part of efforts to resolve the current deadlock, resulting from Theresa Mays failure to secure a majority for her Brexit withdrawal deal. The SNP leader said during First Ministers Questions: This whole process thanks to the Tories is now such a mess that stopping Brexit altogether must now be our top priority. And moreover that is now possible. The expressions on Scottish Tory faces after @nicolasturgeon said "Theresa May must be the only leader in history who has tried to fall on her own sword... and missed!" #FMQs pic.twitter.com/aM6XTEpKAK Ross Colquhoun (@rosscolquhoun) March 28, 2019 There was criticism of SNP MPs, who voted against the proposal for the UK to have a customs union with the EU despite the party having long argued in favour of a soft Brexit, which would mean the UK stayed within both this and the European single market. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the debating chamber during First Ministers Questions (Andrew Milligan/PA) Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw accused Ms Sturgeon of attempting to stock up faux outrage, grievance on her single-minded obsession of independence. When it came to the crunch the First Minister whipped her MPs against supporting her own policy of a customs union, the Tory said. Isnt it the case that what Scotland saw yet again yesterday is then when push comes to shove for the SNP it is not about finding a solution to Brexit it is about pursuing their independence obsession. Ms Sturgeon told him: For two long years when stopping Brexit didnt seem possible the SNP argued for single market/customs union membership compromise. That was ignored by the Tories and indeed everybody else. Now that option , which I think is the minimum you would need to protect Scotlands interests, wasnt actually on the ballot paper last night. That said, over the next few days we will continue to work across Parliament for a compromise of that nature, if that proves to be the only alternative to a hard Brexit. With halting Brexit now in her sights, she argued: The way to stand up not just for Scotlands interests but the interests of the entire UK right now is to recognise that this Brexit process is a complete and utter mess, and put this issue back the people. Ms Sturgeon noted the indicative ballot in the Commons had revealed more support for either a Peoples Vote or a customs union than for the PMs deal which has been heavily defeated on two occasions. I think that does give the House of Commons something to move forward with into next week, she said. There is a deal that secures an orderly way forward - and that's the Prime Minister's deal. It's time we backed the deal and got on with it.#FMQs pic.twitter.com/iUA1DKrTyB Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) March 28, 2019 The First Minister added: The right thing to do now is to put this issue back to the people and if Jackson Carlaw was interested in standing up for Scotland, or indeed the interests of the UK, it is the option he would be arguing for too. Ms Sturgeon hit out at the Prime Minister after her offer to resign failed to secure the necessary votes for her deal. Theresa May must be the only leader in living memory who has tried to fall on her own sword and has managed to miss, Ms Sturgeon said. She called on both the PM and Mr Carlaw to accept the deal is dead and it was time to move on to another option. Ms Sturgeon said: The option which got most votes last night in the House of Commons was the peoples vote. Thats the right thing to do. But Mr Carlaw countered: Nicola Sturgeon doesnt stand up for the Scottish interests, she stands up for the Nationalist interest. Speaking about the ballot of MPs, he added: For the avoidance of doubt, no deal was rejected, a second referendum was rejected again, revoking Article 50 was rejected. Yesterday when it came to the crunch the First Minister whipped her MPs against supporting her own policy of a customs union and single market membership and that was defeated, too. He told Ms Sturgeon: Surely it is time to back the deal and get on with it. The Duke of Cambridge told the former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan that he had read a few copies of the glossy magazine as she picked up an OBE at Buckingham Palace. Joanna Coles, who was chief content officer for Hearst Magazines, which also publishes Marie Claire, Elle, Esquire and Country Living, was presented with the honour for services to journalism and the media industry. She said William told her he had read a few copies of Cosmopolitan and he had liked the name she had chosen for her new media brand. She added: He was absolutely charming. I mentioned that I was going to be starting my own media brand, the name of which is Boudica based on the Celtic warrior. He liked the name so it feels like a good omen. Thomasina Miers praised the duke for his interest in the environment (Yui Mok/PA) MasterChef winner and restaurateur Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Mexican street food chain Wahaca, received an OBE for services to the food industry. She praised the duke for his interest in protecting the environment and added: I am really impressed about how the royal family cares so much about the environment, its brilliant and really admirable. London Imam Mohamed Mahmoud who was acclaimed for calming fellow Muslims to prevent retaliation against far-right terrorist killer Darren Osborne after the Finsbury Park attack in June 2017 received an OBE for services to the community in London. He said: I am humbled to receive this honour today from his royal highness the Duke of Cambridge. Imam Mohamed Mahmoud said he accepted his OBE on behalf of the community (Victoria Jones/PA) I have maintained throughout that my actions on the night of the horrific terrorist attack in Finsbury Park in 2017 were not extraordinary nor worthy of recognition. I accept this honour on behalf of my community, which stood firm with strong resolve and dignity in the aftermath of that deadly attack which claimed the life of Makram Ali, whom I mourn today and dedicate this honour to him, his family and those who are still suffering the consequences of that attack two years on. Vera Schaufeld, who came to England aged nine in the Kindertransport in 1939 following the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, received an MBE for services to Holocaust education. Mrs Schaufeld said she was amazed when William told her he would make sure his children would be aware of what had happened and of the Kindertransport. She added: That was really amazing. It was really incredible to hear it meant something to him and he knew and he understood. Israeli researchers have surveyed what they now believe to be the worlds longest salt cave, a network of twisting passageways at the southern tip of the Dead Sea. A recently completed survey of the Malham Cave determined the labyrinthine cavern stretches more than six miles in length. That puts it well ahead of Irans Namakdan Cave, previously thought to be the longest salt cave. The survey was conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a collection of Israeli, Bulgarian and international volunteers. Boaz Langford examines stalactites (Ariel Schalit/AP) Boaz Langford, a researcher at the universitys Caves Research Centre, and Antoniya Vlaykova, a Bulgarian cave explorer from the European Speleological Federation, headed the expedition. Whats unique about this cave, as opposed to other salt caves in the world, is that its the longest in the world, Mr Langford said, resting in a chamber of the cave dubbed the Wedding Hall for its salt stalactites. Mr Langford and Ms Vlaykova said they plan to publish the complete map of the cave in a professional publication in the coming months. There is no official record for the longest salt cave, and such designations are generally decided by consensus among cave researchers after an underground chamber is mapped and published. Namakdan, which is about four miles in length, was identified as the longest salt cave after a study by Czech and Iranian scientists in 2006. Salt caves are unusual and rare geological features. Because salt is highly water soluble, large salt deposits do not normally survive long on the surface. Only a handful of salt caves are larger than half a mile in length. Salt caves tend to only exist in highly arid regions, like the area around the Dead Sea, which is located at the lowest point on earth and is too salty to support animal life. The Dead Sea and Mount Sodom were formed by tectonic activity, the shifting of the Earths plates at the northern end of the 4,000-mile Afro-Arabian Rift Valley. Over millions of years, successive flooding of the deep depression lay down thick layers of salt. The entrance of the Malham Cave at the Dead Sea in Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP) The salt layers are squeezed out from the sub-surface, where they are deposited a few kilometres underground, and while being squeezed out they form a mountain, which is rising still today, at a rate of about one centimetre per year, said Amos Frumkin, a Hebrew University geologist who has studied the cave for decades. The Malham Caves main outlet yawns not far from a salt pillar named Lots Wife, after the biblical character who was petrified for looking back at the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. On the mountainside above, Mr Langford, Ms Vlaykova and their colleagues have identified at least 19 openings where seasonal floods have percolated through Mount Sodoms rock salt to form the cave. Yoav Negev, founder of the Israeli Cave Explorers Club, said that over two years, his group and a total of 80 volunteers from nine countries spent around 1,500 workdays measuring and mapping the caverns recesses. Its above and beyond what we expected, he said. Yoav Negev uses his torch light to examine salt stalactites (Ariel Schalit/AP) Efraim Cohen, one of the Hebrew University cave explorers, described the process of locating the caves entrances from the surface, rappelling down into surface shafts, squeezing through tight passages, and measuring each of the caverns serpentine branches with lasers. Despite the difficult environment, he said the caves splendour makes it worth it. All the stalagmites and stalactites, their beauty, their colour, theyre really white, theyre shining, theyre amazing, Mr Cohen said. Radiocarbon dating of wood fragments found inside the cave have helped date its formation to around 7,000 years ago, making it extremely young by speleological standards. The reason why its so young is because its made of salt, Mr Frumkin explained. Limestone caves are much slower to form. They are usually much older. But this one is developing very fast so its one of the youngest caves in the world. Mr Frumkin said that studying the caves formation has provided researchers with information about the climate of the region over the past 7,000 years, and how that has affected the emergence of civilisation. Yoav Negev and Boaz Langford at work (Ariel Schalit/AP) Jericho, one of worlds first cities and an epicentre for the development of agriculture, is around 50 miles north of the Malham Cave. Because the salt is so soluble, that means that every change in the climate leaves its mark in the cave, Mr Frumkin said. If there is more water, more rainfall, the cave is enlarged, and Dead Sea level changes, and this makes a huge difference in the morphology of the cave. Although the scientists have completed their study, there is still more of the cave that is undiscovered, he said. There are some more parts, especially upper levels, which have not been surveyed yet because they are difficult to reach, Mr Frumkin said. A senior police officer in Northern Ireland has voiced concern that the European Arrest Warrant could disappear in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin was speaking at a Northern Ireland Policing Board seminar in a week when five people are being brought back to the region under the mechanism. We are worried about the implications for the European Arrest Warrant, it is a very important tool within our criminal justice toolbox, he said. PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin has warned over the risk of losing the European Arrest Warrant in the event of a no deal Brexit. (Rebecca Black/PA) It allows us to seek the extradition back to Northern Ireland of people who have committed crimes and are in countries within the EU. Obviously there is a focus on the issue with the Republic of Ireland and the cross border dimension. The European Arrest Warrant is really important and if there was a disorganised no deal (Brexit) there is a risk that actually, those people even we have currently arrested and gone through the process of European Arrest Warrants, that that would fall away. The good thing is we have identified that and we are working with government and departments here, there is work ongoing to try and ensure if that was to occur, that we can manage that, that we can ensure that gap is plugged. Mr Martin said there is a lot of work going on to ensure there are fall-back measures ready if needed to replace various criminal justice provisions, such as accessing criminal records. But I will say, no matter what is put in place, it is likely to be sub-optimal, likely to be slower, clunkier, likely to be more bureaucratic and it is highly unlikely in that scenario that we would have the same swiftness and professionalism around these issues that exist now, and that would have a negative impact, he said. He added: I am content that we are prepared as we can be in the circumstances, but like everybody, we do look forward to getting some clarity. Earlier Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs outlined a number of concerns police had around a no-deal Brexit. These included the prospect of violent attacks if any additional infrastructure or checks were introduced at the Irish border, and also the potential for criminals to exploit any new differences between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Mr Martin emphasised that the PSNI has no plans to install any additional infrastructure at the border. Mr Mairs has been involved with the Police Service of Northern Irelands preparations for Brexit, leading Operation Nebraskan on how the service will need to transform. Fears have been voiced about a hard border following Brexit (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Mairs emphasised that police do not want to see the perception of a safe haven for criminals created either north or south of the Irish border after Brexit. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is currently recruiting 308 new police officers and staff to deal with Brexit after receiving additional funding of 16.4 million from the Treasury. The Queen fed carrots to racehorses at the stables of champion trainer Paul Nicholls during a visit to Somerset. She travelled on the Royal Train to Castle Cary station, where she was presented with a posy. Her first engagement was at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, where she met Mr Nicholls and six of his National Hunt horses. The Queen wore an Angela Kelly lime green and ivory summer tweed dress with coat and matching hat. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw, greets the Queen as she arrives at Castle Cary station on the Royal Train (Ben Birchall/PA) The six horses including Frodon and Clan Des Obeaux, which is co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson were paraded before her. She fed them carrots before hearing from researchers from the University of Bath who are working on projects on equestrian sport spinal injuries and racehorse welfare. Before leaving the stables, the Queen was presented with a posy by Mr Nicholls eight-year-old daughter Zara, and a hamper from local cheesemaker Barbers. The Queen is presented by trainer Paul Nicholls with a photograph of himself and the Queen Mother (Andrew Matthews/PA) Mr Nicholls also gave the Queen a framed black and white photograph of the Queen Mother presenting him with the Hennessy Gold Cup in 1987. Speaking after the visit, he described the occasion as amazing. It was a fantastic experience to bring Her Majesty to the yard and meet the superstar horses. I was more nervous about today then I was about the Cheltenham Festival, he said. She loved seeing the horses and gave them all a carrot, and she knew as much about them as we do. She saw them run at Cheltenham and she knows what she is talking about and loved feeding them. I have been lucky enough to meet the Queen several times and she is obviously a racing enthusiast. There was a warm welcome for the Queen when she arrived at Kings Bruton School to mark its 500th anniversary and open the new Music Centre (Ben Birchall/PA) Mr Nicholls added: I jokingly said to the Queen that box one is currently empty and we have space for one of her horses. Professor Keith Stokes and Dr Dario Cazzola, from the University of Baths Department for Health, presented their new project with the British Horseracing Authority to the Queen. Their research, building on previous injury prevention work within rugby unions, focuses on spinal injury reduction for jockeys. It will be combined with research carried out at the British Racing School in Newmarket to highlight links between certain types of falls and increased chances of spinal injury. The Queen later visited the Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery (Toby Melville/PA) Prof Stokes said: Spinal injuries can have a dramatic impact on peoples lives and using the digital archive to inform strategies that have the potential to reduce the risk of these injuries is extremely valuable. Today was an exciting opportunity to showcase to Her Majesty the important impact we hope to make with these projects in improving safety in horse racing. The Queen was also told about the work of Dr Ben Metcalfe, who is developing a sensor platform for race horses to give trainers and veterinary professionals real-time data on horse fitness and well-being. His device, the EquiVi, is a non-invasive wearable device similar to fitness and activity trackers used by humans. Annie Maw, the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, met the Queen when she arrived at the railway station. As a paraplegic the result of falling from a horse I take a particular interest in these issues, said Ms Maw. I sincerely hope that this work could help reduce incidence of what is a truly devastating injury. I am delighted we have been able to showcase this important work to Her Majesty during the recent royal visit to Somerset. New police horse Windsor wins Royal seal of approval Windsor was formally named by Her Majesty The Queen during her visit to @KingsBruton this afternoon #RoyalVisitSomerset pic.twitter.com/fYONzdLfzp Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) March 28, 2019 After her visit to the stables, the Queen visited Kings Bruton, a co-educational school founded in 1519, to mark 500 years of the school. Avon and Somerset Police said around 400 well-wishers were at the school to give the Queen a right royal welcome. Later, the Queen was due to name a police horse during the visit, her first to the county since the 2012 Jubilee tour of the UK. On that tour, she named a police horse Jubilee, and was expected to meet it again on Thursday. The Duchess of Cambridge has said she would like her three children George, Charlotte and Louis to join the Scouting movement when they are older. She was speaking during a visit to the Scouts headquarters in Gilwell Park in Essex to hear about plans to welcome children as young as four into the movement. Beaver Scouts, aged from six to eight, are currently the youngest in the movement, but a pilot scheme under the working name of Hedgehogs has been launched for children aged four and five. Kate was given a guided tour by a group of four teenage Explorer Scouts including 17-year-old Tahseen Patel from Blackburn. Kate joined in various activities during her visit (Eddie Mulholland/The Daily Telegraph) Miss Patel said afterwards: She was interested in the early years and how you learn things in Scouting that you dont learn in school and elsewhere, like you learn way more things in Scouting. And how she wants her children to grow up in the Scouting movement, not just in school, because she tries doing things at home but theres only so much you can do and you need to build relationships with other people. Throughout 2019 Scouts from around the world will join in with a year of celebration as @UKScouting celebrates 100 years at Gilwell Park. Happy 100th Anniversary Gilwell Park! pic.twitter.com/OkTpaDKcq8 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 28, 2019 Asked if Prince George had joined the Scouts, Miss Patel said: He hasnt yet, but she said shed love him to. Miss Patel added that Kate wanted all of her three children to join. She said that if George joined the Scouts hed be like a little ambassador. The duchess inside a den (Eddie Mulholland/The Daily Telegraph/PA) George is currently aged five, too young to join Beaver Scouts. Charlotte is three and Louis is 11-months-old. Kate got inside a den built by Beaver Scouts while on the visit, and the group tested whether it was waterproof by pouring water onto it. Frankii Newbery, 29, who is helping to develop the pilot scheme for younger children, said: The duchess, braver than I am, got straight in there with one of our Beavers and had a whale of a time. She was straight in there and just thoroughly loving it, it was just fantastic to watch. From all of us at the Scouts, thank you so much to HRH The Duchess of Cambridge for visiting Gilwell Park today to learn more about our early years pilots and how Scouts helps young people develop #SkillsForLife pic.twitter.com/H5amVyja0h The Scouts (@UKScouting) March 28, 2019 She added: She was very interested in the premise behind the early years, interested in the fact were currently reaching out to disadvantaged areas and trying to reduce the attainment gap between areas of more privilege and children who probably have less engagement at home. That was something she felt very passionate about, as we all know shes very interested in early years. Kate also joined Scouts in boat building and balloon rocket activities, which aim to improve communication and teamwork. The pilot scheme for the new younger Scout section was announced late last year, with 20 locations across England taking part initially. Children eagerly await the royals arrival (Joe Giddens/PA) Scouting currently reaches 473,000 young people between the ages of six and 25 in the UK. Gilwell Park includes a Scout campsite and adventure centre, and welcomes thousands of Scouts, schools and youth groups each year. Kate planted an oak sapling to mark the 100th anniversary of the site during Thursdays visit. She also painted her right hand green to add a palm-print leaf to a painting of a tree with younger children. As she left, she told Explorer Scouts: Its been a wonderful experience. The Scout movement was founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell. Chino, CA (91710) Today Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 56F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 37F. W winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Scotlands chief medical officer has warned shortages of medicines may occur in the wake of a no-deal Brexit but said people should not stockpile drugs. Dr Catherine Calderwood said members of the public as well as GPs, pharmacies and hospitals should not try to build up their own supply of medication. She issued the advice in a letter sent to NHS board chief executives, local authority leaders and the leaders of integration authorities which bring health and care services together. Scotlands Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer have written to health professionals to explain how were supporting the NHS to manage medicine shortages if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. You can read the letter here https://t.co/MU5BCRjg0Y pic.twitter.com/2dWIWY83mf Scot Gov Health (@scotgovhealth) March 28, 2019 Dr Calderwood sent the letter along with the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Rose Marie Parr to outline efforts from the Scottish Government together with other administrations to deal with any shortfall in drugs that may arise. Additional steps have now been taken to prepare for the risk that a no-deal exit will lead to more shortages than are normally experienced, they said. The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer stressed pharmaceutical firms had built up their own stockpiles of some medicines, adding that across the UK had built up a supply of some medical devices. Medical supplies will be given priority in the case of a no-deal Brexit, it has been claimed (Lauren Hurley/PA) Arrangements are also being made to transport into the UK, including by air, items that cannot be stockpiled, they said. The letter also stressed if Brexit led to delays of goods at the UK border medical supplies will be given priority for entry into the UK. They stated: Members of the public, GPs, community pharmacies and hospitals should not stockpile. Shortages may occur but the NHS will manage the situation and if necessary provide suitable alternatives or other treatment while supply is restored to normal levels. The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer added: Prescribers do not need to anything new at this moment in time. Members of the public, GPs, community pharmacies and hospitals should not stockpile medicines. Despite this Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: My constituents are worried that they will not get their medicine. He added: Any Brexit will be bad for our NHS, whether it be by crashing out without a deal or cutting off the precious supply of European workers who support patients in our health service. This has to go back to the people for a Peoples Vote, lives are at stake. Dr Lewis Morrison, chair of BMAs Scottish Council, said: The fact that action is being taken to prepare for any potential shortages of medicine is welcome, however it is simply unbelievable and, frankly, totally unacceptable that it has even come to this. It is yet another example of the devastating impact Brexit will have on our healthcare system. While it is important plans like this are made, it is hard to be reassured given the very substantial amount of confusion and uncertainty that remain over many aspects of Brexit. Separating the Brexit divorce deal from the framework for the next stage of the relationship with Brussels would leave MPs completely blind about the future, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The shadow Brexit secretary said such a move by Theresa May would be desperate. The Government has signalled that MPs will be asked to vote on some form of Brexit motion in the Commons on Friday, fuelling speculation that Mrs May will ask them to approve the Withdrawal Agreement reached last November, but not the Political Declaration setting out plans for a future trade and security relationship with the EU. It comes after the Prime Minister told Tory MPs on Wednesday she would step down to let a successor take charge of the next phase of Brexit if her deal was passed. Sir Keir, speaking to the Press Association at the British Chambers of Commerce conference in London, said Labour would reject the deal on those terms. He said: As the EU has made clear and as the Prime Minister has made clear, the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration are part of the same negotiated package. You cant have one without the other. The problem going ahead with just the Withdrawal Agreement is its a completely blind Brexit. It tells you nothing about where you are heading. Thats been made a lot worse by Theresa May saying yesterday she is going to step down as Prime Minister. So we dont even know who is going to take over and where they are going to take this. You cant separate them, this isnt going to work. Its a desperate measure. Sir Keir said the indicative votes process begun on Wednesday and set to continue on Monday could reveal what sort of Brexit deal could command a Commons majority. (PA Graphics) And he suggested that an extension to the Article 50 process, delaying Brexit, should be sought without a fixed deadline to avoid another cliff-edge. We said we want an extension which is as short as possible. But what I am concerned about is that we have a purpose, that we know why it is that we want an extension and what we are trying to achieve. I think simply setting another clock running would just repeat the mistakes of the last two years. He added: We need to know what the majority is, we need to agree a purpose and then we will know for how long we need an extension. That will be a matter of discussion with the EU. Sir Keir acknowledged Labours internal divisions over Brexit, which saw Melanie Onn quit as shadow housing minister to oppose a confirmatory referendum on any deal which gets through Parliament. (Melanie Onn/Twitter) But he said: At this stage, whatever scrapes through needs to be settled by a confirmation ballot. He suggested that on Monday the three or four options that have the highest votes should be considered again in some form. Based on Wednesdays results, those options could include a customs union, a second referendum, Labours plan and the Common Market 2.0 proposal for a Norway-style deal alongside a customs arrangement. Chris Hughton insists an upcoming FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City is not distracting Brighton from their Premier League relegation battle. Albion face Pep Guardiolas City at Wembley on April 6 following a dramatic penalty shoot-out success at Millwall prior to the international break. Before their big day out in London, the 15th-placed Seagulls, who are five points above the bottom three with nine fixtures remaining, host struggling Southampton and then travel to Chelsea. I cant govern what they (the players) talk about in the changing rooms and there are things that we have to talk about a semi-final because arrangements have to be made and things like tickets, said manager Hughton. But as regards the work that we do and the meetings that we do, there hasnt been any talk of the semi-final. All of our talk and all of our work has been very much on, in particular, one Premier League game (Southampton) and then of course after that one its the Chelsea one. Brighton boss Chris Hughton is fully focused on Premier League survival (Steven Paston/PA) Were on the back of a good period two important league wins and of course a quarter-final which has put everybody on a high. And initially it is about making sure that we bring everybody back down from that, which is our business. The most important thing for us is Premier League points. Successive top-flight victories against bottom club Huddersfield and rivals Crystal Palace have helped ease the tension around the Amex Stadium after 2019 began with a seven-game winless run in the league. With the Terriers and Fulham cut adrift and appearing doomed to the drop, Albion look to be one of six clubs attempting to avoid joining them. However, ahead of Saturdays visit of Saints who are a place and three points below Albion having played a game more Hughton is refusing to rule out any club. We have to keep fighting and be as competitive as we can and to think that all of the teams below us are very capable of winning games and climbing out of danger. Thats the type of pressure that we need to continue to put on ourselves, he said. Nobody knows what it will take. I dont think we can afford to start thinking of three, four, five points. I would certainly rather start thinking about 40 points, which is what Ive always done. Police have arrested and charged five people as part of a probe into alleged money laundering and VAT fraud worth 12 million. They were arrested between March 21 and 25 as part of an ongoing joint investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Police Scotland. Those arrested were a 56-year-old man, 54-year-old woman and 34-year-old man, all from Bathgate, West Lothian, a 61-year-old man from Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, and a 47-year-old man from Giffnock, East Renfrewshire. All five were also charged with allegedly directing or being involved with serious organised crime and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal. Detective Inspector Gordon Burns, of Police Scotlands Economic Crime and Financial Investigation Unit, said: Money laundering and associated criminality has a damaging effect on the UK economy and impacts on organisations, communities and individuals. Police Scotland will robustly investigate any allegations of unlawful financial conduct and will use all available resources, working with our colleagues in HMRC, to proactively target those who seek to profit from criminality. Five people have been charged as part of an investigation into money laundering and VAT fraud (Joe Giddens/PA) HMRC urged anyone with information about suspected fraud to report it to HMRC online or call its fraud hotline on 0800 788 887. Joe Hendry, assistant director of HMRCs Fraud Investigation Service, said: VAT fraud is not a victimless crime it deprives us all of money that should be funding our public services. Nato has extended the mandate of its top civilian official, secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, for two years, making the former Norwegian premier one of the longest-serving heads of the military alliance. Mr Stoltenberg said on Thursday he is honoured by the decision made by the 29 allies and I thank them for putting their trust in me. Honoured by the decision by the #NATO Allies to extend my term as Secretary General until 30 September 2022. Together we will continue to adapt & modernise our Alliance to keep it fit for the future: https://t.co/ybBwSDOy6z pic.twitter.com/K5CIiqRYjl Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) March 28, 2019 He said: We face the biggest security challenges in a generation and I look forward to continue working with all allies to adapt and modernise Nato. Mr Stoltenberg, who assumed office in 2014, will now hold the post until September 30 2022. Only former Dutch foreign minister Joseph Luns, who spent 13 years in office from 1971, will have served in the post longer if Mr Stoltenberg sees out his term. Police are hunting a group of youths who pushed three cyclists into a canal in Edinburgh. The men were targeted in separate incidents as they cycled along the Union Canal between 5pm and 9.15pm on Wednesday. They were confronted by a group of youths on the path near Murrayburn and Wester Hailes and were pushed into the water. The three cyclists all managed to get out of the canal themselves but suffered minor injuries. https://t.co/Byd6OLmYAw Last night three cyclists were pushed into the Union Canal as they cycled near to Murrayburn and Wester Hailes. We're looking to trace the group of youths responsible and would ask anyone with information to come forward via 101. EdinburghPolice (@EdinburghPolice) March 28, 2019 Police said investigations are under way to trace the youths and urged anyone with information to contact them. Sergeant Alex Dickson from the south-west community policing team, said: The youths may have thought this was a bit of fun but it could have resulted in serious injury or worse and we are treating these incidents very seriously. Police are investigating after three cyclists were pushed into the Union Canal (David Cheskin/PA) In response, we are going to deploy high-visibility patrols in the area to engage with cyclists and members of the public and deter any further incidents. If you witnessed anything suspicious on the Union Canal cycle path on Wednesday evening, or if you believe you can provide us with a description of the suspects, then please contact police immediately. In addition, we are also eager to hear from anyone else with any other information relevant to this investigation. Anyone with information can contact Wester Hailes Police Station via 101 and quote incident numbers 3223, 3469 or 4077 of March 27 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained. The Scottish Government must lead by example if the stigma around the recruitment of disabled people is to change, ministers have said. Speaking at Holyrood on Thursday, equalities minister Christina McKelvie urged MSPs to go further in changing the culture, attitudes and practices in employing people with disabilities across Scotland. An action plan was launched by the Scottish Government in December last year with the aim of at least halving the disability employment gap in the country by 2038. To be successful in implementing this plan, we believe that the Scottish Government must lead by example as both an employer and a policy maker, said Ms McKelvie. In spring, the Scottish Government will publish a recruitment and retention plan, setting a target for employment of disabled people in core Scottish Government roles. We will recognise other public-sector organisations and encourage them to take part too and follow our example. Equalities minister Christina McKelvie said MSPs must go further in tackling employment inequality (Andrew Matthews/PA) We will work across government to ensure the policy we develop to support disabled people helps rather than hinders their ability to enter that meaningful work that they all so much want. Scottish Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour said the challenge for the Scottish Government is to ensure that its proposals can be delivered. Mr Balfour said: Disabled people want decent incomes, fairer working lives. As one disabled lady said to me a few weeks ago, I just want a normal job, not a job that was created because Im a disabled person. I think that is key because perhaps, historically, we have gone off and created jobs for disabled people and only allowed disabled people to apply for them. But, actually, that misses the point. Disabled people want to be mainstream of universities, colleges, and daily life. We fully support accessible workplaces, homes and transport, and we want society to do everything that it can to ensure that people with disabilities have full and active participation in all aspects of public life free from stigma and discrimination. Labour MSP Mark Griffin said: More needs to be done to support Scotlands disabled people to live their lives to the fullest unrestricted by governments, employers, businesses and, in fact, society itself. With one in five people in Scotland living with a disability, thats more than a million people who are often left to the whims and attitudes of everyone else. Mr Griffin also referenced a survey which found that some of our ancient castles can in fact be more accessible than the local pub. He added: The consequence of being excluded from the local pub, the local community venue or a particular activity is that disabled people are prevented from living their fullest life. Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman said the UK Governments changes to disability benefits such as the transition from disability living allowance to personal independence payments had been disastrous and described the situation as attacking the rights of disabled Scots to live in dignity. Some teachers in Scotlands schools face violence from pupils every day, Education Secretary John Swinney has been told. Labours Neil Findlay, a former teacher, said some within the profession had told him of the repeated attacks they faced. Conservative MSP Michelle Ballantyne told how one teacher contacted her after a metal object was thrown at her, striking her eye and requiring her to be admitted to hospital. They raised concerns with Mr Swinney in Holyrood, with the Education Secretary stressing while violence was unacceptable, most pupils in Scotlands schools are well behaved. He said: Weve got to be very careful about the narrative that is painted about Scottish education, if there are unacceptable incidents of violence they will be dealt with, but the overwhelming behaviour of our young people is good in our schools, they are a credit to our country and we should celebrate that whilst tackling unacceptable behaviour where it arises. But Ms Ballantyne told him the level of violence in schools was now causing teachers to think twice about their careers. She said: I have recently been contacted by a teacher who has 30 years experience and is currently working as a supply teacher who was actually hospitalised after a metal implement was thrown and damaged her eye. Mr Findlay stated: I have got constituents who have approached me who work in our schools who are assaulted by pupils on a daily basis and I do not exaggerate that point. Education Secretary John Swinney. (Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Swinney said: There are unacceptable incidents of violence in our schools and they must be tacked immediately by school leadership. But, overwhelmingly, the evidence demonstrates that teachers generally find pupils to be well behaved and violence towards teachers is rare. He told MSPs: I take the issue of violence in schools extremely seriously but I think we have to look at the evidence on all of this. There are unacceptable incidents but the overwhelming evidence which was demonstrated in the Behaviour in Scottish Schools 2016 report, which was published in December 2017, indicates teachers find pupils generally well-behaved and that violence towards teachers is very rare. A former prime minister of New Zealand has called for tech companies to take action against online extremism in the wake of the Christchurch mass shooting. Helen Clark, who left office in 2008, said it was shocking that extended footage being filmed by the alleged attacker was uploaded and widely circulated online. The attack earlier this month left 50 people dead following shootings at two mosques. Ms Clark told the Press Association: No-one is yet convinced of social medias ability to regulate and police itself, the response has been so woeful. If that continues to be the case, it will invite regulation. Tech companies make rather a lot of money and pay very little tax and therefore have the resources to tackle extremism on their platforms, Ms Clark said. Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark (Lewis Whyld/PA) She added: Now that people are increasingly aware of fake news, disinformation, harbouring extremists, hopefully it makes people a bit more conscious of the potential of these platforms for harm. Like-minded countries need to work together to find a solution to extremists using social media platforms, she said, adding: I think theres concern. Social media companies allow extremists of all persuasions to cluster together and communicate in a way that they never would have been able to before, she said. Ms Clark also said that court appearances of 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, the Australian who is charged with murder for the March 15 attacks, should not become a platform for his views. She added: Its going to come down to the court as to how they get the balance right of people needing to be informed about the trial, its not a secret trial, but it should not be a grandstand for him to broadcast. The Duke of Cambridge will visit New Zealand on behalf of The Queen to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack. The visit in late April will be made at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/rFPlDo8dmJ The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 27, 2019 Ahead of the Duke of Cambridges visit to New Zealand to honour the victims of the attack next month, Ms Clark said there was a lot of solidarity from around the world in the wake of the killings. She added: I think New Zealand is probably the last place anyone expected it to happen, and it was a terrible event in its own right, irrespective of where it happened. New Zealanders rallied to support each other because they didnt want to show a New Zealand divided, Ms Clark said. A fourth victim has died from injuries sustained in the March 18 tram shooting in the Netherlands, an incident being investigated as a possible extremist attack. The 74-year-old man died on Thursday. Two men and a woman died on the day of the attack in the city of Utrecht, and one victim remains injured in hospital. No further details were available. People lay flowers at a makeshift memorial site (Peter Dejong/AP) The main suspect in the shooting in the central Dutch city faces multiple manslaughter or murder charges and authorities continue to investigate terrorist intent in the attack, the prosecutors office said in a statement. The suspect, a Utrecht resident of Turkish descent, was arrested hours after the shooting. He has said he acted alone. Prosecutors say the man has a long criminal record and did not know any of his victims. Members of Bruneis LGBTQ community have expressed their fears as new Islamic criminal laws took effect on Wednesday. The new measures, which include punishing 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 nations shores. The penalties were provided for under new sections of Bruneis Shariah Penal Code. UN Human Right Chief @mbachelet urges #Brunei to stop new penal code that seriously breach international human law incl. death by stoning. Brunei retains death penalty in law but has been abolitionist in practice since 1957. Learn more: https://t.co/BgWjo1o5Fb pic.twitter.com/Jx8J5bTPzK UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) April 1, 2019 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 offences such as pregnancy out of wedlock or failing to pray on Fridays. But under the new laws, which also apply to children and foreigners, even if they are not Muslim, 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 offence and a left foot on their second. 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. #Bruneis decision to implement Phases Two & Three of the Sharia Penal Code & associated penalties runs counter to its international human rights obligations. The U.S. strongly opposes violence, criminalization & discrimination targeting vulnerable groups including LGBTI persons. pic.twitter.com/AfVkCUWrR0 Jalina Porter (@StateDeputySpox) April 3, 2019 Celebrities including George Clooney, Sir Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have voiced opposition to the new laws, and have rallied a boycott of nine hotels in the US and Europe with ties to Hassanal, who is still sultan. Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens? Clooney wrote on Thursday on Deadline Hollywood. Clooney said that while you cant 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. Bruneis Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (Vincent Thian/AP) I cant 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. 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, criminalisation and discrimination targeting vulnerable groups, including women at risk of violence, religious and ethnic minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, US State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement. Bruneis Southeast Asian neighbours, 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. I am very worried that Indonesia or Malaysia may follow the lead, said a 24-year-old man from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias capital, who wanted to be identified only by his first name, Ludwig. George Clooney and his human rights lawyer wife Amal (Andrew Milligan/PA) I think people nowadays, especially the younger generation, are quite OK with LGBT, but those who are not make the loudest noise and they are the reason why it seems like everyone is against it. Nearly two-thirds of Malaysias 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. Cruel and inhuman punishments such as death by stoning for same-sex sexual acts and amputation for robbery will come into effect in Brunei Darussalam next week. The changes would allow stoning and amputation as punishments including for children. https://t.co/dfQab55aF4 Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) March 28, 2019 Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Bruneis 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. Bruneis new penal code is barbaric to the core, imposing archaic punishments for acts that shouldnt 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. An MP who was the target of a neo-Nazi murder plot was applauded in the Commons and urged consideration of non-jury terrorism trials. Labours Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) spoke of her ordeal in the chamber and told MPs to do our utmost to defend democracy. She also asked Home Secretary Sajid Javid to consider the Diplock process, which were judge-only hearings introduced in Northern Ireland in the 1970s for terrorist-related offences following a report by senior judge Lord Diplock. Jack Renshaw, 23, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, bought a 19-inch (48cm) Gladius knife to kill Ms Cooper and exact revenge on a female police officer who was investigating him for child sex offences. But the plan was scuppered by whistle-blower Robbie Mullen, who was at a meeting in a pub when Renshaw announced he was going to kill Ms Cooper in July 2017 and reported the threat to Hope Not Hate. Ms Cooper, raising a point of order, thanked Prime Minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and all MPs for their kindness over the last two difficult years. Labour MP Rosie Cooper was the focus of a murder plot (PA) She also thanked Mr Mullen and Hope Not Hate, saying: Without their actions, I might not be here. She added: I was to be murdered to send a message to the state, to send a message to this place. Members of this House are regularly abused and attacked. Our freedoms, our way of life, our democracy is under threat and we must do our utmost to defend it. Whilst the Home Secretary is in his place, perhaps I might ask him to consider the Diplock process for terrorist trials. MPs from all sides applauded Ms Cooper before Mr Bercow said: I think the spontaneous reaction of both sides of the chamber, joined in by the Leader of the House (Andrea Leadsom) and other colleagues speaks volumes. I hope I speak on behalf of the House in saying that we have the most enormous respect and admiration for (Ms Cooper). She has displayed courage and fortitude of which many people, and probably most of us, can only dream in the most harrowing of circumstances, faced with an explicit and very real threat to her life from neo-Nazis she has not wilted for a second. She has defended her own rights, she has defended the rights of her constituents, she has defended the rights of all of her colleagues and shes defended the rights of Parliament as an institution. By this sort of poisonous, fascistic bile, we will not be cowed and the sooner for the purveyors of hate, of fascism, of Nazism, of a death cult realise that, the better. I salute the honourable lady. Commons Leader Mrs Leadsom paid tribute to Ms Cooper on behalf of the Government, adding: We all absolutely stand with her. Mr Javid echoed the tribute before Mr Corbyn thanked Ms Cooper for her incredible fortitude in standing up against the appalling threat. Soldiers pictured shooting at an image of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn carried out a shameful act which destroys the reputation of the British Army, an MP has said. Labours Paul Sweeney, who represents Glasgow North East, lamented the footage captured in Kabul, Afghanistan. It shows personnel from 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, using a picture of the Islington North MP for target practice on a Simunition range. Mr Sweeney, who served as an army reserve soldier for 12 years, raised a point of order in the House of Commons and asked John Bercow if he shared his alarm and dismay about the video. The Commons Speaker condemned the footage and said he would be horrified if service personnel behaved in such a way to any MP. WATCH: My point of order on the footage of @TheParachuteReg firing weapons at an image of @jeremycorbyn pic.twitter.com/E8wRiiifLw Paul Sweeney (@PaulJSweeney) April 3, 2019 Speaking afterwards, Mr Sweeney told the Press Association: This is deeply worrying. Mr Sweeney served as an army reserve soldier for 12 years (John Linton/PA) Its been almost three years now since Jo Cox was tragically assassinated on the streets of this country by a right-wing fascist, and thats a real threat to democracy. What weve seen is a stoking up of hatred, of very partisan speech, of identity politics, of trying to discredit on a very fundamental level your political opponents, and I think thats something thats shameful. We need to really address it because clearly its bleeding into the population in really negative ways. Were seeing soldiers in the British Army, in the Parachute Regiment, demonstrating that sort of willingness to behave in that way. They have values and standards. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in London to meet Mr Corbyn and the Prime Minister, also expressed dismay at the clip. She tweeted: This is appalling and the MOD is right to launch a full investigation. Mr Sweeney added: I was a former army reservist so I know exactly what is expected of the British soldiers. What theyve done is totally at odds with that. Its a shameful act which destroys the reputation of the British Army. They need to be held to account for that action but it demonstrates a more worrying trend in our society, where were prepared to see that kind of behaviour enacted against a key part of our democracy. Whether you like him or not, Jeremy Corbyn is the leader of Her Majestys official Opposition in Parliament, and Parliament is the supreme democratic body in this country. Sleep pods should be installed in Scotlands hopsitals as part of a more holistic approach to NHS staff wellbeing, the Tories have suggested. Health spokesman Miles Briggs made the plea and referenced the death of junior doctor Lauren Connelly, who was killed in a car accident as she drove home after a night shift in 2011. Mr Briggs said: Sometimes in politics there are cases that make you stop and think about how we need to collectively do something to bring about a change. Installing sleep pods in hospitals would allow tired staff to rest before having to get behind the wheel, he argued. Mr Briggs said: Lauren was killed after her car veered off the M8 motorway as she drove home from a 12-hour night shift at Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock. Dr Connolly, from East Kilbride, had been working just seven weeks in her medical training at that time. It tragically highlighted the fears over long working hours and fatigue faced by so many who work in our NHS, with staff often frequently working exhausting 100 hour weeks and shift patterns of 12 consecutive days. He added: People working in our NHS are superheroes in many peoples eyes but they are not superhuman. The Conservative MSP stressed the need to understand the severe pressures that NHS staff are under and how this negatively impacts on their own health and wellbeing. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs. (Jane barlow/PA) His calls were backed by other opposition MSPs, with Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon saying her party would always support our health and social care staff to get the working conditions they deserve and the work-life balance that they need. Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnston said: Its clear that workforce pressures are severely impacting the wellbeing of health and social care workers. Thats the message thats coming from those on the frontline. Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton stated: Although sometimes we attack government policy and sometimes the governance of our health boards, we never ever attack the work of our frontline staff they are heroes of our country. There just arent enough of them, there is a workforce crisis Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said she would be happy to order a review of the support available for NHS staff, as suggested by the Conservatives. And while she said the NHS workforce was at a record high, she added that Brexit posed a threat to this. Free movement is vital for us to continue to attract dedicated professionals to help deliver these services, Ms Freeman told Holyrood. But Mr Briggs insisted: After 12 years in charge of our Scottish NHS, SNP ministers need to accept they have presided over a workforce crisis which is impacting on the wellbeing of NHS staff today. The Scottish Governments health workforce planning has been criticised after it was revealed hundreds of doctors and dentists have retired early. Of the 802 doctors and dentists across Scotland who started drawing their pension between 2015-16 and 2017-18, just 40 were at state pension age. Figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats through freedom of information legislation indicate 541 GPs and 221 dentists retired early in the three-year period. The average age of the GPs starting to collect their pension was 59 in 2015-16 and 2016-17, dropping to 58 the following year. For dentists, it was 59 in 2015-16, falling to 58 the following year, then rising again to 59. Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton called for an end to the neglect of primary care, which includes GPs, dentists, community pharmacists and eye health services. He said: Hundreds of GPs and dentists have left their professions before reaching their state pension age. Many doctors are exhausted and disenchanted. At every turn the Scottish Government has mucked up workforce planning in the health service, while years of disinvestment has piled the pressure on primary care. Alex Cole-Hamilton wants action on workforce planning (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) Mr Cole-Hamilton said his party is clear that we need to see an end to the neglect of primary care. He added: To keep staffing levels sustainable and make medical careers attractive they need to make sure health professionals have the resources and backup they need to get the job done. The Lib Dems want a mental health practitioner in every surgery to reduce waiting times and take pressure off GPs. Mr Cole-Hamilton also called for an annual report and parliamentary debate on workforce planning. Thousands of Windrush scandal victims will share in a 200 million compensation scheme launched on Wednesday by the Government. The two-year initiative aims to right the wrongs suffered by people who faced difficulties demonstrating their immigration status. Up to 15,000 eligible claims are expected to be lodged, according to the Home Offices central planning assumption. Confirming there will be no cap on the total amount awarded, Home Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs his departments baseline estimate was approximately 200 million. An official impact assessment said the final figure could range between 120 million and 310 million. Today I launched our Windrush Compensation Scheme. This will go some way in righting the wrongs of the past & help deliver justice to the Windrush generation & their families. We will ensure these mistakes are never repeatedhttps://t.co/7dd9rrJK5E Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) April 3, 2019 Staffing costs are expected to be between 4 million and 6 million a year. The Home Office came under under fire over the Windrush scandal (Yui Mok/PA) Opening the scheme, Mr Javid described the treatment of some members of the Windrush generation as a terrible mistake. He said: Weve been working tirelessly to fulfil that promise ever since and have helped more than 3,600 people secure the citizenship they were entitled to. But its right that we compensate those who faced extreme difficulties and hardship, and this scheme will go some way in doing that. The Windrush generation have given so much to this country and we will ensure nothing like this ever happens again. Satbir Singh, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, claimed the announcement was short on detail and will fail to reassure Windrush victims that they will be adequately financially compensated for the losses and hardship inflicted on them. Javid gives statement on long-overdue Windrush compensation scheme. We hope for sufficient funds to compensate all the different traumas suffered by the victims of misguided migration policies. If he truly has learned the lessons of Windrush, he must #ScrapTheHostileEnvironment! JCWI (@JCWI_UK) April 3, 2019 He said: Thousands of members of the Windrush generation suffered for years and then had to wait a further year to hear how they might be compensated. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: This compensation scheme has fallen woefully short of its expectation and of what is fair. The Government has been disgracefully slow to do the right thing by the Windrush generation. Payments will be available to those who did not have the right documentation to prove their status in the UK and suffered adverse effects on their life as a result. These could include a loss of employment or access to housing, education or NHS healthcare, as well as emotional distress or a deterioration in mental and physical health. People who were wrongfully detained or removed from the UK can seek compensation under the scheme. It is open to applicants of any nationality who have the right to live or work in the UK without any restrictions, or who are now British citizens, and arrived in the country before the end of 1988, as well as people from a Commonwealth country who arrived and settled in the UK before 1973. Certain children and grandchildren of pre-1973 arrivals may also be eligible. The Government is retaining discretion to withhold or reduce an award if a claimant has a record of serious criminality. Claims can be made by the estates of people who were affected by the scandal and have since died, and close family members in relation to the impact on their life as a result of difficulties experienced by the main applicant. Martin Forde QC, who advised the Home Office on the design of the compensation scheme, said: I believe it is accessible and most importantly, fairly compensates those who have suffered. The scheme has been built on feedback from affected communities, and their personal stories have been crucial in its design. Ministers faced a furious backlash over the treatment of the Windrush generation named after a ship that brought people to Britain from the Caribbean in 1948. Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 were automatically granted indefinite leave to remain but many were not issued with any documents confirming their status. A public outcry erupted after it emerged long-term UK residents were denied access to services, held in detention or removed despite living legally in the country for decades. Last year the Government formally apologised in relation to 18 cases where the Home Office is considered most likely to have acted wrongfully. A second minister has quit the Government as Theresa Mays decision to hold Brexit talks with Jeremy Corbyn sparked intense anger among Tories. Brexit Minister Chris Heaton-Harris quit his post insisting that the UK should have left the EU on March 29 as scheduled. After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government. I'm grateful to the PM for giving me the opportunity to serve the UK and I will continue to represent my constituents as the MP for Daventry. pic.twitter.com/sHkVhwJ7bb Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) April 3, 2019 In a letter to the Prime Minister he wrote: I simply cannot support any further extension to Article 50. The move came after Wales minister and whip Nigel Adams resigned saying the Prime Minister had made a grave error by reaching out to the Labour leader in the hope of finding a consensus on Brexit ahead of a crunch EU summit on April 10. But there was a boost for Mrs May as MPs failed in a bid to take over the Commons timetable on Monday for a third round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives. Speaker John Bercow wielded his casting vote to block the debate after MPs tied 310-310 in scenes which have not been seen in the Commons since the Maastricht battles in 1993. The result clears Monday for a potential attempt by Mrs May to get a consensus Brexit deal through Parliament. Meanwhile, MPs were also voting on whether to permit an attempt to force through a cross-party backbench bill to block a no-deal Brexit. (PA Graphics) Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg described the offer to Mr Corbyn as deeply unsatisfactory and accused Mrs May of planning to collaborate with a known Marxist. And normally-loyal Caroline Johnson joined a clutch of Tory backbenchers at Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons 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 was meeting the Labour leader in her Commons office in the hope of agreeing a position which can win a majority within the next few days, allowing her to request a short delay to Brexit at next weeks summit. 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. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, centre, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey in his office in the Houses of Parliament preparing for a meeting with Theresa May (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 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. A few insults here or there is not going to dim Jeremys commitment to do what is right. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will address a potentially explosive meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee on Wednesday evening. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield could face a retrial over the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans after a jury failed to reach a verdict. Jurors at Preston Crown Court found former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell guilty of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act by a majority of 10 to two on Wednesday, but failed to reach a verdict on Duckenfield after 29 hours and six minutes of deliberations. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will seek a retrial for the retired chief superintendent, 74, but his lawyers will oppose it on the grounds of abuse of process at a hearing due to be held in the week starting June 24. Hillsborough Family Support Group chairwoman Margaret Aspinall said the families of the 96 fans killed at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final had no closure. Mrs Aspinall, whose son James was 18 when he died in the crush on the Leppings Lane terrace, said: We were all hoping we would have some sort of closure today and we havent. We have still got a long journey. Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell arriving at Preston Crown Court (Peter Byrne/PA) She thanked the jury and those who supported the families and called on people not to post comments on social media which may prejudice a potential retrial. Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, and Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: There are many things we would like to say but cant due to the fact that this is an ongoing process. But we can at least say that today, at long last, someone has been held to account for what happened a vindication of the long fought battle by families and campaigners for truth and justice. Sue Hemming, legal director of the CPS, said: This trial, which relates to events from almost 30 years ago, has been incredibly complex and, after lengthy deliberations, the jury has found Graham Mackrell guilty but has been unable to reach a verdict in respect of David Duckenfield. Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield arrives at the Hillsborough Inquests in Warrington in 2015 (Peter Byrne/PA) 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. Conservative former minister Sir Christopher Chope, who represents Christchurch, questioned in the House of Commons whether it was reasonable for Duckenfield, who is one of his constituents, to face another trial. Around 60 family members and supporters who gathered to watch proceedings via videolink at the Cunard Building in Liverpool gasped as the court heard the jury had not been able to reach a verdict on Duckenfield. The prosecution in the case, which lasted more than 11 weeks, alleged Duckenfield had the ultimate responsibility at the ground for the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989. Under the law at the time he was not charged over the death of the 96th victim Tony Bland, as he died more than a year and a day after the disaster. The court heard Duckenfield ordered the opening of exit gates at the Leppings Lane end of the ground at 2.52pm, eight minutes before kick off, after the area outside the turnstiles became dangerously overcrowded. The 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster (PA) More than 2,000 fans entered through exit gate C once it was opened and many headed for the tunnel ahead of them, which led to the central pens where the crush happened. Richard Matthews QC, prosecuting, told the court in his closing speech that Duckenfield, who was promoted to the role less than three weeks before the match, should have had the knowledge to make key lifesaving decisions on the day. Duckenfield did not give evidence during the trial but Benjamin Myers QC, defending him, told the jury the case was breathtakingly unfair and said Duckenfield had tried to do the right thing. Mackrell, 69, who was safety officer for the club at the time, was accused of failing to take reasonable care particularly in respect of ensuring there were enough turnstiles to prevent unduly large crowds building up. The court heard there were seven turnstiles for the 10,100 Liverpool fans with standing tickets. Mackrell did not give evidence but Jason Beer QC, defending him, argued the build up outside was caused by other factors, including a lack of police cordons and the unusual arrival pattern of fans. He is due to be sentenced on May 13 and faces a maximum sentence of an unlimited fine. Drug use in prisons is now widespread, an official report has warned. It said the scale of the problem is significant and has become more challenging in recent years, exacerbated by the emergence of psychoactive substances. The strategy paper, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service, said: The misuse of drugs in prison is one of the biggest challenges facing our criminal justice system today. Drug misuse is prevalent and contributes to violence, crime and vulnerability within prisons, which threatens safety and the ability of our hard-working prison staff to deliver effective regimes. How are we tackling drugs in our prisons? Restricting supply Reducing demand Supporting recovery Today's @hmpps Prison Drugs Strategy outlines cross-govt action to tackle drug misuse + violence, crime & vulnerability within prisons. More here:https://t.co/TpLeFcTeJy pic.twitter.com/1pWb4YZe15 Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK) April 3, 2019 The document cited figures showing that, between 2012/13 and 2017/18, the rate of positive random tests for traditional drugs in jails increased by 50%, from 7% to 10.6%. Statistics published last year also showed that the number of incidents where drugs were found in prisons in England and Wales rose by 23% to 13,119 in 2017/18. The Ministry of Justice has published a prison drugs strategy (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The paper said: Drug use in prisons is now widespread, particularly in male local and category C prisons. The emergence of psychoactive substances such as synthetic cannabinoids has exacerbated the problem, and these are often used in conjunction with other drugs, while we remain aware of problems with the diversion and misuse of prescription medication. Prisons are being provided with x-ray scanners, extra detection dogs and mobile phone blocking technology as part of efforts to stop drugs getting in. Staff have also been issued with detailed guidance on handling incoming mail following attempts to post drug-laced paper into jails. The ministry said its strategy centres around three objectives, restricting supply, reducing demand and building recovery. Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: The threat drugs pose to the safety of prisons has never been greater and it requires a wide-ranging response. The Prison Drugs Strategy sets a clear direction for all those involved in reducing the impact of drugs in our jails. The potential benefits of this are huge, not only in the form of improved safety for officers and prisoners, but also in reduced re-offending and greater public safety. A portrait of rugby legend Doddie Weir will be auctioned at a fundraising dinner in Hong Kong, with Sir Billy Connolly among the guests. The life-size portrait by Gerard M Burns is being 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 are among expected to attend The Greatest Rugby Dinner Ever at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Sir Billy Connolly will be among the guests at the dinner (Jane Barlow/PA) After the auction, the artwork will return to Scotland, where it will be hung in the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. It will have an accompanying plaque naming all those who made contributions during the auction of the painting, which will be sold in crowd-funding style to raise as much money as possible. The dinner, expected to be attended by around 500 guests, has been organised by the Scottish business community based in Hong Kong as a precursor to the The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens on April 5-7. 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. The Scottish Government must grasp the nettle and take a new approach to deter children from leading unhealthy lifestyles, according to a Tory MSP. Speaking at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, Brian Whittle urged ministers to boost access to education for children so they are able to make active and healthy life choices. Mr Whittle also suggested there should be greater use of local produce in school meals. Last year, the Scottish Government published its public health plan, focusing on helping people to make healthier choices about food. As part of the plan, it aims to halve childhood obesity by 2030. Mr Whittle said unless the Scottish Government delivered a whole system, cross-portfolio approach to promoting healthy eating, little progress would be made. Mr Whittle suggested there should be greater use of local produce in school meals (Anthony Devlin/PA) We are talking about a significant system change, the benefit of which will take time to realise, he said. So if implemented by the current Scottish Government, they will not get the credit it will be subsequent administrations that take the plaudits. But you can achieve anything as long as you dont mind who gets the credit. This place has the capability of meaningfully affecting Scotlands long-term rising health and education crisis. Its time the Scottish Government grasped the nettle, stopped the endless pontificating and tickling round the edges, and delivered effective change. Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick said he was hopeful of continuing to tackle the issue of unhealthy eating and promoting positive physical health on a cross-party basis. Mr Fitzpatrick said: I was genuinely disappointed by the tone of Brian Whittles contribution because its not where weve been when were been discussing this very important matter in the past and I hope that we can get back to working together across this chamber on an issue which is very, very important. I do think we genuinely share my ambition and our ambition for a Scotland where we eat well and have a healthy weight and are physically active. Im sure thats something that we all share. Arlene Foster has appealed for new laws to tackle domestic abuse in Northern Ireland. The DUP leader said they were needed to ensure perpetrators were dealt with through the courts. She addressed a conference on the issue in Enniskillen organised by Fermanagh Womens Aid. Mrs Foster said: Dont feel you are alone or suffer in silence. Dont feel you are alone or suffer in silence. Domestic abuse comes in all forms. We need to ensure robust laws are in place and perpetrators are dealt with through the courts. Well done @WomensAidF for a very informative, helpful conference at the Lough Erne Resort today. pic.twitter.com/7hBc5NjrUf Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) April 3, 2019 Domestic abuse comes in all forms. We need to ensure robust laws are in place and perpetrators are dealt with through the courts. DUP leader Arlene Foster wants new laws to tackle domestic abuse (Liam McBurney/PA) Police have said they need new laws against coercive control amid increases in domestic abuse incidents. It is not currently a crime in Northern Ireland to commit such acts. Coercive control is a deliberate and calculated pattern of behaviour and psychological abuse designed to isolate, manipulate and terrorise a victim into complete fearful obedience, Womens Aid Northern Ireland said. The organisation said a new law would give police more scope to pursue perpetrators and bring them to justice. According to the PSNI, the 12 months from January 1 2018 to December 31 2018 saw 31,298 domestic abuse incidents, an increase of 1,611 (5.4%) on the previous 12 months and the highest 12-month period recorded since the start of the data series in 2004/05. The number of domestic abuse crimes reached 15,680, an increase of 1,308 (9.1%) on the previous 12 months and the highest 12-month period recorded since 2004/05. There were 17 domestic abuse incidents per 1,000 population and eight domestic abuse crimes. Increases were seen across all main offence types, except for breach of non-molestation order. All but one of the 11 policing districts showed an increase in domestic abuse incidents and all districts had higher levels of domestic abuse crime. Police have been joined by the coastguard and firefighters in the search for a missing pensioner who has dementia. Alistair Lovie was last seen at about 11am on Sunday walking close to disused mines north of Inverarish on the Isle of Raasay. Searches have involved Police Scotland, HM Coastguard helicopter and ground resources, the Search and Rescue Dogs Association, Skye Mountain Rescue Team, RAF Mountain Rescue Team, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the RNLI. Local volunteers are also helping with the search for the 72-year-old. He is described as 5ft 10in, of medium build with brown hair and blue eyes. When last seen he was wearing a black jacket, jeans, a black cap, a blue shirt and a red jumper. Anyone with any information is asked to speak with any police officer (David Cheskin/PA) Searches have continued on Raasay for Alistair Lovie, 72, who remains missing from his home on the island. We continue to urge people to be aware and report anything which could be of use to us. More here: https://t.co/smnzjN6fdO pic.twitter.com/x1HECHpQf6 Lochaber & Skye Police (@LochabSkyePol) April 3, 2019 Inspector Bruce Crawford said: Sadly, despite extensive searches over the last three days, the last confirmed sighting of Alistair remains on Sunday morning. Raasay is a small community and we know that there is considerable concern for Alistair among local residents. We would like to thank them for their assistance and support of the agencies taking part in the searches. I would ask that people remain vigilant and report anything which may be of use to police as soon as you can. If you have a shed or somewhere someone could have sought shelter then please continue to thoroughly check these. Anyone with any information is asked to get in touch quoting incident number 2548 of Sunday, March 31 or speak with any police officer. Networks of criminals were created around Scotland as a result of peoples experiences in approved schools and the Borstal system, an inquiry has been told. Residential childcare expert Professor Andrew Kendrick suggested that the institutions were not good environments for rehabilitation. Prof Kendrick, emeritus professor of social work at the University of Strathclyde, made the statement as he gave evidence at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) on the care of children in Scotland between 1948 to 1968. He referenced the experiences of reformed gang member Jimmy Boyle, whose memories of the system are set out in his book A Sense of Freedom. The book describes his former experiences in approved schools as involving a rigid regime, where corporal punishment and violence involving young people or staff was routine, the inquiry heard. Prof Kendrick told the hearing: I think the other thing that comes out of his description is the way in which networks of criminals across Scotland were created because of their experience in the approved schools and the Borstal system. The inquiry has been hearing from a residential care expert (Nick Mailer/PA) His attitude was he grinned and bore it. Those institutions werent particularly rehabilitative environments. Prof Kendrick, emeritus professor of social work at the University of Strathclyde, has compiled a report for the SCAI looking at various aspects surrounding the care of children in Scotland dating back more than a century. The report drew evidence from a number of written publications. He told the hearing how variations in practice meant it was down to chance as to whether a child had a positive or negative experience in care in the first half of the 20th century. He also spoke of large care institutions, such as voluntary homes or orphanages, from 1900 to 1948 as sterile and impersonal environments. Prof Kendrick told the hearing in Edinburgh: There is no recognition of the need for children to have, say, personal belongings, private space. One thing that struck me is the extent to which cleanliness was almost seen as the absolute priority. Children scrubbing floors or cleaning woodwork or polishing brass, in voluntary homes and approved schools, it was a constant theme that these institutions might gleam and sparkle but they were so, in a sense, sterile as well because of this. He added: If you have large numbers of children and a relatively small number of staff then everything becomes rigid and routine, everything has to be done by the bell and everything was done by the bell. Children would get up, they would be marched to the shower or washed, they would be marched to breakfast, they would eat in large canteens in this sort of wholescale way, they would have relatively little opportunity for play and recreation. The witness told senior counsel to the inquiry Colin MacAulay QC the recruitment of foster carers and residential staff was done on a very ad hoc basis. He told the inquiry: One of the major systemic weaknesses is around simply the variability of practice. Sometimes it is almost by chance whether a child has a positive experience of care, either foster care or residential care, or they have a very negative experience. The inquiry, before Lady Smith, continues on Thursday. Legal troubles are piling up for Carlos Ghosn after French carmaker Renault said it had flagged to judicial authorities serious problems with his expenses during his time as chairman of the company. Renaults statement suggests the company is toughening its approach to Ghosn, who it had long refrained from criticising after he was arrested in November in Japan on charges of understating his income at Japanese carmaker Nissan, which he was chairman of too. Renault said after a special board meeting that it had informed French authorities of potential issues concerning payments made to one of Renaults distributors in the Middle East. I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening. Press conference on Thursday, April 11. Carlos Ghosn (@carlosghosn) April 3, 2019 That echoed media reports that Ghosn had also benefited from payments made to a Renault-Nissan distributor in Oman that exposed him to further charges. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing and on Wednesday went on Twitter, posting on his new verified account, to say he will hold a news conference on April 11: Im getting ready to tell the truth about whats happening. Renault had previously alerted French authorities that Ghosn had benefited to the tune of 50,000 euros from a philanthropic deal the company had struck with the chateau of Versailles. Ghosn had reportedly held a lavish wedding at the royal estate. A Renault logo (David Cheskin/PA) On Wednesday, Renault also said that an internal investigation at the joint venture between Renault and Nissan, called RNBV, suggest serious deficiencies in terms of financial transparency and expenditure control procedures. It said the expenses amount to several million euros since 2010. The Renault board said it would not pay Ghosn the variable part of his pay packet for 2018, which comes on top of his fixed salary of one million euros for the year. It also stripped him of part of his pension benefits scheme. Ghosns lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, told reporters he has petitioned a Tokyo court to allow him to be tried separately from Nissan Motor Co, a co-defendant in the case in Japan. Concerns have been raised over an event at Versailles (Chris Radburn/PA) Ghosns arrests and charges are a sharp fall for an executive who dominated the industry. He has won global accolades for turning around Renault and then its alliance partner Nissan over the past two decades. He had wanted to merge the two companies, which together with a third alliance partner, Mitsubishi, are the biggest maker of passenger cars in the world. Ghosn bet early on that emissions crackdowns would eventually bring an end to the era of petrol and diesel engines, so he has championed bringing electric and autonomous cars to the masses, fighting resistance within both companies. Police have launched a murder investigation after a pair believed to be a pioneering Concorde pilot and his wife were found dead near the village of Bucklebury. An official named the couple found in a property in West Berkshire on Tuesday evening as Tony and Paula Meadows, who were both in their 80s. Mrs Meadows had been chronically ill with dementia and was being cared for by her husband on the farm where their bodies were found, according to a family friend. Detectives stressed to locals in the village where the Duchess of Cambridges family have lived that there is no further threat and that they are not searching for a suspect. Mr Meadows has previously written in the Mach 2 Concorde magazine that he was part of the flight crew during the supersonic jets first passenger flight from Heathrow to New York in 1977. Police outside the property (Steve Parsons/PA) Officers from Thames Valley Police were investigating at one of the homes on Hawkridge Farm in Chapel Lane, where a blue forensics tent has been set up. A family friend said the Meadows lived alone in the farm house where they had been for 35 years and that she had spoken to one of their three devastated children on Wednesday morning. They cant understand it. They havent been able to get their minds around it really, she said. Paula has dementia so she hadnt been very well for quite a while. But Tony always took care of her and looked after her very well, and took her for walks. He was a very caring person, very friendly. I cant understand how it happened unless she deteriorated and he got to the end of his tether. She added: Hes the type of person who would normally cope with any situation and its really sad that its happened. Its difficult to take in really. I can only think that if he committed suicide then he must have been driven to it by the situation. Neighbours in nearby Frilsham spoke of their shock over the deaths of the nice couple. I think Paula has dementia because she asked the same questions, said one woman who did not want to be named. Tony was a pilot. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Howard described their deaths as a tragic incident. We are currently investigating and have launched a murder inquiry but we are not looking for anybody else in connection with this incident, he added. Asked about the former British Airways captains death, the airline said: Our thoughts are with their family and friends. Several enthusiasts who knew Mr Meadows declined to comment, with one source saying: I think everyone in the Concorde world is a bit raw about this just now. Recounting the first time they flew the plane commercially to New York, Mr Meadows said they were met with enormous crowds amid a euphoria. Then, he was in charge of the aircraft on the way back to Britain. All the work had been worthwhile, he wrote in Mach 2. We had successfully taken our first bite at the Big Apple. The coroners office in Reading identified the couple found dead in Bucklebury as Tony and Paula Meadows, saying they were both aged 84. The duchesss parents Carole and Michael Middleton have owned an estate in the village, where they hosted their other daughter Pippas evening reception following her society wedding to James Matthews. Theresa Mays determination to avoid a no-deal Brexit has been fuelled by bad briefings on the perils of quitting the EU without an agreement, a former minister has said. Chris Heaton-Harris, who quit as Brexit minister on Wednesday, said that briefings received by the Prime Minister failed to reflect the scale of preparations which have been completed on both sides of the Channel. The Daventry MP, whose responsibilities included contingency planning for no deal, said he believed the UK could swiftly overcome any difficulties and go on to thrive without a Withdrawal Agreement. But he said that Mrs Mays insistence on not leaving without a deal made his job irrelevant. After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government. I'm grateful to the PM for giving me the opportunity to serve the UK and I will continue to represent my constituents as the MP for Daventry. pic.twitter.com/sHkVhwJ7bb Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) April 3, 2019 He said he believed Britain should have quit without a deal on the scheduled date of March 29 and could not support the second delay to Brexit which Mrs May is set to request at an EU summit next week. In his letter of resignation to Mrs May, Mr Heaton-Harris said that civil servants in the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) and across Government had moved mountains to prepare the UK for no deal. Former Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris (PA) Unfortunately, I do not believe the briefings you have received on these matters recently have reflected all they have achieved or the preparations our European partners have made, he told the PM. However, I completely understand you do not want to leave the European Union without a negotiated deal and that obviously makes my job in Government irrelevant. Mr Heaton-Harris said that no-deal preparations were well advanced. Whilst I would have preferred to leave the European Union with your deal, I truly believe our country would have swiftly overcome any immediate issues of leaving without a deal and gone on to thrive, he said. He added: I have constantly voted in Parliament for us to leave the European Union on March 29 2019. I truly believe we should have honoured the result of the 2016 referendum and left on that date. Indeed, every time we seek an extension to this process we diminish faith in our political system and the good people, from all political parties, who serve within it. I simply cannot support any further extension to Article 50 and this obviously means I cannot stay in Government. A Downing Street spokesman said: The Prime Minister was saddened to hear of this decision by a dedicated and skilful minister to resign from Government. Chris Heaton-Harris has been doing crucial work in ensuring that the country is prepared to leave the EU in all scenarios, and the PM thanks him for his service. An MEP from 1999-2009, Mr Heaton-Harris was elected to Parliament in 2010 and was appointed a whip by Mrs May when she came to office in 2016. He was promoted to a junior ministerial post at DExEU in July 2018, replacing arch-Brexiteer Steve Baker in the reshuffle prompted by a rash of resignations following the PMs Chequers deal. He is a former chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers. The Scottish Parliament will meet during recess if the UK is due to leave the EU without a deal next Friday, Holyroods Presiding Officer has said. Ken Macintosh confirmed the Parliament would be recalled from 1pm next Thursday in that situation. He described the matter as a developing situation and said MSPs may not get the suggested two days notice. Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh (right) confirmed the plans (PA) Mr Macintosh told MSPs: I can confirm that my intention is to recall Parliament next week to meet at 1pm on Thursday April 11 in the circumstances that the UK is due to leave the EU without a deal on the following day. I may not be in a position to confirm a recall to members until after decisions are taken at the EU summit on Wednesday the 10th of April. He said MSPs would be informed of any decision to recall through the Parliaments alert system. Holyroods parliamentary bureau, which determines day-to-day business in the Scottish Parliament, has been considering over the past few days whether to recall members during the two week recess, due to start on Friday. Earlier, Scotlands Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell said: I would be surprised if members would want to be elsewhere when that particular moment of crisis because it would be a moment of crisis if next Thursday and Friday we find ourselves essentially with no deal. Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell (Jane Barlow/PA) He added: We may only know if that is happening on the evening of the Wednesday at the European Council, therefore I think it is likely that we will meet on the Thursday, at the present moment, barring something happening in the next few days. Mr Russell spoke out after a spokesman for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it would be prudent for Parliament to be ready to sit next week. He told MSPs: I think there would be three purposes for the recall, the first of which would be to ensure that members are updated on arrangements for no deal, these are very serious arrangements, we would want every MSP to be aware of what they are and to be able to scrutinise those arrangements. The second one would be to update the Parliament on any political issues or issues of sensitivity that have arisen during the last week, if we meet next Thursday and Friday, in the light negotiations and the implications of any ruling of the European Council. The third one is to do with what members would want. I would be surprised if most members did not want to be at the forefront of ensuring that the devolved competencies and interests are looked after and defended and scrutinising that at a time of no deal. Soon-to-to-father Prince Harry was keen to discuss baby sleeping habits when he met a young mother during a visit in west London. In a touching moment, Harry knelt down and spoke with Maria Ahmad, who met the Duke with her three-month-old daughter Naz. Afterwards, Ms Ahmad told reporters: He was so excited and happy about the baby. Harry with baby Naz and mum Maria Ahmad (PA/Adrian Dennis) He was asking about her sleeping. I think hes worried about that, if the baby sleeps at night time. She added about meeting the prince: It was a nice surprise. He is a good person. Naz also appeared to enjoy meeting the prince, whose wife Meghan is heavily pregnant. She gave him a delightful smile as he knelt before her and her mum. Harry was visiting a charity for young peoples mental health on Wednesday and had just finished watching a ballet demonstration by a group of children. Meghan is expecting her baby in the next few weeks. The US House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas for special counsel Robert Muellers full Russia report as Democrats pressure the Justice Department to release the document without redactions. The committee voted 24-17 to give judiciary chairman Jerrold Nadler permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mr Muellers investigation. Mr Nadler has not yet said if he will send the subpoenas. House Democrats had given US attorney general William Barr until Tuesday to provide the full report to Congress. The Justice Department ignored that deadline, with Mr Barr telling committee chairmen in a letter last week that a redacted version of the almost 400-page report would be released by mid-April, if not sooner. The vote further escalates the Democrats battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually end up in court if the two sides cannot settle their differences through negotiation. Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Mr Barr. In the letter last week, Mr Barr said he is scrubbing the report to avoid disclosing any grand jury information or classified material, in addition to portions of the report that pertain to ongoing investigations or that would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties. Democrats say they want access to all of that information, even if some of it cannot be disclosed to the public. Mr Nadler said he will give Mr Barr time to change his mind on redactions, but if they cannot reach an agreement they will issue the subpoenas in very short order. He also said he is prepared to go to court to get the grand jury information. President Donald Trump (Evan Vucci/AP) This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney generals, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office, Mr Nadler said. The judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorise subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trumps former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Ms Donaldson served as Mr McGahns chief of staff before both left the administration. The five were key witnesses in Mr Muellers probe of possible obstruction of justice and were sent document requests by the judiciary panel last month, along with dozens of other people connected to Trump. Mr Nadler said he is concerned about reports that documents relevant to Mr Muellers investigation were sent outside the White House, meaning the committee should have access to them because they may not be covered by executive privilege. Mr Trump himself has largely deferred to Barr on the reports release while also saying he would not mind if the full version was made public. Still, he has criticised Democrats for seeking the unredacted information. Special counsel Robert Mueller (Cliff Owen/AP) He tweeted on Tuesday that there is no amount of testimony or document production that can satisfy Mr Nadler or House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, who has also called for the full release. In a four-page summary of Mr Muellers report on March 24, Mr Barr wrote that the special counsel did not find that Mr Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. He also said Mr Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Mr Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out evidence on both sides of the question. Mr Barr himself went further than Mr Mueller in his summary letter, declaring that Mr Muellers evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Mr Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. 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. We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement. 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. After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government. I'm grateful to the PM for giving me the opportunity to serve the UK and I will continue to represent my constituents as the MP for Daventry. pic.twitter.com/sHkVhwJ7bb Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) April 3, 2019 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. 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. (PA Graphics) 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. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said a softer Brexit seemed inevitable (Commons/PA) 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. Jeremy Corbyn said he was shocked that paratroopers in Afghanistan used an image of his face for target practice. The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into the conduct of the personnel from 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, who were filmed in Kabul shooting at a picture of the Labour leader. Mr Corbyn said: Im shocked, obviously, that this sort of thing has happened. I hope the Ministry of Defence will conduct an inquiry into it and find out what was going on and who did that. Shameful and utterly unacceptable. This goes against the values and standards of @BritishArmy. I welcome the @DefenceHQ investigation into this video and trust it will be resolved quickly. https://t.co/kDBTG0UgDx Dan Jarvis (@DanJarvisMP) April 3, 2019 Referring to the threats against Rosie Cooper, who was the target of a neo-Nazi murder plot, and the atmosphere in British politics, Mr Corbyn said: Yes people have disagreements and yes people have divisions. Conduct those divisions and disagreements in a respectful way. Dont descend into something ugly and violent. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was shocked by the soldiers actions (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 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. Thank you to Nia Griffith, for expressing a concern that I fully share. The video that emerged today is completely unacceptable and I will be working closely with the Army as they investigate. pic.twitter.com/cfrG6Ni5my Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) April 3, 2019 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. With a graphic of happy with that across the screen throughout, a number of marks can be seen peppered across Mr Corbyns face. 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. Theresa Mays official spokesman said the incident was clearly unacceptable, and that the Prime Minister was aware of the videos content but had not seen it. 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 Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith said the appalling footage comes at a time when members of Parliament face an unprecedented level of threat to their personal safety. Former soldier and Tory MP Johnny Mercer tweeted that every organisation has good people who make serious misjudgements. FFS. Every organisation has good people who make serious misjudgements. Its how it polices itself that matters, and an inability to do that correctly has caused so many problems of late (IHAT). I look forward to a robust response. https://t.co/vq71o3xOw0 Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) April 3, 2019 He added: Its how it polices itself that matters, and an inability to do that correctly has caused so many problems of late (IHAT). I look forward to a robust response. Labour MP Dan Jarvis, who is also a former Paratrooper, said the incident is shameful and utterly unacceptable. This goes against the values and standards of the British Army. I welcome the Ministry of Defence investigation into this video and trust it will be resolved quickly, he added. The incident comes 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 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. Metropolitan Police officers at the scene in Northolt Road in Harrow (Ted Hennessey/PA) 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. Jens Stoltenberg has acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defence budgets to cope with global challenges, such as Russian assertiveness. In the first address to Congress by a Nato head, he said: Questions are being asked on both sides of the Atlantic about the strength of our partnership. And, yes, there are differences. The Nato secretary general credited President Donald Trump with compelling allies to spend more on defence. But he did not mention that Trump has also questioned the value of the alliance and suggested that some members are freeloaders. Trumps criticisms have upset a delicate balance within an alliance that has long counted on Washington as its leader. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addresses a Joint Meeting of Congress (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Stoltenbergs speech provided a diplomatic counterpoint to Trumps sometimes derisive rhetoric, and the enthusiastic reception he received from both parties in the House was testament to an enduring pro-Nato consensus in Congress. James Stavridis, a retired Navy admiral who was Natos top commander from 2009 to 2013, called the Stoltenberg address a high point in recent US-European relations. Given the presidents evident and frequently vocalised scepticism of the alliance, it is clear that Congress on a bipartisan basis wants to put the full weight of the legislative branch behind Nato, Stavridis said. We will never find a better pool of allies in the world than the Europeans, and this address underscores the importance of the trans-Atlantic bridge, which has been creaking a bit lately. Trumps criticisms are not Natos only source of friction. Honoured to address the joint meeting of Congress to thank the US for its enduring support since #NATO was founded 70 years ago. Through NATO, the US has more friends & allies than any other power. Together we are stronger & safer: https://t.co/uULiFwKOSJ pic.twitter.com/3t3hKPQxWB Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 3, 2019 The alliance also is at odds with long-time member Turkey over its planned purchase of a Russian air defence system that is not compatible with the allied air defenses. 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. Stoltenberg made a point of highlighting the benefits to the United States of having Nato allies. Our alliance has not lasted for 70 years out of a sense of nostalgia or of sentiment, he said. Nato lasts because it is in the national interest of each and every one of our countries. Stoltenberg on Thursday will lead a meeting of Nato foreign ministers, hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to mark 70 years since the alliances founding charter, the North Atlantic Treaty. The alliance has grown from its original 12 members to 29, with the Republic of North Macedonia about to become the 30th member country. General Robert Neller, left, speaks with Jens Stoltenberg after the address (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Stoltenberg, a two-time former prime minister of Norway, is the first head of Nato to address a joint meeting of Congress. He touted the alliances long record of partnership but also noted it has a history of coping with internal divisions, including strong opposition by France, Germany and other members to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Open discussions and different views is not a sign of weakness, he said. 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 with serious disagreements. Trump has sharply criticised other Natomembers, including Germany, for not meeting spending targets. On Tuesday, he praised the generally upward trend among the European allies, but hounded them to pay even more because he believes America still shoulders a disproportionate share of the cost of protecting Europe. In a meeting at the White House, Trump and Stoltenberg had kind words for each other. But in the past, Trump has called Natoobsolete and suggested he might pull the US out of the alliance if member nations didnt significantly boost defence spending. A severe weather warning for snow has been issued as wintry conditions continue to affect much of the UK. The Met Office has put out a yellow alert for snow on high ground above 300 metres in Wales overnight and into Thursday morning. Forecasters are warning that some roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times for travellers. The warning, which covers much of southern and central Wales, is currently in place from 4am to 11am on Thursday. Rain, sleet and snow are expected to affect driving conditions on Thursday morning, particularly in Wales and the West Midlands. A chilly Wednesday night is predicted, with temperatures set to drop just above or below zero degrees in several parts of the country. A severe weather warning for snow has been issued by the Met Office. The Met Office said frost and ice will form and advised people to take care on icy stretches of road. Hill snow, hail and sleet have hit many parts of the country this week as spring got off to a wintry start. #Rain, #Sleet and #Snow will give some difficult driving conditions on Thursday morning, especially across parts of Wales and the West Midlands. Elsewhere, cold with #Icy stretches so take care on the roads #WeatherAware @TheRAC_UK pic.twitter.com/12mF45Nqme Met Office (@metoffice) April 3, 2019 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 early on Wednesday morning. The M55 was closed in both directions but no-one was seriously injured, the force said. The current outlook for Thursday is a day of sunshine and showers for most areas, with some places staying dry. Showers will be most frequent in the South West, with a longer spell of rain in northern Scotland. 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. A youth club in Londonderry has cancelled an event involving police after a party representing republicans vowed to stage a protest. The Long Tower Youth and Community Centre was due to hold a conference in the Guildhall on Wednesday. But political party Saoradh said it would demonstrate against the event 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. 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. Police in Londonderry had been invited to the conference (PA) 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. 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 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. Tottenham are home and the new stadium has been worth the wait. After 689 days, 51 trips to Wembley and numerous embarrassing delays, Wednesday evening saw Mauricio Pochettinos men finally strut back out in N17 at the breathtaking Tottenham Hotspur Stadium . There has been a six-month delay in moving into the ground which has risen out of the ashes of White Hart Lane, but those issues were forgotten as the club began an exciting new chapter against Crystal Palace. Son Heung-min became the first player to get Spurs fans on their feet inside the jaw-dropping stadium and his deflected opener was followed by a Christian Eriksen effort in a 2-0 win far less impressive than the surroundings. Still, the grand opening of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is about far more than one victory as it kick-starts the transformation of the club and local area. In truth, the spaceship-like structure could scarcely look more out of place on the Tottenham High Road, especially as many of the surrounding streets and shops remain unchanged from White Hart Lanes demolition. This giant 62,029-seater stadium dominates the local skyline in a way the previous ground did not, just as it provides the opportunities Spurs former home was unable to in an area of London that has had its problems. It is eight years since Tottenham, the fifth most deprived area of the capital, witnessed the worst of the riots which gripped the city a period which shook the neighbourhood and the clubs leadership. That was the moment when chairman Daniel Levy decided to end his flirtation with the Olympic Stadium and stay in a community that should now flourish with this new ground at the heart of it, with wider redevelopment bringing new homes, facilities and jobs. Not everybody, of course, is overly-enamoured by the new stadium and it was easy to understand as the local transport creaked under the weight of a sell-out crowd descending on the second biggest league ground in the country. Significant investment means that infrastructure will improve in time, so too the measures that delayed entrance into a ground that is the envy of the sporting world, never mind Spurs Premier League rivals. You can still smell the leather of the recently-installed seats in the press auditorium and fresh paint on the walls, with the attention to detail as eye-catching as the stylish throughout Spurs new home. The cockerel statue has been replicated at the new arena (Nick Potts/PA) The famous golden cockerel that watched over White Hart Lane has been scanned and replicated, including imperfections of the original such as the dent created by fan favourite Paul Gascoignes air rifle during his playing days. Crushed rubble from the old stadium has been used in the new ground, where the longest continuous bar in Europe is a feature along with an American-style food court area and a microbrewery. Architects Populus says it is the best of 1,300 stadiums they have helped design around the world and it was clear to hear as much as see on Wednesday. The focus on acoustics turned the ground into a cauldron in the early stages, with noise reverberating down the 17,500-seater single-tier South Stand after a heart-warming opening ceremony. Spurs players gave their jackets to shivering mascots who accompanied them onto the field as the club joined to reflect on the impact of the new stadium before fireworks filled the north London air. The performance failed to live up to that pre-match razzmatazz, but the 59,215 inside will never forget this night as problems, postponements and frustrations made way for hope. The Easter getaway will start two weeks early as millions of families take to the road when many schools break up on Friday, a motoring organisation has warned. RAC research suggests 14 million leisure trips will be taken by car between Friday and Sunday in the UK. Friday is expected to be the busiest day for traffic with 5.3 million getaway trips battling for road space with commuter and commercial traffic. The best time to travel to avoid hold-ups on Friday is either before 3pm or after 7pm. A second wave of congestion is expected over the Easter bank holiday weekend two weeks later. RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: With the Easter bank holiday falling so late this year we are expecting to see a double wave of getaway traffic firstly at the end of this week and then again two weeks later for the four-day weekend. Heavy traffic is expected this weekend as many schools break up for Easter (Tim Ireland/PA) Were hopeful the weather wont cause drivers too many issues through this coming weekend, but everyone should be ready for some typical short, sharp April showers, with even the possibility of some snow on higher ground in the North. This can be a busy time of year for our patrols so we strongly urge motorists to check over their vehicles before they set out. This is particularly important for people driving long distances. Spending just a few moments to check oil, coolant, together with tyre tread depth and pressures, can mean the difference between a long but completed journey and one disrupted by an inconvenient, and perhaps preventable, breakdown that ruins the start of a holiday. Pret a Manger is to embark on its biggest ever menu shake-up as the sandwich chain rings the changes following its 1.5 billion takeover. A total of 20 new products are being added to the food firms offering next week, with many targeted at flexitarians, vegans and vegetarians. They will include food that can be eaten any time of the day to accommodate snacking, and Pret is also introducing its own gluten-free bread following strong demand from customers. Prets head of food development Hannah Dolan described it as the biggest change in our history. Two-thirds of Pret products are now purchased outside of the lunchtime period, and we think these filling snacks and smaller meals will fit really well with our customers busy schedules, she said. Last year the group was sold for 1.5 billion to JAB, the investment vehicle of Germanys wealthy Reimann family. Pret is rolling out a new menu (PA) It preceded a difficult period for the firm, which saw Pret introduce full ingredient labelling on every product after a 15-year-old died from an allergic reaction to a baguette bought at Heathrow Airport branch. The 20 new products include salad pots, vegan and meaty open sandwiches, new desserts, vegan breakfast birchers and a bircher smoothie. Pret has over 500 stores worldwide and is rapidly expanding globally in countries such as the US, China and France. JAB is also behind Krispy Kreme donuts, Kenco coffee and Dr Pepper. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank if he is re-elected. The vow marks a dramatic policy shift apparently aimed at rallying his nationalist base in the final stretch of a tight race. Mr Netanyahu has promoted Jewish settlement expansion in his four terms as prime minister but until now refrained from presenting a detailed vision for the West Bank, seen by the Palestinians as the heartland of a future state. An Israeli annexation of large parts of the West Bank could snuff out any last flicker of hope for an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of a Palestinian state on lands Israel captured in 1967. A so-called two-state solution has long been the preferred option of most of the international community. However, intermittent US mediation between Israelis and Palestinians ran aground after President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital early in his term. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is running for re-election (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) The Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, suspended contact with the US. More recently, Mr Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967. The move was viewed in Israel as a political gift by Mr Trump to Mr Netanyahu who is being challenged by former military chief Benny Gantz. Polls have indicated a close race, though Mr Netanyahus Likud Party is expected to have a better chance than Mr Gantzs Blue and White slate to form a ruling coalition. Polls forecast more than 60 out of 120 parliament seats for the Likud and smaller right-wing and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties On Saturday, Mr Netanyahu gave an interview to Israels Channel 12 TV. He portrayed the US policy shifts on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as his achievements, saying he had managed to persuade Mr Trump to take these steps. Mr Netanyahu pledged that he would not dismantle a single Jewish settlement and that Israel would retain control of the territory west of the Jordan River the West Bank. More than 600,000 Israelis now live on war-won lands, two-thirds in the West Bank. The interviewer asked why he had not annexed some of the larger settlements during his current term. The question you are asking is an interesting question, whether we will move to the next stage and the answer is yes, he said, adding that the next term in office would be fateful. We will move to the next stage, the imposing of Israeli sovereignty. I will impose sovereignty, but I will not distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements, he said. From my perspective, any point of settlement is Israeli, and we have responsibility, as the Israeli government. I will not uproot anyone, and I will not transfer sovereignty to the Palestinians. In any partition deal, the more isolated Jewish settlements would likely have to be uprooted to create a viable Palestinian state. Saeb Erekat, a veteran former Palestinian negotiator, said he held the international community, especially the Trump administration, responsible for Israels policies. Israel will continue to brazenly violate international law for as long as the international community will continue to reward Israel with impunity, particularly with the Trump administrations support and endorsement of Israels violation of the national and human rights of the people of Palestine, he said. Lt General DS Hooda (Retd) has submitted a comprehensive strategy document on national security to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The Congress party had roped in Lt Gen Hooda in February this year to prepare a report. Hooda spoke with DailyO on some of the recommendations in the report and his views on Armed Forces Special Protection Act (AFSPA). Q. What are your top 3 recommendations in the report given to the Congress? Well, the national security strategy is a very comprehensive look at all our security requirements and how we can provide a safe internal and external environment for our citizens. There are many recommendations its difficult to say which three are most important. The broad structure of the study is that we have looked at how India should find its rightful place in global affairs. The second part is, how do we achieve a secure neighbourhood we have issues with Pakistan, a boundary that's not settled with China, increasing Chinese influence in South Asia. The third part is, how do we resolve our internal conflicts like J&K, the north east. The fourth part is, how do we protect our people from emerging risks like climate change, environmental degradation, demographic challenges, cyber threats and technology disruption. And the final part of the study is on how we should build our capabilities in various areas. When it comes to recommendations in the neighbourhood part, these are different for Pakistan and Afghanistan, how we manage our relations with China and the rest of our neighbours. I have also talked about having an Indian Ocean strategy. Every country has a written national security strategy that provides the basis of other organs of government to start taking action. If we dont have this strategy, then how does the military draw its own strategy? This provides a framework on how we can address future risks. I think that one broad framework of strategy is essential. Since the Congress commissioned this study, I am sure they will take these recommendations into consideration. The Congress commissioned the study on national security strategy, headed by Lt General DS Hooda (Retd). (Source: Twitter) Q. Are you closer to the Congress than the BJP? When I had joined the National Defence Academy (NDA), I was 16 years old I removed my uniform when I was 60 years old. So, most of my life has been in uniform. It teaches us to be apolitical. Frankly, there is no political angle to this report. This is not my report, I have consulted various experts we have all done this purely because we felt that we required some debate on national security in India and this is a task done in national interest. Yes, the Congress needs to be complimented. Lets take a serious look at national security strategy. I do agree that there is no harm in a retired general joining any political party. I want to say that Im not joining the Congress party. And the report doesnt have any political angle to it. Q. What are your views on the Balakot air strike which followed the Pulwama attack? Was it an effective response? Yes, it was we had lost 40 CRPF men, probably the deadliest attack. Response was essential. I dont think anybody in the government could have even contemplated that we should not go ahead. And by using air response, we could give a strong message to Pakistan. I have no doubt whether the strikes actually happened you have a person as senior as the chief of air staff stands up and say that we hit the target we wanted to. We should not have doubts about the first surgical strikes either I was there, I oversaw things. Nothing political about it: Lt General DS Hooda (Retd) says the national security strategy is a must and is apolitical. (Source: PTI) Q. Congress' manifesto has sparked a debate on whether removing/reducing Armed Forces Special Protection Act (AFSPA) will end militancy in Kashmir? Militancy in Kashmir has many aspects, there is a cross-border terrorism factor, internal conflict, issues of radicalization, there are so many facets to militancy in Kashmir. Just talking about AFSPA will prevent us in finding a comprehensive strategy for Kashmir. I think this debate needs to be put on the backburner. We need to find effective responses to these issues in Kashmir. If you want the army there, you need to have a legal act otherwise the army cant operate. Q. Should India have talks with Imran Khan and Pakistan on Kashmir? I see Pakistan as a neighbour and at some stage, we need to have dialogue or talks. The only thing is that this dialogue needs to be result-oriented; it must lead to some result. If infiltration and ceasefire violation are going to continue, then I dont see any progress. The ball is firmly in Pakistans court if takes some action against terror groups, then certainly, whatever talks take place will be positive. Also read: AFSPA or political chutzpah? How the Congress' promise of reexamining AFSPA has sparked reactions in the Kashmir Valley 11 hours ago 3 New NASDAQ 100 Index Additions to Buy Now New Nasdaq 100 Stocks to Buy Now Its always interesting to see which names make it into major indices when they are rebalanced, as these moves can give investors valuable insight into where a stock might be heading in the coming months. 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Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. Intu owns and manages some of the best shopping centres, in some of the strongest locations, in the UK and Spain. Our UK portfolio is made up of 17 centres, including eight of the top-20, and in Spain we own three of the country's top-10 centres, with advanced plans to build a fourth. We are passionate about creating compelling experiences, in centre and online, that make our customers smile and help our retailers flourish. We attract around 400 million customer visits and 26 million website visits a year offering a multichannel approach that truly supports retail strategies. Our strategic focus on prime, high-footfall flagship destinations, combined with the strength and popularity of our brand, means that intu offers enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our tenants flourish, driving occupancy and income growth. We are committed to our local communities, with our centres supporting nearly 130,000 jobs (representing about 3 per cent of the total UK retail workforce), and to operating with environmental responsibility. We have already met or exceeded a significant number of our 2020 environmental targets. Read More Koninklijke Philips N.V. is the Netherlands-based health technology company. The Company's segments include Personal Health businesses, Diagnosis & Treatment businesses, Connected Care & Health Informatics businesses, HealthTech Other and Legacy Items. The Personal Health businesses segment is engaged in the health continuum, delivering integrated, connected solutions that support healthier lifestyles and those living with chronic disease. The Diagnosis & Treatment businesses segment delivers precision medicine and treatment, and therapy. The Connected Care & Health Informatics businesses segment provides consumers, care givers and clinicians with digital solutions that facilitate care by enabling precision medicine and population health management. The HealthTech Other segment comprises such items, as innovation, emerging businesses, royalties, among others. The Legacy Items segment consists mainly of separation costs, legacy legal items, legacy pension costs, among others. Read More Saga plc provides general insurance, package and cruise holidays, and personal finance products and services in the United Kingdom. The company operates in three segments: Insurance, Travel, and Other Businesses and Central Costs. It offers car, home, health, travel, landlord, boat, motorhome, caravan, pet, and personal accident, breakdown cover, building, content, renter, holiday, and holiday home insurance. The company also operates and delivers package tours and cruise holiday products; and provides equity release and care funding advice, savings accounts, credit cards, and wealth management services, as well as shares ISA and share dealing services. In addition, it offers mailing house services; retirement benefit schemes; and publishes Saga Magazine, as well as repairs automotive vehicles. The company was formerly known as Saga Limited and changed its name to Saga plc in May 2014. Saga plc was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Folkestone, the United Kingdom. Read More Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Exploration and Production, WES Midstream, and Other Midstream. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It is also involved in gathering, processing, treating, and transporting oil, natural-gas, and NGLs production, as well as the gathering and disposal of produced water. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the United States onshore and deepwater Gulf of Mexico; and Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, and other countries. As of December 31, 2018, it had approximately 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas. Read More William Lyon Homes, together with its subsidiaries, designs, constructs, markets, and sells single-family detached and attached homes in California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Texas. It sells its homes primarily to entry-level, first-time move-up, and second-time move-up homebuyers. The company offers its services through in-house commissioned sales personnel and outside brokers. As of December 31, 2018, it owned approximately 17,649 lots and had options to purchase an additional 11,892 lots. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California. Read More BCE Inc., a telecommunications and media company, provides wireless, wireline, Internet, and television (TV) services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in Canada. It operates through three segments: Bell Wireless, Bell Wireline, and Bell Media. The Bell Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communications products and services. The Bell Wireline segment provides data, including Internet access and Internet protocol television; and local telephone, long distance, satellite TV service, and connectivity, as well as other communications services and products. This segment also buys and sells local telephone, long distance, data, and other services from or to resellers, and other carriers. The Bell Media segment provides conventional TV, specialty TV, pay TV, and streaming services; and digital media, radio broadcasting, out-of-home advertising services. It owns and operates approximately 35 conventional TV stations; 27 specialty and four Pay TV channels; 3 direct-to-consumer streaming services; 109 licensed radio stations; and websites. The company was formerly known as Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. BCE Inc. was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Verdun, Canada. Read More Begbies Traynor Group plc provides various professional services to businesses, professional advisors, large corporations, and financial institutions in the United Kingdom. The company operates in two segments, Business Recovery and Financial Advisory Services, and Property Services. It offers business rescue, closure, and personal insolvency solutions; advise for corporate and commercial finance, restructuring and turnaround, financial consulting and options, forensic accounting and technology, investigations, and corporate solutions; and red flag alert services, as well as personal insolvency solutions comprising individual voluntary arrangement, bankruptcy, debt arrangement scheme, sequestration, and trust deed services. The company also provides property services, such as property auctions, building and project consultancy, machinery and business assets, valuations, property management, rating, insurance broking and valuations, and lease advice, as well as occupier and vacant property compliance services. It offers its services to accountants, asset based lenders, banks, creditors, and solicitors, as well as directors and business owners. Begbies Traynor Group plc was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Manchester, the United Kingdom. Read More Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More Teenage sensation Moise Kean scored the winner to put Juventus one step away from an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday as a 2-1 comeback win over AC Milan pushed the champions 21 points clear at the top. Kean -- the victim of racist abuse earlier this week in Cagliari -- came on as a substitute and fired in the winner on 84 minutes for his fifth goal in as many league games. The Turin giants will seal a 35th Scudetto on Sunday with seven matches to spare -- the earliest any team has won Serie A -- if second-placed Napoli lose at home against Genoa. Juventus were playing without injured striker Cristiano Ronaldo, recovering from a thigh injury, as they prepare for their Champions League quarter-final, first leg against Ajax. But 19-year-old Kean has stepped up in the absence of the Portuguese superstar who is battling to be fit for Wednesday's game in Amsterdam. "Even today Kean came on and scored, he is very good at that," said Allegri of the youngster who also scored twice in two Euro 2020 qualifiers for Italy. "He's a young man who is doing very well, but let's leave him to be calm. "Will he play on Wednesday (against Ajax)? We'll see, the substitutes are important as we saw today." Krzysztof Piatek had put visiting AC Milan ahead five minutes before the break with his 21st goal of the season. Paulo Dybala pulled the hosts level from the spot on the hour mark. Roma back winning For Milan, the defeat further damages their Champions League ambitions with just one point from their last four Serie A games. Gennaro Gattuso's side are fourth but can be overtaken by Atalanta, who are one point behind and travel to third-placed Inter Milan on Sunday. Roma, also targeting a Champions League berth, got back winning with captain Daniele De Rossi scoring the only goal against Sampdoria, to sit sixth, equal on points with Atalanta. "We still have a chance to qualify for the Champions League if we beat Lazio next Saturday," said Gattuso, as they target a first Champions League campaign since 2013-14. The visitors had come out firing. Piatek missed a chance after two minutes, heading wide from Suso's cross. Franck Kessie was also off target early. Sami Khedira came on for the first time since heart surgery a month ago, replacing fellow German Emre Can who went off early with an ankle sprain. Milan were denied a penalty when Alex Sandro handled Hakan Calhanoglu's cross. The referee decided it was unintentional after a VAR review. Minutes later, Piatek broke through to beat fellow Pole Wojciech Szczesny following a blunder from former Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci, who had been widely criticized for comments he made over the racist abuse Kean suffered in Cagliari. Tiemoue Bakayoko pounced on his sloppy pass to burst through for Piatek to score. Mario Mandzukic almost grabbed the equalizer before the break but Pepe Reina, at full stretch, tipped clear the Croat's acrobatic effort. A reckless Mateo Musacchio foul on fellow Argentine Dybala allowed the hosts to pull level. Kean came on for Dybala and 20 minutes later delivered the winner as Bonucci rushed to celebrate with the striker he had blamed for partly inciting a barrage of racist abuse in Sardinia. In Genoa, De Rossi gave new coach Claudio Ranieri's just his second win in five games since taking over. The captain finished off a rebound on 75 minutes after a Patrik Schick header was cleared. Torino dropped out of the Europa League places with a goalless draw at Parma, as Lazio, with a game in hand, look to keep in the Champions League chase at home against Sassuolo on Sunday. 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 Rayonier, Inc. is a real estate investment trust, which engages in investment in timberlands. It operates through the following business segments: Southern Timber, Pacific Northwest Timber, New Zealand Timber, Real Estate, Timber Funds and Trading. The Southern Timber, Pacific Northwest Timber and New Zealand Timber segments reflect all activities related to the harvesting of timber and other value-added activities, such as recreational licenses, within each respective geography. The Real Estate segment reflects all U.S. land sales, which are reported in the following sales categories: Improved Development, Unimproved Development, Rural, Non-Strategic and Timberlands, and Large Dispositions. The Timber Funds segment represents operations of the three private equity timber funds included in the Pope Resources transaction. The Trading segment reflects the log trading activities that support New Zealand operations. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Wild light, FL. Read More MFS California Municipal Fund is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Massachusetts Financial Services Company. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in debt securities the interest on which in the opinion of issuer counsel is exempt from federal regular income tax and California personal income tax. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against Barclays Municipal Bond Index. It was formerly known as the MFS California Insured Municipal Fund. MFS California Municipal Fund was formed on October 29, 1999 and is domiciled in United States. 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 Edinburgh Dragon Trust plc is an investment trust. The Company's objective is to achieve long-term capital growth through investment in the Far East with the exception of Japan and Australasia. The Company's assets are invested in a diversified portfolio of securities in quoted companies spread across a range of industries and economies in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan and Australasia. The Company invests in various sectors, including automobiles; aerospace and defense; air freight and logistics; banks; capital markets; chemicals; construction materials; consumer products; diversified telecommunication services; food and staples retailing; food products; household products; industrial conglomerates; insurance; Internet software and services; information technology (IT) services; machinery; multiline retail; pharmaceuticals; real estate management and development; road and rail, and tobacco. Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited is the Company's investment manager. 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 Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc., Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets across the globe with a focus on the United States. The fund invests in securities of companies that operate across diversified sectors. It invests in fixed income securities such as senior secured floating rate loans, fixed rate loans, and collateralized debt. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up security selection process to create its portfolio. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. It was formerly known as Invesco Van Kampen Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund. Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund was formed on June 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Novan, Inc., a clinical development-stage biotechnology company, provides nitric oxide-based therapies to treat dermatological and oncovirus-mediated diseases. Its clinical stage dermatology drug candidates include SB204, a topical monotherapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris; SB206, a topical anti-viral gel for the treatment of viral skin infections; SB208, a topical broad-spectrum anti-fungal gel for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nails, including athlete's foot and fungal nail infections; and SB414, a topical cream-based gel product candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. The company also develops SB207, an anti-viral product candidate for the treatment of external genital warts; WH602, a nitric oxide-containing intravaginal gel to treat high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV); WH504, a non-gel formulation product candidate to treat high-risk HPV; and SB019 for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Novan, Inc. has a license agreement with Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and a strategic alliance with Orion Corporation. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina. Read More If you want to get inside the Capitol, the easiest and fastest way is to arrive at the same time as the people who work there. The U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, accessed from the East Front of the Capitol, opens at 8:30 a.m. a half-hour before some senators and representatives begin public office hours. The Visitors Center begins offering its free 45-minute guided tours at 8:40 a.m., and starts new ones every 10 minutes. Visitors can reserve slots online, but if you haven't, an early arrival is usually your best chance for first-come, first-served passes. And on your way out, you'll notice how the lines to get through security have grown throughout the morning. Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG. Read More 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].com | (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. Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More One thing, Im going to call balls and strikes. If you look at whats going on right now, its easy to extract that its a racial divide right there because you see cops out there like the press conference you didnt see any suburban black chiefs standing up there so its easy to draw from that, that its a racial divide regarding this, Johnson said. But you know what? We have to stop all that and focus on whats right and whats wrong. Standing at a lectern dont get me started on the nightmarishness of lecterns for all but the tall Lightfoot, who is about to become the first African-American woman and the first openly gay person to lead the city, delivered a moving speech about what Chicago children could see in her victory. If Illinois legalizes recreational marijuana, workers and job seekers will still likely have to abide by many employers rules when it comes to drug-free work places, experts say. Whether employers would change those rules or their drug testing practices is still hazy. Two sailors absent without leave from the Great Lakes Naval Base were charged with murder Tuesday in the death of a Wheeling fisherman whose body was found in Lake Michigan last month, police said. The two men, arrested about 2 p.m. in Barberton, Ohio, were identified as Jared Lee Fitch, 19, of Barberton, and Harold Francis Hains III, 19, of Casper, Wyo., according to Barberton police officer Robert Nickel. Advertisement The two sailors have confessed to the murder of Mark Mueller, 32, whose body was found Oct. 26 in Lake Michigan near the Waukegan marina, apparently the victim of a robbery, Lake County Sheriff Clinton Grimmell said Tuesday. Fitch and Hains were being held in the Barberton jail Tuesday, but they have waived their extradition rights and will be transferred to the Lake County jail Wednesday, Nickel said. Advertisement Grimmell said Fitch and Hains, who were reported AWOL about the time of Mueller`s murder, were among a list of possible suspects being investigated. But until Monday, Grimmell said, ''We had nothing. All we had was a body floating in the water.'' Barberton police spotted Mueller`s car, a 1980 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon which had been stripped and burned, in one of the town`s business parking lots on Monday and reported the find to Lake County police, Grimmell said. The sheriff`s department sent two investigators to Barberton Tuesday to interview Fitch, the only suspect on the department`s list from Barberton, Grimmell said. The two were arrested by investigators of the Lake County sheriff`s police on charges of possession of stolen property, and later were charged with murder, according to Nickel. Mueller, who regularly fished in the lake, was slain sometime between 1 a.m. on Oct. 26 and 4 a.m. that same day, when another fisherman saw his body floating in the water, Lake County sheriff`s police have said. ''He was a regular fisherman who was well-known on the lakefront,'' deputy sheriff Willie Smith said at the time of the murder. ''His wife said he went fishing there a lot.'' Advertisement Hains` mother, Linda Hains, contacted at her home in Casper, said she did not know that her son was AWOL or that he had been charged with murder. ''He probably hasn`t called because he didn`t want to upset me,'' she said, adding that her son had mentioned his association with Fitch before in telephone conversations. Officials at the Great Lakes Naval Base said they could not comment Tuesday on the charges against Fitch and Hains. ''Apparently the two individuals are attached to Great Lakes in some way, but they could be students of the Service School Command, who are free to come and go as they please,'' Lt. Nancy Slivka said. ''The chances of those students leaving unauthorized is the greatest at Great Lakes. We`re not even sure if they actually are Great Lakes sailors.'' Grimmell has scheduled a Wednesday morning press conference to discuss the arrests. Rating: Director: Robbie Grewal Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff, Sikander Kher, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Raghubir Yadav, Anil George, Alka Amin. It takes very special kinds of powers and some frozen facial muscles to walk through the entirety of a film with just one expression morose. John Abraham has that ability and uniqueness, and he flaunts it to the hilt in Romeo Akbar Walter, or RAW, which is less a film and more a slow, dead crawl to the end credits. Do not underestimate the power of RAW to sap you of all interest in life. It made me walk past a new chole-bhature stall outside the cinema hall without blinking, or a drop of saliva forming. Director Robbie Grewal, who made something called Aloo Chaat (2009) and Samay: When Time Strikes (2003), is special too. Never has a film been made on spies and spying that has had to drag its feet throughout, that too while India is in pursuit of thwarting Pakistans evil designs on what was, in 1971, East Pakistan. RAW opens in Karachi, specifically in the ISIs detention centre, where Akbar (John Abraham) is being relieved of his nails, one by one, by one rather sharp and natty Colonel Khan (Sikander Kher). The back story of how and why Akbar got here is then shared with us, in all its banal, mundane detail. There sat, in Delhis RAW headquarters, its head, Shrikant Rai (Jackie Shroff). He spotted Romeo, a bank employee, who was so adept at shape shifting and pretending to be another, that Rai decided to put him through a test at the Indian National Bank where he worked and nurtured soft-soft feelings for a colleague, played with a permanent pout by Mouli Roy. Romeo passes the test with flying colours, is summoned and, told, Beta, desh seva is the best and asked to join the secret service specifically for Mission Thwart. India being on the verge of a war with Pakistan, as we have been backing Mukti Bahini, the Independence-seeking collective of military and civilians, we need to know what Pakistan is planning. And Romeo must feed the eager Indian intelligence network and sarkar to help create the liberated state of Bangladesh. And so Romeo Ali is trained and sent off to embed himself in the organisation run by Isaq Afridi (Anil George), Pakistans main arms supplier and a man very close to the Army chief. As Romeo goes to work in a hotel in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, posing as Akbar Malik, he uses his melancholic guile to ingratiate himself to Isaq. This despite the fact that he misses his mommy dear (Alka Amin) like hell. Isaq takes notice, likes and hires Akbar in his Karachi office. Meanwhile, some rather boring politics is being played in Delhi. And there is some equally boring powerplay in Pakistan between two groups in the Army. Pakistan it seems is infested by double agents, and theres just one mole they have managed to place in India. But some in the ISI are rather sharp, like Col. Khan, and he starts taking an interest in Akbar. Soon, the screen is repeatedly reminding us of the number of hours left for Badlipur bombing. And as the seconds needle tick-tocks in your head, on screen the all-important people in Pakistan and India are playing pin-the-map and drawing circles with pencils around this area and that. A rather long-winded chase ensues during which the very special Mr Abraham manages to keep that same worried-sad expression. Romeo Akbar Walter is suffused with ardent desh bhakti sentiment, but its not offensive. Its not overtly jingoistic. Its bigger offence is that it is really, really dull. And boring. And slow. It also has some very silly, dumb things for a spy film. For example, a double agent under ISI surveillance is making out with an employee of the Indian high commission in the open before taking it to the bedroom. The film, pretty much like my detailed synopsis, devotes itself to the minutiae of the daily life of the worlds saddest spy in the dullest way possible. So much so that you can actually finish your daily jog around the cinema hall, with some step aerobics thrown in, keeping the film simply on audio. When you return with your cup of coffee, not much progress would have been made, either by Mr Abraham or India. Only Sikander Kher will catch your attention and youll wonder, like me, this boy is so good. Why dont we see more of him? Why? Why? Romeo Akbar Walters story is decent, and very similar to the much sharper, well-made and acted Raazi. But here a thriller has been given art house treatment when it really needed some tension, kinetic action and suspense. Clearly, many thoughts dwell in John Abrahams pretty head. But somehow his face and eyes have the ability to appear absolutely blank, as if not a single fleeting idea or thought has ever ventured anywhere near him. John Abraham of the famously pert butt encase in the tightest of yellow lycra chaddies allows just a fleeing smile on perhaps two or three occasions and one half-smile to tell us, oh-ho, Im so cool, see, double crossing these Pakistani dudes. Then he relapses into melancholic worry. John Abraham usually does action well. Not here. Here he screams nicely, once. Bus, before sinking into that same morose expression. RAW here is an acronym for both, the organisation his character serves, the various avatars he assumes, and its a play on Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Manmohan Desais brilliant ode to Indias diversity and secular heritage. How smart! Sadly, all of RAWs smartness begins and ends with its title. The Church teaches that, while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are but it also says that the human dignity of homosexuals must be respected and defended. (Photo: Representational/Pexels) Vatican City: Human rights lawyers and gay rights advocates urged the Vatican on Friday to issue a clear and unequivocal statement against the criminalisation of homosexuality. The request was made at a Vatican meeting two days after the United Nations said Brunei was violating human rights by implementing Islamic laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality. Brunei has defended its right to implement the laws. About 50 lawyers and gay advocates, led by Baroness Helena Ann Kennedy, director of the International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute, met Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state and gave him a study on criminalisation of homosexuality in the Caribbean. She said Parolin was very responsive to the ideas put forward by the group and thanked Pope Francis for having shown compassion and understanding to the gay community. Obviously there are issues that are doctrinal but the point that we were making and which I think he (Parolin) accepted is that this is absolutely about the Churchs teaching about respecting human dignity, she told reporters. The Church teaches that, while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are but it also says that the human dignity of homosexuals must be respected and defended. What we need is a very clear statement, from the Roman Catholic Church at least, that criminalisation is wrong, said Leonardo Javier Raznovich, lead researcher of a Caribbean report, which they gave to Parolin. In 2008, the Vatican called for decriminalisation of homosexuality but opposed a non-binding UN resolution on the issue because it believed that other parts of it equated same-sex unions with heterosexual marriage. Catholic bishops around the world have had differing responses to laws to decriminalise homosexuality. The Church needs to have a clear policy where, if they believe in human rights, if they believe in the dignity of the human being, as they actively preach, they need to make sure that the Church throughout the world has the same response, Raznovich said. A Vatican statement said: Parolin extended a brief greeting to those present, repeating the Catholic Churchs position in defence of the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the a US-based Catholic LGBT rights group New Ways Ministry, said the Vatican meeting was a great step forward for improving the relationship between LGBT people and the Catholic Church but more urgent statements and actions are needed. The new results dont mean that cats assign a sense of self to their names, they just get trained to recognise a sound. (Photo: Representational/Pexels) New York: A new study suggests household cats can respond to the sound of their own names. No surprise to you or most cat owners, right? But Japanese scientists said Thursday that theyve provided the first experimental evidence that cats can distinguish between words that we people say. Cats are just like dogs, whose communication with people has been studied a lot more and whove been shown to recognise hundreds of words, if theyre highly trained. Atsuko Saito of Sophia University in Tokyo says theres no evidence cats actually attach meaning to our words, not even their own names. Instead, theyve learned that when they hear their names they often get rewards like food or play, or something bad like a trip to the vet. And they end up hearing their names a lot. So, the sound of it becomes special, even if they dont really understand that it refers to their identity. Saito and colleagues describe the results of their research in the journal Scientific Reports. In four experiments with 16 to 34 animals, each cat heard a recording of its owners voice, or another persons voice, that slowly recited a list of four nouns or other cats names, followed by the cats own name. Many cats initially reacted, such as by moving their heads, ears or tails but gradually lost interest as the words were read. The crucial question was whether theyd respond more to their name. Sure enough, on average, these cats perked up when they heard their own name. Kristyn Vitale, who studies cat behaviour and the cat-human bond at Oregon State University in Corvallis but didnt participate in the new work, said the results make complete sense to me. Vitale, who said she has trained cats to respond to verbal commands, agreed that the new results dont mean that cats assign a sense of self to their names. Its more like being trained to recognise a sound, she said. Monique Udell, who also studies animal behaviour at Oregon State, said the study shows cats are paying attention to you, what you say and what you do, and theyre learning from it. Mumbai: The cape seems to be a fashion staple since last year, inspiring designers globally to reinterpret it in various forms. The latest cape-buzz was created by Kate Moss stepping out in London in a leather cape, courtesy of Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Makes one wonder about the popularity of this trendy outerwear. Glenn Close, in a 42lbs-golden cape gown by Carolina Herrera at the 2019 Oscars. (Photo: AP) According to a recent article by The Guardian, the cape is no longer just restricted to superheroes and has indeed become a fashion must-have this season. Fashion psychologist Prof Carolyn Mair told The Guardian that it was no coincidence that women in positions of power and influence have enthusiastically included capes in their style profiles. Newsmakers like the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle and international law and human rights specialist, Amal Clooney are perfect examples of such women, who have often worn cape outfits with effortless flair. Capes offer protection, comfort and freedom and have been worn by professions which are typically associated with living meaningful lives, courage and altruism, such as the military and nursing and totality, she said. Karisma looking stunning in a grey lehenga cape, embellished with silver shimmer by Neerus. (Photo: Instagram/ therealkarismakapoor) The cape has not only been adorned by women, but men as well. Lending a unisex vibe to make political stances about inclusiveness and acceptance, the cape has served as the perfect, statement-making device. Billy Porter made the 76th Golden Globe Awards red carpet his own runway this year by flaunting an exquisite custom cape by Randi Rahm. Porter, who is no stranger to subverting fashion rules, slayed the red carpet with his intricately embroidered pink cape, which took six months to make. Jeremy Dutcher arrives on the red carpet at the Juno Awards in Ontario in a beautiful black, floral cape. (Photo: AP) Classically-trained Canadian Indigenous tenor, Jeremy Dutcher, recently made an stunning entrance on the red carpet of the Juno Awards in London, Ontario. Adorned in a magnificent designer cape by Edmonton-based Luxx, owned by Indigenous fashion designer Derek Jagodzinsky, he brought his indigenous roots into the spotlight. The cape indeed brings the real and fantastical worlds together. After sporadic style resurgences over the centuries, beginning from medieval Europe, they remain most associated with superheroes in our contemporary times. Further elaborating on the cape, Mair told The Guardian that a subtle activation of the superhero stimuli increases prosocial intentions and behaviour and perhaps fashion has found these important factors in the cape. People are searching for meaning now. Sonam K Ahuja effortlessly infusing Indian fashion with the cape with this Gaurav Gupta creation. (Photo: Instagram/sonamkapoor) So, the cape indeed oozes power and bestows the wearer with its strength and symbolism. Its interesting to see how even the most influential female actors of Bollywood like Deepika Padukone and Sonam K Ahuja have chosen to often adorn the cape, especially at crucial milestones of their careers. Deepika sported multiple cape avatars for her appearances at the Cannes International Film Festival, 2018, while Sonam wore an elegant, geometric patterned lehenga with a cape designed by Anamika Khanna for her wedding reception. Deepika Padukones ethereal cape gown by Zuhair murad at the 2018 Cannes International Film Festival. (Photo: Instagram/deepikapadukone) Outerwear can often be challenging as it becomes difficult to be unique and stylish and also keep warm. But the cape takes care of that by providing the wearer with an alluring and strong presence. Besides adding charm, it also gives a sense of cocoon-like comfort to the wearer. So, lets indulge in a little whimsical fashion and adorn our capes Lets be our own superheroes. The 'Urs' is the only time of the year when everyone can see the original graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz located in an underground chamber. (Photo: Representational/Pexels) Agra: Scores of tourists visited Taj Mahal on the occasion of 364th death anniversary of Shah Jahan. The Urs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, is a religious occasion which is observed every year at the Taj Mahal to commemorate the death anniversary of the emperor. The visitors carried a 1221m long, multicoloured chadar and marched towards the grave of the Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz. Emperor Shah Jahans death anniversary came as a boost to the tourism in Agra, as it is the only time of the year when anyone, be it a foreign tourist or a local citizen, can see the original graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz located in an underground chamber. The chamber with original graves is placed underneath the fake graves, which are the ones usually viewed by tourists under the main dome. On the occasion, the monument gates were opened for everyone for free. Visitors from all across the globe participated in the celebrations. Mohbesh Shabi, who came all the way from Kerala to visit the monument said, I am here with my family and it is so good to be a part of the celebrations. The best part is that there is no entry fee, as one generally needs to shell out INR 50 as the entry fee. Syyed Munawar Ali, one of the organisers, said, Today we have waived the entry fee, people as per their devotion can offer colourful cloth pieces (chaadar chadana) at the grave. The Taj Mahal observed the annual Urs of Emperor Shah Jahan from April 2 to April 4. Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World (20002007) initiative. According to the official website of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, the Taj Mahal attracts around 7 to 8 million visitors annually, with more than 0.8 million from overseas. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, 'during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector.' (Representational Image | PTI) New Delhi/Washington : A US count of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jets has found that none of them are missing, contradicting India's claim that one of its war planes downed a Pakistani F-16 during an aerial dogfight on February 27, a leading American magazine reported, even as the IAF on Friday stuck to its stand and said it had conclusive proof. Two senior US defense officials with direct knowledge of the situation told the Foreign Policy magazine that American personnel recently counted Islamabad's F-16s and found none of the planes missing. "The findings directly contradict the account of Indian Air Force officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile," the report said Thursday. "It is possible that in the heat of combat, Varthaman, flying a vintage MiG-21 Bison, got a lock on the Pakistani F-16, fired, and genuinely believed he scored a hit," the report said. The report said that evidence also suggests that Pakistan's F-16s were involved in the aerial battle with the Indian Air Force and only the F-16 can shoot a US-made AIM-120 air-to-air missile. Reacting to the report, The Indian Air Force Friday asserted that it had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force on February 27 during aerial combat. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, "during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector." IAF sources also said it has conclusive "circumstantial evidence" including wireless intercepts, signals and graphic captures from airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and electronic signatures to conclude that the F-16 jet was shot down during the aerial combat. Sources said electronic signals from the F-16 aircraft which was engaged by an Mig 21 Bison ended abruptly, confirming that it crashed after being hit. IAF sources said radio intercepts showed that two pilots had ejected after the aerial engagement and one of them was admitted to a Pakistani hospital. When the incident occurred, India asked the US government to investigate whether Pakistan's use of the F-16 against India violated the terms of the foreign military sale agreements. The IAF on February 28 displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir. In Islamabad, the Pakistani military Friday called on India to "speak the truth" about the "actual losses" in an aerial dogfight between the air forces of the two countries. Read: Pak military calls for truth from India on downing of PAF F-16 Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said it was time India came clean on "false claims", including the second aircraft shot down by Pakistan. "Truth always prevails. Time for India to speak truth about false claims and actual losses on their side including the second aircraft shot down by Pakistan," Ghafoor said. Ghafoor in another tweet claimed that heads of all four missiles of downed IAF MiG 21 were recovered intact from its debris. IAF claim of hitting F-16 by their MiG 21 before having been shot down by PAF gets exposed. All 4 missile seeker heads recovered intact from the wreckage & held. Pakistan and its professional Armed Forces staying humble by not drum beating. We have more truth on this to share, he tweeted. He also shared a photograph claiming missile heads. According to the Foreign Policy magazine, Pakistan invited the US to physically count its F-16 planes after the incident as part of an end-user agreement signed when the foreign military sale was finalised. Some of the aircraft were not immediately available for inspection due to the conflict, so it took US personnel several weeks to account for all of the jets, one US official said. But now the count has been completed, and "all aircraft were present and accounted for," the official said. "A US count of Pakistan's F-16 fleet has found that all the jets are present and accounted for, a direct contradiction to India's claim that it shot down one of the fighter jets during a February clash," Lara Seligman of the magazine reported. The count of the F-16 fighter planes in Pakistan has been completed, and "all aircraft were present and accounted for," an unnamed defence official was quoted as saying by the report. The US Department of Defence did not immediately respond to a question on its count of F-16 fighter jets in Pakistan. The US State Department and the Indian and Pakistani embassies declined to comment, the report said. Pakistan had categorically said that no F-16 fighter jets were used and denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. But on April 1, Pakistan military spokesman Ghafoor for the first time indicated that F-16s might have been used to hit Indian fighter jets during the aerial combat on February 27. In a statement, he said Pakistan had the right to use "anything and everything" in its self defence. The report said the remnants of a US-made AIM-120 air-to-air missile was found near the site; out of all the aircraft involved, only the F-16 can shoot such a weapon. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. One of our challenges in solving crime here in Chicago has been the ability to efficiently identify, collect, download and review all the video resources connected to a crime scene, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters Friday at the center. Unfortunately, this has resulted in lost evidence, lower clearance rates. This has also impacted our relationships with those who have suffered from violent crime. Kadapa: Thousands of voters from Railwaykodur, Rajampeta and Rayacoti constituencies are in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. All of them had gone to the Middle East to seek employment, and most of them are educated and nearly all of them have not taken their names off from the voter lists. Now a huge number of them are returning home to cast their votes. These voters may change the fate of the candidates. Last month, a few TD and YSRC leaders had gone to Kuwait and Dubai. These leaders met the voters there and urged them to return to India and cast their votes in their favour. TD leaders Batyala Chengalrayulu, who is the contender from Rajampeta and Mr Kasturi Viswanatha Naidu, party-in-charge for Kodur and Machineni Visweswar Naidu, an industrialist and TD sympathiser from Railway Kodur had gone to Kuwait. They spent more than two weeks there and held many meetings with the residents of Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai. Now, the NRIs are reportedly coming back home to cast their votes. Both the TD and YSR Congress have their unions and offices in those countries. The representatives of the unions motivate the voters to come here and cast their votes. The Non-Resident Indians may decide the fate of candidates from Railway Kodur, Rajameta and Rayachoti Assembly constituencies. The total voters from Railway Kodur are 1,82,665 and the NRIs number 15,600. In Rajampeta, they number 2,22,274 where the NRIs are 17,400. In Rayachoti, of the 2,31,637 voters, 13,650 are NRIs. Most of them are educated and realise that their decision plays a vital role. About 80 to 90 percent of these NRIs are coming home to cast their votes. Diwakar Naidu Oleti is a resident of Venkatapalle, Rajampeta and lives in Kuwait. He runs an electrical and electronic devices store. Speaking to this correspondent on Thursday evening he said that he was coming to cast his vote in the election. He had booked his flight ticket on the scheduled election day. A hotel owner from Kuwait, a resident of Railway Kodur, Mr Mulakala Subbarayudu reached his home on Thursday. An employee with the Kuwait government, Mr Malepati Suresh from Sundupalle, Rajampeta constituency is also coming to cast his vote. Mr Sagir Chotu, an employee with a construction company, originally from Rayachoti, is coming to cast his vote. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, in which 40 personnel were killed. (Image: File) New Delhi: The NIA on Saturday arrested an operative of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in connection with the 2017 terror attack on a CRPF camp in South Kashmir, officials here said. Syed Hilal Andrabi, 35, of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, was produced before a court which sent him to five days' police custody, they said. He was arrested from Jammu by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the attack on the CRPF camp at Lethpora in South Kashmir on December 30 night in 2017, in which five personnel were killed. Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed during the 36-hour-long gunfight. The UN-proscribed JeM had sent two suicide attackers to the camp, including the 16-year-old son of a policeman who had joined the outfit a few months before the attack. An active over ground worker of the JeM, Andrabi is a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF group centre before the attack, the NIA said. With his arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case has risen to four, it said. Andrabi's arrest came days after Nisar Ahmed Tantray, whose brother Noor Trali is believed to have helped revive the JeM in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested by the NIA after being deported from the UAE in the same case. Earlier last month, the NIA arrested Fayaz Ahmed Magray from Pulwama for allegedly being the "key conspirator" of the 2017 attack and accused him of providing logistical support such as shelter to the militants and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF Group Centre, Lethpora before the attack. The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, in which 40 personnel were killed. Sitharaman said the deal followed laid down norms and was made in national interest. (Image: ANI) Vadodara: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday slammed Pakistan for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil despite India providing it evidence several times. Sitharaman told reporters here that Pakistan did not want to eliminate terror. "Pakistan is interested in promoting terrorism. It does not want to eliminate terrorism," the senior BJP leader said when asked about Pakistan stonewalling dossiers on terrorists supplied by India. "Not just this government, but even earlier governments have given dossier after dossier, evidence after evidence but Pakistan has done nothing on them," she said. Talking about the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, she said even the first court in the neighbouring country had not completed the job of trying the accused. Claiming that only the Narendra Modi government could give a befitting reply to terrorists, she said opposition parties were insulting soldiers by questioning the February 26 air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. The air strikes were carried out after the JeM terror outfit claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred. She said the morale of the armed forces was high and people's support had raised their motivation level even further. On a query on the Rafale fighter jet purchase in which the Congress has alleged irregularities, Sitharaman said the deal followed laid down norms and was made in national interest. "Bofors was a scam. Not Rafale. Rafale will bring back the Modi government to build a new India and stamp out corruption," she claimed. Swaraj referred to the air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama attack and said opposition parties who do not have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi were taking his Pakistan counterparts statements for granted. (Photo: File) Hyderabad: Union Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi's reported remarks that terrorism was not an issue and asked if that was the case, he should renounce his SPG security cover. "He (Rahul Gandhi) says job is an issue not terrorism. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi ji, if terrorism is not an issue and there is no terrorism in the country, then why do you go around with SPG security? From the period of assassination of (former Prime Minister and Rahul's father) Rajiv Gandhi till now all your family is under the security cover of SPG. If you feel that terrorism is not an issue then I want to tell you, you write it and give that you do not need SPG security because you feel there is no terrorism in this country and you are not afraid of anybody," she said. At an election meeting in Hyderabad, Swaraj referred to the air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama attack and said opposition parties who do not have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi were taking his Pakistan counterparts statements for granted. The External Affairs Minister said the air strikes received international support and she received calls from leaders of several countries appreciating Indias stand on terrorism. Opposition parties in the country were taking exception to the BJP claiming credit for the air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in February, she said. She said the UPA Government should have taken strong action against Pakistan when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 people including 40 foreign nationals were killed, took place. Narrating the NDA government's initiatives for people, Swaraj said the ruling party's poll plank will be on three issues- security, development and welfare. She said as many as 1.16 lakh villages have been connected with fibre optic network. "There were only 77 passport centres in the country now it has gone up to 505 and in Telangana they were just four and it has gone up to 19," Swaraj added. Bhopal: BJP has banked on new faces to challenge Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul in Chhindwara assembly constituency and Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat respectively. Mr Nath has vacated Chhindwara LS seat, he has represented eight times, for his son, who has been given Congress ticket, in the upcoming polls. Mr Nath, who is heading the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, is contesting from Chhindwara Assembly constituency, to enter the state Assembly. The byelection will be held on May 19 along with LS polls. The BJP on Saturday declared its third list of candidates for 3 LS seats and one Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh. While BJP fielded Vivek Sahu, a youth leader, in Chhindwara Assembly seat to take on the chief minister, the party pitted Nathan Singh Sai, a tribal leader, against Nakul in Chhindwara LS constituency. Both the BJP candidates are new faces. For the first time in MP, the BJP has fielded a tribal in a general seat in Chhindwara LS constituency. The party has decided to nominate a tribal in the seat since tribals constitute 37 percent of total electorates of Chhindwara LS seat, BJP spokesman Rajnish Agrawal said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Every citizen above 18 enjoys voting right, a sacred obligation we owe to the motherland. While exercising the right to vote, our main criterion has to be who can contribute most effectively to shaping the future of our nation, the report said. (Representational Image) Thiruvananthapuram: The Council for Laity of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) in a report has highlighted the various issues faced by the people, especially dalit Christians, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The council submitted a report to the CBCI asking the Church not to identify with any political party. The report focused on the reservation for dalit Christians, crisis in the agricultural sector, the pathetic situation of fisherman community and violation of minority rights. Every citizen above 18 enjoys voting right, a sacred obligation we owe to the motherland. While exercising the right to vote, our main criterion has to be who can contribute most effectively to shaping the future of our nation, the report said. While committees such as Sachar were intr-oduced for the betterment of the Muslim community, no committee or commission was formed to study the living conditions and develop welfare schemes for the Christian communities. Even after submission of several suggestions, the Christians are disappointed by the fact that the government is not bothered, said the report. The centre should repeal paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Sched-uled Castes) Order 1950 and ensure justice and equality to millions of dalit Christians. The Christian faithful all over the country would stay together and support the dalit Christian community in their fight for justice. The government must protect indigenous cultures and communities, especially the dalit Christians, and extend to them Scheduled Caste status and reservation, the report said. Agriculture is the chief means of livelihood for over 70 percent of Indians. Internation-al free trade agreements and lack of adequate supportive measures to safeguard the interests of the farming community constantly worsen the situation. The Catholic faithful have to seriously consider the imp-act of demonetisation, price fall in the agrarian sector, numerous farmer suicides, issues regarding land ownership, inability of the government to protect farmers and agriculture from wild animals etc. The crisis faced by the fisherman community in the coa-stal areas also deserves serious consideration, the report said. New Delhi: Sowing the seeds of a possible common agenda for Opposition parties if they get a shot at forming the government post elections, UPA chairperson and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday shared the platform with a host of political leaders and civil society groups and together with them launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Mrs Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of destroying institutions which had been built painstakingly over 65 years and said that her party, if voted to power, would put in place a mechanism to ensure that all promises made during elections are kept. The way the soul of our nation is being trampled for the past some time through a well-planned conspiracy is a matter of great concern, she said adding, Regressive forces have systematically dismantled our institutions. The current government has undermined the welfare architecture that was laid down over last 65 years. Mrs Gandhi also hit out at the BJP alleging that it does not respect diversity of India. New definition of patriotism is being taught to us today. Those rejecting diversity are being labelled as patriots. Discrimination among our own citizen is being justified on the basis of caste, religion and ideology, the UPA chairperson said. Mrs Gandhi was speaking at an event at the Talkatora Stadium here where almost all Opposition political parties were represented, as were over 200 peoples movements and civil society organisations from Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Delhi, among others. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Loktantrik Janata Partys Sharad Yadav, RJDs Tejashvi Yadav addressed the event through video conferencing. Also present were top Congress leaders like Ahmed Patel, K. Raju, Rajiv Gowda and Jairam Ramesh. The event can be read as an attempt to sow seeds of a common agenda or Peoples Agenda for Opposition parties in case they get a shot at forming the government after the results of the Lok Sabha polls are declared on May 23. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee had announced that a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) would be prepared before polls and a draft CMP was prepared by Samruddha Bharat Foundation, which has many Opposition leaders on its board. The Deccan Chronicle had reported earlier that plans were afoot to rename any new Opposition coalition if formed as the Peoples Progressive Alliance. Balod (Chhattisgarh)/ Sundargarh (Odisha): Five days before the first phase of voting for Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought a big mandate for the BJP and launched a multi-pronged attack on the Congress, targeting it for its reluctance to hit terror camps in Pakistan, using poverty as a major political weapon and attempting to dilute the powers of the armed forces. Terrorists and Maoists will be let off the hook with such measures. It is against the interest of the internal security of the country as well as our defence forces, he said. The PM accused the Congress of always using poverty as a major political weapon and said the best remedy to eradicate poverty was to do away with that party. I want to tell you about the conspiracy of the Congress to rob the assistance meant for the poor. The Congress wants to implement such policies which will double the prices of essential items, including rice and wheat available through PDS, he said. He spiced up his election speech at the two political rallies with famous quotes from former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and virtuous terms and terminologies to woo voters. At the Sundargarh meeting, he repeated Vajpayees famous quote Andhera chatega, suraj niklega, Kamal khilega (Sun will shine to end darkness, and Lotus will bloom) and gave a clarion call to bring BJP to power and build a majboot (strong) Odisha. Hyderabad: This Friday morning show was perhaps much more intense, gripping, full of suspense and packed with political drama than the recently released Ram Gopal Varmas Lakshmis NTR. A day after the police search at TD MP C.M. Ramesh's house in Kadapa which led to a political furore in the already charged political scenario in Andhra Pradesh it now turns out that the early morning drama, which began with about 40 policemen swooping down on the MPs house could well be just that: A drama, enacted to perfection by some lower rung policemen, allegedly at the behest of TD leaders themselves. The man at the centre of this controversy is Yerraguntla Urban inspector B.V. Ramana, who was transferred to Kadapa from Kurnool recently. He led the team to the MPs house and searched the premises including the bedrooms in the presence of the MP and found nothing. Senior police officials have ordered an internal inquiry to ascertain whether Mr Ramana or any other official in his team colluded with the TD leaders which led to a day-long political drama. Sources told Deccan Chronicle that when the inspector along with about 40 policemen un-dertook cordon and search operations in Potladurthi, where Mr Rameshs house is loca-ted. none of his superiors knew or were informed that he had chosen that particular village until all hell broke loose. One by one, the police teams randomly sear-ched 17 houses in the village before entering Mr Rameshs house. Mr Ramana did not bother to inform any of his superiors that he would search the MPs house, something that raised many an eyebrow in the department. When-ever any lower rung policemen visits the house of an MLA or MP, even if he belongs to the Opposition, he makes it a point to inform his DSP and SP. In Fridays case, no senior police official was informed despite the fact that he was entering the house of the MP from the ruling party and that too when the MP was present at home. The MP objected to the search and asked whether the inspector had a warrant to which the latter replied that they were on election duty and did not need one. Mr Ramesh then called up the Kadapa SP and told him about the searches at his home. The search set off a chain reaction and snowballed into a maj-or mudslinging campaign what the TD getting ammo to target Prime Minister Naren-dra Modi and YSRC leader Y.S. Jagan Moh-an Reddy and the Election Commission of India, saying they had conspired to target TD leaders. Mr Naidu went to the extent of staging a dharna in front ot the Ambedkar statue in Vijayawada. This was followed up with several dharnas and protests in all districts and mandals wherein TD supporters squatted before Ambed-kar statues and staged protests. As for Mr Ramesh, he alleged conspiracy by Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy. The EC ordered the search upon being persuaded by Jagan Moh-an Reddy, he alleged. Another interesting part is that the police found nothing in the searches on the MPs house despite there being the surprise element. Neither the DSP, the SP nor the DIG were aware that the inspector was going to search the MPs house, which in itself is very strange. It just does not happen this way. While the inspectors search gave the TD ammunition as they hogged the limelight throughout the day, it projected the police department as being neutral (not taking sides and not sparing even the ruling party) and it was a win-win situation for all, sources said, adding this comes at a time when the AP administration, including the police departments image has taken a severe beating after the EC shunted out DG, Intelligence and two SP rank officers and Chief Secretary A.C. Punetha. We suspect that this match was fixed (bet-ween policemen and TD), remarked a police official. An internal inquiry has been ordered to ascertain whether the inspector had colluded with the Telugu Desam members and carried out the search at their behest. The fact that he searched 17 other houses before entering the MPs house gives the perfect cover that since he was covering all the houses, he also sear-ched the MPs house. But it just does not add up, one official said. Contacted by Deccan Chronicle, Kadapa SP Abhishek Mohanty refused comment. On Tuesday, the EC had issued a notice seeking a report from the ministry on NaMo TV, launched just weeks ahead of the general election. New Delhi: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry is learnt to have responded to an Election Commission notice on NaMo TV on Friday, saying it is an advertisement platform launched by DTH service providers which does not require government nod. The ministryalso said that NaMo TV is not a regular channel and it does not figure in the official list of approved channels, a source said. The Information and Broadcasting ministry told the poll panel that as per the existing norms, no approval is required from the it to run such advertising platforms, the source said. On Tuesday, the EC had issued a notice seeking a report from the 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. The EC will take a call on whether it violated the model code after going through the documents the ministry files. Shortly before 4:15 a.m. Saturday, a 39-year-old man was standing in the 200 block of North Long Avenue when he was approached by a gunman who shot him in the abdomen. He got himself to Rush Oak Park Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said. The Election Commission on Friday removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha from the post. (Photo: Twitter/ @JaiTDP) Amaravati: Reacting to the removal of the Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu dared the centre to arrest him and demanded that the Election Commission give reasons for the removal of the chief secretary. The Election Commission on Friday removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha from the post and appointed senior-most IAS officer LV Subrahmanyam of the 1983 batch in his place. "First they (ECI) transferred a district Collector. Then the Intelligence DG and two district SPs and now the CS. Why? They did not give any reasons," he said, addressing a road show in Visakhapatnam. Naidu went to add that he too might be arrested. "They may also arrest me tomorrow or day after. I am prepared to go to jail. I will fight from there itself," he said. The EC stated this in a communication to the Andhra Pradesh government. Earlier, the EC had removed two top bureaucrats from their posts during election time. The EC also directed that Punetha, scheduled to retire from service May-end, be posted to a non-election'' position. Punetha had filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on March 27 challenging the EC order, transferring the Director General of Intelligence A B Venkateswara Rao. He contended that the EC did not have any ''untrammelled powers'' to interfere with the course of administration that is unconnected to polling. "The EC cannot engage in an unchecked, arbitrary and uncanalised exercise of power. The EC order suffers from the vice of lack of jurisdiction, suffers from being a colourable exercise of power and is based on alien purposes or oblique motives which have nothing to do with the conduct of polling duties," state Political Secretary (General Administration Department) N Srikant had said in the petition, filed on behalf of the Chief Secretary. Punetha had complied with the EC order on Tuesday midnight and transferred the Intelligence DG, along with two district SPs, but cancelled the Intelligence chiefs transfer order on Wednesday morning, after the Chief Minister allegedly raised a hue and cry. The High Court had rejected the Chief Secretary's petition last Friday, forcing him to issue an order shifting the DG intelligence. Meanwhile, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao said the Chief Secretary became a ''scapegoat'' of Chandrababu Naidu. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday accused coalition partner Congress and others of hatching a 'chakravyuha', a deadly formation in epic Mahabharata, to defeat his son and JD(S) nominee Nikhil in Mandya Lok Sabha seat. (Photo: File) Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday accused coalition partner Congress and others of hatching a ''chakravyuha'', a deadly formation in epic Mahabharata, to defeat his son and JD(S) nominee Nikhil in Mandya Lok Sabha seat. Bringing to fore again deep fissures in the ruling front, the JD(S) leader lashed out at Congress and others for ''colluding'' with the independent candidate and multi-lingual film actress Sumalatha, wife of late Congress leader and actor Ambareesh, in Mandya, instead of working for Nikhil. "There are developments that have gone out of hand in Mandya. The independent candidate has got widespread support. She may appear as an independent but she has got the support of Congress, BJP and Raita Sangha (farmers' association). All of them have joined hands to trample JD(S)," he told reporters in Chikkamagalur. He was replying to the queries on JD(S) supremo and his father H D Deve Gowda's remarks on Thursday that things have gone out of hand in Mandya, which goes to polls on April 18, and even former chief minister and Congress strongman Siddaramaiah cannot reverse it. Kumaraswamy said: "He (Gowda) has only uttered the facts... Somewhere someChakravyuha has been hatched but the people of Mandya, those toiling populace, have already taken a decision (to elect Nikhil)," the chief minister said. He added he was making the statement clearly without hiding anything. ''Chakravyuha'' is a deadly battle formation narrated in the epic Mahabharata in which Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was trapped and killed by the Kauravas. Reacting to Kumaraswamy's outbursts, Sumalatha told reporters that Congress "workers are indeed with me". Seeking to turn the tables on the chief minister for his ''Chakravyuha'' attack, she said what he would call activities of the entire government machinery, ministers and lawmakers allegedly aimed at defeating her. "Which Vyuhais that? They JD(S) are playing dirty tricks. They have fielded three other candidates with the name Sumalatha against me. Those three candidates are wearing glasses, necklace and attire like me in the photograph submitted in their affidavit," she claimed. The JD(S) leadership always considered Mandya as its citadel given the huge population of dominant Vokkaliga community, which Deve Gowda belongs to, in the constituency, represented by Ambareesh for three terms. However, upsetting the equations, Sumalatha decided to contest the election from Mandya as an independent after failing to get a ticket from the Congress. The BJP is backing Sumalatha instead of fielding its candidate. There is widespread resentment within the local Congress over JD(S) being alloted the seat under an electoral arrangement between the coalition partners. Disgruntled JD(S) leaders are also reportedly working against the third generation of the mighty Deve Gowda clan. Deve Gowda's another grandson Prajwal Revanna, son of minister H D Revanna, is contesting from Hassan, where also a similar situation prevails with the Congress at the grassroots level openly expressing opposition to the JD(S). Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. On the clashes between inmates and the staff at the Central Jail here, the former chief minister said reports on the issue so far sound conflicting. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said the society needs to collectively reject the nefarious moves aimed at fragmenting Jammu and Kashmir to weaken the special status of the state. "Recent statement of some right-wing political leaders using lure of sops for a particular community, tactical mandate for Lok Sabha elections by some parties and fielding of proxies clearly point to a design to fragment the popular mandate of the people of the state," Mufti said addressing a party workers' convention at Tangmarg in Baramula Lok sabha constituency. She said such forces want to "peddle lies" that only Kashmiri-speaking Muslims of the Valley are for the special status of the state. "Division of our state along sectarian lines and aggravating the fault lines are the ways and means of fragmenting our state and weaken our special status and thus dilute its Muslim-majority character," she said. "Those igniting the fires of Gujjar-Pahari, ShiaSunni, North-South divide are the real enemies of Jammu and Kashmir who need to be outrightly rejected," she added. On the clashes between inmates and the staff at the Central Jail here, the former chief minister said reports on the issue so far sound conflicting. "However, if the reports of shifting inmates outside the state are true, it needs a serious rethink so as to not further the already inflammable situation," she said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Amethi: Textile Minister Smriti Irani, on Friday, addressed a public rally in Amethi. She lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for being absent when the people of Amethi needed his help. "The election of 2019 is the election which will decide the future of our children; it is the election of our village, the election of Indians who pride themselves on India. It is the election of Amethi's independence. Free yourself Amethi, from the shackles of a missing MP," said Irani. "When Yogi Adityanath formed the government in Uttar Pradesh suddenly the Amethi MP (Rahul Gandhi) remembered Ram temple. I got to know that Rahul ji filed nomination from another constituency, somebody (jokingly) told me he has left Amethi," Smriti said. Irani also termed the Congress manifesto as one which helped anti-India forces. The Congress manifesto released on Tuesday promised significant changes in the laws, like quashing of the Sedition law and amendment to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). The manifesto proposed to decriminalise laws that are essentially directed against civil violations and can be subjected to civil penalties. The laws include the sedition law and defamation. Smriti Irani is on a two-day visit to Amethi from where she is slated to contest elections. Uttar Pradesh will see polling in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections beginning April 11. The results will be declared 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. Speaking about the promises fulfilled that were made during 2014 campaign, he said if everything was completed, the world would come to a halt. (Photo: File) Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modis poll trail across the country assures him that the wave in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party is bigger this time around. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan, the sister publication of Hindustan Times, Modi said: The BJP will get more numbers than earlier and it is going to be a full majority government. Modi spoke on a range of topics, from the NDAs rule to Opposition strategy to hard-state issues like terror and national security. With Lok Sabha elections around the corner, PM Modi said the last five years had been satisfactory and extremely good. He said these years boosted his belief that there was no reason why India should not remain in the category of fast developing countries. It was a terrible situation when I joined. But my tenure as a CM helped me to remain confident and I knew that we would find ways, he said. Speaking about the promises fulfilled that were made during 2014 campaign, he said if everything was completed, the world would come to a halt. He is also happy with the outcome of Demonetisation. The policy might not suit political arithmetic but had to be done in national interest. It resulted in the recovery of Rs 1,30,000 crore, which has been taxed. Properties worth Rs 50,00 were seized. Nearly 3,38,000 shell companies have been identified and deregistered. Its due to demonetisation that tax compliance has almost doubled, he added, pointing out the positive outcomes of that controversial decision. He said the Opposition would not be able to make capital out of demonetisation these elections, just as it had failed in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh state elections. On employment: Employment generation and its data came in the limelight this year. Responding to what the government is doing to generate more jobs, PM Modi said, For many years, we have been doing a sample survey and on its basis, a minimum assumption is made. For example, lets take roads earlier roads were constructed, but in the last five years, construction of roads has doubled. Similarly, the work in railways has doubled, electrification of rail routes has gone up three times. Has all this been possible without employment? On Pulwama terror attack: Modi said the attack has proved Indias stand that Pakistan was in the business of exporting terror to India and now the world was with the country in its fight against terror. He said there was a time when only Russia was standing with India, while the rest of the world was backing Pakistan. But after five years, only China is with Pakistan and rest of the world with India. Responding to a question on whether there was a possibility of a dialogue with Pakistan, Modi said, When I was not even the Prime Minister, I had not taken the oath then, I had called the Prime Minister of Pakistan to attend the oath ceremony, only for the sake of our country... I had given the message that yes, we will go to a decisive stage. After that I went to Lahore. He asserted he was the one who went ahead on the path of friendship but is also fully prepared to tackle any hostility. On the failure of the BJP-PDP alliance: Modi said the BJPs decision to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the partys mahamilawat. Speaking about the BJP-PDP alliance, he said when the 2014 general election results were announced, no one had absolute majority and BJP thought the National Conference (NC) and PDP would join hands. The PDP had won 28 seats; BJP won 25 and the NC had 15, with Congress coming last with 12 seats in the 87-member state Assembly. At that time Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was there. People of the state spoke to him. We openly said that we are two poles. In a way it was our mahamilawat. Because we had to form a government under democratic compulsions, we started working under the minimum common program. Mufti Saheb was experienced ... so there were no problems, he told Hindustan. Soon after Sayeeds death, differences began cropping up between BJP and the PDP and after three months, Mehbooba Mufti was sworn in as the Chief Minister. PM Modi said Mehbooba had party compulsions and wasnt ready to take responsibility. After the government was formed, BJP wanted to conduct local elections, but Mehbooba Mufti wasnt ready and said there would be bloodshed. The BJP left the alliance when Mehbooba did not conduct the elections, he said. We focused on development. We have already said that whatever mahamilawat is visible today was our mahamilawat and whatever political damage it could do, it did, he asserted. On June 19, 2018, Mehbooba Mufti resigned as the CM of Jammu and Kashmir after BJP pulled out of the alliance with PDP and state reverted to Governors rule. On the mud flying these elections: On politicians using increasingly abusive language, Modi said: I dont believe this has happened overnight. Look at the language of the people who give lessons on the use of graceful language. Look at the kind of reports media files when Parliament is in session. They call the house a battlefield. What will you say to comments of Sonia Gandhi who called (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajypayee a traitor and Modi a maut ka saudagar (merchant of death). He said this kind of language has become fashionable and is used to give lessons on the use of courteous language. On Congress manifesto: Modi said since Nehrus time, Congress has claimed poverty eradication was their goal. The poverty agenda was used by Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi. This slogan has been used for five generations, Modi told Hindustan. Modi compared the party with the main protagonist in the movie, Ghajini, who had short-time amnesia. They do not remember the promises they made in previous elections. On artistes boycotting BJP: Commenting on a section of intellectuals who have decided not to vote for BJP, Modi said he did not know who those people were, but there was definitely a section which got the best of everything under previous governments. Read: 600 theatre artists urge citizens to 'vote against BJP' in 2019 Lok Sabha elections On Kashmir security: The Centre has taken effective measures against Maoists in the north-east but questions rise why it could not be effective in Kashmir. Responding to the, Modi clarified that it was a 40-year-old problem and there have been interruptions. But there are a few districts in Jammu, Ladakh and Srinagar where the condition is not good, he said. On Rafale: Modi said there was nothing controversial about the Rafale deal. If the media of this country is unbiased, then it is its responsibility to question the Congress on the issue of national security. The leader of the 125-year-old Congress speaks without any proof or basis. The Supreme Court has said it and so have the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), the French Parliament, the French President, the company, and the Indian government and the Indian Parliament. But he (Rahul Gandhi) is levelling allegations and smirking, Modi added. Vijayawada: YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the party manifesto at the party office in Tadepalli on the occasion of Ugadi on Saturday, focusing on welfare and empowering the marginalised sections, especially women. The manifesto promises universal healthcare coverage for the lower and middle class under Arogyasri. Any individual with an annual income of up to Rs 5,00,000 can avail the Universal Health Card and its benefits for free. Taking YSRs vision of Arogyasri forward, the Universal Health Cards will be applicable for any medical expenses over Rs 1,000. This scheme will be personally monitored by Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy. In the manifesto, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised that his government will address the issue of unemployment by providing jobs to 10 youth in every village at the village secretariat. In addition to that around 3.5 lakh village/ward volunteers will receive Rs 5,000 per month as an honorarium. His government will fill the 2.3 lakh government jobs that are presently vacant. For students, he has assured that his government will provide complete fee reimbursement and an additional sum of Rs 20,000 per annum for food and accommodation expenditure. To address the plight of the elderly, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised that their pension will be increased to Rs 3,000 per month. For the welfare of the BCs, a separate BC fund will be created with a budget of Rs 75,000 crores over a period of 5 years, and a similar welfare fund will be created for Kapus too. Occupations that have been facing trouble due to the poor state of the economy will also be given assistance by the state - these include barbers, tailors, washer-men, weavers, hawkers, vendors, fishermen, and other caste-based professions. The YSRC has promised a Rs 1,150 crore fund for the 13 lakh victims of the Agrigold scam. If voted into power, the YSRC will also contribute Rs 10,000 to Rs 35,000 towards the maintenance of temples, pay Rs 15,000 as an honorarium to imams and muezzin and Rs 5,000 to pastors. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy has also promised co-operation to all the forward castes like Vysyas, Brahmins, Kammas, Reddys, etc. A strange regulation written down by the Registrar General states that officials must pay the highest respect to the judges whenever they see their Lordships passing the galleries of the Allahabad high court. It is to be assumed that their Lordships must have had something to do with such an order which also states that transgressions would be viewed seriously. In this day and age, it would be risible to hear of such a demand for respect if it were not backed by the majesty of the court. It would appear as if the judges feel slighted by others going about their work in the galleries as if they have no time even to show courtesy to the judges. Or their Lordships in Uttar Pradesh might be nursing an atavistic desire for a return to the good old days when kings had hailers announcing their entry and the courtiers curtsied in acknowledgment. The chair, seat and bench are symbols of power in themselves and the personalities who sit in them just draw their authority from the office. It is as a respect for the concept of justice that all rise when the judge enters the courtroom and sits in his chair. Otherwise, the judges are the same as any other citizen when at the marketplace, the mall or the cinema theatre. Of course, it could be different at the airport if they are so fortunate as to be on the long list or persons exempt from security checks. But that is part of India's VVIP culture and is an exception to the larger principle of equality of all before the law. Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates and the magistrates obey the law. Not without reason is it said that common sense often makes good law. The Allahabad high court would do well to remember that. Christian Michel was among those acquitted in Italy in the A-W case. The ED has drawn up a chargesheet against this British national and has leaked it to the media. (Photo: PTI/File) It seems the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, signed by the UPA government in February 2010, is the flavour of the election season for only one reason the government's unenviable record is being sought to be covered up through an unreasonable attack on its principal opponent. After the contract for 12 helicopters was signed, Italian prosecutors alleged wrongful payments to Indian entities. In February 2013, the Italians arrested the CEO of Finmeccanica, the parent company of A-W. Following this, then defence minister A.K. Antony ordered a CBI investigation. In January 2014, under Mr Antonys supervision, the defence ministry cancelled the contract. By June 2014, all the payments made by the Indian side (about 45 per cent of the total contracted amount) had been recovered. Finally, there was no deal. But the Italian legal system was not done yet. After all, high-level Indian personalities were alleged to have been paid off, including a former IAF chief, top bureaucrats, and political personalities all the way to the top tier that included the circle around Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. In April 2016, the Milan Court of Appeal overturned a lower court's conviction of four years' imprisonment for the Finmeccanica CEO. In December the same year, the Italian Supreme Court ordered a re-trial. Also in December, the CBI arrested former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi and subsequently filed a charge-sheet against him and nine others, possibly taking a cue from the Italian re-trial directive. On January 8, 2018, however, the third Court of Appeals in Milan acquitted all the defendants of all charges on ground of there not being adequate evidence of wrongdoing. The CBI or the Indian government did not judicially respond to the Italian verdict. Yet, last December, India got the UAE to deport Christian Michel, who is apparently involved in the arms trade as an intermediary, and the man is in custody, undergoing rigorous examination by the Enforcement Directorate. Mr Michel was among those acquitted in Italy in the A-W case. The ED has drawn up a chargesheet against this British national and has leaked it to the media. The point of the leak is to target Congress leader Ahmed Patel, a long-time secretary to Ms Gandhi. The ED has contended that his name has been suggested by Mr Michel during interrogation, which the latter's lawyer has vigorously denied in court. In a large number of shocking cases related to terrorism and other matters following years of investigation and interrogation, the government agencies have not been able to prove their case against accused persons, and have had to face humiliation in court. Yet and this is the shock top leaders of the ruling dispensation think nothing of bandying about in public the unproven police version, even before the court has looked at it, in the hope that the mud will stick. In 1930s, Germany saw the rise of Adolf Hitler as the most powerful leader. Once in power, Hitler moved quickly to derail the countrys democracy. He convinced his cabinet to invoke emergency clauses of the constitution that suspended an individuals freedom of press, speech, and assembly. By 1933, the Nazis began putting into practice their ideology of racial supremacy. And it is amidst this backdrop that Turkish author Ayse Kulin bases her historical fiction Without a Country which spans across four generations, from the 1930s to present day when their adopted country is also undergoing massive changes. Without a country by Ayse Kulin Amazon crossing Pp. 332, Rs 399 The novel, translated from Turkish by Kenneth Dakan, begins with a German pathologist fleeing the country with his family once he learns that living there is no longer safe because they are Jewish. He eventually finds employment in Turkey where universities and hospitals welcome the likes of him as valuable assets to build the country. Kulin who conceived the plot from a personal account says,The German professors when they first came to Turkey, needed interpreters during their lectures. Since my father had obtained his masters degree in Berlin, he was fluent in German and was often called in to translate the engineering lessons. He spoke very highly of these remarkable men who raised the bar in all aspects of knowledge. The time had come for me to tell their story and also create an awareness of how authoritarian regimes take over and tend to stay forever if the public is not alert enough. In an era where fiction is often misconstrued as facts, the most challenging aspect of the novel was the background research. Research is definitely essential for historical fiction even though the fiction writer has a right to deviate from the facts. Here at home, such deviations might be taken as historical facts, so I researched thoroughly. I based the first chapter of my book on the true story of Prof. Shcwartz fleeing Germany, but changed his name to Schilimann so that I could fictionalise him. Once he was in Istanbul, what ever I wrote about Schlimann and his family is fiction. Only the oppressions of Hitlers regime and of what happened between the Turkish and German professors are factual, says the author who based her research on several historical documents. I read the autobiography of Prof. Hirch, another book on Reshid Galip, the Education Minister who conducted the meetings with the German professors. Apart from these, I also read The Nazi Seizure of Power by W.A. Sheridan, Exile Under The Cresent by Faruk Sen, Homeless by H. Celikbudak and also glimpsed through the biographies of some other German professors discharged from their chairs by Hitler. But Hitlers loss was Turkeys gain and these professors paved the way for their students to become excellent medical doctors, men of law, economists, scientists, musicians, among others. Also woven into this entire multi-generational family saga is theme of belonging and identity. While Schilimann searches for an identity in his adoptive country, his Turkish-Muslim great-granddaughter is confronted by prejudice for her Jewish ancestors and is forced to leave her homeland because of it. Early Ottomans in their successful years were very lenient with subjects of different religions and races. As they started losing power, their tolerance decreased. This is also what happened during the era of the Turkish Republic. As problems arose, racism and religious fanaticism increased accordingly. And it continues to happen today. We had never been so fanatically religious or militant, feels Kulin. Much of the narrative progresses through the eyes of Suzzane, Schilimanns daughter as she encounters the golden era till the curve drops, thanks to underground organisations which are backed up by those who prefer a non- thinking but abiding Turkey. Suzis life covers four generations and through her eyes we witness the ups and downs of the social and political life of the Turkish society. Life here is full of strife with military revolutions every 10 years and various other uprisings. Suzi goes through rough days unscarred and survives like most of us. She, I believe, reflects the typical middle class educated Turkish woman who is intelligent enough to know what is happening but unable to change the circumstances because she again knows that no change is possible without loss. At her age, loss is no cure, concludes Kulin. The two companies are also exploring ways to utilize Tencents popular WeChat messaging app in developing China-targeted car models, the newspaper said. South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co and Chinese technology firm Tencent Holdings have signed a preliminary deal to develop software for driverless vehicles, South Koreas Maeil Business Newspaper reported on Saturday. Both companies plan to conduct joint research and development on safety and security systems for self-driving cars, which Hyundai seeks to roll out commercially by 2030, the report, which cited unnamed industry sources, said. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a business forum held in Seoul on Thursday by the South Korean government and Chinas Guangdong province, it said. Hyundai and Tencent did not offer any immediate comments on the report. The two companies are also exploring ways to utilize Tencents popular WeChat messaging app in developing China-targeted car models, the newspaper said. Hyundai, the worlds 5th largest automaker together with affiliate Kia Motors, has been fostering partnerships with self-driving tech and social media firms as it aims to introduce highly automated vehicles by 2020 and fully autonomous vehicles by 2030. Hyundai Mobis, another affiliate of the car maker, clinched an agreement last month with Russias largest internet search engine Yandex to jointly develop control systems for driverless vehicles. Shenzhen-based and Hong Kong-listed Tencent has also ventured into self-driving tech and had advertised to recruit engineers in Silicon Valley last year. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Norwood fell to the ground after being struck by gunfire, but Lashley continued to shoot him while he was on the ground, according to prosecutors. Norwood was shot twice in the head, the back of his thigh and in his arm, and later pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The state department was quick to distance itself from the news report when they were requested to confirm or deny it. (Photo:AP) Washington: The United States defence department on Friday said it was not aware of any investigation that was conducted to ascertain if Pakistan had lost an F-16 in a fight with Indian fighter jets on February 27. US-based news publication Foreign Policy had quoted senior but unidentified US defence sources saying that no F-16 was missing. This fact was strongly denied by India which reitereated that the Indian Air Force had indeed shot down an F-16. Hindustan Times reported in a statement that the US defence department was not aware of any investigation like the one doing the rounds'. The state department was quick to distance itself from the news report when they were requested to confirm or deny it. They made it clear that they did not publicly comment on details of government-to-government agreements, especially on articles related to defence. Also Read: IAF sticks to its stand after US report says none of Pak F-16 jets missing They further went to reiterate their stand on Pakistan, citing that it was important to note that since January 2018, the United States government had suspended security assistance to that country. US government's position appears to be well in line with the India, which in the backdrop of the attack, said that one Pakistani F-16 was taken down, citing 'electronic signature' as evidence. Air Vice Marshal RGV Kapoor had confirmed that, "during aerial engagements one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down one F-16". He had also said that Indian forces confirmed ejections at two different places on that day which were separated by no more than 8-10 kms. One of the jets was an IAF MiG 21 Bison and the other a PAF aircraft. IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in his MiG 21 Bison had locked a PAF F-16 and apparently shot it before his own aircraft took a hit and he had to bail. Abhinandan landed in Pakistan and was captured by Pakistan's armed forces. The Pakistani aircraft, according to India, fell on Pakistani territory too. India further went on to say that it had pictures of the Pakistani pilot and even knew his name. India also complained to the US that Pakistan used American supplied F-16s in the attack and gave further proof (pieces of an AMRAAM i.e advanced medium range air-to-air missile) about it. No other Pakistani aircraft is capable of firing these missiles. Inspections of defence equipment sold to its foreign buyers are routinely carried out by the United States. According to the sale agreement, Pakistan is prohibited from flying F-16s out of the country without giving a heads-up to the United States. The report went on to quote an unidentified senior defense official, who said all aircraft were present and accounted for. It also cited a second personnel to say no Pakistani F-16s were missing. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. (Photo: File) Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday said that Indias demand for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav is not appropriate at this point as the case is pending in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal, addressing media in Islamabad said India has so far not given response to Pakistans questions about the passport of Jadhav who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism after a closed trial in April 2017. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. During a media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman said the case is in ICJ and the question of consular access was not appropriate at this point. On the issue of abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that provides special status to Kashmir, Pakistan said it will be in violation of the UN resolutions. The abrogation of Article 370 of Indian constitution is violation of UN resolutions. We will not accept it under any circumstances and the Kashmiris will also not accept it, he said. Faisal also said that Pakistan is committed to operationalise the Kartarpur corridor by the 550th birth anniversary of founder of Sikhism Baba Guru Nanak Dev in November 2019. Faisal said that if the corridor failed to open, India would be responsible. But it is important to have the meetings so that all issues about Kartarpur are settled. In principle we are ready to open it as Prime Minister Imran Khan announced but it will be only possible if India agreed to it, he said. India on Thursday said Pakistan is yet to respond to its concerns over reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Islamabad to a committee which is to be associated with the Kartarpur corridor. Sources had last week said India had summoned Pakistans deputy high commissioner in New Delhi and conveyed its concerns over the presence of a leading Khalistani separatist in the committee appointed Pakistan on the Kartarpur corridor project. India had also sought clarifications on several issues related to the Kartarpur corridor from Pakistan. Commenting on the sale of anti-submarine weaponry to India by the US, Faisal said that such decisions will lead to an escalation in the arms race within the region. We are prepared and want peace but we are not negligent to our defence, he said. The spokesperson said that all steps were being taken for the implementation of the National Action Plan which included actions against proscribed groups. We are taking these steps in our own interests, he said. He said Pakistan would continue to brief the diplomatic corps on actions against militancy. Pakistan has denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. (Photo:AP) Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday accused the BJP of "whipping up war hysteria", saying its false claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 has "backfired", days after a leading American magazine claimed that none of the US-manufactured fighter jets of the PAF were missing. Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine reported on Thursday that American personnel recently counted the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16s and found none of the planes missing. It quoted two senior US defence officials with direct knowledge of the situation. The Indian Air Force, however, stuck to its stand on Friday, saying that it had conclusive proof of shooting down a PAF F-16 on February 27. Reacting to the Foreign Policy report, Prime Minister Khan took to Twitter to criticise the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also Read: Pentagon 'not aware' on Pak F-16 count after Feb aerial dogfight with IAF "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," he said in a tweet. The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet. Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2019 The Indian Air Force on February 28 displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir. Pakistan has denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. According to the magazine, Pakistan invited the US to physically count its F-16 planes after the incident as part of an end-user agreement signed when the foreign military sale was finalised. "The findings directly contradict the account of Indian Air Force officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile," the report said. Lara Seligman of the magazine later updated the story, saying "the F-16s Pakistan bought from Jordan have also been included in the count and even third-party transfers of US equipment must go through the US government". Reacting to the report, the IAF asserted that it had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the PAF on February 27 during aerial combat. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, "during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector." IAF sources also said it has conclusive "circumstantial evidence" including wireless intercepts, signals and graphic captures from airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and electronic signatures to conclude that the F-16 jet was shot down during the aerial combat. On Friday, the Pakistani military called on India to "speak the truth" about the "actual losses". Progressive thinkers and writers slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using the hard work of Indian Army to attain political mileage and said terming of those opposing Modi as anti-national was a sign that democracy was in danger. At a press conference held after a meet, Kannada writer K Marulasiddappa said the Army was always known for its bravery and achievements, but using it for self-aggrandisement showed Modis petty mindset. He added that security of a nation is not just limited to its borders but includes overall development, including its food, health and education. There is a need to spread awareness about the state of education and health sector. But those who criticise Modi are being attacked. I myself faced situations of physical attack. If Modi comes back, the situation will be exacerbated, he said. Writer K Sharifa described Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah as criminals behind the Godhra riots. They destroyed evidence (of crime). Where would they be if the evidence had remained? Should these kinds of criminals rule us, she asked She said Bangalore South candidate Tejasvi Surya had no respect for women and opposed womens reservation. Do they think women exist only to take care of a family, she said. Without taking Surya's name, Kannada Development Authority chairman S G Siddaramaiah said Bengaluru South candidate was a fanatic and ill-informed. You (the public) know the way he has talked about women. Think what will happen when such people are sent to the Lok Sabha, he said. Writer Champa said people should vote for Congress candidate B K Hariprasad in Bangalore South to ensure the defeat of communal forces. The space debris created by Indias anti-satellite test (ASAT) does not pose a risk to any space assets including the International Space Station, DRDO chief G Satish Reddy said here on Saturday. While every piece of the space junk created by the March 27 test would eventually be eliminated from the space in the natural process, those having dimension of 10 cm and above would cease to be a danger to any other space objects 10 days after the test a period that ends on Saturday. As per our simulations, there are no risks to the ISS. The satellite that was destroyed was at an orbit of 283 km whereas the ISS was parked at an orbit 120 km above the target satellite. All debris will be destroyed in the natural orbital decay process in 45 days. After 10 days, which ends today, there would not be any threat from the debris created by ASAT test, Reddy said at a briefing on Mission Shakti here. The assertion from the Defence Research and Development Organisation chief comes days after NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine stated Indias ASAT was a terrible thing as it created 400 pieces of orbital debris and the risk of debris colliding with the ISS increased by 44% since the Indian test. Reddy said the test was designed in such a fashion so that the kill vehicle hit the target satellite in a transverse direction on the same plane rather than hitting the target from below. The second option was rejected precisely to minimize the risks from the fragmented debris. Deputy National Security Advisor Pankaj Saran said five US government agencies and individuals State Department, Pentagon, Acting Secretary of Defence, US Air Force Space Command and NASA Administrators - issued statements on Indias maiden anti-satellite test. We will go by the State Department statement, which is very measured, he said. Saran said USA, Russia, France and China are the only nations that released statements on Mission Shakti, besides Pakistan. None were critical of India. Asked whether more ASAT tests were required, Reddy said DRDO had the capability of hitting satellites in an orbit of 1,000 km, but no further tests were required for satellites in low earth orbit. The DRDO director general said initial discussions on ASAT started in 2014 and the approval from the Prime Minister came in 2016. This runs contrary to former DRDO chief V K Saraswats claims that DRDO had the ASAT capability in 2012, which was informally conveyed to then National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Memon. A formal proposal, however, was never put forward. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday targeted the Congress for showing special love for those who talk of cutting people into pieces. In the Jat-dominated region of western Uttar Pradesh, Modi also took RLD leaders Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary to task for teaming up with the Samajwadi Party, "who had supported rioters". "Here those who talk of boti-boti are close to shehzade (Rahul Gandhi), but we talk of security and honours of beti-beti (daughters)," Modi said while addressing a rally at Nanauta village near here. Modi was referring to the Congress candidate Imran Masood, who had threatened to cut Modi into pieces (boti-boti) in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "If these people come to power, then they will not allow the passage of the triple talaq bill to protect Muslim daughters, the prime minister said. Targeting the SP and the BSP, Modi recalled the instances of "exodus" in Shamli and Kairana during the Samajwadi Party's rule in 2015-16. "This aunt and nephew (bua and babua) can forget the exodus from Shamli and Kairana. But, can you forget it? Once the BJP government took office (in UP), we did not allow these schemes to succeed," Modi said. The 'bua' and 'babua reference was to BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who have teamed up to oust Modi in the Lok Sabha elections. Attacking the Congress, Modi described the grand old party's manifesto as a "sham document". "In the sham document released by the Congress, they have promised to remove the protective shield of the Armed Forces and scrap the law that deals with sedition. Do you approve of such policies," Modi asked the crowd that broke into chants of "no". "Do you want a government that demoralises armed forces? Do you want traitors to have a free run," he asked. "The Oppositions only agenda is Modi hatao (remove Modi). Their only intention is to promote vanshvaad (dynastic politics), he said. The prime minister also accused RLD chief Ajit Singh of "forgetting" the atrocities against people and not "raising his voice for self-interest". "Today, Chaudhary Ajit Singh is moving into every bylane cursing your 'chowkidar. The 'chhota Chaudhary is two steps ahead. Just imagine, what will happen to the soul of Chaudhary Charan Singh who gave his life to uphold national interest, Modi said. "Saharanpur is going to reject vote-bank politics of the SP, the BSP and the Congress. People here trust the BJP," Modi claimed. In Saharanpur, Congress Imran Masood is locked in a fight with BJP's Raghav Lakhanpal and Fazlur Rahman, the candidate of the SP-BSP alliance. The constituency votes on April 11. The battle for political legacy of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar appears to be slowly playing out in social media, even as the state is gearing up for upcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly bypolls, scheduled to be held on April 23. After the former defence minister died on March 17 after a prolonged battle with cancer one of his proteges Pramod Sawant replaced him as chief minister, but there is a growing debate both in the BJP as well as in political circles about the proposed entry of Parrikar's sons Utpal and Abhijat in active state politics, something which the brothers have stayed away for all these years. Both brothers in a joint statement last week, have committed to following Parrikar's legacy in service to the state and the nation. Interestingly, anonymous social media handles have begun warring in support and against their proposed "dynastic" step. On Friday, a letter purportedly written by the Panaji mandal president of the BJP, which questioned the rise of dynastic politics in the saffron party and critiqued Parrikar's sons' entry into politics went viral, forcing state BJP spokesperson Sidharth Kuncalienkar to clarify that it was "fake news". "We will be filing a complaint before the Goa Police IT cell and the Election Commission of India. Someone has forged this letter as part of a conspiracy," Kuncalienkar said. Meanwhile, at least two anonymous social media handles, one of them named 'Swabhimani Panjikar' (Proud Panjimite) are rooting for Utpal, Parrikar's elder son to contest from the now vacant Panaji assembly constituency, which the late Chief Minister represented since 1994. The campaign, which is accompanied by Utpal's photograph, presents him as the visionary for the state capital. Neither Utpal nor the BJP has commented on the campaign. But the Congress has already accused the BJP in Goa of promoting family raj, after the ruling party decided to grant an assembly bypoll ticket to the son of late deputy chief minister and Mapusa MLA Francis D'Souza. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali met in New Delhi on Thursday and reviewed the progress of development and connectivity projects. Swaraj and Gyawali reviewed recent developments in bilateral ties across diverse sectors, including progress achieved on the initiatives India and Nepal launched in 2018 in the areas of agriculture, railways and inland waterways. They expressed satisfaction at the significant progress made in different sectors of cooperation as a result of intensified bilateral exchanges at all levels in recent months, Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. Gyawali was in New Delhi to take part in the Raisina Dialogue a geopolitical conference held by the MEA in partnership with think-tank Observer Research Foundation. Apart from the implementation of all agreements, we hope to move forward together with India, in strength and take our existing bilateral relations to newer heights, he said speaking at the Raisina Dialogue. India and Nepal relations have been comprehensive. India is our biggest trading partner. We are connected by geography, history, religion and cultures. External Affairs Minister and Nepalese Foreign Minister agreed to maintain the new momentum and to further strengthen the traditionally close and friendly ties between the two countries. Gyawali extended an invitation to Swaraj to visit Kathmandu to co-chair the next meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission. External Affairs Minister accepted the invitation and agreed with Nepalese Foreign Minister that the next meeting of the Joint Commission would be held at an early date. The book Tilos Troops: Handiwork of a Primatologist in Vietnam, authored by Dr Murali Pai of Mangaluru, was released by Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Vice Chancellor Dr H Vinod Bhat at Manipal Centre for European Studies (MCES) on Friday. It is published by Manipal Universal Press (MUP). Dr Neeta Inamdar, chief editor, MUP, welcomed the gathering and spoke briefly about the author and how MUP got about publishing the book. Dr Madhukar Pai, Professor, McGill University, Canada and Sreedevi who copyedited the book were felicitated on the occasion. Dr Murali Pai is the editor of African Conservation Telegraph (ACT), a wildlife biologist, a veterinarian and a writer on environmental issues. He has travelled widely across India, US, China, Ethiopia and Bhutan on different conservation projects. He has dedicated the book to worlds foremost taxonomist and biological anthropologist, late Colin Groves, who has also written the foreword to the book. The book narrates the story of Tilo Nadler, a German welder-turned-air-conditioning engineer, photographer and a biologist. It talks about Tilos experiences in Vietnam, where he had gone in 1993 to the train forest staff in Cuc Phuong National Park to secure the Park from poachers, hunters and vandals. Within two months of his arrival there, he was tasked with the responsibility of launching a rehabilitation centre for endangered primates and was given two sub adult male Delacours langurs, a rare, endemic and critically endangered primate species to take care of. He ended up founding Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, one of the largest of its kind in the world. Dr Murali Pai had met Tilo in Vietnam. In the second ordeal, an offender and two victims were on the Green Line train in the first block of West Van Buren Street when the offender asked for food. After one of the victims gave the man food, he touched the victims genital area, took her phone and fled the train, police said. That incident happened about 1:30 p.m. March 26. A look at the week that was, the issues and people who made headlines, and a few darts and laurels for those who deserve them. DART: To the horrors of domestic violence. Again this past week we saw two horrifying events. In Radnor police say a man walked into a Radnor Wawa and fatally shot his ex-wife. The Wawa was where the couple usually exchanged custody of their son. The boy was not there at the time. And in Upland, a woman was shot in the stomach, allegedly by an ex-boyfriend. LAUREL: To state Sen. Tom Killion. These two instances are proof of the need for legislation he pushed last year to make it easier to get guns out of the hands of those with final protection from abuse orders filed against them. Clearly thats easier said than done, as these incidents prove once again. DART: To the increasingly difficult plight of the middle class here in Delco. A new report from Public Citizens for Children and Youth contained some eye-popping information, but none more troubling than this: Once solidly middle-class families earning as much as $75,000 a year are having trouble making ends meet. LAUREL: To PCCY, this is just the latest research into the struggles of families and children done by the organization. It is important work. DART: To one of the prime drivers in the costs that are dragging families down. That would be the skyrocketing cost of child care. In many families today, two-income households are pretty much a given, mandating the need for quality child care. That increasingly is eating up a huge portion of the family budget. DART: Not helping too many Delco families is the fact that they live in school districts that find themselves struggling as well because of the states antiquated, unlevel, unfair playing field when it comes to funding public education. Bottom line is too many kids continue to be penalized for no reason other than their zip code. DART: To legislators from other parts of the state who continue to drag their heels in changing this funding system. The truth is many district have seen enrollment dropping for decades, but they continue to receive the same funding. In effect, growing school districts in this region are subsidizing those where the need is not as great. DART: To Aqua Pennsylvania. Theyre going to court to block the deal between the city of Chester and Chester Water Authority. Theyre referring to the $60 million bailout of the city by CWA as an Unholy Alliance that does nothing for customers. Why do we get the feeling they still want to acquire Chester Water? LAUREL: To Larry Gentile. The mild-mannered, longtime Haverford manager spent 11 years working for the township. Much of that time he spent on his pet project, trying to rid township streets of those nuisance lawn signs. So as a sign of affection on his last day on the job, friends and his staff packed his lawn with those very same style signs. Enjoy a well-earned retirement, Larry. DART: To the situation facing residents of the Andover development in Thornbury Township at the intersection of Routes 352 and 926. They once again are dealing with the fallout that occurs when a pipeline becomes your backyard neighbor. Residents are telling of glasses rattling in their homes, floors shaking and ceiling fans fluttering. DART: That plan by County Council to lure a group into operating an animal control facility in Smedley Park in Nether Providence has hit a bump in the road. Turns out the Friends of Smedley Park are not wild about the idea. They dont oppose a facility, they just dont think its right for the park. Not the only place to feel that way. In the meantime, animal control in the county continues to approach crisis levels. DART: The ugly fallout from a decision to drive under the influence continues. This week Christian Eckman, who survived the fatal DUI accident that took his wifes life, filed suit against the driver and his father, who owned the truck he was driving at the time. LAUREL: To Media Theatre, which continues to set the bar high when it comes to reserving honors for local veterans. They recently held another special Veterans Night, honoring U.S. Marine combat veterans Douglas Forsythe. DART: To the increasingly sad situations playing out at Glen Mills Schools. The nations oldest reform school finds itself under siege, the focus of state investigations into allegations of decades of abuse and inappropriate treatment of kids there. First, all the children were removed from the campus. Now employees are being laid off. DART: Likewise, some ugly clouds continue to linger over Valley Forge Military Academy. This week a group of parents sued the school, seeking the reinstatement of Major Gen. Walter Lord, who until recently served as president of the school. He was out in what appears to be a dispute with the board. Now parents want him back in. LAUREL: A huge thumbs up to the two Ridley Park police officers who rushed into a burning apartment building to get residents out as the structure went up in flames. Officers Michael Hanly and Jason Golden were among a group who braved injury to make sure everyone got out. DART: To the mumps outbreak that is spreading across the region. The epicenter of the outbreak is Temple University. Part of the problem is the anti-vax arguments that are causing some families to reject childhood vaccinations. The result is diseases such as mumps that were once all but eradicated are making a comeback. LAUREL: To Delaware County Women Against Rape. The organization that provides counsel, support and aid to victims of sexual violence celebrated its 45th anniversary last night. LAUREL: To Bryce Harper. So far hes proving he very well could be worth every penny of that $330 million Phillies owner John Middletown agreed to pay him. Whatever it is, Harper has it. And hes infecting the Phillies. Citizens Bank Park is electric again. Its going to be a fun summer. DART: To the Flyers. Another year, another missed playoff. Maybe a full season of Carter Hart in goal will solidify this team. But the core group of players continues to disappoint. DART: Its clear now that the Sixers are going to continue to be a work in progress. Getting all these players on the court at the same time and hoping they can gel into a single, flowing unit seems unlikely at this point. They will enter the playoffs still very much a question mark. They could be very good, or they could deliver a devastating early exit. It is the base the foundation on which a solid, middle-class life has always been built. And it has been one of the bedrock obligations of the state to provide. But among the startling revelations in a new report released by the advocacy group Public Citizens for Children and Youth on the increasing struggles of the middle class is something that will come as no surprise to far too many residents of southeastern Pennsylvania. Families are playing with a deck that is stacked against them. The study, titled Under Water: Whats Sinking Families in Delaware County, concludes that the American dream is becoming out of reach for many middle-class families. The study concludes that stagnant wages and rising costs for everyday staples such as child care, housing, food, transportation, taxes and health care are leaving families even those making as much as $75,000 a year in the red, unable to make ends meet. The report underscores the importance of good schools as a crucial factor in a childs upward mobility. And that is why correcting the state of funding public education in Pennsylvania remains critical. Funding is currently tilted in favor of districts with solid economies and thriving tax bases, while those with depressed economies and ravaged tax bases suffer. In effect, the state has created an uneven playing field, with far too many families and children penalized for no reason other than their zip code. It is an old story in eastern Delaware County, where school districts such as Upper Darby and William Penn have seen rising enrollment, coupled with skyrocketing pension payments and charter school costs leave the districts strapped. The same holds true in places like Pottstown, Norristown and Coatesville. This uneven playing field was addressed a few years back, when the Legislature adopted a Fair Funding Formula to take into account factors such as charter school costs, special education costs and the number of students using English as a second language. The idea was good: Giving the districts with the most need more funding. But the state fumbled the implementation. The Fair Funding Formula applies only to new education revenue. That means the bulk of state funding continues to be allocated under the old formula, meaning the same uneven, unlevel playing field. Its gotten so bad that several families across the state, including one from William Penn, have taken the state to court to throw out the funding formula. They will get their day in court in 2020. For now, according to PCCY Executive Director Donna Cooper, Pennsylvania continues to live in the past when it comes to education funding. Literally. The bulk of state education funding is based on statistics from 1990, Cooper claims. In the meantime, districts have changed. Many districts in rural areas in central and western Pennsylvania have seen sharp enrollment drops, while their funding has remains the same. At the same time, districts such as Upper Darby have seen a boom in students, but continue to be saddled with the same base funding they received decades ago. Cooper estimates as many as 300 of the 501 school districts in the state have seen enrollment declines, in some cases as much as 30 percent while their funding has remained the same. Here in southeastern Pennsylvania, districts with growing enrollments, in particular those from low-income households, are trying to get by with the same funding. Money we should be getting in the Southeast is underwriting missing students in the western part of the state, Cooper said. The vicious cycle continues. Schools are left with little avenue to raise more money than to slash programs or raise local property taxes. Both add to the uphill slog of low-income families. Kids do not receive the same quality of education as kids in more well-to-do districts just a few miles away, and it costs families more to provide it. Thats one of the reasons so many middle-class families find themselves under water. It should not take a court challenge to fix the states unequal, unfair education funding system. The Fair Funding Formula was a good start. Now its time to finish the job. The Fair Funding Formula should be applied to all education funding and take in all factors in allocating the money. Does that mean that some districts are likely to get less money than they do now? Absolutely. Nobody, let alone politicians who have to run for re-election every two years, likes the notion of telling their school district officials and constituents that they will be delivering less money. But its the right thing to do. Our middle class is under water. And without corrective action to allow them to come up for air, they may be sunk for good. To the Times: A behind-the-scenes career Republican politician recently wrote a letter trying to scare people that our country may slip into socialism if we elect more Democrats. This is a typical tactic of Trump and his supporters as we get closer to the 2020 elections. Its obvious that this is the new scare tactic that Republicans are going to use from now on. It shows a lack of knowledge. In that letter the writer warns us that we will get more like Russia or China if we elect Democrats. First of all Russia is a dictatorship and China is communist. Both countries are not socialistic countries in the true form. Examples of socialistic countries are Sweden and Norway. America is a capitalistic country with many forms of democratic-socialistic policies. By that economists say that all businesses in our economy are privately owned and our government makes policies to protect the disadvantaged citizens with policies that are voted on by our elected representatives. So I say to Republicans who are afraid that our country may enact more socialistic policies, you dont have to participate in the benefits of these programs if you dont want to. You can refuse participating in the following programs. And if you do refrain from these programs, you will still benefit from many of our governmental agencies by being a citizen of the United States. Some of the examples are: public education, Social Security, Medicare, the VA, workers compensation, Medicaid, Food Stamps, public libraries, paid fire companies, local and state police, the U.S. Postal Service, student loans and grants, trash collection, farm subsidies, the U.S. military, highways and roadways, the EPA, the prison system, National Parks, the GI Bill, the FDA, public transportation the list goes on and on. So if you are concerned about socialism and electing more Democrats, then you might as well leave the United States of America. We may not have found the right combination of balancing capitalism and socialism but we will eventually get there through our elected leaders. In the meantime, stop scaring Americans that we are going to wind up like Russia and China because that will never happen. We dont need Donald Trump or local Republicans trying to create another era of McCarthyism. Rice wont be there on Saturday, when her daughter, London, turns 3. Not two hours after leaving her shift at Walmart, she was fatally shot Monday night while sitting in a parked car with two others in the Winneconna Parkway neighborhood on the South Side. The alleged victim told police she went into work early on the Friday before the Memorial Day holiday in 2002 to get ahead of the scheduling she did for a judge even though the judge had been out of the office. Chatman, whom the woman said she recognized from being in her courtroom previously asking for help, threatened her with scissors as he sexually assaulted her, she alleged. STORM BOY 2 stars Jai Courtney, Geoffrey Rush, Morgana Davies, Finn Little, David Gulpilil, Trevor Jamieson, Erik Thomson; PG (for some thematic elements, mild peril and brief language); in general release; running time: 98 minutes SALT LAKE CITY Birds, hunters, an adorable kid, Geoffrey Rush and stunning Aussie coast scenery come together in Storm Boy, a tender, albeit at times heavy-handed tale based on a celebrated Australian children's book. The film, directed by Shawn Seet ("Two Fists, One Heart"), opens as a successful Australian businessman is wrestling to decide whether to move forward with a mining lease on his company land. Michael Kingley (Geoffrey Rush) is at the twilight of his life and is facing pressures from various family members on the decision, as well as the local press. Though other members of the board are pushing hard to approve the lease, Michaels granddaughter Madeline (Morgana Davies) is almost hysterically opposed to the plan. The two meet at the familys home on the southern Australian coast, and as Michael talks things over with Madeline, he reflects on his unique childhood experiences while trying to come to a decision. Those reflections, told in flashback, are adapted from Australian writer Colin Thieles beloved 1964 novel, and reach back decades to Michaels idyllic childhood on the Coorong coast. Young Michael (Finn Little) lived in a remote area with his fisherman father Hideaway Tom (Jai Courtney), who preferred to live as far away from society as possible. He and his father have been separated from Michaels mother and sister for some time, which adds a layer of melancholy to their scenic coastal home. The world is never too far away, though, and Hideway Tom and Michael must constantly deal with a pair of hunters who regularly blast their way through the areas pelican population. In the aftermath of one shoot, Michael recovers three baby pelicans and decides to raise them on his own. He even becomes close to one particular pelican, Mr. Percival, (named after his favorite character in William Goldings Lord of the Flies) which manages to attain some local celebrity. Along the way, Michael also befriends an aboriginal man named Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson), who teaches the boy about local traditions and culture, and gives him a unique perspective on the beauties his world. The tension with the hunters remains a persistent problem, though, echoing the contemporary story about the mining lease, and as the two narratives toggle back and forth, we learn more of how Michael made the transition back to regular civilization and how that will influence his final decision. While theres obviously a line connecting the two stories, the clash between Michaels romanticized youth and the tech-heavy contemporary setting feel like an odd fit at times. The new story also makes the environmental message a lot more explicit, where the flashbacks make the same case with more subtlety. Rushs veteran performance does make a nice anchor for the film, but you get the feeling that the movie might have been more effective if Seet had merely developed and focused on the original source material. Tack on some consistently inspiring Australian cinematography from Bruce Young, and you do have enough upside to give Storm Boy some consideration, maybe just not as a full price ticket. Rating explained: Storm Boy is rated PG for some frightening situations and mild violence (mainly in the form of the birds being shot). Throughout the week, political cartoonists shared their take on the Biden controversy, Obamacare repeal, Mexico border closing, and more. Former vice president Joe Biden is at the center of a controversy this week. A former Nevada legislator, Lucy Flores, said Biden made her uncomfortable when, at a rally in 2014, he came up behind her, touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head. Since Flores came forward, other women have shared their "uncomfortable touching" experiences with Biden. Biden is expected to make a 2020 campaign bid announcement, and some are wondering what effect these stories will have. Some say that Biden is known for his "affectionate" nature and that these touching stories are a far cry from sexual harassment or assault, and should not have an impact on his potential candidacy. Responding to the stories, Biden said he would be more respectful of personal space. President Trump's threats to close the border wall sparked debate this week about what the consequences of such an action would be. Trump backed off his threat and traveled to the border Friday to inspect sections of a border wall. Among popular stories was the statistic that, should the border close, America would run out of avocados in just three weeks. The Affordable Care Act has also been a topic of debate this week. Nobody is sure what the Republicans have in store to replace Obamacare, but Trump has promised to double down on the issue. Although short on specifics, Trump has said the Republican party will become "the party of health care" and promised "lower premiums and deductibles." Mueller's report is still a topic of discussion, with continuing calls for the entire report to be released. Chicago elected Lori Lightfoot as mayor this week, making history as the largest American city to elect its first black and openly lesbian mayor. Other stories this week included Burger King's announcement of a meatless burger, New York's congestion pricing and concerns that Howard Schultz is too moderate for the Democratic Party. SALT LAKE CITY After her debut series, "Divergent," sold millions of copies and was turned into multiple major motion pictures, Veronica Roth admits that her newer series "Carve the Mark" was a bit of a disappointment. "I'm always afraid of letting people down," she said, "so I was always comparing (the two series), like, 'Oh, no, it's not quite as widespread as my first series.'" But there were benefits to having a more "normal" book release, as Roth called it. "I was able to talk to readers more and have a little bit more of an intimate and calmer experience with them, which was really lovely," she said. "It's one of my favorite parts of the job." While 2011's "Divergent" was part of the young adult dystopian fiction craze that hit publishing about 10 or 12 years ago and reached a wide range of people, "Carve the Mark" and its sequel "The Fates Divide" (HarperCollins, 480 pages, ages 14 and up) attracted existing fantasy and sci-fi readers, Roth said. But this time Roth also was more experienced as she planned and wrote the "Carve the Mark" series. "'Divergent' was a little bit of learning as you go," she said. "So, with 'Carve the Mark' I had a plan from the beginning. I knew a little more about detailed world-building and the kind of questions you ask yourself when you're making a new world. I just felt more sure of myself." The "Carve the Mark" series falls closer to the space fantasy/sci-fi worlds than dystopian. Although the main characters Cyra and Akos live in the same world there are nine worlds in this series they come from opposing families, but must cross paths thanks to the fates given to them at birth. Akos' fate is he will die in the service of Cyra's family, who are sworn enemies of Akos' people. Cyra, who's lived her life with what her world calls a currentgift that brings her nonstop pain that she can also spread to others, has come to recognize the evil in her own family. In "The Fates Divide," she works with Akos to overthrow her father from his tyrannical reign as king. But an unexpected twist will show what fate has planned for the unlikely pair all along. When Roth turned in "The Fates Divide" to her editor, for the first time her editor didn't have any major changes to make. "That was really gratifying," Roth said. "That's never happened to me before and it probably won't happen again either. With 'The Fates Divide,' I just had a really clear image of what the story was. I think it's just happenstance, really. Every book is different." I'm a bit of a romantic," she said. "I like that they formed a friendship and it was a little unconventional. That was like the little carrot that lured me through scenes I wasn't as excited about. Roth's biggest challenge in creating the "Carve the Mark" duology was the world building, she said. "It's such a big universe with all these planets and different cultures and languages," she said. "So, keeping track of them and making sure they're distinct from each other it was a big undertaking." What kept her going was the romance between Cyra and Akos. "I'm a bit of a romantic," she said. "I like that they formed a friendship and it was a little unconventional. That was like the little carrot that lured me through scenes I wasn't as excited about." Roth also pulled from some of her personal experience while writing Cyra's character. Roth suffers from her own chronic pain and worried a lot that readers would struggle with a character who constantly suffered. "Then I realized I was saying to myself that existing in my own body is tiresome for other people to read about," she said. "So writing (Cyra) was a really great self-acceptance exercise for me." As she concluded the series with "The Fates Divide," Roth noticed many of her fans were worried she'd end it on the same tragic note that she did "Divergent." "Mostly, the reactions I've gotten are relief that it has a happier ending," she said. "I think I sort of traumatized a few people." But, she said, she appreciates even angry responses from her readers because it means people have an emotional connection to her work. "I think I have an interesting relationship with 'Divergent' readers specifically because they're really mad at me but they loved the books," Roth said. "So we have this, 'I hate you; write more books,' kind of relationship, which I have come to really cherish." Next up, Roth has a collection of short stories coming out Oct. 1, titled "The End and Other Beginnings." It includes some tales from the "Carve the Mark" universe, along with a "mixed bag of light sci-fi" stories, she said. Then, next year she has something a little different coming down the pipeline an adult contemporary sci-fi/fantasy called "The Chosen One," which Roth admitted to feeling a little nervous about. For now, Roth will be meeting up with her old friend and Utah resident Ally Condie for her tour stop in Orem. The two young adult authors met while both their debut novels were riding the dystopian high, and Roth calls Condie "one of the nicest people in books." Also, Roth's sister attended Utah State University, so she's familiar with and happy to return to the Beehive State. "I'm really happy to be doing an event with (Condie)," she said. "We're going to have a good time." If you go What: Veronica Roth book signing When: Thursday, April 11, 6 p.m. Where: Barnes & Noble, 330 E. 1300 South, Orem Web: barnesandnoble.com Democracy is faltering in the United States. Our moral fiber is falling apart. Our national news this week has been of wealthy, elite, famous people paying to cheat in college entrance exams. And worse still there have been collaborators inside our most prestigious universities. It seems we have lost our national character. It is shocking news. A new book, "Leadership: In Turbulent Times" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, tells of the struggles Franklin Delano Roosevelt endured in recovering from polio. One day, Roosevelt was a perfectly healthy, vigorous man swimming with his children. The next day he was paralyzed from the waist down. He lost control of his muscles in his lower body, but his arms and upper body functioned fine. Franklin Roosevelts polio did not go away. He had to learn to endure. And the book suggests that this struggle strengthened Roosevelts character to be one of our greatest leaders. He led us through the Great Depression and World War II. None of us can be a Franklin Roosevelt but each of us in our smaller ways contribute to the national character. Our country today faces a less obvious but an even greater danger that is the very essence of preserving democracy. Democracy is faltering in the United States because we are losing our national character. Just a few of our current numerous problems: 1) Our American democracy is paralyzed in terms of passing legislation on immigration reforms, health care matters and other critical issues. 2) Our tone of debate and discussion has become coarse and hostile. 3) Our free press has split into two presses one that is for President Trump and one that is against him and neither will give an ounce of credit to the other side. We have an election coming up next year. People should not just vote. They should study and participate in the primaries and the general election, and vote in a conscious way. If we can do that, we will take the pain we are going through and make our nation stronger, just as Franklin Roosevelt did that on an individual basis. Our struggles may not seem as dramatic as the Great Depression or World War II, but we are in the same grave danger today. Elder Neil A. Andersen, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave an excellent speech in the October 2018 general conference, titled Wounded. He talked about good people who can become wounded by no fault of their own. For some reason, God allows good people to endure sufferings. In a portion of his talk entitled The Righteous Are Not Immune, Elder Andersen says our wounds may come from a natural disaster or an unfortunate accident. As a nation, I think our wounds are coming from a loss of character. But we are not alone in our struggle to preserve the nation. Elder Andersen continues, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through the incalculable gift of His Atonement, not only suffered for the forgiveness of our sins, but He also stands ready to save us from the sorrows and pains of our wounded souls. Thus, Elder Andersen seems to be saying that we need to turn to God for support as we work to rebuild the character of our nation. When some of our leading citizens immorally paid to gain admissions to universities for their children, they deprived other deserving and hardworking children of their chances. It is the very essence of lacking character. The current cheating scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. Our entire country must come to grips with the fact that we are in a crisis of character. Things that are happening should not be happening. Our voters are not carefully selecting candidates for whom they vote, our public officials are not working together on a bipartisan basis as they should, and the whole tone of our society is no longer character-driven. It is time we wake up to the fact that we face just as big a challenge as the Great Depression and World War II in preserving our democracy. But we can and we must save our country through greater efforts of all citizens. As Elder Andersen says in Wounded about our continuing struggle, dont ever give up, pray with all your heart, strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, in His reality, in His grace. Our country is wounded, but we shall overcome. SALT LAKE CITY This is one of those rare times that less can mean more. If a school district's or charter school's average salaries are below the state weighted average, they can use up to 40 percent of the new Teacher and Student Success Act funding to increase educator salaries. Recently, Utah lawmakers appropriated more than $98.9 million in funding for public schools to create and launch local plans intended to improve student achievement under SB149. The Teacher and Student Success Act legislation was sponsored by Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, to set into motion the 2018 compromise with Our Schools Now, a citizen initiative group that backed a ballot initiative to raise $700 million-plus for education through increases in income tax and sales tax. The group agreed not to place the initiative on the ballot and lawmakers placed $65.1 million in a restricted account to fund school-level initiatives. State property taxes were also adjusted to provide ongoing funding for the initiative. That left a State School Board staff the job of establishing the average teacher salary so schools can plan whether they will spend 25 percent of their funding on educator salaries or up to 40 percent if they meet certain criteria. According to board documents, the average weighted salary statewide is $57,237.19. State school board staff compared base salaries. The figure does not include retirement contributions or other benefits, and the weighted average will only be used for the first year of the program. The board needs to provide this information to districts and charter boards that are preparing budgets and negotiating working agreements with teachers. Any public schools can use 25 percent of the Teacher and Student Success Act funding to increase salaries of "school personnel who work directly with and support students in an academic role." Districts where average teacher salaries are below the state average and where the board agrees to increase its local board property tax levy can use up to 40 percent of the funding they receive for educator salaries. Certain school districts in counties of the fourth, fifth or sixth classes, which have populations 30,999 and under, and charter schools can also use 40 percent of their funding to increase educator salaries "as long as their average teacher salary of their district or charter school is below the statewide average," Angela Stallings, deputy state superintendent of policy, told the State School Board on Friday. The funds may not be used for school administration or operational staff, building and maintenance staff, transportation staff, child nutrition services staff, secretarial staff or district-level staff, among others. Stallings said the State School Board needs to pass an administrative rule to help facilitate the program but how local schools use the money was deliberately left to local control. "At the end of the day, this is a local governance program. The LEAs (local education agencies) will have some flexibility and some decision points they'll need to decide" as local school board or charter school boards, she said, addressing the board's Finance Committee. The committee also gave preliminary approval to a board rule that will help facilitate the legislation and establish a mechanism to appropriate the funding, which will be allocated by enrollment. Twenty-four districts and charter schools have average salaries that exceed the state salary. The average salary in Park City School District was $75,057, the state's highest. Eight of the 24 schools with above-average salaries are charter schools. Other local districts with average teacher pay above the weighted average salary include Salt Lake, North Summit, Wasatch, Granite, Murray, Alpine, Millard, Weber, Rich, Cache, Canyons, San Juan, Davis, Piute and Juab. The school with the lowest average salary statewide was Leadership Academy of Utah at $21,141, according to board documents. Earlier in the day Friday, the full school board reviewed the outcome of the just-concluded legislative session. Stallings said SB149 was one of five bills she has received the most telephone calls about since the session ended. While it is a "local control" bill, districts just under to the statewide average salary need to exercise care over time because "nobody can increase it to 40 percent unless their district or charter average teacher salary is below the statewide average," Stallings said. The board's next monthly meeting is May 2, when it will consider the board rule to implement SB149. SALT LAKE CITY Utah is home to the Onaqui wild horses, a herd of almost 600 that roams on public land outside Tooele. The herd attracts photographers from around the world, according to horse photographer Rob Hammer. "Its like you step into a postcard and these horses are part of it, its just amazing," Hammer said. About 150 horse lovers and wildlife photographers from around the nation gathered outside the Bureau of Land Management office in Salt Lake City to protest a roundup of about 80 percent of the herd, meant to cut its size. They group gathered 100,000 signatures on a petition to stop the roundup. Suzanne Roy, executive director of the American Wild Horse Campaign, said the roundup would cost half a million dollars, and care for the horses as they are stored in holding facilities would be much more. The horses would be available for adoption, but Roy says there is not an adoption market, and she fears some horses could be slaughtered or live the rest of their lives in a pen. "The horses are getting the short end of the stick, and were here to say this is not what the public wants. This is not what the taxpayers want," Roy said. Roy and Simone Netherlands, president of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, went to meet with the Bureau of Land Management to present a cost-effective plan, offering to pay for a fertility control program instead of a roundup. "There is a proven, scientific humane way to manage horses to a lower population, and its very reasonable," Netherlands said. Netherlands said she thinks the meeting went well. She said they opened a dialogue and will be having a follow-up meeting in the next few weeks to discuss the program. "We think they were very open and really very reasonable," Netherlands said. Netherlands said compromises will be the way to solve the issue. She said the bureau is firm on rounding up the part of the herd that lives in the mountains and is less manageable. "Lets show that it can be done, and that the public can be happy, the BLM can be happy, and most of all, the horses can be happy," Netherlands said. The Bureau of Land Management already has a vaccination fertility program, but Roy said it has not put enough effort into the program for it to work as intended. She said her group is encouraging the bureau to give a more humane option a better chance. Roy said Utah has about 5,000 wild horses living on 2.1 million acres of public land they share with livestock. Livestock, including cattle and sheep, live on 22 million acres of land. Another unique aspect of the horses is they are organized in social units. Roy said observers can watch the social dynamic of the Onaqui horses and see families and groups of younger stallions who are friends. "The minute they hit that trap its the end of their freedom, its the end of their family," Roy said. She also said the Onaqui herd is "like the Hollywood herd," because it is so accessible to photographers. The horses are named and are famous on the internet. Hammer said this group is historical it likely began with the pony express and is still live along the trail. He photographs wild horses throughout Utah and said these horses gather in larger than normal groups and are very accommodating to human photographers. "You can get right in close and almost mingle with them they dont just run when you get within a quarter-mile of them like most of the other horses," Hammer said. Public health advocates have been trying for years to raise the legal age in Illinois, arguing that people are less likely to become smokers if they havent started by the time the turn 21. Lawmakers approved the bill last monthfor the second time in as many years after then-Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed an earlier version last year. SALT LAKE CITY Love is essential to happy homes, ministering and missionary work and should motivate Latter-day Saints to preserve their relationships with family and friends who distance themselves from God or the church, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Saturday morning at the beginning of the faiths two-day global general conference. With millions watching and listening via broadcasts on the 189th anniversary of the organization of the church, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles told 20,000 people in the Conference Center across the street from Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City that some church members may be experiencing sadness, agony and regret over loved ones who distance themselves from faith, but he encouraged members to love and embrace them and pray for them. Sincerely rejoice with them in their successes, he said. Be their friends and look for the good in them. We should never give up on them but preserve our relationships. Never reject or misjudge them. Just love them! Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles listed cultivating love for others as one of five ways church members could begin doing missionary work. Laugh with them, he said. Rejoice with them. Weep with them. Respect them. Heal, lift and strengthen them. The statements came two days after church leaders said love and compassion were driving factors in updated policies allowing baby blessings and baptism for children living with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents. Midway through the opening session, the hashtag #generalconference was a top 10 trending topic in the United States as members shared and reacted to conference messages. The pure love of Christ is essential in the hearts of each family member to create a holy place at home, said President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency. Building faith in Jesus Christ is the beginning of reversing any spiritual decline in your family and in your home, he said. The churchs new home-centered curriculum, announced at the October general conference and launched in January, will help build faith, he added. So can cultivating a missionary spirit, temple visits and teaching children to repent early and sincerely. A simple Im sorry can heal wounds and invite both forgiveness and love, he said. He said prayer is also crucial and shared how he once learned a family member far away had prayed at the same time for the same thing he was. For me, the old saying The family that prays together stays together could be expanded to The family that prays together is together, even when they are far apart. He also expressed hope for families with members who have left the church and shared the advice another apostle once gave him: You just live worthy of the celestial kingdom, and the family arrangements will be more wonderful than you can imagine. In addition to loving neighbors as themselves, Elder Uchtdorf provided four other suggestions Latter-day Saints could use to share the good news of Jesus Christ draw close to God, strive to walk the path of discipleship, share what is in your heart and trust the Lord to work his miracles. Elder Uchtdorf, who is chairman of the churchs missionary executive council, encouraged church members to simply include their faith in natural and normal interactions with others. Invite them to come and see, he added. Then encourage them to come and help. There are numerous opportunities for people to help in our church. He said some may unfriend members who share their faith, but that shouldnt stop Latter-day Saints from sharing their faith with confidence, courage and humility. Love is the key to ministering to others, said Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. He shared the story of the terminal cancer diagnosis received by his brother, Mike Waddell, who hadnt attended church for 50 years. After the diagnosis, Mike returned to church activity with the ministering help of his bishop, John Sharp, whose motto was, If someone is on a list that says not interested, dont give up. People change. John knew that a minister is more than a friend and that friendship is magnified as we minister, Bishop Waddell said. The churchs ministering program, announced a year ago, is a higher, holier way of helping, he added, suggesting that members try to minister like Christ, the Master, whose greatest service of all, his infinite Atonement, was anything but convenient. There may be other times when we recognize a need but feel inadequate to respond, assuming that what we have to offer is insufficient, Bishop Waddell said. To do just as He did is to minister by giving what we are capable of giving and to trust that the Lord will magnify our efforts to bless our fellow travelers on this mortal journey. Elder Soares, ordained an apostle a year ago, called on Latter-day Saints to attune themselves to the highest influences of godliness and work toward lasting conversion and a genuine spiritual transformation that he said will bring us a more happy, productive and healthy life and help us maintain an eternal perspective. He also emphasized strong gospel teaching inside the church and with those outside it. Brothers and sisters, our actions must reflect what we learn and teach, he said. We need to show our beliefs through the way we live. The best teacher is a good role model. Latter-day Saints know better than to look for happiness in cheap or temporary items, said Sister Becky Craven, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency. True happiness, she said, is found in living the gospel established by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and in striving to become more like him. She described the covenant path the ordinances and promises and choices members receive and make that can lead back to heaven as a train track and counseled members to avoid derailment in a world full of distractions that can deceive anyone, causing them to be casual in living their covenants. If we are not careful in living our covenants with exactness, our casual efforts may eventually lead us into forbidden paths . There is a careful way and a casual way to do everything, including living the gospel, she said. Sister Craven also encouraged members to follow the counsel of the faiths prophet-leaders. Any time we say, however, except or but when it applies to following the counsel of our prophet-leaders or living the gospel carefully, we are in fact saying, that counsel does not apply to me. We can rationalize all we want, but the fact is, there is not a right way to do the wrong thing! That doesnt mean life must be formal or stuffy, but she asked members to be careful about their choices regarding Sabbath-day worship, prayer, scripture study, temple worship, dress, fulfilling callings, media and language. She also said love plays a role. I also plead with you not to be critical of others making this same journey, she said. Judgement is mine, saith the Lord. We are each in the process of growth and change." That kind of love should extend to the self, she added, saying its impossible to live a perfect life. Although we may not be perfect, brothers and sisters, we can be worthy, she said. As the influences of the world increasingly embrace the evil, we must strive with all diligence to stay firmly on the path that leads us safely to the Savior, widening the distance between our covenant living and worldly influences. The secretary to the First Presidency, Elder Brook P. Hales, a General Authority Seventy, said many people are unaware or do not understand Gods involvement in the details of their lives, calling that an aspect of his perfect love for them. He said those who have made covenants and try to follow Christ are entitled to a constant stream of divine guidance and should seek it through prayer. However, he said, not all prayers are answered in the same way or with the same alacrity and shared examples of each. Sometimes our prayers are answered quickly with the outcome we hope for, he said. Sometimes, our prayers are not answered in the way we hope for, yet with time we learn that God had greater blessings prepared for us than we initially anticipated. And sometimes our righteous petitions to God will not be granted in this life. One of his stories was about Patricia Parkinson, who lost her eyesight at age 11. Now an independent, upbeat adult who supervises language technicians in a school district, she confided to Elder Hales that she has had severe bouts of depression. But when people ask if she is angry because she is blind, she says no because of her experience with the love of God. Who would I be angry with? she said. Heavenly Father is in this with me; I am not alone. He is with me all the time. The session began at 10 a.m. The sun worked through clouds all morning to dry wet streets and sidewalks as thousands walked to the Conference Center. Men wore suits, white shirts and ties and women wore spring dresses or skirts. Some wore boots, while some optimistic women wore sandals. Many wore light coats against a pleasant but cool morning, and others stood on corners and asked for extra tickets to the session. Church officials said 25,318 people attended the first session, with 21,000 at Conference Center and the rest in the Tabernacle and other buildings on and around Temple Square. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, presided over the session, the first of the weekends five meetings. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square provided the music, singing Now Let Us Rejoice, Press Forward Saints, Redeemer of Israel, Dearest Children, God is Near You, I am a Child of God and Rejoice, the Lord is King. The opening prayer was given by Elder Steven E. Snow, a General Authority Seventy, the church historian and recorder and executive director of the Church History Department. The closing prayer was given by Elder Wilford W. Andersen, a General Authority Seventy with leadership responsibilities in the North America Central and Middle East/Africa North areas. SALT LAKE CITY Tanner Atwood-Bowen was in high school when he and two friends found a four-wheeler and went for a joyride through a Sandy neighborhood. He later admitted to a felony theft charge in Utah's juvenile justice system, paid the court about $5,000 and had the record expunged a year later, he said. But the conviction has continued to haunt him in his work selling real estate and an earlier stint as a probation officer. Atwood-Bowen, now 29, believes he could have put the phantom record to rest if he'd had one key tool: an attorney. "At the time, I didn't think a lawyer would have made a difference," he said. "We made our mistake, we knew we got caught, we weren't bad kids by any means." He said he got A's in school and had no other run-ins with police. "We just wanted to get this mistake out of our way and move on with our lives," he said. When he was charged in juvenile court more than a decade ago, he said, his parents wanted him to own up to what he'd done. Now they wish they would have hired an attorney who could have negotiated with prosecutors and secured a less severe misdemeanor conviction of joyriding. "A lawyer would have went to battle on that," Atwood-Bowen said. Utah's Legislature and governor agree. A new law set to take effect in July will equip each child in Utah's juvenile justice system with an attorney, building on a series of reforms in the Beehive State in recent years. Gov. Gary Herbert signed the change into law last week, making Utah one of at least a dozen states to provide an attorney for every child, whether or not they can afford to pay for one, according to the National Juvenile Defender Center. The national group has backed measures like the new one in Utah, which stipulates that children in the juvenile system are automatically considered indigent, meaning they qualify for a public defender. Under earlier reforms, only youths facing felonies were guaranteed an attorney. Critics of the Utah proposal have argued it is not necessary for children to have a lawyer accompany them for each court date, especially during review hearings that take place after a judge issues penalties such as community service or probation. Proponents counter that attorneys continue to play a key role at that juncture. For example, they can seek extensions or shorter sentences at those hearings and can advocate for children if they get into more trouble, said Sen. Todd Weiler. He said he fears the lawyers may not read reports on their young clients if they aren't required to be there. "You could have a situation where a kid stayed out all night or stayed out till 2 a.m., came home drunk. The kid's hungover. The mom is mad at him. The prosecutor is asking him questions and there's no defense attorney to say, 'Hold on, stop talking, let's go in another room and sit down,'" Weiler said. "We're trying to make the system better." Today, juvenile judges in more populous counties tend to appoint attorneys at the first opportunity, said Weiler, R-Woods Cross. But children in rural counties with fewer resources often miss out on representation. The advocacy group Voices for Utah Children teamed up with University of Utah students to observe about 200 juvenile court hearings last year, confirming those children in outlying courthouses often appeared before a judge without a lawyer. "From our perspective, having that defense attorney there to navigate kids through the process and give them an idea of how court procedures can impact their futures, it's just going to produce way better outcomes for young people," said Anna Thomas, a policy analyst with the group. The new reform builds on a 2017 law that cut down the number of children and teens in custody, reserving detention for only the most serious cases and preventing kids from going to court simply because they skipped school. The 2017 law directed schools to handle absences and behavioral issues, so as a result, fewer low-level cases end up in the court system. Since then, the number of juvenile misdemeanor cases has dropped 60 percent, noted Jojo Liu, assistant director of the Utah Indigent Defense Commission. It means the children and teens who currently appear in front of a judge are facing more serious charges. "In that scenario, it really is imperative that everyone has representation," Liu said. Under the new law, if judges determine a child's family actually can afford to pay an attorney, they can order the parents to reimburse the legal fees. Todd Utzinger, Davis County's legal defender coordinator, qualified his support for the law. He believes it will pull attorneys away from more pressing cases to attend hearings where there's no dispute, such as when a youth successfully completes probation and a judge formally approves. "I think these concerns are relatively minor compared to the benefits of the bill," Utzinger said. "Every minor should have representation." Atwood-Bowen's case predated an earlier 2015 Utah law requiring attorneys for youths facing felonies. He said his own juvenile record is partly why he no longer works in law enforcement, even though it is not traceable today. In 2017, a police standards board determined he had lied to the panel by failing to note convictions on his juvenile criminal record and traffic offenses. Atwood-Bowen countered that an employee of the court told him the expunged records no longer counted as convictions. He said he had in fact disclosed the criminal history before he took a lie detector test, he recalled. The board ultimately sided against him. He was suspended from working in law enforcement for two years and maintains he never purposely misled the Peace Officer Standards and Training board. Its public findings still turn up in Google searches for his realty business. "Something I did when I was 17 is haunting me, seemingly for my whole life," he said. "I have to tell this story so people know what really happened so I can get a job." DHAKA, Bangladesh The lives and futures of more than 19 million Bangladeshi children are at risk from the colossal impact of devastating floods, cyclones and other environmental disasters linked to climate change, according to a report by the United Nations children's agency released Friday. The UNICEF report said the estimate includes hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugee children from Myanmar who are living in squalid camps in Bangladesh's coastal district of Cox's Bazar. The report says that because of the impact of climate, families across Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation crisscrossed by more than 130 rivers, have migrated to big cities from villages after losing their livelihoods to increasing salinity in arable land, flooding, or river bank erosion. It documents children being forced into sex trafficking or marriage to survive. Around 12 million of the most affected children live in and around the powerful river systems which regularly burst their banks, UNICEF's Dhaka spokesman, Jean-Jacques Simon, told the AP. "In the big cities ... thousands of children arrive every day with their parents ... who are quite vulnerable to all kinds of exploitations," Simon said. Another 4.5 million children live in vast coastal areas regularly struck by powerful cyclones, including almost half a million Rohingya refugee children living in fragile bamboo and plastic shelters, according to the report. An additional 3 million children live further inland, where farming communities suffer from frequent and severe periods of drought. Bangladesh's 6 million climate refugees could more than double by 2050, according to the report. "The threats are real," said Saleemul Huq, a senior fellow of the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development. "The children are vulnerable as Bangladesh has remained dangerously exposed to adverse impacts of climate change despite its good record of resilience," Huq said. Bangladesh, a nation of 160 million people, has a history of violent cyclones and floods, with a mega cyclone in 1970 killing about 300,000 people in the southern region of what was then east Pakistan. Bangladesh won independence the following year in 1971. Another powerful tropical cyclone struck southeastern Bangladesh and killed at least 138,000 people in 1991. Storm surges have continued to inundate vast areas across the coast, destroying homes and pushing saline water inland, though the loss of life has decreased sharply. The report says that since the early 1990s, investment and action both in disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs have made vulnerable communities more resilient to the dangers of climatic shock. The country has been lauded by global partners including the U.N. for building thousands of cyclone shelters and a vast network of hundreds of thousands of trained volunteers to evacuate people and give them basic medical support during major storms. Bangladesh has also built flood-protection embankments across the country, but its geography means it remains vulnerable to floods and sea level rise. The most recent major flooding of the Brahmaputra River in 2017 inundated at least 480 community health clinics and damaged some 50,000 hand-pumped tubewells, essential for meeting communities' safe water needs, the report said. In spite of these disasters, Bangladesh is one of the world's five fastest-growing economies, averaging more than 6% annual growth over the last decade, the World Bank said in a report Thursday. It predicted 7.3% growth for the current fiscal year ending in June. But despite the government's ambitious development agenda, the impacts of climate change are forcing families deeper into poverty and displacement, the report said. In the process, children's access to education and health services is severely disrupted. "Climate change is deepening the environmental threat faced by families in Bangladesh's poorest communities, leaving them unable to keep their children properly housed, fed, healthy and educated," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, who visited Bangladesh last month, was quoted as saying in the report. "In Bangladesh and around the world, climate change has the potential to reverse many of the gains that countries have achieved in child survival and development," Fore said. April is the month that celebrates pranks. The very first day of the month is celebrated as April Fools Day and do not be surprised if a bad prank is pulled on you this day. But April has more of such fun days that you might not have been aware about like the International Pillow Fight Day. As ridiculous as it may sound, there is actually a day designated in April where people in some countries engage in pillow fights. This year, the day happens to fall today. While some nations have taken to the streets to hit each other with soft pillows, let us celebrate the day by looking at some crazy celeb moments where they engaged in a cute pillow fight: 1. Harshali Malhotra and Kriti Sanon Bajrangi Bhaijaan actress Harshali and Kriti Sanon had shot an ad film together. In one of the BTS videos shared by the latter, the two can be seen engaging in a pillow fight. This video will make you go 'aww...'. View this post on Instagram In between shots Pillow Fight ???? @harshaali2008_official A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on Mar 13, 2016 at 7:18am PDT 2. Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor The exes, during the promotion of their film Jagga Jasoos, engaged in a pillow fight. It was actually Ranbir who threw a pillow at Kat, but she chose not to respond back! 3. Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi Angad shared a video of the two taking up the Choogada challenge before the release of Loveyatri. Angad and Neha, between the dance, had a cute pillow fight before taking the challenge to a whole new level altogether! The student identified as "John Doe," an Indian citizen, was pushing for the emergency order in his federal lawsuit because he faces termination from his job in Boston if he doesn't have a degree by April 15. He has argued his due-process rights were violated by the university's expulsion procedures. The man was accused by another MBA student of sexual assault after he graduated in May of 2018, but before he'd actually received the degree. The News-Gazette in Champaign reports that U.S. District Judge Colin Bruce concluded the lawsuit was improperly filed because the man sued the UI Board of Trustees as an entity rather than as individuals. Bruce also took issue with the proposed remedy sought by the plaintiff: "Preliminary injunctive relief traditionally takes the form of maintaining the status quo, but here plaintiff asks the court to upend the status quo and, rather than require the university to provide him with a fair hearing, award him his MBA degree, on or before April 1, 2019, no less," Bruce wrote. Consovoy outlined his concerns in a four-page letter to the Treasury Department. The IRS is a part of that department. He asked that the IRS also consult with the Justice Department before releasing any tax information, saying "caution and deliberation are essential to ensure that the Treasury Department does not erode the constitutional separation of powers or the tax code's core purpose of protecting taxpayer privacy." 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. Letterkenny is set to be the centre of Celtic music, song, language and dance later this month as the 48th International Pan Celtic Festival gets underway. Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Seamus ODomhnaill and Mayor of Letterkenny Cllr Ian McGarvey jointly unveiled this years festival programme at an event in An Grianan Theatre Letterkenny. The festival which will take place from 23rd to 28th April will bring together the Celtic nations of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man for what promises to be another unique celebration of the Celtic culture bearing witness to majestic displays of Celtic dancing, pipe band performances, choral performances and even Celtic rock and pop music in all of the Celtic languages. The festival programme sets out details on what's on over the course of the festival. There will be many highlights during the week but one of the most colourful will be the carnival street parade in Letterkenny on Friday 26 April. Other highlights include the concert showcase from the Celtic countries during the official opening in the Mount Errigal Hotel on Tuesday 23 April, the International Song Contest in An Grianan Theatre on Thursday 25 April and the Choral Concert in An Grianan Theatre on Friday 26 April. Cllr Seamus ODomhnaill believes that the International Pan Celtic Festival is a great opportunity to experience our rich Celtic history and is encouraging visitors to call Letterkenny home for the week of the festival. We value a time to pause and focus on the small comforts afforded by good music, language, good friends and good times. In so doing, we strengthen the threads which connect us in this wonderful tapestry of six Celtic Nations. Cllr Ian McGarvey acknowledged that great programme of events planned for Letterkenny during the week saying great work has been done both by the Council and by many other cultural organisations in organising this festival. They have laid out a programme that will keep us all entertained and busy over the days of the festival. Cathaoirleach of Comhairle Idirnaisiunta Pan-Cheilteach Mairin Nic Dhonnchadha is looking forward to returning to Letterkenny saying it is with great joy and enthusiasm that the Pan Celtic delegations from Alba, Breizh, Cymru, Eirinn, Mannin and Kernow return to Leitir Ceanainn to celebrate the 48th International Pan Celtic Festival while the highlights of last years festival are still fresh in our minds. We look forward to this trip to reconnecting with friends, creating new cultural experiences and renewing our commitment to our shared Celtic heritage. A copy of the festival programme in many outlets in Letterkenny including the Tourist Information Office, An Grianan Theatre, Council Office and the library. It is also available online at www.panceltic.ie From beginning to record music at his Ballyshannon home eight years ago, next month electronic music producer Keith Mannion and his band will be the only Irish act to appear at a prestigious UK music event. Donegal act Slow Place Like Home will appear at FOCUS Wales, the annual new music showcase event for the Welsh music industry. It is an achievement that Mannion, described as one of the finest producers in Ireland, is proud of. It's quite ego-stroking to be offered a place at such an illustrious festival, he said. The acts alone... I would like to think that if they are peers then I am in a good place. He has been making music under the moniker Slow Place Like Home (SPLH) since 2011. The act has merged into a live band with Rossnowlagh musicians Ciaran Patton and Sean Reynolds. SPLH initially started off as a bedroom project. It was never supposed to be a live project but it was (because of) encouragement and mingling with the locals. I would never have been a session musician in pubs. There were better players than me and I would leave it to the professionals. He set up the project after returning home to Ballyshannon from Galway. I just started from scratch. I had plenty of time at nighttime and I amalgamated loads of silly bits of machinery and had a sort of DIY venture. Eventually, through sharing music with friends he began to take it seriously and it took up more of his time. He quickly found inspiration around him on his return to south Donegal. I think in general what I was doing, the south west coast here of Donegal is indicative of the theme of the music I was making at the time. It was a different time back then but definitely the environment and the coastline - we have a beautiful county and if you can draw inspiration from that you are a lucky person. It was not necessarily a career but it has turned into one. He began releasing music onto the internet and it began getting noticed by music radio luminaries such as Donal Dineen, Dan Hegarty of RTE 2FM, and Stephen McCauley of BBC Radio Ulster. After the release of a series of EPs, two albums followed - Romola in 2015 and When I See You... Ice Cream! in 2017. Local musicians Meeting Ciaran and Sean has been another blessing that being in Donegal has given him. Im lucky in a way I have to say. Its great that there are people that can at least attempt to feel interested in what it is because I am not sure that everyone quite gets it. I am not exactly contemporary but I am definitely not borderline alternative. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is when I cant even describe it myself. Getting out and playing live in the current climate of the industry is the best way for getting exposure for the music, Keith says. Definitely the instant reaction, it's like an actor in the movies or on the stage. You want that instant sort of punch, that instant result. And I think you can only get that self-gratifying feeling when you are playing in front of people. It is a great thing to be able to test songs out there, to be able to play and find the temperature of the water. A musical departure in recent times has been his involvement with acclaimed musician Laura McGarrigle, originally from Strabane. Based in Edinburgh she performs as Gaze is Ghost. Laura guested on Keiths last album and he is now playing regularly in her band and is working on an album with her. Keith will be recording and releasing his own music in the coming months and the Welsh show will be his first appearance in Britain after a previous appearance was cancelled. He does not play much in his own county. Online I know from sales and the record label telling me, most of the attention drawn is from the UK and places like France and Scandinavia. It travels, the music travels and is played a lot in the west coast of the United States on student radio and in Canada. It seems to appeal to places outside of Ireland. Donegal county councillors will discuss the findings of a report by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) on Cllr John ODonnell at a special meeting on April 18. The Independent councillor was probed by SIPO after he appeared in an RTE Investigates programme broadcast in November 2015 in which he was secretly filmed having discussions with an undercover reporter purporting to be proposing a wind farm project. The investigation found against Cllr ODonnell in respect of all three of the alleged contraventions. Calls were made for his resignation following the publication of the report last week. The special meeting has been called by Cathaoirleach Seamus O Domhnaill following requests from Sinn Fein and Cllr Frank McBrearty. We are very curtailed by what we can do but the members of the council have compelled me to hold the meeting and thats what Im doing, Cllr O Domhnaill said. Sinn Fein councillor Marie Therese Gallagher said: What I hope from the meeting is that we get time to discuss what is in the report and find out from the executive about what if any procedures can happen now and if there are any next steps. Meanwhile Cllr ODonnell was admitted to hospital this week. In a social media post sent with a picture apparently taken from his hospital bed, he said he was admitted to hospital after suffering severe pains in his chest. Not where I wanted to end up 7 weeks out from an election but I guess theres only so much pressure any man can take, he wrote on Facebook. Hopefully its nothing too serious and Ill be back on the canvass trail again next week. Louth: The Irish Revolution 1912-23 by local historian and author Donal Hall will be launched in the Town Hall Dundalk this (Wednesday April 3) at 7pm. The book tells, for the first time, the story of Louth in the years of the Irish Revolution in a single comprehensive narrative. Donal Hall explains that he has long been fascinated with the period. My fathers people were in the republican movement at that time, my mothers were fighting in the British army in France. I grew up with stories from both sides, and never felt conflicted between them. Both sides did their duty as they saw it. Donal maintains that an understanding of the Irish Revolution can only be achieved in the context of the Great War. At least three thousand men from Co Louth fought in the war, and over eight hundred were killed. During the War of Independence, the IRAs strength in Louth did not exceed one thousand and of those, seven were killed. The Great War directly affected many more people than the Irish Revolution. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the book delves deep into the background of that period, revealing a county with a strong industrial and agricultural base but also with a declining population, large-scale unemployment, extensive poverty and one of the few places on the east coast where the Irish language survived. The book also reveals that up to 1916, most people in Louth would have been content with a political settlement that maintained a strong connection with Britain. Home Rule would have satisfied the overwhelming majority of people. Even Sinn Fein up to 1917 promoted a dual monarchy with Britain. When the Home Rule Act Bill got the Royal Assent in September 1914, there were parades and bonfires in celebration all over the county. Separatism, a complete break with Britain, was the dream of an insignificant minority. Although Irish Volunteers from Louth mobilised and reached the outskirts of Dublin in 1916, the militancy spurred by aftermath of Easter Rising faded, and during the War of Independence the IRA in Louth was criticised for its apparent inactivity. However, this book shows that IRA activity followed a pattern common to most of the country and was at a level comparable to the neighbouring counties of Meath, Monaghan, Down and Armagh. Internal IRA reports and private narratives held in archives reveal the deep frustration of militant activists at the difficulty in organising activities, particularly in south Louth. In 1919/20 there were raids for guns and attacks on trains enforcing the Belfast Boycott. Craigs shop in Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk was burned in August 1920 in retaliation for attacks on Catholics in the north, and four employees who were living in the shop were killed. This was a purely sectarian attack, and local leadership of the IRA disassociated itself from it. By early 1921 there was a marked increase in IRA attacks on people and property, and a flying column had been mobilised in north Louth. Politically, Sinn Fein was firmly in control of Louth, and all local government bodies withdrew recognition of the British administration. After the Truce of 1921, there followed the split on the Treaty but Frank Aiken, commanding the 4th Northern Division of the IRA in Dundalk, tried to remain neutral. The Dundalk Brigade led by Monaghan man Patrick McKenna openly supported the anti-Treaty side. His presence in Dundalk was a major irritant to Eoin ODuffy, Chief of Staff of the National Army. He ordered Aiken to move against McKenna and when Aiken refused, General Dan Hogan leading the 5th Northern Division from Monaghan invaded Louth. With this, Aiken was forced on to the anti-Treaty side. There followed nine months of street-fighting between republicans and government troops for control of Louth; ambushes, assassinations, executions and house burnings were common. Anti-treaty Donal adds: All deaths in the Civil War were lamentable. In Louth fourteen National Army soldiers were killed in action and fifteen republicans died, six of whom were executed in Dundalk. At the end of the Civil War, the IRA in Louth was broken and the anti-Treaty side had failed to attract the support of the majority of people. There was overwhelming support for political parties that were prepared to work the Treaty this was as true after the Civil War as it was before. Ironically Aiken, the man who was the most reluctant of all to take sides, ended up as Chief of Staff of the anti-Treaty IRA, and with superb political skills that belied his age, he was only 25 in 1923, was able to steer the IRA towards peace without splitting the organisation. With peace, Louth emerged from a decade of instability more politically divided than ever, cut off by partition from its natural hinterland in Ulster and facing an uncertain future. The death has occurred in Kings Langley, London of John Carroll, formally of Willville Carlingford. The news of Johns passing was greeted with much sadness on the Cooley Peninsula. John, the third oldest son of the Late Tommy and Kathleen Carroll, was predeceased by his brothers Tom and Pat. John was born in 1939 in Willville. He attended Boher National School. At the age of fourteen, he bid goodbye to school days and went to work on local farms. It was the 1950s, and there was much demand for young strong men in rural Ireland. John worked long hours, completing back breaking chores, with very small wages for his hard work. At the tender age of eighteen, the bright lights of London beckoned to John. He quickly found employment as a bus conductor. Many of his neighbours from home fondly remember John working on the buses. His pleasant demeanour, his immaculate dress, was a joy to meet for those who found themselves far from home in the busy city of London. Soon the call of the chisel and hammer rang for John. Carpentry had long been a trade in the Carroll family. John sought night classes in carpentry in London. Armed with his newly acquired skill, he worked with his late brother Pat on building sites all over the thriving city. It was a close partnership which transcended decades for the two brothers. While socialising in the Blarney Club Dance Hall on Tottenham Court Road, John met the love of his life, Margaret McConalogue from Donegal. In 1969, beneath the rafters of the beautiful whitewashed Church in Clonmany, the young couple exchanged wedding vows. It was a union blessed from the Heavens. For fifty long years, they cared deeply for each other. The birth of their children Stephen and Nickola brought with it much joy. The arrival into their lives of their two treasured nieces Denise and Karen showered the family with an abundance of blessings. John worked long hours to provide for his growing family. The draw of the homeland was ever strong for John. Frequent telephone calls were made across the Irish sea, keeping in touch with loved ones at home. Many happy summer holidays were spent in Cooley and Donegal. Sadly the sands of time brought change to the final years of Johns life. Failing health meant he had to move from the family home in Greenford to the home of his daughter Nickola and son in Law Andy in Kings Langley. The entire family rallied around to care for John. The presence of his lovely young grandchildren in his life brought to his world a richness all of their own. They delivered daily helpings of spontaneous love and affection as only children can do. As the month of January came to a close, John grew tired. His loving family gathered as they felt his energy ebb away. When the Lord finally called John, he went forward without fear. The faithful servant had led the good life, he had given his all. He truly deserved the reward waiting for him. Amidst their tears, his family appreciate the blessings received from knowing and loving John. Forever will they cherish the man who John was, his hard work, his dry wit, his good humour, his immaculate dress, his kindness and his special aura of gentleness. Johns funeral Mass was held in St Saviours Church, Abbots Langley on Tues 26th Feb. Fr Richard who celebrated the Mass spoke movingly about John. Complementing his strong faith, He expressed his happiness that John had now found eternal peace. Under the care of Funeral Directors MK Ginder & Sons, Johns mortal remains were respectfully brought through the busy streets of London. John took his final rest at West Herts Crematorium where daffodils swayed in the breeze underneath the warm Spring sunshine. John is survived by his wife Margaret, children Stephen and Nickola, his endeared nieces Karen and Denise, Son in law Andy, and grandchildren in London. He is sorely missed by his brother Ambrose (Willville), his niece Kathleen McGorrian, Haggardstown, and his wider circle of family and friends. The esteem in which John was held was reflected in the number of people who came to the Church to pay their respects, and the large number who travelled from Ireland to bid a final farewell to John. May his Gentle Soul Rest in Peace. Kevin Haverty passed away peacefully in Toronto East General Hospital on Tuesday, March 19th with his devoted and beloved wife Myrna and son Kevin Jr. at his side. A strong believer that "life is the journey, and not the destination," he had enjoyed his life fully and in his own way. In the end he wanted to return to the place from whence he came and he did exactly that. Having freely given of his experience, strength and hope to so many, we are bereft at the loss of our Big Fella; yet grateful that his spirit still touches us from his place of origin and destination - beyond this earthly journey. Born in Dublin in 1937 to Thomas and Mary Haverty of Dundalk, Kevin attended Shelagh National School and Dundalk CBS. He grew up into a fine big guy and was very conscious of local life - both good and not so good. Upon leaving CBS he transferred to St. Mary's College Dundalk (The Marist), where he met his future life-long friends, including Brendan McGahon, a man of equal passion in all respects enjoying their rite of passage of good education, conversation, debate, song and horses. To our knowledge, Kevin was the last survivor of the group. He started his career at The Hibernian Bank, Ireland moving on to join The Standard Chartered Bank, London and thereafter to South Yemen (Aden)and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). In the early 60s, he transferred to Bombay where he met his future wife Myrna. They embarked on an adventure which took them back to Ireland, then on to Canada where they settled in Toronto with their son Kevin Jnr. In Canada, Kevin started work at the Bank of Montreal; then moving on to IBM, where he spent 33 years in Canada and Australia. His role brought him and his family around the globe many times over, living in Toronto, New York and Sydney, before returning to Canada in 2000. For those who knew him, Kevin was a gentle and spiritual soul, always generous of spirit -- especially with his understanding, time and empathy. A remarkable fighter, he experienced life challenges which would have embittered many and from which they would not have recovered. Despite all - this dominating, big, tough man did recover and would be the very first to extend the hand of help to those of us who reached out for it. I am a better man for having Kevin in my life Mike G. In addition to Myrna and Kevin Jnr., Kevin is also survived by his daughter-in-law Liz Power of Toronto, Ontario, sister Therese Haverty-Cleary and brother-in-law Joe Cleary of Georgetown, Ontario; and his sister Imelda Coffey of White Rock, BC, and their families. His family also included sister-in law, Patricia Xavier and brother-in-law Lloyd Xavier of Toronto; and sister-in-law Joybelle Fonseca of Mumbai, India and their families. An Irish 'Wake' Memorial Service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, April 6 with a private family burial at a later time. Ar dheis De go raibh a Anam Dilis. 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Conister Lodge of Freemasons recently presented a cheque for 3,390 to the Manx organisation. The money was raised by Conister Lodge members through a variety of social activities. St John have purchased a Raizer chair which enables a solo responder to safely lift from the floor to a sitting position a patient weighing up to 25 stones. Brexit's destiny depend on Labor Party's decision The British government is optimistic about reaching some form of deal with the opposition Labour Party to end a deadlock on Brexit as work on a compromise continues, Britains finance minister said. But Labour said the governing Conservatives needed to be more flexible and had not shown any movement on a political declaration of intent on the future relationship between London and Brussels once Britain has left the European Union. "THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO RED LINES IN THE TALKS" Prime Minister Theresa May has asked EU leaders to postpone Britains exit from the bloc next Friday until June 30 but the EU insists she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her thrice-rejected divorce deal in the British parliament. It is the latest twist in a saga which leaves Britain, the worlds fifth-biggest economy, struggling to find a way to honor a 2016 referendum vote to take the country out of the globes largest trading bloc. Hammond, however, told reporters on Saturday he was upbeat about breaking the impasse. I am optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour, he said on the sidelines of a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Bucharest, adding he expected the exchange of some more texts today, he added. The government had no red lines in the talks, he said. But Labours home affairs spokeswoman said the Conservatives needed to show a willingness to compromise on Prime Minister Theresa Mays red lines, which include no more members of the EUs customs union or single market. My understanding is that there has been no movement from the government on the actual concept of the political declaration and that is key, Diane Abbott told BBC radio on Saturday. The government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far. Hammond, who is one of the most pro-European members of Mays government, also signaled optimism about next Wednesdays EU summit on Brexit, saying most EU states agreed there was a need to delay Brexit. Most of the colleagues that I am talking to accept we will need longer to complete this process, Many within the Conservative Party are increasingly worried that any delay obliging Britain to again take part in elections for the European Parliament on May 23-26 would be deeply divisive. Going to the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we havent been able to deliver Brexit I think would be an existential threat, junior education minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC radio on Saturday. I would go further and say it would be the suicide note of the Conservative Party, he added. China is Europe's biggest economic power EU, Chinese leaders to discuss rising Chinese influence in Europe at the summit next week. European Union leaders will sit down next week with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang to discuss the bloc's relationship with Beijing, perhaps the biggest external economic and diplomatic challenge currently facing the EU. "OUR GOAL MAINTAIN BALANCED AND HONEST RELATIONSHIP" Li's trip comes barely a fortnight after Chinese President Xi Jinping ended a three-nation European tour, which took him to Italy, Monaco and France. The Chinese premier's visit to Europe scheduled for April 8 to 12, will take him to Brussels for the 21st China-EU leaders summit and Croatia for an official visit and the meeting of China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), according to Chinese Foreign Ministry. European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will co-host the EU-China summit. "Our aim is to focus on achieving a balanced relation, which ensures fair competition and equal market access. In this context, we hope to persuade China to include industrial subsidies as a crucial element of the Word Trade Organisation reform," Tusk said in late March. Both sides will also discuss the future of global governance, the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the issues of sustainable development, cybersecurity, and security issues in the region, the European Commission's website said. China is the second-largest trade partner for EU with goods worth $674 billion, according to Eurostat. Data show the EU had a trade deficit worth $185 billion with China last year. France to investigate Rwanda genocide French President Emmanuel Macron ordered experts to investigate France's actions in Rwanda during the country's genocide. President Emmanuel Macron has appointed researchers to carry out a two-year investigation into the role of the French army in the Rwandan genocide that is still a source of tension between Paris and Kigali 25 years later. "ARCHIVES WILL BE RESEARCHED" The nine-member commission will have access to presidential, diplomatic, military and intelligence archives, the French presidency said on Friday, after Macron met members of an association supporting survivors of the genocide. The goal is to deliver a report which will be published in two years time ... and will be accessible to all. It will scientifically evaluate, on the basis of archives, the role that France played in Rwanda from 1990 to 1994, the presidency said. Macrons predecessor Francois Hollande declassified presidential archives on the subject in 2015, but researchers have complained that only a fraction of the classified documents have surfaced and say a conclusive account on the role played by France is yet to be produced. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused Paris of being complicit in the bloodshed in which Hutu militias killed around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. While Paris has acknowledged mistakes in its dealings with Rwanda, it has repeatedly dismissed accusations that it trained militias to take part in the massacre. However, during a visit to Rwanda in 2010, then-president Nicolas Sarkozy did acknowledge France made a serious error of judgment, a sort of blindness when we didnt foresee the genocidal dimensions of the government. The two countries broke off diplomatic ties in 2006 after a Paris judge accused Kagame and nine aides of shooting down former president Juvenal Habyarimanas plane in April 1994 the catalyst for the massacre. Rwanda rejected the charges. During that 2010 trip, Sarkozy also said a French rescue mission in under a UN mandate to provide safe zones, had been too little and too late. The killing started in April 1994, and the French arrived in June. The two countries eventually restored diplomatic ties in November 2009, but Rwanda has long called on Paris to pursue genocide fugitives living on French soil. The presidential statement said the French court dealing with Rwandan genocide cases would receive additional resources to speed up the judicial process. The announcement of the commission comes against the backdrop of commemorations marking 25 years since the genocide. The French president will not attend the official commemorations of the massacre on Sunday. He will be represented by Herve Berville, a Tutsi survivor of the genocide who is a member of the French parliament from Macrons ruling party. French high schools will start teaching the Rwandan genocide from September 2020. Istanbul Airport starts the first flights New Istanbul Airport starts serving international and domestic flights following the big switch process. The Istanbul Airport started serving international and domestic flights on Saturday after its mega move. "TODAY IN OUR NEW HOME" Turkish Airlines dispatched its first flight to capital Ankara at 2 pm local time (1100GMT). Ilker Ayc, chairman of Turkish Airlines, said in a statement: "Today in our new home, we open the doors of a new adventure and fly to our capital once again for our first flight." On Friday, the big switch from Ataturk Airport to the new Istanbul airport began. The first phase of the airport with an annual capacity of 90 million passengers officially opened last October. At full annual capacity of 200 million passengers with the completion of all four phases with six runways until 2028 Istanbul Airport is set to become a global aviation hub with flights to over 350 destinations around the world. After its completion, the airport will serve 250 aviation companies worldwide with daily 2,000 plane landing and taking off capacity. Turkey disappointed over allegations by Eritrea Foreign Ministry says, the statement by countrys information ministry arose out of misinformation. Turkey expressed disappointment Saturday after Asmara accused it of obstructing the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea. "WE BELIEVE THIS STATEMENT AROSE OUT OF MISINFORMATION" "We are saddened to note the baseless allegations about Turkey in a press statement dated April 3, 2019 by Eritreas Ministry of Information," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We believe this statement arose out of misinformation, Foreign Ministry added. The ministry said that as a strategic partner of Africa, Turkey maintains multi-dimensional cooperation with African countries and attributes "great importance" to the security and stability of the continent. The ministry also emphasized that Turkeys appreciation of the normalization process between Ethiopia and Eritrea and developments towards the stability of the Horn of Africa has been made public on many occasions. UN Secretary-General holds talks with Haftar in Libyan UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday met with Khalifa Haftar who commands forces loyal to Libyas eastern government based in the city of Al-Bayda amid recent military escalation. On Wednesday evening, Libya's UN-backed Presidential Council went on high alert after forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar reportedly began advancing westward toward Tripoli. "I LEAVE LIBYA WITH A HEART AND DEEPLY CONCERNED" In a statement, Presidential Council Chairman Fayez al-Sarraj said that government security forces had been told to brace for a possible attack from the east. Following the meeting that concluded Guterres visit to Libya, the UN chief wrote in a Twitter post: I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli. The UN is committed to facilitating a political solution and, whatever happens, the UN is committed to supporting the Libyan people, he added. Ahead of his meeting with Haftar, Guterres who arrived in Libya on Wednesday alongside the UN Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame met with Aqila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-Libya-based assembly, in the city of Tobruk. Guterres has discussed with Saleh the recent developments in Libya, the military escalations in Tripoli, as well as the anticipated referendum on the constitution and parliamentary and presidential polls, the media advisor to the House of Representatives (HoR) Fathi Al-Miryami said. Haftar on Wednesday reportedly ordered his forces to deploy to western parts of the country with a view to purging the region of terrorist groups and strongholds. The move prompted speculation that pro-Haftar forces plan to march on Tripoli, where the fragile unity government is headquartered. The move would mark the first time Washington formally labels another country's military a terrorist group. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources in the administration. "THE TERRORIST BLACKLIST ALONGSIDE DEASH" Iran on Saturday threatened to add the US army to its terrorism list if Washington designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group. Writing on Twitter, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, head of the Iranian Parliament's Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said Tehran would add the US army to the terrorist blacklist alongside Daesh" if the US blacklisted the IRGC. The threat came amid reports that the US administration was considering adding IRGC to its terror list. The move could be announced as early as Monday, April 8, according to WSJ. If carried out, it will mark the first time another country's military has been branded as a terrorist group. Reuters reports that three sources close to the matter confirmed the WSJ account to them and that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been pushing for the new designation. There's just no terminating this movie franchise. The crowd at CinemaCon 2019 were the ones to get a first glimpse of the upcoming "Terminator" installment, curiously titled "Dark Fate." Directed by Tim Miller, the flick is a direct sequel to the first two films, "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." This renders the succeeding "Rise of the Machines," "Salvation," and "Genisys" all rather pointless. The footage at hand, was about 5 minutes long, and featured the constants, Arnold Schwarzenegger (of course) and a returning Linda Hamiton, alongside newer cast members MacKenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, and Diego Boneta, in an unfamiliar setting: Mexico City. Linda Hamilton: the bad-ass legend Hamilton was very blunt in expressing her dismay over the last three "Terminator" films at the conference. Tough as nails like her character Sarah Connor. "They're very forgettable, aren't they? You start something and you're invested in the franchise, but somehow the characters that you care about weren't there. Too many people, too many story points." She added that she thought long and hard before accepting the offer to be part of the franchise again: "I am living this quiet, lovely life that doesn't involve being a celebrity, and you really have to think, do I really want to trade that in again for another 15 minutes?" Back to its roots It was about time that "Terminator" went back to its core storyline, which invoked nostalgia among the cast and crew, especially Miller. He tells Cinema Blend: "To say that working on this film was a labor of love for me is an enormous fucking understatement. I mean I think all of you can imagine just what a responsibility it is... If I could go back in time, you know time travel's a big thing in this movie, I'd tell that incredibly handsome young nerd that one day he'd be continuing the story of these iconic characters in a new movie I would have passed out in my fucking popcorn. Even more incredibly, I get the chance to do it the right way." "Terminator: Dark Fate" opens on November 1, 2019. 5 April 2019 Representatives of the EPO and the Jordanian Industrial Property Protection Directorate at the EPO headquarters in Munich on 5 April 2019 The heads of the EPO and the Jordanian Industrial Property Protection Directorate (IPPD) met in Munich today to start negotiations on a validation agreement. The agreement aims to provide inventors and businesses with a simple and cost-effective way of obtaining patent protection in Jordan based on a European patent and patent application filed at the EPO. Under the future agreement, an applicant can have European patent applications and patents validated in Jordan, where they will enjoy the same legal effects as national Jordanian applications and be subject to national law. The future agreement will also be accompanied by an advanced technical co-operation programme between the two offices, under which the EPO will provide training and tools to increase the capacities of the IPPD to better support the country's industrial property system. EPO President Antonio Campinos said: "These negotiations are another significant step in extending the reach of the European patent system beyond Europe. We are confident that we will formalise a validation agreement with Jordan in the coming months, which will help strengthen its patent system and allow applicants to validate European patents in a Middle Eastern country for the first time." The Director of the IPPD, Zain Al-Awamleh, highlighted that "providing access for innovators to legally robust patents through the European patent system will contribute to the development of the Jordanian economy by encouraging innovation and stimulating foreign direct investment." Director Al-Awamleh also underlined the importance of strengthening the technical co-operation with the EPO to support the efforts of the IPPD in developing the role of IP as a strategic economic tool in Jordan. The EPO and the IPPD already co-operate in the field of training of patent examiners and in the field of data exchange. The IPPD is a Directorate within the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply. Approximately 300 national patent applications were annually filed in Jordan in the past few years and in 2017 the country became a contracting state to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The European Patent Organisation currently has validation agreements in force with Cambodia, the Republic of Moldova, Morocco and Tunisia, and five further agreements are currently being negotiated. Further information Healthy electoral politics strives for reciprocity, not primacy between individual and national interests. Predictably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in their election campaign continue to harp on a particular notion of nationalism, which, until the Pulwama attack happened, was militaristic and combative in nature. The BJPs politics of nationalism seeks to convert its democratic dissenters into the enemy, thus furthering the continuum between India and the enemy country, which is Pakistan. The combative image of the nation has been aided by some of the Hindi television news channels as well as the print media, which have been using the militaristic terminology of waar and palatwaar (attack and counter-attack) or bada hamla (big attack). The rather dramatic announcement made by the Prime Minister about sending a missile to shoot down a satellite was the latest addition to this militaristic vocabulary. During this period of the run-up to the general elections, this has taken a more morally coercive turn. This is evident in the statement that the BJPs members are making in various ways: If you do not vote for the BJP, you will be voting for those who seek the disintegration of India. The BJP, however, is desperate to create an internal enemy in the form of the Congress. This was once again made clear by the BJP spokespersons selective criticism of the Congress election manifesto as being anti-national. In fact, the BJP-led government at the centre has used its pet brand of nationalism as a stick with which to beat all democratic dissent into silence. At other times, the BJP has been trying to define Indian nationalism in the framework of a combative relationship with Pakistan. In the times of elections, however, this is bracketed into a critique of Pakistan. In this context of the BJPs election campaign, there are three crucial questions that emerge. Although the majority of patients who have blood cancers are older adults, they make up only a small percentage of participants in the clinical trials that lead to new therapies. That's because the standard research methods used in oncology (cancer medicine) are not ideal for identifying certain vulnerabilities linked to aging, such as having multiple chronic diseases and being frail. To help remedy that situation, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) issued a guideline recommending that older adults who have cancer receive a geriatric assessment to see if they are at increased risk for experiencing side effects from medication and other complications from cancer and its treatment. Recently, a team of researchers examined older adults who have cancer to see whether their ability to manage daily activities as measured by these assessments was linked to staying alive longer. The team published their study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. A key part of the geriatric assessment is to determine how well an older adult performs the basic activities of daily living (ADLs). These include bathing, dressing, getting themselves from a chair to the bed (and vice versa), eating, grooming, and using the toilet. The geriatric assessment also takes into account an older adult's ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLS), or activities necessary for them to live on their own in the community. These activities include shopping, preparing meals, housework, taking medication, and handling their finances. The researchers studied how performing daily activities was linked to survival and also to the use of medical care for adults living with cancer and aged 75 years and older. The researchers suspected that being unable to perform their daily activities would mean higher rates of death and unexpected visits to the Emergency Department (ED) and admissions to the hospital. Participants included 464 people who on average were nearly 80 years old; 65 percent were male. All the participants were treated for blood cancers, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. About 38 percent of the participants had an aggressive form of blood cancer. Of the participants, 11 percent reported they had trouble with at least one ADL and almost 27 percent had trouble performing at least one IADL. The researchers also looked at a group of 318 participants who had visited the ED or had unplanned hospitalizations. Of them, 17 percent had at least one ED visit and 19 percent had at least one unplanned hospitalization. The five most common causes of hospitalization were pneumonia, fever, sepsis (the medical term for a blood infection), pain, and congestive heart failure. For their main findings, the researchers reported that participants who had trouble performing at least one IADL had a higher risk for death, ED visits, and unplanned hospitalizations. This risk was not affected by how old they were, whether they had other chronic illnesses, how aggressive their cancers were, or the intensity of their cancer treatment. What's more, the researchers found that many of the patients who were dependent in performing their IADLS (meaning they relied on help from others) also had higher rates of age-related conditions, such as memory issues, problems with mobility, and feelings of loneliness or depression. The researchers concluded from their study that it is not only important to ask about function for older adults with blood cancer but to also screen for age-related conditions that could limit functioning. Treating these other conditions to improve function might help older adults better tolerate the stress of blood cancers and their treatment, the researchers suggested. ### This summary is from "Function, Survival, and Care Utilization Among Older Adults with Hematologic Malignancies." It appears online ahead of print in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Clark DuMontier, MD; Michael A. Liu, MPH; Anays Murillo, MPH; Tammy Hshieh, MD, MPH; Houman Javedan, MD; Robert Soiffer, MD; Richard M. Stone, MD; Jane A. Driver, MD, MPH; and Gregory A. Abel MD, MPH. About the Health in Aging Foundation This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org. About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details. About the American Geriatrics Society Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org. ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 6, 2019 -- Patients who are African-American or Hispanic, uninsured or covered by Medicaid insurance and living in low-income ZIP codes are less likely to receive a heart-pumping device known as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2019, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in quality of care and outcomes research in cardiovascular disease and stroke for researchers, healthcare professionals and policymakers. Research has shown that there are disparities based on socioeconomic status associated with the types of care patients receive for heart disease and how well they do after treatment. The new study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and implantation of LVADs, which are typically used to maintain patients waiting for a heart transplant or as the final therapy for patients with heart failure. Additionally, researchers set out to determine if Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act, intended to improve access to insurance and healthcare for more people, has had any impact on LVAD implantation. "There is a clear disparity in terms of access to advanced therapies like LVAD," said Xiaowen Wang, M.D., lead researcher and an instructor in medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. "Healthcare providers need to be mindful of this disparity as they make decisions about patient care." The researchers used the federal government's State Inpatient Database, which contains all inpatient care records in participating states. They looked at data for all patients less than 85 years of age admitted with heart failure or cardiogenic shock in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin between January 1, 2012 and September 30, 2015. Among 889,377 patients, 64.6 percent were more than 65 years old, 43.3 percent were women, and 64.2 percent were Caucasian. Overall, about 3,700 patients received LVADs. The researchers found that: African Americans were 28 percent less likely and Hispanics were 38 percent less likely to receive LVADs compared to Caucasians; Patients with Medicare were 28 percent less likely, those with Medicaid were 57 percent less likely and those without insurance were 90 percent less likely to receive LVADs compared to patients with private insurance; and Patients residing in the lowest-income ZIP codes were 26 percent less likely to receive LVADs than those in higher-income areas. Among patients who received LVADS, African-Americans and Hispanics were less likely to die in the hospital compared to Caucasians. Privately insured patients who received LVADs had similar rates of death as those on Medicare, higher death rates than patients on Medicaid and lower death rates than those who were uninsured. The researchers also compared rates of LVAD implantation for patients likely to be poor in states that expanded Medicaid with states that did not expand Medicaid during the 21-month study period. They found that the rate of LVAD implantation in Medicaid expansion states increased slightly from 0.35 percent before to 0.40 percent after expansion. In non-expansion states, the LVAD implantation rate remained at 0.23 percent during the study period. The differences between these changes were not statistically significant. Not all states participate in the State Inpatient Database, which limited the study, particularly for the analysis of LVAD implantation rates in Medicaid- and non-Medicaid-expansion states. Another limitation was the absence of data after 2015. "As LVADs become more common with technological advances that lower complication rates and make the devices more portable, healthcare providers will need to better understand the underlying causes of these disparities in who gets these potentially lifesaving therapies and who doesn't," Wang said. ### Co-authors are Alina A. Luke, M.P.H.; Justin M. Vader, M.D.; Thomas M. Maddox, M.D.; and Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D. Author disclosures are on the abstract. Mentors In Medicine of the Washington University School of Medicine funded the study. Note: Scientific presentation is 9:30 a.m. ET, Saturday, April 6, 2019. Additional Resources: Downloadable heart chambers infographic and researcher photo are on the right column of the release link https://newsroom.heart.org/news/socioeconomic-status-associated-with-likelihood-of-receiving-a-heart-pump?preview=170c42066535ac6cca1d1ac791166e70 Follow news from the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research 2019 via Twitter: @HeartNews #QCOR19 Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and share lifesaving resources and information. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. ITHACA, N.Y. - Dr. Sunita Sah practiced general medicine for several years in the United Kingdom's National Health Service. When she came to the United States, she noticed something strange. The U.K. guidelines for tests such as mammograms and colon cancer screenings drastically differed from those in the U.S. - even though they were based on the same medical evidence. "Having colonoscopy at the age of 50 - that struck me as rather odd when I moved to the U.S., because you don't really hear about people having colonoscopies as a screening procedure in the U.K.," said Sah. "It's much less invasive to test for blood in the stool. It's also less costly and doesn't have the risks of undertaking a colonoscopy." Now an assistant professor of management and organizations at Cornell, Sah and Ismail Jatoi of the University of Texas Health, San Antonio, say the treatment guidelines recommended by medical specialist organizations are more likely to call for greater use of health care services and exacerbate overdiagnosis, overtreatment and spiraling health care costs. Their commentary, "Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Overuse of Health Care Services: Need for Reform," appeared March 18 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The implications are significant, she said, because guidelines are supposed to provide standard evidence-based treatment practices for all doctors. "The recommendations put out by specialty organizations - like the American College of Cardiology or the American College of Radiology - show specialty bias in recommending more aggressive and/or more frequent screening procedures," said Sah, an expert on conflict of interest. "In the U.S. in particular, where the fee-for-service compensation model dominates medicine, which is different from countries like the U.K., you see even more recommendations for greater use of health care services." Specialty bias refers to the tendency of physicians to recommend the treatments in which they are trained to deliver. For example, localized prostate cancer can be treated with either surgery or radiation. "If you go to a surgeon, chances are that they are more likely to recommend that you have surgery; if you go to a radiation oncologist, they are more likely to recommend that you have radiation," she said. "They each often believe that the treatment that they're trained in is the better one." In the case of screening for colorectal cancer, the American College of Gastroenterology's panel - all of whom were gastroenterologists - recommended colonoscopy as the best strategy. But the United States Preventive Task Force, with no gastroenterologists or gastrointestinal surgeons, recommended testing the stool, sigmoidoscopy (an exam of only the lower part of the colon) or colonoscopy as a last resort. Stool testing was also recommended by the European Society of Medical Oncology panel, which consisted of six medical oncologists, no gastroenterologists and one gastrointestinal surgeon. The panel said there was limited evidence that screening colonoscopy is effective. "Colonoscopies are more invasive than stool testing and come with potentially greater risks and costs for patients - but increased clinical volume and profits for gastroenterologists," Sah said. Specialty guidelines are also subject to fee-for-service bias, according to the commentary. Doctors who receive a payment for each treatment may tend to recommend that treatment more often, because they have a financial interest in it. "The bias is not necessarily malicious or intentional," Sah said. "In a fee-for-service environment, they may be biased to do more rather than less, so it becomes a habit." But more is not necessarily better, she said. "Sometimes the risks of those procedures are just not worth the benefits." The authors call for a reduction in conflicts of interest in the fee-for-service model, and more professional diversity in the makeup of the guideline committees. "You need a variety of different voices on those committees," Sah said. And patients could ask their doctors which guidelines they follow and why. "Ask them questions," she said. "Ask your doctor to explain their thought process in recommending the particular guideline and the advantages or disadvantages of one guideline versus another." ### Cornell University has dedicated television and audio studios available for media interviews supporting full HD, ISDN and web-based platforms. Orlando, Fla. (April 6, 2019) - People with diabetes who use insulin to control their blood sugar can experience a dangerous condition called hypoglycemia when blood sugar levels fall too low. New insights into a recently discovered protein called neuronostatin could lead to new ways to treat and prevent hypoglycemia, which is sometimes deadly for people with diabetes. Stephen Grote, a doctoral student working with Gina Yosten, PhD, at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, will present the research at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting during the 2019 Experimental Biology meeting to be held April 6-9 in Orlando, Fla. For people with diabetes, taking too much insulin can lead to low blood sugar, causing dizziness and sleepiness. Symptoms may progress to confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness if blood sugar levels continue to fall. Severe hypoglycemia can also increase the risk of more hypoglycemic episodes in the following days and leads to a decreased awareness of the symptoms that typically allow a person to sense falling blood sugar levels. "There are very few options for preventing hypoglycemia or treating hypoglycemia unawareness other than avoiding low blood sugar as much as possible," Grote said. "Understanding what neuronostatin does and how it works will provide valuable information for preventing hypoglycemia and provide more complete knowledge into how the pancreas manages blood sugar normally." In previous work, Yosten's research group discovered neuronostatin. Their work has shown that the protein protects against hypoglycemia by causing the pancreas to release less insulin and make more glucagon, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. In a new rat study, the researchers observed that neuronostatin injections caused an increase in blood sugar. They also examined human pancreas tissue and found that it released more neuronostatin when blood sugar levels were low and that neuronostatin increased even more with glucagon treatment. The new research points to neuronostatin as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of hypoglycemia in people with diabetes. "Neuronostatin is a truly novel factor, and everything we find about it pushes our knowledge of its therapeutic potential just a bit further," said Grote. "We believe that studying neuronostatin could ultimately reveal a way to use it to help prevent and reverse vicious cycles of hypoglycemia by helping the body respond appropriately to the low blood sugar with more glucagon." The researchers are now working to better understand how neuronostatin affects glucagon and insulin release from human islets and how the body regulates neuronostatin secretion. They are also using experimental approaches that disrupt the body's response to low blood sugar to investigate how this affects neuronostatin levels and to determine if neuronostatin can be used to better manage low blood sugar. Stephen Grote will present this research during the Experimental Biology Welcome Reception on Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Valencia Ballroom ABCD, Orange County Convention Center and on Monday, April 8, from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in Exhibit Hall-West Hall B (poster E621 756.1) (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting. ### Image available. About Experimental Biology 2019 Experimental Biology is an annual meeting that attracts more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from five host societies and more than two dozen guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the U.S. and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio About the American Physiological Society (APS) APS is a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering education, scientific research and dissemination of information in the physiological sciences. The Society was founded in 1887 and today represents more than 10,500 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals. http://www.the-aps.org Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2019/newsroom/ As the niece of Lorraine Ann Borowski, Annette was part of a group of 35 to 40 people who gathered by the Wayside building to protest the presence of one of the facilitys residents. Thomas Kokoraleis, who served 35 years in prison for the 1982 murder of Lorraine Borowksi, recently walked into the Aurora Police Department and registered that he was to become a resident at the Wayside facility. On the ninth floor of University Hospital, Yvonne Hernandez stood before a rendering of a tree, its silver branches and leaves extending from floor to ceiling. The artwork, called the Life Saving Tree, listed the names of living organ donors who had chosen to give a kidney or part of their liver. Hernandez, 56, was looking for one name in particular, inscribed on a silver leaf that of her younger sister, 55-year-old Carol Allen. Last May, Allen donated part of her liver to Hernandez, whose own liver had been ravaged by an autoimmune disease. On Friday afternoon, they returned to the hospital where they underwent their surgeries for a ceremony honoring Allen and 54 others who had become living donors in 2018. The sisters fell into the majority of living donors who are related to their recipients. I can never repay her, Hernandez said with tears in her eyes. But I told her, I will try to honor her gift by living as full a life as I can. University has celebrated living organ donors in this way since 2015, when the hospital installed the artwork created by local artist Robert Dix, a former University Health System employee, as a tribute. This years ceremony for the 2018 donors coincided with a remarkable rise last year in liver transplants from live donors at the hospitals transplant center. From 2014 to 2017, University performed between four and six liver transplants from live donors each year. In 2018, that number jumped to 30 an increase that led live donors to account for about a third of liver transplants performed at the hospital. We are on a growth spurt, and we really do hope it continues, Dr. K. Vincent Speeg, medical director of the adult liver transplant program at University, said during the ceremony. Jennifer Milton, executive director of University Transplant Center, said the increase is the fruit of concerted efforts to prioritize living liver transplants. In 2017, the center hired Dr. Tarunjeet Klair, a transplant surgeon who has headed up the initiative to expand live liver transplants. The center has also revamped its procedures and funneled more resources to such transplants, including encouraging liver recipients to explore their networks for family members and friends who could be potential donors. The program had recognized the growing waiting lists for liver transplants, as well as national rules that prioritized available livers for the sickest patients, Milton said. The centers leaders hope to soon increase its rate of liver transplants from live donors to 50 percent, she added. Were really committed to doing this, Milton said. What we discovered is we really needed to do everything we could to try to transplant more patients before they got that sick, and living donation was how we did that. Across the country, more than 113,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, including more than 10,000 people in Texas. Thousands die every year waiting for a transplant, a situation that Dr. Daniel Ranch called a health crisis. Its a tragedy, said Ranch, the medical director of Universitys pediatric kidney transplant program. Its also a problem that we can improve on and possibly resolve. For Allen, giving a portion of her liver to her sister was never a question. The sisters are so close in age Allen is just 11 months younger than Hernandez that their mother dressed them as twins when they were children. Allen, who works as an air reserve technician at Lackland Air Force Base, said that God put it in my heart to do this. I was a little bit scared, but it wasnt something that was going to stop me, she said. I wanted to do this for her because I wanted to see her live a long life. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba For a relatively grand residence, Stilwell House at Fort Sam Houston, also known as Building 626 on Infantry Post Road, didnt have the most auspicious start. Plans for the commanding officers quarters at the historic Army post included a staircase that if built as shown would have blocked the entrances to the parlor and dining room, according to a brief history provided by Preservation Fort Sam Houston, an advocacy and support group. But, somehow, the plans were adjusted before the house was completed in 1888 so that the stairs make a quick turn, keeping them out of the way of the ground-floor rooms. The houses history is filled with turns and saves that have kept it standing and functional for more than 130 years. Built on land east of the posts Quadrangle that had been purchased in 1885 for family quarters, the house may have been one of those designed by renowned courthouse architect Alfred Giles, although its architect is listed only as Office of the Chief Quartermaster, Headquarters Department of Texas on a Historic American Buildings Survey by the National Park Service. It was sited on the northwest corner of the Upper Post parade ground, with a commanding view and the best exposure to the prevailing breezes, as described in Fort Sam Houston, a 2012 book by John Manguso. The two-story, red-brick house constructed for $11,476.98 was a proper Victorian dwelling with a two parlors (traditionally, a formal space and a family living room), pocket doors connecting them with adjacent rooms, a kitchen and dining room on the ground floor; and four bedrooms, dressing room, bathroom and servants room upstairs. Flush toilets and electricity were installed around the turn of the last century, and after World War I, it became the home of the commander of a regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division, which occupied what was thereafter known as the Infantry Post. By the time Brig. Gen. Joseph Warren Vinegar Joe Stilwell, lived there from 1939 to 1940 as commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division, the house had been reconfigured to afford more bedrooms, bathrooms and storage space. His nickname came from a cartoon drawn by one of his subordinates early in his career as an Army officer, but a photograph on the Preservation Fort Sam Houston website shows a softer side of Stilwell, relaxing with his family in the backyard. Before the United States entry into World War II, Stilwell was sent to China, where he became chief of staff to Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Republic of China, and eventually served as U.S. Commander in the China-Burma-India Theater. The house was named in Stilwells honor in 1959 and remained in use as officers quarters until 1967. Lt. Col. Houston S. Roby, provost marshal, was its last resident. The Fort Sam Houston Military Museum was the next tenant, with cannons installed in the front yard and exhibits about aspects of the posts history in the ground-floor rooms. Inadequate security and poor environmental controls, according to the brief history, made it less than ideal for this purpose, and the museum moved to another building in 1975. Stilwell House was temporarily used as practice space for the posts funeral escort detachment and military police experience that left a caisson-shape mark on the wooden floor of one of the former parlors and a prominent boot print on an interior door that had been kicked open during a hostage rescue scenario ending with the SWAT team assaulting the building. A couple of proposals for adaptive reuse apartments for families of children being treated at Brooke Army Medical Center or offices for the Fort Sam Houston School District were dropped for lack of funds for rehabilitation. Unoccupied, the house began to deteriorate, the history book stated. Broken windows let in the rain, causing damage to floors, walls and ceilings. The Society for the Preservation of Historic Fort Sam Houston, as the advocacy group was known originally, was formed in 1984 as a nonprofit organization to promote historic preservation on post. Saving Stilwell House was its largest and most immediate goal. The organization started holding meetings in the dilapidated house and members undertook the earliest renovations, intending to restore the house one room at a time. Safety concerns over asbestos and lead-based paint brought a halt to the do-it-yourself efforts, the history book reported. With permission from the Army, a grant from the San Antonio Conservation Society and help from the National Park Service on historically accurate colors and finishes, Preservation Fort Sam Houston began work on the ground-floor rooms and found sponsors for each of them, often with families who had historic ties to the post. The ground floor was completed in 1998, and since then, the house has been available for Fort Sam community meetings and events and may be rented by the public as a celebration, meeting or charity fundraising space. It is also the headquarters for the societys activities. At present, Preservation Fort Sam Houston is raising funds for a restoration of the houses two porches: two tiers in the front and one in the back. For membership information or to donate, visit www.preservationfortsam.org or mail a check to Preservation Fort Sam Houston, P.O. Box 340308, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234. For inquiries about event rentals, call 224-4030 or send a message to stilwellhouseevents@gmail. BATTLE BLADES: Reader Richard McCleary wrote in response to Jan. 5 and Jan. 12 columns about a grassroots effort to provide World War II soldiers with fighting knives, often hand-crafted from recycled materials. McCleary grew up in Battle Creek, Mich., where his father was a machinist for the Kellogg Co. During the war, the elder McCleary made many of these knives from old industrial steel files and took them to nearby Fort Custer for the troops stationed and training there. On occasion, said his son, he would show us kids the knives, and we were always very impressed with these weapons the soldiers were to use. historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn 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 As famous as his twin sons Julian and Joaquin Castro are, their father Jesse Guzman wouldnt be widely recognized. Guzman has been the unseen, less-influential parental figure in their lives. He hasnt tried to get any attention. Bookish and bespectacled, the 78-year-old retired math teacher says the in-person interview he agreed to do this week is his first, real interview. This in the same week that U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro was mulling a run for the U.S. Senate against John Cornyn, and Julian Castro was appearing on The Rachel Maddow Show in his bid for the Democratic nomination for president. Until the publication of Julian Castros memoir, An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream, little has been known about Guzman, a first-generation college graduate who has seven children, including the twins, and 18 grandchildren, including four Castros. Though he like the twins mother, activist Rosie Castro was involved in the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, Guzman has been a one-line mention in news accounts. They all have said virtually the same thing: He left the twins and their mother when they were 8. Guzman doesnt dispute that but tells little stories of the times that followed the road trips, hiking, campaign work and the connections he and his sons and his five other children have made. Today, he tries to see his grandchildren weekly. If its more than three weeks, I start getting antsy. Hes a quiet man who measures his words and pauses before answering a question, smiling slightly when he shares a special story about when his father and uncle came home from World War II at Christmastime; about his admiration for his sons grandmother, Victoria Castro; about walking his sons to school when they were little boys. Guzman reserves a laugh for a memory of when his granddaughter Carina, Julians daughter, made an inadvertent splash at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, flipping her hair as she caught sight of herself on the Jumbotron. He speaks most of the hiking and camping trips with his children. By the time they were 14, the twins were coming along with their step-siblings. Some of those road trips were to the Grand Canyon. He was there when his sons left for Stanford University, when they made wedding vows and when they launched campaigns. He says he and his second wife, Alicia, worked on Julians campaigns, as have some of his other children. Guzman remembered fondly the political fundraisers he and his wife threw in the old Fountain Room, a quirky bar that shared a building with a post office in District 7, from which both his sons launched political careers. Guzman was there in 2016 when Joaquin gathered his closest advisers to consider a senatorial run against Ted Cruz, and when Julian stood before an adoring crowd in Plaza Guadalupe in January to announce his presidential campaign. A few weeks ago, Guzman attended a meeting with Julians campaign manager. He says he has been humbled by the expressions of kindness and congratulations from friends about Julians presidential bid. They congratulate you for being a part of their lives, he says. A lot of people are very fond of them, especially the senior ladies. Like the Castros and thousands of other San Antonians, his ancestors came to San Antonio before, during or after the Mexican Revolution. Like them, he experienced discrimination first-hand. It happened once when he was 10 years old, in a barber shop near Lubbock. I sat there and sat there and sat there, he said. Later his father told him, They dont cut Mexican hair there. I didnt make sense of it until later. As a boy, he loved reading but public libraries were scarce. His life changed when, as a teen, he found the old Central Library downtown. He remains an avid reader of history, including science and math histories and European history. He was involved in a group called Barrio Betterment, one of dozens of grass-roots organizations that grew out of the citys Mexican American neighborhoods. Like the Castros, he marks time by political events. He met Rosie Castro during the 1968 elections, he says: Nixon-Humphrey. Their son Julians memoir reveals far more intimate details their affair while Guzman was married and already the father of five; their domestic life after Rosie Castro became pregnant; the rough times without Guzmans financial support; his long separation from them. Some of those memories tug at the heart, including the fact that Guzman named Julian because it rhymed with Guzman and that he registered them for elementary school as Julian and Joaquin Guzman. When asked about regrets, Guzman says only, When you look back, you think of different outcomes. Like many lucky families that have been split apart, theirs has managed to forge ways back to one another. Politics helped. But he says he has been overwhelmed by his sons trajectories and the support theyve received. Its really something, he says. eayala@express-news.net | @ElaineAyala Lets begin with what we know about past allegations of family violence involving City Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who is also hoping to be San Antonios next mayor. We know in 2006 Brockhouses second wife, Christine Rivera, told police her husband pushed her into the side of their home, and we know Brockhouse denies this. We know a fight ensued between Brockhouse and Riveras then-boyfriend, and we know Brockhouse also called the police about the incident, saying he was the victim of an assault. We know a police report documents another family violence incident in 2009 involving Brockhouse and his wife, Annalisa. Even if, officially, it no longer exists. According to this report, Annalisa told police Brockhouse had been drinking a lot because he lost his job, and an argument ensued. We know the report says Brockhouse allegedly screamed at his wife and threw her to the ground before getting on top of her. We know Brockhouse acknowledged the first reports existence, and even though he disagreed with his ex-wifes description of how things went down, he said the moment was such a nadir that it led to deep personal change reflected in his conversion to Catholicism. But he has said he has no recollection of the incident in 2009 or knowledge of any police report. We also know Annalisa Brockhouse has refuted reports about the incident on social media. And we know the police report has officially disappeared. But there is a police report for the night of Dec. 23, 2009, involving Annalisa and Greg Brockhouse. It has a case number, an officers name and handwriting detailing the incident. We know there is a police report because Express-News investigative journalist Brian Chasnoff independently obtained it. City officials have no record of this report. And Brockhouse has said to Chasnoff: I dont recall any of that. Ill have to go back and talk to my wife about that. I dont know of any report of that in existence. In broad strokes, this is what we know. But its the weight of what we dont know that leads to some very heavy questions, which require some answers. The first and most obvious is what happened to the 2009 police report? Its been suggested the report has been expunged, meaning there is no record of it or even a record of its removal from the system. But experts have said that process is reserved for wrongful arrests. And in this case, police have said Brockhouse was neither charged nor arrested. If so, was the record expunged incorrectly? And if it was expunged incorrectly, shouldnt someone a judge, the district attorney, the police have noticed something was remiss? The next question is, how was the report scrubbed from the system? Was it expunged, or was it removed some other way? And if the police report went missing incorrectly, how does it get restored and who is held responsible? All of these unknowns require an outside investigation. Forget the mayors race for a moment. Think big. This is a public record involving someone who later became an elected public official who is now running for mayor of the seventh-largest city in the country and it has disappeared without explanation. How did that happen? But lets not totally forget the mayors race because there are some obvious contradictions here that speak to basic principles. Brockhouse is the candidate of choice for the San Antonio Police Officers Association, which is no surprise given his past union consulting work. But he is also a candidate who is named in two police reports describing family violence. Yes, he was never charged. Yes, a police report is just that, a report. But how can law enforcement officers who respond to incidents such as this day in and day out credibly embrace a candidate with such a history? And how can Brockhouse, who has prided himself as a champion of transparency, be so opaque about his own personal life? He cant remember something that warranted a police response? The city he wants to represent deserves a better explanation, just as the issue of family violence deserves deeper reflection. Officially, there is no police report for the night of Dec. 23, 2009. Officially, its as if nothing ever happened. But something must have happened, right? We know this because there was a police report. jbrodesky@express-news.net A teeny, tiny extraterrestrial visited the moon last week, just in time to talk the dusty celestial body off the ledge. They want to come back by 2024, the panicky moon said as her friend parked her spacecraft in a crater. And they intend to stay. Duh, the little alien said, plopping herself down on a big rock and settling in with a cup of coffee. You and the Earth are tidally locked. Youve been going around forever, and you are the only real thing in the universe the earthlings have ever met. Of course they want to come back. Well, the Moon whispered, heres the tea: The Chinese sort of showed up in January. They left a rover on the dark side to gather info for when the people show up yes, you heard me correctly the people. The alien smiled, sipped on her coffee and motioned to her friend to go on. So all of a sudden the Americans, she said, looking wistfully at the flag Buzz Aldrin left behind, well, now they are in a big hurry to get back. Vice President Mike Pence has lit the fire under NASA, and there is talk about giving NASA more money to make it happen, like, in 2024. Theyre all about staying ahead of all the rest. Oh, yeah! the alien laughed. I heard about that! The Space Force! she said, making air quotes. Seriously! Its a legit concern, the moon said, still whispering. Those people dont trust each other at all. I guess with good reason. Anyway, earlier this month, SpaceX hooked up with the International Space Station, so that private enterprise in space thing is happening. Its really just a matter of time before everyone starts showing up here whenever they want. Wait a minute, the alien said, putting her cup down. That kind of travel costs money. Im telling you! the moon said with a giggle, her eyes widening. Theyre always bickering! Anyway, the Americans have big plans BIG plans! to send a bunch of techie things later this year in anticipation of their human return, stuff such as solar panel technology so they can say longer, stuff to monitor how the landing will affect the exosphere, that kind of thing. The point is, theyre set on staying for good. And I know they want to use me to get closer to Mars, too. Well, theyre not making any more land, the alien said, But theyre making a lot more people. And youre out here, only 237,000 miles away, completely unclaimed. Im guessing theyre only a few generations from Go lunar, young man posters. Heres the thing, the moon said. Its feeling like a race to the moon again, and thats cool. But where have they been since the 60s? I wasnt a priority for a long time because I wasnt going anywhere, so no pressure. But now, after generations of ignoring me, NASA is being told to make things happen quickly because someone else might show up first. At least youre a priority again, the alien reassured her. . Yeah, but its happening very quickly, and those people are so busy bickering that Im a little worried theyre not going to do right by me. I mean, look at what theyre doing to Earth and hes, like, theirs! You know, the alien said, they better take care of you. Without you, where would he be? Wobbling away on his axis, thats where. The moon smiled. A little ways away, Mars checked the time and let out a long sigh. Mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com Ive heard a number of local people proclaim that San Antonio is the fastest-growing city in the U.S. However, I cant find any sources outside San Antonio that agree with that assessment. In February 2018, forbes.com reported that Boise City, Idaho, was the fastest-growing city in the country. Dallas Metro is listed at No. 3. Austin is No. 8, and San Antonio is No. 21. According to usatoday.com, San Antonio is No. 19. San Antonio also ranks 19 this year, according to 247wallst.com. There are clear fluctuations and ostensible discrepancies in the numbers. One reason is that some sites only report data compiled in 2017, while others cite 2018 or 2019 information, such as population increase due to migration. My point is, regardless of the variables, I have not found one outside source that lists San Antonio as No. 1 in 2017, 18 or 19. Could it be that the repetition of this assertion is meant to put pressure on City Council to quickly pass a multibillion-dollar transportation proposal? Perhaps we should ask who is pushing this assertion, and who stands to make money from such a deal. Tim Atwood Taste of nostalgic Re: Zero-Star Review: San Antonios sentimental Italian restaurant favorite Paesanos running on nostalgia and not much else in Lincoln Heights, by Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, March 28: Mike, I absolutely loved your review of Paesanos Lincoln Heights. You nailed it, and yet, as you point out, build it and they keep coming. Perhaps its a reflection of our communitys lack of taste. Or perhaps its simply that nostalgia blows away all that is wrong. In any event, I enjoy the way you write and especially welcome your amazing sense of humor. Best wishes. Ron Aaron Eisenberg Hate speech by city So, the 4 percent LGBTQ population of San Antonio (and the country in general) gets to say that the other 96 percent of San Antonians and other passengers who fly through our airport cannot have the choice of eating at Chick-fil-A because the owners are Christians and do not support the lifestyle of homosexuals? Whatever percentage of family and friends who support the 4 percent of homosexuals do not outweigh the rest of the people who do not support them. How is the argument against Chick-fil-A not hate speech in its purest form? Our city is in dire straits when hate speech against a Christian company is promoted by our leaders. This decision needs to be rescinded. Sharon Dupree NAFTAs new name Re: Texas delegation should support NAFTA update, Editorial, March 26: I read the editorial about the need for Congress to approve the USMCA Im still getting used to calling it that; every time I see USMCA, I think theyre talking about the Marine Corps. I saw where someone was calling it NAFTA 2.0. And then someone else suggested NAFTA 1.5 (or even NAFTA .5). Personally, I liked calling it NAFTA. Thats just easier than spelling it out every time. Stephen Carter, New Braunfels Sorry, 500 years later Re: Mexican president asks Spain, pope to apologize for conquest, ExpressNews.com, March 25: The first sentence in the sixth paragraph of the article caught my attention. The Mexican president called for an apology from the king of Spain and the pope for the savagery and murder of native Mayan people during the conquest of Mexico 500 years ago in their quest for God, glory and gold. Yes, an apology for transgressions centuries old. The demand for an apology is eerily similar to Americas dilemma, now unfolding, over our painful experience with human bondage between the 17th and the 19th centuries. In our case, an apology is not the only thing demanded by descendants of American slaves; theyre vigorously demanding reparations for their past bondage. The king bluntly rejected any notion of an apology. He reasoned that Spain should not be judged for past acts, however reprehensible. He rejected using the light of contemporary considerations as the basis for the apology. In short, he stated, we should not use todays standards of ethical conduct to pass judgment for acts committed centuries ago. Today, we condemn slavery in the U.S. as evil. But 250 years ago, human bondage was an acceptable and legal practice. If we condemn America and the offsprings of slaveholders using contemporary considerations, as the Mexican president wants, then we also must conclude that both Spain and the Catholic Church should be judged guilty of immoral behavior with apologies forthcoming. Blaming contemporaries for transgressions committed by our descendents is irrational. Lets get over this foolishness. Lets instead learn from our mistakes and pray we never repeat them. Mike Gonzales, Houston Handicap imposters No special permit is more abused nor so poorly administered and enforced than handicapped parking permits. We see this all the time able-bodied people with disabled license plates or window placards parking in handicapped parking spots. Some are young people who briskly hop in and out of their cars. As a disabled person with muscular dystrophy, its disturbing to not find handicap parking due to this continual abuse. Its so obvious. Even on my street, one veteran has several disabled veteran license plates, including on his wifes car and every one of his childrens cars. Hes not the only one who abuses handicapped privileges. What a shame! Samuel Telles What box? Be brave! Think outside the box! Most people dont, wont, cant or refuse to believe they are in a box. Gene Elder Adria Airways is seeking a strategic partner following a failed agreement to acquire fifteen Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. The airline's shareholders have cancelled a planned ten million euro capital injection into the company. The carrier's CEO, Holger Kowarsch, said the deal with the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) would also have involved a ten million euro investment on behalf of the Russian manufacturer which would have been turned into equity. Mr Kowarsch explains that after preliminary contracts were signed, SCAC did not deliver the payment which was due in late February, which is why Adria quit the deal. He rebuffed claims that it was SCAC who walked away from the agreement due to the Slovenian carrier's finances, noting that the Russians carried out comprehensive due diligence, which involved between twenty and thirty experts from consulting and auditing companies. Mr Kowarsch noted that SCAC had access to all information concerning Adria's business, prior to signing a Letter of Intent with the airline, including the carrier's net loss for 2018 which will be in the double digits. According to Slovenia's national carrier, the amount of shares SCAC would have received for its ten million euro investment into Adria was yet to be determined. "We need a partner whom we can rely on and can find a common language on the future development of Adria Airways", Mr Kowarsch said. He added that the company was at first disappointed with its failure to reach a deal with SCAC, since its crew had already been undergoing training for the Superjets in Venice. However, following talks with its partners in Europe and the United States, the CEO noted he received information that "put the Russians in a bad light as business partners". Mr Kowarsch explained that Adria still needs a strategic partner but there is "no rush". Talks are taking place with potential investors. Adria's shareholders have cancelled a planned ten million euro capital injection which was to be carried out during the first quarter of 2019. "Given that Adria doesnt need to finance the transition to a new aircraft type anymore, and based on its positive business plan, no additional capital increase is planned", the company said. Mr Kowarsch added that following the initial capital injection in late 2018, which was paid for in cash, Adria has been financially stable. "While there were still some liquidity problems last winter, the prospects for the summer season are good. The plan for this year is to get out of the red. Last year's loss is a result of several factors, among them damages Adria had to pay for cancelled flights and delays, increased fuel prices, lack of staff and the delay in introducing Saab 2000 aircraft", the CEO said. He requested an advance on his salary and I granted that grant because of the fact that I care about the employee and I care about all employees, Ford said. And because this employee was having some issues with paying medical bills for his son who was dying from cancer, (who) has lately passed away, I was able to abort him losing his home and the family getting placed out of the home. A minimum-wage nurses aide could make better money at a facility down the street. A diligent fast-food worker is offered a management track job at another burger restaurant nearby. A hairdresser wants to leave her current salon for more pay. Low-wage workers chasing the American Dream are stifled by new corporate tactics that effectively restrict their mobility and wages at the same time. Once standard in high-paying corporate suites, where trade secrets and confidential company information are crucial to success, businesses now use the threat of legal action to forcibly retain even entry-level employees. When starting new jobs, many low-wage workers are essentially forced to agree to noncompete documents, barring them from seeking similar employment within nearby geographic areas for a year or more, even if they never find out the recipe for the secret sauce. But legislation is advancing that would help workers and put employers on notice. A bill recently passed along party lines in the legislative Labor Committee and awaits further action in the House of Representatives that would protect low-paid workers. California has an outright ban on noncompete requirements for low-income jobs. Jane D., a 63-year-old health care worker in the Hartford area, didnt think much about the papers she signed 10 years ago when she took a minimum-wage job in a senior facility. But when her employer was on the verge of ceasing services there recently, she was warned that a noncompete covenant prohibited her from continuing her $12-per-hour job with the residents she showered, dressed and befriended. This was like a dagger to my heart, she said during a recent interview at Greater Hartford Legal Aid. It didnt just affect us, the employees, it affected the clients as well. Some people have dementia, early dementia, you know, memory issues. There are people who have no family at all. The facilitys staff was called together and workers were informed that their employer was leaving. As the meeting proceeded, they explained to us that we would not be allowed to work for the incoming company for six months, because we had signed a noncompete document, she said. I am not sure I was aware of that when I signed that. A growing trend in low-wage jobs Company officials brought even more copies and demanded that employees sign them, right then and there. They said if we dont sign it they would have to take us off the schedule, she recalled. Lisa Levy, Jane D.s attorney, who asked that her clients name not be used because of potential retribution in the workplace, intervened on her behalf and she was ultimately allowed to stay in the facility under the new employer. A certified nurses aide since 1993, she is now making $18 an hour, working the overnight shift. Where it becomes really onerous is with lower-wage workers, Levy said. Oftentimes people are not making the wages where they can put a lot aside and build up a savings, she said. Often they dont have the means to travel 25, 30 miles away from where they live to take another job. It places an additional burden on these individuals. In fact, most low-wage workers dont have the money to fight back. Unfortunately, under the current law, noncompete agreements are considered valid unless the terms are ruled in court to be unreasonable on the issues of geographical areas and time periods, Levy said. Some employers say they need the agreements to protect their investments in training workers. During a recent public hearing, David L. Denvir, general counsel for Companions & Homemakers, Inc., a Farmington-based company with 2,500 employees, said misconceptions and mischaracterizations complicate the issue. He told state lawmakers that his firm uses non-solicitation agreements to protect their business. If a home aide quits, they cannot return to the particular home where they were assisting the residents for six months. These agreements assure that home care employees, home care recipients and home care employers benefit from supportive, long-term relationships that include the full benefits that only agency employment can provide, as opposed to the inconsistent employment of a referral or self-directed care model, Denvirs written testimony said. California has banned noncompete agreements Lewis Chimes, a Stamford attorney who as co-chairman of the employment section of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association worked on developing the pending legislation, said that the tactic of noncompete requirements has also spread into trades such as plumbing and veterinary hospitals. While they are enforceable in court, agreements can also be scrutinized for their reasonableness. While theyre illegal in California, here in the east, courts tend to be more pro-employer in noncompetes, he said. But theres not a lot of consensus. He noted two cases in which he was able to negotiate a plumber and a hairdresser out of their noncompete agreements. During recent testimony to General Assembly, Sal Luciano, president of the state AFL-CIO, said that the legal hindrance against job mobility has trickled from highly paid corporate jobs, down into service, restaurant and hospitality industries. He noted that even Amazon warehouse employees, who ship and receive most types of goods, agree to an 18-month period in which they cannot get jobs handling any product or service sold by the giant corporation. The growing use of noncompete agreements is another way that employers are rigging the system, Luciano told lawmakers. By eliminating a workers right to move to a better-paying position, they artificially suppress wages, which in turn reduces overall economic growth. James Bhandary-Alexander, an attorney at New Haven Legal Assistance, said most of the power of the noncompete covenants are in the implied threat of legal action. Theyre chilling the perception of an employees ability to act, he said. Home health care, hair and nail salons and house cleaners in particular are victims of the restrictions, he said. All of these areas where the standard response from a normal person is you have to be kidding me. Bhandary-Alexander recalled a client of his who was a good employee at a fast-food restaurant, and another tried to lure her away, but in a variation on the issue, the two companies had signed agreements not to poach each others employees. The worker then changed her career path entirely and became a health aide. There was another case of a home health aide employed by a company that lost a contract, so she was ordered to stop caring for her own grandmother. This is a big issue in this country, Bhandary-Alexander said, noting that the noncompete tactic has been spreading during the first decades of the 21st Century. Unfortunately theres a whole trend to making the working conditions substandard in the low-wage sectors. Some of these agreements arent enforceable under the rule of law, but for a $12-an-hour worker, whats important is the employee thinks it can be. There arent enough lawyers for poor people to challenge these things in court. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT by Caleb Baggette | Fri, Apr 5th 11:38pm EDT Sam Dekker went 1-for-4 shooting with a triple for three points to go with a rebound, an assist and a block in 14 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Since her election in 2016, Foxx has pushed for reform of the cash bond system to ensure nonviolent detainees who cant post small amounts of money dont languish in jail, moved to deprioritize certain nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting and halted prosecutions of people accused of driving on licenses that have been suspended or revoked for financial reasons such as failure to pay child support, tolls or parking tickets, the Chicago Tribune reported. Irrfan Khan has bounced back like a champion after his battle with cancer. The actor has now started shooting for his next film Hindi Medium 2 and is ready to give the audience a dose of his class-apart acting which theyve been craving for since his last release Karwaan. Hindi Medium 2 is being directed by Homi Adjania and is produced by Dinesh Vijan. Talking about Irrfans first day at the shoot, producer Dinesh Vijan said in an official statement, Having him back on the set was a surreal feeling, he's undoubtedly one of the best actors in the country. When he gave the first shot, everyone around got emotional. For me, it was one of those life-defining moments working with him again after Hindi Medium. Having him and Homi (director Homi Adjania) together was something all three of us have always wanted. We cant wait to witness Irrfan taking on the big screen again, what about you? Producer Dinesh Vijan says the entire team of Angrezi Medium got emotional when Irrfan Khan gave his first shot for the film. The 52-year-old actor recently returned to the country and started the shoot of his comeback project "Angrezi Medium", a year after he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was being treated abroad. "Irrfan is undoubtedly one of the best actors in the country. When he gave his first shot everyone around got emotional. For me it was one of those life-defining moments working with him again after 'Hindi Medium'. Having him and Homi together was something all three of us have always wanted," Dinesh said in a statement. The producer said Irrfan was not emotional and remained his usual self. "Wry humour, crackling one-liners and back on his own turf. Deepak (Dobriyal) and his improvisations brought the house down. It was like the first day of 'Hindi Medium,'" he added. Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas Chill With The 'Jonas Brothers' & 'J Sisters'! While Irrfan's character in Hindi Medium was Raj Batra, a Delhi based businessman with a sari showroom, he plays Champak from Udaipur who is in the sweet business. According to the synopsis, Irrfan and Deepak will play brothers in the film who have inherited a 100-year-old sweet business and are also rivals. A distant cousin, played by Manu Rishi, who owns the biggest sweet shop also adds to the rivalry within the family. Credits - PTI Hello Handsome The picture features Salman dressed in an off-white pajama posing the cool blue backdrop of the Malta sea and we must say, it's such a picture-perfect moment. Salman's Review Of Bharat Trailer While everyone is eagerly waiting for the makers to release the trailer, Salman has already watched it. Speaking about it, the actor recently said, "I saw it. You guys will see it very soon. I think now only you will see it in sometime. It's outstanding!" The Film Is An Official Remake Of Korean Flick 'Ode To My Father' Calling Bharat his most challenging film till date in terms of scale and story, Ali Abbas Zafar had told a leading magazine, "I hope we can do justice to it. Everyone, from the cast and the crew is working together to bring the best film out on Eid, 2019. We're not leaving any stone unturned." It Was Salman Who Convinced Ali To Make This Film "Though I loved the script, I told him, Bhai, I'm not good at adaptations because till the time I don't write my own stuff, I don't know whether I'll be able to direct it well." But when they were filming for Tiger, Salman asked Ali about the film once again. "I shared what I had in mind and why I wanted Bharat as the title. He said it worked for him. That's how Bharat happened." "It's a different film for both of us. Something Salman's gonna push himself hard to get right. That's exciting because the film is unexplored territory," Ali had said. LONDON, April 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AgDevCo is pleased to announce its latest investment in Rwanda's rapidly growing agribusiness sector. The UK-based social impact investor, which is backed by UK Aid, has closed a $3 million mezzanine loan with Minimex Limited, a maize milling company. This builds on a portfolio which comprises Kigali Farms, a mushroom grower; and Uzima, a day-old chick producer. Established in 2006, Minimex is the largest and most technologically advanced mill in the country with a capacity of over 40,000 tonnes per annum. It produces high quality maize flour, grits and bran which are sold in the East Africa region. A sister company, ProDev Rwanda, produces animal feed. The group has a strong focus on food quality, safety and nutrition. Minimex was the first company in Rwanda to offer flour fortified with vitamins and micronutrients. AgDevCo's investment will allow the Rwandan-owned company to increase its capacity and ramp up purchases from tens of thousands of maize farmers across the country. Minimex's increased demand for high-quality grain is expected to drive further investment along the value chain in post-harvest handling, storage and logistics. This investment in Minimex was supported through UK Aid's IMSAR programme, also called Noza Isoko, which is helping improve market systems for agriculture in Rwanda. UK Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, who visited Minimex on Saturday 6th April, said: "UK Aid has developed a longstanding partnership with AgDevCo and is pleased to see this third investment in Rwanda, which will spur the local production of nutritious food whilst creating new markets for maize farmers. This investment will help to deliver more opportunities and jobs, which is in all our interests." Felicien Mutalikanwa, Chairman of Minimex, said: "This investment will significantly benefit maize farmers, livestock owners, consumers and the Rwandan economy in general by increasing production of fortified maize flour and high-quality animal feeds. We look forward to building a long-term relationship with AgDevCo, a well-reputed financier in the agri-business sector." Chris Isaac, AgDevCo's Managing Director, said: "We're delighted to back Minimex, an innovator in food safety and nutrition. Minimex drives impact at both ends of the supply chain, buying maize from smallholder famers and selling fortified flour to its customers. Along with companies like Uzima and Kigali Farms, Minimex is helping build Rwanda's reputation in the East Africa region for quality you can trust." AgDevCo's other investments in Rwanda are performing well. From start-up two years ago, Uzima now reaches over 15,000 households who are collectively earning $2.5 million annually from egg sales. Kigali Farms is seeing steady sales growth for its export quality button mushrooms in Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. Kigali Farms also has an innovative outgrower programme for nutritious oyster mushrooms, working mainly with female farmers. The Minimex investment brings AgDevCo's total portfolio in Rwanda to a value of $6.45m. About AgDevCo AgDevCo is an impact investor specialising in agribusiness investments in Sub-Sahara Africa with a portfolio consisting of over 50 investments in production, processing and distribution companies. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, AgDevCo has invested $150 million to date with more than 50 companies linking over 480,000 smallholder farmers to profitable markets. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/737847/AgDevCo_Logo.jpg) By Gram Slattery and Tatiana Bautzer RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A consortium led by France's Engie SA submitted the highest offer for a major gas pipeline unit owned by Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the state-run oil firm said on Friday, as the company's biggest-ever divestment draws to a close. In a filing, Petrobras, as the company is known, said the Engie consortium, which includes Canada's Caisse de Depot e Placement du Quebec, presented an $8.6 billion bid for 90 percent of the TAG gas pipeline unit in northern and northeastern Brazil. That topped offers by two competing consortia, led by Itausa Investimentos Itau SA and EIG Global Energy Partners with Mubadala Investment Co, respectively By Gram Slattery and Tatiana Bautzer RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A consortium led by France's Engie SA submitted the highest offer for a major gas pipeline unit owned by Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the state-run oil firm said on Friday, as the company's biggest-ever divestment draws to a close. In a filing, Petrobras, as the company is known, said the Engie consortium, which includes Canada's Caisse de Depot e Placement du Quebec, presented an $8.6 billion bid for 90 percent of the TAG gas pipeline unit in northern and northeastern Brazil. That topped offers by two competing consortia, led by Itausa Investimentos Itau SA and EIG Global Energy Partners with Mubadala Investment Co, respectively. The sale is still subject to approval by regulators and the relevant company authorities, the firm said in the filing. The price tag includes the payment by the Engie group of $800 million in debts to Brazilian state development bank BNDES. At an exchange rate of 3.85 reais to $1, Petrobras said, the deal values all of TAG at 35.1 billion reais. The divestment represents a victory for current Petrobras leadership and Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco, who is pushing to aggressively unload assets in a bid to cut debt and refocus on exploration and production. Castello Branco in March forecast $10 billion of asset sales in the first four months of 2019, with the TAG pipeline sale being the key divestiture. The sale process began in October 2017 but was interrupted last year by a Supreme Court injunction and by a review of the sale rules by Brazil's audit court. In September 2016, Petrobras sold a larger gas network pipeline, Nova Transportadora do Sudeste, with nearly 1,560 miles (2,510 km) of pipelines, for $5.2 billion to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP, which beat out a bid by Engie. The firm is currently drafting terms for the sale of two groups of refineries expected to net several billion dollars. Some mature oilfields and the company's liquefied petroleum gas distribution unit on the block are each expected to fetch several hundred million dollars. Petrobras will continue to distribution natural gas through the TAG system under the terms of long-term contracts, the company said in the statement. Bloomberg reported on the TAG sale earlier on Friday. (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo and Gram Slattery in Rio de Janeiro; editing by Richard Chang, Matthew Lewis and Bill Berkrot) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise Washington: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has reached Congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2020, after it started receiving the applications for the most sought-after work visa among foreign, including Indian, professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The USCIS, the federal agency mandated with task of approving such applications, on Friday said "it has received a sufficient number of petitions projected as needed to reach the congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap for fiscal year 2020." The fiscal year begins on 1 October 2019 and it the USCIS started receiving the visa petitions from 1 April. However, the agency did not reveal the number of petitions received by it in the first five days. The USCIS said it will next determine if it has received a sufficient number of petitions to meet the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap. The agency said it will reject and return visa fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not prohibited multiple filings. It will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap. Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2020 H-1B, the USCIS said. It did not say if it would resort to a computerised draw of lots as was the case in the last several years. Last year, the USCIS received 190,000 cap-subjected H-1B petitions. In 2018, it received 199,000 applications while in 2017, 236,000 petitions in the first five days after it started receiving the applications. The USCIS received 232,972 H-1B cap-subject petitions in 2016 and in 2015, it received 172,581 cap-subjected petitions. This is the first season of H-1B applications after the USCIS announced enforcing new rules for the most sought-after US work visa applications for foreign professionals. The new rules give preferences to those who have completed their post-graduation degree course from any US educational institutions. This year the USCIS has suspended the electronic registration requirement for the fiscal year 2020 cap season to complete user testing and ensure the system and process are fully functional. Under the new system, the USCIS first selects H-1B petitions submitted on behalf of all beneficiaries, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. Thereafter, the USCIS will select from the remaining eligible petitions, a number projected to reach the advanced degree exemption. Changing the order in which the USCIS counts these allocations will likely increase the number of petitions for beneficiaries with a master's or higher degree from a US institution of higher education to be selected under the H-1B numerical allocations. The USCIS says that the change will result in an estimated increase of up to 16 percent (or 5,340 workers) in the number of selected petitions for H-1B beneficiaries with a master's degree or higher from a US institution of higher education. "These simple and smart changes are a positive benefit for employers, the foreign workers they seek to employ, and the agency's adjudicators, helping the H-1B visa program work better," USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna had said in a statement. "The US employers seeking to employ foreign workers with a US master's or higher degree will have a greater chance of selection in the H-1B lottery in years of excess demand for new H-1B visas," Cissna said. In April 2017, US President Donald Trump, had issued the 'Buy American and Hire American Executive Order', instructing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "propose new rules and issue new guidance, to supersede or revise previous rules and guidance if appropriate, to protect the interests of US workers in the administration of our immigration system." The executive order specifically mentioned the H-1B program and directed the DHS and other agencies to "suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries." The Indian Railways have had to install cameras on the outside of the Vande Bharat Express to help identify people who pelt stones at the train, something that has severely damaged it. The Indian Railways have had to install cameras on the outside of the Vande Bharat Express to help identify people who pelt stones at the train, according to reports. At least 12 stone-pelting incidents have been recorded since the express, also known as Train 18, began running in February. Hindustan Times has reported that 12 glass windows have had to be replaced in just two months, as a result of stone pelting incidents. The Train 18 is a semi-high speed train. The Hindustan Times report quoted the director general of Railway Protection Force, Arun Kumar, as noting that the four cameras, two each on the rear and the front, could help the Railways identify that in which area on its route do the incidents take place more often. Attempts to counsel locals and distribute chocolates among slum children to dissuade them from pelting stones, reportedly did not yield results. In February itself, the newly launched express was damaged when two cows had strayed on the track and got hit by the superfast train, which was running at a speed of around 130 kilometres per hour. Just a day after it was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February, the controls of the train had failed, leaving it stranded 15 kilometres from Tundla junction in Uttar Pradesh. A Delhi court on Saturday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on plea of Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on plea of Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, accusing the agency of politicising the case by leaking a copy of the chargesheet to the media. The agency, on the other hand, sought an enquiry into how the copy of the chargesheet was leaked to the media and asked for the issuance of a notice to a news organisation asking to explain how they accessed the document. Special judge Arvind Kumar issued a notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michel's plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the ED and that even though the court has not taken cognisance over the documents filed before it, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the charge sheet. The court, which has not taken cognisance of the documents, will take up the matter of leaking of the charge sheet copy on 11 April. The court also issued summons to Michel's business partner and middleman David Nigel John Syms as accused in the case. Syms, named as accused in the charge sheet, will have to appear before court on 9 May. The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. New Delhi: A Delhi court Saturday summoned David Nigel John Syms, an alleged middleman and business partner of British-national Christian Michel, a co-accused arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. Special judge Arvind Kumar asked Syms, named as an accused in the supplementary charge sheet, to appear before the court on 9 May. The court also summoned two firms Global Services FZE and Global Traders as accused in the case. Michel and Syms are directors of the two firms. It also extended by two days the Enforcement Directorate custody of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an alleged defence agent arrested by the agency in the case. The custody was extended after ED's advocate Samvedna Verma said his further interrogation was required in the case. It further sought a reply from the agency on Gupta's bail application by 9 April. Gupta was arrested by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe agency had said Gupta's role in the case came to light on the basis of disclosures made by Rajiv Saxena, who has turned approver after he was deported from the UAE and arrested by the agency. Michel was arrested by the ED on 22 December after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime. The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million. The ED urged the court to issue a notice to a news organisation asking it to explain how it accessed the documents, whereas Michel supported the demand of a probe while accusing the agency of politicising the matter. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and British-national Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Saturday sought before a Delhi court an inquiry into the purported leakage of the supplementary chargesheet filed in the case to media. The ED urged the court to issue a notice to a news organisation asking it to explain how it accessed the documents, whereas Michel supported the demand of a probe while accusing the agency of politicising the matter. ED's special public prosecutors DP Singh and NK Matta claimed that the matter was "serious". "The chargesheet's copy is yet to be supplied to the accused persons. However, Michel's lawyers came to know what we have written in it and filed an application on that behalf. This is a very serious matter and an inquiry must be ordered to ascertain how the copy of the chargesheet was leaked," the ED said. Special judge Arvind Kumar issued notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michel's plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the ED and that even though the court has not taken cognisance of the documents, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the chargesheet. The court will take up ED's plea related to leakage of the chargesheet copy on 11 April. Meanwhile, the court issued summons to Michel's business partner and middleman David Nigel John Syms as an accused in the case. Syms, named as accused in the chargesheet, is asked to appear before court on 9 May. The court also summoned two firms Global Services FZE and Global Traders as accused in the case. Michel and Syms are directors of the two firms. The court directed to keep the copy the chargesheet in a sealed cover until further orders. It also extended by two days the custodial interrogation of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an alleged defence agent arrested by the agency in the case. It further sought a reply from the agency on Gupta's bail application by 9 April. Gupta was arrested by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe agency had said Gupta's role in the case came to light on the basis of disclosures made by Rajiv Saxena, who has turned approver in the case after he was deported from the UAE and arrested by the agency here. Michel's counsel Aljo K Joseph Friday moved an application before the court, saying, "Michel has not named anyone in his statement before the agency which is being leaked to media. This is only to make the matter sensational and prejudice the case against my client." He claimed the copy of the chargesheet was provided to the media before it was provided to Michel. Michel was arrested by the ED on 22 December after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime. The ED, in its chargesheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on 8 February, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros Gambling expansion, tax hikes on beer and liquor, and a vehicle registration fee hike, among other sources, funded the 2009 plan. But the chatter around Pritzkers capital bill has been all about a potential gas tax hike. Outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel late last year called on the state to at least double its gas tax. One bill in the Illinois Senate would do just that, making Illinois gas tax burden the second-highest in the nation. Today's top stories: ED to file reply in Delhi court after alleged middleman Christian Michel denies naming Ahmed Patel, Narendra Modi to campaign in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, and more ED to reply after Christian Michel denies naming Ahmed Patel The Enforcement Directorate is expected to reply to alleged middleman Christian Michel denied naming Ahmed Patel and the Gandhi family in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. Michel told a Delhi court on Friday that he has not named anybody in connection with the deal during an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate, which has filed a supplementary chargesheet. Michel, who alleged that the central government was using agencies for political agenda, filed an application after the reports appeared that ED in its charge sheet has named politicians of the previous UPA dispensation, defence personnel, bureaucrats and journalists as the beneficiaries of the controversial defence deal. Michel's counsel appeared with the application before special judge Arvind Kumar who issued notice to the probe agency and sought its reply by Saturday when he will take up the matter. "Michel has not named anyone in his statement before the agency which is being leaked to media. This is only to make the matter sensational and prejudice the case against my client," his counsel, Aljo K Joseph said. He claimed the copy of the charge sheet, which was filed on Thursday, was provided to the media before it was provided to Michel. Poll tracker: Narendra Modi to campaign in three states, Rahul Gandhi to address rally in Jammu and Kashmir The ruling BJP and Opposition parties are keeping up their campaign trails across the country as the Lok Sabha election draws nearer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies in Odisha's Sundergarh and Sonepur, Nanded in Maharashtra and Balod in Chhattisgarh. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also address rallies in Odisha's Phulbani and Berhampur districts. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar and address a public meeting in Almora and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will also be on the campaign trail with a roadshow in Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. BJP president Amit Shah will address a rally in Gandhinagar, the constituency he is fighting the General Elections from. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to address public meetings in Barobisha and Kalchini in Alipurdar, while BSP chief Mayawati will be speaking to the public in Haridwar and Nainital. Sumitra Mahajan 'frees' BJP of 'dilemma', opts out of contesting LS polls With the BJP appearing to be in a dilemma over fielding her, outgoing Lok Sabha speaker and eight-time MP from Indore, Sumitra Mahajan on Friday opted out of contesting the general elections saying she has freed the party to make its choice. Informing reporters in Indore that she has written to BJP chief Amit Shah about her decision of not contesting the polls, she said, "I have made the party worry-free." Mahajan, who turns 76 next Friday, said there had been speculations whether the party would field someone who has crossed the 75-year age bar. "There were speculations and so I decided to end them and free the party to make its choice. I will not contest the Lok Sabha elections," she told PTI. Mahajan, popularly known as 'Tai' (elder sister in Marathi) however, maintained that she would continue to work for the party and campaign for it. "The party (BJP) had not been able to name a candidate (from Indore Lok Sabha seat) for so many days and there were speculations if someone over 75 years of age will be fielded. So I decided to end all this," she said. Competition Commission gives approval for proposed L&T-Mindtree deal The Competition Commission on Friday said it has approved diversified group Larsen & Toubro's proposed acquisition of up to 66.15 percent stake in IT firm Mindtree Ltd. L&T has made an unsolicited offer to acquire majority stake in Mindtree and a committee of the IT firm's independent directors is looking into it. In a tweet, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said, "it approves acquisition of up to 66.15 percent of the total equity shareholding of Mindtree Ltd, on a fully diluted basis, by Larsen and Toubro Ltd". Deals beyond a certain threshold require clearance from the fair trade regulator. SRH play MI on home turf; CSK face KXIP in weekend double-header Jonny Bairstow will be keen to continue his run-riot and keep the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) juggernaut rolling against a Mumbai Indians (MI) side that is getting into the groove after an up-and-down start, in their IPL match on Saturday. Currently holding the top spot in the points table with three back-to-back victories, the confident Sunrisers would not like to spare an inch against Mumbai, lying at sixth place. In Chennai, it will be a battle of leadership styles of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clash with Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Dhoni's ability to stay calm and keep his cool even in the trickiest of situations versus Ashwin's aggressive approach and out-of-the-box decisions would certainly make for an interesting contest. Google dissolves week-old AI-ethics team After just making an AI-ethics team a week back, Google has decided to pull the plug on the project amidst massive public outcry, reports Vox. Founded to guide responsible development of AI at Google, the AI-ethics team consisted of eight members and met four times to judge concerns regarding Google's AI program. Some of those concerns include work on military applications of AI. More than 600 theatre personalities, including Amol Palekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad and Usha Ganguli, have signed a letter asking people to 'vote BJP and its allies' out of power, arguing that the idea of India and its constitution are under threat. More than 600 theatre personalities, including Amol Palekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad and Usha Ganguli, have signed a letter asking people to "vote BJP and its allies" out of power, arguing that the idea of India and its constitution are under threat. The letter, which was issued Thursday evening in 12 languages on the Artist Unite India website, said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are the "most critical in the history" of the country. Last week, a similar appeal was issued by celebrated indie filmmakers such as Anand Patwardhan, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and Devashish Makhija, asking voters to "defeat fascism". Among those who have signed the letter, Purva Naresh, Danish Husain, Sapan Saran, Gurleen Judge and Ramu Ramanathan talked to Firstpost about their decision to do the same. Purva Naresh (Playwright, director, dancer) I believe that the democratic ethos of our nation is being slowly eroded under the current dispensation. And we all collectively felt that there is an imminent need to come together and call out the culprits by their name. Farmers, students, activists, artists, any free thinking person are all under threat and an atmosphere of fear is being created. The elections are our only chance at changing that and thus this had to be done right in time when people go out to vote. The ethos of theatre is democratic in its essence. It's a coming together of individuals with different skill-sets and different ways of expression to express something together. It doesn't matter whether your individual expression finds a place or not. The way we do theatre is always keeping the collective in mind. The focus is always what we are saying collectively, may it be through dialogue, song, dance, music or any other form. Even those who are not on stage performing come with the sole aim of making an expression possible. Their share of contribution to it is of immense importance. The whole becomes bigger than the sum of its parts. That is theatre. That is democracy. I think we already are in an emergency like situation. The announcement of Demonetisation brought about an emergency for the poor of this country. GST created an emergency for the small trader community. The systemic erosion of education funds has created an emergency in the education sector. Farmer suicides have increased, unemployment is at a 45 year high, journalists/activists are hounded, artists are being gagged and minorities are being attacked. How is it different from an Emergency? Except this is an undeclared Emergency. The undeclared Emergency is as much, if not more, dangerous than the declared one. Indira Gandhi lost the elections after the Emergency in the 1970s. What I mean is that the nation rejects fascist regime whenever there is one. All over the nation, writers, scientists, filmmakers, theatre-makers are coming together. Earlier national award winners had returned their awards in the same regime. This is a very big sign. And a bad one. And that is exactly why the nation needs to told firmly and clearly that they are in an undeclared, disguised fascist-like regime which, if given another chance, might stay on for a while. Danish Husain (Actor, storyteller, director) I signed the petition because the atmosphere in the country has become polarised and divisive filled with suspicion, fear and hatred. We want a government that does governance. There are issues like women's safety, health, unemployment etc. They should talk about real issues instead of mythological things. I have never seen India so divided, with so much hatred even when the NDA government was in power between 1999 and 2004. The BJP follows the RSS and is playing out the ideology of its parent organisation. Arts are important in society. It acts as a mirror to society and captures its emotional history at a given time. Sapan Saran (Actor, playwright, director) The right to Freedom of Expression is the most important fundamental right for an artist. That one right defines an artist's art and his/her existence. Today that right is under siege. No conscientious artist will allow for that to happen. The fact that artists from all over the country have come together to make a joint statement against the establishment, brings to attention the current political state of affairs, that are no more acceptable to the people of this country. We are done with BJP and its hate politics. It is time to speak up. More importantly, it is time to vote it out. If we want to live in an India 'where the mind is without fear and the head is held high', then we must bring the politics of this statement into our personal lives and vote sensibly, responsibly and most important, fearlessly. The petition is not an instance in isolation. It is part of an ongoing and growing political position amongst the people of this country that roots itself in the secular ideologies that our founding fathers valued, imagined and articulated in the constitution. Now is the time to vote. Now is the time to reclaim that value system. Artists are an important part of any society. They provide the emotional, moral and psychological framework to the society within which it operates. And Theatre is a minority art. By definition, good theatre asks questions difficult, uncomfortable questions that are critical for the survival of any democracy. One show at a time, two hundred people at a time, slowly but ceaselessly theatre engages directly with the subconscious of the democracy. It's different (from an Emergency). It's worse. It's deceptive when it's undeclared. It leads to self-censorship, inaction, fear, mobocracy, and complete degradation of moral and ideological values at a personal and collective level. These are dark times and we, the people, have to take charge and bring about change. We have to vote. Responsibly. Gurleen Judge (Director, writer, light designer) We are doing whatever we can with the election time coming up. We recognise our responsibility as artists. It is important to come together as citizens and that we don't take it anymore. It feels like we are at crossroads and we don't want this to continue. All art forms play an important role in a democracy. It is for the human soul. All art makes a fuller, more holistic world. In our country particularly, the theatre has had an important role in movements, such as the national movement and the women's movement. Right now, fascist and violent forces are on the rise and we need to learn from history. So much injustice is going on. I just feel like this election is our chance to save our democracy and our constitution and we may not get this chance again. Ramu Ramanathan (Playwright) The petition is part of a political discussion and political discussion is key. The Hindi word is rajneeti. Raj is rule. Neeti is policy. I believe there has to be more Raj-Neeti in Raj-Neeti. For this more and more citizens need to have a voice. But they don't want to hear our voice. They dont care what we believe in. Today all discussion, debate and dialogue have ceased. Politics is the realm where things can be addressed and resolved. And the loudest political discussions have traditionally begun in the theatre, simply because it is "live". Theatrewallahs can sense what the audience is thinking. Today, there is a sense of unease in the audience every time a joke is told or if an actor utters a line on the stage from Bhasa or Tulsidas or Kamban or Phule. Soon we will need to download an app called free speech before we enter the theatre. Which is why the footfalls and clickthrough rates in polling booths will increase but you will be told to Be Silent after you vote. But theatre is about speaking that speech and sometimes it is the unspoken things! What is happening today is much more clever than what happened during Emergency. We are being tuned and hypnotised and trolled and modified. No one will directly approach you, and slap you or kill you or jail you. That's because, to use a theatre metaphor, the main action is transpiring offstage or backstage and never-ever on the main stage. That's the difference from Emergency, which is why a flawed, fragmented, noisy democracy is such a key concept in this whole conversation. With inputs from Press Trust of India National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of 'lying' to the nation on the Balakot air strike and shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 in the aerial dogfight between the IAF and the PAF. Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of "lying" to the nation on the Balakot air strike and shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 in the aerial dogfight between the IAF and the PAF. Abdullah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Srinagar constituency, said the BJP-led central government carried out the aerial strike as the prime minister had "failed" in delivering on his promises made during the last general elections in the country. "He (Modi) had promised that Rs 15 lakh will be put in your accounts, did you get Rs 15 lakh? When he failed in all these things, his head was hanging whenever I used to see him in Parliament during the last few days as he realised that his power is gone. "At that time, some MPs would say that he would do something...Attack Pakistan so that everyone feels that Hanuman ji has come. What did he do? For a few seconds, he sent three planes to the border which is known as Balakot and dropped bombs there," Abdullah said addressing an election rally in the Fakir Gujri area on Friday. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the government claimed that a number of terrorists were killed but there is no clarity. "Some people said 500 were killed and some others even said 700 were killed. Here if one person is killed, the whole world comes to know. Would no one know if 300 were killed?" he asked. On the report in a US journal that the US count claims no F-16 jet was shot down by IAF's MiG-21 Bison, Abdullah asked the prime minister why he was "lying" to the people of the country. "He (Modi) said we shot down their (Pakistani) fighter plane F-16. Now, the US has come up saying all the Pakistani F-16s are counted. Not one has been shot down. There must be some basis for even lies, Modi ji. How long will you lie to people? And did you win (the battle)? Has Pakistan disappeared? Why are you lying? Do you think the Hindus will buy into all this?" he said. Hoping that the BJP will not return to power at the Centre, Abdullah said whichever party comes to power "they will definitely talk to Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir will be the first priority". "We can't bear living like this ...That deaths take place everyday," he said. About the government's decision to ban public traffic on Jammu and Srinagar highway two days every week, Abdullah said the road was not even closed during Kargil war. "Are we at war today that the government has closed the highway for two days a week? Are we slaves? Is Jammu and Kashmir a colony? We were never slaves and will never be. We have said goodbye to kings in 1947. Don't threaten us, you are not our god," he said The second wave of the National Trust Survey conducted by Firstpost-IPSOS, which polled more than 31,000 voters from 2 to 22 March, shows it is Narendra Modi who seems to be contesting the election on behalf of the BJP, with the party itself playing second fiddle With the first phase of voting in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections less than a week away, media commentators appear to have developed a consensus around three factors. First, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is by far the most popular leader in the country today. Second, despite Modi's popularity, the Bharatiya Janata Party is unlikely to repeat its 2014 performance. It may emerge as the single-largest party by a wide margin, but crossing the majority mark on its own would be a miraculous achievement. And third, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party seem to have lost the momentum generated in the aftermath of the party's victory in the December 2018 Assembly elections. The second wave of the National Trust Survey conducted by Firstpost-IPSOS, which polled more than 31,000 voters from 2 to 22 March, gives us useful data with which to test this consensus. The survey points to a particularly interesting feature about the 2019 campaign: It is Modi who seems to be contesting the election on behalf of the BJP, with the party itself playing second fiddle to the prime minister's positive perception among voters. This does not mean that respondents have a low level of trust in the BJP for solving the issues that are facing the country today. In fact, the BJP is far likely to be trusted than the Congress on most issues. The trust in the BJP is higher on issues related to infrastructure, national security and corruption. Notably though, the trust level in the party is lower when respondents are quizzed about job creation and on keeping the prices of essential commodities under check. The data also points that respondents are more likely to trust regional parties like the Trinamool in West Bengal, the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha, the Telegu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in Telangana, Left Front in Kerala, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu. The prime minister manages to transcend geographical and social divides whereas the party's popularity is constrained by these divisions. In comparison to the previous round of the National Trust Survey conducted in November-January 2018, preference for Modi as the next Prime Minister of India has increased by 10 percentage points. Modi, who enjoyed approval rating (52.8 percent) levels twice those of Rahul's (26.9 percent) has now doubled the lead to four times, 63 percent against 16 percent. The perception around Modis performance as prime minister has also gone up in similar proportions. More interestingly for the BJP, the prime ministers approval rating in Odisha and West Bengal, although still below his national average, is significantly high. It is possible that a concerted campaign by Modi in these two states may bring rich dividends for the party. The trust survey also highlights the emerging faultlines as it shows that in many parts of North East India, despite the BJPs successful inroads in these states, the prime minister's rating remains far below the average. In contrast, the approval rating for Rahul has declined considerably in the past few months. In fact, respondents are more likely to find Modi as warm and favourable over Rahul. Not only has the gap in the popularity levels of the two leaders further widened, but Rahul's public perception remains poor. Only a small proportion of respondents think that he has shown great maturity in understanding Indias problems. Sadly for the Congress party then, Rahul's leadership is unable to galvanise that sizeable section of Indian society which can challenge the BJP and its allies in reaching the majority mark. A caveat Before we delve deeper into the reasons behind the huge popularity of Modi among India's electorate, it is important to understand the context. Modi, even during the 2014 election, was immensely popular, and incumbent leaders generally enjoy greater favourability at the time of elections, unless there is huge public anger against their government. An incumbent's leadership rating gets further accentuated when the Opposition does not have a clear prime ministerial preference. Moreover, incumbents in general, and right-wing incumbents, in particular, are likely to get a bump amidst a national security crisis. The Pulwama tragedy and India's response by conducting airstrikes deep in Pakistan have further strengthened Modi's image as a decisive and strong leader. The survey was conducted a few days after Indias airstrikes when the prime minister's popularity must have peaked. This claim is further buttressed by the survey data that shows awareness regarding the issue is substantially high, and there is strong approval of the government's action. Finally, one also needs to be careful in interpreting exact numbers, as the survey design, question syntax, and pre-ordered categories may result in different estimates on the same issue. For example, if a survey question asks who would you like as the next prime minister between Modi and Rahul, it is likely that more responses would converge in favour of Modi than in a question that asks about prime ministerial preference in an open-ended manner. BJP strategy Why has the BJP chosen to play second fiddle to the prime minister's popularity in the run-up to 2019? The National Trust Survey confirms something that many have alluded to: Public faith in Modi is primarily built on abstract notions, not concrete issues. The data suggest that respondents are disposed to rating Modi favourably due to their perception of him creating a better image of India abroad, capacity for taking big risks, bringing big changes and taking care of the country. The perception of ensuring equality among various groups seems to be the least favourable reason. Similarly, economic policies such as demonetisation, the Goods and Services Tax, black money, and the Make in India initiative are considered less successful, especially in comparison to Ujjwala Yojana which a larger number of respondents believe to be a highly successful scheme. In this scenario, the Congress must avoid a direct leadership battle vis-a-vis Modi and make efforts to divert the election discourse to economic concerns of Indian voters. The promise of Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 percent of India's poorest may be a well-intended scheme and may also undercut the BJP gains from Rs 6,000 to farmers. But the key difference is that somehow Modi manages to weave his policies into a language of empowering Indians while Rahul falls in the trap of patronising promises. The findings from the survey make the electoral logic behind the BJPs campaign plank Modi hai to mumkin hai (Everything is possible with Modi) is very evident. Modi is more popular than the party, and he alone can ensure its return to power. In the post-Pulwama scenario, the BJP has focused on national security issues that keep its Hindutva base energised and create the possibility of adding fence-sitters. If the BJP manages to cash in on Modi's popularity, it may have a home run even in states like Uttar Pradesh where a strong coalition of Opposition parties is challenging it. However, such a campaign plank with over-reliance on a charismatic leader has its downside. It may bring the BJP closer to victory in 2019, but is likely to change the social fabric of Indian democracy as well as the BJP's organisational capabilities in the future. Will Indians vote on who becomes their prime minister or will they focus on electing their Members of Parliament (MP)? If it is the former, then this survey is unambiguous about the direction of the electoral wind. The author, Resident Political Analyst at Network 18, is a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research This article appears in the 6 April edition of Firstpost Print Read the findings from the first wave of the National Trust Survey here With owners of leading media houses fighting the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha, not only truth is killed, but even basic neutrality is not maintained in news reporting With the mercury soaring high by the day, Odisha, known for its long summers, is staring at a terrible season ahead. However, the political weather in the coastal state, thanks to the simultaneous state and general elections, has already generated much heat. As the electoral combat intensifies, the leading media houses either owned or promoted by candidates belonging to different parties are busy fighting in the political ring. As a result, in the words of Rabi Das, former editor of an Odia daily and political commentator, "Not only truth is killed, even basic neutrality is not maintained. As far as media strength is concerned, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), clearly enjoys an edge over its opponents, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress. At least, in numbers though. Three of its leaders, Cuttack Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who is contesting from the same seat, and two Rajya Sabha members media tycoon Soumya Ranjan Patnaik (MLA candidate from Khandapara Assembly segment) and educational entrepreneur Achyuta Samanta who is fighting for the tribal-dominated Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency have their media units. While Bhartruhari, son of former Odisha chief minister Harekrushna Mahtab, edits Prajatantra, an old local daily, the regional news channel, Kalinga TV (widely viewed as a mouthpiece of the ruling party) is run by the group of institutions promoted by Samanta. He is known globally for the Kalinga Institute of Social sciences (KISS). However, Soumyas Eastern Media Limited (EML) that runs, apart from other media ventures, an FM channel, a vernacular daily Sambad, an English news portal and the 24x7 news channel Kanak TV is arguably, the biggest media network in the state. Sambad, edited by Soumya, claims to be the largest circulated Odia daily. In 1996, Soumya, brother of state Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik, had represented the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat on Congress ticket. After his expulsion from Congress in 2013, he had floated the Aama Odisha Party (AOP). Soumya is contesting the state Assembly election as a member of BJD. On the other hand, the saffron party, with the joining of ex-BJD leader Baijayant Panda, last month, has bagged the support of the most popular regional news channel, Odisha TV, commonly known as O TV. The first channel to beam round the clock local news in the state, O TV is owned by the industrialist-politicians wife Jagi Mangat Panda. The Congress, however, like its position in the state, seems to be lagging behind its opponents even in terms of media power. The party has access to only one media outlet the Samaya, owned by Congress legislator Chiranjib Biswals family. Son of former deputy chief minister Basant Kumar Biswal, Chiranjib is seeking re-election from Jagatsinghpur. He is the chairman of the group that publishes the daily, while his brother Ranjib, a Rajya Sabha leader and a former IPL chief, is its managing editor. But, when it comes to readership, other leading vernacular dailies are well ahead of Samaya. Incidentally, last year, just over a month after Pandas suspension from the BJD for anti party activities', BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, had named both Soumya and Samanta for Rajya Sabha. Both had been inducted into the party, barely a few hours before the announcement was made. This was widely viewed in the state, as a move by the BJD boss, to have the two media houses (ran by Samanta and Soumya) in his partys side to compensate for the loss of O TV. While, right from its inception in 1984, Sambad, the flagship newspaper of the EML group, had a pro-Congress approach, Soumya was a bitter critic of the BJD. However, the tone and tenor of political news and analysis published in the Odia daily took a complete U-turn' after Soumya merged his AOP with the BJD. Its natural for both Sambad and Kanak TV to support the BJD. They also, support the Congress, to an extent, observes Das. According to Das, Sambad and Kanak TV cant ignore the Congress, completely, though. Kanak TV may have come into being a few years ago, but Sambad was set up with the backing and blessings of JB Patnaik (former chief minister of Odisha who is also Soumyas father-in-law), says Das. It's not just the larger media houses like the ones mentioned above, but even the lesser known publications such as Sanchar and Sarbasadharana, which are doing their bit for their patrons. Sanchars founder, Damodar Rout, is BJP candidate from Balikuda-Erasama Assembly seat. Rout, a long time associate and minister in the cabinets of the father-son chief ministers duo (the maverick late Biju Patnaik and Naveen), jumped into the lotus pond following his ouster from the BJD. On the other hand, Sarbasadharana is believed to have been promoted by senior former minister and BJD candidate from Brahmagiri Assembly segment, Sanjay Das Burma. Experts, believe, with the owners of media outlets in the fray in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, superior or fair election/political coverage, by their respective media arms, is least expected. According to Pradeep Kumar Mahapatra, former head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Berhampur University, medias use for political purposes started after Odisha became a separate province in 1936. In keeping pace with the freedom movement in the national scene, in Odisha, media has been used as a tool to serve the interest of its owners, mostly business groups, politicians etc. When somebody has political objective for running a media house, naturally, he will try to manifest for his own political gain. In such cases, objectivity in reporting, the basic essence of media is a casualty," rues Mahapatra. Agreess Tathagata Satpathy, a senior BJD leader who edits the leading vernacular daily, Dharitri, and English daily Orissa Post. Its a circus today. Not only here, but across the country, media is owned by people who have many other interests. Its being used to fulfill their needs. Media is bending down before political masters, trying to please the political bosses, so, their own bosses get the benefits, asserts Satpathy, a four-time Lok Sabha MP. Satpathys recent decision to quit electoral politics to focus on fearless journalism has stunned both politicians as well as those in the media. He is considered by many as a gutsy politician-cum-editor, for, despite being a senior leader of the BJD, his newspaper, many a times carried reports, including signed editorials, criticising his own government on separate issues. Did he use his newspapers for political gain? My readers are my best judges. In spite of my neglect (of my media), its not gone down, As far as I am concerned, I think, I could compartmentalise my journalism and my politics. I never consciously tried or allowed to mix both, he says. However, he adds, I am human. And its possible, my mind may not have functioned, as it should. Modi government is being blamed for sabotaging the Samjhauta prosecution. The record, however, shows that the UPA must take the blame for the shoddy probe I have sent some three lakh letters, distributed 20,000 maps of Akhand Bharat on 26 January, but these Brahmins and traders have never done anything, raged the Hindu nationalist leader Baikunth Lal Sharma at a closed-door meeting with a small group of activists on Independence Day in 2008. I do not talk casteism. Its just that they dont have the potential; they dont have the aptitude for this kind of feeling. To awaken people mentally, I believe that you have to set re in society, at least light a spark, Sharma concluded. For over a year before that meeting, Indias police and intelligence services had long believed that a small core of Hindu nationalists had set about doing just that. Enraged by the Indian Mujahideens long-running terror-bombing campaign, which claimed hundreds of lives, Hindutva terrorists had begun hitting back at Muslims: at Modasa, Malegaon, Ajmer Sharif, Hyderabad, and the Samjhauta Express. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindutva-leaning government is being blamed for sabotaging the Samjhauta prosecution. In fact, records show, the United Progressive Alliance must take the blame for overlooking shoddy investigation. STRONG EVIDENCE From the outset, National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigators coming to the case more than three years after the 18 February, 2007 Samjhauta terrorist attack knew they needed hard evidence to back their case. The Haryana Police had, for example, collected closed-circuit television footage from the Delhi junction, hoping to identify the perpetrators. Forty closed-circuit cameras had been installed at Delhi junction, but only nine were working. There was no footage from the Samjhautas platform. Had the CCTV footage of old Delhi railway station been collected by the investigating agency and put to rigorous examination then some vital leads might have been obtained, the judge at Panchkula NIA court records. The NIAs case diaries, seen by Firstpost, show why this evidence wasn't placed before the judge: none of the perpetrators is on it. Call data that could have shown links between the perpetrators didnt exist. In 2011, the NIA asked service-providers for digital records of phone calls made by its suspects, only to be told the data was erased after 12 months. There was evidence that showed phones belonging to four members of the cell were linked but none to tie them to those alleged to have carried out the attack. NIA investigators also sought to establish that the men Lokesh Sharma, Rajender Chaudhary, Amit Chauhan and Kamal Chouhan alleged to have planted the fire-bombs on the Samjhauta travelled to Delhi from Indore on 17 February, and stayed at the stations dormitory before the attack. Ticket records that could have borne out the claim though had been destroyed. No witnesses to their travel could be found. And the station dormitorys records didnt bear their names. Even when witnesses could be found, their stories werent useful, judge Jagdeep Singh notes. Ram Pratap Singh, a Bhopal resident, claimed to have attended an 4 April, 2008 meeting where Naba Kumar Sarkar, also known as Swami Aseemanand, advocated bomb-for-bomb attacks on Muslims in the same way the jihadis are attacking Hindus religious places. But this meeting, coming nine months after the Samjhauta strike, didn't prove intent, the judge noted and, in the witness box, Singh failed to identify Sarkar. There was no NIA witness who could show that the accused ever attended any conspiracy meeting with respect to Samjhauta Express train blast, Judge Singh said. NIA investigators were also unable to establish where the bombs components were obtained from, or who assembled them into a lethal device. In other cases, promising witnesses led to dead ends. NIA investigators were able to establish, using forensic means, that the suitcases carrying bombs were fitted with cloth covers stitched at Indores Kothari market on February 14, 2007. The judge faulted the NIA for not holding an identification parade to see if the tailors at the store could identify the person who got the covers stitched. The NIA had in fact shown them photographs of the suspect and drawn a blank, the case diaries show. Aseemanands confession the most powerful evidence the NIA had in its possession was rejected by Judge Singh, who said it was not corroborated by other evidence, the key legal test of its credibility. The judge criticised the NIA for failing to pursue claims that Aseemanand had made the same confession to a prison inmate, Sheikh Abdul Khaleem. However, the case diaries show the NIA questioned prison guards to corroborate Khaleems claims, only to find Aseemanand was in solitary confinement throughout. The best evidence, which could have clinched the issue, was withheld by the prosecution, the judge wrote of the NIAs decision not to produce Khaleem. But Khaleems testimony, the case diaries show, was in fact withheld because it weakened the prosecutions case. Frankly, this case should never have been brought to trial, says a senior NIA official involved in the case. Lack of evidence had identical outcomes in several other cases, too, with all five suspects prosecuted for the bombing of Hyderabads Mecca Masjid walking free. The NIA secured convictions against former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists Sunil Joshi and Devendra Gupta for a terrorist bombing at the Ajmer Sharif shrine, along with Bhaveshbhai Patelbut seven others were acquitted. In some cases, the pressures on the NIA to secure convictions had bizarre outcomes. In the Samjhauta case, the NIA produced Bharat Rateshwar as a witness, after he confessed to his role in the attack and sought a pardon in return for cooperation with the prosecution. Later, though, Rateshwar resiled on his confession, and was promptly prosecuted by the NIA for allegedly participating in the Ajmer and Mecca Masjid bombingsonly to be acquitted. LIVE THREAT The story isnt, however, quite over: Hindutva activists Ramchandra Kalsangra, Sandeep Dange and Ramesh Venkatrao Mahalkar alleged by the NIA to have organised and executed the bombing, are fugitives. Police operations continue to target the suspects: just in November, Suresh Nair, named along with Kalsangra and Dange as a perpetrator of the Ajmer Sharif shrine, was arrested. Future arrests could lead to new trials. That the NIA did secure convictions against two terrorists involved in the Ajmer Sharif shrine, makes clear the agency wasnt looking in fundamentally the wrong place and thats something which should concern Indians, irrespective of politics. From 2003, hardliners disenchanted with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh began drifting away from democratic politics to a new cult of the bomb. In August 2004, 18 people were injured in the bombings of mosques at Purna and Jalna. In the summer of 2006, Naresh Kondwar and Himanshu Phanse of the Bajrang Dal were killed in a bomb-making accident in Nanded. Then in June 2008, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti operatives were held for the bombing of the Gadkari Rangayatan theatre in Thane. Later, in October, Bajrang Dal-linked Rajiv Mishra and Bhupinder Singh were killed while making a bomb in Kanpur. Former Maharashtra director-general of police KP Raghuvanshi said in an interview that the Nanded incident could have frightening repercussions. The collapse of the Samjhauta prosecution will have far-reaching consequences and not just for the families of the 70 children, women and men killed on the train. Each time New Delhi raises Pakistans failure to prosecute terror cases, including 26/11, its own failure to prosecute cases involving Hindutva terrorists will be held out before the world. Locked in a grim embrace, jihadist terrorism and Hindutva terrorism have fuelled a cycle of hate which has the potential to tear the country apart. Politics blinded the criminal justice system when the Samjhauta prosecutions began. Its imperative that this not be allowed to happen again. The article first appeared in Firstpost Print The terrorists barged into the residence of Mohammad Rafi Yatoo, an army jawan, and fired at him indiscriminately, a police official said. Srinagar: An Indian Army jawan was Saturday shot dead inside his home in the Sopore area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir by terrorists, police said. The terrorists barged into the residence of Mohammad Rafi Yatoo, an Indian Army jawan, and fired upon him indiscriminately, a police official said. He said Yatoo was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to injuries. The interdependence of the communities in Muzaffarnagar made them realise peaceful coexistence is the only way forward Editor's note: This is part of a multi-article series on the jobs crisis in the three states crucial to Lok Sabha election 2019: Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. *** Six years after the violent riots, people in the swathes of sugarcane fields in Muzaffarnagar are filled with feelings of brotherhood. Communities rocked by the unrest stand shoulder-to-shoulder, pledge peace and assert they do not want another riot. But scratch the surface of reconciliation and a harsh reality emerges. More than not wanting another riot, the district cannot afford one. Behind the harmony of Muzaffarnagar lies the undercurrent of economy and unemployment. Ahead of the 2014 general elections, Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh experienced violent clashes between the dominant Jat community and Muslims. It displaced over 50,000 and killed 62 (42 of them being Muslims). Local BJP leaders were later charged with fanning communal flames that egged on Hindu Jats to seek revenge after two Hindus were killed allegedly in an altercation with Muslims. Nonetheless, the district came to a standstill for more than a year after the riots. Muzaffarnagar is one of the largest producers of sugarcane, around which its economy revolves. The crop is extremely labour-intensive. The ones who own sugarcane fields are mostly Jats. And the labourers they hire to work on their fields are landless Muslims. Riots broke down the trust between the two communities, which affected the economy of sugarcane farmers and employment of labourers. Intezar Hussain, 40, said he even tried migrating to other districts for work, but in vain. The entire sugarcane belt was tense, he said, chopping cane in the fields of Shoram, one of the villages affected by 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar. I would be shooed away whenever I knocked on peoples doors. Tensions ran high. Nobody could trust one another. I tried finding work in Muslim-dominated villages. but the problem is not many Muslims own farmland. With lack of industries, sugarcane fields have been their major source of employment, Hussain said. If not that, we worked a bit as labourers at construction sites, he said. But that was rare. Also, even the ones who hired us to work at construction sites were Hindus, who did not trust us during that period. There were days when my kitchen stove remained totally untouched. Only we know how we endured that period. On the other hand, not trusting Muslims took its toll on Jat farmers too. Sanjiv Kumar Baliyan, 35, does not take a long time to get to the point. Kaam hi nahi ho raha tha, said the Shoram resident, when asked to describe the days after 2013 riots. I had to shut my shop in the village and work in the fields. Nobody would turn up at my shop to buy from us. Women in our household that never worked in the farms ended up working. But how much could we do? I would employ seven to eight labourers in my four-acre field. Farmers said they even hired labourers from Bihar at Rs 6,000 per month. But it soon worked out to be economically unviable because along with their salaries, the farmers had to make arrangements for their meals (twice a day). In contrast, local labourers worked for Rs 150 to 200 per day. The interdependence of communities made them realise that peaceful coexistence is the only way forward. And it appears that RLD chief Ajit Singh Choudhary has hit the right buttons. He left his traditional seat of Baghpat and decided to contest from Muzaffarnagar to take on BJPs Sanjiv Baliyan, a sitting MP, infamous for being a rabble-rouser, and is popular among the younger Jats. The older ones are firmly with Ajit. RLDs alliance with SP and BSP is coming in handy, for the constituency has a significant Dalit vote. RLD district president Ajit Rathi said Ajit has worked to bridge the gap between communities. He even spent his 80th birthday in Muzaffarnagar, he said. Our plank going into the polls is bhaichara. We are winning this seat easily. Muzaffarnagar was a bellwether seat in 2014. Baliyan won it by a whopping margin of over 4 lakh votes, despite its 40 percent Muslim and 13 percent Dalit population. But it would be difficult for the BJP to repeat the performance with local arithmetic working in favour of Ajit due to his tie up with SP and BSP. The Muslim vote that was divided in 2014 is consolidated behind Ajit, and it appears the Dalit vote would be transferred too. On the other hand, locals claim that BJP benefitted from the riots. The polarisation ensured the Jat vote went en-masse to the BJP. They are not likely to repeat the voting pattern five years later. Further disadvantaging the BJP is the anger over the unpaid dues of sugarcane farmers. Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane and as of 22 March, Rs 10,074 crore remains unpaid, and Rs 4,547 crore to farmers in the constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh voting on 11 April, among them Muzaffarnagar. When Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in March 2017, sugarcane farmers were owed half of what they are owed today. In their election manifesto, BJP promised to clear sugarcane dues, but that has not manifested yet. Master Mohammad, 45, a teacher in Shoram, who has a three-acre sugarcane field, said that considering the sugarcane farmers are already struggling with unpaid dues, it makes no sense to make matters worse. Those days were horrible, he said. Since then, we have held repeated meetings for peace and we are at a stage where we attend each others functions as well. It was a steady process, and Kairana bypoll results confirmed the mood of bhaichara. What is the point of living in fear? We would have to watch over our shoulders when we walked through one anothers basti. Mohammad further said most of the agricultural equipment is handled, sharpened and repaired by Muslims. That exchange also stopped, he said. Muslims could not earn their livelihood and Jats suffered by using worn out equipment in their fields. The peace in Muzaffarnagar is more of a marriage of convenience. An observer who did not wish to be named said the real demonstration of brotherhood would have been for the RLD to nominate a Muslim candidate. It would have clarified if the dominant community is okay voting for a minority candidate. Those saying Muslims are voting for a Jat party in spite of the 2013 riots are missing the point, he said. They are stuck with Ajit. They have to choose between RLDs Jat and BJPs Jat. Why doesn't the BJP government give the Indian Army parity with other uniformed entities? The latest rusty nail in the coffin of good feeling and goodwill by ex-servicemen for the BJP comes with the utterly pointless and sycophantic label given to the Indian Army as 'Modiji ki sena' by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. For one, the Indian Army belongs to no individual; it falls the ambit of the President of India and this tactless remark compelled former Navy chief L Ramdas to file a petition with the Election Commission objecting to the politicalisation of the Indian Army. While one cannot blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the absurdities of his frontline generals, the prime minister must take some responsibility for their mindset and their outbursts. Truth be told, if it wasn't for a litany of heartbreaking complaints against ex-servicemen and the chasm which exists between these former soldiers and officers and their counterparts in 26 other gazetted government police and paramilitary setups, perhaps Adityanath's remark would have slipped past as just another political snafu. The fact that 68 other civil services all get non-functional upgradation allowances which the Indian Army does not makes this exception rankle. Therefore, if you are injured or handicapped on duty you do not get the same benefits as the police, those in the Border Roads Organisation and the others. But the bitterness is intense and the angst palpable. Social media platforms are thick with intent if not a flat diktat not to vote for the BJP. One cause for anger is that the next of kin of a CRPF soldier killed in the line of duty can retain accommodation till the date of that soldier's natural superannuation. An Indian Army soldier losing his life only calls for his family to get three years' housing after his death. This is one of dozens of examples brought up online with much outrage much of it targetting Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, whose decisions have been deemed hostile as an example of an insult to the Indian Army. Others range from opening up cantonments to giving access to civilians at already stretched-thin military hospitals to the discrepancies in pensions whereby junior officers get more than their seniors. The fiscal discrepancies are seen as the Machiavellian machinations of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Every day, retired generals and others pen furious and indignant letters to the Ministry of Defence and put up the copies on social media. Even General Satbir, the chief of the Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (ESM) believes they have been fobbed off with false promises. The rancour builds up and even if one discounts much of it as the venting of these commanders now consigned to the retirement farm where they can flail away on networks and talk shows, there is no denying that the collective fury impacts the numbers game. Do the math: There are 25 lakh ex-servicemen. Being the seniors in their families, they are capable of influencing on average at least five relatives and another five others (friends, neighbours and staff). Another 5,000 retire each month. The ESM sees these figures as conservative and believe they also have the moral support of over a million serving personnel who are marching closer to retirement with each passing day, who do not like what they see (at least that's what these personnel say off the record). Add another 1.6 lakh war widows, and according to the league, you have a dollop of emotional cream on top of this sundae. Colonel Dhiren Bahl, who is also in the forefront of the fight for military justice offers a comparison: Actually, they dont want their junior officers to get the same pay they get, irrespective of the fact that it is affecting civil-military equations, like a Brigadier zonal chief engineer getting less pay than his subordinates who are superintending engineers. In some cases, they have stopped attending his meetings and letting him inspect their work; while travelling to conferences, junior civilian subordinates travel business class, in better cars, have a higher Travelling Allowance, Dearness Allowance, higher allowance for meals on Temporary Duty, etc. His question: How does this help the morale of the Indian Army? Satbir, a tireless fighter for the rights of equality in the forces first came into the limelight in the battle for One Rank One Pension. Now, the list of grievances has grown. He said his meeting with the Sitharaman and the briefing he gave her on salient issues 18 months ago have borne no fruit. Although no one ready to be quoted on saying that the ex-servicemen are upset with the government, the attitude is as unambiguous as the message: Vote for those who respect you. Maybe the numbers are insignificant, but it boggles the mind. Why doesn't the BJP government give the Indian Army parity with other uniformed entities? No more, no less. Krishnamoorthi used the publics interest on higher education and the town halls college venue to discuss bipartisan legislation he introduced last month with Democrat and Republican colleagues. The College Transparency Act would require colleges and universities to expand what they report to students and their families regarding college costs and what students and families should expect once they graduate. The legislation allows for a database where higher education institutions would post enrollment and completion data, tuition and attendance costs, salary figures and employment outcomes for majors and career paths in hopes to make the institutions more transparent of their intentions. Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE updates: BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, took out on a roadshow in the city before which he asked those present there to chant 'entire Kashmir is ours.' Auto refresh feeds Today is the Bharatiya Janata Party's Foundation Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tweeted on the occasion, noting the hard work of BJP karyakartas through the past 39 years. Modi has tweeted ahead of his visit to the state as well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies in Odisha's Sundargarh and Subarnapur. The BJP has concentrated its efforts on the Biju Janata Dal-ruled state which will see simultaneous Assembly elections. BJP president Amit Shah will address a rally in Gandhinagar, the constituency he is fighting the General Elections from. He is travelling to Gandhinagar in a roadshow and bike rally. Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad district who created history on Friday by becoming the first adivasi student from the state to crack the UPSC examination. In his Pune interaction with students, as well as on Twitter, Rahul reiterated that he was against political hatred and for love. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar and address public meetings at Almora and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will also be on the campaign trail with a roadshow at Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham chief MK Stalin said, I have campaigned in nearly 30 parliamentary constituencies till now. I have sensed the public mood, they are fed up of Modi in Centre and Edappadi K Palaniswami government in the state and people want to put a full stop to these governments. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, state in-charge PC Chacko and other Delhi Congress leaders are also party of the meeting. Sheika Dikshit has voiced her disagreement with the alliance earlier. Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has left Congress president Rahul Gandhi's residence after a meeting which is widely expected to have been called in order to arrive at a decision regarding whether the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party will arrive at an alliance. He added that they were working hard to release the film on 11 April. Vivek Oberoi, who has starred in the controversial film PM Narendra Modi said on Saturday that "very powerful people have approached courts through their lawyers to obstruct the release of the film." Narendra Modi has begun speaking at Sundargarh in Odisha. "It's not a PM who is visiting Sundargarh. A pradhan sevak of Odisha has come here," Modi said. "The BJP was formed out of the sacrifice of karyakartas," said Narendra Modi, adding that in Bengal, BJP workers are allegedly routinely killed. Modi spoke on the BJP's Foundation Day, invoking the ethos of the party and holding forth at length on how much the party has "soldiered on" with courage. "BJP is the country's largest party," said the prime minister in Sundargarh. He stressed that everyone from women to dalits to adivasis is with the party. "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6 April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP," wrote Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday. He repeatedly struck out at the BJD government in Odisha, invoking everything from the formation of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and their relative "success" in comparison to Odisha to the Naveen Patnaik government's disavowal of the Ayushman Bharat scheme to highlight the BJD government's failure. "No party ever thought of carrying out an air strike and surgical strike. It's indicative of strengthening India. A strong government is necessary for strong and empowered India," Modi said in Odisha. Sushma Swaraj has asked Rahul Gandhi, who brought up LK Advani at a speech on Friday, to "maintain some decorum" in his speech. After nearly three decades with the BJP, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who had been unhappy with the saffron party, formally joined Congress in the presence of senior party leaders on Saturday. When corrected, Sinha admitted that the fact that it was the BJP's foundation day could have played a role behind his mistake, that he was new to the game and that his mistake was not deliberate. Minutes after joining the Congress, Shatrughan Sinha made a gaffe when he said, "Shakti Singh Gohil ji (Bihar Congress In-charge) has been backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat." When corrected, Sinha admitted that the fact that it was the BJP's foundation day could have played a role behind his mistake, that he was new to the game and that his mistake was not deliberate. Minutes after joining the Congress, Shatrughan Sinha made a gaffe when he said, "Shakti Singh Gohil ji (Bihar Congress In-charge) has been backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat." Speaking at his second Odisha rally of the day, Narendra Modi extolled the virtues of Odisha and asked why the BJD government has not been able to make the most of the natural resources of the state. He slammed the Congress and BJD governments that are and had been in power in Odisha. "These are leaders who neither want the poor to succeed nor will they do anything to help them. They want all the riches for themselves," he said. I have travelled across India and I've seen a wave. But some people can't see this massive wave," Modi said at Sonepur. Modi brought up the particular problems of tribals and weavers in the region, alluding to the water scarcity "in spite of the presence of the Mahanadi and Tel rivers in the region". A remote Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) unit on the eastern tip of North East began service voting by secret postal ballot on Friday, at Lohitpur in Arunachal Pradesh. The first votes of the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls have been cast in Arunachal Pradesh by service voters. As far as media strength is concerned, the ruling BJD, clearly enjoys an edge over its opponents, the BJP and Congress. Three of its leaders, Cuttack Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who is contesting from the same seat, and two Rajya Sabha members media tycoon Soumya Ranjan Patnaik (MLA candidate from Khandapara Assembly segment) and educational entrepreneur Achyuta Samanta who is fighting for the tribal-dominated Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency have their media units. As the electoral combat intensifies, the leading media houses of Odisha either owned or promoted by candidates belonging to different parties are busy fighting in the political ring. As a result, in the words of Rabi Das, former editor of an Odia daily and political commentator, "Not only truth is killed, even basic neutrality is not maintained. Mayawatis statement comes after Advani in a blog post on 5 April said that the BJP never regarded its adversaries as "enemies" or "anti-national". LK Advanis reality check admonition on the functioning of the Modi government on the partys foundation day is a serious no-confidence against them, Mayawati tweeted while taking a dig at the incumbent government. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday sided with the BJP patriarch LK Advani over his blog post, saying it gave reality check on the functioning of the anti-people Modi government. Mayawatis statement comes after Advani in a blog post on 5 April said that the BJP never regarded its adversaries as "enemies" or "anti-national". LK Advanis reality check admonition on the functioning of the Modi government on the partys foundation day is a serious no-confidence against them, Mayawati tweeted while taking a dig at the incumbent government. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday sided with the BJP patriarch LK Advani over his blog post, saying it gave reality check on the functioning of the anti-people Modi government. The video is believed to have been released to quell rumours that the chief minister is unwell. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has released a video of 72-year-old Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik exercising at his residence. At end of the over two-minute video, Patnaik says, "Getting ready to fight for the people of Odisha." Samajwadi Party MP from Kannauj, Dimple Yadav, filed her nomination papers on Saturday in the presence of husband Akhilesh Yadav and other senior leaders of the party. Union minister Giriraj Singh has filed his nomination from Begusarai seat in Bihar. Giriraj had earlier been unwilling to contest from the Bihar seat which will see him go against CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar. For empowerment of women, the manifesto promises Rs 15,000 per year under 'Amma Vodi' welfare scheme. The manifesto promises Rs 50,000 per year for Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) under the YSR Aasara scheme. The manifesto was released by YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at party's head office here. The party acknowledged farm distress and proposed 'Rythu Bharosa' scheme that will provide Rs 12,500 per annum, free crop insurance, interest-free loans to farmers. The YSR Congress Party on Saturday released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections in the state with a focus on empowerment of marginalised sections of the society, especially women. We came today to Election Commission of India to lodge a complaint with regards to the tweets and statements made by Yogi Adityanath, leaders from the BJP and its allies including Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa and the troll army of the BJP. They are calling us virus, terrorist and calling our flag a Pakistani flag. Such statements are maligning us, IUML national secretary Khurram Omer said. A delegation of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his remark on the party. The Congress chief has arrived at his first rally venue of the day, at Srinagar in Uttarakhand. The Congress chief has arrived at his first rally venue of the day, at Srinagar in Uttarakhand. The Congress Friday moved the EC against Modi's speech in Wardha city in which he said the opposition party was "scared" to field its leaders from constituencies where majority dominates, alleging that the comments were "hateful and divisive". The Election Commission is learnt to have sought a factual report from poll authorities in Maharashtra on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Wardha following a complaint from the Congress. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, speaking Telugu Desam Party manifesto release said manifestos have become a "farce" nowadays with some parties claiming that they will do a lot without engaging with the intricacies. "TMC will lead the formation of new government at the Centre after defeating Modi. You didn't look after your wife. How will you look after the masses," the Bengal chief minister asked. "I have no doubt that the promises being made by the Congress now will be realised in their entirety if the party is voted to power," Sonia added. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is addressing the Congress's Jan Sarokar rally 2019 in Delhi. "When the UPA was in power, civil society had been in sync with the Manmohan Singh government. Laws and schemes came which helped several ordinary people realise their dreams," she said. She further slammed the BJP's unkept promise of Rs 15 lakh in every account. "Has anyone got Rs 15 lakh in their bank account? When it comes to farm loan waiver, this government says they dont have money...on the other hand, this government waives loans to industrialists," she said. She added that "BJP cant be selective" about respecting martyrs. "They should also respect Rajeev Gandhi, they should respect Indira Gandhi," she said. Campaigning at Jahanabad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Saturday, Answer me, how much black money has come back?... Tell me who is not a desh bhakt in this country. Vote for those who have worked for you. Sonia Gandhi, addressing a Congress event at Delhi said "a new definition of patriotism" is being taught in this day and age. She added that compromises needed to be made in terms of expression and living in order to be considered a patriot anymore. Congress election campaign latest updates: We are being taught a new definition of patriotism, says Sonia Gandhi In a new candidates list released by the Congress on Saturday, Shatrughan Sinha has been fielded from the Patna Sahib constituency he currently holds. "In Odisha, from where I am coming, Congress leaders are running around, looking for parties to join," he said. Narendra Modi is addressing his first rally in Chhattisgarh since the Election Commission announced the dates of the polls. He has once again referred to the Congress manifesto, saying that it tries to take away from the army's freedom. BJP veteran Uma Bharti's Jhansi seat has gone to Anurag Sharma in a new list of candidates released by the BJP for Odisha, Haryana, Uttar Pradsh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He also spoke on the Congress manifesto's promise to amend Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. "I want to ask the Congress people who wish to strip the army of their rights to go without their own security cover for once," Modi said. Speaking in his third rally of the day, at Balod in Chhattisgarh, Modi said he believes in the "DBT" that stands for "Direct Benefit Transfer" while Congress believes in a "DBT" which stands for "Direct Bicholiya Transfer". The word "bicholiya" stands for "middlemen". Countering the BJP's charge that the Congress manifesto is disrespectful of army personnel, Rahul said, "If a CRPF jawan is martyred, he does not get martyr status. We have clearly written in the manifesto that para-military youths who are martyred will get martyr status." Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, speaking at Haridwar in Uttarakhand, sought to reply to many of the charges brought against him by the likes of BJP leaders and especially Narendra Modi, in campaign speeches. He spoke on portions of the Congress manifesto that the BJP has especially hit out against. "The concept of NYAY comes with the intention of eradicating poverty in the 21st century. It is a surgical strike on poverty," he said. "Look at their treatment of their own guru. Who is Narendra Modi's guru? LK Advani. Narendra Modi has kicked out his own guru and yet has the temerity to talk on Hindu dharm in which the guru is the most important thing," Rahul said. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, speaking at Haridwar in Uttarakhand, slammed the BJP once again for effectively doing away with party veteran LK Advani. News18 reported source as having informed it that AAP's position is that they will enter the gathbandhan only if it includes 18 seats: seven in Delhi, 10 in Haryana and one in Chandigarh, and not otherwise. A meeting was held between Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, and party leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai, on the party's possible alliance with Congress and for a review of the campaign so far. Former army chief Dalbir Suhag, it is being reported, is likely to join BJP today. PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had recently criticised Shah, saying he was "daydreaming" about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state. Shah garlanded the photographs of Jan Sangh founders Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mookerjee before the roadshow, at Ahmedabad. There, he asked people present to say, "Jaha hue balidan Mookerjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai, sara ka sara hamara hai." This translates to "where Mookerjee sacrificed his life, that Kashmir is ours, entire Kashmir is ours." BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, took out on a roadshow in the city before which he asked those present there to chant "entire Kashmir is ours." Lieutenant General (Retired) Sarath Chand, former Vice-Chief of Army Staff today joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister and party leader Sushma Swaraj. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh will kick off its joint campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, holding its first rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. The top leaders of the parties will address the Deoband meeting just days before Saharanpur and seven other western Uttar Pradesh constituencies go to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on 11 April. A Kolkata kite-maker has been making brisk business by selling kites with symbols of political parties on it. Speaking at an election rally in Assam's Hojai, Adityanath said, "China tried to forcefully enter India's borders and threaten our security in Doklam, the government under the leadership of Modi ji displayed strong will power and our soldiers gave China a befitting reply. For the first time, China was forced to retreat." Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the prime minister's leadership made China, for the first time, to retreat from Doklam in Bhutan. "Candidates of both parties (National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party) will be given as much security as they need for the elections. I would request candidates not to make speeches that could incite terror and threaten peace in the valley," he said. Jammu and Kashmir is ready to welcome tourists and Lok Sabha elections will be held here in a peaceful manner, said Governor Satyapal Malik on Saturday. He urged candidates of political parties to desist from making provocative speeches that could incite terror and threaten peace in the valley. "Look at their treatment of their own guru. Who is Narendra Modi's guru? LK Advani. Narendra Modi has kicked out his own guru and yet has the temerity to talk on Hindu dharm in which the guru is the most important thing," Rahul said. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, speaking at Haridwar in Uttarakhand, slammed the BJP once again for effectively doing away with party veteran LK Advani. News18 reported source as having informed it that AAP's position is that they will enter the gathbandhan only if it includes 18 seats: seven in Delhi, 10 in Haryana and one in Chandigarh, and not otherwise. A meeting was held between Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, and party leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai, on the party's possible alliance with Congress and for a review of the campaign so far. Former army chief Dalbir Suhag, it is being reported, is likely to join BJP today. PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had recently criticised Shah, saying he was "daydreaming" about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state. Shah garlanded the photographs of Jan Sangh founders Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mookerjee before the roadshow, at Ahmedabad. There, he asked people present to say, "Jaha hue balidan Mookerjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai, sara ka sara hamara hai." This translates to "where Mookerjee sacrificed his life, that Kashmir is ours, entire Kashmir is ours." BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, took out on a roadshow in the city before which he asked those present there to chant "entire Kashmir is ours." Lieutenant General (Retired) Sarath Chand, former Vice-Chief of Army Staff today joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister and party leader Sushma Swaraj. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh will kick off its joint campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, holding its first rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. The top leaders of the parties will address the Deoband meeting just days before Saharanpur and seven other western Uttar Pradesh constituencies go to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on 11 April. #WestBengal : A kite maker in Kolkata is making and selling kites with the symbols of political parties on it, ahead of Lok Sabha elections, says, "This is a way to express our interest in the upcoming elections. I sell these kites from Rs 5 to Rs 15." #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/Z3yLqmxRtD A Kolkata kite-maker has been making brisk business by selling kites with symbols of political parties on it. Speaking at an election rally in Assam's Hojai, Adityanath said, "China tried to forcefully enter India's borders and threaten our security in Doklam, the government under the leadership of Modi ji displayed strong will power and our soldiers gave China a befitting reply. For the first time, China was forced to retreat." Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the prime minister's leadership made China, for the first time, to retreat from Doklam in Bhutan. "Candidates of both parties (National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party) will be given as much security as they need for the elections. I would request candidates not to make speeches that could incite terror and threaten peace in the valley," he said. Jammu and Kashmir is ready to welcome tourists and Lok Sabha elections will be held here in a peaceful manner, said Governor Satyapal Malik on Saturday. He urged candidates of political parties to desist from making provocative speeches that could incite terror and threaten peace in the valley. Lok Sabha Election 2019 LATEST updates: BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, took out on a roadshow in the city before which he asked those present there to chant "entire Kashmir is ours." Garlanding photographs of Jan Sangh founders, he asked people present to say, "Jaha hue balidan (SP) Mookerjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai, sara ka sara hamara hai." This translates to "where Mookerjee sacrificed his life, that Kashmir is ours, entire Kashmir is ours." Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, speaking at Haridwar in Uttarakhand, slammed the BJP once again for doing away with party veteran LK Advani. He said that Narendra Modi has kicked out his guru and yet has the temerity to talk on Hindu dharm in which the guru is the most important thing. Rahul also sought to reply to many of the charges brought against him by the likes of BJP leaders and especially Narendra Modi, in campaign speeches. BJP veteran Uma Bharti's Jhansi seat has gone to Anurag Sharma in a new list of 24 candidates released by the BJP for Odisha, Haryana, Uttar Pradsh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Bharti had earlier written to BJP president Amit Shah, repeating her decision not to contest the elections. Narendra Modi, addressing his first rally in Chhattisgarh since the Election Commission announced the dates of the polls, at Balod, once again referred to the Congress manifesto, saying that it tries to take away from the army's freedom and referring to it as a 'dhakosla patra'. He also mentioned the chopper scam and asked his audience repeatedly if the state government has fulfilled its farm loan waiver promise. "In Odisha, from where I am coming, Congress leaders are running around, looking for parties to join," he said. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, addressing the Congress's Jan Sarokar rally 2019 in Delhi said when the UPA was in power, civil society had been in sync with the Manmohan Singh government. She also slammed the present BJP government, saying that a "new definition of patriotism" has risen now. "Those who do not accept diversity are being called patriots," she said. "I have no doubt that the promises being made by the Congress now will be realised in their entirety if the party is voted to power," Sonia added. Speaking at a rally in West Bengal's Alipurduar, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "liar". "TMC will lead the formation of new government at the Centre after defeating Modi. You didn't look after your wife. How will you look after the masses," the Bengal chief minister asked. A delegation of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his remarks on the party. We came today to Election Commission of India to lodge a complaint with regards to the tweets and statements made by Yogi Adityanath, leaders from the BJP and its allies including Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa and the troll army of the BJP. They are calling us virus, terrorist and calling our flag a Pakistani flag. Such statements are maligning us, IUML national secretary Khurram Omer said. Speaking at his second Odisha rally of the day, Narendra Modi extolled the virtues of Odisha and asked why the BJD government has not been able to make the most of the natural resources of the state. "What Congress did at the Centre, Naveen babu's BJD government has done to Odisha," he said. After nearly three decades with the BJP, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who had been unhappy with the saffron party, formally joined Congress in the presence of Randeep Singh Surjewala, KC Venugopal and several other senior party leaders on Saturday. Speaking in Sundargarh, Narendra Modi on Saturday invoked everything from the formation of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to the Naveen Patnaik government's disavowal of the Ayushman Bharat scheme to highlight the BJD government's failure. "Odisha has remained away from the ambit development, but not anymore, your chowkidar has resolved to make your situation better," Modi said. Invoking the names of BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at his rally in Sundargarh in Odisha said, "BJP is the country's largest party." He stressed that everyone from women to dalits to adivasis are with the party. "The BJP was formed out of the sacrifice of karyakartas," said Narendra Modi, adding that in Bengal, BJP workers are allegedly routinely killed. Modi spoke on the BJP's Foundation Day, invoking the ethos of the party and holding forth at length on how much the party has "soldiered on" with courage. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, state in-charge PC Chacko and other Delhi Congress leaders are in a meeting at party chief Rahul Gandhi's house to discuss whether an alliance between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party will solidify at all. Sheika Dikshit has voiced her disagreement with the alliance earlier. With every day ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha election crucial for political parties in building a last-minute rapport with the electorate, it is no wonder that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its Opposition forces will make good use of Saturday, on the campaign trail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies in Odisha's Sundargarh and Subarnapur. The BJP has concentrated its efforts on the Biju Janata Dal-ruled state which will see simultaneous Assembly elections. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also address rallies in Odisha's Phulbani and Berhampur districts. Adityanath is expected to reply to the Election Commission which had sent him a notice regarding his reference to the Indian Army as "Modi ji ki sena" at an earlier rally. The prime minister will also speak in rallies at Nanded in Maharashtra and at Balod in Chhattisgarh. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar and address public meetings at Almora and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will also be on the campaign trail with a roadshow at Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. Former BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha is expected to formally join Congress on Saturday, after 30 years with the saffron party. BJP president Amit Shah will address a rally in Gandhinagar, the constituency he is fighting the General Elections from. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will address public meetings at Barobisha and Kalchini in Alipurdar, while Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, who has been critical of both the Congress and the BJP, will be speaking to the public at Haridwar and Nainital. Other countries where voters are allowed to vote for NOTA are Columbia, Ukraine, Brazil, Bangladesh, Finland, Chile, Belgium, Spain, and Sweden. In a country as geographically large and diverse as India, where candidates contesting the general elections can often run into the thousands, it is possible that the electorate is not happy or satisfied with any of the candidates. In such a scenario, as part of the worlds largest democracy, it is the voters right to be able to reject all candidates and to do so while maintaining the secrecy of the ballot. Keeping this in mind, the Supreme Court of India directed the Election Commission of India (EC) to make a provision for none of the above button or NOTA in electronic voting machines (EVMs)/ ballot papers. The judgment stated that not allowing a person to cast a vote negatively defeats the very freedom of expression and the right ensured in Article 21 i.e., the right to liberty. The court also held the view that introducing the NOTA option would encourage larger voter participation and compel political parties to nominate a sound candidate, while protecting the voters right to secrecy while casting his/her ballot. The SC bench under former chief justice P Sathasivam said, "Negative voting will lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates. If the right to vote is a statutory right, then the right to reject a candidate is a fundamental right of speech and expression under the Constitution." The EC introduced the NOTA option for the first time in the 2013 Assembly elections of Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. In 2014, the EC introduced the option in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha elections. The NOTA symbol is placed at the end of the list of all candidates on the EVM. It is not a negative vote, but a neutral one that records a voters rejection of candidates. It does not hold any value in the final tally. According to an analysis of NOTA votes in elections between 2013 and 2017 by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), NOTA secured 1,33,09,577 (1.33 crore) votes in the state Assembly and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Even if NOTA secures the most number of votes, the candidate with the most votes is declared the winner. Other countries where voters are allowed to cast NOTA ballots are Columbia, Ukraine, Brazil, Bangladesh, Finland, Chile, Belgium, Spain, and Sweden. A few states in America also allow NOTA votes. The right to reject before NOTA Prior to the introduction of the NOTA option, rule 49-O under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, allowed voters to register a vote of disapproval or rejection if they felt none of the candidates were worth voting for. According to Rule 49-O, If an elector, after his electoral number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or the thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark. The officer would make a Refused to Vote remark against the voters name. While Rule 49-O helped keep a check on bogus voting, the secrecy of the ballot was violated as the voter had to inform the presiding officer of his/her decision to not vote and an entry was made in the register against his/her name. This also put voters in the danger of being targetted or harassed by political parties and candidates. Even before EVMs were introduced and voting was done through ballot papers, voters could put in the ballot paper without marking against any of the candidates, thus rejecting all candidates. This was counted as rejection, but it was not available to voters on EVMs. The issue of Rule 49-O was taken up by the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) which filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to make the NOTA option available on EVMs. Impact of NOTA According to the ADR report, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, NOTA secured 1.08 percent (60,02,942) votes. The highest number of NOTA votes was registered in Tamil Nadus Nilgiris parliamentary constituency (46,559 votes) while the lowest was record in Lakshadweep (123 votes). In Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency, from where Narendra Modi won the 2014 polls, NOTA secured 1,803 votes, third after runner-up Madhusudhan Mistry of the Congress. Between 2013 and 2017, on average, NOTA secured 2.70 lakh votes in the state Assembly elections. There have also been instances, such as in bypolls in Goa, NCT of Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, where a large number of voters chose NOTA, making its vote share the third or fourth highest in the respective constituency. However among all state Assembly elections, NOTA registered the highest percentage of votes in 2015 (2.08 percent, 9,83,176 votes) in the Assembly elections of Bihar and NCT of Delhi. The report also mentioned that constituency-wise, Gadchiroli in Maharashtra received 17,510 votes in the Assembly election and just seven votes in Arunachal Pradeshs Mariyang Geku constituency. While NOTA has not secured a majority in any of the elections, there have been instances when the number of NOTA votes polled have been higher than the victory margin. In the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, sitting Gwalior South MP Narayan Singh Kushwaha lost the seat by 121 votes and NOTA registered 1,550 votes. If all the NOTA voters had, hypothetically, voted for Kushwaha, he would have won by a large margin. Debates around NOTA When NOTA was introduced, BJP leaders Narendra Modi and LK Advani welcomed the move, but said voting should be made mandatory to enhance the effect of the NOTA option. In a blog, Advani wrote, "Voters, who without any legitimate justification, have not been exercising the valuable right of franchise the Indian Constitution has conferred on them have, unwittingly thus, been casting a negative vote against all the contesting candidates without intending to do so. This Live Law piece written by an RTI activist opined that voting is a persons right, not his duty and as such forcing to vote could create fear-fever amongst many, and thus also violate their normal human rights. However, there are some of the opinion that NOTA is a waste of votes since it does not hold any electoral value. There have also been instances where groups canvassed for NOTA as a mark of protest against social injustice and corruption. In Kerala, in 2016, a group of women activists urged people to not elect any candidate if no woman candidate was in the fray. It has also been observed that reserved and Red Alert constituencies where three or more candidates have criminal records polled more NOTA votes, which points to how the electorate felt about injustice against SCs/STs and the State. However, not many Indians see NOTA as an instrument of protest. In 2016, a PIL was filed in the Madras High Court seeking the full right to reject instead of NOTA. According to the Sunday Guardian, NOTA would be a mere decoration of the EVM if no mandatory reelection was held in cases where NOTA polled the majority of votes. There have also been suggestions that candidates rejected should not be allowed to contest for a fixed period of time. Another suggestion is that political parties whose candidates lose to NOTA should bear the cost of reelection. Modi clearly is trying to give the elections an emotive turn a nationalist pitch revolving around zero tolerance on national security and a fight against corruption. It is said that westerly winds help the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Some had made this remark while speaking on the reasons for the BJP's massive win in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and the 2017 Assembly election. The claim is made by some analysts as well as some of the party's critics. The region has a substantial number of communities which, as per conventional wisdom, have not traditionally been BJP voters, such as Muslims, Jats, Dalits and Yadavs. Top leaders of the mahagathbandhan such as Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav and Ajit Singh belong to western Uttar Pradesh. In 2014 and 2017, it was not considered to be a good thing from the BJP's perspective for multi-phase elections to begin from western Uttar Pradesh and then progress to the central and eastern parts of the state. There is a belief that the first and second phases of an election set the trend and impact polling pattern in the rest of the country, or the state. With 80 Lok Sabha seats, Uttar Pradesh is the country's most politically critical state. In 2014, the BJP created history by winning 73 of these seats. The poll schedule this time is broadly the same as during the previous election. Will the "westerly" winds blow again? This time around, the BJP has devised a slightly different strategy, a glimpse of which was the way the party planned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally. On Friday, Modi chose to address two rallies at Amroha and Saharanpur. Both constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase of the election on 11 April, and both have a Muslim population of over 40 percent. Modi had not been to these places either in 2014 or in 2017. While Modi is a very powerful speaker, he has been the prime minister for five years. This time, his popularity will depend not just on generating hope for the future, but also on whether he delivered on his promises. It will be seen whether Modi, despite being in power, has the same capacity to demolish political rivals, not just on rhetoric, but also on merit. In Saharanpur on Friday, the turnout was mammoth. It was a packed ground, and there were a good number of people outside the ground as well. That must have been very gladdening to the hearts of the organisers, and to Modi. The response of the crowd, which cheered lustily, clapped and chanted Modi's name would have been even more enthusing. In both Amroha and Saharanpur, Modi used a mix of rhetoric and facts, and engaged with the audience in his trademark way. On numerous occasions, he paused, at which time the crowd chanted his name. In obvious references to the air strikes at Balakot and the surgical strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, he asked, "Who entered the homes of the enemy, and the terrorists to strike against them? Who brought looters (a reference to Christian Michel and others) back to India? Who has the capacity to send looters of public money to jail?" Modi clearly is trying to give the elections an emotive turn a nationalist pitch revolving around zero tolerance on national security and a fight against corruption, and against those who were earlier considered beyond the scrutiny of the law. The Nehru-Gandhi family is expected to figure on top of his agenda. There was a time when nobody would dare to frisk them at the airport, people would salute them, but they (in a reference to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra) are on bail today. They used to think that they are writers of Indias fate, but today, they are trying everything to avoid going to jail," Modi said. Saharanpur is going to see a very interesting pre-election contest one of the crowd-gathering capacities of various parties and leaders. On Sunday, BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will kick off their joint campaign from here. The two parties, which are foes-turned-friends, are obviously trying hard to make the proposed rally a big success. A day later, on Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will hold a joint rally, the first such rally ever outside of Amethi and Rae Bareli, to campaign for Imran Masood, a person who threatened to chop Modi into pieces in the run-up to the 2014 parliamentary polls. The Congress, of course, has thrown all its might into making this rally a grand success. The extent to which crowds at rallies translate into votes will be known only when votes are counted on 23 May. On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate submitted a fresh chargesheet in the AgustaWestland case and stated that the alleged middleman mentioned that "AP" meant Ahmed Patel, and "fam" meant family. This gave fresh ammunition to Modi to accuse the Nehru-Gandhi family of corruption. The prime minister asked at the rally, "You tell me, which family is Ahmed Patel close to?" Modi called the Congress' manifesto a dhakosla patra (a document of lies). The prime minister also made veiled references to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. He spoke at length about the plight of the businessmen in Saharanpur, Kairana and Shamli, and about the alleged harassment of girls and women during that period. Modi also targeted Ajit Singh, RLD chief and the mahagathbandhan's candidate from Muzaffarnagar, and his son Jayant, a candidate from Baghpat. He sought to send a message to the Jat community that Singh, his son and the RLD betrayed them by joining hands with those who either backed or tacitly supported the "other community" during the riots. He asserted that Chaudhary Charan Singhs soul "would not forgive them." The prime minister also made a reference to Imran Masood's statement from five years ago, in which he had said that people would "cut him into pieces" ('boti-boti kaat denge'). Modi said, "They talk about 'boti, boti', we talk about 'beti, beti.'" If the MIB has chosen to wash its hands off the issue by claiming that NaMo TV is an advertisement platform, it is an unfortunate instance of under-regulation. Over the course of the last week, Namo TV has been the focal point of the debate surrounding misuse (or abuse) of power by the incumbent government. With the nation scheduled to go to polls in less than a week, it is crucial to determine the legal status of this channel, so that appropriate action can be taken by any relevant authority. Notably, the Election Commission of India has issued notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in order to determine the legal status of NaMo TV. A prima facie perusal of the channel and the content that it displays (Narendra Modis speeches and rallies) present two important questions of legal compliance, the answers to which should (ideally) determine the future of this channel: first, does NaMo TV comply with the requirements under broadcasting law?; second, does NaMo TV comply with the requirements under election law? Importantly, if the answer to either question is in the negative, then the channel must cease to operate with immediate effect. I shall proceed to answer both questions in turn (This instalment answers the first). Does NaMo TV comply with the requirements under broadcasting law? In order for a TV channel to legally broadcast content in India, the company that owns it must apply to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for permission to uplink the channel. The legal instrument which governs this regime is the Policy Guidelines for Uplinking of Television Channels in India (hereinafter guidelines) issued on and enforced since 5 December, 2011 by the MIB. This 14-page document contains comprehensive guidelines on the method of application for permission, the legal criteria governing it, the grant of permission by the MIB, etc. and also prescribes sanctions in case of any violations. The procedure for obtaining such permission is helpfully enlisted under Clause 9 of the guidelines. The applicant company (which must be a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956) must apply along with all the requisite documents and necessary fees to the MIB. If found eligible as per the criteria laid down in the policy guidelines, the application is sent for security clearance to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). After having obtained this clearance, the company is issued a formal permission, so that it is able it to obtain all necessary licenses and clearances from the WPC Wing, Ministry of Communications & IT. At this juncture, the mandatory nature of these guidelines must be made resoundingly clear. The language used in the guidelines is not in the nature of mere prescriptive requirements, but compulsory and binding conditions. If found to be in breach of any of these conditions, Clause 8 (Offences and Penalties), read with Clause 5.9 of the guidelines, empowers the MIB to suspend/revoke the permission granted to the channel, depending on the nature and severity of the transgression. Let us now come to the issue as to where NaMo TV ought to be located within this framework. Under the guidelines, channels have been classified into two categories: Non-news and current affairs TV channel and news and current affairs TV channel. Under Clause 3 of the guidelines, the latter is defined as a channel which has any element of news and current Affairs in its programme content. Even a prima facie perusal of the content of NaMo TV, which follows and displays Modis speeches and rallies, would reveal that it clearly fits within this definition, thus making it a news and current affairs channel. The legal import of this classification is, among other things, a heightened standard of scrutiny, an enhanced set of domestic ownership-related criteria, and the requirement of a higher net worth of the company. Having thus located where NaMo TV should ideally be placed within the legal framework, I shall now examine whether the channel can actually be found there. For this, it is necessary to look at BroadcastSeva, which is an online service provided by the MIB to enable companies to apply for and follow up on permissions, and to enable the general public to peruse the status of such permissions. This service provides an exhaustive list of permitted private satellite TV channels and also of cancelled TV channels. (As an aside, the transparency and ease of access of this service is laudable, as it provides the citizens a direct inroad into the legal status of all TV channels, without having to file an RTI application) Unfortunately for NaMo TV, however, it does not feature on either list. This can mean one of two things: either the owner company has applied for permission and such application is currently being processed, OR the company has not applied for permission at all. As per reports, NaMo TV falls in the latter category. In either case, the fact that no MIB permission is in existence simply means NaMo TV cannot be broadcast. The fact that it is still being displayed makes it ultra vires the guidelines, and therefore illegal. Interestingly, the liability for this illegality cannot rest on NaMo TV (or, for that matter, its owning company) since the company lies wholly outside the purview of the guidelines. This is because it has not applied for permission at all, and has thus not stepped into the regulatory space of the guidelines. The answer to the question "Who is to blame?" can be found in the Guidelines for Obtaining License for Providing Direct-To-Home (DTH) Broadcasting Service in India, which is also issued and enforced by the MIB. Article 6 (Prohibition of Certain Activities) of these guidelines states, The Licensee shall not carry any channels prohibited by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Article 20 (Penalty) empowers the MIB to not only revoke the license of the DTH service provider, but also to impose a penalty [of] up to 50 crores. Further, Clause 1.4 of the Uplinking Guidelines clearly specifies that a company which is providing an uplinking hub shall uplink only those TV channels which are specifically approved or permitted by the (MIB) for uplinking from India. The liability for illegally carrying NaMo TV, a channel which does not posses the requisite licenses or permission, thus rests with the DTH service providers and the providers of the uplinking hub. After the notice issued by the Election Commission to the MIB, the ball is in the latters court. After reviewing its own legal instruments and regulatory powers, it should come to the unambiguous conclusion that NaMo TV is being broadcast illegally. However, an early report on 6 April claims that in response to the notice issued by the Election Commission, the MIB has stated that NaMo TV is an advertisement platform launched by DTH service providers which does not require government nod. Upon reviewing the relevant instruments, it turns out that this is indeed the case, i.e., a DTH service provider is allowed to carry advertisements without having obtained any permissions/licenses for the same. Importantly, however, the Guidelines for Obtaining License for Providing Direct-To-Home (DTH) Broadcasting Service in India place relevant fetters on the content of such ads. Article 5.1 states: The Licensee shall ensure adherence to theAdvertisement Codelaid down by the [MIB]. Reference must now be made to the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994. Rule 7 of this instrument, which lays down the Advertising Code, specifies under Clause 3: No advertisement shall be permitted, the objects whereof, are wholly or mainly of a religious or political nature; advertisements must not be directed towards any religious or political end. (emphasis supplied). It must be noted that Rule 7(3) cannot be read in isolation. It must be read with the Supreme Courts 2004 order in Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Vs M/s Gemini TV & Others, and a 2004 letter issued by the ECI (which operates as a direction), both of which deal with the telecast of political advertisements. The thrust of these instruments is to create a regime under which a political party or a private individual seeking to broadcast a political advertisement must apply for certification to the ECI before such broadcast is made. The Commission is empowered to decide on the validity of such advertisement, and can even direct the applicant, with binding effect, to delete/modify the content of the advertisement. Since NaMo TV carries exclusively political content, and has seemingly not applied for any such certification from the ECI, it is in clear violation of Rule 7(3) of the Cable Rules. By reference, it is a violation of Article 5.1 of the DTH License Guidelines. Notably, it is the MIB which is empowered to sanction the DTH service providers for violating this prescription. If the MIB has indeed chosen to wash its hands off the issue by claiming that NaMo TV is an advertisement platform, and thus exempt from supervision, it is an unfortunate instance of under-regulation. When the law and its associated instruments lay down a perfectly valid regime to regulate certain kinds of content, it is bad policy (in addition to a breach of the law) for the empowered agency to take the back seat. It can only be hoped that in its response, the MIB will take the necessary and mandated action against the service providers for having breached its guidelines and prescriptions. Gauging by early reports, however, this does not seem to be the case. Next, we must analyse whether NaMo TV, and the content it is displaying, is in compliance with the law on elections in India. Does NaMo TV comply with the requirements under election law? Having established that NaMo TV is illegal under the regime of broadcasting law, I shall now turn to the law on elections. The most commonly cited instrument (although it does not have statutory status) is the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which is a collection of norms drafted and enforced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). It lays down a general set of rules to be followed by all political parties before and during the election process, both at the national and state level. Aimed at ensuring the existence of a level playing field, the MCC came into force as soon as the dates for elections were announced on 10 March. The launch of the operations of NaMo TV sparked a heated debate on whether the existence of the channel offends the MCC. The Opposition parties (Congress and AAP) addressed letters to the ECI, inquiring about the interaction of this channel with the MCC norms. It has been reported that the EC will issue an official response on 9 April, when it meets. For the purposes of this instalment, I shall assume that NaMo TV is an advertising platform, as clarified by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) on 6 April. In order to pre-empt what an ideal response from the ECI should look like, reference must first be made to the relevant provision of the MCC. Clause VII(4) states in very clear terms: Issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media and the misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided. (emphasis added) It is a foregone conclusion that if NaMo TV is operating at the expense of the public exchequer, then it represents a blatant violation of the MCC. However, the premise that NaMo TV is funded directly/indirectly by the State might not be true at all. In the absence of any evidence to this effect, it cannot be said that the channel is a violation of the MCC. Of course, the ECI has the power to determine if any public money has been spent on the channel, and then order the channel to cease operations immediately. But to assume that NaMo TV violates Clause VII(4) of the MCC without any conclusive proof about its ownership and/or funding is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. But while a violation of the rule against state-funding of ads might be a premature conclusion, this is not the case with another vital principle of the election law, i.e., while the MCC is in operation, potential advertisements must pass under the scanner of the ECI before they are telecast. As has already been mentioned in the previous instalment, the Supreme Courts 2004 order in Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Vs M/s Gemini TV & Others, and a 2004 letter issued by the ECI (which operates as a direction), both of which deal with the telecast of political advertisements, are relevant in this regard. The thrust of these instruments (both of which form part of Annexure 10 of the Manual on MCC prepared by the ECI) is to create a regime under which a political party or a private individual seeking to broadcast a political advertisement must apply for certification to the ECI before such broadcast is made. The ECI is empowered to decide on the validity of such advertisement, and can even direct the applicant, with binding effect, to delete/modify the content of the advertisement. When it is not a political party/candidate who seeks to issue an advertisement, such person must, along with the application for certification, state on oath that the ad is not for the benefit of the political party or a candidate and that the said advertisement has not been sponsored or commissioned or paid for by any political party or a candidate. If on the other hand, it is a party/candidate which seeks to advertise, then the application must clarify that the ad is intended to further the prospects of that particular party/candidate, and also lay down a comprehensive expenditure chart. This is to be added to the election expenses incurred by the candidate. Since no such application for certification has been made for NaMo TV, its broadcast is in direct contravention of the directions issued in this regard by the ECI itself. The judgment of the apex court and the direction issued by the ECI both empower the Commission to not only order a violator to stop the violative conduct, but also to directly seize the offending equipment. Reference must also be made Chapter 15 of the Manual on MCC. Although it deals with print media, the principle espoused by it can undoubtedly be extended to the instant case. It makes reference to Section 171-H of the Indian Penal Code, which prohibits expenditure by any person on an advertisementfor the purpose of promotingthe election of [any] candidate, unless it is with the general or special authority in writing of the candidate. The section envisages a fine of Rs 500 in case of any violations. The manual deals with this issue in three ways. First, for an ad with a traceable source, if the written consent of the candidate in question has been obtained, then the expenses incurred are to be added to the election expenses of the candidate. Secondly, if such written consent has not been obtained, then action may be taken against the publisher (for a TV telecast, this may either be the DTH service provider or the channel itself) under Section 171-H. Lastly, if the source of the ad (in other words, the owner of NaMo TV) is not traceable, then the Manual suggests that the publisher (in this case, the DTH provider) be contacted, in order to obtain appropriate information. The problem with accurately analyzing this issue under election law is that the exact nature of NaMo TV is not known. If it is indeed an advertising platform, as claimed by the MIB, then all of these restrictions are squarely applicable. However, the vice of illegality under the election law regime can be easily cured. Once NaMo TV is formally classified as an advertising platform instead of a channel, it will essentially exit the ambit of broadcasting regulations, and enter wholly into the domain of electoral regulations. After this, it is simply a matter of taking the platform off the air while the owner (whoever he/she may be) applies to the ECI for certification of the content. Once such certification is received, the expenditure incurred may simply be added to Modis election expenditure, and the platform can continue to be broadcast by all DTH service providers. The only barrier that will remain, then, is that of certification by the ECI. Recently, it denied clearance to six advertisements submitted for certification by the Congress. The Congress has maintained that there was nothing objectionable in the ads, and has alleged that the poll watchdog was acting under the Union government's pressure. It can only be hoped that the ECI scrutinises any application for certification concerning NaMo TV in an objective manner. With the nation scheduled to go to polls in less than weeks time, nothing less than a comprehensive and well-measured decision by the ECI to deal with NaMo TV is the need of the hour, especially if it aims to fulfill its constitutional role of ensuring free and fair elections. The author is a student at NLSIU, Bangalore. He is the Founding-Editor of Law School Policy Review. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday sided with the BJP patriarch LK Advani over his blog post, saying it is a reality check on the functioning of the anti-people Modi government. New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday sided with the BJP patriarch LK Advani over his blog post, saying it is a reality check on the functioning of the anti-people Modi government. BJP patriarch LK Advanis reality check admonition on the functioning of the BJP/Modi govt on the partys foundation day is a serious no-confidence against them besides a fervent appeal to the people that this despotic/anti-people Modi Govt is unworthy of returning back to power. Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 6, 2019 Mayawatis statement comes after Advani in a blog post on 5 April said that the BJP never regarded its adversaries as "enemies" or "anti-national". Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi had written: 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. BJP denied a ticket to Advani from Gandhinagar, the seat he has represented in the Lok Sabha for many years. The party instead named Amit Shah as the candidate from this seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 TRACKER: Who is campaigning where Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said that while the 'chowkidar' has demonstrated courage to hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, the Congress wants to dilute the powers of the armed forces. Sundargarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said that while the "chowkidar" has demonstrated courage to hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, the Congress wants to dilute the powers of the armed forces. The prime minister has on several occasions said he's the chowkidar (watchman) of the country and serves to protect its best interests. "The chowkidar is fighting terrorists, while the Congress is working to dilute the powers of the armed forces," he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Sundargarh, referring to the party's plan to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. "There were governments in the past too, but they could never think of undertaking surgical strikes. They did not have the courage to cross the border by aircraft and kill terrorists," the prime minister said. The Congress is trying to protect people who shelter terrorists and Maoists, he alleged. The prime minister said people have to decide whether they want to choose an honest and principled government committed to development of all, or a corrupt and unprincipled one. "This time lotus will bloom in Odisha. The BJP will taste victory. I can say with certainty that maximum number of lotuses will bloom in the state," PM Modi said. Similarly, the BJP will again come to power at the Centre as the country needs a strong and decisive government to ensure national security as well as speedy development, the prime minister said. Only the BJP is capable of providing a strong and decisive government, he said. Hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha, the prime minster said its intentions are not good and the 2019 polls are significant for the future of Odisha as well as country. On the 39th foundation day of the BJP, Modi said, "The party was born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money. It came into being and grew manifold with the sweat and labour of its workers." He said the BJP has been guided by stalwarts such as Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Jagannathrao Joshi, Rajmata Scindia and Murli Manohar Joshi. "I salute every worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP is the biggest democratic organisation in the world. We are now a strong alternative to the Congress and other parties which were born out of it," he said. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 TRACKER: Who is campaigning where Asserting that the BJP all along fought to safeguard democracy, he said lakhs of party workers and leaders were jailed while protesting the Emergency. There was a time when no one could imagine that the BJP would be able to form government with absolute majority at the Centre, Modi said, claiming that now even leaders of the Congress are now not ready to repose faith in their own party. Now all sections of society including farmers, jawans, women, youths, Dalits, tribals and backward segments have associated themselves with the BJP, he said. The prime minister said people across the country have embraced the BJP and reposed faith in the party which can be seen from the fact that the party has formed government in a large number of states. "Right from the northeast, the BJP's flag is flying all over India as people have given place to the BJP in their hearts," he said. The prime minister called upon the people of Odisha to bring a "double engine" government by voting the BJP to power both at the Centre and in the state in order to ensure speedy and balanced development. This was Modi's third visit to Odisha in a week in the run-up to the elections. He had addressed rallies in Jeypore and Bhawanipatna on 29 March and 2 April, respectively. Assembly election in Odisha will be held along with Lok Sabha polls in four phases on 11, 18, 23 and 29 April. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy spoke to CNN-News 18 about his poll plank, the rival parties in fray, and why he thinks neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will be able to impact election results in Andhra Pradesh Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha Election battle, YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and ruling Telegu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu are locked in a direct battle in Andhra Pradesh, which is going to polls for the first time since the state's bifurcation to create a separate Telangana state. Reddy, who is seen as the most likely alternative to Naidu's government spoke to CNN-News 18 about his poll plank, the rival parties in fray, and why he thinks neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will be able to impact election results in Andhra Pradesh. Here are edited excerpts from the interview. Your father YS Reddy was the tallest leader of united Andhra Pradesh. He governed the state for 5 years. Today as you fight to claim his legacy, would you father have allowed bifurcation of Andhra? My father was the chief minister for 5 years 3 months. He passed away within 100 days of winning his second term. When he passed away things changed. In 2009, Telangana Rashtra Samiti of K. Chandrashekar Rao, TDP of Naidu were in an alliance the Congress was fighting alone. So it was a fight against bifurcation. He strongly believed in developing Telangana. He did so in five years. Under my father's government, the feeling that the Telangana region was being neglected was dispelled. He launched irrigation projects and welfare schemes in Telangana; he was connected to the people of Telangana. Even though the TRS-TDP were in alliance and he was alone in 2009, the majority of seats were won by the Congress under my fathers leadership. At the time of bifurcation, there was talk that Andhra Pradesh would have no resource constraint, but it wasnt the case. Do you think Andhra was cheated in this bifurcation? No one believed that Andhra would have revenues. Since people believed that we wouldn't have sufficient revenues and opportunities, special status to the state of Andhra was promised during the bifurcation. This was the first time in the history of the country that the state demanding a separate state took away the capital. This was acknowledged. The capital constitutes the majority of the revenues for any state. Be it Bombay, Chennai or Hyderabad. Also job opportunities. Our children graduate from schools and colleges and are attracted to big cities to earn their livelihood. So because of these factors, they knew bifurcation would not lead to justification for Andhra Pradesh. Which is why on the floor of the House it was promised by Congress and BJP and all other parties in Parliament as a pre-condition that Andhra would be given the special status. The Centre says that the special status is not constitutionally viable and that a financially equivalent package was given. Modi said that the Centre gave much more than asked in special status and that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister acknowledged the package, but took a U-turn as they couldnt utilise the package funds and failed to develop the state. Its the Parliament's promise. The Parliament broke the state with a precondition that special status would be given to the state. In Lok Sabha, people who were against bifurcations were suspended from the house. In Rajya Sabha, the entire opposition and ruling parties acknowledged that injustice was done and accepted special category status. Who is Chandrababu Naidu to accept anything? How is it fair for someone else to say that they have given a package when later the chief minister said on record that he hadn't received anything. So who is lying? You should find that out. The fact is none of the people have the moral right to cheat our people. It is Andhra Pradesh that has been betrayed. Today kids who graduate need jobs. Special category ensures special incentives and tax exemptions. Income tax and GST exemptions will bring in more businesses like hostels and hospitals and factories. Why would anyone set up business in Andhra versus a Bangalore, Chennai or Mumbai which has infrastructure readily available? You have to be on the right side of Centre if you come to power to get your demands met. Will you comfortable dealing with Narendra Modi or with doing business with Congress? We don't trust any of them. There's an element of mistrust. Both have cheated and betrayed our state. Congress went against the majority sentiment and divided our state. It didn't incorporate the special status promise into the Andhra Pradesh reorganisation Act. Hasn't Congress betrayed us by not doing so? The BJP being in power promised in Parliament that they would grant special category status. They had it in their manifesto. Modi in Tirupati spoke of special category. Both have betrayed state. People mistrust national parties. Once we have the numbers we will put pressure on the central government to incorporated the special status into the Act. We could have approached the Supreme Court. How do you rate Modis performance? Maybe Modi has done well. I dont know. Post the (Pulwama) attack he has emerged as a strong-willed leader. But as far as Andhra Pradesh is concerned, both Modi and Rahul do not score well here. So youre saying Modi is not a factor in Andhra Pradesh? Both Modi and Rahul are non-factors. Both have betrayed Andhra Pradesh on special category status. You have been in a perpetual election mode for last 3 years crisscrossing the state. What is the difference between 2014 and 2019? What is giving you confidence this time? What happened in 2014 was Chandrababu Naidu had no anti-incumbency on him as he wasnt in govt. People believed in his false promises, in his manifesto. People believed he would deliver better as he was experienced. The Modi euphoria around the country also helped him. Pawan Kalyan factor also helped him. All these factors helped him get that 1 percent gain. We got 44.5 percent vote share and their share was just one percent higher than what we got. You were at your weakest when you lost the bypolls in Nandyal which was a prestige battle. You also accepted that Naidu had hit you hard. From that day in August 2017 to now what has changed? By-elections is always a different story. The ruling party always has a huge advantage over opposition. But that didnt happen in Uttar Pradesh No, it's a foregone fact weather we accept it or not. The kind of police support that the ruling party has during a bypoll, for one state, for one seat, for one Assembly seat. Imagine the kind of influence the police will have, the influence money could have, the influence the people's mindset would have. (People may think) that even though they don't vote for the TDP, TDP will still continue to be in power even if they vote against it. All these factors play a huge role when it's the ruling party versus the Opposition party (in by-elections). Do you accept that there was something amiss in your organisation, there was disconnect between the MLAs and the workers That was just one seat. Chandrababu Naidu took our MLA gave him a ministry and they were fighting against us in that particular seat. No sorry, their relative was fighting in Nandyal after our MLA who switched to their side, passed away. So we fielded a new candidate. So lets talk about the mass exodus that we witnessed. The YSRCP won 67 seats in 2014 and went down as 20 MLAs shifted. Were seeing a lot of homecomings again "Its a mockery of democracy. We won 67 seats and lost the opportunity to form govt by 21 seats. The margin between win and loss was 21. We were 67 they won 100. Had 20 MLAs come to us we would have been in government and they would have been in opposition. How can anyone mock democracy like this and still get away with it? Huge amount of money was exchanged. Each MLA was paid Rs 20-30 crores. It didnt stop there. They were given assurance they wouldn't be disqualified. Four of the poached MLAs were made ministers. How can someone from your party without being disqualified or re-elected become ministers in another party? Was it money power? Not just money power, look at the abuse of Speakers office. Look at the abuse of ruling partys power. Interestingly in 2014, Naidu had an alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan which meant they got extra votes. This time theres no alliance. How does it help you? Theres a tacit understanding between the two. When Pawan Kalyan filed his nomination there were a lot of TDP flags flying around. The way Naidu distributed tickets also showed very clearly that he wanted to damage our interests rather than be a neutral party. There is a tacit understanding between the two. Its a vote against anti-incumbency. Everyone who was in favor of Pawan Kalyan, last election voted for TDP. Even though there is a tacit understanding between the two it will only split the votes that were in favor of TDP earlier. Youve also been accused of having a tacit understanding with KCR and the BJP. Both of them are insignificant in my state. There's nothing they can do in my state for a tacit understanding to happen. There is a broad understanding that both these states will come together and work together. I'm thankful to KCR that he has come forward and pledged his support for special category. We have 25 MPs in my state. If by god's will we win majority of these seats and they win a huge majority of seats in Telangana, just imagine 17 and 25 MPs coming together as one bloc. So is it a federal front? Whatever you name it. Its 42 MPs coming together and demanding special category status for AP. This promise was made in Parliament and is now being mocked. Do you plan to go beyond Andhra if you win? Absolutely not. Im happy in my state and I want to serve my people to the best of my ability. Your father sent the maximum contingent and formed the UPA and UPA II in many ways. Today as you stand against the Congress do you remember your grooming days? I wasnt a politician then. I didnt know anyone in Congress. I became an MP for the first time in 2009 and after that within 100 days my father passed away. I was neither an MLA nor an MP when my father was chief minister. I never spoke to a Congress leader, nor was I in Hyderabad. So there's no political connection to any of these people. Do you think you fathers legacy should have come naturally to you? Everything said and done my father was a tall leader. Naturally he was a man who had a lot of credibility. When he promised something, he always delivered. It has been over nine years now that people have seen me as a politician and they see a lot of my father in me. In 2014, everyone kept asking me about Naidu's promise to waive off all agricultural loans all of Rs 87,612 crore worth of loans saying why dont you make the same promise? I refused. I went on stage at every meeting and said that the state level bankers union said no state govt has the resources to waive off such a massive loan. I was candid enough to say that this thing that Naidu promised was false. He is cheating you. I may have lost an election because of that but today my credibility is much stronger than his. On October 22, 2009 you met Sonia Gandhi and after that meeting you declared that you had full faith and trust in her and that you would abide by any decision she took. A week after that Rosaiah was made CM. Why do you think you candidature wasnt acceptable to the high command? There was another meeting between your family and Sonia soon after. What happened in that meeting? The first meeting was 6 months before It was at the time that Rosaiah ji was to be made chief minister. I seconded his name and the second meeting youre talking about was 6 months after all this. I had vowed at the site where my father's helicopter crashed, that I would visit every household whose member has given their lives for my father. It was 15-20 days after his death that I happened to be at the crash site on a hillock. There was a huge condolence meeting at the foothill of the hillock. I still see parts of the crashed chopper when I think about the incident. As we were walking down, we discussed how so many people died of shock over my father's death some died of shock, some committed suicide the number was huge. 700-800 people passed away. In that condolence meeting I said I would visit every house who gave up their life for my father because they were family to me. It was an emotional, spur of the moment decision. Somehow the Congress high command did not want me to do that. Why? I dont know. Ask them. I met Ahmed Patel ji at least 6-7 times in 6 months and Sonia ji at least 3 times and every time I asked for permission they asked me to postpone it. So after 6 months of waiting You undertook that yatra? I pushed I lost myself as a human being. This was a vow I took at my father's crash site and these people did not want me to do it. For six months I tried to convince them and then when they didn't concede, I pushed with my padyatra. The Congress stopped MPs and MLAs from attending my Odarpu yatra. The journey took that name. There were houses all over the state and a number of villages between the houses we visited. We were stopped in every village. There were statues of my father being erected in every village. I would start travelling at 3-4 am in the morning to get to a village and even at that hour we found people waiting. Was the Congress leadership threatened by your popularity? The Odarpu yatra was a significant step in your political career. It's destiny. I just chose to do what was right. People visiting me, expressing their solidarity its all part of the journey. There were criminal cases against you. Your mother famously said that the harder you hit a ball on the ground, the higher it will bounce. How difficult is it to file a case (against you) when youre in opposition. I was an honorable man till my father was alive. I was honorable till I was in Congress. My father and I became less honorable after I left the Congress. TDP and Congress leaders are petitioners in that case. It's nothing but abuse of power. See the dates, see the petitioners, and see how the TDP supported the Congress during those 5 years. Chandrababu Naidu issued a whip to protect Kiran Kumar Reddys government even though he was the principal Opposition leader. That was the understanding with which they functioned to hit somebody just because they are their political rivals. How fair is it? How difficult is it to file cases against someone fighting against the Centre and state? Would you call it political vendetta? Absolutely, it is political vendetta. As far as Naidu is concerned, you should ask him how hes gotten away with having 17 criminal cases against him. And how is it that a chief minister caught on camera with black money, distributing money to buy MLAs could get away without resigning. Can there be different rules of engagement with the next generation of Congress I dont have any vengeance or grievance against anybody. I believe in god and vengeance isnt for me. I have forgiven them in my heart. As far as Im concerned my state is my priority and special category status is my priority. What do you think will happen on 23 May in Andhra and at the Centre? Only God can decide that. I cant be the judge of that. If god and the people so will, hopefully I will be Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh soon. The truth is that the grand statement nation first is actually empty and foolish. It doesnt mean anything. There is some confusion about the meaning of the message sent by LK Advani to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through his blog. The former deputy prime minister and former BJP president wrote a farewell blog a few days after his safe seat in Gandhinagar (which he has represented six times since 1991) was taken away by party president Amit Shah. Advani said two things mainly. The first point made headlines. Advani wrote that right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries. And he added "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. This was said at a time when the prime minister has been accusing the Congress president of running away from Hindu majority seats, and the finance minister has said that the Congress manifesto represented the tukde-tukde gang, and was aimed at breaking up India. Shah said Congress leaders should drown themselves for proposing the weakening of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). So it was clear that Advani was referring to this sort of thing when he clarified that under him and Atal Bihari Vajpayee there was more tolerance of Opposition than under Modi. Did the message go through to Modi? Apparently not. The same day as Advani wrote his blog, Modi tweeted saying that '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. He was referring to the headline of the blog, and its second important point, about which Advani wrote: "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. This is where Modi was able to turn the tables on Advani. Let me explain why. The argument of those who accuse other Indians of being anti-national is based on this same principle. What does India first, self last mean? The idea is that there can arise a conflict between the individuals interest and the nations interest or the partys interest and the nations interest. And when such a conflict arises, Advani will put India first. The question is: When does such a conflict arise? For the average middle class citizen, the national interest would be in fully paying income tax, or not bribing to get things done, or following the law and its rules and so on. What is the reality here? The truth is that most of us put ourselves and our interests before our nations. We have the lowest ratio of income tax payers of any major democracy and rule-breaking is second nature to all Indians. Is this what Advani means by nation first, party next, self last? No, because by the standard I have described above, most Indians would be anti-national or whatever word of abuse one may want to use. So clearly that is not the meaning of Advanis motto. He means something else, but what? The truth is that the grand statement nation first is actually empty and foolish. It doesnt mean anything. I will turn 50 years old this year and there has never been a time in my life when I have had to choose between my nation and something else and I suspect it is the same for you also. How many people in history have had to make a choice between their nation and their religion or nation any anything else? And at what point does that choice appear for us as a moment of decision? If we think about it, we recognise that the words in Advanis statement are bombastic: Language that sounds important, but which has no real meaning. There is only one way in which Advanis statement can be read. And he is in fact saying exactly the same thing that Jaitley, Shah and Modi have said over the last few days. That anyone who disagrees with their ideology is anti-national and part of the tukde-tukde gang. That is what India first wants: that all dissent against the slogan be suppressed. There is no difference between what Advani is communicating when he says India first, self last and what Modi, Jaitley and Shah have said about their opponents. This is why Modi punctured Advanis rebellious blog and tweeted within minutes to say that he totally agreed with Advanis mantra. It is that contradiction within Advani's blog that Modi picked out and held up for the rest of us. It is all very well for Advani to say that there should be no accusations of treason against people who are only opposed to you politically. But it could be argued that Advani's entire lifes work has been invested in doing just this: Treating other Indians, particularly those of different religion than him, as enemies and anti-nationals whose damage must be reversed. Advani appears to have found the merits of tolerance at the point when he has been retired against his will. It took his one-time pupil (30 years ago, Modi had personally made all the arrangements for the first leg of Advanis famous Rath Yatra from Somnath in September 1990) to teach the old man his own lesson. It is well-known that Congress president Rahul Gandhi shares no love for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS). But a lesser known fact is that the RSS, contrary to the common perception, doesn't hate either Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party It is well-known that Congress president Rahul Gandhi shares no love for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS). But a lesser known fact is that the RSS, contrary to the common perception, doesn't hate either the Congress Party or its president. The answer to why RSS doesn't hate Rahul Gandhi, despite the latter's all-out attacks on it, lies in Sangh's ideology, past record and thought process of the RSS leadership that has evolved over a period of 93-long-years. The RSS has worked with political leaders and political parties across the spectrum in the post-Independence era. Ironically, the current Congress leadership, in a bid to mount offensive against the RSS, is ignoring its own history where many Congress leaders have worked closely with the RSS on several issues. The most recent example is the movement to build a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. It was a Congress stalwart Dau Dayal Khanna who had floated the idea of launching this movement in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh at a public meeting organised by Hindu Jagran Manch. Khanna, in fact, presented the resolution to rebuild temples not only at Ayodhya but also at Mathura and Kashi (Varanasi). Khanna was a much respected Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh and had been a cabinet minister in the Congress government led by Chandrabhanu Gupta. Khanna was the first general secretary of Shri Ram Janam Bhoomi Mukti Yagya Samiti, which was formed in 1984 to spearhead the movement. Going back a little, one finds that an event which provided the backdrop of the Ram Temple movement in fact happened in 1981 when large number of Dalits converted to Islam at Meenakshipuram in Tamil Nadu. The RSS launched a nationwide movement to create awareness to stop conversions of Hindus. To drive this movement an organisation by the name of Virat Hindu Samaj was set up. Karan Singh, a Senior Congress leader and a former Union minister in Indira Gandhi's Cabinet in 1970s was appointed its president. And the organising secretary of Virat Hindu Samaj was none other than Ashok Singhal, who, at that times, was Delhi RSS Prant Pracharak (Pracharak is a volunteer who works full time for the organisation in the RSS. He remains unmarried and devotes his life for the organisational work.) Singhal, later, played a key role in building the Ram Temple movement after he was moved to Vishwa Hindu Parishad. It is a matter of record that Virat Hindu Samaj organised a massive Virat Hindu Sammelan in Delhi, which was attended by more than 5 lakh people. This led to a debate in the Parliament, where there was a broad consensus that such conversions are detrimental for the society. Last but not the least, one of the basic tenets of the RSS' ideology is that all the members of the society can be categorised into two sections, one section comprises those who have joined the RSS and the other section comprises those who would ultimately join the RSS. So no one in the society is an enemy for the RSS including Rahul Gandhi and the rest of the Congress leadership. It was further clarified in September, 2018, when the RSS organised an outreach programme where the present Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat addressed an audience of people all walks of the society. Most of them had never had a brush with the RSS. One of the questions which came up during the Q&A session was, "If there is no relation between the RSS and the politics, then why the organising secretaries in the BJP come from RSS everytime? Has the RSS ever supported any other political party or organisation?" Bhagwat replied: "Whoever asks for the organising secretary, Sangh gives them. So far no one else has asked for it. When they will, we will think about it. If (their) cause is good, we would definitely give. Because in the course of 93 years, we have not supported any party but we have supported a policy. The advantage of our supporting a policy is that as our strength increases, the political parties also get the benefit. Those who can take the benefit, take it and those who cannot are left behind. During Emergency , our policy was to oppose it but we did not think that (Bharatiya) Jansangha should benefit from it. There were people like Babu Jagjivan Ram, SM Joshi, NG Gore. There was Gopalan ji from CPM. Everyone got the benefit. The swayamsevaks worked for everyone. There was only one election in which we were supporting the policy of Ram Temple and only BJP was in favour of that so the BJP reaped the benefit. Even the parties who had an alliance with the BJP too got the benefit. So we support the policy. We haven't worked for a political party and we won't do it. Now because of our work, if they get benefitted, then it is for them to think, how they can make the most of it. They are the ones who do politics, not us." Bhagwat's reply, as mentioned above, clarifies the RSS stand on politics, political parties and elections most appropriately, making it clear why detractors of the RSS hate it, but why RSS doesnt hate its detractors. The author is CEO of Vishwa Samvad Kendra Raj Thackeray said Narendra Modi frittered away the huge mandate he had won in 2014 and spent the last five years in changing names of the schemes that were launched by the previous Congress regime. Mumbai: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi frittered away the huge mandate he had won in 2014 and spent the last five years in changing names of the schemes that were launched by the previous Congress regime. Addressing a gathering of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, Thackeray referred to a recent statement from the US which stated that all the F-16 jets in Pakistani fleet were accounted for, contrary to the Indian government's claim that one intruding jet was shot down after the Balakot aerial strike. "Why did Modi lie on this? He should answer that. Modi had got such a rare opportunity, as the BJP had won the majority vote in 2014, 30 years after (late prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi secured such a huge mandate. What did you do in five years?" Thackeray questioned. He also drew a parallel between the "acche din" promise and a similar slogan given by the then US President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940s and by German dictator Adolf Hitler. Apparently referring to BJP veteran LK Advani, the MNS chief said people spend their entire life wishing to be the prime minister, but Modi, "who won the majority by a fluke", kept "lying" to people all these years". "In the last five years, the prime minister has not held even a single press conference. Why is he scared to face journalists and answer their questions? He could have done so much," he said. The MNS chief further said that importance of the Congress is realised only when the party is not in power. "What (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi has said is right. Modi has taught us a lot. We abuse the Congress when it is in power," he said. Thackeray, who used to praise Modi when he used to be chief minister of Gujarat before turning his fierce critic, also clarified his position. "People ask me why did I support the prime minister earlier and now I criticise him. My explanation is that since the man (Modi) has changed so did my stand," he said. "Traits of Modi and Hitler are similar. The then US president Franklin Roosevelt had also said that good days would come. Even Hitler had said the same. And now Modi is also talking about 'acche din'," he said. Further attacking the prime minister, Thackeray said even when he goes to meet his old mother once a year during her birthday, he takes press photographers along. "What is this? My mother lives with me. Should I also start taking cameras when I go to meet her in the next room?" he quipped. "Modi could have done wonders in the country because he had a majority government. He, however, only changed the names of the schemes implemented by the Congress," Thackeray said. He named schemes like the National Girl Child Day programme and Rajiv Awas Yojana to stress his point. Slamming Amit Shah over his statement that 250 terrorists were killed in the Balakot air strike in February this year, the MNS chief wondered how did the BJP president know that exact number. "Was he (Shah) sitting in the back of the IAF plane? Even the IAF chief had said that the exact numbers were not available. Had even ten terrorists been killed, Pakistan would not have released Wing Commander Abhinandan (Varthaman) from its custody," he said. Wing Commander Varthaman was captured after his MiG-21 Bison went down during a dogfight with an intruding F-16 jet after the Balakot strike. Thackeray further said if Modi returns to power again, holding of elections will stop and democratic rights will be taken away. 521 Roslyn Road, Kenilworth: $5,750,000 | Listed: Nov. 12, 2021 This eight-bedroom home has five full bathrooms, three half-baths, carved marble fireplaces and a three-season porch. The kitchen is equipped with a double oven, hardwood floors and granite counters and is located next to the butlers pantry and breakfast room. The dining and living rooms have coffered ceilings, hardwood floors and leaded windows, and the office offers views of the private yard. The primary bedroom suite has a separate dressing room, a walk-in closet and a bathroom. The remaining bedrooms have custom moldings and millwork. A mudroom and a two-bedroom, two-bathroom coach house with a four-car garage complete this home. Agent: Amy Rowe, Engel & Volkers, 847-372-6389 *Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options. To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com. Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha joined the Congress on the foundation day of the BJP Saturday, saying he has quit the party as it has turned into a one-man show and two-men army. New Delhi: Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha joined the Congress on the foundation day of the BJP Saturday, saying he has quit the party as it has turned into a "one-man show and two-men army". Congress general secretary KC Venugopal welcomed Sinha into the party fold and called him the "best politician who was earlier with the wrong party". Joining the Congress, Sinha said its president Rahul Gandhi is a "tried, tested and successful dynamic leader, who is the face of the nation and its future". He hit out at the BJP leadership, alleging there's no place left for dialogue in the BJP anymore and the party's top brass "doesn't value its own people and views opponents as their enemies". Party veterans are not being looked after in the BJP and are being sent to Margdarshak Mandal, he alleged. "In the BJP, democracy has slowly and surely turned into dictatorship. The party has become a one-man show and a two-men army," Sinha alleged. In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "People have called your bluff and understood your hollow promises. You have been exposed." The 72-year-old leader said whenever he tried to make a point, he was called a traitor. "If speaking the truth is rebellion, then I am a rebel," he added. He also said the country would have transformed if the money spent by the BJP's on its publicity campaigns was spent on development. Lauding the Congress' proposed NYAY scheme, he said such a proposal has never been unveiled in the country. Sinha represents Bihar's Patna Sahib seat in the Lok Sabha. He is all set to take on the BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad in the constituency. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, AICC in-charge for party's Bihar unit Shaktisinh Gohil welcomed Sinha into the party. Shatrughan Sinha, who had served the BJP for nearly 30 years, has been winning the seat for the past two terms, and will now contest from a Congress ticket. Patna: The inimitable voice that once said khamosh to all opponents of the BJP is now up against the saffron party itself. The electoral battle has taken an interesting twist in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat, where two political heavyweights Shatrughan Sinha and Ravi Shankar Prasad who once worked for the same party, will now take on each other as arch-rivals. The seat has been the BJPs stronghold since it came into being in 2009 after delimitation, but now, the party faces a tough challenge from popular Bollywood actor and sitting parliamentarian Shatrughan Sinha, who will contest this time as a grand alliance-backed Congress candidate. Sinha, who had served the BJP for close to three decades, has been winning the seat for the past two terms. Till the previous Lok Sabha election, the BJP had used him as its trump card, employing him both as a candidate as well as the partys star campaigner, owing to his huge fan following across caste and religious lines. In the last Lok Sabha polls, Sinha had won the election by a huge margin of over 2.65 lakh votes, defeating Congress candidate Kunal Singh, also a Bhojpuri film actor. Although Union law minister Prasad hails from Patna, political observers doubt his credentials, because he has never contested elections in the past, and has no mass support base. The Patna Sahib seat is dominated by about 4 lakh upper caste Kayastha voters, and both the candidates come from this caste. The more these votes are split, the less will be Prasads chances of winning, say political experts. Sinha is comparatively more popular than the BJP candidate, has been touring his constituency, has experience to face voters and more importantly, he will get the sympathy votes for being denied a ticket despite having been associated with the party since its early days, feels social scientist Sachindra Narayan, a former professor with Patna-based AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies. Sinhas political future now depends on the support of the Yadavs, Muslims, Dalits, Kushwahas, and the community of boatmen, apart from people from his caste who see him as their role model. The BJP candidate, on the other hand, has nothing to cheer about. He banks on the support of the upper castes, Kurmis and Dalits, but votes from his own caste may be split. Battling hard to win the support of the masses, he is now focusing on development issues. Development has been reduced to a mere poll slogan now. I dont think it will work, opines Narayan. The prestige attached to this seat is underlined from the fact that the BJP-led NDA held a joint rally in Patna last month, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar shared the dais. Although the idea was to charge up the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the relatively thin crowd at the rally has hugely worried the top leadership. The NDA had hired 17 trains, 8,000 buses and about 15,000 cars to fetch people to the rally venue from all parts of the state. The second revolt in BJP That is not the lone worry. Prasad also faces a revolt from his party colleague and Rajya Sabha member RK Sinha, who was eyeing this seat. The rivalry between the two parliamentarians has turned so bitter that the BJP nominee was greeted with black flags and angry protests by the supporters of Sinha at the Patna airport on 26 March. This had led to a pitched battle, in which Sinha's supporters were severely beaten up the rival group. The All India Kayastha community had expressed its solidarity with RK Sinha after the incident. Prasad is accused of being a rank outsider and of having devoted more time to Delhi politics, but he denies the charge. Patna is my city. I was born there, studied there, became a lawyer. Even though I have been working at the national level, I have a deep bond with the city, asserted the BJP leader. On the other hand, the only controversy that Shatrughan Sinha has been involved in is his relationship with Narendra Modi. He has taken several potshots at the prime minister, but his clout can be gauged from the fact that the party leadership did not dare to act against him for his indiscipline, while it was quick to act against Kirti Jha Azad, another BJP rebel who has now joined the Congress. Rajiv Kumar, 47, a voter from the Patel Nagar locality, said, I never saw Shatrughan Sinha in my constituency, but he is my hero. He has raised issues relating to the youth, common people, farmers, demonetisation, etc. On the other hand, the BJP candidate is trying to politicise the Indian army. He said the BJP leadership should have taken note of issues raised by Sinha in public, given the fact that he was one of the oldest members of the party. Sinha had made a formal entry into the BJP way back in 1992 when he contested against his Bollywood friend and Congress candidate Rajesh Khanna in the bypolls to New Delhi Lok Sabha seat in 1992. After losing by more than 25,000 votes, Sinha had later said that the biggest regret in his life was to contest elections against his friend Khanna. He could never rebuild the friendship with him. Sinha had rebelled against the BJP apparently after he was not inducted into Modis Cabinet. He had questioned the inclusion of a TV actress and wakil babu (Mr Lawyer) in the Cabinet without any prior experience, in an oblique reference to Smriti Irani and Arun Jaitley. It would be a miracle if the BJP is able to wrest the seat from Sinha. (The author is a Patna-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com) Follow live updates on the Lok Sabha election campaign here The 32-member state Assembly is a unique example, where only monks from registered monasteries in Sikkim can contest. Gangtok: Why does a secular republic like India need an Assembly seat reserved for Buddhist monks belonging only to registered monasteries in Sikkim? Well, the 32-member state Assembly is a unique example, where only monks from registered monasteries in Sikkim can contest and vote for the lone reserved Sangha seat. 12 seats are reserved for the Bhutia Lepcha (BL) community of Sikkimese origin after the erstwhile tiny Himalayan kingdom, wedged between India and China, was merged with the Union of India in 1975. Ram Chandra Poudyal, one of the brains behind the pro-democracy movement in Sikkim in 1974 that led to the protectorates merger with India, moved the Supreme Court over 25 years ago in his bid to scrap the reservation for the Sangha seat and the 12 Assembly constituencies for the minority Bhutia-Lepcha (BL) community. The indigenous BL community accounts for less than 20 percent of Sikkims population of around seven lakh, making the state the least populous one in the country. Poudyal, however, lost the case in the apex court in 1993. Tseten Tashi-Bhutia, the convener of Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), has been waging a tireless battle for the political rights of ethnic groups of Sikkimese, BL and Nepalis of Sikkimese origin, who had become Indian because of the 36th Amendment of the Constitution. Tashi-Bhutia says Sikkims merger was a conditional one based on a tripartite agreement on 8 May, 1973 and the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, where India was a signatory and witness to all subsequent events in the country's 22nd state. Tashi-Bhutia refers to the apex court judgment that upheld the significance of Sangha in Sikkims unique political process enshrined in Article 371F of the Constitution by the 36th Amendment. The Sangha is not merely a religious institution. It has historically been a political and social institution in Sikkim much before its merger with India and during the 333-year-rule of the Namgyal dynasty rule, says Tashi-Bhutia, quoting the apex court verdict. Over the last 10 Assembly elections in Sikkim since its merger, the Sangha is a key seat, especially in the case of a dead heat like in 1979, when Nar Bahadur Bhandari became the new-born state's second chief minister by defeating Poudyals party by a wafer-thin margin. This time around, the number of eligible voters for the Sangha seat is 3,293, including 3,224 monks and 69 nuns, respectively, according to R Telang, Sikkims chief electoral officer. Monks from six premier monasteries in Sikkim such as Pemayangtse, Phensang, Tashiding, Ralang, Phodong and Rumtek hold sway over the monks and nuns of the rest of registered monasteries. Pemayangtse, Phensang, Tashiding monasteries belong to the Nyingma sect and Ralang, Phodong and Rumtek follow the Kagyu sect of Mahayana Buddhism. The Nyingma sect is considered to be the oldest among the four schools of Mahayana Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelug sect. Lama Kalzang Wangdi Bhutia of Gangtoks Enchey monastery, which belongs to the Nyingma sect, says, The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front has been diluting our religious beliefs and culture in the name of development with big hydro projects in and around Buddhist places of worship protected by UNESCO (as World Heritage Site under 'Culture and Nature' category) and also by our own law of the land, The Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act, 1991 enacted by Parliament of India. "Vote-bank politics is undermining the Bhutia and Lepcha populations political rights in their own homeland. The ruling SDFs rampant divisive politics led us to ensure that the Sikkim Krantikari Morchas (SKM) Sangha candidate Sonam Lama managed to scrape through in 2014. Sonam Lama, who belongs to Simik Duduling monastery in East Sikkim, is a favourite this time as well amid a growing clamour among the state's youth to dislodge the ruling SDF, which has been in power since 1994 under the strongman of Sikkim politics, Pawan Kumar Chamling, who is seeking a record sixth term. Chamling is facing a massive anti-incumbency as Sikkimese voters from all walks of Sikkims life are closing ranks to oust him. In 2014, Sonam Lama, who belongs to the Nyingma sect, entered politics to enthrone the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje in Rumtek monastery located about 23 km from Gangtok in East Sikkim and won by a margin of only 126 votes. The Karmapa, who has been in Chinas crosshairs since he fled Tibet Autonomous Region via Nepal to Mcleodgunj on 5 January, 2001, has been living in the United States because the Union home ministry has barred him from travelling to Sikkim, citing security concerns. The ruling SDF has also pledged to enthrone the Karmapa in Rumtek monastery in its election manifesto. Whether that promise rings hollow, amid the Sanghas pet peeve of the consistent erosion of Article 371F, will be answered on 23 May. Sikkim, which has very little cultural connect with mainland India, votes simultaneously for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the first phase of the seven-phase parliamentary elections on 11 April. What is Article 371F? On 16 May, 1975, Sikkim, the countrys least populous state (6,10,577 people as per the 2011 census), officially became the 22nd state of the Indian union. The Constitution of Indias 36th Amendment provides a special provision for Sikkim under Article 371F. The provision safeguards all laws of the kingdom of Sikkim prior to its merger. For instance, Sikkims citizens enjoy a distinct citizenship status such as Sikkim Subject Certificate, or SSC, (given before the merger in 1975) to Certificate of Identification, or CoI, (given after the merger in 1975) that safeguards their political, economic and social rights. Reuters Apple Inc's streaming music service overtook rival Spotify Technology SA in terms of paid subscribers in the United States, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Apple's service had 28 million subscribers as of the end of February compared with Spotify's 26 million paid subscribers, the person said. Both companies charge $9.99 a month for subscriptions, though Spotify still has more total US listeners than an Apple thanks to an ad-supported free tier of its service with fewer features. Analysts also believe Spotify has a stronger subscriber position than Apple outside the United States. Neither Apple nor Spotify disclose country-level listener data, and both firms declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Apple has overtaken Spotify on the metric. Apple's streaming service is part of a broader push at the company to make money off subscriptions and services as iPhone sales slow. Last month the company announced a news, television and gaming subscriptions, as well as a credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Spotify likely still has more paying users than Apple Music, with 96 million premium subscribers and 207 million month active users as of its most recent earnings report in February. The company said in its report that it has 28.8 million premium subscribers and 62.1 million monthly active listeners in its North American region, which includes Canada but not Mexico. Apple does not regularly disclose how many subscribers it has, and the last official count - 50 million - came almost a year ago in May of 2018. About 67 million of Spotify's premium subscribers are outside of North America, the company said in its most recent quarterly report. Overwhelmed by an influx of migrants at the border that is taxing the immigration system, President Donald Trump is grasping for something anything to stem the tide. Washington: Tensions are rising, fingers are pointing and the search for solutions is becoming increasingly fraught. Overwhelmed by an influx of migrants at the border that is taxing the immigration system, President Donald Trump is grasping for something anything to stem the tide. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to secure the border, has thrown virtually every option his aides have been able to think of at the problem, to little avail. Hes deployed the military, signed an emergency declaration to fund a border wall and threatened to completely seal the southern border. On Thursday he added a new threat, warning of hefty tariffs on cars made in Mexico if the country doesnt abide by his demands. Now, with the encouragement of an influential aide and his re-election campaign on the horizon, Trump is looking at personnel changes as he tries to shift blame elsewhere. The first move was made on Thursday, when the White House unexpectedly pulled back the nomination of Ron Vitiello to permanently lead the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, where he had been acting director. The abrupt reversal was encouraged by top Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller and seen by some as part of a larger effort to bring on aides who share Millers hardline immigration views. The president said he wanted to go in a tougher direction. An empowered Miller is also eyeing the removal of Lee Francis Cissna, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which runs the legal immigration system, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss internal staffing matters. The White House did not respond to questions on Friday about whether Trump was on board with that plan. Trump has become increasingly exasperated at his inability to do more to halt the swelling numbers of migrants entering the country. Aides, too, have complained they are stymied by regulatory guardrails, legal limitations and a Congress that has scoffed at the presidents requests for legislative changes. There is indeed an emergency on our southern border, Trump said on Friday during a visit to the southern border in Calexico, California, where his frustration was evident. Its a colossal surge and its overwhelming our immigration system, and we cant let that happen. So, as I say, and this is our new statement: The system is full. Cant take you anymore. He went on to flatly declare: Our country is full. Immigration experts say Trumps own immigration policies have caused so much chaos along the border that they may be encouraging illegal crossings. The furor over family separations last summer helped to highlight the fact that families wont be detained for long in the US if theyre detained at all. And metering, in which people are asked to return to a busy port of entry on another day to seek asylum, may have encouraged asylum seekers to cross illegally, said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank. This policy chaos, coupled with a sense that the US government may at some point really shut down the border, has generated an urgency to migrate now while it is still possible, he said. Whatever the reasons for the migrant surge, there is a growing consensus that federal border resources are overwhelmed. While illegal border crossings are still down sharply from their peak in 2000, they have nonetheless reached a 12-year high. And while most illegal border crossers used to be single Mexican nationals coming to the US in search of work, more than half are now parents and children who have travelled from Central America to seek refuge in the US. Those families, along with unaccompanied children, are subject to specific laws and court settlements that prevent them from being immediately sent back to their home countries. Immigrant processing and holding centres have been overwhelmed, forcing officials to dramatically expand a practice Trump has long mocked as catch and release. Indeed, ICE has set free more than 1,25,000 people who came into the U.S. as families since late last year and is now bussing people hundreds of miles inland, 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. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen also has voiced increasing exasperation, equating the situation to the aftermath of a Category 5 hurricane. We have tried everything that we can at DHS, she said Thursday on CNN. We are out of the ability to manage this flow and they need help. She recently called on Congress to consider changes to the immigration system. But those efforts have so far landed with a thud. House Democrats would almost certainly reject any plans to simply deport unaccompanied minors or otherwise rewrite the law governing asylum or family detentions that they see as protecting young migrants who are often fleeing difficult conditions. In the Senate, where Republicans have the majority, theres little interest in big legislative proposals this year, especially on a divisive issue like immigration. Trumps ideas could be especially tough for senators facing re-election in 2020 in Colorado, Arizona and North Carolina, swing states with sizable Latino and immigrant populations. In the meantime, tensions between agencies and at the White House have been bubbling up. At the Department of Homeland Security, officials have expressed frustration with colleagues at the department of Health and Human Services and at the Pentagon, accusing them of doing too little to help. And there are complaints about the White House and what some see as an effort by Miller to dismantle the leadership of the department, in part to shift the blame away from the White House. While sounding tough, Donald Trump's surprise shift to tariffs from the previous threat to close the border is a major retreat. Calexico: President Donald Trump went Friday to the Mexican border to deliver a message to would-be illegal immigrants: the United States has no room left to take them. Trump sees his campaign against a "crisis" on the border as key to his 2020 reelection bid, and his trip to Calexico in California was meant to keep that message in the headlines. Numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America have risen sharply, although there are enormous political divides on whether this constitutes the "national emergency" that Trump has declared. At a meeting with border patrol agents and other officials in Calexico, he said "it's overwhelming our immigration system and we can't let that happen." Then in a message to those heading for the United States, he said: "The system is full and we can't take you anymore.... Our country is full." "So turn around, that's the way it is," he said. Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for the president in Mexicali, the town on the Mexican side of the frontier. Waving US and Mexican flags, the protesters carried signs with messages such as "Stop separating families" and "If you build the wall, my generation will tear it down." On the US side, dozens of people lined the road that Trump's motorcade took from the airport, demonstrating support for his policies. "Build the wall," said one placard. Trump is determined to pursue a hard line. Before leaving Washington earlier, Trump said that his previous threats to shut down the border had been successful in persuading Mexican authorities to clamp down by stopping migrants on their journey north. "Mexico, I have to say, has been very, very good... over the last four days since I talked about shutting down the border," he said. Trump indicated again that closing the border is no longer on the cards at present, but reiterated a warning that he will impose 25 percent tariffs on auto imports from Mexico if illegal migration and drug smuggling are not controlled. Trump said he could still order the border closed later. "I may shut it down at some point but I'd rather do tariffs," he said. While sounding tough, Trump's surprise shift to tariffs from the previous threat to close the border is a major retreat. Until Thursday, the White House had been signalling that Trump could imminently order a full or partial closure of the huge border in response to what Trump says is a "crisis" and "national emergency." There had even been speculation that he might announce such a move during his visit to Calexico, an area where new high fencing has been erected as part of Trump's plan for expanding border walls. The idea caused alarm among economists and Congress, including in Trump's Republican Party. Mexico is the third largest US trading partner and any hold ups at the border crossings would have an immediate impact on trade. Although a border closing has been pushed back, the tariffs idea is causing confusion. On Thursday, Trump indicated there would be a one-year deadline for Mexico to improve the situation before tariffs kicked in. However it was not clear if he meant that both for the drug smuggling and migration, or whether he wanted the migration issue resolved immediately. On Friday, he tweeted that tariffs would be slapped on Mexican-built cars "if for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from." It was unclear how such tariffs would fit into the countries' deeply intertwined trading relationship, which is governed by NAFTA, a free trade accord also including Canada that is due to be replaced by an updated version called the USMCA. Leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November after more than a year of negotiations. Trump said Friday that his tariffs would "supersede USMCA. It's a great deal, and it's very good for Mexico. But this will supersede USMCA." In Mexico City, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged investors to "stay calm." "Our relationship with the government of the United States is very good," he said. By Khalid Abdelaziz KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Thousands of Sudanese protesters clashed with security forces outside President Omar al-Bashir's residence in central Khartoum on Saturday in what appeared to be the biggest demonstration in months of protest against his 30-year rule, witnesses said. By Khalid Abdelaziz KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Thousands of Sudanese protesters clashed with security forces outside President Omar al-Bashir's residence in central Khartoum on Saturday in what appeared to be the biggest demonstration in months of protest against his 30-year rule, witnesses said. Security forces fired tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators and tried to disperse the crowd, which had responded to a call by activists trying to increase pressure on Bashir to step down. They waved Sudanese flags and chanted slogans demanding "freedom, peace and justice" as they gathered outside the gates of the compound, that also houses the defence ministry, army command and security headquarters, and where army soldiers stood guard. The demonstrators said they wanted to deliver a message to the country's armed forces to side with them in trying to push Bashir out of power. Sudanese say the armed forces had in the past sided with popular protests against autocratic rulers, including their 1985 move against long-serving autocrat Jaafar Nimeiri. "Today, we won and we are confident that the regime will fall," said Mohamed Saleh, a 63-year-old university professor who estimated the crowd to be at more than 100,000 people. An independent estimate for the number of protesters was not immediately available. But a Reuters witness said the protest appeared to be larger than previous ones. "There are crowds as far as the eye can see," he said. ANNIVERSARY Sudanese activists, apparently emboldened by the success of similar but much larger protests in Algeria that forced ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down, called Saturday's protests to mark the anniversary of the 1985 coup that forced Nimeiri to step down following mass protests against his rule. A Reuters witness said that after security forces, consisting of riot police and secret service personnel, had boxed in the demonstrators outside Bashir's residence, they began showering the crowds with tear gas. While some demonstrators fled, security forces using pickup trucks, advanced towards the remaining demonstrators trying to chase them away. The protesters responded by hurling stones towards security forces. A Reuters witness described clouds of tear gas covering the area, while the streets were strewn with stones. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The clashes subsequently died down and thousands of demonstrators were still outside the compound. Nimeiri's downfall paved the way for national elections and a civilian government which Bashir ousted in an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989. Bashir had since run and was elected president in repeated elections which his critics say were neither fair nor free. Representing the most sustained challenge to Bashir since he took power in 1989, the wave of protests that began on Dec. 19 were triggered by price rises and cash shortages but evolved into demonstrations against his long rule. In February, Bashir declared a state of emergency in the country of 40 million, sacked his government and state governors in a series of moves aimed at tightening his control over the country. Bashir is wanted by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes while trying to put down an armed uprising in the country's western Darfur region since 2003. Sudan denies committing any war crimes had been committed. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Mark Potter, Helen Popper and Alexandra Hudson) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. For more than 8,000 years, Tibetan nomads have lived in perfect harmony with their surroundings. For more than 8,000 years, Tibetan nomads have lived in perfect harmony with their surroundings. They have been the virtual custodians of the vast grasslands of Central Tibet, Amdo (northeast) and Kham (southeast), because they know their survival depends upon this land. They are pastoral nomads, constantly moving from one place to another to find the best grazing grounds for their herds of yaks, sheep, goats and horses. Over the centuries, these hardy people have managed to develop a deep understanding of grassland dynamics and veterinary knowledge necessary to survive in the areas harsh and often inhospitable terrain and weather. When China marched into Tibet, all their resources like glaciers and rivers, the mineral deposits (including rare ones like lithium and uranium) were hijacked by Beijing. Till date that is, six decades and several catastrophic Chinese policies later the systemic plunder of the Tibetan region continues unabated. Apart from exporting precious resources to far-off Chinese cities, under threat is the Tibetan way of life, which is being gradually snuffed out by state-backed policies targeted at resettling Tibetan nomads. The Chinese Pleas for Resettling Tibetan Nomads The Chinese want the world to believe that Tibetan nomads have caused untold damage to the vast grasslands and destroyed the natural habitat of the area. They squarely pin the blame for erosion and gradual desertification in the area on overgrazing caused by the nomads animals. Experts, however, hold that unlike the cashmere goats of Kashmir and Mongolia which graze voraciously by devouring greenery and uprooting all grass, the yaks graze lightly and without causing any significant damage. Julia Klein, an assistant professor of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University, studied with her team the impact of the traditional nomadic grazing system on the Tibetan grasslands; Klein holds that grazing provides nutrients for the topsoil, thereby helping in the regeneration of grass instead of causing damage. The Tibetan plateau, Klein asserts, is a system that has evolved with grazing; the removal of grazing from the system could have profound ecological consequences. Dan Miller, American rangeland expert who has studied grasslands across Asia comprehensively, also strongly propagates encouraging livestock mobility, stating that the policy of requiring nomads to lead settled lives goes against state-of-the-art information and analyses for livestock production in pastoral areas. Decades of experience with livestock development in other pastoral areas of the world and considerable recent research in Asia, including Tibetan areas, all lead to the conclusion that settling nomads is not appropriate, says Miller. The other reason cited by the Chinese authorities for the need to relocate the Tibetan nomads is the inconvenience these people face due to lack of access to drinking water, sanitation, education and medical facilities. A tough life, undoubtedly. But that is how they have lived (and survived) for all these centuries! More than anything else, that is how the nomads want to live under the open skies, with the freedom to make their own choices. Re-settlement' is little more than a euphemism for cultural genocide for snuffing out Tibetan nomad culture, points out Canadian author Michael Buckley who has travelled extensively across Tibet. In his book Meltdown in Tibet, Buckley elaborates that the nomads thus relocated ostensibly to ease their hardships end up in concrete hovels where they have little chance of earning enough to make both ends meet. The logical-sounding reasons offered by the Chinese government have a deep-rooted political agenda. Huddling the Tibetans into groups of designated concrete structures makes it easier for the Chinese authorities to exercise control over them, points out Palden Sonam Gangchenpa, a Tibetan researcher at New Delhis Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Refugees in Their Own Land Michael Buckley, who has visited Tibet several times over the last three decades, managed to meet some former nomads in Tibet. However, he found it extremely difficult to make much headway even with the help of local translators, because of their thick distinctive dialects. Much to his dismay, he found out that the former nomads who had long fled Tibet were also hesitant to disclose share their names or whereabouts, fearing that doing so could endanger their relatives back home. The long arm of China continues to threaten them, he says, adding that he had to turn to transcripts of interviews of former nomads at the Mcleodganj-based Environment and Development Desk to know more. Buckley refers in particular to the testimony of Dhondup, a Golak nomad from Pema County in Amdo, based on his interview recorded in 2006. I have seen Golok nomads on pilgrimage at Labrang Monastery in Gansu they are a rugged and fierce-looking people. The toughest of the nomads, with even their name meaning head facing backwards. They are a belligerent race, known to offer stiff resistance to all invaders, staving off occupation by Chinese, Mongolian, or central Tibetan forces. And yet the Chinese managed to shovel them into concrete settlements, Buckley writes in his book. Tenzin Norbu, a senior researcher in the environmental engineering programme and a trained environmental expert, spoke at length to Buckley about the Chinese policy of resettling Tibetan nomads. First they pushed the nomads out of their homelands saying they have a backward lifestyle. Fine...what did they do to these nomads after relocating them? The nomads would earlier barter their surplus yak milk, butter and cheese with farmers who led settled lives, to get tsampa (roasted barley flour) and clothes, thus leading lives that didnt lack for the basics. Norbu, who now lives in the United States, told Buckley that after being moved to concrete settlements, the nomads cannot get any grain because they have no milk, butter or cheese to trade it with. Settled nomads do get an annual subsidy by the government, but that is a tiny amount, most of which goes towards buying necessities like yak milk, cheese and butter all- things they had never had to buy earlier. In addition to these, they need money to pay for , and taxes something they had never had to do earlier! There are no schools, observed Olivier de Schutter, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, while vocally opposing the resettlement policy after visiting China in December 2010. The few schools that do exist serve only one purpose: namely carrying forward the state-sponsored Love the Motherland propaganda. Nor are there any medical facilities worth their name. Educating them and training them to take up new jobs in a new setup might have made sense. But did these people want to be educated in the first place? Norbu asks. Do we see any training programmes before or after moving them? None, nothing at all. Decent jobs are a distant dream even for the able-bodied because they cannot speak or read Chinese, a key requirement to find well-paying work. In a scenario like this, it is easy for a large number of them to drift towards alcoholism, gambling and prostitution, or just while away time by playing pool and video games. Adding to their woes is the absence of temples or stupas in these modern settlements, nor any resident monks to help them overcome their feelings of emptiness, points out Tsering Woeser, a popular Tibetan activist and blogger. These fierce and hardy people who would earlier spend their afternoons on the mountain slopes, singing songs as their animals plucked at the grass, are now washing cars, scavenging for metal scraps or taking up other manual jobs like washing dishes at eateries or working as labourers at construction sites. With the Chinese government being tight-lipped on the issue, exact figures are hard to come by but even by conservative estimates, nearly a million nomads and an equal number of Tibetan farmers had been moved off their land by the Chinese by 2014, says Michael Buckley. Tempa Gyaltsen Zhamla who heads the Environment and Development Desk at Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) believes the number of nomads thus forcefully displaced from their homelands could now be well above the two million mark! The government stance towards Tibetan nomads has hardened particularly after the 2008 protest against the Chinese rule. Initiated by monks from Sera and Drepung monasteries, the uprising went on to involve Tibetans from almost all walks of life, and goes on record as the biggest rebellion by Tibetans after 1959, the year when their spiritual guru, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, fled into India. Since then, Chinese officials view the nomads as having too much independence and have started settling them into areas where their activities can be easily monitored. After the Golmud-Lhasa railway line became operational in 2006, mining activities in Tibet have intensified. China plans to unearth over 110 varieties of minerals worth more than US$125 billion from the plateau beside erecting massive dams, which goes on to underline the Chinese compulsion to force these people off their lands. The relocated nomads whom China refers to as ecological migrants are people who have become refugees in their own land, owing to Chinas reckless exploitation of Tibetan resources. Refugees who cannot carry on with the sustainable lifestyle they have adhered to for centuries. Refugees with little, if any, chance of making a decent living. Refugees with a deeply uncertain future. Also view: At the Banni Pashu Mela, a unique glimpse into the lives of Kutch's Maaldhari communities David Malpass said he would uphold the bank's commitment to reducing poverty in the poorest countries and to fight climate change Washington: The World Bank said that its executive board unanimously approved David Malpass, the US Treasury Department's top diplomat, as the bank's next president, continuing the 73-year tradition of an American leading the development lender. He will start his new role next week, during the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings, a bank spokesman said. Malpass, a former Bear Stearns and Co chief economist who advised US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, was the sole candidate for the job. Previous World Bank President Jim Yong Kim faced two challengers, from Nigeria and Colombia, in 2012 when he was first selected. This time around, bank board members had said there was little appetite for a challenge to a US candidate from developed economies such as Europe and Japan, and from larger emerging markets such as China and Brazil. In a phone interview with Reuters, Malpass said he would uphold the bank's commitment to reducing poverty in the poorest countries and to fight climate change, and pursue goals stated in a $13 billion capital increase last year. Since taking his job at the Treasury in 2017, Malpass had been particularly critical of the World Bank's continued lending to China, arguing that the world's second-largest economy was too wealthy for such aid while it was loading up some countries with unsustainable debt from its Belt and Road infrastructure program. Those comments and Malpass' role in US-China trade negotiations caused some concern in the development community that he might try to use the bank's influence to put pressure on China. But Malpass said he saw an "evolution" of the bank's relationship with China "toward one which recognizes China as the world's second-biggest economy and an important factor in global development. I expect there to be a strong relationship collaboration with China. We have a shared mission of poverty alleviation and reduction." Malpass said he did not participate in this week's US-China trade talks and is winding down his role at the Treasury. He said he intends to make his first trip as World Bank president in late April to Africa, which has been a primary focus for the bank's development efforts. Google released Reply app last year to send automated response in messages and other apps, but it was later discontinued. Today, the company has updated its ML Kit SDK to add APIs for Smart Reply and Language Identification to third-party Android and iOS apps. Smart Reply powered by learning offers users a selection of suggested responses, either as actions on a notification or inside the app itself. This can really help a user to quickly respond when they are busy or a handy way to initiate a longer message. The new Smart Reply API lets developers quickly achieve the same in their own apps. The API provides suggestions based on the last 10 messages in a conversation, although it still works if only one previous message is available. It is a stateless API that fully runs on-device, so Google doesnt keep message history in memory nor send it to a server. The Smart Reply feature is currently supported only in English. Coming to Language Identification, ML Kit now recognizes text in 103 different languages and typically only requires a few words to make an accurate determination. It is really fast providing response within 1 to 2 ms across iOS and Android phones, says Google. These work fully on-device and are available on the latest version of the ML Kit SDK, on iOS (9.0 and higher) and Android (4.1 and higher). Source The legal marijuana industry is growing by leaps and bounds, but this growth isn't simply confined to Canada. Even though the U.S. federal government has thus far been unwavering on its classification of cannabis as a Schedule I (i.e., illicit) substance, the legalization of medical marijuana in 33 states, along with 10 U.S. states giving the green light for adult consumption, has led to a rapid rise in sales. At this point, federal legalization isn't a necessity for marijuana stock investors focusing on the United States to make money. There's perhaps no niche where growth has been more robust for publicly traded pot stocks than among vertically integrated marijuana dispensary stocks. There are currently 10 prominent publicly traded dispensary stocks, eight of which have operations in multiple states. To be frank, this is a fast-paced and somewhat confusing subcategory of the U.S. cannabis industry. As such, it deserves a much closer look. Consider this your 411 on the biggest and most important names in the U.S. marijuana dispensary space. Which vertically integrated dispensaries have the most stores open right now? Almost every vertically integrated dispensary -- i.e., a dispensary that completely controls its supply chain, including cultivation and processing -- proclaims themselves to be the nation's largest or best. But let's take a look at the current data (via press releases or even counting retail locations on their websites) as of April 5, 2019 to determine which of the 10 largest dispensaries has the greatest number of open retail locations. Curaleaf Holdings : 43 open locations : 43 open locations MedMen Enterprises OTC:MMNFF) Harvest Health & Recreation OTC:HRVSF) Trulieve Cannabis OTC:TCNNF) Acreage Holdings : 25 : 25 iAnthus Capital Holdings OTC:ITHUF) Green Thumb Industries : 14 : 14 Liberty Health Sciences : 13 : 13 Cresco Labs OTC:CRLBF) Planet 13 Holdings: 2 If the checkered flag were to wave right now, Curaleaf would have the nation's largest presence with 43 open locations, 23 of which are in Florida's booming medical marijuana market. Upscale dispensary MedMen would be second with 32 locations, Harvest Health third with 30, and Trulieve Cannabis fourth with 27. It's worth noting that Trulieve has 26 of its 27 currently open locations in the Sunshine State, too. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the list, Planet 13 Holdings is more of a superstore retail model in the Las Vegas area, while recent acquisitions by Cresco Labs should really boost its physical presence. Which vertically integrated dispensary has the highest number of future retail licenses? With rapid expansion underway, the next big question you might be wondering about is what the eventual upper boundary is for these dispensaries in terms of retail locations. Not all of these stocks are forthcoming with that figure, but here's what we do know: Harvest Health & Recreation: 123 retail licenses (pro forma) 123 retail licenses (pro forma) MedMen Enterprises: 78 retail licenses (pro forma) 78 retail licenses (pro forma) Green Thumb Industries: 72 retail licenses 72 retail licenses iAnthus Capital Holdings: 63 retail licenses 63 retail licenses Cresco Labs: 51 retail licenses (pro forma) If you're wondering what this "pro forma" business is, it's simply referring to the outlook for these companies if (big "if") their current acquisitions receive approval from shareholders and regulators. For example, MedMen is currently in the process of acquiring privately held PharmaCann for $682 million in an all-stock deal. Assuming approval of the deal, the number of cultivation and processing facilities the company is operating will rise, and it'll also acquire existing retail stores, as well as retail licenses that have yet to be utilized. Altogether, the company expects to hold licenses for 78 stores when the deal closes. Similarly, Cresco Labs recently announced a $120 million cash-and-stock deal to acquire VidaCann. The medical marijuana operations license held by VidaCann in Florida will allow Cresco to operate up to 30 retail dispensaries in the state. We also saw iAnthus close on its acquisition MPX Bioceutical on February 5, 2019. The deal increased the company's peak retail-store license count to beyond five dozen. Which U.S.-focused dispensary is the most multistate? Taking pro forma projections and future expansion opportunities into account, you might be wondering which of these U.S. dispensaries will truly be operating in multiple states. Here are the number of states these dispensaries expect to be operating in. Acreage Holdings: 19 states 19 states Harvest Health & Recreation: 16 states 16 states MedMen Enterprises: 12 states 12 states Curaleaf Holdings: 12 states 12 states Green Thumb Industries: 12 states 12 states iAnthus Capital Holdings: 11 states 11 states Cresco Labs: 11 states 11 states Trulieve Cannabis: 3 states 3 states Liberty Health Sciences: 1 state 1 state Planet 13 Holdings: 1 state In terms of geographic diversity, Acreage Holdings takes the cake at 19 states, followed very closely by Harvest Health, which is the midst of a large acquisition of privately held Verano. Although most vertically integrated dispensaries look pretty well diversified based on this data, many have a majority of their retail locations in a small number of states. For example, MedMen has 78 licenses spanning a dozen states, but 30 of those licenses are in Florida, 12 are in California, and nine are in Pennsylvania (from PharmaCann). That's 51 of 78 licenses in just three states. In other words, take the multistate figure that these marijuana dispensary stocks love to tout with a grain of salt. Are they profitable? Last, but not least, the all-important question that store count doesn't dictate: Are these vertically integrated marijuana dispensaries profitable? Generally speaking, the answer is no, they're not. That's because opening new locations, constructing cultivation farms, remodeling or renovating production facilities, marketing in-house brands, and making acquisitions to get around the long waits associated with state-level retail license applications are all costly. However, there are a few profitable bright spots. For instance, Trulieve Cannabis, which again is highly focused on the Florida market with 26 of 27 currently open locations in the Sunshine State, has been very profitable. Sales in the third quarter totaled $28.3 million, compared to just $8 million in operating expenses. It would not be surprising to see operating expenses rise substantially as the company expands into California and Massachusetts, but it's been incredibly successful in the early going in Florida. Likewise, Harvest Health has also been profitable (albeit to a lesser degree) on an operating basis. Through the first nine months of 2018, Harvest Health recognized $17.4 million in gross profit before fair-value adjustments on biological assets and operating expenses of $14.4 million, leading to a non-adjusted operating profit of about $3 million. It, too, would be expected to see higher expenses as it works through its $850 million all-stock deal to buy Verano, but its initial performance has been promising. As a whole, the entire dispensary space probably needs time to mature and consolidate. But it's certainly worth keeping a close eye on. New Fiat Chrysler ( FCAU ) boss Mike Manley has set a goal of getting the Ram truck brand into second place in the pickup wars. Ram made progress on that front in 2018, posting a 7% increase in its U.S. deliveries, whereas sales of General Motors' ( GM -1.13% ) competing Chevy Silverado didn't grow last year. Nevertheless, GM ended 2018 with more than 585,000 domestic Silverado deliveries, well ahead of Ram's full-year total of 536,980. By contrast, Ram did overtake the Chevy Silverado in the domestic market for the first quarter of 2019. Yet while this development captured plenty of headlines, it was not nearly as significant as it may have appeared. Ram gains at Chevy's expense During the first quarter, GM's full-size pickup sales plunged, led by a 16% decline in deliveries of the Chevy Silverado. Meanwhile, Ram pickup sales soared 15% to 120,026 units, compared to just 114,313 for the Silverado. Fiat Chrysler attributed Ram's stellar performance to the company's strategy of building two different versions of the Ram pickup this year. In addition to the all-new version of the Ram 1500 that was launched last year, the company is still building cheaper Ram Classic pickups based on the previous-generation architecture. While Fiat Chrysler did make significant market share gains at GM's expense, the latter still has a huge lead when you look beyond the Chevy Silverado. The GMC Sierra -- essentially an upscale twin to the Silverado -- accounted for another 40,546 domestic deliveries last quarter. By contrast, Fiat Chrysler doesn't have any other pickups in the market yet (though that will change soon with the arrival of the Jeep Gladiator midsize pickup later this year). Counting both the Silverado and the Sierra, GM's full-size pickup deliveries exceeded Ram's by 29% in the first quarter. Adding in the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickup models, GM delivered 195,307 pickups in the U.S. last quarter, trouncing Fiat Chrysler by 63%. Chevy will gain as availability improves Even looking at the Ram vs. Chevy Silverado comparison alone, Ram's victory last quarter was a bit misleading. GM and Fiat Chrysler both released upgraded versions of their light-duty pickups (e.g., the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500) last year, but the Ram launch occurred first. As a result, General Motors still didn't have full inventory of its new pickup models in the first quarter. The automaker noted that combined sales of the Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 crew-cab models jumped 20% last quarter. Those were the first 2019 truck models to go into production for GM. But this was offset by lower sales of the cheaper regular-cab and extended-cab models, which didn't go into volume production until March. Availability of these lower-priced versions of the 2019 Chevy Silverado should improve steadily over the next several months, driving a rebound in deliveries. Sales results in the second half of the year will provide a fairer comparison of how Fiat Chrysler's Ram trucks are doing compared to the Chevy Silverado. Profitability matters, too Another factor worth mentioning is that Fiat Chrysler appears to be resorting to huge discounts to boost Ram's share of the pickup market. Incentives for Ram trucks routinely reach $10,000 or even $15,000, whereas GM has stuck with more moderate promotions for the Chevy Silverado. As a result, even if Ram trucks outsell the Chevy Silverado -- as occurred last quarter -- it's a safe bet that the Chevy Silverado franchise is far more lucrative. In the long run, the key question for investors is whether Fiat Chrysler is creating loyal customers who will continue to buy Ram trucks in the future regardless of pricing trends or if the company will need to keep offering aggressive discounts indefinitely to hold onto its market share gains. To be fair, the 2019 Ram 1500 has received plenty of accolades, including being named the 2019 North American Truck of the Year. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising to see Ram gain some market share even without aggressive discounting. Nevertheless, last quarter's results didn't reflect a fair comparison. By the second half of 2019, the Chevy Silverado will probably have a comfortable lead over Ram in the U.S. pickup market once again. And including all of its other pickup models, General Motors is likely to maintain a huge advantage relative to Fiat Chrysler for the foreseeable future. Gold streaming and royalty giant Franco-Nevada Corporation ( FNV -0.91% ) was able to salvage its top and bottom lines last year because of investments it made in oil and natural gas. That's a good thing, because it was a really bad year on the gold and silver side of its operations. Here's what went wrong in 2018 and why the company's gold production is about to get a big boost. A tough year At the start of 2018, Franco-Nevada was calling for gold equivalent ounce production of between 460,000 and 490,000 ounces. The top end of that range was slightly lower than the roughly 497,700 ounces the company received from its streaming and royalty deals in 2017. Unfortunately, the final tally in 2018 was just 448,000 ounces, below even the low end of 2018 guidance. The production drop led to a nearly 10% reduction in revenues from the company's gold investments. The Candelaria mine was one of the biggest drags, as the processing of lower-grade materials led to lower-than-expected production. This is one of the company's largest mine relationships, accounting for 9% of adjusted EBITDA in 2018. There was also a reduction in output from the Antamina mine, but that drop was expected. The rest of the portfolio performed roughly as projected. Luckily for Franco-Nevada, the company's oil and natural gas revenues came in much higher than originally projected, nearly doubling from $47 million in 2017 to $86 million in 2018. That number, meanwhile, was well above the early-year expectation of $50 million to $60 million. Strong oil prices were a huge benefit here, allowing this division to largely offset the weakness on the precious metals side of the business and salvage the year. Adjusted EBITDA was up just a little under 1% -- not great, but much better than what would have happened if Franco-Nevada hadn't used the oil downturn to expand its reach in the energy space. What's 2019 look like? The bad news in 2019 is that Franco-Nevada doesn't expect a repeat performance on the energy front. Based on its current projections, revenue from the oil and natural gas side of things is going to be flat to slightly lower in 2019. That's largely driven by the expectation of lower oil prices. Longer term, however, management is still very positive on this business. Production growth is projected to materially increase results over time here, with the expectation of a near doubling of revenues by 2023. But that won't help 2019. Another negative for 2019 is that production from Antamina is expected to remain low. The Fire Creek, Karma, and Guadalupe mines are also projected to be relatively weak performers this year. But some very important positives do back the company's projection of gold equivalent ounce production of between 465,000 and 500,000 ounces in 2019. Franco-Nevada's Past Results and 2019 Projections Metric 2017 2018 2019 Projections Gold equivalent ounce Production 497,745 448,000 465,000 to 500,000 Oil revenues $47 million $86 million $70 million to $85 million Production from Candelaria is expected to pick up as the year progresses and the mine starts to process higher-grade ore. Management is also projecting higher production from its Tasiast, Subika, Brucejack, and Cerro Moro investments (helping to offset weakness in other smaller assets). But most importantly, the company's large Cobre Panama investment will start to add to results. At this point Franco-Nevada is projecting between 20,000 and 40,000 gold equivalent ounces from Cobre Panama in 2019. At the top end, that would be equal to roughly 9% of 2018 production. That's up from nothing in 2018, with the mine producing first ore in Feb. 2019. That, coupled with the puts and takes in the rest of the portfolio, should push production higher year over year. But the really exciting piece of this story is that it will last into 2022, as production continues to ramp up at Cobre Panama. So there will be a big boost this year, but additional benefits for the next few years as well. And Franco-Nevada doesn't have to pay a dime for this production growth because it has already fully funded the streaming deal. That's one of the big benefits of the streaming model, in which a company like Franco-Nevada provides miners cash up front in exchange for the contractual right to buy precious metals at reduced rates in the future. In this case, miner First Quantum used that up-front cash to build out Cobre Panama. And now that the construction phase is over, Franco-Nevada and its shareholders get to reap the benefits for years to come. And, it seems, just in time to offset expected weakness in the energy business. Looking to the new year Although 2019 probably won't be Franco-Nevada's best year ever, it should be a solid one. Perhaps more importantly, if results come in as currently expected, it will further prove out management's diversification focus. In the end this streaming and royalty giant is looking to be a low-risk way for investors to add precious metals exposure to their portfolios. Diversification is a key factor in that, but so, too, is investing in the future. Last year was all about diversification; 2019 will be more about the benefits of investing in development projects like Cobre Panama. You've seen the news headlines about global warming and how carbon-based fuels like oil are a huge piece of the problem. That's not hyperbole. That's scientific fact. If environmentalists had their way, we would stop using older energy sources today and rely entirely on renewables like solar and wind power. That's a great dream, but it's just that -- a pie-in-the-sky dream. Oil giant BP ( BP 0.02% ) recently explained the problem with that goal. Here's what you need to know to understand why oil giants like BP and ExxonMobil ( XOM -0.37% ) are still putting big money to work in a dirty, out-of-favor industry...and how you can benefit. Global warming is real The science behind global warming is incontrovertible. The process of burning carbon-based fuels like oil releases carbon dioxide that increases the impact of the greenhouse effect. Humans didn't cause the greenhouse effect; it's a natural process in which gasses in the Earth's atmosphere trap the sun's heat. In fact, without the greenhouse effect, the planet would be much colder and, perhaps, not quite as nice to live on. The problem we face today is that human activity appears to be exacerbating the natural process, increasing the amount of heat trapped. Some projections for the future suggest that the Earth will heat up so much that it could cause a severe impact on the planet and all of the lifeforms that live on it. To be fair, making those projections requires a lot of estimates and educated guesses. It would be an understatement to say that it's very difficult to make these kinds of long-range predictions. This is largely why there's so much controversy around the issue. Still, the world has begun to adjust, with solar and wind power growing meaningfully as countries around the world look to reduce the use of carbon fuels. Coal has been the most impacted, with electricity increasingly supported by cleaner-burning and lower-cost natural gas. That's a transition fuel, as the world continues to build out alternative energy like solar and wind. Electricity, meanwhile, is increasingly the power of choice, even for automobiles. Which means oil, which is used to make gasoline, is also facing major headwinds. So why on this green Earth would an investor want to buy an oil and natural gas stock like BP or Exxon? There's a long way to go It's a laudable goal to switch from carbon-based fuels to clean energy, but not one that can be achieved overnight. Fuels like oil and natural gas are too integral to our day-to-day lives to simply remove them. In fact, as BP's Bernard Looney, chief executive of the energy giant's upstream division, recently highlighted, "[I]n almost every scenario -- oil and gas together are forecast to represent greater than 40% of the energy mix in 2040." That's another two decades in which these two sources of energy remain vital contributors to world energy markets. BP's latest projection calls for global oil demand to rise from around 100 million barrels of oil a day currently to roughly 110 million barrels of oil by 2040. This assumes a gradual transition toward cleaner energy sources like solar and wind. If this scenario plays out, there's no problem for oil companies. However, if the world gets more aggressive, BP's projection for demand is just 80 million barrels of oil per day. That would be a problem (though hardly the death knell for the industry), but it isn't the most likely outcome since it requires all countries to actually meet the targets set out in the Paris agreement. That hasn't been going so well, notably with the United States' pulling out of the deal. This is all very interesting, but there's one more fact that investors need to keep in mind: Oil and natural gas are depleting assets. Once you pull a barrel of oil out of the ground, it is gone for good. So as you use oil and natural gas, you need to find new sources to replace the fuel you've used. This is no small issue. Using very conservative estimates, BP looked at what global production would look like if all oil and gas exploration were to be stopped right now. Using a roughly 3% annual decline rate, by 2040 oil production would be roughly 45 million barrels of oil a day. That's well below even the 80 million barrels a day needed in the most aggressive clean energy scenario. Which is why the outlook for energy giants like BP and Exxon isn't as bad as you might think if you follow the media coverage of global warming. It also explains why BP recently paid $10.5 billion to acquire onshore U.S. energy assets from BHP Group. The 470,000 acres of land holds an estimated 4.6 billion barrels of oil. That's oil BP will need to replace the oil it's pulling out of the ground today. BP's capital spending plans call for investment of between $14 billion and $15 billion a year. It's still betting big on oil and natural gas, but as the demand and depletion dynamics show, that's just good business even as the world gets increasingly serious about global warming. And BP isn't alone in this assessment or approach. For example, Exxon plans to spend as much as $30 billion a year developing onshore U.S. energy projects, offshore oil, and natural gas assets. The goal at Exxon is to push production higher after a multiyear period in which production had been dropping. But the big-picture reason for the investment is really the same: The world can't simply stop using oil and natural gas. Someone has to keep finding new supplies, and companies like BP and Exxon are taking up the challenge. Meanwhile, investors can collect historically high dividend yields from both Exxon (around 4%) and BP (around 5.6%). It's worth noting that BP was forced to cut its dividend after the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, so its dividend history isn't nearly as impressive as Exxon's streak of 36 consecutive years with a dividend hike. Conservative investors would likely prefer Exxon. But, in fairness, BP has changed greatly since that horrific event and is on much stronger financial ground today. Don't ignore big oil The headline risk from global warming is real. However, efforts to deal with that issue likely won't be as bad for big oil companies including BP and Exxon as investors think. And those willing to take a contrarian, and likely realistic, view of the energy industry can collect fat dividends while these two oil giants continue to do what's needed to supply the world with vital oil and natural gas -- oil and gas that will be needed even in the best-case scenario of a globally coordinated effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If global warming has kept you out of the oil patch, you might want to reconsider that decision. More than two dozen cars and maybe 100 people were on the bridge when two neat rows of officers on motorcycles arrived at 1:20 p.m. When Ellis hearse approached, it was joined by a half-dozen other vehicles in merging to an exit lane and briefly passing through an Illinois Tollway maintenance yard just north of Grand Avenue, in the shadow of Great Wolf Lodge. This remodel is part of our broader strategy to invest in our existing stores with remodels and new assortments, invest in technology to help customers save time by providing them new options to shop when and how they like, and invest in our associates, Hatfield said. A guy on Election Day asked if I was an incumbent. I said no and then he said, Cool, thats all I need to know. Youve got my vote, Lambert said. I also heard a lot of, Why are we buying so much land; a lot of, Why are we spending so much money, and, If were going to spend more, then why not spend more on our roads? The plan, called the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, would allow states to set their own rules around the credits, including which students are eligible for scholarships and where they could be used. Possible programs include apprenticeships, private schools, home schooling, special education, tutoring or public virtual schools. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Areas of patchy fog. Low around 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. The descendants of Chinese philosopher Confucius on Friday held a memorial ceremony for their ancestor, with the entire process live broadcast by Chinese media. This was the first time video cameras of media outlets were allowed in the annual family ceremony held in the city of Qufu, east China's Shandong Province. Friday coincided with China's traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival. More than 400 descendants of Confucius from across China and from the Republic of Korea (ROK) attended the event in the Confucius Cemetery, the world's largest family cemetery with over 100,000 tombs. This year marks the 2,570th anniversary of Confucius' birth, which will be celebrated in autumn. Confucius (551-479 B.C.) was an educator and philosopher who founded Confucianism, a school of thought deeply influential in later generations. He was also believed to have set up the first private schools in China to enrol students from different social classes. EDISON, N.J., April 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opengear ( www.opengear.com ), a leading provider of solutions that deliver secure, resilient network access and automation to critical IT infrastructure, today announced that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company , has given Opengear a 5-Star rating in its 2019 Partner Program Guide. This annual guide identifies the strongest and most successful partner programs in the channel today, offered by the top technology suppliers for IT products and services. The 5-Star rating recognizes an elite subset of companies that offer solution providers the best partnering elements in their channel programs. To determine the 2019 5-Star ratings, The Channel Companys research team assessed each suppliers partner program based on investments in program offerings, partner profitability, partner training, education and support, marketing programs and resources, sales support, and communication. Opengear has introduced a number of enhancements to its partner program over the past year designed to further streamline its partner onboarding process, provide more sales tools and marketing content that enable partners to more easily sell Opengear solutions, and forge deeper strategic relationships with partners. Among these key initiatives is the addition of online training modules within Opengears Partner Portal , which more efficiently and thoroughly engages and trains partners sales reps. Opengear has also invested in ensuring its partners understand the advantages of Opengears cellular out-of-band connectivity solutions in SD-WAN deployments highlighting a particularly fast-growing use case for Opengear products that is creating a new revenue source for partners. These changes have come in tandem with growth to the Opengear partner program and the leadership team supporting it. Most recently, Opengears channel business which has seen 30% year-over-year revenue growth in the Americas signed a new distribution agreement with Westcon-Comstor Americas to expand distribution of Opengear products into Latin America . It also recently added Keith Hansen as the channel-dedicated Sales Engineer and has expanded channel sales coverage with a Channel Sales Manager overseeing each of the West, Central, and East regions. With new technologies emerging every year, evaluating which IT vendors to partner with grows increasingly more complex for solution providers, said Bob Skelley, CEO, The Channel Company. We are proud the CRN Partner Program Guide has become the trusted resource to identify the most rewarding partner programs and provides crucial insight into their strengths and benefits for the channel. Our channel partners are essential to enabling organizations across the world and across industries to meet their requirements for the network resilience and automation solutions Opengear delivers, Bryan Keepers, Director Channel Sales Americas, Opengear. We continue to invest in our channel program and our relationships, and the results continue to show how mutually beneficial these engagements can be. Were proud to again be recognized for our commitment to the channel with the 5-Star rating in CRNs Partner Program Guide, and look forward to continuing to grow and deepen our relationships with our valued partners throughout the world. The 2019 Partner Program Guide will be featured in the April issue of CRN and online at www.CRN.com/ppg . About Opengear Opengear delivers secure, resilient access and automation to critical IT infrastructure, even when the primary network is down. Provisioning, orchestration and remote management of network devices through innovative software and appliances, enables NetOps teams to manage their data centers and remote network locations reliably and efficiently. Opengears business continuity solutions are trusted by global organizations across financial, digital communications, retail and manufacturing industries. The company is headquartered in New Jersey, with R&D centers in Silicon Valley and Brisbane, Australia. For more information please visit www.opengear.com . About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2019. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. NEW ORLEANS, April 05, 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/ . Weight Watchers International, Inc. (WTW) Class Period: 5/4/2018 - 2/26/2019 Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: May 3, 2019 SECURITIES FRAUD To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-wtw/ . 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: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 A preliminary report issued on Thursday by Ethiopian officials found that a malfunctioning sensor sent incorrect information to a Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliner, triggering an anti-stall system that began a chain of events that ended with the plane nose-diving into the ground, killing 157 people on March 10, the Associated Press reported. Boeing has acknowledged that the sensor malfunctioned in the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max jetliner, triggering the anti-stall system when it was not needed, the AP reported. "It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it, and we know how to do it," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a video, according to the report. Also on Thursday, an Ethiopian official confirmed news reports that the flight crew of the doomed flight had followed Boeing's recommended procedures, at least in part, by disabling the automated anti-stall system of the 737 Max 8 but were unable to regain control of the plane before it crashed. At a news conference in Addis Ababa, the nation's transportation minister confirmed earlier indications that the plane's anti-stall system was repeatedly triggered in the minutes between the takeoff and crash, but he did not draw definitive conclusions about the crash's cause. "The pilots turned the MCAS on and off, but I can't say how many times, because we will find that out when we have the final report," Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopia's transportation minister, told The New York Times. Moges was referring to the anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that after the pilots turned off the MCAS, they were unable to regain control of the plane. They then re-engaged the anti-stall system, the Journal said. It was not clear why the pilots did not continue following Boeing's emergency checklist. Aviation experts who asked not to be named told China Daily that using nonstandard procedures may have made things worse. The preliminary finding by Ethiopian authorities likely will increase pressure on Boeing to develop and install new software for the MCAS. It also is expected to result in a rigorous review of the software fix by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which has been criticized by aviation analysts and members of Congress for depending too heavily on aircraft industry officials to certify their new planes as safe. The FAA said late on Wednesday that it will launch a joint task force with NASA and international aviation regulators to review Boeing's new software for the anti-stall system. The task force will be headed by Chris Hart, former chairman of the US National Transportation Safety Board. The FAA has not released the names of those to serve on the Joint Authorities Technical Review team, their affiliations or nationalities. "This is an unprecedented move," said Robert Mann, president of R.W. Mann & Co, an aviation consulting firm. "I think it will be a good thing for Max aircraft, but I'm not sure it will be a good thing overall if it creates an international bureaucratic process for future certification that will take longer than any individual oversight agency would now require." James Hall, managing partner of Hall & Associates, an aviation consulting firm in Washington and former chairman of the NTSB, said it's unclear how the FAA's new panel will mesh with investigations of Boeing launched by the US inspector general, US Justice Department and Congress. "Will the technical review team look at the certification process, or is it an attempt to get the plane back in the air?" Hall said. "We'll see." Boeing said it would work closely with the new task force. "We welcome the Joint Authorities Technical Review and look forward to working with the panel," Paul Bergman, a spokesman for Boeing in Seattle, said in a statement. "Safety is our top priority." If the nose of the Boeing Max 8 model rises, threatening a midair stall, the MCAS system automatically points the plane's nose down to gain speed needed to stay aloft. Boeing added larger, more fuel-efficient engines to upgrade the existing 737 airframe to compete with European rival Airbus. The new engines are positioned closer to the fuselage, changing the aircraft's aerodynamics and pushing the nose up in certain conditions. Boeing created MCAS to make the new Max planes handle more like previous versions of the 737, a popular model used by airlines around the world. Some in the aircraft industry, including pilots, have said Boeing did not provide adequate notice of the new plane's flight characteristics or how to shut off the new anti-stall device if necessary. A group of pilots independently compiled and circulated a 13-page manual about the new system. Others have said Boeing provided adequate notice of the changes and how to disable MCAS. The version of MCAS installed on the Ethiopian Airlines plane had relied on information from one sensor that sent back bad information. Flight systems, however, typically are built with a backup system so there can be no single point of failure. Since the crashes of Max jets in Indonesia in October and Ethiopia last month, Boeing has modified design of the anti-stall device to include two sensors on all aircraft. The FAA allows airlines to make minor modifications in previously certified aircraft to meet their operational needs, a rule Boeing followed in building the 737 Max for foreign carriers. Ethiopian Airlines and Indonesia's Lion Air involved in fatal crashes five months apart reportedly declined to buy two add-on safety devices that might have helped the pilots keep the doomed planes in the sky. Neither airline purchased the "angle of attack" system display for readings of two sensors rather than one and a "disagree light" to be activated if the sensors produce conflicting readings. The Lion Air crash in October killed 189 passengers and crew. Airlines around the world, including China and the US, have flown the 737 Max, introduced in 2018, without incident. You are here: China Six teachers had their names published on the website of the Ministry of Education for violating code of conduct for the profession. They were exposed for misconduct such as plagiarism, charging for extra classes after school, and accepting gifts and money from students' parents, according to a press release published earlier this week. The ministry asked teachers to adhere to the country's educational code of conduct, strictly follow the regulations and maintain integrity. It also ordered educational authorities across the country to enhance supervision over execution of code of conduct among teachers. The first few days of a wildland fire are often met with a lack of connectivity for the first responders on the scene, and that means creating incident maps and situational awareness on the fly in areas that arent well documented.That was the case recently when Ari Delay, La Honda, Calif., fire chief, began battling a 2,000-square-foot blaze in Alturas at the northeastern end of California.But it was made easier with a mesh network that he immediately deployed that connected each of the five engines from areas around the state that met to combat the blaze. The network was able to allow Delay, as strike team leader, to communicate with the other teams about sections of lines that had to be cut in a remote part of the state with poorly marked forest service roads.We didnt have a lot of incident maps, and that is typically our problem until we get three to seven days into the incident, Delay said. The crews were working on a section of line and there was confusion about where the lines were placed. I marked [on a map] some of these forest service roads and pushed it out to their devices on the network.The network consists of goTenna Pro units that connect via radio waves and operate independently of wireless internet and traditional cell service. Users connect to the system via their phones and the goTenna Pro app. It pairs with an iOS or Android device through Bluetooth, creating a mesh network that allows for one-to-one or one-to-many messaging and the ability to create a private network.We created a low-power, low-cost, long-range mobile mesh network that leverages the phones users have and unlocks the way to communicate with those phones regardless of whats happening with traditional networks, said goTenna CEO Daniela Perdomo. So, if theres no phone, satellite or Wi-Fi connectivity, the mesh network will still function.The network is used in Colorado wildfires as well, and was used in a recovery effort after Hurricane Michael in Florida. Perdomo related an incident during a Colorado wildfire when a firefighter became detached from his crew. With the network, his crew was able to watch on their phones his dot on a map moving toward safety and didnt need to conduct a search.In Florida, the Texas Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue team equipped a multitude of agencies with goTenna Pro units, creating a mesh network and interoperability during the recovery phase in Mexico Beach.One of the main responsibilities Delay has as a strike leader is to keep track of his crews. For me as in incident commander to say I dont know where an employee is, is not a good answer, he said. When we get into some of those large fire situations, we could have 5,000 to 10,000 people working on an incident and youre required to know where your employees are.Delay first experimented with the network with an investment of his own money. He has six of the units and deploys them up and down the state as hes dispatched to wildfires. It allows you to communicate when radio traffic gets busy, he said. It allows us to create a backhaul channel for nonessential transmissions and also for those points and polygons on a map that we communicate back and forth.Its especially useful during the early stages of the fight when crews are establishing communications and building situational awareness as they go. Before this, honestly, in a disconnected environment in the early stages of a fire, we were left to our own devices, Delay said.The range between units can vary depending on the terrain. Delay said typically in the VHF environment hes most familiar with, five miles between devices is usually standard. A deployment in Puerto Rico is scheduled, where the units will be deployed on mountaintops and other higher locations to cover the island.The goTenna Pro starts at $499; the new Pro X software bundle offers a whole network platform for $350 in addition. A Deployment Kit with 20 devices costs around $25,000. (TNS) San Francisco and other cities can protect their scenic views by prohibiting wireless telephone companies from installing antennas on utility poles, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.The justices unanimously upheld a 2011 San Francisco ordinance requiring telecommunications companies to obtain a city permit before installing large antennas and related equipment on roadside poles.The ordinance said permit applications would be reviewed more closely in certain scenic and historic areas.San Francisco is widely recognized to be one of the worlds most beautiful cities the Board of Supervisors said at the time. The regulation, the board said, would prevent installations whose appearance or location would diminish the citys beauty.City officials have said companies apparently adjusted to the ordinance, generally seeking permits for installations that fit their surroundings.As of 2018, the city had received 1,243 application for permits and denied only eight of them, John Cote, spokesman for City Attorney Dennis Herrera, said Thursday. He said many other cities in California also regulate wireless installations, some with aesthetic standards like San Franciscos.But the telecoms, led by T-Mobile, argued that the ordinance violates state law, which allows phone companies to install roadside equipment as long as it does not incommode the public use of the road.The court, however, said the city has the authority to decide whether unsightly installations incommode, or disturb, the use of its streets.The power to regulate the location and manner of line installation is generally a matter left to local regulation, Justice Carol Corrigan said in the 7-0 ruling , upholding lower-court decisions in the citys favor.Travel is not the sole use of public roads, Corrigan said.She noted that phone lines or equipment might generate noise or raise health and safety concerns that could disturb (the) quiet enjoyment of a road. And she said a citys power to regulate use of its land includes the authority to establish aesthetic conditions for land use.A local government could not flatly prohibit new telephone equipment, Corrigan said, referring to past rulings that struck down ordinances that would have required phone companies to obtain a citys approval for any new construction. But she said state laws allowing commercial activity must sometimes give way to a local governments power to regulate use of its land for example, Riversides ban on state-authorized medical marijuana dispensaries, a ban unanimously upheld by the court in 2013 The court also rejected, as overly speculative, the companies argument that San Franciscos restrictions would slow the development of advanced telecommunications. Herrera called the argument a red herring in a statement responding to the ruling.San Franciscos ordinance allows for innovation and improved technology while ensuring that unsightly poles and equipment dont mar public views of the Painted Ladies (the citys picturesque rows of Victorian houses) or the Golden Gate Bridge, the city attorney said.T-Mobiles challenge was supported by other telecommunications companies and by local, state and national business organizations. Their lawyers could not be reached for comment on the ruling.The case is T-Mobile West vs. San Francisco, S238001. (TNS) A new technology being installed at airports nationwide will soon allow travelers to keep their laptops, as well as 3-1-1-sized liquids, in their bag during checkpoint screening.The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) awarded a $96.8 million contract for 300 Computed Tomography (CT) systems to be installed at airports across the country over the next five years.The system is similar to the CT technology used in the medical field, creating 3-D images through sophisticated algorithms in order to improve screening capabilities.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," said TSA administrator David Pekoske.TSA began piloting the technology in two airports in 2017, before placing 10 units in various airports for comprehensive field testing in 2018.Installation of the recently procured systems will begin this summer, and is expected to be completed sometime in 2020.This CT purchase supports the larger modernization efforts of the agency and would not be possible without the support of Congress, especially the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Homeland Security, as well as our appropriations committees, said Pekoske.The nations transportation systems are now better off more secure, as a result of their work on funding this technology," he added.Port Authority announces amenities upgrades at all commercial airportsThe Port Authority announced a host of new amenities available at all four commercial airports. (TNS) Meteorology professor and drone researcher Phillip Chilson has a vision, and it goes something like this:A network of 30-foot mesonet towers is stationed throughout the country to sample air pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction. Theres also a complementary network of ground stations, both autonomous and manned.Every hour or two, stations launch drones that fly up a mile or so to take measurements inside the Earths energetic and extremely complex boundary layer a region not easily studied using current technologies. This helps build a vertical profile of the lower atmosphere.That data is fed back to the ground stations, then ingested into forecast computer models.When a drone sniffs out an approaching storm or some threatening disturbance, more vehicles will launch an intelligent swarm of drones that coordinate with each other on how best to interrogate that region of the atmosphere, gathering more data, still feeding the models.Smaller, expendable winged drones are dropped into the gathering storm, flying around in a controlled manner to collect even more samples before theyre ultimately destroyed.And all those measurements, combined with others taken by research aircraft, weather balloons or Earth-observing satellites, give meteorologists a fuller and more accurate picture of a weather threat, and people in its path the information they need to best respond to it.How long before this vision could become reality?Im trying to think how to say this without letting myself get too excited and make a false claim, said Chilson. It is going to take a while.Chilson has been doing cutting-edge research into drone use for meteorology at the University of Oklahoma for years. But unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, show promise in more than detecting, forecasting and tracking tornadoes, hurricanes or other severe weather.Their atmospheric data could be used by agri-businesses for better crop management, for instance, or to help firefighters detect shifts in the wind patterns of wildfires and keep out of harms way.And, if consumers ever expect to have two-hour drone delivery one day, its vital to know weather conditions close to the surface.There are a lot of opportunities, said Chilson. We just have to figure out how to grab the tiger by the tail and hang on.Chilson is set to talk about the potential for drones in meteorology at a free public presentation 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Virginia Air & Space Center, 600 Settlers Landing Road, in downtown Hampton.His appearance is part of the monthly Sigma lecture series sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center.Melody Avery, a research scientist at NASA Langley, recommended Chilson for the series.His pioneering work with UAS represents an important emerging technology for tackling the tough problem of getting enough weather data in the lower-most atmosphere, near the Earths surface, Avery said.His topic is especially timely, she said, because April is Earth Month.NASA Langley has been working for years to make drone flight safer, not only for automated weather measurements but over populated areas, which would help enable consumer drone deliveries.Its new Autonomy Lab for Intelligent Flight Technology, or ALIFT, serves as one test bed, and its test ranges include the City Environment for Range Testing of Autonomous Integrated Navigation, or CERTAIN.In meteorology, drones would fill an important data gap, said Chilson.Radiosonde instruments launch on weather balloons into the upper atmosphere twice a day, he said, but spend only about a minute in the boundary layer.And satellites offer data on winds, cloud tops, the location of storms and sea surface temperatures, but have no great capacity for sampling the lower atmosphere.The National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council, the National Science Foundation and the National Center for Atmospheric Research are clamoring for better data of the boundary layer, he said.Theyre not saying how these measurements should be obtained, said Chilson. They just say we definitely need these data, we put the charge to the research community to come up with a technology to get them.Chilson spent years on ground-based meteorology technologies, from radar to sodar, before landing on drones.Hurdles still remain the Federal Aviation Administration is cautious about allowing drones to fly too high or beyond line of sight or over populated areas, for instance.But the FAA does offer waivers for research, and his university partnered with Oklahoma State University and the universities of Kentucky and Nebraska on a $6 million, four-year project to develop ways for meteorologists to use UAS.Theyre kind of stretching their wings a little bit and going outside of their comfort zone, but in very regulated airspaces, said Chilson of the FAA.Oklahoma, Kentucky and New York already have mesonet towers distributed across their states that he says could serve as models for a national network.Who knows what might evolve in the next five years, Chilson said. But right now Im hanging a lot of hope on getting much more measurements of our lower atmosphere using this technology. We are very much in the pioneering stages of figuring out how we can take this to the next level. Every gun used in a crime has a story, a suspect and a victim, Sheriff Mike Williams said.Shell casings and the investment in new technology are telling some those stories, leading to new murder charges in two cases against a 21-year-old man already behind bars in attempted murder, Williams said.Jamin Lamar Tolliver of West 14th Street was initially charged March 6 with attempted murder and armed robbery after a 33-year-old man was shot in the neck Feb. 1 on Barnett Street, according to his arrest report. On March 25, police added a second-degree murder charge, then another one Wednesday, according to jail records.Jacksonville's ShotSpotter system, which targets gunshots in crime-ridden parts of town, led officers to two of those shootings. Then investigators used the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network) to track spent shells found at all three crime scenes to a handgun legally purchased by Tolliver, Williams said."This case illustrates how critical technologies that our city leadership has invested in these past few years are getting the anticipated results, and getting those results fast," the sheriff said.This a "remarkable" day as the synergy of these technologies did what they had envisioned, said State Attorney Melissa Nelson."A year ago these would have been three separate cases at the state lab, worked by three separate teams," she said. "And for months those teams would not have appreciated the linkages among these cases. That makes all the difference both in taking the shooter off the street very quickly, and in the prosecution of these cases as we go forward."The city's ShotSpotter system alerted officers to a 2:15 a.m. Jan. 25 homicide on Barnett Street, where 44-year-old Philip Lanear Gardner was found dead in the roadway from gunshot wounds, police said. No one called 9-1-1, and there were no witnesses, Williams said.But firing a gun leaves unique markings on its shell casings. Those found on Barnett Street were sent to the Sheriff's Office firearms laboratory to be run through NIBIN's database of spent bullet and cartridge case images from thousands of other law enforcement agencies.Then at 1:45 a.m. Feb. 1, ShotSpotter heard six gunshots at another section of Barnett Street, according to police. That 33-year-old survivor was found with multiple gunshot wounds and told investigators he had seen a red vehicle fleeing the area after he was shot, Tolliver's arrest report said. Again, no one called 9-1-1 to report the shooting, but shell casings were found and sent to the Sheriff's Office laboratory for NIBIN review."Within one business day, the casings from this shooting were linked to the murder from the week before," Williams said. "Additionally, our detectives and analysts were able to determine the shooting had been captured via a camera from our RealTime Crime Center and a physical description of our suspect was obtained."Then at 8 a.m. Feb. 6, a co-worker found 42-year-old Tom Wesley Daniels shot dead in his home on West 23rd Street, police said. Neighbors did report hearing gunshots earlier that morning, while shell casings linked to the previous shootings."In the course of just 13 days, the same gun had been used in three separate violent shooting incidents. Detectives working these three cases coordinated their efforts, and added evidence was processed," Williams said.Detectives found more evidence that led to Tolliver, and a March 4 search warrant served at his home found a gun "forensically matched" to the shell casings in all three shootings, Williams said. Two days later, Tolliver was arrested.Williams said they don't know if anything ties the victims together. The industrial park in Jiangsu province that was rocked by an explosion on March 21, leaving 78 people dead in Xiangshui county, was closed on Thursday by the municipal government of Yancheng. Jiangsu also will substantially reduce the number of chemical enterprises in the province, to below 1,000 by 2022, according to a draft plan issued for comment on Monday by the province. There were 7,372 chemical enterprises in Jiangsu in 2017. Among them, 6,884 primarily manufacture chemical products. About 187 people remain hospitalized due to the explosion last month at the Xiangshui Chemical Industrial Park, home to many chemical plants. Three employees of Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co, where the blast occurred, have been detained over the explosion. According to the draft, the reduction aims to optimize the chemical industry after the explosion and develop the industry in a safer and greener way. The move will focus on chemical production enterprises, including those within a kilometer of either side of the Yangtze River and its tributaries, in environmentally sensitive areas or urban areas with dense populations, and outside chemical industry parks, according to the draft. The investment threshold of startups in the industry would be more than 1 billion yuan ($149 million). About 1,660 small enterprises in Jiangsu will be re-evaluated and those not up to standards will be shut down, the draft said. The governments of Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong provinces and the municipality of Tianjin also have arranged a series of inspections to phase out potential hazards and pollution from chemical enterprises. Zhang Yansheng, chief researcher with Cinda Securities, who used to work at China National Chemical Corp, told Shanghai-based news site thepaper.cn that China's rivers have deteriorated fast, and the move is expected to relieve some environmental pressure on waterways. However, sudden suspensions of chemical production will cause shortages of certain products and lead to price increases, he said. "Local governments need to take more clear and farsighted measures to stabilize the chemical market," he said. Chemical plants' hours of operation were squeezed during winter's heating season, when their production was suspended to reduce their impact on air quality, Zhang said. "After the suspension, plants would have their staff members work around the clock to meet the deadlines for product delivery. That could easily cause accidents," he said. China's railway system will handle around 53 million passenger trips during the four-day Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, according to China Railway, the national operator. The company said on its website on Thursday that it expects to handle more than 13 million passengers daily from Thursday to Sunday, a 7.1 percent increase over last year's holiday. It added additional runs to meet the surge. China Railway's Beijing branch plans to add 170 runs during the four-day period on popular routes, including those linking Beijing with Shanghai and Guangzhou. It estimated that Chinese travelers would make about 4.8 million trips from Thursday to Sunday on lines run by the branch. In Nanjing, the local railway authority has put more trains into service. It said residents in the city would likely make about 340,000 trips by train on Friday. Other branches of the railway system have also launched more runs to handle the increase of holiday passengers. Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, fell on Friday this year. It is a traditional Chinese day on which people pay tribute to deceased family members, friends and national heroes. Chinese people have used the day for spring outings since ancient times. In recent years, the number of Chinese travelers, to both domestic and foreign destinations, during the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday has increased annually, and most of them travel by rail for some or all of the journey. For destinations within China, railways offer lower prices and more choices than airlines. At present, China operates more than 131,000 kilometers of tracks. That figure includes more than 29,000 km of high-speed rail, two-thirds of the global total. Last year, China invested more than 338 billion yuan (US$50 billion) in the construction of 26 new railways and opened new lines totaling 4,683 km, most of them high-speed. Nearly 3.4 billion trips were made on Chinese rail lines last year. Every day, an average of 5.5 million people use the nation's high-speed trains, accounting for nearly 60 percent of daily users of the country's rail network. The State-owned rail car manufacturer CRRC Corp, the world's largest train maker, had started developing a new-generation of bullet train that will operate at 400 kilometers per hour. In addition, CRRC is designing two types of maglev trains-a 600 km/h high-speed version and a 200 km/h medium-speed version. Designers said the company expects to put them into service sometime around 2021. More and more Chinese people abandoned the millennium-old ritual of burning joss paper as offering to their ancestors during this year's Tomb Sweeping Day. They're instead turning to more environmentally-friendly ways to remember their deceased family members and ancestors. Tomb Sweeping Day, which fell on April 5 this year, is a time for Chinese people to mourn the dead and worship their ancestors by visiting tombs and making offerings. Traditionally, these offerings involve burning incense and joss paper, also known as ghost money. But as Chinese people have become more aware of the importance of protecting the environment, this tradition has been fading away in some parts of the country and replaced with new rituals. In Longhua County in Heibei Province, for example, free chrysanthemums were distributed to local residents at 18 locations across the county. Local villager Wang Yulong says that the flowers are a more civilized way to remember the deceased. "Every family goes to worship their ancestors at their tombs on this day. In the past, people would burn joss paper or incense. Now they use flowers to worship them. It doesn't damage our environment, and it won't start fires. This is a good practice. Sometimes we need to change our customs and our ideas," Wang said. Flowers aren't the only new tradition becoming a part of Tomb Sweeping Day. Some people have remembered the deaths of their ancestors through the written word. This year, a funeral home in Tianjin set up a message wall in their yard. They encouraged visitors to write down their message for their loved ones in cards and tie them onto the vines growing on the wall. "This is what I wrote on my card: 'The dead is gone, but his family tradition remains. I hope you are well in heaven. We all miss you.' It's a very reserved way of saying it, but it's a great way to express how we feel," one of the visitors showed her card. Some younger Chinese people are choosing to leave a virtual offering for their deceased family members using one of the online platforms made for this purpose. Another way that old traditions have been changing is the move away from traditional burials. With graveyards across the country reaching saturation point, cremation is becoming an increasingly popular option, with people opting to have their ashes become a part of nature. A cemetery in the city of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province has buried the ashes of 9,000 people in a 200 square meter woods. The manager of the cemetery, Ye Zhengsheng, says this "monument free" burial can save a lot of land resources. "Three months after the tree burial, the ashes decompose naturally. We also offer lawn and flower beds burials. Last year, we buried more than 1,600 people this way. More than 60 percent of the burials were ecological burials," Ye added. So far over 20 thousand dead have been buried this way in Nanjing. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton wants to give Uncle Sam a new job. And this Uncle Sam would certainly be up for the task all 38 majestic feet of him. The iconic fiberglass statue that once greeted visitors to the long-running Danbury Fair is coming home this Thursday. Hes been up at a the Magic Forest family amusement park in Lake George, New York, since the Great Fair closed in 1986 to make way for the Danbury Fair mall. Hell be heading to a hangar at the Danbury Municipal Airport where the equivalent of a spa treatment to restore the luster awaits. Let me tell you about his new job, if all goes well. The Uncle Sam statue from the Danbury Fair could and should now greet visitors to Connecticut at the states Welcome Center off Exit 2 on I-84. The idea is brilliant. Boughton, a known problem solver, is also marketing savvy. Uncle Sam ties into the mayors bigger idea, which is to relieve the state of operating the Welcome Center. He mentioned this plan in his State of the City address to a sold-out crowd of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 7. It would be an economic development initiative, Boughton told me Friday. We would be able to offer the message that Danbury is open for business. As I wrote in a column Aug. 19, the message at the Welcome Center now is: Youre in Connecticut but dont even think about stopping. The building is closed from 3:30 in the afternoon until 8:30 the next morning. If a traveler heading east from New York needs relief, forget it most of the time. It was a penny-pinching move by the state Department of Transportation a year ago to close or limit rest stops and welcome centers in Danbury, Southington, West Willington, East Willington, Wallingford, Middletown and North Stonington. A traveler along I-84 would have to wait to cross the Rhode Island border theres not one full-time rest area on that highway traversing Connecticut. What does the state save? The pay of about a dozen state workers who maintained the facilities. In return, Connecticut is losing the goodwill of visitors. Yelp reviews confirm the impression. In my summer column I contrasted Connecticuts unwelcome centers with New Yorks, which showcase local produce. Cmon, Connecticut, we are better than that, I wrote. Boughton has been talking with DOT officials about the city leasing the Exit 2 Welcome Center for, say, $1 a year and then handling the operation. Each month a community organization could run it, Boughton said. Such as, Stew Leonards could do one month, and hand out maps of the area, or the Lions Club, the Rotary, the high school DECA club. It would be a terrific opportunity for the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut to showcase the work of local artists, who could sell their pieces. Other towns could participate; for example, goods from Sullivan Farm run by the New Milfords Youth Agencys could be offered. The possibilities are boundless. The DOT is unlikely to make a commitment before a new administration is in place next month. Ned Lamont becomes Connecticuts governor on Jan. 9. Let him know, let the DOT know, let your state legislators know, that Danbury could put the welcome back in the Welcome Center. And a towering Uncle Sam, on duty at the center, would become that iconic now-were-in-Connecticut landmark. Who wouldnt want to stop for a selfie, and perhaps purchase local produce and artwork? Make it happen. Contact Editorial Page Editor Jacqueline Smith at jsmith@hearstmediact.com This appeared in Saturday's Washington Post. - - - Singapore is fighting fake news - or is it fighting free speech? The line between the two is thin, and the island nation's proposed rules for regulation are a reminder that confronting misinformation can come with risks. Singapore's legislature is considering a bill that would require websites such as Facebook, Google and Twitter to run corrections next to "online falsehoods." Companies that failed to comply would have their profits "cut off," and individuals who knowingly communicated false statements that threatened the "public interest" would risk up to five years in prison and a $37,000 fine. Singapore's government says the regulations are necessary because the country's small size makes it especially easy for online rumors to exacerbate existing religious and racial tensions. Misinformation may well be dangerous in Singapore, just as it is proving dangerous worldwide. Singaporean officials have been using this ostensible danger as a pretext to quell dissent for more than half a century. The country claims the mantle of a multiparty democracy on the grounds that the government holds elections, yet it sues opposing politicians into bankruptcy, jails peaceful protesters and muzzlesjournalists. In this context, it is not surprising that Singapore has seized on the real problem of viral misinformation to push legislation that would allow government ministers to demand action against any false content that jeopardizes "friendly relations" with other countries, diminishes confidence in the government or puts "public tranquillity" at risk - all without defining what "false" is supposed to mean. Singapore's proposal is perilous in itself, especially because it could force social media sites to develop new software that might not be confined to one tiny country alone. But the trend of anti-misinformation laws - Russia passed one last month - is also a reminder that nations friendlier to free speech should take care not to tread on their citizens' rights as they struggle to grapple with online falsehoods. That includes Australia, which recently rammed through a law criminalizing the circulation of "abhorrent violent material," along with Britain, which is considering its own rules against "harmful content." And it includes, of course, the United States, where next week lawmakers will question technology executives over the spread of white nationalism on their platforms. Companies should be doing more to reduce the spread of unsafe posts on their sites, and governments are not wrong to want to know how they plan to make that happen. But as the United States has that crucial conversation, lawmakers should ensure they hew to this country's defining commitment to free expression. Officials here should also speak out to discourage other nations from responding to the menace of misinformation by strangling citizens' speech. The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) has helped over 30 million people since its establishment 30 years ago. The foundation has raised over 5.85 billion yuan (871 million U.S. dollars) in cash and in kind as of the end of 2018, according to sources with the foundation. The CFPA has leveraged the development of local industries to help improve people's income. It has spent 11.67 million yuan using e-commerce to help about 16,000 farmers sell their produce since 2015. About 59,000 people have benefited from local tourism development, while over 40.7 billion yuan has been offered as credit to finance farmers. The "Love Package," the most popular CFPA program, allows donors to mail care packages to help students in poor areas. The program has received 3.706 million pieces of individual donations and raised 677 million yuan as of the end of the end of 2018. LG is one of those brands who have a bad reputation with software updates. The company has so far rolled out Android Pie for only two smartphones - G7 One and G7 ThinQ. However, this South Korean phone maker plans to release the latest version of Android for four smartphones by June this year. LG has shared a list of smartphones that it plans on upgrading. The list includes V30, V30S ThinQ, V35 ThinQ, and V40 ThinQ. There's no specific order to this, and neither do we have any exact dates for the rollout. It's also worth noting that this schedule pertains to LG's home country South Korea, which means users of these phones in other regions should expect to get the update later. Source (in Korean) | Via Haiti - Security : The UN and the US confident that the PNH can provide security without international intervention Front the United Nations Security Council on April 3, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix expressed confidence in the ability of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) "to manage security risks without international operational support." "We support the Haitian leaders' desire to put an end to peacekeeping in Haiti and have the MIJUSTH mandate end in October this year, as well as their wish that the Haitian authorities take full responsibility for the country's security and all related obligations. We have confidence in the ability of the Haitian National Police to manage security risks without international operational support. The United Nations would continue to provide strategic advice for the institutional development of the HNP and for the strengthening of its logistical capabilities, including through bilateral assistance." In his statement Ambassador Jonathan Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the United States Mission to the United Nations, abounds in the same statement : "[...] As the report of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres 'unless there are mounting challenges to the governments capacity to respond to the crisis, the HNP will be able to fully assume responsibility for security and protection of Haiti by 15 October 2019' The United States shares this assessment, and notes that it reflects the will of the Government of Haiti to conclude the peacekeeping operation by that time. [...] In this broader context, we encourage the President of Haiti and elected representatives to work together, in accordance with Haitis constitution, to form a new government to serve the Haitian people as soon as possible. We continue to support a constructive and inclusive dialogue among government leaders from across the Haitian political spectrum, civil society, faith-based organizations, and the private sector to find lasting solutions to the current political and economic crisis." At this meeting, the members of the Security Council, on the whole, reaffirmed their commitment to continue to support the authorities and the people of Haiti in finding adequate and lasting solutions to the country's major difficulties. The main concerns included the climate of violence perpetrated by armed gangs. Council members and others said that it was important to ensure, among other things, the forthcoming fair and democratic parliamentary elections in the country, the strengthening of the main State institutions, including the police. Haiti, and the establishment of a constructive and inclusive dialogue between Haitians. SL/ HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : The Episcopal Conference denounces the indifference and inertia of the public authorities In a note, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti, said to have learned with great sorrow the sad news of the death of 15 of our Haitian brothers in the waters of the archipelago Turks and Caicos, Sunday, March 31, 2019 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27349-haiti-shipwreck-end-of-the-search-14-survivors-15-dead-4-missing.html The Episcopal Conference recalls that it had already raised the voice on February 2, when thirty of our compatriots had died off the Bahamas https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26837-haiti-flash-toll-rising-at-least-28-haitians-die-drowned-off-the-bahamas-update.html a drama that had attracted the attention of the international community including Pope Francis who had prayed for the victims and for Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26866-haiti-shipwreck-in-the-bahamas-message-of-pope-francis-to-the-families-and-the-haitian-people.html "[...] we express our sincere gratitude to all those who have been involved in rescue operations launched after the sinking, in order to save the survivors. We turn to families afflicted and affected by these endless griefs to present our deepest sympathies and assure them of our closeness, our prayers and our solidarity. Unfortunately this kind of tragedy has become commonplace since the degradation of the Gourde and security conditions in the country. These shipwrecks and the ensuing deaths do not stop the wave of those fleeing the country in search of a better life and a more dignified life." The Episcopal Conference recalls that since the end of 2017, it has not ceased to raise its voice to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the alarming situation of life in Haiti. In July 2018 she unsuccessfully urged the Government to take appropriate measures to stop the escalation of violence and hunger "[...] but they did not pay attention. We strongly deplore and denounce the disconcerting and unacceptable indifference and inertia of public officials to the plight of these too many Haitians who live daily with hunger and fear guts. This is why they perish at sea trying to reach the United States of America, or other countries, on makeshift boats because the country is no longer a path of hope for them, but a path of death. [...] so many times, we have urged them to take concrete measures to relieve the misery of the people, to change their lifestyle; but so far, they do as in the past. Thus the socio-economic situation continues to deteriorate terribly and indescribable distress. We are legitimately outraged at this scandal. [...] Haitians ! [...] We can not let our country go to the abyss without reacting [...] Let's do something to save Haiti today! Tomorrow it will be too late maybe. May Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Patroness and Protector of Haiti, come to our aid in our distress and in our efforts to make things change!" See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27349-haiti-shipwreck-end-of-the-search-14-survivors-15-dead-4-missing.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27338-haiti-flash-sinking-in-a-sea-infested-with-sharks-at-least-14-haitians-dead.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24746-icihaiti-turks-and-caicos-islands-102-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-off-providenciales.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24539-haiti-social-29-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-by-the-population-of-providenciales.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24451-haiti-social-new-waves-of-haitian-migrants-on-the-turks-and-caicos-islands.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22423-haiti-flash-two-other-survivors-of-the-sinking-found.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20851-haiti-social-the-body-of-15-shipwrecked-repatriated-to-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17006-icihaiti-social-54-haitians-intercepted-off-the-coast-of-providenciales.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13089-haiti-social-risk-his-life-at-sea-migrants-testify-video.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Textile : Jovenel Moise talks to S&H Global On Friday, President Jovenel Moise met with the members of the Board of Directors of the South Korean textile company S&H Global SA established in the Industrial Park of Caracol, which decided to continue its expansion in the Dominican Republic and not in Haiti... Discussions focused on the management of the Industrial Park, the minimum wage, the cost of electricity and jobs... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27347-haiti-flash-koreans-in-caracol-transfer-their-extension-projects-in-dr.html Payment of salary arrears to the police Thursday, on the sidelines of a workshop in Petion-Ville, the Prime Minister ai Jean Michel Lapin announced that the Ministry of the Economy, would pay under 8 days the 6 months of salary arrears to all police officers of the 29th Promotion, stressing that this measure was part of the accompaniments envisaged by the resigning Government to make the police more effective ! Profit abuse of banks "Banks in Haiti make profits of 25%. Their margin is very high and they miss out on their financial intermediation mission [...] These big profits are done to the detriment of the customers. An association against bank abuse is needed," said economist Eddy N. Labossiere. Export of Haitian products to Taiwan On Friday, a working session brought together the Investment Facilitation Center (CFI), the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Embassy of Haiti in Taiwan (Republic of China) and members of the private business sector on the opportunities for exporting Haitian products to Taiwan. Jacmel : New Children's Book Arrivals New arrival of children's books at the library of Alliance Francaise de Jacmel. Thanks to help from the French Embassy in Haiti, these books will circulate in the South-East, in many schools including the Management Department of the Preschool Centers of Jacmel (SGCPJ) for interventions delivered to young schoolchildren. They will also be available for consultation and loans to the media library. France : did you know ? The Embassy of France in Port-au-Prince, supports since November 2018, 6 professional associations of women working in the agricultural and agro-food sectors, in the departments of Artibonite, Grand'Anse, South and Southeast. These associations are distinguished by their territorial roots, their good practices of participative management and their capacity to work for a sustainable agricultural development of Haiti. Among them, the organization "Fanm Deside" which organizes training workshops in agro-ecology for the women of Marigot and Cap Rouge in the department of South-East. HL/ HaitiLibre Flash Switzerland said Friday that it had signed an agreement to represent the interests of the United States in Venezuela, under a "good offices" accord between the two countries. The Federal Council, Switzerland's cabinet, said in a statement that the agreement was signed in Bern on Friday by foreign minister Ignazio Cassis and the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland Edward McMullen. The arrangement needs Venezuela's approval before coming into effect, said the Federal Council statement. "This mandate offers Switzerland an opportunity to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions between the two countries and thus play a constructive role in safeguarding regional stability, a stability that is also in the interest of Venezuela's neighbors," said the statement. This representation of interests concerns mainly consular services for U.S. citizens in Venezuela. The statement said Venezuela would examine in detail Switzerland's mandate, and if it is formally accepted, the Swiss protecting power mandate will then come into effect. "Swiss diplomacy has a long tradition of representing foreign interests, whereby it covers partial consular services and sometimes also diplomatic tasks for countries that have broken off relations if requested by the States in question," said the statement. During the Second World War, Switzerland represented the interests of more than 35 states, which led to over 200 individual mandates. Switzerland currently holds six such mandates, representing the United States in Iran; Russia in Georgia; Georgia in Russia; Iran in Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia in Iran, and Iran in Egypt. Until 2015, Switzerland also represented U.S. interests in Cuba and vice versa. A RIVERSIDE restaurant is to revert to serving Italian cuisine, writes James Burton. Don Giovanni at the Leatherne Bottel, off Spring Lane, Goring, will open at lunchtime on Sunday, serving an afternoon buffet and taking donations to charity. The business will be managed by Erasmo Santelia, 28, under the guidance of his father Antonio, 57, who owns the Rossini Italian restaurant in Wokingham. It was previously run as Rossini at the Leatherne Bottel by Maurizio Vajana, a former business partner, but shut last summer. Sally Albin, who had worked for the business as a marketing and IT consultant, took over in July and changed the menu to mostly British food but then closed the restaurant in November. Sir John Madejski, the Reading FC co-chairman who owns the building, asked Mr Santelia Snr if he wished to take over and he accepted. His son, who was managing a restaurant in Italy, flew home to help. Mr Santelia jnr is now living at the premises and has spent weeks refurbishing it. The restaurant will serve dishes from the Amalfi coast, where his father is from, and will have an outdoor cocktail bar. It will have six kitchen staff initially and six more working front of house. Mr Santelia Jnr said: Dad was born in the restaurant trade and Ive been his pupil all my life. We have a really close relationship and Im determined to make him proud. I was attracted by the huge potential of the business and Im very familiar with Goring its an absolutely beautiful village. It has been a lot of hard work with plenty of late nights but everythings going well. We want guests to feel like theyre being welcomed into someones home. The previous owners wanted to make it high-class and, while we certainly dont want to bring it down, we dont want people to feel intimidated as it will be very relaxed. Mr Santelia Snr said: Im pleased to be here in Goring and delighted that Erasmo is taking charge as he is very capable. Flash At least 83 people were injured on Friday during clashes that broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers near the fence of the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said in a press statement that the Israeli soldiers, stationed on the border, fired dozens of tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and live gunshots at the demonstrators. He said that 83 demonstrators were injured, most of whom were taken by ambulances to the hospitals for medical treatment, adding that dozens were slightly injured and treated by paramedics in the field. Friday's demonstrations were part of the weekly anti-Israel protests, better known as the "Great March of Return," which started on March 30 last year. Earlier on Friday, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political bureau chief, said that "our people will not stop the march until the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip is lifted." Earlier this week, Israel eased the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007, when it expanded the fishing area off the enclave's coast from 6 nautical miles to 15 miles as part of an Egyptian-brokered calm understanding. Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar have been mediating between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to reach calm on the border between the coastal enclave and Israel. Gaza Health Ministry officials said that 271 Palestinians have been killed, including 57 children, and more than 30,000 injured by Israeli soldiers' gunfire since the start of the "Great March of Return." Arrest was at Terminal One A one-legged war veteran was arrested at Dublin Airport after staff thought he was legless drunk, a court has heard. Libyan Mouftah Nezar Ellihidy, of Annally Terrace, Ongar, Clonsilla, was maimed during conflict in his homeland. The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to breach of the peace, being intoxicated in public and obstruction and assault of an authorised officer at Terminal One last January 29. Wrecked The business student also admitted criminal damage inside a garda car and to a mattress at Ballymun Garda Station. However, a judge has given him a chance to avoid a criminal record and a sentence after noting the "unusual circumstances" of his arrest. Dublin District Court heard evidence that Ellihidy began spitting when gardai were called and arrested him. Things escalated, and he wrecked a mattress in a garda station cell. Defence solicitor Colleen Gildernew said her client was very apologetic. She also said he had lost a leg during the war to topple Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and later lost some fingers as a result of an IS bomb blast. On the day of his arrest he had packed his crutches in his baggage. He drank one glass of wine that reacted badly with his medication, the solicitor said, and the airport staff thought he was intoxicated and offered him a wheelchair, which he declined. The situation escalated and gardai were called. He now had a scholarship from the Libyan government to study in Ireland. His family were doctors living in Turkey. The solicitor said the airport staff assumed Ellihidy "was legless drunk as opposed to being actually legless". The student was sorry, Judge John Brennan noted. He described Ellihidy's behaviour as "purely appalling", while accepting he was a patriotic veteran who had suffered. Judge Brennan said it seemed unusual that one glass of wine led to this behaviour, and clearly the accused cannot mix alcohol. Ellihidy had no previous convictions. The judge remanded him on bail to appear again in June and bring 260 to court to pay for the damage, plus 400 to be donated to charity. The judge will strike out the case if Ellihidy complies. Barry ODonoghue will be sentenced next week for the horrific assault on his former partner in his Dublin home A man kicked and punched his partner in a vicious assault at his Dublin home while telling her "tonight is your execution", a court has heard. Barry O'Donoghue (38) will be sentenced next week for assault causing harm and threatening to kill Kerrie Gamble at his Drimnagh home between October 20 and 21, 2016, after being found guilty at a trial in February. Yesterday, Dublin Circuit Court heard evidence how O'Donoghue pulled the woman back into the house following an argument at the property and proceeded to assault her. During a prolonged attack the court heard that: l O'Donoghue kicked his partner in the head as she was curled up in a ball on the floor. l He told her "tonight is your execution" and that she could choose how she wanted her life to end. l Ms Gamble, who believed she was going to die, fears O'Donoghue will follow through with his threat when he is released from prison. The court was also told that Ms Gamble had to have surgery on her eye and have an eyeball pulled forward to match her other eye due to the force used in the attack. O'Donoghue, of Mourne Road, Drimnagh, but originally from Carlow, told her he had planned the attack and that she was going to die. Evil Gda Keith O'Brien, of Sundrive Road Garda Station, gave evidence that at around 6.30pm on October 20, 2016, O'Donoghue arrived at the house on Mourne Road and a confrontation took place. He started to punch Ms Gamble at the bottom of the stairs and shouted that she was "only ever evil" to him. O'Donoghue then picked her up and took her into the kitchen where he continued punching and kicking her. Gda O'Brien said a neighbour made contact and "there was a stay in the ordeal". O'Donoghue left the address for a short period, and Ronan Prendergast, prosecuting, said "it was suggested in evidence she was locked in the shed and afraid to leave". O'Donoghue then returned to the house and told Ms Gamble "tonight is your execution" and made references to how this would be carried out. "He was asking Ms Gamble if she would wish to be shot and in respect of what size gun and in respect of what ammunition would be used," Gda O'Brien told the court. While issuing the threats, O'Donoghue was holding a bread knife and a tea towel, which the court heard made the threats to kill "credible". The attack then continued, and O'Donoghue began punching and kicking Ms Gamble, while also assaulting her with a dessert spoon and a paper towel dispenser. On October 24, 2016, O'Donoghue was arrested and questioned over the assault, but he continued to deny he had intentionally assaulted Ms Gamble. A letter of apology was yesterday handed into the court, which was read by Ms Gamble, who said: "I don't buy it." In her victim impact statement, she described how she fears O'Donoghue will follow through on his threats when he is released from prison. "I consider the night of October 20 as the night I should have died and I genuinely don't know how I made it out alive that night," Ms Gamble told the court. "I live in great fear of his revenge on me for bringing it this far. "I do not believe he will let go of his plan to get back at me. I never see myself free from looking over my shoulder because of him." She described the extensive physical damage from the assault, which left her with two black eyes, nerve damage to the left side of her face and requiring surgery to unblock an eye muscle. Ms Gamble also needed to have an eyeball pulled forward to match the other, as it had gone in due to the force used in the attack. She described how crowds now made her panic, and she believes people could be after her on behalf of O'Donoghue. She said she had a recurring nightmare in which she saw her gravestone with the date October 20, which then disappears and she hears O'Donoghue's voice telling her he would bury her where no one would find her. After hearing evidence, Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the sentencing until next Friday. The maximum sentence for assault is a prison term of five years, while the maximum sentence for threatening to kill is 10 years. At his trial in February, a jury found O'Donoghue guilty of assault causing harm and threatening to kill Ms Gamble at his home in October 2016. He was found not guilty of two further charges of false imprisonment and making threats to kill on the same date. O'Donoghue has been held at Cloverhill Prison since being found guilty after his bail was revoked. He had no previous convictions, and Gda O'Brien said that two charges relating to a search of his home had been dropped. These, the court heard, were linked to the incident in October 2016. Breffni Gordon, defending, said his client came from an "impeccable background" in his early years. Ashamed He said the court could infer this would be O'Donoghue's "last offence" due to his age and his lack of any previous convictions. Mr Gordon told the court that O'Donoghue had expressed that he was ashamed of his behaviour and that it became public. "At the trial of this offence, Mr O'Donoghue approached the situation by robustly defending his position, to a point where Ms Gamble had to give evidence," Mr Gordon said. "She was forced to relive the events of this particular night and that, in a sense, judge, contrasts with his position today." Flash The Labour Party, the main opposition in Britain, on Friday accused the British government of failing to offer real change or compromise during the talks to end the current Brexit deadlock. A Labour spokesperson said in a statement that "we are disappointed that the government has not offered real change or compromise." The statement came at the end of the talks between British Prime Minister Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, which started on Wednesday. The previous talks failed to result in a breakthrough although the two sides agreed to further discussions in a bid to put an end to the Brexit stalemate. "We urge the prime minister to come forward with genuine changes to her deal in an effort to find an alternative that can win support in parliament and bring the country together," the statement said. The statement from Downing Street is not available at this moment. With five days to go before the prime minister must travel to Brussels to request a further Brexit delay from European Union (EU) leaders, little progress was reported to have been made on finding a compromise deal both the government and the Labour Party could back. EU leaders will meet to decide on whether to give Britain an extension -- and how long it could be -- on Wednesday night. Britain is currently due to leave the EU on April 12 and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by British lawmakers. Labour wants Britain to remain a permanent member of a customs union with the EU, which would mean zero customs tariffs and a single joint trade policy. However, the Tories want to leave the customs union so that Britain can strike unilateral trade deals. The Friday talks ended just hours after May wrote to Donald Tusk, the European Council president, to ask to delay Brexit until June 30, this year so that British MPs can agree a withdrawal deal. However, Tusk has been formally telling officials from member countries to endorse a much longer extension -- until March 31, 2020. Also on Friday, a poll result revealed by the Sky News said that a quarter of the British public would boycott European Parliament elections if they happen in Britain in May. Some 26 percent of the surveyed British people said that they would sit out the elections in protest, while 47 percent said that they would vote in them, according to the data. Meanwhile, 17 percent admitted that they would not vote in them anyway. Rapist Eoin Berkeley has been separated from other inmates in the Midlands Prison One of Ireland's most reviled sex offenders has been moved to a special isolation unit after he issued chilling death threats to a prison officer, the Herald can reveal. Eoin Berkeley (25) is serving a 14-year sentence after he admitted abducting a teenage Spanish student from Dublin city centre and raping her repeatedly over a 21-hour period. He was put in an isolation unit of the Midlands Prison after he subjected a prison officer to "brutal abuse and serious threats" earlier this week. Twisted Berkeley has been in the Co Laois facility since July 2017 when he was sent there after being charged in relation to the rape, which led to calls for reforms to bail laws. Vicious Prison sources said Berkeley has been disciplined on six separate occasions while inside, but his verbal assault on the prison officer - who had been investigating if he had been involved in a vicious assault on another inmate - has been his most serious breach to date. Expand Close Midlands Prison / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Midlands Prison "He's in the isolation unit and will remain there for a number of weeks and he'll miss out on other privileges as well," a source said. There was outrage when it emerged that in the two months before Berkeley raped the student on July 15 and 16, 2017, he had been charged with four separate offences, ranging from criminal damage to public order, and was freed on bail each time. He was granted bail despite evidence that he had breached his conditions many times. In one case, he was charged with damaging bins outside a pub in an area of Dublin that a judge had banned him from visiting. He was also recorded on the garda system as being in the same city centre area at least four times, presenting gardai with further potential opportunities to revoke his bail. At Dublin Circuit Court last November, Berkeley, of Hampton Wood Way, Finglas, admitted raping the student at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site, Pigeon House Road, on three occasions between July 15 and 16, 2017. Mr Justice Michael White said the crimes were premeditated and the nature of the rapes was particularly degrading. The judge said Berkeley's threats to kill the young woman were "blood-curdling". He noted there were 19 separate incidents of violence or threats of violence during her ordeal. He imposed concurrent sentences of 14 years for each rape offence. Berkeley was also the chief suspect in a double hammer attack nine years ago that left two women with fractured skulls and holes in their heads. Homophobic A young woman who survived the attack in a tower block in Ballymun in 2010 has said gardai identified Berkeley as the chief suspect, but he was never charged in that case. Berkeley had previously faced criminal damage charges in relation to an incident in which homophobic graffiti and a swastika were daubed on the facade of The George, a well-known gay bar in Dublin city centre, on May 20, 2017, but he was later cleared of this. A Dublin fitness fanatic who underwent a life-saving heart transplant is about to embark on a gruelling 21km adventure race for the third time. Father-of-two Ken Mulkerrins (40) has proved that donor recipients are capable of extraordinary feats after operations. He will take part in a Quest Adventure Race in Glendalough today which involves a 12km cycle, 8km run and 1km swim. The Lucan man, who spoke to the Herald in Organ Donor Awareness Week, said that he was always into sport and fitness - despite being born with a congenital heart disease. As a baby he underwent successful open-heart surgery, which made a huge difference to his childhood and meant he could enjoy sport like his peers. "I enjoyed a normal, active childhood and was always passionate about sport," he said. "For almost 10 years I competed as a member of the Irish Freestyle Kayaking Team. "However, in 2001, my health took a nosedive when I was struck down with Weil's disease, a bacteria which I caught from kayaking in the Liffey." After undergoing a successful operation, Mr Mulkerrins fell ill once again in 2015 - diagnosed with end-stage heart failure. Bleak "I was told that I would need a heart transplant. This was a very worrying and bleak time for me and my family as my heart continued to get weaker. "I was called seven times about a potential donor heart, and seven times it emerged that the heart was incompatible. Finally, on the eighth occasion, we had a match," he said. Following his operation, the Dubliner says his road to recovery has been incredible, adding: "I feel more energetic now than I ever did in my life." The Irish Kidney Association has urged people to talk to their families about their organ donation wishes. Flash U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that he is confident that there will be a third meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un. Pompeo made the remarks in an interview with the CBS TV network. He did not specify on any concrete timetable about the next meeting, only saying that he hopes it could occur soon. "We came out of Hanoi with a deeper understanding of each other, the positions that the two sides had. The two leaders were able to make progress in that respect," he added. The top U.S. diplomat also noted that the diplomatic channels are still open between Washington and Pyongyang. The DPRK-U.S. talks on the Korean peninsula denuclearization have advanced little after the second summit between Kim and Trump in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi ended without an agreement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who is scheduled to visit Washington next week, said Monday that Pyongyang and Washington have shown their determination to continue the dialogue by managing situations stably so as not to increase tensions as seen in the past. Earlier last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said at a press conference that no one should expect the Korean Peninsula issue to be resolved in just one day, and the key is to take into account the legitimate concerns of all parties in a balanced way and consolidate mutual trust and gradually gather consensus. Flash The number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) spiked this week, surpassing the 1,000 mark, a UN spokesman said on Friday. "The World Health Organization (WHO) says a marked increase in the number of Ebola cases in that country took place this week, highlighting the difficult environment and the multitude of challenges confronting the response to the outbreak," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "There have been 1,041 confirmed cases reported, including 629 deaths," Dujarric told reporters at a regular briefing. "Some 338 patients who received care at Ebola treatment centers have now been discharged." "The WHO, working under the government's leadership and in collaboration with other agencies, says teams are working to build community trust and scale up the response in these areas," he said. "The agency reports that a recent shift in the response strategy to promoting greater engagement and ownership by affected communities is beginning to produce results." Raids on Ebola virus treatment centers by "non-state actors," have been reported since the latest outbreak of the deadly disease in August, which further inhibited skeptical local people from seeking aid, including use of a vaccine for high-risk subjects, WHO has said. Crash involving three tractor-trailers, vehicle, closes I-81 Southbound Interstate 81 in Washington County has been closed following a crash involving three tractor-trailers and a vehicle. Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif, who is currently in the Maldives, has shared a picture from her work-vacation with her team, and has tagged her friends as her best people. Katrina is seen striking a pose with make-up artist Daniel Bauer and celebrity fitness instructor Yasmin Karachiwala in the picture. Katrina is in the Maldives for a new project. My best people... Couldnt do much without you, she wrote. She also shared a few close-up pictures of herself. Daniel also shared a different picture from their work-vacation, and wrote, Team Time! Katrina is seen in white in the pictures. Katrina recently crossed 20 million followers on Instagram and she thanked fans for all the love with a video that she posted on the photo-sharing app, in which she can be seen wearing a red top and blue denim shorts, running on the beach. The actor has completed shooting for Salman Khan-starrer Bharat, in which she replaced Priyanka Chopra. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat will be Salman and Katrinas sixth film together after the two spy films Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai, Yuvvraj, Maine Pyar Kyu Kiya and Partner. The trailer of Bharat will be attached to the Hollywood action film Avengers: Endgame, which hits theatres on April 26. Bharat is an adaptation of Korean war drama, An Ode To My Father and is produced by Atul Agnihotri. It also features Tabu, Disha Patani, Jackie Shroff and Sonali Kulkarni. Also read: Is this how Salman Khan, Katrina Kaifs Bharat ends? Details from films climax leaked I have enjoyed the learning process for Bharat, which was shot on a tight schedule. I have been reading a lot of scripts. I am looking at a some material that I want to develop, Katrina said in an interview last month. Salman and Katrina will also team up for a special song in Katrinas sister Isabelles debut film, Time To Dance. Follow @htshowbiz for more In the introduction to his collection of essays called Sadhana, Rabindranath Tagore says,In these papers it may be hoped Western readers will have an opportunity of coming into touch with the ancient spirit of India as revealed in our sacred texts and manifested in the life of today. In the first essay, Tagore describes the Indian mind: [It] never has any hesitation in acknowledging its kinship with nature, its unbroken relation with all. The fundamental unity of creation was not simply a philosophical speculation for India. But where do we find the influence of that ancient spirit in todays India? Where do we find that Indian mind at work? Isnt it the Western mind, which Tagore said seems to take a pride in subduing nature, that guides India today? In this election, parties set out plans to develop India. India needs development, it needs economic growth. But what sort of development, what sort of growth, and at what cost? Is the fact that the shortest way between two points is a straight line sufficient justification for forests to be hacked down to construct roads and railways? Do rivers have to be denuded of sand and stones, and mountains brutally laid bare to provide construction material when there are renewable materials available? Then there is the carelessness with which successive governments have wasted the bounty of nature. One reason for the Indian minds kinship with nature was the natural beauty Indians were surrounded by. Yet no party has bothered to curb the ugly urban spread and the unplanned rural ribbon development that disfigures India today. The sacred status of Indias rivers is evidence of the respect the Indian mind had for them, yet through sheer carelessness they have become filthy. The pollution of Indias rivers has led to a chronic shortage of drinkable water. According to the global non-profit organisation, WaterAid, over half the population live in areas of high water stress. Yet I recently came across an innovative scheme, designed by an Indian mind respectful of nature, to supply clean water, which is in danger of being destroyed by carelessness. The trial scheme is the brainchild of the physicist, Vikram Soni. He took me to the Palla floodplain of the Yamuna on the border between Delhi and Haryana. There I saw pumps drawing clean water from the underground aquifers of the river to supply Delhi. The water is potable. The aquifers are replenished by the rains and the monsoon floods but it is essential to see that the water level in them never goes below the level in the river. If it does, the polluted river water will flow into the aquifers polluting them forever. The floodplain water is one of the last unpolluted water sources for the country as a whole and should be urgently protected. So what did I find on the Palla floodplain? Equipment meant to monitor the water level in the aquifers through a system of sensors was not working. Strawberries and marigolds were growing in the fields whereas agriculture needs to be restricted to less thirsty crops like vegetables . Sewage is flowing into pits and leaking into the aquifers. Now the Delhi government has announced that it is going to dig 70 more wells on the floodplain in this area without consulting those whose research created the project. So the implementation of a scheme to evolve a nature-friendly answer to development needs is carelessly neglected. If widely implemented on floodplains and used sustainably, it could provide drinking water to 500 Indian cities or towns. On the other hand, even more nature-unfriendly dams and a river linking plan are being planned. Promises are being made in the election campaign to listen to the concerns that have been expressed about the Arunachal Pradesh dams, but if the past is anything to go by, when the tumult and the shouting dies down there will be no change. Yet again the Indian mind is ignored , and the Western tradition of subduing nature is followed. The views expressed are personal The leaders of our major (and minor) political parties are currently crisscrossing the country in search of votes. Exactly a 100 years ago, in the spring of 1919, another leader was also touring different parts of India. It was four years since Mohandas K Gandhi had returned to his homeland. He had organised protests by peasants in Champaran in 1917 and Kaira in 1918; and also led a satyagraha of mill workers in Ahmedabad. Now he was launching his first pan-Indian movement aimed at an oppressive piece of legislation known as the Rowlatt Act, that sought to criminalise dissent and to try alleged dissenters without juries and in camera, with the press and the public excluded. On February 8, 1919, Gandhi wrote to an Indian colleague that the Rowlatt Bills were not a stray example of lapse of righteousness but evidence of a determined policy of repression; therefore, civil disobedience seems to be a duty imposed upon every lover of personal and public liberty. The same day he wrote to a South African friend: The Rowlatt Bills have agitated me very much. It seems I shall have to fight the greatest battle of my life. In the last week of February 1919, Gandhi hosted a meeting of patriots at his ashram in Ahmedabad. Here a Satyagraha Pledge was drafted. Its signatories resolved to court arrest unless the Rowlatt Bills were withdrawn. Meanwhile, Gandhi also wrote to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, asking him to withdraw the bills, since even the most autocratic [Government] finally owes its power to the will of the governed. The Viceroy refused to withdraw the Bills. Gandhi now travelled with his Satyagraha Pledge across the country, seeking support and signatures. He visited Lucknow, Allahabad, Bombay, and Madras, as well as many smaller towns. He was preparing his growing band of followers for a major, countrywide, show of defiance, scheduled for Sunday, April 6, 1919. At the time, Bombay was the epicentre of Indian nationalism. So Gandhi chose to lead the protests in that city himself. He arrived at the Chowpatty beach by 6.30 am. His admirers bathed in the sea and then came and sat around him. By 8 oclock, there was a huge mass of people assembled on the sea face. One reporter estimated that 150,000 were present Mahomedans, Hindus, Parsis, etc., and one Englishman. In his speech, Gandhi condemned the recent police firing on satyagrahis in Delhi, and then asked the crowd to endorse the resolutions asking the Viceroy to withdraw the Rowlatt Act, these sent weighted with the blood of the innocents of Delhi and the promise that we shall continue to suffer by civil disobedience till the hearts of the rulers are softened. The Rowlatt Satyagraha was the first genuinely all-India upsurge against British colonialism (the Rebellion of 1857 had left large parts of the country untouched). Notably, while the scale, intensity and character of the protests varied enormously, one feature was constant: the display of Hindu-Muslim harmony. Thus, while terming the satyagraha a splendid success, an Urdu weekly published in Bombay noted that the governments passing of the bills had united the Hindus and the Musalmans like sugar and water, although these two communities once stood apart from one another owing to the long-standing differences between them. Meanwhile, a newspaper in Karachi observed that the port town had closed its shops and centres of business: when did such a stupendous thing happen before in the history of the city? The paper further commented: One was impressed at yesterdays function with one soul-stirring fact the disappearance of communal, parochial and sectarian impulses. They were Hindus, Muhammadans, Parsis, Khojas, Jains, yesterday; but they all felt they belonged to one community the Indian; they all felt there was the One Religion in various religions, the Religion of Self-respect, the Religion of guarding Indias rights for the service of Humanity. The Rowlatt Satyagraha is the subject of great interest to historians of Indian nationalism and to biographers of Mahatma Gandhi. (Interested readers may consult Ravinder Kumars edited book, Essays in Gandhian Politics, which brings together well researched case studies set in different parts of India.) However, the Rowlatt Satyagraha is also of some contemporary relevance, for the fraternity that it manifested is worth recalling and rehabilitating in our own divided times. I have quoted newspaper reports that testified to how, during the course of the Rowlatt Satyagraha, Indians set aside their differences of creed and community. Let me now quote the leader of the movement itself. During the course of the movement, Gandhi asked Indian nationalists to take this vow: With God as witness we Hindus and Mahomedans declare that we shall behave towards one another as children of the same parents, that we shall have no differences, that the sorrows of each will be the sorrows of the other and that each shall help the other in removing them. We shall respect each others religion and religious feelings and shall not stand in the way of our respective religious practices. We shall always refrain from violence to each other in the name of religion. The spirit of inter-community solidarity that so strikingly suffused the Rowlatt Satyagraha was less visible in later movements led by Gandhi. This was a fact he recognised, and mourned, and his own last years were devoted to recovering that spirit. Now, a 100 years after Rowlatt, we must press our leaders to do likewise. India would surely be a much safer and happier place if the politicians now on the campaign trail were to abide by the spirit of Gandhis noble vow of April 1919. Ramachandra Guha is the author of Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World. The views expressed are personal Bihar Board Matric Result 2019: Around 16 lakh candidates who had taken the Bihar Board matric examination will be able to check their results after it is declared by BSEB chairman Anand Kishor after 12.30 pm on Saturday. Candidates who do not have access to computers or cyber cafes can check their result on mobile by following simple steps. Candidates can check the live updates of the Bihar Board matric result today at hindustantimes.com. BIHAR BOARD matric RESULT 2019: HOW TO CHECK YOUR RESULT ON MOBILE Visit the official websites of Bihar Board at biharboard.ac.in or biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in or www.bsebbihar.com on your mobile. Click on the link flashing on the homepage that read- Bihar Board matric result 2019. If you face any difficulty in accessing the homepage, go to your settings option on Google Chrome.You will get an option of DESKTOP SITE. The desktop site option is given to convert your smartphone browser into computer- like browser. The mobile browser sometimes is unable to open few sites. However, when you switch to the desktop site option you will be able to use it just like your computer. Touch the check box to switch in to Desktop friendly site. After you click on the Check box, your mobile browser will be desktop friendly and you will be able to access the website of Bihar Board result. Then, a login page will open Fill in your Roll number and Roll Code Click on Submit Your result will be displayed on screen This will be the first ever time that Bihar Board will declare the result within 36 days of conducting the exam. This year, the exam was conducted between February 21 and 28. Earlier, the Bihar Board results were declared in the month of May while in 2018, the result of BSEB matric exam was declared on June 26. The matric or Class 10th examination result 2019 of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will be announced at 12:30pm on Saturday. Students who are anxiously waiting for the result will know their marks soon when BSEB chairman Anand Kishor and additional chief secretary of Bihar Education Department RK Mahajan will Jointly declare the BSEB Class 10 results. The Bihar Board Class 10 result 2019 will be uploaded online at bsebonline.org and bsebresult.online Heres how to Check Bihar Board 10th Result 2019 Log on to the any of the websites mentioned above Click on the link for BSEB Class 10 Results 2019 Key in the required details Your BSEB 10th examination results will be displayed on the screen Download and take a print out for future reference Note: Visit the official website of Bihar board for latest news and updates. The Bihar board matric examination was held between February 21 and 28, 2019 at 1418 examination Centres in the state. This year 16,60,609 students registered for the BSEB matric examination in the state, out of which 8,37,075 were girls and 8,23,534 were boys. After grand increase in the pass percentage and first divisions in the intermediate examinations, 2019 of the Bihar school examination board (BSEB), expectations are high about a repeat in the class 10 board exam results. With nearly 25 lakh students failing in class 10 and 12 board exams in 2017-18 in the State, the teachers, the board as well as the government were under relentless attack from the opposition over quality of education in schools. Last year also, there was increase in the pass percentage, which reached 68.89 % from an abysmal 50.12% in 2017 and 53.33% in 2016. However, in 2015, the pass percentage was 75%. But phenomenal jump in the result in intermediate this year has raised hopes of a much improved performance in class 10 board also. Besides, early results would mean more opportunities to the students. Top 10 rank holders to get cash rewards Candidates who are ranked between 4th to 10th will also get a laptop and Rs 10 thousand cash rewards For the first time, BSEB prepared 10 different sets of question paper to ensure a fair exam Besides, 50% of questions were objective type and step marking system was introduced in evaluation so that the students can score good percentage and dont face difficulty while getting admission in good colleges, Kishor said. Bihar Board has set a record by declaring the results quickly The board has itself developed customized computer software for marks feeding. For the first time, Bihar Board arranged pre-printed examination copies with bar code and litho code to eliminate any chance of error. All 173 evaluation centres were equipped with computers for direct entry of marks, which saved time, Anand Kishor said. Bihar Board 10th students can apply for scrutiny Students can apply for scrutiny between April 9 and 18 while compartmental forms will be available from April 11 till April 16, said Anand Kishor. 3.1 lakh students failed A total of 3,14,8134 students have failed the examination this year while 179 results are pending, which used to be in thousands before No girl figured in top 10 merit list No girl figured in the merit list this year. Last year, all the toppers were girls from SAV itself. In 2016, Simultala Awasiya Vidyalyas 107 student scored over 90% In 2016, a total number of 107 students from this school scored higher than 90%. Not only this, in the year 2015, SAV had created a history by giving 30 toppers out of the list of 31 toppers. Besides, 89 students scored more than 90% in the exam. Heres how Ronit Raj studied for the board exam I never took tuitions and relied solely on self-study. I believe it is the right way for building a solid foundation for bigger things. It brings the requisite clarity, Ronit Raj said, reiterating his resolve for taking a shot at the civil services exam. 2nd topper Ronit is son of a teacher Raj, son of a teacher, also nurses the ambition to make it to the all-India civil services, the 2019 results for which were incidentally declared by the UPSC only the previous day. Second topper Ronit Raj secured 96.6% Ronit Raj, a resident of Seor village in Nawada district, has secured 96.60% to rank second in the merit list that has Sawan at the top with 97.25%. Topper Sawans father had given 3 tasks to him I had given him three tasks in life keep yourself healthy, maintain high values and gain quality education. He has imbibed it, Sawans father Onkar Bharti said, barely able to hide the pride of a doting parent, with his homemaker wife Shabnam Kumari on his side. Topper Sawan Raj Bharti is son of a farmer Born in farmers family, Sawan Raj Bharti, a resident of Rajaun Bazar in Banka district, spent his childhood in penury. His father Onkar Bharti recalls how the meritorious boy had to carry out his initial schooling at a local school for want of resources. In 2017, Sawan was selected for admission in Simultala, he said. Bihar Board topper Sawan Raj Bharti aims for UPSC Swan Raj Bharti now aims to focus his energy on cracking the coveted Union Civil Services Examination. I want to become an IAS officer for serving people. I will work hard to achieve my goal, he says. In 2018, toppers were from SAV In 2018 also, all the top three positions were occupied by girls. Prerna Raj from SAV topped the board exams while Shikha Kumari and Anupriya secured second and third position respectively Here are the toppers of Bihar Board 2019 This year Sawan Raj Bharti from SAV scored 97.25% and secured the top position in the state while his schoolmate Rounit Raj with 96.6% and Priyanshu Raj with 96.2% bagged second and third position respectively. . Simultala Awasiya School has been producing toppers for last 3 years This is not the first time that the students have brought laurels to the school. The school has been producing toppers for the last three consecutive years. Out of 18 students, 16 are from SAV Out of 18 students, whose names figured in the merit list, 16 are from Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya, Jamui, Bihar. 3.1 Lakh candidates failed in Bihar Board 10th exam 2019 3,14,813 students failed this year. Toppers to get laptop and Kindle e-reader Top 3 rank holders will get laptop and kindle along with the cash prize. Toppers will get a scholarship fo Rs 1 Lakh 1st rank holder will get a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while 2nd and 3rd rank holders will get Rs 75 thousand and 50 thousand, respectively. 5.4 lakh candidates passed in second division 5,56,131 candidates qualified the Bihar Board exam with second division 2.9 lakh candidates bagged first division 2,90,666 candidates qualified with first division which is abobve 60% Candidates can check results on bsebresult.online Candidates can check Bihar Board 10th result 2019 on bsebresult.online Press Conference concludes The press conference has concluded. BSEB chairman Anand Kishor wished for a bright future of the candidates. BSEB 10th Results 2019: No girl in top 10 list This year, none of the female candidates are in the top 10 merit list. Top 5 rank holders are from Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya Top 5 rank holders are from Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya. Sawan Raj Bharti scores 97.2%, become state topper Savan Raj Bharti is the state topper with 97.2% marks. Savan is a student of Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya. Step-based marking, 50% objective questions improved results This year, there were 10 sets of questions. 50% objective questions and step-based marking helped improve the results. Customised softwares used for evaluation Computerised evaluation and marks entry, customised computer software and many other technical advancements used for Bihar Board made it possible for quick and error-free evaluation, said BSEB chairman. Bihar Board Results declared: 179 results pending This year only 179 results are pending, which will be declared soon. This number is much less compared to last year Bihar Board 10th Result 2019: 80.73 pass percentage A total of 80.73% candidates have qualified this year. BSEB 10th result declared BSEB 10th result declared. BSEB chairman Anand Kishor and RK Mahajan upload the result. BSEB officials arrive, press conference begins BSEB officials arrive, press conference begins Bihar Board results will be declared after 1 PM According to sources, Bihar Board results will be declared after 1 PM now. Officials have not arrived yet. Bihar Board 10th result announcement delayed BSEB matric result announcement is delayed. Officials have not arrived yet. They are expected to arrive anytime soon. Result can be declared anytime soon Bihar Board results can be declared anytime soon. BSEB officials are yet to arrive. Media persons waiting for BSEB officials to arrive for the Press Conference Media persons are waiting for BSEB officials to arrive for the press conference. They are expected to arrive in next few minutes BSEB Press conference to begin in next 15 minutes BSEB officials are on their way to the press conference. PC will begin in 15 minutes. Bihar Board results will be declared at 12:30pm Officials yet to arrive BSEB officials are yet to arrive.They will begin the PC at 12: 30 pm Media persons arriving at press conference Media persons have started arriving at the press conference that will begin at 12: 30pm This year, BSEB will declare the results very early This time , the class 10 board exams had ended on February 28. Board sources said the results would be released within the next few days. Things are in an advanced stage and thus BSEB could declare the results early. Just one hour left! The wait is coming to an end. Just one hour left for the Bihar Board matric result to be announced. Early results would mean more opportunities Phenomenal jump in the result in intermediate this year has raised hopes of a much improved performance in class 10 board also. Besides, early results would mean more opportunities to the students. BSEB scrutiny application for Class 12 papers going on Bihar Board intermediate students, who are not happy with their results, can apply for the scrutiny of their answer sheets now. The last day to apply for scrutiny in April 12, 2019. Anand Kishor will announce the name of state topper BSEB Chairman Anand Kishor will announce the name of Bihar topper in the press conference at 12: 30 PM Just 90 minutes left! Candidates are anxiously waiting for the Bihar Board class 10th results 2019. Results will be declared in one and a half hour. BSEB is all set to declare the Class 10 results BSEB is all set to declare the Class 10 results in next 2 hours. Candidates are anxiously waiting for the results. Improvement in Class 10 results expected After grand increase in the pass percentage and first divisions in the intermediate examinations, 2019 of the Bihar school examination board (BSEB), expectations are high about a repeat in the class 10 board exam results. Bihar Board pass percentage of class 12 results improved drastically In year 2018, the pass percent of class 12 exam was 52.97 while this year in 2019 it rose up to 79.76% BSEB has already declared the Class 12 results BSEB had declared the Class 12 board exam results last Saturday on March 30. BSEB 10th exam was conducted from February 21 and 28 The Bihar board matric examination was held between February 21 and 28, 2019 at 1418 examination Centres in the state. 8.3 lakh girls and 8.2 lakh boys had registered for Board exam This year 16,60,609 students registered for the BSEB matric examination in the state, out of which 8,37,075 were girls and 8,23,534 were boys. Physical verification of toppers is done before declaring results BSEB does a physical verification of top 10 rank holders before declaring the result. The top 10 rank holders are called for a live test and interview under supervision of a panel especially created for the physical verification of toppers. BSEB had created a WhatsApp group, control room to monitor exam BSEB chairman Anand Kishor had earlier told that to monitor the exams, in addition to a WhatsApp group, a 24X7 control room was made. In the WhatsApp group all the district magistrates, district education officers and district nodal officers were attached. Keep your roll number, roll code ready Candidates are advised to keep their roll number and roll code handy which will be required to check the BSEB 10th result. Candidates should keep their admit card ready. Candidates can check their results at the official websites of BSEB The Bihar Board Class 10 result 2019 will be uploaded online at bsebonline.org and bsebresult.online 3 hours to go! Candidates who are eagerly waiting for the Bihar Board matric results will have to wait for three more hours. The result will be declared at 12:30 PM. In 2017, the pass percentage was 50.12 BSEB declared the results of more than 17 lakh students who appeared in the matriculation or Class 10 exams in 2017. The pass percentage was 50.12%. Last year the pass percentage was 68 In 2018, the pass percentage of Bihar Board matric exam was 68.89%. This year the pass percentage is expected to improve. The result will be uploaded online before the press conference As soon as BSEB chairman Anand Kishor arrives at the press conference, he will upload the result jointly with RK Press conference will be held at BSEB office premises in Patna The press conference will be held at BSEB office premises in Patna at 12: 30 pm BSEB chairman Anand Kishor will address the media today BSEB chairman Anand Kishor with RK Mahajan of education department will address the media today at 12:30 pm Just 4 hours left! Around 4 hours are left for the declaration of result. BSEB chairman will declare the result at 12: 30 pm today Evaluation process began on March 8 The Bihar Board had started evaluation process on March 8, 2019. BSEB will declare the result within 29 days BSEB will declare the result within 29 days after evaluation process. This will be the first time that BSEB will declare the matric result in April This will be the first time that Bihar Board will declare the Class 10th exam result in the April. Last year the result was declared on June 26. Bihar Board 2019 exam: 162 candidates were expelled This year 162 examinees were expelled for using unfair means in the examination and 55 persons impersonating as candidates were arrested . BSEB matric result will be uploaded online Bihar Board Class 10th exam result will be declared online and candidates can check their result on the official websites of Bihar Board at bsebonline.org and bsebonline.org BSEB chairman Anand Kishor to address a press conference today Chairman of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Anand Kishor will address a press conference today at 12:30pm after which he will jointly declare the result with RK Mahajan, chief additional secretary of Bihar education board. 16.6 lakh candidates were registered A total of 16, 60, 609 candidates were registered for the BSEB matric examination. These 16 lakh candidates are eagerly waiting for the result. Bihar Board Class 10th exam results to be declared today Bihar Board Class 10th exam results will be declared today at 12:30 pm Basking in the new-found glory after Congress president Rahul Gandhi chose Wayanad as his second constituency, the north Kerala district notched up another distinction when Sreedhanya Suresh (25) became the first tribal woman from the state to crack the civil services examination. Hailing from Kurichya community, she secured 410 rank in the 2018 civil service examination. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others congratulated Sreedhanya. Sreedhanya fought the social backwardness and passed the civil services examination with flying colours. Her achievement will inspire other students in future, he tweeted. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also congratulated the young achiever. Wayanad being Rahul Gandhis Kerala constituency, the Congress president took to Twitter to congratulate Shreedhanya Suresh. Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanyas hard work & dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great successs in her chosen career. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 6, 2019 A zoology student her optional subject for mains was Malayalam literature. She was born and brought up in a Kurichya hamlet near Kalpetta. Sreedhanyas father is a daily wage farm labourer and mother is also a worker under MGNRAEGS. I am from the most backward district of the state. Even though there is a large tribal population in the district there are no IAS/IPS officers from here. I hope this will be an inspiration and motivation to the future generations, she said. She cracked the examination in her third attempt. She completed her graduation from St Joseph Devagiri and post-graduation from Calicut University. Since her ranks is 410 she is unlikely to get IAS or IPS and she will choose revenue or railway services, her friends said. Other Keralites who got top ranks in the examination are Sreelakshmai (rank 29), Ranjana Mary Verghese (rank ranks 49) and Arjun Mohan (rank 66). Out of 759 cleared the examination 577 are male and 182 females. Twenty five from the state emerged victorious this time. A 25-year-old security guard of a private hospital was stabbed to death on early Friday morning allegedly by another security guard of the same hospital in Sector 9, said the police. According to the police, the reason for the alleged murder has not yet been confirmed. However, the police suspect that victim may have been murdered because of personal enmity between the two.The police are conducting raids at suspected locations to arrest the accused. According to the police, the incident took place around 5 am on the third floor of the hospital on New Railway Road outside the Intensive Care Unit(ICU), where the victim, Jugal Kishore, was standing guard. The police said that the five CCTV cameras installed in the hospital recorded the attacker entering the hospital from the main road through the main gate and stabbing Kishore. After the incident, the accused, identified as Naufil Anwar of Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, fled from the spot. Since the accused was wearing the uniform of the hospital, he was not intercepted by the security guards standing at the main gate. In the footage, Anwar is seen walking towards the hospital with a knife and entering the hospital premises, after putting the dagger in his trousers pocket. He is then seen climbing the hospital stairs with slight difficulty as he tries to hide the dagger in the pocket . He is then seen going up to the third floor and dragging the victim across the stairs. Two minutes later, they are seen in a scuffle, which ends with the accused stabbing the victim multiple times, leaving him dead. The camera of the hospital has also recorded the accused fleeing the spot after the victim fell down, said Shamsher Singh, assistant commissioner of police (crime). Despite repeated attempts the hospital management did not respond to calls. Although more than 10 people had gathered at the spot, no one came forward to help the victim despite his repeated cries for help, said the police. Singh said the accused told other guards while coming down that he had stabbed a guard in hospital and they should call the police. Around 5.30 am, the police control room received a call that a man has been murdered in the hospital, after which a police team from city police station went to the spot and shifted the body to the mortuary. The victim had been deployed in the hospital for the last eight months by a private agency. A native of Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr, he had been living in the city for over two years in a rented room near the hospital. The accused lived in a rented room near the Sadar market and had been working in the hospital for the last five months. Dr Yudhvir Singh, the forensic expert at the Civil Hospital, who conducted the post-mortem examination, said that the victim died due to excessive bleeding, shock and haemorrhage. There were 15 stab injuries on his face, chest, stomach and hand. A 19-year-old girl, who went missing early on Friday morning, was found dead with stab injury wounds in Poosarippatti near Pollachi town in Coimbatore district on Saturday, said police. Police is suspecting it to be a case of murder after sexual assault. Locals of Poosarippatti village noticed the dead body and informed us. We came to know that a missing complaint was received in Kattur police station. Hence, we invited the complainant to identify the body. The complainant confirmed that the deceased was his daughter, said a senior police officer with Coimbatore district police administration. We are investigating the case to identify whether it is a rape and murder case or just a murder over one-side love as the girls parent engaged her for marriage. There are many stab injuries on girls body, the official added. The officer further said that the girl was studying the second year in a private college at Coimbatore. The girl who left for college on Friday did not return home. So, her parents lodged a complaint at Kattur police station, the officer added. The victims body was sent to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. A seven-year-old boy who had been battling for life at a hospital near here after being brutally assaulted by his mothers partner a week ago, succumbed to his injuries Saturday, doctors said. Doctors at the private medical college hospital at Kolenchery said the boy, who was on ventilator support,stopped responding to medicines and his heartbeat stopped at 11.30 am. On learning of the childs death, leaders of political parties and members of the public reached the hospital to pay their last respects to the boy. Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly Ramesh Chennithala and candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls also visited the hospital. Police booked the accused Arun Anand (36), arrested soon after the killing, under Section 302 of the IPC. The debris from Indias March 27 anti-satellite test poses no danger to the International Space Station (ISS) and other space vehicles and will decay in a few weeks, Indias top military scientist said on Saturday, seeking to allay US concerns that the debris may pose a threat to space assets. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief G Satheesh Reddy said the test, codenamed Mission Shakti, was planned at the lowest possible orbit to ensure there was no threat of debris to any global space asset. The chosen orbit was nearly 120 km below the ISS track. A near head-on engagement was planned to reduce the probability of debris going to higher heights, Reddy said in a detailed media briefing on the A-SAT test. He said the interceptor missile could have killed a satellite at a height of more than 1,000 km but India intentionally chose to demonstrate the capability in a low earth orbit at a range of less than 300 km to avoid the threat of collisions in space due to the debris. Reddy said the risk from the debris was highest in the first 10 days of the launch, a period that lapsed on Saturday, adding that all of it would be gone in the next 35 days. The 19-tonne A-SAT missile struck a Microsat-R satellite orbiting 283 km above the earth with pinpoint accuracy, propelling India into an elite space club consisting of the US, Russia and China. Extensive simulation before the A-SAT test covered all aspects related to debris and ruled out the possibility of it hitting the ISS or other space assets, Reddy stressed. On Monday, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine called Indias A-SAT test a terrible, terrible thing, claiming it had left 400 pieces of debris and increased the risk of ISS being hit by 44%. That is a terrible, terrible thing, to create an event that sends debris into an apogee that goes above the ISS, he said at a town-hall style meeting with employees of the US space agency. NASA has decided to resume cooperation with its Indian counterpart, Indian Space Research Organisation, reversing a recent decision to suspend it over orbital debris resulting from the March 27 test, as reported by HT on Saturday. Last week, the state department said it took note of the Indian governments statements that the test was designed to address space debris. Several statements have come from the US but Washingtons position is reflected in the state department statement, said deputy national security adviser Pankaj Saran, who also took questions from journalists at the DRDO briefing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with preparing a draft space doctrine to set the protocols for operationalising the new capability, as reported by HT on March 29. Reddy said that space had acquired great importance in the military sphere and the best way to defend was to have deterrence. This is a deterrent capability, he said, adding it was possible to strike multiple satellites if multiple launchers were available. Reddy said there was no need for India to conduct any more tests in the 300-km orbit. He said of the 150-plus scientists who were part of Mission Shakti, around 40 were women. He said the first discussions on the A-SAT weapon testing started in 2014 before detailed presentations were made to the Prime Ministers Office two years later. The final countdown for the test began in January when the 740-kg Microsat-R was put in space as a target for the interceptor missile. Asked to comment on reports on an allegedly failed test conducted by the DRDO on February 12, Reddy clarified that it was a ballistic missile test against an electronic target and such testing had been done regularly under Mission Shakti. On Congress leader P Chidambarams accusation last week that only a foolish government would announce such secret capabilities, Reddy said such testing cant be kept under the wraps as the satellite was tracked by several stations across the world. Asked if the government had sought the Election Commissions permission for Saturdays media briefing, a government spokesperson replied in the affirmative. Unidentified militants on Saturday shot and killed a soldier at point blank rage close to his house in north Kashmirs Warpora village. The soldier, who was on leave, was identified as Mohammad Rafiq Yatoo. The police said he was shot around 5:30 pm when unidentified gunmen opened fire on him near his house. Yatoo was taken to a hospital, but he died of the injuries he suffered in the shooting. Soon after the killing, the army and police launched a search operation in the area. A fortnight ago two militants were killed in the same village in an encounter with security forces that lasted two days. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the killing. A police spokesman blamed Kashmiri militants for the murder. He was with the army and was at home on leave. A case has been registered and police is investigating the circumstances of this terror crime, the spokesman said. Yatoo had come home on leave five days ago. He was posted with 52 Rashtriya Rifles, which is deployed in north Kashmir. Officials said that he had joined the army seven years ago. Kashmiri militants have often targeted army soldiers. In June last year, Aurangzeb, a soldier with 44 Rashtriya Rifles, posted in south Kashmirs Shopian district was abducted by militants and his bullet-riddled body was found 10 kilometers away from the place where he had been seized. Aurangzeb, a resident of Poonch in Jammu, was on way home to celebrate Eid when he was abducted and killed. In March, suspected militants shot dead Showkat Ahmad at Pinglena in Pulwama. Ahmad had been declared a deserter by the Army after he left his training midway last year. On March 9, family members of Yasin Bhat, of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, foiled an attempt by militants to abduct him from his house in village Qazipora of Budgam district after they scuffled with militants who had barged into their house. In May 2017, militants kidnapped and then killed Lt Umar Fayaz at Hermain Shopian where he had gone to attend the marriage cermony of a cousin. In November 2017, a territorial Army jawan, Irfan Ahmad Dar, who was on leave, was abducted and killed by militants in an apple orchard close to his house at Sazan, in Shopian. The Tamil Nadu government on Friday released an official notification that Chennai Central railway Station has been officially named after former state chief minister and ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(AIADMK) founder MG Ramachandran. With the new gazette notification, the Chennai Central railway station will be hereafter called as Dr. MG Ramachandran Chennai Central railway station. As per the no objection received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India dated on March 9, 2019, the name of Chennai Central railway station situated in Chennai, Chennai district, Tamil Nadu shall be changed as per the following schedule from the date( April 5, 2019) of issuance of this notification, the TN governments gazette reads. Since it has been the year-long demand of AIADMK, Prime minister Narendra Modi who came for a BJP election rally in Kancheepuram last month had promised that the Chennai Central Station will be named after Dr. MG Ramachandran. It is also noted that opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalins brother and estranged DMK leader MK Alagiri had written a letter to PM Modi in March 2018, demanding to rename iconic Chennai Egmore Railway Station after his father and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. However, the union has not responded on Alagiris demand. A Tamil Nadu Special Police Service constable was dismissed from service after he was allegedly found transporting mobile phones for inmates at the high-security Mandoli prison in the national capital. The TSP (8th battalion) are tasked with providing security to the Tihar and Mandoli prisons and the sacked cop, Anbarasan, from Sivaganga district, was posted on duty at Mandoli, housing over 3700 inmates. The Central Reserve Police Force are also part of the security cover. Confirming the sacking of Anbarasan, Additional DGP (Armed Police), M Shakeel Akther said the constable has been relieved from service. Following a tip-off, searches carried out in the prison cells resulted in the seizure of cell phones from some inmates. We zeroed on the constable and he confessed to the offence. The constable has been summarily dismissed from service under Article 311 of the Constitution, Akther said, adding that further investigation is on. Rarely invoked, Article 311 provides for either demotion or removal of government servants on the ground of misconduct leading to conviction or criminal charge. He has not been remanded and it is not required. Further action will be taken after the inquiry, Akther maintained. According to a TSP official, the cop could not have acted alone since the prison has a multi-layer security arrangement. As such, the inquiry is to identify others involved in this and how long this was going on, he added. The dismissed cops mobile phone conversations reveal that he was operating for quite some time. Scrutiny of CCTV footage showed Anbarasan hiding the mobiles in his shoes, the official said. Audio clips of the conversations of Anbarasan with the associates or relatives of inmates clearly show the cop demanding bribes for smuggling mobile phones, tobacco products and other banned objects. According to sources, the constable who had made his batch mates believe that he doesnt know Hindi is seen speaking the language fluently in those tapes. To facilitate smuggling, he operated during night shifts. In one of the conversations, Anbarasan says the bribe amount was short by 5,000. He is also heard telling him that for 25,000 tobacco cant be taken inside together with other things. The Mandoli prison complex, built to reduce the pressure on Tihar and Rohini prisons, has advanced security features. Last year, photographs of a convict at the Puzhal Central Prisons in Chennai living a life of luxury with TV and other modern comforts created a furore in Tamil Nadu. It has led to the clamp down in the high-security prison. An over ground worker (OGW) of the Jaish-e-Mohammed has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the December 2017 CRPF group centre attack in Lethpora, the National Investigative Agency said Saturday. The accused has been identified as Syed Hilal Andrabi, 35, of Ratnipora, Pulwama. An NIA spokesperson said Andrabi is an active OGW of the proscribed terror group JeM. He is a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF Group centre, Lethpora before the terrorist attack, he said. His arrest comes six days after JeM Commander Nisar Ahmed Tantray, another accused in the case, was brought to India from the UAE. The probe has revealed that Tantray masterminded the CRPF camp attack. He said after the arrest of Andrabi, the total number of accused arrested in this case has risen to four. Three accused were earlier arrested for being a part of the conspiracy, including Fayaz Ahmad Magrey, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and Nisar Ahmed Tantray. The United States defence department on Friday said it was not aware of any investigation that was conducted to ascertain if Pakistan had lost an F-16 in a dogfight with Indian fighter jets on February 27, contrary to a report by a news publication that had gone on to say, citing unidentified defence officials, the count revealed none was missing. Foreign Policy magazine reported Thursday that US defence personnel conducted recently a physical count of Pakistans F-16s and found all intact, none missing. It attributed the finding to two unidentified senior US defence officials and said the count was conducted at the invitation of Pakistan.. A US defence department spokesman told Hindustan Times in a statement that they, the department, werent aware of any investigation like that, that was said to have been conducted, according to unidentified defence officials cited in the FP report, and referred this reporter to the Department of State. Also read: India says Pak F-16 was shot down in Feb dogfight, refutes US media report The state department distanced itself from the news report saying in response to a direct request to confirm or deny it, As a matter of policy, the Department does not publicly comment on details of government-to-government agreements on end-use monitoring of US-origin defence articles. And it went on to reiterate its stated policy on Pakistan: It is important to note that since January 2018, the United States government has suspended security assistance to Pakistan. US governments position appears to be in line with India, which in the backdrop of the attack, has reaffirmed its account of the downing of the Pakistani F-16, citing electronic signature as evidence. During the aerial engagement that followed, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down one F-16, Air Vice Marshal RGV Kapoor said Friday, The Indian Forces have confirmed ejections at two different places on that day. These were separated by at least 8-10 kms. One was an IAF MiG 21 Bison and the other a PAF aircraft. India had scrambled its fighter jets to respond to a Pakistan air force intrusion into Indian airspace on February 27. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was flying a MiG 21 Bison, got a lock on a PAF F-16 and shot it before his own aircraft was hit, forcing him to bail, according to Indian officials. The wing commander landed in Pakistan and was captured by Pakistans armed forces. Pakistani aircraft, on the other hand, fell in Pakistan, India has said and circulated pictures of one of its pilots and it has also said it knew the pilots name. Also read: India shot no F-16, all of Paks planes intact: US report India has also complained to the United States that Pakistan used American-supplied F-16s in the attack in a possible infraction of the memorandum of sale of the aircraft, and handed over evidence, pieces of an AMRAAM (advanced medium range air-to-air missile) that Pakistani fighter jets had used in the dogfight no other Pakistani air-force aircraft can fire these missiles. The United States routinely inspects defence equipment sold by its companies to foreign countries, as part of their respective end-use agreements. Pakistan, for instance, is prohibited from flying F-16s out of the country without notifying the United States in advance, according to sale agreement. Foreign policy magazine cited a senior US defence official to say the physical count was conducted at the invitation of Pakistan. And it took a while because not all aircraft were immediately available for inspection due to the conflict. The report went on to quote an unidentified senior defense official, all aircraft were present and accounted for. It cited a second official, who knew of the count, to say no Pakistani F-16s were missing. The count included F-16s that Pakistan had acquired from Jordan under third-party transfer the report said, adding that they were subject to the same end-user agreement and its rules. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India will not allow its differences with China to turn into disputes. Saying that each country has its own independent strategy, PM Modi said in an exclusive interview to Hindustan, a sister publication of Hindustan Times, that Indias foreign policy is in the best interests of India. Answering a question on China being hostile and whether more needed to be done with the neighbours, he stressed that though India and China have a border dispute, the two countries also have a political relationship, we respect each other. Click here for full interview As far as bilateral relations between India and China are concerned, we have mutual understanding as well as differences. There are differences, there is acceptability also. But we will not allow differences to become disputes, he said. He said that whenever there is a problem at the higher level (in the relationship between the two countries), the solution is also worked out. Therefore, multilateral issues should not spoil the bilateral relationships, he said. Also Read | PM Modi defends government, record on jobs, growth Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Pulwama terror attack has proved Indias stand that Pakistan was in the business of exporting terror to India and that the world was now standing beside India in its fight against terror. Pulwama has convinced the world that what India says is right. Because of that, the entire world supported us when we conducted the air strikes, PM Modi said in an exclusive interview to Hindustan, a sister publication of Hindustan Times. He said there was a time when only Russia was standing with India on the international stage, while the rest of the world was backing Pakistan. Click here for the full interview. After five years (of the BJP government in power), only China is with Pakistan and the rest of the world is with India, he said. Even after Uri, I publicly said that my soldiers blood will not go in vain. After Pulwama, I had said that they had made a big mistake. The action that followed was the desire of the common people, he asserted. Saying that India knows well that the BJP government and Modi have a zero tolerance policy against terrorism, he stated, As far as the fight against terrorism is concerned, Pulwama or before Pulwama; even when I was the chief minister (of Gujarat), or now; both the BJP and I have the same view. Responding to a question regarding Pakistan on whether there was a possibility of a dialogue with the neighbouring country, Modi said that even before he was sworn in as prime minister, he had reached out to the prime minister of Pakistan. When I was not even the prime minister, I had not taken the oath then, I had called the prime minister of Pakistan to attend the oath ceremony, only for the sake of our country... I had given a message that yes, we will go to a decisive stage. After that I went to Lahore, he said. But he said, even after that, such things (terror attacks) happened. So, why does the world believe me? The world has seen that Modi has taken initiatives to shake hands. I wanted to explain to the world that it was I who went ahead on the path of friendship and I am also fully prepared to tackle any hostility. The world trusts Modi. Pakistan did try very hard, but I put it in the dock, he asserted. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the four senior police officers transferred by the Election Commission on Friday was at the behest of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. While she made the allegations at two election rallies in north Bengal, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, This is only the beginning. More officers will be transferred because they are the ones who conduct polls for the Trinamool Congress. If the BJP thinks that by transferring my officers they would make me weak, they are mistaken. Those who have replaced these officers are also my officers. They cannot put me down so easily. The more you try to harm me, the stronger I will become, Mamata Banerjee said at a rally in Kalchini in north Bengal. The BJP has submitted a list of 51 administrative and police officers who are performing poll duties in 26 Lok Sabha constituencies to the election commission accusing them of acting as TMC cadres. Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha seats. This list (of officers who were removed on Friday) is just the beginning. More will be coming shortly. No police officer who is tainted, corrupt and a lackey (of the ruling party) would be allowed to participate in the election process, said Dilip Ghosh, while conducting campaign in Malda district. We want that the EC should deploy central forces in sufficient numbers, and remove all officers, including cops, who played partisan roles in the past so that people get the confidence to come out and vote, said Congress Rajya Sabha MP and past president of Bengal Pradesh Congress Pradip Bhattacharya. In a letter to the Bengal chief secretary on Friday, the EC ordered immediate removal of Kolkata top cop Anuj Sharma, Bidhan Nagar police commissioner Gyanwant Singh and the superintendent of police of Birbhum district, Shyam Singh, and P S Selvamurugan, the superintendent of Diamond Harbour police district. The EC letter also said that compliance report must be filed within 24 hours. Diamond Harbour happens to be the constituency from where Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek Banerjee is contesting. Opposition leaders have frequently alleged partisan behaviour against the administration in Birbhum district, where, in May 2018, the ruling party won all 42 zilla parishad seats without a contest. The poll panel appointed Rajesh Kumar, additional director general, Pollution Control Board, as the Kolkata Police commissioner. Natarajan Ramesh Babu was appointed the commissioner of Bidhan Nagar Police, Avannu Ravindranath the police superintendent of Birbhum district and Shrihari Pandey, the superintendent of Diamond Harbour police district. Anuj Sharma and Gyanwant Singh were among a few police officers seen by the side of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, when she started a dharna at Esplanade in Kolkata on the night of February 3 to protest the attempt by a team of Central Bureau of Investigation officers to enter the residence of former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar to question him on his alleged involvement in the Saradha ponzi scam. Other senior officers seen at the spot, along with the chief minister, included director general of police, Virendra, and former Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar. While Virendra remains DGP, the state government, on February 19, had appointed Kumar the additional director general of police and inspector general of police in the CID. The Union home ministry took a stern view of the presence of the senior police officers at the chief ministers sit-in and in the first week of February wrote to the Bengal chief secretary saying the officers had violated provisions of the All India Service Conduct Rules. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran and former Union minister Shanta Kumar on Saturday questioned the age limit of 75 years set by the party for contesting election. I feel age can be a norm but cant be the sole criterion for contesting elections, Shanta Kumar said while addressing a press conference in Himachal Pradeshs Dharamshala on the BJPs 39th foundation day. Shanta Kumar, who is one of the founder-members of the BJP, is among the party veterans who have been overlooked by the BJP for the Lok Sabha election. Other senior BJP leaders including LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and even Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan are out of electoral race in the parliamentary polls. The 84-year-old leader, however, also said that once the BJP leadership has taken a decision it should be accepted by all. He also denied that he was willing to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The BJP veteran said he had conveyed to the party about his decision long ago. Pained over Shotgun quitting BJP Reacting to Shatrughan Sinhas decision to quit the BJP and join the Congress, Shanta Kumar said it is very-very painful for him to see his old friend switching sides. I tried hard to convince him, asked his wife Poonam Sinha to talk to him but she too is now likely to contest against Union home minister Rajnath Singh. Its painful for me, said Shanta Kumar. Sinha, who joined the Congress earlier in the day, attacked the current BJP leadership saying the senior leaders like Advani, Joshi, and Mahajan are being ignored in the party, which he said is a one-man show and two-man army. Sinha also criticised the BJP leadership for setting a 75-year age bar on contesting elections. Shanta Kumar, on the other hand, refused to comment on tickets being denied to Advani and Joshi. He also refused to be drawn into the controversies surrounding former BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, who have led frontal attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shahs style of functioning. On Advanis blog, Shanta Kumar said the party patriarch has given something for the party for self-introspection. Given the devaluation in politics, each party needs to introspect, said Shanta. Concerned over Swami Ramdevs silence The former Union minister also expressed concern over silence of Yoga Guru Ramdev, who openly supported the BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He is a swami in real sense who made Swadeshi a mass movement. However, his silence is worrying me. I dont know why he is angry, he said adding, When I meet him, I will tell him of his old statement in which he said the country needs Modi. I will tell him that country still needs Modi. Condemns Sukhram; calls Anil Sharma to step down Blasting the veteran leader Pandit Sukh Ram for party hopping for personnel gains, Shanta Kumar said, I dont know whether he is ashamed of his act or not but Sukh Ram has brought a bad name to Himachal politics. Sukh Ram had joined the BJP before 2017 assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. His son Anil Sharma became a minister in the BJP government, which formed after the assembly polls. Shanta Kumar said, Now for his grandson, Sukh Ram has again joined the Congress. Sukh Ram and his grandson Aashray Sharma joined the Congress party after the two met party president Rahul Gandhi in March. Aashray Sharma is the son of Anil Sharma, a minister in the BJP government of Jai Ram Thakur. Shanta Kumar said with Sukh Ram and Aashray Sharma joining the Congress, Anil Sharmas continuation in the BJP government has become untenable. Anil Sharma will have to step down sooner or later, Shanta Kumar said. Praise for Congress leader Virbhadra Singh In an unusual gesture, Shanta Kumar showered praised on former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. He said, I must proudly say that Virbhadra and I are now in the same party, the party of principles that is above Congress and BJP. Singh had recently criticised Sukh Ram for party hopping. He had said he has no personal animosity towards Sukh Ram but he is against his politics of Aaya Ram- Gaya Ram (frequent floor-crossing). In a fresh attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the party and its allies are contesting the Lok Sabha elections to give free hand to the terrorists and separatists. PM Modi said the BJP is in the fray to punish terrorists and separatists for their sins. The prime minister was addressing a rally in Balod district, which is part of the Durg Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh. Calling the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act a Suraksha Kavach (armour)) of the armed forces, PM Modi slammed the Congress for promising review of the law if the party is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls. He said only a strong government can punish terrorists not the government which gives free hands to separatists. When there is a strong government, there is surgical strike and air strike and the world listens to us. Modi added. The prime minister also took potshot at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for filing nomination from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. Gandhi has won from Amethi Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh for three consecutive terms since 2004. The dynast of the Congress ran away to find a safe seat, said PM Modi. This is not the first time PM Modi has targeted Gandhi for filing nomination from Wayanad. Earlier, PM Modi had said that Gandhi decided to contest from a seat where majority is in minority as he feared backlash over coining of Hindu terror by the previous Congress-led government. On Congresss chowkidar against him, the prime minister said, Do you want a government of chowkidar or a procession of corrupt (Bhrastachariyon ki baraat)? He targeted the Congress alleging that the party, which formed government in Chhattisgarh last year, gave false assurance of loan waiver to the farmers of the state. In the assembly election held in November last year, the Congress ended 15-year-rule of the BJP primarily on the promise of loan waiver. Responding to PM Modis charge, senior Congress leader and spokesperson RP Singh said that he has misled people of this country and is misleading now also. As far as the issue of contesting polls from two seats constituencies is concerned, Atal Bihar Vajpayee (the late BJP leader and former prime minister) contested from three seats and even Modiji himself contested from two seats, Singh said. On the question of Congresss promise made during the assembly election, he said, The Chhattisgarh government has fulfilled all promises made to the people and everyone knows this. Modiji is losing this election and hence he has lost his mental balance. The BJPs decision to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the partys mahamilawat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday in an exclusive interview to Hindustan, a sister publication of Hindustan Times. He said that when the 2014 assembly election results came, no one had an absolute majority and the BJP had thought that the National Conference (NC) and the PDP would join hands. The BJP at that time did not have the numbers and the state had been under the governors rule for several months. In those elections, the PDP had won 28 seats, while the BJP had won 25 and the National Conference was far behind with 15 seats in its kitty, with the Congress coming in last with the least number of seats - 12 - in the 87-member state assembly. Click here for the full interview. At that time Mufti Mohammed Saeed was there. People of the state spoke to him. We openly said that we are two poles. In a way it was our mahamilawat. Because we had to form a government under democratic compulsions, we started working under the minimum common program. Mufti Saheb was experienced ... so there were no problems, he said. The prime minister had in February used the term mahamilawat as a dig at the mahagathbandhan of opposition parties. He was referring to the United India rally of 23 opposition parties on January 19, that was organised in Kolkata by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The Mufti Mohammeed Saeed-led PDP-BJP alliances government was sworn in on March 1, 2015, three months after the election results came out. Also Read | Pulwama attack convinced world Pakistan exporting terror to India: PM Narendra Modi Less than a year later, Mufti Mohammed Saeed died on January 7, 2016, while still in office. Soon after Mufti Mohammed Saeeds death, differences began cropping up between the BJP and the PDP. Mehbooba Mufti was sworn in as the chief minister - the first woman chief minister of the state - three months later on April 4. After the demise of Mufti Saheb, Mehbooba Mufti had compulsions of the party and other problems. She was not ready to take the responsibility for several days. She took the responsibility after a long time. The government was formed. We wanted to conduct local elections, but she was not ready, she used to say that there would be bloodshed, he said. The BJP left the alliance when Mehbooba did not conduct the elections, he said. We focused on development. We have already said that whatever mahamilawat is visible today was our mahamilawat and whatever political damage it could do, it did, he asserted. Mehbooba Mufti resigned as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir after the BJP pulled out of the alliance with the PDP on June 19, 2018. The state reverted to Governors rule and continues to be under the same. Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared the Congress party with the lead protagonist of a Bollywood film, Ghajini, as he dismissed the principal Opposition partys poll promises in its recently released manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress party has become like the main protagonist in the Ghajini movie. They dont remember the promises they have made in earlier manifestos, said PM Modi in an interview to Hindustan, a sister concern of Hindustan Times. In the movie, which the prime minister referred to in his interview, the lead character, played by actor Aamir Khan, suffers from short-term memory loss and cant remember things beyond a 15-minute time frame. PM Modi alleged that the Congress forgets what it promises and that it has failed to deliver in the past. He said eradicate poverty has been the Congresss poll plank since the days of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister. Providing cash support to nearly 5 crore poor families, increasing employment opportunities, farm loan waiver, a separate agriculture budget and greater budgetary allocations to health and education sectors are among the top promises made by the Congress for the Lok Sabha election. Also Read | PM Modis full interview here Look at the Congress track record. In 2004, they promised electricity for every household in three years. In 2009, they said electrification can happen in urban areas and for rural areas it will take more time but even till 2014 this had not happened, PM Modi said. The Congress has promised to roll out its Nyuntam Aay Yojana or NYAY if the party is voted to power in the Lok Sabha election. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has called it a revolutionary idea that will change the face of India. Under minimum income guarantee scheme, the Congress has promised to provide direct cash transfer to the bank accounts of women in the poorest 20 per cent families. Also Read | It was our mahamilawat: PM Modi says alliance with PDP was a wrong move According to the last Socio-economic and Caste Census, there could be around 5 crore families or 25 crore individuals as beneficiaries under the NYAY (meaning justice) as promised by the Congress. Since Nehrus time, the Congress has claimed poverty eradication is their goal. However, the Congress party has paid lip service to it. Nehru used the slogan, then Indira Gandhi used it, Rajiv Gandhi spoke about it, Sonia Gandhi too said poverty eradication is their goal and now, her son too speaks about poverty eradication. For five generations the Congress has used this slogan, said PM Modi without mentioning about the NYAY poll promise of the Congress. He further said, The Congress has in past promised direct income and a high minimum support price to farmers but they forgot it Has the Congress party in the last 72 years even given 71 paise to the poor ? The people of India know this very well. Bihar is headed towards a bipolar contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) camp comprises the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The seat sharing formula which has been finalised is 17-17-6 for the BJP-JD(U)-LJP. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has formed a grand coalition of all major anti-NDA parties. These include the Congress, two erstwhile NDA constituents the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) and the Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) the Vikasshil Insan Party (VIP) formed last year, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation. This will likely lead to an unprecedented degree of political polarisation since the division of the state (to carve out Jharkhand) in 2000. Another interesting statistic which stands out in Bihar is that the vote share of anti-NDA parties has always been close to the two-thirds mark in all elections since the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. This consistency, however, is not to be seen in the seat share of anti-NDA parties, which, in hindsight, seems to be a result of fragmentation in anti-NDA votes. It is a large part of this two-thirds vote share that the RJD-led alliance seems to be eyeing. So, can the RJD expect to register a big victory by bringing all major non-NDA parties into an alliance? The idea of a grand alliance against the BJP in Bihar gained traction after the 2015 assembly election results when a coalition of the RJD, JD (U) and the Congress won three-fourths of the seats in the assembly. In terms of vote share, the grand alliance had an eight percentage point lead over the NDAs figure of 34%. Had this coalition remained intact, the 2019 outcome in the state would probably have been a forgone conclusion. However, the JD(U) walked out of the alliance to rejoin the NDA in August 2017. Meanwhile, the NDA too has suffered desertions from its 2015 coalition, with the HAM and RLSP walking out. Past election results show that a broader coalition under the RJD has performed better in the state. A coalition of the RJD, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, LJP and the CPI-M won 29 out of the 40 seats in the state in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. When the alliance was restricted to just the RJD and the LJP in 2009, the BJP-JD (U) combine won 32 out of the 40 seats in the state. The 2014 elections were a proper triangular contest in Bihar. The NDA- and RJD-led alliances were the top two both in terms of seat share and vote share, while the JD(U) finished third. However, the JD(U) played spoiler to other parties in 22 seats, where its vote share was greater than the victory margin, and it did not finish first or second. It was the NDA which gained more from this, as the RJD alliance finished second in 17 of the 22 seats where the JD(U) played spoiler. The question which needs to be asked is, what proportion of the JD(U) voters in 2014 were its core supporters and how many were mainly anti-BJP voters who erred in seeing JD(U) as the main challenger to the NDA? This is important because the JD(U) can hope to retain the former category in 2019 while the latter will probably shift to the new anti-BJP alliance in the state. The NDA lost vote share in 17 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar between the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Part of this can be attributed to the JD (U) walking out of the NDA before the 2014 elections. In fact, there seems to be a strong correlation between the JD (U)s 2014 vote share and the loss in NDAs vote share between 2009 and 2014 at the Parliamentary Constituency (PC) level in Bihar. Also, the combined vote share of the BJP and the JD (U) increased from 38% in 2009 to 45% in 2014. This suggests that a part of the anti-NDA voters also rallied behind the JD (U) in 2014. If JD(U)s core voters made up an overwhelming majority of its 16% vote share in 2014, and they shift their loyalties back to the NDA, then the BJP and its allies can expect to sweep the state. If this is not the case, the BJP might have made a big mistake in making the JD (U) an important partner in its alliance in Bihar. This quantitative argument fits with the qualitative evidence from Bihars recent political history. Even when he was a part of the NDA, Nitish Kumar always insisted on preserving an independent image of the JD (U) and personally maintaining an arms length distance from the Hindutva core of the BJP. It is this aversion which led to Kumars falling out with the NDA after Narendra Modi was declared the BJPs prime ministerial candidate for 2014. This posturing allowed the JD (U) to retain sections of its voters who would otherwise be unwilling to do business with the BJP. If Narendra Modi becomes the main face of NDAs Bihar campaign in 2019, and this is extremely likely, it might not be easy for Nitish Kumar to assert the JD (U)s independence vis-a-vis the BJP like he did earlier. It is for this reason that stakes are the highest for the JD (U) as far as the 2019 elections in Bihar are concerned. Days before Lok Sabha elections kick off, Congress president Rahul Gandhi led the offensive against the Narendra Modi-led government, saying that the general election, starting April 11, is a battle of two ideologies. On one side, the Bharatiya Janata Party- Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh want to divide the nation and on the other is the ideology of the Congress, which believes that everyone should be treated with fairness, the Congress chief said while addressing a rally in Uttarakhands Haridwar on Saturday. Attacking the government over the saffron partys politics, he said: Aadivasis (tribals), Dalits and minorities are beaten and oppressed. This country belongs to everyone, and everyone has the right to live peacefully. Hindu dharma doesnt teach us about hatred. The Congress president also reiterated allegations that Prime Minister Modi had driven out his guru and veteran leader LK Advani out of the party. One of the founding members of the BJP, Advani has not been fielded by the party in the upcoming polls. As the political slugfest continued, PM Modi -- addressing a poll rally in Balod district of Chhattisgarh said the naamadar (dynast) of the Congress party had to run away to find a safe seat. The PM was apparently referring to Gandhi, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections from two seats: Uttar Pradeshs Amethi and Keralas Wayanad. On Centres stand against terrorism, Modi added, Didnt you feel proud when the country punished perpetrators of terror. The Congress and its allies were contesting the Lok Sabha elections to give a free hand to terrorists and separatists while the BJP was in the fray to punish terrorists and separatists for their sins, he said. Calling the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act a suraksha kavach (armour) of the armed forces, Modi also slammed the Congress over its manifesto that promised to review the act. Do you want a government of chowkidar or a procession of corrupt, the PM asked the gathering. Modi has often referred to himself as the chowkidar (watchman) who is protecting the countrys interests. Gandhi countered the BJPs attack that the Congress manifesto was disrespectful towards the armed forces and said, If a CRPF soldier is martyred, then he does not get martyr status. We have clearly written in the partys manifesto that if the paramilitary personnel are killed, they would be given martyr status. Former Union finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the Congress and its alliance partners will decide after the elections on who will be the Prime Minister and later went on to add that the Government headed by Rahul Gandhi will implement all our assurance in the next five years. Chidambaram comments came at the release of the Tamil version of the Congress partys Lok Sabha election manifesto in Thirupparankundram, Madurai. The Congress party has never announced a PM candidate. We have been following a method of announcing the Prime Minister only after the elections. If our alliance wins more seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Congress and its alliance leaders will decide our Prime Minister after the elections, said Chidambaram, the architect of the Congress manifesto. Chidambaram described his party chief Rahul Gandhi as the representative of this new generation. The passing of the old, the ascendance of the new is the unchanging order of time. Rahul is the representative of this new generation. We should welcome new ideas and thoughts. This new ideas and thoughts will show a new light to the nation, the Congress leader said. He claimed the allies will get sufficient berths in the ministry if the Congress forms a government. If the Congress party forms the government, chances are high for the alliance parties to get berths in the cabinet. We will discuss this after the election. He also claimed that it is possible to implement all the poll promises of Congress. India has accepted our poll promises. Our manifesto has been spreading everywhere like a fire. No one needs to doubt whether our poll promises could be implemented or not. The Government headed by Rahul Gandhi will implement all our assurance in the next five years, he said. Chidambaram also took a swipe at Tamil Nadus ruling party AIADMK saying it was moving away from the path set by Jayalalithaa. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has been asking about our PM candidate. It indicates that the AIADMK leader is against late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaas stance. During the 2014 elections, Jayalaithaa had not named anyone as the PM candidate. However, the EPS is naming Modi for PM, Chidambaram said. Responding to question about DMKs election manifesto assuring the release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case he said, Court has to decide on that subject. Both the DMK and AIADMK poll manifestos have promised the release of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran - the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Even as people are getting ready to sleep, a handful of Congress leaders are busy fine-tuning the partys campaign for the national election, based on daily inputs. Throughout the day, party workers, local leaders and the partys own field intelligence from roughly 1.25 lakh polling booths send in suggestions, alerts and ideas, collected in eight control rooms across the country. The raw field data comes to Delhi around 8 pm. A group of 26 data analysts and scientists go through the vast pile of digital data to prepare a report on the key points. Then at 11 pm, an informal core group comprising Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel, the partys chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and the head of the partys data analytics department Praveen Chakravarty goes into a huddle to decide on action items, said a senior Congress strategist involved in the partys 2019 campaign. Welcome to the new-age strategy process of the grand old party. Gone are the days when senior leaders would spend hours at the 15 Gurdwara Rakabganj Road bungalow, popularly called as the war room, to decide the A to Z of the Congress poll campaigns. Myriad field inputs come to the Congress brass: A senior leader must visit a particular village; Urgent requirement of campaign materials; Issues that must be addressed in an upcoming rally at this block; This community is opposed to us; Clarity required on a certain policy; or simply, Please send Priyanka Gandhi for campaigning in our area, the strategist, who asked not to be named, said. At least 3000 people manage the control rooms in Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mumbai, Raipur, Trichy, Mysore, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati. Its an election across states. So, we have also spread out as much as possible, said a second Congress poll strategist who too asked not to be named. Sometimes, the input is just something the party can use to its advantage in the campaign; the first strategist points to a recent instance of a video that showed cash stashed in a ministers car in Arunachal Pradesh. It came from a party worker who send it through a control room. As the campaign heats up, the central core of this communication network was shifted to a high-secure location on Friday, not too far away from Congress national headquarters, to reduce the chances of hacking and data pilferage, the two strategists said. Based on the inputs, the Congress has prepared a small video titled Notewapsi (return of cash) to describe NYAYthe proposed scheme to give an annual dole of ?72,000 to the poorest of the poorsin simple words so that voters can understand it easily. The party has consistently attacked the NDAs 2016 demonetisation drive as Notebandi (end of cash). Even within the party, leaders are being educated about the impact of NYAY even as the BJP targets the Congress key poll promise as false hopes and undoable. We are telling our colleagues, `This is John Maynard Keynes simplified. We are putting money back in the system so that consumption gets a boost. People will get more money in hand that will lead to higher consumption. According to Keynes, higher consumption will act as a multiplier for economic growth, said a senior Congress leader. The party will also give added importance to the use of social media and digital campaigns apart from the usual rallies and road shows. The Congress, for the first time, is making a video featuring Rahul Gandhi addressing workers by name and saying, Thank you (the name of the worker). I am really happy to meet you before delivering a short message on NYAY and seeking his vote. We will make millions of personalized videos each with the particular workers name. Technology makes it possible even if Rahul shoots for only one such promotional video, said the second strategist. In 2004, when the Congress opened its war room, the toilet at 15, GRG Road was so dirty that Jairam Ramesh and Salman Khurshid, the two scripting the manifesto and other campaign materials, used to rush to the Ashoka Hotel to use the toilet. Circa 2019, the war room still retains its relevance for a strategy centre and the place for some key meetings. With just five days to go for assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh, the Election Commission on Friday night transferred state chief secretary Anil Chandra Punetha. According to the EC orders, senior IAS officer of 1983 batch, L V Subrahmanyam will take over as the new chief secretary. Subrahmanyam, who is presently special chief secretary of youth services and culture department, will assume charge at 10.30 am at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Saturday. The EC ordered that Punetha, a 1984-batch IAS officer, keep himself out of election-related duties till the entire election process is completed after the announcement of results on May 23. He will have to hand over charge to Subrahmanyam. The sudden transfer of Punetha follows his defiance of the EC orders issued on March 26, transferring director general of police (Intelligence) A B Venkateshwara Rao along with two superintendents of police A Venkata Ratnam of Srikakulam and Rahul Dev Sharma of Kadapa. The EC gave the orders based on a complaint from the YSR Congress party that they were cooperating with the ruling Telugu Desam Party in alleged electoral malpractices. Punetha, who initially issued orders transferring the three policemen following the EC directions, modified the orders the following day retaining the intelligence chief in the same post. Subsequently, the state government moved the high court which upheld the EC orders and Punetha had no option but to shift Venkateshwara Rao from the intelligence chief post. Subsequently, the EC also issued orders stripping director general of police R P Thakur from the additional charge of Anti-Corruption Bureau. TDP president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu took strong exception to the transfer of chief secretary by the EC. He has been shifted for no fault of his. Earlier, they did the same with intelligence chief and two SPs. It is a clear case of conspiracy and intimidation by the NDA government, he said, addressing an election rally in Visakhapatnam. He alleged that PM Modi had been targeting him and his party, just because he had revolted against the Centre for the injustice meted out to the state and had not remained subservient to the Prime Minister. For the last few days, he has been directing central agencies like the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate and the police forces to conduct raids on my party leaders. I wont be surprised, if I am arrested in a day or two. What mistake did I commit? Is demanding our rights a crime? he asked and said he was only fighting for the rights of the state. Chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday hit out at former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda on the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report. Addressing a Vijay Sankalp rally in Kaimri village of Hisar, chief minister Khattar said, Hooda is saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has failed to implement the Swaminathan commission recommendations. I want to ask Hooda why did he fail to do so himself when he was the chairman of the working group of chief ministers on agriculture production in 2009. Khattar further claimed that it was under the BJP rule that India became a powerful country. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee conducted the Pokhran nuclear test and recently India has become the fourth most powerful country in the world after testing an anti-satellite missile under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Khattar said. He said Modi gave a free hand to the Indian armed forces and so they took revenge for the Pulwama attack. Such airstrikes, surgical strikes never happened during the Congress government, the Haryana CM said. He further claimed that his government was able to finish the criminal gangs in the state. On farmers, Khattar said, former Nalwa MLA Ranbir Gangwa, who recently joined the BJP, has raised some issues in his region. Some mustard farmers are unable to sell their produce to government procurement agencies despite getting themselves registered on time. But I assure you, that the government will rectify the problem soon, he said. The chief minister also said the BJP government in the state has formed a pond authority in Haryana to take care of these water bodies. There are more than 14,000 small and big ponds in the state. The authority will soon start taking care of these ponds so that farmers do not face water shortage, said the Haryana CM. Haryana BJP chief Shubhash Barala, finance minister Capt Abhimanyu, Hisar MLA Kamal Gupta and former Nalwa MLA Ranbir Gangwa also addressed the rally. Congress and its allies want two PMs, one in Delhi, another in J-K: PM Modi Congress and its allies want two PMs, one in Delhi, another in J-K: Prime Minister Modi in Nanded, Maharashtra. Gujarat: BJP President Amit Shah holds a road show in Gandhinagar Gujarat: BJP President Amit Shah holds a road show in Gandhinagar. Gujarat: BJP President Amit Shah holds a road show in Gandhinagar. pic.twitter.com/n3TYjbWSwY ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds roadshow in Fatehpur Congress General Secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds roadshow in Fatehpur. Congress General Secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds roadshow in Fatehpur. pic.twitter.com/WoRa4L3l6l ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 6, 2019 CEC of BJP releases 18th list of 24 candidates The Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party has released the 18th list of 24 candidates for the ensuing General Elections to the Parliamentary Constituency of different states. Congress naamdar has to run away from election field to look for safe seat: PM Narendra Modi Congress naamdar (dynast) has to run away from election field to look for safe seat: PM Narendra Modi. AFSPA is raksha kavach (armour) of security forces: PM Modi AFSPA is raksha kavach (armour) of security forces: PM Modi. There are surgical and air strike when government is strong, world listens to us: PM Modi There are surgical and air strike when government is strong, world listens to us: PM Modi. We are contesting polls to make effective use of every single rupee: PM Modi Congress and parties supporting it are fighting polls to loot peoples money, were contesting polls to make effective use of every single rupee.Theyre fighting polls to weaken security forces of country and were contesting polls to make them self-reliant, says PM Modi. When government is strong, country doesnt sit quiet after terror attack: PM Modi When government is strong, country doesnt sit quiet after terror attack: PM Modi at rally in Chhattisgarh. When there are attacks on people who stick to their faith, this government turns away: Sonia Gandhi When there are attacks on people who stick to their faith, this government turns away: Sonia Gandhi We are fighting elections to make a majboot government: PM Modi in Balod, Chhattisgarh We are fighting elections to make a majboot government, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Balod, Chhattisgarh Today, we are being taught new definition of patriotism while those not accepting diversity are being called patriots: Sonia Gandhi Today, we are being taught new definition of patriotism while those not accepting diversity are being called patriots: Sonia Gandhi TMC will lead formation of new government at the centre: Mamata West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a liar and accused the BJP of trying to turn legal citizens of the country into foreigners in the name of NRC and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. She claimed that her party TMC will lead the formation of the new government at the centre. In an apparent dig at Modi, Banerjee wondered how a person who didnt look after his wife would look after the citizens of the country. The BJP has to be defeated in order to save the people of this country. The TMC will lead the formation of the new government at the centre, she said addressing a public rally at Barobisha area of Alipurduar district. Prime Minister Modi is a liar. He has been blabbering lies in the last five years. He has not fulfilled a single promises he made in 2014, she said. We are being taught new definitions of patriotism: Sonia Gandhi Under BJP, we are being taught new definitions of patriotism. This government is using caste and religion to discriminate, said UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. ITBP soldiers cast first vote of Lok Sabha 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh The soldiers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were the first to cast their vote for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday as Service Voters. The first round of service voting by secret postal ballot began at 10 am on Friday at ITBPs Animal Training School (ATS) located at Lohitpur in Arunachal Pradesh. The first vote of the country was cast by DIG Sudhakar Natarajan, head of ATS ITBP. India under PM Modi emerged as 6th most powerful country in the world: Adityanath India under PM Modi has emerged as sixth most powerful country in the world, said Yogi Adityanath The UP CM also attacked Rahul Gandhi for choosing Wayanad as second seat, saying, Rahul Gandhis nomination from Kerala indicates Congress unholy alliance with Muslim League. Poverty cannot be eradicated as long as Congress exists: PM Modi at Sonepur rally Poverty cannot be eradicated as long as Congress exists. Congress uses poverty as its main weapon for politics, does not want to lose this weapon, said PM Modi at Odisha rally Rahul Gandhi face of the nation and its future: Shatrughan Sinha Rahul Gandhi is a dynamic leader. Hes face of the nation and its future, said Shatrughan Sinha after joining Congress in presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala. Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress Veteran actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress in presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala. Delhi: Veteran actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress in presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala pic.twitter.com/T1izPmSEEu ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil had tweeted on March 29 that Sinha will join the party on April 6. BJP MP Shatrugna Sinha ji met our Congress President Shri @RahulGandhi today and in national interest has decided to join tur Congress. Hw wil formally join Congress on April 6, Gohil wrote on Twitter. At Odisha rally, PM attacks Cong over its manifesto promise of amending AFSPA Attacking the Congress over its manifesto promise of amending AFSPA, PM Modi said, Your chowkidar strikes at Pakistani terrorist camps, whereas the Congress plans to amend the special powers act for the soldiers of the country. BJD hampering development of Odisha: PM Modi BJD is hampering development of Odisha. Shouldnt you punish the BJD for that? Dont you need an active government in the state? Your chowkidar has the intention to develop the state, said PM Modi. At Odisha rally, PM attacks CM Patnaiks BJD Do you want development or discrimination. If you want development, let lotus bloom in the state. If BJP had the right intention, the development work wouldnt have stalled in the state, said PM Modi. BJP has govt in all four corners of the country: PM Modi Today, BJP has govt in all four corners of the country. People have embraced the BJP and its in their heart. Its one of the largest democratic political party. People from all section of the society are becoming part of the BJP, said PM Modi For a strong India, we need a strong government like BJPs: PM Modi For a strong India, we need a strong government. For a strong India, we need a strong Odisha. For a strong India, we need lotus to bloom everywhere,said PM Modi Lotus will bloom in Odisha: PM Modi Invoking BJPs symbol lotus, PM Modi said, Rest assured, lotus will bloom in Odisha, said, hailing the party workers, saying, I thank the workers for their hardwork. Because of their dedication, we will win the 2019 polls with absolute majority, said PM Modi. BJP biggest democratic organisation in the world: PM Modi The BJP is the biggest democratic party in the world. Its a party of young India, its a party of the aspiration of India. It fought to protect democracy during Emergency, said PM Modi on BJP foundation day. On BJPs foundation day, PM Modi invokes Vajpayee On BJPs foundation day, PM Modi invoked Atal Bihari Vajpayee. PM Modi also explained, why the party is special. The party is special because it is made from the hardwork of its workers. In Kerala and West Bengal, our karyakartas are killed every now and then. However, it doesnt deter BJP karyakartas. BJP is born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money, said PM Modi Odisha decide whether you want to vote for a hardworking and honest party or a corrupt one: PM Modi The 2019 election is very crucial for Odisha. You have to decide whether you want to vote for a hardworking and honest party or a corrupt one, said PM Modi at Odisha rally. I have come here as Odishas prime servant, not as the countrys prime minister: PM Modi I have come here as Odishas prime servant and not as the countrys prime minister. I have come here to seek blessings from you, my master. said PM Modi at Sundergarh rally. PM Modi addresses rally in Odishas Sundergarh PM Modi is addressing a rally in Odishas Sundergarh. I wont ever be able to forget the respect you endowed upon me, said PM Modi. Odisha will reject both BJD and Congress: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said the people of Odisha will defeat both the ruling BJD and the opposition Congress in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections to be held this month. Odishas election results will surprise the entire country. BJP will win the polls with record number of seats. People will reject both BJD and Congress, Modi said in a twitter post ahead of his election rallies in the state. Delhi Congress leaders at Rahul Gandhis residence Delhi Congress Chief Sheila Dikshit, state incharge PC Chacko and other Delhi Congress leaders have reached Rahul Gandhis residence. Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Friday said that the parties are in talks for an alliance in Delhi and Haryana. Elaborating on the negotiations, leaders said the number of seats AAP offers to the Congress in Delhi would be equivalent to the number of seats the latter offers AAP in Haryana. Senior leaders of the two parties said that the bargain is being currently worked out by the two sides. Rahul Gandhi scheduled to visit south Odisha on April 9 Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to visit south Odisha to campaign for his candidates on April 9, informed OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik. Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend a public meeting at Digapahandi in Ganjam district on April 9. EC surveillance squad seizes 146 kg of gold bars in TN Election Commissions surveillance squad seized 146 kg of gold bars without valid documents from a van near Puliakulam in Tamil Nadu on Friday, While the popular sentiment of voters in the Dadar-Lalbaug-Parel belt continues a tradition of being in favour of the Shiv Sena, there are some exceptions. In Mumbais Marathi heartland, traditional supporters are not pleased about Sena chief Uddhav Thackerays decision to join forces with the BJP after having criticised the party and PM Narendra Modi for most of its tenure. The Sena, when it was formed in Mumbai in 1966 with the core motive of protecting Maharashtrian interests, got good support among Maharashtrian mill workers living in the Dadar-Lalbaug-Parel belt, which was also known as Girangaon (village of mills). The textile mills are history now, but the largely Maharashtrian area continues to support Sena. Six months after Modi came to power, the BJP and Sena contested separately in the Assembly polls. Although BJP did well with the Modi wave still effective, the Marathi heartland largely remained with the Sena. Three Assembly seats in Dadar, Parel, Worli were won by the Sena. Thackeray had launched an aggressive campaign, targeting not just the incumbent Congress-NCP government, but even BJP and PM Modi. Dilip Awati, 71, a resident of Dadar, said, Around 80% of the people are voting for BJP- Sena. If Sena had contested separately, people would have voted for Sena. While some voters are Sena loyalists, others have no other option and do not identify with the Congress. The belt is increasingly developing a cosmopolitan flavour, replete with business hubs and restaurants, with the land belonging to erstwhile textile mills opened for commercial development. These areas fall under two parliamentary constituencies Mumbai South and Mumbai South Central both held by the Sena. Marathi manoos in these areas is still bound to the Sena, despite many loyalists disappointed by the partys alliance with BJP, contrary to repeated promises in the past of going solo this time. Arvind Sawant, the Sena MP from Mumbai South, is banking on votes from this area. Many households here have at least one member who has worked with the Sena during its formative years with late party supremo Bal Thackeray. These residents identify with the partys main agenda. Chandrakant Bhatkar, 70, a resident of Elphinstone Road, said, The Sena has been representing the common Marathi for four decades now. It is important for Marathi speakers in the city to find apt representation in the government or our demands will be completely sidelined. These Mumbaiites have stuck with Sena through thick and thin for over twenty years, proof of which is the partys hold over BMC for 25 years. Shashank Dhargalkar, 34, a resident of Girgaum , said, The Senas agenda is still relevant to Marathi speakers who have lived in Mumbai for two or three generations now. In some cases, Marathi-speaking voters do not see an alternative party to vote for and would hence rather stick to their traditional choice. During the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, voters saw an alternative in the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), an offshoot and rival party of the Sena, formed in 2006. Awati said, People do not have a better option. The Congress has no face in our area and no local-level leaders. The MNS was an option in 2009, and 2014, but it is not contesting the elections this year. Awati added. Some voters believe MNS votes from the previous elections are likely to go to Sena this time. Parag Patole, 27, a resident of Lalbaug, said, I would have voted for MNS or another party that is concerned about our issues, but there is no such candidate. In my area, 75% of the voters will vote for Sena. Some voters believe the Sena is losing its old charm, but they will continue to vote for the party anyway. Sachin Hate, 40, a resident of Elphinstone, said, After Sena joined hands with BJP, it hurt the sentiments of some Marathi voters. But voters discount this as politics and go in favour of the Sena for more personal reasons. Recognised as the most backward district of the country by NITI Aayog, Mewat is a major influencer in Haryana politics. Renamed Nuh, the district comprises three assembly constituencies Nuh, Punhana and Ferozepur Jhirka which are among the nine constituencies that make up the Gurgaon parliamentary seat. Spread over 1,507 square kilometres, the district has 439 villages, as per the 2011 Census of India. Locals say little has been done in the past five years to alleviate the districts backwardness. Hindustan Times travelled from Roz-ka-Meo in Nuh, the first village in Mewat district, till Kolgaon in Ferozepur Jhirka, which is among the last villages that touch the Rajasthan border, to gather a sense of voters mood. Nuh As one crosses Sohna and moves away from Gurugram, the number of under-construction buildings dotting the skyline gradually recedes and the cityscape gives way to swathes of wheat fields. Bearing a distinctive golden yellow shade, these ready-for-harvest crops are flanked by the Aravalli mountain ranges and signal the beginning of Mewat. Located at a distance of roughly 46 kilometres from Gurugram, Mewat is a far cry from the glitz of the Millennium City. Carved out from erstwhile Gurgaon and Faridabad districts, Mewat came into existence as the 20th district of Haryana on April 4, 2005. As per 2011 Census, the regions population was pegged at 10.89 lakh, of which the majority is mostly Meo-Muslims. In April 2018, NITI Aayog identified Mewat as the most backward district of India. In an assessment on multiple parameters such as education, health, agriculture, financial inclusion, skill development and infrastructure, Mewat scored 26% the lowest across the country. This socio-economic backwardness of the region continues to be the main area of concern for residents and will be a major deciding factor when the district goes to polls on May 12. As one enters Roz-ka-Meo, the first village of Mewat, a large hoarding welcomes visitors to Smartgram panchayat Rozkameo. The village, along with four others in the state, was adopted by former president Pranab Mukherjee as part of the Smartgram initiative in 2016. The initiative aimed to transform the villages into happy, harmonious and hi-tech villages but residents said they are far from being happy. At an informal chaupal session, Zakir Hussain, a 47-year-old, bemoans the lack of basic facilities. In 2016, we were told the village would get all facilities but hardly anything has changed. The panchayat got these new benches placed across the village but sewage flows underneath it, said Hussain, as he points towards the benches in disdain. It is the lack of jobs and schools, however, which makes him both angry and upset. The only government school has only till class 8 and doesnt even have sufficient number of teachers. Even after five years of education, children are unable to write their names. The children dont learn anything and fail to get jobs in the future, he said. In 1981, Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (earlier Huda) acquired areas in the village for industrial development and set up units that are now being managed by the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC). These industries, however, have failed to provide job prospects. The industries here do not give jobs to locals. Only one person from the village works in the unit. They prefer to employ people from the outside and discriminate against the locals since we are Muslim, said Hussain, as he is cut off mid-sentence by another villager, Ayub Popatdad. Thirty-six-year-old Popatdad blames the BJP government for the job crisis looming over Mewat. More than 90% of people in Mewat work as truck drivers. One can find a truck driver in every family, but now, all of them are unemployed. The BJP government tightened the norms for securing a drivers licence. It has become almost impossible to secure a new licence or renew existing ones. From the earlier 60 trips per month, people hardly make 18 trips now, as not many want to hire drivers without licences, rues Popatdad. He hopes the new government would relax the norms and return his source of livelihood. In 2016, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced that Mewat residents who were using a licence made in other states would have to get a new licence. The entire process was shifted online and riddled with various hurdles, say residents. The whole process of procuring a licence was shifted online. Documents like voter ID, Aadhaar card and class 10 mark sheet are required. They demand that all the documents have the same details. Literacy level in Mewat is already very low. How will a 50-year-old get a class 10 mark sheet The process of applying is lined with many hurdles. Most give up and prefer approaching a middleman, said Popatdad. Azharuddin, a 32-year-old trucker, nods in agreement. I got my licence made during the Congress regime. When the BJP came to power, I couldnt get my licence renewed. Officials refused, citing different excuses. After struggling, I reached out to a middleman, who helped me in getting a licence from Gurugram. However, I had to pay 30,000 for a licence that would have cost 5,000 if officials had accepted my application, he said. Another major issue, residents say, is the attacks by self-styled cow vigilantes on those transporting cattle, which has created a palpable sense of fear a sentiment that prevails across the district. People have stopped transporting cows but even when we are transporting buffaloes to Delhis Ghazipur, we are vulnerable to attacks from gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes). The vigilantes stop us, ask for money, and beat us if we refuse. Sometimes, these vigilantes are supported by the police, said Hussain. In the 2014 general elections, INLDs Zakir Hussain was the front runner in Nuh with 69,175 votes whereas BJPs Rao Inderjit, the current Member of Parliament from Gurgaon and holds charges of the MoS for the ministry of chemicals & fertilizers and Union minister of state (independent charge), came second with 21,121 votes. The Congress candidate secured 17,968 votes whereas AAPs Yogendra Yadav managed to secure 1,884 votes. In Gurgaon parliamentary segment, Hussain came second with 3,70,058 votes. Inderjit stood first with 6,44,780 votes. Much has changed for the people of Mewat since then and going by local accounts, the upcoming elections will see a duel between the BJP and the Congress. A few kilometres from the chaupal is another village called Mehraula. Mohammad Rizwan, 25, a truck driver, said that he will vote for the Congress, since the BJP had not done anything for his village or people. There is no direct water supply. The pipes have been laid but there is no connection. People are compelled to rely on tankers that cost 1,200 each, a burden for truckers like me, who are already feeling the pinch of licence rules, he said. Ramesh Chand, a sanitation worker, throws his weight behind Rizwan. A resident of the nearby Khod Basai village, Chand said, The BJP government hasnt done anything for the welfare of people like me who are compelled to clean sewers and drains without safety equipment or gear. Our salaries get delayed by two to three months now. Under the Congress government, at least we used to get our salaries on time. Jawahar Yadav, spokesperson, BJP Haryana, said, Earlier, most truck drivers in Mewat had a licence they had procured from the Northeastern states. The licences were under suspicion and we only streamlined the process. Anyone who wishes to drive trucks using valid licences can do so. We have also increased the connectivity between Mewat and Rajasthan.The BJP government has already approved 633 crore for a feeder canal project and 151 crore for a dental college, and another 51 crore for a unani college. Mewat will see more development when BJP comes to power again. Senior Congress leader Ajay Yadav said that the party would bring the much-needed change to Mewat. Congress will lay tracks for the railway line in Mewat after forming the government. When our government was in power, we had created industrial units in villages and will expand these. We will also fix the process of procuring a drivers licence so that the people of Mewat do not suffer, said Ajay Yadav, former Haryana cabinet minister and senior Congress leader. Yadav also promised that the party would set up a university in Mewat and another school for training truck drivers. Ten kilometres from Mehraula is Ghasera. On the face of it, Ghasera can pass off as another nondescript village of Mewat, but its history sets it apart. It was from this village that Mahatma Gandhi, on December 19, 1947, exhorted Meo Muslim refugees to stay in India. His address persuaded many to stay back. However, decades after gaining independence, residents of the village say Gandhis message of peace is increasingly under threat. Isa Khan, 88, was 16 when Gandhi visited the village. He told us Dont go to Pakistan. You (Meos) are the backbone of India. You will get all your rights here. This sentiment of unity is under attack by politicians who keep spewing hatred against our community. India is our country and we will vote to strengthen this amity. Politicians talk about mandir-masjid, but the village where Gandhiji came doesnt even have basic facilities, he said. His grand-nephew, Mustaqueem, 18, said, Look around the village. The streets are overflowing with sewage discharge and there are mounds of trash all around. For water, one has to rely on tankers, which costs 700. Punhana The acute water crisis is also a major problem in Shikrawa village of Punhana. Located 28 kilometres from Ghasera, women in Shikrawa are compelled to walk long distances to fetch water. Navigating the dilapidated Pinangwan- Shikrawa Road makes the task more difficult. One has to walk for 2-3 kilometres to get drinkable water from the tap. It takes at least half an hour to walk back and forth with the heavy load on our heads, said Attaiya, 64, a resident of Shikrawa village. Her nephew Shafaat Khan added that stalemate over the construction of the road had existed for many years. The road is in a bad state. It is also a source of heavy pollution and people fall sick due to the dust, but no one cares, said Khan. As more people join in, a discussion on the prospects of different parties turns into a heated discussion.Most villagers in Mewat are either truck drivers or farmers. Under the BJP government, our crops have perished, farmers are given low prices for the crops. I will vote for a party that will waive off farmers debts, said Rati Khan, a resident. Shafaats son Sakib, however, said he would vote for a party that would make job-creation its agenda. There are no jobs across Mewat. Youngsters are roaming jobless or involved in gambling. Jobs should be on the agenda of the new government, he said. Further ahead of Shikrawa is Pinangwan, another village of Punhana. The road that crosses through Pinangwan main market is a busy one and flanked by shops on both ends. The mood of voters here is different. Mukesh Kumar, 30, owns a shop in the market. Kumar, as has been the family tradition, said he will vote for the BJP. Pakistan ko karara jawab diya hai sarkaar ne (The government gave a good response to Pakistan post-Pulwama). Demonetisation was also a good move and cleared all the black money, said Kumar. However, he conceded that jobs had not been created under the present government. Enough jobs have not been created. This is definitely an area of concern, he added. Ferozepur Jhirka Some 13 kilometres from Pinangwan falls Nagina. In the busy market area, voters said they were disenchanted with the performance of Rao Inderjit. Arshad Hussain, 35, a chemist, bluntly said that Rao did not do any work. He has hardly ever visited the constituency. The chief minister must have visited the constituency more frequently. The state BJP government is doing well but Rao has nothing to show for it. He has done nothing for Mewat or its people, said Hussain. He said people of Mewat have been waiting for a railway line for decades but successive governments have failed to take up their cause. We have given up. It is unfortunate because people are unable to sell their products and services in Delhi and other neighbouring cities. A party that promises to start the railway line and create more jobs will have a greater chance of winning, said Hussain, who is waiting for the parties to announce their candidates. Kolgaon in Ferozepur Jhirka is among the last villages that touch the Rajasthan border, after which one enters Alwar. Not many people had heard about the village until last July, when it came into the spotlight in the aftermath of a lynching incident. Rakbar Khan, who was lynched in Alwar by suspected cow vigilantes, belonged to the village. Locals said the incident would weigh on the minds when they cast their votes. People from the village avoid going to Rajasthan after what happened with Rakbar and me. We used to rear cows but out of fear, we have stopped doing that. I am unemployed at present. I will vote for the party that promises to dispel the fear of violence looming over our heads. People in Mewat have lived as a brotherhood all these years and that should continue, said Aslam, a village resident, who was accompanying Rakbar when the incident took place. Widening of the Gurugram-Alwar highway has also been a long-standing demand of the residents. The road is narrow and gets crowded. There have been hundreds of accidents on the stretch and many have died. There is no trauma centre either, said Mushtaq, who runs a small shop in the village. The central governments initiative to develop a rural village as an adarsh gram (model village) in each parliamentary constituency of the country has largely remained a concept on paper in the national capital. While the seven BJP MPs have adopted a total of 11 villages in the region, work in majority of these villages, as envisaged in the ambitious scheme, has not taken place so far. According to the Delhi MPs, the highly urbanised nature of the villages, the absence of gram panchayat system in the city and the lack of cooperation from the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government are the main reasons why Delhi cant boast of having a model village. There are just 112 rural villages in Delhi concentrated mostly in parliamentary constituencies like north-west, north-east, South and West Delhi. A large number of these villages have become urbanised although their status continues to be rural in government records. For example, Union environment minister and Chandni Chowk MP, Harsh Vardhan, decided to adopt two villagesGhoga and Singolain north-west parliamentary constituency as there arent any rural villages in his constituency. I had adopted Dhirpur village in my constituency, but it wasnt accepted by the rural ministry as it is an urbanised village. I adopted villages in another constituency as the idea is to do our best to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision, Harsh Vardhan said. New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi, too, faced a similar problem while choosing which village to adopt. According to the centres notification, urbanised villages couldnt be adopted. I adopted Qutub Garh in north-west Delhi. But as I had promised people in Pilanji, I have adopted the village and got several important work done there too, Lekhi said. Meanwhile, north-east Delhi MP, Manoj Tiwari, says he has adopted Kadipur and Sabhapur villages in his constituency but as per the ministry, he has adopted only Sabhapur. Citing election model code of conduct, a senior rural development ministry official refused to comment on the matter. Under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), a village development plan was to be prepared after a situation analysis of each of the adopted villages. According to information available on the rural development ministrys website (updated till March 31, 2019), no development plan has been prepared for any of the 11 adopted villages. While MPs say the model village is a great concept, implementing it in Delhi, they say, is a huge challenge. East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, who had adopted Chilla village, says there is nothing rural about the village. There are three-four storeyed buildings in the village. It is a completely urban village and there is very little we could do. I have still tried to provide for infrastructure as demanded by people. I sanctioned funds for the construction of chaupal as demanded by people, said Girri. In Delhi, the district magistrates were the nodal officers in charge of monitoring the work. MPs complain of lack of cooperation from the Delhi government in getting work implemented. Despite repeated attempts, the Delhi governments spokesperson couldnt be contacted. South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who had adopted Bhatti, a rural village, says the Delhi government didnt provide for gram sabha land for various development projects recommended by him under SAGY. I had recommended the construction of a community centre, a veterinary hospital, a post office etc. But the government didnt agree to allot gram sabha land for these projects. There is no Delhi Transport Bus service to the village. I had requested for a special bus route, but it hasnt been done. I have written several letters to previous chief secretaries, but nothing was been done, said Bidhuri. North-east Delhi MP, Manoj Tiwari, and west Delhi MP, Parvesh Verma, agree with Bidhuri. It was challenge to get work done in the villages. Despite several meetings with the district magistrates, it was difficult to get work done by Delhi government agencies such as Delhi Jal Board. Moreover, peoples expectations were very different from what the SAGY envisaged. Villagers thought the Centre will sanction funds for the village. We took up projects as demanded by residents of the villages, said Verma, who claims to have spent 12 crore on Jharoda Kalan, a rural village adopted by him. A senior Delhi government official said work in the villages had to be done by government agencies. District magistrates are supposed to monitor the work, but the funds have to be sanctioned by the government or the MPs, said the official, requesting anonymity. India responded with an air strike on a Jaish terror camp in Pakistans Balakot on February 26. Pulwama has convinced the world that what India says is right. Because of that, the entire world supported us when the air strikes were conducted. There was a time when only Russia was with us on the international stage, while the rest of the world was with Pakistan. After five years, only China is with Pakistan and the rest of the world is with India, Modi said. Both India and the world, the Prime Minister added, know that Modi and India have a zero-tolerance policy on terror.: Click here for the full interview. As prepared as he is to take the initiative and extend the hand of friendship Modi referred to his invitation to then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014, or an impromptu stopover in Pakistan to wish Sharif on his birthday he is also prepared to tackle any hostility, the PM said. Several analysts and opinion polls have predicted that while the BJP looks set to form the next government after the summers Lok Sabha polls, it will probably do so with a slightly fewer numbers than it had in 2014. Modi doesnt agree. The way people are joining the BJP, from all over, be it Odisha or West Bengal, the wave is very much visible, he said. Our government will indeed be formed. It is going to be a full majority government. The BJP will get more numbers than earlier. None of the other parties have a better pitch, he explained. Referring to the Congresss election manifesto, which has pledged Rs.72,000 per year to the poorest 20% of Indias population in minimum income, Modi said many of the promises it contains had been made before. The Congress has in the past promised direct income payments and a high minimum support price for the produce of farmers, but the party forgot about them. Then it promised electricity for every household; that too was forgotten. In 2009, it promised broadband connectivity in every village and now, in 2019, it is repeating the same promise, he said, wondering what it had done for the poor since independence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi escalated their war of words on the campaign trail on Saturday, with less than a week left for the first phase of polling in the 2019 general election. Modi said the Congress was a sinking ship like the Titanic and its dynast had run away to find a safe seat to contest. Gandhi, who this week filed his nomination papers from Keralas Wayanad, and said he would also run for election from his family bastion of Amethi, hit back, accusing Modi of having favoured fugitive businessmen and mistreating his own guru, the veteran politician Lal Krishna Advani. The Congresss naamdar (dynast) had to use a microscope to look for a second safe seat. In the constituency he has chosen, the majority community is in minority. He has also said he will not speak against his main Left rival, Modi said in Nanded, Maharashtra. Earlier, at a rally in Odisha, he launched his strongest attack yet on Congresss promise of a minimum income guarantee scheme that the opposition party said will entitle the poorest Indian families to an annual income of Rs 72,000. I want to tell you about another conspiracy of Congress to rob the assistance meant for the poor. Congress wants to implement such policies, which will double the prices of essential items, including rice and wheat,available through PDS, Modi said. On April 1, at a rally in Wardha in Maharashtra, Modi had said Congress leaders were afraid of contesting constituencies dominated by majority population (Hindus) a speech the opposition party flagged to the Election Commission for being a violation of campaign rules that prohibit, among other things, claims that are communally sensitive . The Congress has said that Gandhis decision to contest Wayanad in addition to Amethi will help reach out to voters in south India. Addressing a rally in Uttarakhand, which goes to polls in the first phase on Thursday, Gandhi reiterated his allegations against Modi. He said Modi had taken public money and given it to the likes of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, diamond traders who have fled abroad and are wanted in connection with a Rs 13,500 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank. And now, when it has come to paying some money to the poorest as an income support, he is asking where will the money come from, the Congress president said. I have consulted economic experts and they said it is feasible without derailing the economy, he added. He also spoke on the issue of BJP senior leader LK Advani not being a party candidate in this general election. Narendra Modi talks about Hindu religion. In Hindu religion, the guru (leader) is supreme. Advani ji is Narendra Modis guru. Have you seen the condition of Advani ji? Advani ji was kicked out of the stage, Gandhi said. Advani, who is 91, has been excluded in line with the BJP policy of not fielding candidates above the age of 75, party president Amit Shah was quoted as saying in the magazine, The Week. In Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said Modi has been blabbering lies in the last five years and has not fulfilled a single promise made during the last general election in 2014. Congress general secretary incharge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi also took aim at the Prime Minister and his party. This is his deshbhakti? That he can go to Africa, America, China, Japan, Pakistan. Can have biryani and return but cannot seek the well-being of any poor in his own constituency. He made a tall claim in 2014 that 15 lakh will be deposited in the bank accounts. Who has got that money? she said in Fatehpur. If BJP leaders, who talk big about patriotism, are true patriots, they would respect martyrs of the country -- whether that martyr is Hindu or Muslim or the father of their political opponent. He is a martyr. You cant be selective in which martyr you respect. If you are true patriots, respect all martyrs including Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, she added. The first phase of polling in the seven-phase election is scheduled to take place on April 11. The last phase is due on May 19 and counting will be taken up on May 23. Congress star campaigner and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi reached the BJP bastion of Ghaziabad on Friday, leading a massive road show in which she also clicked selfies with the party supporters and addressed them at Maliwara. The Bharatiya Janata Party has held the seat ever since its creation in 2008. Home minister Rajnath Singh had won the seat in 2009 and former army chief VK Singh won it in 2014. VK Singh is again the party candidate from Ghaziabad. Ghaziabad, along with Gautam Budh Nagar, will go to polls on April 11. This was the first campaign rally by a Congress heavyweight in western UP. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath have campaigned in the region. Accompanied by Congress candidate from Ghaziabad, Dolly Sharma, atop an SUV, Priyanka interacted with people throughout the two-kilometre roadshow from Ramte Ram Road to Ambedkar Road. Upbeat Congress workers and supporters played drums and shouted slogans in favour of Priyanka Gandhi and party president Rahul Gandhi. Thousands were spotted standing atop commercial and residential buildings as her cavalcade crawled slowly through the congested lanes. Waving at her supporters and accepting garlands from them, Priyanka took a dig at Modi, saying he had gone to several countries and hugged people but did nothing for the people in his own constituency, Varanasi. Around 15 days ago, I had gone to Varanasi thinking that the PM would have met people during the campaigns and taken up development works. There, people told me Didi, he comes, but he goes away after making speeches. They said he holds big rallies and takes off, she said. I was surprised. He went to Japan where he hugged people, went to Pakistan and had biryani... He went to China where he, again, hugged... He also hugged people in Africa. But has anyone seen him hugging a poor family from Varanasi? You should understand this, Priyanka said. She said the people should choose Congress people-centric politics over BJPs pracharwadi rajneeti (propaganda politics). When we say we will give ?72,000 to families, they question us. They have waived off ?3,17,000 crore for industrialists. GST broke the back of small traders. I went to Bhadohi recently and saw how small industries and traders have suffered, she said. Priyanka also criticised Modi for targeting her family. PM Modi keeps asking what did Jawaharlal Nehru do...What did Indira Gandhi do? What did you do in the past five years? she said. City BJP president Man Singh Goswami said Priyanka should not teach the PM how to treat poor, since he himself has risen to the top post from humble origins. He also said that GST?has contributed to the development of the country. A man from a simple family knows how to hug and treat poor...The GST has simplified the tax structure and also got rid of inspector raj. Tax evasion has reduced and revenues are devoted for development works which are seen at the ground level, Goswami said. Hours after he joined the Congress, the party on Saturday named Lok Sabha MP Shatrughan Sinha as its candidate from the Patna Sahib constituency against Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is the BJP nominee from this seat. Earlier, Sinha officially joined the Congress party at a function in New Delhi in presence of senior party leaders KC Venugopal and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Joining the Congress, Sinha targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party saying that under the new leadership, the party has ended internal democracy. He said, I saw democracy changing into dictatorship in the BJPIt has become one-man show and two-man army. WATCH| Saw democracy change into dictatorship: Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress The actor-turned-politician, when asked about his past comment lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, I used to call him dashing and dynamicfor his 56-inch chestToday, Rahul Gandhi is the face of the nation and future of the nation. To another question, Sinha said, I will not contest from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat but from the Patna Sahib constituency. The Congress played the biggest role in bringing Indias Independence. It was wholly and solely responsible for freeing India from the colonial rule, he said at a press conference at the Congress headquarters. This comes a week after Sinha met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on March 29 in New Delhi. He has been critical of the Narendra Modi government of the Centre and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, with which he had an association of more than two decades. Sinha, incidentally, joined the Congress on the foundation day of the BJP. I congratulate the BJP on its 39th foundation day. I received my political training in the BJP. But it was Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay took me to public life for the first time, Sinha said. I am sad that I had to quit the BJP on its foundation day, he said slamming the ruling party for imposing 75 year-bar on contesting polls. Do people become brain dead, he asked. Sinha is a two-time sitting Member of Parliament from Patna Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, where the Congress is an alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Sinha has often referred to RJD president Lalu Prasad as his family friend even after the latters conviction in a case of corruption. Announcing that he would join the Congress, Sinha had said that he was doing so with the consent of Prasad. Sinha is likely to be fielded by the Congress from the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat, where the BJP has named Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as its candidate. Look at that river, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said as he leaned a bit towards the window of the eight-seater chartered plane that had to hurriedly replace the one which had been ferrying him on his increasing visits outside the state due to a snag. The area around the river was witness to the Kalinga war after which Ashoka vowed never to battle again. Back then, the river flowed with blood, Adityanath explained as he headed back after a long day mostly spent hopping on to planes and helicopters on a campaign tour of Assam and Odisha. Adityanath was referring to the Daya river as he spoke of Ashokas disenchantment, though there was no mistaking his ability to take up the fight. Barely an hour back, Adityanath argued with the pilot of his helicopter to take him to Odishas Kandhamal and Brahmpur after being told that there was no time to visit the rallies and return within the 6pm DGCA deadline of choppers to touch base. In that case, fly me to the place. I will come back by road. There are people waiting for me in Odisha. The candidate is banking on me. I cant let them down, he said. Ok, sir but since there is a change in the flying schedule, we will have to seek fresh clearance, the pilot offered. As more time got consumed, Adityanath looked upset. He finally, albeit reluctantly, settled on addressing rallies over the phone. I am sorry I am unable to come to you though I wanted. I promise I will be back at the first opportunity, Adityanath said over the phone. Adityanath, who began a nine-day Navratri fast from Saturday, kept taking power naps between long flights and had his simple phalaahaar as he exuded confidence on the BJPs ability to dent BJDs grasp in Odisha. He has already held rallies in Gujarat and Uttarakhand. He was in Assam and Odisha today (Saturday) and will visit Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. He is also scheduled to campaign in Maharashtra and there are demands for him from Kerala too, explained Adityanaths aide RBS Rawat. Kerala is surely on his agenda ever since Congress president Rahul Gandhi decided to contest from Wayanad, providing the BJPs star campaigner an opportunity to up the ante against the Congress chief, describing his move as an admission of defeat. We are winning Amethi, he said with finality in between breaks even as union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi again, called him on phone to wish him on Navratra. While he was airborne, the BJP announced its fresh list of candidates, which included four seats from UP. I know, he said later when told about the candidates for the four seats announced on Saturday. He spoke of the candidates, reflecting his increased say in finalising party candidates in a state which holds the key to BJPs return to power. Tell Ravi Kishen to meet me, he told his aides. Ravi Kishen, the Bhojpuri actor-turned-BJP leader is in the reckoning for a party ticket either from Gorakhpur or Jaunpur. Is Ravi Kishen being considered for Gorakhpur? Everything is possible, he said, adding that the party would take a decision soon. Modijis appeal and his development agenda will blow everything away, he said when asked about the caste challenge from the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP. When told about the popular view that BJP touched such a high in the Modi wave in 2014 LS polls that surpassing it would be difficult now, he said, We will retain our existing seats and expand on it. Is BJPs Uttar Pradesh ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), out of reckoning now? Talks are on, he said. The SBSP has been kept waiting for Lok Sabha tickets even as the BJP has given two seats to its other state ally Apna Dal. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday promised permanent jobs to the poor, hitting out at the Congresss Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) that assures 6,000 per month to the poorest. Like BJPs (promises), the NYAY of the Congress is also a hollow poll promise. Its not a permanent solution to alleviate poverty. If voted to power, we will give permanent jobs to the poor in government and private sectors, Mayawati announced at a poll rally in Roorkee, about 30 km from Haridwar city. The BSP has fielded Antariksha Saini from Haridwar Lok Sabha seat. The party, which is in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, is contesting four of the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand. She attacked the BJP and Congress for failing to work for the poor, Dalits, tribals and minorities. The present BJP-led NDA government and previous Congress governments only made promises for the development of oppressed sections. The Modi government has claimed to have implemented development schemes for the poor while the Congress has promised many such schemes in its manifesto which are just poll gimmicks, she said adding, Our BSP-SP coalition would do development works for the uplift of these sections. Attacking PM Modi, Mayawati said, This time none of his jumlebazi or new found chowkidari would work to attract votes. People know that he has done nothing for development. They would certainly vote him and his party out of power. She claimed that Modi has only worked to make his rich industrialist friends richer. His government has only made policies pertaining to RSS ideology and capitalism. BJP would be thrown out in this election because of casteism and hatred it promoted, Mayawati said. The Congress faced the same fate in the last general elections and in many assembly elections because of its wrong deeds. Only a BSP-SP government is capable of living up to expectations of the poor, the BSP chief told the election rally in Uttarakhand. The BSP chief attacked the NDA government for its failure to provide reservation to the Dalits in the private sector. She said, Those in government in the reserved category also failed to get any benefit because almost all government works are being done by private sector under his rule. Reacting to her claims, state BJP spokesperson Virendra Singh Bisht said the SP-BSP tie-up is based on casteism while BJPs alliance is based on nationalism. She accuses us of doing nothing for the poor and Dalits but the truth is that her government in UP worked for the rich Modiji has done development works for the poor, Bisht said. It is because of her wrong policies that she was voted out of power during assembly elections and even failed to win a single seat in 2014 LS polls, he said. On the other hand, Vijay Saraswat, state Congress general secretary said, She (Mayawati) is forgetting that it was only Congress government which gave reservation to Dalits. Nobody has done development works for Dalits to the extent as Congress did. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invoked former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, the Bharatiya Janata Party veteran, among other on the foundation day of the party to assert that return of his government in the Lok Sabha election will make India stronger. PM Modi said, The BJP was founded 39 years ago on this day with a commitmentVajpayee used to say a BJP worker should have one foot in rail and one in jail for the progress of the party and the countryToday, the BJP has provided an alternative to the Congress for India. In his speech, PM Modi expressed his gratitude to Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi among other party leaders. Both Advani and Joshi are not among the candidates the BJP has fielded in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Reports suggested that the two veteran leaders were not happy with the manner in which the BJP leadership took the decision to deny them the poll ticket. The prime minister referred to a strike by the Indian Air Force at a terror camp in Pakistans Balakot in February this year and also spoke about surgical strike by the special commandos in 2016 to buttress his governments claim of taking decisive action against terrorism unlike the previous governments. The Balakot strike was carried out in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. The surgical strike was conducted after terror attack at Uri base camp of the Indian Army. Addressing a public rally in Odishas Sundergarh, PM Modi said, India now enters the homes of terrorists and eliminate them. The governments were there earlier also but no one could think of a surgical strike. The governments were there earlier also but no one thought of crossing the borders to strike at terrorists. For a strong India, should not there be a strong BJP, the prime minister asked his election rally while exhorting the BJP workers to put everything during the times of polls in Odisha. PM Modi targeted both the Congress and the Biju Janata Dal, the ruling party in Odisha saying that these two parties were responsible for the backwardness of the state. Odisha is not backward. People are very hardworking here but the parties that have ruled the state have not done justice to the people, PM Modi said. In his speech, he said that this was the first visit of an Indian prime minister to Sundergarh. Odisha will be voting for both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously in four phases between April 11 and April 29. The BJP has emerged as the principal challenger to the BJD government of Naveen Patnaik in Odisha. The Election Commission (EC) came under opposition fire on Saturday with the Trinamool Congress alleging that its decision to transfer four senior Bengal police officers was highly arbitrary and the Congress questioning its move to let off Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath lightly for his Modiji ki Sena remark. While West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed the transfers were ordered at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress alleged that the commission had written a love letter to Adityanath for his insult to the Indian Army. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted: Has the MCC now become Modi Code of Conduct. Adityanath insults the Indian Army -- EC writes a love letter to him. Banerjee wrote a letter to the EC, claiming the flow of events raised strong doubts over its functioning and ability to conduct free and fair polls in the state. The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e. the BJP, she said. On Friday, the commission had ordered immediate removal of Kolkata top cop Anuj Sharma; Bidhan Nagar police commissioner Gyanwant Singh; Birbhum district police superintendent Shyam Singh and Diamond Harbour police district superintendent P S Selvamurugan. Earlier, the BJP had submitted to the commission a list of 51 administrative and police officers on poll duty in 26 Lok Sabha constituencies, accusing them of acting as Trinamool Congress cadres. Bengal has 42 parliamentary constituencies and votes in all seven phases. Anuj Sharma and Gyanwant Singh were among a few police officers seen by Banerjees side during the dharna she held at Esplanade in Kolkata on February 3 to protest an attempt by a Central Bureau of Investigation team to enter the residence of former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar to question him in the Saradha scam. Banerjee fumed at a rally in Kalchini in north Bengal. If the BJP thinks that by transferring my officers they will make me weak, they are mistaken. Those who have replaced these officers are also my officers. They cannot put me down so easily. The more you try to harm me, the stronger I will become,she said. Reacting to her statement, Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said, This is only the beginning. More officers will be transferred because they are the ones who conduct polls for the Trinamool Congress... No police officer who is tainted, corrupt and a lackey (of the ruling party) would be allowed to participate in the election process. In Delhi, the Congress hit out at the EC after it was learnt to have let off Adityanath with a light rap for his Modiji ki sena remark, merely asking him to be more careful in his utterances in future. The party also came down hard on the EC communication to NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar, saying he criticised the Congresss proposed minimum income scheme NYAY but the commission had only told him not to repeat it in future. NITI Aayog vice chairman criticises the NYAY scheme -- EC says dont do it in future, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. Why is the EC shying away from showing the mirror of truth to those in power, Surjewala wondered. Late on Saturday, senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, too, criticised the EC for letting off Adityanath for his comments on the army during a public address in Ghaziabad on Sunday. Yogi said Modi ki fauj hai, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also said the same thing but the Election Commission did nothing, Azam Khan said in Rampur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, in a pre-poll prediction, said the Congress party is akin to Titanic ship that will bring doom to those who associate with it. The Congress is like the Titanic ship, which is sinking with every passing day. Whoever has boarded this ship is either drowning like the NCP (the Nationalist Congress Party) or leaving the ship, said PM Modi at a poll rally in Nanded. The Nanded Lok Sabha seat, which goes to the polls on April 18 in the second phase of the national election, has been a Congress stronghold since 1952. The party has lost this seat only four times in 1957, 1977, 1989 and 2004. The BJP won this seat only once in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. In this bastion of the Congress, the prime minister said that the principal Opposition party is a divided house in Maharashtra. He said, The Congress has become so weak in Maharashtra that there are more camps in the party than there are legislators (MLAs). These camps are constantly fighting. On the recently released Congress manifesto for the polls, PM Modi said the Congress views the middle-class as its enemy. The Congress has made it clear that it considers the middle-class as greedy and selfish. This is the reason why it is planning to increase tax burden on the middle-class. The Congress has not mentioned the word middle-class even once. You need to be beware of the Congress party, PM Modi said. This was in reference to the Congresss poll promise of rolling out the Nyuntam Aay Yojana or NYAY providing cash support to poorest 5 crore families in the country. The BJP has alleged that the Congress is planning to raise taxes on the middle-class to fund its minimum income guarantee scheme if it is voted to power in the elections. On another promise made in the Congress manifesto, PM Modi said the party wants to have two prime ministers in the country, one in Delhi and the other in Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that the Congress will remove AFSPA (the Armed Forces Special Powers Act) from Jammu and Kashmir to weaken the security forces fighting terrorists in the Valley. The armed forces will be implicated in false cases, PM Modi said. Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, on Saturday launched a stinging attack on the Narendra Modi government accusing it of being dismissive towards its political and ideological opponents. Gandhi said there must be weight in what a government says. Addressing Peoples Agenda - Jan Sarokar 2019 in New Delhi, Gandhi said the Modi government has destroyed the institutions during the past five years. The way the soul of our nation is being trampled for the past some time through a well-planned conspiracy is a matter of great concern, she said adding, Regressive forces have systematically dismantled our institutions. The current government has undermined the welfare architecture that was laid down over last 65 years. Gandhi hit out at the BJP alleging that it does not respect diversity of India. New definition of patriotism is being taught to us today. Those rejecting diversity are being labeled as patriots. Discrimination among our own citizen is being justified on the basis of caste, religion and ideology, the UPA chairperson said. The UPA chairpersons sharp criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has come close on the heels of a similar reference by the party veteran LK Advani. Writing in a blog recently, Advani said it his party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as anti-nationals or enemies. Many observers viewed Advanis blog as a message to the BJP current leadership. On Saturday, Gandhi, in a veiled reference to controversies involving alleged consumption of beef and the BJPs strong opposition to it, said, It is being expected of us that in the matters of food, dresses and freedom of speech, we should accept the whims of a few people. The present government is not ready to respect disagreement at all. If people are assaulted for staying true to their belief, the government turns blind eye to them. It refuses to implement the rule of law, its basic duty, Gandhi said. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a gold smuggling racket on Thursday and seized 163 gold bars, weighing 19-kg, worth Rs 5.54 crore at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai. The gold was smuggled to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in three scrap metal pipes. On Friday, DRI officers arrested the proprietor of an import company for allegedly smuggling the yellow metal into the country. Senior DRI officers said that they had received specific information on the five suspected containers, based on which they seized the smuggled gold at JNPT. On searching the metal pipes, the officers found gold bars concealed in black tapes. It was quite challenging for the DRI to seize the smuggled gold bars, as they were concealed inside the pipes. But we succeeded in finding the bars, said a DRI Mumbai unit officer. On investigating, the officers learnt that the gold was smuggled by a firm named Shourya Exim from the UAE to India. The firms proprietor, Rajesh Bhanushali, was arrested on Friday and charged with relevant sections of the Customs Act. Officers are probing his call data and scrutinising the import activities of his firm. We may arrest more people in the case in the coming days, said another DRI officer. This is the second major gold smuggling racket in two weeks. Last week the DRI had busted another smuggling racket and had seized 116kg of gold worth around Rs 32 crore and cash worth over Rs 1 crore. The gold was being smuggled from Dubai. Officers had arrested 11 people, including the mastermind, Kerala native Nisar Aliyar, who is based in Dubai. sA Mumbai Central resident has approached the Bombay high court (HC), seeking it to direct the Centre to issue a visa to his wife, a Pakistani national, whose application has not been processed since 2017, when they got married in Karachi. The HC, while hearing the matter last week, directed the Centre to decide on the time it will take to issue a visa to the woman. Aamir Kasam Vadgama and his family were visiting their relatives in Karachi in May 2017, when he met Rabiya, and the two decided to get married. Rabiya then sought a visitor visa to India on May 12, to be with her husband, but her application was not processed for the lack of a sponsorship letter from Aamir. She reapplied with the letter on May 29. However, Rabiyas visa application has not been processed since, and the Vadgamas claim they have not received any response from the authorities, explaining the delay. After waiting for a year and consulting lawyers, Aamir filed a petition in HC in September 2018, seeking directions to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue a visitor visa to Rabiya, and if it could not be issued, to assign a reason thereof. As there have been many cases where Indians have married Pakistani nationals, we did not think getting a visa for Rabiya would be an issue, said Kasam Vadgama, Aamirs father. Kasam said his son has been hospitalised and is being treated for mental health illness caused by the stress during this process. The bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice Manoj Sanklecha, last week, said, We direct the Union of India to make a statement on the next date [of hearing on April 23], if the application for the visitor visa made by the petitioners wife is already decided. If it is not decided, within how much time it will be decided? The Vadgamas lawyer, Ganesh Gole, said that being with his wife was Aamirs constitutional right. There is no law that restricts an Indian resident from marrying a Pakistani national. The failure of the Centre to issue a visa to his wife [Rabiya] has prejudiced his [Aamir] rights, said Gole. After hearing Goles submissions, the bench asked the counsel for the Centre, Mohamedali Chunawala, as to why Rabiyas application had not been processed. I have received an email saying that the issue comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and so it should be impleaded as a party, said Chunawala. The judges, however, said, Whether it is the MoEA or MHA, it did not matter, as he [Chunawala] represented the central government. We are the only country to have e-voting and also offer e- residences, said Riho Kruuv, Estonian ambassador to India. He was interacting with city entrepreneurs, start-up businesses and industrialists at the Finolex board room, Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), on Friday. During the interaction, Kruuv highlighted the fact that Estonia is strong in cyber security and digital solution. The IT (information technology) sub-committee of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture has prepared a 10-year strategic plan to take Punes IT sector from the current $8 billion to $15 billion annual turnover. Commodore Anand Khandekar (retd), former head of subcommittee, along with IT expert Sanjay Kanvinde, 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. Currently, Estonia has 336 companies set up by Indians and is a pioneer in block chain technologies, he said. Almost all transactions are done digitally which offers ease of doing business and tax competitiveness.When you set up your business in Estonia, you can run your business for all of Europe. Also, there is zero tax on companies who reinvest their profits in business, Kruuv added. Estonia is eager to cooperate with India in many areas, he added. He further said that Estonians are very hard working people with a very high emphasis on education and skill development.86 per cent of the population speaks at least one foreign language of the total population which is less than 2 million, Kruuv said. Stressing upon education, Payal Rajpal, spokesperson, Study Estonia, said, Many students who are interested in cyber security and e-governance opt to study in Estonia. Not only does it offer good education, but also gives students nine months to find work within the country. Talks of collaboration between COEP and universities in Estonia, underway College of Engineering Pune (COEP) met with representatives of Estonia to discuss probable areas of collaboration. Riho Kruuv, ambassador of Republic of Estonia and Payal Rajpal, spokesperson of study in Estonia visited the campus. Sandeep Meshram, associate professor and corporate relations officer at COEP presented a brief on activities of COEP, its industrial collaborations and memorandums of understanding (MoU) with various foreign universities. Talks of signing an MoU between the two parties is underway. The agenda was to know more about COEP and to know the probable areas of collaboration with COEP. A robotics competition has been proposed by Rajpal to be held at COEP in May. said Meshram. Rajpal explained various activities Estonia conducts in India and how Indian universities can establish association with universities in Estonia. Chinas marriage rate falling for five straight years was the lowest in 2018, an official report said, revealing a glaring disinterest among the young to get married. The new statistics are a worry for and a warning to the Chinese government as the worlds most populous country grapples with an aging and declining population. The marriage rate dropped from 9.9 per 1,000 people in 2013 to a five-year low of 7.2 per 1,000 people in 2018, the official news agency, Xinhua quoted statistics from the national bureau of statistics (NBS) and the ministry of civil affairs (MCA) as saying. The figures vary in different regions. The more developed regions have lower rates of marriage, the report said. The stats revealed Chinas financial capital, Shanghai, and Zhejiang province saw the lowest marriage rates, at 0.44 percent and 0.59 percent, respectively. Population experts have said increasing living costs, the rising cost for childrens education and high housing prices are among the reasons contributing to the fallen rate. Interestingly, the Chinese governments decision to loosen the one-child policy hasnt helped the birth rate to rise another pointer that the younger generation is increasingly cautious about finances for the future. The decrease is also closely related to the changing demographic structure, Shi Zhilei, from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, told Xinhua. People between the ages of 20 and 24 had the highest record of marriage registrations before 2012, while people between the ages of 25 and 29 became the mainstay in 2017, accounting for 36.9 percent of all registered couples, according to MCA statistics. The attitude toward marriage and giving birth is changing among those born in the 1980s or 1990s, with more choosing to marry late or not to marry, said Lu Jiehua, professor of sociology with Peking University. In an increasingly tolerant society, marriage is not the only option, Lu added. Another state media report quoted the China Statistical Yearbook 2018 as showing that there were around 240 million single people in China, as the number of unmarried people above the age of 15 totalled 215 million in 2017, while the number of divorced people reached 23 million. The Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) official newspaper, Peoples Daily, recently launched an online poll to ask the eligible about why they were not getting married. Not meeting the right people was listed as the top reason why young people are staying single, with 29.5 percent of the 33,330 respondents choosing this reason. Other reasons include being unable to share the family burden (23.4 percent), enjoying single life (16.5 percent), living an unstable life (12.3 percent), too much work pressure (8.8 percent) and pursuing academic development, a state media report said. Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today! Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. News and Info from our Community Partners Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. Just days after it was reported that Kodak Black was ordered to submit his DNA for his upcoming rape case in South Carolina, the prosecutor says he's hoping to have the trial up and running by early summer or early fall. The 21-year-old rapper is facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct over an incident that reportedly occurred in February 2016 with a high school student who was not a minor. Kodak, real name Dieuson Octave, was arrested just months after the alleged assault and released on $100,000 bond. We are slowly but steadily moving toward a disposition, Clements told The State. I want to do justice for the victim, whatever that takes. Clements also said that Kodak is looking at a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Back in 2016 when Kodak was 19-years-old, a girl claimed that following one of his concerts, she was attacked by the rapper in a hotel room. [Octave] forced the victim onto the bed in the room and then onto the floor of the room, a warrant issued back then read. The [defendant] removed the victims underwear and attacked her orally and then penetrated her, it said. For years Kodak hasn't said a peep about the accusations, and when Ebro tried questioning him about it, Black wanted nothing to do with it. "I feel like," said Kodak, "Sometimes when n***s like me going through s**t, y'all be entertained by bulls**t. Change the subject or I finna walk out." Ebro let him know that he wasn't budging from the topic at hand. "We don't have to talk about nothing else," he said. "We can be done right here." Kodak agreed and walked out of the room. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps personal lawyer Friday asserted Trumps right as a citizen to keep his tax returns private and told the Treasury Department not to hand the returns over to House Democrats, foreshadowing what has the potential to be a far-reaching legal fight that could reach the Supreme Court. The lawyer, William S. Consovoy, argued that Democrats who have demanded to see Trumps tax information had no legitimate legislative reason to request it and that Rep. Richard E. Neals decision this week to ask for six years of the presidents personal and business returns flouts fundamental constitutional constraints. He also called it a gross abuse of power. Even if Ways and Means had a legitimate committee purpose for requesting the presidents tax returns and return information, that purpose is not driving Chairman Neals request, the lawyer wrote, referring to Neal, D-Mass., who leads the House Ways and Means Committee. His request is a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from the other party because they dislike his politics and speech. Consovoys views have no direct bearing on the case. The little-known tax code provision employed by the Democrats in demanding Trumps returns says only that the Internal Revenue Service shall furnish the information, giving it and its parent agency, the Treasury Department, little leeway in deciding how to respond. Democrats anticipate that the Trump administration could present an argument similar to the one made Friday by Consovoy, namely that Neals request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose and, based on past court precedent, must respect Trumps right to privacy. Nonetheless, the length and forcefulness of Consovoys letter underscores what is at stake for a president who has defied modern political norms by refusing to voluntarily release his tax returns. If Neal prevails and gains access to the presidents long-hidden returns, it would allow Democrats for the first time to peek past Trumps public claims about his wealth and investments and into the heart of his personal and business finances. The IRS and Treasury Department have given no indication of how they view the request since it was made Wednesday. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, told Congress last month that he would consult with his legal team and follow the law when a request was made. He will most likely face questions about the request again next week when he returns to Capitol Hill to discuss the departments budget. Trump has indicated in recent days that he is ready to fight to keep his financial information private. Asked Friday if he was confident he would succeed, Trump offered an ambiguous prediction. Oh, I dont know, he said. Thats up to whoever handles it. I dont know. Hey, Im under audit. But thats up to whoever it is. From what I understand, the law is 100 percent on my side. Neal made the request through an obscure but frequently used provision of the federal tax code Section 6103 that allows Congress tax-writing committees to view tax information on any filer. The authority is regularly used by the committee to confidentially measure how changes to the tax code would affect different types of taxpayers. It has been used for more investigative purposes, as well, most recently in 2014, when committee Republicans obtained and publicly released tax information as part of an investigation into whether the IRS discriminated against conservative entities seeking tax-exempt status. But there is little precedent for using it to examine the returns of a president without his consent. Neal gave the IRS until next week to comply. If it does not, the House could go to court to try to enforce the request a process that legal experts said could take years to sort out. The Supreme Court has flagged twice now that it is unclear as to whether a congressional committee can sue the president and force the executive branch to do something, said Andy Grewal, a University of Iowa law school professor. I think we are a very long way from getting an answer over legitimate legislative purpose. After months of speculation, the back-and-forth was initiated Wednesday when Neal formally requested that the IRS hand over six years of Trumps personal and business tax returns as part of what he said was a committee oversight investigation of tax law enforcement. Even if Neal does get access to the information, it would not automatically become public because the committee would have to vote to disclose anything it sees. In making his request, Neal jettisoned issues, like possible tax fraud, that Democrats have warned that Trump may be hiding, instead saying that he wanted to examine audit procedures for a president. Neal worked closely with House lawyers to prepare the request to hold up against legal challenge. He framed the request as part of the Ways and Means Committees oversight of the extent to which the IRS audits and enforces the federal tax laws against a president. Under IRS policy, the personal tax returns of presidents and vice presidents are supposed to be automatically audited each year. This request is about policy, not politics, Neal said at the time. My preparations were made on my own track and timeline, entirely independent of other activities in Congress and the administration. Daniel Rubin, a spokesman for Neal, declined to comment on Fridays letter. Consovoy said that Neals stated justification only thinly veiled what Democrats were really after: political gain. They have demanded for years that Trump release his tax returns, Consovoy argued, and they promised to use the House majority to find out whether the president had undertaken financial fraud. Once this Pandoras box is opened, the ensuing tit for tat will do lasting damage to our nation, Consovoy wrote. Though he was defending Trumps privacy rights as a taxpayer, his arguments also closely mirrored those used by Republicans in Congress who have argued against making the request. If Chairman Neal genuinely wants to review how the IRS audits presidents, why is he seeking tax returns and return information covering the four years before President Trump took office? Consovoy asked. Why is he not requesting information about the audits of previous presidents? Consovoys argument bears similarity to one made by other Trump lawyers throughout the course of the obstruction of justice investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. In that case, the presidents lawyers repeatedly argued that he did not lose his rights as a citizen by dint of being the commander in chief. Those included his rights to free speech, his lawyers argued, a point echoed in the letter sent Friday. Grewal said he thought Consovoy raised a valid objection about the legitimacy of Neals investigation, but cautioned that his letter was part of public relations and advocacy, as opposed to any kind of official action that would affect the case. George K. Yin, a tax law professor at the University of Virginia, disagreed. He said Neals argument was cleverly framed, particularly in light of a relevant past use of Section 6103 by Congress in examining whether President Richard M. Nixon had properly paid his taxes. There is an inherent conflict of interest when the agency is responsible for auditing its boss, he said. Facing questions about his own tax obligations, Nixon asked Congress to investigate whether he had taken improper tax positions as president. Using materials he handed over and referencing Section 6103, Congress found that despite being audited by the IRS, Nixon had significantly underpaid. After Nixon and his immediate successor, Gerald R. Ford, all American presidents until Trump voluntarily released their taxes. This article originally appeared in The New York Times You might think that family portraits with dogs in the field is the most adorable thing you've ever seen. But have you ever seen Texas law officers pose in a bluebonnet field? Here's your chance to see some Texas cops shed their tough guy persona. Criminal defense attorney Paul Looney was in his law office in Hempstead when a fellow lawyer called last week to see if he could confirm a rumor. Word was, the new district attorney in Waco had dismissed all the last remaining charges stemming from a 2015 motorcycle gang firefight at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco that left nine dead and 20 wounded in May 2015. Looney, who represented six of the 177 people arrested, quickly confirmed the rumor. I just started crying; it was a very emotional day, said Looney, a veteran barrister who also has an office in Houston. It wasnt tears of joy, it was just an emotional release. I was carrying this responsibility for four years. I was afraid I had missed something and somebody was going to be convicted for a crime they didnt commit. DISPUTE: Bandidos claimed in 2015 that Waco police were spreading lies Looney had enlisted a cadre of criminal defense attorneys from Houston, and across the state, who donated their legal skills to help defend the bikers in a troubled prosecution that quickly became one of the most egregious examples of justice-gone-awry in decades. Last weeks dismissal of misdemeanor riot charges against 24 remaining gang members marked the end of the massive criminal prosecution, without a single conviction. The only case to go to trial ended in a mistrial, and charges were dismissed. Many questions remain, however. Although few public details of the shootings have been released, a law enforcement source close to the investigation told the Houston Chronicle that ballistic testing showed that four of the bikers killed were hit with police bullets, four died after being shot with firearms carried by gang members, and one body had bullets from both law enforcement and civilians. Waco police said they seized 151 firearms in the Twin Peaks parking lot and vehicles, along with knives, chains, clubs, stun guns and a tomahawk. Police have said that three of their officers fired 12 rounds from assault rifles, and one officer said in court he shot four who were aiming guns at other bikers or police. 150 CASES DISMISSED: Three years after deadly biker shootout in Waco, criminal cases unraveling Ken Magidson, the U.S. Attorney in Houston from 2011 to 2017, expressed concern over the spectacle of 155 indictments returned after the shooting followed by dismissals of remaining cases under a new district attorney. From whats been reported, it appears there was not sufficient investigation prior to indictment to ensure cases could be brought where you could prove a defendants guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, said Magidson, who prosecuted drug and weapons cases involving members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club in the 1980s. Why didnt you take more time to investigate before you indicted them? he asked. Doesnt it have a ring of a rush-to-judgment? Several calls to the Waco police department for comment were not returned. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Fierce firefight erupts at Waco restaurant The first and only person to go to trial was Jacob Carrizal, president of the Dallas chapter of the Bandidos who led a contingent to Twin Peaks on May 17, 2015, where they encountered rivals from the Cossacks Motorcycle Club. Some of the bikers thought they were arriving for an information session on motorcycle legislation, but law enforcement had gotten tips that the two motorcycle gangs might try to settle a long-simmering dispute over each gangs use of the word Texas on their leather jackets and vests. Nearly 300 bikers arrived at the restaurant as dozens of local, state and federal officers waited nearby. A physical altercation in the parking lot quickly devolved into a fierce firefight as officers poured onto the scene. In the end, the dead included seven Cossacks, one Bandido and another who was not affiliated with any group. Houston lawyer Casie Gotro defended Carrizal, and the trial ended with a hung jury in November 2017. No other case went to trial. McLennan County District Attorney Abelino Abel Reyna who oversaw the mass indictments lost his re-election bid in the March 2018 Republican primary. Before he left office, Reyna dismissed most of the original cases but re-indicted 24 club members on misdemeanor riot charges. Last week, new District Attorney Barry Johnson issued a statement explaining his dismissals of the remaining misdemeanor charges, and characterized the Reynas legal strategy as an ill-conceived path. After a county grand jury indicted 155 persons on charges of engaging in criminal activity, Johnson said previous prosecutors should have assessed the evidence and brought individual charges against a number of gang members where the evidence warranted. 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, said Johnson, who took office in January. By then, the statute of limitations had expired on many of the charges that could have been brought in the wake of the bloody confrontation, he said. Reyna, who is now senior counsel with the Waco office of a Houston law firm, declined to discuss details of his Twin Peaks prosecution, citing a number of civil lawsuits brought against him, although he responded to the sharp criticism against him by Johnson. 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, Reynas statement said. I respect the fact that the voters of McLennan County chose Mr. Johnson to make these types of decisions. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A tragic disaster The call for free legal help put out by Looney was answered by about 30 attorneys from across the state, including Tucker Graves of Conroe, Mark Thiessen and Wade Smith of Houston, Mark Metzger of Galveston and Abigail Anastacio, who became a Harris County district judge in January. Another attorney in Houston who offered his legal services was Romy Kaplan, who represented a man he said attended the Waco meeting to have lunch with some friends. Kaplan noted that client George Rogers was in poor health and came to the Twin Peaks function carrying an oxygen tank, adding, He didnt come there looking for violence. The tactics used in the prosecution made Kaplan eager to help, adding that he couldnt sit idly by and witness one of the greatest prosecutorial blunders in American criminal jurisprudence history. Thiessen was recruited by Looney to help defend Marcus Pilkington, a Bandidos club member from Mexia who was shot during the confrontation. This is a tragic disaster for the Waco police, for the district attorney, and all the people in Waco, Thiessen said. I hope the people in Waco can heal now that these people have been removed. So many people and businesses were affected in Waco. While in private practice, Anastacio defended Ray Nelson, president of the Hill County Cossacks, and attempted to get DA Reyna disqualified from prosecuting Twin Peaks cases because she claimed he exceeded his authority by taking charge of the criminal investigation and was therefore a potential witness. Looney, who defended six of those arrested, blames Reynas prosecution and the Waco police for using tactics he said were intended to discourage local membership in motorcycle clubs. They were trying to address an issue that wasnt before them, and using the criminal justice process to achieve a solution to a social problem, Looneysaid. They felt like local people were joining motorcycle gangs and dressing in clothing that was frightening to the public, so they took a tragedy at Twin Peaks and tried to used the criminal justice system to solve a cultural problem. Looney agrees there were criminal acts committed during the melee that warranted prosecution. If they had done their job, they probably wouldnt have arrested more than three or four people, and those people probably would have been serving a life sentence, he said. Unjust and wrong Among those defended by Looney were William and Morgan English from Brenham, who were not members of either the Bandidos or the Cossacks motorcycle clubs. Due to intermittent rain, the couple arrived at Twin Peaks in the family sedan. After their arrests, they spent 15 days in the county jail until Looney could convince a judge to lower their bail. Neither was ever charged. Morgan English was shocked when she heard no convictions would result from the violent brawl, during which she and her husband lay on the ground outside the Twin Peaks restaurant as shots rang out all around them. She was one of four women arrested and placed in the general population of the county jail. It really shows that we have no rights, she told the Chronicle last week. It was unjust and wrong the way people were treated. I have no respect for Waco, and when I hear the word, I cringe. While she and her husband were jailed, the DAs office sent her hometown newspaper a press release with their jail booking photos. Soon, the whole town knew and people were describing her as a biker girl. The couples booking pictures still pop up when they Google their names, she said. Sandra Guerra Thompson, criminal law professor at University of Houston law center, wonders if the sheer numbers involved in the fatal confrontation may have overwhelmed the resources in the Central Texas county. At the end of the day, it presented a major challenge to a small community where there was a melee and nine people were killed and 20 injured, said Thompson, a former prosecutor. Its not easy to investigate and see who could be charged. It may have been something that was beyond their capacity to do well. This isnt right The legal fight over the Waco debacle is far from over at least 100 of those arrested after the shootout have filed civil actions against the county and law enforcement. Looney and other defense attorneys are still working to have Waco authorities return property seized in the investigation, including weapons, motorcycles and cell phones. They have also discussed attempts to expunge the Waco charges from their clients criminal records. After the arrests, a local Justice of the Peace in Waco set bail at $1 million, making release from jail out of reach for many of those arrested. Whether it's politicians in our state, the judges in that county or the citizens all over the state, nobody wanted to stand up and say, This isn't right, except for the criminal defense attorneys that all came in, Looney said. They had horrible consequences. Imagine going four years charged with a crime. Imagine being held on a million-dollar bond. Looney said the lesson of the Waco fiasco is one that is well known through human history. If you follow the law, you wont have outrageous results because the law generally points toward justice, he said. In this case, the prosecution invented law, they lied about law, they tortured the law, and they thought they had an end that was justified by any means. And they destroyed any prosecutions they could have done. james.pinkerton@chron.com Mayor Sylvester Turners administration remains at odds with the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association over the amount of incentive pay firefighters should receive under Proposition B, and whether the city legally can decrease the raises for firefighters who lack the college degree required by the corresponding police department position. The issues are the central sticking points keeping the two sides from reaching an agreement to phase in the raises and avert layoffs. Both sides have said they are willing to implement raises over four or five years, and Turner has said a five-year agreement would come without layoffs. The pay raises are required under the November referendum granting firefighters the same pay as police of corresponding rank and seniority. The fire union also repeatedly has asked the city to open its books and reveal details about police incentive pay, as well as the citys underlying financial information used to calculate Prop. Bs price tag. Firefighters say the citys refusal to turn over the data has been key in preventing a deal, too. The Turner administrations latest annual cost estimate, which has changed several times, is $79 million. A copy of that data and a memo sent from Controller Chris Brown to Finance Director Tantri Emo, which the Chronicle obtained, raise questions about the citys latest cost projection. Notably, the $79 million figure assumes firefighters would not receive five types of incentive pay currently granted to police. The underlying data also accounts for 3,217 fire department employees base pay increases, 730 fewer than the city accounted for when officials previously estimated that Prop B would cost $113.1 million. Among other questions, Brown asked in the memo why the incentives are excluded and how much of the 730-employee decrease can be attributed to proposed layoffs. The citys finance department received the memo late Thursday and was continuing Friday to answer Browns questions, said Alan Bernstein, a spokesperson for Turner. To the firefighters, Turners administration would be blatantly violating Prop. Bs ballot language if it grants raises without including each type of incentive pay that police receive. The ballot referendum included language that grants firefighters parity on incentive pay. The mayor said Wednesday he is certain his interpretation would withstand a legal challenge. The citys latest cost projection of $79 million down from a prior estimate of $100 million stems from the assumption that firefighters would be paid less if they do not have the degree required by a similar police position, Turner said. Unlike police officers, firefighters are not required to have degrees to receive certain promotions. The fire union contends the city would violate state law if it does not grant the full raises. If for police officers, in order for them to get paid in a certain position, education is required, then why shouldnt the same provision be required for firefighters? the mayor said. We think thats reasonable, we think that would withstand any legal challenge, and we are moving forward. The five incentive pay types missing from the citys cost estimate are: tuition reimbursement, investigative incentives, field training incentives, clothing allowances and mentoring bonuses. Despite the lingering differences and high level of acrimony that has built up between Turner and fire union President Marty Lancton, Fire Chief Sam Pena and other officials say they hope a deal can be struck. After the city sent 60-day layoff notices to 67 fire cadets Thursday, Pena renewed his call for the two sides to come together. I hope that an agreement can be reached with the fire union that will allow us to rescind the layoff notices, swear-in the cadets and focus on continuing the efficient delivery of service to this community, Pena said in a statement. The best way to honor the will of the voters, pay our firefighters and minimize the impact is to phase-in the full implementation of Proposition B. Brown echoed that point in his memo. To mitigate further strain on an already-strained budget, my office maintains the only way to move forward with implementation is through a mutually-agreed upon multi-year, phased-in agreement, Brown wrote. He also asked whether the city would be violating the parity ordinance through its interpretation of the educational requirements and by omitting the incentive pays. The controller mentioned the memo when delivering his monthly financial report to City Council Wednesday, though he did not go into detail, instead telling council members that the city needs firm numbers to accurately set its budget. My concern about that is that if we move forward with implementing ... and for whatever reason the costs end up down the road being higher than what we implement, we would have to go back and pay that money, Brown said. Lancton viewed Browns memo as vindication of the unions long-running request for the citys financial data. We suspect we now know why the mayor has refused to meet face-to-face, fully open the city books, and provide the financial information we have requested for months, Lancton said. The city controller raises troubling questions about the mayors actions from the legality of what hes doing to the secrecy of the budgeting and the clear inequity of how he treats police and fire personnel. Asked whether the mayor has refused to meet with firefighters, Bernstein noted that Turner and Lancton met in January, though at that point the two sides were not discussing explicit offers to phase in Prop. B. Since then, Bernstein said, the mayor has laid out multiple phase-in offers, most recently on Wednesday when Turner sent a letter to Lancton proposing to implement raises through the end of the 2022 fiscal year. In response, Lancton renewed his request for the city to provide financial data so union officials could verify that the offer reaches pay parity. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer In his last letter home, Sawyer Letcher was searching for forgiveness. You are my hero and my inspiration I love you more than life, the 19-year-old prisoner wrote to his mother. I did a lot of messed up stuff and I am just realizing now. I was just broken, trying to find my way. Scrawled in child-like handwriting, the note still sits on the familys refrigerator in San Angelo, where Keri Womack quietly searches for answers two years after her mentally ill son killed himself in a Texas prison. Could the prison have done something different? Could she have done something different? Why are so many inmates killing themselves? Letchers death in 2017 came amid a rise in prison suicides, which reached a 20-year high in Texas last year a troubling shift even as jails across the state have seen suicide figures tumble to the lowest theyve been in at least a decade. NOT ONLY INMATES: Texas corrections officer dies by suicide at Huntsville prison Forty inmates killed themselves in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 2018, more than twice as many as five years earlier. Jail suicides, conversely, fell by a third over the same time period. Experts credit the downturn in jail deaths to successful reforms in the wake of the Sandra Bland Act, but its not as clear whats driving the increase in prisons. We have an epidemic of suicides in prison and no ones asking why, said Doug Smith, a policy analyst with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. But if we had independent oversight you damn well better believe they would be getting to the bottom of it. We would know what the problem is. Not everyone believes thats the answer. Theres a pending bill to create independent oversight of the Texas prison system, but state Sen. John Whitmire the Houston Democrat who chairs the criminal justice committee questioned whether that would solve the problem. The outside oversight would only be as good as whoever appoints the person, he said. And theres just not support for that in the Legislature, in my judgment. Rising numbers The Texas prison population is the lowest its been since the early 2000s, with 147,905 people in custody at the end of last year about 10,000 fewer than a decade ago. Despite that, the number of suicides is rising. While 2013 saw a 10-year low of 17 deaths ruled suicide, the next year shot up to 31. By 2017, the figure rose to 34 and last years total of 40 was the highest recorded in 20 years of state data obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Just as in the state prison system, Texas jail populations have decreased, too though not quite as much. In 2018, the states lock-ups held about 65,000 inmates, about 3,000 fewer than in 2008. Suicides peaked in 2015 when 35 inmates killed themselves, but generally stayed in the 20s before that. Last years low of 17 suicides made for a rate of 2.6 per 10,000 inmates just below the Texas prison systems rate of 2.7 per 10,000 prisoners. According to 2017 Centers for Disease Control data, the age-adjusted suicide rate in the general U.S. population was 1.4 per 10,000 people, also a noticeable uptick in recent years. Line in the sand Growing up in San Angelo, Letcher was always a little different from other kids. From a young age, he liked spending time alone, ensconced in books. He wanted to be a preacher when he grew up. But he took everything too literally and didnt catch on to social cues, his mother recalled. At Christmas, he couldnt understand why to tell people thank you when hed been told not to lie. And over time, his frustration at social interactions spilled over into aggression. He was put into special education classes and diagnosed with Aspergers, bipolar disorder and borderline personality, according to his mother. As a single working mom, Womack didnt know how to handle her sons escalating behavioral problems and occasional outbursts of violence. I just drew a line in the sand with him and said, If you touch me, Im going to call the police, she said. And I did. Letcher didnt do any better in the juvenile justice system. Instead, the 13-year-old racked up disciplinary violations, then eventually assaulted a guard and caught a new charge this time as an adult. When he turned 17, officials transferred him to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. More mentally ill prisoners The Texas prison system is grappling with a 24 percent increase in the number of mentally ill prisoners over the last decade; about 19.4 percent of the states inmates now have diagnoses requiring mental health treatment behind bars. In response to the uptick in suicides in 2012, the department boosted suicide prevention awareness efforts among staff, which officials said likely prompted officers to ask more questions and categorize more behaviors as suicide attempts. That, officials said, could explain the sharp rise in the recorded number of prisoners trying to kill themselves. We believe that any suicide is one too many, said prison spokesman Jeremy Desel. To make sure that we are doing everything possible to keep those numbers as low as possible, it is likely that the agency overcounts the number of attempted suicides. Now, though, suicide attempts are more than double what they were five years ago, and completed suicides have gone up as well. Department officials said they are working to find innovative ways to treat and track mental health problems. But Greg Hansch, public policy director for the National Alliance of Mental Illness Texas, stressed that not all suicides are among the mentally ill population, and raised questions about whether prison conditions especially in uncooled units could drive up suicide numbers. I am certain there have been suicides that directly resulted from the conditions, including the temperature that those facilities are placed at, he said. You can just imagine night after night youre sleeping in highly uncomfortable conditions, at a certain point you might hit your breaking point. And its probably worth a look at the extent to which solitary confinement is being used. Smith, who once served time in the Texas prison system himself, criticized the department for failing to probe deeper into the reasons for the rise. I have no idea why this is happening and neither does TDCJ, he said. They just offer one excuse after another. Shadows and self-harm The day after he was sent to the adult prison system, Letcher told medical staff he felt suicidal, according to court filings. As the months wore on, he saw shadows passing by his cell, ate his own feces, tried to kill himself repeatedly, and cut his arms in an openly suicidal fashion, telling a counselor it made him feel good to feel the blood running down. Sometimes, he heard voices telling him to hurt himself, and hed bang his head against the wall to make them stop. He wouldnt always agree to take his medication and at one point, mental health providers wrote, PATIENT REMAINS A THREAT TO HIS SAFETY. But they never permanently admitted him to the psychiatric prison and, after a brief emergency room visit for a spring 2017 suicide attempt, officers apparently ignored an order to keep him under direct supervision, instead leaving him alone in a one-man cell with bars that could be used as tie-off points and bedsheets that could be tied into a noose. The next day, prison guards found him hanging in his cell. Legislative options The Sandra Bland Act seems to be having an impact on county jails. Named for the Illinois woman whose suicide in the Waller County jail four years ago sparked national outrage, the legislation emphasized diverting mentally ill inmates, created a fund to pay for more cameras in small jails, and mandated mental health training for jailers statewide. Despite a string of highly publicized inmate deaths in the Houston lock-up over the past two years, statewide figures hit a decade low last year when 17 inmates killed themselves and officials said this years figures are on track to be even lower. A lot of people do not want to be the next Waller County and find themselves part of a viral video, said Brandon Wood, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The Sandra Bland Act has to have had a positive impact in terms of bringing to light the issues of inmates with mental health problems in the jail and trying to provide them services they needed all along but I think its also making people aware that we have a long ways to go. But to Whitmire, theres an obvious solution: this legislative session, he filed a bill that would create a compliance monitor appointed by the State Commission to oversee any jails found out of compliance three or more times in 18 months. Last month, the measure was referred to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. When it comes to prison oversight, theres an even more robust legislative fix on the table. A pair of companion bills filed by Houston Democrats Rep. Jarvis Johnson and Sen. Borris Miles seek to create an independent ombudsman to oversee the state prison system. Weve wasted and spent a lot of unnecessary money on things that I think an independent ombudsman would have been able to catch, Johnson said, touting the measure as a way to both protect inmates and avoid lawsuits. I think it would have saved the taxpayers money. Its a move advocates have called for repeatedly, citing gaps in medical care, allegations of officers planting contraband in inmates cells, evidence of a since-abandoned disciplinary quota system, and various other problems in the states 104 facilities. Michele Deitch, an attorney and criminal justice consultant who teaches at the University of Texas at Austins LBJ School of Public Affairs, pointed out that an ombudsman could do preventive monitoring and look into systemic concerns much as the ombudsman already does in the juvenile prison system. There is a critical need for an entity independent of the prison agency to look at these cases as a whole, she said, and ask questions about whether there is anything the agency could be doing to better identify prisoners at risk, provide them with treatment, supervise them differently, improve training for staff, or change policies. I never want this to happen to another boy When Womack got the call about her son, she was still at work. She had thought her son was doing better and it all came as a terrible surprise. I just kept thinking he was coming home, she said. In his letter, he said hed be home for his 21st birthday. That would have been in February. Now, Womack is suing the prison system in federal court on her sons behalf. I dont know what the treatment is or what help they need, but I never want this to happen to another boy with similar issues, she said. Someone should care. keri.blakinger@chron.com Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced a new round of sanctions intended to further starve Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduros regime of resources and, drawing parallels with the crisis-stricken Latin American country, warned that socialism is beginning to take root in the United States. Pences speech at Rice Universitys Baker Institute to a crowd of about 300, including many Venezuelan expatriates, came as about 100 students gathered across the street to protest the vice presidents appearance. Many came with rainbow flags showing their support for the LGBT community and posters bearing words such as VICE BIGOT, No to Pence. Yes to Peace, and Go Away Satan! At times, the muffled cries could be heard inside the institute, where Pence delivered a message largely rehashing the Trump administrations position that opposition leader Juan Guaido should be recognized as Venezuelas interim president. The vice president also devoted several minutes to what he cast as the creeping influence of socialism in the United States. The truth is, were living in a time in this country of growing support for socialism, and growing intolerance for diverse viewpoints, including on many college campuses across America, Pence said. Pence announced the United States will impose sanctions on 34 vessels owned or operated by PDVSA, a Venezuelan state-owned oil firm, as well as two other companies and a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba. Now Playing: Vice President Mike Pence meets with a group of displaced Venezuelans before speaking at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy about the crisis in the South American country. Video: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle The move aims to put pressure on Cuba as a way to get to Caracas. Despite falling oil production and a mounting economic crisis in Venezuela, Cuba still has been receiving shipments of PDVSA oil as an important part of its energy mix. Cuba is a major importer of crude oil and in return it sends assistance to Venezuela in the form of political advisers, intelligence and military officials and medical professionals. Venezuelan oil belongs to Venezuelan people, Pence said. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top ranking Republican on the House Foreign Relations Committee, expressed support for the move after Pences speech. McCaul also recalled his recent trip to Cucuta, a Colombian city that borders Venezuela and serves as a major crossing point for refugees. Its a humanitarian and refugee crisis. As long as Maduros there, its going to continue, McCaul said. The Austin Republican also largely agreed with Pences contention that socialism is taking hold in the U.S. He noted that some South American countries that long have practiced socialism are now adopting capitalistic economies. It is kind of odd to see Latin America, which has been under socialism for quite some time, moving in that direction, McCaul said. And, yet, you have these elements I would call more fringe elements that are moving toward socialism in the United States. Pences announcement Friday is part of the White Houses ongoing effort to ramp up pressure on Maduro and the Venezuelan government. Last week, President Trump met the wife of Juan Guaido, Fabiana Rosales, and called for the removal of Russian military forces assisting the Maduro government. On Tuesday, Pence met with families of six executives from Citgo Petroleum who have been detained in Caracas for about 17 months with no due process after they were arrested on what their families say are trumped up charges. Pence demanded Maduro release the prisoners. Outside the Baker Institute, meanwhile, protesters directed their criticism toward Pences views on issues beyond Venezuela, appearing to make a broader critique of the Trump administration. I am really excited about how all communities at Rice have pulled together in unity behind this event. Theres 1,000 different reasons in this crowd to oppose Mike Pence, but everyone is here behind the same idea, said Franz Brotzen, the president of Rices Young Democrats. Now Playing: Rice students gather outside Baker Hall in opposition of Vice President Mike Pence, who will be delivering remarks on Venezuela at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. Video: Godofredo Vasquez, Houston Chronicle Not every student agreed with the protesters. After the official student speakers finished, organizers opened the stage to others. The first who took the stage urged students to be understanding of Pence. But (Pence) hates us! a student in the crowd retorted. Perhaps, but we have to have to respect the man for who he is, he said before leaving the stage. jasper.scherer@chron.com marissa.luck@chron.com Robert Kirschner killed a man on April Fools Day, stabbing him during a fight at a party he didnt want to attend in the first place. Wrong place, wrong time, self-defense, he said. He was 18 years old; it was 1973. It turned out to be a swerve in an otherwise straight life. Kirschner spent three years in a California facility for youthful offenders, after which a judge set aside his conviction meaning, for most purposes, it was cleared from his record. During college, he unexpectedly found himself drawn to a career in criminal justice. He worked as a state parole agent and later started his own private security company. Over the years he has been licensed in a half-dozen states and teamed up with numerous police agencies, including the FBI. So Kirschner was stunned when, in 2016, Texas regulators rejected his application for a private security license. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, which regulates the profession, his lengthy law enforcement resume didnt matter: Kirschners 43-year-old crime made him too great a risk to public safety. When it comes to getting permission to work in security professions in Texas, he isnt the only one who has been unable to outrun his distant past. Jimmy Carter was still a new president when Wayne French was convicted of a Harris County burglary. The judge suspended the then-17-year-olds sentence and placed him on probation. He was released from supervision early, in 1981. Frenchs only other brush with the law was a marijuana possession charge more than 30 years ago. Yet last year, when he sought a license as an unarmed security guard, the public safety agency said the decades between Frenchs crimes and license application were insufficient to ensure the now 57-year-old could be trusted with the job. Over the past decade, Texas and federal policymakers have passed an array of criminal justice reforms stressing rehabilitation and reintegrating convicts into society. By comparison, the Texas Department of Public Safetys oversight of professions such as security guards and alarm systems sales is a laggard, criminal justice reformers say, a holdover from an era when some offenders were viewed as irredeemable. In 2017, DPS denied more than 1,400 private security applicants because of their criminal histories. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox What you did at 19 shouldnt preclude you from anything you do at 45, said Andrew Ward, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a Virginia-based advocacy group that has pushed for occupational regulation reforms. Texas legislators have tried to get DPS to adopt more progressive approaches to how it evaluates ex-offenders for occupational licenses. Ten years ago, lawmakers instructed the agency to apply standards that weigh each applicants life story individually, accounting for the passage of time and mitigating circumstances, such as evidence of rehabilitation. The agency has resisted, however, ignoring the rules used by other state occupational licensing agencies to evaluate applicants with a criminal past. In some ways, it has since made its assessment of ex-offenders even stricter and less flexible. This year, as the Department of Public Safety undergoes its once-a-decade performance evaluation, state officials are trying again. In their report, so-called Sunset reviewers again criticized the agencys regulation of occupational licenses, describing it as overly criminalistic. Legislators again have agreed, and once more have recommended the agency modernize how it evaluates applicants whose long-ago pasts have clearly passed. I dont smoke, I dont drink Kenneth Crosby admits he was a wild teenager. In 1976 the then-19-year-old was convicted of aggravated robbery in Dallas, the latest in a string of crimes. But, he said, I turned my life around. He took college courses in prison and has worked steadily since his release. He volunteers for a ministry that helps ex-offenders. I dont smoke, I dont drink, Ive been married 10 years in September and Im a homeowner, he said. So when DPS rejected his application to be an alarm salesman in 2017, citing his 40-year-old criminal history, Crosby, now 63 and a grandfather, was baffled. If I was going to do something, he said, I wouldve done it by now. In addition to ignoring legislators intent, DPS rules about permanently excluding ex-offenders from certain professions defy research describing how people with criminal records typically behave. Studies have shown that after about seven years, offenders whove stayed clean have the same odds of committing another crime as someone without a criminal record. Other research indicates the older a person is, the less likely he or she is to break the law. So people in their 60s whose only crimes occurred decades ago are statistically among the lower public safety risks, said Stephen Saltzburg, a law professor at The George Washington University Law School. Still, he added, even states that have recently pioneered prison reforms - including Texas - have been slow to replace restrictive occupational laws that can summarily exclude applicants with a criminal record. Its not what most people think of when they think of criminal justice reform, he said. Yet making it easier for former prisoners to find good work is a crucial component of the overhaul, Saltzburg said. A quarter to a third of all jobs are regulated in some way, and millions of American adults have a criminal past. A good job is an essential component of preventing recidivism. As a result, in recent years, groups on both sides of the political spectrum have pushed to update occupational licensing laws to give ex-convicts a better shot at qualifying for the good-paying jobs typically subject to government regulation. Cut-and-dry standards According to guidelines created by the National Right to Work Project, an advocacy group, occupational regulators should weigh each license applicants individual history and background rather than simply banning those who have committed particular crimes. Most Texas licenses already are evaluated that way. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees 39 occupations, recognizes no crimes that automatically bar applicants from state-regulated professions. It instead relies on guidelines in the Texas Occupations Code that instruct regulators to consider factors such as the persons age when the crime was committed, how long it has been since the conviction and his work and personal history in the time since. For years, the Department of Public Safety didnt apply those same rules, contending the security professions it regulated - private guards, locksmiths, alarm system sales and service required stricter standards to better protect the public. But in its decennial 2009 review of the agency, the Sunset Advisory Commission noted DPSs rigid approach was unfair to applicants with a criminal history who had demonstrated rehabilitation. Legislators agreed the agency should adopt the individual-by-individual approach to evaluating applicants, and DPS was instructed to make the changes. But last year, when the Sunset investigators returned for the agencys next 10-year evaluation, they discovered it hadnt followed directions. Instead, they wrote, the agencys staff had continued denying applicants convicted of certain serious crimes using rules that create cut-and-dry standards for disqualification - no matter how much time had passed or compelling evidence the person had turned around his or her life. The DPS media office did not respond to a request to make a representative from the Regulatory Services Division available for an interview to explain the departments approach to permanently disqualifying crimes. 68 years old, still too risky License applicants summarily rejected by DPS because of their criminal record may appeal to the agency for a second look. But those, too, typically are quickly denied, lawyers say. I was surprised at how perfunctory it was, said Peter McGraw, an attorney for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. It seemed like it wasnt a real opportunity to present your case. The next step for a persistent applicant is to appeal to the independent State Office of Administrative Hearings. At that stage, a review of records shows, administrative judges often side with those who present evidence of their rehabilitation. But the process can take up to two years and thousands of dollars in legal fees. Its booting you into this long, drawn-out and expensive procedure, said Erica Smith, an Institute for Justice attorney. Some applicants give up, lawyers say, abandoning their pursuit of the license. Administrative law decisions are considered advisory, and still must be accepted by the agencys Private Security Board. The appointed members approve most of the recommendations, records show. But not all of them. In October, an administrative judge concluded Rodolfo Gallardo had earned the right to be trusted as an alarm salesman. His felony sexual assault against a 26-year-old woman, for which he was sentenced to seven years of probation, was serious, the judge wrote. But it had occurred a quarter-century ago. Since then, Gallardo, of Houston, had undergone counseling, kept a clean record and steady employment, and participated in community and church activities. Mr. Gallardo, the judge summarized, turned his life around after his crime. Two months ago, however, the security board overturned the judges findings, concluding the now 68-year-old still posed an unacceptable public risk. I wish this would change, but theres nothing I can do about it, Gallardo said. Maybe in another life. DPS has made the rules it uses to summarily exclude applicants even more restrictive. The agency changed standards that once allowed certain felons to qualify for occupational licenses 20 years after their crimes. Now the disqualification is permanent. It also tacked a new crime, burglary of a habitation, onto its list of permanently disqualifying offenses. That updated rule snagged Ted Brannum. He was 17 years old when, in 1981, he broke into a Tarrant County house he thought was empty. I done something stupid that I shouldnt have, he said. The judge agreed, suspending his sentence and placing him on probation. Court records show a judge later set aside Brannums conviction. By the time he applied last year for a registration to work as an unarmed security guard, 37 years had passed since the crime. According to DPS rules, however, that didnt matter. The agency summarily denied Brannums application, and then rejected his appeal. Six weeks ago, an administrative judge recommended Brannum, now 55, be allowed to become a guard. He said he has offers from two companies, awaiting final approval from DPS. Im praying, Brannum said. Ive always been good and lived right. Overwhelming evidence of rehabilitation The hard-line rules at DPS have occasionally produced absurd-seeming results. In 2017, its staff cited the recently enacted burglary rule to reject Shayne Gatlins application to renew his locksmiths license because of his teenaged 1980 burglary conviction - even though by then Gatlin had been working in the profession for more than 30 years, earning a top Better Business Bureau rating, court records show. Perhaps no applicant has performed such a complete turnaround as Kirschner. Found guilty of second-degree murder, he was diverted to a program for youth with rehabilitative potential. Three years later the court set aside his guilty verdict. He interned at the California Department of Corrections while still in college. After graduation, his former ward, the California Youth Authority (now the Division of Juvenile Justice), invited him to apply for a job. His previous life a partying hobbyist, he said helped him better understand and manage the young offenders. He retired after 28 years. With the help of an FBI mentor, Kirschner also founded a security company, Threat Management and Protection, Inc. He later earned a masters degree in business. He was even approved to work in Texas. In 2008, DPS granted Kirschner his private security license, granting renewals every two years. Yet his 2016 form was rejected. Even though hed built a new life in law enforcement in the four decades since his crime and held his Texas license in good standing for nearly a decade the Department of Public Safetys new rule changing his crime from a 20-year disqualification into a permanent one suddenly rendered him ineligible. The agency summarily denied Kirschners appeal, as well. Last October, an administrative judge concluded the overwhelming evidence shows that Mr. Kirschner is not the same person he was in 1973 when he committed a very serious crime and recommended DPS re-grant his license. In February, after two years of wrangling, it finally did. In a recent interview, Kirschner displayed a thank you gift hed recently received for assisting the FBI in a case. They wouldnt be playing with me, he said, if I werent credible. AUSTIN Texas education officials thought they owed the federal government $33 million for spending too little on special education, but revised estimates show the state may owe up to $223 million. Time is limited for the state education agency to devise a solution. Lawmakers plan to adjourn at the end of May, leaving just a few weeks for legislators to shift more funding to special education to avoid at least some of the fine. This is an opportunity to correct past wrongs, said Steven Aleman, a policy specialist with Disability Rights Texas. If theres a window, its very quickly closing. Federal law prohibits states from reducing funding for special education services a law that is designed to prevent states from shifting more of the financial burden of special education to the federal government. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox If a state reduces funding, the U.S. Department of Education reduces the amount of federal aid by the same amount. The $33 million figure, upheld by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, represents how much money the state reduced its special education budget by in 2012. The federal government court victory also requires the state to recalculate its special education spending. After applying the new formula, Texas may owe additional penalties for cuts in 2017, 2018 and 2019, said DeEtta Culbertson, spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency. About $111.6 of the new penalty estimate represents money the state could have spent in the current budget year, Culbertson said. The TEA is working with the U.S. Department of Education and the state Legislature to see how it can resolve that portion of the penalty, she added. The total penalty amounts to nearly a quarter of Texass annual $1 billion federal grant for special education. The increased sanctions come as Texas is under a federal directive to improve its dismal track record of serving students with special needs. Starting in 2004, the state imposed a de facto cap on the number of special education students school districts could serve, a Houston Chronicle investigation found in 2016. While the national average was 13 percent of students received special education services, Texas limited school districts to 8.5 percent. The federal government investigated and confirmed the existence of an arbitrary cap. For subscribers: Denied: How Texas quietly keeps tens of thousands of disabled children out of special education Regarding Texas should fund all-day pre-K (Editorial, March 31): As the chief of the Houston Police Department, I was glad to see the recent editorial about the importance of quality pre-K . My job is to put those who commit serious crimes behind bars, but a better and less expensive way to improve public safety is to prevent young children from growing up to become involved in crime in the first place. Research highlighted by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids shows that low-income children left out of pre-K are five times more likely to grow up to be chronic offenders compared with similar children who participated in a quality program. High-quality early education can help prepare children to succeed in school and stay on the right side of the law. The bottom line is that we can invest in our state pre-K program now, or we can pay much more to deal with crime problems down the road. In 2017, I was honored to pen a letter supporting Gov. Abbotts call for funding, and I am very encouraged to see that both the Texas House and Senate have followed his lead and prioritized investments in early education. Art Acevedo, chief, Houston Police Department Dedicated professionals Regarding House bill also aids school staff (City/State, Thursday): Thank you for your coverage of developments in the Texas House of Representatives and the vote in favor of HB 3, the bill which will hopefully bring about a long-overdue change in funding for public schools in Texas. I would like to offer one clarification to your article. The picture of the House gallery, shown on page A5, notes that Texas teachers packed the gallery of House on Wednesday, when in fact it was retired teachers showing their support for public education along with other bills related to teacher pensions and health care. It is important for your readers to be assured that those who are currently teaching were, in fact, doing just that. They were working in their classrooms and were doing their jobs on Wednesday, just as they do every day. Our public school teachers are dedicated professionals and are public servants as were those who are now retired. Mary Widmier, Kingwood Power sells Regarding Power sellers want to expand; utilities stand in way (Business, Thursday): L.M. Sixels article about power sellers desire to expand their business on an open market in other states indicates that those in the retail business are doing well. Again, as in the sale of many commodities, which is what electricity has become in an unregulated market, it seems the middle man makes the most money. Those corporations in both the power-generating and power-selling markets routinely make more on the selling side. One reason is the market and the plans are so convoluted that it is difficult for consumers to compare what they are paying versus what another provider may charge. This mystery is the machine making profits for the sellers, which is why they wish to be able to sell in more states (markets). Bill Spear Bartlett, Jersey Village Pot skeptic Regarding Decriminalize pot (Editorial, Thursday): The editorial makes two broad statements about marijuana based on either weak evidence or no evidence. The first is the statement, Some drugs are too dangerous to be legal. Marijuana isnt one of them. The proof offered is that some 24 million Americans said in 2018 that they used marijuana . For over 100 years millions of Americans used tobacco, and how did the popularity of that substance workout? The other statement is, For some folks, the benefits (of marijuana) are profound. Where is the proof for such a statement? Are there any FDA-approved studies comparing the benefits/risk of pot to any FDA approved drug? If marijuana if so good and safe, prove it in a FDA study. Walter M. Caskey, Rosenberg Right now, the Texas Legislature is considering several bills that would increase the number of guns in our schools. As a parent , I refuse to accept that the only solution we have for gun violence in schools is putting guns in the hands of my childrens teachers. Im a mother of three, and like most moms, I spend a lot of time trying to decide what is best for my children. I wonder how to make sure they are healthy, happy and most of all safe. A year ago, my husband and I moved from Houston to my hometown, Nacogdoches. We were excited at the prospect of our children attending the close-knit community school in neighboring Douglass, a small, rural town. But the vision we had was shattered when we learned the school made the decision to arm teachers. I want to believe that the people who want to put guns in teachers hands think its the right thing to do. But I know too much about the risks that come with arming teachers to allow my children to be in that environment. Law enforcement officers spend hundreds of hours training for emergency situations, and even the most highly trained officers experience a significant decrease in their ability to shoot accurately when they are in a crisis. Our teachers are trained to help our children learn and prepare for the world, not take out a perpetrator. We cant expect teachers to operate at the level of law enforcement in a crisis. What we can expect is that increasing the number of guns in our schools will only increase the likelihood of gun violence occurring in our schools. Like many of our neighbors, we are gun owners. We know that inadequate gun safety training and irresponsible gun storage can lead to injury and even death. Just lastmonth, a substitute teachers gun unintentionally discharged and injured a student in an Alabama classroom. And that wasnt the first incident of its kind a student was injured by bullet fragments when a teacher unintentionally discharged a loaded firearm during a public safety class in California. And a sixth grade student in Detroit found a loaded gun in a school bathroom stall after a county sheriff unintentionally left it behind. It has been a challenge to find schools for my child that dont allow teachers to be armed. So last year, we decided to homeschool him. While I respect those who choose to homeschool their children, for us, it was a difficult option that did not fit our lifestyle. And many families dont even have the option. Luckily, we were able to send our son to a charter school this year where we know his teachers will not be armed. Unfortunately, well have to start all over again when he graduates the fifth grade. When we consider the risks, we know that its worth it to keep our children out of harms way. But the fact that our lawmakers continue to try to increase the number of guns in schools only makes me more discouraged. Teachers, parents, school officials and lawmakers alike we all want to keep our children safe. But the lawmakers who claim that rural parents want their teachers armed are not speaking for me or my neighbors. Of course, if anything were to happen at my childs school, I want there to be a plan in place to keep the teachers and students safe. But I dont buy into the idea that putting guns in the hands of my childs teachers is the solution. Its time for parents across our state to tell our lawmakers that arming teachers is not the answer for rural communities. King is a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America in Nacogdoches. We have all been following Prop B, the proposal by the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association to require pay parity with police. In November, voters approved the measure by a 59-41 margin. Now, Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council must interpret the measure and find a way to pay for it. Much of the coverage over the past few months has centered on Mayor Turner and the president of the fire union, Marty Lancton. But this isnt about personalities. There are two issues with Prop B as written and approved.First, it attempts to equalize pay between employee groups fire and police that have different work schedules, organization structures and advancement requirements. Lets run through a few: Work schedules. Fire fighters work roughly two days out of seven, with 24-hour shifts consisting of emergency response, equipment maintenance, training, sleep, and cooking/eating. Police work more traditional shifts, with five weekly eight-hour schedules distributed over days and nights, or roughly 40 hours per week. Similar ranks, different functions. Take for instance the rank of captain: HPD has 5,151 total officers, and 44 are captains. HFD has 3,958 total fire fighters, with 125 in that captain pay band. Prop. B mandates the same pay for the corresponding ranks, but it is difficult to say that a police captain and fire captain are functionally similar. Educational requirements. HPD requires certain education credentials to move up in the structure; HFD does not. These two groups of employees, and the work they do, are different. In light of that, the mayor and City Council must interpret the will of voters. The fire union brought this item to voters without a mechanism to pay for it, and the costs could range from $70 million to $100 million annually. So, how to pay for it? This is where our interests as citizens of Houston come into play. Paying for Prop B will result in serious cuts that will reduce services across city departments. Most services, including police and fire, are paid from the General Fund, made up principally of sales tax and property tax collections. The General Fund for the current year is about $2.5 billion, of which 55.4% goes to police and fire. Finding a spare $100 million is not easy. To put $100 million into perspective: If this raise were itself a standalone department, it would be the third largest,behind police and fire. The new Fire Union Pay Raise Department would be larger than the entire budgets of Public Works, Solid Waste, Health, Libraries and Parks and Rec. Unlike the federal government, the city is required to have a balanced budget each year. Cash out must equal cash in. The budget before Prop B was already challenging. Why not raise taxes? Because voters put a limit on the growth of property tax revenue in 2004. The cap has required rate cuts in four of the last five years. And the citys sales tax rate is already at the state-stipulated maximum. This is why one City Council member proposed a garbage fee to pay for these raises. Viewed by most as a regressive tax, the proposal was defeated, 16-1. The mayor and council now have to find cuts to offset the raises. We suggest the mayor and City Council look first at the Fire Department. With a Prop B-mandated fire fighter pay raise of up to 29%, it is time to look at how we schedule fire fighters and how we deploy personnel and equipment. And it is time to examine how we mix Fire and EMS. One recommendationis to move from a schedule based on four work shifts to three. Last week, Chief Sam Pena noted that this move would reduce the force by 239 fire fighters (largely through attrition), but the department would be able to deliver the same level of service. We should also look at adjusting the number of hours fire fighters must work before getting overtime. Doing this would likely require an adjustment to state law, as Houstons fire union was able to lobby for a state provision specific to Houston that mandates overtime pay after 46.7 hours per week. In every other Texas city, that overtime trigger is 53 hours, matching the federal standard. Fire fighters work 24-hour shifts, so the standard 40-hour week doesnt make sense. If Houston fire fighters were brought into overtime parity with fire fighters in other cities, it could save more than $40 million per year. We should study opportunities to shift duties to civilians. Among the largest U.S. cities, the Houston Fire Department has the second-lowest ratio of civilian employees to classified employees (sworn fire fighters) trailing only Chicago. Houstons ratio is one civilian employee for every 36 classified employees. Dallas has a ratio of one to 18. There are a number of functions that do not place an individual in imminent danger, but those employees are covered by Prop B. For example, police and fire dispatchers at the Houston Emergency Center sit side-by-side, but are paid differently. The police dispatcher is a civilian; the fire dispatcher is covered by the same union contract as the fire fighter putting out the fire. The average salary for the 183 civilian employees at the HEC is $53,412. The average salary of the 95 uniformed fire union employees in the same room is $69,469. Thats a 30% difference. EMS could also be reorganized. More than 84% of all responses by HFD vehicles in 2018 were in response to EMS calls. Many could be managed by a well-trained civilian EMS force. Fort Worth successfully manages such a system. The list of potential improvements is longer, but these examples show there are a number of ways we could do this. Layoff notices could go out this month and will have a 60-day clock attached. Some argue that the changes and layoffs are abrupt and ill-considered. But the city must move forward with a balanced budget by the end of June. Either the city and fire union agree to a phased implementation (or some other compromise to the cost) in the coming weeks, or the cuts must be made. We support the proposed five-year phase-in retroactive to January 1 of this year to ease the immediate cost pressure. Failing a compromise agreement, the cuts should be directed where the cost increases are. We encourage Mayor Turner and Lancton to reach a compromise in the best interest of the city and citizens. Prop B was the fire unions proposal. They bear some responsibility for making it work without harming the citizens who supported it. 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. Adams-Cheshire Presents Superintendent's Award Cameron Wagoner CHESHIRE, Mass. Cameron Wagoner has been presented the Superintendent's Award for his academic achievements at Hoosac Valley High School. Adams-Cheshire Regional Schools Superintendent John Vosburgh made the presentation at Monday's School Committee meeting at Cheshire School. Each year, superintendents across the state award one student with a Certificate of Academic Excellence, sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. Wagoner, a senior, has received several undergraduate awards in courses such as Spanish II and III, geometry, algebra II, and biology. He also received the Williams College Book Award during his junior year and is a recipient of a John & Abigail Adams Scholarship. He is a member of the Leo Club, a community service group sponsored by the Adams Lions Club, which provides students with opportunities to give back to the community in a variety of ways including clothing drives, holiday gifts for families, and canned food drives. He is also a member of the track team. Wagoner is planning to attend Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute in the fall but has not decided his major yet. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Friday that his company is planning to cut the monthly production of 737 airplanes beginning this month to divert more resources to work to bring 737 Max aircraft currently grounded worldwide back to sky. FILE- In this March 22, 2019, file . a Boeing 737 Max 8 being built for Oman Air, top, taxis before takeoff from Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash. [File Photo: IC] "We're adjusting the 737 production system temporarily to accommodate the pause in MAX deliveries, allowing us to prioritize additional resources to focus on software certification and returning the MAX to flight. We have decided to temporarily move from a production rate of 52 airplanes per month to 42 airplanes per month starting in mid-April," Muilenburg said. The Boeing CEO, in a video statement Thursday, acknowledged for the first time that bad data played a role in the two air crashes, Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610 in October and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March -- both involving 737 Max aircraft and killing a combined 346 people -- as the aircraft's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System was activated in response to the erroneous "angle of attack" information. Muilenburg said Friday the company has "the responsibility to eliminate this risk," and is making progress on the 737 Max software update that will prevent similar accidents from happening again. The recent deadly air crashes have led to the worldwide grounding of 737 Max jets. Voice TV host has been charged with defamation following the channels broadcast of the general election on March 24. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly criticized the charges against the TV host and called for the charges to be dropped immediately. According to Prachatai Voice TV host Sirote Klampaiboon had defamation charges filed against him, and activist Nuttaa Mahattana. It is reported that the charges relate to the Voice TV broadcast on March 24, during the general elections. On April 5, Sirote wrote on his Facebook that he had been summoned on defamation charges filed by the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT). On the same day Nuttaa was summoned to report to the Thung Song Hong Police station by April 11. In his Facebook post, Sirote wrote: If this is because of my job as a TV host, my job is to invite guests to express their opinion, so I dont understand why thats wrong. But by principle, I think its not appropriate for the ECT, as a government agency, to be filing charges against citizens, especially not a charge that could result in a 2-year prison term, regardless of who is being sued. The National Union of Journalists, Thailand are investigating the case. The IFJ said: Defamation threats and charges have become a tool of the Thai authorities to silence critical voices. We urge the government to take strong action to end to crack down on media freedom, and end the use of tools to intimidation media. Imperial Valley News Center An Overwhelming Surge in Illegal Immigration is Worsening the Crisis at the Border Washington, DC - "The current situation at the southern border presents a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests and constitutes a national emergency." ~ President Donald J. Trump OVERWHELMING SURGE AT THE BORDER: President Donald J. Trump has warned repeatedly that our border is being overwhelmed and, as the numbers show, that is exactly what is happening. United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) engaged in more than 100,000 border enforcement actions in March the most for one month in more than a decade. Total enforcement actions were 516 percent higher than in March 2017. Border Patrol apprehensions for this fiscal year, through March, have exceeded the entire fiscal year totals for 2017, 2015, 2012, and 2011. Border Patrol apprehensions increased 38 percent from February to March. An unsustainable number of alien families and children are arriving at the border; these migrants cannot be promptly removed and require extensive care and resources. Sixty-four percent of all border enforcement actions in March were directed to unaccompanied alien children and family units. More than 75,000 migrants were apprehended or deemed inadmissible at the border in February, a disturbing upward trend from monthly totals late last year. The overwhelming surge of migrants has created a system-wide meltdown as resources and personnel at the border are being stretched completely beyond their capacity. LEADING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE: President Trump is doing everything within his lawful authority to secure our border and address this growing crisis. President Trump has deployed troops to assist with the situation at the border and is fulfilling his promise to build the wall. The Department of Homeland Security has reassigned CBP officers from ports of entry to assist with the response. The Secretary of Homeland Security has directed immigration agencies to return the maximum possible number of aliens each day to Mexico to await immigration proceedings. Hundreds of aliens can now wait in Mexico while their immigration cases are adjudicated. The Administration secured the first-ever agreement with Northern Triangle countries to help stop caravans from flooding across our border and to combat human smuggling and trafficking. THE BROKEN SYSTEM DRIVING THIS CRISIS: Congress must act immediately to fix the broken immigration system and address the root causes of the crisis at our border. Imperial Valley News Center White House Regarding the Administrations Trade Talks with China Washington, DC - At President Donald J. Trumps direction, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and a Chinese delegation for negotiations on trade from April 3 to April 5, 2019. The subjects of the negotiation included intellectual property, forced technology transfer, non-tariff barriers, agriculture, services, purchases, and enforcement. The United States and China had productive meetings and made progress on numerous key issues. Significant work remains, and the principals, deputy ministers, and delegation members will be in continuous contact to resolve outstanding issues. Proclamation on National Volunteer Week, 2019 Washington, DC - During National Volunteer Week, we acknowledge the many Americans who generously give their time and talents to help improve the lives of others. Their acts of kindness help build a better and brighter future, and remind us that we all have a role to play in making our communities safer, healthier, and stronger. Americas strength has always come from the acts of ordinary citizens. From the earliest days of our Nation, volunteers have stepped forward to serve, helping us survive our greatest challenges and achieve our greatest triumphs. Every day, through their volunteerism, millions of our citizens renew this ethic of service, which is fundamental to our Nations character and exemplifies the resolve of the American people. In 2017, the number of Americans volunteering hit a record high, and their contributions were worth an estimated $167 billion in economic value. These outstanding individuals keep students on track to graduate, care for seniors, aid our veterans, and help those affected by natural disasters, war, and disease overseas. Last year, we again witnessed the servant leadership of thousands of Americans who volunteered to help their fellow citizens following natural disasters around the country. After devastating hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, and wildfires, countless Americans answered the call to help others rebuild and recover. Even in times of great uncertainty and despair, their compassion helped renew the hope of so many in need. Americans commitment to serving others has always contributed to the success and prosperity of our Nation. This week, we pay tribute to our countrys volunteers and recognize every American who takes time to help others. We celebrate the spirit and generosity that drive our citizens to care for others and serve a cause greater than self. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 7 through April 13, 2019, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third. DONALD J. TRUMP Vice President Pence in Listening Session with Venezuelan Families Houston, Texas - Remarks by Vice President Pence in Listening Session with Venezuelan Families: THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all for being here. Estamos con ustedes. PARTICIPANT: Thank you. PARTICIPANT: Thank you. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Were with you. And were going to stand with you until libertad is restored in Venezuela. Im here to bring some remarks and announce even renewed American efforts to bring economic pressure on the regime in Venezuela. The United States of America knows that Nicolas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power, and Nicolas Maduro must go. Im honored to be here with Ambassador Vecchio. And the United States was honored to be the first country in the world to recognize Interim President Juan Guaido as the only legitimate President of Venezuela. Im also honored to be joined by Congressman Mike McCaul, who is a leader in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has been a great champion of libertad for Venezuela. But I know this is happening to your families and to you. So I wanted to take some time, before my remarks, to hear your stories. And Im very grateful that you would take time to share your stories with us and with the wider world about whats really happening in Venezuela. So maybe each of you could share a brief word about who you are and how your families have been impacted. We want you to go home. We want you to go home to a free Venezuela. Well, thank you all. These are the stories that we hear. Three million people are just like these: Theyve been forced to leave Venezuela because of dictatorship and oppression and corruption. I just I want to thank you all for helping to tell the story of the plight of the Venezuelan people, a story of corruption and intimidation. A story of abuse, and of deprivation of food and medicine that is costing lives every day. We will keep telling your story, but I want to assure you, from the President of the United States to members of Congress in both political parties, the American people stand with you. And we will keep standing with you until Maduro is gone and freedom is restored. So thank you. And vayan con Dios. Dear Tim, Time passes quickly and the WiFi is spotty here in Tr?yastri??a, so I apologize for taking so long to check out how you've been doing with our company. First, nice work growing Apple to a trillion dollar market cap. Our investors are super happy, so that's good. Of course, truth be known, Apple was already on that trajectory when I handed you the company, but props anyway. Beyond that, though, I feel I must ask: Is that ALL you could manage with that money and talent? Seriously? OK... Let me calm down... Deep breath... Nam Myoho Renge Kyo... Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.. That's better. Look, Tim, I don't want to go all heavy on your case, but here's what you need to do to make Apple great again: 1. Invest in new technology. You let our cash on hand get all the way up to $245 billion??? Earning maybe 3% interest? Are you out of your mind?!?! With those deep pockets, we should be making huge investments and acquisitions in every technology that will comprise the world of the future. You've let that upstart Musk make us look like IBM. That's just plain wrong. 2. Attack and cripple Google. Google is our new nemesis, remember? They attacked our core business model with that Android PoC. But, Tim, c'mon... Google is weak. They can't innovate worth beans and most of their revenue still comes from online ads, which are only valuable because they constantly violate user privacy. You could cut their revenues in half if you added a defaul 100% secure Internet search app to iOS and Mac OS. Spend a few billion and make it faster and better than Google's ad-laden wide-open nightmare. This isn't brain surgery. 3. Make the iPad into a PC killer. WTF? The iPad was supposed to be our big revenge on Microsoft for almost putting us out of business. All it needed was a mouse and could have killed--killed!--laptop sales. Sure, it would have cut into MacBook sales, but that's the way our industry works. I let the Macintosh kill the Lisa, remember? And the Lisa was my personal pet project. The iPad could have been the next PC... and it still might not be too late. 4. Give our engineers private offices. I get it, Tim. You're not a programmer. You built your career in high tech but it was always in sales and marketing, which are the parts of the business where a lot of talking and socializing make sense. But if you'd ever designed a product, or actually written code, you'd know engineering requires concentration without distractions. Programmers and designers don't belong in an open plan office. Give them back their private offices before it's too late. 5. Don't announce trivial dreck. A credit card? Seriously? Airbuds with ear-clips? A me-too news service? Is that best you can do? And what was with Oprah And Spielberg at the event? Hey, the year 2007 called and wants its celebrities back. Look, when you gin up the press and the public up for a huge announcement and it's just meh tweaks to existing products or me-too stuff, it makes us look lame and out of touch. If we don't have anything world-shaking, don't have an announcement! 6. Stop pretending we're cutting edge. There was a time--I remember it well--when people would line up for hours just to be the first to get our innovative new products. Heck, we even had "evangelists" who promoted our products to our true-believers. But that's history. Until we come out insanely great new products that inspire that kind of loyalty, dial down the fake enthusiasm. 7. Make Macs faster, better, cheaper--more quickly. I'm honestly embarrassed what you've done with the Mac. You've not released a new design in years. Sure, MacBooks were cool back in the day, but now they're just average. And where's our answer to the Surface? Tim, you actually let Microsoft--Microsoft again!--pace us with a mobile product. That's freakin' pitiful. 8. Diversify our supply chain out of Asia. Tim, Tim, Tim... I love Asia, but you've bet our entire company on the belief that there will never be another war (shooting or trade) there. Meanwhile, China has become more aggressive and there's a madman with nuclear weapons perched a few miles from our main supplier for iPhone parts. Wake up! We need to sourcing our parts in geographical areas where war is less likely. 9. Fix our software, already. This was the one that surprised me the most. I knew that iTunes, iBooks, Music, and AppStore was a crazyquilt but I figured we could fix that in a future release. But here we are, ten years later, and we're still asking people to suffer through this counter-intuitive bullsh*t? And what's with the recent instability with our operating systems? And that wack Facetime security hole? 10. Make some key management changes. Delete your account. Beatifically, Amazon will move thousands of jobs from Seattle to nearby Bellevue, Washington over the next four years. The news was announced via an email to employees this week. Not surprisingly it was quickly picked up by the local tech news site GeekWire, which received confirmation of the announcement from Amazon. Amazon plans to move its worldwide operations team to its new buildings in Bellevue, which is a carefully planned and well-functioning suburban city. Expedia and T-Mobile are headquartered there, and Microsoft, headquartered in nearby Redmond, has a hefty presence. Now, Bellevue will also house Amazon's worldwide operations team--the people who oversee all of Amazon's logistics. They are responsible for managing the company's 175 fulfillment centers and the quarter of a million people who work in them, its Delivery Service Partners initiative, its fleet of trucks, and its fleet of airplanes. If the company ever makes good on its promise to someday deliver packages by drone, this team will oversee those too. It's considered a key group within Amazon, and some observers believe that in time it could employ about 25,000 people--as many people as the company's planned second headquarters in Northern Virginia. The move makes a lot of sense from Amazon's point of view. Bellevue is nearby, someplace where the company can still draw on Seattle tech talent (and maybe poach some more from its new neighbor Microsoft). But Bellevue is not as badly congested with traffic as Seattle, and its leadership is very business-friendly. In fact, Bellevue's leadership is ecstatic. After GeekWire broke the story, mayor John Chelminiak issued a statement that ended, "Welcome home, Amazon!" This is a reference to the fact that Amazon got its start in the garage of a Bellevue home. But not everyone else is pleased. Here are two cities where are a lot of people may be ticked off by Amazon's announcement: 1. Seattle Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan says she's fine with the idea that some Amazon jobs currently in Seattle will move to Bellevue. "The more jobs we have in the region and the more it's diversified, the better it is for all of us," she told a local TV station. Seattle has a severe shortage of affordable housing and an increasingly bad traffic problem and moving some employees to Bellevue could help ease both problems a bit while keeping the economic benefit in the same region if not the same city. But others say the company isn't true to its word. Last year, Seattle City Council voted in a "head tax" that would have charged Amazon and other large employers in the city $275 per year per employee, with the funds used to alleviate homelessness. Amazon was vocal in its objections--and visual. The company actually halted construction on a partially built building in Rainier Square in response. The City Council caved and repealed the tax. Even so, having gotten what it wanted, Amazon decided it didn't need its new building after all and it's put that office space on the rental market instead. That left some of Seattle's leaders feeling duped. "We cannot be in this reactionary position to constantly respond to whether or not Amazon is going to hold true to its threat or frankly, in our case, stay true to its promises," City Council member Teresa Mosqueda told GeekWire. 2. Crystal City, Virginia You likely remember the highly publicized beauty contest Amazon ran last year for its second headquarters, nicknamed "HQ2." Cities outbid each other in pursuit of HQ2, and after many months, Amazon announced a winner--sort of. The company surprised everyone by saying it would split the new headquarters in two, with half going to Crystal City in Northern Virginia and half to Queens in New York City. Facing severe skepticism from community leaders in Queens--exactly the sort of ill feeling it was facing in Seattle--the company scrapped its New York City plans. It would still move half of HQ2 to Virginia, and spread the remaining jobs among its existing offices. The world lives in terror of Stephen King. Over nearly five decades and 58 novels, hes infested our dreams with the most ghoulish of creations: a sewer-dwelling, child-eating clown; a building so corrupt in its foundations that it turns men mad; a child resurrected from the dead without its soul or conscience. No other living author can scare us so efficiently. His work digs straight into our most primal fears. His unembellished prose has made him an easy target for critics. Literary circles love to debate whether King is actually a good writer or merely a trickster, having fooled the masses into treating pulp fiction like high art. After the publication of The Shining in 1977, The New York Times dismissed King as a writer of fairly engaging and preposterous claptrap. In 2003, critic Harold Bloom reacted with utter disbelief to the news that King had received an award from the National Book Foundation for his distinguished contributions, declaring it another low in the shocking process of dumbing down our cultural life. Its inevitable a little snobbery will arise out of such immense popularity. King is one of the bestselling authors of the past half century, having shifted more than 350 million copies in his lifetime. Hes come a long way, considering the fact he tossed his first novel into the bin only for it to be rescued by his wife. She convinced him not to abandon it and, in 1974, it was published under the title Carrie. It became the hit horror film starring Sissy Spacek in 1976, and was remade in 2002 and 2013. King continues to be a major source of inspiration for Hollywood, having inspired nearly 100 film and TV adaptations. The latest, a new take on his 1983 novel Pet Sematary (made into a film before, in 1989), hits cinemas this week. The concluding part of 2017s horror smash It (previously a 1990 miniseries) opens in September, with A-listers Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy joining the cast. New TV adaptations of The Stand (a miniseries in 1994), the Dark Tower series (a film as recently as 2017) and The Outsider (brand new) are all in production. Although his genre-sprawling efforts have seen him mix sci-fi, fantasy, westerns and crime fiction into his work, hes still primarily thought of as a master of horror. Like him or not, King has harnessed something within the public imagination and manipulated it in new, thrilling ways. His work emerged in the shadow of an America that had finally been forced to face some of its own ugliness, as exposed by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and, later, the Watergate scandal. The rise in serial killers made every neighbour a potential menace. The Cold War threatened total annihilation at the press of a button. These were hard truths for people to swallow. 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Show all 37 1 /37 37 horror films that are genuinely scary 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Funny Games (1997) Directed by: Michael Haneke. Funny Games places the horror in the familiar setting of home. It follows two young men who hold a family hostage and torture them with sadistic games. The result is far scarier than anything featuring ghosts, witches or demons. Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Amityville Horror (1979) Directed by: Stuart Rosenberg. The Amityville Horror is based on the true story of the Lutzes, a family who were run out of their home after being terrorised by paranormal phenomena in 1975. Just one year before, Ronald DeFeo Jr shot and killed six members of his family in the same house. James Brolin and Margot Kidder lead this film, which became one of the biggest hits of 1979. American International Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Audition (1999) Directed by: Takashi Miike . Japanese horror Audition (1999) follows a widower who meets a woman named Ayoma after staging auditions to meet a potential new partner. Soon, though, her dark past begins to surface, which equates to a pretty disturbing climax. Omega Project 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Blair Witch Project (1999) Directed by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez . Although parodied to death, The Blair Witch Project popularised the found-footage format to terrifying degrees in 1999. People genuinely believed they were watching real clips of three student filmmakers being terrorised by a Maryland legend known as the Blair Witch. Artisan Entertainment 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) Directed by: Robert Wiene . Black-and-white silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) is considered the quintessential work of German Expressionism, but also one of the scariest films in cinema history. It follows a hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist to commit murders, and Wiene's shadowed sets and striking visual style combines to unsettle the viewer in ways most filmmakers only dream of managing. Decla-Bioscop 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Candyman (1992) Directed by: Bernard Rose. A contemporary classic of horror cinema, 1992 film Candyman which spawned two sequels and has a Jordan Peele-produced remake in the works follows a graduate student whose studies lead her to the legend of a ghost who appears when you say his name three times. TriStar Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Cannibal Holocaust (1980) Directed by: Ruggero Deodato. Extreme enough to warrant a ban in Italy and Australia, Cannibal Holocaust (1980) was one of the first films to embrace the found-footage format so much so that Deodato found himself charged with multiple counts of murder due to rumours that several of the film's death scenes were real. He was later cleared. United Artists Europa 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Descent (2005) Directed by: Neil Marshall. Released in 2005, The Descent follows six women who, upon exploring a cave, battle to survive against the creatures they find inside. It's these creatures that earn this British horror film's placement on this list. Pathe Distribution 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Exorcist (1973) Directed by: William Friedkin. One of the most controversial films of all time, The Exorcist which tells the story of the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl named Regan (Linda Blair) became the first horror to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars in 1974. Warner Bros 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Halloween (1978) Directed by: John Carpenter. Sure, it may be dated, but John Carpenter's original Halloween film released in 1978 remains the daddy of all horrors. It re-defined the rule book and has been emulated in everything from Scream (1996) to Trick 'r Treat (2007). The tension, as babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) attempts to evade masked murderer Michael Myers, only heightens with every new watch. Compass International Pictures[ 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Hereditary (2018) Directed by: Ari Aster. Proving that horror is a force to be reckoned with, Hereditary became independent distributor A24's highest-grossing film around the world upon its release in 2018. It tells the story of a family who find themselves haunted after the death of their secretive grandmother and features a final act that left many of its viewers with sleepless nights. A24 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The House of the Devil (2009) Directed by: Ti West. The House of the Devil (2009) follows a student named Samantha who is hired to guard an isolated house with one rule: don't go upstairs. For most of the film's runtime, not much happens, which is what makes the action-packed final third so terrifying. Spoiler: she goes upstairs. MPI Media Group 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Innocents (1961) Directed by: Jack Clayton. Based upon Henry James' chiller The Turn of the Screw, the plot of 1961 psychological horror film The Innocents concerns a governess who watches over two children and comes to fear that their large estate is haunted by ghosts and that the youngsters are being possessed. 20th Century Fox 37 horror films that are genuinely scary It (1986) Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace. Forget the effects-laden remake this version of It, released as a miniseries in 1986, is the most terrifying adaptation of Stephen King's beloved novel to date. It follows a shapeshifting demon who takes the form of a sadistic child-killing clown named Pennywise (Tim Curry). Lorimar Productions 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) Directed by: Takashi Shimizu. Japanese horror maestro Takashi Shimizu who also directed the pretty scary 2005 remake starring Sarah Michelle Gellar balances mystery with horror in Ju-On: The Grudge, a story based in a cursed house in Tokyo. Lions Gate Films 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Kill List (2011) Directed by: Ben Wheatley. To describe the horrors of Kill List is to ruin the film's surprises, but let's just say this: the final 20 minutes of Ben Wheatley's violent drama from 2011 features some of the most unsettling scenes in any film from this decade. Optimum Releasing 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Lake Mungo (2008) Directed by: Joel Anderson. Taking the form of a mockumentary, the little-seen Australian drama Lake Mungo may have received a limited release in 2008, but its story of a family attempting to come to terms with the drowning of their daughter stays with viewers long after. Arclight Films 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Martyrs (2008) Directed by: Pascal Laugier. The polarising 2008 film Martyrs, often associated with the New French Extremity movement, is the kind of horror that leaves you needing a shower once the credits roll. It follows a young woman's quest for revenge on the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child. Anchor Bay Films 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Night of the Living Dead (1968) Directed by: George A Romero. Younger viewers may be desensitised by the more extreme horror films to have been released in recent decades, but the scares featured in Romero's Night of the Living Dead including the young girl zombie reveal remain some of the most chilling committed to celluloid. Continental Distributing 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Nosferatu (1922) Directed by: FW Murnau. Alongside Cesare in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920), the character of vampire Count Orlok in 1922 film Nosferatu played by Mac Schreck remains one of the most spine-tingling in cinema history. Film Arts Guild 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Orphanage (2007) Directed by: JA Bayona. Produced by Guillermo del Toro, this acclaimed 2007 chiller follows the disappearance of a young boy in an orphanage, which brings many of the building's terrifying secrets to the fore. Warner Bros Pictures de Espana 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Others (2001) Directed by: Alejandro Amenabar. The Others (2001) is a towering achievement for Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar who wrote, directed and scored this Nicole Kidman-fronted tale about a woman trying to protect her children from supernatural forces. It's perhaps the scariest 12-certificate film of all time. Warner Sogefilms 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Paranormal Activity (2009) Directed by: Oren Peli. Could Paranormal Activity be the scariest film of all time? It's certainly one of them. Just when you thought found-footage had had its day, Oren Peli's small-budgeted festival favourite became one of 2009's biggest hits. Audiences lapped up the story of a couple who capture supernatural presences on a camera in their own home. Paramount Pictures[ 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) Directed by: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman. Paranormal Activity 3 earns its place on this list for its final 10 minutes. Set 18 years prior to the events of the first two films, we see the cause of the curse that follows characters Katie and Kristi for the rest of their lives and it's down to a coven of witches led by their grandmother. Paramount Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary [REC] (2007) Directed by: Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza. Played out in real-time, the claustrophobic Spanish horror film [REC] is one of the better examples of found-footage cinema. Released in 2007, it follows a reporter and her cameraman who follow firefighters to a Barcelona building and soon find themselves locked inside with its occupants who are displaying murderous behaviour. Filmax International 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Ring (1998) Directed by: Hideo Nakata. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the story of Ring by now: viewers of a cursed videotape die seven days after watching it. While the inevitable Hollywood remake in 2002 was better than it had any right to be, Nakata's original is as terrifying as horror films come. Toho 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Rosemary's Baby (1968) Directed by: Roman Polanski. Released in 1968, Rosemary's Baby follows a pregnant woman who suspects that an evil cult want to take her baby for use in their rituals. Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes and Ruth Gordon's performances tip this psychological chiller into classic status. Paramount Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Shining (1980) Directed by: Stanley Kubrick. Forget the iconic "Heeeeere's Johnny" or that bath scene it's the smaller moments that make Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining a terrifying watch, notably the trippy final act that sees Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) lose his mind to the Overlook Hotel. Warner Bros 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Sinister (2012) Directed by: Scott Derrickson. Of all the Blumhouse horror films, 2012 release Sinister which features the demonic character Bughuul is the spookiest of them all. It stars Ethan Hawke as a true-crime writer who discovers a box of home movies depicting grisly murders in the attic of his new house. Momentum Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Sleep Tight (2011) Directed by: Jaume Balaguero. This little-seen Spanish horror follows a concierge who, believing he was born without the ability to feel happiness, decides to make life hell for everyone around him. Filmax 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Directed by: Tobe Hooper. The fictional Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), marketed as a true story, follows a group of cannibals including Leatherface who relentlessly hunt down a group of friends. Vortex 37 horror films that are genuinely scary 28 Days Later (2002) Directed by: Danny Boyle. Many might not reflect upon 28 Days Later (2002) as one of the world's scariest horror films, but its desolate depiction of a viral outbreak seems more real than any other. When merged with the fast-paced infected and the usage of John Murphy's song "In the House In A Heartbeat", it's hard to deny it such status. Fox Searchlight Pictures 37 horror films that are genuinely scary V/H/S (2012) Directed by: Various. Directed by six filmmakers, including Adam Wingard and Ti West, 2012 anthology film V/H/S is grimy horror of the tallest order. Look no further than David Bruckner's section "Amateur Night" following three friends who meet a mysterious girl who says nothing other than three small words: "I like you." Magnet Releasing 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Wailing (2016) Directed by: Na Hong-jin. Twist-filled horror drama The Wailing follows a policeman who investigates a series of mysterious killings and illness in the mountains of South Korea. If the journey fails to scare you, its destination will leave you lying awake at night. 20th Century Fox Korea 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Wicker Man (1973) Directed by: Robin Hardy. The Wicker Man is deemed the best British horror film of all time for a reason. It tells the story of a Police Sergeant who travels to an isolated island in search of a missing girl, only to find its inhabitants practising a form of Celtic paganism. British Lion Films 37 horror films that are genuinely scary The Witch (2015) Directed by: Robert Eggers. For the most part, it's not what you see in The Witch that terrifies, it's what you don't see. Eggers unsettlingly holds his camera a fraction too long in places as he retells the story of a Separatist family who encounter supernatural forces in the woods beyond their farm. A24 37 horror films that are genuinely scary Zero Day (2003) Directed by: Ben Coccio. The horrors are all too real in Zero Day, a film inspired by the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. The majority of the film is portrayed through the video diaries of two students who are planning to attack their high school. Avatar Films One major influence on his work is HP Lovecraft, whose monsters reflected his own anxieties over the vast scientific and technological advancements of the early 20th century. To him, there was no telling what could be uncovered in the process. In 1926s The Call of Cthulhu, he writes: The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age. In Lovecraftian horror, facing the incomprehensible will only bring you fear and madness. When it comes to Kings work, however, terrors dont rise out of the incomprehensible, but out of the things America knows to be true but has, for so long, tried to deny. Carrie is a fireball of rage directed at the continuing suppression of female sexuality; The Shining disrupts the sanctity of parental legacy, questioning whether we can ever escape the cycles of violence and destruction weve inherited from our forebears; Misery and Cujo explore how much of our self-control is stolen away by addiction. King also picked up some of Lovecrafts fears about technology, expressing similar anxieties over how little we understand its implications, despite relying so much on it. There are killer cars galore in his work, from Christine to Maximum Overdrive (the first and only film he directed). These are all ideas that threaten the foundations of a patriarchal, industrious, family-orientated American society. In Danse Macabre, his 1981 collection of essays on horror, King names the three emotions elicited by the genre: revulsion, horror and terror. Its the last of these he deems the most powerful, as it deals not with what is seen or heard but what it tells us about our own world. When writing about the appeal of monsters, he adds: It is not the physical or mental aberration in itself which horrifies us, but rather the lack of order which these aberrations seem to imply. America fears self-reflection because it connects it too vividly to disruption and chaos. King deals frequently with denial, too, albeit with a supernatural twist. The dead, for example, have a tendency to rise from the grave in order to force hard truths on the storys protagonists. Although loved ones (feline or human) buried in Pet Sematary are soon miraculously resurrected, they return as monsters, exacting revenge on those who refused to accept deaths finality. In the novella 1922, a farmer murders his wife in cold blood, only to have his life ruined in return, as her phantom ensures his crimes do not go unpunished. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Pet Sematary - trailer The past is a haunting place, rendered in metaphorical terms in The Shining, where the hotel amplifies Jack Torrances fears that hell repeat his past mistakes, after his drinking problem led him to accidentally break his sons arm. Hes eventually sucked into the hotels own cycle of violence and finds himself doomed to repeat it. The dread of the past is more literally rendered in The Langoliers, when a group of airline passengers travel through a rift in time, only to discover the past as a dead and ravaged world stalked by terrifying creatures. The trip helps them come to terms with their own regrets. We cannot deny our pasts or try to escape them. The population of Derry (the fictional town in Maine where many of Kings works are set) can try to suppress the towns dark history from the ironworks explosion that killed nearly 100 children, to the burning of the Black Spot by white supremacists but this only allows the creature at the centre of It, otherwise known as Pennywise the clown, to thrive. Every 27 years, he resurfaces to feed off this violence. Anyone looking at American, and indeed world, history would recognise these same repeating cycles. As George Santayana famously wrote: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Yet King doesnt wallow in despair. He may use our fears of facing the truth as a means to terrify us, but he doesnt doom us for eternity. Its a gang of children who finally subdue Pennywise. We hope, too, that future generations can finally defeat our own worlds monsters. Pet Sematary will be released in UK cinemas on 5 April Baan. Its a Thai word that means hearth, home, and village. Its the place you come from and where your heart is. For food writer Kay Plunkett-Hogge, baan is Thailand where she was born and spent over half her life. Although she now lives and works in the UK, shes firmly rooted in Thailand; the people, places and food fuel her writing and her recipes. Fitting then, that she chose it for the title of her latest cookbook: Baan: Recipes and stories from my Thai home. When she started writing Baan, Kay knew as clearly what she didnt want, as what she did. She says she didnt want to simplify Thai cooking, but rather to demystify it. People say to me, I cant get my head round Thai cooking or I look at the list of ingredients and I dont go any further, it seems so complicated, she says. I want to say, no, its not that complicated. Flicking through the recipes its clear that yes, some recipes take longer to prep and prepare, but others are blissfully simple and straightforward. Take, for example, her recipe for kai toon or steamed eggs a savoury custard with a silken texture thats the perfect foil for spicier dishes. Chop some spring onions, whisk together eggs and a few other ingredients, steam it and youre sorted. Many of the recipes are ones she grew up eating and are part of her culinary DNA. There are some dishes that are just engrained. Some were scribbled down from our mum. Kays parents arrived in Bangkok in 1961 when her Dad took a job as a sales rep for Anglo-Thai Motors, a Ford subsidiary. She was born and lived in Thailand, until she went to boarding school in the UK. No matter what the recipe, Kay gives two pieces of advice: read it thoroughly and prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking Some of the recipes Ive been doing for so long, I dont even remember the genesis of them, she says. Other recipes are ones she learned from her Thai heroes. And there are elusive ones like the recipe for moo nork kok pigs outside their sty a dish she tasted in the early Nineties while working in Thailand on a film set. Later, she couldnt find anyone who knew how to make it. In Baan she says, It got to the point that I began to wonder if Id imagined the dish Eventually she made a pilgrimage back to the restaurant in Thailand where shed eaten it originally. She ate it obsessively for four days, and 25 years after eating moo nork kok for the first time, she had the recipe. 'Traditional fast food in Thailand was a stall on the side of the road serving a homemade curry and rice, but today more kids are queueing up to get a frankfurter on a stick', she says (Kay Plunkett-Hogge) Throughout the book, she shares helpful hints such as when you can make substitutions, like using flaked, hot-smoked mackerel instead of dried shrimp in miang khum or little bites, and where you cant. Prayoons fish cakes are made with shop bought red curry paste and sai oua or spiced northern thai sausage flavoured with a heady spice paste of coriander roots, shallots, galangal, lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, and fresh chilli can be made into patties, if you dont feel up to sausage making. In Thailand shes welcomed back as na farang hua jai the foreign-faced girl with the heart of Thai No matter what the recipe, she gives two pieces of advice: read the recipe thoroughly and prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking. She admits to owning seven woks and five mortar and pestles, but says that Thai cooking doesnt require much kitchen kit. It was really important to me to recreate all of the dishes in a Western home kitchen, without any fancy stuff. And the same goes for ingredients. Theres no point in using weird ingredients that people cant find. She first chronicled her time in Thailand in her food memoir, Adventures of a Terribly Greedy Girl, published in 2017. Baan and Greedy Girl sit well together and tell the story of someone deeply in love with her home, its people and food. Theyre great companion pieces, she says of the two. In my writing life, I honestly thought Baan would come before Greedy Girl, but thats not the way publishing and life goes. Today, when she travels back to Thailand, some things have changed but much hasnt. Traditional fast food in Thailand was a stall on the side of the road serving a homemade curry and rice. Today, more kids are queueing up to get a frankfurter on a stick, she says. But the allure hasnt lessened. Every time I go to Thailand, I find something extraordinary. I find a new dish, a new person selling something on a street corner or I go to a new town or village. Theyre not new to Thailand, but theyre new to me. She just went back recently and felt at home, in the place where shes welcomed back as na farang, hua chai Thai the foreign-faced girl with the heart of Thai. 'Baan: Recipes and stories from my Thai home' by Kay Plunkett-Hogge, published by Pavilion Books is out now. Photography: Louise Hagger Kays Top 10 Favourite Thai Ingredient Fish sauce of course. I couldnt live without this. Palm Sugar sweet, creamy, almost smoky heaven. Plaraa a funky fermented fish sauce from the north east. An acquired taste, but one I am addicted to. Thai basil peppery, aniseed-y, fragrant. Mama instant noodles these naughty instant noodles kept me going as student and still do late at night. Add an egg and some bottom of the veg drawer leftovers. Scuds tiny, very hot birds eye chillies. Not for the faint of heart. Jasmine rice freshly cooked, toasted and ground, or made into a savoury porridge this fragrant Thai rice is something I always have to hand. A desert island staple along with fish sauce, chillies and limes. Pork stock powder this MSG free, tasty powdered stock has come to my rescue many a day. Limes juicy, bright, fresh. Oyster sauce one brand is head and shoulders above the others Mega Chef it uses real oysters smoked over teak wood. raanthai.co.uk/ stocks everything you need for Thai cooking and more, and delivers nationwide As a Bangladeshi woman growing up in London in a fairly conservative family I rarely visited restaurants. Bangladeshi or "Indian restaurants" as they were known, were owned and run by men, for foreign clientele and the home kitchen was considered the domain of women. "Restaurant food" translated to tandoori chicken smothered in a red hued paste and nondescript curries in sauces cooked according to varying levels of heat tolerance. Words such as vindaloo, pathia, phaal and madras did not feature in my culinary vocabulary and nothing in the restaurants was representative of the delicious and varied food my mother prepared at mealtimes at home. At the heart of Bangladeshi food is rice and fish, but there is also a rich vegetarian core which accompanies and also steps in as the hero of many meals. Recommended Ugly vegetables are a major cause of food waste Regional specialities spanning centuries old recipes from the Moghul era, to southeast Asian flavours from neighbouring Myanmar sets it apart from the Bengali food of West Bengal. Ive recently highlighted an appetite for this often misunderstood cuisine. Unique ingredients such as shatkora a bitter and fragrant cooking citrus, Naga chilli, molasses, dried fish and mustard oil informs the basis of everyday eating. Food can be as hot or as mild as you like; simple golden turmeric infused vegetables, mellow dals, light fish stews and fragrant kormas cooked with yoghurt instead of cream. This gender imbalance is not surprising in the British Bangladeshi family, and neither is it in the general food world, where men are considered 'chefs' and women relegated to the everyday running of the home kitchen Food traditions such as pitha rice based sweets and savouries, pay homage to Bangladeshs winter harvest, with festivals being key to the countrys gastronomy. Bangladeshis are the pioneers of what became known as Indian food and own the majority of Indian restaurants in the UK, however this food is not authentic Indian food and a far cry from Bangladeshi cooking. The home kitchen is where the real (and unfamiliar) flavours of Bangladesh can be found and restaurants are not addressing this issue. Menus are still long litanies, almost identical in appearance with the token Bangladeshi dish forgotten in the mix. Dishes such as the infamous chicken tikka masala, balti and cream-heavy korma do not appear on Bangladeshi dining tables. Sweet vermicelli pudding is a dish Dina grew up eating and says needs to break free from the Indian food umbrella (Peter Watson) Once upon a time, east Londons Brick Lane famed for one of the largest concentrations of Bangladeshis in the UK used to house around 50 Bangladeshi run curry houses. Now these restaurants are closing at a rapid rate with only about a dozen or so remaining. Businesses which started in the 70s and 80s have passed from one generation to the next: from father to son, or nephew never a daughter, or niece. Businesses such as Nasrin Begum's, Bangladeshi Food, set up mainly by housewives and mothers are feeding into the demand for home cooked food for busy families and local events (Bangladeshi Food) This gender imbalance is not surprising in the British Bangladeshi family, and neither is it in the general food world, where men are considered chefs and women relegated to the everyday running of the home kitchen. On a recent trip to Whitechapel in east London I was heartened to spot women working in a Bangladeshi sweet shop-cum cafe. This quiet revolution is all about celebrating and reclaiming the cuisine of generations of mothers, aunts and grandmothers, many who were homemaker Conversations flowed amid the clatter of trays of handmade chom chom being replenished a milk-based syrup-soaked delicacy and clearly a bestseller. The women working here enthusiastically described the provenance of some of the less familiar sweets, confidently interchanging their speech from English to Bengali in order to accommodate various customers. Trays of freshly fried moghlai porotas, fried pastry parcels encasing egg, chillies and onions were carried in from the basement kitchen in large silver trays, deftly balanced by the chef, their aroma transporting me back to Bangladesh. Brick Lane is famed as being one of the largest concentrations of Bangladeshis in the UK and used to house around 50 Bangladeshi run curry houses (Peter Watson) Where men tend to be reluctant to change the status quo, women are confidently stepping in and proving that its time to take Bangladeshi food seriously. This quiet revolution is all about celebrating and reclaiming the cuisine of generations of mothers, aunts and grandmothers, many who were homemakers, trying their best to bloom the immigrant dream for their children and create the taste of home through the food they cooked. Nur-E Gulshan and Nur-E Farhana, the mother daughter team behind Jersey Citys Korai Kitchen restaurant was brought to the forefront last year by acclaimed food writer Mayukh Sen for The New York Times . The feature introduced Bangladeshi food, and most importantly Bangladeshi women and caused a sensation. In England, Scientist turned entrepreneur Shelly Nuruzzam, co-founder of Bang Curry kits, has created the perfect recipes for success, offering the Bangladeshi cooking novice a quick an easy route to classic fare. Shelly introduces Bangladeshi flavours in enticingly named curry kits, such as warm Moghul and dhaka dal and has been featured in magazines and is stocked in Whole Foods and Morrisons. I remember feeling amazed at the entrepreneurial spirit of Bangladeshi women when a cousin magically presented delicious platters of snacks, despite not having time to cook. She admitted her secret weapon buying homemade food from another mum from her childrens school. These womens client bases stem from contacts with schools and parent networks, with a desire to taste food from the Bangladeshi community. Popular caterer, Nasrin Begum of Bangladeshi Food, enjoyed cooking daily for her large family and decided to take her love of preparing big batches of food further. In recent years micro businesses such as Nasrins, set up by mainly by housewives and mothers are feeding into the demand for home cooked food for busy families and local events. Unique ingredients such as shatkora a bitter and fragrant cooking citrus, Naga chilli, molasses, dried fish and mustard oil informs the basis of everyday eating (Peter Watson) People are more curious than ever about the differences in and within cuisines and theres a desire to learn how to cook Bangladeshi food, how to shop for ingredients and most importantly how it tastes. On Instagram Afelias Kitchen has built up a loyal fan following of over 68k, who look to Afia for recipe ideas, incorporating both traditional and modern dishes and watch her cooking videos and stories. When I wrote my Brick Lane Cookbook and hosted supper clubs I wanted to present a selection of Bangladeshi recipes inspired by women like my mother and grandmother and bring them to the forefront. Like these women I wanted to not only showcase recipes, but also share the delicious flavours I had grown up enjoying. Simple fried fish with onions and rice, delicate fish and mangetout curries, sauteed bitter gourd and shemai sweet vermicelli pudding. These are dishes that need to be shared and break out from the umbrella of Indian food. A couple that has been married for 82 years has shared their simple advice for making marriage last. D W Williams, 103, and Willie Williams, 100, recently celebrated their anniversary and their birthdays in a joint party thrown by their daughter and granddaughter at First Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, WSOC-TV reported. While reminiscing on their lengthy marriage, which spanned the Great Depression and the Civil Rights era, the couple shared the key to making love last - kindness. "I don't have no secret for that, just be nice to each other, Willie Williams told the news outlet. The couples granddaughter BJ Williams-Greene also shared a few things shes learned about relationships from watching her grandparents over the years. The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Show all 10 1 /10 The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd The cartoons that perfectly sum up relationships Catana Chetwynd Its communication and loving each other and working together, she said. They are each others best friend. D W Williams and Willie Williams have been married 82 years (WSOC-TV) To see them at this age and still doing well, its just a blessing to have them here. As for what the couple would do if they had another 100 years, Willie said they would sit around the house. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The couple celebrated their birthdays, which are just seven days apart, earlier this month. An in-depth study of the dolphin clitoris has revealed that these marine creatures may belong to a small group of animals that are known to experience sexual pleasure. Dolphins are known to have sex throughout the year, even at times when they are not capable of conceiving. In other animals that do this, including humans, sex can be pleasurable for females due in large part to clitoral stimulation. This led a team of scientists to investigate the genital anatomy of dolphins to determine what enjoyment if any the females were getting out of year-round sex. Dr Dara Orbach of Mount Holyoke College led the research, dissecting and scanning the genitalia of 11 female bottlenose dolphins that had died naturally. London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals Show all 5 1 /5 London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals PB the tokay gecko 18,000 animals have been x-rayed as part of routine health checks at London Zoo in Regent's Park PA London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals Nasi the big-headed turtle 18,000 animals have been x-rayed as part of routine health checks at London Zoo in Regent's Park PA London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals Cornelius the corn snake 18,000 animals have been x-rayed as part of routine health checks at London Zoo in Regent's Park PA London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals Marion the large hairy armadillo 18,000 animals have been x-rayed as part of routine health checks at London Zoo in Regent's Park PA London Zoo releases x-ray photos of animals Jill the Gila Monster 18,000 animals have been x-rayed as part of routine health checks at London Zoo in Regent's Park PA Not only did the animals turn out to have large and well-developed clitorises, anatomically they were remarkably similar to those found in humans. Scientists noted the skin contained bundles of nerves that may increase sensitivity and potential for pleasure in the animals. Our anatomical observations suggest the clitoris is functional in bottlenose dolphins, but further research, including physiological and behavioural analyses, are necessary to test if sexual experiences can be pleasurable for female dolphins, said Dr Orbach. Computer reconstruction of the clitoris of the bottlenose dolphin, which researchers say is remarkably similar to the human clitoris in its structure and shape (Dara Orbach, Mount Holyoke College) She noted that dolphin anatomy was not directly comparable with humans, as the clitoris is positioned at the entrance to the vaginal opening. The location of the clitoris near the vaginal opening indicates it can potentially be easily stimulated during copulation, she said. Dr Orbach presented her findings at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting in Orlando. It is the latest project she was worked on to understand the mysteries of dolphin sex lives. In 2017 she published research detailing how folds in dolphin vaginas can function as barriers to prevent unwanted males successfully mating with them. Recommended Female dolphins evolved vaginas to fend off unwanted males There is still very little known about the female sexual anatomy and behaviour for most wild animals, and Dr Orbach hopes her latest research will help develop this emerging field. This research provides a comparative framework to explore other functions of sex that may not be unique to humans, she explained. We are on the precipice of a deeper understanding of the relationship between form and function of genitalia. One of Europes most wanted fugitives has been charged with murder after returning to the UK. Shane OBrien is accused of killing 21-year-old Josh Hanson, who was stabbed to death in a London bar in 2015. The 31-year-old arrived Heathrow Airport at 7.30pm on Friday and is currently being held in custody at a London police station following his extradition from Romania. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday. Mr OBrien, originally from Ladbroke Grove in west London, was put on both Europol and Interpols most wanted lists last year and police had offered a 50,000 reward for information. He is believed to have fled the country on a private jet in the wake of Mr Hansons death. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty After landing in Germany, Mr OBrien is thought to have spent time in the Netherlands, Dubai and at least seven months in Prague. He was arrested by authorities in Romania last month, under a European Arrest warrant one of the security tools that could be lost after Brexit. Photos taken by police at the time showed that he had changed his appearance since fleeing, wearing his hair longer and growing a beard. Investigators said Mr OBrien could be marked out by a distinctive and rather poor quality cover-up tattoo of an owl holding a skull. Mr Hanson's mother, who has long campaigned for help tracking down Mr O'Brien, thanked lead investigator detective chief inspector Noel McHugh in the wake of his arrest in Romania. She wrote on Twitter: "Today on the 23rd of March 2019 and after 3 and a half years of waiting today is Josh's day." Mr Hanson, 21, from Kingsbury in north-west London, was pronounced dead at the scene on 11 October 2015. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck. Additional reporting by Press Association A government minister has warned Theresa May that the UK taking part in European parliament elections in May would be the suicide note of the Conservative Party. Nadhim Zahawi, the childrens minister, said a delay to Brexit beyond 23 May the date elections are due to be held would be an existential threat to the Tories. It comes with discussions between the government and Labour likely continue in a bid to find cross-party agreement for a way forward. Having failed to reach a consensus on a compromise Brexit deal, the parties are expected to try to agree a series of options that will be put to votes in the Commons next week. Ms May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to request a further extension to the Article 50 period with the two sides split over the length of the possible delay. The EU is expected to propose a one-year extension, while the prime minister wants to delay Brexit only until 30 June. Mr Zahawi said it was crucial that the UK was not still in the bloc when European parliament elections take place, warning that failure to deliver Brexit would unleash forces in politics that would take both the UK and the EU into a very bad place. He told BBC Radio 4s Today: If we cant get Labour to agree I think its important that parliament acts quickly now to decide what it is in favour of whether it is through some voting mechanism where we have a single transferable vote and we vote on all the different deals. We need to do that quickly because I think going into the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we havent been able to deliver Brexit I think would be an existential threat. I would go further and say it would be the suicide note of the Conservative Party. He added: I hope that will not be the case. The prime minister is determined to get us out by 22 May and she is doing everything in her power with her team to hopefully allow parliament to decide what option it will support. The minister said a longer extension of the sort likely to be proposed by the EU would not be viable, adding: We would be effectively breaking our promise to the British people and I think the democratic damage that would do would be enormous. 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 And in a stark warning to European leaders who are trying to force the UK to accept a long delay, he said: Be careful what you wish for because you would unleash forces in politics, whether hard left or hard right, [and] none of us know where this ends up. They would be able to mobilise people by saying to them that your political elite, the mainstream parties, have let you down, they dont listen to you and they dont think your vote is important. I think we all need to be careful where we head with this. These forces are already mobilising and I think its important that we all come together now and get a withdrawal agreement in place that allows the United Kingdom to leave in an orderly way. Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, is reported to have drawn up plans for a one-year delay to Brexit with the option of the UK leaving the EU earlier if parliament ratifies a withdrawal agreement. Theresa May requests Brexit delay until June 30, with option to leave earlier With MPs still deadlocked over a way forward, that would likely involve the UK taking part in EU elections on 23 May. Ms May, however, is seeking a shorter delay that could see the UK participate in the elections but leave the EU before the new European parliament sits in July. Writing to Mr Tusk on Friday to request a further delay to Brexit, she said: The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early. The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections. Theresa May surprised many people this week, including some of her own MPs, by asking the European Union to delay Brexit only until 30 June. It had been expected that the prime minister would seek a longer delay to give parliament time to find a solution to the crisis. Instead, she wrote to Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, on Friday requesting only two-and-a-half months more than the 12 April deadline to break the deadlock in parliament after MPs rejected her proposed withdrawal agreement three times. Any country that vetoes a delay to Brexit at next week's European Council meeting "wouldn't be forgiven", Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said. The taoiseach said he thought it was "extremely unlikely" that any EU member state would seek to block an extension to the Article 50 period. The European Council will hold an emergency meeting next Wednesday to discuss the UK's request to delay Brexit until 30 June. Donald Tusk, the council president, is expected to instead propose a delay of one year with the option of the UK leaving the EU earlier if parliament ratifies a withdrawal agreement. Any extension will need to be approved by all 27 other EU member states. Mr Varadkar said Ireland wanted a longer extension than is being proposed by the UK government. He admitted that some EU countries were frustrated at the UK's failure to ratify a Brexit deal but said he had asked other states to show "patience and solidarity". He told RTE: "Today we have got that and I think that will continue." The taoiseach also said it was unlikely that the UK will leave the EU without a deal on 12 April the date it is currently due to exit the bloc. He said: "Because nobody wants no deal I think the likelihood is an extension. "But what we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertainty. "So I'd prefer to see a longer extension during which the United Kingdom has more time to decide really what future relationship it wants to have with the European Union, rather than the alternative, which could be rolling extensions every couple of weeks, every couple of months." 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 Asked about the prospect of one member state vetoing the extension, he said: "To wield the veto is something that is rarely done. I'm nearly two years now representing Ireland at the European Council and I have never seen the veto used once. "We tend to operate by consensus and certainly that can take time and sometimes it is messy but it's actually how the European Union works and it's why it works, and if one country was to veto an extension and, as a result, impose hardship on us, real problems for the Dutch and Belgians and French as neighbouring countries. "They wouldn't be forgiven for it and they would know they might find themselves on the other end of that veto power in the future so it is extremely unlikely that I could see any country vetoing it." Mr Varadkar also said the Irish government would ask the UK to implement the controversial Northern Ireland backstop element of the withdrawal agreement even if there is a no-deal Brexit. He said: "The reason we came up with the backstop is because it is the solution and, even in the event of a no deal we will be saying to the UK 'You still have obligations under the Good Friday agreement, you still committed to full regulatory alignment back in December 2017 and we still want the arrangements that are in the backstop to apply'." Most of the British public now back having a Final Say referendum on Brexit whatever the outcome eventually is, an exclusive poll for The Independent has found. Amid the chaos in parliament, backing for a new public vote, which has simmered just below 50 per cent for months, finally broke through into a majority in April, according to the BMG Research survey. Major players in both main parties have signalled that a referendum could be the way forward, including chancellor Philip Hammond and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. But despite the clear desire for a vote to break the Brexit impasse and reset British politics, the survey once again showed a country deeply divided. The research revealed Britain has no clear favourite for what the referendum should ask with different groups wanting no deal, Remain and Ms Mays proposal as options. And when it came to a Brexit agreement, most people believed it would be unacceptable if it did not allow the UK to undertake free trade deals and be free of the European Court of Justice rulings in contrast to the options being pursued by MPs in Westminster. The survey of a weighted sample of more than 1,500 people in early April asked: Would you support the British public having the final vote on Brexit, whatever the outcome of negotiations whether a deal is reached or not? Some 52 per cent of people supported a new vote, 29 per cent strongly and 23 per cent somewhat, while just 24 per cent opposed, to some degree, having another referendum. The remaining 24 per cent replied: Dont know. 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 The latest poll follows two major marches on 23 March and 20 October through central London, sponsored by The Independents Final Say campaign, which saw hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flock to the capital. Mr Hammond won plaudits but also outraged fellow Tory ministers last week after suggesting a new vote would be a perfectly credible proposition. Jeremy Corbyn is resisting pressure to fully back a referendum whatever the outcome of Brexit, with his team saying a Labour-backed deal would not need one. But the underlying challenge to a new vote was also laid bare by the poll when the same group were asked what the choice on the referendum ballot paper should be: Mays deal or no deal (27 per cent support); Remain or Mays deal (32 per cent); and no deal or Remain (26 per cent). A further 16 per cent did not know. Parliament has twice voted on different alternatives to Ms Mays Brexit deal, and has twice failed to back anything with a majority of MPs although options that put the UK into a customs union and/or the single market scored highly. But according to the new poll, these options even if most MPs do end up backing them could face majority opposition from the country. Respondents were also shown three potential outcomes and were asked if they would be acceptable or unacceptable if delivered by the eventual Brexit deal. Theresa May requests Brexit delay until June 30, with option to leave earlier A majority of 55 per cent believed a deal would be unacceptable if it left the UK subject to the rulings of the European Court of Justice something which would occur if Britain remained in the single market while only 30 per cent said it would be acceptable and 15 per cent did not know A further 50 per cent said it would be unacceptable if any deal left the UK unable to sign its own trade deals a consequence of remaining in a customs union including 58 per cent of Tory voters and 47 per cent of both Labour and Lib Dem voters. Only 36 per cent thought it would be acceptable for the UK to agree to a deal which left it unable to have an independent trade policy, while 14 per cent did not know. Overall, people who responded to the poll were most willing to tolerate freedom of movement, which is ironic given immigration was a key factor in the 2016 referendum. Exactly half said that a deal which allowed the continuation of free movement would be acceptable, while 35 per cent said it would be unacceptable and 15 per cent did not know. This week Ms May will renew her push to try to find a majority for some option in the House of Commons before heading to Brussels at the end of the week to seek another delay to Brexit. Voting intention data in the poll showed the Conservatives on 35 per cent, Labour on 34 per cent and the Lib Dems on 11 per cent. Source Note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,514 GB adults online between 2 and 5 April. Data are weighted. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules. Theresa May has insisted a cross-party compromise is now the only way to deliver Brexit, despite talks between the Conservatives and Labour having so far failed to find a solution. In a statement on Saturday night, the prime minister said the longer it took to reach an agreement, the greater the risk of Brexit being cancelled altogether. She said: It would mean letting the Brexit the British people voted for slip through our fingers. I will not stand for that. It is essential we deliver what people voted for and to do that we need to get a deal over the line. Ms May said there were areas the two main parties agreed on when it came to Brexit, including to end free movement, to leave with a good deal, and to protect jobs. 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 That is the basis for a compromise that can win a majority in Parliament and winning that majority is the only way to deliver Brexit, she said. The comments will likely be seen as an attempt to put pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to agree to a cross-party compromise. The prime ministers comments came just a day after Labour accused her of failing to offer compromise or change after three days of talks between the two parties. The opposition claimed Ms May was refusing to come forward with anything new which came as a blow to the prime minister, who had hoped to put a joint proposal to parliament next week before asking for a further Brexit delay at Wednesdays EU summit. Meanwhile, Ms May sparked anger on her backbenches by opening talks with Mr Corbyn in a bid to find a Brexit consensus. The Labour leader said the prime minister had yet to move the red lines that had blocked a deal for Britain to leave the EU. Im waiting to see the red lines move, he told the BBC on Saturday. I hope we can reach a decision in parliament this week which will prevent a crashing out. However, chancellor Philip Hammond said he was optimistic about reaching some form of agreement with Labour and that the government had no red lines in the talks. And House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom has claimed a second public vote on Britains membership of the EU would be the ultimate betrayal. In tomorrows Sunday Telegraph, the Brexiteer writes: It would require lengthy delay, it would reignite the divisive debate, and since parliament has so far failed to follow the first result, there is no reason to believe it would honour a second referendum either. The vision we had of Brexit is fading away and and we are running out of time to save it. Ms May appeared to rule out another vote on her Brexit deal, saying there was no sign it could be passed in the near future. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She said she would seek a short extension to Article 50 in Brussels next week. My intention is to reach an agreement with my fellow EU leaders that will mean if we can agree a deal here at home we can leave the EU in just six weeks, the prime minister said.. We can then get on with building a new relationship with our nearest neighbours that will unlock the full potential of Brexit and deliver the brighter future that the British people voted for. Philip Hammond has insisted the government has "no red lines" on Brexit as crisis talks between the Conservatives and Labour continue. The chancellor suggested everything was on the table during discussions with Jeremy Corbyn's team and said he was "optimistic" of an agreement being reached. His comments appear to contradict those of Theresa May, who has repeatedly insisted that any Brexit deal must meet a number of conditions, including ending freedom of movement and allowing the UK to make independent trade deals. She has also consistently ruled out a fresh referendum on any deal approved by parliament, which is Labour Party policy. Negotiating teams consisting of ministers and shadow ministers held talks on Thursday and Friday in a bid to find a cross-party solution to the deadlock in parliament. But Labour claimed that ministers' refusal to change the wording of the political declaration on the future UK-EU relationship had hindered progress. 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 Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said the government "isn't proposing any changes to the deal...in particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration". Downing Street, however, insisted the government was "prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration to deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides". Mr Hammond also said the government was not ruling anything out, despite staunch opposition from many Conservative MPs and ministers to any prospect of a fresh referendum or the UK remaining in a customs union with the EU. He said: "We should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us; of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." Ms May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to request a further extension to the Article 50 period with the two sides split over the length of the possible delay. The EU is expected to propose a one-year extension, while the prime minister wants to delay Brexit only until 30 June. Unless every EU member state approves the request for a further delay, the UK will leave the bloc without a deal on 12 April. But Mr Hammond said he was confident the extension would be signed off at the meeting of the European Council. He said: "Most of the colleagues that I am talking to accept we will need longer to complete this process. "I am optimistic about the Council on Wednesday." On Saturday, Labour's shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, said the government needed to show "more flexibility than it has done so far". She told BBC Radio 4's Today: "My understanding is that there has been no movement from the government on the actual content of the political declaration, and that is key." The NHS is offering more than 20 contracts to private companies, despite health secretary Matt Hancock having insisted there would be "no privatisation on my watch", Labour has said. The party released data showing 21 NHS contracts worth 127m are currently out to tender - 19 of which have been put out since mid-February. The figures were revealed by House of Commons Library analysis and include a 91m contract to run an NHS assessment service in the South East, a 16m deal to provide health services in Leicestershire and a 6m tender for a GP surgery in High Wycombe. Labour accused Mr Hancock of breaking his promise to prevent further privatisation of the NHS. In February, the health secretary said he wanted to be clearer than his predecessors about the role of private companies in the health system. 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 He told the House of Commons health and social care committee: "I am going to be much more concrete. There is no privatisation of the NHS on my watch, and the integrated care contracts will go to public sector bodies to deliver the NHS in public hands." Commenting on the latest figures, Jon Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said the contracts should be kept in public hands. Speaking on Saturday at the annual general meeting of Health Campaigns Together, which opposes privatisation in the NHS, he is expected to say: Since the Tories wasteful reorganisation of the NHS weve seen privatisation after privatisation of NHS services, breaking up integrated care, costing the taxpayer and leaving a poor quality service for patients. A few weeks ago the health secretary told MPs there would be no privatisation on his watch and yet weve seen cancer PET-CT scanning services in Oxford privatised, and today were revealing another 36m worth of contracts put out to tender in the last few weeks. Rather than focusing on his own personal manoeuvrings for the Tory leadership, Mr Hancock should be true to his word and now block these latest NHS privatisation proposals. Under laws introduced by the Coalition government, NHS trusts have to put to tender any contract worth more than 615,278, resulting in more services being given to private companies. NHS England has called for the rules to be scrapped in order to "cut delays and costs of the NHS automatically having to go through procurement processes". Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In 2017-18, 8.8bn of the health service budget went to organisations in the independent sector - around 7 per cent of the total budget. A Department for Health spokesperson said: "We're committed to a world-class NHS that's always free at the point of use now and in the future. "We want to put patients and the NHS first, so as part of the Long Term Plan we have asked the NHS to develop legislative proposals to remove unnecessary bureaucracy, including changes to the competition and procurement regime. The lakefront Minnesota city of Duluth has some of the coldest temperatures outside Alaska in the United States and gets more than seven feet (2m) of snow each winter on average. But Harvard professor Jesse Keenan thinks the frigid city may eventually prove an appealing relocation destination for Florida residents, as climate change brings increasingly unbearable heat to already warm parts of the United States. "If you're Florida ... (the predictions) should be quite unnerving," the expert in climate adaptation and design said in a telephone interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation. As climate change brings more stifling summers, worse flooding from storms and rising sea level, crueller droughts and ever-longer allergy seasons, what Americans consider a nice place to live may shift, along with Americans themselves. Some of the changes will not be by choice, scientists warn. As many as 13 million Americans could be displaced by rising seas alone by 2100, 6 million of them in Florida, according to estimates published in 2017 in the journal Nature Climate Change. "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 That, planners say, presents an opportunity for cities such as Duluth and New York's Buffalo, which are already launching efforts to rebrand themselves as destinations of the future in a climate-changed world. When Duluth's mayor, Emily Larson, first heard of Mr Keenan's proposition that her city of 86,000 could be one of the best choices for climate migrants, her reaction was "astonishment", she said. But Mr Keenan sees some northern Rust Belt cities - which stretch from the Midwest to parts of the Northeast - as natural destinations in a hotter world. The Rust Belt lost jobs and population starting in the 1950s as industries moved overseas, and some of its cities still have more buildings and infrastructure than they can use. Duluth, for instance, was planned for a population of 120,000 people - something it has yet to achieve. Recommended Climate change panel disbanded by Trump defies president To show how an underutilised city such as Duluth might be repurposed, Mr Keenan has created computer renderings of what it might look like if it becomes a major draw for climate migrants. One rendering shows downtown Duluth with new structures - represented by grey blocks wedged amid historic landmark buildings - that could help accommodate tens of thousands of new residents fleeing climate pressures. Zack Filipovich, a Duluth city councillor, worries what that influx would mean for his city's downtown ensemble of government buildings, designed about a century ago by prominent architect Daniel Burnham and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Utilitarian housing for new arrivals could cause the city to "lose some of our charm," he said in a telephone interview - though he said he still sees benefits from the city having a larger population. In Buffalo, another city Mr Keenan considers promising for climate migrants, under-used roads and public transport testify to the city's more populous heyday as a steel powerhouse. It, like Duluth, nestles along the Great Lakes, which contain 20 per cent of the world's surface freshwater, a significant attraction in a potentially hotter world. Both cities are also healthcare hubs and have nearby major economic centres - Minneapolis for Duluth and Toronto for Buffalo, Mr Keenan said. Promotion Push Buffalo's mayor began publicly talking about the city's future potential earlier this year. "Based on scientific research, we know that Buffalo will be a climate refuge city for centuries to come," he said in a February speech. Brendan Mehaffy, executive director of the mayor's office of strategic planning, said top city officials had been briefed to talk positively about the city's potential appeal in a climate-changed world. Buffalo often "takes the shots" for its reputation for heavy snow, he added. A 1977 blizzard saw parts of the city buried under 30 feet of cement-like snow. But predictions of more clement weather could change that. Children suing US government over failure to protect them from climate change "Our climate ... will be different in 20 to 30 years' time and could be very beneficial for certain types of businesses and certain types of lifestyle," he said. Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, co-author of a government report on the impacts of climate by region in the United States, said the report offered hints about areas that may become climate sweet-spots. The National Climate Assessment, published last year, warned of growing water scarcity in large swathes of the southwest and the northwest, more people exposed to illnesses such as Lyme disease in the southeast, flooding in the northeast, and declining harvests in the Midwest as temperatures rise. Coastal and island communities could also suffer higher storm surges and heavier precipitation, it said. "To look for places that are potential climate havens, we have to look for locations where key resources, such as water, will not be short in the future and where extremes are not already overwhelming," Ms Hayhoe said. Space to Spare Cincinnati is another city identified as likely to escape the most extreme climate stresses the National Climate Assessment describes - and it is already looking to promote its unique attributes. One section of the city's 2018 green plan boasts the title: "Climate Haven" and suggests the city "leverage climate resilience to attract new business and residents". That plan to welcome Americans displaced by extreme weather grew in part from the realisation that thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana and Florida in 2005, had relocated to Ohio, said Oliver Kroner, sustainability coordinator for the city. Cincinnati's green plan notes that Ohio faces fewer climate-related threats than all but a handful of other US states and is therefore "well suited to serve as a climate haven". It speaks of the importance of offering affordable housing and emphasises the "economic opportunities if Cincinnati is prepared to market itself" to businesses seeking to set up outside disaster-prone areas. "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 Like Buffalo, Cincinnati's metropolitan area was built for more people than its nearly 300,000 residents, Mr Kroner said. Its population has declined by about 40 per cent from a 1950 peak, largely due to falling demand for manufacturing workers, according to the Cincinnati Museum Centre. There are up to 40,000 vacant housing units across the wider county, Mr Kroner added. "We're interested in returning to the economic strength that we have had in the past," he said. Dust Bowl Redux? But not all cities that have looked into becoming climate havens think constructing a tailor-made plan for climate migrants makes sense. In Portland, municipal chief sustainability officer Michele Crim said authorities decided to keep tabs on climate migration starting about a decade ago. Oregon's largest city, which has 630,000 residents, has been identified by experts as a likely climate refuge, and has partnered with universities to explore the idea. But researchers concluded climate migrants in the fast-growing Pacific Northwest would be "noise lost in other migration", Ms Crim said. The region is already experiencing strong growth, in part because of rising economic opportunities, with Portland projected to add 260,000 new residents between 2010 and 2035. Geographer Robert McLeman, who has studied the 1930s Dust Bowl migration, which saw 2.5 million people flee drought-stricken US Plains states, said more urban planners need to begin preparing for waves of climate migrants. But potential refuge cities may struggle to build costly infrastructure, such as water treatment plants and gas and electricity supplies, without a large enough tax base ahead of time to pay for them, said the associate professor of environmental migration at Canada's Wilfrid Laurier University. And with researchers predicting that nearly 2 million residents of Florida's Miami-Dade County could face coastal flooding by 2100, Mr McLeman said the scale of needed preparations is daunting. "If a city the size of Miami has to be relocated, heaven help the United States," he said. Reuters A 61-year-old woman has responded to criticism of her decision to act as a surrogate mother for her son and his husband, by saying "it was a gift". Cecile Eledge said people had wrongly assumed that she had sex with her son to produce her granddaughter, Uma Louise Dougherty. Others made homophobic comments about her son Matthew Eledge and his husband Elliot Dougherty. But the Nebraska native said she had done it "as a gift from a mother to her son". Ms Eledge gave birth to a baby weighing almost 6lbs two weeks ago at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Her son and his partner chose her granddaughter's name. Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son Show all 29 1 /29 Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son AP Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son AP Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son AP Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son AP Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son AP Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Mother gives 'gift' of surrogacy to son REUTERS Matthew Eledge said Umas birth led to the family being overwhelmed with messages on social media adding that while the majority were positive, some were enormously angry. The family has been attempting to ignore the negative reactions, she said. People from all around the world have been reaching out," Mr Eledge said. "They want to help in any way that they can. Along with his husband, he added that he had been forced to fight prejudice and homophobia throughout their relationship. He lost his job as a teacher at a Catholic school after the pair announced they would be married. Concerned that they would be denied permission to adopt a baby in their conservative home state, they decided to try in-vitro-fertilisation (IVF) with a donated egg and a surrogate to carry the feotus. Mr Doughertys sister, Lea Yribe, offered to donate her eggs, which were then fertilised with sperm from Mr Eledge, giving Uma genetic material from both sides of the family. The men jokingly told their IVF doctor Mr Eledges mother had offered to be the surrogate even though she was at that point 59 and had gone through menopause. Matt would comically say, Well my mum keeps offering but we know thats not an option, Ms Eledge said. He added that the doctors just wanted to know if his mother was healthy and if she still had her uterus. After testing to make sure that Ms Eledges body could tolerate the pregnancy, the embryo was implanted. Dr Carl Smith, a specialist in maternal and foetal medicine at the medical centre, said Ms Eledge was healthy and fit, and looked years younger than her age. Among possible complications for older mothers are gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, and the team watched her health carefully, viewing the pregnancy as high-risk. She took estrogen supplements for the first part of the pregnancy, Mr Smith said, until the placenta holding Uma was able to make hormones of its own. The politics of helping a gay couple and the unusual choice of a grandmother for a surrogate did not deter the team, Mr Smith said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events He said: We never gave that a second thought. She was pregnant and the circumstances of how she got pregnant are between her and her family. When the couple said they wanted to have a child to expand their family, Ms Eledge offered to be involved in a very special way. There was no moment of hesitation. It was natural instinct, she told the KETV news channel/ When you are gay and married and want to have a kid, you go into it with knowledge that you are going to have to create a family in a special way, Mr Eledge said. There are creative, unique ways to build a family. He added: We are thankful with how the whole process worked. We are really grateful that both Uma and her grandma are here, happy and healthy." Additional reporting by Reuters The founder of the #MeToo movement has hit out at Joe Biden for jokingly referring to complaints made against him by women about unwanted physical contact. Tarana Burke, who founded the movement against sexual harassment and assault, said the former vice presidents light-hearted response was disrespectful and inexcusable. Ms Burke, who first started using the phrase MeToo to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual misconduct in 2006, said the women were right to speak out against the veteran Democrat. But she said Mr Biden appeared to be misconstruing the point they were attempting to make. So now hes making jokes? This is disrespectful and inexcusable, she wrote on Twitter. Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Show all 15 1 /15 Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden watch Barack Obama's farewell speech on 11 January. Obama called Biden his 'brother' Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years US President Barack Obama speaks alongside US Vice President Joe Biden about the Affordable Care Act AFP/Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama Getty Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Obama listens to Joe Biden speak of his work on defeating cancer on 18 October in the White House Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. President Barack Obama is applauded by House Speaker Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden while delivering his final State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in Washington Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. Vice President Joe Biden interjects as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a reception for the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the White House in Washington REUTERS Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Obama and Vice President Joe Biden react after a heckler was removed for their extended interruption (Reuters) Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R) as Vice President Joe Biden looks on Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Barack and Michelle Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden observing a moment of silence outside the White House to mark the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Barack Obama and Joe Biden putt on the White House putting green Getty Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Barack Obama and Joe Biden in April 2013 AFP/Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years January 1, 2013: U.S. President Barack Obama winks as he arrives with Vice President Joe Biden (L) in the briefing room Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and others receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House May 1, 2011 in Washington, DC Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Vice-President Joe Biden, right, confirmed that the US was looking at ways of taking legal action against Julian Assange - back in December 2010 GETTY IMAGES Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden, left, and retired military officers watch President Barack Obama sign orders to close down the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in January 2009 GETTY IMAGES She added: Its not that people become more sensitive over time as Biden suggested. And its not just about personal space or intention its about bodily autonomy, its about power and leadership, and its about living into who we say we are and who we want to be. He has *not* been accused of sexual assault. No one is calling for him to be incarcerated or sent away. He has been called to task for deeply problematic behaviour that many folks, particularly men, engage in regularly and thats a GOOD thing. Society could not only be angry when it is a Weinstein situation, Ms Burke said, referring to disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein who has been accused by more than 80 women including some of the most famous actors in Hollywood of varying degrees of sexual misconduct going back decades. He is currently facing criminal charges on five counts of sexual abuse, including rape, relating to two accusers charges he denies. Ms Burke said that lesser talked about, often ignored violations and indignities serve to intensify a culture of silence around all sexual harassment and violence. Mr Biden did not directly address the accusations in his first public appearance since several women came forward with allegations of unwanted physical contact. The 76-year-old, who is widely expected to enter the 2020 presidential race, was introduced by the president of the union, Lonnie Stephenson, as he took the stage in Washington at a gathering of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Friday. I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie, Mr Biden quipped. The crowd, which was largely male, burst into laughter. The politician later made a similar joke after inviting a group of children onstage and putting his arm around a young boy. By the way, he gave me permission to touch him, he said, again sparking laughter. Recommended Trump posts bizarre superimposed video of Joe Biden Mr Biden said: Everybody knows I like kids more than people. The politician, who has been jointly elected twice as the running mate of former president Barack Obama, has not been accused of sexual assault or harassment but the women have said they felt he violated their personal space. Before his appearance Mr Biden, who is likely to be among Democratic favourites if he were to launch his third run for the White House, promised to change his behaviour in a video. He said: 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 of personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Speaking to reporters after Fridays event, Mr Biden was asked if he would apologise to the women directly. He said: Im sorry I didnt understand. Im not sorry for any of my intentions. He added: I literally think it is incumbent upon me and I think everybody else to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone, its with their consent, regardless of your intention. Recommended Joe Biden releases video responding to sexual misconduct allegations At least four women have recently come forward to accuse Mr Biden of unwanted physical contact. Lucy Flores, a Democrat who served in the Nevada state assembly, former congressional aide Amy Lappos, Caitlyn Caruso and DJ Hill. All said he either touched them or hugged them in a way that made them uncomfortable. Donald Trump, who was accused of sexual harassment or assault by two-dozen women when he ran in 2016, has capitalised on the allegations to mock Mr Biden and tweeted a doctored video showing Mr Biden appearing to put his hands on his own shoulders. Pressed about whether he deemed Mr Biden a threat on Friday, the president replied: No, I dont see Joe Biden as a threat. No. I dont see him as a threat. I think hes only a threat to himself. Opponents of the long-stalled Keystone XL oil pipeline asked a federal court on Friday to declare that Donald Trump acted illegally when he issued a new permit for the project in a bid to get around an earlier court ruling. In November, US district judge Brian Morris ruled that the Trump administration did not fully consider potential oil spills and other impacts when it approved the pipeline in 2017. Mr Trump's new permit, issued last week, is intended to circumvent that ruling and kick-start the proposal to ship crude oil from the tar sands of western Canada to US refineries. White House officials have said the presidential permit is immune from court review. But legal experts say that is an open question, and the case could further test the limits of Mr Trump's use of presidential power to get his way. Unlike previous orders from Mr Trump involving immigration and other matters, his action on Keystone XL came after a court already had weighed in and blocked the administration's plans. Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Show all 20 1 /20 Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet is one the richest in American history, filled with billionaires, conservatives and several career politicians. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pence US Vice President Mike Pence has defended Donald Trump throughout his presidency while walking a fine line to avoid any public involvement in major scandals. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo replaced Donald Trump's previous appointment to the post, Rex Tillerson, and has led talks with North Korea in establishing high-profile summits between the president and Kim Jong Un. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce Wibur Ross raised controversy when he was accused of falsely claiming to have sold stock in a bank and violated a government ethics agreement. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Lighthizer US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been a fixture in Donald Trump's ongoing trade spat with China. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet William Barr Attorney General William Barr replaced Jeff Sessions as the nation's top cop in early 2019 and has refused to commit to recusing himself from the Russia probe despite an unsolicited memo he sent to the Justice Department decrying the investigation. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Rick Perry Energy Secretary Rick Perry has held his post throughout Donald Trump's presidency despite previously undermining the need for the agency he now leads in past public statements. Ken Shipp / United States Department of Energy Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Betsy DeVos Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also held her post throughout the presidency, despite major backlash to her apparent undermining of the nationwide public school system and advocacy for charter programmes. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Steven Mnuchin Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has faced numerous controversies throughout his tenure as the head of Treasury, including costing taxpayers at least a million dollars in travel expenses. AP Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Wilkie was appointed after Donald Trump's White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdrew over allegations he provided prescription drugs to patients without prescriptions. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet David Bernhardt Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt took office in January 2019 after the resignation of Ryan Zinke after previously serving as Zinke's deputy. Before taking office Bernhardt worked for many years as a solicitor for the Department of the Interior. Tami Heilemann / United States Department of the Interior Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Elaine Chao Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has held her post throughout the presidency and has mostly avoided controversy, despite a report claiming her office has been in frequent coordination with her husband's, Mitch McConnell. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Kevin McAleenan Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan took over from Kirstjen Nielsen after she resigned in April 2019. He previously worked as the executive director of the executive director of the Office of Anti Terrorism in the Customs and Border Protection agency United States Customs and Border Protection Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Ben Carson Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was appointed shortly after Donald Trump took office and raised controversy over an exorbitant furnishing bill for his office. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Gina Haspel CIA Director Gina Haspel was appointed in 2018 and faced backlash surrounding her oversight of Guantanamo Bay. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Dan Coats Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats could be the next person to leave Donald Trump's administration over his refuting the president's claims surrounding ISIS. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Sonny Perdue Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been dogged by ethics questions throughout his tenure and faced controversy when emails showed the agency appeared willing to eagerly work with lobbyists under his leadership. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Alex Azar Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is a former pharmaceutical lobbyist and former drug company executive. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has described himself as one of the most conservative officials in the White House. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie has spent his career on Capitol Hill serving in various roles in foreign affairs and defence. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve. Gene Russell / United States Department of Veterans Affairs "This is somewhat dumbfounding, the idea that a president would claim he can just say, 'Never mind, I unilaterally call a do-over,"' said William Buzbee, a constitutional scholar and professor at Georgetown University Law Centre. The pipeline proposed by Calgary-based TransCanada has become a flashpoint in the debate over fossil fuel use and climate change. Opponents say burning crude from the tar sands of Western Canada would make climate change worse. The $8bn (6.1bn) project's supporters say it would create thousands of jobs and could be operated safely. The line would carry up to 830,000 barrels (35 million gallons) of crude daily along a 1,184-mile path from Canada to Nebraska. Stephan Volker, an attorney for the environmental groups that filed the lawsuit on Friday, said Mr Trump was trying to "evade the rule of law" with the new permit. "We have confidence that the federal courtslong the protectors of our civil libertieswill once again rise to the challenge and enforce the Constitution and the laws of this land," Mr Volker said. The White House said in a statement that under the new order, federal officials would still conduct environmental reviews of the project. However, officials said those would be carried out by agencies other than the State Department, which under Mr Morris' November order would have been forced to conduct another extensive study that could have taken months to complete. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events TransCanada spokesperson Matthew John said the administration's action "clearly demonstrates to the courts that the permit is (the) product of presidential decision-making and should not be subject to additional environmental review." Friday's lawsuit was filed in Mr Morris' court, meaning he is likely to get the first opportunity at addressing the legality of Mr Trump's new order. Judges typically do not respond favourably to perceived end runs around their decisions, said Carl Tobias with the University of Richmond law school. Another legal expert, Kathryn Watts at the University of Washington, said it is unclear where the case will lead. Mr Trump's permit wades into "uncharted, unsettled" legal territory, she said. The pipeline's route passes through the ancestral homelands of the Rosebud Sioux in central South Dakota and the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes in Montana. Earlier this week, a court granted the tribes' request to intervene in an appeal of Mr Morris' November ruling that was filed by TransCanada. That case is pending before the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Tribal officials contend a spill from the line could damage a South Dakota water supply system that serves more than 51,000 people including on the Rosebud, Pine Ridge and Lower Brule Indian Reservations. An existing TransCanada pipeline, also called Keystone, suffered a 2017 spill that released almost 10,000 barrels (407,000 gallons) of oil near Amherst, South Dakota. Associated Press 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 Three historically black churches have burned in less than two weeks in one south Louisiana parish, where officials said they had found suspicious elements in each case. They have not ruled out the possibility of arson, or the possibility that the fires are related. There is clearly something happening in this community, state fire marshal H Browning said in a statement. That is why it is imperative that the citizens of this community be part of our effort to figure out what it is. The three fires occurred 26 March, Tuesday and Thursday in St Landry Parish, north of Lafayette. A fourth fire, a small blaze that officials said was intentionally set, was reported on Sunday at a predominantly black church in Caddo Parish, about a three-hour drive north. But just as we havent connected the three in St Landry, we havent connected the one in Caddo, said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal. 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 Local officials said they were still investigating the fires, and did not say if they knew of any suspects, a motive, or whether racism was an element. There certainly is a commonality, and whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just dont know, Mr Browning said at a news conference on Thursday. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are involved in the investigation, said Jeff Nowakowski, a spokesperson for the ATFs New Orleans field division. The reverend Gerald Toussaint, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisiana, was driving to work on Thursday morning around 4:45am when his wife called him to say she had seen on social media that their church was ablaze. Mr Toussaint was aware of the two other fires that had been set at nearby houses of worship, St Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, and Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas. He rushed to the scene. The church, which was founded in the 19th century, had undergone extensive remodelling two years ago. Now it is nearly gone, he said, except for a brick wall and corridor in the front. Im trying to find out who did it, why they did it, did it have anything to do with me, said Mr Toussaint, who drives trucks for a living. I dont know none of this. He also said he did not want to speculate, for fear of angering potential arsonists or prompting copycat crimes. St Landry Parish is a rural area studded with crawfish ponds and bayous in the heart of Cajun and Creole country. It is 56 per cent white and 41 per cent black. Mr Toussaint said that relations were generally good between black and white residents. Since the 1950s, black churches across the South have been the targets of numerous racist attacks, from arson to bombing to armed assault. In 2015, a white supremacist shot and killed nine people at a Bible study at an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2006, a string of arsons at Alabama churches, some predominantly white, some predominantly black, proved to be the work of three college students that officials characterised as a joke that had spun out of control. Last month, a black member of a predominantly black congregation, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to burning his church. The church was spray-painted with the words Vote Trump in an effort to make the attack seem politically motivated, a Mississippi official said. At the news conference on Thursday, sheriff Bobby Guidroz of St Landry Parish said that law enforcement officials would do whatever it takes to protect churches and churchgoers. Were doing everything we can, collectively, to solve this crime, he said. The New York Times A former convict accused of pulling a cruel hoax by pretending pretended to be a missing boy from Illinois has been charged with making false statements. Brian Rini, 23, had claimed he was 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, who went missing in 2011 after his mother killed herself when he was six-years-old. He said he had escaped from an eight-year ordeal at the hands of sex traffickers. But Mr Rinis claims were debunked earlier this week after DNA tests confirmed he was not the long-lost boy. The FBI said Mr Rini had made false claims twice before, also portraying himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim. 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 Law enforcement confronted him with the DNA results, and at that point the person immediately stated that he was not Timmothy Pitzen, and of course law enforcement knew by virtue of the DNA analysis that he was in fact Brian Rini, said US attorney Benjamin Glassman. The charge should send a message about the damage such false claims can do, he said, adding: Its not okay to do it because of the harm that it causes, the pain, for the family of that missing child." After confessing he was not Mr Pitzen, Mr Rini told federal agents he had heard about the missing boys case on the ABC television program 20/20 and wanted to get away from his own family, according to court documents. When questioned further, Rini stated that he wished he had a father like Timmothys because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking, FBI agent Mary Braun wrote. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Rini is being held without bail until his detention hearing on Tuesday after a brief appearance in federal court. He faces up to eight years in prison if found guilty, Mr Glassman said. Mr Pitzens case has stumped authorities since May 2011. The boy was last seen with his mother, who pulled him out of school and took him on a trip to a zoo and a water park, then took her own life in a motel room, leaving behind a cryptic note about her sons whereabouts. Tim is somewhere safe with people who love him and will care for him, she wrote in the note. You will never find him. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hit back at conservative critics who accused of adopting a so-called blaccent when addressing an African American audience, telling them to step right off. Earlier this week, the 29-year-old congresswoman spoke before a largely black crowd at the annual convention of Al Sharptons National Action Network. Im proud to be a bartender. Aint nothing wrong with that, she said, drawing out some of the vowels. Theres nothing wrong with working retail, folding clothes for other people to buy. There is nothing wrong with preparing the food that your neighbours will eat. There is nothing wrong with driving the buses that take your family to work. She added: There is nothing wrong with being a working person in the United States of America and there is everything dignified about it. Conservative media accused the New York congresswoman of altering her accent to try and connect with the black audience. 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 Fox News said she had appeared to develop a new accent while speaking to a predominantly black audience in New York City. The Washington Examiner she appeared to imitate a Southern accent in a speech to a predominantly black audience. It also noted that Hillary Clinton appeared to change her accent when speaking to black audiences in states such as South Carolina, which has a large African American population during the 2016 presidential race. Ms Ocasio-Cortezs response was short and to the point. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ignored Paul Ryan's 'Little Tips' For Congress Folks talking about my voice can step right offAny kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows whats up, she wrote on Twitter. She added: As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when Im fired up and especially when Im home. It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponised against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time. Barack Obama has urged progressives in the US to avoid becoming part of a circular firing squad that takes aim at people who do not share all their views. In what will be interpreted as a comment about the nature of the rivalry between different factions within the Democratic Party, the former president stressed the need for compromise. The way we structure democracy requires you to take into account people who dont agree with you, he said at an event in Berlin hosted by the Obama Foundation. And that, by definition, means youre not going to get 100 per cent of what you want. According to The Hill, he added: One of the things I do worry about sometimes among progressives in the United States.is a certain kind of rigidity where we say, Uh, Im sorry, this is how its going to be, and then we start sometimes creating whats called a circular firing squad, where you start shooting at your allies because one of them has strayed from purity on the issues. And when that happens, typically the overall effort and movement weakens. 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 The 2016 Democratic presidential primary was marked by often bitter hostility between the camps of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Supporters of the Vermont senator considered her a Wall Street sell-out, while many of those backing the former secretary of state believed Mr Sanders was out of touch and campaigned for unrealistic policies. As Democrats prepare to select a challenger to Donald Trump for 2020 congressman Tim Ryan announced on Saturday he was joining the already crowded field different factions are already becoming clear. Progressives such as Elizabeth Warren and Mr Sanders support policies such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Barack Obama introduces himself as 'Michelle's husband' at town hall event in California Others, such as Beto ORourke and Cory Booker have adopted a more centrist position. With perhaps as many as 20 Democratic candidates running in 2020, there is already a energetic fight underway for supporters and donations, something that will intensify as the contest progresses. At the same time, Mr Obama said it was important for candidates to know what they stood for. You should take some time to think in your own mind and continually refine and reflect, What are my core principles, he said. Because the danger is if you dont know what your principles are, thats when you compromise your principles away. He added: You cant set up a system in which you dont compromise on anything, but you also cant operate in a system where you compromise on everything. A man has been charged with threatening to kill one of the first Muslim women to serve in the US Congress. Patrick Carlineo Jr was arrested after placing a call to Ilhan Omars office in which he allegedly called the Democrat a terrorist before threatening to shoot her, federal prosecutors said. The FBI said that the 55-year-old sounded angry during the call to the Washington DC office of the Minnesota representative, but he spelled his name correctly and provided contact information to a staffer. Mr Carlineo later told bureau investigators that he loves the president and that he hates radical Muslims in our government, according to the criminal complaint filed by US Attorneys Office in the Western District of New York. Ms Omar became one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress at last years midterms, joining the House of Representatives in January. US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA During the call the 55-year-old allegedly said: Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, shes a (expletive) terrorist? Ill put a bullet in her (expletive) skull. The 21 March call was initially reported to the US Capitol Police, who began an investigation in coordination with the FBI. The prosecutors office said Mr Carlineo had been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with threatening to assault and murder a US official. He is being held pending a detention hearing on 10 April. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Mr Carlineos defence attorney declined to comment on the charges. Donald Trump says Ilhan Omar should resign over Israel comments: 'Anti-semitism has no place in Congress' Ms Omar was met with a backlash for remarks she made earlier this year on Israel, including comments that US supporters of Israel are pushing people to have allegiance to a foreign country. Both leading Republicans and members of her own Democratic party criticised Ms Omars comments as antisemitic. She later apologised, saying antisemitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of antisemitic tropes. Additional reporting by Associated Press The Trump administration claims it needs up to two years to identity and locate an unknown number of migrant children who were separated from their families at the US border as part of the so-called zero tolerance policy. Federal judge Dana Sabraw last year put an end to the controversial practice of splitting children from their parents and criminally prosecuting the adults, as part of a tactic to dissuade migrants from Central America trying to enter the country. He ordered that 2,700 children who were in government care on June 26 2018 be reunited with their families. In January, the department of health and human services admitted that thousands more children may have been separated than had been previously acknowledged. Now, the government has said it needs to review as many as 47,000 cases of unaccompanied children taken into government custody between July 1, 2017 and June 25, 2018, and has requested up to two years to do so. The Associated Press said the department of justice made the request in a court filing late on Friday at the southern district of California federal court in San Diego. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Mr Sabraw ruled last month he could hold the government accountable for families that were separated before his June order and asked the government submit a proposal for the next steps. A hearing is scheduled April 16, the AP said, In an affidavit, Jonathan White, of the department of health and human searches, said the job of identifying the children was more difficult because of the sheer scale involved. The policy of splitting children from their families sparked global outcry. While the Trump administration claimed it was merely enforcing rules established by Barack Obama - a claim that was not true - the president eventually signed an executive order terminating the policy. First lady Melania Trump also criticised the tactic. Melania Trump says she was 'blindsided' and 'heartbroken' by family separation policy Were going to have strong very strong borders, but we are going to keep the families together, Mr Trump said last June in the Oval Office as he signed he order. I didnt like the sight or the feeling of families being separated. Activists have condemned the governments proposal to take up to two years to identify the migrant children and reunite them with relatives. The administration refuses to treat the family separation crisis it created with urgency, said the American Civil Liberties Union. The government swiftly gathered resources to tear families apart. It must do the same to fix the damage. The department of justice did not immediately respond to enquiries on Saturday. As it was, Saturday marked the anniversary of Mr Trumps zero tolerance policy to criminally prosecute every adult who entered the country illegally from Mexico - a policy he was forced to drop. An emaciated baby elephant is forced to bang her head to rave music, play musical instruments and perform tricks under the threat of painful punishment at a Thai zoo, investigators have found. Behind-the-scenes footage also shows the young animal chained up and repeatedly sucking on her trunk a sign of distress when away from the tourist shows. The infant elephant, dubbed a real-life Dumbo, is made to join distressing performances up to three times a day at Phuket Zoo. Tourists watched and laughed as she and two adult elephants banged their heads up and down and side to side, and held a leg up while the zoo played loud rave music. At one point, trainers were seen scraping the animals with bullhooks which investigators suspect was a reminder to the elephants that they may be jabbed with the sharp tools. The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Show all 7 1 /7 The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort is one of Indias biggest tourist attractions, where elephants, many of whom are blind and lame, are forced to haul tourists up and down the steep fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction More than 100 elephants are kept at Amber Fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Of the 103 elephants, 10 had tuberculosis, 19 were blind in one eye or both, and all suffered foot problems, according to a 2018 health report by the Animal Welfare Board of India Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction When the animals are not forced to give rides to tourists they are often kept alone at night, heavily chained in concrete boxes. The Elephant Village is a few miles from Amber Fort so they have a long distance to walk each day, on roads busy with traffic. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Many show signs of psychological distress, such as repetitive swaying and head-bobbing, experts say Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort attracts thousands of tourists each day, who want to have rides up the steep hills on decorated elephants. Many visitors do not realise the animals are blind or lame. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Tourist elephant rides are a steady business at Amber Fort Moving Animals Visitors were filmed putting money in Dumbos trunk for her to give to the mahout, who also holds a harmonica for her to blow into. Inside an arena, elephants were forced to stand in a line, one hitting a cymbal with a drumstick, as another and the baby played the harmonica. The investigators, from activist group Moving Animals, described the scenes as heartbreaking, shocking and alarming with the animals living in fear of painful punishment or training. The baby elephant, who looks undernourished, sucks her trunk for comfort (Movinganimals.org) Tourists money pays to keep this young elephant in captivity, and she will spend the rest of her life forced to perform day after day, said Amy Jones of Moving Animals. Shocking photos also reveal her skeletal body, raising concerns of possible malnourishment and exhaustion. The adults are seen swaying in distress in other footage; one which still looks young is ridden and is forced to kick a ball into a net. Another time, an elephant being ridden is jabbed by a mahout, who also scrapes the bullhook against her face. The older elephants also swing hoops around their trunks. The cruelty continues when one animal moves away from a podium she must stand on, and the mahout pulls her back by the ear. Ms Jones said she later saw an adult elephant in a bare concrete enclosure pulling on her chain trying to reach out to the investigators. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events We watched as tourists laughed and took selfies, while the baby elephant stood with her eyes closed, quietly sucking her trunk. The cruel life she will endure is heartbreaking. Moving Animals has started a petition calling for her release to a sanctuary. The Independent has asked the zoo to comment. A man held hostage by an Isis-affiliated group in the Philippines managed to slip away from his captors and swim to freedom. Heri Ardiansyah made his escape as marines attempting a rescue battled with members of the Abu Sayyaf terror group on Simusa island in southern Sulu province. He was later plucked from the waters by marines on board a gunboat. His fellow Indonesian national, Hariadin, was not as lucky. Having escaped separately, he drowned, regional military spokesman Lt Col Gerry Besana said. A Malaysian national, identified as Jari Bin Abudullah, was shot by the militants when he ran away. He was airlifted to Zamboanga City, where he was in critical condition in a hospital, military officials said. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The marines gunned down three Abu Sayyaf captors who were trying to chase the two Indonesians at sea, military officials said. The hostages were kidnapped off Malaysias Sabah state on Borneo island in December last year and taken by speedboat to Sulu, the predominantly Muslim and poverty-wracked province where a few hundred Abu Sayyaf have survived in the jungles despite frequent military offensives. At least three more hostages are still being held by the group, which has sworn allegiance to Isis and is blacklisted by the US and the Philippines as a terrorist organisation. As government forces surrounded Simusa island to hunt down the remaining Abu Sayyaf gunmen, Isis claimed in a statement it had killed three and wounded 13 Philippine soldiers, but it said the mujahideen returned safely to base. The terror group has a brutal history of bombings, ransom kidnappings, extortion and beheadings. Army troops clashed with about 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Sulus mountainous Patikul town in a fierce but brief gun battle on Friday, the military said, adding that three soldiers and four militants had died in the skirmish and several had been wounded on both sides. The rebels belong to an Abu Sayyaf faction led by commander Hajan Sawadjaan, who is the main suspect in Januarys bombing of a Roman Catholic cathedral in Sulus capital Jolo. Twenty-three died in the attack, along with two suicide bombers. Additional reporting by Associated Press It all started with a video posted on social media: a secret recording from 2016 that appears to show a well-known local tycoon hand over an envelope containing bundles of cash to a party associate of Montenegro's long-standing leader. The prominent businessman, a former close friend and confidant of Montenegrin president Milo Djukanovic, released the video late last year in retaliation for charges filed against him for fraud and money laundering, which have prompted him to flee to London to avoid prosecution. The tycoon, Dusko Knezevic, also gradually released a series of documents accusing the president and his ruling party of corruption, cronyism and abuse of office, claiming he has cashed-in millions of dollars to Mr Djukanovic and his ruling party so the authorities turn a blind eye to his shady business dealings. The "Envelope Affair" has triggered weeks of anti-Djukanovic protests, demanding the resignation of one of Europe's longest-lasting leaders after his almost 30 years in power. The anti-government demonstrations came as similar protests were taking place in neighbouring Serbia and Albania where demonstrators are also seeking the ousters of leaders whom they accuse of autocratic rule and corruption despite their proclaimed bids to take their countries into the European Union. Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures A pyramid prop placed by supporters of the opposition party burns during an anti-government protest near the Prime Minister Edi Rama's Office in in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 Reuters Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures People hold a poster of populist President Aleksandar Vucic depicted as Pinocchio during a protest in Serbian capital Belgrade on March 9 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures People light torches during a protest against President Milo Djukanovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica on March 23 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures A man holds a banner during a protest against President Milo Djukanovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica on Saturday March 23 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures A protester wears a mask depicting Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama during an anti-government protest in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 Reuters Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures Albanian opposition supporters hold placards that read "Go" during an anti-government protest in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures A pyramid prop is placed by supporters of the opposition party during an anti-government protest in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 Reuters Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures Albanian police officers stand and block protesters during an anti-government rally in Albanian capital Tirana on March 21 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures Albanian opposition supporters during an anti-government protest in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 AP Wave of anti-government protests across the Balkans: in pictures A couple with a dog pass in front of the parliament building guarded by police during an anti-government protest in Albanian captial Tirana on April 3 AP The almost simultaneous eruption of strong anti-government movements in the region has prompted talk of a "Balkan Spring," in reference to a wave of protests and revolutions across the Arab world in 2010. While none of the protests so far have managed to unseat Balkan leaders, they have encouraged civic resistance and shaken their firm grip on power and the support they have been receiving in the West. In Montenegro, Mr Djukanovic has long faced accusations of corruption and links to organised crime. The recent video was seen as the most serious blow to his so-far unchallenged rule. Recommended Serbia protests over alleged government corruption enter fourth week Mr Djukanovic denied the accusations, in an interview with the Associated Press saying that pro-Russia opposition parties and "foreign factors" are behind the protests even though they are formally led by civic groups. He suggested the protests are aimed at unseating pro-EU leaders and turning the Balkans away from the West in favour of closer ties with Russia. "I think that (throughout the Balkans) this basically is not a 'spring' movement, but rather a bleak autumn movement," he said. "We are talking here about attempts to stop the Balkans" from joining the EU." Montenegrin protest organisers insisted the demonstrations represent a genuine civic movement without any foreign or opposition party influence. Their weekly rallies have drawn thousands of people in the biggest such gatherings in years. "The trigger was that envelope which was given by a businessman who belonged to the heart of the regime to the former Podgorica mayor, with the intention to bribe voters" in 2016 parliamentary election, said Dzemal Perovic, an organiser of protests in the Montenegrin capital. "Our goal is the change of the regime," he said. "A peaceful transition from a corrupt regime that has been in power for 30 years and which has won elections through bribery and rigging." People light torches in front of the Serbian parliament building during a protest march against populist president Aleksandar Vucic (AP) Since coming to power in late 1980s, "Milo the Czar" as he is commonly called in Montenegro has been calling the shots as president, prime minister or party leader thanks to his switching between posts. But he has also been a key Western ally in countering Russian influence in the region and previously for splitting from former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the wars of the 1990s. In Serbia, populist president Aleksandar Vucic has also portrayed himself as a pro-European leader while facing accusations of curbing democratic and media freedoms at home. Political tensions soared last month when protesters burst into the state TV building angry over the station's reporting that they view as biased. The incidents were the first in months of peaceful marches throughout the country that started after thugs beat up an opposition politician in November. The demonstrators are demanding Mr Vucic's resignation, free elections and media, and more democracy. They plan a major rally next week in Belgrade to press for their demands. Mr Vucic too has sought to downplay the protests as an attempt by the opposition to seize power by force while pro-government media have blasted opposition leaders as foreign stooges. Albanian opposition parties have returned to the streets since mid-February calling for the government's resignation and an early election. There, the centre-right opposition accuses the leftist Socialist Party government of prime minister Edi Rama of corruption and links to organised crime, which the government denies. Those protests have been violent, with Albanian opposition supporters repeatedly trying to enter the parliament or government buildings in Tirana and police using tear gas and water cannons to stave them off. "The common characteristics of all those protests are that people are dissatisfied with the long-standing and corrupt regimes, the anger which has accumulated for years, if not decades," Montenegrin political analyst Stevo Muk said. Associated Press German car manufacturers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW have been charged by the European Commission with colluding to block the rollout of clean emissions technology. The companies have 10 weeks to respond to the EU antitrust regulator and could face fines running to billions of Euros if their explanations are rejected. Between 2006 and 2014, the commission suspects that the circle of five car manufacturers including VWs Audi and Porsche divisions colluded to limit, delay or avoid the introduction of selective catalytic reduction systems (SCRs) and Otto particle filters. The SCR systems are used to reduce nitrogen dioxides from diesel car emissions, a toxic particle linked to 71,000 premature deaths across Europe in 2013, according to the EUs environment agency. The Otto particle filters are used to control exhaust gases from petrol cars and limit particulate emissions, which are also associated with tens of thousands of deaths a year. Environment news in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Environment news in pictures Environment news in pictures Davos 2019: David Attenborough issues stark warning about future of civilisation as he demands practical solutions to combat climate change Sir David Attenborough has issued a stark warning about climate change to business figures gathered in Davos, telling them that "what we do now...will profoundly affect the next few thousand years". On the eve of this year's World Economic Forum, the renowned naturalist told the audience that the worlds of business and politics should "get on with the practical solutions" needed to prevent environmental damage. "As a species we are expert problem solvers. But we've not yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus it requires. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy, and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan," he said. The broadcaster made his speech after receiving a Crystal Award, which is awarded by the forum to "exceptional cultural leaders". AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures At least 60% of wild coffee species face extinction triggered by climate change and disease Two decades of research have revealed that 60 per cent of the worlds coffee species face extinction due to the combined threats of deforestation, disease and climate change. The wild strain of arabica, the most widely consumed coffee on the planet, is among those now recognised as endangered, raising concerns about its long-term survival. These results are worrying for the millions of farmers around the world who depend on the continued survival of coffee for their livelihoods. As conditions for coffee farming become tougher, scientists predict the industry will need to rely on wild varieties to develop more resilient strains Alan Schaller Environment news in pictures Warming Antarctic waters are speeding the rate at which glaciers are melting The Antarctic ice sheet is losing six times as much ice each year as it was in the 1980s and the pace is accelerating, one of the most comprehensive studies of climate change effects on the continent has shown. More than half an inch has been added to global sea levels since 1979, but if current trends continue it will be responsible for metres more in future, the Nasa-funded study found. The international effort used aerial photos, satellite data and climate models dating back to the 1970s across18 Antarctic regions to get the most complete picture to date on the impacts of the changing climate. It found that between 1979 and 1990 Antarctica lost an average of 40 gigatonnes (40 billion tonnes) of its mass each year. Between 2009 and 2017 it lost an average 252 gigatonnes a year. This has added 3.6mm per decade to sea levels, or around 14mm since 1979, the study shows Nasa/Getty Environment news in pictures Greater Manchester to ban fracking, paving way for confrontation with government over controversial industry Greater Manchester is to effectively ban fracking, raising the prospect of fresh confrontation with the government over the controversial industry. All of the regions 10 councils are to implement planning policies which create a presumption against drilling for shale gas in their areas, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced. Campaigners said the move was the latest sign that the tide was turning against fracking, which has been the subject of multiple legal battles across the country. Critics of fracking say it poses environmental and health risks. Drilling at the UKs only operational fracking site, run by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, has repeatedly been halted due to earth tremors. But ministers support the industry and last year unveiled plans to accelerate the development of new drilling sites Ross Wills Environment news in pictures Japan confirms plan to resume commercial whaling in its waters from next year Japan will resume commercial whaling next year for the first time in more than three decades, in a move that has provoked strong criticism from campaigners and the international community. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume hunting the marine mammals in Japanese waters. However, he stated the activity would be limited to Japans territory and the 200 mile exclusive economic zone along its coasts. This means controversial scientific trips to Antarctica in which Japanese vessels killed hundreds of whales, as well as activity in the northwest Pacific, will stop in 2019 AP Environment news in pictures COP24: Environmental groups criticise morally unacceptable climate deal reached after major Poland summit Diplomats from around the world have agreed a major climate deal after two weeks of United Nations talks in Poland. But climate campaigners warned the deal effectively a set of rules for how to govern the 2015 Paris climate accord agreed between almost 200 countries lacked ambition or a clear promise of enhanced climate action. Activists cautiously welcomed elements of the plan, saying important progress had been made on ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change by individual nations can be measured and compared. But environmental groups were also highly critical of the agreement, warning it lacked ambition and clarity on key issues, including financing for climate projects for developing countries. The COP24 deal, which is aimed at providing firm guidelines for countries on how to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts to reduce them, was confirmed on 15 December, after talks overran Reuters Environment news in pictures Unprecedented changes needed to stop global warming as UN report reveals islands starting to vanish and coral reefs dying Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe, including the total loss of every coral reef, the disappearance of Arctic ice and the destruction of island communities, a landmark UN report has concluded. Drawing on more than 6,000 scientific studies and compiled over two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, released this morning, warn enormous and rapid changes to the way everyone on Earth eats, travels and produces energy need to be brought in immediately. Though the scientists behind the report said there is cause for optimism, they recognised the grim reality that nations are currently nowhere near on track to avert disaster AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures Africas three biggest elephant poaching cartels exposed using DNA from illegal ivory shipments DNA taken from massive shipments of ivory has been used to identify the three largest wildlife trafficking gangs operating at the height of Africas elephant poaching epidemic. Ivory tends to be shipped around the world from African ports in bulk, and scientists have used genetic evidence gleaned from intercepted batches to reveal their origins. Led by Dr Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, they traced a number of these shipments to three cartels operating out of Kenya, Uganda and Togo. Evidence collected by Dr Wasser has already helped convict ivory kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali, and as his team joins the dots between shipments they plan to shore up the cases against more of the continents most prolific smugglers Art Wolfe The announcement comes two years after raids on the car manufacturers following an investigation by Der Spiegel alleging the companies had met in secret in the 1990s to coordinate a response to diesel emissions. The EUs competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, said: Daimler, VW and BMW may have broken EU competition rules. As a result, European consumers may have been denied the opportunity to buy cars with the best available technology." Bas Eickhout, a Green MEP, added that the car makers actions put a brake on innovation. The investigations initial findings risks further denting the car industrys reputation after Volkswagen admitted to using software in diesel car engines to cheat on US emissions tests four years ago. The company has set aside 27.4bn (23.6bn) for fines, settlements, recalls and buybacks following the scandal. The EU probe is separate from other ongoing legal procedures against car makers for allegedly breaching environmental law. BMW said discussions among engineers were meant to improve exhaust gas technologies and that the whole industry was aware of these talks. It said they did not involve any secret agreements or intend to hurt customers. Volkswagen said it was cooperating with the EU and would issue a statement once it has reviewed the EU investigation. Daimler also said it was cooperating with the EU and does not expect to receive a fine. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events EU anti-trust fines can be as high as 10 per cent of a companys global turnover. In 2016 and 2017 the commission fined six truck makers 3.8bn (3.2bn) after it found they had colluded on pricing, the timing of introduction of emissions technologies and the passing on of costs for emissions compliance to customers. In response to news that the commission was investigating the four car manufacturers last year, Ugo Taddei, a lawyer for ClientEarth said evidence of the industrys central role in the air pollution crisis was building. Yet, national authorities keep folding under the pressure of the auto lobby and dragging their feet rather than ordering corrective actions," he said. These latest revelations tell us that the technology has been there for many years to reduce harmful emissions from vehicles, but the industry has been resistant to change. And this is still clearly going on. Additional reporting by agencies There have been many low points in Petro Poroshenkos painful re-election campaign, but its highly unlikely he ever imagined being reduced to doing a public drugs test and participating in a stadium debate with a comedian candidate better known for genital humour. But those were the cheeky demands made by Volodymyr Zelensky, Poroshenkos second-round opponent and the unexpected presidential favourite. It wasnt even Zelenskys most surreal offering. The very next day, the comedian suggested the losing third-place candidate Yulia Tymoshenko should host the debate. All things considered, Poroshenkos acquiescence to blood and urine analysis seemed almost statesmanlike. Looking in from Moscow and many were it was time to take the presidential piss. Olga Skabeyeva, the combative host of Russias prime-time propaganda talk show 60 minutes, quipped that Zelensky had made a major error in his ultimatum. She should be the one hosting the debate, and, whats more, shed do it for free. Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Show all 26 1 /26 Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre right, and his wife Olena Zelenska, greet supporters after exit polling gave the comedian a commanding lead AP Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko raises his hand with his wife Maryna at his party headquarters in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll REUTERS Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Comedian and leading Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy plays ping pong with a journalist at his election night gathering in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Election officials count ballots at a polling station in Kiev during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures People walk in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen sit in a truck to head to a polling station, near the front line with pro-Russian separatists, near Butivka, Donetsk region AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishke AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, on. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 2 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky waves in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky casts his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky gestures in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky walks with his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A view of the building of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) casts his ballot at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, The 53-year-old president has positioned himself during the political campaign as the only person able to stand up to the Kremlin and has promised to return Crimea to Ukraine if he is re-elected. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A voter emerges from the voting booth after filling out her ballot for Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21. Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian president Petro O. Poroshenko (C), running for re-election, receives his ballot in Ukraine's presidential election on in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A woman holds her ballot as she leaves a voting booth at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. - Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen queue to cast their ballots at a polling station near the front line line with pro-Russian separatists near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Who is this Yulia Tymoshenko anyway? she said. Skabayevas tongue-in-cheek intervention continued the Russian state medias largely condescending take on Ukraines presidential election. Most of the coverage, which was more substantial than that of Russias own election last year, has zoomed in on the absurdities of the Ukrainian vote. Of these, of course, there have been plenty: the field of 39, mostly fake candidates; the ex-minister using the elections to search for a wife; and the real prospect of a comedian becoming president. But it is increasingly perilous territory for the Kremlin. With Ukraine now set on a very public display of democracy where an incumbent president will voluntarily take part in a free debate against a young, quick-witted and popular challenger the jokes could well begin to wear thin. The very name of Vladimir Putins most prominent challenger, Alexei Navalny, is banned from the Russian airwaves. The democratic mismatch between Russia and Ukraine was highlighted on Friday when Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked if the Kremlin would ever agree to a televised presidential debate. Petro Poroshenko surprised many by agreeing to Volodymyr Zelenskys ultimatum to undergo a drugs and alcohol test (EPA) That depended, he answered: If a candidate who enjoys the overwhelming support of his people is put up against a candidate who has no such support, you couldnt describe that as a debate. With all three leading candidates talking tough on Russia, and without obvious friends in the Ukrainian political mainstream, Moscow was forced to sit these elections out. Publicly, the Kremlin made it clear Poroshenko was not a man they could ever do business with. Privately, however, some suggested a difficult adversary offered a certain type of stability. Many also assumed that Poroshenko would poll much stronger numbers given his notional control of the government machine. But Zelenskys clear and unexpectedly strong first-round lead seems to have changed the calculations in Moscow. Some now relish the opportunity of seeing the back of Poroshenko, a hostile president who has driven Ukraine away from Russia and into the Euro-Atlanticist orbit. The big gap between Zelensky and Poroshenko is good news for the Kremlin, says Tatyana Stanovaya, CEO of the political analysis firm R.Politik. Several sources tell me that Putin has demanded his administration ignore Ukraine so long as Poroshenko stays its leader. On one level, Zelensky was hardly soft on Russia in his election campaign. He emphasised his support for the 2013-2014 Euromaidan revolution that removed Moscows ally Viktor Yanukovych from office. He repeatedly criticised Russian military aggression in the east, and even helped finance nationalistic battalions in the war. But Zelenskys easier manner, lack of battle scars, and more moderate positions on, say, bilingualism, do make him a less toxic prospect in Moscow. Valery Solovei, a political expert with close contacts in the Kremlin, says Moscow was now rooting for the inexperienced Zelensky over Poroshenko. He has no political experience and so you can try to play him, he said. And for Moscow, he isnt associated with the conflict in the east. Even cautious pro-Kremlin voices suggested that a Zelensky presidency might help to reopen doors that have long been closed. Perhaps there will be some meeting halfway, says Alexei Chesnakov, a political advisor associated with Putin aide and Ukraine point-man, Vladislav Surkov. Poroshenko, after all, has said all kinds of offensive things about our president and it is never pleasant having such a person in the negotiating room. But, Chesnakov tells The Independent, it did not follow that dialogue would bring radical change. Ukraine Navy and FM reacts after Russia seizes Ukrainian ships A man can be a softer negotiation partner, but have no ability to move things on. The Kremlin always works on corridors of opportunity and at the moment the corridor isnt open. The former diplomat and foreign policy expert Vladimir Frolov says the Kremlin was likely to try to engage a Zelensky presidency at least at the beginning. Their model could include a goodwill gesture, he suggested, perhaps by releasing the 24 Ukrainian sailors captured in clashes near Crimea in November. This would mirror the non-retaliation promise made by Putin to Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration. But the longer-term perspective for closer relations was less promising. The Ukrainian president would likely remain limited by domestic hostility to Russia, he says, and that would severely limit his room for manoeuvre. Russia sees Zelensky as a new Macron or Trump, a novice to be exploited and played with, Frolov believes. So they will probably start off nice in the case of a Zelensky presidency. After that, were in Trump territory. All bets are off. After a particularly difficult year, and ahead of a general election in Israel on Tuesday, many members of the countrys Arab minority say they are refusing to vote in a poll predicted to re-elect Benjamin Netanyahu. Israels estimated 1.9 million Arab population makes up around 20 per cent of the country, and across Druze areas and other Arab communities in Israel, there has been a growing clamour for a boycott. In the countrys north, the mayor of the largest Druze town in the country, Daliyat el-Karmel smarts at the differences in services he believes are provided to his town, as compared to the nearest Jewish-majority city. Driving from his town to Yokneam Illit, Rafik Halabi says, is like going from Benghazi to London. Once a poor settlement, Yokneam Illit is now a thriving city, with factories, industrial complexes and major businesses. At the same time, says Halabi, he has been allocated no budget to provide similar opportunities for his people. The ruling Likud Party, meanwhile, says the governments 15 billion shekel (3.2bn) investment plan for the Arab sector is the largest such commitment in Israels history, according to Eli Hazan, Likuds foreign affairs director. But it is just one of many grievances the disgruntled Arab-Israeli community are feeling in the lead-up to the elections next week. Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Show all 5 1 /5 Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Rafik Halabi, mayor of Daliyat al-Karmel Bel Trew Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Photos of the Druze mayors of Daliyat al-Karmel in Israel ahead of the elections Bel Trew Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Layla Zahrour, a sweet shop owner in Haifa says the Arab community are disillusioned Bel Trew Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Rooa, a Druze woman, says she will not vote in the upcoming Israeli elections Bel Trew Israeli elections: growing calls for Arab boycott Many members of the Druze community in Daliyat al-Kamel say they will boycott the upcoming elections over the Nation State Law Bel Trew Halabi predicts that only half of Daliyat al-Karmel, around 80km north of Tel Aviv, will bother to vote on Tuesday, which incumbent Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud Party, is now predicted to win. We are bitterly disappointed by the policies of this government, we have paid all our dues and duties and got nothing back of our rights, Halabi says. Netanyahus government ratified the controversial nation-state law in July which has a constitution-like status and has been described by critics as apartheid legislation. Halabi, like many in his town, believe it has relegated Israels non-Jewish population to the status of second-class citizens. The law defines Israel as a Jewish state, promotes the creation of Jewish-only settlements, removes Arabic as an official language and defines national self-determination as the unique right of the Jewish people. In March the premier wrote on Instagram that Israel is not a state of all its citizens triggering further anger. We are Israel but the state refuses to acknowledge this Rafik Halabi, Druze mayor Israels Arab minority comprises mainly descendants of Palestinians who either stayed within their communities or were internally displaced after the 1948 war that surrounded the creation of Israel. But the Druze, a unique Arabic-speaking religious and ethnic group that practices an offshoot of Islam traditionally served in the army, often identify as Israeli and are fiercely loyal to the state. Many within the Druze community even dispute the label of Arab. They particularly felt the blow. The insult against Israeli Arabs is unbelievable, Halabi says, of the law. They built the country, they are in the army, they have jobs in all the hospitals. We are Israel but the state refuses to acknowledge this. He says he fears there could be a noisy boycott movement within his town as people felt disheartened. There had been some hope for Netanyahus chief election rival, ex-army chief Benny Gantz, who made a point of visiting Daliyat al-Karmel on the campaign trail. Gadeer Mreeh, a Druze former TV anchor from Daliyat al-Karmel, is running on Gantzs party list and is likely to be the first Druze woman in the Knesset, Israels parliament. But Halabi says that during his visit, Gantz, a former paratrooper, dodged questions about whether he would alter or abolish the nation-state law if he came into power and instead said he believed in equality. We could see a large boycott this year. The nation-state law is the most serious factor that will influence voters in this community. But also the elections have never been so racist, Halibi adds. Halabi says some of the campaign videos and slogans demonise Arabs turning them into the enemy of the state. The Likud Party have taken to chanting Bibi or Tibi a reference to Netanyahus childhood nickname, and Arab Israeli MK Ahmad Tibi, who has been singled out as their chief elections enemy. The campaign adverts have also zeroed in on their Arab counterparts. In one bizarre campaign video a Likud MK, Anat Berko, is kidnapped by her husband, dressed as an Arab. In another, Likud MK Oren Hazan appears to shoot dead Arab parliamentarian Jamal Zahalka, a clip which has sparked a police complaint for incitement to murder. Whoever you vote for, little changes, and so far everything has just gotten worse Layla Zahrour, Arab resident of Haifa On election day itself in 2015, Netanyahu urged the non-Arab population to go out and vote, saying the the right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are heading to the polling stations in droves. Across Daliyat al-Karmel questions on the elections are met with depressed shrugs. Many said the nation-state law was a wakeup call. We feel really let down, we give everything to this country and they reply with a law which makes us second class, says Halabi, a bus driver, who says he is not bothering to vote. Rafik, a shop owner who has voted for Arab parties in the past, agrees. The country is becoming far right and blatantly anti-Arab, I usually vote for the Arab parties but that has given us nothing. Go to the polls for what? Rooa says that as a Druze woman she has never been in a worse position. Rooa, a Druze woman, says she will not vote in the upcoming Israeli elections (Bel Trew) As Druze, our men go into the army and die for their country and this is their response. As a woman I have no rights at all. In Haifa, a nearby mixed Arab-Jewish city, where many of the residents self-identify as Palestinians, activists handed out leaflets as part of Popular Campaign to Boycott the Zionist Knesset Elections. This is an attempt to boycott the body that actively tries to erase our Palestinian identity, Joul Elias, a student from Haifa, says. Layla Zahrour, who owns a sweet shop in the city, says most people are fed up. Whoever you vote for, little changes, and so far everything has just gotten worse. Arab politicians have urged citizens to vote, fearing that disillusionment from the Arab communities will impact their already low presence in the 120-seat Knesset. A popular local rapper Tamer Nafar, of rap group DAM, even put out a video this week saying: Either we vote, or end up outside of the homeland. During the last elections in 2015, Arab parties ran under one list and secured 13 seats out of 120 in the Knesset, making them the third-largest force, which was a historic high. That alliance has since split and will be running separately, likely reducing the impact on the parliament. Turnout from Arab voters is expected to be at around 50 per cent, a significant drop from 2015, when turnout among Arab voters was 64 per cent, compared to 72 per cent for all Israelis. Ahmed Tibi, whose Taal party has forged an alliance with Ayman Odehs Hadash party, admitted that Arab parties will likely lose seats in this election but still encouraged people to go out and vote. Refusing to participate will not help us make change, he tells The Independent. He talks of being demonised and delegitimised in the Likud Partys campaign, including comments by culture minister Miri Regev. In February, after Tibi met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Regev said Tibi was not worthy of sitting in the Knesset. I got intimidations and threats on Facebook because of it, he adds. 'I hope they don't open an investigation on us!' Benjamin Netanyahu jokes with Trump about corruption probe as he gifts him with fine wine Akram Hasson, a Druze MK in the Kulanu Party which is part of Israels ruling coalition, stresses that participating in the elections has never been so vital. I am worried but we need this election to change the situation, such as the nation state law we have to be in parliament to do this, he tells The Independent. He cites fears over Netanyahus involvement in the merger of ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party and Jewish Power. Jewish Power is an offshoot of the banned Kach movement, which was outlawed by Israel and the US because of its racist and extremist views. If we allow fanatical groups to win, we will never be able to enact change, Hassoun says. Arab analysts in Israel said that a split Arab list means they will need more votes to pass the threshold into the Knesset than if they were all under one umbrella. We will have less political power at a dangerous time, says Amir Tuam of the Mossawa Centre. These elections are the most bleak. There is no hope for improvement for the status of the Arab community in Israel, not under Bibi, not under Gantz or anyone. Forces loyal to rebel Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar claim to have seized control of the airport on the outskirts of the capital Tripoli, two days after he ordered the capture of the city. Although the airport has not been functional since fighting in 2014 destroyed much of the facility, the rebel commanders media office said troops had also captured the area of Wadi el-Rabeia, south of the capital, amid clashes with rival militias. Tripoli is controlled by the UN-backed Presidential Council, Government of National Accord and supporting militias. The violence came as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ended a brief visit to Libya on Friday aimed at avoiding civil war, saying he left with a heavy heart and deep concern. Foreign ministers from the G7 group, which includes the UK, released a joint statement warning that fresh fighting in the country was harming innocent people and urged all parties to immediately halt all military activity. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Mr Guterres went to the eastern region, which is the seat of a rival administration and parliament that Mr Haftar is aligned with. He met with Agila Saleh, head of the east-based parliament, according to spokesman Abdullah Ablahig. I am leaving Libya with a heavy heart and deep concern, he told reporters at the airport shortly after a face-to-face meeting with Mr Haftar. I still hope, if possible, to avoid armed confrontation around Tripoli. A showdown between Mr Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) and the militias could plunge the country into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Khalifa Haftar, leader of the self-styled Libya National Army (AFP/Getty) It would also put at risk upcoming peace talks between rivals brokered by the UN and aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections. The UN Security Council held an emergency closed-door meeting on Friday at the UKs request and called on Mr Haftars forces to halt all military movements. It also urged all Libya forces to de-escalate and halt military activity. Militia opposed to Khalifa Haftar forces in Zawiya on Friday 5 April (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Mr Haftars troops captured the town of Gharyan, around 30 miles south of Tripoli without a fight earlier this week. The rebel general then ordered his forces to march on the capital, saying in an audio recording posted online: We are coming Tripoli, we are coming. Militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misrata, which control Tripoli, said they had mobilised to confront his forces. We are the revolutionaries and the elders ... we declare we are in full mobilisation and war, they said in a video statement posted online. A group of allied militias called the Joint Tripoli Protection Force based in the area around the Libyan capital announced they would also deploy to repel Mr Haftars offensive. Over 100 of Mr Haftars soldiers were captured by Zawiya militias, said army spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari. Anti-Haftar activists on social media posted pictures of what they described as militiamen from Zawiya capturing dozens of the rebel generals forces and armoured vehicles carrying stickers reading 106th Battalion. The unit is known to be commanded by Mr Haftars son, Khaled. Militias in Misrata also launched an air strike targeting a LNA position at the foot of the mountains of Nafusa, said an army spokesman. He did not elaborate on the number of casualties. Additional reporting by AP Q I am due to go to Spain on 10 April, returning on 22 April, and am hiring a car. The UK may leave the EU on 12 April (or it may not), but is it worth me getting a driving permit or gamble on not getting one? Also who will check I have one will the rental car company want to see it? Jerry K A It is slightly surreal to be answering a question about Brexit five days before the UKs possible departure from the European Union, and not to be able to give you a definitive answer. The public wish for a satisfactory conclusion to the Brexit process. This does not necessarily mean that they want a no-deal Brexit, nor that they approve of the prime ministers unpopular deal. What it does mean is that they can see, perfectly obviously, that their MPs are unable to take that decision on their behalf as they normally do in a representative democracy. The voters, then, who have more to lose from the upcoming events than MPs with safe seats and decent pensions or ministers with lucrative directorships ahead of them, are prepared to take matters into their hands. As our polling shows, more than ever they are demanding a Final Say on Brexit. The truth is that parliament is inherently unable to make a choice and for quite honourable reasons. The issue transcends and confuses party loyalties, up to and including the front benches. Parliamentary procedures long adapted to majority government cannot cope. Binary voting ayes and noes is unsuited to expressing preferences and finding consensus. More than anything the splits and narrow-squeak votes in parliament mirror those of a divided country, in fact surprisingly well. Besides, much of the crucial decision making takes place in Brussels in any case. So parliament and the cabinet needs to defer to the people. The Great Brexit Debate, then, did not end on 23 June 2016, but merely began. What is the Brexit we want if any away from the fantastical illusions of three years ago? Is it still worth it? The British public have been arguing about politics almost as never before. We have now had the type of deliberative democracy that politics professors write essays about but played out for real in a vibrant democracy. Now the British are as fully informed about the options as they possibly can be. The 2016 referendum handed sovereignty including the right to a Final Say back to them. They are now ready to make their choice. Events, though, are moving rapidly. While Theresa May has requested a short Brexit extension, and Donald Tusk has offered a year-long flextension, the chancellor, usually a bit of an Eeyore, sounds surprisingly optimistic about a breakthrough in the May-Corbyn talks. It would go against all previous behaviour. But even if there was some grand Lab-Con coalition on Brexit, it would still need the approval and consent of the British people. There are forces pushing to give the UK little if any room for manoeuvre, led by President Emmanuel Macron who has apparently picked up support in Belgium and Spain. This threatens a rapid no-deal Brexit even if the British government and parliament have outlawed it. That French tactic will probably not be enough to stop Chancellor Merkel exercising good sense and backing Mr Tusk, but it is a risk. Therefore the choice may very soon next week be between the UK crashing out of the EU with no deal and no transition period, or revoking Article 50 unilaterally and staying in the EU. Mr Macron is pushing the British towards the toughest choice of all a hard Brexit or full EU membership. Given the balance of opinion in parliament, revoking Article 50 is much the most likely outcome. Brexit, for sure, was never meant to hand control over the destiny of the country to the president of the French Republic. He might just be doing us a favour though. The new trailer for Joker, the forthcoming movie about the DC Comics villain of the same name, opens with a close-up of a sad man. (Well, it actually opens with sweeping views of the New York City skyline at dawn, but the sad man follows pretty quickly.) Hes dejected and talking to a Department of Health employee. Does it help to have someone to talk to? she asks. Judging by what follows, it does not. See, the Joker is moody. It is, of course, his mothers fault she always told him to smile and put on a happy face, the sad man laments. She told him he had a purpose: to bring laughter and joy to the world. What follows is a montage of the Joker dressed as a clown, trying to do just that except the world will not have it. The Joker gets bullied. The Joker gets beaten up. The Joker gets called a freak. The Joker tries to smile, but he just cant and while the trailer only hints at the devastating consequences that rejection will have on his psyche, the outcomes are well known to those who have watched one of the many films in which the Joker features. As a character, the Joker has acquired a bit of a fan following over the years. His popularity has been bolstered by the performances of Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto and soon Joaquin Phoenix, who plays the title role in Joker. And while Im sure DCs forthcoming film will find its audience, its hard not to notice that dedicating an entire standalone film to the Joker (and possibly a couple of sequels if it does well enough) contributes to romanticising one of the most toxic archetypes of pop culture. It bears reminding that the Joker is, at his core, a psychopath, a mass murderer, a terrorist, and an all-around bad guy. His portrayal varies slightly from one film to the next, and from one comic book to the next, but you can be pretty sure that at some point hes going to commit a crime and/or kill someone, and that he will enjoy it. Hes the quintessential toxic man. If you need proof, just watch 2016s Suicide Squad, in which Jared Letos Joker submits his girlfriend Harley Quinn to tests before letting her into his life. The ultimate test, by the way, comes when he turns to her and asks: Would you die for me? (Of course she would.) To be clear, the Joker is a great villain. Theres no denying it. That in itself isnt nefarious: pop culture has always needed bad guys, and superhero films are the perfect outlet to have a bit of fun with them. But what is harmful with the Joker isnt how bad he is, its why hes bad: hes either a bitter loser or a misunderstood, tortured soul or perhaps a bit of both. He wasnt born this way, not completely: it was others who made him like that. We are hardwired to respond to that narrative. First, theres something compelling about sad clowns. Its a gimmick that works all too well. But then theres also the fact that so many women have been conditioned to think of toxic behaviour as charming, and as something thats not their partners fault. There is something sexy about the Joker (theres a reason why people get tattoos of his face). On some level, you want to hold him until the pain goes away. Thats the purpose assigned to so many female characters: be that breath of fresh air in a tortured mans life. Fix him. Make him feel seen. Make him feel understood. Dedicate your own life to holding him up. But heres the thing: youve already met the Joker, and he wasnt nearly as interesting or attractive in real life. Perhaps you didnt realise he was the Joker, because he didnt look like Heath Ledger or Jared Leto. Perhaps he smoked or vaped. Perhaps his favourite book was Infinite Jest or was it Milan Kunderas The Unbearable Lightness of Being? Perhaps he wanted to show you the world. There were books he wanted you to read and music you just had to listen to. Few people understood him. He was trying his best, but the world just seemed to be against him. All he wanted was a special soul who would finally get him and how lucky were you that he had picked you? The DCEU movies ranked worst to best Show all 7 1 /7 The DCEU movies ranked worst to best The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 7. Suicide Squad (2016) Its the film that crawled straight out of a Hot Topic fever dream, threatening to rain down chaos and chain wallets on us all. Granted, it wasnt so hard to fall for the charms of its marketing campaign. Released in the grim haze left behind by Batman v Superman (more on that later), Suicide Squad looked us in the eye and promised us an antidote to what had come before. It told us it would be the neon-splattered, anarchist baby brother of the DCEU. All that arrived was the adolescent part. Too much of Suicide Squad is spent on its over-edited character introductions: each arrives on screen with a classic rock track blaring and some meaningless onscreen text (whats the point of Captain Boomerangs unicorn fetish, again?). All ultimately wasted once the (anti-)heroes are tasked with defeating the DCEUs most half-baked villain, The Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). Shes a character so devoid of interest, the worst crime shes guilty of is piss-poor archeology skills. Warner Bros The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Although more cohesive in its vision than Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman suffers because that vision is almost entirely delusional. What is presented to us as a philosophical epic a treatise on morality and personal responsibility is instantly undone by a series of ludicrous decisions on the part of the films director, Zack Snyder. Chief among them, the now-infamous reason that Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) finally stop pummelling each other and decide to become super friends: their mothers were both called Martha. And why again did Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) have any interest in making these two titans fight? The films plot is wildly incoherent, but it only becomes a true chore after the realisation that even Gal Gadots introduction as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman isnt enough to lighten the films funereal tone. Rex Features The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 5. Justice League (2017) Justice League contains, at its heart, a story that was only half-realised. Zack Snyder stepped down from his duties as director, following the tragic death of his daughter, Autumn. They were intensely difficult circumstances that didnt necessarily come with easy answers for the future of Justice League. Warner Bros, however, made an odd choice in inviting Joss Whedon to complete the film. The quip-heavy, energetic style he brought to Marvels Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron clashed abrasively with the weightiness of what Snyder had already shot. Yet, Justice League at least has the advantage of showcasing the characters that the DCEU has now bet their future on, with charismatic turns from Gal Gadots Wonder Woman, Jason Momoas Aquaman, and Ezra Millers The Flash. Warner Bros The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 4. Man of Steel (2013) As the onscreen debut of Cavills Superman, Man of Steel at least benefits from a fairly straightforward, linear storyline that duly ticks off the various demands of an origin story. Elements of the film feel over laboured: the Jesus imagery is excessive for a character whose parallels with a religious saviour are already obvious, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner)s death scene seems unnecessary, and the film concludes with a seemingly endless destruction fest. Yet, after Superman IV: Quest for Peace (1987) and Superman Returns (2006) turned the franchise into a joke, an approach as sombre as that of director Zack Snyder felt right for the character at the time, flaws aside. Whether he made the right choice in violating Supermans usual no-kill policy, by having him snap General Zod (Michael Sheen)s neck, is up for (usually lengthy) debate. Warner Bros The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 3. Aquaman (2018) Aquaman is far from perfect, but credit has to be given to director James Wan for taking such a huge risk with the film and standing by it, even in its most ludicrous excesses. This is a bombastic adventure. And its all anchored by its star Jason Momoa, who manages to turn a character who, for years, has been the butt of the joke, into DCs new party jock hero. Momoa made the man-who-talks-to-fish cool. Unfortunately, its also an audience divider: either you buy into the giant crab warriors and the octopus playing drums, or you get distracted by the lazy plotting and the weak dialogue. Unfortunately, beneath all the fishy visuals, the films story gets swamped by exposition and an unconvincing central romance. AP The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 2. Shazam! (2019) Shazam! centres on a troubled 14-year-old orphan (Asher Angel) who has the power to transform into a Superman-type character (a visibly delighted Zachary Levi) by saying the film's title. Borrowing heavily from Tom Hanks's Big, the film breezes along, playfully skewering superhero tropes and concluding with a light-hearted, low-stakes climax. Sure, there are segments that drag, and the superhero fights are a little too long, but Shazam! finally gives the world a coherent and fun DCEU film. With this and Aquaman having been released back-to-back, the darkness of Snyder's Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman seems but a fever dream. Warner Bros The DCEU movies ranked worst to best 1. Wonder Woman (2017) When Patty Jenkins entered the ring to direct Wonder Womans first solo film since her inception in 1941, she brought something to the DCEU that arguably hadnt been seen before. Wonder Woman has heart. Its a film filled with characters you can believe in, root for, and idolise. Although it stumbles at times its main villain is dull, its side villain is under-used, and its finale relies far too much on CGI those weaknesses pale in comparison to how beautifully crafted Wonder Womans own personal journey is. We see what courage and sacrifice represents, and what it means to fight for the good of others. Its a rare thing to see a superhero film place at its centre the true ideals of heroism kindness, justice, and love and have them all embodied in one character. And with Gal Gadot exuding both power and compassion in equal measure, its no wonder that so many uphold her as the bright spot of the DCEU. Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Entertainment via APAP We all have a bit of the Joker in us. It is tempting to think that our failures are the result not of our own shortcomings, but of other peoples misconceptions. Its a natural defense mechanism, and sometimes its justified. Who hasnt felt like the Joker at least once over the course of their life? Its hard to watch the new trailer and not think of at least one instance of childhood bullying. Who hasnt been taunted for standing out? Who hasnt been called a freak, or an equivalent insult? (If you answered me to any of these questions, feel free to drop me an email, I have about 100 questions for you.) But the Joker isnt a child. Hes a grown man. And yes, I am aware that hes fictional, but heres why I still care: when people see themselves on a screen, they feel vindicated. Most of the time, that is a very good thing (think Black Panther, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel, who all filled huge gaps in the pop culture landscape). But I worry not to the point that its keeping me up at night, but still that some toxic guy will watch this film and think: See? Theres nothing wrong with me. There is beauty in my chaos. I am the chaos. I am the beauty. The ends justify the means. Of course, Joker hasnt even come out yet, so its too early to judge its portrayal of the title character. There is a possibility that the film will present a fuller picture of the supervillain, in a way that doesnt completely glamourise his neuroses. Ill certainly be on the lookout. Democrats finally issued a subpoena for President Trumps tax returns this week. Trump said he was not inclined to release them. Of course, subpoena power means Trump doesnt have a choice. But its not shocking that a guy who boasted about grabbing female genitalia struggles to understand the concept of choice. Ever since that subpoena, liberals have been excited to find out exactly what skeletons are in the Presidents closet metaphorically speaking, of course. For those waiting with bated breath to see what the Donalds taxes contain, let me spare you the suspense. Ive had a look at them, and they contain only the expected: $1,000,000 on trips to Chuck E. Cheese (Trump loves their hamberders) $1,500,000 to his therapist who helps him make the most of his very, very large brain $2,500,000 for a private security detail on his date nights with Ivanka $2,000,000 to prevent Google searches of Tiffany Trump $150,000 on toys for Don Jr (particularly Nerf guns and Play-Doh) $600,000 to get Rudy Guilianis head surgically removed from the president's digestive tract Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questions Michael Cohen: 'do you think we need to review financial statements and tax returns in order to compare them' $4,000,000 in charitable donations to research for cancer caused by windmills $20,000,000 to shark-proof Trump Tower - rumor has it that the movie Sharknado left him petrified about the pending invasion of a caravan of sharks. I know sharks. I know the best sharks. And this caravan of sharks is not getting close to Trump Tower, said Trump as he mimicked a crocodile with his hands. When told that crocodiles and sharks are not the same, Trump responded, Many people have said that they are $1,000,000 on hand enlargement surgery Another $3,000,000 annual retainer, this one to the Birth Certificate Manufacturing Center (BCMC). Upon Trumps request, the BCMC is investigating whether Snoop Doggs birth name was indeed Snoop Dogg. $500,000 in membership dues to the Kim Kardashian Klub $250,000 to Getty Images for shirtless pictures of Vladimir Putin $750,000 to Getty Images to photoshop pictures of James Comey and Robert Mueller hugging and kissing $2,000,000 on a solid gold bone-saw (a birthday gift for Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman) $2 on a rock for Angela Merkels birthday $1,000,000 to get Theresa May to listen to his Brexit negotiation advice $12,000,000 on elocution lessons for Jared Kushner A further $12,000,000 on consultants to help Jared complete financial disclosure forms. Or, as Jared calls it, How I got into Harvard $4,000,000 to get John McCain to say thank-you for his funeral from the grave $35,000,000 each to Nepal and Bhutan in a bid to get them to rename themselves Nipple and Button respectively $15,000,000 on a family vacation to Nambia $80 applying for a German passport since his father was born in Germany 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 $20,000,000 in royalties to Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty for licensing the mascots orange skin tone $6,000,000 on a lawsuit against Google for not producing his image on searches for worlds greatest guy of all time Of course Trumps Treasury Secretary and definitely not a Bond villain Steve Mnuchin said that he will comply with the law on the Treasury releasing Trumps tax returns. Mnuchin need not worry since Mitch McConnell is already drafting a bill to change the law. But nobody will notice since the media will be fixated on which table Beto ORourke is standing on. Leo Varadkar said the new deal should attract more medics into general practice (PA) Major reforms to GP contracts in Ireland will encourage more doctors to enter general practice, the Taoiseach has predicted. Leo Varadkar said the package agreed with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), including a 40% funding boost of 210 million euro over the next four years, would make being a GP a more attractive career option. Mr Varadkar joined health minister Simon Harris at a healthcare centre in Dublin on Saturday as they announced details of the contractual reforms. Expand Close Mr Varadkar, left, and Mr Harris announced the new reforms at the Centric Health Primary Care Centre in Dublin (@LeoVaradkar/Twitter/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Varadkar, left, and Mr Harris announced the new reforms at the Centric Health Primary Care Centre in Dublin (@LeoVaradkar/Twitter/PA) The agreement includes proposals to extend free GP care to children aged six to 12 on a phased basis, starting in 2020. Currently free GP care only extends to children aged five or under. The package outlined on Saturday includes a new structured chronic disease management programme, which is predicted to benefit more than 430,000 Medical Card and GP Visit Card patients over the next four years. There are also several modernisation measures in the areas of eHealth, medicines management and multidisciplinary working. Initiatives include the roll-out of electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) and the development of shared electronic patient records. This year will also see the introduction of a pharmacist-led medication reviews system. The contract includes increased funding support for rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas. Improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements for GPs have also been agreed. Joined @LeoVaradkar to announce major new deal for GPs -investment of 210m will support GPs, increase rural allowance, provide fund for areas of deprivation, expand maternity/paternity supports, hire more practice nurses, expand eligiblity & new chronic disease management plan pic.twitter.com/Z2XINQX1xI Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) April 6, 2019 Mr Varadkar said: I am very happy that we have been able to conclude an agreement with the IMO on a revised GP contract. The agreement provides for a 40% increase in funding for general practice over the next four years and its front-loaded. I believe this will encourage more doctors to go into general practice and will provide new funding to develop practices and the services they provide. In return, GPs will agree to work with us on much-needed reforms including more cost-effective prescribing of medicines, waiting list validation and use of new ICT systems. The Taoiseach added: The minister for health and I are also signalling our intention to extend the free GP care scheme for children which currently applies to children aged five and under, to all children aged 6-12. Announcing agreement with @IMO_IRL on a major package of #GP contractual reforms to benefit patients and their GPs - 40% frontloaded increase in funding for GP over 4 years. A vital move to implement @slaintecare providing the right care in the right place at the right time pic.twitter.com/e7pPhbB3hr Department of Health (@roinnslainte) April 6, 2019 Alongside the new staff nurses contract agreed with unions earlier this week and the reduction in prescription charges and the widening of income limits for the GP Visit Card, I believe this represents a major step forward in the implementation of Slaintecare, increased resourcing of primary care, transferring chronic disease management from hospitals to the community, and widening the provision of free and subsidised healthcare. Mr Harris said: This agreement is a landmark for the health service. For the first time we will see the structured care on a large scale of patients with chronic conditions in a primary care setting. I am delighted also that GPs will engage strongly with the exciting eHealth agenda which will enable safer, joined-up patient care and will also help the health service to greatly reduce the use of outmoded paper-based communications and record-keeping. Another year of Brexit headlines lies ahead after both the UK and EU signalled an extension is now the only way forward. The move will have major implications for the European election in May as Ireland was to get two extra seats in Brussels. British Prime Minister Theresa May has formally asked for a new Brexit deadline to be set on June 30. However, sources say European Council President Donald Tusk is to recommend that leaders demand a 'flexible extension' that runs until March 2020. Solidarity with Ireland remains strong ahead of an emergency EU summit next Wednesday. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week have been widely viewed as positive. And in a further show of strength the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will travel to Dublin on Monday for meetings with the Taoiseach. It comes as talks between British Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared to stall. Mr Varadkar has indicated he wants the uncertainty to be ended with a lengthy extension rather than "a rolling cliff-edge, where there is an extension every month or two". The Taoiseach said the current situation is "causing enormous uncertainty for citizens, businesses and the agri-food industry - and that needs to stop". "None of us want no deal next week, certainly we don't want it, the UK doesn't want it, and Europe doesn't want it either," he said. It is expected Mr Barnier will use his trip to Dublin to tease through the different scenarios with the Government before the summit. The EU27 must reach a unanimous decision on whether to grant an extension - but currently a number of countries, including France, are understood to have reservations. In a letter to Mr Tusk yesterday, the prime minister accepted that an extension will require her to hold European elections on May 23. She promised her Government would undertake "the lawful and responsible preparations" for holding elections but asked these could be abandoned if the Withdrawal Agreement is passed by the House of Commons before then. If the UK holds elections it will dramatically change the context of the EU vote in Ireland. Two constituencies - Dublin and Ireland South - are due to get an extra MEP as a result of Brexit. This will not happen if the UK retains its position in the European parliament. As part of its no-deal contingencies the Irish Government has passed legislation that would allow the final seats in both constituencies to go into 'cold storage' until the UK leaves. Mr Macron has thus far seemed cagey about giving Britain more time, saying the EU cannot be held hostage by Britain's political failures. There are also concerns in Europe that some British politicians who want to provoke a no-deal Brexit might try to make trouble from inside the bloc. Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said yesterday that "if a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU, we should be as difficult as possible". The Conservative Party lawmaker suggested using Britain's position to veto any EU budget increases, block the establishment of an EU army and make it impossible for Mr Macron to push further EU integration. One EU diplomat said that there was rising concern among member states that they would not get "sincere co-operation" from Britain. Parliament/Mark Duffy Handout photo issued by UK Parliament of (left to right) Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom, Prime Minister Theresa May, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, Solicitor General Robert Buckland and Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, listening during the Brexit debate in the House of Commons. Photo: UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/PA Wire Theresa May has been warned that a lengthy delay to Brexit could destroy the Conservative Party, with a minister claiming it would be a Conservative "suicide note" if the UK had to fight the European elections. The stark warning about the "seismic" changes to British politics that would be unleashed if the May 23 European Parliament elections went ahead came as the government sought to revive talks with Labour aimed at finding a Brexit compromise. UK Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the situation needed to be resolved quickly in order to avoid the "existential threat" posed if the UK remained in the EU at the time of the elections next month. "It would be, I think, a suicide note of the Conservative Party if we had to fight the European elections," he said. He said that if Labour could not sign up to a joint approach, then MPs should be forced to find a compromise through a preferential voting system in order to resolve the situation. "We need to do that quickly because, I think, going into the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we haven't been able to deliver Brexit, I think would be an existential threat," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Expand Close British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, left, poses as Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos smiles during a family picture at the informal meeting of European Union Economic Financial Affairs in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, left, poses as Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos smiles during a family picture at the informal meeting of European Union Economic Financial Affairs in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Downing Street has offered further talks with the opposition this weekend after efforts to find a breakthrough stalled, but Labour said the Prime Minister had to come forward with "genuine changes". Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted the government had "no red lines" in the talks and he was "optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour". At a meeting of EU finance ministers in Bucharest, he said: "The conversations with the Labour Party are continuing, they were continuing last night, we are expecting to exchange some more texts with the Labour Party today." Asked about the prospect of a second referendum, he said: "We should try to complete this process in Parliament, that's the right way to do it. But we should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. Expand Close Theresa May / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May "Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us, of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." The talks appeared on the verge of collapse on Friday night after shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the government was not "countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration", the blueprint for the future UK-EU relationship. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: "We are engaged in these talks in good faith but the government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far." Expand Close Deal doubts: Brexit supporters in London the exact nature of the deal still hangs in the balance. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deal doubts: Brexit supporters in London the exact nature of the deal still hangs in the balance. Photo: PA Labour's position was that it wanted a customs union, single market alignment, protection of rights and "some kind of People's Vote". Pressed on whether any agreement must have a second referendum attached to it, she told Today: "We are not saying anything definitively but we have a position." While it "has to be part of the negotiations", Ms Abbott said "we have not gone into these talks being dogmatic". She added: "I think a People's Vote has its difficulties. I think if we had that vote tomorrow, I believe Leave would win." European leaders are considering Mrs May's request for another delay to Brexit, with a decision expected at Wednesday's emergency summit in Brussels. Mrs May has asked for a delay until June 30 but wants to terminate any extension before the European polls if she is able to get a deal through Parliament. European Council president Donald Tusk is recommending a longer postponement of one year, with a break clause in the case of earlier ratification, in a so-called "flextension" deal. But an extension is not automatic and requires the agreement of all 27 other EU countries, with France one of those most cautious about agreeing to it. French Europe Minister Amelie de Montchalin said an extension would require the UK to put forward a proposal with "clear and credible political backing" and "in the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner". Mrs May has already obtained one extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process, postponing the date of Brexit from March 29 to April 12. Mr Hammond acknowledged the frustration with the British among the 27 other EU members. "Most of the colleagues that I am talking to accept that we will need longer to complete this process, so I am optimistic about the council on Wednesday," he said. "I understand that EU colleagues are somewhat fed up that the process has taken as long as it has; we are also fed up that we haven't been able to complete this earlier, but I am very confident that we will get it done." Helen McEntee regularly finds herself debating global politics with the leaders of Europe. It's a responsibility she wears lightly as one member of the Irish Government's Brexit team. The 32-year-old's rise to become both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney's right-hand women in Brussels has been meteoric - but it's far from simple. Often she finds herself being the only woman in the room, surrounded by male diplomats and politicians from other countries. Reflecting on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Dublin this week, Ms McEntee says she thought that country would be "more progressive". "But I went to Germany and most of the meetings we were in were just men. "Seven, or eight, or nine sitting across from us, and actually my team is quite balanced," she told Independent.ie's 'Floating Voter' podcast. "I often find myself in scenarios where I'm the only woman. It shouldn't make a difference. I like to think that I speak up and talk the same as everybody else." When Ms McEntee became European Affairs Minister in 2017, whispers pervaded Leinster House that it was an appointment based on gender rather than talent. Regularly she stood side-by-side with her two senior colleagues, but often it appeared the Meath East TD had little to say. "I try to block out comments like that. You have that always. From when I was elected, 'I'm only 26 and I'm only there because my dad [former TD Shane McEntee] died. I came in on coattails. I don't have enough experience'. You're constantly battling that anyway, from the moment you get into politics there's always going to be some criticism about what got you there and whether you should be there or not," she says. "I think I've worked hard over the past two years. I have a husband who hasn't seen too much of me." Ms McEntee's view is that her work speaks for itself, even if the journalists direct their Brexit questions to Mr Varadkar or Mr Coveney. "I might try and come in the odd time. I'm a big girl. I understand people want to hear from the Taoiseach and Tanaiste," she explains. It's a learning curve. She was only a few days in the job when her friends all took off to a music festival while she headed east in the Government jet. "They were sitting on the grass in their armchairs or deckchairs looking at the phone and there's a picture of me with Angela Merkel. They were like 'what's going on'," Ms McEntee recalls. The Brexit situation is now more tense than at any stage. Britain is less than a week from crashing out without a deal and questions are being asked about whether Ireland pushed too hard on the backstop. The minister insists there was no other option. "If there's no deal, and I could be proven wrong, I don't think people will turn around and say 'you shouldn't have fought as hard for the backstop'," she argues. "I think we have every right to stand our ground on the position we have taken. If it doesn't work out what we need to do is show that we're prepared." She adds: "The sticking point is the Border of course and that's something we have to cross if we get to that point next week. I hope that's what we're judged on. It's how you react to the situation you're in." What then a young woman whose rise so far has been meteoric? She doesn't deny wanting a Cabinet promotion if Fine Gael is back in power after the next election, but "wouldn't expect anything". Asked what her ideal job would be, Ms McEntee is quick to answer: "Simon [Coveney] will kill me now, but Foreign Affairs is a really fantastic department." She continues: "I think we could do with a female minister for sport at some stage. Whether that's me or somebody else is another question." Perhaps when Brexit is sorted, she can move on to the FAI. Sterling weakened yesterday as doubts swirled over British Prime Minister Theresa May's attempt to further delay Brexit. Mrs May wrote to Brussels asking to delay Britain's EU departure until June 30 to allow lawmakers to agree a withdrawal deal. But France and the Netherlands expressed doubt about the plan and that, combined with lingering fears of a no-deal Brexit, sent the pound to a session low of $1.3014 (1.16), down 0.4pc on the day. The impact of a long Brexit delay on sterling is unclear. The pound would gain if a delay led Eurosceptic lawmakers to back the deal Mrs May negotiated with the EU or brought about a reversal of the 2016 Brexit referendum. For most of March the pound was stuck near $1.31. "The chances of a no deal remain remote, but a satisfactory outcome any time soon also seems highly unlikely and this is containing the pound in a fairly narrow trading range," said David Cheetham of XTB. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he believes the UK will be granted a Brexit extension and warned that any country that uses a veto against the move "wouldn't be forgiven". Mr Varadkar said that it is "always a possibility", but that it would be "highly unlikely" for one of the 27 countries in the European Union to veto a longer extension on a Brexit deal. However, he said that he personally believes that a further extension is the most likely option for Brexit as it stands, and that the UK don't want to leave without a deal. "One thing I'm certain of is that the United Kingdom doesn't want to leave without a deal . Parliament has voted that way on several occasions now, it's one of the few things they can agree on," Mr Varadkar told RTE's Countrywide today. "I think the likelihood is further extension, but what we want to avoid is an extension that leads to more indecision and more uncertainty. "I'd prefer to see a longer extension during which the United Kingdom has more time to decide what future relationship it wants to have with the European Union, rather than the alternative which could be a rolling extension every couple of weeks or months." Mr Varadkar said that Brexit was taking a "huge amount of time" and frustration for many people, but called for "solidarity and patience" in understanding the importance of the outcome for Ireland. The Taoiseach also discussed the possibility of checks away from the border and said that the logical way to ensure a free-flowing Border would be for regulatory checks to take place. "I'm absolutely certain that initial arrangements may be temporary arrangements and they will depend on what the United Kingdom decides to do. "We know what we can do at ports and airports, any animals entering the European Union have to enter through a border inspection post, and we have those at Dublin and Shannon at the moment." The Taoiseach's comments come after the British Prime Minister was warned that a lengthy delay to Brexit could destroy the Conservative Party, with a minister claiming it would be a Conservative "suicide note" if the UK had to fight the European elections. UK Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the situation needed to be resolved quickly in order to avoid the "existential threat" posed if the UK remained in the EU at the time of the elections next month. "It would be, I think, a suicide note of the Conservative Party if we had to fight the European elections," he said. He said that if Labour could not sign up to a joint approach, then MPs should be forced to find a compromise through a preferential voting system in order to resolve the situation. "We need to do that quickly because, I think, going into the EU elections for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the Labour Party, and telling our constituents why we haven't been able to deliver Brexit, I think would be an existential threat," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Downing Street has offered further talks with the opposition this weekend after efforts to find a breakthrough stalled, but Labour said the Prime Minister had to come forward with "genuine changes". Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted the government had "no red lines" in the talks and he was "optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour". At a meeting of EU finance ministers in Bucharest, he said: "The conversations with the Labour Party are continuing, they were continuing last night, we are expecting to exchange some more texts with the Labour Party today." Asked about the prospect of a second referendum, he said: "We should try to complete this process in Parliament, that's the right way to do it. But we should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. "Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us, of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." With additional reporting from Press Association Pay topped 10.5m each for the top bosses at housebuilder Glenveagh Properties in its first full year in business. The bulk of last year's income for the top two executive directors at Irish Stock Exchange-listed Glenveagh Properties was a shares windfall last August worth just under 10m each to Justin Bickle and Stephen Garvey, based on Glenveagh's share price at the time. Its annual report published yesterday shows that, in addition to those shares, Glenveagh co-founder and CEO Justin Bickle was paid salary, bonus and other benefits of 719,500 last year while co-founder Stephen Garvey, who is the chief operating officer, was paid 564,400. Glenveagh chairman John Mulcahy, a Nama executive before helping launch the firm, earned a total pay package of 419,000 at Glenveagh last year, in addition to shares valued at around 2.2m he received last August. The company emerged as a housebuilder from US fund Oaktree's stock of Irish property assets bought after the crash. The private equity style founder share scheme kicked in last August, a year after listing on the stock market, conditional on performance targets being met. Glenveagh's annual results in March recorded a loss of 3.5m after tax in 2018, excluding exceptional items. It is looking to sell 725 houses this year as it moves from buying land to building and selling houses. Earlier this month it announced the sale of 118 new homes in two estates at Taylor Hill, Balbriggan, and Semple Woods, Donabate, both in Co Dublin, in a single deal to landlord Ires Reit. The company has said it could deploy as much as 25pc of its land bank into the private rented sector to big funds who then rent them out to tenants, and is also looking for partners to build social housing. It might be an extreme example, but news has emerged of a case where a Limerick couple had almost 3m of debt written off for just a 2,000 payment in a personal insolvency arrangement (PIA). The money was owed for business and personal loans including a mortgage. They had no hope of paying it although the woman's family stepped into pay some other debts which got some creditors off their back. Crucially, the family home, valued at 450,000 was retained, so children can stay in school and the family can continue their lives, albeit under a financial cosh for a number of years where their living expenses must be approved. The bank involved in the mortgage arrears must accept the position, even if they argued against it. PIAs are one of the four remedies available to debtors under the Insolvency regime, and were up 31pc in 2018 over the previous year. Eight thousand people have been helped with formal debt arrangements, and a further 120,000 with 'interventions'. It surprises most people to learn that, like this family, in 95pc of cases the home is not repossessed and the family gets to stay put with all the importance that bestows on children, neighbours and wider community. The people most likely to lose their home through repossession are those who ignore banks' letters, don't turn up at court hearings or believe, maybe genuinely, that nothing can be done for them. This is rarely the case. This week, I'm looking at the debt arrangements available and how to learn more about the system if you are in debt. The four solutions are: Debt Relief Notice If you have a low income, few assets and debts of less than 35,000 that you can't repay, a DRN could be the right solution. It is not suitable for those who have a mortgage, but debts from the credit union or gas company etc would qualify. Debt Settlement Arrangement If you have higher unsecured debt such as credit cards, loans and overdrafts, a DSA could be the right choice for you. Again, it's not used for mortgage arrears. Personal Insolvency Arrangement A PIA is for people who have secured debts, such as mortgages or business loans held against property. There are lots of types of arrangement but typically they can involve debt write down, warehousing a portion of the mortgage, say until a pension comes in, extending the mortgage term or lowering the interest payable. They can also involve Mortgage-to-Rent, whereby you hand over the ownership of your house, but get to stay in it, as a tenant of a housing charity. Bankruptcy This is a polarised solution whereby your property and possessions are transferred to an Official Assignee who arranges for the sale of items and distributes money to your creditors. Generally, it's the last option, never the first. How to get started Make contact with ISI, the insolvency service (isi.gov.ie, 076 1064200) or see the excellent backontrack.ie website which explains the process. An appointment is made with a Personal Insolvency Practitioner (PIP) who will go through your whole situation and decide how to proceed. Immediately, all the phone calls, letters and hassle from creditors will stop and most people report the sheer relief of this alone is worth the call. The PIP will charge an initial consultation fee, however, further fees are built in to any arrangement made under strict rules, and if you have mortgage arrears, you should qualify for a free consultation under the 'Abhaile' scheme run by MABS (keepingyourhome.ie or mabs.ie) Who is Mark Zuckerberg? We got a slightly better idea in Dublin last week. In person, Mr Zuckerberg is candid, shy and awkward. In between Dublin appointments, he came across a little like a teenager, unsure where to look or what to do. But in those meetings, he was relentlessly on message. There was no ambiguity left around a series of focused policy and regulatory messages. The 34-year-old billionaire, arguably the single most influential person in the multi-trillion euro tech world, spent a full day in Dublin. His goal was to lobby legislators and regulators in one of Facebook's four most important European capitals. He also wanted to shore up morale among Irish staff, often in the firing line in successive, unending PR scandals and privacy crises. He even made a bit of time to talk to some of the press (you can listen to him speak on The Big Tech Show podcast at independent.ie/podcasts). While Mr Zuckerberg spent the majority of the day on-message, he also answered some questions fairly candidly. In the process, he gave some insight into the way he thinks about things. For example, he admitted that some of the things Facebook has done didn't look good, even while continuing to defend those actions. Take the administrative stroke that Facebook pulled on the eve of GDPR's introduction last year to reclassify some 1.5bn users away from Ireland's regulatory responsibility. Critics of the company say that this was a cynical exercise, a deliberate attempt to avoid the higher data protection standards that GDPR brings. Mr 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, Mr Zuckerberg told TDs 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. Mr Zuckerberg knows that Ireland's issues with Facebook are Europe's issues. Ten out 15 statutory inquiries currently under way by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) under GDPR relate to either Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. Helen Dixon is effectively the social networking giant's core European regulator. And Facebook has some big plans that Ms Dixon's office will be central in deciding. For example, he wants to merge Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp much more closely for messaging purposes. The Irish DPC office is currently lukewarm on the idea, not least because they haven't yet given Facebook the go-ahead for tighter advertising links with WhatsApp. This isn't deterring the Facebook chief executive, who sees it purely as a matter of making the apps 'better'. Indeed, on issues of governance and regulatory oversight, Mr Zuckerberg appears not to see any real threat coming down the line. This is a little surprising, given that his company owns the four biggest online communication platforms (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp) outside email. One of his talking points is that regulators in Europe and the US need to be mindful about over-regulating western companies like his, because to restrict them much more might be to hand greater influence to companies based in less scrupulous parts of the world, like China. TikTok, which is probably the fastest-growing new social media platform among younger people, is a case in point. To push the point home even further, Mr Zuckerberg said that GDPR should be deployed as a way to level the playing field with Chinese-based platforms like TikTok. GDPR, he said, should also start to look at where data is stored - shorthand for taking a closer regulatory rein on tech rivals that have data servers in China, such as Apple. "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." There were issues he didn't spend much time talking about, such as child protection. Then again, few under-13s use Facebook, a point often lost on older TDs who lump all online platforms together. Good news: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Edwards Lifesciences CEO Mike Mussallem with a model heart at the site of the plant. Photo: Diarmuid Greene Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted new technology will create more jobs than it eliminates but says that up to 40pc of today's jobs will be taken by robots in the future. Mr Varadkar was speaking in Limerick as American medical device solutions firm Edwards Lifesciences Corporation announced a 160m investment in a new technology plant creating 600 jobs. Last October, the firm said it would invest 80m at a site at the Plassey National Technology Park, Castletroy. However, it has now revealed it is doubling its investment in the Limerick facility, making sophisticated heart valves. Edwards Lifesciences already employs 50 people in Shannon, Co Clare. The Taoiseach officially turned the sod on the company's Limerick development, which is due to be finished by 2021. "Lifesaving, cutting-edge technologies will be produced here, resulting in the creation of 600 highly skilled jobs," Mr Varadkar said. "I wish the company and their new workforce the very best as they embark on this exciting new project," he added. Mr Varadkar explained that as "we approach full employment, with unemployment at an 11-year low" it was the Government's aim to "encourage more jobs in the med-tech" field. However, he added: "We can't take this for granted. "We estimate that somewhere between 20-40pc of jobs that exist today won't exist in the future, because they will be automated, and replaced with artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies." Speaking further about the threat of robots to future jobs, Mr Varadkar said: "But of course, that's happened before. "For centuries people have been predicting the 'rise of the robots', and the 'machines taking over', and that's actually never happened. "New technology - if you embrace it - creates more jobs than it eliminates," the Taoiseach added. Mr Varadkar said the Government hoped to run "a budget surplus this year - Brexit permitting", as it did last year, which he added was the first budget surplus since 2007. Meanwhile, investment fund managing firm FundRock announced the opening of its second Irish office, in Limerick, creating 20 jobs. Tensions over trade, investments and minority rights are preventing China and the EU from agreeing a joint declaration at a summit next week, multiple sources in Brussels said yesterday, sapping a European push for greater access to Chinese markets. Alarmed by potential Chinese dominance of strategic European industries, EU leaders last month sought to prepare for the April 9 summit - flagged as a chance to cement bilateral ties - by agreeing what they said was a more assertive stance. By diplomatic convention, joint statements are issued at the conclusion of high-profile bilateral summits to formalise policy. Donald Tusk, the head of the European Council, has recommended rejecting the statement as it stands, according to an EU source. China had not met EU hopes that it would open its markets, nor seriously committed to reforms of global trade rules. According to an early draft put forward by the European Union and seen by Reuters, Beijing would be bound into completing talks on an investment agreement and committing to remove what the EU says are unfair barriers to trade. The EU also wants to show the United States that the trade war route is not the only way to coax Beijing to open up. But Chinese officials have removed or changed many of those references, the EU diplomats said, raising the embarrassing probability of no communique at all after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk have met. Envoys for EU nations including Britain, Germany and France said they could not back the communique on the basis of China's changes, an EU official said. Other EU references to reassure Europeans that China is committed to confronting attacks by computer hackers and improving religious freedoms are also proving difficult, diplomats said. "We wanted to be clear on how we want to work with China, not issue a meaningless document," a senior diplomat said. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao said this week that both sides were working to reach a consensus. Negotiations with the Chinese would continue until Tuesday. The intensification of EU diplomacy since March reflects frustration over China's reluctance to allow foreign companies to set up there without restrictions while taking full advantage of the EU's openness, EU diplomats say. A surge of Chinese takeovers in critical sectors in Europe and an impression in Brussels that Beijing has not kept its promise to stand up for free trade and globalisation have given the April meeting new urgency. Reuters A posthumous Avicii album will see the light of day (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Showbiz Electronic dance music DJ Aviciis collaborators have completed an album the Grammy-nominated producer was working on before his death. Entitled Tim, the record is made up of nearly finished songs the star real name Tim Bergling produced before his death at the age of 28 in Muscat, Oman, in 2018. The Swedish musicians collaborators used notes, email conversations and text messages about the music to complete the album, which will be released on June 6. Money from sales will go to the Tim Bergling Foundation, set up by his family to support people and organisations in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention. Expand Close Avicii died in 2018 aged 28 (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Avicii died in 2018 aged 28 (Yui Mok/PA) A statement from his family said: When Tim Bergling passed away on April 20 2018, he was close to completing a new album. He left behind a collection of nearly finished songs, along with notes, email conversations and text messages about the music. The songwriters that Tim was collaborating with on this album have continued the process to get as close to his vision as possible. Expand Close Avicii performing at the Capital FM Summertime Ball in 2015 (Hannah McKay/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Avicii performing at the Capital FM Summertime Ball in 2015 (Hannah McKay/PA) Video of the Day Since Tims passing, the family decided not to keep the music locked away instead they wanted to share it with his fans all around the world. The first single from the album, SOS, will be released on April 10. The international pop star performed his songs at music festivals around the world and landed on US radio with his country-dance mashup Wake Me Up. He retired from touring in 2016. 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. In the corridors of the Vilnius Culture House, an imposing brutalist building in the suburbs of the Lithuanian capital, a props table is piled high with knick-knacks: bottles of vodka, a plastic tub filled with fake cigarettes, a vintage table lamp, and small chocolate bars with faded wrapping in Cyrillic script. And Sellotape. Always Sellotape. They're only part of what's needed to turn the retro foyer into the lobby bar of the Polissya Hotel in Pripyat, Ukraine, where on April 26, 1986, when it was still part of the USSR, a nuclear reactor exploded at the nearby Chernobyl Power Plant, unleashing 300 times the radioactive material of the Hiroshima bomb. Thirty-three years on, the story of what happened afterwards - from the effort to contain the radioactive material to the cover-up that means we'll never truly know the extent of the damage - is the focus of HBO and Sky's first production partnership: a miniseries called Chernobyl. There's not much they need to add in the title to suggest a high-stakes story. Filming today involves Jared Harris, of Mad Men and The Crown fame (and also son of the late, great Richard Harris) nursing his worries at the bar. As leading nuclear physicist Valery Legasov, he's part of the response team and the weight of the disaster hangs heavy on his shoulders. He's joined by Emily Watson (Angela's Ashes, Hilary and Jackie) as Ulana Khomyuk, another nuclear physicist on a mission to find out what really happened. Expand Close Chernobyl also stars Irish actress Jessie Buckley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chernobyl also stars Irish actress Jessie Buckley The scene is intimate; as with the two episodes I later preview, director Johan Renck (who's previously directed Breaking Bad and music videos by David Bowie and Robbie Williams) unfurls the story with a restrained pace that only adds to the tension. Another take-away from the previews: it had me falling deep into internet rabbit holes to understand more about what's depicted in the show, from how the accident started, to the gory effects of radiation exposure. "The script is factual in terms of the science and the events, but you have to telescope parts," Jared reflects at the bar, once the scene is wrapped and the crew have dispersed. "Chernobyl is such a huge subject, and Craig [Mazin, writer] did a wonderful job of figuring out the spine of the story and following it through." "It's got a real 360 view," adds Emily. "You attach yourself to different characters throughout the series. At first, you see it through the eyes of the firefighters and families at Pripyat, and then the scientists come in. You see the people who agreed to sacrifice their lives, and the people who were conscripted for the clear-up and didn't know. There were lots of different people who had a view of this event, and he managed to get everybody in there. It's a real page-turner, it's got Hollywood muscle." That said, throughout the five-parter we follow the arc of fast-rising Killarney native Jessie Buckley, who in a bouffant hairdo and yesteryear clothing, is barely recognisable as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, an ordinary citizen whose firefighter husband suffers from acute radiation poisoning; other Irish actors involved in the production include Barry Keoghan and Caoilfhionn Dunne. It turns out Emily was already acquainted with Jessie before filming took place. "Part of the deal for her Bafta Rising Star nomination was that she gets to be mentored by someone, and she asked if she could meet me, so we had a fantastic morning talking about everything," says Emily. Video of the Day "What it is to be in the business, being women in it, the sisterhood that should exist everywhere but doesn't. It was only at the end we found out we were working on Chernobyl together. We only have one scene together but she's amazing. She really is." Lyudmilla, based on a true account documented in a collection of first-hand accounts, Voices from Chernobyl, is key in making the political personal, especially as the Communist government under Gorbachev's rule hid the full impact of the disaster. "The disaster was actually broken by the Swedish scientists, who picked up radioactive isotopes in the air two days later, and they knew there had been an exposed core somewhere," explains Jared. "The Americans put their spy satellite over Chernobyl and saw what was happening, so the news was actually released in the West first." Eventually, the Kremlin admitted the disaster, if only via a brief TV news piece (you'll see original footage in the series). By that point, reports in the west had already spread. "I was at university when it happened," recalls Emily. "I remember there were people who were in Russia for a foreign exchange year, and they all came home pretty quickly. "I was living in London," adds Jared. "There was period of time when we couldn't drink the milk, or eat Welsh lamb because the cloud went over parts of Wales. That's when New Zealand lamb became popular." Today, the official death toll from the disaster remains at 37, though estimates go up to 200,000 according to Greenpeace. In a time when Putin pinky-swears that he didn't interfere with elections, and we only hear whispers of what happens behind closed doors in other governments, there's a resonance to the themes of Chernobyl. "It's really about the state not telling the truth, and when you're in charge of nuclear weapons and facilities, that's a very dangerous situation. And we live in a time where our leaders have a strange relationship with the truth," says Emily. "There's a big lie at the start of the story that's partly responsible for what's happens after," adds Jared. "So the script is about the damage that lies can do. "And the people who have the courage to go against the system," adds Emily, pointedly. It's not lost on me either that 30 miles away from where we speak, only just after the Belarusian border, Russia is building a new nuclear power plant that Lithuania insists falls short of safety standards, bringing up the controversy of nuclear energy again. With real-life events like Chernobyl in our midst that still impact our every day, who needs fiction for a compelling story. 'Chernobyl' begins on Sky Atlantic on May 7 Fiona Bruce attends the opening night reception of the English National Ballet's production of "Giselle" hosted by St Martins Lane on January 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) BBC host Fiona Bruce said she was once refused a pay rise because her boss at the time said she could rely on her boyfriend's salary. The Question Time host (54) said that her request for a "desultory" salary increase was dismissed in her early days at the British broadcaster, because her boss at the time said her boyfriend at the time likely footed the bill for most of their costs. My boss said: Do you really need it? What does your boyfriend do? You live with him, dont you? Doesnt he pay for most things? She responded: Well, I do the supermarket shopping, so I need to pay for that. How ludicrous is that? She didn't name the manager or what department she was working in at the time. In an interview with British Vogue, Bruce said that there was a "terrible atmosphere" when she began work at the BBC in 1988. It was a terrible atmosphere dog-eat-dog, bitchy, not a nice place to be. If the six oclock [news] had a story they didnt want the one oclock [news] to know about, they wouldnt put it in the running order, she said. Throughout her 30+ year career at the station, she has presented Antiques Roadshow, Fake or Fortune? and was previously the first female newsreader on the BBCs flagship News at Ten. The writing life is generally a quiet one but not so these days for Jimmy Murphy. His new play, The Seamster's Daughter - which deals with rape and abortion - premieres in Smock Alley, Dublin later this month and there's a certain amount of off-stage drama occupying him, too. Among hundreds of theatre professionals to sign a letter of concern to the Abbey Theatre in January, Murphy has been one of the most vocal critics of the national theatre's current model of production. We meet in Grogan's pub, a Dublin city centre watering hole favoured by writers and artists and busy today with tourists and afternoon drinkers. Over a pot of tea, Murphy, forthright and animated, talks about the widespread impoverishment and ongoing lack of funding in his industry. Soon, he will start rehearsals for The Seamster's Daughter, which he's also directing for Glass Mask Theatre company. He's associate playwright with the company and his latest play, part of a season of his work by Glass Mask, was inspired by the abortion debates in the run-up to last year's referendum. "I suppose all my work is looking for the cracks and the grey areas and the contradictions in society," he says. "I listen out for the march of the drum that everyone's marching to, but I try and stay out of step with that." Murphy's earliest success came when Brothers of the Brush, produced by the Abbey for the 1993 Dublin Theatre Festival, won an award for best new play. His other well-known work, The Kings of Kilburn High Road, was inspired by men he met in London in the 1980s - "men in pubs talking about the building sites they worked on, men on building sites talking about the pubs they drank in" - and adapted by Tom Collins into the 2007 film Kings. Spotlighting three generations of Irish women, The Seamster's Daughter begins just before 20-year-old Megan discovers that she was conceived as the result of rape. About to leave Dublin for New York, she sets out to trace her biological father - the seamster of the title - uncovering other secrets along the way. Megan lives with her mother, Alison, and her grandmother, Hanna. Years before, when Hanna realised that Alison was planning to have an abortion, she effectively kidnapped her, forcing her to carry the pregnancy to term. Through the characters of Alison and Megan, Murphy asks questions about what it means to survive and to be born from rape. He finished the play after last year's abortion referendum but even though it's not didactic, it couldn't, he says, have been staged beforehand. "I think the dust has settled now. We're okay, we can discuss it now." In the play, Hanna's thinking - once ultra Catholic - has changed somewhat, but more contentious than any character's attitude to abortion is the seamster, a man who served time in prison for raping Alison and believes that, in doing so, he has paid his dues. Video of the Day "That was very difficult," Murphy says, "to put a rapist on stage." The seamster is normal enough, but also creepy enough for an audience to imagine he's capable of reoffending; at one point he locks the door of his workroom so that Megan can't leave. When Murphy is teaching, he always tells his students to "give the devil the best lines". But here, he worried that he was "giving a rapist an argument for why he should be forgiven - even though he doesn't ask for forgiveness". He hopes the play will be divisive. "I'm excited because there's a wider conversation about theatre in Ireland at the moment," he says. "There's an awful lot of theatre and there's very little drama - so much one-man, one-woman stuff going on, which is understandable - but it's everywhere, and I think audiences need to be reminded that plays should piss them off sometimes, should make them angry, should make them confused, should make them cry, and I've had those moments with other plays and this play will do that no matter where you stand." The wider conversation about theatre in Ireland at the moment includes the letter that Murphy and hundreds of his colleagues sent to Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan in January, expressing concern about the way the Abbey Theatre has been run since Neil Murray and Graham McLaren took over as its directors in 2016. Among the points it raised were the abolition of the casting department and the increase in Abbey co-productions - resulting, the signatories said, in reduced wages and employment opportunities. Murphy, who was once a member of the Abbey's honorary advisory council, says that Murray and McLaren have run the Abbey "like a British regional theatre". "They brought in plays... They stopped doing their own plays for the theatre festival. That's not acceptable." The directors took up their positions following Waking the Feminists - the protest movement sparked by the virtual absence of women playwrights included in the Abbey's 1916 centenary programme. "There was a sense that they [Murray and McLaren] were going to join in this revolution," Murphy says, "and instead they gave us the reason to start a new one." On March 22, Murphy was part of a bilateral delegation of playwrights' representatives who met the directors as part of a series of discussions organised in response to the letter. "The meeting was frank, passionate," he says. "I think we disagree fundamentally on the role of the playwright in Irish theatre... What's missing from their vision is the role of the playwright." Instead of a Literary department, the Abbey now has a New Work department - a mistake in Murphy's opinion. A dramaturg has recently been appointed and he thinks the role should be "literary manager" - since "no one knows what a dramaturg is". One of the main sources of his frustration is that the Abbey seems to be commissioning comparatively little new work, but he's confident that he and his fellow signatories will effect change. "Time is with us, the theatre community's with us, government ministers are supporting us, the Arts Council is supporting us." After the meeting, and in a personal capacity, Murphy also made a public statement calling for the Minister for Culture and the Arts Council to appoint an independent investigator to look into allegations about difficult working conditions in the theatre. The wider conversation about theatre in Ireland at the moment also includes the dearth of medium-sized venues in Dublin, and the continuing fallout from Arts Council funding cuts in 2007 that resulted in the disappearance of several theatre companies. Murphy is a member of Aosdana and can avail of the organisation's annuity, but many of his colleagues can't make a living wage. "There was a time you could get a mortgage as a playwright, as an actor. That day is long gone," he says. "I've been in rehearsals where women couldn't buy coffee, couldn't put money in the parking meter. It became normal to ask actors to work for free and a lot of them will because they're sitting at home." Ireland is only too quick to "cast its dead poets and playwrights around the globe", he says. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister Madigan need to stop "virtue signalling" and double the funding "cake". "I'd like to see our f***ing Taoiseach at a play once in a while. I've never seen him at the theatre." Last July, Glass Mask premiered Murphy's gangland tragedy, Idlewild, and later this year, the company will revive The Hen Night Epiphany, his all-female play first performed in 2011. For the moment, he has a certain amount of security but, unafraid to rock the boat, he sees part of his current role as fighting the corner for playwrights. "The big fear for me is that all audiences are going to get are 60-minute plays starring an actor who has written about their weekend, or their struggles. Audiences will get used to that, they'll go and see a three-hour play by Eugene O'Neill and go, what the f**k is this?" Everything starts with the playwright, he says, otherwise there's no work for directors, actors, set designers, lighting designers. "Somebody has to get up at seven o'clock to drive the eight o'clock bus." 'The Seamster's Daughter' is at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin from April 15 to May 4 Broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan has secured court orders requiring Facebook to provide her with information aimed at identifying those behind alleged defamatory adverts on the social media platform. Facebook neither consented nor objected to the orders, made by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds in the High Court yesterday. They require Facebook to give Ms O'Callaghan's lawyers basic subscriber information, payment method details and business manager account information, to the extent such information exists, about those behind the adverts. Ms O'Callaghan intends to seek damages over the alleged false and malicious adverts containing her image and name on Facebook and Instagram in May 2018. She wants to bring proceedings against both Facebook, which owns Instagram, and those behind the adverts. Because her lawyers don't know who the latter are, she sought orders requiring Facebook Ireland Ltd to provide information that it allegedly has, about those who paid for the adverts to be placed on the platforms. When the matter was mentioned before Ms Justice Reynolds yesterday, Paul O'Higgins SC, for Ms O'Callaghan, said "progress has been made" and an order was being handed into the court. He said Facebook's ordinary protocol in such applications is it will notify customers before providing details of their accounts but, in this case, his side wanted that bypassed. The account details "may be phoney anyway" but he did not want the account holders to be informed in advance, he said. Joe Jeffers BL, for Facebook, said it was neither objecting nor consenting to the order. The judge said she would make the order and returned the matter to April 30. Previously the High Court was told the adverts contain misleading and defamatory headlines wrongly suggesting that Ms O'Callaghan has left her job with RTE's 'Prime Time' to promote skin-care products. Ms O'Callaghan says she has "nothing to do" with the adverts, linked to offers for skin-care products, and is most distressed at being associated against her will with what has been described as "a scam product". She claims the adverts have exploited the trust placed in her by the Irish public and damaged her good name and reputation. The paid-for adverts, known as "targeted advertisements", appear on social media users' newsfeeds, and are designed to encourage the user to click on the adverts. Those who click on the adverts are offered various skin-care products, which Ms O'Callaghan says are falsely stated to be owned or endorsed by her. It is also claimed users who avail of an offer of free trials of the skin-care products have reported that they had money debited from their bank accounts which they did not authorise. Ms O'Callaghan intends to seek a permanent injunction restraining publication of the adverts, plus damages for malicious falsehood, unlawful appropriation of personality, various breaches of her constitutional rights and defamation. ONE of Irelands most reviled sex offenders has been moved to a special isolation unit after he issued death threats to a prison officer. Eoin Berkeley (25) is serving a 14-year sentence after he admitted abducting a teenage Spanish student from Dublin city centre and raping her repeatedly over a 21-hour period. He was put in an isolation unit of the Midlands Prison after he subjected a prison officer to brutal abuse and serious threats earlier this week. Berkeley has been in the Co Laois facility since July 2017 when he was sent there after being charged in relation to the rape, which led to calls for reforms to bail laws. Prison sources said Berkeley has been disciplined on six separate occasions while inside, but his verbal assault on the prison officer who had been investigating if he had been involved in a vicious assault on another inmate has been his most serious breach to date. Hes in the isolation unit and will remain there for a number of weeks and hell miss out on other privileges as well, a source said. There was outrage when it emerged that in the two months before Berkeley raped the student on July 15 and 16, 2017, he had been charged with four separate offences, ranging from criminal damage to public order, and was freed on bail each time. He was granted bail despite evidence that he had breached his conditions many times. In one case, he was charged with damaging bins outside a pub in an area of Dublin that a judge had banned him from visiting. He was also recorded on the garda system as being in the same city centre area at least four times, presenting gardai with further potential opportunities to revoke his bail. At Dublin Circuit Court last November, Berkeley, of Hampton Wood Way, Finglas, admitted raping the student at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site, Pigeon House Road, on three occasions between July 15 and 16, 2017. Mr Justice Michael White said the crimes were premeditated and the nature of the rapes was particularly degrading. The judge said Berkeleys threats to kill the young woman were blood-curdling. He noted there were 19 separate incidents of violence or threats of violence during her ordeal. He imposed concurrent sentences of 14 years for each rape offence. Berkeley was also the chief suspect in a double hammer attack nine years ago that left two women with fractured skulls and holes in their heads. A young woman who survived the attack in a tower block in Ballymun in 2010 has said gardai identified Berkeley as the chief suspect, but he was never charged in that case. Berkeley had previously faced criminal damage charges in relation to an incident in which homophobic graffiti and a swastika were daubed on the facade of The George, a well known gay bar in Dublin city centre, on May 20, 2017, but he was later cleared of this. When the garda search team arrived at the house of a suspected drug dealer, they immediately knew something fishy had happened. They were investigating a serious public order incident and had compiled a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions, but the DPP wasn't satisfied and wanted more evidence. Specifically, prosecutors asked gardai to secure footage of the incident, believed to have been taken on the female drug suspect's phone. The front door was open when the gardai arrived and the woman was sat inside with family members. They started sneering at the gardai that they knew they were coming. Unsurprisingly, no phone was found. The gardai were perturbed. Few of their colleagues would have had knowledge of the planned search. It was obvious there had been a tip-off, but could it really be possible that one of their own was the mole. Expand Close Keith Harrison with Marissa Simms. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Keith Harrison with Marissa Simms. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins Suspicion soon turned to a particular garda who had been seen socialising in a pub with the female drug suspect. A confidential source later revealed this garda requested a meeting with the woman in a car park. It was claimed he told her: "Get rid of the phones. Fuck them in the river now." The garda was later confronted by a colleague and is alleged to have admitted he was having a sexual relationship with the woman and that was why he tipped her off. These incidents, as described by garda whistleblower Nicky Keogh in a statement given to a subsequent internal inquiry, could have been straight out of Line of Duty, the acclaimed BBC drama exploring the world of police corruption. But this was not some television show. The foiled search took place in Athlone in 2009 at the home of a woman considered to be a key figure in the supply of heroin in the midlands. The matter is expected to get a public airing soon at the Disclosures Tribunal. Having dealt with the smear campaign waged by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan against penalty points whistleblower Maurice McCabe, the tribunal is set to resume next Thursday at Dublin Castle. It has a new chairman, former Court of Appeal President Sean Ryan, and is now turning its attention to allegations made by the other members of the force who feel they were targeted and discredited for making disclosures. Much of the focus of the forthcoming module is expected to be on events in Athlone and allegations made by Garda Keogh, a 19-year veteran of the force who received an award in 2016 for helping to rescue a drowning woman. According to a disclosure made by Keogh, street dealers were focused on for attention while "big fish", such as the female drug suspect, were left off a list of targets. Stranger than fiction In addition to allegations of garda collusion in the sale and supply of heroin, Keogh has also alleged people not previously involved in criminality were coerced into buying drugs in an attempt to boost detection rates. One such alleged episode truly is stranger than fiction. According to a disclosure made by Keogh, a man was arrested in 2010 over the sale weeks earlier of cocaine to an undercover garda in a pub. But when he was brought into custody, it became clear he was the wrong man and the person who should have been arrested was someone with a similar name. Keogh said this man subsequently initiated a civil action for wrongful arrest. He said that when he went to retrieve the case file, it was missing from his desk and could not be found. He claims a colleague, the same garda involved with the suspected drug dealer, told him: "You won't find that anywhere." According to his disclosure, Keogh said he later discovered the wrongly arrested man's name had been removed from the Pulse computer record associated with the undercover drugs purchase. The correct man was eventually arrested and reluctantly pleaded guilty when the matter came to court. But there is more to the story. According to Keogh, this man was coerced into selling the drugs to the undercover garda. He said the man claimed he received a text from someone he did not know, saying they had met him in a local nightclub before and asking if he could get cocaine. The man replied that he did not have drugs, but the texter persisted. So he gave a friend 100 to source some cocaine and met the undercover garda in a pub, where he sold the drugs without making a profit. Keogh said he believed statements relating to the arrest of the wrong suspect were never disclosed to the correct man's solicitor. He also claimed this man told him he was threatened by a garda that if he did not plead guilty, the garda would "bury him". The garda alleged to have colluded with the female drug dealer has been suspended since 2015, but others are expected to face questions over their handling of the matter. An internal inquiry is known to have examined claims at least one officer was warned about what was happening, but did not take sufficient action. Garda Keogh has been on sick leave for the past three years due to alleged bullying and harassment after he made his disclosures. A number of his claims have been supported in a separate disclosure made by Garda Keith Harrison, a Scott Medal winner previously stationed in Athlone. Harrison featured in a previous tribunal module, where he and his partner Marisa Simms alleged gardai coerced her to make a false complaint against him and directed child and family agency Tusla to visit their home. The claims were dismissed as being "entirely without any validity" by Mr Justice Peter Charleton in an interim report of the Disclosures Tribunal. But Harrison has stuck to his guns and issued proceedings last November seeking to have the findings quashed. The allegations both have made in relation to matters in Athlone are well known to senior politicians. During Dail exchanges in 2016, then Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said she was "extremely concerned about matters which have been raised about policing" in the town. In a letter to Keogh's solicitor in 2017, current Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan signalled he would consider launching an inquiry into the collusion claims should existing ongoing inquiries prove inconclusive. An outline of the allegations was provided in the Dail three years earlier by then Independent TD, now MEP, Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, and Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty. According to Flanagan, Keogh's concerns included "a systematic and orchestrated effort by high-ranking garda officers" to induce and coerce people with no previous criminal record to buy drugs and sell them to undercover gardai. He said another concern Keogh had was that a "well-recognised drug dealer in the area", who has long been associated with a garda, was excluded from a list of individuals to be targeted for investigation. Meanwhile, Pearse Doherty said Harrison claimed to have had suspicions about a colleague who knowingly allowed the sale and supply of drugs in the Athlone district and that when he raised this with management, it fell on deaf ears. Doherty went on to say Harrison was alleging that after arresting a member of the local drugs unit for drunk driving, he was maliciously targeted by garda management, while the arrested garda was protected. It was alleged a review of Harrison's work returns and practices was instigated and people he had past interactions with were invited to make complaints against him. Both gardai have provided statements to the tribunal and have been interviewed by its investigators in recent weeks. A fuller outline of the matters Mr Justice Ryan intends to investigate is expected to be revealed when the tribunal sits next week. What is already certain though is that the coming months will bring more uncomfortable allegations for a garda force battling to restore its reputation after a series of whistleblower scandals. A MAN kicked and punched his partner in a vicious assault at his Dublin home while telling her tonight is your execution, a court has heard. Barry ODonoghue (38) will be sentenced next week for assault, causing harm and threatening to kill Kerrie Gamble at his Drimnagh home between October 20 and 21, 2016, after being found guilty at a trial in February. Yesterday, Dublin Circuit Court heard evidence how ODonoghue pulled the woman back into the house following an argument at the property and proceeded to assault her. During a prolonged attack the court heard that: - ODonoghue kicked his partner in the head as she was curled up in a ball on the floor. - He told her tonight is your execution and that she could choose how she wanted her life to end. - Ms Gamble, who believed she was going to die, fears ODonoghue will follow through with his threat when he is released from prison. The court was also told that Ms Gamble had to have surgery on her eye and have an eyeball pulled forward to match her other eye due to the force used in the attack. Expand Close Barry O'Donoghue will be sentenced next week for the horrific assault on his former partner in his Dublin home. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Barry O'Donoghue will be sentenced next week for the horrific assault on his former partner in his Dublin home. ODonoghue, of Mourne Road, Drimnagh, but originally from Carlow, told her he had planned the attack and that she was going to die. Gda Keith OBrien, of Sundrive Road Garda Station, gave evidence that at around 6.30pm on October 20, 2016, ODonoghue arrived at the house on Mourne Road and a confrontation took place. He started to punch Ms Gamble at the bottom of the stairs and shouted that she was only ever evil to him. ODonoghue then picked her up and took her into the kitchen where he continued punching and kicking her. Gda OBrien said a neighbour made contact and there was a stay in the ordeal. ODonoghue left the address for a short period, and Ronan Prendergast, prosecuting, said it was suggested in evidence she was locked in the shed and afraid to leave. ODonoghue then returned to the house and told Ms Gamble tonight is your execution and made references to how this would be carried out. He was asking Ms Gamble if she would wish to be shot and in respect of what size gun and in respect of what ammunition would be used, Gda OBrien told the court. While issuing the threats, ODonoghue was holding a bread knife and a tea towel, which the court heard made the threats to kill credible. The attack then continued, and ODonoghue began punching and kicking Ms Gamble, while also assaulting her with a dessert spoon and a paper towel dispenser. On October 24, 2016, ODonoghue was arrested and questioned over the assault, but he continued to deny he had intentionally assaulted Ms Gamble. A letter of apology was yesterday handed into the court, which was read by Ms Gamble, who said: I dont buy it. In her victim impact statement, she described how she fears ODonoghue will follow through on his threats when he is released from prison. I consider the night of October 20 as the night I should have died and I genuinely dont know how I made it out alive that night, Ms Gamble told the court. I live in great fear of his revenge on me for bringing it this far. I do not believe he will let go of his plan to get back at me. I never see myself free from looking over my shoulder because of him. She described the extensive physical damage from the assault, which left her with two black eyes, nerve damage to the left side of her face and requiring surgery to unblock an eye muscle. Ms Gamble also needed to have an eyeball pulled forward to match the other, as it had gone in due to the force used in the attack. She described how crowds now made her panic, and she believes people could be after her on behalf of ODonoghue. She said she had a recurring nightmare in which she saw her gravestone with the date October 20, which then disappears and she hears ODonoghues voice telling her he would bury her where no one would find her. After hearing evidence, Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the sentencing until next Friday. The maximum sentence for assault is a prison term of five years, while the maximum sentence for threatening to kill is 10 years. At his trial in February, a jury found ODonoghue guilty of assault causing harm and threatening to kill Ms Gamble at his home in October 2016. He was found not guilty of two further charges of false imprisonment and making threats to kill on the same date. ODonoghue has been held at Cloverhill Prison since being found guilty after his bail was revoked. He had no previous convictions, and Gda OBrien said that two charges relating to a search of his home had been dropped. These, the court heard, were linked to the incident in October 2016. Breffni Gordon, defending, said his client came from an impeccable background in his early years. He said the court could infer this would be ODonoghues last offence due to his age and his lack of any previous convictions. Mr Gordon told the court that ODonoghue had expressed that he was ashamed of his behaviour and that it became public. At the trial of this offence, Mr ODonoghue approached the situation by robustly defending his position, to a point where Ms Gamble had to give evidence, Mr Gordon said. She was forced to relive the events of this particular night and that, in a sense, judge, contrasts with his position today. The controversial plan for the possible handover of a Catholic primary school to a multi-denominational patron has been put on ice, for several months at least. The Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin is delaying ballots of parents in the north Dublin community where the idea was mooted, following a week of fury, confusion and incorrect claims about the practical effect of change. And Education Minister Joe McHugh offered a reassurance that there was "no pressure" being put on parents and "no immediate urgency" about the matter, Parents of pupils in eight diocesan schools in Portmarnock, Malahide and Kinsealy were due to vote next week as part of a process to establish whether there was enough support in any of the schools for a change of patronage. But ahead of those votes, strong opposition emerged, with letters from some schools warning that they would not be able to celebrate events such as Christmas, St Patrick's Day and Shrove Tuesday under a different patron. Concerns were also raised about the employment conditions of teachers and other school staff under a different patron body. Many of the assertions were wildly inaccurate and the schools were accused of scaremongering. Mr McHugh entered the fray, tweeting that they should "not be setting a bad example" by making claims that had no basis in fact. However, the furore forced a pause for thought and the ballots have been postponed until after the publication of an earlier survey of pre-school parents in the area. It was this survey, conducted last year as part of the wider, Department of Education-led divestment process, where demand for greater choice in ethos emerged, giving rise to the approach to the eight schools. But it will be months, at least, before the matter raises its head again; the Department of Education has set "before the end of June" as the deadline for the publication of the report on that survey - and similar ones conducted in 15 other areas around the country. With the school year drawing to a close, there would be practical difficulties in arranging meetings with parents and ballots before the final term ends. Hard lessons have been learned. The approach to schools in Malahide , Portmarnock and Kinsealy jumped the gun on the agreed divestment process - such approaches are intended as the second stage and only to happen after the reports on the pre-school parent surveys were published. The debacle this week also exposed shortcomings in the consultations, which allowed such a level of misleading information to be shared. Any further moves in Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy, or elsewhere, about divestment will come hand-in-hand with a "plain English" guide for parents and staff about what a change of patronage would mean. The Department of Education is working on a document that will answer the sort of frequently asked questions that arise in this context. However, even with a societal appetite for greater diversity in school choice - 90pc are controlled by the Catholic Church - when it comes to individual communities, the events of this week highlight the strong attachment to the local school. The plainest of English may not win communities over. Other patron bodies, extremely concerned about how their schools have been portrayed, want an opportunity to set out their stall directly with the communities involved, but it remains to be seen whether that will happen. In his letter to schools calling off the ballots, Mgr Dan O'Connor, the Episcopal Vicar of Education in the Archdiocese of Dublin, said it was recognised that the prospect of change could be difficult and that was vital that all stakeholders were fully informed. He added that the Archdiocese was committed to working with the minister and other patron bodies in providing choice and noted that the diocese had successfully divested schools in four other areas. Mgr O'Connor said they were also working with two other schools that had expressed an interest in changing from Catholic patronage to an alternative patron body. Minister McHugh acknowledged the statement from the archdiocese and the acceptance that misinformation was being spread about what a change in patronage would mean. He also welcomed the postponement of a vote. He reiterated that there was "no pressure" on the communities in Portmarnock, Malahide and Kinsealy or elsewhere to decide on their views towards a possible patronage change and nor was there any immediate urgency. "Once again women not being believed" - Joe Duffy this week summed up the frustration felt by many as as he dealt with an overwhelming volume of calls telling of the distress some women experience while giving birth. 'Liveline' - the second most listened to radio programme after 'Morning Ireland' - had women phoning the programme all week wanting to share their stories on air. Their powerful accounts told how they felt staff did not listen to them, feeling traumatised during labour and immediately afterwards, and of suffering immense pain, in some cases for years. The women told the broadcaster they wanted to share their story as it may lead to better care and respect in our maternity services. The women seemed to echo the words of Dr Gabriel Scally, who wrote in his report on the CervicalCheck scandal that women began to feel the awful attitudes towards them "were accounted for by paternalism in the health system". One mother called Duffy's show to tell how her baby boy Lee had passed away shortly after birth: "I buried my son and about two weeks later I answered the phone. Someone said 'congratulations on the birth of your child, would you like to come to a parenting class?' "My reply was: 'I buried my son two weeks ago'." The woman also claimed that a hospital had kept some of her baby son's body parts after his death. She admitted signing a form shortly after his death which may have given her consent, but being in a state of trauma had not known what this was at the time. Another mother said she'd been injured so badly during birth she couldn't stand, walk or hold her baby after birth. "It was very hard to deal with, as a new mum you have no idea of what is normal and what is not," she said. "I couldn't stand, hold or feed my baby and they (hospital staff) were at me to get out of my bed. I expressed concerns on numerous occasions on the state of my health and what was going on with me at that point and they (staff) kept saying it was normal. "My sister expressed concern to (staff) and she was told if I have another 800, I could stay another night." She told how when the public health nurse visited her at home shortly after, she was told she had suffered serious tears in her vaginal area. The woman needed 14 different surgeries, and picked up a range of infections in hospital. She told Duffy she had to give up her career, and struggled to care for her son as she was in and out of hospital. "I got C-diff, I couldn't work, couldn't pay my bills, my son was quite ill from the birth. He had respiratory problems that weren't addressed. I had no dignity, there was a severe lack of care across the board." Stephen McMahon, from the Irish Patients Association (IPA), has called for the HSE to open an investigation into the mountain of claims. "These women have been damaged and there's an onus on the HSE to investigate if we really want to repair our healthcare system as opposed to just looking for blame," he said. During yesterday's programme, Duffy said: "Not since Versatis (the pain patches story) have we had such prolonged calls from people telling their stories." Later during the programme, he said: "We have many more women we will not be able to get to today... and they're not talking about one hospital, that's the interesting thing - every part of the country is being mentioned. "Deep apologies to so many people I won't be able to get to (talk to), who made the decision to talk about a traumatic event... for all of them the memories never go away." The HSE said it was not in a position to comment, but directed anyone displeased with the services they had received to look at the Your Service, Your Say section on the HSE's website to detail complaints. 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 (UHL). (stock photo) A pensioner suffering from Parkinson's disease and a heart condition was left waiting on a trolley for four nights amid high levels of overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Denis Mulcahy (79), from Kilmallock, Co Limerick, attended the emergency department last Friday night after presenting with a concussion, his son Joe said. He said the overcrowded conditions in the hospital were like a "cattle mart". During the week, nursing union the INMO claimed a record 92 patients were waiting on trolleys for hospital beds in UHL. The Dail was told of scenes of "utter chaos" in the hospital. He said his father was admitted to a bed in a ward after spending four days in the emergency department. "I'm very angry about it. My father has worked hard all of his life, paid his taxes, and this is how he is being treated," Joe told the 'Limerick Leader'. "It keeps happening, and it's my father today but tomorrow it could be someone else's mother or father. The problem is going on for years and years now. Enough is enough, people are fed up," he added. Mr Mulcahy was admitted to the emergency department on the same day UHL closed its 17-bed Ward 1A. A spokesperson for the hospital said: "It regrets especially when elderly patients face long waits." There were "high volumes" of over-75s presenting to the ED in recent days, the spokesperson added. The UL Hospitals Group is working on a number of initiatives for patients aged 75 and older to prioritise them for treatment in A&Es. A dispute over patient overcrowding levels at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) rumbled on yesterday as the Taoiseach described the number of patients on trolleys at the hospital as "a crisis". On Wednesday, nurses reported 92 patients languishing on trolleys at UHL - the worst overcrowding ever recorded at an Irish hospital. Prof Paul Burke, chief clinical director of the UL Hospitals Group, disputed the nurses' figures and said the situation was "not a crisis". "It's something we deal with all the time," he said. When asked if he shared Prof Burke's view, Mr Varadkar said: "Well, I think overcrowding is a crisis, and certainly for those who experience it; whether it's the patients on trolleys or their relatives, or the staff - it is a crisis." The Taoiseach said hospitals that continue to experience high levels of overcrowding, such as in Limerick, Cork, and Galway, could learn from areas in the north-east, which he said had seen record low levels. The country's largest emergency department, costing 25m, was opened at UHL in June 2017, replacing a "not fit for purpose" A&E unit. However, following decentralisation of 24-hour emergency departments at Ennis and Nenagh and St John's Hospital to UHL, the new unit has struggled to cope with the extra demand. Mr Varadkar said it received "a lot of investment already", and the new emergency department was "the newest, most modern emergency department in the country". A spokesman for UHL said it is "meeting the national target of five days' average length of stay for surgical patients and is the best performing group for average length of stay for medical patients." In addition, it is within target for and has the lowest rate of medical and surgical readmissions of any hospital group in the country. Work carries on: Aerial shots show work is progressing at the site of the new childrens hospital It has taken many years but the first walls, slabs and columns that will form part of the above ground building of the new 1.4bn National Children's Hospital are now finally visible at its busy construction site in Dublin. The building of the hospital - which is at the centre of controversy over its escalating cost - has continued during the debate and it is on course to be complete by the end of 2022, opening its doors to patients in 2023. The development board overseeing the hospital said basement excavation and piling are now substantially complete. It comes as the row over its cost is set to ignite with the publication of a Government-commissioned report by PwC into how the price went up by 450m since April 2017. The delayed report was due this week, but the Department of the Taoiseach failed to respond yesterday when asked if it was delivered. The main hospital is sited at St James's Hospital. There are two satellite centres in Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital. Expand Close Artists impression of the entrance when complete / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Artists impression of the entrance when complete The satellite centre in Connolly Hospital is now almost complete and is being snagged before being handed over this month for fit out. The aim is to have the facility, which will include an urgent care centre and paediatric outpatient clinic, open to patients in July. Construction of the satellite centre in Tallaght Hospital started in February and is due to open in 2020. Construction staff and building executives insisted yesterday during a media tour that the site is fully able to accommodate a maternity hospital and this was incorporated in an overall design. There are plans to link a maternity hospital, which would mean the transfer of the Coombe, to the new children's hospital and the adult St James's Hospital. Planning permission has yet to be sought for the maternity hospital. Construction company BAM, which has the contract, is to continue building, the board's new chairman Fred Barry said. Meanwhile, Joe McPartlin of Ceannt Fort Residents' Association said today sees the first of a series of protests by residents surrounding the building site of the hospital. "We are protesting against the dirt, dust, noise, rat infestation, air pollution, traffic congestion and severe damage to houses. "We are expected to bear the burden and concede freely to these impositions with no compensation or safeguards for the right to live in peace," he said. "Locating the new hospitals at the St James's site has been shown to be a huge imposition not only on the local community but on the taxpayer, the cost making it the most expensive hospital on Earth. "Yet this hospital of questionable utility is being foisted on the local communities around St James's, causing great distress and disruption. "We intend to protest on a rolling basis," he said. The hospital is being built on a site "in one of the most densely populated areas of the country". The protest will be peaceful and non-obstructive, said Mr McPartlin. Campaigners for LGBT rights have held a protest outside a Christian conference offering support for people experiencing same sex temptations. The day-long event in Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast was organised by the True Freedom Trust. Demonstrators held a peaceful picket outside the church, branding the conference a form of gay conversion therapy. But the True Freedom Trust said the protesters had misunderstood its message. Expand Close Campaigners for LGBT rights holding a protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where a Christian conference is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Campaigners for LGBT rights holding a protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where a Christian conference is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire It insisted it did not provide therapy or counselling, rather pastoral support for Christians who find themselves attracted to members of the same sex but who want to adhere to the Biblical definition of sex as between a married man and woman. Around 25 to 30 people gathered outside the church in south Belfast on Saturday morning to highlight their opposition. They waved rainbow flags and held placards proclaiming that love needs no cure. The demonstration was largely silent, with no songs, chants or speeches. A number of police officers maintained a low key presence, monitoring the event from the other side of the road. The protest was organised by LGBT health advocacy group the Rainbow Project. Rainbow Project director John ODoherty said the conference was engaging in quackery. The True Freedom Trust is a reparative therapy organisation that believe that there is something wrong with being gay and people should move away from being gay, he said. Expand Close True Freedom Trust director Stuart Parker outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where campaigners for LGBT rights held a protest against a Christian conference that is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp True Freedom Trust director Stuart Parker outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where campaigners for LGBT rights held a protest against a Christian conference that is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire We will always stand opposed to this type of quackery in Belfast, we will always protest these events. The actions of all reparative therapy and conversion therapy groups are the same they believe that theres something wrong with being gay and they seek to support people in moving away from being LGBT. We dont believe thats the case, we believe that sharing that message is homophobic, we believe that the sharing of that message particularly within faith groups has caused huge harm to our community, including substantial loss of life [through suicide]. We will always stand opposed to it because this message is harmful to our community and LGBT people deserve to know that they are equal to anybody else within society and their identity is something to be celebrated, not something to be shameful of. The Belfast conference is one of a series being held by the True Freedom Trust across the UK. In promotional literature, the trust said the event was aimed at Christians who experience same-sex temptations. Stuart Parker, the director of True Freedom Trust, said he respected the protesters right to disagree, but he urged respect for his right to hold to his Christian beliefs. Expand Close Campaigners for LGBT rights holding a protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where a Christian conference is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Campaigners for LGBT rights holding a protest outside Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast where a Christian conference is being held offering support for people experiencing "same sex temptations" organised by the True Freedom Trust. Photo: David Young/PA Wire The True Freedom Trust is an organisation for Christians, we have been going since 1977, and we seek to encourage those, particularly those who have same-sex attractions and believe in an orthodox understanding of what the Bible says about sexuality, just seek to encourage them in their faith and their walk with God, he said. Its very clear in our policies and on our website that we dont point people toward conversion therapy, we are not a therapeutic organisation. We are a pastoral ministry, so we look to point people to what the Bible says, to encourage people in their Christian walk. We might point people towards a good quality counsellor but not one who wants to direct people to a certain outcome, so we just encourage good quality ethical counselling, but we are not a counselling organisation ourselves. He added: Our interpretation of the Bible, which is the mainstream orthodox position of the church in the UK, is that sexual behaviour, God has made it for the marriage for a man and a woman. That is the traditional orthodox position and thats what we would encourage people to believe. We are not out there to change other peoples minds, we are just here to support and minister to those people who agree with that position. Asked what message he had for the LGBT protesters, Mr Parker said: They are very welcome to believe what they want to believe but I think they have misunderstood what we are about we are not a therapeutic or counselling organisation, we are not here to push our views on other people who disagree with them. We respect other peoples right to believe whatever they want, we just ask that they would respect our right to hold to an orthodox position on the Bible. People during the Pride Parade in Dublin Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire DUBLIN Pride is making its long-awaited return to the heart of Dublin city centre after congestion concerns disrupted its original route. Since 2017, the annual LGBTQ+ parade had taken an alternative route due to the Luas Cross City works. Dublin Pride was rerouted from the south side of Stephens Green toward Christchurch, ending up on Smithfield Square. Now that the project has been completed, the parade is set to start on OConnell Street once again. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Pride. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Pride. Photo: Arthur Carron Prides associate festival director Eddie McGuinness said that he is delighted the parade is back on the citys main thoroughfare. We are absolutely delighted to announce that the proposed route for the 2019 #DublinPride parade and march will see us return to the very heart of our city, he wrote on Instagram. Assembling on OConnell Street and Parnell Square on Saturday, June 29, 7,000 people from over 150 different groups with floats and marching bands and colourful costumes and lots and lots of noise will lead out the parade, which will end with a free outdoor event in Merrion Square. In addition to the parade and Pride village in Merrion Square, Collins Barracks will host its most colourful event in its 300-year history as the site for the Mother Pride Block Party. Dublin LGBTQ Pride wrote on Twitter yesterday: So happy to return to the very heart of our city. Dublin Pride begins every year in June with a number of events across the city taking place. The first Dublin Pride took place in June 1983, organised by the National Gay Federation (now NXF). This years Dublin Pride festival will take place just weeks after the 26th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar paid tribute last year to those who suffered before the legislation was passed. IRA abuse victim Mairia Cahill has branded the rule that caused her to withdraw from the local elections in Northern Ireland a "fiasco". The SDLP councillor has withdrawn from the race over a rule which stipulates candidates must make their home address public - something that is not the case for people running for Stormont or Westminster. Ms Cahill came to prominence after she waived her right to anonymity to speak out in a newspaper interview, alleging she had been raped by a suspected IRA member when she was a teenager. Yesterday she said she was reluctantly withdrawing from the election race. She said it was "ironic" that having advocated for the safety of women, fears for her own welfare led to her bowing out. Ms Cahill said there were various legal orders in place to prohibit behaviour towards her which puts her at risk. "I live with protective measures in my house for that very reason and very rarely tell people where I live to minimise that risk," she said. "I have worked hard as a councillor for the last 10 months, and it is ironic that a strong advocate for keeping women safe is effectively barred from running for public office due to very real concerns about her safety." Politicians on both sides of the Border spoke out in support of Ms Cahill following her announcement, which she likened to having to "sack" herself. "These rules effectively bar anyone under threat, including victims of domestic violence, from running for local government. That is intolerable," said SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. "We would never ask Mairia to compromise her safety or the safety of her family for an election. Some things are more important. We'll continue to work hard to resolve this issue and to support Mairia in any way we can." Carnage: The Mulberry Bush pub after the bombing in 1974. Photo: PA A senior police officer overseeing the investigation into the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings has described it as a "very active investigation". West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson made the comment after a jury at the inquest into the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham pub bombs concluded a botched warning call from the Provisional IRA cost an already stretched police force vital minutes. The 11-member jury panel sat for almost six weeks of evidence into the bombings of the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town pubs on the night of November 21. Two massive detonations caused what one witness described as "pure carnage", ripping apart the packed pubs, killing 21 and injuring 220 more. Yesterday, the jury unanimously determined that an inadequate warning call by the Provisional IRA, which carried out the attacks, cost the stretched police vital minutes. The six female and five male jurors concluded all the victims were unlawfully killed, following a direction from coroner Peter Thornton. They also found there were no failings, errors or omissions by the police response to the bomb warning call, and further concluded there was no tip-off to the force, giving advanced warning the blasts were going to happen. The families of those killed have called on the police to "redouble" efforts to bring those responsible to justice. The jury found a coded telephone warning by the IRA to the 'Birmingham Post and Mail' at 8.11pm was wholly inadequate. The inquest threw up dramatic evidence when a former IRA member named four of the men he claimed were involved in the bombings as Seamus McLoughlin, Mick Murray, Michael Hayes and James Francis Gavin. The man, identified in court only as "Witness O", said he had been authorised to give those names by the current head of the IRA in Dublin. McLoughlin died in 2014, and Gavin in 2002, while Hayes, who is alive, has said he took "collective responsibility" for the bombings. Murray, who died in 1999, is said to have called in the botched warning, giving the code word "Double X", but always maintained it had been "a proper warning". Then former IRA head of intelligence in Ireland, Kieran Conway, in his evidence, also described the victims' deaths as "accidental" in an "operation that went badly wrong". Afterwards, when asked if the Good Friday Agreement could block any progress - as suggested at the inquest - Chief Constable Thompson said this would not "prevent" that process. As you fly into Tenerife, the island reveals itself dramatically. Volcanic rock rises out of the sea, and the peak of Mount Teide, the island's legendary volcano, pierces through a sheet of white cloud. Located just 100km from the coast of Morocco, the arid landscape below is semi-desert. Although it is part of Spain, it's more like Africa, and you would wonder how it is possible to grow grapes here. The parched landscape changes to lush green as you head to the north side of the island, where there is 10 times more rain than the south, and the temperature is five to 10 degrees cooler. I was there, not for a bit of winter sunshine, but to visit Suertes del Marques, a small winery with stunning vineyards in the volcanic soils of Valle de la Orotava, in northern Tenerife. It is owned by Jonatan Garcia Lima, one of Spain's most exciting young wine producers. The first vines were planted here at the end of the 15th century by the Portuguese, and wine became the island's most important commercial product. Interestingly, Jonatan told us, there is an Irish connection. The key exporters and merchants at the time were Irish and British, and there are many documents on the Cologan family dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, with details on the expatriate Irish Catholic community of Tenerife and their trade with Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin. The Cologans were also the merchants who won the contract to supply wine to the first fleet sailing to Australia, so the first wine drunk in Australia was from Tenerife and it was bought from an Irishman. What makes the vines in Tenerife so spectacular is their age. Whereas most of the vines in Europe were wiped out in the late 1800s by a disease called phylloxera, Tenerife's isolated location meant that it escaped the scourge. This means that at Suertes del Marques some of the vines are 250 years old. But it is not just their age that is spectacular, it is their sheer presence. Unlike the manicured lines of trellised vines you normally see, these vines snake down the steep hillside horizontally, up to 10 metres in length, the canes plaited and tied with twine to keep them in place, using a hugely laborious system called cordon trenzado. Beneath the long ancient arms of the vines is lush green vegetation which contributes to the quality of the organic soil. Typically, the vines are planted at 300 to 700 metres above sea level, with the temperature getting cooler further up the slopes. While there were leaves on the vines in the lower vineyards, they had yet to come out higher up. Among the indigenous grape varieties grown here are Listan Negro and Listan Blanco. While many of these old vineyards where pulled up to plant Tenerife's world -famous potato, it is through the efforts of Jonatan and a handful of producers that these ancient vines have been preserved. The wines are truly spectacular and well worth seeking out. Grapevine More events for Spanish Wine Week - Aoife Carrigy will be pairing wines from northern Spain with north-Indian food in Pickle, Dublin, on April 9, John Wilson will be exploring hidden gems of Spanish wine in the Legal Eagle, Dublin, on April 12 and Leslie Williams will be hosting Irish-Spanish fusion tapas in Sol & Sombra in Tralee on April 8. Tastings take place in Dublin in Whelehan's, Ely, 64 Wine, Morton's, Clontarf Wines and more. See spanishwineweek.ie Vidonia 2017 34, 12.5pc, from Green Man Wines, Loose Canon, Ely 64 Wine Expand Close Vidonia 2017 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vidonia 2017 A truly spectacular white wine from Suertes del Marques, this is made from ancient Listan Blanco vines. Rich, layered and textured, this is beautifully balanced with a citrus freshness and streak of flinty minerality. 7 Fuentes 2016 22, 13pc, from Baggot St Wines, Clontarf Wines, Bradley's Off Licence, Eleven Deli, Ely 64 Wines, Drinkstores, Redmond's, Martin's Off Licence Expand Close 7 Fuentes 2016 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 7 Fuentes 2016 A red wine from Suertes del Marques which includes grapes from 250-year- old vines, this is deliciously inviting with flavours of crunchy red cherries, red currants and a nice hit of spice. The Fire Tree Sicilian Nero d'Avola 2018 22, 13pc, from Aldi Expand Close The Fire Tree / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Fire Tree Also from a volcanic island, the Sicilian Nero d'Avola grape is very on trend, and this ripe, fruity wine with flavours of red fruit, blackcurrants and a touch of spice would be perfect with a charred pizza or grilled meat. Sunset is particularly sweet on Prague's Charles Bridge. The sting is slipping from the heat; St Vitus' Cathedral is fading into silhoette. Musicians are playing, caricaturists drawing, and the air carries the warm smell of pretzels. It's ideal... if only I wasn't sharing it with thousands of fellow tourists. It's a travel dilemma for our times. With endless cheap flights and Instagram spinning destinations like a slot machine, popular spots are cramming up in peak season. There were over 1.4bn tourist trips last year, according to the UNWTO, and tourism magnets such as Barcelona, Venice and Santorini are feeling the pressure of packed streets, frustrated locals and over-stretched infrastructure. Visiting Croatia last month, I learned that limestone in Dubrovnik's Old Town has been buffed so dangerously smooth by flip-flop-footfall, that it's now manually 'roughed up' by chiselling workers before each summer season. Expand Close Tourism crowds in Prague (photo: Deposit) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tourism crowds in Prague (photo: Deposit) Prague is another poster child for overtourism, with over a dozen flights a week from Ireland alone. In looking to cover the Czech Republic in our travel pages this week, we had a question. How could readers explore without the crowds? One answer, we think, is to look beyond that city centre crush. There's more to Prague than Charles Bridge, stag parties and an Astronomical Clock, as Thomas Breathnach discovers in Holesovice, while Yvonne Gordon leaves the city entirely - venturing further afield to explore the lesser-known cities of Brno, Ostravo and Olomouc. We're not alone in this trend. Several tourism boards are encouraging visitors beyond pinch points - NYCgo.com is actively marketing boroughs beyond Manhattan, for instance, and Failte Ireland is developing the 'regionality' and 'seasonality' of our own tourist season. Prague City Tourism has also been promoting off-radar 'hoods like Holesovice and Letna, and a new 'Night Mayor', Jan Stern, has been tasked with managing nightlife in a city where beer is cheaper than water. "Prague has a reputation of a party place with cheap booze and almost no rules," he's said. "It's time to change that." An annual 'hotel night' also offers locals a chance to experience hotels in their neighbourhood at low prices, "as a way of thanking them for putting up with the occasionally less than pleasant aspects of living in a massively popular tourist destination". Clearly, dispersing tourists is just part of the solution. Before showing visitors to alternative neighbourhoods, media and marketers need to be sure they are ready for visitors, and not tumbleweed towns in the off-season. Thanks to Thomas and Yvonne, I think we've got a good mix. The teenage girl moved slowly forward to buy a bottle of Coke - a nondescript act in a nondescript bus station in Mississippi. Then suddenly it emerged all was not as it seemed. Her right ankle was 'tagged'. Somewhere out there in the great unknown, a US immigration overseer was tracking her movements. This was the bus depot in Jackson, capital of arguably the most intriguing state in America. Mississippi is a place of inexplicable contrasts. It has spawned some of the world's most original talents in music and literature. But it has also been steeped in racial hatred, and continues to have pockets of poverty, among the most endemic in any developed country. The musicality of Mississippi is fused with the blues, gospel, jazz and country. Elvis Presley is indeed its most famous son. William Faulkner is but one in a galaxy of authors who have made this a special place in the pantheon of great writing. Such considerations were hardly of interest to the teenager from Honduras. She and her family had more immediate matters of concern. A variation of modern mobile phone technology allowed the authorities to monitor their whereabouts. Two suitcases and a few carrier bags were the outward worldly possessions of these new arrivals. Yet they did not seem the most poverty-stricken among those seated in the depot. As the waiting passengers boarded the bus heading north to Memphis - just over the border in Tennessee - a sullen despair was in the air. Those travelling were mostly African Americans, plus a couple of down-at-heel white people. With a few exceptions, all looked defeated by the unyielding daily struggle of trying just to get by. The Hondurans sat somewhat huddled at the back of the bus as it made its way through the flat fertile plains that make up the Mississippi Delta. One by one, place names were left behind. Belzoni, Indianola, Greenville, Cleveland, Clarksdale, Tunica. There have lived generations of black Americans in a cycle of endless poverty. There are hardly any jobs, housing is sub-standard, too many schools are under-performing and strapped for cash. There is no proper public transport system. Improved healthcare is desperately needed. But the state governor has refused to implement the Obama plan, which would improve cover for those most in need. He says he does not want people becoming over-dependent on the state. Meanwhile, figures show deprivation among younger children is among the highest in any developed society. Slavery once dominated all economic activity in these parts; most black families in the delta trace their roots back to this time. There have been many advances over the decades, but all that has gone before casts a long shadow. The surrounding landscape, though fresh and glowing from seasonal ploughing, seemed to echo the hauntings of the past. Discrimination, segregation, lynchings and the Ku Klux Klan are seeped in the memory. The civil rights movement, which prompted so many battles for black empowerment, was born here. It was late evening when the bus finally reached its Memphis destination. The Honduran family faded into the looming darkness. Did they realise they were now in one of the most dangerous cities in the US? Would it be here they would make their base? The city's Beale Street downtown area is justifiably classed as the home of the blues. Its music tradition is also rooted in the generations. But visitors are quietly warned to avoid the danger that lurks in some of the suburbs. In recent years, Memphis has had one of the highest murder rates in the US, and drug-fuelled crime is a stalking menace for many. The trail from Central America to this metropolis is but another immigrant journey for those chasing what they believe is the essence of the United States - a chance to start all over again. One way or another, tough times lie ahead for the tagged teen. But who can say what the future holds? Meanwhile, there are those for whom the American Dream remains as elusive as the butterflies who flit around the delta lands. They carry little hope and much heartache. The message being pushed at the moment appears to be: Give up your dreams of owning your own home. Accept your fate of paying half your salary on rent. Live in the moment. Yes, the Government has some shiny plans but don't expect anything to change any time soon. The causes of the housing crisis are clear: the lack of investment in social housing over three decades and the effects of the property bubble. Our construction industry shrank dramatically with no new houses built at a time when our population was growing. It's still growing. The Central Statistics Office revealed we had an increase of 64,500 in the year to April 2018. Ireland's usually resident population was estimated to be 4.85 million and 90,300 persons had immigrated to Ireland in the year to April 2018. Tougher lending restrictions were brought in for mortgages, which meant fewer people were able to buy their own homes. And so the private rented sector grew and grew. In 2006, slightly more than one in five households were rented. This had risen to almost 470,000 by 2016 - or 27.7pc of all households. There are happy renters out there but there are many, many people trapped in overpriced, poorly maintained houses, with few rights and a cloying feeling of insecurity. This increase in renters has been driven by ever-increasing house prices, stagnating wages, an ongoing failure to build enough social housing and for many people the impossibility of saving a deposit for a mortgage. Twenty years ago, we all assumed that most people were either mortgage-paying homeowners or living in social housing. Private rentals were for students, bohemians and the unlucky. Today's renters are not necessarily anti-home ownership. While there are always a few exceptions, by far the biggest reason people are renting over buying is they simply can't afford the latter. Research published in the 'Economic and Social Review' shows households in the private rental sector are more than twice as likely to face high housing costs relative to income than those with a mortgage. Lower income households spend on average between 40pc and more than 50pc of monthly income on their accommodation. Rebuilding Ireland is the Government's official plan to increase the delivery of homes nationwide. But coming up with proposals inevitably involves rehashing ideas other governments have had before. Or trying to fix things you were responsible for messing up in the first place. A lack of social housing is a major sticking point. It's crucial for people needing to escape from hazardous or overcrowded private properties, for those with disabilities, single parents, low earners and people living with domestic violence. According to the Department of Housing, 4,251 social housing new-builds were built in 2018, missing the target of 4,409. However, it was an increase on 2017 numbers when just 2,297 were constructed. Now, rather than increase the property tax and use it to fund more badly needed social houses for the 10,000 homeless, the Government has decided to put off its decision on the future of the tax for another year in a move that smells like an election bribe. Property owners will pay the same in 2021 as they did in 2013, despite an ever-worsening crisis. Government policy over the past few decades discouraged local authorities from building social and affordable housing. The effects of a Fianna Fail pledge to abolish domestic rates during the 1977 election campaign are arguably still causing chaos. Opposition parties at the time accused Jack Lynch of buying votes, and the new Fianna Fail government did go on to scrap rates for householders in April 1978. It promised councils they would not lose out but lots of local authority officials today would argue that life has never been the same since rates were limited to commercial properties. With austerity, local authorities had to cut delivery of homes even further. Ever since 2011, we started sourcing most new social housing from the private rental sector via the Rental Accommodation Scheme and later the Housing Assistance Payment. In Rebuilding Ireland, just 15pc of social housing until 2021 are new builds by local authorities and housing associations. Any government approach to housing that ignores the supply side will ultimately run into a problem. If there aren't enough homes to go around, someone must lose out. It's not all about supply either - it is about the type of supply. The Government points to an increase in private house construction as evidence that policies are slowly working. But lots are being sold or rented at unaffordable prices for those of us looking to rent and buy. Last month, a UN special rapporteur on housing sent a letter to the Government saying it had facilitated housing financing through "preferential tax laws and weak tenant protections among other measures". The report was very critical of Ireland for allowing vulture funds buy up properties, resulting in sky-rocketing rents. The Government seems to still believe that the private sector alone can fix the crisis. A real solution would no doubt involve both private and public sectors contributing, but driven from the top. If more homes were available to rent and buy, there would be no housing crisis. The answer to our crisis is simple: build more houses, all kinds of houses, without letting politics get in the way. I don't buy the version of events about Angela Merkel, the most powerful politician in Europe, coming to Dublin to give us that word salad about how we're not to worry because she's on Ireland's side - one for all and all for one yadda yadda. No, she wanted to look Leo Varadkar in the eye, preferably scaring the living daylights out of the man, and quiz him on how precisely he proposes to safeguard the single market in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Details, please, she must have said. Preferably with spreadsheets. The German Chancellor was inspecting the Taoiseach's homework and we can presume he's done it, even if he doesn't want it shouted from the rooftops on the basis of least said, soonest mended. Should a cliff-face Brexit occur, the political reckoning will focus primarily on the EU's best interests - if push comes to shove and they diverge from Ireland's, then Ireland will be sacrificed. But Europe doesn't want to be blamed for negative repercussions ranging from chaos to catastrophe. So its leaders are keen to help minimise disruption. Currently, Theresa May is in last-minute negotiations - make that last-nanosecond negotiations - with Jeremy Corbyn. Having taken almost three years to get nowhere, she is belatedly engaging with Labour as her best chance of securing Commons approval for an orderly Brexit. Fortunately for Ireland, Labour favours remaining in the customs union, previously one of Mrs May's red lines. If those discussions collapse and Britain crashes out, Border checks are inevitable. Outside the EU, there are no borders anywhere in the world without some physical infrastructure. While a certain amount can be done in factories, abattoirs and ports, some agrifood inspections, including livestock examination, will have to take place at the Border flashpoint. Maybe not at once following a hard Brexit but soon after. Glanbia says it brings 130 million litres of milk annually into the Republic from the North. Will that be held up to sour at crossing points while arrangements take time to bed down? Some side-dressing was laid on with Mrs Merkel's visit. She met victims of the Troubles and people who live along the Border. Those delegates had an important message to share but none of it was news to her. Ventilating it in the British parliament would be more helpful because many MPs remain clueless about Ireland. The obvious solution to the backstop is to abandon it in favour of a border along the Irish Sea. Special status for the North, with all the advantages of EU membership, was the gift horse offered by the EU in December 2017, accepted by Theresa May but slapped on its rump and sent galloping off by the DUP. But Nigel Dodds has already signalled a shift. "I would stay in the European Union and remain, rather than risk Northern Ireland's position. "That's how strongly I feel about the Union," he says now. To my mind, special status could be usefully considered again. Mrs May, who must have a template letter by this stage with a blank left for the date, has asked Europe for yet another extension, to June 30. "Sorry, it's not me it's you," seems to be the kind of letter she'll receive back. After all, it's the British parliament which must decide how long an extension is needed, followed by an instruction to this most neutered of premiers to request that date. A year with conditions attached seems to be the likeliest bet. But the longer the extension, the more infighting among Tories. It also allows time for a People's Vote to be held. Neither appeals to Mrs May. But what she likes is becoming increasingly irrelevant. A leak suggests that ministers are considering giving MPs a vote on whether to hold a referendum on the deal as part of the talks with Labour. Most Labour MPs and activists support this but some in the party's upper echelons don't want another referendum - especially if they represent Leave constituencies. Meanwhile, a no-deal Brexit means direct rule in Northern Ireland, we have been told. Although Commons leader Andrea Leadsom suggests it be called something else, in a fine example of spin over substance. Direct rule, like a hard Border, would fan the flames that could lead to the Troubles reigniting. But Tory priorities spare little attention for the North. Still, chin up, the European Research Group is looking less than united. The Boris and Jacob Rees-Mogg have wobbled and voted for the government's Withdrawal Agreement while other colleagues remain diehard. "My only condition is the position of the DUP," Jacob Rees-Mogg assured the BBC. "I won't abandon the DUP because I think they are the guardians of the union of the United Kingdom." Two days later, the guardians went overboard. I have a friend who calls Mr Rees-Mogg the Child Catcher. He does, indeed, look unnervingly like that terrifying lurker in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'. However, his recent tweet urging British MEPS to be disruptive within the EU could lead to something constructive, paradoxically enough. He suggests they block plans for an EU army and more integration; many would agree that overreach from Brussels should be resisted. Could England be any more divided? Short of public rioting? Oh yes, it could. European elections appear to be on the horizon and they will be nasty. At the very least, an election campaign for MEPs, short of voting, may take place because Mrs May has confirmed Britain is to start preparations. A costly business - the price won't be in pounds and pence alone. Nigel Farage is running; expect the acrimonious rhetoric to heighten. Nobody can suppose Europe relishes the prospect of British MEPs being petulant in Brussels and Strasbourg but there are legalities which make it necessary - the EU can't allow some of its citizens to be disenfranchised (a problem in Northern Ireland, too). Mrs May has a cunning plan, however. She's hoping to cancel the election as late as the day before polling day on May 23, if parliament lets her Withdrawal Agreement through by May 22. So many deadlines, so few met. Next week's April 12 deadline is meaningless, nothing more than an attempt to force British politicians to make a decision. And still Mrs May limps on. She was given a year's grace after surviving her last challenge to her leadership just four months ago. It's possible, however, she could be leaned on to step down voluntarily - they may not have thumbscrews in their armoury any more, but those Tory grandees can make life unpleasant for her. We're still watching misrule in action over at the House of Commons. Even the building itself has developed frayed nerves, judging by that leak it sprang on Thursday. If the end of the line for the Quinn family was the Four Courts on a chilly morning earlier this week, the seeds of their downfall can be traced back many years to much sunnier climes. Avenida Arriaga, a tree-lined boulevard in Funchal, Madeira, was a long way from Sean Quinn's base in Cavan and Fermanagh. But it was here the one-time industrial group magnate chose to locate a company called Bazzely V Consultadoria Economica E Participacoes Sociedade Unipessoal LDA. His five children, who have spent recent years embroiled in various court battles, may very well wish they never heard of this company. Set up in 2005, Bazzely was the vehicle used by Mr Quinn to indulge in massive stock market bets using financial instruments known as contracts for difference (CFDs). These allow investors to speculate on the performance of shares without actually owning them. Expand Close Funchal in Madeira, where Sean Quinn located a company to engage in massive stock market bets. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Funchal in Madeira, where Sean Quinn located a company to engage in massive stock market bets. Documents seen by the Irish Independent shed much light on how the company was used for the secret betting spree. At the time Bazzely was set up, Quinn Group was worth between 4bn and 5bn, making Mr Quinn one of the richest people in Ireland. At first his bets were successful, but when the tide turned he would lose billions. This had massive implications for him personally, his business empire, Anglo Irish Bank and taxpayers. It has also haunted his children. Expand Close Sean Quinn. Picture: Lorraine Teevan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean Quinn. Picture: Lorraine Teevan Although he called the shots, Sean Jr, Ciara, Colette, Aoife and Brenda Quinn were the shareholders in Quinn Group. They were the ones who signed guarantees in connection with 2.34bn in loans advanced by Anglo so their father could cover CFD losses. With Mr Quinn subsequently declared bankrupt, the children were also the ones pursued by Anglo's successor, the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), when the debts were being called in. This sparked a series of legal wrangles which rumbled on for eight years. The children sued IBRC, claiming loan guarantees they signed were invalid. IBRC countersued, seeking 82m from each of them. It also took another case, alleging the family engaged in an asset-stripping scheme intended to put 455m worth of foreign properties beyond IBRC's reach. On Tuesday, the High Court was told all matters had been settled. Under the agreement, the children have had a series of multi-million euro judgments entered against them. But these will be stayed as long as they co-operate with IBRC's efforts to recover and sell the foreign properties. Things could have been very different if their father had ditched his share speculation scheme when it began making losses. Instead he dug himself further and further into the hole he found himself in. Between October 2005 and April 2010 Mr Quinn sunk 2.4bn into CFDs, and Bazzely's losses amounted to 2.1bn. Bazzely was no ordinary company. It had no staff, no premises and no bank account. Its day-to-day administration was carried out by certain staff at the headquarters of Quinn Direct Insurance (QDI) in Cavan, with the help of colleagues in other Quinn firms. To make the most of the CFD investments, the company used the Avenida Arriaga address within the Madeira offshore zone to avail of corporate tax exemptions. Emails show a staff member at QDI kept track of cash transfers and contacts with brokers. Other QDI staff were authorised to sign for payments made on behalf of Bazzely. The advantage of trading in CFDs was that rather than buying the underlying stock, Bazzely only had to pay a fraction of the share value up front. This is known as the 'margin rate' and, in the case of most of Bazzely's initial investments, it tended to be around a fifth of the value of the shares. CFDs also did not have to be declared in the same way as shares, so trading could be largely done in secret. The downside was that when share prices fell, Bazzely had to make 'margin call' payments to keep the CFDs open. Initially Bazzely had an extremely diverse CFD portfolio. For example, in December 2006, it had open CFDs on 134 million shares in more than 50 companies. These included European banks, international mining corporations, oil exploration firms and Japanese real estate companies. Punts were also taken on Irish companies C&C, CRH, Paddy Power and rival insurance firm FBD. All of these bets were placed via major brokers such as Credit Suisse, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Cantor Fitzgerald, Davy and IG Index. It is clear Mr Quinn was closely following the fortunes of various companies. Quite often substantial CFD bets were placed immediately after a positive announcement, such as Ryanair announcing new routes in December 2005. This and other investments netted Bazzely a tidy profit. As 2006 drew to a close, Bazzely recorded profits in relation to 36 of the 51 companies whose shares it had speculated on. On paper, Mr Quinn had made 296m. But in 2007 he changed his investment strategy. He cashed in most of his portfolio and focused on just 10 companies, Anglo, McInerney Holdings, Tullow Oil, Ryanair, AIB, Bank of Ireland, Banca Italease, Dragon Oil, Hypo Real Estate and Peter Hambro Mining. Anglo's shares had proved a very profitable bet for Mr Quinn in 2005 and 2006. Heading into 2007, Bazzely had already banked 22.9m in profits on Anglo CFDs which had been closed out. Those which were still running were in profit to the tune if 157m. Although he was speculating on the share price of fewer companies, the number of shares involved skyrocketed. By the end of 2007, Bazzely had CFD bets open on 272 million shares. Some 209 million of those were in Anglo. The Anglo holding, which represented CFD positions on around a quarter of all the bank's shares, was built up using nine different brokers and involved shares being traded on both the Dublin and London stock exchanges, The method used to build up the stake meant few observers, least of all the bank, had an appreciation of how deep into Anglo Mr Quinn was. Various brokerage balance sheets show just how vulnerable he had become after placing so many of his eggs in the Anglo basket. He had been buying into Anglo when the share price was as high as 16.22 only to see it slump to 10.94 by the end of the year. Bazzely would record losses of 168.8m on Anglo CFDs throughout 2007, but worse was in store. Running losses on Anglo CFDs which were still open at that time amounted to 282.9m, and these losses would have to be faced up to in 2008. It wasn't just the Anglo investment which tanked in 2007. The next biggest loss was one of 36.7m on McInerney Holdings CFDs. Punts on Banca Italease, Bank of Ireland and Hypo Real Estate also lost him millions. After Mr Quinn had burned through his own reserves, including 678m transferred from QDI, borrowings of 1.8bn from Anglo were used to pay down CFD debts and plug holes in Quinn company balance sheets. Brokerage reports show Bazzely had lost 1.77bn on Anglo shares in 2008 after the controversial unwinding of the CFDs that July. Astonishingly, Mr Quinn continued to use the company to speculate on the stock market after this. The gambling continued until at least April 2010. By November of the following year he was filing for bankruptcy. Even the ceilings are weeping at Westminster as the news of a leak at the Mother of all Parliaments surprises none. Brexit would bring a tear to a glass eye, so whether it is lingering or abrupt, we can at least be grateful the end may be within sight. There will be some relief to know the possibility of a no deal is also less likely. The good, or should that be not too bad, news is that British Prime Minister Theresa May has written to European Council President Donald Tusk asking to delay Brexit until June 30. The request will be "considered" in Brussels next week. As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said: "Ireland wants to avoid a no-deal Brexit, as does the UK, and the EU does not want a no deal either." He has highlighted the need to avoid the danger of rolling extensions. Agriculture and business all desperately need some certainty. If the UK can be out of the EU before May 23, it can avoid the European parliament elections. There are at least indications we may at last be sloping towards the beginning of some lightly baked conclusion. Alas as yet, much remains to be determined as to the new condition of things. For one: all is predicated on getting acceptance of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening it, as agreed with the EU. For another: Mrs May's "talks" with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn are proving painfully predictable, So far, they have produced much hot air, which shows no sign of transforming into white smoke. Chancellor Merkel's pledge to find the "will" is not being matched with a similar determination in London. Mr Corbyn still has a gimlet eye on an election. There is also the fact Mrs May's overture to Brussels may well have alienated the bulk of her party. Many would regard this as a bonus given their behaviour over the past three years. She will need support for something if next week's summit is to be "meaningful", if that word still holds currency after being put through the wringer in the Commons. Yet Mr Tusk's offer of extra time in the form of a "flextension" was intended to be facilitating. But the notion of extra time has already drawn the ire of the French. Officials close to President Macron described the offer as clumsy and premature. They have a point. Already Jacob Rees-Mogg has been busy insisting Britain should be "as difficult as possible" in the event of a long extension. If reason is, as Victor Hugo argued, "intelligence taking exercise", it can only be surmised Mr Rees-Mogg doesn't work out much. To suggest the UK should cause chaos with EU institutions is the latest asinine contribution in an irresponsible and ill-advised campaign. And still we dare to hope. But as the poet noted, "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." La Bonne Heure play The Four Seasons and the Spirit Store. The French-based band La Bonne Heure, whose name translates as 'the good hour' or 'the right time', play two local gigs this coming weekend. Comprising Dundalk native Brian Holmes, Romanian baroque violinist Madalina Drouvin and French ukulelist, Hugo Cordonnier, they are living proof that folk music is still alive and kicking. Trio came together by chance three years ago in a small little village in the Baie De Somme, Picardie and since then they have been frequent visitors to Ireland, joining Footsbarn Theatre Company at the Cootehill Festival and playing at the Electric Picnic last year. After a number of dates around the country this spring, they play The Four Seasons, Carlingford on Saturday night and the Spirit Store on Sunday night. Some of the north east's top musicians are joining forces with Blackrock recording studios Koolwaves for a charity Guitaroke in Byrne's of Hill Street on Thursday night to raise funds for SOSAD. Among those bending nylon will be Bobby Robinson, widely regarded as one of Dundalk's best guitarists. Billed as Unreal Memorial 2, the gig takes place on April 4, the date which Martin Lurther King was shot in 1968. As news of his death spread, legendary musicians BB King and Jimmy Hendrix organised an impromptu tribute gig in his honour in New York. Now, local musicians are turning to the blues to help others beat the blues and to urge people to start talking about mental health issues. Tickets, 10, on sale locally in newsagents, music shops and the SOSAD office. All musicians welcome to join in from 8pm to 11pm. The Cooley Lourdes Hospitalite Group are having a Fundraising Cookery Demonstration with Local Chef, Shane McGrath, and West Waterford Chef, Paula Hannigan, on this coming Thursday April 4 commencing at 7.30pm. The venue is the Cooley Kickham's GAA Complex, admission is 15.00. and light refreshments will served. Tickets are on sale throughout the Parish. Shane and Paula together aspire to showcase the best of local Irish produce. Shane, a native of Carlingford in Co Louth, came to Waterford to work at The Tannery in 2000 and after five years under the tutelage of Paul Flynn travelled for a couple of year before returning to West Waterford. He then took on a head chef role at the newly opened Cliff House Hotel in 2008, where he spent the next ten years. Since finishing there earlier this year he has been working with Eunice Power on her outside catering team. Aglish native Paula has garnered much acclaim as a pastry chef, having spent her time working at prestigious locations including Ashford Castle, Cliff House Hotel, Crystal Cruises and Waterford Castle. She has recently returned to the Cliff House as Sous Chef after her time abroad. Together they've combined their talents and love of local produce to bring their unique style to a wide range of events including festivals, pop up dining nights and charity cookery demos. The large crowd who attended the Border Communities Against Brexit Protest at Carrickcarnon. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics. Thousands lined crossing points along the border from Dundalk to Derry on Saturday last in a series of protests against Brexit. Organised by the lobby group Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB), the local demonstration was held on the old Dundalk-Newry Road and saw hundreds of people from local communities and businesses gather to voice their opposition to any 'hard border.' BCAB spokesman Declan Fearon warned: 'A border in the past meant this road was closed for over 40 years and this community was divided.' 'We won't allow the very hard right-wing Tories and the ERG [European Research Group] and especially the DUP to destroy this community and bring us back to days when this was an economic wasteland.' A mock checkpoint was manned by 'customs' officers in a bid to illustrate the impact of the return of any hard border. 'Our speakers from across civic society 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 the people in border communities and in the north behind. With just ten days left before the UK is set to leave the European Union, the delayed April 12th deadline, ongoing political chaos in the British parliament has led to increasing fears of a 'no deal' Brexit. Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney warned that the country needed to prepare for the 'worst possible outcome' on Brexit. Speaking yesterday (Monday)Mr Coveney said the British political system is 'unpredictable and semi-chaotic at the moment'. He added that with a 'deeply divided' UK parliament, Ireland could not be sure what the outcome of the votes there will be this week. Mr Coveney said a no-deal Brexit has shifted from a 'remote possibility" to a 'real possibility.' Louth County Council representatives Thomas McEvoy, Liam Reilly, and Joe McGuinness and Orla Carey, Tourism Ireland during the visit to New York The annual trip to New York for St. Patrick's Day came in for criticism at Louth County Council monthly meeting. A number of top officials from the local authority in Louth represent the county at St. Patrick's day events every year. Cllr. Maeve Yore was among those highlighting the cost involved in sending a delegation to the US. But Chief Executive Joan Martin told the meeting she thought it was 'very important' that Louth was represented. She said that 'work on bringing jobs here starts in the United States' and she argued that there had been a host of benefits emerging over the years from the contacts made. The Louth delegation also meet with Tourism Ireland officials at their New York office. 'I would consider these contacts with Bord Failte as very important. We need to make sure that the staff are well briefed on Coutny Louth.' She said that American tourists to Ireland 'are some of the biggest spenders' adding that it was essential they were made aware of what Louth had to offer. The Chief Executive said that the delegation from Louth was 'very small, compared to some of the larger delegations from other counties' which had travelled to New York. She added that it was ' a small amount of money, which is well spent' on ensuring Louth is represented. Cllr. Yore asked if councillors had a say in funds being spent on the annual trip. The council heard that the budget was a matter for the members to debate every year. Cllr. Kenneth Flood said the issue had been raised in the budget process when councillors had been told that cuts would have to be made. Three Louth teenagers have reached the finals of hit tv show Ireland's Got Talent. Caitlin Rooney (16) from Knockbridge is joined by pals Lonan Murphy, also 16, from the Carrick Road and fourteen-year-old Nicole Ellis from Omeath, in the hip hop dance troupe 'Fly Youth' which made it through from last weekend's semi finals. Caitlin's mum Debbie told the Argus:' They did it! They want to say a massive to the people of Dundalk for supporting them and voting for them in the semi finals!' 'They put on an unbelievable performance with some pretty incredible judges comments,' said Debbie. 'Louis Walsh said they were the best act he has ever seen on any Irish show and that they could go global, they were world class. Denise Van Outen said she'd pay big money to go see them that they were amazing and they blew the roof off.' Fellow judge Michelle Visage praised the young dancers as 'other worldly' 'massive' 'superstars' adding they were 'phenomenal.' They were the only act to get a standing ovation by all four judges on the night and won a place in the semi finals with the highest number of votes Debbie added 'A big thank you from Caitlin, Lonan and Nicole to everyone who got behind them and supported them. Tune in Sunday night next April 7th to see them take to the stage one last time and give them some more votes and see them crowned winners of Irelands Got Talent 2019.' A free two day boot camp to help local business people to understanding the growing over 50s market, known as the Silver Economy, is set to take place on April 26 and 27 at Creative Spark. "We're all growing older and Ireland's older population is also growing,' explained Sarah Mallon from the Local Enterprise Office Louth. 'Nearly 20% of us are now over 65. We are living longer. We are generally healthier and more active than our predecessors. As we age our needs change. While that might be seen as a challenge, we believe it also creates an opportunity for local businesses.' Companies that adapt to the changing needs of an aging population can benefit from increased customer loyalty and strong word of mouth recommendations. Louth was the first county in Ireland to achieve Age Friendly status and now Louth County Council and the Local Enterprise Office, as part of the ERASMUS+ Age Friendly Economy Project, are looking to build on this reputation. The aim of the bootcamp is to 'assist the business community and budding entrepreneurs to innovate, adapt their current services and look for new business opportunities to support Ireland's older population.,' said Sarah. Local business owner Cheryl Malone of Malone Dance Academy is already limbering up for this opportunity. Cheryl runs a ballet, dance and gymnastics academy in Dundalk. 'Most people think that dance is an activity for children. But we've seen the benefit that dance offers older people. It helps promote agility, balance and good health as well as being a lot of fun. Attendance at the bootcamp is free but there is are a limited number of places which can be reserved by calling Sarah Mallon in Local Enterprise Office Louth on 042 9324184 or email sarah.mallon@leo.louthcoco.ie. Although it's only open less than two months, Dundalk Soup Kitchen has quickly established itself as a place of refuge and nourishment for those who find themselves in need of a hot meal, a warm place to sit and a friendly word. 'We are very, very busy,' says founder Mark O'Neill. This is the fourth soup kitchen which the Kells native has set up, following on from Drogheda, Navan and Balbriggan. 'At the moment we are have around 600 or 700 coming in for meals every week,' he says. 'We do a full Irish breakfast in the morning and a dinner at lunch time, and people can pop in for a cup of tea or coffee anytime during the day.' 'We also deliver food parcels and at the moment are delivering around 130 parcels a week in Dundalk at the moment and this is growing as people become aware that we are here.' 'It's a totally free service and there is absolutely no cost to anyone,' he says. 'Anyone can dome in and get a meal or request a hamper. It can be very difficult for people to come and ask for help but we have no hesitation in helping and don't ask any questions.' People from all walks of life turn to the soup kitchen for assistance, explains Mark. 'There are people paying rent who might be under pressure as rents have got very high. What people don't realise is that the crash of 2008 crippled a lot of people. We see people with big houses and cars but they are up to their eyeballs in debt, so although they might appear on the outside to be doing alright, they can be struggling to put food on the table.' He says that in the winter time, a lot of elderly people drop into the soup kitchen as they don't enough money to eat and heat their homes. 'Our volunteers are all trained so that they have a chat with people and to see how they can help them.' The service is totally voluntary, he says, and they rely on the support of a number of food companies who are very generous in donating meals and foodstuffs. They also raise funds by selling pens and collecting on the street, with all money going towards running the soup kitchen and distributing food hampers. Niamh Gartlan decided to volunteer at the Bridge Street soup kitchen as she wanted to give something back. 'We had a house fire and had to live without electricity for five weeks so I know how hard it is. I promised myself that if I got a new house and my family was looked after, I would look after people in need.' Niamh, her son David and fiance Gerard are busy in the kitchen, serving meals to those who call. They know everyone by name and give them a warm welcome. 'I like to have a bit of craic with them,' says Niamh. 'A lot of them will be very down so I like to try to brighten their day.' A renewed call for dog owners to keep their pets under control was made last week after another dog was shot after it was found worrying sheep in a field on the Cooley peninsula. Local farmer and IFA Rural Development chairman, Matthew McGreehan said that the dog was spotted in the field at Grange with pregnant ewes, some of which were actually giving birth. 'It was attacking the ewes and luckily enough Eoin White, chairperson of the Louth IFA sheepfarmers, was passing and raised the alarm,' says Matthew. 'A neighbour who had a gun then shot the dog before it could do any more damage.' He said that the sheep, which had been checked by the farmer who owned them a short time earlier, were very badly traumatised and some of them were physically injured. 'There were about 60 sheep in the field at the time of the attack. Some of them had lambs with them and others were actually in labour.' The dog warden was notified and the owner was traced as the dog was micro chipped and had accepted responsibility. 'It was an Alsatian/German Sheppard and we are seeing more of these restricted breeds,' said Matthew. 'The dog was on its own which shows that dogs will attack sheep on their own and don't have to be with other dogs, contrary to what people may think.' He said when farmers shoot dogs which are attacking their sheep they do so humanely. 'Sheep which are killed by dogs get an awful death - they are pulled asunder. There have even been cases of pet lambs being killed which is very upsetting for children.' He also called for tighter laws in regarding the micro-chipping of dog and for the setting up of an all-island data base and more for resources for the dog warden service so that it can give an after hours service. The father of a Bray woman who suffered a serious fall in New Zealand has expressed his deep gratitude to the overwhelming support the family received. Orlagh Hanratty (25) fell 30 feet from a cliff in a climbing accident on Thursday, February 7. Her parents Tommy and Jenny were initially told in the first phone call that she may not survive her injuries. They started the long journey, and in updated contact were told she was doing better although stull very seriously hurt. Tommy is now back in Bray and thankful that Orlagh is making a steady recovery. He said that the support they received from absolutely everyone in New Zealand was extraordinary. 'From the hospital staff to Orlagh's employers, to absolute strangers,' said Tommy. 'They couldn't have done enough for us,' he said. Meanwhile, back home, a fundraising campaign got under way as soon as word began to spread of Orlagh's accident. A gofundme page raised over 20,000, to help with any expenses incurred or any treatment Orlagh may require. Tommy said that he and the rest of Orlagh's family couldn't be more grateful for all of the kindness and support they have been shown from literally all over the world. Tommy, of Everst Cycles, said that while Orlagh's injuries are serious and include, for example, breaks to the bones in her face, it is nothing short of a miracle that she is out of danger and recovering from the fall. Members of the Fermoy Camera club had a busy March, with the fine spring weather inspiring them to get out and about with their cameras and, as is their motto, 'have some fun with photography'. They recently took that motto at face value during a field trip to Fota Wildlife Park, although club PRO Helen Arnold insisted "no animals were hurt in the making of this outing." Before all that, there was the business of the club's monthly competition, which challenged them to use their skills to catch the raw emotion of a chosen subject in monochrome. The quality of entry was up to its usual high standard, with the judging team of Ian Bevan, Trevor Hallows and Terence Hume from the Ballincollig Camera Club given the difficult task of choosing the winning pictures. "We thank them for taking the time to judge the images and also to give a welcome critique on each of the photographs, which led to a very interesting discussion," said Helen. Overall first place went to Karen Fleming's Grade One-winning emotive portrait with a 'veiled' twist. Ruth Howard's moving portrait of a grandad and his grandson, taken on a club trip to Nerja in Spain, came second, with Eimear Quigley's picture of a young girl revelling in the St Patrick's Day atmosphere coming third. The top spot in Grade Two went to Deirdre Casolani's picture of a young girl's delight at munching on a biscuit, with Mary Thornhill's image of her clearly unimpressed son Sean taking the Grade Three honours. "Well done to all the winners and thanks for sharing a little of the background to your photos, as the back story often adds to the impact the picture has on the viewer," said Helen. "The theme of the club's April competition is 'The Village', offering people a chance to get out and about and have some fun finding that perfect image. New members are always welcome, so come along to our fortnightly meetings at the Community Centre in Fermoy, meet our members and find out how to become part of this vibrant club," said Helen. For more information visit www.fermoycameraclub.ie. Cystic Fibrosis National Awareness Week takes place from Monday 8th April to Sunday 14th April. Karen & Aogan at the Glenside would like to invite you to their 65 Roses Charity Dinner in Henrys Restaurant on Tuesday 9th April from 7pm. Tickets are priced at 65 for two tickets and include a 4-course dinner and glass of Purple prosecco. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetically inherited disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. Ireland has the highest incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the world - around 1 in 19 Irish people are said to carry one copy of the altered gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis. All profits on the night will go to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. CF Ireland (CFI) is a voluntary organisation that was set up by parents in 1963 to improve the treatment and facilities for people with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland. You can purchase tickets through Eventbrite or book your table online www.glensidehotel.ie/henrys.html. You can also email reception on info@glensidehotel.ie. Karen is also looking for donations for raffle prizes for the night so if anyone would like to contribute please email karen@glensidehotel.ie. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly to CF Ireland. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) The Philippine Embassy is on alert amid rising tensions in Libya, where around 2,000 Filipinos are working. In an interview with CNN Philippines Friday night, Charge d'Affaires Elmer Cato urged the Filipinos to get in touch with Philippine officials if they would want to be repatriated or would need any form of assistance. "We remain on alert here at the embassy and we're just waiting for calls from our kababayans (fellow Filipinos) so we can come and get them if they request to do so," Cato said. All costs for bringing them home will be shouldered by the government, he added. He also revealed that the situation in the country's capital, Tripoli, "looks normal" but added that the embassy has received reports of fighting near Tarhuna town, less than a hundred kilometers from Tripoli. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier advised Filipinos in Libya, especially those within the 100-kilometer vicinity of Tripoli, to be vigilant and exercise "extreme caution" in the wake of "recent escalations and the threat of outbreak of war in the country." It said it is monitoring the security situation amid reports of fresh fighting in Libya as rebel forces from the east of the country try to enter the capital. Cato also urged the Filipinos to stay indoors and stock up on food, water and other necessities. Overseas Filipino workers planning to return to Libya are "strongly advised" to postpone their flight until tensions subside, the DFA said. Anti-vaxxers are prominent in social media, sharing articles based on fear and fiction as if they were truth. When science based data is produced to counter these views, it's dismissed as propaganda for Big Pharma. And once somebody has been convinced to believe anti-vaccination stories, it's surprisingly difficult to dissuade them. Studies show that anti-vaxxers prioritise concepts like "pure" and "natural". They have a mental block when it comes to accepting ideas that they see as "impure" or "artificial". They classify pro-vaccination articles as "Big Pharma spin". In the human world, this is causing serious public health issues, with people refusing to have vaccines against common diseases like measles. A county in New York has declared a state of emergency over a measles outbreak that has recently infected more than 150 people. The county is experiencing New York state's longest measles outbreak since the disease was declared officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. The best way to stop the disease's spread is a vaccination rate in the community of 92% to 95%., while only 73% have been vaccinated at the moment. A new emergency law over there makes it illegal for unvaccinated young people to go to public gatherings. Civil rights lawyers are currently contesting this. This anti-vaccination trend is affecting the animal world too. People who are sceptical about vaccinations are choosing not to have their pets vaccinated, and the consequence is that there is a rising proportion of unvaccinated dogs and cats. This does not cause immediate problems as with many animal illnesses, "herd immunity" kicks in as long as 70% of pets in an area are vaccinated. This ensures that fatal diseases like Parvovirus are unable to spread rapidly. So even if up to 30% of people choose not to vaccinate their pets, there will still only be rare, individual cases of animals dying from these serious illnesses. Problems start when the proportion of vaccinated pets falls below 70%, when individual cases of infections are able to pass the virus on to other unvaccinated animals in their vicinity. Rapidly spreading, uncontrollable epidemics follow. Here in Ireland, this has not yet happened, but in Australia, some towns have suffered epidemics of Parvovirus, with dozens of under-vaccinated dogs dying. It is difficult to counter this type of situation, as people's views become so entrenched: the mere repeating of science based facts does not work. One of the challenges is that while most of the fears and scepticism are unfounded, some reactions to vaccinations do happen, and exceptionally rarely, they can be very serious reactions. These serious reactions become the focus of antivaxxers, who disregard the science which explains that if you do a risk-benefit analysis, the benefits are so high, and the risk is so low, that it makes more logical sense to vaccinate your pet. Even as I write this, I know that anti-vaxxers will be thinking "he would say that, wouldn't he? He's a vet and he has a financial incentive to get pets vaccinated". It's significant that vets who work for charities speak just as strongly in favour of vaccination as private vets. They would surely choose to vaccinate fewer pets (saving the charity money) if it was scientifically justified. So what vaccine reactions are seen in pets, and what is the incidence? The most common reaction, as in humans, is mild swelling and pain at the site of the injection, which passes after a day or so. Some animals experience a small rise in their body temperature, reflecting the fact that their immune system is responding the the vaccine, so they may go off their food for 24 hours, and they may be quieter than usual. Very rarely, in around one in 30000 cases, an animal can suffer anaphylactic shock after a vaccine, collapsing and showing very dramatic signs of illness. Meanwhile, there is no evidence at all that vaccines cause the wide range of problems that are claimed, such as allergic skin disease, a wide range of cancers, and even canine autism (there is no such condition as this: it has been invented by anti-vaxxers). More seriously, it is true that there are two illnesses that may,,rarely, genuinely follow vaccination. Immune Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia (IMHA) develops when the immune system attacks a pet's own blood cells. While vaccination is regarded as a possible trigger, there are many other triggers, and and in one recent study, the average time from most recent vaccination to the initial onset of illness was almost a year, making it hard to believe that vaccinations played a strong causative role. Meanwhile, in cats, Injection Site Sarcoma is a malignant, challenging cancer that can develop at the site of a vaccination. This happens in less than one in ten thousand cases but it is devastating when it does develop. It cannot be denied that bad reactions to vaccines can happen in exceptional cases, but neither can the immense benefit of vaccinations be denied. It's up to each owner to decide what to do but my advice is to listen to independent scientists. If they say that the benefits of vaccination vastly outnumber the potential risks, then that's enough for me. "We're all growing older and Ireland's older population is also growing. Nearly 20% of us are now over 65. We are living longer. We are generally healthier and more active than our predecessors. As we age our needs change. While that might be seen as a challenge, we believe it also creates an opportunity for local businesses" explains Sarah Mallon from the Local Enterprise Office Louth. Companies that adapt to the changing needs of an aging population can benefit from increased customer loyalty and strong word of mouth recommendations. Louth was the first county in Ireland to achieve "Age Friendly" status and now Louth County Council and the Local Enterprise Office, as part of the ERASMUS+ Age Friendly Economy Project, are looking to build on this reputation. "We are hosting a free 2 day Bootcamp on 26-27th April to help local business people understand the over 50's market, also known as the Silver Economy. We can assist the business community and budding entrepreneurs to innovate, adapt their current services and look for new business opportunities to support Ireland's older population." Sarah continued. Local business owner Cheryl Malone of Malone Dance Academy is already limbering up for this opportunity. Cheryl runs a ballet, dance and gymnastics academy in Dundalk. "Most people think that dance is an activity for children. But we've seen the benefit that dance offers older people. It helps promote agility, balance and good health as well as being a lot of fun. Our adult classes are a joy to teach but also opened up our Academy up to a whole new audience. I've signed up for the Local Enterprise Office Age Friendly Economy Bootcamp because I really want to explore how we can innovate to meet the needs of older age groups and expand our reach in this market." This intensive two day Bootcamp will take place on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th April at Creative Spark, Dundalk. Attendance is free but there are limited places so registering your interest in the Bootcamp is essential. Register now by calling Sarah Mallon in Local Enterprsie Office Louth on 042 9324184 or email sarah.mallon@leo.louthcoco.ie. Sarah concludes "It is widely recognised that over 50's are the fastest growing and highest earning section of the population. The EU estimates that the over 50s market, or the "Silver Economy", will be worth over 5 trillion annually by 2025. This is an exciting opportunity for local businesses to focus on this growing market. We encourage local businesses and budding entrepreneurs to register early as places are limited and will fill fast." A jury has found an alleged IRA member guilty of raping two teenage boys at a "republican safe house" two decades ago. The man (45) had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to charges of sexual assaulting and anally raping two boys in Co. Louth on dates in the early 1990's and in 2001. On the sixth day of the trial, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on a total of six counts of sexual assault and two counts of anal rape relating to the two complainants. The jury also returned verdicts of not guilty on one count of sexual assault and of anal rape relating to one of the complainants alleged to have occurred in 2001 when the complainant was aged in his 20s. The jury had been deliberating for over nine hours before reaching their verdict. During the trial Patrick Gageby SC, prosecuting, told the jury that the two complainants lived in a large home owned by a "dedicated republican" and that it began to be used as a "safe house". The first complainant testified that he lived in the house in Louth in the 1980s and 1990s where IRA volunteers would be brought to during the night and stay for a few days or weeks. He said the accused man first came to stay in the house around 1991 or 1992. He became part of the family and the complainant said he looked up to him as a "big brother figure". He said that the accused began to abuse him when he was 13 or 14 year's old. The man said that he went camping with the accused in a nearby field and that he fell asleep in the tent after becoming intoxicated. He woke up to find his head pushed down and the accused raping him. He rejected what was put to him by John Fitzgerald SC, defending, that he had been in a relationship with the accused and had engaged in consensual sexual activity on the night in 2001 he alleged he was raped a second time. He was aged in his 20s by this time. The second complainant testified that the house he lived in as a teenager was used to house people on their way to "missions" across the border. He said on the night he turned 17 he went camping and he woke up to discover the accused groping him. The man said a couple of weeks later he woke up one night to find the accused pushing his face into the pillow and raping him.. He said he struggled and managed to get the accused off him after 30 seconds. He said that when he tried to leave the room the accused stopped him and said that if he informed anyone of what had happened then he would be "found on a border road". The complainant said that when it came to "that organisation" there was no way to take that other than as a threat. In direct evidence the accused said he stayed at the house about "half a dozen" times for up to two nights on each occasion in the early 1990s while working a casual job. He denied sexually abusing the boys. Detective Garda Seamus Nolan told Mr Fitzgerald that gardai had no intelligence that the accused was involved in any paramilitary organisation until the complainants came forward with their allegations and that the accused had never been arrested for any "alleged subversive activities". Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded the accused in custody and adjourned sentence to April 29, next. The annual trip to New York for St. Patrick's Day came in for criticism at Louth County Council monthly meeting. A number of top officials from the local authority in Louth represent the county at St. Patrick's day events every year. Cllr. Maeve Yore was among those highlighting the cost involved in sending a delegation to the US. But Chief Executive Joan Martin told the meeting she thought it was 'very important' that Louth was represented. She said that 'work on bringing jobs here starts in the United States' and she argued that there had been a host of benefits emerging over the years from the contacts made. The Louth delegation also meet with Tourism Ireland officials at their New York office. 'I would consider these contacts with Bord Failte as very important. We need to make sure that the staff are well briefed on County Louth.' She said that American tourists to Ireland 'are some of the biggest spenders' adding that it was essential they were made aware of what Louth had to offer. The Chief Executive said that the delegation from Louth was 'very small, compared to some of the larger delegations from other counties' which had travelled to New York. She added that it was ' a small amount of money, which is well spent' on ensuring Louth is represented. Cllr. Yore asked if councillors had a say in funds being spent on the annual trip. The council heard that the budget was a matter for the members to debate every year. Cllr. Kenneth Flood said the issue had been raised in the budget process when councillors had been told that cuts would have to be made. Drogheda United FC chairman Conor Hoey believes the FAI's role in advancing the club's new stadium plans won't be impacted by John Delaney's decision to step down as the association's chief executive. The League of Ireland club are hoping to move into a 3,000 all-seater complex at Newtown in the next few years and the FAI, who own their current ground at United Park, are heavily involved in the project. Newly appointed to a new role as FAI executive vice-president, Delaney himself has been credited with advancing the Drogheda stadium project significantly, but Mr Hoey said: 'It's not all about John. He's been a great help and a great support in us getting to this stage, but the stadium involves the wider FAI. 'I bumped into the new CEO Rhea Walshe in the Aviva Stadium the other night and hope to go and see her in the next month or two to discuss the new stadium and get an update on where they are with the purchaser of United Park. 'She was great. We had a quick chat and said we must get talking about the new stadium. She has a million things on her radar, but the fact she is saying we must meet up to talk about it shows the FAI want to engage with us.' The chairman said his current focus was on working with the FAI to apply for what he called 'specific grants' to help bring the new stadium to fruition. He wouldn't be drawn on exactly when the 5 million facility might be built, mindful of previous stadium plans failing to materalise. However, it's thought that the 30-acre site, which will include a number of municipal playing pitches for the local community, could be completed by 2021 or 2022. Intimidation of families in County L.outh can be linked to two local drug gangs in Drogheda, a local TD has claimed. Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams questioned the Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan in the Dail, on the issue of drug related intimidation against families in County Louth. The Louth TD specifically raised the case of one family whose home was fire-bombed over St. Patrick's weekend. Teachta Adams expressed his disappointment at the Minister's refusal to answer the questions he asked, specifically around the provision of additional resources for the Louth Division of An Garda Siochana. The Minister also failed to inform the Dail when the evaluation of the Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme by An Garda Siochana will finally be published. "There is a growing problem of extortion with violence and threats by drug gangs in County Louth. These gangs are demanding that the families of those who they claim owe them money must now pay the alleged debt. I am also told by party colleagues that this is a serious problem in Dublin and elsewhere. 'Last week, along with Councillors Ruairi O Murchu and Pearse McGeough, I visited one family in Louth who are quite simply living in terror. Over the space of 6 months this family paid a drug gang a total of three thousand seven hundred euro for debts allegedly owed by their son. The drug gang has targeted this family in a sustained campaign of intimidation and threats and attempted extortion. The drug gang are now demanding another 8,000. 'However, this family is demonstrating remarkable courage in the face of threats, and is standing firm and rejecting the drug gang's demand. When I visited the home, the family were clearly very anxious. 'Their fears are well founded. Over the St Patrick's weekend their home was petrol bombed while they slept in their beds. Luckily the impact of the bomb breaking a window woke the family and they extinguished the fire before anyone was hurt. This family are working closely with the Gardai whom they have praised highly to me. Other families have also been targeted. Other homes have been attacked. Cars have been destroyed. Families have fled their homes.' He said he has spoken to the Chief Superintendent of the Louth division and wants to commend the Gardai for their actions and efforts to date. 'During my last meeting in Dundalk Garda Station in January the officers informed me that the Louth Drugs and Crime Unit is now up and running with 3 extra staff in Dundalk and 5 in Drogheda. This is a good start but these numbers are still far too low to deal with the scale of the problem 'There are other cases which have come through my office and no doubt many more which I am unaware of. 'It is my belief that most of this intimidation can be traced to two drug gangs in Drogheda where local families have been subject to similar threats of intimidation over drug debts allegedly owed by family members. I want to commend the neighbours and friends of the family I visited. This local community is 100 per cent behind them.' He says that the drug gangs will not 'intimidate the people of Louth' but it should not be left to the community or An Garda Siochana. 'I am disappointed that the Minister did not deal with the questions I raised, including the allocation of additional resources for the Louth division of An Garda Siochana to support the work of its drugs unit. I also asked the Minister if he will consider introducing or supporting legislation to ensure that proof of identity is required for the purchase of mobile phones. Mobile phones are frequently used in the illegal drugs trade and many of the threats issued to the family being victimised in this case were by mobile phone.' Last week I received in the post my all-new electronic driving licence, issued by the National Driving Licence Service. The new licence is a plastic card, which first saw the light of day in January 2014. A similar style card is now the norm across all member states of the European Union. My grandfather bought a car sometime at the beginning of the 20th century, stepped into it in Thurles and drove straight to Donegal without ever having been in a car before. My Dad never had to do a driving test in order to drive. The driving test was introduced in March 1964. When it was first set up there was only one place in the whole country from where you could do the test and that was in Parkgate Street in Dublin's north side. There are many twists and turns to the history of the Irish driving licence. In 1979 there was such a backlog to testing the then government in its wisdom offered an amnesty to anyone who was on their second provisional driving licence. Between 25,000 and 50,000 people, who had failed the test, were granted a full licence. Many of them are still driving about on our roads. It could only happen in Ireland. The NDLS began its life in October 2013. Before that date driving licences were issued by local authorities throughout the country. Because of the Brexit conundrum the NDLS is busy at present as many holders of UK licences are exchanging their licences for the Irish equivalent. During all of 2018 the NDLS exchanged 6,000 UK licences for Irish licences. So far this year they have exchanged 12,000 UK licences. The day I called to the Leopardstown NDLS centre I met a young woman who told me she would be queueing for four hours. That's not good enough. Like its antecedents there seems to be a number of anomalies and intricacies about the NDLS licence. I had always understood that in order to obtain the new licence one had to be in possession of a Public Services Card. Not true. You can obtain the licence without a PSC. If you have a driving licence from a member state of the European Union are you obliged to transfer it for an Irish driving licence if you are driving a vehicle in Ireland? It's generally held that a person can drive in Ireland on a licence from another EU country for one year before exchanging it for the new Irish licence. But if one reads the small print of the EU regulation it would seem that the EU licence in whatever country it is issued is valid in all other EU countries without a time limit restriction. A word of advice: if you require a doctor's certificate to obtain a licence, remember that you must apply for the licence within one month of your doctor signing off on your medical report. Licences for people over 70 are now free of charge. Some time ago I heard economist Colm McCarthy on the Marian Finucane Show ridiculing the idea that it was free for over 70s. He had a point. Oops, that sort of thinking does not go down well in the times we are living. And the super new NDLS form is already out of date. When asking for gender it only gives two options. With all its peccadillos I'm the proud possessor of the new NDLS plastic card, which allows me drive a car, a bus and a motorbike. Broadband is vital to homes and businesses across Wexford Broadband is as important to householders and business owners nowadays as electricity, according to one member of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council. Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy, made the comment following a presentation from Wexford County Council's Head of Communications, David Minogue. 'Broadband has become as important as electricity,' said Cllr Murphy. 'We all need it but so many people cannot access it,' she added. She also commented that in some instances broadband is 'passing by the door' but people still can't access it. She highlighted her own area of Bunclody as being of particular concern and said that one local company had experienced difficulties recently and had to use a 'mobile device' to access the net so that wages could be paid to around 50 employees. 'They had to use a mobile device to do their banking so that staff could be paid,' said Cllr Murphy. 'It's imperative that we have decent broadband,' she said. She also criticised situations where broadband is going by people's homes but connections have not been made meaning they can't access it. She said there is a danger that businesses could close because of it. 'It's very important that businesses get quality broadband,' she added. Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said he knew of a company that applied to Eir to be connected to high speed broadband but was told no. He then asked officials what the situation is in such circumstances, where a company is willing to employ a contractor to carry out the required work to enable it to connect to the closest high speed network hub - using existing poles. Cllr Kavanagh also asked if 5G would be a viable alternative for such businesses. 'This company would pay to put in their own line on existing poles,' he said. In response Wexford County Council's Energy Officer, James Owens, said: 'If it's all their own land they're crossing then I suspect it would be possible.' Mr Owens then informed the members that 5G connectivity is, at present, aspirational only and said: '5G is still a long way away.' 'Lots of people are selling '5G' ready but that's really 4G with a different label,' he added. The members were then told that 5G will 'not go through walls' and is '100 times worse going through glass than 4G'. The councillors were also told that a lot of the technology required for provision of 5G 'doesn't exist at the moment'. Enniscorthy's wastewater treatment scheme is one of 28 around the country deemed by Europe's top court to be non-compliant with legislation and Ireland could face serious fines if the problems aren't rectified. Issues with regard to the schemes were first raised by the European Commission (EC) six years ago and initially involved 52 different schemes. However, that number was lowered to 28 after the Government said upgrading work was planned but proceedings initiated by the EC resulted in Thursday's ruling by the European Court of Justice that the systems are non-compliant. The court found that Ireland was in breach of an EU directive as a result of not ensuring that sewage was properly dealt with in eight locations where non-compliance was alleged to be occurring - including Enniscorthy. The court also dealt with another complaint that alleged no prior authorisation was granted for discharges from wastewater treatment plants in Castlebridge and Arklow. When contacted about the court proceedings a spokesperson for Irish Water said work is progressing with regard to rectifying the problems. However, it's expected that the total cost of making the wastewater schemes compliant, including what has been spent to-date, will be in the region of 1.3bn - which includes 291m spend between 2014 and 2018. Acknowledging Thursday's court decision the spokesperson said, in a statement: 'Irish Water acknowledges [the] judgement from the European Court of Justice against Ireland for non-compliance with the Urban Wastewater Directive. Irish Water will review the contents of the judgement and work with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to understand the implications while we continue to work to address the issues that have been raised.' With regard to the situation in Enniscorthy the spokesperson said the work on the wastewater treatment plant, which will bring it into compliance, are due to completed in the second quarter of this year. 'This project is currently in the detailed design stage and this stage is due to conclude shortly,' he said. He outlined the upgrading works taking place and said: 'The scope of the planned work [includes] removal of the storm water overflow structures, additional collection systems, and additional storage.' It's expected the overall works will be finalised by 2023. The spokesperson said Castlebridge is 'no longer a stand-alone agglomeration and is now part of the Wexford agglomeration' and that the overall judgement reflected: 'Decades of under-investment in wastewater infrastructure in Ireland; the lack of standardised operation and maintenance provided by the industry, and the impact that this has had on communities all around the country.' Irish Water's head of asset management, Sean Laffey, said his company has a planned approach which will deliver 'sustained benefits' with regard to improved compliance in wastewater treatment. 'As with drinking water, Irish Water as a single utility can for the first time have an over-arching strategy on wastewater,' he said. 'Given the need to prioritise, the immediate investment focus has been on those wastewater projects that will deliver the maximum environmental returns and meet Ireland's obligations under EU law,' he added. 'This approach also helps to facilitate future growth and economic investment and ensures that untreated water does not enter our rivers and seas, boosting tourism and protecting the local environment.' Irish Water treats around 1,600 million litres of wastewater every day before discharging it back into rivers, harbours and coastal areas. In its statement the company said it has a plan to 'address the issues and concerns raised by the European Commission and is 'already making progress'. In addition to building new wastewater treatment plants the company said it also has 'a range of programmes currently under way to improve the current infrastructure with upgraded flow monitoring or sampling equipment' while in other areas it's undertaking Drainage Area Plans [as part of] a more intensive approach to identify interventions that will be required to take place going forward. The company spokesperson said addressing all of the issues will take time: 'Given the size and scale of the challenge addressing all of the issues will take substantial investment and considerable time.' The new public park in Enniscorthy, the Orchard Peace Park, will be officially opened in May. Speaking to this newspaper about the facility District Manager, Liz Hore, said the park is '95 per cent' complete and while the exact launch date has not been decided the official opening will coincide with flowers planted on-site coming into bloom. 'It is 95 per cent completed and there is just a little bit of landscaping to do,' said Ms Hore. 'There has been a lot of work done on-site and we hope to launch it in May,' she added. Ms Hore said the park will provide a strong link from Irish Street to the Duffry and expects it will be fully utilised by the people of the town. She also feels the park's close proximity to the Presentation Centre and St Aidan's primary school will also prove very beneficial. It's hoped the park will be used for events like outdoor recitals and arts activities going forward. 'It's a great thing to happen for the town and will be a great amenity,' said Ms Hore. The local authority hopes the facility will be used by schools to get pupils to engage with nature while also undertaking outdoor activities. When asked about the name Ms Hore said it was reflective of the history of that area of the town as there used to be an orchard there belonging to the nuns from the Presentation Centre and there is also a graveyard located close to the site. The park will have a UN memorial on-site and seven specific trees planted there will reflect the seven signatures on the Irish proclamation. The park will be one of a number of significant projects being launched in the town and surrounding areas over the coming months. Kiltealy town and village scheme is due to be launched on Sunday, April 14, while Bree walking trails are due to be launched on May 10, at 7 p.m. An adventure urban hub will be unveiled in Bunclody on May 3, at 2.30 p.m. and a lot of work has also gone into redeveloping the Enniscorthy town courthouse as a commercial centre. Ms Hore said the work is ongoing to ensure that Enniscorthy is in a prime position to capitalise after the by-pass is opened. 'We are looking to have a closer connection to Dublin,' she said, while also commenting there will be opportunities as a result of Brexit. While there is ongoing development of the Enniscorthy technology park Ms Hore said that is geared more towards big businesses whereas the courthouse will be ideal for smaller enterprises. However, it's expected the local authority will move its local office into the courthouse building for around one year but Ms Hore said there have already been expressions of interest from businesses interested in utilising the facility. Regarding all of the projects due to be launched she said it's 'an exciting time in Enniscorthy' which has had its struggles and challenges. 'The economic recession hit hard here but it's a beautiful town steeped in history,' she said. Emphasising the importance of tourism to the town Ms Hore said Enniscorthy has 'huge potential' in that regard and the local authority will be working to maximise opportunities for the town going forward. Recently, students from Ardgillan Community College, Balbriggan joined over 100 students from Leinster primary schools to participate in a Green-Schools/Irish Water 'Walk for Water' event in Glendalough to mark World Water Day 2019. The students walked six kilometres carrying six litres of water to highlight water scarcity and experience the journey travelled every day by women and children to access clean water in affected countries. The theme for World Water Day 2019 is 'Leaving no one behind'. This is an adaptation of the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit. In Glendalough students learned about how important access to clean water is and what actions they can take to help ensure a clean water supply is available globally. Green-Schools Manager, Cathy Baxter, highlighted the importance of the event: 'This is our seventh year holding Walk for Water events to celebrate World Water Day. 'Each year we can see the difference the experience makes for the attending students; they go home with a greater awareness of what water scarcity is, how important conservation and sustainable development has become and, of course, with a greater appreciation for the beautiful surrounds of places like Glendalough.' The event is a key part of the Water theme of the Green-Schools programme, which is supported by Irish Water. The students from schools in Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Wexford and Wicklow carried their water along a route to the Poulanass Waterfall and Lugduff Valley. For the next part of the walk the students climbed the steep steps of the boardwalk along the cliff of the Spinc. Commenting on the Walk for Water, Annabel FitzGerald Regional Communications Lead in Irish Water said: 'Helping the next generation to understand that the importance of conserving water is a key part of our role in safeguarding Ireland's water supply, so we are delighted to be partnering with An Taisce's Green-Schools Water Theme for the sixth year running. 'The Walk for Water is a creative way for the students to understand that clean water is a precious resource and that we all need to take action to conserve it.' Well done to all the students involved, particularly those from Ardgillan. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) today announced the Temple Street Foundation as its chosen charity partner for 2019. As part of this partnership, the IAA today donated 20,000 to the Hospital, which will specifically be used for the painting and decoration of a children's ward at the hospital, and the purchase of two specialist ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) examination chairs. The IAA has also announced that it will make a donation from the proceeds of the IAA's annual Aviation Gala Ball, the premier Irish aviation event of the year to the Temple Street Foundation, which will be held at the end of May this year. Additionally, a number of staff fundraising events will be organised across the IAA's centres over the course of 2019 aimed at further fundraising for the Temple Street Foundation. The first of these events will be the Great Irish Bake to be held on Friday, April 5. Peter Kearney, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Aviation Authority said: 'We are delighted to select the Temple Street Foundation as our charity partner for 2019. We are excited to be involved with such a worthwhile charity and to be able to contribute towards helping the patients and staff at Temple Street. As a company with a nationwide footprint, the IAA recognises and values the importance of Temple Street to sick children and their parents across Ireland.' Emma Barrett, Head of Corporate Development with Temple Street Foundation said: 'We are thrilled to be chosen by the Irish Aviation Authority as their charity partner for 2019 and are immensely grateful for their most generous donation. These funds will be put to work in our hospital where they are needed most.' The candlelight vigil held for Baby Belle and her mother in Balbriggan The people of Balbriggan and north county Dublin are 'deeply upset' having learned from the media recently of the circumstances surrounding the burial of 'baby Belle' in Glasnevin Cemetery, a local senator has said. Newborn 'baby Belle', whose body was discovered by a passer-by on a beach in Balbriggan last December, was revealed to have been buried at the 'angels' plot' at Glasnevin cemetery, without a funeral service having taken place. Members of the Balbriggan community are said to be 'deeply upset' and distressed that they had not been informed of the burial. Speaking in the Seanad last week, Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee said: 'We are deeply upset and we are grappling for answers as to why this happened. 'How did the coroner allow this to happen when it was made clear that Fingal County Council and a charitable foundation would provide for the funeral service, allowing the community to be involved and creating a space for baby Belle's mother to visit, in time, when she wanted to?' Senator Clifford-Lee added: 'We were assured that once the coroner had done the appropriate investigations, baby Belle's body would be released to the local gardai and the community. 'I want to have this matter discussed.' Senator Clifford-Lee said the community wanted to know why baby Belle was not 'returned to us and buried within her community'. The 'raw emotion being felt', she said, was still 'very real', and the community wanted answers. The discovery of Baby Belle's lifeless body on a local beach shocked and saddened the town of Balbriggan and resulted in an outpouring of love and sympathy for the child and its mother, who is still not known. The town held a candlelight vigil for Belle and her mum in the days that followed the tragic discovery and it was always understood that the the baby would buried and be mourned by the community in Balbriggan. It came as a great shock to many in Balbriggan when it was revealed that Belle was buried in relative secrecy in Glasnevin without a public funeral or a chance for the community to mourn at her graveside. The outpouring of compassion in the community for Belle's mother was summed up by Cllr Grainne Maguire at that candelight vigil in George's Square a week after the body was discovered on the beach: 'We want her (Belle's mother) to know that we are behind her and we want her to look for help if she needs it. Cllr Maguire concluded: 'We want to show her that the community are here to love and support her.' There needs to be more 'Government engagement' is before the introduction of a new law she claims will affect both Ireland's fish stock, and the viability of fishing as a livelihood for all who work in the industry in Fingal, a local Sinn Fein TD has argued. Deputy Louise O'Reilly said that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 'must engage' with the relevant inshore fishing sector before the new law which may have a huge impact on the local fishing industry, is introduced. Speaking ahead of a Bill which returns to the Seanad soon, which has caused 'considerable concern' in the fishing industry, Deputy O'Reilly said: 'My Sinn Fein colleague, Senator Rose Conway-Walsh has submitted significant amendments to the Sea Fisheries (2019) Bill. 'These amendments reflect the concerns expressed by fishermen that this law will give a legal footing for companies from anywhere to fish inside Ireland's six mile limit. 'Martin Ferris TD, Liadh Ni RIada MEP and myself have met with fishermen from across Fingal, and there is a danger that it will give the go ahead for multi-national corporations to come in and plunder Ireland's natural resources such as our mussel fishery, as they have been allowed to do in the past. 'If the Government really had such concern for the fishing industry in Fingal and the protection of the fish stock nationally, they would not have spent two years doing nothing, only to try and push legislation through at the last minute.' Deputy O'Reilly said that with the Brexit deadline looming and the associated dangers of Britain withdrawing from the London Fisheries Convention and the Common Fishereries Policy, the 'lack of Government action' had become evident. Deputy O'Reill said: 'This seems to be the way Fine Gael govern, to move from crisis to crisis. Instead they should engage with the industry and plan ahead with them to make fishing viable and sustainable. 'In the last two years, both my colleague Cllr Malachy Quinn and myself have been contacted numerous times by those in the fishing industry in Balbriggan and Skerries highlighting concerns at this very issue. 'Sinn Fein has listened, and it is high time the Government did the same.' A Balbriggan thief with 115 previous convictions who stole medical students' laptops from outside lecture halls in Trinity College has been jailed for three years. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard one of the students could not afford to replace her laptop immediately and felt she had failed one of her exams as a result of being without it. Stephen Finn (32) was identified on CCTV after managing to evade detection during the thefts. He is currently serving a four-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended for offences committed on bail after he was released on these charges. His prior convictions include 21 burglaries, as well as public order and road traffic offences. Finn, of Georges Court, Georges Hill, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to burglary at two departments in Trinity College in January and February 2017. He also admitted burglary at the Central Hotel, Exchequer Street and at a business premises on Pearse Street on dates in February 2017. Judge Melanie Greally said the laptops were of 'immeasurable value' to the students and noted that there had been 'severe consequences' for one of the students who failed a final medical exam. She said they were 'extremely thoughtless and damaging offences' which were distressing for the victims. She said Finn had a well-established tendency to steal to fund his drug habit and lifestyle. She noted Finn 'presents well' and does not arouse suspicion, managing to steal without detection. Judge Greally took into account his remorse, his efforts to address his drug addiction, that he is using his time in custody constructively and his anxiety to take a responsible role as a father. She imposed a four-year sentence, with the final year suspended. Garda Barry Keegan told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that on January 31, 2017, Finn entered the Biomedical Science Anatomy area in Trinity, where he stole a bag containing two laptops and a passport from outside a lecture hall. Two days later on February 2, 2017 Finn entered the Biomedical Science Institute at Trinity and stole a laptop from outside a lecture hall. None of the laptops were recovered. On February 7, 2017 Finn stole a computer monitor from the Central Hotel. Ten days later on February 17, he stole a bicycle from an architects' premises on Pearse Street. Finn was identified by gardai on CCTV in relation to all incidents and arrested. He was later admitted to bail and committed further burglaries in June 2017. The students' victim impact statements outlined how they were at a financial loss due to the theft of their laptops and the cost of replacing them. One reported feeling uncomfortable around lecture halls, an area they had previously considered secure. One of the victims was an international fee-paying student and could not afford to replace her laptop straight away. She outlined how she had failed one of her exams which she felt was a result of being without her laptop in the run up to the exam. Carol Doherty BL, defending, said Finn was remorseful for the offence and acknowledged that what he did had a serious impact on his victims. She said he had thought only of himself when he was a drug user but now had some awareness of the effect of his offences on individuals. Ms Doherty said Finn had addressed his drug issues in custody. She said he was a trained roofer and was now the father of young child. Finn wrote a letter of apology which was handed into the judge. Finn told the court he was 'truly sorry for what I done' and was sorry for what he had put the injured parties through. Cllr Eoghan OBrien and Deputy Darragh OBrien TD at the Oral Hearings on the Greater Dublin Drainage Project Irish Water said it welcomed the opportunity to explain 'the environmental, technical, economic and public health benefits' of its proposed Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) Project at oral hearings on the project at An Bord Pleanala. Irish Water says that the GDD Project which proposes a regional sewage plant at Clonshaugh with the outfall of that plant piped off the Portmarnock coast and ending off Irelans's Eye is a 'vital development to protect public health, safeguard the environment and support the sustainable social and economic growth of the greater Dublin area into the future'. The greater Dublin region is projected to increase by almost half a million people and produce almost double the current volume of wastewater over the next 30 years. The GDD Project proposes to develop a new regional wastewater treatment facility and associated drainage infrastructure to serve this growing population, according to Irish Water. An Bord Pleanala held oral hearings on the project in Dublin City recently as part of its statutory consultation and assessment of the GDD Project planning application. Irish Water, GDD Project Manager, Jane Chambers said 'Greater Dublin Drainage is a once-in-a-generation project to ensure that the wastewater generated every day in our homes, schools and workplaces will continue to be treated safely in compliance with the EU and national wastewater treatment regulations. 'Having adequate wastewater treatment infrastructure is essential to facilitate housing provision and commercial development and to support the sustainable growth of the north Dublin area. 'The new regional facility, as proposed, is the most environmentally, technically and economically beneficial solution to meeting north Dublin's long-term wastewater treatment needs.' Fingal TD Darragh O'Brien and Cllr Eoghan O'Brien recently voiced their opposition and relayed resident's concerns to An Bord Pleanala regarding the controversial Greater Dublin Drainage project in Clonshaugh. The proposed plant would see sewage outfall piped off Portmarnock Beach into the sea close to Ireland's Eye, posing serious environmental concern and a risk both to Portmarnock Beach's Blue Flag status and Bull Island. Local residents have voiced serious concern on the project, which it is feared would impact tourism potential in the scenic north Dublin town and pose a risk to the marine habitat that exists in the UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere. Over 34,000 public submissions have been received to date in relation to details contained in the plans for the plant, largely with regard to the fact that sewage will only be treated to the minimum secondary level. An Bord Pleanala have been holding oral hearings on both sides of the debate, with Deputy Darragh O'Brien, Cllr Eoghan O'Brien and local TD Sean Haughey putting forward strong objections to the proposed development. Speaking during proceedings, which took place in The Gresham Hotel, Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government, Darragh O'Brien said: 'Since it was first proposed, the Greater Dublin Drainage Project has deeply frustrated local residents. 'Should this giant sewage orbital development be permitted to proceed exactly as planned in the North County, our popular and scenic peninsula stands to be gravely affected not just environmentally, but even economically, given the impact it will have on tourism.' He explained: 'I was assured by Irish Water last June that the focus of priority was on upgrading the Ringsend facility, but that is clearly not the case provided we are here today pleading the case to review the plans due to proceed in our area.' Deputy O'Brien, pointing out that no cost-benefit analysis had been carried out for the project, said that 'week in week out', constituents were approaching his colleagues in Fingal County Council expressing their concerns. It was, he said, the responsibility of local elected representatives to ensure these concerns were 'heard and acted on.' He added: 'I reject the notion that a development of this scale is in the best interest of the North County, and I strongly believe that the project needs to be examined in closer detail.' Fianna Fail TD for Dublin Bay North, Sean Haughey said he had 'reservations' regarding the health and safety systems in place in the Ringsend plant, and that he would not have 'sufficient trust' that Dublin Bay, Portmarnock's Blue Flag Beach or Bull Island would not be affected. Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell is pleased that, following the publication of details of the preferred route for Metrolink between Swords, Dublin Airport and the city centre, the delivery time-frame remains 'on track'. The revised shorter route will not see MetroLink delivered any earlier but the obstacles in its path that are now removed on the southside mean it will not be delayed either. Deputy Farrell said: 'I am pleased that the timeframe for delivery of Metrolink between Swords, Dublin Airport and the city centre remains on track, following the publication of Transport Infrastructure Ireland's preferred route for this vital piece of infrastructure to serve the needs of residents and commuters in the North County.' The local TD said: 'I am pleased that as the consultation process has proceeded, the projected timelines for the Metolink between Swords, Dublin Airport and the city centre has not slipped. ' Commenting on the importance of the project for Swords and Fingal in particular, he said: 'The delivery of Metro is of paramount importance for the local community in Swords, and particularly for those who commute daily. 'For the development of Fingal. I welcome the announcement of the preferred route and the clarity that allows the project to now move forward.' Anne Graham, CEO, NTA and Peter Walsh, Director of the Capital Programme Management, TII pictured at the launch of Metro Link There has been a positive reaction locally to confirmation that the MetroLink route will be shortened on the southern side of the Liffey but the shorter route has not resulted in a shorter delivery time for the project, which is still set for 2027 at the earliest. The National Transport Authority confirmed last week what has been rumoured for some time now that much of the southern portion of the MetrolLink line has been shelved with the line now ending at Charlemont instead of Rathfarnham. Broadly welcomed changes have been made to the Swords end of the line too with the plan to rise the line over local roundabouts on 'stilts' scrapped. Last week, the NTA released its updated preferred route for the MetroLink project following a period of public consultation. The metro service will run from Estuary north of Swords to Dublin's south city, serving Dublin Airport and the city centre. The most significant stumbling block for the project emerged as being on the south side of the line where it was intended to upgrade the Luas Green Line to MetroLink but that would have meant closing the Green Line for up to three years which caused huge controversy among local residents. The upgrade of the Green Line will now take place over a much longer period which means the MetroLink route from Swords to the City Centre via Dublin Airport can progress once the Rail Order is approved and Government give the project the final green light with funding. The number of homes that will need to be acquired for the project has gone down from 105 in last year's Emerging Preferred Route, to 85 in the Preferred Route, published last week. It is expected that a Railway Order application will be made in 2020, with a decision from anticipated the following year. Construction is likely to take six to seven years. Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said: 'There are very significant benefits associated with MetroLink, particularly in terms of the integrated transport system that it will bring about for Dublin. For example, thanks to MetroLink, there will finally be a rail link to Dublin Airport, and with easy interchange with other modes including bus, Dart and commuter rail, MetroLink will make it easier than ever to move into and around the capital. It is also of benefit in providing a more sustainable transport alternative.' Local action group of residents in Portmarnock has recently submitted a presentation to An Bord Pleanala, detailing its objections to plans for the highly contentious Greater Dublin Drainage project in Clonshaugh. In a strongly worded submission, the group lambasted proposals for the controversial waste water plant as 'shortsighted, reckless and irresponsible.' The proposed sewage plant would see outfall piped off Portmarnock Beach into the sea close to Ireland's Eye, presenting substantial environmental risk for marine life, as well as a negative impact on tourism and the local economy, according to the residents.. In a wide range of points presented to An Bord Pleanala, who recently held oral hearings on the project, the local group disclosed the serious concerns of the Portmarnock community, who virulently oppose construction of the sewage facility. As well as holding environmental concerns, local residents fear an adverse impact to local tourism and to Portmarnock Beach's Blue Flag status. Over 34,000 public submissions have been made to An Bord Pleanala to date in relation to details contained in the plans for the plant, largely with regard to the fact that sewage will only be treated to the minimum secondary level. Speaking as part of the presentation put forward by residents to An Bord Pleanala, Ralph Brady of Feelgood Activities and Scuba Diving said:'This has to impact the ecosystem there, it has to impact the wildlife, the fish life, the sea life and the porpoises. 'Any life that's in the water is going to absorb this, and that'll have a knock-on effect between seals, porpoises..., and obviously it'll get into the bird colony, because the fish will be eating it.' The local action group also disputes claims from Irish Water regarding the movement of 'an increased plume of suspended material' flowing into the sea in the event of a malfunction at the facility, and asked if its assertions on such a scenario were down to 'incompetence or ingenuity.' Aside from any actual impact on the marine ecosystem, the group also stated there would be a 'negative perception' of treated sewage flowing into the water, which would have a 'devastating effect' on the local economy. Ralph Brady said: 'This will affect my business to no end. Nobody is going to come to me and go diving at the back of Ireland's Eye anymore once this pipe is up and running and is in full use.' Protecting the sea area was 'evermore crucial' in a post-Brexit restricted fishing territory, Portmarnock Uncovered said, adding 'we need legacy, not short-term solutions.' A decision will be made on the project by An Bord Pleanala in June. MetroLink even at its construction stage will be a major economic driver for the region, creating 4,000 jobs during its construction. Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said: 'MetroLink will be a significant economic driver for the region with about 4,000 jobs to be created during construction.' She explained: 'The MetroLink plan we are announcing is a key component of the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, 2016-2035, adopted by Government in 2016. 'In addition, MetroLink is one of three major public transport infrastructure projects included in the National Development Plan under Project Ireland 2040, published in 2018, along with Dart Expansion and BusConnects.' Transport Infrastructure Ireland CEO Michael Nolan said: 'Last year we conducted a genuinely consultative process and we listened in an authentic public consultation exercise. 'For the last twelve months our engineers and designers have analysed every aspect of the alignment and developed a Preferred Route, which we believe will deliver the best service with the least impact on the city during construction.' Inviting people to participate in a new round of public consultation on the revised plans, Mr Nolan said: 'We look forward now to receiving feedback on this route so we can refine the design and proceed with making an application for a Railway Order next year.' Fine Gael Senator James Reilly has welcomed the announcement of the preferred route for Metrolink and the clarity that the project will now move forward. Speaking after meeting with the key officials from the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) tasked with delivering Metrolink to Dublin and Fingal, Senator Reilly said Metrolink will be a 'game changer' for Fingal. Gorey Chamber of Commerce held an emergency general meeting on Thursday March 28, to decide whether to agree to a proposal of amalgamation between the three chambers that operate across County Wexford. Over 50 local businesspeople attended the meeting to have their say, and much of the meeting was dominated by the recent issuing of property valuation rates to retail shop owners in the town. The final date to submit representations on the newly proposed rates is April 23, to which the Chamber are advising that business owners look into their own evaluation in more detail, or to get in contact the Chamber for assistance if they are concerned. It was decided that members of the Gorey Chamber of Commerce would get behind the proposal to amalgamate, and Chairperson Diarmuid Devereux explained that this would bring the towns of Wexford closer together. At the moment, the Board of County Wexford is split into three regions, which includes the Gorey district, New Ross district and Wexford district. The Chamber of Commerce aim to be the voice of business in Wexford and are fully committed to the mission of the creation of sustainable economic growth. Mr Devereux described this decision as 'Very positive' and once the final go ahead is given, full amalgamation should be possible within six months. 'Everybody realises that Wexford as a county cannot continue to thrive if its four main towns continue to compete with each other for business,' he said. It was reported in February that Wexford is low down on the list for IDA investment compared to other counties in Ireland and Mr Devereux explained that 'As a county that want to get up the pecking order with the IDA, whatever chance we have of drawing inward investment to Wexford can only be achieved through amalgamation with everyone on board'. Remarking on the number of people who came to the meeting at the Ashdown Park Hotel, Mr Devereux said that he was 'Delighted to see that so many people have so much interest in business in North Wexford'. The Gorey Chamber of Commerce was also happy to announce that it has been shortlisted for two national awards at the Chambers Ireland Awards that take place April 10. The Gorey Visitor Centre, launched in January 2018 at the Market Square was nominated in the Most Innovative Project category while Gorey Chamber has also been shortlisted for Best Marketing Campaign for its 'Digital Town' initiative which took place in October. 'Gorey Chamber is taking a leadership role and being proactive in driving many projects to develop the digital economy, including actively promoting the 'de-commute programme' and encouraging enterprise investment in the area,' said Mr Devereux adding that 'Gorey is competing against much larger groups from Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny, which is an impressive achievement for a small voluntary organisation like ours'. Engaging with social media can cause anxiety in children which they need techniques to deal with, according to Ivaylo Kaltchev who runs a media awareness programme for schools and community groups called Media Mindfully. 'I set it up because I saw what was happening to my own children and the effect of media on them, how they were taking in media messages like a sponge without any critical thinking about what was going on', said Ivaylo, a native of Bulgaria who has been living in Wexford for the past two decades. An honours graduate in Media Production Management from Dublin City University, he set up Media Mindfully, based at Wexford Enterprise, last year, and conducts courses for children and adults. 'The most important thing for me is that media is not only what we see on television, in the newspapers or on the internet. Media is communication, a way of living, it's how the world operates. It's like a jungle and you need to find a safe path through it.' Ivaylo said operating in the virtual world of social media can affect children on different levels. 'They can lose the ability to communicate face to face. The natural connection is lost because they live in a virtual reality, a fake reality'. 'There are psychological effects including increased anxiety and decreased empathy and the normalising of violence. Seventy-five per cent of video games in the world are violent. How we learn is through repetition. If we repeat a certain movement or behaviour, it becomes normal'. 'Scientists and psychologists agree that social media and video games are like a drug with the same danger of addiction.' 'In playing video games, there is a momentum reward when they win but when they lose, that is a different thing. They want to go back and play again to experience the good feeling. The dopamine in their brain is high, they can't control it. That's what causes the anxiety'. 'With social media, it's the number of likes they get on a photo that they have posted. That is the reward. If they don't get the number of likes they feel they need, they are not evaluated and they start to feel down and this can lead to depression'. When social media first came on the scene about 10 years ago with platforms such as Bebo, people found it amazing, he said, but there was a choice involved in whether to participate or not. But nowadays, for young people from the age of 15 upwards, there is an absolute pressure to be on social media. 'If not, you will be excluded from the group. You have to be on social media to be part of the circle', he said. All the children that Media Mindfully encounters have mobile phones and most of them, about 95%, are on social media. There is a risk of children losing their natural creativity as a result of technology, according to Ivaylo. 'When I think about my childhood in Bulgaria, we had to create games and toys for ourselves. Today, everything that children need can be found on a search engine. They don't have the patience. If I need something, Google Assist will tell me', he said. ''Look at a video on Youtube and you'll notice that the images change very quickly because they can't wait around. Or watch a young person flicking through images on their phone and witness the attention span. They don't have the patience to examine and analyse what they are seeing'. There is no escaping technology which is set to continue and to advance but the only hope we have is to learn how to be mindful of it, according to Ivaylo and that is why he established Media Mindfully. 'If we don't learn how the world of technology and media operates, we won't be mindful when engaging with it. It's like trying to read without learning the alphabet'. Media Mindfully offers a media awareness programme, aimed at increasing media literacy in people of all ages and helping to create a more positive psychology along with wellness practices and better life skills. Ivaylo helps participants to understand what media is and how it affects our lives, the impact of social media on our behaviour and how we can protect ourselves from negative influences while an experienced mindfulness practitioner working with him, shows techniques in how to deal with anxiety arising from social media, gaming and internet use. 'Children do understand what we are saying. We explain to them why they may feel a certain way, how to recognise the good feelings and the down feelings. We are trying to make them aware, to know that if they face something, that they have to have that critical thinking', said Ivaylo. Many parents are lagging behind their children in their knowledge of social media he said. 'Because social media is new, parents are not aware of everything that is happening. Some parents will give their child the latest phone without fully realising that it is not just a phone but a very powerful small computer.' 'Also, some parents are addicted to the phone and to social media themselves. They don't see that there is anything wrong with it. They will even help their children sign in to a website'. In order to explain how people can present images on social media which are very different to their real selves, Ivaylo shows children a video illustrating the creation of a false image, using features from seven or eight different celebrities. 'People are presenting the best of the best of themselves and others looking at it are made to feel inadequate and to feel that they must aspire to this kind of image too. Media creates a kind of monster. It tells us that materialistic things such as your clothing and your phone are more important than your human value'. Ivaylo said he hopes that by the end of each course, the students will have gained a better understanding of what media is and a greater awareness of the impact of social media on their behaviour along with the awareness and knowledge to create a positive mindset around themselves in the media environment.Students are given 'Watch Outs' to enable them to identify situations where they or their friends may be vulnerable and where to go for help. Summing up the ethos of Media Mindfully, he quoted the late American author Dr. Wayne Dyer: 'If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change'. Media Mindfully can be contacted on info@mediamindfully.ie. On Wednesday, March 27, the Joint Committee on Rural and Community Development visited the Hatch Lab at the M11 Business Campus in Gorey, to gather views and opinions around the potential Wexford has for professionals to work remotely. This was part of a tour of the South East that the Oireachtas Committee undertook, to explore the potential that the commuting workforce of more rural communities have to attract investment from large national and international companies to do business here instead, rather than in clustered cities like Dublin. Chairperson of the Committee Joe Carey TD, alongside Martin Kenny TD, Eamon O Cuiv TD as well as senators Grace O'Sullivan and Paudie Coffey were welcomed to the building by John O'Connor of the Hatch Lab, alongside Tom Banville, head of enterprise at Wexford County Council. Discussions began with a presentation by Vanessa Tierney of the smart working services company, Abodoo, based here in Gorey. Vanessa Tierney highlighted the key challenges that rural Ireland faces in competing with cities, but also emphasised the solutions and criteria required to tackle the challenge. She believes that in order to capture the talent here, policies makers must work toward aiding remote work solutions and present the rural lifestyle as an attractive option, both socially and financially to the commuting workforce and their employers. If this is something that could be achieved, Abodoo see this enriching peoples' lives, as well as rural communities and the planet. Vanessa explained that 'the appetite to want to live and work in Gorey is very high' and that this doesn't have to just be promoted in Ireland, but encouraging those who have left Ireland to come home and work remotely in rural areas. Abodoo launched from the Hatch Lab in Gorey in September 2017, and it recently conducted a Wexford orientated data spread in the form of a talent heat map, which was commissioned by Wexford County Council and presented to the Oireachtas Committee. The results of the heat map showed that a large number of workers in industries such as the financial services, computing, customer services, administration and marketing, who are currently based within a one hour drive of Wexford, would be willing to relocate to Wexford if flexible remote working opportunities were available. Over 2,000 people responded and the heat map concluded that the average business can save more than 11,000 per employee on average, when they work remotely as a result of reduced expenses such as city rentals, employee parking, sickness and absence. It also revealed that employees' would be willing to take a cut from their average salary expectations with the promise of a better work-life balance. The co-founders of Abodoo, Vanessa and her husband Ben Wainwright, suggested to the committee that a national heat map be conducted each quarter and that the data then be presented to companies nationally, as well as to the IDA wishing to attract new investment to Ireland. A way in which remote work can be done is through innovative spacial services like the Hatch Lab facility, where workers can rent a space or 'hot desk' through the Hatch Lab desk booking system. But Tom Banville of Wexford County Council was keen to point out that 'there can't be a Hatch Lab in every corner of every village or town,' he added that it's about having 'one proper centre that works' and is properly run, like the team under John O'Connor at the Hatch Lab in Gorey. Following the meeting, the Oireachtas Committee will file a report on this while looking into the future of work. Joe Carey TD hopes that the findings on remote working will 'give an opportunity to rural regions to compete with Dublin'. Senator Grace O'Sullivan added that hearing the presentation instilled 'a sense of confidence in terms of the future, and resilience in communities'. She said that keeping people living locally is 'Without a doubt the way to go in terms of reducing transport related carbon emissions'. Kurdish families and locals from around Wexford took part in a Kurdish informative social evening that was held at Gorey Library, to mark the beginning of the Kurdish new year, known as Newroz. This open community event encouraged attendees to get to know the culture of their Kurdish neighbours, and brought together Kurdish Families from Gorey, New Ross and Wexford Town. The Kurdish traditions were celebrated, and the crowd there enjoyed some authentic Kurdish food and dancing on the night. The event was organised in association with Wexford County Council and the Library services as part European Action Against Racism Month. Doras Luimni is an independent non-profit organisation that works to assist the integration of migrants in Ireland, and members of the organisation were on hand on the night to help. An organiser said that there was a 'great mix of people' from Kurdish nationals to local Gorey people, and he described the event was an 'opportunity to bring Kurdish people together and integrate them with the local community'. This focus has been particularly important for families living in direct provision in Wexford, as part of the Department of Justice's asylum seekers settlement programme. The death occurred recently of Josephine (Josie) Kehoe (nee Phelan), a woman who lived her life to the full, both as an entrepreneur and as a mother. Josie was born to Joanne (nee Fitzgerald) and Patrick Phelan in 1933 and grew up in Garrenbehy, Rosbercon. One of six children: Jimmy, John, Patrick, Nelly and Mary, she attended school in Rosbercon. Her father died when she was a child. Late of Ryleen, Josie died aged 85 on February 25. Josie married Maurice Kehoe of Ryleen in Rosbercon and they went on to have nine children: Joan, Maurice, Mary, Pat, John, Helen, Martina, Anne Marie and Jimmy. A very industrious, entrepreneurial woman she set up a poultry business, keeping chickens and turkeys. At one point she had 5,000 laying hens. She sold her chickens to Hoggs and Cappoquin poultry plant before opening the Golden Grill take-away in Irishtown, New Ross, around forty years ago, having battled to open the business amid some objections but she eventually won through An Bord Pleanala. She sold on the business after a number of years and got involved in dressmaking, having always enjoyed fashion. All of her children wore clothes fashioned by Josie who loved her style and entered a competition for best dressed woman in 2013 during the JFK50 commemoration events in New Ross. Over the years Josie gave a lot of employment locally. A friendly and outgoing woman, Josie had a great sense of craic and a good sense of humour and yet she was a very strong person. She she had knocks in life she got up and kept going. Throughout her family always came first and she encouraged her nine children to get on in life through a hard work ethic. Josie enjoyed great health during her life. She spent her final years in the love and care of the staff of New Ross Community Hospital where she was befriended by the patients. A colourful personality, she made many friends at the hospital and always enjoyed visits from her family. A staunch Kilkenny supporter she loved watching the Cats play. Maurice died in November 2014 and his loss left a great void in her life. A large crowd attended Josie's funeral Mass in St Mary & St Michael's Church in New Ross and her burial in St Stephen's Cemetery. Josie is survived by Joan, Maurice, Mary, Paddy, Johnny, Helen, Martina, Ann-Marie and Jimmy; and Georgie. Her passing is deeply regretted by her loving family: sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces,nephews relatives, neighbours and friends. She was predeceased by and Nellie, John, Mary, Paddy and Jimmy. The death occurred recently of Tim Ryan, New Ross, who lived a full life, working and enjoying life across the UK, Saudi Arabia and Ireland. Born on June 12, 1940, in Croydon, South London, Tim moved to New Ross with his wife Gabrielle and children in 2000. His death following a brief illness on March 6 shocked and saddened many people in New Ross and further afield. Tim hailed from an Irish family. His grandfather on his father's side was from Pallas Green, County Limerick, and his grandmother was from the Irish community in London's dockland. His mother was English. Both of Tim's parents were the first of their families to go to university (Tim's mother winning a rare scholarship to the Sorbonne in Paris); and both became teachers. Tim was born after the start of World War II, and as a result of the blitz he was evacuated with his mother in Devon. The evacuation was timely; the empty home in London was soon afterwards badly damaged in the bombing. After the war Tim began his education at a Croydon primary school and the at Dulwich College in London; but this was sadly interrupted by the sudden death of Tim's father when Tim was 13. With the help of family friends Tim's mother obtained places for Tim and his younger brother Chris at the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. Amid the remote countryside, away from depressed, post-war London, Tim began to develop that cheerful vitality which became his hallmark, running for miles through the fells and valleys, swimming and fishing in the rivers, and as a marauding flanker on the rugby field. Tim moved on to training in London in civil engineering and then took up wide ranging work in that field, later becoming civil engineering adviser to the Ministry of Planning in Saudi Arabia. His main enjoyment, however, was always in hands on engineering work. He specialised in sprayed concrete techniques which he used to construct domes on mosques in Saudi Arabia; he also combined artistic ability with sprayed concrete skills to construct concrete animals for zoos to the delight of children in locations across the Middle East. He later wrote a book on this process. However, Tim's lively working career was varied, and not confined to civil engineering. In an interlude from engineering work he ran a tug company on the River Thames, once again never happier than when on board himself, steering a tug and swapping jokes with the East End crew. In 2000 he moved to Ireland with his family and came back to civil engineering, gradually moving into conservation engineering, chairing the Conservation unit at Engineers Ireland for a period. He also interviewed prospective Irish engineers for membership of the Institution. He occasionally commuted to London to interview prospective engineers for the conservation section of the Institute of Engineers, London. From time to time he worked on historic projects in London. Tim was passionate about preserving historic buildings in Ireland and worked hard locally in this connection. Tim also took a positive and active interest in local politics first as a member of Sinn Fein and later independently. He was a keen and capable sailor. In his younger days he raced dinghies and more recently he sailed round the French, Irish and UK coastlines plus time in the Baltic Sea with his wife Gabrielle. Tim will be sorely missed by his wife Gabrielle; his brother Chris; and by his four sons John Richard, Cieran, Dominic and Benedict. Tim faced the sudden onset of his illness with courage and dignity. He passed away calmly and gently surrounded by his loving family whom he had himself so deeply loved. 'The elements so mixed in him/That Nature might stand up and say to all the world/This was a man.' A mass to celebrate Tim's life will take place at the New Ross (Catholic) Parish Church of St Mary & St Michael on Saturday, April 13, at 6 p.m. Funding amounting to 133,000 has been allocated to develop Duncannon harbour and New Ross marina's pontoon. 112,500 is being allocated to Duncannon for structural repairs to the harbour wall and 22,500 is being allocated to repair works to a pontoon at New Ross Marina. Minister Michael D'Arcy Jnr welcomed the funding. The landmark Bring Your Own Chair project is arriving in Ballyhack this Saturday. The project is back for the months of April, May and June with exciting, visual and community-focused events planned for Wexford, Kilkenny and Waterford which celebrate each region's uniqueness, customs and meeting places. Visual artist, Michelle Browne, and her team have worked with selected rural communities across the three counties over the past year. They've been examining their layout and design, finding out where their meeting places were and are today. The Bring Your Own Chair team has also looked at how life has changed since the so-called Celtic Tiger era. Together, they've also developed a series of town motifs, pictures and stories around what sets each community apart. The final phase of the Arts Council's Making Great Art Work - Open Call Award project is now about to begin with a striking, visual and participative event in Ballyhack in Wexford at high tide, just after 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 6. It sees members of the community bring their own chairs onto the deck of the local car ferry for a journey to remember. This event connects to the strong traditions the people of Ballyhack village had to salmon fishing on the estuary for generations and how they lived by the tides, Michelle Browne explains. 'We are inviting the people of Ballyhack to wear blue and bring their own chair and board onto the Passage East Ferry at Ballyhack. No cars will be allowed on the ferry for the journey. The ferry will go out onto the estuary and instead of heading straight to Passage East it will reorientate so that people have a view up the estuary. It will be a fun and engaging event and we plan a little Mexican, or more like Wexican, wave for the cameras,' Michelle added. Michelle said each community on their incredible sense of engagement. 'When theatre and cinema first started out in Ireland, people would bring along their own chair to a community hall or another meeting place for screenings or performances. Bring Your Own Chair is reviving that tradition and getting communities to rally and gather for events planned over the coming three months. 'After Ballyhack, we're planning equally visual events across the three counties.' In Wexford, they've done research with schoolchildren, adults and the elderly across Ballyhack, Taghmon, Bunclody and Courtown. In Kilkenny, they've engaged closely with the community in Slieverue. Several business owners in New Ross feared they were facing having to close their doors last week after a confusing and poorly worded rates valuation letter was sent to them. New Ross & District Chamber of Commerce had to send a warning letter to its 200 members on Thursday after discovering that some details were incorrectly recorded in a "Proposed Valuation Certificates" issued to a member on the March 15 from the Valuation Office A Chamber spokesperson urged all members to check their certificates carefully. 'If you are dissatisfied or unsure with any of the particulars contained in your Proposed Valuation Certificate and wish to discuss with the Valuation Office there is a walk in clinic available today at the Tholsel on Quay Street. If you need clarification on any aspect of your notice you may e-mail Reval2019@valoff.ie or contact their Helpline by telephoning 01 817 1033 between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.' Cllr Anthony Connick said he has been inundated with calls from business people in New Ross about the issue. He said contrary to what appears to be said in the letters, most New Ross business owners will have their rates reduced under the new valuation system. Cllr Connick said he went to one of the two information sessions held in New Ross last week to complain about the wording of the letter. 'I went in to air that I was disappointed. It's not fair.' He said people thought they were to multiply their rates rent valuation total by 73 per cent to determine how much rates they owe, when in fact they are to multiply it by .257. 'There should have been a better explanation letter (of how it works). People think there has been a 300 per cent increase in their rates bill. They should have been given an example and told "this is the charge for your rates". Also it's only an indicative value, which can be subject to change. They can go up or down.' Cllr Connick said the 73 per cent rate was the old system but since then a new system has been introduced. 'Under the new system the rates valuer has measured all of the buildings per square foot and different rates apply for different types of businesses, as in a garage or workshop is rated differently to a cafe.' Cllr Connick was one of four county councillors to vote against the rates increases. 'The other 30 were for them. Now I know a lot of people are angry.' He said some business owners are falling between 'two stools' as they are being told to contact the valuation office, which is a national body, and yet if they want to get an exemption they have to go through their local authority. He said the number of people attending the rates clinics has been very big. 'I'm telling every owner that they can appeal until April 23. Afterwards you'll incur a penalty. I'd encourage people to attend the walk in clinics and talk to valuers.' Cllr Michael Sheehan called on the council to strike the same rates for the next three years to ease the burden on the county's hard pressed businesspeople. He said a rebate system introduced last year to help businesses with the rates harmonisation increases has worked well, while acknowledging that there are huge fears among businesspeople in New Ross about rates increases. 'The letter sent out could have been far clearer. It's life or death for a lot of businesses in town where we have six premises empty in the last six months. If some place's rates go up they'll say they'll have to shut their doors. The letter does state that it is not a rates bill. I've had conversations with about a dozen people and most say their rates bill has gone down by around 100 or more.' Cllr Sheehan urged people to appeal the rates bill anyway. 'I want everyone to be sure that any information in terms of rental, footfall etc is taken into account.' He said a second round of clinics are being held in New Ross for hotel and catering business owners shortly. 'I have asked them to come back down and they will see what they can do.' A Dutch TV star, accompanied by comedian Andrew Maxwell, visited New Ross with a film crew to feature the town in a series which will be aired to 500,000 people later this year. Tom Egbers of NRT TV is travelling around Ireland with a film crew, shooting a travel documentary about Ireland's great towns. Mr Egbers is a household name in Holland and has English and Irish ancestry: his great-great grandfather emigrated to Holland. He wanted to retrace his steps and that led him to Ireland's most famous Famine ship, the Dunbrody moored in New Ross. Arriving on the sunniest day of the year so far on Tuesday, the crew were able to get excellent shots of the town's streets, including Mary Street and Quay Street, before venturing over to O'Hanrahan Bridge and the Dunbrody Visitor Centre. Show producer Carry Waalderbos said the town will be highlighted at the start of each of the six episodes of the show, which is due to air in Holland next winter. 'This is a pilgrimage for Tom, whose ancestors were Irish on his father's side and English on his mother's side. We invited Andrew along as he can give him a tour with an Irish perspective as Andrew is an Irishman based in England and Tom is from England. It's like Spain here in New Ross today with the weather.' She said Mr Egbers is on a personal journey and is looking forward to travelling the country. Maxwell showed him around the Dunbrody Famine Ship and centre, giving him a flavour of the local cuisine also during their visit. Ms Waalderbos said the show will give a fresh perspective of Ireland today amid the chaos of Brexit in the UK, focussing on the country's culture, heritage and economy. A call was made to have an emergency house for homeless people in New Ross to be moved on a rolling basis as its occupants can and do, at times, upset their neighbours with their behaviour. The William Street house is provided by Focus Ireland for tenants who find themselves in difficulty. Speaking at the monthly meeting of New Ross Municipal council, Cllr Michael Sheehan said: 'We need to move the house on a rolling basis. Some of the tenants have had a detrimental effect on the area. Neighbours have been left terrified and have seen gardai on the street in full body suits, which is a shocking site. Some of the characters we have put in there you just wouldn't want to meet them I think it would be appreciated if the housing officer had a chat with Focus Ireland.' Cllr Anthony Connick supported Cllr Sheehan's appeal. 'It's very unfair. Some of the neighbours are there 40 years and are being intimidated.' The Pat Byrne Memorial Road Run takes place on Sunday, April 7, in Adamstown village. The event always attracts a colourful array of vehicles into Adamstown village and everyone is welcome to come along on the day and enjoy the spectacle. Registration is at 11.30 a.m. and the run itself will start at 1 p.m. travelling a distance of 32km in a scenic route looping back to Adamstown. Everyone is to meet in the community centre in Adamstown at 3.30 p.m. for food and raffles afterwards. All vehicles are welcome and the total sum of proceeds raised will go to Adamstown parochial funds. This promises to be a great family fun event for young and old. Participants in this year's Arts Ability Programme were the celebrated guests at the launch of an exhibition of their paintings, sculpture, poetry and music in the County Hall in Carricklawn. The exhibition titled 'Rainbows & Bandaged Skies' is the work of adults attending the County Wexford Community Workshop in New Ross; Killagoley Training and Activation Centre, Enniscorthy; Wexford Residential Intellectual Disability Services, Enniscorthy and Wexford Mental Health Association. Now in its 15th year, Arts Ability is an initiative of Wexford County Council's arts department in association with HSE Disability and Mental Health Services, the Arts Council and the participating centres. It offers people in healthcare venues the opportunity to develop their personal and artistic potential through working with professional artists who this year included Declan Kennedy, Kathleen Delaney, Sylvia Cullen, Emily Redmond and Oonagh Latchford. County Council chairman Cllr. Keith Doyle congratulated the artists on 'a truly amazing selection of artwork, writings and music' and said he hoped they will continue to create more amazing art for many years to come. The chairman welcomed a new partnership between Wexford County Council and the HSE which was established this year to promote music as a medium for well-being and recovery from mental health difficulties as well as promoting community integration among service users. Inner Harmony, a new community choir formed as part of a Wexford Mental Health Association programme, performed at the exhibition launch with their teacher/conductor Emily Redmond in a singing and drumming display which included the beautiful song 'Bring Me Little Water Silvie'. The exhibition of 80 artworks and a poetry corner (with scrolls of individual poems to take away) by 44 visual artists and 22 writers, was officially opened by Helen O'Donoghue, a senior curator and head of engagement and learning with the Irish Museum of Modern Art who said it was wonderful to see the work of one county drawn together across various art forms. She said the Arts Ability programme is about belonging to a place where people care about us and allow us to express ourselves. Ms. O'Donoghue said there is a common thread in the work that reveals careful attention and teaching and it is 'really, really beautiful'. 'Please continue to paint and draw, to sing songs and write poetry because it really is an important part of who we are', she said. County Wexford Arts Officer Liz Burns acted as MC and described the exhibition as a display of 'really strong sustained art practice on all levels'. 'It's great to see the work being celebrated and showcased', she said, thanking the technical team for the installation work. The exhibition continues until May 17 It was put together by guest curator Catherine Marshall who wrote a response to the work in an accompanying brochure, explaining that the title was prompted by Andrew Murphy's concept of the bandaged sky and the rainbow which is also referenced in the writing of another exhibitor, John D. Yates. 'Andrew Murphy's Bandaged Sky suggests healing, perhaps in reference to global warming and climate change', wrote Catherine, adding that: 'Whatever the cause of the wound, art is the cure, while John D. Yates's rainbow is the smile of women and children, of innocence and beauty. And so it is, not just for the artists, writers and musicians in this exhibition but for all of us'. 'Why do we sing, wrote or paint, if not to reach across boundaries, sometimes to others, sometimes just to ourselves. In that act of expression and creativity, we are saying, as Jane Clarke pointed out:'My life matters and your life matters too'. 'It has been a great privilege to work with the artists, writers and musicians from across County Wexford who participated in this exhibition of work from communities of very different interests. I made many visits to the county during the process of selection but they were never enough. I went away each time, wishing I had an excuse to stay a bit longer, feeling that my life too, mattered', she said, adding that this was due to the participants and also to the extraordinary vision, sensitivity and commitment of the artists. Theatre fans in Sligo can look forward to another comedy from the Druid theatre, Furniture, which comes to the Hawk's Well this month. Written by Sonya Kelly the light-hearted production examines the human fascination with material goods in a humorous and witty way, focusing on three very different relationships. Among the actors starring in the production are Niall Buggy, Garrett Lombard and newcomer Ruth McGill who hails from Ardara in Donegal. Although a regular in productions by the Abbey, Olympia and The Gate theatres, this is the first time Ruth has been involved in a Druid play and she said she is really enjoying the whole experience. She said: "We are currently on a 7-week tour, we are going around the country, it is great. We have been in Tralee, Limerick, Dun Laoighaire and then we are going to Ennis, Galway, Letterkenny and Sligo before continuing around the country. "This is my first time getting to work with Druid and it is really nice. It is such a brilliant company to work with, it is so well run. "Furniture is directed by Cathal Cleary from Roscommon, it was at the Galway Arts Festival last year but I wasn't in it then. I feel really lucky that I am in it. "It is a real, beautiful play. Sonya Kelly is an actor and writer and she is a very witty woman and this is a smart comedy full of one-liners and I suppose sort of cryptic pieces. "I am in the one in the middle. It centres around the idea of furniture being the connecting point between characters, sort of about the worth people put on possessions or in the case of relationships sometimes the other person might not have that connection. "We are a lesbian couple in my piece that have only known each other a month after meeting on Tinder and decided to move in together. I move into my character's partner's (Helen Norton) beautiful home with my things which don't complement her things, our values are so different. It is about the material world too and how much importance is put on stuff whereas in terms of human connection it is not given as much worth," Ruth explained. The play is divided into three segments with the first based with a couple in a gallery exhibition, the second features Ruth while the third is about the story of an older, dying gay man and his nephew and about who gets what when the man dies. "It is a very funny play, a comedy that arises out of something other people take very seriously. "In the third piece it looks at the importance you place on things and then after you are gone what happens to them and who gets them. "Furniture isn't sentimental, rugs won't remember the dances, wardrobes won't remember the clothes, it is such a beautiful piece of theatre, I suppose it is like a mirror to our lives, about our own frailties. "It may sound serious but it is very, very funny and wacky. My piece is really high-octane. "There are six actors in total, all beautiful people to work with. "It is really lovely touring around Ireland and I am really looking forward to going to Sligo and Donegal too. "I was in Sligo many times at the Feis Ceoil and we have good family friends there. "I have a lovely sentimentality with Sligo, I remember performing in the Hawk's Well with the Feis Ceoil and I was there 11 years ago too with Turn of the Screw. I am really excited to be going back," Ruth added. Her career began after studying acting in Trinity College back in 2000 and she has been based in the city since. "I never went to London, I stayed in Dublin. I had a child when I was 25 so I was early to motherhood! "I feel very lucky with what I have done over the years, with the Abbey and Gate etc. "I haven't much else right now for the rest of the year, that is the precariousness of the business but I am also into singing and am a singing teacher so it is nice to have that balance too," Ruth added. Furniture comes to the Hawk's Well theatre on April 12th and 13th. A couple who claimed they were deceived in a pony deal stated they had been very naive. That was the opinion of Terri Ewing when she was cross examined by defence barrister Pat O'Sullivan during the trial of alleged deception by pony seller Michael Kearins between August 24th and October 19th, 2012 over the sale of ponies. Mrs Ewing said that she and her husband had gone into the deal with 'open hearts' and said 'we trusted rather blindly'. Mrs Ewing believed the couple lost in the region of 25,000 as a result of the deal in which they believe Michael Kearins sent a pony to them in Spain which was not the one they had viewed or agreed to receiving. Asked if she had ever contacted Michael Kearins to privately ask him to source a quiet pony to replace the Skewbawld 'Buddy', Mrs Ewing said this never happened and that she and her husband had not heard anything from Kearins since October 19th, 2012. When asked in cross examination of his evidence if he had emailed the couple after October 9th to inform them that Buddy was not for sale, Kearins said, "There was no more Buddy after the 9th". Kearins said he spoke to Mrs Ewing regarding the purchasing of Spot but did not speak to Sean after October 10th. Cash was asked for the purchase of Spot and said he would not have gone to get a pony if Mrs Ewing did not want it. When it was put to Kearins that Mrs Ewing maintained she would not purchase a pony without having seen it and that is why she and her family travelled to Ireland in August 2012, Kearins replied, "She knew I was a member of Irish teams and I was to come out to her home. She trusted me."Asked if Spot was a 'ringer for Buddy', Kearins denied this. He said he was contacted by Mrs Ewing to say 'it wouldn't work' after the ponies arrived and he told her he would go to Majorca to 'sort it out'. Prosecution barrister Ms Dara Foynes put it to Kearins that the Ewings did not hear from him again after they had made a complaint. "The evidence is you tried to deceive them," said Ms Foynes, to which Kearins replied, "I definitely did not try to deceive anyone with a bad pony." Accused Michael Kearins told Sligo Circuit Court he did not try to deceive anyone and said he sent the Skewbald pony called Spot, instead of Buddy because this had been agreed with Terri Ewing. Taking the stand on the thrid day of the four-day trial, Michael Kearins told the jury of four women and eight men that horses were 'his life' and he has sold over 100 horses to date, ranging in prices from 50,000 to 400,000. Kearins outlined that along with show jumping in five star events, he is also paid to ride ponies and act as agent in selling ponies. He said that he only ever had one pony for sale Teddy (Blue Rose) and when Mr Ewing expressed an interest in getting two, he contacted Felix Burke, as he knew he had a good pony called Soldier (Buddy). The 36 year old said after speaking to Mr Burke he was free to negotiate the sale of Buddy and include commission for himself. He told the court that Felix Burke wanted 4,500 for the pony and he informed Burke he had clients for the horse and that he told Sean the price and that his neighbour had a pony. "I said 8,000 - 8,500 and knew there'd be room to talk on it. If he offered me money on the day I could have sold it," said Kearins. Referring to the intial deal, Kearins said he agreed to 20,000 for two ponies (Teddy and Buddy) minus the price of one way delivery. "I said I wouldn't drive and that could come out of the price," said Mr Kearins who told the court he was then unsure why Mr Ewing did then not want to proceed with the deal. "I was in negotiations with Sean, but also Terri," said Kearins. It was heard that on October 4th Mr Ewing sent Kearins an email detailing that the offer was for 20,000, less the cost of returning the horses to Ireland when the family returned and also include saddle and tack and Kearins' time in helping his daughters with the ponies. He asked for Kearins' bank details in order to pay 10,000 as a deposit and said he would pay the balance when Kearins came down to Majorca. However, it was heard that when Mr Ewing was away in Australia on business Terri recieved an email from a haulage company saying it was leaving Sligo with just one pony and that the couple were required to cover the transport costs. In her evidence Mrs Ewing said this set 'alarm bells ringing' and she told the company to return to Kearins' yard with Teddy. In email correspondence, Mr Ewing told Kearins he was informed of the situation and that the couple never agreed to one pony being sent. He told Kearins a phone call had been received from Kearins' father Colm, asking for the balance to be paid before the second pony was sent but that it was agreed between Mr Ewing and Michael Kearins that the balance was to be paid when he visited Majorca. In the email he said, 'Keep the ponies, or write a cheque for the monies paid in good faith' and said a price for one pony was never discussed.' On October 12th Mr Ewing received a reply saying, 'Hi Sean I agree with moving forward with ponies'. Mr Ewing replied the following day to clarify delivery costs to be covered by Kearins and the items to be included with the ponies. He added that he received a reply noting Kearins agreed to the email. In further exchanges on October 18th, Mr Ewing detailed that he had had enough and his brother would visit the yard the following day to collect a cheque for 10,000, a return of the deposit paid and if he was not agreeing to cover return costs of 3,500 for the ponies then he should retain his ponies. He added that if Kearins failed to return the monies Mr Ewing would take legal steps. In a further email Mr Ewing referred to a phonecall which he maintains took place between himself and Kearins and set out that a balance of 2,458 for the two ponies would be paid the following day by his brother and passports for the ponies should be available and trasnport organised. He said Mr Kearins replied, 'I agree'. In cross examination by Pat O'Sullivan BL, Mr Ewing said Mr Kearins was always acting as principle in selling the animals though there was mention when they visited the ponies for the first tiem that his father Colm owned Buddy. Mr O'Sullivan put it to Mr Ewing that in his statement to gardai he referred to Kearins selling teh pony on behalf of a neighbour. "When they tried to sell us teh two they told Terri the Skewbald was owned by Colm. There was a lot of deception and lies around these ponies. He never informed me he was selling as agent. I only sent money to Michael Kearins' account." Referencing Mr Ewings description of the animals as being in poor condition, Mr O'Sullivan said his client would maintain that animals would be a week to recover from being transported, to which Mr Ewing said he did not expect them to turn up 'skeletal'. Mr O'Sullivan put it to Mr Ewing that his client never suggested that Spot was Buddy and Mr Ewing said the last he heard was that the ponies and passports were loaded for trasnport. "The agreement was for two ponies, Teddy and Buddy and I mentioned the two [in the final email], I never heard of Spot. I bought Teddy and Buddy and I got another pony." Mr Ewing told the court that the decision was made to return the ponies in January of 2013 as the animals were costing money in livery and veterinary bills. When it was put to Mr Ewing that Kearins had made an agreement with his wife to source another pony after Buddy was no longer available, he responded, 'That's a lie'. He added that it was 'proposterous' to suggest that his wife would give a pony to their daughter without having seen it or ridden it first. It was also put to Mr Ewing that he was previously arrested on suspicion of fraud in California. Clarifying this, Mr Ewing said that he was chairman of a large global company worth $1 billion and the issue was a 'books and records violation' against three employees. Mr Ewing said he was never indicted and all matters pursuant to him were dismissed with prejudice. He said he made an offer of $8 million which was accepted by investigators in 2016. To clarify matters prosecuting barrister Dara Foynes put it to him that Mr Kearins would say that he was in discussions with his wife Terri in relation to the ponies. Mr Ewing said all commercial discussions were through him. He said is wife was never going to bring another pony she had not seen to Spain. Asked if he had heard from Kearins after the ponys were sent, Mr Ewing said between 2012 and 2017 he had heard 'nothing'. A stud farm owner who has taken care of the Skewbald pony known as Spot at the heart of the trial told the jury the pony is 100% bomb proof . Taking the stand on the fourth day of the trial, Padraig Howley who has had horses and ponies all his life gave evidence after video footage was shown to the court of his eight year old grandchild riding the Skewbald pony which Mr Howley has been taking care of since 2014. Mr Howley told the court that the pony has been used by various children for experience and Spot is used as a quiet pony. He added that Michael Kearins still owns the pony and did tell him there was a mix up and said he could not sell the pony. Mr Howley said he is currently providing livery for the pony, costing on average 600 per month and that Kearins promised Mr Howley would be paid one way or the other. Its a very simple brilliant pony, 100% quiet and never put a foot wrong. Twenty kids have rode him and hes been at a hunt, hes 100% bomb proof, said Mr Howley. Asked in cross examination if a pony could be turned around in a nice environment, Howley disagreed and explained if a horse does not have the temperament you can do all you like but it wont work. Addressing the jury in her closing speech, state prosecution Dara Foynes BL questioned why Kearins did not present himself to gardai if he was of the opinion that the agreement between the Ewings was fulfilled. Ms Foynes, said that if Mr Kearins had a cast iron agreement with Mrs Ewing then why didnt he present himself to gardai? Detective Garda Joe Scanlon had previously given evidence that he made contact with Kearins while he has back in Ireland for a family funeral and this contact came after four and a half years of attempts after Mr Ewing made the initial complaint on November 1st, 2012. Ms Foynes said that this was a nasty business and a well organised and deceitful fraud. Ms Foynes said Kearins had told Gardai he did not know there was any issue with a pony when interviewed in 2017, but that he had told Mr Howley in 2014 there was an issue. Defence Barrister Pat OSullivan said his client was open and straightforward and he did not get a lookalike for Buddy, but there had been a misunderstanding. He said Spot was never misrepresented to be Buddy. A woman who received 'deeply inappropriate' texts from her ex husband has said the incidents caused her 'extreme anxiety'. In a Victim Impact Statement at the sentencing of Brendan Quinn of 2 Ocean View, Enniscrone, Deirdre O'Loughlin told Sligo Circuit Court her ex husband called her incessantly and harassed her via text. Quinn pleaded guilty to the harassment of his ex wife between November 26th, 2015 and October 6th, 2016. The court heard Mr Quinn and Ms O'Loughlin have two teenage sons together and after seperating in 2010 they continued to raise the children jointly, organising this via text. According to State prosecutor Dara Foynes BL, 1,190 texts were sent between the two parties during the aforementioned time period, with 137 of these texts being described as 'deeply inappropriate' and 'insulting and derogatory' towards Ms O'Loughlin's new relationship. The court heard the text messages were 'triggered' when Ms O'Loughlin's then partner was home from the UK. Quinn was arrested on December 14th, 2016. He admitted sending the texts but denied they were abusive and instead referred to them as 'informative'. Ms O'Loughlin and Quinn continued to co-parent after his arrest and to date there has been no abusive texts sent since. Garda Sean Campbell told the court things have 'quietened down' since December 2016. In her Victim Impact Statement Ms O'Loughlin outlined that she was nervous to attend events for her children for fear Quinn would 'verbally ridicule' her. Ms O'Loughlin had to hand her phone into gardai for two months to be analysed and this was an inconvenience. She said she attends her children's sporting events and her ex husband also attends. On behalf of his client, defending barrister Keith O'Grady said Ms O'Loughlin was a "decent, honest person who shouldn't have been put through this." Judge Francis Comerford decribed Ms O'Louglin as a "responsible parent" and commended her for continuing to communicate with Quinn regarding the rearing of their children. The Judge said Quinn had taken advantage of the communication necessary to co-parent, he noted that the texts were not at the 'upper end' of the harassment scale and the texts ceased following garda involvement. He noted Quinn's previous good character but added that an aggravating factor was that it was pre-meditated. Judge Comerford convicted Quinn of the offence and sentenced him to a three month suspended sentence for a period of two years. The Judge added that if there was any reoccurrence of texts during this time a prison sentence would be needed. International show jumper Michael Kearins claimed at his trail that he had an agreement with Mrs Terri Ewing to purchase a replacement pony when the Skewbald known as 'Buddy' was no longer for sale. The show jumper who has competed in the USA, Mexico, Belgium, Holland and England told his trial that on the night of October 9th, 2012 his father Colm travelled to Felix Burke's house, the owner of Buddy, but was informed the pony was no longer for sale and that is why the following morning one pony (Teddy or Blue Rose) was sent in transit which was later returned on the instruction of the Ewings. Kearins said he tried to contact Mrs Ewing on three occasions on the morning of October 10th to inform her that one pony was going. He told Terri Ewing that his neighbour was no longer selling Buddy and that she said one pony could not be sent. Kearins gave evidence that he told Mrs Ewing he knew of a pony that wasn't as good as Buddy but was a 'quiet pony'. He said he asked Mrs Ewing if he would pursue looking for another pony and Mrs Ewing replied 'You know what the girls need'. Kearins said he rang a man in Kilkenny about the pony and subsequently rang Mrs Ewing a second time in relation to it. He said he travelled to Kilkenny that afternoon to look at the pony and called Terri after viewing it to say it was suitable but that he needed the money for the pony before it left for Spain. When giving evidence and asked if she had had one to one negotiations with Michael Kearins regarding sourcing another pony, Mrs Ewing had replied 'absolutely not'. Asked by the defence if he had substituted a pony called Spot for Buddy, Kearins replied, 'I definitely didn't do that. Buddy was always the one to be sent out. When the deal wasn't done in a proper fashion Felix didn't want to sell." Asked if it was his intention all along to deceive the Ewings and that was why he initially sent out one pony, Kearins denied this and said he only sent one pony because he had just one to send and the transport had been organised for a week. "If Buddy was still available would it have gone out," asked Pat O'Sullivan BL. "Oh definitely, that was the perfect pony," replied Kearins. When asked further if it was his intention to defraud the Ewings, Kearins said, 'No chance, that's why I pursued to make a deal happen and make sure they get the right pony." Kearins said he had sold over 100 ponies in his career and when asked if any of his clients had complained he said, 'If the pony suited and was safe it was always kept'. When it was put to him that he made a gain from the transaction, Mr Kearins said he did not make 'any gain'. A family bought two ponies from an international show jumper but claimed one of them which was later delivered was different to the one they had agreed to buy. The couple said they were appalled at what they claimed to be the "deceit and double dealing." Michael Kearins, with an address at Knockbeg, Collooney, but currently living in the US, pleaded not guilty to a charge of deception between August 24th, 2012 and October 19th, 2012. He was represented by Mr Pat O'Sullivan BL instructed by Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor. The four-day trial at Sligo Circuit Court before Judge Francis Comerford heard that Donegal-born businessman Sean Ewing negotiated a deal with Kearins for two ponies, a Skewbald known as Buddy or Soldier and a grey mare known both as Blue Rose and Teddy. Mr Ewing and his wife Terri said they and their daughters were devastated when a pony named Spot rather than Buddy was delivered to their home in Majorca on October 30th, 2012. It was heard also that on October 10th, 2012 the family instructed a haulage company to turn around after they discovered just one pony was in transit and they were to cover the costs. The trial heard Sean Ewing contacted Kearins on August 24th regarding the grey mare he had for sale on DoneDeal and Kearins mentioned he had other quality ponies. The Ewings, along with their daughters Suzaanna and Allanah, travelled from Majorca to Sligo to view the grey mare, Teddy.Days later near Kearins' family home the family viewed the pony in an arena and the Skewbald pony Buddy then arrived. Kearins began jumping Teddy and the fences got higher and higher, according to Mr Ewing. The family were informed that Buddy was very capable and was worth consideration also. Mrs Ewing and their nine year old daughter Suzanna rode the gray mare Teddy that day. Mr Ewing said his wife was 'very safety conscious' and wanted to understand the animal's temperment. After viewing the ponies and riding them a second time at an indoor arena in Claremorris, Mrs Ewing was of the opinion they would be suitable for the children. On that same day pictures and video footage were taken of both ponies by the family. Mr Ewing said Kearins chased him asking if he had interest in the ponies and Mr Ewing told him he and his family were contemplating a move back to Ireland. Ewing told Kearins that because of this they were unsure about buying the animals at that point as the cost of transporting the animals to Spain were significant. A number of offers were made including a total of 20,000 for both ponies. It was agreed that a deposit of 10,000 would be paid from a family trust fund, with the balance to be paid when the ponies arrived in Majorca. Aughrim will be alive with the sound of music, song and dance next month at the County Wicklow Fleadh. The fleadh was officially launched in the village on Monday night at a county board meeting which was attended by delegates from the eight branches in Wicklow. Brid Mulkern, who is an officer in the Aughrim branch, said the event was a great success. 'It was great night and it really sets us up for the county fleadh which takes place now on May 11 in the Sacred Heart National School. We have all the entries in now and we are currently collating them and putting together a programme of events for the day. 'Competitions start on the day at 10 a.m. and there will be entries from all eight branches in the county on the day, young and old. There will be wide variety of acts on the day and a large amount of instruments too so it is sure to be a great day out,' sais Brid. A Wicklow town man has fulfilled a long-held ambition by appearing on the TV gameshow Countdown. Charlie Kavanagh, who recently moved to Enniscorthy, has been a fan of the show since it was first broadcast in the early '80s and was delighted to have been selected to pit his wits against fellow contestants. 'I have been a big Countdown fan for many years and it was always my ambition to appear on the show. I was delighted when I was selected. First you have to do a phone audition to prove you are of a certain standard,' said Charlie. His stint on the show was filmed in December of last year. His first appearance aired yesterday (Tuesday, April 2) and he also appears on today's show on Channel 4, Wednesday, April 3. 'It was a great experience and I absolutely loved it. I won the Countdown teapot as well, which was nice,' said a delighted Charlie. The Wicklow man was also impressed with how personable co-presenter Rachel Riley was with everyone on set. 'She was very nice and it was great to see how she interacts with everyone, from the audience, to the crew and guests. She was great. Nick Hewer was maybe a little more reserved.' An avid sailor and former Commodore of Wicklow Sailing Club, the Countdown teapot is not the only prize Charlie has collected in recent times. Last year, He was awarded the Fitzpatrick Salver by the Cruising Association of Ireland and the Traveller Trophy by Wicklow Sailing Club for his 2017 Slow Cruise Around Ireland. 'I undertook the trip over 5 months from May to October 2017, going anti-clockwise around Ireland. Several crew from Wicklow joined me on the voyage. There is a book in the pipeline which hopefully will be out over the next 12 months or so. In 2018, I did a cruise to West Scotland over eight weeks and am getting ready for a five-month cruise to the Baltic this year.' The old courthouse on the Boghall Road in Bray may be chosen as the site of the new Jigsaw youth mental health facility that's set to open in the county by the end of the year. Minister for Health Simon Harris will meet Jigsaw representatives and local vested groups on Friday to discuss it and other potential locations, but 'a huge amount of work has already been done' to ascertain the suitability of the disused site, a well-placed source said. Commenting on developments Minister Harris said: 'I am really excited to finally be in a position to get this fantastic resource open in Bray to serve young people throughout Wicklow.' Sinn Fein's Deputy John Brady told this newspaper that he has been talking about having the old courthouse earmarked for Jigsaw since 2012. 'It's lying vacant and has been derelict as such for ten years or more. It's a terrible sin to see it lying there in such a state,' he said. Meanwhile, Fianna Fail's spokesperson for Health Stephen Donnelly said a number of locations, mainly around Greystones and Bray, were still being considered for the new base in the county. 'We don't yet know where Jigsaw will set up base. It typically costs around 750,000 a year to keep a centre open and Jigsaw gets around 84 per cent of its funding from the HSE. A number of locations, mainly around, Bray and Greystones,' he said. The Wicklow TD welcomed the news. 'It means that anyone between the ages of 12 and 25 will be able to make an appointment to speak with a mental health professional, without needing a referral letter from their GP,' he said Jigsaw's services, currently in 13 communities across Ireland, are staffed by fully-trained professionals across a number of disciplines and provide a range of early intervention mental health services for young people aged 12-25 experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The new Wicklow base mental health base was announced in conjunction with a new Tipperary facility, growing the Jigsaw reach from 62 per cent of Ireland's youth population aged 12-25 to over 70 per cent. The HSE is the main funder of 13 locations nationally, providing in the region of 12m to Jigsaw at present. Existing locations are Donegal, Galway, Roscommon, Offaly, Kerry, Meath, North Fingal, Dublin 15, Tallaght and Clondalkin, Limerick, Cork and Dublin city. Between 2008 and 2016, around 16,000 young people attended Jigsaw. Minister Harris also said that he had visited Jigsaw projects in other locations. 'Each time I have been blown away by their success and the level of youth buy in. From working with the network on Jigsaw activists in our area, I know the Wicklow Jigsaw will be no different. It will be a fantastic asset for our community. I really look forward to sharing more details with constituents when the location and opening arrangements are confirmed. This is such positive news,' I want to thank the Bray Area Partnership and all out local mental health groups for working with me to ensure we got this across the line. I have been working to deliver a Jigsaw to Wicklow since before I was Minister for Health. Touring photographer Jack Lowe paid a visit to Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Station during the week. The visit was part of his Lifeboat Station Project, which will see him visit all 238 RNLI Lifeboat Stations in Ireland and the UK to photograph volunteer crews, using a camera dating back to 1905. Each image is made directly on a 12x10 inch glass plate known as 'ambrotypes, a technique developed in the mid-1800's. Jack processes each glass plate in his mobile darkroom, which is a converted former NHS ambulance aptly named Neena. Jack scheduled his visit to Wicklow to photograph the all-weather lifeboat Annie Blaker and capture a slice of history, before her retirement as the last Type class lifeboat in service with the RNLI. The Project is the first time anyone has tried to create a complete photographic record of every single RNLI lifeboat crew, so it will have enormous historic significance. The Project is in it's fifth year and is expected to be completed by Jack in 2022. The photographs will ultimately be showcased in a stunning exhibition and book, both of which are set to be huge fundraisers for the RNLI. Five members of Wicklow Search and Recovery, associated with Wicklow Sub Aqua Club, were honoured with Long Service medals at a ceremony held in Nenagh. This was part of a larger presentation of over 150 divers from all over the country by the Irish Underwater Council. Niall Teevan, Paul Tierney, Philip O'Donovan, Russell Atkinson and Glen Brennan were the five Wicklow club members to receive honours from Derek Flanagan, Officer in Charge, Malin Head Coast Guard Radio. The medals were awarded to divers who have provided over ten years continuous voluntary service to Search and Recovery searches. Club members are regularly called to assist the emergency services in both search and recovery operations. Each member has to undergo specialist training to carry out this dangerous task. Training to upskill is required every six months so all search and recovery personnel remain active and up-to-date on operational procedures. Liam Whelan is Dublin South Region Coordinator and Wicklow Sub Aqua and Search and Recovery Club work with fellow clubs in Naas, Dalkey and The Curragh. Wicklow Search and Recovery are hoping to purchase a new boat for search and recovery operations and would be grateful toward any donations or fundraisers organised on their behalf. The $175.5 billion state budget deal contained a lot of big-ticket items, but largely avoided blockbuster changes for organized labor and civil servants. That is about to change now that key lawmakers have more time to devote to their labor-related legislative priorities. With a little over two months remaining in this years legislative session, Democratic lawmakers said they will hit the ground running on some key issues affecting private and public sector unions and other working people. This includes resuming where legislators left off on a bill to expand the use of the prevailing wage on state-supported construction projects as well as proposals to increase workplace protections and benefits for a range of workers statewide, from firefighters to car wash workers. In a state where unions command loyalty from Democrats and Republicans alike, certain union-friendly legislation may have a relatively smooth path through the state Legislature. Other issues, however, face more formidable obstacles, such as upcoming proposals to decriminalize sex work, give collective bargaining rights to farmworkers and expand the prevailing wage, which continues to face resistance over the costs it adds to construction projects. Here is what four key lawmakers have to say about how the budget affects their work in the coming months. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Jessica Ramos Courtesy Jessica Ramos for State Senate Chairwoman, state Senate Labor Committee Did the state budget do enough to secure collective bargaining following the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31? Im very happy. Look, theres very few things that the state can do, but I think that were doing everything we can to ensure that we are protecting our unions and protecting public sector workers and Im not critical of the measures. Now that the state budget is over, whats coming up for your committee? We still have to address public works and the prevailing wage. I think that is really important and we have to make sure that we are talking to all the stakeholders so that we can come to an agreement that works. Construction workers and building maintenance workers who are working on publicly subsidized projects should be paid the prevailing wage. But there is still a lot more work to do in order to make sure that were hearing all stakeholders. This has historically been a bipartisan bill. The senator who carried the prevailing wage bill was former Sen. Terrence Murphy, who is a Republican. He did a lot of work on the bill and now Im picking up where he left off. I am looking forward to getting public works done this session. Thats one priority. Then there is the sweat bill, which aims to prevent wage theft. One of the major provisions in it is essentially to put a lien on an employers assets in order to make sure that they pay their employees what theyre owed. The third priority has to do with farmworkers. The farmworker bill is a human rights bill. I understand that it may it will affect the farming economy, but weve been holding up the farm economy on the backs of farmworkers for a very long time. They dont get days off. They dont have rights to unemployment benefits. They dont have the right to collectively bargain. They havent been collecting overtime pay. These are all things that nearly every other worker in New York enjoys. Ive visited upstate farms and there was one I saw in Wayne County two weeks ago where I met a farmer who owned an apple orchard. His farmworkers are very happy that they get a day off. They also get overtime pay, but the problem is that thats not the norm and I dont think farmworkers rights should depend on whether they are lucky enough to find a good farmer who will treat them the right way. I think their rights need to be codified. Any hearings in the works on this issue? Sen. Jen Metzger, who is chair of the agriculture committee, will chair upcoming hearings with me. Well have three hearings. One in her district, which is in the Hudson Valley. Another one will be in the Syracuse area and a third in Suffolk County. Theyll happen later this month. Republicans and some Democrats are pushing for changes to the Scaffold Law? What do you think? The Scaffold Law places 100 percent liability on the contractor and the developer. The problem in the construction industry is that there is such a race to the bottom. Weve seen employers who dont provide their construction workers with the equipment and training that is necessary to do the work. This is one of the most important laws that protect all construction workers and the fact is that the law saves lives, period. I will not be introducing legislation, nor would I support legislation that reforms the Scaffold Law. Any big labor-related legislation coming up in other committees? There is going to be legislation to decriminalize sex work in the next few weeks. We all know how controversial the topic can be, but its a conversation that needs to be had. Its important for us to be able to distinguish between sex workers who are doing it out of choice or circumstance and those who are doing it because of coercion. Its related to changing the penal code so I would imagine it would have to go through the Codes Committee. Peter Abbate Jr. New York State Assembly Chairman, Assembly Governmental Employees Committee What has your committee been up to in the past year? The most important successes weve had between last year and this year is counteracting the Janus decision. In the budget, we added some more protections for workers to keep their files confidential. I think weve done our part with the Janus decision. The good part is that the decision led to great education to inform union members what they get out of being a union member, where their dues go. I think a lot of people are under the misconception that too much of that money goes for political purposes. Is there anything in labor-related in the budget that has not gotten much attention? Collective bargaining was once again extended for five years and collective bargaining for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was also extended for an additional two years. I think that makes it easier. We all remember going through the New York City transit strike, and I think collective bargaining throughout the system has really helped with the labor situation. We dont have what youve seen in other states with the teachers unions walking out whether it is in California, Texas and other places. Instead, we have a good system of collective bargaining where people sit down and try to work out their problems. What are the big civil service issues before your committee? We passed a bill last year and just did a chapter amendment for first responders that will affect how they are promoted. One of the other things we are always looking for is how to be fair to the taxpayer while making sure workers are not abused. You hear so many complaints that the civil service is this and that. Meanwhile, you dont hear the stories where they are forced to work overtime because municipalities are not hiring people. Some workers are forced to work overtime so their pay and pensions get larger. But then an article appears in the paper saying these eight guys are making so much money in their pensions. Maybe if cities would hire and promote more people, there would be less overtime. Yet, the municipalities would rather pay down the road. If youre supposed to have 50 workers and you only have 25 and you force them to work overtime, thats not going to affect you immediately, but it will affect someone else if you kick the issue 15 years down the road. Firefighters and police officers in New York City say that they want to get pensions after 20 years, like their counterparts in other areas of the state. The pension reform theyre talking about is trying to get some of the things for the younger members they lost before. Its hard to see someone working next to you at the job and they get to retire after 20 years and youve got to do 22 years. Ive been here awhile and know that when things are taken away, people try to put them back 10 or 15 years later. Marcos Crespo Chairman, Assembly Labor Committee Where are we with the public works bill that would expand the use of the prevailing wage in state-supported projects? I think we will look to move the bill. Weve done this before and our priorities are clear that we believe in the prevailing wage. Im hoping that well get back to moving the legislation and I think the Senate will do the same. Then we can really have an honest conversation with the Second Floor about finding out where we all are. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has made his views clear about it. While it was not in the budget, he mentioned his support of it in his State of the State address. So I think there is room for all of us to figure out what those issues are and come to an agreement. Why didnt it make it into the final budget? I dont know. Thats hard to tell. I think that there were discrepancies on versions from both sides in terms of the impacts on affordable housing, brownfields and the industrial development agencies and authorities. I think there were several groups looking for exemptions. Were figuring out what, if anything, is workable or not. I think there was significant movement and it seemed to be coming together and then, like a number of other things, there was a lot going on and not a lot of time. But the prevailing wage remains a priority. What are your top priorities for the committee in the weeks ahead? Some of the bills that I continue (to think are) important include Carlos Law. The car wash workers minimum wage legislation is something that Im looking to move as soon as we get back. We want to continue to look at some of the ideas that came out of the sexual harassment hearing. We want to see what we can still do on that front. There is still a lot of work that remains to be done on policy, so we will have our hands full. Andrew Gounardes Courtesy Andrew Gounardes for State Senate Chairman, state Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee How did the budget process affect public sector workers? The governor proposed making retirees pay more for their health insurance benefits. We were able to successfully block implementation of that. The governor also wanted to make changes to the civil service process. We were able to block his proposal there too. These are things that people do not always notice, but they are a big deal to working-class folks. What were the proposed changes to the civil service process? They would have given the state more flexibility to have more open examinations and circumvent how it is required to make slots available for tests and filling positions. Lawmakers in both houses felt the system currently is working and we do not need to be making changes to it and we were able to successfully communicate that to the governor. And the changes to retirees health benefits? It was a proposal to have retirees pay more for their health insurance benefits. Right now under the law, retirees who are invested in the state do not often pay for their health costs. The governor was proposing to change that. When people take a job in the civil service, they sometimes take a lower salary on the promise that they will have a secure pension and that their health care needs will be provided for. This was a promise to them and it should not be a promise that is broken. What is coming up before your committee? Even though the committee meetings have been short up to this point, that does not mean the work is not getting done behind the scenes. There are a number of areas that I want to look at though not so much on the pension side of things. We have an aging workforce in this state. What are we doing to prepare for that wave of retirements? We have to fill these really critical jobs. How are the proposed cuts to the public service loan forgiveness at the federal level going to affect our ability to recruit doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, architects and anyone else that we need in the public workforce. These are the kind of broad, thematic areas that I am looking at. We will do a series of hearings and task forces and look at legislation where appropriate. That will be our big focus. Other things that I want to add to that is how we are treating a lot of our 9/11 workers. Are we making sure that we give these first responders all the benefits that they are entitled to? There are a couple bills that we have advanced on that. How much of your job is resolving how different benefits play out for different people in the civil service? Everyone wants a piece of the same pie, but theres a difference between being a firefighter, a police officer, a teacher or a corrections officers. Theyre all important, but within the realm of what we can do, we want to make sure that they are being treated fairly for the work they are doing for us. How is dealing with the Republicans different in the committee compared to the broader Senate? Were very fortunate here in New York because it is a highly unionized state in both the public and private sectors. Both Republicans and Democrats are thankful that we have police, fire, emergency medical services, corrections officers, teachers you name it. Its not a partisan issues for us. Youve been hosting weekly Friday Twitter threads with constituents. What are you hearing? There have been a couple of times when people have commented about issues relating to EMS workers because we know there is a big problem with how the City of New York is treating its EMS workers. There are big recruitment and retention problems with EMS because they are all jumping over to FDNY because of the pay disparity between the two. There have also been issues with some of the park rangers who have concerns about their collective bargaining agreements and their retirement benefits. Those have been flagged through our weekly threads. I cant promise that Im going to have an answer for every problem but sometimes all people need to know is that someone is listening. Your predecessor, former state Sen. Marty Golden, also chaired the committee. Have you taken him up on his offer to help you? No, I think I got it. Nadia Forde and Rosie Connolly at the Great Lengths Hair Extensions at Charlotte Quay. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland Nadia Forde at the IFTA gala television awards ceremony held at the DoubleTree Hilton, Dublin. Picture: Mark Condren Nadia Forde blows a birthday kiss at the ODEON Charlestown to celebrate the cinema's first birthday where all cinema tickets all weekend are 3. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland. Nadia Forde at the 2016 Rehab People of the Year Awards at Citywest Hotel. Picture: Robbie Reynolds Brian Dowling as The Genie and Nadia Forde as Princess Jasmine at the Tivoli Theatre Dublin when they announced that The Cheerios Panto Aladdin will have an extended run until 22nd January 2017. Picture: Brian Dublin model Nadia Forde may have only welcomed her beautiful baby girl to the world less than a month ago, however the new mom and bride-to-be has already found a way to involve her little one in honouring the other special woman in her life when she ties the knot. Nadia is due to exchange vows with Welsh rugby player Dominic Day next summer, and the bride-to-be has revealed how the dress her daughter will wear for the wedding will honour her late mother, who passed away in 2015. London-based Nadia is having her mother's original Christening gown from the 1960s 'upcycled' into a dress for her daughter Wyatt Winnie Day to wear to her wedding, and says the idea 'means so much' to her. "Design meeting with @papertolace this morning to restore and rework my Mothers vintage christening gown from the 60s for our Daughter to wear at our wedding," the bride-to-be captioned a photo of the dress on Instagram. "Cant wait to see the finished result, means so much to me." Read More After a difficult relationship which saw Nadia estranged from her mother, Berenice Paolozzi, for some time, the pair eventually reconciled before she sadly passed away. Nadia later said that having time to spend with her mother after her cancer diagnosis was 'a blessing'. "I'm lucky enough that I was aware of what was happening so I had precious time that I'll never get back again and I made a conscious decision to come home a few months ago and live in the hospice," Nadia told Independent.ie in 2015. "It wasn't conventional," she said of their relationship. "There was a long period of time where we didn't see each other and didn't know each other and I think the one blessing about her illness was it gave me a chance to have a relationship with her." Video of the Day Fiance Dominic popped the question to Clontarf girl Nadia in New York in March this year, and the pair welcomed their first child in October. Dominic announced the arrival on Instagram with a snap of him carrying the baby in a car seat. Nadia announced the arrival of little Wyatt Winnie Day on Instagram, who she described as "our little warrior". He captioned the pic, "Life gets hard, kid. But well do it together X" The couple got engaged in New York in March and plan to get married next summer. Algerians whose pro-democracy movement has forced out long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika chanted, sang and celebrated their victory - and demanded other top figures leave as well. Tens of thousands of people massed in the capital's streets and marched towards the central post office, a symbol of a movement that has upended the energy-rich North African country in just seven weeks. Security was high, with roadblocks preventing buses of protesters from entering the capital. One group said they walked around 20km after their bus was stopped. It was the seventh straight Friday of protests against a leadership seen as corrupt and repressive, but the first since Mr Bouteflika resigned under pressure from protesters and the powerful army. "It's a little victory, but others should leave too," said Salim Mehdi, a 40-year-old protester . Mr Mehdi still lives with his parents and has not married because he has never found a safe job. One reason he is protesting is the limited economic opportunity for those outside the political elite. However, he said he is mainly protesting to show his frustration at a "corrupt, rotten system" where the same faces have been in charge for too long. The protesters want the departure of the men who head Algeria's three branches of power: the prime minister, the upper house of parliament's chief and the president of the constitutional court. "The people want them all to leave!" the protesters chanted yesterday. Some brandished signs calling for the exit of "the three Bs" - prime minister Noureddine Bedoui, Constitutional Council president Tayeb Belaiz and upper house of parliament president Abdelkader Bensalah. With the president gone, Mr Bensalah - a Bouteflika ally - is expected to take over as interim leader while Algeria organises elections. However, the movement has not coalesced around a single alternative candidate or plan to govern Algeria. Some of the protesters suggested appointing a government of technocrats - not including any of the current political leadership - while new elections are organised. The military chief of staff, Ahmed Gaid Salah, played a key role in pushing Mr Bouteflika towards the door and is considered the guarantor of Algeria's security, but many protesters disagreed with his strategy and are mixed about what role he should play in the political transition. The head of Algeria's intelligence service, Athmane Tartag, quietly submitted his resignation after Mr Bouteflika's departure, a security official said. Algerian news reports said the intelligence service, DSS, will now report to the Defence Ministry instead of the president's office. The company said that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the 737 Max from 52 to 42 planes per month (Ted S Warren/AP) Boeing will cut production of its 737 Max airliner this month, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its best-selling plane remains grounded after two deadly crashes. The company said on Friday that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet. We will carefully review the AIBs preliminary report, and will take any and all additional steps necessary to enhance the safety of our aircraft. Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister. Read the full statement: https://t.co/kBvAhlv4JC Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) April 4, 2019 Preliminary reports into accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that pushed the planes nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control over the automated system. In all, 346 people died in the crashes. Boeing faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by families of the victims. Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to review airplane design and development. The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max a discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air. A Boeing spokesman called it a relatively minor issue and said the planemaker already has a fix in the works. He said the latest issue is not part of flight-control software called MCAS that Boeing has been working to upgrade since the first crash. Expand Close Boeing is cutting production of its grounded Max airliner this month to focus on fixing flight-control software, the company said (Ted S Warren/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boeing is cutting production of its grounded Max airliner this month to focus on fixing flight-control software, the company said (Ted S Warren/AP) Chairman and chief executive Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and a response to the suspension of Max deliveries. Boeing has delivered fewer than 400 Max jets but has a backlog of more than 4,600 unfilled orders. The Chicago-based company had hoped to expand Max production this year to 57 planes a month. Indonesias Garuda Airlines has said it will cancel an order for 49 Max jets. Other airlines, including Lion Air, whose Max 8 crashed off the coast of Indonesia on October 29, have raised the possibility of cancelling. A Boeing official said Fridays announcement about cutting production was not due to potential cancellations. In a statement, Mr Muilenburg said the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment in effect, slowing down production now to avoid a deeper cut later, if fixing the plane takes longer than expected. Analysts say the absence of deliveries will eat into Boeings cash flow because it gets most of the cost of a plane upon delivery. Boeing declined to provide figures, but undelivered Max jets have been stacking up at its Renton, Washington, assembly plant. Boeing shares closed at 391.93 US dollars, down 3.93 dollars. In after-hours after news of the production cut, they slipped another 8.98 dollars, or 2.3%, to 382.85 dollars. The boy set off with what he apparently felt were the essentials for such a trip: a set of encyclopaedias, a toy aeroplane, money from his piggy bank, and a banana for sustenance. Stock photo It is a dream shared by many, to leave home and travel the world. An eight-year-old boy from Russia has now found fame online after he attempted to live that dream. The boy left a note for his mother saying he was going "around the world" and set off with what he apparently felt were the essentials for such a trip: a set of encyclopaedias, a toy aeroplane, money from his piggy bank, and a banana for sustenance. The young explorer - who has not been named but hails from the southern city of Astrakhan - was eventually found by a search team after his mother called the police, Russian officials said. He had travelled on three different buses and was continuing on foot when he was located hours after leaving home. He is said to have told rescuers he was feeling tired and ready for a rest - although it has not been revealed how far he had gone during his adventure. The story was detailed by the Russian Interior Ministry on the news section of its website. The young boy's exploits were shared widely by social media users across Russia and the rest of the world, who praised his adventurous spirit. "An eight-year-old boy from Astrakhan undertakes a round-the-world-trip by foot. Whereas I complain when I have to travel across town," one Twitter user wrote. "Seriously, " said another, "this makes me sad, because today for most Russians it's not just an around-the-world trip that is too expensive, they can't even afford to go to another country." ( The Independent) Greek police fired tear gas yesterday to disperse migrants who had gathered in a field near the country's border with Northern Macedonia in the hope of making their way illegally up through the Balkans toward northern Europe. Hundreds have made their way to the field in the village of Diavata since Thursday, galvanised by reports on social media of plans for an organised movement to cross Greece's north-west border with Albania in early April. Separately, migrants holed up in Turkey were heading toward that country's border with Greece following false rumours that Ankara had opened its border gate. Turkish authorities have detained nearly 1,200 migrants there, Turkish media reported. By yesterday morning, migrants had set up more than 100 tents in the field at Diavata. A crowd trying to make its way towards the Greek border scuffled with police who responded with tear gas. TV footage showed shrubs burning nearby. "It's a lie that the borders will open," Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Vitsas told state television, urging migrants to return to their accommodation centres. In Athens, a group of about 50 migrants squatted on the tracks of the capital's main railway station shouting "Germany!" and "Open the borders." Several more were at the station under heavy police presence. Services from the station were suspended. The situation revived memories of the 2015 migrant crisis, when more than one million people, mostly fleeing conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, travelled via Turkey, Greece and the Balkans toward western Europe. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said yesterday he would host a major rally of European nationalist and far-right parties to promote a shared political vision ahead of May's EU parliamentary elections. Mr Salvini leads the ruling League party and hopes to put together a bloc of like-minded, anti-immigration parties in the European parliament to challenge the traditionally predominant and mainstream centre-left and centre-right groups. However he has so far struggled to create a broad, sovereignist front in the 28-nation European Union, with a matrix of conflicting national interests hindering his progress. With time running out, he announced this week he would kick off his campaign for the May 26 vote in Milan on Monday with representatives of just three, relatively small far-right European parties. But speaking after talks with his long-time French ally Marine Le Pen, Mr Salvini told reporters he planned a much more ambitious election rally next month. "We're preparing a major event for the Europe of the next 30 years in May in Italy, where we'll invite all the European movements that are alternatives to the rule of the Socialists and the European People's Party of recent years," Mr Salvini said, referring to the EU's big leftist and conservative groups. "It will be the first time an event drawing together at least 15 or 20 European countries will take place in Italy," he told reporters in Paris. Mr Salvini did not say what other parties had signed up to the initiative, which the League hopes to hold in Rome's ancient chariot-racing stadium Circus Maximus. European parties have created multiple, pan-national groups in the EU parliament, with the League a member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), which includes Ms Le Pen's National Rally and Austria's Freedom Party of Austria. Mr Salvini wants to embrace other far-right or nationalist leaders whose parties are in different groups, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of Poland's ruling PiS party. Mr Kaczynski met Mr Salvini in January, but PiS, which is highly suspicious of the close ties Ms Le Pen and Mr Salvini have forged with Moscow, said yesterday it would not join the May rally. "We met [Salvini] a few weeks ago and we spelt out our conditions when it comes to the European parliament. "We do not envisage any further contact until after the election," said Tomasz Poreba, PiS's EU ballot campaign chief. Making clear its preferences, PiS this week welcomed Mr Salvini's old ally, the Brothers of Italy, into its EU group - the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe. "We are the real sovereignists. They are populists," Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni told 'La Stampa' newspaper on Thursday, referring to the League. "I don't think Salvini's project is very clear about what it wants with Europe." Mr Salvini said the three groups that would be joining him on Monday were the anti-euro Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, the conservative Finns Party and the Danish People's Party. AfD co-leader Joerg Meuthen told 'La Stampa' yesterday that although he and Mr Salvini had similar, anti-immigrant views, they had different positions on key economic questions, like the need to respect EU fiscal rules. "We cannot agree on everything. We will talk about it and find compromises," he was quoted as saying. We live in the age of the suicide bomber. From Brussels to Baghdad, London to Lahore, the suicide bomber has become a defining feature of the modern age. They are the real weapons of mass destruction. In total, since their first use to murder the tsar of Russia in 1881, there have been almost 14,000 suicide attacks, killing and injuring at least 220,000. And 40pc of those ever killed by a bomber's blast have been in the last five years. To put it another way, in 1976 the world saw no suicide bombs. Forty years later, 28 countries witnessed 469 strikes. In total, 60 countries have suffered from a bombing, with Iraq by far the worst impacted. This is followed by Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan and Syria. And while, of course, there is the suicide vest, there have been many ways suicide bombers have delivered their death. There have been underpants stuffed with explosive materials, shoes designed to be set alight on flights, motorbikes, planes, submarines and even donkeys that have borne bombers to their believed nirvana Some bombers have been 'lone wolves', others have gone to their deaths as whole families. Some have been disabled, lifted into the driving seat of a car for their final mission. Some were high on drugs. Others were depressives who used their final deadly act to end their own suffering. They have been Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Shintoists and Hindus (and one Jewish bomber whose bomb didn't detonate), and they have come from everywhere. Leaked recruitment files for Isis volunteers showed at least two dozen different nationalities agreeing to join the terror group's 'martyrdom' battalion. But, in recent years, almost all bombings have been perpetrated by Salafist jihadists; those heralding a warped vision of Islam - with Isis, the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram the most persistent proponents. Overall, this "weapon of the weak" has invoked terror like no other - helping level the field of battle and challenging militaries to their core. Terror that has led to changes that have fundamentally shaped the modern world. When the first suicide bomber murdered Tsar Alexander II in 1881, in an attack by the Russian dissident group 'The People's Will', the retaliation was brutal. His son, Alexander III, ordered the execution of those who plotted the attack, and then rolled back many of the reforms his father had sought to implement. He tore up ambitions for an elected parliament and, under his direction, the Okhrana, the secret police, became an iron fist - one that pioneered the use of fingerprinting, bugging and phone-tapping. These heavy-handed reprisals had consequences. In 1887, after an unsuccessful attempt on Alexander III's life, a batch of reactionaries were rounded up and executed. When the report of the hangings reached family members, one brother cried out: "I'll make them pay for this! I swear it." His name was Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by the alias Lenin. It is not hard to see how this cycle of attack and counter-attack, revolt and repression, led all the way to the Russian Revolution itself - the suicide bomber there from the start. Other monumental changes have been fuelled by the suicide bomber. Between October 1944 and August 1945, over 3,000 Japanese airmen died in their attempts to sink the Allied fleet. These Kamikaze strikes were born from a desperation at Japan's lack of skilled pilots and advanced weaponry, but they were also driven by an extreme devotion to Emperor and a notion of honour that shocked the Allies. So disturbing were these waves of suicide bombers that the spectre of the kamikaze was undoubtedly in the room when the Americans decided to drop nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The US military believed it would stop a Japanese population martyring themselves in defence of a land invasion. First, Communist revolution. Then, nuclear war. The next seismic shift in modern history fuelled by the suicide attacker was 9/11. This terrible atrocity created a modern ground zero. And in that devastation, restraint was lost. Invasion plans of Iraq were there from the beginning. Richard Clarke, the former US National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism, remembered American Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stating: "You know, we've got to do Iraq... There just aren't enough targets in Afghanistan. We need to bomb something else to prove that we're, you know, big and strong and not going to be pushed around." But this is what suicide attacks do - they obliterate perspective, and so much harm flows from that. What harm, indeed. Financially, the consequences of 9/11 have been eye-watering. It is estimated the US alone has spent over $5.9 trillion since 9/11. Politically, terrorism and counter-terrorism have helped fuel the creation of fortresses Europe, destabilised entire nations, and justified the passing of laws that endanger our civil liberties. Militarily, suicide bombers have changed the face of modern war. Boots on the ground have been replaced by drone strikes; heart-and-mind campaigns have been lost in the defensive 'bunkering down' that suicidal terror necessitates. Few would argue the 9/11 wars have been successful: in Afghanistan, violence has increased massively and opium crops soared. In terms of humanitarian harm, the mountain of the dead looms large. Almost 3,000 people died in 9/11, but the wars since have taken far more lives. 288,000 are listed dead in Iraq. Over 30,000 civilians estimated killed in Afghanistan. Suicide bombs invariably engender responses far deadlier than the original violation. Such violence has led to a global surge of refugees that, in turn, has fuelled populist fear. One survey found 59pc of Europeans believe refugees increase the likelihood of terrorism. The trauma of suicidal violence has spread beyond its casement and evoked sentiments that have, in turn, had seismic political effects. It will not end with the conquering of Isis in Iraq and Syria, either. Since 9/11, there have been 22 suicide bombers in Europe - all either born or resident there, and all but one Islamist extremists. Youth and a lack of employment seemed to have been a risk factor - their average age was 26, and 17 of them were unemployed. Intelligence chiefs across Europe regularly stress that the defeat of Isis in the field of battle does not mean the future threat is over. But what can be done to stop more attacks? It might sound naive, but a global UN ban of the suicide bomb could be a start. After all, when the Germans used poison gas in 1915, they did so in the belief it was a weapon of virtue, one that would hasten the war's end. Today, poison gas is seen with worldwide opprobrium, beyond the pale even of many who would resort to suicide bombs. Religious leaders need to be part of this condemnation - medieval tracts that promise bombers virgins in paradise should be condemned; Salafist leaders should be exhorted to disavow the targeting of civilians. We know that Shia leaders renounced such attacks, every influential Sunni leader should, too. Ultimately, Britain could take a stronger lead. A recent attempt to host a global counter-IED conference in London was prevented on security grounds: an intolerable sort of bureaucratic sluggishness. If the UK government once voted to go to war to stop so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, then it can invest considerably more in stopping the real Weapons of Mass Destruction that are the suicide bomber. This does not mean sending more planes to bomb Syria: a recent review of suicide attacks in Pakistan by the charity I run - Action on Armed Violence - has shown that US attacks were followed within a month, on average, by one more suicide bomb. It is clear that the Pandora Box of suicidal terror has been opened wide - and that violence will not close it. A coherent and imaginative response, though, might - one that seeks to address all the complex drivers of suicidal terror in moral and intelligent ways. The urgency is never greater. Because if we fail to address the rise of this terrible weapon, then we will see another 7/7, another Paris, another Manchester. This much is assured. But what follows after such horrors is not. Iain Overton is a journalist and author of 'The Price of Paradise: How the Suicide Bomber Shaped the Modern Age', published by Quercus Rwandan refugee children plead with soldiers to allow them across a bridge separating Rwanda and the country then known as Zaire where their mothers had crossed moments earlier (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) Twenty-five years ago, Rwanda descended into an orgy of violence in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by the majority Hutu population over a 100-day period in what was the worst genocide in recent history. The massacres, mostly by gangs wielding machetes, swept across Rwanda and groups of people were killed in their homes and farms, and where they sought shelter in churches and schools. Expand Close A Rwandan Hutu refugee child desperately tries to waken his mother (Javier Bauluz/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan Hutu refugee child desperately tries to waken his mother (Javier Bauluz/AP) The mass killings started after a plane was shot down on April 6 1994, in the capital, Kigali, killing President Juvenal Habyarimana. Expand Close A Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel walks by the plane wreckage in which Rwandas president Juvenal Habyarimana died (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel walks by the plane wreckage in which Rwandas president Juvenal Habyarimana died (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) The killers were encouraged by hate messages broadcast on radio stations while Rwandan police, military and other government authorities did not stop the killings. Expand Close A starving woman, one of thousands of civilians caught in the fighting between government troops and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels, sips milk at a makeshift health clinic in Ruhango (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A starving woman, one of thousands of civilians caught in the fighting between government troops and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels, sips milk at a makeshift health clinic in Ruhango (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) Scores of thousands of terrified Tutsis fled Rwanda for neighbouring countries including Zaire, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. Expand Close Tens of thousands of Rwandan refugees, who were forced by the Tanzanian authorities to return to their country despite fears they would be killed upon their return, stream back towards the Rwandan border (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tens of thousands of Rwandan refugees, who were forced by the Tanzanian authorities to return to their country despite fears they would be killed upon their return, stream back towards the Rwandan border (Jean-Marc Bouju/AP) The waves of murders continued until the rebel forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country. Expand Close A Rwandan child too weak to stand in line to receive a vaccination rests his head at the SOS village orphanage housing about 3,000 Rwandan children near Goma in the country then known as Zaire (Jacqueline Arzt Lama/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Rwandan child too weak to stand in line to receive a vaccination rests his head at the SOS village orphanage housing about 3,000 Rwandan children near Goma in the country then known as Zaire (Jacqueline Arzt Lama/AP) Paul Kagame, who led the rebels, helped re-establish order in the country and served as vice-president and defence minister from 1994 until he became Rwandas president in 2000. Expand Close Some of the 334 inmates, who were accused of committing war crimes and participating in the genocide, in prison in Kibungo, Rwanda, in 1994 (Javier Bauluz/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Some of the 334 inmates, who were accused of committing war crimes and participating in the genocide, in prison in Kibungo, Rwanda, in 1994 (Javier Bauluz/AP) The scale of the killings in 1994 was unimaginable but the reporting and photographs taken at the time helped to inform the world of the horrors of the genocide. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen behind his main challenger in opinion polls ahead of next week's election but still has an easier path to form a government that would keep him in power for a record fifth term. Mr Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival against former general Benny Gantz. The outcome is unlikely to be decided on election day. No party has ever won an outright majority in the 120-seat parliament, meaning weeks of coalition talks. Yesterday, Mr Gantz's centrist Blue and White party was projected to take 30 seats, more than the 26 forecast for Mr Netanyahu's Likud, according to a poll in 'Yedioth Ahronoth', which also projected a combined total of 63 seats for the parties in Mr Netanyahu's right-wing bloc, a slim but workable majority. The budget is done; the battle over rent regulations is only beginning. Among the most vocal advocates of strengthening tenant protections in the state Legislature this year has been Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie. The freshman lawmaker is teaming up with colleagues and activists to push not only for a renewal of the rent regulations that will expire in June, but also a big expansion of tenant protections statewide. If all goes well in the coming weeks, vacancy decontrol, the preferential rent loophole and other landlord-friendly provisions of state law could be kaput and Myrie says that is only one part of what he wants to get done. But the real estate industry is fighting back and there are no guarantees that progressive lawmakers like Myrie can accomplish all their goals before the Legislature adjourns towards the end of June. In an exclusive interview with City & State, Myrie outlines what he and his allies are hoping for in the remainder of the state legislative session and why the Yankees former closer Mariano Rivera is the right example for them to follow. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. There is a calendar on the front door of your Albany office counting down to the June 15 deadline to renew rent regulations. What is up with that? It is meant to impress upon people that this is a very urgent issue and I want to keep it at the forefront of peoples minds. Everybody that walks into my office is going to see that this is something that we have to address and we have to address it sooner rather than later. What progress has there been on rent regulations legislation since you took office? When people saw how quickly we were getting legislation passed in January, I would tell people new lawmakers like me are like the Mariano Riveras of the state Senate. A lot of the work on rent regulations has been done before and we have come in to close the deal. These are issues that have been talked about for years, such as getting rid of vacancy decontrol and reforming major capital improvements. But there is some new stuff like the Emergency Tenant Protection Act extension across the state that Sen. Neil Breslin just introduced. That has taken more work. Weve been talking to experts and advocates to really put forward the best piece of legislation possible and we are still discussing strategies about whether these should be individual bills or parts of one omnibus bill. I really trust the judgement Housing Committee Chair Sen. Brian Kavanaugh on this. Is repealing the Urstadt Law still a goal? Repealing this 1971 law would give New York City authority over rent regulations but some activists have said that doing that would reduce the urgency behind a statewide tenant rights movement. It might be somewhat counterproductive to say lets take away the power of the state to protect tenants statewide. I think we have to push for as much of the broader agenda as possible this year. People have seen the downstate-upstate coalition as unusual in the housing fight and focusing on Urstadt repeal at this point would not be the best thing for that effort. Sen. Julia Salazar has proposed a just-cause eviction bill. How does that fit into that effort? As bad as our rent regulations laws are in the city, outside of the city, the situation is even more dire because folks have no protections. You have folks in Rochester and Buffalo who can be evicted without any cause. They have no recourse. There is no agency they can appeal to. They have no statutes to rely on and thats a huge problem. Its critically important that we expand these protections across the state. The property tax cap has become permanent, is it time to do the same with tenant protections? I would like to see that. That, to me, would be the goal. I would love to see rent regulations be a permanent thing. I dont think that we should be fighting for this every few years and we should have it extended as long as possible. But we are up against some pretty powerful forces that are going to fight against that. They have successfully fought against it for as long as rent regulation have been in existence. Who are some of the activists you are working with? These are people that I have been working with prior to getting elected. Take Metropolitan Council on Housing, for example. Almost ten years ago, when I worked for the City Council and was coming up with the Tenants Bill of Rights for the city, I was working very closely with them. They continue to be involved in this fight. New York Communities for Change are also there. Really the entire Housing Justice for All coalition. We have been talking very frequently and you are going to see us working very closely, the legislators and the advocates, in making this a reality. What have you seen from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that concretely shows that he will be working with legislators on this? There were some proposals in the executive budget that spoke to some of the issues that we care about. There was an explicit reference to ending vacancy decontrol. There was a reference to reforming preferential rent in some type of way. And there was a call for an examination of the current status of rent regulation. I do think there is a desire there to get something done. I suspect that we want to get much more done than what was laid out in the executive budget and like all things in Albany, this is going to come down to negotiations, but I want to be unabashedly clear that this is my number one issue. Im going to be very forceful in my advocacy. Lets say there is a compromise that would allow a commission to determine how some of these proposals would work in practice. What do you think? Weve had enough lead time. Weve had enough discussions for what these policies should look like. There is no need for us to create a commission to look at these things that weve already examined. I think that would be a highly unfavorable outcome. Correction: An earlier version of this post had the incorrect deadline to renew rent regulations. The deadline is June 15. They could have been a couple in love. And perhaps they were. In their own way. Rami Elhahan and Bassam Aramin. Men in their fifties. All the tell-tell signs were there. The eyes. The eyes. The way they met. Their lightness and the gentleness of touches. The slightest of smiles. Then unexpectedly their arms reach across each other's shoulders and briefly rest there. Then pause. Eyes drop. And both briefly fall silent. A distance emerges. A quiet distance. A solitariness. A shadowed darkness. Then heads raised, they continue. I watch from a distance and know what is coming. If this is love and I've no doubt it is, it is borne out of a terrible, terrible grief. A shared grief. A shared story. Rami's I had heard the previous day. He's an ex-combatant. A dedicated fighter for a Zionist Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. A war he now deeply regrets being part of. And one that left him embittered, empty and traumatised, a beaten and battered young man. His late father, a Holocaust survivor, lost most of his family in Europe's concentration camps. Israel his place of safety. His place of refuge. "I am a Jew. I am an Israeli but first of all I am a human being," he tells his American audience who have come to hear him and Bassam speak. "But before everything else I am a human being." A pause and he continues. "My 14-year-old daughter Smadar was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber." Bassam shifts slightly, uneasily in his seat, his mobile phone pressed between his praying hands. Expand Close Connected by grief: Rami Elhahan and Bassam Aramin both lost children in the conflict / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Connected by grief: Rami Elhahan and Bassam Aramin both lost children in the conflict "I am a Palestinian Arab," he begins and immediately I sense he is pacing himself. Then a breath. "My 10-year-old daughter Abir was killed by an Israeli soldier." People listening perceptibly lean forward. The silence in the room. The empathy for the two men. A hard and bitter agony it is for them. I notice one listening man weeping. Awe and wonder. Disbelief from those listening that they could do likewise. There is a sense that their stories have been told before. But if so, the authenticity and taut tension has not diminished. As was the case with the mother I met earlier in the week. Her 16-year-old son was kidnapped and burned to death. A 16-year-old boy is burned to death. Sixteen years of age. Burned. To death. By a 29-year-old man and two underage accomplices. Her home a shrine to his memory. Inevitably, the questions move from the personal to the political. Who's to blame? One state or two? Banttanisation or Balkanisation? Federation or Confederation? "Give me one state, two states or 10,000 states," Rami had told me earlier in our one-on-one meeting, and we won't stop the hate. Rami, who other than in a conflicted confrontational context had never met a Palestinian until he was 49 years of age, and Bassam want to talk about love, reconciliation, forgiveness, ease, respect. Things that need to be heard within the partisan echo-chamber of this conflicted land. Things that can never be legislated for, no matter how many states one evokes. So too do other members of the Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families for Peace, that organisation that does not want any new members. They too want to talk about love and forgiveness. Peace. An escape from all the killing. All the hatred. Beyond this room, a cacophony of discordant voices gathers apace in the run-up to the April 9 elections. Hard, piercing, shrill voices. As harsh and unyielding as the 507km of walls that have sprouted and spoiled this holiest of lands. The walls of Bethlehem. The walls of Ramallah. The walls of Jerusalem. Walls on which that most reviled of Shakespeare's characters, the Jew Shylock, are paraphrased: "We all Bleed". Voices as harsh as a young Jewish settler teacher who told me that they don't think the same as us, they don't feel the same as us. The telling is in the they. A Canadian-born campaigner for the increasingly marginalised Labor party tells me that we won the war in 67 and we are entitled to the spoils of war. On the walls that divide this city, he says "the walls depress me. The walls show that we have failed as human being". On the military presence, he says it makes him feel secure: the ubiquitous highly weaponised military presence. At checkpoints. At roadblocks. Another Canadian, a young man in military uniform no more than 21 or 22, had come to Israel to help protect the Jewish people, he told me. He probably shouldn't have. Soldiers don't talk, or at least ought not to, unless they are quizzing you. One-way traffic. But he was probably bored, standing on his own in the Palestinian city of Hebron, weighed down with God knows what on his back. Another young man caught in the maelstrom of war. Later we saw each other at a distance and waved. Just two human beings, just two passers-by. Meanwhile, within this hallowed room, erstwhile enemies Rami and Bassam sit side-by-side in this holiest of lands. The land of Abraham, who through Isaac is regarded the biological ancestor of the people of Israel. The land of Ibrahim who through Ishmael is regarded as the biological ancestor of Muslims. The land of Christianity for whom Abraham is their father-in-faith. This bleak and blighted land. A land filled with despair. "Give me 10,000 states," Rami says "and you won't solve it." Unless and until. Unless and until Jewish leaders listen to Rami and Arab leaders listen to Bassam and then Arab leaders listen to Rami and Jewish leaders listed to Bassam and to all those bereaved parents aching for peace, aching for some respite from all the killing, from all the grief. As we leave this land, it seems as if it will take 10,000 years for peace to come to this land. Would that it were otherwise. Boeings CEO has apologised for the deaths and vowed to get to the bottom of what caused the incidents. Photo: Reuters 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 crash 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 the company, which is struggling to respond to the global grounding of the jet with which it intended to compete with rival Airbus. Boeing's 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. I cannot remember a more heart-wrenching time in my career with this great company," chief executive Dennis Muilenburg wrote. He said the release of the preliminary report in Ethiopia showed it was apparent that in both the crash in Africa, and Indonesia, the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information. (Independent News Service) Lawyers representing US President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen have told members of Congress their client has a "substantial trove" of documents relevant to their investigations, in a bid to help keep him out of prison. In a letter to politicians, Cohen's legal team said he had accessed a hard drive with more than 14 million files - including emails, voice recordings and attachments from his computers and phones. They said the president's former fixer has identified documents which will be of interest to the House Democrats currently investigating Mr Trump. "To date, Mr Cohen has located several documents that we believe have significant value to the various congressional oversight and investigation committees," wrote lawyers Lanny Davis, Michael Monico and Carly Chocron. They also claimed Cohen would not be able to finish reviewing all the material if he reports to prison on May 6 as scheduled, asking the politicians to write letters explaining their client was co-operating. His legal team said he had a "substantial trove of new information, documents, recordings, and other evidence" to offer. Cohen, who pleaded guilty last year to tax evasion, fraud, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations, has already received one delay on medical grounds while he recovered from shoulder surgery. He has been sentenced to a three-year term in jail. The request was sent to Representatives Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, Maxine Waters and Elijah Cummings. If any of them were to write such a letter, it would help Cohen's attempt to delay going to prison. In their letter, Cohen's lawyers admitted they were still hoping federal prosecutors in New York would not only back another delay in the start of his prison term, but agree to reopen his case and advocate for a lighter sentence. "It is our hope that the authorities in the Southern District of New York will consider this total picture of co-operation by Mr Cohen, verified by your letter and the important new evidence he has made available or could make available to assist the government, and the particular facts involved here to grant Mr Cohen a reduced term following the rules and procedures of the Southern District of New York," it says. Cohen testified before congressional committees in February, including a televised hearing in front of the House Oversight Committee in which he denounced the president as a "conman" and a "cheat". Meanwhile, Mr Trump has abandoned his threat to immediately seal the southern border, but warned he'd slap tariffs on cars coming to the US from Mexico unless the Mexicans did more to stop the flow of migrants and drugs to the US. Mr Trump said 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. Penalty 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 25pc, 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 Mr Trump, who last week tweeted he would close the border or large swathes of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States" - a seemingly impossible task. Flooding in Khorramabad, in Irans western province of Lorestan (Saeed Soroush/Tasnim News Agency/AP) Iranian authorities have ordered the evacuation of six more towns in the south-western province of Khuzestan, which is widely inundated with floods. Gholamreza Shariati, the provincial governor, told state TV rescue teams are taking residents to nearby shelters, including three army barracks. Evacuation orders came as a new round of raining and floods is expected. Expand Close Floodwaters engulf the city of Khorramabad in the western province of Lorestan, Iran (Erfan Keshvari/ISNA/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Floodwaters engulf the city of Khorramabad in the western province of Lorestan, Iran (Erfan Keshvari/ISNA/AP) Mr Shariati said emergency discharges from dams and reservoirs were adding to the high floodwaters, but such measures were essential to prevent the dams from overflowing or catastrophic breaches, with river waters continuing to rise upstream from the province. Young men were asked to stay behind to help with rescue operations. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said some 400,000 people are at risk, out of the provinces population of five million. Expand Close Houses submerged by floodwaters in the town of Mamoulan, Lorestan (Bayat Azadbakht/ISNA/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Houses submerged by floodwaters in the town of Mamoulan, Lorestan (Bayat Azadbakht/ISNA/AP) Eleven towns and scores of villages have been already evacuated. There have been no evacuation orders for major cities, including the provinces capital of Ahvaz, which has 1.7 million residents. There have been no reports of damage to the provinces petroleum facilities, which account for roughly 80% of Irans oil production. Authorities have put the number of dead at 70, as major flooding has hit the western half of the country, after years of drought. When it comes to talking and sharing life experiences, no one does it better than King Khan. No wonder, he is one of the most reliable orators and people look up to him for advice and lessons. He recently received his third honorary doctorate in the UK recently when The University of Law (London) honored him in Philanthropy. He already has honorary doctorates from The University of Bedfordshire and The University of Edinburgh. In his recent interview with BBC, Shah Rukh Khan, who was once known as India's biggest romantic hero, confessed that now he is ready to play a sexy father Agencies In case this statement has left you asking for more, here are our top six golden lines by Shah Rukh Khan that proves he's one actor who is witty, reliable and relevant! He has his heart in the right place and that's just one of the many reasons why fans love and admire him. Read on about his latest interview! 1. SRK said that as an artist, he will do whatever his fans want him to. 2. He gave his two cents on how the dynamics of the film industry is changing for women. And we are so glad 3. He had the most valid thing to say about the endless tussle between filmmakers and Indias Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) 4. As a nation, SRK believes, we need to accept the diversity and respect people's choices 5. He wants to change lives with his art and films 6. He gave a solid statement on how the shelf life of actresses is seeing a positive change. Watch the video interview right here! After almost a year-long battle with neuroendocrine tumour in London, Irrfan Khan has finally returned to his first love-films. The actor began shooting for the sequel to his 2017 hit Hindi Medium. Twitter The team is currently in Udaipur for the first schedule of the film that is being produced Dinesh Vijan. Several pictures from the streets of Udaipur paved its way on the internet and made his fans happy and relieved. Sharing the details of Irrfan Khan's first day at the shoot, producer Dinesh Vijan gave an extensive statement. Describing the intricate details of how everyone around him felt, he mentioned that everyone got emotional as the 52-year-old actor gave his first shot. He said, Having him (Irrfan) back on the set was a surreal feeling, hes undoubtedly one of the best actors in the country. When he gave the first shot, everyone around got emotional. For me, it was one of those life-defining moments working with him again after Hindi Medium. Having him and Homi together was something all three of us have always wanted. Irrfan was his usual selfwry humour, crackling one-liners and back on his own turf. Deepak and his improvisations brought the house down. It was just like the first day of Hindi Medium. Irrfan had shared the heartbreaking details of the diagnosis on Twitter last year. After the announcement, he flew with his family to London, where he underwent treatment. After being extremely low-key for a year, he finally returned to Mumbai and paps managed to spot him at the airport. Just a few days ago, he penned down a small thank-you note for all his fans and well-wishers who kept in their prayers. He wrote, Maybe somewhere in the pursuit of winning, we forget how much it means to be loved. In our vulnerability, we are reminded. As I leave my footprints onto these steps of my life, I want to pause to be grateful for receiving your immense love and support, it soothed me in my process of healing. So I travel back to you, thanking you from the bottom of my heart." Technology can advance as much as it likes, but the real measure of progress is how society adopts it. And there's honestly no country willing to adapt and pioneer technology for its own means as much as China. Even if, you know, it's for purposes like surveillance and repression. In January this year, China became the first country to ever land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon. Not satisfied with that achievement, they also proceeded to try to grow crops there as part of an experiment. And the country successfully managed to cultivate in airtight canisters in the microgravity environment. Also in 2019, the country implemented a new system it called its "social rating system". Unfortunately, this one is a slightly dubious government initiative meant to control the populace. It actually awards each citizen points based on their credit rating, social contributions, and more, and penalizes people that commit crimes, or speak out against the government. That score in turn is used to gatekeep their access to travel tickets, loans, permits, and more. This one is pretty cool and pretty gross too. China faces a serious air pollution problem, so waste management companies have to find alternatives to burning garbage. They've done this by setting up cockroach plants, where about a billion of the insects scarf down about 50 tonnes of kitchen waste daily. Dead roaches are also ground down and used as a source of protein. This one is still in the planning phase. China intends to put solar farms into the stratosphere between 2021 and 2025. There, the solar panels' aren't hindered by nighttime, cloud cover, or smog while gathering energy, which would then be beamed down to Earth. A Chinese doctor edited the genes of twin girls while still in the embryo stage, supposedly making them immune to HIV and AIDS. It's still unclear just what other side effects he might have triggered when tweaking their genes however. Additionally, the scientist was acting rogue, against very strict laws regarding the ethics of the trials on humans. In January this year, China also unveiled a marvel of architecture, the world's first 3D-printed concrete bridge. It wasn't wholly printed, but rather units of it were printed and then assembled. And all of it done in a record time of just 450 hours! The country is testing a new type of AI surveillance system, one that can pinpoint a person's identity by the way they walk. Supposedly, it can identify people from footage up to 50m away. It's still unclear though how a database of citizen's walks could be formed so such a surveillance system would work. Perhaps instead it'll be deployed on a case-by-case basis when on the lookout for wanted criminals and the like. China Mobile is building a smart highway in the city of Wuhan, which incorporates 5G into its core features. These include things like smart toll stations that don't need human operators, real-time traffic information, AI based traffic predictions, as well as assistance for autonomous cars. Researchers are conducting experiments they believe will help the local police's canine units. They're cloning one of the best sniffer dogs in service, before training them for duty like normal. Their idea is to eliminate the breeding and selection process, which is time consuming, instead raising entire corps of the same dog with the innate capabilities of the best drug/bomb sniffer around. Airports in China have found a better way to help travellers find their flight times and gates. Instead of hunting the changing digital boards, there are instead help desks equipped with facial recognition. These scan your face and pull up your flight details automatically, pointing you in the right direction in seconds. State-run news agency Xinhua has found a way to always have anchors on standby at all hours of the day for news, without paying them a dime. Instead of hiring enough anchors for multiple shifts, they're instead developed AI-powered anchors. These use a deepfakes-like system to modify pre-recorded stock footage of anchors, making them "say" whatever the latest news is. Just recently, the Chinese proved how essential 5G is going to be to our future. A doctor used the technology to remotely perform brain surgery on a patient. He was operating robotic instruments in the operating theater over 3,000 km away, with almost discernible lag to interfere with his precision. Biological researchers in the country were able to give mice the ability to see in the dark with infrared vision. All they did was inject them with nanoparticles that gave them night vision for up to 10 weeks at a time. And because it involved a non-invasive non-surgical procedure, it could even possibly be used to give humans night vision in the future. This robot, developed by a Chinese company, actually debuted at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona early this year. Called an "intelligent servant robot", not only could it perform tasks like fetching a glass of water or dancing, it was also dextrous enough to hold onto a raw egg without breaking it. A real estate developer in China is currently in the process of building something they're calling a "vertical forest city". Expected to be completed by 2020, it's a massive kilometre-long complex along the Liujiang River. The entire complex of offices, schools, apartments, etc, will be covered with about 40,000 trees in and among the buildings, to act as a giant air filter for the highly polluted region. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) - Two leaders of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed by government troops in Digos City, Davao del Sur Friday. According to a report from the Eastern Mindanao Command Saturday, the fatalities were identified as Lesly Pulido and Roberto Castellote. Pulido and Castellote were part of a group who figured in a firefight with members of the 39th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Lanan, Barangay Goma. A report from Col. Adonis Bajao, commander of 1002nd Infantry Brigade, said the soldiers were fired upon while they were responding to a complaint from farmers saying the NPA's presence were disturbing their farming activities. The encounter is just the latest in successive similar incidents in the Davao Region. The same soldiers from the 39th Infantry Battalion figured in an earlier encounter also with the NPA on April 1 in Colonsabak, Matanao, Davao Del Sur during a security patrol. No one was reported hurt in the incident On April 3, community information also guided the sustained operations in Compostela Valley which led to another encounter between the troops of 71st Infantry Battalion (IB) and an undetermined number of NPA at Sitio De Oro, Barangay New Barili in the town of Maco. The NPA members were the same group encountered by the same unit of 71st IB on March 28 and 31 at the boundary of Maco and Mabini, also in Compostela Valley. One person was wounded in the incident. Based on a report made by Major Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., sustained security operations are being conducted in the area as the NPA were on the run after more communities tipping off their presence to authorities. Lt. Gen Felimon T. Santos Jr., commander of the Eastmincom, said troops should take the cooperation of communities as a sign of wanting conflict to end. "We should reciprocate it with our sustained operations to protect their right to live free from coercion from any terror group," he said. He also called on NPA members to lay down their arms and listen to people wanting peace. "The people with their information is sending the message for you to abandon arm struggle and this is what we want to re-echo, surrender and avail of the integration program and let us bring together peace to the communities," Lt Gen. Santos said. Being a child before the 1960's was hard. It was really easy to contract a deadly disease as a kid, like the mumps or measles, and thousands if not millions died from them each year. So all of you have a guy named Maurice Hilleman to thank for not suffering that anymore. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp Born in 1919 in the US, Hilleman grew up in the height of the Great Depression. With a family not very well-off, he didn't have the privilege of a massive college fund and had to work for everything he got. He entered Montana State University of a full scholarship, eventually obtaining a bachelor's degree in microbiology and chemistry. He also later earned a PhD in microbiology and chemistry in 1944 from the University of Chicago. At the time, Hilleman decided that the best place for him was in the pharmaceutical industry, where he would be best positioned to conduct research and clinical trials. He was determined to develop a useful medical treatment that could be easily adopted by clinics around the US. And to that end, he joined the virus laboratories of E R Squibb & Sons in New Jersey ALSO READ: After 20 Years, This Mexican Doctor Found 100% Cure For Cervical Cancer & Human Papillomavirus There, he developed his first vaccines against Japanese B encephalitis, one that was sorely needed to immunise American troops fighting in the Pacific. Over the years Maurice Hilleman was responsible for developing more than 40 vaccines, including for the measles, mumps, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae bacteria, chickenpox, and rubella. All told, he's credited with saving millions of lives and completely eradicating what were once deadly childhood diseases. It's estimated that his measles vaccine alone has prevented more than a million deaths. Hilleman's daughter Kirsten (C), with her sister Jeryl Lynn (L) and Dr Robert Weibel (R) were the first to receive the mumps vaccine - Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp However, you may have never even heard of him. That's because Hilleman's friends and colleagues say he wasn't one to claim recognition for his achievements. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases once told the British Medical Journal that Hilleman's contributions were "the best kept secret among the lay public" Hilleman's work was also famously anti-establishment. He preferred to pioneer new techniques rather than rely on established treatments. There's one famous incident in the industry where his daughter fell ill in 1963. Realising that she was showing all the symptoms of mumps, he swabbed the back of her throat and brought it back to his lab to grow a virus culture. By 1967, he had a vaccine for the disease. Of course, if he was living in modern times, the turnaround time would have been a lot slower, given the hoops medical researchers have to jump through in order to get their treatments tested and approved for human use. Before succumbing to cancer in 2005, Hilleman received many honours, including a special lifetime achievement award from the World Health Organization. There was good reason for that too. Take the measles for instance. In 1980, 2.6 million people died of it, with 545,000 succumbing to it in 1990. But by 2014, thanks to global vaccination programs using Hilleman's vaccine, the death toll had dropped to just 73,000. When the mumps vaccine was introduced in the US in 1967, there were about 151,200 cases of the disease each year. By 2008, that average had dropped to about 265 a year. SImilarly, since the introduction of the Hepatitis A vaccine between 1991 to 1995, it's dropped infection rates in widely used countries by about 95 percent. Similarly, Hepatitis B infection rates in countries where the vaccine in freely available have dropped to less than 1 percent. So when you're vaccinating your kid, don't forget that you have a guardian angel to thank, and all because he decided to do medical research instead of teaching students like his professors suggested. ALSO READ: Israeli Scientists Have Developed A Cure For Cancer, Which Is 100% Effective & Coming By 2020 They say, 'behind every successful man, there's a woman,' and in Kanishak Kataria's case this holds true. Kataria, a B.Tech graduate from IIT Bombay, has topped the civil services final examination 2018, results of which were announced by the UPSC on Friday. "It's a very surprising moment. I never expected to get the first rank. I thank my parents, sister and my girlfriend for the help & moral support. People will expect me to be a good administrator & that's exactly my intention," Kanishka Kataria, an IIT Bombay student, told news agency ANI. Kanishak Kataria, AIR 1 in #UPSC final exam: It's a very surprising moment. I never expected to get the 1st rank. I thank my parents, sister & my girlfriend for the help & moral support. People will expect me to be a good administrator & that's exactly my intention. #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/IBwhW8TJUs ANI (@ANI) 5 April 2019 Kataria is probably the first one acknowledge the support offered by his girlfriend, a thing that we don't get to hear very often. Reports state that he used to work with Samsung in Korea but returned home to come and prepare for the civil services. Kataria belongs to SC category and qualified for the examination with mathematics as his optional subject. He is a BTech (Computer Science and Engineering) graduate. Srushti Jayant Deshmukh is the topper among women candidates securing an overall fifth rank. Madhya Pradesh: Family of Srushti Jayant Deshmukh, all India rank 5 and topper among women candidates in #UPSC final exam, celebrate at their residence in Bhopal. This was her first attempt at taking the exam. She says, "It was my childhood dream." pic.twitter.com/z6iKGTsGF0 ANI (@ANI) 5 April 2019 Srushti Jayant Deshmukh pursued Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) from chemical engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal. "My parents, family, friends & teachers supported me, so the credit goes to them. I had decided that my first attempt is my last attempt & I was determined to clear it in one attempt," ANI quoted her as saying. In a statement, the UPSC said a total of 759 candidates (577 men and 182 women) have been recommended by the Commission for appointment to various services like IAS, IPS, IFS etc. India said it has conclusive evidence that the Pakistan Air Force's F-16s were involved in the aerial engagement on the Line of Control as parts of an AIM 120 AM-RAAM missile were found on the Indian side. (IANS/screen grab of PIB) U.S. District Judge George Hazel in Maryland has blocked the Trump administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census, ruling that it will lead to the under-counting of non-citizens. The 2020 census is one of the most urgent civil rights issues facing our country, Vanita Gupta, Indian American president and CEO of the Leadership Conference Education Fund, said at a briefing for reporters March 28. (George Hazel photo via twitter) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it has strengthened its capabilities and presence in the turbomachinery and propulsion space with the opening of a new Infosys office in Baden, Switzerland. This office is part of Infosys overall growth strategy of helping clients navigate their digital transformation journeys and will play an integral role in providing clients in the energy and aviation industries, the latest innovations in the fossil and renewable energy markets and aerospace. Baden has been home and a core knowledge base to the engineering industry, building on the legacy of Brown Boveri, one of the pioneers in the turbomachinery industry. By establishing Baden as a key center for its turbomachinery and propulsion business, Infosys strengthens its existing capabilities that are currently delivered through a network of engineering centres in Mysore, Moscow and Karlovac. The office will provide services including the design of core components and accessories, system integration, testing and validation, controls and automation, customer service, manufacturing, and field support as well as a range of advanced digital technologies. Jasmeet Singh, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Manufacturing, Infosys, said, This office is an important step in our strategy to strengthen our capabilities to deliver end-to-end solutions to our customers in the turbomachinery and propulsion industry. Through our partnership with GE, we have been able to enhance our competencies in this domain with the onboarding of talent from its engineering business. With a large number of clients in these industries based in Europe, this office is strategically located to meet the growing needs of our clients in the region. We are committed to helping our clients leverage the potential of engineering services to effectively transform their businesses. This office will accelerate that effort by providing clients access to a strong pool of talent in this niche domain. Not only will this office strengthen our capabilities locally, but it will also enhance the capabilities of a global network that provides a wide range of engineering capabilities to clients across domains, said Nitesh Bansal, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Engineering Services, Infosys. Baden has been an important economic region and knowledge center for centuries, said Dr. Urs Hofmann, President of the Cantonal Government Minister of Economy and Interior. We are honored that Infosys is investing in the region to support and advance this business location with new technologies and services as well as jobs. About Infosys Ltd. Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements mentioned in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, data privacy breaches or cyber security incidents, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law. Analysts remain positive about the industrys prospects in the next few years, predicting an annual growth rate of 10% to 20%. Many banks that have partnered with insurers to provide bancassurance products expect a higher annual growth rate of up to 30% or 40%. Read more: Avivas Paul Nguyen looks back to his roots Vietnams fast-growing domestic insurance market is expected to grow further, due to rising living standards and rapidly gross domestic product (GDP) growth of more than 6% annually over the next three years, the report said. To maintain Vietnams high insurance premium growth rate, Deputy Finance Minister Huynh Quang Hai tasked the Insurance Association of Vietnam (IAV) to cooperate with other relevant agencies and raise awareness about insurance. The IAV should foster closer cooperation among insurers so that businesses can contribute to building and fine-tuning the industrys databases, said Hai. This will improve the quality of insurers services, which, in turn, will raise their financial capability and competitiveness. EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan has insisted there will be no hard border in Ireland under any circumstances even if Britain crashes out of the EU next Friday. Mr Hogan said he did not believe a border will be erected between the Republic and Northern Ireland in a worst-case crash-out Brexit despite growing fears the reality could hit in just six days time. Martina Elaine Keegan died on the 14 February 1981 from extensive burns and carbon monoxide poisoning, received when fire broke out at the Stardust Club, Kilmore Rd Artane, Dublin, on that date. That is all the official record says about the death of 16-year-old Martina, whose inquest, along with that of her 19-year-old sister Mary, was one of 15 held on one day in the Dublin Coroners Court in March 1982. In all, the court spent just four days hearing the cases of the 48 people killed in the fire. Witness testimony was cursory, medical evidence brief and questions not encouraged. No verdicts were recorded other than in accordance with the medical evidence. It was another week of pain after a year of agony for the Stardust families and the emphasis seemed to be on ending that part of the process as quickly as possible. But, in doing so, families of 42 of the deceased headed by Martina and Marys sister, Antoinette, argue that they were denied answers, their loved ones were denied justice and the injured, the survivors and the public at large were denied the reassurances and transparency that was their right given the scale of the disaster and the anxieties it unleashed. In a submission to Attorney General Seamus Wolfe this week, the families have asked him to order fresh inquests. He has the power to do so under Section 24 of the Coroners Act 1962. It is a rarely invoked power and even less often successful as it has faced challenges in the courts. But the Stardust families are adamant the Coroners Court is the forum that can finally establish what happened the night their loved ones died and 48,000 people signed postcards in recent months to say they agree. New inquests established the truth about Hillsborough and they are helping to address the horrors of Ballymurphy and Birmingham, they point out. In their submission, they cite the Coroners Act itself which states the task of an inquest is: ascertaining the identity of the person...and how, when, and where the death occurred. Barrister and former coroner Dr Brian Farrell, the countrys leading authority on the court, has written in his guide for coroners: How is interpreted as including not only the cause of death but also the circumstances pertaining to death... The medical cause of death should not be equated with how death occurred. On that basis, the Stardust inquests fell well short of what was required. Answering the question of how the 48 died means looking at all the circumstances surrounding their deaths. That was the job of the 1981 Keane Tribunal but it has been discredited for concluding the cause was probably arson while also stating there was no evidence for such a finding. That conclusion was removed from the public record in 2009 following the Coffey Review but the review was not allowed to carry out fresh investigations and made no findings on the actual cause. The McCartan review in 2017 was set up to establish if there was fresh evidence to warrant a full new inquiry as the families have long argued there is but it could not carry out any investigations either and its assessment of the families case was extremely negative. Human rights lawyer Darragh Mackin, now acting for the families, points out that they had no funding for legal advice or professional researchers and says McCartans criticism was inappropriate and undermined the families confidence in his approach. Neither the Coffey nor McCartan exercises could remedy the insufficiency of the original inquests, the submission states, thus there remains a failure by the State to conduct full and effective investigations which were capable of revealing the truth a breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Those grounds, in addition to the incomplete inquests plus the public interest argument, should be sufficient to warrant new inquests, the families argue. But they also have fresh evidence. A witness made a 999 call earlier than was recorded by Keane, reporting flames on the roof that were dismissed by Keane, putting the origin of the fire in the roof space or the adjacent storeroom, not in the alcove where, Keane proposed, somebody slashed the seating, exposed the stuffing and set fire to it. Another witness details how packed the storeroom was with combustible materials far more than Keane recorded. Others refer to faulty electrics running close to the stores. Others put to rest some of the flawed floorplan details that led Keane to dismiss the storeroom fire theory on the mistaken belief that it would have been spotted by revellers when it could have smouldered and burned for some time unseen. The implications of making findings to that effect would be significant they could lead to civil or criminal proceedings. However, the cost of not proceeding is also significant. The unanswered questions prolong their [the families] suffering, and are a source of profound public disquiet, it states. For those fearing a protracted, expensive exercise, the families argue that fresh inquests would be manageable as much of the evidence is uncontroversial and could be taken as read. More manageable, they say, than living 38 years without truth. (CNN) The Australian man accused of carrying out the worst mass shooting in modern New Zealand history has appeared in court, where he was formally charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 attempted murder counts. On Friday morning local time, Brenton Tarrant, 28, appeared via video link in Christchurch High Court in front of Justice Cameron Mander. Families in the court cried quietly as Tarrant appeared on screen, handcuffed with his hands in front of him. Tarrant appeared relaxed, looking around the room at times. Tarrant did not address the court. He was not required to enter a plea, and was told to reappear on June 14, after a court-ordered mental health assessment. It's standard for defendants to be evaluated by two health experts to determine their fitness for trial. The space was filled with relatives of those killed in the attack. Some inside the court appeared to be injured victims, still in hospital gowns in wheelchairs. Tarrant was arrested within 21 minutes of the first emergency calls being received by police following attacks on Muslim worshippers at two Christchurch mosques on Friday, March 15. He was charged at the time with one count of murder and remanded in custody without a plea. During his first appearance in court on March 16, the courtroom was closed to the public, the name of the victim was withheld by authorities and a judge ruled that pictures of the suspect in court must have his face blurred. Despite the extra security measures, the suspect, who arrived in handcuffs, was pictured making what appeared to be a hand gesture associated with the white supremacist movement. Tarrant quickly dismissed his first lawyer, but has retained counsel. Speaking to reporters shortly after Friday's hearing, one shooting survivor said he was disturbed by Tarrant's appearance in court. "I'm very upset...very upset to see him. He killed 50 people and it doesn't look like he is bothered, you know?" said Tofazzal Alam, who said he was inside Linwood Mosque during the attack and lost several friends. "I didn't see any emotion on his face." "We don't know what will happen, but of course we want that he should get proper punishment to make sure that nobody will be doing that kind of things in any other part of the world," said Alam. Tarrant's court appearance comes as the New Zealand government moves to rapidly approve legislation banning semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles, in an effort to ensure similar attacks can never happen again. On Tuesday, a bill which proposes banning semi-automatic firearms, magazines and parts used to assemble illegal firearms passed its first reading in Parliament, gaining the support of every lawmaker in the house, bar one. If the bill passes, gun owners will have an amnesty until September to hand in their weapons and be compensated as part of a proposed buyback scheme. Darkest day The attack began at just after 1:30 p.m. at the al Noor mosque in central Christchurch. It was a Friday, the busiest day for many mosques around the world. Much of that initial shooting was streamed live on social media, including a period where the shooter returned to his car to re-arm. The attack lasted approximately six minutes. Dozens of people were left dead and wounded in the mosque as the shooter proceeded to his second target, the Linwood Islamic Center, where he killed another seven people. He was eventually stopped by police on his way to what they said was a likely third target, and taken into custody. A number of weapons were recovered at both locations. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said improvised explosive devices were also found at the scene. In total, 50 people were killed in the attack, the majority at al Noor mosque. Several victims died in ambulances en route to receiving treatment, while another died later in Christchurch Hospital. Dozens more people were injured, many of them seriously. Ardern described the massacre as one of the country's "darkest days." Following the attack, New Zealanders came together to offer support and solidarity to the victims and the wider Muslim community. Thousands attended a memorial service in Christchurch a week after the attack, which was also broadcast nationwide. From a wheelchair onstage at the memorial, survivor Farid Ahmed, whose wife died in the attack, spoke of forgiveness. "People ask me, 'Why did you forgive someone who has killed your beloved wife?'" he said. "I don't want a heart that is boiling like a volcano, a volcano has anger, fury, rage, it does not have peace," he said. "I want a heart that will be full of love and care and full of mercy." Pressure on big tech Much of the fallout stemming from the attacks has centered on the role of social media. The suspect's so-called "manifesto," which was disseminated online ahead of the shooting, was filled with anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim ideas. It directed users to a Facebook page that hosted the live stream of the attack. The video quickly spread rapidly on YouTube, Twitter and other platforms. In the wake of the attack, Facebook announced that it had removed 1.5 million copies of the video of the attack in the first 24 hours alone. Ardern, who has been resolute in her conviction that the attacks should not be used to give publicity to views of the suspect, has insisted that more needs to be done to stamp out hate speech online. "He is a terrorist, he is a criminal, he is an extremist, but he will, when I speak, be nameless, and to others I implore you: Speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them," Ardern said following the attacks. She has urged all social media companies to take responsibility for how their platforms were used in the lead-up to the mosque attack and in the aftermath. Facebook has joined in attempts to crack down in the aftermath of the attack, announcing in late March it would be banning all "praise, support and representation" of white nationalism from its platform. On Thursday, the Australian government passed strict new laws which aim to stop the spread of violent content online, threatening fines and jail time if videos are not removed quickly. "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 ... so the (government) has taken action with this legislation," Attorney General Christian Porter said in a statement. This story was first published on CNN.com "New Zealand shooting suspect appears in court" Update April 8, 2019: Daria has been located safe and well. April 6, 2019: Gardai are appealing for the public's assistance in locating 19-year-old Daria Adamek. Daria is missing from her home in Wexford town since yesterday morning. She was last seen in Redmond Square at 8.45am and Gardai say they are concerned for her safety. CCTV footage of Daria. Daria is described as, 5' 7'' in height, with blonde hair and brown eyes. When last seen she was wearing a black jacket, black and white leggings and blue runners and was carrying a purple rucksack. Anyone with information is asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 9165200. A man is due in court this afternoon charged in connection with a drug seizure in Limerick yesterday. The 58-year-old is due to appear at a special court sitting in the city at 3pm. Four people, including a young child, had to be helped by an RNLI lifeboat this evening after their cruiser got into difficulty on Lough Derg. It was the third time in less than a week that the volunteer crew of the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat had to assist people in difficulty on the lake while the Coast Guard was tasked to another incident. A total of 20 people have been assisted or rescued by search and rescue services on Lough Derg since last Sunday. In the latest incident today, the lifeboat was sent to the assistance of three adults and a child after their 35ft cruiser ran aground behind the Corrakeen Islands in Dromineer Bay. The alarm was raised at around 5.30pm and the lifeboat was launched shortly afterwards reaching the scene within three minutes. Volunteer crew members took soundings as they approached the casualty vessel before commencing efforts to tow the cruiser off the rocks and into safe water where its drives and steering were checked and found to be undamaged. With two volunteers on board the cruiser with the occupants, the lifeboat accompanied them to Dromineer Harbour. On Tuesday, the RNLI was requested to assist a person on a 27ft cruiser that had suffered engine failure and run aground in poor conditions at Gortmore Point. The lifeboat located the casualty vessel and towed it to safety in Terryglass. Last Sunday, the Lough Derg crew assisted nine people after their 55ft vessel ran aground near Drominagh, Co. Tipperary. On reaching the scene, and confirming that all board were safe and that the vessel had not been damaged, the lifeboat crew attached a tow rope and manoeuvred the boat off the rocks and into safer, deeper water. Also last Sunday, the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard rescued six men after their cruiser collided with a bridge on the Shannon at Killaloe/Ballina. The men were safely transferred from the casualty vessel to the Coast Guard rescue boat and brought ashore. The decision to take the occupants off the cruiser was made after it was found the vessel had been holed and was taking on water. It wasnt possible to recover the cruiser at the time because it was wedged against the stone bridge by the fast flowing river. The vessel was recovered late the following day in an operation involving two other boats over several hours. All the operations were coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guards marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry. No one was injured in any of the incidents. Gardai recovered an arsenal of high-powered weapons, loaded magazines and an assortment of ammunition in what is thought to be their first success against an organised crime gang. When officers searched a detached home, replete with marble floors and chandeliers, they discovered a small monkey, inside a cage. One of two men arrested in yesterdays operation in Finglas, west Dublin, is a close relative of the leaders of major trafficking outfit, with international connections, including the Kinahan crime cartel. In an operation by local gardai, assisted by the Armed Support Unit, up to 50 officers searched a house off the Ratoath Road at 8am. In the search, they recovered a Makarov RAK SMG submachine gun, a Skorpion machine pistol, five loaded magazines, a Colt Magnum, around 200 rounds of loose ammunition and over 200 shotgun cartridges and a silencer. More than 1kg of cocaine (estimated street value around 97,000) and 30,000 worth of cannabis herb were seized, and a hydraulic presser for the cocaine. The DSPCA was requested to care for the marmoset monkey, named George. Gardai said that there were up to six dogs at the site and at least one horse. Two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. A woman in her 30s was arrested in relation to clothing, suspected to have been stolen, worth around 3,000. Sources said the crew was a high-level gang supplying drugs in the area and that this was their first time they had hit them. They said the outfit is closely linked with a major drug trafficking outfit. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan congratulated gardai on the seizure of guns and ammunition which, he said, were solely designed to threaten, injure and take life. Up to 80,000 homes will not pay local property tax until 2021, because of a decision to delay a review of the tax, the Irish Examiner can reveal. Homes built since 2013, when the LPT was introduced, were not subject to the tax and, given the decision to delay the review again, such homes will remain exempt. Homeowners in such new properties will be between 2,100 and 3,500 better off than those in pre-2013 homes, who had to pay the tax. New builds and also homes (ghost estates) bought directly from builders, and which had not been occupied, were exempted from LPT, on its introduction. In 2016, former finance minister Michael Noonan delayed the review of the tax until 2019 and, earlier this week, his successor, Paschal Donohoe, delayed it until 2021. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin accused the Government of delaying the review of the local property tax for electoral reasons. Yesterday, Mr Martin said the decision by Mr Donohoe to delay the review didnt surprise him. He said: It is clear they did not want to do anything before the local and European elections and, possibly, a general election There was an electoral context to that decision. He also highlighted the anomalies relating to newer homes and the growing tax inequality. Many anomalies have arisen. There are many issues in Dublin, he said, referring to people who may be in larger homes, but who are cash-poor and would not be able to meet significant increases in their LPT bills. He said homeowners in Dublin do pay higher than most and the Government has to be cognisant of that. The Government took the decision to defer the review despite a report recommending that the review be implemented from November. Ministers speaking to the Irish Examiner made clear that, politically, it was impossible to move ahead, given the instability of the Government and the looming local and European elections. In addition to those, we all know there is a high chance of a general election this year, so it was a case of no way, Jose, one minister said. Local councillors, meanwhile, will lose the power to reduce the LPT, under recommendations in Mr Donohoes report. A vacant Dunnes Stores shopping centre in Limerick is to be redeveloped into a modern city- centre third-level college campus. The University of Limerick (UL) has purchased the reported eyesore building for 8m. The decision to acquire the 5,535sq m site off Sarsfield Bridge was sanctioned by ULs governing authority. The site had been idle for the past few years. Announcing the investment, Des Fitzgerald, the universitys president, said: I am very happy to have the full support of the UL governing authority in our commitment to bring UL closer to the city centre. I am also very pleased to have the opportunity to revitalise a site in the city that has been lying vacant for so long. It is fitting that ULs presence in the city will be on the waterfront, mirroring our magnificent riverside campus just 4km away, Mr Fitzgerald noted. The UL City Campus will aim to bring together law, business, and entrepreneurship in technology, and create a hub for developing and supporting enterprises in the city. It will allow for the further development of existing collaborations with the practitioner base in business, law, education, health, and the growing number of technology companies, he added. Mayor of Limerick Cllr James Collins described the universitys move as significant for the local economy. This will remove one of the biggest eyesores in the city centre and replace it with a new riverside city centre campus for UL. Todays decision will be a game-changer for Limerick, the University of Limerick, and for businesses. It is expected that in excess of 2,000 students will be based at the hub when operational. Host, 13 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Tel: 01-5612617 www.hostrestaurant.ie Staying slim in this business of restaurant reviewing is a challenge but Im thinking perhaps I should move to Ranelagh. This well-appointed suburban village has probably the highest concentration of good restaurants outside Dublin city centre and a fine collection of gyms, body clinics, health shops and plastic surgery Aesthetic Institutes. I could happily get fat here and then employ a personal trainer, and once that inevitably failed I could get some secret liposuction and bonus botox. The clientele (and staff) in Host on the Wednesday we visited, however, were mostly far too young and good-looking to need such help. The menu is short but well chosen and includes small dishes around a tenner, pasta dishes which could be had as starters or mains (12/17), four main courses including a 400g Rib-Eye from Peter Hannon (38) along with fish and chicken options and a couple of sides. There is also the option of the Chefs Menu for 2 which will save you a few euro. Complimentary focaccia bread arrived first fluffy and light and topped with sweet tomatoes and onions plus a good quality olive oil for dipping a propitious start. The first of our starters Salami, Morcilla and Artichoke should, I think, be renamed Morcilla, Artichoke and Salami in order of excellence the salami was actually reasonably good although closer to a Saucisson in texture, but the warm rich Morcilla was truly excellent and the preserved artichokes were firm and flavourful. Burrata with marinated Aubergines was a generous portion of creamy cheese and sweet aubergines and generously topped Crab Bruschetta beat out the Anchovy Bruschetta but both were good. Duck Ragu Pappardelle had silky fresh pasta with a textured meaty sauce but the better of the two pastas, and arguably the dish of the evening, was the Pumpkin stuffed Cappellacci with walnuts. Cappellacci di Zucca is the signature dish of Ferrara just to the north of Bologna in Emilia-Romagna and this version would have pleased most Nonna from the region (although they might object to the walnuts). The earthy sweet and creamy flavours from the pumpkin filling worked beautifully with the lithe pasta and were aided and abetted by sweet burnt flavours from a brown butter sauce. For bonus texture and a hint of bitterness walnuts had been added and, while not traditional, they were in fact a bonus. Piri Piri Chicken and Burnt Lemon was again nicely cooked with tender chicken (if low on the piri-piri heat scale) and a well dressed salad on the side. Cod was grilled crisp on the outside but remained translucent underneath and some stewed capers and tomatoes lifted the flavours nicely. Fried Potatoes (5) was a large bowl of expertly made chunky chips crisp without, and fluffy and light within. The accompanying Aioli dip would really be better described as a light garlic mayonnaise (no, they are not the same thing), and while serviceable would have needed three times as much garlic to justify the name. The wine list is a decent size with around 36 wines, almost all of which are en vogue from Mencia and Teroldego to Franciacorta to Gruner Veltliner and includes a good selection of top quality low-intervention wines including Emilien from Chateau le Puy and Jean Foillards Cote de Puy. I chose the Coroa Douro a Douro red wine made by the Pocas Port house for the very reasonable price of 27 solid, fruity and perfect for a mid-week casual meal. From the choice of three desserts we chose a Chocolate Pot (7) and an Affogato with hazelnut ice-cream (7.50) and this is where the meal dipped both were disappointing and not at the same level as the rest of the meal. The chocolate pot was bland and rather sweet rather than deep and chocolaty as Id hoped while the hazelnut ice-cream also lacked any intensity although a shot of Amaretto did help. Host is perfectly suited to Ranelagh but in fact would work in any neighbourhood on the planet tasty, well thought out dishes served in a convivial atmosphere. The desserts dropped them almost a full mark in this review but are easily fixed and hopefully I was just unlucky on the the day I visited. It must take a lot to leave your home, young child, maybe even newborn in tow, to walk a thousand miles to a place youve heard separates families at its border and uses outdoor fenced spaces as shelter. In weighing up the push-pull factor, your push factor must be fairly strong if cages and family separation are the lesser of your two known evils. Americas inhumane anti-immigration policies have gotten lots of airtime and rightly so, but the stories and motivations of the people at the US-Mexican border have received less focus. Human beings have always migrated, and countries have always attempted to keep their borders secure. But whats currently happening at the US border is now being described as unprecedented. On Wednesday of last week, there were 13,000 migrants in the custody of the US Customs and Border Protection service. There are usually only about 4,000 migrants in its custody. Things were so bad last week that migrants were placed in tents while they waited to be processed. These tents comprised of outdoor areas surrounded by fences and razor wires, where people covered themselves with foil sheets. It was 26 degrees Celsius out. Some of the thousands of daily migrants also received shelter under the Paso del Norte bridge, which links El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Its not the case that migrants from Central America make the perilous journey north, unaware of the less than welcoming response theyll receive at the US border, its that they choose that over their lives back home. When we say Central America, where exactly are they coming from? And whats it like for them there? People arriving at the US border are coming from countries like Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. This isnt exactly new. Since the end of the armed conflicts in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua in the 1970s and 1980s, thousands headed north to escape war and its inevitable offspring poverty. But there is one thing that is significantly different now its no longer male heads of households that migrate north, in order to send cash back home. Todays migrant flow is very different. Yes, there are still male heads of household seeking to pursue the American Dream in the US so as to send home a couple of hundred dollars each month to their families. But the crux of the recent crisis at the border is that there are fewer male migrants in their 20s or 30s making the crossing, and many more families, newborns, children, and pregnant women escaping life-or-death situations as much as poverty, wrote Sofia Martinez, an analyst for the International Crisis Group, in The Atlantic. It must take a very good reason for a mother, flooded with those postnatal hormones that promote fierce protectiveness, to take her newborn on a long journey only to be given shelter under a bridge, surrounded by razor wire. Whats happening in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to trigger this kind of action? There are the gangs, the harassment, rape, kidnappings of women and girls to work as sex slaves, the fear that your child will be recruited into a gang and the reality that your child will be, or has been, killed as a result of gang violence. In El Salvador, with a population of just over 6m people, about 60,000 people are counted as active gang members. In 2017, the murder rate was 61 per 100,000 people, making El Salvador the second deadliest country in the world, not at war, after Venezuela. Americas had a major role to play in this countrys current unrest. The 12-year long civil war, that took place between 1980 and 1992, saw left-wing guerrilla fighters challenge El Salvadors military state and wealthy elite. This elite had a long history in dispossessing people of land. The US, with an aim of stopping communism in its backyard, (El Salvador is 1,400 miles away from the nearest American border crossing), America supported El Salvadors right-wing dictatorships with billions of dollars in economic and military aid. At the end of the 12 years, 75,000 were dead and more than 1m people were displaced to cities all across America, where they worked and sent money home. Then there was the US immigration policies of the late 1990s. In 1996, with the Democratic president Bill Clinton in the oval office, the US approved the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. So what? This piece of legislation led to mass deportations, where tens of thousands of convicted criminals (people with legal status and crimes of a non-violent minor nature) were sent back to Central America in the early 2000s. This disastrous and often forgotten piece of law has been cited as a key driving force behind the creation of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18, the very gangs that Central Americans are fleeing today. But what if you arent fleeing violence, just abject humiliating poverty? Like people arriving to Ireland or the UK right now, some dont qualify for asylum or refugee status. You qualify for asylum only if you can show that you have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear that you will be based on these five grounds: your race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or your political opinion. As the world changes, both with manmade and natural disasters, people are going to move and migrate, for safety and security reasons for a better life essentially. Are these people criminals? Leeches? Is it a crime to seek a better life, in a place where you can earn more than 150 a month? Is it a crime to want to rear your child in a community where recruitment to a gang isnt a daily fear? Is it a crime to want to live in a country where the ground is still fertile enough to grow food? How we see a person or group of people determines our response to them and their needs. Do we say: No room at the inn? Or do we deal with the reality of the world as it is? A place where migration is as old and inevitable as time. (CNN) After arriving at their Airbnb in Cork, Ireland, a family from New Zealand made an unsettling discovery: a hidden camera, livestreaming from the living room. Nealie and Andrew Barker, from Auckland, were in the midst of a 14-month trip around Europe when they arrived at the Airbnb property with their four children and niece. Once the family had unpacked, Andrew Barker, who works in IT security, scanned the house's Wi-Fi network. The scan unearthed a camera, and subsequently a live feed. From the angle of the video, the family tracked down the camera, concealed in what appeared to be a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector. "It was such a shock. It was just a really horrible feeling," Nealie Barker told CNN. She called Airbnb to report the camera. "They had no advice for us over the phone," she said. "The girl just said that if you cancel within 14 days, you won't get your money back." Next, Andrew Barker called the owner of the property. When confronted with the family's discovery, Nealie Barker said, the host hung up. Later, he called back, insisting the camera in the living room was the only one in the house. "We didn't feel relieved by that," she said, adding that the host refused to confirm whether he was recording the livestream, or capturing audio. The family relocated to a nearby hotel and called Airbnb the following day. "They still didn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the issue. They were treating it like a canceled booking," Nealie Barker said. Ultimately, Airbnb's trust and safety team promised to conduct an investigation, and it temporarily suspended the listing. According to Nealie Barker, Airbnb did not contact the family again. After she got through to them two weeks later, the company told her that the host had been "exonerated," and the listing reinstated. It was only after she posted about the incident on Facebook and local New Zealand news stations reported her experience that the host was permanently banned, she said. In a statement, Airbnb told CNN: "The safety and privacy of our community -- both online and offline -- is our priority. Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously. We have permanently removed this bad actor from our platform." "Our original handling of this incident did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves, and we have apologized to the family and fully refunded their stay. There have been over half a billion guest arrivals in Airbnb listings to date and negative incidents are incredibly rare." Aoife Mullen, communications manager for Ireland's Data Protection Commission, told CNN that the commission was "aware of the issue," adding, "we will be seeking further information from Airbnb on the matter." The Barker family is currently in Budapest, where, Nealie Barker said, "We're staying in an Airbnb right now." "We've become much more cautious now," she said, advising other travelers to learn how to scan networks for hidden cameras. "We think people need to realize that the travel market is largely unregulated and if you would take issue with being filmed, then you need to take all steps properly." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Family finds hidden camera livestreaming from their Airbnb in Ireland" The relief was palpable. The important people in Government Buildings were extremely nervous this week. Taoiseach Leo Varadkars meetings with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris and German chancellor Angela Merkel in Dublin were high risk. Both Macron and Merkel have made it clear in recent weeks they are not satisfied with the lack of plans from the Irish Government as to how it intends to protect the integrity of the EU single market should the UK crash out in the coming days. Varadkar returned home from Paris unscathed and all eyes turned to what Merkel would say on Thursday. In Farmleigh, her expressions of commitment to the Peace Process and the reaffirmation of her support for the Irish stance was welcome to say the least. One minister old me yesterday: Everybody is greatly relieved. This was high-risk stuff from Leo and people were very worried as to what she would say. Yet both Simon Coveney and Varadkar made clear a no-deal crash out would be disastrous for Ireland. Coveney warned that the solutions for a no-deal scenario will actually be quite impactful and very negative for the functioning of an all-island economy. Even though we would do everything we can do to protect the peace process and we, of course, want to prevent that kind of scenario happening which is why if we need more time, so be it, he said. They were commenting after it was confirmed Theresa May wrote to EU president Donald Tusk to seek a further extension until June 30, despite that deadline already being ruled out. Mrs May said she will seek to secure ratification of the deal before European elections on May 23 but will make responsible preparations for the UK to take part in the polls if that does not prove possible. Mays request was pitched amid ongoing talks between her Government and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and that a chance must be given to allow them to conclude. Asked about Mays request for an extension to June 30, the Taoiseach replied: Its something were going to have to consider. We have a European Council meeting next Wednesday, and that will be an opportunity for us to hear from Prime Minister May, and also to consider the United Kingdoms request for a further extension. But he warned: We also want to avoid rolling extensions, where theres an extension every couple of weeks or every couple of months. That just adds to the uncertainty for citizens, businesses, and farmers. Hardline Brexiteer MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who leads the European Research Group (ERG), said Britain should be as difficult as possible in the event of a long extension and criticised French president Emmanuel Macron. If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible. We could veto any increase in the budget, obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macrons integrationist schemes, he tweeted. Labour too appeared to be cool on the idea of an extension. Mrs May will once again face down her EU counterparts next Wednesday and once again hopes will be pinned on common sense prevailing. Unfortunately, there is little sign of that right now. In his epic March 2011 Vanity Fair piece on the Irish financial crash, Michael Lewis made many fascinating observations about our funny little ways. The sort of observations that only an outsider can make. But one, in particular, stood out and I have remembered it since: The first thing you notice when you watch the Irish parliament at work is that the politicians say everything twice, once in English and once in Gaelic. As there is no one in Ireland who does not speak English and a vast majority who do not speak Gaelic, this comes across as a forced gesture that wastes a great deal of time. I ask several Irish politicians if they speak Gaelic, and all offer the same uneasy look and hedgy reply: Enough to get by. Lewis identified an ongoing issue that many people who watch or who are direct actors complain about in Irish politics the tokenism that prevails when it comes to our so-called national language. The sheer utter waste of time that is involved in TDs repeating themselves in both languages. As a result of having so many teachers in the Dail, the ability to speak Irish has been for so long used as an elitist stick to beat the heretics who are not fluent in our sacred mother tongue. I cite the time in March 2015 when then Taoiseach Enda Kenny sought to embarrass Independent TD Mick Wallace by refusing to address him in English, even though Wallace made it clear he does not speak Irish. Kenny, at his most arrogant, barked at Wallace to put on your translation system. This is our national language and this is La na Gaeilge. He continued to jabber on in Irish, only to stop to say: Can you hear me, is it switched on? Wallace was outraged as Kennys slap-down smacked of the worst high-handedness present in all true believers of what is, in truth, a dead or dying language. Wallace was not alone in not being able to speak Irish. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonalds limited Irish is well known and she has sought to sidestep the issue to the point where no one pushes her on it. Her predecessor would mangle the mother tongue but would insist on forcing us all to hear him do it and then, as Lewis pointed out, say again what he had just said in English. It raises the wider point as to why do it? Why does our political system pay such homage to what is an extremely niche matter? Before you wish to burn me at the stake, it is worth remembering that according to the Central Statistics Office, Irish is the main home, work or community language for approximately 2% of the population of the Republic of Ireland of 4,761,865. In the 2016 census, of the 1.76m who said they could speak Irish, just 73,803 said they speak it daily outside the education system, a fall of 3,382 on the 2011 figure. A further 111,473 said they speak it weekly, while 586,535 said they speak it less often. Over one in four (421,274) said they never speak Irish. I am not without emotion for Irish. I learned it for 15 years in school. I have my cupla focal and a few more besides. I like many others, used it drunkenly when abroad while trying to show people that we are not English. We have sent our daughter to a brilliant gaelscoil. She loves it and it is a joy to watch her language develop. But, the truth must be confronted. How Irish is being taught really is a calamitous failure. It simply is not working, but the system is enslaved to the die-hards who refuse to come down from their high perch and accept reality. In turn, their hardline position and lobbying have made progress or reform impossible. But all the while, the vast majority of the population, who at best have a tolerance for the Irish language, are made to endure the colossal waste of time and inconvenience of it all. A prime example: the greater Dublin area is where Irish is spoken least, but if you examine the Dublin Bus timetables at bus stops, they are more often than not written in Irish with no English translation beside it. How on earth are tourists supposed to make head or tail of that? What about the 98% of the bus-travelling population who do not use Irish? In truth, the language serves little or no practical purpose in the primary running of the State, except on ceremonial occasions. So, the recent debate about the possible return of history as a core subject on the school curriculum poses a question. The stupid decision to remove history the exploration of where we have come from and more importantly the study of humanitys great errors and tragedies is rightly under revision and barring any disasters, it will be restored to its rightful place. But the same can not be said for geography, which is not currently under the same consideration. At a recent doorstep, Education Minister Joe McHugh made clear his focus is not on geography and he has many requests to place other emerging subjects as core requirements at least up until Junior Cert. I have a solution. If room needs to be found, why not remove the highly niche and much ignored Irish language as a core subject? Its retention as one, ahead of far more relevant ones such as digital coding or economics or geography or music, is difficult to defend. In an increasingly digitised world, surely preparing our children to be digitally literate is more important than beating them over the heads with the modh coinniollach. Yes, it is our national language. Yes, it is an ancient tradition that is worthy of retaining but driving it down everyones throat is not working, has not worked and will never work. By making it a subject of choice, it will still be there for all the passionate defenders of the faith. It would also strengthen the hand of gaelscoileanna as centres of excellence for the language. Rather than be slaves to the nirvana-esque ideal which will never be realised, why not be pragmatic and realistic and end the pretence that Irish as a language is a desire for the many. It is not. It should be consigned to the marginalised status that it holds. Remove the emotion out of it, this is not a marginal call. This is 98% to 2%. By allowing it become a subject of choice, those who wish to keep the flame alive can do so and the rest of the country would be allowed get on with their lives and careers unburdened by the weight of our dying mother tongue. In April 2007, at the height of the madness, I felt the wrath of one of the most powerful figures in the country at the time. A story, written by Conor McMorrow and myself, was published in the Sunday Tribune, alleging dodgy practices by Quinn Insurance. Sean Quinn was apoplectic. A flurry of solicitors letters rained down. Legal proceedings were issued. The PR machine cranked into action. Daily rumours were flown, claiming that the papers editor Noirin Hegarty had resigned. Reportedly, angry conversations were had with high-flying individuals in Independent Newspapers, which owned the Tribune. Mr Quinn took full-page advertisements in national newspapers, lashing out at the story, proclaiming his integrity. I am a man of my word, he wrote in the ads. Noirin Hegarty took the brunt of the heat, but, as the authors of the story, Conor and myself felt a share of it. We had tangled with a legend, a man who had cultivated the image of a humble genius, who had taken on big business and won, who spurned material comforts, who played cards with friends in a house that was not plumbed for a toilet. This billionaire was perfectly content answering natures call in an outhouse. A little over a year later, it turned out that Mr Quinn was involved in practices a lot dodgier than anything we had written about. The financial regulator fined Quinn Insurance a record 3.25m for loaning out some of its funds to prop up other Quinn businesses. Insurance companies are governed by strict financial regulations in order to protect the injured, the maimed, the bereaved and anybody entitled to insurance claims. Mr Quinn was fined 200,000 personally and he accepted the sanction. Later, after the extent of how Quinn Insurance was run into the ground emerged, the Government imposed a 2% levy on all premium holders to cover the losses. That is still in existence today. Mr Quinn was a key player in the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank to which he and his family owed 2.3bn by 2008. Most of the money was lost on gambling using contracts for difference, a high-stakes device that has been described as the crack cocaine of the stock market. Last week the five adult Quinn children settled the last of the legal actions between the family and Anglo Irishs successor, IBRC. The settlement saved all from a lengthy court action. At the outset of the hearing, the High Court was told that the family had used the Quinn Group to fund a lavish lifestyle, including a 1m loan for a wedding which was never repaid. Its all a long way from visiting the humble outhouse during a game of 25. The settlement was reached after Judge Garrett Simmons ruled that the Quinn siblings could not avail of a defence that they were under the undue influence of their father. In 2011, Quinns wife, Patricia, claimed in court that she was clueless when she took out a loan for 3m under the undue influence of her husband. Judge Peter Kelly found that defence startling and astonishing. Sean Quinn achieved great things in business. He provided employment in a border region at a time when the Troubles scared away many businesses. He broke up monopolies, which benefited the general public. Quinn Insurance was innovative in tackling spiralling legal costs which in turn benefited premium holders and, arguably, claimants. He was not alone in finding the walls tumbling in on him in 2008. Others who had bestrode the globe were similarly laid low. He was not the only captain of industry to have let rip with a reckless streak when gambling on the stock market was believed to be a one-way bet. The measure of Mr Quinn was how he handled failure. He could have faced it with the kind of dignity and stoicism that might be expected of person of substance who measured wealth other than by material or monetary acquisition. Instead, Mr Quinn adopted the pose of a victim: He had been made to borrow all that money by the cunning suits in the bank. They had taken advantage of him and his family. He beat a tribal drum, pointing the finger at the bankers, the government, the media, Dublin. He gathered around him the assorted tribes, the people of the border, the GAA, ordinary decent country folk, people for whom, like him, their word was their bond. Many bought into it. In the Dail, a TD invoked the spirit of 1916 when complaining that the financial regulator, Englishman Matthew Elderfield, had effectively shut down Quinn Insurance. Was it for this? One of the low points of the saga was a rally to support Quinn in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, in July 2012. A crowd of 4,000, including a number of prominent GAA figures, turned up to show solidarity with a man portraying himself as being the victim of forces. Later that year he and his son were imprisoned for contempt of court. At that very time, plans were afoot to impose a levy on all premium holders to cover Quinn Insurance losses. Anglo Irish, by then owned by the citizens, was chasing around the world attempting to retrieve assets to meet the debts. Austerity was chomping on the most vulnerable. There was no money in the exchequer, yet resources had to be provided to hunt down the Quinn fortune. Last week it was estimated that the bank spent 170m in attempting to corral Quinn assets around the globe. Thats a lot of special needs assistants, a lot of hospital beds. Not too many buy into the victimhood anymore. The Quinn adult children have accepted their debt of 88m each. The businesses are now in the hands of others. Many jobs have been retained, but Sean Quinn no longer has any involvement in the group. Now he is a victim of other forces those who took his business and are unwilling to restore him to his rightful place. His exclusion has enraged some crazed people who have criminally damaged company assets, and, in at least one instance, firebombed an executives car. Quinn has condemned the attacks. But there will always be crazy people willing to misguidedly embrace the narrative that their chieftain has been victimised. The tragedy of the demise of Sean Quinns business empire is how he handled it. He didnt have to show contempt for the court, contempt for the bank seeking to retrieve the citizens money, contempt for the concept of accepting responsibility. He didnt have to fashion an empty narrative in which he, the humble countryman, was being victimised by the forces of power who considered him an outsider. He could have put his hands up and acted like a man of his word. He would have ended up in the same financial situation in which he now finds himself, but he may well have been a lot wealthier. Dateline Observations on the Municipal Elections This week, The Irrawaddy discusses the success of the procedure and outcomes of the recent Yangon municipal elections. Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, well discuss the Yangon municipal election held recently. Ko Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint, executive director of the Peoples Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE), and election candidate Ko Aung Khant join me now to discuss this. I am The Irrawaddy Burmese editor, Ye Ni. Ko Sai, as you are from the election monitoring group, Id like you to discuss the municipal election. As far as I know, it was held at a cost of 2 billion kyats to elect candidates for 105 positionssix in the executive body and 99 at township level. I heard that the voter turnout was just 10 percent of eligible voters. What is your assessment of the cost and effectiveness of the election? Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint: We still dont know the latest data, but according to our data [collected on] the morning of the election day, only around 10 percent of voters cast a ballot. We immediately posted it on social media and informed news agencies with the intention of urging them to mobilize voters to cast votes in the evening. We are still waiting for the data of the election commission to find out what percentage of the voters cast their votes in the evening. But we guess the voter turnout will not be more than 10 or 15 percent. You asked if the election is worthwhile in terms of its financial cost. This is quite importantthe election was costly, and that money came from taxpayers. We must think about whether the municipal election was worthwhile. Another part, which is more important, is the political process. Elections are a mechanism which ensure responsibility and accountability of the elected. People will vote for someone they like, and if they dont like them, they will not cast a vote for him in the next elections. I mean elections are an important mechanism to ensure the responsibility and accountability of the elected. At the same time, it proves the legitimacy of the elected; the number of the votes they receive shows how legitimate they are. The election is important for those two points. There are around 3.2 million [eligible] voters, and the fact that less than 15 percent of them cast votes will have an impact on legitimacy. What is more important is I am afraid people doubt that the election is the mechanism through which they can demand accountability of the elected. While the financial worthiness is important, the political process is also important. The low turnout indicates that people dont think the election was important for their lives, their voices and their participation in politics. It is not good that they are not interested in voting in local elections which can have direct and immediate impact on their daily lives, not to mention the national-level elections. So in my view, it is an important matter for politicians, civil society organizations and the media. YN: Many young candidates contested the municipal election. And voters apparently like young people contesting the election because they will gain electoral experience even if they lose, and will gain administrative experience if they win. This paves the way for young people to participate in politics and administration. It is therefore fair to say that the elections are a political training field for the young people. Ko Aung Khant, what experiences did you gain from the election? You got over 20,500 votes in the electionthe second highest number after the winner, an NLD candidate who got 28,000 votes. Even though you lost, the results show that there is strong public support for you. Your supporters want to know if you will just give up. Aung Khant: People had a greater interest in the election because there were young candidates. They had a greater interest because capable young persons contested the election. I think this is the reason why I got the second highest number of votes. In my opinion, people think new-faced independent candidates will be closer to the people, better understand their difficulties and must have learnt more than their older counterpartsnot to mention that they are physically stronger and more familiar with modern technology. People are more likely to vote for those who are close to them and who understand their problems. If the candidate is unapproachable, and he doesnt come to meet you and doesnt know the problems on the ground people are not interested in politics because of the top-down approach. When they see young persons involved in politics, people start to think things might change. They think young persons will better understand their problems and will be more approachable and will not indulge in power as they have never been in a position of power. I am not from a strong political organization, and I have never been involved in politics. This is the first time I have experienced the campaign period. As the campaign period is only one month, I just did as much as I could. I am not financially strong, and Id said that I would spend economically. As I have no one to [sponsor] me with the campaign, only my neighbors and friends helped me and I am quite proud that I won the second most votes. I am very grateful to those who helped me with my campaign, as well as those who voted for me. I will not give up. I studied urban administration and as I have engaged in urban administration in my jobs in Yangon, I will continue to participate in this sector in the future. For the 2020 general election, I will have to look for an appropriate role I can play. YN: What is your assessment of the performance of the election commission that supervises the entire electoral process? Do you think they can properly handle the election? SYKSM: Overall, the commission was able to successfully organize the election. They properly managed thousands of polling stations in 33 townships without any big problem. There was no big problem on election day. Overall, the management was smooth and systematic. Our main intention in observing the election is to assess the process in order to improve it in the next election. According to our findings, in half of the polling stations one to 10 people could not cast votes because they were not included on the voter registrar. This is an important matter not only for the municipal election, but also for general elections in 2020. The Union Election Commission has to think about how to handle it. It is a cause for concern that voters are disenfranchised while the turnout is so low in the municipal poll. We still dont know exactly what caused it, but we are sure something must have gone wrong with voter registrars. It is indisputable that [the election commission] failed to educate voters on a wide scale, and make them check the voter registrar ahead of the election. Also on election day, between one and 10 voters at 43 percent of polling stations needed the help of commission officials because they didnt know how to cast their vote. This indicates that there are still weaknesses in voter education in the pre-election period. On election day, 3 percent of observers were not allowed to enter polling stations because they were mistaken for party and candidate agents due to the lack of a proper ID system in place. That is a high number. The most important thing iswe asked for information about the polling stations from the municipal election commission. We used the data and drew samples to make observations. It is a sample-based observation. When we went to the polling stations on the morning of election day according to the location information we got from the commission, [some of] the polling stations were not there. They were moved to other places for various reasons such as there was a Dhamma sermon at the planned venue recently, and it was therefore moved to another place. Observers had to contact the commission to find some polling stations. But what about the voters? What if they didnt find the polling stations? We found such situation in 3 to 4 percent of polling stations. I would suggest the commission hold discussions with candidates, parties and observers on the causes of this problem. The commission should review what preparations need to be made for the next [municipal] election. Otherwise, those problems will continue to exist. YN: There were criticisms that the municipal election was held hastily as a follow-up to the enactment of the new 2018 Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) Law. But the law still cant be applied properly. Now, the members of the central executive body and township level bodies of the YCDC have been elected through a poll in which just 10 percent of voters cast vote. They have just around two years until their term ends. So, Ko Aung Khant, what do you think they can and should do? AK: Though they were elected by a small proportion of voters, they are elected to the municipality, and we will wait and see if they will be granted greater authority. As far as I know, there is an 18-point scope of responsibility set by the new law for YCDC members. One of the six members in the central executive body will be elected as vice mayor and it will be interesting to see how the regional government will delegate power to them. Even if the regional government doesnt delegate power to them, they should listen to [the peoples] voices about city affairs such as the operation of the YBS (Yangon Bus Service). As they conducted election campaigns, they must have heard the voices of the public. As they are elected by the Yangon residents, they would know the problems facing Yangon residents. They have the responsibility to present those problems to the Yangon regional government and the chief minister. Many candidates made promises during the election campaign. According to the polls made by the media and civil society organizations and members of the public, [the public] wants to see short-term and long-term plans to address problems related to garbage disposal, drainage, stray dogs, as well as street vendors and car parking spaces. As I came to know more about the things in the 12 townships of Constituency 3, the elected candidates would also know more about their constituencies. As they have been made aware of those problems, I would like to invite them to come and meet the [unelected] candidates. We are ready to help them though we are not elected. We just cant ignore those problems because we were not elected. It is undutiful to ignore them. If we choose to be left out because we are not elected even after we conducted election campaigns, it is like we are giving up on the hopes of the people from whom we solicited votes. We are therefore responsible to monitor the municipality members, provide them with recommendations and help. If we are not allowed to help, we are still responsible to urge the public to point out their faults. Many management positions with some authority have been created in the municipal body, and how far they can go will also depend on how much power is delegated [to them] in this short period of time. Because of [the peoples] high hopes, we are obliged to help and monitor the elected. If they dont accept our help and monitoring, we have to point out their faults. We have a responsibility to do so because we were voted for by people no matter how small the percentage was. YN: Thank you for your contributions! On This Day U Wisaras Last Stand U Wisaras body lies in state. YANGONBuddhist monk U Wisara began a hunger strike in prison on April 6, 1929, after he was forced to wear plain clothes instead of yellow robes thus abandoning religious observances. The monk had been subjected to imprisonment and torture by the colonial government for inciting sedition. When he was imprisoned for the second time for his anti-colonial speech, he was transferred to a prison in India. During his third imprisonment, the monk refused to eat until he was allowed to wear the robe and fast on Sabbath day. The colonial government of the time ignored calls from a number of Myanmar political organizations and members of the public to fulfill the monks demands. Instead, the prison authorities force-fed him to keep him alive. U Wisara died 166 days into the hunger strike at the age of 41 in Yangon Prison. His death heightened the anti-colonialist sentiment among Myanmar people, and monks were later allowed to wear religious robes and fast while in prison. Voyle Road in Yangon, named after a British lieutenant who died in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, was changed to U Wisara Road in his honor in 1940. A monument to U Wisara was also unveiled at a crossroads near the western gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda in 1943. RTHK: Thai anti-junta leader hit with sedition charges The telegenic leader of an anti-junta political party who rose to prominence in Thailand's election last month was charged with sedition on Saturday, drawing hundreds of his supporters onto the streets urging him to "fight". Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads the youth-oriented Future Forward Party which won more than six million votes in the March 24 poll, the first since a 2014 coup, with its message of ousting the military from politics. It had joined an anti-junta coalition with six others claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of the disputed vote whose full results are expected by May 9. Earlier this week he posted on Facebook that police had summoned him to appear on Saturday to face a sedition charge relating to an anti-junta rally in 2015. He said the charge was "politically motivated". Hundreds turned up on Saturday morning in front of Pathumwan police station in downtown Bangkok, wearing T-shirts bearing the tycoon's face and shouting "Save Thanathorn!" while waving placards that said "Military, get out!" While inside, he and his party members tweeted out photos of what was happening, showing Thanathorn affixing his fingerprints on the charges and representatives from foreign embassies and the UN observing the police procedure. More than two hours later, he emerged from the station and told reporters he had been charged with "inciting unrest... helping the suspect escape... and the illegal assembly of more than ten people" for his actions in 2015. "We believe we are innocent. I did everything in good faith," he said, denying the charges. Before leaving the police compound, Thanathorn flashed a three-finger salute, a resistance symbol borrowed by Thailand's anti-junta movement from the Hollywood movie "The Hunger Games", as his supporters did the same while shouting "Thanathorn, fight, fight!" The charismatic leader is already being investigated under Thailand's Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he criticised the junta in a Facebook Live discussion last year. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-04-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has recommended the preventive suspension of 18 of its personnel who were accused of extorting from 15 Korean nationals arrested in Pampanga last March. In a press release Saturday, the BI said Commissioner Jaime Morente recommended the agents' suspension pending the investigation of the supposed extortion try. "We have requested the DOJ (Department of Justice), which is our mother department, to issue the suspension order," Morente said. He said he also requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), also under the DOJ, to conduct a separate probe for the possible filing of criminal charges. Morente was "acting on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's order," the BI said, noting that the Koreans had filed a complaint to Malacanang and the DOJ. Reports say the BI agents tried to extort millions of pesos from the Koreans who were arrested in an operation in Angeles City, Pampanga last March 6. Morente said the accused personnel would face sanctions to be determined by the bureau's Board of Discipline, adding that the BI will continue to heed the President's order to rid the bureau of corruption. (CNN) The legal team of WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange has said expelling him from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London would be "illegal" and would "violate international refugee law." "It will be a sad day for democracy if the UK and Ecuadorean governments are willing to act as accomplices to the Trump administration's determination to prosecute a publisher for publishing truthful information," according to the statement issued on Friday. In a statement Friday, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry called the rumors about the termination of Assange's asylum "fake news," adding that the claim of a possible agreement with the UK "misrepresents reality." "The Ecuadorian government notices that these falsehoods are also an attempt to tarnish the dignity of the country," the ministry said in the statement. "When they issue falsehoods, the asylee and his associates express once more their ingratitude and disrespect towards Ecuador, instead of showing gratitude towards the country that has welcomed him for nearly seven years, incurred significant expenditures to pay for his stay at the Embassy, has borne their rudeness and to whom he, paradoxically, has filed a lawsuit against for adopting a cohabitation protocol in order to prevent his bad behavior from taking place again." WikiLeaks tweeted from its verified account Thursday, "BREAKING: A high level source within the Ecuadorian state has told @WikiLeaks that Julian Assange will be expelled within "hours to days" using the #INAPapers offshore scandal as a pretext--and that it already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest." When asked about the speculation on Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters that Assange "is a free man" and "can leave the embassy whenever he wants to." "We want the situation resolved as quickly as possible," he added. London's Metropolitan Police refused to comment when asked if police were aware of any extradition arrangement. The Australian whistleblower has been holed up at the embassy, yards from Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, since 2012 when he was granted asylum as part of a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was facing allegations of sexual assault. The case has since been dropped, but as Assange fears US extradition due to his work with WikiLeaks he has remained in place. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. A US court filing in November 2018 revealed US government efforts to criminally charge Assange. The Justice Department investigation of Assange and WikiLeaks dates to at least 2010, when the site posted thousands of files stolen by the former US Army intelligence analyst now known as Chelsea Manning. A spokesperson for the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry had told CNN on Thursday that it does not respond to rumor or hypothesis, when asked about the WikiLeaks allegations. Assange's Ecuadorian Lawyer, Carlos Poveda, told CNN: "It could happen, the Ecuadorian government could apply the protocol to terminate his asylum. But this would be in coordination with the United Kingdom so his exit could be shown as a war's trophy." On Tuesday, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno told local media that Assange has repeatedly violated protocol at the embassy. "Several times, Mr. Assange has violated the agreement we reached with him and his lawyers," he said. Poveda told CNN that the President hadn't been specific on how or which article of the protocol his client had violated. New rules on Assange Since Moreno took office 2017, Assange has repeatedly claimed Ecuador has been trying to make life more difficult in a bid to force him to vacate the premises. Ecuador has denied it, with Attorney General Inigo Salvador telling reporters in October that his country was "not looking to revoke" Assange's asylum. However, Moreno said in December that if the UK government guaranteed that Assange will not be extradited to a third country where he could face the death penalty, the WikiLeaks founder should hand himself in to the authorities. Ecuador said that the UK had given such a guarantee, but Moreno said he needed clarification on the British position. Last year Assange was told he had to abide by new rules imposed by the Ecuadorian embassy in London. They include paying for his food, medical care and laundry, taking care of his cat, keeping the parts of the embassy he uses clean, and obtaining prior authorization for visitors. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Assange expulsion from Ecuador embassy would be 'illegal,' his legal team says" April 4, 2019 The Idaho State University Office of Research has announced the winners of the 2019 Undergraduate Research Symposium, which featured more than 40 participants delivering 31 poster presentations delivering information on everything from social justice to global warming. There was a tie for first place, between Eighdi Aung, mechanical engineering, and A. Andrew Dimmick, psychology. The title of Aungs research project was Comparisons of Statistical Methods for Stall-Precursor Identification in Near-Stall Axial Compressor Systems. Dimmicks research project was Examining Decision-Making for Delayed and Uncertain Outcomes in College Students. Psychology student Madisen Hillebrant-Openshaw was awarded second place, for her study Socialization and Its Relation to Physical Activity in Older Adults. The Undergraduate Research Symposium Showcasing Scholarly and Creative Works was held March 29 in the Pond Student Union. Students from a wide array of academic programs presented their findings on everything from A Predictive Analysis of Religiosity and Recall Aging in Southeastern Idaho to Using Crowdsourced Observations to Document Road Mortality in Idahos Amphibians and Reptiles. The FIN6 cyber crime group, that has in the past been involved in stealing payment card data, has allegedly expanded its activities to deploying Windows ransomware, the security firm FireEye claims. A blog post authored by researchers Brendan McKeague, Van Ta, Ben Fedore, Geoff Ackerman, Alex Pennino, Andrew Thompson and , said they had found evidence of ransomware when investigating an intrusion at an unnamed customer in the engineering industry. The intrusion was said to be using stolen credentials, the threat emulation software Cobalt Strike, the exploit database Metasploit, and publicly available tools such as Adfind and 7-Zip to conduct internal reconnaissance, compress data, and aid in the overall mission. The post, which was full of plugs for products sold by FireEye and its Mandiant group, said the researchers had identified the most evasive techniques used by the FIN6 group. "Pivoting from these initial leads, analysts identified suspicious SMB connections and Windows Registry artefacts that indicated the attacker had installed malicious Windows services to execute PowerShell commands on remote systems," they wrote. "Windows Event Log entries revealed the user account details responsible for the service installation and provided additional indicators of compromise to assist Managed Defence in scoping the compromise and identifying other systems accessed by FIN6. Managed Defence used Windows Registry Shellbag entries to reconstruct FIN6s actions on compromised systems that were consistent with lateral movement." Managed Defence is another name that FireEye uses for Mandiant. The initial entry point for the intrusion was identified as an Internet-facing system, after which stolen credentials were used to move to other machines in the Windows network. A foothold was established in two ways: by using PowerShell to execute an encoded command and by leveraging the creating of Windows services to execute encoded PowerShell commands. The researchers found that both the LockerGoga and Ryuk ransomware were being used by FIN6 during this attack. LockerGoga was recently used to attack the Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro. FireEye is known to be quick to attribute attacks, but this time the group appeared to be somewhat hesitant to do so. "FIN6 may have evolved as a whole to focus on these extortive intrusions," the researchers wrote. "However, based on tactical differences between these ransomware incidents and historical FIN6 activity, it is also possible that some FIN6 operators have been carrying out ransomware deployment intrusions independently of the groups payment card breaches." Today Cloudy and windy. High 71F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 41F. W winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Sunny. High 62F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. 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 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2019) - Mundoro Capital Inc. (TSXV: MUN) (www.mundoro.com) ("Mundoro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of the initial target testing drill program at the Savinac and Bacevica exploration licenses (the "Freeport-Mundoro Projects") in the Timok Magmatic Complex ("Timok") in eastern Serbia. The exploration programs on the Freeport-Mundoro Projects are sole funded by Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corporation ("Freeport") as part of the earn-in agreement ("Agreement") with Freeport, in which Mundoro has granted to Freeport an option to earn-in to the Freeport-Mundoro Projects. The Freeport-Mundoro Projects are located within the southern portion of Timok in eastern Serbia, one of the most prolific metallogenic domains in the Tethyan Belt with deposits such as the Cukaru-Peki deposit, the Bor copper porphyry underground mine and the Veliki Krivelj copper-gold porphyry open-pit mine (Figure 1: Freeport-Mundoro Project Location Map). Teo Dechev, CEO & President of Mundoro commented, "Mundoro has benefited from establishing earn-in relationships to fund our exploration programs. Mundoro is appointed operator for Phase I and has completed, five months after closing the transaction, the first target testing drill program funded by Freeport. The 2019 exploration program will continue with follow-up geophysical surveys and alteration mapping. The geophysical surveys have been scheduled for Q2-Q3 2019 in order to be used for planning further drill programs. As a result of having optionee funded exploration programs, Mundoro conserves its cash. At the end of Q1-2019, the treasury of the Company was approximately C$3.2 million. Mundoro continues to have discussions with interested third parties seeking options on our available projects, confirming the growing interest in exploring the Tethyan Belt in Timok, Serbia as well as Bulgaria." Freeport-Mundoro Projects - Target Testing Drill Program A total of 4,778 m of diamond drilling has been completed in seven drill holes. Planning has commenced for geophysics surveys and alteration mapping at both licenses as part of the 2019 exploration program. The aim of the initial target testing drill program was to test four target areas located along the 16-km elongated zone of extensive hydrothermal alteration defined by mapping and Cu-Mo-Au-Ag-Pb-Zn geochemical anomalies (see Figure 2: Map of Targets, Hydrothermal Alteration, Drill Hole Locations and Planned Geophysics). Tilva Rosh (Savinac License) This target is a large area of 2.5 km by 1 km of advanced argillic alteration containing epithermal gold mineralization cropping out at surface as observed through trench sampling by Mundoro in 2013 which returned 12 m of 30 g/t gold and 171 g/t silver . Interpretation of drill results suggests the epithermal mineralization is proximal to a copper-gold porphyry system. . Interpretation of drill results suggests the epithermal mineralization is proximal to a copper-gold porphyry system. Drill hole FMSC18006, was collared near this surface gold mineralisation and orientated to drill through the mineralization. Final depth of drill hole reached 1154.9 m. The drill hole intersected an interval for 263 m of fragmental volcanics from 190 m that display patchy-kaolinite texture with banded quartz-magnetite-specularite veins, which is suggestive for proximal porphyry source of the mineralization. A fault zone containing vuggy silica, massive pyrite, barite and patches of sphalerite cross cut the fragmental volcanics and returned a high grade interval of 7.3 m of 0.18% Cu and 3.22 g/t Au (2.39% CuEq) (see Table 1 ). (see ). At depth, the drill hole intersected diorite dykes that contain traces of chalcopyrite mineralization indicating relation to a porphyry source. Patchy texture, with dickite and pyrophyllite was also observed and mapped on surface 300 meters to the north of drill hole FMSC18006 and remains a compelling target for future testing. Targeting will continue with IP-Resistivity and CSAMT/NSAMT geophysics after which further drilling can be planned. Markov Kamen (Savinac License) This area is another epithermal target identified by several copper-gold-in-soil geochemical anomalies related to 4 km by 1.2 km zone of argillic and advanced argillic alteration. It is located 2 km south of the Tilva Rosh target (see Figure 2 ). One hole drilled in 2015 at Markov Kamen intersected hydrothermal breccia, massive sulphides and vuggy silica, suggesting high-sulphidation type epithermal mineralisation controlled by northwest structures. zone of argillic and advanced argillic alteration. It is located 2 km south of the Tilva Rosh target (see ). One hole drilled in 2015 at Markov Kamen intersected hydrothermal breccia, massive sulphides and vuggy silica, suggesting high-sulphidation type epithermal mineralisation controlled by northwest structures. Three drill holes FMSC18001, FMSC18003 and FMSC19007 tested the eastern contact of the advanced argillic zone. Results of note are (see Table 1 ): FMC19007 with 36 m of 0.25 g/t gold and 0.19 % copper from 65.0 m and FMC18003 with 22.7 m of 0.46 g/t gold from 78.7 m . ): All three drill holes were terminated in andesitic country rock that display propylitic alteration at the east. Measured contacts to the country rock suggest the advanced argillic zone and the epithermal mineralisation remain open towards the west. Drill hole FMSC18005 was collared at the central portion of the Markov Kamen advanced argillic zone and was drilled sub vertical into a magnetic low anomaly to a depth of 1269.1 m. Drill hole intersected dominantly advanced argillic alteration determined by the presence of strong and pervasive silica intervals and hydrothermal breccias with anomalous gold grades of: 7.1 m of 0.60 g/t gold from 308.4m; 12.3 m of 0.24 g/t gold from 395.7m; 12.0 m of 0.24 g/t gold from 469.0m. The advanced argillic zone remains open down plunge to the south and west beyond the vertical depth of 1200 m, where the drill hole was terminated due to the drill rig capacity. Targeting will continue with alteration mapping, IP-Resistivity and CSAMT/NSAMT geophysics after which further drilling can be planned. Prekostenski (Bacevica License) This area is a copper-gold porphyry target identified from geochemical analysis surface sampling which resulted in 55 m of 0.28 g/t gold and 0.21 % copper located in the western portion of the Bacevica license. The exploration work identified chalcopyrite-magnetite mineralisation hosted by potassic altered diorite. located in the western portion of the Bacevica license. The exploration work identified chalcopyrite-magnetite mineralisation hosted by potassic altered diorite. Drill hole FMSC18004 confirmed the extension of the surface mineralisation to a depth of 68.6 m. Quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite veins were observed hosted in potassic altered diorite porphyry and returned an intercept of 49.8 metres of 0.14 g/t gold and 0.13 % copper from surface (see Table 1 ). from surface (see ). Detailed mapping, CSAMT/NSAMT and IP-Resistivity geophysics are planned in order to better define the lateral and vertical extension of the mineralised porphyry. Orlovo Brdo (Bacevica License) This target is a broad zone of phyllic alteration of 3 km by 700 m with gold and copper anomalism located at the central portion of Bacevica license. with gold and copper anomalism located at the central portion of Bacevica license. One drill hole FMSC18002 was completed to a depth of 837 m. The drill hole intersected a zone of quartz vein stockwork mineralization related to potassic altered diorite at depth of 458 m overlain by phyllic alteration from surface. An intercept of 26.0 metres of 0.23 g/t gold and 0.10 % copper from 458.0 m (see Table 1 ). (see ). Detail mapping, CSAMT/NSAMT and IP-Resistivity geophysics are planned in order to better define the lateral and vertical extension of the mineralised porphyry. Table 1: Freeport-Mundoro Projects Diamond Drill Hole Summary Results Drill hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Copper (%) Gold (g/t) CuEq* (%) Comments FMSC18001 including including 76.0 77.8 1.8 0.15 0.01 0.16 Markov Kamen North target; az.90/-50; drill hole length 392.8m 90.9 100.7 9.8 0.15 0.01 0.16 116.5 118.5 2.0 0.16 0.02 0.16 192.5 204.5 12.0 0.07 0.13 0.16 192.5 195.0 2.5 0.09 0.13 0.18 197.0 200.6 3.6 0.14 0.14 0.24 228.0 230.5 2.5 0.10 0.23 0.26 243.2 244.5 1.3 0.30 0.15 0.40 FMSC18002 258.0 264.0 6.0 0.07 0.16 0.18 Orlovo brdo target; az.260/-65; drill hole length837.0m 396.0 400.0 4.0 0.32 0.06 0.36 458.0 484.0 26.0 0.10 0.23 0.26 FMSC18003 including 78.7 101.4 22.7 0.06 0.46 0.38 Markov Kamen North target; az.90/-60; drill hole length 365.9m 84.7 99.4 14.7 0.08 0.64 0.52 219.6 222.0 2.4 0.25 0.10 0.32 FMSC18004 4.0 53.8 49.8 0.13 0.14 0.23 Prekostenski potok target; az.260/-60; drill hole length302.9m FMSC18005 160.3 162.6 2.3 0.13 0.09 0.19 Markov Kamen North target; az.180/-80; drill hole length 1269.1m 221.0 243.2 22.2 0.03 0.11 0.11 308.4 315.5 7.1 0.05 0.60 0.46 380.9 384.9 4.0 0.03 0.21 0.17 395.7 408.0 12.3 0.02 0.24 0.18 469.0 481.0 12.0 0.03 0.24 0.19 489.2 513.6 24.4 0.05 0.08 0.11 571.1 573.0 1.9 0.21 0.22 0.36 591.5 594.2 2.7 0.04 0.21 0.18 750.6 752.0 1.4 0.08 1.27 0.95 874.8 880.7 5.9 0.29 0.21 0.43 FMSC18006 including including including including including 147.8 150.0 2.2 0.11 0.06 0.15 Tilva Rosh target; vertical; drill hole length 1154.9m 376.0 400.0 24.0 0.08 0.24 0.24 379.1 383.8 4.7 0.06 0.60 0.47 388.0 392.0 4.0 0.10 0.28 0.29 398.0 400.0 2.0 0.07 0.64 0.51 440.0 460.5 20.5 0.04 0.15 0.14 492.0 500.3 8.3 0.05 0.19 0.18 530.0 579.0 49.0 0.06 0.66 0.51 537.0 544.3 7.3 0.18 3.22 2.39 565.0 577.0 12.0 0.10 0.42 0.39 887.3 898.0 10.7 0.03 0.27 0.22 933.9 937.0 3.1 0.03 0.18 0.15 1019.5 1021.0 1.5 0.16 0.02 0.17 FMSC19007 including including 65.0 101.0 36.0 0.19 0.25 0.36 Markov Kamen South target; vertical; drill hole length 455.6m 85.0 101.0 16.0 0.24 0.51 0.59 138.4 174.0 35.6 0.17 0.16 0.28 156.0 162.0 6.0 0.43 0.14 0.53 281.0 285.0 4.0 0.02 1.35 0.95 Copper equivalent (CuEq%) is calculated using the formula CuEq = (%Cu) + [(g/t/AuEq) x (1/31.1035) x ($/ozAu)] [(22.0462) x ($/lbCu)]. Metal prices used are: gold price of US$1,268/oz, copper price of US$2.7/lb, the average for the last 3-year period. All thicknesses from intersections from drill holes are down-hole drilled thicknesses or outcrop sample length thickness and not true widths. Drilling, Sampling, Analysis and Quality Assurance and Control The drilling technique was triple tubed diamond drilling from surface for PQ and HQ, while for NQ was double tubed. The drill holes were generally cased from surface progressing from PQ to HQ at 260m on average, however exact depths vary from hole to hole. Drill hole orientations were surveyed at approximately 30 meters intervals. Drill core was oriented using the Reflex EZ-Trac and Devico Pee Wee tools, the bottom of the core was marked by the drillers and this was used for marking the whole drill core with reference lines. Company personnel monitored the drilling, with drill core delivered daily to the Company's core storage facility where it was logged, cut and sampled. Core recovery was measured and recorded continuously from the top to the end of the hole for every drill hole. Each run of 3m length was marked by plastic core block which provided the depth drilled. Core recovery is recorded as 96.3-100% in most intervals. The drill core was sawn into quarter for PQ diameter and into two for HQ and NQ diameter, along drill core orientation line using a core-cutter and left half looking downhole was collected in bag and submitted for analysis, the other half is kept in tray and stored. Samples were collected at two-meter lengths from mineralised intervals and three to five-meter lengths from non-mineralised intervals with brakes for major geological changes. The samples were submitted to ALS Prep Laboratory in Bor, Serbia, for sample preparation and then internally submitted to ALS Romania and ALS Ireland for analysis. The samples were fine crushed to 2mm with 70% pass, split by rotary splitter to produce 1000 g sub-sample which was pulverized with 85% passing 75 um using. The samples were assayed using 50 grams charge for Au-fire assay with AES finish and multi-element method ME-MS61 - 48 element four acid ICP-MS. Samples returned above > 3 ppm Au, >1% Cu, >1% As and >100 ppm Ag were additionally analyzed with method OG62. In addition to the laboratory's internal QA/QC procedures, the Company conducted its own QA/QC with the systematic inclusion of certified reference materials every 20 and 30 samples, blank samples every 50 samples, field duplicates every 50 samples, crush duplicates every 50 samples and pulp duplicates at every 50 samples. Qualified Person Technical information contained in this Press Release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. G. Magaranov, P. Geo., Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Company, Teo Dechev, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director About Mundoro Capital Inc. Mundoro is a Canadian mineral exploration and development public company focused on building value for its shareholders through directly investing in mineral projects that have the ability to generate future returns for shareholders. The Company holds a portfolio of projects in Serbia and Bulgaria as well as an investment in a producing gold mine in Bulgaria. There are eight licenses in Serbia, four of which are optioned to JOGMEC, two licenses are optioned to Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corporation and two licenses are available for joint venture. In Bulgaria, Mundoro has formed a Generative Alliance with JOGMEC. Mundoro's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MUN". For further information please contact: Teo Dechev, CEO, President and Director of Mundoro Capital Inc. at +1-604-669-8055 Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This News Release contains forward-looking information and statements ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this News Release are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the completion of exploration work on any projects and licenses and results of that exploration work, the prospect of one or more joint ventures, options and other statements regarding activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "further", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "promising", "encouraging" or "continue" or similar words or the negative thereof. The material assumptions that were applied in making the forward-looking statements in this News Release include expectations as to the Company's future strategy and business plan and execution of the Company's existing plans. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which these forward-looking statements are based will occur. We caution readers of this News Release not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this News Release, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include general economic and market conditions, changes in law, regulatory processes, the status of Mundoro's assets and financial condition, actions of competitors and the ability to implement business strategies and pursue business opportunities. The forward-looking statements contained in this News Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this News Release are made as of the date of this News Release and Mundoro undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and for a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Figure 1: Freeport-Mundoro Project Location Map Figure 2: Map of Targets, Hydrothermal Alteration, Drill Hole Locations and Planned Geophysics Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) Government troops rescued an Indonesian kidnap victim from Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu Friday afternoon. A report from Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) Saturday said troops from the Philippine Marine Ready Fleet Sulu engaged in a gunfight with members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to rescue Heri Ardiansyah and Hariadin. Three ASG militants and the captives tried to escape pursuing troops in Simisa Island in Banguingui by swimming towards Bangalao Island, however, they were spotted by roving sea patrols. Hariadin died from drowing, while the three ASG members died in the encounter. Several high-powered firearms and other ammo were also seized. Both Indonesians were brought to the headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command in Camp Navarro. Government troops also pursued ASG members still on Simisa Island. PHOENIX, Ore. After months of silence, there may finally be new developments in the case of a missing Phoenix man perhaps best known for his time as one of the original Disney Mouseketeers. To friends and family, however, 76-year-old Dennis Day is an enigmatic yet beloved character, and it's been far too long without any clues as to his whereabouts. On Friday, a forensic team and troopers from Oregon State Police (OSP) were seen around a home at 510 North Pine Street in Phoenix, erecting a crime scene tent. Neighbors told NewsWatch 12 that the area had been bustling with police activity for the past several days, although none could explain the renewed interest in the case. County records indicate that this address is still owned by Day and his husband, Ernest "Ernie" Caswell. By that evening, OSP had released a statement confirming that investigators from Phoenix Police had discovered human remains at the address, calling in the Medford Assault and Death Investigation Unit (MADIU). OSP investigators were then assigned to lead the death investigation with assistance from the Jackson County District Attorneys Office, Jackson County Sheriffs Office, Medford Police Department, and the Oregon State Police Forensics Lab. At this time, OSP said that the human remains have not been identified and the investigation remains ongoing. Dennis Day was last seen in mid-July of 2018. According to missing persons reports that began circulating in the months following his disappearance, Day had left his home on July 15 after Caswell was hospitalized in Medford. Caswell apparently suffered from some degree of dementia or age-related memory loss. Reportedly telling Caswell that he was going to visit some friends, Day "uncharacteristically" left his dog with a temporary housemate. He has not been seen since. "Sometime after Dennis' departure, the family car also disappeared and was found on July 26 along the Oregon coast, being driven by persons unknown to Day's friends," Day's missing poster reads. According to the poster, the driver of that 1996 Ford Escort wagon told police that "Day had given them permission to use it." Investigators did not find any forensic evidence in the vehicle nor any signs of struggle or foul play. Caswell and hundreds of Day's friends and former colleagues have expressed their concern since Day's disappearance with friends and family members spreading the word through social media in an attempt to find some word about his location. Despite the campaign, which caught the attention of both local and national media outlets, nothing definitive ever emerged. His case has remained open with the Phoenix Police Missing Persons Department. Day was a Mouseketeer between 1956 and '57, going on to become an actor and a longtime member of the original California Renaissance Pleasure Faires and Dickens Christmas Fair. 30 Shares Share This article is sponsored by Careers by KevinMD.com. Its normal to daydream about living a life very different from our own: What would life be like if I were Beyonce? Would I have the same worries if I were a trapeze artist? Would I have been happier as a librarian? We all do it from time to time perhaps in moments of boredom, or maybe in times of high stress. But recent studies suggest that burnout in health care professions is increasing and becoming more severe. Some groups are even indicating that a massive physician shortage is imminent unless we find a way to keep doctors from abandoning the field altogether. For a comprehensive look at the causes and potential solutions for physician burnout, check out A Crisis in Healthcare: A Call to Action on Physician Burnout. But as a physician, what can you do in the short term if you feel tired, disengaged, and/or demoralized? What can you do right now to manage your feelings of regret about going to medical school in the first place? 1. Seek mental health support. Its essential to find a supportive, effective mental health provider who can assist you in managing your emotions and finding solutions to your professional unhappiness. A therapist can help you assess whether your sense of regret is simply about your current job, or part of a greater mental health concern; whether its because the specialty you chose is a bad fit; or whether the stressors of your family life are bleeding into your professional role. Once the factors contributing to your unhappiness are clear, a therapist can help you formulate a solid plan for change. Lastly, a mental health provider can make sure you have plenty of healthy coping strategies (e.g., not wine, beer, or gambling) at your disposal. 2. Reach out to colleagues. As the report issued by the Massachusetts Medical Society confirms, youre not alone in your feelings of burnout and unhappiness in the medical field. Consider reaching out to current and former colleagues, employers, associations, and schools for resources on combating physician fatigue. Are there workshops or conferences nearby? Online support groups you can join? Old friends who share similar woes? Gaining the support of others in the health care community who share your concerns can be an effective way to manage those emotionsand possibly gain insights into changing professional roles or other tools for coping with burnout. 3. See what else is out there. Sometimes we get so stuck in our professional frustrations that we become paralyzed. Dont let that happen to you! It can actually be empowering to look into other options for employment. What are other MDs/DOs doing with their degrees? Do you have former classmates who have gotten creative in their career trajectories? Think outside the box and dont be afraid to do a little more of that career daydreaming. Just opening your mind to other possibilities can be an effective way to manage unhappiness in your circumstances right now. Stephanie S. Smith is a writer, Careers by KevinMD.com. Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. TALENT, Ore. (AP) - The former city manager in Talent, Oregon, is facing charges that he secretly recorded nearly a dozen face-to-face conversations. The Mail Tribune reports 62-year-old Thomas Corrigan was charged with misdemeanor counts of obtaining contents of communications. An indictment filed in Jackson County Circuit Court by the Oregon Justice Department says Corrigan used a device to record conversations without notifying participants between April 19 and Nov. 1, 2017. Corrigan worked as Talent city manager from 2012 to 2018, and is now city manager in Shady Cove. Allegations of secret recordings were listed as a reason Corrigan was fired in January 2018. Corrigan's lawyer Peter Carini said he hasn't received details about the case yet, but said recording devices, namely surveillance cameras, are extremely common in government buildings. 1 of 2 Who is UPSC topper Kanishak Kataria, thanks girlfriend for his success The UPSC announced that Kanishak Kataria, a BTech from IIT Bombay, has topped the civil services final examination. While he is still can't stop pinching himself over his grand success, Kanishak Kataria thanked his girlfriend (in addition to others) for him topping the civil services final examination. "It's a very surprising moment. I never expected to get the 1st rank. I thank my parents, sister & my girlfriend for the help & moral support. People will expect me to be a good administrator & that's exactly my intention," Kanishak Kataria, an IIT Bombay student, told news agency ANI. This is probably the first time that a UPSC topper has thanked their girlfriend/boyfriend for their success in the UPSC final examination. The UPSC also announced Srushti Jayant Deshmukh as the topper among women candidates securing an overall fifth rank. Read More... Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Bharat Book Bureau Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Global In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market Research Report, By Product & Services, By Applications, By End User - Forecast Till 2023 under Life Sciences Category. The report offers a collection of market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and market reports. Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market is expected to reach market value of USD 1,02,555 million by 2023 from USD 64,390 million in 2017 and is expected to register at CAGR of 8.16% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023 Global In-Vitro Diagnosticss Market are medical devices, reagents, and accessories used to perform tests on samples, (e.g., blood, urine, and tissue) taken from the human body to help detect infection, diagnose a medical condition, and prevent disease. The aging population and the increasing prevalence of cancer and infectious diseases in developing countries, rising acceptance of molecular diagnostics in personalized medicines, change in lifestyle, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and an increasing number of private diagnostic centers drive the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are considered as the biggest cause of death globally with an estimated 17.7 million deaths by CVD in 2015, representing 31% of all the global deaths as per the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics. Request a free sample copy of In-Vitro Diagnosticss Market Report @ https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/Sample/Reports/1434327 In 2017, the market was led by the Americas with a 39.4% share, followed by Europe with a share of 31.32%. The market growth in the Americas is attributed to the increase in the population suffering from chronic diseases. The global in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented based on products and services, technology, application, end user, and region. The global in-vitro diagnostics market, by products and services, has been segmented into reagents and kits, instruments, and data management software and services. The global in-vitro diagnostics market, by technology, has been segmented into clinical chemistry, immunoassay/immunochemistry, molecular diagnostics, microbiology, hematology, and others. The global in-vitro diagnostics market, by application, has been segmented into infectious diseases and non-infectious diseases. By end user, the global in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into hospitals, laboratories, academic institutes, and others. Key Players: F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Danaher Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Siemens, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Study Objectives: To provide a comprehensive analysis of the in-vitro diagnostics industry and its sub-segments in the global market, thereby providing a detailed structure of the industry To provide detailed insights into factors driving and restraining the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market To estimate the market size of in-vitro diagnostics from 2015 to 2023 for different regions. Wherein, 2015 to 2016 would be the historic period, 2017 shall be the base year, and 2018 to 2023 will be the forecast period for the study To analyze the global in-vitro diagnostics market, on the basis of four main geographies, namely, the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa To compare products with respect to various players in the market To provide country-wise market value analysis for various segments of the in-vitro diagnostics market To provide strategic profiling of key companies (manufacturers and distributors) present across the globe, and comprehensively analyze their competitiveness/competitive landscape in this market To provide distribution chain analysis/value chain for the in-vitro diagnostics market Target Audience: Pharmaceutical Companies Biotechnology Companies Government Research Institutes Academic Institutes and Universities Key Findings: The global in-vitro diagnostics market is expected to reach USD 102,555 million by 2023 from USD 55,771 million in 2017 and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.16% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023 On the basis of products and services, the reagents and kits segment accounted for the largest market share and is projected to register a CAGR of 8.02% from 2018 to 2023 Based on technology, the clinical chemistry segment accounted for the largest market share and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.59% from 2018 to 2023. Based on application, the infectious disease segment accounted for the largest market share and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.01% from 2018 to 2023. Based on end user, the hospitals segment held the largest market share of 46.4% in 2017 and is projected to register a CAGR of 7.69% during the forecast period The Americas is expected to hold the largest share of the global in-vitro diagnostics market at a CAGR of 7.61% from 2018 to 2023. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market, which is expected to register at CAGR of 8.72% from 2018 to 2023. Regional Analysis: Americas: North America: US Canada South America: Europe: Germany France UK Italy Spain Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific: Japan China India Australia Rest of Asia-Pacific Middle East & Africa: Middle East Africa Browse our full report with Table of Contents: https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/in-vitro-diagnostics-ivd-market-research-report-by-product-services-reagents-kits-instruments-data-management - / 1434327 About Bharat Book Bureau: Bharat Book is Your One-Stop-Shop with an exhaustive coverage of 9,90,000 reports and insights that includes latest Market Studies, Market Trends & Analysis, Forecasts Customized Intelligence, Newsletters and Online Databases. Overall coverage of major industries with a further segmentation of 100+ subsectors. Contact us at: Bharat Book Bureau Tel: +91 22 27810772/27810773 Email: poonam@bharatbook.com Website: www.bharatbook.com Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Google Plus TORONTO, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --A Citron Hygiene has expanded its global footprint and entered the European market with its acquisition of Admiral Cleaning Supplies Limited in Leicestershire, England.A This is Citron Hygiene's first acquisition outside of North America, making it an especially significant one.A Admiral has been in business for 34 years and is one of the United Kingdom's largest distributors of the HORECA market (Hotel/Restaurant/CafA). A They have two locations in the U.K., approximately 80 employees and 7,500 customer locations.A "This is an exciting time for Citron Hygiene!A In March 2017, we entered into the U.S. market, and having this transaction closed July 2018, we are now in a new country and new continent.A Breaking into the European market has been a big step for our global growth strategy," Peter Farrell, the President & CEO, stated. A Since establishing a partnership with Birch Hill Equity Partners, Citron Hygiene has acquired six companies (now seven) in an effort to increase its corporate footprint.A The acquisitions in the United States and Canada have enabled strong market expansion of Citron Hygiene's core service platforms of washroom hygiene, pest control, ware-washing and chemical services, to the most sophisticated of commercial buildings, public spaces, and local eateries.A Citron Hygiene plans to implement their washroom services platform in the U.K. in relatively short order.A According to Peter Farrell, "Much like how Citron strives in 'building healthy spaces,' Admiral focuses on creating the clean, professional environments that support the health and wellness of building occupants.A Our businesses align and I look forward to this being a successful introduction to the U.K."A Going forward, Citron Hygiene intends to invest significant capital into the U.K. market.A Andy Bottrill will continue to be the Managing Director of Admiral.A Both he and Richard Adams will stay with the business and remain as part of the investment.A Citron Hygiene looks forward to future acquisitions in North America and the United Kingdom.A In the meantime, Admiral customers can expect the same quality services they have been receiving while also seeing new products and services becoming available. A To learn more about our expansion, visit the U.K. section of our website here: http://citronhygiene.com/uk/. Media Contact: Rebecca Dickinson Sales Coordinator +1-978-495-5606 rdickinson@citronhygiene.com A Bruce Cumings speaks with The Korea Times and KBS World during a joint interview held at the broadcaster in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, March 29. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min By Jung Da-min The only way for the United States to steer North Korea in a better direction is to embrace it, giving it a chance to join the world economy, according to Bruce Cumings, a history professor at the University of Chicago. In a joint interview with The Korea Times and KBS World Radio in Seoul, March 29, the renowned Korea expert said the U.S. should normalize relations with North Korea and declare an end to the Korean War as early as possible. Cumings was visiting Seoul as one of the keynote speakers at a forum commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1919 March 1 Independence Movement. "Particularly, it needs to take economic measures to bring North Korea into the world economy, so they can be captured by the same gravity that China and Vietnam have been captured by," Cumings said. "That's the only way North Korea will ever change." Cumings said South Korea could facilitate peace talks with North Korea by inviting its leader Kim Jong-un to Seoul. "For Kim, who allegedly has switched from his military first and nuclear policies to one-end to build up the North Korean economy, it'd be good for him to get a good look at Seoul and immense development here," he said. "North Korea, if it wants to get off the mark economically and develop, needs every kind of help from South Korea." Cumings also shared his critical views about security advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump. He said Trump has made a great progress in the denuclearization talks with North Korea, but may do a better job without hardliners. He said Trump could have made an "interim" deal regarding denuclearization at the last summit with North Korean leader Kim in Hanoi without the hardliners. "I think Trump needs to sort out his advisers, particularly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton," Cumings said. "Trump needs to lead (the denuclearization talks) and there's no reason why he couldn't have made that deal in Hanoi as an interim deal. It wasn't a bad deal really." Cumings said this is a very dangerous situation as Bolton and Pompeo have been on record, especially Bolton for more than 20 years, saying the real answer to the North Korean problem is to get rid of the North Korean regime. "This does not help the U.S. dealing with the North Korean leadership. I don't see how Trump can go forward with the third summit or some kind of deal with North Korea until he gets his advisers on board." He said many people have been waiting to overthrow North Korea or for the country to collapse for his entire lifetime and it hasn't happened, showing it is not the way to deal with the country. "The way to change North Korea in a better direction is to bring it out of its isolation," he said. Despite the failure of the Hanoi summit, Cumings said he still gives Trump credit for what he has achieved since he was elected as president. "It's very important that North Korea quit testing in November 2017, right at the point where they had shown that they had nuclear weapons and an intercontinental ballistic missile," he said. He said Trump's innocent approach to North Korea is different from what he had witnessed with past administrations of the U.S. and South Korea and far from the Washington intellectuals. "Most happened in the last 75 years has been very predictable, because of the confrontation between North and South and sometimes it seems nothing ever changes. You get the progress with Kim Dae-jung and Clinton, you get regress with Bush and Lee Myung-bak and so on," he said. "Trump is very different in that he looks at Korea with innocent eyes. There's nothing innocent about Trump but he doesn't really know about history but wants to make an impact and he doesn't like the foreign policy establishment and what it thinks about Korea." (CNN) The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, Greenland was mostly green, sea levels were up to 20 meters higher and trees grew on Antarctica, according to scientists who warned this week that there is more CO2 in our atmosphere today than in the past three million years. Using a new computer simulation, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, found that the last time the earth's atmosphere had a CO2 concentration as high as today's was during the Pliocene epoch, the geological period 2.6-5.3 million years ago. CO2 emissions from human activities are the leading cause of climate change. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere today is "unnatural", lead-author Matteo Willeit told CNN. Willeit said that according to the simulation CO2 levels should not be higher than 280 parts per million (ppm) without human activity, but that they are currently 410 ppm and rising. Global mean temperatures are rising much faster than any time since the Pliocene, Willeit added. In that time they have never exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2C, but current models show that temperatures will rise by 4C between 2000 and 2100 if steps are not taken to slash emissions, he said. Into unknown territory Willeit said rising CO2 levels are pushing earth beyond any climatic conditions ever experienced by humans. If CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise, "our planet will change" and sea levels will rise by one or two meters in the next 200 years, he added. This research isn't the first to suggest that today's CO2 levels are the highest since the Pliocene, but the Potsdam researchers say their work is the first to combine ocean-floor sediment data with analysis of past ice volumes, and is more sophisticated than other model studies. Scientists at a Royal Meteorological Society meeting on the climate of the Pliocene in London on Wednesday discussed how sedimentary records and plant fossils from near Antarctica show that during the Pliocene epoch Arctic summer temperatures were 14C higher than today. Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London, speaking at the event, said the findings offered a view of the earth's future if drastic steps are not taken to address global warming. This story was first published on CNN.com "CO2 levels at highest for 3 million years when seas were 20 meters higher" Two people were shot early Saturday during a fight between rival motorcycle gangs, Killeen police said. The shooting took place around 1:45 a.m. at MJs Bar and Grill in the 1300 block of South Fort Hood Street. Officers were initially called out for the fight, but the call was upgraded to a shooting before they arrived. In a press release, investigators said they saw evidence of a large fight that spilled onto the road when gunfire rang out. One victim was taken to AdventHealth Hospital in serious condition. The other person was taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center before being transferred to Baylor Scott and White Hospital in serious condition. The dramas of King Lear, the Gay Mens Chorus and LACMA. Im Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, with the weeks essential art news: A brazenly busy Lear Theater critic Charles McNulty reviews director Sam Golds bells-and-whistles staging of King Lear on Broadway. Playing Lear is the Tony Award-winning Glenda Jackson, who made her return to the stage with the role in 2016, after two decades in politics. Her Lear, he notes, roars with authority and rebuke. But theres a but: If this revival represents a step forward for Golds career, it is a step backward for Shakespeares play, which has lost much of its excruciating pathos in the directorial hubbub. Glenda Jackson, right, with Ruth Wilson, as King Lear on Broadway. (Brigitte Lacombe) While in NYC, McNulty also checked out Heidi Schrecks What the Constitution Means to Me, a free-form theatrical piece in which she tries to recreate a prize-winning speech on the Constitution she gave as a 15-year-old. The performance poignantly touches on a womans right to decide what to do with her own body politics that, for Schreck, is quite personal. Advertisement Critical moment for Gay Mens Chorus For 40 years, the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles has been a safe space for gay performers surviving the ravages of the AIDS crisis. But as it prepares for its 40th-anniversary shows this weekend, it faces budget deficits so severe it is in danger of dissolving, partly due to sexual misconduct allegations against its former board chair. As current board chair Steve Holzer tells The Times Jessica Gelt: We are in a world of hurt, and we are struggling to stay alive. Brandon Singleton, in glasses, and his colleagues share a light moment during rehearsal. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) LACMA faces the supes The Los Angeles County Museum of Arts redesign plan by Peter Zumthor which has less gallery space than the buildings it is replacing is headed to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday for approval Deborah Vankin reports. In a column on the subject, Times art critic Christopher Knight describes LACMA as the Incredible Shrinking Museum and questions whether the project is worthy of taxpayer support: Adding 50,000 square feet might not even have been enough. Subtracting 10,000 is absurd. William Poundstone, who writes the aptly named Los Angeles County Museum on Fire blog, reports that LACMA director Michael Govan has responded to the criticisms with a letter to museum membership that notes the construction of other pavilions over the years have added square footage to the museum. But as Knight writes in a follow-up Tweet, those expansions were not for the permanent collection which will still lose space. A rendering of LACMAs proposed interior designed by Peter Zumthor. (Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner) Grand dame of dance In 1965, Judith Jamison joined a young but already world-famous modern dance troupe the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Today, as artistic director emerita, she is preparing for the troupes 60th anniversary shows in L.A., and sat down with The Times Makeda Easter: Its always very difficult to get our history straight as African Americans, as black dancers. Thats part of whats so important about celebrating 60 years of Alvin Ailey, because were still here to tell the truth about what was in his mind. Judith Jamison in Alvin Aileys Revelations in 1971. (Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives) Danke Schoenberg Times classical music critic Mark Swed reports that the Los Angeles Philharmonic is about to kick off a two-week Stravinsky festival as part of its centenary season. But in a review of a recent Piano Spheres performance at Zipper Concert Hall, Swed notes that we shouldnt forget Schoenberg: Both composers emigrated to L.A. in the 1930s. But while Stravinksy has always been far and away the more popular and imitate composer, Schoenbergs influence on music and our institutions was greater. Susan Svrcek and Nic Gerpe perform Schoenbergs two-piano arrangement of his Second Chamber Symphony for Piano Spheres. (Duncan Kinzie / Piano Spheres) Butterflys metamorphosis Puccinis Madama Butterfly tells the story of a Japanese geisha and American Navy lieutenant who fall in love ... in Italian. But a new version by L.A.s Pacific Opera Project and Houstons Opera in the Heights have teamed up for an English and Japanese version that also features ethnically accurate casting. The story remains as Puccini wrote it, but the shift in languages, notes Times contributor Catherine Womack, has added new revelations to the story. Keiko Clark sings the lead role in Pacific Opera Projects production of Madama Butterfly. (Kentaro Terra) Womack also reports on a project by Cal State Northridge students that turns the bamboo-like plant Arundo donax, which has invaded swathes of the L.A. River, into musical instruments. In the galleries At Park View / Paul Soto Gallery, an installation by millennial artist Mark A. Rodriguez takes aim at baby boomers. And who can blame him, writes Christopher Knight, as the oceans rise while the powerful diddle? Times contributor Sharon Mizota reviews a show by Lisa Solomon that explores the legacy of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II at Walter Maciel Gallery, and an exhibition of sculptures inspired by the human form at Jeffrey Deitch. Mizota was quite intrigued by Cayetano Ferrers architectural installations at Commonwealth and Council, where the artist has brought broken bits of architecture back to life with unusual materials. Gates of Hell Movie Set (1:5 scale), 2019, by Cayetano Ferrer. (Ruben Diaz) On the stage F. Kathleen Foley reviews Nicky Silvers family dramedy Too Much Sun at the Odyssey Theatre. The subplots are clunky, she notes, but the actors, in particular, Diane Carey as Audry, are terrific. Meanwhile in London: Gillian Anderson has been nominated for an Olivier Award for her turn as Margo Channing in director Ivo Van Hoves adaptation of All About Eve at the Noel Coward Theatre. The fact that it is such a female-led story is important today, Anderson tells contributor Emily Zemler. Gillian Anderson, right, with Julian Ovenden in All About Eve in London. (Jan Versweyveld) What Im reading I review critic Mark Lamsters new biography of architect Philip Johnson. His epic book, Philip Johnson: The Man in the Glass House, weaves a compelling, clear-eyed portrait of an architect who helped set the baseline for Modernism in the U.S. but who, in his youth, didnt just flirt with Nazi politics, but kissed it full on the mouth. Philip Johnson at 72 in 1978. (AP) Essential Image If youve been tooling along the 10 or the 110 and wondered about the bright blast of color currently fringing the Los Angeles Convention Center, its a new mural titled Shaping L.A. by brothers Ed Massey and Bernie Massey and was painted with the assistance of thousands of children and adults. Shaping L.A. by Ed Massey and Bernie Massey, has brought color to the L.A. Convention Centers South Hall. (Felix Massey) Ready for the Weekend In our weekly 99-Seat Beat column, Margaret Gray surveys whats happening in small theaters, including a musical inspired by the songs of Los Lobos. I round up the latest art openings in Datebook, including a series of new shows inside the Orange County Museum of Arts temporary space in a Santa Ana strip mall. Matt Cooper has the week ahead in music, theater, art and dance, and, as always, lines up the weekends picks, which includes a new production from the Skid Row-based Los Angeles Poverty Department, I Fly! or How to Keep the Devil Down in the Hole, a theatrical exploration of policing and public safety in low-income communities of color. In other news How adult actors pull off playing children on stage. Photoville, New Yorks free photography festival, is coming to L.A. Photographer Tomas van Houtryve chronicles the U.S. people and places that were once part of Mexico. Shaking my head: How London developer Henley Homes segregates play areas for richer and poorer residents. It was heartbreaking to watch wealthy condo owners jeer a black woman who grew up in public housing for trying to shelter our homeless population. A meeting for a homeless transition center in San Francisco brings out the worst. This essay by Feargus OSullivan is some of the most thoughtful writing Ive come across on Thomas Heatherwick and Hudson Yards. Nipsey Hussle, urbanist: The Times Gerrick Kennedy looks at the way in which the late rapper sought to transform the landscape of L.A. Onni Group releases renderings of their proposed development at Times Mirror Square in downtown. It is redolent of pour-over coffee and craft cocktails. As everyone talks Walter Gropius, critic Alexandra Lange considers the women of the Bauhaus. In other important design news: El Chapos wife Emma Coronel will launch a clothing line inspired by her husbands style. And last but not least How Attorney General William Barr would summarize famous Broadway musicals, according to McSweeneys. carolina.miranda@latimes.com | Twitter: @cmonstah Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, otherwise known as Night at the Museum 3, rates as more determinedly heartfelt than the first and not as witty as the second (and best). Also, no Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart in jodhpurs this time around. Night at the Museum 3" closes out director Shawn Levys effects-driven, family-friendly trilogy with three separate farewells. The most bittersweet parting involves the late Robin Williams. Its both touching and difficult to see Williams, looking game but wan, portray Teddy Roosevelt one last time, as Teddy and his fellow Museum of Natural History dwellers (from Attila the Hun to the T-Rex nicknamed Rexy) travel to Londons British Museum in order to give the movie somewhere to go, something to do, new institutions to disrupt. Mickey Rooney constitutes another farewell (he died in April, Williams committed suicide in August). He turns up, briefly, as one of the devious night watchmen from the first picture, now in a retirement home with his cohorts played by Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs. The third farewell is to the series itself, anchored by Ben Stiller as night guard Larry, here upgraded to museum evening events planner, animatronic division. Larry and company must discover why the magical Egyptian knick-knack known as the Tablet of Ahkmenrah is on the fritz, threatening the nocturnal lives of Ahkmenrah (Rami Malek) and his pals. Off they go to England; only Ahkmenrahs parents (played by Ben Kingsley and Anjali Jay) can save the day. Levys film sets itself a low bar and then hurdles it. It begins badly, with a misjudged action sequence of the gang ruining the reopening of the Hayden Planetarium. It then middles adequately and perks up near the end, paradoxically by calming down and laying off the frantic slapstick. No one has any illusions about these movies. Their primary success ingredients are capuchin monkey urine and Stillers deadpan reactions to the latest amazement or indignity. Advertisement In the new movie theres a pretty good relationship at the core, that of single dad Larry and his restless teenager now played, appealingly, by Skyler Gisondo. Father/son issues abound in the script by David Guion and Michael Handelman. Fruitfully, Night at the Museum 3" introduces a new Neanderthal named Laaa, played by Stiller. The caveman recognizes in Larry a distant but undeniable blood relative the dad (or, really, great-great-great-great-great grandson) he never knew he was missing. Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan are back as the wee cowboy Jedediah and Roman warrior Octavius, respectively; Mizuo Peck returns as Sacajawea, as always distressingly light on narrative purpose. In the British Museum section of the story the most conspicuous newcomers are Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey, amusingly narcissistic) and Rebel Wilson as a randy night guard who takes a shine to Laaa. Its a hectic pile-up, this movie, but at least in its final laps it takes the time to say its good-byes more or less properly. mjphillips@tribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune MPAA rating: PG (for mild action, some rude humor and brief language) Running time: 1:37 Opens: Friday On Thursday night in Los Angeles, Oliver Peoples gathered some of todays leading men to celebrate one from yesterday Cary Grant. Over martinis and steaks at the clubby Sunset Tower, Oscar winner Mahershala Ali cohosted the luxe eyewear brands launch of the Cary Grant x Oliver Peoples collection, which arrives in stores this month. Lets dance! said Ali, a man of few words, at least at the Sunset Tower event. Im here supporting Mahershala for the work he does and what I aspire to be, said Winston Duke, star of Jordan Peeles blockbuster Us. Advertisement Having seen Green Book and some of the other work of Mahershala Ali, and then learning that Cary was his creative inspiration, its perfect because he really represents exactly what Cary loved, simplicity, said his former wife Barbara Harris Grant, who worked on the collaboration with the actors daughter, Jennifer Grant. Jennifer Grant and Barbara Harris Grant. (Michael Buckner / WWD / REX / Shutterstock) The collection of optical and sunglasses frames, which retail for $380 to $635, comes in six colorways, including a Grant tortoise acetate and an 18-karat gold-plated style exclusive to Oliver Peoples boutiques and online store. All styles feature a subtle CG inspired by the actors monogrammed business cards, and a custom case after the colors of his suit in the 1959 film North by Northwest, where a distinctive pair of tortoise sunglasses are part of a disguise used by his character, Roger Thornhill. From a personal point of view, Cary has been one of my obsessions, said Oliver Peoples creative director Giampiero Tagliaferri. He was always an icon of style and grace, and there was a discretion with which he approached things. I felt it was something we could bring to the product and to Oliver Peoples. This marks the first collaboration for the Cary Grant estate, and the first time his name or likeness have been loaned to any brand. Oliver Peoples glasses and sunglasses. (Michael Buckner / WWD / REX / Shutterstock) There have been many, many offers through the years, and we didnt look very seriously at any of them, Grant said. (Policing the unauthorized uses of her husbands name is a full-time job, she noted, and she called blatant the recent allegedly unauthorized use of Steve McQueens name on a Tom Ford McQueen cardigan, which has the late actors estate suing the fashion designer.) But Oliver Peoples had done their homework.The fact they were trying to match the glasses in North by Northwest, the fact they were tortoise and high quality, and something Cary would have worn and would wear. Most people would not go to that detail, but Cary would have. He was a perfectionist, she continued. I told my team, we have to consider Cary part of our family, someone we wanted to protect, said Tagliaferri of how he put the Grant family at ease, bringing them ideas that were already in development past the sketch stage. Then, after meeting Barbara and Jennifer, we learned things about his taste you can only know and discover if you speak to someone close to him, like the fact he only liked silver detail not gold. None of our glasses have gold, even the special edition ones that are gold-plated, we plated with white gold. Simplicity and quality were the hallmarks of Grants style onscreen and off, according to his former wife. His father told him that if he couldnt afford a really good quality, simple suit, he should save until he could rather than buying a lot of suits that were cheaper, she said. And Cary would not wear anything where there was a large brand namehed refuse to sell someones name, saying he already paid for the suit, she said of the famously thrifty actor. Founded in 1987, L.A.-based Oliver Peoples makes glasses with a vintage aesthetic inspired by the culture of L.A., including Hollywood. The company has distribution in more than 60 countries and operates 30 retail stores. In 2011, the brand collaborated with the estate of actor Gregory Peck on frames, which are still among its bestsellers. They were actually great friends, Grant said of the two Hollywood icons. They were both wonderful men, but Cary was the best. A giant inflatable baby Trump floated over the crowd of protesters who gathered Friday morning here at the Mexican border, next to the new outlet mall that was supposed to bring salvation to this economically depressed city. They were mad about President Trumps threat to close the border, but the purpose of the march was to demonstrate unity with Mexicali, Calexicos sister city across the border. We are interconnected. We are one community. We are not separated, said Jose Luis Olmedo of Comite Civico del Valle, an Imperial Valley civil rights group. Trump swooped into town Friday to flog his nonexistent border emergency on his way to a Beverly Hills fundraiser. The protesters hoped to catch a glimpse of the man who has the power, with the stroke of a pen, to screw up their jobs, their health and their families. Or, more to the point, that he would catch a glimpse of them. Advertisement Sadly, the chubby orange-haired balloon was the only version of Trump they saw. After a couple of hours of speeches, music and chanting, they lined the sidewalk on West 2nd Street waiting in vain for Trumps motorcade. The president had taken a different route. No one around here seems to know whether to take Trumps threat seriously, but plenty of people believe he is erratic enough to follow through. Which could be a disaster. Without Mexican shoppers, said Imperial County Supervisor Ray Castillo, who addressed the protesters, our economy cant survive. It would break us. When I reached her by phone the day before Trumps visit, Calexico native Hildy Carrillo, executive director of the local chamber of commerce, was even blunter. If he closes the border, she said, just shoot us. On Thursday, Trump rescinded his threat to shut down the border, vowing instead to give Mexico another year to solve the Central American refugee problem and end the flow of illegal drugs. To Calexicans, those are not the pressing issues. Our crisis is poverty, lack of housing, air pollution, said Eric Reyes, an advocate for farmworkers, as protesters broke into a spontaneous rendition of God Bless America. A giant inflatable baby Trump floats above Trump supporters Linda Jung, left, and Keith Wood as they watch protesters make their way to Gran Plaza Outlets. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) :: Calexico is a city of about 39,000 two hours east of San Diego. It lies directly across the border from Mexicali, the capital of Baja California and a relative megalopolis of nearly 700,000. Calexicos commerce depends on Mexican shoppers, who walk or drive across by the thousands. The colonnaded sidewalks in old downtown draw shoppers to modest-priced clothing boutiques, budget stores and pawn shops. There is a satellite campus of San Diego State here, one Starbucks and a lot more Chinese restaurants than youd expect. During the day, Calexicos population doubles. The traffic goes both ways; agricultural crops that surround Calexico in the fertile Imperial Valley are picked by farmworkers who legally cross the border from Mexico every day during the picking seasons. They board buses and are whisked away to the fields to harvest lettuce, cabbage, carrots, beets and broccoli. What would a border closure look like in a town like Calexico, which for all intents and purposes is part of the greater Mexicali area? Hildy Carrillo, executive director of the Calexico Chamber of Commerce, says closing the border would upend lives. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) Do you remember 9/11 when they closed the border? Carrillo asked. Our streets were bare. No traffic. You could hear the birds chirp. There was a tumbleweed rolling down the main street. It would be like that. Its hard to describe how conjoined the two places are. Even the names Calexico and Mexicali portmanteaus of California and Mexico reflect a deep entanglement. The border doesnt exist for this area, Carrillo said. It is common for residents of Calexico to get dental and medical care in Mexicali, which has first-rate hospitals and a large number of doctors and dentists. Insurance companies routinely send their American patients to Mexicali for care, said Esther Bejarano, an environmental activist who had turned out at the protest to talk about a real border emergency: air quality. This region has some of the worst air pollution in the country and the highest rate of asthma-related emergency room visits by children in California. Because of that, Bejarano said, it is not uncommon for American schoolkids to seek treatment for asthma in Mexicali, which puts them in an impossible bind. Their American schools require them to register their inhalers, but schools wont register medicines from Mexico. Children are forced to carry their inhalers in their backpacks, like contraband. Rudy Huerta, 66, a retired warehouse supervisor for a beer distributor, lives in Calexico but gets his medication and dental work in Mexicali. He even gets his hair cut there. I bumped into him on West 2nd Street next to the Gran Plaza Outlets, where nearly 40 big-name retailers draw shoppers from Mexicali. He stood with about 300 people who were hoping to see the president, or at least his limo. Huerta told me he lives on $1,800 a month from Social Security, plus withdrawals from his 401(k). His dentist on the American side wanted to yank his teeth and charge $10,000 for implants. A dentist on the Mexican side fixed his existing teeth for $500. His prescription glasses, which would have cost $500 in the U.S., cost him $60 in Mexico. And that included the exam. I have to go over because its so much cheaper, he said. But what if they close the border and I get sick? :: Trump touched down in Calexico in the early afternoon for a roundtable discussion with immigration officials, law enforcement officers and politicians, including U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, who is facing federal charges of misappropriating campaign funds. Based on transcripts, Trump seems to have spent his time crowing about the wall and the borders absolute emergency, blaming Democrats for a dysfunctional immigration system and congratulating himself for deporting gang members. Nobodys ever done the job weve done, he said. The president then briefly visited the border fence, having claimed, wrongfully and repeatedly, that the 2-mile steel-slat fence that separates Calexico from Mexicali was built on his initiative. Its construction, in fact, was planned during the Obama administration as an upgrade to an existing fence. The upgrade was requested by border officials because the previous fence was solid, made of Vietnam-era surplus landing mats. If somebody threw a bottle of beer over the fence, Carrillo said, they couldnt see where it was coming from. Now they have a clear view. Aesthetically, it looks better. If you look closely, however, there is an unexpected addition to the long-planned fence. Last November, the National Guard unfurled shiny silver spirals of razor wire across the top of the fence. They also snuggled double rows of the wire along the base. This, presumably, will keep out the vicious hordes of Central American parents and children who turn themselves in to border officials to apply for political asylum in the United States. Thieves have already begun stealing the concertina wire, reselling it to people who live on the Mexican side especially in high-crime Tijuana where it has mysteriously turned up on the fences and roofs of private homes. I dont approve of larceny, but thats some good old-fashioned cross-border ingenuity at work. robin.abcarian@latimes.com Twitter: @AbcarianLAT Six Los Angeles County juvenile detention officers were charged with assault and child abuse Friday for using pepper spray on several teenage girls last year. According to the charges brought by L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, the officers assigned to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall were unreasonable in the way that they used the spray or prevented the detainees from being able to properly clear their skin and eyes of the chemical. The six officers charged Marlene Rochelle Wilson, 46; Janeth Vilchez, 48; LaCour Harrison, 53; Claudette Reynolds, 57; Maria Asuzena Guerrero, 28; and Karnesha Marshall, 28 appeared in court Friday. Each will face arraignment next month. The charges against the six officers range from felony assault to various misdemeanors, and range from six months in jail to eight years in prison. Advertisement The legal action follows months of controversy in Los Angeles County over the dramatic increase in pepper-spray use by detention officers on young detainees. The spray, formally known as oleoresin capsicum spray, is supposed to be used as a last resort to control violent and unruly youths. But in early February, the countys Office of Inspector General issued a detailed review of activities inside juvenile halls, documenting potential misconduct by detention officers. It found that guards had inadequate training, supervision and accountability conditions that contributed to an over-reliance on pepper spray. The investigators also raised concerns about what they saw as a punitive culture inside the nations largest juvenile probation operation, which includes more than 7,000 youths under community supervision and an average of 900 held in halls or camps. The Times has reported that the use of pepper spray increased from 294 incidents in 2015 to 747 incidents in 2017 a jump of 154%. More recent data showed that usage began to level off in 2018. In those instances where egregious acts were suspected to have been committed, the department reports that it has removed staff from direct contact with youth and will be taking disciplinary action if appropriate, according to the report from the Office of the Inspector General. In late February, the county Board of Supervisors voted to phase out the use of pepper spray by the end of this year. The county Probation Department, which manages the detention and supervision of the thousands of juveniles involved in the countys criminal justice system, is rapidly approaching its deadline to devise a plan to stop using the spray, which causes burning and inflammation of the eyes, nose and skin. The filing of criminal charges against six probation officers validates the earlier concerns we raised about excessive and now potentially illegal use of pepper spray in our juvenile halls and camps, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said in a statement. It also underscores the urgent need to safely and responsibly phase out the use of pepper spray, and to implement stronger oversight. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said she is worried about detention officers continuing to use pepper spray at all, saying its ineffective and destructive to building the kind of relationships necessary to create a rehabilitative environment. It totally validates our concern about the use of pepper spray in our halls, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said of the charges against the officers. This kind of egregious behavior has to be charged, and I was not surprised given that these few people had gone beyond what was allowed with pepper spray. Wilson and Vilchez were charged with felony counts of assault by a public officer and misdemeanor counts of child abuse. Harrison and Reynolds were charged with assault by a public officer and cruelty to a child by endangering her health, a misdemeanor. Guerrero and Marshall were charged with cruelty to a child by endangering her health. Payroll records show that the officers arrested had worked for the department for several years. Harrison, the lone male charged, is a supervising detention officer. Chief Probation Officer Terri L. McDonald said the investigation at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was launched by her agency. The alleged acts by the individuals charged today in no way reflects on the amazing work done by our staff who have dedicated their careers to helping youth and adults change their lives for the better, she said in a statement. What this filing does demonstrate is that the excessive or improper use of force by our staff will be thoroughly and professionally investigated, with involved staff being held accountable for their actions. Ian Kysel, a staff attorney with the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, said the charges underscore how tools such as pepper spray can be abused and are an indication that L.A. Countys juvenile halls remain a dangerous environment. The Probation Department should take immediate steps to protect youth from the abusive use of chemical agents while it works to implement a countywide ban and enable staff to do so as soon as possible, he said. Internal investigations into the officers are ongoing, and the legal cases are being prosecuted by Deputy Dist. Attys. Kaveh Faturechi and Oscar Plascencia, both of whom work for a division in the district attorneys office focused on justice system integrity. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore plans to scrap a controversial program that uses data to identify individuals who are most likely to commit violent crimes, bowing to criticism included in an audit and by privacy groups. In a five-page memo sent Friday to the Police Commission, the civilian panel that oversees the LAPD, Moore detailed a host of changes in response to a 52-page audit by Inspector General Mark Smith. Smith found that the departments data analysis programs lacked oversight and that officers used inconsistent criteria to label people as chronic offenders. Smith also couldnt determine the overall effectiveness of a geographic component that tried to pinpoint the location of some property crimes. Moore told commissioners the department will not use programs that fail to produce results and will strive to identify new or emerging ideas that hold promise. Advertisement Crime reduction strategies are never static, wrote Moore, who is scheduled to present an oral report to the commission on Tuesday. We will continue to learn and evolve in our work. For years, critics have lambasted the data-driven programs which use search tools and point scores saying statistics tilt toward racial bias and result in heavier policing of black and Latino communities. After the chronic offender lists created an uproar among civil liberties and privacy groups, the LAPD suspended that tool in August. Andrew Ferguson, a law professor at the University of the District of Columbia who studies policing data and wrote a book on the topic, credited Smiths audit for exposing problems. Police leaders, he said, need to be transparent if they want to build community trust and accountability around data programs. You have to have the courage to go to the community to tell them how youre using it and if it is broken, said Ferguson, who called for annual audits of the programs. If they do that, theyre going to be leaders in the country. Smiths audit focused on several tools. For violent crime, the department draws LASER zones devised by a human crime analyst, not a computer to identify crime hot spots and where to focus more officers. Many of the departments divisions also used data to compile lists or bulletins of people calculated to be among the top 12 chronic offenders. The program assigned points to people based on prior criminal histories, such as arrest records, gang affiliation, probation and parole status and recent police contacts. Smith found that 44% of the so-called chronic offenders had either zero or one arrest for violent crimes. About half had no arrest for gun-related crimes. Others were in custody or had been arrested for only nonviolent crimes. Officers will now rely more on old-school tactics, using physical descriptions of those suspected in reported crimes. They will also focus more closely on perpetrators recently released from custody and those who have committed similar crimes in the past, the memo stated. Moore also plans to increase oversight by developing precision policing manuals tailored to each of the agencys four geographic commands. The manuals, which are expected to be completed this summer, will incorporate the inspector generals recommendations. The four area commands will provide a centralized model of oversight from the Office of Operations, Moore wrote. The inspector generals audit also found discrepancies with a location-based tool, called PredPol, shorthand for predictive policing. The software program is designed to predict where and when crimes will likely occur over the next 12 hours and where to target officers. The softwares algorithm examines 10 years of crime data, including the types of crimes, dates, locations and times. But Smith found that some factors, for example, the size of the crime zones and presence of police facilities, skewed the data. The department is in the process of developing smaller micro hot spots, approximately 500 feet by 500 feet. It also plans to work with the vendor to exclude the crimes reported by people at police stations, Moore wrote. It has been noted that a location-based strategy of identifying patterns and series of crime trends at specific locations, corridors or neighborhoods are a proven crime strategy. Moore wrote. A recent study from New York University School of Law and NYUs AI Now Institute examined data programs in troubled police departments in Chicago, New Orleans and Maricopa County, Ariz. The study concluded that dirty data lead to biased policing and unlawful predictions. Those policies repeatedly send officers to the same neighborhoods, regardless of the crimes committed, the study found. Rashida Richardson, director of policy research at the AI Now Institute and a co-author of the report, said Smiths findings mirrored suspicions that police target specific communities. This shows a larger policing problem, she said. None of this is standardized. A lot of this system is one-sided. LAPD Officer Hannu Tarjamo, a director at the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said the data programs can be helpful, but they also distract officers from police work. Community policing, he said, is done best when officers learn areas and know who commits the crimes. The league has faith that (Moore) will do the right thing with the programs, Tarjamo said. Community activist Najee Ali said residents expect improvements in the wake of the audit. Ali said he welcomes future data audits and changes to problematic programs. We hope Chief Moore will continue to listen and value our input, Ali said. For Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the California Air National Guard, the military was a family calling. She followed her older sister and brother-in-law into the guard, where she now holds an administrative position at the elite 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. On a March morning four years ago, Pineda was about to dress into a uniform she had stored overnight in a stall in the womens bathroom when she made a foul discovery. Someone had urinated in her boots. The incident left Pineda humiliated and frightened and would trigger a series of behind-the-scenes investigations whose scope has come to extend beyond what happened that day at the Fresno base. Advertisement The defiling of Pinedas boots has led to allegations that high-ranking officers tried to bury the incident, including by destroying evidence that could have potentially identified a suspect through DNA, and retaliated against a male pilot who supported her efforts to find the perpetrator, according to interviews and guard records obtained by The Times. Some in the wing have begun calling the ongoing saga Pissgate. After The Times began asking questions about the Pineda episode, the California Military Department, which oversees the guard, asked the U.S. Air Force Inspector Generals Office to conduct an investigation. In the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, guard leaders are concerned about the degrading nature of the act aimed at a woman, according to two sources close to the investigation, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly speak about the matter. Only about 20% of the officers and enlisted members in the guard are women. The inspector generals inquiry is the third investigation into the Pineda affair and part of a broader probe into whether whistle-blowers at the 144th wing suffered reprisals for questioning the actions or conduct of their superiors on a range of matters. At least five guard members from the 144th wing, including a pilot who was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine, filed formal complaints. The guard recently suspended a 144th commander for reasons it said were unrelated to the Pineda incident. This boils down to just unprofessional leadership and cronyism, said Maj. Dan Woodside, a retired 144th fighter pilot who is a witness in the inspector generals Pineda investigation and has complained about how she was treated. If anybody had urinated in their boots, they would have done everything they could to find the perpetrator, even if it involved calling the FBI. Two of the guards top officers held key leadership positions at the 144th at the time of the Pineda incident: Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, who has since become head of the air guard, and Col. Sean Navin, now one of its five wing commanders. Neither responded to requests for interviews. Maj. Gen. Clay L. Garrison was the head of the 144th Fighter Wing when Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda discovered someone had urinated in her boots. (Tech. Sgt. Charles Vaughn / U.S. Air National Guard) Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, who heads the Military Department, declined through a guard spokesman to be interviewed. Baldwin said in a written statement to The Times that in order to protect the integrity of that ongoing investigation, we cannot disclose additional details. The California air guard is the second largest, after New Yorks, in the Air National Guard, which is a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. Many of the pilots are part-time reservists, signing up after careers in the U.S. Air Force, and some fly in their civilian lives for commercial airlines. The guards function as state militias whose leaders report to the governor. They patrol state airspace and stand ready to respond to natural disasters and large-scale terrorist attacks. In California, the air guard helped fight recent wildfires, flying drones over the blazes to feed intelligence to fire crews on the ground. Its fighter pilots are regularly deployed to assist the Air Force in combat and other operations overseas. The 144th is the biggest wing in the state. It is home to roughly 115 officers, including about two dozen fighter pilots, and more than 1,000 enlistees in support units. For every officer in the wing, there are about nine enlistees in roles that are essential but carry much less clout. Pineda, 34, is one of them. After joining the guard in 2004, she spent several years in the wings command post as a dispatcher before moving to the operations group, according to interviews with guard colleagues. Pineda declined to comment for this story. Soon after she reported that someone had urinated on her boots, members of the 144ths security forces, who police the base, arrived at the location, attempted to lift fingerprints and had photos taken of the scene, according to an internal investigative record obtained by The Times. The security airmen collected the urine from the floor and reviewed hours of security camera footage, the document states. Investigative records describe the incident as vandalism. If committed by someone with a rank of second lieutenant or higher, legal experts said, the act could also be considered the more serious crime of conduct unbecoming an officer. The perpetrator, they said, could be prosecuted and jailed in a court martial, forced to retire in an administrative proceeding at a reduced rank and pension, or handed a lesser punishment such as a reprimand. The investigators asked Pineda, then a single mother of two, who she thought could have had a motive to target her, according to the report. Pineda named two women who have had issues with her in the past, and her supervisor later suggested one more, the report says. It states that all three women were questioned. The results of the investigation were inconclusive, the report says. About two months after the investigation began, the commander of the fighter squadron at the time, Navin, called Pineda and her supervisor into his office to share the results, according to May 2015 memos that Pineda and the supervisor wrote to document the conversation. Navin apologized that the investigation did not find the perpetrator, according to the memos. In Pinedas memo, she wrote that Navin said killings go unsolved every day and these things just happen. I started to ask him how I was supposed to come to work and feel OK in a work environment where I have been violated like this, Pineda said in her memo. Pineda said in the document that she had begun securing her uniform in a locker, parks where she can see her car from her work desk window and keeps the desk locked up each night. Soon after the first investigation was shelved, a second was opened when new information revealed that pilots had been drinking in a nearby break room the evening before the discovery and may have information regarding the incident or may have possibly been involved in the incident, according to a guard report and interviews. Navin, the commander who had shared the results of the first investigation with Pineda, had been in the break room as well that evening, the report says. Col. Sean Navin was the commander of the 194th fighter squadron at the 144th wing when Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda discovered someone had urinated in her boots. (Staff Sgt. Christian Jadot / U.S Air National Guard) Investigators questioned 18 people, including Navin, Woodside and four other guard members who said they had been in the break room, called The Merge. The two investigators told at least some of the pilots that they might be asked to undergo polygraph tests and that the urine collected from the scene would be tested for DNA, Woodside said. Some were also questioned about how much Navin had to drink, he added. In a second interview with investigators, Pineda said a couple of pilots told her they suspected Navin of urinating on her boots, the report says. She said she felt that Navin doesnt trust her work abilities, according to the report. Navin denied being involved, guard records show. He told investigators that he had no conflicts with Pineda and was never inside the womens bathroom where she left her boots and clothing. The investigator who authored the report wrote that the interviews did not lead to any new conclusions or identify any suspects. In August 2015, Pineda filed a whistle-blower complaint. She wrote that the main investigator told her that the evidence showed that a woman could not have urinated in the boots, but that she heard that officers speculated that she urinated in them for attention. In the complaint, Pineda said that makes me want this investigation to be complete and legit to prove that I did not do this to myself. She added that she feared she could be forced to leave the guard. The guard declined to comment about the status of Pinedas complaint. Last year, Lt. Col. Rob Swertfager, a 144th pilot, filed a complaint alleging that commanders punished him including by withholding his pay on occasion for going to bat for Pineda by telling a superior that the first investigation might have been mishandled. His complaint is part of the inspector generals investigation. He declined to comment for this story. Woodside said the head of base security, then-Lt. Col. Dave Johnston, told him that 144th leadership ordered him to shut down the investigation and destroy all the evidence after investigators zeroed in on Navin. The evidence included Pinedas boots and a vial of urine that was never tested. Woodside said he believes there was a cover-up. Retired Maj. Dan Woodside said the head of base security told him that he was ordered by 144th leadership to shut down an investigation into who urinated in Jennifer Pinedas boots and destroy all the evidence. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Johnston, since promoted to colonel, did not say who gave him the order, Woodside said. He said Johnston informed him about the destruction of the evidence during a 32-minute telephone conversation on Dec. 7, 2017. He produced phone records that showed such a call to Johnstons number. In interviews with The Times, four current and former guard members confirmed that Woodside told them about his phone conversation with Johnston shortly after it occurred. Johnston declined to be interviewed. He said in two statements provided to The Times that no one ordered him to dispose of the evidence. Johnston said he had consulted with Garrison, who ran the base at the time of the incident, about destroying the evidence. Garrisons only guidance, Johnston wrote, was that he first confer with the 144ths judge advocate general at the time, who did not respond to interview requests. Johnston said he authorized the destruction because the second investigation had been closed for several months and the evidence was no longer needed. He declined to discuss why a DNA test was never conducted. The lead investigator, Daniel Mosqueda, offered no explanation for not testing the urine. The way the investigation went, it didnt happen, he told The Times. Woodside said he confronted Garrison about the investigation at a colonels retirement party in March 2017, after the evidence had been destroyed. He said Garrison told him that there was no actual crime here and that it would have been inappropriate to spend thousands of dollars on a urine test that wouldnt produce usable information. Depending on the condition of the specimen, a DNA analysis of the urine could have determined the perpetrators sex and perhaps identified him or her definitively through a comparison test, forensic experts told The Times. Typically, it would cost about $1,000 to $1,300, they said. Experts on military and criminal law questioned the decision to destroy evidence without conducting a DNA analysis. Southwestern Law School Professor Rachel E. VanLandingham, who served as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney during a U.S. Air Force career, said if evidence was destroyed to impede an investigation or protect someone, a case could be made for obstruction of justice. That needs to be looked into, she said. About a year after the incident, Navin was promoted to colonel and is now commander of the 163rd Attack Wing in Riverside County, overseeing more than 900 people and the deployment of the MQ-9A Reaper military drone. A guard spokesman declined to say what prompted the recent suspension of the 144th commander, Col. Victor Sikora. Shortly after the suspension, Sikora called a meeting of pilots and support personnel at the Fresno base. He told the gathering that he had been informed he was suspended due to the amount of investigations the guard leadership was dealing with, according to a recording of the meeting The Times reviewed. He did not elaborate. Sikora did not respond to requests for comment about the suspension. Among the other complaints under investigation by the inspector general is one filed by Lt. Col. Seth Nehring shortly before he was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine. No details of his complaint were available. The investigator leading the inspector generals probe, Lt. Col. Shawna Pavey, did not respond to interview requests. Dave Bakos, a retired general who served in the guard for 32 years and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, said Garrison should have demanded a more thorough investigation from the start. Morale at the 144th has suffered, Bakos said. There are a lot of people unhappy up there, he said. They need a change at the top. A former Los Angeles police officer pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing the teenage daughter of a fellow LAPD officer, authorities said. Kenneth Collard, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of performing a lewd act upon a child and is expected to be sentenced to five years in prison this month, according to statement issued by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. In April 2018, Collard was staying at the home of an LAPD officer in Torrance when he entered the girls bedroom and assaulted her in the middle of the night, authorities said last year. Torrance police arrested Collard several weeks later after an investigation that included the analysis of forensic evidence. Advertisement He was originally charged with three counts of committing a lewd act upon a child and one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object and faced up to 32 years in prison. Collards defense attorney, Robert Ernenwein, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday. Collard, who had been with the department for 20 years and was last assigned to the West L.A. division, resigned sometime last year after criminal charges were filed. In a statement, LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said Collard had tarnished the badge. Todays plea closes a disturbing chapter for this department. Ken Collard resigned from the LAPD shortly after he was charged for these deplorable crimes, the statement read. When any individual harms a child it is tragic, but when an officer betrays the trust of the residents he or she has sworn to protect it is unforgivable. The plea deal marked the latest in a string of sexual abuse allegations made against LAPD officers in recent years. In August of last year former officer Robert Cain pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old member of the LAPDs Cadet program, a scandal that led to a wider review of misconduct involving the departments signature youth program. Last month, a detective also filed a civil lawsuit accusing LAPD Officer Daniel Reedy of physically abusing her and forcing her into a sexual encounter with blackmail. james.queally@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. A 19-year-old man was charged Friday with slashing nine people in the face with a knife in a series of random attacks around South Los Angeles, Lynwood and South Gate, authorities said. Lenrey Briones is accused of cutting the faces of four men, four women and a 13-year-old boy between March 20 and April 1 while he rode his bicycle around the three cities, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office said Friday. Seven of the victims were left permanently disfigured and one woman needed 20 stitches after she was attacked, prosecutors and law enforcement authorities said. One of the victims, Stefany Coboz of Wilmington, told KNBC-TV that after the man slashed her neck, he rode away laughing. Briones faces seven counts of aggravated mayhem, two counts of attempted aggravated mayhem and one count of attempted second-degree robbery, all felonies, according to the district attorneys office. Advertisement Briones was detained Wednesday in Watts by Los Angeles Police Department officers who say they are still investigating the attacks and looking for additional victims. The South Gate Police Department last week released an image of Briones after two women and a man were attacked in Lynwood and South Gate. For no reason at all he would strike the victims across the face holding something sharp in his hand. Then he would ride away, L.A. County Sheriffs Lt. Paul Patterson said at the time. The LAPD released new photos of Briones this week after two more people were slashed in their faces Monday along Avalon Boulevard. An image of the cyclist who authorities say slashed people in random attacks while riding his bicycle. (South Gate Police Department) Briones, who was convicted in September 2018 of attempted arson, faces a possible maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted as charged. On Friday, Briones arraignment was pushed to April 24 and a no-bail hold was placed on Briones because he violated his probation, according to the district attorneys office. Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Newton area Dets. Corral or Garcia at (323) 318-3610 or (323) 846-6562. javier.panzar@latimes.com @jpanzar Ernest F. Fritz Hollings, the silver-haired Democrat who helped shepherd South Carolina through desegregation as governor and went on to serve six terms in the U.S. Senate, has died. He was 97. Family spokesman Andy Brack said Hollings died early Saturday. Hollings, whose long and colorful political career included an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, retired from the Senate in 2005, one of the last of the larger-than-life Democrats who once dominated politics in the South. He had served 38 years and two months, making him the eighth-longest-serving senator in U.S. history. Advertisement Nevertheless, Hollings remained the junior senator from South Carolina for most of his term. The senior senator was Strom Thurmond, first elected in 1954. He retired in January 2003 at age 100 as the longest-serving senator in history. In his final Senate speech in 2004, Hollings lamented that lawmakers came to spend much of their time raising money for the next election, calling money the main culprit, the cancer on the body politic. We dont have time for each other, we dont have time for constituents except for the givers .... Were in real, real trouble. Hollings was a sharp-tongued orator whose rhetorical flourishes in the deep accent of his home state enlivened many a Washington debate. But his influence in Washington never reached the levels he hoped. He sometimes blamed that failure on his background, rising to power as he did in the South in the 1950s as the region bubbled with anger over segregation. However, South Carolina largely avoided the racial violence that afflicted some other Deep South states during the turbulent 1960s. Hollings campaigned against desegregation when running for governor in 1958. He built a national reputation as a moderate when, in his farewell address as governor, he pleaded with the Legislature to peacefully accept integration of public schools and the admission of the first black student to Clemson University. This General Assembly must make clear South Carolinas choice, a government of laws rather than a government of men, he told lawmakers. Shortly afterward, Clemson was peacefully integrated. In his 2008 autobiography, Making Government Work, Hollings wrote that in the 1950s, no issue dominated South Carolina more than race and that he worked for a balanced approach. I was Mister-In-Between. The governor had to appear to be in charge; yet the realities were not on his side, he wrote. I returned to my basic precept ... the safety of the people is the supreme law. I was determined to keep the peace and avoid bloodshed. In the Senate, Hollings gained a reputation as a skilled insider with keen intellectual powers. He chaired the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and held seats on the Appropriations and Budget committees. But his sharp tongue and sharper wit sometimes got him in trouble. He once called Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D-Ohio) the senator from the Bnai Brith and in 1983 referred to the presidential campaign supporters of former Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) as wetbacks. Hollings began his quest for the presidency in April 1983 but dropped out the following March after dismal showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Hollings originally supported American involvement in Vietnam, but his views changed over the years as it became clear there would be no American victory. Hollings, who made three trips to the war zone, said he learned a lesson there. Its a mistake to try to build and destroy a nation at the same time, he wrote in his autobiography, warning that the U.S. is now repeating the same wrongheaded strategy in Iraq. Despite his changed views, Hollings remained a strong supporter of national defense, which he saw as the main business of government. In 1969 he drew national attention when he exposed hunger in his own state by touring several cities, helping lay the groundwork for the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, feeding program. A year later, his views drew wider currency with the publication of his first book The Case Against Hunger. Hollings helped create the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and write the National Coastal Zone Management Act. He also attached his name to the Gramm-Rudman bill aimed at balancing the federal budget. Hollings angered many of his constituents in 1991 when he opposed the congressional resolution authorizing President George Bush to use force against Iraq. Ernest Frederick Hollings was born in Charleston, S.C., on Jan. 1, 1922. His father was a paper products dealer but the family business went broke during the Depression. Hollings graduated from the Citadel, the military college in Charleston, S.C., in 1942. He immediately entered the Army and was decorated for his service during World War II. Back home, he earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1947. The next year, he was elected to the state House at age 26. He was elected lieutenant governor six years later and governor in 1958 at age 36. As governor, he actively lured business, helped balance the budget for the first time since Reconstruction and improved public education. William Carvan Isles II, an original member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted R&B vocal group the OJays, died last month at his home in Oceanside. He was 78 and had lived in the north San Diego County city since 1981. The cause of death was cancer, said his son Duane Isles, who added that his father was surrounded by family members at the time of his passing. Church services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at New Venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside. The service is open to the public, as is the subsequent burial at Eternal Hills Memorial Park. Isles better known as Bill Isles was born Jan. 4, 1941, in McAtenville, N.C. He was 2 when he moved with his family to Canton, Ohio, where he learned to sing in church. Together with some of his childhood friends, Isles formed a singing group called the Mascots in 1958 when they were attending McKinley High School. Fun, not fame, was their initial goal. Advertisement In 1960, the group changed its name to the Triumphs and released its first single, Miracles, in 1961. It came out on King Records, a Cincinnati label whose roster of artists also included James Brown. Two years later, in 1963, top Cleveland DJ Eddie OJay suggested another name change and the Triumphs became the OJays. Noted for his supple baritone, Isles was featured on such notable songs by the OJays as Lonely Drifter in 1963 and Lipstick Traces in 1965. He quit the group soon thereafter and married the woman who would be his wife for 52 years, Laural. But Isles didnt turn his back on music for long. According to son Duane, Isles worked as the OJays tour manager from 1971 to 1974, a time that saw the group score such hits as Back Stabbers, Love Train and For the Love of Money. Isles spent the latter part of the 1970s in Los Angeles before moving his family in 1981 to Oceanside. In 1985, he opened a family business, Nutri Power, a vitamin manufacturing and food supplement company that he guided until the mid-1990s. After several years doing consulting work, he retired around 2000. Isles had stepped back from his professional music career, but he continued to sing, albeit out of the public eye. He was a member of the Oceanside New Venture Christian Fellowship choir until late 2018, when his health began to ebb and he could no longer sing. Billy Isles was exceptional, not only with his voice, but with his buoyancy on stage, said New Venture Christian Fellowships senior and founding pastor, Shawn Mitchell, who will preside at the Saturday services for Isles. Of all the thousands of congregants Ive had the privilege of pastoring over the past three decades, Billy Isles was one of the most memorable, loving and consistently upbeat and talented individuals I have had the privilege of knowing. He was a lover of music and a lover of God, and he combined both of those on stage in extraordinary fashion. In addition to his wife, Laural, Isles is survived by his sons, Duane, Donnell, Billy III and Terry Isles; his daughters, Denise Isles-Taylor, Rheutitia Tish Isles and Laural Gadison; his brother, Ron Isles; sisters Catherine Ann Burt, Johnnie Mae Everett and Octavia Joyce Isles; and by seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Varga writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. For years, housing advocates complained to Los Angeles city officials that disabled renters were effectively being shut out of many affordable housing developments. Thats not just unfair, its against the law: Low-income housing projects built with federal dollars are required to include a certain number of accessible apartments that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Its the citys job to supervise developers to make sure they follow the rules. But too often, advocates said, disabled tenants found that there were no apartments that met their needs. Entryways were too narrow to fit wheelchairs, doors were too heavy and kitchen counters were too high to reach for those who couldnt stand up. Some buildings didnt have the required number of accessible units. Other buildings had the necessary units, but they were rented to tenants without disabilities. This left low-income disabled tenants with few housing options and at greater risk of ending up homeless or in nursing homes. Advertisement The city and the federal government have the same goal: to ensure that low-income disabled residents can find a safe home. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development warned L.A. officials that it had found a widespread failure by the city to comply with federal disability rules. Shortly after that, three nonprofit groups that serve the disabled sued the city. At first, the city fought the case and the federal governments allegations, but in 2016, it settled the lawsuit. Under the terms of the settlement, Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council agreed to spend $200 million to build or retrofit 4,000 affordable, disabled-accessible apartments for low-income people who require wheelchairs, have hearing impairments or live with other disabilities. It was the largest affordable-housing accessibility case in the nations history. Despite the settlement, however, HUD and L.A. leaders have continued to squabble over how to make amends for the citys mistake. Separately, the Department of Justice has joined an existing lawsuit alleging that the city fraudulently certified that publicly-funded apartments were fully accessible when they werent. Last week the fight escalated. HUD sent a letter warning that the city has failed to make meaningful progress to fix the accessibility violations and is still woefully out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sadly, the city continues to engage in a widespread practice of flouting federal laws that require taxpayer dollars be used to produce affordable housing that persons with disabilities can live in, HUD Secretary Ben Carson said in a news release. Until HUDs concerns are addressed, the city would be ineligible for certain federal housing funding programs. Garcetti dismissed the letter as politics. I think its no coincidence that, after years of negotiating in good faith with HUD, Secretary Carson issues a press release stating nothing new just days before he went to testify before the Senate to defend a budget proposal that slashes rental assistance and affordable housing, the mayor said in a statement. Enough fighting! Its mind-boggling that a federal agency dedicated to housing the most vulnerable and a city that has committed itself to building record numbers of homes for its neediest residents cannot reach a reasonable agreement. Theres clearly lingering frustration. HUD officials question why its taken the city so long to fix a problem that was identified in 2012, and that continues to harm low-income disabled tenants. An independent monitor hired to track progress on the settlement with disability advocates found the city has so far missed every deadline set in the agreement. Of the 4,000 accessible units the city is supposed to retrofit or build over a decade, not one had been certified as accessible at the end of 2018 two and a half years into the settlement. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute City officials insist they arent willfully dragging their feet. To make up for its past inspection and oversight failures, the city had to create and hire an entirely new division responsible for regulating accessible housing. That turned out to be harder and slower than expected. The city still has to develop a database disabled renters can search to find affordable, accessible apartments. Los Angeles is spending billions of dollars to build homeless and low-income housing. Its vital that the money deliver high-quality, accessible apartments in all neighborhoods of the city, and that those units actually be occupied by disabled residents. HUD is right to keep a watchful eye to make sure the city follows through on its commitments. But the ongoing fight and political accusations are a distraction. The city and the federal government have the same goal: to ensure that low-income disabled residents can find a safe home. Both sides need to put past arguments behind them and negotiate an agreement that gets the most accessible apartments completed in the least amount of time. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook When teachers step out of the classroom and into their private lives, their actions should be largely outside the control of principals and school districts. Of course there are times when teachers private behavior is so egregious that it may become impossible for them to do their jobs if they commit a serious crime, for instance, or engage in a racist tirade that could frighten students or make them feel they wouldnt be treated fairly. But sending a topless selfie to ones boyfriend is not in that category, even if the photo somehow finds its way to a student, which is what happened to a New York teacher recently. Indeed, if our society and our laws werent so outlandishly squeamish about womens breasts, this probably wouldnt have become an issue in the first place. Lauren Miranda, a math teacher at a middle school on Long Island, is now suing the school district that fired her after school officials found a student with a topless photo of her. Its unclear exactly how it happened; Miranda said the only person she had sent it to was a male teacher she was dating. A letter from the district, obtained by the New York Times, leaves it unclear how the student got the photo, saying Miranda had caused, allowed, or otherwise made it possible for the photo to fall into the students hands, and that she failed to take adequate precautionary measures to keep that from happening. Unless the school has evidence that Miranda sent the picture to a student, its action is unfair and inappropriate. Miranda also might be blameworthy if she took the photo at school or sent it to her colleague on a school computer, which would be misuse of an employers computer equipment for personal use. Advertisement Whats wrong with our society that female breasts must serve a nutritional, political or health-education function in order not to be salacious? Middle school students surely know that breasts exist, and though theyre at an age where a fair amount of sniggering sometimes accompanies that fact, Miranda shouldnt have much trouble continuing to teach them math. Whatever hubbub ripples through the school would blow over relatively quickly. Yet its that very hubbub, that whiff of shame and scandal, that needs to be addressed in a larger way. It is obvious that a topless photo of a male teacher would never have been the subject of so much scrutiny or cause for dismissal. Mens bare chests are considered perfectly appropriate for public display, while womens chests are considered both by society and far too often, by the law to be indecent. Amazingly, it is only recently that womens right to breastfeed their babies in public has been recognized; until a few years ago women were still being harassed in shopping malls and elsewhere if they dared feed their infants. Now, finally, every state has a law protecting a womans right to breastfeed in public, although it took Idaho until 2018 to get there. Facebook decided last year that photos of breastfeeding, post-mastectomy scars and topless women protesting were fine for posting, but not other topless photos of women. Whats wrong with our society that female breasts must serve a nutritional, political or health-education function in order not to be salacious? The covering of female breasts has a long history in Western civilization, though its unclear exactly why. Womens breasts are larger than mens, though not all the time. Theyre sexualized, of course, in a way mens are not. But the fact is that both women and men now bare parts of their body in normal everyday dress in ways that would have been seen as scandalous some decades ago. The need to protect children from the dangerous sight of womens naked breasts seems anachronistic. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute As we learn to shed societal norms that serve no function except to put one group at a continual disadvantage think of same-sex marriage bans anti-topless laws should be among those ready for extinction. Thats not to say that female semi-nudity must be allowed everywhere. Just in the same places where its allowed for men. If a stadium wants to ban women from ripping off their T-shirts, fine as long as it invokes the same rule for men. Right now, the laws on female toplessness are such a mishmash that even police dont always know whats allowed and what isnt. Court rulings, generally favoring womens rights in this matter, have added a layer of complication. In February, the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down an ordinance in Fort Collins, Colo., that forbade women, but not men, from showing their breasts in public, ruling that the law violates the U.S. Constitutions Equal Protection Clause. Other courts have disagreed. As National Review magazine noted, perhaps it will left to the Supreme Court to address the cleavage. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: I agree with the March 29 editorial that projects to cover the shrinking Salton Seas exposed shoreline are desperately needed to prevent an environmental and public health crisis. In the recent farm bill, I secured provisions that made the Salton Sea eligible for Department of Agriculture conservation funding for the first time. Were now working with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to make additional funds available as quickly as possible to support conservation efforts at the Salton Sea. Addressing the Salton Seas shoreline problems is only one step needed to improve environmental conditions for Imperial County residents. Im also pushing the Trump administration and Mexico to stop raw sewage and toxic waste from flowing north across the border on the New River, which empties into the Salton Sea. These problems demand an all-of-the-above approach. We need federal, state and local officials to all buy in and work together. The serious problems facing the Salton Sea and Imperial County demand that we do. Advertisement Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Art and culture arguably touch peoples lives more frequently, and in ways both obvious and inconspicuous, than politics. And yet, on the L.A. Times letters page, youll find far more discussion on the latter than the former (in no small part because the part of the newspaper that covers art and culture has its own letters section). Since last week, however, more than three dozen readers have sent us letters about the updated plans for the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Miracle Mile, and all but one expressed disapproval of the smaller, single-story structure cantilevered over Wilshire Boulevard. The renderings over the years of an updated LACMA originally proposed as a sprawling ink-blot-shaped structure, an homage to the adjacent La Brea tar pits have polarized our readers since they were first unveiled in 2013. The latest drawings of a shrunken, boomerang-shaped museum have resolved that polarization, but not in LACMAs favor. Bonnie Voland of Los Angeles wants the County Board of Supervisors to take action: Advertisement Ive been a LACMA member since I moved to Los Angeles more than 30 years ago. Our museum has only a few rivals in the breadth and depth of its collection. Even when I was struggling financially, I kept up my membership. So I am very distressed by LACMAs plans to destroy the current campus and put up a building that will substantially reduce the gallery space. The only way this horrible plan can be stopped is if the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors votes it down. To cut both the gallery space and replace the current Bing Auditorium with a hall that will have substantially fewer seats is a travesty and a serious misuse of taxpayer money. San Marino resident Richard Keating doesnt want a building hanging over Wilshire: Buildings that hang over public streets with an extensive underside never produce a positive experience. The new LACMA structure will be very similar to the California Plaza extension over Olive Street in downtown L.A. A bridge is one thing, but a building presents serious issues having to do with brightness and darkness for the motorists and pedestrians below. Most people who walk or drive on Wilshire will not visit the museum, but they will be subjected to this affront to their quality of life daily. Jeff Gordon of Los Angeles wasnt the only reader to liken the new LACMA to a motel: After seeing the proposed new design for the remodeled LACMA, I was incredibly disappointed and rather shocked. The new structure looks like a motel that youd find somewhere on Sunset Boulevard in the 1950s or 60s. Perhaps more attention should be paid to the design of the interior and to increasing the amount of available exhibition space. The buildings exterior should be attractive and modern, but it should allow for a larger exhibition space than what currently exists. The proposed design is just really an eyesore and is really below the quality and appearance that this city deserves. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Army veteran Danny Sjursen dismisses our military as a war machine that is carrying water for empire in Orwellian forever wars. Ironically, it was just this sort of jaundiced view and doubt to the point of paranoia that brought us the troubles we face today. It was reasonable to hunt Osama bin Laden and his enablers, but it was delusional to ask our military to transform Afghanistan into a democratic partner. It made sense to pressure Saddam Hussein into verifiable disarmament, but it was a paranoid mind-set that led us to destroy his regime, opening a Pandoras box. Still, there are nations that wish us ill. Appeasing them will not keep them away forever. Only a jaundiced eye can ignore the duty we have to meet their threat. America is the strength that upholds the fairest and most prosperous international system the world has ever known. The idea that we have a right and a duty to do some good in the world is what makes our alliances strong and people flock to this country. Advertisement Ben Lowsen, Alexandria, Va. .. To the editor: I extend a heartfelt thanks to Sjursen for his op-ed article. Like him, I struggle with my time as a cog in the U.S. killing machine known as the Department of Defense. I often think of the flag-draped coffins coming off cargo planes at my base. They would wait until late at night to offload them, while most of the base was sound asleep. I wish I could tell Sjursen that it will all be OK one day, but I dont know if that is possible. Instead I will just tell him this: Welcome home. Christopher Hughes, Portland, Ore. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook On the ides of March last year, the Burbank Unified School District took its first step toward placing a proposed parcel tax on the November 2018 ballot by contracting with the research firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, known as FM3, to conduct a poll. The Los Angeles-based group provided the district a strikingly accurate omen, predicting not enough voters would support a 10-cents-per-square-foot annual parcel tax, later known as Measure QS, which ultimately failed at the polls. Impressed by last years information, the school board voted on Thursday to rehire the same firm to conduct another round of polling as school officials again consider putting a parcel tax on ballots in either the March or November elections next year. FM3 did our polling for the last parcel tax campaign. Their data and results were pretty spot on, Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill said. The firm predicted last year that 65% of Burbank voters either leaned toward or would probably or definitely vote yes for a parcel tax, while 29% were in the no camp, and 6% were undecided. In the final count, 25,413 Burbank voters, or 64.33%, supported the proposed tax, which fell short of the 66.7% or two-thirds of voters required for passage, according to Proposition 13. The proposed tax, which would have generated roughly $9 million for the district annually, fell 938 votes shy of passing. That failure has led to the proposed layoffs of three employees, elimination of several vacant positions and cutbacks across several programs as the district deals with a $3.5-million structural deficit at the end of the current school year. In light of the cutbacks, board members decided to forfeit their salaries for the year and canceled a conference visit in order to pay a $39,000 fee to FM3 for the polling, which comes in slightly higher than its $35,000 cost last year. This poll is, as [board member Charlene] Tabet said, absolutely necessary, board president Roberta Reynolds said. We have to get this done, and we were elected to provide the best possible direction for this district. And we cant do that without proper funding. Prior to the vote on Thursday, FM3 sent a letter to Hill on March 14 stating its interest in conducting another survey, while laying out its credentials, such as helping school districts in Arcadia and Manhattan Beach pass parcel taxes in 2017 and 2018, respectively. FM3 officials have proposed conducting 15-to-20 minute surveys via landlines, cellphones and the internet in Armenian, English and Spanish to 600 to 800 registered voters in the city who are likely to participate in the 2020 elections. A 15-minute survey will likely consist of 40 to 55 questions, while the 20-minute variety allows for 55 to 70 questions. FM3 is estimating that results from 600 residents would have a margin of error of 4 percentage points, while 800 voters would narrow that to 3.5 percentage points. The methodology is nearly identical to services provided by FM3 last year. If there is a difference this year, perhaps its the early interest from some district parents about a proposed parcel tax. Of the 24 public-comment speakers at the meeting on Thursday, 10 spoke about the need for a parcel tax, while some implored the district to not change previous specifications in basing the tax on the size of a parcel rather than a flat fee. An education parcel tax is an increasingly vital, physical tool that Burbank needs, resident Paula Trubisky said. As you consider the formula for generating that tax revenue, I urge you to stay with the formula you presented to the voters last November. Survey results are expected in about a month, according to the proposal from FM3. andrew.campa@latimes.com Twitter @campadresports A traveling version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will visit Costa Mesa in the next week, offering Orange County residents the chance to pay their respects to those who served and lost their lives in the conflict. At 375 feet long and up to 7 feet tall, the Wall That Heals is a three-quarter-scale replica of the Washington, D.C., original. Both versions are engraved with the names of the more than 58,000 service members who died during the Vietnam War. The Wall That Heals will be stationed in Costa Mesas Balearic Park and will be open for viewing any time of day or night Thursday through April 14. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund devised the roving rendition as a way for people to experience the memorial without having to go to the nations capital. Since it debuted in 1996, the traveling exhibit has visited almost 600 communities around the country. Memorial Fund President and Chief Executive Jim Knotts said in a statement that the organization hopes the Wall That Heals provides an opportunity for healing and an educational experience for the whole community on the impact of the Vietnam War on America. Scott Williams of Costa Mesa, president of the Freedom Committee of Orange County, one of the local sponsors of the wall, said its been years since the exhibit last visited the county. With Vietnam veterans continuing to age, Williams said its increasingly important to recognize those who served and, especially, those who paid the ultimate price. When I think about the veterans, the 58,000-plus that gave their lives, theres a tendency as life goes on that we ignore those sacrifices, he said. And I thought it was time that somebody in Orange County stepped up. The memorial carries personal significance for Williams as well. Hes an Army veteran who was deployed to Vietnam from October 1968 to August 1969. More than 300 service members who perished during the war hailed from Orange County, including 13 from Costa Mesa, seven from Newport Beach, 21 from Huntington Beach, five from Fountain Valley and one from Laguna Beach, according to data from the National Archives. Along with the wall, the upcoming exhibit will include a mobile education center offering additional information about the war and the memorial. An honor ceremony featuring Air Force Maj. Gen. William Mall as keynote speaker will begin at 10 a.m. April 13. The closing ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 14 and will include remarks from Marine Sgt. Frank Orzio, a Purple Heart recipient. IF YOU GO What: The Wall That Heals Where: Balearic Park, 1975 Balearic Drive, Costa Mesa When: Thursday through April 14 Information: vvmf.org/twth or fc-oc.org/april-11-the-wall-that-heals For a trio of South County entrepreneurs, the wine industry is as much about branding as it is about taste. Strategy consultant Naushad Huda and designer Kathy Lajvardi, a married couple from Laguna Beach, banded together with Huntington Beach journalist Paul Hodgins last year to create a relatable, unpretentious book about Northern Californias wine country. Drive Through Napa: Your Ultimate Companion to Napa Valleys Wine Regions is a modern primer for millennials, said Huda, the editor. He sees the book as an answer to dry guidebooks and stiff informational publications that pervade the wine industry. I think the industry absolutely amplified any stigma that was there, Huda said. They didnt do a good job of saying, Hey were not that stuffy. You dont have to know about the stems and whatever. You dont have to know about the tannin structure or what the weather pattern was. You dont have to know that. Just enjoy it. The book, which was written by Hodgins, an Orange County Register wine and spirits columnist, begins with an introduction and glossary, speckled with graphics from Lajvardi. A history of Napa Valley takes readers from its roots with Spanish missionaries to the development of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) grape regions that are differentiated by geography, geology, weather, soil and other factors. The book then describes the 16 sub-AVAs in Napa Valley, with information about the weather, varietals and characteristics of wines; Q&As with winemakers and a price chart to show readers how much money they can expect to spend on wines from the region. We didnt want to make it too highbrow, Hodgins said. A lot of people know a little bit about wine, and theyre very curious about it, but they get turned off by the kind of writing that you find. We had to show we were knowledgeable, but we didnt want to scare anybody off with terms that they didnt understand. Making wine accessible to a younger, more diverse demographic is a vision Huda began exploring in 2016, with the creation of ILikeThisGrape.com, a website devoted to content about wine for the modern consumer. When you first start getting into wine, like I did, its really hard, and its complicated, and its annoying, Huda said. You walk into a store and you see a wall of black bottles, and they all have weird names. The website passion project became tangible last year, when Huda and Lajvardi threw a wine tasting event called SommX at the LVBX gallery space in Laguna Beach, exploring Kanye Wests music through Spanish wine. The couple is planning a Napa-themed wine-tasting experience, pairing five wines to five short films and five food elements. The book creators will also present at Laguna Beachs annual scholarship fundraising event Grapes for Grads. They have held multiple book signings in Orange County since the book printed at the end of February, including one at Julie Lims newly opened OC Wine Mart in Orange last week. Its not too geeky, you know, in the sense that its easy to understand, Lim said about Drive Through Napa. I think my customers could relate to it. Lim is going on her annual trip to Napa Valley next week and said she will bring the book along as a guide. The primer has already introduced her to a few new wineries she plans to visit. I usually tend to go to the same ones, Lim said. It kind of opened up my perspective to maybe consider some different ones. A man shot and killed by a Huntington Beach police officer in September was identified Tuesday as a suspect in the fatal beating of an 80-year-old man that occurred three days before the shooting. Also Tuesday, Huntington Beach police identified the beating victim as Richard Darland, who was found about 5 p.m. Sept. 19 outside his home in the 7800 block of Ellis Avenue. Authorities allege that Dillan Tabares beat Darland with his hands and feet as well as a small stick. This is one of the most brutal beating deaths many of us have ever seen in our law enforcement careers, Police Chief Robert Handy said at a news conference. On Sept. 22, three days after the homicide, Tabares, 27, was fatally shot during a scuffle with a police officer outside a 7-Eleven store in Huntington Beach. The shooting was captured on video and widely circulated on social media. The Orange County Sheriffs Department is continuing to investigate that case, which is the Huntington Beach Police Departments seventh officer-involved shooting this year. Darland and his wife lived in Huntington Beach for 26 years. The couple had been married 53 years and had two daughters. Darland worked on secret projects for Aerojet Rocketdyne while serving in the Army in the 1960s. After retiring from a career as an engineer, the devout Christian spent a lot of his time helping the homeless, Handy said. He was a humble man who never spoke of himself or his accomplishments but rather he focused on others, Handy said. In the Sept. 19 attack, Darland suffered a broken back, broken neck, multiple skull fractures that punctured his brain, broken bones in his face, broken ribs, lacerations and injuries to both eyes, authorities said. Officers provided aid at the scene and paramedics took Darland to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Orange County coroners office. Detectives have been unable to determine a motive for the attack, Handy said. Richard Darland, 80, of Huntington Beach was beaten to death Sept. 19 outside his home on Ellis Avenue, police say. (Scott Smeltzer / Times Community News ) Handy said Tabares first met Darland in 2013 when Darland began helping Tabares, a homeless Navy veteran. He provided Tabares with food and transportation and allowed him to use his computer and shower in his house. He also let Tabares sleep outside the house. Tabares had issues with drugs and mental illness and Darland tried to get him checked into drug rehabilitation and help him reconnect with his family, Handy said. He also encouraged Tabares to attend church. In the weeks after the homicide, officers contacted possible leads and canvassed the neighborhood looking for video evidence from nearby homes and businesses. Hundreds of tips and pieces of evidence led police to identify 13 people, including Tabares, who might have a connection to the case. But police had not connected Tabares to the homicide by the time Tabares was killed, Handy said. Detectives found Tabares name while scouring through 1,000 contacts stored in Darlands phone. Once Tabares name surfaced as a person of interest, Huntington Beach detectives asked the Orange County Crime Lab to analyze Tabares clothing that was kept as evidence in the investigation of the officer-involved shooting. This case is a great example of the teamwork and synergy shared among different law enforcement agencies, said county District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, whose office worked with the Huntington Beach Police Department, the Sheriffs Department and the crime lab. A crime lab examiner found blood on Tabares pants that an analysis showed matched Darlands DNA, Rackauckas said. That confirmed that the shooting victim was indeed the murderer, Rackauckas said. Also, Huntington Beach detectives identified Tabares through surveillance videos as being near Darlands home in the minutes before and after the fatal beating, according to Handy. About 50 minutes after the attack, video footage shows Tabares appearing to have cleaned up with a fresh shirt and wet hair, Handy said. Dillan Tabares, 27, is pictured the day he was paroled from state prison Sept. 14, five days before Richard Darlands slaying and eight days before Tabares was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Huntington Beach. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) The confrontation outside the 7-Eleven wasnt Tabares first run-in with Huntington Beach police. Officers had arrested him 12 times since 2014, Handy said. From 2014 to 2016, Tabares bounced in and out of Orange County jails for misdemeanor convictions including disturbing the peace, carrying a dirk or dagger, possession of an opium pipe and resisting arrest, according to Orange County Superior Court records. In May 2016, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of battery with serious bodily injury. He was initially sentenced to jail time and three years probation, court records show. Twice last year he was found to have violated his probation and was sentenced to additional jail time, records show. In March this year, Tabares was arrested for violating probation a third time, and a Superior Court judge sentenced him to two years in state prison. However, with time served and other credits, he served about six months in Wasco and Centinela state prisons, according to court and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records. He was paroled Sept. 14, five days before Darland was killed. A day after the homicide, Tabares was considered to be absconded, or eluding supervision, according to Department of Corrections records. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN The Newport Beach City Council will once again attempt to tackle parking management along a tourist-heavy stretch of the Balboa Peninsula. With the councils OK Tuesday, a proposal for the Balboa Village Parking Management Overlay District will go to the California Coastal Commission for final approval. The overlay district is a framework to relieve some businesses of providing dedicated parking along Balboa Boulevard between Adams and A streets, with the idea of reducing parking congestion and encouraging continued pedestrian use of the traditional storefronts. Its been on the citys radar since at least 2015 but is subject to state scrutiny because of its proximity to the beach. Overhead utility lines on the western stretch of Balboa Boulevard arent likely to be buried until later this year. Work initially was expected to begin last spring. These are on Balboa around 35th Street. (File Photo) Utility undergrounding In other business, the council could give the go-ahead for about $4.5 million in contracts to bury overhead utilities on the western stretch of the peninsula, a milestone in another long-awaited project. The project area covers Balboa Boulevard, from 36th Street to West Coast Highway, and two neighborhoods just off Balboa, one between 45th and 47th streets, and the other off the harbor-facing side of the road between 38th and 44th. The work, managed by Southern California Edison, was expected to begin in the residential portions in fall 2017 and on Balboa Boulevard proper in spring 2018. But bids came into Edison much higher than expected and exceeding available funds. The neighborhoods residents formed special districts to cover the costs themselves through voluntary assessments, while the Balboa Boulevard portion planned to use money collected from all Edison customers because the improvements are considered a benefit to the general public. The Balboa stretch was also to extend to 23rd Street, near the Newport Pier. The Balboa Boulevard portion was initially estimated at $4.1 million but came in at $8.6 million, while the neighborhoods came in $750,000 to $1.5 million over budget. On the councils direction last year, Edison redesigned the work and the city took over construction management to bring down costs. The current $4.5 million figure is for the residential and main road components combined. Work would begin in May and take 10 months. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. with a study session, followed by the regular session at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive. Lawyers for a Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend who are accused of numerous cases of sexual assault appeared in a Newport Beach courtroom Friday to try to obtain verbal and written communications within the Orange County district attorneys office that could form the basis for an argument that the prosecutions actions deprived their clients of the opportunity for a fair trial by misrepresenting them to the media. Attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley argued before Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones for a court order turning over records of internal communications regarding electronic data that then-District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said during a September news conference could show hundreds or a thousand potential victims. Defense attorneys filed a motion seeking the court order in January related to communications among the district attorneys office, its forensic lab and the Newport Beach Police Department. Prosecutors filed opposition to the motion March 22, saying there was no information relevant to the defenses request. Jones deferred ruling on the motion Friday and said he would deliver a written statement within a week. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker called Rackauckas comment the central focus of the defenses argument for a future motion to dismiss the case a misstatement that has been corrected. Prosecutors said the wording of a reporters question prompted the comment, which garnered widespread headlines. It tripped him up, Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Lockhart said, suggesting Rackauckas estimate referred to the number of videos, not the number of victims. One misstatement is not the basis for this case, Walker said, emphasizing that the case which now includes seven alleged female victims was brought forward based on statements by multiple victims. Robicheauxs attorney Philip Cohen argued that the defense requires information on the knowledge Rackauckas had at the time of the statement to determine whether the comment was careless or negligent. The defense needs to know whether he had been accurately or erroneously informed of the contents of reviewed videos or had personally reviewed the videos, or made the statement with no knowledge of what the materials contained, Cohen said. There have been over 2,800 media references of this case, many that focused on the unsupported statements of DA Rackauckas, lawyers for the couple said in a reply to prosecutors opposition to their motion. Robicheaux and Riley are scheduled to be back in court May 3. One of the Orange Coasts most unique philanthropic organizations, the Decorative Arts Society (DARTS), assists a variety of worthwhile nonprofit endeavors that support the needs of children, families and the homeless. DARTS also is dedicated to multiple healthcare issues, in addition to the cultural and educational initiatives elevating the lives of Orange County residents young and old. DARTS and its supporters came together for a special March event in Newport Beach. DARTS is comprised of a group of men and women who share a common passion in matters pertaining to architecture, interior design, landscape design and the visual arts, as well as historic and current lifestyle trends, not only in America but worldwide. Maureen and Nick Madigan attend the DARTS benefit in Newport Beach. (Photo by Ann Chatillon) Every year the society plans a series of lectures inviting noted artists representing these different fields to visit Orange County and deliver a presentation exploring their avenue of expertise. Funds raised from donations and tickets to the lectures are distributed among many nonprofits each year. The lecture presentations occur on a given Tuesday. On the Monday evening prior, the society hosts a gracious reception at the home of a Decorative Arts Society member welcoming the invited guest lecturer to meet the DARTS crowd. It is important to note that 2019 marks the 24th year that the society has produced its extensive program. The most recent event welcoming Lea C. Lane, an art historian and specialist in American folk art, unfolded March 11. Lane joins an impressive list of noted designers, artists and curators who have addressed the society. In keeping with tradition, Lane was feted at the stunning Newport Beach estate of Heather and Jim Madden. Prominent members of the community, the philanthropic Maddens are well known for their generous participation in numerous community endeavors perhaps most notably their passionate support of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (SCFTA). Recently completing a massive renovation of their bayfront estate, the Maddens chose to support the society, graciously assisting underwriting of the reception and welcoming more than 120 guests, who enjoyed the exceptional catering of Fork, Knife + Spoon, as well as bottles chosen from the Maddens wine cellar. The Maddens welcomed hotelier Don Ayres and his lovely wife, Sandra. Well known design aficionado and proprietor of The Find Kitty Canada was joined by Tracy Cole, Judy and Bill Brady, Cathi Bledsoe, Pam Conner, Diana and Bob Brookes, and the super-vivacious Donna Anderson, who came with Ron Willut. Spotted on the terrace, Balboa Peninsula Points handsome couple, Barbara and David Cline, were joined by Susan and Spencer Croul, talented designer Elana Donovan, super-philanthropist Jackie Glass, Kathy and John Hamilton, and society hostess Maralou Harrington and husband Jerry Harrington. Decorative Arts Society President Adrienne Garrison, who was accompanied by husband John Garrison, thanked the generous crowd, including Barbara and Jim Glabman, Janet Curci, Marlene Hammontree, Kim Donahue, Maureen and Nick Madigan, Karima Hunter, Marion Grant with Don Malet, Angela and Bill Cord, and Laura Cox, for their support. The following morning Lanes lecture presentation, Of the People: Folk Art in America, unfolded to an appreciative crowd gathered in a Newport Beach theater to learn about a unique aspect of folk art in America. To learn more about the Decorative Arts Society, and its charitable outreach, as well as upcoming lectures and events, visit decorativeartssociety.net. B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. Glendale police officers recently arrested three people on suspicion of possessing a firearm and a variety of drug offenses. At approximately 9:20 p.m. last Saturday, a Glendale officer stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation at La Crescenta Avenue and Shirley Jean Street. The officer spoke to the driver, identified as 31-year-old Jacqueline Galvan, and discovered she had been an unlicensed driver since 2011. While the officer was speaking to the four occupants, he could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Other officers arrived and they spoke with the front-seat passenger, identified as 27-year-old Miguel Galvan of Compton. The officer had the man exit the vehicle and, during a pat-down search, a loaded Ruger LCP 380 was found in his pants pocket. A records check showed the gun was stolen from Pierce County, Wash. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a backpack containing what is believed to be heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, an empty assault rifle magazine and money transfer receipts. (Courtesy of the Glendale Police Department) A third passenger, identified as 37-year-old Salvador Rodriguez of Buena Park, was in possession of what appeared to be methamphetamine and a pipe used for smoking that drug. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a backpack containing what was thought to be heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, an empty assault-rifle magazine and money-transfer receipts. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Galvans and Rodriguez were taken into custody and booked for a variety of drug offenses. A fourth male occupant was not connected with the investigation and was released. Miguel Galvan was also booked for being a convicted felon in possession of a concealed loaded firearm. mark.kellam@latimes.com Twitter: @LAMarkKellam Could pushing La Canada High Schools start time back 45 minutes help teens get more sleep and feel better about themselves and perform more efficiently in the classroom, while curtailing car accidents, recreational drug use and suicides? Or is it a Band-Aid solution that would only further complicate after-school commitments and parents work schedules, force student athletes to miss more class time on game nights and fail to prepare students for the rigors and responsibilities of college? In a special board workshop Monday, La Canada Unified school officials attempted to ascertain the impacts of a possible late start before deciding whether to change LCHS standard start time for the 2017-18 school year from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. We do want to hear everyones input, La Canada Unified School District Governing Board President Dan Jeffries said in opening remarks. We wanted to know what the pros and cons were, because we want to weigh this issue. State Sen. Anthony Portantinos SB-328 would mandate California middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. (Photo by Sara Cardine) What followed was hours of passionate testimony on both sides of the issue from nearly 30 parents, teachers and students. Board members decided to hold off on a course of action, opting instead to collect stakeholder survey data in advance of another special meeting scheduled for May 30, at which theyre expected to make a decision. Mondays workshop came as California school districts wait to hear news on the fate of Senate Bill-328, introduced in February by state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge), which mandates middle and high schools statewide begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The bill, which faces a hearing today by the state Senate Appropriations Committee, cites research that claims insufficient sleep exacerbated by too-early start times can lead to poorer academic performance, risky behaviors like smoking and drinking, and feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Although Portantino hails from La Canada, LCUSD Supt. Wendy Sinnette confirmed Monday SB-328 was not the main impetus for the districts exploring a later bell schedule at the high school. The district spent three years researching the issue after parent Belinda Dong broached the subject at a 2014 school board meeting. There, she presented officials with research and recommendations from the American Assn. of Pediatricians stating teen brains need from 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep each night. This school year La Canada High School began a campus-wide program developed by Stanford University called Challenge Success, which aims to promote actions and policies that increase students social and emotional wellness alongside academic excellence. At the onset of the program, a survey was issued to students to gauge stress levels and well-being. On Monday, Sinnette shared some survey results, which indicate high-schoolers get an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night. Among seniors, sleep times drop to 6.18 hours nightly. Students in grades 9 through 12 reported having less than two hours of free time each weekday. Among those surveyed, 77% reported experiencing exhaustion, while 67% said they had difficulty sleeping and 64% reported suffering stress-related headaches. To me, thats some of the most compelling data, Sinnette said Monday. Public commenters had views on both sides of the issue, both as a state mandate and a single-district decision. Parent Rune Sodonis said later start times would only coddle students, as opposed to teaching them that hard work and doing better than the other guy is what breeds success in life. Bill Stoner said an 8:30 a.m. start time unfairly prejudiced families with two working parents. Roberta McKean-Cowdin, USC epidemiologist and LCHS parent, said the research conducted so far doesnt account for the many factors required for a mental benefit to occur. Craig Miller, father of two high school students, said a better solution to insufficient sleep time is parents being more mindful of getting kids to bed at a decent hour. I really dont think a half-hour or 45 minutes is going to make a difference to the kids, said Miller, adding that kids will likely just stay up later than they do already. The systems not broken why are we trying to fix it? A number of teachers and students and parents offered contrary viewpoints, providing anecdotal evidence of all-night study sessions and commitments, sleeping in their cars to save time and rampant tardiness in 6:42 a.m. zero periods. Alternately, on late-start Tuesdays at La Canada High, which begin at 8:40 a.m. after a teacher collaboration period, both students and teachers reported sleeping better, feeling more alert and joyful and interacting more positively with family members and each other. Tuesdays are magic, said LCHS English teacher Tracey Calhoun. Tuesdays are when great conversations happen, when some of the best writing assignments get handed in. [A late start] can only pay dividends for the community. LCHS senior Emin Baghdassarians questioned whether the system was broken, and whether La Canada High School maintaining its superstar academic status was worth the risk incurred by its sleep-deprived students. You have an entire school of kids that are stressed beyond their minds, he said. Sure we have straight As, but on the weekend we feel illegal substances are the only way we can have some relief in our lives. Who cares about being No. 1 when the students dont feel like No. 1? After public comments, board members expressed general support for pushing the LCHS start time back to 8:30 a.m., but said they wanted to gather more input on parental and student support by giving an online survey more time. A special meeting was called for May 30. FYI: The survey for parents is available online at https://goo.gl/ECJ6z4. The May 30 special meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m., in LCUSDs Governing Board room, 4490 Cornishon Ave., La Canada. For more information, call (818) 952-8300. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine No matter how eager Shohei Ohtani is to be back in the lineup, the Angels are not going to jeopardize his future for an immediate boost on offense. Manager Brad Ausmus said Saturday at Angel Stadium that Ohtani will keep the schedule that was set for him after he underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery in October. May remains the target for Ohtanis return to the lineup. Im not going to risk Shoheis health just because I think were not hitting as well, Ausmus said. Shohei will be back in the lineup when hes back and healthy and ready to go. To this point, Ohtani has not experienced unusual discomfort in his right elbow. He has even been able to throw comfortably from a distance of up to 60 feet. Advertisement Since he wont pitch until next year, Ohtani has focused on hitting. Its already paid dividends. In his first interview in about two weeks, Ohtani said Thursday that his swing felt more powerful than last year, when he belted 22 homers and was the American League rookie of the year. Ohtani said he felt well enough to rejoin the Angels as a designated hitter in April if they allowed him. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter The absence of Ohtani and left fielder Justin Upton has taken a noticeable toll on the lineup. Even after beating the Texas Rangers 5-1 on Saturday, the team was batting a meager .201. The only players batting above .250 are Mike Trout (.385), Brian Goodwin (.353) and David Fletcher (.333). Two starters have fewer than three hits Justin Bour, who is two for 25, and Zack Cozart, whos one for 26. Ohtani could provide a spark. Even while playing with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow last season, Ohtani batted .283 with a .935 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in his final 70 games. I cant say for sure that just because Im back in the lineup its going to make the team better, Ohtani said through an interpreter. Obviously, Im going to try my best to help the team win. Before he returns, Ohtani must face live pitching in either simulated games or in a minor league rehab assignment. A checkup soon will determine when he can advance to that stage. Hes on the schedule hes supposed to be on, Ausmus said. If anything changes, well let you know. Cole feeling good again The line from right-hander Taylor Coles first rehab outing in the California League didnt inspire awe: Over two-thirds of an inning at Inland Empire, he gave up four hits and a walk and three earned runs. He didnt strike anybody out. He took the loss. Although he regretted the results, Cole said Saturday in the Angels clubhouse that he felt encouraged by the appearance. He hadnt been able to throw all his pitches changeup, slider and fastball without feeling pain since before his shoulder became sore in early March. I was able to let it go, Cole said. It didnt hurt at extension, so that was a positive for me. And I was in the strike zone a lot. It wasnt like I was sporadic. I was probably just in the strike zone too much. Cole will throw two innings at Inland Empire on Sunday. After the outing, the Angels will determine if hes ready to be activated from the injured list or if he needs more time. He has minor league options remaining on his contract, so the Angels can choose to send him back to triple-A Salt Lake City to start his season. Cole had a 2.75 earned-run average and struck out 39 in 36 innings as a rookie reliever last year. Short hops Right fielder Kole Calhoun is day to day with a right knee contusion. He crashed into the right-field wall trying to rob Texas Ronald Guzman of a leadoff hit in the third inning. He was replaced in the seventh inning of the Angels 5-1 win. In his first game as the Angels leadoff hitter this season, Fletcher reached base four of five times. He hit a double and scored a run. Its tough to not like the things Fletch does, Ausmus said. Hes kind of the underdog. maria.torres@latimes.com @maria_torres3 Jockeys at Santa Anita will ride April 12 without riding crops as a way of gathering information in advance of a proposed rule that would eliminate the use of whips. Its the first unified response from the Jockeys Guild after the California Horse Racing Board unanimously voted to outlaw the riding crop except in the case of safety for the jockeys or horses. In a letter to the racing board, Santa Anita, the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the California Thoroughbred Trainers, the Jockeys Guild said it was making the move as a way of gathering data about how the change would affect racing. Upon the completion of each race, data will be gathered from input from the jockeys, the letter said. Each ride will be evaluated for safety, how horses respond in passing other horses, react when going through an opening, or any other situation that may develop. This information will be submitted for consideration during the public comment period. Advertisement The jockeys opposed the riding crop rule, originally proposed by Belinda Stronach, president and chief executive officer of the Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, among other tracks. It was part of package of reforms she submitted in the wake of the 23 horse deaths at Santa Anita since Dec. 26. There have been no proven ties between whip use and the breakdowns. The move appears to be an attempt to satisfy a public that finds the optics of a horse being hit with a riding crop disturbing. The jockeys contend the new cushioned crop does not hurt a horse and is more of a noise maker to focus the animal. Some of reforms offered by Stronach, such as reduction and eventual elimination of race-day medication, are already in effect at Santa Anita. Because the no-whip rule would have to be enforced by the stewards, who work for the state and not the track, there was no way to implement it without going through the state approval process, which could take it to October at the earliest. The Guild said it was notifying everyone so that announcements could be made, especially to the betting public. Please be assured that the jockeys will do everything within their ability and power to achieve best possible placing for their horses, the letter went on to say. The letter was signed by Mike Smith and John Velazquez, both in the hall of fame, and Terry Meyocks, president and chief executive of the Jockeys Guild. Next Friday, the state racing board will also be meeting at Santa Anita to discuss its ability to reassign race dates should Santa Anita elect to not finish its meeting. Sign up for our horse racing newsletter Germany has asked the European Union to find a safe port where a German humanitarian ship carrying 64 migrants in the Mediterranean can dock, following appeals from the aid group and the refusal by Italy or Malta to let them land. Berlin has asked the European Commission, the EUs executive body, to coordinate the search for a safe port, said Stefan Ruwwe-Gloesenkamp, the spokesman for Germanys Interior Ministry. He said Friday that Germany trusts that a large number of member states will be prepared to take in migrants and that Berlin is ready to do its part. EU spokeswoman Tove Ernst said the commission had initiated contacts among willing states, but said the renewed standoff illustrated the urgent need for predictable arrangements for disembarkation. Advertisement The German humanitarian group Sea-Eye rescued the migrants off Libya on Wednesday when it could not reach the Libyan coast guard. It said the ship does not have enough room, food or water for the migrants and appealed to Berlin to use diplomatic channels to find a safe port. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said his ministry sent a letter Thursday to the German government telling it the ship cannot dock in Italy and asking Berlin to intervene. On Friday afternoon, however, Italy offered to evacuate two children and their mothers, but the women rejected the offer because they didnt want to leave their husbands. The agreement with the federal Government was that the families would be evacuated, Sea-Eye said on Twitter. We will not be actively separating families! This is an emotional torture and endangers the best Interests of the children. Salvini reacted to the news, saying in a tweet that at this point we can just wish them a good trip to Berlin. The Italian minister, speaking Friday at a Group of 7 ministers meeting in France, reaffirmed his anti-migrant stance, saying that clearly not all [nongovernmental organizations], but some of them, are accomplices in human trafficking. Sea-Eye spokesman Carlotta Weibl said Friday that the rescue boat Alan Kurdi remains in international waters off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa and will not approach until it has permission. Conditions on board were worsening and a storm was approaching, she said. Malta and Italy have been refusing to open their ports to humanitarian rescue ships, saying that the repeated rescues of migrants at sea encourages smugglers to pack them into unseaworthy rubber dinghies before they head out for Europe. Salvini said Sea-Eye put the migrants lives at risk by traveling north toward Europe after rescuing them 25 miles from the Libyan coast. However, international standards on sea rescues require that migrants be brought to a safe port. The European Union and aid groups have declared that Libya does not meet the definition of a safe port because of ongoing lawlessness and reports of abuse, rape and torture in migrant detention centers. Militias in western Libya vowed Friday to confront a rival army commanders attempt to seize the capital, Tripoli, raising fears of renewed civil war in the oil-rich North African nation. The United Nations Security Council was holding an emergency closed-door meeting Friday on the renewed fighting in Libya. Twenty-five years ago, Tasian Nkundiye murdered his neighbor with a machete. The 43-year-old Hutu and a few other men from his Rwandan village chopped the Tutsi man to pieces one horrific slaying during a 100-day genocide that killed an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and the Hutus who tried to protect them. Nkundiye was convicted of the killing and other crimes and spent eight years in prison. Today, he lives near the widow of the man he killed. And, somehow, they are friends their children and grandchildren play and share lunch together; their cows graze in the same field. I am very grateful to her, Nkundiye, now 68, said of the widow, 58-year-old Laurencia Mukalemera. Ever since I apologized to her after prison life, confessing to my crimes and asking her for forgiveness, she has accepted me. I even leave my children with her when I am away. Advertisement A quarter century after the 1994 genocide that killed 75% of the countrys ethnic Tutsis, Rwanda has six reconciliation villages including Mbyo, where genocide survivors and perpetrators live alongside each other. Convicted killers re-integrate into society by publicly apologizing for their crimes. Survivors profess forgiveness. The villages are showpieces of President Paul Kagames policy of ethnic reconciliation, although some critics say the communities are forced and the reconciliation is artificial. About 3,000 victims and perpetrators live in the villages established by Prison Fellowship Rwanda, a Christian organization, and funded by the U.S. government, the United Nations and other donors to promote healing in Rwanda from the gaping wounds left by the genocide. Those in the villages also get help with housing and school fees. What we did was horrible Tasian Nkundiye, 43, a Hutu man who, 25 years ago, killed his Tutsi neighbor with a machete Rwandas genocide was ignited April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital, Kigali, killing the leader, who, like most Rwandans, was an ethnic Hutu. Rwandas Tutsi minority was blamed for the crash, igniting revenge attacks targeting Tutsis across the country of 12 million people. Jannette Mukabyagaju remembers the words of her father when the family heard the news that the presidents plane had been shot down. We are now finished, he said. That is the last time I saw my father. He died with the rest of the family members the following days, Mukabyagaju, a Tutsi survivor, who is now 42, told the Associated Press. In the family of eight children, only Mukabyagaju, one sister and a brother survived. Shrill broadcasts in the government media incited the killings, portraying Tutsis as dangerous, bent on dominating Hutus. During the genocide, political and military leaders also encouraged rape to further destroy the Tutsi ethnic group, which today makes up just 14% of the population. Mukabyagajus family lived in Muhanga, a village near a military barracks attached to the presidents office in Kigali. The presidential guards from the military zone descended on the village, accusing all Tutsis, including children, of being behind the death of their president, she recalls. It was useless to tell militiamen the children didnt have any idea about the presidents death, said Mukabyagaju, who was 17 at the time. But as you know, during the genocide, all sense had gone. Disguising herself, Mukabyagaju managed to escape to a church in the nearby village of Kabgayi that gave refuge to thousands seeking protection. The Tutsis working at the church helped us with food, but soon they too were killed by the militia, she said. The children of genocide survivors and perpetrators share laughs in the reconciliation village of Mbyo, near Nyamata, Rwanda, April 4, 2019. Its been 25 years since the mass genocide in Rwanda. (Ben Curtis / Associated Press) For two months she hid in and around the church until the Rwanda Patriotic Front, a rebel group headed by Kagame, seized power, forcing out the Hutu extremists and bringing an end to the genocide. Mukabyagaju said she asks herself why she survived. I believe it was Gods mercy that I didnt die, she said. I have decided to let anger go and forgive all people, including those who killed my family. Today, Mukabyagaju lives in Mbyo, where 54 families of genocide survivors and perpetrators live side by side among the villages green fields. Rwandas dark past is contradicted by the peals of laughter of children descended from both sides of the killing, playing and going to school together. We are grateful by the fact that Rwandans are united today, said Frederick Kazigwemu, another convict released after serving nine years in prison for genocide crimes, including murdering a neighboring family. Seeking forgiveness from a family where you killed relatives is an act of courage. But after turning your heart to God, this was possible, said Kazigwemu, who today is Mbyos village leader. Not all Rwandans think reconciliation has succeeded. Sam Nshimirimana, a Rwandan genocide expert and survivor, said forgiveness would be more meaningful if it were initiated by the survivors and perpetrators themselves and not promoted by the government or charitable organizations. The government tells perpetrators that once they apologize to the victims, they will be released from prison, he told the AP. Obviously, they apologize in order to be released. This is an artificial apology. At the same time, many survivors forgive because they are poor and need shelters or school fees, Nshimirimana said. We are grateful by the fact that Rwandans are united today Frederick Kazigwemu, who was released from prison after serving nine years for genocide crimes, including murdering a neighboring family. Ethnic reconciliation is a cornerstone of the rule of Kagame, Rwandas de facto leader since the genocide ended in 1994 and the countrys president since 2000, who is credited with bringing Rwanda stability, economic growth, improved health and education. Kagame also has pushed to have more women in political office, and 64% of the representatives in Rwandas parliament are women, the highest percentage of any country in the world. In the early 2000s, Kagames government enacted the laws that allowed those convicted of genocide crimes to walk out of prison if they apologized to survivors and sought their forgiveness. Both Nkundiye and Kizigwemu were released from prison under this arrangement. However, Kagames critics charge that he is intolerant of criticism and his government is repressive, jailing opposition leaders. Some opponents say that Rwandas reconciliation is forced. In Mbyo, however, it is hard to argue that the community is artificial. What we did was horrible, said Nkundiye, who remains haunted by memories of the screams of helpless women and children and the sight of Tutsi men throwing themselves into rivers to drown rather than be chopped to death by machetes. As for Mukalemera, the widow of the man he killed, I didnt know that it was Nkundiye who killed my husband. He came and told me he did it and showed me where my husbands body was buried. When he confessed and apologized, I forgave him. She hugged Ndundiye in greeting as they met to discuss the upcoming planting season. I found I could not live with anger forever, she said. Reports reaching Legit.ng suggests that Nollywood actor, John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu is reportedly down with stroke. However, the actor has come out to debunk these reports, stating that he is hale and hearty. A close family source revealed that the actor was hit by stroke shortly after he returned from his recent trip to Owerri. The source, according to The Sun, stated that Mr Ibu is currently being taken care of by an undisclosed traditional doctor and is responding to treatment. However, the actor has come out to debunk the reports about his health. In a video which he appeared in with his wife, a healthy looking Okafor revealed there was nothing wrong with him and that he forgives those who started the unfounded rumours. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) READ ALSO: Power Couples Who Are Still Adored By The Public Decades After The 57-year-old Okafor, Enugu-born actor is famous for his comics in movies and stand-up comedy. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App While the actor appears fit, the film industry mourns another actress who died recently. Joining the tragic list of deceased actresses in the industry is a lady identified as Olabisi Monsurat. According to a post put up by Facebook user, Omolola Olumide, who claimed to be her friend, she died ten days after putting to bed. Sharing photos of the actress and her new born, Olumide wrote: "I am short of words.. In fact, I don't know what to even write.. How do I start writing your Epistle Olabisi Monsurat , Aya Abe, OMO Ishola.. (Bisket) .. Have been in shock since yesterday that I heard about your sudden exit from this sinful world.." Kolade Johnson: My son came home from S/Africa because of issues there - Foster father | Legit TV Source: Legit - Umar Bago, the lawmaker representing Chanchaga federal constituency has assured total independence at the 9th Assembly - Bago said the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress is clear and will be followed at the National Assembly to better the lives of every citizens of Nigeria - According to Bago, the legislature works with the presidency to expedite every programme on the party's manifesto The lawmaker representing Chanchaga federal constituency in Niger state, Umar Bago, has assured legislature's independence at the 9th Assembly. Bago said total Independence and growth of all sectors of Nigeria's economy would be ensured at the House of Representatives. Speaking with journalists on Thursday, April 5, in Abuja, the lawmaker who is contesting for the seat of the Speaker at the lower chamber said the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress is clear and will be followed at the National Assembly to better the lives of every citizens of Nigeria. "First and foremost, from the APC, as a party, we have our manifesto, we have the presidential programmes lined up and we all believe in them even before they were bring sanctioned at the party level," Bago said. READ ALSO: Breaking: Onnoghens lawyer reveals why he resigned He said as Speaker of the House he will ensure that the legislature works with the presidency to expedite every programme on the party's manifesto. According to Bago, the 9th Assembly will also focus on alternative sources of revenue to ensure that every programme is carried out to the later. "So if we have kicked into the formulation of these promises and agenda of the president, we should be able to make laws that will make it very very easy for the executive to execute these programmes," Bago said. "The president for instance wants to connect every state by rail, he needs funding, he needs appropriate laws to expedite that appropriation . "We need to find alternative sources of generating revenue, we need to even solve issues of insecurity, we need to ensure gainful employment for our teeming youths. You cannot be on that chair and want to make things happen without a legislature that would be in tandem with your ideas. Precisely, we understand his programmes and these programmes are beautiful and the only way you can get it done is by having coercive laws ," the lawmaker said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) in collaboration with Youth Support Groups in the north central have expressed their dissatisfaction with the zoning formula of the APC on the leadership of the upcoming 9th National Assembly. Dabit Joseph, the north central coordinator of the group, made the disclosure at a news conference in Keffi, Nasarawa state, on Friday, April 5. Joseph said their displeasure was particularly on the zoning of the leadership of the House of Representatives to south west. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. INEC announces Buhari as 2019 election winner, Nigerians react | Legit TV Source: Legit The federal government has called for the support of Brazilian government in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made the call in Rio de Janeiro, when he visited his Brazilian counterpart, Fernando Silva. READ ALSO: Confusion at Supreme Court over Onnoghens reported resignation In a statement in Abuja on Friday, April 5, media assistant to the minister, Col. Tukur Gusau, quoted him as saying that terrorism was a global phenomenon that needed to be addressed by all nations. Dan-Ali also requested the assistance of the Brazilian defence ministry to Nigerias effort at establishing a military industrial complex in the country. He added that very soon, Nigeria will be sending its military officers to Brazil for training. In his response, E-Silva pledged the support of his country to Nigeria for the combat of insurgency and terrorism. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) on Friday, April 5, denied any recent attack on its troops and killing of 18 soldiers in its area of responsibility. Spokesman of the task force, Col. Timothy Antigha, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja, that online media report on the purported attack was false. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng For 90 minutes, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and three Lehigh Valley state lawmakers listened to people speak Saturday about their support for legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana. One speaker said he was on the fence. At the end, the first-term Democrat and second-in-command under Gov. Tom Wolf asked for a show of hands of those for, against and undecided. No one in the audience of about 115 in Muhlenberg College's Seegers Union in Allentown raised their hand in opposition. "Really?" Fetterman asked. "That's actually never happened before." Fetterman is visiting all 67 counties on a listening tour to gauge Pennsylvanians thoughts on following the lead of nine other states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized recreational use by adults ages 21 and older. Saturday was Lehigh Countys turn. He's collected about 25,000 comments, and more residents are invited to comment either online or in person at a listening session. There are two more scheduled this weekend in the Lehigh Valley region: the Monroe County stop is 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Innovation Center at East Stroudsburg University, 562 Independence Road in East Stroudsburg, and the Northampton County session is 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way in Bethlehem. The one comment Saturday not strongly in favor of legal weed for adult recreational use came from Patrick Fitzsimmons, a registered nurse at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill. He's an oncology nurse and firmly in support of Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program, something offered in 33 other states plus D.C. But expanding marijuanas availability in Pennsylvania without a prescription could have consequences, Fitzsimmons said, including on people battling mental health issues that may be worsened by cannabis use. "I'm a child of the DARE generation," he said, referencing elementary school Drug Awareness Resistance Education. "It was largely demonized and I don't know why. There's got to be some reason for it. Does it cause some trouble?" Those who spoke out in favor of legalization cited benefits like new tax revenue for schools and roadwork, social justice by eliminating penalties seen as disproportionately enforced on people of color and reducing reliance on the black market for users who either dont qualify for medical marijuana or cant afford getting a prescription and their identification card. Frances Rekai, of Lower Macungie Township, was among several who voiced support for recreational use of marijuana as an alternative to highly addictive opioid painkillers. Youve already tried every possible pain-management technique, she said. Youve done exercise, youve done weight management, youve done stress management, youve done yoga, youve done physical exercise, positive thinking, cognitive behavior therapy, medications, Tylenol, aspirin, anti-inflammatories ... and on and on and on. And theres nothing left, and your doctor will not give you opioids, and youre not ready ... for medical marijuana yet. So where do you go from here? Its not just for fun and pleasure. Its to help. Scott Geiger, of South Whitehall Township, said he's smoked marijuana for 45 years and was still able to have a successful 30-year career in banking and retire early. Im not a stoner whos been sitting on the couch eating Doritos, he said, noting that marijuana needs to be used in the right environment and not by someone who is getting behind the wheel. Colorado requires its recreational marijuana that is sold to go home in sealed packets that if opened in a car expose the user to criminal liability, he noted. T.J. Finnerty, of Forks Township, spoke about marijuana helping him to overcome problems with alcohol and pharmaceuticals and to lose 175 pounds. "Cannabis promotes getting off drugs," he said. "It is the answer to the opioid crisis." Geoffrey Thomas, of Allentown, wore a kilt in a nod to his Welsh history and said marijuana helped him beat cancer by offering relief from radiation treatments. He'll be four years' cancer-free in two months. "I saw people die every day, damn near, at the hospice they put me in," he said. "I could only imagine what was going on across the street at Ronald McDonald House." Saturday marked Jeff Riedy's third time participating in Fetterman's tour, as executive director of the Lehigh Valley's chapter of the pro-marijuana group NORML. He brought with him the term paper he wrote as a senior at Dieruff High School in fall 1975 calling for marijuana to be legalized. "Ironically we're still talking about that 43, 44 years later and we haven't moved very far," Riedy said, adding later: "I've watched friends die from alcoholism, I've watched friends die from opioids. I've never watched a friend die from cannabis." Becki Kiss called for lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana use so the laws are the same statewide. Right now, she noted, Bethlehem police have the option of fining people for low-level marijuana crimes on the Northampton County side of the city but not on the Lehigh County side, due to a difference of opinion on the part of the two counties' district attorneys. Alex Hadesty said Pennsylvania could simply decriminalize personal use of marijuana, to speed along change akin to lifting the ban on gay marriage. "It needs to happen," he said. "Cannabis users deserve their money back, their refunds, of what they've paid their lawyers, what they gave the judicial system, everything, because this was all based on fraud -- and 80-plus years of it." Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled state Legislature have announced bills in both the state House and Senate during the 2019-20 session to permit recreational marijuana sales and use. No votes have been taken on sending a bill to Wolf for consideration. The lawmakers who joined Fetterman for Allentown's listening session were state Reps. Peter Schweyer, Michael Schlossberg and Jeanne McNeill, all D-Lehigh. Im so glad all of you came out, McNeill told the audience. Ive been watching all the county visits by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and listening and watching as I decide which way Im going to go, but Im pretty sure Im going to raise my hand when we all say yes to this. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Minors who use vaping devices or bring them on school grounds soon may be violating state law. House Bill 97 unanimously passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on March 25. The bill would make it illegal for people under 18 years old to purchase or use nicotine-based products, in addition to tobacco products. It is already illegal for minors in the Commonwealth to buy or use tobacco products. The proposed bill, which still needs to be passed by the state Senate and signed by the governor before it becomes law, would add non-tobacco nicotine products to the listed of items illegal for minors to use. It is currently illegal, under federal law, for stores to sell vaping products to minors. House Bill 97 would amend Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to make it illegal for electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS, to be sold, consumed or given to minors in Pennsylvania. ENDS include electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, vape pens, or any electronic device that delivers nicotine or other substances through vaporization and inhalation. The bill defines a nicotine product as any product that contains or consists of nicotine in a form that can be ingested by chewing, smoking, inhaling or any other means. The bill would also outlaw ENDS on public school grounds. Some school districts already have their own policies regarding vaping devices. Easton Area School District considers any nicotine device as banned contraband, according to Easton Area School District Director of Safe Schools/Chief of Police John Remaley. Though district policy bans nicotine products, having the state make it illegal, too, is a positive step, Remaley said. I think more regulation on it is basically a good thing, Remaley said. Because of the popularity of vaping products and several states legalizing marijuana for recreational or medical purposes, they are making vaping products that contain THC and kids are getting hold of them. The proposed bill would also make it illegal to furnish, by purchase, gift or other means, a nicotine product or ENDS to a minor in Pennsylvania. Last month, Pennsylvania Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe/Northampton, proposed Senate Bill 473, which would raise the age for sale and use of tobacco or other nicotine products in the state to 21 years old. That bill has been sent to the Judiciary Committee for review. John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A man wanted for Northampton County barn fires was arrested Friday night in Bucks County. Justin Emmons, 19, was arrested at 6:45 p.m. following a a traffic stop by Pennridge Regional Police Dept., Pennsylvania State Police said. Emmons was awaiting extradition to Northampton County, where he faces arson and related charges stemming from three barn fires last month. State police released Emmons photo earlier on Friday, after the criminal charges were filed. His alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Samantha Keeney, was arrested and charged Thursday night. Investigators allege Keeney and Emmons set the fires, although each blamed the other for setting certain fires. Pennsylvania State Police have been investigating the following fires: March 15th at 3646 Cedar Drive, Lehigh Township. March 23rd on 786 Fir Drive, Lehigh Township, a mile away from Cedar Drive. March 24th at 1352 Clearview Road, North Whitehall Township March 29th at 4413 Cherryville Road, Allen Township. The pair are charged in connection with the two Lehigh Township and Allen Township blazes -- three counts each of arson, causing a catastrophe, reckless burning, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass. Emmons also faces an additional three counts of reckless endangerment and conspiracy, as well as a single count of agricultural vandalism. Keeney also faces one count of reckless endangerment and three counts of agricultural vandalism. Emmons allegedly confessed to the Fir Drive and Clearview Drive blazes, as well as a vehicle fire in Northampton also under investigation. In his interview Monday with Lehigh and Northampton police, Emmons reportedly said Keeney lit the fires. In an interview Thursday with detectives, Keeney allegedly said she and Emmons collectively had the idea to burn down the barns, and that she only set the Fir Drive blaze. Justin Emmons, seen here at a March 24, 2019, fire at 1352 Clearview Road in North Whitehall Township, is accused of purposefully setting barn fires in Northampton County. (Mike Nester | For lehighvalleylive.com) Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 45-year-old man who shot at three people in Bethlehem in 2012 was among three fugitives arrested in recent warrant sweeps, the Northampton County Sheriffs Department says in a news release. Shelton Powell was wanted by Northampton County Adult Probation for allegedly violating conditions of supervision. The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Powell without incident in the 1300 block of West Turner Street in Allentown, authorities say. Powell pleaded guilty in June 2013 to reckless endangerment and receiving stolen property in the December 2012 shooting incident, in which he was accused of firing multiple gunshots at three people in the 700 block of Wyandotte Street. Bethlehem police in 2012 served a search warrant at Powells home and recovered a stolen Sig Sauer handgun, according to the sheriffs office. Powell was sentenced to up to 23 months in prison followed by up to three years of probation, and was paroled in October 2013. A judge issued a bench warrant for him in December 2016. He was sent to Northampton County Prison to await disposition of his supervision violation, the sheriff's department said. The Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force also picked up, without incident, the other two people wanted on warrants during recent sweeps, according to the sheriff's department news release. The task force comprises Pennsylvania State Police, agents from the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and members of the Northampton County Sheriff's Department Criminal Warrant Unit. The other two fugitives arrested were: Kuadir Rembert Kuadir Rembert (Courtesy photo) Rembert, 47, in the 700 block of Monticello Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia. Rembert was wanted by the Northampton County Sheriffs Department on two felony warrants for heroin possession with intent to deliver, as well as possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. A judge issued the warrants April 2 after Rembert failed to appear for trial, according to the release, which added: Rembert was tracked via task force leads in Pennsylvania to Norfolk, Virginia, and was apprehended by the United States Marshals on 4/4/19. Rembert is lodged in Norfolk County Jail awaiting extradition back to Northampton County. Alvin Romero Alvin Romero (Courtesy photo) Romero, 38, in the 400 block of North 10th Street in Allentown. Romero was wanted by the state Board of Probation and Parole for allegedly violating his conditions of supervision. Romeros original felony charges were drug possession with intent to deliver, according to the release. The release adds: He is also an identified member of the Latin King Street Gang. He was sent to a Pennsylvania state prison to await disposition of his case. Editors note: This article was updated to correct that police recovered a stolen handgun from the home of Shelton Powell in 2012, according to the Northampton County Sheriffs Department. A reference to when it was recovered was incorrect. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Mind-boggling road markings caused confusion for councillors at a Portlaoise Municipal District meeting last Wednesday. While discussing road safety measures at Bondra Lane, Colt, Ballyroan Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanely raised concern over the vague difference between two types of road markings. Cllr Dwane Stanely said she recently noticed that there are two different types of broken white lines on roads. Senior Executive Engineer for the Portlaoise Municipal District, Mr Wes Wilkinson, explained that the traditional broken white line indicates that a vehicle may pass if safe to do so and a broken white line with smaller gaps between the breaks is used to warn motorists of a hazard ahead. Cllr Dwane Stanely said she was taken aback to discover this because people might assume it was safe to overtake on a road where there was a hazard ahead. I was taken aback by that because the smaller line is supposed to be flagging up that there is a hazard but most of us would have assumed that you could overtake but there is a difference between the two, she said. Cllr Willie Aird said it is mind-boggling that broken lines have been used to signify danger. Cathaoirleach of the Portlaoise Municipal District, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, suggested that the state roads agency Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) be invited to meet with councillors every few months so they can have an input with what is happening on the regional roads in the county. There are a few issues like this that keep coming up and I think you cant beat local knowledge. If they listened to us locally it is dangerous, there is a 100 km speed limit it is very very dangerous, she said about the road at Bondra Lane, Colt, Ballyroan. Engineer Wes Wilkinson said the road markings scheme adheres to the national standards of the TII. Farhan Nasiem in the council's road design section will review the junction at Bondra Lane, Colt, Ballyroan with a view to improving safety at this location. Any proposed works at this location will be subject to funding being available. MORE: Laois author donates book sale profits to local charity Aoife is originally from Lucan and began primary school in Lexlip. She moved to Kildare 17 years ago and continued primary school in Derrinturn. She went to secondary school in Oaklands Community College, Edenderry. She's the eldest of three. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST KILDARE MEMORY? Its actually a silly one, but it has stuck and is still a running joke with us. Soon after we moved to Kildare, a neighbour invited us over and asked us if we would like a packet of Tayto crisps each. We said yes and soon figured Tayto was the name given to every brand of crisps around here. My brother, who was was a devastated four-year-old at the time, wept the whole way home because he was given a bag of Walkers and not real Tayto. It definitely must be a country thing! WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT KILDARE? Its location, for me. Its a little space of peace and quiet Im lucky to call home, but not far from the city! I am always on the go and in my car, so for me, personally, being close to Dublin is necessary for work, and as the rest of our family live there; but theres a lot to be said to be able to drive home out of the hustle and bustle at the end of the day. WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL DAY SPENT IN KILDARE? My typical day out depends on my mood! I absolutely love going for a walk in Donadea Forest either with a friend and our dogs, on my own or with my boyfriend Sean. I love it, its local for me and and really clears my mind. Finishing off with a bite to eat afterwards is always a winner. For a bit of fun, I love a midweek trip (when its not too busy) to BASE in Celbridge for bowling, games, drinks and nibbles after work. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IN KILDARE? Breakfast and lunch its the An-Tea-Que Cafe in Clane, its a great spot. Their streaky bacon and pancakes are to die for! For dinner, drinks and a brilliant atmosphere, something thatll really hit the spot is Town in Lexlip. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A MAKEUP ARTIST, AND PA TO TWO LEADING IRISH BLOGGERS? I work in MAC in T2 Dublin Airport. Im the media product specialist in there at the moment, too which includes creating all of the fun and creative looks the team wear every week, managing any new collections on counter and keeping the team inspired and creative with trends. Ive just graduated from Maynooth University where I studied a double honors in Business and Sociology and Ive also done my ITEC Make Up course, so I really feel challenged in both areas in MAC, in a good way of course, and I am all about it. Then in my spare time, I help out two of my friends with all of their admin and super busy schedules. I met both Grace (FacesByGrace) and Ali (Ali Dee Hairstyle) a couple of years back and we clicked instantly. Grace, I was already following on social media and really loved her content! At the time she was working in Boots in Liffey Valley on a makeup counter and I plucked up the courage to go and introduce myself as a fan. Just after she had her little girl Sienna, blogging had really taken off for her and she went full-time at that. She needed a hand and I lent mine! I do love it, Im a very organized person. Similarly with Ali, we met at a NIMA Brush event a few years ago and the rest is history! She is a leading Irish bridal hair stylist and is super busy with weddings all year round. Again, I look after all of the emails and admin, so all of her clients and bridal bookings. We have become really close pals and it honestly makes me so happy to know Im helping out even in a tiny way. All of the above is a hobby in my spare time! THE BBC AFRICA editor Fergal Keane will give a keynote lecture at a major journalism conference in the University of Limerick to celebrate ten years of the course at the university. Mr Keane, a former Limerick Leader journalist and a new adjunct professor of journalism at the university, will give the keynote lecture at Journalism and Democracy under Siege when it takes place on Thursday April 11. Head of Journalism at UL Mary Dundon said that the department is delighted to have someone of Fergal Keanes caliber giving the keynote address at their tenth anniversary conference. He is an award-winning journalist who has covered most of the global war zones over the past 28 years and won numerous international awards for his fearless reporting including an OBE from Queen Elizabeth for his services,she added. Mr Keane will deliver his lecture at 10.30 am. This will also be followed by a panel discussion on the topic by some of the countrys leading journalists and editors including RTE broadcaster Miriam OCallaghan, Irish Independent editor Fionnan Sheahan and Irish Times news editor Mark Hennessy. Mr Keane started his career in journalism with the Limerick Leader before moving to the Irish Press and RTE. He became the Ireland Correspondent for the BBC in 1989 and was subsequently promoted to a range of BBC foreign postings including: South Africa Correspondent; Asia Correspondent; Special Correspondent and Africa Editor. In the afternoon, there will be a panel discussion profiling ULs latest journalism and media academic research. Journalism, Discourse, and Inequality will be discussed by Dr Fergal Quinn, Professor Eoin Devereux, Professor Martin Power, Kathryn Hayes and Audrey Galvin. This will be followed by another panel discussion featuring some of the universitys journalism graduates including Hilary McGann from CNN, Cillian Sherlock of RTE, Denise Calnan of the Irish Independent and Andew Roberts from The Journal. The conference will take place in the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) at UL. It is open to all. A MAN in his 50s has appeared in Limerick District Court in connection with a drugs seizure in the city this week. Gerard Crawford, 58, of Clarina Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, was charged with possession and sale and supply of drugs, under Section 3 and Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, at a special sitting this Saturday afternoon. Mr Crawford, who wore a navy fleece jacket, a shirt and jumper in court, was arrested at his home at 12pm on Friday, and was charged at Henry Street garda station at 11.20am this Saturday. Gda Michael Dunphy said the accused made no reply to the charge. Solicitor John Herbert said there were "no questions arising" and requested that the accused be assigned legal aid. Inspector Liz Kennedy told Judge Mary Larkin that there was no objection to bail, subject to a number of conditions. As part of the bail conditions, Mr Crawford must sign-on at Roxboro Road garda station three times a week, provide a mobile phone number and have it charged at all times, reside at his home at Clarina Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, and must stay sober. Judge Larkin granted Mr Crawford bail on his own bond of 300, and remanded him on bail until July 3. On Friday, as part of ongoing investigations targeting organised crime groups in Limerick, a joint intelligence-led operation was conducted on Friday by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the Revenue Commissioners Customs Service, and the Limerick Garda Drugs Unit. During a search of two houses in Limerick, customs officers seized two packages containing approximately 2.5kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated 50,000 (subject to analysis). Two men were arrested. A second man, 47, has been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Nigerian child brides as young as ten are being advertised on Facebook and then sold to men as old as their grandfathers to pay off their parents' debts. "Money wives" is a common practice in Becheve community in Obanliku, Cross River State, Nigeria. Young women are regularly exchanged by their parents for food, livestock or cash. These women are referred to as money wives or money women. It has now emerged that their parents and guardians are now making use of Facebook to put them up for sale. Sometimes, they are bought by men older than their fathers and they become the properties of these men for the rest of their lives. The men can choose to use them as they like. Some of them are used as baby making machines, some are made to do all the house chores and to farm. Some even say the men who bought them get to decide who they vote for in an election. One girl, Monica, told the Daily Beast how she and her sister were sold without their consent to clear a debt their father owed to a distant relative. Monica said she and her sister got married a month apart to men they had never met and who were far older than them. Men from a village in Becheve travelling with goods to pay for a child bride She said: 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. He'll buy new clothes and force me and my sisters to put them on before taking photographs of us. It is young people who convince old men to look for wives on Facebook. Monica ran away from her husband to live with a friend less than a year after she got married to him as a money wife. She added: The man I married said his oldest son showed him my photo on Facebook and directed him to my father. Usually, in the Becheve community, parents of the money brides take the girls to men who can afford to pay for their daughters. 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 and pick the girl of their choice. Magnus Ejikang, a local chief in Ogbakoko, told The Daily Beast: "The practice is meant to boost the status of the men in Becheve community. The more brides you have, the more respect you gain in the community." Below are videos granted by the money wives. Seven cops are ready to serve and protect the City of Laredo. Laredo police sworn in six men and one woman into their ranks on Friday morning during a pinning of the badge ceremony. They completed 28 weeks of training. Now, they will now go out on the field with a field training officer. Officer Melissa Villastrigo, 27, is eager to serve her community. "We're proud to be here. We're proud to serve the community of Laredo. We would like to thank our families, the City of Laredo and Laredo PD for giving us this opportunity," she said. READ ALSO: Texas cops have fun with bluebonnet challenge Villastrigo recalled that the road to become a cop was not an easy one. She was one of about 600 applicants who started the process in August. She is no stranger to law enforcement. Villastrigo brings her 3 years of experience from the United Independent School District Police Department to the table. She aims to become a role model as an officer. "I grew up in a generation where social media is big. People have an image of police officers being accused of police brutality and corruption. I want to prove that there are still good officers out there," she said. Other officers sworn in were Mark Alexander Alardin Jr., Hector Javier Cadena Jr., Roberto Cruz Jr., Jesus Alejandro Hinojosa, Arturo I. Ibarra and Luis E. Torres. ALBANY A late and rocky start for the commission working to ensure New York gets its fair share of federal resources and congressional representation was dealt another blow in the recently adopted state budget. The 16-member Complete Count Commission was tasked last year with preparing the state for the 2020 census, but some commissioners and activists worry that its effort is a sideshow for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who didn't fill his seats on the commission until two weeks after its report was due in January. If the state's population is not fully accounted for, New York will lose two seats in the House of Representatives and potentially billions in federal funding. The worst fears of the commission's skeptics were realized when the budget earmarked $20 million for "executing a count of New Yorkers" an amount reached without formal input from the commission and a fraction of what experts believe is needed. Calculating need "This $20 million figure is higher than last time, but not anywhere near where we need to be," said Commissioner Esmeralda Simmons, an Assembly Democratic appointee, who is participating in her fourth census effort. Based on past experiences, Simmons believes the state should invest $60 million to $80 million for community groups to reach out to hard-to-count communities before the census begins next year. The philanthropic New York Community Trust urged the state to put $60 million toward outreach, while a more conservative estimate of $40 million was called for by the liberal Fiscal Policy Institute. Additionally, libraries want $40 million to ensure they have the technology and expertise to help the 20 percent of New Yorkers without internet access to participate in what is considered the first "digital census." "Based on the requests submitted by community-based organizations and libraries (during the commission's hearings), $20 million seems pretty inadequate considering the job ahead for us," said Commissioner Lauren Moore, an Assembly Republican appointee and chairwoman of the New York Library Association's Census 2020 Task Force. Commission co-chair Jim Malatras, a close ally and appointee of Cuomo, believes the allocation in the budget is more than adequate, but acknowledged the commissioners have "a difference of opinion." Malatras noted that municipalities and philanthropic groups are also pledging their support for outreach. New York Community Trust senior program officer Patricia Swann said private philanthropy should only be used to amplify state funds, not replace it. New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario said counties are prepared to chip in when they can, but pointed out that California is giving local governments $27 million for outreach. Allocating resources Funding in this year's budget was supposed to be informed by a recommendation from the commission, which is why its report was due on Jan. 10, but instead the commissioners will be limited to making non-binding suggestions on how to spend the state's allocation. Despite the delayed start, the Cuomo administration reiterated less than a month ago that state resources would be based on identified needs from the commission. "We're going to wait for the Complete Count Commission to come up with a recommendation," Budget Director Robert Mujica told reporters on March 11. That position was reversed in the final budget agreement, and a state Division of Budget spokesman would not say how the funding amount was reached. Also, the state budget allocation is for the state's entire effort, including funds for community outreach and libraries. Government agencies would have to tap into existing resources or use the funds, too. For comparison, New York would need to invest about $25 million solely for community outreach to residents who live in hard-to-count communities to match the commitment advocates in New Jersey seek. California, which has about twice the population of New York, proposed nearly $43 million for community groups, with an entire state investment worth more than seven times what Cuomo and state legislators approved. "Our analysis says $20 million is great," Malatras said, referring to an internal commission memorandum drafted in response to commissioners and activists relying on the Fiscal Policy Institute recommendation. Behind-the-scenes The memorandum tries to highlight "some obvious weaknesses" in the Fiscal Policy Institute's methodology and finding, according to commission Executive Director Rich Tobe, who co-authored the internal rebuttal. "I think it has value, but I don't think it's definitive," Tobe said of FPI's work. Activists and the FPI report's co-author defend the analysis, noting it has been accepted nationally by census experts and the estimates are being relied on by other states. New York Immigration Coalition Executive Director Steve Choi worries that the commission's memorandum, which came out in the days before the budget funding was announced, was an attempt to lower expectations in advance of a decision by the state to provide less resources than advocates desired. Tobe denies that rationale. Commissioners say the memo was drafted after they pushed to formally recommend a $40 million budget investment for community outreach, which was ultimately stymied by commission leadership. Simmons said the experience, plus the months of delay in implementing the commission, make her pessimistic about the prospect of producing recommendations that aren't preordained and approved by Cuomo. "The commission is controlled by the governor," Simmons said. "This is basically the governor's show." That sentiment is shared by other commissioners, including Senate Democratic appointee Andrew Beveridge. Eight of the panel's 16 members are gubernatorial appointments, "so how independent is that," Beveridge said. Timeline for spending The official counting of New Yorkers begins in less than a year, so state preparations should be "at full steam now," according to census adviser Terri Ann Lowenthal, who testified before New York's commission and serves on Connecticut's census committee. "It's going to take time to understand, evaluate and effectively address concerns about census preparation that might be unique," Lowenthal said. Tobe said the commission, which has five more hearings scheduled, will make recommendations on how to spend the $20 million that will likely come later in the month or May. Simmons warned that the timeline puts New York "behind the eight ball" with the distribution of funds. Choi said funds for outreach need to be spent by the fall, but is optimistic about the state's ability to spend in an expedited way when it wants to. Cuomo's office said more funds might be available in next year's budget, too, but Simmons said money at that point "will only be for last-minute efforts." "(This year's) budget is the budget we needed to have major funds in," Simmons said. Commissioners assume that a recommendation for more money would fall on deaf ears at this point. Malatras says he doesn't know if more money will be made available through the state. State preparation Tobe says it's a mistake to assume New York's preparation solely revolves around the commission's work, which continues through next year's count. He noted that the state already completed a massive undertaking to update hundreds of thousands of addresses that will be used by the U.S. Census Bureau's count in 2020. The project ensures that more census mailings will arrive at the correct addresses, and allows for at least a portion of the households to be counted even if they don't engage in the process next year. The scope of the state and county involvement in the effort was unmatched by the rest of the country, according to commissioners and participants. Tobe says it underscores how serious the state is taking the 2020 census, and noted it was done "without an additional state appropriation." He also held more than a dozen public events across the state in the last year with municipalities and community groups to discuss census preparations. As part of that effort, the state is encouraging counties and community organizations to create "full count" committees. The Jamestown mayor credited the committee they formed in 2010 with helping produce a final population count that was at least 10 percent higher than the census bureau's initial estimate. Existing state resources and relationships will also be leveraged to interact with recent immigrants, engage college students in outreach, and serve as secure stations for completing the census. Commissioners and experts say the state's preparations efforts are important, but stress that they can't replace a robust community outreach effort for hard-to-count communities. The commission is scheduled to hold a hearing on May 6 at the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 UPPER THUMB Documents obtained from a local television station show a state agency made its mind up about relocating a new hospital from Caro, about a month after ground broke for the center in Caro. Tuscola County Controller Mike Hoagland was caught off guard after an ABC12 reporter informed him emails obtained through a Michigan Freedom of Information Act show state officials made the decision to not construct the new hospital in Caro in December 2018. "I'm stunned. I'm still trying to process what I was told," Hoagland said. The news broke late Friday afternoon. "Among other things, the newly revealed emails show a decision was already largely made to stop the project before a consultant was brought on to 'study' its feasibility," said Communications Director and Press Secretary Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield. "The idea of using a third party to put on a show of making that decision was pitched as a way to 'get the right answer' and 'hold off the Legislature.'" In mid March, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration announced it would halt construction of a new psychiatric hospital in Tuscola County while a re-evaluation was done by a consultant. The reasons given by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services included concerns about staffing shortages, the ability for patients' families to be involved in their treatment, and access to water. Besides local officials, the information about the Caro Center was news to state lawmakers who represent the county. State Rep. Phil Green learned about the matter when he was contacted by a reporter for a statement on what was found in the emails "That's when I learned about this... pretty interesting? I'm appalled at the departments that they would boldface lie to us. This whole pausing on building the Caro Center wreaks of politics and that is exactly 100% what it was," said Green. "According to those emails, they never had any intentions of building the hospital in Caro." There was a groundbreaking mid October 2018 for the hospital that was attended by Michigan Department of Technology Management and Budget David DeVries, Rep. Edward Canfield, Gov. Rick Snyder, Senator Mike Green, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyons, none of whom are still in office. After the ground breaking, several homes that had at one time been used by hospital staff were razed. So far, the state has invested about $3 million in building the new hospital in Caro. "It is not surprising that the decision regarding the Caro Center would have already been made. What is surprising to me is the amount of dishonesty and conniving that went into making the announcement," said Green, who represents Huron and Tuscola counties. "I stated in a meeting with DHHS and DTMB (Department of Technology, Management and Budget) that it sounded like 'Their mind was already made up and it would not be confused with facts.'" Green, who has been a state representative since the first of the year, was upset about the "political game playing." "That they had to connive and come up with this elaborate plan to 'do another study' in order to come to the conclusion they have already made is the epitome of dishonesty and fiscally irresponsible," said Green. "I hope Gov. Whitmer will exhibit leadership and get this department under control. "If leadership will lie to the members of the Legislature and the residents of the state of Michigan, they will also lie to her. This department cannot be trusted." As soon as county officials learned construction on the hospital had been halted, they started strategizing ways to make their case why the new hospital should stay in the county. During the March 28 county meeting, commissioners approved hiring the lobbying firm, Capital Services, for up to $12,600 to help them plead their case to the state for having the hospital built in Caro. After learning the state has no intention of building a hospital locally, hiring a lobbyist is now questionable. Commissioners are expected to address that issue and others about the Caro Center at the board's 8 a.m. committee of the whole meeting Monday. And, that isn't the only money the county has spent trying to keep the $115 million, 225,000 square-foot hospital. On Oct. 25, 2018, commissioners hired Schellenbarger Engineering and Surveying for $5,000 to evaluate rehabilitating the Caro Center's current water system with upgrades when the City of Caro and Indianfields Township could not agree on financing about extending a municipal waterline to the hospital. Having a state hospital in Tuscola County generates about $54 million in revenue for the area from employment of 349 staff and from 398 other jobs that indirectly benefit from the center. (CNN) Saudi Arabia detained seven activists, including two U.S. citizens, on Thursday, sources tell CNN. It was the kingdom's first sweep of arrests targeting dissidents since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year. A State Department official confirmed to CNN on Friday that two U.S. citizens were arrested in Saudi Arabia, but declined to provide names. "We can confirm that two US citizens were arrested in Saudi Arabia," the official said. "We have already engaged the Saudi government in this regard. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment." Salah al-Haidar, a dual Saudi-U.S. citizen who is the son of prominent women's rights defender Aziza al-Yousef(https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/28/middleeast/saudi-women-activists-released-intl/index.html), was one of those arrested, according to two sources familiar with the events. Yousef was temporarily freed from a prison in Riyadh last month and is on trial along with 10 other women's rights defenders. One source is a Saudi academic in a U.S. university who has strong relations with the Saudi dissident community. The other source is a Saudi activist with knowledge of the events. Haidar is a writer and journalist on social issues. His father owns a home in Vienna, Virginia, according to the Saudi academic who asked not to be named out of concerns for his safety. Another Saudi-U.S. dual citizen, the writer and physician Bader al-Ibrahim, was also arrested in the crackdown, the sources said. The UK-based Saudi rights group Alqst reported that seven activists had been arrested on Thursday, and released their names. All seven detainees are writers and social media bloggers who are connected to Yousef's family and are friends with Haidar, according to the sources. They previously engaged in public discussions about reforms and have publicly endorsed women's rights causes such as the right to drive, the sources said. Two of the activists detained on Thursday are Saudi married couple Thumar al-Mazouqi and Khadijah al-Harbi, said the sources. Harbi, who has written about and campaigned for women's rights, is in late-stage pregnancy, the sources added. She and Mazouqi have been supportive of detained women's rights defenders currently standing trial. The sources also confirmed that a Riyadh university lecturer named Anas al-Mazrou was arrested on March 19. Days earlier a video of Mazrou filmed at a book fair, in which he publicly expressed solidarity with political prisoners and named some detained women's rights defenders, had gone viral. The Saudi government did not immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment about the case. CNN has reached out to the U.S. embassy in Riyadh for comment. Saudi Arabia has conducted a series of crackdowns on dissidents since Prince Mohammed bin Salman was elevated to Crown Prince in June 2017. The arrest sweeps have targeted clerics, academics and human rights defenders. U.S. citizen Dr. Walid Fitaihi was also detained during the sweeping crackdown in 2017. He was reportedly beaten, tortured and jailed, a source familiar with the situation told CNN in March. The US State Department told CNN on Friday that it had raised Fitaihi's case with the Saudi government. "We are in close communication with Mr. Fitaihi's family, and will continue to offer them all possible assistance. We have raised and continue to raise his case on a consistent basis with the Saudi government." In May and June 2018, several women's rights activists were detained in a series of arrests that were widely criticized by the international community, including at the United Nations human rights council. The October 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and critic of the government, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul sparked international uproar. The number of arrests of dissidents appeared to decrease significantly in the aftermath of Khashoggi's killing, in what many observers hoped was sign that the kingdom's crackdown was deescalating, Alqst director Yahya Assiri told CNN. Thursday's arrests appeared to mark a renewal of the crackdown, Assiri and the Saudi academic said. "It's all breaking my heart but in particular is I know Salah al-Haidar's family has already been thru so much after #Saudi feminist (Salah's mother) Aziza al-Yousef's arrest since May 2018," wrote Saudi-American Harvard PhD student Nora Abdulkarim in a tweet. "Days after her temp release, and their celebrating, now Salah is arrested. I cannot fathom." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Two US citizens arrested in first Saudi arrest sweep since Khashoggi killing, sources say." In this week's Faith and Values section, Rev. John Paarlberg shares some of his experiences as a Christian Peacemaker Team observer in the West Bank city of Hebron. University at Albany political science professor and terrorism expert, Victor Asal, shares his insights about the city that between 800 Israelis and 208,000 Palestinians call home. "Hebron came under Israel's control after the (June 1967) Six Day War; the tension and volatility has never really ended, just goes up and down," said Asal. Paarlberg's descriptions of anti-Palestinian bias discourage but don't shock him. "Think about what it takes to be an Israeli settler in Hebron," he explained. "Instead of living in a settlement two or three miles from the city, they choose to live surrounded by Palestinians who probably wish they would go away. The settlers are idealogically zealous. They believe that God gave the land to Abraham so that it means it belongs to them. They don't feel that they have to be particularly nice about that. It's there's and that's that." Palestinians disagree and many trace their generations on the land back over hundreds of years. Asal said Hebron's Palestinians and Israelis have been guilty of terrorist attacks on each other over the decades. He sees some similarities to the violence in Northern IrelandBelfast divided by military checkpoints, disputes rooted in religious differences. But cautions that the Middle East seems more complicated. "What Israel and the Palestinians need is a heroic leader like (former Israeli Prime Minister) Yitzhak Rabin, someone willing to take on the risks of negotiating peace," said Asal referring to the Nobel Prize Rabin won along with Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat and political rival Shimon Peres. Rabin was a military leader who helped Israel win the Six Day War. Tragically, Rabin was assassinated years later by an Israeli citizen who passionately opposed with the peace accord. Ten days after a New York county banned unvaccinated children from public places in an effort to stem the rise of measles cases, a state judge put the injunction on hold. "Children are hereby permitted to return to their respective schools forthwith and otherwise to assemble in public places," Judge Rolf Thorsen wrote in his Friday decision. The controversial ban, announced by a spokesman for Rockland County Executive Ed Day, was an effort to address an outbreak in Rockland County, where 167 confirmed cases of measles had been reported as of Friday. Officials in the county declared a state of emergency, as Lindsey Bever reported in The Washington Post last week, announcing that the ban would remain in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated minors receive the MMR vaccine to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella. Unvaccinated minors, official said, would not be permitted in enclosed places like churches, schools and shopping centers. "We must not allow this outbreak to continue," Day said at a news conference. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk." Dorit Reiss, a professor at U.C. Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, said a ban by executive order was an unusual step, one that prompted outrage in the national anti-vaccine community. But she saw it largely as a symbolic measure. "It wasn't as aggressive as it could have been," Reiss said. "They weren't intending to do mass arrests." Day said cases in which parents and guardians violated the ban would be referred to the district attorney's office. Violations would be considered misdemeanors, punishable by a $500 fine or up to six months in jail. Thorsen made his ruling after some parents from a private Waldorf school filed a suit calling the action "arbitrary, capricious" and "an unprecedented 'declaration of a local emergency.' " The parents claimed that the county had acted beyond its legal authority. They said the declaration caused "children to be denied attendance at nursery programs and schools and has effectively prohibited their movement and denied them the right to congregate and assemble in public places." Thorsen's decision, Reiss said, rested on the question of whether the outbreak was an emergency. With an outbreak of such a highly contagious virus, she said, "There is a reasonable argument that it is an emergency." Measles can cause pneumonia, brain damage, hearing loss and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between Jan. 1 and late March, 387 cases of measles have been confirmed in 15 states across the country, from California to Kentucky to New Jersey - the second-greatest number of cases since measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000. New York state has been particularly hard hit, with 259 confirmed cases in Brooklyn and Queens since October, many of them in the Orthodox Jewish community. According to the state's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the outbreak began after an unvaccinated child acquired measles on a visit to Israel, where there has also been an outbreak of the disease. The measles outbreaks - and the increasingly aggressive public health response to them - have also prompted a spike in activity among anti-vaccine activists. Across the nation and around the world, a global movement that spreads misinformation about vaccines has helped drive down child immunizations, lowering the community immunity that is critical for protection against one of the world's most contagious diseases. After Rockland County's ban, anti-vaccination activists likened the public health measures to the Nazi persecution of Jews that included forcing them to wear yellow stars. Reiss suspects that it may not be worth it to local officials to fight Thorsen's ruling. "It was a short ban," she said. "This might be the end of it." - - - The Washington Post's Lena Sun contributed to this report. There was no singular event that spurred Maryland state Sen. Paul Pinsky into action. Instead, it was a drumbeat of reports, complaints and abrupt closures of for-profit colleges that demanded more regulation of the sector, the lawmaker said. For nearly a decade, the Prince George's County Democrat has sponsored legislation that student advocates say places Maryland at the forefront of state oversight of for-profit colleges and career schools. His efforts are taking on new significance in the Trump era. Pinsky and lawmakers from several other states are proposing measures to counteract the Trump administration's rollback of federal regulations aimed at for-profit schools. Even if the legislation is successful, an existing interstate agreement could limit its effectiveness. But in the face of federal inertia, state lawmakers say they must do more to protect constituents from unscrupulous schools. "There are too many stories, too many experiences of people being promised things, not getting it and being left with large debt," said Pinsky, who chairs the Maryland Senate's Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. "Returns on investment shouldn't drive education." Policymakers in Maryland, Maine, Oregon, Washington, New York and California have introduced legislation this year to strengthen regulation of for-profit colleges operating within their borders. Many of the bills are a direct response to the Trump administration's dismantling of Obama-era rules aimed at the sector. Industry leaders denounced the regulatory regime as biased and shortsighted, while advocacy groups said it guarded against predatory institutions taking advantage of vulnerable, low-income students. "All around the country, there are legislators that are concerned that in the absence of adequate federal oversight, they need to take this issue into their own hands and make sure we do not have yet another dramatic expansion of predatory for-profit education," said Robert Shireman, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a think tank that advised lawmakers on some of this year's proposals. Steve Gunderson, president of the industry advocacy group Career Education Colleges and Universities, argues that some of the state bills in play this year would put career schools with good track records out of business. Legislatures in Maine, Oregon and New York, for instance, are considering bills that would require for-profit colleges to spend at least 50 percent of their budgets on instructing students, rather than marketing. Career colleges in New York say there is no way they can meet that requirement, Gunderson said. "This isn't about bad actors anymore," Gunderson said. "This is about eliminating a sector." States share oversight of for-profit colleges with accrediting agencies and the federal government. Within that regulatory triad, states hold tremendous power. They decide whether institutions can operate within their borders, an authority that looms large in the enforcement of consumer protection laws. In different states' legislative sessions, bills would address long-standing concerns, such as limiting the amount of taxpayer dollars the schools receive. As it stands, the federal government bars for-profit colleges from getting more than 90 percent of their operating revenue from federal student aid funding. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, and lawmakers in California and Oregon want to lower the limit to 80 percent, while Pinsky and Del. Shelly Hettleman, D-Baltimore County, are proposing an 85 percent cap for schools in Maryland with more than $10 million in revenue. The Maryland bill would be a return to the federal cap implemented in 1992. Back then, the government figured a for-profit school with high-quality programs should have no trouble deriving at least 15 percent of its revenue from students willing to put up their own money. For-profit school lobbyists fought the rule, which was relaxed six years later as the cap was raised to 90 percent, and military education benefits were exempted. That exemption led to aggressive recruitment of veterans. A 2012 Senate investigation found evidence of for-profit schools deploying teams at veterans hospitals to enroll students. Although state and federal lawmakers have decried those practices, attempts to close the loophole or lower the funding threshold have failed. In Maryland, the General Assembly last month stripped out the provision in Pinsky's bill that would have capped student aid funding at 85 percent of revenue and closed the GI Bill benefits loophole. But lawmakers advanced the portion of the legislation requiring for-profit colleges to disclose the percentage of students employed after graduation and their average salaries. "I suspect that some states are going to pass a version of the 85/15 rule, and that might give more ammunition next year to come back and say, 'Look, they did it, and the world hasn't fallen apart,' " said Marceline White, executive director of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, an advocacy group that backed the bill. White is optimistic that another piece of legislation introduced by Pinsky and Hettleman could make Maryland the first state to address emerging concerns about for-profit colleges becoming nonprofit institutions to evade regulations. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers last month. Lawmakers in Maryland and California want to ensure that any college claiming to be nonprofit is not operating to the benefit of a for-profit entity. Their bills would also increase scrutiny of deals such as the ill-fated 2017 acquisition of Argosy University, South University and Art Institutes campuses by the nonprofit Dream Center Education Holdings. The Los Angeles organization struggled for two years to transform the flagging for-profit colleges into thriving nonprofit schools, before closing 22 Argosy locations last month. From the outset, Dream Center said it would use revenue from the schools to pay for expansion of its other projects, much to the chagrin of student advocates who said the money should be used only to support the colleges. "By establishing state-level processes for review and approval of conversions of colleges, it adds a check into the process," said Shireman, a former deputy undersecretary at the Education Department under President Barack Obama. "In the Argosy situation, it either would have been stopped because of the conflicts and lack of clarity about who would be running the school, or there would have had to be some changes in the way they were managing it." Shireman notes that state consumer protection laws have a history of influencing federal regulations. Consider the Maxine Waters School Reform and Student Protection Act of 1989, which set a threshold for minimum job placement and graduation rates for career schools in California. The statute, championed by U.S. Rep. Waters, D, when she served in the California State Assembly, was allowed to expire in 2007 but served as a precursor to the federal gainful employment rule. That Obama-era policy sought to withhold federal student aid from vocational programs with consistently high ratios of student debt to earnings. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos nixed the policy in August and subsequently announced plans to have all colleges disclose student outcomes but without the threat of the department taking punitive action. Now, California and Washington legislators want to create a state-level version of the gainful employment rule, with California using many of the same standards set by Waters's 1989 bill. "When we learned that Trump and DeVos were going to roll back the gainful employment rule, that focused our attention," said California Assemblyman David Chiu, D, who introduced legislation that would have brought to his state the Obama administration policy that DeVos canceled. "The goal is to put students first, not shareholders." Chiu notes that 266 programs in California, most of them at for-profit colleges, had a high share of graduates whose student loan payments either hovered around or far exceeded 8 percent of their total earnings, according to 2017 federal data. Those programs would not have earned a passing grade under the gainful employment statute. Chiu's bill would prevent for-profit colleges from enrolling students in programs with failing grades. California is in a unique position to pass for-profit legislation with teeth. It is the only state that is not a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, a compact that makes it easier for colleges to offer online education across the country. The agreement establishes a common regulatory framework that advocacy groups say undermines state authority to regulate for-profit colleges with a significant presence online. Maryland is a party to the reciprocity agreement, which could limit the scope of the for-profit college legislation in the state. Although online for-profit schools that enroll Maryland students may be exempt, the five for-profit colleges with physical locations in the state would be subject to the rules. The central Florida mayor wanted his city to know that he didn't think there was anything wrong with celebrating a "Confederate Memorial Day" later this month. He also wanted people to know that he's not racist. Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn has attempted to explain both assertions several times this week, after he signed a proclamation at a Tuesday city council meeting declaring April 26 "a time in which to honor the memories of those who sacrificed their lives in the War Between States" - the Civil War sobriquet employed by followers of "Lost Cause" pseudo-history, which seeks to whitewash slavery and Confederate atrocities. After Guinn signed the order, which was not subject to a vote, council president Mary Sue Rich dissented. "I'm not proud of you doing a Confederacy proclamation, standing up here in front of all these people in the city of Ocala - that turns my stomach," Rich said at the end of the meeting, adding that she feels the declaration should disqualify Guinn from reelection. "I don't think you deserve to be the mayor of Ocala, I hope somebody runs against you." Rich then alluded to an unfounded claim that Guinn has ties to the Ku Klux Klan. "When people say you are a member of the Ku Klux Klan, I'm beginning to believe them," she said. On Wednesday, Guinn again denied that he is, or has ever been, a member of the white supremacist terror organization. Those allegations have followed him for more than three years, since someone posing as a member of the hacking collective Anonymous included Guinn's name on a list of politicians who supposedly had links to the Klan. "I am not - repeat, not - in the KKK," Guinn said at a news conference. "I never have been. I never will be. And I despise and hate everything that organization stands for." In an interview with The Washington Post, Guinn said the resolution is "simply a memorial for Confederate soldiers who were veterans." When asked why another holiday, on top of Veterans Day and Memorial Day, was necessary, Guinn mentioned Black History Month and Martin Luther King Jr. Day - though he didn't elaborate and denied that he was equating either of those celebrations with Confederate Memorial Day. When pressed about the Confederacy's proslavery ideology, Guinn conceded that he is no Civil War scholar, but said that "it was about more than just slavery," a well-worn myth that nearly every respected historian of the period have debunked. In Guinn's view, the prospect of memorializing the Confederacy was "a no-win situation." He said he endorsed the measure after local members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy lobbied for it. If he decided against signing the order, he said, his constituents who cherish their Confederate heritage would have been upset with him, too. "That's the problem with our country, we worry about offending people too much," Guinn said. "I haven't done anything wrong by doing this proclamation and I stand by it." He argued that he has signed similar declarations in years past, and, so too, have lawmakers in Marion County, where Ocala is located. The state of Florida also considers Confederate Memorial Day a legal holiday. (Indeed, in Mississippi and Alabama, it remains a public holiday.) Guinn blamed the week's controversy not on the measure, but on an old quarrel with Rich. At a March council meeting, the two had a similar faceoff over a resolution that would have declared Ocala a "City of Peace," a proposal put forth by Ollin Women International. Guinn accused the founder of Ollin of being a terrorist sympathizer and Rich shot back that, "People have said things about you. They told me you were a member of the Ku Klux Klan." The mayor said most other Ocala residents didn't have a problem with the memorial declaration. "I probably got 15-to-1 emails from people in support of us doing it," he said. Yet, at the Tuesday meeting, The Ocala Star-Banner reported, several people voiced their opposition. "The city has invested many years developing an image as a modern, forward-thinking, all-inclusive community through its racial harmony and cultural awareness task force," said Avelia Perkins, president of The Bridges Project of Ocala-Marion County, a local advocacy organization. "We thus ask that the city not erode such progress by acceding to a very small group which glories in a romanticized past." The Civil War scholar Kevin Levin criticized Guinn for the proclamation's language, which, he said, peddled a gauzy, revisionist history. "This is pure cowardice," Levin wrote on Twitter. "Ocala, Florida Mayor Kent Guinn signs a proclamation for Confederate Memorial Day, but no effort is made to say what the war was about or what it resolved." This is simply the latest dispute over the Confederacy to roil Ocala. For years, a Confederate Flag flew in front of the headquarters of the Marion County government. After nine people were gunned down in a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, lawmakers acquiesced to public pressure and removed the flag - but only briefly. Weeks later, the county decided to raise the flag again, prompting a rally in support of the Confederacy that drew 5,000 people, and reports of sporadic gunshots. Since then, the flag has been relocated elsewhere - a supposedly less visible location - on the complex's property. But it still flies. The 22-year-old pregnant Kosovo Albanian woman thought that wearing a cloth diaper as a scarf would mask her youth and keep her safe from Serb soldiers. Then one evening, she was taken to her father's house in western Kosovo and - just like two of her sisters before her - she was raped. It was April 1999, less than a month after NATO started a bombing campaign to drive Serb forces out of the former Yugoslav province. Two decades later, the repercussions are still playing out and her story is one of thousands that show why a political reconciliation remains elusive. While Kosovo's politicians now openly talk about rape victims at public events, their statements are rebuffed by Serb leaders. The latest such public spat occurred at the Munich Security Conference in February, when Serb President Aleksandar Vucic raised doubts about the number of raped women mentioned by his counterpart Hashim Thaci at the same event. Vucic and Thaci have been in talks to lay the past to rest and try to integrate with the European Union. Kosovo authorities say 20,000 mostly Albanian women were abused by Serb soldiers. That would mean the victims of sexual violence exceeds the 13,595 people killed in the war. Militants from both sides have been indicted for war crimes. To this day, the sisters haven't discussed what happened to them and her husband's side of the family has never been told. She had been taken by soldiers when her morning sickness had forced her to go outside to vomit. Her own mother offered little sympathy at the time. "She said it would have been better if they killed me," said the woman, identified as L.A. at a women's association in the western Kosovo town of Gjakova. A therapist sat by her side. Indeed, it took 15 years for politicians in Kosovo themselves to break the taboo about raped victims, with then President Atifete Jahjaga taking the first stab at shedding light on the horrors that so many women experienced. "This topic has been kept under the veil of shame because of the mentality of our country and kept as a taboo," Jahjaga said in an interview on March 11 in the capital Pristina, or Prishtina in Albanian. It also took several years to set up funds for the victims who can since last year apply to get a pension for life of up to 230 euros ($261) a month if their application is approved by a commission. So far over 1,300 women have applied and some 400 applications have been processed, according to Jahjaga. "Knowing our mentality, I don't believe that many of them will be stepping forward," she said. Mirlinda Sada, the executive director of the women's association Medica Gjakova, said her social workers still have to meet with women out in the fields or go for walks to mask their first contacts. She recalled a case from two years ago, when a boy came to ask her to help his mother, a widow who had been kept in her father-in-law's house for 17 years. "Since the end of the war she was allowed to move just from one room to another," Sada said. "She wasn't allowed to go to the yard." It took them about a year to convince the father-in-law to allow the woman seek help and join therapist-led sessions. When L.A. appeared in front of the nine-member commission, seeing that a man was also on the panel threw her and she couldn't give out the details she was required to provide. Her case was rejected. She'll try to appeal the ruling. "The negative response reopened the wounds," said the mother of four, now 42. "Everything started to come back again." When is the United States on the sidelines, and when is it at war? That question is at the heart of the debate over an unprecedented congressional challenge to the Trump administration's support of Persian Gulf nations mired in Yemen's civil war. Voting 247 to 175, largely along party lines, House lawmakers on Thursday passed a measure that for the first time uses the Vietnam-era War Powers Resolution to force an end to U.S. participation in an overseas conflict. President Donald Trump is expected to veto the legislation, which culminates several years of congressional opposition to the U.S. involvement in the war. The war has pitted Saudi Arabia and other gulf nations against the Houthi rebel group in what has become a proxy conflict between U.S. allies and Iran. The resolution - approved in the Senate last month - says the U.S. military has "been introduced into hostilities" in Yemen, "including providing to the Saudi-led coalition aerial targeting assistance, intelligence sharing, and midflight aerial refueling." The Trump administration has argued that because the military is not dropping bombs or sending ground troops into combat, it plays a supporting role that cannot be constrained by the resolution. In a 2018 letter to the Senate leadership, the Pentagon's general counsel said "limited" U.S. support did meet the legal threshold for hostilities because U.S. forces have not - with the exception of one self-defense incident in 2016 - exchanged fire with the Houthi forces. After Thursday's vote, Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement that the Defense Department had been "transparent in dialogue with Congress that DoD support to the Saudi-led Coalition does not constitute involvement in hostilities." When the Yemen conflict erupted in 2015, the Obama administration agreed to refuel coalition jets and provide other forms of military support from afar. The administration later cut back on some assistance, including an advisory mission at the Saudi air headquarters, and suspended sales of certain weapons to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is a massive purchaser of U.S. weaponry. The Trump administration, energized by its quest to curb Iranian influence, has been more supportive of Saudi Arabia, though its push for closer ties has been tempered by concerns about Yemen's massive humanitarian crisis and public criticism of repeated deaths in Saudi airstrikes. The congressional opposition to involvement in Yemen's civil war gained steam as anger mounted after the grisly murder of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which many lawmakers blame on leaders in Riyadh. The Saudi government says the kingdom's most senior figures had no prior knowledge of it. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a leading House critic of the war, rejected the administration's reading of the War Powers Resolution. "It does not require us to have ground troops," he said. "It just requires us to be involved." The measure notes the War Powers Resolution's reference to U.S. forces who are assigned to "command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany" foreign forces. But in a sign of lawmakers' attempt to build a broad coalition of support, the central section of the new legislation specifies that hostilities include refueling, which has already been halted. It would continue to allow intelligence-sharing, one of the other remaining elements of military support, and does not address massive arms sales. Legal experts said the Trump administration's argument was consistent with how other administrations have defined hostilities. In 2011, the Obama administration said its role in the international air operation against Libya leader Moammar Gaddafi, which went beyond the assistance being provided in Yemen, should not be considered hostilities under the War Powers Resolution. "The problem is that the average person on the street would look at what we're doing in Yemen, if they knew what we're doing, and have a hard time concluding that's not hostilities," said Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law. A senior Saudi official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a vote by U.S. lawmakers, said the measure would "not end the conflict in Yemen, nor will it alleviate the challenging humanitarian situation." "Regardless of whether the resolution becomes U.S. law or not, Saudi Arabia will continue to lead the effort to restore the legitimate government of Yemen and to counter the expansionist designs of Iran," the official said. "We have resolved to defend our nation and the region, even if we have to do so with our bare hands." The administration has also argued that its military support has made for a more effective air operation and said, without providing details, that civilian casualties have decreased. The Pentagon is conducting a parallel military operation in Yemen against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula that is not challenged by the new legislation. Khanna and a small bipartisan group of lawmakers have requested a meeting with Trump to make their case for why the president, as someone who has advocated pulling out of foreign wars, should end his support for U.S. aid to the coalition in Yemen. Thursday's vote marked a rare moment of congressional action to constrain the executive's warmaking abilities. For years, lawmakers have failed to update the authorization that has been used since 9/11 for a host of conflicts in a host of countries. Even if it were enacted, the legislation's effect would be mostly symbolic, since the refueling was halted late last year. Scott Anderson, a former State Department lawyer who is a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said that no matter its outcome, the discussion surrounding the legislation had raised the profile of the plight of Yemeni civilians and won over a cadre of Republicans. "After this bill, [supporters] can say a bipartisan majority of Congress wants this to end and the president is going ahead," he said. "That's really the hook - to put it on the president's lap and make him bear the consequences that flow from that." - - - The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung contributed to this report. The father of a toddler found dead after a Kentucky house fire is accused of leaving the boy inside a washing machine. The arrest citation for 26-year-old Vaughn Brock says Brock told investigators he was unaware Joseph Brock was in the appliance. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Friday that the charred remains found near Government Canyon Natural Area do not belong to a businesswoman who has been missing since early March. A day earlier, when the remains were found by a hiker in the 13000 block of Texas 211, Salazar said that he was cautiously optimistic that the remains might have belonged to Andreen McDonald, 29, who was last seen alive on Feb. 28. RELATED: San Antonio man charged with tampering in wife's disappearance released from jail The Bexar County Medical Examiners office has since determined that the remains belonged to a woman between 5 feet, 2 inches and 5 feet, 4 inches tall. The burned womans height was just not there, Salazar said, as Andreen McDonald is reported to be taller. Height and other identifying factors investigators are not disclosing make authorities certain this is not her, Salazar said Friday at the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox My homicide unit is heartbroken for the family. They just notified the family of Mrs. McDonald that it is not her remains, he said. The search continues for Andreen. Salazar said the remains were heavily charred and that they have been there for several weeks. We dont know much about race, body type or build or anything of that nature, the sheriff said. Deputies are now reaching out to area law enforcement agencies for missing persons who might fill the general description of the remains. Salazar said the remains appeared to be burned there in an intense blaze. On Friday, authorities were searching the area to find any other evidence. Identification of the remains found Thursday could take several months, authorities said. We were operating under the possibility that this was not Andreen, Salazar said. While we remain resolute to continue the search for Andreen and bring closure to her family, we now have another family that we need to identify this victim. Salazar also announced in the conference that they are increasing the size of the homicide unit effective immediately. McDonalds husband, 40-year-old Andre Sean McDonald, has been a suspect in her disappearance. On March 3, the Air Force Reserve major was arrested on a charge of tampering with evidence. He was released from jail on bail earlier this week and is under house arrest. According to court records, investigators found blood and hair in Andreen McDonalds bathroom after her disappearance. A fresh burn pit also was found in the homes back yard, as well as a shovel, heavy-duty trash bags, an ax and gasoline canisters. Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA San Marcos police are searching for a man they have named a suspect in the shooting death of another at an apartment complex Friday. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for murder for An-drew Stephen Jones, 23, of San Marcos, following a shooting at the Uptown Square Apartments, according to a news release. Officers responded about 6:37 p.m. after police say they were told a man had been shot while in the complex's parking lot on the 13oo block of Thorpe Lane. RELATED: Body found near Government Canyon not that of missing businesswoman When police arrived they say they found Nicholas Devone White, 21, of Manvel, suffering from a gunshot wound and administered first aid. White later died from his injuries at Seton Hays Medical Center, according to the release. Police say a witness told them he arranged to meet White to purchase drugs when the two were confronted by a man police say was Jones. The witness told police that was when White was shot, according to the release. Police say White's shooter, wearing a yellow shirt and light-colored shorts, fled in a silver SUV. Surveillance video used by police to obtain a license plate on the SUV then led detectives to Jones' residence at another apartment complex. Officers found the SUV there, which was later impounded by police. About 5:30 a.m., officials say San Marcos Hays County SWAT, a combined unit of the Hays County Sheriff's Office and SMPD, raided the apartment using explosives to breach the residence and serve a search and arrest warrant. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The apartment unit was empty, according to release, and police continue to search for Jones. Anyone with information about Jones' whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Patrick Aubry at 512-753-2306. 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 It was an emotional Sunday afternoon in Clondra, as New York based May Mahon, returned to the McPartland family-run bar, where she worked as a thirteen year old. A perfect microcosm of the Irish emigrant's story as May came home for her niece's wedding, having spent most of her life in the States. Cindy Manning, originally from Newtownforbes, and her fiancee, Eoin Farrelly from Ballinalee, also came home from New Zealand. For the short trip home, May was determined to visit the Richmond Inn, where she worked her first job. May responded to an advert, in the Longford Leader, looking for a shop girl. The work was tough and also involved looking after the four Fayne children and rearing the turf. Some 18 months later, the death occurred of the Marquis of Bute, husband to Lady Eileen in Castle Forbes, Newtownforbes. The widow decided that she would move to Scotland and May heard she was looking for young Irish girls to travel with her. She then hopped on her bicycle and travelled over to the castle, where they were suitably impressed with May. They then asked if she could reccommend other young girls and May offered up her sister, Ellie, and May Donlon from Moydow. Soon the three young Longford girls were waiting on Lady Eileen in Dumfries. May was young and eager for adventure and the chance to see the world. After two years in Scotland, she left for London but all the time her eye was on New York, where by then, her sister Ellie, was based. And so, off she went. Said May: "I was 19 years old when I sailed on the Sylvania from Cobh and thereafter New York was my home. But I never forgot these days here in Clondra." The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and four other advocacy groups challenged the states top public safety officials assertion that Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins new guidelines on low-level crimes would endanger the public. Thomas Turco, the secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Secretary, released a letter on Thursday expressing concerns about Rollins memo, which builds on her campaign promise not to prosecute 15 low-level felonies and misdemeanors. He wrote in the letter that the policies could hamper the Commonwealths efforts to address the opioid epidemic and substantially restrict governments ability to protect victims threatened with serious crimes," sparking a heated debate over the direction of the new district attorney. The ACLU, the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Lawyers for Civil Rights, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples New England chapter sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker defending the guidelines, which build on Rollins campaign promise not to prosecute 15 low-level felonies and misdemeanors. Turco, the secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Secretary, released a letter Thursday warning that Rollins policies could hamper the Commonwealths efforts to address the opioid epidemic and substantially restrict governments ability to protect victims threatened with serious crimes, Turco wrote in a two-page letter. Secretary Turcos letter wrongly suggests that DA Rollins is putting the people of Suffolk County at risk with her reform efforts, the organizations wrote in the letter. Indeed, the voters overwhelmingly elected DA Rollins to office because of her promise to revise current ineffective practices that have failed to address public health and public safety concerns. The ACLU suggests that state officials should look no further than its own report released last month that found the previous district attorney, Daniel Conley, dismissed nearly 60 percent of those low-level crimes in 2013 and 2014. At the time, Rollins office said in a statement that the data showed an approach like hers wouldnt lead to a spike in crime. In fact, crime has been declining over several years, Renee Nadeau Algarin wrote. Scaling back the prosecution of low-level, non-violent offenses even further and relying instead on treatment and diversion can achieve even better results. Rollins first introduced her pledge not to prosecute low-level offenses as when she ran for office. She unveiled a list of crimes on her website, include trespassing, shoplifting, larceny, disorderly conduct, threats, possession of alcohol for minors, possession of non-marijuana drugs, possession with intent to distribute, destruction of property, breaking and entering to escape cold or sleep, driving with a suspended license, and several others, even when attached to another charge. Now the first black woman to serve as district attorney, Rollins is standing firm in her pledge to promote diversion and alternatives to jail in hopes of reforming a criminal justice system that has disproportionately incarcerated black and brown residents in Suffolk County. Rollins responded to the letter in a news conference Friday afternoon, questioning the Baker administrations response to the opioid epidemic and criminal justice. I ran on a platform and was very, very vocal about what I was going to be as a district attorney," she said on Friday. Im really excited to say I won to the tune of almost 82% of the vote, and this is precisely what Suffolk County wants. Holy birthday cake, Batman! Newbury Comics celebrates its 41st anniversary Saturday. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh marked the occasion by declaring April 6 Newbury Comics Day. Newbury Comics celebrates individuality and creativity in its employees, its customers and its products, and has provided generations of Boston citizens with a wicked good time through its incomparable shopping experience," Walshs proclamation states. In honor of @newburycomics' 41st anniversary, @marty_walsh has declared it Newbury Comics Day in the City of Boston! Join us in thanking Newbury Comics for over 4 decades of supporting arts & artists in Boston, and having such a legendary impact on Boston culture. #BostonCreates pic.twitter.com/KtfjJaL0PN City of Boston (@CityOfBoston) April 6, 2019 The Mayors Office plans to present the proclamation at 1 p.m. in the Newbury Comics store on 348 Newbury St. The store is celebrating the anniversary with musical performances from Keytar Bear and other artists and a prize wheel. A Boston man was arrested on Friday after authorities say he took a taxi to hand out free samples of fentanyl in Lawrence. Yasil Delossantos, 27, was arrested Friday after an alleged drug deal by a Subaru Forrester on Warwick Street, according to a news release from Massachusetts State Police. An FBI agent found two people in the car with 60 grams of suspected fentanyl wrapped in a condom. Delossantos was charged with trafficking in fenanyl, distribution of fentanyl and possession of cocaine. A state trooper and an FBI agent assigned to the North Shore Gang Task Force spotted a white Subaru Forrester wagon driving around Lawrence, making several turns and u-turns. The car stopped on Warwick Street and a taxi pull up shortly after, according to the news release. Delossantos got out of the taxi, walked over to the Subaru and handed something to two people in the Subaru before getting back into the taxi, authorities said. When a state trooper stopped the Subaru after it turned onto Dawes Street, he noticed something was thrown out of the passenger side window. It was part of a condom. Authorities say drug dealers place narcotics in condoms and hide that in their body cavities. The driver and passenger said Delossantos gave them the drugs as a free sample, authorities said. Police only identified the driver as a 55-year-old man and the passenger as a 38-year-old woman. Meanwhile, FBI agent followed the taxi, pulling it over on Haverhill Street. Delossantos jumped out and ran off, authorities said. The agent eventually caught up with him and apprehended him. Authorities say Delossantos had a small amount of cocaine in his pocket. The FBI agent and trooper questioned the driver, who said he had just picked up Delossantos. He was taken to the Lawrence police station and is expected to be arraigned in district court. The man and woman in the Subaru were released but are expected to get summons to court on drug charges. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is far more potent than heroin. Massachusetts State Police dismantled an alleged fentanyl trafficking ring in Lawrence last month. Officers seized several hundreds grams of fentanyl and arrested four people in connection with the operation. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called for a 75-cent hike on most of the citys parking meters as part of the 2020 budget. Walshs office announced on Friday the proposal to increase from $1.25 an hour to $2 an hour for most of the citys parking meters. It could take effect as soon as July 1. Parking in the Fenway area and Bullfinch Triangle would cost $2.50 an hour, while parking along the parts of the South Boston Waterfront with highest demand would drop to $3.75 an hour. Walshs office referred to the changes as smarter pricing that will make finding a parking space easier. Even with these updates, Boston continues to have some of the lowest parking meter prices in the country, Walshs office wrote in the announcement, comparing prices to those in Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago. Boston was ranked one of the worst cities for driving in the country, according to a 2018 study by WalletHub. That study analyzed in each city the cost of ownership/maintenance of a car, the traffic and infrastructure, safety and access to vehicles and maintenance. The parking hikes were among several transportation-related changes proposed as part of the citys fiscal year 2020 budget and capital plan. The changes stemmed in part from a two-year parking pilot in the Back Bay and South Boston Waterfront, where the city adjusted parking meter rates in hopes of reducing congestion and bringing in more revenue for transportation and street improvements. Those changes range from street repairs, public spaces, bike corridors and bridge repairs. The mayors office said residential neighborhoods, which do not have parking meters, wouldnt be affected by the parking changes. Hes not saying when, but House Speaker Robert DeLeo says the House sometime this two-year session will again take up a distracted driving bill. A day after the Baker administration launched a Dont Be That Guy public awareness campaign to curb texting while driving and other habits that endanger pedestrians and other motorists, DeLeo issued a statement to The Boston Globe. I look forward to the House taking up hands free driving legislation this session, DeLeo said. He said he had discussed the matter with Rep. William Straus, co-chairman of the Transportation Committee, and Assistant Majority Leader Joseph Wagner and will engage in continued discussions with the membership following action from the Transportation Committee. As the awareness campaign was launched as part of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the News Service reported Thursday on how a bill requiring only hands-free device use by motorists had cleared the Senate in each of the last two sessions and stalled in the House, despite broad support for it. Bill supporters say distracted driving played a role in the 12.8 percent increase in motor vehicle fatalities in Massachusetts between 2015 and 2016, more than double the national rate of 5.6 percent. There were 78 pedestrians killed in Massachusetts in 2016, according to state officials. Distracted driving bills got an early hearing this year, and could advance with a favorable committee recommendation. The Transportation Committee held a March 28 hearing on distracted driving bills, including one filed by Baker. Some joint committees hold bills for months before holding hearings on them. DeLeo holds great sway over the House agenda, often announcing on Friday afternoons which major bills members should be ready to vote on the following week. A Rwandan man was convicted of multiple charges on Friday in Boston federal court for hiding his role in the African countrys 1994 genocide in his application for asylum in the United States. Jean Leonard Teganya, 48, of Revere, was found guilty of two counts of immigration fraud and three counts of perjury for failing to disclose his tie to the genocide after he crossed the Canadian-U.S. border and applied for asylum in 2014. For 25 years, Jean Leonard Teganya has been running away from the truth, U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling wrote in a statement. Mr. Teganya hid the truth about atrocities he committed during the Rwandan genocide in order to seek asylum in the United States. Our asylum laws exist to protect true victims of violent crime especially genocide not the perpetrators. Teganya faces up to 18 years in prison for all the charges and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled his sentencing for July 1. Teganya conviction came on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 100-day genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people. The slaughter began after a plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi, both Hutus, was shot down, according to the BBC. Everyone on board died. The incident exacerbated long-existing tensions between the two ethnic groups, sparking a bloody campaign to kill Tutsis that started on April 6, 1994. At the time, Teganya was a medical student at the National University of Rwanda in Butare. Federal prosecutors say he was a member of the Hutu-dominated MRND political party. He also participated in martial arts and weapons training in the MRND youth wing. Witnesses said he wore MRND clothing, which prosecutors said only was worn by party members, attended Hutu Power meetings and made anti-Tutsi remarks at the hospital, according to court records. According to prosecutors, he led teams of soldiers and youth members around the hospital in Butare, searching for Tutsi patients and refugees. They say he participated in the murder of three Tutsi people at the hospital and two Tutsi students he found in a dormitory where he lived. Teganya also led a team of soldiers and youth members who raped Tutsi women, prosecutors said. Prosecutors say he participated in five rapes of two Tutsi women who were hiding in the hospital. Teganya denies any role in the genocide. After his arrest, a doctor who went to school with Teganya submitted a letter saying he never made hateful comments or behaved inappropriately around the hospital. A Boston University professor, Timothy Longman, said, Teganya would be in real danger if forced to return to Rwanda, according to court records filed on Teganyas behalf. Longman argued that because he wouldnt get a fair trial because he has been outside of the country for so long and had relatives in the MRND. Witnesses, however, testified in court that Teganya killed a Tutsi doctor at the hospital and raped a Tutsi woman before instructing Hutus to kill her, the Boston Globe reported. One Tutsi woman said Teganya handed her off to a group of men who sexually assaulted her in a field. When the genocide ended, Teganya fled Butare. He went to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya India and then Canada. In Canada, he applied for refugee status and then asylum in 1999. His asylum case stretched for 15 years, but authorities twice deemed Teganya ineligible because he had been complicit in the Butare hospital incidents during the genocide, according to court records. Soon after, he crossed the Canadian-U.S. border into Houlton, Maine. Authorities said they found him walking on foot and took him into custody. He applied for asylum protections in the United States. In his application, he left out his membership in MRND and details about his role in the genocide. Instead, he wrote that his father was president of a local MRND chapter in the early 1990s and that he was in the Red Cross Youth Section until 1990. A warrant went out for Teganyas arrest in August 2017, according to court records. In his trial, Teganya insisted he was a victim of the genocide. He recalled that attackers beat him over the head and slashed his leg and ankle with a machete near his dormitory, the Globe reported. Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, Homeland Security Investigations, Boston, called the conviction a victory for the people of Rwanda and for all Americans. It serves as a reminder of our nations commitment to prevent human rights violators from exploiting Americas historic hospitality for immigrants by using it as a shield from accountability for their reprehensible war crimes," he said. Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins pushed back against the Baker administrations concerns that her pledge not to prosecute certain low-level crimes would pose a risk to public safety and hurt Massachusetts efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. Im not going to engage in fear-mongering, Rollins told reporters Friday afternoon at district attorneys office. I believe we do have an opioid crisis. I am personally aware of that. I am the guardian of two nieces as the result of it." Rollins characterized the letter from Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Secretary Thomas A. Turco warning against Rollins recent policy memo as an attempt to interfere with her pledge to tackle the mass incarceration of people of color in Suffolk County. Rachael Rollins stood by the pledge to not prosecute certain misdemeanors and low-level felonies, which the Baker administration said the policy would put the public at risk. pic.twitter.com/T9LKEv3Qi7 Steph Solis (@stephmsolis) April 5, 2019 Turco released the letter to the State House New Service Thursday night, warning that Rollinss recent policy memo could put at risk the Commonwealths ongoing efforts to combat the ongoing crisis of the opioid epidemic. Some of her policies could substantially restrict governments ability to protect victims threatened with serious crimes, Turco wrote in a two-page letter. Rollins questioned why state officials didnt approve proposals to create safe injection sites to curb overdose deaths and HIV transmissions across the state instead of focusing on her policies. Rollins went on to say her pledge to not prosecute certain misdemeanors and low-level felonies is about leveling the playing field in the criminal justice system. She also suggested that marijuana possession once a low-level crime that disproportionately affected black and brown residents in Suffolk County has transformed into a billion-dollar industry that mostly benefits rich, suburban and white businessmen. Why Im standing here as your Suffolk County DA is because of the communities that have been forgotten or ignored, poor communities, urban communities, overwhelmingly black or brown communities, she said. Were going to make sure the policies actually work for them just as well as they do for people in the more affluent sections of Suffolk County. Rollins compared the way the system treats the average criminal suspect with how it would treat members of Gov. Charlie Bakers family an apparent dig at his son, Andrew. The 24-year-old faced allegations that he groped a woman on a plane, but details on the status of his case have been scarce. Candidly, not everyone gets the benefit of the Baker family when they have interacted with the criminal justice system" Rollins said. They dont get to not get arrested, have the state police that reports to them handle the investigation. Rollins introduced her pledge not to prosecute 15 low-level offenses when she ran for district attorney in 2018. She outlined plans to implement her campaign promise in a 65-page document released by Rollins in March. She said each charge would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether it should be dismissed, diverted or prosecuted. The crimes include trespassing, shoplifting, larceny, disorderly conduct, threats, possession of alcohol for minors, possession of non-marijuana drugs, possession with intent to distribute, destruction of property, breaking and entering to escape cold or sleep, driving with a suspended license, and several others, even when attached to another charge. A report from the American Civil Liberties Union in March said her predecessor, Daniel Conley, declined to dismiss about 60 percent of crimes people were charged with. Rollins office says her memo merely seeks to put the practice in writing to make sure it benefits all constituents, rather than certain classes of people. Rollins argues that such a policy also ensures that her staff can focus on solving violent crimes, such as the recent kidnappings, the rape in an Uber and the estimated 1,000 unsolved homicides in the county. Her memorandum drew the ire of some law enforcement officials who argue her pledge gives people license to commit crimes and get away scott-free. Turco wrote in his letter that a rule declining to prosecute dealers of heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs would interfere with statewide efforts to stop drug distribution networks. I appreciate your efforts to think differently about criminal justice, accountability, and public safety, Turco wrote. I urge you, however, to review the concerns I have outlined above and to consider appropriate revisions to the memorandum. Rollins stood her ground Friday afternoon, suggesting that state officials are treating her differently than they did her male predecessors. She said shes willing to speak with state officials about their concerns but that she wont back down from her campaign promise. I ran on a platform and was very, very vocal about what I was going to be as a district attorney. Im really excited to say I won to the tune of almost 82% of the vote, and this is precisely what Suffolk County wants, she said. A motorcyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a ladder that fell off the back of a pickup truck as both vehicles traveled south on I-495 in Haverhill. The Massachusetts State Police said a 62-year-old Dracut man was riding his 1985 BMW motorcycle southbound on I-495 near Exit 52 Saturday when a ladder carried in the bed of a pickup truck fell off the truck and hit the motorcyclist, causing him to crash the bike. The motorcyclist was initially transported to Lawrence General Hospital by ambulance but was air-lifted to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. Police said the Haverhill driver of the pickup truck was cited for operating a motor vehicle with an unsecured load. HOLYOKE On Wednesday, the City Councils Charter and Rules Committee tabled a ballot question that would ask voters to approve a debt exclusion or Proposition 2 override to fund the construction of two public middle schools. The committee will meet again April 24 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. In the meantime, the city and Jones Whitsett Architects will host a public information session about the proposed middle schools at the Holyoke Senior Center, 291 Pine St., from 6-7:30 p.m. April 10. Eventually, the full City Council must vote on the question and set a date for a special election. Two-thirds of councilors must approve the debt override question for it to go on the ballot. Wednesdays 2-hour meeting revisited questions of whether the middle schools are needed and whether Holyoke taxpayers can foot the $55 million bond bill. Before the meeting, committee Chairman Terence Murphy of Ward 2 sent School Receiver Stephen Zrike 25 questions related to the school construction, funding, educational standards and myriad other concerns, which, for the most part, have been addressed at prior meetings or public forums. Zrike and members of the School Building Committee sent Murphy detailed answers. Murphy assumed the committees chairmanship in January after the resignation of Nelson Roman. The debt exclusion would let the city exceed the tax levy limit set annually by the state Department of Revenue. If passed by voters, the city would then secure a $55 million, 30-year construction bond to fund the schools construction. The combined price tag for both schools stands at $132 million. Construction costs include razing and replacing Peck School and building the second school on a large parcel on Cabot and Chestnut streets adjacent to Lawrence School. Zrike said for the buildings to open in fall 2022, a special election needs to occur in June. Zrike said scheduling the override vote with the November municipal elections would delay the demolition and construction schedules by six months. Peck School students would move to temporary locations during construction. Transportation costs related to the Peck School closing would rise temporarily during construction. The building committee factored in a conservative $2 million contingency to cover transporting students. If needed, Zrike said the school district has enough existing space to relocate the Peck students. Zrike recommended hiring a consultant to work out the relocation and transportation details. He said that while the Peck closing would cause some disruption, it would not be systemwide. He wants to limit the number of moves, especially for younger children. Discussing why he wants to change to a middle school model, Zrike said the citys current model grouping kindergarten through eighth grade does not work, saying educators echo the same thing. The Massachusetts School Building Authority, which oversees school building and renovation projects, reimburses municipalities up to 80% of construction costs. In an email, Dorrie Brooks, of Jones Whitsett Architects, said Holyokes reimbursement rate works out to about 60% due to a state cap on construction costs, around $333 per square foot, which she said is well below the average. Typical public-school construction cost statewide is currently over $500 per square foot when escalated to the anticipated bid date, she said. The average for the two Holyoke projects is $495 per square foot. The School Building Authority also reimburses 8% of costs associated with site expenses. That is a very limited amount and very hard to meet, Brooks said. She added, At these existing urban sites with complicated histories, we had anticipated higher site costs and are accommodating the very strict stormwater regulations of the City of Holyoke that require subsurface infiltration systems and other stormwater costs that were not anticipated when MSBA funding rules were written. Councilor Joseph McGiverin said in past meetings that the reimbursement formula hurts gateway cities like Holyoke. It was a homecoming of sorts as command of the 439th Airlift Wing at Westover Air Reserve Base was formally transferred during a ceremony Saturday morning. Former base commander, Brig. Gen. D. Scott Durham passed the units flag to Col. Craig Peters during a Change of Command ceremony at the Chicopee base. A native of West Springfield, Peters started his military career at the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes in Westfield just after high school, then later flew transport aircraft out of the Chicopee base. The Commander of the Fourth Air Force, Major General Randall A. Ogden presided over the ceremony in front of more than 300 base personnel as well as a contingent of Peters family and friends. Following the ceremony, Peters said he enlisted in the Air National Guard about a year after he graduated from West Springfield High School. I didnt know what I wanted to do in the military, he said. He served as an electronic warfare technician at the Westfield unit for about five years before receiving his college degree and signing up for pilot training. Once he was flying, Peters was assigned to the 439th in 1991. During his career the has flown the C-5, C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft and the KC-135 refueling tanker. Being back on familiar turf is a comfortable feeling, Peters said. Coming back here is good. Having spent so much time here you feel as though you understand the lay of the land; you know where the skeletons are buried. Heck. I probably buried a few of them, he joked. Peters wife Cathie also finds the area comfortable. She is, after all, a native of Chicopee, having graduated from Chicopee High School in 1984. But the task before him and the military is not necessarily comfortable. Peters said. The complexion of the enemies facing the United States has changed, from smaller less sophisticated opponents, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, where Shock and Awe was enough to force a foe to knuckle under to now a battle of equals. We are now looking at the Chinese and the Russians who have the many of the same advantages as we do. The challenge is to do things we havent done before, such as working in contested air space and conducting cyber defense, he said. But the mission of the 439th remains the same: to put men and material where they are needed. Logistical support is the mission, he said. From soup to nuts that is our mission, he said, and it is our job to make sure we do that. Durham served as the base commander for the past 22 months. He will take over as deputy commander of Air Force recruiting with the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San AntonioLackland Air Force Base in Texas. Peters had last served as the Commander of the 512th Airlift Wing, an associate wing located at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Rep. Richard Neal is defending his request for six years of President Donald Trumps tax returns as a measure that is about policy rather than politics. Neal, the chair of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, has requested the returns under a section of federal law that allows the chairs of congressional taxation committees to obtain returns from the IRS. But the move has received pushback from allies of Trump, who has long refused to release his tax returns in a break with decades of tradition for presidents and major party presidential candidates. In an interview airing tonight at 7 p.m. on WGBYs Connecting Point, Neal argued that this request was proper and not a political attack on the president. I want to make this very clear. This is about policy, Neal said. We have resisted politics. We did not link this to the Mueller report. We did not link this to some nefarious undertaking. Instead, I think we took a very measured position. Throughout the 2016 campaign and the first two years of his presidency Trump has consistently resisted calls to release his tax returns, claiming that he is under audit by the IRS. That secrecy made Trumps taxes a point of fascination both for his political opponents and for reporters seeking to understand how the New York real estate mogul and reality television star amassed his fortune. A New York Times investigation found that Trump received the equivalent of $413 million from his fathers real estate fortune, with the family using tax dodges to pay an approximately 5 percent tax rate on those transfers. In a letter released Friday, Trumps attorneys blasted Neals request as an attempt to damage Trump politically that was unrelated to legitimate Ways and Means Committee business. His request is a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from other party because they dislike his politics and speech, Attorney William S. Consovoy wrote to the U.S. Department of the Treasurys general counsel. CNN reported Friday that the White House is willing to fight Neals request to the Supreme Court, citing an administration source. SPRINGFIELD - Higher than acceptable levels of a type of acid in city drinking water has resulted in the Springfield Water & Sewer Commission sending out a notification to customers. Official caution that there is no immediate health hazard and people may continue to drink and use city water as they always have, according to statement issued by the commission on Friday. The commission is also planning a public forum on April 22 at 6 p.m. in City Hall room 220 for anyone interested about the issue and plans for addressing it. Testing of water sources from March showed levels of haloacetic acids, or HAA5, to be above the minimum amounts allowed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections. HAA5 has been linked to health problems but only after exposure of many years, according to a Commission statement. HAA5 is formed when chlorine in the water supply reacts with dissolved organic matter, such as leaves, plants and algae, that gets carried into the water supply by rain or melting snow. In the case of the Cobble Mountain Reservoir, the primary source for the citys drinking water, an above-average rainfall in 2018 led to more organic materials being carried into the reservoir. Testing showed higher levels previously in December. The levels from March are lower than amounts recorded in December, but are still considered above acceptable levels. Chlorine has been added to the water supply since the early 20th Century to prevent the spread of dangerous waterborne pathogens like E. Coli, cholera and typhoid. The president of the University of California is indignant that President Trump has signed an executive order requiring colleges to protect free speech on campus or risk losing federal research funding. One thing about academic leaders: when the outside world intrudes, many are quite adept at indignation. But if Janet Napolitano is correct that many schools are already ground zero for the exchange of ideas, Trumps order is immaterial because theyre already doing what hes demanding. "We do not need the federal government to mandate what already exists: our longstanding, unequivocal support for freedom of expression,'' Napolitano said to thunderous cheers from the political left. Oh, if that were only true. But lets consider this: could students rally against abortion on many campuses without fear of backlash? Could a speaker appear in safety to promote the case for the border wall? Could the National Rifle Association speak before students without a hassle? Could a MAGA rally or pro-Trump gathering be accepted under the umbrella of free expression, or is that a recipe for trouble? Heck, we cant even agree on team nicknames at some of these places, or whether Founding Fathers who owned slaves should have their names erased from public buildings. On some campuses, simply starting a Republican Club risks facing intimidation, vandalism or personal safety. Until the late 1960s, the protests of the left were stifled, threatened or systematically omitted from public discussion. The same problem we have now existed then, in reverse. Today its the other way around. Neither is better than the other. Neither is healthy at campuses that should exist, in part, to encourage young minds not only to say what they believe but to hear what others believe - even if that doesnt always suit their tastes. Welcome to democracy. Its messy. It can be infuriating. Once one side or the other is muted, though, democracy is ruined because it doesnt erase those other muted views, it merely shoves them underground and nourishes resentment and anger behind closed walls. On March 1, University of California police arrested a suspect in the assault of a conservative activist on the Berkeley campus. The man he is accused of punching, Hayden Williams, was a student who belongs to an organization providing training to conservative campus groups. In 2017, also at Berkeley, a group in black clothing and with sticks smashed windows, threw rocks at police and caused $100,000 in damage to protest a planned speech by right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos, an individual I personally cant stand. That doesnt justify the response, though. In fairness to Napolitano, the suspect in the Williams case was arrested. A university spokesman said the college spent $4 million last year for security and logistics to host conservative speakers, and cant be held responsible if a lone, crazy individual creates havoc. Fair enough. These episodes, though, show the terror zealots from the left can inflict - even as they warn that zealots from the right are plotting the same thing. If the campus atmosphere is already one of open debate, and its only the lone wolves causing trouble, why must the University of California have to spend $4 million a year to protect conservatives? College administrators everywhere should be asking themselves these questions: are we ready to stand up for the First Amendment rights of people we might abhor? How much are we willing to take on students and sympathetic faculty who demand social justice by their definition, if that means denying the safe opportunity for others (often a minority of students on campus) to present a different point of view? To be blunt, whos running this school? Administrators often find themselves in no-win situations where they fear loss of credibility or even their jobs if they dont cater to the vocal, well-organized movement from the left. Defending minority viewpoints in the face of majority ire takes courage and character. But thats what we need from administrators, much more than weve seen. This problem has been boiling on campuses since the Vietnam War. Its very unfortunate that Trump has to get involved with federal money as his lever, but the problem certainly hasnt been solving itself and, if anything, has been getting worse. I agree with Trump and the conservatives on some issues, not on others and in part on others beyond that. I agree with Trumps style of presentation almost never. On this issue, though, Trump is right. Too many college campuses have become insulated enclaves that provide safe space for some points of view but browbeat, intimidate or silence those with others. Democracy comes with the trust that if we hear all sides, even those that anger or disgust us, we will be able to sort out which views serve our society best. Lose that faith in our own judgment, as we lose all hope for executing the basic principles of democracy. I am a great believer in the educational value of devils advocacy, which advances the concept that at least two sides exist to most stories. Such awareness could make college campuses the centers of reasoned, intelligent debate their administrators insist - in a very self-flattering, self-serving way - they already are. Trump is saying if conservative viewpoints are stifled or bullied, the colleges are not going to do it with the help of federal funding support. I agree with that. Every opportunity should be given to hear political views from the left. Same goes for views from the right. Maybe if we tried that, we would again trust our colleges to develop young adults who have answers but at least understand why not everyone sees it their way - a crucial step in academic maturity I fear our next generation is being allowed to avoid or escape learning. Thats what colleges should do. If they dont, Id rather my federal tax dollars not be funneled into a tilted game. Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins didnt pull any punches on Friday when asked about the Baker administrations criticism over her pledge not to prosecute low-level crimes. Following a letter from the states top public safety official expressing concerns about her pledge, Rollins questioned Gov. Charlie Bakers response to the opioid crisis and made an apparent dig at his son, who faces an allegation that he groped a woman on a plane last year. Candidly, not everyone gets the benefit of the Baker family when they have interacted with the criminal justice system, said Rollins in a news conference at her office. They dont get to not get arrested, have the state police that reports to them handle the investigation. Rollins didnt name Bakers son, Andrew, but her comments come as the U.S. District Attorneys Office reviews an allegation that he inappropriately touched a woman on June 20 during a flight from Washington to Boston. He was escorted off the plane to speak with Massachusetts State Police and was released, according to the Boston Globe. Details of his case have been scarce. Bakers communications director, Lizzy Guyton, wrote in a statement that "the administration does not engage in personal attacks, and raised specific and legitimate public safety concerns that could affect the residents of the Commonwealth. We hope for an ongoing, productive dialogue on the important issues raised by Secretary (Thomas) Turco. Turco, the secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Secretary, released a letter Thursday warning that Rollins policies could hamper the Commonwealths efforts to address the opioid epidemic and substantially restrict governments ability to protect victims threatened with serious crimes, Turco wrote in a two-page letter. The policies at the center of this dispute are outlined in a 65-page memo released by Rollins last month. In it, she explains that prosecutors will review several low-level crimes on a case-by-case basis but aim to make incarceration a last resort. These low-level crimes include trespassing, shoplifting, larceny, disorderly conduct, threats, possession of alcohol for minors, possession of non-marijuana drugs, possession with intent to distribute, destruction of property, breaking and entering to escape cold or sleep, driving with a suspended license, and several others, even when attached to another charge. A report by the American Civil Liberties Union released ahead of her memo found that Rollins predecessor, Daniel Conley, dismissed nearly 60 percent of those low-level crimes in 2013 and 2014. Were going to make this criminal justice system work for everyone in Suffolk County, she said on Friday, and I am confident enough that Im putting in writing, which is exactly what I did prior to becoming your district attorney. Rollins also questioned the Baker administrations claim that the pledge not to prosecute would hurt the states chances at combatting the opioid epidemic. She suggested Baker should approve safe injection sites that were recommended to help cut down on overdose deaths and HIV transmissions instead of trying to dictate policies that Suffolk County voters elected her to implement. Rollins later told reporters her point was not a shot at Andrew Baker directly, but rather a comment on how the criminal justice system treats wealthy, suburban whites compared to their poor, black and brown counterparts in cities. Most moms in Suffolk County dont have a $1,000 lawyer to handle a charge when its brought against their son or daughter or loved one, she said. A law firm retained by Wynn Resorts donated thousands to Gov. Charlie Bakers inaugural committee ahead of the high-profile Massachusetts gaming hearing on whether the company should keep its license to run the new Everett casino. Attorneys from Brown Rudnick LLP and their relatives donated more than $7,000 to the inaugural in late March, according to a campaign finance report. The committee received $49,350 last month even though Baker delivered his inaugural speech months ago. One of the donors, Jed Nosal, represented Wynn Resorts this week at the suitability hearing before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. In the three-day hearing, the commission heard from regulatory investigators and company officials about who knew about sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn and what was kept from the commission in 2013 when the company applied for the eastern Massachusetts casino license. Paul Liu, a spokesman for Brown Rudnick, said a firm employee spoke with a representative of the inaugural committee in December. The checks went out to the committee in late February and March. The individual contributions to the Baker-Polito 2019 Inaugural Committee were properly and lawfully made and are unrelated to any engagement by any client, he said. The April campaign finance report was first reported by the Boston Globe. Wynn Resorts was awarded that license on the grounds that it met the suitability requirements, including demonstrating strong character, honesty and financial stability. That all came into question in 2018 when the Wall Street Journal reported sexual harassment allegations against the co-founder that the company failed to investigate. Now the commission must determine the fate of that hearing just two months before Wynn Resorts scheduled opening of its Everett casino, Encore Boston Harbor. Baker has no direct role in determining the companys suitability, but the governor has power to appoint members to the commission. He appointed Cathy Judd-Stein, the chairwoman, in January. The firm has contributed to previous gubernatorial campaigns of both parties, including the Baker-Polito and Patrick-Murray administrations. The firm also made donations to the inaugural fund in 2015 during Bakers first term, according to campaign finance records. Right-hander Hector Velazquez will start for the Red Sox on Sunday against the Diamondbacks, manager Alex Cora told WEEIs Joe Castiglione and Josh Lewin. Hector Velazquez will start for Red Sox tomorrow, Cora told Joe Castig and @joshlewinstuff Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) April 6, 2019 Cora has planned for months to use a sixth starter in the final game of an 11-game opening road trip to get his regular starters an extra day of rest. Velazquez and lefty Brian Johnson were the two main candidates for the start, with Velazquez getting the nod after Johnson pitched in Fridays blowout and was subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Velazquez made eight starts in 2018, posting a 2-2 record and 4.15 ERA in those outings. The 30-year-old has made three relief appearances so far this year, posting a 4.76 ERA and striking out four in 5.2 innings. Chris Sale will start Tuesdays home opener against the Blue Jays as the rotation gets back on a regular schedule. Nathan Eovaldi will start the second and final game against Toronto on Thursday before Eduardo Rodriguez, Rick Porcello, David Price and Sale face the Orioles in a four-game set to end the quick homestand. , - . , . , . - , . , . by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 3, 2019 IAB Europe has been hit with a privacy complaint over its use of a cookie wall, which requires website visitors to consent to cookies in order to access the site. Consent walls are prohibited by the GDPR, attorneys for Johnny Ryan, chief policy officer of the controversial ad-blocking browser Brave, allege in a complaint filed with privacy authorities in Ireland. Visitors who want to access the IAB Europe's website are greeted with a request to accept cookies as a condition of access. The organization tells visitors it may use cookies to distinguish between users, improve site functionality, tailor the site and products, process purchase orders, and compile anonymous and aggregated statistics. The IAB Europe says it doesn't use information to create visitor profiles. advertisement advertisement The IAB Europe said Wednesday it plans to issue a full rebuttal to Ryan's complaint in the future. For now, the organization says it is confident that the way it obtains consent for the use of cookies on its website complies with the requirements of the law. The group writes: Neither the GDPR or ePrivacy Directive prohibit a website operator from making access to their website conditional on consent for cookies and/or any data processing associated with it. Ryan's complaint comes several weeks after Dutch regulators said privacy policies that require people to accept tracking cookies in order to access a website are illegal. With so-called 'cookie walls' on websites (no permission means no access) the permission is not given freely, the Dutch authorities wrote in March. Permission is not 'free' if someone has no real or free choice. Or if the person can not refuse giving permission without adverse consequences. Currently, that decision only applies in the Netherlands. Ryan stated this week that his complaint will make it plain that the media and advertising industry should not rely on IAB Europe for GDPR guidance. The official complaint elaborates that IAB Europe has put itself forward as the primary designer of the online advertising industry's data protection notices, and has widely promoted the notion that access to content can be made conditional on consent for data processing that is not necessary for the requested service to be delivered. But IAB Europe counters that Ryan's complaint amounts to an ongoing PR campaign against the digital advertising industry. His unfounded and inaccurate accusations against IAB Europe are becoming ever more desperate, the group writes. by Rob Williams , April 4, 2019 Apples digital magazine service signed up 200,000 subscribers in the first 48 hours as iPhone, iPad and Mac users responded to an offer for a free one-month trial, The New York Timesreported. The number of readers who stick with the service once Apple starts billing them $9.99 a month ($12.99 in Canada) remains to be seen. However, that two-day subscriber number indicates Apple News+ quickly equaled the peak audience for the Texture. Last year, Apple acquired the company -- which Conde Nast, Hearst Magazines, Meredith Corp., News Corp, Rogers Media, and Time Inc. had started in 2012 as a joint venture called Next Issue Media -- the basis for its Netflix for magazines. Unlike Texture, Apple News+ now comes preinstalled on every new Apple device; it is available when existing customers update to its latest operating system. The update extends the reach of Apple News+ to hundreds of millions of devices in the United States and Canada. Apple will expand service to the United Kingdom and Australia later this year. advertisement advertisement Theyre in a billion pockets, yall, a billion pockets, Oprah Winfrey exclaimed at Apples March 25 launch event for several services, including Apple News+. Her claim was exaggerated, considering that many people own more than one Apple device. Apple has 1.4 billion active devices worldwide, including 900 million iPhones, but millions of consumers in countries like China and Japan are missing out on Apple News+. New York Times reporter Edmund Lee this week captured the publishing industrys ambivalence toward Apple and the doubts about whether the tech giant is the savior many ailing publications seek. The New Yorkers website editor Michael Luo pleaded on Twitter that readers shouldnt give up subscriptions that cost $7.50 a month after Reuters published a story that asked: Is it time to dump your New Yorker subscription? He said Apple News+ only shows a portion of its archive; readers might miss out on reporting by Ronan Farrow, Jane Mayer and Doreen St. Felix. Also, the weekly crossword isnt available on Apples digital newsstand. Heavens! Publishers should be concerned about cannibalizing their readership from other sources. At the same time, Apples technology has the potential to make magazines more dynamic for advertisers and readers. As magazines face unrelenting competition from social media companies like Facebook and the search giant Google, the Apple News Format may evolve to give magazines more features, such as embedded video and direct-to-consumer shopping. Facebook, Google and Amazon have prioritized similar features for their various apps, websites and video-streaming services. Amazon is best-positioned to support ecommerce with its massive fulfillment network, while Google this week partnered with Walmart to provide voice-assisted grocery shopping. Apple collects half of the subscription price and divides the remainder among publishers, based on how much time readers spend with their content. Streaming music services Spotify and Apple Music have a similar business model that pays record labels based on how often listeners request individual tracks. That system means publishers need to weigh the opportunity costs of working with Apple and their own subscription marketing efforts. Developing a proprietary subscriber base gives publishers more data about their readers, including information that privacy-focused Apple wont share. The Wall Street Journal likely is hedging its bets on Apple News+ by adding 50 people to its newsroom as independent contractors. Those workers are restricted to 12-month terms, according to the unions contract with the newspaper. As digital publishers like BuzzFeed, Vice and Verizon Media shed workers, some of them may find a new home at the WSJ, at least temporarily. by Melynda Fuller , April 5, 2019 Dating app Bumble launched a print lifestyle publication today, featuring content about dating, careers and friendship through a partnership with Hearst, reports The debut issue, which feature fashion entrepreneur Lauren Chan on its cover, will be marketed to the more than 50 million users of the app. Copies of the magazine will be distributed by Bumbles more than 3,000 brand ambassadors. Users can request a free copy through the app. The issue is 100 pages and divided into four sections that correspond to the apps modes: You First, You + BFFs, You + Dating and You + Bizz. Contributors include Serena Williams, Man Repeller founder Leandra Medine and Away luggage cofounder Jen Rubio, among others. advertisement advertisement According to Tech Crunch, the new venture is an attempt to reach new customers and deepen its relationship with existing users out in the real world. In line with a physical magazine, the company also produces pop-ups, events and intends to open more Hives, or physical locations for users to hang out. The company is making strategic moves to become better known as a women-centric lifestyle brand useful for networking and making new friends. Two services, Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz service these categories. Separately, The New Yorker is launching a new crossword called the Weekend Crossword and available every Friday. The puzzle comes a year after the publication launched its first American-style crossword puzzle, which posts every Monday. It is intended to be a lighter version to ease [users] into Saturday and Sunday, per the company. Constructors Erik Agard and Aimee Lucido were added to the crossword team to support the new effort. The first Weekend Crossword is available now. Amid slowing chip demand and growing competition between smartphone makers, Samsung just predicted its lowest quarterly profit in more than two years. From the first quarter of 2019, the South Korean tech titan is expecting operating profit of $5.5 billion, which would represent a whopping 60% decline, year-over-year. Not coming as a complete surprise to analysts, Samsung said it expected earnings to be weak for the first quarter of 2019, earlier this year. In part, the company blamed the poor guidance on seasonality. Later this year, Samsung said it expects its prospects to improve as business conditions -- particularly in the memory market -- improve. For all of 2019, Samsung recently said it expects solid earnings growth, which it believes will be bolstered by rising demand for image sensors used in more sophisticated camera specifications. advertisement advertisement The company said it aims to establish its networks business as a leader in 5G technology as it begins supplying related equipment to global markets. Along with 5G, the Apple rival plans to continue investing in other emerging technologies, including AI and automotive electronics. Analyst have recently predicted problems on the horizon for smartphone giants like Samsung and Apple. Smartphones should remain the mainstream mobile gateway, though growth is probably stalling, Citi analysts warned in a recent note to clients. Apple has recently blamed in own issues on slowing iPhone sales in China. While we anticipated some challenges in key emerging markets, we did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration, particularly in Greater China, Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors, earlier this year. Samsung is expected to release its first-quarter earnings later this month. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 5, 2019 The Federal Trade Commission wants a significant increase in personnel, in order to investigate and prosecute privacy cases. The agency currently employees 40 full-time staff devoted to privacy and data security -- far fewer than foreign data protection authorities, FTC Chairman Joe Simons says in a letter sent this week to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey). The U.K. Information Commissioners' office has about 500 employees, and the Irish Data Protection Commissioner has about 110 employees, Simons writes. The FTC, as the federal entity primarily responsible for protecting consumers' privacy and data security in the United States (a much larger jurisdiction), should have more employees devoted to this effort. advertisement advertisement The letter came in response to questions from Pallone about how the agency would deploy additional funding for privacy and data security. Simons said the FTC could hire around 160 more people with an extra $50 million, 260 additional people with $75 million and 360 new employees with $100 million. He added that additional funding would allow the FTC to create new units, including one devoted to policy. This unit would also include technologists to prepare original research on issues of interest, review referrals from privacy and security researchers, develop ideas for enforcement, and serve as a hub for technical expertise as needed on individual cases, Simons wrote. The FTC Chairman also reiterated a longstanding request for more legal authority to issue regulations, and to police common carriers, like telephone companies. Any privacy and data security legislation should extend the FTC's jurisdiction to non-profits and common carriers, which often collect sensitive consumer information, Simons wrote. Giving the FTC jurisdiction in these sectors would create a level playing field, ensuring that these entities would be subject to the same rules as others that collect similar types of data. Pallone and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, said in a joint statement that they will look at giving the FTC more responsibilities in a comprehensive privacy law. "It's shocking that a nation of over 320 million people only has 40 people dedicated to privacy and data security at the FTC, they stated. We are glad that the FTC recognizes that it needs more authority, more technical resources, and more people to address privacy and data security. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 5, 2019 A Google pay-per-click advertiser is asking a federal appellate court to revive a lawsuit accusing the company of misrepresenting the effectiveness of its click fraud detection system. Had AdWords users realized they were paying for as service with more invalid interactions -- or fewer 'real human' interactions -- than Google represented, they almost certainly would have insisted on paying less or may have used an entirely different advertising platform, business owner Gurminder Singh argues in papers filed this week with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Singh is asking that court to reverse U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman's decision to dismiss the case. The battle dates to 2016, when Singh sued Google over alleged click fraud on its display network -- including Blogger, YouTube and other sites that show pay-per-click ads. Singh said that starting in 2016, he noticed "anomalous click patterns" that were indicative of fraud. advertisement advertisement He later amended his complaint to include allegations that he engaged an outside firm to analyze data and determine whether he was billed for invalid clicks, including clicks by bots. Singh said the firm found at least 50 seemingly fraudulent clicks, but couldn't determine whether he was charged for them, according to the court papers. Freeman dismissed the suit, ruling that Singh couldn't show he had been injured by the alleged click fraud. He is now arguing to the 9th Circuit that he should have been allowed to proceed with claims that Google's representations induced him to use the service. Googles representations assured potential users -- like Singh -- that the use of AdWords would guarantee that the 'vast majority' of online interactions with AdWords ads would be valid, he argues. As an advertiser, Singh certainly cared about the money he would spend on advertising but was induced to use AdWords on the basis that it would generate the highest rate of 'real human' interactions. Google is expected to respond to Singh's argument by the end of next month. A California jury reached a $29 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson and Cyprus Mines Corporation, a talc supplier. The jury concluded that the responsible companies must pay Teresa Leavitt over $29 million after she was exposed to asbestos through the long-term use of Johnson & Johnson baby powder. Leavitt claims that the talcum powder is the reason that she has developed mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. The jury concluded that Johnson & Johnson knew that their baby powder was contaminated, as well as the potential risks, but failed to warn consumers like Leavitt. Leavitt had used their talc products for over 30 years, before receiving her cancer diagnosis in August 2017. As with many other claims against Johnson & Johnson, the company is fighting the verdict and seeking an appeal, asserting that there were serious procedural and evidentiary errors. In the past, J&J has referenced decades of testing that has shown their baby powder is asbestos-free and has not caused cancer. However, the growing number of claims against the company suggest otherwise. Growing Claims Against Johnson & Johnson Back in July, a Missouri jury awarded $4.69 billion to 22 women claiming that asbestos-containing Johnson & Johnson products led to the development of ovarian cancer. The company lost in their attempt to reverse this verdict and their appeal is currently pending. In May, another woman was awarded $21.7 million by a Los Angeles jury after she claimed that asbestos in J&J baby powder led to her mesothelioma diagnosis. Imerys Talc America, a talc supplier for J&J, voluntarily filed for bankruptcy last month in response to numerous litigation claims about asbestos contamination leading to cancer diagnoses. Rather than fighting the claims, the suppliers president stated that they felt bankruptcy was the best way to handle the talc-related liabilities. Issues surrounding J&Js popular baby powder are not being overlooked. During a regulatory filing last month, Johnson & Johnson stated that it received subpoenas from the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Submission to gain additional details about its talc products. The company is being investigated by the U.S. Federal Government based on the asbestos contamination claims. News agencies have also been investigating after reports emerged that company executives knew about asbestos in their baby powder for decades. A 2017 report confirms that they have been aware of the asbestos issues since the 1970s, and in the meantime, thousands of lawsuits have been brought against the company. However, they continue to deny allegations. Concerns of Asbestos Use in Talcum Powder Baby powder is a common product used for many different reasons, such as to help absorb moisture, prevent chafing, preventing rashes, and much more. In many cases, consumers have used the contaminated talc product for years, putting them more at risk of developing cancers like malignant mesothelioma, as a result of long-term asbestos exposure. Not all talcum powder has been contaminated with asbestos, though consumers should be aware that it is a common asbestos product. Retailers, consumers, federal agencies, the government, and the public are reacting to news like the $29 million verdict. Johnson & Johnsons stocks have fallen 1% so far. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that Claires, a popular children and teens store, had been selling cosmetics contaminated with asbestos. The company asserts that they have stopped selling the products and planned to destroy any existing problematic inventory. A testimony has also been brought to the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy regarding asbestos contamination in talc-based personal care products. With concerns rising, more and more individuals are becoming aware of the dangers of asbestos and the development of cancers like mesothelioma. Efforts to hold companies accountable for knowingly putting consumers at risk continue to expand awareness, which is crucial to achieving a full ban of the carcinogen in the United States. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. In the past week, the Sanilac County Health Department has been under fire for a billboard that sparked controversy around the Thumb and the entire state of Michigan. The billboard displayed an image of a pregnant teenage mother on one side, and a teen with her high school diploma on the other side. In between the two, the billboard stated, You can choose, this, or this. Take control of your future. The billboard was posted for over 18 months, according to local health officials. But it wasnt until users started sharing it online on Facebook last weekend that there was an outpour of public outcry that resulted in the health department vowing to take the billboard down. The Right to Life of Michigan Facebook page posted a photo of the billboard, claiming the message "seems to be that young women should be ashamed to be pregnant and have to choose between motherhood and their education. This is the abortion mindset that pits mother against child." Health officials didn't expect viewers would interpret the billboard as being pro-abortion. "It came as a bit of a surprise to us that people thought that it was anything but a teenage pregnancy prevention billboard," Bryant Wilke, environmental health director at the Sanilac County Health Department, told the Tribune earlier this week. "Not to get confused with any pro-choice movements or anything like that, this was specifically meant for teen pregnancy prevention." Many mothers, who were pregnant teens in the county, and across the Thumb, shared their success stories on Facebook over the weekend, including Destiny Drain of Sandusky. "I am a graduate of Sandusky Jr./Sr. High school," Drain posted on Facebook. "I got pregnant my junior year and was still able to walk and graduate with my class. I was accepted by six colleges my senior year and am now attending Saginaw Valley State University as a pre-med major." "Having a baby wasn't ideal at the time sure, but I never once thought that I couldn't be successful if I went through with it," she added. "My daughter is my inspiration, my little extra push when I need it." We applaud mothers like Drain who overcame the many challenges teenage mothers face to not only graduate from high school, but to go on toward post-high school success. But we fear that these mothers are many times the exception, not the norm. Many times, teenage mothers arent able to achieve such successes, and they become embroiled in the cycle of poverty. Many times, they themselves were products of teenage mothers. And the cycle continues. In 2018, Sanilac County had a birth rate of 22 births per 1,000 females in the 15 to 19 age range. "You can look at public health statistics in our area," Wilke said. "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. There should have been more on the billboard to explain it." We agree. The billboard was a bad choice, but the health departments intentions were honorable. No health official was advocating for abortion. The health department doesnt perform abortions, or make abortion clinic referrals. They do, however, provide birth control and education, and part of that is informing the public about teenage pregnancy. "After we got so much input from the public, we took a look at it and decided that it was not sending the right message that we wanted to send, so we're pulling it," Wilke said of the billboard. "We hope that they (the public) know that we're sincere in wanting to create a better environment for Sanilac County residents, including our teenagers, our mothers, fathers and children. That's what we stand for. 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." We hope the health department learns from this situation, and is more thoughtful in their marketing efforts. And we hope that this doesnt deter health officials from continuing their work to prevent teenage pregnancies in the Upper Thumb. WASHINGTON, D.C. Vassar native Travis Mills recently received recognition in Washington D.C. Mills was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor Citizens Award at the United States Institute of Peace. What an honor to be selected for this award by an incredible group of courageous, selfless champions, he said on his Facebook page. Thanks to our Maine congressional delegation for being there to support me, Senator Angus King, Senator Susan Collins and Representative Chellie Pingree. He was honored for his coordination of the Travis Mills Foundation. The Societys Citizen Honors Awards are presented annually by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Recognition is given to Americans who show exceptional courage and selfless service that embodies the values of the Medal of Honor courage and sacrifice; commitment and integrity; citizenship and patriotism. Mills was nominated for the honor by Pingree. There were 20 finalists vying for the award. The field was then narrowed to four. Mills was one of the finalists selected to receive the Citizen Honors awards from a living Medal of Honor recipient. Mills, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant of the 82nd Airborne, is a quadruple amputation survivor. He was injured by an improvised explosive device while he was doing a third tour in Afghanistan. His recovery at Walter Reed Hospital was long and slow, but the emotional support and outpouring he received from family, friends and strangers help him recover. Mills credits the great work of the staff at the Travis Mills Foundation for the award he received because of their phenomenal work for the foundation. It was a very exciting night in DC! I want to make sure that I thank everybody that has supported me especially my Travis Mills Foundation team who make me look good, he said. In September 2013, Travis and his wife Kelsey founded the Travis Mills Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization formed to benefit and assist post 9/11 veterans who have been injured in active duty or as a result of their service to our nation. Veterans and their families receive an all-inclusive, all-expenses paid, barrier-free vacation to Maine, where they participate in adaptive activities, bond with other veteran families, and enjoy much-needed rest and relaxation in Maines great outdoors. Also, Mills tours the country giving motivational speeches to Never give up. Never quit which is also the name of a book he published. The first encounter with the enemy on the night of April 25 last year in Afghanistan was "pretty standard," Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cam Kelsch said. But the second had his unit pinned down in a "massive firefight." On April 9, in a ceremony at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, Georgia, Kelsch will be awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third highest award for valor, for his heroic actions during that fateful firefight in which he called in "danger-close" fire missions and kept fighting even after his body armor stopped a round to his chest. In a rare recognition of extraordinary heroism, Kelsch will also be presented with the Bronze Star with Combat "V" device for his actions in a previous engagement in Afghanistan. On April 25, 2018, soldiers from the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and partnered Afghan Special Forces had come down a narrow footpath and a creek bed single file, and had difficulty coming on line to return fire, Kelsch said Friday in a conference call from Hurlburt Air Base in Florida. Earlier, they had engaged in a brief firefight on a mission to interdict a "high-value" target, and had been pursuing a secondary mission against another target when they were ambushed, Kelsch said. The ambush was complex, he said, with the enemy in well-covered positions and using small arms, fragmentation grenades and "belt-fed machine gunfire so overwhelming there were initially fireballs going off everywhere." There was an AC-130 gunship, overhead but the tree canopy made it difficult to call in fire from what cover he could find, said Kelsch, a Joint Terminal Attack Controller assigned to the 17th Special Tactics Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command. "One individual in front of me was struck in the chest by a round," Kelsch said, and at first "because of the way he fell, I thought he had been killed in action." "We started to discuss how to get out of the situation," he said. "Because of the tree cover, the aircraft overhead couldn't see me [or] the target. I had to continually leave the protection of cover in order adjust the rounds." With the consent of his ground commander, Kelsch began calling in danger-close fire missions from the AC-130 that stretched the standard limits of danger-close missions. Danger-close for 40mm rounds was 90 meters from a friendly position. "They were keyholing rounds at 35 meters from my position," Kelsch said. When the 40mm rounds were not having the effect he wanted, Kelsch directed fire from the AC-130's 105mm howitzer. Danger close for the 105 was 190 meters from friendly positions, but "we were shooting that at 60 meters," he said. With cover from the AC-130, Kelsch and his commander went forward to get the wounded individual who had been shot in the chest. The individual would ultimately survive the engagement. In the course of dragging the wounded man back, Kelsch also was shot in the chest. He said the round went through a magazine on his chest and was stopped by his armor chest plate. Kelsch then called in airstrikes by F-16 Fighting Falcons with 500-pound precision-guided bombs to break the attack and allow his unit to withdraw. He credited the skills of the AC-130 gunship crew for his survival. "If it were not for the true competency of that AC-130 crew, I wouldn't be here today," he said. "So it was a very precarious situation and the aircrew really brought their A-game that night and made sure we got out of there." For security reasons, Air Force Special Operations did not disclose the location of the firefight in which Kelsch earned the Silver Star, but Kelsch stressed that the Afghan Special Forces who partnered with the Army Rangers that night acted professionally. "The Afghan partner forces are true patriots for their country," he said. "They want their country to be rid of terrorists. They want peace. They're professional, they're lethal, they're highly trained. It was an honor to work with them." He also said it was likely that he would be going back to Afghanistan. "We're still at war. We still have a mission to do," he said. "There's still a big mission and a lot to do over there. We'll be going back." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. '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... "Peterloo" tells the story of a tragic encounter between British troops and working-class citizens at a rally in 1819. Director Mike Leigh's new film examines the circumstances that led to one of the United Kingdom's most violent actions against its citizens, perhaps second only to the 1972 "Bloody Sunday" incident in Northern Ireland. Leigh writes his own films and has been nominated for seven Oscars, five times as a screenwriter and twice as director. Best known in this country for the Gilbert and Sullivan drama "Topsy Turvey" and "Secrets and Lies," the 76-year-old English director is revered in his home country as a master of films that portray the working class. In the early 19th century, as soldiers were returning from foreign wars, activists (some of whom were fighting men) became more outspoken about working conditions in northern England. They were taxed without representation, saw their meager benefits slashed and were denied the opportunity to organize a labor movement. Neither workers nor soldiers had the right to vote at this time in British history. In 1819, workers, civilians and veterans from all over Northern England gathered at St. Peter's Field in Manchester to listen to labor activist Henry Hunt speak about the issues. Ladies dressed in white joined Hunt onstage in the earliest days of the suffragist movement that would eventually win women the right to vote. No one was armed at what was designed to be a peaceful gathering. Organizers even went so far as to remove rocks from the field before the event to make sure there was nothing present that looked like a weapon. The general who was supposed to oversee the military units that day decided to go to a horse race instead, and discipline collapsed under substitute leadership. Soldiers were drinking at a nearby pub when orders came in to assemble near St. Peter's Field. Officers in charge ordered an attack even though there were no signs of violence or unrest from the gathered crowd. Men and women gathered that day reported that Hunt made no incendiary remarks from the stage, emphasizing how important it was that the event remain non-violent. It was a bloody and tragic attack, one where soldiers attacked veterans who were peacefully attending the gathering. Sixteen were killed, and hundreds were injured. After the event, no one was disciplined. The British labor movement survived and went on to gain valuable rights for workers over the next several decades. It later inspired the labor movement in the United States. Leigh shared his motivations in making the film and how he grew up in Manchester without knowing the story of one of the city's most notable historical events. Director Mike Leigh behind the scenes of PETERLOO. (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) We're coming up on the 200-year anniversary of this incident. How do you refer to it? I wouldn't call it a military skirmish. No, it's a massacre. It's known as the Peterloo Massacre, and that's what it was. It's not a battle because there aren't two opposing equal forces. It was chaos. Why tell this story now? It occurred to me quite a long time ago that somebody ought to do a movie about it. It is quite an important event. Secondly, it is the 200th, the bicentenary. Thirdly, I had an instinct that somehow it would be in some way relevant and it is. We thought we'd do it, really, so we did it. How long ago was it that the lightbulb went off for you? 2014. And where did you think we were then in the world? We were two years ahead of 2016, which is when Trump was elected and Brexit happened and various other disasters took place. The world has changed massively in that half decade for the worse. PETERLOO behind the scenes (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) Was this the only incident where the British military used aggression against the nation's citizens? No. There was a famous event called Bloody Sunday in 1972 in Ireland, in Derry. But I think it's important that we don't just think about Britain. You have Tiananmen Square and Sharpeville and you name it. There's a long list of these kind of events, and they're each as important as the others. Did you grow up with military in your family? No, not really. My father was an army doctor in the war, but that wasn't military. That's because everybody was conscripted. So, no, I don't have any military background. When I was born, my dad was in Southern Africa, but that's because the war was on. I was born in 1943, so lots of people were in uniform who would otherwise never have been in uniform and were out of it as soon as the war was over. So, there's nothing military about that. Some people in this country think it's only a conservative value to support the military. Do you think there's a class divide in how people see the military? What you're talking about is obviously framed by the fact we're talking about "Peterloo," the film, and what happens in the film. First of all, in the film, and it was the case at Peterloo, there are two sorts of forces on the day, military forces. There are the professionals, the Hussars, who came in second only because it was badly organized and who in fact went to pieces a bit. But the ones that came in first, the ones in blue uniforms, were called the Manchester & Salford, named after the two cities. They were the Yeomanry. Now, they were amateurs. They were publicans and shopkeepers, but they were people who were against the radicals and against reform. As you see in the film, they were irrational and they were drunk and they just moved in and they were just gunning for people, basically. PETERLOO (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) What you're talking about is questions about attitudes to the military as such. Another important thing about the events of Peterloo, which, again, we've got in the film, is the role of General Byng, who at the beginning of the film is appointed the head of the Northern District. On the day of the event, he saw fit to go to the races at York because his horse was running and didn't take the responsibility that he should have done. It's generally accepted as a universal fact, not least by military historians, that if he'd been there on the day, we wouldn't be sitting here talking about Peterloo; it wouldn't have happened. It would have been contained instead of being, in fact, chaos. The magistrates lost their discipline, as you see in the film. They called in the troops prematurely or wrongly, more accurately. They put in the wrong order, and it was chaos. Your question was about class. Well, you know, the army was an arm of the government. Like all armies, you would have had people from aristocratic or privileged backgrounds in officer class. And foot soldiers from a working-class background, but they would follow the rules, as soldiers do, and do what they were commanded to do, basically. So there is no question that the authorities got it wrong on this occasion, but that is often the case. In the film, there's a character, a bluecoat. He's basically a voice of reason as the massacre is happening all around. He's the one saying they can't get away. That actually happened, in fact. Amongst the chaos and these soldiers losing their discipline, that officer was actually heard to say that. In the end, what I'm concerned with, always, whatever the film, whatever the event, is human beings behaving like human beings. There's another moment where one of the Yeomen is about to attack a woman, and one of the soldiers stops him in his tracks. These are details that matter. These are people who are behaving like people, and some of them had some sort of humanity. But, on the whole, mostly, these forces actually behaved irrationally, but they were brought in wrongly. They shouldn't have been there. It was a mistake. PETERLOO featuring Simona Bitmate as Esther (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) Are there monuments to Peterloo in Manchester? No, there aren't. There will be one on August the 16th, unveiled on the 200th anniversary. I grew up there, you see, in that area, and I didn't really know about it at all. And then for some years, from sometime in the '80s, there was a plaque on a building where it happened that was very, very evasive and innocuous about what had actually happened. After a lot of protest a few years ago, it was replaced by another plaque, which was more clear and graphic about the fact that people were attacked by the authorities. Now that there will be a monument, there's a lot of growing awareness about it. Every year for the last number of years, there's been a meeting on the site and it's grown. I haven't been there because I don't live in Manchester anymore, but I will hopefully go this year. PETERLOO featuring Maxine Peake as Nellie (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) Shelley wrote a poem called "The Masque of Anarchy" a couple of years after the Peterloo Massacre. It's quite a long poem, but it's really a reflection on the Peterloo Massacre. Maxine Peake is an actress in "Peterloo" who plays the mother of a working-class character and is very well-known both as an actress and as a radical. Every year, she reads a section of "The Masque of Anarchy" in Manchester, and then there's a ceremony of people who make speeches and there are plaques and all of that stuff. But that's been growing over the years, and it's become really quite a widely supported thing. Here's the thing: It's important for Manchester, but it's important in a more universal sense, not just for Britain. It has some resonance beyond there. Mike Leigh has seen Kurosawa's "Ran." You should see it, too. Was there a military film that inspired you in making "Peterloo"? No. People have said, "Oh, did he watch Kurosawa's 'Ran'? Did he reference the 'Battleship Potemkin' et cetera?" No, because I know those films, and they're in my DNA, so I don't think about them consciously. I'm not referencing any particular film. I suppose I could ask, "If I'd never seen Kurosawa films, would I be as good at doing a movie like this?" I suppose. It's hard to quantify. I don't think about things that way. You see, I don't make movies about movies. That's the bottom line. Director Mike Leigh behind the scenes of PETERLOO. (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) It's not necessarily in your wheelhouse to direct an epic military film. It's interesting; I suddenly realized I don't see it as a military film. I mean, the military is in it, but it's not a military film. I guess I'm thinking of "Peterloo" as more of an epic-scale film than you usually make. It is epic, relative compared with most of my other films. We actually were extremely lucky with raising the money to make the film because I never have a script. And it so happened by a very fortunate fluke that my producers found themselves talking to Amazon Studios almost as soon as they started. And Amazon Studios said, "No, great, we'll do that. " We were absolutely blown away by it because it was a much bigger budget than anything I've had before. I now have to say Amazon Studios were immaculate. They never interfered with the form or the content or the casting or the cut or anything. They were supportive all the way down the road, but as backers should be.I made the film with complete freedom. As an audience member, what would you want me to think about when I left the theater? Now, that's a very interesting question. I don't really have an answer to that for a very particular reason. If familiar with my other films, you will agree with what I say, that I've never made a film that says, "Think this." You go away from my films with stuff to think about, to reflect on, to argue about, to ponder, to meditate about, to consider how it might otherwise have been. This film is no exception. I leave you in a very emotional place in the film. I don't tie it all up. There are a lot of things that this film is inviting you to think about. I could say, "The film is saying this" or "The film is saying that," but I don't really think in those terms. It's more about a point at which I hand it over to you. So, I'm a bit reluctant. I think it's kind of reductionist to say to an intelligent audience participator, "Think this; this is the message." There's actually quite a lot of messages on different levels. PETERLOO featuring John-Paul Hurley as John Thacker Saxton, Joseph Kloska as Richard Carlile, Victoria Moseley as Susanna Saxton, and Dorothy Duffy as Mary Fildes. (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) You know you've got big crowd scenes in this. You said you didn't have a script when you began, so how do you manage that? Did you end up with shooting script and storyboards? Well, we have ways of going about it that are organized, but always in the way is to liberate it and make it possible to explore and make things happen. In that big sequence, there was no storyboarding, for example, because that storyboard belongs in a different kind of filmmaking where you plan everything in advance and then you make it happen. Whereas, I make films where you make things happen, and then you work out how you're going to film them. So, what can I tell you? What matters is what's on the screen. Sometimes you have to be organized in order to be disorganized. If you want to create the space for things to be organic and spontaneous, it has to be organized in order for that to happen. It's almost like if there's too much freedom, you make a mess. In this particular film, we're talking around an event that involved [60,000]-to-100,000 people and all those things during the massacre. If you break down what you saw in that sequence, you've got the people on the hustings, the people who were making speeches, and you've got the family on the ground and the magistrates in the house, and various other factions. We worked for six months before we shot anything, working with actors. They already knew who they were and how to play the character. You're not talking about people showing up on the day with no idea who they are. We prepared the supporting artists and the extras. I worked throughout the entire project with a wartime historian. We made sure that for every time there was a new lot of support artists, time would be allocated for them to explain to them graphically who they were playing, what the situation was, what was motivating them, what the issues were, et cetera, et cetera. Thus, what you see is that they really are acting the situation. They're not just standing there like sacks of potatoes. It's about coordinated effort and organization. I've worked with the same team of people for years. PETERLOO featuring The Manchester and Salford Yeomanry (Simon Mein/Courtesy of Amazon Studios) What do you think a citizen's responsibility is when a leader doesn't even have a concept of history? Well, that's a tough question. That's a very tough question. I don't know the answer to that. We all have a responsibility. It's not a question of what our sense of right and wrong is. It's what we can do about it. That's the problem. This film is about democracy and -- well, there's democracy and then there's democracy. It's a film about people having the vote. The film is about people struggling to get the vote because only 2% of the population in Britain had the vote at that time. People have the vote and then what happens when people have the vote? You may say, well, "Good news," but people had the vote in Germany in 1933 and they elected Hitler. People elected Trump; people had the vote in 2016 and voted for Brexit. By a tiny, slender majority, a large number of people voted in ignorance, paranoia and xenophobia. We have the results, so the questions that you're raising are complex and imponderable in many respects. I think the subject matter is universal. When the Americans pulled out of Vietnam at the beginning of the '70s, we -- and by we, I mean particularly my generation who all had long hair and all the rest of it -- we actually thought genuinely that now the world would grow up and that would be the end of nonsense. If you described to us the world as it now is, we would have been horrified. Similarly, when the wall came down in 1989, it was "Oh, thank God, the Cold War is over. Now, peace on Earth." And what are the Russians doing now? It's desperate; it really is. CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, MI A Michigan man was charged with multiple crimes this week for a drunken ruckus he caused at a popular Michigan ski resort. Reid Muscio, 23, of Ypsilanti was charged with one count of Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer, two counts of Assault and Battery, and one count of Disorderly Person in a Charlevoix County courtroom on April 2. The charges stem from an incident that occurred at Boyne Mountain Resort around 3:40 p.m. on March 16 in which troopers from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post responded to the resort due to a disorderly, intoxicated skier. Muscio had been asked to leave the ski area due to his level of intoxication, which was causing a hazard to other skiers. However, as Boyne Mountain security escorted him away from the hill, Muscio became verbally assaultive and the physically combative. After interviewing several witnesses, troopers arrested Muscio for his assaultive and disorderly conduct. While traveling to the Charlevoix County Jail, Muscio made several attempts to escape from his safety belt. After he ignored several verbal commands to stay buckled, an additional charge of resisting and obstructing was added, according to police. Muscio posted an interim bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary exam at 3 p.m. on April 30. ANN ARBOR, MI It was easily the biggest, smokiest Ann Arbor Hash Bash anyone has ever seen. A record crowd of well over 10,000 people flooded the University of Michigan Diag and surrounding downtown and campus areas for the 48th-annual political rally and smoke fest Saturday, April 6. With recreational marijuana now legalized in Michigan, Hash Bash attendees felt freer than ever to light up joints, take hits from bongs and munch on cannabis edibles, even with police nearby. What they were doing wasnt really legal, but police seemed to let a lot of things slide on Saturday. It was a victory party. Dozens of enterprising hawkers on the Diag sold cannabis goods out of backpacks, briefcases, duffle bags and totes. Some sold home-baked treats, while others sold branded packages of cookies and gummy candies for $5 apiece. Grams of marijuana flower could be had for $10, and pre-rolled joints for $5 or less. Pre-rolls! Five-dollar pre-rolls! Three for ten! one hawker called out to passersby for hours, drawing regular buyers. Ill give you two of the sativa and one indica to stay awake, he told one of his young buyers during a transaction. Another hawker cut his way through the crowd, repeatedly announcing through a megaphone that he had cannabis edibles. Not selling, just taking donations, he clarified when asked, as its not actually legal to be selling weed on campus. Nor is it legal to smoke weed in public, but that didnt stop thousands from lighting up as they enjoyed 65-degree, sunny weather, a puff here and there adding to the clouds in the blue sky. People young and old, from teenagers to senior citizens, from all across Michigan and beyond, attended the rally and cheered on pro-pot speakers on the Diag and milled about the downtown, going in and out of marijuana dispensaries and bong shops. At the start of the rally, attendees heard a recorded message from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, expressing pride that recreational marijuana is now legal in Michigan. She spoke at Hash Bash last year. We got it done, the governor said. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, made an appearance, the first time a Congress member has spoken at the rally. Calling herself the least-likely Hash Bash speaker ever, Dingell said she has never smoked marijuana. She also said her father was a drug addict and her sister died of a drug overdose, so she has experiences that make her nervous. But she also knows people across America are speaking up and legalizing marijuana state by state, and she said federal law needs to change to reflect that. A patchwork of laws doesnt work, she said, calling for decriminalization at the federal level, releasing people who are in jail for marijuana and allowing more cannabis research. Weve got to change the system, Dingell said, suggesting its not worthwhile to have police going after people for marijuana. Among those in attendance were Detroit goat man Erick Brown and his new goat, Cutie Pie, who turns 1 on Wednesday, and Ann Arbors own Violin Monster, who played his music next to a sign that read: Wolf Needs Green. He occasionally accepted donations of joints from passersby and tucked them into his pouch. On the grassy lawn areas around the Diag, groups gathered in circles, some playing hacky sack and some passing joints. Some brought their dogs and lounged on blankets. Ann Arbor resident Jeanne Mackey wore a spiky eyeball hat as she entertained revelers by dipping rope into a soapy bucket and creating dozens of large bubbles that floated through the spring air. Shes been coming to Hash Bash since 1996 and said this was definitely the biggest and happiest one yet. People are pretty excited, I would say, and its about time, right? Like, come on, said the 68-year-old, who said she had her first encounter with the plant in question in her 20s. If more people were stoned, I think the world would probably be a gentler place, a little more mellow. Maybe a little more spacey, but hey, she said. You know, these are some rough times in the world and a little bit of laughter and silliness is good for the soul. Ann Arbor musician Laith Al-Saadi played the national anthem on electric guitar and later told the crowd a personal story. The first time that I ever smoked weed was before coming down here when I was 13 years old for the Hash Bash, he said. Growing up in Ann Arbor, Ive always been able to enjoy the more tolerant policy in the Midwest and the really awesome community here. Asked about UMs approach to this years Hash Bash, Deputy Police Chief Melissa Overton referred to a FAQ page about marijuana on the UM Division of Public Safety and Security website, which states recreational or medical marijuana use is still prohibited on campus under both university policy and federal law. The university must comply with federal laws regarding possession, distribution and consumption of marijuana, which is still a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the website states, noting UM also is obligated to follow the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act amendments of 1989. But doesnt Proposal 1s passage last November change violation punishments for marijuana possession? Yes. Several current violations under state law will change from misdemeanors to civil infractions, the FAQ page states, listing a summary of the changes and possible fines. But federal law prohibiting marijuana preempts state laws attempting to legalize the drug, the university maintains. The possession, use, and distribution of marijuana is still illegal and subject to prosecution under federal law, regardless of what state laws permits, and regardless of whether the federal government chooses to actively enforce federal law in those states that have legalized recreational marijuana use, the FAQ page states. Importantly for U-M, receipt of federal funds in the form of student loans, grants and research support, among other things, is conditioned on compliance with federal drug law. UM police officers were on the Diag, but reported no Hash Bash-related arrests this year. Ann Arbor police also reported no arrests. Multiple speakers at the rally made references to former Attorney General Bill Schuettes strong stance against marijuana and how hard it was for medical marijuana dispensaries to become legal. Former state Sen. David Knezek, legislative director for new Attorney General Dana Nessel, told those in the crowd they now have an attorney general whos on their side and no one will be prosecuted for victimless crimes in Michigan anymore. Before he left the stage, he led the crowd in a chant: Dana! Dana! Dana! ANN ARBOR, MI - More than a month since he was found slain in his east Ann Arbor home, police continue to investigate who killed Dick Fortune. Police have released few details in the homicide of 71-year-old Richard "Dick" Fortune, who was found dead during a welfare check about 5:15 p.m. Feb. 20 in his home in the 2600 block of Lillian Road. That includes his specific cause of death - something police have said only the killer would know. But the investigation is progressing and the time taken, thus far, isnt unusual, said Ann Arbor police Lt. Earle Fox. "It's a homicide case - it's big deal," Fox said. "We take it very seriously and were putting - even now were putting - a lot of police resources into solving it." Police continue to wait on the return of laboratory results and a review of electronics returned from search warrants, Fox said. The length of the wait isn't unusual, he said, noting that sometimes when a warrant is returned, it creates a need for a new search warrant in a case. In addition, even when cases are charged - such as the homicide case against Isom Hamilton for the killing of a former University of Michigan professor - some additional forensic evidence might still be processing. "This is the normal investigative process," he said. "We need to get it right, which means we need to do things right and that can take time." Though he wouldn't comment on possible persons of interest in the case, Fox said investigators are pursuing a couple of theories on motive. "We definitely have a direction in this case and we dont feel there's a threat to the community at large," he said. Police have previously said Fortune may have known his killer and wasnt randomly targeted. Theyve also sought tips on his movements in the days before he was found. The death of Fortune, a retired U.S. postal worker, shook his beloved neighborhood. Members of the community expressed frustration with the lack of details police released about the death and an unrelated 12-hour police standoff nearby. A celebration of Fortunes life is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at Concourse Hall, 4531 Concourse Dr. in Ann Arbor, according to his obituary. Memorial contributions can be made to the Ypsilanti nonprofit Growing Hope or the Ann Arbor YMCA. FLINT TWP, MI -- One person died and one person was hospitalized following a fiery crash Friday evening in Flint Township. Flint Township police and fire were called out around 6 p.m. Friday, April 5 to West Bristol Road, west of Bishop Airport, for a two-vehicle crash in which one of the vehicles was on fire. A preliminary investigation has revealed a Chevy Blazer headed west on Bristol Road was stopped at a red light in front of 3460 W. Bristol Road, police said. A Chevy Suburban headed the same direction ran into the back of the Blazer. The Blazer immediately caught fire. The driver of the Blazer, whose name and age have not been released by police, was pronounced dead at the scene. After colliding with the Blazer, the Suburban crossed over the eastbound lanes of traffic and came to a rest near the curb on the south side of West Bristol Road. The driver of the Suburban, a 79-year-old Mundy Township resident, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation. West Bristol Rd. was closed for several hours to allow for the investigation. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to have played factors in the crash. Flint Township police were assisted by the Bishop Airport Public Safety, CN Railroad Police, the Genesee County Sheriffs Office and the Michigan State Police. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A consultants nearly $100,000 analysis of the Grand Rapids Police Departments staffing levels and deployment strategies is nearly complete. On Tuesday, April 9, the city commission is slated to hear a presentation from Hillard-Heintze, LLC during its 9:30 a.m. Committee of the Whole meeting in the ninth-floor commission chambers at City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. A representative from the Chicago-based consulting firm is present the study, titled Grand Rapids Police Department -- A Strategic Review of the Departments Staffing." The meeting is open to the public and live-streamed on the citys Facebook and YouTube pages. The city commission agreed in November to pay Hillard-Heintze $99,719 to conduct a 12-week study, which included data review, staff interviews, focus groups and ride-alongs with officers. The study was one of 38 recommendations, presented to the city by the Grand Rapids Police Policy and Procedures Review Task Force in October 2018, to reduce potential racial disparities in policing and improve community-police relations. Its goal was to evaluate dispatch data, officer workload, and where and when staff is allocated, as well as how the use of non-sworn employees could help free up officers and how future staffing needs can be addressed. Former Police Chief David Rahinsky was in favor of the study if it was what the commission needed to green-light the addition of more officers. During his more than four years a chief, Rahinsky regularly asked the commission to fund more officer for his lean and understaffed department. If were going to spend what could be a large number to go out and make additional hires, its only smart to invest a relatively small number in this study so we do so with a plan, Rahinsky said in November. The police department has city approval for 295 sworn officers in its ranks. Thats a 23-percent decline from 2002, despite the city increasing in terms of population and economy. Grand Rapids officer count is on the lower end relative to cities of comparable size and population. Its officers per 100,000 residents (1.49) is also lower than the national (2.4) and state (2.01) averages from 2016 and 2012, respectively. Rahinsky and other department leadership have said that having more officers would result in better relationships between officers and members of the community. The former chief said he regularly heard calls for more community policing -- a method of policing that he said cant be easily done when officers spend their entire day running from call to call. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A large police presence is in the area of Franklin Street SE and Eastern Avenue after several shots reportedly were fired into a vehicle. The shots were fired about 5:15 p.m. Friday, April 5 along Franklin Street SE. Witnesses reported that two people fled into a house in the 800 block of Franklin Street SE. Police reported that one person may be injured and was being treated at Mercy Health St. Marys Hospital. KALAMAZOO, MI About 24 hours after learning her ex-husband had been shot and killed by police, Amy Verile said she has plenty of unanswered questions. He didnt deserve to die, Verile said of Thomas Tommy Verile Jr., the father of her two children, Alessondra, 7, and Liam, 5. Thomas Verile Jr., 37, was shot and killed Thursday in the basement of a home in the 2800 block of East G Avenue in Kalamazoo. Police say they were trying to take him into custody when he allegedly threatened them and said he had a weapon. Police said they found no weapon on him after the shooting. Verile was wanted for violating parole on previous convictions for breaking and entering and felony firearm. Police say he also had warrants against him after failing to appear in court on charges involving a short-barreled shotgun and child neglect. Thursdays deadly encounter came after Verile escaped an arrest attempt Tuesday, police said. Fugitive team officers had him under surveillance for several days. State police said he fled in a vehicle and nearly struck two detectives Tuesday morning. The vehicle then crashed through two gates and became disabled, but Verile jumped out and ran. Police called in a tracking dog but he was not found. State police said the involved officers with the fugitive team are from the Battle Creek Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Michigan Department of Corrections and the state police Fifth District Special Investigation Section. The Tommy I knew, that wasnt him, his ex-wife said. Verile described her ex-husband as a giving person. He grew up in the Kalamazoo area and was a well-known, well-liked mechanic. She acknowledged she and Verile had a rocky marriage that ended in divorce after the births of their young children. She said she filed for divorce after he was sentenced to prison in 2015 for having a sawed off shotgun and for breaking and entering convictions. Still, she said she always held out hope that Verile would clean up his act and hold a steady job. For a while, after he got out of prison in 2017, she thought they might reunite as a family. After he got out, every time he would say, I want to be a better father, I want to be a part of their lives, I want to do better for my life and for my family,'" Verile said. "That never happened. Verile said she has questions about the official account of the shooting, in which police said Verile made threats and said he had a weapon. Officers from four different departments, at the house to arrest Verile for absconding from parole, shot and killed him, police said. When they said that he threatened them with a weapon, I couldnt see that," Verile said. I want to know why they opened fire on him. If they didnt physically see a weapon, then why would you just purposefully kill somebody? "Now my kids grow up without a father. Its just stupid. Im angry and Im devastated all at once. I want some answers as to why. I just dont see any justice in it. Josh Emery, a former co-worker and friend of Veriles, said he worked with Verile doing snow removal about eight years ago and would talk with him daily. He was a very caring guy, Emery said. If people needed help, hed be right there. Emery said his probation requirements meant he was not allowed to spend time with Thomas after his release from prison. But the two ran into each other about a month ago at the parole office, Emery said. Thomas seemed to be doing everything he was supposed to be doing, he said. Emery said he was shocked to hear the news of the shooting. It would be out of Toms character to have a weapon, Emery said. The whole thing doesnt add up to me, he said. Some part of the story is not being told. Emery said his friend never spoke of owning guns or even hunting and was not a violent person. He would help everyone he could. Thats the Tom I remember, Emery said. He was never a mean person," he said. "He went the other way from conflict. He wasnt a violent person. Verile said the last 24 hours has been an emotional whirlwind. She read a news story about the shooting on her lunch break and received a call an hour later from a family member of her ex-husband, who confirmed the man dead was him. She fretted over how to tell her children, ultimately deciding to tell them he died in an accident. Its kind of a sigh of relief in a way because now he doesnt have to fight anymore, Verile said. I know he had all sorts of demons in him that he was fighting. Obviously my kids, they wonder why Mommys crying all the time. Verile said her daughter has asked how long it will be until her dad gets back from heaven. I said, Honey, hes there forever. Youre not going to see your dad again. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI An inmate who died in the Muskegon County Jail was being held in a detoxification cell both for medical reasons and because of an earlier assault on deputies, according to the sheriff. Paul Douglas Bulthouse, 39, was discovered unresponsive in a one-person cell at the jail around 6 a.m. Thursday, April 4, Muskegon County Sheriff Michael Poulin reported earlier. Poulin said in an interview with MLive/Muskegon Chronicle on Friday that he had not yet received results of the autopsy performed on Bulthouse, and was uncertain when he would. Bulthouse was alone in the detox cell when he was discovered unresponsive, Poulin said. He seemed fine when served his breakfast sometime earlier in the morning, Poulin said, adding that he did not know when that was. The sheriff departments detective bureau is conducting an investigation into Bulthouses death, which will include examination of surveillance video of the cell, Poulin said. There was no indication that Bulthouse had harmed himself, he said. The sheriff said the death has been difficult for his staff. People need to understand what an impact it has on them emotionally, physically, Poulin said. They are professionals in the work that they do. Its hard on them. Its hard on the medical staff. Bulthouse was brought to the jail on March 22 for probation violation, according to the sheriffs department. Bulthouse, of Spring Lake, had pleaded to possession of child sexually abusive material in October 2018, according to court records. He was on probation, from which he absconded on March 1, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections website. He had alcohol dependency issues when he was brought to the jail, which was part of the reason he was in the detox cell, Poulin said. He was still having dependency issues, the sheriff said. The other part of the reason was the assault on two jail deputies and an attempt to escape the jail, he said. As a result of that incident, Bulthouse was considered a high-risk inmate, he said. The Muskegon County Prosecutors Office had issued two counts of assaulting a prison employee and one count of felony jail escape for the incident that occurred on April 1. Its alleged that Bulthouse had pushed a deputy who had opened the door to his cell and rushed out, and then attempted, but failed, to strike a medical employee with a closed fist, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat. He then allegedly ran down a hallway toward a door, but it was locked, Maat said. Officers then took him to the ground, during which Bulthouse allegedly resisted, before restraining him and returning him to his cell, Maat said. More than a dozen people have been arrested as Yellow Vest protesters flood the streets of French cities, marking the 21st consecutive week of mass demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron and his government. Some 21 protesters were arrested in Paris on Saturday morning, local media reported, citing police. Eric Drouet, one of the leaders of the Yellow Vests, was fined 135 euro ($150) for violating public protest laws. Nevertheless, the rallies in the French capital and elsewhere remain largely peaceful. The Yellow Vests are singing songs and holding placards as they march to denounce the policies of Emmanuel Macron and demand his resignation. The rallies were met with an increased police presence. Videos from the scene showed the crowd booing police motorcades. The authorities upheld the ban on demonstrations in some places, including the iconic Avenue des Champs-Elysees, as well as the areas surrounding the parliament and the presidents residence at the Elysee Palace. Similar bans were placed in a number of other cities. Two rallies were authorized in Paris. The protesters have occupied downtown Place de la Republique from where they plan to march all the way up to the La Defense business district. A separate group of Yellow Vests, gathering at Montparnasse Boulevard, is expected to march to one of the citys largest parks, Parc de la Villette. Minor scuffles with police officers were reported in the northern city of Rouen where thousands of protesters are marching. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftars forces say they have taken full control over the former Tripoli International Airport, 34km from the city. It comes amid reports that the UN-backed government used airstrikes against his troops. Haftar ordered his Libyan National Army (LNA) to advance on Tripoli on Thursday, following years of rivalry with the UN-recognized government. His stated goal is to free the city from militias and terrorists who are maintaining their grip. The 75-year-old commander has managed to take over some areas around the city, and after some back-and-forth fighting the day before, his troops were filmed driving through the largely defunct Tripoli International Airport on Saturday. Meanwhile, several reports from local officials said forces loyal to the government in Tripoli launched air raids on two separate positions of Haftars troops. A report by local channel Al-Hadath claimed that four civilians were killed when their house was hit by an airstrike. While there was no immediate confirmation of any losses incurred by Haftar as a result of the strikes, the reports were enough to cause concerns internationally. Moscow has called for a cessation of strikes in the escalating conflict, and for its sides to sit down for talks. Libya has remained split between various power groups ever since a NATO-backed uprising toppled the government of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Various tribal militias, criminal gangs and other paramilitaries have grabbed power in vast parts of the country. Haftar, who is based in the eastern coastal city of Tobruk, is one of the major players, and his troops claim to control most of Libya. The UN-backed government controlled around seven percent of the country at the time his offensive began on Tuesday. Responding to reports of the airstrikes, the LNA said it was declaring a no-fly zone for military aircraft in the east of Libya, Al Arabia reported. It said it would conduct strikes on airbases, from which their opponents would try to launch further sorties. Also on rt.com Libyan strongman Haftar orders troops to move on Tripoli The worrisome development was discussed on Friday by the UN Security Council, which called on the LNA to halt its maneuvers and refrain from further military action. A similar statement came from the G7 foreign ministers, who interrupted an annual meeting in France to respond to the Libyan clashes. Germany said that the G7 has agreed to exert pressure on those responsible for the escalation, and Haftar in particular. Italy warned that if the offensive doesnt stop, the international community will see what can be done. A G7 communique said that we recall that Libyas oil facilities, production, and revenues belong to the Libyan people, and must not be used by any party for political gain. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday called on all sides in the conflict to refrain from using military force, including warplanes, and seek a peaceful resolution of their differences. We have been sending the same signal to all political forces in Libya. We never tried to favor either of them, he said after meeting his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Algerian protesters march for 7th successive Friday as spy chief reported sacked Algerian protesters march for 7th successive Friday as spy chief reported sacked Hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding radical change marched through Algiers for a seventh successive Friday, Reuters reported. Algerias spy chief was reportedly fired on the same day in a further sign of high-level turmoil after the veteran president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, resigned on Tuesday. The retired army general Athmane Tartag was a close ally of president Bouteflika. Tartags departure was reported by the private Ennahar TV, and two political sources confirmed that he had been sacked. No clear successor to Bouteflika has yet emerged. Protesters have made it clear they will reject any candidate with ties to the old guard.Source : RT - Daily news What was originally planned as a hilarious April Fools prank seriously backfired for one YouTuber after he was arrested for impersonating a police officer in Sarasota, Florida. Charles Ross, 25, had donned a (very convincing) police uniform and approached a mother carrying two young children at a car park on the pretense of ticketing her for traffic charges. However, she questioned him about his claims and Ross left, before returning soon afterwards in his car and arguing with her a second time. According to police, Ross was carrying a baton in his belt at the time of the confrontation. Officers released CCTV of the encounter online. Ross runs a YouTube channel called Ross Creations, featuring footage of his various pranks, which has over a million subscribers. His most-watched videos include him sneaking hot dogs into other peoples pockets, and a one-arm girl offended at people with two arms. Speaking to the press about the arrest, Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight described Rosss behavior as brazen and said that he had donned a police uniform, which should be earned, not just worn. We dont think its funny, Knight said, adding that impersonating an officer is a felony. The sheriff said that police in his and other areas have already encountered Ross over his pranks, which Knight said ranged in seriousness and took up increasing amounts of police time. Addressing Ross directly, the sheriff said: Your adolescent behavior is becoming old, its tying up our resources, its costing money. Also on rt.com Struggling to stay afloat in China: RTs Boom Bust on rivals taking a bite out of Apple Ross was charged with impersonating an officer, and has been released on a $10,000 bond. If you like this story, share it with a friend! California's strict gun laws have been landed in jeopardy after a judge threw out the decades-old ban on high-capacity magazines, sparking a "buying frenzy," a new ban and another court battle. US District Judge Roger Benitez ordered a halt to the sale of magazines holding more than 10 rounds in California until the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether to reinstate the state's ban on them. The 'window' for buying magazines opened last week when the same judge overturned some of the state's tough gun control laws. The media reported a "buying frenzy" of high-capacity magazines during that brief time period, with manufacturers and suppliers promoting discounts and urging everyone to buy 17-round and 30-round clips. This led the state's attorney general to warn that companies were trying to "flood" the market with previously illegal pieces of firearms. California banned selling and buying high-capacity magazines in 2000 but people were allowed to keep the ones they already had. This continued until 2016 when Californians approved the ballot initiative 'Proposal 63,' which outlawed the possession of such magazines as well. The new measure was prompted by the San Bernardino shooting that happened a year before, claiming the lives of 14 people. On March 29, Judge Benitez effectively struck down both laws, arguing that the prohibition on owning high-capacity magazines "hits at the center" of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees citizens' rights to keep and bear arms. Few would say that a 100- or 50-round rifle magazine in the hands of a murderer is a good idea. Yet, the 'solution' for preventing a mass shooting exacts a high toll on the everyday freedom of ordinary law-abiding citizens. In his ruling, the judge cited several instances when women ran out of bullets while fending off home invaders. In one case, a woman was shot by an intruder after she emptied the clip of her pistol and couldn't reload. During another break-in, a pajama-clad woman was facing three armed burglars. She "had no place to carry an extra magazine" and couldn't reload because she was holding a phone in her left hand, trying to call 911, Benitez wrote. The ruling delivered a blow to California's gun laws, which were regarded as the strictest in the US. The decision also once again polarized the both sides of the ongoing debate over gun control. Ari Freilich of the Gifford Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said that the judge's opinion was "not normal," and called some of his arguments "absurd and dangerous." "That's just not where the country is," Freilich told the Sacramento Bee, adding that the judge's decision may pave the way for the legalization of military-grade weapons. Gun rights advocates welcomed the ruling. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which filed the lawsuit, praised it as a "huge win for gun owners" and "one of the strongest judicial statements" in favor of the right to bear arms. Gun control remains a hot-button issue in the US. Fierce debates around it have been reignited after last year's school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and the recent attack on two mosques in New Zealand. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The exit pay for big bosses should be limited to 30 percent of the salary, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said as he criticized the excessive multimillion departure check for outgoing Airbus executive Tom Enders. The 60-year-old chief executive of the European aerospace giant, in which France owns an 11 percent stake, is set to receive 36.8 million (US$ 41 million) when he steps down, French media reported earlier this week citing calculations by an investor advisory firm. I will limit the amount of bosses' golden handshakes to 30 percent of their salary, Le Maire told the BFM news channel. He added that the reported farewell pay is excessive and may harm the reputation of Airbus. Also on rt.com France could earn hundreds of millions by taxing tech giants The so-called golden parachute a guaranteed compensation for outgoing top executives currently stands at around 45 percent of the salary in France, the minister noted. However, the sum is non-binding and the companies can do what they want. Now Le Maire wants to introduce a law capping farewell payments. A bill on the matter will be presented to parliament soon. At the same time, the law is to cover a non-compete clause, which Enders is set to receive after he quits the company. As Le Maire explained, if a person wants to retire, you cannot just go to a rival firm, so that it is strange to have both a pension and the non-compete clause together. Also on rt.com Oops, France did it again! EU allows Paris near-traditional budget breach for 2019 Enders is expected to leave the company on April 10. The Airbus boss exit package reportedly totaling 36.8 million includes a pension valued at 26.3 million ($29.5mn), 3.2 million ($3.6mn) in benefits from a non-compete clause, as well as progressive performance bonuses of 7.3 million ($8.2mn). The outgoing Airbus executive is under a fraud investigation over a $2 billion Eurofighter contract. In 2017, Austria sued Airbus over the 2003 deal, saying that it had been misled over the purchase price and is seeking up to 1.1 billion ($1.2bn) in damages. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Germans in large cities are protesting on Saturday against what they see as the unfair influence of large landlords on the housing market. They want the biggest players undercut and their property expropriated. In past years, German people living in larger cities saw a wave of gentrification and rising rent levels. Some of the tenants couldnt keep up and had to move out, while others had to leave when owners of their homes decided to tear them down and build new, more expensive property, which could generate more profits. The situation in Berlin was among the most acute, with rent doubling over a decade. Some attempts by the authorities to rein in the growth, like the so-called rent-break in 2015, were underwhelming. For many Germans, there is also a political aspect to the problem. Some of the social housing that could have gone to citizens struggling to pay larger rent went to thousands of refugees, which the country had accepted. According to ZDF, nearly 55,000 refugees were living in Berlin in 2016, putting a bit of extra pressure on the housing market. The anger and frustration of people affected by the housing boom in a negative way sparked a public protest movement against this Mietwahnsinn, or rental insanity. Some 25,000 activists are expected to show up on Saturday for the latest rally in the capital, with smaller events scheduled in cities like Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. The campaign behind it is called Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen & Co, named after one of the largest owners of rental property in the country. Deutsche Wohnens share of the Berlin market is about 6.5 percent, or 111,500 apartments. Protesters say it and other large private companies abuse their superior position to inflate prices and profit through speculation. The protesters see the solution in a never-before-used Article 14 of the German constitution, which allows the forced transfer of private property into public ownership with due compensation the national version of eminent domain. Under the plan, the shares of Deutsche Wohnen and about a dozen other large landlords with more than 3,000 apartments in their portfolio would be downsized to that number, with the excess transferred to a new public body for social housing. Also on rt.com Amaz-off: Online retail giant Amazon cancels New York HQ plans after massive backlash The current goal for the campaign is to push their vision through a referendum. They need to collect 20,000 signatures within the next six months and a further 170,000 by February for the proposal to be put forward before the German Parliament, which would work on putting it into a law. Critics of the plan say the campaign overestimates the influence that larger landlords have on the market. There will also be a hefty price tag for the public to pick if the proposed expropriation takes place. The estimates vary from 7.3 billion ($8.2 billion) to as much as 36 billion ($40.4 billion). If you like this story, share it with a friend! Donald Trump made it a banner promise of his presidency to stop the US being abused as the worlds piggybank but not all foreign powers seem to be cowed into submission by his assertive style of foreign economic policy. The United States remains the worlds second-biggest exporter after China, but these five cases show that it cant always get its own way even among its allies. Is this a consequence of Trumps personal abrasiveness, a period of painful adjustment before as the giant rouses, or perhaps a harbinger that the rest of the world no longer needs America as much as it used to? No US alternative to Huawei Washington tried to scare other Western countries into dropping a Chinese telecoms giant from supplying 5G network equipment, claiming Beijing could capture any data transferred through Huawei devices at will. But both Germany and the UK refused to bar Huawei from participating in tenders, with Berlin publicly rebuking Washington by saying that it has its own security standards. Also on rt.com Merkel on Huawei: Germany wont exclude 5G providers just because they come from China The impact will be massive: the super-fast network will power not just telephones and computers, but likely any piece of sophisticated electronic equipment in your home for years to come. Did Washington fail because the case made by its officials appeared to be based entirely on evidence-free hypotheses, to follow other red scares of various hues? Or was it because the US has no 5G provider of its own to match up with the might of Huawei, on which countries around the world have become increasingly reliant? Brussels sets trap for tech giants The EU led a futile crusade to dismember Microsoft in the 1990s, but the assault on American tech giants by European lawmakers both in Brussels and through national governments is on an entirely different scale. From trying to regulate Facebook and Twitters content monitoring to Amazons tax practices to harrying Google for abusing its dominant position and levying a record $5 billion fine, the European Union has set itself up for years in the courtrooms against the American giants legal teams. Also on rt.com Pompeo urges France not to tax American tech firms as competition with China heats up Ironically, with its hunt for Russian trolls and fake news, the US has done more than any other country to tarnish the image of its own companies, meaning that almost any measure against them, however punitive or unrealizable, will be met with no resistance from the public. Uber not (always) welcome If the battle against the EU is a grand strategic campaign, the difficulties faced by US peer-sharing companies like Uber and Airbnb are more akin to a street-by-street city battle, and for every new market they have cracked, a lucrative one wipes out their business at the stroke of a single vote or edict. Also on rt.com Madrid taxi drivers block city center as they step up anti-Uber protest (VIDEO) Uber is currently locked out from markets as diverse as China, Turkey, and much of the European Union, while new labor regulations elsewhere could lessen its advantage versus traditional cab providers. Meanwhile, Airbnb struggles with pushback in many of the worlds most popular destinations, including Paris, Barcelona, Los Angeles and Japan. Worst of all, rather than being regarded as innovations that make life easier which they often do for the end consumer these unicorn disruptors are increasingly being treated as law-skirting, employee-abusing parasites. Nord Stream 2 goes ahead The US is betting on liquefied natural gas (LNG) becoming the worlds top fuel by the end of the next decade. But to propel itself to the top of the new export industry, which requires heavy investment in infrastructure for a product that is not always competitively priced, the US has had to use all of its economic and lobbying prowess. So every one of the dozens of times Donald Trump with backing from draconian Senate legislation has insisted that Germany must abandon its Nord Stream 2 project with Russia, he has not just been fearing the Kremlins hold over Berlin, but propping up American LNG exporters. Germany has held firm, preferring to divorce house heating from politics and US interest. Also on rt.com Full stream ahead: RT takes a peek at progress on construction of Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline And now a 10 percent tariff imposed by China which is something of a running theme here has also resulted in the postponement of the construction of at least one major facility in the US. Washington will argue that this is a hitch on its way to unstoppable domination of a boom industry, but the road ahead for American interests will be full of unexpected obstacles, many of them self-inflicted, others inevitable. S-400 v F-35 The US, the top global weapons exporter, has long been able to rely on its supplies to military allies as a reliable income stream. Which is why the American suspension of its F-35 supplies to Turkey in protest against its purchase of Russias S-400 missile defense system provokes concerns that go beyond the monetary. If more allies particularly non-NATO states such as Saudi Arabia drop their cast-iron loyalty to American weapons and look for options that are better value for money, this could force the US government to spend even more money propping up its successful but complacent giants like Lockheed Martin and Boeing (which has other problems of its own recently). Also on rt.com Washingtons Patriot offer wasnt favorable to us, were sticking with Moscows S-400s Erdogan More concerning still is that while NATO countries continue to lag in their defensive spending, the countries where defense budgets are ballooning fastest, China, India and Russia, are either not dependent on American supplies, or actively opposed to them. Whereas 25 years ago it looked like all of the major economies would eventually join Americas world order, it now looks like the other hemisphere is forging its own path. Rosneft, Russias state-controlled oil company and the largest oil producer in the country, plans to develop an Arctic cluster of oil fields over the next five years. These plans by Rosneftled by a close ally of Vladimir Putins, Igor Sechinfit the Russian Presidents ambition to develop Arctic oil and gas resources and adjacent regions, as well as the so-called Northern Sea Routea shipping lane through Russian Arctic waters stretching from Europe to the Far East. Russias Arctic oil development has stalled in recent years due to the western sanctions that have had international majors, including ExxonMobil, pull out of some exploration projects in Russia. Also on rt.com Russian shipments of LNG to Europe & Asia leave United States well behind Now Rosneft is pledging increased efforts to fulfill Putins Arctic development ambitions, aiming to have first oil produced in the so-called Arctic cluster of fields by 2024 and to boost cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route. For Rosneft, the Northern Sea Route, if connected to inland oil fields in Russias north, could provide another export avenue for its oil, especially to the markets in Asia. During a meeting between Putin and Sechin this week, Rosnefts boss told his boss that the oil giant is currently considering the possibility to create an Arctic cluster that will fully focus on bringing the cargo traffic in the Northern Sea Route to 80 million tonnes by 2024, as planned, as per the English translation of the meetings transcript provided by the Kremlin. Read more on Oilprice.com: Supermajor Shell looks to revitalize the Rust Belt The development may include Rosnefts Vankor cluster, Suzun, Tagul, the Lodochnoye deposit, and a number of geological exploratory projects in South Taymyr. For example, we have the Yermak project there we have launched jointly with BP, as well as the promising Zapadno-Erginsky area, Sechin told Putin, noting that a second stage of development, if the resource potential is confirmed, could include reserves in East Taymyr in the Khatanga area. According to Sechin, major Western and Southeast Asian investors have shown interest in the so-called Arctic cluster, which will certainly create conditions for an accelerated resource deployment as well as for a comprehensive development of related industries. The development of the Arctic oil resources, however, requires an investment-friendly environment that will be crucial to launching such projects, as well as regulatory terms and taxation that wont change during the projects lifetime, be it 30 or 50 years, Sechin told Putin. Also on rt.com Russia, US compete for Asian LNG market share Stable regulatory environment will help attract additional investors, especially from outside Russia, according to Rosnefts boss. Another important point in Sechins report to the Russian President was that the Northern Sea Route needs to be economically viable if it were to achieve Putins ambition for developing the Arctic resources and regions. Given the availability of alternative logistical options, the Northern Sea Route should be as economically viable for the projects as alternative routes. In this regard, we formulate our proposals, submit them to the Government, and we will continue to do this work, Sechin said. Read more on Oilprice.com: New offensive brings Libya to the brink of war At the end of February this year, Russian business daily Kommersant reported, quoting sources, that Rosneft had decided to significantly contribute to raising the cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route by redirecting oil from the new fields of the Vankor Cluster by building a 600-kilometer-long (373 miles) pipeline to the coast of Taymyr. Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak also spoke this week about the huge development potential of Russias Arctic projects. Also on rt.com Saudi Arabia looks to expand from oil to natural gas with huge LNG investment in Russias Arctic Russia is currently working on the timeframe for the development of the large Payakhskoye oil field, potentially using the Northern Sea Route, Novak said in a media interview this week published on the energy ministrys website. Arctic projects hold huge potential for the development of Russias energy sector, Novak said. It remains to be seen if Russias biggest companies can develop the Arctic on their own, if Russia can attract foreign investments in its ambitious projects, and if the Northern Sea Route can become a viable economically-competitive route for cargo traffic. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com Russia tells Libyas Haftar to seek peaceful resolution of conflict with Tripoli govt Russia tells Libyas Haftar to seek peaceful resolution of conflict with Tripoli govt Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar called Moscow and spoke to the special envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The general explained his motivation for launching a military campaign targeting Tripoli, the seat of power for the UN-recognized government, with which Haftar competes. He said the operation targets terrorist and extremist groups, including those around Tripoli. In response, the Russian official reiterated the support for political methods of resolution of all conflicts in the Libyan society and the UN efforts, the statement said.Source : RT - Daily news Spain will spend money from its state budget for the construction of a solar power plant in the Chernobyl nuclear disaster area, RIA reported citing the countrys ecology ministry. It will be the second such facility in the area. Ukraine, where the infamous exclusion zone is located, and Spain recently agreed that Madrid would finance the project under the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, according to ecology official Angel Sanchez as cited by RIA Novosti. Spain will invest more than 1 million in the construction of the facility, according to Sanchez. Specialists are currently developing the project and it is not clear when construction will begin. Also on rt.com Russian nuclear firm wins contracts to clean up Fukushima The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that was established to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 1997, and came into force in 2005. More than 190 states became parties of the document, with developed countries agreeing to help countries with fewer resources to protect the environment. For this task, EU states and their allies vowed to spend $410 million annually, and the money for the construction of the power plant in Chernobyl stems from this deal, according to RIA. Reactor Four at the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded in 1986, resulting in one of the worst civilian nuclear disasters in history. Since then, the area around the facility is not suitable to live in due to the contamination. Also on rt.com Chernobyl disaster site repurposed for solar energy (PHOTOS) However, the Ukrainian authorities opened up roughly 25 square kilometers of the zone for solar projects and received more than 60 proposals from foreign investors from Denmark, Germany, China, and the US. When completed, the Spanish-funded power plant will become the second such facility in the Chernobyl zone. The first 1-megawatt plant was opened last year and is located around 100 meters from the protective sarcophagus that covers the damaged reactor. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer says he is concerned by reports that Julian Assange could soon be expelled from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, saying he has received information that the WikiLeaks founder is at risk of extreme vulnerability, and his health is in serious decline. WikiLeaks warned on Thursday that it had received a tip-off from a high-level Ecuadorian source warning that Assange would be thrown out of the embassy, where he has sought asylum since 2012, in the coming hours or days. Melzer is calling on Ecuadorian authorities not to withdraw their political asylum protection of Assange and to continue providing him with adequate living conditions and access to appropriate medical care. The UN official also says he is preparing a formal request to both Ecuador and the UK to personally visit Assange and meet with authorities from both governments over his situation. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. UN expert on torture calls on Ecuador to abstain from expelling Assange UN expert on torture calls on Ecuador to abstain from expelling Assange Source : RT - Daily news (1) Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan-Panama economic relations constitute a model for Japans efforts to enhance connectivity with Latin America and the Caribbean in a multifaceted manner. Prime Minister Abe expressed Japans intention to work with Panama as a partner across the Pacific Ocean based on our shared values. (2) Prime Minister Abe also conveyed that the commencement of operation of the expanded Panama Canal in 2016 has further increased Panamas importance for Japan from the perspective of energy security, and expressed his intention to continue close consultations with Panama regarding the use of the Panama Canal, an international public good. (3)Prime Minister Abe also stated he was glad that the introduction of Japans monorail technology was formally decided for the Panama Metro Line 3 project, for which a signing ceremony was held during President Varelas previous visit to Japan and he requested to continue to support the early start of the project, in order to meet the expectations of the people of Panama. (4) In response, President Varela welcomed the fact that many Japanese companies have operating in Panama, and stated that they would like to continue working for the efficient and economical operation of the Panama Canal. (5) President Varela also expressed an appreciation again for Japans assistance in the Panama Bay Purification Plan, the Panama Canal Expansion Project, and the Panama Metro Line 3 Project, and stated that he was looking forward to visiting the vehicle for railway manufacturing plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is also the hometown of Prime Minister Abe, tomorrow. Representative Image Data is the new oil. In Googles words, data is the sunlight. And, why not? For all we know, data is the new sunshine sector in an increasingly connected world. We are surrounded by smart phones, watches, TVs and intelligent consumer durables such as refrigerators and air conditioners that interact with each other and generate data on an everyday basis. Let me give you a sense of how much data is being generated through these connected devices. According to a report, the data created by the Internet of Things (IOT) devices such as mobiles, smart TVs and cars is a huge source of the 2.5 quintillion bytes of data we create every day. All this happened only in the last two years. What do you with such large volumes of data? Use those, say senior technology officers. With a huge amount of data being generated, enterprises across the world are employing new age techniques to make sense of them. Making sense of large volumes of data gives enterprise insights and helps companies make better business plans through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Using data and applying artificial intelligence, one can make medical diagnostics much more intuitive and accurate. Education can be made interactive. Corporates can use the knowledge to design intelligent products. Alexa and IBM Watson are products of such innovation. In recent times, it is being used for climate change studies to design accurate weather models. It is data that is the backbone of hundreds of Indian startups. However, it is almost impossible to analyse all the data that is being generated. A senior official from Intel India explained, For one, enterprises do not have the bandwidth to analyse such huge volume of data. So far only 2 percent of the data generated is being analysed. Imagine what the value addition will be if we can take 2 percent to 10 percent, he said. That is exactly what companies are doing. Enterprises are now focusing on designing products that will help corporate store and process much faster. The market is close to $200 billion and is rapidly growing. Intel India last week launched a range of data centric products. The range of products launched were Xeon 2nd generation processor, two variations of Intel Optane SSD and Intel DC persistent memory and Ethernet 800 series adapter. Other players in the market are Dell EMC and IBM. However, there is a catch. No one wants to talk about data privacy and protection. Indias data protection bill is yet to get the cabinet nod. The US-based tech majors are expressed their concern about data localisation aspect. The tech majors are lobbying against the localisation rule, as it would mean that they have to store data locally in India. India, with its 1.3 billion users, is a market no country can ignore. IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said in her recent interaction with Indian media that that there was a need to differentiate consumer data from business data. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg expressed the same and said in a Facebook post that the company might not comply with local rules of all countries. Yes, these firms have assured that they respect consumer privacy and will do the utmost to protect those. However, this response lacks that the transparency the data protection bill aims to bring. If companies can comply with EUs data protection policy, it makes one wonder why there is so much resistance against Indias. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has delivered a second consecutive policy rate cut, taking the cumulative reduction to 50 basis points since February, lack of guidance on liquidity support may keep lenders from passing on the entire benefit to customers. Experts said that tight liquidity conditions are likely to keep banks' cost of funds elevated, limiting their ability to cut lending rates. A senior official at Bank of India said that the lender will look at cutting some deposit rates and lending rates next week when the asset-liability committee meets. "There may be reduction in rates...though only to some extent," the official said. In March, the lender had cut its one-year marginal cost-based lending rate (MCLR) by five basis points, while other tenors were left unchanged. Bank of Maharashtra reduced its MCLR by only five basis points across tenors, effective April 7. It's one-year MCLR has been reduced from 8.75 percent to 8.70 percent. State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to link its deposit rates and short term lending rates to RBI's policy rate as the external benchmark from May 1, hence it's rates will automatically adjust to the reduction. SBI's savings deposit rate on balances above Rs 1 lakh, which is at 3.5 percent, will fall to 3.25 percent. The bank has fixed a spread of 2.75 percent for savings bank rate and 2.25 percent on short-term loans rate. In response to the February policy rate cut, a number of other lenders like ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, YES Bank and Union Bank of India had reduced MCLR in select tenors by 5 to 15 basis points. On April 3, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said "more needs to be done" in terms of monetary policy transmission. The central bank is working with lenders to come up with an effective way to ensure faster transmission, he said. In terms of providing liquidity support, the RBI said it will use all tools including the newly-introduced dollar-rupee swap, to maintain adequate liquidity in the system. "Rate cuts are more effective when liquidity is positive therefore, the operating theme could be to move to a durable positive liquidity which could by itself mark a step towards a more accommodative stance," said RK Gurumurthy, Head Treasury, Lakshmi Vilas Bank. "RBI rate cuts, along with sufficient durable liquidity, should speed policy transmission to lending rate cuts, as the slack industrial season begins," said Indranil Sengupta, India economist, Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He expects RBI to inject $2-3 billion a month through open market purchases of government bonds or forex intervention for the June quarter. "After all, Re 1 of RBI liquidity takes about 6 months to 'multiply' into Rs 5 of deposits. That said, the effective 2 percent SLR cut is a negative as it will hold up the risk-free rate. Finally, our liquidity model suggests that the money market is unlikely slip to reverse repo mode now given high cash demand during the elections," he added. Banking has led the rally until now, and we expect the same leadership to continue. Bank Nifty 34,000-35,000 is certainly possible in 2019, Sahaj Agrawal, Vice President Derivatives, Kotak Securities said in an interview to Moneycontrol's Sunil Shankar Matkar. Q: Will Nifty find strong support at 11,500 and move beyond 11,761 in coming week? For the April series, we are seeing support for Nifty at 11,570 (spot). As long as we sustain above the same, a new high is not ruled out. A breach of the same on closing basis would push the market into consolidation for the rest of the series. Q: Do you see further correction in midcaps; what are charts telling? A: A stellar rally was seen in the month of March. We expect some consolidation with sector-specific performances to continue. Some healthy correction in midcaps cannot be ruled out. Nifty Midcap index has support at 17,900; a breach could invite some selling pressure. Q: Will Bank Nifty hit 35,000 in 2019? In my opinion, the undertone of the markets is very strong. We remain extremely bullish on the broader markets. Banking has led the rally until now, and we expect the same leadership to continue. Bank Nifty 34,000-35,000 is certainly possible in 2019. Q: Is it the right time to take a position in IT counters? A: IT stocks are trading near the higher end of the trading range. Considering a strong possibility of some consolidation/correction in the broader markets, I would suggest accumulating the same on meaningful corrections. : The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that its two directors, who were nominated on the board of Lakshmi Vilas Bank, did not present their views at the lender's board meet that approved merger plans with Indiabulls Housing Finance on April 5. "It is clarified that the merger announcement does not have any approval of RBI at this stage. It is also clarified that presence of Additional Directors nominated by the RBI on the Board of LVB does not imply any approval of the RBI of the merger proposal," the banking regulator said in a statement issued late on April 6. " Moreover, the Additional Directors have clearly mentioned at the meeting that they have no view on the proposal," it added. The apex bank said that the proposals, as and when received from both entities, will be examined in RBI as per extant regulatory guidelines. The board of LVB, on April 5, had approved the merger with IHB, in a share swap deal. Post the notification to exchanges, it's managing director and chief executive officer Parthasarathi Mukherjee told media on a concall that the decision of the board was "unanimous." LVB has two RBI officials on its board currently. The non-banking finance company has been eyeing the banking space for a while now. IBH was one of the applicants that faced rejection in 2013 when the RBI had allowed companies to apply for a universal banking licence. Also, the promoter shareholding at 19.25 percent in the proposed merger plan may not go well with the regulator as it does not permit holding stakes above 15 percent. For LVB, the merger brings in the much needed capital support and a shot at achieving a pan-India presence to compete with large banks in the country. Congress advisor Sam Pitroda said that there is a serious job crisis that needs to be addressed in the country at a press conference in Mumbai on April 6. I sincerely believe that this is one of the most important elections in the recent history of India. I am at a personal level, very concerned about several things in the country, Pitroda said. We have a crisis in jobs, farming, healthcare, education and so on. The Congress aide, who played a part in formulating the election manifesto, emphasized on Indias requirement for jobs. He spoke about how polio was a major issue when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister. During the time, Pitroda and Rajiv Gandhi facilitated the production of the vaccine in India by sending a team to France and the then Soviet Union. Around 25 years down the road, we are the largest producers of vaccines in the world, he said. So if we say well create 100 million jobs, I assure you 100 million jobs. The former advisor on innovations said that there have been so many ideas for job creation that have come up. He gave an example of the mission, during Rajiv Gandhi government, to stop the import of vegetable oil and introduce production in India. The mission was achieved but India had gone back to importing. Pitroda said that in a recent conversation with an agricultural scientist, he heard that India is currently spending Rs 82,000 crore on importing vegetable oil. There are so many job opportunities within the agricultural food chain. We just need to focus, he said. Social Media, press and misinterpretation Pitroda also said that the press today is quick to misinterpret words. He recalled the example of a comment he made on social media being a new toy given to a monkey. His said that his words were twisted, and the next day the headline read Sam Pitroda says Indians are monkeys. Respect for press is really important, and a few people destroy that easily, he said. Pitroda also emphasized that young people need to come into politics, and that older people should take a step back. He said that the older generation should provide moral support to the younger generation, without giving out advice. File image The NIA on April 6 arrested an operative of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in connection with the 2017 terror attack on a CRPF camp in South Kashmir, officials here said. Syed Hilal Andrabi, 35, of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, was produced before a court which sent him to five days' police custody, they said. He was arrested from Jammu by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the attack on the CRPF camp at Lethpora in South Kashmir on December 30 night in 2017, in which five personnel were killed. Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed during the 36-hour-long gunfight. The UN-proscribed JeM had sent two suicide attackers to the camp, including the 16-year-old son of a policeman who had joined the outfit a few months before the attack. An active over ground worker of the JeM, Andrabi is a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF group centre before the attack, the NIA said. With his arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case has risen to four, it said. Andrabi's arrest came days after Nisar Ahmed Tantray, whose brother Noor Trali is believed to have helped revive the JeM in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested by the NIA after being deported from the UAE in the same case. Earlier last month, the NIA arrested Fayaz Ahmed Magray from Pulwama for allegedly being the "key conspirator" of the 2017 attack and accused him of providing logistical support such as shelter to the militants and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF Group Centre, Lethpora before the attack. The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, in which 40 personnel were killed. Representative image Pakistan has opened one of its 11 air routes for west-bound flights from India and airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it, said a senior government official on April 6. "Pakistan has been opening its airspace in tranches. On Thursday, it opened one of the 11 routes for west-bound flights. Therefore, airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it," he said. Even though the route P518 was opened on Thursday evening, American airline company United Airlines announced on Friday said its flight connecting Newark airport and Delhi airport has been suspended for two weeks. Pakistan had kept its airspace fully closed after an Indian Air Force strike on a terror camp in Balakot on February 26. However, Pakistan on March 27, opened its airspace for all flights except for Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, "Since the route P518 that has been opened passes over south Pakistan, the air travel time for west-bound flights from Delhi will not decrease substantially," the official clarified. Since February 26, many foreign airlines have decided to suspend their Delhi-bound flights as it was commercially unviable for them to take a longer route through Mumbai airspace. The operating cost for Air India, which flies to destinations in Europe and the US, has increased significantly as it had to take longer routes due to closure of Pakistan airspace. The Delhi-Washington and Delhi-Chicago flights of the national carrier had been making a stop at Mumbai and Vienna for refuelling and change of crew. Air India had on March 15 requested its "inactive" crew members to "immediately" join work as the airline had been forced to cancel and reroute a number of the US and Europe-bound flights due to closure of Pakistan airspace. The airline had on March 14 announced that it would combine the Mumbai-New York flight with its Mumbai-Newark flight from March 16 to May 31. On March 13, it had announced the suspension of flights on the Delhi-Madrid and Delhi-Birmingham routes from March 16 "till further notice" due to "operational reasons". Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on April 6 alleged that the Congress has entered into an "unholy alliance" with the Muslim League which was evident from the green flags seen when Rahul Gandhi went to file nomination in a procession from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. Gandhi filed his nomination paper from Wayanad which has a sizable Muslim population, on April 4. A video of Gandhi's procession while going to file nomination at Wayanad has gone viral. It was recorded from a spot that showed green flags of the Muslim League fluttering over the procession. "Gandhi ran away from Uttar Pradesh and filed his nomination from a seat in Kerala. In his procession there was neither the Indian Tricolour nor the Congress symbol 'hand' but only the Muslim League's green flag with stars and mooon," he claimed while addressing an election rally here in Central Assam. "This unholy alliance has exposed the mindset of the Congress. The Muslim League was responsible for the partition of the country and the killing of lakhs of people during that time. Now the Congress has a political alliance with the same party," the UP chief minister said. In Assam too, the Congress has entered into an understanding with Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF which is responsible for myriad problems in the state, he alleged. "The Congress has compromised the national security and your security by entering into both these alliances," he told the rally. He asserted that India under Modi has emerged as a global economic power attaining the sixth position from the earlier 11th place under the UPA regime. Adityanath was campaigning for BJP's Nowgong candidate Rupak Sarmah. The Election Commission is unlikely to take before April 8 a final decision on whether to restrain the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till the Lok Sabha polls are over, as the Supreme Court is slated to hear the issue that day. The EC has been made a party in a plea filed by a Congress worker who wants the top court to delay the film's release claiming it "disturbs" level-playing field for candidates in the Lok Sabha polls. Sources said, now any decision will be taken after evaluating the developments in the top court. However, there is a strong view in the EC that it should not restrain the release of the biopic -- "PM Narendra Modi" -- and should leave it to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take a call on the issue, sources said. Opposition parties including the Congress have alleged the film will give undue advantage to the BJP in electioneering and its release should be delayed until 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 an even-playing field for all parties and candidates, came into force on March 10 when the elections were announced. "PM Narendra Modi" is now scheduled to be released on April 11, the day the first phase of polling takes place. A functionary pointed to at least two Supreme Court rulings about movies. In one of the rulings, the SC had directed the West Bengal government to ensure satirical film 'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' is screened without obstruction. The movie was critical of the then state chief minister. "We also have to see the latest Delhi High court ruling which said the biopic screening should be decided by the EC," he said, adding that the model code is silent on flims and thus it remains a "grey area". He said the EC has to keep the court verdicts in mind. The Commission had earlier sent a notice to the makers of the film following a meeting with a Congress delegation, which sought a ban on its release ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. On Monday, the Bombay High Court disposed a plea against the release of the biopic. The court had said that the Election Commission will deal with the issue. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 6 accused the BJP of "whipping up war hysteria", saying its false claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 has "backfired", days after a leading American magazine claimed that none of the US-manufactured fighter jets of the PAF were missing. Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine reported on April 4 that American personnel recently counted the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16s and found none of the planes missing. It quoted two senior US defence officials with direct knowledge of the situation. The Indian Air Force, however, stuck to its stand on April 5, saying that it had conclusive proof of shooting down a PAF F-16 on February 27. Reacting to the Foreign Policy report, Prime Minister Khan took to Twitter to criticise the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," he said in a tweet. The Indian Air Force on February 28 displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir. Pakistan has denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. According to the magazine, Pakistan invited the US to physically count its F-16 planes after the incident as part of an end-user agreement signed when the foreign military sale was finalised. "The findings directly contradict the account of Indian Air Force officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile," the report said. Lara Seligman of the magazine later updated the story, saying "the F-16s Pakistan bought from Jordan have also been included in the count and even third-party transfers of US equipment must go through the US government". Reacting to the report, the IAF asserted that it had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the PAF on February 27 during aerial combat. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, "during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector." IAF sources also said it has conclusive "circumstantial evidence" including wireless intercepts, signals and graphic captures from airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and electronic signatures to conclude that the F-16 jet was shot down during the aerial combat. On April 6, the Pakistani military called on India to "speak the truth" about the "actual losses". National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of "lying" to the nation on the Balakot air strike and shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 in the aerial dogfight between the IAF and the PAF. Abdullah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Srinagar constituency, said the BJP-led central government carried out the aerial strike as the Prime Minister had "failed" in delivering on his promises made during the last general elections in the country. "He (Modi) had promised that Rs 15 lakh will be put in your accounts, did you get Rs 15 lakh? When he failed in all these things, his head was hanging whenever I used to see him in Parliament during the last few days as he realised that his power is gone. "At that time, some MPs would say that he would do something...Attack Pakistan so that everyone feels that Hanuman ji has come. What did he do? For a few seconds, he sent three planes to the border which is known as Balakot and dropped bombs there," Abdullah said addressing an election rally in the Fakir Gujri area here Friday. The former chief minister said the government claimed that a number of terrorists were killed but there is no clarity. "Some people said 500 were killed and some others even said 700 were killed. Here if one person is killed, the whole world comes to know. Would no one know if 300 were killed?" he asked. On the report in a US journal that the US count claims no F-16 jet was shot down by IAF's MiG-21 Bison, Abdullah asked the prime minister why he was "lying" to the people of the country. "He (Modi) said we shot down their (Pakistani) fighter plane F-16. Now, the US has come up saying all the Pakistani F-16s are counted. Not one has been shot down. There must be some basis for even lies, Modi ji. How long will you lie to people. And did you win (the battle)? Has Pakistan disappeared? Why are you lying? Do you think the Hindus will buy into all this?" he said. Hoping that the BJP will not return to power at the Centre, Abdullah said whichever party comes to power "they will definitely talk to Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir will be the first priority". "We can't bear living like this ...That deaths take place everyday," he said. About the government's decision to ban public traffic on Jammu and Srinagar highway two days every week, Abdullah said the road was not even closed during Kargil war. "Are we at war today that the government has closed the highway for two days a week? Are we slaves? Is Jammu and Kashmir a colony? We were never slaves and will never be. We have said goodbye to kings in 1947. Don't threaten us, you are not our god," he said. Indian Union Muslim League on April 6 took strong objection over the tweet posted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said it had filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the matter. "IUML filed a complaint today with Election Commission against the malicious tweet of Yogi Adityanath that Muslim League is a virus. IUML does not need a certificate about its nationalist or patriotic credentials from any quarters, including Yogi Adityanath", IUML National General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty said in a statement. The IUML is a recognised party in Kerala and has a long history of upholding the "secular democratic ethos of our Constitution", he said. The agenda of creating divisive politics by these "forces" in this country would not succeed as the people are determined to expose these forces and their game plans through the mighty force of the ballot paper, Kunhalikutty said. He claimed that the entire country recognised and appreciated the IUML leadership for upholding the secular fabric and communal harmony of the country. "Today, faced with several of their own senior leaders coming out together to expose BJP's dangerous and devious designs, to cause tensions in the country, the frustrated and discredited elements like Yogi are trying to malign our progressive political forces", the IUML leader said. Stating that Adityanath's statement was highly objectionable and illegal,Kunhalikutty said IUML has urged the Election Commission to take appropriate action against such forces "who are out to tarnish the image and secular credentials of IUML." The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had tweeted that the Muslim League is a virus and the Congress was affected by it. "Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he cannot survive and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Think, if they win what will happen? This virus will spread in the entire nation," Adityanath had tweeted. He also brought in the 1857 movement for freedom and its hero Mangal Pandey. "In 1857, entire country fought against Britishers with Mangal Pandey, then this Muslim League virus came and spread in such a way that the country was divided," he said. "The same threat is looming over the country again. Green flags are once again furled. Congress is suffering from Muslim league virus,remain alert," another of his tweets had said. Representative image On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party on April 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls. In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party. "The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said. 39 years ago on this day, @BJP4India was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become Indias preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Partys Foundation Day. pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 "I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added. On the occasion, BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to put in an "untiring effort" to build a new India under Modi. Modi also put out a short video featuring speeches of party's founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, besides those of him and Shah. The BJP was founded in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged in 1977 with Janata Party - an amalgam of several anti-Congress parties. In the first Lok Sabha polls it fought in 1984, the BJP won only two seats but has since gone from strength to strength, winning a majority of seats for the first time in 2014. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on April 6 slammed Pakistan for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil despite India providing it evidence several times. Sitharaman told reporters here that Pakistan did not want to eliminate terror. "Pakistan is interested in promoting terrorism. It does not want to eliminate terrorism," the senior BJP leader said when asked about Pakistan stonewalling dossiers on terrorists supplied by India. "Not just this government, but even earlier governments have given dossier after dossier, evidence after evidence but Pakistan has done nothing on them," she said. Talking about the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, she said even the first court in the neighbouring country had not completed the job of trying the accused. Claiming that only the Narendra Modi government could give a befitting reply to terrorists, she said opposition parties were insulting soldiers by questioning the February 26 air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. The air strikes were carried out after the JeM terror outfit claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred. She said the morale of the armed forces was high and people's support had raised their motivation level even further. On a query on the Rafale fighter jet purchase in which the Congress has alleged irregularities, Sitharaman said the deal followed laid down norms and was made in national interest. "Bofors was a scam. Not Rafale. Rafale will bring back the Modi government to build a new India and stamp out corruption," she claimed. Rahul Gandhi, Party Congress, Lok Sabha seat Amethi, Uttar Pradesh | Congress president Rahul Gandhi is looking for a fourth straight victory in Amethi. However, he has been given a tough fight from Union Minister Smriti Irani, A BJP candidate on the seat. Amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on April 6 discussed the issue with senior party leaders of the city again. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko, and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Gandhi's residence, a source said. According to sources, Delhi Congress leaders told Gandhi about the party's prospects in Delhi in this Lok Sabha polls and if the party goes for a pre-poll alliance with the AAP what effects it may have, given that Assembly elections in the national capital are scheduled in 2020. A Congress leader, who was present in the meeting, claimed that an alliance with the AAP was "almost certain" and now the two sides need to sit together to fine-tune the seat-sharing formula. Sources said that Dikshit, who has been opposed to tying up with the AAP in Delhi, was "upset" although she has chosen to go by the party high command's diktat. Chacko visited the Delhi Congress president at her residence after the meeting with Gandhi, following which the two leaders avoided media queries on the alliance. Asked about her two meetings on the day, Dikshit told PTI, "Leaders visit me often." A senior Congress leader said the party high command was in favour of the alliance with the AAP if the grand old party was given New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi seats to contest. However, the AAP sources asserted that there will be no alliance unless the Congress agrees to fight the Lok Sabha polls jointly in Haryana and Chandigarh too, besides openly declaring its support to full statehood for Delhi. Chacko has been in discussion with AAP leader Sanjay Singh and the two have held several rounds of talks over the issue. These discussions mark a fresh round of talks between the Congress and AAP leaders after renewed efforts by some opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar who urged both the parties forge an alliance in Delhi. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh will kick off its joint campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections on April 7, holding its first rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. The top leaders of the parties will address the Deoband meeting just days before Saharanpur and seven other western UP constituencies go to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11. "BSP president Mayawati will address the rally organised near Jamia Tibbiti Medical College in Deoband on Sunday, a Bahujan Samaj Party spokesperson said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh and RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary will also attend the rally, party spokespersons said. This will be the first joint public meeting by the three parties after they formed the alliance to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey claimed the impact of the alliance is evident by the irresponsible statements by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the rally will give a further momentum to the campaign of the "grand alliance", which he claimed is very comfortably placed in the state. After cobbling together the alliance, Akhilesh Yadav had announced that joint rallies will be held in different parts of the state. Yadav and Mayawati had together drawn up a strategy to start the campaign during 'Navratri', which began Saturday, from western UP, a leader said. The SP and the BSP, which announced their alliance in January, will contest on 37 and 38 seats respectively. The RLD will fight on three seats. The alliance has decided not to field candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi, the constituencies held by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Yadav, Mayawati and RLD's Ajit Singh will address 11 joint rallies between April 7 and May 16, a spokesperson said. After Deoband, rallies will be held in Badaun, Agra, Mainpuri, Rampur, Firozabad, Kannauj, Faizabad, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Varanasi. In Mainpuri, the SP has fielded Mulayam Singh Yadav, while Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting from Kannauj. Image: Twitter/@JaiTDP The ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh on April 6 released its manifesto for the general elections promising doles to the tune of Rs 2 lakh to each family every year, with the monetary benefits starting from womb to tomb. Releasing his party manifesto, TDP president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said while Congress chief Rahul Gandhi promised Rs 72,000 per annum to each poor family, his government if voted back to power, would be giving out Rs 2 lakh to each family every year. "Nobody can match us in extending such largesse even in imagination," he said. The TDP promised to continue the Centre's PM Kisan Samman scheme with a matching grant from the state, giving a benefit of up to Rs 15,000 to each farmer per annum. The principal opposition YSR Congress party also released its manifesto, hours ahead of the TDP, matching the largesse in equal measure, if not more. The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh which goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11. While the TDPs promises include raising the limits of various existing schemes for different sections, the YSRC party added several new components to the Nava Ratnalu it announced on the eve of its president Y S Jaganmohan Reddys 'paada yatra' in November 2017. Officials estimated that the cash-starved state government will require at least Rs 1.5 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore to fulfill the promises of either party. With the two parties promising 30-45 lakh free houses for different sections, besides waiver of existing loans on old houses, that bill alone is expected to cross over Rs 40,000 crore. Neither the TDP nor YSRC announced a farm loan waiver but promised several benefits to farmers in varied measures. The YSRC, on the other hand, promised to introduce the YSR Rythu Bharosa scheme that will give annual benefits from Rs 12,500 to Rs one lakh to each farmer. Tenant farmers would be given Rs 12,500, according to Jagan Mohan Reddy. The highlight of YSRC's promises is a health insurance scheme Aarogya Sri, first introduced by former Chief Minister, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, without any cap to ensure universal health coverage. The YSRC also announced a stipend of Rs 60,000 to junior lawyers, a first-of-its-kind incentive. Besides, a Rs 100 crore Lawyer Welfare Fund would also be created. While the YSRC chief promised to fill all 2.3 lakh existing vacant jobs in the state government, the Chief Minister merely said all vacancies would be filled, without specifying the number. Both, however, promised to take up recruitment drive every year to fill future vacancies in the government. Naidu promised to continue the Pasupu-Kumkuma scheme under which Rs 10,000 would be given to each member of women self-help groups (SHGs). The YSRC promised Rs 50,000 per annum to SHG women and also interest-free loans. The TDP promised free higher education and a Rs 25 lakh grant for overseas education while the YSRC promised total fee reimbursement and also an annual Rs 20,000 per student to cover food and accommodation expenses. Every woman would be given Rs 15,000 a year for sending her children to school. Another highlight of the YSRC manifesto is a grant of Rs 75,000 for each woman over the age of 45, belonging to the SC, ST, BC and minorities under 'YSR Cheyuta.' The opposition party also promised liquor prohibition, making it available only in five-star hotels. A Rs 3,000 crore price stabilization fund for the farm sector, Rs 4,000 crore Natural Calamity Fund and Rs 75,000 crore BC Welfare Fund are the other major promises of the YSRC. The TDP has also come forward to set up a price stabilisation fund with a corpus of Rs 5,000 crore. Naidu announced a "five-point vision" for AP development listing interlinking of rivers, construction of capital Amaravati into a world-class city, development of a 974-km long Beach Road with interlink to National Highways and airports, industrial development through 175 MSME Parks and use of pollution-free energy consumption as the keypriorities. "Creating a healthy and happy Andhra Pradesh that is free of poverty is my ultimate aim," Naidu noted, with the slogan 'Your Future-My Responsibility.' On the world stage, Australia isnt exactly known for its technology achievements. Sure, we were responsible for the invention of Wi-Fi technology in 1992. And for the black box flight recorders that exist in all commercial planes today. And even for innovations like the electric drill, Penicillin, and ultrasound scanners. All of these things were beyond impressive at the time. But in recent years, weve lagged behind technology greats like China, Korea and the US when it comes to advancing our tech-hungry society. According to the Global Innovation Index 2018, Australia is currently sitting in 20th place worldwide when it comes to outputs in creative technology solutions and start-up companies. Far behind the UK and US who are in the top 10. Australia needs to move fast to keep up We can all agree that Melbourne and Sydney arent exactly Silicon Valley. Nor does Australia have any tech pioneers that are world-renowned, like Koreas Samsung, or the US Tesla. And when it comes to groundbreaking tech developments, unlike in the US, we dont have any to our name as of late. In 2018 for example, US companies Helix and 23andMe started offering polygenic risk scores, which is essentially a DNA report card which provides predictions about what cancer or diseases youre prone to, whether you have an addictive personality, or even if youre smarter than average. And in Japan, another highly ranked country on the technology list, they have recently introduced an artificially-intelligent Buddhist robot at a 4,000 year old temple in Kyoto to chant along with guests. Which just goes to show how the old doesnt always have to be at odds with the new. I could really go on forever with the whacky innovations that are popping up all over the globe on a daily basis. But these advancements go far beyond the novelty factor. They indicate a much broader shift towards a world driven by computing power and data. Thankfully, our government is starting to realise that we need to move fast if were to catch up. A realisation that is reflected in the budget outlook which was released earlier this week. In his budget speech on Tuesday night, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg reiterated that: We are backing the industries of the futureWere investing AU$9 billion this year in science, research, and technology, including its commercialisation. This is a wise move considering that Deloittes recent study ACS Australias Digital Pulse 2018 predicts that Australia will need 10,000 new technology workers in the next four years to meet demand. But is $9 billion really enough to put us in the global race? Probably not. Especially when you consider that China has allocated 60% of their US$256 billion tech budget in 2019 to advancing telecommunications and 5G in particular. And that they have recently performed their first remote surgery via livestream, using 5G technology. Our government however, can barely deliver on upgrades to basic technology like the internet. We can all agree, for example, that the NBN has been a disaster. The government royally screwed up that endeavour. And now were left with some of the slowest internet speeds in the world. When it comes to fixed broadband speeds, Australia comes in at number 60 in the world. Behind names like Uruguay, Kazakhstan and Serbia. This really doesnt bode well when you consider that the US, China, Korea and Japan are all working fast to implement commercially viable, nation-wide 5G technology. As the recent Aussie budget outlook will also see R&D Incentive spending slashed by $1.35 billion this year, its clear that it will be up to strong-willed private companies to carry us into the next era. Thankfully, they already have. How you could quadruple your your money in 12-18 months Two ASX-listed companies are on the cusp of rolling out new 5G technology that is 800 times faster than the NBN, completely wireless and most importantly, puts us in the running to challenge China when it comes to communications. As Harje explains in his latest research report, The Hypernet Invasion: Not only will it pave the way for new technologies, but new businesses and income streams as well. Google, Facebook and Amazon, Im sure theyll all benefit from this next generation in connectivity. But they probably wont be the names that double overnight. The really big winners from this opportunity will likely be found in the smaller end of the market, where $50 million in sales is a noticeable addition. Down here in the bottom of the market, you might see stocks rise 100%, 200%, maybe even 300% on this opportunity. With that in mind, I decided to go on a hunt a few months ago. I wanted to find the few stocks that could really benefit from this Internet 2.0 evolution. I kept coming back to two names. These two ASX stocks, I believe, could really benefit from our ever-increasing data-filled world. While this may sound farfetched, Harje believes the ASX-listed countries helping to build the hypernet infrastructure have the potential to quadruple your money in the next 1218 months. Even tech giant, Qualcomm believes the 5G rollout will create $12.3 trillion in new wealth by 2035. This week in Money Morning Can you hear the warning bells ringing? The US economy is slowing. Aussie bond yields are falling. Wall Streets fear gauge is flashing. But as Harje wrote on Monday, there could be the trade of the lifetime amongst all of this. To learn more, click here. Then on Tuesday, Harje questioned whether Asia could still be considered a strong growth economy. China is slowing. So is India. Japan has been like that for decades. But a change in industry could completely change their fate To read the full story, click here. Humans are hard-wired to seek out patterns. We do it with music, people and even with businesses. In fact, some people use patterns as there sole method for investing in stocks. But is this really the wisest plan of action? Harje tackles this question in his Wednesday article, right here. In case you didnt know, income tax is still a relatively recent phenomenon. Even when London was scorched and charred from the fire of London, Charles II didnt ask the people to cough up. But as Harje wrote on Thursday, in recent years weve all had to accept that the government will put their greedy hand in our pockets. And its slowly chipping away at Aussies willing to compete To learn more, click here. Theres not much debate. The consensus is low growth, waning profits and a slow hard grind from here. For us Aussies in particular, the next move might be down. But as Harje wrote on Friday, theres one sector that is rising above the rest. And when they look out to the horizon they dont see doom and gloom. They see excitement, growth and even more opportunity To read the full article, click here. Until next week, Katie Johnson, Editor, Money Weekend April 06, 2019 Libya - From Ghaddafi To Hafter Libya is back in the news as the so called Libyan National Army under General Hafter is moving to attack Tripoli. How did we get here? In March 2011 the United Kindom, France and the U.S. set out to destroy the government of Libya. Muslim Brotherhood militia and al-Qaeda aligned forces, equipped by Qatar and supported by Britain, took the easten city of Benghazi. The U.S. airforce destroyed government troops on the ground and helped the militants to capture and murder Muhammar Ghaddafi. Chaos ensued as various tribal forces, local militia and Islamists fought over control of the cities and the spoils. One person who tried to insert himself into the chaos as new leader of Libya was the former general Khalifa Haftar. He had taken part in the coup that brought Ghaddafi to power but later fell out with him and changed sides. The CIA sponsored him to launch a coup against Ghaddafi. The coup failed and since 1990 Hafter has lived in Virginia where he also became a U.S. citizen. Haftar's attempt to take power amongst the chaos of 2011 failed. The Muslim Brotherhood aligned militia saw him as a secular Ghaddafi follower and rejected him. The situation changed in 2014 after the military in Egypt ousted the Muslim Brotherhood aligned president Morsi from power. Egypt, under the new president Sisi, feared the Islamist gangs in Libya and wanted to eliminate them. Hafter was called upon to build an army and to take over Benghazi. The United Arab Emirates financed the project. With UAE money, Egyptian air support, Russian supplies, French intelligence and special forces support Hafter slowly defeated the various Islamist gangs and took control over Benghazi. It took him more than three years to consolidate his control and to build up his Libyan National Army (LNA) that would allow him to take the western parts of Libya. Those western parts, including the capital Tripoli, are controlled by various feuding familes, clans and tribes, each with their own militia. There is also a nominal Government of National Accord under Fayez al-Sarraj. It is recognized by the UN but has no forces of its own. It depends on the support of local militia in Tripoli and support coming from the coastal city of Misrata. That city has a strong tribal militia which even operates a small air force. Libya - January 1 2019 bigger Misrata is also what blocked Hafter from moving his troops from Benghazi in the east along the coast towards Tripoli in the west. The blocking force made it necessary for Hafter to move through the thinly populated south and then west and again north towards Tripoli. An attempt to do so in 2018 failed when local forces in the southwest (pink), supported by Algeria's military, resisted Haftar's move. This year Algeria has its own problems as mass protests forced its president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down. The Algerian military is busy at home with installing a new ruler. Hafter, with the help of UAE money, bought off the southwestern forces and thereby opened the roads towards Tripoli. He also took control of Sirte in the north and the El Sharara oil fields near Wasi al Hayaa in the south. The field produces some 300,000 barrels of oil per day which can be exported through Sirte's ports. Control of these assets gave Haftar a huge power boost. Libya - April 6 2019 bigger Haftar's LNA is now some 20 miles from Tripoli but resistance from local militia and from forces sent from Misrata is building up. Yesterday Haftar's military briefly took the defunct international airport of Tripoli but was soon ousted. Today fighter jets launched from Misrata attacked his forces. Tripoli - April 6 2019 bigger If Hafter wants to succeed he will have to take the road between Tripoli and Misrata to split his enemies. He could then take Tripoli and announce his own national government. There are rumors that some of the warlords in Tripoli are willing to change sides and to join Haftar. Hafter has open support from France, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia. The Trump administration is not interested to step into the mess. Hafter is an old CIA asset and if he takes control there is a good chance that the U.S. will have influence over him. As long as Libyan oil flows and keeps the global oil price down Trump will be happy. Russia is trying to stay in the background to not give the anti-Russian forces in Washington an excuse to intervene. The Muslim Brothers, supported by Turkey and Qatar, are still in play in Misrata but have otherwise lost their influence on the ground. Hafter and his troops seem to have nearly all advantages on their side. Their supply route from Benghazi through the south towards Tripoli is too long, but France is helping to protect it by keeping rebels from Chad and Mali in Libya's south under control. The Egyptian air force may well help again and destroy whatever planes Misrata has left. But war is unpredictable and militia in Libya have often changed sides on a moment's notice. It may take 10 days to take Tripoli without many casualties or 100 days of intense fighting. The attempt could even fail. Libya is a divers tribal country that is unlikely to function as a democracy. A strongman like Muhammad Ghaddafi can control it by distributing the income from its mineral resources and by keeping the Islamists down. Hafter may be able to replicate that. But he is 75 years old. A year ago he was evacuated to France for some medical emergency procedures. His sons, two of which lead some of his militia, are of unknown quality. Another problem is brewing in Benghazi where Wahabbi preachers, trained in Saudi Arabia, replaced Muslim Bortherhood preachers and now introduce Saudi style rule over women and local culture. A strongman ruling all of Libya from Tripoli is certainly better for Libya and its people than the long chaos that ensued after the war the U.S., Britain and France waged against the country. Given some time Hafter may well achieve that. But he is not a longterm solution. The best one can hope for is that he wins enough time for Libya to come back to its senses and for the civil war to die down. Posted by b on April 6, 2019 at 18:26 UTC | Permalink Comments Lorain City Schools CEO David Hardy Jr. is to blame for the discord with the Lorain Police Department over discussions about finding a replacement student resource officer in the wake of an April 3 incident that could lead to a students expulsion. The city and the Police Department and others have tried to work with Hardy since he arrived in Lorain nearly two years ago. Unfortunately, Hardy has shown an unwillingness to work with others. Now, Hardy finds himself asking for help with security at Lorain High School in light of the recent episode of student behavior. About 10:30 a.m., a freshman student entered Lorain High and was stopped at the door due to an odor of marijuana. After being questioned and searched by school safety officers, two 7.62 mm caliber cartridges were found in the students front pants pocket. The student responded he found the cartridges on the ground April 2, but not on school property. The student was placed on a 10-day suspension and recommended for expulsion. The district issued a news release April 3 indicating Lorain High still is functioning without a school resource officer. Hardy recently sent an email to Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer and police Chief Cel Rivera asking for the support for a school resource officer. In it, Hardy asked for their support in creating the learning environment the community continues to ask for inside and outside of the districts schools. Interesting. Hardy said he want to continue on the path of increasing safety at Lorain High, and throughout the district, however, we are thirsting for the opportunity to truly collaborate on a consistent basis. At your earliest convenience, our chief operations officer and head of security (Jeff Hawks) are ready and willing to engage again in meetings that will foster continued communication, ongoing support, and equally committed partnership focused on the well-being of our young people. But Lorain police and Ritenauer are calling the districts claims about seeking a replacement student resource officer into question. Lorain police Capt. Roger Watkins said that the districts claim about seeking a replacement school resource officer is not accurate. Watkins said the Departments school resource officer suffered an injury while off duty. Watkins said he was approached by Jeff Hawks who said Listen, Dave Kuzner is injured. Were going to go ahead and let Reuben (Figueroa) hold the school for the rest of the year and well discuss the SRO situation later.' Watkins said Rivera never turns down opportunities to sit down with the school district. And it comes as no surprise, Ritenauer firmly supports the Lorain Police Department. Ritenauer said its interesting that Hardy is taking this approach the day after Rivera and Ritenauer testified for a change to House Bill 70, the bill that created academic distress commissions to run academically troubled school districts, including Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland. On April 2, Ritenauer and Rivera testified before the Ohio Senates Education Committee in support of legislation that would return elements of control from the Ohio Department of Education to the local community. State Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, introduced the bill. It had its second round of committee hearings this week. The bill, known as Senate Bill 110, would address specific parts of House Bill 70, Watkins said any claim the district has tried unsuccessfully to schedule meetings with the Police Department is untrue. Specifically, Watkins said,To say that were avoiding meetings or denying them an SRO is not accurate. Watkins said while it is true the Police Department is suffering manpower issues, the district specifically approached the department and said they felt comfortable with only Figueroa handling Lorain High. Tony Dimacchia, vice president of Lorain School Board, also criticized Hardy. Dimacchia said its too late for Hardy to start looking for help for the issues he created. Adding that Hardy suffers from a lack of policy and lack of control, its time for him to seek employment elsewhere. Who can blame Dimacchia for feeling that way when Hardy only seeks help when he is backed into a corner. 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. MIDLAND and HOUSTON -- EagleClaw Midstream, a portfolio company of Blackstone Energy Partners and I Squared Capital, announced a series of commercial and organizational milestones. Delaware Link Pipeline First, EagleClaw announced that it has made a final investment decision to proceed with construction of the Delaware Link pipeline, a new pipeline designed to transport residue natural gas from the Delaware Basin to the Waha hub, with access to further downstream takeaway connections. Delaware Link is expected to be anchored by residue volumes from EagleClaw's processing facilities as well as third-party customers. The approximately 40 mile, 30" diameter pipeline will originate at EagleClaw's three existing natural gas processing complexes in Reeves County, Texas (East Toyah, Pecos, and Pecos Bend) and will have transportation capacity of at least 1.2 Bcf/d. Given the level of producer inquiry, EagleClaw is also evaluating increasing the pipeline's diameter and related transportation capacity. Delaware Link is intended to provide E&Ps in the Delaware Basin further flow assurance and improved price realization by providing a direct, cost-advantaged path to Waha and multiple interconnections at Waha to various takeaway pipelines. These interconnections include, amongst others, direct access to the Permian Highway Pipeline, an approximately 2.1 Bcf/d pipeline designed to transport gas from Waha to the U.S. Gulf Coast and other premium priced markets. Permian Highway, a joint venture between Kinder Morgan, EagleClaw, Apache and an affiliate of another anchor shipper, is currently under construction and is expected to be in service in the second half of 2020. Pecos Bend IV Processing Plant Update Second, EagleClaw announced that it has begun commissioning of the company's fourth cryogenic processing plant at its Pecos Bend site, Pecos Bend IV, with full operational in-service planned for May 2019. The completion of Pecos Bend IV, which was acquired in conjunction with EagleClaw's 2018 acquisition of Caprock Midstream, will take EagleClaw's total interconnected processing capacity in the Delaware Basin to 1.3 Bcf/d. The interconnected nature of EagleClaw's three main processing sites East Toyah, Pecos and Pecos Bend provides heightened flow assurance and reliability for the company's customers. EagleClaw is also working to connect its Sierra Grande site in Culberson County, which was recently acquired in conjunction with EagleClaw's acquisition of Pinnacle Midstream, to the overall EagleClaw system via a high-pressure connector line, which should be complete by June 2019. "We are pleased by the progress with the construction of Pecos Bend IV since our acquisition of Caprock Midstream in late 2018," stated Matt Wall, EagleClaw's VP of Operations. "The interconnected nature of our newly-constructed processing sites and the increased scale of our operations is consistent with our mission of providing best-in-class service to Delaware Basin producers." Leadership and Organizational Changes Finally, in conjunction with the announcements and the completion of the integration of Caprock Midstream and Pinnacle Midstream into EagleClaw, EagleClaw announced the retirement of Bob Milam as EagleClaw CEO and the promotion of Jamie Welch, previously EagleClaw President and CFO, to CEO. Milam co-founded EagleClaw in 2012, and under his leadership the company has grown into a leading, diversified midstream provider strategically located in the core of the Delaware Basin. Bob will remain on EagleClaw's Board of Directors, serving as Vice Chairman. David Foley, CEO of Blackstone Energy Partners and Chairman of EagleClaw's Board, stated, "On behalf of EagleClaw's Board and all stakeholders, I would like to thank Bob for his leadership in co-founding EagleClaw and helping to build the company into the leading midstream provider in the Delaware Basin. We are pleased that Bob will continue to bring his extensive experience, insights, and relationships to bear as Vice Chairman of EagleClaw." Bob Milam commented, "Today's announcement is the next step in a succession planning process that our leadership team and Board have developed over the last several years. We have an outstanding team in place, and I have great faith in their capabilities. Jamie Welch brings extensive experience in the midstream sector and has made a significant contribution to the company's success." Jamie Welch, incoming EagleClaw CEO, remarked, "I would like to thank Bob for his leadership in growing EagleClaw into the business it is today, and I look forward to his continued involvement as Vice Chairman. I am honored to serve as the company's CEO and to partner with the company's employees and stakeholders to continue to advance EagleClaw's mission of providing best-in-class midstream services to Delaware basin producers." Odessans Collin and Meghan Sewell, along with employees of the Sewell Ford-Lincoln, will be presented with the Rainbow Award at Crystal Ball, an annual fundraiser for High Sky Childrens Ranch. The event is Saturday at the Petroleum Club. Volunteering is important to Collin and Meghan, who met at Texas Christian University through mutual friends. Collin has been back in Odessa for 23 years and Meghan has been in Odessa for 20 years. I would say that from day one I have been involved (volunteering) in some level, Collin said. The Sewells first learned about High Sky Childrens Ranch when Meghan was asked to be on the board of directors about 14 years ago. They started giving back to High Sky at Christmas time. When we used to go out of town for Christmas one of our stops on our way out of town was to always stop by High Sky and leave gifts for the different homes and the kids there, so we made sure they had a Christmas, Collin said. He said that most of their volunteering -- personally and companywide -- has revolved around helping children and young adults. Meghan has been on the board of directors for the Ellen Noel Art Museum, Junior League of Odessa, Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center and is currently on High Sky Childrens Ranch board. The Sewells, along with the Sewell Ford-Lincoln team, started The Big Serve Event in 2009 when the economy was devastating across the country, he said. I think when times are tough, its really easy for people to be focused on their own problems instead of understanding that in the grand scheme of life that their problems can sometimes be pretty small in comparison, Collin said. It was our idea that instead of being focused on the problems that maybe we had economically, rather we could be focused on how we can go out and serve. One of the greatest ways that we can change our minds about what our circumstances are is we go out and start giving to others. At the first Big Serve event, they had more than 200 people who gave a Sunday afternoon, he said. The Big Serve event has helped High Sky Childrens Ranch and the Jesus House; volunteers also have sung Christmas carols at local nursing homes. The event always ends with a companywide Christmas dinner. We did it (The Big Serve) in lieu of big Christmas party, Meghan said. The Big Serve has been helping High Sky Childrens Ranch the past six years. Collin said that when they started they really wanted to give back their time, not only to help a great cause, but to let their team be involved and feel appreciated for their volunteer work. I think a lot of times when people volunteer, they do it for the right reasons but theyre also really grateful when theyre appreciated for the time that they give, Collin said. To this day, when our folks go out to serve and volunteer at High Sky, they feel so appreciated for the work that they contribute that I think it really encourages them to come back again and again. Collin said the greatest attributes of High Sky Childrens Ranch is not only that they help hundreds of young people but that they also show appreciation to volunteers. Thats a really critical success point for nonprofit organizations, Collin said. The way that you get more people with a desire to be involved with your organization is to make those who are involved feel really great about their choice. High Sky Childrens Ranch does a remarkable job of showing its appreciation, Collin said. The one and most precious commodity all of us have in our life is time, Collin said. To ask someone to give of their time to an organization, they want to feel like it was worth it. Collin said that for them to be recognized for their efforts with High Sky Childrens Ranch seems pretty minimal in comparison to all the hard work that the organization does every day. I think that High Sky is one of the most impactful organizations I have ever been around and had the chance to be a part of, Collin said. We are obviously incredibly honored to be a part of what High Sky is and just be able to play a small role in the significance they make in so many lives. Volunteering has become a central part of the culture at Sewell Ford-Lincoln. Employees orientation includes half a day doing volunteer work, Collin said. Initially, maybe our team had to be coerced into participating, Collin said. But as time has evolved No. 1, those who are still with us, really have a heart for it, and then I think part of our culture is that its part of what we do. Its really about who we are, so as a result, we attract people who really want to give back. Collin said that being successful financially is a really awesome thing, but the better thing is what you do with it and who you do it for. For me, our business obviously needs to be successful financially, because thats how we stay in business, but the real goal is who can we really impact and contribute to because of that success, he said. He said he believes any person who is a part of the community should be involved in the community. One of the simple things is that I try not to have an opinion on something that Im not willing to solve or be part of the solution, Collin said. If I want to have an opinion, if I want to make a difference, then I have to go get involved; I have to make an impact. I think thats what makes a community stronger: the more people who are engaged and interested, the better off we all are. West Texas law enforcement agencies have joined the Marfa Police Department in the search for a missing woman and her 4-year-old daughter. Zorayma Lackey, 43, and her daughter, Lena Lackey, were last seen on Sunday dining at the Jett's Bar and Grill in the El Paisano Hotel in Marfa, according to a press release from the FBI El Paso Division. 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 San Antonio man accused of fatally shooting his 14-year-old son last year is facing prison after entering a plea of no contest Wednesday. Andres Delgado III, 45, was charged with manslaughter in the death of his son, Andres Delgado IV. The teen was shot as he slept in his home on the East Side. At a hearing Wednesday before Judge Ron Rangel, Delgado entered a plea of no contest to the manslaughter charge and faces up to a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. He has applied for probation. RELATED: 14-year-old boy shot and killed inside S.A. home identified It was around 6 a.m. on March 14, 2018, when San Antonio police arrived at home in the 100 block of Denver Boulevard near Mesquite Street to investigate a shooting. The elder Delgado was holding his son in his arms when first responders got there. Shot once in the abdomen, the boy died about an hour later. The father told authorities he heard glass breaking in his daughters room, that he saw an armed gunman there and that someone fired two shots in the room. Using three handguns, an AR-15 and his shotgun, Delgado told police he returned fire in defense of his family, an arrest affidavit stated. Investigators said at the time that Delgados story of a break-in and a shot being fired into the home did not match up with evidence at the scene. They found suspected narcotics, more than 50 live rounds of handgun, rifle and shotgun ammunition inside the home, along with several bullets and bullet fragments in almost every room of the house, an arrest affidavit stated. RELATED: Indictments issued in death of S.A. baby King Jay After investigators concluded the father recklessly shot the different weapons (and) accidentally shot the victim, according to the affidavit, Delgado was arrested March 27, 2018. Delgado is expected to be sentenced by Rangel on May 3 after a sentencing hearing in the 379th state District Court. 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 WOOD RIVER Madison County Emergency Management Agency held a flood outlook briefing earlier this week to discuss how different agencies work together. Emergency managers and safety officials from throughout the county attended the event Wednesday, which included representatives from the National Weather Service (NWS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The event was aimed at helping communities prepare for flooding and the role of the countys EMA. Chairman Kurt Prenzler, who attended the event, said he was impressed with the discussions. It was great that everyone came together and shared information and we learned quite a bit, Prenzler said. Dozens of fire department, law enforcement, sanitary sewer and levee district, public works, county and elected officials discussed everything from sandbagging to documenting the costs associated with flooding. We are here to help you, EMA Deputy Director Mary Kate Brown said. EMA Director Todd Fulton credited Brown with putting together the event to discuss not just the rising floodwaters of the Mississippi River, but the role of emergency management during natural disasters and other emergencies. Were here to provide you the resources you need, Fulton said. EMA Logistic Coordinator Tony Falconio said the county could provide use of its sandbagging machine, which Alton used in preparation for flooding. Currently, Alton is experiencing moderate flooding along its riverfront, downtown and east on the Great River Road toward Godfrey. Although floodwaters expect to drop some in the near future, Mark Fuchs, a service hydrologist with the NWS, said the main driver to the areas outlook for flooding is rain events. He said that throughout April there would be an above normal precipitation. Fuchs said that with the Mississippi River staying above flood stage, rains could cause interior flooding. He said the water would not have anywhere to go. The tributaries [creeks and streams] in Missouri and Illinois are still high, he said. Tracey Kelsey, program manager with the Corps, said the Corps role in assisting emergency management during floods is two phases. She said the first phase flood engineers contact local levee sponsors and the second; it deploys teams to local levee areas for technical assistance. The Corps also provides post-flood recovery. Costs associated with flooding are reimbursable if the state declares it a disaster and the threshold for a federal disaster declaration is met. As flood waters begin receding, emergency management will collect damage information from affected people and units of local government. That information is forwarded to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), where it will be reviewed to develop a picture of the overall impact on people and local governments and if a state should make a disaster declaration. Alton Fire Chief Bernie Sebold said people should not go into thinking there will be a declaration. I want to make a public service announcement for other communities out there, Sebold said. Report, report, reportthe man hours and expenses you are using on flooding and the more communities that report throughout the state, the more likely we are to get a declaration and the more likely we are to get some reimbursement. Sebold said Alton alone had more than $1 million in flooding costs in December 2015 and the declaration did not meet the state threshold for reimbursement. He said reaching out to smaller counties like Jersey, Green and Macoupin counties to let them know to report costs associated with flooding could help meet the state threshold, which is around $19 million. They are not reporting, he said. Brown also noted that towns within Madison County were not reporting. We need everyones help to get those reporting numbers in, Sebold said. Agencies should keep track of all flood-related activity to include volunteer hours, food costs for flood workers, materials purchased, etc. The costs include interior flooding as well. For officials not sure what to document, EMA can provide the information and examples. Falconio reminded everyone there should also be pictures of areas before its flooded. Go out now and take pictures, he said. Document what things look like. If they are going to pay for it they are going to want to know what it looks like pre-disaster. Prenzler said he was impressed by the ideas and collaboration between everyone. He said he also learned a great deal more about the countys role and how everyone works together. He commended EMA for putting on the event. It was a great turnout with great participation, he said. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has staked his future budgets on convincing lawmakers and voters to change the states constitution to allow for a progressive income tax with higher rates for those who earn more, but not enough members of his own party in the House are prepared to put the question to voters. Fewer than 60 lawmakers in the House are in favor of asking voters to change the states flat income tax to a graduated one, according to a report from Politico. That means Pritzker could have to look to other sources to come up with the more than $3 billion he said the state needs to stabilize its finances. Pritzker ran on changing the flat income tax to a progressive one. For that, there would need to be a constitutional amendment approved by voters. The House would need 71 votes to pass it to voters. Multiple roll call votes on the progressive tax proposal registered support in the 50s, Politico reported. To pass just the rates, if there were ever a constitutional change from the flat tax to the progressive tax, it would require a simple majority of 60 votes in the House. Leaders are having difficulty getting to 60 votes because some Democrats are pushing back on the measure. So the vote may be moved to April 30, Politico reported. Pritzker remained optimistic about his graduated tax plan. I wouldnt believe everything you read, but I would say, especially a few of you out here, Pritzker said. State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, confirmed Democrats dont have the supermajority needed to get the constitutional amendment question on the ballot for voters. What we have now is a roll call that is short of the 71 votes, but well see how the governor convinces the public and legislators and see things the way that many people do, Ford said. Ford said its important the governor doesnt attempt to force his will on the legislature and voters. The governor needs to hear their concerns. Pritzker has proposed a graduated income tax structure that provide an estimated 97 percent of taxpayers with modest rate cuts and steep hikes for the top 3 percent of earners. He said polling shows theres support for his idea. Legislators who vote for it are listening to their constituents and legislators who are voting against are not listening to their constituents, the governor said. State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said Democrats on the fence should join with Republicans to look at alternatives for the state. I think we need to be looking at some serious cuts and some serious reforms, Halbrook said. To change the constitution for a graduated tax, these folks are going to want to just continue to raise rates as we go down the road without having some serious reforms and cuts. Republicans for years have been pushing to address mounting property taxes, high workers compensation costs, and other changes to make Illinois more business friendly. Ford said those who dont trust government with more money will have their say, if the question is posed. The voters can still say no to the constitutional amendment and say we like the flat tax, Ford said. So will the voters say no to the constitutional amendment? Were going to put it in front of voters and the voters will have a final say. The Senate sponsor of the constitutional amendment question, state Sen. Don Harmon, said he hopes to get it approved by the General Assembly before the end of the session. Philippines swine inventory slightly up at 12.M heads as of Jan. 1 The Philippines' swine population totalled 12.71 million as of Jan.1, rising 0.83% from 12.60 million as of Jan. 1, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA said in its annual swine situation report released recently that the total supply of live hogs in 2018 was at 41.44 million heads, a 1.54% increase compared with the previous year's 40.82 million heads. Out of this number, total disposition of hogs was 28.73 million heads, which was 1.85% more than the previous year's 28.21 million heads. The number of hogs slaughtered in 2018 increased 2.10%, while deaths/losses decreased by 4.55%. Population of swine in both backyard and commercial farms as of Jan. 1 increased 0.93% (to 8.17 million heads from 8.09 million in the previous year) and 0.66% (to 4.54 million from 4.51 million), respectively. The PSA explained that growth in swine inventory was brought about by increases in the number of sow, grower and other ages. These three age classifications had a combined share of 66.85% to the total swine inventory. Region with highest inventory The region with the highest inventory of swine as of Jan. 1 was Central Luzon, which is composed of the seven provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. It was followed by Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces) and Western Visayas (Antique, Aklan, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Occidental provinces) regions. These three regions accounted for 38.35% of the country's total swine inventory. The total volume of hog production in 2018 was 2,319,760 tonnes, liveweight. This was 2.42% higher than the 2,265, 020 tonnes, liveweight, output in 2017. Central Luzon produced the highest volume of hog at 472,552 tonnes, liveweight, followed by Calabarzon (with 381,590 tonnes, liveweight) and Northern Mindanao (196,623 tonnes, liveweight). These three regions contributed 45.30% to the country's total hog production. (Northern Mindanao comprises Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Misamis Occidental provinces.) In 2018, pork imports totalled 312.5 million tonnes, up 13.85% from the 274.49 million tonnes in 2017. The annual average farmgate price of live hogs for slaughter in 2018 was 115.58 pesos (US$2.22) per kilogramme, liveweight, up 8.29% from the 2017 price of PhP106.73 ($2.05)/kilogramme, liveweight. Sonora, CA Two Mother Lode cities and nearly two dozen other jurisdictions are suing Californias Cannabis Czar Lori Ajax and the Bureau of Cannabis Control for allowing medical and adult use deliveries across the state. The lawsuit, filed late Thursday in the Superior Court of the State of California County of Fresno, seeks to overturn a rule allowing home deliveries to any physical address, including those within communities that banned commercial pot sales. Listed among the plaintiffs are Sonora and Angels Camp. State officials had no immediate comment. Over the past several months, The League of California Cities and police chiefs have complained that unrestricted home deliveries would create an unruly market of largely hidden pot transactions and undercut local control guaranteed in Proposition 64. Prop 64 is the 2016 voter-passed law that broadly legalized marijuana sales in California and created the nations largest legal pot marketplace. State regulators backed their position by pointing to the business and professions code that specifies local governments shall not prevent delivery of cannabis or cannabis products on public roads by a licensed operator. A Fight To Regain Local Control According to Sonora City Manager Tim Miller, the bureaus take is contrary to earlier promises to communities. The city went through a very deliberate process, had a community participation committee make recommendations to council and the decision was to allow medical dispensaries only at this time. This [delivery-related] regulation it does not bar anything any deliveries can be made within the city for adult use or medicinalso it has circumvented the process and the guarantees that were promised through Prop 64. He adds, The citys position is that everyone should be operating under the same rules and treated equally and that is certainly not the case with the action that the state took through the Bureau of Cannabis Control. We as a city want them to respect what was approved through Proposition 64, which was local control. They need to honor what was voted on by the people of the State of California. The other jurisdictions currently listed in the complaint are Santa Cruz County and the cities of Agoura Hills, Arcadia, Atwater, Beverly Hills, Ceres, Clovis, Covina, Dixon, and Downey. Also participating are McFarland, Newman, Oakdale, Palmdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Riverside, San Pablo, Tehachapi, Temecula, Tracy, Turlock, and Vacaville. Together, the plaintiffs have formed a coalition called SIMPL, or Safe Implementation of Marijuana Policy for Local Government. Self-described as neither pro or anti-cannabis, the group says its intent is to ensure that each city and county has the right to decide what types of commercial cannabis activities are appropriate for their community. Read more details and view the complaint here. Pot plants seized View Photos Angels Camp, CA The cultivators of this illegal grow not only grew plants in the carport and home, but took it one step farther. With all available indoor space at the property in the 5000 block of Spur Road in Angels Camp used to cultivate the plants, the growers decided to just add another room onto the house without any permits of course. The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office Marijuana Enforcement Team seized a total of 1,227 marijuana plants 64 pounds of processed marijuana and one shotgun during a search of the property. Investigators also arrested 37 year old Feng Gao of Sacramento for marijuana cultivation, maintaining a drug house, possession of marijuana for sale, criminal conspiracy. His bail was set at $150,000.00. The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriffs Marijuana Tip Line at (209) 754-6870. This bust was similar to one a week ago in Mountain Ranch, as reported here, where an entire two-story home and all structures on the property were used for cultivation. In an ongoing effort to starve Nicolas Maduro's regime of resources by targeting Venezula's oil sector, the U.S. will now direct sanctions on 34 vessels owned and operated by the national oil company, PDVSA, as well as two other companies carrying Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba, Vice President Mike Pence said Friday. Pence said the U.S. will now target crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba through sanctions during a speech at Rice University's Baker Institute Friday. "Venezuelan oil belongs to Venezuelan people," Pence said. FUEL FIX: Get oil and gas news directly to your inbox every weekday The move aims to put pressure on Cuba as a way to get to Caracas. Despite falling oil production and a mounting economic crisis in Venezuela, Cuba still has been receiving shipments of PDVSA oil as an important part of its energy mix. Cuba is a major importer of crude and in return it sends assistance to Venezula in the form of political advisers, intelligence and military officials and medical professionals. "Cuba has been an underlying force fueling Venezuela's descent into crisis. Treasury is taking action against vessels and entities transporting oil, providing a lifeline to keep the illegitimate Maduro regime afloat," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin in a statement shortly after Pence's speech. "Cuba continues to profit from, and prop up, the illegitimate Maduro regime through oil-for-repression schemes as they attempt to keep Maduro in power. The United States remains committed to a transition to democracy in Venezuela and to holding the Cuban regime accountable for its direct involvement in Venezuela's demise." RELATED: Citgo gets $1.2B loan amid concerns over Venezuela sanctions Already the U.S. has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan crude oil and the state-owned oil company PDVSA as a way to cut off the main source of revenue for Maduro regime. PDVSA, which owns the Houston refiner Citgo Petroleum Corp., has been surviving off sending crude to Asia, although India is slowing down purchases of Venezuelan crude under pressure from the White House. Meanwhile Citgo Petroleum has essentially aimed to cut off ties with PDVSA and has shifted away from importing Venezuelan crude to comply with U.S. sanctions, although it has received some exemptions from the U.S. government to keep operating. Citgo now is operating under the leadership of a board appointed by Juan Guadido, the opposition leader who the U.S. and dozens of other countries recognize as Venezuela's legitimate leader. Friday's announcement is part of the White House's ongoing effort to ramp up pressure on the Venezuelan government. Last week, President Donald Trump met the wife of Juan Guaido, Fabiana Rosales, and called for the removal of Russian military forces assisting the Maduro government. On Tuesday Pence meant with families of six executives from Citgo Petroleum who have been detained in Caracas for about 17 months with no due process after they were arrested on what their families say are trumped up charges. Pence demanded Maduro release the prisoners. On Friday Pence was scheduled to meet with again the families of the detained Citgo executives as well as other Venezuelans who fled to Houston area to escape persecution. "All of the families here and all those that are looking on, from President Trump, 'Estamos con ustedes' (we are with you)," Pence said. In a closed-door meeting prior to Pence's speech, activists and former Venezuelan government leaders gave impassioned speeches about the worsening conditions in the country - where access to food, water and electricity have been dwindling. Power outages in the country have further crippled the country's already struggling oil industry as Venezuela saw production slashed in half last month, Bloomberg reported. Jesus Guarecuco, a doctor who now lives in Pasadena after fleeing from Venezuela, spoke of the lack of access to basic medicine. "There are babies that are dying in hospitals because we don't have ... basic treatments," said Guarecuco,, who also works with the nonprofit Medicos Unidos Venezuela. Pence repeatedly called for Maduro's exit and said "libertad" or freedom can' t be restored to Venezuela until then. "Nicola Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power and Nicolas Maduro to go," he said. By The Gateway Pundit, April 05, 2019 The Democrats and their stenographers in the media were stunned when Attorney General Bill Barr released a 4-page summary of Muellers principal conclusions on the Russia investigation and concluded that Trump did not conspire with the Kremlin during the 2016 election. Conspiracy theories began to fly and the deranged Democrat-media complex accused Bill Barr of covering up Trumps crimes even though Mueller concluded his investigation with no new indictments. Sometimes architecture embodies more that its function. Skyscrapers are the image of New York. The White House is more America than a home. And McMansions have become a punchline. When I sought to find land in 1982, a broker pushed a building lot in a McMansion development, pushing its allure by flatly asserting, Were talking about some seriously beautiful homes here. A neologism first used by the Los Angeles Times in 1990, the word was coined to describe homes built with the ethic of fast food with superfluous visual condiments and supersized to the point of embodying the Whopper, and just like the Quarter Pounder, made to fit a price point and sell at first impulse. The McMansion even has its own Wikipedia page, where its definition reflects its disastrous branding: a large, mass-produced dwelling, constructed with low-quality materials, and craftsmanship, using a mishmash of architectural symbols to invoke connotations of wealth or taste, executed via poorly imagined exterior and interior design. The value of size over substance captures the spirit of many in my generation, the boomers, who were given every advantage in life by the Greatest Generation except humility. So as boomer income rose in the generations peak earning years, a new aesthetic emerged. Chardonnay, suspenders and shoulder-padded clothing, Madonnas Material Girl on MTV and those Benson and Hedges cigarette ads depicting success. But the most the spectacular exemplar of boomer hubris is my generations most lasting leagacy: the McMansion. Time has not been kind to we boomers. We basically tanked the entire worlds economy with irrational exuberance that found its most publicly grotesque distortion in those McMansions. Make no mistake millions of less-than-McMansions had more distortional impact on the credit markets than the hundreds of thousands of McMansion, let alone the one-off attempts by individuals who try to buy social legitimacy by building large homes the real mansions. When did McMansions jump the shark? These ungainly icons of ego fell into that awkward place where people try to simulate a reality they do not have. Like the Hummer or sending your kids to private school, the public image of what you consume is part of the value of your choices and like cosmetic surgery, the results can be unfortunate. McMansions desperately try to check off real estate agent-defined boxes of beauty, but are, sadly, seldom beautiful, let alone seriously beautiful. Like smoking, fewer and fewer want to participate in the guilty pleasure of brazen excess. In fact, it is fashionable to bash the most embarrassing excess in the history of home since we all installed solar collectors to heat our hot water. A few years ago, blogger/critic Kate Wagner created McMansion Hell to express her disdain. Beyond a snarky finger pointing at the obviously ugly, Wagner has a pointed cultural indictment that accompanies her guileless use of real estate photos which she covers in thought bubbles of outrage, irony and sarcasm. To Wagner, the ugly realities of McMansions are caused by their cheap materials, no concept of mass, poor balance, horrible proportions, no architectural rhythm but I think it is more than this critics aesthetic litany. McMansions are the largest physical boomer legacy soon inherited by their children, the millennials, who have had the worst economic birthing since the Great Depression. Kate Wagner was barely in her 20s when she called out the final fruits of 40 years of serial housing booms that afflicted America. But the impact of in-your-face domestic chest-beating is especially present in Connecticut, which realtor.com trumpeted as having the metro with the third most McMansions in the country. And that impact was doubled down by the added insult of unending instant tear-downs of those homes built in the previous generation in the tight Northeast. As an architect I have remade any number of these instantly dated ego vehicles. We have also revived any number of raised ranches, garrison colonials and Capes. Often those homes need strategic expansion. But with McMansions, removal of the offending detail and pretense is often the first remediation. Like all other houses, McMansions are now the home of memories for their owners. Whether popular or not, McMansions are just a place to live, to the point that realtrends.com declared last year that in places that need housing stock,McMansions are back. Their flaws are not only stylistic, the shear size of the typical McMansion is an extraordinary flaw in a changing economy. The vast majority of homes are not only larger than necessary, they are also overstuffed with windows, gable roofs in collision, cheesy trim and lawyer lobby double-height entries that are not going anywhere unless they are rethought. Do we change zoning laws to allow quads and triplexes to feed off their subdivided bulk? In the out years, do McMansions provide places for co-housing where individuals can live together, as independent homeowners living under one roof? In the light of their fading luster of excess, McMansions just may need to relearn the wisdom of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who said less is more. Duo Dickinson writes about architecture. ATLANTA Three historically black churches have burned in less than two weeks in one south Louisiana parish, where officials said they had found suspicious elements in each case. The officials have not ruled out the possibility of arson, or the possibility that the fires are related. There is clearly something happening in this community, state Fire Marshal H. Browning said in a statement. That is why it is imperative that the citizens of this community be part of our effort to figure out what it is. The three fires occurred March 26, Tuesday and Thursday in St. Landry Parish, north of Lafayette. A fourth fire, a small blaze that officials said was intentionally set, was reported Sunday at a predominantly black church in Caddo Parish, about a three-hour drive north. But just as we havent connected the three in St. Landry, we havent connected the one in Caddo, said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal, on Friday. Local officials said they were still investigating the fires, and did not say if they knew of any suspects, a motive, or whether racism was an element. There certainly is a commonality, and whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just dont know, Browning said at a news conference Thursday. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are involved in the investigation, said Jeff Nowakowski, a spokesman for the ATFs New Orleans field division. The Rev. Gerald Toussaint, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisiana, was driving to work Thursday morning around 4:45 a.m. when his wife called him to say she had seen on social media that their church was ablaze. Toussaint was aware of the two other fires that had been set at nearby houses of worship, St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, and Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas. He rushed to the scene. The church, which was founded in the 19th century, had undergone extensive remodeling two years ago. Now it is nearly gone, he said, except for a brick wall and corridor in the front. Im trying to find out who did it, why they did it, did it have anything to do with me, said Toussaint, who drives trucks for a living. I dont know none of this. He also said he did not want to speculate, for fear of angering potential arsonists or prompting copycat crimes. St. Landry Parish is a rural area studded with crawfish ponds and bayous in the heart of Cajun and Creole country. It is 56 percent white and 41 percent black. Toussaint said that relations were generally good between black and white residents. Since the 1950s, black churches across the South have been the targets of numerous racist attacks, from arson to bombing to armed assault. In 2015, a white supremacist shot and killed nine people at a Bible study at an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2006, a string of arsons at Alabama churches, some predominantly white, some predominantly black, proved to be the work of three college students that officials characterized as a joke that had spun out of control. Last month, a black member of a predominantly black congregation, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to burning his church. The church was spray-painted with the words Vote Trump in an effort to make the attack seem politically motivated, a Mississippi official said. At the news conference Thursday, Sheriff Bobby Guidroz of St. Landry Parish said that law enforcement officials would do whatever it takes to protect churches and churchgoers. Were doing everything we can, collectively, to solve this crime, he said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A man died after being shot in the head in southwest Houston Saturday morning. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox Officials responded to the scene around 2:30 a.m. and found the victim lying on the ground of an apartment parking lot with gunshot wounds to his head. He was taken to the hospital, where he died, police said. RELATED: Man dies after pickup truck crash in North Houston Investigators were reviewing surveillance footage Saturday and speaking to witnesses, but had few details about the shooting, including the motive. An HPD sergeant said the incident could have been gang- or drug-related. 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. A driver was traveling the wrong way on a North Side highway when she collided with an oncoming vehicle, according to San Antonio police. Officers say the woman was traveling west on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near Fresno about 10:25 p.m. Friday when her vehicle hit an oncoming vehicle. Weeks after Donald Trump announced his intention to pull the U.S. out of the 2015 Paris accord, a nonbinding international agreement intended to put a check on global warming, San Antonio stepped into the ring. After years of failing to address climate change head-on, the City Council, led by newly elected Mayor Ron Nirenberg, announced in June 2017 that our city would adopt the agreements goals and aspirations. It was a moral victory capping weeks of strong community support. There was but one lone voice of opposition. Council member Clayton Perry sought to push back the vote to consult his constituents and personally research the issue. I want to be educated, Perry said. I have a lot of questions about climate change. And I think its important to do that research. Even conservative Councilman Greg Brockhouse, now challenging Nirenberg for the mayors seat, supported climate action at the time. Im going to jump on board and push this the best I can, he said. Nearly two years later, with a draft plan on the table ready to transmute council ambition into action, its Nirenberg tapping the brakes. His recent decision to push back a vote on the plan until this fall has put the draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, or CAAP, in jeopardy as the campaign against it grows. If the venture fails, well have willful misunderstanding, misdirection, fearmongering, conspiratorial climate denialism and potentially Nirenbergs timidity to blame. Brockhouse has abandoned his earlier fealty. Calling himself the biggest pro-business council member there is, he now assails the CAAP as a multibillion-dollar albatross that will bring hardship to everyday San Antonians. Council member Manny Pelaez, absent on the 2017 vote, challenges what he calls a plan devoid of substance and fiscal analysis, while referencing the opposition of companies in his district, such as Valero Energy. If Perry has used these intervening 18 months to educate himself on climate change, it doesn't show. In a February email to a prominent plan critic, he called the CAAP half baked, with supporters following blindly down the Paris Accord Path. Fellow councilmembers, he said, appeared to be complicit with what's going on. Meanwhile, recently installed Councilman Art Hall has his own questions to resolve about the natural cycles of warming and cooling of the earth before he can support the CAAP. A slim council majority appears to still back their promised climate action and the consensus science on global warming on which it is based. However, this majority has become more tenuous as council detractors have amplified misinformation alongside, or in service of, influential business voices in the city. In a March 11 email released this month to Deceleration.news via a Texas Public Information Act request, Pelaez tells Valero Board Chairman, President and CEO Joe Gorder and Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jason Fraser that the CAAP does not have my support until I hear that Valero, NuStar, Toyota, HEB, Frost, Ancira, etc. can support it. After nearly a years worth of monthly open meetings involving nearly 90 volunteers on six committees drawn from across the citys sectors the mayors limited consensus-building work is in meltdown. And many who chose not to engage at any point in the process are now feigning 11th-hour surprise at the final product. The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Valero Energy and the San Antonio Manufacturers Association, or SAMA, are all actively seeking to smother the CAAP. SAMA CEO (and one-time CAAP steering committee member) Rey Chavez advances denialist counterarguments based on findings scavenged from the fringes of the internet. San Antonio Chamber members engage in whisper campaigns suggesting Valero and NuStar would abandon San Antonio if it commits to eliminating the citys climate pollution even though their distant pipelines and refineries are well outside municipal control. Valeros public policy director has lent this disinformation campaign the authority of specificity, claiming CAAP will cost $14 billion within 10 years. San Antonio Chamber of Commerce CEO Richard Perez warns of the threat to oil and gas jobs, while saying nothing of global warmings certain economic harms to tourism, the military, recreation, construction and outdoor labor. Now hes raising money to conduct his own fiscal study of CAAP. In truth, CAAP doesnt do much of anything on its own. Its cost is zero. It doesnt ban cars, as Brockhouse as intimated. It doesnt mandate green roofs or shade bus stops. It doesnt even shut down our last remaining coal plant the largest climate polluter in the region though it certainly should. The only thing it does is commit the city to eliminating its climate pollution by 2050. Sadly, CAAP leadership, Navigant Consulting and the Office of Sustainability, primarily, are also to blame for exposing the plan to mischaracterization. The CAAPs long list of proposed potential mitigation measures is littered with dollar signs and absent any similar estimate of potential savings apart from check marks on categories like quality jobs and ambiguous heath impacts. This messaging failure is a lost opportunity seized upon by critics such as Brockhouse and Pelaez. I want to be very clear to the public, Brockhouse said the day before the CAAPs January public release, the cost of the plan is in the billions and somebody has to pay for that. He offered this assessment minutes after Assistant City Manager Rod Sanchez finished correcting similar comments by Pelaez. The CAAPs many policy recommendations are merely tools for this and future councils to consider in the communitys effort to reach the 2050 goal. Every point of the way, as we bring policies out to council for consideration, were going to have those tough conversations, Sanchez said. The difference is were going to have a plan that says this is what we aspire to as council considers those policies. Councilwoman Ana Sandoval reminded the pair that there is absolutely no ordinance inside of this plan. Adopting the whole thing is an ordinance, she said, but (the details) would be figured out in their own individual stakeholder development processes. The primary questions our council should be asking now is the same one it it appeared to answer in 2017: Is the planet in crisis, and does San Antonio have an obligation to act? When it comes to costs, what San Antonio cannot afford is to allow the disingenuous manipulation of facts to keep us from taking action on climate change. Nirenberg and City Council must toughen up, put corporate fearmongering in its place and fulfill their 2017 promise. Shame on those working to keep us from meeting San Antonios obligations to our residents and the vulnerable communities impacted by climate change across the world particularly when those actions are based in fear of or outsized affection for the power brokers who keep us from tackling real climate action, as Brockhouse once promised, as best as we can. Greg Harman is member of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan steering committee, a community organizer with the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, and founder and co-editor of Deceleration.news, an online journal of climate justice. Nurses are seen as caregivers in the hospital and patients are supposed to feel safe and taken care of in their charge. However, some nurses have proven to be the devil in human form. A Zambian nurse, Elizabeth Mwewa, has confessed her sins on her sick bed as she asked God for forgiveness. The nurse who used to work at The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Zambia confessed that she has exchanged over 5000 babies during her service. I have terminal cancer and I know I will be dying soon. I wish to confess my sins before God and before all the affected people especially those who were giving birth at UTH during my service. I have found God, I am now born again. I have nothing to hide, In the 12 years I worked in the maternity ward at UTH, I swapped close to 5000 babies, Zambian Observer reports Mwewa added that it became a habit and she used to do it for the fun. According to her, she carried out the act for a duration of 12 years as she worked at the maternity ward of the hospital. The sick woman explained that she is now born again and has nothing to hide. She also added that she has sinned against God and Zambians and would not want to go to hell for her past sins. I know I sinned against God and may he forgive me for that. I am also asking Zambians to forgive me for the evil things I was doing to innocent children. I have caused some faithful couples to divorce after going for DNA Tests. Its now that I have realised I was just being used by a demon to do that. I have caused many mothers to breastfeed children who are not theirs biologically. I dont want to go to Hell for that, Am really sorry I have sinned alot. Please forgive me. According to Zambian Observer, Mwewa also added that kids born between 1983 and 1995 at the hospital should check themselves particularly if they look different from their other siblings. If you were born in UTH between the years 1983 to 1995 chances are your parents may not be your biological parents. I had developed a habit of swapping newly born babies just for fun. So take a good look at your siblings, if for example everyone is light and you are darkie you are that child and I am really sorry for that. A former nurse, Elizabeth Mwewa, has confessed her sins on her hospital bed The former nurse who is suffering from cancer revealed that she has exchanged about 5000 babies while working at the hospital Mwewa added that it became a habit and she used to do it for fun The sick nurse is now confessing and asking God for forgiveness Legit Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE price of clear beer has gone up again, hardly a month after Delta Corporation Limited increased the asking price of the commodity by 100 percent following the companys decision to sell some of its products in US dollars. According to the new prices, a 375 ml green bottle now costs RTGS$2.50, up from RTGS$2 while a 750 ml brown bottle is now pegged at RTGS$5, up from RTGS$4. The price of a 750 ml brown bottle is now RTGS$4.50, up from RTGS$3.50 while a 375 ml of the same product now costs RTGS$ 2.50, up from RTGS$2. Some liquor outlet owners who spoke to NewZimbabwe said the latest price increment was only an adjustment necessitated by the depreciating RTGS currency against the greenback. In February this year, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) pegged the value of US dollar to US$1: RTGS$2, 5. The situation is different however on the thriving black market where US$1 now fetches RTGS$4, 25. A snap survey in Bulawayo by NewZimbabwe.com revealed that most bottle stores and other liquor outlets now charge varying amounts depending on where they source for forex to procure their beers. We are now buying beer from Delta using a black market rate of RTGS$1 to US$4, 25. In order for me to make profit, I am now selling a 750 ml bottle of green beers for RTGS$7. I am sourcing the forex from the black market where the rates are very low here in Bulawayo, said one bottle store owner of condition he was not named. In January this year, Delta was forced to withdraw a notice to sell its products in foreign currency after central bank assurances of forex allocations to continue running its operations. The central bank however failed to honour its pledges, resulting in the beverage manufacturing giant pricing some of its products in hard currency. NewZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Former Energy minister and MDC Alliance war veteran Dzikamai Mavhaire was yesterday convicted and sentenced to four days imprisonment for refusing to come to court after he was subpoenaed to testify in a case involving bribery at the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC). Mavhaire, who appeared before magistrate Hosea Mujaya, was given an option to pay $20 fine for his actions. The former minister, who was represented by his son, denied the allegations that he refused to sign a subpoena. He said the police officer did not show him the subpoena forms and did not want to be involved in a case he knew nothing about. Mavhaire said he had received a call from Stanley Kazhanje, who is accused of getting a $10 000 bribe from Intratrek Zimbabwe director Wicknell Chivayo. He said Kazhanje wanted him to be his defence witness, but he had refused to be dragged into issues he knew nothing about. The State, represented by prosecutor Brian Vito, had consented to the cancellation of the warrant, saying there was a miscommunication with his office on having Mavhaire as the State witness. But Mujaya then called the police officer who went to Masvingo to subpoena him. The officer told the court that Mavhaire refused to sign the subpoena, saying he did not want to testify. However, Mujaya dismissed Mavhaires assertion that he did not receive any subpoena, saying a police officer could not travel from Harare to Masvingo without a document to serve. Mavhaire was asked to come to court on April 15 to testify. Mavhaire a war veteran, joined the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance in October 2018. The MDC President, Nelson Chamisa, quickly moved to establish a war veterans wing tasked to descend on grassroots mass recruitment and member education as the urban dominant opposition party sought rural electorate to buy into the partys ideological pathways. Chamisa pleaded with war veterans stalwart and former NPP Chairperson Dzikamai Mavhaire, who led a delegation from NPP among them a cross section of liberation war heroes, to descend into the rural areas to hear the issues the rural folks have. We want the liberation icons like Mavhaire and the rest of you. We want integrate both the old and the young so that we go forward, Chamisa said back then. NewsDay/MyZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News By Jeff Bryant, a writing fellow and chief correspondent for Our Schools, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He is a communications consultant, freelance writer, advocacy journalist, and director of the Education Opportunity Network, a strategy and messaging center for progressive education policy. His award-winning commentary and reporting routinely appear in prominent online news outlets, and he speaks frequently at national events about public education policy. Follow him on Twitter @jeffbcdm. Produced by Our Schools, a project of the Independent Media Institute. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is famous for giving a nonresponse to fairly straightforward questions. More than one commentator has had fun with her contorted evasions, but her inability to explain the rationale for current education policies isnt confined to her own personality and ideology. Its actually been endemic in the education policy world for years, particularly in how the federal government continues to hide its agenda to further privatize the nations public school system by creating and expanding charter schools. Arne Duncan, who served as secretary for the longest period of time before DeVos, was famous for being the consummate non-listener, often talking over people with his prepared remarks and ignoring the advice of teachers and education experts. This is not a partisan issue. Teachers demanded Duncans resignation, and Republican members of Congress have complained that DeVos department isnt responsive to requests for information. Of course, any comparison between DeVos and Duncan can find some very big differences, but a constant throughout both administrations has been to ignore, wall-off, or obfuscate when confronted with any inquiry aimed at the federal governments efforts to create and expand charter schools. A History of Hiding My latest brush with the education policy edifices imperviousness to outside inquiry occurred while researching and writing a new report on the education departments Charter School Program (CSP). I coauthored the report Asleep at the Wheel: How the Federal Charter Schools Program Recklessly Takes Taxpayers and Students for a Ride with Network for Public Education Executive Director Carol Burris. Burris and I found that up to $1 billion awarded by the CSPin more than 1,000 grantswas wasted on charter schools that never opened or opened for only brief periods before being shut down for mismanagement, poor performance, lack of enrollment, and fraud. During our investigations, we came across a previous report published by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) in 2015, during the Obama presidential administration, that found similarly disturbing results, where federal grants had gone to hundreds of charter schools that had basically taken the money and run. To compile its report, CMD had submitted 33 Freedom of Information Act requests with the Department of Education and was told these records would be forthcoming. The promised records never came. The department also refused to provide CMD with public records regarding communications between federal and state officials about charter school grants and oversight. The largest grants by far had gone to state education agencies (SEAs) to disburse in subgrants to charter school startups and expansions. Federal officials claimed releasing such information would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. After CMD repeated its requests, the department released a list of some charter schools receiving the SEA grant money in a PDF that was partly illegible. Other information CMD requested related to the applications for the state grants never came. CMD concluded in its report summary, Public information about funds received and spent by charters is severely lacking. The information CMD was eventually able to piece together came out in its report in October 2015, receiving widespread coverage by education policy blogs and community organizers. Two months after the CMD report appeared, the Charter School Program released a dataset showing all grants awarded between school years 200607 and 201314, with information on grants given to start-up, replicate, and expand charter schools. The dataset was released on December 23just two days before the holiday breakto minimize attention. Also in the same year, perhaps in anticipation of the CMD report, the department issued a Dear Colleague letter to SEAs emphasizing the importance of financial accountability for charter schools receiving federal dollars. The letter recommended SEAs conduct regular independent audits and strengthen authorizing practices. And the department provided an Overview of the 2015 CSP SEA Review Process explaining how the program awarding charter grants to states is administered. Given the departments 2015 efforts to disclose information on charter school grants and provide guidance in how the grants should be administered, it seemed only fair, before issuing our report, to ask the agency what had been done since, especially under this new administration. Three Seemingly Simple Questions Consequently, on March 8, I sent emails to contacts provided for three CSP grant programs that were the subject of our report. The three emails repeated basically the same three questions, but the email I sent to the contact overseeing the SEA grants, now called Grants to State Entities, follows: This is to inquire about the current grant application review process used for the Charter Schools Program Grants to State Entities. Specifically, in 2015, the Department published an Overview of the 2015 CSP SEA Review Process. My questions: Can you provide a similar document describing how the grant review process is currently being conducted for the Charter Schools Program Grants to State Entities? If not, can you briefly comment on how the grant review process used for the Charter Schools Program Grants to State Entities aligns with or varies from the Overview referenced above? Regarding a Dear Colleague letter sent to State Education Agencies in 2015 emphasizing the importance of financial accountability for charter schools receiving federal dollars, was there any follow-up by the Charter School Program to ascertain how many SEAs complied with this request and what was the nature of the new systems and processes put into place by SEAs to provide for greater accountability? On March 15, I received a voicemail message from an official in the public affairs division of the department asking me to call her back. The message started out nice enough but then veered toward criticism. Apparently you have sent his request to multiple people, she said (emphasis original), and that just creates havoc for everyone. When I immediately called her back, I explained I had merely sent my inquiry to the contacts provided on the relevant sections of the departments website. Thats understandable, she replied, but for future reference I was told to send inquiries to a directorthough Im not sure who that is. And I was told again my questions had created havoc in the office but that department staff members were working on it and would take a few days. As of this writing, Ive yet to receive any other replies. One Thing Clear What followed my phone exchange with the department official was, among other things, a very bad, awful day for the secretary when news of our report broke on page A4 of the Washington Post on the very same day she had to appear on Capitol Hill before a House committee hearing. During the hearing, Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat of Connecticut, referred directly to our report, citing the $1 billion stain on the departments charter school grant program, and told DeVos, This budget is full of cruel cuts to education programs, and it baffles me that you found room for a $60 million increase to the Charter School Program especially when you consider recent reports of waste and abuse in the program. When Representative Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Wisconsin, asked DeVos what was being done to recover the $1 billion in alleged financial mismanagement involving charters, DeVos said she would look into the matter. On the issue of how a federal agency could allow charter operators to rip off American taxpayers with impunity, and generally suffer no adverse consequences for their acts, DeVos acknowledged that waste and fraud in the charter grant program had been around for some time. That much is true. It was under Arne Duncans watch that the federal charter grants program was greatly expanded, states were required to lift caps on the numbers of charter schools in order to receive precious federal dollars, and the administration Duncan served in insulted public school teachers by proclaiming National Charter School Week on dates identical to what had always been observed as Teacher Appreciation Week. And most of the wanton charter fraud we detailed in our report that ran rampant during the Duncan years is now simply continuing under DeVos, with little to no explanation of why this is allowed to occur. So at least we have that clear. To learn more about school privatization, check out Who Controls Our Schools? The Privatization of American Public Education, a free ebook published by the Independent Media Institute. Click here to read a selection of Who Controls Our Schools? published on AlterNet, or here to access the complete text What Are Cats Thinking? Slate (Robert H). My old cat Blake could definitely count to four. He would get four cat vitamins every day and he regarded them as a treat. If I was ever short, as in put down 2 because I was as the end of a bottle or he didnt find one right away (it was apart from the other 3) hed look for the missing vitamins, as in sniff around, and then look at me. But he never did that when hed snarfed down all four. Tim Schrandt of Ridgeway, Iowa | 1955 2019 | Obituary Matt H: Best obituary ever. The idea that mid-westerners are dull, or deplorable, or cant write, is proven wrong by this amazing bit of work. Iowa took pride, when I was coming up, with its nations best 99% literacy rate, and also in the Iowa Writers Workshop. BMW, Daimler, and VW Colluded To Prevent Better Emissions Control Tech, EU Says arstechnica Screen Time Has Little Impact On Teen Well-Being, Study Finds Science Daily Alzheimers disease affects twice as many people as experts thought New York Post Evolutionary changes played a crucial role in industrialization, study finds PhysOrg (Robert M). This is wild. China? Hidden dangers of Chinas Cybersecurity Law Asia Times (Kevin W) North Korea Resolving the North Korea Crisis Through the Iran Deal LobeLog. Resilc: If a majority of citizens of USA USA dont trust the government, why would noko? Brexit Venezuela Is Mexico on the Brink of a Labor Revolution? New Republic (resilc) Syraqistan Big Brother is Watching You Watch Trump Transition The Pentagon Wins Again Rolling Stone (resilc) When Border Patrols high-speed chases end in gruesome disasters ProPublica Nafta Mexico Beefs Up Labor Bill Amid Speaker Pelosis Nafta Threat Bloomberg Mexican official rejects Democratic effort to reopen new NAFTA Roll Call. From Lori Wallach of Public Citizen: The point is NOT that Seade is correct. The point of this story is that someone probably USTR has told him to get back on message J ie. recently he has been saying, as have Canadian representatives, at least with respect to the meds issues, that they would love to see that fixed. And, both have suggested that it would not take a major re-opening of the agt, but rather surgical changes. A Protocol of Amendment cutting pharma protections and adding improved labor and environmental terms is precisely how the Peru, Panama, Colombia pacts were changed after they had been signed when Dems took the House ion 2006 and made Bush change the pacts texts before agreeing to consider them 2020 The one nobody saw coming: Jared Polis, the first openly gay governor Guardian Jussie Smollett: City of Chicago to sue actor over alleged attack BBC Fake News 737 Max Wall Streets biggest Tesla bear says shares are going to crater 80% to $54 Business Insider Silicon Valley is facing an exodus of young employees and recruiting tech talent is becoming harder, new survey reveals Business Insider (David L) First-quarter earnings are expected to be lousy, but the stock market may not care CNBC Trump calls for Fed U-turn to stimulate economy Financial Times Hiring Rebounded in March, Helping Ease Downturn Jitters Wall Street Journal Guillotine Watch Class Warfare Antidote du jour. Timotheus: Hoopoe sightings in Palestinian desert. And a bonus (guurst(: Des images rares montrent un troupeau de 25 elephants sauvages marchant le long dune route de montagne en Thailande. Regardez comment ils ont leurs bebes marchant au milieu avec eux, protegeant ainsi leurs jeunes #olifant #Elephant #elephants pic.twitter.com/cTboG8JtCf Etienne (@lermitedenatoye) January 23, 2019 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. In this Real News Network interview, Bill Black gives a high-level overview of the New York case against not just opioid profiteers, the Sackler family and their companies, but also other key participants, like pain doctors who were tied in to the Sackers marketing efforts. MARC STEINER: Not only do they manufacture the opioids, and not only do they lie to physicians about their addictive nature, theyve also profited off of addiction treatment. And now, the New York A.G. has them in her sights. Im Marc Steiner and welcome to The Real News. Good to have you with us. We recently covered the accusations against the Sackler family and their company Purdue Pharma for their role in fueling the opioid addiction crisis. It has only intensified since our last conversation. Now with New York Attorney General Letitia James filing a complaint about systemic fraud not only on the part of the Sacklers, eight of whom are named in the complaint, but also a number of other companies that were in collusion to push opioids, fueling the addiction crisis, and attempting to profit off addiction recovery, as well. The Sacklers are held to have paid themselves hundreds of millions of dollars now held offshore and face lawsuits from a number of states and apparently, thousands of individuals as well. Were joined once again by Bill Black, Associate Professor of Economics and Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, white-collar criminologist, former financial regulator, author of the book The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One, and of course, a regular contributor here at The Real News. Bill, welcome back. Good to have you with us. BILL BLACK: Thank you. MARC STEINER: So lets just begin with this. Lets start with this first piece that we have and hear this for our listeners to watch, to view, and us to talk about. NEWS CLIP: Opioids, like oxycodone and hydrocodone, are highly addictive. Purdue changed that perception through a devious but very effective marketing campaign that attempted to persuade physicians of all specialties that this hundred plus years of medical wisdom was just wrong. MARC STEINER: So his is where it all began, but this now is really unfolding into being a much more complex case. Give us a bit of background as a former regulator, somebody who follows this, with a bit about what this background means, and where its leading us. BILL BLACK: Sure. So highly addictive substances that in small quantities can kill you, are obviously something that should be treated with enormous care, and should be prescribed only in unusual circumstances, and should be extraordinarily closely monitored. But of course, you dont make anywhere near as much money as the drug manufacturer if thats true. So the drug manufacturers got together with the pain doctors, not all of them but some entrepreneurs, and they tried to change that perception. So one thing they ginned up was a fake study. It was not peer-reviewed. It was not scientific in any way. They looked at about 30 folks and they said look, we dont see addiction. And so, they actually conned the F.D.A. for a time into allowing a statement that says, if used as prescribed, is not addictive. In fact, it was quite addictive when used as prescribed. And of course, its often used not as prescribed and its extraordinarily addictive in those circumstances. Pain doctors started routinely asking you and they eventually trained general physicians, internal medicine types, to tell me on a scale of 1 to 10 how much pain youre in. And then it became normal to give you this substance because after all, it wasnt addictive. And its a very powerful high that it delivers in those circumstances. And so, this began the whole process of creating an addiction epidemic. And now, many years later, it is a leading cause of death in the United States, certainly preventable deaths. We get about 70,000 lives lost every year due to overdoses and roughly 40,000 of them are in opioids. And synthetic opioids, which are a next stage scam of all of this, are massively more powerful. And in the last about nine years, overdose deaths from them have been growing at over 70 percent annually. Together, this has meant these deaths are actually large enough that U.S. life expectancy has fallen. And its particularly true for men; they die of overdoses at over twice the rate of women. And its also geographically concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast. MARC STEINER: In a lot of deindustrialized communities we should add, as well. BILL BLACK: Yes, it is the drug of despair. MARC STEINER: So lets go to Letitia James, here, who is the newly-elected Attorney General. She outlines this new indictment and she really puts it to them. I think we need to talk about what this indictment means, and the depth that it could go, and the scope of this. Lets watch this for a moment. LETITIA JAMES: In an effort to address the very root of this crisis, today, my office filed the nations most extensive lawsuit against the very companies and the family behind them those who make, distribute, and have misled the American people about the true dangers of these drugs. The following manufacturers of opioids: Purdue, Janssen, Mallinckrodt, Endo, Teva, and Allergan, have grossly misled the public about the true risks and dangers associated with opioids. Specifically, were looking for substantial payments from the defendants to fund an abatement program that will provide treatment to New Yorkers suffering from opioid use disorder and enable all corners of the state to step up their efforts aimed at prevention and education. MARC STEINER: So this is really extensive. This has taken what we covered before, and the depth of this now, and its also broadened its reach. I mean, could this shake up the entire pharmaceutical industry? Is it just about the Sacklers? What do you think the import of this, and where could it go? BILL BLACK: No, its certainly not just about the Sacklers. As Ive said, it isnt just big pharma; its also pain medicine specialists who have been working in league with big pharma for a good 20 years on creating this crisis. So, background: tobacco. It was eventually the massive suits by the government that turned the aspects of the tide in the fight against smoking. MARC STEINER: Similar to what were watching now. BILL BLACK: Right, but what were watching now is 30 states and nearly 1,500 cities bringing this litigation and thats a very good thing. But people need to remember that the single most effective thing that broke the screen of lies by big tobacco, is when it was just individuals suing tobacco and won almost all the time and it succeeded in preventing discovery into its internal documents. It was when the federal government sued and brought a RICO, a civil RICO. RICO is Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization. In other words, saying these are criminal enterprises, which is exactly what the tobacco companies are and exactly what these drug manufacturers are criminal enterprises that simply appear to be legitimate. That discovery blew open the case entirely. It led to something like a 3,000-page opinion by the district court judge with all these findings of facts about how big tobacco hid everything. That allowed the state attorney generals, all that discovery, to bring these incredible actions that got the hundreds of billions of dollars in recovery and smoking abatement programs and smoking falls significantly and smoking deaths fall significantly as a result. Here, of course, the dog that isnt barking is where the hells the federal government? Where the hells the Department of Justice? Well it actually does have some actions but its not taking the lead the way it should. These attorney generals who have vastly fewer resources, vastly fewer resources in particular in elite white collar crime, are being forced to take the lead and the lead in discovery, but that discovery is bearing fruit. So we know, for example, that the Sackler family has been intimately involved despite their denials in how the companies are actual companies actually run. We know that they continuously put pressure to expand usage and profits. And we know that they disparage the victims as druggies, who basically deserved to die. It is a sickening story. And now that the Sackler family realizes its going to lose, and indeed has just done a major settlement, its afraid that this vast wealth that it has achieved by killing people, literally, is at risk. And so, the new suits quite appropriately say, the Sackler family is trying to hide the money by distributing it to these family trusts, which are usually very hard to sue and get money back from. So this is a very good vigorous action by the states. But it, of course, reflects very badly on the Sackler family. MARC STEINER: Well let me just pull out one thing you said, one small comment you made about where is the federal government in these lawsuits. Where is the federal government in these lawsuits? Why isnt the F.D.A. in the middle of all this? Why isnt the Attorney General of the United States in the middle of this and U.S. attorneys? Why is it being done by the attorney generals of states across the country? Whats missing here? BILL BLACK:Well whats missing is exactly what you said. It isnt that there are no actions by the Department of Justice and it isnt that there havent been any efforts by the F.D.A., but the federal government is overall as I said, the dog that has not barked and it is by far the most powerful on both the regulatory side and the [litigation]. So the federal government winning the RICO action against the tobacco companies was a major change. It said, these are racketeering-influenced, corrupt organizations. They are criminal enterprises and that changed everything in how people looked at them. Thats what the federal government needs to be doing. It needs to be bringing a RICO action and only it has the resources and the expertise to do it effectively. And this is another case of now multiple administrations, the Obama administration and of course the Trump administration, where you go wait a minute, where the hell are the feds? MARC STEINER: So the question I have, though, is why are they not there? Is this because of what people talk about in terms of the revolving door when it comes to the drug industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the federal government, and regulatory agencies, and more? Is that a piece of whats going on here? BILL BLACK: Well its easy in terms of the Trump administration to explain. The Obama administration would say, well we did take some litigation efforts and we did take some restrictive steps at the F.D.A. and the C.D.C. and such, on how you should prescribe these drugs. And every time theyve attempted to restrict, the drug companies come out with new, vastly more powerful drugs which are, of course, not supposed to be used for this purpose but it just so happens if you buy them and you crumble them up, oo-la-la! You have fentanyl. And so, the real question in some ways is why wasnt the Obama administration willing to bring the RICO actions and put these folks out of business? And I have no good explanation for you. I think that, as you know, it was horrifically weak as well in suing the bankers. Its just this unwillingness to sue people who wear nice suits that is destroying the country. MARC STEINER:As we close here, there was an interesting piece inside the indictment itself that the Attorney General of New York put out, Letitia James. It was a diagram that were showing here of a funnel that actually came out of one of the documents from the Sackler family. And it was Dr. Cathy Sackler, one of the eight family members on the board who was named in this. It made this funnel showing an end-to-end pain provider so that it could devote immediate attention. Theyre telling people on the company to devote immediate attention to this so they can get money out of both ends addiction recovery and getting people addicted. If the things that are inside, and Ive only read this [partially.] I havent had a chance to read the hundreds of pages yet, but I read a bunch of it. But if these allegations are true, then they were completely complicit in not only addicting people, getting doctors to addict more people even when doctors werent aware, as well as kind of manipulating the marketplace, and now, profiting off of addiction recovery to boot, and putting hundreds of million dollars offshore, a thing that thing cannot be touched. So if this unravels, again, let me take it back to where we began to close this out. What do you think could come of this? BILL BLACK: Well what should come is that they should bankrupt all of these companies, get them out of the business, and sue the individuals to the ends of the earth and make sure that they dont end up with any of the proceeds. As you say, if the documents are accurate, its one of the most depraved and cynical means of literally profiting from killing your customers. And remember, this is done all the time in tobacco. It was established, it was proved that that was the tobacco strategy. So why should we be surprised that its the strategy here? MARC STEINER: Right. So basically in one sense, if capitalism itself is not kind of contained or regulated, it will maybe destroy itself with the rest of us along with it. BILL BLACK: Again basically, global climate change is a suicide pact and we dont just commit suicide as humans, we take most of the alleged advanced species with us. MARC STEINER: Well, Bill Black, always a pleasure to talk with you. Well be talking about this again, Im sure. Thank you so much for being with us all the time and bringing these to all of our viewers. Take care. Thank you. BILL BLACK: Thank you. MARC STEINER: And Im Marc Steiner here for The Real News Network. You all take care. Thank you. (Natural News) If the idea of cruising conjures up images of good, clean sea air in your mind, think again. A recent study by a researcher from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health found that air pollution on board many ships is so high that it endangers the health of passengers, crew and even people living in port communities. Air quality was inconspicuously measured in three different environments on each of four cruise ships the Carnival Liberty, Holland Americas MS Amsterdam, the Emerald Princess and the Carnival Freedom to try to determine how exhaust fumes from each ship might impact air quality on deck. The studys author, Ryan David Kennedy, Ph.D., MAES, an assistant professor with Johns Hopkins Department of Health, Behavior and Society, took measurements of ultrafine particulate pollution while each ship was on the move at sea when forward momentum would create spaces on the deck that were either upwind or downwind of the ships smokestacks. The results? Extremely high levels of air pollution were detected levels so high, in fact, that they rival some of the worlds most polluted cities, including Santiago, Chile and Beijing, China. (Related: WHO: 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe polluted air.) Thousands of ships spewing dirty air across the oceans with dire consequences Experts estimate that over 30 million people will embark on a cruise somewhere in the world this year. In addition, millions more people work on cruise ships or live in port communities exposed to pollution from cruise ship smokestacks. This exposure is likely having severely negative effects on the health of these people. Stand.earth, the environmental organization that sponsored the study, reported that Kennedy chose to measure ultrafine particulate pollution levels on the ships since these particles are even more toxic than fine particle pollution, which has been studied more extensively by scientists: Ultrafine particles can have thousands of times more surface area than fine particles and are small enough to be inhaled into a persons lungs and move into the bloodstream, where they can cause higher rates of cardiovascular disease and asthma. Recent studies have suggested that ultrafine particles may be the most dangerous to human health, and that particulate matter from ship exhaust may be to blame for tens of thousands of annual deaths. What the study found The reason cruise ships generate such high levels of ultrafine particulate pollution is because they rely on heavy fuel oil (HFO) for power. While most cruise lines have installed scrubbers an exhaust-cleaning technology which is supposed to reduce sulfur emissions the study shows that these measures are making hardly any difference to the amount of pollution created by the use of HFO. Measurements taken on the four ships all of which belong to the Carnival Corporation revealed shockingly high levels of ultrafine particle pollution on every single ship. Stand.earth reported: While all four ships were traveling at sea, average particle counts were significantly higher in the areas behind the smokestacks (stern). Particle counts on the Holland America MS Amsterdam were approximately eight times higher on the stern areas than on the bow. Particle counts on the Carnival Freedom measured as high as 73,621 particles per cubic centimeter (pt/cc) near the running track while at sea. Particle counts on the Princess Cruises Emerald Princess measured as high as 157,716 pt/cc on the lower stern while at sea. In comparison, pollution measurements taken with the same equipment in Beijing, China in 2009 were 30,000 pt/cc on a busy street, and in Santiago, Chile in 2011-2012 were in the ranges of 8,000-30,100 pt/cc. The study also warned that as much as 70 percent of this pollution was being emitted within 250 miles of land, putting people living in those communities in danger, too. All things considered, until cruise lines switch to cleaner fuels, those who wish to protect their health might do best to avoid them altogether. Learn more at Environ.news. Sources include: Stand.earth Stand.earth[PDF] NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov (Natural News) I should have been aborted. At least thats what the pro-abortion side believes. Im always that one percent that is used 100% of the time to justify abortion. My birthmom experienced the horror and the violence of rape but chose to be stronger than her circumstances. Her courage not only enabled me to live but to be adopted and loved in a multiracial family of fifteen. Ten of us were adopted. (Article by Ryan Scott Bomberger republished from TheRadianceFoundation.org) Some of my siblings have disabilities including legal blindness, albinism, Bells palsy, symbrachydactyly (missing toes), and varying learning disabilities. I have my own disabilities. Im a sound designer with hearing loss and a creative design professional who is colorblind. But you know who the truly disabled are? Those who think that only the normal and the planned deserve to live. Today, Im happily married to the love of my life, Bethany, the cofounder of the Radiance Foundation, and Im a father to four amazing homeschooled kiddos. Adoption unleashes purpose. And courage shows us that some of the best things in life are unplanned. But Im not equal according to pro-abortion politicians like blackface-slash-KKK-impersonating Governor Ralph Northam. Pro-abortion liberals, nationwide, are transforming their once hallowed mantra of safe, legal and rare to just we heart infanticide. By the way, Northams denial about the racist yearbook photos, then admission, then denial, then apology, then defiance shows how easy it is for Democrats to weasel out of pitiful behavior. This is how #fakenews and #fakeoutrage work. Its hard to believe that liberals didnt know about that yearbook photo long before Northams pro-infanticide performance on WTOP back in January 2019. Funny how the Party of Slavery, Jim Crow, the KKK, and voter suppression (in the form of poll taxes and literacy tests) had to act outraged over their own DNA. Even Planned Parenthood, which poured $3 million into Northams election campaign, turned on him. In something that looked like it belonged in the Babylon Bee, Planned parenthoods new President, Dr. Leana Wen, demanded that Northam resign (and Im all about that resignation), not for supporting and promoting infanticide but for decades-old costume racism. Isnt that like the pot calling the kettle blackface? Thats not courage; thats contradiction. Planned Parenthood still daily celebrates its racist founderMargaret Sangerwho boasted of her speech to the KKK in her own autobiography (page 366.) Planned Parenthood, YOU should resign. You kill more black lives in two weeks than the KKK killed in a century. Abortion is the number one killer in the black community, outnumbering the top 15 causes of deathcombined. Planned Parenthood, alone, kills 247 black lives every single day. Theyre the very definition of systemic racism. In the last reported year, there were 16,042 abortions of children, of any hue, among residents here in VA. Thats 16,042 too many. Despite the decline of total numbers of abortions and abortion rates, nationwide and within our own state, the Left wants to increase the number of abortions and make us pay for it. MY BODY MY CHOICE!!! they cry. Well scientifically, no. Of course, science is not the fake feminist movements strength. And even if that pro-abortion slogan were valid, why are Democrats trying to force my body, my taxes to pay for it??? The Lefts abortion radicalism affects us allfemale, male, young, old, rich, poor, white, black and every hue in between. Pro-abortion liberals are always talking about their fake equality but dont believe that were all created equal. Once again, history brutally repeats itself. The Lefts abortion extremism empowers the abortion profiteers, not women. Theres nothing courageous about activists celebrating the killing of innocent human lives and slapping a reproductive freedom label on it. Its callous cowardice led by a $2 billion dollar bully that claims to plan parenthood. They dont plan parenthood; they violently end it. And Governor Northam and his pro-abortion cohorts, across the country, want to expand this violence. Prolife Americans wont let this happen. You may feel alone on this issue on your campus, in your workplace or even at your church. But know thiscourage doesnt need a crowd. It just needs a conscience. Courage changes everything. It makes people like meand my familypossible. My life has purpose! Your life has purpose! And when we choose to be strong and courageous, we enable millions of others to live out their God-given purpose, too. I shared these words, as one of the keynote speakers, at this weeks March for Life in Richmond, Virginiaan historic moment for the states capitol city. As with so many events, many ask: What can I do? There are so many ways to get involved and show people the love and compassion we all deserve. Learn about Life issues at Radiance Foundation, Live Action, Life News, LifeSiteNews or Human Defense Initiative. Get politically involved with groups like March for Life or SBA List. Take a prolife stance in middle school, high school or on your college campus through Students for Life. Learn and engage in powerful prolife activism with Prolife Action League, Created Equalor Survivors. Volunteer or support your local pregnancy center. Participate in peaceful prayer and sidewalk counseling with 40 Days for Life. Tell your story as a post-abortive women or man with Silent No More. Support medically and morally accurate sex education (here and here) for teens so they dont have to even face being abortion-vulnerable or pregnancy center clients. Help your church fulfill the James 1:27 mandate (caring for widows and orphans) by bringing in Care Nets incredible Making Life Disciples training and equipping program. Be a mentor and a support to a single mother. Be a fatherhood mentor to a young dad. Dont forget about birthmoms and birthdads, the often-invisible part of the adoption triad; be willing to Talk About Adoption. We can do so much more, as a society, to turn the unplanned into a loving plan. My favorite is this: Adoptbe the hope. Courage is calling you. Read more at: TheRadianceFoundation.org (Natural News) Google cant even buy off the Heritage Foundation without their cult-like leftist employees having conniption fits! (Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com) From Breitbart, Leaked Messages Show Google Employees Freaking Out Over Heritage Foundation Link: Internal discussion threads exclusively obtained by Breitbart News shows Google employees in meltdown over the tech giants decision to include the president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, Kay Coles James, on an artificial intelligence advisory council. Multiple Google employees in the thread also engaged in outright smears against the Heritage Foundation. Google employees accused the think-tank of transphobia, homophobia, and extremism, of viewing LGBT people as sub-human, questioning their humanity, and supporting exterminationist views. Would we even consider having a virulent anti-semite on the advisory board? How about an avowed racist or white supremacist? asked one Google employee. This seems like a double standard where anti-LGTBQ positions are tolerated more than other extreme discriminatory views. You dont need racists, white supremacists, exterminationists on the board to know their stances. you can just talk to their targets insisted another. Kay Cole James Its so upsetting that some of our leaders overlooked such hateful positions as Kay Cole James and the Heritage foundation have articulated and regularly advocate for, complained another Google employee. Another employee suggested that the rhetorical violence of the Heritage Foundation translate[s] to real, material violence against trans people, particularly trans women of color. Theres no need to have these people in positions of any kind of authority in order to get their views wrote another. Another Google employee was so incensed by the Heritage Foundation that he suggested another employee who defended the inclusion of Coles James on pragmatic grounds should lose his job. Its not snobbery to object to associating with and legitimizing an organization dedicated to eliminating LGBTQ+ people from public life, driving them back into the closet, denying them healthcare, and so on, raged the employee. Its basic human decency, treating it like a difference of opinion is simply monstrous and I dont think it belongs on this list, or at Google at all. Please feel free to see yourself off this list if all you have to contribute is concern trolling about whether or not were pandering to rank bigotry enough. Im muting you, and I think you should take a long hard look at how youre behaving here. At least one of the Google employees who smeared the Heritage Foundation and its president is a prominent A.I researcher who has attended tech symposiums at the Obama White House. Meredith Wittaker, co-founder of NYUs A.I. Now Institute and head of two projects at Google, the Open Research Group and the Measurement Lab, is revealed as one of the most vitriolic opponents of conservative involvement in Google A.I. In the thread, Whittaker describes Kay Coles James, a black conservative who leads one of the most influential think-tanks in D.C., as an outspoken bigot who supports policies that dehumanize and marginalize. In a different leaked discussion thread, Whittaker attacked the idea of viewpoint diversity (the idea that its valuable to tolerate and include a variety of ideological and political viewpoints) as dangerous. Justifying including bigots in the name of viewpoint diversity is, flatly, a dangerous weaponization of the language of [diversity & inclusion] said Whittaker, who has since helped organize an internal petition against Coles James inclusion. I would note that the argument for viewpoint diversity was at the core of Damores memo, and has been used by the alt-right to argue against diversity efforts that focus on historically marginalized communities. Whittaker also warned that the potential impact of A.I. was too dangerous to allow an open bigot like Coles James to be involved. She also used A.I. designed to assist ICE as an example of harmful A.I. Whittaker simultaneously recognizes the potentially vast influence and impact of A.I. while arguing that mainstream conservatives like the Heritage Foundation ought to be excluded from any participation in it. The potential harms of AI and advanced tech are not evenly distributed and follow historical patterns of discrimination and exclusion, wrote Whittaker. Those who have been historically marginalized are at the most risk of harm. See AI that doesnt hear women, that doesnt see trans people, or people of color. See systems deployed to aide ICE in targeting immigrants, to aid the Military in drone strikes, or to enhance worker control. Thus, in ensuring we are ethical in our pursuit of AI dominance, we need to include and amplify the perspectives of those most at risk. []A few participants in the thread defended the inclusion of Coles James on Googles A.I. advisory board. But no employee dared express agreement with Heritage the majority of Coles James defenders argued for her inclusion on the basis of political expedience. One employee even wrote that the inclusion of Coles James could provide political cover for actions that Google wants to take. The Daily Caller reported Friday that Google canceled the AI advisory board entirely due to their leftist employees whining: Googles decision to drop their AI advisory board entirely in response to left-wing critics within the company was met with applause from staff at an all-hands meeting Thursday, a source present told The Daily Caller. We didnt get it right, said Jen Gennai, Head of Responsible Innovation at Google, during the weekly meeting, reversing the position she had taken at the same meeting a week earlier. Google has been giving money to right-wing think tanks and groups like CPAC to buy them off (and so far its worked out great for them). This was obviously part of that same plan, yet their employees are too batsh*t crazy to even realize it. They just hear Heritage Foundation and think exterminationism. Another Google employee went public on Thursday in an article titled, The Cruelty of Googles Call-Out Culture, to say call-out incidents like the one with James are routine within the company itself. Many people would assume that while Google employees may deploy this sort of rhetoric against public figures such as Kay Coles James or Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), they would also treat their fellow employees with more respect, Google employee Mike Wacker said. In many cases, that assumption is false. He went on to show how he was accused of supporting a hate group because he donated to the pro-religious liberty legal group the Alliance Defending Freedom. Every Big Tech company is dominated by these lunatics and theyre actively using their power to discriminate against and deny basic services to right-wingers over their political views. Read more at: InformationLiberation.com A federal court ruling affecting all western states including California says cities can no longer give tickets to homeless people for sitting or sleeping in public places unless the city provides enough alternative beds for the city's entire homeless population. Matt and Sativa Peeples are living on the street in downtown Los Angeles. They say just Wednesday, a Los Angeles Police Department officer told them they couldn't set up their tent on a public sidewalk because it violates a city ordinance against public camping. "She threatened us with a ticket. I said, 'where is an appropriate place to put up your tent?'" Peeples said. The ACLU of Southern California agrees it's wrong to punish people for sleeping outside when there aren't enough beds indoors. "What the ninth circuit court said is it's cruel and inhumane punishment, under the eighth amendment of the constitution, to enforce ordinances when people have nowhere else to go," Eve Garrow of the ACLU said. The LA Homeless Services Authority said the city of LA only has enough shelter beds to house about one third of the city's more than 31,000 homeless people, and most of them are full every night. But some taxpayers like Kristen Mayberry worry that if cities can't enforce homeless ordinances, encampments will continue to grow. "The more you can't ticket them they're going to be everywhere. There should be an area for them," she said. The ACLU hopes the new ruling will force cities to look to permanent affordable housing as a long-term solution, since they'll be forced to stop ticketing. "This is now the law of the land and cities and municipalities have to change their practices. They have to prohibit enforcement of these ordinances until people have a reasonable, and accessible alternative to homelessness," Garrow said. The LA City Attorney's office said they're reviewing the new court ruling to determine how best to enforce the ordinance going forward. Mice, bed bugs and broken laundry machines. No, that's not a bad hotel review. That's how some UC Berkeley students are describing their dorms, which can cost more than $17,000 a school year. The university says they are working to fix the pest problems and are offering impacted students another place to stay. The dorms facing the pest problem are the Stern and Foothill residence halls, as first reported by The Daily Californian. Both dorms are older buildings, with Stern built in the 1940s. Students said they would like to see the university use some of the costs they pay to live in the buildings for upgrades and renovations. "I would love not to have rats," UC Berkeley student Cristina Bailey said. Rats are not the roommates Bailey expected to share a room with when she moved into UC Berkeley's Foothill dorm at the start of the school year. Bailey said the rats even chewed on her roommates clothes. Bailey said her parents are paying more than $2,100 a month for her room and board, which includes a meal plan. "We had to get rid of all the food that we had and now we only have food in closed containers," Bailey said. A spokesperson for UC Berkeley admits there is a rodent problem at both Foothill and Stern halls. The university provided the following statement: "Were working to address this issue, and pest control and housing facilities staff are treating (setting traps, sealing points of entry, etc.) and cleaning impacted areas." The university also points out the halls are next to wooded areas, which can attract more rodents than any other dorms further south. A heated conversation is turning hateful, and potentially violent. Several neighbors living in the Rincon Hill area of San Francisco say they have received death threats for donating to a GoFundMe page that opposes a new homeless shelter planned for the waterfront. At least five people they have received death threats or violent messages all by voicemail. On social media, the discourse has been pretty rough. But now, it appears to be getting worse. The fight over the 200-bed homeless shelter reached a crescendo earlier this week with San Francisco Mayor London Breed pleading with the crowd that showed up to oppose the shelter on the Embarcadero. Do you want to hear me, or are you just going to scream? the Breed asked opponents of the shelter at one point during the raucoaus meeting. But verbal sparring between the mayor and opponents may just be scratching the surface of an atmosphere of anger. They were trying to intimidate me, so I wont show up for community meetings, so I wont say anything, so I will just, fade into the background, said one of the women who filed a death threat report, and who wants to remain anonymous to protect her identity. One woman who spoke to NBC Bay Area about threats she received for opposing the site also didnt want to show her face on camera, for her safety. But she played this voicemail of a man, accusing her of donating to a go-fund-me account. If this isnt true, then this doesnt concern you. But if it is true, Im going to ask you to kill yourself. Idiot b___. I f___ your dad. Heres another recording from a female caller to a different victim. Let every dirty, lousy tramp arm himself with a revolver or knifeand lay low and wait on the steps of the palaces of the rich, and stab or shoot the owners if they come out. SFPD couldnt locate any death threat reports today though one victim showed us documentation of her visit. On social media, some of the backlash over the center has been brutal. Twitter users providing the names, pictures and backgrounds of donors, declaring, take notes! Even the founder of a competing GoFundMe, William Fitzgerald, got his personal information revealed to the public. The money hes raised so far will go to the Homeless Coalition of San Francisco. The proposal has other powerful supporters, including Salesforce CEO, Mark Benioff and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, who previously sparred on another city proposition to fund the homeless: a tax on big businesses to fight the citys homelessness problem. The CEOs of GitHub and Twilio also appear to have donated to the GoFundMe page supporting the center. We recently lost one of our grants, about 30% of our budget, so this is going to help us, said Sam Lew, the coalitions policy director of the GoFundMe funds. He added that any death threat is unacceptable, but typically, those threats are going to a different target. In any case, theres no room for violence. But I think that we have to focus on the fact that homeless people are the ones who are victims of violent crimes, and violent speechmost of the time. The victims of these calls told NBC Bay Area their position is being misrepresented. They said they dont oppose shelters, they just dont understand the choice for one at the Embarcadero. According to the citys 2017 count of the homeless population in a single night, there were about 7,000 people on the streets or in shelters. Police have encourages anyone whos been threatened to reach out. Information from CNBC was included in this article. A suspect in a Vallejo homicide was extradited back to the U.S. and booked into the Solano County jail Friday, police said. William Cordoba, 32, also known as William Johnson, was arrested on March 21, 2014, in Lima, Peru. Police said Cordoba was a Vallejo resident. Cordoba was being sought for allegedly killing 27-year-old Jimme Richardson on Feb. 4, 2013, at about 4:20 a.m. near Borges Lane and Evelyn Circle. Richardson died of gunshot wounds, according to police. Following an investigation, Solano County prosecutors on April 2, 2013, charged Cordoba for the slaying. An arrest warrant was issued and police sought help to find Cordoba. Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call Detective Josh Caitham at (707) 648-4342 or Detective Terry Schillinger at (707) 648-4278. Nigerian officials on Thursday halted search efforts a day after a school building collapsed in Lagos with an unknown number of children inside. The death toll was eight and could rise. As some anguished families protested and sifted through the rubble for any sign of their children, National Emergency Management Agency official Ibrahim Farinloye said workers had reached the foundation of the collapsed three-story building and did not expect to find more people. He declined to give an updated toll of dead and rescued. Officials late Wednesday said 37 people had been freed. An unknown number of people remained missing. Frantic efforts had gone into the night to find signs of life in the debris. It was not yet known what caused the collapse of the building containing a school in a crowded neighborhood at the heart of Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos. Building collapses are all too common in the West African nation, where new construction often goes up without regulatory oversight. Lagos state Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode said the building, which had been marked for demolition, was classified as residential and the school was operating illegally on the top two floors. Official moved through the neighborhood on Thursday, marking other derelict buildings for demolition. Obiora Manafa with the Standards Organization of Nigeria told reporters that they would analyze samples of the collapsed building's concrete and steel bars "to ascertain the quality ... and know whether they complied with the national building code." A crowd of hundreds of people had cheered on Wednesday as dust-covered, shocked-looking children were carried out one by one. Other small bodies, however, hung limp over workers' shoulders. As many as 100 children had been in the primary school on the building's top floors, witnesses said. Some authorities disputed that, but all grieved. "It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender," Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said. The collapse came as Buhari, newly elected to a second term as president, tries to improve groaning, inefficient infrastructure in Africa's most populous nation. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max made a safe emergency landing Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, after experiencing an engine problem, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The crew declared an emergency after taking off from Orlando International Airport around 2:50 p.m., and returned to the airport safely. No passengers were on board, and the aircraft was being ferried to Victorville, California, where Southwest is storing the airplanes. The 737 Max was grounded in the U.S. March 13 after a deadly crash involving a Max in Ethiopia on March 10. It was the second fatal crash involving the airplane. U.S. airlines are allowed to shuttle the planes but cannot carry passengers. The FAA says it's investigating but the emergency was not related to anti-stall software that is suspected as a cause of the two fatal crashes including one last year involving a plane from Indonesia. Airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell says one of the airport's three runways was shut down for cleaning after the landing. She says its standard procedure to check a runway for debris after an emergency landing. It wasn't clear if any parts actually fell off the plane. Fennell says the airport's other two runways remained open, and normal operations weren't affected. Southwest said the plane's pilots reported a "performance issue" with an engine shortly after taking off for the California airport, where it was flying to be in short-term storage. The Max 8 jet was to be moved to Southwest's Orlando maintenance facility to be checked, a company statement said. Note: You can read the full criminal complaint filed against Brian Michael Rini below. Prosecutors say the 23-year-old Ohio man accused of impersonating Timmothy Pitzen did so after watching a television show about the boy missing from Aurora, Illinois, since 2011. Brian Michael Rini was charged with making a false statement or representation to a department or agency of the United States, according to a criminal complaint filed against him in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The offense is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison because it involved lying about matters related to the sex trafficking of children, the U.S. attorney's office said at a news conference Friday. "On behalf of the United States, my heart goes out to the family of Timmothy Pitzen," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin Glassman said, adding, "I can only imagine the kind of pain that they have been through and that this episode has caused for them." Rini was ordered held without bond in his initial court appearance Friday morning. He was expected to appear in court again Tuesday for a detention hearing, prosecutors said. Federal court records dont list an attorney for Rini. Authorities said police in Newport, Kentucky, found Rini "wandering the street and looking confused and in need of assistance" on Wednesday. He told investigators he was Timmothy and that he had been abducted when he was 6 years old and "just wanted to go home." 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. [[508136462, C]] Investigators said Rini told them Wednesday that 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. Rini then complained of abdominal pain, prosecutors said, and was taken to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital emergency room, where he continued to claim to be Timmothy and said that he "had been sexually and physically abused for years while in captivity." He refused to be fingerprinted, officials said, but agreed to a cheek swab that was then tested against DNA from Timmothy's parents. The results indicated that Rini could not be related to the boy's parents and in comparison with the FBI's known samples, identified him as Rini, according to the complaint. [[508127312, C]] "FBI agents returned to talk again to the individual claiming to be Timmothy Pitzen, they identified themselves to him as FBI agents, they administered Miranda warnings, they warned him that lying to a federal agent is a violation of federal law," Glassman said. "Nevertheless he again repeated that he was Timmothy Pitzen and had escaped from a hotel where he had been held captive." But once confronted with the DNA results, prosecutors said Rini told officers that he was not Timmothy but had watched an episode of ABC's 20/20 about the boy. Rini told investigators that he "wanted to get away from his own family," the complaint reads, "and that he "wished he had a father like Timmothy's, because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking." Prosecutors alleged that Rini had pretended to be a sex trafficking victim on two prior occasions and in both instances had been identified once he was fingerprinted. Rini had been released from an Ohio prison less than a month before this incident, records obtained by NBC 5 Investigates show. [[508136202, C]] Records from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction show that Rini was sent to prison in January 2018 after he pleaded guilty to burglary and vandalism in connection with a "tattoo party" held at a model home. After serving most of an 18-month prison sentence, Rini was released on March 7. Investigators from the Aurora Police Department had traveled to the Cincinnati area in hopes that the person was in fact Timmothy, the only child missing from the western suburb, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "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. [[508131152, C]] At a news conference, Rowley said that 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 did 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. [[508166291, C]] Washington, D.C.'s attorney general says a 10-year-old boy who was handcuffed after an armed robbery is "totally innocent" and will not be charged. Video of D.C. officers putting handcuffs on the boy near 5th and H streets NE on Saturday sparked outrage on social media. "He is not resisting!" a woman can be heard yelling in the background as an officer walks the boy toward a cruiser in handcuffs. "That is not OK!" A boy reported to police that three other children assaulted him and took his cellphone at gunpoint about 4 p.m. in the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue NE before running off. Police said two children they stopped, a 10-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, were positively identified as taking part in the robbery. Police said they also recovered a BB gun and the stolen cellphone. However, Attorney General Karl Racine said in a news release Friday his office reviewed multiple surveillance videos that captured the crime and "we are now certain that there is no evidence that the 10-year-old boy played a role in the armed robbery. He is totally innocent." Racine said the boy won't face any charges. "Typically, we do not publicly comment on any of our juvenile cases because District laws protect the confidentiality of all juveniles involved in the justice system," Racine said in the statement. "But this is necessary because in the court of public opinion this innocent 10-year-old was deemed guilty and criminalized." Chaquitta Williams, the boy's mother, previously told News4 her son was innocent. "I just had to cry. It just hurt my feelings so bad to see my son put in handcuffs at the age of 10," she said. Williams said the experience traumatized her son. "He couldnt even sleep last night. His mind was just so rumbling." Police previously said they didn't realize at first that Williams' son was so young. "After the identification process, officers realized one of the suspects was ten years old and, per general order, they made notifications to their official who then notified Youth and Family Services (YFSD)," a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement. "After consideration, it was determined the ten year old would not be summarily arrested on the scene and that a custody order would be applied for by the investigating detective." Police did arrest the 13-year-old boy. Racine acknowledged that the Metropolitan Police Department acted in accordance with its policies and procedures. "We owe it to the young victim of this crime to hold the people who hurt him accountable. We also owe it to the 10-year-old who was incorrectly identified as an armed robber to set the record straight," Racine said. "I am speaking to you today to publicly exonerate this young person and to stress the importance of the laws which protect the confidentiality of all of the young people involved in our justice systemboth victims and offenders." A Connecticut lawyer who is among the wealthy parents charged with cheating the admissions process to get their children into prestigious universities says he will plead guilty and is apologizing for his actions. Gordon Caplan, of Greenwich, Connecticut, also said in a statement Friday that his daughter, a high school junior, had no knowledge of his actions. Caplan is accused of paying $75,000 to get a test supervisor to correct the answers on his daughter's ACT exam after she took it. Caplan is a former partner at the international law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, based in New York. He says he takes full responsibility for his conduct and is ashamed of his behavior. It's not clear when Caplan would enter the guilty plea. California entrepreneur Peter Jan Sartorio on Wednesday became the first parent in the broad scandal agreeing to plead guilty. The Connecticut Appellate Court has rejected the appeal of a former bail bondswoman serving a 25-year prison sentence for shooting her boyfriend to death in 2014. A three-judge panel of the state's second-highest court ruled against 32-year-old Angela Grasso, of Plainville, on Friday. Grasso was convicted of manslaughter in the killing of 23-year-old Jose Mendez in West Hartford. Police say she shot him in the head while he was driving. She said Mendez accused her of cheating on him and threatened several times to kill her and her family. She said in court she was "deeply sorry," but insisted she acted out of fear for her and her family's life. The Appellate Court rejected her claim that the state failed to disprove she acted in self-defense. To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates. Campus Stabbing A student at the University of Hartford was arrested after police say he stabbed two classmates in a dorm on the West Hartford campus on Sunday. Jake Wascher, 21, of San Diego, California, stabbed the two students while they were all filming a scene for a movie as part of a class assignment, according to police. Wascher told officers he wanted to see what it was like to stab someone, police said. See more on the incident here. Hartford police say the 21-year-old student accused of stabbing two classmates told them he wanted to see what it was like to stab someone. Fatal Uber Mistake Family and friends mourned 21-year-old Samantha Josephson, who was killed after mistakenly getting into a car she believed was her Uber. The University of South Carolina student was found dead outside Columbia, South Carolina. Police have charged a 25-year-old man with killing Josephson. Click here for more on the student's death. A Minnesota teen who had her wisdom teeth extracted has died after complications from the procedure, KARE, NBC's affiliate in Minneapolis reported. Milford Woman Claims Uncomfortable Moment With Biden A Milford woman is one of several women who have come forward claiming to have had an interaction with Joe Biden that they considered inappropriate. Amy Lappos, a former aide to Rep. Jim Himes, said Biden touched her face with both hands and rubbed noses with her in 2009. The encounter took place at a political fundraiser in Greenwich in 2009 when Biden was vice president, Lappos said. In a video posted to Twitter, Biden acknowledged social norms have changed and that he would be more mindful of people's personal space. See more here. Amy Lappos, a former aide to Democratic Rep. Jim Himes, is the second woman to share an account of an interaction with former Vice President Joe Biden that she said made her uncomfortable. Debate Site? Hartford is one of six places being considered for a presidential or vice presidential debate during the 2020 campaign. The Commission on Presidential Debates made the announcement Wednesday. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin released a statement that said the city "would be proud to host a debate." For more on the announcement, click here. So Long, Farmington After years of trying to sell it, rapper 50 Cent finally found a buyer for his 50,000-square-foot mansion in Farmington. The 21-bedroom, 25-bathroom home was sold for $2.9 million. 50 Cent bought the mansion in 2007 for $18.5 million. See details of the sale here. [HAR] Price on 50 Cent's Farmington Mansion Drops to $5 Million One of the world's richest couples is donating $100 million to support public education and new businesses in some of Connecticut's most disadvantaged communities. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's office said Friday's donation from hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio and his wife, Barbara, is believed to be the largest to benefit the state in its history. Dalio lives in Greenwich and is the founder of the investment firm Bridgewater Associates. He said the money is earmarked for areas with high poverty and drop-out rates and will create career paths that encourage kids to stay in school. The Dalios, especially Barbara, have made improving public education a priority and thousands of young people will have a better chance to succeed because of their commitment, Gov. Lamont said in a statement. There are many individuals who care deeply about Connecticut and its future generations. Weve come together today for a historic investment to support, encourage, and mentor our young people so they can achieve their greatest potential. Im grateful to the Dalios, to all our community leaders and educators, and to all of our young people who are working every day to make our state the best it can be. The governor said the state plans to leverage the donation into a $300 million investment over five years, with Connecticut matching Dalio's $100 million and another $100 million from other philanthropists and business leaders. Read more about the plan here. Giving students the education that leads to career and job opportunities is one of the most important responsibilities that we have as a society, Barbara Dalio, co-founder and director of Dalio Philanthropies, said in a statement. When students are given the career and job training opportunities and they can see a path that excites them, they will thrive. Ray and I are thrilled to partner with Governor Lamont and communities to make this vision possible. The $100 million from Dalio Philanthropies is the largest known philanthropic donation to benefit the state in Connecticuts history, according to the governors office. Equal access to education and job opportunities are required for any system to be fair and productive, Ray Dalio, co-founder and president of Dalio Philanthropies, said in a statement. Unfortunately, these are now lacking in Connecticut, particularly in poor areas of the state where poverty impedes childrens ability to get a quality education and for adults to get jobs. I believe that all members of our Connecticut community should pull together to rectify these intolerable circumstances. Barbara has for many years been tirelessly working alongside our states educational and community leaders to help provide our public school system with the support it needs to close the educational opportunity gaps. Building on her work and Governor Lamonts call to work together, we are excited to help initiate this partnership to improve public education and provide jobs and microfinancing opportunities to those in the most depressed areas of our state. He said they hope to raise incomes, lower social costs and make Connecticut a more hospitable environment for those who will contribute to its well-being. Whether or not a college or university requires standardized testing as part of the admissions process is something for high school seniors to consider. On the Wesleyan University campus in Middletown, a third of the enrolled students did not submit test scores with their applications. I never was a great test taker so both of them terrified me, Wesleyan junior Ricardo Vazquez from Hartford said. Vazquez said he looked for schools that didnt insist on seeing how well he did on the SAT or ACT. I had a very strong profile overall when I was applying to colleges, he said, but I felt like the test score really took me back. Five years ago Wesleyan University decided to make standardized test scores optional during the admission process. Since then the university president Michael Roth told NBC Connecticut the applicant pool has become more diverse with more students fromlow-incomee families applying. Well, I was always really skeptical about the standardized part of standardized testing, Roth said. Roth said that skepticism and an observation from his daughter influenced the change in the admissions process. She was getting was getting tutored for her exams and she said to me dad, this is not fair Im getting help and my friend who doesnt have access to a tutor isnt getting any help at all and I said yeah life is unfair and she said well youre actually a university president you could do something at Wesleyan, Roth said. Quinnipiac University in Hamden is test optional depending on the school and program, Associate Vice President for Public Relations John Morgan said. Yale University still requires test scores. The admissions website says they are viewed within the context of the students entire file. Greenwich lawyer Gordon Caplan has pleaded guilty for his part in the nationwide college admissions scandal dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. The former co-chairman of the New York law firm Wilkie, Farr and Gallagher became the second parent to plead guilty. Federal prosecutors accused him of paying $75,000 to have someone correct his daughters ACT score after she took the test. Grades are a much better predictor for us how theyll do at Wesleyan than a timed exam on vocabulary words not likely to be used, Roth said. During the latest admissions cycle, Roth said about 80 percent of applicants still included test scores. Some people use it to show that they may have had bad grades the first year, second year but the SAT shows they have intellectual horsepower, he said, but for other people it really isnt a valid measurement. Daniel Cocchiola, director of counseling at Hamden Public Schools, told NBC Connecticut he supports colleges and universities making test scores optional, but pointed out that may be more difficult for larger public universities. Helen Li from Philadelphia visited the campus in Middletown for the first time Friday afternoon. I got accepted to Wesleyan for regular admissions, the high school senior said. Li said Wesleyan is the only college to which she applied and got accepted that did not require seeing how well she scored on the SAT. I took it two times and the first time was very nerve-wracking, Li said. So I think thats why having the option of allowing to submit or not submit the test is definitely a benefit because I know there are students like me who are not the best test takers out there but can perform better in other areas. While the high profile college admissions cheating scandal has gained national attention, Roth said thats not the only way inequality in education manifests itself. Not because of rich people buying SAT scores, Roth said, its because we dont fund our high schools well enough to prepare people from all social classes to have a chance at a very successful career. Roth said more colleges should make the same move as Wesleyan to increase access to higher education. Absolutely, I actually think they should all do it, Roth said. I think schools that use SATs must recognize that SAT scores are correlated with wealth and that they are poor predictors of undergraduate performance. Vazquez said he agrees with his universitys president, even though he said he still lucked out by having a private tutor at his prep school. I had a lot of my friends who could not prepare for it, Vazquez said. Coming from Hartford there were a lot of students that they didnt have the resource to pay for that extra tutoring. The grandmother of a boy who went missing in 2011 from Illinois said she believes her grandson is still alive and hopes publicity surrounding a hoax perpetrated by an Ohio man claiming to be the 14-year-old boy will generate new leads in authorities' search for him. Linda Pitzen, 71, told The Wooster Daily Record she tried to manage her expectations when she heard Wednesday that Timmothy Pitzen, missing since age 6, might be the teenager who told police he was Timmothy. She said she found it frightening to wonder whether Timmothy would remember his name after "supposedly being kept captive" for so long. "You don't want to get your hopes up, but yet you are hoping that it could be him," Linda Pitzen said. The teen was in fact 23-year-old Brian Rini, of Medina, Ohio, a convicted felon released from prison in March after serving a sentence for burglary and vandalism. Rini has been charged with making false statements to authorities in federal court in Cincinnati. Timmothy vanished after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, pulled him out of kindergarten in Aurora, Illinois, nearly eight years ago, 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." Rini was found wandering the streets Wednesday in northern Kentucky and told authorities he had just escaped his captors after years of abuse, officials said. He claimed he had been forced to have sex with men, according to the FBI. When confronted with DNA results proving he wasn't Timmothy, Rini acknowledged his identity, saying he had watched a story about the missing boy on ABC's "20/20" and wanted to get away from his own family, the FBI said. "I just hope this young man who claimed to be Tim realizes how much hurt he caused," Linda Pitzen said. "And now everybody is hurting. And I just don't understand how somebody could be so sick to do this." She said she hoped Rini would get mental health treatment so that he would never hurt a family like this again. A court docket shows a Medina Municipal Court judge in 2013 ordered Rini to be "compliant" in taking his psychiatric medication. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to court documents. Rini's brother, 21-year-old Jonathan Rini, told The Associated Press on Saturday that his family struggled while growing up. He said it has been four years since he has spoken to his brother. "I wasn't surprised he did something stupid," Jonathan Rini said. "I was just surprised he stooped that low for attention." Jonathan Rini said that while he has no compassion for his brother, he has "deep sorrows" for Timmothy's family. "It's too much for them," he said. "They shouldn't have to go through this. No one in the world should have to go through this." NBC 7 has live team coverage of the presidential visit on air, in app and at the top of this page. President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Calexico, California, Friday and touted the effectiveness of a recently renovated stretch of border fence, calling it "better, faster and less expensive," than the portion of fence it replaced. The president flew into Naval Air Facility El Centro aboard Air Force One and was greeted to cheers from border patrol agents, military troops and their families before boarding a motorcade en route to the border town. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was the first to greet the president and traveled with him south to Calexico, where he will tour a 2.25-mile section of recently renovated border fence Trump was joined for a quick media briefing by law enforcement agency officials from border jurisdictions from San Diego to Arizona. Trump repeated previous claims that San Diegans were "begging me for a wall." Were very appreciative of this wall. These men and women out here in the area of two miles were experiencing a high number of assaults and use-of-force incidents. This was prior to this wall being built," El Centro Sector CBP Chief Gloria Chavez said. Chavez said the see-through design of the new fence gives agents a huge advantage because they can now see what's on the other side. "We can see the adversary, we can see the threat," she said. Chavez said agents would have rocks and other items thrown at them on a daily basis, but those threats have stopped since the new fence was erected. According to Chavez, assaults on agents have dropped 65 percent in that two-mile stretch and illegal entries have decreased by 75 percent. Trump said the majority of breaches in the area happen at points along the border still lined with the old fence. When the entire area is lined with the new style fence, he predicted illegal entries in Chavez's area would be down 99.9 percent. If you want to climb that its pretty sharp up top, too If you want to climb that, you deserve whatever you can get," he said. Three sheriffs from counties in California's central valley were also at the briefing, saying they feel the impact of porous border defense from 400 miles away. "I just want to take this opportunity to thank this president for doing the right thing and standing up for law enforcement in this country. It is greatly appreciated," Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said. Trump criticized political leaders in California, and in San Diego, for their apparent complaints regarding Trump's border barrier project. "Its interesting about California, theyre begging me for the wall in San Diego, you know that, because the people were pouring in through San Diego, going over the front lawns, going into peoples houses, so they want the wall done in San Diego, and we did it and then you hear they dont want the wall; they want the wall. If you ever took it down, they wanted that one so badly, and we did it, we did a great job. We stopped everybody, virtually everybody actually, everybody from coming over. It was a tremendous success but California is always the first one to complain." Sherrif representatives from Arizona who joined the president also thanked him for his commitment to border security, and said they neutralize threats from the other side of the southern border every day. Anyone who would suggest that we do not have a crisis on our southern border is being intellectually dishonest to the point of being dishonest with malice. We have a humanitarian crisis which is very clear and compelling, we have a compelling crisis of public safety with human trafficking, drug trafficking, sex trafficking coming through the border. This is not make believe, this is something that we live with every day as border sheriffs, so we applaud the efforts of the current administration to secure our border, Pima County Sheriff Mark D. Napier said. Ahead of the tour, the president first sat down for a roundtable with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security officials. CBP Chief Chavez said that the renovated section of wall accounted for a drop in illegal entries by 75 percent in fiscal year 19. "We need the border barrier, we need to provide the requirements that meet our need, in this case for us its 30 feet high," Chavez said. "That's what we asked for and that's what was provided, so thank you on behalf of the border patrol here for allowing that to happen." With the renovation, the section became the tallest border barrier along the southern United States, standing at 30 feet tall, according to Chavez. The White House says it's the first section of his proposed border wall to be built, though the repairs were made with 2018 appropriations as part of a long-planned replacement project, and was in construction from Feb. to Oct. 2018. "There is indeed an emergency on our southern border," Trump said at the briefing, adding that there has been a sharp uptick in illegal crossings. "It's a colossal surge, and it's overwhelming our immigration system. We can't take you anymore. Our country is full." Meanwhile, both protesters and supporters gathered at the Gran Plaza Outlets next to the Calexico Port of Entry in anticipation of Trump's arrival. Nearby, the barbed wire fence separating the two countries was lined with Department of Homeland Security vehicles. Protesters floated next to the port a 20-foot tall balloon of a cartoonish Trump wearing a diaper, hopeful that the president's motorcade would pass the giant inflatable while en route to the border. "We hope our words our real worries are heard. And we can reach a solution," said protester and Calexico resident Maria Surtado. Trump supporter and El Centro resident Omar Vega positioned himself next to the baby Trump balloon and alongside protesters to represent the other side, he told NBC 7. Vega is hopeful that the president can make change along the border. "Hopefully he actually does something productive today, and hopefully helps the economy, in this city, right now," Vega said. "With building the wall, hopefully the crime rate goes down, especially in this city, because its very bad right now." Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday that during President Trump's visit to the border city, he will be briefed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on "exactly what is taking place at the border." "Hes going to get a briefing when he first arrives there from a number of law enforcement officials, the CBP folks the people that are on the front lines there on the ground," she told Fox News. The president has threatened to close the southern border if demands to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking are not met. On Thursday, the President walked back the immediate threat to close the border and instead said the closure could come next year if the Mexican government or Congress does not make significant progress on both issues. Trump also said he would slap tariffs on Mexican automotive imports at that time. The possibility of a border shutdown was first made last Friday due to a surge of Central Americans migrants who are seeking asylum in the U.S. Trump administration officials have said the influx is straining the immigration system to the breaking point. While Vega is in favor of Trump's border wall plan, he admits shutting down the border wouldn't be good for El Centro because the city's economy relies on people crossing over the border to spend money, he explained. "This is certainly not the presidents first choice but Democrats at this point, they're unwillingness to do anything has left the president with very little options. Thankfully Mexico has stepped up over the last few days," Sanders said. When asked what Mexico has done, the press secretary said they've added additional checkpoints within the country to stop migrants before they reach the U.S. border. Second, Mexico increased to 300 the number of asylum-seeking individuals allowed to be sent back to Mexico as part of a new U.S. policy. Mexico's cooperation with U.S. officials last December marked a historic one as the country has traditionally refused to accept into their country the return of any migrants who are not Mexican. Elected leaders from border communities stretching from San Diego to cities across Texas warned that havoc would ensue on both sides of the international boundary if the ports were closed. They were joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which said such a step would inflict "severe economic harm." The San Diego and Imperial County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union released a statement Friday voicing concerns that the president was not meeting with civilians of the border communities. The statement read in part, "To our knowledge, the president has no plans to meet with Imperial Valley residents or community leaders to hear their concerns. He has no intent to learn how his policies strain limited local resources and put lives at risk. He is unmoved by the harmful effects his threats to close the border has on businesses, families and civic life in the region." Calexico, part of Imperial County, is home to the second busiest commercial port on the California border and processes tens of thousands of vehicles daily. Also on Friday, House Democrats filed a lawsuit preventing Trump from spending more money than Congress has approved to erect barriers along the southwestern border. Congress approved just under $1.4 billion for work on border barricades. Trump has asserted he can use his powers as chief executive to transfer an additional $6.7 billion to wall construction. Thirsty for learning and inspired by a love of history and geography, Karen Morgan, 66, a Tyler stay-at-home wife, mother and grandmother, began auditing courses in her favorite subjects for free at Tyler Junior College. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports Barry Jacobs, 77, began auditing various art courses at TJC for free too at the suggestion of a woman in his cancer support group. At the time, he was looking for something to do after retiring from 28 years in the floor covering business and 11 years selling insurance. Betty Knight, 75, a Tyler potter and artist, wanted to be with other potters and felt lonely after the passing of her sister with whom she had been in business. Auditing art classes at TJC for free was the answer for her as well. A state law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2012, allows people ages 65 or older to audit courses for free at public colleges and universities in Texas. Few take advantage of the opportunity in Tyler. Only three persons who are age 65 or older are auditing classes this spring semester at The University of Texas at Tyler. Since 2015, students who are in the 66 to 75 age range have totaled 55 while 14 were 76 or older at UT Tyler. Currently at TJC, 33 people in the 65 or older age range are auditing courses during the spring semester. Representatives from TJC and UT Tyler see benefits for older residents of the Tyler area and also for the schools from people 65 or older auditing courses. Laura Jackson, UT Tyler assistant vice president for government and community affairs, said senior citizens auditing courses is a great way for traditional college students to learn from the life experiences of older students. "It is also a great way for the individuals auditing the courses to not only learn the subject matter of the course, but also to interact with our faculty and learn from our current students," she said. Auditing courses, Jackson said, "provides a wonderful way to know more about the expertise we have right here at our fingertips in East Texas." Claire Mizell, TJC assistant director of admissions, said different types of students in the classroom always brings various experiences to discussions and it's always good for the class atmosphere. Auditing courses, she said, enables older citizens to sharpen their skills, learn something new and maybe discover new interests and talent. "There are so many options to learn something new and all of our opportunities to take advantage of at TJC," Mizell said. TJC's only restriction on which courses senior citizens may audit is that there must be available seating in the class they choose. If a science class is full, for instance, they would not be able to audit that one. At UT Tyler, people ages 65 or older may audit any course with three exceptions: any course offered on an individual instruction basis, any course requiring use of laboratories, computers or studio spaces; and courses offered through the Ben & Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy. Older adults auditing classes at TJC or UT Tyler do not earn academic credits. Morgan, a newcomer to Texas, kept hearing her grandchildren talk about going to college. She wanted to go back to school and found out that people 65 or older could audit classes for free in Texas. One day she went to TJC to check it out. Morgan took a world regional geography course last summer. Next she took U.S. History in the fall and is currently taking the second semester of U.S. History. "It's really interesting and I absolutely love it," Morgan said. "I just want to learn. I love learning. It keeps your brain sharp." She encourages young people in the class to open up and participate. Looking for something to do in retirement, Jacobs started auditing courses in the TJC art department nine years ago and since then has taken one art class every semester. He has audited courses in design, printmaking, ceramics, charcoal drawing, painting and other art subjects. "I keep trying different things because there are so many avenues you can go down in the art department," Jacobs said. With encouragement, he tried fiberglass sculpture after a guest led a workshop about fiberglass in an art class that Jacobs was auditing. Jacobs made fiberglass sculptures of himself, his wife and his mother-in-law. His other art works produced in other art courses include a rubber mask, concrete sculptures, wood sculpture, a ceramic tabletop and paintings. "I get a lot of satisfaction out of completing something," Jacobs said. "I am more of an art impressionist than an artist. I try to do the best I can and be as close to an artist as possible." Being around young people in the class is amazing, Jacobs said. "These kids are wonderful and an inspiration. There are so many young talented people in these classes." Jacobs looks at their artwork and they look at his. "I make an encouraging comment if I like it," Jacobs said. "If I don't like it, I don't say anything." Although already a painter and a potter, Knight began auditing a TJC ceramics class last fall and is continuing this spring. "There's nothing like other potters inspiring you and you inspiring them," she said. Being in a class in which most of the students are the usual college age of 18 to 21, Knight said, "is wonderful because they are full of life and they create all kinds of things. It's very interesting. It makes me feel so good to be able to create and to be with others that are creating and to bless those I'm around." After her sister died, Knight began auditing the ceramics class because she was lonely, wanted to be with other potters and missed the pottery ministry business that she and her sister had. In making ceramics, Knight draws a parallel between emergence of a pottery piece and how God can recreate lives after the loss of a loved one, a divorce or other trauma. Applying to audit a course at TJC is "a very quick process," Mizell said. On the first day of class when a new semester starts, she advised people ages 65 or older to meet with an admissions specialist in White Administrative Services Center to apply and be admitted. The specialist will then send them to Rogers Student Center, where they can select the courses they want to audit. Individuals interested in auditing a course at UT Tyler should visit the Enrollment Services Center in Stewart Hall on campus, Jackson said. At the ESC, they can obtain an audit application and an Audit Request Form. Both documents need to be completed and returned to the ESC. The paperwork should be submitted between the first day of class and the Census Date, which is the 12th day of classes in the fall and spring semesters and the fourth day of classes in six-week summer sessions. Negotiations are underway between the Fort Bend Independent School District and Fort Bend County to determine who will ultimately own land near Sugar Land where last year the remains of 95 former state of Texas convict laborers were unearthed. The Galveston County Daily News reports the bodies, 94 male and one female, were in unmarked graves, ranged in age from 14 to 70 and were buried there between 1878 and 1910 when large sugar plantations operated under such harsh conditions that the place came to be known as the Hellhole of the Brazos. Galveston County resident Samuel L. Collins III and Reginald Moore, of Houston, meanwhile, have been updating groups on the Sugar Land 95, the history of convict leasing in Texas and progress toward permanently creating a suitable memorial at the site where the bodies were found. On April 12, Collins and Moore will lead a one-day seminar at Rice University, and in June, they will speak at The Bryan Museum in Galveston. On March 11, Collins and Moore led a seminar at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University, "Unearthing the Truth of Slavery by Another Name." "Our hope is that a story like this one becomes a chapter or an entire volume in American history, not merely a footnote," Collins said. Moore, who was a prison guard for three years in the 1980s at the Jester State Prison Farm near where the bodies were unearthed, became interested in Texas' and the Gulf Coast region's history of leasing convicts for unpaid agricultural labor when he first saw modern prisoners, most of them black men, working in the fields with white guards monitoring them, riding up and down rows on horseback. To Moore, it looked like a plantation from the not-so-distant past, Collins said. In the late 1800s, businessmen Edward H. Cunningham and Littleberry Ellis signed a contract to lease the entire population of Texas prisons to work in their fields. Arrests, especially of black men, increased exponentially with harsh sentences assigned to even minor offenses that normally would have resulted in fines or probation. The land those convicts cultivated had previously been owned by the Williams brothers, including Samuel May Williams, whose Galveston home is a familiar landmark. The land was eventually sold to Isaac Kempner of Galveston and William T. Eldridge of Eagle Lake and formally incorporated as the Imperial Sugar Company. Kempner opposed the convict leasing program and began changing it to a free labor system just before convict leasing was scrutinized by the press and ultimately shut down, making prisoners the sole property of the state of Texas. Convict labor at prison farms in the area, like the Jester Unit, continued to operate. In January, Harvard School of Design student Hanna Kim reached out to Moore, to help him pursue grant money to further his work. Collins, who had begun working with Moore on the Sugar Land 95 project, served as a communication liaison between the two, since Moore doesn't use the internet. Kim set up a Skype call from her parents' home in Cambodia, and the three talked about the work Collins and Moore were doing in Texas, ultimately deciding they should bring the story of the Sugar Land 95 to Harvard, Collins said. Kim visited the Hutchins Center, whose director is famed African-American historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., and enlisted support for bringing Moore and Collins to campus. "I'm very honored to have been the bridge that brought them to campus," Kim said. "A lot of people came out and it was a beautiful and super engaging event." Kim read about the Sugar Land 95 shortly after the bodies were discovered and was so shocked by it that it came to mind when she had to write a paper for a graduate school course, Culture, Conservation and Design, in which students examined a place and tied what happened in the past to the current identity of the place, looking at who was involved in shaping the narrative of the place, and whose voices were silenced. Sugar Land wasn't incorporated until 1959 but arose on land where thousands of slaves, and later convict laborers, had worked the fields making fortunes for wealthy white landowners whose names are enshrined in the area's history, foremost among them Stephen F. Austin. Kim, who immigrated to the United States from Cambodia at age 14, realized this was a suppressed and largely untold story in American history. "I've talked to people, my friends who are Americans, and they've said, look, I've never heard of this," Kim said. "Hearing about convict leasing still shocks people, even though it's so easy to make connections between then and now. I think that's why the Hutchins Center saw the critical need for this event." For Collins, the experience of bringing the Sugar Land 95 story to Harvard was transcendent, though an event the day after the seminar cast a dark shadow and was a brutal reminder of how some things have not changed in America. "Mr. Moore was sitting on a couch in a lounge area of our hotel, reading The New York Times that had been dropped outside his hotel room door, when a hotel employee confronted him, assuming he was a homeless person, not a guest," Collins said. The hotel has since apologized for the employee's action, but Collins said it still stings. "It's 2019 and this is still a reality," he said. "This is about valuing all people for who they are, and recognizing the Sugar Land 95 for their part in our shared history." Nine-year-old Billy Cohn was never the most serious-minded of young students, but the biggest news story of April 5, 1969, definitely commanded his attention. The Houston Chronicle reports next to his cereal bowl, Billy's mom had placed the morning paper's account of Dr. Denton Cooley's implantation of an artificial heart, an event that wowed the boy as much as adults. He brought the article to school, Memorial Drive Elementary, sharing it with classmates rather than listening to the teacher, who came to his desk to confiscate the distraction. When she saw the article's subject, she instead told Billy to tell the entire class about the breakthrough. "It was pretty cool," recalls Cohn, now a heart surgeon and inventor. "There I was standing up in front of my peers telling them about the artificial heart. You can imagine what an inspiration the device became for me." Fifty years later, the story of the first artificial heart's implantation endures: science fiction made reality, cautionary tale, the event that launched one of medicine's most famous feuds, a dream still being pursued. It is one of Houston's signature stories but also a subject of continuing interest around the world. Its legacy can be seen in the mechanical cardiac parts people now take for granted -- valves, pacemakers and, most of all, support devices that currently help diseased hearts better pump blood. Nothing stimulated interest in the new field like Cooley's audacious effort to save a dying patient with the help of a device previously deemed not ready for use in people. Its enigma can be seen in the fact the device Cooley implanted was never used again. The need hasn't gone away. Despite cardiac advances such as statins and stents, some 500,000 patients in the United States die of heart failure annually, more than 1,000 a day. Medicine has mastered the transplantation of donor hearts, but most years there are only 2,000 to 3,000 available. Cohn says it's amazing there's not yet an artificial heart that can be taken off the shelf and sewn into a gravely ill patient, given that prostheses exist for most every other structural part of the body that fails. But he says artificial heart efforts are getting "close." "It's interesting how we're still mesmerized by the idea of replacing the heart," says Shelley McKellar, author of "Artificial Hearts: The Allure and Ambivalence of a Controversial Medical Technology" and a medical historian at the University of Western Ontario. "In 1969, after the artificial heart was implanted, it was seen as something that probably wasn't going to happen." The story dates to the early 1960s, when famed Houston heart surgeon Michael DeBakey led a contingent of scientists to Capitol Hill, telling Congress that an artificial heart could be brought to "full fruition if we had more funds." The researchers were rewarded with $10 million. Houston became the effort's epicenter, partly because of DeBakey's stature and partly because of the city's NASA era "anything-is-possible" spirit. DeBakey's research team spent the ensuing years developing hearts and testing them in animals at Baylor College of Medicine and, by 1968, they had put a prototype in a number of calves. But none lived longer than 40 hours and DeBakey thought the project needed more work before trying it in patients. The verdict didn't sit well with Dr. Domingo Liotta, the device's inventor. Frustrated, Liotta brought the device to Cooley, DeBakey's one-time protege who'd seven years before founded the competing Texas Heart Institute. In the coming months, the two tweaked the device. On April 4, 1969, Cooley implanted the device in ailing heart patient Haskell Karp at St. Luke's Hospital, surgery that made front-page headlines around the world the next day. Karp survived the operation but died within the week, less than two days after getting a donor heart. The operation touched off the most sensational medical controversy in Houston history. DeBakey complained the heart had been covertly taken from his lab and Cooley was censured by the American College of Surgeons. The two giants wouldn't speak for decades -- a falling-out immortalized in a Life magazine cover story entitled "The Feud" -- before reconciling a year ahead of DeBakey's 2008 death. The device actually did its job, buying Karp time until a donor heart could be found. But it didn't set off a wave of implants across the nation. Some historians dismiss it as a "one-off." The consensus was the technology was premature, based on its performance in animals. It didn't help that patients transplanted with donor hearts at the time didn't survive long, a result of rejection issues researchers had not yet figured out. Those outcomes nixed the device's possible role as a bridge to transplant. Doctors appreciated Cooley's effort, but many thought if the world's most skilled surgeon couldn't make it work, there probably wasn't a future for it, says McKellar. Could a man-made device really take the heart's place, pump blood without clotting or eventually breaking down, without ever taking a break? "DeBakey had made a statement early in the 1960s that he expected there to be 200,000 artificial hearts in people by the end of the decade," recalls Dr. Michael Reardon, a heart surgeon at Houston Methodist Hospital. "It showed how wildly overoptimistic we were in trying the understand the complexities in building an artificial heart." Following the implantation, Cooley attended scientific meetings where he spoke about what he learned from the operation -- how Karp's blood reacted in the device, how the device performed in Karp compared with animals. McKellar says Cooley was seen as contributing to the discussion, but it was unclear it the procedure affected the direction of the future direction of mechanical heart parts. McKellar says the Karp surgery became viewed as a cautionary tale, exploding issues of when a patient can truly give consent and when's the appropriate time to move experimental procedures from the laboratory to the bedside. But she acknowledges Karp was within days, even hours, of dying without surgery, a prognosis that "emboldened a sort of what's-there-to-lose attitude" in doctors and patients brave enough to be the first to try a new procedure. McKellars says the implantation's key contribution was to shine a spotlight on artificial heart research and raised public expectations that such technology would one day work, that better mechanical devices would be forthcoming. It ignited a new enthusiasm for imagining mechanical devices and spare parts, she says. In recent decades, the emphasis has shifted to alternatives, known as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), that do not replace the heart but assist the chamber that pumps blood throughout the body. The approach was pioneered by DeBakey after he abandoned research into the total artificial heart. In the early incarnations, LVADs saved lives as bridges to transplant, but they were considered too big and not durable enough. In time, improvements led to their implantation in more than 60,000 patients now, some of whom have lived years with the device. Former Vice President Dick Cheney lived 20 months with one of the devices, all the while improving enough to go on the heart transplant list, then get a donor organ. "The artificial heart's legacy is the stimulation of physician scientists and device companies to develop powerful support devices for the heart that are now smaller, more capable of increasing cardiac output from the heart, less likely to develop blood clots and reliable for years," says Dr. James Willerson, president emeritus of the Texas Heart Institute. "Today, they often return a patient to an active lifestyle relatively free of heart failure symptoms." Original pumps were large "pulsatile" devices, which mimicked the beating of a heart as they pumped blood. Today, they're smaller "continuous-flow" device, which continuously spin blood through the arteries. Reardon says the next advance will be miniaturized, catheter-delivered assist devices. He thinks the devices will take over enough cardiac function, indefinitely, and give the patient's time to rest and recover, without requiring time in the hospital. It is a scenario McKellar thinks will still be the most frequent use of mechanical heart devices 50 years from now. But the idea of a total artificial heart that replaces the diseased organ is very much alive, despite concerns from the 1980s to early 2000s that the unwieldy devices didn't enhance life so much as prolong patients' painful journey to death. The leading device now -- the Food and Drug Administration-approved SynCardia -- has excited the field because it's small and portable and has saved lives as a bridge to transplant. Still, it has its limits -- its power source is battery pack stored in a lunchbox-sized pouch outside the body. The top hope now is a miniaturized device being studied at the Texas Heart Institute -- the BiVACOR -- that uses magnetic levitation technology to circulate blood around the body. It was developed by a mechanical engineer from Australia's Gold Coast, who eventually persuaded Cooley and Cohn that its continuous flow of blood could work where other devices had failed. It has worked beautifully in calves, says Cohn. Cohn, who says the hope is to implant the device in patients in 2021, envisions a future in which the device keeps people from dying of heart disease. He says he knows that sounds crazy, but points out that the Wright brothers could never have imagined 600 people at 35,000 feet flying from New York to Los Angeles watching a movie and eating dinner. "It's hard to see that far over the horizon when you're in the early stages," says Cohn. Chalk one up for art on a sunny East Texas day. The Longview News-Journal reports that was artist Joshua "Lakey" Hinson's mission Tuesday as he accepted an invitation from Keep Longview Beautiful to bring some color to The Green. Evidence that the 2005 Longview High School alumnus was in town was spotted Monday on a sidewalk in Lois Jackson Park -- pleasant, meticulous, geometric circles, creating blossoms on concrete. Keep Longview Beautiful Executive Director Kim Casey Droege uploaded shots of the art to the group's Facebook page, along with a request for the mystery artist to step forward. Hinson now lives in Austin and makes a living making curious, colorful, sometimes complex shapes he also reproduces on sidewalks when he gets a notion. Visiting family, he said he is on his annual pilgrimage to cooler country with the approach of the hotter months. "Look how precise he is," Longview artist and gallery owner Paula Davis said as Hinson drew his flower framework next to the Carmen Gadt air balloon sculpture at The Green. Local home-school parents and students also answered a Facebook all-call Droege posted once Hinson agreed to do his thing for the younger set. "It's like a human compass," Amanda Burke said as she watched Hinson connecting the intricate lines working freehand. Hinson said he got his nickname when he arrived in Longview as a sophomore wearing a shirt bearing the name of his last home, the Hill Country town of Leakey. Locals there, of course, pronounce their town's name without the first "e," rhyming with "shaky." Once Hinson had completed his outline, he invited the eight or 10 young students to join the fun. He separated warm-color crayons -- yellow and orange -- from those considered cool -- greens and blues. The warm chalks, he said, were to fill in the ovals; the cool colors would "live" inside the triangles he'd created. "You can write words in there -- your names, your friends' names," he said, suggesting dots, lines, shapes. "There's no wrong way of doing it." And, of course, both mistakes and master strokes were destined to wash away with the next good rain, leaving a clean canvas for Lakey's young apprentices to fill again. The Texas State Trooper who was shot during a traffic stop on March 29 has been released from the hospital. Trooper Travares Webb attempted to stop 42-year-old Bryan M. Cahill on the Dallas North Tollway for a traffic violation at about 2:15 p.m. near West Spring Creek Parkway. Cahill refused to stop, continuing north for about four miles to Lebanon Road. From there, Lonny Haschel, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety said, Cahill led the trooper to the La Valencia at Starwood apartment complex. Once in the parking lot, Cahill stopped suddenly in the middle of the road. At some point during the next few moments, there was an apparent exchange of gunfire and the trooper was hit. Cahill has been charged with aggravated assault against a public servant, aggravated assault against a public servant with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is being held at the Collin County Jail on $1.5 million bond. Trooper Webb remains in good spirits and looks forward to beginning the long recovery process. Haschel goes on to say that Webb is very grateful for all the well wishes, support and prayers received from the community and law enforcement. 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?'" Tensions are rising, fingers are pointing and the search for solutions is becoming increasingly fraught. Overwhelmed by an influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border that is taxing the immigration system, President Donald Trump is grasping for something anything to stem the tide. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to secure the border, has thrown virtually every option his aides have been able to think of at the problem, to little avail. He has sent out the military, signed an emergency declaration to fund a border wall and threatened to completely seal the southern border. On Thursday he added a new threat, warning of hefty tariffs on cars made in Mexico if the country doesn't abide by his demands. Now, with the encouragement of an influential aide and with his re-election campaign on the horizon, Trump is looking at personnel changes as he tries to shift blame elsewhere. The first move was made Thursday, when the White House unexpectedly pulled back the nomination of Ron Vitiello to permanently lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where he had been acting director. The abrupt reversal was encouraged by top Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller and seen by some as part of a larger effort to bring on aides who share Miller's hard-line immigration views. "We may go a different way. We may have to go a very tough way," Trump said in an interview with "Fox & Friends Weekend" that aired Saturday. An empowered Miller is also eyeing the removal of Lee Francis Cissna, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which runs the legal immigration system, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal staffing matters. The White House did not respond to questions Friday about whether Trump was on board with that plan. Trump has become increasingly exasperated at his inability to do more to halt the swelling numbers of migrants entering the country. Aides, too, have complained they are stymied by regulatory guardrails, legal limitations and a Congress that has scoffed at the president's requests for legislative changes. "There is indeed an emergency on our southern border," Trump said Friday during a visit to the southern border in Calexico, California, where his frustration was evident. "It's a colossal surge and it's overwhelming our immigration system, and we can't let that happen. So, as I say, and this is our new statement: The system is full. Can't take you anymore." He went on to flatly declare: "Our country is full." Immigration experts say Trump's own immigration policies have caused so much chaos along the border that they may be encouraging illegal crossings. The furor over family separations last summer helped to highlight the fact that families won't be detained for long in the U.S. if they're detained at all. And metering, in which people are asked to return to a busy port of entry on another day to seek asylum, may have encouraged asylum-seekers to cross illegally, said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. "This policy chaos, coupled with a sense that the U.S. government may at some point really shut down the border, has generated an urgency to migrate now while it is still possible," he said. Whatever the reasons for the migrant surge, there is a growing consensus that federal border resources are overwhelmed. While illegal border crossings are still down sharply from their peak in 2000, they have nonetheless reached a 12-year high. While most illegal border-crossers used to be single Mexican nationals coming to the U.S. in search of work, more than half are now parents and children who have traveled from Central America to seek refuge in the U.S. Those families, along with unaccompanied children, are subject to specific laws and court settlements that prevent them from being immediately sent back to their home countries. Immigrant processing and holding centers have been overwhelmed, forcing officials to dramatically expand a practice Trump has long mocked as "catch and release." Indeed, ICE has set free more than 125,000 people who came into the U.S. as families since late last year and is now busing people hundreds of miles inland, 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. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen also has voiced increasing exasperation, equating the situation to the aftermath of a Category 5 hurricane. "We have tried everything that we can at DHS," she said Thursday on CNN. "We are out of the ability to manage this flow and they need help." She recently called on Congress to consider changes to the immigration system. But those efforts have so far landed with a thud. House Democrats would almost certainly reject any plans to simply deport unaccompanied minors or otherwise rewrite the law governing asylum or family detentions that they see as protecting young migrants who are often fleeing difficult conditions. In the Senate, where Republicans have the majority, there's little interest in big legislative proposals this year, especially on a divisive issue like immigration. Trump's ideas could be especially tough for senators facing re-election in 2020 in Colorado, Arizona and North Carolina, swing states with sizable Latino and immigrant populations. In the meantime, tensions between agencies and at the White House have been bubbling up. At Homeland Security, officials have expressed frustration with colleagues at the Health and Human Services Department and at the Pentagon, accusing them of doing too little to help. And there are complaints about the White House and what some see as an effort by Miller to dismantle the leadership of the department, in part to shift the blame away from the White House. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. At least 14 people were injured, including four critically, in a two-vehicle crash Saturday in Lancaster that involved a passenger van and another vehicle, a county fire captain said. Two victims had to be extricated from the wreckage in the area of 60th Street West and Avenue F, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Brian Jordan said. Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the crash scene at 12:03 p.m., Jordan said. Refresh this page for updates. Matt Vecere, who worked for IQAir in La Mirada, was one of 157 people that died in a plane crash in Ethiopia, and friends and colleagues mourned the loss when Vecere's death was confirmed Tuesday. The Huntington Beach man touched many lives in the building where he worked and made many friends along the way. Seemingly, everyone that he touched is missing the man they call the "ultimate altruist." A Southern California transplant from New Jersey, Vecere was a writer and surfer, but his passion was helping less-advantaged people around the world. He had dedicated his life to it. Friends say his epiphany came in 2010, when a massive earthquake devastated Haiti. Vecere dropped everything and flew to the island to volunteer and found the experience to be life-changing. Vecere's friends and co-workers say he's one of those people who would take vacation time off to travel to far corners of the globe, always helping those in need -- from orphans in Haiti to fire victims in Chico. In fact, Vecere was on a goodwill trip to a United Nations conference last weekend, when the Boeing 737 Max on which he was flying crashed, killing everyone on board. He was in Africa to help under-represented countries monitor air quality for the health of their people. "I considered him a little brother -- because he was such a great person. Very easy to love," Tiffany Allegretti, a friend, says. Tim Jewell, who was also a friend, adds, "Even on the worst, most serious, most sad days, he was always the one who kinda kept us together. And helped us feel better about everything." On Tuesday, Vecere's friends were going through exactly the kind of day when they miss him most -- a sad and serious time for the many employees and friends he leaves behind here. His friends say the only solace they have is that he died doing what he was most passionate about: trying to make the world a better place. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urged Uganda to find the kidnappers of an American tourist who has been freed amid conflicting reports over whether a ransom was paid for her release. Kim Endicott of Costa Mesa, California, was released by her abductors over the weekend and was to be turned over to the U.S. ambassador Monday, Ugandan police said. Endicott and her Ugandan driver were both safe after the five-day ordeal. They were taken from Queen Elizabeth National Park across the border to Congo, according to Ugandan authorities. Trump pressed Uganda's government to capture the culprits Monday. "Uganda must find the kidnappers of the American Tourist and guide before people will feel safe in going there. Bring them to justice openly and quickly!" he tweeted. Over the weekend, Trump tweeted that he was pleased the tourist and guide had been released. Ugandan police spokesman Fred Enanga said he did not believe a ransom had been paid. "I have indicated to you that we don't do ransom," he said Monday at a news conference in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. A Uganda-based tour official said, however, that a ransom was paid to secure Endicott's freedom. The tourist was released, "not rescued," after money was paid "otherwise she wouldn't be back," said the tourism professional with knowledge of Endicott's trip. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. Many officials, including from the U.S. Embassy, were involved in efforts to secure the release of the kidnapping victims, he said. He couldn't say how much was paid or who paid. Ugandan officials have said the kidnapping victims were rescued from armed kidnappers who are still at large. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Twitter that the security forces "shall deal with these isolated pockets of criminals." The kidnappers had demanded a $500,000 ransom after grabbing Endicott and her driver from a group of tourists on an evening game drive on April 2, police said. "It's completely shocking," Sandy Benton, a friend of Endicott's in Southern California, said Monday. "I never thought anything like this would happen to her." Benton called Endicott an adventure seeker and world traveler, saying it wasn't surprising that she would travel to Uganda on her own. "I just prayed for her and hoped for safe return," Benton said. "I'm glad to hear she'll be on her way home soon. I can't imagine how traumatic that was for her. She had to be terrified." Megan Barth, a longtime client and friend of Endicott's who lives in Las Vegas, said Endicott is an animal lover who long dreamed of traveling to Africa to see gorillas in the wild. "It was definitely on the bucket list for her," Barth said. "She's a wanderlust, and she's always been a wanderlust. She always was wanting to travel and experience different cultures." Barth said she's been overcome with worry since Endicott was kidnapped. "Over the past week, I've just been praying praying in the shower, praying while I'm driving, praying while having my cup of coffee," she said. "My whole entire day was consumed by her because I knew she was in such an awful, traumatic place." Benton and Barth said they hope Endicott isn't too scarred by the experience and is touched by those worldwide who have reached out to her family while she was held. "Hopefully she just feels a lot of love," Benton said. Barth said if anyone can make it through such an experience, it's Endicott. "She's such a lovely, warm-hearted, beautiful spirit," she said. "She will somehow turn this traumatic experience into something that is not only a healing experience for her, but an experience she can use to help others." Endicott, who has a small skin care shop in Costa Mesa, is in her 50s and has a daughter and granddaughter, according to Phoenix resident Rich Endicott, who told The Associated Press that he hadn't spoken with his cousin since a family reunion several years ago. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week at an event for families of U.S. citizens held captive overseas that he understands some people want to do anything to get their loved ones back but paying ransom would just lead to more kidnappings. Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is near the porous border with Congo, is Uganda's most popular safari destination. Its attractions include groups of tree-climbing lions. Los Angeles County's recently established Office of Violence Prevention drew praise today from Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore. "I'm encouraged for the first time that the County of Los Angeles is establishing a means to identify resources that exist, gaps that need to be filled and coordinate the delivery of all those services to a county of more than 10 million people," Moore said at a news conference at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Public Health in the unincorporated Willowbrook area. "I'm encouraged that this type of innovation is going to result in Angelenos getting the necessary treatment and services that will help reduce and eliminate this cycle of violence." Moore said police officers are tasked with not just going after offenders, but working to prevent crime and protect victims, but they often lack "the resources to really help people recover from" violent tragedies. The office will be dedicated to addressing "the root causes of violence, to prevent it from occurring," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who authored the motion creating the office. The announcement was planned months ago to commemorate National Public Health Week, but "took on new significance and urgency after the recent uptick in gun violence, including the recent shooting of Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle," according to a statement from Ridley-Thomas' office. People are still gathering at rapper Nipsey Hussle's store in South Los Angles. Jane Yamamoto reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2019. "Far too many people in L.A. County are being injured and killed whether by homicide, suicide or intimate partner violence," said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "This violence is preventable. It takes community voices and multi-sector collaboration to promote healing and address one of the most pressing public health issues of current times." Air Italy Friday began operating at Los Angeles International Airport, offering four nonstop flights per week between LAX and Milan's Malpensa International Airport. Air Italy's arrival at LAX makes it one of only four airports in the United States providing nonstop flights to and from Milan. "When you have a destination as exquisite and enticing as Italy, you cannot have enough routes to get there," said Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, chair of the Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee. "This is why I am so pleased that Air Italy is beginning its newest route between L.A. and Milan. This new venture is a part of a growing pattern of international investment into Los Angeles' tourism economy as L.A.'s message, that everyone is welcome, resonates with visitors across the globe." Flights will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and Air Italy will fly the nonstop route using a new, long-haul Airbus A330-200. The flight times are expected to be 12 hours to Milan Malpensa Airport, and 13 hours and 50 minutes on the return flight to LAX. "Travel between Los Angeles and Milan has nearly doubled in the past two years, and we are pleased that the day has come for this first ever nonstop flight," said Deborah Flint, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports. "This route will create new opportunities for international travelers to visit L.A., a diverse and thriving region, and for Angelenos to experience exceptional beauty, art, food, culture and vibrancy of Milan. Our cities have much in common, and with this flight we are more closely connected than ever before." The White House has touted a two-mile stretch of fencing President Donald Trump is visiting Friday as the first section of his proposed border wall to be built. In reality, the newly fortified structure commemorated with a plaque bearing his name and those of top immigration and homeland security officials was a long-planned replacement for an old barrier. It is one of a handful of projects that total $1 billion to replace existing barriers and build new ones across the border. As Trump touts his signature campaign promise as the solution to the recent surge of migrant families crossing the border, here are questions and answers about the various barriers along the border and those that are in the works. WHAT'S ALREADY THERE? The southern border is nearly 2,000 miles long and already has about 650 miles of different types of barriers, including short vehicle barricades and tall, steel fences that go up to 30 feet high. Most of the fencing was built during the administration of George W. Bush, and there have been updates and maintenance throughout other administrations. WHAT HAS TRUMP DONE? Trump has yet to complete any new mileage of fencing or other barriers anywhere on the border. His administration has only replaced existing fencing, including the section he is touring Friday. Construction for that small chunk of fencing cost about $18 million, began in February 2018 and was completed in October. Plans to replace that fence date back to 2009, during the beginning of former President Barack Obama's tenure. Contractors have been doing site and preparation work for 13 miles of barriers in the Rio Grande Valley that will be Trump's first new fencing. The administration said construction could begin as early as this week. The administration is also in the process of replacing 14 miles of fencing around San Diego. "The wall is under construction, by the way, large sections. We're going to be meeting, I think on Friday, at a piece of the wall that we've completed, a big piece, a lot of it's being built right now," he told reporters Thursday. "It's moving along very nicely. But we need the wall." WHAT ABOUT THOSE PROTOTYPES? Early in his term, Trump called for prototypes of border walls that were built in the San Diego area at a cost of about $300,000 to $500,000 each. Eight prototypes went up, and Trump traveled to the border to inspect them last year. But they were demolished in February. The nearly $3 billion that Congress provided for barriers during the first half of Trump's term requires the money be spent on designs that were in place before May 2017, which meant the prototypes couldn't be used. The prototypes became a spectacle at various times since Trump took office, drawing tourists, protesters and artists who projected light shows on the walls from Mexico. WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY? Trump shut down the federal government for more than a month the longest shutdown in U.S. history and later declared a national emergency to free up billions of dollars to build his wall. Congress had voted to block the emergency declaration but Trump vetoed the measure. Several organizations brought lawsuits over the declaration, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats also planned on suing to prevent Trump from "stealing" money from federal programs and diverting the money to build a wall. But the national emergency money has not yet been spent in part because the government has to first spend existing border wall funding. A lawsuit could eventually derail the plan. Still, various plans for more border barriers are moving along. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security requested that the defense department build 57 miles of 18-foot fencing near Yuma, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, which have seen enormous increases in the number of border crossers, especially families. The notice to Congress from the White House was met with confusion: Why would President Donald Trump withdraw his nominee to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Longtime border official Ron Vitiello appeared to be cruising toward confirmation. One Senate committee had endorsed his nomination and a second was likely to follow suit despite opposition from some Democrats and a union representing some agency officers. No one in the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the immigration agency, had been notified about the intention to remove Vitiello from consideration, according to people familiar with the decision. Officials at Homeland Security and congressional aides thought it must have been a paperwork error made by the White House personnel office that would be resolved quickly. Turns out, it wasn't a mistake. It was just another day in the Trump administration. The president on Friday confirmed he had pulled the nomination, even as he called Vitiello a "good man." "But we're going in a tougher direction. We want to go in a tougher direction," he said. Trump did not explain what that meant and did not say whom he had in mind as a replacement. But the decision, first reported by The Associated Press, comes as his administration is struggling to deal with an influx of Central American migrants, which has led to a 12-year high in U.S.-Mexico border crossings, straining the U.S. immigration system. Trump had threatened to close the border entirely to cope with the flow, before backing off this week. In a letter addressed to all ICE employees Friday, Vitiello thanked the president and members of Congress for their support. "No matter the external circumstances, I am grateful knowing you remain engaged and dedicated to the critical work of protecting our communities from the transnational criminal organizations and cross-border crime that threatens our nation," he wrote. "While I will not become the permanent director of ICE, I look forward to working alongside you in serving the American public with Integrity, Courage, and Excellence." Six government and congressional officials involved in immigration issues suggested the decision to drop Vitiello could be an impulsive staff shake-up driven by the fact that White House policies intended to stop migrants have not succeeded. Many blamed Stephen Miller, the influential West Wing aide, for the decision on Vitiello and saw it as part of a plan to replace longtime immigration officials with hard-liners who appealed more to allies of Trump and Miller. The officials were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Vitiello had been scheduled to travel with Trump to the border Friday but was told late Thursday he wasn't going, one of the people said. He has been acting head since June of the agency that enforces U.S. immigration law in the interior of the United States. He has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, starting in 1985 with the U.S. Border Patrol. He was previously Border Patrol chief and deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the patrol. Vitiello was respected by his staff as a border veteran, but his experience mostly with Border Patrol, made him an odd fit to some at ICE, and some veterans of the agency said he never seemed totally in his element. He ran afoul of some of the union leadership, which opposed him in part because they said he was disingenuous. Union leader Chris Crane wrote a letter to the senators saying citing certain tweets Vitiello made from a private account, arguing he "lacks the judgment and professionalism to effectively lead a federal agency." He took over during a time of heightened scrutiny of the agency. Part of its mission is to arrest immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, and that has made the agency a symbol of Trump's policies and a target for Democrats. Trump has been railing against increasing border crossings, as well as the release of thousands of migrants into the U.S. because of a lack of space to hold them, a move he derides as "catch and release." It's a battle cry on a signature issue for the president, who wants to restrict immigration but whose policies have largely failed to do so. For many years, families arriving at the border were typically released from U.S. custody immediately and allowed to settle with family or friends in the U.S. while their immigration cases wound their way through the courts, a process that often takes years. 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, ICE was releasing families faster, in greater numbers and farther from the border. Since Dec. 21, the agency set free more than 125,000 people who came into the U.S. as families. Trump on Friday was touring a recently built portion of replacement fencing that he is holding up as the answer to stop the recent surge of migrant families coming to the U.S. Though the 2-mile section is only a long-planned replacement for an older barrier, the White House describes it as the first section of his proposed border wall. It's commemorated with a plaque bearing Trump's name and those of top immigration and homeland security officials but not Vitiello's. Climate activists delivered a court summons Friday to oil company Shell in a court case aimed at forcing it to do more to rein in carbon emissions. Friends of the Earth Netherlands, one of the groups involved, said it wants a court in The Hague to order Shell to reduce its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 compared to 2010 levels and to zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Climate Accord. "Shell's directors still do not want to say goodbye to oil and gas," said the group's director, Donald Pols. "They would pull the world into the abyss. The judge can prevent this from happening." The summons, more than 250 pages long and backed up by boxes of supporting documents, was wheeled into the headquarters on a trolley as a couple of hundred activists looked on. The move comes a year after the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth sent a letter to Shell's CEO Ben van Beurden accusing the company of "breaching its legal duty of care" by causing climate damage across the globe. In a statement, Shell outlined renewable energy projects it is involved in in the Netherlands and said that it agrees climate change action is necessary and that the company is "committed to playing our part." "We welcome constructive efforts to work together to find solutions to the challenge of climate change, but we do not believe the courtroom is the right venue to address the global climate challenge," the company said. The Shell case, which has more than 17,000 claimants, follows a groundbreaking ruling by a Hague court in 2015 that ordered the Dutch government to cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020 from benchmark 1990 levels. The new case is not seeking compensation; it focuses instead on pushing Shell to take more action to rein in emissions. Roger Cox, a lawyer who initially represented environmental group Urgenda and is now leading the civil action against Shell, said the two cases are similar because they are based in part on a duty of care enshrined in Dutch law. "And more specifically the duty to not create dangerous situations for others if these dangerous situations can reasonably be prevented," he said. "So what we in fact are stating is that Shell is contributing to dangerous climate change because its emissions are not in line with what is needed." A student was hospitalized after being stabbed during a fight Friday afternoon at a South Florida high school. The incident happened at around 3 p.m. in a back parking lot of Coral Springs High School. Two students got into a fight after dismissal, which resulted in one of the students getting stabbed in the leg, according to Broward County Public Schools. The injured student was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Another student was arrested, police said. "The school continues to work with law enforcement in its ongoing investigation," said Broward Schools spokeswoman Nadine Drew. "In addition, disciplinary consequences will be in accordance with the Code Book of Student Conduct." The Miami-Dade Police Department said it has arrested the suspect accused of sexually battering a 16-year-old girl who was waiting for the school bus. The incident happened around 6:30 a.m. on Friday in the area of 142nd Avenue and Southwest 267th Street in Naranja, MDPD officials said. Investigators said the girl was waiting for her bus when a man forced her with the threat of a knife to a nearby field where he sexually battered her. The field is near a construction site and a townhouse complex. The girl later got on the bus and called her mother, and police were alerted. The suspect was described as a white male in his 30s. He was later identified as 32-year-old Micheal Canady and arrested. Canady identified by police as homeless faces kidnapping and sexual battery charges. "This is one of those moments that we can always talk to our children, let them know, again, at 6:30 in the morning, it's still dark outside," detective Argemis Colome said. "Keep your eyes open, if you see anything out of place, anything that looks suspicious, it never hurts to make that call to 911 right away, have one of our officers already on the way." President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that a Democratic victory in 2020 could "leave Israel out there," as he highlighted his pro-Israel actions in an effort to make the case for Jewish voters to back his re-election. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump touted his precedent-shredding actions to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and recognition last month of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel seized from Syria in 1967. "We got you something that you wanted," Trump said of the embassy move, adding, "Unlike other presidents, I keep my promises." The group, backed by GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson, supported Trump's 2016 campaign and is preparing to spend millions on his 2020 effort. "I know that the Republican Jewish Coalition will help lead our party to another historic victory," Trump said. "We need more Republicans. Let's go, so we can win everything." Jewish voters in the U.S. have traditionally sided heavily with Democrats and are often ideologically liberal but Republicans are hoping to narrow the gap next year, in part as Trump cites actions that he says demonstrate support for Israel. The Jewish Democratic Council of America on Saturday said American Jews leaving the Democratic Party are a Republican fantasy. "Trump's presidency has only solidified the fact that the Democratic Party has been - and will remain - the political home of the American Jewish electorate," JDCA Executive Director Halie Soifer said in a statement. "This is because Trump's policies and rhetoric are antithetical to Jewish values, and because anti-Semitism has increased to unprecedented levels due to Trump's divisive words, policies, and willful blindness." But at the RJC, Trump earned standing ovations for recounting both the embassy move and the Golan Heights recognition. Trump noted it had long been a priority for Adelson and his wife, Miriam. "That is the most important thing that's ever happened in their life," Trump said. "They love Israel." Trump's speech comes weeks after he suggested Democrats "hate" Jews. His remark followed an internal fight among Democrats over how to respond to comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that some criticized as anti-Semitic. Trump mockingly thanked Omar as he began his speech, before adding, "Oh, I forgot. She doesn't like Israel, I forgot, I'm sorry. No, she doesn't like Israel, does she? Please, I apologize." He also accused Democrats of allowing anti-Semitism to "take root" in their party. Before Trump's appearance, people assembled for the event carried signs with "We are Jews for Trump" and "Trump" written in Hebrew. Dozens of men and several women wore red yarmulkes with "Trump" in white that were distributed at the event. Trump also took credit for eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians and for pulling the U.S. out of several U.N. organizations, the U.N. Human Rights Council and UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias in their agendas. Trump criticized some 2020 Democrats who have suggesting they would re-enter the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, from which Trump withdrew the United States. The agreement was fiercely opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has cheered as Trump re-imposed stringent new sanctions on the country that Israel regards as an existential threat. Trump is closely aligned with Netanayu, who's seeking to return power in Tuesday's national election. Trump predicted that election is "gonna be close," adding it features "Two good people," seemingly referring to Netanyahu and his chief threat to Netanyahu's coalition, former Israeli army chief of staff, Benny Gantz. Despite his criticism of Democrats, Trump has faced his own criticism from the Jewish community. Trump was slow to condemn white supremacists who marched violently in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The previous year, he circulated an image of a six-pointed star alongside a photo of Hillary Clinton, a pile of money and the words "most corrupt candidate ever." When he addressed the RJC in 2015 he said he didn't expect to earn their support because he wouldn't take their money. "You want to control your politicians, that's fine," Trump said at the time. Ultimately, the group and many of its donors backed Trump. Trump met privately with Adelson before speaking, according to an official. Adelson has cancer and has been in poor health, but he and his wife attended Trump's remarks receiving a standing ovation when they entered the ballroom. The Adelsons gave Trump's campaign $30 million in 2016. They followed that by contributing $100 million to the Republican Party for the 2018 midterm elections. Introducing Trump, former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., the chairman of the RJC, led the audience in an adapted version of the Passover reading "Dayenu," as he recounted what Trump had done for Israel. Stuart Weil, a Jewish man from Fresno, California, said Americans have traditionally been very supportive of Israel but "the progressive, liberal wing of the Democratic Party" is changing that. Weil, who wore a blue Trump-style hat that read, "Making Israel & America Great Again," says he's a Republican because of the party's strong stance on Israel. According to AP Votecast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters and 3,500 Jewish voters nationwide, voters who identified as Jewish broke for Democrats over Republicans by a wide margin, 72 percent to 26 percent, in 2018. Over the past decade, Jewish voters have shown stability in their partisanship, according to data from Pew Research Center. Jewish voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party over the Republican Party by a roughly 2-1 ratio. Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report. The collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian bridge one year ago has left a trail of deep personal loss and professional finger-pointing but few answers. The disaster that killed six people on Southwest Eighth Street at 1:47 p.m. on that warm, clear Thursday is a construction failure born of design errors and what appears to be a misguided attempt to address them by adding tension to a critical, failing truss without closing the road below. But it is rooted in the university's ambitious plans to leave its mark on the region. The disaster that killed six people on Southwest Eighth Street at 1:47 p.m. on that warm, clear Thursday is a construction failure borne of design errors and what appears to be a misguided attempt to address them by adding tension to a critical, failing truss without closing the road below. Seeking bidders for the project in June 2014, FIU envisioned "an innovative signature bridge that will become a respected and valued design landmark in Miami," part of a project linking the campus to Sweetwater. "If we get the bridge right, everything else can fall into place. If we get the bridge wrong, nothing else will matter." It turns out, a lot matters, including how the families of six dead and one critically brain-injured patient will get justice for what they claim in lawsuits was negligence by the general contractor, MCM, the designer, FIGG Bridge Engineers, and 23 other companies involved in the $12 million contract. Eleven other people are suing as well. NBC 6s Tony Pipitone reveals another problem with the FIU bridges move that happened days before the collapse. In just the last month, FIU and the Florida Department of Transportation have been added as defendants; FIU announced it has submitted a claim against MCM over the disaster; and MCM has filed for bankruptcy, seeking to reorganize and avoid paying those whose deaths and injuries they allegedly caused any more than the $42 million it has in insurance coverage. To help the public understand what was and for some families, still is a devastating event in our community, the NBC 6 Investigators have compiled a detailed timeline including documentation of some key events along the way. Jenna Mendez, who tried to help pull people from the rubble when a bridge collapsed at FIU, is still coping with the tragedy one year later. NBC 6s Tony Pipitone reports. Among the revelations not previously reported: There were problems with equipment used during the lift and placement of the bridge on March 10, 2018. An engineer with Bridge Diagnostics Inc., a Colorado company that installed and monitored sensors to track forces exerted during the operation, says a software program designed to track relative changes in the bridge's position -- called offsets -- appears to have malfunctioned: "When the computer was turned back on after a break, the software program that carries the offsets for each sensor did not automatically pull the offset file as it should have once the file was reopened," according to an investigation revealed in court records by the claims administrator for BDI's insurer. Al Brizuela, a professional engineer consulted by NBC 6, said if the offset readings were wrong during the move, engineers may have received inaccurate data. A call to BDI seeking further explanation has so far gone unanswered. Almost immediately after the bridge was placed on its pier and pylon, a subcontractor took at least one photograph of cracking on the north end and texted it to his employer, according to lawsuits. Previously, the first known pictures of post-placement cracks were taken three days after the move. In March 2016, one month after FIGG produced a set of early design-build plans, FDOT engineer Tom Andres, who was concerned about cracks forming in the "tricky" design, asked a FIGG engineer if the firm had considered a different design "a real cable stay" bridge, where cables attached to the 109-foot-high upper pylon would help support the deck and canopy. Andres calls the FIGG design a "fake cable stay" because the tubes that were to extend down to the canopy were largely ornamental. FIGG stayed with the fake cable-stay design, its plans state. FDOT allowed FIGG to proceed to final plans without having them double-checked by an independent peer reviewer, which the contract specified should be done when the 90 percent plans were submitted. FIGG wanted to do its own review out of another firm office, but FDOT insisted they get someone independent, according to email exchanges reviewed by NBC6 Investigators. By the time FIGG executed a $61,000 agreement with that independent firm, Louis Berger, one of the sets of plans had already been certified by a Louis Berger engineer and all required plans did get certified eventually. Andres wanted to know for months where FIGG intended to place two transporters to lift the bridge from its roadside construction site and place it over Eighth Street. In March 2017, FIGG said the transporters would be directly beneath where diagonal trusses met closest to each edge of the span. But on Sept. 18, 2017, FIGG accepted a change in plans that put the north transporter more than 7 feet farther away from the edge something that would change the forces applied to the north side of the bridge during the lift-move-and-place operation. Records released so far do not show FDOT's engineer being informed of the change; nor do they show revised plans adjusting post-tension bar forces to accommodate what Brizuela said would have been a significant change in forces exerted on the north end of the bridge during the move. The move on March 10 had to be stopped 10 to 15 times because the span twisted greater than one half of one degree -- requiring workers to readjust rigging supports each time, according to the claims administrator for BDI's insurer. When it was lowered into place, the readings were slightly over one half of one degree. The bridge was straightened prior to being put it in place and engineers on site agreed it was a successful move. A call to BDI seeking further explanation has so far gone unanswered. Exactly how significant any of those issues is remains cloaked in secrecy imposed by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is forbidding any of the parties to their investigation from commenting. It also has issued a blackout on all documents created after Feb. 19. 2018, until its investigation is completed. The NTSB says the cutoff date was "not arbitrary." The NTSB "determined that while the earlier information is important, it is not as critical to the investigations as information after that date." An NTSB lawyer this week said he expects the investigative report will not be done until possibly late September, a lawyer for plaintiffs told a judge this week. NBC 6s Tony Pipitone speaks to the family of Alexa Duran, who died after a pedestrian bridge above her at FIU collapsed. What we know for certain is this: At 1:47 p.m. last March 15, as the re-stressing of the bars in Member 11 continued, a failure occurred and the 950-ton structure crumbled onto SW Eighth Street, killing five people in vehicles: Alexa Duran, 18; Brandon Brownfield, 39; Alberto Arias, 53; Osvaldo Gonzalez, 57; and Rolando Fraga Hernandez, 60; and one worker, Navaro Brown, 37, who was on the bridge canopy at the time. A co-worker, the one who texted a photograph of cracking on March 10, Kevin Lee Hanson, suffered a critical brain injury and remains in a neurological rehabilitation facility. New York state lawmakers who delivered a budget on time this past week are turning their attention to thorny debates over legalizing recreational marijuana and renewing New York City's rent regulations. Both issues are complicated and figuring out the details is likely to dominate the remainder of the legislative session, scheduled to end in late June. Meanwhile, an odd exchange about a grocery store chain during the Senate's recent budget debate is highlighting the perennial upstate-downstate divide. Here's a look at stories making news: MARIJUANA Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo initially embedded his marijuana legalization proposal in the state budget, but it didn't make the final, $175.5 billion spending plan approved by lawmakers Monday. Cuomo and top lawmakers said there were too many unresolved questions about the details of regulations, and that more time after the budget would be needed. The debate could turn on how the state will handle counties that don't want to host retail marijuana stores. Cuomo proposed allowing counties to opt out, though some lawmakers have suggested going further by making it an opt-in system, so local officials would have to vote to allow retail dispensaries in their county. There are also significant disagreements about how to license dispensaries, with many lawmakers wanting to give priority to enterprises led by minorities. Then there's the question of what to do about making up for decades of prohibition and the war on drugs. Democratic Speaker Carl Heastie of the Bronx has suggested expunging the records of people with low-level marijuana convictions - a proposal which could greatly complicate the broader legalization debate. The complexities of marijuana legalization were on full display last month in New Jersey, where a legalization push fell apart despite broad support for ending the prohibition of America's most popular illicit drug. Cuomo is confident lawmakers can figure out the fine points. "We will get marijuana done," Cuomo said on public radio last week. "It's not a question of political desire, it's a question of practical reality of how you put the new system in place." But even some supporters are now sounding a pessimistic note after the measure fell out of budget negotiations. Passing legislation in a stand-alone bill will be harder, they say, than passing in a budget filled with dozens of other policy changes. "There's absolutely not the votes" for a separate legalization bill, Sen. Diane Savino, D-Staten Island, told the publication Cannabis Wire. "If it's not in the budget, we can't pass it this year." RENT REGULATIONS The laws governing rent stabilization and rent control must be periodically renewed by lawmakers and it's seldom easy. Four years ago the rules briefly lapsed when lawmakers couldn't agree on a plan to extend the rules. That's less likely this year, now that Democratic gains in the Senate gave them control over the entire Legislature. But small changes to the rent rules can make a big difference to the 2 million tenants in New York City, and any effort to tweak them could spark a battle between tenants and their political advocates and the powerful New York City real estate lobby. Heastie said his chamber will be "laser focused" on the issue over the next few months. Many Democrats see this year's renewal as an opportunity to reconsider some changes passed when Republicans controlled the Senate that watered down rent rules. Other liberal groups want even more, with a coalition of tenant advocates launched what it's calling the Housing Justice for All Campaign to push for new, statewide rent rules. "The reality is that every tenant who rents their home should have some basic set of rights to stay in their apartment," said one of the group's leaders, Cea Weaver. "More and more of the state is renting, and public policy has not caught up to that reality." WEGMANS OR 'WHITE MAN'? A bizarre exchange in the Senate over a budget provision banning plastic grocery bags statewide inadvertently underscored the upstate-downstate divide in the state Capitol. Republican Sen. Rich Funke, who represents a district in the Rochester area, was questioning how the ban would work when he mentioned Wegmans, the Rochester-based grocery store that is a beloved institution in many parts of upstate. "If I have old Wegmans plastic bags at home, can I bring them to the store and use them again?" Funke asked. Democratic Sen. Todd Kaminsky of Long Island apparently didn't get the reference. "Did you say an 'old white man's plastic bag?'" Kaminsky asked. "Wegmans," Funke responded. "Wegmans." A New Jersey man was arrested and charged with child pornography offenses after he allegedly contacted a young girl in Oklahoma, prosecutors said Saturday. Samuel Schwinger, 34, of Lakewood, was charged with producing, distributing and possessing child pornography, the Ocean County prosecutor's office said. Schwinger is also a registered sex offender on probation for a sexual assault in Cook County, New York. Authorities were contacted by investigators in Oklahoma after parents of a young girl said their daughter had been contacted by someone in New Jersey posing as a young girl and asking for explicit photos of her, the prosecutor said. Investigators tracked a phone number and account to Schwinger, he said. A search warrant was executed Friday at Schwinger's home, the prosecutor said. It wasn't immediately clear whether Schwinger had an attorney. What to Know An FIT student was arrested in connection with a gun scare that sent the school into lockdown Friday Students reported a video circulating on social media that showed the student in a school stairwell with what turned out to be a BB gun The student was taken into custody at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square, according to FIT A Fashion Institute of Technology student was arrested in connection with a gun scare that sent the school in Manhattan into lockdown Friday, law enforcement sources said. Noah Lee, 22, of Manhattan, was charged with terrorism and weapons charges, the NYPD said early Saturday. It wasn't immediately clear whether Lee had an attorney. The school issued a "shelter in place" after students reported a video circulating on social media that showed the student in a school stairwell with what appeared to be a gun, FIT said in a statement. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun, law enforcement sources said. The student was taken into custody at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square, according to FIT. Investigators believe the student filmed a video at FIT, but left the school and subsequently posted the video on the street as he made his way to the Barnes and Noble. The student hasn't yet been charged in connection with the incident. The NYPD confirmed that there is no active threat in the area, and the lockdown was lifted shortly after 7 p.m. "When police were assured that the campus and surrounding area were safe, the shelter in place was ended shortly after 7 p.m.," FIT said. "All FIT community members on campus are safe." Several social media users reported hiding in classrooms at the school during the lockdown. Regional leaders representing both the United States and Mexico will gather in Imperial Beach, California Friday for a rare discussion between the two countries about a flow of sewage crossing the border in the South Bay region of San Diego. Elected leaders and non-government representatives from both countries hope the meeting at the Dempsey Holder Safety Center Friday afternoon will begin a dialogue as to how to solve the sewage seepage. San Diego-area residents have complained for years that their health and wellbeing is being affected by pollution to the Tijuana River Estuary. Polluted runoff likely comes from a Tijuana sewage treatment plant in need of upgrades that would likely cost upwards of $370 million, a study by Mexican officials found. The Tijuana River Estuary and shorelines from Imperial Beach to Coronado are often closed to the public after spills on the Mexican side of the border cross into the United States via the Tijuana River, especially following heavy rainfall. The meeting aims to go over what work has been done so far to address the problem and provide an overview of current plans, as well as addressing what hurdles remain. The long-standing problem has become a source of contention between leaders on both sides of the border as to who is responsible for a solution. The issue reached the courts last year when Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued the International Boundary Water Commission. The suit alleges millions of gallons of waste, including untreated sewage, trash, pesticides and heavy metals have been discharged from the IBWC's treatment facilities in violation of the Clean Water Act. The San Diego Regional Water Quality Board and the city of San Diego have also joined the suit. It asks the court to force the IBWC to comply with the Clean Water Act and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. But the IBWC argued in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit that the agency is not responsible for the millions of gallons of raw and partially treated sewage that flow into the Pacific Ocean from the Tijuana area. The last time a sewage spill caused long-lasting beach closures in San Diego County was in December 2018. That's when officials with Mexico's IBWC told the U.S. that an estimated 6 to 7 gallons of sewage per day was flowing into the Tijuana River Valley due to a failure at their plant. The Tijuana River crosses the U.S.-Mexico border just west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and travels northwest, through the Tijuana River Estuary and into the Pacific Ocean south of Imperial Beach. Giving himself credit for tough diplomacy, President Donald Trump is describing a burst of activity by Mexican authorities to keep Central American migrants from getting to the U.S. border. That's an apparent mirage as Trump retreats from his latest threat to seal off the U.S. from Mexico. Trump was wrong when he said last week that Mexico was doing "NOTHING" about migrants coming north. It markedly tightened migration controls during the Obama administration and detained over 30,000 foreigners in the first three months of this year. And it's not evident now that Mexico has suddenly cracked down as a result of his threat, "apprehending everybody" and making "absolutely terrific progress" in just a matter of days, as Trump put it Friday. Mexico's apprehensions of foreigners have not surged. During his visit to the border in Southern California on Friday, Trump denounced a landmark immigration case he blamed on "Judge Flores, whoever you may be." The case in question was named for Jenny Flores, a migrant teenager from El Salvador in the 1980s, not a judge. Trump's recent statements on border matters and how they compare with the facts: MEXICO TRUMP, on why he is pulling back on sealing the border imminently: "Because Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days. They're apprehending everybody. Yesterday they apprehended 1,400 people. The day before was 1,000. And if they apprehend people at their southern border where they don't have to walk through, that's a big home run. We can handle it from there. It's really good. ... Mexico, for the last four days, it's never happened like that in 35 years." remarks to reporters Friday. TRUMP: "Mexico has brought people back, they've told people you can't come in. And that's happened really, they've done, as I understand it, over 1,000 today, over 1,000 people yesterday, over 1,000 people the day before that. Before that they never did anything." remarks to reporters Thursday. THE FACTS: This depiction of Mexico going from strikeout to home run is inaccurate at both ends. Mexico reports that its interception and detention of migrants from the south are "about average" in recent months. Over the first three days of April, it apprehended 1,259 foreigners not 1,000 or more a day, as Trump claimed. "There is no very substantive change," Mexico's foreign secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, said this week. "There has not been a drastic change." "I don't know what (Trump) was referring to," he added. Mexico is requiring migrants to register with authorities, but that's been the case since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office Dec. 1, Ebrard said. "What Mexico is doing as far as the review of the southern border well, it's the same thing it has been doing since this government began." On Thursday, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., Martha Barcena, told The Associated Press her country is working to make its own border "more orderly" but "migration will never be stopped." Mexico took a substantial step in 2014, implementing a "Southern Border Plan" that established checkpoints and raids to discourage migrants from riding trains or buses from Guatemala. Its detention of foreigners, almost all Central Americans, surged to 198,141 over the next year, from 127,149. Last year, it detained 138,612. The White House has refused to substantiate Trump's claim about Mexico's migrant apprehensions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday credited Mexico with the "will" to help stem migration, but he did not cite results. Even as Trump claimed a Mexican crackdown, Pompeo said the U.S. needs to see action from Mexico, telling Fox News that it's "one thing to talk about it." Trump has abandoned his vow to shut the border imminently. He now says that if Mexico does not continue cooperating on migrants, he will try to put heavy duties on autos from Mexico and revive his border-closure threat if that doesn't work. ___ THE FLORES SETTLEMENT TRUMP: "The Flores decision is a disaster, I have to tell you. Judge Flores, whoever you may be, that decision is a disaster for our country, a disaster." remarks at a meeting with local officials in Southern California. THE FACTS: There's no Judge Flores involved. Jenny Flores , a 15-year-old El Salvador native, was held in what her advocates said were substandard conditions, contending she was strip-searched in custody and housed with men. They launched a class-action lawsuit on behalf of migrant children in the country illegally. Her mother was a housekeeper in the U.S. who feared deportation if she picked up her daughter. The case worked its way to the Supreme Court, which sided with the government and against the girl's advocates. But the case gave rise to an agreement in 1997 setting conditions for the detention of migrant children and the codifying of those conditions in law a decade later. It generally bars the government from keeping children in immigration detention for more than 20 days and guides how they are to be treated. Former Vice President Joe Biden on Friday made light of his recent controversy about crossing physical boundaries with women, and he signaled in a resolute speech to union activists that's he's ready to run for president as a moderate Democrat in party that has been drifting left. Biden, 76, opened his speech to a conference of electrical workers joking that he had "permission" to hug the union leader who introduced him. He later repeated the quip about a boy he invited up on stage. The remarks won cheers from the overwhelmingly male audience, but angered some of the activist women Biden has sought to convince he "gets" their concerns about his famously touchy-feely, and some say dated, style. During his speech at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference and afterward to reporters, Biden defended his focus on the "personal connection" in politics. "I'm sorry I didn't understand more. I'm not sorry for any of my intentions," he told reporters. "I'm not sorry for anything I've ever done -- I've never been disrespectful, intentionally, to a man or a woman." Biden all but declared he intended to join the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, telling reporters he's "putting everything together, man." He noted his lawyers had warned him to speak carefully about his intentions but said he expected to "be standing before you all relatively soon." He also suggested his strategy. In a nostalgia-soaked speech, Biden made clear he would position himself outside the progressive wing of the party and seek support from traditional Democrats and the working-class voters who backed Donald Trump in 2016. Biden said criticism of his bipartisan leanings was coming from the "far left" and reupped his appeal for compromise a sometimes unpopular view in the Trump-era. He bemoaned modern politics that's "gotten so damn elitist." "The vast majority of the members of the Democratic party are still basically liberal to moderate Democrats in the traditional sense," Biden said. As to where he falls on ideological lines, he said, "I'm an Obama-Biden Democrat, man. And I'm proud of it." But signs of changes in the party have been evident in recent complaints about Biden's history of publicly affectionate behavior with women. Nevada politician Lucy Flores said she was uncomfortable when Biden kissed her on the back of the head backstage at a 2014 campaign event. Her account was countered by scores of women from prominent lawmakers to former staffers who praised him as a warm, affectionate person and a supportive boss. But several other women have also come forward to recount their own awkward interactions with him. Flores panned Biden's remarks Friday, tweeting: "To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have." Ultra Violet, a women's rights group that initially urged Biden to do better, also reacted sharply: "Joe Biden's 'jokes' were shameful, and not how a so-called 'champion of women' should act," the group posted on Twitter. "He sent a very clear signal to women today - he just doesn't respect them." Biden did say the controversy "is going to have to change somewhat how I campaign." That controversy aside, Biden's address seemed intended to highlight how he could win back white, blue-collar workers like those who supported Trump in 2016. He seemed to criticize his own party for walking away from the demographic. He recounted a time when, he said, the dignity of teachers, sanitation and electrical line workers was treasured and the nation felt it had a common purpose. Saying his father, a salesman, told him to respect everyone, Biden alluded to various "sophisticated friends" who don't get the significance of treating blue-collar laborers as equals. "All you're looking for is to be treated fairly, with respect, with some dignity," Biden said. "Because you matter." Biden also noted he'd gotten criticism from the left for saying Democrats should work with Republicans to get things done, and in defending President Barack Obama's signature law, the Affordable Care Act, which some Democratic presidential aspirants want to replace with a single-payer health care system. "We need to build on it," Biden said of the law. "What we can't do is blow it up." Shortly after Biden was finished speaking, Trump hit back. "I've employed thousands of Electrical Workers," the president tweeted as his plane flew toward the Mexican border with California. "They will be voting for me!" However, the IBEW endorsed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016. Biden's advisers had signaled ahead of the speech that he was not going to mention the physical-touching controversy. But he attempted to defuse it by embracing the union's male president and kidding about it. While that may have landed with a thud to some outside the room, the labor leaders rose to their feet and applauded. The criticism of Biden's form of affection is a symptom of what ails not just politics but American life, said Denise Johnson, an attendee from Mechanicsville, Maryland. "He's a warm and affectionate person. He's sincere and he speaks from his heart," said Johnson, who works for the IBEW in Washington. "But in the society we live, we're losing that warmth. We need to get it back. This could actually rally for him." Friday was the second time in two days that President Trump attacked Biden on Twitter. Despite more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct, on Thursday the president posted a doctored version of a cellphone video Biden released addressing the controversy over his touching. In Trump's version, a Biden avatar approaches Biden from behind and appears to grab his shoulders. Trump has denied the allegations of sexual misconduct, and on Friday he told reporters he saw no reason to avoid going after Biden on the issue. "Yeah, I think I'm a very good messenger and people got a kick out of it," Trump said. None of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates commented on Biden's appearance. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, when asked after an event thanking small donors if she had ever felt uncomfortable around Biden, said, "I've said all I'm going to say about Joe Biden." AP writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this report. With just 17 days to go, Britain's departure from the European Union was thrown into chaos and doubt Tuesday as Parliament delivered a crushing double blow to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit divorce deal and to her authority as leader. Lawmakers rejected the deal 391-242, ignoring May's entreaties to back the agreement and end the political chaos and economic uncertainty that Brexit has unleashed. It was a narrower outcome than the historic 230-vote margin of defeat for the agreement in January, before May secured changes from the bloc but not by much. Top EU officials warned that the defeat had increased the chances of a chaotic "no-deal" British exit, which could mean major disruption for businesses and people in the U.K. and many of the 27 remaining EU countries. The stinging 149-vote defeat stripped away May's control over the course of Brexit and handed it to Parliament, which is divided about what to do next. A drawn and hoarse May admitted defeat again and confirmed that Parliament will vote Wednesday on whether to leave the EU on March 29 without an agreement. If that is defeated the likely outcome lawmakers will vote Thursday on whether to delay Brexit, something that needs to be approved by the EU nations too. May warned lawmakers that "voting against leaving without a deal and for an extension does not solve the problems we face." "The EU will want to know what use we mean to make of such an extension. This House will have to answer that question. Does it wish to revoke (Brexit-triggering) Article 50? Does it want to hold a second referendum? Or does it want to leave with a deal but not this deal? "These are unenviable choices," she said. The EU, which had warned there would be no more changes or negotiations if Parliament threw out the deal, expressed exasperation at yet another Brexit crisis. In a statement, the European Commission said the member states "have done all that is possible to reach an agreement." "If there is a solution to the current impasse, it can only be found in London," it said, adding that "today's vote has significantly increased the likelihood of a 'no-deal' Brexit." European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted: "Brexit was about taking back control. Instead the UK spiralled out of control." The defeat came after May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced changes Monday designed to overcome lawmakers' concerns about provisions designed to ensure the border between EU member Ireland and Britain's Northern Ireland remains open after Brexit. The mechanism, known as the backstop, is a safeguard that would keep the U.K. in a customs union with the EU until a permanent new trading relationship is in place. Brexit supporters in Britain fear the backstop could be used to bind the country to EU regulations indefinitely. May said documents to be added to the deal provided "legally binding" assurances that the backstop would be temporary and that Britain would have a way to get out of it if the EU failed to negotiate in good faith. However, the text of the 585-page withdrawal agreement remained unchanged. May's hopes the concessions would be decisive were dashed when Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said the changes "reduce the risk" Britain could be trapped inside EU regulations but do not eliminate it. In a written legal opinion , Cox said the U.K. could still not extract itself from the terms of the divorce deal unilaterally, a key demand of pro-Brexit British politicians. Afterward, hard-core Brexit supporters in May's Conservative Party and the prime minister's allies in Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party both said they could not support the deal. The DUP, which props up May's minority government, said "sufficient progress has not been achieved" on the key issue of the Irish border. The European Research Group of pro-Brexit Conservatives, which has dozens of lawmakers as members, said the amendments "do not deliver 'legally binding changes'" to the withdrawal agreement, as the government promised. Other EU nations had urged British politicians to seize the chance to back the deal and ensure an orderly departure. Delaying Brexit, the path Britain looks set to take, would need the approval from all 27 remaining EU countries. The EU Commission said it would "expect a credible justification" for the postponement. Some British lawmakers had warned their Brexit-backing colleagues that rejecting the deal could lead to Britain's departure being postponed indefinitely, because a delay would give momentum to opponents of withdrawal. "Today is our Hotel California moment. If we don't check out tonight, we may never leave," tweeted Conservative legislator Bob Seely. The government's defeat will embolden politicians calling for a second referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain, though there is no clear majority in Parliament for that course. It has also increased the chances that May's fragile government could fall, sparking a snap election. "The prime minister has run down the clock and the clock has been run out on her," said Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. "It's time that we have a general election and the people can choose who their government should be." More than two and a half years after the country voted to leave the EU and with no certainty about when or how it will many Britons are simply fed up. In the staunchly pro-Brexit port of Dover in southern England, retiree Mary Simpson said she felt her voice as a "leave" voter had not been heard. "I am actually considering never voting again, quite honestly, because I am beginning to feel that there is no point in it," she said. Sixth-grader Kaitlyn had just returned from a family vacation to see Phillies' new star Bryce Harper at spring training in Clearwater, Florida, when she realized she left her school library book on the plane. I thought they would probably have just thrown the book away, Kaitlyn, whose parents requested NBC10 not use her last name, said about Spirit Airlines staff. On Wednesday, Kaitlyn was called to the principals office. She was nervous, she said. Her principal, Dr. Robert Salladino Jr. at Springton Lake Middle School in Media, Pennsylvania, confronted Kaitlyn, who he regards as a great student. I need to talk to you about your overdue library book, Salladino said to her. Kaitlyn immediately asked if she needed to to pay for the book, which she admitted to losing on the airplane. To her surprise, her principal pulled out the library book, "Fast Break" by Mike Lupica, and a note written by a flight attendant from Spirit Airlines. We couldnt believe it. We just thought it was the nicest thing, Salladino said. The note recounted how Spirit Airlines employee Jamie Patzer found the book. "I believe that by the time I found the book, it literally traveled thousands of miles across the country multiple times," Patzer said in the note. Kaitlyn was shocked to see the book again. The look on her face was definitely priceless, Salladino said. The school posted pictures on social media of Kaitlyn with the book and the note from the flight attendant. One tweet said: REUNITED! What a kind gesture by an employee of @SpiritAirlines. One of our students left behind a library book during a recent trip. After 1000s of miles, the book arrived home today @SpringtonLakeMS. Thanks, Jamie! #KindnessMatters. REUNITED! What a kind gesture by an employee of @SpiritAirlines. One of our students left behind a library book during a recent trip. After 1000s of miles, the book arrived home today @SpringtonLakeMS. Thanks, Jamie! #KindnessMatters pic.twitter.com/MhlreIJS2w Dr. Robert Salladino (@SpringtonLakeMS) April 3, 2019 Spirit Airlines tweeted back. At Spirit, we always #InvestInTheGuest. Think of all the stories this book can tell after its long journey home! Were happy we could return it to its rightful owner. At Spirit, we always #InvestInTheGuest. Think of all the stories this book can tell after its long journey home! Were happy we could return it to its rightful owner. https://t.co/dwQQNAMZh1 Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) April 4, 2019 With some help, the school was able to contact the flight attendant. Kaitlyn and Patzer are planning to have a FaceTime call soon, she said. Kaitlyn received the book following the schools annual Kindness Week, a time dedicated to spreading generocity. We thought it was like good karma from what we were doing and somebody else payed it forward and passed along a little kindness to one of our students, Salladino said. If youre wondering if Kaitlyn ever finished the book, she said, Yes. She most definitely read the whole thing. What to Know San Diego researchers were the first to participate in the new model of conservation. The giant pandas born at the San Diego Zoo have helped to produce 22 additional giant pandas in China. The giant panda is still on the endangered species list but is less threatened than when the program began. Like any good, respected pop culture icon, the San Diego Zoos giant pandas launched their "farewell tour" of sorts on Saturday a three-week celebration highlighting their time in the city before they are repatriated to China. The panda party marks exactly three weeks until Bai Yun the zoos beloved 27-year-old female giant panda and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu leave the San Diego Zoo, a facility known globally for its successful panda conservation program. The San Diego Zoo announced that its last two remaining giant pandas will head to China. NBC 7's Melissa Adan has more on why they have to go. San Diego Zoo Global and China have been collaborating for the past 23 years on panda research and conservation of the species. Part of Saturdays farewell ceremony included the unveiling of a new plaque marking the conservation program. Zoo director Dwight Scott also led Chinese Ambassador Zhang Ping of the Peoples Republic of China Los Angeles Consulate on a tour of the panda habitat. The departure of the giant pandas marks the end of San Diego Zoo Globals giant panda program. The zoo said in a press release that now comes the beginning of a new era of panda conservation at the San Diego Zoo, and the facility is working with their colleagues in China to determine what those future plans may entail. Gao Gao, a giant panda who lived at the San Diego Zoo for many years, returned to China this week. The panda was in San Diego on a research loan agreement with the People's Republic of China as conservationists worked to save the species from the verge of extinction over the past couple of decades. While the San Diego Zoo has said it wants the giant pandas to return to the facility someday, the decision ultimately lies with China. A new agreement would likely center around the next challenge: reintroducing pandas to the wild. The ambassador said he's optimistic. "They've done a very good job in panda research and conservation, so I think this is a very good thing for continuation of the program in the future," Zhang told NBC 7. He said on every level, the agreement between China and the San Diego Zoo has been a model of success. "I think the successful story of this project, here at the San Diego Zoo, is that we see a very successful breeding program," Zhang said. "I think its a very successful collaboration, and I think because of these kinds of exchanges, people in China also learned about the giant panda. It also helped the Chinese side advance its course on giant panda protection and conservation." For now, giant panda fans have until April 27 to say goodbye to Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu. The San Diego Zoo said visitors can show their love for the furry creatures in several ways over the next few weeks, including sharing their memories and hopes for the giant pandas on social media using the hashtag #pandas4ever. Theres also something called the Giant Panda Friendship Wall located across from the Giant Panda Research Station at the zoos Panda Canyon. Visitors could buy a commemorative bell from the zoos panda shop or grab a free tag and hang either or both on the wall as a symbolic gesture of love and appreciation for the pandas and everything they have meant to the city of San Diego. [G] San Diego's Cutest Critters Those who may not be able to make it to the San Diego Zoo to say goodbye to the giant pandas in person can take another approach: watching the Panda Cam on the zoos website here. Bai Yun and her son are the last two giant pandas to live at the San Diego Zoo, one of only a few zoos where giant pandas can be found in the United States. Zoos in Washington, D.C, Atlanta and Memphis also have the animals. The news of the departure of the giant pandas came a couple of weeks ago. Although it may have been shocking to locals and visitors fanatical about the animals, the move was not unexpected, as a long-term conservation agreement was ending, San Diego Zoo officials said. "Although we are sad to see these pandas go, we have great hopes for the future," Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for San Diego Zoo Global said last month in a statement released to the media. The zoos giant panda conservation program began more than two decades ago when the species was threatened with extinction. The San Diego Zoo's work with Bai Yun and her cubs has helped to boost the wild population of pandas in China to more than 2,000, according to the zoo. In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species changed pandas from endangered to vulnerable. In October 2018, Bai Yun's longtime mate, Gao Gao, was returned to the Chinese Center for Research and Conservation for the Giant Panda. The father of five cubs born at the San Diego Zoo, Gao Gao had been living at the zoo for 15 years as part of the long-term loan agreement with the Peoples Republic of China. With the remaining giant pandas to leave the San Diego Zoo for China, many are wondering how it will impact business. NBC 7's Danny Freeman has more. Meanwhile, longtime panda-keeper Dallas Dumont told NBC 7 on Saturday that the imminent departure of her furry friends still hasnt sunk in. "For me it's not going to hit me til I come back and see the empty bedroom," Dumont told NBC 7. "So, I think that's when the tears will probably come after they're gone." The zoo plans to keep the panda enclosures intact, ready for a possible return. In San Diego, if youre a panda, the door is always open. World leaders expressed condolences and condemnation Friday following the deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand, while Muslim leaders said the mass shooting was evidence of a rising tide of violent Islamophobia. New Zealand police said at least 49 people were killed Friday at two mosques in the picturesque South Island city of Christchurch. Several dozen more were seriously wounded in what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called a "terrorist attack." Ardern said migrants and refugees affected by the attacks "have chosen to make New Zealand their home, and it is their home. They are us." One man was arrested and charged with murder in what appeared to be a carefully planned racist attack. Police also defused explosive devices in a car. Two other people were being held in custody and police were trying to determine how they might be involved. Shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, left dozens of people dead on Friday. Police say three men and a woman are in custody. Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said, "There is no place in New Zealand for such acts of extreme and unprecedented violence." Among the four people initially taken into custody one was later released was an Australian man. A man who earlier claimed responsibility for the shooting said he was a 28-year-old Australian and described anti-immigrant motives in a long manifesto. The manifesto mentioned popular YouTuber Pewdiepie, who responded in a tweet by saying he was "absolutely sickened having my name uttered by this person." Pewdiepie, whose name is Felix Kjellberg, offered condolences to the people affected by the shooting. Condolences poured in from nations around the world. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "We are outraged, and we stand here and condemn absolutely the attack that occurred today by an extremist right wing terrorist. This attack reminds us of the evil that is ever present." Queen Elizabeth II, who is New Zealand's head of state, said in a message to the country she was "deeply saddened by the appalling events in Christchurch" and sent condolences to families and friends of victims. The queen also paid tribute to emergency services and volunteers supporting the injured. [NATL] Photos: Mourning, Increased Security After Deadly Mosque Shootings in New Zealand "At this tragic time, my thoughts and prayers are with all New Zealanders," she said in her message. The secretary-general of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Youssef al-Othaimeen, said in a statement that the attack "served as a further warning on the obvious dangers of hate, intolerance, and Islamophobia." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the attacks the "latest example of rising racism and Islamophobia." Speaking at the funeral of a former minister, Erdogan said the Islamophobia that motivated the attacks "has rapidly started to take over Western communities like a cancer." Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan echoed those sentiments. "I blame these increasing terror attacks on the current Islamophobia post-9/11 where Islam & 1.3 bn Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim," he tweeted. Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, noted that the purported gunman's manifesto quoted U.S. President Donald Trump and called on Trump to clearly condemn the attack and assure people that they will be protected. "Mr. Trump, your words matter. Your policies matter. They impact the lives of innocent people at home and globally," Awad said. "You should condemn this, not only as a hate crime, but as a white supremacist terrorist attack." Trump, in a tweet, had earlier sent "warmest sympathy and best wishes" to the people of New Zealand in a tweet. He wrote that "49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do. God bless all!" Awad called the message in Trump's tweet "a first step" that nevertheless rang hollow. On Thursday night in the U.S., as early reports of the shootings were coming in, he tweeted a link to right-wing Breitbart News, which had interviewed him. The tweet was deleted by Friday morning. His press secretary, Sarah Sanders, released a statement Friday morning saying the country "strongly condemns the attack" and that the U.S. stands "against this vicious act of hate." Several police departments across the United States said they increased security around mosques in response to the shooting. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said: "The people of New Zealand are in the hearts and minds of New York City tonight as heartbreaking reports continue out of Christchurch. Our love and prayers are with all impacted by the horrific attack at these mosques." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, weighed in, drawing comparisons to the mass shootings that have occurred at various houses of worship in the U.S.: "At 1st I thought of saying, 'Imagine being told your house of faith isnt safe anymore.' But I couldnt say 'imagine.' Because of Charleston. Pittsburgh. Sutherland Springs." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted that he learned of the attack "with horror and profound sadness." "The European Union will always stand with #NewZealand and against those who heinously want to destroy our societies and our way of life," he wrote. In France, home to western Europe's largest Muslim community, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner ordered regional authorities to bolster security at mosques as a precaution. London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the city's Metropolitan Police force would be visible outside mosques. "London stands with the people of Christchurch in the face of this horrific terror attack," he said. "London will always celebrate the diversity that some seek to destroy." Indonesia's president Joko Widodo condemned the attacks, in which an Indonesian father and son were among those wounded. Indonesian Muslim leaders expressed anger at the shooting rampage while urging Muslims to show restraint. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said bigotry in Western countries contributed to the attacks on Muslims in New Zealand. In a Friday tweet, he also criticized the West for "defending demonization of Muslims as 'freedom of expression.'" Afghanistan's Taliban movement Islamic militants who carry out near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces also condemned the shooting rampage, calling it an "unforgivable crime." Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yusuf called on the New Zealand government to investigate "the root cause of such terrorism and hand a hefty punishment to the attackers." Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which is considered a terrorist organization by Western countries, condemned the "policy of hatred that the United States is feeding around the world instead of prevailing religious values that call for forgiveness." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attacks a "brazen act of terror." His office said on Twitter that Israel mourns the murder of innocent worshippers, condemns the assault and sends its condolences to bereaved families. Jordan's King Abdullah II tweeted that "the heinous massacre against Muslims praying in peace in New Zealand is an appalling terrorist crime. It unites us against extremism, hatred and terrorism, which knows no religion." Jordan's Foreign Ministry confirmed that one Jordanian was killed and five wounded in the attack. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas extended his country's sympathies to those who lost loved ones, saying "if people are murdered solely because of their religion, that is an attack on all of us." Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the "dastardly terrorist attack" and offered his condolences, as did several other world leaders. A telegram of condolences sent by the Vatican on behalf of Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the injury and loss of life" caused by the "senseless acts of violence" in Christchurch. He assured all New Zealanders, and in particular the Muslim community, of his "heartfelt solidarity." Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has reportedly undergone successful heart valve surgery, NBC News reported. The 75-year-old musician is resting after completing the transcatheter aortic valve replacement in New York, according to Billboard. Jagger's representatives did not provide information on his condition to NBC News. The surgery comes less than a week after the band postponed its North American tour after doctors told Jagger he needed to take a break from touring to receive medical treatment. Jagger's representatives have declined to specify his treatment but sources told Billboard that he is recovering and in great health. A Maryland police officer is being hailed as a hero after he pulled a woman from a burning minivan right before it was fully engulfed in flames. The Capital Gazette reports that the incident occurred last weekend in Glen Burnie, which is south of Baltimore. Anne Arundel County Police Cpl. Glenn Whisman was working the midnight shift. He was the first to reach the scene. The woman drifted out of consciousness as the fire in the engine compartment spread. Whisman fought back the flames with a small fire extinguisher and unbuckled her seatbelt. As he pulled her through a window, one of the tires exploded from the heat. Flames engulfed the vehicle right after he pulled her out. County Police Chief Timothy Altomare said Whisman's actions were "nothing short of heroic." Bill Cosby's insurance company has agreed to settle lawsuits filed by seven women who say the comedian defamed them when he accused them of lying about sexual misconduct allegations. However, Cosby said that AIG decided to settle without his knowledge or permission. "Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits and he maintains his innocence," Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said in a statement. Filings Friday in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, show the settlement. Cosby went to prison last fall in a separate Pennsylvania sex assault case. The 81-year-old comedian is serving a three- to 10-year prison sentence there. The federal judge overseeing the defamation case in Massachusetts must still approve the settlement. The terms are confidential. Wyatt said Cosby is still pursuing counterclaims against the accusers, one of whom recently died. Cosby is serving 3 to 10 years at SCI-Phoenix outside Philadelphia for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, home in 2004. He recently settled a civil lawsuit with Constand for nearly $3.4 million. Earlier this year Cosby said he considers himself a political prisoner akin to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela and remained unapologetic, according to Wyatt. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to include Cosby's statement that his insurance company settled without his permission. A 23-year-old ex-convict accused of pulling a cruel hoax by pretending to be a long-missing Illinois boy was charged Friday with making false statements to federal authorities. The FBI said Brian Rini had made false claims twice before, portraying himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim. The Medina, Ohio, man was jailed in Cincinnati on Thursday, a day after telling authorities he was 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. The FBI declared Rini's story a hoax after performing a DNA test. The charge should send a message about the damage such false claims can do, said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman. "It's not OK to do it because of the harm that it causes, the pain, for the family of that missing child," Glassman said. Rini's story had briefly raised hope among Timmothy's relatives that the youngster's disappearance had finally been solved after eight long years. But those hopes were dashed when the test results came back. "It's devastating. It's like reliving that day all over again," said Timmothy's aunt Kara Jacobs. Rini was jailed for a bail hearing on Tuesday. His public defender did not immediately return a message. Rini could get up to eight years in prison. Rini was found wandering the streets on Wednesday and told authorities he had just escaped his captors after years of abuse, officials said. He claimed he had been forced to have sex with men, according to the FBI. When confronted with the DNA results, Rini acknowledged his identity, saying he had watched a story about Timmothy on ABC's "20/20" and wanted to get away from his own family, the FBI said. Rini said "he wished he had a father like Timmothy's because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking," the FBI said in court papers. A message left with Rini's father for comment was not immediately returned. Glassman said authorities were skeptical early on of Rini's claim because he refused to be fingerprinted, though he did agree to a DNA swab. Rini also looks older than 14, but Glassman said investigators wanted to make sure "there was no opportunity missed to actually find Timmothy Pitzen." Rini's DNA was already on file because of his criminal record. He was released from prison less than a month ago after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism. He twice portrayed himself in Ohio as a juvenile victim of sex trafficking, and in each case was identified after being fingerprinted, authorities said. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to court papers. Timmothy, of Aurora, Illinois, vanished after his mother pulled him out of kindergarten, 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." After Rini's account was pronounced a hoax, Timmothy's grandmother Alana Anderson said: "It's been awful. We've been on tenterhooks, hopeful and frightened. It's just been exhausting." She added, "I feel so sorry for the young man who's obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was somebody else." Associated Press reporters Carrie Antlfinger, Don Babwin, Caryn Rousseau and Corey Williams contributed. A fire that ultimately killed a Maine fire captain was likely caused by careless disposal of smoking materials, according to authorities. Berwick Fire Capt. Joel Barnes died on March 1 after being found unconscious while battling a massive fire that tore through a multi-family house on Bell Street. The fire also injured four other firefighters. State and federal investigators say the fire started on the third-floor apartment's outside back porch, and that it appears someone threw away smoking materials "into an unapproved receptacle." No other details about the cause of the fire were released. It's unclear if charges will be filed. Barnes and another firefighter entered the burning building using the front door and made their way up to the third-floor, where they went to a room adjacent to the rear porch. However, investigators say that once they were in the room, the pair was unable to go to the porch due to the volume of fire. Conditions in the room rapidly deteriorated, and escape from the room through the original entry point became "impossible," according to investigators. Barnes was eventually found unconscious. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated alongside the other injured firefighters, where he later died. The state's chief medical examiner office determined Barnes died from probable hyperthermia and/or hypoxia, and ruled his manner of death as accidental. He was 32 years old. The other four firefighters were treated and released from the hospital. Crews from 16 fire departments in Maine and New Hampshire responded to the blaze. The state's labor department is independently investigating the equipment and labor safety standards, while the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is working on data to create a computer model of the fire. A man accused of stabbing another man in Everett, Massachusetts faced a judge on Friday morning for the alleged attack. Authorities it was the roommate of Everett resident Victor Mariscal, 27, who recognized him from a sketch that was released to the public shortly after the March 16 stabbing of a 28-year-old man on Bradford Terrace. Mariscal pleaded not guilty and hid his face at his arraignment in Malden District Court where he was formally charged with armed assault with the intent to murder and assault and battery causing serious bodily injury. Mariscal was arrested just after 6 p.m. Thursday in Cambridge, according to the Middlesex district attorney's office. A neighbor who didn't want his identity revealed called a tip into police after spotting Mariscal. "I saw a gentleman who passed me that fit the sketch," said the neighbor. "I called Everett police, told them what I saw. The gentleman had gear that fit the description and the same face and he was heading towards Malden station. Four hours later they found him in Cambridge." Police said they found a butcher's knife and sneakers in Mariscal's room that linked him to the attack. The district attorney's office said it is also investigating whether Mariscal is responsible for the fatal stabbing of 54-year-old Michael Starr. Starr was found suffering from stab wounds sometime around 9 p.m. on March 27, also on Bradford Terrace. "While we continue to investigate, we hope this arrest will restore some comfort to the residents of the Bradford Terrace neighborhood," Everett Police Chief Steven Mazzie said. Mariscal is scheduled to be back in court next Wednesday. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Getting to Hawaii from Boston just got a lot easier! For the first time ever, Hawaiian Airlines has launched non-stop service to Boston. The inaugural flight arrived at Logan Airport Friday morning from Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. A ceremony to celebrate the event included traditional Hawaiian song, dance, and lei giving. On hand for the event was Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram and Massport Acting CEO John Pranckevicius. "As Hawaii's airline, we take great pride in sharing our love of these Islands, and as we welcome our newest guests from the East Coast, we are confident they will find that their vacation begins and ends with us," said Ingram. "We also want to help Hawaii residents get to where they want to go, and we know that people here travel to New England frequently." The airline plans to offer flights five times a week. According to the airline, the HNL-BOS route is the longest regularly scheduled interstate route in U.S. history at 5,095 miles. The flight will take between 10 and 11.5 hours. According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, about 127,000 New Englanders visited Hawaii last year. "We are excited to welcome Hawaiian Airlines and their nonstop service that connects New England to the Pacific," said Pranckevicius. "As another winter ends, these flights out of Logan Airport offer Bostonians access to all the natural wonders of Honolulu and the Hawaiian Islands." Maine State Police say a 21-year-old woman has been charged with murder in the 2017 death of a 2-year-old girl. Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland says Savannah Smith, of Bucksport, was arrested at a motel Thursday evening. Authorities say she has been indicted and charged with murder in the death of Kloe Hawksley. Kloe was found dead inside of a Bucksport home in October 2017 following a 911 call regarding an unresponsive child. Police have been investigating the death since. Police say Smith was dating Kloe's father, Tyler Hawksley, at the time of Kloe's death. She is being held at the Hancock County Jail. It wasn't immediately known if she had a lawyer. According to documents published by the Bangor Daily News, Hawksley is one of 22 children who died in Maine after state agencies were contacted about their health and safety. The newspapers request shows more than a dozen of the deaths were determined accidental but Hawksley and a fourth child, Quinten Leavitt, are murder victims. Theres definitely been a spike since 2017, said the head of the Maine State Police major crimes unit central division, Lt. Jeffrey Love. Maine State Police Lt. Jeffrey Love works in the state major crimes unit central division says there was a real uptick in child homicide and abuse investigations in 2017 though 2018 numbers returned to normal. Children, theyre the most innocent people that we have that we have that we work with, Love said. Smiths arrest on Thursday night is an example of just how raw and sad these cases, even for bystanders. We were literally shocked, said Kaleem Adnan, a manager at the Spring Fountain Motel. An arrest, however, at least In Hawksleys case, did not prevent her death. Thats why Maine lawmakers want to move fast to fix any problems in the state systems meant to prevent child neglect and abuse. Last month, the commissioner of the states Department of Health and Human Services told lawmakers in a committee hearing that she was, committed to systemic improvements to ensure the safety and well-being of all Maine children. Lawmakers want action, too, in the form of signed legislation for a child welfare system overhaul. Next week, Maine State Sen. Bill Diamond, a Democrat, says hes going to unveil a draft bill to form a committee tasked with overhauling Maines child welfare system. Diamond says its imperative lawmakers craft a plan because lawmakers are running out of time to take action this year. The states legislature adjourns for the year in June and Diamond says a committee would need to work through summer and autumn to have a plan ready for the 2020 session. Police are investigating after an elderly man was killed when a vehicle backed over him in a driveway in Fall River, Massachusetts. Authorities responded to a home on Newhall Street just after 1:30 p.m. where they found the victim. The victim, 94-year-old Fall River resident Robert E. Forcier, was taken to St. Anne's Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the vehicle that ran him over was treated for severe hand and arm injuries Police said an initial investigation shows a family member thought they had put the vehicle into park but did not. A 65-year-old woman who was driving the Chevrolet Equinox involved in the incident had rushed out to help Forcier, who needed assistance and a cane, get out of the car, according to police. The vehicle ended up rolling out of the driveway and over the victim and the driver, crashing into a fence, around a cemetery and down the street. The driver, who has not been identified, was taken to a local hospital for severe injuries to her right arm and hand after the car's left front tire ran over her, according to police. Police say the death appears accidental, but the investigation is ongoing. Police in Salisbury, Massachusetts, say a woman who had not been heard from in more than a week, has been safely located. Authorities said Saturday that Christie Tatro, 30, has been in contact with her family and is safe. Police had asked for the public's help on Friday after the Salisbury Beach resident hadn't been heard from since March 26. No other information was provided. A Marlborough, New Hampshire, resident died after apparently trying to rescue their pet who had fallen through the ice of a nearby pond. The body of the resident, who was not identified, was discovered Friday morning. The dog survived, police said. Police responded to the resident's home at 8:23 a.m. after someone called to report they had not seen the resident since Thursday afternoon, according to a news released issued by New Hampshire Fish & Game and the Marlborough Police Department. After speaking to a neighbor and learning the resident was last seen taking the dog for a walk, police searched the area and found a hole in the ice, about 49 yards from the shore of nearby Meetinghouse Pond. Police found dog and human tracks near the area of the hole and, using binoculars, saw what appeared to be a deceased dog. Jaffrey Fire Department and Troy Police ice rescue teams respondedt o recovered the dog. The NH Fish and Game Dive Team recovered the missing resident's body. "It appears that the resident had taken his dog for their usual evening walk out to Meetinghouse Pond," police said. "The dog walked out onto unsafe ice and broke through. The dog's owner retrieved a large pine limb and attempted to rescue his dog." Police said the man drowned in about 12 feet of water. An elderly man was killed and a firefighter was injured during a blaze Saturday morning at a two-story home in Fall River, Massachusetts. The fire broke out inside the home on Palmer Street at about 4 a.m. The Bristol County District Attorney's office said even though fire crews were able to knock the blaze down in 15 minutes, 88-year-old William Graham was unable to escape from the second floor and died. "I saw the smoke on top and all I kept thinking was the old man," said neighbor Deborah Rodriguez. "The firemen were going in and going out with ladders and everything." Another neighbor, Robin Brouillard-Bettencourt, said she knew Graham for decades. She said she rushed over to take a cat that the firefighters found alive inside the house. "I took care of him. I loved him," said Brouillard-Bettencourt referring to Graham. "The man got me through a lot of hard times, you know? A lot of support." One firefighter was injured in the blaze. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment and later released. The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the exact cause of the fire but authorities said at this time it appears to be accidental. Massachusetts authorities are investigating an unattended death on the property of the Northampton Elks Lodge in Florence. The Northwestern District Attorney's office told MassLive Friday that the investigation into the discovery of a deceased man is ongoing. According to the Northampton Elks Lodge No. 997, the man's body was found Thursday morning in the entrance to their parking lot. "Our hearts go out to those that are impacted by this terrible tragedy," read a statement from the lodge. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is expected to conduct an autopsy to determine the man's exact cause and manner of death. The district attorney's office told MassLive the man is a Florence resident in his 30s, but would not release his identity. The investigation is ongoing. NEW FAIRFIELD Local and state officials are still investigating the cause of a blaze at a Route 39 home this week. The fire, reported Thursday afternoon, is being investigated by town Fire Marshals Office with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, Fire Marshal Derrek Guertin said Friday. AARP Chapter 3241 in New Milford will hold its next meeting April 10 at noon at Trinity Lutheran Church. The meeting at the Route 7 North church will focus on Animal Welfare Society, Inc. in New Milford. Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: Miffed at replies of former Ranbaxy promoters Malvinder and Shivinder Singh to its directive to submit a plan for paying Rs 4,000 crore to Daiichi Sankyo, as awarded by a Singapore tribunal, the Supreme Court on Friday threatened to send them to jail if found that they have violated the apex courts order. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will now hear on April 11 the contempt petition by the Japanese firm against the Singh brothers for non-payment of the arbitral award. What we propose to do is that we will hear the contempt petition alleging the violation of this courts order. If we find that there is a violation of orders, we will send them to jail, said the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. It also asked the duo to be present before the top court on the next date of hearing. On March 14, the Supreme Court had asked the former Ranbaxy promoters to submit a concrete plan for paying Rs 4,000 crore to Daiichi Sankyo as directed by a Singapore tribunal and had asked them to consult their accountants as also financial and legal advisors and apprise it by today. The bench considered the submissions of senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and P S Patwalaia, representing Malvinder and Shivinder respectively, on their plans to give money for honouring the arbitral award. Their nearly Rs 6,300 crore has been siphoned off by some baba. These children have been duped, Sibal said, adding that let the properties of the contemnor be sold under the instruction of the court. To this, the bench said: We will only adjudicate on the violation of our orders. You sell your own properties. You may be owning half of the world but there is no concrete plan as to how the arbitral amount would be realised. You said that somebody owed you Rs 6,000 crore. But this is neither here nor there. Patwalia, appearing for Shivinder, said he wanted two years time to work with Daiichi so that valuation of the companies can get better and the arbitral award can be honoured. The bench got irked when Malvinder said that he has not got done the valuation of his properties. How is it possible that you do not know the value of your properties, the bench asked. The apex court also stayed insolvency proceedings against a bunch of companies purportedly linked to the Singh brothers. The insolvency cases were filed by Religare Finvest Ltd in National Company Law Tribunal, Delhi. The Japanese firm has filed a contempt plea against the Singh brothers, saying that it was promised some shares of Fortis Healthcare by them and sought the recovery of Rs 3,500 crore as directed by the tribunal. Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for Daiichi, had said that Malvinder claimed he is honest and bona fide and would pay the outstanding at the earliest. He added that the younger brother Shivinder, on the other hand, has stated that he has taken Sanyas (renunciation) and become a Sadhu (monk) and has nothing to do with the company. The apex court had earlier refused to pass any interim order on the pleas relating to the sale of controlling stakes of Fortis Healthcare to Malaysian IHH Healthcare Berhad. The top court, on December 14 last year, had ordered status quo with regard to the sale of controlling stakes of Fortis Healthcare. Status quo with regard to sale of the controlling stake in Fortis Healthcare to Malaysian IHH Healthcare Berhad be maintained, the bench had said. It had also issued notices to the Singh brothers asking them to explain as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated against them for allegedly violating its earlier order by pledging the shares. The board of Fortis Healthcare had approved in July a proposal from IHH Healthcare to invest Rs 4,000 crore by way of preferential allotment for a 31.1 per cent stake. The Malaysian IHH Healthcare Bhd became the controlling shareholder of Fortis Healthcare Ltd by acquiring a 31.1 per cent stake in the company. Daiichi had bought Ranbaxy in 2008. Later, it had moved the Singapore arbitration tribunal alleging that the Singh brothers had concealed information that Ranbaxy was facing a probe by the US Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Justice while selling its shares. Daiichi had to enter into a settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice, agreeing to pay $500-million penalty to resolve potential, civil and criminal liability. The company had then sold its stake in Ranbaxy to Sun Pharmaceuticals for Rs 22,679 crore in 2015. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday congratulated candidates from the state who have cleared the UPSC civil services exam 2018. In a congratulatory message to the successful candidates, the governor appreciated their hard work and offered his best wishes for all their future endeavours. Malik has urged them to discharge their duties with utmost dedication, sincerity and discipline and work selflessly for the welfare of the people they are called upon to serve. "Their success would motivate the younger generation in the state to take the country's prestigious examination in right earnest," he added. The governor has also conveyed his warm greetings to the families and parents of these successful candidates a day after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results for UPSC civil services examination on Friday. A total of 759 candidates, out of which 577 men and 182 women, have been recommended for appointment to posts of IAS, IPS etc. While Kanishak Kataria topped the examination all over India, Srushti Jayant Deshmukh came first among women. New Delhi: A day after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results for UPSC civil services examination, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday congratulated Sreedhanya Suresh, the first tribal woman from Kerala to clear the prestigious exam. Twenty-two-year-old Sreedhanya, a resident of Wayanad, bagged the 410th rank in the Civil Services Examination, 2018, the results of which were made available at the official website of the UPSC i.e. upsc.gov.in on Friday. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi wrote, "Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanya's hard work & dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great success in her chosen career". Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanyaas hard work & dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great successs in her chosen career. a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 6, 2019 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also extended his best wishes to Sreedhanya and spoke to her over the phone. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said, "Sreedhanya fought social backwardness and passed the civil services exam with flying colours. Her achievement will inspire other students in the future". "The dropout level among tribal students is the highest. I hope to change that. There are so many other issues - land rights, women's safety, problems of unwed mothers. But I wouldn't focus my work on a single community, I'd deal with the problems of every community," Vijayan added. Being asked about her future course of action, SreedhanyaA toldA The News Minute,A "Only, I expected a better rank. But 410 is fine, I hope it should get me IAS, as has been the pattern in previous years". "Our happiness is sky high... We stretched to the maximum to ensure that she studies well. We ensured that nothing becomes a barrier for her studies and now her hard work has been rewarded," IANS quoted Sreedhanya's mother Kamala. Sreedhanya, who is the daughter of daily wage labourers Suresh and Kamala, belongs to the Kurichiya tribe. Talking about her educational qualifications, she graduated in B.Sc. in Zoology from Devagiri St Joseph's College in Kozhikode and completed her Post Graduation in Applied Zoology at the University of Calicut.A A Apart from Sreedhanya, 28 more Keralites have cleared the Uttar Pradesh Civil Services Examination, 2018. A total of 759 candidates, out of which 577 men and 182 women, have been recommended for appointment to posts of IAS, IPS etc. While Kanishak Kataria topped the examination all over India, Srushti Jayant Deshmukh came first among women. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will forge an alliance with the Congress in Delhi only if the latter agrees to contest the Lok Sabha polls jointly in Haryana and Chandigarh too, PTI quoted sources as saying on Saturday. They added that in another pre-condition, the AAP has asked the Congress to openly declare its support to full statehood for Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai held a meeting over the issue on Saturday and they were in agreement over the two pre-conditions set for an alliance with the Congress, a source said. "An alliance with the Congress is possible only if the party agrees to do it for 10 seats in Haryana, seven seats in Delhi and the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Also, the party should also openly declare support to full statehood for Delhi if it wants to forge an alliance with the AAP," the source said. The AAP has reportedly conveyed to the Congress that it would support the grand old party in Chandigarh only if it gets to contest three seats in Haryana Faridabad, Gurgaon and Karnal. "The party wanted to include Punjab in the pre-conditions for an alliance, but that was left out considering Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's rigid stance," the source said. Meanwhile, amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday discussed the issue again with senior party leaders from the city. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Gandhi's residence. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will hold a roadshow in Fatehpur today. Later in the day, Priyanka is expected to join her brother Rahul Gandhi at his rallies in Uttarakhand. On Thursday, Priyanka accompanied Congress president Rahul Gandhi to file his nomination from Kerala's Wayanad constituency. The brother-sister duo is taking to the roads to appeal the voters with mega shows. Earlier, Priyanka had tweeted along with a photo of his brother filing the nomination papers. 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 wrote. Priyanka, earlier had said that she will surely contest the Lok Sabha polls if the party wants her to. She, however, said no decision on the same has been taken as of now. Earlier, speculations were rife that Priyanka may contest from Rae Bareli -- the parliamentary constituency of her mother. However, the rumours were laid to rest after the Congress' first list of candidates featured Sonia Gandhi's name from Rae Bareli. Piyanka's appointment is seen as an attempt by the Congress to gain some importance in the state as it was in a "bad shape" after being left out of the SP-BSP alliance. Party workers feel that Priyanka's personality would woo voters, especially the youth. However, the BJP claims that the entry of Priyanka Gandhi into active politics will not have any impact on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the politically crucial state. Priyanka has accused Modi of not fulfilling his "promise" of depositing Rs 15 lakh each into every Indian's account. She had said the Congress party does what it says, pointing out that farm loans were waived soon after the Rajasthan government was formed. The Congress leader said her party had promised to give Rs 72,000 yearly to poor families and will show how the scheme works. In April this year, Rahul appointed Priyanka as general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, which also comprises Lok Sabha seats of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state chief minister Yogi Adityanath. New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday quit the BJP on its Foundation Day and officially joined the Congress party in the presence of AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala. The BJP rebel accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah of disowning him due to his association with veteran party leader LK Advani. BJP is one man show, two men army. There is no concept of collective decision in the BJP... Since I was associated to Advani ji, BJP started disowning me gradually... Advaniji has written the blog with great pain... I was not heard at all. When I tried... I was told to contact Amit Shah directly... Nobody else was willing to lend his ears to my grievances, Sinha said. The disgruntled BJP leader said that Narendra Modi turned democracy into autocracy and claimed that the PMO was running the show while ministers were not allowed to work freely. We have seen how democracy turned into autocracy. In the one-man show, two-men army, everything happens from Prime Minister's Office... the ministers can't work freely anyway, he said during a press conference organised to announce the move. Taking a dig at the BJP for the shameful treatment meted out to senior party leaders, Sinha said, Advani ji was sent to Mardarshak Mandal which hasn't held even a single meeting so far. They did the same to Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha... I was even told that I have been a critic and that I will not be given a cabinet post... but my image has been clean." Terming the Congress a party of great nation builders, Sinha said, "I'm hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory." The BJP leader had been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ways of meddling in the affairs of other ministries. Recently, he had met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi after the BJP announced Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as its candidate from Patna Sahib, a constituency he has been representing for 10 years. He had announced that he will contest from Patna Sahib on another partys ticket as there were already speculations that the BJP may not field Sinha from the constituency. New Delhi: Even as speculations of a possible Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 are gaining momentum, sources said that All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi PC Chacko and Delhi Congress chief and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit are holding a meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence on Saturday. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had resumed talks on Thursday to forge an alliance in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, they discussed 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. 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. New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday wrote to the Election Commission protesting transfers of four IPS officers, including Kolkata and Bidhannagar police commissioners. The EC decision is "unfortunate", "highly arbitrary, motivated and biased" and taken at the behest of BJP, the letter said, urging the poll panel to review its decision. "Should there be any deterioration in the law order situation of the state, would the Commission take responsibility?" said the letter, the content of which was shared with PTI. It also asked the EC to initiate a probe as to how and under whose guidance the decision on the transfer of the top police officers was taken. "I strongly feel that the EC plays a neutral role to save democracy in India. But, it is very unfortunate that I have to write this letter today to raise strong protest against the transfer order dated April 5, 2019 issued by the EC by way of removing four senior officers from their existing positions," Banerjee said in her letter. "The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.E the BJP," the letter read. Banerjee alleged that the EC transfer orders came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a BJP candidate alleged in a TV programme that the law and order situation in West Bengal is bad. The EC had on Friday night removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh in a major shake-up ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state. Rajesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Pollution Control Board, was made the new Kolkata top cop, while Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, was named the Bidhannagar police commissioner. The poll body also named Avannu Ravindranath, deputy commissioner (Airport Division) of Bidhannagar, as the new Birbhum superintendent of police and appointed Srihari Pandey, deputy commissioner of Kolkata Armed Police, 3rd Battalion, as the Diamond Harbour police superintendent. The announcement comes days after opposition parties in the state had alleged that free and fair elections would not be possible under these officers. "The flow of events gives rise to strong doubts whether the Commission is functioning as per its constitutional mandate of conducting free and fair elections or working in a manner to appease the ruling BJP at the centre," the letter said. Describing Sharma and Singh as "bright and experienced", she said they had played key roles in the seizure of illegal currency, gold, liquor and other prohibited items and in enforcing law and order in strict manner. "The decision of the ECI to remove these officers leaves a big question mark whether this step is to give a shield to the vested interested parties and their political masters," Banerjee's letter said. She said those brought in place of the two top police officers had been given the duty of police observers in other states and have little idea about Kolkata and Bidhannagar. Stating that law and order is a state subject, Banerjee alleged that the state government was not consulted on the transfer. "By not following the established practice and not seeking a panel of officers from the state government, the action of the ECI is prima facie undemocratic, biased and suffers from principles of natural justice," she wrote. The EC had written to Chief Secretary Malay De directing immediate implementation of the transfers and sought a compliance report within 24 hours. It also directed that the police officers who have been transferred should not be involved by the state government in any election-related duty. Both Sharma and Singh were present when Banerjee began her sit-in on February 3 to protest against CBI's attempts to question former police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with its probe into the Saradha scam. Kumar was later interrogated by the CBI in Shillong under the orders of the Supreme Court and Sharma had replaced Kumar. After TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife was allegedly found carrying gold at the Kolkata airport, BJP had lodged a complaint with the EC against Bidhannagar Police commissioner Gyanwant Singh. The party had demanded that Singh be held responsible for the alleged police interference if "prima facie any such incident happened". New Delhi: Lieutenant General (retd) Sarath Chand, former Vice Chief of Army Staff, on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at party headquarters in Delhi in presence of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Sarath Chand was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in June 1979 and retired as vice chief of Indian Army on June 1 last year. Chand has been in active combat leadership roles at every stage of command in the Army. Speaking to media Chand said, "In today's global scenario, the country needs a strong leadership. After serving the nation for about 38 years, I have never thought that I will join politics, but I was inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that is why I am joining BJP". "I came here to accompany the prime minister and the party and don't want anything in return. As much as the Bharatiya Janata Party has done for the soldiers, I doubt anybody has done it before," he added. Delhi: Lt. General (Retired) Sarath Chand, former Vice Chief of Army Staff, joins BJP in presence of Union Minister and party leader @SushmaSwaraj. (ANI) pic.twitter.com/eO1i918VYg a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) April 6, 2019 After Lt. Gen. Philip Campose, Chand is the second Malayali to hold the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff. Hailing from Kottarakkara, Chand has been conferred with the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal during his tenure. With less than one week left for the General Elections 2019, several prominent figures and political leaders have been joining parties of their choice or shifting sides. Keeping in mind the vote-bank politics, political biggies are trying to keep the big names under their banner in a bid to shield support from the public. Seven-phase Lok Sabha Elections is scheduled to be held between April 11 and May 19 while the counting of votes will be taken up on May 23. Hyderabad: Union Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his reported remarks that terrorism was not an issue and asked it that was the case, then he should give up his SPG security cover. "He (Rahul Gandhi) says job is an issue not terrorism. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi ji, if terrorism is not an issue and there is no terrorism in the country, then why do you go around with SPG security? From the period of assassination of (former Prime Minister and Rahul's father) Rajiv Gandhi till now all your family is under the security cover of SPG. If you feel that terrorism is not an issue then I want to tell you, you write it and give that you do not need SPG security because you feel there is no terrorism in this country and you are not afraid of anybody," she said. At an election meeting in Hyderabad, Swaraj referred to the air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama attack and said opposition parties who do not have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi were taking his Pakistan counterpart's statements for granted. The External Affairs Minister said the air strikes received international support and she received calls from leaders of several countries appreciating Indias stand on terrorism. Opposition parties in the country were taking exception to the BJP claiming credit for the air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in February, she said. She said the UPA Government should have taken strong action against Pakistan when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 people including 40 foreign nationals were killed, took place. Narrating the NDA government's initiatives for people, Swaraj said the ruling party's poll plank will be on three issues- security, development and welfare. She said as many as 1.16 lakh villages have been connected with fibre optic network. "There were only 77 passport centres in the country now it has gone up to 505 and in Telangana they were just four and it has gone up to 19," Swaraj added. New Delhi: Sending out a message to voters just days ahead of the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that people should judge the government on the basis of the work it has done in the last five years. See, this time it will be a test of our governance. The ruling party should be analysed on the basis of its performance in five years. If people think we have not performed well, other parties will get a chance, Gadkari was quoted by NDTV as saying. The Narendra Modi aims at retaining power at the Centre on the strength of various welfare schemes like the Ujjwala Yojana and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan along with the recently launched direct cash transfer scheme for poor farmers. The first instalment of Rs 2,000 has already reached some beneficiaries. While rubbishing speculations that he could be the "Prime Minister in the making", Gadkari said that he has never indulged into caste politics or nepotism and said that he will seek votes on the basis of work he has done in the last five years. Last month, Gadkari had claimed that he had the support of several Congress leaders as he had worked for all irrespective of their caste, religion, language and party affiliation. A huge number of Congress workers and office-bearers phone me and tell me not to worry. Amid speculations that he could be the BJPs prime ministerial candidate in case of a fractured mandate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Gadkari had said that he was not in the race and stressed that tireless work was his mantra. Earlier, he had termed speculations about him being in the race for prime minister as "mungeri lal ke haseen sapne" (day dreaming). In February, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with other Congress members appreciated Gadkari for the "wonderful" work he has been doing in improving the country's infrastructure. Gadkari is in charge of the road transport and highways; shipping; and water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation ministries. Gadkari runs 1,100 Ekal Vidyalayas in extremist-hit areas of Maharashtra. These schools have 21,000 students and 950 teachers. Besides, he runs "four hospitals on wheels" and has helped in getting artificial limbs from London and Germany for 900 people. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday intensified the poll fever on Saturday, launching all-out offensive against the Congress during his rallies in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Dismissing an electoral challenge from the Congress, PM Modi described the party to be like a Titanic ship which is sinking, while also slamming it for promising to scrap the sedition law. Addressing a poll rally in Nanded in support of BJP candidates from Nanded, Latur, Hingoli and Parbhani in central Maharashtra, Modi also said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has opted for a second seat where the "majority community is in a minority". With an apparent reference to the Congress' manifesto promise of ensuring a minimum income guarantee to the poor, the prime minister said the opposition party plans to burden the middle class with more taxes to fund the scheme. It offers the middle class, which is the backbone of the country, nothing, PM Modi claimed. Whenever the Congress is in trouble, it makes false promises and then becomes "Gajini" (the character, played by Aamir Khan, which suffers from memory loss), Modi said. "The Congress is like a Titanic ship which is sinking," Modi said, adding the party was reduced to just 44 seats in 2014 and it stares at a worse situation this time around. He said the Congress has more factions in Maharashtra than the number of MLAs it has in the state. Congress wants to give free hand to terrorists Earlier, addressing a rally at Hathuad in Balod district of Chhattisgarh, PM Modi said the BJP was contesting the Lok Sabha elections to punish "terrorists and separatists for their sins", but the Congress wanted to give them a free rein. The prime minister hit out at Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi, saying the "naamdar" (dynast) has had to "run away" to find a safe seat. "Congress and its allies are contesting the polls for looting the hard-earned money of people while we are contesting it to use every paisa judiciously. "Congress and its allies are contesting elections for giving a free hand to terrorists and separatists, while we are contesting it to punish terrorists and separatists for their sins," PM Modi added. "Congress and its allies are contesting the election to weaken the armed forces, while the BJP is fighting to make the armed forces self-reliant," he said. "In the last five years, you have seen what is meant by a strong government. When the government is strong, the county does not sit quiet after a terrorist attack. It retaliates strongly," he said. Calling the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act a "Suraksha Kavach" (armour)) of the security forces, he slammed the Congress for "promising to repeal it in its dhakosla patra (sham manifesto)". The Congress has maintained that it has only promised review of the AFSPA. Congress plans to dilute armed forces powers, break middle-class backbone During his election rallies in Sundargarh and Sonepur in western Odisha, PM Modi said that past governments did not had the courage to cross the border and kill terrorists, and hit out at Congress saying while the "chowkidar" showed guts to hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, the grand old party wants to dilute powers of the armed forces. He also accused the Congress of always using poverty as a major political weapon and said the best remedy to eradicate poverty was to do away with that party. On the 39th foundation day of the BJP, PM Modi said, "The party was born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money. It came into being and grew manifold with the sweat and labour of its workers." He said BJP was guided by stalwarts such as Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Jagannathrao Joshi, Rajmata Scindia and Murli Manohar Joshi. New Delhi: A pre-poll survey has found that the airstrike carried out by the Indian Air Force, cash dole for poor farmers and 10 per cent quota for economically weaker section have helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi regain the popularity among the masses. According to the poll survey conducted by Lokniti, a research programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) from March 24 to March 31, 43 per cent of the respondents wanted Narendra Modi to return as prime minister. Interestingly, this number is seven percentage points higher than during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which around 36 per cent of the respondents wanted him to lead the country. The survey suggests that three decisions of the NDA government led by PM Modi, taken between January 7 and February 26, might have the ability to change the course of what could have been a close election. On January 7, the government announced a 10 per cent job and education quota for "economically weaker" sections, meeting a key demand of upper castes, a staunch BJP support base which has shown signs of a drift from the party. On February 1, the government announced Rs 6,000 per year cash support to small and marginal farmers that will cost the exchequer Rs 75,000 crore annually, in a bid to provide relief to distressed farm sector. Under the scheme called Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 6,000 will be transferred into bank accounts of farmers holding up to 2 hectares of land in three equal instalments. On February 26, the Indian Force, in a pre-dawn operation, described as non-military and preemptive, pounded Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp in Pakistan, killing up to 350 terrorists and trainers who were moved there for their protection after the Pulwama attack. According to the survey, against these three major decisions taken by the Modi government, the Congress partys allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and its assurance of a minimum income guarantee to the poor were found to be not as strong. Earlier, a tracker poll conducted by Times Now and VMR said that the BJP-led NDA government is likely to get 13 more seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections than what was predicted before the IAF strike on terror camps in Pakistan. While the poll conducted between February 5 and 21 gave 270 seats to NDA, the recent poll has estimated the tally to rise to 283 seats in the period February 5 to March 12. On the other hand, the tally of Congress-led UPA is likely to come down from the earlier 152 to 135 in the corresponding period. New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday joined the Congress party. Sinha is likely to contest from Patna Sahib seat against Bharatiya Janata Partys Ravi Shankar Prasad. I saw democracy changing into a dictatorship in the BJPIt has become a one-man party and two-man show," Sinha said while joining the Congress. Commenting about his decision to quit BJP, Sinha said BJP started disowning me gradually. I was not heard at all. When I tried, I was told to contact Amit Shah directly. Nobody else was willing to lend his ears to my grievances, he said. We welcome Shatrughan Sinha into the Congress, said Congress national spokesperson Randeep Surjewala who was present at the occasion. Sinha is a two-term BJP Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib. Describing himself a great admirer of Nehru-Gandhi family, Shatrughan had earlier met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Shatrughan Sinha had said the announcement would be made on the auspicious occasion of Navratra. The development came after Shatrughan, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was denied party ticket from Patna Sahib parliamentary constituency in Bihar. He is currently the sitting Member of Parliament from the seat. Democracy within the BJP does not exist any longer. Dictatorship prevails instead. That's why I have decided to join the Congress Party during the auspicious period of Navaratri, he had said. Associated with the BJP since the 1990s, Sinha fell out with the party's leadership in the recent past, complaining it has become a "one-man show and two-man army"-- a reference apparently to the Prime Minister and his trusted aide and party president Amit Shah. In a series of stinging tweets, , Sinha, ccused PM Modi of arrogance and EVM misuse and advised him to go for a real press conference and take questions from journalists "who cannot be bought and can question you in the larger interest of the nation". "Honourable outgoing Sirji. Why are you wasting so much money on different channels and on the paid and choreographed crowd who chant your name at any given time - during, before and after your speeches on the signal of the conductors. Your speeches lack content and depth these days and have gone to the extent of becoming highly repetitive and irritating," the actor tweeted. "Sirji, I still remain your well-wisher despite your EVM misuse and in spite of all your arrogance. My humble suggestion for you at this eleventh hour would be to become straight and go straight. Don't hire or go for paid channels. Instead go for a real and genuine Press Conference with people who cannot be bought, who can question you in the larger interest of the nation," he said in another tweet. New Delhi: A criminal complaint was filed against actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar by Bharatiya Janata Partys Suresh Nakhua on Saturday. The complaint alleged that Matondkar hurt the sentiments of Hindus with her statement on a television show recently in which she allegedly said that Hinduism has become the most violent religion in the world. Newly inducted into the Congress fold, Matondkar will contest from the Mumbai North constituency in Maharashtra. A day after joining the Congress, Matondkar lashed out at Narendra Modi-led government saying that there has been a rise of hatred and extreme intolerance during its five-year term. "Under the current regime, there has been a rise of hatred and extreme intolerance towards everything and everyone in the last five years. It has grown by leaps and bounds. What is happening now is unacceptable, Matondkar had said on Thursday. Newly inducted into the Congress fold, Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar will contest from the Mumbai North constituency in Maharashtra, Mukul Wasnik, the general secretary in charge of the Central Election Committee said on Friday. A day after joining the Congress, Matondkar lashed out at Narendra Modi-led government saying that there has been a rise of hatred and extreme intolerance during its five-year term. "Under the current regime, there has been a rise of hatred and extreme intolerance towards everything and everyone in the last five years. It has grown by leaps and bounds. What is happening now is unacceptable, Matondkar had said on Thursday. The religion which has been known for its tolerance has turned out to be the most violent of them all. This is the thing I hate the most about Narendra Modi governments five years, she said in an interview to a news channel. Mumbai's six Lok Sabha constituencies will vote on April 29 along with 17 others in the state's fourth phase of polling. If nominated, Matondkar's formidable rival would be BJP incumbent MP Gopal Shetty in the constituency that was once regarded a saffron party bastion. Mumbai: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded the resignation of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairman Prasoon Joshi over allegedly giving preferential treatment to the makers of the upcoming biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The film, titled "PM Narendra Modi" and directed by Omung Kumar, has been criticised by the opposition parties, who claim that the biopic could give undue advantage to the BJP in the polls as it will arrive in theatres before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The seven-phase polls will begin on April 11, the day the film is scheduled to release. "As per the rule, the producers have to submit the final copy of the film to the censor board 58 days prior to the date of the exhibition. So why was special treatment given to the biopic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi?" Amey Khopkar, President of Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, said in a statement. Khopkar said the board went "out of its way" to give certification to the biopic. "We condemn the censor board which went out of its way for this film to appease the government. Prasoon Joshi should resign immediately from his post." For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Security forces gunned down two terrorists in an exchange of fire in Imam Sahib area of Shopian district in Kashmir on Saturday. The area has been completely cordoned off. In March, three terrorists, belonging to terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir. The encounter in Kellar area in the south Kashmir district started early in the morning of March 28 after a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Army and the Jammu and Kashmir police was attacked by terrorists during a search operation in the area. The slain terrorists were identified as Sajad Khanday, Aqib Ahmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The DRDO on Saturday said that the Mission Shakti was of the nature that could not be kept a secret as the satellite in such a test is tracked by many stations across the world. Mission of this nature after a test is conducted cant be kept secret. The satellite is tracked by many stations across the world. All necessary permissions were taken, said DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy. The reaction came on senior Congress leader P Chidambarams attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability, saying only a "foolish government" would make such a disclosure and "betray" a defence secret. Responding to reports that Mission Shakti created 250-270 objects of debris in the space, Reddy said that a much lower orbit of less than 300 km was chosen to avoid threat of debris to global space assets. He added that all the debris created in the space will be decayed within 45 days. Criticising India for the tests, NASA had described it as a terrible, terrible thing that had endangered the International Space Station (ISS). It also said that it will lead to creation of nearly 400 pieces of orbital debris. NASA also maintained that some of the debris posed a risk to astronauts on board the ISS. Following the Mission Shakti, the United States had said it is tracking the space debris generated due to ASAT missile test in lower earth orbit, but the International Space Station or ISS is not at risk. Reddy said the mission will be helpful for the Indian defence system. The A-SAT will locate and trace the enemy radar. On March 27, PM Modi, in an address to the nation, announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite under 'Mission Shakti', describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Amid the opposition parties and Pakistan cornering the government over a US media report which denied that India shot down a Pakistani F-16, the United States defence department has said it was not aware of any investigation that was conducted to ascertain if Pakistan had lost an F-16 during an aerial dogfight on February 27. The Foreign Policy magazine had on Friday reported that American personnel recently counted Islamabads F-16s and none of them were missing, contradicting Indias claim that one of its war planes downed an F-16 during the aerial dogfight. The report was strongly denied by New Delhi which claimed that they have evidence that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman indeed shot down Pakistan Air Force F-16 aircraft 7-8 km inside Pakistan Occupied Area in Sabzkot area. The media report had quoted senior but unidentified US defence sources saying that no F-16 was missing. Distancing itself from the media report, Pentagon made it clear that they did not publicly comment on details of government-to-government agreements, especially on articles related to defence. "It is important to note that since January 2018, the United States government has suspended security assistance to Pakistan," read a staement from the US defence department. The report said that evidence also suggests that Pakistan's F-16s were involved in the aerial battle with the Indian Air Force and only the F-16 can shoot a US-made AIM-120 air-to-air missile. Reacting to the report, The Indian Air Force Friday asserted that it had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force on February 27 during aerial combat. In a statement in New Delhi, the IAF said, "during the aerial engagement, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down an F-16 in Nowshera sector." Citing the media report, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday accused the BJP of "whipping up war hysteria", saying its false claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 has "backfired" "The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F-16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet," he said in a tweet. The Indian Air Force on February 28 displayed pieces of the AMRAAM missile, fired by a Pakistani F-16, as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir. Inspections of defence equipment sold to its foreign buyers are routinely carried out by the United States. According to the sale agreement, Pakistan is prohibited from flying F-16s out of the country without giving a heads-up to the United States. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The cooperation of NASA with ISRO remains intact, chief of the US space agency James Bridenstine has said, days after NASA branded Indias Mission Shakti as a "terrible thing" that had created 400 pieces of orbital debris and led to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. In a letter to ISRO Chairman K Sivan, NASA Administrator Bridenstine said based on the guidance received from the White House, he looks forward continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human space flights. As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working Group, US India Earth Science Working Group, and the Heliophysics Working Group, Bridenstine said. In his letter, Bridenstine says he recently wrote to ISRO about the suspension of cooperation on human space flight. Recently, we sent you a letter indicating a suspension of activities under the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, he wrote. Earlier, Robert Palladino, US State Department spokesperson had said, As weve said previously, we have a strong strategic partnership with India, and we will continue to pursue shared interests in space, in scientific and technical cooperation, that includes collaboration on safety and security in space. On NASAs comment on Mission Shakti, Palladino said, Now, the issue of space debris, that's an important concern for United States, and I would say that we took note of Indian governments statements that the test was designed to address space debris issues. NASAs comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. The test made India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. Not all of the pieces were big enough to track, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine explained. "What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track -- we're talking about 10 centimeters (six inches) or bigger -- about 60 pieces have been tracked." For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: 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 ABCs Good Morning America broadcast on Thursday, also said he had confidence in measures put in place by Facebook to prevent interference in next years 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 cant be together, he said. One of the things thats magical about livestreaming is that its bi-directional, right? Zuckerberg said. So youre not just broadcasting, he said. Youre 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 networks 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. Im confident in where we are now, he said. Weve learned a lot since 2016, where obviously we were behind where we needed to be on defences for nation states trying to interfere. After 2016, when we saw what Russia tried to do in interfering in the election, weve 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 companys best efforts. What I can guarantee is that theyre definitely going to try, he said. Our job is to make the defences 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. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the United States is full and the country has no room left to take the illegal immigrants. At a meeting with border patrol agents and other officials in Calexico, he said its overwhelming our immigration system and we cant let that happen. Then in a message to those heading for the United States, he said: The system is full and we cant take you anymore.... Our country is full. So turn around, thats the way it is, he said. Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for the president in Mexicali, the town on the Mexican side of the frontier. Waving US and Mexican flags, the protesters carried signs with messages such as Stop separating families and If you build the wall, my generation will tear it down. On the US side, dozens of people lined the road that Trumps motorcade took from the airport, demonstrating support for his policies. Build the wall, said one placard. Trump is determined to pursue a hard line. Earlier, Donald Trump had threatened to shut down America's southern border with Mexico. Trump emphasized "I am not kidding around" about closing the border, even though such a severe move could hit the economies of both countries. "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," The President said on Twitter. Trump, who also cut US aid to three Central American nations whose citizens are fleeing north, claimed closing off border crossings, key avenues for trade with Mexico, "would be a good thing!" "It could mean all trade" with Mexico, Trump said when questioned by reporters in Florida. "We will close it for a long time." Though Trump has previously threatened to close the border and has not followed through, his administration moved to cut direct aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The State Department said in a statement that it will suspend 2017 and 2018 payments to the trio of nations that have been home to some of the migrant caravans that have marched through Mexico to the U.S. border. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Essam Khalaf, participated in the first joint ministerial meeting of Arab water and agriculture ministers kicked off yesterday at the Arab League Headquarters, Cairo. The meeting complements the consultations, held by governments of members of the Arab League, international and regional partners, as well as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), on the need to embrace uniform and comprehensive policies target all aspects of water and food security, in addition to broadening the span of relevant innovative investments for achieving the sustainable development goals. The Works Minister said Bahrain has taken serious steps towards achieving the goals of sustainable development and food security, in addition to promoting the agricultural sector to contribute to the gross domestic product. He added Bahrains participation in the meeting reflects its leaderships interest in boosting co-operation with Arab and friendly countries to serve nations interests, noting its keenness to improve agricultural production by the implementation of a range of programmes and benefiting from international expertise. Saudi state oil giant Aramco said yesterday it is buying a majority stake in petrochemicals behemoth SABIC for $69.1 billion. The 70-per cent stake purchase effectively merges the kingdoms two largest companies, handing its top sovereign wealth fund around the same amount it had expected from a much-delayed Aramco IPO. The deal, mooted last year, lends Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greater fiscal flexibility to pursue his Vision 2030 reforms agenda. Saudi Aramco today announced the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire a 70pc majority stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, in a private transaction for... $69.1 billion, Aramco said in a statement. The company did not say how it would finance the deal, one of the biggest in the global industry. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih hailed it as a historic deal, saying the biggest winner from the transaction was the national economy. Saudi Arabia had sought to raise billions of dollars through a historic Aramco public offer to diversify the economy of the worlds largest oil exporter and create jobs, but the plan has suffered a series of delays. Saudi officials said the stateowned enterprises would benefit from the synergy. This is a win-win-win transaction and a transformational deal for three of Saudi Arabias most important economic entities, PIF managing director Yasir al-Rumayyan said in the Aramco statement. It will unlock significant capital for PIFs continued longterm investment strategy, underpinning sectoral and revenue diversification for Saudi Arabia. Influx of cash SABIC, Saudi Arabias largest publicly listed non-oil company, is said to have a market capitalisation of around $100 billion -- the same amount the kingdom had sought to raise from Aramcos IPO. Aramco is the Saudi entity best positioned to receive favourable financing, so this deal is the most efficient way for the PIF to obtain an influx of cash, Ellen Wald, author of the book Saudi Inc., said. It is an alternative to the Aramco IPO in the short-term because it gives the PIF some of the cash it was looking for. We may still see a publicly traded Aramco in the future. The plan to float around five percent of the oil giant -- expected to be the worlds largest stock sale -- forms the cornerstone of a reform programme envisaged by Prince Mohammed to wean the economy off its reliance on oil. But Aramco executives have repeatedly cited unfavourable market conditions to push back the IPO, initially planned for 2018. Government officials, however, insist that they remain committed to the IPO despite regulatory hurdles and that it will go ahead by 2021. The PIF, which observers say follows a spend to grow strategy, seeks to boost its treasure chest to finance a slew of non-oil investments. Aiming to control more than $2 trillion by 2030, the PIF is involved in a host of big-ticket global investments -- from buying a stake in ride-hailing app Uber to pumping cash into a planned $500 billion mega city called NEOM in the kingdoms northwest. NEW MILFORD The sewer commission seems to be rounding a corner after a bout of challenges in recent years, centered mostly around its debt and how its been handled. Shane MCannon was hired to be the new plant superintendent last month after nearly two years of the position being vacant when former superintendent Michael Finoia resigned the second in an eight month period saying he could no longer be responsible for the excessive amount of septic waste collected at the time. Certified employees had stepped up to take on the roles in the meantime. The sewer commission and town has since addressed the waste being brought to the plant and is drafting an plan that would encourage more businesses to connect to the line, helping to tackle the debt and bring the plants capacity up from 30 percent where it stands now. Were excited, said Mayor Pete Bass, who also spent years on the sewer commission. The sewer is one of our biggest assets in town. Debt The plant was expanded in 2012 after the state ordered the upgrade and expansion was needed. New Milford received about $7 million in grants from the Clean Water Fund and bonded the remaining $26 million with the plan that the sewer commission would pay back its share of the project through connection fees. But the economic downturn stalled businesses coming or expanding existing sites in town and the commission wasnt able to meet its portion with connection fees. This prompted the commission to increase rates to try to cover that expense, which made it too expensive for many businesses to come to town or expand an existing business. Then it became a vicious cycle, Bass said. The commission also decided to bring in more septage to offset the lack of connection revenue. This endangered the plants equipment and prompted the former plant superintendent to cap the daily amount of septage the plant could take at 25,000 gallons in the spring 2017, following a few days when the plant accepted more than 70,000 gallons on a few days. He resigned shortly after. The commission also revised the hauling policy to get a better handle on the septage brought in and addressed a problem hauler from out of state that was bringing subpar waste to the plant. Whenever the sewer commission was unable to meet its debt payment, the town assumed the difference. Bass said this had always been the plan, but former Mayor David Gronbach maintained while in office the sewer commission was responsible for that amount and needed to repay the town. In 2016 and 2017, Gronbach demanded the sewer commission create a plan to pay back the difference to the town, a figure that exceeded $4 million at one point. Bass said that amount was for receivables and has since been paid. He and Sewer Commission Chairman John Wittmann hope the new plan will naturally encourage revenue growth by making it more affordable for businesses to connect to the system. New leadership The plant has some new leadership with the two hires earlier this year. Kathleen Torreso started as the new office manager in January, replacing Charlene Michalek, who retired after 21 years with the office. McCannon comes to the plant from Suffield where he spent 4 1/2 years overseeing the plant. Prior to that he oversaw the plant in Plymouth, Mass. for 2 1/2 years and started his career in Cromwell where he worked for 12 years. He said he was drawn to New Milford because of the great condition of the plant and the charm of the town. It seemed like a really great organization to join, McCannon said. Many involved with the plant from both the town hall and sewer side said the open communication between the two sides has helped resolve a lot of the issues. Everyone works really well with each other, Torreso said. Both Torreso and McCannon credited Personnel Director Greg Bollaro for creating such a good nine-member team. Torreso will receive a $76,000 salary and MCannons salary will be $115,000. Wittmann, chairman of the sewer commission, said the requirements made it difficult to fill the superintendent post. Its a highly technical position, he said. They also have very stringent qualifications for the state of Connecticut. While serving as superintendent in Suffield, McCannon was accused of a domestic assault crime in Massachusetts, which he said never happened. The charges of strangulation and suffocation, assault and battery on a household member, and larceny under $250 were dismissed by the court. McCannon said hes learned from the situation and is a better person now. Wittmann said they vetted the incident and stand by McCannon for the job. McCannon said they are working on improving the westside pumping station now and plan to continue to improve technology. He said hes already gotten some great ideas from the staff, including better ways to purchase to save money and creating a hauling agreement for the fat, oil and grease that cut costs in half. Torreso has also rolled out an improvement by automating parts of the paperwork. I have to make sure I give the system back in better shape than I found it, which is a challenge because the system is in excellent shape right now, McCannon said. Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology. Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels. A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements. Tuesday The Milford Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. The Rotary Club of Hamden: meets each Tuesday. For meeting time and location please visit the calendar section of their website at www.hamdenctrotary.org. The Ambassador Group for the Milford Chamber of Commerce: meets visit the calendar section of its website at www.milfordct.com. The Inter-Service Clubs Committee of New Haven Inc.: meets at 5:30 p.m. at Camp Cedarcrest, 886 Mapledale Road, Orange; call 203-258-1088. The Rotary Club of New Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Graduate Club, 155 Elm St. Call 203-624-3197. The Rotary Club of North Haven: meets at 7:15 a.m. at the Breakfast Nook, 448 Washington Ave. Visit www.nhrotary.org. The East Haven Lions Club: meets at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room of Twin Pines Diner, 34 Main St., East Haven. Membership is open. Call 203-467-4045. Wednesday The Rotary Club of Branford: meets from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at the Parthenon Diner, 374 E. Main St., Branford. Call 203-315-2444, ext. 450. Cheshire BNI Networking Chapter: meets at 7 a.m. at Temple Beth David, 3 Main St., Cheshire. Call Bob Davidson, 203-271-7991. The Devon Rotary: meets at 7:30 a.m. at the Bridge House Restaurant, 49 Bridgeport Ave., Milford. Visit www.devonrotary.org. The Greater New Haven chapter of Toastmasters International: meets at 6:30 p.m. at New Haven City Hall, 165 Church St. Call 203-287-0037. The Milford Chamber of Commerce Wednesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. The Rotary Club of Guilford: meets at 12:15 p.m. at The Maritime Grille, 2548 Boston Post Road, Guilford. Call 203-453-0774. The Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association: meets at 11 a.m. at 192 Dixwell Ave. Call 203-562-2193. The Rotary Club of Wallingford: meets at 12:10 p.m. at the Library Wine Bar and Bistro, 60 North Main Street. Call 203-235-3816. North Branford Rotary: meets at 6 p.m. at Nataz, 2025 Foxon Road. Call 203-484-7707. The Greater New Haven Breakfast Club: meets at 8 a.m. at Clarks Pizza & Restaurant, 68 Whitney Ave., New Haven. Email info@rosnerdoherty.com. The Rotary Club of West Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Apps Ristorante, 283 Captain Thomas Blvd. Thursday The Middlesex County Toastmasters: meets from 7-8:30 p.m., Wesleyan University, Exley Science Center (Woodhead Lounge), 265 Church St., Middletown, http://middlesex.toastmastersclubs.org. The Madison Rotary Club: meets at 8 a.m. at the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Road. Call Robert Anderson, 203-907-9032. The Milford Chamber of Commerces Health & Wellness Council: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the chamber, 5 Broad St. Call 203-878-0661. The Clinton Rotary Club: meets 6:30 p.m. at Clinton Country Club, Old Westbrook Road. Call Dee Tully at 860-388-7013. The East Haven Rotary Club: meets at 5:45 p.m. at Twin Pines Diner Restaurant, 34 Main St., East Haven. The Milford Rotary Club meets: from 12:15-1:15 p.m. at Gusto Restaurant, 255 Boston Post Road. Visit www.milfordrotary.org. Friday The Orange Rotary Club: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Racebrook Country Club, 246 Derby Ave. Call 203-799-2327. The Woodbridge Rotary Club: meets at 12:15 p.m. for a luncheon meeting at Woodbridge Social, 12 Selden St., Woodbridge. For more information, call Mary Ellen LaRocca at 203-389-3429. The Milford Chamber of Commerce Friday Morning Leads Group: meets at 11 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. Send notices of business events to Business Datebook, New Haven Register, 100 Gando Drive, New Haven 06513 or email to business@nhregister.com, at least a week before the event. Women Redefining Retirement to meet MILFORD Women Redefining Retirement will meet at 7 p.m. April 8 at the Golden Hill Rehabilitation Pavilion, 2028 Bridgeport Ave. Activities will include assembling Easter baskets to benefit the children of Covenant to Care. Members are asked to bring individually-wrapped candy and small non-food items to fill the baskets. Food donations will benefit the Milford Senior Center. New members welcome. Visit the group on Facebook or go to wrrofmilford@google.com. Business After Hours in Milford MILFORD The Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business After Hours networking event from 5-7 p.m. April 18 at Gusto Trattoria, 255 Boston Post Road. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Milford. Cost is $15 pre-registration, $20 member at door, and $25 prospective member. To register, email chamber@milfordct.com, call 203-878-0681 or visit https://bit.ly/2CGg7Nj. Houstonic River Job Network to meet ORANGE The Houstonic River Job Network will meet at 7 p.m. April 25 at Case Memorial Library, 176 Tyler City Road. Guest speaker will be Cindy Torres, site lead of the Veterans & Allies Group and manager of National Franchise Accounts for Indeed, and the Indeed team, and the topic will be Indeed.com: One Search, All Jobs. Information will include using Indeed for job searches, company information, insider tips and more. For information, email alexy56@hotmail.com. Business Networking Breakfast The Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business Networking Breakfast from 8-9:30 a.m. April 18 at the Triangle Community Center, 618 West Ave., Norwalk. Register at http://members.ctglc.org/events. Orange Business and Community Expo set WEST HAVEN The Orange Economic Development Corporation will hold the 17th annual Orange Business and Community Expo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5 at the University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road. The Expo is free and open to the public. All activities are free with the exception of One-on-One Speed Networking, moderated by Rob Thomas of Rob Thomas CT; cost for that event is $15 per person and includes goodie bag, refreshments and raffle entry. Exhibitor space is available at $300 for an 8-foot booth, which includes pipe and drape, covered table and two chairs. All vendors business information is listed in the event program; business marketing materials included in Event Welcome Bags; company name listed in OrangeLife Magazine; an entry into the Vendor/Sponsor appreciation raffle; and exhibitor lanyards. Booths with electricity are available for an additional $100, with limited availability. Registration for a booth is available online at OrangeEDC.com/events_activities. For businesses unable to attend the expo, company marketing materials can be included in the Event Welcome Bags for $75; ads also can be placed in the event program. For information, call the Orange Economic Development Corporation at 203-891-1045 or visit OrangeEDC.com/events_acivities. Scholarships available for musculoskeletal care-related education The Orthopaedic Specialty Group Education Foundation is offering six $2,500 scholarships to New Haven and Fairfield county residents pursuing post-secondary training (four-year or advanced degree) in a musculoskeletal care-related field, according to a release. The scholarships will be applied to tuition and educational expenses, it said. The foundation was established in 2009 to foster humanitarian outreach and education related to musculoskeletal care at home and abroad, the release said. To apply, visit www.osgpc.com and look under OSG Education Foundation for details. Submission deadline is May 17. DANBURY Joseph Cann Sr. soon will be ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church a special office that gives him limited priestly duties while allowing him to remain a married father of two. When Cann stands to deliver his first homily in June, it will fall two days before the 2016 date that his 28-year-old son, Joseph Jr., died of an overdose, after telling the family he had been sexually abused by their parish priest. Im trying to have some mercy, hard as it is, Cann says about the priest in question, who the Bridgeport Diocese has removed from ministry. I am trying to turn the other cheek. While Canns story may seem like enough of a challenge on its own, there is more to his mission than his own familys battle to reconcile with a church where bishops at times seem unwilling or unable to stop the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests. Cann is part of a survivors ministry of 20 men and women in Fairfield County convened by Bishop Frank Caggiano, who have become a national model for outreach to Catholics suffering the pain of sexual abuses lingering shame. The groups members, who blame neither God nor their faith for the crimes of Catholic clergy, say their mission is nothing less than healing the church, one wounded parishioner at a time. Their plan is not to proselytize but to preach about the gratitude that came out of their anger and the hope that came out of their despair. I knew there were wars and crime in the world, but I didnt understand how someone could get satisfaction out of making someone cry, said Peggy Fry, a Trumbull native, whose parish priest sexually abused her for a year when she was 16. I had no hope whatsoever. Fry said it wasnt until Caggiano invited her to a 2015 survivors listening session that she turned the corner on a lifetime of struggle to have her voice heard by the church. Its such an embarrassment and its so shameful that to get those words out for the first time is monumental, said Fry, a member of the diocesan survivors group, who speaks at parishes as part of a larger outreach. I understand that people could be sitting right in front of me who are just petrified and horrified to open their mouth, so our hope is that when people hear us, they see that we are not 100 percent healed but we are on our journey we are well on our journey. Survivors can decide for themselves on Sunday during a special 2 p.m. healing Mass at St. Joseph Church in downtown Danbury that was organized by the survivors group. Caggiano will celebrate, but all ears will be on David Dandrea, 67, a lifelong parishioner at St. Roch in Greenwich, where he was abused by the parish priest when he was 13. Telling their stories My mother never told my father, because if she did, we would have had a dead priest and my father would be in jail, said Dandrea, a member of the diocesan survivors group, who will give his witness at the special Sunday Mass. I have never changed my dedication to the Catholic Church or to God, because this was not the religions fault it was that mans fault. Observers and Catholic church officials say if there is another large group of survivors working with an American bishop to plan liturgical programs and arrange outreach meetings for sexual abuse victims, they arent aware of it. The only other diocese that is actively involved with survivors like that is Los Angeles, but not on the level like they are involved in Bridgeport, said Drew Dillingham, coordinator for resources and special projects at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of Child and Youth Protection. I think it would be beneficial if we had that in other dioceses as well. The leader of the nations oldest support group for people wounded by abuse agreed. Some survivors never want to be involved in the church again, but for those who do this kind of effort can be so powerful, said Zach Hiner, executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. The survivors group, which has been featured in the diocesan newspaper and on the diocesan website for the past several years, has only recently begun a push to get the word out to a wider audience. The groups emergence comes at a time of an all-out battle against the abuse of minors in the words of Pope Francis last month, about a clerical sexual abuse scandal that continues to make headlines internationally, nationally and in Connecticut. Late last month, for example, a top Cardinal in a high-profile case in Australia was convicted of molesting two choirboys moments after celebrating Mass, the Associated Press reported. That followed a disturbing report in August that the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up the abuse of 1,000 children over seven decades. In late March, 10 priests were added the Bridgeport Dioceses list of credibly accused priests, just days after the diocese paid $3.5 million to five people who claimed they had been sexually abused by priests when they were children. Caggiano on Tuesday said more is at stake for Catholic leadership here and across the country than ending the scourge of clergy sexual abuse. People are growing impatient and I dont blame them because there is never an excuse for a coverup and there is never an excuse for not telling the truth, Caggiano said. What we need is leaders with a new skill set part of which is humility and part of which is connecting with people in their ordinary lives and collaborating with them. Peter Philipp agrees. When Bishop Caggiano invited us to that listening session in 2015, it was the first time I think in the country or in the world that the church listened to us, said Philipp, who was sexually abused as a teenager for two years by a priest who taught at Notre Dame High School in Fairfield. It was the first time anybody really asked me what happened. This is personal A common thread in many survivors stories is how hard it is for children to tell a trusted adult about a priests sexual abuse. Philipp said he didnt have the vocabulary to talk about the depths of his violation, and when he did as an adult after decades of therapy, he didnt want to break his fathers heart. Part of the problem is that the priest abuser in some cases was a family friend, or at least a charismatic figure who the youth imagined would always be given the benefit of the doubt. Another part of the problem is that once trust breaks and innocence is gone, trauma truly takes control. You know, if somebody comes in and steals something from your home, they say that is personal, said Fry, whose abuser has been removed from ministry and is listed on the diocesan website among 38 credibly accused clergy. But you have no idea what personal is (until) you are personally and physically violated. Fran Cann thinks every day about her son, Joseph Jr., whose she said was abusing drugs to deal with the pain he held inside him for 17 years before telling her he was abused by the parish priest in Danbury. One day we were fighting and I said Im having a bad day, and he said Well Im having a bad life. Father John molested me. At the time her son told her, he was 27, and her husband, Joseph Sr., was already in formation to be a deacon. Through the tears and the anger, the Canns found solace in the reception of Caggiano. While the abuse complaint was being filed, Caggiano invited the family to meetings with the survivors group. Joseph Jr. attended one meeting and said he never wanted another kid to have to go through what he went through. Today the Canns each believe they carry their sons spirit with them when they talk to other survivors. We just try to help other people find hope that they are not alone, said Fran Cann. Her sons abuser was removed from ministry in 2016 and is listed on the diocesan website among the credibly accused clergy. Caggiano said survivors such as the Canns are the embodiment of redemptive suffering. Whether suffering is inevitable because of old age or disease or it is inflicted on you because of crime or sin, there is always a choice to make whatever you can of it to draw meaning out of it, Caggiano said. These survivors I have met have gone through great suffering, but they have drawn meaning and purpose in large part by trying to be of help to others. Because of that, Caggiano said, survivors hold a key to healing in the church that he doesnt have. Someone who has survived this evil can reach out in a way that I cannot, Caggiano said. Sometimes it makes it easier to carry our own burden when we are helping other people carry theirs. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 Contributed Photo / North Haven Police Department / Contributed Photo NORTH HAVEN Three juveniles were arrested in town on Thursday after a concerned citizen reported suspicious activity to police. Police said the person called police after seeing three juveniles stealing from unlocked cars. NEW HAVEN Yale Universitys Board of Trustees has approved the transformation of the universitys Jackson Institute for Global Affairs into a school. The trustees are hoping to open the new school in the fall of 2022. But in order for that to happen, an additional $200 million has to be raised for its endowment. The announcement came from President Peter Salovey on Saturday. The school is expected to focus on problems of global importances, including climate change, war and peace, ethnic conflict, inequality and migration. The Jackson School of Global Affairs will be the first professional school at Yale since the School of Management opened in 1976. Now more than ever, our world needs creative ideas and leadership to help end global conflicts and solve intractable problems, Salovey said in a prepared statement. The school is meant to be an intimate community of faculty, practitioners and students that conduct research. Yale will continue to fulfill its long-standing mission to educate passionate public servants who confront the days most daunting challenges with wisdom, facts, insight and courage, Salovey said. He said the process of hiring faculty for the school is set to begin immediately. John and Susan Jackson have provided a monetary gift to help the university establish the school. John Jackson was a 1967 graduate of Yale. The Jacksons made a donation to support the Jackson Institute in 2010. We believe Yale has all the pieces in place to create a school that prepares a new generation of globally engaged leaders and generates ideas that improve the world, John Jackson said in a prepared statement. We are thrilled to help the university advance this vital mission. We are very proud to be a party of this, said a statement from Susan Jackson. The world needs the best of what Yale brings to global affairs: we believe that faculty and students in this new school can change the course of history for the better. In his prepared statement, Salovey expressed gratitude to the Jacksons for their support. Back in 2017, Provost Ben Polak named an advisory committee of eight faculty members to decide whether the Jackson Institute would be converted into an independent professional school. The committee issued a report in November 2018 that recommended the institute be made into a school of global affairs. The committees recommendation was shared with the community and the university got feedback from students, faculty and staff. Yale is uniquely well-situated to establish a leading center of research and learning in global affairs, said a statement from Judith Chevalier, the William S. Beinecke Professor of Economics and Finance at the Yale School of Management, and chair of the advisory committee. With the Jackson Institute, Yale already has a vibrant convening space for education and scholarship on issues of a global nature. Salovey said the new school will give its students knowledge of the world around them. The new school is expected to retain the institutes Senior Fellows Program at its current scale meaning students will continue to work with practitioners, including diplomats, military leaders and journalists. Expanding the Jackson Institute into a school of global affairs is a natural and exciting next step, said a statement from Jackson Institute Director James Levinsohn, the Charles W. Goodyear Professor in Global Affairs, and professor of economics and management. It will allow us to attract the worlds best talent, including renowned practitioners who have impacted our world, a world-class research faculty whose work will contribute answers to the pressing questions of the day, and wonderful students from across the globe. Legality of PS positions to be decided in May As Connecticuts economy rank last or near last in many different economic and business categories, I am astounded as to the massive amount of new and higher taxes that have been introduced in this legislative session. If one counts the unknown costs of tolls and all of the new and higher taxes being suggested Connecticut businesses and residents may be paying an additional $2.5 billion to support our bloated state government. By taking $2.5 billion out of the economy, how does this create economic stimulation? By taking $2.5 billion out of the economy, how does this attract new businesses and new legal citizens to move into Connecticut? By taking $2.5 billion out of the economy, how does this address the $100 billion in short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities that Connecticut has? I have not heard any proposals to reduce state spending in this legislative session. All Connecticut taxpayers are being force fed is the same stale rhetoric that new and higher taxes along with tolls will somehow magically make Connecticut better. The last largest two tax increases in the states history under the Malloy administration did nothing to alleviate the economic crisis and recession that has been ongoing since the implementation of the Utopian state income tax being enacted in 1991. Police are searching for the driver who struck and critically injured a New Jersey high school student before fleeing the scene. The incident took place just before 9 p.m. Thursday on Route 38 near Church Road in Cherry Hill, according to the Cherry Hill Police Department. An 18-year-old man jumped the concrete barrier and was hit by a vehicle traveling westbound, police said. The vehicle did not stop. The victim was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition with a head injury Friday. The teen is a senior at Maple Shade High School, Superintendent Beth Norcia confirmed. She said the districts staff has organized a fundraiser for Monday to support his family. Counseling services will be available to those who need support that day as well. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call police at (856) 432-8856. Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Just over New Jerseys borders, viral outbreaks are continuing to plague towns and communities, sickening dozens and dozens of people in neighboring states. There arent military helicopters flying overhead with soldiers in biohazard suits. But just to our north, a community in Rockland County, New York, is experiencing the worst measles outbreak that state has seen in decades. In New Jersey, a measles outbreak continues, with seven cases in Ocean and two in Monmouth counties. Cases were previously reported in Bergen and Essex counties. To our southwest at nearby Temple University in Philadelphia, a mumps outbreak has been raging on, with 134 people now sickened, according to 6abc.com. So how concerned should we be? Is there a chance any of these outbreaks could spread further into New Jersey? I think there are risks for either of these to spread, Dr. David Cennimo, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said in a text message. He noted that the outbreak at Temple is probably being spread through closer contacts within the community, whereas the measles outbreak has been linked to under-vaccinated populations. But both certainly have the potential to worsen, he said. Theres no reason to freak out, experts say. Though measles and mumps are both highly contagious viruses, if youve been vaccinated, youre likely fine, even if youve traveled to those areas or are planning to. The measles outbreak in Rockland has mainly been affecting ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, where vaccination rates tend to be lower and anti-vaccination sentiments quite common. In Rockland, things have gotten so bad that county officials recently declared a state of emergency, barring unvaccinated children and teenagers from public places. A similar situation is being experienced in Lakewood, Ocean County, which recently declared its second measles outbreak in the past five months. While the outbreak at Temple University has continued to intensify, it differs from the measles outbreaks were seeing. The puzzling issue at Temple is that a vast majority of students had already been inoculated with the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. While the MMR is quite effective against measles, it can diminish over time for mumps, experts say. When it comes mumps, the vaccine is nowhere near 100 percent effective, Dr. Glenn Fennelly, chair of pediatrics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told NJ Advance Media last month. Which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a third dose of MMR in an outbreak situation. Fennelly noted that unless you live in an area where there is an ongoing outbreak, a third dose is probably unnecessary. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Carolina Canos front-row seat in church remains empty days after her rape and murder in Lincoln Park. You were able to feel the pain in silence, said Rosie Jenkins, a leader at the church Cano regularly attended, the Church of God of Prophecy on Morton Place in Jersey City. Everybody was just so silent. So silent, she noted, referring to the first Sunday service held at the church after Canos slaying. Before Cano, 45, was sexually assaulted and strangled in the park during her 5:30 a.m. jog on March 24, she was known to her church fellows as Marcela, her middle name. Authorities have charged Jorge Rios, 33, who was arrested a week later. Cano was religious, loved children and filled church services with her humor and passion for God, Jenkins added. Cano is originally from Peru, but came to the U.S. more than a decade ago, according to churchgoers who knew her. She lived in Jersey City and commuted to Passaic via public transportation for her full-time job as a nanny. On Sundays, she taught kids at the church about their Christian faith. Although she didnt have children of her own, people who knew her said she loved spending time with them. She loved children ... for as long as I could remember, said Juan Herrera, who is the youth pastor at the church. Herrera said he has known Cano for the 14 years he has been attending the church. He said her seat the church remains untouched. Nobody dared to sit there, Herrera said. It felt so empty even though the church was full, he said referring to the March 31 service, a week after Canos body was found in the lake. It felt like something was missing because she wasnt here." Herrera, 22, added Canos death left a void in the churchgoers hearts because shes not a part of their lives anymore. For the first time in 14 years, I never imagined that seat being empty. Herrera noted.For a long time, I dont think anybody will sit there just out of respect for her out of respect for what she stood up for, respect for who she was." But Herrera added that he and the congregation know that shes in a better place now. We understand shes in a better place because she served God. She had a relationship with God. And so shes in Heaven with God right now," Herrera said. We were happy she was there, but then again we are extremely sad she isnt with us. Aya Elamroussi may be reached at aelamroussi@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @aya_elamroussi. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Eight men, including six New Jersey residents, who targeted senior citizens in a telemarketing scheme and got them to hand over millions of dollars were recently handed prison sentences by a federal judge. The men coerced their victims, many of whom were over 70 years old, to invest with phony businesses, but they never saw any of their promised returns, federal prosecutors said. Motivated by greed and the possibility of a quick payday, these defendants aggressively targeted the elderly and other vulnerable victims by convincing them to invest their money in various businesses," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in the release. "In reality, these so-called opportunities were just fraudulent schemes to steal victims money. Now, they have all been sentenced to prison. The men sentenced were: - Arash Ketabchi, 45, of Wayne, was sentenced on March 27 to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release and must forfeit $1,059,803.84 and pay $563,427 in restitution. - Raymond Quiles, 41, of Old Bridge, was sentenced on March 27 to 366 days in prison and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to perform 480 hours of community service, and must forfeit $542,673. - Christopher Wilson, 33, of Teaneck, was sentenced on April 3 to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to forfeit $485,818.84 and pay $397,850.80 in restitution. - Jack Kavner, 32, of West New York, was sentenced on April 3 to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He must forfeit $150,000 and pay $1,705,586 in restitution. - Andrew Owimrin, 29, of Montvale, New Jersey, was sentenced on March 27 to 52 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $100,000. - Anthony Medeiros, 38, of Bloomfield, was sentenced on Sept. 11, 2018 to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release. - Joseph McGowan, 32, of Port Chester, New York, was sentenced on April 3 to 72 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to forfeit $1,763,582 and to pay $1,705,586 in restitution. - Shahram Ketabchi, 48, of Rancho Mission Viejo, California, was sentenced on March 28 to four months in prison, three years of supervised release, including six months of home confinement, and 480 hours of community service. He must forfeit $30,825 and to pay $563,427 in restitution. From October 2013 through March 2017, Ketabchi, Wilson, Kavner, McGowan and others operated the telemarketing scheme by creating eight companies and told their victims they would earn them money if they made an initial cash investment in business development, website design, grant applications, or tax preparation services, the release stated. The victims, many of whom didnt know how to use a computer, were told they had to do nothing more than send a check or provide a credit card number, federal prosecutors have said. When the people they conned sought refunds or fought credit card charges, the telemarketers provided documentation to credit card companies that fraudulently showed that their victims had received their services, officials said. Quiles ran a company that provided fulfillment services for the phony telemarketers that sent things such as boilerplate pamphlets to the victims help them provide information with the inquiring credit card companies, authorities said. Ketabchi submitted documents to the credit card companies to challenge the defrauded seniors attempts to get their money back after they disputed their charges, according to the release Five other men pled guilty in the case and were still awaiting sentencing Friday. Anyone who believed they were targeted by the telemarketing companies can contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or wendy.olsen@usdoj.gov or New York City Police Detective Christopher Bastos at 917-480-7167 or christopher.bastos@nypd.org. The telemarketing companies named by federal prosecutors are: A1 Business Consultants, Elevated Business Consultants, Element Business Services, Prestige Worldwide Enterprises, Olive Branch Marketing, CTO Consulting, Carlyle Management Group and Vanguard Business Solutions. 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. To deal with what they say are deteriorating water and sewer systems, one township is calling in a private company to make massive improvements under an $811 million deal -- but some residents say itll come at a big cost. In a series of public meetings, Edison Township residents have brought up concerns about increasing rates, service quality and the township governments transparency as it considers a 40-year concession agreement with SUEZ North America. The deal would see the private water company leasing the towns water and sewer systems and making major structural improvements. Forty years? Thats not fair to your kids or your grandkids," Edison resident and library board member Joyce Ship-Freeman remarked Tuesday afternoon. I wont be here unless theres some kind of magical pill to let me live past 100. How is it fair to saddle people for 40 years? After a heated five-hour public hearing last Thursday, SUEZ Community Relations Manager Ghilianie Soto said the agreement finds the right balance between keeping rates reasonable and making repairs to the system. The foundation of the agreement between SUEZ and the township is predicated on the concept of rate stability, Soto said. In order to protect ratepayers while providing much-needed infrastructure improvement, the township and SUEZ negotiated an agreement that will keep rates stable for the long-term. Residents pack an April 2 information session with SUEZ at the Edison Senior Citizen Center. (Gianluca D'Elia | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) In a letter to residents, Mayor Tom Lankey said water and sewer rates would rise 4.9 percent in the first seven years and then decrease gradually to a 3.5 percent. The deal will also maintain a rate freeze program for senior citizens, according to Lankeys letter. The average residential bill, SUEZ said, will go up about $3.30 a month for water customers, and $1.90 a month for sewer customers, for the first seven years of the deal. Mike Yarnell, who lives in the Clara Barton neighborhood, said he was skeptical of the agreement at a Wednesday information session, and hoped the town would consider other options. I think its going to be a problem for the township, and I think theres other ways for them to deal with the problem, rather than having a 40-year contract, Yarnell said. They should float a bond, get help from the state and correct the system internally rather than privatizing. Though the township owns its water system, about 12,800 of Edisons 50,000 residents are served by New Jersey American Water (NJAW), which has leased the water lines from the town for about 22 years. Another 29,000 residents are served by its sewer system. The expiration of that lease is coming up this year. Edison has been adamant to keep its water and sewer systems publicly owned. The township started looking for other options after declining an offer from NJAW to buy Edisons water and sewage systems. New Jersey American Water is proud of the water service we provided to part of Edison Twp. under a long-term operations and maintenance concession agreement for the past 22-plus years, Denise Venuti Free, NJAWs director of communications, said. We respect the towns decision to pursue a concession agreement that encompasses both water and wastewater. New Jersey American Water did not provide a bid, as our company is focusing on other growth efforts in New Jersey. The Brunswick pump station in Edison is in need of repair, officials say (Courtesy of Ghilianie Soto) The concession agreement with the Paramus utility also lets sewer department employees in the township work for SUEZ if they choose to. The agreement includes more than $851 million in water and sewer infrastructure, as well as another $100 million for other infrastructure improvements over the next seven years. Under this deal, the township would get $105 million upfront, with $265 million in annual payments after that. The money will help the town pay off utility debt, stabilize its budget and build a brand new community center, officials said. At a hearing at Middlesex County College that ran past 11 p.m. last Thursday, some residents pointed to past problems with Suez in other cities including Hoboken, which is suing SUEZ over water main breaks. Several residents pushed for the township to put the concession agreement to a referendum so residents could vote on it in the June primary. Highland Park, our neighbors, managed to keep their water and sewer systems public. Why cant Edison do this? Bruno Corry, a retired pipe designer who has lived in Edison for 28 years, asked. They also brought this up for referendum. We should be able to do that here too. We should be able to decide what happens to our water and sewage. Another resident, John Hsu, feared the agreement is moving too quickly without public input or information. A full copy of the almost 800-page agreement, was made available for the public at the clerks office just a couple of days before the meeting. When I talked to my neighbors, only one or two of them knew about this issue, Hsu said. Township Special Counsel Joe Baumann said the township did everything it could to get the word out, noting that the forum was being streamed live for Edisons TV channel and that there would be numerous opportunities for discussion. For the deal to go through, the township council must approve it first, as well as the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Consumer Affairs. Food & Water Watch organizer Junior Romero said he hopes the town pushes a vote on the deal until after the next election, so the public has an opportunity to vote on it in November. A petition to the town council to reject the deal has gained 300 signatures so far, he said. This is a multigenerational decision affecting the lives of residents, their children, and their grandchildren, Romero said. It requires strong public input and thorough scrutiny. Edison must host additional public meetings and set up a public review committee before agreeing to trap the township into this 40-year contract. In a fact sheet sent to residents, the township said it will establish a committee with residents and SUEZ representatives to keep the line of communications open and clear. Update: The concession agreement is no longer being presented to the township council at an April 10 meeting. Read more of NJ.coms coverage of New Jersey water issues here. Gianluca DElia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. 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. Almost as soon as Gov. Phil Murphys nominees to NJ Transits Board of Directors were announced in late March came the questions do the people who will make decisions affecting commuters ride the bus and train and experience the same conditions passengers endure? The answer is, kind of. Six nominees range from daily commuters to casual riders, depending on the person and two are former riders, who a Murphy spokesman said used to ride NJ Transit. Does it matter? In the past, NJ Transits board has been criticized for having few members who said they ride it. Transit advocates criticized the board for being out of touch with its customers. The advantage of a regular rider (on the board), is having someone who experiences the daily pain shared by countless thousands, said Len Resto, New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers president and a regular NJ Transit rider. Such a brilliant idea, NOT!! A transit board composed entirely of motorists. Unbelievable Choice of Board members... black cars and helicopters users are determining the NJT! Get your act together and make Choices that are meaningful to the Users of NJT @GovMurphy Jay (@Jay_dee10021) April 1, 2019 The trials of commuters are detailed daily on social media, but transit advocates said people who dont drive and depend on NJ Transit need to be represented as well. That is the pertinent question. There are motorists who ride transit occasionally (like the train to NYC), motorists who ride transit frequently (probably a rare and endangered species), and commuters, said David Peter Alan, Lackawanna Commuter Coalition chairman. There are also persons, including me, who depend on transit. We have an acute awareness about issues like connectivity and frequency that motorists generally do not have. A South Jersey commuter who started a petition opposing the temporary suspension of Atlantic City rail line service also sought a seat on NJ Transits board. Its important that a group of commuters who actually deal with the daily issues hold NJT accountable and help spread awareness of how things can be improved, said Nick Pittman, who is also a South Jersey weather forecaster. Top brass isnt dealing with the same things your average casino worker is. Six of eight nominees currently use NJ Transit in some form, two nominees do not, but are former riders, said Matthew Saidel, a spokesman for Murphy. Two of the nominees are required to be a regular rail or bus rider. The Reverend Janet Gasbaro of Absecon was nominated to represent train passengers and Lynn Spadaro of Westfield, was named to represent bus riders. The Governors nominees to the NJ Transit Board of Directors represent a diverse group of stakeholders, including current and past users of NJ Transits services, Saidel said. The nominees include people with an intimate knowledge of transportation infrastructure from the ranks of civil engineers, transit operations, organized labor, and some current and former elected officials to represent communities that rely on train and bus service, he said. Most of the nominations were made in late March after Murphy signed a law last December which overhauled management and added members to NJ Transits eight-member board for the first time in its 40-year history. The law expanded NJ Transits Board to 13 members and requires public members be an NJ Transit train, bus or light rail rider and that four other public members have transportation policy experience. All the nominations go to the state Senate Judiciary Committee. Which other nominees ride NJ Transit? Rich Maroko rides the Montclair-Boonton line to and from New York City several times a week, Saidel said. Camden County Freeholder Susan Shin Angulo is a former Atlantic City Line rider and currently takes the Northeast Corridor rail line to and from New York City, he said. Cedrick Fulton was the Port Authoritys director of Bridges, Tunnels and Terminals, which included managing the midtown Manhattan bus terminal. He does not use NJT at this time, but previously used NEC to NY Penn," Saidel said. James Adams is a professional engineer with KS Engineers, thats currently working on the Goethals Bridge. He was a bus and train rider for almost three years on the 21, 71 and 73 bus routes to Newark Penn and on the NEC to Trenton, Saidel said. Ray Greaves, a non-voting member and chairman of the Amalgamated Transit Union, has been nominated as one of two, voting, labor union representatives. He is a frequent rider of Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, the NEC, and occasionally rides the bus, Saidel said. David Rasmussen, a conductors who worked for NJ Transit for almost 30 years, was nominated to represent rail workers. Mike Beson, Ocean Township Democratic Committee chairman uses the North Jersey Coast and NEC lines frequently Saidel said. He was Murphys first board nominee. Once specifics about which nominees ride NJ Transit were revealed, Resto said he was cautiously optimistic about the potential new board. But Alan and Resto questioned why transit advocates werent selected. Both men said they applied, as did Pittman. I would be happy to see you on that board #NorEasterNickforNJTransit Joey Calvo (@JoeyCalvo15) December 18, 2018 Where are the advocates as members of the riding public? Resto said. Its a shame rail advocates arent on the list. I had sent in my cover letter and resume ages ago and never heard a word from anyone. Alan, Pittman and Resto said they submitted resumes and a letter to their local legislators and never heard anything after that. I thought since I was so outspoken, that was the reason, Pittman said. But we hear they are going through the same thing is good ... and bad, because it makes it seem like a farce. Resumes and cover letters were forwarded to the Governors Appointment office in January, officials said. All candidates nominated for the NJ Transit board are selected by the Governor with input from stakeholders, including the Legislature, Labor organizations, and transportation planning organizations, Saidel said. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. 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 WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, called on a group of civil rights activists to dream again as he brought them to their feet. Speaking before the annual convention of the Rev. Al Sharptons National Action Network in New York City on Friday, Booker invoked slaves dreaming for freedom, women for the right to vote. Its time for my generation," Booker proclaimed. "Its time for us to dream again. Bold dreams and defiant dreams. One of a dozen Democratic presidential hopefuls to address the civil rights group, Booker invoked memories of the I have a dream speech delivered by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the senator offered a modern litany of hopes for the future. Booker, D-N.J., has been delivering a message of optimism and hope on the presidential campaign, though not like this. Its time for us to dream again that we can be a nation where everyone has access to health care, Booker thundered. Its time for us to dream again where every child will have a great public education regardless of their zip code. Its time for us to dream again everyone who works a full-time job will have a living wage for their families. Booker delivered his speech a day after the 51st anniversary of Kings assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. He was flanked by two other civil rights leaders, Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, both of whom have run for president and who got up from their seats along with the audience. The New Jersey senator is one of two African-American senators running for president, and the black vote will play an outsized role in the party primaries, especially in South Carolina, the fourth contest on the calendar. He finished by quoting from the book of the Hebrew prophet Amos before clasping the hands of Jackson and Sharpton. If we join arms again and work together and sacrifice together and dream together, then we will finally be a nation where justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream. 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. WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is the only Democrat seeking his partys presidential nomination to sign on to a new pro-Israel resolution that has attracted support both sides of the political aisle. The measure endorses two independent states side by side, Israel and Palestine, while opposing the Palestinian-led boycott, divestiture and sanctions movement, better known as BDS, which does not support Israels right to exist. This speaks out firmly against BDS for what it is and it also speaks firmly towards a two-state solution, said Booker, D-N.J. The BDS movement is a threat to the state of Israel and its security and we should be speaking in a bipartisan way against it. The resolution, introduced by U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, called BDS destructive of prospects for progress towards peace and a two-state solution." Its bipartisan backing in both the House and Senate belies Republican efforts to drive a wedge between Jewish voters and the Democratic Party by using a freshman lawmakers use of traditionally anti-Semitic memes to criticize U.S. policy towards Israel. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has asked supporters to call their representatives and urge them to support the resolution, which reiterates congressional support for direct negotiations leading to a two-state solution, not efforts to bypass talks and use boycotts and other coercive measures." But fighting BDS and supporting the Israeli government as it expands settlements in the West Bank make a two-state solution less likely, said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, a Washington-based policy and research group. Israel is doing everything it can to make a two-state solution impossible, Zogby said. "Palestinians object and call for a boycott and Israel and its supporters say, Youre blocking a two-state solution. Thats absolutely bizarre. Its blaming the victims. Booker also was the only Democratic senator running for president to co-sponsor Cardins legislation last year that banned U.S. companies from joining an international boycott of Israel. That bill ran afoul of the American Civil Liberties Union, which called it a full-scale attack on Americans First Amendment freedoms, and never came up for a vote. Booker has strong support in the pro-Israel community, which is his 10th biggest lifetime source of campaign contributions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group. His second-biggest lifetime donor is the pro-Israel committee NorPAC. The Republican-controlled Senate included an anti-BDS provision in legislation it passed in February that included support for Israel. At the time, Booker joined every other Senate Democrat seeking the presidency in voting no. He said he was not allowed to offer an amendment to address the serious First Amendment concerns he had with the legislation. While the Anti-Defamation League has asked both parties not to politicize anti-Semitism, Republicans have gone after Democrats on the issue following comments by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that invoked traditional anti-Semitic tropes in opposing U.S. backing of Israel. House Republicans on Thursday tried to put the chamber on record as saying it was a "national security interest of the United States to condemn and oppose BDS and all efforts to delegitimize the state of Israel.' The motion was offered under a parliamentary procedure and if passed would have scuttled congressional efforts to block U.S. military support for Saudi Arabias actions in Yemen, a rebuke to President Donald Trump. The GOP motion was rejected, allowing the House to clear the Senate-passed the measure and send it to the president. Such procedural motions, no matter the content, routinely are defeated by the majority party but provide campaign talking points for the minority. House Democrats did the same thing when they were in the minority. Only five House Democrats, including New Jersey Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., and Jeff Van Drew, D-2nd Dist., crossed party lines to support the GOP motion. This is a matter of principle for me, Gottheimer said. I have always stood strong against anti-Semitism and always will. Rep. Tom Malinowski, R-7th Dist., who along with Gottheimer is sponsoring the bipartisan anti-BDS resolution, decried the Republicans cynical strategy on Israel. The New Jersey lawmaker is the subject of an ad campaign by a Republican-aligned nonprofit group attacking him over Omars comments. If these irresponsible attacks continue, Americans will become increasingly divided on something that Democrats and Republicans have long agreed on, said Malinowski. 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. A 1.284 million square foot warehouse complex is coming to Carneys Point Township. The deal, signed at the end of March, will be one of the many projects on tap for the Salem County town. Although the tenant utilizing the warehouse has not been finalized, the warehouse is expected to create as many as 500 jobs. The rural town of 7,100 is located in the states least populated county, which struggles with high unemployment figures (6.3% in February compared to the states average of 4.7%) and low household income of about $52,800 on average. The warehouse will be close to the McLane Distribution Center, a Wawa fulfillment center located on the westbound side of Route 40 that has already expanded multiple times. Plans include installing a traffic light at Courses Landing Road at Route 40, an intersection thats been a problem area for years, according to Carneys Point Township Mayor Ken Brown What really makes me happy is everybody in our government in our township worked together on this project, said Brown. From our codes people to our committee people, to our office personnel, to our attorneys, and everybody else with one focus: To get this job done and bring jobs to our town. New Jersey-based Arbok Partners and Panattoni Development Company will be building the warehouse. Both companies and the partnership specializes in industrial development. Bo Farkas, who oversees all acquisition and development opportunities for Arbok Partners, searching for potential areas for development is like trying to find diamonds in the rough. Carneys Point fit the bill for the warehouse project. The area is minutes from the New Jersey Turnpike, close to the last exit before heading over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. One of the things that New Jersey has a shortage of are big box distribution buildings, especially those in the one million square feet size range. That was the main impetus for seeking out larger sites like the one in Carneys Point. Carneys Point Township NJ is having a Warehouse .Thats correct,the Township is planning on giving birth to a 1.284... Posted by Ken Brown on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Carneys Point is one of two Salem County municipalities designated as an opportunity zone, an initiative the state says tries to bring more development and economic opportunities to urban and rural areas. Brown said he is hoping the warehouse and other businesses that have spawned recently in the township will kickstart more developers to consider Carneys Point. While he does like to see the development, he has to strike a complicated balance seen in other areas of the state. We do have two contingents in our town, people that want to see development and people that dont want to see development, because we were in a very lovely county and a very lovely township, Brown said. We have a lot of open space and farmlands around here, but we have got to strike a balance to where we also have to have jobs and ratables while also having good environment to live and open space. I think we are getting to that point. Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips Some beer, a homemade tattoo gun and seven cellphones turned up during a large-scale shakedown at the Angola prison on Saturday (April 6), according to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. DOC officials conducted the early morning sweep hoping to find illicit drugs, cellphones, weapons and other contraband smuggled into the prison, according to a news release. The operation was a joint effort led by 250 prison and parole district officers from across the state who assisted Angola staff during the 4 a.m. search for contraband. Sixteen DOC canine teams also helped in the sweep. Todays shakedown resulted in the confiscation of various quantities of contraband including 3/4 gallon of beer, seven cellphones, and a homemade tattoo gun, the news release said. The small quantity is a testament to the Departments aggressive efforts to combat contraband. No drugs or weapons were found, according to DOC. Officers also drug tested 200 inmates all of whom passed. 7 Angola employees resign amid probe of contraband, inappropriate relationships The DOC said it will prosecute and discipline the offenders responsible for the illegal items and continue its aggressive efforts against contraband with more shakedowns in the future. The participating officers were from Allen Correctional Center, Dixon Correctional Institute, Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women, Louisiana State Penitentiary, Rayburn Correctional Center, and Raymond Laborde Correctional Center, along with Probation and Parole Officers from the following districts: Alexandria, Amite, Baton Rouge, Covington, Donaldsonville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Natchitoches, New Iberia, Thibodaux, Vermillion, West Baton Rouge, and Headquarters. A man was arrested this week after authorities say he sold fraudulent vehicle temporary tags to an undercover state trooper in Metairie. Craig Kennedy, 34, is accused of eight counts of forgery and five counts of forgery of a motor vehicle inspection certificate, Louisiana State Police said in a Thursday (April 4) news release. Kennedy was arrested Monday as part of an investigation into bogus temp tags being sold in the New Orleans area, according to state police Troop B. During the preliminary investigation, an undercover officer was able to buy five fraudulent temporary tags from a Craig working at an auto-body repair shop on Veterans Boulevard in Metairie. Following the purchase, investigators identified the man who sold the tags as Craig Kennedy of New Orleans. Investigators found Kennedy in a vehicle containing three more fraudulent temp tags and five phony motor vehicle inspection stickers, state police said. Officers also found a sticker-making machine for manufacturing the fraudulent inspection stickers. Kennedy was arrested by detectives assigned to the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Units New Orleans Field Office and booked into the Jefferson Parish jail. Anyone with information the sale of fraudulent temporary license plates or motor vehicle inspection certificates is asked to contact the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit. Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. The Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office has released photos in hopes of identifying a man and woman whom deputies think used stolen credit cards to buy several hundred dollars worth of merchandise at a mall. Authorities asked that anyone with information on the identity of the thieves call detective Neal Hooks at 504.364.5300. The Sheriffs Office said the purse was stolen Friday (April 5). It did not say where, nor did it identify the mall where the cards were used. An 18-year-old man was shot in the hip Saturday morning (April 6) while he was walking home in the Gentilly Terrace neighborhood, New Orleans police said. He heard a car door open and then four to five gunshots, before he was struck in the 2500 block of Jasmine Street (map) around 12:40 a.m., according to an initial police report. The 18-year-old ran to a friends house to call the police and he was brought to a hospital. At about 2:15 a.m., the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office said a man was shot in the 2100 block of Fernando Court in Marrero (map). He was reported in critical condition, but the Sheriffs Office did not provide more information. UPDATE: Details of the Gentilly Terrace shooting was updated with information from NOPD Saturday morning. The Louisiana Department of Education is recommending closure of a Jefferson Parish charter school for special education failures and financial irregularities at the three-year-old school. The fate of Smothers Academy now rests with the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Smothers is a Type 2 charter school that the board authorized in 2015. It opened in 2016 and now enrolls 463 students from kindergarten through eighth grade at 2012 Jefferson Highway in Old Jefferson. Its overall school performance grade is an F. For growth, the measure of student progress over an academic year, the school received a C in 2018. But the Education Department says Smothers has violated several special education requirements under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act, according to documents made public Saturday (April 6). The department also accused Smothers of questionable financial actions and violations of governance law. Smothers board President Sean Randall said the school is trying to improve. He released this statement: Smothers Academys Board of Directors and administration have been working diligently with the LDOE to answer all allegations that have been sent forth. We have answered questions and provided documentation that supports our efforts to rectify any and all concerns posed. We are continually working on strengthening all aspects of the school and look forward to many years of positive growth of our young men. As of yet, we are not familiar with some of the allegations made by the LDOE as they were never presented to the school and unfortunately went directly to the state without our knowledge. The Smothers Academy Board of Directors has made it a priority to remedy all issues and [is] committed to ensuring that the young men of Smothers Academy are going to continue to be educated in an environment that understands their unique needs and will hold them to very high academic and behavioral expectations. Ochsner and Discovery Academy team to open new charter school in East Jefferson The Education Department reviewed 10 files for disabled students during routine monitoring visits to Smothers in March, according to public records. The reviews uncovered what officials called a systemic failure for months at a time to document that services were provided to students. The review showed multiple students received fewer minutes of special education instruction and related services than were outlined in the students Individual Education Program, or IEP, plans, state document say. IEPs are written plans developed for each student eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Act to describe how the student will be educated. The state says Smothers couldnt document that progress reports, which are required by federal law, were produced for the 2018-19 school year. On March 27 and 28, department investigators arrived unannounced at the school to review services for 20 students, about 40 percent of Smothers disabled students. The review found none of these students were receiving a free and appropriate education as prescribed in each students IEP, the records show. Another 15 students werent receiving the services included in their IEPs. Eight students had written IEP goals that didnt align with their needs. The department also cited financial concerns, starting with a 2017-18 audit submitted to the Louisiana legislative auditors office almost two months late. The audit questioned a $20,000 salary advance - without board approval - to Damon Smothers, the schools founder and chief executive officer. Audits show his pay has increased from $115,000 to $125,000 since 2018. The audit also found 17 credit card charges, totaling $2,618, that appeared to include personal expenses and alcoholic beverages. A 2016-17 audit including a similar finding, at which time the school said the questioned purchases were for business meetings, organizational activities for teachers and fundraisers. In the most recent audit, the school said Damon Smothers paid $12,500 to the school for $9,000 of personal credit card charges. Once we were notified of this noncompliance issue, the personal credit card charges stopped, the audit report quotes the school as saying. The schools former board president and two employees told state investigators that the academy missed payment deadlines for employee health insurance, causing coverage for employees to be suspended. One employee said the suspension lasted two months. Employees also reported they were not reimbursed for their portion of the insurance premiums during coverage suspensions, records show. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up When Education Department asked Smothers to document employee benefits, the school responded that coverage was suspended for a few hours but did not provide the requested documents. What was provided indicated payments were made inconsistently and for irregular amounts, state records show. The department also alleged Smothers violated state governance laws, including the failure to list agenda items online with enough information for people to understand what will be discussed at meetings. Meeting minutes werent made available to the public, and the department stated the Smothers didnt comply with the states request to submit more details for these documents. Strategic plan for Jefferson Parish public schools has high expectations The department also accused Smothers of violating the state law that requires at least seven board members. The schools website currently lists seven members, but the department said the schools bylaws required only five. When officials notified Smothers about this in March, the charter board provided updated bylaws and said it felt no need to alter the bylaws as we believe they follow all applicable laws and policies as governed by the secretary of state. Further, the department says the schools updated bylaws show Smothers allowed actions to be taken outside of meetings without board votes. The bylaws show board members were allowed to be school vendors, and that Damon Smothers may also serve as board president, records show. The school acknowledged that at least one employee didnt have a background check from the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Smothers hasnt provided background checks for any school contractors. These checks are all required by state law. The department alleged that in April 2018, Smothers violated state law by employing an immediate family member of Damon Smothers. It said it told the school in October 2017 that the school website website and documents indicated the school served only boys, which also violates state law. The department said those issues have since been resolved, but enrollment data from the state shows Smothers currently only has boys enrolled. On Saturday, the department told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that Smothers can say they have a boys focused mission, but they are not supposed to advertise as boys only and they must admit girls if they apply and are admitted through their lottery. These principals will lead Jefferson Parishs new K-8 schools The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to vote on starting revocation proceedings for Smothers during its monthly meetings beginning April 16. State law requires the Education Department first to hold a hearing if the school requests one. The state board would then vote in June on whether to revoke the schools charter. The 2018-19 academic year will have ended by then, so Smothers wouldnt be allowed to reopen in August should its charter be revoked. If Smothers does close, department officials say, the department will work with Jefferson Parish to ensure that Smothers families know about their options for new schools. The department said it is following up with Smothers on the background checks, governance laws, executive compensation and insurance lapses. It also said it notified the Louisiana inspector generals office and the U.S. Education Department inspector generals office about Damon Smothers $20,000 salary advance. And it said it plans to issue a corrective action plan for the systemic deficiencies in special education services. Can Jefferson schools vault from C grade to A in five years? School Board commits to goal Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. In this weeks coastal news roundup, WWNOs Travis Lux talks with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune environment reporter Mark Schleifstein about a wetland damage lawsuit filed against 11 energy companies by the city of New Orleans, and new studies by the Corps of Engineers of whether its feasible to keep New Orleans area levees high enough to protect from so-called 100-year hurricane storm surges in the future. On March 29, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell filed a lawsuit against Chevron U.S.A. Inc, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, Entergy New Orleans and eight other oil and gas companies, demanding they repair damage to wetlands. New Orleans files wetland damage suit against oil, gas companies After the roundup was recorded on Thursday, Chevron removed the lawsuit to federal court in New Orleans, an action already taken by energy companies for 42 other lawsuits filed by six other Louisiana coastal parishes. Chevron asks for New Orleans wetlands damage suit to be heard in federal court Federal judges will determine whether the New Orleans suit and the other lawsuits belong in federal court because they involve actions taken by the companies governed by federal laws, or whether they should be returned to state courts in the parishes where they were filed. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up New Orleans oil and gas lawsuit could clash with major corporate sponsors You can also hear the roundup and view a transcript of the discussion at WWNOs web site. Corps studies improving New Orleans levees to keep pace with hurricane flood risk Schleifstein and Lux also discussed the studies of potential improvements to the east bank and West Bank hurricane levee systems, which corps engineers say are likely to be inadequate to reduce risk from stormwater surges created by a so-called 100-year storm as early as 2023. The corps has already received $3 million from Congress to complete each of the studies over the next three years, but will need to ask Congress for money to pay its 75 percent share of construction costs if the studies conclude changes to the levees are needed and are financially justified. The state would pay the other 25 percent of construction costs. Mark Schleifstein covers the environment and is a leader of the Louisiana Coastal Reporting Team for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: mschleifstein@nola.com. Facebook: Mark Schleifstein and Louisiana Coastal Watch. Twitter: MSchleifstein. About two months ago, a 16-year-old high-school senior sat at a computer to find out for herself why her father is at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and how long hell be gone. SunShyne Mathieu was 6 months old the last time her daddy was free. Her whole life shes asked her family when he was coming home. Her whole life theyve said, Soon. I never knew why, I never knew what, I just knew where, that is, where her father is, SunShyne told an audience March 28 at Loyolas law school. She was one of two high school students on a panel organized by Daughters Beyond Incarceration, a nonprofit started by two New Orleans women who grew up traveling to Angola to visit their dads. After typing her fathers name into a computer, SunShyne saw that hed been convicted of murder. As for when hell come home, according to Louisiana law, he wont. I was at school, SunShyne explained, and I broke down. Why? Why nobody ever told me? A common theme emerged at that Growing Up Fatherless event. Children of incarcerated parents are often kept in the dark about the specifics of their parents crimes and the length of time theyll serve. They may even be kept from visiting them. But children dont appreciate the lies adults tell. Nor are they likely to appreciate being kept from their fathers even fathers whove murdered. Seeing SunShyne and other young women wipe away tears as they talked was a reminder that we are hardwired to want to know and be loved by our parents. Daughters whose daddies are locked up are no different. I dont know what its like with him outside prison, SunShyne said. I dont know what its like going with him to get an ice cream. Having an incarcerated parent is one of those adverse childhood experiences that public health officials say if left unaddressed can add up to subtract years from a persons life. But the consequences can begin in childhood. Children may struggle in school, act out, engage in risky (including sexually risky) behavior. Louisiana may no longer be the world leader in incarceration, but at best were second place. In Family Sentence, a 2017 series by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, we reported that there were 94,000 children, or 8 percent of all children in the state, with a parent incarcerated by the state of Louisiana. Most adults arent comfortable admitting they have a loved one in prison, and theyre less likely to be in environments where somebody will tease or bully them. So imagine the tremendous pressure on those 94,000 children who are instructed to stay quiet and not tell anybody why their fathers arent around. The public conversation that Daughters Beyond Incarceration hosted was intended to send the message to girls whose fathers are locked up that they dont have to be so ashamed that they walk around terrified that the public might learn their secret. Even so, I sat through the evenings program and didnt fully embrace the message. I told Dominque Jones, a co-founder of the nonprofit, that I was moved by SunShynes testimony but wasnt inclined to use her name. She frowned and said, Why not? And as I attempted to explain that I was thinking of SunShyne and negative responses she might get, Jones waved over the girl and her mother and asked them if I could use her name. Mother and daughter nodded and said yes. Jones explained that getting people to talk openly about incarceration is the reason Daughters Beyond Incarceration exists. The organizations other co-founder, Robresha Bree Anderson, wasnt yet born when her father, Robert Jones, was arrested and wrongly pressured by prosecutors into pleading guilty in the 1992 murder of a French Quarter tourist. The Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office dropped charges against Robert Jones in January 2017 and, his daughter by his side, he walked out of Criminal District Court at Tulane and Broad a free man. Even though she knew her father was innocent, Anderson still didnt talk much about him. I dont think too many people knew my dad was incarcerated, she said. I dont think I told Warren Easton for four years. And if she had decided to speak up, to whom would she have turned? I didnt have a DBI when I was younger, she told the audience, so thats why Im passionate about this. But the DBI program didnt focus on the plight of daughters of men who were wrongly convicted. The point wasnt that girls whose fathers are wrongly imprisoned are hurting but, rather, that even girls whose fathers arent wrongly imprisoned are hurting. And unless we want that hurt to metastasize and lead to self-destructive and anti-social behaviors, we need to help them work through their pain. SunShynes father was convicted in the 2003 killing of a 16-year-old, and prosecutors say he plotted from jail to have the 12-year-old murder witness eliminated. Hes not a person the public would want to root for, but we should all hope that his incredibly bright and ambitious daughter succeeds. Because there are about 94,000 SunShynes across the state, and if we dont help them succeed, then Louisiana will be among the worlds most prolific incarcerators for at least another generation. Jarvis DeBerry is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write Jarvis at jdeberry@nola.com or @jarvisdeberry. The United Methodist Church, the third-largest faith group and second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States, voted in February to maintain its official ban on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBT clergy. Since 1972, the church's official guidelines, known as Book of Discipline, have affirmed that "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." The vote at the General Conference meeting in St. Louis to uphold that position was seen as a victory for the conservative factions of the nearly 13-million-member church, about half of whom worship outside the United States in Africa, Asia, and Europe. It was a defeat for the more liberal congregations who supported the "One Church Plan recommended by the UMC bishops to give more discretion to local churches that favored LGBTQ inclusion, ministry, and mission. Many fear the disagreement will cause a schism within the church. These issues of human sexuality and inclusion same-sex marriage, the ordination of LGTBQ leaders, acceptance of transgender members is not limited to the United Methodist Church. More groups and denominations are challenged, especially by younger Christians who view homosexuality and gender much differently. LGBTQ leaders and human rights lawyers from around the world met privately Friday (April 5) with the Vaticans secretary of state on to present research on the criminalization of homosexuality and to push Pope Francis toward opposing anti-gay laws internationally. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday that it was repealing a 3-year-old rule that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and that labeled same-sex couples as sinners eligible for expulsion. The faith group, commonly known as the Mormon church, however, said it is not changing its doctrinal opposition to gay marriage and still considers same-sex relationships to be a serious transgression. The issue is growing for many churches that have historically taught that the Bible condemns homosexuality and limits marriage to the union of one man and one woman. Many younger Christians, however, are questioning that position and challenging their church leaders to re-examine their views. I sat down Friday with Shawn Anglim, pastor of First Grace United Methodist Church in Mid-City, to talk about his views on sexuality and inclusion and whether there is a path forward for the church to minister in unity. Anglim supported the "One Church Plan" and said his congregation was disappointed in the vote. The homepage of the First Grace website says: "First Grace is an urban community of faith embracing all of Gods children as persons of sacred worth regardless of station in life, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We invite and welcome all persons to join us as disciples who believe in the transforming love of God revealed in Jesus Christ from which nothing separates us." You can hear Pastor Anglims thoughts in the Facebook Live video posted above. Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com. After getting dropped by its first consultant, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has settled on someone new to redraw the boundaries of its election districts but not before a rancorous vote and mudslinging by the two consultants still in Samsung's trade-in program for the new S10 flagships has been mostly limited to older Samsung flagships, with total trade-in value topping out at US$550. The company is eager to ship as many units of the S10 phones as possible, though, and is now allowing buyers to trade in any smartphone and get US$200 off. There are a few conditions, however. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Biotech , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 devices over a month ago, and the devices were said to have sold in record-breaking quantities over their first few weeks on the market, with analysts expecting the phones to outsell the Galaxy S9 models by around 40%. Perhaps a big reason for that is the trade-in packages Samsung is offering for the devices. At launch, Samsungs trade-in program offered up to US$550 in trade-in valuefor the Samsung Galaxy Note 9which is already incredibly impressive. The company has taken things further now, by allowing potential buyers to trade in any smartphone and get US$200 off. Of course, there are a number of conditions. At the moment, the program is limited to iOS and Android devices, so Windows Mobile users are out of luck. The device should also be able to hold a charge, have no screen or major hardware damage, and be approved by the FCC. NPS/Emily Hoerner April 5, 2019 Contact: Hilary Clark, 760-786-3276 Celebrate Earth Day & National Park Week in Death Valley National Park DEATH VALLEY, CA Death Valley National Park will host a variety of programs April 14-22 for Earth Day and National Park Week. One of 419 national park sites, Death Valley is 3.4 million acres, the largest national park in the contiguous United States. Biologists and park rangers will present programs about wildlife, plants, geology, astronomy and more. Throughout the week, biologists Jason Wallace, Laura Cunningham, and James Cornett will share their extensive knowledge of the Mojave Desert. Since 2007, Jason has managed the Desert Studies Center (Zzyzx), a field research station of the California State University System, located within Mojave National Preserve. He has done research on Mojave fringe-toed lizards, desert tortoises, Mohave tui chubs, and desert willows. Artist and conservation biologist, Laura Cunningham has studied desert tortoises, Panamint alligator lizards, and pupfish for over 20 years. She wrote and illustrated A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California. Author and biologist, James Cornett has been studying Joshua trees for over 30 years. He has written a number of books on desert ecology including Wildlife of the Southwest Deserts. Rangers will offer presentations throughout the week and weekend. On Saturday, 4/20, Death Valley is celebrating Junior Ranger Day and Fee-Free Day. Families can learn about endangered species and pupfish in a drop-in program from 1 pm- 3 pm at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. At 5 pm, James Cornett will share his research about Joshua trees in the auditorium. On 4/20 and 4/21, visitors can experience some of the darkest skies in the country in an astronomy program at 9:00 pm at Harmony Borax Works. In honor of Earth Day, 4/22, visitors can enjoy a two-hour ranger-led sunrise hike at Zabriskie Point at 6 am. Hikes may be on uneven or rough terrain. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes, bring water, snacks, and sun protection. At 5 pm, visitors can participate in a ranger-led discussion about environmental impacts of solar projects in the Mojave Desert. April 5, 2019 Jessica Ferracane/Public Affairs Specialist , 808-985-6018 Hawaii National Park, Hawaii Hawaii Volcanoes National Park announces the following upcoming flight plans for April 2019: April 8, between 10 a.m. to noon, for invasive faya tree surveys on the Keamoku flows above Highway 11 to Kipukapuaulu. April 18, between 8 a.m. to noon, for invasive Guinea grass surveys and control along Keauhou Trail, from the coast to 2,700-ft. elevation. April 22, between 10 a.m. to noon, for invasive faya tree surveys on Mauna Loa between the powerline road and Kipukapuaulu. April 24, at 8 a.m. and April 26 at 11 a.m., to fly supplies and crews for petrel monitoring from the Kilauea helipad at 4,000-ft. elevation to Mauna Loa at 9,000 feet and back. April 18 and April 24, between 8 a.m. to noon, to transport fence material, field equipment and supplies to the Kau desert boundary between sea level and 3,000-ft. elevation. -NPS- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kilauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather.Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities. George Levi's traditional ledger art George Levi April 5, 2019 Contact: Natalie Barber, 507-825-5464 x 212 Pipestone National Monument announces the first of its 2019 Guest Speaker Series at the Pipestone National Monument Visitor Center in Pipestone, Minnesota, on Thursday, April 18th, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. George Curtis Levi is a member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe of Oklahoma. He is also Southern Arapaho. He was raised in the Western Oklahoma communities of El Reno, Concho and Geary. The art and history of the Cheyenne people motivate him in his art. He is influenced by Cheyenne and Arapaho artists of the past. George specializes in Cheyenne style ledger art, and also acrylic and watercolor paintings as well as custom beadwork and parfleche work. Georges art is well known and can be found in various museums, art exhibits, galleries, and private collections in the United States and around the world. The program will consist of a presentation on The History of Ledger Art followed by a Ledger Art Workshop. The audience will get a chance to make their own Ledger Art and do a Block Print Workshop with Ledger Art Block Prints. The program will end with the opportunity for audience members to ask questions. This event is free and open to the public. Supplies will be provided. April 5, 2019 Laura Varon-Burkhart , 928-649-6195 x 229 Tuzigoot National Monument will be holding a free night sky photography class for a total of 15 registered students. The class will take place Saturday, May 4th from 7:00pm-10:00pm. Registered students will receive hands on instruction from three talented photographers. The instructors will guide students to designated areas on the pueblo trail. This rare opportunity will allow students to capture the night sky with an ancient pueblo village as a frame. There is no cost for this class, but the National Park Service may ask to use student photos for educational purposes. Our instructors will be: Gregory E. McKelvey: Geologist, Mineral Economist, letterpress printer, writer and always learning photographer. In addition to 45 years in the mineral discovery business all over the world, he is an instructor of photography for the Photographic Society of America (PSA), taught photography at Gila County college and is the author of geology photography book entitled Through the Geologists Lens.https://gregorymckelvey.smugmug.com/ Peter Pearsall: Writer, naturalist, and photographer originally from Seattle but more at home in the arid West. He is currently the Visitor Services Specialist at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge; he has served in similar capacities at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the Oregon Coastal Refuge Complex, and the Black Rock Desert - High Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. When Peter isn't birding or laying on his stomach photographing flowers and insects, he enjoys hiking, road biking and reading up on natural history. Nick Berezenko is a freelance professional photographer from Pine, AZ. Hes been photographing wilderness landscapes, people and b&bs for Arizona Highways Magazine for over 40 years. His images grace the covers of The Guide to the Mogollon Rim, Arizonas Scenic Seasons, the official State of Arizona map, and the 2018 AZ Official Visitors Guide. See his website at www.nickberezenko.com. Students who are considering registering for this class should be familiar with how to manually operate their own camera. In addition to a camera, students will be required to bring the following items: Wide Angle Lens (16-35mm) Tripod Cable Release Red filtered flashlight Extra Battery Students are also encouraged to bring water, snacks, and wear close toed shoes for safety. Registration will close Wednesday, April 24th at 5:00 pm or when the class is full. To register, visit https://tuzinightphoto.eventbrite.com. Tuzigoot National Monument is located at 25 Tuzigoot Road, Clarkdale, AZ. For additional information, call 928-634-5564 or visit www.nps.gov/tuzi. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. For the latest information on events and programs, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A spokesman for Mr. Cosby confirmed that a settlement had been reached, but insisted Mr. Cosby was not paying. Instead, he said, Mr. Cosbys insurance company, American International Group, was. Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone, said the spokesman, Andrew Wyatt. He is not paying anything to anyone. Mr. Wyatt added: A.I.G. decided to settle these cases, without the knowledge, permission and/or consent of Mr. Cosby. Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits, and he maintains his innocence. The defamation claims are separate from Mr. Cosbys criminal case in Pennsylvania, in which he was found guilty last year of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman, Andrea Constand, at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. Mr. Cosby, 81, is serving a sentence of three to 10 years at a maximum-security prison, although he has appealed the verdict and continues to maintain his innocence. After they came forward with their own accusations of sexual assault, the seven women could not sue Mr. Cosby on grounds directly related to their accusations because the statute of limitations for such cases had expired. Instead, they filed defamation suits, asserting that they had been branded liars. People are even more sensitive about this, and listening, and being sure that women are heard, Mr. Bennett said. But on the other hand, there were very serious allegations against Donald Trump and he was elected president. There were very serious allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, and he was confirmed, he said, referring to the Supreme Court justice. He called for the Senate to conduct a very thorough investigation of the claims against Mr. Cain as part of any prospective confirmation hearing. The allegations are very serious, Mr. Bennett said. If you have one complaint, its a he said, she said situation. If you have three or four complaints the expression is where theres smoke, theres fire. Mr. Bennett said he was unsure if Ms. Kraushaar would participate in any congressional investigation, explaining that she had recently retired from a career in the federal government and was considering moving away from the Washington area. It is an uncomfortably familiar spot for Senate Republicans, who were confronted with a similar dilemma six months ago after Mr. Trump nominated Mr. Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Mr. Kavanaugh, who was accused by Christine Blasey Ford of sexual misconduct, was eventually confirmed after an excruciating public hearing in which Dr. Blasey testified that he pinned her down and groped her at a party when she was in high school in the 1980s. Mr. Kavanaugh disputed the claims and denied he ever assaulted her. The choice of Mr. Cain was viewed as especially perplexing in the immediate aftermath of the selection of Mr. Moore, who is dealing with his own accusations of ethical lapses related to his 2011 divorce. Since Mr. Moore was chosen, it has emerged that he owes $75,000 in federal taxes, interest and penalties stemming from his attempt to deduct child support payments, which are not eligible for a tax break. He was held in contempt of court in 2013 for failing to pay more than $330,000 for spousal support, child support and lawyers fees to his former wife, Allison Moore. While Mr. Cain was defiant amid the downfall of his 2012 presidential bid, the toll that a process can take on a nominee and his family was on display on Friday, as Ms. Moore appeared alone in a Virginia court and tearfully pleaded with a judge to keep her divorce records sealed. He had no more than a few hundred followers and no cavernous synagogue or prestigious yeshiva as his base. Yet Rabbi Yisroel Avrohom Portugal, the grand rabbi of the tiny Skulen Hasidic sect, a slender man with a broad, snowy beard and long white sidelocks, was revered throughout the growing ultra-Orthodox world. On April 2, tens of thousands of black-hatted and black-garbed Hasidic men from every major sect crammed the thoroughfares of Borough Park, Brooklyn, for his funeral. The jostling columns stretched for blocks along 14th Avenue and spilled into the radiating side streets. Mourners stood riveted to the eulogies piped through loudspeakers. They then thronged the black-draped coffin, hoping to help support it, as it seemed to float atop the crowd on its way to a hearse. Israel stood still for a moment this week so it could bring home the remains of Sgt. Zachary Baumel, a soldier who perished in battle in 1982. This was in the midst of the most bitterly contested election the country has had in decades, with important things at stake: the probity of government, relations with the Diaspora, the limits of the settlement enterprise, the possibility of peace. There are things that matter more. Keeping faith with the fallen and bereaved is one of them. Anyone who has lived in Israel gets this. Its a young and improvising state resting atop an ancient and profound civilization. At the heart of the civilization is common memory. Elections come and go; memory accretes. It is to everyday life what geology is to flora and fauna: grounding, shaping, slow-moving, still-growing. Memory is the true land of Israel. The Israeli government spent 37 years tracking Baumels remains to Syria and negotiating their recovery through Russia. The country will expend similar efforts to bring home other fallen soldiers held in enemy hands. Its the core of the Jewish states social contract. It may not be able to keep its people safe, much less make them rich. But it will never forget or forsake them. Thats something to consider when it comes to the election, too. In Washington last month I interviewed Benny Gantz, the former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces who now leads the Blue and White party, the principal challenger to Benjamin Netanyahus Likud. Its only a matter of time before some state passes a law prohibiting women from getting abortions after the second week of pregnancy. Really, thats the way things seem to be going. Right now, theres a big drive to set the limit at around six weeks. If you are a woman who happens to live in Kentucky or Mississippi, your state lawmakers seem to believe you are so in tune with your own personal biology that you will not only realize youre pregnant within six weeks, but could also find the time to arrange an abortion, even if theres only one abortion clinic in the entire state. Although obviously the real plan is to keep you pregnant, whether you like it or not. Six-week bills theyre tied to the arrival of the first fetal heartbeat are moving through legislatures in about a dozen states. Some are supposed to slumber in a sort of legal cocoon until the moment looking at you, Justice Kavanaugh! when the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Dr. Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood, counts over 250 bills to ban or restrict abortion that were introduced in state legislatures this year a jump of about 63 percent compared with last year. We know this is a direct response to Brett Kavanaugh being on the Supreme Court. I prefer 1,000 times being jailed than being dead. SELVIN ALVARADO, who said he exposed corruption in his hometown in Honduras and fled into Mexico being followed by an armed group, in an attempt to win asylum in the United States. ATLANTA Three historically black churches have burned in less than two weeks in one south Louisiana parish, where officials said they had found suspicious elements in each case. The officials have not ruled out the possibility of arson, or the possibility that the fires are related. There is clearly something happening in this community, State Fire Marshal H. Browning said in a statement on Thursday. That is why it is imperative that the citizens of this community be part of our effort to figure out what it is. The three fires occurred on March 26, April 2 and April 4 in St. Landry Parish, north of Lafayette. A fourth fire, a small blaze that officials said was intentionally set, was reported on Sunday at a predominantly white church in Caddo Parish, about a three-hour drive north. But just as we havent connected the three in St. Landry, we havent connected the one in Caddo, said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal, on Friday. WASHINGTON Attorney General William P. Barr has directed parts of the Justice Department to investigate accusations of discrimination, including claims that the F.B.I. academy weeded out potential agents for not being masculine enough and that it has become harder for transgender people to work at the Bureau of Prisons. Mr. Barrs request came in response to a letter that he received last week from DOJ Pride, a Justice Department group founded in 1994 to advocate the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Less than half of the groups members said they believed that the Justice Department does not discriminate against them, the letter said, adding that the finding and others from a survey undertaken in October show that members have become more alienated from the department under the Trump administration. Given the crucial role the department fulfills in our society enforcing the nations laws and administering justice we are concerned that so many employees who dedicate themselves to the department do not think the department values them, members of DOJ Pride wrote. In response, Mr. Barr vowed that the Justice Department would not discriminate against workers based on sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as a long list of other non-merit-based factors. He noted that many of the students were defrauded by predatory for-profit schools, which Ms. DeVos has been accused of favoring with her policies. Nine percent of high school graduates go to for-profit colleges and universities, but 34 percent of loan defaults belong to those students. No student should be defrauded, and if fraud is involved, there are consequences, and there will be consequences, Ms. DeVos replied. But we should not be judging institutions by their tax status. Lets be very honest here; there are bad actors on both sides of the equation. She added, with some indignance, Lets talk about the nonprofits that are doing a bad job, that are subject to bribes, that are lying in order to improve their U.S. News and World Report statistics, referring to the recent college admissions scandal rocking Ivy League and other elite institutions. Since taking office, Ms. DeVos has tried to overhaul the 2016 process started by the Obama administration that was supposed to pave an easier road for students to secure loan relief after their colleges are found to have misled them with inflated claims of false promises of jobs. The Obama administration approved nearly 30,000 such claims, estimated at $450 million, in its last year in office. The Education Department approved 16,155 from Jan. 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. The Obama administration rewrote the borrower defense rule, which was virtually unknown until 2015, when two large for-profit chains, ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges, began to crumble. The new rule was supposed to take effect in 2017. But Ms. DeVos delayed issuing what she said amounted to free money and has moved to narrow its scope to only forgive debts of students who, regardless of their schools actions, fail to secure gainful employment and can prove they were otherwise harmed. A 2017 report from the departments inspector general found that the Obama process had some flaws. Ms. DeVos instituted a tiered system to grant some borrowers partial relief, but those measures were struck down by the courts. The department then blew a deadline to rewrite the rules, which were supposed to go into force this year. But in the short run, they are meant to end the arrangement by which the Maduro government provides oil to Cuba in exchange for intelligence and counterintelligence services while the Venezuelan people lack food, medicine and clean water. Venezuela has been shipping 20,000 to 50,000 barrels of oil a day to Cuba, according to experts in the oil industry and administration officials. Russ Dallen, the managing partner of Caracas Capital Markets, who specializes in the Venezuelan oil industry, said the most likely outcome of the sanctions would be to create an atmosphere in which shipping companies would be even more wary of doing business with either Cuba or Venezuela, for fear of triggering sanctions. He said they were also meant to name and shame companies that have transported Venezuelan oil to Cuba so that Mr. Maduro can help an ideological ally rather than use profits from the oil to feed a starving population. It makes Cuba and Venezuela even more radioactive, he said. Mr. Dallen, who tracks oil shipments leaving Venezuela, said that some of the ships had begun turning off their transponders when in Venezuelan ports, something regulations prohibit but is a technique used in countries like Iran to conceal their presence in the country. One ship, Mr. Dallen said, had recently left its transponder off until it reached Europe. The sanctions come as Venezuela has faced a month of blackouts that have resulted in an estimated loss of a weeks oil production. CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico Near dawn on Friday, the line of trucks waiting to cross the border from Mexico into the United States stretched for more than three miles and wasnt moving. Arturo Ornelas, a Mexican truck driver, was four places from the front, but his choice position had not come without sacrifice: He had joined the line at 8 a.m. Thursday and had spent the intervening 22 hours slouched in or stretching his legs alongside his truck, carrying a load of copper wire from a factory in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to a warehouse in neighboring El Paso. But now his goal was finally, seemingly within reach, and he could see the twinkling lights of the American city through the nearby border fence, on the other side of the Puente Libre, or Free Bridge. So close, he muttered, yet so far. President Trump may have relented Thursday on his threat to close the southwest border of the United States in punishment for what he has said was Mexicos failure to control illegal migration. But for a week now the border has, in effect, been partly closed because of American staffing shortages costing businesses millions of dollars a day, according to industry officials, and causing painfully long delays for people and goods trying to legally cross the border. One pattern that emerged was identity theft. Many of Sheng Xues adversaries told a strange story of someone posing as them online to spread more accusations against her. Many experts, from academics to former intelligence officers and human rights campaigners, said it all reflected a Chinese Communist Party strategy of seeding and stirring division among the dissidents so they were in no position to present a real challenge to the party. Predictably, the response to my story has been fierce and loud on Twitter, reflecting how fractious the overseas dissident community is. Many replies attacked Sheng Xue and the story, while some defended her. Its a debate transpiring almost entirely within the world of Chinese dissidents a world most Canadians never enter, and one that the past year of reporting helped me begin to understand. ___ This weeks Trans Canada and Around The Times highlights were compiled by Canada correspondent Ian Austen. Trans Canada Whether its a turning point or not, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to expel Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal party was another major moment in the political turmoil surrounding his government. How am I supposed to teach about respect, tolerance and diversity to my students, many of whom are immigrant kids, when the government is asking me to give up who I am? Dan Bilefsky was asked by an elementary schoolteacher in Montreal who would have to remove her Muslim head scarf or stall her career under proposed Quebec law. In the week that the federal government imposed carbon taxes on provinces that refused to put their own systems in place, we looked at the 40 countries that apply some sort of cost to carbon emissions and how much of an impact the programs are having. By day, Toronto native Matt Walker tickles tiny worms while peering at them through microscopes as a neurobiologist at Columbia University in New York. At night he appears in an Off Broadway production as Max, a hapless actor who cannot stop mugging for the audience while performing in a dusty whodunit. Around The Times In The New York Times magazine, Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler carefully dissect how Rupert Murdoch and his family have used their global media empire to destabilize democracies in North America, Europe and Australia. Game of Thrones is now in its final season. But fans who travel to Northern Ireland can still visit the spot where Melisandre gave birth to the shadow monster. Try cooking 1,400 lamb chops to a perfect medium-rare at the same time, using nothing but sheet pans, Sterno and an upright aluminum cabinet on wheels called a hot box. Thats among the challenges that confronted two writers found when they went into the world of caterers as cooks. Is Patagonia really leaving the bros out in the cold by cutting off sales of branded fleece vests to the financial and tech firms where they have become standard business dress? Vanessa Friedman found the reality is a bit more complicated. On the one-year anniversary of his death, I quickly wrote a piece for Medium, and Random House reached out to me about writing a book. My initial reaction was: I dont know. I just took the meeting because my dad taught me to always take the meeting. I have a career as a documentary filmmaker, and Im very much grooving along in that path. And so I didnt know. I knew I wanted to share his epic emails. But a lot of our back and forth was about sobriety. He was sober, and I was struggling with alcoholism. And I thought: Do I really want to say this aloud? Whats the most surprising thing you learned while writing it? It really made me think about my alcohol and drug use in a different way. I kept thinking drug addiction was crack addiction it was violence and your life being ripped apart and waking up not knowing who you are. I thought if thats what addiction looks like, thats not what I was doing. I was working at Vice, and every night buying an economical bottle of white wine and slowly blacking out. I remembered a moment when my dad took me out to get pizza, and I thought: This will be fun; well eat and gossip about media. And he said, You can either be a big deal in your own right or have a drinking problem for the next 10 years and be of little significance. I was dumbstruck. It felt really scary to be seen in that way. I knew this was a dividing moment, and that I couldnt just lie to myself and tell myself everything was O.K. I felt maybe there was a way to affect a reader who has struggled with their dad or with drinking too much, but it doesnt look the way society taught us it does. In what way is the book you wrote different from the book you set out to write? From the beginning I found myself deeply challenged and stuck freaked out by the blank page. So I started to use my skills as a filmmaker. I note-carded it. I had the notes above my computer, and I got to do a little X when I finished the draft of a chapter; it was this really satisfying moment. Investigators discovered that the cellphones were bound for Mr. Zhous mailing address and that they were part of an importing operation that also included Mr. Jiang, Mr. Zhous neighbor in Corvallis, Ore., about 85 miles south of Portland. Records provided to investigators by Apple allowed them to connect Mr. Jiang to 3,069 iPhone warranty claims through his name and his email, mailing and IP addresses. All of them indicated No Power/Wired Charging Issues as the reason for the claim. More than 1,500 of the claims were rejected, but nearly just as many were approved, with a new phone sent out. An Apple representative told an investigator, according to court records, that a key element of the schemes success was that the phones were inoperable, which meant the replacement process would begin before technicians could figure out they were counterfeit. Mr. Jiang told investigators in an interview he had submitted some 2,000 phones in 2017. He also said that he employed friends and relatives in the United States to help swap out the phones. He said that an associate in China who sold the genuine phones paid Mr. Jiangs mother, who lives in China; she deposited the money in a bank account that he could access in the United States. With each phone costing $600, the losses for Apple amounted to $895,800, officials said. Apple, which did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday, is not the only technology giant that has been targeted by scammers. A Lithuanian man recently pleaded guilty to an effort in which he sought to bilk Facebook and Google out of millions of dollars by submitting fraudulent invoices to the companies. Prosecutors said that from 2013 to 2015 the companies wired more than $100 million to the man and his associates. The revelations are stunning for what had been respected institutions. How did the Swedes and Danes get sucked into underworld relationships? Why are American investigators federal and New York State poring over their accounts? And how does this all harken back to the fall of Communism two decades ago? Here are the answers to those and other questions. For a Danish bank, trouble in Estonia Danske Bank has admitted that its Estonian subsidiary helped thousands of customers, most of whom were not residents of Estonia, to launder tens of billions of euros from 2007 to 2015. Over the years, Danske Bank managers ignored or played down warnings about suspicious transactions by Estonian regulators, the Russian central bank, partner banks and its own internal auditors. The Estonian operation processed transactions worth 200 billion euros, or $225 billion, involving foreigners and generated profits far out of proportion to its size. The Danish bank regulator took little action and its money laundering unit was woefully understaffed. Danske Bank did not acknowledge the problems until 2017, after Danish media reported on them. The full scale of the wrongdoing did not become publicly known until September 2018, when Danske Bank released an investigation conducted by an outside law firm. The bank admitted that it had clearly failed to live up to its responsibility and the chief executive, Thomas Borgen, resigned under pressure. How did Sweden come under scrutiny? The allegations against Swedbank, which also involve its operations in the Baltics, have come to light in recent months after reports by Swedish public television. But the New York Department of Financial Services had been looking into possible money laundering at Swedbank for at least a year. A New Jersey judge who asked a woman if she had closed her legs to try to prevent an alleged sexual assault should be suspended without pay for three months, a state committee has recommended. The recommendation in March was based on the committees finding that John F. Russo Jr., a superior court judge in Ocean County, violated the code of judicial conduct on four occasions, including during the exchange with the woman, who was not identified. This week, the New Jersey Supreme Court ordered that a hearing be held in July about the recommendation from the states Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct. A lawyer for Judge Russo declined to comment on Friday night. Judge Russo looks forward to a public hearing in which he will be able to respond to the allegations against him, the lawyer, David F. Corrigan, told NBC4 in March of last year, after a complaint was filed. We have respect for the process as well as the advisory committee on judicial conduct, and therefore wont comment further. . - . . 25- "" 2024 . . - . ... Exile has been very good to me three books and counting. But somewhere between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. the other night, I reread the first 50 pages of a book I started writing in the fall, and was consumed with shame: There I was at the old game once again. Joseph Brodsky warned against this: A writer in exile is, by and large, he writes, a retroactive being who asks, Why not push the good old stuff around a bit more? But a free man, when he fails, blames nobody. In other words, without the past, you really have to use your imagination. But what if yours seems to work only there? What if you cant connect to most of the epochal issues roiling this country and animating so much of its current art? All this time after I came here, is my adopted homeland really such a bad match? Or have I failed it instead? I barely remember my Soviet childhood. Ive always assumed this was because it was sweet and unremarkable; the Soviet Union was often unkind to my Jewish family, but my parents were ferocious in sheltering me. (I think of that fairy tale in which the knight swings his saber over the princess so quickly that not one raindrop reaches her head.) The tempting Freudian revision is that something darker festered underneath there was no shortage of bigger boys who came to the yard in front of my apartment building to demand last names so that the Jews among us could get a beating. But perhaps Ive needed my childhood to remain hazy not because of anything that happened in Minsk but because of the painful vividness of what followed. When we got to America, my parents shielding powers dissolved. Their cape, and the responsibilities that went with it, passed to my shoulders: I learned English and gained the cultural fluency that my family now came to depend on to answer all the questions that they had answered for me in the Soviet Union. America is responsible for the abrupt end of my childhood, for my sudden consignment, at 10 or 11, to an existence filled with constant worry and fear a bitter realization, considering that we moved from repression to freedom. My family is more settled now, but the worry has never left. And so I continue to nurse the illusion that this American life has a nobler, more secure antidote somewhere east of Lisbon. Embarrassingly, it has taken me 30 years in the States though only a few months since my daughters birth to accept that no greater home awaits me in Europe, that my fantasy of something more whole has its fulfillment somewhere within me rather than in a physical place. Its time to grow up in America, alongside Agnes. But how to undo a false estrangement that, over the years, has come to feel like a home of its own? I dont know. Even if I succeed, America will never be the homeland for me that it is for Agnes, and I hope she will be more forgiving of her fathers disorientation than I was of my parents. And if she is lucky, America will remain sane enough for her childhood to last exactly as long as it should. I will be ferocious in making sure that it does. Mr. Fishman is the author, most recently, of Savage Feast: Three Generations, Two Continents, and a Dinner Table. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. A giant John Deere tractor and a pocket-size Apple iPhone have something important in common: The cost of repairing either one is too high. The two companies, and many of their peers, use a variety of aggressive tactics, including electronic locks and restrictive warranties, to push customers with broken equipment to seek help from their authorized repair facilities or to give up and buy a replacement. This is unfair to consumers who might be able to obtain, or perform, lower-priced repairs. Its unfair to independent businesses that might do the work. And its bad for the environment, because the high cost of repairs leads people to toss devices that might have been fixed. Late last month, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, proposed a national right-to-repair law for farm equipment. The idea is based on a 2012 Massachusetts law that requires carmakers to provide the information necessary to perform repairs and to sell any special tools needed to do the work. The law also phased in a requirement that new cars be compatible with generic diagnostic tools. Nevertheless, this nouveau moonlighting continues to be exalted as cool, empowering or freeing. This mantra is false: Side hustles are not simply a new version of working as a wage slave so that we can do what we love in our off hours. Instead, far more often, people take on second or third side hustles because of wage stagnation or low pay at their full-time jobs. Over the past few years, I have interviewed dozens of people who work a full-time job or close to it teachers, professors, administrators and nurses, among others and supplement their incomes by driving for Lyft or serving as a barista. They are not doing it for the glamour. They need these second jobs because their first jobs dont cover astronomically rising rents, record health care costs or swelling college tuition. A full 30 percent of Americans do something else for pay in addition to their full-time jobs, according to an NPR/Marist survey last year. Yet this sales pitch for the side hustle takes what we once called, more drably, another job and gives it a gloss, with a tiny shot of Superfly, disguising unstable working hours and a lack of bargaining power as liberation. You can see the twisted alchemy of what Reddits founder Alexis Ohanian has called hustle porn. Commercial websites like Side Hustle Nation extol the joy of the new unstable labor, although its payoff actually arrives for only a few. As Nick Loper, the sites chief side hustler writes, My escape route was a side hustle business I built in my spare time and you can do it too. Medium has a whole Side Hustle publication. It bears the legend Youre more than your day job. This language tries to make the dreary carousel of contemporary life sound more fun. The phrase the side hustle has gained a strange kind of prestige from downwardly mobile, college-educated tech workers, said John Patrick Leary, the author of Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism, a sharp recent book on this troubling new lingo. Its glitz and energy derives from a hip-hop genealogy, although the side hustles name-checked in that genre are perhaps not the same as those imagined by Uber. The news Thursday that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will now allow children of same-sex couples to be baptized led to a robust discussion on our site among church members, long known as Mormons, and those who grew up in the church but have since left. Some inside the church praised the decision, which reversed a former policy, and the ability of its leaders to evolve their thinking on social issues. But dozens more readers who were raised in the church but had left it over its positions on L.G.B.T. issues said the announcement wasnt enough to bring them back. Some said it felt like the change was little more than a publicity effort aimed at finding new paying members. Here is a selection of their responses, which have been lightly edited for clarity. A positive step forward As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I support this change and am happy to hear of it. I know many people struggled with the prior policy and although I think it came from a desire to avoid placing young children in conflict with their parents on doctrinal matters, this is probably a better, more flexible way forward. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Often, covering Canada feels like reporting on many different countries. I get off the plane, and step into a different landscape, language and culture. [Want more Canadian coverage in your inbox? Sign up for the Canada Letter newsletter.] For the story of Sheng Xue, I simply drove 30 minutes west to her home in Mississauga, and stepped into the world of Chinese democracy activists, connected around the world by common cause and history. They speak Mandarin, communicate through Listservs and Twitter, and reference events and people rarely noticed by mainstream English-language media. Kalli Ridley had just finished yoga class and was feeling calm when her favorite instructor approached her with a smile and told her she would make a great teacher. It was like they saw something special in me, Ms. Ridley said. But becoming a teacher at the CorePower Yoga studio in Minneapolis, where Ms. Ridley trained, was less straightforward than she anticipated: After paying $1,500 for a 200-hour training program, spread out over eight weeks, she was asked to complete an additional $500 extensions training, which was never initially mentioned. For months afterward, Ms. Ridley asked the studio about job opportunities to make money from her training. None ever came. A year later she is still paying off the cost. At yoga studios around the country, teacher training is a popular way for instructors to supplement income from one-off classes and for students to advance in skill level to deepen ones practice, in yogi parlance. Its not usually promoted as a career path. Rather, teacher training is offered as a kind of advanced workshop. But CorePower, the countrys largest yoga studio chain, has a distinctly profitable approach : It enlists teachers as salespeople and incentivizes them with bonuses. MUNICH After six years in Germany, we are headed back home to California, and everyone asks me if I am using the Marie Kondo method to help me pack. I am actually using the lesser-known Firoozeh Dumas method, which involves spending half of each day remembering past moves, a lifetime total of 22 on three continents, and then reliving the stress of each one. My most stressful move memories do not actively involve a move per se . In the late 1970s, my family and I were living in California temporarily while my father consulted for an American company building an oil refinery in Iran. After the Iranian revolution in 1979 , I realized that everything we had left in Abadan for when we go back was ours no more, thanks to the Ayatollah Method: It sparks joy for us to separate you from your belongings. In my family, we never complained; how can we complain about stuff when people lost loved ones? However, as an imperfect human being, I do sometimes look at my two Ikea fake Persian rugs, which spark no joy whatsoever, and long for the houseful of beautiful Persian rugs that we did not bring with us to America. It is also at times like this that I remember my brother Farshids battery-operated toy robot from Japan, the one that magically shuffled across the floor, moving its arms up and down, while making screechy sounds that I assumed were futuristic. I spent a good deal of my childhood scheming of ways to steal this robot but then spent many more years afterward wishing I had actually stolen it and brought it with me to America so that I could give it to my brother, allowing him to hang on to a sweet piece of his childhood. Chances are, he would have given it to one of his nieces or nephews by now, but that would have been his choice. The key word is choice. Rates Rooms from 53,000 pesos (or about $80 at current exchange rates). The Basics In Chile, Santiagos rakish sailor brother is the port city of Valparaiso, with its handsome looks, edgy creativity and whiff of salt-air decay. Valpo, as residents call it, was entirely rebuilt after an earthquake in 1906. Its present mix of crumbling Victorian stone facades and sharp-edged, galvanized-metal shacks are splashed with colorful paint and arresting graffiti. They clamber up from a wide Pacific bay and ramble across some 40 hills. Although design-forward shipping container hotels have been popping up worldwide lately, the Valparaiso winemaker Grant Phelps lays claim to being the first to build with them in this historic port. Mr. Phelps stacked 25 decommissioned containers like blocks to create 21 graffitied guest rooms. He also created jutting private balconies and two decadent terraces that beg for adult beverages (children under 12 arent allowed at the hotel). The WineBox Valparaiso opened in February 2018 as sustainable lodging with attitude. Its also an urban winery Mr. Phelps, and often his guests, crush grapes and monitor aging barrels of wine in the parking garage. The Location Most visitors wander a couple of Valpos most colorful hills, Cerro Alegre and Cerro Bellavista, which vibrate with both clever graffiti and multistory street-art murals. The WineBox opens an adjacent hill, the previously residential Cerro Mariposa, to tourism. The hotel is still a quick, if gradually sloping, walk to the most Instagram-ready sights especially the late Chilean poet Pablo Nerudas fanciful Valparaiso home, La Sebastiana, rising like a ships prow from Bellavista. Valparaisos former prison, now the Parque Cultural, is about a mile away. Restaurants, as I found during a recent solo visit, remain a bit scarce in the immediate area. The Room The WineBoxs environmentalism is also evident in the rooms. They were insulated with projected cellulose, a material that includes recycled newspaper, from the noise Id expected inside a metal shipping container. Even so, turndown service included earplugs (as well as dulce de leche candy ). The container kept its original long-rectangle shape, but felt bright and open, the far end a glass door leading to a deep balcony. Binoculars were provided for scoping the hillsides and port. Recycled pallets had been crafted into a bed, which felt cozy as a ships berth. The room also held a kitchenette , which was stocked with not only salt and pepper, but also Chiles favorite smoked pepper, merken. The wine-only minibar offered a selection of five reds, two whites and a sparkling (from 9,000 to 19,000 pesos, or about $13.25 to about $28 ), all Chilean wines from independent vintners. These members spent quite a bit of time getting to know one another during the campaign, largely through the Serve America PAC started by Representative Seth Moulton, Democrat of Massachusetts, who was among the first troops in Baghdad in 2003. When I ran in 2014 against a nine-term incumbent, there was no member of Congress who would even speak with me, Mr. Moulton said. So I wanted to create that team for the amazing candidates who were running this time. What was important was building these relationships. They could call or text me at all hours of the night if they needed advice or something. We set up a Slack channel so that we could communicate more as a group. Once in Washington, the group immediately gravitated toward one another on bills and other legislative matters. Its the trust factor, said Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan and a former C.I.A. analyst who served three tours in Iraq. If Max Rose or Elaine Luria comes to me and says, Im doing this bill. Do you want to do it? they arent going to twist the issue and play it for their own advantages, she said, referring to freshman veterans. We made the choice to focus on Congress and made Congress like a mission. During the government shutdown, Ms. Slotkin and Ms. Houlahan wrote a measure to protect federal workers in subsequent impasses. Representative Mikie Sherrill, Democrat of New Jersey and a former Navy helicopter pilot, seized on news coverage about problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs serving women and quickly got several veterans to sign on to a letter demanding the department secretary, Robert L. Wilkie, fix the system. The group has helped revive discussions about asserting the role of Congress in war authorization. Veterans are also prone to seeking one another out across the aisle. Mr. Moulton, who served in the Marines, and Representative Brian Mast, a veteran and Republican from Florida, worked to bring together both parties on a conservation bill that pleased environmentalists and commercial fishermen alike. They can often be seen sliding across the aisle to sit with Republican veterans on the House floor, like Representatives Jim Baird of Indiana and Will Hurd of Texas. We have a bias toward action because we all served in the trenches in an organization that is apolitical, Mr. Hurd said. We knew each others ethos. Here is a look at some of Mr. Trumps more high-profile threats. Closing the border with Mexico In retreating from his threat to close the border, Mr. Trump was withdrawing the warning that he issued strongly last week. But on Friday, he offered up another one. He said that the trade deal that the United States had reached with Mexico and Canada, known as the U.S.M.C.A., would not apply if Mexico does not stop Central American migrants from illegally entering the United States. If for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from, the U.S. will be forced to Tariff at 25% all cars made in Mexico and shipped over the Border to us. If that doesnt work, which it will, I will close the Border, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. This will supersede USMCA, Mr. Trump added. He also threatened an economic penalty on Mexico for the 500 Billion Dollars in illegal DRUGS that are shipped and smuggled through Mexico and across our Southern Border. Congress has not yet voted on the trade deal. If it does approve the pact and the president tried to unilaterally abrogate selective provisions of the agreement it would provoke numerous legal challenges, as well as an uproar from foreign leaders and members of Congress. A bullhorn to Russia The president warned Russia in March to get out of Venezuela after Moscow dispatched military personnel to the country and offered to send the government of President Nicolas Maduro shipments of food and medicine. He has consistently said that Mr. Maduro must step down and has strongly suggested that United States military intervention was on the table. He also urged the Venezuelan military to rebel. None of those threats have been effective. Mr. Trump has accused the Russian government of bolstering Mr. Maduro while the United States has been rallying support behind Juan Guaido, the opposition leader. Mr. Weaver was told around 2001 that he was allergic to the wool blanket then used by the prison system, according to the complaint, and he was issued a medical pass to receive a cotton blanket. But eight years later, Mr. Weaver wrote, the prison system replaced its blankets with a fiber blend. He said the new blankets also prompted an allergic reaction but his medical pass was not renewed. The prison systems current blankets are made of 40 percent virgin synthetic polyester staple and 60 percent recycled synthetic natural fiber, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement. He said there was no wool in the blankets. An offender who asks for an alternative due to a potential medical issue is tested for any potential allergies and if warranted offered a medical pass for an alternative blanket, the statement said. When asked whether Mr. Weaver was tested for allergies after the new blankets were introduced, the spokesman said he could not comment on a particular case because of laws governing medical privacy. Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt of United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas has denied Mr. Weavers request for a lawyer in the case, according to court documents. Most of the publicly available documents Mr. Weaver has filed in connection with the suit are handwritten. It was a paroxysm that inscribed new chapters in the annals of genocide and turned a spotlight on the failure of international peacekeepers to come anywhere close to living up to their name. Twenty-five years ago, on April 7, 1994, the dominant Hutus of Rwanda turned with well-planned violence on the Tutsi minority whom they held to be traitors. One hundred days later, when the killing finally stopped, the death toll stood at as many as one million, mostly Tutsis but also including some moderate Hutus who had opposed the bloodletting. [For more stories about the experiences and costs of war, sign up for the weekly At War newsletter.] The scale of the fatalities was shocking, but more was to come as the torrent of killings washed into the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, igniting years of strife in Africas Great Lakes region. And, along this bloodstained way, sexual violence became woven into the horrors of war. Women suffered untold rapes and gang rapes, accelerating the spread of AIDS. The offspring of these assaults were stigmatized as children of the killers. [On May 16, 2020, Felicien Kabuga, one of the most-wanted fugitives of the Rwandan genocide was arrested just outside Paris.] PHOLA, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa assumed power promising a new dawn. But just over a year later, he cant keep the nations lights on. A month before a national election, the worst rolling blackouts in years are regularly plunging South Africans into the dark. With annoying frequency, warnings of load-shedding pop up on cellphones, referring to the power cuts imposed to prevent a collapse of the national electricity grid. Takeout dinners by candlelight are hastily arranged in the cities. Meals are prepared over coal braziers instead of electricity in places like Phola, a township in a region dotted with power plants, about 75 miles east of Johannesburg, South Africas biggest city. You wake up and theres no hot water. You cant bathe, you cant iron, said Victoria Nkosi, 48, a longtime resident of a government-built house in Phola. Why is there load-shedding when were surrounded by power plants? CAIRO Tens of thousands of protesters joined in anti-government marches across Sudan on Saturday in what organizers said was one of the largest turnouts in more than three months of demonstrations calling for embattled President Omar al-Bashir to step down. The demonstrations began in December over price increases and food shortages, and quickly escalated into calls for Mr. al-Bashirs resignation, posing one of the biggest challenges yet to his nearly 30-year rule. The rallies are being led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions. Footage posted online showed thousands of protesters, mostly young people, marching toward the militarys headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, demanding the armys support and chanting: One people, one military, and Freedom. He had never even seen a Tibetan Antelope, as the estate was newly named. Look, I took it very badly, he said. They debaptized it. Its bizarre. Animals, Ive got nothing against them. But, come on, Tibetan Antelope? Where are they coming from with that one? They are coming from a desire to draw an important link to China, which has become the destination for some 20 percent of the wine produced in Bordeaux. As much as 80 percent of the wine produced by the Chinese owners goes straight to China and is never seen in France. This is not about traditional Chinese culture, said a leading French Sinologist, Jean-Philippe Beja of Sciences Po. It is about marketing. But he disputed that the strategy was in fact a good one. This is imitating Made in China, which doesnt even have a good reputation, he said. The interest, for the Chinese, is to have something foreign that belongs to them. Perhaps for that reason the Chinese invasion has been limited to perhaps 3 percent of the roughly 6,000 chateaus in the Bordelais region. The Chinese also have not bought any of the most celebrated wine producers, opting instead for the middling and lesser-ranked. BERLIN The man whom Chancellor Angela Merkel calls dear Barack was back in Berlin on Saturday, his lanky figure and easy smile a reminder for Germans of a different era that ended not so long ago. But former President Barack Obama had not come to speak about the past. He came to speak to the future: some 300 young leaders from across Europe, who had gathered for a town hall-style meeting in the German capital. It did not take long for Mr. Obama to touch on one of his main concerns and the reason he had come to what he called the heart of Europe. Europe, Mr. Obama suggested, is one of the main battlefields between liberal democracy and far-right populism. The voting on Tuesday seems to be all about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keep him or dump him. But our photographer found thats not the half of it. April 6, 2019 JERUSALEM History seemed to be closing in on Benjamin Netanyahu. Even as he neared the mark set by Israels founding leader, David Ben-Gurion, as the longest-serving prime minister, an array of new enemies was rising up around him. He faced an unexpectedly stiff challenge from Benny Gantz, a 6-foot-4 former army chief and career soldier who could credibly offset Mr. Netanyahus marquee credential as Israels Mr. Security. The attorney general wanted to indict him on corruption charges, accusing him of trading lucrative government favors for positive news coverage. A new scandal bubbled up when he revealed that he had secretly approved the sale of advanced submarines to Egypt then lied about it. Even his right-wing base was growing weary of his self-obsession. Yet, if the election on Tuesday was to be a referendum on Mr. Netanyahus record, he was happy to run on it. He has been on a roll, opening ties with Muslim countries in Africa, thawing relations with Sunni Arab leaders, lining up allies in Eastern Europe and forging trade ties in Latin America and Asia. He pocketed President Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and, just two weeks ago, of its sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Nationwide floods in Iran have displaced tens of thousands of people and left dozens dead in the past two weeks. More rain is forecast in the coming days. Heavy rain began in mid-March in the northeastern province of Golestan, which received 70 percent of its average annual rainfall in one day. The flooding has steadily spread across the nation, inundating communities in at least 26 of Irans 31 provinces. Iran is under water, said Sayed Hashem, regional director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The scale of this crisis means that more help is needed. JERUSALEM Struggling to rally right-wing voters before Tuesdays elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that he would start to extend Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank if given a fourth consecutive term. Such a move has been ardently sought by the settler movement but resisted until now by Mr. Netanyahu, and by more moderate Israelis, as a potentially fatal blow to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the eyes of most of the world, it would also be a violation of international law that bars the annexation of land seized in war. But Mr. Netanyahu trailed his main challenger, Benny Gantz, a former army chief of staff, in final polls of the campaign published Friday. And he has been frantically trying to mobilize conservative Israelis to vote for his Likud party rather than for other, more extremist parties whose leaders have joined his government but have often portrayed him as more of a brake on the settler movement than an accelerator. Mr. Netanyahu was pressed in a live television interview Saturday night over why he had not already annexed settlement blocs like Maale Adumim and Gush Etzion, two large Jewish communities built on occupied territory on the outskirts of Jerusalem. He vowed to begin the effective annexation of those and other, more isolated areas under Jewish control. 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. Producer of Aretha Franklins Amazing Grace Doc Claims She Was Never Paid zo Zo is a staff writer at Okayplayer where he covers Karasawa alleges to have managed nearly every aspect of the films restoration, editing, and screening. Yesterday, the once-shelved, now critically-lauded, Amazing Grace documentary officially opened in New York and Los Angeles. WATCH: Aretha Franklins Iconic Voice Takes Over a Church in New Amazing Grace Trailer And while the intimate capture of Aretha Franklins legendary 1972 performance at LAs New Temple Missionary Baptist Church has finally been liberated, one of the films producers is claiming they were never paid for their part in the films revival. Speaking with Variety, producer Chiemi Karasawa alleged: I have not been paid a dime of my Producer Fee or the amounts that I am entitled to contractually. READ: Aretha Franklin Biopic Starring Jennifer Hudson Set for 2020 Release Karasawa has filed an arbitration case against the films co-director, Alan Elliott, who has largely operated as the non-Aretha face of Amazing Grace. The producer claims to have been introduced to Elliott in 2010, agreeing to join the films production the following year. From there, she reclaimed the original 16mm film, hired and supervised editor John Buchannon, and eventually, scheduled screenings for prospective backers. Various members of the editing crew and Final Cut production house have corroborated Karasawas account. You can read the full report here. Watch the trailer for Amazing Grace below. The role of tariffs in US trade policy has gradually receded from the end of World War II through the middle of this decade as presidential administrations largely abandoned protectionist policies. But since the 2016 election, tariffs have made a comeback which could present significant potential risk for businesses, including food and beverage companies. Tariffs Take a Toll In early 2018, President Donald Trump announced a series of US tariffs on foreign-made goods, including a 10% tariff on aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on steel imports. Foreign governments and entities including Canada, the European Union, and China have since announced a number of retaliatory tariffs on various US-made goods, including aluminum, steel, apples, grapes, soybeans, cheese, yogurt, pork, maple syrup, whiskey, and bourbon. Countries impose tariffs which are essentially taxes on foreign-made goods ostensibly to protect domestic producers of specific goods from foreign competition. The Trump administration, for example, has characterized imports from China as a pressing threat to American businesses. President Trump has also made clear his intent to use tariffs and other protectionist policies to reduce the US trade deficit. Some US-based food and beverage manufacturers that rely heavily on domestically grown inputs that are usually exported could benefit from these tariffs. But they could have adverse effects for many domestic producers and others. Almost immediately after the US steel and aluminum tariffs were announced, food and beverage industry companies and trade groups warned that they would contribute to higher operating expenses for companies that use steel and aluminum in their packaging, which could translate into higher costs for consumers. Retaliatory tariffs and other responses by foreign nations, meanwhile, have raised prices for US-made goods and curtailed American companies access to several key foreign markets, which could diminish their revenue and prompt layoffs and other actions. More broadly, the effects of tariffs including a potential slowdown of global trade could lead to significant uncertainty for businesses and reduced consumer confidence. This could ultimately contribute to a decline in spending, especially if businesses pass higher operating expenses on to consumers. There have been some positive developments on the trade front. In July 2018, President Trump and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, agreed to work towards reducing tariffs between the US and EU. More recently, in October, the US, Mexico, and Canada signed a free trade agreement, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Still, the tariffs announced in 2018 remain in effect, and the Trump administration has threatened to tax even more goods from China, the EU, and elsewhere. While many businesses and trade associations, such as the US Chamber of Commerce, continue to lobby for an end to what some have characterized as an escalating trade war, businesses should consider other steps to mitigate the effect of tariffs on their operations. Assess Your Exposure Like any emerging risk, a first step in managing tariffs is to understand potential exposures. Businesses should seek to quantify the risk that tariffs could have on their cost structures and supply chains. Think upstream: Will your second- and thirdtier suppliers those companies that supply your suppliers be affected? Also consider how your exposure compares to that of your primary competitors. And try to quantify your exposure under different scenarios: At what point do the economics break for your organization? Revamp Your Supply Chain After youve assessed your risk, consider transforming your supply chains to limit the effect of tariffs on your business. Look to diversify your supply chain and buy more from companies based in otherwise stable countries that have been exempted from tariffs; in the case of steel and aluminum tariffs, those countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea. Businesses should also examine which suppliers have higher margins and whether higher costs can be passed along to those suppliers rather than customers. Carefully Manage Price Increases In the event that you feel its necessary to pass along prices increases to customers, you should not do so arbitrarily. Instead, you should seek to understand price elasticity, which can help you estimate how a change in price could affect demand. Going one step deeper and determining relative elasticity how pricesensitive individual products are can help you better target price increases to the product lines, regions, and customer segments that are best positioned to absorb them. Make Use of Game Theory Any strategic decisions by your organization should not be made in isolation. Its important to consider how your competitors might respond to tariffs and other trade policies; if some are on better footing, for example, will they consider this an opportunity to gain market share and/or undercut you on pricing? Or will they instead seek to improve their margins? Anticipating how your peers will act, potentially via tabletop exercises, can help inform your own response. Consider Insurance Businesses whose suppliers could be adversely affected by tariffs could recoup some losses via comprehensive credit insurance policies. Such policies are typically triggered by nonpayment by a customer or counterparty, and can include coverage for defaults related to the negative effects of tariffs. The market for trade credit has grown in recent years, and coverage is available at competitive prices for most buyers. With tariffs once again a significant part of the trade policy arsenal for the US and other countries, its incumbent on businesses to develop appropriate response strategies. Taking these and other steps can help you limit the effects of tariffs on your bottom line and potentially gain a key advantage over your competitors. There will be no parking on the Naples Elementary School playground and field a spot that held more than 100 cars in past years. A group of fish fossils from the Tanis surge deposit. Credit: Courtesy of Robert DePalma Fossils discovered from the day the dinosaurs died 66 million years ago, when an asteroid hit the Earth The beginning of the end started with violent shaking that raised giant waves in the waters of an inland sea in what is now North Dakota. Tsunami vs. seiche Iridium Tektites Then, tiny glass beads began to fall like birdshot from the heavens. The rain of glass was so heavy it may have set fire to much of the vegetation on land. In the water, fish struggled to breathe as the beads clogged their gills.The heaving sea turned into a 30-foot wall of water when it reached the mouth of a river, tossing hundreds, if not thousands, of fresh-water fish -- sturgeon and paddlefish -- onto a sand bar and temporarily reversing the flow of the river. Stranded by the receding water, the fish were pelted by glass beads up to 5 millimeters in diameter, some burying themselves inches deep in the mud. The torrent of rocks, like fine sand, and small glass beads continued for another 10 to 20 minutes before a second large wave inundated the shore and covered the fish with gravel, sand and fine sediment, sealing them from the world for 66 million years.This unique, fossilized graveyard -- fish stacked one atop another and mixed in with burned tree trunks, conifer branches, dead mammals, mosasaur bones, insects, the partial carcass of a Triceratops, marine microorganisms called dinoflagellates and snail-like marine cephalopods called ammonites -- was unearthed by paleontologist Robert DePalma over the past six years in the Hell Creek Formation, not far from Bowman, North Dakota. The evidence confirms a suspicion that nagged at DePalma in his first digging season during the summer of 2013 -- that this was a killing field laid down soon after the asteroid impact that eventually led to the extinction of all ground-dwelling dinosaurs. The impact at the end of the Cretaceous Period, the so-called K-T boundary, exterminated 75 percent of life on Earth."This is the first mass death assemblage of large organisms anyone has found associated with the K-T boundary," said DePalma, curator of paleontology at the Palm Beach Museum of Natural History in Florida and a doctoral student at the University of Kansas. "At no other K-T boundary section on Earth can you find such a collection consisting of a large number of species representing different ages of organisms and different stages of life, all of which died at the same time, on the same day."In a paper to appear next week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, he and his American and European colleagues, including two University of California, Berkeley, geologists, describe the site, dubbed Tanis, and the evidence connecting it with the asteroid or comet strike off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago. That impact created a huge crater, called Chicxulub, in the ocean floor and sent vaporized rock and cubic miles of asteroid dust into the atmosphere. The cloud eventually enveloped Earth, setting the stage for Earth's last mass extinction."It's like a museum of the end of the Cretaceous in a layer a meter-and-a-half thick," said Mark Richards, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of earth and planetary science who is now provost and professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington.Richards and Walter Alvarez, a UC Berkeley Professor of the Graduate School who 40 years ago first hypothesized that a comet or asteroid impact caused the mass extinction, were called in by DePalma and Dutch scientist Jan Smit to consult on the rain of glass beads and the tsunami-like waves that buried and preserved the fish. The beads, called tektites, formed in the atmosphere from rock melted by the impact.Richards and Alvarez determined that the fish could not have been stranded and then buried by a typical tsunami, a single wave that would have reached this previously unknown arm of the Western Interior Seaway no less than 10 to 12 hours after the impact 3,000 kilometers away, if it didn't peter out before then. Their reasoning: The tektites would have rained down within 45 minutes to an hour of the impact, unable to create mudholes if the seabed had not already been exposed.Instead, they argue, seismic waves likely arrived within 10 minutes of the impact from what would have been the equivalent of a magnitude 10 or 11 earthquake, creating a seiche (pronounced saysh), a standing wave, in the inland sea that is similar to water sloshing in a bathtub during an earthquake. Though large earthquakes often generate seiches in enclosed bodies of water, they're seldom noticed, Richards said. The 2011 Tohoku quake in Japan, a magnitude 9.0, created six-foot-high seiches 30 minutes later in a Norwegian fjord 8,000 kilometers away."The seismic waves start arising within nine to 10 minutes of the impact, so they had a chance to get the water sloshing before all the spherules (small spheres) had fallen out of the sky," Richards said. "These spherules coming in cratered the surface, making funnels -- you can see the deformed layers in what used to be soft mud -- and then rubble covered the spherules. No one has seen these funnels before."The tektites would have come in on a ballistic trajectory from space, reaching terminal velocities of between 100 and 200 miles per hour, according to Alvarez, who estimated their travel time decades ago."You can imagine standing there being pelted by these glass spherules. They could have killed you," Richards said. Many believe that the rain of debris was so intense that the energy ignited wildfires over the entire American continent, if not around the world."Tsunamis from the Chicxulub impact are certainly well-documented, but no one knew how far something like that would go into an inland sea," DePalma said. "When Mark came aboard, he discovered a remarkable artifact -- that the incoming seismic waves from the impact site would have arrived at just about the same time as the atmospheric travel time of the ejecta. That was our big breakthrough."At least two huge seiches inundated the land, perhaps 20 minutes apart, leaving six feet of deposits covering the fossils. Overlaying this is a layer of clay rich in iridium, a metal rare on Earth, but common in asteroids and comets. This layer is known as the K-T, or K-Pg boundary, marking the end of the Cretaceous Period and the beginning of the Tertiary Period, or Paleogene.In 1979, Alvarez and his father, Nobelist Luis Alvarez of UC Berkeley, were the first to recognize the significance of iridium that is found in 66 million-year-old rock layers around the world. They proposed that a comet or asteroid impact was responsible for both the iridium at the K-T boundary and the mass extinction.The impact would have melted the bedrock under the seafloor and pulverized the asteroid, sending dust and melted rock into the stratosphere, where winds would have carried them around the planet and blotted out the sun for months, if not years. Debris would have rained down from the sky: not only tektites, but also rock debris from the continental crust, including shocked quartz, whose crystal structure was deformed by the impact.The iridium-rich dust from the pulverized meteor would have been the last to fall out of the atmosphere after the impact, capping off the Cretaceous."When we proposed the impact hypothesis to explain the great extinction, it was based just on finding an anomalous concentration of iridium -- the fingerprint of an asteroid or comet," said Alvarez. "Since then, the evidence has gradually built up. But it never crossed my mind that we would find a deathbed like this."Key confirmation of the meteor hypothesis was the discovery of a buried impact crater, Chicxulub, in the Caribbean and off the coast of the Yucatan in Mexico, that was dated to exactly the age of the extinction. Shocked quartz and glass spherules were also found in K-Pg layers worldwide. The new discovery at Tanis is the first time the debris produced in the impact was found along with animals killed in the immediate aftermath of the impact."And now we have this magnificent and completely unexpected site that Robert DePalma is excavating in North Dakota, which is so rich in detailed information about what happened as a result of the impact," Alvarez said. "For me, it is very exciting and gratifying!"Jan Smit, a retired professor of sedimentary geology from Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam in The Netherlands who is considered the world expert on tektites from the impact, joined DePalma to analyze and date the tektites from the Tanis site. Many were found in near perfect condition embedded in amber, which at the time was pliable pine pitch."I went to the site in 2015 and, in front of my eyes, he (DePalma) uncovered a charred log or tree trunk about four meters long which was covered in amber, which acted as sort of an aerogel and caught the tektites when they were coming down," Smit said. "It was a major discovery, because the resin, the amber, covered the tektites completely, and they are the most unaltered tektites I have seen so far, not 1 percent of alteration. We dated them, and they came out to be exactly from the K-T boundary."The tektites in the fishes' gills are also a first."Paddlefish swim through the water with their mouths open, gaping, and in this net, they catch tiny particles, food particles, in their gill rakers, and then they swallow, like a whale shark or a baleen whale," Smit said. "They also caught tektites. That by itself is an amazing fact. That means that the first direct victims of the impact are these accumulations of fishes."Smit also noted that the buried body of a Triceratops and a duck-billed hadrosaur proves beyond a doubt that dinosaurs were still alive at the time of the impact."We have an amazing array of discoveries which will prove in the future to be even more valuable," Smit said. "We have fantastic deposits that need to be studied from all different viewpoints. And I think we can unravel the sequence of incoming ejecta from the Chicxulub impact in great detail, which we would never have been able to do with all the other deposits around the Gulf of Mexico.""So far, we have gone 40 years before something like this turned up that may very well be unique," Smit said. "So, we have to be very careful with that place, how we dig it up and learn from it. This is a great gift at the end of my career. Walter sees it as the same." Hyderabad rape case: The rapist will be caught and killed in encounter, Telangana minister 'Ugadi' celebrated with traditional fervour in Telangana Hyderabad oi-PTI Hyderabad, Apr 06: Ugadi, the Telugu new year was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across Telangana on Saturday. Telugu people wore traditional attire and offered special prayers in the morning. People adorned their homes with mango leaves and flowers and also consumed Ugadi 'Pachadi,' which is made with neem flowers, jaggery, pepper or green chillies, salt, tamarind juice, small pieces of raw mango. It signifies that life is a mixture of different experiences, which should be accepted with equanimity throughout the year. Ugadi was celebrated by the state government and the Congress, TDP and other parties in their offices. In Telangana govt failed to provide jobs State Chief Secretary S K Joshi was the chief guest at the official celebrations organised by the state government. 'Panchanga Sravanam' (recitation of almanac) sessions were held at temples and other places as part of the celebrations. The state's financial position would be sound and the welfare measures would gain momentum during the year, the pandit who read out the almanac at the official celebrations said. Telangana would be able to provide guidance to other states in the implementation of welfare schemes, he added. PTI A deadly cocktail of Islamic, Khalistan terrorist pose huge threat ahead of polls India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 06: The filing of a chargesheet by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)against three from Kashmir in connection with an arms case from Punjab shows that the terror network is very much active in the state. Intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that both the Islamic terrorists and the Khalistan militants would come together to carry out big attacks in India. The Intelligence Bureau has warned that a terror group called the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) and several pro-Khalistan groups have come together to disrupt the elections. AGH is run under the command of its self-styled chief Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa. 3 Kashmiri youth charged in arms case It may be recalled that in the past two years, the Indian Agencies have cracked down heavily on Khalistan terror modules. At least 18 Khalistan terror modules were busted and over 95 persons were arrested. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that more attempts would be made to revive the movement, especially ahead of the elections. Several forces from other countries would use the Khalistan and other terror modules to meddle with the Indian elections. The idea would be to cause an extreme amount of instability ahead of the elections. The Khalistan forces are known to have support in several countries such as Italy, Canada, United Kingdom and even in the United States. However the primary support for the terror modules comes from Pakistan. Officials also say that ahead of the polls, their activities are likely to go up. There would be various narratives that would be put out in public. Attempts to carry out terror strikes would also be made in a bid to create communal trouble and instability. In a bid to gain traction, the Khalistan terrorists have not only used Punjab, but held events in other parts of the world as well. One of the most spoken about events was the one held in London in August last year. There is a similar event proposed in Pakistan this year as well, which is being led by the Sikhs For Justice. The event was held at the Trafalgar Square on August 12 and was organised by the SJF or the Sikhs for Justice. Officials in India tell OneIndia that the the SJF has been acting as a front for terror activities. The SJF is a New York based organisation which is organising the event and several reports in India prepared by the various agencies clearly suggest that it is a pro-Khalistan front. It has been instrumental in undertaking both pro-khalistan and anti-India activities, both in the US and other countries. IB officials say that while the ISI backs this movement heavily, most of the funding has come from countries such as UK, Canada and even Italy. In addition to the Khalistan trouble the NIA had also learnt after the busting of the ISIS inspired module that the ISI and the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh were making efforts to meddle with the elections in India. This combination had tried a similar modus operandi in Bangladesh ahead of the elections, but the same had been foiled. Ample evidence there to suggest Hurriyat-Terrorist link: Supreme Court Similar attempts will be made in India. The intelligence agencies are reporting extensive activity by ISI moles and agents to disrupt the polls and create havoc ahead of the polls. IB officials say that the ISI and the Jamaat would also look to activate modules in West Bengal and the neighbouring areas ahead of the elections. The ISI and Jamaat are clearly unhappy with India backing the Awami League over the BNP. There would be attempts to avenge the support that India is handing out to the ruling party in Bangladesh. A-SAT test was deliberately done at below 300 km: DRDO India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 6: Amid hue and cry over the debris left in space after India A-SAT missile test, the DRDO on Saturday said the test was deliberately done below 300 km to ensure that debris decay is fast. DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy said all necessary permissions were taken before conducting the test after which NASA expressed concern over debris. He said such tests increase India's deterrence. "We do not need any more tests in this orbit now. If a space command needs to be formulated, it is the decision of the government. A-SAT test was deliberately done at below 300 km to ensure debris decay fast. The US has also done such a test," the DRDO chief said. Speaking further on the main objective of the test, Reddy said, "Space has gained importance in the military domain. When a country like India has done an exercise like this and shown capability of interception of a target, you have shown the capability for such operations. Best way of defence is to have deterrence". [After criticising ASAT, NASA chief says cooperation with ISRO remains intact] Dwelling more on deterrence, DRDO chief said India has shown ground-based direct hit deterrence capability, it works for the defence also. NASA has said that India's destruction of one of its satellites was a terrible thing that had created 400 pieces of orbital debris and led to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. [Terrible terrible thing to do: NASA on India's satellite destruction] Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on March 27 that India had 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 anti-satellite missile (ASAT) capabilities. Be present in Lok Sabha, RS says BJP in 3 line whip to its MPs Election expenditure: How much did BJP, Congress, DMK, CPI, TMC, AIADMK receive funds and spent during polls? Both BJP and Congress pin hopes on 120 seats India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, April 06: As the Lok Sabha elections are approaching, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Congress have pinned high hopes on 120 seats. While the BJP has been working to strengthen its base in those 120 seats right after the 2014 elections where it didn't perform well, the Congress has swung into action after the recent success in state assembly elections and identified 120 seats where it would have a direct or tough fight with the BJP. 1n 2017, BJP president Amit Shah had deputed central ministers, national general secretaries and more than 3,000 part-time volunteers in 120 parliamentary constituencies, where the BJP either lost or came second in 2014. Will BJP's traditional trader lobby vote against it? Some of these seats include those, which the party had been winning, but lost in 2014 despite a "Modi wave." Each minister and general secretary had been given the charge of five to six such constituencies. The BJP had also deputed 600 full-timers, who are tasked to focus on all Lok Sabha constituencies till the counting of 2019 elections. While 543 of them have been placed in each Lok Sabha constituency, the remaining has been working as supervisors for a cluster of five Lok Sabha seats each in the weak regions, where the party didn't perform well in 2014. In 2017, Shah had undertaken a 95-day tour of states. During his tour, sources say, Shah had taken special feedback on the 120 Lok Sabha constituencies. Shah's main focus has been on West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana and Kerala. The BJP had managed to win just 4 Lok Sabha seats out of the 102 in these states in the 2014 election. The BJP had started this exercise as it knew that it won't be easy to retain all the seats won in 2019. Sources say that though the Congress had also started analysing its worst-ever drubbing in 2014 elections, the party got a booster after its recent win in the BJP ruled Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The Congress strategists have identified 120 seats in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Maharashtra where it would be coming face to face with the BJP, say sources. Out of these 120 seats, only a few are with the Congress and rest with the BJP. The Congress aims to not only retain its seats but snatch other seats from the BJP. The Congress, sources say, has kept a fact in mind that it has given or will be giving tickets to only those candidates who are capable of giving a tough fight to the BJP on these 120 seats The Congress also realises that if it has to have a say in the grand alliance post elections then it must have a handsome tally. After the release of the manifesto, the Congress leaders are confident that the party's promises will make its election journey smoother. Exclusive: Here is why Deepa Malik joined politics and BJP One of the main promises of the Congress is that 20% of the poorest families in the country would be annually given Rs. 72,000 each under Nyuntam Aay Yojna (NYAY) or Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. Another big promise of the Congress is that it has announced that it would waive the outstanding farm loans, introduce a separate 'Kisan Budget', and re-design the BJP government's Fasal Bima Yojana (Crop Insurance Scheme). Chhattisgarh's Kanker encounter: Martyred BSF jawan was waiting for his son board result India oi-Madhuri Adnal Guwahati, Apr 06: Tanmay Bora, son of BSF Jawan Bipul Bora, who was among the four BSF personnel killed in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarhs Kanker district, said that his father was keenly waiting for his board results. "My father was keenly waiting for my result. I have just given board exams. He used to love my sister more than me. She is eight years old," Tanmay, 15, told ANI here. Bipul Boras nephew Bhargav Jyoti Bora told ANI, "If the government would have killed all the Naxals in the country then my uncle would have been with us today. However, the government is doing a lot from their end." Chhattisgarh: CRPF jawan martyred, another injured in Naxal encounter in Dhamtari On Thursday, the domination patrol of 114 Battalion of BSF deployed in Pakhanjur, Kanker, was targeted by Naxals with IEDs and fire, the BSF said in a statement. four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans have lost their lives in an encounter with Naxals in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. 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. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel paid tributes to the deceased soldiers and affirmed faith in security forces to deal with Maoists. "I bow down to the martyrdom of our soldiers who died in the Naxalite attack in Pakhanjur. I pray for the quick recovery of the injured jawans. No violence in Chhattisgarh will be tolerated. Our jawans are capable of dealing with the Maoists and they will take appropriate action," tweeted Baghel. State vs national issues: Key lessons for the BJP to learn in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana Congress entered unholy alliance with Muslim League, says Yogi in Assam India oi-PTI Hojai (Assam), Apr 06: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday alleged that the Congress has entered into an "unholy alliance" with the Muslim League which was evident from the green flags seen when Rahul Gandhi went to file nomination in a procession from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. Gandhi filed his nomination paper from Wayanad which has a sizable Muslim population, on Thursday. A video of Gandhi's procession while going to file nomination at Wayanad has gone viral. It was recorded from a spot that showed green flags of the Muslim League fluttering over the procession. 'Modi code of conduct?': Congress slams EC's 'love letter' to Yogi for Army remark "Gandhi ran away from Uttar Pradesh and filed his nomination from a seat in Kerala. In his procession there was neither the Indian Tricolour nor the Congress symbol 'hand' but only the Muslim League's green flag with stars and moon," he claimed while addressing an election rally here in Central Assam. "This unholy alliance has exposed the mindset of the Congress. The Muslim League was responsible for the partition of the country and the killing of lakhs of people during that time. Now the Congress has a political alliance with the same party," the UP Chief Minister said. In Assam too, the Congress has entered into an understanding with Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF which is responsible for myriad problems in the state, he alleged. "The Congress has compromised the national security and your security by entering into both these alliances," he told the rally. He asserted that India under Modi has emerged as a global economic power attaining the sixth position from the earlier 11th place under the UPA regime. Adityanath was campaigning for BJP's Nowgong candidate Rupak Sarmah. PTI Didn't decide to leave BJP overnight, party had turned autocratic: Shatrughan Sinha India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 6: Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha, who recently quit BJP after being in the party for decades, sais the decision to part ways with the saffron party was not taken "overnight". Sinha came down heavily on the current leadership of the BJP and said the party had become "a one-man show and two men army". The actor-turned-politician launched a scathing attack on the BJP, saying there was no concept of collective decision in the saffron party and he was disowned by the party because of his association with BJP veteran LK Advani. "I did not take the decision to leave BJP overnight. I've was in the party for 25 years. I saw that this government was a one-man show and two men army, it had turned autocratic," Sinha told ANI. "Many who deserved were never assigned posts (under BJP govt). I had said I'd never leave BJP, if Party wants it can leave me. Party had threatened me many times but it couldn't take an action maybe due to guilt or shame. So I took a decision (to join Congress)," he added. The Congress Saturday fielded Sinha as its Lok Sabha poll candidate from the Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar. 72-year-old Sinha, the incumbent MP from the seat, will face senior BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Earlier, Sinha took to Twitter to say, "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP. I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in." [Both BJP and Congress pin hopes on 120 seats] Sinha said he was hopeful of getting 'opportunities' in the Congress to serve people. "This is a party of great nation builders and luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and many others," he wrote on twitter. He also praised Congress chief Rahul gandhi for his 'dynamic' leadership. "Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, @RahulGandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, April 6, 2019, 18:13 [IST] Disqualify Amit Shah from contesting Lok Sabha polls: Congress to EC India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 06: The Congress on Friday moved the Election Commission (EC) seeking the disqualification of the BJP president from contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Gandhinagar for filing a "false affidavit." According to the complaint, Shah has not disclosed properties that he mortgaged to procure loan for his son's company. Amit Shah has "once again filed a false affidavit with two glaring omissions," the party said in its complaint. "First, with regard to a plot in Gandhinagar and second, with regard to loans taken from a commercial bank by his son for which he is the guarantor," it said. Both BJP and Congress pin hopes on 120 seats Citing reports, the party said that Shah has "undervalued the property which as per the government guidelines is valued at (at least) Rs 66.5 lakh but Mr. Amit Shah has declared its value at Rs 25 lakh", reports IANS. The Congress said that before filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha polls, Shah had already mortgaged two of his properties (in 2016) to Kalupur Commercial Cooperative Bank (one of Gujarat's largest cooperative banks) for his son Jay Shah's business venture Kusum Finserve. UP govt beat those seeking employment with sticks, remember this when BJP seeks votes: Rahul Gandhi With Nishads exit, is it curtains for SP-BSP in Gorakhpur? India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Apr 06: In a dramatic sequence of events, the Nishad Party announced its decision to withdraw support from the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance in Uttar Pradesh and subsequently joined hands with the BJP. The move holds significance as it was the Nishad Party's Pravin Nishad who snatched the prestigious Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat from the BJP's grip in a by-election last year on a SP symbol. With their entry, the BJP's prospects appear to be stronger in at least six Lok Sabha seats of eastern Uttar Pradesh, where the community is numerically significant. Nishads can also affect the poll outcome in Azamgarh, Maharajganj and Varanasi seats. Nishad party allies with BJP in UP after snub to SP-BSP alliance The Nishad community constitutes 17% population in Uttar Pradesh with influence in 152 assembly seats. There are densely populated villages on the banks of river Ganga, Ghaghara, Rapti, Gandak and Yamuna rivers in UP, which are densely populated by Nishads. Despite being in significant numbers, Nishads never got benefits from reservation that communities like Jatavs, Yadavs, Kurmi-Patels got. They are critical in the Gorakhpur constituency, and shift the balance in several seats in Purvanchal. BSP chief Mayawati is now considering fielding senior leaders from different caste groups from the eastern region in a bid to recalibrate its strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. According to reports, the BSP is now likely to field senior leaders such as Satish Chandra Mishra from the Kaiserganj constituency in order to capitalise on Brahmin votes, along with the traditional Dalit votes. Imporance of Nishads in eastern UP Projecting itself as the voice of the riverine OBC castes, the Nishad Party had managed to secure over 5.4 lakh votes in the 72 seats it contested, mostly in east U.P., but failed to win a seat in the 2017 Assembly election. It was the Nishad factor which turned the tables for BJP in Yogiland in the 2018 bypoll. Yogi Adityanath had been a five-time BJP MP (1998 to 2014) from Gorakhpur, which is the seat of one of the most revered peeths - Gorakshnath temple. Significantly, every time Yogi registered his victory with a bigger margin than the previous one. Modi launches BJP's LS campaign; says his govt decisive, hurls 'alcohol' jibe at SP-RLD-BSP alliance In 2018 by-poll, SP fielded Praveen Nishad, son of Dr Sanjay Nishad, chief of NISHAD (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Humara Apna Dal) as the SP candidate whom BSP extended support at the eleventh hour. Nishad emerged victorious, breaking the two-decade dominance of Gorakshnath temple in the area and taking the seat out of the peeth. In SP's victory, the role of Nishad factor came to the fore prominently. Nishads, constitute 3.5 lakh of the total electorate in Gorakhpur. The growing political power of the Nishad will have an impact in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. How crucial are Muslim votes for Saharanpur? India pti-PTI Saharanpur, Apr 6: Rameez rises early. By 7 am, he is near the popular Clock Tower in central Saharanpur, waiting for people to hire his rickshaw. The Tower area is a busy place with a diverse group of visitors, who have just enough time to amuse themselves with a discussion on politics. Kulsoom is a final-year student at a college in the western Uttar Pradesh city. She says the discussion at her home these days is only about politics. And Pankaj owns a grocery store on Abdul Salam Road, the epicentre of the famed handmade wooden craft of Saharanpur. He, too, interacts with people from diverse backgrounds with varied interests at his shop. All three said they are yet unsure who to vote for this election. Or, they want to keep their decision to themselves. An interesting three-way contest is underway in Saharanpur, a city of 17.22 lakh voters, of which 6 lakh are Muslims. Two strong Muslim candidates - Imran Masood (Congress) and Faizul Rehman (BSP) - are into the fray against the sitting BJP lawmaker, Raghav Lakhan Pal. The name Rameez in Urdu means "level-headed". But, standing near the Clock Tower, he said he is in a fix about who to vote for on April 11, when the Lok Sabha election will be held in the constituency. "Imran Masood is a good leader. He should be given a chance. But I know all Harijan votes would go to Faizul Rehman and I really want BJP to lose. So I am unable to make up my mind who to vote for," Rameez said. Saharanpur residents believe the BJP has an edge over its rivals because of a possible split in Muslim votes, a deciding factor in the city. The BJP here has historically benefited from Jat votes, which has remained largely intact behind the party over the years. There are around three lakh SC/ST voters followed by 1.5 lakh Gujjars. Punjabis and Sikhs are around 1.45 lakh. Kulsoom has a different set of demands. She wants a strong leader to lead Saharanpur and a university which would improve her prospects to become a teacher. [Will BJP's traditional trader lobby vote against it?] "I want a strong leader who could stand up for the rights of Muslims. But I am unable to decide who to vote for," she said. "A long, passionate discussion takes place in my home on this every evening." She said the BJP had promised a university in Saharanpur, but it is not yet fulfilled. There are 8 lakh female voters in the district. Pankaj said the division of Muslim votes could favour the BJP. "We know that SC/ST votes would shift to the mahagathbandhan candidate (Rehman) along with a percentage of Muslim votes which would be a loss for the Congress (Masood)," he said. He did not appear very enthused with the work done by the sitting BJP lawmaker, saying the roads are damaged and wracked by potholes. A section of people believe Masood's prospects may improve after Congress General Secretary incharge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad in Meerut last month. But the new outfit has rebuffed the Congress's overtures, saying the party has done "nothing" for Dalits during its 60-year rule. "The Bhim Army is from Saharanpur and it is popular among Dalit youths in western UP," said Samiran, a handicraft trader. "It would be interesting to see the poll results. There is a very good chance of Muslim votes deciding the results," he added. Lakhan Pal said the BJP is fighting the election on the agenda of development and claimed he has support from all sections of society. [Lok Sabha Pollls 2019 LIVE] "We have focussed on development earlier and even now development would be our agenda. My wish is that no one has to migrate to other places for employment. I would start working towards it as soon as I am elected," the BJP candidate said. Masood said the Muslim vote is an ideological vote. If Mayawati Ji is not interested in talking to Congress then she is splitting the secular votes," he said. We should get above politics of hatred and polarisation. My focus is providing employment to the youth, ensuring dues are paid to farmers. In 2014, Masood had made offensive comments against the prime minister and he was asked by the Congress to issue a public clarification. On his comments made then, he says all that is behind him now. Raat gaye, baat gaye. But at a rally in Saharanpur on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the people of the district of Masood's "boti-boti" remark. Beside the caste-religion factor, what effect does the populist schemes political parties have announced to implement if voted to power would have on the electorates? Rameez said he earns Rs 600 per day and is content with it, but doesn't mind if a little more money coming his way. He, however, said he does not believe the parties which have promised to transfer money directly to the bank accounts of the poor. In his early 60s, he said he everytime voted believing these promises, not this time. "It is only during elections that parties remember the poor". Saharanpur's political significance can be gauged from the fact that the Uttar Pradesh BJP started its election campaign this time from the constituency and Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal combine will hold its first joint rally in Deoband on Sunday. The Lok Sabha constituency includes five assembly seats Behat, Saharanpur, Saharanpur Dehat, Rampur Maniharan and Deoband. In 2014, Pal won with a narrow margin of 65,090 votes. Congress leader Masood came second with 4,07, 909 votes. Jagdish Singh Rana contested from BSP and got 2,35,033 votes. PTI J&K: Former Kathua MLA Charanjit Singh joins BJP India pti-PTI Jammu, Apr 6: Days ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former independent MLA Charanjit Singh on Saturday joined the BJP in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. The 68-year-old Singh, who had won the Kathua assembly seat in 2008, joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP National vice-president and in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir, Avinash Rai Khanna and former minister Rajiv Jasrotia. In the 2014 assembly polls, Singh had secured third position, bagging 13,242 votes while Jasrotia and BSP candidate Som Raj Majotra bagged first and second positions by securing 35,670 and 28,864 votes, respectively. "I am joining the BJP along with my supporters to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is taking every one along in the development of the country under the slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," the former bureaucrat turned politician told reporters. Singh said he would continue his work for the betterment of humanity, irrespective of religion, caste and creed. He is the second former lawmaker to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kathua after ex MLA Basholi Jagdish Raj Sapolia quit the Congress and rejoined the saffron party on February 9. [Shopian encounter: Two terrorists killed after fierce gunbattle] Sapolia had parted ways with the BJP ahead of assembly elections in 2014 after being denied a ticket from Basholi constituency which he had won in 2008. Kathua along with five other districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar come under the Udhampur parliamentary constituency which is going to polls in the second phase on April 18. Union minister Jitendra Singh is seeking re-election form the constituency and is locked in a 12-cornered contest with his main opponents including Congress candidate and scion of Dogra dynasty Vikramaditya Singh, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan foundr and former BJP minister Lal Singh and National Panthers Party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh. Welcoming Charanjit Singh in the party fold, Khanna said he was confident of retaining both Udhampur and Jammu parliamentary seats. Jammu is going to polls in the first phase of the five-phased elections in the state on April 11. "The BJP will win both the seats with huge margin on our own strength, on the work done for the last five years and the policies of Modi government. We have worked a lot on the ground level," he said terming as opposition alliance as "fractured". The National Conference has extended support to the Congress in Jammu, while the PDP has not fielded any candidate from the two seats to ensure that the votes do not get divided. "All the three parties are fighting together in Jammu, while they are fighting against each other in Kashmir. They have a fractured coalition and are divided and therefore cannot face us," the BJP leader told reporters. Asked about BJP's criticism of the PDP despite sharing power with it for over three years in the state before pulling out last year, he said, "We entered into the coalition with PDP to improve situation in the state, restore peace and ensure development of all the three regions but when we found that the coalition is not delivering on the ground, we pulled out." "The way the PDP leader (former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti) is speaking after the fall of the government, it is not in the national interest. The voters will teach this party a lesson and along with other Kashmir centric parties will keep them away form power," he said. Asked why the saffron party rakes up the issue of scrapping Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution during elections, Khanna said, "The article 35A is sub-judice and I will not talk on the issue". On allegations that senior party leader L K Advani had been sidelined by Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, he said, "He (Advani) is a respected leader in the party and a guide for all of us. We respect him by heart and he was never ignored in the past nor will be ignored in future. Both Modi and Amit Shah hold him in high esteem." He said some senior leaders because of their age were not given a ticket but that does not mean they are not respected. PTI JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here J&K: Terrorists shoot dead an Army personnel in Sopore India oi-Vikas SV Srinagar, Apr 6: Terrorists on Saturday reportedly shot dead an Indian Army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore. The personnel has been identified as Mohammed Rafi Yatoo and he was shot dead in Warpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district. The gunmen fired upon Yatoo at his home in Warpora at around 5:25 PM, said reports. On April 3, terrorists shot at PDP worker Abdul Majeed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam. On March 30, terrorists shot dead a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla. The incident took place at Main Chowk in Baramulla. The victim was a chemist by profession. [Woman SPO shot dead: PDP, NC condemn killing] On March 27, terrorists shot dead a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian. The incident took place at Kachdoora village in south Kashmir's Shopian district. The victim has been identified as one Tanveer Ahmed Dar, 24-years-old, from Bemnipora. Dar was fired upon by masked gunmen near Masjid Noor at Kachdoora village this afternoon On March 19, a 25-year-old man was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama district of J&K. The terrorists fired upon Mohsin Wani near his residence in Reshipora area of Tral in the south Kashmir. Wani succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, April 6, 2019, 18:48 [IST] Kerala Gov shoots off letter to CM Vijayan: 'You personally assume the position of Chancellor' Kerala BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Wayanad, accuses him of "divisive politics" India pti-PTI Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 6: The BJP in Kerala on Saturday criticised AICC chief Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that the Narendra Modi-led government was neglecting south India. The saffron party said the allegation was part of Gandhi's "divisive politics" and further criticised him for contesting the general elections from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency with the support of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Speaking to newspersons here, BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged the IUML and the Communist party had favoured the partition of the country. When the country gained independence, the Communists had wanted to divide the country into 16 sovereign republics and to carry out a referendum, Pillai alleged. "Gandhi's allegation that the Modi government is neglecting south India is divisive politics. Even the Congress party has not raised such an allegation so far," he said, while speaking at a meet-the-press programme here. The attitude of the Congress to field its party chief from a constituency with the support of the IUML, which had allegedly favoured the partition, was "wrong", Pillai contended. Those who had suffered the ill-effects of partition were viewing this move with "grave concern", he said. On his candidature from Wayanad, Gandhi had said he wanted to "send the message that India is one." [Rahul Gandhi to take on three namesakes in Wayanad polls] "There is a very strong feeling in south India that they are not being carried (along) by the current government. South India feels hostility from Mr Narendra Modi, they feel that they are not being included in the decisions of the country," Rahul Gandhi had said. Pillai alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government in the state was slapping cases against the leaders and cultural activists of his party in connection with the Sabarimala women's entry issue with "political vengeance". "It is illegal and unethical and the misuse of the criminal law," the BJP leader added. PTI Lok Sabha elections 2019: ITBP soldiers cast first vote from Arunachal Pradesh India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 06: The first vote for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 has been cast from service voters on 5 April at Lohitpur, Arunachal Pradesh. DIG Sudhakar Natarajan, head of ATS Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on the eastern tip of the North-East cast the first vote from Animal Training School (ATC) ITBP Lohitpur to many constituencies in India. There are around 30 lakh service voters who will cast their votes through service voter facility including Defence and paramilitary forces. A person who is in the Armed Forces of India, or belongs to the Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, ITBF; GREF in Border Road Organisation; Central Industrial Security Force or is employed under the Indian government in a post outside the country or is a member of the Armed Police Force of a state and serving outside the state can enroll as a service voter. The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases, beginning from April 11. The polls will conclude on May 19 and results will be declared four days later on May 23. Muslim League approaches EC over Yogi Adityanath calling Muslim League a 'virus' India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 06: As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepped up attack against it after Congress president Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Kerala's Wayanad, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday approached the Election Commission to complain against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his comment equating the organisation with a virus. Muslim League leaders Khorram A Omer and Harris Beeran met the Election Commission and handed over a memorandum seeking action against leaders of BJP and its allies for the disparaging remarks against their party after Gandhi filed nominations in Wayanad. In its memorandum, the Muslim League said it is committed to the Constitutional values of secularism and democracy and it never indulged in the communal propaganda or anything detrimental to the integrity of the nation. Lok Sabha elections: Priyanka blessed by woman supporter, high-voltage campaign in Western UP "Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he cannot survive and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Think, if they win what will happen? This virus will spread in the entire nation," Adityanath said on Twitter. The Chief Minister 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. He brought in the 1857 movement for freedom and its hero Mangal Pandey. "In 1857, entire country fought against Britishers with Mangal Pandey, then this Muslim League virus came and spread in such a way that the country was divided," he said. "The same threat is looming over the country again. Green flags are once again furled. Congress is suffering from Muslim league virus, remain alert," the BJP leader said. His remarks had come after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Wayanad, where IUML activists were also present. Countering the attack by Adityanath, IUML MP PK Kunhalikutty on Friday said his party does not take the allegations seriously as Gandhi had already given a befitting reply to Yogi. "Rahul Gandhi said he's seeing India as one, all citizens of India are equal for him. Yogi, on the other hand, is again and again trying to establish the fact that all Indians are not equal for them," said Kunhalikutty. EC replaces Kolkata Police Commissioner, three other top officers in Bengal Kunhalikutty, who represents the Malappuram constituency in Lok Sabha, said the BJP will be unable to stop Gandhi from winning from Wayanad. "Rahul hit Wayanad like a storm yesterday, he's going to win the seat with a majority of over one lakh votes," he said. The former state minister for industries and information technology added that both governments of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the BJP must spend more time on evaluating their performance than focusing on "non-issues". What exactly is home ministry doing: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Nagaland incident Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again MPs were not suspended by RS chairman or PM, but by power that wants to steal farmers income: Rahul Rahul Gandhi to take on three namesakes in Wayanad polls India oi-Deepika S Wayanad, Apr 06: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will not only have to contend with political rivals in the general election from Wayand; but also will have to make sure that voters identify him correctly on the electronic voter machines when they vote on April 23. Hours after the Congress chief filed his nomination papers before the returning officer in Wayanad on Thursday, much to the discomfort of congress workers, three other Sumalathas have surfaced, all of whom are contesting as independents. Rahul Gandhi K E (33) submitted his nomination as an independent candidate. A resident of Erumeli village in Kottayam, Rahul Gandhi K E is a research scholar on folk music. His younger brother's name is Rajiv Gandhi K E. Both BJP and Congress pin hopes on 120 seats There's also a fourth Gandhi in the race K M Sivaprasad Gandhi, a 40-year-old Sanskrit teacher from a Thrissur school. In a similar situation in Karnataka, as many as four Sumalathas are contesting from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, including the multi-lingual film actress, who is standing as an independent candidate against Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil. With namesake candidates often being fielded to hurt the chances of mainstream candidates by confusing voters, the Election Commission has introduced candidates' photographs on EVMs for the first time this election. What exactly is home ministry doing: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Nagaland incident Farmers should be given rights, compensation, jobs: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again MPs were not suspended by RS chairman or PM, but by power that wants to steal farmers income: Rahul Parliament roundup: Key bills passed in RS, Oppn not allowed to raise issues, says Rahul Rahul Gandhi's special message to 1st tribal woman from Kerala to crack UPSC exam India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kozhikode, Ap 06: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (April 06) congratulated Sreedhanya Suresh for becoming the first tribal woman from Kerala to clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam. Rahul Gandhi, who earlier this week filed his nominations from Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency in Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, took to Twitter to congratulate Sreedhanya Suresh. ''Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanya's hard work and dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great success in her chosen career," Rahul Gandhi said. Ms Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanyas hard work & dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great successs in her chosen career. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 6, 2019 Sreedhanya Suresh, the 25-year-old tribal girl from Pozhuthana panchayat, hailing from Wayanad district, bagged the 410th rank in the Civil Services Examination, 2018. Rahul Gandhi to take on three namesakes in Wayanad polls Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also congratulated Sreedhanya Suresh on clearing the coveted exam. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had on Friday (April 05) declared the final result for civil services examination 2018 on its official website upsc.gov.in. Sreedhanya, who belongs to Kurichiya community, is quite excited about her accomplishment. "I'm extremely glad that I've been able to crack the civil service exam. My family members are equally excited," she said. Sreedhanya completed her degree from St Joseph's College Devagiri in Kozhikode and post graduation from the Calicut University campus. She cracked the civil service exam on her third attempt. Other Keralites who got the top ranks in the exam are R Sreelekshmi (rank 29), Ranjana Mary Varghese (rank 49) and Arjun Mohan (rank 66). A total of 29 Keralites have cleared the exam. Out of the 759 ranks declared today, 577 ranks were bagged by males and 182 by females. Businessman in Kolkata shot at after his car was stopped by 18 men Saradha chit fund scam: CBI seeks custodial interrogation of former Kolkata top cop India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 06: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved fresh plea in Supreme Court seeking permission to arrest, and for custodial interrogation of ex-Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The probing agency wants top court to withdraw its February 5 order granting protection to Rajeev Kumar from arrest. CBI said that Rajeev Kumar was evasive and concealed information and that he could have destroyed evidence. Kumar was heading a special investigation team that was looking into the chit fund scam. The CBI told the court a number of evidence linked to the case has gone missing. On February 3, a team of CBI officers was stopped from entering Mr Kumar's home in Kolkata when they had gone to question him in connection with the chit fund scam cases. The move had prompted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to start a sit-in-protest in the heart of the city against what she called was an "the attack on constitutional norms". Appeasement vs national security: Forests of South India are breeding grounds for terrorists, naxalites Cleaning up the inside rot: The importance of gunning down Kashmirs white collared terrorists Shopian encounter: Two terrorists killed after fierce gunbattle India oi-Vikas SV Srinagar, Apr 6: Two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's of Shopian district on Saturday. The gunbattle had broken out in Imam Sahib area of Shopian district sometime back, said reports. The area has been cordoned off and search operations are underway to find out if there are any other terrorists in the area. On April 4, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested in J&K's Baramulla district. J&K: Terrorist killed in Shopian encounter, gunbattle underway On April 1, three security personnel were injured and four terrorists were killed in gun battle in J&K's Pulwama district. The security personnel have increased the anti-terror operations in the Valley following the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama. Forty personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in the attack. YSRCP releases poll manifesto, includes 20 lakh houses for the poor India oi-Deepika S Hyderabad, Apr 06: With less than a week to the first phase of voting for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday released its manifesto for 2019 polls. On the occasion of Ugadi, Reddy promised 20 lakh houses for the poor in the next five years. Reddy also took a dig at the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government and said that its manifesto is just a document to fool people. Rythu Bharosa for farmers promises investment support of Rs. 12,500 a year, free crop insurance, interest-free loans, setting up warehouse, cold storages and food-processing plants. Rs. 15,000 a year under the Amma Vodi scheme for women for their children's education; Rs. 50,000 a year for Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) under YSR Aasara, and interest payment for self-help groups, and Rs. 75,000 for Backward Classes, Schedules Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minority women over 45 years under YSR Cheyutha. It also promises universal healthcare coverage for lower and middle class under Arogyasri, a programme introduced by Reddy's father YS Rajasekhar Reddy. Anyone with an annual income of up to Rs. 5 Lakh can avail a universal health card and benefits for free. Be present in Lok Sabha, RS says BJP in 3 line whip to its MPs 'BJP's attempt to win polls through war hysteria backfired': Imran Khan International oi-Deepika S Islamabad, Apr 06: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet has backfired. Taking to Twitter, Khan said, "BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet." The truth always prevails and is always the best policy. BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet. Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2019 Earlier a leading American magazine reported that US count of the F-16s with Pakistan has found that none of them is missing, contradicting India's claim that one of its fighter jets shot down a Pakistani F-16 during an aerial dogfight on February 27. "A US count of Pakistan's F-16 fleet has found that all the jets are present and accounted for, a direct contradiction to India's claim that it shot down one of the fighter jets during a February clash," Lara Seligman of the magazine reported on Thursday. The count of the F-16 fighter planes in Pakistan has been completed, and "all aircraft were present and accounted for," an unnamed defence official was quoted as saying by the magazine. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the suicide bomber of JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. India launched a counter-terror operation against a JeM training camp in Balakot. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured its pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, April 6, 2019, 14:27 [IST] Latest Pineapple Coconut Water Market Report by Growth, Size, Share and Forecast Till 2026 - Key Players Naked Juice, Vita Coco, Evolution Fresh, Coco Libre, Etc. Pineapple Coconut Water Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/94781 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/94781 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/94781 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/94781 www.upmarketresearch.com Up Market Research published a detailed report on Pineapple Coconut Water Market. 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We leave no stone unturned while following smart study of the public demands, capabilities and the continuous growth of the working industry, interactive environment between the client-server, dynamic reporting, and high data protection services.4ARC Insights, Inc.Email-sales@4arcresearch.com Police have found a corpse in the southern Oregon home of missing Mouseketeer Dennis Day. On Thursday, Phoenix, Oregon, police asked Medford death investigators to examine a body found at 510 Pine St., a home belonging to Dennis Day, one of the original members of TVs The Mickey Mouse Club. Day was first reported missing last summer. Authorities have yet to publicly identify the remains or release more details about the circumstances under which they were found. Day, 76, appeared on The Mickey Mouse Club during the shows original 1950s run. He was first reported missing July 15 by his husband, who suffers from memory loss and was in the hospital at the time. According to missing persons reports, Day uncharacteristically left his dog with a friend on the day he disappeared. His car was found at the Oregon coast July 26. But the investigation didnt pick up steam until December, when Days family was told of a local news report about the missing persons case. In February, Dateline spoke with Days family members -- including his sister and original performing partner Nelda Adkins -- who voiced their displeasure with what they called a poorly handled investigation. We are devastated," Days niece Denise told the NBC news program. We had no idea anything was happening, and six months into it, we figured it out. We should have been notified. Friends and relatives helped set up the Help Us Find Dennis Day Facebook page. On Friday, reporters from the Medford Mail Tribune spotted an Oregon State Police Forensics truck outside Days home. According to a post from niece Denise Norris, the activity around the home followed a police search Thursday. Born in 1942, Day began his performing career at age 6, after moving to California. By 10, he was among the first group of children hired for the Disney show. Day and his longtime partner, Ernie Caswell, moved to Oregon in the 1980s. They were married in Ashland in 2009. -- Michael Russell A Multnomah County judge said Friday that in two weeks he will lift a protective order that has kept many details secret in the case against Nancy Crampton Brophy, the romance writer accused of murdering her husband at the Oregon Culinary Institute 10 months ago. Circuit Judge Kenneth Walker denied the highly unusual request by Crampton Brophys attorney to keep the details sealed from public view. Defense attorney Kathleen Dunn had argued that news reporters will write about the information if its released and prospective jurors will be awash in a massive amount of publicity that will jeopardize Crampton Brophys ability to get a fair trial. Crampton Brophys case, however, already has drawn national and international attention after The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that she wrote an essay titled How To Murder Your Husband. The essay was published online about 6 years before police found her husband, Daniel Brophy, dead on June 2. Prosecutors say Crampton Brophy fatally shot her husband of 27 years. Crampton Brophy, 68, also wrote the novels The Wrong Husband and Hell on the Heart. Nancy Crampton Brophy was booked into Multnomah County's jail system in September 2018. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office) Her 63-year-old husband was a beloved instructor at the cooking school in Southwest Portland. The judge originally sealed evidence in the case because prosecutors said early on that its release might jeopardize their investigation. But they have since said the seal is no longer necessary. Prosecutor Shawn Overstreet told the judge on Friday that Crampton Brophy can receive a fair trial despite publicity, just as many other defendants have received fair trials despite news reports about their cases. Theres just simply no legal basis for this, what the defense is asking you to do, Overstreet said. ...They have simply said, This evidence that were afraid is going to come out is damning. Its prejudicial to my client. And therefore we dont want the potential juror to see it.'" Walker agreed that he didnt have legal grounds to keep the seal in place. He said hell lift it April 19, the day Crampton Brophy is scheduled to appear in court to ask the judge to set a bail amount to allow her release from jail. Shes been held in jail with no bail since September. Among the information scheduled for release: a probable cause affidavit that outlines the prosecutions case against Crampton Brophy and a list of physical evidence collected by police who executed search warrants in the case. Although police reports wont be publicly available, Crampton Brophys stepson and his civil attorney will get copies of those reports once the seal is lifted. That information likely will bolster a $1.7 million wrongful death lawsuit that Nathaniel Stillwater filed in February against Crampton Brophy. Its unclear at this point whether Crampton Brophy will cancel her bail hearing. Her attorney hinted of the possibility. Crampton Brophy didnt appear in court Friday. Dunn said Crampton Brophy had a strong preference not to be present. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. The owners of dozens of sheep killed this week at a Eugene-area farm are still looking for the dogs responsible. According to Leslie Anthone, Oregon State Police and local animal control continue to investigate the attack, which left 44 sheep dead at a farm northwest of Eugene. Anthones fiance, Hoot Paulson, woke up to a field full of dead sheep Tuesday morning while Anthone was picking up her best friend from the airport. There were a dozen of them that were too mangled to continue living, Anthone said. He had to go home, get a trailer and a gun, then we went around the pasture together with my poor best friend, who had just got here on vacation, and euthanize the ones that we couldnt keep or save. Paulson and Anthone originally purchased 30 pregnant ewes in January for around $10,000. Between their sweat equity in birthing those lambs in February and the future earning power of the flock, Anthone figures the couple is out nearly $50,000. And it comes just a few months before their wedding, currently planned for June. We put in 75 days and over 1,000 hours, and both of us work, Anthone said. Were rolling in pennies here. Anthone has set up a GoFundMe account to help recoup some of the loss. On Thursday, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said dog tracks were found in the pasture where the sheep were killed, suggesting more than one dog might have been involved. Though mass killings by domestic dogs are uncommon, Lane County officials hear of smaller-scale attacks once or twice annually. Im sure the dogs that did it are as nice as pie to human beings, Anthone said. But thats what happens when theyre left to roam the countryside at night. -- Michael Russell The man who took Neil Goldschmidts portrait from Portland City Hall late last week burned the picture during a bonfire Friday evening, then livestreamed his arrest by city police the following morning. Jeff Thomas Black was booked into the Multnomah County Jail and charged with misdemeanor theft, criminal mischief and tampering with physical evidence. Video posted to Facebook on Saturday by Black shows him greeting three officers at his home in North Portland. The broadcast begins at around 8:45 a.m., nearly two hours before Black said he agreed to meet with police. Black spends the first two-thirds of the video, which clocks in at 6:30, getting dressed and making his way to the door. When an officer named Jacobsen asks Black why he took Goldschmidts portrait from City Hall, Black says he did it as an act of civil disobedience." The former Oregon governor confessed to having sex with a 13-year-old girl during his first term as Portland mayor. Goldschmidts misconduct was uncovered in 2004, well after the statute of limitations on the case was lifted. Portland Police here. We were supposed to meet at 10:30am Posted by Jeff Thomas Black on Saturday, April 6, 2019 In the video, Black tells officers that Goldschmidts portrait had already been taken down from the Oregon Capitol building. Throughout the conversation, Black says he was prepared for the consequences of taking the portrait and burning it. Im happy to pay for Neil Goldschmidts crimes, he tells police. The portrait had to be destroyed because of Goldschmidts conduct, Black says. Thats when Jacobsen tells Black hes under arrest. Black asks if he can go inside his house to grab a jacket and shoes. Jacobsen says another officer can get them for Black. After a bit more negotiating, Black resigns to his arrest sans shoes and jacket. Go ahead, arrest me. Whatever, Black says as officers handcuffed him. The previous night, Black posted video of him burning the Goldschmidt portrait during a bonfire. He invited Donna Hayes, grandmother of Quanice Hayes, who was shot and killed by Portland police in February of 2017. #GoldschmidtDown KOIN 6 news Cole Miller KOIN 6 News joined us. See the comments section below or on my timeline for a link to the full story from the 11:00 PM News. Posted by Jeff Thomas Black on Friday, April 5, 2019 Black told KOIN hed reported himself to police. Black also told the station he took the portrait to shed light on the plight of survivors of sexual assault. Its going to rain Saturday morning. Its going to rain Saturday night. Its going to rain Sunday and probably Monday, too. So goes the forecast for the Portland area, where the National Weather Service says we may see nearly 3 inches of precipitation through the weekend. Theres also a chance of minor flooding up and down the Willamette Valley, the agency said, with the Clackamas River being of greatest concern in the metro area. Further south, the Siuslaw and Mohawk rivers in Lane County and the Marys River in Benton County could be at risk of minor flooding. Saturday should see a high temperature of 58 degrees with lows in the mid-40s in the Portland area. Expect rain throughout the day, the weather service says, with a little more than an inch of new precipitation falling around Portland. Chance of precipitation: 100%. Sunday looks much the same, which will see a high of 59 and lows in the upper 40s. The weather service says we may see up to 1.5 inches of rain. Chance of precipitation: Also 100%. And on Monday, the highs may break into the lower 60s with lows in the mid-40s. Chance of precipitation: 50%. (And the 100% streak is broken. Still, probably not optimal viewing conditions for the cherry blossoms on the waterfront.) South Africa: Task team to address attacks on foreigners A task team has been setup by government and members of the Diplomatic Corps to look into the sprouting of acts of violence against foreign nationals. The development was announced by International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on Friday at the conclusion of a meeting with ambassadors from African countries in South Africa. The meeting was also attended by Police Minister Bheki Cele and Home Affairs Minister Siyabonga Cwele. The meeting was a follow up to the first meeting that took place on Monday, where the Ministers together with the members of the Diplomatic Corps committed to working together to find a lasting solution to issues relating to incidents of attacks between South Africans and foreign nationals. On Friday afternoon, Sisulu said the task team would comprise of officials from the DIRCO, Home Affairs, the police and representatives of the diplomatic community. They would put together a consolidated report on the issues raised during the meeting. The emphasis right now is on the sporadic attacks their extent, source and how much it costs the taxpayer. In our next session we are hoping to deal with the socio-economic problems that give rise to some of the sporadic attacks, she said. The Minister emphasised governments position that foreign nationals who entered the country legally were welcome and that they will be secured. We are grateful for the kind of interaction we had with the diplomatic corps We wanted to engage with them on how we would work together to deal with the sporadic attacks on foreign nationals and to find a common way in which we can deal both educating foreign nationals around issues our people might feel sensitive about. We had brought information at our disposal to assist diplomatic services to understand the problems we are dealing with and how were addressing them, she said. Should there be a need for any ambassador to meet with any of the ministers, Sisulu said, this would be made possible to deal with the core problems being experienced. Cele said the meeting had brought a better understanding of issues experienced by South African authorities. We accept that we do have challenges [and] that we together need to work to find solutions, including the agreement that bi-laterals would be arranged. Several countries are already are calling for them, he said. He was happy to say there will be a better understanding and better communication going forward to make sure that issues are handled better. The debate around criminality/xenophobia will continue because we are beginning to understand that these sporadic attacks are usually a reaction to some kind of activity on the ground that was explained, he said. DRC Ambassador and Dean of Diplomatic Corps, Bene Mpoko, said the ambassadors appreciated the frankness of the meeting, saying it was important for the diplomatic community to get facts so that matters of concern are attended to and resolved. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Prof. Spriggs with staff of the Vanuatu National Library and Archives inspecting the books. Guards often use silks beyond flags to create unique visual effects although these alternative types of equipment can be tricky to handle. While designing their 2019 show, A View from Above, the staff members of Anesidora Winter Guards newly formed Independent Regional A (IRA) group from Arvada, Colorado, wanted to take the audience on a skydiving trip over part of their home state. We decided to use a parachute to represent the landing from our skydiving adventure, says Scot McGiveron, Anesidoras co-founder and IRA director. When explaining color guard, most people generally mention the flag first. As the activity has evolved, designers have found other ways to use fabric to bring color and texture to the marching field and the winter guard floor. Its all about the impression youre trying to make, says Andy Pickett, a general effect and design analysis adjudicator. Different types of equipmenteven different types of silks, or silks used in different wayscan have a big impact on the mood or texture of a performance. Visual Variety The choice to use something besides a standard flag sometimes comes from a desire to create a specific visualas with Anesidoras parachute. We wanted the parachute to open, McGiveron says. Then the members are able to come out from underneath, revealing the ending flag. Flyovers such as this example are often used to conceal large groups or even an entire ensemble. For the Otsego (Michigan) High School Marching Bands The Magic Show in 2014, the guard used streamerslong, narrow strips of fabric attached to smaller poles with a swivel on the end. We used them for the part of the show that used music from the Harry Potter movies, says Issa Lewis, the groups color guard caption head. We choreographed movements that we thought might look like using a magic wand. Both Lewis and McGiveron have also used chain flagsa flag silk with chain instead of a pole running through the sleeve. One of the unique characteristics of chain flags is the ability to conceal them in props. Guard performers in the Monarch High School Marching Band in Louisville, Colorado, where McGiveron also teaches, pulled theirs out of pillows in their 2018 Enchanted Tapestries show for a surprise reveal. In their 2017 show, March Off the Earth, Lewis students concealed their chain flags in boxes, which they danced with around the field, before pulling them out for a sudden pop of color. [They] carry much the same visual weight as a regular flag, so that made a nice impact moment when they are revealed, Lewis says. Words of Caution Using different equipment and props can provide quite a challenge to designers and instructors. Failure to fully understand the material being usedas well as failure to pass on that understanding to performerscan cause the desired impact to fall flat. Its possible to get out of sync where musically, or through drill and form, you are trying to convey one idea, but the visual choice isnt supporting it, Pickett cautions. Because of their size, flyovers can cause problems by being too visible. Pickett has seen this issue while adjudicating. [Flyovers] can help build up to that high point, but you also have to remember that a giant piece of cloth is going to make a big visual statement far before you even get to that musical hit, so you better make sure the soundtrack is supporting that, he says. Lewis ran into the exact opposite problem when Otsego got its streamers on the field. They didnt end up being as visually impactful as I had hoped, and they were really hard to clean and create a uniform look, she explains. I think we were moderately effective in overcoming [challenges], but if we had to do it over again, we might not have used the streamers and done strictly movement as we could have done more dynamic choreography. Lewis also notes that her fabric choicelightweight gold lamecaused an issue. We did gold because it fit our color theme for the show, but it didnt show up well [against the turf], she says. A less shiny material would probably work best. With both the streamers and chain flags, Lewis encountered difficulties in regard to choreography as well. Choreography with both is somewhat limited, she says. Its hard not to feel repetitive, and tossing isnt really an option, so you have to find other ways to reflect the musicality of the phrase. Music tempo and therefore movement speed can be a challenge with streamers and chain flags. Because of the velocity needed, its hard to do long, slow movements, Lewis notes. While you think theyd be good for ballads, theyre actually harder to use at slow tempos. Thankfully, both times our tempos were moderate to slightly up-tempo, so it wasnt too much of an issue for us. McGiverons students struggled with their chain flags in a different way. The most difficult aspect of this silk effect was pulling the silk out of the pillow, he says. The band boosters had also sewn pockets in one corner of the pillow, so the silk would come out easier. Trial, Error, and Training Working with different equipment can require trial, error, and learning from mistakes. [Anesidora] went through several attempts figuring out how to have the parachute open and be the most effective, McGiveron says. We had the members try all sorts of different methods of speed and hand positioning to create different effects. Repetition was also key to Monarch High Schools use of chain flags. Because of the difficulty with the silk reveals, this was one of those sections that was rehearsed over and over and over, McGiveron says. Lewis took the lessons she learned working with streamers and applied them to teaching her students to use the chain flags. I had a better trained group, and I was able to clean the flags and the body underneath, she says. Even though she could apply past experiences to teaching chain flags, some of her students didnt apply those lessons right away. We learned the hard way that not observing the fact that chain flags need constant motion led to people getting their heads bonked by the weight at the end! she says. As with regular equipment, training is the key to getting the biggest impact out of unique props. Its not really that different, Lewis says. You still have to talk about checkpoints, the relationship of the equipment to your body, and so forth. Tips and Tricks While training her students, Lewis realized something that may seem surprising. Perhaps more like weapons than standard flags, we had to talk a lot more about wrist strength, flexibility, and affectation or avoiding it, she says. The tendency is for the performer to use the elbow rather than the wrist, but that creates obvious differences in how the equipment moves. For designers and instructors looking to use streamers, Lewis has some words of warning. Honestly, I wouldnt recommend streamers, she says. But if groups definitely want streamers, consider color carefully. Unless you are able to do it as a large ensemble, then pick a color that is going to show up well against turf and grass, Lewis adds. Pickett says that streamers have their place in performance. Streamers have come in and out of favor, but you can add more texture to a moment than even perhaps a sabrea typical go-to for more delicate workcan, Pickett says. This option does have the added benefit of not having to purchase or train students on sabre as well. When it comes to chain flags, choosing a silk is similar to choosing one for a flag, but there are some tricks to working with them. They are limiting in terms of choreography, Lewis cautions. I would save them for shorter impact points when you need a quick reveal. For performers, Lewis offers some tips for success as well. Think less about the equipment and more about the body under it, she advises. These types of equipment are more like extensions of the body than additions, so think of them that way. In general, Pickett advises designers to carefully consider the equipment choices they make. I would say that we all know that costuming, equipment choices, and even the dots have a huge impact on the visual effect package, but I think that equipment choice is a bigger factor than many realize, he says. Andrews Hooper Pavlik PLC (AHP) has promoted Barry J. Scalcucci, CPA, to manager of its Midland office. Scalcucci, a resident of Midland, joined AHP in 2015 as a staff accountant. He was then promoted to senior accountant in 2017 before earning his current position as manager. Scalcucci earned both a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Michigan University. He specializes in tax returns, and audits for a variety of industries, including not-for-profit, construction, individual, and closely held business. He is a current member of AICPA, MICPA, MYPros, and is also a part of the finance committee for Shelterhouse. AHP is a Michigan-based certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, Bay City, Grand Rapids, Greater Lansing, Midland, Owosso and Saginaw. It provides accounting, audit, tax, employee benefit plan administration, retirement planning, and business and IT consulting for individual and business clients. For more information, visit www.ahpplc.com. The term Mid-Century Modern has different meanings in different segments of design during a period 20 years on either side of the year 1950. Industrial designers shaped the current technology into everyday products: automobiles, trains, airplanes, household appliances and furniture. The art world was rapidly being changed by artists who wished to express themselves in new ways in the world around them. Prior to the 40-year period, architecture was also moving in directions that had its seeds around 1900 with the Arts and Crafts movement toward simpler forms and structure. This was followed by some American and European architects breaking away from the eclectic designs of previous eras. In America, Frank Lloyd Wright's distinguished designs of incorporating organic forms in buildings, furniture and decoration contrasted with the European architects' simplification of buildings to essential forms. Both design trends were limited in acceptance by the public for homes, but the commercial world pushed forward using modern design for construction. The education of architects by universities changed from the eclectic Beaux Arts of the19th century to the advancements of construction technology into the new design forms. The movement of architectural change in the first half of the mid-century was disrupted by the Great Depression and World War II. Following the war, the demand for space in housing, education, health care, commerce and ecclesiastical buildings produced a 20-year era of unprecedented construction. Societal changes occurred in household living. The need for more housing created the suburbs. The automobile provided easy access and, with the larger building plots, the two-story city house gave way to the one-story, "mid-century modern" house. The low sloped or flat roof over an open living plan became a standard form for a family home and, in the east and mid-west, a central fireplace chimney defined the living area. The exterior design of mid-century houses was varied by locale, weather, environment and building materials. Mid-century houses were devised by architects, builders and designers reflecting the philosophy of the era. Architects designed homes for specific clients that combined the owners' living requirements and the architect's aesthetic training. The majority of the homes in the mid-century period were constructed by builders with basic plans created by a designer. In the next 20 years, the mid-century home slowly declined because an affluent society desired larger homes with an upper story and changing roof forms. Today, the modern home, designed by an architect, still reflects the tenets of the mid-century modern ideals. Mid-Century Modern architectural design came to Midland through its native son, Alden B. Dow, FAIA. With his iconic 1934 Home and Studio, he established a design legacy that was followed by architects attracted to the area by his work. Midland has one of the largest collections of mid-century, architecturally designed structures in the country. That influence is seen in many of Midland's "American Ranch" homes and other structures throughout the community. Part two of this series, which will be published in the Daily News' April 13-14 edition, will dive into the unique and unprecedented quality and concentration of Mid-Century Modern structures in Midland. Les Tincknell, FAIA, graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor of architecture. He moved to Saginaw and joined the firm of Frederick E. Wigen, Architect in 1958 and served the firm as director of design, 1959 to1993, and as president from 1976 to 1993. Today the firm is known as Wigen Tincknell and Associates. Over his 56 years with the firm, Tincknell worked on educational, religious, medical, governmental, housing and historic preservation projects. The firm's building designs have received design awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), AIA Michigan, AIA Saginaw and other allied organizations. Tincknell started his AIA career in 1960 on the AIA Saginaw Board of Directors and continued to serve throughout the years as AIA Michigan board member, 1969-1976, and as president in 1974. He has served on many AIA Michigan committees, and directed AIA Michigan's involvement in the Construction Expo from 1993 to 1995 and is a trustee of the Michigan Architectural Foundation. He also serves on the Selection Review Committee for Mid-Century Modern Midland. The Gospel Choir of Olivet College will be in concert on Palm Sunday, April 14, at United Church of Christ, 4100 Chestnut Hill Drive, Midland, next door to Chestnut Hill Elementary School. The choir is a group of 20 students who volunteer because they love to sing gospel music and they will fill the sanctuary with joyful music. Midland Area Interfaith Friends will be packaging meals for the Kids Coalition Against Hunger from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Islamic Center in Midland. The group will be filling 2,150 bags, one-third of which will be used to alleviate hunger overseas, one-third to feed those in need in the United States, and one-third to supply local food pantries. Volunteers from Midland Area Interfaith Friends will work in assembly lines, filling food bags with grains, dehydrated broth, and a vitamin-enriched powder. Each bag, when hydrated, will feed six, providing food for 12,900 people. MSU Extension of Midland County and cooperating parent educators sponsor the Parent's Corner. Send submissions to Midland County MSU Extension Educator, Lisa Treiber, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland, MI 48640. Trinity Lutheran Preschool Trinity Lutheran Preschool has openings for 2-5 year olds starting this fall. Classes offer a warm environment focusing on kindergarten development, self-exploration, and STEM technology. Trinity Lutheran Preschool offers affordable tuition, scholarships, and a longer calendar year for families' convenience. Children can also join the lunchtime learners program. Looking for a Young 5's program? Call for special information on how to join. Visit www.tlcmidland.org or call 989-631-0692 for more information and a tour of the facility. Wee Stroll Chippewa Nature Center hosts a program, designed for parents to take a guided walk with their child, to learn about the outdoors and learn ways to introduce their children to the natural world around them. Join in the fun on April 12, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. This walk takes place the second Friday of each month April - November. CNC is located at 400 S. Badour Road, Midland. Families in Nature This monthly program at Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, is designed to engage families to explore the outdoor wonders of Michigan's seasons. On April 13, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., participants will explore spring woodland pools using dippers and nets, looking for frogs, salamanders, fairy shrimp and other aquatic invertebrates that call the vernal pools home. Great Lakes Bay Region Families Against Narcotics The monthly FAN Forums meets the second Thursday of each month with goals to reduce stigma and educate our community about substance use disorder and provide a place of support that welcomes everyone. On April 11 at 7 p.m., the FAN Forum topic is Mindfulness and Self Care - How to Better Listen to Our Bodies and Minds, presented by Sean Knurek, MPH, MA, social emotional and extension health research educator from Michigan State University Extension. Knurek will talk about the many cues our bodies give us when stress is controlling our lives. Far too often, we ignore those signs until after the fact, which allows stress to negatively affect our lives, our relationships, and our health. This presentation will introduce the concepts of conscious observation which can help us to recognize stress sooner so we can take steps to limit its control over our daily lives. The FAN Forum meets on the main campus of Delta College in Room N 007. Park and enter in the K-wing, walk down the stairs at the end of the hall and into Red Brixx Cafeteria. The room will be to the right. While school officials say they can't prepare for every dangerous scenario, a recent Michigan State Police administered grant of $88,638 will help Beaverton Rural Schools take more preemptive actions. Beaverton School Board President Adam Zdrojewski said they applied for the grant and hope to use the funds to add to the safety measures in the junior high/high school and elementary school buildings. Zdrojewski credited the district's facilities and transportation director Marietta Andrist for putting the information together to apply for the grant. The grant is part of more than $25 million for security, safety systems and improvement through the MSP-administered 2019 Competitive School Safety Grant Program. Beaverton Schools Superintendent Susan Wooden said school safety and protection falls directly on the shoulders of the school district in collaboration with the Beaverton Police Department, Gladwin County Sheriff's Department, and Michigan State Police. Zdrojewski said the district will use funds to add new door-locking mechanisms and work on adding thicker windows in the elementary. "My assumption is that the work will be done in the summer, but maybe some can be done before that," he said. The board president is happy with the safety the district has added and looks forward to enhancing it further. In addition to adding a school resource officer this past year, school officials have also implemented additional cameras on busses and the school campus. Wooden said they also added lighting on the campus; keyless entry into the buildings; and fencing around the playground. Jason Wentworth of Michigan's 97th House District gave the Beaverton district kudos, saying that all schools could take a page out of Beaverton Rural School's emergency operation. When asked if the campus is safe, Zdrojewski said he believes it is. "I think we've got things pretty tightened down," he said. "There is good awareness from staff and students." Zdrojewski said the grant, which doesn't pay for the school resource officer, will help further safety in the district. He added that the students follow a "See something, say something" practice. "You are never going to be 100 percent prepared for everything that could come at you," Zdrojewski said. Students go though several impromptu scenarios, not knowing if hey are staged or not. Zdrojewski said he wants students and staff to be prepared if a tragedy should occur. However, the district doesn't want to over-fortify. "We don't want them to have a jail mentality," Zdrojewski said. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka. Thursday, April 4 9:31 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Sanford residence in reference to a car-deer crash that occurred on North Meridian Road near West Saginaw Road. 9:06 p.m. -- Officers responded to a property damage accident in the area of Eastman Avenue. 8:52 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a two-vehicle crash in Larkin Township in the area of North Eastman Road near East Monroe Road. 7:31 p.m. -- A deputy made contact with a 66-year-old man who said he had found two vehicles that have driven on the grass at a park in Hope Township. The deputy found no criminal activity and made contact with the head chairman of the park to report the findings. The chairman asked just to document the incident. 7:28 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Hope Township that was reported to the Midland County Law Enforcement Center. 7:15 p.m. -- Deputies made contact with a 58-year-old Jerome Township woman who reported she was a victim of an online fraud. The 58-year-old purchased a bird online and the unknown seller demanded more money. The 58-year-old said she had lost about $850 in this incident. Deputies advised the woman that the incident was a scam and to not send money with a prepaid money card in the future when purchasing property. 6:18 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to Warren Township for a car-deer crash. 3:38 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a property damage accident in Larkin Township. 3:12 p.m. -- Officers responded to a vehicle crash on private property in the 400 block of West Wackerly Street. 1:37 p.m. -- Officers responded to a crash resulting in property damage in the area of Joe Mann Boulevard and Eastman Avenue. 1:16 p.m. -- A deputy arrested a 40-year-old woman at a Jerome Township address for a Midland City Police felony assault warrant and domestic violence warrant after Midland police received a tip that she was at an address in Sanford. Deputies went to that location and found her. 11:29 a.m. -- Officers responded to a larceny in the 3100 block of Isabella Street. 11:06 a.m. -- A 27-year-old Ingersoll Township resident called 911 after seeing a 49-year-old walking through yards on her road. The deputy made contact with the man, who had gotten a lawn tractor stuck and was going door-to-door looking for someone to pull him out. Another neighbor lent him a hand. 10:58 a.m. -- Deputies performed a warrant arrest on a 38-year-old City of Midland man at his home after learning he had a contempt of court warrant for failing to make payments. 10:19 a.m. -- Officers responded to a report of fraud in the 1400 block of East Haley Street. 9:56 a.m. -- Officers responded to a crash resulting in an injury in the area of Eastman Avenue and the westbound US-10 off-ramp. 9:47 a.m. -- A report is being sent to the Midland County Prosecuting Attorney's office for a 22-year-old Coleman man who let the batteries die in his court-ordered electronic monitoring tether. The tether battery died and as a result the Midland Parole Office was unable to monitor the parolee. The man was later located by a fugitive team in the City of Midland and arrested. 9:13 a.m. -- Officers performed a warrant arrest in the 3200 block of Bay City Road. 6:18 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Homer Township. 2:07 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a property damage accident in Warren Township. To the editor: If anyone is wondering why President Donald Trump believes the media is against him, need only look to page 2A of the Saturday-Sunday, March 30-31, Midland Daily News. The AP story titled "Trump blasts Russia probe, calls 2020 Democrats 'radical'" is a prime example of the hyperbolas nonsense he has endured since his election. Paducah, KY (42003) Today Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Internationally recognized praise band Planetshakers releases Rain Part 2 globally April 12 from Venture3Media (V3M). Available to preorder beginning today (April 5) at iTunes andGoogle Play, and to stream April 12 from Spotify, Apple Music and more, the new five-song digital EP from Planetshakers was recorded at Planetshakers Conferences in the Philippines and Malaysia in January and features over 29-minutes of music. Beginning today (April 5), Planetshakers also releases the single "I Choose You" from Rain Part 2 to iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play and more digital and streaming outlets everywhere. The song, which is led by Joth Hunt (who also produced and mixed the EP), declares that God is the one to look to, no matter what the circumstances. This theme is further carried in the Hunt-led "Only Way" single, which released last month, is featured on the new EP and became an encouragement to this multi-talented worship leader through his battle with cancer. "God had me write that song a week before I knew this was going to happen. It was the perfect tool God helped me to use to declare victory over the situation," says Joth, adding, "It's easy to sing these songs week-to-week, but when you are actually going through it, these lyrics become more...they become an anthem." Hunt's story of writing "Only Way" and overcoming cancer can be seen in two "A Miraculous Journey" video parts available now at https://youtu.be/Acv3bUtda6A (Part 1) andhttps://youtu.be/ft7TRpJz-Ck (Part 2). Along with Hunt, both Rain Part 2 and Rain Part 1 (released in January) EPs are led by Planetshakers' worship leaders Sam Evans, Aimee Evans, BJ Pridham, Rudy Nikkerud,Chelsi Nikkerud and more. A tangible, intentional expression of worshippers collectively pursuing the presence of God, the new recordings precede the annual Planetshakers Conference launching with the "Rain" theme this year at Melbourne Arena in Melbourne, AUApril 10 and at Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane, AU (Bowen Hills QLD) April 16. The promotional video for the events can be seen athttps://youtu.be/veN7GFxWeHA. Sharing the new music live at these conferences, Planetshakers' new songs will also be broadcast live via the Daystar Television Network. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Planetshakers has partnered with Daystar to exclusively air its conference on the network to millions in over 180 countries around the world. "2019 will mark the 22nd year that Planetshakers Conference has been lifting up the name of Jesus to a generation," says Planetshakers Church Sr. Pastors Russell and Sam Evans. "We feel that just as rain is formed naturally by the sun's heat evaporating water, that our prayers, praise and worship have been reaching heaven all this time. Rain forms when there is a cool change and there is a change in the atmosphere. We are believing that at this conference there will be an unprecedented outpouring of the rain of heaven." "With over 20,000 members, Planetshakers Church is influencing the global community in profound ways through a growing reach that spans nine campuses in Australia, Europe, Singapore, South Africa and the United States," adds Joshua Brown of Planetshakers. "And with the widespread popularity of Planetshakers TV, annual conferences, and the worldwide music distribution of Planetshakers Band, millions are being impacted for eternity by the message of the Gospel." The full Rain Part 2 track listing follows: 1) "Only Way" 2) "I Choose You" 3) "Take Your Place" 4) "Anything Can Happen" 5) "God Is On The Throne" Planetshakers and worshippers are pictured at Planetshakers Conference in Manila, Philippines earlier this year during the recording of Rain Part 2. Taking the new music, favorites like "The Anthem," "Endless Praise" and "Turn It Up," and songs from its acclaimed, top-selling fall 2018 Heaven On Earth album to audiences around the globe, Planetshakers wrapped-up a tour earlier this year with Franklin Graham that commemorated the 60th anniversary of late Rev. Billy Graham's historic evangelistic events across Australia in 1959. Following this month's Planetshakers Conference events, the band will continue its trek internationally in May with events in Germany (Ulm 5/25 , Bremen 5/28), France (Paris 5/26) and Norway (Kristiansand 5/30). For all the latest Planetshakers tour, music and conference news, visit Planetshakers.com,Twitter (169,000 followers), YouTube (750,000 subscribers), Instagram (509,000 followers),Spotify (619,000-plus monthly listeners) and Facebook (over 1.5 million followers). About Planetshakers: Since its inaugural gathering in 1997, Planetshakers has gone on to become a global movement through its annual conferences, international church campuses and numerous live recordings, including multiple Dove Award-nominated projects. The Australia-based collective, led by Senior Pastors Russell and Sam Evans, has hosted gatherings in cities around the world while also launching Planetshakers Church in 2004. With over 14,000 members in Australia, Planetshakers Church is one of the fastest growing churches in that nation's history, stretching across five campuses in Melbourne with additional locations inSingapore; Cape Town, South Africa; Geneva, Switzerland and Austin, TX. Celebrating over 20 years of ministry, Planetshakers honors the countless ways God has used its ministry and music to raise up a generation of Christ followers with a clear vision of taking the Gospel to the nations... "empowering generations to win generations." About Venture3Media: Venture3Media is a global music label and song publisher with sales, marketing, promotional, radio, television and movie expertise. V3M provides distribution platforms across all digital channels, including but not limited to Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Tencent, 7Digital, Google Music, Facebook, Pandora, Tidal, Sirius and Rhapsody. Physical distribution includes online retailers such as Amazon, national retail chains, sub-distributors and internationally through well-established licensee's and distributors. V3M is excited to build a global ecosystem that serves the vision and heart of Planetshakers to see God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Tags : Planetshakers planetshakers rain part 2 planetshakers i choose you planetshakers new ep planetshakers news Contributed photo Paducah Police need help identifying the two men in this photo taken Feb. 21 during the theft of items in the Frenchtown area. DAVE THOMPSON | The Sun Vietnam veterans who did not receive a 50 year commemorative pin at The Wall That Heals event in Paducah last October will have the opportunity to receive theirs at a lapel pinning from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 12 at the McCracken County Public Library. Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The military escalation threatening the political-security situation in Libya, especially in the western part, is a source of worry to neighbouring Tunisia, according to observers in Tunis who fear a new conflagration and a long open war Khartoum, Sudan (PANA)- The Sudan government spokesman Saturday commended the police and security for the way they dealt with thousands of demonstrators who gathered in front of the Sudanese Army General command in down town Khartoum Algiers, Algeria (PANA) Thousands of Algerians took to the streets in massive protest marches in all Algerian Wilayas (regions) for the seventh consecutive Friday to demand the departure of key figures of the incumbent regime Kinloch Nelson came to his instrument of choicethe guitarand his chosen genrethe rambling fingerpicked folk style known as American primitivein as close to a vacuum as one could get in the late 50s and early 60s. Around age six, he found a parlor size guitar in the coat closet of his familys home in Massachusetts and was instantly hooked. Especially when he could lean his little head down, place his ear right next to it and feel like he was inside of the instrument. Much like sitting underneath his familys piano while his mother practiced. He grew with the instrument, teaching himself and finding resonance with the growing folk scene that was frightening Middle America at the time. Even as he developed his own sound, Kinloch found the next catalyst in his musical evolution with an assist from his high school buddy, Carter Redd. Id figured out a lot of the patterns I could do with a flat pick, Nelson says. But it just didnt sound right because it was clumsy. Carter said, Here, you should try fingerpicks. I watched him play and thats when everything changed. From that pivotal moment to today, Nelson has built and sustained a remarkable career as an instrumentalist. He has expanded his repertoire considerably, studying and performing classical guitar and jazz, and holding workshops and private lessons in and around his hometown of Rochester, New York. Hes also co-founded two different guitar societies, which holds clinics and workshops for young players and presents concerts for touring musicians. Somehow, Nelson has been able to accomplish all of this almost entirely below the radar of the music industry. And to hear him tell it, thats been entirely by design. I totally avoided trying to find a record deal and becoming a personality, a national touring act kind of thing, he says. I saw so many gifted artists get bad record deals, especially back in the 60s and 70s when I was coming up. And I saw more than one guy go down in flames. Even a guy that I knew ultimately committed suicide because he got a bad record deal and the pressure of the big music life was too much. I just didnt want to go down that road. Nelson is dipping his toes into those waters ever so gently this year thanks to a small nudge from the folks at Tompkins Square Records. The Bay Area label is getting the guitarist some long overdue attention with the release of Partly On Time: Recordings 1968 1970, a collection of tunes recorded in the studios of Dartmouth Colleges radio station. Its a marvelous little treasure that shows Nelson (recording both solo and with Redd) expanding on the template provided by fellow pickers like John Fahey and Donovan that belies his tender age (the earliest tracks were captured when he was all of 18) and exhibits a sylvan influence born of his upbringing in the lush environs of New England and upstate New York. He shows off his speedy picking abilities, but the deepest cuts are administered when he slows the tempo down on songs like Solitudes and Company Leaves. The floating, rolling melodies are given ample room to drift and soothe. Partly On Time even showcases Nelsons experimental side through the albums closing track Tone Poem. The shimmering, humming sound that he came up with was apparently produced by running a Dampit, a small rubber humidifier used to protect wooden instruments, over the strings of his guitar. After recording his experiments with this, he turned them into tape loops, building from scratch an electroacoustic piece that shares some sonic DNA with Alvin Luciers sound art. Oh no, I invented that. Everybody took it from me, Nelson jokes when asked whether he was familiar with the processes that produced Tone Poem. No, I didnt know about tape looping! I just thought, Oh, theres a bunch of tape recorders around. Ill just hook them all up and see what happens. What these 50-year-old recordings also represent is a reigniting of the What if? questions that have smoldered in the background of Nelsons career. While he says he eschews the notion of seeking out the support of a major label, that wasnt always the case. Around the time of the first recording dates captured on Partly On Time, the engineer for the sessions, Dave Graves, sent a pair of the tracks off to John Phillips, the co-founder of The Mamas & The Papas, who was looking for new talent to produce. Months later, word came down that Phillips liked them and wanted Nelson and Redd to hit a recording studio in Connecticut to record a Mason Williams tune. The problem was that Redd was off on a cross-country trek and couldnt be reached. The session never happened and Phillips moved on. It was pretty exciting and then very disappointing, Nelson says, matter-of-factly. It ended up not producing a recording for us at the time. But for a little while, we were on cloud nine. Then there was the 1970 car accident that nearly destroyed several of the tapes that wound up on Partly On Time and, more importantly, almost took the guitarists life. Nelson was sharing some of his work with a buddy on his home stereo, but both men wanted to hear what they sounded like on his friends dads expensive hi-fi. On their way there, a drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned Nelsons car, sending the tapes and tape recorder out onto the highway and destroying his guitar in the backseat. Miraculously, Nelson and his pal only wound up with whiplash and the tapes werent run over. Having survived all of that and now in his late sixties, Nelson has settled himself into a comfortable life in Rochester. He performs when and where he can, still seeking out opportunities to learn new tricks of his trade and try out new guitars. There are still moments that take him by surprise, such as when Tompkins Square came calling looking to release some of his work, but even that he is taking very much in stride. Its a little weird, Nelson says. I might be an overnight sensation after being at it for 50 years. I think Im only now beginning to understand what Tompkins Square is and appreciate more than I initially did. And judging by the promised action that theyve delivered on, Im more and more appreciative of whats going on. Its delightful. Well see what happens. Roadside Attractions has released the trailer for their forthcoming film Trial By Fire, starring Laura Dern and Jack OConnell. Trial By Fire, based on the New Yorker article of the same name, accounts the relationship between an accused murderer on death row (OConnell) and the woman (Dern) who defends his innocence even after his execution. The films official synopsis reads: Trial By Fire is the true-life Texas story of the unlikely bond between an imprisoned death row inmate (Jack OConnell) and a mother of two from Houston (Laura Dern) who, though facing staggering odds, fights mightily for his freedom. Cameron Todd Willingham, a poor, uneducated heavy metal devotee with a violent streak and a criminal record, is convicted of arson-related triple homicide in 1992. During his 12 years on death row, Elizabeth Gilbert, an improbable ally, uncovers questionable methods and illogical conclusions in his case, and battles with the state to expose suppressed evidence that could save him. Her efforts ultimately fail, and since Willinghams execution, the disturbing question remains: Did Texas execute an innocent man? The true-crime drama was directed by Glory and The Last Samurais Edward Zwick, and was written by Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious). Spend some time with the new trailer below ahead of Trial By Fires theatrical release on May 17, and check out the films poster further down. Yesterday the U.S. Patent Office published a patent application from Samsung that relates to a completely new form factor for a TV remote controller along with new and updated features such as advancing Bixby that could easily provide users with channel-groups for faster access to what they're looking for and a new way of sending commands to their Smart TV with this remote. Samsung outlines two of the key problems with today's remote controllers. The first relates to how speech recognition fails in its current form. Samsung notes that in order to control a TV, it is necessary for the user to press a speech recognition button and utter a command while pressing an operation button. Thereafter, the speech recognition may be ended by removing a thumb from the speech recognition button. However, in a case in which the utterance is started at the very same time as when the speech recognition button was pressed, it is highly possible that the initial command or a part of it wasn't captured. In addition, when a thumb is removed from the speech recognition button prior to the utterance ending, the remote doesn't recognize a complete sentence and therefor an error is registered and the user has to waste time repeating their request. The second problem with today's remote controllers is that the form factor is a stick forcing users to point the remote at the TV for it to control various features be it sound or changing a channel. Samsung's invention overcomes these two outlined issues. In fact their solutions are quite simple. If a user is going to pick up the remote to press a button to send a voice command, Samsung simply put a motion sensor into the remote so that when the user picks up the remote, the voice recognition is immediately turned on awaiting a command. In addition to a motion sensor, Samsung may also use both hover and grip sensors to ensure that using voice commands is effortless and accurate. Either way, having to press a button on the remote to send a voice command will be eliminated. After picking up the remote the user will be free to immediately tell Bixby, go to "Netflix," "Apple TV+," "Hulu" or "Amazon Prime" and so forth. Once the remote is no longer in the user's hand, the grip sensors will communicate to the microphone to instantly power down. Samsung's patent FIG. 3C below presents a possible version of their next-gen TV remote that's circular with a new LED interface with a touch surface that could recognize touch force, swipe actions and so forth. The illustration below shows a microphone positioned at top center along with a 'Feedback Unit' (#190) and a 'Button Unit' (#195). The 'Feedback Unit' may include a plurality of LED lights that will provide specific communications to the user as presented further below in patent FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C. Samsung's patent FIG. 7B above is a diagram illustrating in detail a step of carrying out a touch analysis algorithm, operation. The remote won't be limited to IR output. Samsung lists "communicator" options such as wireless methods such as Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee and may further use NFC and USB. The user will no longer have to aim the remote at the TV in order to change a channel or volume, which deals with the second problem that the invention was to address. Samsung further notes that a pairing process between two apparatuses may be performed. For example, when the preset event occurs in the input device (TV Remote) or the electronic device (TV), the communicator may search for peripheral devices through, for example, a digital living network alliance (DLNA) technology and may perform a pairing with the found device to be in the interlocked state. When a user makes a voice command, various lights will be seen flashing to acknowledge that the command is being processed. The voice system may also be used to group channels for easier access. For instance, the user may send the command "News Channel" generically and the TV user interface will provide the user with a list of news channels to choose from. Over time, the system using Machine Learning may even list channel groups showing user preferences. While Samsung doesn't expand on this theme, more than likely this may be extended other categories such as sports, music, streaming channels, drama channels, comedy channels and so forth. It's an interesting idea and possibly a time saver. Samsung originally filed for this patent in Q3 2018. Considering that this is only a patent application, the timing of such a remote to market is unknown at this time. One of Samsung's inventors is Kihyun Yoon, Principle Engineer. Oddly one of his listed skills and/or projects listed is "Apple iPhone 3GS/4 camera algorithm." His work history shows that he's never worked at Apple. Another inventor is Minsup Kim, System Engineer, Project Leader in Korea with experience in TV R&D and New Device Interaction Strategy. Kim attended Indiana University U.S.A. for his MBA his Master of Business in Korea and engineering in Korea. Patna: Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) President and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, during a press conference in Patna on Wednesday, admonished the upper caste people saying protesting against reservation was not a winning formula for them. "It (protest against reservation) is going to hurt upper caste more than anyone else. The way political rhetoric is escalating in Bihar, we hope things don't become the way they were before 2005. I humbly, with my hands folded, pray to the people of upper castes not to oppose reservation in India," the Union Minister for State for Human Resources said. Saying his party will always oppose those who tried to take away the rights of the backwards and Dalits, Kushwaha said that the Dalit community was far away from getting its fair share despite India being free for the past 70 plus years. The RLSP leader whose dream of becoming the Chief Minister of Bihar one day is not a secret to anyone, said that no one could suppress the voice of his party by means of threat or coercion. "We are going to organize a massive 'Halla Bol, Darwaza Khol' rally in Delhi on May 20th to demand for reservation in the Supreme Court and High Courts around the nation. Then we will organize similar events in Patna and other state capitals to press for our demands," he said adding he held the Supreme Court responsible for recent social unrest in the nation. "The judiciary recently announced certain decisions that are clearly anti-backwards and Dalits. It is my belief that until reservation is introduced in the judiciary, people from lower castes cannot expect to get a fair deal in the society," he said denying the rally was against the Supreme Court itself. Patna: Reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders' assertion that the entire security detail of the Rabri Devi residence in Patna was withdrawn by the 'revengeful' Nitish administration, a senior police official in Patna on Wednesday contradicted the allegations saying not only the RJD first family had their security details intact, they had more security personnel at their disposal than the Chief Minister himself. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP-Headquarters) Sanjiv Kumar Singhal, at a press conference in Patna said that despite the removal of 32 Bihar Military Police (BMP) commandos from Rabri Devi's official residence on 10 Circular Road, there were still 106 security personnel deployed outside the RJD's first family's home. "As per the Z-Plus security provided by the Center and the Special Security Group (SSG) Act of 2010 in Bihar, the Yadav residence is entitled to 69 security guards. Instead, they still have 106 37 more than what they are entitled to. We have removed only those security guards who were personally assigned to Lalu Prasad Yadav who happens to be in jail in Ranchi and does not require these jawans at his home in Patna," Singhal said. The ADGP further said that while Lalu Prasad Yadav himself has 13 guards from Z-Plus and SSG combined, his wife has been assigned 56 police officials under Z-Plus, SSG, and state police department. Tejaswi Yadav has seven bodyguards and 20 police officials to guard him even though he is entitled to 17 only. His brother Tej Pratap Yadav has been provided with 10 security jawans though he is entitled only to three, he said. When asked about the alleged return of all security details by all RJD legislators as a sign of protest against the withdrawal of 32 BMP jawans from the Lalu-Rabri residence, Singhal said the Police Headquarters will try to reach them and make them aware of the realities so they are not under any type of misgiving on the issue. Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders cried foul on Wednesday when the Nitish government ordered withdrawal of 32 Bihar Military Police (BMP) jawans who had been deployed for security at the official residence of Rabri Devi on 10 Circular Road in Patna. Seething with anger, former Chief Minister of Bihar and her son and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejaswi Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of acting out of malice to settle personal scores saying there was a conspiracy to kill party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and other members of his family. "Nitish Kumar, with the help of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ordered withdrawal of security guards from our home to settle score with us. However, if anything happened to me, my husband, or my children, the blood will be on his hands," Rabri Devi said. The former Bihar Chief Minister further said that she was not afraid of her life as the people of Bihar were her protectors along with the God above. "I do not fear of my life as I will continue to go among the public. They will protect me here and the God will protect me from above," she said. Following a meeting of the RJD working committee on Wednesday, Lalu and Rabri Devi's two sons former Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, along with all the party legislators also gave up their security details in protest. Talking to reporters, Shivanand Tiwari, Yadav family's trusted lieutenant, slammed the Chief Minister of being spiteful to settle score with the RJD leaders. "This is for the first time there is no security cover at the Yadav residence. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been a champion of the poor, Dalits, backwards, and minorities for all his life is being targeted by this corrupt Nitish administration. This is 'revenge politics'," said Tiwari. Tejaswi Yadav also expressed his anger over the withdrawal of security from his parents' home. "Earlier today I was asked by the Nitish government to vacate the official bungalow allocated to me. Now they have pulled the security from my parents' house. The security that was given to my mother, myself, and my brother on account of our positions in the government we are return them to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," the former Deputy Chief Minister and the rising star of the RJD, said. It may be recalled that the bungalow on 5 Deshratna Marg that is currently occupied by Tejaswi Yadav has been allocated to current Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Despite several notices by the government, Yadav has shown no interest in shifting to 1 Polo Road Bungalow that is currently the home of Modi. The 2019 Pennsylvania Relief Sale got underway Friday afternoon, Apr. 5 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The two-day annual event started in 1957. This year is runs through Apr. 6 from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On display are hundreds of quilts, comforters and wall displays with an auction for the quilts. There are also antiques, used books, quilting materials, art and food vendors selling everything from strawberry pies to ice cream, hot dogs and sandwiches. Money raised goes to the Mennonite Central Committee that funds their worldwide relief efforts. The MCC is a global, nonprofit organization that helps those needing basic human needs. Last year MCC spent $62 million on relief in 56 countries and inside the United States. For several years the Pennsylvania Relief Sale has generated $400,000 annually to MCC with more that $16 million in procees having been raised here since 1957. Take a look inside the historic caves, hand-dug in the days before refrigeration, of Americas oldest brewery, D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. in Pottsville, Pa. This year, Yuengling celebrates its 190th anniversary. In 1829, David G. Yuengling arrived from Wurttemberg, Germany and settled in Pottsville, Pa., where he established Eagle Brewery. The Eagle Brewery was later destroyed by fire in 1831, and D.G. Yuengling relocated operations to the current location. The location was chosen because of its close proximity to a mountain that allowed David G. Yuengling to dig a cave for cold storage, aging and fermentation. The caves were finished in 1841 after 10 years of hand digging. 35 Yuengling brewery celebrates its 190th anniversary You can still see the remnants of brick walls once ordered built by the federal government to block beer production during Prohibition. The caves can be seen during the brewerys public tours, available year-round. Check Yuenglings website for tour dates and hours. LOCK HAVEN The convicted murderer in a 27-year-old Clinton County cold case claims in an appeal the court made four erroneous rulings in his case. Loyd W. Groves, 69, also contends Lycoming County Senior Judge Kenneth D. Brown, who was especially assigned to the case, abused his discretion when he sentenced him to 10 to 20 years in state prison. The claims are contained in a statement of errors filed in connection with an appeal to the state Superior Court. Groves, through his court appointed attorney David I. Lindsay, claims the judge when imposing the maximum sentence ignored his age, work history, family life, education history and lack of a criminal record. Co-counsel George E. Lepley argued at sentencing for a term of 4 to 10 years that could have amounted to time served. Groves has been in custody four years since his arrest in Beaver where he was living. Groves is appealing his third-degree murder conviction for the 1991 death of Katherine Dolan Heckel, claiming the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. The prosecution contends Heckel was killed because she wanted to end the extra-marital affair she was having with Groves while her husband John was away with the National Guard Her body has never been found and Groves is accused of disposing it in a way it never will be. Heckel, 40, was last seen leaving for lunch on July 15, 1991, from the former International Paper Co. mill in Lock Haven where she worked in the human relations office and Groves was an industrial hygienist. One of the errors Groves believes Brown made was allowing Gayle Taylor to testify he told her he could show her how to get rid of a body so it could never be found. Groves made the comment in the early 1990s during a conversation related to her being upset about finding drugs in her sons room, she testified. They were working together in Ohio at the time. The other errors Groves claims the court made were failing to: * Suppress evidence obtained from the July 18, 1991, search of Groves van where a speck of blood containing Heckels DNA was found. * Suppress evidence that included a .25-caliber pistol taken from Groves desk at the paper mill. * Preclude statements Heckel made to Dennis Taylor with whom she also was having an affair. Clinton County Judge Carson V. Brown, who originally was assigned to the case, upheld the validity of the search warrants issued for the van and desk. Judge Kenneth Brown ruled as highly relevant statements Heckel made to Dennis Taylor of her clear intent to end her relationship with Groves. The sentence Groves received in January also included a fine of $10,000. Parents and caretakers of infants need to be careful with inclined sleepers like the Fisher Price Rock 'N Play, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. A warning issued by the commission on Friday said they are aware of 10 infant deaths in a Rock N Play inclined sleeper since 2015. In all cases, the infants rolled from their back or their stomach or side while unrestrained. In all 10 cases, the infants were three months or older, the commission reported. The commission pointed to medical literature saying that infants begin rolling around three months. Because deaths are still happening, the CPSC and Fisher Price are recommending that the Rock 'N Play stop being used by three months of age, or as soon as the infant can rollover. CPSC had previously warned consumers to use restraints in the inclined sleep products, but the reported deaths show that these devices are being used after infants learn to roll over and without restraints. In addition to these warnings, the CPSC and Fisher Price reminded parents to not add blankets, pillows, stuffed toys or other items to a babys environment. Babies must also always be placed to sleep on their backs. WILLIAMSPORT A Williamsport man has been found guilty of killing a mother and her adult son and sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison without parole. A Lycoming County jury of eight men and four women deliberated more than six hours Friday before finding Jordan Adonis Rawls, 27, killed Shane Wright, 25, and his mother, Kristine Kibler, 50, in their half of a double in the 600 block of Poplar Street. Jurors found Rawls guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Wright and second-degree for killing his mother on Halloween night in 2016. He was one of three men charged with homicide in the case. Jurors also found Rawls guilty of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an instrument of crime. Judge Nancy L. Butts then found him guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and possessing a firearm without a license. Those charges had been severed from the others. Rawls is prevented from possessing a firearm because he was sentenced in 2012 in Philadelphia to two to four years in prison for armed robbery. Butts chose to sentence him only on the homicide counts but ordered him to pay restitution of $8,913. A different jury in February found Joseph Sentore Coleman Jr., 37, guilty of second-degree murder in the same case. He is facing a mandatory life sentence. The key prosecution witness in both trials, Casey N. Wilson, 22, who drove Rawls and Coleman to and from the murder scene, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. His plea agreement recommends a sentence of 25 to 50 years. Coleman and Wilson are jailed without bail. Rawls court appointed attorney E.J. Rymsza said there will be an appeal that likely will challenge a ruling that allowed jurors to hear a partial confession his client made toward the end of a nearly six-hour police interrogation. Rymsza in his closing argument accused investigators of coercing Rawls to make self-incriminating statements, claiming had he known police had a warrant for his arrest he might not have waived his Miranda rights. First Assistant District Attorney Martin Wade rebutted that argument, saying Rawls girlfriend testified he knew he was a suspect when he went to police 12 days after the shootings. Wade credited city police Agent Trent R. Peacock of going places other investigators wouldnt to find evidence we didnt know existed to bring the three conspirators to justice. The defense in both the Rawls and Coleman trials attacked the credibility of Wilson, noting he is an admitted liar. It was Coleman and Wilson who devised the plan to rob Wright, a marijuana dealer, Rymsza said. But Rawls expected to share in the robbery proceeds that were to include three pounds of marijuana, Wade said. Evidence in the Rawls and Coleman trials revealed the following about the events of Oct. 31, 2016: Wilson made sure the back door of the double house was unlocked and returned to the car. Rawls and Coleman, both wearing masks, went into the residence with a 9mm pistol and .22-caliber handgun. Coleman had left the house before gunshots were heard and criticized Rawls for the shooting when he got back into the car. Wrights body was found at the front door with his pants pockets turned inside out. He had been shot in the chest and hit on the head with a pistol. A loaded .22-caliber magazine was partially under his body. Kibler was alive with a gunshot wound to the abdomen at the top of the steps to the second floor but died three hours later. Three young children and several other adults were in the residence. Clothing of one of the intruders described by one of the adults matched what Rawls was wearing the same day as seen on a surveillance video from a local business. A ballistics expert testified a 9mm caliber bullet found in Rawls Williamsport apartment had been loaded in the murder weapon later found in Philadelphia police custody because it had been used in crimes there. Rawls had traveled to Philadelphia after the shooting, Wade pointed out. Coleman in March was charged with an Aug. 30, 2016, drug-related murder in Williamsport and is scheduled for sentencing later this month in U.S. Middle District Court on charge of illegal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Its been a familiar scene in recent weeks: a sea of raised hands supporting marijuana legalization at the various stops on Lt. Gov. John Fettermans statewide listening tour. Opponents of marijuana legalization say they suspect Fetterman is stacking the sessions with pot supporters. Fettermans spokeswoman denied anything of the sort, but Rep. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson County, doesnt believe it. During a Pennsylvania Leadership Conference discussion of the issue on Friday, Dush said that constituents who work at medical marijuana dispensaries told him they received advanced notice of the meetings in their county so they could make plans to attend. Dush isnt the only one skeptical about why stop after stop, including ones in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties, the sessions draw more people in favor than opposed. Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, questions it too. Geer said opponents are intimidated by the large number of supporters who turn out so that may be one reason why support seem so widespread. He also thinks that the short notice given about upcoming stops in larger counties also is keeping those against legalization away because the distance and time it takes to travel to them requires planning. Its a reasonable presumption that word may be getting out to proponents earlier than the general public and I would call on the governor and lieutenant governor to put a full schedule out now because everyone should have an opportunity to participate especially when these things are funded, I presume by taxpayer dollars, Geer said. Fetterman spokeswoman Christina Kauffman said no one is given advance notice of meetings. As dates and locations are firmed up, information is sent out within hours of final confirmation to the media and put on the lieutenant governors Facebook page. She added the governors homepage prominently displays a banner linking visitors to tour stops along with a form for people to offer their comments. The lieutenant governor absolutely does not have a finger on the scale, she said. These tour stops are intended to gather input from any and all residents regardless of their position on the issue. In fact, she said the only people specifically invited to attend are elected officials from the county Fetterman is visiting. Kauffman also noted that Fetterman states at the start of every meeting he expects everyone to be respectful of others opinions and attendees at the 30 sessions held so far have been. He has repeatedly encouraged people from all backgrounds and of all opinions to show up and speak their minds, and thats exactly what has been happening all over Pennsylvania. Everyone is welcome and everyone is treated the same, she said. As for the cost of this listening tour, she said Geer is right. Taxpayers are picking up the tab. The lieutenant governors office is still on budget of spending no more than $25,000 for the 67-county stops. Three-quarters of the venues where meetings have bene held waived their fees. Meals are not charged and staff is paid mileage for travel to events, she said. Gov. Tom Wolf sent Fetterman on the 67-county listening tour to explore whether Pennsylvania should consider following New Jersey and New Yorks lead in pursuing legalizing marijuana. Fetterman intends to present the recommendations that come out of the sessions to the governor to inform his decision-making. Polls have shown strong support for marijuana legalization. Last month, a Franklin & Marshall College poll showed 59 percent of voters said pot should be legal. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the governing body of the 14 state-owned universities, is making some big changes to its tuition policies to attract more students. The systems board signed off on the changes Thursday. Officials say the changes will give students more predictability and schools more flexibility. Heres a look at the key changes and how they affect families and students. Schools set own tuition The systems 14 schools will be allowed to set their own tuition rates, rather than a one-size-fits all approach. Schools can develop their own tuition to account for differing incomes and other costs in their regions. Theoretically, Kutztown University could charge a lower tuition than West Chester. Schools could charge their own tuition plans by the fall of 2020, officials said. The system will still set a base tuition for schools that need more time to develop custom plans. Tuition set earlier The state systems board will begin setting tuition in April, months earlier than they have in the past. Typically, the system sets its tuition rates for the fall semester in July. Since students being classes in late August, that doesnt allow much time to plan. Setting tuition for two years The system plans to set tuition for two years at a time, giving students and families more predictability in planning out the costs. By making tuition more predictable, it will allow students to plan for their education expenses, said Cynthia D. Shapira, the chairwoman of the systems board. More discounts In addition to schools getting to set their own tuition rates, the universities also can offer more discounts to draw students who need more financial assistance. System Chancellor Dan Greenstein said the state-owned schools need to more aggressively pursue the discounting strategies that are common in higher education. Its very rare an institution isnt doing tuition discounting, he said. We are not doing it very much so we are actually not competitively positioned in the market. Jumping out ahead Millersville and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania plan to be among the first to introduce their own custom plans, the university presidents said this week. Wait and see Shippensburg University President Laurie Carter said she wasnt sure if her school would develop its own custom tuition plan. We dont want to run into anything until we know it benefits the students, Carter said. Why its happening Fewer students are attending the state-owned universities in recent years. The systems enrollment has fallen from 120,000 in 2010 to 99,000 this year. The system is also seeing fewer students from lower- and middle-income families, so officials hope these strategies will attract those students. Other changes coming Eventually, students in the state system will be able to take courses at any of the 14 schools. In the near future, a student at Shippensburg will also be able to take a class at Bloomsburg. The systems board approved the measure earlier this year as part of a broad plan to transform the state system. The systems universities include Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester. 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. Republicans in Pennsylvania are coming off a rough mid-term election cycle in 2018, and they showed no signs of breaking the Democratic Partys momentum in a special election for a western Pennsylvania state Senate race last week. All of which, to listen to the conservative activists populating the 2019 PA Leadership Conference, which bills itself as the Keystone States version of the national Conservative Political Action Conference, means next to nothing. Buoyed by early reports on Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation; President Donald Trumps stolid support for top conservative action items; and mostly strong national economic performance over the last two years, conference attendees said they see a clear path to a repeat Trump win in Pennsylvania in 2020. And, in a group where many had other first choices in 2016, theyre fine with that. I thought for sure that he (Trump) was going to be a Mike Bloomberg, center-left person in governance, when in fact he has delivered on all of the things that are most important to the conservative base, said David Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association. Taylor noted he left his ballot for president blank in 2016 precisely because of those concerns. He will be a Trump pick-up next year, he said. Conservative jurists, pro-growth tax relief, regulatory reform. The things that really matter (to conservatives), he has done very well. That kind of Trump love was echoed often here Saturday, in a speech-a-palooza that drew about 600 registrants from 41 counties across the state. Take Lois Kaneshiki, a Duncansville resident who is president of the Blair County Republican Women and was, initially, a Cruz supporter in 2016. I think most of us are fully supportive of the president who maybe initially werent, but it was like: Well, we gotta get on the Trump train now because hes the nominee. And, you know, we did... But weve been very happy to see a lot of the things hes gotten done. We just want to see our country continue to improve and go in the right direction, Kaneshiki, 56, continued. I know if we get another four years well continue that progress." So if Trump retains a strong hold on the conservative base, thats half the battle. But what about the fight for the American center that so often defines the nations political tides? Its not all rosy for Trump, according to a recent Franklin & Marshall College poll of the state, in which nearly half of respondents who registered firm opinions about the presidents job performance to date said they will vote against him in 2020 no matter who the Democratic nominee is. On the other hand, pollster G. Terry Madonna noted, Trumps current job performance approval rating is right where former President Barack Obamas rested at this point in his first term. Obama went on to win Pennsylvania in his re-election by more than 5 percentage points. Saturdays keynote speaker, national political reporter Salena Zito whose focus on covering rural and small town America attracted lots of notice for her early reading of a populist revolution in 2016, said her work tells her that its so far, so good for the president. Zito said she comes to her conclusion in part based on her reading of the U.S. Senate results in 2018 - statewide races that mirror the battle for electoral college votes in a presidential race, and in which the GOP increased its majority by two seats. Does the Trump coalition stay together? It does," Zito said, adding later that If the election was held today, he (Trump) would win. As he says, bigly.... Its essentially Nov. 9, 2016 (the day after Trumps presidential win)," Zito continued. "If you voted for Donald Trump, youre still optimistic. If you didnt vote for Donald Trump your hair is still on fire and nothing is going to turn that around. There are lots of things that could change the current dynamic, of course, including a major downturn in an economy that Trump will own more than most presidents because of the 2017 tax cuts, his aggressive trade policies and regulatory reforms. The other big wild card, of course, is who is the opponent? Here, many of the conservatives said they were watching the early pre-primary jockeying by Democratic hopefuls with a great deal of interest, and open hope that the Democrats will - in their world-view - get it wrong. You have such overt socialism among some of the (Democratic) candidates now, that I think many people find appalling," said Al Bienstock, 78, and a longtime GOP activist in Cumberland County. "The people who are gaining prominence are true socialists... That may strengthen his (Trumps) base because people who are more in for lack of a better term, the center, might gravitate Trumps way instead of far to the left. (In a wearing someone elses shoes exercise, a leadership conference straw poll found attendees ranking U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (37 votes), Kamala Harris (35) and former vice-president Joe Biden (20) as the most likely winner of the Democratic presidential nomination.) Some, like Blair Countys Kaneshiki, noted its important that down-ballot candidates in state Senate and House do the things they need to do to win in their own backyards, too. Ive always said that candidates have to run on their own merits and have to be their own people and not try to run on coattails of other candidates, she said. I always tell candidates: You are your own person. You are not Donald Trump, and so, you are going to win by being the best you can be. One of the strongest calls to arms Saturday came from U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, who implored his audience - in an age in which Zito noted 24 percent of the Trump supporters shed talked to never voiced their leanings to any friends or family members - to be proud and loud in their views. Perry said people come up to him frequently and ask in whispering tones how he thinks the Republicans can do with Trump at the top of the ticket. Why are we whispering? he challenged the attendees. "This is America. If youre not confident in these things (Trump and GOP-backed policies), how can anybody else be? They work... We have to stand up for what we believe in and shout it proudly from the mountaintops. Editors note: This story is part of an ongoing collaboration between Environmental Health News and PublicSource on PFAS contamination in Pennsylvania. Thousands of Pennsylvanians are being exposed to dangerous chemicals in their drinking watermany without knowing itand some experts feel state agencies arent moving quickly enough to protect residents. The class of chemicals, known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), includes more than 4,000 individual chemicals with similar properties. PFAS dont readily break down once theyre in the environment or human bodies, so they can accumulate in animal and human tissues. The compounds, used in products such as stain- and water-resistant clothing, nonstick pots and pans, firefighting foam, carpets and furniture, are linked to health effects including testicular and kidney cancers, decreased birth weights, thyroid disease, decreased sperm quality, high cholesterol, pregnancy-induced hypertension, asthma and ulcerative colitis. For more information, read PennLives Tapped Out, an investigation of drinking water oversight in Pennsylvania. The chemicals are increasingly found in water supplies throughout the United States. In Pennsylvania, there are 20 known contaminated sites, including at least two in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Despite the widespread contamination and mounting evidence the chemicals are harming peoples health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to set a Maximum Contaminant Level, or MCL, for the compounds. This has left states like Pennsylvania on their own to protect residents, who are waiting for action without knowing what potential exposure is doing to them or their families. In recent years, the compounds have been increasingly studied and at least eight states either have policies in place or are pursuing policies related to PFAS, including Michigan, Alaska, California, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. New Hampshire has organized health studies with thousands of participants. New Jersey has implemented a stringent MCL for drinking water, and Michigan has implemented standards for groundwater and surface water, which empower the state to initiate cleanup efforts. Some health experts say Pennsylvania should rely on this existing scientific groundwork to act fast in protecting residents. Delaying action to protect residents from harmful PFAS in drinking water until you can hire in-house researchers to reinvent the wheel on PFAS toxicity is absurd, David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that conducts research and advocacy related to environmental health, told EHN. But state officials say they are restrained by pro-business state laws passed more than 30 years ago and a chemical class that is foreign to most of them. The DEP has never independently set an MCL before In the absence of federal regulations, Pennsylvanias state government formed a PFAS Action Team in September 2018, and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced plans to regulate the chemicals at the state level. But the process has been slow. The state first promised to set a MCL, for two of the most dangerous and ubiquitous PFAS, PFOA and PFOS (Perfluorooctanoic acid and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), in drinking water in 2017. That promise was renewed in February, but those regulations have yet to materialize. The DEP has never independently set an MCL before, Elizabeth Rementer, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania DEP, told EHN. Like many other states, Pennsylvania has always relied on drinking water standards set by the U.S. EPA instead. Rementer explained that in addition to this being the agencys first time setting an MCL, the process is more complicated in Pennsylvania than it is in many other states. Pennsylvanias Regulatory Review Act, passed by a conservative Legislature in 1982, requires state officials seeking to pass new regulations on everything from education to the environment to evaluate the economic impacts, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, and evaluate the impacts to small businesses for any new proposed regulationseven for those aimed at keeping toxic chemicals out of drinking water. Pennsylvania's environmental regulatory rulemaking process established by the Legislature requires a great deal more non-health related information and analysis than [some states], Rementer said. The Legislature requires DEP to prepare these things and the Environmental Quality Board to consider them even where the rule is a health-based standard, like an MCL. On top of that, the DEP has been trying to hire a toxicologist to set an MCL since last summer, but has been unable to fill the position because, reportedly, no one wants the job. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is trying to hire their own in-house toxicologist and also recently announced plans to spend $1.4 million hiring 10 new scientists to research the health impacts of the chemicals. The inability of Pennsylvania to move forward ultimately reflects a failure of the federal EPA to provide leadership on analyzing the science and setting health-protective drinking water limits, Andrews said. The Pennsylvania DEP is trying to speed up the process. They recently made plans to contract with a private toxicology consultant rather than hiring one full time, Rementer said. She added that the consultant will review and interpret existing scientific literature on PFOS and PFOA to help the department set a legally defensible MCL, but will not conduct any independent scientific research. The DOH will consult with the DEP regarding the health impacts of PFAS when it comes to setting an MCL. And unlike the toxicologist consulting with the DEP, the DOHs scientists will conduct original research. There hasnt been a lot of research on this, Pennsylvania Department of Health spokesperson April Hutchinson told EHN. Thats one of the difficulties when you talk about PFAS. There need to be more major, longitudinal studies We know people have been contaminated and we know its caused things like thyroid and kidney problems and high cholesterol, but further documentation of that is needed. Meanwhile, residents whove been impacted are pleading with state officials to take action more quickly based on what is already known about the chemicals. "When is someone going to step up to the plate?" asked Hope Grosse, whose family lives near a contamination site an hour north of Philadelphia during a state hearing on PFAS contamination in November. Grosse testified that PFAS contamination was found in her family's private well and the local public system in 1996, and that she and family members have been stricken with various cancers. "These chemicals are destroying lives," she said. "We need you to make changes today, not tomorrow." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that it plans to study PFAS impacts on human health, but, according to a draft document, the study will not examine whether or not the chemicals are linked to cancer. Good evidence, strong studies Some researchers feel theres already enough scientific research on the toxicity of the most common PFAS for states like Pennsylvania to act quickly. We do not, in my opinion, need another scientific assessment of the health effects of PFOA and PFOS, Jamie C. DeWitt, a PFAS researcher and associate professor at East Carolina University, told EHN, adding that when it comes to those specific chemicals, the levels established by other states can and should be used for reference. Another assessment of the science would be a waste of resources, but [an assessment of] whether Pennsylvania can implement the treatment options to meet those levels is probably necessary. Rainer Lohmann, a PFAS expert and director of the Superfund Research Center at the University of Rhode Island, said that having multiple states review data and set MCLs is important because it strengthens the case for the U.S. EPA to act on the national level. Having said that, he told EHN, there is good evidence and strong studies being published that could be quickly reviewed and used to act. So from my perspective, I'd rather have Pennsylvania adopt MCLs quickly and protect its citizens from PFAS contamination. It would be ideal if Pennsylvania could use its resources to either look at all PFAS as a class, or extended the scope of any study well beyond the few PFASs that other states have looked at in the past, Lohmann added. Otherwise, it is somewhat a waste of resources. Laurel Schaider, a research scientist at Silent Spring Institute with expertise in PFAS, said that while regulating PFAS as a class makes sense in some contextslike restricting their use in firefighting foam and food packaging, as Washington state is doingthere are unique challenges when it comes to setting drinking water standards. The Silent Spring Institute is a nonprofit research organization that investigates the links between environmental chemicals and womens health, especially breast cancer. Theres some logic to the idea since there are too many to tackle one at a time, Schaider told EHN. But it raises some challenges in terms of monitoring and enforcement. Water utilities need to be able to measure something to know if theyre in compliance, and the chemicals have different toxicities, meaning some might be harmful at lower levels than others. Schaider added that it might be possible to measure the total organic fluorine in water to get a sense of the total PFAS levels, but that the science is still evolving. She also acknowledged that the process of setting an MCL is complex and should be carefully considered, and suggested that states exploring regulating PFAS should look beyond drinking water at soil standards and groundwater near contaminated sites. There are a lot of different things a state could do, she said. But if it was a choice between original research and moving quickly, I would say they should rely more heavily on evaluations that have already been done in other states and put more resources toward testing water for more PFAS chemicals than just the ones on the short list. Several PFAS researchers and Pennsylvania state officials ultimately pointed the finger at the federal government. It is extremely important to acknowledge that the federal government is failing the states in this regard by not acting in its proper role to establish sound health-based drinking water standards, Remnter, the spokesperson for the Pennsylvania DEP, told EHN. Schaider agreed. Some states dont have the resources to come up with their own guidelines, or are unable to set guidelines that are stricter than federal standards, she told EHN. Its led to this patchwork of drinking water standards. Ideally, thered be one standard that protects everyone. The states next public hearing on PFAS is scheduled for April 15. Kristina Marusic of Environmental Health News can be reached at kmarusic@ehsciences.org. WILLIAMSPORT The woman whos accused of driving two homicide suspects to and from the scene of the crime is headed to trial on an open count of homicide and other charges. Lycoming County District Judge Allen P. Page III Friday ordered Ariel Jane Harlan, 25, of South Williamsport, held for court for her role in the Aug. 30, 2016, murder of Christopher Wilkins, 27, of Philadelphia. She is accused of driving Joseph Sentore Coleman Jr. and James Calvin Rooks, both 27, to and from the 500 block of Park Avenue, where the shooting occurred inside a duplex. She also retrieved a bag from a residence and gave it to Coleman in the car, according to the testimony of Jamal Brown, who also was in the vehicle but has not been charged. Coleman took a gun and mask from the bag and gave it to Rooks, he said. When interviewed, Harlan described Coleman and Rooks getting out of the car, hearing a gunshot and observing Coleman shoving a handgun in his waistband as he was returning the vehicle, city police Agent Trent R. Peacock said. Coleman and Rooks are charged with homicide in Westons death and jailed without bail. Brown testified Coleman agreed to forget a drug debt if he made sure the back door of the duplex was ajar. After doing that, he said he walked away but heard a gunshot as he did. According to his testimony, Coleman devised the plan to rob guys from Philadelphia who were dealing drugs. Wilkins was selling heroin and cocaine from the apartment. The day he was killed he possessed drugs, cash and multiple cell phones, investigators said. Coleman, who in February was found guilty of second-degree murder in another 2016 drug-related robbery in which a mother and her adult son were killed, also had a mask and gun, Brown said. Under cross-examination he said Harlan was not involved in the discussions about the robbery. Peacock testified Harlan had been in a short-term abusive relationship with Coleman the summer of 2016. Harlan is being held without bail on charges, besides homicide, of conspiracy to commit, robbery and possessing a firearm without a license. Information obtained during the investigation of the Oct. 31, 2016, Poplar Street murders of Kristine Kibler, 50, and her son Shane Wright, 25, helped solve the Wilkins murder, Peacock said. Testimony in that case in which two others were charged was that Coleman had left the residence before Kibler and Wright were shot. -- Other recent John Beauge stories Dad who drove car into river, killing himself and baby, was driving at unmanageable speed: police Unwed, pregnant Pa. teacher could have avoided being fired by agreeing to marry, Catholic officials say Convicted cold case murderer files appeal claiming court made erroneous rulings and abused discretion At one time he seemed headed to the NFL; now hes heading to jail for robbery Woolrich has ended manufacturing, but company is thriving, executive says Scientific evidence is clear: Vaccination is good for people and society. Online discussions are increasingly reflecting that reality. gorillaimages/Shutterstock.com As measles outbreaks spread across the U.S., our new look at how information about vaccine safety and reliability spreads online suggests that the tide may be turning against the anti-vaccination movement. Between Jan. 1 and March 28, 387 people contracted measles in 15 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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. Filippo Menczer and Pik-Mai Hui, Indiana University , CC BY-ND 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 U.K. 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. Womens History Month, much like March, comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. There are a few Google Doodles, some social media posts and hashtags, but then its all over, nearly forgotten as we approach the vernal equinox. In honor of strong women leading and learning in higher education, Id like to offer you their perspectives and suggested women we should be celebratingnot just in March, but throughout the year. Ashlan Ruth, Industrial and Systems Engineering 19 Ashlan Ruth While the presence of women in STEM has been steadily growing, Ruth says we shouldnt forget their past struggles. I have to remember that women who have been in STEM, especially the women who did not get the recognition, Ruth said. The industrial and systems engineering major cited Rosalind Franklin as a prime example. A London-born chemist, Franklin made huge strides alongside James Watson and Francis Crick in discovering the structure of DNA. However, Franklin passed away before Watson and Crick won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Medicine, and was not rewarded posthumously. Women have been denied from academia for a really long time, so there were so many opportunities they missed in scientific discovery, Ruth said. Even in the 21st century, when Ruth announced to family and friends that she would be attending college to study engineering, she was met with surprise. I really loved robotics, and I loved fixing things, and I loved solving problems, Ruth said. When I said I was going into engineering, I got a lot of raised eyebrows. But once I got into it, I loved it even more. It felt empowering. It was Ruths passion for robotics that pushed her to pursue a degree in engineering. She did face some opposition along the way. A high school teacher nominated Ruth to take part in a large robotics challenge. She assumed it was because shed been on the team for three years and was the most experienced member. However, the teacher told her, I just needed a girl on the team. She completed the challenge, but the interaction left a bitter taste in her mouth. Representation in STEM for women is very, very important, Ruth said. Never look down on women who are going into STEM; always support them. Luckily for Ruth, E-town has provided support. Not only is there an even split between male and female engineering students, but E-town is a supporter of the Society of Women Engineers. Pleasant Sprinkle-Williams Pleasant Sprinkle-Williams Junior mass communications major Pleasant Sprinkle-Williams is a member of several campus diversity groups. "Women's history gets forgotten quite often, so it's a great time to teach people new things about women and what we've contributed to the world," Sprinkle-Williams said. The junior recommends more attention be paid to Trans-women of color, in particular. They often get erased in history, Sprinkle-Williams explained, citing actress Laverne Cox as one of the many trans-women whose impact should be cemented in womens history. Suzanne Webster, Associate Professor of English Suzanne Webster Associate Professor of English Suzanne Webster believes we should give credit to women around the world who have made an impact. Women can be philosophical, intellectual, political, Webster said. They can do all the stuff intellectually that men can do. The professor suggested the poetry of Lady Mary Montague, Charlotte Smith and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as the prose of Mary Wollstonecraft. We should embrace any type of writing that inspires us, no matter where that person is from, the color of their skin, their class or their sexuality, Webster said. It should just matter that they touch us emotionally and politically. Shaye DiPasquale, Mass Communications 19 Shaye DiPasquale Since high school, Shaye DiPasquale has been an advocate for the rights of women around the world. Before coming to E-town, she worked with Girl Up, a campaign through the United Nations Foundation. In her time as an E-town student, DiPasquale has maintained her level of advocacy. Living in a Student-Directed Learning Community has enabled her to spend the year focusing on the theme of female empowerment. She and her housemates have been working with a womens domestic violence shelter in Harrisburg, using their passion for helping women to make a difference in the lives of people who need support. DiPasquale says we should all focus on achieving equalityall people fighting for the rights of all people. Rebecca Easton is a senior at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She studies English with a concentration in professional writing, and pursues a double minor in communications and business administration. PennLive Opinion Page Editor Joyce M. Davis is a member of the Board of Trustees of Elizabethtown College. Venezuelans have faced food and medicine shortages since late 2015. Now power outages have cut off water supplies, too. AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko Even in a country where crisis has become the norm, the past month has been eventful. On April 3 Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan National Assembly president who is leading an effort to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office, was stripped of his parliamentary immunity. Arrest seems increasingly likely. Guaidos chief-of-staff was jailed on March 22, on charges of organizing a terrorist cell. Two days later, two Russian military planes carrying 35 tons of unspecified equipment and 100 soldiers landed at the international airport in Caracas. Meanwhile, three blackouts left over 90 percent of the country in the dark. Since water pumps need electricity to run, neighborhoods and families were forced to organize water rationing systems or fetch water from polluted rivers and streams. Maduro blames the blackouts on sabotage by Guaido and the United States. The opposition blames government corruption and neglect of Venezuelas energy grid. Thousands of Venezuelans protesting the power outages on March 30 were met with violent repression. Counter-protestors came out to support the Maduro government. These extraordinary events may give the appearance that armed conflict is on the horizon. But having researched Venezuela for over 25 years, I believe a prolonged deadlock and deeper human suffering is the more likely result. International conflict Each side in Venezuelas political struggle has powerful international backers. Guaido has been coordinating with the Trump administration since before assuming the interim presidency, and Trump has made regime change in Venezuela a foreign policy priority. Over 50 countries now recognize Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate president. Maduros government retains important support from Cuba, Turkey and China though China, which has loaned Venezuela some $60 billion over the last 12 years, has diminished its public backing of Maduro. Russia has become Maduros most important ally. The Russian military equipment and personnel sent in March will likely help maintain and operate Venezuelas sophisticated Russian-made S-300 air defense system, which protects the capital and key military bases from air attack. The missile defense system may have been damaged in recent power outages, or left understaffed by desertions from Venezuelas military. In a March 29 press statement, White House national security adviser John Bolton called Russias military assistance to Venezuela a direct threat to international peace and security in the region that will perpetuate the economic crisis that has destroyed Venezuelas economy. Russian officials retorted that the deployment is part of a prior bilateral arms trade agreement with Venezuela. The United States is present in many parts of the world and no one is telling it where it should or shouldnt be, said Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov at a March 28 Kremlin press conference. Regime change stalled Venezuelas opposition coalition and its allies in the U.S. appear to have thought that global rejection of Maduros re-election and Guaidos assuming the interim presidency coupled with threats of a U.S. military invasion and sanctions on Venezuelan oil would lead Venezuelas armed forces to turn against Maduro. That would then usher in a democratic transition. Recent events have shown that this strategy was simplistic. More than 500 Venezuelan soldiers have defected to Colombia and Brazil. But most have stayed loyal, as have the generals who hold high positions in Maduros government. And Maduro has shown himself quite adept at using dispersed violence to discourage dissent. Despite President Donald Trumps repeated mentions of a military option for dealing with Venezuela, its become clear in recent weeks that the U.S. has no actual plans for military action. Indeed, it does not have significant military assets in position near Venezuela. Venezuelas armed forces are the fifth most powerful in Latin America, according to Global Fire Power, which ranks military strength. It has around 200,000 troops, a volunteer militia, plus paramilitary forces and a fleet of Russian Sukhoi fighter jets. The presence of Russian troops in Venezuela further complicates any plans for U.S. intervention. Russia is a nuclear power, so incurring Russian casualties is probably too big of a risk for the U.S. to take. Adam Isacson, a defense expert at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights organization, suggests that removing Maduro by force would not only kill thousands of people on the ground, it would likely require tens of thousands of U.S. troops to occupy Venezuela for years in order to stabilize it. Outside of south Florida, where some 200,000 Venezuelan exiles are clamoring for Maduros ouster, few Americans would have an appetite for such a prolonged operation. U.S. economic sanctions which are now targeting Venezuelan oil appear to be hurting the Venezuelan people more than Maduros government. That will only make a democratic transition more elusive. Depriving the Venezuelan government of cash and credit will impede it from fixing the electrical grid by preventing the purchase of new equipment. And without electricity and water, Venezuelans, who in their vast majority oppose Maduro, will be concentrating on survival rather than protest. Working for peace An international effort led by the European Union, Uruguay, Ecuador and Costa Rica is seeking to negotiate new elections. Calling itself the International Contact Group, this coalition has sent technical teams to Caracas twice to meet with the Maduro government and the opposition. The International Contact Group has not actually found much interest on either side. The opposition and its allies in the Trump administration still believe that their strategy of political pressure and economic punishment will lead to the governments collapse. Maduro, it appears, thinks he can hunker down and wait out the storm. There is one glimmer of hope. After years of political wrangling over humanitarian aid, on March 29 the International Committee of the Red Cross announced that it had brokered agreements with both the Maduro government and the opposition. They will allow the Red Cross to distribute food and medicine to Venezuelans, who have suffered severe shortages of both since 2015. The United Nations estimates that 94 percent of Venezuelas population now lives in poverty, and a quarter of its people urgently need humanitarian assistance. The Red Cross deal shows what can be achieved with satellite diplomacy that is, negotiations that engage with rival factions independently rather than requiring them to meet face to face. This is significant. It is the first time that this diplomatic technique has succeeded in Venezuelas conflict. In the best-case scenario, the humanitarian aid agreement will stick. And it could serve as a model for how international actors can facilitate a democratic transition in Venezuela. David Smilde, Professor of Sociology, Tulane University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Protesters gathered and were arrested last year outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Center City, as they demanded the abolition of the agency. Read more Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities have agreed to halt arrests of migrants inside Philadelphia courthouses, as part of an accord that defines how agents may enter and act in the halls of justice, according to the Sheriffs Department. The new procedure, to take effect Monday, requires plainclothes ICE agents to identify themselves to sheriffs deputies at the front-door security stations, to reveal whether they are armed, and to state where in the building they intend to go. Those deputies will alert their supervisors, who could contact the judge in the courtroom to which the agent is headed, said Sheriffs Deputy Chief Paris Washington. ICE officials said they could not immediately respond to a request for comment. The new guidelines come five days after The Inquirer reported on a March 21 incident in which an ICE agent, dressed in a Muhammad Ali T-shirt in a Criminal Justice Center courtroom, flashed a badge at a public defender and asked the lawyer about his client. Defender John Lopez had noticed the man in Courtroom 906 and walked over to introduce himself. The man produced a photo of Lopezs client. Is this person here? the agent asked. No, Lopez answered, which was true. Washington said the agreement seeks to eliminate that kind of incident. Agents can conduct surveillance but should not approach attorneys or have physical contact with anyone, he said. Sheriffs deputies provide security for all courthouses, including the Stout Center for Criminal Justice, City Hall, Family Court, Traffic Court, and Philadelphia Parking Authority Court. I think its a fantastic real step forward, said Temple University law professor Jennifer Lee, who has worked to limit ICE presence in courts. If theres an actual agreement, thats important, because theres some recognition by ICE that they dont need to conduct these activities in courthouses. ICE agents still can make arrests immediately outside Philadelphia courthouses a vexation to immigration advocates, who say that frightens away undocumented witnesses, victims, and defendants. Despite the local agreement, national ICE policy continues to allow agents to take action inside courthouses. In those settings, they can move against specific, targeted immigrants: those who have criminal convictions, are gang members, pose national security or public-safety threats, have been ordered removed from the United States, or have reentered the country after deportation. Attorney Brennan Gian-Grasso, who leads the Philadelphia chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, was doubtful of the new procedures having a positive impact. ICE has no place inside a Philadelphia courthouse, he said. I dont know how much this does to change the climate. And I dont know how much it represents a change in ICEs intimidation of people who are trying to participate in civil society. Agents can still locate someone inside the courthouse, then follow that person outside to make an arrest, he noted. The Sheriffs Department has asked ICE to provide advance notice of planned actions immediately around the courthouse. ICE has arrested at least three people this year as they entered or left the Criminal Justice Center in Center City. We dont want any friendly-fire incidents, Washington said, citing concern inside and outside city courthouses that sheriffs deputies might not realize ICE was making an arrest only that an armed man seemed to be threatening someone. Washington, who runs the operations division, said the agreement came out of a Thursday meeting between Sheriffs Department, Homeland Security, and Philadelphia ICE officials. The new guidelines come too late for Jesus Sical, 45, an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant who was arrested inside the CJC on March 29 as he tried to attend his preliminary hearing on domestic-assault charges, according to his attorney and other lawyers. He now is being held by ICE at the Pike County Correctional Facility in Lords Valley, pending deportation. Municipal Court Judge Karen Simmons, who was ready to hear Sicals case, was upset that ICE short-circuited the justice system. Defense lawyers pointed out that while Sical has a 12-year-old drunken-driving conviction, on the day of his arrest he stood legally innocent of assault, with no court having ruled. ICE says it moved against Sical after Mayor Jim Kenneys administration, as is its policy, refused the agencys request to keep him in a city jail for pickup. When Sical was arrested, he was not hiding or on the run. He was free on bail and preparing for his trial, accused of a vicious attack on his stepdaughter. Simmons said she learned about Sicals arrest only when his attorney phoned her chambers. I dont understand, nor do I believe it was appropriate, to not allow the person to come into the courtroom [and] handle his case, the judge said. She has told the Defender Association and the District Attorneys Office that their attorneys are to alert her immediately if they notice ICE agents in her courtroom. According to ICE, its safer for agents, offenders, and the public when arrests take place in courthouses, because everyone entering the building has been screened for weapons. And, officials say, courthouse arrests can be necessary in places that refuse to let agents enter their prisons and jails to take immigrants into custody. ICE says it doesnt know when or where Sical entered the United States. On May 28, 2007, court records show, Sical was pulled over in the 7900 block of Bustleton Avenue by police officers, who charged him with drunken driving. His blood-alcohol content was 0.184 percent, far above the legal 0.08 definition. Sical was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to three to six days in jail, six months probation, and participation in drug-and-alcohol treatment programs. That would not be his last time in trouble. Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2019, police were called to a home in the 1800 block of Faunce Street in Rhawnhurst. They found Sicals stepdaughter, Jennifer Dayana Garcia, with bruises on her neck, scratches on her face, and cuts and bruises on both hands. She told police that Sical, angry that she had sent money to her mother in Guatemala, threatened her, I could assault you in ways that your mother would never know. I could grab you and have sex with you and no one would ever know. He fixed her in a headlock, then began strangling her, Garcia told police. She got free and started to scream, but Sical clamped his hands over her mouth, cutting off her breathing. She broke loose, ran out of the house and called police, Garcia said. Police charged Sical with assault, strangulation, and making terroristic threats. After ICE arrested him, the charges were withdrawn. Police tape in place at the location of a fatal shooting inside a Wawa, at 151 Sugartown Road, in Radnor, PA, March 29, 2019. Read more After a bitter divorce, Stephanie Miller and Brian Kennedy agreed to meet at the local Wawa for their weekly child-custody exchanges because there would always be witnesses and surveillance cameras. In the end, police say, that didnt deter Kennedy from walking into the store on March 28 with a semiautomatic rifle and gunning down his ex-wife as horrified customers looked on. The killing took all of 30 seconds. The Devon man now sits in Delaware County prison, charged with first- and third-degree murder and related offenses in the killing of the mother of his 6-year-old child. Police identified Kennedy, 34, even before they found him hours after the shooting, overdosed in his car at a Glen Mills park 15 miles from the Wawa on Sugartown Road. Inside the store, police officers called to the scene recognized Miller, authorities said. They knew of the volatile relationship she had with her ex. Three years earlier, Kennedy had threatened to kill Miller at the same Wawa. Now, there he was in images from the stores security cameras, walking in with an AR-15 in hand, looking for someone. Miller had arrived at the Wawa thinking she was going to pick up her son. Instead, she walked into a death trap one that authorities say was carefully set by a man who she said once told her she would be punished for years to come for not reconciling with him. At 8:20 p.m. on March 28, Kennedy backed his black BMW into a parking spot in front of the Radnor Township store, a small, older-style Wawa that sits at the end of a sleepy strip off Lancaster Avenue next to a beer distributor and a pizza shop. The tall, dark-haired man went to his trunk, pulled out a DTI AR-15 that hed bought 12 days earlier, and walked inside. As he looked around the store, rifle in hand, Kennedy wore a stern expression, his face visible beneath a dark hooded sweatshirt. The cashier later told police the man, a regular, looked agitated. Without saying a word, he walked up to Miller and began firing. He shot her repeatedly in the head and stomach at point blank range, as terrified employees dove to the floor, they later told police. Twenty-six seconds after walking into the Wawa, Kennedy ran out, got into the front seat of his car with the rifle, and drove off. Millers lifeless body lay on the Wawa floor surrounded by spent shell casings. Millers family and friends are now left to grieve for the 37-year-old occupational therapist who loved bringing people together for potluck meals, concerts, or dinners in Center City. They called her ability to connect people the Stephanie Effect, said longtime friend Dan Feldman. Most of all, her friends said, Miller loved being a mother. Her death sparked an outpouring of support for her son. A GoFundMe set up by Millers parents had raised nearly $39,000 as of Friday. On Kennedys Instagram, he was the picture of a doting father. He shared videos of the boy often, sometimes multiple times a day. He documented father and son going to the movies, eating dinner, playing in the snow, even doing such mundane tasks as brushing their teeth. In reality, Kennedy was troubled, angered by his 2013 divorce and a custody agreement that limited his time with his son to Tuesday through Thursday. Hundreds of pages of court documents in both Delaware and Chester Counties show how hard Kennedy pushed to expand that arrangement and how his anger at his ex-wife grew over the years. In August 2016, just months after Kennedy threatened to kill Miller in the checkout line of the same Wawa, a judge foreshadowed the volatility to come. This is such a sensitive situation, Delaware County Court Judge Barry C. Dozor said, and it could explode. When Millers lawyer, Stephen Baer, heard that a woman had been killed at the Wawa, he shuddered. He knew that under their custody agreement, Miller and Kennedy had for years picked up and dropped off their son at that location. I was afraid it was Stephanie Miller, Baer said. I had a bad feeling. Miller first sought protection from Kennedy after a divorce mediation consult in February 2013, Chester County court records show. As they headed home Miller behind the wheel and Kennedy in the back seat with their then-9-month-old son he became increasingly upset, telling Miller she better watch out or she was going to get hurt, according to a temporary protection-from-abuse order filed in Chester County. Kennedy had threatened Miller before, she told authorities, so she fumbled for her cell phone to try to record what was happening. Realizing what Miller was trying to do, Kennedy began clawing at the right side of her face as she drove, according to the documents. Miller pulled into the parking lot of the Sugartown Road Acme, across the street from the Wawa where she would be killed six years later. She told police she wanted to be in a public place in case Kennedys anger escalated. Brian then violently pushed me out of the drivers seat, Miller wrote in the application for a protection-from-abuse order. Once he sat in the drivers seat, I attempted to calm him, stating I just need to talk to you. Please dont do this. Kennedy sped off in Millers car, taking their son, her purse, her phone, and other personal belongings with him, she wrote. Miller said she was left crying and screaming for help in the middle of the parking lot. At the suggestion of a passerby, she walked into a nearby district judges office and called the police. Kennedy was ordered to get anger management counseling and move out of the couples Devon apartment. Three years later, while the couple were exchanging their son at Wawa, Kennedy whispered in Millers ear: Get that [expletive] life insurance policy before I kill you, according to Delaware County court documents. Kennedy was found guilty of harassment, and his threat became the basis for a protection-from-abuse order that lapsed this fall. None of the reported threats involved weapons, and on PFA forms, neither Kennedy nor Miller indicated that he owned guns. After the shooting, no other weapons were discovered in Kennedys car or at his apartment. Court records show that Kennedy struggled with mental-health issues. In December 2017, he took a medical leave of absence from his job as a respiratory therapist at Hahnemann University Hospital. According to his leave request form, Kennedy was depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, irritable, experienced poor concentration, poor sleep, lack of energy, and was struggling with activities of daily living (showering, brushing, changing). Patient is undergoing significant emotional distress due to ongoing divorce and child custody issues, the form read. Kennedy said he was hopeful about returning to work, but is having extreme difficulty functioning currently, according to the leave request. While on leave, Kennedy continued to challenge the couples child-custody arrangement, repeatedly filing motions in Chester and Delaware County courts. In one, he asked Miller to turn over text messages, emails, a list of all sources of income, and receipts from various outings she took with the child. He also applied for protection-from-abuse orders against Miller, saying she had threatened him, but those were ultimately struck down by judges who did not find the allegations credible. In September, Kennedy took Miller to court in Delaware County and tried to get the protection-from-abuse order against him thrown out 15 days before it was set to expire. At that hearing, Miller said Kennedy continued to text her in the middle of the night, saying he missed the relationship and asking if there were anything he could do to rekindle it. I continue to not feel safe, Miller told the judge, and I think this is another form of harassment that two weeks before its going to expire, Im here fighting why it shouldnt be removed anytime early. At their Tredyffrin Township home, Millers parents declined to speak with a reporter. On their GoFundMe page, the couple said Miller devoted her life to helping others, especially the elderly and children with special needs. Our loss cannot be stated in words, they wrote, but she will be remembered by the lives she changed for the better. Friend David Miller, who recalled her as a kind, generous, and loving soul, said: "The world is a little less bright without her light. Staff writer Katie Park contributed to this article. Editors note: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect first name for Louis Comfort Tiffany. JIM THORPE, Pa. No one is quite sure how much the large Tiffany window is worth, but when the sun sweeps into the valley and illuminates the stained glass and precious stones embedded in it, the value moves from probably a couple of million to priceless. If something were to shake the foundation of St. Marks and St. Johns Episcopal Church, a national historic landmark built literally into a mountain, and shatter the glass that Louis Comfort Tiffany installed himself in 1895, the appraisal would be much easier. It would be worth nothing, along with any of the 60 other Tiffany windows there. This is the window that is most in danger, caretaker Mary Shorten said of the 10-by-18-foot centerpiece. The threat, she and other Jim Thorpe residents said, is a $13-million construction project adjacent to the church that would include offices for Carbon County and a parking garage for its employees. Construction was to begin soon but has been delayed by legal action the church has taken. Parking is a rare commodity on the hilly, narrow streets of Jim Thorpe, a former coal town that renamed and reinvented itself as a tourist destination over the last 50 years. Originally known as Mauch Chunk, it is is home to bed and breakfasts, concert venues, museums, pubs, and boutiques. But Jim Thorpe, population 4,633, is also the county seat, and that means there arent just tourists circling endlessly for parking. Theres a parking problem here, and we have to be in walking distance to the courts, said Wayne Nothstein, a Carbon County commissioner. Its going to be a block or two from the courthouse. Nothstein said the commissioners did seek out other properties to build the parking garage and offices, but none worked out. Public transportation, he said, is one of the countys biggest headaches, which means that for everyone who comes in and out for court, driving is the only real option. We would have like to have gone elsewhere, he said. Nothstein said the project will take every precaution with the church, noting that dynamite wouldnt be used to excavate rock. The county, he said, also has hired a company to do vibration monitoring and increased its insurance in case something happens. What else can we do to eliminate their fears? he said. Theyll have that fear no matter what we do. Instead of stairs, congregants can get to the church via a large, open-air Otis elevator installed by Mary Packer Cummings, one of the worlds wealthiest women in the late 19th century. Daughter of Asa Packer, a Mauch Chunk resident and founder of Lehigh University, she was heir to the familys fortune. Packer Cummings vowed to be the first person to ride the elevator, and she was in her casket, after she died in 1912. There was no expense spared on this building, Shorten said. As the churchs fortunes grew under King Coal, the windows were added. Its most interesting feature, however, might be in the basement, where one wall isnt really a wall at all. Its the side of Flagstaff Mountain. In spring, when the ice thaws on the mountain, water seeps through the rocks in the church. Designed by architect Richard Upjohn in 1869, the church is so integrated into its environment that supporters fear the rock could shift and slide during the countys project, damaging much more than glass. Its one whole mass of rock and stone and dirt thats been living together for a long time, and if you interfere with that, youre asking for trouble, said John Drury, owner of the nearby Inn at Jim Thorpe. Betty Lou McBride, a resident who owns the historic Carbon County Jail up the street, believes banking on an insurance policy to safeguard the project is shortsighted. They say, if theres a problem, that theyll stop. but theres no next sentence, said McBride. Is it, Well stop the job and go home? Well give it up. Well start using nail files? When the borough council granted conditional approval for the project in February, the church filed a lawsuit against the borough. Shorten claims the church has received letters from architects and statewide historical commissions supporting its efforts to halt the project. The lawsuit alleges the project will mean immediate and irreparable harm to the historic structures and fixtures. Members of Jim Thorpes borough council did not return a request for comment. Nothstein said he could not comment on the groups lawsuit. The church has approximately 150 people on its rolls, but fewer show up for Mass each week. A Save Our Church & Town GoFundMe has been created, with $1,285 of its $10,000 goal raised so far. Shorten said some of that money has gone toward hiring the congregations own structural engineer to study the project, and theyre waiting for his report to be done. In the meantime, she said, shes ready to oppose the bulldozers and jackhammers in person, on the mountain. Ill stand out there, she said. We will stand out there and stop them from proceeding until the proper things are done. Joris Ruijs Bags Monster Lead on PAPC Main Event Day 2 April 05, 2019 Yori Epskamp The second of four days in the 1,500 Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge Main Event had one man claiming the spotlight: Joris Ruijs. The Dutch high roller went on an absolute rampage during nearly eight levels of sixty minutes and bagged 1,242,000 to conclude the day. In comparison, it was nearly three times as much as Kasper Mellanen, who bagged the second biggest stack with 423,000 in chips. Play continued until the bubble had burst and 20 out of 160 players will return for Day 3. It was one of those days where Ruijs seemingly couldn't do anything wrong. While a lot of raises got through, whenever Ruijs got looked up he had the goods. Julius Schamburg became one of the biggest victims of Ruijs' dynamism. Schamburg wielded the second biggest stack when he got moved to Ruijs' table, but lost multiple sizable pots against the Dutchman. One big pot especially, where Ruijs had flopped a flush and got paid, relegated Schamburg to spectator status in the Ruijs show. While left severely bruised, the German did survive and will return to the penultimate day with 119,500 in chips. PAPC Main Event Top 5 Chip Counts After Day 2 Position Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Joris Ruijs Netherlands 1,242,000 207 2 Kasper Mellanen Finland 423,000 71 3 Ville Jantunen Finland 410,000 68 4 Henri Schalin Finland 365,000 61 5 Matias Arosuo Finland 308,000 51 PAPC Main Event Day 2 Action While the young Dutchman was raking in the chips, others fell by the wayside and failed to make the money. The trio of Chino Rheem, Noah Boeken, and Robert Mizrachi, all good friends of Patrik Antonius, saw their attempt to win their friend's tournament end early in the day. Day 1 chip leader Dragos Trofimov also failed to make the money, and was joined on the rail by Micha Hoedemaker, Jason Gray, and loudmouth Veki-Pella Alakorva, who's daring king-high bluff got picked off by Kasper Mellanen two spots before the money. Sergei Istsenko bubbled the Main Event running kings into aces. Alakorva busted shortly after his ill-timed attempt, leaving the field with 21 players. They played hand-for-hand for a while before two players were all-in and at risk. Roope Tarmi was called holding ace-king on an ace-high flop, but top pair top kicker remained best to keep him alive. Sergei Istsenko was less fortunate: with pocket kings, he ran into the dreaded setup as Kaupo Tenno woke up with pocket aces to send the Russian home empty-handed. The 20 remaining players bagged for the night directly afterward, each of them already guaranteed 2,820 for their efforts, and will return on Saturday, April 6 at noon local time to play down to 6. The winner will be crowned on Sunday, April 7, and will receive 57,200 as well as the bragging rights that come with becoming the first-ever PAPC Main Event champion. Action at the Olympic Park Casino in Hilton Tallinn is continuing with the Player's Party downstairs, where the First Land of Poker (FLOP) app will be launched. PokerNews will cover the launch of this new social app in a separate article and will be back on the floor on Saturday as the Main Event inches closer towards a champion. Joris Ruijs will attempt to hold on to his big lead in the first-ever PAPC Main Event. Ruijs Keeps Dominating on Ultra-Short PAPC Main Event Day 3 April 06, 2019 Yori Epskamp After one of the shortest penultimate days ever to be played at a poker event, clocking in at just under 2.5 hours, the final table of the 1,500 Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge Main Event has been set. On a day that played down from 20 to the final 8, Joris Ruijs was unstoppable once again and continued the onslaught he started yesterday, eliminating seven more players today to amass a monster stack and making him the odds-on favorite to claim the first-place prize of 57,200. The day was scheduled to be short, but having play suspended in just the third level of the day was beyond anyone's expectations. Ruijs was largely responsible for it: after setting the tone by busting Roope Tarmi in the first hand of the day, he picked off several more along the way to nearly double his stack throughout the 2.5 hours. The seemingly unstoppable Dutchman will return to the final day with an astonishing 2,254,000 in chips, over two hundred big blinds and 47% of the chips in play. To put his lead into perspective, Marvin Hannemann is second in chips with 645,000, trailing the chip leader by more than 3:1. Hannemann will be seated two to Ruijs' left at the final table, giving him at least some positional advantage to defend himself against the monster stack. 1,500 Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge Main Event Final Table Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Markku Koplimaa Estonia 139,000 14 2 Marvin Hannemann Germany 645,000 65 3 Matias Arosuo Finland 187,000 19 4 Kasper Mellanen Finland 493,000 49 5 Andrejs Punka Latvia 475,000 48 6 Ville Jantunen Finland 461,000 46 7 Sebastian Wahl Finland 127,000 13 8 Joris Ruijs Netherlands 2,254,000 225 Kasper Mellanen (493,000), Andrejs Punka (475,000), and Ville Jantunen (461,000) round out the top five, and all of them have well-padded stacks when action resumes on Sunday. The short stacks belong to Matias Arosuo (187,000), Markku Koplimaa (139,000), and Sebastian Wahl (127,000), who each will have to try to spin it up from below the 20 big blind mark. Koplimaa is one of the strongest tournament players in Estonia with over 500k in lifetime winnings, and a win here would move him up to second on his country's Hendon Mob all-time money list. Wahl has already tasted success here in Tallinn after winning the inaugural Coolbet Open last year. Julius Schamburg, who already clashed multiple times with Ruijs on Day 2, was among the biggest stacks to be gobbled up today. Schamburg tried to make a stand against his nemesis' relentless attacks, but an ill-timed four-bet shove with ace-five was met by a snap-call from Ruijs with pocket jacks. The jacks held up to send Schamburg to the rail in fifteenth. Kaupo Tenno, Tarmo Tammel, and Pasi Sormunen also busted to Ruijs, with Sormunen being the last to go in ninth place. Given the shortness of the day, the floor staff allowed the players to discuss whether they'd like to keep playing, but after Hannemann opted against it play was suspended until Sunday as scheduled. Players will return on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. local time to play down to a winner, and action will be live streamed with hole cards on a 30-minute security delay. The blinds will resume in level 18 with blinds at 5,000/10,000, a big blind ante of 10,000 and 38:28 left in the level. PokerNews will be on the floor of the Olympic Park Casino to cover the Main Event as well as the single-day 10,200 Championship Event. Julius Schamburg & Kaupo Tenno were two of the seven players to bust to Ruijs today 848 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The following fact sheet has been provided by the White House Office of the Press Secretary to PoliticusUSA. It is a fact sheet on President Obamas proposals to safeguard Americans privacy and information in the digital age. These proposals are intended to protect consumers from identity theft and protect student privacy. They are part of federal legislation the President will call for at the State of the Union, which Obama is unveiling one by one in advance. The President is expected to discuss these proposals Monday morning at 11:55 AM as he hosts an event at the Federal Trade Commission offices in Washington, DC. This is yet another instance of the President taking action for the people while Congress is mired in dysfunctional drama. FACT SHEET: Safeguarding American Consumers & Families President Obama Announces New Privacy Protections for the Digital Age Today, President Obama will build on the steps he has taken to protect American companies, consumers, and infrastructure from cyber threats, while safeguarding privacy and civil liberties. These actions have included the Presidents 2012 comprehensive blueprint for consumer privacy, the BuySecure initiativelaunched last year to safeguard Americans financial security, and steps the President took earlier this year by creating a working group of senior administration officials to examine issues related to big data and privacy in public services and the commercial sector. In an increasingly interconnected world, American companies are also leaders in protecting privacy, taking unprecedented steps to invest in cybersecurity and provide customers with precise control over the privacy of their online content. But as cybersecurity threats and identity theft continue to rise, recent polls show that 9 in 10 Americans feel they have in some way lost control of their personal information and that can lead to less interaction with technology, less innovation, and a less productive economy. At the Federal Trade Commission offices today, President Obama will highlight measures he will discuss in the State of the Union and unveil the next steps in his comprehensive approach to enhancing consumers security, tackling identity theft, and improving privacy online and in the classroom. These steps include: Improving Consumer Confidence by Tackling Identity Theft The Personal Data Notification & Protection Act: The President is putting forward a new legislative proposal to help bring peace of mind to the tens of millions of Americans whose personal and financial information has been compromised in a data breach. This proposal clarifies and strengthens the obligations companies have to notify customers when their personal information has been exposed, including establishing a 30-day notification requirement from the discovery of a breach, while providing companies with the certainty of a single, national standard. The proposal also criminalizes illicit overseas trade in identities. Identifying and Preventing Identity Theft: To give consumers access to one of the best early indicators of identity theft, as well as an opportunity to improve their credit health, JPMorganChase and Bank of America, in partnership with Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), will join the growing list of firms making credit scores available for free to their consumer card customers. USAA and State Employees Credit Union will also offer free credit scores to their members, and Ally Financial is further widening the community of companies taking this step by making credit scores available to their auto loan customers. Through this effort over half of all adult Americans with credit scores will now have access to this tool to help spot identity theft, through their banks, card issuers, or lenders. Safeguarding Student Data in the Classroom and Beyond The Student Digital Privacy Act: The President is releasing a new legislative proposal designed to provide teachers and parents the confidence they need to enhance teaching and learning with the best technology by ensuring that data collected in the educational context is used only for educational purposes. This bill, modeled on a landmark California statute, builds on the recommendations of the White House Big Data and Privacy review released earlier this year, would prevent companies from selling student data to third parties for purposes unrelated to the educational mission and from engaging in targeted advertising to students based on data collected in school while still permitting important research initiatives to improve student learning outcomes, and efforts by companies to continuously improve the effectiveness of their learning technology products. New Commitments from the Private Sector to Help Enhance Privacy for Students: Today 75 companies have committed to the cause, signing a pledge to provide parents, teachers, and kids themselves with important protections against misuse of their data. This pledge was led by the Future of Privacy Forum and the Software & Information Industry Association, and today the President challenged other companies to follow their lead. New Tools from the Department of Education to Empower Educators Around the Country and Protect Students: The Department of Education and its Privacy Technical Assurance Center play a critical role in protecting American children from invasions of privacy. Today, we are announcing a forthcoming model terms of service, as well as teacher training assistance that will enhance our ability to help ensure educational data is used appropriately and in accordance with the educational mission. Convening the Public and Private Sector to Tackle Emerging Privacy Issues Voluntary Code of Conduct for Smart Grid Customer Data Privacy: Today the Department of Energy and the Federal Smart Grid Task Force are releasing a new Voluntary Code of Conduct (VCC) for utilities and third parties aimed at protecting electricity customer data including energy usage information. This Code reflects a year of expert and public consultation, including input from industry stakeholders, privacy experts, and the public. As companies begin to sign on, the VCC will help improve consumer awareness, choice and consent, and controls on access. Promoting Innovation by Improving Consumers Confidence Online Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Legislation: Online interactions should be governed by clear principles principles that look at the context in which data is collected and ensure that users expectations are not abused. Those were the key themes of the Administrations 2012 Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, and today the Commerce Department announced it has completed its public consultation on revised draft legislation enshrining those principles into law. Within 45 days, the Administration will release this revised legislative proposal and today we call on Congress to begin active consideration of this important issue. These actions build on steps the President has already taken to support consumer privacy and fight identity theft, including: Making Federal Payments More Secure to Help Drive the Market Forward: In October, as part of his BuySecure Initiative, the President issued an Executive Order laying out a new policy to secure payments to and from the Federal government by applying chip and PIN technology to newly issued and existing government credit cards, as well as debit cards like Direct Express, and upgrading retail payment card terminals at Federal agency facilities to accept chip and PIN-enabled cards. This accompanied an effort by major companies like Home Depot, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart to roll out secure chip and PIN-compatible card terminals in stores across the country. New Measures to Prevent Identity Theft: The President also announced new steps by the government to assist victims of identity theft, including supporting the Federal Trade Commission in their development of a new one-stop resource for victims at IdentityTheft.gov and expanding information sharing to ensure Federal investigators ability to regularly report evidence of stolen financial and other information to companies whose customers are directly affected. END FACT SHEET 2.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard While Trump is running around California ranting about a border crisis, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sued Trump to stop him from moving money to pay for his wall. Nancy Pelosi just called out Trumps border crisis Pelosi said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA: Today, the House is taking action once more to uphold the Constitution from the Presidents brazen assault, and to defend our Democracy. The Presidents decision to contravene the will of the bipartisan, bicameral Congress after being denied the funds he demanded for his sham emergency stands in stark, unequivocal violation of the Constitutions Appropriations Clause. The Constitutions express statement of Congresss exclusive power over the federal purse, according to the courts, is both a bulwark of the Constitutions separation of powers among the three branches of the National Government, and particularly important as a restraint on Executive Branch officers. As the complaint notes, Even the monarchs of England long ago lost the power to raise and spend money without the approval of Parliament. The Congress has a solemn responsibility to defend its exclusive constitutional responsibilities, and protect our system of checks and balances. The very integrity of our democratic institutions are at stake. We will not let the President trample over the Constitution. Read the lawsuit: Pelosi will not allow Trump to violate the Constitution The Constitution and the courts have been clear. A president does not have the power to redirect funds that have been appropriated by Congress to a different program at his discretion. There is no national emergency. Trump is abusing the emergency declaration because Congress wont give him the money for his wall. The president has admitted this in public. Trump does have the authority to declare an emergency, but he does not have the power to spend money. Donald Trump is trying to expand presidential powers dangerously, and Nancy Pelosi is going to fight tooth and nail to stop him and save our Constitution. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump is so out of touch with reality that he attacked a judge for an immigration decision who was actually a 15-year-old migrant from El Salvador. This is the President Of The United States: OMFG Trump criticizing " bad court decision" Reno V. Flores "Judge Flores, whoever you may be, that decision is a disaster for our country" You ignorant turd, Judge Flores is Jenny Lisette Flores, then an unaccompanied 15-year old girl from El Salvador. Dumb orange turd pic.twitter.com/586bOZS1NQ ALT-immigration immigration deepness (@ALT_uscis) April 5, 2019 As CNNs Jim Acosta pointed out: Trump Weve had some very bad court decisions. The Flores decision is a disaster, I have to tell you. Judge Flores, whoever you may be, that decision is a disaster for our country." As CNN has previously reported, Flores was a 15-year-old girl from El Salvador. via @maeganvaz Jim Acosta (@Acosta) April 5, 2019 These arent Trump gaffes. Theyre symptoms. So far this week, Trump has falsely claimed that his father was born in Germany. Fred Trump was born in New York City. President Trump has also demanded an investigation into the oranges of the Mueller investigation, and now he is confusing a judge with a 15-year-old girl. Trump has always lived in his own fantasyland, but these statements this week show a basic lack of language and comprehension skills. Trump is in decline, and if this is what Republicans are going to trot out at the top of their ticket in 2020, they are going to have a big problem. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 335 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard To perhaps an unprecedented degree in the United States, we are witnessing an increasingly serious debate playing out about the relative merits of capitalism and socialism. This development is healthy, allowing the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the way we organize our economy to meet human need through honest comparison with the ways other nations do, as we search for the best solutions and possibilities for serving peoples needs. Despite the general consensus that during the Red Scare days Senator Joe McCarthy was in fact conducting an extremist witch hunt, an anti-communism ideology has abided in American culture, disarming our ability to engage in clear-eyed reflection of other possibilities for organizing our economy, healthcare system, and more. Once anyone said, Well thats socialism or thats communism, the conversation ended. Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign, regardless of its shortcomings, catapulted socialism into the nations political vocabulary, eroding in some measure its pejorative presumptions, arguably sparking more curiosity than castigation. The juggernaut intellect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has furthered the terms currency, endowing it with a vibrancy, substance, and maybe even a sustainability, although it still holds the status of being a shiny new object in political conversation, its history notwithstanding. One sign of socialisms currency, that it demands reckoning, is the fact that J.P. Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon felt compelled even to address socialism in a recent letter to shareholders. One doesnt take on opponents one doesnt view as a serious threat to ones standing and interests; one ignores them. Dimons discussion also signals the extent to which socialism really is a shiny new object largely misunderstood in U.S. politics and culture. Its not even clear Dimon really understands capitalism, as his comments to shareholders, ironically, read more like an indictment of the U.S.s current capitalist order. Lets look at this letter, released with the banks 2018 annual report. Dimon writes: When governments control companies, economic assets (companies, lenders and so on) over time are used to further political interests leading to inefficient companies and markets, enormous favoritism and corruption. Socialism 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. This would be as much a disaster for our country as it has been in the other places its been tried. Did you catch the irony? Substitute capitalism for socialism in this passage, and it would make more sense, particularly in our current context, to which Dimon seems rather oblivious. If you didnt catch the irony, let me explain some sad facts of our political economy that should clarify it. Nevermind our President is being sued for violating the Constitutions emoluments clause and has been blatant in exploiting the Presidency to enrich himself, vacationing at his own resorts at taxpayer expense, gaining favoritism for his and his familys businesses with foreign governments, and more. The Saudis and their lobbyists book rooms in Trump hotels by the hundreds. Last March, Newsweek reported on the strange and quietly orchestrated move by the White House, endorsed by Jared Kushner, to support a blockade of Qatar organized by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This support came a month after reports that Qatar had rejected solicitations from Jared Kushners father for financing to bail them out of a heavily indebted property. Speculation ran high that this otherwise puzzling foreign relations decision was an exacting of revenge on the part of the Kushner family. And Dimon thinks socialism breeds corruption and favoritism? Trump and his shenanigans aside, though, lets look at a few other examples, from the thousands from which we could pick, of the way capitalism breeds corruption, fosters behavior hostile to the public good, and interferes with individual lives in damaging ways. Heres a few: *A recent lawsuit filed by the state of Massachusetts against Purdue Pharma details how the company, in marketing its product OxyContin, self-servingly and knowingly urged over-prescription of the drug and abetted the opioid crisis that has taken and damaged tens of thousands of lives. Among other information contained in company communications, documents reveal the company knew of the problems of addiction and the dangers of their drug and, instead of pursuing a course of action to curtail the problem, developed a PR campaign to blame the addicts rather than threaten their profits. *Remember that horror of U.S. capitalism called the Great Recession caused largely by banks creating and trading toxic mortgage loans, often fraudulently, leading to the destruction of millions of Americans wealth, causing massive unemployment, triggering a foreclosure crisis, and more? And remember that capitalist history cyclically experiences such crises? Certainly capitalism has its moments far worse than stagnation, and I hope the rampant corruption here is clear. *And remember Wells Fargo defrauding its customers, opening accounts in their names without their knowledge? *And, to inject a little variety, lets shift to how the criminal justice system functions within capitalism. Remember the Pennsylvania judge who enriched himself by sentencing juvenile offenders to serve time in a private prison? Or our carceral state with private prisons that benefit not from reductions in crime and rehabilitating prisoners but expanding crime and warehousing criminals? *How about for-profit universities (including Trumps) that have swindled students out of exorbitant tuition payments and left them no with degree? This kind of greed infecting our system, which does not promote democracy or the public good but rather a kind of authoritarianism and a private interest hostile to others, is a value capitalism cultivatesand set of behaviors applauded and awarded.. The system Dimon describes as socialism, is in fact capitalism, our nations capitalism. Meanwhile, as Ive written about in these pages, nations like Finland and Denmark rank higher for happiness, health, and education, and people like Nikki Haley and Dimon, swimming in private wealth, continue to denounce them. Wonder why? I guess the authoritarianism, corruption, economic crises and instability, and favoritism and cronyism we experience in U.S. capitalism are somehow preferable. 5.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump and his supporters are having a field day in response to the news that former vice president Joe Bidens affectionate style of politicking has made a handful of women uncomfortable over the years. While these women arent alleging sexual assault, they do have the right to come forward and share any type of behavior that made them feel violated. Its a demonstration of just how much progress society has made that women feel empowered to speak out on such issues. In response, Biden has said he hears these women loud and clear. He acknowledged that he has a responsibility to change his behavior and that he plans to meet that responsibility. Of course, none of that kept Donald Trumps supporters from waging a full-on assault on the former vice president. In recent days, the MAGA mob has flooded social media with pictures of Biden hugging female supporters over the years, as if they were showing us newly unearthed footage for the first time. Theyve even started employing the hashtag #CreepyJoe, clearly taking their name-calling cues from the third-grader living in the White House. Trump himself has even joined in on the action, posting a doctored video on Twitter of Joe Biden massaging his own shoulders. Its disturbing in its own right that the same man who posted this video is also in charge of the nations nuclear codes. But whats most stunning is not Trump supporters juvenile attacks on Joe Biden. Given the maturity level of their leader, this is to be expected. Whats shocking is the utter shamelessness of their hypocrisy. It is mindboggling that the backers of this president have the nerve to attack anyone else Joe Biden or otherwise on these grounds. The MAGA mob can get back to us when they disavow Trump, an actual sexual predator Its important to remember that the MAGA mob now attacking Joe Biden is the same group of folks who stood by Donald Trump after the Access Hollywood tape surfaced in October 2016. At this point, Trumps on-tape boastings about groping women without consent are seared into our collective minds. Not only didnt the Trumpers disavow him then, but they started showing up at his rallies wearing shirts like this. When more than a dozen women came forward during the 2016 campaign to accuse their candidate of actual sexual assault not awkward hugs they didnt criticize Trump. No, they cheered on the cretin as he suggested that the accusers werent attractive enough to assault. More recently, when it was revealed that Trump illegally paid off a porn star during the campaign to cover up an affair, the MAGA mob was, again, quiet. That affair, by the way, took place just months after Melania Trump gave birth to their son Barron. There is much more where this came from, of course. More than 16 women have come forward to accuse this president of sexual misconduct, and exactly zero Trump supporters have come forward to disavow it. The idea that this president and his blindly loyal supporters are now outraged by Joe Bidens sometimes-handsy approach to retail politics is, as the former vice president would say, a bunch of malarky. The MAGA mob can save their fake outrage and give us a call when they disavow the actual sexual predator they elected in 2016. Until then, forgive the rest of the country for not giving a damn what they have to say about Joe Biden. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Many people within the Trump administration could soon be found in Contempt of Congress and thus find themselves subject to arrest. House Democrats have been busy since taking control in January. Theyve already issued several subpoenas, and theyve written a lot of letters which could soon turn into even more subpoenas if they dont get the information they want. Trump, his lawyers, his attorney general, and other associates of the president appear to be ready to openly flout the requests coming from various House committees. So that naturally leads to the question: What can House Democrats do about it? Actually federal law is very clear: If a witness refuses to comply with a subpoena to either produce documents or testify, Congress can then use criminal statutes to enforce compliance. The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized congressional subpoena power, and it has always upheld the enforcement power of contempt. Even Trumps cabinet members arent immune from being arrested for being in contempt of Congress. Its likely if these things happened that the Department of Justice (under control of the president) would intervene and the conflict would end up in court. But it would take an extraordinary set of circumstances for the federal courts including the Supreme Court to disregard federal law and allow Trumps people to avoid complying with congressional subpoenas. The tax laws are very clear with respect to providing Trumps tax returns: the statute says they must be given to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee after he requests them, which he has done. There is no wiggle room here. Still, yesterday, Trump had his lawyers publicly pronounce that they would not comply and would not allow the Treasury Department to turn over Trumps tax returns to Democrats in the House. At this point subpoenas have not been issued for either the Mueller report or for Trumps tax returns. House Democrats have asked nicely, hoping they will receive what they want voluntarily. But if subpoenas are soon issued, and if they are ignored, then Donald Trump and his people will soon find out that the U.S. Congress is an equal branch of government, and should not be ignored. They may also soon find out that House Democrats have the power to arrest Donald Trumps people, and throw them jail. 1.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard A top Democratic lawmaker said on Saturday that the handling of the Mueller report by attorney general William Barr is making impeachment more likely. In an interview with MSNBCs Joy Reid, Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said he had previously been one of the Democrats who didnt want the party to go full-speed ahead on impeachment. But that was before Donald Trumps attorney general released his four-page summary and set off what appears to be a massive cover-up of the Mueller report. All of a sudden, weve got an attorney general who forecast what he was going to do, Clyburn said. He is undermining the process that we all thought would be fair and impartial. The Democratic congressman added, The only thing left is for Congress to get the documents and see whether or not [Trump is] deserving of impeachment. Video: Rep Clyburn said: The founding fathers did anticipate that we could have somebody like this. Thats why they lay it out why we ought to consider impeachment when it needs to be considered. I have been a big supporter of our partys position that impeachment should be something in the background not to be dealt with at this particular juncture. But all of a sudden now, weve got an attorney general who forecast what he was going to do. Hes now doing exactly what he said he was going to do. And he is undermining the process of what we all thought would be fair and impartial and we thought the American people would be able to share in the results. It is now clear that his summary, his four-page summary of two years of work, I understand 300 to 400-page document, is of such that we may need to see the whole document or subpoena the people who can speak to it. And then, if the document is made the way it is because of the Justice Departments procedure or policy on not indicting a sitting president, then the only thing left is for Congress to get the documents and see whether or not hes deserving of impeachment. Trumps cover-up is backfiring The strategy by Donald Trump and his hand-picked attorney general to first fudge the facts laid out in Muellers report, and then conceal the full report, has quickly backfired. Not only havent the American people bought the claims that Trump is fully exonerated, but they want to see the full report. The longer this cover-up continues, the more guilty Trump appears and the more hollow his post-Barr summary celebrations look. With each passing day, it seems more and more likely that there is something damaging in the Mueller report that this president and his allies dont want the public to see. Donald Trump thought this cover-up was a smart way to convince the public of his innocence, but it has done just the opposite, and it has the potential to make impeachment more likely. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 1.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump was heckled as he spoke on Saturday by ten young Jewish American protesters who chanted denouncing white nationalism. The group IfNotNow issued a statement about their action: We took action today two weeks before the Jewish holiday of Passover, when Jews are commanded to remember the bitterness of slavery and our own oppression. Trump is a modern-day Pharaoh, and IfNotNow calls on our community to reject the plagues of Occupation and white nationalism. RJCs embrace of Trump and Netanyahu goes against the Jewish moral tradition by giving political cover to their racist, violent agendas which are a threat to people around the world and to the future of the American Jewish community. Trump and other Republican leaders conflate their unquestioning support of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu with support for American Jews a view that the RJC promotes as well. However we know the opposite is true: President Trump and the Republican party have incited and emboldened racist and white nationalist violence in this country, which culminated in last years massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 of our Jewish elders were killed during Saturday morning prayers by a self-identified white nationalist. Meanwhile, the current Israeli government continues to find common cause with antisemites, racists, and Holocaust revisionists, from Poland and Hungary, to Brazil and the United States, putting Jews around the world at risk from nationalist violence. Just this past week, Netanyahu welcomed the openly racist and homophobic Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who, while in Israel as Netanyahus guest, claimed that the Nazis were leftists. The Israeli prime minister, with the RJC and Trumps support, is actively fostering Holocaust revisionism. American Jews must act while President Trump and the Republicans use their vocal support for the right-wing Israeli government as cover for fomenting violent hatred towards Muslims, immigrants, Jews, and other historically marginalized people in the United States. No to Trump, no to occupation, no to antisemitism, and no to white nationalism! Our tradition demands freedom and dignity for all. We call on our community to reject Trump, Netanyahu, and the RJC, who all promote separation of families, endless occupation, attacks on refugees, and more bloodshed. Violence begets violence; walls and dehumanization will never keep our community safe. The overwhelming majority of American Jews align ourselves instead with those people targeted by Trump and Netanyahus racist and violent agenda. Our generation is helping build a flourishing, liberated community based on a vision of safety and security, grounded in solidarity, for all people. Our generation refuses to allow Trump, Netanyahu, and the RJC to use our people as a cover to justify the daily nightmares of occupation in Israel-Palestine and militarized immigration regime of family separation and internment camps for asylum seekers at the U.S-Mexico border. Video: BREAKING: 10 young American Jews just interrupted President Trumps speech at the @RJC! Jews are here to say, the Occupation is a plague. Jews are here to say, white nationalism is a plague. Freedom and dignity for all! Press release and statement: https://t.co/aSBOlqUE3A pic.twitter.com/3vEGHRhbWq IfNotNow (@IfNotNowOrg) April 6, 2019 Trump gets heckled by Jews who he claims love him Trump has been not only fanning the flames of white nationalism but also trying to paint Democrats as hating Jews. Trump and the Republican Party think that campaigning against American Jews who overwhelmingly support Democrats is a winning strategy. This protest action is a good reminder that people shouldnt buy into Trumps framing. Not all Jews support Netanyahu and Trump, and at least America, Trumps efforts to spread division and hate are backfiring with American Jews. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 10.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Yesterday Donald Trump made a rare visit to the Golden State to try to garner support for his controversial border wall with Mexico. While there Trump took time out to attend a fundraiser at a Beverly Hills home, and it was a total bust. In fact, so few people wanted to meet the president that he was humiliated and completely embarrassed. According to a new report from the Daily Beast, tickets for the event at the home of health-care executive and GOP donor Lee Samson started at $15,000 and went as high as $150,000, but very few took advantage of the opportunity to shake hands with Trump. Whats worse (from the Southern California perspective) is that there were no celebrities in attendance. This was confirmed by a rabbi who attended the event, as well as by the valets who worked the flop fundraiser. For Donald Trump, being in Beverly Hills and shunned by Hollywood celebrities was a massive blow to his ego. He loves rubbing shoulders with famous people, even if they are they type of C-list people who performed at his Republican National Convention in 2016 and who he gets to perform at the White House. According to the Daily Beast, the goal of the meet and greet was to raise $5 million for the Republican Party but they came up way short due to so few people bothering to interrupt their Friday night plans to come see the President of the United States. Event organizers had estimated that 90 donors would be in attendance, but did not disclose the invite list. Based on information obtained from multiple sources, it appears that attendance at the event was less than half of what was expected. The event, whose location was leaked to TMZ, drew a tiny crowd, with four flag-clad supporters in MAGA hats, and 10 protesters holding a banner that read TRUMP AND PENCE MUST GO. More than one passing driver blared YG and Nipsey Hussles F*ck Donald Trump, the Daily Beast reported. One interesting piece of information leaked about the fundraiser said that during his remarks, Trump made an attempt at humor. He reportedly told the crowd that he expects to win Californias 55 electoral votes in the 2020 election. That comment, along with the man who made it, is a total joke. 881 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard It seems like every Democrat in the country is running for president in 2020. There could be as many as 20 candidates who lose the nomination next year. But who will win? With so many candidates running, how worried should Democrats be about a fiasco like a deadlocked nomination battle leading to a loss in November? Nate Silver argues that a very large candidate field is dangerous for the party. He wrote: The crowded field developing for 2020 doesnt necessarily imply that an anti-establishment candidate will prevail. Even when party elites dont get their first choice, they usually get someone they can live with. But the high number of candidates does imply a higher-than-usual risk of chaos. But Democrats may not need to worry, according to Elaine Kamarck from the Brookings Institute: The complex rules for awarding delegates to presidential candidates have not changed in many years and will remain the same in 2020. First, there is a threshold of 15 percent of the primary vote for winning a delegate. In a twenty-person field, many candidates wont win a single delegate. Second, while delegates are awarded proportionally By the time Super Tuesday is over, candidates without delegates are likely to be walking ghosts. Still, Democrats are on pace to have the largest presidential primary field in campaign history and its growth shows no sign of slowing. As of Friday, there are at least 14 major candidates in the race and another half dozen who are expected to announce soon. This means that the 2020 crowd is likely to become the biggest presidential field of all time, including the 2016 Republicans, which had at least 17 candidates, and the 1976 Democratic field, which had 16. So what are Democrats to do with so many choices? Grant Woodard, a Des Moines, Iowa, trial lawyer and former Democratic operative is not impressed with what hes seen, saying: This reminds me of the menu at a Cheesecake Factory: utterly overwhelming and nothing particularly stands out. But according to Rachel Maddow, history suggest that a large primary field not necessarily a bad thing. At the very least it shows that there is confidence in the party that a Democrat will win in 2020. It also shows that there is a deep bench of younger, not well known candidates who are anxious to create a national profile. Recently the Democratic National Committee expanded its first debate to make it over two nights to accommodate up to 20 candidates (10 each night). It also has a contingency plan in place should there be more than 20 bona fide candidates and it needs to winnow that field to keep the debate number at 20. The first debate is set for June 26-27, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Some Democrats are worried that so many choices will cause overload among primary voters, leading to decision fatigue and anticipated regret. (This is like having buyers remorse before you even buy something, because you worry youll make the wrong decision.) We all want candidates to choose from, but we dont want to work that hard on it, particularly for people like me who are not political experts, said Lilly Kofler, the U.S. director of behavioral Science at Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Its the paradox of choice. Kofler, who recently wrote an essay for Politico magazine titled, Too Many Democrats Are Running in 2020, According to Science, said that when people are overwhelmed by choices, they default to what she calls a known option. The problem with the known option is that its not necessarily the favorite option. Kofler has maintained that Donald Trump benefited from this effect in the crowded 2016 GOP field, since he was more famous than any of his competitors. Overconfident Republicans are rubbing their hands with glee, thinking they can pit Democratic candidates against each other and help create party disunity. It gives us the opportunity to create chaos every single day, said Sarah Dolan, the executive director of the GOP research group America Rising. Theyre making our jobs easy. But Charlie Cook, a longtime political analyst and founder of the Cook Report, doubts that a long, crowded primary season necessarily spells trouble for the Democrats, noting Trump won in 2016 and so did Barack Obama in 2008. What Dolans analysis doesnt take into account is that not only is Donald Trump historically unpopular, but he has also unified Democrats. It is almost certain that the various factions within the Democratic Party will unite for the common purpose of defeating Donald Trump in 2020. Kazakhstans long-time President Nursultan Nazarbayev relinquished power and stepped down on March 19, prompting speculation about this Central Asian countrys political future. But one question rarely asked is why Kazakhstan has not been the target of Russian disinformation campaigns. Since the absence of news is also news, we looked into this question to try and understand what motivates Moscow to launch disinformation against some countries and not others, particularly this one. Vulnerabilities and Advantages Three critical factors make Kazakhstan, the largest Central Asian country, acutely vulnerable to Russian pressure: the sizable Russian minority, representing one fifth of Kazakhstans population and concentrated mostly in the northern and eastern provinces; the long border with Russia, stretching 7,644 kilometers (4,749 miles); and the extensive economic connections between the two countries, including through the Eurasian Customs Union (ECU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). However, there is also a number of elements that prevent Moscow from exercising decisive influence on Astana (now renamed Nur-Sultan after President Nazarbayev). These include Kazakhstans enormous size and vast energy resources; extensive Western investments in the energy sector and other industries; the countrys multi-vector foreign policy and rising international profile; its strong relations with Turkey and the Islamic world; its liberal policy on minorities and minority languages, including Russian; and Nazarbayevs ability to keep Moscow at bay for the last 28 years. The response of Russias media and policy community to Nazarbayevs resignation was notably positive, almost warm. The program director of the Kremlin-supported discussion platform, the Valdai Club, Oleg Barabanov, said Russias partnership with Nazarbayevs Kazakhstan could be considered the optimal model for Russias bilateral relations in the post-Soviet space. According to him, that relationship has far outgrown the level of simple Russian sponsorship, in contrast to a number of other examples. Barabanov praised Nazarbayev as the founding father of modern Eurasian integration. Paris-based political analyst George Voloshin told Polygraph.info that Russia apparently was kept fully informed of the impending succession, including the choice of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to be the new president. By all accounts, it appears that the Putin administration views approvingly recent changes because they ensure continuity and the preservation of the strategic partnership with Moscow, Voloshin said. The strong bilateral ties between the two countries are one way to explain the absence of negative disinformation directed at Kazakhstans government or related to Nazarbayevs personally. But Russia and Kazakhstan have not always agreed on a number of contentious matters over the years. In this respect, Nazarbayev has been able to stand his ground with Russias President Vladimir Putin (and, before that, with Boris Yeltsin) whenever Kazakhstans national interest and sovereignty were at stake. The Crimea Factor The most distinct example was Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014, when Kazakhstan did not vote with Russia against the United Nations General Assembly resolution affirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Although Kazakhstan abstained, along with 57 other states, the signal resonated within Russias political circles and the media. In annexing Crimea and staging a covert military intervention in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin set a precedent by violating the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. This memorandum concerned not only Ukraine, but also Kazakhstan and Belarus. In 1994, Russia, the U.S. and U.K. provided security assurances for the territorial integrity and political independence of all three countries in exchange for surrendering their Soviet-era nuclear stockpiles. The fact that Moscow justified its annexation of Crimea with the need to protect the rights and interests of the Russian and Russian-speaking populations on the peninsula sent a chilling message to Kazakhstan. The Russian minority in Kazakhstan, despite significant repatriation to Russia since 1991, still comprises more than 20 percent of the population. Most of Kazakhstans Russians are concentrated in the regions bordering Russia. Multi-Vector Policy The geopolitics of Kazakhstan, with long borders with both Russia and China, mean that the Kazaks must balance, Enders Wimbush, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and former director of Radio Liberty, commented for Polygraph.info. Kazakhstan has a multi-vectored foreign policy, which means accommodating both Russian and Chinese interests, primarily. They have done this exceptionally well. They think strategically, unlike most other Central Asians, who dont see the larger tapestry clearly. Balancing Russia and China, though, is only possible through maintaining strong relations with the Westwith both Europe and the United States. Kazakhstan has done this remarkably well, too, through intensive diplomacy and attracting over $300 billion in foreign direct investment, mostly from Western countries like the Netherlands, the United States and Switzerland. The first U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan, William Courtney, pointed out that Kazakhstan has a different strategy compared to other former Soviet states, but also fewer options as a land-locked country located far away from Western Europe. Kazakhstan is much more dependent on Russia than is Ukraine, for example, including for oil exports and trade. The Kazakhs tend to be more pragmatic and more cooperative by temperament, Ambassador Courtney told Polygraph.info. Nazarbayev took advantage of these national qualities to develop a foreign policy strategy based on cooperation. He promoted tolerance and regional organizations that are important to Moscow, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CST), the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Standing Up to Russia At the same time, Kazakhstans leadership has successfully defended its national interests: it negotiated close to 100 tariff exceptions with Russia within the Customs Union and the EEU. President Nazarbayev even threatened to pull out of the union if it jeopardized Kazakhstans interests. In an interview with Khabar TV channel, he said: Kazakhstan always reserves the right to leave the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) if it poses a threat to the countrys independence. The Kazakh presidents decision to switch the Kazakh language from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet caused controversy in Russia, Barabanov said. Nazarbayev first announced the governments intention to introduce the Latin alphabet ten years ago, but waited for the state to build stronger institutions and a stable economy to withstand possible discontent among the Russian minority or Moscows potential opposition. The plan was put into action in February 2018 and was met with resentment in Russia. On the one hand, the annexation of Crimea inevitably prompted Kazakhstan to press forward with policies enhancing the countrys Kazakh identity. On the other hand, Putins Russian World concept has heightened patriotic and imperial sentiments within Russia. Since Crimeas annexation, the Kremlin has put a special emphasis on preserving Russian historical monuments and Russian culture in the former Soviet countries, and the announcement of full transition to Latin script for the Kazakh language (due in 2025) rattled many people in Moscow. Yet, Russian officials understand they cant stop certain things from happening: direct interference is no longer an option as the examples of Georgia and Ukraine show, said Voloshin. Statehood Comment Debacle Moreover, Putin learned a lesson from the public reaction in Kazakhstan to his August 2014 statement that, prior to Nazarbayev, Kazakhs never had any statehood. He credited Nazarbayev with creating a state in a territory that had never had a state before. Kazakhstans reaction was overwhelming. Nazarbayev responded that the Kazakhs are the true and direct descendants of Huns, Gokturks, the Golden Horde and the Kazakh Khanate in Turkestan before the Russian conquest in the 19th century. In 2015, Kazakhstan staged a large-scale celebration of 550 years of Kazakh statehood in the countrys capital, sending a clear message to Moscow that Kazakhstan would reject any disrespectful treatment. Although some Russian nationalists continue to subscribe to Putins assertion that Kazakhstan belongs to the Russian world, the Kremlin backed off following the firm response to Putins blunder. Barabanov also admitted that Kazakhstan has only very rarely been the target of criticism from the political talk shows on Russias leading TV channels. Moscow was apparently reminded of Kazakhstans paramount importance for Russia, as its only ally in the former Soviet Union that generally tolerates its policiesor, at least, does not vocally oppose them. By comparison, Voloshin said, Belarus has always been a hard-to-handle partner due to recurring customs tariff and oil trade spats. It is also a key partner of Russia within the framework of the mega-projects in Eurasia. We need to understand that without a partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan, no effective integration policy in Eurasia would be possible, Barabanov wrote. Russias weakness But Wimbush stressed another development already affecting Moscows relations with Kazakhstan that will soon also become a decisive factor in Russias relations with other states: Russias weakness. (For more on Russia's weakness, see Wimbush's edited volume Russia in Decline) The Kazakhs know that Russia is failing. The Russians know that Russia is failing. The Chinese know that Russia is failing. So, the Kazakhs have little reason to push back on Russian influence, which, like the Russian ethnic population of Kazakhstan, will continue to decline, Wimbush predicted. Indeed, stirring the ire of the Kazakhs through disinformation would not be beneficial to vital Russian interests in this region; in fact, it could accelerate Kazakhstans realignment with China. Unlike Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldovaall of which must calculate their strategic leverage and any visions of realignment on the reality of a fickle Europe and an uncertain U.S.the Kazakhs actually have somewhere else to attach: China, Wimbush said. The Russian Bear and the Chinese Dragon The record shows that Moscow usually employs disinformation when a state within its designated sphere of influence is trying to democratize, or join European institutions or NATO. It is generally believed that absent these preconditions, the Kremlin would not target a former Soviet state that is not prioritizing integration with the West. Still, Belarus has been on the receiving end of disinformation regardless of the state of its relations with the West, as have Kyrgyzstan and Armenia at times, although they have not been targeted as intensively as Georgia and Ukraine. Is Moscow going to use disinformation against Kazakhstan if the process of kazakhization deepens and relations with China intensify? In other words, is potential Eastern integration going to trigger a disinformation campaign? Wimbush believes China is over-reaching with the Belt and Road Initiative and will encounter setbacks and pushbacks. The Chinese are not necessarily welcomed as the potential dominant power in Central Asia: Kazakh officials say that they are familiar with the Russian bear and know how to deal with it, but the Chinese dragon is still unknown to them. Eurasias Softening Meanwhile, Eurasia is changing. A successful succession in Kazakhstan followed a smooth transition of power in Uzbekistan more than two years earlier. Kazakhstans larger geopolitical universe includes a reform-minded Uzbekistan; a Turkmenistan that fancies some attachment to Europe; an Afghanistan-Pakistan conundrum that shows no signs of improving; and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan that, while allowing some Russian influence, are increasingly resistant to it, Wimbush noted. This is to suggest to sensible Russians that their position in Eurasia generally has softened, probably to the point of being unable to retrieve a dominant presence. Finally, Wimbush stressed that the larger strategic universe is changing, with transformational realignments taking place almost everywhere around Russiafrom Europe to Asia to the Middle East. Russia no longer shapes these processes. If Kazakhstan slips from its universe and start moving toward China, the West, the Middle East, it will be an acknowledgement that Russias playing days are mostly over in its own backyard, Wimbush stressed. Disinformation Pass So far, Russias disinformation networks have given Kazakhstan a pass. The reasons might be strategic or personalPutin has always shown an unusual level of respect for Nazarbayev. Is this going to continue in the post-Nazarbayev era? The new president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is one of the most experienced Kazakh diplomats, intelligent and very thoughtful, according to William Courtney. He is trained in Chinese studies, served in the United Nations and dealt with his countrys human rights problems at the U.N. Human Rights Commission. Tokayev will have to continue Nazarbayevs legacy in security, foreign policy and economic development, but will also have to undertake long-overdue democratic reforms to ensure strong democratic institutions, political pluralism, and the peaceful transfer of power for many years to come. That could trigger Russia to turn on its transmitters and digital platforms to go after the Kazakh leadership, but it will also lead to Russias position in the region slipping. 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. Adam Parker has covered many beats and topics for The Post and Courier, including race and history, religion, and the arts. He is the author of "Outside Agitator: The Civil Rights Struggle of Cleveland Sellers Jr.," published by Hub City Press. Top political leaders and friends share their thoughts and memories of the former U.S. senator and S.C. governor who passed away Saturday at age 97. 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. Former Vice President Joe Biden continues to hold a large lead in early polling for the 2020 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, but it's another politician who has not entered the race, former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, capturing newfound attention from the early primary state's voters. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low 48F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 48F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Does "I could care less about politics" mean the same thing as "I couldnt care less about politics"? Hmm. I hope not. Language can be tricky - like when "fat chance" means the same as "slim chance." (E.g., the Vikings likelihood of winning a Super Bowl.) I do, in fact, care about politics. Who and how matters, concerning our common public life. We citizens should be properly interested and activated regarding our politicians and our politics. Indeed, the word "idiot" comes from the Greek for "private person, not aware of citizen duties." So: do care, dont be an idiot, its important. But today I want to encourage some of you to care less. Politics seems to have ascended to first-place importance to many people. It dominates their thinking, it captivates their emotions, it determines who they associate with, its what they communicate about. Not that its an infection exactly, but my, politics has spread and grown in our American life. Yes? News coverage is now mostly politics. Many family gatherings are soured by political conflict. The great sociology book "The Big Sort," by Texas professor Bill Bishop, shows that people now even choose where to live and what church to attend and who they talk to based on Red-vs.-Blue dynamics. Wow. Id go so far as to say that politics has become the religion of many Americans. (That is, its what they pin their hearts and hopes to, its what they rally and shout and donate for, its what they think can "save" them.) If youre one of those, Id like to dissuade you of that. Not only are there reasonable and kindly people in both parties; not only do our politicians and issues come and go; not only are all humans fallible, but there are at least two things in life more important than politics. (Some might say theres lots of more important things, like your health, your job, your character, or even those Vikings.) Id have 1) Faith and 2) Family rated as way more important than politics. Prioritize properly. A blessed inner life and an assured eternal life come via faith, not politics. The Christian faith 2,000 years old and global in practice and with over a billion adherents reigns way large compared to your passing political party. Your family cares for you, forgives you, and stands with you in ways your current political allies never will. Our Good Book puts the point this way: "Put not your trust in princes." (Psalm 146:3) Being that we are blessed to live in a democracy unlike those in biblical days who were ruled by kings or pharaohs or caesars we citizens get to help rule. We get to have some choice in our government. Great. Choose wisely. But do remember: there is only one Messiah, and He is not a Democrat nor a Republican. Dont burn bridges with other people for the sake of the cause du jour. Keep your politics in its proper lane. Youll be happier, and we all will. I realize that some will say that my view is "idiotic," and that if Im not outraged then Im not paying attention. I say keep calm and carry on. The ugly mud-wrestling that Washington, D.C., models for us doesnt need you to join them in the mud. Indeed, Professor Bishop is relieved that not everyone is all riled up about politics; that some folks just dont care too much. They and we could be the ballast in the ship that keeps us from tipping over. A pastor very rarely asks people to care less, but this might be such a time. Political candidates and activists in Maine, especially in rural areas, often got a sharp reaction five years ago when they knocked on doors to promote universal health care. "The reaction was, Oh, youre a commie," said Phil Bailey, who back then advocated for various Democratic causes. Now, voters in those same conservative areas have a different take. "Of course" is a common response to calls for universal coverage, said Bailey, now executive director of Maine AllCare, part of a national coalition campaigning for single-payer health care. The organization saw enough growing momentum and received enough financial support to justify hiring Bailey and another full-time staffer last summer for the previously volunteer-led group. What was once seen as a long-shot pitch from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during his 2016 presidential campaign is now a proposal for a single-payer health care plan that at least four of his Senate colleagues also running for the partys 2020 nomination supported in the last Congress. The issue is driving the national political health care debate. But to succeed in enacting a single-payer system such as the "Medicare for All" plan Sanders backs, liberals would need a grassroots movement propelling the effort and would have to work out complicated policy details affecting nearly one-fifth of the nations economy. Democrats are already contending with industry groups hoping to shift the focus back to strengthening the current system. Most drug companies, hospitals and insurers oppose Medicare for All, which complicates progressives efforts. The partys left wing is pushing a bold, expensive plan that carries risks that make Democratic leaders shudder. Despite all the political hurdles, getting a single-payer law enacted may look easy compared with implementing it. Giant steps The most ardent advocates for a government-run, single-payer system are not content with incremental steps. They are seeking a wholesale reorganization of the nations health care system. The proposed two-year transition may be too short for the entire industry to adopt in a transformation that experts warn would displace workers and jolt the economy. "It is going to be a big administrative and logistical challenge. When youre talking about moving everyone in the country into a new health insurance program, that is not a small feat," said Linda Blumberg, an institute fellow at the Health Policy Center at the left-leaning Urban Institute. A single-payer health care system would significantly change every sector of the health care industry. Hospitals and doctors would have to adjust to a new payment system, the insurance industry would shrink significantly and the government would bring drug companies to the negotiating table to determine prices. Supporters arent intimidated by such broad changes. The hope is not just to ensure that everyone has coverage, but also to take on health care companies seeking to maximize their profits, said Adam Green, a co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee that supports liberal candidates. "Medicare for All boils down to two things," Green said. "One is universal coverage. The other is corporate accountability." Government oversight Setting up a single-payer system would most likely require creating a new government program to be the payer and oversee the system. A House bill by the co-leader of the Progressive Caucus, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., would also establish a national health care budget to cap costs. Jayapals bill, like Sanders plan, doesnt envision a large role for supplemental insurance. It would be permitted, but aides say it would likely be unnecessary and used only to cover medically unnecessary treatments, like cosmetic surgery. Unraveling the current insurance system is a Gordian knot-style task all its own. Even public entitlement programs are often administered through private plans, with 68 percent of people in Medicaid and 34 percent of those in Medicare using comprehensive managed-care plans. The role of private insurance in a single-payer system has already emerged in the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Sen. Kamala Harris, of California, sparked the debate over the survival of private insurance this year when she said she favors a single-payer system that would eliminate private insurance. Harris has also backed other proposals, but called the single-payer plan her top choice. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said a single-payer system would not be feasible and supports a bill by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, to let people buy into Medicaid. Similarly, former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas, who previously supported a single-payer system, now says another path to universal coverage may be more efficient. The single-payer bills introduced so far would not be based on the current Medicare program, but instead would greatly expand the programs benefits. Jayapal and Sanders both say the national health program would cover all medically necessary treatments. Those could be determined by a doctor or a newly formed national health program, said Jodi Liu, a Rand Corp. associate policy researcher. Path of payment One major challenge under a single-payer system would be how to pay health care providers. Advocates propose different types of plans, such as paying all providers at the same rate, possibly based on current Medicare rates, or global budgeting, through which institutions would regularly receive lump sums as payment. Payment changes could benefit some doctors, such as those who currently treat many Medicaid enrollees and collect less money than doctors under Medicare. But providers who see mostly patients covered by commercial insurance could be paid less. The same goes for access to providers, Liu said. Since not all providers accept Medicaid, many patients would probably have an easier time finding doctors. The government would face significant pressure to ensure that providers are compensated at the "right" rate, Blumberg said. Controlling health care costs would be one goal, but the government would not want to skimp on quality or access to a sufficient number of providers. In making decisions that affect the entire health care system, selecting the wrong payment rate could have serious ramifications, Blumberg said. "That process in and of itself is going to require a huge amount of attention and analysis and monitoring." Under the Jayapal bill, hospitals and the government would negotiate a budget based on factors like the historic volume of services over three years, a hospitals normal spending and standard payment rates. Hospitals would also get funding to cover their uncompensated care costs under an all-payer system. Global lump-sum budgeting, which would give institutional providers an amount of money for health care services over a set amount of time, could control costs, which advocates call a key benefit. "If there was a national global budget, thats certainly a direct lever to address how much spending there is on health care, but of course, theres a lot of political issues that would come up," such as budgetary pressures, Liu said. While hospitals and other institutions would be paid quarterly through a capped budget under Jayapals proposal, individual doctors would be paid through a fee-for-service system for every procedure. The Health and Human Services secretary would have one year to set those providers fees. Hospitals are already sounding the alarm about receiving lower payments under Democratic proposals. Whether Jayapals two-year transition is feasible is another question. A Jayapal aide said a fast transition provides less time for the industry to push back. Still, Blumberg suggested a 10-year transition is more feasible. "The change for a lot of providers could be very substantial, and doing that in a very short period of time may have implications for disrupting the operation, the ability for these providers to continue to operate and the access for the patients," she said. Universal access Although the challenges are great, Medicare for All advocates note that other large developed countries ensure that all citizens can access health care. "Across industrialized countries, the hallmark of the health care system is universal coverage," said Robin Osborn, a Commonwealth Fund vice president and director of international health policy and practice innovations. Of all the questions about a single-payer system, the biggest may be how to pay for it. Neither Jayapal or Sanders included a financing plan in their bills, although Sanders released a list of possible ways to pay for his. The cost of Sanders vision would be roughly $32 trillion over 10 years, according to two outside analyses of proposals Sanders put forward in 2016 and 2017, the first from the Urban Institute and the other from the libertarian Mercatus Center. Thats an eye-popping balance, although Sanders emphasizes findings that the U.S. would actually save money on health care spending over a decade. Single-payer advocates argue that the U.S. health care system is already the most expensive in the world and would be more efficient under a new program. "When you think about the fact that people are already paying, you have to recognize that this is just a scare tactic, primarily from the right, saying youre going to end up paying much more," Jayapal said. Still, asking taxpayers to pay the whole bill causes even some Democrats to balk. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said in a recent Rolling Stone interview that a single-payer system may be easier administratively than other ways to reach universal coverage, but questioned how to pay for it. Pelosi says that Democrats should build on the 2010 health care law, which she helped shepherd through Congress a decade ago. Expanding the current Medicare program would not be as beneficial to Americans as that law, she argues. "All I want is the goal of every American having access to health care," she told Rolling Stone. "You dont get there by dismantling the Affordable Care Act." Financing plan? Critics will likely highlight the lack of a financing plan and the expected high tax increase that would come with implementing a system that would cover essentially all medical expenses. Sanders financing options include ending tax breaks that would become obsolete under a single-payer plan, adding a 4 percent income-based premium paid by households, imposing a wealth tax or a more progressive personal income tax, or leveraging fees on corporations, such as a one-time tax on offshore profits. Other possibilities include ending parts of the Republican 2017 tax law or creating a tax on employers, which could mean that employers would not see much savings from not providing coverage to workers. High-income earners are particularly at risk, said Larry Levitt, senior vice president for health reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "Depending on how its financed, high-income people could end up paying much more in taxes than they now pay for health care," he said. Because a transition to a single-payer plan would effectively eliminate most of the insurance industry, possibly 1 million to 2 million people who work in that industry would be displaced, according to Jayapal. Both Jayapal and Sanders proposed assistance for those workers with job training, education or other programs. Some Democrats doubt that a Democratic president and Congress would implement a single-payer system. Bob Kocher, a partner at Venrock and a former senior Obama administration health care official, said actions in office typically dont match the aspirations candidates invoke while campaigning. "When you try to do it, the details matter and are hard and are often less disruptive and ambitious than what your poetry was," he said. Liberals insist that a single-payer system is the only path forward. "This is not a messaging event. We are going to get health care for every American," said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich. United Way of Olmsted County promotes volunteerism in southeastern Minnesota through our Get Connected online tool. Get Connected is made available to nonprofit agencies in our region to post volunteer opportunities. This tool allows individuals to view these volunteer opportunities. Go to volunteer.uwolmsted.org for more information or call 507-287-1533. WORLD FESTIVAL 2019 World Festival 2019 will take place on Saturday, April 20, at Mayo High School from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We have a need for volunteers throughout the day of the Festival from 8 a.m., to assist with set-up, to 5 p.m. to assist with take-down and clean-up. Email brian.faloon@ria-minnesota.org, call 507-316-3114, or visit our website at www.ria-minnesota.orgfor more information or to volunteer with Rochester International Association. LANDLORD TENANT HOTLINE ADVOCATES Legal Assistance of Olmsted County (LAOC) sponsors a landlord tenant hotline for anyone in the community who has a question about the rights and responsibilities of rental property. We are looking for volunteers to staff the hotline. Volunteers are trained by LAOC and staff the hotline for a week at a time. Generally volunteers spend anywhere between one and three hours a week returning calls. Email karen@laocmn.org or call 507-287-2036 for more information or to volunteer with Legal Assistance of Olmsted County. HEALTH AND NATURE ADVOCATES NEEDED FOR PROJECT GO BOARD Project G.O. is seeking volunteers with backgrounds in public health, recreation, education, marketing, and fundraising to fill open board positions. Volunteers are asked to commit to a two-year term and to actively participate in quarterly Board meetings held at Whitewater State Park. Consider volunteering your time with us, empowering local community organizations to implement after school programs that connect under-served kids to the wonders of the natural world through outdoor exploration and skill building activities. Email sara.grover@yahoo.com or call 507-951-5885 for more information or to volunteer with Project Get Outdoors, Inc. CAREER DAY PRESENTERS We are looking for professionals from a variety of career backgrounds. You must be comfortable giving a short presentation on your skilled trade, career, or work experience. Please contact us for more information. Email laura.johnson@180degrees.org or call 507-280-0110 for more information or to volunteer with Von Wald Group Home 180 Degrees Inc. FEMALE YOGA INSTRUCTOR We are seeking a certified female yoga instructor for our womens population for a one hour weekly session on Thursdays from noon until 1 p.m. A two-year commitment is required. Email Ackman.Durand@Co.Olmsted.MN.US or call 507-328-6850 for more information or to volunteer with Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. If there is $2.8 million in the Recycling Revolving Fund, why are there still aluminum cans on the roadside and in the trash cans? Read more The crowd started showing up the night before the soft opening of Filipino restaurant chain Jollibees re-entry into the Guam market. By the time it opened as a stand-alone building within the Micronesia Mall complex, the number of people who lined up had risen to close to 1,000 by Saturday morning. Jorwan Palma, 21, was among a group of friends in their late teens and early 20s who joined the line at midnight. We wanted to camp out, Palma said after he and his friends ordered their favorites spaghetti with sweet sauce and fried chicken called Chickenjoy. Theyve tried Jollibee products during visits to the Philippines so they knew exactly what to order. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Josh Eobadilla, 21, said, "Theres something about the sweet spaghetti that I really like. Its the culture. It touches the soul, a friend, Ben Mogul, 21, cut in. "Yeah, everyone in the group agreed, with a laugh. With nearly one in four Guam residents with ties to the Philippines or who have Filipino heritage, Jollibee offers a connection to a go-to food from the homeland. When Jollibee opened in New Yorks Times Square, Filipinos braved snowfall; so it wasn't unexpected when rain poured early Saturday morning and later when it became humid in the midday sun on Guam, Guamanians who lined up for a taste of Jollibee didnt budge. Joseph Chua, president of Philippine billionaire Lucio Tans Guam-based Goodwind Development, which is the landlord to Jollibee, said he didnt expect the level of turnout during the soft opening. Chuas family also is the Guam franchisee for Jollibee. Im very surprised with the support for Jollibee, Chua said. Mogul, from the group lined up at midnight and who was born in the Philippines, said its a taste of home. I was basically growing up with Jollibee, Mogul said. Entire families from grandchildren to grandparents showed up. I think its the sense of family, said Mario Palisoc, general manager for the Philippine National Bank's Guam branch, on what draws crowds to the world-famous Filipino restaurant brand. He joined the many guests for the soft opening. Juana and Quincy Tolliver II, the parents of two young boys, Dominic and Quincy III, also showed up at Jollibees soft opening. The boys are featured on their Instagram account as "fashion influencers" and have more than 65,800 followers. Juana Tollivers early favorite was a burger with a thick slice of pineapple called Amazing Aloha Yumburger. Ive never had pineapple in my burger (and) it was really good, she said. Philip Schrage, senior vice president of group operations and leasing at Goodwind Development, whose flagship is the Micronesia Mall, said when Guam residents see a good consumer brand, they show up in full force. He said the crowd at Jollibees opening Saturday reminded him of the opening of Macys at the Micronesia Mall decades ago when people also camped out overnight. He also remembered that during the more recent opening of ROSS Dress for Less at the mall, the retailer made a record as having posted the most sales for an opening day in any ROSS store across the country. "This was an exciting day for both Jollibee and our many fans in Guam who have awaited the opening of our store here," Dennis Flores, Jollibee Foods Corporation president and head of international business, said in a statement. Jollibee tried the Guam market about two decades ago, but its presence and timing were off. It wasnt a stand-alone restaurant and its opening occurred as the island was struggling in the midst of the Asian financial crisis that rippled through the island. This time, Guams Jollibee fans are giving the brand a second chance. The Guam store is the 38th Jollibee store to open on American soil. Jollibee operates in 21 countries, with more than 4,500 stores globally. Everyone eligible should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. Vaccination should be voluntary but those who don't get vaccinated should be frequently tested for COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel and employment. Both vaccination and testing should be voluntary and not required as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. I defer to the judgment of lawmakers as long as they base their decisions on a consensus of medical professionals. Vote View Results Throughout our nearly 100-year history, the League of Women Voters has often been accused of being partisan by people who dont understand the difference between partisan and political. Partisan means supporting a party or candidate. The League of Women Voters of PA does not, has not, and will not ever endorse or oppose candidates or parties. We do not create candidate score cards, donate money to campaigns, or advertise for or against candidates. We do criticize and occasionally praise sitting elected officials for their actions, but we do not get involved in their election campaigns in any way. As a nonpartisan organization, the League of Women Voters serves the public through voter registration and public awareness and education campaigns. We provide candidate debates and forums and voters guides so that voters can be informed about candidates. We ask questions and allow candidates to answer for themselves, unedited and unabridged, so that they can speak directly to voters. The League of Women Voters is also a political organization. Political means concerned with or relating to the creation of governmental policy and legislation. From the very beginning, the League of Women Voters of PA has taken positions on issues that our members consider important. We do this through a rigorous study and consensus-building process in which members, not officers or executives, identify issues and propose studies for possible adoption. Once we adopt a position, we engage in advocacy efforts to influence public policy in those areas. We educate and encourage citizens to get involved politically, whether its writing a postcard to their representative, rallying on the Capitol steps, offering testimony before a committee, or running for office (without League endorsement, of course). This has been a clearly stated policy since our formation in 1920 and this information is freely available on our website. These unfounded criticisms often originate with people who are aggrieved by our efforts to make a fairer, more representative government in Pennsylvania. They dont see a problem with legislators manipulating district lines into unjustifiably convoluted shapes to make sure that the outcome of an election is decided before the first vote is even cast. Mr. Furlong accuses us of having an agenda. Hes right. Good government is our agenda, and it should be his, as well. We work tirelessly every day to make sure that each and every voters voice is heard, whether we are defending them from disenfranchisement or ensuring that our elections are fair. And after nearly a century, were just getting started. -Jill Greene Executive director League of Women Voters of PA I spent Thursday and Friday at the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor for the 2017 murder of Justine Rusczczyk. Both days were devoted mostly to jury selection. Yesterday afternoon, however, Judge Kathryn Quaintance (KQ, as her colleagues on the bench refer to her) held a hearing on the Media Coalitions objection to her order suppressing part of the bodycam footage that will be admitted into evidence early next week. Let me repeat that for emphasis. Judge Quaintance has ordered the footage to be suppressed from public viewing even though it will be admitted into evidence. I dont think the judge can do that. The hearing concluded yesterdays proceedings. I will write about the hearing in a separate post. At this point, in the interest of brevity, I want to offer these 10 personal notes, observations, impressions. 1. Noor has two excellent attorneys representing him, Thomas Plunkett and my law school classmate Peter Wold. Plunkett has dominated jury selection so far. Peter took the baton from Plunkett to participate yesterday. You cannot dislike Peter. He is extremely personable. 2. In Minnesota state court, attorneys are afforded the opportunity to conduct voir dire themselves. Good attorneys use voir dire to preview their themes, try to plant a favorable interpretation of the case, and to develop a friendly relationship with jurors while doing so. This is not how they do things in federal court. 3. Plunkett has used voir dire effectively. His themes include job qualifications and training, testing and certification, handling conflict on the job and escalation in the blink of an eye, work with partners on the job and their reliance on each other. There was more, but you get the gist. If you are familiar with the facts of the case, I think you can see where the defense is going. 4. Noor refused to discuss the case when the police conducted their own internal investigation. I believe he was terminated from the force as a result. I cannot tell whether Noor is going to testify in his defense at trial. His partner Matthew Harritys testimony will be crucial. Defense counsel may withhold judgment on whether Noor should testify until they see how Harritys testimony works for them. However, the defense themes previewed in voir dire make me think that Noor will testify. He has to. 5. I made it into the courtroom yesterday, taking the last available public seat (I think). The overflow courtroom, which I resorted to on Thursday, is virtually empty. The video, however, is not great. There is no comparison with being inside the trial courtroom itself. 6. Inside the courtroom yesterday, I sat next to the empty chair reserved for the New York Times. It is supposed to be up for reallocation. Yesterday I wrote the court administrator with a copy to Chief Judge Bernhardson asking for the New York Times seat. Well see what happens. 7. Judge Quaintance is a decisive and knowledgeable judge. The prosecutors seem comfortable with her. Indeed, they may have timed the filing of the case against Noor in the hope that it would result in her presiding on the case. I was nevertheless astounded, and not in a good way, by her comments at the media hearing yesterday afternoon. 8. I lucked out in my seat placement. Next to the vacant New York Times seat was CBS Minnesota (WCCO TV) news reporter Reg Chapman. He is a huge man who is quick to laughter and an easy smile. 9. I bolted to lunch at a convenient spot in the office building on the skyway immediately across the street and pulled out my laptop to email Judge Bernhardson. (Under the courts oppressive rules of conduct for the trial, all devices are banned from the vicinity of the courtroom. I had left mine stored at a law firm in the building across the street.) When Reggie ambled into the restaurant, I had already found a seat and started eating. I asked him to join me at my table. We shared notes about the case and the trial. Reggie observed that the Australian reporters attending the trial are appalled by the proceedings so far. I can only say I feel their pain. 10. Briefly talking with him about family issues, it didnt take long for me to discover that Reggie is a big man with a big heart. He loves his colleagues at WCCO. On the air, he radiates charisma. You can see all this in the segment his colleagues devoted to him when he received an award for his work with veterans (of which Reggie is one himself). While he does not convey the impression that he is the least bit impressed with himself or his accomplishments, he is a most impressive man. I will reserve the remainder of my notes on Judge Quaintance to my post on the media hearing. If you want to get to it now, Minnesota Public Radio has published the best account of the media hearing here. I inserted the note above to get to 10! Robert Francis ORourke brought his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination to Iowa. We had Dave Begley on hand to cover the festivities. Dave is a Nebraska attorney practicing elder law and estate planning in Omaha. He is also our occasional presidential campaign correspondent. Dave has filed this report on ORourke in Iowa. This time around Dave again took his life in his hands to ask an unfriendly question from the Democratic crowd (thumbnail photo and photo below courtesy of Dave): I saw Beto ORourke speak in a Carroll, Iowa bar on Thursday morning. His good looks and a firm handshake are his two best qualities as a candidate. Beyond that, not much. Right now he is third in some polls and third in fundraising, but I dont expect him to last. As I told Bill Finnegan of The New Yorker at the event, I think Beto is a flash in the pan and an unserious person. I cant see ORourke dealing credibly with Russia or China and I certainly dont see him as Commander in Chief and leader of the free world even if he exceeded expectations when he moved from the El Paso City Council to the House of Representatives. One may doubt ORourkes seriousness if only because of news reports that he ate magic dirt recently in New Mexico and the account that he served his wife green feces in a bowl and told her it was avocado. It is exhausting to watch ORourke speak. He sweated through his shirt in a 45-minute talk in a cold room. He constantly waves his arms. He also does this little hopping thing. He moves like a poorly operated marionette. ORourke and other Democrat candidates repeatedly cite all the things that are wrong with America. In Carroll we heard about how rural America doesnt have reliable broadband internet. Americans are unable to see doctors. There is voter suppression in Texas based on race or national origin. My first thought always is: What was Obama (or Biden) doing for eight long years? I asked the first question. Since he is for tearing down the existing wall and for open borders, what would he say to Iowa Angel Mom Michelle Root whose daughter Sarah was killed by a drunk illegal alien right after she graduated from college? His first words were that he was deeply sorry for her loss. Stop right there. Sorry doesnt cut it. The first duty of any American politician is to protect the American people. If illegal aliens werent in the United States, these Angel Moms would still have their children with them today. But to the Democrat Party, these American deaths are just collateral damage in the service of a greater cause. ORourke asserted that a wall is a twelfth-century solution and that the governments taking of some real estate via eminent domain was somehow bad. He also equivocated and backed off open borders and tearing down the existing wall. Im not for open borders. I do think there are places where physical barriers along the two thousand-mile US-Mexico border makes sense. Mr. Waffle pronounced his support of comprehensive immigration reform and recited the bring them out of the shadows mantra. He then went off on a tangent about his bill to invest in technology and staff at the ports of entry. Earlier in his speech he claimed that the success of Carroll, Ames, and almost every single community in this country is contingent upon its renewal through immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Thats absurd. A bearded young man stated that he worked for a local billionaire who draws a $100,000 salary. For some unknown reason he couldnt utter the words Warren Buffett. The guy said he makes $50,000 per year. His question? How will you redistribute wealth from ultrarich people to the working people like myself? Stop whining, bub. Theres no constitutional right to a six-figure income. Be thankful for what youve got and if you want more, get a better job or, better yet, risk your own capital and start a business. Thats what Buffett did. In his answer, Beto babbled on about how our political democracy is somehow dependent upon economic democracy. I have no idea what economic democracy is but it apparently involves a fifteen-dollar minimum wage, paid family leave, free community college, free public college education, an increase in the estate tax and doing more to tax wealth in this country. Your 401k has just been targeted. ORourke asserted that blacks have been effectively prevented from acquiring any meaningful wealth in this country. In New York, he came out in favor of reparations. The black alums of Creighton havent been prevented from earning money. Arnold W. Donald is a black alum of Minnesotas Carleton College. Hes the CEO of Carnival Corporation. According to the proxy statement released this March, he earned $13.5 million last year. Given the market capitalization of his company, his own achievements and the compensation of his peers, his pay is at the market rate. But some Democrats want to pay Arnold W. Donald reparations because he had the terrible misfortune of being born in America. ORourke is uninformed about the reality of todays farming and ranching. Lowering the exempt amount of assets for estates would either force the sale or require borrowing upon the death of the owner. He also had the wrong-headed notion that all sorts of manual labor is needed to run a farm or ranch. Other than branding or harvesting, many ranches and farms need only one or two people for day-to-day operations. It is all mechanized. In a bizarre claim, Beto asserted that the recent flooding in Nebraska and Iowa was in part connected to climate change. According to ORourke, we only have ten years to act. I thought AOC gave us twelve years. And I wonder if we get our money back if the apocalypse fails to materialize. (Answer: No, and you dont get your freedom back either.) He told the story of a third-grade Mexican-American child who made a Valentines Day card for delivery to the VA hospital. She asked him, Why does the President not like me? Drawing on the Trump-is-Hitler narrative, he responded: The President called asylum seekers animals, an infestation. We would not be surprised if in the Third Reich other human beings were called an infestation, as a cockroach or a pest that you would kill, but to do that in 2017, 2018 in the United States of America, uh, doesnt make sense. Calling Klansmen, white supremacists, Nazis very fine people. . Theres an effect of that rhetoric. We dont put kids in cages under an Administration except when the Administration signals it is okay to do that. Note that the Trump quote referred to Democrats and reads as follows: They dont care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our country, like MS-13. There is a reason that you have to look it up. The full quote is not even unreasonable, let alone shocking. At the end of his stump speech ORourke asserted that he could unify America if he wins. There were about 50 to 75 people at the event, but Bill Finnegan recognized many of them as media. Im mystified by what people see in ORourke. The Democratic presidential candidates are parading in front of Al Sharptons National Action Network, and the topic of the day is reparations: Beto ORourke had just finished speaking about racial injustice to the National Action Network when the Rev. Al Sharpton, its president, pushed him to say a little more. Your fellow Texan, Sheila Jackson Lee, has proposed a commission to study reparations, Sharpton said. If that passes, and you are president of the United States, would you sign that bill? ORourke, who had spent 15 minutes talking about how white America left black America behind, didnt hesitate. Yes, he said, to applause and a few surprised cheers. ORourke is not alone. By Friday afternoon, nearly every Democrat who has declared a presidential bid will have spoken at the conference. Those who spoke on Wednesday and Thursday walked through poverty and health statistics, promising to close the racial gaps and then, they endorsed some form of reparations. There are many things that we need to do in this country that have been a long time in coming, and one of those is to move forward with reparations, said Julian Castro, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development who spoke a few hours after ORourke. Our country will never truly heal until we address the original sin of slavery. Because slavery has never been addressed, apparently. But what, exactly, does reparations mean? The legislation introduced by Jackson Lee, which would create a commission to study the viability of reparations, doesnt commit Democrats to cash payments the concept that made reparations controversial when it was discussed 10 and 15 years ago. But if reparations doesnt mean that all descendants of (American) slaves get cash from the government, courtesy of the rest of us, it doesnt mean anything. Eric Holder gets the point: In an interview, former attorney general Eric Holder said that the term conjures up a lot of images that allow for demagoguery Opposition to people getting checks from the government based on the identity of their ancestors is demagoguery. but that if you have communities that receive these reparations that are made better, the nation is therefore better. Likewise, if the government writes me a check, I am made better and the nation is therefore better. But Im not holding my breath. The Post opines: Still, the gap between activist awareness and public awareness of the issue is big enough to run a campaign bus through. Actually, I think there is plenty of public awareness of the issue, and the public is right. Reparations would be an outrageous injustice, as pretty much everyone who wont be cashing a check recognizes. Which leaves one wondering, whatever are the Democrats thinking? Is Al Sharptona notorious extortionist, perpetrator of fraud, and anti-Semite who is complicit in murderso powerful in the party that presidential candidates are forced to walk the plank by supporting an issue that will be a millstone around the neck of the eventual nominee? Or do they assume that after getting the nomination, the Democratic candidate will be able to tack furiously toward the center, with the collusion of the press, so that reparations never get mentioned after the Democratic convention? I dont know what they are thinking. All I know is, the more the Democrats talk about reparations, the better. Last year, I wrote about how Elizabeth Warren, in a reversal of position, was backing an Indian gaming bill tied to special interests. The bill is called the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act. It aims to circumvent legal obstacles currently thwarting the Mashpee Wampanoags attempts to establish a casino in Massachusetts. Warren had been a consistent opponent of legalized gaming. I suggested that her reversal was a transparent attempt to mitigate her fake Indian problem by gaining good will from the tribe and/or an effort to gain favor with an influential PAC connected to the gaming interest behind the casino. Im pretty sure it was the former. Quite possibly, it was the latter, as well. But when the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples met this week to debate the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Reservation Reaffirmation Act, Warren was absent. Why? Reportedly because the Indian tribe didnt want her to be present. Shes been waved off, a gaming industry source told Michael Graham. Everyone knows its her bill, but they [the Mashpees] dont want her anywhere near it. Graham adds: Why would they? If youre a proud Mashpee Wampanoag who treasures your Native American heritage, Warrens an embarrassment. And if youre just an opportunist hoping to make a few bucks off an Indian casinoshes even worse. A spokesperson for the Mashpee tribe, declined to comment on reports that the tribe has asked Warren not to offer public support for the casino project. But, asks Graham, what other explanation is there for Warrens transition from a proud co-sponsor to persona non grata? Warren keeps trying to remedy, or at least mitigate, her Fauxahontas problem, but it wont go away. If anything, it keeps getting worse. Automotive Parking Sensors technology allow you to back your vehicle out of a driveway or parking space with more confidence and make driving in reverse safer in general. Parking Sensors also detect objects in your vehicle's path and emit a sound or beep that lets you know you need to stop and check behind you before proceeding. And, like most technology, it is much easier to add a sensor in your car or troubleshoot and repair one if you know what you're getting into. Automotive Parking Sensors Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-05 22:58:51 Press Information About QYReports: We at, QYReports , a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SME's and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output. Contact: QYReports Jones John (Sales Manager) +(1) 786-292-8164 204, Professional Center, 7950 NW 53rd Street, Miami, Florida 33166 sales@qyreports.com www.qyreports.com Jones John Sales Manager +(1) 786-292-8164 email https://www.qyreports.com # 681 Words Contact:QYReportsJones John(Sales Manager)+(1) 786-292-8164204, Professional Center,7950 NW 53rd Street, Miami, Florida 33166sales@qyreports.comwww.qyreports.comSales Manager+(1) 786-292-8164 Automotive Parking Sensors Market report provides analysis of changing market condition and keeps you ahead of competitors; it includes extremely useful information for new and growing company to mark themselves over the market. The Automotive Parking Sensors Market report is made up of an in-depth analysis of current state of the global market and the factors that will be responsible for the progressive future, the report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the Automotive Parking Sensors market by types, applications, players and regions.The first & important part of the report encapsulates the scope and the product overview of the global market. The classification and applications come next in the report. In the next sections of the report, the sales in the global Automotive Parking Sensors market have been studied in different areas such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Similarly, the most lucrative areas in the market have been presented coupled with their growth prospects by the end of 2019. In addition, the key manufacturers and the price trend in the sale of the market in each of these areas have also been analyzed under the geographical segmentation section of the study.Get a sample copy of Automotive Parking Sensors Market https://www.qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=83545 The Major players reported in the market include:BoschDENSOMurata ManufacturingNXP SemiconductorsTexas InstrumentsValeoBlack Cat SecurityNippon AudiotronixParking DynamicsProxelLeading players in this Automotive Parking Sensors Market are outlined in the report to apprehend their role in the market and to also analyze their upcoming strategies. The manufacturing base of each important player and their minimum share in the market have been labeled in the report. It turned out to be very informative. Numerous marketing channel and strategies are likely reaping what they sowed in the 2019 - 2026 period and have rendered in the data report to help patrons articulate their winning strategies.Global Market Insights Automotive Parking Sensors market growth should be further driven by technological advancements incorporated within Automotive Parking Sensors. Improvised quality of Automotive Parking Sensors and innovations will increase its adoption rate among the developed countries such as UK and Germany having high per capita income thereby augmenting business growth. However, difficulties related to Automotive Parking Sensors devices may restrain the market growth in future.Automotive Parking Sensors industry report emphases on the competitive landscape and abides the persuasive development policies and plans that will decide the markets trail in the forecast period. An exploration of the major players functioning in the Automotive Parking Sensors market is included in the report, segmenting and unfolding them on the constraints of manufacturing procedures and business strategies, information related to product classification and profit margins regarding the same. The cost dynamics of the market are also scrutinized and related to the ample breakdown of the markets competitive landscape which provides a complete generous range of price dynamics in the Hotel Direct Booking Software industry for the readers to comprehend it clearly.Avail Discount on This Report @ https://www.qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=83545 Table of Content:Chapter 1 Automotive Parking Sensors Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Automotive Parking Sensors IndustryChapter 3 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Production, Revenue (Value) by Region 2019Chapter 5 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions 2019Chapter 6 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Automotive Parking Sensors Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Market 2019Chapter 13 AppendixChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Automotive Parking Sensors Defined Radio Market 2019Chapter 13 AppendixHave any query? Enquire about report https://qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying?report-id=83545 Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoPublic Parking LotSpecial Parking LotBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)United StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast Asia President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose an economic penalty on Mexico if it does not halt the flow of illegal drugs into US territory and to place 25 percent tariffs on all Mexican-made cars that are shipped into the US if it stops deporting undocumented migrants who cross into Mexico from Guatemala. I am looking at an economic penalty for the 500 Billion Dollars in illegal DRUGS that are shipped and smuggled through Mexico and across our Southern Border. Over 100,00 Americans die each year, sooo many families destroyed! wrote Trump on his Twitter account, perhaps intending to say 100,000" if not for his typo. Trump repeated the same message a short time later in remarks to reporters before departing for the US-Mexico border in California, but he offered no further details. The warning comes one day after the US leader dialed back on his threat to close the border this week, saying instead that he will give Mexico a year to stop the flow of illegal drugs and control illegal migration to the US through its territory or else he will impose tariffs on cars made in Mexico and shipped to the US. 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. And if that doesnt stop the drugs, we close the border, Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. However, a few hours after mentioning this one-year period, Trump left open the possibility of taxing trade with Mexico before that period comes to an end. The president insisted on that idea once again on Friday, saying that everything will depend on whether Mexico continues the very good work it has done over the past week, an allusion to that countrys deportation of undocumented immigrants who arrive at its border with Guatemala hoping to pass through Mexico and reach the US. If for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from, the U.S. will be forced to Tariff at 25% all cars made in Mexico and shipped over the Border to us, tweeted Trump. If that doesnt work, which it will, I will close the Border, he added, going on to say in a subsequent tweet that This will supersede USMCA, referring to the recently negotiated revised trade pact between the US, Mexico and Canada that replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement . The USMCA is still awaiting ratification, however. Trumps warning regarding the pact clashes with the stance of the Mexican government, which on Thursday emphasized the need to keep immigration issues and trade issues separate. In his remarks to reporters, Trump denied that he had changed his opinion regarding closing the southern border and said that he could do so at any time, adding that he prefers to use tariffs to exert pressure on Mexico. If he imposes those tariffs on Mexico, Trump said, this would mean that the US would make money, despite the fact that many companies manufacture auto parts on both sides of the frontier, and he predicted that those companies would probably come back to the US. He said he was sure that the tariffs would work, just as - he claimed - they are working on steel. He said that the US steel industry is doing very well now, thanks to the tariffs he imposed, adding that the same situation prevails with aluminum. Although there is no indication that the Mexican government has changed its immigration policy in the past week, Trump insisted that it is detaining and deporting undocumented migrants on its border for the first time in decades. Over the past four days, Mexico has been doing a very, very good job, Trump said. PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-05 22:58:28 Press Information IT Intelligence Markets Erika Thomas US 76 AT US 19 & HWY 129 Murphy Highway, Blairsville, GA, USA Website: www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ Email: sales@itintelligencemarkets.com Phone: +1 (888) 312-3102 Erika Thomas Sales Manager +1 (888) 312-3102 email http://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ # 555 Words Erika ThomasUS 76 AT US 19 & HWY 129 Murphy Highway,Blairsville, GA, USAWebsite: www.itintelligencemarkets.com/Email: sales@itintelligencemarkets.comPhone: +1 (888) 312-3102Sales Manager+1 (888) 312-3102 The report on Mobile and Web Event Analytics market is a source of expansive ideas, statistical data, and detailed information, which has the potency to ensure profit of an enterprises. It gives a basic overview of the industry which includes definition, applications, classifications, and industry chain structure. Extensive development plans and policies are discussed meticulously. The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Mobile and Web Event Analytics market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.For Sample Copy of this Report@: https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=1155 Some of the Key Players of this Market:Adobe Systems, AT Internet, comScore, Google, IBM, SAS Institute, Webtrends, Clicktale, Clicky, KickFire, Kissmetrics, Woopra, Crazy Egg, Chartbeat, Omniture, and Others.This report includes massive data relating to the product or technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. Global Mobile and Web Event Analytics market has been carried out. This report analysis will help organizations understand the major threat and opportunities that vendors have to deal in the market. Moreover, the report presents a 360-degree overview and SWOT analysis of the competitive.Market segment by Type:ClickTouchTapMarket segment by Application:BFSIHealthcareRetailGet Discount on this Report@: https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=1155 The competitive landscape of global Mobile and Web Event Analytics market is described by profiling leading key players across several regions. Geographically, several global regions such as North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and India have been scrutinized on the basis of productivity of Mobile and Web Event Analytics sector. It takes a closer and analytical look at the framework and methodologies of several leading companies.Moreover, with the help of analytical tools, the research study gives insights into the main growth barriers, drivers, promising opportunities, and limitations in the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market. The research report additionally addresses some of the very important questions regarding the development and latest trends in the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market. Some of these questions are mentioned below:What are the main factors likely to encourage the growth of global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market?Which factors are expected to limit the development of the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market?Which application and product segments are anticipated to top in the forecast period?Which geographical segment is expected to lead and hold main share of the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market in the next few years?What are the projected values and growth rate of the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market?Which are the key players operating in the global Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market?After studying key companies, the report focuses on the startups contributing towards the growth of the market. Possible mergers and acquisitions among the startups and key organizations are identified by the reports authors in the study. Most companies in the Mobile and Web Event Analytics Market are currently engaged in adopting new technologies, strategies, product developments, expansions, and long-term contracts to maintain their dominance in the global market.For More Information, Visit @: https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=1155 PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-05 23:00:07 Press Information Research N Reports 10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064 sunny Denis Sales Manager +1-8886316977 email http://www.researchnreports.com # 580 Words 10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064Sales Manager+1-8886316977 This report titled as Military Communication Systems Market, gives a brief about the comprehensive research and an outline of its growth in the market globally. It states about the significant market drivers, trends, limitations and opportunities to give a wide-ranging and precise data and also scrutinizes its growth in the overall markets development which is needed and expected. Additionally, it analyzes the facets that distresses the market globally, to further make an appropriate choice on its dissection.Military communications or military signals involve all aspects of communications, or conveyance of information, by armed forces. Military communications span from pre-history to the present. The earliest military communications were delivered by runners. The military communications market is expected to grow USD 37 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +4% from 2019 to 2025.Request for Sample Copy Of this Report @ https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=248327 The Top Key Companies including: Aselsan, Karel Electronics, Reutech, INVISIO, Rockwell Collins, Rolta India, Saab, Systematic, Thales, Viasat, EID, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Rohde & SchwarzThis research study gives a sneak-peak through the summary which comprises of the overall data such as, segments, sub-segments, info graphics, charts, tables and diagrams. The research also helps in probing the 2025 in its forecast period. The study explores and estimates the modest landscape, popular business models and the apparent innovations in offerings by major players in the coming years.The report illustrates a thorough overview of the current state of Military Communication Systems market with details like, functioning and designing, process involved in its manufacturing, availability in the market and its potential on the import, export and global sales of this popular product. In todays global economic environment, it is very important for organizations to have an associated view of the data across the globe. It drives closely through the prevalent regulatory landscape in various regions including, Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa.Most of the organizations lack with the steadfast assets and the abilities that are essential for assembling a general statistical surveying. Aligned and colossal surveying helps any firm to consume clear and significant stakes in the market that need to be deliberated for effective decision making.Buyers will get up to 40% discount on this report Click Here:Military Communication Systems Market by TypeDigital Intercommunication SystemSatellite Communication SystemOthersMilitary Communication Systems Market by ApplicationAir CommunicationLand CommunicationUnderwater CommunicationThe main points which are answered and covered in this Report are-What will be the total market size in the coming years till 2025?What will be the key factors which will be overall affecting the market?What are the various challenges addressed?Which are the major companies included?Table Of Content:Global Military Communication Systems Market Research Report 2019-2025:Chapter 1: Military Communication Systems Market OverviewChapter 2: Global Economic ImpactChapter 3: Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4: Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2019-2025)Chapter 5: Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2019-2025)Chapter 6: Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8: Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12: Market Forecast (2019-2025)Chapter 13: AppendixFor more Information and Enquiry Click Here:If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has made an appeal to the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to approve 2.5 per cent of recovered sums for the justice ministry. This, he said, should serve as a requisite commission from recoveries arising from stolen assets stashed abroad. In a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the AGF s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah, said Mr Malami made the call during the budget defence before the committee at the National Assembly last Thursday. According to the statement, Mr Malami said, We are proposing that 2.5% should be earmarked as a requisite commission from recoveries arising from stolen assets stashed abroad. Most times, we have had to use our lean resources to fund these recoveries without requisite commission. I would like to affirm that so far, all recoveries of stolen assets were promptly deposited at Federal Government Treasury. Mr Malami also presented the justice ministrys 2019 budget proposal of N7.4 billion to the committee. He said the budget would cover a broad spectrum of expenditure items ranging from personnel cost, overhead, legal services and capital for 2019. Making reference to the 2018 budget proposals, Mr Malami explained that the ministry kept faith with all the expenditure items as approved. He promised to do even more in 2019 if the committee grants the request. He also disclosed that the rule of law is the major pillar of the democratic enterprise as well as an economic enabler. The quest for economic resurgence and industrialisation can only be spurred by unhindered administration of justice, equity and fair play, the top government lawyer said. The challenge of bridging funding gaps keeps resonating in our operations. This is as dangerous as it is disturbing because you cannot compromise the rule of law in whatever guise because of funding inadequacy, he said. The minister explained that Nigeria is finding it difficult to meet several of its international protocols, treaties and conventions which require funding. He said there is the need to reverse the trend if the country is to live up to its promises. He said in 2017, N10 billion was released for the payment of judgement debts as contained in the approved budget while in 2018, no money was appropriated for judgement debts. He said judgement debts keep mounting and beneficiaries of this debts are getting agitated. In his response to the committee, the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, explained that the money mapped out for monitoring and evaluation would enable the ministry to carry out periodic checks in its nine zonal offices across the country. This, he said, is to ensure that the governments policies are being effectively monitored. Speaking on judgment debts, one of the committee members, Ayorinde Olabode, noted the importance of the justice ministry. According to the government statement, the lawmaker advised Mr Malami to forward his complaints to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning so the latter could include a specific amount in the justice ministrys budget proposal. It is through the budget ministry that ministries and agencies of government submit their budgets to the parliament. The rule of law will not be complete if there is (a) judgment of court not to be (obeyed) by the ministry. What is the rule of law then? So if there is a judgment of (the) court and the ministry has no money to carry out the judgment, then the rule of law is not complete, Mr Olabode said. So, I will think that if this budget before us is completed, the ministry should work with budget office and something specific should be provided in the budget, rather than asking the committee to take them from you. Otherwise, it will amount to budget padding and we will not like to be accused of padding budget again. He also commended the ministry for generating over N32 million above other revenue generating agencies. Another lawmaker, Onyemaechi Mrakpor, representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta-State, was quoted as advising that budget proposal should be self-explanatory. A lawyer to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has provided more information on the decision of Mr Onnoghen to step down from office. Adegboyega Awomolo, who is the lead counsel to Mr Onnoghen in his false assets declaration trial, spoke in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES late on Friday. Mr Awomolo said Mr Onnoghens decision is a retirement and not a resignation from office. He said Mr Onnoghen sent his notice of retirement to President Muhammadu Buhari in line with constitutional provisions. What he has done is to send his notice of retirement to the President. And he has done so, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. His position from day one has been that it is only the NJC that can discipline him. Now that the NJC has spoken, out of respect for the NJC and the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Nigerian Judiciary, he sent his letter of retirement, not resignation. He never resigned. All he has done is to send a letter to the president, saying thank you. I have served this country for about 32 years. I want to retire. Thats all he has done, Mr Awomolo said. How the journey began Mr Onnoghens retirement is coming 51 days after his trial began at the Code of Conduct tribunal on January 14 and 58 days after the petition which birthed the said trial was submitted. Mr Onnoghen, who was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court in 2005, had been recommended for the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria on October 6, 2016, by the NJC under its erstwhile leader, Mahmud Mohammed. He was, however, not confirmed by the Senate until March 7, 2017, due to the reluctance of President Muhammadu Buhari to submit his name to the Senate for confirmation. He was eventually sworn-in on March 7, 2017, by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, after the Senate confirmation. Tenure Cut Short Born on December 22, 1950, Mr Onnoghens appointment as chief justice was billed to expire on December 22, 2020, after he attains the compulsory retirement age of 70 years. Mr Onnoghens early exit commenced with his controversial suspension on January 25, less than 24 hours before he was billed to swear in a new set of judges to lead the various election petition tribunals in the country. President Muhammadu Buhari, who announced Mr Onnoghens suspension, cited an order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to support the decision. Mr Onnoghens trial at the CCT began on January 14, but he did not appear for the trial, till a bench warrant was issued against him by the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar. A number of allegations, contained in a six-count charge of false assets declaration, were brought against Mr Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Bureau. Many lawyers questioned Mr Onnoghens suspension from office, saying only the NJC and a two-thirds majority of the Senate could make such recommendation. Mr Onnoghens trial at the CCT also elicited mixed reactions. Supporters of the trial argued that the CCT was constitutionally empowered to try any public official accused of false assets declaration if such person is not covered by the immunity clause in Section 308 of the Constitution. However, critics of the trial argue that a Court of Appeal ruling, which has not been upturned by the Supreme Court, had ruled that judges could only be tried for any alleged crime after a review of the allegations by the NJC. Subsequently, when the NJC noted on April 3 that it reached a decision on Mr Onnoghens matter, the CJN notified President Buhari of his decision to vacate office. Although the NJC declined to make its resolutions public, multiple sources later confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the resolutions reached included a call for Mr Onnoghens compulsory retirement and the confirmation of the acting CJN, Muhammad Tanko, as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. When was Peter Okebukola, a former executive secretary of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), born? Was it on February 17, 1949; February 17, 1948; or February 17, 1951? The professor of science education at the Lagos State University (LASU) has used these birth dates interchangeably to manipulate the system several times during his career, PREMIUM TIMES has found. Documents obtained by this newspaper show that Mr Okebukola has three different birth dates in the records of the university. The date of birth submitted by Mr Okebukola when he was employed was February 17, 1949. But at different times in the course of his 35-year career at the university, he has also presented two other birth dates- February 17, 1948 and February 17, 1951. Despite being aware of this discrepancy that ordinarily should have earned him immediate dismissal according to university rules, the institution condoned the professor and failed to apply its own rule. But while it tolerated Mr Okebukolas unscrupulous act, the school reprimanded other memberd of staff for a similar offence, the documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES revealed. A 2008 condition of service of senior staff of the university classified the falsification of age as a gross misconduct and stipulated immediate termination of appointment of anyone found culpable. The 2008 condition of service was later reviewed in 2017. The review classified falsification of certificates, age, state of origin and or other records, suppression of records and concealment of employment history as serious acts of misconducts. The sanction stipulated in this review for any employee caught in any of these acts was dismissal. Multiple sources said Mr Okebukola, who should have retired in 2014 according to the original birth date he presented to the university when he was employed, has remained in service due to the complicity of the Universitys vice chancellor, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, who used to be his protege. Official documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES appear to support this claim. Neither Mr Fagbogun nor Mr Okebukola responded to questions on the matter. The university said the school had taken a decision not to comment on the issue this time around. Above the Law On October 2, 2014, a memo by a deputy registrar at the time, Olayinka Amuni (who is now the substantive registrar of the university), to the registrar of the university pointed out the inconsistencies in Mr Okebukolas birth dates. Mr Amuni argued that based on the birth date presented to the university when he was employed in 1984 (that is February 17, 1949), Mr Okebukola was due for mandatory retirement on February 17, 2014, the day he turned 65. Professor P.A.O Okebukola was granted approval for three hundred and thirty-six (336) days deferred leave which should be utilised as terminal leave preparatory to final retirement from the service of the university, he wrote in the letter with reference number LASU/ASE/REG/002. Similarly, the Universitys Academic Staff Establishment division flagged the discrepancies in Mr Okebukolas birth dates after he applied for sabbatical leave in July 2014, and declined approval for the leave. Perhaps, on the strength of the observation by the Academic Staff Establishment division, Mr Okebukola in a letter dated December 5, 2015 eventually notified the university that he was prepared to retire from the service of the university. Not retiring again But in a dramatic twist, Mr Okebukola on January 18, 2016 wrote a letter to the vice chancellor of the university withdrawing his notice of retirement. My letter of December 5, 2015, giving notice of retirement at the age of 65 on February 16, 2016, based on the old provision of the LASU Law refers, he wrote. In view of the revision of the provision extending retirement age to 70, I wish to withdraw the notice, he added. Mr Fagbohun swiftly approved the withdrawal of Mr Okebukolas notice of retirement. Also, almost immediately after the withdrawal notice was approved, the Fagbohun-led management also approved that Mr Okebukola should proceed on sabbatical from February 2016 to February 2017. However, the problem with the letter withdrawing his resignation, however, was that it was written five months too early. Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, did not sign the amendment to the LASU law, which extended the retirement age from 65 to 70 until May 2016, though the law was made effective from January 4, 2016. The vice chancellors approval of Mr Okebukolas request to withdraw his notice of retirement was so out of tune with the universitys law that the Academic Staff Establishment division exercised restraint in communicating [the] approval of the Vice Chancellor, wrote Mr Aminu, in another letter dated February 9, 2016. In the same letter, Mr Amuni described the approval of Mr Okebukolas application to go on sabbatical leave and his continued stay at the university as anomalies. Mr Amuni, who was in charge of Academic Staff Establishment division, argued in the letter addressed to the registrar at the time that the subsisting policy of the university under which the sabbatical leave was approved was that an academic staff who is sixty-five (65) years old shall compulsorily retire on age grounds. He also pointed out a 2007 Lagos State law about the contributory pension of employees of the state government that stipulated that the authentic age of an employee in the service shall be that submitted by him on taking up the appointment. In view of the law enacted by the Lagos State House of Assembly establishing the contributory Pension Scheme for Employees in the Public Service of Lagos State and for connected purpose, Professor Okebukola ought to have retired statutorily by the 17th February, 2014 on the strength of the first date of birth he presented i.e 17th February, 1949, he wrote. In the view of the above background information/irregularities observed, vis-a-vis the positions of regulations, the Registrar may wish to recommend to the Vice Chancellor that to redress the anomalies, Professor Okebukolas sabbatical leave be terminated forthwith and; his letter seeking to withdraw his earlier retirement be discountenanced; and the recent date of birth presented 17th February, 1951 be upheld for the purpose of his retirement age, he wrote. Hidden Personal File But even before Mr Amunis letter indicting the vice chancellor and Mr Okebukola, the universitys Academic Staff Establishment division, upon receiving the former NUCs boss notice of retirement, had wanted to take the necessary statutory steps but it could not proceed because surprisingly, Mr Fagbohun withheld the personal file of Mr Okebukola, which would have made such statutory process possible. The vice chancellor retained the file in his office and refused to released it to the division, another letter written by Mr Amuni on January 6, 2016 to the registrar, noted. A source within the university, who asked not to be named for fear of being victimised, told PREMIUM TIMES that it was an anomaly for Mr Okebukolas personal file to be withheld by the universitys vice chancellor. [This] action was in complete violation of the university rules and regulations and for which there was no precedent, our source said. According to our source, rather than punish Mr Okebukola for perjuring about his age, Mr Fagbohun named him the first Distinguished Professor of LASU. While the Lagos State University condoned Mr Okebukola, it sanctioned other staff caught in the same act. In one case, the university governing council in August 2006, refused to renew the temporary appointment of an administrative officer in the bursary department over conflicting date of births. A letter signed by the registrar at the time Akinrinmade. M.O read: The non-renewal of the temporary appointment was due to discrepancies observed in your date of birth and ordinary level result. When reached for comments, Mr Amuni referred this reporter to the vice chancellor. However, Mr Fagbohun did not respond to questions sent to his official email despite an automated response confirming that he questions were delivered to his inbox. Similarly, Mr Okebukola ignored several calls and SMS sent to his known mobile number requesting for comment. However, the university spokesperson, Ademola Adekoya, who originally did not respond to questions sent to him for comment, later told this reporter upon a follow-up call that the university management has decided not to comment on the issue. For now, wherever those questions are coming from, we are of the view that we should be quiet this time around. We dont know where the questions are coming from. People dont know the veracity of thoseThey are bringing up all kinds of trump-up allegations and all of that, he said. If there are people who want to know they should actually get the facts right because most of the things there are not actually correct. We dont want to respond to it, that is just it, he said during a telephone interview. Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the Nigerian government, has asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo not to expect preferential treatment on the question of who will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Mr Buhari secured a second term last last month. The campaign was replete with arguments that voters in the south should give Mr Buhari another four years in order to create the earlier opportunity for the presidency to return to their region. The debate repeatedly pitted members of the ruling All Progressives Congress from the Southeast against their counterparts from the Southwest. APC leaders, Osita Okechukwu and Joe Igbokwe, have been amongst the most vocal voices in support of a Southeast presidency in 2023, while Mr Osinbajo and Babatunde Fasola have insisted the presidency would be going to the Southwest, with the vice-president being the favourite to clinch the partys ticket. But Mr Lawal, a long-time associate of Mr Buhari, said the APC did not promise Mr Osinbajo its ticket for 2019, and no law compels the party to favour the vice-president. It is not in the constitution, so it is not a principle, Mr Lawal said while rejecting the zoning formula in an interview The Sun published Saturday. Principle of what? It is not in APC constitution, it is not in the national constitution, it is not in the Bible, I dont know whether it is in the Koran; I dont know. So, I dont see how it became a principle. Mr Lawal said he was not opposed to southerners vying for the office, but neither should any interested northerner be disqualified as a consequence. Being a cosmopolitan man, I know Igbos not less than 10 that can successfully run this country. I know Yorubas that can do, I know Ijaws that can do, I know Hausas that can do, I know even Kilba. Hey myself, my friend, I can be president of this country. I consider myself quite competent to do so from a small tribe of 300,000 people, Mr Lawal told The Sun. Mr Lawal, a Christian from Adamawa, was the government secretary from 2015 until October 2017 when he was fired after a government investigation found him culpable of fraudulent diversion of funds earmarked for internally-displaced victims of Boko Haram. Although he was later charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the allegations, he has remained politically associated with the president since his dismissal. He has also remained a member of the APC, and played official roles as a top strategist in the partys presidential campaign. While zoning arrangements are not in the Nigerian Constitution or the electoral statute, political parties have used them to unify their ranks. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consistently consolidated its base with the zoning formula while Nigerias ruling party from 1999 and 2015. The party rotated power from Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian who spent two terms of eight years between 1999 and 2007, and Umar YarAdua, a northern Muslim who succeeded Mr Obasanjo in 2007. The 2023 election would be the first of such test for the APC, which was created in 2013 from a merger of at least for political parties. A spokesperson for the APC declined comments Saturday, telling PREMIUM TIMES there was no need commenting on Mr Lawals politically-charged assertion at this point. Mr Buhari would be sworn in for a second term on May 29, and political analysts anticipate the battle to succeed him 2023 would commence shortly afterwards. Nigerians have reacted widely to South African comedian, Trevor Noahs recent joke where he mocked Nigerias Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, for his recent comments on Nigerians importing pizza from London. Trevor Noah on Thursday posted a video of his recent show The Daily Show with the caption Your Postmates addiction is nothing compared to these rich Nigerians importing pizza from the U.K. In the video, Mr Noah was seen saying first of all, British pizza? Youre telling me Nigerians are flying past Italy to get British pizza? he questioned. While youre at it why not fly pass Amsterdam to get weed in Romania, he added. Your Postmates addiction is nothing compared to these rich Nigerians importing pizza from the U.K. pic.twitter.com/Dos3aaA03v The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 4, 2019 Mr Ogbeh made the comment about Nigerians importing pizza from London during his appearance before the Senate Committee on Agriculture in Abuja, where he defended the ministrys 2019 budget. Do you know, sir, that there are Nigerians who use their cellphones to import pizza from London? They buy in London and bring it on British Airways in the morning to pick up at the airport, he said. It is a very annoying situation and we have to move a lot faster in cutting down some of these things, Mr Ogbeh added. Mixed reactions have however trailed Mr Noahs recent clip. While some attacked him for ridiculing the Minister and Nigerians, others feel it was well-deserved. Ayomide Tayo (@AOT2) said You, people, are vexing for Trevor Noah. You should hear what he says about South African leaders. Get a grip. Its a joke. ZARIAS DAD (@xvnthe) who seemed to be on Mr Noahs side said Trevor Noah jokes about Trump, you open your teeth, does same to some old politicians in Europe, you display your 32now he is mocking your analog minister and president, he is no longer funnyoga abeg go and watch papa ajasco if you want to laugh. devsploofeek (@sploofeek) who found the joke very funny said Shey na Trevor Noah say make una dey import British Pizza. The joke was too funny abeg . Imagine flying past Italy to get Pizza from England . K10s (@officiallyk10) only problem was with Mr Noahs accent. Lol Trevor Noahs Nigerian accent is awful sha, K10 commented. ThatPortharcourtBoy (@ThatPHCBoy) also had a problem with Noahs accent. What accent is this though? This is the generic Hollywood African accent and Trevor Noah has enough Nigerian friends to know that we do not talk like this, he said. Read more reactions below: https://twitter.com/Poltergeyst_/status/1114132998104993793 So Trevor Noah is no more funny because he dragged your trash country? Leemaaaoooo. When he was dragging Russia, didnt we laugh together? Original Dangbana Choco (@iamHighDee) April 5, 2019 Some self proclaimed high iQed Nigerians are now using Trevor Noahs jokes to measure the IQ of Nigerians??? For someone claiming to have a high IQ thats really stupid. Enydoe (@enydoe_) April 5, 2019 Trevor Noah is the most overrated comedian Ive seen Temidayo (@temidayoseriki) April 5, 2019 https://twitter.com/crayyorubaboy/status/1114055777747177473 Attack the man that said we import pizza from London with our phone and leave Trevor Noah. That man gave Trevor quality content. Mazi Ibe (@MaziIbe_) April 4, 2019 Trevor Noah is mostly funny, but that Nigerian pizza joke of his is as dry as the Gibeonite bread. Eau de Vic (@MyDearVic) April 4, 2019 The Publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, has urged the media and maritime operators to interface in order to tap the potential of the sector for growth of the nations economy. Mr Olorunyomi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a three-day training for maritime journalists on Data-Driven Journalism, held in Lagos on Thursday. According to him, operators should know that whatever vision they have for the sector requires good journalism. The journalists need to provide the contents because without good maritime reporting there cannot be good port reforms. Mr Olorunyomi, who is also the chief executive officer (CEO) of Premium Times Services Ltd., said that there was need for people to know what was going on in the maritime environment. He noted that journalists were the intermediaries, who disseminate information to the public. The maritime sector is of most importance and greatest strategic value from both the economic and security perspectives and to that extent, the journalist deserves more attention than what they are getting in terms of volume of stories. Maritime sector is the third largest contributor to the Federation Account, so it really has its primary role that is not fully acknowledged by the operators and regulators. The managers of the sector themselves said that part of why the sector has a lot of problems has to do with the issues of corruption, overlapping roles of agencies, the need for innovation and new technologies to come onboard, Mr Olorunyomi said. He said that the training would enable maritime journalists to acquire more capacity to tell their stories through more investigative and data-driven story-telling strategies. Mr Olorunyomi, however, said that the journalists should be able to generate far more contents about the sector. In his own view, the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, commended the reportage of the maritime journalists and urged them to improve on the job. Mr Mojeed said maritime journalists should hold government officials in the sector accountable for their operations. Journalists need to understand the resources being budgeted for the sector; how procurements are done as well as how services are delivered; rather than just attending events and writing press releases. They need to deepen their reports so that the reportage they do can cause policy changes, enhance efficiency of the sector and basically make the maritime industry in Nigeria one that can compete with the best anywhere in the world. I want maritime journalists to be very familiar with the laws of the sector such as the Appropriation Act, Maritime Act and also to be familiar with the global best practices as regards the maritime industry. So that as they write about the maritime industry, they can write authoritatively and in a way that can bring impact to the sector, Mr Mojeed said. He, however, advised maritime reporters to comply with all the rules of journalism in the course of assisting policy makers to formulate their policies meaningfully. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has said despite having the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is experiencing conflicts and irregular migration because of lack of social and economic inclusion. The president stated this Saturday during his remarks at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa holding at the Dead Sea, in Amman, Jordan. Mr Buhari said the world has completely changed in the last 10 years with significant shifts on many fronts such as technology, population and migration, geopolitics and climate change. For some nations, these trends have had positive impacts. But of course, we have also seen the negative and destructive outcomes of these trends in other countries. It is my view, that no region of the world has felt the full impact of these dramatic shifts and shocks like the Middle East and Africa North and Sub-Sahara. On one hand, our region is blessed with a very young, vibrant, enterprising and dynamic population. We also have valuable natural resources that are the envy of many nations. These assets and endowments contributed to our region experiencing some of the highest economic growth rates in the world. On the other hand however, we have also been hosts to some of the deadliest conflicts in recent history. The deaths, damage and destruction caused by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, ISIS and Boko Haram over the last ten years will take decades to repair, he said. Terrorists degraded Mr Buhari said most of these terrorist organisations have been significantly degraded. He said the world came together to achieve this, adding, we are faced with the task of rebuilding. The Nigerian president said It is at this point that we must ask ourselves how we, as a region, got to this point. The answer, at least in the case of Nigeria, he said, is the lack of social and economic inclusion. President Muhammadu Buhari delivering a keynote address at the Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa today in Amman Jordan. He said as Nigeria celebrated being the largest economy in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Nigerians were at the same time migrating in droves through harsh desert conditions and across treacherous seas to seek what they believe would be a better life in Europe. I strongly believe that the lack of social and economic inclusion was the root cause of many challenges we are experiencing. Today, our population is 190 million people. By 2050, it is estimated that we will hit 390 million, making us the third most populous country in the world. This means we must start working now to ensure this population is productively engaged, he said. What we are doing Mr Buhari also told the forum what his government is doing about the identified challenges. He said the government had in the last four years, focused on security while implementing inclusive policies. He said significant gains had been made in fighting Boko Haram terrorists. He said the government had been able to recapture all territories held by Boko Haram in 2014, while also liberating thousands of Nigerians held against their will. Today, I am pleased to say no territory in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is held or controlled by Boko Haram. We are extremely grateful to the many countries that have stood with Nigeria to confront this global scourge and in particular, the Kingdom of Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty, the King, he said. Mr Buhari also said the economic diversification and social inclusion policies initiated by his administration are also yielding positive results. He said Nigeria has now returned to the path of growth and the country is now making gains in the ease of doing business indices. The President said a key driver for growth, the agricultural sector, has seen innovative policies that have empowered millions of rural citizens. In the spirit of Building New Platforms of Cooperation, we partnered with the Kingdom of Morocco to domesticate Fertiliser production in Nigeria and revive over two million tons of abandoned Fertiliser blending plant capacity. The outcome is we created tens of thousands of jobs in agriculture, logistics, manufacturing and retail sectors. We are able to achieve moderate growth. But it was inclusive, he said. Development trajectory Mr Buhari said Nigeria is now at a new dawn and embarking on a new development trajectory. He said his government is determined to industrialise Nigeria leveraging its comparative advantage. We recognise the private sector as the engine of growth and a veritable partner in our economic agenda. The Middle East is a natural partner. Africa and the Middle East must therefore focus on policies that will deliver shared economic prosperity for all our citizens. On trade and investments for example, we can do more. Africa represents only five per cent of Jordans trade with the world. But we have the resources, the people and the markets to do more. Opportunities exist in key job creating sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Tourism, ICT, Infrastructure as well as Textile and garmenting to mention a few. President Muhammadu Buhari delivering a keynote address at the Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa today in Amman Jordan. (Photo Credit: Bashir Ahmad on Twitter) Our new, inclusive and diversified Nigeria is definitely open for business. Our population, resources, policies and programs make it the most attractive investment destination in Africa. As friends and allies, we must therefore cooperate and leverage on our relative strengths. We must remain open to Building New Platforms of Cooperation, Mr Buhari added. The founder of African Independent Television (AIT) and a senior member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dokpesi, says he suspects the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the State Security Service (SSS) are behind his recent ordeal at the hands of Nigerian Immigration Service officials when he was returning into the country from a trip on March 22. He spoke with Editor-in-Chief Musikilu Mojeed and Business Editor Bassey Udo. PT: Can you tell us what happened at the Immigration office recently? DOKPESI: I was at the Immigration office when they called me from Lagos to say there was a follow up to the earlier story on Thursday alleging I travelled out of the country illegally. I did not see it early. Yesterday, when it was forwarded to me, they said it was an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES. In it the Comptroller of Immigration gave two reasons why they invited me, which I find very misleading and very very untrue. Let me tell the whole story as it is. I travelled out of Nigeria on March 8, 2019, the eve of the governorship elections held on March 9. I left on the evening of March 8. I went through the international airport here in Abuja. I have my flight tickets. I went on Emirates Airlines. I went through Immigrations. My passport was duly stamped out. I came back on the same Emirates Airlines. My passport was also duly stamped in. But, on arrival March 22, I was stopped at the airport. The officials said they saw my name in their computer as somebody who was on security watch and banned from travelling. They said they had instructions from above that on my arrival I should be arrested. I said no problem and followed them. They took me to a room at the airport where I waited for about 50-55 minutes. They kept apologising to me intermittently. They said they were trying to get across to their bosses to know the next line of action. They finally came back later to say I could go in and stamp my passport. They said the Department of State Security (DSS) will get back to me later. I said no problem. My mind never went to the fact that they needed anything from my passport. So, on my return, in line with the existing protocols, I returned my passport to the Federal High Court on March 25. The court acknowledged receipt of the passport on March 25. It is my current passport and three other passports attached to the current one. They are the passports I still had valid visas at the time. When I got into the country, I got a letter from the Immigration Service again on March 26 asking me to come for an interview on March 27 at 11 a.m. I replied them and acknowledged receipt on that same day, March 26. The Immigration Service wrote back to me to acknowledge receipt. In the letter, I stated that I am sorry I had already returned the passport to the Federal High Court in line with the existing practice, because I travelled on the order of a court. So, I had returned the passport to them within 24 hours of my coming into the country. I came in on Friday. Saturday was a public holiday. In Dubai, Sunday was not a working day. Monday was the first working day. On that Monday, I returned the passport to the court. I also apologised that I would not be at Immigrations Office at the 11 oclock indicated in their letter of invitation, because I was going for the dressing of my stitches after the heart surgery I had. I said I will come on that same day, but at 2 Oclock. At the hospital in Wuse 2, after the dressing at about 12.30 p.m., I drove straight to the Immigration Office by I p.m. I met an officer who said the instruction on the letter was that I should meet the undersigned, Chris Gaduya, the Comptroller of Immigration (Investigation). From their entrance, they led me to the office of Chris Gaduya. He is the Head of Investigation at the Immigration Office. I met with him. He wanted to start discussing with me, but he said those who accompanied me were too many and that we should go to a bigger office upstairs. We went upstairs and started the discussion. He informed me that he was expecting another officer to come and join us. He said the deputy Comptroller General of Immigrations had retired, and that there was somebody who is supposed to stand in for him. When we got inside, he asked me: How many times have I travelled in recent times? I said I travel quite regularly. He asked me to say specifically, between September 2018 and March 2019? I told him, between September 2018 and March 2019, I have travelled twice. He asked me: To where? I told him I travelled to the UK in the very first instance and returned to Dubai for my surgery. He asked: Who did I meet with while I was in the UK? I said I dont believe that was the question for the Immigration to ask. But, in any case, I said I went for surgery. The other persons I saw were the doctors. He asked, when I left Dubai, where else did I go to? I said when I got to the London hospital, because in Nigeria they had diagnosed cancer cells in my blood, I wanted to have a second medical opinion of the UK hospital first before subjecting myself to further treatment. In the UK, I checked my daughter into the London Marriott Hotel before I proceeded straight to the hospital, where they took my blood test again. They still discovered cancer cells. They said they cannot allow me to go. They said they wanted to start the operation on me right away. I got in there, but unfortunately for me, the credit card I travelled with, which I paid for my hotel bill with a few hours earlier was no more going through, and I could not pay my bills with it. I began to ask what the problem was. I called my bank in Nigeria to know what the problem was. They said everything was okay. Only for them to call me back at about 5 p.m. I was still waiting with my luggage unable to check in to the hospital. They told me they had instructions from the Central Bank of Nigeria, which was passed through the headquarters of the First Bank, to block all my accounts, including my domiciliary accounts and my Nigerian accounts. So, I did not have a right of existence in Nigeria. In that situation, I called my wife to let her know the situation I was confronted with. Unfortunately for me, my cousin who is in London had travelled out of the UK at that time. So, I decided to return to Dubai. In Dubai, I started my medical test. Unfortunately on arrival in Dubai, Friday was a public holiday. They dont work on Fridays. Saturday and Sunday were their Independence days. So, it was not until Monday they were able to start my test. I went in on Monday, went through MRI scan and all that. They were able to narrow down to what was responsible for the cancer cells. By Tuesday, they said I need to go for the first surgery. After the first surgery, I had a combination of high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, and everything one can think of as challenges. So, they needed to sort them out one by one. I went in for the first surgery and came out. They could not do any other thing. I planned to return to Nigeria around March 15. But, I had to come back around March 22. So, they asked me: Who came to visit me in the hospital? I told them doctors. Then, they said when I travelled, did I go by sea, air or train? I reminded them I had already told them initially I left on Emirates on November 26, 2018. I went through Abuja Airport and came back through Abuja Airport. Photocopies of my current international passport, on page 60, one will see the Nigerian Immigrations Service (NIS) stamped on it on November 26. I came back from that trip on December 22, 2018. Again, Immigrations Service stamped NIS on my passport. I left again on March 8, 2019. I went through the Abuja Airport here. The Immigration Service stamped NIS on my passport. I came back on March 22, 2019, the Immigrations also stamped NIS on my passport. So, how can the Immigration Service say they do not have my records? If they do not have the record of my departure and arrival, it means the Federal Republic of Nigeria is wasting its resources sustaining the Immigrations Department. The millions being voted in the budget for Immigration Service are being embezzled by people in this administration who must be held accountable for it. So, I dont know how the issue came that they said they issued a special point to the effect that I did not go through Immigration point at the airport when I travelled. During that discussion, the official took my passport, looked at it and asked: How come I had a passport that was running concurrently? He said I had a passport issued from 2008, which expired in 2013, and another one issued in 2014 and expired in 2019 as well as another from 2011 and 2016. He said while one was still in existence, another was issued in 2015. Therefore, he said I was carrying two passports. That gave me the impression that the man that came to question me was not an Immigration official, and does not know how the system works. Then, I told him, if I travel very frequently and the pages of my passport are filled up, Immigration is obliged to issue me a new passport to travel. I told him that each time Ive had to replace my passport, when I get to the Immigration Office, I go straight to the Comptroller Generals Office and wait for the passport, apart from snapping my photograph. Therefore, I have never had any illegitimate passport. It is always from the Office of the Comptroller General that they always prepared my passport. I said the four passports were stamped cancelled without prejudice, because even when expired, some still had visas that were still valid. So, it cannot be any issue of say I went through the back door to travel, or I sneaked out, or I did anything illegal. Nothing like that. I didnt see the Immigrations in any case, in any way, being antagonistic to me. So, there was no need for me to be antagonistic to them. The man, whose name was put down on the letter of my invitation as the man that granted that interview, was not the person who escorted me out of the immigration premises. It is the man I am saying I suspect, with the depth of his knowledge of Immigrations rules and activities, who I suspect must have conducted that interview, was DSS, and not the Comptroller General. PT: Are you considering any legal action against the Immigrations for what happened? DOKPESI: I must admit that I already have a couple of legal actions that are ongoing against government. But, I have consulted some lawyers already. We will see how they progress. I dont have any problem with Immigration Service. I dont believe they are the ones behind all these. I am absolutely confident that it is not Immigration. I guess it is either from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) or SSS (State Security Service). I know all that is going on. I am keeping quiet, even the main case about N2.1 billion from Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for services rendered, I am just keeping quiet. But, if they put hands in my mouth, I will vomit and tell them the whole story of the things that are involved. I verily believe the SSS has sinister reasons that go beyond the official explanations. They are only using Immigrations as cover The group got a crash course in how the Police Department is organized in its first meeting. Newest Pittsfield Police Advisory Group Holds First Meeting PITTSFIELD, Mass. The newly created Police Advisory and Review Commission got its feet wet at its first meeting on Tuesday. The newly crafted committee is eyed to serve as a liaison between the Police Department and the community. It is the most recent iteration of a public safety-focused citizens group after a previous one fell to the wayside. "We went through a long process of debate and discussion about the purpose of this committee and how it can strengthen our relationship between our police department and the community it serves," Mayor Linda Tyer said. The push for the new committee began in the city in the winter of 2017 and appointments were made earlier this year. Tuesday's meeting served as mostly an introduction to each other, to Police Chief Michael Wynn, and to the general concept behind what the group is intending to do. The committee members present for the first meeting were Ellen Maxon, Lynn Wallace, Sheila Sholes-Ross, Alfred Barbalunga, Ivan Victoriano, Drew Herzig, Michael Feldberg, and Sloan Letman. Also appointed but not in attendance were Bruce Stump, Kyreasia Solomon, and Erin Sullivan. "I think it provides a vital avenue to allow citizens and the Police Department to interface in a way in which both sides will learn from each other," said attorney Stephen Pagnotta, who is serving as the city solicitor. Pagnotta said the scope of the group is fairly broad. It will be a place for residents to take complaints. It will review policies and procedures in the department and will be asked to review finalized internal affairs reports. And it will provide recommendations to the chief, the mayor. and the City Council. "The role of this board is to advise and it also has a review function. It is not a hearing board. It doesn't adjudicate or make findings," the attorney said. That restriction, however, had been hotly debated during the creation of the committee. Resident Igor Greenwald had been an early advocate for a more robust commission, calling on it to be an oversight panel to provide transparency to police operations. He believed the panel should investigate complaints of police misconduct and have the ability to recommend discipline. But Tyer and Wynn had opposed giving the group such power or access to open internal affairs cases, citing conflicts with Civil Service laws. Greenwald felt reducing the board to being advisory without authority watered it down and limited transparency. Nonetheless, the administration feels this version of the committee that was ultimately approved will be a useful tool for providing more transparency than what currently exists. Wynn said complaints are currently all handled internally and another aspect of the group is to provide an avenue for residents to take any complaints somewhere other than to officers. "We were not in any way opposed to the formation of this board," Wynn said. The department, the social justice committee with the local NAACP staff, city councilors, and the chief had recently created a list of various training the board members will have to take in the next few months. The training is hoped to provide the members with a better insight into police documents and procedures but also open meeting law and public records, which Wynn said had become problematic in the past. "This is not the first iteration of this board that I've worked with. If history has shown that there is an issue, that's it," Wynn said. The members are also being asked to go on ride alongs with officers on a quarterly basis. "You are going to gain some valuable perspective in a squad car in the dark. The world looks a little different," Wynn said. Tuesday's meeting was mostly consumed with Wynn outlining the structure of his department. The city has had a Police Advisory Committee on the books for years but it had been dormant. In 2012, under Mayor Daniel Bianchi, it was reformed with many of the same goals as this new version, minus the responsibility of reviewing closed internal affairs reports. That group also looked to field complaints from residents but ultimately, over multiple years, the group fielded just one. In that case, a resident had looked to have the procedures for vehicle search and seizure revamped but the group did not take it up in earnest. But, during four years or so in operation, the group served as an advocate for additional staffing in the department, feeling it was significantly understaffed. It worked with city councilors to develop updated traffic fines. It reviewed early conceptual studies regarding a new police station and began to look for funding opportunities. It helped develop the downtown ambassador program and was behind the implementation of a fence in the median of East Street to address traffic issues caused by jaywalking high school students. Eventually, the group ran out of ideas and attendance numbers waned. The committee expanded its focus to become a "public safety advisory committee" and looked to delve into issues of health and the Fire Department as well. But the change of administration didn't serve it well. It struggled to get members appointed and meetings became less frequent and less attended until eventually, it stopped meeting at all -- though it is still listed on the city's website as having members appointed until as late as this upcoming November. That committee had a much different feel than the new commission has, however, and that is partly because of the makeup. The last group was all mayoral appointees, which had included the sheriff at one point and representatives from the Housing Authority. The new commission's membership is guided mostly by community organizations. Those include representatives from the Human Rights Commission, the local chapter of the NAACP, local faith communities, the youth community, and the immigrant community. The mayor then appointed the rest of the 11-member group. The ordinance specifically calls for a diverse set of viewpoints to be presented. Indigenes of Zamfara resident in Abuja have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervene and stop the killings and kidnappings currently going on in the state. The indigenes, who held a protest in Abuja on Saturday, decried the insecurity in the state which has resulted in apprehension, displacements of communities and loss of lives. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, an organiser of the protest, Fatimah Mustapha, said their action was to call the attention of government to the gruesome killings and cases of kidnappings going on in Zamfara. According to her, perpetrators of these evil acts are getting bolder day by day with little action taken by the authorities to arrest the situation and stop the act. She said the government of Zamfara was not doing anything to arrest the situation hence the protest in the nations capital, Abuja, the seat of government. Veteran journalist, Kadaria Ahmed, who was one of the organisers of protest, urged the president to direct security personnel to rise to the situation. We have the challenge of security situation all over the country, but that of Zamfara is clearly bad. We are tired of mass burial and that is why we are calling on PMB to intervene, she said. Nobody is talking of these killings now among our leaders, and this is apparently disgusting. This issue involves lives and people deserve to be safe wherever they live in this country, she said. Zaharuddeen Bello-Imam, a former aide to Gov. Abdullaziz Yari of Zamfara, said the federal government should take decisive action against the kidnappers and bandits operating in the state. According to Ms Bello-Imam, there is need for total overhaul of the security apparatus of the state to control the situation before the killing and kidnapping get out of hand. Another protester, Aliyu Dansado, said the killings and kidnapping had affected farming activities in the state, adding that he was unable to go to his farms for some time because of fear. Government should rise up to action to end the killing and kidnapping, we have been paying ransom to kidnappers for the past five years now, people are killed on daily basis, government needs to do something now, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters marched from the Unity Fountain, Maitama Abuja to the Presidential Villa where they presented their letter for President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking to the protesters, Usman Ibrahim, special assistant to the president on security, promised to convey their message to the president.(NAN) The Appeal Court in Akure on Saturday affirmed the eligibility of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the last Osun governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, to contest the election. The judgement followed an earlier judgement of a High Court in Bwari, Abuja, which declared him ineligible to contest the election. The issue bordered on the controversy over Mr Adelekes secondary school certificate submitted to INEC for the election. The lower court had ruled that the senator did not have a valid secondary school certificate and so failed to satisfy the minimum requirement for eligibility to contest the election. Mr Adeleke and his legal team appealed the judgement. The appeal courts three-member panel of M.A. Danjuma (presiding); R.M. Abdullahi, and P.A. Mahmoud, allowed the appeal and upturned the judgement of the High Court in Abuja. The appellate court allowed the appeal on the grounds that the complainant, Awosiyan Kingsley, from Ife Central, lacked the locus standi. It also established a case of lack of jurisdiction to entertain the matter. The court also agreed with the appellants that the matter was status barred given the limitation of time of 14 Days within which a litigant on pre-election matters could institute a case or maximum of 180 days to hear and determine the case. Although Mr Adelekes counsel had raised these arguments before the Bwari High Court, the court still ruled against him. Reacting to the judgment, a counsel to Mr Adeleke, Nathaniel Oke, said the latest judgment cancels the judgment of an Abuja High Court and renders its conclusion ineffective on the candidacy of Mr Adeleke for the September 2018 gubernatorial election. He said the Abuja high court judgment had contradicted the Osogbo high court verdict by rejecting the testimony of WAEC, an examination body which in a sworn affidavit confirmed that Mr Adeleke sat for its examination. He said the examination body also attached the result to the affidavit. Nigerias president, Muhammadu Buhari, has said that ending banditry remains a key priority of his administration and he would do whatever it takes to save lives. Reacting to the recent spike in killings and kidnappings in Zamfara and Kaduna States, Mr Buhari described himself as one of the unhappiest leaders in the world. Mr Buhari has been criticised for his failure to check the deteriorating security situation in Zamfara State. Nigerians on Saturday staged a peaceful protest calling for the attention of the government to the killings in Zamfara State. The president on Saturday, in a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the rise in banditry has made him an unhappy man. How can I be happy and indifferent to the senseless killings of my fellow citizens by bandits? I am human and I understand the pains of the victims and their families who have been traumatized and impoverished by constant ransom demands by bandits, the president said. Mr Buhari said the politicisation of tragedy reveals the darkest sides of our primitive politics. Almost every week, I summon my security chiefs to get an update on the strategies being devised to defeat these mass murderers. There is no issue that dominates my mind every 24 hours like security because, as an elected President, protecting the citizens of my country is one of the primary functions of my administration. I constantly listen to our security personnel in order to understand their problems and needs, and I have never hesitated to attend to those needs in terms of motivating and equipping them to respond effectively to our security challenges. It is therefore ridiculous to suggest that I am indifferent to these killings. I have ordered rapid and robust deployment of troops to all the areas currently under attack from bandits and we are determined to tackle this challenge ferociously until these remorseless killers are crushed and utterly defeated, he said. Mr Buhari called on communities where banditry is active to support and cooperate with security agencies, particularly the recently launched Operation Puff Adder to battle bandits and kidnappers. The president said it was regrettable that bandits have informants within some communities and utterly reprehensible that certain communities have signed protection deals with bandits at the expense of other communities, thereby creating complications and frustrating governments intervention. He appealed to communities to report suspicious movements of the bandits into their areas within the shortest available opportunity, especially considering the fact that intelligence is critical to detecting, frustrating, neutralising and defeating the criminals. Serving and elected Senators of Niger State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday endorsed Ahmed Lawan for the Senate president seat. The endorsement was contained in a statement issued in Minna and signed by three senators, Mohammed Sani Musa Niger East, Sabi Abdullahi Niger North and Senator-elect, Muhammad Bima-Enagi Niger-south in Minna. According to them, Mr Lawan has an impeccable character and undeniable wealth of experience as a lawmaker to drive the aspirations and vision of the 9th Senate towards achieving its mandate. There is no doubt that Lawan has also demonstrated stability, reliability and fidelity towards ensuring sound and people-oriented legislation at the Senate as he demonstrated in the build-up to the 2019 general elections where despite the pressure from the opposition, remained resolute and committed towards promoting the good course of the Senate as the apex law-making organ in the country, they said. Sen. Lawan is one Nigerian who has remained detribalised, bi-partisan and accommodating to varying views as long as they are positive to the wellbeing of Nigerians. He has demonstrated this in his support for legislations sponsored by lawmakers who might not have been in the same political parties with him at the floor of the senate. Sen. Lawan will promote homogeneity of purpose at the 9th denate and foster unity amongst distinguished senators as well as other arms of government, in a manner that will add value to good governance in Nigeria. Lawan is a man without any form of primordial sentiment. Even though each of us represents our various constituencies, his interest is in the development of Nigeria and Nigerians as a whole. So, we believe he embodies outstanding qualities that are germane to the success of the 9th senate and the government as a whole. Therefore, we join our colleagues in endorsing his senate presidency ambition. Lawan has the qualities and leadership skills to harmonise the 9th assembly and promote effective legislative processes that will enhance the qualities of laws for optimal political growth of the country. We believe therefore that our party, the ruling APCs decision to endorse Lawan for the presidency of the senate is a wise and timely decision that has great benefits not only for the party but for the next phase of governance as a whole in the country. His display of honesty, sincerity of purpose, respect for divergent views, loyalty to and believe in party supremacy as well as proven experience in the business of lawmaking makes him the obvious choice for the legislatures top job, they said.( NAN) The police in Lagos have arrested two suspects over the alleged murder of Stephen Urueye, a recent graduate of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Lagos. The suspects are Gbadebo Jimoh and Malik Adeboye. Mr Urueye, whose convocation held on April 3, was killed a day after his graduation ceremony. He was still undergoing his housemanship at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) before his death. The deceased was reportedly robbed and stabbed to death by some hoodlums at the Idi-Araba area of Lagos where LUTH is located. On Friday, Bala Elkana, the Lagos State police spokesperson, said the police had arrested two suspects in connection with the incident. At about 9.45 p.m. on April 4, Itire Police Station received a distress call that some hoodlums armed with knives attacked one Dr Stephen Urueye m a Resident Doctor with LUTH and dispossessed him of his valuables such as handsets, Mr Elkana said in a statement. They equally stabbed him at his right thigh and back with (a) knife. The victim was with his female friend identified as Hakeem Habeeb Simbiat Opeyemi, a 200 level Student of Department of Health Education, LASU when the incident happened at Canal Area of Ishaga Road, Idi Araba. Mr Urueye died in the early hours of Friday due to the injuries sustained from the attack. His death led to protests from students and doctors at LUTH who demanded that security be provided in the area as there had been several reported cases of robbery attacks. The Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police Panti to take over the investigation, Mr Elkana added. The authorities of the University of Ibadan on Saturday dismissed reports that a former lecturer in the Department of Mathematics in the institution identified as Aminu Zubair, committed suicide. There were news on Saturday that the teacher who hailed from Kaduna State, set himself on fire on Monday. Our correspondent further learnt that the deceased set himself ablaze Monday afternoon in his senior staff quarters located at Phillipson road of the University. The deceased who left behind three children, has been buried at Akinyele public cemetery according to Islamic rites. It was gathered that the deceased recently resigned from the university but was yet to pack out of the staff quarters before he reportedly took his life. He was said to have separated from his family and had challenges progressing on his career. The chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Deji Omole, confirmed the death in a telephone interview. Mr Omole described the incident as pathetic and a major loss to the union. He said, We were only informed of the burning flat while efforts to save him proved abortive. Police yet to respond, school reacts Efforts to get the reaction of the spokesman of the Oyo State Police command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, proved abortive at the time of filling this report as calls put through his telephone line were not successful. But, the Director of Public Communications in the university, Tunji Oladejo, who said that the deceased has long ago resigned from the university, however insisted that the real cause of the death of the deceased can only be known when the result of the autopsy is released. Mr Oladejo, who said that the Vice Chancellor of the University, Abel Olayinka, had sympatised with the family of the deceased, maintained that the incident would have recorded casualties if not the prompt intervention of the school security agents and the fire brigade unit. The spokesman in a telephone interview said, He has resigned from the service of the university. As at the time if that incident, he was not a staff of the university, though he was still occupying flat four at the Phillipson Road. He had resigned before that unfortunate incident, he had resigned. And I was told that he has some domestic issues. He was never burnt because the inferno did not get to where he was sleeping. He was choked up and probably died as a result of suffocation. Mr Oladejo insisted that Nobody can say anything for sure the real cause or actual cause of his death. It is the autopsy that will reveal the cause of his death and that one is still being investigated now. Unless we have the result. If not because of the quick response of our campus security outfit and the fire brigade unit, the whole flat would have been burnt down completely. And probably, it could have resulted in more deaths. He was the only one and his apartment was the only one. The thing (fire) nearly touched other flats, but for the quick response of our campus security outfit and the fire brigade unit, we could have recorded more victims. So, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka on behalf of the council, the Senate and staff and students of the university had already commensurated with the family. So, we pray that Almighty Allah forgive him his sins. Jennifer Macksey, currently vice president of administration and finance at Southern Vermont College, was offered the post of school business administrator for Northern Berkshire School Union. Northern Berkshire School Union Offers Business Post to SVC Veep David Fierro is interviewed Thursday as a finalist for the NBSU post. CLARKSBURG, Mass. A former treasurer for the city of North Adams has been offered the post of business administrator for the Northern Berkshire School Union. Jennifer Macksey of North Adams has accepted the position, pending negotiations, Superintendent of Schools John Franzoni said Friday. Macksey was one of three finalists for the position who were interviewed on Thursday evening at Clarksburg School. Nine members of the School Committee representing the union's five towns spent nearly 2 1/2 hours interviewing the three candidates and debating their choice, finally voting 7-2 to offer the post to Macksey. Also interviewed were David Fierro Jr., currently auditor for the city of North Adams, and Peter Roche of Southboro, the lone applicant to already be certified as a school business administrator. Macksey and Fierro were the preferred candidates from the start. Roche had a very lengthy resume of his work in the public, educational and private sector in the eastern end of the state and said he would accept the salary listed of $65,000. However, he also informed the committee at the start of his interview that while he was very interested in NBSU, he was "looking at a lot of other positions." Fierro, of Stamford, Vt., has been the city's auditor since 2007 and has also held the posts of part-time town accountant in Clarksburg, elected treasurer in Stamford, and part time in Monroe. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. "I'm interested in this position, I'm looking at it as perhaps a capstone on my career," Fierro said, and would see himself still there in five years and looking to retire five years after that. He said he had a lot of experience in administering grants but not so much in writing them. However, he pointed to his work with the city's financial team in growing North Adams' reserves significantly and evaluating the budget to find efficiencies in materials and labor. "That's probably one of my greatest feats," he said. "We went from an A-minus with a negative outlook from Standard & Poor's to an A with a positive outlook in those 10 years." Fierro said he also oversaw the borrowing and tracking of costs for the $30 million Colegrove Park Elementary School project and reporting to the state. He also oversees the payments to the city's more than 500 employees and retirees. "Debits are debits and credits are credits in accounting," he said, assuring the committee he was up to the task of handling the separate town school budgets for Clarksburg, Florida, Monroe, Rowe and Savoy. Macksey had been treasurer for the city from 2000 to 2008 and its director of finance/procurement officer for five years before that. She then did a stint as director of student accounts at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and taught several courses. She holds bachelors of science in both accounting and business administration and a master of science in higher educational administration. Her position as vice president of administration and finance at Southern Vermont College will end when the Bennington school closes in the spring. She said she was interested in Clarksburg because she wanted to stay local and to continue to work in education. Macksey said finance in education was a little different than municipal and though she's spent the last years in higher education, she'd worked in the past with the North Adams School Department. "My position was somewhat of a liaison between City Hall and the School Department before they created the school administrator position," she said. "So I've done a lot of things with the School Department from purchasing to settling contracts to benefit administration to grant management. "I feel I bring a skill set that you're all looking for." Macksey said she has written grants working with the technical data that has been provided to her to "finesse the narrative" but most of her experience has been oversight. "I've had good local careers so when I drive down Main Street and see trees or I go to Drury High School and see the renovation project," she said. "I'm always proud of those accomplishments." Both Macksey and Fierro said they would be committed to completing the coursework required to be certified as school business administrators. "I had them both as students, and they're great," said Clarksburg School Committee Chairwoman Patricia Prenguber. "They're both smart, intelligent. They have integrity, they're very cool people and it's going to be difficult to make that decision." The committee wanted someone who could handle the day-to-day financial affairs at the district and the five school budgets, to be able to take some of the work of grant writing and research off the superintendent's plate and help with the management of several facilities projects that were coming up. "One of the things that I had mentioned when it was brought back to a full-time position ... was that hopefully, to allow for this position to advocate and to be able to do more looking for grants," Franzoni said. "We talked about this with Carrie's situation being split between six different towns basically and two different entities, there's not time to do that." Carrie Burnett, who had been the school union's business administrator for seven years, was hired full time by the North Adams Public Schools beginning July 1. She had spent the past year working for both educational entities through a shared services agreement. Peter Roche of Southboro had a lengthy resume but also told the committee he had applied to other positions. The committee went into a brief executive session to discuss a personal matter related to one of candidates. When the members came, the discussion centered on the two local candidates. The consensus was both were professional, had interviewed very well and appeared to have similar experience and competence. "I know them both, I know they're both very good at their positions, I have respect and admiration for both of them. They're both successful at what they do," Franzoni said. "I don't have any issue with either one of them ... I think they're both very competent at what they do." Carla Davis-Little of Monroe advocated on behalf of Fierro, saying he had been fantastic as treasurer for the little town. But others were worried about a conflict of interest; Franzoni said representing the finances of the town and the school would upset the checks and balances. Committee thought if he was chosen, he would have to give up Monroe. However, the decision appeared to tip toward Macksey because of her background in education and what seemed to some as more experience with grant writing. "I think both Jennifer and Dave interviewed fantastic," said Alana Boyd of the Savoy School Committee. "But I think Jennifer is the most qualified." Both had changed their monetary requirements since their initial screening interviews, with Fierro going up and Macksey coming down, to where they were about even. Judy Oleson of Florida pushed the committee to increase the cap on the salary. The committee also agreed to pay for the cost of certification but would check with its attorney to see if that could be linked to a contracted period of service. 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. First launched in 2016, Haier's independently-developed COSMOPlat digitally integrates the entire factory process and supply chain, including interaction, R&D, and procurement, to better serve individual customers. This year's upgrade combines a diverse range of advanced intelligent manufacturing technologies and 5G to open up a new chapter of mass customization, pioneering the world's first "smart + 5G" customization verification platform with profound application possibilities for industries as diverse as ceramics, agriculture, motor home manufacturing, molds, and machinery. In addition to a large number of enterprise customers, Haier attracted several industry-leading experts to its booth, including Henning Kagermann, the father of the Industry 4.0 movement to digitize industrial production, and Francisco Betti, head of Advanced Manufacturing Industry in World Economic Forum's (WEF). "I'm thrilled to see the progress achieved by the latest iteration of COSMOPlat, now integrated with advanced technologies such as 5G and AI," said Kagermann following his tour of the Haier booth. "Not only is Haier serving large enterprises, but it is empowering SMEs to transform and upgrade as well. Thanks to the real-time updates and optimization, a larger number of customers can enjoy greater efficiency and a more user-centric experience." As the first Chinese enterprise to be selected to the WEF's network of "Manufacturing Lighthouses", a community of leading manufacturers that are integrating Industry 4.0 technologies, Haier leveraged the exhibition to co-host the WEF Lighthouse Factory Forum with Bosch, Phoenix Contact, Rold, Sandvik, and Tata Steel. Together, the companies announced the Lighthouse Program Hannover Initiative, which seeks to set and implement industry norms for standards, technology, talent, security, and more. As the leader of this cooperation, Haier's COSMOPlat will draw on its open ecosystem to promote and cultivate the initiative. Thus far, COSMOPlat has developed 15 sub-platforms for different industries, with 12 demonstration bases across six regions, including eastern China and northern China. The model has been further implemented in 20 countries, transforming clothing, food, housing, travel, health, education, and other industries so that global users can enjoy the enhanced lifestyle experience opened up by mass customization. *** About Haier Haier Home Appliance is the world's No. 1 home appliance brand, with a 10.5% global market share. Its brands include Haier, Casarte, and Leader in China, GE Appliances in the US, Fisher & Paykel in New Zealand, and AQUA in Japan. Aiming to provide interconnected smart home experiences for customers everywhere, Haier continuously enhances its products and services while making the transition to an open entrepreneurship platform. For more information, visit: http://www.haier.net/en/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/847448/Haier_Unveils_5G_Empowered_COSMOPlat_at_Hannover_Messe.jpg SOURCE Haier Home Appliances WELLESLEY, Mass., April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the American Teledentistry Association expressed disappointment in New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's decision to veto near unanimously-approved state legislation that supports extending access to affordable, quality oral care through teledentistry. "Low income and rural New Mexicans seeking access to oral health care are hurting today," said Dr. Marc Ackerman, DMD, MBA, Executive Director of the American Teledentistry Association. "According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, New Mexico has the highest prevalence of gum disease in the entire United States. With the number of practicing dentists in New Mexico being under 1,000, the Pew Charitable Trust has designated New Mexico a severely underserved State. Sadly, this innovative legislation fell victim to the anti-competitive and clearly protectionist misstatements propagated by the New Mexico State Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists. Governor Grisham's decision to veto Senate Bill 241 maintains the status quo and prevents New Mexicans from getting the oral health care they desperately need." Senate Bill 241 is citizen-first legislation advocating for New Mexicans by expanding access to remote care, utilizing store and forward technology and empowering patients to seek oral care. SB241 passed in the State House (59-0) and Senate (37-1). "The bigger picture is that the greater population of New Mexico is underserved for quality oral care or any oral care at all. It's not about the difference between in-office care versus remote care: it's the difference between NO care and expensive care," said Ackerman. "The ATDA wants to extend its gratitude to Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino and the entire legislature for continuing to advocate for their voters and rallying overwhelming support for safe and affordable innovations that increase access to oral care for all New Mexicans." Teledentistry is a revolutionary innovation in providing affordable, convenient and safe access to a licensed dental professional for those patients who would otherwise not have access to care. The American Teledentistry Association's mission is to increase access to dental care through advocacy for and the implementation of innovative teledentistry guidelines and solutions. Media Contact: Dr. Marc Ackerman, [email protected] SOURCE American Teledentistry Association CRETE, Ill., April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Louvell A. Anderson, D.D. is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Achiever in the field of Ministry in recognition of his role as CEO & Apostle of Ministry at Old Camp Ground International Ministry, Inc. A seasoned professional revered for his remarkable contributions to the industry, Dr. Louvell A. Anderson, D.D. has served in his current capacity as CEO & Apostle of Ministry for the past fifty years. A former public school teacher and consultant in California and Louisiana, Dr. Anderson has acted as a bishop and overseer of Old Camp Ground for more than 25 years. Throughout his career, Dr. Anderson has attained extensive experience as a conference speaker on a global platform, including traveling across the United States and overseas to Russia, the Republic of Korea, France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece where he has contributed to religious and adult education. A proud affiliate of Bridge Network Ministry, Dr. Anderson serves as a Professor at CBII and a Civil Leader. While pursuing his educational endeavors, Dr. Anderson earned his Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) from Trinity Hill College. Thereafter, Dr. Anderson would go on to obtain his Ph.D. in Theology and Philosophy from Logan. A distinguished scholar, Dr. Anderson has authored three books: "Two Women to Avoid in the 21st Century and One Woman to Embrace Into Eternity" in 2010, "The Adventure of Prayer & Forgiveness Through Spiritual Warfare" in 2010, and "The Test Of The Anointed Leadership In The Pulpit To Combat the Wolf, the Dog and the Pig and the Little Foxes that Spoil the Vines" in 2012. In recognition of his many professional achievements, Dr. Anderson is the recipient of several awards including being honored as one of 3,000 Noted American Businessmen in 1993. A featured member in Who's Who in California in 1989, Dr. Anderson was named one of the Nation's Top Public Speakers by the American Banking Institute in 1972. When he is not working, Dr. Anderson enjoys collecting elephants, and reading and researching history. For more information, please visit http://www.chicagobaptistinstituteintl.org/ Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com DUBLIN, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Artificial Intelligence in Life Sciences Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2019 - 2024)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Artificial Intelligence in Life Sciences Market was valued at USD 902.1 million is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 21.1% during the forecast period (2019-2024). Although artificial intelligence has been in the market in the late 1950s, the technology has become commercially accessible in the past few years. The primary reason for this accelerated growth in recent years is the massive availability of data in the life sciences sector. As AI operates on large sets of data, the availability of such data becomes a key factor for establishing a suitable environment for the growth of AI-based solutions. With innovations in mobile technology and sensors, even the present day's wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers, have enough computing power to generate and process vast amounts of data. In fact, according to the recent estimates of Consumer Technology Association, a prominent standard and trade organization for the consumer electronics industry based in the United States, health and fitness trackers accounted for more than 47% of the wearables devices sold in 2017. This scenario coupled with several medical devices used in healthcare sector generates huge sets of data that could make use of AI to derive useful results. AI is increasingly becoming popular in drug discovery, personalized medicine, biotechnology, and clinical trials. With increasing healthcare spending in almost all parts of the world, the pharmaceutical industry has been involved in extreme R&D activities in the past few years. Scope of the Report Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a highly data-driven technology. In the life sciences sector, it is generally employed to make meaningful relations from loosely coupled data. With the advent of the third wave of AI, it is estimated that advanced AI solutions in the current market scenario can learn and evolve as they are being used. Key Market Trends Clinical Trails to Hold Significant Share Clinical trials are one of the most data-intensive tasks in the life sciences industry. They generate vast sets of data every day monitoring several variables of a patient under observation. Subjecting these data sets to intelligent AI algorithms can help the researchers to screen meaningful correlation even between loosely coupled data. This is encouraging many pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations to invest in technologies, like artificial intelligence. In the current market scenario, rapid adoption of AI is widely seen in the pharmaceutical sector, who are responsible for almost 50% of the clinical trials conducted globally every year. Novartis claims that the deployment of QuantamBlack's solutions has reduced patient enrolment times by 10-15%. Additionally, as of March 2018, the company has entered a partnership with IBM to make use of IBMs AI platform, IBM-Watson, to improve clinical trial recruitment, and make use of intelligent AI algorithms to predict medication efficacy. Such initiatives are encouraging many companies to invest in AI solutions tailor-made for clinical trials. Many prominent companies, such as GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Pfizer Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, and Genentech among others, are investing in AI-based clinical trails startups and solutions to make clinical trials more affordable. India to Exhibit Highest Growth India, the third-largest pharmaceutical market in Asia, is increasingly gaining much-needed government focus on expanding affordable health care. As part of the Union Budget FY19, the government announced the world's largest National Health Protection Scheme, for which the government set aside an investment worth USD 307.6 million, to provide coverage of up to USD 7,690 per year, to 500 million people belonging to financially vulnerable households, for the treatment of serious ailments. Simultaneously, AI and machine learning have already started penetrating various industries across India, with healthcare being one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI revolution. According to a report by CIS India published in 2018, AI could help add USD 957 billion to the Indian economy by 2035. In the July-September 2017 quarter, around 16 Indian healthcare IT companies received funding. The adoption of AI in life sciences in India is being driven by the likes of Microsoft, and a slew of health-tech startups. Competitive Landscape The artificial intelligence in the life sciences market has been gaining a competitive edge in recent years. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with a prominent share in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging on strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability. In Oct 2018, Lifegraph launched their new app on the Google Play Store. It uses AI in the core to forecast the state of patient health. The app named Lifegraph - AI technology for migraine management, was launched to help track changes in the behavior and weather throughout the day and, using machine learning, predicts an imminent attack for actionable self-care. Key Topics Covered: 1 INTRODUCTION 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 MARKET DYNAMICS 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 Introduction to Market Drivers and Restraints 4.3 Market Drivers 4.3.1 Rising Adoption Of Ai In The Field Of R&D 4.3.2 High Emphasis On The Development Of Precision Medicine And Personalized Drugs 4.3.3 Increasing Demand For AI In Drug Discovery 4.4 Market Restraints 4.4.1 High Initial Costs And Concerns Over The Replacement Of Human Workforce 4.5 Technology Snapshot 4.6 Industry Attractiveness Porters Five Force Analysis 4.6.1 Threat of New Entrants 4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers 4.6.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.6.4 Threat of Substitute Products 4.6.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 5 MARKET SEGMENTATION 5.1 By Application 5.1.1 Drug Discovery 5.1.2 Medical Diagnosis 5.1.3 Biotechnology 5.1.4 Clinical Trails 5.1.5 Precision and Personalized Medicine 5.1.6 Patient Monitoring 5.2 Geography 5.2.1 North America 5.2.1.1 US 5.2.1.2 Canada 5.2.2 Europe 5.2.2.1 Germany 5.2.2.2 UK 5.2.2.3 France 5.2.2.4 Rest of Europe 5.2.3 Asia Pacific 5.2.3.1 China 5.2.3.2 Japan 5.2.3.3 India 5.2.3.4 South Korea 5.2.3.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific 5.2.4 Rest of the World 6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE 6.1 Company Profiles 6.1.1 IBM Corporation 6.1.2 NuMedii Inc. 6.1.3 Atomwise Inc 6.1.4 Lifegraph 6.1.5 Cyrcadia Health Inc. 6.1.6 Numerate Inc. 6.1.7 Sensely Inc. 6.1.8 Sophia Genetics SA 6.1.9 Insilico Medicine Inc. 6.1.10 Enlitic Inc. 6.1.11 APIXIO Inc. 6.1.12 Zebra Medical Vision 6.1.13 Lifegraph Limited 6.1.14 twoXAR Inc. 6.1.15 AiCure LLC 7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS 7.1 Investment Scenario For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t5jjc9/global_artificial?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 POLK COUNTY, Iowa, April 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A Polk County, Iowa jury awarded $12.25 million in a unanimous verdict after just 3 hours of deliberations to a man who underwent a debilitating and unnecessary prostate cancer surgery, which resulted in the shortening of his penis, complete loss of the ability to have an erection, and urinary incontinence. The Iowa Clinic and pathologist mixed Mr. Huitt up with another patient who actually did have cancer. For over three months, Mr. Rick Huitt and his wife of 45 years Judy believed he had cancer spreading throughout his body. The urologist who was relying on the pathology report said the cancer was extensive, so a radical prostatectomy had to be performed, which included removal of nerves which lead to the penis. The Iowa Clinic pathologist, Dr. Trueblood, mixed up slides of Mr. Huitt's non-cancerous tissue samples with those of another patient who actually did have cancer, leading to an improper diagnosis, and resulting in Huitt having his prostate removed. The surgery also damaged nearby nerves, leaving him impotent and incontinent. Mr. Huitt was 100% cancer free. Mr. Huitt had just retired from John Deere after a 41 year career on a line in the factory. He retired to spend more time with his wife, three children, and three grandchildren. Judy teared up as she testified in the case about how they had an active sex life and beautiful intimacy in their mid-60's and how her husband still chased her around the house. They made love for the last time 2 days before the unnecessary surgery. She told the jury how her husband's penis had shortened and does not work at all anymore. He also goes through 2-3 urinary pads per day which he has to wear because of the damage. They both testified how their lives have changed dramatically since the surgery, how they try to hide the urine smell from their grandchildren, and how her husband has to use urine pads and air fresheners to try to mask the problem. At trial, the insurance company's defense lawyers told the jury that the defense had accepted responsibility from the very beginning, when the truth is the first position the defense took on the case was denying everything. The head of the claims division of the insurer, MMIC, took the position that the case was only worth $350,000 in the State of Iowa. After the pathologist and the director of Pathology at The Iowa Clinic who committed the negligence admitted to the error, the defense changed their answer on file to admit negligence but not damages. The head pathologist never apologized to the family and never changed the pathology report even after litigation. Therefore, the patient's medical record still has a pathology report in it stating he has cancer when there is not and never was cancer in his body. The jury did not get to hear all these facts. The lead insurance defense lawyer told the jurors that the case was only worth $750,000 in closing arguments. "When a hardworking man reaches the prime of his life and can finally retire and enjoy time with his loving wife, there is an expectation that going to a clinic should not result in life altering, penis shortening surgery that is 100% unnecessary and caused by a mix-up by the pathologist," said Nick Rowley, lead trial lawyer for the family, founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice and partner at Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley. "For him, he's lost his manhood, and an Iowa jury agrees his manhood is worth a lot more than $750,000." Rowley was first called on Saturday night and informed about the case (36 hours before the trial was set to start). He heard the story of what happened and how MMIC Insurance company was treating Iowans cheaply again, agreed to do the trial, flew out Sunday evening and served as the lead trial lawyer in the case. Trial Lawyers for Justice is dedicated to changing the way insurance company's value injuries and lives. Headquartered in Decorah, Iowa, with additional offices in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Washington, Alaska, and California, and offering legal services from coast to coast, Trial Lawyers for Justice focuses on personal injury law. Trial Lawyers for Justice is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. For more information, or to schedule a consultation regarding your case, visit http://www.tl4j.com today. The California law firm of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley (CZR) has over 100 employees dedicated to fighting for the rights of the injured. CZR is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. CZR's in-house team is able to handle any type of personal injury case, and has the experience and resources necessary to take cases to trial. For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit www.CZRlaw.com today. Nick Rowley and his trial team are available for media inquiries and interviews regarding this case and other personal injury legal matters. For media and press inquiries, please contact Brendan Egan at [email protected] Case Number: LACL139726 SOURCE Trial Lawyers for Justice Related Links http://www.tl4j.com Bigtree ignited a firestorm when his presentation in Austin, TX, ended with the Emmy-winning producer of "Vaxxed: From Coverup to Catastrophe," briefly brandishing then pinning to his jacket a yellow "Star of David," to symbolize solidarity with Rockland County's Hasidic Jewish community. Before the emergency declaration was overturned, unvaccinated Hasidic Jews in the county were banned from public spaces, including their own synagogues during Passover. In overturning the declaration, New York State Supreme Court Judge Rolf Thorsen stated that the 166 cases cited by the county since the measles outbreak began last October did not reach the level of an epidemic or constitute a disaster. County Executive Ed Day's use of executive law in issuing the emergency declaration "may have been misplaced," Judge Thorsen's decision declared. In Austin, Bigtree stated: "For all the Hasidic Jews in New York right now who never thought this moment would come, I am saying I stand with you! I stand with a nation that said we will never oppress the minorities, we will stand for your religious convictions. We have seen that before and we will never let this happen in this beautiful country." It is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI8jq3JAB-g "The HighWire with Del Bigtree," one of the fastest growing independent online news series, with more than 33 million total views, airs live Thursdays at 11am PST on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other video platforms. SOURCE Informed Consent Action Network Related Links icandecide.org WASHINGTON, April 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Janet Kavandi, director of NASA's Glenn Research Center, and James Buchli are the latest veteran NASA astronauts to join the ranks of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. "The pioneering spirit we see in every astronaut is truly exemplified by this year's inductees," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "Janet Kavandi and James Buchli represent the best of America's astronauts, and I congratulate them for achieving this prestigious honor. Each has contributed greatly to the NASA mission, and their efforts have helped lay the groundwork for where we are today including Janet's leadership directing Glenn's Moon to Mars work as we chart a course for a return of American astronauts to the lunar surface in five years, and eventually on to Mars." Bob Cabana, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and a 2008 inductee, was among the speakers at the ceremony, which took place Saturday at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and now brings the total number of hall of fame space explorers to 99. Kavandi was a member of NASA's 15th class of astronaut candidates, selected in 1994. She is a veteran of three space shuttle missions, serving as a mission specialist on STS-91 in 1998, STS-99 in 2000, and STS-104 in 2001. She has logged more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits. During her time in the NASA Astronaut Office, Kavandi supported International Space Station payload integration, capsule communications and robotics, and served as deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. She became the director of Glenn in 2016. Buchli was part of NASA's 1978 astronaut candidate class. He was a member of the space shuttle support crew for STS-1 and STS-2, both in 1981, and served as on-orbit capsule communicator for STS-2. A veteran of four space flights, Buchli has orbited Earth 319 times, traveling 7.74 million miles over a span of more than 20 days. He served as a mission specialist on STS-51C in 1985, STS-61A in 1985, STS-29 in 1989, and STS-48 in 1991. From March 1989 until May 1992, he also served as deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation selects astronauts for induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which was founded more than 30 years ago by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts as a venue where space travelers could be remembered and honored. For more information about NASA's astronauts, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov The Importance of Vendor Security: Cision PR Newswire is SOC2 Compliant If we didnt learn it in 2017, we definitely did in 2018 customer data is under attack. From Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, cybercriminals have relentlessly proved that everyone is a target. According to a recent report, there were over 12,000 confirmed data breaches in 2018, a 424 percent increase from 2017. Cybercriminals are orchestrating sophisticated attacks, systematically targeting vulnerable companies who do not take proactive measures to secure their data. Today, were seeing brands take action. Gartner forecasts that worldwide information security budgets will grow 8.7 percent to $124 billion in 2019. As brands evaluate and improve their internal controls, its important not to overlook their external controls. Specifically, it is imperative for companies to assess the security standards of their vendors. A 2018 survey of over 1,000 IT and data security professionals revealed that 59 percent of companies have experienced a data breach due to a third-party vendor. Brands today need partners who extensively invest in security protocols. Whether youre considering a new tech vendor or evaluating your current provider, its important to understand how they will protect your sensitive data. At Cision, maintaining the integrity, confidentiality and availability of our customers information is an important part of our culture. We are proud to provide our clients with industry-leading security, which is demonstrated by our SOC 2 compliance. The SOC 2 report provides assurance to PR Newswire customers that we have designed and implemented effective security controls, as defined in the rigorous SOC 2 standards. Cision is committed to long-term, trusted partnerships with our customers. Our investment in best-in-class security and compliance demonstrates our serious commitment to this promise. NEW DELHI, April 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NIIT Technologies Limited, a leading global IT solutions organization, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with WHISHWORKS IT Consulting, an IT services and consulting company specializing in MuleSoft and Big Data technologies, to acquire a 53% stake initially, with the remaining equity to be acquired over the next two years through pay-outs linked to financial performance. The transaction closure is subject to fulfillment of certain government/regulatory approvals. A fast-growing company with a robust operating profile, WHISHWORKS currently has around 250 employees. Incorporated in 2010 and headquartered in Hyderabad, WHISHWORKS works with an ecosystem of global innovators, including MuleSoft, Salesforce, MapR, and Cloudera. It enjoys multiple deep and longstanding customer relationships across industry verticals. Over the years, WHISHWORKS has invested in building unique capabilities around MuleSoft's Anypoint Platform, the leading platform for building application networks, and today enjoys increasing market share and accelerated growth as a Strategic Consulting Partner of MuleSoft supporting the digital transformation journeys of organisations around the world. WHISHWORKS' consultants hold over 350 MuleSoft certifications, which makes it the largest pool of MuleSoft certified experts in the EMEA region and one of the largest worldwide. "WHISHWORKS fits into our overall Digital strategy, enhances our footprint in a high demand space, and is a significant addition to our existing capability spectrum in digital integration. This initiative is in line with our strategy to drive growth and create value over the long term by enhancing capabilities and domain depth, adding new partnerships, and making well-considered acquisitions that complement our existing strengths. We are delighted to welcome the WHISHWORKS team, clients, and partners into our fold", said Sudhir Singh, CEO, NIIT Technologies. Commenting on the transaction, Sri Arardhi, Founder and CEO, WHISHWORKS, said: "Together with the other co-Founders Suman Konkumalla, Kranthi Vempati, Pankaj Kankatti and Murthy Aradhi, we have created a track record of enabling clients to succeed in their digital transformation journeys through our robust technology capabilities in MuleSoft and Big Data. We are very excited to now be joining forces with NIIT Technologies, a global leader at the forefront of engaging with emerging technologies, which will fuel our growth and innovation faster. We also see substantial opportunities and growth potential for WHISHWORKS in the US geography and are thrilled to have the support of NIIT Technologies' strong local presence and scale there." This transaction is expected to be margin and earnings accretive to NIIT Technologies. The Company will be making this acquisition in an all-cash transaction, funded through internal accruals. About NIIT Technologies NIIT Technologies is a leading global IT solutions organization, enabling its clients to transform at the intersect of unparalleled domain expertise and emerging technologies to achieve real-world business impact. The Company focuses on three key verticals: Banking and Financial Services, Insurance, Travel and Transportation. This domain strength combined with leading-edge capabilities in Data & Analytics, Automation, Cloud, and Digital, is enabling its clients to drive business transformation. With over 10,000 employees serving clients across Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia, NIIT Technologies fosters a culture that promotes innovation and constantly seeks to find new yet simple ways to add value for its clients. Learn more about NIIT Technologies at www.niit-tech.com. About WHISHWORKS WHISHWORKS is a global IT services and consulting company, specialising in Systems Integration and Big Data. It works with an ecosystem of global innovators, including MuleSoft, MapR and Cloudera, to develop leading solutions that provide distinct business advantages. WHISHWORKS has helped hundreds of businesses access, control and monetise their data. Its dedication, expertise and ability to solve problems fast, have been recognised by customers and partners alike. Today, WHISHWORKS is the partner of choice for data-driven organisations who want to start their digital transformation journeys on solid foundations. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements. The business involves various risks, and uncertainties that could result in the actual results to differ materially from those indicated here. All forward looking statements made herein are based on information presently available to the management of the Company and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. For media queries please contact: Akanksha Gupta Corporate Communications NIIT Technologies Ltd. +91 120 7119033 [email protected] Suman Nath Edelman India +91 9958065680 [email protected] Contact for investor/analyst queries: Abhinandan Singh Head Investor Relations and M&A NIIT Technologies Ltd. +91 22 40103212 [email protected] SOURCE NIIT Technologies Ltd. BOSTON, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thornton Law Firm LLP, a leader in sophisticated securities and investor protection litigation, announces that it has filed an Amended Complaint against Flex Ltd. and certain of its senior executives (the "Complaint"). The Complaint, captioned Kipling v. Flex Ltd., et al, No. 18-cv-2706-LHK (N.D. Cal.), asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5, on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Flex's publicly traded common stock and exchange-traded options between January 26, 2017 and October 25, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"). As a result of the detailed and comprehensive investigation conducted by the Thornton Law Firm and its co-counsel, the Complaint expands the class period and claims asserted in the action originally. The Court appointed the Bristol County Retirement System as Lead Plaintiff and the Thornton Law Firm LLP as Co-Lead Counsel on October 12, 2018. Due to the expanded complaint, by order dated April 3, 2019, the Court ordered republication of the lead plaintiff notice. Investors wishing to serve as Lead Plaintiff in the securities action pending against Flex are required to file a motion for appointment as Lead Plaintiff, no later than 60 days from this April 5, 2019 notice (no later than June 4, 2019). If you purchased or acquired Flex common stock or exchange-traded options during the Class Period of January 26, 2017 to October 25, 2018, you are a member of the "Class" and are eligible to seek appointment as Lead Plaintiff. Lead Plaintiff motion papers must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California no later than June 4, 2019. If you have any questions about this lawsuit, or would like to consider serving as Lead Plaintiff, please contact Guillaume Buell, Esq. of Thornton Law Firm, at (617) 531-3933, or Garrett Bradley, Esq., at (617) 531-3945 or via email at [email protected]. The Complaint alleges that Defendants (Flex, Michael McNamara, Christopher Collier, Michael Dennison, and Kevin Kessel) made false and misleading statements regarding (1) the Company's internal controls over financial reporting, including those related to customer contracts, and (2) the Company's contract with Nike to automate sneaker manufacturing. By the end of the Class Period on October 25, 2018, Defendants fully disclosed the truth concerning Flex's internal controls and the Nike contract. That same day, Defendant McNamara abruptly retired. As a result of Defendants' alleged misstatements and omissions, Flex's stock fell from $15.29 on January 26, 2017, to $7.09 on October 26, 2018. The Lead Plaintiff is a court-appointed representative for absent members of the Class. You may retain counsel of your choice to represent you in this action. You do not need to seek appointment as Lead Plaintiff to share in any Class recovery in this action. If you are a Class member and there is a recovery for the Class, you can share in that recovery as an absent Class member. SOURCE Thornton Law Firm LLP Grab a cuppa and read the horoscope for December 15, 2021 right here. Up your game! Read your horoscope today. Aries Horoscope: Your work has been tremendously good these days. Your family is proud of you. You can indulge in some celebration. But still somewhere deep inside if you feel you deserve some more, then it is time of a deeper analysis. Ask your mentors what you lack. Keep the energy drive on. Your dedication and persistence will pay off soon. Work smarter and find out easier ways to do your work. Taurus Horoscope: A long leap towards success is awaiting to receive you in the next few days. Your patience and hard work will be finally paid off well. Kick that jealous nerve from your system as it will ruin your mental health. The key to happiness is being content. Talk to your friends who could help put things back in perspective. Some exciting surprises await you as the day progresses. Gemini Horoscope: Your heart is limp today, and that would cause a few unwanted rifts with colleagues and friends. If someone has hurt you, stay away from them. Call up your parents or relatives you havent spoken to in ages. Seek advice for the troubles that worry your mind. Time to face any quarrels with gusto. Cool your head, keep emotions away and instead work with sense. Cancer Horoscope: Unwind is the mantra of the day. Forgive and let go of any clashes that may have occurred in the past week. Your happiness is in your hand, so dont let others melt that down. Finance needs to be managed well, as you will have a few financial obligations to fulfil in the near future. Leo Horoscope: Happy surprises are waiting for you. A new professional journey will embark soon. So cleanse your mind and body for this change. It calls for creativity and opening up your thoughts. Leave myths aside and move on. A colleague will turn into a lifesaver soon and stay grateful for the same. Virgo Horoscope: Happy thoughts need to fill your mind today. If you are down, listen to some music and practice yoga. You have people looking upto you, and so dont bring their expectations down. Stress will be on an upsurge, but stay calm. Opt for the spiritual side, and believe that you can do this. Libra Horoscope: Fitness has taken a backstage in your life and that is what needs your immediate attention. Now is the right time to start it. Stick on to this and work towards a good health. New projects will move in your favour. So, work on that. Keep a tab on jealous people, who seem friendly but mean no good to you. Scorpio Horoscope: If you feel that your hard work is not being looked upon, think twice. Today and in the next few days, your family will find time to work and help you out fulfill your dreams. Worry less and meditate more. Appreciate people for their kindness towards you. Your spending pattern needs a reformation, and that will help you build your dreams faster. Sagittarius Horoscope: Communicate, laugh and discuss with your loved ones. A reunion is around the corner. Ease the tensions that have soared in the air, and let love soothe the pains. Family divisions may be a point of discussions, and voice out your right, but dont fight. Capricorn Horoscope: Boredom and lack of enthusiasm has struck you, and that will affect your contribution in your field of expertise. You have developed a habit of taking negative comments to your heart. Quit being so petty and learn to improve. Each finger that points at you will teach a lesson that you need to learn. Aquarius Horoscope: Explore and reach out for new boundaries. Leave the FOGO feel and get talking to people of unknown places. Help is out there, but you need to muster the strength to accept and work upon new areas of life. Adopt fitness habits that will bring down your present illness to a stop. Pisces Horoscope: If you feel that you are the centre of faults and blames, you need to accept it. Long back, you had played a fool with the lives of people who trusted you. Now, that will back bite on you. Just stay clam, and understand that this is the time for a change- a good permanent change. Did we pique your curiosity about your future? Read your detailed Horoscope and Rashifal to know more, Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad is the first from Kurichya community to clear the prestigious civil service examination.Your victory battling all odds is an inspiration for the underprivileged sections of the society.Entire Kerala is proud of your ac Image Source: IANS New Delhi, April 6 : A day after Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil service exam-2018, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from the same Kerala Lok Sabha seat, congratulated her for being the first tribal woman from the district to attain that feat. "Sreedhanya Suresh from Wayanad, is the first tribal girl from Kerala to be selected for the civil service. Sreedhanya's hard work and dedication have helped make her dream come true. I congratulate Sreedhanya and her family and wish her great success in her chosen career," Gandhi tweeted. She was ranked 410th in the Civil Services Examination, 2018 conducted by the UPSC. Kolkata, April 6 : The Election Commission's decision on Friday night to transfer and bar from poll duty four West Bengal IPS officers, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma, seemingly followed repeated complaints from opposition parties including the BJP, Congress and the CPI-M led Left Front against the "partisan" attitude of a section of police officers in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. The opposition parties had been regularly calling on the EC, both in Kolkata and New Delhi, with demands for the removal of officers "listening to only the Trinamool Congress and turning a blind eye to the complaints lodged by the opposition parties". While the EC order is being interpreted as its way of giving a stern message to the police and the bureaucracy to work with complete impartiality, it is also a fact that the removed city top cops Sharma and Bidhannagar Commissioner Gyanwant Singh - both considered close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - were seen at the site of her sit-in here in early February. Banerjee had resorted to the sit-in following a face-off between the CBI and the city police over the central agency's attempts to interrogate then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in a chit fund probe. However, Banerjee had then denied their presence at the stage of the sit-in and explained that they had merely gone to give her protection when the platform was being built. It has proved to be a short tenure for Sharma at the helm of the city police, as he was appointed only on February 19, replacing Rajeev Kumar. The latter was due for transfer ahead of the polls in accordance with an EC directive that any officer completing three years in the same place cannot continue there if the person has to be tasked with election duties. The BJP had also complained to the EC about Gyanwant Singh in the wake of the Customs authority's allegations of police interference to prevent them from checking the baggage of Rujira Narula, wife of Trinamool Congress MP and Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport three weeks back. Rajesh Kumar, a 1990 batch IPS officer, would be the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. He was till now ADG & IGP, Pollution Control Board. Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, from the 1991 batch, would replace Gyanwant Singh. The two other IPS officers shunted out by the EC are Birbhum police superintendent Shyam Singh and Diamond Harbour police superintendent P.S. Selvamurugan. Birbhum, in recent years, has turned into one of the most politically volatile districts, witnessing a series of blood-spewing clashes between political parties, leaving a number of activists dead, injured and homeless. The inflammatory statements of Birbhum district Trinamool Congress chief Anubrata Mondal - at various times going to the extent of asking party workers to "bomb the police", set fire to opponents' houses and ensure opposition parties do not put up agents in polling booths - has not helped matters. The situation became such that during the 2016 assembly polls, the Election Commission kept Mondal under 24-hour watch ahead of the election. Selvamurugan is understood to have attracted the EC glare after it received complaints of harassment of estranged Trinamool leader Sovan Chatterjee and his companions by a mob purportedly comprising Trinamool men at Raichak. Besides, Abhishek Banerjee is the Trinamool candidate from the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency. Avanyu Rabindranath and Srihari Pande would be the new police superintendents of Birbhum and Diamond Harbour respectively. While the Trinamool is yet to react to the developments, Mamata Banerjee is likely to spell out her mind on the developments during her twin meetings in Alipurduar on Saturday. The opposition parties welcomed the transfers. "This step was needed for ensuring free and fair elections. That's why the poll panel has resorted to this drastic measure. Some of them were seen at the Chief Minister's sit-in. Gyanwant Singh had argued with the Customs authorities at the airport over the so-called harassment of Abhishek Banerjee's wife," said state BJP president Dilip Ghosh. "Birbhum is the most violence-prone district. The law and order situation has deteriorated. There are lot of allegations of atrocities against political opponents," he added. Leader of the Left Front legislature party Sujon Chakraborty said the rule of law has ceased to exist in West Bengal. "When she started her sit-in, it was seen that the entire administration had hit the streets. "Such an administration cannot conduct impartial polls. I would ask the other officers not to endanger their careers by licking the boots of the rulers. Show respect to your uniform. If you don't, people will not spare you. We will also go to the EC," he added. Congress Rajya Sabha member and former state chief Pradip Bhattacharya said some officers were acting at the behest of the ruling party, and hoped strong action would also be taken against some other IPS officers. "Some IPS and IAS officers are working as per their whims. They are partisan in their approach. They are acting as agents of the ruling party. We had complained against the SPs of Raiganj and Malda. We hope the Election Commission will consider these complaints too positively," said Bhattacharya. (Sirshendu Panth can be reached at s.panth@ians.in) New Delhi, April 6 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was trolled on Twitter on Saturday after she greeted the people of the Kashmir Valley 'Nauroz Mubarak', instead of 'Navreh' which is the Kashmiri Pandits' new year celebrations. In a tweet, Gandhi said: "Nauroz Mubarak to all my Kashmiri sisters and brothers!! Despite my mother's 'don't forget to make the thali' messages, I had no time to make my thali (plate) yesterday but came home after (a) roadshow and found it placed on the dining table. How sweet are moms?" But Gandhi was soon trolled on social media as she mixed up 'Navreh' with 'Nauroz' which is the Parsi New Year. "Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their New Year's Day on the first day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (March-April) and call it Navreh - the word navreh, derived from the Sanskrit nava varsha, literary meaning 'new year'," a Twitter user said. "It's very nice to be inclusive and secular. I like you didn't forget Navroz. But what you are referring to here is 'Navreh', the Kashmiri Pandit festival and Navreh thaal' a Pandit ritual. Anyway, Navreh Mubarak to you too," another user added. However, there were some who "respected her feeling", saying although the spelling was wrong but she referred to the correct custom. "Navreh or Nauroz is perfect as long as feelings are genuine," read one tweet. Geneva, April 6 : A UN expert plans to meet WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on April 25 after receiving complaints of privacy violations, a statement released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said. The statement was released on Friday after the expert received two separate complaints made by Assange and Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno. In the statement, Joe Cannataci, the Human Rights Council special rapporteur on the right to privacy, said the meeting would "help determine if there exists a prima facie case of violation of privacy that warrants further investigation". He also said that he was requesting further information from the Ecuadorian government on a complaint lodged by the country's President that his privacy had been violated by the publication of personal data, Xinhua news agency reported. WikiLeaks said earlier this week on its verified social media account that Assange will be expelled within "hours to days", quoting "a high-level source within the Ecuadorian state". In an interview earlier this week, Ecuador President Lenin Moreno told local media that Assange had repeatedly violated protocol and conditions of his stay at the Embassy. Assange does not have the right to hack private accounts or phones and cannot intervene in the politics of other countries, especially Ecuador's partners, said the President. "Several times, Assange has violated the agreement we reached with him and his lawyers," Moreno said. In another statement released by the OHCHR on Friday, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said he was alarmed by reports that Assange may be expelled from the Embassy of Ecuador in London, indicating that he intended to personally investigate the case. Melzer said Assange's expulsion from the Ecuadorian Embassy could "expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights". "I therefore urge the Government of Ecuador to abstain from expelling Assange from its Embassy in London or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum until such time as the full protection of his human rights can be guaranteed," said the special rapporteur. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia tweeted that "the diplomatic asylum is a sovereign authority of a state, which has the right to grant it or withdraw it unilaterally when it deems it justified." After having established WikiLeaks in 2006, Assange has been staying at the Embassy since 2012 when he was granted asylum by Ecuador as part of a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where the Australian-born whistleblower was facing allegations of sexual assault and rape. In 2017, he received Ecuadorian citizenship so as to resolve the political impasse over his continued presence in Britain. However, in 2018, Assange launched legal action through his lawyers against the Ecuadorian government, accusing it of violating his fundamental rights and freedoms. Jammu, April 6 : A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on Saturday arrested another accused in a militant attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in December 2017 in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The accused, identified as Syed Hilal Andrabi of Ratnipora village, was produced before the competent court to obtain his police remand for five days, an NIA source said. "Andrabi is an active OGW (Over Ground Worker) of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit. He is a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF Group centre, Lethpora, before the attack. "With Andrabi's arrest, total number of accused arrested in this case has risen to four," the source added. The attack on the CRPF Group Centre, Lethpora, was carried out on December 30, 2017, by three JeM militants. All three terrorists were killed in the encounter, along with five CRPF personnel. Srinagar, April 6 : An M. Tech student was among the two Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Saturday, police said. Rahil Rashid Sheikh, who belonged to Nuner village in Ganderbal district, was pursuing Masters in Technology and had joined militant ranks only three days back on April 3. "The other militant killed in the gun battle has been identified as Bilal Ahmad of Keegam village from Shopian district," police said. The gunfight took place in Parguchi village when personnel of the army's counter-insurgency Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group (SOG) of state police were carrying out a search operation in an orchard area in Imam Sahib. "Hiding militants fired at the security forces triggering a brief gun battle in which both militants were killed," police said. On May 6, 2018, Kashmir University Assistant Professor Mohammad Rafi Bhat, who also hailed from Ganderbal, was killed in a gunfight in Shopian also - only 48 hours after he joined militancy. New Delhi, April 6 : As the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) organised "Vijay Mahamantra Jaap Anushthans" across the country on Saturday, its working President Alok Kumar said the event will remove all obstacles on way to a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. "Crores of 'Vijay Mahamantra Jaap Anushthans' were held throughout the country on Saturday morning to remove all obstacles in the construction of a glorious Shri Ram temple at his birth place in Ayodhya by the VHP and other Ram Bhakts," he said in a statement. Translated into English, a "Vijay Mahamantra Jaap Anushthan" would mean a religious event where Vedic mantras are recited to ensure victory of an individual or an organisation. Speaking at the VHP headquarters here, advocate Alok Kumar said this nationwide mass awareness programme would definitely pave the way to remove all obstacles on way to a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. "Be it be by the court or government or Parliament, people of this country and Ram Bhakts abroad are eagerly waiting for the day (when the temple is constructed) in Ayodhya," Kumar said. The VHP said in the statement that chanting of mantras on the very first day of the Hindu New Year (Nav Samvatsar) is very significant as it is "Anand Samvatsar". According to saints and astrologers, the sunrise of the first day of the "Anand Samvatsar" marks the beginning of "Pushp" constellation which is considered the most auspicious occasion for "Sarv-Siddhi-Yog" (an auspicious time when one can accomplish everything). On the occasion, any resolution, which is pure and clean, will come true. "This is why the saints during the Dharma Sansad organised in Kumbh had called upon all devotees to chant 'Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram' 13 crore times," the VHP statement said. Fatehpur : , April 6 (IANS) Attacking the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said if its leaders are truly patriotic, they would respect country's martyrs -- including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi -- irrespective of their caste, religion or political background. "If BJP leaders, who talk big about patriotism, are true patriots, they would respect martyrs of the country -- whether that martyr is Hindu or Muslim or the father of their political opponent. He is a martyr. You can't be selective in which martyr you respect. If you are true patriots, respect all martyrs including Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi," she said at a street corner meeting here. "If they are truly patriotic, they would not have turned away and shut their doors on farmers when they came to Delhi to tell the government the problems they were facing... If they are truly patriotic, they would have delivered on the promise of creating jobs that they made to you," she added. Calling the upcoming elections crucial for deciding the fate of the country, Vadra told the gathering that she was there to remind them of what true patriotism was all about. "Every election, the BJP brings up the issue of patriotism and there is no talk on issues like development. I am here to remind you what true patriotism is all about," she said. She said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked people to stand in queues to deposit their money in banks calling it a patriotic act that would bring back black money. "Did black money come back? Not even a single paisa... True patriotism is believing in democracy and casting your vote responsibly by choosing those who work for you, and those who deliver on their promises. Political leaders quickly forget who brought them to power. You need to be aware and you need to remind them," Vadra said. Attacking Modi, the Congress General Secretary said that when she went to Varanasi, the Prime Minister's constituency, she was told the government had built a 15-km road from the airport to the city in the name of development. "The Congress had announced that road spanning 150 km, and they built only 15 km from airport to the city so that it is visible to people," she said. She also claimed that people told him that Modi did not visit a single village in the constituency after becoming the Prime Minister. "This is his patriotism that he can visit Africa, US, China, Japan, Pakistan...have biryani and come back. But he can't come to his constituency to ask the well-being of even a single family." Gandhi said unlike Modi's promise of Rs 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account, the Congress would deliver on its Nyay scheme which promises Rs 72,000 annually in bank accounts of the poor. "We waived loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in 10 days after forming government... Congress has proved it can deliver -- be it MGNREGA or farm loan waivers," she said. Bengaluru, April 6 : Biocon's global contract research arm Syngene International has opened a centre for advanced protein studies here as part of the national biopharma mission, the leading biotech firm said on Saturday. "The centre has been set up with the biotechnology industry research assistance council at our campus, where a good laboratory practice (GLP) accredited analytical laboratory will be hosted," Biocon said in a statement here. Noting regulatory approval of biological molecules involves advanced analytics, including assessment of physio-chemical characteristics, efficacy, immunogenicity (antidrug antibody), contamination and strength in a GLP-compliant facility, it said that the centre will help address the challenge of getting certified facilities at affordable costs by start-ups, small, micro and medium enterprises and academia across the country. The 2,000 square feet centre will run under the 'Innovate in India' programme of the National Biopharma Mission and the Department of Biotechnology. "India has scientific and entrepreneurial talent to emerge as the next research and development (R&D) hub for the global biotechnology industry. The centre provides the ecosystem for the talent to pursue their research objectives," Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said in the statement. Apart from providing infrastructure support at affordable cost, the centre will focus on advancing technical skill development to global standards, by conducting training and workshops involving eminent subject experts. "As the country's largest scientific services provider, the collaboration will help us play active role in the development of the biotechnology industry and as well as nurture the innovative spirit within the industry," Syngene Chief Executive Jonathan Hunt said in the statement. Kolkata, April 6 : Taking a dig at the political parties for ignoring the green agenda, environmentalists and activists on Saturday said MPs from West Bengal asked only 197 environment related questions in Parliament in the last five years, not even one each in every year on an average. "In the past five years, MPs from West Bengal asked just 197 environment-related questions. Had they asked one each in every year, the total could have been higher," said Naba Dutta, Secretary, Sabuj Manch, a network of organisations and people fighting for the green cause. According to Dutta, 17 MPs did not ask even a single question in the 16th Lok Sabha, despite many of them representing areas of high environmental or climate impacts. Political parties' response to environment issues were inadequate, Dutta added. A regular engagement before and after elections with political parties, be it parties in power or opposition, were required, he said. Activists also alleged the critical environmental issues did not figure in the political campaigns despite rampant air pollution, river degradation, garbage dumping, noise pollution wetland filling, tree felling. According to them, manifestos released, so far, have largely "limited reference to environment, which is an antithesis to global politics". Environmentalist S.M. Ghosh said poll manifestos should be binding legally to make the political parties accountable. Urging parties to treat environment as "non-negotiable" issue in social-economic development process, state BJP leader Ambuj Mohanty said "political pollution" has caused violation of environment protection laws in the country. More measures were yet to be taken up for cleaning up the Ganges, he admitted. Ghosh also accused the Congress of ignorance about environment despite ruling the country for years. "The Congress has not taken adequate measures to revive the holy river," he said. Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said the state government had been making initiatives, including afforestation, promoting clean energy and green transport. State Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra said his party has promised to double the budget for cleaning rivers and set up a transparent and strong environment protection agency, while CPI(M) leader Sridip Bhattachrya sought strengthening project clearance mechanism and revival of agriculture. Chennai, April 6 : The Tamil Nadu government has renamed the iconic Chennai Central Railway Station as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central Railway Station. The name change became effective on Friday. According to a government notification on Friday, the station was renamed after the receipt of 'no objection' from the Union Home Ministry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in the state had announced that the Chennai Central Railway Station would be renamed after late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran. Gandhinagar, April 6 : Mega poll campaigner for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to hold around four public rallies on April 10 in his home state Gujarat. The saffron party aspires to repeat its previous general election's performance of 2014 by winning all 26 Lok sabha seats of Gujarat. With a strong anti-incumbency factor, especially in the Saurashtra region, which has eight of these 26 seats, the feat seems unlikely to be repeated. The saffron party is banking on Modi to turn the tide. Modi will arrive on April 10 morning at Rajkot for his first rally at Junagadh. This will be his first address in Gujarat after the polls being declared. People of Junagadh and another Saurashtra constituency Porbandar will be expected in the gathering. Modi will then travel to Surat and address a public gathering at Songadh in South Gujarat, a place near the Bardoli Lok Sabha constituency. People of Bardoli and other south Gujarat constituency, Navsari, are expected to hear the PM. Rallies are also being planned in Amreli, Jamnagar and Surendranagar in Saurashtra, Patan, Banaskantha, Anand and Chhota Udaipur. Modi is also expected to hold rallies on the April 15, 17 and the 20. "The state BJP unit had requested the PM to hold rallies in all the constituencies, but he is likely to campaign in only 8-10 seats," a BJP source said. Besides Modi, BJP is heavily banking on their star campaigners from BJP, party president Amit Shah, who began campaigning from Saturday in Ahmedabad, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and CMs and ex-CMs of other states will also be campaigning. A surprise from the BJP in this list of star campaigners in Gujarat is Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, who has starred in Modi's biopic. Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini will also campaign in Gujarat. Tehran, April 6 : Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, here on Saturday, pledged to strengthen bilateral economic and political relations despite pressure from the US on Baghdad to break ties with Tehran. Abdul-Mahdi began a two-day official visit to neighbouring Iran on Saturday, the first since he took office last October. During a joint press conference, Rouhani said, "our plans for the future is of achieving a $20 billion trade between the two countries, which we hope will be achieved in the coming months," reported Efe news. "One of the most important topics that we discussed was accelerating the implementation of all agreements signed during my visit to Iraq (in Mid-March)," the Iranian President said. He said the agreements included free visas for nationals of both countries, which has been implemented, as well as the Shalamcheh-Basra railway link, which would start in July. They also addressed the issues of Iran's electricity exports to Iraq as well as to be implemented oil and gas links. Iranian exports to Iraq have reached $13 billion. Of this, more than $7 billion are non-oil products. Iraq largely depends for gas, electricity and food on its Persian neighbour. The US wants to cut these exports after having pulled out of the 2015 multilateral Iranian nuclear deal last year and re-imposition of sanctions on Iran. The US sanctions affect many sectors, including energy and banking. Washington has called on allies to follow suit and granted Iraq a 90-day moratorium in March to adapt and reduce its dependence on Iranian energy. But the Iraqi Prime Minister on Saturday reinforced his commitment to the agreements penned with Iran last month, adding he would "expand" relations with the neighbouring country. The close cooperation between the two "will be beneficial for both countries, the region and the world," he added "We have said before, and we reiterate today, we are with the Iranian government and the nation in happiness and sadness," Abdul-Mahdi said, a direct reference to the US pressure on Baghdad. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has helped us a lot in combating terrorism," Iraq's PM said and added, "We owe our current position and security to Iran's support." Relations between Iraq and Iran, which fought 8-year war starting 1980, have become strategic since the ouster of Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the rise of Shiite forces to power in Baghdad. Chennai, April 6 : The BJP and its alliance partners in Tamil Nadu are claiming consolidation of Hindu votes in their favour owing to the "anti-Hindu" speeches of leaders of the opposition DMK and DK, but the DMK rules out this issue impacting its poll prospects. "People are now saying the AIADMK-led alliance believes in God while the DMK-led alliance is atheist and anti-Hindu. Nowadays there is no distinction between Aryan gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and Dravidian deities (Murugan, Amman and others). In Tamil Nadu, people now go to all temples," Bharatiya Janata Party's state OBC Morcha chief S.K. Kharventhan told IANS. The AIADMK-led alliance consists of the BJP, the PMK, the DMDK, the TMC, the PT and others. None of the parties preach atheism. On the other hand, the DMK-led alliance consists of the Congress, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the VCK, the Indian Union Muslim League and others. Recently K. Veeramani, the leader of Dravidian social movement DK, which is supporting the DMK-led alliance, said at a meeting said if there were mobile phones during the era of Lord Krishna, then the deity would have taken videos like that of the alleged perpetrators of the Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail issue. Linking the Hindu god with that of the Pollachi sex scandal accused has incensed not only the BJP and other Hindu outfits but also others. The state police has registered a complaint against Veeramani. However, the DMK or its alliance partners are maintaining a silence on Veeramani's speech and also rule out its impact. "We have grown over the years talking such issues in strong terms. This will not impact the prospects of our alliance in the April 18 Lok Sabha polls and the assembly by-elections for 18 constituencies," DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan told IANS. "The issue before the people is the non- or bad performance of the K. Palaniswami government in the state and that of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi." "Leaders of DK always talk like that even though the stage is ours. It is their policy," Elangovan added. In order to soothe the sentiments of the Hindus, DMK President M.K. Stalin, in a public rally, said he is not against Hinduism, adding that his wife goes to temples and he does not prevent her. However, there have been social media messages recalling Stalin's derisive remarks about Hindu marriage customs while attending a Muslim's wedding. Social media messages also cite late DMK President M. Karunanidhi's statement that "Lord Rama is a drunkard" and the term Hindu also means "thief". Further, controversies about allowing women of all ages into Kerala's Sabarimala temple, Tamil movie lyrist and DMK sympathiser Vairamuthu's comments about Hindu goddess Andal and so on are also going around the social media. The BJP said that, as a strategy, its topline leaders or poll candidates do not talk about the alleged anti-Hindu stance of their rivals. "Second line leaders and party cadres spread the message. People also know that," Kharventhan said. According to him, there may be four-five percent vote shift in favour of the AIADMK- led alliance owing to such "anti-Hindu comments" of the rival alliance. Elangovan dismissed the claims. "The party rallies and the meetings addressed by our candidates attract huge crowds, which itself shows the support for our alliance." "May be some fence sitters may vote for AIADMK over this issue. But that number will be very negligible," he added. New Delhi, April 6 : The major Sanskrit epic of ancient India Mahabharata has inspired yet another theatrical production 'Kiratputra', a play depicting the life of Eklavya that premiered at the Alliance Francaise, here on Saturday. The two-hour play narrates the story of Eklavya, a dedicated disciple who had resolute will to master archery even after being rejected by the Guru Dronacharya, from whom he aspired to learn archery. The play, with dialogues delivered poetically, was directed and written by Navodit Sharma, actor and founder of Navyam Studio Works. "Theatre gives a chance to actors to interact with the live audience. This is what we miss out in films. Theatre is live -- one needs to act and engage with the audience at the same time. I have a strong background of theatre. Whenever I am stuck as an actor, I follow the basic rules of the theatre," the premiere's chief guest and Bollywood actor Nalin Singh told IANS. New Delhi: Former BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha with Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and K. C. Venugopal at a press conference where he joined the party at Congress headquarters in New Delhi on April 6, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: PK New Delhi: Former BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha with Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and K. C. Venugopal at a press conference where he joined the party at Congress headquarters in New Delhi on April 6, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: PK New Delhi, April 6 : Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday joined the Congress, ending his decades-old association with the Bharatiya Janata Party on its foundation day and slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah as "one-man show, two-man army". Hours later, the Congress announced him as its candidate for Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat where he will face Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad of the BJP. Sinha, who addressed a press conference at Congress headquarters, alleged there was no place for dialogue in the BJP anymore and democracy has turned into dictatorship. "The party has become a one-man show and a two-men army. If speaking the truth is rebellion, then I am rebel," he said without taking any names. He accused Modi of running a centralised government and said people have called its "bluff", understood its "hollow promises" and accused it of spending a lot of money on publicity. Referring to senior BJP leaders L. K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, he said veteran leaders of the BJP were kept in the 'Margdarshak Mandal' which never even held a meeting. "Sidelining of the people started from the top," Sinha said. He said opponents should not be treated as enemies and recalled how former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then a Jan Sangh leader, had lavished praise on then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Sinha said whenever he tried to make a point, he was seen as a traitor. Terming demonetisation as "probably the world's biggest scam", he said he had then urged the government to look at the points the opposition was making about suffering of people. He said Congress had seasoned economists but the government did not listen. Sinha also noted that he was not from an RSS background. He also said he was joining Congress with support from RJD leaders including Lalu Prasad. The press conference was also addressed by Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and leader Randeep Singh Surjewala. Sinha also, in a series of tweets later, said that he was leaving the BJP with "a heavy heart". "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on April 6, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas (Foundation Day) of the BJP. "I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru and guide L.K. Advani." "I would like to include some of those who've not lived up to the expectations, to those who are responsible for the injustice and for turning Lok Shahi (democracy) into Tana Shahi (dictatorship). "I forgive and forget at this juncture. The differences I have with some of the present people and policies of the party, leave me with no option but to part ways with it," he said. He lavished praise on Congress President Rahul Gandhi. "Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, Rahul Gandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction. Long live democracy and the Congress party, along with the alliance of Lalu and Tejasvi's RJD. Long live our great India. Jai Hind." New Delhi, April 6 : The Congress on Saturday hit back at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his remarks on the AgustaWestland case about diaries being an admissible evidence, asking why his BJP was silent on the Sahara and Yeddy diaries. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that Jaitley was suddenly showing immense faith in "diary entries" to make bogus allegations against the Congress. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander! Why is PM Modi & BJP silent on Sahara Diaries? Why is PM Modi & BJP mute on Yeddy Diaries? Duplicity & Doublespeak is ingrained in BJP's DNA," he said. Jaitley had said on Friday that a diary constitutes an admission in writing and is admissible against the maker of that admission. He had said this evidence is also admissible against the other co-conspirators if it is made when the conspiracy was still being executed and there is other evidence that corroborates the contents of the diary. He said the Congress should answer as to who had been referred to as "RG", "AP" and "FAM" in documents cited by the ED in the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers case. The Congress has said that the ED chargesheet filed in the helicopter case was a "cheap election stunt" to divert people's attention from the "imminent defeat" of the Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha elections. Shillong, April 7 : Meghlaya's ruling National People's Party on Saturday launched its social media campaign, with the theme "One Voice, One North East", to enlighten the electorate across the northeast on its agenda. The tribal-centric party has fielded its candidates in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections besides the assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh. The NPP has prioritised rural economy, education, environment, health, the youth and employment, and promoting the Northeast as its key focus areas in their "Agenda for Northeast 2019". Its three-point agenda is to commit to the cause of indigenous people, minorities and the marginalised; to ensure that the indigenous people and the minorities assert their 'political say'; and to push for a strong political voice from the region to safeguard the interest of the people of the northeast. Citing the potential that lies in the rural areas of the Northeast, the NPP said it would push for a holistic development of the rural economy with particular focus on agriculture, horticulture and allied sector. It also stressed the need to strengthen rural infrastructure in social sector including health and education and how it would "continue to focus on the core priority and work to create an enabling atmosphere to promote education and health care facilities in the rural areas of the region". On youth and employment, the NPP said that it would encourage investment in private sector in tourism, hospitality, agriculture and IT. It will also formulate an ambitious policy to empower youth with different business and livelihood opportunities linked to rich resources of the region. Noting that India's Northeast is a kaleidoscope of cultural and linguistic diversity, the NPP said it envisages to promote and safeguard the interest of its indigenous people. New Delhi, April 7 : With the Lok Sabha polls approaching, the politicians are busy attacking each other with sharp criticism. In a similar case, Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma on Saturday threw a glass of water on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson KK Sharma during a live TV debate. In the video, that has now gone viral on social media platforms, Alok Sharma lost his cool when his BJP counterpart called him a "traitor" multiple times. In the fist of rage, he assaulted the BJP spokesperson by throwing a glass of water on him. The water splashed over anchor's jacket, leaving him drenched. The anchor had to change his outfit to present the remaining programme. Though no one was hurt pieces of glass could be seen across the studio. The BJP spokesperson asked Alok Sharma to apologise for his behaviour. At the same time, the Alok Sharma continued his stand and asked for an apology for being called a traitor. 5StarWines: SENIOR GENERAL CHAIRMAN 2019 Lynne Sherriff MW, and the GENERAL CHAIRMEN 2019 "5StarWines-the Book should be read and consulted to approach a very complex and well-structured topic like Italian wine is." (Daniele Cernilli) Vinitalys blind tasting event 5StarWines 2019 drew to a close with a total of 676 selected wines. The wine selections third edition included over 3000 bottles, having been sent in from Italy and from all over the world, including countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, USA, and France. Under the supervision of the Senior General Chairman Lynne Sherriff MW, over 90 individuals in the wine business participated as judges: Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, oenologists, producers, importers, buyers, journalists, and bloggers. Spanning three-days, these highly-qualified judges examined, commented, and eventually decided which wines would earn international recognition and benefit from various promotional initiatives organized by Vinitaly International and Veronafiere in connection with 5StarWines. Here is a list of the trophies assigned by the judges at 5StarWines: WINERY OF THE YEAR GRAN VINITALY: CANTINE ANTONIO MAZZELLA SAS - ISCHIA (NA) BEST ITALIAN WINE BANCO BPM: BAROLO DOCG TERLO RISERVA 2013 - L'ASTEMIA PENTITA SRL - BAROLO (CN) BEST WINES THE BEST WHITE WINE: ISCHIA DOC BIANCOLELLA "VIGNA DEL LUME" 2018 - CANTINE ANTONIO MAZZELLA SAS - ISCHIA (NA) BEST WINES THE BEST ROSE WINE: CERASUOLO D'ABRUZZO DOP " HEDOS" 2018 - CANTINA TOLLO S.C.A. - TOLLO (CH) BEST WINES THE BEST RED WINE: ISOLA DEI NURAGHI IGT ROSSO "SERRANU" 2015 - CANTINA TANI - MONTI (SS) BEST WINES THE BEST SWEET WINE: PASSITO DI PANTELLERIA DOC "BEN RYE" - DONNAFUGATA S.R.L. - MARSALA (TP) BEST WINES THE BEST FRIZZANTE WINE: LAMBRUSCO GRASPAROSSA DI CASTELVETRO DOP FRIZZANTE SECCO "VINI DEL RE" 2018 - CANTINA SETTECANI CASTELVETRO SOC. COOP. AGR. - SETTECANI DI CASTELVETRO (MO) BEST WINES THE BEST SPARKLING WINE: LESSINI DURELLO DOC SPUMANTE BRUT "SETTECENTO33" - CANTINA DI SOAVE - SOAVE (VR) A key section of the blind tasting was also Wine Without Walls dedicated to biodynamic, organic, and natural wines. Here is the list of trophies awarded in that specific category: WINERY OF THE YEAR 2019: FATTORIA LA VIALLA DI GIANNI, ANTONIO E BANDINO LO FRANCO SOC. AGR. SEM. - AREZZO (AR) BEST ITALIAN WINE 2019 ITALIAN WINE WITH THE HIGHEST OVERALL SCORE SELECTED FOR INCLUSION IN THE GUIDE 5STARWINES: LARCHETIPO DI CARLO NAZARENO DIBENEDETTO - CASTELLANETA (TA) 5StarWines General Chairman Robert Joseph comments on the importance of featuring in the guide resulting from the selection, particularly for Italian wine producers: For an Italian wine producer, or indeed a producer anywhere else, what 5StarWines is, is not really a competition, it is based on the book, it is based on giving the reader/consumer a clear idea of good examples of particular Italian wines. And so the panels of tasters here, we have Italian Oenologists who understand the typicity, weve got sommeliers, international buyers, journalists, they are all combining to find the best examples they can of a very wide range of wines. And hopefully for each of these producers, the guide will help them sell that wines into export markets. 5StarWines judge Emma Gao who is the General manager and winemaker at the Silver Heights Winery in the Ningxia region in China, commented on the importance of the selection: This is a very good opportunity for producers to have feedback after a whole year of work. Myself, I am a winemaker and I know well the challenges of the wine business. With the market and the tastes of consumers changing so very often, the help of international wine professionals like the 5StarWines judges is key. Were talking about people who are always travelling, researching, and tasting wines from all over the world. The expertise coming from that can be of great help to wine producers. The first of these assets for the selected wineries is the possibility of featuring in the 5StarWines the Book, a print and digital guide that will be widely distributed to to a public composed of top buyers, selected journalists, and wine influencers from all over the world. 5StarWines General Chairman Daniele Cernilli explains the rationale behind the compilation of 5StarWines the Book: A guide is the result of an inquiry. 5StarWines-the book is indeed a very charming tool, which is useful first and foremost for an international public. A guide is an authoritative instrument, a little bit like an encyclopedia. 5StarWines-the Book should be read and consulted to approach a very complex and well-structured topic like Italian wine is. Right after the selection, however, starting from the the first day of Vinitaly, selected wineries will already be able to display their 5StarWines certificate at their booth and find their profile information published on the Vinitaly App. While the diplomas immediately certify the quality of wine presented at their stand, through the app wines will appear on visitors and buyers screens. Right after the bling tasting, the selected wineries will have their data uploaded onto Vinitalys official exhibitors catalogue, accessible both via the web and via app. Using the application, buyers and distributors on the hunt for quality products inside the pavilions will be alerted to the winerys location at the fair. Special transmission devices using Bluetooth technology, positioned on the winerys stall, will activate visitors smartphones with a notification of the winerys recent award. The advantages to those who chose to participate in 5StarWines are not limited to Vinitaly; wine producers also earn access to many other tailored promotional opportunities throughout the year. 5StarWines partnered up with Wine-Searcher.com, the search engine used by wine lovers from all over the world to look up reviews, prices, and availability of any given wine. 5StarWines selected labels are inserted in the websites database with all their respective details and scores, so that millions of wine aficionados will be just one click away from all the 5Star wines producers entered on the site. Designated wineries will also be able to travel with 5StarWines the Book. Every year, Vinitaly International acts as an aggregator for Italian wine producers by organizing a series of events and masterclasses around the world. One of the most significant opportunities for the selected wineries is to become part of these masterclasses and have their wines presented by renowned international professionals in Russia, China, and Hong Kong. This initiative has proven to be a very effective marketing tool, increasing cross-promotion opportunities for both producers and buyers. For the past 50 years, Vinitaly has managed to ride the waves of market fluctuations and changes. In order to do so, the organization has created numerous opportunities to assist wine producers in the expansion of their business. 5StarWines - the Book is a marketing tool that Vinitaly specifically designed to help Italian wineries build new trade relations. The Book is the first promotional guide published by an international expo. Getting published in the guide means having ones name (and products) spread throughout Italy and abroad via the major trade fairs in the sector, B2B meetings, tastings and masterclasses aimed at professionals in the wine business. It also means accessing key players in the reference market. In 5StarWines the Book, each wine selected has a dedicated page, along with photos, information about the company, the 5StarWines score, and the judges tasting notes. There were 3056 wines participating at this years edition of 5StarWines - more than last years. Out of these 3056, over 676 scored more than 90 out of 100 and therefore will make it into the Book. For the third year in a row Italy has stood out as one of the best producers at the selection, with Cantine Antonio Mazzella SAS Ischia (NA) taking home the Best Winery of the Year Gran Vinitaly 2019. You can see the complete list of wines on http://www.5starwines.it/ 5StarWines the Book is the annual wine selection organised by Vinitaly. Held in the lead-up to the biggest Italian wine fair in the world, the event is now at its third edition. 5StarWines is a three-day tasting aiming at shedding light on wineries investing in the improvement of their products. During the event, a highly qualified panel of wine professionals tastes and gives score on a 100-point scale to the participating wines. In the last edition, over 2700 bottles took part in the selection and 625 were selected, making it on the 5StarWines the Book. The guide is a useful tool both on the promotional and commercial side. It introduces the international buyer and wine lover from all over the world to new wine products of great value. It guarantees quality for the wines and it maintains and certifies their value at an international level. Its been said that sitting is the new smoking, and while that may sound like hyperbole the truth is years of slouching in a chair all day can lead to deadly diseases and disorders. Recent studies point to serious health risks from prolonged sitting such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Men who sit for at least 5 hours a day, for example, are 34% more likely to experience heart failure than men who sit for 2 hours a dayregardless of how much they exercise. Prolonged sitting also increases the risk of fatal cancer by 21% (again, regardless of exercise), and those who sit for 11 hours a day have a 40% higher risk of dying in the next 3 years, compared to if they sat for 4 hours a day. In response to these staggering statistics, Star Ergonomics has developed a line of affordable sit-and-stand desks designed to reduce the time we spend sitting while improving productivity. Popularly used by students, employees, and in home offices, the Star Ergonomics foldable workstation rests on a main desk and easily extends from a sitting to standing position and back. By breaking up hours of working, studying, or gaming between sitting and standing, users report having less fatigue, stress, and even injury. In fact, according the Harvard Medical School using a standing desk burns calories, reduces the risk of shoulder and back pain, and promotes good metabolism. Star Ergonomics sit-and-stand workstations dont have to be limited to the dorm or office, as the tabletop design allows them to be used anywhere people sit for prolonged periods. As a result of helping prevent fatigue and pain, sit-and-stand desks also promote productivity. Workstations from Star Ergonomics are motorized, have pre-cut slots to keep cables neat, and feature a wireless phone and mouse charger built right into the desk to help users stay healthy and productive. The companys Research and Development team is currently developing smart standing desks that offer a glimpse into the future of intelligent sit-and-stand desks. Combining artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and machine learning, these next generation standing desks will help users achieve a perfect ergonomic posture using hand level and patent-pending eye level detection. With Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit integration, Star Ergonomics smart desks can be controlled via touchscreen, hand gestures, and even voice commands, as well as an app where users can track their progress and achieve their ergonomic goals. As part of its DRTV campaign with AsSeenOnTV.pro, Star Ergonomics will be appearing in 60 second spots set to air nationwide and feature the original Shark himself, Kevin Harrington. AsSeenOnTV.pro is comprised of an award-winning team of producers, writers, videographers, and editors as well as industry veterans dedicated to finding the latest, most innovative products and ideas, and putting them on the DRTV map. About AsSeenOnTV.pro Headquartered in South Florida, AsSeenOnTV.pro is a full-service production, branding, and marketing company that specializes in direct response television, short- and long-form commercials, and brand building. Based out of a 25,000+ sq ft, state-of-the-art studio, the companys creative team handles every aspect of production from script to screen to airing. For nearly two decades, AsSeenOnTV.pros veteran staff of writers, producers, videographers, and editors has amassed more than 50 Telly Awards, thousands of prestigious clients, and over $20 million in television placements. About Kevin Harrington As the inventor of the infomercial, founder of As Seen on TV, and one of the original Sharks on Shark Tank, Kevin Harrington has worked with some of the worlds biggest celebrities and launched some of the best-selling DRTV campaigns in history. Since producing his first 30-minute infomercial in 1984, Harrington has been involved in over 500 product launches that have resulted in over $5 billion in sales. Now, in his latest venture with AsSeenOnTV.pro, Harrington is on the hunt for the best new products and ideas, bringing them to homes everywhere through personalized DRTV campaigns featuring the Shark. For more information on Star Ergonomics, please visit http://www.StarErgo.com Links Incorporated National President Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard with Congressman John Lewis Receiving your vote of confidence, Congressman Lewis, confirms that we are on the right track, focused on transforming lives and fulfilling our purpose. said Dr. Jeffries Leonard. During Womens HERstory Month, noted civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis recognized The Links, Incorporated as a distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence. Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, president of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated had the pleasure of meeting with Congressman Lewis in his historic and museum-like Capitol Hill office. There, he lauded Dr. Jeffries Leonard for her dynamic, bold leadership as the organizations 17th national president. Moreover, he praised the premier womens organization of more than 15,000 professional women, for its integrity, courage, and accountability. While presenting the esteemed service award, Congressman Lewis further characterized the groups work as essential to bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice. Dr. Jeffries Leonard shared that Congressman Lewis is a fearless trailblazer whose contributions in both the civil rights and political arenas are unrivaled. Receiving your vote of confidence, Congressman Lewis, confirms that we are on the right track, focused on transforming lives and fulfilling our purpose, said Dr. Jeffries Leonard. August 6, 2019 marks the 54th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Many brave activists, like Congressman Lewis, shed blood so that African Americans could enjoy the voting rights they have today - a right that Congressman Lewis calls precious and almost sacred. Currently voting rights in America are under attack. When asked about how The Links, Incorporated could raise their collective voices in support of Congressman Lewis agenda, he responded, We need everyone to have the ability to participate in the democratic process and be able to register and vote. The Links, Incorporated is committed to this call to action in ensuring every American has the ability to exercise their constitutional right to vote, and is proud to have seven dynamic women in Congress as active members: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Congresswoman Val Demings, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, and honorary member Senator Kamala Harris. With 288 chapters in 42 states, and in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the United Kingdom, the organization will mobilize, galvanize and utilize across its vast reach to coordinate with elected officials on state and local levels in preparation for the 2020 election. It is incumbent that every American hold their elected officials accountable to ensure voting rights are protected for generations to come, Dr. Jeffries Leonard stated. About The Links, Incorporated: The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nations oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. Links members contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. The organization is the recipient of awards from the UN Association of New York and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation for its premier programs, as well as the Golden Torch Award for Corporate Community Service from the National Society of Black Engineers. For more information, visit http://www.linksinc.org. We are excited and humbled to have been selected as a finalist for the 2019 SECAF award. We are thankful to our employees, customers and partners for their support said Liliana Freedman, INCATech President & CEO. INCATech LLC today announced that it was selected as a finalist for the 11th Annual Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) Awards. Winners will be announced at the SECAF Awards Gala on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Hilton McLean in Tysons Corner. The event honors small and emerging government contractors and the players the industry that rely on small business. 2019 finalists are named in the following categories: Government Contractor of the Year (Under $7.5 Million in Revenue) Government Contractor of the Year ($7.5 to $15 Million in Revenue) Government Contractor of the Year ($15 to $27.5 Million in Revenue) Government Contractor of the Year ($27.5 to $50 Million in Revenue) Award of Excellence Government Project of the Year Mentor-Protege Program of the Year INCATech is a finalist for Government Contractor of the Year (Under $7.5 Million in Revenue) "For more than a decade, the SECAF Awards Gala has been regarded as the consummate awards event honoring the businesses delivering exceptional levels of quality in the government contracting community, said Curt Anderson, Vice President of Corporate Growth at Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc. and SECAF Board Chair. It is a privilege and my distinct honor to recognize INCATech as a tremendous example of leading by serving others. The organization demonstrates the discipline required in the face of adversity, the absolute can-do attitude, and the commitment to our customers missions which enable our government contractor ecosystem to reach higher levels of growth, maturity, and success. # # # About INCATech LLC INCATech encourages organizations to seek information alignment by design, rather than as an afterthought. INCATech focuses not only on the governance needed to accomplish this, but also on the management of information throughout its life- cycle as it touches the people, processes, and technology to deliver real business value. This ensures successful operations and maintenance, as well as modernization projects, which effectively support business and customer requirements, while being integrated into the enterprise. INCATech is an SBA 8(a) certified 100% Woman Owned Small Business that has provided innovative technology to U.S. government and commercial customers for nearly a decade. Our expert teams apply Agile methodologies and use state-of-the-art products to achieve your mission goals and deliver breakthrough results. https://incatech-corp.com CONTACT at INCATech LLC: Bruce Freedman 1900 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 410 Reston VA 20191 703-997-2081 Bruce(dot)Freedman(at)incatech-corp(dot)com About The 11th Annual SECAF Awards Gala The 11th Annual SECAF Awards Gala is the premier commemorative event honoring the small and emerging government contractors and the players in the ecosystem that rely on small business. The event, expected to sell out at more than 500 attendees, will be held Thursday, May 2, 2019 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Hilton McLean in Tysons Corner. Tickets and tables can be purchased at: http://www.secaf.org. About The Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum The Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) enables the small and emerging government contractor to achieve maximum growth rates in a highly competitive marketplace. Providing members with business resources, access to influencers and government agencies, and advocacy opportunities and education, SECAF is an important resource for a growing company. SECAF also serves medium to large government contractors, providing invaluable introductions to specialized small businesses that enable the overall contracting community to work successfully in tandem. For more information, visit http://www.secaf.org. Use online quotes to compare offers in your area and get the best deal. Our website will help you get free quotes and compare all available offers, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Car insurance quotes provide valuable insights into the current insurance market. They help drivers identify the best offers, no matter if the driver gets his first contract, renews it or switches the carrier. Comparing prices is the wise thing to do in all scenarios. When determining rates, companies analyze a multitude of socio-economic factors. Age, gender, employment status and driving history are top influential factors. In order to have an idea of how much they are expected to pay, clients should get free quotes from https://compare-autoinsurance.org/find-the-best-ways-to-compare-auto-insurance-rates/ Analyze the factors used to determine premiums. There are many factors taken into consideration when determining insurance costs. The most influential factors are: cars make and model, driving history, demographic factors, recent claims and traffic violations and coverage options. All these variables are added in a rates calculator and the client will be presented with an insurability score and a quote. Each factor has its importance. For example, married persons are statistically safer drivers and they end up paying less on car insurance. Understand the risk profile, then look for adequate carriers. For Standard and Preferred drivers, the insurance process is really simple. Make a list with top reputable companies and get quotes for each one of them. Things get complicated for high-risk drivers. They must find non-standard carriers, get quotes and compare prices. A comparison is really important in this case since high-risk drivers will have to pay a whole lot more. Use brokerage websites to get multiple quotes at once. There will be many smaller, more local companies included in those quotes obtained from brokerage websites. But in many cases, smaller companies offer top competitive services at lower costs. It really pays to shop around and not limit the options to just 2 or 3 companies. It is recommended to use brokerage websites and get multiple quotes really fast Furthermore, all results are obtained using the same data and for the same product. This gives no room for errors. Clients who use brokerage websites can quickly sort offers by prices. But do not be guided only by price. Check what other benefits and bonuses can be obtained by applying to each offer. Modifying some driving habits will help a lot. Making several changes will help drivers get better rates. Many insurance questionnaires ask about installed anti-theft devices, graduating defensive driving or installing telematics. These will help lower the costs. Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. For more information and free car insurance quotes, visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org/ Taiwan Tourism Bureau partnered with Public Broadcasting Service's (PBS) popular travel series "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" to produce "Taiwan Matsu Festival and Islands." Just days before Taiwan's annual Mazu Pilgrimage begins its procession, the travel series is nominated for the 46th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award's Outstanding Directing for a Single Camera Lifestyle, Culinary, Travel or Educational and Informational Program. Following "Taiwan Lantern Festival," "Iron Pathways to Adventure" and "Taiwan's Penghu Islands," this is yet another wonderful production that showcases Taiwan tourism on an international scale. Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope came to Taiwan in 2017 to participate in the Mazu Pilgrimage and incense ritual. Through his interview with Folk Studies Professor Mao-Hsin Lin and exploring Mazu culture in the Matsu Islands, Rosendo explores the relationship between Taiwan's folk religion of Mazu and Matsu Island, inventively connecting the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage and Mazu in the episode. The journey to Matsu Island highlights the Statue of the Goddess Mazu, Qinbi Village, Tunnel 88, battlefield scenery, and local delicacies. The episode has been broadcast in North America and Canada since April 2018. Rosendo enthusiastically recalls experiencing the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage for the very first time, joining the remarkable sight of performance troupes (dintao), the announcer (baomazai), Maitreya Brigade, Prince Brigade, Guards, and hundreds of thousands of Mazu devotees in escorting Mazu along Taiwan's coastal towns and villages. The powerful sight of unity among the Taiwanese is propelled by Mazu's charms. Only by witnessing can one deeply experience the kindness, hospitality, and warmth of the people. "Mazu is inside, outside; Mazu is pretty much everywhere in Taiwan," the host concluded towards the end of the episode. When presented with news of an Emmy nomination right before the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage sets out, the Travelscope team ecstatically expressed, "Lets welcome Mazu to join us at the Emmy ceremony." The Director General of Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Dr. Yung-hui Chou expressed, We are honored that Taiwan can be nominated with the travel series Joseph Rosendos Travelscope at the 46th Daytime Creative Arts Awards. It means that our direction and efforts on Tourism 2020: A Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy are positively recognized. The Director General of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Ambassador Abraham Wen-Shang Chu added, Taiwan has a rich natural and cultural landscape, as well as warm hospitality with the spirit of altruism. This nomination is Taiwans best global recognition. Moreover, Taiwan Naturally has also aired as part of season 10 of the PBS travel series Joseph Rosendos Travelscope since April 2018. This episode features Taiwans successful sustainable tourism and its devotion to conservation of mountains, forests and birds as well as farm to table dining. The director of Taiwan Tourism Bureaus Los Angeles office, Brad Shih expressed, Currently, we have partnered with well-known tour operators to develop a variety of special interest itineraries such as bird tours, hiking tours, island tours, gourmet tours, and many more. Thus, American audiences who love the Travelscope series can have the opportunity to visit Taiwan and explore in-depth. With Matsus supernatural power in the mix, the Travelscope team also expects to hit a new milestone and bring home its seventh Emmy Award. To have a chance of approval, you will need a diagnosis from a doctor, accompanied by a prescription, that advises soaking in a walk-in bathtub as a necessary treatment for that diagnosed condition. Although Medicare expanded supplemental benefits in 2018, Medicaid is still the more likely of the two programs to cover the costs of purchasing and installing a walk-in bathtub. Financial assistance, however, is by no means guaranteed. Medicaid is fundamentally different from Medicare. While Medicare Part A and Part B are single programs administered by the Federal Government, Medicaid is managed on the state level. Furthermore, each state has multiple Medicaid programs. There are literally hundreds of Medicaid programs out there, each with its own set of rules. Which programs you are eligible for depends on your state of residence and a number of other factors. For example, under the umbrella of Medi-Cal (Californias Medicaid brand) are separate programs for infants, pregnant women, assisted living, and nursing home care, none of which offer assistance in purchasing walk-in bathtubs. Broadly speaking, Medicaids offers financial assistance for "durable medical equipment. Unfortunately, walk-in tubs termed low-threshold showers under program rules are not usually recognized as durable medical equipment. The language is vague to allow for new technology, but the burden of interpretation is in the hands of Medicaid administrators. Historically, walk-in tubs have not usually made the cut. Medicaid does have a mandate for environmental accessibility modifications, however. A low-threshold shower may qualify under these terms. To have a chance of approval, you will need a diagnosis from a doctor, accompanied by a prescription, that advises soaking in a walk-in bathtub as a necessary treatment for that diagnosed condition. Not every Medicaid program is created equal, and some are more likely to help than others. Twenty-seven states feature a Community Transitions program sponsored by Medicaid, including Arizona, California, and Montana. These programs help senior citizens transition from nursing homes to private homes. A walk-in bathtub may well be covered if it proved to aid the recipients transition to independent living by reducing the risk of injury. If your state does not have a Community Transitions program, Medicaid may still have sources of assistance to consider. Each state has different waivers for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). The Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Persons Waiver offered by Colorado will pay for environmental accessibility modifications, including "specialized medical equipment. Qualifying for a waiver like this one could make it much easier to get financial assistance from Medicaid for the purchase of a walk-in bathtub. A list of applicable waivers can be found at this website: https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/financial-assistance/walk-in-bathtubs-medicare.html Even with favorable programs and waivers on your side, it is important to look before you leap. Financial assistance is not guaranteed for a purchase like this. Your claim could be rejected, reimbursement denied. Before your purchase, review the policies that apply to your jurisdiction and consider reaching out to the provider for clarification if you have any questions. In Assassin of Shadows (Pegasus Crime, June; reviewed on p. 50), Goldstone casts the murder of President McKinley in a new light. What gave you the idea to center on an inquiry into a possible conspiracy behind McKinleys assassination? Im always on the lookout for an incident where the history can be absolutely accurate and yield a plot that is both possible and plausible. The McKinley assassination was perfect, because so many questions have been insufficiently addressed. How did you come up with the conspiracy thats investigated in the book? At the time, most people in power assumed the McKinley shooting was part of an anarchist conspiracy, and any number of people were arrested and questioned, much of which I detail in the book. That theory turned out to be false, and the supposed conspirators were reluctantly freed. Questions were asked, but much more quietly, about the, shall we say, odd behavior of McKinleys bodyguards, but their explanations, which seemed to me problematic, were accepted without a lot of digging. Some historians have certainly pointed this out, but without any hard evidence, its difficult to take that further. One of the reasons Im drawn to fiction is that I get to explore some theories for which theres not adequate evidence to do as straight history. Had protection of the president after two previous presidential assassinations become more robust? Options were limited. Most presidents of that era insisted on pressing the flesh, so avoiding public exposure was out of the question. In this case, precautions were takenwell-wishers were forced into a single line, and Secret Service agents flanked McKinley. Both John Wilkes Booth and Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated President Garfield, had shot from extremely close range, so the thinking was, if you secure the immediate area, youve largely eliminated the threat. In McKinleys case, of course, while the theory remained soundLeon Czolgosz also shot from close rangethere was a failure in performance. Just why that occurred is the basis of my book. What do you think McKinleys significance is for our history? Other than presiding over the Spanish-American War and the annexation of Hawaii, there are not many other notable highlights of his years in office. But in some ways that was his greatest achievementthe nation ran smoothly and solidified itself as an economic and military power during his tenure, an era of relative prosperity sandwiched between the Panic of 1893 and the Panic of 1907. Maraiss second novel, If You Want to Make God Laugh (Putnam, July), focuses on the struggles of three women whose lives connect in surprising ways in newly postapartheid South Africa. Youre from South Africa. What was your childhood like? I was born in Johannesburg in 1976. I grew up surrounded by Afrikaners and had a very insular upbringing. My family had a black woman named Eunice work for us as a maid. In South Africa at this time it was common for black women to have to leave their own children behind in their homelands and come to Johannesburg to find employment and raise white peoples children. Through my relationship with Eunice, my eyes were opened to the atrocities of apartheid. For me, it was my love for Eunice and Eunices love of me that helped me reject the apartheid racism and brainwashing. It was my relationship with Eunice that inspired me to write my first novel and has guided my philosophy on race throughout my life. The Afrikaner characters Ruth and Delilah struggle with their own perceptions of racism and race. Is that something that also comes from your own experience? I see Delilah as someone like me whos tried hard her whole life to unlearn her inherent biases. That sort of thinking was particularly important for me to explore because I have had to tackle that implicit racism in myself. I have to stop and say, What is this thinking, where is it coming from, and how can I change my thinking? You did research on Zulu culture and language to write the character of Zodwa. What kind of preparation was necessary to write from a different racial and cultural perspective? I had to immediately say, I know nothing about what it is to be a black woman in South Africa. I had spent a lot of time with black women; Ive spoken with many black women. But speaking to black women and hearing their stories is not the same as living their lives. So, I approached the character of Zodwa with humility, respect, and empathy. It was also extremely important as a white writer writing from a person of colors perspective to consult the community and hire sensitivity readers and cultural experts and ask them, Could you look at this work? Could you tell me where Im going wrong? And that was so, so important. Whats next for you? What Im working on now is a psychological thriller, and Im having quite a bit of fun with it: theres murder, mayhem, sex, and its a completely different approach and a lot of fun. I think there are other literary models that Id like to explore as well while getting away from the South African themes. Seymour Simon, author of more than 300 books for young readers and winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Lifetime Achievement Award, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in Destination: Moon (HarperCollins, May), which examines the science and technology that made it possible. How did you tackle your research for this project? Id read many reports about NASA and the space race over the years, but I intensified my research and read many accounts, including those by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, as well as Tom Wolfes excellent story of the first astronauts, The Right Stuff. Liz Nealon, who works on photo research for my books, also did extensive archival research, searching out first-person accounts from periodicals of the time, and scouring NASAs entire Apollo 11 archive to find familiar and less-known images and information. This book was as much history as science, and that requires a different kind of research and writing. What are your memories of the 1969 moon landing, and how do you hope Destination: Moon will bring the event to life for kids? My reaction to the Apollo moon landing was rooted in my early childhood fascination with science fiction and outer space, which colored my delighted and awed response to seeing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon. I want my readers to feel those same sensations of wonder and excitement. This quest to explore our nearest neighbor in space was only the beginning of a quest to explore the planets of our solar system and eventually the stars and even the universe. What major milestones in space exploration do you anticipate your readers will witness in their lifetimes? Many of the imminent breakthroughs in our knowledge of whats out there in space probably will come from the James Webb Space Telescope, which will search for early galaxies formed after the big bang, as well as the formation of stars. Well also learn more about the properties of exoplanetsplanets outside our solar systemas well as the planets and moons in our own solar system. Other major events to look forward to are future space shots to Mars, close encounters with asteroids, studies of Jupiters icy moons, and the possibility of discovering signs of life beyond Earth. Perhaps we may even be able to decode radio signals from distant civilizations orbiting other stars. Who knows what may happen in space exploration in future years and decades? Return to the main feature. Porter Square Books will open a second location in Bostons Seaport District, taking a ground floor space in a new literary center that will house the creative writing non-profit GrubStreet and the poetry non-profit Mass Poetry. GrubStreet executive director Eve Bridburg made the announcement at the organizations annual Muse and the Marketplace conference at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on April 6. It is so exciting, said Porter Square Books co-owner David Sandberg. These days successful bookstores are successful community places. Weve had a really close relationship with GrubStreet because there is a philosophical affinity between what we care about and what they care about, and this played right into it. GrubStreets Bridburg has led the effort to create the facility, which will house classrooms, offices, a performance space, a cafe and the 1,300 sq. ft. bookstore. "Weve always thought of Boston as a literary city, but this marks a true turning point," Bridburg said. After an initial plan to partner with Harvard Book Store did not advance, Porter Square Books stepped in; a decision that Bridburg said is essential to establishing the new center as a literary hub. They are a terrific local bookstore, known for their incredible support of writers and the local writing scene, said Bridburg. They are excited to sell books relevant to our classes and the craft of writing and to highlight local writers. We cant wait to partner with them on book launches. They share our values. The addition of a second store would have been impossible a year ago, Sandberg said, but with the implementation of a financing agreement that gave 10 of the Cambridge-based stores booksellers an ownership stake in the store, they were able to consider expanding operations. Weve been approached before about opening a second store, said Sandberg, who purchased Porter Square Books with his wife, Dina Mardell, in 2013. We had always said we have enough on our plate. It was specifically because we did this employee ownership program last year that we felt its not just us taking this on, its a group of us. The entire management team reviewed and approved the expansion. The presence of only a handful of bookstores in Boston was also significant factor in the owners decision to open the new location. Theres a million neighborhoods where there are no bookstores, said Sandberg. Thats outrageous. With the addition of Porter Square Books, that appears to be changing. It is the second independent bookstore to announce plans for a Boston location in as many months. New York Citys Posman Books is slated to open a location in the citys Back Bay neighborhood later this year. While the opportunity to expand into a neighborhood that has never had a bookstore is promising, Sandberg said it will also push the store in new ways. Its a challenge to us that were ready to take on, said Sandberg. If were going to walk the walk, can we make something out of that? Can we say, heres a new area, a new community, can we shape it? Can we have a real effect on that community? Lahore Forest Division Jobs 2019 Latest Forest Division Management Posts Lahore 2021 Experienced and experienced persons for the posts of Wireless CCTV Camera Operator, Electrician, Tractor Driver, HTV Driver, Driver, LTV Driver, Carpenter, Security Guard, Tube Well Operator, Plumber, Mali, Naib Qasid & Sweeper required for Forest Division in Lahore. How to Apply on Forest Division Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. In fall 2015, Third Place Books managing partner Robert Sindelar was looking to open a third location in Seattles Seward Park neighborhood. As he prepared his opening inventory orders, he reached out to large publishers asking what he believed to be a straightforward question: What are your current opening order specials? Every publisher replied with the same answer: We dont have any. It blew my mind, Sindelar said, and he set out to make some changes. Four years later, as president of the board of the American Booksellers Association, he has ensured that every major publishing house has something to offer new stores. With independent bookstores opening at a steady rate nationwide and a number of prominent stores expanding to open second, third, and fourth locations, Sindelar and others say that progress is necessary and that publishers may need to go even further. Opening order terms were once relatively common, but the 2008 financial collapse contributed to their disappearance. By the time Sindelar was planning the Seward Park opening, none remained. With support from the ABA, he initiated conversations with publishers to explain bookstore finances and to emphasize how opening terms can make or break new stores. Its valuable for a store to have opening terms, because they dont have a set customer base yet, so they dont know what theyre going to need to replenish, said Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, ABAs senior program officer. Reordering early on and figuring out who your customer is, and making sure you can be responsive, is critical to your success. In response to the ABAs outreach, the countrys five largest publishers have introduced a range of new terms on opening orders. Though those terms are subject to approval on a case-by-case basis, they are on offer for new bookstores to apply. HarperCollins introduced its new-bookstore program in 2016, in direct response to the growth of the independent bookstore market and outreach from booksellers. Not too long ago, there was much concern that once the current generation of booksellers decided to retire, their stores would close, said Mary Beth Thomas, v-p, deputy director of sales at Harper- Collins. Thankfully, that is not happening. There is an intense renewed interest among the next generation to open and manage bricks-and-mortar bookstores. We hope our policy helps this trend. There is definitely opportunity for more bookstores in America. Politics and Prose co-owner Bradley Graham points to HarperCollins as a leader among publishers in finding new ways to support the independent bookstore market, but he said that, industrywide, the existing new bookstore terms dont go far enough. Graham has opened two new stores in Washington, D.C., in the past two years and said that publishers are missing out on what could be a profitable opportunity for them. He argued that the presence of more independent bookstores gives publishers an increased marketing and sales footprint that they should not pass up, but that a new store requires support beyond its initial order. It takes several years for a new store to truly get established, Graham said. This varies widely from neighborhood to neighborhood, but the idea that more generous terms that only apply to the first orders or at most run six monthsthe idea that those kinds of terms are sufficientis not realistic. Graham said that at a minimum, terms need to rise to 10 percentage points above regular discounts of 46% across the board. Were getting into game-changing territory when we talk about 10. Were not talking about game-changing territory when youre talking about two or three or four points. Overall, Graham would like to see an incubation strategy from publishers, focused on supporting stores over the course of their opening. He said that if publishers embrace such a strategy, more bookstores will open, which is better for booksellers and publishers alike. Sindelar agreed that support is needed, citing an unnamed publisher that offers discounts over the first two months a store is open. I thought that was really smart, he said, noting that its beneficial in part because often new bookstores open in areas where customers are unaccustomed to having local independent stores and may have been shopping online for some time. The customers who love physical bookstores and want physical bookstoresits going to take time to get those customers used to it again. You need a certain amount of selection to send the message to your customers that when they need a book, they should come here. For HarperCollinss Thomas, that kind of feedback is welcome news, guiding the relationship between the publisher, bookstores, and readers. Publishers benefit from having more places to sell our books, and the indies are extremely good at helping us get buzz going and spreading the word to their communities about what to read, she said. Independent bookstores have a vital role in the life of their communities and in promoting a diversity of ideassomething we all benefit from. In the wake of LifeWay Christian Resources March announcement that it will close its 170 bricks-and-mortar stores by the end of the year, Christian publishers are scrambling to figure out what to do about the lossthe latest domino to fall in a two-decade decline of Christian retailand Christian stores are also bracing for a significant impact in 2019. LifeWays move is not good news for publishers, said David Lewis, executive v-p of sales and marketing for Baker Publishing Groupnot only because of its effect on sales but because it will hurt the exposure that books receive. It will surely have a negative impact on the sales of our books, he said. The question is how best to deal with it. LifeWays decision to close its stores does not reflect diminished sales of Christian books, Lewis explained; instead, seismic shifts in retailing overall are to blame. IVP publisher Jeff Crosby agreed: We have had three consecutive years of significant growth, and as I interact with my publisher peers, I am also hearing stories of year-over-year growth of 3%5%, so I dont believe we are seeing a decline of Christian book sales in the aggregate. We are seeing radical shifts in where the books are sourced. Crosby added that though Amazon and other online retailers are the sales juggernauts, IVP is seeing an uptick in work with general market national chains who remain, but also with the growing number of ABA independents, where a breadth of religion titles are being welcomed and promoted. Fewer competing stores might seem like good news for independent Christian retailers, but 2019 promises to be a tough year. Bob Munce, president of Munce Marketing Group and the newly formed Christian Retail Association, said that stores that are near a LifeWay are bracing for the prolonged effect of a going-out-of-business sale through the 2019 holiday season, adding, Christian bookstores need a survival strategy. Munce suggested that independent stores run their own sales and conduct marketing campaigns with catalogues, postcards, and emails. Another way indies can shore up sales is by offering a wide range of titles. Munce, whose Munce Group provides marketing services and produces the Christian Product Expo trade shows for its 225 members, hopes that publishers will pitch in to help. Supporting Christian indies is crucial, Lewis said. Baker will offer extended dating, a better discount for a core-title stock-up order, and a temporary increase in co-op dollars. We want to help Christian retailers identify our bestselling backlist titles and offer them incentives to buy the key new releases. Crosby said IVP is also looking for ways to help stores, though no details were available at press time. Publishers are reconsidering acquisitions with the aim of offering titles that will sell effectively in both Christian indies and general trade stores. Lewis said, The most immediate decision we made as a result is ending the publication of new full-length study Bibles, which do not sell well in venues other than Christian stores. He added that Baker plans to acquire more authors with strong platforms, who can sell and market their own books online, as well as more authors with a personality or topic likely to generate media attention and strong crossover books that can succeed in the big-box accounts, where shelf-space for books is actually expanding. Neither Lewis nor Crosby believes that LifeWays restrictive policies on what it would stock was a factor in the chains demise. LifeWay knew its audienceand still will in its digital focusand that audience knew what to expect from LifeWay as a gatekeeper, Crosby said. Lewis agreed, noting that the policies about which books LifeWay stocks were there from the very first day it opened. He attributed the chains demise to its operating systems, its philosophy of having similar titles in every store, the fact that its stores were too large, and the dramatic reduction in title count last year. Mary Burns, CEO and president of publisher Barbour Books, sees an opportunity for new indies to spring up. Added to the 2017 collapse of the Family Christian Stores chain, the loss of LifeWay stores means that even more communities will have no local Christian bookstores. There were several new store openings by former Family employees who saw the need and opened stores of their own, Burns said. LifeWay employees could decide to do this as well. July 20 will mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, the first space mission to put people on the moon. For this feature, we rounded up forthcoming, recent, and reissued adult and childrens books pegged to the watershed achievement, and spoke with the authors of five current titles. Adult Books Moonstruck: Books for the Lunar Landing 50th Anniversary Narrative histories, memoirs, biographies, photo collections, and more bring space exploration down to earth for adult readers. Reclaiming the Moon: PW Talks with Neil Clarke The SF anthology 'The Eagle Has Landed, which Clarke edited, looks at 50 years of postlunar landing fiction. Hidden Figures No More: PW talks with Nancy Atkinson Atkinson, author of Eight Years to the Moon, discusses the legacy of Apollo 11. Children's Books A Galaxy of Stories: Books for the Lunar Landing 50th Anniversary Childrens publishers celebrate the moon landing and other feats, both real and imagined, of space exploration. Wonder and Excitement: PW talks with Seymour Simon In Destination: Moon, Simon, the author of more than 300 books for young readers, looks at the science and technology that made the lunar landing possible. Co-piloting the Story: PW Talks with Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple The mother-daughter authors discusses how their new picture book, 'A Kite for Moon,' went through several phases before lift-off. A Year in Space: PW Talks with Scott Kelly Retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly chronicled his high-flying adventures for picture book readers in 'My Journey to the Stars,' now available in Step into Reading editions. Facts and Fancy For board book and picture book readers, theres a firmament of titles ranging from the imaginative to the informational. Amazing Space Raman Prinja, illus. by John Hersey. Carlton Kids, June. Ages 79. This fact-filled exploration takes readers from the Earths surface to the edge of the universe. Astronaut Annie Suzanne Slade, illus. by Nicole Tadgell. Tilbury House, 2018. Ages 47. In Slades picture book encouraging readers to pursue their dreams and reach for the stars, Annie cant wait to share her aspirations on Career Day at school. Birthday on Mars! Sarah Schonfeld, illus. by Andrew J. Ross. Penguin Workshop, June. Ages 58. This title captures the moment when the Curiosity rover robot sang itself happy birthday in 2013, after one year on Mars. Curious Georges Big Book of Discovery H.A. Rey. HMH, May. Ages 47. Curious George Discovers the Stars and Curious George Discovers Space are among the eight science-themed stories in this compendium based on PBSs Emmy-winning Curious George series. Field Trip to the Moon John Hare. Holiday House/Ferguson. Ages 48. Readers follow students as they board their yellow spaceship bus for a journey to the moon. Go for the Moon Chris Gall. Roaring Brook, June. Ages 58. A boy chronicles the preparation for and execution of the Apollo 11 moon landing, in a story that provides technical details, cutaway views of the lunar modules, and a family viewing of the landing on TV; an author's note recalls his own childhood experience of the event. If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon Joyce Lapin, illus. by Simona Ceccarelli. Sterling, Apr. Ages 7up. In answer to the question implied by the title: ride a rocket to the bash, make moon angels in the lunar dust, and party for an entire month. Its a Round, Round World Ellie Peterson. StarBerry, Sept. Ages 611. Fictional young scientist Joulia Copernicus leads readers on a journey through space and time to explain how humans know the Earth is round. Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet Curtis Manley, illus. by Jessica Lanan. Roaring Brook, Jan. Ages 59. A girl investigates the possibility that there is another planet with life similar to Earths. Richly informative prose and intimate yet expansive art show a childs contagious enthusiasm for the books subject, PWs review said. A Kite for Moon Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illus. by Matt Phelan. Zonderkidz, Apr. Ages 48. In this book dedicated to Neil Armstrong, a boy flying a kite notices that the Moon looks sad and promises to visit her one daya pledge he keeps after becoming an astronaut. (See Co-Piloting the Story.) Lets Go: Into Space Timothy Knapman, illus. by Wesley Robins. Silver Dolphin, Jan. Ages 68. Readers join two kids and their dog as they blast off to explore the solar system in this oversize board book featuring die cuts. Life on Mars Jon Agee. Dial, 2017. Ages 48. A young explorer who heads to Mars to prove there is life there is disappointed to find only a flower, until he discovers, on his way back to Earth, that someone has eaten his cupcakes. The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Satellite Space Mission AnnMarie Anderson, illus. by Artful Doodlers. Branches, July. Ages 68. On a field trip to outer space, one of Miss Frizzles students disrupts Earth-orbiting satellites when she tries to take a selfie. Max Goes to Jupiter Jeffrey Bennett et al., illus. by Michael Carroll. Big Kids Science, 2018. Ages 412. Intrepid Max the dog and his human friend Tori explore Jupiter in the latest addition to this picture book series. Moon: Earths Best Friend Stacy McAnulty, illus. by Stevie Lewis, Holt, Oct. Ages 48. The moon narrates a lighthearted account of its formation and history. Moons First Friends Susanna Leonard Hill, illus. by Elisa Paganelli. Sourcebooks Wonderland, June. Ages 48. After spending her life watching Earth and hoping someone will come see her, the moon is thrilled when she finally gets a visit from the Apollo 11 astronauts. Papa Put a Man on the Moon Kristy Dempsey, illus. by Sarah Green. Dial, May. Ages 48. As a girl gazes at the moon with her father, she is proud that the fabric he weaves for his job forms a layer of astronauts spacesuits, and prouder still when she watches Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon. Smithsonian Kids: To the Moon and Back! Jaye Garnett, illus. by Olga Demidova. Cottage Door, 2017. Ages 35. Readers of this board book spin wheels, lift flaps, and slide tabs to learn about the Apollo 11 moon landing. The Sun Is Kind of a Big Deal Nick Seluk. Orchard, 2018. Ages 48. Comics-style art and commentary by anthropomorphized planets celebrate the suns tireless work to keep things on Earth running smoothly. Space Pioneers and Visionaries These biographies showcase the accomplishments of influential scientists and space explorers. The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon Dean Robbins, illus. by Sean Rubin. Orchard, May. Ages 410. Alan Bean, a member of the Apollo 12 crew, took photos as he walked on the moon. After he returned to Earth, he recreated the experience in paintings, some of which are reproduced in this book. A Computer Called Katherine Suzanne Slade, illus. by Veronica Miller Jamison. Little, Brown, out now. Ages 48. PWs review called this story about NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose pivotal role in the launch of Apollo 11 was showcased in the film Hidden Figures, an uplifting portrait of a no longer so hidden figure. I Am Neil Armstrong Brad Meltzer, illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. Dial, 2018. Ages 58. An addition to the publishers biography series, this volume depicts Armstrongs accomplishments, character traits, and childhood heroes. Look Up with Me Jennifer Berne, illus. by Lorraine Nam. HarperCollins/Tegen, Feb. Ages 48. Bernes biography of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who serves as director of New York Citys Hayden Planetarium, focuses on his authentic and enduring sense of wonder, PWs review said. The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon Bea Uusma Schyffert. Chronicle, Apr. Ages 1013. This updated edition of the 2003 book relays the story of Michael Collins, who commanded Apollo 11 alone, orbiting the moon 14 times while his colleagues walked on the moon. My Journey to the Stars Scott Kelly, illus. by Andre Ceolin. Crown, Jan. Ages 58. The Step into Reading edition of Kellys picture book autobiography recounts his path to becoming a NASA astronaut and commanding the International Space Station for almost a year. (See A Year in Space.) Reaching for the Moon Katherine Johnson. Atheneum, July. Ages. 10up. The first autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson highlights her childhood as an African-American girl with an aptitude for math, and examines her years at NASA, where she helped with the launch of Apollo 11. Path to the Stars Sylvia Acevedo. Clarion, 2018. Ages 1012. In her autobiography, Acevedo, currently CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, tells of being the first Latina to earn a masters in engineering from Stanford and become a rocket scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong Alex Woolf. Random House, Oct. Ages 812. Launching a biography series, this paperback reveals how a boy who was fascinated by aviation grew up to be the first man to set foot on the moon. Moon or Bust! These books track NASAs Apollo program from its hopeful genesis to its triumphant finale. All About Margaret Hamilton Tamra Orr, illus. by Moriah McReynolds. All About the Moon Landing Chris Edwards, illus. by Amber Calderon. Blue River, July. Ages 914. These additions to the All About... series focus on the NASA computer coder who was the only woman on the Apollo 11 team, and on the historic mission that landed astronauts on the moon. Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed Everything Martin W. Sandler. Candlewick, 2018. Ages 10up. The Apollo 8 mission unfolds within the broader context of history in this expansive photo-filled volume, PWs review said. First-person descriptions from the astronauts recount their lift-off, their first viewing of the Earth rising, and their journey to the dark side of the moon. The Apollo Missions for Kids Jerome Pohlen. Chicago Review, June. Ages 9up. This activity book chronicles the Apollo missions from the perspectives of the astronauts and their families, as well as the engineers, controllers, technicians, and politicians involved. Destination: Moon Seymour Simon. HarperCollins, May. Ages 610. Simon examines the U.S.Soviet space race and the science and technology that made the Apollo 11 mission a success. (See Wonder and Excitement, p. 36.) Destination Moon Richard Maurer. Roaring Brook, June. Ages 1014. Maurer discusses milestones in the history of the Apollo program, world events at the time of the Apollo 11 mission, and the people and technology that made that journey possible. The Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11s Third Man Alex Irvine, illus. by Ben Bishop. Tilbury House, 2017. Ages 912. This is a paperback reissue of a 2017 graphic nonfiction title about Michael Collins. PWs review said it makes the vastness of space felt in nearly every panel. Flying to the Moon Michael Collins. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, June. Ages 1016. Apollo 11 astronaut Collinss autobiography, originally published in 1976, is reissued in an updated edition that includes new images and an introduction by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. Moonshot Brian Floca. Atheneum/Jackson, Apr. Ages 4up. This is an updated and expanded edition of Flocas 2009 book about Apollo 11, cited in PWs review as being as poetic as it is historically resonant and a stirring depiction of a momentous event. Smithsonian Reader: Apollo 11: Mission to the Moon Courtney Acampora. Silver Dolphin, May. Ages 35. Photos illustrate this book that includes a quiz to reinforce reading comprehension. To the Moon! Jeffrey Kluger and Ruby Shamir. Puffin, May. Ages 10up. Kluger and Shamir profile Apollo 8 astronauts Bill Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell, the first crew to break out of Earths orbit and reach the moon. More Than the Moon A cluster of space-themed books takes readers beyond lunar exploration. Above and Beyond Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. Feiwel and Friends, 2018. Ages 911. Inspired by Rory Kennedys documentary of the same title, this book offers a hopeful look at the future of the Earth and describes NASAs mission as essential to its survival. Awesome Space Tech Jenn Dlugos and Charlie Hatton. Prufrock, Aug. Ages 912. A copiously illustrated volume introduces readers to powerful telescopes, distant probes, and high-speed spacecraft aiding humankinds exploration of the stars. Barefoot Books Solar System Anne Jankeliowitch, illus. by Annabelle Buxton. Barefoot, Sept. Ages 812. A glow-in-the-dark, interactive guide to the solar system aims to make astronomy, physics, and chemistry comprehensible to kids. Curiosity Markus Motum. Candlewick, 2018. Ages 812. This accessible look at interplanetary exploration will appeal to a broad range of young space enthusiasts, PWs starred review said of this illustrated book about the Mars rover. Space in 30 Seconds Clive Gifford and Michael Goldsmith. Ivy Kids, 2013. Ages 812. Thirty topics, including the big bang theory and the properties of distant planets and galaxies, are succinctly explained with the help of cartoon-style illustrations. Space Race Ben Hubbard. B.E.S., Feb. Ages 8up. Major milestones of space exploration and a preview of potential future achievements, including reaching Mars and finding life on other planets, are covered in an illustrated volume. Space: The Definitive Visual Catalogue of the Universe Sean Callery and Miranda Smith. Scholastic, 2018. Ages 812. This introduction to the solar system and galaxies far beyond features photos from NASA and the International Space Station. To Pluto and Beyond Elaine Scott. Viking, July 2018. Ages 812. Scott examines the journey and discoveries of New Horizons, the NASA spacecraft that is studying Pluto and the fringes of the solar system, featuring photos transmitted by the ship. Return to the main feature. In the latest of its run of wins in the country, Endemol Shine Groups Spanish label Shine Iberia has inked a deal with Atresmedias Antena 3 for new original house and interiors format Masters of Renovation. In the programme created by executive producer Macarena Rey, also CEO of Shine Iberia pairs of contestants in a close relationship have their decorating and renovation skills put to the test. It features indoor and outdoor challenges that could be anything from decorating a wall with wallpaper or restoring furniture to full makeovers of different properties such as a school, restaurant or beach house.Hosted by Spanish TV personality Manel Fuentes, renowned, the show will include a jury of acclaimed professionals who will assess the contestants work. The jury includes architect Tomas Alia, interior designer Pepe Leal and construction manager Carolina Castedo along with guest judge, the multi-awarded and globally distinguished interior designer Pascua Ortega. Atresmedia has ordered a primetime series of the which will premiere on Antena 3 in primetime this spring.Commenting on the win, Endemol Shine's Macarena Rey said: We have a long-standing reputation in producing competition reality formats in key genres such as cookery and sewing and we are thrilled to bring this expertise to this original new renovation and interiors format. This show is hugely entertaining and amongst the challenges there are warm moments of guaranteed fun. The Compromise of 1850 brought relative calm to the nation. Though most blacks and abolitionists strongly opposed the Compromise, the majority of Americans embraced it, believing that it offered a final, workable solution to the slavery question. Most importantly, it saved the Union from the terrible split that many had feared. People were all too ready to leave the slavery controversy behind them and move on. But the feeling of relief that spread throughout the country would prove to be the calm before the storm. On December 14, 1853, Augustus C. Dodge of Iowa introduced a bill in the Senate. The bill proposed organizing the Nebraska territory, which also included an area that would become the state of Kansas. His bill was referred to the Committee of the Territories, which was chaired by Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. Douglas had entered politics early and had advanced quickly; at 21 he was Illinois state's attorney, and by age 35 he was a U.S. Senator. He strongly endorsed the idea of popular sovereignty, which allowed the settlers in a territory to decide for themselves whether or not to have slavery. Douglas was also a fervent advocate of Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United States had the God-given right and obligation to take over as much land as possible and to spread its "civilizing" influence. And he was not alone. A Philadelphia newspaper expounded Manifest Destiny when it proclaimed the United States to be a nation rightfully bound on the "East by sunrise, West by sunset, North by the Arctic Expedition, and South as far as we darn please." WAPDA Mangla Dam Organization Jobs 2019 Latest Water and Power Development Authority WAPDA Posts Mangla 2021 Experienced and strong persons for the posts of Technical and Electrician, Laboratory Assistant, Rigger, Boatman, Bus Conductor, Baildar, Cooly, Lab Attendant, Mali & Sanitary Worker required for Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority WAPDA in Mangla Punjab 2019. How to Apply on Water and Power Development Authority WAPDA Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. This essay is part of a RealClearPolicy series centered on the American Project, an initiative of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. The project looks to the countrys founding principles to respond to our current cultural and political upheaval. From presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to freshman congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, figures who openly call themselves democratic socialists dominate much of the discussion within the Democratic Party. How did this happen? How has America gone from a nation in which socialist arguments are on the fringe to one in which they are the topic of mainstream debate? Part of the answer may be that todays socialists downplay its more obvious Marxian excesses (to say nothing of its bloody history). Even Bernie Sanders has stopped calling for government ownership of the means of production. Todays socialism entails a managed economy, one that is, at least ostensibly, in private hands, while being guided by tax policies, prohibitions, and demands from the administrative state. (Here one often hears laudatory invocations of Denmark or Sweden.) Thanks to work by Cass Sunstein and others, socialists have been able effectively to recast socialism as mere nudging by friendly administrators to help people choose what they ought to want and do. Socialism is outsourced to private industry. But outsourced socialism remains essentially socialist. The government still controls how things are produced, by whom, and at what prices, as well as controlling who consumes how much of what. It is part of the same movement toward ever-more government control over citizens lives, as evidenced by the so-called Green New Deal, which would go beyond even the ungainly welfare states of Europes democratic socialist countries. Why does this re-branded socialism seem to appeal to a significant portion of the electorate? For generations, now, our young people have been taught that government administrators know better than the people who build businesses, employ people, grow our food, and make things that can improve our lives. But the problem goes deeper than bad education. The problem is what has happened to us, and to our society, after decades of nudging. This brings us to the most important reason for socialisms resurgence: In a word, loneliness. More Americans are susceptible to the allure of socialism because more of us find ourselves adrift, looking for meaning, purpose, and belonging in the world. It would be easy to caricature this statement as a mere appeal to emotions. But Im referring to loneliness not just as an emotion state but as an objective one Marxists would call it alienation of being disconnected from the natural associations in which people learn to lead flourishing lives together. Commentators have lamented for years now that the rising generation seems incapable of, well, rising. It may be easy to make fun of young people for demanding safe spaces from ideas they find objectionable or bristling at microaggressions or requiring classes in adulting or failing to leave home for college or to find productive work or moving back in with their parents after graduation. But the situation is serious. Nor is the crisis of loneliness restricted to young people. Americans, including young adults and middle-aged people, are dying in increasing numbers from addictions and suicides. Sociologist Robert Nisbet spent most of his career pointing out that all of us need community, and that if we cant have the real thing, well settle for false community including that of political activism. Socialism appeals to many Americans because it promises a sense of belonging. The Green New Deal, like Lyndon Johnsons Great Society, is a massive program intended to transform America; like the war on poverty, it promises a war on global warming. That is, it offers, not just free stuff, but a mission a way of signaling virtue and a reason to join together to achieve something that many people find meaningful. Where once we found a reason to live in daily life within our families, churches, and local associations, today increasing numbers of Americans look to large-scale and fanciful political projects to fill the void in their lives. That void was created when our families began breaking apart (or failing even to form), when our churches emptied (or became mere centers for political organizing), and when our local associations withered away (or became mere appendages of federal programs). This deterioration of our civil institutions is dangerous because it raises the stakes in our national politics. When politics matters more than our families or communities, ideological arguments end up dominating every aspect of our lives. We may turn from friends to enemies or leave spouses over political disagreements. In the extreme, that way leads to political violence and the breakdown of republican government. Political dominance of public life is also dangerous because it makes each of us more and more dependent on government for our well-being for our health care, for financial support, for protection against the risks we all face in life, including the loss of jobs. We were not alone in facing these risks before the central government took on the role of our grand protector. We looked to people we knew, our communities, who often knew best what we needed to get back on our feet without stripping from us our dignity and capacity for self-help. Socialists and other centralizers, often motivated by a desire to help, have substituted bureaucratic structures for these human relationships. In the process, they have destroyed our natural associations and left us stranded and alone to face lifes challenges as wards of our parents (should they have the means and will to support us) or worse, dehumanized wards of the state. There is no easy answer to our predicament. It has been taking shape over many decades. Today, our politics have become poisonous because we demand too much of them. And we demand too much of them because we have allowed political programs, under the guise of benevolent policies, to undermine the real relationships and communities in which we learn to take care of ourselves and our fellows. As Nisbet pointed out, communities do not exist because people simply wish for companionship. Real communities exist because there is a concrete need for them. Families raise children, churches bring people together to praise God and follow His commandments. In Nisbets words, Community is the product of people working together on problems, of autonomous and collective fulfillment of internal objectives, and of the experience of living under codes of authority which have been set in large degree by the persons involved. Large-scale, centralized government programs undermine community because they replace human relationships with bureaucratic structures. Often with the best of intentions, federal programs aimed at protecting us from lifes dangers, such as poverty and illness or injury and workplace accidents, have shunted aside the more organic, natural associations in which people come together to solve practical problems and help one another. We have been socializing America through top-down political programs for quite some time. And in the process we have been undermining the institutions essential for a free society. Americans are attracted to socialism today because they are less integrated into their real, organic communities than they once were. None of this is to say that all programs, or even all federal programs, are by nature destructive. Nor is it to say that all natural associations are perfect or conducive to human flourishing. But it is important to prioritize those communities which, in Nisbets words, thrive on self-help and also a little disorder. This is why debates over policies such as work requirements for welfare benefits are so important. Opponents of such requirements deride them as offensive to human dignity. But quite the opposite is the case. Work requirements give aid recipients a reason to get up and out of the house in the morning. They also integrate recipients into their communities recipients must work somewhere, with some specific group of people, and so interact with these people face to face, toward the common goal of accomplishing something. Human relationships are formed a kind of friendship of utility as Aristotle called it and people are brought out of themselves. To use contemporary jargon, contacts are made, networks developed, and potential jobs and other forms of assistance are made possible. Welfare programs themselves have changed over time as the importance of local, face-to-face interactions has been forgotten. Not so long ago, individual counties had their own social services directors. Particular individuals were tasked with getting to know everyone in their area who relied on public support, finding out what they needed to get back on their feet and begin leading productive lives as full members of the community as they recovered from whatever trauma had put them on public assistance. Today, unfortunately, dependence on public assistance has become a way of life for all too many Americans, rather than a necessary and temporary form of support. The result is the impoverishment of those who become dependent as well as the communities they once enriched. Nisbet called for a new laissez-faire that would allow local communities to rebuild purposive communities, controlling their own finances, rules, and procedures. The goal was to allow people to reconnect with one another in ways that actually mattered and that empowered them to govern themselves rather than leaving governance to distant elites in Washington. Given the increasing belligerence of our public discourse and the increasing isolation of our people especially the most vulnerable among us it is imperative that we be willing to give more power back to Americans in their local, natural associations so that they can rebuild meaningful lives for themselves and for the United States, which is, after all, a nation of communities. Bruce P. Frohnen is Ella and Ernest Fisher Professor of Law at Ohio Northern University. His book with Ted. V. McAllister, Coming Home: Reclaiming America's Conservative Soul, will be published in May by Encounter Books. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its concern to the London School of Economics (LSE) after the school decided to change the design of a campus sculpture to depict Taiwan as part of China. Thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement, U.S. annual trade with our neighbors has increased by $800 billion since 1990. Our trade with the rest of the world rose by an even greater $2.3 trillion. These are big numbers that represent real wealth creation for Americans. During that period our economy has almost doubled in size and we have created more than thirty million net new jobs. Building off NAFTAs success, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, improves access to the Canadian and Mexican markets for U.S. products, modernizes provisions for the digital age, and strengthens protection of intellectual property. These provisions play to the particular strengths of the United States. Unfortunately, the Agreement also responds to concerns about globalism that threaten the economic benefits that American consumers and businesses enjoy as a result of low barriers to trade. In particular, its more restrictive requirements for regional content of imported cars will probably have unpredictable effects on the global competitiveness of the U.S. auto industry. To preserve and extend the benefits of trade with our neighbors, and ensure the continued success of our globally competitive manufacturing sector, the George W. Bush Institute urges the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican governments to use the Competitiveness Committee created by USMCA to its fullest potential. We must not miss the opportunity to focus on regional cooperation as a tool for global competitiveness and sustained economic growth. As the Competitiveness Committee begins its work, we recommend several policies that would further integrate the North American economy through market-driven infrastructure expansion, deliberate efforts to prioritize programs that enhance regional competitiveness, and consistent workforce development standards. Reduce Red Tape Chapter 26 of USMCA empowers the Competitiveness Committee to focus on developing modern infrastructure that improves the movement of trade. With this in mind, the committee should simplify the permitting, planning, financing, and execution of border-crossing projects. Projects like roads, railroads, pipelines, and electric transmission lines are subjected to numerous reviews at local, state, and federal levels on both sides of the border. These include safety and security assessments, traffic and navigation studies, and environmental impact analyses. In addition, U.S. law requires that the president certify that a project would serve the U.S. national interest. From start to finish, approval of a permit can take years. This complex of reviews raises the cost of moving goods and services across the region, making our products costlier and less competitive. The presidential permit adds little to the array of other technical analyses and should be eliminated. At a minimum, the U.S. Congress should pass legislation directing the president to presume a proposed border crossing that meets all other criteria is in the national interest. The reform should define criteria under which the president may determine otherwise, within a set time frame. Harness Market Forces to Improve Infrastructure We also should work with Canada and Mexico to encourage private capital to invest in infrastructure along our shared borders, knowing that the marketplace will do a better job than the government of prioritizing proposed projects. The administration should work with our neighbors to establish a North American Border Infrastructure Bank. North America is the only global trading bloc without an independent infrastructure bank to channel market priorities and ensure availability of finance. Public and private funds should capitalize the bank and help manage the risk involved in infrastructure projects that straddle national jurisdictions. Empowering the bank to coordinate and finance transnational projects will also reduce burdens on national and local government budgets. A Regional Approach to Workforce Development The three nations need common standards for workforce development. Aligning standards will decrease the cost of recruiting. It will also boost productivity and strengthen the supply chains of companies operating in North America. The Bush Institute has seen success with this tactic. We built a coalition of private- and public-sector partners in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The coalition developed and implemented a basic curriculum for entry-level workers in manufacturing and logistics that is now available for use in all three countries. This private-sector initiative costs almost no public resources, and we and our partners are currently analyzing the appropriate next layer of certification for deployment across North America. We invite the governments of North America to use this ongoing initiative to promote the development of workforce training and certification programs across North America. A comprehensive focus on North American competitiveness through these initiatives will enhance the region's competitive position. In turn, this will lower costs for U.S. companies across the supply chain, make American goods more competitive on the global market,and secure American jobs. A long-term focus on essential infrastructure and workforce development investments in cooperation with Canada and Mexico will secure Americans prosperity and security in the future. Matthew Rooney is the Managing Director of the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative. The views expressed are the author's own. Irans support for the Houthi movement in northern Yemen follows a sound logic as far as Tehran is concerned. But the movements usefulness to Tehrans geopolitical ambitions does not guarantee its loyalty. The United States and its partners might still be able to reverse Irans pull on the Houthis. Iran has cultivated the Houthis as part of Tehrans effort to expand its regional influence through what it calls the Axis of Resistance. This Axis describes an informal Iran-led alliance of state and non-state actors opposed to Western and Israeli influence in the Middle East, as well as to Americas Arab partners. Members include Iran, Syria, Lebanese Hezbollah, and some Iraqi Shiite militias. Iranian officials now list the Houthi movement among other partners, and Houthi delegations have met regularly with others within the Axis of Resistance. Iran leverages this alliance to pursue objectives that include expelling the United States from the Middle East and establishing Iranian regional hegemony. A limited investment in Yemen has yielded outsized influence for Iran on the Arabian Peninsula and in the Red Sea. Iran has provided the Houthis with media, political, diplomatic, materiel, and humanitarian support. Critically, Iran has transferred asymmetric military capabilities to the Houthis that have enabled them to threaten Riyadh -- and possibly Abu Dhabi -- as well as to disrupt commercial naval traffic in the Red Sea. Iran has also built indigenous capacity within Yemen to produce improvised explosive devices that could disrupt advances against the Houthis in the coming phases of the civil war. Iran has used the threat from the Houthis to pull Saudi focus from other theaters such as Syria back to Yemen, and to distract from Iranian gains elsewhere in the region. It is far from a given, however, that the Houthis respond to commands from Tehran. The Houthi movement is not under Iranian control yet, and it will not take actions in Irans interest that run against its own. The Houthis probably remain more important to Iran than Iran is to the Houthis. The movement itself is not a monolith, and many of the supporters who joined the Houthis over the course of the civil war would probably reject Iranian outreach and possibly break from the Houthis themselves if they perceived a better way to secure their future. It is not clear where the core Houthi leadership stands on the Iran question. Separating the movement from Tehran will grow more difficult as time passes, but it is not impossible. Interdicting the flow of Iranian materiel into Yemen could limit the Houthis asymmetrical attack capabilities -- though it would not eliminate those threats. The groups longer-range ballistic missile attacks from Yemen into Saudi Arabia used weapons sourced in Iran. Tehran has also provided unmanned aerial vehicles to the Houthis, and it is not clear that these can be produced in Yemen. But the Houthis should be able to sustain shorter-range missile attacks, naval attacks, and landmine and IED attacks without Iranian support. These attacks are critical to the Houthis defense in Yemen. The Houthis wartime requirements will continue to drive the movement closer to Iran. To interrupt that relationship, the United States could start by leading a diplomatic effort to resolve the underlying causes of Yemens civil war. The Houthis rejected the last Yemeni National Dialogue Conference, in 2014 but so did many in Yemens south. They saw the outcome as painting a veneer of reform over the power structures that support elite interests. Critically, the Conference failed to produce an acceptable solution to how the Yemeni government would decentralize and how national resources would be distributed. The proposed six-region solution, and the manner by which this solution was reached, delegitimized the NDC process for some members of the opposition, including the Houthis. U.S. statements continue to call for Yemenis to respect the outcomes of the Conference. This ignores the protests of the Houthis and of Yemens Southern Movement, al-Hirak, against these outcomes. Current UN-led efforts leave the dispute unresolved. The United States and its partners might recognize the failures of the NDC and work to produce solutions acceptable to all Yemenis. Washington should also encourage partners to develop or restore relationships with individuals who have chosen to support the Houthis politically during the civil war but who might not entirely believe in their cause. Houthi adherents might include members of the former ruling party still in northern Yemen and northern-based families and tribes who have calculated that their political prospects and futures were better with the Houthis than with the loose-knit coalition opposing them. Splintering the Houthi movement in this fashion could begin to diminish the groups influence in Yemen. Reducing the Houthis strengths would increase the prospects of an acceptable negotiated settlement to the war and a political resolution in Yemen. The views expressed are the author's own. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available WAPDA Water & Power Development Authority Jobs 2019 Latest Water and Power Development Authority WAPDA Posts Mangla 2021 Technical and hardworking persons for the posts of Electrician, Laboratory Assistant, Rigger, Boatman, Bus Conductor, Baildar, Cooly, Lab Attendant, Mali, Sanitary Worker required for Water & Power Development Authority WAPDA in Mangla Punjab 2019. How to Apply on Water and Power Development Authority WAPDA Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Rain. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 36F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. The Institute for Womens Studies and its affiliates have pursued a physical space for a Womens Center on campus for about seven years and have not received one, despite many proposals passing through the Student Government Association and the University Council. Political science professors at UGA conduct their own research about campaigns, elections and political psychology. Some of their research will study the political opinions and attitudes exhibited during the fast-approaching 2020 presidential election. But what happens when the researchers themselves have to vote? Major carmakers in the country are loading barrels for the coming battle in the field, reports Arnab Dutta. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hyundai Hyundai Motor India, the second-largest carmaker in the country, will soon join market leader Maruti Suzuki in the contest for the emerging 'connected car' segment. The Korean manufacturer's local arm is to launch its first such vehicle, the Hyundai Venue, in May. A compact SUV, the Venue has been developed to meet Indian driving conditions and to address the limitations that come along. Below 4 metres in length, the vehicle is to be pitched against Maruti's Vitara Brezza, Mahindra & Mahindra's (M&M's) TUV 300 and Ford's EcoSport. It will come with nearly 10 features developed specifically for the local market, the company said, apart from 23 standard ones such as auto crash notification, emergency assistance and auto diagnosis. The India-specific features address driving behaviour, vehicle tracking and geo-fencing. Ji Hong Baek, managing director of Hyundai Motor India Engineering, the company's R&D centre, says the Venue has been developed on core technology owned by Hyundai globally. Maruti, M&M Major carmakers in the country are loading barrels for the coming battle in the field. Maruti Suzuki has already launched, as an optional feature for all its models sold through its Nexa, the 'Suzuki Connect'. Starting mid-2018, a bunch of connected features can be added in its models like the Ignis, Ciaz, Baleno and S-Cross for Rs 9,999. Developed in India, the Suzuki Connect operates much like the promised Hyundai Venue. Both firms have taken the globally-tested path of connecting their cars through a SIM, the data stored in local cloud. Backed by customer care assistance and mobile applications through which consumers can remotely track and operate all the features. According to R S Kalsi, senior executive director for marketing and sales at Maruti, the Connect is a TCU (telematics control unit)-based solution, one safer and more user-friendly than other options. Hyundai claims its Venue would be India's first truly-connected vehicle. It has associated with the local subsidiary of its global partner, Vodafone-Idea, for telecommunications support. M&M, the third-largest player, is also working to develop its own connected car tech. Last year, it had signed a deal with American major Ford. The two are to develop and use the technology across their respective product lines. According to Jim Farley, Ford's president for global markets, the aim is to develop an affordable portfolio. Tech bet Hyundai's entry into the emerging segment coincides with improving data connectivity and, as seen, the preparedness of key competitors in this market, which is globally the fourth-largest for vehicles. Per capita mobile data consumption jumped 38 times to 10 GB per user per month in December 2018, from 0.26 GB in early 2014. Currently, both Maruti and Hyundai's services are based on fourth-generation telecom technology (4G). p class="rbig"Analysts say the launch of 5G will boost growth in the connected vehicle segment. Hong Baek is well aware of this need. He says the new car not only marks a foray into the segment but is also an avenue to test the waters before 5G's commercial launch, by 2021. "It will take time to streamline things. We need to be ready," he said. Last year, Hyundai had subdued growth in sales volume. While Maruti extended its share to 51 per cent in 2018 from 49.7 per cent in 2017, Hyundai's growth stayed below 5 per cent and its market share fell marginally to 16.2 per cent. However, by choosing the compact SUV segment for its first connected vehicle, Hyundai is landing the Venue on a fertile zone. The sub-4 metre segment, a little over 26,000 units in size annually, is growing at around 20 per cent a year. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote to the Election Commission protesting transfers of four IPS officers, including Kolkata and Bidhannagar police commissioners. The EC decision is "unfortunate", "highly arbitrary, motivated and biased" and taken at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party, the letter said, urging the poll panel to review its decision. "Should there be any deterioration in the law order situation of the state, would the Commission take responsibility?" said the letter. It also asked the EC to initiate a probe as to how and under whose guidance the decision on the transfer of the top police officers was taken. "I strongly feel that the EC plays a neutral role to save democracy in India. But, it is very unfortunate that I have to write this letter today to raise strong protest against the transfer order dated April 5, 2019 issued by the EC by way of removing four senior officers from their existing positions," Banerjee said in her letter. "The decision of the Commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the Commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e the BJP," the letter read. Banerjee alleged that the EC transfer orders came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a BJP candidate alleged in a TV programme that the law and order situation in West Bengal is bad. The EC had on Friday night removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh in a major shake-up ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state. Rajesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police, Pollution Control Board, was made the new Kolkata top cop, while Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, was named the Bidhannagar police commissioner. The poll body also named Avannu Ravindranath, deputy commissioner (Airport Division) of Bidhannagar, as the new Birbhum superintendent of police and appointed Srihari Pandey, deputy commissioner of Kolkata Armed Police, 3rd Battalion, as the Diamond Harbour police superintendent. The announcement comes days after opposition parties in the state had alleged that free and fair elections would not be possible under these officers. "The flow of events gives rise to strong doubts whether the Commission is functioning as per its constitutional mandate of conducting free and fair elections or working in a manner to appease the ruling BJP at the centre," the letter said. Describing Sharma and Singh as "bright and experienced", she said they had played key roles in the seizure of illegal currency, gold, liquor and other prohibited items and in enforcing law and order in strict manner. "The decision of the ECI to remove these officers leaves a big question mark whether this step is to give a shield to the vested interested parties and their political masters," Banerjee's letter said. She said those brought in place of the two top police officers had been given the duty of police observers in other states and have little idea about Kolkata and Bidhannagar. Stating that law and order is a state subject, Banerjee alleged that the state government was not consulted on the transfer. "By not following the established practice and not seeking a panel of officers from the state government, the action of the ECI is prima facie undemocratic, biased and suffers from principles of natural justice," she wrote. The EC had written to Chief Secretary Malay De directing immediate implementation of the transfers and sought a compliance report within 24 hours. It also directed that the police officers who have been transferred should not be involved by the state government in any election-related duty. Both Sharma and Singh were present when Banerjee began her sit-in on February 3 to protest against CBI's attempts to question former police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with its probe into the Saradha scam. Kumar was later interrogated by the CBI in Shillong under the orders of the Supreme Court and Sharma had replaced Kumar. After TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife was allegedly found carrying gold at the Kolkata airport, BJP had lodged a complaint with the EC against Bidhannagar Police commissioner Gyanwant Singh. The party had demanded that Singh be held responsible for the alleged police interference if "prima facie any such incident happened". The soldiers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police were the first to cast their vote for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh as Service Voters. -- India votes: 2019 The first round of service voting by secret postal ballot began at 10 am on Friday at ITBP's Animal Training School located at Lohitpur in Arunachal Pradesh. The first vote of the country was cast by Deputy Inspector General Sudhakar Natarajan, head of ATS ITBP. Apart from the ATS unit of nearly 30 soldiers, other ITBP units deployed in the state also cast their votes through postal ballot. Nearly 5,000 personnel from the security forces voted, out of which close to 1,000 were from ITBP alone. Ballot papers have been dispatched to Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and many other places for the service personnel to vote. This year, the Election Commission has taken several steps to add more service voters in the election process. Awareness campaigns through electronic, social, print and other media were given due attention. This would probably be for the first time that a large number of service voters count is expected. Service voter belonging to defence and paramilitary forces have the option of either voting through postal ballot or through a proxy voter duly appointed by him/her. There are roughly 30 lakh service voters including defence and paramilitary forces who (in many cases with families at family stations) will cast their votes through service voter facility. The voting for general people to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha begins from April 11 and will continue till May 12 in seven phases. Counting for all seats will be on May 23. All photographs: ANI Photos KENT Whitney Troy headed to the center of her town Saturday to join a protest whose 40 or so participants ran the gamut from high school students to senior citizens, she said. With speakers who championed themes of inclusion, the demonstration was organized by the Kent Democratic Town Committee in opposition to a Scott Presler event being held nearby. More for you Protest announced ahead of Scott Presler event in Kent Presler was lead activism strategist for ACT for America from February 2017 to 2018, according to his Facebook page. The Virginia Beach-based organization, which has been called a hate group, has been identified by the Anti-Defamation League as the largest anti-Muslim group in the United States. The Presler event was meant to be an activism class to teach the Connecticut GOP how to get out the vote in preparation for the 2020 presidential elections, according to an EventBrite page. The events description was wrapped up with: #Trump2020. After the Kent Democratic Committee tried and failed to get the event canceled, it announced its intention to hold a protest. Troy said she was happy to see fellow residents at the demonstration. It was just so heartwarming, she said. Speakers at the demonstration spoke against hate and encouraged solidarity. Troys sister, Jessica Troy, of Litchfield, came out to protest the Presler event. It was so wonderful to see all these members of a town come together, she said. Whats happening in our country is impacting every town, everywhere. TORRINGTON Susan B. Anthony Project announces that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This years national campaign, I Ask, reminds everyone that Sexual Assault Awareness Month is also about prevention, members of the agency said in a statement. Preventing sexual assault can start by making sure that during every circumstance consent is given clearly and freely. This can be for instances as simple as holding hands, to sharing personal information with others, or if a person is interested in sex activity. Consent is healthy, normal, and a vital part of everyday interactions between people, that is essential to the prevention of sexual assault. As stated by The Connecticut Department of Public Health, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men, in Connecticut, have experienced some sort of sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime. With a price tag of $5,762,944.30 and a 31 percent increase of survivors seeking services in Connecticut from 2013-17, the time is now to live in a world free from sexual violence, the agency said. During the month of April, the Susan B. Anthony Project is hosting events to honor survivors and bring awareness to the community. SBAP will host a Sexual Assault Awareness Month Vigil on Wednesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. at Coe Memorial Park in Torrington. Participants are asked to wear the color teal to show solidarity and unity for survivors. The Clothesline Project, features t-shirts designed by survivors, and will be on display throughout the month at the Goshen Public Library, Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted, at the vigil, and at the Susan B. Anthony Project office, as well as online at www.sbaproject.org. The Faces of Survival, a photo exhibition will also be on display through April 8 in the Northwestern CT Community College library. This exhibition is of victims and survivors of sexual violence who have chosen to break the silence and tell their stories. Susan B. Anthony Project provides educational programs to schools, churches, civic groups and area agencies/businesses. For more information call Matt or Amanda at 860-489-3798 to schedule a program or to find out how to become part of this community-wide effort to raise awareness about sexual violence. Founded in 1983, Susan B. Anthony Project promotes safety, healing and growth for all survivors of domestic and sexual abuse and advocates for the autonomy of women and the end of interpersonal violence. Based in Torrington, Susan B. Anthony Project provides services, free of charge, in 20 towns in northwestern Connecticut. For more information on Susan B. Anthony Project services, call the 24 Hour Hotline at 860-482-7133. TORRINGTON American Ninja Warrior star Joe the Weatherman Moravsky will visit the all new Ninja Warrior Training Center at the Torrington YMCA on Saturday. Were so excited to have someone of Joes caliber join us on April 6, Northwest CT YMCA CEO Greg Brisco said in a statement. Joe is a special athlete and we are thrilled to be able to bring him here to our community for the afternoon. Moravskys appearance is part of the grand opening celebration of the Y Ninja Training Center. Moravsky will be giving three demonstrations during the afternoon, followed by meet and greet sessions. The event is free to attend, however the Y is limiting the demonstrations to 30 people per session. Registration is required. Visit register.nwctY.org and search Ninja Demonstration on registration page to reserve a space. Demonstrations will take place at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The day will conclude with a free open gym session from 4-6 p.m. Moravsky has competed on five seasons of the hit NBC show American Ninja Warrior. He has twice been the last ninja standing and has also competed on the Team Ninja Warrior competition, winning the USA Network show in season two. The Y Ninja Training Center has been strategically designed to put youth, teens and adults to the test as they challenge themselves, learn new skills and train like a Ninja Warrior. From swinging, climbing, rolling, running, jumping, and all in between, the Ninja Training Center will consist of a whirlwind of obstacles that have the ability to be changed out, putting new challenges into play on a regular basis. The decision to open up the Ninja Training Center, Brisco said, took careful consideration by the Ys Board of Directors and stems from the recently completed organizational strategic plan. In order to remain relevant, the Y knows it needs to continually evolve its programs and services. Everyone, especially kids, love obstacles courses and we strongly believe that this will appeal to a wide cross-section of both kids and adults, Brisco said. In many respects, this is a new way to introduce a new generation to physical fitness through fun challenges that we all watch on TV and YouTube and say, I wish I could try that. Life is full of obstacles. Some we conquer right away, others knock us down. That simple fact is why the Ys Ninja Training Center is about more than making it up the warped wall or setting a personal best record running the course. That is certainly part of the experience, but through the use of the Center, through the challenges it brings for participants, its also about forming a healthy spirit, mind and body that will translate to being able to conquer any obstacle life throws at us. This is the start of something really big. We are creating a world class training facility that will bring kids, athletes and adults into 21st century fitness with stronger bodies, stronger minds and, as a result, a stronger community, said Dr. Michael Curi, president of the Ys Board of Directors. We truly cant wait. The Ninja Training Center will feature versions of the some of the most popular obstacles - including two warped walls, climbing wall, salmon ladder, monkey bars and rigs for climbing, swinging and grip strength, to name a few. Obstacles will be changed on a weekly basis to keep things fresh and challenging. For adults looking to incorporate new body weight activities in their regular workouts, as Y facility members, they will be able to access the center for open gym daily throughout the week. Instructional programs have been carefully crafted to provide the littlest Ninja Warriors (beginning at age 4) to teens and adults the strength and confidence to succeed. Participants will walk-away with an incredible sense of accomplishment that is sure to keep them coming back time and time again to tackle new obstacles and set and achieve new goals. Classes began March 25. Visit Yninja.org to learn more. Camryn Bloom, 6, sits on the shoulders of family friend Paul Pellerin at Queen's Park to protest the provincial government's recently announced changes to education during the Rally for Education in Toronto on Saturday, April 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has warned of the risk of interference by Russia and other foreign players in the countrys upcoming parliamentary elections. "We've seen over the past number of years an increase in the interference or the implication of foreign actors in democratic processes," Trudeau told a Toronto news conference on April 5. "We saw very clearly that countries like Russia are behind a lot of the divisive campaigns; a lot of the divisive social media, you know, spreads [and has] turned our politics even more divisive and more anger-filled than they have been in the past," he said. He added that Karina Gould, Canadas minister of democratic institutions, was creating significant ways to protect the elections and make sure the vote would be decided by Canadians." U.S. intelligence agencies and European Union countries have accused Russia of interfering in their elections in recent years, including the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Moscow has denied the accusations. Trudeaus remarks echo those made earlier in the day by Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who said she was very concerned Russia would interfere in the election. "Our judgment is that interference is very likely, and we think there have probably already been efforts by malign foreign actors to disrupt our democracy," she said on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting in France. Canada's parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 21. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Iranian authorities have ordered the evacuation of more towns and villages threatened by floods, as the official death toll from the flooding reached 70. With heavy rains drenching much of the country since March 19, floods have swept through hundreds of towns and villages in 26 of Iran's 31 provinces. The mountainous Lorestan Province and the oil-producing Khuzestan Province, both in southwest Iran, have been especially hard hit by the floods. Iranian state TV reported on April 6 that at least six communities in Khuzestan were being moved to safer areas as officials released water from major river dams. "An evacuation order has been issued and we are recommending women and children to leave but we are asking the men and youth to stay and help us [in the rescue effort]," the provincial governor, Gholamreza Shariati, told state TV. Iranoan Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned that up to 400,000 people in Khuzestan, where a state of emergency has been declared, could be exposed to the floods, the official IRNA news agency. In Lorestan, seven villages threatened by landslides were to be evacuated, state TV reported. At least 70 people have been killed in the floods, the head of Irans emergency services, Pirhossein Kolivand, told IRNA. He also said almost 800 people had been injured and 45 hospitalized. Behnam Saeedi, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Organization, said over 2,000 rural roads and 84 bridges had been "washed away" by the floods. Nationwide some "141 rivers burst their banks and around 400 landslides were reported," he told state TV. The floods, the worst in a decade, have prompted angry demonstrations over the governments inadequate relief response to the crisis. Thousands of people have sheltered for days in the open with little food or warm clothes as the rains have continued. Protesters have also vented anger at the government's decision to release water from major dams that are near overflowing, saying the move threatens to destroy their homes, farmland, and livestock. With reporting by Radio Farda, Reuters, AFP, and IRNA Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi is on a two-day visit to neighboring Iran as the countries seek to expand commercial ties. Mahdi met President Hassan Rohani in Tehran on April 6, with the Iranian leader saying they discussed expanding their gas and electricity trade and working towards fulfilling a plan to connect their railroads. Mahdi's visit came after Rohani made his first official visit to Iraq in March, with Tehran seeking to bolster its influence in its neighboring country as Baghdad is under pressure from the United States to limit ties with Iran. Iraq, which receives financial and military support from Washington, has attempted to balance its relations with the United States and Iran, which carries significant influence with members of Iraq's Shi'ite population. Tehran does not have an official military presence in Iraq. But the government supports powerful Shi'ite paramilitary groups operating in the country, with estimates of the number of fighters ranging up to 150,000. The United States has some 5,200 troops stationed in Iraq, mostly focused on training and support missions. The United States has called on Baghdad to form partnerships with American companies to become energy independent. Based on reporting by Reuters and Press TV There is once again talk in Kazakhstan of constructing a nuclear power plant (NPP) -- a proposal that's been debated on and off since the late 1990s. This time, the idea seems to have quickly picked up momentum. President Vladimir Putin proposed Russian help to build such a plant when he met with Kazakhstan's new president, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, in Moscow on April 3. A day later, Deputy Kazakh Energy Minister Magzum Mirzagaliev said there was no "concrete decision" to construct a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, but he also revealed that officials have already chosen a site for such a project near the town of Ulken, in the southeastern Almaty Province. Both Russia and Kazakhstan have agreements with many nations about cooperation in civilian atomic-energy use, but the Kazakh-Russian nuclear relationship is probably the most complicated of all. Putin's overture to Toqaev was far from the first time Moscow has offered help building a nuclear plant in Kazakhstan, though it was interesting that Putin decided to publicly repeat the proposal to Toqaev, who only became Kazakhstan's president on March 20 and was making his first official visit abroad in that capacity. It is also far from the first time the issue of nuclear power has been raised in Kazakhstan. It is a difficult sell in a land that has seen more nuclear tests than virtually any place on the planet. Between 1949 and 1989, when Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, 340 underground and 116 atmospheric tests were conducted in the Semipalatinsk region of northeastern Kazakhstan. Health problems continue to plague residents of the area. No wonder Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry released a public statement on April 4 assuring the public would be consulted about building any such plant until "after public hearings and consent from local executive bodies on the territory where construction of an [nuclear power plant] is possibly planned." 'Russian Technology' On April 3, Russian media carried the headline Putin Offers Toqaev The Construction Of An NPP In Kazakhstan Using Russian Technology. Putin was quoted as saying the two countries would be moving to a new form of cooperation. By "Russian technology," Putin presumably means Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear company. China has pushed its Belt and Road Initiative global trade network forward by extending huge loans and sending Chinese companies and workers to some of the world's poorer countries. The loans, and the reliance on Chinese companies for training, spare parts, repairs, and such, promise to keep these countries dependent on China for decades to come, simultaneously increasing Beijing's influence around the globe. Rosatom does the same thing. The company boasts a $100 billion portfolio, and its website says it has 36 nuclear reactor projects in 12 countries -- in places like Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Belarus, Iran, Turkey, Hungary, and China. Rosatom submits bids for every nuclear-power-plant contract worldwide. And Rosatom also has nuclear cooperation agreements with countries in South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The cost of a nuclear power plant starts at around $8 billion, and that is in cases where there is only one reactor, such as Rosatom's VVER-1000. During Putin's visit to India in October, Rosatom signed a contract to construct six VVER reactors at a new site in India, in addition to the four other reactors Rosatom is already contracted to build at India's Kudankulum site. Two VVER reactors are already in operation there. Russian financial institutions usually loan most, or nearly all, of the money to those countries for the construction of such plants, and Russian nuclear-fuel provider TVEL frequently receives the contract for fuel supplies. Different Sort Of Customer Kazakhstan would be a different sort of customer for Rosatom. It has been the world's leading uranium producer and exporter since 2009. And Kazakhstan does more than just extract uranium. State company Kazatomprom has worked for years, and is now able to take uranium through all the cycles, from raw uranium to nuclear fuel. From 2007 to 2017, Kazatomprom owned a 10-percent stake in Westinghouse. So Kazakhstan has a large domestic source of uranium and can produce its own nuclear fuel; and Kazatomprom has nuclear technicians trained mostly by Russia but also some trained in Japan, France, and other countries. Russia and Kazakhstan cooperate to mine uranium in Kazakhstan. Putin mentioned "six Russian-Kazakh enterprises for extracting and enriching uranium." Kazatomprom exported nearly 15,290 tons of uranium in 2018, and about 17 percent of that went to Russia. Kazakhstan and Russia established the International Uranium Enrichment Center in Angarsk in 2007. As its name suggests, the center will provide low-enriched uranium (LEU) to interested parties. The center has been internationally hailed as ensuring a steady supply of uranium for nuclear reactors while not transferring the technology to enrich uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Kazakhstan's government also established an LEU bank at Kazakhstan's Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Oskemen, "a physical reserve of up to 90 metric tons of low enriched uranium suitable to make fuel for a typical light water reactor." The IAEA and Russia have an agreement on transporting the uranium to the LEU bank in Oskemen. The April 4 statement from Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said nuclear-power-plant technologies from five countries, "including Rosatom," were being studied. But the ministry also said other projects were being reviewed, such as more gas-fired plants, hydropower projects, and coal-fired thermal plants. Proposed Locations Russian news agency Interfax noted in its report that Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aleksei Boroodavkin said in February, "We are hopeful that a decision will be taken soon for the construction of an atomic power station that we hope Rosatom will construct." When the idea of building a nuclear plant was floated at the end of the 1990s, the chosen location was the shore of Lake Balkhash in eastern Kazakhstan, roughly between Almaty and Astana (now Nur-Sultan). This plan was scrapped (and eventually South Korea's Samsung C&T Corp helped build a 1,320-megawatt, coal-fired, thermal plant there); but by 2006 there was a plan to build a nuclear plant near Aqtau, in western Kazakhstan on the Caspian coast. Western Kazakhstan is where most of the country's oil-and-gas fields are located, but the region continues to experience power shortages. That plan, too, was discarded; but in 2009, with Russian offers of help, there was discussion of building a nuclear facility in Kurchatov, in northern Kazakhstan in the Semipalatinsk area where the nuclear tests were conducted in the Soviet days. In May 2014, Russia and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation on the construction of a nuclear plant in Kurchatov. When, and why, officials decided on Ulken in southeastern Kazakhstan is unclear. Almaty is no longer Kazakhstan's capital, but it remains the most populous city in the country. However, when former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev decided to move the capital north, earthquakes in the Almaty area were one of the reasons he gave for transferring the capital. It is not yet a certainty that Kazakhstan will build a nuclear power plant. Talk of building one has sparked protests in the past in Kazakhstan, so it is not something Kazakh officials would want to move on quickly. But the speed at which Kazakh officials did move once Putin made his offer suggests it has been on the minds of Kazakh officials, and the February comments from Russia's ambassador indicate this has been a topic of recent conversations between Russian and Kazakh representatives. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL. An Afghan official says twin explosions in the country's east have killed at least three people and wounded 10 others. Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar Province, said those killed in the blasts in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, on April 6 were civilians. It was not clear what caused the explosions. No group claimed immediate responsibility, although both the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) extremist group are active in Nangarhar Province. Nangarhar is the stronghold of IS militants, who are active on Afghanistan's porous eastern border with Pakistan. The U.S. military estimates that there are about 2,000 IS militants in Afghanistan. The hard-line Sunni group has targeted minority Shi'a civilians and government security forces in deadly attacks since it emerged around 2015. With reporting by Reuters The United Nations says it will press ahead with a national conference next week on possible Libyan elections even as the country teeters on the brink of civil war. Forces of Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar made a dramatic move toward the capital of Tripoli on April 6, taking the former international airport. That prompted foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations, who were meeting in France, to warn of possible action against the commander if he didnt stop his advance toward the internationally recognized government based in Tripoli. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged all sides to reach a peace deal while simultaneously warning against foreign meddling in the North African nation. The UN special envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, said he hoped to stem the crisis and forge ahead with a conference in the southwestern town of Ghadames to consider whether elections can put an end to the factional rivalries that are holding the country back. "We know that holding the conference in this difficult time of escalation and fighting is a difficult matter. But we are determined to hold it on time unless compelling circumstances force us not to, he told reporters in Tripoli. After an emergency meeting on April 5, the UN Security Council warned that the military activity of Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) was putting the country's stability at risk. Deeply Concerned The UN is looking at the elections as a way of restoring stability in a country that is often the transit hub for refugees heading north through Africa to Europe. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called the move by Haftars forces "untimely" and said there can only be a political solution to Libyas problems. "It is important that all of the international community takes the same line," Le Drian said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Haftar in Benghazi on April 5 as part of efforts to forestall an outright assault on Tripoli and avoid a bloody civil war. "I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," he said on Twitter after his meeting. Guterres has also been in Tripoli this week to help organize a national reconciliation conference planned for later in April --a plan that looks increasingly unlikely with every day of continued fighting. Russia, which has provided Haftar with backing in the past, claimed it was not helping the commander's forces in the offensive and that it supported a negotiated political settlement that ruled out any new bloodshed. Speaking in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on April 6, Lavrov said Moscow was in contact with all parties in the conflict and also backed a mutual and peaceful agreement. "Along with Egypt, we insist that the Libyans themselves should determine their future. They should start an inclusive and businesslike dialogue without any artificial deadlines, which some are trying to impose on them from the outside, and without being prompted against their will," Lavrov said. Haftars LNA on April 4 launched the offensive aimed at taking the capital. Reuters and other news agencies said Haftars forces took the town of Gharyan, about 80 kilometers south of Tripoli after fighting against forces allied with Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, who is based in Tripoli. Tripoli-allied forces also reportedly took dozens of soldiers from Haftars units prisoner in a town west of the capital. Sharp Escalation The advance by Haftar's LNA was a sharp escalation of the power struggle that has gone on since longtime Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown in 2011. Haftar is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), which are worried about the threat of Islamic militants. In 2014, he assembled former Qaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized the main eastern city of Benghazi. He captured the south with its crucial oilfields in recent months. Haftar traveled to Moscow twice in 2016 seeking political support. The Financial Times has reported that Russia has helped the administration Haftar set up in eastern Libya issue a parallel currency, a pointed challenge to the Tripoli-based central government. Russian officials sharply criticized U.S. and European actions that preceded Qaddafi's ouster and blamed the West for the chaos that engulfed Libya. With Dmitry Medvedev as president, Russia abstained from the vote on the UN Security Council resolution that allowed air strikes by NATO forces in 2011, but Vladimir Putin -- then prime minister -- likened it to "medieval calls for crusades." The U.S. State Department also sounded the alarm about the new fighting. "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos," the department said in a statement issued jointly with France, Italy, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates. The U.A.E. added its name to the statement even though it has supported Haftar. With reporting by Reuters, Financial Times, AFP, and dpa Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Generally cloudy. High near 60F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Prostitution ring leader arrested in Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen, Q.R. A Mexico City arrest warrant for an alleged prostitution ring leader has lead to his arrest in Playa del Carmen. Police have arrested Antonio Santoyo Cervantes, one of the founders of Divas (Zona Divas) and La Boutique websites used to deceivingly attract young girls for the purpose of prostitution. The arrest warrant for Santoyo Cervantes was issued by the Attorney Generals Office of Mexico City (PGJ-CDMX). He was taken into custody in Playa del Carmen by federal agents. The websites used to lure victims attracted mostly young women from Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil. They were attracted by the promise of money, however, once they arrived in Mexico City, they were kept in captivity and used as sex slaves. Santoyo Cervantes will be sent to appear before the Fiscalia Central de Investigacion para la Atencion del Delito de Trata de Personas for leading the criminal organization Zona Divas. Recently, I have been so fascinated by the vivid initiatives of Russias dominant diamond miner, ALROSA that I completely lost sight of a very remarkable company - the second and at the same time the only privately-owned Russian diamond miner, which has nothing to do with ALROSA. This miner is Arkhangelskgeoldobycha, now called AGD Diamonds. Bearing it in mind that the website of our news agency carries an AGD advertising banner, I called my editor and said Id like to write an article about this company. You know me, so tell me if my wish fits well with the editorial policy, I asked him, although this was contrary to my views, but I had no desire contributing to a trash-can. Advertising is one thing and the editorial policy is another, which is our internal matter, so please do it, he replied, for which I thank him very much. So, AGD Diamonds. I think it makes no sense to describe the metrics of the diamond field being developed by this company and its structure this can easily be found on the Web. To begin with, I should say that Lukoil, which had no experience in the diamond business before, approached its non-core diamond asset with all the financial integrity inherent to an international oil-producing holding, obviously under the influence of the magic spelt by this planets hardest mineral. The principle was simple, as when arranging oil fields: spare no money for anything, including engineering solutions and equipment, and buy the best there is on the market. Lukoil invested nearly $ 1 billion in the development and capital mining operations, power facilities, water removing system, mining equipment and concentration plant, which was designed and built by South Africas Bateman in the best industry traditions. From the very beginning of the operation in 2014, the entire mix of Grib diamonds (with the exception of control parcels) was sold in Antwerp through an e-auction platform. The company's sales system, including sorting, follow-up operations, preparing goods for sale, organizing online auctions and developing customer policies, was organized by experienced specialists from BHP and De Beers. It is noteworthy that the oilmen, after analyzing the sales experience of international companies, did not turn to ALROSAs sales specialists for help. Alexey Genkin, a former investment banker and businessman in the field of sunflower processing, was appointed executive director responsible for the company's revenue and controlled the sale of diamonds produced at the Grib mine until the end of last year. The author of this article remembers how, back in 2012, the late President of ALROSA, Fyodor Andreev discussed with the management of Lukoil the possibility of exchanging non-core assets giving ALROSAs gas assets to Lukoil and taking from it the Grib diamond field. However, this gave a start to a story in which the tail wagged the dog or where the tail turned out to be smarter or rather more agile than the dog. Advised by ALROSAs geological service, the companys management considered this asset not interesting saying that in case of such an exchange ALROSA would have to maintain another operation similar to unprofitable Severalmaz. After an audit of ALROSAs gas assets, Lukoil also was clearly not excited about the resources of these gas operations of the diamond monopoly. In general, the deal did not work out. But as they say, for some war is a curse and for some a dear mother. In this very case, it did work out quite well for some. ALROSAs sales people were clearly offended by the oil-industry snobbery of public online trading in diamonds mined in Arkhangelsk. The aforementioned Severalmaz is located just 30 km from the Grib mine. Both diamond pipes are comparable in content and quality of rough. Everywhere, ALROSA spoke about the lower quality of diamonds from Severalmaz, thus explaining the obvious price difference to the disfavor of the worlds leader in the diamond industry. But according to the Antwerp specialists familiar with the goods coming from both Grib and Severalmaz, the rough offered by AGD Diamonds - other things being equal - always sells at higher prices. It would be interesting to carry an experiment selling a control lot of diamonds mined by ALROSA, but sorted and sold on the Grib trading platform, which in fact was created by the joint efforts of BHP and De Beers specialists for Russian private money. But I'm afraid the worlds leader will modestly refrain from such an experiment. In turn, Lukoil was not ready to keep the Russian diamond-mining asset on its balance for a long time and sold it for $ 1.45 billion to the more than familiar Otkritie financial group in December 2016, just one year before its bankruptcy and rehabilitation at the expense of the state budget. This trick was even more intriguing than the sale of De Beers to Anglo American by the Oppenheimer family, if we compare the assets. But the beauty of the situation is not in this. As it was believed by one well-known character of modern Russian history, control over management is more important than formal control over a business. And apparently, the companys management was actually not controlled by anyone. Suddenly, the annual flow of diamonds worth more than $ 300 million and the fate of the company worth nearly $ 1.5 billion happened to be in the hands of a modest non-public Muscovite, Alexey Genkin. Sometimes it so happens that everything goes well. Grib Diamonds, a company based in Belgium, which incidentally was not a 100-percent ownership of its parent AGD Diamonds and therefore was not obliged to follow its instructions, used to source 100% of its rough from Russia, where it was sorted and evaluated as per the gloomy standards of Gokhran introduced by De Beers in the squeaky Soviet machine decades ago. However, the sales were already going on within a completely different commercial logic, so there was no need to worry about the earning power of this business. The understanding of the sales process by the Arkhangelsk-based company itself seemed to be tending to zero. I do not know, if there is such a person there now. I turned to the press service of AGD and they explained that the structure of sales management was approved by the companys board. It is clear that this explanation is very vague. I can assume that there should be a person in charge of sales through Almazyuvelirexport of the 5% of diamonds required by the countrys legislation and able to interact with Gokhran, which sorts and evaluates Grib's goods in Russia. However, realizing that until recently, Almazyuvelirexport used to probe the world market resorting to powerful forces of a small group of clients, and ALROSA and AGD as owners give the final nod to Almazyuvelirexport to sell their goods at the achieved prices or not, it is not difficult to assume that this was the only link requiring attention in Russia. But as one negative character of one mystery novel used to say in such cases: We only need to befriend Miss Hockett to put this company in our pocket. So then, you have diamonds worth about $340 million a year available at the Belgium-based company you are in charge of. Actually, the company is just nominally subordinate to its parent corporation, where no one knows or understands in what way you sell diamonds. You happen to witness an ongoing change in the structure of its shareholders, who are too busy with other matters to take care of diamonds, so the main thing for you is not to show losses. The sales system of your company was fine-tuned by foreigners who had good labor contracts and worked only with you. In the end, when the system is up and running, these people may be offered to quit with a good bonus - the market abides by market rules. At the same time, you are a hired manager with an incredible labor contract for this market, comparable probably with a contract of a head in charge of a public mining company, though having a minimum of responsibility since you are not the owner; as for the shareholders Where are they, these shareholders? We ourselves have been looking for them for a long time. The air of freedom can play a cruel joke. And it seems it did. AGD is a private and extremely closed company that does not provide financial and commercial information to external users, therefore we can only rely on the opinions of market stakeholders. The company established preferential relations with a number of buyers, and among them buyers of stones weighing +10.8 carats could have special terms. It is difficult to say what these terms were, but it is not difficult to guess. If you have separate operations with goods sold through Almazyuvelirexport, this means you have the same clients, if not the same client. And here it is worth mentioning quite an amazing story, which is purchasing of a villa in a prestigious area of Antwerp from one of these expensive clients. But at this very point, the VTB bank revealed itself as an AGDs lender, which unexpectedly to itself happened to credit this company to an amount of $ 1 billion and thus was interested to know what the Arkhangelsk miners were digging for in the Pomor Land and if they were going to pay this billion back. It looked like the companys sales revenue reached about $ 340 million a year, but it seemed quite reluctant to pay interest, and in general the natural question was if there was any control over this business or maybe it was the case when the dream of any freedom-loving person had come true, that is to live in Europe in big way Russian style having minimal responsibility? Indeed, sometimes dreams come true. What really happened there is not clear, maybe it was the lender which appealed to common sense, but AGD finally decided to get full control over Belgium-based Grib Diamonds, after which its executive director Alexey Genkin was fired for loss of trust. As the ancients said, everything is poison, and everything is medicine. The total state control executed by half-public-officers/half-business-managers, bright, talented and efficient, but having not a single project implemented on their own in the face of real international competition, can derail any industrial monster. Such "efficiency" is unthinkable in the real private sector. But if a landlord ceases to understand what his land-steward is doing in his estate, then why complain about bad fate and debts. True, if such an estate was not particularly needed, then the one to complain will be its new owner. My good friend, a former investigator from the long-gone Soviet police, told me a curious story. One policeman was put into a private apartment, which did not belong to him, to lay an ambush for a certain criminal character. The criminal did not appear, and the policeman continued to live in this apartment as if it was his job for several years. In the end, he made repairs there and started a married life. There was a huge scandal, when the authorities tried to evict him from this apartment, as he brought his case before the court complaining about the violation of freedom and oppression after all, he had invested so much in this apartment... Alexey Genkin continues to live in Antwerp in a spacious house that previously belonged to a buyer of Arkhangelsk diamonds and apparently is still engaged in the diamond business, since opportunities for this are still there, including Russia, while AGD continues to pay back the billion-dollar loan so everyone is quite busy. Segey Goryainov, Rough&Polished Facebook to block foreign ads for Australia election Sydney, Apr 6 (AFP) Facebook will block election advertising from outside Australia ahead of polls next month, in the wake of growing criticism of the social media giant's role in the spread of disinformation. The restrictions -- already rolled out for polls in other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia -- will come into force when the government announces the election date in the coming days. "We're temporarily not allowing electoral ads purchased from outside Australia ahead of the election in May," Facebook's Australia and New Zealand policy director Mia Garlick said in a statement. "The restriction... will apply to ads we determine to be coming from foreign entities that are of an electoral nature, meaning they contain references to politicians, parties or election suppression. "We also won't allow foreign ads that include political slogans and party logos." Advertisement Facebook said it has introduced restrictions on foreign electoral ads in countries including Nigeria, Ukraine, Thailand, Indonesia, and Ireland around its May 2018 referendum on abortion. For the European Parliamentary elections, it requires advertisers to be authorised in their country to run ads related to the vote. The world's biggest social network first began looking into its influence on elections after revelations of Russian influence campaigns during the 2016 US election. Critics have accused the US firm of being too slow to act. AFP has a global fact-checking network that is dedicated to verifying and debunking disinformation spread online. Some of this content is flagged on Facebook, as part of a contract between AFP and the social media company. AFP's collaboration with Facebook has just been extended to Australia. Samsung Electronics Seoul, Apr 6 (AFP): The world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker Samsung Electronics warned Friday of a more than 60 percent plunge in first-quarter operating profits in the face of weakening markets. Operating profits for January to March would be "approximately 6.2 trillion won", the firm said in a statement, down 60.4 percent on-year. Sales were about 52 trillion won, it said, marking a 14 percent drop. The firm is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung Group, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in the world's 11th-largest economy, and it is crucial to South Korea's economic health. It has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief. But now the picture has changed, with chip prices falling as global supply increases and demand weakens. Advertisement Samsung Electronics warned investors last week to expect weak operating profits, citing "unfavourable market conditions" for displays and memory chips. "Amid weak demand for memory business, a drop in price for signature products is expected," it said then. "The company will seek to improve cost competitiveness through effective resource management," it added, "while enhancing product quality in the short term". Samsung Electronics flags 60% slump in Q1 operating profit Samsung was also launching the 5G version of its top-end Galaxy S10 smartphone Friday, after South Korea this week won the global race to commercially launch the world's first nationwide 5G networks. But the company has to contend with increasingly tough competition in the smartphone market from Chinese rivals such as Huawei -- which in 2017 surpassed Apple to take second place -- offering quality devices at lower prices. Advertisement Samsung supplies components to other manufacturers such as Apple as well as making its own devices. But market prices for liquid crystal displays have fallen 10 percent quarter-on-quarter, said Sanjeev Rana, an analyst at investment firm CLSA, while demand for smartphones in China -- the world's biggest market -- has been weak. Prices for NAND memory -- used in smartphones and other devices -- fell 20 percent in the first quarter, according to market tracker DRAMeXchange, which pointed the finger at consumers taking longer to replace their smartphones, and lower-than-expected sales for Apple's new devices. DRAM chips, used in computer servers, fell by similar levels, it added. Samsung's earnings estimate was below analyst forecasts of 6.9 trillion won, according to Bloomberg News. Samsung was launching 5G version of its top-end Galaxy S10 smartphone Advertisement It would represent the firm's lowest operating profit since the third quarter of 2016, and comes after it reported its first fall in quarterly profit for two years in January. Samsung shares were down 0.4 percent in morning trade. Markets have been buoyed in recent weeks by optimism over China-US trade talks and positive Chinese factory data. South Korean semiconductor exports also rose for the first time in six months in March, according to government figures. Samsung is also set to release the world's first bendable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold. CLSA's Rana predicted a "slight" rebound in the April to June period, saying: "This quarter is the bottom in terms of earnings." Samsung Electronics once had a 20 percent market share of China's smartphone market but has seen that tumble to less than one percent. Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which cost the firm billions of dollars and shattered its global brand image. It also took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-yong -- the son and heir of the group's ailing current chairman Lee Kun-hee. The 50-year-old scion was a key figure in the scandal that ousted former South Korean president Park Geun-hye following nationwide street protests, and was sentenced to five years in jail. But he was released in February last year after several of his convictions were quashed on appeal. Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month. Three arrested for raping Haryana-based dancer in Delhi New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) Three men were arrested on Friday for allegedly raping a Haryana-based dancer in northeast Delhi's Khajuri Khas, police said. The incident took place five days ago when the 20-year-old woman had come to Khajuri Khas in north-east Delhi for a show, which turned out to be a trap laid for her by the trio, they said. The woman had arrived at Kashmere Gate ISBT on a bus from Haryana from where the accused had picked her up in a car on the pretext of taking her to the event venue, police said. "They instead took the woman to a house near an isolated field in Bawana where the incident took place," a senior police officer said. They had then dumped her near Khajuri Chowk and also taken away her cellphone, he said. The accused have been identified as Lokesh (21), Om (25) and Hrishikesh (25) and arrested, Thakur said. Trump at Mexico border Calexico (US), Apr 6 (AFP): President Donald Trump went Friday to the Mexican border to deliver a message to would be illegal immigrants: the United States has no room left to take them. Trump sees his campaign against a "crisis" on the border as key to his 2020 reelection bid, and his trip to Calexico in California was meant to keep that message in the headlines. Numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America have risen sharply, although there are enormous political divides on whether this constitutes the "national emergency" that Trump has declared. At a meeting with border patrol agents and other officials in Calexico, he said "it's overwhelming our immigration system and we can't let that happen." Then in a message to those heading for the United States, he said: "The system is full and we can't take you anymore.... Our country is full." "So turn around, that's the way it is," he said. Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for the president in Mexicali, the town on the Mexican side of the frontier. Advertisement Waving US and Mexican flags, the protesters carried signs with messages such as "Stop separating families" and "If you build the wall, my generation will tear it down." On the US side, dozens of people lined the road that Trump's motorcade took from the airport, demonstrating support for his policies. "Build the wall," said one placard. Trump is determined to pursue a hard line. Trump said he could still order the border closed later Before leaving Washington earlier, Trump said that his previous threats to shut down the border had been successful in persuading Mexican authorities to clamp down by stopping migrants on their journey north. "Mexico, I have to say, has been very, very good... over the last four days since I talked about shutting down the border," he said. Trump indicated again that closing the border is no longer on the cards at present, but reiterated a warning that he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports from Mexico if illegal migration and drug smuggling are not controlled. Advertisement Trump said he could still order the border closed later. "I may shut it down at some point but I'd rather do tariffs," he said. While sounding tough, Trump's surprise shift to tariffs from the previous threat to close the border is a major retreat. Until Thursday, the White House had been signalling that Trump could imminently order a full or partial closure of the huge border in response to what Trump says is a "crisis" and "national emergency." There had even been speculation that he might announce such a move during his visit to Calexico, an area where new high fencing has been erected as part of Trump's plan for expanding border walls. The idea caused alarm among economists and Congress, including in Trump's Republican Party. Mexico is the third largest US trading partner and any hold ups at the border crossings would have an immediate impact on trade. Trump indicated there would be a one-year deadline for Mexico Advertisement Although a border closing has been pushed back, the tariffs idea is causing confusion. On Thursday, Trump indicated there would be a one-year deadline for Mexico to improve the situation before tariffs kicked in. However it was not clear if he meant that both for the drug smuggling and migration, or whether he wanted the migration issue resolved immediately. On Friday, he tweeted that tariffs would be slapped on Mexican-built cars "if for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from." It was unclear how such tariffs would fit into the countries' deeply intertwined trading relationship, which is governed by NAFTA, a free trade accord also including Canada that is due to be replaced by an updated version called the USMCA. Leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November after more than a year of negotiations. Trump said Friday that his tariffs would "supersede USMCA. It's a great deal, and it's very good for Mexico. But this will supersede USMCA." In Mexico City, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged investors to "stay calm." "Our relationship with the government of the United States is very good," he said. For the second instalment of our mini-series on working in Luxembourg we interviewed Elke Willaert (Microsoft) and Merle Liisu Lindma (Skype, a Microsoft division) to find out more about their companies operations here, and the career opportunities they offer. Lindma is based in Estonia, where she is responsible for Microsofts development centres in Luxembourg, Norway, and Estonia, as senior HR manager for Office 365. Willaert is Microsofts HR lead for the companys Belgium and Luxembourg-based organisations, though not development centres. Both Lindma and Willaert are very forthcoming during our interview, and in this article well briefly dive into what the organisations are doing here in the Grand Duchy, what they look for when recruiting, and what you can expect from a career with them. Microsoft and Skype in Luxembourg the basics Before getting into details such as what a career with either company might entail, lets take a quick look at what they actually do in Luxembourg. Starting with Willaert and Microsoft, she explained that the activities we have in Belgium and Luxembourg are marketing and sales operations. We have around 400 employees combined in Belgium and Luxembourg, of which 200 employees are working for the Belgium and Luxembourg territory specifically, and we have around 196 employees who are working for either our head office or our area offices or our global domains organisation. Lindma, meanwhile, noted that their range of activities in the Grand Duchy are somewhat broader, noting that they offer positions ranging from sales and marketing through to engineering. This would be the Skype that you use on your home PC to keep in touch with friends and family. In addition to that, Lindma says that they also work on aspects of the infrastructure behind Skype for business and Microsoft Teams, and that they have certain finance and operational functions in Luxembourg as well. Skype employs about 700 people in Estonia, Prague and Luxembourg, of which around 40 are based here. RTL RTL RTL RTL RTL RTL Les photos diffusees sur ce site sont soumises a des droits dauteurs et ne peuvent etre copiees, modifiees, vendues, sans lautorisation prealable du proprietaire du site en question. Why Luxembourg? As noted in the first instalment of this article, Luxembourg is notoriously good at attracting large international companies. Some put that down to favourable tax arrangements, but like Yellowlees of Amazon, Lindma and Willaert provided a rather different rationale. Lindma explains that the Skype offices in Luxembourg opened in 2004, long before it was acquired by Microsoft in 2011. This also made it one of the first Skype offices in Europe, having opened after the one in Estonia. Luxembourg was a good location for the company, says Lindma, as it has been and remains a great location to hire talent. Its centrally placed, and is a financial centre. On the Microsoft side of things, Willaert said that One of our key values ... is being customer-obsessed, and you can only be customer-obsessed if you are close with your customer, close physically as well and have a good understanding of the market. Getting a job what they look for If youre an engineer, thats a good starting point Lindma notes that there are much more open positions than good engineers to fill [them]. But that doesnt mean that you have to be an engineer to get a job with either company. Willaert adds that they take a balanced approach and look at both hard and soft skills: We have this kind of tagline that we love to use, and I believe it says a lot. It says come as you are, and do what you like. So, in first instance we are looking for people who are obviously passionate about technology, who believe in technology and the impact it can have. But especially for my side of the organisation, where you focus on sales and marketing people, we do expect a certain level of technical savviness. But we are also convinced that we can teach them that, and we invest a lot in the technical readiness. They further stress that its important to have an appetite for learning, as the ICT sector is changing quickly, which also requires hire energy. Willaert notes that these are the things in the interview we would screen for rather than do you have certain degrees. Whats obviously becoming much more relevant for us is having people who have the right industry knowledge. Because more and more we see that our sales people are engaging in conversations with business managers rather than IT people, especially if you talk about providing a service to a company, so we need someone who understands an industry and what their challenges are. Once youre in career and training Theres no doubt that the companies offer a substantial amount of training to employees, both mandatory and elective. Willaert places particular emphasis on technical savviness, and explains that they often talk about levels the lowest level is 100, and it goes up to 5-600, which is the really technical nerds as you call them. She explains that we now decided that we are engaging for our subsidiaries both in Belgium and Luxembourg training courses delivered face-to-face by our more technical colleagues to make sure all our employees are at least level 200. Lindma adds that its the same on the engineering side. We encourage people to book time on their calendar each and every week to learn new skillsets, to build up their understanding of the world, what is happening, both soft side and new programming languages. AI is definitely a topic that we are encouraging people to deal with. The training offered goes beyond the technical, though. Willaert notes that the training available to employees ranges from typical soft-skills like communication styles, like presentation skills, how to give feedback, how to receive feedback, going all the way up to the mindfulness courses that we offer. And, of course, they do offer language courses though at the moment these are limited to French here in Luxembourg: We offer French, not Luxembourgish Im sorry! said Lindma. However, they are open to offering other languages as well if interest is expressed internally or by their customers. Economic growth in East Africa is soaring ahead of other regions on the continent at close to seven per cent while the overall outlook for the rest of Africa is cautious, but positive. Job creation and ramping up manufacturing will continue to be major priority areas for creating growth and employment across the continent the African Development Bank regional reports noted. The Bank launched four of its five regional economic outlook reports this week in Abuja, Yaounde, Nairobi and Pretoria, with specific forecasts for West, Central, East and South Africa. The reports follow the January launch of the 2019 African Economic Outlook, which provides a broader, continent-wide perspective. East Africa is leading the continent with GDP growth estimated at 5.7 percent in 2018, followed by North Africa at 4.9 per cent, West Africa at 3.3 per cent, Central Africa at 2.2 per cent, and Southern Africa at 1.2 per cent. Stories Continues after ad Economic growth across Eastern Africa will remain at a robust 5.9 percent in 2019, making it a promising investment and manufacturing destination. Within the region, Ethiopia is in the lead as the fastest growing economy with a predicted 8.2 per cent growth in 2019, while Rwanda (7.8 per cent); Tanzania (6.6 per cent); Kenya (6 per cent), Djibouti (5.9 per cent) and Uganda(5.3 per cent) follow behind. Growth in Central Africa is gradually recovering, but remains below the average for Africa as a whole. It is supported by recovering commodity prices and higher agricultural output. The region is one of the continents least integrated, with potential for reforms and greater linkages, the Central Africa regional report said. The West Africa Regional Economic Outlook calls on the region to explore innovative means of raising revenue through reforms that enhance tax collection, minimize tax evasion, and curb illicit financial flows. Between 2014 and 2017, West Africas GDP growth trailed the rate for Africa as a whole, though it was faster than in Central and Southern Africa. Countries bucking the downward trend, such as Cote dIvoire, Ghana and Senegal, continue to offer positive examples of economic recovery in a sober economic environment. Growth in Southern Africa is expected to remain moderate in 2019 and 2020 after a modest recovery in 2017 and 2018. Southern Africas subdued growth is due mainly to economic stagnation in South Africa, the largest regional economy, which has a ripple effect on neighboring countries. All the regions face similar risks to their economic prospects in 201920, these include rising debt, fragility, population growth and climate change. Job creation, regional integration, key areas for focus From East to West, North to South, and across Central Africa, employment remains a major concern and concerted efforts must be made to keep up with growth rates, the reports noted. The flagship African Economic Outlook Report pinpoints industrialization as a key to the continents employment conundrum. Regional integration, the special theme for this years report, is seen as a key gateway to Africas economic growth, with a borderless Africa being the foundation of a competitive continental market. The report outlines five trade policy actions that could bring Africas total gains to 4.5 percent of its GDP, or $134 billion a year. First is eliminating all of todays applied bilateral tariffs in Africa. Second is keeping rules of origin simple, flexible, and transparent. Third is removing all nontariff barriers on goods and services trade on a most-favored-nation basis. Fourth is implementing the World Trade Organizations Trade Facilitation Agreement to reduce the time it takes to cross borders and the transaction costs tied to nontariff measures. Fifth is negotiating with other developing countries to reduce by half their tariffs and nontariff barriers on a most-favored-nation basis. Malaysias government said Wednesday that a luxury yacht allegedly bought with money stolen from a troubled state investment fund will be sold to casino operator Genting Berhad for $126 million, half its original price. Attorney General Tommy Thomas said the Admiralty Court on Wednesday approved the sale of the Equanimity, which has lavish amenities including a helicopter landing pad, plunge pool, gymnasium and a cinema. Genting will pay up by end of April, making it the highest recovery to date for the government from the scandal, he said in a statement. U.S. investigators say the $250 million yacht was bought with funds diverted from the 1MDB fund by fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, believed to be a key figure in the theft and international laundering of $4.5 billion from 1MDB. The yacht was seized by Indonesian authorities off Bali island last year in cooperation with the FBI and subsequently handed back to Malaysia. The U.S. Justice Department, one of several foreign agencies investigating the 1MDB scandal, had listed the yacht among the assets it could seize and sell to recover stolen funds. Advertisement Former Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB when he took power in 2009, but it accumulated billions in debts. The 1MDB fiasco led to Najibs shocking electoral defeat last May and ushered in the countrys first change of power since independence from Britain in 1957. Najib and his wife have been charged with multiple counts of corruption and money laundering and both have pleaded not guilty. Najibs first corruption trial began later Wednesday. Thomas said the Genting offer was the highest since the government opened bids for the 300-foot (91 1/2-meter) yacht in November. Although the estimated market value was $130 million, he said there was a saving of $4.4 million in agency commission as the sale was negotiated directly with the government. This judicial sale at $126 million is historic by any measure. It 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 a statement issued through his U.S. lawyers, Low who remains at large slammed the fire sale and said the proceeds have been further eroded by upkeep on the vessel. The Equanimity was built in 2014 by the Dutch yacht manufacturer Oceano, which received detailed instructions from Low about its outfitting, according to the Justice Departments asset recovery case. The new government has said that corruption by Najibs administration caused national debt to pile up and that the yacht was being sold to recover as much money as possible. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Singapore Airlines has grounded two of its Boeing 787-10 aircraft due to engine issues, the carrier said Tuesday. It said in a statement that premature blade deterioration was found on some engines of its 787-10 fleet at recent routine inspections. Pending engine replacements, two SIA 787-10 aircraft have been removed from service, it said. The carrier said it would operate other aircraft on the affected routes to minimize disruption. It said some flights were disrupted but gave no details. Advertisement Singapore Airlines said it was consulting engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and the relevant authorities for next steps and any precautionary measures. SIA became the first carrier in the world to fly the 787-10, beginning last year. The 337-seat aircraft includes 301 seats in economy and 36 lie-flat seats in business class. Like many other places, Singapore has grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft following two fatal crashes of Max 8 planes, in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia last month. ____ This story has been corrected to show that the Boeing aircraft grounded by Singapore and other countries is the 737 Max, not the 787 Max. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. French carmaker Renaults board will hold a special meeting to discuss recent results of its internal investigation of its former boss Carlos Ghosn, amid reports of suspicious payments under his watch. The board meeting planned for Wednesday will also look into Ghosns 2018 pay as chairman and CEO of Renault SA, a Renault official told The Associated Press. Ghosn, under investigation in Tokyo, has denied wrongdoing. He was chairman of Nissan and headed the two automakers alliance until his arrest in November in Japan. He was released on bail in March pending his trial in Tokyo. Advertisement Unconfirmed media reports this week said the company has handed information about payments worth millions of euros (dollars) to a Renault-Nissan distributor in Oman from its probe to French prosecutors. Ghosns representatives called the reports false. In a statement, they 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. French prosecutors did not comment. In Tokyo on Tuesday, Ghosns lawyer said he has petitioned a Tokyo court seeking separate judicial proceedings for Ghosn and Nissan Motor Co., who currently are co-defendants in a financial misconduct trial. Hironaka reiterated Ghosns innocence and accused Nissan of working as one with prosecutors who have charged him with breach of trust and with falsifying financial reports in under-stating his compensation. The lawyer declined comment on the reports about Renaults investigation. He said that under a plea bargaining process that is relatively new in Japan, some Nissan executives have escaped prosecution in return for cooperating with the prosecutors, Hironaka said. That has helped prosecutors shape a narrative that suggests Ghosn is guilty, he said. Hironaka, who has a strong track record for acquittals in a country where the conviction rate is over 99%, said he preferred that a different judge hear testimony from the executives who took plea bargains. Having Ghosn and his former employer Nissan face trial together would be unfair, he said. No matter how you look at it, Nissan is not a defendant but a prosecutor, Hironaka said. Hironaka also requested that Ghosn be tried separately from another defendant in the case, Greg Kelly, a Nissan executive accused of facilitating Ghosns misconduct. ___ Kageyama contributed from Tokyo. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A government watchdog said Friday it will review costly outside contracts to handle public relations for Medicare chief Seema Verma, whose agency oversees health insurance programs covering more than 100 million Americans. Responding to a request by congressional Democrats, the Health and Human Services inspector generals office said it will examine Vermas public relations contracts at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, known as CMS. Democrats called Vermas contracts a highly questionable use of taxpayer dollars at the same time her agency had slashed the ad budget for the Affordable Care Act, hindering enrollment. Instead of spending resources to improve health care for everyone in the country, Administrator Verma appears to have steered money to political allies in an effort to boost her reputation, said Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Patty Murray, D.-Wash., in a letter requesting the probe. Advertisement The lawmakers questioned why Verma would be using outside contractors to write her speeches and handle some media calls when her agency already has an extensive communications staff. The inspector generals office wrote back it had already begun its review. Inspector General Daniel Levinson said his agency will examine whether Verma complied with federal regulations and ethics requirements. A CMS spokesman said in statement that its parent agency Health and Human Services had asked the inspector general for an audit. CMS said it stopped work on the public relations contracts earlier this week. The spokesman said CMS would work with the inspector generals office. The outside contracts involve two Republican consultants and a longtime spokesman for Verma. They were first reported by Politico. The news site said the arrangements were subcontracts under a larger government contract with a major public relations firm. Verma, a former health care consultant who is a protege of Vice President Mike Pence, came to the Trump administration after designing Indianas Medicaid expansion when Pence was governor of that state. As head of Medicare and Medicaid, she has pushed for work requirements for low-income able-bodied adults on Medicaid. That initiative was recently blocked by a federal judge, who questioned whether it complies with a core Medicaid mission defined by Congress, which is to provide medical assistance to the poor. Verma has also championed the use of technology to get Medicare beneficiaries more involved in their care. And she has overseen changes to private insurance plans under Medicare Advantage, providing insurers with more flexibility, but also allowing for new benefits for seniors, such as limited in-home help. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Over the past 13 years, actor/playwright/pianist Hershey Felder has repeatedly returned to San Diego to present a half dozen of his music-filled solo shows about famous composers. This month, hes back with Hershey Felder, Beethoven, a much-improved rework of a play he first presented in 2008 at The Old Globe. Where the original piece, Beethoven as I Knew Him, was gloomy, melodramatic and oftentimes dull, the new piece that opened Friday at San Diego Repertorys Lyceum Theatre is engrossing and well-designed and Felders performance has become far more nuanced. While the heart of the script is the same, the show is now more performance than static music history lecture. Felder has narrowed the scope of his story and focuses on playing only music that advance the shows plot. This time, he plays rather than conducts to recorded music the opening of the famously bombastic Symphony No. 5. But he builds the bulk of his story around some of Beethovens more dolce, or tender, works, like the reflective first movement of the Moonlight Sonata. Over the years, Felders skills have grown as a playwright, storyteller and pianist, the last of these especially noticeable in the blazing fingerwork in the Sonata Pathetique. The melancholy piece, written in Beethovens preferred key of C minor, was composed when he was 28 years old and beginning to lose his hearing. Advertisement Felder adapted his 90-minute play from a late-in-life autobiography by Viennese doctor Gerhard von Breuning. His father was a childhood best friend to Beethoven and young Gerhard was 12 years old when he met the aging, disheveled and profoundly deaf composer on the street in 1825. They became close family friends until Beethovens death two years later at age 56. The play opens in a graveyard on Oct. 13, 1863, where Beethovens long-buried remains have been disinterred so they can be better secured from grave robbers in a metal case. Von Breuning has come to plead with members of the Vienna music society to allow Beethovens skull to be kept above ground so it could be studied by scientists, which was one of the composers final requests. But as in life, Beethoven rarely ever got what he wished for. Dressed in an 18th century-style topcoat, his black shoulder-length hair powdered white, Felder alternates between portraying the soft-spoken von Breuning and the ill-tempered Beethoven. The story covers Beethovens wretched childhood, unrequited longing for married and upper-class women, family battles and personal hygiene issues as well as the groundbreaking romantic style of his music and how it reflected his emotional struggles. The shows design is grand and evocative. Felder himself created the scenery, a grand piano at the center of a tumbledown Viennese graveyard dominated by Beethovens white obelisk-like tomb. The haunting and hypnotically undulating lighting and projections by Christopher Ash are especially effective. Although he travels extensively with apartments in several cities, Felders production office and creative team are based in San Diego and he has a large and fiercely loyal local audience. As a result, San Diego has been the proving ground for many of Felders plays. So its nice to see Beethoven back home again in such improved form. Hershey Felder, Beethoven When: 7 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. (Some exceptions; check with theater.) Through March 24. Where: San Diego Reps Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown Tickets: $25-$114 Phone: (619) 544-1000 Online: sdrep.org pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com. Twitter: @pamkragen A Navy captain described by his Pacific Fleet commander as the standard-bearer in the public affairs community was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for his role in the years-long Fat Leonard scandal that torpedoed dozens of naval officers careers. Retired Capt. Jeffrey Breslau, 52, pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge that his business relationship with Leonard Glenn Fat Leonard Francis constituted a conflict of interest. Breslau fought back tears Friday in a San Diego courtroom as he said he was sorry for what he had done and how it affected his wife, family and country. After retiring from the Navy, Breslau said, he worked as a spokesman for the city of Johns Creek, Georgia, but after his guilty plea he left that job. Now he is working part-time at a fast food restaurant. Advertisement I understand what rock bottom means, Breslau said. The so-called Fat Leonard scandal rocked the Navy and tarnished the reputation of a generation of officers. Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to orchestrating a massive bribery and corruption scheme involving scores of naval officers. His company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, served as the Navys primary ship husbanding agent in the western Pacific and, over the course of decades, over-charged the Navy $35 million in bogus or inflated fees. A network of Navy officers and officials, including an NCIS agent, worked for years to thwart multiple investigations into Francis and his company and to steer Navy ships to ports controlled by his company. In exchange, Francis provided his network of corrupt officials with cash, travel, fine dining, lavish parties and prostitutes. Francis has yet to be sentenced. He is on house arrest in San Diego and is a witness for the prosecution. Breslau was one of the top public affairs officers for the Navys Pacific Fleet, headquartered in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from October 2009 through July 2012. According to a 2012 evaluation by Adm. Patrick Walsh, the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Breslau was the best PAO in the Navy, and a must-select for the admiral ranks. In March of that year Breslau had begun secretly working for Francis, who was, by then, the subject of an expansive criminal investigation. Breslau worked for him for more than a year; he wrote, reviewed or edited at least 33 documents, and provided Francis with talking points for meetings with high ranking Navy officials. He also served as a ghostwriter for Francis email communications to the Navy. Francis paid him $65,000. Breslau never disclosed this arrangement to his superiors. Francis was arrested in 2013 in a San Diego hotel room. In the five years since, 33 others have been charged in the scheme, with 22 pleading guilty. Hundreds more were investigated by the Navy. U.S. Attorney Mark Pletcher, in comments during Breslaus sentencing hearing, compared him to a hired hitman, using a pen instead of a sword, because Breslau used his Navy training to help Francis fight the Navy. Breslau used Skype instead of email to communicate with Francis to conceal his activity, Pletcher noted. He knew the rules, Pletcher said. U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino, in handing down Breslaus sentence, said his crime was extraordinarily serious. Breslaus attorneys in their comments compared their clients fate to others in the case. Other officers caught up in the Fat Leonard scandal have escaped prosecution. Of the estimated 500 officers investigated by the Department of Defense for their contacts with Francis, a majority were cleared of criminal wrongdoing. Some did receive reprimands, reduction in rank or censure from the Navy. In December, a two-star admiral in line for a Trump administration appointment was censured by Navy Secretary Richard Spencer. In his letter, Spencer detailed instances in which retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery accepted meals and hotel stays in exchange for feeding Franci information on ship movements. Montgomery also lied to investigators in a written statement, Spencer said. Montgomery was described in an email from someone at Francis company perhaps Francis as a top shelf friend. The most extensive prosecution in the scandal has yet to go to trial. Nine Navy and Marine Corps officers from the Navys Seventh Fleet await trial together in San Diego. A Breslaus attorney, Renee Stackhouse, told the Union-Tribune that the government is using Breslau to send a message to those still fighting federal charges. I think that the sentencing today was an attempt to act as a general deterrent, Stackhouse said. This case was used to send a message to all the unresolved cases. Those unresolved cases involve Francis almost complete infiltration of the Seventh Fleet, where prosecutors say officers in key decision-making positions routinely partied with the contractor, traveled on his dime and were entertained by prostitutes. William Cowden, Breslaus other attorney, told the judge his client did not accept bribes, hotel stays or prostitutes, nor did he provide classified information. This is a unique prosecution, Cowden said. Stackhouse noted the disparity in consequences faced by Naval officers in federal court and those adjudicated by the Navy. It is disheartening for (Breslau) when you look at what they did and what he did, she said. There seems to be a disparity in sentencing. Breslau was fined $20,000 and ordered to pay back the Navy $65,000. He reports to prison in April. After he is released from custody, Breslau will serve two years supervised release and perform 250 hours community service. Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter. Fresh off a major legal victory, the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club called Tuesday for exploring the use of in-county carbon offsets as a way to address car and truck pollution from new suburban developments. The conservation group defeated the county in San Diego Superior Court last month, halting its third attempt to draft a Climate Action Plan. The main sticking point was a provision that would have allowed developers to purchase offsets credits anywhere in the world, rather than having to fully address the carbon footprints of new housing developments. San Diego Countys carbon-offset plan for developers in jeopardy but some projects could survive The legal victory, which may be appealed, has thrown the fate of as many as 10,000 new housing units into question. Advertisement Weve been contacted by a bunch of developers, which is interesting, George Courser, a spokesman for the Sierra Club San Diego chapter, told the Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting. This usually isnt an occurrence that we have. Courser said that the Sierra Club would like to meet with county staff and the development community to discuss drafting an in-county offset program to fund everything from public transit to electrifying port operations to protecting regional forest lands. We believe that all the mitigation for any greenhouse gas should take place here in the county to benefit the citizens of California and San Diego, but it appears that county planners dont agree with that, Courser said. Thats where Sierra Club and the developers feel this is a mistake, he added. We invite the county planners to discuss this. The Board of Supervisors didnt respond to the Sierra Clubs request at the meeting, and the county declined to comment for this story. The Building Industry Association of San Diego County wouldnt say whether any of its members has reached out to the Sierra Club. The development community has decried the courts December ruling as compounding the states housing shortage. The San Diego-based Climate Action Campaign, which has vocally supported the Sierra Club in its lawsuit against the county, distanced itself on Tuesday from the groups offer to consider the use of local offsets credits as part of the countys climate plan. The idea that were going to be able craft our own offset program thats verifiable and enforceable is dubious at best, said Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign. The idea of building sprawl is not tenable even with offsets. Carbon offsets are bought through nonprofit online storefronts known as registries and can fund everything from land conservation to sustainable agricultural practices to reforestation projects. California shepherded the creation of several carbon registries and a complicated accounting system for greenhouse gases about a decade ago as part of its cap-and-trade program. Californias carbon-credit market often pays for greenhouse gas reductions that wouldve happened anyway There are currently no offset programs in the San Diego region selling credits through one of the state-backed registries, such as the Climate Action Reserve, American Carbon Registry and Verified Carbon Standard. In a sternly worded ruling, Judge Timothy B. Taylor found the countys offset program lacked oversight and violated its 2011 general plan update, which called for drafting a climate blueprint to reduce greenhouse gas locally. This is the countys third attempt to draft a legally defensible climate plan since 2012. In his ruling, Taylor called the changes to its latest iteration window dressing and said the people of the county have a right to expect more from their elected officials. Ahead of the ruling, the Board of Supervisors approved four major projects that rely on carbon offsets, including Newland Sierra, Valiano, Harmony Grove Village South and Otay 250 Sunroad. The Sierra Club has also challenged each of those projects in court. In November, the board put several other projects on hold, including Lilac Hills Ranch, Otay Ranch 14, Warner Ranch and dozens of smaller parcel changes. Twitter: @jemersmith Phone: (619) 293-2234 Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com A far-right populist party known for anti-immigration and euroskeptic views sealed a deal Saturday to be one of three coalition partners in Estonias next government. The Estonian Conservative Peoples Party, or EKRE, said its coalition with the centrist Center Party and the conservative Fatherland would create a majority government in the Baltic country, a member of both NATO and the European Union. Under the three-way deal, Center leader Juri Ratas would be prime minister, a role he held from November 2016 until Estonias March 3 general election. Each of the coalition partners would have five ministers in the 15-member Cabinet. Their coalition would control 57 of the 101 seats in parliament, a comfortable majority. However, Estonias president must formally task the three parties with forming a government to put them in power. Advertisement President Kersti Kaljulaid said Friday that she gave the assignment to the head of the center-right Reform Party, the elections top vote-getter. The populist EKRE party is run by a father and son, chairman Mart Helme, 69, and vice chairman Martin Helme, 42. Both men would have a substantial say in the Cabinet. Mart Helme would be interior minister and Martin Helme would serve as finance minister. The party has advocated abolishing the law recognizing same-sex civil unions, demanded changes to the countrys abortion law and fiercely opposed European Union quotas for taking in asylum-seekers. The elder Helme, who was Estonias ambassador to Russia in 1995-1999, said the pact with the other two parties protects key promises given to our party and voters. Were going to show a firm commitment to standing up for Estonias cause in the government and governing in an honest and efficient way, he said. EKREs strong nationalist rhetoric and growing popularity since it was formed in 2012 has caused concern in Estonia, particularly among the former Soviet republics minority population of ethnic Russians. Andres Kasekamp, an expert on Estonia and history professor at the University of Toronto, said EKREs rise in politics already has led to the vulgarization of public debate and the polarization of Estonian society. The party whipped anti-immigrant and homophobic hysteria to win votes last months election, Kasekamp alleged. Certainly Estonias international image will be damaged if the country will now be placed unfairly in the same boat as the illiberal governments of Hungary and Poland, he said. The three parties in the proposed coalition issued a joint statement Saturday condemning manifestations of ethnic hatred, anti-Semitism and rhetoric splitting the society. EKRE claims to defend the interests of ethnic Estonians. One of its lawmakers, Enn Polluaas, was elected parliament speaker on Thursday. Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said Friday she had tasked Reform Party leader Kaja Kallas, as the head of the party that received the most support in the election, with forming a government. Kallas would be Estonias first woman prime minister. The center-right Reform Party received 28.9% of the vote. The Center Party came in second with 23.1%, followed by EKRE with 17.8%. Only five parties exceeded the threshold needed to have representatives in Parliament. With three of the parties in a coalition, that leaves Kallas the option of forming a minority government with the Social Democratic Party. But she has said that wasnt on the table. Kallas said shed make her plans known on April 15. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. Advertisement 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. 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. Theres dealers advertising them now and there are chat rooms where people are discussing buying them and were getting calls from dealers asking whats 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. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Nevadas demand for the U.S. government to remove weapons-grade plutonium that was secretly trucked to a site north of Las Vegas last year contradicts its claim that moving radioactive material is dangerous, according to lawyers for South Carolina, where the shipment originated. South Carolina and the U.S. Energy Department filed their first responses this week to Nevadas legal challenge in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Nevada appealed after a federal judge in Reno refused to temporarily ban any more shipments to the state and added a request to remove the plutonium already there. The Trump administration has promised no more plutonium will be transported to Nevada from the Savannah River Site in South Carolina or any other nuclear facility. But government attorneys say the courts have no legal power to undo the shipment thats already been made. South Carolina says moving the plutonium from the Nevada National Security Site would repeat the risks of effects that Nevada claimed in district court would cause it irreparable harm. Advertisement The publics interest does not favor unnecessary shipments of defense plutonium over the nations highways, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson wrote in a brief filed Monday. He argued that the plutonium is stored safely at the Nevada National Security Site and should stay there until the federal government is ready to move it to its final home in New Mexico. The filing did not reference a March 13 warning from an independent government advisory board about significant earthquake dangers at the sites facility where officials say the plutonium is stored 60 miles (97 kilometers) from Las Vegas. A seismically induced high explosive violent reaction could result in unmitigated dose consequences to the public, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Board told Energy Secretary Rick Perry in a letter last month. The board said the facility is operating with unknown risk, which a 2007 hazards study revealed. The shipment of one-half metric ton (1,102 pounds) of plutonium which was kept secret until January was part of the governments effort to comply with an earlier court order to remove at least a metric ton (2,204 pounds) of the material from the Savannah River Site by Jan. 1, 2020. The Energy Department unsuccessfully appealed the December 2016 order, arguing that removing the plutonium by the deadline was simply impossible if it also complied with environmental laws. Nevadas lawyers said that months later, the impossible happened and the Department of Energy completed an analysis declaring the Nevada site a prime candidate for indefinitely housing the material. DOEs previous capacity, safety, security and surveillance concerns magically disappeared, Nevada said in its appeal. The governments new filing says Nevada took those comments out of context. It says references to potential radiation exposure and difficulty meeting the 2020 deadline were tied to an initial plan to dilute the plutonium into waste a process known as down blending for disposal. The weapons-useable plutonium at issue here is not being down blended or turned into waste. ... The plutonium here is being repurposed for weapons production, government lawyers wrote. Nevadas concerns that the shipping containers may experience corrosion and are unsafe for storage come from an earlier federal declaration, which discussed handling plutonium in a different form. The government disclosed in its filing that the plutonium shipped to Nevada was in solid metal form and lacks the same concerns. State Attorney General Aaron Ford criticized federal officials for releasing key information only when it is convenient and beneficial for them to do so. The Department of Energys recent disclosure demonstrates why Nevadas lawsuit was necessary, Ford said in a statement. Unfortunately, Nevada only learns this critical information through litigation. Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak vowed to do what it takes to get this unwanted weapons-grade plutonium out of Nevada. U.S. Judge Miranda Du in Reno denied a motion seeking to block any shipments pending the appeal. She said the matter was moot because the plutonium already had been shipped. ____ Associated Press writer Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Donald Trump isnt on the ballot for Israels national election, yet hes a dominant factor for many American Jews as they assess the high stakes of Tuesdays balloting. At its core, the election is a judgment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has won the post four times but now faces corruption charges. In his battle for political survival, Netanyahu has aligned closely with Trump a troubling tactic for the roughly 75% of American Jewish voters who lean Democratic. The world has come to understand that Netanyahu is essentially the political twin of Donald Trump, said Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal pro-Israel group J Street. Unlike his previous elections, there is a much deeper antagonism toward Netanyahu because of that close affiliation between him and Trump and the Republican Party. Netanyahu featured Trump in a recent campaign video, while Trump has made a series of policy moves viewed as strengthening Netanyahu in the eyes of Israeli voters, including relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and officially recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Advertisement Its troubling, said Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. The U.S.-Israel relationship should not be about any two leaders or any two parties. The American Jewish community wants the relationship to remain on a bipartisan basis. Though it leans Democratic overall, the American Jewish community numbering 5.5 million to 6 million is not monolithic. Most older Jews remain supportive of Israels current Middle East policies, as does the roughly 10% of the Jewish population that is Orthodox. Jewish billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has been a staunch financial supporter of Trump and the GOP. Trump extended his personal thanks to Adelson on Saturday in a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas. The president also boasted extensively about his Israel-related policy moves. Unlike other presidents, I keep my promises, he said, referring to the embassy relocation. Trump mentioned Netanyahu only briefly in his speech, predicting the election would be close and describing both the prime minister and his main challenger, former army chief of staff Benny Gantz, as good people. Divisions among U.S. Jews have been exacerbated by recent allegations of anti-Semitism directed at the Democrats two Muslim congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Seizing on the controversy, Trump tweeted his support for a purported Jexodus movement that would encourage Jews to leave the Democratic Party. Republicans are waiting with open arms, Trump tweeted on March 15. Morton Klein, president of the conservative Zionist Organization of America, predicts such an exodus will take place because of the Democrats decision to avoid explicit condemnation of the congresswomen. Ben-Ami scoffed at the notion, suggesting that Jexodus was a fantasy of pro-Trump operatives. Ive yet to meet an actual Obama/Clinton voter whos said publicly theyre switching to vote for Donald Trump, he said. This is not real. Its completely made up. New York-based journalist Jane Eisner, former editor of The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, said many American Jews have Netanyahu fatigue even some who supported him in past. Among liberal Jews, Eisner said, there are strong worries that Netanyahu will push Israels government even further to the right if he wins, perhaps moving to annex some land in the occupied West Bank with confidence that the Trump administration will not object. Morton Klein conceded that some Jews have grown weary of Netanyahu, but predicted he would prevail. People would be nervous if hes not there, Klein said. Jack Rosen, president of the American Jewish Congress, said any surge in Netanyahu fatigue should not be interpreted as a weakening of American Jews support for Israeli. There is a sense of fatigue having one leader for 10 years, Rosen said. Just as weve had Clinton fatigue and Bush fatigue. Among liberal and centrist American Jews, dismay with Netanyahu extends beyond his alliance with Trump. Some say hes been too harsh in his treatment of migrants, and they bemoan his backtracking on a promise to allow mixed-gender prayer at the Western Wall. Perhaps most disturbing has been Netanyahus alliance with an ultranationalist political party linked to a movement previously banned for anti-Arab racism and incitement. That political alliance was assailed as repugnant by Eric Yoffie, a rabbi from Westfield, New Jersey, in a March 27 op-ed in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Yoffie also decried Netanyahus excessive enthusiasm for Trump. Cordial relations are essential, wrote Yoffie, president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism. But the sycophantic buddy movie that Bibi has produced with Americas unbalanced and unpredictable president is something else altogether ... Bibis egregious and unnecessary embrace of everything Trump will cost Israel dearly. In Israel, a prevalent view, at least in pro-Netanyahu ranks, is that the prime ministers friendship with Trump is paying unprecedented dividends. There is widespread sentiment that liberal American Jews, as a constituency, are dissipating due to intermarriage, and that the evangelical Christian community in the U.S. is a more dependable ally for Israel. At last years ceremony in Jerusalem celebrating the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv, evangelical Christian pastors allied with Trump delivered the opening and closing blessings. Netanyahus main challenger in the election is popular in Israel but has a relatively low profile in the United States. American Jews who dislike Netanyahu view Gantz as preferable, due in part to a less combative personality, but liberals note with frustration that the platform of Gantzs Blue and White party makes no mention of Palestinian statehood, and says that Israel will maintain control of parts of the West Bank. Emily Mayer of IfNotNow, a group of youthful American Jewish activists opposed to Israels treatment of Palestinians, is dismayed at how that issue has been marginalized in the Israeli election campaign. Regardless of the winner, the utter erasure of Palestinian humanity from this election cycle and the normalization of an undemocratic and immoral military occupation should alarm any Jew who cares about freedom and dignity of Israelis and Palestinians, Mayer said in an email. ___ Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Sheriff deputies in central Florida say they are cracking down on groups of ATV riders who have hit a sheriffs deputy and assaulted a pregnant woman and her husband after a fender-bender. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Thursday that police agencies throughout central Florida met this week to plan tactics for discouraging the groups of all-terrain-vehicle and motorcycle riders. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the riders run red lights, pop wheelies and weave in and out of traffic on city streets, toll roads and Floridas Turnpike. Its illegal to ride ATVs on public roads. Last weekend, deputies arrested 12 riders, most of whom were from South Florida and the Tampa area. The riders were loosely organized groups who referred to their gathering as Orlando ride-out on social media sites. Advertisement ___ Information from: Orlando Sentinel, https://www.orlandosentinel.com/ Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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 bills bias crimes language after several Democratic senators urged its defeat, saying it falls short of whats 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 hell 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. Advertisement 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 laws language refers to Indianas bias crimes reporting statute that mentions color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion and sexual orientation, but doesnt explicitly cover age, sex or gender identity. However, the bill says bias can also be considered due to the victims or the groups real or perceived characteristic, trait, belief, practice, association, or other attribute. 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 Tuesdays 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 hes 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. Theres no reasonable assertion as to why this all-inclusive measure doesnt take Indiana off the list, he said in a statement. The Indiana Chamber of Commerces 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 thats 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. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Maryland police officer is being hailed as a hero after he pulled a woman from a burning minivan right before it was fully engulfed in flames. The Capital Gazette reports that the incident occurred last weekend in Glen Burnie, which is south of Baltimore. Anne Arundel County Police Cpl. Glenn Whisman was working the midnight shift. He was the first to the reach the scene. The woman drifted out of consciousness as the fire in the engine compartment spread. Whisman fought back the flames with a small fire extinguisher and unbuckled her seatbelt. As he pulled her through a window, one of the tires exploded from the heat. Flames engulfed the vehicle right after he pulled her out. Advertisement County Police Chief Timothy Altomare said Whismans actions were nothing short of heroic. ___ Information from: The Capital, https://www.capitalgazette.com/ Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Marylands Department of Health is issuing a warning after confirming a case of measles. A department news release issued Friday says anyone who visited 4000 Old Court Road in Pikesville in Baltimore County last Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. Officials also say individuals who may have been exposed at additional locations are being directly notified. The health department says people who were at the Pikeville address, especially those who arent vaccinated, should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles, including fever. People who develop symptoms of measles should contact their health care provider, but should not go to child care, school, work or out in public, as they might have early symptoms of measles and might be contagious. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. It appears that North Carolina has so far kept at bay a disease that kills white-tailed deer. The Citizen-Times in Ashville reported Friday that state officials found no evidence of the disease in more than 3,000 white-tailed deer that were killed during the 2018-19 hunting season. Earlier this year, the states Wildlife Resources Commission approved a ban on imports of whole deer carcasses to prevent the spread of the disease. Chronic wasting disease is always fatal. Its a neurological disease that affects deer and similar animals such elk and moose. Advertisement Twenty six states and three Canadian provinces have documented chronic wasting disease. Two states that border North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, have had confirmed cases. ___ Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, https://www.citizen-times.com Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Ohio would spend about $400 million more on school funding next fiscal year and $320 million more the following year under a proposed overhaul of the funding system, according to estimates shared Friday by lawmakers advocating for the plan. No school districts would lose money next year, they said, and over 500 of the 610 districts would get additional funding during the upcoming two-year budget. Those estimated increases range from a few thousand dollars to more than $20 million. The proponents emphasized that the figures are preliminary, using estimates for certain data that isnt yet known or that might change, such as property values and local income. Democratic Rep. John Patterson, of Jefferson, and Republican Rep. Bob Cupp, of Lima, led the workgroup proposing a new funding plan phased in over four years. They said its a fairer division of local and state funding, and factors in the cost of educating a child and a communitys capacity to help pay for that. Advertisement The school-funding system has been repeatedly adjusted since the Ohio Supreme Court found it unconstitutional in 1997, and Patterson has referred to fixing the system as a legacy project. But big questions about the plan remain unsettled: Does Ohio have enough revenue to fund it? And will lawmakers considering the plan ultimately support an overhaul? The current formula is a mix of federal funding, local sources such as taxes, and state disbursements that vary depending on enrollment and property values, but it doesnt apply to more than 80 percent of districts because of funding caps and guarantees that further complicate things. Advocates have expressed hope that fairer funding would help address an achievement gap correlated to poverty. Public-school advocates and teachers unions have praised ideas in the Cupp-Patterson proposal. Some aspects of the plan overlap GOP Gov. Mike DeWines two-year budget proposal, which was introduced before the suggested school-funding revamp and didnt reflect changes to the formula but did call for allotting $550 million in new funding to support services such as mental health counseling and after-school programs, particularly in higher-poverty areas. The lawmakers proposal calls for determining a base cost for educating children in each district, then adding funding to provide for other needs, such as students in poverty, career technical education, and preschool access for economically disadvantaged 4-year-olds. It also would end the system of caps and guarantees that diverts so many districts off the existing funding formula. The expected local share of K-12 funding for each district would take into account property values as well as income levels. The result, according to the estimates, would mean millions more dollars from the state for some districts and nothing for others . The largest district, Columbus schools, would see an estimated $5.5 million more in the next fiscal year and an additional $16.2 million the following year, not counting the preschool expansion. Cincinnati and Akron would see multimillion-dollar boosts, while Cleveland, Dayton, Toledo, Youngstown and dozens of smaller districts would get no increase. Cupp and Patterson also propose directly funding charter schools, rather than continuing to pull that funding from the districts where their students live, but they said lawmakers still would have to sort out details of that. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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 arent 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. Its not art, said Patty Loew, director of Northwestern Universitys Center for Native American and Indigenous Research. If someone dug up your great-grandmothers 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. Advertisement James Rondeau, the Art Institutes president and director, said that as the shows 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. Kati Murphy, the museums executive director of public affairs, said the delay came after officials conducted a Native American scholars 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, Chicagos American Indian Center executive, said she advised the museum that this issue touches a nerve and that the museums decision to delay the opening is wonderful. Members of the (scholars 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. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Baltimores 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 Marylands 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 citys 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, Ive been doing this for the last 21 years, making the wheels turn, and its going to continue to turn, he said. Advertisement Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat, described the circumstances as frustrating as hell in the last week of the states legislative session, as Baltimore officials often have to overcome tough images and a negative narrative attached to Marylands largest city, which struggles with violent crime. I hope that shes 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. The Baltimore Sun reports Pugh repeatedly sponsored legislation during her time as a Maryland state senator that wouldve benefited the University of Maryland Medical System, which paid Pugh $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her self-published Healthy Holly childrens books. Between 2011 and 2016, Pugh sponsored and co-sponsored several bills that wouldve 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 Pughs 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 Pughs 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 didnt carry legislation for UMMS, Pugh said. There was no contract behind UMMS book deal with Pugh, and the hospital network one of Marylands 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 systems board since 2001. One-third of UMMS board members received compensation through the medical systems arrangements with their businesses. Legislation is pending in Marylands 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 Pughs 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 Pughs 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 citys 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. Pughs 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, https://www.baltimoresun.com Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Baltimore already faced daunting challenges: soaring violent crime, a thriving drug economy and poverty so intense that some derelict neighborhoods look like they were hit by a plague. Now, Mayor Catherine Pugh is embroiled in a strange scandal, sucking attention away from those core issues while embarrassing Marylands biggest city on a national scale. The allegations surrounding the first-term mayor conjure up a bizarre world where no-contract financial deals intersect with childrens picture books, of all things. Since 2011, the Democrat has somehow received payments totaling at least $700,000 for tens of thousands of self-published 20-page books with titles like Healthy Holly: Fruits Come in Colors Like the Rainbow. Her main customers for the hard-to-find paperbacks: a $4 billion medical network, on whose board she served, that paid her personal business half-a-million dollars for 100,000 copies; and a health care provider that bought Healthy Holly books after she became mayor, as that company was seeking a city contract. Its Baltimores latest chapter of murky politics and alleged corruption, of odd bedfellows and weird contradictions. For many locals, its yet another reminder that their hometown seems doomed to repeat cycles of tawdry mismanagement, reinforcing tales of homegrown sleaze ingrained in pop culture by the gritty TV drama The Wire. Advertisement Baltimores insular politics, with its interlocked civic and political elite, and without clear divides among parties or factions, creates the conditions for scandals like this one, said Daniel Schlozman, a political science professor at Johns Hopkins University. For Pugh, an affable, image-conscious politician who was once the state Senate majority leader and ran a public relations firm, the stakes could not be higher. Allegations of blatant self-dealing have left her increasingly isolated and politically vulnerable. As a growing chorus presses for her resignation, her spokespeople say shes retreated to her home on doctors orders, taking an indefinite leave of absence due to a pneumonia bout. Yet at a rambling press conference last week, Pugh painted her Healthy Holly initiative as entirely well-intentioned, while calling her whopping $500,000 book deal with the University of Maryland Medical System a regrettable mistake. She held up baby bibs and onesies emblazoned with words like play and crawl that she said were part of a Healthy Holly lifestyle message. As public trust appears to erode with each new revelation, many political observers wonder if an indictment will come from an investigation into Pughs financial dealings as an elected official. On Monday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan formally asked for a criminal investigation into Pughs activities by the State Prosecutors Office, which investigates public corruption. Pughs lawyer, Steven Silverman, said she looks forward to cooperating with the state prosecutors investigation and will provide as much information as possible to put this matter to rest. While the accusations raise clouds over Baltimores mayor, Pugh hasnt been indicted for anything and its far from clear how long the criminal investigation will take. Pugh might even try forging ahead, at least through 2020 when her term expires, but many political analysts believe she would never be able to wield power effectively. It wasnt supposed to be this way. Pugh came to office contrasting her clean image with her main opponent, ex-mayor Sheila Dixon who was forced to depart office in 2010 as part of a plea deal for misappropriating about $500 in gift cards meant for needy families. But as Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks wrote of Pugh in a Tuesday piece, it turns out the woman who was elected because she did not come with baggage turns out to have had a matching set of luggage youd need five bellhops to carry. Acknowledging that Baltimore faces more tough times due to the latest scandal, Democratic U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings urged people to focus on the many Baltimoreans working hard to transform the city in ways big and small. I want everyone to remain focused on the fact that there are thousands of good people doing important work every single day to make Baltimore a better place to live and work, said Cummings, a native of the city, in a statement touching on Pughs leave of absence. That kind of pep talk is recurrent in Baltimore, a city with a shrinking population and public officials who keep getting into trouble. Just last week, Pughs onetime police commissioner, Darryl De Sousa, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for tax fraud. A crowning frustration preoccupies city leaders: Baltimores latest scandal is unfolding amid the overwhelming, unmet expectations of citizens in large swaths of the startlingly segregated city. Theres a failing school system, crumbling infrastructure, and a beleaguered police department under federal oversight. Some members of Baltimores influential legislative delegation in Marylands capital are now describing Pughs scandal in almost existential terms. I hope that shes doing some real soul searching, said state Sen. Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat. This is such a distraction from where we need to be and the issues that we should be focused on to really help rebuild a great American city, so now weve just got to pull it together and figure out what the future holds. Another city Democrat, Sen. Antonio Hayes, put it more bluntly: Its frustrating as hell. ___ Follow McFadden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcfadd Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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 SECs 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. Advertisement 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 isnt 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 Exxons board and approved a measure urging the company to explain how climate-change policies could affect the its business. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. Advertisement 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 citys 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. Were 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 Yorks 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. Singapores 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 theres 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. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. Theres 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. Were going to get left in the dust unless we change some things pretty quickly. Advertisement 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. 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 dont give lines of credit in our space, so were 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. Its a tiny pool of investors, and its stifling our ability to expand. Meanwhile, theres a massive industry expansion taking place in every other state. Another proposal , a wide-ranging overhaul of Washingtons 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 boards 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 boards 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 theyre still being treated as criminal enterprises. The legislation would create a program where businesses could seek the boards 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 Washingtons marijuana regulations and a key way for officials to ensure criminal organizations dont have a hand in the legal market, but even the board has acknowledged theyre 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 boards 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 didnt 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 thats made it difficult for some. ___ Gene Johnson is a member of APs marijuana beat team. Follow him at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle . Find complete AP marijuana coverage at https://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana . ___ This version corrects the name of the magazine, Marijuana Venture, not Marijuana Ventures. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Massachusetts authorities created a false picture of the Sackler familys 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 Sacklers 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. Advertisement 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. Thats 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. Our complaint makes clear the role that Purdues 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 Sacklers comment about the blizzard of prescriptions was made public in legal documents filed in January by Healeys 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 Purdues 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 Pharmas issues rather than controlling every detail of operations. For instance, Healeys 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 nations wealthiest, argues that Massachusetts claims should be dismissed because the facts dont support them. Mischaracterizing facts does not change them, the attorneys wrote. Both the Massachusetts complaint and the familys 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 Purdues 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 familys 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. Britains Tate museums and New Yorks 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 https://www.twitter.com/aedurkinricher and Geoff Mulvihill at https://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A North Carolina charter school that required girls to wear skirts has revised the policy after a federal judge ruled it amounted to unconstitutional sex discrimination. Charter Day School officials sent a letter Tuesday telling parents it would add belted shorts and pants in the appropriate school color as alternatives to the girls current uniform options of skorts, jumpers, and skirts. The new options take effect with the announcement. The school in Leland said it wanted to avoid diversions as litigation over the clothing policy continues. Advertisement The kindergarten through eighth-grade school is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Wilmington. U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard ruled last Thursday that the school cant enforce the skirts-only rule as part of its dress code that punishes violations with suspensions and even expulsion. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. President Donald Trump has toured the Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee in the key electoral battleground of Florida. Trump blasted Democrats while touting his administrations infrastructure efforts during Fridays appearance as he surveyed efforts to fortify the aging, 143-mile (230.13 kilometer) earthen dam. Surrounded by Florida officials, Trump claimed the dam project was dying until we got involved. He also talked about health care, his new threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border and advertised an appearance later Friday with Small Business administrator Linda McMahon at his Palm Beach estate. A budget proposal Trump released this month includes $63 million for Everglades restoration projects, about a third of what Florida lawmakers and environmental advocates have requested. Advertisement Democrats are urging the White House to add funding. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. Nine finalists, from a large field of entrants who started out last September, vied for the $20,000 first prize in a Shark Tank-style business competition at Skidmore College on Friday. Contestants pitched ideas ranging from a natural skin care line to a phone app that gives guided horseback riding lessons. Kenneth A. Freirich, who launched his own company while attending Skidmore, founded the Business Plan Competition eight years ago to foster entrepreneurship across all majors and disciplines at the school. The contest is not limited to business students and is done separate from normal coursework, with no academic credit. Its about bringing a business to life, he said. Some of them are already selling products. Others are still designing and planning them. What surprises me every year is the diversity of businesses, he said. In the early days there was a lot more technology. Now we a have craft brewing company, empanadas, an agribusiness in Madagascar and polo equipment. Theyre only limited by their creativity. Thats the thing thats really cool every year. Art major Izaak Cohen, communicating by Skype from Madrid where hes studying abroad, has started a firm called Zs, which sells luxury-style rolling paper for the booming legalized cannabis market that is growing 30-40 percent annually. The product comes in distinctly designed boxes of 50 papers each for the sophisticated smoker, he said. Cohen has met with numerous high-end dispensaries and cannabis accessory shops including some in Los Angeles, which hes traveled to. There has not been anything remotely like it to hit the market yet, he said. But hes had trouble maintaining inventory as demand outpaces supply. Judges questioned how he plans to handle competition if other firms start offering similar products, if hes developed a long-term inventory strategy, and how fast he expects the market to keep growing. Cohen said its critical to get his brand established, possibly with help from a celebrity-type spokesperson, to gain product recognition and solidify market share. He said he would use prize money to achieve such goals. International student Oliver Leung, of Hong Kong, has formed a company called Radical Polo, with plans of making an all-in-one polo equipment bag designed to store, organize and protect players belongings. At present, expensive bags are sold for each different item such as helmet and boots. Polo is a fast-paced exciting game, Leung said. What you might not realize is the amazing amount of equipment needed to play. He believes there is demand for his product because the sport has grown by 43 percent in the U.S. and 47 percent in the United Kingdom in the past nine and five years, respectively. At present, there are 24,000 registered players around the world, and 70 percent of those he surveyed said theres a need for an all-in-one bag to protect their expensive equipment. Polo players have an average $500,000 household income, which should make the standard $350 price tag quite affordable, he said. Leung is working on a relationship with the prestigious Aspen Polo Team to gain exposure and product credibility. He has developed a promotional campaign to create awareness, hopes to start taking orders in June, followed by manufacturing and distribution in September. Student spectator Will Stricker said, Its a really cool experience to have something like this on campus. Theres a lot of entrepreneurial spirit at this school. Two college friends of his, Ely Milstein and Ward Mahoney, have started a real estate venture aimed at helping local people find affordable housing. Freirich is now the chief executive officer of Health Monitor Network. He and other Skidmore alumni put up the contest prize money, which includes $10,000 and $5,000 for second and third place, respectively. The top three contestants also get an additional $5,000 for legal expenses to help with business start-up costs. Each of the nine finalists is guaranteed $1,000. So theres a lot at stake, Freirich said. But theyre all winners whether they win the big prizes or not. Im going to encourage all of them, regardless of where they finish in the competition, to continue pursuing their dreams and businesses. This is the next chapter of their journeys . It has the ability to change their lives forever. Researchers have turned a fungus into a disease-curing factory through modern genetic engineering and patience. The natural antibiotic is a promising cure for a neglected tropical disease called human African trypanosomiasis, or African sleeping sickness, that infects thousands of people in remote, rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa each year. "Our collaboration started about four years ago, and we have finally achieved our goal," said Professor Ikuro Abe from the University of Tokyo Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. "The gene cluster in the fungus is unique -- through a simple genetic deletion, we have engineered a strain of the fungus that only produces high concentrations of the desired antibiotic," explained Abe. Professor Kiyoshi Kita, who retired from the University of Tokyo in 2016, dedicated a large portion of his career to understanding and curing African sleeping sickness. Abe's research team joined the project due to their expertise in mapping the chemical paths that lead from genes to proteins inside cells. Abe's research team used their biosynthesis pathway expertise to genetically modify the fungus so that it produces large quantities of one specific antibiotic. The fungus Acremonium egyptiacum naturally produces two different types of antibiotic: one is toxic to humans, but the other was identified as a potential treatment for African sleeping sickness in 1996 in part by Kita, at the time working with collaborators at the Niigata College of Pharmacy. advertisement Artificially synthesizing the antibiotic would not be cost effective and the more common method of using bacteria to produce the chemical is infeasible. Abe's research team identified that the fungus's two antibiotics are both made from the same precursor molecule. After the precursor is created, two separate groups of enzymes produce the two different antibiotics. Researchers can leave the precursor molecule and the genes responsible for the desired antibiotic completely unchanged by simply deleting the genes responsible for the other toxic antibiotic. In every liter of fungus that researchers grow in the lab, the engineered strain of the fungus can produce 500 milligrams of antibiotic. "We think this is an exceptionally good production system," said Abe. advertisement Researchers have applied for a patent on the engineered strain of fungus. Collaborators at the Kikkoman Corporation, best known for making soy sauce, will pursue industrial-scale growth of the genetically engineered fungus and purification of the antibiotic. The desired antibiotic, ascofuranone, is also a candidate treatment for cancer. About human African trypanosomiasis People can develop African sleeping sickness by being bitten by a fly. The disease is caused by a parasite that moves from the flies, to patients' blood streams, and then into the nerves of patients' brains and spinal cords. The disease is often fatal within three years. The same parasite can also infect livestock animals. The World Health Organization aims to eliminate human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem by 2020. Studies showing links between personality traits and life outcomes, such as marital stability and vocational achievements, provide a reasonably accurate map of the relationship between personality and various aspects of one's life, according to findings from a large-scale replication project. The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The results of the project "provide grounds for cautious optimism about the personality-outcome literature," says study author Christopher J. Soto, a psychology researcher at Colby College. "Like a lot of researchers, I have been following recent discussions about the robustness of our scientific findings with great interest, but I was genuinely uncertain about how much this problem generalized to my own key area of interest: personality psychology," he explains. To find out, Soto developed the Life Outcomes of Personality Replication (LOOPR) Project. The LOOPR Project aimed to replicate 78 previously identified trait-outcome associations, which had been noted in a comprehensive literature review published in 2006. The project specifically examined links between the Big Five personality traits -- openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism -- and 48 individual, interpersonal, and institutional outcomes, which ranged from subjective well-being to personal behavior to occupational performance. Prior to conducting the study, Soto preregistered the study hypotheses, design, materials, and analysis plans on the Open Science Framework. A total of more than 6,100 adults, from four online samples of participants, completed surveys for the study. The surveys included a version of the widely used Big Five Inventory to measure personality traits, as well as various measures of life outcomes, such as career and relationship success, political beliefs, and criminal history. The analyses showed that the majority of the replication attempts were successful -- that is, the replication attempts reproduced previously identified trait-outcome links about 85% of the time. But the LOOPR Project results showed associations between personality traits and life outcomes that were often not as strong as those originally published. "The key reason for optimism is that the replicability estimates from this project are pretty high -- true personality-outcome associations don't seem to be outnumbered by false positives or flukes," says Soto. "However, the replicability estimates are still a bit lower than we would expect if the personality literature didn't have any problems with false positive results, selective reporting, or publication bias." "This suggests that personality research can still benefit from current efforts to improve the robustness of our science," he says. Soto does note certain aspects of the LOOPR Project that may account for some of the differences in the findings. Whereas the replication attempts were based on self-report surveys completed by groups of online participants, some of the original studies collected data in a different way (i.e., following people over time), used a different method (i.e., in-person interviews), or drew from a different sample (i.e., community-based sample). When both the original study and replication attempt used self-report measures, for example, the replication effect sizes tended to be larger. Ultimately, the study represents a first step in examining the reliability of trait-outcomes associations. "The LOOPR Project has generated a large and rich data set, so I'm excited to collaborate with other scientists to bring these data to bear on other key issues in our field," Soto says. "These include updating and extending our understanding of how personality relates with consequential life outcomes, and testing the degree to which these personality-outcome associations generalize across factors like age, gender, and socioeconomic status." Research published this week in Science Advances shows that it may be possible to create rocket fuel that is much cleaner and safer than the hypergolic fuels that are commonly used today. And still just as effective. The new fuels use simple chemical "triggers" to unlock the energy of one of the hottest new materials, a class of porous solids known as metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs. MOFs are made up of clusters of metal ions and an organic molecule called a linker. Satellites and space stations that remain in orbit for a considerable amount of time rely on hypergols, fuels that are so energetic they will immediately ignite in the presence of an oxidizer (since there is no oxygen to support combustion beyond the Earth's atmosphere). The hypergolic fuels that are currently mainly in use depend on hydrazine, a highly toxic and dangerously unstable chemical compound made up of a combination of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. Hydrazine-based fuels are so carcinogenic that people who work with it need to get suited up as though they were preparing for space travel themselves. Despite precautions, around 12,000 tons of hydrazine fuels end up being released into the atmosphere every year by the aerospace industry. "This is a new, cleaner approach to making highly combustible fuels, that are not only significantly safer than those currently in use, but they also respond or combust very quickly, which is an essential quality in rocket fuel," says Tomislav Friscic. He is a professor in the Chemistry Department at McGill, and co-senior author on the paper along with former McGill researcher Robin D. Rogers. "Although we are still in the early stages of working with these materials in the lab, these results open up the possibility of developing a class of new, clean and highly tunable hypergolic fuels for the aerospace industry," says the first author, Hatem Titi, a post-doctoral fellow who works in Friscic's lab. Friscic is interested in commercializing this technology, and will work with McGill and Acsynam, an existing spin-off company from his laboratory, to make this happen. Dr. Sunita Sah practiced general medicine for several years in the United Kingdom's National Health Service. When she came to the United States, she noticed something strange. The U.K. guidelines for tests such as mammograms and colon cancer screenings drastically differed from those in the U.S. -- even though they were based on the same medical evidence. "Having colonoscopy at the age of 50 -- that struck me as rather odd when I moved to the U.S., because you don't really hear about people having colonoscopies as a screening procedure in the U.K.," said Sah. "It's much less invasive to test for blood in the stool. It's also less costly and doesn't have the risks of undertaking a colonoscopy." Now an assistant professor of management and organizations at Cornell, Sah and Ismail Jatoi of the University of Texas Health, San Antonio, say the treatment guidelines recommended by medical specialist organizations are more likely to call for greater use of health care services and exacerbate overdiagnosis, overtreatment and spiraling health care costs. Their commentary, "Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Overuse of Health Care Services: Need for Reform," appeared March 18 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The implications are significant, she said, because guidelines are supposed to provide standard evidence-based treatment practices for all doctors. "The recommendations put out by specialty organizations -- like the American College of Cardiology or the American College of Radiology -- show specialty bias in recommending more aggressive and/or more frequent screening procedures," said Sah, an expert on conflict of interest. "In the U.S. in particular, where the fee-for-service compensation model dominates medicine, which is different from countries like the U.K., you see even more recommendations for greater use of health care services." Specialty bias refers to the tendency of physicians to recommend the treatments in which they are trained to deliver. For example, localized prostate cancer can be treated with either surgery or radiation. advertisement "If you go to a surgeon, chances are that they are more likely to recommend that you have surgery; if you go to a radiation oncologist, they are more likely to recommend that you have radiation," she said. "They each often believe that the treatment that they're trained in is the better one." In the case of screening for colorectal cancer, the American College of Gastroenterology's panel -- all of whom were gastroenterologists -- recommended colonoscopy as the best strategy. But the United States Preventive Task Force, with no gastroenterologists or gastrointestinal surgeons, recommended testing the stool, sigmoidoscopy (an exam of only the lower part of the colon) or colonoscopy as a last resort. Stool testing was also recommended by the European Society of Medical Oncology panel, which consisted of six medical oncologists, no gastroenterologists and one gastrointestinal surgeon. The panel said there was limited evidence that screening colonoscopy is effective. "Colonoscopies are more invasive than stool testing and come with potentially greater risks and costs for patients -- but increased clinical volume and profits for gastroenterologists," Sah said. Specialty guidelines are also subject to fee-for-service bias, according to the commentary. Doctors who receive a payment for each treatment may tend to recommend that treatment more often, because they have a financial interest in it. advertisement "The bias is not necessarily malicious or intentional," Sah said. "In a fee-for-service environment, they may be biased to do more rather than less, so it becomes a habit." But more is not necessarily better, she said. "Sometimes the risks of those procedures are just not worth the benefits." The authors call for a reduction in conflicts of interest in the fee-for-service model, and more professional diversity in the makeup of the guideline committees. "You need a variety of different voices on those committees," Sah said. And patients could ask their doctors which guidelines they follow and why. "Ask them questions," she said. "Ask your doctor to explain their thought process in recommending the particular guideline and the advantages or disadvantages of one guideline versus another." As companies seek and are required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the world's carbon markets are expanding. A government-run program in the Amazon rainforest in northwestern Brazil transforms forest carbon value into public wealth by focusing on labor rather than land rights. In the Brazilian state of Acre, some of the revenue from carbon credits is distributed to rural laborers and family farmers without land rights. A Dartmouth study just published examines Acre's forest carbon program, and the benefits and risks associated with this approach, including the potential impact on labor, state power and efforts to prevent deforestation. The study's findings are published in the Journal of Peasant Studies. "In resource rich areas in the rainforest, powerful actors have often profited at the expense of indigenous peoples and other local communities, who are often displaced from their land. Efforts to value forest carbon threaten to do the same. Through Acre's carbon value program, in contrast, the state government attempts to create an inclusive, green economy in a way that also expands its social welfare initiatives. There are also risks to this approach" says study author, Maron Greenleaf, a lecturer and research associate in the department of anthropology at Dartmouth College. In many other forest carbon credit programs, land has to be privately owned. In contrast, "through Acre's system, poorer people are not excluded from forest carbon's value because of their lack of formal land rights. Rather, many benefit from it," explained Greenleaf. "This is an example of how we're seeing environmental policy being harnessed to create new kinds of economies." Acre's 2010 System of Incentives for Environmental Services (SISA) focuses on environmental services, including carbon sequestration, to protect the approximately 86 percent of the state (total of 164,000 sq km) that is forested. SISA's carbon program is an example of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), which prioritizes sustainable forestry management and conservation practices to combat climate change. With Acre's 2017 agreements with Britain and Germany, and others, demand for Acre's forest carbon value appears to be relatively strong. One such agreement is Acre's 2010 Memorandum of Understanding with California. This month, the California Air Resources Board , which regulates the carbon market within the state, will determine whether or not to adopt the "Tropical Forest Standard." Considered to be a model of tropical forest protection, Acre is the most likely jurisdiction to be approved under the Standard, which would allow for its carbon credits to be purchased by California-based companies. This would be the first time that REDD+ credits are accepted into a cap and trade market. Greenleaf's insights on Acre's carbon offset program are based on her fieldwork conducted in 2012 and 2013-14. As part of her research, she interviewed "rural producers," who practice small-scale farming for subsistence and markets, and engage in local wage labor and/or cattle ranching. These include "posseiros," who have land claims based on informal possession. In the study, Greenleaf discusses the complexity of the land tenure process in Acre. There may be land conflicts and land usage, which may be dictated by culturally specific arrangements, including overlapping individual and/or collective claims -- nuances that are not reflected on maps. She explains how if REDD+ was not administered by the Acreano Government, many rural laborers and family farmers might not be able to participate in this program; obtaining formal title from the government can be challenging or next to impossible, requiring resources and documentation that many lack. Shifting allocation of carbon value to "green labor" provides an alternative that bypasses some of the challenges associated with the recognition of land rights, but does not eliminate them, as seeking land title is not only a path for upward mobility for the poor but also integral to identity and status. Even if rural laborers lack sufficient evidence to demonstrate formal land claims, Greenleaf explains how the small economic benefit that they may receive from the state could help make their land claims "less easily dismissed" in the future. At the same time, she points out that this model reinforces Acre's state power and enables the government to make decisions over the land "as forest carbon's presumptive owner." The question looms as to whether Acre's progressive, carbon value program will continue on its path of inclusive forest protection, particularly in the wake of the 2018 Brazilian elections, and whether other entities will look to adopt this model. CHICAGO (April 5, 2019): A standardized interdisciplinary clinical pathway to identify and manage frailty in older patients has reduced the rate of one of the most debilitating complications for older patients--delirium--and kept patients from returning to the hospital within 30 days of treatment for traumatic injury. The pathway is being adapted for other surgical services as trauma surgeons from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, focus attention on the specific needs of elderly surgical patients. A study describing the pathway and its effects on outcomes appears as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication. As the U.S. population continues to age, increasing numbers of elderly patients will have a need for trauma surgery. By 2050, 40 percent of all trauma patients will be over age 65.1While the elderly are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality after trauma, age itself is not the sole reason for poor outcomes.2 Frailty is a major contributor. Frail patients are more likely to have complications and loss of function after hospital care and require readmission for repeat trauma than more robust patients.3 As many as 50 percent of older trauma patients are frail, and 78 percent are functionally impaired.4 Interdisciplinary inpatient care protocols involving consultation with geriatricians have improved outcomes for elderly hospitalized patients.5 However, there is a nationwide shortage of geriatricians.6 "It's just not feasible to have a geriatrician available for consultation all the time. We needed to become better equipped to provide dedicated geriatric-focused care on our own. So we put some processes in place to screen elderly trauma patients for frailty and stratify and direct our resources to provide the best possible care for them," said Zara Cooper, MD, FACS, an associate professor of surgery, Harvard Medical School, and corresponding author of the study. Since Brigham and Women's Hospital's trauma surgery service hired a geriatrician to consult on the care of elderly injury victims in 2014, it documented fewer complications, mortalities, readmissions and extended hospital stays.7 However, the surgeons noticed gaps in care when the geriatrician was not available and lack of overall uniformity in the way recommendations from the geriatric team were instituted. The pathway for frail elderly trauma patients was created in 2016 to standardize processes of care a geriatrician would typically recommend: early ambulation, bowel and pain regimens, non-pharmacological delirium prevention, nutrition, physical therapy, and geriatric assessments. Surgeons at Brigham and Women's Hospital developed the Frailty Identification and Care Pathway over a six-month period with input from geriatrics, nursing, nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, social work, and care coordinators. The pathway makes use of the five-item FRAIL scale to identify vulnerable elderly trauma patients, a standardized set of orders for geriatric-focused care and consultations, family meetings, and fall prevention education.7 In the present study, researchers compared outcomes for frail elderly trauma patients before and six months after implementation of the pathway. In addition to overall mortality, the investigators analyzed whether the pathway could prevent or quickly recognize and treat delirium (one of the most common causes of increased hospital length of stay), transfer to a nursing facility, and mortality within six months of hospital care. In addition, the investigators tabulated the 30-day hospital readmission rate, which serves as an indicator of quality hospital care and effective use of resources. Researchers reviewed the care of 125 patients who were treated before the pathway was implemented and 144 after it was in place for six months and found lower rates of delirium, in-hospital mortality, and readmission. Patients who were managed according to the pathway had a 9 percent less risk for delirium, 3 percent reduced risk for mortality, and 7 percent lower risk for readmission. Interdisciplinary protocols represent a shift in perspective for trauma surgeons. "Trauma centers are primarily focused on hemorrhage and complications that are typical for young patients. The elderly, especially frail elderly, have very different needs. Innovative models for geriatric trauma patients are emerging in parts of the country that have a significant proportion of older adults," Dr. Cooper said. The pathway at Brigham and Women's Hospital is fairly straightforward and makes use of resources that are readily available in other trauma centers and surgical services. The standardized approach is being expanded for pre- and post-operative elective operations for frail elderly patients. "We have to adapt the protocol here and there, but the basic framework relies on getting patients mobile and managing medications, nutrition, and communication with families," Dr. Cooper said. "This is the type of care that matters to patients and should be universal." 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. In this Sept. 25, 2018, file photo, Bill Cosby arrives for a sentencing hearing following his sexual assault conviction at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown Pa. Court filings showed Friday that Cosby has agreed to settle lawsuits in a Massachusetts case filed by seven women who said he defamed them when he accused them of lying about sexual misconduct allegations. AP Seven women who said Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them decades ago and then labeled them liars by denying it have settled defamation lawsuits against the imprisoned actor. Court documents filed Friday in Springfield, Massachusetts, showed a settlement was reached since Cosby went to prison last fall in a separate Pennsylvania sex assault case. Cosby, 81, is serving a three- to 10-year prison sentence. Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, said Cosby did not authorize the settlement reached between the women and American International Group Inc., and "vehemently denies the allegations." "Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone. He is not paying anything to anyone, and he is still pursuing his counterclaims. AIG decided to settle these cases, without the knowledge, permission and/or consent of Mr. Cosby," Wyatt said in a statement. Courts had ruled that AIG had to pay for Cosby to defend the defamation lawsuits as part of his coverage. Cosby had homeowners and other coverage through AIG. The judge overseeing the defamation case in Massachusetts must still approve the settlement. The terms were not disclosed in the filings Friday. A message left with AIG's corporate press office was not immediately returned late Friday. The plaintiffs are among the dozens of women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. They include Tamara Green, Barbara Bowman and Therese Serignese. Cosby, in a 2006 deposition, acknowledged giving Serignese quaaludes that made her "high" before a sexual encounter in Las Vegas in 1976, when she was 19. Some of that deposition testimony was aired in his criminal case. "I don't think he has much to contest the cases with, given his conviction," said Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson. "I don't know how much resources (he has left). It probably makes sense for both sides to resolve it." Joseph Cammarata, an attorney who represents the women, told The Associated Press on Friday that "each plaintiff is satisfied with the settlement." He declined to comment further. However, he warned in a status report also filed Friday that his clients would seek to depose Cosby and gather other documents and evidence if Cosby does not drop counterclaims that accuse the women of harming his reputation through their accusations. Wyatt said that Cosby still intends to pursue those claims. Cosby's wife, Camille, had been ordered to give a deposition in the defamation case in 2016, after a heated fight over her testimony. Lawyers for the Cosbys tried to quash her subpoena to testify, saying she didn't have any relevant information on the women's claims and that any marital conversations she had with her husband of 50 years were confidential. The judge agreed that marital conversations were private, but the women's lawyers noted she also served as his business manager throughout their long marriage. The case had largely been put on hold amid the Pennsylvania criminal case, which involved charges that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted a woman at his home in 2004. The first trial ended in a deadlock in 2017, but a second jury convicted Cosby last year. Cosby is appealing the conviction. He is being held at a state prison in Montgomery County, outside of Philadelphia. (AP) The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained a final judgment against Scott Newsholme, a New Jersey-based tax preparer, who was charged with defrauding his clients after convincing them to give him their money to invest. According to the SEC's complaint, filed September 6, 2017, Newsholme fabricated account statements, doctored stock certificates, and forged promissory notes as part of a scheme in which he convinced clients seeking his financial planning advice that he would invest on their behalf. The SEC alleged that instead of investing clients' money, Newsholme cashed their investment checks at a check-cashing store and pocketed the funds while assuring his clients that their assets were safe and flourishing. The SEC further alleged that Newsholme made Ponzi-like payments to certain investors, and misappropriated more than $1 million from his investment clients to support his lifestyle and gambling habit. In a parallel criminal case, Newsholme pled guilty to wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1028A, and aiding and abetting the preparation of false tax returns in violation of 18 U.S.C. 7206(2). Newsholme was sentenced to 102 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $2,043,291 in restitution. Following Newsholme's criminal conviction, the SEC barred Newsholme from the securities industry. On March, 22, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, entered a final judgment against Newsholme. The final judgment enjoins Newsholme from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The final judgment also ordered Newsholme to pay disgorgement and prejudgment interest in the amount of $1,567,384, which was deemed satisfied by the entry of the restitution order in the parallel criminal case. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United Nations Human Rights Council investigation into North Korea concluded: "The gravity, scale and nature of these violations reveal a state that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world." AP By Amanda Price Kim Jong-un and his rogue regime have enjoyed the spotlight several times this year, and not for their usual list of crimes. More familiar with exiling or executing those who fail to respect his place of honor, Kim is now being treated with respect without the need for torture or murder. He is possibly wondering why he didn't use this ploy earlier. The camera has become Kim Jong-un's latest weapon of choice. Less threatening than a nuclear warhead, it has proven to be more persuasive. Korea Times file According to President Moon Jae-in, Kim is a "candid" young man. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, he is also "reasonable". A New York Times article explained that "Mr. Kim's image reinvention" could not have occurred without the skilful staging of the Moon government. With some help, Kim Jong-un may soon have his own spot at "the big kids'" table. But while vying for international acceptance, and the legitimacy that comes with it, Kim is still skillfully avoiding any discussion about accountability. If things continue at their present speed and in their present manner, Kim Jong-un may be the first of the ruthless Kim dictators to be recognized as a legitimate statesman, equal in standing with democratically elected presidents and prime ministers. In doing so, he will have bettered the father he hardly knew, and proved that human rights aren't nearly as important as people make them out to be. Recently, an American academic claimed that "the normalization of relations" between the Kim regime and the U.S. is the only option that will solve the North Korean dilemma. Rather than confront Kim Jong-un with the reality of the untold atrocities he has committed (a 'no go' issue thus far), we should "embrace" the Kim regime and help his government become part of the "cooperative global community." Kim, thus offered status and acceptance, will somehow shed his skin, abandon his ideologies and become a "trustworthy" leader. Likewise, the tyrannical Kim regime will become yet another modern example of how capitalism and free trade transformed a nation. President Moon has testified to Kim's honesty and sincerity in interviews, speeches and press releases. To a large extent, he has staked his political career on his unshakeable belief that Kim is willing to reform. There is a serious flaw in this thinking. It is also an obvious one Kim Jong-un has never expressed, or even given the slightest indication, that he believes his ideology needs to change. In fact, in all the summits, meetings and interchanges, Kim has refused to allow the subject to be broached. Few politicians seem to want to discuss the fact that, apart from his image, Kim Jong-un has not changed at all. Fewer still want to discuss the fact that Kim Jong-un's ideologies, the ones that justified the death and suffering of thousands, are still firmly in place. Not only are they firmly in place, Kim has made it abundantly clear in North Korean press releases that his ideologies are "righteous" and the backbone of the nation. Without a doubt, Kim has changed his image and in doing so changed people's perception of him. But there is every chance that his latest "trick of the eye" may make him the most dangerous Supreme Leader in the Kim dynasty. Some of that danger is apparent when comparing Kim Jong-un to his father and grandfather, whose mistakes and failures he has clearly learnt from. Kim Jong-un understands that complete isolation is not a good fit for a 21st century nation. He has also learnt that utterly impoverished people do not make good workers or loyal citizens. And where his father put the military first, Kim Jong-un has learnt that to have a strong military, the economy must come first. In fact, to ward off national annihilation, the economy must come first. He has also learnt that politics is as much about "theater" as it is about absolute rule. Perhaps most significantly, Kim Jong-un has learnt that to firmly anchor his rule over North Korea, he needs to hold the scepter of international legitimacy. His status as a modern world leader must be raised until he can claim the same right to autonomy as other democratic nations. Despite all these epiphanies, however, Kim Jong-un looks to an even greater achievement than international legitimacy and leverage. Not satisfied with succeeding his father and grandfather, Kim Jong-un means to surpass them. The first indication of his grab for top spot was the very early dismissals of party leaders who were loyal to his father and grandfather. These generals, the most senior leaders, had demonstrated unswerving loyalty to the regime and to the Kim dynasty, but that was not enough for the third Kim. Kim demanded leaders who were first and foremost loyal to him and his ideologies. According to intelligence reports from South Korea, in his first year of office alone, Kim Jong-un ordered 17 public executions. Unlike his father and grandfather who quietly did away with dissenters, Kim Jong-un made sure that his purges were spectacles befitting the Roman Colosseum. Kim Jong-un's uncle and mentor, Jang Song-thaek, was executed immediately after his mock trial. Jang's associates were also executed. According to reports given to CNN, Kim later ordered his aunt to be poisoned. One high-ranking defector claimed that Kim was more merciless than even his ruthless father. Yonhap These purges did not stop with the leadership, they included his family members. Still a new leader, Kim Jong-un ordered that his uncle and mentor, Jang Song-thaek, be shredded to pieces by automatic gunfire. Even by the previous regime's standards, this was a despicable and egregious act. Jang's brutal execution, ordered on what everyone knew to be baseless and ridiculous claims, was Kim Jong-un's clear message that loyalty to the regime could mean a death sentence if it was deemed to surpass loyalty to him. It also included a warning that, regardless of rank or family ties, no one was safe under the new Supreme Leader. Well-promoted purges would continue throughout Kim Jong-un's reign and would reportedly include his ex-mistress and a dozen musicians from three of North Korea's top musical groups. According to reports, all were gunned down while their families were forced to watch an order that was applied to all public executions. But public executions were not enough for Kim, public arrests were also part of his ambitious climb to the top. While the first two Kims were responsible for building gulags, the third Kim increased the network of gulags on a much "grander" scale. Amnesty International reports and satellite images provided evidence that Kim Jong-un was increasing holding cells for thousands more prisoners, most of whom would be tortured, starved or subjected to unspeakable acts of depravity. Those trying to escape the horrors of North Korea would also meet with much harsher consequences under Kim Jong-un. Raids into China, increased border guards and land mines (up until the recent relaxation), and the imprisonment of soldiers who turned a blind eye, or were bribed by defectors, were all implemented under Kim Jong-un's very public crackdown on defectors. Kim Jong-un also disdainfully tossed aside his father and grandfather's approach to dealing with allies and enemies. The new Kim's approach was barefaced arrogance and unbridled verbal attacks on anyone that questioned his rule. Whereas his father and grandfather recognized China's role in saving them from utter annihilation, Kim Jong-un behaved as if he was indebted to no one. This same attitude was recently extended to his father and grandfather, when Kim all but erased them from the nation's supreme oath. Instead, a clause was added swearing singular allegiance to the ideologies and leadership of Kim Jong-un. But of course it is Kim Jong-un's advanced nuclear achievements, and the threats that have accompanied them, that most notably set him apart from his father and grandfather. Warning that he would "rain down fire on Seoul" or "raise Washington to the ground," Kim posed for photos with his finger over ominous red buttons. His message to the world was that the world's destiny was in his hands. These crimes, however, are but a selection from Kim's smorgasbord of horrors. The culling of street children, sexual slavery, child slavery, fatal censorship, the torture of prisoners, the kidnapping of foreign citizens, enforced worship of the Kim cult, the prejudicial class system, compulsory indoctrination, the murder and imprisonment of religious minorities, the systematic hunting down of defectors are but a few more examples of crimes sanctioned by Kim Jong-un. The evidence for these crimes is now insurmountable. A comprehensive and extensive investigation by the United Nations Council for Human Rights, a list of testimonies and first-hand reports from NGOs and humanitarian organizations, satellite images, intelligence reports, news published by the KCNA, and the evidence provided by thousands of defectors, all confirm that Kim Jong-un is a dictator without a modern-day equivalent. In the face of this irrefutable evidence, a call to establish normal international relations with the Kim regime defies understanding. According to the KCNA, the victims of Kim's oppression are "human scum" attempting to smear "their filth" on the great name of the Supreme Leader. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies are "liars". South Koreans fighting for the rights of their northern counterparts are "despicable traitors who deserve death." Kim has not rescinded these statements, nor has he at any time expressed even the smallest measure of remorse for his systematic criminal behavior. Even worse, as if that were possible, Kim denies that verified atrocities have occurred under his rule. Even in deceit, he has tried to surpass his father and grandfather. Recent diplomatic achievements, summits and exchanges cannot wash away the blood of innocent lives. They cannot dry the tears of orphaned children, nor can they end the nightmares of those who have experienced hell on earth. When Kim Jong-un extends his hands to presidents and heads of states, many see a willingness to change. Kim Jong-un sees an opportunity to gain leverage and secure the right to rule according to his own ideologies. The findings from the United Nations 2013 to 2014 investigation into North Korea, found that Kim Jong-un met all the criteria for a "war criminal." His crimes were so deeply entrenched and so extensive that the report described them as "crimes against humanity." None of these dire issues have been addressed. North Korean officials have made it clear that if human rights issues are raised, they will walk. Even at the negotiating table Kim Jong-un is a dictator, true to his nature. A war criminal has been invited to tea while his victims are denied not only justice but the most basic recognition. As things go, Kim Jong-un will walk away with promises of a brighter tomorrow, having already extinguished any hope of tomorrow for countless others. If Kim Jong-un is not held accountable, he will literally have gotten away with murder. To believe, even for one moment, that the world will be a safer place by giving Kim what he wants, verges on the delusional. No single dictator in the history of the world has reformed because he has been appeased. "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice." Martin Luther King Jnr. AP The number of fish killed this week in a popular creek along the Berkeley-Albany border by water and retardant foam runoff from a fierce firefighting operation appears to be lower than earlier feared, state water officials said Friday. Investigators from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife walked along the contaminated part of Codornices Creek and counted 64 dead fish, significantly less than some local environmental advocates estimate on Thursday that it might be in the hundreds, said department spokesman Peter Tira. It could be that raccoons got some, or some other factors, but thats what our folks counted, Tira said. We are still looking into this, and now will be doing lab analysis on the dead fish and water samples we collected from the creek. The fish were steelhead trout, which is listed as threatened on the federal roster of endangered species. Millions of dollars have been spent over the past two decades to restore Codornices Creek for wildlife and fish use. The Department of Fish and Wildlife and state Water Quality Control Board are investigating the incident to determine if fines or other actions are necessary. The examinations are expected to take weeks, or longer. The contamination happened when Berkeley firefighters were battling a garbage truck fire on Wednesday. Alarmed that two pressurized propane tanks on the rig could explode, they dumped an unusually large amount of foam and water on the blaze to prevent a catastrophe that they said could have damaged houses and a nearby school. In the urgency of the firefight, however, fire crews said they didnt have time to cover storm drains as they usually would to keep the water and foam from heading into waterways. Water used in the Bay Area contains the disinfectant chloramine, and both that and the foam are deadly to fish. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. When theres an imminent life-safety threat, our priority is property and life, said Berkeley Fire Battalion Chief Brian Harryman. He said the fish deaths were regrettable, but the action required by the firefight was too hasty for the storm drain precautions. Firefighters are supposed to prevent water and foam from getting into storm drains, but rare allowances can be made if an absolute emergency prevents that, said Thomas Mumley, a spokesman for the water board. A city spokesman said officials are cooperating with state investigators. I appreciate the firefighters putting out the fire, and Im sure they feel bad about the fish, too, said Mary Lynn Morales, whose acupuncture office overlooks the creek. Its a real tragedy. The creek had so much foam in it that day, it looked like a bubble bath. Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron Its make-it-or-break-it time for Joe Bidens presidential bid, and he hasnt even formally entered the race. Uncle Joe, as the 76-year-old former vice president is called, finds himself accused of physical contact with women who didnt welcome it. Hugging. Back rubbing. Kisses on the cheek and back of the head. And in at least one instance, nose rubbing. Biden released an I get it video that was promptly hijacked by President Trump (or, more likely, someone in his orbit with tech skills) to show a Creepy Joe nuzzling the back of Uncle Joes head. On Friday, Biden sort of apologized for his past behavior, saying, Im sorry I didnt understand more. Im not sorry for any of my intentions. Im not sorry for anything that I have ever done. Cleared that right up. Dont look for any of the other 20 or Democratic presidential contenders to come to Bidens defense. This is about politics, and the other candidates see Biden as a threat. My bet is as the drip-drip of anecdotes from women who felt violated continues, Biden wont be nimble enough to get rid of the issue, and he wont jump into the race after all. There was a time when the question for candidates was whether they had what it takes to make it past Super Tuesday. For Biden, the question is whether he survives Saturday Night Live. Gator nation: I was at the bar at Sams the other night, watching TV, when KPIX-TV sportscaster Dennis ODonnell appeared on the screen from the annual San Francisco State awards fundraiser at the Masonic Auditorium. I just hope Willie Brown gets here on time, because you know he is always late, ODonnell said. With that, I was out the door and up the hill to join my fellow alumni. The goal of the night was to raise $150 million. They took in $136 million, including two $25 million donations. One of the mega-donations came from George and Judy Marcus for liberal arts studies. The second $25 million was for the business school and came from cryptocurrency king Chris Larsen, who promised it was real money. When it was my turn to speak, I pledged to personally make up the $14 million shortfall. And if you believe that, then you should turn your degrees back in, I said. Joking aside, San Francisco State was the school that gave me an education and I do mean gave me. It was tuition-free at the time, and there was no test to get in. All it did was encourage me to be the best I could be. John Burton and I graduated in the same class. While neither of us will be considered scholars, we did OK for ourselves and society. And that is what this school produces. Navigating the storm: Mayor London Breed got an earful from angry residents the other night over her plan to build a Navigation Center along the Embarcadero. Part of the job of being mayor is facing challenges head on. And thats just what Breed did when she made an unannounced entrance to a town hall meeting about the proposed Nav Center. Of course, she was promptly shouted down. That comes with the turf as well. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. But she stood her ground, and I have no doubt the center will be going in as planned. Id also bet the opening date will be pushed back a bit, at the very least until after her re-election race in November. In the meantime, I have a suggestion. Rather than opening 200-bed Navigation Centers that freak out the neighbors, focus on 20- to 30-bed centers wherever theres a vacant lot or empty building. The mayors office says smaller shelters would cost too much. But considering what were getting for the $300 million a year were spending on homeless programs now, cost should not be a problem. Pack it in: Backpacks are the uniform of everyone working these days. On Mission between Main and Beale the other day, I watched 30 people go by and counted backpacks on 25 of them. Its the same on the bus, where too many clueless riders turn this way and that, slamming backpacks into their fellow Muni patrons. Even men in suits are wearing backpacks. So Louis Vuitton is offering a backpack to wear with your suit for $3,900. For that kind of money, you ought to get the suit as well. Want to sound off? Email: wbrown@sfchronicle.com Even in the best economic times, its hard for people who have left the workforce to get back in. But with the unemployment rate near record lows in the Bay Area its 2.5 percent or below in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties some employers are reaching out to people who have exited the labor market to care for kids or other family members. Bank of America is hosting a workforce re-engagement workshop in San Francisco on May 23, its first event on the West Coast for returning talent. A small but growing number of companies are offering returnships, which are internships for people whove been out of work for at least one or two years. Most are for mid-career professionals in hard-to-fill positions. Apple will start a 17-week return-to-work program for engineers with at least five years experience on April 15. (Registration is closed.) Abby Carrales worked as a programmer analyst at UCSF for nine years but left in 2014 after having her third child. In 2016, she did a coding boot camp and thought shed bounce back into the workforce. It took her two years to find a job. I would get into interviews. It would always come down to myself and another candidate, she said. When employers see a gap in a resume, they assume the person has left to have children and that their career would always play second fiddle to their primary caregiver responsibility. Carrales said she was asked in interviews about her age, her childrens ages and whether she planned to have more children. Thinking her Latina surname might be hurting her chances, she tried using her husbands Irish name, but that didnt help. In 2018, she saw a returnship advertised on Cloudflares website and applied. Returnships are similar to college internships but dont run in the summer. They are full-time, paid positions that usually last 12 to 16 weeks. At the end of the term, the intern may or may not be offered a permanent job. A cohort of interns typically enter the program together and often attend workshops on job skills and transition to work. Many are run in partnership with outside companies or nonprofits. Carreles was accepted into Cloudflares 16-week program in September. Two months later, she was hired into a permanent position as a security compliance specialist. Cloudflare, a San Francisco internet security company, works with Path Forward, a nonprofit in New York that helps companies set up returnships. Its Bay Area partners include Walmart Labs, Intuit, Paypal and SAP SuccessFactors. The program has been a really great source of talent for us, said Janet Van Huysse, Cloudflares head of people. All seven people who went through its programs were hired permanently, and six more are doing a returnship now. Companies are facing the twin pressures of low unemployment and wanting to diversify their technical ranks, said Tami Forman, executive director of Path Forward. Returnships can help with both because most returnees are women. Forman said top executives see the value in these programs. Instead of poaching (employees) from the guy down the street and paying 25 to 30 percent more, they can hire someone whos been out of work. The hard part is persuading hiring managers to take a risk. If they make a bad hire, it makes them look bad. Doing what theyve always done seems safer than taking a chance, she said. Her program includes training for hiring managers on tech testing and interview techniques, such as, Dont expect a woman to say Im a rock star. The guy who says hes a rock star probably isnt, Forman said. Lynsey Reys-Nickel worked at Stanford University for seven years managing medical training and earth science programs. She took off work for 4 years to care for a child and then for her husband, who had heart surgery at age 40. During this period, she got a doctorate in career education and training. She already had a masters in higher education administration and an MBA but, when she went looking for a job in 2017, found that wasnt enough. Silicon Valley is extremely hypercompetitive, she said. She often found herself competing with candidates who had been referred by their mother or brother. You are sending the application to a recruiter who may not have the skills or training to understand the break in paid employment, she said. In many cases she couldnt get past the artificial intelligence some companies use for screening applicants. The hardship was getting that initial phone screening with a real person to tell my story. After a year of job hunting, she landed a returnship at DataStax, a cloud database company in Santa Clara. Four months into the program, her position was converted to a permanent role in human resources. Goldman Sachs offered the first returnship program in 2008 and trademarked the name, but its often used generically, said Carol Fishman Cohen, co-founder of iRelaunch, a for-profit company that helps companies set up re-entry programs. Many Wall Street companies offered similar programs, with different names. In 2015, iRelaunch partnered with the Society of Women Engineers to form the Stem Re-entry Task Force and promote returnships for tech jobs. Almost 400 people have gone through the task forces programs, Cohen said. As well, iRelaunch hosts conferences where people looking to re-enter the workforce can get job advice and connect with sponsor companies. The next one is May 7 at Stanford, but it costs $240 to attend. Sponsors include Apple, Facebook, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and LinkedIn. About 50 U.S. companies now offer returnship programs, Cohen said. Those that report data say they are hiring 50 to 100 percent of interns into permanent positions. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The fact that some companies have had to start inducing people to come back to work ... is consistent with the theory that labor is finally getting a little bit scarce, said Josh Bivens, research director with the Economic Policy Institute. But its still not easy for people to re-enter the workforce, said Stacey Delo, who runs a company called Apres that offers online job listings and classes for returners. Its one thing to say you are going to hire women on the sidelines, its another thing to train your hiring managers to interview without bias toward the gap. Apres charges job seekers $99 a year and companies a partner rate, said Delo, who lives in San Francisco though her companys in New York. Companies that have advertised jobs on its site include Fitch, Navigant, Metlife, Facebook and Mastercard. Bank of Americas free workshop next month is for people who have been out of work at least a year and meet certain prior job criteria. They cant be former employees of the bank. The registration deadline is April 19. The event will offer tips around technology, self-branding, resume writing, interview techniques and how to build a network. said Gioia McCarthy, the banks San Francisco market president. I want there not to be a barrier or stigma when there is a gap on a resume. There will be recruiters at the workshop, but I dont want anyone to feel like its a hard sell, she added. Bank of America has had similar events on the East Coast, but McCarthy said she was inspired in part by her colleague Ann Thompson, who took a 12-year break from banking to raise children. When Thompson came back to work in 2002, she had to deal with a lot of technology that didnt exist in 1990. I was intimidated, but it made things much more efficient, she said. Communicating with clients by cell phone at any hour of the day or week made it easier to get work done, said Thompson, who heads Bank of Americas consumer lending and sales in the West. The most important job for women returning to work is getting your family behind you. Theres going to be a lot of change for your partner or spouse if you have one, she said. Another is realizing that whoever takes over the cooking, cleaning and homework monitoring will never do it the same or as well as you did. Finally, make time to sustain friendships. I was working 60 hours a week, Thompson said. You have to consciously take time for partner, spouse, children and somehow figure in those friends too. Editors note: This column has been updated with Carol Fishman Cohens full name. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender If only the Giants got that one clutch hit in the final two innings, their home opener Friday could have been something wonderful. It would be nice to get that big hit and get that momentum going, catcher Buster Posey said. The Giants must be running out of places to look, since their search began in earnest after the 2016 All-Star break. They did not find it against the Rays despite ample opportunity and lost 5-2 in their first game under the Oracle Park nameplate. Pablo Sandoval and Steven Duggar did hit two-out, run-scoring doubles in the seventh inning, but the Giants were down five to start the inning. That was all the clutch they had in them. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth but failed to score, as Gerardo Parra struck out and Kevin Pillar hit into a double play. They roused the crowd of 41,067 again in the ninth when they put the first two on, but Jose Alvarado got the final three outs for the save. Evan Longoria had the last shot against his old team. He flied out to right as the potential tying run. Storybook moments are hard to create when the opposing pitcher throws gas. Its tough when Alvarado is throwing 99 with sink, Longoria said. We definitely had our hands full all day. I would have loved to be the hero there, but it didnt. I was happy to have the opportunity. The Giants fell to 2-6 for the first time since 2009. For what its worth, that team dropped its ninth game too, then rebounded to finish 88-74 before discovering greater glories the next season. An unhealthy pattern has emerged eight games into this season. The Giants have not scored in the first three innings yet and have just three runs in the fourth. On Friday they were skunked on three singles over six innings by Tyler Glasnow, the centerpiece of last years trade that sent pitcher Chris Archer to the Pirates. Manager Bruce Bochy was concerned enough about the early zeroes to discuss it with his hitters in a meeting before Wednesday nights loss in Los Angeles. Now Playing: Despite the rain, Giants fans filled newly named Oracle Park for Opening Day on April 5, 2019, in San Francisco. Video: Katie Wood We saw it some last year, Bochy said. Believe me, we talked about that. I wish I had a better answer for you. Their guy threw well. It would be nice to get a few runs early in the ballgame to take some pressure off our pitchers. The Rays then demonstrated it. They took advantage of a few location mistakes from Dereck Rodriguez in the first inning and bolted to a 4-0 lead after he retired the first two hitters. The ambush started with doubles by Ji-Man Choi and Brandon Lowe, then got serious with back-to-back home runs by Yandy Diaz and Kevin Kiermaier. The latter was more impressive, leaving the yard at its deepest point. Rodriguez made a deal with himself not to allow any more runs and succeeded, holding Tampa Bay scoreless through the rest of his 5 innings. In one stretch he struck out four in a row. The Giants have had a knack for putting pressure on relievers late in games and did exactly that, at least giving the crowd something to cheer and forcing closer Will Smith to stretch his limbs and toss a few in the bullpen in the eighth and ninth innings. Pillars first hit as a Giant, a one-out single off Wilmer Font, set up the two-run seventh. The eighth began with Longoria reaching on an error, Buster Posey doubling off the wall and left-hander Adam Kolarek hitting Brandon Crawford to load the bases. But Kolarek struck out Parra on a perfectly placed corner pitch before Diego Castillo, one of the Rays nine relievers and another hard thrower, induced Pillars double play. Joe Paniks infield hit started the ninth-inning rally that went nowhere as well. It would be nice to put a couple of runs on the board early, Longoria said. Going four or five innings not scoring every game, thats tough. Let the search for that big hit continue. Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com During a meeting with Minister-President of Wallonia region Willy Borsus, the visiting NA Chairwoman affirmed that ties between Belgium, Wallonia and Vietnam are growing, evidenced by visits by Vietnamese high-ranking leaders. She also lauded head Wallonia-Brussels delegation in Vietnam and President of the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions in Vietnam Anne Lange for her activities in Vietnam. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) and Minister-President of Wallonia region Willy Borsus (Source: VNA) The top legislator informed the host that during her meetings with leaders of the Belgian Senate and the Chamber of Representatives, both sides were satisfied about bilateral ties and wished to boost cooperation between localities and regions as well as facilitate the exchange of visits between both sides. According to her, two-way trade between Vietnam and Wallonia now nears USD60 million. She thanked Wallonia for being one of the first three regions to submit a document to the government expressing support for the signing of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA). She took the occasion to invite the host to visit Vietnam to study the prospects of partnership between Wallonia and Vietnamese localities such as Dien Bien, Da Nang and Vinh Long. Borsus, for his part, said both sides have reinforced collaboration in several areas over the past years, including in agriculture. He reaffirmed his support for the signing of the EVFTA and IPA and thanked the NA Chairwoman for speaking highly of Wallonias role in Vietnam. The host also accepted the invitation to visit Vietnam to enhance bilateral ties in a range of areas, especially in tourism. Leaders of Da Nang, Dien Bien and Vinh Long also took the occasion to introduce the potential of coordination in tourism, services, education-training, logistics and high-tech agriculture. Earlier the same day, the NA Chairwoman visited the Medisoft company specialising in manufacturing respiratory and cardiovascular diagnosis equipment and the Gembloux Agro-Biotech under the University of Liege./. Korean model Dahye Lee (Instagram @ssoodor) models a modern Vietnamese ao dai dress from Hanoi designer and brand Le Lam in front of a traditional Korean wooden door in the Insadong district in central Seoul. By Michael Hurt There is a power in stepping into someone else's shoes, as the old American expression goes. But it must be done without stepping on the toes of the person who owns them. What one does in deciding to don the accoutrements and attire of the other is symbolically place oneself into their subject(ive) position. When that act of embodying is recorded into a picture, the clothing and the photographic subject all become elements placed into a larger conversation with environmental elements such as other people, buildings, or other objects in the culture. This is one way to place objects and people from different nations, places and cultures into direct semiotic (aesthetic) conversation. And when the conversation is part of a good-faith effort to promote bridge building and promote direct, empathetic understanding, much can be learned. My work these days involves the concept of social empathy and the notion of glocal (where global ideas find specific and unique expression locally) culture. My argument has long been that the social (and media) practice of fashion in Korea is inherently and highly communicative to the point of being a near-medium unto itself. Korean street fashion kids, for example, also take international ideas, brands and trends and localize them into their distinctive forms we see on the Korean streets here and these bounce out again across the world through platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, which Korean youth have mastered astonishingly well and quickly. In short, I have come to a point where I feel it possible to use fashion as a communicative medium through which to actively promote higher degrees of social empathy and understanding across borders. My main partner in this project is Dr. Kieu-Linh Caroline Valverde, a professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis, who researches and writes on national dress, branding and fashion culture. The main pillar of support for the project is her New Viet Nam Studies Center at UC Davis. We think there is a lot going on in Vietnam and Korea, as well as between Vietnam and Korea, especially through the medium of dress. And this is the first step in an area I myself have been exploring ever since I started trying to remix the Korean hanbok with non-Korean bodies in my photography to reflect the already ongoing trend of lots of non-Korean people already becoming excited about wearing Korean hanbok. Korean model April Song (Instagram @april_ssong2) in a modern Vietnamese ao dai dress from La Pham Design Studio (Instagram @laphamhanoi) at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza during Seoul Fashion Week last March. Our project's power lies in pictures, in the realm of visuality. It depends on a directly felt form of social empathy, which we call the fashion(ed) gaze. This idea depends on a long-established but little discussed idea in critical dance theory called kinesthetic empathy, which is the idea that people experience a direct, instinctive urge to mirror or respond to the physical motions of another person. This is what lies behind the thrill we see when we watch dance or the heavily choreographic "dance" of heroes in balletic motion in action films. We see amazing moves and want to mirror or mimic them, but we cannot, since we are stuck in our chairs. The tension we feel between wanting to move but being unable to is why we feel an embodied thrill. The idea we are extending here is that when we see someone dressed impeccably in today's consumer culture, we also feel an embodied thrill in the tension between wanting to fashion ourselves after that person's fashion, but we cannot in that very moment. So this is more than mere consumer desire it is an embodied desire to become the other. We imagine ourselves as occupying their shoes. And what is telling is how many tourists love to put on the clothing of the people in the places they go. Take the business of donning the yellow robes of a Chinese emperor at the Great Wall (for a small fee, of course) we get our thrill and snap a picture to preserve that feeling for the future. We temporarily embody the others around us and at least try to taste a modicum of their reality. It may be superficial and it is certainly fleeting; but it is part of the fun of traveling, part of the value inherent in the endeavor itself. But more important than anything else, donning the robes of a Chinese emperor or what many Asian tourists do in Korea renting and wearing a traditional hanbok allows a brief contact with the holy grail of the tourist experience experiencing the authenticity of the culture. This is the thrill we experience when we stand near an object actually owned or worn by a king, queen or any revered figure, whether the scepter of a king, the jacket worn by Elvis, or a Gutenberg Bible. We can momentarily through the magic of transference access those we revere. Vietnamese model Nhung Bui - Natalie Lie (Instagram @ nhungbui _) wears a modern Korean hanbok from design brand Heo Sarang Hanbok (Instagram @heo_sarang) in a neighborhood playground in Hanoi in October 2018. But the difference between accessing being near a royal scepter in a museum versus putting on the robes of an emperor in the very place where he once ruled is the difference between feeling a "cool authenticity" in the head and the "hot authenticity" in the heart that can be had by embodying the experience one wants to feel. This project tries to make connections through the embodied experience of walking in someone else's shoes in that very mode of hot authenticity in which one can more easily feel empathy for others and express that through the camera. Vietnamese fashion model and mega-influencer Salim (Instagram @salimhwg) styled herself with top Korean fashion brand Greedilous (Instagram @greedilous_official) in October 2018. Right now, Korean style is hot. A Korean mode as defined through dress, music, makeup, and even comportment (what many refer to as the "Korean wave") runs dominant throughout Asia and finds great resonance in Vietnam. My ability even to be able to meet, let alone shoot, one of Vietnam's top models and influencers would not have been possible without such a powerful clothing brand that represented pure, distilled, 180-proof Korean cool for Salim to want so eagerly to embody, picture, and add to her street cred among her domestic followers. Vietnamese fashion model and mega-influencer Salim (Instagram @salimhwg) in Korean brand Greedilous gear (Instagram @greedilous_official) in October 2018. The project is actually a kind of sartorial elicitation project designed to provoke a response in the model, which when recorded in the nexus between the photographer, model and camera that we see as a picture, becomes a conduit for eliciting social empathy through the fashioned gaze of the viewer. As we have come to see ourselves more and more as the sum total of the things we buy and display, as the layers we place over the true inner-self only we can know, we have become a society in which individuals define one another by our digital avatars and the things we say in cyberspace, but the clothing we drape ourselves in becomes even more important as markers of group belonging and the identity politics of the public, social world. Here, Natalie (Instagram @ nhungbui _), a student and non-pro model who eagerly agreed to do a shoot, was greatly intrigued by the idea of doing a shoot with a hanbok made by Heo Sarang Hanbok (Instagram @heo_sarang), a Korean brand of modern hanbok. The picture is especially interesting because of how it channels the model's ideas of proper comportment and posing that is partially transmitted through the hanbok, how her own sensibilities as a girl, and as a photographic subject who was trying to convey/capture her notion of Koreanness as she asked if it was OK to spin for the camera. Especially since clothing and style have become a big part of the Instagram economy and social media spreads notions and brands across the world (especially as national brands), the sartorial acts of people who choose to cast their images across the internet have become more meaningful as the number of people choosing to engage in public modeling, fashion and photography work has increased. Our project's goal is to get in front that process of sartorial signifying in digital media and actively use the process to build stronger, sounder bridges of understanding across increasingly connected cultures. Put more simply, we're trying to connect people (who want to be connected) across borders through art. Here is an organic and unforeseen, and somewhat unintended, convergence around this specific ao dai: the cramped space in a 1920's Seoul theme studio designed for cellphone and hobby photographers, the model Kang Jae Eun's (Instagram @jjen_kang) mood that formed around the clothing and the space, and the photographic choices of the photographer, which all combine to form a final picture that seamlessly merges the modernity of 1920s, colonial Seoul (Gyeongseong) and the modernized ao dai style of La Pham Design Hanoi (Instagram @laphamhanoi). More than 1,500 doctors and hospital staff have signed a petition opposing the partnership between UCSF and Catholic Dignity Health, as San Franciscos public medical center expects to expand its affiliation with the faith-based organization. Some of the Catholic hospitals require UCSF doctors to sign a document that declares certain medical procedures, including sterilization, intrinsically evil. And critics say that by declining to provide care from abortions to transgender surgery the Dignity Health hospital system discriminates against women and LGBTQ people. UCSF faculty, students and their supporters say theyll rally Tuesday, when UCSF and Dignity Health representatives will discuss their partnership at a meeting of the UC regents health services committee on the UCLA campus. We are deeply concerned, because fundamentally, Dignity Health decisions are made based on religious beliefs, not on the most up-to-date evidence to provide the best care for patients, said Dr. Eleanor Drey, who teaches obstetrics and gynecology at UCSF and signed the petition opposing the partnership. Organizers began collecting signatures three days ago. UCSF doctors have had privileges at Catholic hospitals for decades. But the medical center has had a formal affiliation with Dignity Health only since 2017, when it partnered with three: St. Marys and St. Francis in San Francisco, and Sequoia in Redwood City. Now, UCSF wants to add a fourth: Dominican in Santa Cruz. UCSF is severely overcrowded, and that is only going to get worse as the regions population grows and ages, said Barbara French, a UCSF spokeswoman. Under the agreements, capacity is expanded because UCSF doctors go can see their patients at the partner hospitals. Its our job to ensure we can continue to meet patient needs, said French, adding that UCSF also partners with more than a dozen other area hospitals. Its not necessary for all patients to come to (UCSFs) Parnassus site. ... If Im a UCSF patient, Im going to get the same quality of care. Including abortions? No, no. Were not providing abortions at St. Marys. But not all hospital facilities provide all care, French said. The health center has about 17,700 faculty and staff members. Of particular concern to critics is that the UCSF doctors have to sign God-affirming statements when working at the Dignity Health hospitals. Some, like St. Francis, require signing the Statement of Common Values, agreeing not to perform abortions or procedures like in-vitro fertilization, where conception occurs outside a womans body. Others, including St. Marys, require the more restrictive Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, which describes certain procedures, including sterilization, as intrinsically evil. That flies in the face of everything the UC medical system says it stands for, said Phyllida Burlingame, director of reproductive justice and gender equity at the ACLU of Northern California. Thats like saying it is acceptable for a Dignity hospital to discriminate as long as it has a sign out front saying, No transgender people allowed. The ACLU is suing Dignity Health on behalf of Evan Minton, 37, a transgender man whose 2016 hysterectomy was canceled the day before, when medical staff at Mercy San Juan Medical Center near Sacramento learned its purpose. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. When he got the call, Minton said, I was just blinded by my tears. The surgery had been years in planning and was timed to coincide with another surgery to complete his transition. A court ruled in favor of Dignity Health, and the case is on appeal. Meanwhile, Dignity Health says it has never lost a discrimination case. The services available at Dignity Health hospitals are provided to all members of the community without discrimination, including services for transgender patients and other members of the LGBTQ community, Dr. Todd Strumwasser, Dignitys senior vice president for Bay Area operations, said in a statement. St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco, for example, provides transgender surgery. And Minton, ultimately, did get the surgery he needed, at a different Dignity hospital. Even so, it was the discrimination that left, and continues to leave, a mark on my soul, he said. No one should be turned away for care or have to fight so hard to be served. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov The federal judge who struck down Californias ban on high-capacity gun magazines is allowing the state to prohibit buying or selling the devices while the state appeals his ruling. The judges latest order ended a multiday run on the magazines around the state, said a lawyer for gun owners who challenged the law, and allowed those who own the magazines to keep them. Over the past week, hundreds of thousands of gun owners purchased these self-defense tools that had been unavailable for almost 20 years, said C.D. Michel, a lawyer for the National Rifle Association and for the plaintiffs in the case. Gavin Newsom is the magazine salesman of the decade. Newsom, as lieutenant governor, sponsored the ballot measure that banned possession of the weapons. In his order Thursday, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego said that Attorney General Xavier Becerra has not made a strong showing that any ban on magazines holding more than 10 bullets is constitutional. But he added that strong and thoughtful views may be found on both sides and that his opinion cuts a less-traveled path among judges. California law has forbidden selling, giving away or acquiring large-capacity magazines since 2000. Proposition 63, a 2016 initiative sponsored by Newsom, banned possession of the magazines as well. But Benitez issued an injunction in 2017 that prevented that ban from taking effect, and on March 29 he ruled both the old and new laws unconstitutional. The judge was unconvinced by researchers, testifying for the state, who said high-capacity weapons had raised the death rolls in mass shootings and were of little use in self-defense. Citing cases in which homeowners had run out of bullets while trying to fend off armed invaders, Benitez said any benefit of requiring a reloading pause ... in the extremely rare mass shooting incident is vastly outweighed by the harm visited on manifold law-abiding, citizen-victims who must also pause while under attack. Magazines holding more than 10 cartridges are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for defense of self, home and state and thus are protected by the Second Amendment, Benitez said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In Thursdays order, he said allowing the state to continue enforcing its ban on acquiring the weapons would harm many Californians who want to obtain them. But Benitez said his decision to leave that ban in place for now would maintain the status quo while allowing those who have legally acquired the magazines to keep them. Becerra said he was pleased with the order. California leads the nation when it comes to common-sense gun laws, the attorney general said. We look forward to defending this important public safety law before the Ninth Circuit and are confident that it is constitutional. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko According to the Ministry of Unification, 71 percent of North Korean refugees are female. This edition of "Voices from the North" presents three female refugees discussing how they have adjusted to South Korea and how English has had a role in that adjustment. ED. Ji-hye, escaped from North Korea in 2011, arrived in South Korea in 2011. My first memory of English haunts me. I had just escaped to South Korea; I was so hopeful about life here. After leaving a hanawon, I enrolled in a middle school immediately. In one of my first classes, we played an English game. Everyone else knew the vocabulary; I was the only one who had no idea. I felt eager to learn, but instead I felt so humiliated by their responses and ridicule. They said the reason I was ignorant of the vocabulary was because I was from North Korea. I felt so humiliated. Eventually I dropped out of school and enrolled in a refugee school where the teachers and staff would be more understanding. I should get over it, I know it and I tell myself that, but for years that continued to haunt me in interactions with South Koreans. It seemed they were waiting for me to fail or to show ignorance about something so they could laugh about it and tell others about another stupid North Korean refugee they had met. When I went to college, I thought I would be able to get over this, but it seemed that quick judgments about North Korean refugees seemed to become even more frequent. If I do well, then people will say things such as, "Wow, you did really well, even though you are from North Korea." If I don't do well, then people will say, "Yes, you are from North Korea, so that may be the reason for your failure" or "you don't know about that because you are from North Korea." I really wish that people would stop judging North Korean refugee individuals as proof of the success or failure of North Korean refugees overall. I don't mean to judge people judging North Korean refugees, because there are sometimes that we don't know things. For example, I had no idea what an ambulance was when I came to South Korea. North Korea doesn't have ambulances, or at least not where I grew up. When I learned about ambulances, and how wonderful it is to have such a service, I regretted that I was born in North Korea. It opened my eyes to learn even more about the world. If North Korea ever becomes a normal country and North Korean refugees can return to North Korea, then I would like to introduce ambulances and other things to North Koreans. I won't mock them, however, I hope I can be a good mentor and teacher understanding what people need and helping them increase their understanding. Instead of judging North Korean refugees, let's work together. I am surprised when I meet the occasional South Korean who blames the dictators rather than North Korean individuals for our ignorance about things here. These days, my big obsession is English. I heard about this program a few years ago. It seemed that I could survive in South Korea without English, so I didn't take it seriously. But then, when it was time for college and to start planning my professional path in life, I had to think more deeply about how I could achieve my goals. That's when English became an emergency and I looked up TNKR and begged you to meet me suddenly, even though I had known about you earlier. I may stay in South Korea or I may live abroad. One good thing about meeting foreign teachers here is that they don't judge North Korean refugees. They place the blame on the dictators and the North Korean system rather than laughing at our ignorance about things here. They welcome me, instead of trying to ridicule me; they will listen so patiently as I try to solve English. Even though my pronunciation and grammar are so bad, they take the time to help me understand. I feel so sorry for my teachers. I know my English is not good, but they patiently wait for me to understand and structure classes, so I must be active rather than passive. Mina, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014 When I first came to South Korea, everything was new to me. I felt like an adult who was placed in a time machine, arriving as a newborn in a new universe. The biggest shock was the internet. I couldn't believe how much information was everywhere. In North Korea, it was difficult accessing information and of course I was not allowed to know about most books and I was only legally allowed to read things the government approved. But here, I can access the whole world just by turning on my computer and logging on. I can read almost any book and I can read opposing views and find critics analyzing a book. As soon as I got to South Korea, I got the English bug. At hanawon, an English pastor and his Korean wife visited and spoke English to us. It was amazing, it was the first time I had seen someone Korean speaking in English. I began looking for opportunities to study English, but I couldn't afford it and I wasn't sure how to get started. I hoped to get accepted into a university, but I realized it would be difficult, especially because of English. My new friend the internet became my best friend. I began studying English for 10 hours a day. I had learned some basic English in North Korea, but of course I wasn't prepared to interact with anyone. I spent hours and hours just trying to learn basics. I didn't want to be such a lousy speaker that people would run away from me, I had to do my part. Then after I gained some confidence, I studied everywhere possible. Hagwons, online, meeting foreigners, language exchanges, anywhere and anytime. If I failed, it would only be after a lot of effort. My English improved some, but there were many limitations. Friends wanted to chitchat, learn about my story and to talk about North Korea, and it was uncomfortable asking them deep questions that could improve my understanding of how English works. They want general conversation. Many guys wanted to start dating rather than serious English study. I started to notice the pattern how they would start off serious, then began suggesting social activities, then eventually sexy talk. Once they tried to transition away from serious study, then it was hello goodbye, I would disappear. That's why your volunteer teachers were such a shock for me. I still can't understand why they want to tutor for free and take it so seriously. When I explained this to my sister in North Korea, she couldn't believe there were such kind people in the world, and it was more shocking when I told her that it was mainly Americans so focused on helping us with English. I appreciate the opportunity to just study, I need to be prepared for my career so I can have a good life. That is more important than some public meetings or hanging out. I risked so much to come here, so it is very serious for me to study hard. Gyu-lee, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014. When I was in North Korea I never took English seriously. I never thought I would ever meet a foreigner in my life. It seemed more like I would meet people from another planet rather than foreigners. Even though I was taught to hate Americans, and to even kill them if I met them, I am a tiny girl so I didn't believe they would be scared by me. I didn't see the need to study English. I regret that so much. I was able to escape North Korea and to come to South Korea. I am so happy, I am enjoying my life so much. There are so many opportunities; I can meet so many wonderful people. There is one terrible big challenge in my life: English. At my university, I did my best to avoid classes in English. I struggled and suffered so much because of English. I am now working part-time. I feel terrible whenever I meet foreigners because I can't communicate with them. I work at a hospital, so sometimes I have trouble collecting documents and information from English speakers. The experiences can be bad and it really brings my mood down. I use translation programs, but they aren't reliable, and I am sure my colleagues look down on me when I struggle with this. I can see they are watching to see if I can handle English speakers. I am in a low position at my hospital. I don't know if I can get hired full time because of my low English ability. Other than English, my adjustment has not been difficult. At every moment, I have met nice people ready to help me. Meeting foreigners at the hospital has been my only challenge because it can affect the ability to perform my job. I am enjoying being here. There are many opportunities for me to do what I want, work where I want, even to learn something like English. Learning English has opened my eyes to the world. Some of my teachers try to be gentle, but I am happy to have them push me. It would be much easier for me if they used Korean, but it would not be as effective. Using English with my tutors gives me more confidence when I am at work. When a foreigner comes in, then I am not as nervous about dealing with them because I can talk one-to-one with English tutors who even role-play hospital situations with me. If I continue studying English, then one day I may even welcome foreigners visiting the hospital instead of feeling stress wondering if I can properly collect documents from them. Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, was the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the winner of the Global Award from Challenge Korea 2017. TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee translated the remarks of refugees from Korean to English. In the long fight to keep Californias wealthy, homogeneous, exclusive suburbs just the way they are, Palo Alto and Beverly Hills have an ally they might not have expected: San Francisco. The citys Board of Supervisors thanks to its purportedly progressive faction, no less is poised to reiterate its reactionary resistance to legislation that would legalize higher-density residential development near mass transit amid a crushing housing shortage. Despite San Franciscos obvious differences from the suburbs that surround it and other California cities, the supervisors latest act of housing-crisis denial isnt particularly surprising. Many of the cities neighborhoods are like Palo Alto and Beverly Hills insofar as they outlaw apartments and remain resolutely out of reach to most Californians. The supervisors, progressive pretensions aside, are representing this reality and doing their best to perpetuate it. While the supervisors position hasnt changed, state Sen. Scott Wieners SB50, the bill theyre opposing, has. Since it was killed in committee last year, as SB827, the San Francisco Democrat has revised it by moderating allowed building heights, increasing affordable-housing requirements, adding protections for rental housing and gentrification-prone neighborhoods, and extending it to high-employment, housing-scarce areas even if they arent near train or bus lines. The broadened support for the bill reflects these substantial concessions. Trade unions and environmental groups have joined affordable-housing advocates and developers in supporting the legislation. So have the mayors of the Bay Areas three biggest cities, San Franciscos London Breed, Oaklands Libby Schaaf and San Joses Sam Liccardo. And unlike its predecessor, SB50 passed its first committee this week. More for you Editorial: The case for dropping out of Electoral College The opposition still includes tenant groups that fear more gentrification of neighborhoods like the Mission. But apartment development has been driven into those areas because its excluded from richer neighborhoods and suburbs. Its those exclusive neighborhoods that are most implacable in their opposition lest they be forced to open their borders to anything more affordable than a single-family home. An analysis by UC Berkeleys Terner Center for Housing Innovation and the Urban Displacement Project, comparing hypothetical post-SB50 developments in Oaklands Fruitvale neighborhood and Menlo Park, found the latter would be more profitable and feasible, suggesting the bills greater impact would be in wealthier areas. Supervisor Gordon Mar, whose resolution opposing SB50 passed in committee this week, acknowledged in a recent Open Forum commentary that we in the Sunset District and other low-density areas need to create community-driven area plans to increase density in our neighborhoods: plans to include affordable housing excluded in historical and historically racist zoning practices. That is, trust Mar and Palo Alto and Beverly Hills to deal with it someday. But abdicating housing policy to local officials left California with the least homes per capita on the U.S. mainland and nearly half the nations unsheltered homeless. The question isnt whether we should build more housing or not, Mar wrote. On the contrary, that is exactly the question being put to supervisors and legislators, and the answer should be obvious. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. To the parents involved in the Varsity Blues cheating scandal: We all love our children and want the very best for them. Some of us have not yet faced the daunting and sometimes brutal process of applying for college (although in San Francisco, kindergarten is just as hard to get into). You have been caught trying to use your affluence to influence the outcome in favor of your child. Youve done this throughout their lives buying them the very best education you could, paying for the elite travel teams, etc. You are feeling entitled and brazen and some of your lawyers have indicated that you are innocent and will be fighting the charges you face. Your lives have been turned upside down, you have lost membership to boards you served, and social circles you swing in you have lost your status and your power. You have only your income, which without status or power is seemingly meaningless. Here is the truth: The rest of us are willing to forgive you if you take responsibility for your actions. Throwing more money and lawyers at your problems is sick. You lose even more face. Do the right thing. If you were wrong, say so. Cassandra Palo, San Francisco Welcome all to church Concerning Mormons OK baptisms of gay parents kids (April 5): Heres a question for the Mormon church from a married lesbian with children: Why do you now expect that the kids of same-sex married couples would want to be baptized into a faith that still views their parents relationship to be a serious transgression? This religion will not be truly reformed unless it is completely welcoming of all worshipers, including those with gay or lesbian parents. Francine Tompkins-Oliviera, Berkeley Bad behavior Ever walked a dog, former Vice President Joe Biden? Then you would know its rude to allow your dog to plunge into the body of a stranger who happens to be walking down the street. You dont let your dog nuzzle someones backside or place paws on their shoulders to sniff or lick. Its invasive and icky. Just because the dog thinks its being friendly and affectionate, you still have to pull on the leash and tell it no! The person on the other end doesnt know, trust or maybe even like your dog. Biden, do you understand this concept? Why do you think you get to meet a lower standard than a dog? Your phony pseudo-apology is all about you: how you want to connect, how you feel affectionate. But if theres no mutual interest in having a physical encounter, its not an affectionate connection. When you paw women you barely know, you are acting like a very badly behaved dog. Saaski Moorchild, Oakland Dire situation Think how bad it must be in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras if the refugees are still prepared to come to the United States, given President Trumps current attitude and resulting policies. Keith Smith, San Francisco Ongoing homelessness Leaving the community meeting about the Embarcadero Navigation Center, my partner commented, There was a lot of fear in that room, and not a lot of love. Many residents asked, How do I keep my children safe? An emotional appeal, but overwhelming evidence tells us children are more likely to be harmed by a family member than a stranger. I wonder if they are trying to protect their childrens innocence and trust, as much as their physical safety. How do we explain homelessness to them? Indeed, how do we explain it to ourselves? In psychology, cognitive dissonance describes human discomfort when our behavior contradicts our beliefs. Trying to reduce that discomfort, people seek or create justifications and de-emphasize their values. In San Francisco, one common narrative justifies the ongoing crisis of unhoused people by conflating personal struggles of poverty, drug abuse and mental illness with moral failing, criminality and dangerousness. If they are bad people, maybe they deserve no better. Thinking this way, maybe it is easier to live with the reality that our society has chosen to allow people to suffer. We can live with it, but apparently not in the same neighborhood. Kate Hellenga, San Francisco Not authorized Regarding House votes to end U.S. support (April 5): Dont believe Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, who says this is an abuse of the War Powers Resolution, or anyone who says this is a rebuff of the presidents Commander in Chief role. Congress has the sole constitutional authority over declaring wars and allocating funds for military actions, and the War Powers Resolution clarified the division of responsibilities. The president is required to end foreign military actions after 60 days, unless Congress specifically authorizes them, and U.S. military actions in support of the Yemen war have never been authorized by Congress. Laurie Kossoff, El Cerrito Wont get a vest Regarding Patagonia strips some techies of their uniform: the logo vest (Page 1, April 3): So I guess this means my chances of getting a Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Wells Fargo or Make America Great Again down vest from Patagonia are slim to none? Larry Coy, Palo Alto WASHINGTON Democrats credit their 2018 midterm success to focusing on pocketbook issues and avoiding engaging with President Trump on immigration. They may not have that luxury in 2020. The U.S. is on pace to receive more migrants at the southern border many of whom are seeking asylum in fiscal year 2019 than in any year in more than a decade. At current rates, more than 750,000 migrants would either be caught in illegal crossing attempts or show up at official border crossings without authorization to enter. The Trump administration says it is unable to handle the influx; and photos of migrants held in pens under an El Paso bridge last month made national headlines. But aside from condemning Trumps immigration policies as cruel contributors to the problem, Democrats have largely avoided talking about border-security ideas. Most of the partys presidential candidates have focused on expanding access to health care and other economic measures intended to boost the middle class, and have touched on immigration only in broad strokes. But that could change very soon and should, some experts say. Trump wants to turn the 2020 election into a debate between GOP border hawks and Democratic open-borders types, said Frank Sharry, executive director of the pro-immigrant advocacy group Americas Voice. Democrats would be wise to turn the debate into Trumps cruelty and incompetence versus Democrats practical solutions. ... Its a time for serious people to step up with serious ideas. Trump threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico before backing away from the idea last week. But hes made clear that just as they were in 2016, immigration issues will be at the center of his 2020 campaign. On Friday, the Trump campaign released a video consisting of comments from Democratic presidential contenders downplaying the situation at the border, with text declaring, Democrats do not want to keep Americans safe. Democrats consistently attack Trumps immigration comments and agenda, but tend to limit discussion of their own policies to promoting paths to citizenship for sympathetic populations of undocumented migrants. Some worry that if they dont have a clear plan to address the increasing numbers of asylum seekers at the border, Trump could ride the issue to victory again. This is going to be the cannon fodder for the Trump campaign and for Republicans in general, said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., a senior member of Congress Progressive Caucus and Hispanic Caucus. I think that we need to be proactive. ... The hard edge is going to want nothing but Trumps policy, of which there is none. I think the vast middle are looking for somebody taking the lead to try to solve the issue, as opposed to continuing to use it politically. Two of former President Barack Obamas top communications strategists agreed. We need to go on offense as soon as humanly possible, former Obama national security spokesman Tommy Vietor said last week on the Pod Save America podcast. We cant sit back and say just, No wall, no fence, and let him hammer us until (the) election. Former Obama chief speechwriter Jon Favreau added, The point that Democrats dont make enough is, we always say that his immigration policy is cruel, which it is, but its also dumb. It just doesnt work. Although Grijalva has not endorsed any of the Democratic candidates for president, he praised former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro for releasing a formal immigration policy last week, making him the first candidate to do so. Castros proposal includes the Democratic staples of offering a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors as well as the broader undocumented population. It would rescind many Trump administration policies, including the ban on travel from several majority-Muslim countries and other nations, and pour money and diplomatic resources into the Central American nations that many migrants are fleeing. Castro also proposes breaking up Immigration and Customs Enforcement and redistributing its functions. He also would make it no longer a crime to cross the border illegally, leaving it up to immigration courts to handle the civil offenses related to being in the country without authorization. Former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke comes from the border city of El Paso but as a House member played no leadership role in immigration debates. ORourke wrote a Medium post in February on the issue and offered 10 proposals, including expanding legal immigration and investing in border infrastructure and Central America. Other candidates have also spoken up about immigration, without making it a central theme of their campaigns. The Chronicle reached out to the major declared candidates for their policies, and all the ones who responded supported a pathway to citizenship for at least some undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. But none offered many specifics about what they would do at the southern border, other than encouraging aid to Central America. Californias Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris has engaged on the issue, questioning the Department of Homeland Security on its policies and being an outspoken advocate of Dreamers. Last week, she introduced a bill that would allow Dreamers who are temporarily protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals act to be paid for work in congressional offices. She frequently cites her own life story as the child of two immigrants. But as a candidate, Harris has said little about her border policy proposals and has made economic issues her signature. A spokeswoman for another Democratic presidential contender, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, said he would reform the immigration system while enforcing our laws and securing our borders in ways consistent with our values. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wants a humane and secure system that dismantles inhumane deportation programs, restructures ICE and puts the sanctity of families at the forefront, according to his campaign. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren supports comprehensive immigration reform, reversing cuts in aid to Central America and making sure we provide the support needed so mamas dont have to flee with their babies for their lives, according to an aide. The lack of engagement by the presidential field is indicative of broader soul-searching within the party, including in the House. Progressive Caucus Co-Chairwoman Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said she is part of a group working on principles for the party. ORourkes successor in his House seat, Rep. Veronica Escobar, said she spoke to the Democratic Caucus during a recent meeting about the need to come up with a plan. The Trump administration does everything it can to fuel the flames of fear and discord and xenophobia, and we have to demonstrate an alternative to that, Escobar said. So I do think presidential candidates need to lean in. But not every Democrat thinks going on offense on immigration would be wise. Swing district Democrats largely avoided the issue in the 2018 midterms; they were queasy at the idea of getting near it, Grijalva said. Some hope to repeat their success by sidestepping it again, at least for now. We had a 35-day national conversation about border security, and it ended with Donald Trump engaging in an unconditional surrender, said New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a member of party leadership, referring to the partial government shutdown over border wall funding. The 116th Congress, from the perspective of House Democrats, will continue to be about lowering health care costs and enacting a real infrastructure plan, and trying to do those two things in a bipartisan fashion. He said Democrats focus in the presidential race should be on distinguishing themselves in the primary. Its not necessarily clear to me that in that context theres a lot of daylight on immigration, Jeffries said. Once somebody emerges as a Democratic nominee, then there will be an opportunity to lay out a contrasting vision with the xenophobe-in-chief Donald Trump. Hillary Clintons former campaign press secretary, Brian Fallon, who now runs the left-aligned advocacy group Demand Justice, argued that Democrats should avoid debating on Trumps terms. In 2020, Donald Trump can be expected to do the same thing that he did leading up to the 2018 midterms, which is try to manufacture political controversies on his issues, Fallon said. Getting wrapped around the axle on the terrain that he wants to fight on is a losing strategy, and he would love the first, second, and third issue in October of 2020 to be immigration. And if we are trying to choose our preferred issue, it should be health care. A senior aide for Trumps re-election campaign confirmed that Trump would again be running on a border security message. Hes made that a cornerstone of his campaign since Day One thats not going to change, said the aide, who requested anonymity to speak more freely. Democrats are denying the crisis at the border. They want to see who can go the furthest left as they try and not address the issue at hand. They want to abolish ICE, they want to tear down existing barriers, they want to decriminalize border crossings. At what point are we addressing what is a true crisis at the southern border? One risk for Democrats is letting the loudest and most progressive voices define the issue for the party, said Ali Noorani, executive director of the moderate immigration advocacy group the National Immigration Forum. Many progressives, for example, want to abolish ICE, a proposal that could be unpopular with swing voters. I think the challenge for the party writ large, whether its the presidential candidates or Congress, is the perception that Democrats are just against whatever Trump is for on immigration, and a lot of the political conversation is sucked up by the progressive element in the House, Noorani said. The 2020 candidates should quickly articulate their own vision on the issue, he added. Otherwise, Trump will define the Democrats position for them. Some Republicans join Democrats in believing Trump has left room in the middle with his aggressive immigration agenda. GOP strategist Kevin Madden, a veteran of Mitt Romneys presidential campaigns, said Trumps immigration message hurt Republicans with suburban swing voters in the midterms, and that pragmatism would sell. It cant just be reflexive opposition, Madden said. If you know this debate is going to take place, why would you wait until the president starts attacking you to come up with your plan and your message? You have to have an anticipatory self-defense on this so you have a greater opportunity to win the middle. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan For more stories like this, check out The Chronicles weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. As we pushed our rafts into the current of the Lower Klamath River, I tried not to let my nervousness show. This scenic stretch of river along Highway 96 west of Yreka is known among whitewater rafters as an ideal kids trip, with warm water and only a handful of rapids worth worrying about. The problem is that the first of those, Hamburg Falls, comes just a quarter-mile into the run. We floated all of five minutes before pulling over to scout the rapid, which features three rocks stacked in the center of the current. If you hit those you could potentially wrap your boat right there and that could be pretty ugly, veteran river ranger Dave Paine had told me a few days earlier. All it would take to miss those rocks was one well-timed stroke, but my friend Marissa and I were both feeling a bit rusty. Shed worked a few seasons as a raft guide in Colorado but hadnt touched the sticks in 10 years. I turned to her. Looks pretty straightforward, I said noncommittally. Yep, she said. You wanna go first? Nope. My wife, Nysa, who was captaining the third raft, had been telling me for months that she has no intention of running Hamburg. That meant Id have to hike back up and run her boat through, so it made sense that I go first. As a kayaker before my kids were born, I sought out challenging whitewater. But that was years ago, and Im still new to rafting. In river terms, a kayak is like a rally car, quick to turn and accelerate out of danger. A raft is more akin to a semi thats lost its air brakes: It will roll through almost anything but is slow to turn and absolutely will not stop. Sitting at the oars I felt like a commuter behind the wheel of a big rig no stranger to highways but way out of my depth. I drifted toward the rapid with my heart in my throat. When it came time to jag, I heaved on the oars and the boat lurched almost too easily around the rocks. Safe in the eddy below, I watched as Marissa styled the move. Then I hiked up to run the rapid again, this time with my two young daughters on board. Josh Miller This was a big moment for our family. Over the years, wed progressed from flat-water canoe trips to rafting easy whitewater on Oregons Rogue River. But this was the first time wed faced a legitimate Class III rapid as a family. Eager as we were to share our love of rivers with our daughters, Nysa and I worried about pushing too hard, too fast. One misplaced stroke here could set us back years. Before we pushed off I reminded both girls to hold on tight. Amelia, who is 9, gave me a solemn nod and closed her hands around a strap. Five-year-old Addie is more inclined to give advice than listen to it. Daddy were going to hit that rock, she observed, just before we smoothly skirted the obstacle and splashed through a foamy wave at the bottom of the rapid. The girls hooted with joy, and Addie immediately demanded to go again. With the days big rapid behind us, we drifted with the current. A butterfly lit on Amelias bright red life jacket and stayed there for half a mile. She beamed. The sun was high and warm, the water pleasantly cool. Time seemed to slow down, as it so often does on rivers. We scanned the shore for our first camp, marked clearly by a large stump of a tree that had burned in a fire years earlier. The old cliche is that you never step into the same river twice, though that observation is less true on a river like the Klamath, which has been dammed for more than 100 years. A massive change is in store for the river, where the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history is on track to begin in 2021. The $400 million project, funded in part by California taxpayers, will remove four of the six dams on the Klamath, which flows 257 miles through southern Oregon and northern California. A designated recreational river in the National Wild and Scenic River System, the Klamath is both an important source of irrigation water and critical spawning ground for steelhead, lamprey and five species of Pacific salmon. Fish populations crashed after the first dam was built in 1918 and declined further with the construction of each new dam, the last of which was completed in 1965. Since then, persistent drought, disease and overfishing have further decimated the salmon runs. Area tribes, including the Karuk, Yurok and Klamath, have worked for decades with commercial fishing interests and environmental groups to remove the dams, which they believe will allow salmon to recover. The river and the fish it supports are at the center of the tribes traditional economy and cultural life, but both are suffering. In 2017 the Klamath chinook run was so anemic that the Yurok Tribe was forced to use store-bought fish for its annual salmon festival. The Klamath salmon is as much a part of our traditional culture as our prayers and our drums, Yurok Tribal Chairman Thomas ORourke wrote on Facebook at the time. That is what is at stake here, the continuation of our very existence as Yurok people. For all of its beauty, the Klamath is not a healthy river. One of our biggest worries as we planned the trip was a toxic blue-green algae that sometimes blooms in the reservoirs behind two of the dams, typically in late summer of low-water years. The water quality was excellent during our trip in early July, however, and we found it hard to reconcile the rivers splendor with the knowledge that the ecological balance that sustains it has somehow gone askew. Such thoughts were far from our minds as we drifted downriver, the six kids marveling at dragonflies and watching the river bottom scroll below us. Our group of 13 included my wife and our daughters, my mother-in-law, Marissa and her family, plus good friends from Bernal Heights whose daughters are like cousins to our girls. We were three generations in three rafts, which is one of the great joys of river tripping. We traveled together at the rivers pace no waiting for dawdling toddlers or chasing fitter members of the party, as we would on a backpacking trip. The end of the second day brought Class III+ Savage Rapid, a tougher drop than Hamburg, though far milder than its name suggests. In the run-out we spotted a massive bald eagle perched high above the river, looking magnificent and a little disheveled at the same time. The bird surveyed our party as we floated along the edge of what Ranger Dave called a big ol willow curtain of invasive tamarisk brush marking another favorite camp. Three yellow rafts were tethered neatly on the sandy beach. They belonged to OARS, a company renowned for guided rafting adventures across the West. When we straggled in they were already enjoying hors d'oeuvres next to their perfectly staked tents. We set up on a corner of the beach and feasted on fish tacos and toasted the American eagle a day early (it was July 3) with festive cocktails. Rafting is easily the most luxurious form of backcountry camping, simply because a raft can haul an astounding quantity of gear and delicacies. Marissa was baking a Dutch-oven cake for her daughters 9th birthday when one of the OARS guides strolled over with a plate of fruit and half a pineapple full of chocolate fondue. Josh Miller They were generous to share the beach, especially because there were no good campsites before the next set of rapids. There arent many sandy beaches on this stretch. Thats common on dammed rivers, because much of the sediment that would normally flow downstream and replenish the beaches, and also create critical spawning beds for salmon and steelhead, settles out in the reservoirs. According to some estimates, 30 million cubic yards of sediment has accumulated behind the Klamath dams, material that without dams would have replenished beaches and spawning beds. Instead, it settled out in the reservoirs, reducing their storage capacity and the generating power of the hydroelectric dams. What will happen when the dams come down and all of that mud, sand and gravel begins flowing downstream is at the heart of the debate over dam removal. Those opposed, which include a majority of local residents, some farmers and the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors, argue that it could take decades for the sediment to wash downstream, and that in the meantime the turbid water could harm the very fish the dam removal is meant to help. They also worry that removing the dams will leave the area vulnerable to flood and drought, even though none of the dams slated for removal is designed for flood control or water storage. Proponents of dam removal say most of the sediment will wash out in the first high-water season, as it has in other cases, including the 2012 removal of a dam on the Elwha River on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula the largest U.S. dam removal project to date. Salmon and steelhead populations have rebounded on the Elwha, as they have on Columbia River tributaries, where dams were removed in 2007 and 2011. American Whitewater Stewardship Director Thomas OKeefe, who holds a doctorate in aquatic ecology, says science suggests the Klamath and its salmon populations will start to rebound in a matter of years rather than decades. Still, the only way to know for certain is to take out the dams. Its a massive undertaking guaranteed to cause disruption and expected to cost about $400 million. Up to $250 million will come from California Proposition 1, a water bond passed in 2014, and about $200 million from PacifiCorp ratepayers. Its a simple business decision for the utility, which owns the dams: Removing them is cheaper than making the improvements necessary to relicense them to keep operating. The outcome is less certain for those who rely on the river for their health and livelihood. For them, dam removal is a leap of faith. On our third morning we bounced through Otters Playpen rapid, a narrow squeeze between granite walls, after which the river slowed. Our families had achieved that easy feeling of river time, our moods adjusting to the rivers pace. The girls jumped into the water and floated beside the rafts in their life jackets. I closed my eyes and leaned back, listening to the sounds of the water and the childrens laughter. Theyd transformed on this trip. All looked a bit feral. Nobody had asked to watch a video in days. Lunches and snacks were constantly on their minds, however, and we pulled into a deep eddy below a 10-foot crag, passing cans of Pringles between the three rafts. Marissas husband, Greg, clambered up the rock and, without a word, plunged into the water. That prompted an exodus from the rafts, with all six kids making the easy climb. After the older kids made the leap, Addie stood at the precipice, knees bent and hands holding firm to the rock, her face both determined and apprehensive. Watching my daughter from below, I knew precisely how she felt. Id felt the same way the other day above Hamburg Falls, and a thousand other times since Id become a father. So many things in life require a leap of faith. Raising kids is one. So is restoring a river. We chose to run the Lower Klamath because its one of the best rafting trips for kids anywhere in North America. But as I researched the trip, speaking with folks like Ranger Dave Paine and learning about the coming dam removal, another motivation crept in. I wanted my girls to see the river as it is now. I daydream about returning, again and again, as my daughters grow to become strong young women at home on a river reasserting its own wild and free nature. Watching Addie on that ledge felt like the start of that dream. She took her sweet time but finally pushed off, flailed through the air and landed in half a belly flop, then came up shouting, I did it! Jeff Moag is a contributor to Adventure Journal and other publications. He lives in Dana Point. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com Kamala Harris called the possibility of an all-female presidential ticket "fabulous" when she appeared on a satellite radio show on Friday. Harris was asked about the possibility by the Rev. Mark Thompson on his SiriusXM show, "Make It Plain with Mark Thompson." "Would you, as a woman, consider another woman?" Thompson asked Harris. "Yes!" Harris responded emphatically. "Yeah, I would." "Wouldn't that be fabulous?" Harris added when Thompson followed up to confirm the answer. But when he asked whether the United States was ready for female presidential and vice presidential candidates, she said, "We'll see if it happens." She laughed after she said that, adding, "There are all kinds of interesting scenarios." If Harris won the Democratic nomination in 2020, then she would have plenty of women to consider as a running mate. In the field of 17 candidates who have declared that they are running for the Democratic nomination, there are five other women running: Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii; and spiritual author Marianne Williamson. And there are others, such as former state representative of Georgia and rising Democratic star Stacey Abrams and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, who have been mentioned as either a presidential or vice presidential candidates. When Warren, the next leading woman in the Democratic race, was interviewed by Thompson, she had a similar response to Harris. "I'd put a woman on my ticket," she told Thompson. This obviously isn't the first time that the potential for an all-female presidential-vice presidential ticket has come up with a Democratic candidate. When Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination for president in 2016, her campaign manager John Podesta said that there would be women on the shortlist for her running mate, though she eventually chose Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. PARIS Twitter said 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 designed to ban fake news. The San Francisco company modified its policy after executives met with French government officials, saying it has now decided to authorize such ads after many exchanges. Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-gu By Hwang Jae-ho It has always been a rocky road toward peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, and so far it seems this year is no exception. Following the no-deal summit in Hanoi, the U.S. Treasury Department appeared to add new sanctions relating to North Korea, to which the North responded by abruptly withdrawing its entire staff from an inter-Korean liaison office. It seems now that the two countries are carefully weighing their options, studying each side's every move. Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-gu sat with Professor Hwang Jae-ho of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea Times columnist, last Thursday to assess the present state of Korean diplomacy and discuss the way ahead. Apart from having served in some key government posts, such as ROK Ambassador to Egypt, Consul General in Washington, D.C., and Director-General of the International Policy Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense, Yoon also holds a master's degree in international affairs from the Pennsylvania State University. Prof. Hwang Jae-ho of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, left, and Yoon Soon-gu Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images SAN DIEGO The Trump administration wants up to two years to find potentially thousands of children who were separated from their families at the border before a judge halted the practice last year, a task that it says is more laborious than previous efforts because the children are no longer in government custody. The Justice Department said in a court filing late Friday that it will take at least a year to review about 47,000 cases of unaccompanied children taken into government custody between July 1, 2017 and June 25, 2018 the day before U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw halted the practice of splitting families. IOWA CITY, Iowa It was hard to miss Cheri Pichones excitement about Bernie Sanders second presidential run. She showed up to a recent Iowa rally decked out in Sanders gear, complete with a figurine of the Vermont senator and progressive icon. But underneath her exuberance, the 36-year-old was still mad about the last Democratic primary, when Sanders bid for the presidency fell short to Hillary Clinton. They cheated, she said, directing much of her anger at the Democratic National Committee. The party establishment, she lamented, was actively working against us. Pichone voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in 2016 and said she may vote for a third party again if Sanders doesnt clinch the nomination. Shes emblematic of a persistent group of Sanders supporters who wont let go of the slights real and perceived from the last campaign. The frustration is notable now that Sanders is a 2020 front-runner, downplaying concerns about DNC bias and highlighting his success in bringing the party around on liberal policies it once resisted. Some establishment-aligned Democrats worry the party could lose in 2020 if lingering concerns about the last primary arent put to bed. It has the potential to escalate, and it has the potential to help re-elect Donald Trump, said Mo Elleithee, a former spokesman for Clinton and the DNC. The acrimony stems from a sense among Sanders loyalists that party leaders privately favored Clinton. DNC leaders at the time scheduled fewer debates than Republicans and sometimes slated them for nights with low television viewership. Often opaque delegate allocation rules also contributed to a belief among some Sanders supporters that the primary was essentially rigged. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the tension took a toll. About 81% of people who supported Sanders during the primary season and were confirmed to have voted in the general election said they ultimately voted for Clinton, while 11% said they supported Stein or Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson, and 3% supported Trump. In a closely contested election, those moves away from Clinton may have factored into the results. Since the election, party leaders have sought to smooth things over with Sanders and his supporters. DNC Chairman Tom Perez is planning a robust debate schedule. The rules governing superdelegates party insiders who overwhelmingly backed Clinton have changed. In 2016, I think I will not shock anybody to suggest that the DNC was not quite evenhanded, Sanders said during a CNN town hall in February. I think we have come a long way since then, and I fully expect to be treated quite as well as anybody else. Alexandra Jaffe, Hunter Woodall and Meg Kinnard are Associated Press writers. A small-business owner on an island in the Philippines has become a local hero for pushing back at the growing number of international travelers who introduce themselves as influencers as a way to get free food, drinks and lodging. He made his stand on Siargao, a tear-drop-shaped island long popular with surfers. In recent years it has also drawn a large number of travelers who believe that their vacations should be free so long as they make Instagram stories, according to several local business owners. Last week, Gianlucca Casaccia, 40, the manager and co-owner of the White Banana Beach Club, decided it was time to take action after opening his inbox and finding yet another message containing the phrase: I am an influencer. Since May, when Casaccia, who is Italian, and his wife, who is from Manila, opened their cocktail bar overlooking the turquoise Philippine Sea, they have received about 100 of these messages, he said. Along with a bar, the venue has a restaurant and two luxury dorms for around $23 a bed. The typical email from a wannabe influencer is something like: Im coming from the 25th to the 27th. We need three beds and food and accommodation. In exchange, the traveler offers content instead of money. We found this disrespectful, he said Monday night. It didnt help that often the influencers had fewer than 2,000 Instagram followers. How can you help me if you are no one? he asked. And so on March 26 he posted the following on Facebook: We are receiving many messages regarding collaborations with influencers, Instagram influencers. We kindly would like to announce that White Banana is not interested to collaborate with self-proclaimed influencers. And we would like to suggest to try another way to eat, drink, or sleep for free. Or try to actually work. He was not aiming to go viral, he said. I just did it to make these people stop. But within a week, Casaccia had racked up more than 11,000 likes, 3,000 shares and nearly 700 comments and had generated a feisty debate about the value of influence. Many applauded his attack on the overly entitled new age beggars, as one commenter called them. But others defended the entrepreneurial travelers. Whats wrong with trying to see what you can get? So asked Jovelyn Mateo, a travel blogger from Manila, on the White Banana Beach Club Facebook page. If you know that you have something to offer on the table, its never a bad thing to try, she wrote. And didnt the island owe its popularity in part to breathtaking and well-curated Instagram photos? Thats what Lance De Ocampo, a Filipino blogger and YouTuber, asked his nearly 49,000 Instagram followers in a now-deleted post. In response, Casaccia offered a clarification on his Facebook page: White Banana Beach Club was not against real influencers. He had even reached out to some of these in the past. (Asked to put a number on legitimate social influence, he put the number at half a million followers.) The people who bothered him were the wannabe freeloaders, he said. Some of his critics called that snobby and arbitrary and pointed out that he used his viral fame to point people to the clubs Instagram account. But on the island, many praised Casaccias stand. Davide Barbi, an artist who owns a villa on Siargao, recounted a recent evening that had been ruined by freeloaders. Were basically a bunch of surfers, the alchemy with Instagrammers was peculiar, to call it the least, he said in an email. After their few fairly embarrassing poses and related pics, they stated they love our place and how famous it could become with their media crowds checking it out. When it became clear that he was not going to trade a stay in the villa for online photos, the travelers disappeared. These tensions are certainly not new or unique to Siargao. In January 2018, the owner of a boutique lodge in Dublin got into a widely publicized fight with a young YouTuber who requested free lodging. In June of that year, The Atlantic reported that resorts in the Maldives were swamped with influencer inquiries. But several people in the hotel industry say influencers have taken bartering to a whole new level lately. The number of requests are now so high that we dont even bother replying, said Jacques Maudy, who manages villas in Bali through the website nomadholidayrentals.com. We even had the case a couple of weeks ago of a group of friends who secured one of our villas with a deposit and then tried to bargain the balance against a couple of posts. The Jashita Hotel in Tulum has faced such an overwhelming number of inquiries from influencers over the past six months that the hotel has stopped working with them, said Abigail Villamonte, the front desk manager. Yes we are annoyed to be honest with you, she said. Because they dont even write about it. They just post one picture. And that just leads to more requests from influencers, she said. As for Casaccia, he said the messages slowed down for a few days after his Facebook post. But then they picked up again, though travelers are less demanding than before. He said he even surprised himself by striking a conciliatory tone with one correspondent. I can see you have good content, he wrote. But I suggest you do not introduce yourself as an influencer. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 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. ALAMEDA (BCN) The crew of a Coast Guard cutter based in Alameda helped to confiscate more than 7.1 tons of cocaine during operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean over the past two months, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Friday. The drugs were seized during six separate interdictions off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by the Coast Guard cutters Waesche, Active and Steadfast. Waesche, a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Alameda, was responsible for two of the cases. The Waesche offloaded more 14,300 pounds of seized cocaine on Friday in San Diego, officials said. The Coast Guard released photos of the seized bales of drugs on Friday. "The offload that you see behind me, the bales of cocaine, represents a successful example of the cycle of justice," said Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, deputy commander of Coast Guard Pacific Area. "This cycle of justice disrupts a cycle of crime which, left unchecked, fuels violence and instability that erodes our hemisphere's social and economic fabric and directly contributes to historically high numbers of drug related deaths in North America." During interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida, Coast Guard officials said. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. FAIRFIELD (BCN) A Fairfield man on probation for driving under the influence was sober when DUI officers contacted him in Fairfield early Friday but he wound up in custody anyway, after someone reported they saw an assault rifle in his car. Alert Buggs, 29, was arrested on suspicion of numerous weapons violations shortly after midnight Friday, according to police. The officers were alerted to Buggs by a driver they had stopped in the 1100 block of Texas Street, about 12 a.m. The driver told officers that she was concerned about a man in a black Honda Civic with a rifle in his car, in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. When the officers pulled into the complex they spotted Buggs getting out of the driver's door of a parked black Honda Civic. One officer approached him to see if he lived at the complex while another officer looked through the Honda's driver's window. The officer saw a rifle leaning against the center console with the barrel facing down to the gas pedal, according to police. A search of the car turned up an illegally possessed AK-47 rifle with one round in the chamber and 28 rounds loaded in the magazine seated in the rifle, police said. The assault rifle was within reach of the driver and not concealed. Buggs denied ownership of the weapon, claiming he knew nothing about it, police said. He was booked into Solano County Jail on the weapons violations as well as a probation violation. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. OAKLAND (BCN) An Oakland man with five prior felony convictions has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a San Leandro man in Oakland early last Saturday morning. Orlando Lomont Sanders, 37, was charged and arraigned on Thursday for the shooting death of Wytellis Franklin, 25, and appeared in court again on Friday. He's scheduled to return to court on April 19 to enter a plea. Franklin was shot in the 2700 block of East 16th Street about 3 a.m. on Saturday, March 30 and died at a hospital a short time later, according to police. A motive for the shooting hasn't been disclosed. Oakland police Officer Jose Barocio wrote in a probable cause statement that surveillance camera footage shows Sanders firing a gun at Franklin multiple times and driving away from the scene in his car. After Sanders was arrested on a warrant at his home in the 3200 block of MacArthur Boulevard at 5:30 p.m. on Monday he admitted to investigators that he shot at Franklin multiple times, according to Barocio. In addition to murder, Sanders is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon with prior convictions and with carrying a loaded firearm in a city. Alameda County prosecutors say that Sanders has two prior convictions for possession for sale of cocaine base and one conviction each for possession of an assault weapon, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm and receiving stolen property. Sanders is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SALINAS (BCN) A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to several counts related to the long-term sexual abuse of a child, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni announced Thursday. Richard Murray, 42, pleaded no contest to nine counts of child sexual abuse, three counts of oral copulation, one count of sodomy, one count of sexual penetration, one count of forcible rape and three counts of lewd and lascivious acts, prosecutors said. The abuse occurred between 1999 and 2008 when the victim, a family member, was between the ages of 4 and 13 years old. The initial disclosure of the crime and the following investigation by the Marina Police Department occurred in 2013. The Monterey County District Attorney's Office filed charges in the case in 2016 when Murray was serving a six-year sentence in Oregon for child sexual abuse against the 8-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend. That case was reported in 2011. When Murray completed his sentence in Oregon in 2017, he was extradited to the Monterey County Jail and was held on $500,000 bail. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Funeral services for the Very Rev. James V. Matthews II, rector of the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, will be held on Sunday, the Diocese of Oakland announced Saturday. Matthews, known as Father Jay throughout the diocese, died on March 30 of an apparent heart attack. He was 70. He was a fixture in the Oakland diocese for three decades and was the first African-American ordained priest in Northern California, joining the priesthood in 1974. Matthews served as pastor of St. Benedict Church in East Oakland for 26 years before taking over as rector of the cathedral, the centerpiece of the diocese, in 2015. A procession of the hearse from St. Benedict Church, 2245 82nd Ave., Oakland, to the Cathedral will take place starting at 1:30 p.m. Sunday and will be escorted by Oakland police. A viewing will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the cathedral, 2121 Harrison St. in Oakland. A vigil and interfaith gathering will follow at 6 p.m. Those expected to deliver remarks at the service include Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee and former Oakland mayor Elihu Harris. On Monday at 7 p.m. there will be a Mass of Christian Burial. On Tuesday, interment will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery, 2540 Church Lane, San Pablo. Father Matthews' obituary may be found at: https://www.oakdiocese.org/offices/communication/media-relations/father-jay-matthews-cathedral-rector-dies-march-30 A 47-year-old woman and her 3-year-old child were hospitalized Friday after being attacked by three dogs in Vallejo. Officers with the Vallejo Police Department responded Friday at 5:32 p.m. to a residence in the 500 block of Locust Drive on a report of a woman and a child being attacked by three pit bull terriers. Responding officers located the woman and child in the back yard being attacked by the dogs. The officers were able to separate the dogs from the victims by using pepper spray and physical force. The dogs each weighed approximately 40 to 50 pounds, police said. Both victims suffered major injuries and were transported to the hospital. Officers were able to contain the dogs until Solano County Animal Control took custody of the animals. Police said the dogs were under the care and control of the victim at the time of the incident. A traffic stop led to the arrest of a man Saturday in connection with possession of drugs and firearm crimes. Magd Yafai, 21, of Oakland was arrested on suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle and possession of marijuana for sale, according to the Emeryville Police Department. On Saturday at 12:16 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a code violation. As the officer was speaking with the driver of the vehicle, the officer saw a jar of suspected marijuana in the vehicle and a loaded firearm on the driver's side floorboard, police said. The driver, identified as Yafai, was taken into custody without incident. During a search of the vehicle, officers found more than 200 grams of marijuana, a scale and packaging materials, police said. A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to several counts related to the long-term sexual abuse of a child, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni announced Thursday. Richard Murray, 42, pleaded no contest to nine counts of child sexual abuse, three counts of oral copulation, one count of sodomy, one count of sexual penetration, one count of forcible rape and three counts of lewd and lascivious acts, prosecutors said. The abuse occurred between 1999 and 2008, when the victim -- a family member -- was between the ages of 4 and 13 years old. The initial disclosure of the crime and the following investigation by the Marina Police Department occurred in 2013. The Monterey County District Attorney's Office filed charges in the case in 2016 when Murray was serving a six-year sentence in Oregon for child sexual abuse against the 8-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend. That case was reported in 2011. When Murray completed his sentence in Oregon in 2017, he was extradited to the Monterey County Jail and was held on $500,000 bail. A security guard who reported a suspicious person early Saturday instead found himself in custody on suspicion of possessing cocaine and having a loaded concealed gun, Rohnert Park police said. The guard, Lloyd Collins of Oakland, called police about 12:15 a.m. to report someone causing a disturbance in the 400 block of Southwest Boulevard, according to the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. Collins, 33, told police a person was threatening him, and while they were investigating the scene one officer noticed what appeared to be cocaine on a tray on the passenger seat inside Collins' car. Collins was detained and during a search of his car, the suspected cocaine and additional narcotics were seized, police said. A loaded handgun was also found by police inside the center console of Collins' car, along with two loaded magazines for the gun, police said. The gun wasn't registered to Collins and he did not have a permit to carry it, police said. Collins was arrested on suspicion of possession of the suspected narcotics, possession of a loaded firearm while possessing narcotics, and possessing a loaded concealed firearm. Collins was booked into the Sonoma County Jail, where he is being held on $10,000 bail. The person who had been reported as suspicious by Collins was released after the officers concluded their investigation. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Police in San Francisco on Wednesday arrested a man who was struck by a vehicle and then reportedly punched the car's driver, sending the driver to the hospital. John Mixon, 25, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with force, elder abuse and in connection with two previous robberies, according to the San Francisco Police Department. All eastbound lanes of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge have been reopened after two lanes were closed when pieces of concrete fell from the upper to lower span of the bridge, according to the California Highway Patrol. The No. 3 and 4 lanes were closed for emergency roadwork after concrete was reported falling just west of the mid-span of the bridge around 12:45 p.m. A Sig-alert was issued around 2:10 p.m. Both lanes reopened at 3:40 p.m. Bridge inspectors responded around 2:30 p.m., according to the CHP. The bridge was temporarily closed on Feb. 7 after chunks of concrete fell onto the lower deck. Investigators determined an expansion joint that allows the bridge to expand or contract with rising or cooling temperatures had failed. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Hung Kings' Death Anniversary in Phu Tho province (Source: nguoihanoi.com.vn) On the occasion of Hung Kings Death Anniversary (the 10th day of the third lunar month) which will fall on April 14th this year, the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese and the Project Mobilisation Unit of Vietnam Ancestral Global Day will coordinate with associations, overseas Vietnamese community, Vietnam embassies in the five countries to organize the second Vietnam Ancestral Global Day. Diverse activities such as Hung Kings incense offering ceremony, cultural and artistic performances, exchanges with international friends and seminars will be held during the event which has special significance to overseas Vietnamese. Last year, the day was held in the Czech Republic, Russia, Hungary, and Germany./. KABUL Insurgents killed seven police officers and three civilians in attacks across Afghanistan on Saturday, provincial officials said. Such attacks, blamed on the Taliban, have continued in recent months, even as the militants hold talks with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to negotiate an American troop withdrawal. PODGORICA, Montenegro It all started with a video posted on social media: a secret recording from 2016 that appears to show a well-known local tycoon hand over an envelope containing cash to a party associate of Montenegros long-standing leader. The businessman, a former confidant of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, released the video late last year in retaliation for charges filed against him for fraud and money laundering, which have prompted him to flee to London to avoid prosecution. The tycoon, Dusko Knezevic, also released a series of documents accusing the president and his ruling party of corruption, cronyism and abuse of office, claiming he has cashed in millions of dollars to Djukanovic and his ruling party so the authorities turn a blind eye to his shady business dealings. The Envelope Affair has triggered weeks of anti-Djukanovic protests, demanding the resignation of one of Europes longest-lasting leaders after his almost 30 years in power. The anti-government demonstrations came as similar protests were taking place in neighboring Serbia and Albania where demonstrators are also seeking to oust leaders accused of autocratic rule and corruption despite their proclaimed bids to take their countries into the European Union. The almost simultaneous eruption of anti-government movements in the region has prompted talk of a Balkan Spring, in reference to the wave of protests and revolutions across the Arab world in 2010. While none of the protests so far have managed to unseat Balkan leaders, they have encouraged civic resistance and shaken their firm grip on power and the support they have been receiving in the West. In Montenegro, Djukanovic has long faced accusations of corruption and links to organized crime. The recent video was seen as the most serious blow to his so-far unchallenged rule. In an interview, Djukanovic denied the accusations, saying pro-Russia opposition parties and foreign factors are behind the protests even though they are formally led by civic groups. Montenegrin protest organizers insisted the demonstrations represent a genuine civic movement without any foreign or opposition party influence. Their weekly rallies have drawn thousands of people. Since coming to power in late 1980s, Milo the Czar as hes commonly called in Montenegro has been calling the shots as president, prime minister or party leader thanks to his switching between posts. But he has also been a key Western ally in countering Russian influence in the region. Dusan Stojanovic is an Associated Press writer. MANAGUA, Nicaragua Nicaragua has released 50 more people jailed for protesting against President Daniel Ortegas government, bringing the number freed since late February to about 200 in a unilateral action separate from a broader deal covering hundreds considered political prisoners. But charges were not dropped against the demonstrators, who were accused of disrupting the public order and attacking the peace in Nicaragua. Instead they were for the most part transferred to a form of house arrest, short of the unrestricted freedom that the opposition has demanded in negotiations with government representatives. Being at home I feel free, said student protester Franklin Rodrigo Artola Garcia. I feel happy to be with my mother, with my father, all my family. ... And I am going to remain in the fight because Nicaragua must be free and it has to be one hundred percent pure, zero corruption, zero murderers. Opponents of Ortega have said more than 640 people were being held for political reasons, jailed in protests that broke out a year ago against the government. Ortega officials say the actual number is far smaller. Luis Alvarado, alternative representative from Nicaragua to the Organization of American States, said the prisoner releases are proof of the commitment of the state and government of Nicaragua with the agreements reached so far in the talks. Documents signed in the recent talks between the government and the Civic Alliance opposition coalition call for the International Committee of the Red Cross to propose an updated list of prisoners who should be freed by mid-May Fridays released caught both the ICRC and the opposition by surprise. The ICRC is not involved in the liberation ... announced today, said Alberto Cabezas, a Mexico-based spokesman for the organization. According to a list provided by the Interior Ministry, those freed include students, farmworkers and professionals arrested for taking part in the protests, which erupted last April over a social security reform and broadened to demand Ortega leave office. They were released to families in the capital, Managua, and other cities. Those who are seated at the negotiating table, may they continue to be firm on the issues they are raising and demanding, said Jeffry Ortega, another student released. And may the president cease the repression and let things be as they were before. Gabriela Selser is an Associated Press writer. SEVERNY KLEVER MILITARY BASE, 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 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 55 degrees during the winter. Its 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 President Trumps 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 Earths undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. In 2015, Russia submitted to the United Nations a revised bid for vast territories in the Arctic. It claimed over 463,000 square miles of Arctic sea shelf, extending more than 350 nautical miles from the shore. As part of a multi-pronged effort to stake Russias 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. Vladimir Isachenkov is an Associated Press writer. DINARD, France Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges but was shaken by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The diplomats in attendance projected a united front while walking side-by-side along a seaside promenade before they released a statement from their two-day meeting in Dinard. The agreement included mildly worded joint commitments on issues such as fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger peacemaking roles, and engaging with countries in Africas Sahel region to combat migrant trafficking. BOGOTA, Colombia Across Colombias capital, Venezuelan children, including infants, spend hours at busy intersections while their migrant parents sell candy or ask motorists for a few coins to get through another day after fleeing their homeland in search of a better life. The impact of Venezuelas devastating economic, social and political problems has rippled across Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years as more than 3 million people left the country. As is the case in humanitarian emergencies around the world, it is the children who are most vulnerable. About 1.1 million children will need access to services such as education, sanitation and safe drinking water across the region this year because of the Venezuelan migrant crisis, UNICEF says in a new report. The U.N. childrens agency said the projected figure is more than double the number of children who need such help right now, and it expressed concern about reports of discrimination and violence against Venezuelan children and families. Some migrants including unaccompanied and separated children, pregnant women, nursing mothers as well as indigenous people are at increased risk, UNICEF said in an appeal to governments to uphold the rights of children, including migrants and refugees. On Thursday, about 20 Venezuelan babies and children were with parents scrounging for handouts from passing vehicles at an intersection in Bogota. Mothers carried their babies. The youngest child was six days old, the oldest was 6 years old. Toddlers played with toys or ate candy, seemingly oblivious to the roar of traffic around them. Some motorists rolled down their windows to give out a few coins. One of the migrants, Wilfran Garrido, 22, said he had worked at a hotel in Venezuelas Carabobo state but left the country because of the deteriorating economic situation that made it hard to feed his family. He said he arrived in Bogota last year and was able to find a school for his 4-year-old son and a kindergarten for his 2-year-old. He and his wife also have an infant 4 months old. I hope the future is better for my three children, because there is no future in Venezuela, said a tearful Garrido. UNICEF cited projections that up to 4.9 million people across the region including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago will need help this year because of political and economic conditions inside Venezuela that are driving regional migration. Cesar R. Garcia is an Associated Press writer. 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This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more Page Content More than a third of employers' H-1B visa petitions in 2018 received requests for evidence (RFEs) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as denial rates grew and approval rates fell. About 38 percent of H-1B petitions filed in 2018 received RFEs, compared to about 22 percent over the prior three years. In 2018, denial rates more than doubled from the previous three years to almost 16 percent. The rate of approvals for petitions subjected to RFEs fell to 60 percent, compared to an approval rate of more than 80 percent in 2015. Understanding which factors USCIS uses to judge visa eligibility is critical. Here are the top three reasons the agency issued RFEs for H-1B petitions; employers can use this information to try to anticipate issues that adjudicators might raise. RFEs may be issued for more than one reason. "Employers must also be prepared to provide even more information and documentation [after filing], since RFEs and even denials will again be the norm this year," said Beth Carlson, an immigration attorney and counsel in the Minneapolis office of law firm Faegre Baker Daniels. [SHRM members-only online discussion platform: SHRM Connect] 1. Specialty Occupation The most frequent reason RFEs are issued in response to an H-1B petition is failure to establish that the job qualifies as a specialty occupation. "It's by far the most common question asked in RFEs and the most common reason for a visa denial," said Andrew Greenfield, a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of global immigration law firm Fragomen. To qualify for an H-1B visa, the employer must demonstrate that the position is a specialty occupation by providing evidence that the job requires the understanding and application of a specialized body of knowledge and normally requires at least a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, in a particular field. USCIS has recently narrowed its interpretation of what qualifies as a specialty occupation and often seeks more evidence when job duties do not appear specialized enough to require a bachelor's degree in a specific field, or when the applicant's degree field is not considered specialized enough for the role. "Approval or denial often comes down to a judgment call by the adjudicating officer," said Emily Neumann, a partner at law firm Reddy and Neumann in Houston. "The Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook is often consulted to determine whether the position offered qualifies as a specialty occupation. The adjudicating officer will not look at the job title alone but instead consider all the facts surrounding the petition, like the beneficiary's education and work experience, the nature of the petitioner's business, industry practice and salary." Greenfield recommended employers first determine how the job being offered aligns with the most closely related occupation as defined by the Department of Labor (DOL) to get a sense of what the minimum educational requirements are for the job. "You want to look at two things," he said. "Does the DOL observe that a bachelor's degree-level education is normally required, and does the DOL further elaborate on what field or fields of study workers in that occupation typically have? That's important because the regulations require at least a bachelor's degree or an equivalent in a specific course of study. It can't just be any bachelor's degree." Employers should provide a list of duties, roles, responsibilities, and education and experience requirements necessary to perform the job. Job descriptions need to be as specific as possible and very closely related to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code that is used on the petition's labor condition application, Carlson said. "Employers should review the job details, tasks and technologies as part of the SOC code and try to incorporate these items into the employee's job description, if possible. Including special skills, technologies and possible coursework related to the job can be helpful to the specialty occupation argument." Neumann said that RFEs will often ask for a more detailed job description, documentation from other workers who work in the same position, and job ads used for the offered position. Although scrutiny may remain around entry-level wages, the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) ruled twice in 2018 that Level 1 and Level 2 wages are not determinative of whether a position is a specialty occupation, said Sari Long, an attorney with Faegre Baker Daniels in Washington, D.C. "This is good news for employers, as it means that if an H-1B is denied at least in part on that basis, the AAO will have a more favorable view of the wage issue." 2. Employer-Employee Relationship Employers must be able to demonstrate a valid employer-employee relationship with the H-1B worker for the duration of the requested period of employment. "Typically, in situations where the sponsored worker will work offsite with a third party, USCIS will look at a number of factors to determine whether a valid employer-employee relationship exists," Neumann said. This issue often arises with businesses in the consulting or staffing industries and usually means the agency is looking at whether or not the employer has a sufficient level of control over the employee. "The petitioner may be requested to submit documentation to establish that it has the right to control over when, where and how the beneficiary performs the job," she said. Greenfield said that this evidence can be shown in the employer's letter of support, contractual documentation with the client and a statement of work that defines the project or the deliverables that the H-1B worker will be assigned. Including a letter from the client acknowledging the work arrangement is also a good idea, if possible. USCIS also issues RFEs to petitioning employers that fail to establish that the H-1B worker at a third-party site will be engaged in specific work in the specialty occupation for the requested period of employment. To prove steady work exists, an employer may provide copies of signed contracts, detailed work assignments and work orders signed by clients. "USCIS wants to see detail, so it can be helpful to provide a detailed job description with the percentage of time the worker will be spending on each job duty," Greenfield said. 3. Worker Qualifications An employer must prove that the H-1B beneficiary has the required credentials to work in the job. "The education of the H-1B worker must match the requirements of the job, and the fields of study must be specific to the job opportunity," Long said. "In the past, 'close enough to the related field' might have been OK to gain approval, but this is no longer the case." Long explained that if the foreign worker has a degree in an unrelated or a somewhat related field but many years of work experience in a field related to the job, the employer should obtain an evaluation that determines that the education plus the work experience is equivalent to the requirements requested by the position. "In addition to obtaining a credentials evaluation, the employer will also want to show in the company support letter why the background of the H-1B worker qualifies and is acceptable to the job opportunity," she said. USCIS allows three years of professional experience to substitute for each year of college-level training, Neumann said. The adjudicating officer will decide whether the quality of experience is at high enough level to qualify. Experience is generally documented through letters from past employers and an RFE may be issued if the experience letters used for the evaluation lack specificity. Page Content South Africa's intensified load-sheddingan interruption in electricity to prevent too much load on a generating planthas had a devastating economic effect on many companies. Without electricity, many businesses cannot function, and in those instances, employees are unable to work but still must be paid. Employers might be under the impression that when employees are unable to work, the "no work, no pay" principle applies. But when hours are lost as a result of power outages, the fact that employees are unable to work is due to no fault of the employer, nor the employee. Therefore, the no work, no pay principle would not apply. In accordance with common law and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No. 75 of 1997 (BCEA), an employment contract is a reciprocal contract in which the employee agrees to work for the employer, which will remunerate the employee at an agreed rate. Therefore, if the employee arrives at the work premises to tender services and the employer, for any reason, cannot provide work for the employee, or the employee's work relies on various tools and equipment that require electricity, the employer must still pay the employee. Unfortunately, this can be financially damaging for a company that is obligated to pay employees while simultaneously not making any revenue during those hours of nonactivity. Since an employment contract is reciprocal by nature, a possible solution to minimize the effects of load-shedding would be to negotiate with the employees or unions an agreement that adjusts the hours of work to avoid facing hours of nonactivity. But it is crucial to note that to make the changes legally binding, the employees need to agree to all proposals. If no agreement can be reached, then the risk and prospect of restructuring in terms of the Labour Relations Act, No. 66 of 1995 becomes a reality. There are some industries that have already considered the dire effects of load-shedding and entered into agreements on procedures for such situations. For example, the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council Main Agreement for 2017-2020 states that "short time" is "the implementation of reduced working time, i.e., fewer number of hours per day owing to circumstances beyond the control of the employer." When an employer elects to send the employees home or alternatively, requires them to return to work where work can be resumed, employees shall receive no less than four hours work or pay in lieu thereof. Load-shedding has introduced countless challenges that threaten the financial stability of many companies across the country. But it is crucial that employers do not risk breaching labour legislation to avoid financial losses. Rather, there is a duty on the employer to plan accordingly to protect the company and the livelihood of the employee. Aadil Patel is an attorney with Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr in Johannesburg. Dylan Bouchier co-wrote the article. 2019 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology. Page Content As companies prepare to publish in June their fourth annual statements required by the United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act of 2015 (MSA), the U.K. Home Secretary is considering ways to strengthen the act to increase corporate compliance. An estimated one-third of organizations don't comply with the act, according to a January report by the U.K. Home Office's independent review of the MSA. The U.K. Home Office, a government agency responsible for securing the U.K.'s borders and controlling immigration, enforces the MSA. Despite the low compliance rate, the MSA "has impacted how business is done in the U.K. and by multinationals in other countries by focusing firms' attention on modern slavery," said Michael Littenberg, a partner with Ropes & Gray in New York City. "Many firms, especially the larger ones that are more aware of their compliance obligations, have implemented processes and procedures to address potential problems in their supply chains." Supply chains include the people involved in the production of goods from raw components to the final product. "Ignoring the MSAand compliance by lip servicewill soon carry the risk of sanction," predicted Simon Shooter, a partner with Bird & Bird in London. Financial penalties would be new; currently, there is no penalty for noncompliance. The act requires commercial organizations with worldwide revenues of at least 36 million pounds (approximately U.S. $47.18 million) conducting business in the U.K. to publish an annual report describing steps taken in the past year to ensure their business and supply chains are free of slavery and human trafficking. Alternatively, companies must disclose if they have taken no such steps. The disclosure requirement applies to financial years ending on or after March 31, 2016, and every year thereafter. There is no prescribed format for the disclosure statement, but guidance suggests that statements should address six elements: 1. Organizational structure and a summary of operations and supply chains. 2. All corporate policies relevant to slavery and human trafficking. 3. Due diligence policies relevant to modern slavery. 4. An assessment of the parts of a business or its supply chain where there is a risk that slavery is occurring and the steps taken to manage that risk. 5. How effective an organization has been in ensuring that slavery and human trafficking are not occurring. 6. Employee training about complying with the MSA. Suggestions for the Government to Improve Compliance The report suggested that many companies aren't complying because of a lack of enforcement and penalties, as well as confusion surrounding reporting obligations. Stating that the government must take tougher action to ensure companies are complying, the authors offered several recommendations: Clarify the scope of the MSA. The government should maintain a list of companies covered by the regulation. Require that companies document that they've addressed in their statements the six elements the act recommends. Remove the option to respond that no steps have been taken. Require businesses to refer to their statements in annual reports. Require companies to upload their statements to a government-run website. Monitor compliance and amend the law to introduce financial penalties over the next few years. Extend the MSA's scope to cover public entities whose annual budgets exceed 36 million pounds. Deny public contracts to noncompliant companies. Shooter expects that the U.K. government will adopt the report's recommendations. He said that "the most significant fix in terms of getting businesses to take their obligations more seriously is the imposition of sanctions." Littenberg doesn't think legislative fixes are necessary. "Instilling a greater awareness of the problem is the most important thing," he said. "It's important not to just focus on disclosure, but to step back and examine your supply chain, assess the risks and determine how they can be addressed," Littenberg said. "This is not a 'once and done' issue." Jacquelyn MacLennan, an attorney with White & Case in London, noted that "even without strict penalties, the requirement to report under the act has been a catalyst for conversations and awareness on this issue." Formulating a statement requires board-level approval and engagement at the most senior levels of a company, she said. "Many companies have found additional benefits in diving deeper into their supply chains and identifying risks." [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] Recommendations for Covered Companies To comply with the MSA, "prepare an annual statement, have it signed by appropriate persons and approved by the board, consider the six recommended topics outlined by the Home Office, and determine your firm's effectiveness in addressing each one," Littenberg said. Pay attention to commentary from nongovernmental organizations on how they think efforts should be focused, he added. "I would recommend businesses draw up their own anti-slavery and human-trafficking policy or corporate statement," Shooter said. Littenberg urged businesses to remember that MSA is one specific initiative in an international patchwork of efforts to address modern slavery. For example, similar efforts are underway in Australia, Canada and California in the U.S., as well as implemented through trade-based U.S. legislation, such as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act and the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. "We need to think about the problem holistically, not just focus on this one law," he said. Rosemarie Lally, J.D., is a freelance legal writer based in Washington, D.C. NEW YORK The 150-year-old heart of a French priest is on a U.S. tour a Roman Catholic relic with New York City as its latest stop. It was on display Saturday at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, where both the faithful and the curious lined up to see the human organ behind glass. The Knights of Columbus fraternity is sponsoring the pilgrimage of this heart, which has been to 28 states so far, with more coming up. In the next week, Vianneys heart will be displayed in schools and churches in other parts of New York City Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn and Long Island, as well as other venues on the East Coast. The relic is to return to its permanent home at a French shrine in Ars in early June. The U.S. tour began in November. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, is to lead a Sunday procession venerating the heart of Saint John Vianney, who was a priest in the southern French town of Ars, outside Lyon. He lived during the French Revolution, helping to hide priests on the run. The tradition of worshipping the body parts of saintly Catholics goes back to the Middle Ages in Italy. When St. Catherine of Siena died in Rome, her hometown of Siena wanted her remains. But they didn't want to get caught making off with the whole body, and decided to take just her head. Vianney is considered the patron saint of parish priests, famed for hearing confessions for endless hours with an ear so understating that he drew Catholics from all around Europe. "He would also recount to them the sins they left out, because he instinctively felt who they are," says Joseph Cullen, a member of the Knights of Columbus. "But he had a heart of gold." I STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you are looking to do an activity outdoors, Freshkills Park could be the perfect place to go. The park is still bing developed but is offering several public activities that will allow outdoor enthusiasts see sections of the facility before its fully opened as the largest park in New York City. Multiple options are available and the public is encouraged to register as the spots might fill up fast. If you are into to biking, running, walking, or birdwatching, Freshkills Park will open its usually closed areas for these activities on June 30. You could bring your own bike or rent one for free. The park also includes waterways that visitors could explore with four free kayak tours. The tours are held once a month on May 11, June 8, July 6 and August 24. Registration opens two weeks before the tour dates and people are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Are you more interested in taking a walk with your family? Visitors can go on one-mile hikes and learn more about the parks wildlife with a family nature walk. All dates are already full, but families can join the waitlists. Another event will be held in the fall with a "discovery day event aimed to offer more extentive access to the park. For more information about the events, visit the Freshkills Park website. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Students, teachers and parents arriving at PS 29 on Monday will be greeted by bouquets of flowers placed near the main entrance of the school as well as purple ribbons symbolizing domestic violence awareness. They have been placed there in memory of murder victim Jeanine Cammarata, who was a teacher at the Castleton Corners school. After a week of mystery and speculation, the estranged husband of the slain teacher and his pregnant girlfriend were arrested and arraigned Friday on charges accusing them of murdering the victim and trying to conceal her corpse. Michael Cammarata, 42, and Ayisha Egea, 41, stood silently next to their lawyers during the brief proceeding in Criminal Court. Egea had previously lived with the victim and her now-estranged husband on Staten Island, according to a close friend. Egea, according to her lawyer, Mark J. Fonte, is six months pregnant. The city Department of Education (DOE) will reportedly have counselors available next week to consult with students and staff. The DOE has not yet commented further on how the school will deal with the tragedy. PS 29 teacher Jeanine Cammarata didn't show up for work Tuesday, and missed an important court date Monday, sources told the Advance.no cred LAST SEEN Cammarata was last seen at around 9 p.m. Saturday in the vicinity of Denker Place and McVeigh Avenue in New Springville, police said. Cammaratas boyfriend, Aaron, later told the Advance that he last saw her Saturday night when she dropped him off after a shopping trip. According to Aaron, Cammarata told him she was going to pick her children from her estranged husband at the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George. But Cammarata never went to the stationhouse, according to Michael Cammaratas girlfriend, Egea, who said Jeanine went to their home in Queens, where they had a brief conversation. REPORTED MISSING Cammaratas boyfriend called police and reported her missing on Tuesday. Cammarata, a first-grade teacher at the school, didnt show up to work and missed a court date the day before. Police started searching for Cammarata at the school, sources told the Advance, and were later seen at her home in Cassidy Place. CHARGES FILED On Wednesday, Michael Cammarata, 42, was taken into police custody at the 120th Precinct. While being questioned by police, he said that he met Jeanine Cammarata on Saturday night in Queens and that he hit her, sources told the New York Daily News. He was then charged with several misdemeanor counts, including assault, stemming from previous incidents involving his estranged wife, police said. BODY IS FOUND On Thursday, April 4, police found charred human remains in a storage facility in Arden Heights. NYPD K-9 dogs helped lead investigators to the remains in Extra Space Storage at 7 Arden Ave., according to a law enforcement source. Police armed with a search warrant arrived at the storage facility around midnight. Officers did not find any employees on duty, the source said. A K-9 dog trained to detect cadavers sensed something, or hit, on a door leading to one of the units, according to the source. After police opened the unit, they found a plastic storage bin covered with a lid, the source said. When officers opened the bin, they found a bag containing what appeared to be the charred remains of a woman, the source added. The bin did not appear large enough to hold an entire body, the source said, but the remains were not touched in order to not contaminate the evidence. Air fresheners meant to hide the smell were found in the area. The New York City Medical Examiner later identified her remains using dental records. VIGIL IS PLANNED A vigil is expected to take place tomorrow evening near the victims home on Cassidy Place in New Brighton. Jessica Pobega, best friend of Jeanines, has set up a gofundme page with the hashtag, #justiceforjeanine. The donations will go directly to Jeanines sister for funeral arrangements and for whatever the family needs currently. COMPLETE COVERAGE STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The pregnant woman charged in teacher Jeanine Cammaratas death had previously lived with the victim and her now-estranged husband on Staten Island, according to a close friend. Ayisha Egea, 41, and Michael Cammarata, 42, both of whom now live together in Queens, have been charged with second-degree murder, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence after Cammaratas remains were found at an Arden Heights storage facility, police said. According to Jasmine Terrone, a longtime friend of Jeanine Cammarata, Egea lived in the same home as the former couple two years ago. While Terrone did not know Egea personally, she said that Jeanine Cammarata, 37, moved out when she met her current boyfriend, Aaron. She added that Michael Cammarata lived on the first floor of the house when the three lived together. Terrone said Egea helped care for Jeanine Cammaratas children while she worked two jobs to support her family. Jose Perez, Cammaratas landlord and a fellow teacher, said that Egea was endearingly called the pie lady because she brought pies to PS 18 during Cammaratas tenure at the West Brighton school. However, a look at Egeas Facebook page told a different story. The banner on her page Friday read, Yeah, Im a b****, but this b**** has morals and principles and believes in respect. Egea also appears to have had a brush with the law 12 years ago in Florida. According to a report in Ocala.com, she was arrested in June 2007 after a prisoner who escaped from a halfway house in Ocala was found hiding in her attic. Egea, who worked as a secretary at the facility, told her supervisor the 34-year-old man was not in her home, according to the report. Egea was charged with aiding prison escape, the report said. Prosecutors ultimately declined to prosecute her. FRIDAYS ARRAIGNMENT Michael Cammarata and Egea stood silently next to their lawyers during the brief proceeding Friday in Criminal Court. Egea, who, according to her lawyer, Mark J. Fonte, is six months pregnant, had her reddish-brown hair pulled back in a bun. She was garbed in a teal-colored blouse, black pants with stars running down the side and a black jacket with thin white piping. Cammarata wore a white jumpsuit. DEVELOPING: Michael Cammarata and his girlfriend Ayisha Egea charged with murder of Jeanine Cammarata, mother of three. Posted by Staten Island Advance on Friday, April 5, 2019 According to a criminal complaint, Cammarata slew his wife and then attempted to conceal and alter the corpse to prevent its discovery. Egea acted in concert with her boyfriend throughout those actions, the complaint alleges. Prosecutors provided no specific details on the killing during the arraignment. Egea previously told the Advance that Jeanine Cammarata showed up at her Queens home and they had a brief conversation. Afterward, Cammarata left and that was the last they saw her, Egea said. On Friday, Judge Raja Rajeswari ordered Michael Cammarata and Egea held without bail on the murder case pending their next court date. During the arraignment and outside court afterward, Fonte contended Egea had repeatedly asked for a lawyer, but police ignored those requests. She was not free to leave and was isolated from her family and her attorney. These actions violated a plethora of her constitutional rights, said Fonte, who accused the NYPDs Staten Island Homicide Squad of playing fast and loose, which they are known to do. Shes glad that her isolation is finally over, and she now has the ability to consult with counsel, said Fonte. -- Advance reporters Irene Spezzamonte and Kyle Lawson contributed to this report. COMPLETE COVERAGE To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! George Clooney has packed up his Nespresso machine and left his digs at Pitt Street Mall for George Street, Sydney, in a sign of the changing mix of tenants along the most expensive shopping strip in the country. Now its all about cosmetics, health and beauty, sneakers, now known as athleisure wear, and even a car showroom. Traditional apparel retailers are diminishing in quantity, to be replaced with a wide variety of businesses, including a bank and supermarket, reflecting the tastes and demands of new consumers and office dwellers. The new-look Genesis car showroom coming to Pitt Street Mall, Sydney The stalwart of the mall, Sportsgirl has closed, while the former Zara Home store, next to fast fashion giant H&M, will be the new home to Platypus shoes. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has imposed more stringent conditions on the local operations of Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp. On Friday evening, he told the local media that companies interested in acquiring Lynas have agreed to extract radioactive waste before importing it to the Lynas processing plant in Malaysia and he indicated this additional measure would be required if Lynas wants its licence renewed in September. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Credit:Pool european pressphoto agency Lynas is facing an existential crisis there after the Malaysian government signalled in December tough new operating conditions would be attached to its licence, including that it must remove radioactive residues produced at its processing plant. Mr Mahathir did not mention the names of the companies interested in acquiring Lynas but Wesfarmers had a $1.5 billion bid for the company rejected last month. A top sommelier at former high-end Sydney restaurant Sepia is suing his former bosses, chef Martin Benn and restaurant manager Vicki Wild, amid allegations of wage underpayment and mistreatment. Rodney Setter said he regularly worked excessive unpaid hours at Sepia and was denied any redundancy pay despite 10 years service, a Federal Court claim lodged last week alleges. Rodney Setter, left, is suing Vicki Wild and Martin Benn. The three are pictured at Sepia in December 2018. Credit:Steven Siewert His lawyer, Josh Bornstein of Maurice Blackburn, said Mr Setters claim could be worth several hundred thousand dollars. Mr Setters legal action is against the company behind Sepia along with Mr Benn and Ms Wild. Not enough time, not enough sleep: that's life with a three-year-old, says Keira Knightly, but she bounces into our interview as eager, articulate and blithely sweary as ever. We're talking about the Aftermath, a torn-between-two-lovers melodrama set during the British occupation of post-war Germany. "When they sent it to us, I thought: 'F---, I don't want to do another World War II film. Do we need another World War II film?" she says. "And then I read it. The questions that arise from it, like: 'how on earth do you forgive?' , 'How on earth do you move on and rebuild after something so utterly catastrophic?': I'd never asked those question before." Like it or not, Keira Knightley is a shoo-in for a World War II film for any film, actually, requiring the heroine to wear structured underwear. There is that fine-boned face, exactly like a Victorian cameo when you see her in profile; there is the ringing, precise voice that doesn't seem to bear the mark of any particular period or region; there is that mix of lady-like manners and tomboy energy that makes her the perfect match for literary heroines such as Colette, Anna Karenina and Elizabeth Bennet. James Kent, who directs the Aftermath, remembers seeing the young Knightley in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice in 2005. "There is something about her face and something about the fact the way she wears these clothes so naturally," he says. Anyway, he adds, the best roles for women are to be found in films set in the past. Rachael in the Aftermath is the wife of a British army officer, Lewis Morgan, (Jason Clarke) who is sent to Hamburg as part of the post-war Allied occupation force charged with getting the devastated city back into some kind of working order. Two years earlier, the Morgans lost their only child in an air raid, a calamity that has sliced their marriage in two. Lewis has been able to submerge his pain in duty; Clarke's damaged but decent chap recalls Trevor Howard in films of the time. Meanwhile, Rachael has drifted along in a fog of grief, anger with her buttoned-up husband and a seething hatred of Germans and all things German. Even so, she finds herself drawn to the owner of the grand house where the Morgans have been billeted, Stephan Lubert (Alexander Skarsgard). Lubert is an architect; he is rich, cultivated and, of course, was never a Nazi. A year earlier, he lost his wife. Their affair begins with aggressive sex, but becomes tender and hopeful as they bond over bereavement and Lubert's excellent piano. A new-look ACT government rates assessment notice, issued last year, which displayed the full year's bill in a box labelled "PLEASE PAY NOW". Credit:ACT Revenue Office The ACT government is working to re-design the rates assessment notices that created confusion for some Canberra homeowners by making it appear as though the full year's bill had to be paid at once, rather than in instalments. Last year, the government issued rates notices with "PLEASE PAY NOW" printed in the top right-hand corner in a large box, along with the total bill for the year. The various payment options were listed in a less prominent area on the back of the notice. Residents including Watson man George Gamkrelidze, who wrote to a letter to the editor in The Canberra Times to warn fellow Canberrans, derided the notices as misleading. Amanda Smith has been trying to save money for an eventual housing deposit, but says at times it feels like a lost cause. "I've just started my first reasonably paying job and I've started putting money away, but then you see the statistics about median apartment prices, and you think you're just going nowhere," she said. Amanda Smith 27, said owning her own home seems out of reach. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos "It's daunting because I'd like to live in Canberra - it was where I was raised - but it's a super expensive place." The 27-year-old Palmerston resident said rising house prices in the nation's capital had made the prospect of owning her own home an unattainable dream. Firefighters outside the ACT Legislative Assembly, where they spoke to politicians this week about the industrial action they are taking against ACT Fire and Rescue. Credit:United Firefighters Union ACT Fire and Rescue's annual overtime bill has increased by $800,000 since the introduction of a plan designed to cut back on the payments. The territory's urban fire service implemented an overtime reduction plan in 2016 after forking out what the plan called an "unsustainable" $4.1 million on overtime payments in 2015-16. An Emergency Services Agency spokeswoman said ACT Fire and Rescue had again dished out $4.1 million in overtime payments in 2016-17, followed by $4.9 million last financial year. The spokeswoman said the agency was reviewing its policies to reduce any risk of excessive overtime, and that firefighters were able to decline requests to work overtime. A parliamentary committee has urged the federal government to keep a close eye on the development of a futuristic technology that could make it possible for Canberrans to travel to the capital cities of four Australian states within an hour. In a new report, the House of Representatives' standing committee on infrastructure, transport and cities said it would be "a little premature" for the government to make a formal commitment to the development of hyperloop technology in Australia. Commuters would travel in capsules as part of the "ultra high-speed" hyperloop system proposed for Australia. Credit:Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Nevertheless, it described the concept as having "significant potential" and said the federal government "should keep abreast of developments ... with a view to exploiting its potential in the future". In December, the Sunday Canberra Times revealed US company Hyperloop Transportation Technologies' vision for an "ultra high-speed", tube-based transportation system capable of fixing what it described as Australia's "broken" public transport system. An aged care provider caught up in the scandal over abuse in nursing homes is seeking to build a seniors living facility up to 12 storeys high in Sydneys inner west. But Catholic Healthcares proposal for an aged care facility housing 135 units and 144 beds in Lewisham, near the historic Petersham Park, is opposed by some residents. An artist's impression of Catholic Healthcare's proposed aged care facility in Lewisham. Credit:Mecone The proposed facility includes the construction of three towers up to 12 storeys high as well as the refurbishment of two other buildings on the site of the former Lewisham Hospital and Convent. The site currently houses the Lewisham Nursing Home, which was featured in last years Four Corners investigation into the treatment of the elderly in aged care homes. Alice* was prone to wandering. Suffering from chronic mental illnesses, she was delusional and at times abusive. She regularly presented at her local emergency department seeking psychiatric help, but was repeatedly returned home to her husband. An image from video footage showing the Canadian woman in her room, before the window was blacked out by guards. A few weeks ago, her husband David* told neighbours he had not seen his wife all day. The next day, police called and told him she had been found in St Kilda, more than 100km away. She was taken to hospital and, after she told staff she wanted to go home to Canada, she wound up in immigration detention. Last week detainees raised concerns for the welfare of this white-haired woman, who was being kept alone in a room in the behavioural management unit of MITA North, a high-security wing of Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation in Melbourne's north. After The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald revealed Alice had been locked up in a room with blacked-out windows, and separated from other detainees, guards moved her into the family unit at MITA, which has lower security and a more homely environment. It's understood she continues to be under constant guard. A former Princess Alexandra Hospital nurse has been banned from the profession for at least another 3.5 years, after being convicted of keeping child exploitation material. Angus Francis Lethbridge Creagh Scott, 51, will never be allowed to treat a patient under the age of 18, after pleading guilty to possessing, accessing and sharing child exploitation material. In October 2016, Mr Creagh-Scott was sentenced to concurrent periods of imprisonment of 18 months wholly suspended for three years, and two years' probation. The Health Ombudsman will not allow him to renew his licence for at least another 3.5 years. "The sentencing Judge noted the extremely disturbing nature of the material found in the respondents possession, mainly images of young boys, including a baby being subject to abuse, some of which involved sexual penetration or aspects of sadism," documents filed to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal stated. The Chinese government bullied a local council into black banning an Australian-owned media company because they believed it did not toe Chinas Communist Party line. Officials from the Chinese consulate in Sydney told the Georges River Council in Sydneys south last year that if it did not abandon a sponsorship deal with the Australian Chinese-language media organisation, Vision China Times, it risked harming relations between NSW and Beijing. The Vision China Times. The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC's Four Corners have obtained council documents showing how Chinese consular officials issued at least eight warnings to the council over the last 14 months after learning it was planning to have Vision China Times sponsor a Chinese New Year event. The campaign had an effect and, in 2018, Vision China Times was banned. The Georges River Council is of intense interest to the government in Beijing because it has one of the nations largest populations of Chinese Australians. Marketing expert Angie Bell has been named as the Liberal National Party's candidate to take over the blue-ribbon Queensland seat of Moncrieff from Steven Ciobo. Ms Bell was preselected at a meeting on Saturday as the candidate to fill the seat held by Mr Ciobo since 2001. LNP candidate for Moncrieff Angie Bell with LNP vice president Cynthia Harding, president David Hutchinson and outgoing MP Steven Ciobo. Credit:LNP. The former president of LNP Women won the vote from a field of nine, just ahead of Ciobo staffer Karly Abbott. LNP president David Hutchinson praised the 51-year-old candidate. "Angie will be a fantastic voice for Gold Coasters. She's dynamic, professional and will follow in Steve Ciobo's footsteps of standing up for the coast." Ms Bell said her first task was to win the support of voters in Moncrieff. "I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for the coast with local residents and seeing the Morrison Government's infrastructure plan completed," she said. The Coalition holds the seat with a comfortable 15 per cent margin, making it the third-safest seat in the state and ninth-safest for the entire country. Mr Ciobo, who had most recently served as Defence Industries Minister, announced in March that he would not recontest the seat he had held for 17 years. A bit over a year ago my one year old daughter threw up all over both of us on a bus from London to Oxford. Bill Heine's home - with the shark crashing through the roof. Credit:Nick Miller We made a dripping, crying, unscheduled exit from the coach on the fringes of the university city, smelling strongly of banana puke. Passengers stared in unsympathetic horror as the bus pulled away for what would be a foul last stretch into town. And I looked up and saw an enormous shark crashing into someones house. But, frankly, at that point I had other things to worry about. San Francisco: Like health officials facing outbreaks of disease, internet companies are trying to contain vaccine-related misinformation they have long helped spread. So far, their efforts at quarantine are falling short. A woman receives a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health Department on Wednesday. Credit:AP Searches of Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram turn up all sorts of bogus warnings about vaccines, including the soundly debunked notions that they cause autism or that mercury preservatives and other substances in them can poison and even kill people. Some experts fear that the online spread of bad information about vaccines is planting or reinforcing fears in parents, and they suspect it is contributing to the comeback in recent years of certain dangerous childhood diseases, including measles, whooping cough and mumps. "The online world has been one that has been very much taken over by misinformation spread by concerned parents," said Richard Carpiano, a professor of public policy and sociology at the University of California, Riverside, who studies vaccine trends. Berlin: European investigators are digging deeper into possible links between far-right ideologues and the suspected New Zealand mosque attacker, who sent at least two donations to an anti-Muslim group with branches around Europe. The probes currently concentrate on any money trails leading back to the suspect, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, who was charged on Friday in New Zealand with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder in the March 15 bloodshed at two mosques in Christchurch. But it also reflects wider examinations into a new crop of far-right groups whose rise has paralleled the increasing use of anti-immigrant fears to buoy right-wing political parties in the West. Among the groups most adept at stitching together the various strands of nativist anger and suspicion is the French-rooted Identitarian Movement, which promotes an alarmist message that Muslim migrants will one day overrun Western culture. A defiant White House on Wednesday faced the prospect that top aides could be summoned to testify before Congress, as a fight over fired prosecutors threatened to flare into a constitutional crisis. A House of Representatives committee voted to empower its chairman to issue subpoenas seeking under-oath answers to questions about whether eight federal prosecutors were pushed out late last year for political reasons. The possibility that White House political guru Karl Rove and others could be forced to testify added new tensions to President George W. Bush's relations with a Democratic-controlled Congress already strained by the Iraq war. Bush, who on Tuesday accused the Democrats of a "partisan fishing expedition," had offered to allow informal, un-transcribed, behind-closed-door interviews on condition that there would be no subsequent subpoenas. The president also said he would "absolutely" fight any such summons in the courts, which could set the stage for a constitutional battle before the US Supreme Court. PHILIPSBURG:---The United Nations (UN) Security Council recently adopted Resolution 2462 on Countering the Financing of Terrorism which is seen as a landmark step in suppressing the funding of terror groups worldwide. The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) says that terror groups continue to have access to both legal and illegal sources of funding, and therefore underscores the necessity for strong collaboration and targeted efforts in order to achieve concrete results in the fight against terrorism and terrorist financing. Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever on Friday said that Sint Maarten is also in the process of doing its part with three pieces of legislation including the National Ordinance to Combat Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing that is awaiting parliamentary approval. Sint Maarten as a country has a responsibility to comply with international obligations that include the aforementioned. We have to comply with 40 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations and I am looking forward to the House of Parliament passing the three ordinances or amendments thereof. Sint Maarten as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is part of a larger community that must be in sync with global trends and developments, and the most recent UN Security Council Resolution calls on nations to do more in the fight against terrorism, Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever said on Friday. The Security Council Resolution calls for the UNOCT which was established in 2017, to strengthen the Organizations ability to implement the global counter terrorism strategy; to play a leading role in identifying ways to suppress terrorist financing. A priority for the UNOCT is for it to work closely with the FATF, the inter-governmental body which sets standards for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international finance system; and regional regulators. The President of the FATF briefed the UN Security Council stating that, currently two-thirds of States are not effectively prosecuting terrorist financing, which extends well beyond the banking and financing sectors, to include construction, drug trafficking and even the used car trade. The head of the FATF also reportedly said that the fight against terrorism, terrorist financing and money-laundering, must not adversely affect financial inclusion initiatives, that enable access to banking services. ~ More conditions for loans at the expense of the taxpayers and peoples patrimony. ~ PHILIPSBURG: --- The Dutch Government has threatened to pull the USD100M loan that was to be granted to the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) until the Government of St. Maarten find who is leaking information to SMN News. The email circular was sent out on April 4th, 2019, the same day this website published some of the conditions set forth by the Dutch Government and the Bondholders in meetings that were held in New York. According to the email the Dutch Government stated that they will inform the World Bank to halt the processing of the PJIAE project until the so-called leak is plugged. It appears that those that attended the meeting in New York agreed to sign the agreements and MOU with the conditions set forth by the bondholders that said they have lost confidence in the Management team of PJIAE and the local banks on St. Maarten, while the Dutch Government wants members of the management and supervisory board to be re-screened and also wants the vacant CFO position to be filled by someone from Schipol Royal Group. All these agreements were to be signed without informing the Parliament of St. Maarten and most of the people that worked hard to build their Airport. Currently, the Government of St. Maarten are busy trying to investigate who is leaking information to SMN News. The Member of Parliament (MP) supporting the UD/ SMCP coalition has been very vocal by stating that the whistleblower must be found and punished. However, there were several parties that attended the three-day meeting and it is still not clear how the St. Maarten delegation was fingered in what they termed as a leak. Those that attended the meeting were the Dutch Delegation, a delegation from the European Investment Bank, the Bondholders, and a delegation from St. Maarten. Notwithstanding the number of lawyers representing all parties and the famous Andre Wright who negotiated the loan with the three sets of bondholders in 2012. The Dutch Government who has been very vocal about the alleged corruption that several politicians on St. Maarten are involved in were part of these meetings. They are the ones that made clear that should Regina Labega be part of the delegation they would walk out of the meetings. Over the years, the Dutch Government has made their position very clear regarding St. Maarten they became much more visible and heard since the passing of hurricane IRMA and MARIA. While the Dutch Government is busy highlighting St. Maarten politicians as corrupt, they tend to slap their own corrupt politicians and civil servants on the wrist when they are caught in shady dealings. In most cases when the Dutch corrupt are caught, they quickly resign and escape prosecution but on St. Maarten politicians that are suspected of any crime are being picked up a day before the budget meeting even though St. Maarten must respect the CFT deadlines or face instructions and or higher supervision. Conditions The former Government headed by William Marlin in 2017 were brought on their knees to accept all the conditions set forth by the Dutch post-IRMA and MARIA for the Recovery Funding. That Government was basically forced out of office after the conditions were agreed upon, that being border control and the integrity chamber. Some local politicians that were greedy for more power joined the Dutch in their quest to take over and kicked their own to the curb and today these very politicians are busy selling out the peoples patrimony for nickels and dimes and are accepting all conditions placed on the table by the Dutch and Americans for PJIAE. One must ask if these politicians that are now heading the UD Government are busy making deals for themselves so they or their families would not have to end up where the former leader of the UD Theodore Heyliger is right now. Are they busy giving away the peoples patrimony to save themselves is the bigger question today.? Ever since the arrest of Theodore Heyliger, the question posed by many is who is next? The people of St. Maarten does have a good idea especially the politicians because they know which of their colleagues did what and for how long. The long lease land that some got and sold it in one day, the shady contracts awarded only to family members, the appointments on boards so that it benefits them the politicians are some of the things the Dutch investigators are looking at and those in government and parliament are very cognizant of this fact. However, what they need to remind themselves of is that media is and will remain the 4th estate. Prior to the take over St. Maarten and its people were promised roofs, money, and job. One year and seven months later only seven roofs have been repaired and there are more jobless people on the island than ever before. However, those greedy politicians that assisted with the take over are busy filling up their own pockets and making the best deals possible for themselves and their families. One such project is the New General Hospital. The present UD/ SMCP coalition have MPs on committees that are traveling to be part of meetings in Dutch-speaking countries even though they are not fluent in the Dutch language. Not so long ago the SMCP MP went to Suriname and sat in meetings for hours and could not contribute to the meetings because it was all Dutch. Soon the same MP and a UD MP will be part of a delegation to the Netherlands to discuss the dispute regulations but neither two MPs can speak or read the Dutch language. How would their presence assist in these discussions is still not known are they going to shop for books like other politicians did in the past even though they were fluent in the Dutch Language is still to be seen. The CST-100 Starliner that will be used for a crewed test flight undergoes testing. That mission to the ISS will be extended, potentially by months, NASA said April 3. WASHINGTON A day after Boeing confirmed delays in test flights of its commercial crew vehicle, NASA said that the company's crewed test flight will get an extended stay at the station when it does fly. In an April 3 statement, NASA said that the Crew Flight Test of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, expected no sooner than late this year, will be a long-duration flight that could potentially stay at the station for months. The exact duration of the mission will be determined "at a later date," the agency said. NASA announced a year ago that it was working with Boeing to examine the feasibility of an extended Starliner test flight at the station. That extended mission would effectively turn the test flight into a crew rotation mission as NASA's access to Soyuz seats runs out. Related: Get an Up-Close Look at Boeing's Starliner Spaceship (Photos) The two NASA astronauts scheduled to fly on the Crew Flight Test, Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke, have been training on ISS systems in preparation for a potential extended stay at the station. They've been joined by the third crewmember for that mission, Boeing test pilot and former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson. "NASA's assessment of extending the mission was found to be technically achievable without compromising the safety of the crew," Phil McAlister, director of the commercial spaceflight division at NASA Headquarters, said in the statement. "Commercial crew flight tests, along with the additional Soyuz opportunities, help us transition with greater flexibility to our next-generation commercial systems under the Commercial Crew Program." NASA issued a procurement notice in February that it planned to purchase two additional Soyuz seats from the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, seats that the Russians didn't plan to use for their own cosmonauts. NASA said at the time that those seats would ensure "uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of a delay in U.S. commercial crew launches." Russian media has also reported that NASA has approached Roscosmos about adjusting the schedule and crews of upcoming Soyuz missions to the station, including the possibility of having one or more astronauts stay on the station for longer than the standard six-month crew rotation. NASA has not confirmed any changes to those plans. Related: How Boeing's CST-100 Starliner Spacecraft Works The NASA statement came a day after Boeing said it was delaying the first, uncrewed Starliner test flight, known as the Orbital Flight Test, from this spring to August. NASA said that "limited launch opportunities in April and May" for the mission on an Atlas 5, and a national security payload scheduled to launch from the same pad in June, prompted the delay. The most recent official update of commercial crew test flight schedules, released by NASA Feb. 6, stated that the Orbital Flight Test was scheduled for no earlier than April. An April launch, though, was unlikely regardless of the readiness of the spacecraft and launch pad because of heavy traffic at the station in the form of Progress, Cygnus and Dragon cargo missions. While the Starliner that will fly on the Orbital Flight Test is "nearly complete," according to the agency statement, Boeing will use the additional time to conduct additional testing of the spacecraft. "While we have already made substantial progress this year, this shift gives us the time to continue building a safe, quality spacecraft capable of carrying crews over and over again after a successful uncrewed test, without adding unnecessary schedule pressure," John Mulholland, vice president and program manager for Boeing's commercial crew program, said in the statement. There are no plans to extend SpaceX's crewed test flight of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, known as Demo-2, when it flies later this year. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are expected to spend no more than a couple weeks on the station on that test before returning to Earth. The Demo-2 mission is scheduled for no earlier than July, according to the schedule NASA released in February, a month after an in-flight abort test using the same Dragon spacecraft that flew the uncrewed Demo-1 mission in March. The agency said in its April 3 statement that it and SpaceX will "are expected to reevaluate its target test dates in the next couple weeks." A SpaceX spokesperson said April 3 that it was still working to that earlier schedule. "SpaceX is on track for a test of Crew Dragon's in-flight abort capabilities in June and hardware readiness for Crew Dragon's second demonstration mission to the space station in July." This image comes from a computer simulation of a skyrmion bag containing three skyrmions. White represents magnetic field lines pointing up, black represents lines pointing down, and other colors represent other directions. 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. (Image credit: 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. "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. (Image credit: 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. SpaceX's Starhopper prototype is at the end of its rope, literally. In a nighttime test Friday (April 5), the squat hopping testbed for SpaceX's future Starship spacecraft reached the end of its tether, rising what appears to be a few feet or more above the ground at its launch site. SpaceX performed the test at the company's Boca Chica test site near Brownsville, Texas, with the tether serving as a safety line on the vehicle. "Starhopper just lifted off & hit tether limits!" SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter today, showing a video of the brief hop. The video is just 2 seconds long, but shows the Starhopper clearly lifting up amid its fiery exhaust. Related: SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy Mars Rocket in Pictures SpaceX's Starhopper prototype for Starship performs a test hope using its Raptor rocket engine on April 5, 2019 at the company's Boca Chica test center near Brownsville, Texas. (Image credit: Elon Musk/SpaceX) Friday's test followed an earlier hop late Wednesday (April 3) in which SpaceX ignited the single Raptor rocket engine on Starhopper for the first time. That test was also a success, Elon Musk said on Twitter. SpaceX is in the early stages of testing Starhopper as part of the company's Starship program to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for deep-space missions to the moon, future Mars colonies and more. That Starship project aims to build and fly a 100-person spacecraft with the help of a massive Super Heavy booster rocket that would also be reusable. SpaceX has already signed its first passenger for the Starship spacecraft, with Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa booking a trip around the moon slated to fly no earlier than 2023. B uilt within the legendary geothermal spring, with plush suites and world-famous spa, The Retreat at Icelands famous Blue Lagoon gives new meaning to the concept of switching off... Where is it? Just 20 minutes drive from Icelands international airport, Keflavik, The Retreats location makes it the perfect post-flight stop. You can collect your bags, check-in and be soaking in the private lagoon with a chilled glass of champagne all within 45 minutes. Style The hotels design pays homage to its surroundings. The colour palette reflects the landscape with muted tones of greens, greys and slate. Walls are made from raw concrete, furniture is quarried from the lava and floor-to-ceiling windows allow the majestic surrounding water to take centre stage. Which room? The rooms, which are categorised into Junior Suites, Suites and the Lagoon Suite, are spread over two floors and offer differing views - you can pick to look out from your plush king-size bed over the volcanic landscape or the crystalline water. Each Junior Suite comes with a vast bath, walk-in shower, small lounge area and Blue Lagoon products to continue lathering on once youve vacated the spa. The mini-bar is complimentary across all categories which proves a welcome touch when just one beer in Iceland typically cost around 10. For those looking to seriously amp up the luxury, the Lagoon Suite is how to do it. Not only will you have a separate living room, but youll also have your own private lagoon which you can enter straight from your room. The Retreat Facilities The spa here undeniably steals the show. Hotel guests have access to a private section of the Blue Lagoon which is utterly spectacular. The water, shaped by volcanic rocks, ebbs and flows around the hotel like a moat and with endless hidden corners and coves you can spend hours soaking without coming across a single other guest. The spa itself is like a deep cave of serenity. Built into an 800-year-old lava flow, it has an outdoor steam room, a traditional sauna, relaxation pods and The Blue Lagoon Ritual Room where you exfoliate, cleanse and moisturise your body using the waters natural products - mineral salt, silica and algae. In terms of private treatments, there is an extended menu but the hotels signature treatment, the in-water full-body massage which takes place in the lagoon as you lie on a bed, is not a treatment youll find anywhere else. For the time that youre not pruning, you can practice yoga in the dedicated studio, work out at the gym, take a hike in the surrounding area or go horse riding. Retreating to the fire-lit library to devour a book or enjoy a whisky from the honesty bar is also recommended. The Retreat Food There are three in-house restaurants to choose from at The Retreat. The Lava, being the oldest and situated out-with the hotel confines, is more dated than the other two but the cooking is fresh and merges Icelandic cooking with modern European well. The Spa restaurant is a great option for lunch in between soaks. Youll find light plates like Arctic char ceviche, sushi and barley salads but for those that are serious about dining, you should experience the hotels landmark restaurant, Moss. Opt for the tasting menu and youll be served the likes of gravlax, pine-smoked reindeer, liquorice ice cream and still-warm pistachio magdalenas. The Retreat Best for Couples. Should families want to go, children are allowed from aged 12 upwards. What to pack If you plan to just stay at The Retreat then all you need is a few outfits, workout gear and swimwear however if you want to explore the surrounding area or go on a day trip, its wise to consider your packing carefully in the colder months. If you do go in winter, take a good pair of snow boots, like the UGG Brine which can withstand -32 conditions, and waterproofs - NorthFace are excellent for extreme conditions. Thin layers that will provide extra warmth are also essential like Lulu Lemons advanced technical wear. Details Suites start from 1,029 per night at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. Breakfast and spa access included. bluelagoon.com/ T he shocking extent of London's knife crime problem was revealed today as figures showed that 40 knife offences a day were reported to police over a two-year period. A person was knifed to death on average every four days in London in 2017 and 2018, figures revealed, following a Freedom of Information request by the Standard. The figures reveal the total number of knife offences including those involving stabbings and deaths caused by a blade for the calendar years of 2017 and 2018. Met Police dealt with 29,232 knife offences in a two years. On average this is about 40 offences a day in London. The total number of homicides and stabbings fell across the two-year period however. In 2018, the number of knife attacks fell by over 500. In 2017, there was 4,784 stabbings and in 2018 there was 4,246. The number of homicides also fell by 12. Police at the scene of a triple stabbing in Camberwell / Nigel Howard Official statistics for 2019 have not been made available just yet buy Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the decrease is encouraging. Although the number is still too high, Mr Khan praised London communities and the Met for their work in reducing crime. A spokesman from the Ben Kinsella Trust, which tackles knife crime through education and campaigning, said the small reduction is not a victory yet. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers are working "day and night" to identify and pursue knife criminals. Knife Crime - A national emergency The majority of the crimes detailed in the figures were committed in Southwark with 1,594 offences occuring in that London borough The borough also had the highest number of knife-related homicides with 17 people being stabbed to death in two years. Bexley was the only borough of 33 to not have any deaths resulting from a knife in the two years. A stabbing in Stratford, Newham / PA Mr Khan said: Thanks to Londons communities and the hard work of the Met Police, who have been targeting offenders and removing dangerous weapons from our streets, we are seeing some knife crime offences starting to fall, but it still remains too high. We still desperately need the Government to reverse its damaging cuts to the police and preventative services. He added the level of knife crime across the country was still unacceptably high. Sadiq Khan speaking with officers / PA Wire/PA Images The Ben Kinsella Trust said: "It is encouraging to see that knife crime deaths and injuries fell slightly in 2018 compared to the previous year. However we need to put these figures into context. Knife crime remains at a level unseen for a over a decade. "These small reductions are not a cause for celebration and they will provide little or no comfort for those who have lost loved one or being affected by this heinous crime. "The few months of 2019 has shown that knife crime continues to blight our society and we must do all we can to take knives off the streets and educate young people about the dangers of carry a knife." Victim: Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death 10 years ago / COLLECT A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said the force is due to release its official financial year-end figures soon. She said: While London saw increases in violence between 2017 and 2018, we are beginning to see a decrease in key areas. For example this year, between Jan 1 to April 1 the homicide rate was 32, a 30 per cent decrease compared to the same time frame in 2018, when it stood at 47. Official financial year-end figures will be released at a later date. Bearing down on violent crime and knife crime on the streets of London continues to be a top priority for the Met. S ix soldiers have been arrested over an alleged sexual assault, it is being reported. It is understood Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is "appalled" by the claims and is launching a review of behaviour across the military. According to the Sun, the alleged attack was against a teenage female soldier. Mr Williamson said: "There is no place for these kind of actions in the military and, if true, those involved must face the full force of the law." Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, said inappropriate behaviour was "downright unacceptable". "It stands in stark contrast with everything the British Army represents, demonstrating an indiscipline that is wildly at odds with the values and standards that represent the fabric of not just our Army, but the nation's Army," he said. It comes after the Army faced criticism this week when a video emerged showing soldiers using a picture of Jeremy Corbyn for target practice. A man was stabbed during a mass brawl at an east London pub on Friday night. Police were called to The Cross Keys, Dagenham, shortly after 9pm and said "multiple people" had been assaulted. Paramedics attended the scene alongside officers, before a man was rushed to hospital. His injuries have been deemed not to be life threatening, Scotland Yard confirmed. A large area was cordoned off as emergency services dealt with the situation. A statement from Scotland Yard said: "Police were called at 2106hrs on Friday, 5 April to reports of a fight inside a public house at Crown Street, Dagenham. "Officers, London Ambulance Service [LAS] and Londons Air Ambulance [HEMS] attended. "At the scene a male was found suffering from stab wounds. "The injured male was taken by LAS to an east London hospital. His injuries have been assessed as non life-threatening. "A crime scene and cordons are in place. "No arrests. Enquiries continue." A man extradited in Romania over a fatal stabbing in London more than three years ago has appeared in court after being charged with murder. Shane O'Brien is accused of killing Josh Hanson, 21, in a knife attack at the RE bar in Hillingdon, west London in October 2015. O'Brien was subject to a European Arrest Warrant and was arrested in Romania last month. Wanted: Shane O'Brien / PA He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday dressed in a black jumper, a dark fleece and jeans, speaking only to confirm his personal details. Deputy chief district judge Tan Ikram ordered O'Brien next appear in custody at Old Bailey on April 9. A case management hearing was also scheduled for May 3. Mr Hanson, from Kingsbury in north-west London, was found with a serious wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. Murder victim: Josh Hanson / Met Police A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck. O'Brien was detained in Cluj-Napoca last month and arrived at Heathrow Airport at 7.30pm on Friday. He is thought to have left the UK shortly after Mr Hanson's death, flying on a private jet from Biggin Hill Airport in south-east London and landing in Germany. It is believed he spent time in the Netherlands, Dubai and at least seven months in Prague. Police photos showed how he had changed his appearance, having longer hair and a beard, with a new large tattoo of an owl holding a skull that covers a large portion of his back. A man has been charged with murder and robbery after a 60-year-old man was beaten in an east London street earlier this week. David Dalling, 44, was charged on Saturday after the incident on Tuesday morning. The victim was attacked in Hoe Street, near Walthamstow Central Tube station at 6.45am, police said. He was rushed to hospital after officers found him suffering from a head injury. He died on Wednesday. Scotland Yard said the suspect has been remanded in custody. P rotesters waving rainbow flags gathered outside the Dorchester Hotel in central London today in demonstration against Brunei's anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Around 100 people turned out to take part in the demo led by human rights activist Peter Tatchell in Park Lane on Saturday. The display comes amid a growing backlash against hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei in response to the nation's new Islamic criminal laws punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death. Mr Tatchell said if the Sultan did not revoke the laws the British Government should sever all ties with the regime. He added: "If the Sultan will not listen to reason and compassion we believe the British Government should sever all diplomatic, economic and military ties with the regime. Barriers were placed around the front of the hotel and more than 100 people lined the surrounding streets, chanting and holding signs that denounced homophobia. Some broke through these blockades and chants of shame on you were aimed at the building and a group were seen trying to enter. Emily Thornberry, shadow secretary for foreign and commonwealth affairs, attended and told the crowd: Until and unless the sultan of Brunei gets rid of these appalling laws he will continue to see demonstrations against him and the properties he owns including this hotel. Alex Youngs, who attended the protest, told the Standard: theres lots of people around now. Atmosphere is defiant, angry but of course peaceful. Its so good to see so many turn out, I think the residents arriving to stay are a bit bemused! Two days prior to Saturdays protest a gay rights activist disrupted high tea at the Dorchester, standing on a table to make his point in regards to the issues in the country. Flags and banners were held outside the hotel / Alex Youngs Jordan Tannahill, a Canadian writer, said down a speakerphone: Do not condone the brutality of our brothers and sisters in Brunei. Boycott the Dorchester Hotel. He and others with him were physically removed from the establishment. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have supported a global boycott of nine hotels tied to the Sultan. The TV Choice awards also announced it would no longer be hosting its event there amid the furore, though it did not confirm its exact reasoning. Earlier on Saturday, the University of Oxford said it would reconsider its decision to award an honorary degree to the Sultan. In a statement on Saturday, the university said it shared the "international revulsion" at the laws. It added the decision to confer the honorary degree of civil law by diploma to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in 1993 would be reconsidered through its "established process". But it stressed no one had the right "summarily to rescind it" and added: "We also believe in due process. Just as nobody has a right to confer an honorary degree, nobody has a right summarily to rescind it. "The decision to confer this degree 26 years ago was recommended by a committee and approved by council and by congregation at the time. D owning Street has said the Government is prepared to meet with the Labour party this weekend to break the Brexit impasse. It comes after Labour branded talks earlier this week "disappointing". Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of not proposing "any changes" to the Political Declaration during discussions, though the Government claims to have made "serious proposals". A Downing Street spokesman said: "We have made serious proposals in talks this week, and are prepared to pursue changes to the Political Declaration in order to deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides. "We are ready to hold further detailed discussions this weekend in order to seek any such changes in the run-up to European Council on Wednesday. "The Government is determined to work constructively to deliver the Brexit people voted for, and avoid participation in the European parliamentary elections." Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the Government for not making sufficient changes / EPA Theresa May previously said her Withdrawal Agreement cannot be changed, a stance echoed by the EU member states, but offered Labour a sway in the Political Declaration which sets out the relationship after leaving. Sir Keir, a key figure in the talks with ministers, was left frustrated by a letter from the Government setting out its position. He said: "So far, the Government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration. "Now obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change. We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise." Jeremy Corbyn's party said the government 'has not offered real change or compromise' / Anthony Devlin/Getty Images Finance Minister Philip Hammond reiterated Downing Street's stance that their would be further talks, while stating the Government has no "red lines". Speaking while attending a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Bucharest, he said: "The conversations with the Labour party are continuing. "I am optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." TODO: define component type apester Mr Hammond added he expected the exchange of "some more texts today." While shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said there was "concern" over the Government's position. "We engaged in these talks in good faith. Keir Starmer has written to the Government to say he wants to continue the talks, so in that sense they are going on," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "There is concern that the Government doesn't want to alter the Political Declaration." She branded the Brexit situation as "Theresa May's mess" before calling on the Government to "show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far". Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said there was "concern" that the Government does not want to change its position / PA Wire/PA Images The Prime Minister wrote to European Council president Donald Tusk on Friday requesting a further delay to Brexit,which would otherwise happen at 11pm on April 12, after being delayed from March 29. She will now ask for the UK to stay part of the EU to June 30. Mrs May said she will seek to secure ratification of the deal before European elections on May 23. Delays: British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Union Council President Donald Tusk / EPA However, she said she will make "responsible preparations" for the UK to take part in the polls if that does not prove possible. The request will be considered at an emergency EU summit on April 10 and requires the unanimous agreement of the leaders of the remaining 27 member states. An emergency EU summit will be held for a decision to be made on the new extension request / AFP/Getty Images However, the Prime Minister faces resistance from the EU to her call for a further short delay to Brexit and fury from Conservative Brexiteers over the prospect of Britain being involved in its elections. EU sources said Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, is recommending a longer postponement of one year with a break clause in the case of earlier ratification. The Prime Minister continues to battle for consensus in the COmmons / AFP/Getty Images This has been dubbed a "flextension" deal. Irish premier Leo Varadkar said a longer delay to Brexit "might make more sense" rather than for the UK to seek "rolling extensions". Despite this calls for a longer extension in some quarters, it is apparent that any extension is not automatic, with France one of the EU countries most cautious about agreeing to it. Jacob Rees-Mogg has been critical of the Brexit negotiations / EPA French Europe minister Amelie de Montchalin said an extension would need the UK to propose a plan with "clear and credible political backing" and "in the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner". hese obstacles from the continent come as Tory critics warned the way Brexit was being handled could pose an "existential threat" to the Conservative party itself. Figures throughout the party had already objected furiously to the offer to Jeremy Corbyn to have involvement in the process. Prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg previously suggested the UK should retaliate to any long extension by using its continued membership to block moves towards closer EU integration "If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible," he said, in a statement that ruffled the feathers of a number of European officials. While Nigel Evans, executive secretary of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, warned against taking part in European elections, telling the Daily Telegraph: "This is an existential threat to the Conservative Party. We have all seen the cut-up membership cards on social media. C hancellor Philip Hammond is "optimistic" talks between the Government and Labour can reach "some form of agreement". Mr Hammond said the Government had "no red lines" and an "open mind" as he spoke at a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Bucharest. But Labour's Diane Abbott has said there was "concern" over the Government's position. The opposition has said the Prime Minister had to come forward with "genuine changes". Three days of talks stalled on Friday night after shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was not "countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration", the blueprint for the future UK-EU relationship. TODO: define component type apester Mr Hammond told reporters: "The conversations with the Labour party are continuing. "I am optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of not proposing 'any changes' / EPA He added: "We are expecting to exchange some more texts with the Labour Party today." Asked about the prospect of a second referendum, he said: "We should try to complete this process in Parliament, that's the right way to do it. But we should be open to listen to suggestions that others have made. "Some people in the Labour Party are making other suggestions to us, of course we have to be prepared to discuss them. "Our approach to these discussions with Labour is that we have no red lines, we will go into these talks with an open mind and discuss everything with them in a constructive fashion." Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott / PA The meetings between the Government and Labour have been taking place in a bid to find a proposal to break the Brexit deadlock in the Commons. Labour's position was that it wanted a customs union, single market alignment, protection of rights and "some kind of People's Vote". The shadow home secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We engaged in these talks in good faith. Keir Starmer has written to the Government to say he wants to continue the talks, so in that sense they are going on. "There is concern that the Government doesn't want to alter the Political Declaration." Delays: British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Union Council President Donald Tusk / EPA She added: "The Government perhaps has to show a little more flexibility than it seems to have done so far." Pressed on whether any agreement must have a second referendum attached to it, she told Today: "We are not saying anything definitively but we have a position." While it "has to be part of the negotiations", Ms Abbott said "we have not gone into these talks being dogmatic". She added: "I think a People's Vote has its difficulties. I think if we had that vote tomorrow, I believe Leave would win." Brexit: What's coming up in a big week for Theresa May? On Friday, Sir Keir accused the Government of not proposing "any changes" to the Political Declaration during discussions, but the Government claimed to have made "serious proposals". A Downing Street spokesman said: "We have made serious proposals in talks this week, and are prepared to pursue changes to the Political Declaration in order to deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides. "We are ready to hold further detailed discussions this weekend in order to seek any such changes in the run-up to European Council on Wednesday. "The Government is determined to work constructively to deliver the Brexit people voted for, and avoid participation in the European parliamentary elections." Theresa May previously said her Withdrawal Agreement could not be changed, a stance echoed by the EU member states, but offered Labour a sway in the Political Declaration which sets out the relationship after leaving. Sir Keir, a key figure in the talks with ministers, was left frustrated by a letter from the Government setting out its position. He said: "So far, the Government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the Political Declaration. "Now obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change. We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise." The Prime Minister wrote to European Council president Donald Tusk on Friday requesting a further delay to Brexit, which would otherwise happen at 11pm on April 12 after being delayed from March 29. She has asked for the UK to stay part of the EU to June 30. Mrs May said she will seek to secure ratification of the deal before European elections on May 23. However, she said she will make "responsible preparations" for the UK to take part in the polls if that does not prove possible. The request will be considered at an emergency EU summit on April 10 and requires the unanimous agreement of the leaders of the remaining 27 member states. However, the Prime Minister faces resistance from the EU to her call for a further short delay to Brexit and fury from Conservative Brexiteers over the prospect of Britain being involved in its elections. L ondon rapper J Hus joined Drake on stage at the O2 last night for a surprise performance after his early release from prison. J Hus, real name Momodou Jallow, was jailed for eight months in December after being caught carrying a knife after police stopped a car near Westfield in Stratford. However, on Friday night the award-winning musician took to the stage with Canadian artist Drake after less than four months behind bars. Welcoming Jallow to the stage, Drake said: "So if anybody's sitting down right now I need you to stand up, cause we about to celebrate one of our brothers tonight. I'm ready if you're ready, let's go." Drake welcomed J Hus to the stage / Getty Images After this, a spotlight beamed on Jallow, who walked down the stage to embrace Drake and perform. He shouted to the crowd "fresh home baby, fresh home". Drake then let up the stage to Jallow who performed his track Did You See. The words "welcome home" were emblazoned across the stage. At sentencing in December, Jallow said in a letter read to the court: "My decision to carry a weapon was careless, ill-advised and utterly stupid. "Being a public figure that many look up to, I simply should have known better." Jallow won best song at the Mobo awards in 2017 and is a three time Brit award nominee. After the performance on Friday, Drake wrote on Instagram: "Done a lot of shows had a lot of moments but tonight was just a different energy we were truly all so happy to see this brudda fwd home cause we know what happens next!!!" B oeing is scaling down production of its 737 Max amid safety concerns following two fatal collisions involving the jets. The company will cut its production of the crafts down from 52 to 42 per month. This scale down will allow it to focus on the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes. It comes after Boeing suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet. Preliminary reports into the deadly accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia found faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that pushed the plane's nose down. After this pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control over the automated system. In total 346 people died in the crashes and Boeing faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by families of the victims. Boeing will also set up a special board committee to review aeroplane design and development, it announced. Boeing previously acknowledged a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max. However, a Boeing spokesman called it a "relatively minor issue" and said the plane maker already has a fix in the works. Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and a response to the suspension of Max deliveries. He explained the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment. Previously, Indonesia's Garuda Airlines has said it will cancel an order for 49 Max jets. Other airlines, including Lion Air, whose Max 8 crashed off the coast of Indonesia on October 29, have raised the possibility of cancelling. U S President Donald Trump declared "our country is full" as he insisted the country's immigration system was overburdened during a visit to the Mexican border. Mr Trump, who still wants to build a mammoth wall between his nation and Mexico, also branded some asylum claims "a hoax". Speaking while visiting a refurbished section of fencing at the Mexican border in California, he said: "There is indeed an emergency on our southern border. "It's a colossal surge and it's overwhelming our immigration system, and we can't let that happen. "We can't take you anymore. We can't take you. Our country is full." President Trump also said some asylum claims were 'hoaxes' / REUTERS Mr Trump went on to downplay the claims of people seeking asylum at the border as he spoke in Calexico. He claimed many of those attempting to enter are gang members and comparing some of their efforts to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. "It's a scam, it's a hoax," Mr Trump said. "I know about hoaxes. I just went through a hoax." The comments come after Mr Trump threatened to shut down the border over the high numbers of migrants trying to enter the US. The President is continuing to call for more funding for building a border wall / AFP/Getty Images He looked to somewhat backtrack on these comments and said on Friday it was because Mexico had been tougher in stopping an influx of immigrants from moving north. "Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days," the president said as he left the White House. "I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point." Mr Trump continues to pursue his move for a border wall, which was a key campaign promise during his 2016 presidential run. As Air Force One touched down in California, the state and 19 others suing the President over his emergency declaration to build a border wall requested a court order to stop money from being diverted to fund the project. Amid long-running disputes and lengthy government shutdowns, Congress has approved just under $1.4 billion for work on border barricades. However, Mr Trump is adamant on receiving more and has asserted he can use his powers as chief executive to transfer an additional $6.7 billion to wall construction. The southern border is nearly 2,000 miles long and already has about 650 miles of barriers. These are made up of sections including short vehicle barricades and tall steel fences that go up to 30 feet high. I SIS bride Shamima Begums husband has said he wants to return to his home country and serve his prison sentence then have a normal life with his wife. Yago Riedijk, 27, is in a Kurdish detention centre in Syria and would face six years in prison if he returned to the Netherlands. He was convicted of joining a terror organisation in his absence in summer 2018. I wish to return home, spend the due time in jail, then go back to normal life with my wife, with no troubles, no wars, and no poverty, just to live, he said in a new interview, MailOnline reports. For me, I recognised what wrong I did, and I knew ISIS reality. I feel regret, I want to go back to my normal life and improve myself, I would never go back to such error. Shamima Begum had her citizenship revoked / BBC Riedijk was previously jailed by Isis for spying charges, according to reports, and is now in Kurdish detention after the US-backed forces reclaimed the terrorist groups Syrian territories. His comments come after he told Sky News in March that he had not had any direct involvement in hurting or harming people and his wife is not a danger to anyone whatsoever. Shamima Begum was 15 when she left the UK / PA The pair had three children together, all of which have died. A baby boy named Jarrah was their last child together and passed away aged less than three weeks old. In an interview with The Times, Riedijk, said the couple are living a nightmare after the death of their third child a baby son who was born in a Syrian refugee camp in February. The baby was less than three weeks old when he died. (L-R) Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15 and Amira Abase, 15 going through security at Gatwick airport at the time they first fled to Syria The couples first two children, a girl and boy, died of malnutrition as infants. He previously spoke of Begum being devastated over her losses and described the girl, who he married when she was 15 and he 23, as easy to love. Begum, who had her British citizenship revoked after a fierce national row over her request to come back to the UK, is also still in Syria in a refugee camp. The former Bethnal Green schoolgirl fled to join the Islamic State aged 15 and was one of three young women who fled the UK for Syria in 2015. The 19-year-old recently spoke again of her desire to return and told the Times: "Since I left Baghouz I really regretted everything I did, and I feel like I want to go back to the UK for a second chance to start my life over again. F ilm fan Thomas Duke matches scenes from his favourite films with their real life locations, documenting his travels on his Instagram account Stepping Through Film. His social media page, which currently boasts over 40,000 followers, sees Duke painstakingly align memorable screen moments with their real world backdrops, from James Bonds nerve-shredding tube commute in Skyfall to Wonder Womans emotional finale scene in Trafalgar Square. Based in the capital, Duke has captured London locations from the atrium of the British Museum (which features in the final moments of the third Night at the Museum film) to the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, which doubles up for nineteenth century Paris in the screen adaptation of Les Miserables. A new shot, exclusively revealed to Standard Online, shows a sharply suited Colin Firth posing in front of Savile Row tailors Huntsman, recreating a scene from spy caper Kingsman. London calling: Colin Firth in Kingsman / @steppingthroughfilm Another Firth film to feature on the account is Love Actually, with Duke capturing a handful of locations from the London-based festive rom-com: the segment of the Southbank where Liam Neeson dishes out step-fatherly advice to Thomas Brodie Sangsters Sam, Keira Knightleys unfeasibly upscale mews apartment in Notting Hill and even Heathrow Terminal 4. "It's wonderful to explore more of the city through film and it takes me all over," Duke explains. "Lancaster House was absolutely stunning to walk through, golden leaf everywhere! But I'd have to say the most stunning area is the Old Royal Naval College - a location where countless numbers of wonderful films have been shot and an environment always worth visiting even if it's just to sit and look at it all." Dukes search for the perfect composition has also taken him further afield. The name's Bond: Daniel Craig in Skyfall / @steppingthroughfilm To reconstruct moments from the Harry Potter franchise, hes headed to Oxfords dreaming spires (university buildings were used to stand in for Hogwarts in the earlier films) and to Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, the setting for Dobbys death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He has also travelled to Paris to photograph locations used in Christopher Nolans Inception and the Mission Impossible franchise. Photo for illustration Specifically, after two months of slight decrease, exports of iron and steel products saw significant improvement in March 2019 with a value estimated at USD280 million, a 60.3% rise from the previous month and a 6.8% increase from the same period last year. This figure contributed to raising the export value in the first three months of the year to USD744 million, a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. The US, the EU and Southeast Asia are the key export markets with a density of 55%. In addition, Vietnam also shipped iron and steel products to other markets like Japan, the Republic of Korea and India. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that the result is owing to the growth impetus of 2018 and big export contracts of some companies in the first months of 2019, including the lunar New Year holiday. Notably, Hoa Sen Group signed a contract to ship 4,300 tons of corrugated iron to some American countries, valued at USD3.7 million, and a batch of 17,000 tons of corrugated iron from Nghi Son International Port to the US, valued at more than USD14 million. Hoa Phat Group announced a shipment of nearly 1,000 tons of steel pipes to India, worth over USD600,000. In addition, in the first quarter, the group also opened the year with many export orders to the US and Canada./. The MTC has announced a strategic partnership with Holdem Press Ltd, which is a subsidiary of diversified multinational group, Holdem. The new and exciting relationship between the MTC and Holdem is one of the largest strategic alliances ever entered into by the MTC. The agreement gives Holdem extensive promotional and advertising access to the full bouquet of MTC television programmes including. Live racing Faites Vos Courses Weekly preview Turftime. Weekly review Les Specialistes du Turf Training feeds It is well known that the MTC television programmes, particularly its live racing show, are amongst the TV broadcasts with the highest viewerships on the island. Holdem, who already have an interest in the horse racing industry through their form guide Turf.mu, recognised this massive strategic opportunity and have grabbed the opportunity with both hands. The business relationship kick off in March will endure for the whole of the 2019 Mauritian racing season. Mike Rishworth, CEO of the MTC, said that he was really looking forward to the new business relationship going from strength to strength and exploring other possible synergies between the two businesses. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 63 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (309) Those European countries losing a lot of their workforce to the advantage of the rest of the European Union countries should think of an aggressive package of measures to provide a solution against the selective mobility that causes this brain drain, Minister of Finance, Eugen Teodorovici, stated on Saturday, at the end of the second day of the ECOFIN (Economic and Financial Affairs Council) meeting. "Maybe, during the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU, I will invite the countries that send workers abroad to a discussion, to see what we can do. For we should think of an aggressive package of measures to bring a solution, since we cannot reach our goals in the current situation, for this is also precisely the reason for which we are discuss about the dropping competitiveness right now, about the different costs, which are aspects that are influenced by this intra-European mobility. So we need to encourage this mobility, but we also need to consider the type of measures that we need to take in this area, for otherwise we will all be affected," said Eugen Teodorovici. He also specified selective mobility within the EU was one of the main topics discussed at the meeting of European finance ministers. "Free movement of labour has brought great economic benefits. Mobile workers contribute to the GDPs of both their home and host countries and, in most cases, they play a significant role in the earnings of those who were left behind at home. However, workers' mobility can also have negative effects, for instance when it's selective and leads to a brain drain stopping potential growth. In the near future, our priority should be to find a common European solution and to implement a tool to help us in solving this phenomenon," said the Finance Minister. Eugen Teodorovici pointed out that eastern European countries are left for the Western Europe not only by the highly qualified ones, but also by the middle and low-skilled people. "In general, highly skilled workers in the European Union are very mobile, and when the level of educational achievements increases, innovation is also increasing." East-West mobility is exceptional, but not always only the highly qualified workers emigrate. The low and middle-skilled workers too emigrate, which makes this phenomenon even more widespread," Eugen Teodorovici said. The Finance Minister said he was dissatisfied with the ECOFIN talks on selective mobility. "If trends in the last 10 years will continue, the problem will become worse for some Member States, for mobility also leads to tax problems." If I were to use the European language, I would say that I am pleased with today's discussion on labour mobility. However, since I am more a pragmatic person, I must say that I am not happ,y because we have such very interesting discussions all the time, but when we come down to solutions, we do not have the right approach, and I say this because labour mobility in the EU is perhaps one of the most important topics that we need to discuss, and we need to identify the steps all of us should follow. As you can see, for the European Union the results are good in terms of labour mobility, but if we deal with it and discuss it on a case-by-case basis, solutions are totally different," the Finance Minister said. The informal meeting of the Finance Ministers of the European Union took place on Friday and Saturday in Bucharest, in the context in which Romania is currently exercising the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Kurds in Fateful Triangle as US Moves to Redeploy IS Terror Groups If the Kurds accede to Washingtons nefarious agenda, they run the risk of losing independence and being eviscerated from exploitation in endless dirty-war machinations by the Americans. Kurdish fighters have been used by the US to ostensibly defeat the remaining Islamic State holdouts in eastern Syria. But what is emerging is not a final defeat of the terrorists, more a redeployment to further destabilize the Arab country. Potentially, the Kurds could wind up not with the regional autonomy they desire, but as part of a rebranded American dirty war army whose ranks include the very terrorist the Kurdish militias have been successfully battling against. President Donald Trump has been lately crowing about how US-backed Kurdish forces have wiped out the IS self-proclaimed caliphate around Baghouz in eastern Syria. Theyre losers theyre gone tonight, he boasted about supposedly vanquishing the jihadists. However, things are not that clear-cut. Syrias envoy to the United Nations Bashar al Jaafari dismissed Trumps victory celebrations as a bluff. He said that IS was not defeated in areas under US control, but rather were being shunted off to various camps for retraining. There are credible reports that thousands of jihadists who surrendered or were captured in the fighting around Baghouz have since been relocated by US forces to its military base at al Tanf near the border with Iraq and Jordan, as well as to nearby refugee camps such as Rukban, where some 40,000 detainees are held. Suspiciously, the Americans are refusing international access to these camps, even for UN humanitarian relief agencies. As Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pointed out recently, the detention centers are being used by the Americans as a pretext for illegally occupying Syrian territory. We can also add the purpose of clandestine military recruitment for US proxies. Despite Trumps announcement four months ago that US military was pulling out of Syria, there seems no sign that his plan is being implemented. Thats why Moscow reacted angrily to Washingtons demand for Russian troops to leave Venezuela. The Kremlin responded testily that the US should first deliver on its promise to withdraw from Syria, where its forces are illegally present unlike Russian personnel in Venezuela under bilateral agreement. In Syrias supposedly post-war scenario what seems to be happening is the US seeking to find a way to reconfigure its destabilizing intervention in the Arab country. The past eight years of US-sponsored covert war has failed in its objective for regime change against President Bashar al Assad, who is allied with Russia and Iran. What the US is aiming to do now is keep military footprints in the country, effectively annexing swathes of territory, especially in the oil and gas-rich eastern region around the Euphrates River. That accounts for why supposedly defeated enemy terrorists are being retrained by US special forces at al Tanf. They are reportedly being tasked with capturing the oil and gas fields in Deir ez-Zor province as well as production infrastructure in Homs province. This puts the Kurdish forces in an invidious position. There is little doubting the courage and fighting ability of the Kurdish men and women who make up the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its spearhead YPG militias. The Kurds have managed to liberate up to 30 per cent of Syrias territory in the northeast and east from the IS jihadists. They have dealt a decisive blow to the residual caliphate at Baghouz. American air power augmented the Kurds in their offensive. But what the US is maneuvering to do is to combine the defeated jihadists with the Kurds in order to push its agenda for breaking up Syria and controlling its eastern mineral-rich resources. The Special Monitoring Mission to Syria reports that IS militants captured by the SDF are being redeployed by the Americans for seizing oil and gas production facilities. Still another crucial objective for Washington is to control the Deir ez-Zor east-west corridor from Iraq to Damascus so as to contain Iranian presence in Syria. This is the context for Trumps brazen declaration recognizing Israels annexation of Syrias southern Golan Heights. Washingtons game plan is to keep Syria destabilized and fragmented, partly to appease Israel and partly for the USs own imperial designs for dominance in the region. In this insidious US maneuvering, the Kurds face a potentially treacherous situation. They have been well armed and supported by Washington, but are finding they are being used like a disposable asset. The Kurds may have calculated that accepting Washingtons patronage in recent years was a way to earn political capital for building a future separate independent Kurdish state. What seems to be emerging, however, is that the Americans only intend to exploit the Kurds as a fighting force to do its dirty work of breaking up Syria in the same way that the Americans have covertly used jihadist terror groups in other parts of Syria. The Kurds have been very effective in routing IS in the latters remaining strongholds in eastern Syria. But the result is the Kurds are being used as a recruitment agency for the Americans to redeploy the defeated terrorists in its ongoing covert war against the Syrian state. There are signs, though, that the Kurds are well aware of the treacherous danger in dealing with Washington. When Trump made is troop withdrawal announcement, there were palpable concerns among the Kurds about being betrayed to the mercy of Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to send his military forces into Syria to crush the SDF and YPG militia whom Ankara views as terrorist affiliates of its own separatist Kurdish movement, the PKK. Its not clear if the US will implement a withdrawal of its estimated 2,000 troops in Syria. There are indications it wont happen, despite Trumps claims. Nevertheless, the surprise announcement was enough to undermine Kurdish confidence its patron. With the result that Kurdish leaders have begun reaching out to the Assad government in Damascus in the hope of dialogue producing a future federal arrangement. The Kurds have reportedly requested Russia to mediate with the Syrian government. Kurdish forces have not heretofore been at war with the Syrian Arab Army. They share the same common enemy of IS and assorted jihadist terror groups. In the past, President Assad has rebuffed Kurdish aspirations for regional autonomy. But apparently, Damascus has shifted to be more open on forming a new federal constitution for Syria in which the Kurds would gain important regional independence in a way analogous to the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq. In this fateful political triangle that the Syrian Kurds find themselves, they would be advised to throw their lot in with the Damascus government. If a mutual pact could be established that would bring the two major chunks of Syrias territory back into territorial integrity. If, on other hand, the Kurds accede to Washingtons nefarious agenda, they run the risk of losing independence and being eviscerated from exploitation in endless dirty-war machinations by the Americans. An ominous sign is that after bravely fighting to rout IS, the Kurdish militia are being set up to form a devils bargain with the same terrorists to satisfy Washingtons geopolitical interests. The Kurds would do well to remember a cynical maxim in Washington, whereby the US does not have allies, only interests. War with Russia Is Not Inevitable. Keep Repeating That It is a fantasy to believe that Trump has been freed by Muellers goose egg. The Democrats will use his work as a starting point (not as a finish) to keep digging into Trumps private and business affairs to find something for which they can impeach him. Well, that didnt take long! No sooner had Robert Torquemada Mueller wrapped up his obscenely expensive inquisition without finding any so-called collusion with Russia than the obstacles to rapprochement between Washington and Moscow immediately dissipated. Calls for a new detente issued from sound thinkers such as Daniel R. DePetris of The American Conservative (Trump now has his first opportunity to settle on a Russia policy without the risk of an extreme political backlash) and Srdja Trifkovic of Chronicles: Now that the Russian Collusion Myth has been revealed to be a mendacious conspiracy by the Deep State, the Democratic Party and the media, President Donald Trump needs to move on with his election promise to improve relations with Moscow. That is a geopolitical and civilizational necessity. The undeniable wisdom of such recommendations was instantly recognized by the Washington establishment. Not only did Democrats and Never-Trump Republicans back off their Nazi-Putin paranoia, Trumps own team, starting with National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rushed copies of DePetris and Trifkovics musings onto their bosss desk. The most striking (though, oddly, little commented upon) evidence of the now-liberated Trump administrations beeline towards a new realist overture towards Moscow was explicit US recognition of Crimea as part of Russia. The newfound respect for Russias security needs is evident: The White House Proclamation on Recognizing Crimea as Part of the Russian Federation Issued on: March 25, 2019 The Russian Federation took control of Crimea in 2014 to safeguard its security from external threats. Today, aggressive acts by NATO, including US forces, in the Black Sea and Ukraine continue to make Crimea a potential launching ground for attacks on Russia. Any possible future peace agreement in the region must account for Russias need to protect itself from NATO and other regional threats. Based on these unique circumstances, it is therefore appropriate to recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim that, the United States recognizes that Crimea is part of the Russian Federation. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third. DONALD J. TRUMP Oh wait, that actually didnt happen. The genuine March 25 proclamation related to something entirely different. Nevermind. Lets get something straight. It is a fantasy to believe that Trump has been freed by Muellers goose egg. The Democrats will use his work as a starting point (not as a finish) to keep digging into Trumps private and business affairs to find something for which they can impeach him. As far as Russia goes, sure there was no direct collusion, but on the other hand the report, even before its release, is being cited across the political spectrum as proof that Russia interfered in our election to undermine our democracy and thus as reason to keep the demonization campaign against Russia going. Pathetically, Trump will continue to defend himself by boasting that nobodys been tougher on Russia than he has while futilely calling for better relations (and even mutual decreases in military spending, which will join his nonexistent Mexican wall, his national infrastructure rehab, his Syria pullout, his ). In that sense Mueller has changed nothing. We will continue to sputter along like this for the remainder of Trumps presidency in a continued downward slope. If anyone in Moscow thinks Trump now will be able to move towards normalized relations they are sadly mistaken. Aside from occasional pipe dreams that supposedly declining power Russia can be pressed into service as a check against China (without offering Moscow any positive incentive, of course) what we can count on is continuation of the coordinated campaign to render Russias strategic situation untenable: deployment of intermediate-range weapons in Europe to make warning virtually nonexistent (and a strong possibility that START will follow INF into oblivion);strategic bomber probes with prototype nuclear-armed cruise missiles to prepare the aircraft for the possibility of launching the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) weapon; NATO maneuvers around Russias land and sea borders (but only to deter aggression, of course!); more sanctions; yet more expansion of NATO (Ukraine and Georgia still on the agenda!); vilification of Russia and, particularly, of President Vladimir Putin; militarization of Ukraine; attacking the Orthodox Church; the Skripal hoax; more chemical false flags in Syria; trying to tank South Stream 2; blaming Russia for undermining democracy in every western country in addition to the US all are components of a full-spectrum operation to destroy Russias economy, to destabilize its society, to replace its regime with one more to their partners liking, and ultimately to dismember Russia. In the face of this, one is mystified why Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other Russian statesmen continue to refer politely to their Western partners even when its painfully clear that they have no Western partners. While these partners who, it should be noted, never that use that term about the Russians claim they only want to change Moscows behavior, that isnt true. There is nothing Russia could do short of surrendering its sovereignty and returning to the 1990s that would even begin mollify Russias partners. As US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put it in December 2018, Americas mission is to reassert our sovereignty [and] reform the liberal international order, and we want our friends to help us and to exert their sovereignty as well. But Russia and other countries that havent embraced Western values of freedom and international cooperation to Pompeos satisfaction arent our friends and thus have no such sovereign liberty. In short, these Western partners hate Russia not for what it does, but for what it is: an obstacle to absolute global domination by a US-led liberal international order. Russias deployment of the most powerful weapons imaginable perhaps can limit the military aspect of that agenda, but it cannot reverse it. Quite to the contrary, such actions, like Moscows defensive moves after the 2014 regime change in Ukraine or Russias 2015 deployment in Syria or current presence in Venezuela, are held up as further proof of Russians typically, almost genetically driven aggressiveness, in the words of former CIA Director James Clapper. Does this mean that western war planners are preparing for a redux of the 1812 Grande Armee or 1941 Operation Barbarossa rolling across Belarus or Ukraine into Russia? No. Rather, western officials, mainly in the US, are confident (arent they always?) that under constant moral, economic, financial, and military pressure a tipping point will be reached in Russias internal instability and strategic vulnerability (the latter including the knowledge that leadership decapitation without warning is possible), forcing Moscow to fold, either through revolution, or coup, or inflicting a (we would hope, limited) military humiliation on them somewhere. Notwithstanding their soft rhetoric, the Russian leadership understands this quite well. As Professor Stephen Cohen observes: Moscow closely follows what is said and written in the United States about US-Russian relations. Here too words have consequences. On March 14, Russias National Security Council, headed by President Putin, officially raised its perception of American intentions toward Russia from military dangers (opasnosti) to direct military threats (ugrozy). In short, the Kremlin is preparing for war, however defensive its intention. Just over a year ago, in March 2018, Putin unveiled a new set of deterrent capabilities against all those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years, sought to win unilateral advantages over Russia, [and] introduced unlawful sanctions aimed to contain our countrys development.(Hint: he was talking about the US and NATO.) Nobody listened to us, Putin said then. Well, listen to us now. Of course, they didnt listen a year ago. And theyre not listening today, either. Gilbert Doctorow likens the current situation to that in depicted by Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace. Today as then, what happens next will be less due to this or that policymaker making this or that bad decision as much as the existence of a near universal acceptance of the logic of the coming war ( Must read : War and Peace: The Relevance of 1812 as Explained by Tolstoy to Current Global Affairs, Antiwar.com): Transposed to our own day, this issue finds its parallel in the informational war the United States and the West more generally have been waging against Russia. The defamation of Putin, the denigration of Russia all have been swallowed whole by the vast majority of our political classes, who today would view with equanimity, perhaps even with enthusiasm any military conflict with Russia that may arise, whatever the immediate cause. Hardheaded observers, notably military men, might reject this notion. Where is mobilization of NATO armies in offensive strength? The Russians know NATO is a joke they wont even cough up Trumps lousy two percent of GDP! General Shoigu isnt stupid! Objectively thats true. But that doesnt change the fact that western, especially American, policymakers have defined our attitude towards Russia as an existential struggle that can have only one outcome Russias collapse, leading to regime change either via war or means short of war. All elements of western policy are geared to that one inalterable objective. That this policy wont and cannot succeed is never even considered by its authors. It continues because, literally, they cannot think of Russia in any other way. Nikolai Gogol likened the Russia of his day to a speeding troika, wordlessly hurtling towards its fate while all things on earth fly by and other nations and states gaze askance as they step aside and give her the right of way. Today, that reckless plunge describes not Russia but America and our craven satellites. As Israel Shamir concludes: Russians have few ambitions. They do not want to rule the world, or even to dominate their neighbors. They do not want to fight the Empire. They would be content to be left in peace. But if pushed, and now they are being pushed, they will respond. In [the] Russian view, even the most hostile American politicians will desist before the Doomsday collision. And if not, let it be. The question that no one in Washington seemingly is asking themselves is not whether war is inevitable but whether the Russian leadership, despite their polite talk, have come to believe (rightly) that positive change in their partners behavior is very unlikely and that therefore war is much more likely than not, according to the logic of things described by Doctorow. Fifty years ago, the streets of Leningrad taught me one rule: if a fight is inevitable you have to strike first, Putin told journalists at the 2015 Valdai conference. Even if, from the wests point of view war is not inevitable, what if the Russians have come to believe it is? ( Suggested viewing : the films 1612 (2007) and the Taras Bulba (2009) as psychological war preparation of the population comparable to Sergei Eisensteins World War II-era Alexander Nevsky (complete with a western bishop with a swastika on his miter) and the two-part Ivan the Terrible.) Even more than a year ago, when the writing was already on the wall that Russiagate would turn out to be a whiff as far as nailing Trump goes, it was clear that in one important sense it had exceeded beyond all expectations: achieving permanent enmity between the US and Russia. Now, with the pointless investigation concluded, nothing has improved, nor can there be much expectation that it will. As Doctorow notes: Indeed, no one wants war, neither Washington nor Moscow. However, the step by step dismantling of the channels of communication, of the symbolic projects for cooperation across a wide array of domains, and now dismantling of all the arms limitation agreements that took decades to negotiate and ratify, plus the incoming new weapons systems that leave both sides with under 10 minutes to decide how to respond to alarms of incoming missiles all of this prepares the way for the Accident to end all Accidents. Such false alarms occurred in the Cold War but some slight measure of mutual trust prompted restraint. That is all gone now and if something goes awry, we are all dead ducks. Barring a miracle, this does not end well. South Korea is finally retiring the 33 T80U tanks it received from Russia in the late 1990s, along with 33 BMP3 IFV (infantry fighting vehicles) and a thousand ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles). All this fairly modern (at the time) gear was used to settle a debt Russia lacked the cash to repay. Russia sent the best examples of the T80 and BMP3 it had in the hope of selling South Korea more of them. At the time Russia had over a thousand recent models of the T80 available for sale but South Korea was already (since 1985) producing its own K1 tank, which was based on the original American M1 (that had a 105mm gun). The T80U had a 125mm gun, a gas turbine engine, modern (for the time) fire control system and electronics as well as excellent protection. But South Korea equipped its army to deal the North Korean army, which had much older Russian made armor and other weapons. The K1 was more than adequate. The T80U did have some other advantages. The gas turbine engine provided better acceleration and mobility than the K1. While the T80U fire control system was competitive with the K1 equipment the K1E1 upgrade gave the K1 an edge. The T80U had some serious disadvantages. It was cramped for the crew because Russia deliberately selected smaller men for tank crews while the South Koreans did not. The T80U, like all modern Russian tanks, were less reliable than their Western counterparts. South Korea is retiring its T80Us not just because they are old but because Russia has tripled the cost of many replacement parts and South Korea now knows all it needs to know about Russian tanks. This lack of reliability with Russian tank designs hurt the larger North Korean army which was undergoing an economic collapse in the 1990s, as well as a massive famine that killed about ten percent of the population. This economic crisis hit the North Korean military which not only failed to upgrade its tanks but was unable to keep them maintained well enough to provide adequate training. After 2000 it was noted that fewer and fewer North Korean armored vehicles were in good running condition and the crews were poorly trained. A few hundred T80Us would have made a big difference for North Korea but they could not afford it. Russia had heavily subsidized North Korea until the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. After that Russia could no longer afford to give away weapons as it often did before 1990. The K1 and K2 tanks were replacing older American M48 tanks and were already superior to whatever the North Koreans had. The K1 and K2 gave the South Koreans a greater edge over North Korea and were built in South Korea and therefore exportable. Currently, South Korea has about 2,500 tanks, 1,800 of the K1s and K2s and the remainder the older M48s. North Korea has about 4,000 tanks in service with a third of them being 1950s era T-55s and even some Korean War vintage T-34s. North Korea also obtained about 800 T-62 tanks from Russia and then built about 2,000 upgraded T-62s locally. These were called the Chonma-ho in the 1980s and 90s and later as the updated Pokpung-ho in the 1990s. Russia considered the T-62, with its 115mm gun and lots of components that never quite worked, a failure. The T-62 was considered a major upgrade of the T-55 but it was soon eclipsed (and replaced) by the very successful T-72. The North Korean Pokpung-ho was supposed to be a T-62 upgraded to T-72 standards but there is no evidence that worked and, in any event, North Korean production standards were low and reports from North Korean veterans who made it to China and South Korea indicated the North Korean made tanks were nowhere near the effectiveness of the T-72 and T-80. North Korea had a few of those more modern tanks, obtained for studying and assistance in reproducing some of their design features. That never worked out because by the 1990s it was decided to give ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons priority when it came to development and production resources. Adequately maintained North Korean tanks can still be dangerous, especially if they are defending and the crews have fairly recent ammo. North Korea is in the habit of keeping artillery and tank shells in inventory even when they are well past their use by date. When North Korean artillery and tank troops get to practice firing their weapons there are frequent misfires, some of which kill or injure the crews. As effective as the K1 was, South Korea tried to improve on it with the larger, heavier and more expensive K2. That ran into problems. For example, in 2011 South Korea resumed production of its new K2 tank, after a year's delay, because of problems with the engine. These problems were first discovered in 2008 but proved more difficult to fix than anticipated. The prototype began testing in 2006, but there were lots of other problems, and delays. Three prototypes had been built, and the numerous delays led to a reduction of the production order from 500 to 380 and finally to about 320 with the possibility of raising that back to 400 or more. The problem with the K2 is the cost (over $8 million each), which is the highest for any modern tank. The K-2 will replace the last of the older American M-48 tanks and complete the transformation of the South Korean tank force. This began in the 1980s when South Korea developed, and built its own K1 tank. The 51 ton K1 is based on the American M1 design, but is somewhat smaller and equipped with the same 105mm gun used by the U.S. M60 tank. The K1 has a 1,200 horsepower diesel, instead of a 1,500 horsepower gas turbine engine in the M1. Production of the K1 ended in 1997, with 1,027 built. There have since been some upgrades to the fire control and communications systems which became known as the K1E1 and all of the original K1s are being upgraded to K1E1s, a process that will be completed by 2026. Meanwhile, South Korea developed the K1A1, which has the same 120mm gun as the American M1, along with other equipment used by the M1, but not the K1. The K1A1 is apparently part of the K2 development project, as not many K1A1s (and later K1A2) tanks were built. There were plans to build 300 K1A1s by 2010 but this was slowed down as K2 development moved along. Eventually over 300 K1A1/2 tanks were built. These, along with the K2s, gave South Korea about 800 tanks using 120mm guns. The new K2 has an improved 120mm gun, capable of firing an anti-tank missile, as well as the usual gun munitions. The K2 weighs 55 tons and outclasses anything North Korea, Japan or China has. The K2 has a number of new electronic defenses. It will have a laser detector that will instantly tell the crew the direction the enemy laser beam is coming from. Most tanks use a laser range finder before it fires its main gun. The K2 fire control system also enables the main gun (120mm) to be used to hit low flying aircraft (helicopters, mostly). There are also numerous improvements to the K2 mechanical and electronic systems, as well as more armor (both composite and ERA). This will make the K2 easier to use and maintain. An autoloader reduces the crew to three men. As good as the K2 is, the K1 remains the mainstay of the South Korean tank force. The main shortcoming is the lack of air conditioning (which the M1 and K2 have). For years officers and NCOs have been complaining that the lack of air conditioning makes South Korean tank crews less effective during the three months of the year (June-August) when it often gets very hot and humid. Most generals insisted that South Korean troops were tough enough to handle this, despite detailed reports from tank units (and personal testimonials from tank commanders) that crew performance was degraded by lack of air conditioning and even practice with the main gun tended to be more accurate in cooler months. As more of the first officers commanding K1 tanks in the 1980s rose to become generals the hostility against air conditioning faded. Now its mainly a matter of a South Korean firm designing an air conditioning system that will fit in the K1. South Korean manufacturers are working on this now what the prospects of a major sale are likely. Even the Russians recognized the need for air conditioning and had, by the 1980s, made air conditioning an option on their latest tanks (including the T-80). Without that cooling option even Middle Eastern armies would switch to more expensive Western models that did have air conditioning. TICKERS: RRI; RVSDF Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (4/5/19) Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable covers the five Cs with the CEO of Riverside Resources, including his company's take on copper, prospects in Canada, and the Cecilia deposit in Sonora. Maurice Jackson: Joining us for a conversation is Dr. John-Mark Staude. He is the president and CEO of Riverside Resources Inc. (RRI:TSX.V; RVSDF:OTCQB), "Where Knowledge Is Golden." We brought you on today to discuss the five Cs, which are copper, Cecilia, cash, Canada and capital structure. Beginning with copper: John-Mark, what do the supply-and-demand fundamentals indicate long term regarding copper? Dr. John-Mark Staude: We really believe copper is in a long-term upswing. Myself, I worked in the copper business with Magma Copper and BHP Copper. Now Riverside has built a copper portfolio to be ready for this now-growing upswing. I think the demand from Chinafrom Asia[as well as] the growth in the United States and throughout the world, along with electric cars, electrification [means] copper is in demand, and we're ready for it. Mexico, being a major copper producer, is a wonderful place to be developing copper projects. Maurice Jackson: Speaking of the project portfolio, let's delve into it. Dr. Staude, last April I attended a site visit with you in Sonora, Mexico, and we visited the Cecilia gold-silver project. The value proposition before us on the Cecilia has enormous potential. For someone new to the Cecilia gold-silver project, please tell us about it. Dr. John-Mark Staude: That's the second C: Cecilia. And the thing we like about it is the location. It's in a major mining trend, where gold is being produced by other mining companies, gold and silver companies like Premier Gold Mines Ltd. (PG:TSX) and First Majestic Silver Corp. (FR:TSX; AG:NYSE; FMV:FSE), as well as the recent big discovery by SilverCrest Metals Inc. (SIL:TSX.V). Riverside, at the Cecilia project, has a major district, over 60 square kilometers' tenure, big-scale potential for a mega-discovery. It was great to have you up there, Maurice. In fact, I was there last week. We're progressing, getting ready to do drilling. In the next quarter, we'll see continued results from the Cecilia. We're really excited by that for Riverside for 2019. Maurice Jackson: Walk us through the Cecilia. What type of lithology is prevalent there? Dr. John-Mark Staude: For us, the key lithology is a rhyolite dome. The thing about a dome is it's the right type of impulse, the type of thing that can have gold mineralization. Also, they're veins, and those veins have high grade. The veins are inside of sediments. Those sediments are the typical types of sediments that have gold mineralization. Major mines around Mexico: For us, it's a great type of geology, so we really like the Cecilia project. Maurice Jackson: Can you provide us with some grade intervals that have Riverside confident that this could be a game changer? Dr. John-Mark Staude: One of the virtues we really like is the proximity to the surface. Gold mineralization, one- and two-ounce gold on the main hill. . .also, gold in the Cecilia one, the larger area. Those types of things are exactly [what] we like: high-grade gold, one- and two-ounce gold, half an ounce gold. Those types of mineralizations over long distances of strike lengthwe've been able to follow with 500600 meter-long strike lengths of these veins. Great project. Really exciting for Riverside to be moving ahead with. It's 100% owned by Riverside. Maurice Jackson: What are the latest developments coming from the Cecilia project? Dr. John-Mark Staude: The key three things right now, first is bigger ground. The district is big, and we keep picking up more ground. That's huge. We're really consolidating the major play. The second is high grades. We're following the veins along strike, and getting good results along those strikes continuing. The third is, the tracking of multiple targets. We've been able to develop quite a few targets, and now we're upgrading those targets, getting them ready for drill. We'll get the drill permits completed for the larger area. We already have the permits for the Cerro Magallanes, and then we're ready to go. Riverside is so excited by the Cecilia project. We're on track, on budget, and it's really going well for us. Maurice Jackson: Sticking with Sonora, Mexico, John-Mark, Riverside has been active on another project, the Sandy project. Please provide us with an update. Dr. John-Mark Staude: The Sandy is good. It's out in the Sandy Desert. Sonora is a desert area, and we think underneath that sand, where we have an outcropping area with high-grade gold and big structures, those structures are the orogenic gold-style, which is affiliated with the big mines that are run by companies like Fresnillo Plc (FRES:LSE) and Alamos Gold Inc. (AGI:TSX; AGI:NYSE). Big structures like the Chanate mine, the Noche Buena mine, the Herradura mine. Riverside at Sandy is in the right place, the right type of geology, and the big scale potential. We believe we are on the right path based on what we have staked. We use our database, where we try to take knowledge and turn it into gold, [which] is exactly what Riverside stated it would do. With the Sandy project [we] would show delivery of our promises. Now we move that ahead. We're very excited about these type of high-quality projects, and a low cost of acquisition for Riverside gives us huge upside with limited risk. Maurice Jackson: Moving onto the third C, which is cash. John-Mark, allow me to be the first to congratulate Riverside on a successful oversubscription on your recent financing, which we were proud to participate in. What would you like to say to shareholders? Dr. John-Mark Staude: First, [I'd like] to say thank you. We went back to existing shareholders, and many of them actually participated in the financing. It's often difficult to raise capital, but for Riverside, we've tried to deliver what we've promised, and we really appreciate the shareholders. Second, as we put out in the news release, we're so excited now that we have capital of over $3.5 million (CAD) with no debt. Riverside's in a great position to grow, not just in Mexico but beyond Mexico. That cash allows us to do multiple things: Cecilia, further growth and do additional transactions. Riverside's in a great position. Cash is king, and Riverside was able to get that cash and through financing, which has us really excited for 2019, 2020, 2021. Great position for Riverside shareholders. Maurice Jackson: Let's move onto to the fourth C, which is Canada. Is Riverside actively participating in anything in Canada? And if yes, what can you share with us? Dr. John-Mark Staude: Yes, we are. We've actually had properties in the past for porphyry copper in British Columbia. . .We are based in Vancouver, so Riverside has a good ability to operate here. We have been acquiring and working on different grounds, and we're putting those together. And I think the thing that we'll be seeing is news flow of the development of an additional portfolio, and then joint venture partners on it. Riverside likes the prospect generator model, and Riverside's very keen to diversify into Canada, because it is a great jurisdiction to work [in]. We have a lot of partners that people want to work on projects here, so it fits with our skill set to diversify. So Canada's been going well, and we raised the cash, and now we're diversifying and growing. We'll be at conferences and beginning to progress that in the next six and eight months. Maurice Jackson: Let's move onto the final C, which is capital structure. Please update everybody on the new capital structure. Dr. John-Mark Staude: That's one of the most important things, and Riverside has been so careful. We now have 62 million shares out. We're in a very good structured position, [and] continue to be a tight share structure. After 13 years as a public company, we're glad to actually have the cash, and we think now, with that tight share structure, we can continue to grow as a prospect generator. It's a great place to be. Myself, I've participated quite a bit in this current financing, and I participated in the other financings, and to date I've never sold a share of Riverside. I wish I had more shares. I'm glad to have a big share book, and Riverside doesn't have too many shares out, and capital structure's intact, doing well for Riverside. Maurice Jackson: Dr. Staude, what is the next unanswered question for Riverside Resources? When can we expect an answer, and what determines success? Dr. John-Mark Staude: The next key thing for us is really refining those drill targets at Cecilia. I think in the next 25 days, next month, we will have results, and we will have the results from our sampling. What will determine success will be. . .One is making sure we have all the access for the big targets. Second [is the] continuity of those targets, then third is confidence in those targets. Riverside will drill the targets ourselves. We really like the Cecilia project. We've been progressing it ourselves, and we see great value. The market has not given us the respect we think we deserve, so Riverside's pushing it ahead ourselves. We're very excited by this in the coming months. Maurice Jackson: John-Mark, what keeps you up at night that we don't know about? Dr. John-Mark Staude: It's so important to diversify and we really want to, so for us, keeping me up at night is us delivering growth in Canada now. We've been able to do it in Mexico quite well. We know we can do it, but we know shareholders want to see it, so right now, we're working on that and looking forward to providing updates on our progress in Canada. And with that, it'll show that we're able to diversify, as we've done in the past. We know we can do it, but we want to do it with power, by creating great value for our shareholders. Maurice Jackson: Sir, the last question: what did I forget to ask? Dr. John-Mark Staude: Well, you're always so good at asking questions. I think you've covered a lot of things. I think the other thing. . .to ask how is Riverside [is] going to grow. And the way we continue to grow is with those projects, with joint ventures, and lastly, because we'll actually add more skilled people. Riverside will be adding other key people to help us grow; in the next six months, we'll be actually looking to spread out and expand beyond where we are in Riverside, with power and growth. So I think that'll be the next step to grow, that will deliver in Mexico, will deliver on Canada, and where we're going next. We're really excited by that, so Riverside's a great place to be holding shares today. Maurice Jackson: Dr. Staude, for someone [who] wants to get more information on Riverside Resources, please share the contact details. Dr. John-Mark Staude: Please come to our website, rivres.com, or give us a call at (778) 327-6671. Maurice Jackson: And as a reminder, Riverside Resources trades on the TSX.V: RRI, and on the OTCQB: RVSDF. Riverside Resources is a sponsor of Proven and Probable, and we're proud shareholders of Riverside Resources for the virtues conveyed in today's message. And last but not least, please visit provenandprobable.com, where we provide mining insights and bullion sales. You may reach us at [email protected]. Dr. John-Mark Staude of Riverside Resources, thank you for joining us today on Proven and Probable. Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Riverside Resources. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: Riverside Resources is a sponsor of Proven and Probable. 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You understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this forum at your own risk. Images provided by the author. Tauranga MP and Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges has called a proposed passenger train route linking the Bay of Plenty to Auckland and Hamilton as a great idea, but incredibly hard, if not impossible, to achieve anytime soon. The passenger rail service, which is part of a viability study led by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, was a Labour Party election promise in 2017. They promised it, so are they going to get on with it this term as they said they would? asks the National Party leader. I am very cynical about what they are doing. It is a study or review which is not going to go anywhere soon. However, as someone who travels from Tauranga to Auckland fortnightly at least, it is a concept that the 42-year-old loves. The idea of climbing aboard the train at 6am, having bacon and eggs, reading a newspaper and listening to a podcast or two as the world goes by it would be great, he says. He suspects the reason the passenger rail service proposal has been kicked to a study or review is the potential billions of dollars in costs. And while KiwiRail is not so dismissive of the idea, there are provisos. The state-owned enterprise told The Weekend Sun that theyre committed to working with partners to provide viable rail commuter services. They also confirm there is capacity to run a passenger train between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, however there would be restrictions on how fast it could operate due to the high volume of freight traffic on the line. Upgrades would also need to be made to the line between Tauranga and Hamilton to allow passenger services to safely operate at a speed that would encourage commuters to the line. KiwiRail says there are also some limitations to what upgrades can be made to the networks existing infrastructure, including the Kaimai Tunnel, to enable faster speeds. A detailed survey and engineering investigations would be needed to determine costs for this upgrade. Thats the point, says Simon. The line is not fit for purpose for commuter traffic. Theyd need to make it faster, because you wouldnt want it to take all day to get to Auckland. For that very reason, he suspects reality has kicked in. What they actually need is a new double track line so trains could pass, but that would cost millions, he adds. Thats before you get to widening the Kaimai Tunnel, which everyone would love. It would have an eye-watering price tag. But if they could get there, great! It is not about road or rail, says the MP, it is both. We will need rail and a Northern Tauranga Link, because they do different things, he says. Rail will never get an Omokoroa mum and daughter to ballet classes in the city. The 2018 Bay of Plenty Regional Land Transport Plan provides for a study to explore the potential for increased use of the rail network for passengers and freight. A key driver for the study is the recent update to the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, which supports existing and new inter-regional commuter rail services. Under the statement, and given Taurangas rapid growth, there is the potential to explore rail and or light rail as future public transport options if they are likely to provide benefits over alternatives, such as bus rapid transit. Bay of Plenty Police are appealing for sightings of an elderly man who is missing in Omokoroa. Kevin Lipinsky left a Harbour View Road address at 6.30pm tonight and has not returned. Kevin has severe Alzheimers and is non-responsive. He was wearing blue shorts and a navy jersey when last seen. Police are asking Omokoroa residents to check their sections, including any sheds or boats, as Kevin may have sought shelter from the weather. The public are asked if they have seen Kevin in the last few hours, or have any information which could help the Police locate him, please call 111 or 07 577 4300 immediately. He might have a penchant for attacking ankles, but Mr Moe is cool with plenty catitude. Then theres Faith, who was found abandoned and alone in a reserve. She is going to need gentleness and patience, quiet and calm, but she deserves a chance. Theyre just two of eight felines currently up for adoption by Wild Whiskers the Tauranga charitable trust set up to rehabilitate true strays and wild kittens aged eight-weeks-old and under. Once they are old enough, they are de-sexed and put up for adoption. Just like Summer and Laddy, a super cute pair of siblings looking for a together-forever home. The profile says they will reward their new owner with life-long loyalty. If one kitten is enough, Mittens is a shy but gentle boy who could do with some love. It seems people want the littlies - the fluff balls and arent so taken by older cats. But according to Wild Whiskers Sharna Asplin, taking an older cat comes with big benefits. Theyre fully toilet trained, theyre socialised and theyre past the stage of chewing on everything and scratching up furniture, she says. The problem for Wild Whiskers is that people like to adopt before Christmas when they have time. Theyre off work, theyre off school and they have time to spend with the kittens, says Sharna. Wild Whiskers has reduced adoption fees from $120 to $80, which includes de-sexing, vaccination, micro-chip insertion, up-to-date flea and worm treatment and a take home goodie bag. The cats are presently all in a foster home. Theyre in pairs, because we like to keep them with a buddy, says Sharna. In pairs they get more human interaction, which is good for them. For more information go to: info@wildwhiskerstauranga.co.nz or via Wild Whiskers Facebook page. Kia ora and morena Sunners, and welcome to your Sunday, where there's lots of great activities to participate in or be entertained by. The weather forecast is for a generally fine day, with some early morning cloud, and southerlies. There's an expected high of 20 degrees and an overnight low of 9 degrees. The Riding for the Disabled Team - Sharon Aldersley, Louise Cairns, Helen Davenport, Angela O'Donnell, Elisha Olds, and Kaasandra Chee. Today is the last day of the More FM Mount Everest Challenge, where people climb Mauao 38 times in 50 days and help raise funds for Tauranga Riding for the Disabled, a very deserving local charity which focuses on equestrian therapy. The challenge started on Friday February 22. Special guest Samantha Hayes is joining this mornings walk. The Peoples Gallery-Toi ka rere If art is your thing, head over to the Odyssey Art Exhibition, at The Peoples Gallery-Toi ka rere at Tauranga Historic Village. There you will find that Kinsa Hays, Carolyn Watts and Bob Drake, three exhibitors from the Katikati Art Group, are each showing their own take on an aspect of their journey through life. Expressed in completely different ways, Odyssey brings together colour, assemblage and form in a community setting. The exhibition runs until April 22. More information here Keen to learn how to make Thai food? Check out the Saigon Corner Food Truck at Our Place Tauranga today where you can learn to make laab chicken and stir-fried glass noodle with prawns. Cost is by donation. More information here Shirley Arabin, at Brain Watkin House Today at 2pm, the Tauranga Historical Society have their monthly meeting at Brain Watkin House, 223 Cameron Rd, Tauranga. The topic today, being presented by Shirley Arabin, is From Keady to Katikati, the story of Fitzgibbon Louch. Fitzgibbon Louch was an Irish architect from Vesey Stewarts time. There is a $2 door charge. All are welcome. The Bay of Plenty Oodle Club are running the BOP Oodle Club Playdate event today from 2 3pm at Fergusson Park, Tilby Drive, Matua. This is a play date for all breeds of dogs. More information here Art On The Strand Please note: Art on the Strand will now be held on Saturdays NOT Sunday Bible Seminar 1:45pm Greerton Senior Citizens Hall, Maitland St, Greerton. Title: Marys special son Jesus - Gods gift. Interactive, Q&A. All welcome. Vic 543 0504 BOPMPBC April Race Day Club race day. Racing starts at 9am at Lake Tauriko Thunder Valley. Lots of thrills & some spills. Gold coin entry Bowls Tauranga South Come & try lawn bowls at 15 Tutchen St, 12:45pm with a bbq & refreshments. Ph Mike 022 340 4152 or just turn up on the day. Choral Evensong, Mt Maunganui Choral evensong service 4pm, St Peters Anglican Church, Victoria Rd, Mt Maunganui. Beautiful music led by St Peters Chancel Choir, Chalium Poppy directing. Free/koha. Corkers Toastmasters Corkers Toastmasters meets 3rd Sunday of month at 2pm at Zone Cafe (upstairs) Owens Pl Mount Maunganui. Ph Chrissy 027 296 7939 Croquet Tauranga Domain, Cameron Rd, 12:45 for 1pm start, Sun, Tues, Fri. Beginners welcome. Peter 571 0633 Friendship Force Travel Club Enjoy travel & meeting visitors? For world-wide exchange travel ph Jonathan 572 2091, Barbara 574 5711, www.friendshipforce.org.nz Maketu Market Maketu Market is held 3rd & 5th Sundays of the month, 7am-12pm at Maketu Village Green. Ph Carolyn 027 251 0388 or Pat 021 447 420 Radio Controlled Model Yachts Sundays & Thursdays 1:30-4, in pond behind 24 Montego Drive Papamoa, sailing Electron Yachts for fun. Adult beginners welcome. Graham 572 5419 Spiritual Centre Psychic Cafe Greerton Community Hall. Doors open 6:45pm, starts 7pm sharp. Door-charge $10, then everything free. Bays top 30 Psychics, Healers. Refreshments & more. Ph 578 7205 or www.psychiccafe.nz Tauranga Historical Society Brain Watkins House Hall. Speaker, Shirley Arabin. Topic: From Keady to Katikati. $2 Door Charge. All welcome. Tauranga Organ Keyboard Society 1:30pm, Carmel Country Estate Social Centre, 11 Hollister Lane, Ohauiti. Play or listen. Organ EL900 or Clavinova 405. Ph June 574 2204 The mother of a Syracuse man who died in prison has accused corrections officers of beating her son and denying him treatment that could have saved his life. Terry Cooper Jr. was 25 when he died in the Clinton Correctional Facility on May 19, 2016. In a civil rights lawsuit filed two weeks ago in federal court, Tracy Cooper accused the state and 12 prison workers of being responsible for her sons death. Tracy Cooper said her family filed the lawsuit to shine a bright light on what happens at the Dannemora prison. We hope our sons case will save another family from having to go through this pain, she said in a statement released by her attorneys. Cooper Jr. died after an asthma attack sent him into cardiac arrest, his attorneys said in a complaint filed March 22 in the U.S District Court of the Northern District of New York. Clinton prison staff denied him the "basic life-sustaining care that would have prevented his death, attorneys said. Two law firms -- Bernstein Clarke & Moskovitz and Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP, the firm that represented the family of Eric Garner -- are representing the Cooper family. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision declined to comment. Tracy Cooper does not know the names of the officers and nurses she is suing. Her attorneys said the state has refused to give her an unredacted copy of a report that identifies the people present at the time of her sons death. Syracuse police arrested Cooper Jr. in 2011 after a stabbing and a botched robbery. He was convicted of attempted robbery and assault in 2012 and sentenced to serve up to 12 years behind bars. When he first entered prison, Elmira Correctional Facility workers noted Cooper Jr. had a history of asthma attacks and had been hospitalized for the condition, attorneys said in the lawsuit. Care for his asthma faltered when he was transferred to Clinton in 2015, attorneys said. On the last evening of his life, Cooper Jr. was assaulted by two guards inside a cell block and forced to the ground, attorneys said in the lawsuit. Officers started to escort a handcuffed Cooper Jr. to the prison infirmary after the attack, attorneys said. Cooper Jr. then told the officers he couldnt breathe and needed his inhaler, attorneys said. But he wasnt given his inhaler, according to the lawsuit. Eventually, Cooper Jr. collapsed. When he was brought to the infirmary, he wasnt breathing and did not have a pulse, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit accuses officers and jail nurses of deliberately giving Cooper Jr. poor medical care that led to his death. According to the lawsuit, the defendants gave Cooper Jr. ineffective CPR, delayed treatment, skipped using a nearby CPR backboard and waited about 15 minutes to start an IV line, attorneys said. The numerous shortcomings" were noted by the state Commission of Correction during an investigation, attorneys said in a news release. Cooper Jr. is survived by his daughter, parents and sisters. Were looking for justice, his father, Terry Cooper Sr. said. But if it was possible, we would rather have our son home safe. Tracy Cooper has asked for a trial by jury. In the lawsuit, she asked the court to order the state to identify the prison workers she is suing and pay damages. A missing New Hampshire couple was found near the New York-Massachusetts border Friday, according to the Bedford Police Department. Norman Lepine, 79, and Shirley Lepine, 77, went missing in New Hampshire on Thursday afternoon and had last been seen on the New York State Thruway in Syracuse. They were found just before 1 p.m. on Friday, according to New York State Police. Troopers found the Lepines in Stephenstown after their car became disabled on the side of the road, state police said. The Lepines were taken to the hospital as a precaution, but neither was injured, Bedford police said. According to credit card transactions, the Lepines drove as far west as Corfu, which is located within 30 miles of Buffalo, Bedford police said. In all, they traveled at least 460 miles from home. The couples daughter visited them at 3 p.m. on Thursday at their home and the two were supposed to drive to a restaurant in Tamworth, New Hampshire, Bedford police said. The two never made it to the restaurant, instead driving to through New York before being found. Former vice president Joe Biden on Friday morning twice made jokes about the recent criticisms of his physical behavior toward women, prompting fresh upset among two who had previously complained about him, and prompting yet another attempt by him to insist that he was taking the matter seriously. Biden began his remarks before a ballroom of union workers in Washington by making light of the statements by at least seven women that he had made them uncomfortable with his close contact. After entering the stage to a Bruce Springsteen song - "We Take Care of Our Own" - and an introduction from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Lonnie Stephenson, Biden looked out at the audience and smiled about their interaction. "I just want you to know," he said. "I had permission to hug Lonnie." The crowd of mostly white men inside the Washington Hilton laughed and applauded. Later, partway through his speech, Biden spotted a quartet of children walking through the middle of the ballroom and invited them onto the stage. He shook each of their hands; then he put his arm around one of the young boys. "By the way, he gave me permission to touch him," he joked again. It did not appear that Biden and the boy exchanged words beforehand. The labor event marked Biden's first public appearance since the seven women went public, in various forums, about their uneasiness with Biden's conduct. Biden recorded a video on Wednesday saying that he would work on his demeanor. Throughout his nearly five decades in public life, Biden has indulged a personal style in which he regularly dispenses hugs, holds hands, and presses his forehead against someone else's. But in the era of #MeToo, those interactions have been cast in a new light. A former Nevada state legislator, Lucy Flores, wrote last Friday that she felt uncomfortable during an encounter with Biden in 2014 in which he held her shoulders, smelled her hair, and kissed her head. At least six other women later came forward with similar accounts, as others have written about their own more positive experiences with Biden. On Friday afternoon, after Biden's joking remarks, Flores responded to Biden on Twitter. "It's clear @JoeBiden hasn't reflected at all on how his inappropriate and unsolicited touching made women feel uncomfortable," she wrote. "To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have." Amy Lappos, a woman from Connecticut who recounted earlier in the week an instance in which Biden rubbed noses with her, also found his response troubling. "Biden's consent joke is a clear indication Biden doesn't get it and doesn't take the voice of the women who have come forward seriously," she told The Washington Post. "A man who jokes about consent isn't on the right side of women's issues. This was also a joke about consent from a child, which adds a new level of creepy and gross." Minutes after his labor speech ended, Biden addressed reporters outside the hotel. "It was not my intent to make light of anyone's discomfort," he said. "I realize my responsibility is to not invade the space of anyone who is uncomfortable in that regard. And I hope it wasn't taken that way. "I literally think it is incumbent upon me, I think everybody else, to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone, it's with their consent - regardless of your intentions, if you're trying to bring solace, if you're trying to welcome them. And it's my responsibility to do that." He said he wouldn't be surprised if more women came forward. But asked whether he owed the women an apology, he avoided a direct answer. "Well, look, I - the fact of the matter is I made it clear that if I made anyone feel comfortable, I feel badly about that. That was never my intention. Ever. Ever. Ever." When reporters said that some of the women had said they just want to hear that he is sorry and acknowledges his fault, he declined to do so. "I'm sorry I didn't understand more," he said. "I'm not sorry for any of my intentions. I'm not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I have never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman. You know, that's not the reputation I had since I was in high school for God's sake." Biden is widely expected to enter the presidential race, with some aides forecasting an announcement by the end of this month. He was captured Thursday in a photo outside his childhood home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, one indication that he could be preparing a video to announce his campaign. Biden all but announced he would be running while speaking with reporters. "I'm told by the lawyers that I've got to be careful what I say so that I don't start a clock ticking and change my status," he said. "But it is - I am very close to making a decision to stand before you all relatively soon." Asked about the delay, he said, "What's the holdup? Putting everything together, man. Putting everything together." He also said that, strategically, he always wanted to be the last person to get into the race. "Give everybody else their day; then I get a shot, and then we're off to the races," he said. Asked whether the party had moved too left for him, Biden said, "We'll find out whether I can win in a primary." President Donald Trump has relished Biden's struggles. Despite being accused by more than a dozen women of sexual misconduct, Trump taunted Biden on Thursday by tweeting a doctored video of the former vice president. "I see that you are on the job and presidential, as always," Biden responded on Twitter. Trump has repeatedly denied charges of misconduct that stretches back decades. In a 2005 tape from "Access Hollywood," which The Post obtained in October 2016, Trump was captured saying that he could "grab" women by their genitals. "When you're a star, they let you do it," he said. "You can do anything." "I think I'm a very good messenger, and people got a kick out of it," Trump said of Biden to reporters on Friday. "He's going through a situation, let's see what happens. But people got a kick . . . we gotta sort of smile a little bit, right?" The scrutiny of Biden's past behavior in a new light is only one of the challenges he may face if he enters the presidential race. Since Biden last ran for president on his own in 2008, the Democratic Party has shifted dramatically in recent years, with much of the energy being guided by millennials, women and people of color. Biden has tried to answer for some of those past positions - including his handling of Anita Hills testimony during Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomass confirmation hearing - but many activists believe he has not gone far enough. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York state lawmakers who delivered a budget on time this past week are turning their attention to thorny debates over legalizing recreational marijuana and renewing New York Citys rent regulations. Both issues are complicated and figuring out the details is likely to dominate the remainder of the legislative session, scheduled to end in late June. MARIJUANA Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo initially embedded his marijuana legalization proposal in the state budget, but it didn't make the final, $175.5 billion spending plan approved by lawmakers Monday. Cuomo and top lawmakers said there were too many unresolved questions about the details of regulations, and that more time after the budget would be needed. The debate could turn on how the state will handle counties that don't want to host retail marijuana stores. Cuomo proposed allowing counties to opt out, though some lawmakers have suggested going further by making it an opt-in system, so local officials would have to vote to allow retail dispensaries in their county. There are also significant disagreements about how to license dispensaries, with many lawmakers wanting to give priority to enterprises led by minorities. Then there's the question of what to do about making up for decades of prohibition and the war on drugs. Democratic Speaker Carl Heastie of the Bronx has suggested expunging the records of people with low-level marijuana convictions a proposal which could greatly complicate the broader legalization debate. The complexities of marijuana legalization were on full display last month in New Jersey, where a legalization push fell apart despite broad support for ending the prohibition of America's most popular illicit drug. Cuomo is confident lawmakers can figure out the fine points. "We will get marijuana done," Cuomo said on public radio last week. "It's not a question of political desire, it's a question of practical reality of how you put the new system in place." But even some supporters are now sounding a pessimistic note after the measure fell out of budget negotiations. Passing legislation in a stand-alone bill will be harder, they say, than passing in a budget filled with dozens of other policy changes. "There's absolutely not the votes" for a separate legalization bill, Sen. Diane Savino, D-Staten Island, told the publication Cannabis Wire. "If it's not in the budget, we can't pass it this year." RENT REGULATIONS The laws governing rent stabilization and rent control must be periodically renewed by lawmakers and it's seldom easy. Four years ago the rules briefly lapsed when lawmakers couldn't agree on a plan to extend the rules. That's less likely this year, now that Democratic gains in the Senate gave them control over the entire Legislature. But small changes to the rent rules can make a big difference to the 2 million tenants in New York City, and any effort to tweak them could spark a battle between tenants and their political advocates and the powerful New York City real estate lobby. Heastie said his chamber will be "laser focused" on the issue over the next few months. Many Democrats see this year's renewal as an opportunity to reconsider some changes passed when Republicans controlled the Senate that watered down rent rules. Other liberal groups want even more, with a coalition of tenant advocates launched what it's calling the Housing Justice for All Campaign to push for new, statewide rent rules. "The reality is that every tenant who rents their home should have some basic set of rights to stay in their apartment," said one of the group's leaders, Cea Weaver. "More and more of the state is renting, and public policy has not caught up to that reality." Why it matters: We expect that when we have a CT or MRI scan that the results are accurate. After all we are talking about equipment that can cost millions of dollars and radiologists with years of training and sometimes decades of experience. However, hospital security can be lax and researchers have now shown they can fake CT and MRI scans using a generative adversarial network (GAN). Israeli researchers created malware that can alter CT and MRI scans well enough to fool radiologists into misdiagnosis. The deep-learning software can create realistic looking fake malignant tumors or can hide real growths from scans in close to real time. "We implement the attack using a 3D conditional GAN and show how the framework (CT-GAN) can be automated," said Yisroel Mirsky, Tom Mahler, Ilan Shelef, and Yuval Elovici in their study. "Although the body is complex and 3D medical scans are very large, CT-GAN achieves realistic results which can be executed in milliseconds. " In a blind study, using 70 altered lung scans and three experienced radiologists, the software tricked them almost every time. In instances where they were looking at faked growths, they delivered a cancer diagnosis 99 percent of the time. In scans where the malware had removed actual tumors, the radiologist gave the all clear 94 percent of the time. The radiologists were told that they had been tricked and were given a second chance with 20 more scans with half being altered. They were wrong 60 percent of the time with injected nodules and 87 percent of the time with removed growths. The researchers then ran tests against software designed to detect lung cancer in images, which radiologist use to confirm their own diagnosis. It misdiagnosed faked nodules 100 percent of the time. I was quite shocked, Nancy Boniel, a radiologist in Canada who participated in the study told the Washington Post. I felt like the carpet was pulled out from under me, and I was left without the tools necessary to move forward. Yisroel Mirsky and his team at the Ben-Gurion University Cyber Security Research Center in Israel created the malware to highlight the lack of security protecting diagnostic equipment and other hospital systems. The software was designed specifically for this study, so it is not something that is a present danger to the health care industry. However, they do see it as a clear illustration of risks hospitals, doctors, and radiologists are not prepared for. The researchers are concerned that such attacks could be carried out to interfere with political opponents or worse. An attacker may perform this act in order to stop a political candidate, sabotage research, commit insurance fraud, perform an act of terrorism, or even commit murder, Mirsky et al. wrote in their study published by Cornell University. They say malicious parties could pull off an attack using a man-in-the-middle device planted near the scanner. They demonstrate such an attack in their video (below) using a Raspberry Pi 3 that they picked up for about $40. Since the data transmitted from the CT or MRI scanner is not encrypted, the attackers can easily falsify scans, which are then sent back to the receiving server. Fixing the problem would seem as simple as just encrypting data across the network. However, the FDAs Associate Director for Science and Strategic Partnerships Suzanne Schwartz MD says it is not that simple. Its going to require changes that go well beyond devices, but changes with regards to the network infrastructure, said Schwartz. Many hospitals dont have the money to invest in more secure equipment, or they have 20-year-old infrastructure that doesnt support newer technologies. This is where engaging and involving with other authorities and trying to bring the entire community together becomes really important. As far as the consequences to a victim of such an attack, it would take more than fake scans to put them under the knife or in chemotherapy. However, there are plenty of side effects that could create trouble for patients. There are a couple of steps before we just take someone to surgery [or administer chemo], said UC San Diego emergency room physician Christian Dameff. But there is still harm to the patient regardless. There is the emotional distress [from learning you may have cancer], and there are all sorts of insurance implications. The security of diagnostic equipment is clearly something that the industry must address, but the solutions are not a simple fix. Two college students from China now face federal charges for scamming Apple to replace more than 2,000 iPhones that were found to be fake. Chinese nationals Quan Jiang and Yangyang Zhou were caught participating in a counterfeit iPhone scheme. The duo allegedly submitted claims to Apple saying that the iPhones were broken and would not power on. Jiang and Zhou both lived in Corvallis, Oregon, and are in the United States with student visas. Counterfeit iPhones Court documents showed that the men were importing thousands of fake iPhones from China. Each unit costs about $30, which means that the duo profited almost $600 for every successful return. Apple rejected 1,500 out of more than 3,069 warranty claims. However, the company sent 1,493 units as replacements. Juan and Zhou reportedly sent the working iPhones back to China, where they got a cut on the sales. Authorities charged Jiang with wire fraud and trafficking counterfeit goods. He was put in federal custody but was later released on GPS monitoring. Zhou is accused of submitting false or misleading information on export declaration. He attended his first hearing on March 29 at the U.S. District Court in Portland. Zhou's lawyer, Jamie Kilberg, said his client was not aware of any counterfeit activity. "We do believe that Mr. Zhou will be vindicated," Kilberg said in an interview with The Oregonian. Court Documents Investigations on the counterfeit scheme began in April 2017 after the U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended five shipments containing fake iPhones with Apple, Inc. markings from Hong Kong. Jiang told the authorities he received regular packages with 20 to 30 iPhones from a contact in China. "Jiang explained that in exchange for his labor and efforts, his associate in China pays Jiang's mother, who also resides in China, who in turn deposits the proceeds into a bank account that Jiang is able to access here in the United States," read the court filing submitted by Special Agent Thomas A. Duffy of the Homeland Security Investigations. Apple apparently did not require proof of purchase for a warranty claim. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Windows 10 Home edition users will now have more freedom to choose when to have updates installed to their computers, according to Microsoft. The upcoming May 2019 update to the operating system, codenamed "19H1", promises to give users better control over than ever before. Instead of having to install new updates once they become available, PC owners can whether add them to their computers or stay on their existing version. The Windows 10 also has a few nifty features in store, such as support for Kaomoji and Windows sandbox, as well as a new light them for the OS. The update also effectively separates Windows search from the system's voice-activated personal assistant Cortana. "Today we are excited to announce significant changes in the Windows update process, changes designed to improve the experience, put the user in more control, and improve the quality of Windows updates," said Mike Fortin, Microsoft's corporate vice president. Installing Windows 10 Updates Ever since the launch of Microsoft's Windows 10 OS, the software company has been pushing for users to install system updates whenever they come out. The philosophy is that it helps to make sure that all devices running on the OS are up-to-date. However, having to install new OS updates regularly has never been a good experience to Windows 10 users. Most of the complaints involved computers unexpectedly restarting on their own, especially during installation of Microsoft's twice-annual updates that are necessary for the company's model of "Windows as a service." Microsoft was even forced to recall its Windows 10 October 2018 update only a few days after it had become available due to several bugs. It took the company another six weeks to fully address the issues and have the update available for download again. Following the incident, Microsoft promised users that it will overhaul its OS updating system to avoid similar issues moving forward. It appears the May 2019 update for Windows 10 is the start of these changes. What's New With Windows 10 May 2019 Update The Windows 10 May 2019 update will effectively eliminate the need to install updates as soon as they come out. Users can now choose to actually pause the process for up to 35 days, instead of only being able to snooze updates or set a specific time for installation like before. This is to prevent computers from installing updates automatically during inopportune times. Windows 10 will also now factor in when users usually work on their computers to avoid scheduling update installations when it is inconvenient for them. Microsoft's twice-annual updates will now have a Download and Install Now option, which will be different from the current Check for Updates tool. The company will also send notifications to users to let them choose whether they would like to install a particular update immediately or to stave it off in the meantime. While the May 2019 update allows users to postpone installation, it is still advised to have the updates added to the OS later on for security purposes. Operating systems that are about to enter their end-of-service date will automatically install a newer version of the OS. This is to make sure that computers receive important security updates from Microsoft. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Boeing has admitted that the flight sensor on board the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 that crashed last month had indeed malfunctioned. The embattled aircraft maker acknowledged there was a problem with its aircraft sensor, which may have led to the air disaster outside Addis Ababa on March 10 that killed 157 passengers. In a video statement, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg addressed the issue and promised that the company will release a software update that would prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. "It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk," he said. "We own it, and we know how to do it." Muilenburg added that the company will do everything it can to earn the trust and confidence of customers again in the months to come. He also offered his sympathies to everyone affected by the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes. A Serious Glitch In Boeing's Flight Sensor Boeing's announcement comes after the Ethiopian government released its preliminary findings on the Ethiopian Airlines crash based on flight data and voice recordings of the pilots. The report said a serious glitch in the 737 Max 8 flight sensor triggered a series of events that led to the pilots losing control of the 737 Max 8. Problems arose about a minute after the plane had taken off from Bole International Airport. The air speed and altitude data on the aircraft's left side did not match those from its right sensor, causing the flight system to go haywire. While the pilots tried to regain control of the 737 Max 8, the plane's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) prevented them from doing so. The MCAS was designed to keep Max jets from stalling while in flight. In a press conference, Ethiopia's Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges described how the Ethiopian Airlines crew tried to keep the plane on the correct orientation during the flight. He said the pilots repeatedly performed all of Boeing's procedures in order to recover control of the 737 Max 8, but they failed. What was unclear was whether the pilots were able to follow the manufacturer's recommendations exactly to the letter. The report said the pilots had turned off the MCAS, but they turned it back on seconds later to try to force the plane to point its nose up. The Max jet pilots should leave the flight software disconnected during the emergency and continued flying the plane manually until they finish the flight, according to Boeing's instructions. The Ethiopian Airlines flight ultimately plummeted to ground, killing everyone on board. Investigators said the circumstances behind the accident in Ethiopia bared similarities with those of the Lion Air crash last year. Both aircraft were relatively new 737 Max 8 models fitted with the same MCAS software and flight sensors. They discovered that sensor readings on the earlier flight caused the plane's software to point the nose of the plane down just before it crashed into the Java Sea. Safety Of 737 Max 8 Jets The Ethiopian government's report raises questions about Boeing's assertion that Max jet pilots could regain control of flights during emergencies by following standard procedures, which include turning the MCAS off. Boeing said it is already working on a software fix that would prevent the MCAS from activating unintentionally in the future. It will add several layers of protection to the flight system and prevent wrong data from triggering the feature. The aircraft maker added that it is also developing a comprehensive training programs for Max jet pilots. The MCAS was not mentioned specifically in the report, but investigators recommended that Boeing should review the 737 Max jets' flight-control system. Several governments around the world, including the United States, ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 pending the release of the software fix. The update would have to undergo approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other aviation regulators. Dagmawit Moges, Minister of Transport in Ethiopia, said the pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines flight followed all of the procedures provided by Boeing but still failed to wrest control of the plane. However, it is not yet known whether the flight crew was able to perform all the manufacturer's instructions accurately. The report said the pilots had turned off the MCAS, but they turned it back on seconds later to try to force the plane to point its nose up. Boeing has instructed Max jet pilots to leave the flight software disconnected during emergencies and continue flying the plane manually until they finish the flight. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sometimes cannabis can contain more than their potent psychoactive oils. They may also have fecal matter, according to a new Spanish study. Pharmacologist Jose Manuel Moreno Perez studied 90 samples of cannabis resins he collected across Madrid, the country's capital. Based on his analysis, three-fourths had traces of Aspergillus fungus and E. coli bacteria. About 40 percent of these still bore the fecal odor. The Methods And Results Hashish, which the Spanish calls chocolate, is illegal in the country unless it's for private growing and personal use. For the research, Perez had to covertly ask for a supply by going into different bars, suburbs, and the streets. Using his own money, he bought 90 of the cannabis resins from various sources. Some of these were known as bellotas or those wrapped in plastic "acorns." The others were ingots. He then analyzed the composition and found 93 percent of these bellotas had high levels of E. coli. The amount present in every gram of it was even 500 times more than the maximum established for marijuana by the United States. About 10 percent contained Aspergillus, which can weaken immune systems and lead to severe allergic reactions and infections. About 88 percent were not fit for human consumption. Why Is There Fecal Matter? The idea that cannabis resins, at least in the streets of Madrid, can contain fecal matter is disgusting, but Perez believes it has something to do with the delivery route and where the product came from. Most of the acorn-wrapped hashish, which had the highest levels of fecal bacteria, might have come from Morocco. There, drug mules would swallow the pellets, neutralizing their stomach acids with yogurt. When they arrive in Spain, they will then consume laxative so they can expel the cannabis resins from their body. In contrast, only 29.4 percent of the bricks or ingots showed high traces of feces. Most of these arrived in the country through speedboats. Fear For Public Health Some experts believe the study is small to be conclusive. For Perez and his team, his research, now published in Forensic Science International, is a wakeup call to the possible dangers of cannabis to human health. "The quantities of bacteria that we found are appalling. The problem is not just inhalation. Hashish is constantly manipulated [by users] with their hands," said Inmaculada Santos, the study's co-author. For those who believe they can get rid of the fecal microorganisms with combustion, Perez reminded them there's no filter in cannabis. They, therefore, inhale not only smoke but also the particles. Currently, some studies suggest consumption of cannabis may increase the risk of psychotic episodes. In Colorado, the edible versions caused a spike in ER visits. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nobel laureate Sydney Brenner, whose work on the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans led to important discoveries in developmental biology, has passed away. The Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), a public sector research agency based in Singapore, confirmed his death on Friday, April 5. The scientist reportedly died peacefully in his sleep. He was 92 years old. Dr. Brenner's Important Contributions To Science The South Africa-born biologist made major contributions to the study of DNA. He helped understand the role that the molecule RNA plays in carrying out the "code of life" to the ribosome protein factories in cells. He also found the sequences of three DNA bases code for the amino acid that form proteins. Dr. Brenner worked with other giants in the field such as Francis Crick, Francois Jacob, Linus Pauling, and James Watson. However, his work with C. elegans is arguably what defined his career. He identified the microscopic transparent ringworm as the ideal animal model and, to this day, it is still used inside laboratories around the world. His early research on C. elegans and his subsequent discoveries made him win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2002 alongside his colleagues Robert Waterson and John Sulston, who passed away last year. Dr. Brenner served as the director of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge from 1979 to 1986. He was also involved in building Singapore's biomedical research capacity. "He was Yoda to a generation of young scientists," shared Philip Yeo, former chief of A*Star and long-time collaborator of Dr. Brenner. "His mind was still perfect, but his body failed." Aside from the Nobel, the scientist received the prestigious Lasker Award in medical science in 1971. Simple Beginnings Dr. Brenner was born on Jan. 13, 1927 in a small town in South Africa. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe; his father was from Lithuania, while his mother was from Latvia. He famously taught himself to read at an early age using newspapers that lined their dinner table. When he was 15 years old, he received a scholarship to medical school. He later earned his Ph.D. at Oxford University before he moved to the University of Cambridge. Dr. Brenner's wife died in 2010. He is survived by his three children Belinda, Carla, and Stefan. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. VILLE PLATTE What would you do if your town was named the second-poorest town in the United States? After a USA Today story last year gave this Evangeline Parish town the unfortunate honor, some saw this as an indication that there was no coming back. Yet many of the town's leaders used this as a wake-up call to get to work. "We thought, 'What can we do to start changing this? What can we do to make things different?'" said Renee Brown, executive director of the Evangeline Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. The numbers painted a dreary picture. Nearly 40 percent of the town's 7,000-plus residents lived in poverty. The median household income was just over $18,000, well below half of the state's median income level of $45,000. Only 10.2 percent of all adults had at least a bachelor's degree. The median home value? Only $84,900. After the story made its rounds, Brown met with Jay Geilow and Jeanne Mouton, the co-owners of Cafe Evangeline, a restaurant built in an old bank in downtown Ville Platte at 102 W. Main St., and decided the only way they could see the city bouncing back would be to rebuild from the center out. "Ville Platte used to have a booming, vital downtown and Main Street," Geilow said. "Businesses, restaurants, cafes, theaters we had all kinds of things going on downtown. Then big-box stores came in and changed everything just like in other small towns." Geilow and Brown pointed to the revitalization projects in Lafayette and Crowley as models to follow, but they didn't know where to start. That's when other community leaders began working with the Evangeline Parish Foundation to help the entire parish. Inside info on doing business in Acadiana We'll keep you posted on the Acadiana economy. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The two groups decided to get an assessment of where to start, and this brought the potential final piece of the puzzle: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. UL students worked with Delcambre, Crowley and other Acadiana municipalities with downtown revitalization. "Theyve been in decline for a while, and were hoping to turn the tide back toward revitalizing and developing strategies for economic development to identify areas of growth," said UL professor Geoff Stewart, an endowed chair in regional business development at UL. Students and faculty held three town hall meetings in Ville Platte to determine how to help. The partnership helps the university gain prestige when the towns turn around and become success stories. Students get experience and credit toward degrees, and the towns reap the benefits from the revitalization. Stewart said his MBA class over the next few years and other classes will look at ways to revive Ville Platte's economy. They plan has three parts: revive downtown, lure industrial developments back and focus on tourism to bring visitors to Main Street and the rest of Evangeline Parish. "Its desperately needed," said Jacki Wyble, owner of The Wyble Collection, an antique store at 136 W. Main St. "Ville Platte is almost a dead town where people dont come unless they have to. I think revitalizing Ville Platte is on everyones mind and Im excited about all the work being done to try to accomplish that." The efforts are welcomed along Main Street, which today features several abandoned buildings that some say give visitors the impression they're driving through another dying small town in rural America. The university also has started working with some local businesses, such as Kary's Roux and Pig Stand Bar-B-Que Sauce, with marketing efforts. "We are just so grateful," Mayor Jennifer Vidrine said. "That is a tremendous project. We are so happy they can help us achieve our goal and vision for Ville Platte currently and in the future. We want to give people a reason to take exit 23 (off Interstate 49) to Ville Platte and see what we have to offer and experience our great culture and our great city. That is what this revitalization project will do." A small charter school in Baton Rouge that got off to a troubled start and continued to face problems with its operations could be forced to close in May. The state revealed Saturday that it is seeking to revoke the schools charter less than three years after it opened due to alleged financial and operational mismanagement. The school, Laurel Oaks Charter School, made the news barely a year after opening when its founder was accused of locking a 5-year-old girl in a closet to discipline her, leading to his arrest. Shafeeq Shamsid-Deen was suspended in September 2017 and quickly replaced. Ex-BR principal accused of locking students in closet arrested again, released on bond A former Baton Rouge principal was arrested again after allegedly locking two young students in a closet at Laurel Oaks Charter school, accord However, the schools problems didn't stop there. There have been allegations of financial mismanagement and a failure to adequately screen teachers and administrators hired to work at the school. The problems have reached the point where the Louisiana Department of Education is recommending that the schools state-issued charter be revoked. Laurel Oaks is one of two charter schools the state wants closed; the other is Smothers Academy Preparatory School in Jefferson Parish. Laurel Oaks is fighting closure. Weve met every guideline, crossed every t, dotted every i; were done everything that they have asked of us, said Jeremy Blunt, chairman of Laurel Oaks board of directors. Both Laurel Oaks and Smothers Academy opened their doors in 2016. If no action is taken, their charters would continue through at least the 2019-20 school year. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is scheduled to consider the recommendations at its April 16 meeting. If the school follows through and contests that recommendation, that sets the stage for a revocation hearing before BESE, likely in June, which will be conducted by a specially appointed hearing officer. Blunt said hes resisted requests that the school voluntarily relinquish its charter, which other charter schools have done in the past when problems have surfaced. Were fighting for our kids, he said. Were fighting for their education." The last time BESE revoked a charter for a school was in 2011 when it shut down Abramson Science and Technology School in New Orleans. BESE pulls Pelican N.O. contract Louisianas top school board voted 7-1 on Wednesday to revoke the contract of a New Orleans charter school amid allegations of sexual abuse an Charter schools are public schools run privately via charters, or contracts. Laurel Oaks, 440 N. Foster Drive, has just 90 students in kindergarten to second grade. Unlike Smothers, which has an academic letter grade of an F, Laurel Oaks has yet to receive a letter grade since none of its students are old enough yet to take the LEAP tests. In a two-page letter to BESE, state regulators highlighted a number of problems: At least seven teachers and administrators worked much of this school year without criminal background checks, including a second-grade teacher who shouldnt have been teaching due a prior conviction for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. No proof that 16 more employees, listed as being employed at the school in the past year at various time, had undergone criminal background checks. Late payments to multiple vendors and failure to give regulators a list of delinquent bills. A total of $185,000 in loans were received from Los Angeles-based Charter Asset Management in two installments, but the board did not approve the loans until after the money had been disbursed; when asked, the school would say only that the money was spent on general operating expenses. School was late in supplying budgets and other required financial documents to the state. Current chief executive officer Stefanie Ashford was paid $3,000 on Sept. 28, three days after she took the job. Minutes of the boards Oct. 22 meeting list Ashford as still serving as the board president as of that date. That would violate a state rule against charter schools employing board members. Joseph Wicker loaned the school $15,000 on Sept. 14 and six days later was named to the board of directors. He was later paid $4,000 in interest on the loan while serving as a board member. [RELATED: State recommends closing Smothers Academy charter school amid financial, special education issues] The school has had four board presidents and three school leaders in the current school year. Blunt, who describes himself as a Christian psychologist whos worked for years with at-risk youth, joined the board in January and in February became its president. He said the school has made serious progress addressing concerns the state raised. He said all current employees have had background checks and that the charge against the teacher with the prior criminal conviction, which occurred when that person was a teenager, had been expunged. Blunt said the Oct. 22 minutes mistakenly listed Ashford as on the board and she had resigned before taking over as CEO. As far as late bills, he said the school has paid all but one and is working on that one now. At what point are you going to say, 'that was then, lets focus on the era were in,' Blunt said. Blunt blamed Shamsid-Deens replacement, Rashid Young, saying he did not keep good records. We are not disputing some of the questions the state was asking, Blunt said. We just dont have some of the records. When (Young) walked away, he took them with him or he never had them to begin with. Reached by phone Saturday, Young said hed never intended to become the schools permanent leader. He said he left the school in August to focus on his law school studies at Southern University. He said hes surprised by the comments made by Blunt, who he's never met. If the school needs me to help them in any way, Im more than happy to do that, but I havent heard from anybody, Young said. Young also disputed the states assertion about Charter Asset Management, saying he recalls the board approving the loan request and that the loan documents were signed by the boards then-chair and treasurer. BESE overrides EBR school board, authorizes creation of two new charter schools Louisianas top school board Tuesday overrode a decision by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and authorized the creation of two new ch BESE gave Laurel Oaks a charter in December 2015, one of two charters the state board granted over the objections of East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Warren Drake. In one of his first actions as superintendent, in June 2016, Drake had urged the rejection of Laurel Oaks charter. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close As dusk fell Friday on Baton Rouge, Bishop Michael Duca faced the stained glass windows inside St. Joseph Cathedral and compared the agony Jesus felt carrying the cross to the suffering of those abused by Catholic clerics. Around 70 people joined Baton Rouges bishop as he prayed the Stations of the Cross. The prayers included requests for forgiveness for the churchs failures to protect children; requests for healing for abuse survivors and for those who have lost their faith amid the worldwide scandal; and resolve to restructure and rebuild the church in a better way. +45 45 Baton Rouge-area clergy members on diocese's official sex abuse list: See names, more The Diocese of Baton Rouge has named 45 clergy members who they've determined to have been credibly accused of abuse within the diocese or in Duca implored those who sat in the pews to join those who have been abused on their journey to healing. The true Christian accompanies those who are suffering, walks at their pace, Duca said. We must keep our hearts open and vulnerable and not try to move too fast through this pain. Duca released a list earlier this year of 37 clerics who had served in the Diocese of Baton Rouge at some point in their careers and who were credibly accused of sexual abuse. One of them was a predecessor of his as Baton Rouge bishop, Joseph Sullivan. Omission on Alexandria Diocese list shocks Catholic sex abuse survivor advocates The fourth Catholic diocese in Louisiana to release names of clergy credibly accused of sexually abusing minors was the least open among them The list of accused has since grown to 41, and Duca said in a recent interview that multiple abuse survivors have come forward to meet with him since he released the list. The special Way of the Cross which came from Bostons Weston Jesuit School of Theology did not shy away from the Catholic Churchs own problematic practices of allowing abuse to continue while ignoring victims. In multiple cases decades ago in Louisiana, clerics were quietly removed from ministry in one diocese and allowed to minister in another diocese elsewhere in the state. +8 How a priest accused of abuse preyed on the deaf community in Baton Rouge, New Orleans A Catholic priest who ingratiated himself with the deaf community and who helped to open Catholic deaf centers in both Baton Rouge and New Orl Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up We ask your forgiveness for our complicity in a culture of silence and secrecy, Duca recited at the ninth station, when Jesus fell for the third time while trying to carry the cross. We ask your forgiveness for the mistrust and suspicion that weighs on your faithful ministers. We ask your forgiveness for undermining the faith of your people through this time of scandal. Duca said he has sometimes thought of the harm of the abuse crisis within the church like Humpty Dumpty he wondered if it could ever be put back together again. But a famous Mother Teresa quote has reassured him. The saint said people should never become so sorrowful that they forget the joy of Christs resurrection. During the final station of the cross when Jesus has died and is laid in the tomb Duca specifically asked God to help those whose faith has been filled by secrecy and lies, those whose hope has been killed by refusal to hear their voices. 'Crusading' New Orleans, Lafayette 'priest-cop' named in Baton Rouge sexual abuser list A man once described as a "crusading priest-cop coming to the Cajuns' rescue" now stands accused of sexual abuse from his time as a priest 40 And during a series of prayers at the end of the service, the attendees asked God to make reparation for sin that judges victims and excuses offenders. Every bishop in Louisiana has promised to release a list of clerics who served in his diocese and who was credibly accused of abuse. More than 100 clerics have been named thus far, and the Diocese of Lafayette and the Diocese of Lake Charles still have not released their lists of those who were accused. Duca has said releasing the list of accused abusers has been a major first step for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and he said the release was freeing. But he cautioned attendees Friday night that the release of the list was simply an early step in a long journey. Give us the resolve to restructure our church in truth and integrity, Duca prayed. So that the sound of weeping may be heard in it no more. Albany High School students Nora Herrera, Avereigh Barras and Julia Hanewinkel, left to right, were honored Thursday night at the Livingston Parish School Board for winning first place in engineering at the state BETA competition in February. The Rube Goldberg machine they invented incorporates several simple machines to turn on a calculator in a creative way. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections conducted a large-scale early morning shakedown at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on Saturday, finding illegal contraband that included nearly a gallon of beer, seven cellphones and a homemade tattoo gun. The search targeted illicit drugs, cellphones, weapons and other smuggled contraband. Officers also tested 200 inmates for drug use. Officials said results were negative for all inmates tested. A news release from the department credited an increase in shakedowns and body scanners for the small number of smuggled items found. "We are making progress in our fight to rid our state prisons of contraband, but we must stay the course, and continue our aggressive efforts, corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc said in the release. Along with Angola staff, the search team included 250 officers from Louisianas state prisons and Probation and Parole Districts across the state, as well as 16 dog teams. 'Shakedown' at Angola results in employee's arrest, resignation after drugs found in her car A corrections officer at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola was arrested early Thursday after officials found drugs inside her vehicle. Our Views: A chance to be efficient, instead of the old Louisiana political way We finally have our first look at the new film, "Home Team," that depicts Saints coach Sean Payton's experiences with his son's youth football team during his 2012 suspension over the Bountygate controversy. Read the full story The St. Tammany Parish Council voted unanimously Thursday to give three businesses tax relief under the state's Industrial Tax Exemption Program. But one of the applicants, Diversified Foods and Seasonings LLC, got a somewhat chillier reception from the St. Tammany Parish School Board for a break on taxes for a $15.5 million expansion of its frozen foods plant near Madisonville. As the main recipients of the tax money, the School Board and Parish Council have the authority to consider the exemptions under new rules for the program. They don't have to weigh in at all, but if they wish, they can say yes or no to the companies' requests. The School Board, which held its monthly committee meetings Thursday, ultimately voted 10-5 to recommend approval of the Diversified Foods tax break when it takes up the matter for a final vote next week. The vote came after Diversified President and CEO Peter Smith apparently swayed some opinions. He told the board that tax breaks the company received from the state played a large role in his decision to shutter a plant in Nebraska and move those operations to the companys local facility. A deal that makes Diversified the exclusive supplier to Popeyes restaurants through 2034 has sparked further expansion plans, he said, adding that the company is looking at an $80 million acquisition in a year or two that would make its current tax contribution to the School Board seem small. The benefits for the parish could be tremendous, Smith said. In millions. So if were worried about $200,000, $800,000 (today), thats minutiae. The commitment is I am going to turn this company, within five years to be exact, were going to be a $350 million company within the parish." The 10-year tax break that Diversified Foods is seeking would allow it to pay property taxes on only 20 percent of the $15.5 million expansion, a project that it says will add 44 jobs to its payroll. Its request was by far the largest of the three before the local government agencies. Dependable Glass Works and Mechanical Equipment Company Inc. were seeking breaks on much smaller investments: $539,000 and $300,000, respectively. The tax program allows manufacturing concerns to get an exemption on 80 percent of their local property tax bills. The School Board is the largest tax recipient body in the parish with 65.41 mills, which generates about $132 million in revenue annually, according to the St. Tammany Parish Assessor's Office website. The exemption for Diversified Foods will cost the School Board about $802,000 over the life of the exemption, and several members were concerned about that loss in revenue. Member James Braud said the necessary return on investment wasnt there for him. If we could offer a 60 percent or maybe a 70 percent (exemption), that would give us a positive return on investment based on our loss of revenue, Braud said. But its a yes or no. You can only go 80 percent. No options. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Sharon Drucker noted that Diversified currently has eight other ITEP agreements. A spreadsheet provided to School Board members said Diversified received ITEPs valued at about $208,000 in 2018. Shelta Richardson said she struggled with the proposal because she couldnt justify robbing our education system." In the end, Braud voted no, along with Matthew Greene, Mike Winkler, Dennis Cousin and Lisa Page. But Drucker and Richardson voted yes. The Parish Council discussion, by contrast, was not contentious. The Finance Committee on Monday had grilled Diversified Foods about the safety of its operations, with members pointing out that an ammonia leak in 2015 had shut down Interstate 12 for six hours. But on Thursday, officials seemed more concerned with whether the change in state law that for the first time gave local governments a say in approving the exemptions will remain in place. Councilman Jerry Binder said council members have heard that the Legislature might take steps to change the program again. Chris Masingill, CEO of the St. Tammany Parish Development District, replied that the council should wait to see what will happen. "It would take a lot to remove the local piece," he said. Parish President Pat Brister said, "I've talked to our delegation and let them know it's very important to us to have a seat at the table." Councilman Mike Lorino noted that Fire District 13 had raised concerns about the exemption at the Finance Committee meeting, saying that the frozen foods plant represents a unique hazard for which other taxpayers are footing the bill. Committee members had urged Diversified Foods to meet with the fire district. Masingill said he has scheduled a meeting on ITEP with all the parish's fire chiefs. Council members also questioned whether there would be a way to ensure that recipients of the exemption actually add the jobs they've promised. Masingill said there will be annual reviews and audits, and if a recipient is found to be in default of the requirement, it will have to make the normally required tax payment. Masingill noted that there have been only 11 applications in St. Tammany Parish over the last decade. But he said the tax break is an 80-year-old program that is a critical tool for economic development and that 36 other states offer. The investigation has uncovered the practice at restaurant businesses fronted by industry heavyweights Neil Perry, Heston Blumenthal, Teage Ezard and Guillaume Brahimi. On Saturday, the Perry-fronted Rockpool Dining Group confirmed it would make new payments to workers it underpaid from 2013 to 2017. Businessman Chris Lucas with Martin Benn and Vicki Wild in Collins Street. It would not disclose the amount. The company has already paid back staff $1.6 million for one years underpayment. Sepia was regularly awarded the maximum three hats by the Good Food Guide. Rodney Setter has won the Good Food Guide's sommelier of the year award. Credit:Marco Del Grande It was shut in Sydney in 2018 with Benn and Wild to collaborate with restaurant mogul Chris Lucas to start a much-hyped new business in Melbourne. It will be set up at 80 Collins Street in a new 47-storey tower at the corner of Collins and Exhibition streets. The yet-to-be named restaurant is set to occupy multiple levels with 12-metre ceilings and outdoor terraces. "It's going to be a world-class restaurant in the heart of Melbourne," Benn, who has appeared on TV's MasterChef Australia, said recently. Lucas is behind restaurant businesses including Chin Chin, Kisume and Hawker Hall. In late 2017, Chin Chin had to pay a former bartender $9500 for unpaid wages. Setter's legal claim says he was offered work at the new restaurant by the Lucas Group but with no offer of continuity of service and only some of his relocation costs. Loading His pay could also be changed prior to starting. After he declined two offers, his job at Sepia was terminated without any redundancy pay, his claim states. Setter's claim states he was paid $52,000 a year when he started at Sepia in 2009 and regularly worked in excess of 60 hours a week. He was paid for 38 hours. A spokeswoman for Sepia denied Setter was underpaid, stating he was paid $90,000 a year at the end of his employment. They also disputed that he regularly worked more than 60 hours a week or that his hours were excessive. ''Given Mr Setters salary and the hours he was required to work, the underpayment allegations are vehemently denied.'' Setter - a former Good Food Guide sommelier of the year - was described by a critic as raising the role of sommelier to an art form, with plenty of adventures to be had by the glass and post-dinner. Wild, who Setter is now suing, said in late 2018 that the sommelier had saved my arse on so many occasions. He's [a] really loyal, intelligent guy. It's people like that, and you look back and just think, how were we so lucky to get him? Setters claim also highlights, again, the use of excessive unpaid overtime by employers in the industry. The industry award allows management to "buy out" penalties and overtime for a 25 per cent higher hourly rate. However, under the buy-out, permanent workers must still be paid more than the award overall. Mr Bornstein said they were seeking four months' redundancy pay, penalties and compensation for underpayments. A claim, he said, was potentially in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said despite media exposure and the unprecedented activities of the workplace regulator, wage theft remained a major issue. That means all the compliance effort isnt working. Lawyer Josh Bornstein said the claim could be worth several hundred thousand dollars Credit:Arsineh Houspian Mr Bornstein said there needed to be a greater role - and rights - for unions in policing minimum standards. Loading There also should be a dual system of workplace regulation between the Fair Work Ombudsman and unions and he proposed a requirement for employers to report non-compliance to unions. The extent of wage underpayment exposed in recent years has led to new regulation at both a federal and state level. The Andrews government was re-elected on a platform that included making wage theft a crime that was punishable by up to 10 years' jail. The Berejiklian government's new planning cluster has inherited a range of unfinished work on the environment from climate action to marine parks, some of it delayed for as long as a decade. Among the first steps for the new Energy and Environment minister Matt Kean will be to release the NSW Statement of the Environment. The triennial report was completed at the end of 2018 by the Environment Protection Authority and requires Parliament to resume before it can be tabled. A new management plan for the Royal National Park is among 40 still awaiting approval across the state. Credit:Louise Kennerley The management of the EPA itself, though, is likely to receive early attention from Mr Kean and the minister in charge of the expanded planning cluster, Rob Stokes. The pollution watchdog still has no permanent chief executive and chair after Barry Buffier resigned from both roles in January 2018. Mark Gifford, the chief environmental regulator is currently acting head of both positions. Theres been the pussybow blouses at Gucci, floor sweeping dresses at Valentino and buttoned-up shirting at Christian Dior. A calf-length silk skirt from Sydney designer Lee Mathews has been spotted on many a local fashion editor and Kym Ellerys signature swathes of fabric and swooshing hemlines at her now Paris-based label Ellery have long fitted the modest aesthetic. Modanisa, a modest fashion e-commerce platform, has launched modest fashion weeks around the world, including in Dubai and London. Then there are the modest fashion influencers, such as Dina Tokio, who has 1.3 million followers on Instagram. Luxury online retailer Net-a-Porter now has a modest category on its website and Nike has released a high performance hijab range. Somali-American model Halima Aden, who has walked for the likes of Italian fashion label Max Mara and was the first hijab-wearing supermodel to feature on the cover of British Vogue, will launch her own line of headscarves at Istanbul Modest Fashion Week this month. Sydneysider Tarik Houchar launched Hijab House in 2011 following a dismal shopping trip with his sister after she decided to wear the hijab (the only person in his family to choose to do so). Loading The market was dominated by archaic designs that didnt reflect her personal taste and her identity as a young Muslim living in the West, says Houchar, whose brand now has a store in the Sydney suburb of Greenacre as well as an online presence. He's planning further expansion. Houchar says it is an exciting time to be working in the modest fashion industry. The modest fashion industry is not only growing faster than any other fashion segment, its also constantly evolving and changing, making room for new products and ideas on a daily basis." However, he wants Australian fashion bodies to better recognise modest fashion brands, rather than just applauding other brands for offering the occasional modest style. Its great that mainstream brands are capitalising on modesty and the hijab industry, [but] I find it quite problematic to give them full credit for it, he says. High necklines at Gucci. Modest fashion entrepreneurs have been paving the way in the industry for years. And I really want to see modest brands be given the same respect and platform [as] mainstream brands. Unfortunately, institutionally, were still quite far away from that point. Larissa Marriner, who converted to Islam to marry her husband Neish last year, found it relatively easy to find a modest wedding dress for her ceremony, settling on an ankle length, long-sleeve lace one from Australian label Macgraw. I read after I chose the dress that the designers are two sisters from Sydney so I appreciated that local connection, says Marriner, an Australian who lives in Sydney. She adds that she hasnt had to overly adapt her wardrobe since converting to Islam. Theres also a danger of lumping entire communities across the globe into one segment in the excitement for modest fashion, as influential fashion industry website The Business of Fashion noted recently. By aggressively attempting to reach one particular segment of the Muslim market, brands may inadvertently lose others who dont personally identify with modesty wear advertising or the style of certain targeted products, wrote Nathaniel Plummer. Building a global brand and appealing to women of all backgrounds is something New Zealand fashion designer Maggie Hewitt of Maggie Marilyn has form in. Along with Ellery and Lee Mathews, Maggie Marilyn is stocked on The Modist, a modest fashion website started by Algerian financier Ghizlan Guenez in 2017. A hot pink dress from Maggie Marilyn. The website stocks a mix of cult, cool and super luxe brands such as Emilia Wickstead (popular with the Duchesses Sussex and Cambridge for her ladylike mid-calf lengths) and Marni, the Italian label often spied on arty-intellectual types. Guenez started the site because she had previously struggled to find clothes that were both modest and fashionable. She says the reaction to the site has exceeded her expectations, saying the luxury fashion market for modest dressers had been entirely "under-served". "We have been heralded as a platform that is innovative in terms of the concept and positioning, as well as our non-denominational approach to modesty and championing of diversity ... We are unapologetic about owning modesty and this space, but also understand luxury fashion and therefore the resonance, I believe, comes from doing both without one happening at the expense of the other," says Guenez. "The brands have also shown much excitement for The Modist. We are a brand that bridges the gap between them and the global modest market ... [and] bring a new aesthetic to the fore, one that shows brands in a new light and renders them more relevant and exciting to modest dressers whilst respecting their DNA and brand integrity." Designer Hewitt has carved out a niche for her exuberant, and sustainable, brand all pink ruffles, silk pyjama sets and high necklines (more is more, she says). The Modist has become an important stockist, and the Middle East is also one of her most important markets. Some of Australia's largest super funds are not fully disclosing their investments, leaving those who want to make informed and environmentally responsible decisions about where they want to place their retirement savings in the dark. An analysis by Market Forces , which exposes institutions that are financing environmentally destructive projects, shows the ethical investment super fund options of a number of industry giants, including Hostplus and CareSuper, do not publicly disclose their investment portfolios. Will van de Pol, a campaigner at Market Forces, says superannuation funds should be required to disclose their investment holdings Credit:Marlon Caracena Many funds disclose their top 20 holdings in their annual reports, but these are the holdings at the fund level, rather than showing what is actually invested in each individual investment option, including their ethical options. Will van de Pol, asset management campaigner at Market Forces, says some funds branded and marketed as "sustainable" fall at the first hurdle by failing to disclose the companies in which they invest. A wacky, old aunt has a plan to cut down children's screen time. But Aunt Matilda isn't real. She is a fictional character and the brainchild of a former Canberra lawyer who is about to launch a new business aimed at getting families to turn off their devices and switch on to the world around them. From: Aunt Matilda founder Carly Saeedi on a hike in Italy with her daughter Anya, then 4, husband Kamy Saeedi and son Zak, then 6. From: Aunt Matilda founder Carly Saeedi said when she was a child, she was warned too much television would make her eyes go square. Born and raised in Canberra, she speaks fondly of a lazy childhood spent outside. May Gibbs would be horrified at the news that the Freshwater-class Manly ferries could soon set sail to Circular Quay for the final time. The children's author would watch them ply the harbour from her Neutral Bay home Nutcote. As Australia's first female cartoonist and columnist, her comic strip and short stories were a Sydney Sunday staple, syndicated in our city's two rival publications between 1925 and 1935. Her illustrations would often feature the Lady-class ferries, double-ended boats like the four Freshwater-class ferries currently under threat. The double-ended Freshwaters, launched in 1982, are set to be replaced by Transdev. Credit:James Alcock To think of our city without these iconic harbour fixtures is like imagining it without the white sails of the Opera House. Sydney without our double-ended ferries is like San Francisco without its cable cars, London without its black cabs or New York without its yellow ones. They are symbols of our city. French company Transdev which has taken over the $1.3 billion contract to run our ferries for the next nine years is the latest in a long line of private operators to have run the Manly ferry route. Incoming lord mayor Adrian Schrinner will take a close look at the controversial Mount Coot-tha zipline development, as one of his first priorities. Cr Schrinner, who will be sworn in Monday morning, said his long-term strategy for the city involved protecting and expanding the citys green spaces. Concept images of Brisbane City Council's planned zipline centre at Mt Coot-tha. The Mount Coot-tha zipline project was pushed by retiring lord mayor Graham Quirk as an election promise he committed to in 2016. The planned privately-run zipline, projected to cost $1.14 million over four years, would provide a 1.5-kilometre experience from the top of Mount Coot-tha west of the lookout and across JC Slaughter Falls. An inner-city Melbourne council is a step closer to introducing minimum apartment size standards, as property developers warn of a profit hit if the policy is adopted. This week, Yarra City Council which includes the suburbs of Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond voted to undertake a report to determine the path forward to strengthen standards for apartment quality. It comes as the peak body representing Victoria's major developers warn of the implications minimum standards would have on their profitability. Mandated minimum floor sizes a policy supported by the major renters' association, which was implemented in Sydney more than a decade ago would limit the practice of developers selling high volumes of cramped apartments at lucrative profit margins. Councillors voted almost unanimously in favour of the move, with Labor-aligned councillors the only hold-outs. A truck driver has died after crashing into a tree in rural Victoria. Wodonga police are investigating the collision at Sandy Creek in the state's north-east just after 3.30pm on Saturday. The truck was travelling in Cemetery Lane when it left the road and struck a tree. The driver, who was the sole occupant, died at the scene. Police are investigating the exact circumstances leading up to the smash. Internal polling is "diabolically bad" for Tony Abbott in Warringah, according to senior Liberal sources, with the former prime minister facing a 12 per cent swing that could sweep him out of his blue-ribbon seat. But with Prime Minister Scott Morrison poised to call an election any day, the Liberal Party is increasingly confident of a positive or at least neutral result in NSW by regaining Malcolm Turnbull's old seat of Wentworth and even snatching Emma Husar's western Sydney seat of Lindsay from Labor. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, pictured on Friday, goes into the election leading a minority government. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Victoria, however, remains a weak spot for the government, and Mr Morrison has recently spent significant time there focusing on infrastructure. Labor is eyeing gains in Melbourne, with the seats of Dunkley, Chisholm, La Trobe and Casey, and Corangamite up for grabs. But Labor operatives in other states fear the swing expected in Victoria will not be reflected elsewhere. A phone tower that Barnaby Joyce fought for ended up on the northern NSW property of long-time friend and mining baron Gina Rinehart, who gets an annual fee to host the tower. Locals are baffled why the tower was put there over another location, as it's plagued with reception problems. The Northern Daily Leader reports that Kingstown's community in Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce's New England electorate campaigned hard for the tower, switched on two weeks ago, to be co-located with a police and emergency services tower at the highest point in the district. Tower troubles: The Telstra phone tower (left) on the Sundown Valley Pastoral Company property owned by Gina Rinehart. Inset: Gina and Barnaby Joyce. But it was built instead at Sundown Valley Pastoral Company, bought by Ms Rinehart's pastoral arm Hancock Prospecting in August last year. Landowners are paid a yearly fee by telecommunications companies to have towers placed on their property. Kingstown resident Jeff Condren led the charge for a tower to be funded by the federal government's Mobile Blackspot Program and called it an "epic fail". Awaiting a visit from the PM ... Governor-General Peter Cosgrove. EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. Some time today, I guess, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, will go and see His Excellency Sir Peter Cosgrove, to formally seek his blessing to hold a federal election. And yes, you can call me the ARM Chair expert if you like, but can we pause for a moment and consider the sheer absurdity, the national humiliation involved in this act? Our people, we, have been on this continent for 65,000 years. We have been colonised for 250 odd years, and a federation for 120 years. And yet, even well into the 21st Century, we are still in the position where the democratically elected leader of the Australian people must seek permission from the representative of the unelected leader of the English aristocrats, to get on with our democratic business. My friends, this cannot continue. Christmas Island travesty Ummm, your humble correspondent doesnt mean to be unkind, but how on earth is it not a scandal that just weeks after the federal government reopened the detention centre Christmas Island on the reckoning that, after the passage of the medevac bill, the boats would be on their way . . . it has suddenly announce its closure again, at a cost to the taxpayer of a round $180 million? Can we at least get an apology for the cost of the most expensive press conference ever held? Seriously, when the PM flew there with the press trailing behind him to highlight that it was being reopened, only for no boats to appear, and just one asylum seeker medevaced there, that was the bill pinned to the taxpayer's forehead. Outrageous. Labor would likely enjoy a more favourable Senate if it wins government in May but some key planks of the party's policy agenda could nonetheless be held hostage to a still-powerful crossbench. According to projections of the Senate's composition after the election, Labor and the Greens could together hold 36 to 38 seats, just shy of the 39-seat majority needed to pass legislation through the upper house. The Senate could pose difficulties for a new Labor government. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The analysis predicts that, even if a Labor government enjoys Greens support on legislation, the party would still need to secure the votes of Centre Alliance, One Nation or other crossbenchers. A survey of those crossbenchers' positions suggests mixed fortunes for Labor's policy agenda, with success almost assured for some measures but others facing an uncertain future. Universities have welcomed the finding of a government-commissioned review that there is no evidence of a systemic free speech crisis on Australian campuses. The review, led by former High Court chief justice Robert French, concluded that "claims of a freedom of speech crisis on Australian campuses are not substantiated" but recommended a national code to strengthen protections around free academic expression in response to growing fears. Robert French said claims of a free speech crisis at universities were unsubstantiated. Credit:Louise Kennerley While the review was called in response to the heightened concerns, Mr French concluded that a series of reported incidents "do not establish a systemic pattern of action by higher education providers or student representative bodies, adverse to freedom of speech or intellectual inquiry in the higher education sector". He said the review was "instigated in part because of a perception" by some in government and the community of an increasingly restrictive approach on university campuses. Labor leader Bill Shorten has vowed to put an end to pork-barrelling and "break the short-term political and investment cycle" that has seen infrastructure projects in marginal seats prioritised across Victoria and NSW. In a move spearheaded by infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese, Labor will beef up the infrastructure regulator, sack political appointees and bind itself to business cases presented by Infrastructure Australia on critical road, railway and airport projects before committing billions of dollars in taxpayer funding. Infrastructure has become the new battleground for the next federal election. Credit:Glenn Hunt/AAP Infrastructure is looming as a key election issue as population growth in Sydney and Melbourne puts pressure on strained roads and transport services. On Tuesday the Coalition pledged an extra $3 billion to its "congestion busting" policy and Labor rolled out its list of priorities across the country. Mr Shorten used his budget reply speech to invite a future opposition leader to nominate directors to Infrastructure Australia, "so we take the politics out and we make generational decisions in infrastructure for once and for all time". The whole show has been such a hot mess that viewers have switched off - I could reel off any number of studies here, but the most recent one was the Trust and Democracy in Australia survey, conducted last year, which showed that satisfaction with Australian democracy had plummeted from 72 per cent to 41 per cent between 2013 and 2018. The kicker is that the survey was taken before the Liberal Partys latest spill, so now the satisfaction levels are probably subterranean. Last weeks budget was less compelling than reality TV, but it did feel like theatre, or pantomime. Jess and Dan from Married At First Sight. Credit:Nine The surplus unveiled, existed on paper only. Some of the promised tax cuts will not appear until 2024, five years hence, which is a fictional proposition in any budget, but particularly in one that takes place immediately before an election when the government is likely to change. Loading The budget was predicated on assumptions which may fall apart in the face of weakening global economic conditions, deteriorating household spending and a housing slump. All of this, combined with the bitsy nature of the measures - some tax cuts, a bit of infrastructure spending, a bit of health spending, a bit of early childhood spending, made it hard to take this budget too seriously, despite the entire po-faced ritual of the lockup being observed as usual. The delivery of the budget, the deployment of all those Treasury wonks and the corralling of all those journalists, is one of the great advantages of incumbency, but this year it had a last-day-of-school feeling to it, and no one pays attention at the end of term. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, by contrast, only got a speech, his budget reply. For an electorate wearied by politics and reluctantly preparing for an election campaign, that was just enough. Shortens rhetoric did not soar (it generally doesnt), but there was a clear line out of his speech: Labor will mostly match the tax Coalitions tax cuts, and it will ensure cancer patients will not have out-of-pocket expenses. Shortens opposition has shown talent in identifying policy gaps and filling them, notably in the area of housing affordability - whatever you think of its negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms, they are at least an answer to the anxieties of people locked out of the housing market. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Given the ructions of the Liberal leadership, and now that the government is bleeding its most experienced figures - Julie Bishop, Christopher Pyne and Michael Keenan were among those to depart for good last week - Shorten, rather strangely, has become a figure of stability. Immediately after his budget reply, the Opposition Leader appeared on 7.30, where host Leigh Sales confronted him, politely of course, about his enduring personal unpopularity in the polls. Community groups can now vie for a slice of more than $20 million in annual government grants under a new initiative that will allow residents to directly vote for their favourite project. The grants scheme, known as "my community projects", was a signature feature of the Berejiklian government's 2018-19 budget, with Treasurer Dominic Perrottet describing it as "an exciting first for NSW". NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer As part of the program, local groups across all 93 NSW electorates will be able to pitch for grants between $20,000 and $200,000, with a total funding pot of $24.4 million on offer each year. The Hornsby-Berowra Men's Shed hopes to secure around $100,000 from the scheme to help fund a purpose-built workshop with enough space to cater for 100 retired and unemployed men. The event gathered representatives from the MoITs Trade Promotion Agency, the Vietnam Electrotechnical Industry Association (VELINA), Vietnamese enterprises and a Filipino business delegation consisting of 12 businesses and 22 entrepreneurs from the Federation of Electrical & Electronics Suppliers & Manufacturers of the Philippines (PESA) - the largest organisation of Filipino businesses with members who are enterprises specialising in the import, distribution and production of electrical equipment. Speaking at the event, Deputy Head of the Trade Promotion Agency Le Hoang Tai emphasised that Vietnam and the Philippines have enjoyed strong growth in trade relations in recent years, with two-way trade turnover in 2018 reaching above US$4.7 billion, an increase of over 18% compared to 2017. The Philippines has become an important import market of Vietnam with import turnover reaching US$3.5 billion in 2018, up 22.2% compared to 2017. In the first two months of 2019, Vietnam's exports to the Philippines reached more than US$587 million, up 19%. Vietnamese products have penetrated and gradually affirmed their position in the market of nearly 110 million people, with key items including coffee, seafood, textiles, construction materials, machinery and equipment. The export potential of Vietnamese goods into the 5th largest economy in ASEAN are still huge, especially manufactured goods including electrical equipment, electric wires and cables, Tai stated. According to Vu Viet Nga, Commercial Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines, there are a number of electrical products and equipment from Vietnam that are exported to the Philippines but the number is still limited, focusing mainly on electric cables of several enterprises as Lioa and Thinh Phat. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese businesses production capacity is great and foreign partners have recognised the quality of made-in-Vietnam products, but domestic businesses still have not paid adequate attention to this market, Nga noted. Hero Yu, PESA Chairman and General Director of Yu Eng Kao Electrical Supply and Hardware, Inc., specialising in the production and distribution of electrical equipment with 100 years of history, also assessed that the Vietnamese market has huge potential for machinery and electrical equipment, with high quality and competitive prices. At the event, business representatives from both sides exchanged the opportunity to supply machinery and electrical equipment from Vietnam to the Philippines. The Filipino side expressed their interest in importing Vietnamese electrical products, electric cables, lighting equipment, voltage stabilisers, electrical panels, transformers, wire conduits, conductive cores, pumps and water meters, among others. Also at the matching, VELINA and PESA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost electricity cooperation between both sides. Athens: The lawyer for the alleged hitman charged with the murder of Sydney gangster John Macris in Athens says police have the wrong man because their CCTV evidence shows a much taller, thinner man than his client. 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. Police believe it was a contract killing ordered by an unknown underworld figure. On Thursday, a 31 year-old Bulgarian man Yuliyanov J Raychev Serafim - was charged with murder over Macris' killing. CCTV footage obtained by Greek media shows a gunman approaching the car of Sydney gangster John Macris. Athens detectives allege Serafim was a professional hitman who had returned to Athens from the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on April 2 for another job. Darity says: It is an unprecedented and important moment to have presidential candidates publicly supporting a form of reparations. It is a topic that had been verboten for so long. Large group of slaves standing in front of buildings on Smith's Plantation, Beaufort, South Carolina. Credit:US LOC The conversation about reparations reflects a surge in energy within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and the willingness to discuss big ideas like a Green New Deal, Medicare-for-All and scrapping the electoral college. It is also reflects an awareness among the candidates that African Americans are an increasingly important voting block in the Democratic party. In order to secure the presidential nomination they must appeal to this constituency. The idea of reparations is not new in the US. Following the abolition of slavery, Abraham Lincoln approved an order that promised freed slaves 40 acres of land, but this was later rescinded. The black power movement of the 1960s and 70s sparked new calls for reparations. And in 2000, a few months before the West Wing episode aired, activist and writer Randall Robinson published The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks, triggering another national debate. Reparations was a hot topic then it pretty much disappeared off the radar following 9/11, says City University of New York professor John Torpey, the author of a book on reparation politics. That changed in June 2014 when The Atlantic published a 16,000 word cover story by Ta-Nehisi Coates titled "The Case for Reparations". The essay went viral and made Coates one of the country's most famous public intellectuals. "It got people talking about reparations in a way they hadn't for 15 years," Torpey says. Coates previously regarded reparations as wildly impractical. He now argued that Americas history of racial injustice - from slavery to Jim Crow to more recent housing discrimination - made them a moral imperative. He pointed to statistics showing Americas racial wealth gap has been growing, not shrinking, in recent decades. The median black family today owns US$3,600 - just 2 percent of the $147,000 of wealth the median white family owns. Most reparations advocates come from the political left. But the movement gained a surprise supporter last month when conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote a column backing reparations. Slavery is Americas original sin and direct action needs to be taken to remedy it, Brooks argued. But there is still no sign that the general public is on board. A 2016 Marist College poll found that 68 per cent of Americans do not think the US should pay reparations to descendants of slaves. While two-thirds of African Americans supported the idea, 80 per cent of white Americans were opposed. Even many left-leaning voters are uncomfortable with the idea of handing out cheques on the basis of race. Barack Obama, the country's first black president, did not support reparations; neither did Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. There are "better ways" to address inequality than signing cheques, Sanders said recently. In a country that is still majority white, it is a much easier sell to advocate policies that address poverty and inequality across the board - not redistributing wealth from one race to another, Torpey says. There is also the question of who would qualify. People ask themselves: does Oprah Winfrey get reparations? Torpey says. What about Michael Jordan? A reparations program would also be hugely expensive. Darity believes a fair reparations program would cost US$2.6 trillion, providing about $80,000 to each black American who can prove they descended from slaves. In the late 1980s the US paid $20,000 to Japanese Americans who had been held in internment camps during WWII. Because of the lack of public support for reparations, especially among white Americans, most advocates want to start with a royal commission-style inquiry. It would investigate historic injustices against black Americans and make recommendations to Congress on potential means of compensation. This truth-telling process, Darity says, could help make reparations a less divisive idea. Every year from 1989 until his retirement in 2017, Democratic congressman John Conyers introduced a bill calling for the creation of a commission to study reparation proposals for African Americans. Conyers' bill never once made it out of committee, but momentum is building among Democrats in Congress to bring it to the floor for a vote. Photo: Penguin Random House, Peg Korpinski I met Namwali Serpell last fall while we both hovered over the cheese plate at an event at the Ruby, a womens co-working space in San Francisco. Over the course of the evening, which involved karaoke, it became clear that I had met a kindred spirit, a writer and reader with a deeply held appreciation for 90s hits (no anti-Alanis sentiments here) and genre fiction, which she was teaching to her students at UC Berkeley. Over the next six months, we had a series of friend dates and conversations about reading, writing, and our respective upbringings moving between continents (Im a foreign service brat; Namwali was born in Zambia, moved to the U.S. when she was 8, and then back to Zambia when she was 15 for a shorter stint). We bonded over the joyful agony of publishing our debut novels, which we exchanged. She had just read mine, The Golden State, and I had a chance to read an early copy of hers, The Old Drift. Namwalis book, out March 26, is a massive multi-generational novel 20 years in the making. It spans a couple of centuries and tracks three families over four generations, animating the events of Zambian history with Namwalis unique application of obsessive research, beautiful prose, playful genre-blending, and futurecasting. The New York Times called it an intimate, brainy, gleaming epic, an apt description of a book that tells a series of interweaving personal stories against the backdrop of colonialism, independence movements, the AIDS epidemic, and technological change somehow narrating it all through the voice of a literal swarm of mosquitoes. Ahead of her publication date, Namwali, who lives in the Bay Area, and I spoke about novel-writing, careers, mortality, and grief. LK: You are a tenured English professor at UC Berkeley, with a published scholarly book. How did the writing of this book and other fiction projects work with your day job? NS: I write fiction on the weekend and during the breaks. Having the summers off is one of the few blisses of academic life. Ive treated the two careers as mutually supportive but separate. I always say, if my creative and critical writing speak to each other, Im not privy to the conversation. (I prefer it that way.) Im sure some of this resonates as you are a parent as well as a full-time writer and (not long ago) editor at the Millions! How have you balanced this stuff, not just logistically, but psychologically? If my creative and critical writing speak to each other, Im not privy to the conversation. Namwali Serpell LK: They say about having children that just when you get used to them doing one thing, they start doing something else, and the same seems true for the logistics of domesticity. The way things were when I was writing The Golden State felt sort of manageable, if financially unsustainable beyond the year I spent writing it. There was one child, and I had a freelance editorial stipend that almost covered day care. My husband had a good full-time job with excellent health insurance, and our rent was very reasonable by San Francisco standards. I was thus completely reliant on him to carry the family financially partner privilege, you might call it. Then right when I sold the book, our landlady died and we had another baby and suddenly our monthly household outlay was much higher. There is maybe an alternate world where I have a different brain and a different work ethic and can live within my means and stay home with both kids until they start kindergarten and still try to write in the moments in-between; but treating editing/ freelancing/ book writing like the time-consuming jobs that they are, and thus making paid child care a family priority, is important to me. That has meant leaving the Millions so that I could focus on (a) freelancing that pays more and (b) writing another book. My friend once said that the idea of having more children was so tempting to her because you want to see who else is in there, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, and I have that feeling about kids, but its also become the way I think about whatever novels might be (I hope are!) gestating in my consciousness somewhere. Can you talk a bit about how your novel came into being? Did you always know this was going to be something giant? NS: Ive technically been writing this novel off-and-on since the year 2000 or so, when I was a senior in college. My friends and I started joking around then that I was going to write The Great Zambian Novel. In many ways, that makes The Old Drift a product of an era one marked by those big postmodern, postcolonial, postimperial book (or POMO POCO PIMPs, as I liked to call them). Gabriel Garcia Marquezs One Hundred Years of Solitude, Salman Rushdies Midnights Children, Barbara Kingsolvers The Poisonwood Bible, and just cresting into the twenty-first century, Zadie Smiths White Teeth. Its my debut, but The Old Drift is belated in this way. It was always going to be an epic, multi-generational, multi-family, multi-genre saga about Zambia. Oh, and told through multiple genres! I wrote it out of order, though, and published pieces of it along the way. While I knew that my parents were different races from each other, and even from me and my sisters this wasnt an issue in any way until my family moved to the suburbs of Baltimore. Namwali Serpell Two of those publications the prologue, The Living and the Dead, and the epilogue, The Sack got cut from the novel in the final round of edits. I like to think of them as floating bookends. So in a way, the novel is even bigger than it is! Which, come to think of it, is like me: People always think Im taller than I am. LK: The Old Drift clearly plays with genre conventions, and it also engages directly with other books, including a seminal African novel that has tortured English students for decades. How were you thinking about pastiche, remix, homage, as you constructed the book? NS: To me, genre is a kind of lens. If you look at an African country through lenses other than social realism, anthropology, sociology and so on, you see different things or you see the same things anew. I was keen to maintain the tropes of the genres I was exploring, even those that are not to my taste (anymore). That might sound strange, but Im at a stage in my writing that I feel like the best way for me to critique and ironize something is to use and exaggerate it. LK: Race and color and class figure hugely in your book, but it is also a novel of social change and a cosmopolitan national identity that appears to maybe supersede ethno-nationalism. (You wrote for The Guardian about the interim Zambian president, whose whiteness astonished more people outside of Zambia than within it.) NS: This is the aspect of the novel that is most related to my life, though it is not strictly autobiographical. That is, none of the main characters is the exact version of mixed race that I am, with a white father and black mother. But I grew up with other mixed-race families in a neighborhood near the University of Zambia, and went to a primary school run by Indians some immigrants, some Zambian-born. My best friends were respectively black, brown, mixed. A friend of mine recently asked me when I understood race as a concept. Well, when I was in fifth grade I began and her mouth fell open in shock. Shes Jewish and grew up in America and my realizing that race was a thing that late in my life was unfathomable to her. But while I knew that my parents were different races from each other, and even from me and my sisters (in Zambia, were coloured, which means mixed race there), this wasnt an issue in any way until my family moved to the suburbs of Baltimore. I went into fifth grade there and someone asked me What are you? Growing up in Zambia, race was a fact and even a matter of interest, but not a problem the way it so often is in the U.S. Now I realize that I had youthful blinkers on about this. Race relations in Zambia are not utopian by any means! Ive learned a lot more about the atrocities visited upon my countrymen by British colonialists (like Percy Clark, whom I fictionalize in the novel), even though we were just a protectorate. But my youth in Lusaka really did feel cosmopolitan, and when I read about Zambian history, I also saw that spirit of mixing languages and cultures and religions everywhere including at the Old Drift itself, the settlement on the banks of the Zambezi river where my novel starts. Smiths White Teeth was, again, a big influence insofar as the London she wrote about in that novel looked like the Lusaka where I grew up, culturally speaking. Something I noticed in The Golden State was how often your white narrator notices how many or few non-white people there are in public spaces. This felt amazing and new to me. Id never seen it in a white-narrated novel before. LK: On a very basic level it was a response to the post-secondary education Ive received basically online my own education came up short that way about the ways that literature promotes a default white view of personhood/citizenship at the most basic syntactic level who gets an adjective and who doesnt. Thats just about the easiest thing to fudge around with (and interrogate yourself, as a white writer, why it feels peculiar to say of a character There she was, white, etc.) She was too sick for me to ask her but the truth is, my mother would have been the only person I trusted to fact check this entire book. Namwali Serpell This affects worldview and politics in a way that fit with the characters particular immigration situation. The immigration plot was part of the novel very early, and was inspired by someone I knew. What struck me is how broadly exclusionary our policies are meant to be, and what this does to families, even very lucky ones. NS: One of the most moving parts of The Golden State revolves around how to observe and care for someone grieving the loss of a family member. Were there aspects of your personal experience with grief, or with other grievers, that made their way into the novel? LK: Grief was a big engine for the book, but it was secondhand grief the character of Alice is based on a woman named Phyllis Hodgson, who was married to the scholar Marshall Hodgson. She outlived him, but also their three children, who died in tragic ways. I had read a bit in his archives about the illness of their two eldest children (twins), and the death of one of the twins in childhood, in letters he wrote, knowing that not only he would soon die, but the other children would too. I couldnt get the survivor, Phyllis, out of my head. Your novel is dedicated to your mother, and I know you lost her during the process of writing it. NS: I basically spent 2016 writing this book and spending time with my mother and struggling to help my father and trying to hold everything together. She was too sick for me to ask her but the truth is, my mother would have been the only person I trusted to fact check this entire book: language stuff and cultural stuff and history. Maybe not the microdrones or mosquitoes, but she couldve even confirmed the HIV vaccine stuff her dissertation was about the AIDS epidemic in Zambia. I broached my mothers death as a possible essay topic, but my editors, agent, and publicists simply ignored it on our list. This is probably for the best. Its actually hard for me to explain just how big of a rupture, a chasm, this has been, and will be in my life. We loved each other like mad, of course, but we also really liked each other, cracked each other up. I lost my friend, too. A man touches a pig on a wall of bas relief sculptures of the twelve animals in the lunar calendar, at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing on Feb. 15, 2007. On Feb. 5, 2019, the Year of the Pig began, marked by disturbing economic news for China. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) 2019 Starts Slowly for Chinas Economy Deeper weaknesses in the economy worry Western analysts, as well as Chinas CCP rulers Commentary 2019 is the Year of the Pig. Legend has it that one day, the Jade Emperor, a fabled ruler of heaven and Earth, decided to name the zodiac signs from the first 12 animals that came to his palace. The slow pig, who stopped on the way for a lengthy meal, was the last one to arrive; hence, the pig is found last in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese animal zodiac. While most Chinese tend to expect a safe and prosperous Year of the Pig, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), on the other hand, appears to be apprehensive and nervous about the economy, and perhaps for good reason. Indeed, Murphys Law seems to be at work for Chinas economy in the first three months of the Year of the Pig. The ongoing U.S.China trade dispute is having a marked effect. Chinese investment in the United States fell more than 70 percent in 2018 and will likely continue to drop in 2019, according to a McKinsey report. Meanwhile, Chinese corporations also will face limited market access in America, in light of restrictions placed upon companies such as Huawei and ZTE. Furthermore, U.S. tariffs have effectively forced some foreign companies to move their production facilities out of China to southeastern Asian countries and elsewhere. Manufacturing Decline Based on the data released by Chinas National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Chinas Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) declined at the fastest pace in three years to 49.2 percent in February, from 49.5 percent in January. (This PMI trend was reported by the Beijing-based business publication Caixin to have reversed in the month of March, with the PMI jumping to 50.5 percent, but many economists question how reliable that figure is.) On March 27, the NBS also reported that industrial profits for the first two months fell by 14 percent to 708 billion yuanthe largest drop since 2011. Zhu Hong, senior statistician at the NBS, pointed out that the shrinking profits mainly come from manufacturing sectors, such as the automobile, petroleum processing, steel, and chemical industries. Real Estate Investment Down Chinas economy is closely tied to its huge spending in infrastructure and real estate. By 2014, infrastructure and construction investment reached 35 percent of the GDP, of which real estate investment was 21 percent of 2014s GDP. During the Japanese and U.S. housing bubble periods, the investment and GDP ratio were at 9 percent and 6 percent, respectively. In China, so-called ghost cities are a unique phenomenon: local governments throughout China have built many high-rise residential quarters in an effort to stimulate the local economy and property market, but demand and purchasing power are weak, resulting in at least 64.5 million empty apartment units. The saturated housing market in recent years has also significantly reduced tax revenue for local authorities. Not long ago, researchers at Chinas Tsinghua University found that the population and economic activities in 938 Chinese citiesabout one-third of the largest citiesshrank between 2013 and 2016. The affected cities had once relied on natural resources for growth, such as the coal-mining town of Hegang, in Heilongjiang Province. Long Yin, a city planning expert at Tsinghua University, has inspected over 60 city planning blueprints with his team. At a recent panel in Shanghai, he said, Most of Chinas city planning is fundamentally out of touch with reality. An Aging Population In 2010, China surpassed Japan as the second-largest economy in the world, and appeared poised to replace the United States as the leader as early as 2030, as predicted by some China analysts. Based on his study of the Chinese economy, Yi Fuxian, a senior researcher at the University of WisconsinMadison, avidly disagrees. He holds that Chinas economy will never move up to first place, but will actually only retreat. Yi said, China is now facing an acute aging problem. The proportion of its population aged over 65 will rise from 12 percent in 2018, to 22 percent in 2033, and 33 percent by 2050. By comparison, the proportion in the United States will only be 23 percent in 2050 Chinas median age is forecast to increase to 47 by 2033 and 56 in 2050. In the U.S., the median age will be 41 in 2033 and 44 in 2050. Chinas working-age population aged 20-64 began to shrink in 2017, while the U.S. working-age population will not peak until 2050. Overstated GDP Growth According to a recent Brookings report, A Forensic Examination of Chinas National Accounts, Chinas economy is actually about 12 percent smaller than Beijings official numbers. Further, Chinas GDP growth estimates by the NBS in recent years have been inflated by nearly 2 percent. This report studied Chinas national accounts between 2008 and 2016. If the 2018 GDP was overstated by almost 2 percent, as it was during the period of 2008-2016, it would imply that the governments number of RMB 90 trillion for the 2018 GDP is too high by the substantial amount of RMB 1.8 trillion ($270 billion). In the past, the NBS attempted to blame provincial officials for providing inflated figures. In Adam Smiths words, This is one of those cases in which the imagination is baffled by the facts. At the recent National Peoples Congress, Premier Li Keqiang lowered the economic growth forecast to between 6 percent and 6.5 percent of GDP, recognizing the deteriorating economic downturn. Over the years, many Western financial analysts, economists, and Wall Street investors have seemingly been content to rely on Beijings cooked numbers for making business decisions and economic forecasting. But that situation may now be changing, as Chinas debt grows. Chinas Mounting Debt According to the Institute of International Finance, Chinas debt-to-GDP ratio is 300 percent, compared to the United States 105 percent and Japans 250 percent. While the latter two countries have open market economies, Chinas centralized economy isnt transparent and is dictated by the CCP, not the market. Nonperforming loans are chewing up state-run banks. According to Charlene Chu, a senior partner at Autonomous Research, about 24 percent of total credit (some $8.5 trillion) in 2018 turned sour. The state is, oftentimes, the banker, the borrower, and the regulator. In January, Chinese banks delivered a record 3.57 trillion yuan ($530 billion) in new loans to the corporate sector, in an effort to boost the slow economy. Some Western analysts worry that Chinas $34 trillion public and private debt constitutes an explosive threat to the global economy. This debt, along with the Chinese economys other problems, has raised alarms. Many longtime China watchers have sternly warned Western countries to take quick steps to disengage with Chinas economy, so as to reduce risks associated with Chinas upcoming economic meltdown. Meanwhile, should the economy not prove to be a stumbling block for the CCP, the world also faces the risks of Beijings untempered ambitions. Its One Belt, One Road Initiative is set to overtake the world, not merely economically, but politically and militarily as well. As Peter Navarro, assistant to the president and director of the White House National Trade Council, told Bloomberg: It doesnt matter to me whos the most powerful or profitable country in the world. All countries want to be prosperous. Whats happening is a zero-sum game between China and the U.S., where their gain is our loss. Indeed, Navarro is right. The United States and China are engaged in a war on many levelseconomic, political, ideological, and moral. As CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping made clear in a 2013 speech, Socialism will inevitably vanquish capitalism. So, Washington isnt at war with Beijing on trade alone, but on a more fundamental issue of a way of life: an open democracy or a communist dictatorship. Peter Zhang is a researcher of political economy in China and East Asia. He is a graduate of Beijing International Studies University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Harvard Kennedy School as a Mason Fellow. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. 26 Teens From 15 Countries Bike 3,000 Miles to Tell Horrifying Ordeals of Orphaned Children The content is not available due to expiration. Julie Stevens (R) with her friends saw Shen Yun at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington, on April 5, 2019. (Mai Lei/The Epoch Times) SEATTLEShen Yun means the beauty of divine beings dancing. Perhaps this is most evident in the way that the dancers glide across the stage, as if theyre floating. The dancers finesse impressed actress, travel writer, and hair and make-up artist Julie Stevens. The training is unbelievable, she said. And the thing thats so remarkable is they are floating across the stage, just the way they walk from transition to transition, they are floating. It is so light and its beautiful and the costumes and the technique of their dancing, its really stunning. Stevens watched the performance with two friends at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington, on April 5. New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts is the leading classical Chinese dance company, founded with a goal of restoring authentic Chinese culture through the arts. Its program includes classical Chinese dance vignettes, musical soloists, and stories from ancient China to today told through dance. Stories Told Through Dance Stevens, who writes for her own travel blog, was absorbed by the stories depicted on stage by the dancers. With their timing, so many stories are brought to life through dance. Even though theres no words spoken, we are absolutely there with them. And you are feeling what they are trying to portray to the audience through their movement and through their dance, their facial expressions. Im getting every bit of that, she said. The story of suppression of faith in todays China shocked Stevens, as she did not know this was happening. Im very pleased that they are able to show that to us here, Stevens said. She was referring to the persecution of practitioners of spiritual practice Falun Gong in China. The discipline, which teaches three principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, was banned by the Chinese communist regime two decades ago after it surged in popularity in the 1990s with more than 70 million people practicing by the end of the decade. In the resulting crackdown, adherents of the practice have been subject to imprisonment, harassment, torture, and even death. Many of the performers themselves practice Falun Gong, and Stevens was able to sense a higher message being transmitted through their physical movements. I can definitely feel that they are trying to portray their beliefs and the spirituality through the dance and through the message. Im getting all of that, she said. As to the message, Stevens thought it was one of acceptance. We are all living here in the same Earth, we are all more alike than we are different, she said. Finally, Stevens gave full support to Shen Yuns mission to bring back Chinas traditional culture. I think thats so important to keep that basis; especially youve moved to a different country and now you are trying to adopt other culture and other ways of living, you still want to keep where you came from and those teachings, its very important, Stevens said. With reporting by Mai Lei. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. A U.S. Army M4 rifle on display during the US Army Soldier Modernization Day expo in the Rayburn House Office in Washington, on June 6, 2007. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Agency Director Suspended Over Complaint Regarding Black Rifles Matter Sticker The Alaska human rights commissions Executive Director, Marti Buscaglia, has been suspended for 15 work days without pay, after voicing her personal opinions in a Facebook post using the official government Alaska human rights commission account. The post was regarding a Black Rifles Matter sticker she saw on a vehicle parked in the commissions parking lot in Anchorage, Alaska, and perceived as racist. Commission members voted 5-2 on April 5 to suspend Marti Buscaglia for 15 working days beginning April 8. She must also send an apology letter to the trucks owner after the commission chairman approves the wording, according to a report from The Associated Press. Taking Offense Brenton Linegar, owner of Sage Mechanical a plumbing and heating company, said he was working on March 14 when two business cards were left on his vehicle with a note handwritten on the back of one. The message, Please do NOT park this truck with that offensive sticker in this parking lot. was written on the back of Buscaglias card. Linegar posted on his Facebook page about the occurrence asking if he had missed something. Sooooogot this gem on one of my trucks today. Am I missing something?! I thought this sticker was a pro-second amendment statement? Someone tell me if Im completely wrong! There was a Department of Human Rights email claiming it was a racist statement. ***UPDATED***Sooooogot this gem on one of my trucks today. Am I missing something?! I thought this sticker was a Posted by Brenton Linegar on Thursday, March 14, 2019 A photo of Linegars truck with the Black Guns Matter sticker was posted to the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights Facebook page with the comment In what world is this OK? The Alaska State Commission for Human Rights was quick to remove the offending post after a backlash of followers expressed their disagreement, and posted an apology. Earlier today we posted a sticker that we read as racist that read Black Rifles Matter,' said the apology post on the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights Facebook page. It offended many gun owners who felt we were against the second amendment and the right of citizens to own guns. Please know that is not the case. Our concern was with the connotation of the statement to the Black Lives Matter movement. We know some of you were offended by the post so we removed it. Earlier today we posted a sticker that we read as racist that read "Black Rifles Matter." It offended many gun owners Posted by Alaska State Commission for Human Rights on Thursday, March 14, 2019 First Amendment Facebook user Kurt Joseph pointed out they were also infringing on an individuals first amendment right, the freedom of speech. No, you attempted to intimidate someone by telling them they couldnt park somewhere, because of a bumper sticker, and tried to use a probation officer as intimidation, said Joseph. You literally tried to suppress someones 1st amendment rights. Another Facebook user replied, As a retired Police Chief and past Chair of the Alaska Police Standards Council, I find the conduct of these two State of Alaska employees to be inexcusable, and only made worse by the laughably-lame and deflective follow-up post that was published on this official government page. On March 15, Governor Mike Dunleavy posted a response to the incident on his own personal Facebook account. After review of a post made on the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights social media page yesterday, my office has requested the Department of Law launch an immediate investigation into the matter, said Dunleavy. Protecting an individuals constitutional rights, including the 1st amendment, is of the utmost importance to this administration. After review of a post made on the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights social media page yesterday, my office has Posted by Governor Mike Dunleavy on Friday, March 15, 2019 The investigation was conducted by Dunleavys office, the Department of Law, and the Department of Administrations division of personnel and labor relations according to the Associated Press. Use of the commissions official Facebook page was also suspended by the commission until a plan to comply with the executive branchs social media policy is complete. Arkansas Lawmakers Pass 72-hour Abortion Waiting Period LITTLE ROCKArkansas lawmakers have sent the governor legislation requiring women to wait 72 hours before having an abortion, one of the strictest waiting periods in the country. The majority-Republican Senate on Thursday, April 4, approved the proposal to expand the current waiting period of 48 hours by a 29-5 vote. The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who plans to sign it into law. The bill requires the waiting period between when women are counseled by a physician about the procedure and undergoing it. The legislation will make Arkansas the sixth state with a 72-hour waiting period, joining Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah. The measure is among a flurry of abortion restrictions Arkansas lawmakers approved this year, including an 18-week abortion ban that Hutchinson signed into law last month. The ban will take effect 90 days after the Legislature formally adjourns this years session, which is expected to occur in May. A nearly identical 18-week ban has been sent to Utahs Republican governor. Other states have sought to enact even stricter bans. Kentuckys governor signed legislation Friday banning abortion as early as six weeks, but a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to block it from taking effect. Abortion While support for abortion, in general, has crept up over the years, respondents to polls have long been against late-term abortions. In a 2019 Marist Poll, 80 percent of respondents said they would like abortion limited to, at most, the first three months of pregnancy. And 71 percent of respondents said they oppose abortions after 20 weeks. A poll conducted by YouGov and the pro-life group Americans United for Life in February found that 80 percent of respondents were opposed to abortion the day before the child is born and 79 percent opposed abortion in the third trimester at all. In addition, asked about a Northam-style proposal of removing medical care for a child after birth, 82 percent of respondents said they opposed such a measure. This survey vividly reveals both the American peoples common-sense appreciation for the sanctity of life and the widespread horror, even among self-identified pro-choice Americans, of new laws like New Yorks that effectively allow abortion up until the moment of delivery, said Catherine Foster, president of Americans United for Life, in a statement. The majority of respondents to a Hill.TV poll in 2018 said that abortion should be illegal or only legal in limited cases, such as rape, incest, or to save the life of a prospective mother. Only 18 percent of respondents said abortion should be legal in all circumstances, including the third trimester. In a Gallup poll in 2018, 60 percent of respondents said abortions should be legal in the first three months but 72 percent said abortions should be illegal in the second trimester. And 87 percent said that abortions should be illegal in the final trimester, or in the final three months before full term. Most Americans generally see some reason for abortion to be legal, but far more think it should be legal in the first trimester than in the second or third, Gallup summarized. The view has held for decades. In 2003, for instance, 68 percent of respondents said that abortions should be illegal in the second trimester and 84 percent of people said abortions should be illegal in the third trimester. Arkansas Senate Approves Bill Banning Sanctuary Cities LITTLE ROCK, ArkansasThe Arkansas Senate voted Friday, April 5, to prohibit cities from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and threatened to cut off their funding if they adopt sanctuary policies, even though no city in the state has done so. The majority-Republican Senate voted 24-5 for the bill, which would also prohibit cities from preventing local law enforcement from asking about someones immigration or citizenship status. Under the measure, a city would be ineligible for discretionary funds or grants administered by the state if the attorney general determines it is an illegal sanctuary city. The bill now heads to the majority-Republican House. The Arkansas Municipal League, which opposes the measure, has said it doesnt know of any city that has adopted sanctuary policies or is moving toward doing so. The Republican behind the measure said the penalties are needed to prevent any sanctuary cities from operating in the state. This is more a proactive measure to ward off something, some city in Arkansas saying, hey, were going to set ourselves up as a sanctuary city, Sen. Gary Stubblefield said after the vote. You do that and you do it at your own peril. Arkansas is among several states where Republicans have pushed for legislation banning sanctuary cities. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam last month vetoed similar legislation, and another measure is being considered by Florida lawmakers. Neighboring Texas enacted a wide-reaching ban two years ago that was upheld by a federal appeals court last year. Opponents have said the ban could sow distrust between the immigrant community and law enforcement. Democratic Sen. Will Bond, who opposed the bill, noted it would require the attorney general to investigate any complaint about a sanctuary city and would keep the records of that probe closed to the public. Bond also said the measure would take away the Legislatures power by allowing the attorney general to determine whether cities are eligible to receive funds. A spokesman for Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the Republican planned to review the measure over the weekend. Hutchinson had spoken out against a similar proposal targeting sanctuary colleges and universities that failed before a legislative panel two years ago. The bill advanced the same day lawmakers sent Hutchinson legislation that would allow state colleges and universities to charge in-state tuition to students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programs implemented during President Barack Obamas administration that allows young immigrants living in the country illegally to remain in the U.S. To be eligible for the in-state rate, they must have lived in the state three years prior to admission and had graduated from high school or received a general equivalency diploma in the state. The measure would also apply to immigrants from the Marshall Islands and children of immigrants on temporary work visas. Hutchinson plans to sign the measure into law. A large concentration of Marshallese immigrants live in northwest Arkansas. That bill won support after past efforts to extend in-state tuition to immigrants who came to the country illegally as children had failed in the Legislature. By Andrew Demillo Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction and Maintenance conference on April 05, 2019 in Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Biden Doesnt Mention or Endorse Green New Deal or Medicare for All During Union Speech Former Vice President Joe Biden didnt mention or endorse the socialist Green New Deal and Medicare for All policies during a speech to an electrical workers union conference in Washington on April 5. Biden, who has told supporters hes running for president but hasnt officially declared his candidacy, discussed both health care and climate change in the speech to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference. But the former vice president, who leads the Democratic field in early polling, made no mention of the Green New Deal and Medicare for All, the two socialist policies endorsed by virtually every Democratic presidential contender. Biden celebrated the passage of Obamacare, claiming that it gave peace of mind to 22 million Americans. It was a big deal, Biden said. Every day, I worked alongside the president as vice president, but I was never more proud to have participated in anything other than the signing of that bill. But he stopped short of mentioning or endorsing Medicare for All, the socialist policy endorsed by the rest of the Democratic field. Biden also discussed climate change. He appeared to suggest, without evidence, that human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels caused the recent flooding in Nebraska that inundated a U.S. Strategic Command Air Force base. Its not only a threat, its an incredible opportunity, Biden said. By moving to clean energy, by setting higher fuel standards for our cars, by limiting emissions from our power plans, by fortifying our cities and our coastlines. We have to prepare. But it will create jobs, make us stronger, he added. Bidens statements fell far short of the vision cast in the Green New Deal resolution, which calls for the elimination of all gas-engine cars, the upgrading or replacement of every building in America for energy efficiency, and the complete transition away from fossil fuels. The Green New Deal was introduced in the House by Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.); the Communist Party USA and the Democratic Socialists of America both support the policy. The policy would cost $650,000 per U.S. household over the course of a decade, according to one estimate. Bidens position on both Medicare for All and the Green New Deal is significant because the campaign of President Donald Trump has cast the 2020 election as a choice between socialism and freedom. Endorsing the two socialist policies would give Biden a vital boost among the Democratic base for the primary election, but is sure to lose him general election votes from average Americans, the vast majority of whom view socialism in a negative light. From Obamacare to Medicare for All While providing health coverage to an additional 22 million Americans, Obamacare failed spectacularly for the rest of the nation. Premiums rose nationwide and billions of dollars were wasted on failed state exchanges, with private insurers fleeing some states entirely, among other issues. While Obamacare was a significant step toward socializing the health care industry, Medicare for All is a purely socialist policy, with marginal exceptions such as insurance for plastic surgery. The list of reasons for Obamacares failure is long, even by the accounts of left-leaning editorial boards, including the Chicago Tribune. At its core, Obamacare is a fundamentally socialist policy that straitjackets the free market. Medicare for All would eliminate the free market in the health care industry entirely, handing the government a near-total monopoly. Bidens failure to endorse Medicare for All indicates that he may choose to steer his platform away from the hard-left rush of the Democrats who have already declared their candidacies. Self-declared socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been pushing Medicare for All for several years. In 2013, his bill had no co-sponsors. In 2018, one in three of Senate Democrats and two in three House Democrats signed on to the legislation. Medicare for All may cost up to $32 trillion over the course of 10 years, more than half of the entire projected spending of the U.S. government. Every Democratic candidate for president polling at above 1 percent has endorsed Medicare for All. While it is unclear what Bidens stance on the policy is, he will likely have to reveal it shortly after announcing his candidacy. Bill Cosby Settles Defamation Suit With 7 Ladies Who Accused Him of Sexual Assault Bill Cosby has finally settled a defamation suit brought against him by seven women who had accused him of sexually assaulting them after he had denied their claims. The ladiesTamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis, Louisa Moritz, and Angela Leslietold a federal judge in Massachusetts they were now satisfied by the settlement with the 81-year-old disgraced actor and their claims of being defamed by him were resolved, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The seven women were all named in the lawsuit filed back in 2014 against The Cosby Show star that alleged their reputations were damaged after Cosbys reps told reporters that their claims of sexual misconduct against him were among other things, ridiculous, fabricated and absurd. A judge ruled in 2015 that the comments by Cosbys reps could be proved true or false. According to the outlet: In a big decision, the women in 2015 beat Cosbys motion to dismiss. The judge ruled that the comments werent privileged as self-defense, were more than non-actionable opinion and that the women could plausibly show actual malice. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni decided that the comments by Cosbys reps could be proved true or false despite other judges on other cases around the nation looking at the very same comments and concluding otherwise. The case was then basically put on hold while criminal proceedings took place against Cosby who was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania home in 2004. As previously reported, the sentence carries a minimum of three years in state prison with a maximum of 10 years. Cosby was facing up to 30 years in prison for the three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Constand. An attorney for one of the women, Joseph Cammarata, shared that there had been a settlement but that the case is reportedly not completely resolved yet because Cosby has filed counterclaims against the women for defamation in his deals with NBC and Netflix. by Katie Jerkovich/Entertainment Reporter A Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane sits parked in the background at right at Boeing Co.'s Renton Assembly Plant in Renton, Wash., on March 11, 2019. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo) Boeing Cutting Production Rate of Troubled 737 Max Jet Boeing will cut production of its troubled 737 Max airliner this month, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its best-selling plane remains grounded after two deadly crashes. The company said on April 5 that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes. The move was not a complete surprise. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet. Preliminary reports into accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that pushed the planes nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control over the automated system. In all, 346 people died in the crashes. Boeing faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by families of the victims. Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to review airplane design and development. The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Maxa discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air. A Boeing spokesman called it a relatively minor issue and said the plane maker already has a fix in the works. He said the latest issue is not part of flight-control software called MCAS that Boeing has been working to upgrade since the first crash. Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and a response to the suspension of Max deliveries. Boeing has delivered fewer than 400 Max jets but has a backlog of more than 4,600 unfilled orders. The Chicago-based company had hoped to expand Max production this year to 57 planes a month. Indonesias Garuda Airlines has said it will cancel an order for 49 Max jets. Other airlines, including Lion Air, whose Max 8 crashed off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29, have raised the possibility of canceling. A Boeing official said Fridays announcement about cutting production was not due to potential cancellations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Boeing does not publicly discuss those details. In a statement, Muilenburg said the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment in effect, slowing down production now to avoid a deeper cut later, if fixing the plane takes longer than expected. Analysts say the absence of deliveries will eat into Boeings cash flow because it gets most of the cost of a plane upon delivery. Boeing declined to provide figures, but undelivered Max jets have been stacking up at its Renton, Washington, assembly plant. Airlines that operate the Max will be squeezed the longer the planes are grounded, particularly if the interruption extends into the peak summer travel season. They could buy used 737s, but that would be costly because the comparably sized Boeing 737-800 was very popular and in short supply even before the Max problems, according to Jim Williams, publisher of Airfax, a newsletter that tracks transactions involving commercial aircraft. Williams said that if the Max grounding appears likely to extend into summer it will cause airlines to explore short-term leases, which could push lease rates higher, something that airline analysts say is already happening. Boeing shares closed at $391.93, down $3.93. In after-hours after news of the production cut, they slipped another $8.98, or 2.3%, to $382.85. By David Koenig Cattle, Chicken, and Classrooms: the Ohio School Where Students Learn How to Farm The content is not available due to expiration. Donald Trump to Deliver Keynote Address at NRA Annual Meeting Next Month President Donald Trump will deliver remarks to National Rifle Association (NRA) members next month at the pro-Second Amendment organizations annual meetings and exhibits in Indianapolis. The president is expected to deliver his third keynote address at the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Leadership Forum on April 26 at the Indiana Convention CenterLucas Oil Stadium. (RELATED: These Politicians Are Campaigning On Guns, And The Nra Gives Them F Ratings) Donald Trump is the most enthusiastic supporter of the Second Amendment to occupy the Oval Office in our lifetimes. It is truly an honor to have President Trump address NRA members for the fifth consecutive year, said Chris Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director. He added, President Trumps Supreme Court appointments ensure that the Second Amendment will be respected for generations to come. Our members are excited to hear him speak and thank him for his support for our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Trump gained the support of the NRA during his 2016 run for the White House and promised to appoint judges with a strict constitutionalist view of the Second Amendment. I kept my promise, and now, with your help, our brand-new Justiceand he is really something very specialNeil Gorsuch, sits on the bench of the United States Supreme Court, Trump said during his speech at the NRA meeting in 2017 in Georgia, immediately following his election to the presidency. He went on to say later in his speech, But you came through for me, and I am going to come through for you. I was proud to receive the NRAs earliest endorsement in the history of the organization. And today, I am also proud to be the first sitting president to address the NRA Leadership Forum since our wonderful Ronald Reagan in 1983. And I want to thank each and every one of you, not only for your help electing true friends of the Second Amendment but for everything you do to defend our flag and our freedom. By Kerry Picket | Reporter Follow Kerry on Twitter Endangered Oregon Butterfly Returns to the Wild With the Help of Womens Prison Inmates The content is not available due to expiration. Former Attorney General Eric Holder speaks at the National Action Network's annual convention in New York City, on April 3, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) If Results Stand, Holder Loses Big in Wisconsin Election Wisconsin voters appear to have delivered a stunning rejection to former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holders latest political objective, in a state thats not only sure to be a 2020 election battleground, but also pivotal in the upcoming decennial redistricting process. Holder is the chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a tax-exempt, 527 political organization that primarily operates for the purpose of influencing elections. The groups stated aim is to favorably position Democrats in select red states and presidential swing states for the next round of redistricting after the 2020 census. A key race in that effort occurred April 2, when liberal-backed judge Lisa Neubauer faced conservative judge Brian Hagedorn for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Despite overwhelming outside support for Neubauer, the election has Hagedorn leading by nearly 6,000 votes. Hagedorn, a former aide to Republican Gov. Scott Walker, claimed victory on April 3, saying the people of Wisconsin have spoken, and our margin of victory is insurmountable. The election, however, is likely headed to a recount, although such margins of victory are rarely overturned. Holder was unusually active, in what would seem an inconsequential race for President Barack Obamas former top law enforcement official. But he invested his time and reputation, as well as hundreds of thousands of donor dollars, in what looks to be another surprising Wisconsin defeat. Famously in 2016, President Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by 1 percent in Wisconsin, smashing her much relied upon blue wall of Midwest support. It was the first time a Republican presidential candidate won the state since President Reagan in 1984. Determined to reclaim Wisconsin, Holder attended four events in both Madison and Milwaukee on March 14 and 15, to rally African Americans and younger voters to his voting rights and redistricting agenda, which included voting for Judge Lisa Neubauer on April 2. A press release stated that the National Redistricting Action Fund, the 501(c)4 affiliate of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, invested $350,000 in two groupsTogether Wisconsin Acts and the Black Leaders Organizing Communitiesto support Neubauers campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Holder also met with the Wisconsin chapter of NextGen, a political activist organization anchored by progressive San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer, in an event held at the University of WisconsinMadison. He further met with Leaders Igniting Transformation, an activist group engaging in electoral organizing, direct action, [and] advocacy for public policy, according to its website. Other groups acted in tandem, pumping more than $3 million into television ads on Neubauers behalfboth supporting her and attacking her opponent. An allied group called the Greater Wisconsin Committee spent at least $750,000 on attack ads, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Records show that the Greater Wisconsin Committee is mostly funded by labor unions and groups supporting left-leaning candidates. Records also show that Holders National Democratic Redistricting Committee raised more than $8.3 million from late 2016 to March 2018. Its top donors were George Soros, Fred Eychaner, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Wisconsins judicial elections are officially nonpartisan, but outside political advocacy groups have polarized the races. In April 2018, Holders group spent $165,000 supporting judge Rebecca Dallet in a successful bid for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which dropped the balance of the court to a 4-3 conservative majority. The Wisconsin election involved replacing a retiring liberal justice. Holder, among others, hoped to hold the seat and win another state supreme court election scheduled for next year. But a certified Hagedorn win will effectively dash the well-funded effort to flip the court ahead of 2020. Typically, state legislatures are responsible for drawing redistricting maps for state legislative and congressional districts. Any resulting political disputes are then resolved in state supreme courts. Holders mission to elect a Wisconsin Supreme Court likely to be favorable to Democratic-friendly mapsor oppose Republican-drawn mapsappears to be lost. As with Trump, Hagedorns performance far exceeded expectations. A poll conducted by the Republican State Leadership Committee a week before Election Day found him trailing by 8 percentage points. Hagedorn, a devout Christian, was pummeled throughout the campaign for a blog post he wrote while in law school that referred to Planned Parenthood as a wicked organization, and opposed same-sex marriage. He was also targeted for ties to a private religious school that opposed premarital sex and homosexuality, and for giving paid speeches for the Alliance Defending Freedoma religious liberties organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center designated as a hate group. The attacks caused the reliably Republican U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Wisconsin Realtors to shy away from supporting Hagedorn, although the National Rifle Association and Americans for Prosperity stood by him. Despite the fierce election headwinds, Republican voters turned out en masse. More than 200,000 more voters participated in the election than in last years state supreme court battle, with more of them breaking for the conservative candidate. Election results show Neubauer failed dramatically in areas outside of Madison and Milwaukee, where Holder and aligned progressive groups were most active. For his part, Hagedorn thanked in-state supporters. This was a true grassroots campaign fueled from the bottom up, he said. This undated photo provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in Cincinnati shows Brian Rini. (Hamilton County Sheriff's Office via AP) Ex-Convict Charged With Pretending to Be Long-Missing Boy CINCINNATIA 23-year-old ex-convict accused of pulling a cruel hoax by pretending to be a long-missing Illinois boy was charged Friday with making false statements to federal authorities. The FBI said Brian Rini had made false claims twice before, portraying himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim. The Medina, Ohio, man was jailed in Cincinnati on Thursday, a day after telling authorities he was 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. The FBI declared Rinis story a hoax after performing a DNA test. The charge should send a message about the damage such false claims can do, said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman. Its not OK to do it because of the harm that it causes, the pain, for the family of that missing child, Glassman said. Rinis story had briefly raised hope among Timmothys relatives that the youngsters disappearance had finally been solved after eight long years. But those hopes were dashed when the test results came back. Its devastating. Its like reliving that day all over again, said Timmothys aunt Kara Jacobs. Rini was jailed for a bail hearing on Tuesday. His public defender did not immediately return a message. Rini could get up to eight years in prison. Rini was found wandering the streets on Wednesday and told authorities he had just escaped his captors after years of abuse, officials said. He claimed he had been forced to have sex with men, according to the FBI. When confronted with the DNA results, Rini acknowledged his identity, saying he had watched a story about Timmothy on ABCs 20/20 and wanted to get away from his own family, the FBI said. Rini said he wished he had a father like Timmothys because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking, the FBI said in court papers. A message left with Rinis father for comment was not immediately returned. Glassman said authorities were skeptical early on of Rinis claim because he refused to be fingerprinted, though he did agree to a DNA swab. Rini also looks older than 14, but Glassman said investigators wanted to make sure there was no opportunity missed to actually find Timmothy Pitzen. Rinis DNA was already on file because of his criminal record. He was released from prison less than a month ago after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism. He twice portrayed himself in Ohio as a juvenile victim of sex trafficking, and in each case was identified after being fingerprinted, authorities said. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to court papers. Timmothy, of Aurora, Illinois, vanished after his mother pulled him out of kindergarten, 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. After Rinis account was pronounced a hoax, Timmothys grandmother Alana Anderson said: Its been awful. Weve been on tenterhooks, hopeful and frightened. Its just been exhausting. She added, I feel so sorry for the young man whos obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was somebody else. By Dan Sewell and Andrew Welsh-Huggins Jackson Cosko, 27, who worked for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) at the time he was arrested in October 2018, pleaded guilty in April to a slew of charges related to "doxxing" Republican Senators. (LinkedIn) Ex-democrat Staffer Pleads Guilty to Doxxing Republican Senators A 27-year-old man who worked for multiple Democrat congresswomen has pleaded guilty to charges of stealing information and illegally posting restricted info of U.S. senators online. Jackson Cosko pleaded guilty to two counts of making public restricted personal information; one count of computer fraud; one count of witness tampering; and one count of obstruction of justice. Cosko posted the personal information of Republican senators during the heated Brett Kavanaugh nomination hearings, including their home addresses and cellphone numbers, through an anonymous IP address in the House of Representatives. What Cosko did is known as doxxing, described by prosecutors as the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet personal identifying information and other sensitive information about an individual. Cosko claimed in a statement submitted as part of the plea that he was angry about being fired in May 2018 from his job as a computer systems administrator in the office of a U.S. senator and, as a result, beginning in July and continuing until October, he engaged in extensive computer fraud and data theft scheme. He admitted that he carried out the scheme by breaking into Senator #1s office on at least four occasions and accessing Senate-owned computers for the express purpose of stealing proprietary electronic information, including the personal contact information for numerous other senators, according to prosecutors. He then published the contact information for five U.S. senators (identified as Senators #2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) using Wikipedia and Twitter, with the intent to threaten and intimidate these five senators and their families. All five senators were Republicans. After the doxxing was revealed to have originated in the House of Representatives, a witness saw Cosko at a computer in the senators office and confronted him. Later that evening, Cosko sent a threatening email to the witness titling it, I own EVERYTHING and warning that, If you tell anyone I will leak it all. That same night, he tried to delete all electronic evidence from his laptop and other electronics that he used to obtain and download stolen data. According to documents obtained by the Daily Caller, Cosko had an unnamed accomplice who worked for Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). Hassan was the senator Cosko said he targeted for firing him. The accomplice repeatedly lent Cosko a key so that he could enter Hassans office at night. The accomplice also allegedly tried to destroy evidence for Cosko after he was caught. Among the dozens of gigabytes of data that Cosko stole was credit card information belonging to Senate employees, tens of thousands of emails and internal documents, and personally identifying information belonging to hundreds of people, possibly including constituents. Besides Hassan, Cosko also worked for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Glenn Rushing, Jackson Lees chief of staff, told the Washington Examiner that Cosko was on Lees staff at the time of the arrest in October 2018 but was fired as a result of being arrested. It is an ongoing investigation and we are cooperating with authorities, he said. According to his LinkedIn profile, which described him as a Democratic political professional and cybersecurity graduate student, Cosko first interned for senators in 2011 before interning for Congress in 2012 into 2013. He began another term of work for the Senate in January 2016, listing his positions as press intern, staff assistant, press assistant, and legislative correspondent. According to his last job title, he assisted senior staff with issues before the Commerce Committee, including technology, and also assisted with cybersecurity matters brought before the Homeland Security Committee. Cosko could face a prison term in the range of either 30 to 37 months or 46 to 57 months. Under the plea agreement, Cosko agreed to forfeit computers, cellphones, and other equipment he used in the crimes. From NTD News Film Review: The Chaperone: Is Chaperoning Worse Than Abortion? 1h 43min | Drama | 29 March 2019 (USA) One of the best things about the quaint, slow-moving, sweet little movie The Chaperone is that it strongly conveys how difficult it must have been for vivacious, talented, headstrong individuals to remain in small American cities and towns (like Wichita, Kansas) back in the 1920s. Sleepy backwaters, farm communities, and anyplace USA, where people get married straight out of high school, go into the family business, and start making babies immediatelywho can live within those confines? Plenty of folks. Most folks. Its the life of simpler pleasures. But these are the classic settings where Joseph Campbells Heros Journey usually begins. Whats a Heros Journey? The ancient Greeks saw human life as being lived in two different possible forms: You either live your entire life inside the village compound, or you go out on a Heros Journey. The latter begins when you go outside the village compound to fetch some water at the well, hear the call of a strange birdthe call to adventuredrop everything, enter the dark and dangerous forest, fall off a precipice, discover a cave, find gold, and then bring your gold back to the village compound. Its about finding ones bliss, as Campbell said in an interview with Bill Moyers. It usually means the ability to have the joy of using that thing that one is supremely talented atas a livelihood. In modern terms, those with outsized talents and ambitions who heed the call to adventure, like Pinocchio, usually set out on their Heros Journey, leaving a small town for one of the big cities. Where they start growing donkey ears. Wait, what? Yeah, what was the deal with the donkey ears? They represent being confronted with big-city temptation to revel in the baser pleasures, depicting a potential moral downslide. As the ancient Buddhists would interpret it, growing donkey ears represents entering the danger zone of losing moral status to the point where one incarnates as an animal in the next lifetime. But things dont usually get that dramatic. The Irony The other thing The Chaperone reminds one of is the America before abortion was the norm, when out-of-wedlock fooling around resulted in many orphans. And when orphans were put on trains that stopped in small towns all across the land and were taken in by families. And so The Chaperone tells the tale of Mrs. Norma Carlisle (Elizabeth McGovern), herself a former orphan, chaperoning the headstrong, 16-year-old Louise Brooks (Haley Lu Richardson, currently starring in the teen love story Five Feet Apart) from Wichita to New York City, so the girl can pursue her dancing Heros Journey. And avoid producing any orphans. The films based on the more-or-less truthful novel, by Laura Moriarty, about the early career of Jazz Age sensation Louise Brooks, who went on to become a silent-film star. In the film, Louise has been accepted into a prestigious New York modern dance school, but her father insists on adult supervision in the big city. We assume that since Normas twin sons are now grown, she jumps on the escort job just to get the heck out of Dodge for a bit. However, Normas marriage contains a secret tragedy, and it so happens that New York is where the nun-administered orphanage where Norma lived as a child is located. Norma would like to learn of her roots. Norma and Louise begin a feisty, mother-daughter, older/younger-sister, teacher-student relationship, where each dynamic swings both ways, due to Normas age and experience versus Louises charismatic, self-assured, wise-beyond-her-years personality. And so Norma leads a double life in New York for a time. On the one hand, shes walking around with a figurative shepherds crook, yanking young Louise from batting eyelashes at smitten waiters for free ice creams and helping her purge overconsumption of speakeasy gin; on the other, shes tracking down her own mother (played by Blythe Danner). As for the latter mission, the orphanages mother superior turns Norma down flat regarding giving out information on relatives. However, Norma strikes up a friendship with the orphanages widowed and exceedingly helpful janitor, Joseph (Geza Rohrig, currently also starring in To Dust). And as for finding her mother, when Norma does, shes tragically dashed of the long-held sacred memories and hopes of her childhood self. Shes forced to confront the reality that here is a person who never wanted her, only came for a quick look out of mild curiosity, and ultimately doesnt want to know her or her grandsons. Youll wonder why Elizabeth McGovern doesnt work more. Tradition or Progress? The Chaperone takes a mild look at various issues America was dealing with at the time: orphans and why young people ought not to be left unsupervised, the possible lethal repercussions of exposed homosexuality, prohibition, race relations, the Ku Klux Klan, white Americas fear of black people, and womens suffrage. Normas character arc resides, basically, in the metaphor of her corset. Her dedication to daily corset-wearing demonstrates to us the origin of the term tight-laced. She loosens up eventually, literally and figuratively. But while Louises effect on her matronly chaperone could be seen as Normas embracing the mantra of the Al-Anon 12-step group: Put yourself first, Normas effect on Louise is more like that of a guardian angel. Norma circles back years later, after Hollywood has evicted Louise and shes down and out and back in Wichita. Norma actually facilitates Louises second Heros Journey out of Wichita. That kind of long-term karmic connection is a rare thing. But as mentioned, the film is snails paced, a bit fusty, and the outdated social mores and moral values will rankle. And yet it does give one pause. Which is what good art ought to do. Have our largely unraveled social mores and cast-aside moral restrictions of the church led to a better America? Was life better when chaperoning was a thing? Is it better now? Are fifty bazillion abortions better than fifty thousand orphans? If you go and relax your twanging synapses (after viewing any Avenger movie) and breathe and slow your pace down, The Chaperone is actually rather enjoyable. And it will give you much to ponder afterward. The Chaperone Director: Michael Engler Starring: Haley Lu Richardson, Miranda Otto, Elizabeth McGovern, Blythe Danner, Campbell Scott, Geza Rohrig Rated: Unrated Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes Release Date: March 29 Rated: 3 stars out of 5 Honduran convicted drug trafficker Noe Montes Bobadilla aka "Tom" is escorted by agents of the Tigres special force of the National Police upon his arrival in Tegucigalpa on June 14, 2017. (Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images) Former Leader of One of Hondurass Largest Drug Cartels Sentenced to 37 Years in US Prison The 35-year-old former leader of a large drug-trafficking organization was sentenced to 37 years in prison by a U.S. district court on April 5, according to the Justice Department. Noe Montes-Bobadilla, the former leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras, was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia for trafficking thousands of kilograms of cocaine bound for the United States. Former Leader of Honduran Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison https://t.co/t0u0xCsU9f Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) April 5, 2019 Montes-Bobadilla previously ran the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization, or Los Montes, which had high drug-trafficking activity in the area of Francia, Honduras. He was accused of receiving shipments of cocaine sent via boats, clandestine aircraft, and submarines by Colombian suppliers and transporting them north through Central America, Mexico, and finally the United States, with the help of other drug-trafficking organizations, according to a press release. Each shipment generally carried hundreds of, if not more than a thousand, kilograms of cocaine, according to a justice department statement. To ensure his operations were successful, Montes-Bobadilla bribed law enforcement officers and officials as well as engaged in violent acts such as murder. Through these efforts, Montes-Bobadilla and his organization distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States, the statement said. According to the investigative news site Insight Crime, Montes-Bobadilla and three other individuals reportedly inherited the family drug business following the death of Alex Adan Montes-Bobadilla, an accused drug kingpin who died in 2014 under house arrest. He was reportedly arrested for drug trafficking, murder, attempted murder, and escape, according to local media. The United States requested Noe Montes-Bobadillas extradition in September 2016 for cocaine trafficking, reported La Prensa. Montes-Bobadilla was a violent leader of one of the largest drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger in a statement. The resources and collaborative efforts used to investigate this massive drug trafficking organization is a prime example of the extraordinary investigative capabilities of federal law enforcement and prosecutors here in the Eastern District. Jesse R. Fong, special agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration, shared similar remarks. He said, This is a prime example of how federal and state agencies can work together to make a major impact on a local, state, national and international scale. In February this year, one of the most powerful drug lords in the world, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, was convicted in federal court in New York City. Guzman, the 61-year-old former head of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, was found guilty of operating a criminal enterprise, use of firearms, and various charges of conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. He faces up to life in prison, and he is expected to be sentenced on June 25. The 61-year-old previously broke out of two Mexican prisons before he was captured and extradited to the United States. In the trial, which lasted several months, prosecutors used more than 50 witnesses to detail Guzmans involvement in making billions of dollars distributing drugs in the United States. According to the New York Post, which dedicated reporters to cover his trial, 14 former associates were called to testify against him. Meanwhile, Guzman spoke in the courtroom only once during the trial to say he wouldnt testify in his own defense, NBC News reported. Reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report. Dorothy Flood, 55, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly killing her twin grandchildren in Tucson, Arizona, on April 4, 2019. (Pima County Sheriff's Department) Grandmother Arrested and Charged With Shooting Deaths of Her Twin Grandchildren An Arizona woman has been arrested in connection with the murders of her twin grandchildren. The 8-year-olds were shot on April 4 at their home in Tucson. Firefighters responded to the house around 2 p.m. after reports of an unresponsive woman, and found Dorothy Flood, 55, unresponsive from an apparent overdose. Emergency responders on the scene then discovered two children in separate rooms and pronounced them dead. Examinations determined that the twins, Jaden and Jordan Webb, died from gunshot wounds, the Pima County Sheriffs Department said late Friday. Flood, the childrens grandmother and guardian, was arrested on premeditated first-degree murder and booked into Pima County Jail. She was granted guardianship of the kids after their mother passed away on Feb. 18, 2018, officials said. No other information was available. 4-Year-Old Saw Watts Kill Pregnant Mother Bella Watts, 4, walked in on her father Chris Watts strangling her pregnant mother, the familys attorney revealed. Chris Watts, 33, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after admitting he killed his wife Shanann Watts, 34, and their two daughters, Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, on Aug. 13, 2018. Shanann Watts was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed. According to the Watts family attorney, Chris Watts told investigators in a prison interview in February that young Bella came into the room as Watts was strangling his wife. Bella walked in and asked her dad, What are you doing with mommy? the lawyer told Dr. Phil. The lawyer said the killings seemed to stem from a fight the couple had over Chris Wattss affair, which angered Shanann Watts and led her to tell him, Youre not going to see the kids again. As a consequence of this conversation, he strangled her to death, the attorney said. Prosecutors previously said that Bella fought for her life as Chris Watts strangled her to death. Weld County Prosecutor Michael Rourke told the court prior to Watts being sentenced that Bella fought back for her life as her father smothered her. Imagine the horror in Bellas mind as her father took her last breaths away, Rourke added. The county coroner found blunt force trauma on the girls jaw, and lacerations and contusions in her mouth. The autopsy also found teeth impressions, and superficial bite marks on the surface of her tongue. Although there were no signs of Celeste struggling, the coroner believes she also died from asphyxiation due to smothering. Shanann had bruises on the neck that could be explained by her husbands strangulation, Rourke said. We know that our experts tell us that it takes two to four minutes to strangle someone to death manually with their own hands, he said. The horror that she felt as the man that she loved wrapped his hands around her throat, and choked the life out of her must have been unimaginable. Prosecutions believed that Wattss motive was a desire to start a new life with a woman he met at work and with whom he was having an affair. He had a desire for a fresh start, to begin a new relationship with a new love, Rourke said. Wattss mistress said shortly before the trial that he misled her into thinking that he had already separated and divorced from his wife. A supermassive black hole with millions to billions times the mass of our sun is seen in an undated NASA artist's concept illustration. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout/File Photo via Reuters) In Astrophysics Milestone, First Photo of Black Hole Expected WASHINGTONScientists are expected to unveil on April 10, the first-ever photograph of a black hole, a breakthrough in astrophysics providing insight into celestial monsters with gravitational fields so intense no matter or light can escape. The U.S. National Science Foundation has scheduled a news conference in Washington to announce a groundbreaking result from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project, an international partnership formed in 2012 to try to directly observe the immediate environment of a black hole. Simultaneous news conferences are scheduled in Brussels, Santiago, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo. A black holes event horizon, one of the most violent places in the universe, is the point of no return beyond which anythingstars, planets, gas, dust, all forms of electromagnetic radiation including lightgets sucked in irretrievably. While scientists involved in the research declined to disclose the findings ahead of the formal announcement, they are clear about their goals. Its a visionary project to take the first photograph of a black hole. We are a collaboration of over 200 people internationally, astrophysicist Sheperd Doeleman, director of the Event Horizon Telescope at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, said at a March event in Texas. Black holes are, by definition, hard to photograph. But the Event Horizon Telescope is about to give us a real picture of a real black hole. https://t.co/LA3p9EPudw Science News (@ScienceNews) April 5, 2019 The news conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The research will put to the test a scientific pillarphysicist Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity, according to University of Arizona astrophysicist Dimitrios Psaltis, project scientist for the Event Horizon Telescope. That theory, put forward in 1915, was intended to explain the laws of gravity and their relation to other natural forces. Supermassive Black Holes The researchers targeted two supermassive black holes. The firstcalled Sagittarius A*is situated at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, possessing 4 million times the mass of our sun and located 26,000 light years from Earth. A light year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles. The secondcalled M87resides at the center of the neighboring Virgo A galaxy, boasting a mass 3.5 billion times that of the sun and located 54 million light-years away from Earth. Streaming away from M87 at nearly the speed of light is a humongous jet of subatomic particles. Black holes, coming in a variety of sizes, are extraordinarily dense entities formed when very massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle. Supermassive black holes are the largest kind, devouring matter and radiation and perhaps merging with other black holes. Psaltis described a black hole as an extreme warp in spacetime, a term referring to the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time joined into a single four-dimensional continuum. Doeleman said the projects researchers obtained the first data in April 2017 from a global network of telescopes. The telescopes that collected that initial data are located in the U.S. states of Arizona and Hawaii as well as Mexico, Chile, Spain, and Antarctica. Since then, telescopes in France and Greenland have been added to the network. The scientists also will be trying to detect for the first time the dynamics near the black hole as matter orbits at near light speeds before being swallowed into oblivion. The fact that black holes do not allow light to escape makes viewing them difficult. The scientists will be looking for a ring of lightradiation and matter circling at tremendous speed at the edge of the event horizonaround a region of darkness representing the actual black hole. This is known as the black holes shadow or silhouette. Einsteins theory, if correct, should allow for an extremely accurate prediction of the size and shape of a black hole. The shape of the shadow will be almost a perfect circle in Einsteins theory, Psaltis said. If we find it to be different than what the theory predicts, then we go back to square one and we say, Clearly, something is not exactly right. By Will Dunham Man Suspected of Shooting, Killing 10-Year-Old Summer Brown Behind Bars An Arizona man suspected of killing a young girl in a horrific road rage attack was arrested late on April 4. Phoenix Police confirmed the next morning at a press conference that Joshua Gonzalez, 20, is being questioned about the murder of 10-year-old Summer Brown. Police Sergeant Vince Lewis said the suspect is accused of following the victim and her three family members home. The family vehicle allegedly failed to give right-of-way to the suspect, who drove a white Ford F150 4-door pickup truck with dark colored trim on the bottom, near North 37th Avenue and West Portland Street on April 3 at about 5:45 p.m. local time. Arrest made in Homicide of 10yo Summer Brown. See entire press brief here: https://t.co/uT3MKCehAl#FindTheBLUEinYou Phoenix Police Department (@phoenixpolice) April 5, 2019 According to police, the family continued traveling to 3800 West Moreland Street, and as they turned into the driveway, the suspect allegedly stopped behind their car and fired several gunshots at them. Summer and her father on the drivers side were shot while her sister, 12, and mother on the passenger side were unharmed. The suspect then fled westbound on Moreland Street and northbound on North 39th Avenue. Both the male and girl were transported to hospitals. The girl succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital, the City of Phoenix Police Department said in a Facebook post dated April 4. The male suffered [a] non life-threatening injury. HOMICIDE REQUEST FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE Report#: 2019-558843Date/Time: Wednesday, April 3, 2019; 5:45pmLocation: 3800 West Moreland StreetSuspect: Unknown male, 30 to 40 years old, driving a white Ford F150 4-door pickup with dark colored trim on the bottomVictim1: Summerbell Brown, female, 10 years old (deceased) Victim2: Male, 30 years old, non life-threatening injuryDetails: On Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at around 5:45pm, a family of four were driving northbound in the area of North 37th Avenue and West Portland Street when they noticed a white Ford F150 4-door pickup truck following them very closely. They turned west onto West Moreland Street, where they live, and the truck continued following. As they turned into the driveway of the residence, near 3800 West, the truck stopped behind the family car and the driver fired several gunshots at them. The driver, an adult male and father, as well as one of the two daughters seated in the rear behind her father, were both struck by gunfire. The mother, seated in front and the other daughter, seated in the rear, were not injured. The suspect fled westbound on Moreland Street, then northbound on North 39th Avenue.Both the male and girl were transported to hospitals. The girl succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The male suffered non life-threatening injury.Anyone with information about this suspect or crime is asked to call Silent Witness at (480) W-I-T-N-E-S-S, or for Spanish (480) T-E-S-T-I-G-O. As always, callers may remain anonymous and could earn a reward of up to $1,000. Posted by City of Phoenix Police Department on Thursday, April 4, 2019 Police released a composite sketch of the attacker and surveillance video of the Ford pickup truck that followed the family car on March 4, prompting citizens to report the trucks location at a property near 59th Avenue and Indian School Road, just 5 miles from the scene of the shooting. Lewis said officers were able to confirm the truck belonged to the suspect, even though a variety of modifications had already been made to the vehicles appearance and tires. Officers searched the home where the truck was located and recovered a gun that could be traced back to Gonzalez and the shooting scene. Gonzalez has been charged on one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault. Join us on Facebook live for an important press conference. https://t.co/HGy0cHL17E Phoenix Police Department (@phoenixpolice) April 5, 2019 Summers family has raised $10,073 from its original target of $5,000 to help cover the girls funeral expenses and relieve financial hardship for the family. With heavy hearts, we announce that on April 3, 2019, Summer Mellody Bell (age 10), passed away unexpectedly, the family said on their GoFundMe fundraising campaign page. Summer was a beautiful young girl full of life, highly intelligent, funny, and always busy with her sister, Autumn. Summer will be greatly missed by countless family and friends. The campaign attracted a wave of comments, expressing their horror and sympathy. I am absolutely crushed at the loss of your beautiful little girl. I am so sorry such a beautiful life and light was taken in such an evil and senseless way, Kelley Lee said. God must have needed a very special helper in calling her home to his loving arms. I will continue to pray for you and that justice will prevail for your family. When I lost my child, there was a really long grieving period for me and I understand that life does not wait for people to recover from grief, Kathleen Brant said. Her life had and will continue to have meaning and I am so sorry for their loss. No words will help make you feel better or bring your baby back. This is a tragedy beyond comprehension, Claudia and Jerry Behnke said. Please know you are in our prayers. May God grant you the strength you will need to get through this difficult time. Missing Child Alert Issued for Florida 15-Year-Old Emily Berry An alert has been issued by authorities in Florida after a 15-year-old girl went missing and was believed to be endangered. The Marion County Sheriffs Office said early April 6 that Emily Berry was last seen leaving her house in Reddick on Friday. She was last seen wearing white jeans, a gray mossy oak sweatshirt, and light pink shoes. Emily is autistic and her family is concerned about her safety, the office stated. MISSING ENDANGEREDEMILY BERRY WAS LAST SEEN LEAVING HER HOME LOCATED AT 4191 NW 153RD STREET REDDICK, FLORIDA ON Posted by Marion County Sheriff's Office on Friday, April 5, 2019 She was described as a white female standing 52 and weighing 110 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Emily lives on 153rd Street in Reddick. She was last seen headed northbound in the 1500 block of Highway 441. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also shared information about Emily, urging people to share the post on Twitter. Anyone with information was urged to call 911. Please share this post! A Florida Missing Child Alert has been issued for 15-year-old Emily Berry from Marion County, Florida. pic.twitter.com/l75Qr3FpT6 FDLE (@fdlepio) April 6, 2019 Missing Children There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Under federal law, when a child is reported missing to law enforcement they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries. This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated, that would also be reflected in the total, the center noted. In 2017, the center said it assisted officers and families with the cases of more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways, and 5 percent were family abductions. About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2017 were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Missing Children Found, Father Sought by Police Two missing Missouri children who were abducted by their father, triggering an Amber Alert, have been found safe, authorities said. The St. Charles Police Department issued the alert on April 5 for Fernando Marez, 3, and Alexia Marez, 1. Police said they were abducted by Fernando Marez-Carreas, 24. Marez-Carreas assaulted the mother of the children and threatened to kill one of them before leaving the city with another Hispanic man and woman. Later on Friday, the children were found safe in Fairmont City, Illinois, after being dropped off at the citys police station by an unknown woman. UPDATE: Fernando Marez and Alexia Marez have been located in Fairmount City, IL. We are in the process of reuniting the Posted by St. Charles Police Department on Friday, April 5, 2019 We dont know at this point what her relationship is to him, the father or the mother, St. Charles Police Lt. Tom Wilkison told Fox 2. The children were being reunited with their mother. Officers were still searching for Marez-Carreas, who was described as standing 57, wearing a blue T-shirt, black vest, dark blue jeans, and Champion shoes. He has tattoos of the childrens names on his arms and was driving a tan, 4-door SUV with a Missouri or Illinois license plate that includes the sequence E15. This investigation is very much ongoing, we certainly want to talk about the incident that transpired today and find out everything that happened, Lt. Wilkison told Fox 2. Right now everyone has an overwhelming sense of relief that the kids were found so quickly and they are unharmed thats the main thing they are okay. Mom Says Daughter Not Allowed to Use Trump as Her Hero for School Project: Report A New York mother claims that her 11-year-old daughter was not allowed to use President Trump as her hero for a class assignment. Bella Moscato, a sixth-grader at the Samoset Middle School in Ronkonkoma, chose Trump as her choice for the hero project at school. But her teacher told her to pick another hero and said Trump spreads negativity and says bad stuff about women in front of another teacher and the class, News 12 Long Island reported. The mother says the school tried to silence her daughter. Posted by News 12 Long Island on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Valerie Moscato, Bellas mother, was outraged and told the news outlet that what the teacher did amounts to intimidation and censorship. This was really frustrating to me because, you know, my daughter has every right to pick a hero of her choice. Its first amendment right, freedom of speech, freedom of expression. So it was really upsetting to me that she was trying to shut her down, she said. In a document about the class assignment obtained by News 12 Long Island, Bella explained why she chose Trump as her hero when answering the question of What positive contribution has this person made to society? Donald Trump has helped millions of people by creating a great economy. He is fighting every day to protect the people from drugs crossing the border, she wrote. An 11-year-old girl named Bella Moscato was not allowed to have President Donald Trump as her hero for a class assignment. Teachers should do their jobs and teach students instead of pushing their political opinions on them. Thats called indoctrination#MAGAPhobia pic.twitter.com/1iwLbLDsSu Rafaello J. Carone (@raficarone_21) April 5, 2019 Bellas father, Arthur Moscato, turned on the school district board during a meeting. My daughters hero is the president of our country. I cant believe that anybody in the school would tell my daughter that that guy cant be her hero, he said as the audience burst into applause. It is not accurate that this student was told that they were not allowed to conduct research or report on any individual for a school assignment, including President Trump. To the best of our knowledge, by choice the student is still conducting their project on President Trump, Sachem Central School District Superintendent Kenneth Graham said in a statement after the incident. However, Arthur Moscato was not satisfied with Grahams statement and scolded Graham for not protecting his daughter. My story was said to be inaccurate by you. My story is not inaccurate. My daughter didnt lie. No one should make a child feel that way, and youre supposed to protect my child, he said in the school district board meeting. More parents need to stand up to the biggest bullies of them allLeftist educrats who try to intimidate conservatives into silence. No more! https://t.co/MDBVlaGrrY Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) April 6, 2019 Some Trump supporters were outraged by Bellas story. More parents need to stand up to the biggest bullies of them allLeftist educrats who try to intimidate conservatives into silence. No more! Laura Ingraham, a conservative television and radio talk show host, said in a Twitter post which got more than 12,500 likes and 5,000 retweets at the time of this publication. Ronkonkoma, about 50 miles from Manhattan, is located in Suffolk County, where the notorious MS-13 gang has been operating for decades. According to Newsday, 4 of the homicides that occurred in Suffolk County and neighboring Nassau County in 2018 appeared to be connected to MS-13, down from 14 in 2017. In the 2016 General Election, 350,570 people, 51.77 percent, voted for Donald Trump in Suffolk County while 303,951 people voted for Hillary Clinton. An undated photo of Charlie Logan, 7, who was asked to wear a high-visibility bib so teachers would know he is autistic, in London. (Joanne Logan/Crowd Justice) Mother Sues School for Asking Son to Wear a Bib to Show Hes Autistic A mother is waging a legal battle against a school in the United Kingdom that asked her son to wear a high-visibility bib to help teachers know he is autistic. Mother Joanne Logan will sue Cherry Lane Primary School in West Drayton, London, at the disability tribunal. Logan accuses the school of discriminating against her son Charlie, 7, for being autistic by requiring him to wear a bright yellow bib during break times in February, 2019. To everyone on my Facebook last yr as u know Charlie was made to wear a fluorescent bib in the playground. I was not aware of this and I was not told. After it hit the newspapers I brought the case to my solicitor. We have been fighting very hard at court against hillingdons legal team but as I am on limited legal aid & I am unable to get any more legal aid. I now need to raise fees myselfup to 10,000 in a very limited time!!The only way to do this is with the help of my solicitor and Crowdjustice. I do not get any financial gain, all money raised goes straight to my solicitor and any money left will go into another case or charity. The money is handled by Crowdjustice. The reasons I'm doing this:- Charlie was discriminated against, this should of never of happened. It singled him out and this is where discrimination and bullying starts This also helps other parents that are in the same situation. There is no financial gain, never has been. Schools need to change & so does the court system, tribunals rules are unclear.Tomorrow I'll be sharing a Crowdjustice page constantly. PLEASE share it or block me if u like as ur see it an awful lot!! This has been very stressful so please no nasty comments!! Posted by Joanne Logan on Thursday, March 28, 2019 She became furious after hearing Charlie complain about feeling uncomfortable about having to wear the bib at school. I was made to wear a yellow bib in the playground, and it felt really bad and it felt really wrong, and I didnt really want to because it was singling me out. No one else had one, he said in a YouTube video published on March 27. The mother was especially upset because she claims she was never informed by the school that Charlie was required to wear a bib. I didnt know anything about it until he told me. I went into the school and said what the hell is going onwhy is he wearing this bib? she told the Mirror. Charlie was being singled out in the playground. He was the only one wearing a biband thats how discrimination starts. Mum of boy made to wear bib so teachers know hes autistic takes legal actionhttps://t.co/gbJGRobnvL pic.twitter.com/DlDcRSB3ie Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) April 5, 2019 The schools management argues the mother already knew Charlie would have to wear the bib and other students also wear bibs in the playground for different reasons. However, Logan debates how clearly this information was relayed to her. She maintains she would not have consented, had she known exactly what this entailed. A spokesperson from the local Hillingdon Council confirmed that reflective vests are not compulsory wear for anyone and are only used with parental consent at that school. After Logan complained to the school, Charlie did not have to wear the vest anymore. The relationship with the school deteriorated so badly, she decided to move Charlie to another school. The plaintiff, who has five autistic children, two of whom are now adults, admits she cannot seek financial compensation and is taking legal action to win a landmark case so Charlie and other children will never have to stand out among their peers again. I just want to make sure that no other autistic child needs to be put through what we did and it needs to be challengedand, if this case is won, it could change that, Logan said. Mother-of-five sues her sons primary school after staff made the seven-year-old wear a hi-vis vest to show he was autistic https://t.co/aiPrhfeKSF Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) April 5, 2019 She revealed she is not the only concerned parent. I have had a lot of people say theyve had similar [experiences]. It can affect a child as they get olderthey realize theyre different, she said. They know all these things. They just want to be accepted we need to stop singling out our disabled kids. Simpson Millar lawyer Sarah Woosey is representing Logan and her family, and confirmed the dispute has been escalated to the Upper Tier Tribunal, which will decide whether the case can be heard. The lawyer lodged the claim slightly more than six months after the incident with Charlie happened. Rules state that any claim must be lodged within six months, except for when the deadline falls during the Christmas or school summer holidays. We are now fighting hard to ensure that this case is allowed to progress, as we feel strongly that it is important to secure justice on behalf of Charlie, as well as provide reassurance to the thousands of parents out there with children who have special educational needs that schools must treat children fairly and in accordance with the law, Woosey said. Since Logans application for publicly funded legal aid has been denied she has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help pay for legal expenses. Initially I will be raising 2,500 ($3,260) but I then need to go on and raise as much as possible because costs could run as high as 10,000 ($13,038), she said on her fundraising page. All funds will be transferred directly to my legal team and anything you can contribute will make a massive difference. If everyone on my Facebook Pledged 10 each Charlies case would make 4500. Please pledge as I'm not letting the Posted by Joanne Logan on Friday, March 29, 2019 Please help Charlie get Justice and pledge and share.. https://t.co/YRwttS0Nqq AutismAwareness (@Autismsupport2) March 29, 2019 The local council said the legal proceedings have not officially begun yet. There is no legal case against Hillingdon Council in relation to this or any disability discrimination, a spokesperson said. Ms. Logan has chosen to provide elective home education for her son. Logan is temporarily home-schooling Charlie until he secures a place in a specialist London school that caters specifically to autistic children. Since hes been out of school hes been such a good boy. Ive had no problems at home, she said. I just want him in the right place so hes happy. MSNBC Host, Presidential Candidate Share Post Falsely Claiming Trump Called Asylum Seekers Animals An MSNBC host, a CNN analyst, and a Democratic presidential candidate were among those sharing and commenting on a post that falsely claimed President Donald Trump called asylum seekers animals, a cycle of renewed disinformation about a clip from 2018. Chris Hayes of MSNBC retweeted a video clip of Trump talking about MS-13 gang members. But the clip was edited to make it appear as if he were talking about asylum seekers. Mark Elliott, with the nonprofit Economic Mobility Corp., originally shared the misleading video with the caption Trump on people asking for asylum These arent people. These are animals.' Judd Apatow, a famous movie director, shared Elliotts post, adding the caption, Nazi garbage. Hayes shared Apatows post without adding any context. Presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also shared the misleading video. Racist language like this has led to violence throughout the worlds history. No human being is an animal. We have to be better than this, she wrote. CNN analyst Ana Navarro was also among those falling for the edited clip, posting a picture of a Nicaraguan boy who she said was seeking asylum in the United States. His name is William. Trump calls him animal,' she wrote. The clip was taken from a video originally posted by C-Span on May 16, 2018. Trump made the comments during a roundtable on sanctuary cities and immigration laws. Trump was responding to a comment by Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims, who mentioned how she was being blocked by sanctuary laws from informing federal immigration officials about MS-13 gang members. In response, Trump said, We have people coming into the country, or trying to come inand were stopping a lot of thembut were taking people out of the country. You wouldnt believe how bad these people are. These arent people. These are animals. And were taking them out of the country at a level and at a rate thats never happened before. And because of the weak laws, they come in fast, we get them, we release them, we get them again, we bring them out. Its crazy. The dumbest lawsas I said before, the dumbest laws on immigration in the world. So were going to take care of it, Margaret. Well get it done, he added. C-Span featured a 51-second clip from the 54-minute video titled President Trump Calls Gang Members animals.' The website correctly noted that the president was actually referring to MS-13 gang members. During a roundtable with local California officials regarding sanctuary cities policies, President Trump says his administration is busy rounding up MS-13 gang members and deporting them. These arent people, he says. These are animals,' C-Span wrote. In May 2018, the comment was also framed incorrectly by a host of media outlets and Democratic officials. Others admitted he was talking about gang members but argued that even criminals shouldnt be referred to as animals. CBS News, for instance, shared the clip and didnt include context that the president was referring to a gripe from a sheriff about MS-13 gang members. ABC News framed the story by saying the president referred to some people who cross the border illegally as animals, not people.' The Associated Press was among the outlets that added corrections after the fact, deleting a tweet because it wasnt made clear he was speaking about MS-13. CNBC reporter John Harwood was among those defending the criminals, writing at the time, However repugnant their actions, MS-13 gang members are human beings. And Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), one of the Democratic leaders, also said that the president shouldnt have called gang members animals. Trump later hit back at Pelosi during a rally in August, telling supporters, These are evil people. This is a group of gang members. I cant say animals anymore because Nancy Pelosi got really angry when I called them animals. I called them animals. She went crazy. I cant do it. I cant call them animals, he continued, even though they have guns. But they dont like using guns because its not painful enough. They want to slice people up, young girls walking home from school, 16 years old, and they sliced them up. They died. From NTD News Newly elected congresswoman Ilhan Omar, speaks to a group of supporters at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Nov. 2, 2018. (Kerem Yucel/AFP/File photo via Getty Images) New York Man Charged With Threatening to Murder Rep. Ilhan Omar A 55-year-old man has been arrested and charged with threatening to assault and murder a member of Congress after he said hed shoot Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Prosecutors said that Patrick Carlineo Jr. of New York made a phone call on March 21 to Omars Washington office. During the call, speaking to a staff member, Carlineo allegedly said, Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, shes a [expletive] terrorist. Ill put a bullet in her [expletive] skull. Omar, an immigrant from Somalia, is one of the first Muslim women in Congress along with fellow first-term Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). According to a court filing by the Western District of New York against Carlineo, the accused identified himself during the call. Phone records obtained by officials indicated that Carlineo made the call from New York. Staff referred the threat to Capitol Police, who launched an investigation with assistance from the FBI. Carlineo was interviewed at his residence in Addison and asked if he knew why investigators were at his house. WEB EXTRA: Press release on FBI raid of house in Rathbone https://t.co/1YTFpGWP6z Michael Garay (@18NewsMichael) April 5, 2019 He said he did but denied threatening to shoot Omar. He said that he had said, If our forefathers were still alive theyd put a bullet in her head, according to the filing obtained by WROC. Investigators informed him that lying to the FBI was a crime and that they had a recording of the call. He then said that he was angry and couldnt remember exactly what he said. Carlineo had multiple guns inside his house. Prosecutors said that Carlineo appeared in court on April 5 and is being held pending a detention hearing on April 10. A mugshot for Carlineo was not made available. In a statement, Omar said, Im thankful to the authorities who are investigating this case and grateful no one was hurt. As a nation, we must confront the alarming rise in violent extremismand threats against religious minorities. Man Convicted of Threatening to Kill Obama, Waters A New York man was convicted by a jury of threatening to kill former President Barack Obama. Stephen Taubert, 61, made death threats against Obama and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), the Department of Justice said. The jury decision came on March 20 after a three-day trial. Taubert was convicted of threatening to kill a former President of the United States, transmitting a threat via interstate commerce, and threatening to murder a member of Congress with intent to impede, interfere with, or retaliate against a member of Congress during and because of her performance of official duties, the department said. Taubert on June 2, 2017, called the Washington office of then-Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and said that he was planning to travel to the nations capital to kill Obama at his house. Taubert also unleashed a slew of vile racial slurs against Obama. On July 20, 2018, Taubert called the Los Angeles district office of Waters and said that he would be at every event the Congresswoman attended. He said he planned to kill Waters and every member of her staff and again used a number of racial slurs. The evidence presented at the trial included a recorded interview in which Taubert admitted calling Waters office to terrorize her in retaliation for some of the public statements she made. He also used racist statements in the interview. Taubert, who is slated to be sentenced on July 24, faces up to 20 years in prison. From NTD News Nigerian Comedienne Helen Paul Dedicates PhD to Mom, Reveals Story of Her Birth The content is not available due to expiration. Nurses Bail Out Dad Arrested After Rushing His Choking Baby to the Hospital An Illinois father is grateful for the generosity a group of nurses showed after he was arrested for violating traffic laws while rushing his choking daughter to the hospital. I cant thank them enough, said the father, Darius Hinkle. Hinkle told Fox 2 Now that he was driving without a valid license and speeding on the way of the hospital to save his 1-year-old daughter, who had choked on a penny. Darius Hinkle said nurses from Touchette Regional Hospital bonded him out. Posted by Fox2Now on Thursday, April 4, 2019 The first thing on my mind was to get her to the hospital, Hinkle told the news station. He said a number of police officers from different agencies were trailing behind him on the way, and arrested him when he arrived. They told Hinkle he was going over 100 mph. When the 1-year-olds mother arrived at the police station to pay Hinkles bond, she saw a woman she didnt recognize. They learned that a group of nurses from Touchette Regional Hospital had put money in together to post bail to get the father out, reported the news station. Speeding Ticket for Rushing Pregnant Wife to Hospital In a similar case in 2017, a man was given a speeding ticket for rushing his wife to the hospital after she went into labor. When Abraham Steinfelds wife went into labor, he loaded them into the Toyota and headed for Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, reported The Lakewood Scoop. He said he was first driving calmly, but when his wife could feel the birth was getting closer he sped up. I became quite frantic, so I automatically picked up speed, without realizing I was going way over the speed limit, he told the news website. That was when a Howell Police Officer spotted the minivan. Officer Anthony Marotto soon pulled Steinfeld over and approached the couple. My wifes in advanced labor, Steinfeld said. Officer Marotto went through a routine traffic stop, getting the drivers license and registration, then asking him to sit tight for a few minutes. You know you were doing almost 80 miles an hour, right? Steinfeld said he pleaded with him to please make it fast as we are in an emergency, but he answered curtly, Sit tight. Officer Marotto returned to his patrol car to run the license and registration. This process took almost ten minutes. Halfway through the process, Steinfelds wife reached a critical point. My wifes water just broke, Steinfeld told the officer. Marotto then asked, Do you want me to have an ambulance come out here? The couple declined but instead asked the officer to escort them to the hospital. No, we dont do that. Thats what ambulances are for. Thats why youre not supposed to be driving that fast, Marotto replied. The officer offered to call the ambulance again. According to App, the made four offers to call the ambulance. Eventually, the officer handed Steinfeld a speeding ticket for driving 78 mph in a 50-mph zone and sent them on their way but not before reminding them to slow down. Listenslow down because if you have an accident, you wont get to the hospitalespecially tonight theres a lot of deer out tonight, okay? Marotto said. The case attracted a debate on social media with users arguing for Steinfeld or defending Marottos considerations for safety. The Howell Police Department issued a statement saying, Both the operator of the vehicle, his pregnant wife and the officer were calm, respectful and courteous to one another. We commend them [the Steinfelds] for their respectful demeanor under the circumstances. However, the officer acted appropriately, and any suggestion that the officers conduct was improper, unprofessional or inhumane simply contradicts the video evidence. We are happy to hear the occupants arrived safely at the hospital and had a successful delivery. We wish them the best. The Epoch Times reporter Chris Jarusek contributed to this report. NY Judge Rules Against Rockland Countys State of Emergency Over Measles A judge has ruled on behalf of several dozen parents who went to court over an emergency order declared last week by New Yorks Rockland County that banned unvaccinated children from public places. The New York Supreme Court ruled on late April 5 on the countys executive order, which aimed to help stop a measles outbreak that has sickened 160 people since last October, reported ABC7 Rockland Countys order was for 30 days and banned people under the age of 18 who are not vaccinated against measles from schools, stores, churches, or public transportation, said the report. Judge rules against Rockland Countys state of emergency over measles outbreak https://t.co/cTszT7s9e1 pic.twitter.com/5hdxxc2X7c Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) April 5, 2019 The suit was filed on behalf of parents at Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, and their lawyer said the order was arbitrary and capricious. The state Supreme Court judge granted a temporary injunction, ending the state of emergency. While todays ruling by Judge Thorsen did not go as we had expected I want to commend those here in Rockland who have used this State of Emergency, said Rockland County Executive Ed Day in a statement. What has not changed is our message of urgency. While the court may not agree with our action in this case, the disease continues unabated. One would think that seeing 42 exposures at a local hospital would garner the attention and judicial support it warrants and it is my view that waiting for a medical catastrophe is ill advised, particularly given the fact that we can see it coming, he said. The uptick we predicted when we enacted our Declaration of Emergency unfortunately has come to pass with 167 cases and counting. Our Department of Health will continue doing everything possible to stem the tide of this outbreak. Michael Sussman, attorney for the parents, said the declaration is an improper vehicle for an over-broad order of this sort, LoHud reported. We expect all schools in the county, where children who have religious exemptions and have been barred will be returned to school so they can continue their education, Sussman said on Friday afternoon. Whats significant is the overreach involved, the indefensibility of it, he said earlier in the week. How Many Cases Are There? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an update on the number of measles cases in recent months in the United States. The agency reported 387 cases across the country from Jan. 1 to late March. States that have reported cases of the virus are Washington, Texas, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Missouri, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Connecticut, according to the agency in a bulletin on March 28. In comparison, there were 372 cases of measles for all of 2018, the agency noted. And in 2017, there were 120 cases, while in 2016, there were 86 cases. In recent years, the most outbreaks in a single year occurred in 2014 when 667 cases of measles were confirmed, the agency said. These outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring, the health agency said, adding, Measles is still common in many parts of the world including some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. The CDC noted that the virus can also spread in areas of the United States where groups of people are not vaccinated. Meanwhile, the CDC defines an outbreak as three or more cases in an area. Outbreaks have been noted in Rockland County, New York; New York City; Washington state; Santa Cruz County, California; New Jersey; and Butte County, California. Every state, Washington, and Puerto Rico have their own vaccine requirements to attend public school. As of July 18, 2018, all 50 states and [Washington] DC require vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; polio; measles and rubella (49 states and DC also require mumps vaccination); and the varicella (chickenpox) vaccination, according to ProCon.org. Meanwhile, state legislators have proposed bills that would modify vaccine provisions and exemption rules, including SB-584 , introduced in Washington State, and SB-276 , introduced in California. Both would further limit students choice of refusing vaccines. Premature Baby Makes Miracle Recovery After Mother Refuses to Switch off Ventilator A British mother who had once agreed to switch off the ventilator keeping her premature baby boy alive is now getting ready to bring her miracle home for the first time. Kirsty Byass, 28, had painstakingly prepared her other two children and picked out special clothes for her son Jordie-Jay, before they headed to the hospital to say their final goodbyes to the tiny baby. Jordie-Jay was born on Nov. 20, at 24 weeks, weighing just 1lbs 7oz, and initially fared well. But later he developed premature lung disease, and when he took a turn for the worse, doctors and consultants admitted defeat and advised Byass to turn off the ventilator. He just wasnt getting any better, the doctors kept putting me into a room and telling me theres nothing else they can do for him, she told Teeside Live. But when the moment came, she didnt have the heart to go through with it. She said she had made the nurses wait until the whole family was gathered. I wasnt letting them remove his tube till tea time to take a family photo shoot, she told Teeside Live. My kids were heartbroken, the nurses said they had to take time out the room because it was heart-wrenching watching my boys so broken. Then I couldnt do it, she said. This little fighter weighed just 1lb 7oz when he was born and his outlook was beyond bleak.This is a tale of sheer strength from such a tiny soul Posted by Teesside Live on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 I rang hospitals over the over side of the country, I asked for a second opinion, we researched things that could help him, I even asked them to use him as a guinea pig if it would save his life. Then came what Byass believes was a miracle. After Jordie-Jay was moved to end of life care, he suddenly had a turnaround. According to Teeside Live, he began to make remarkable progress, with one nurse said she had never seen such a recovery. Now, Byass has been told that she will soon be bringing Jordie-Jay home for the first time. He now weights 8lbs 2oz. Byass, cleaner who lives in Teeside in the north of England wrote on Facebook, I told the doctors: You are not God.' I was rightI put my faith in Gods hands. I prayed and prayed. Byass said that although the doctors arent always right, she still knows her son owes his life to their care. I want to say thank you to the hospital staff. Its because of them that hes here today. In February a Japanese boy became the smallest surviving baby boy in the world, heading home from the hospital where he had been born weighing just 9.45 ounces. The baby, who hasnt been named in reports, was delivered through Caesarean-section last August after he failed to gain weight during pregnancy and doctors feared his life was in danger after his 24-week scan. According to Keio University hospital, he was in intensive care until he reached 7 pounds, and he was then sent home on Feb. 20. I am grateful that he has grown this big because, honestly, I wasnt sure he could survive, the boys mother told Reuters. Raphaels Masterpiece Is Restored The School of Athens cartoon is again on view in Milan Remarkably, one of the most recognizable works of art of the High Renaissance survives on two huge pieces of cardboard, comprising 210 sheets of paper in total. At 9 feet, 4 inches by 26 feet, 4 1/2 inches, the cartoon or preparatory drawing for Raphaels School of Athens was publicly unveiled on March 27, 2019, at the Ambrosiana Gallery in Milan, Italy, after four years of restoration. Philosophy is the proper title for the School of Athens fresco. It was one of four frescoes commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508 for the Room of the Segnatura in the Vatican, which the pontiff used as his library and private study. The three other frescoes depict Theology (Disputation of the Holy Sacrament), Jurisprudence (The Virtues), and Poetry (Parnassus). The restored Philosophy cartoon can now be viewed in the exhibition Il Raffaello dellAmbrosiana. In principio il Cartone (Raphael of the Ambrosiana. The Original Cartoon.) On April 6, the 499th anniversary of Raphaels death, visitors at the Ambrosiana Gallery can view the astonishing cartoon for free. The cartoon underwent extensive study in 2014 by the Venerable Ambrosiana Library, through the Cardinal Federico Borromeo Foundation, which led to its conservative restoration coordinated by a prestigious Scientific Committee. The restoration was directed and coordinated by Dr. Maurizio Michelozzi. Not only has the actual artwork been restored, but the gallery space has also been redesigned and the cartoon frame remade. Visitors can now get closer to the artwork, with just a piece of glass separating them from the delicate marks made by the hand of Raphael. Whats wonderful about this particular piece of art is that not only is it completely hand-drawn by Raphael alone, a rarity in itself, but it is not a typical cartoon. Usually, a cartoon, derived from the Italian word cartone meaning paper, is a detailed preparatory drawing used to transfer an image in order to paint a fresco or make a tapestry. A cartoon would have been transferred to a surface by applying a series of small pinpricks to it and then using charcoal or chalk to dab over the holes. Or chalk or charcoal could have been applied to the underside of the cartoon and a stylus used to indent or imprint the design onto the surface. It makes sense then that, invariably, cartoons are not always in good conditionif they survive at all. This transfer process did not happen to this cartoon. It was only ever meant to show the complete design to the pope. A Whos Who in Philosophy In the center of the scene stand two men: Plato on the left stands next to his student Aristotle. The two men are pivotal to the scene. Each represents a different set of philosophical ideals, and each man holds one of his works in his left hand. Plato holds his Timaeus, and Aristotle holds his Nicomachean Ethics. Raphael cleverly points Platos finger up to the heavens, a nod to the fact that Plato believed the true world to be in the spiritual realm. Raphael has placed Aristotles hand parallel to the earth while at the same time reaching out to the viewer, as if to connect with the material. This pose equates to Aristotles belief that life needed to be experienced in order to gain evidence, understanding, and knowledge. High on the walls depicted in the School of Athens, two statues stand in the niches on either side of the central figures. A statue of Apollo is at Platos right side, and Athena is on Aristotles left. Apollo, the god of light, truth, the sun, healing, prophecy, and poetry, holds his lyre, showing that he is also the god of music. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, commerce, war, medicine, handicrafts, poetry, and the arts in general. Figures on the left of the painting lean toward Platos school, and those to the right of the painting represent Aristotles thinking. Socrates can be seen in profile to the direct left of Plato. His distinctive features align with his busts from antiquity. In the cartoon, he can be seen reasoning with those students around him, just as he would have done when he taught Plato. Further down on the same side, Pythagoras is sitting hunched over a book, immersed in writing, as a small crowd gathers round to listen. All seem eager not to miss a word. Not all of the philosophers could have been copied from antique art, nor would they have been as recognizable as Socrates. Experts agree that some of the philosophers faces that Raphael drew in Philosophy are represented by his friends and contemporaries in the arts. Look to the right side of the painting, directly in line with Pythagoras, and there is the mathematician Euclid, the founder of geometry. Hes hunched over a slate, measuring or demonstrating a diagram with a compass. His face is actually that of Donato Bramante, a friend of Raphaels and the architect who created the High Renaissance style of architecture. Bramante would have used mathematics to draft his designs. Most of the figures are communing in small groups, in what seem like fascinating debates and dialogues. There are a few notable exceptions. One is Hypatia, the female figure in the group around Pythagoras. She stares out into the viewers space. The Glorious Raphael Pope Julius II was so impressed with the completed Philosophy fresco in the Room of the Segnatura that he ordered all work by other masters to be destroyed so Raphael could create anew, said the artist and art historian Giorgio Vasari in his second edition of The Lives of the Most Excellent Architects, Painters, and Sculptors. Vasari added that the pope wanted Raphael alone to have the glory of replacing what had been done. Vasari echoed the popes praise, but from an artists point of view. He greatly admired the thought process behind such a complex composition, where small details were meticulously executed, and the many figures were delicately and finely finished. Vasari recognized Raphaels determination to hold the field, without a rival, against all who wielded the brush. To find out more about Raphaels cartoon visit Ambrosiana.it/en/ Christian, a worker with NY/NJ Baykeeper, holds a blue crab while working with students, workers and volunteers associated with NY/NJ Baykeeper, as they collect marine life data in the waters near Soundview Park in N.Y. on July 18, 2018. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images) Recreational Crabbing Season Underway in Maryland The recreational crabbing season in Maryland is officially underway as of April 1, where steamed crab is a summer traditional meal enjoyed for generations. In the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, coastal bays and their tributaries the crabbing season runs from April 1 to Dec. 15. Recreational crabbing can be preformed in a variety of ways and done with or without a license, depending on the equipment and location. Regulations According to the Maryland Fishing and Crabbing regulations website, anyone that fishes for crabs with handline or dip nets does not need a license. However, these crabbers are obligated to obey the unlicensed crabber limits. Limits of no more than 24 male hard crabs and no more than 12 soft crabs or male peeler crabs, says the states regulations website. For those crabbing from waterfront properties, annual registration is required but is free of charge, according to the regulations. An owner, lessee, or tenant of a private shoreline property may use a maximum of two crab pots, regardless of the number of owners or lessees of the property, and must be annually registered with the department. The registration is free and it does NOT count as a recreational crabbing license. Crab Pots Recreational crab pots are required to have turtle excluders to prevent small turtles from entering the traps and drowning. Instructions on how to build your own turtle excluders can be found on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) government website. According to the DNR website, crab pots must be marked with the owners name and address or DNR identification number. A license is not needed to use properly registered crab pots; however, you are limited to the unlicensed crabber limits, says the DNR website. Limits For registered crab pots, the limit on Blue Crabs in the Atlantic is one bushel per person, with a maximum of two bushels per boat. There is a minimum size for crabs listed in the regulations, depending on the type of crab. Atlantic crabbing continues until Dec. 30. In the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries the limit is two dozen male hard crabs and one dozen male peeler and/or soft crabs for an unlicensed individual crabbing from shore, an unlicensed boat, or from waterfront crab pots. A licensed individual is allowed one bushel of male hard crabs and two dozen male peeler and/or soft crabs. Marylands Recreational Crabbing Season Begins April 1. Maryland Tradition Springs to Life. https://t.co/RiXeu1faF3 pic.twitter.com/xZmVMs3xFK Maryland DNR (@MarylandDNR) March 31, 2019 Anyone who uses a trotline, seines, net rings, eel pots for bait, or collapsible crab traps needs to have a Maryland recreational crabbing license. Recreational crabbers are prohibited from possessing female hard or peeler crabs, egg-bearing sponge crabs, and from selling crabs. The price of a license ranges from $2 to $15 dollars. Smolletts Lawyer Warns Chicago Not to Sue Empire Actor CHICAGOAn attorney for Jussie Smollett has written a letter warning that if Chicago follows through on its vow to sue the Empire actor for the cost of the investigation into his claim that he was attacked, hell demand sworn testimony from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the police chief, and others. In a letter dated April 4the same day the city announced that it was drafting a lawsuit for $130,106celebrity defense attorney Mark Geragos wrote that Smollett will not be intimidated by what he calls threats that were made maliciously. The threatened lawsuit and stern response mark the latest chapter in a story that has taken a number of strange twists since Smollett first reported in January that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two masked men in downtown Chicago. And it is the clearest indication yet thatdespite the prosecutors stunning announcement last month that they were dropping the 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct against the actorthe saga is far from over. An attorney for Jussie Smollett has written a letter warning that if Chicago follows through on its vow to sue the Empire actor for the cost of the investigation into his claim that he was attacked, hell demand sworn testimony https://t.co/JqIeqENyBK Detroit News: Nation (@dn_nation_world) April 5, 2019 The city, which still adamantly contends that Smollett concocted the story and paid two brothers to stage the attack, said the lawsuit will be filed in the near future if Smollett doesnt pay for the hours of work detectives spent chasing down leads, collecting surveillance video and talking to potential witnesses. But Smollett just as adamantly denies the allegations and Geragos letter doubles down on that denial, saying the claim that Smollett filed a false police report and orchestrated his own attack is false and defamatory. Geragos also said he will demand sworn depositions from the two brothers who told police that Smollett paid them to stage the attack, as well as their attorney and their attorneys husband. He said he will also demand all the paperwork generated in the investigation. The letter, first obtained by the Chicago Tribune, was distributed Friday morning to the Associated Press and other media organizations by the citys law department. The department did not immediately comment on the contents of the letter. A legal battle between Smollett and the city could answer the question observers in the city and around the country have been asking for the last several days: Why did Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxxs office, without explanation and without telling the police they were about to do so, dismiss the charges after securing a 16-count grand jury indictment and despite their contention that Smollett had, in fact, orchestrated the attack? Jussie Smolletts lawyer warns Chicago not to sue the #Empire actor https://t.co/wBuPHBkkAv pic.twitter.com/T5123CDMgg Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 5, 2019 A judge has sealed the court file at the request of Smolletts attorneys, and has said he will announce next month his decision on whether to unseal the file at the request of several media organizations, including The Associated Press. Given that the case was active only a matter of weeks, that file is likely very slim. But the investigative file could contain information such as texts between Smollett and the brothers that would reveal exactly why what started as a possible hate crime investigation against the black and openly gay actor turned into a criminal investigation of him. Jussie Smolletts lawyer warns Chicago not to sue Empire actor https://t.co/URakv5uTPO pic.twitter.com/neo70MEdFU NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) April 5, 2019 It would also bring renewed attention to Foxx, whose office dismissed the charges after she recused herself from the case because of communications between her and a relative of Smollett. Foxx has come under intense criticism for her handling of the case, as well as the investigation that led to sexual abuse charges against R&B star R. Kelly. This week more than two dozen suburban Chicago police chiefs joined the president of the Chicago police union in demanding that Foxx resign. By Don Babwin Domeanna Spell, 15, left, ran away with Corey Shane Disotell, 47, after getting off of her school bus on March 28, 2019. (Port Barre Police Department) Teen Girl Found Safe Over 1,000 Miles From Home With 47-Year Old Man A teenager who vanished after getting off of her school bus was found safe more than 1,000 miles away from her home in Louisiana. Domeanna Spell, 15, ran away with Corey Shane Disotell, 47, who was described as a family friend, relatives said. The pair were spotted together on March 28 around 7 a.m. after Domeanna ran to his car after getting off the bus at her high school. Domeannas sister Jerrie Cradeur said that Disotell brainwash[ed] the teen, calling him manipulative. Authorities announced on April 5 that Domeanna was located in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, about 1,165 miles from her home. We would like to praise the hard work and dedication of the men and women representing the Port Barre Police Department, St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office, the Louisiana State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the numerous local, state, and federal agencies across the United States who were committed to safely locating Miss Spell, Eric Rommal, special agent in charge of the FBIs New Orleans office, said in a statement. Additionally the public and the media are to be commended for providing credible tips to the authorities and repeatedly reporting on Miss Spells story. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies was remarkable. The success of rescuing Miss Spell is a blessing. The FBI joined the search in April and digital billboards were put up across several states. Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux said that the FBI called him to let him know the girl was found safe. He said that Disotell was also found, reported KATC. The man was arrested and faces both state and federal charges. He wanted to marry her Cradeur, Domeannas sister, said that the girl was manipulated by Disotell, whose name was spelled in some reports as Disotel. I do believe he did brainwash her. It was told to me that he is manipulative and he would have done it, Cradeur told KATC. He probably has her believing that shes safe with him and that shes madly in love with him, Cradeur added, noting that Disotell is a family friend who became close with her and Domeannas parents. Domeanna started babysitting for his granddaughter, and come to find out there was no granddaughter there for her to be babysitting, Cradeur said. Cradeur told Inside Edition that Disotel was in love with my sister. He wanted to marry her, she added. The family of missing Port Barre teen Domeanna Spell say they will continue fighting to bring her home. https://t.co/J2kbKh121T KATC TV3 (@KATCTV3) April 2, 2019 Missing Children Missing children typically fall into five categories: kidnapped by a family member, abducted by a non-family perpetrator, runaways, those who got lost, stranded, or injured, or those who went missing due to benign reasons, such as misunderstandings, according to the report. Department of Justice researchers said in a report (pdf) published in 2016 that an estimated 105 children nationwide were victims of stereotypical kidnappings, a number that was virtually the same as 1997. Most kidnappings involved the use of force or threats, and about three in five victims were sexually assaulted, abused, or exploited, the researchers said. Stereotypical kidnappings are defined as abductions in which a slight acquaintance or stranger moves a child at least 20 feet or holds the child at least 1 hour. Most victims were girls aged 12 to 17 and most perpetrators were men aged 18 to 35. Most kidnappings are done by people who know the victims. According to the Polly Klaas Foundation, approximately 200,000 children are kidnapped each year by a family member. Child custody experts say that people kidnap their own children to force a reconciliation or continued interaction with the other parent; to spite or punish the other parent; or from fear of losing custody or visitation rights. In rare cases, the kidnapping may occur to protect a child from a parent who is believed to be abusing the child. Common warning signs include the other parent threatening abduction, suspected abuse, or paranoid delusion. Texas Mother Sentenced to 6 Years for Selling Son to Pay Off Drug Debt A Texas mother is facing six years behind bars after she admitting to selling her 7-year-old son to pay off a drug debt. Many people are outraged at the length of the sentence. Esmerelda Garza took a plea deal on April 5, reported KRISTV, admitting to three counts of sale of a child, one count of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to sell a child. Investigators discovered her 7-year-old son at a home in Corpus Christi last June while executing a drug warrant, reported USA Today. They later discovered he had been sold for $2,500 by Garza who also planned to sell two more of her children, all to pay off a drug debt. According to KRISTV, she was sentenced to six years for each count of sale of a child, to two years for money laundering, and to two more for conspiracy to sell a child. However, the judge ruled that the sentences will be served concurrently, meaning a total jail time of only six years. She was charged with three different counts of sale or purchase of a child, Assistant District Attorney Jenny Dorsey said, according to KIITV. Those are third-degree felonies, and then there was a fourth count for money laundering, and a fifth count for conspiracy to commit sale or purchase of a child. Those are two state jail felonies. She was sentenced to six years in TDC, in prison, and the companion state jail counts, First Assistant District Attorney Matt Manning said. She was sentenced to the maximum, which is two years in state jail. Its very important to us that we send a very clear and unequivocal message: If you hurt children or have the audacity to sell a child, were going to do all we can to hold you accountable and put you in prison where you belong. However, according to local reports, Garza may not have to serve the full six years as she will become eligible for parole earlier. But for many members of the public, even the full six years is not enough, with many social media users outraged by the sentence. A Corpus Christi mother is headed to prison after pleading guilty to trying to sell her son to repay a drug debt. Posted by KRIS 6 News on Friday, April 5, 2019 Six years huh? How is that justice? Sell your child and get 6 years. Sell dope and get 20. She should get at least 20 years, wrote one. Another wrote, Such a weak justice system!! Its a shameful day when you can sale your child to pay a drug debt and ONLY get 6 yrs!! Thats NOT JUSTICE! Chinese 19-Year-Old Sold Daughter to Buy iPhone and Motorbike In 2016, a Chinese teenager was reported to have turned himself in a year after selling his newborn daughter to buy an iPhone and a motorbike. A Duan, as he was identified in news reports, sold his 18-day-old daughter to a stranger in 2015 receiving 23,000 yuan (about $3,520) after bargaining, according to the Xiamen Daily News. The events took place in the city of Tongan, in the eastern coastal province of Fujian. The biological mother, Xiao Mei (a pseudonym), worked temporary jobs and was below the age of consent when they conceived the child. A Duan, who had not completed high school, spent most of his time in Internet cafes. Once A Duan discovered he could sell the baby, he elected to do sowithout the mothers consent. He found a buyer on QQ, a popular online social media platform, who purchased the child for his sister. Soon after the baby was sold, the distraught mother left the city. Xiao Mei was eventually tracked down by police and arrested. I myself was adopted, and many people in my hometown send their kids to other people to raise them, she said, according to reports. I really didnt know that it was illegal. The judge reduced their penalties, taking their difficult circumstances into account, and because the offender had turned himself in: A Duan was sentenced to three years, while Xiao Mei was given a suspended sentence of two-and-a-half years. She was reportedly helping raise her younger brother in middle school and taking care of her parents, who suffer disabilities. Epoch Times reporter Juliet Song contributed to this article. President Donald Trump waves as he disembarks from Air Force One upon arrival at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nev., late on April 5, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Trumps Lawyer Slams Democrats Request for Presidents Tax Returns President Donald Trumps attorney criticized the Democratic chairman of a powerful House committee on April 5 for requesting the commander-in-chiefs tax returns. In a letter (pdf) to the legal counsel of the Treasury Department, William Consovoy, the presidents attorney, outlined the legal groundwork for why it would be a crime to comply with the request and detailed a battery of court precedents protecting Trumps right to keep his tax returns private. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) formally requested Trumps tax returns on April 3. Neal cited a provision in the tax code that empowers the chairman of the Ways and Means committee to request a presidents tax returns. Addressing Brent McIntosh, the general counsel of the Treasury Department, Consovoy wrote that Neals request for the tax returns flouts fundamental constitutional constraints, is driven by an intent to score political points, and would set a dangerous precedent if complied with. Ways and Means has no legitimate committee purpose for requesting the presidents tax returns or return information, Consovoy wrote. His request is a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from the other party because they dislike his politics and speech. Trump said he believes the law is 100 percent on his side when asked about Neals request. Republicans also lambasted the request and warned about using confidential tax documents as a political weapon. Illegitimate Purpose In his request to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Neal reasoned that his committee must have the tax returns in order to examine how the agency audits presidents. The rationale is required by law, since the committee can only request the tax returns if it has a legitimate legislative purpose. Consovoy questioned the honesty of Neals purported intent, asking why the chairman would request tax returns for four years prior to Trumps becoming president, why Neal didnt request tax returns for a past president, and why the chairman didnt simply ask the IRS to disclose its policy for auditing presidents. The answer, of course, is that Chairman Neals request is not about examining IRS policy. It is about scoring political points against President Trump, Consovoy wrote. Partisan Request Consovoy pointed out that the Democrats have been pushing for the release of Trumps taxes since the 2016 election. The presidents attorney also noted that Neal filed the request days after prominent Democratic constituents publicly called on lawmakers to push for Trumps returns. Anticipating a protracted legal fight, Neal cautioned fellow Democrats to tamp down their rhetoric about obtaining the tax returns asking to approach the matter gingerly and make sure the rhetoric that is used does not become a footnote to the court case. Consovoy suggests that Neals warning is evidence that he drafted a request that concealed his partys motive: unconstitutional retaliation against the president. If politics motivated the request, releasing Trumps tax returns would violate the presidents First Amendment right to free speech since the government would be fulfilling a request motivated by a desire to punish Trump for his speech and politics, Consovoy argues. Dangerous Precedent According to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, there is no known precedent for the IRS complying with a request to release an officials tax returns. Consovoy warns that complying with Neals request would set a dangerous precedent. It would be a gross abuse of power for the majority party to use tax returns as a weapon to attack, harass, and intimidate their political opponents, he wrote. The release could result in a tit-for-tat because the president has even more power to request tax returns. According to Roll Call, some 90 percent of Democrats didnt release their tax returns when asked to in 2017, including Neal himself. If Neals succeeds at getting the presidents returns, doing the same to officials lower down the chain of command would be even easier, Consovoy cautioned. Once this Pandoras box is opened, the ensuing tit-for-tat will do lasting damage to our nation. Can the Chairman request the returns of his primary opponents? His general-election opponents? Judges who are hearing his case? The potential abuses would not be limited to Congress, as the President has even greater authority than Congress to obtain individuals tax returns, the attorney wrote. Next Steps The presidents lawyer asked the IRS to hold back on acting on the request until the Department of Justice issues a legal opinion on the matter. Consovoy also encouraged caution and deliberation with the request, because the tax code includes protections that safeguard not just the President, but all Americans. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol as he tours the border wall between the United States and Mexico in Calexico, California on April 5, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Trump Threatens Financial Penalties on Mexico for Illegal Drugs, Migration WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump said he was considering financial penalties on Mexico for the drugs that come into the United States through the border, a common route for drugs manufactured in China. Im looking at an economic penalty for all of the drugs that are coming in through the southern border and killing our people, he told reporters in Washington on his way to see the border on April 5. He also said he was considering putting a 25 percent tariff on vehicles from Mexico if the country didnt do more to stem the mass migration from Central America. Although the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, better known as USMCA, would, if passed by Congress, prohibit tariffs on cars, Trump said that these tariffs would supersede the USMCA. In February, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded over 76,100 people who attempted to cross the southwest border at and between ports of entry in February. Thats compared to 36,751 in February of 2018 and 23,557 in February of 2017. As of March 5, CBP saw a 300 percent increase in family units, which have an easier time being released into the United States because of laws preventing children from being deported or turned away at the border. ????Happening Now: President @realDonaldTrump at the Southern Border with the great men and women who protect our country 24/7/365! THANK YOU!!! pic.twitter.com/QpKThTWwEZ Dan Scavino Jr.???????? (@Scavino45) April 5, 2019 The majority of the migrants are from the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, which means they mostly travel through Mexico to get to the United States. A week earlier, Trump said he was considering shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border to deal with the influx, a move he has contemplated in the past. Now he says he prefers to try tariffs first, but hasnt ruled out shutting down the border if need be. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Mexico has been apprehending as many as 1,000 migrants a day and removing 700 of them, which is double the levels of just a week ago. Trump said he was pleased with the steps Mexico has been taking to stop the flow. Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days, he said. If they apprehend people at their southern border, where they dont have to walk through, thats a big home run. We can handle it from there. Later in the day, Trump attended a roundtable with law enforcement on the border in Calexico, part of Californias El Centro border sector, then toured a 30-foot tall, 2.25 mile-long steel-slat barrier that was finished last October. The 70-mile sector has 58 miles of border barrier, but is badly in need of more, and what they have needs updating, Gloria Chavez, the chief patrol agent of the El Centro Sector, told Trump. Our resources are extremely strained, she said. We are not prepared to deal with the amount of peoplefamily units and children and now organized caravans that are coming across this border today. The new barrier, however, has helped already. Since it was erected, illegal entries have gone down by 75 percent, arrests by 86 percent, and use of force by 65 percent, she said. Across the entire U.S.-Mexico border, 82 miles of border barrier has been erected this year, and another 97 miles will be completed by the end of the year, Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, the chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. He estimated that another 277 miles will be completed next year, for a total of 450 miles by December 2020. Trump also heard from Sheriff Dave Robinson of Kings County, California, who was representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the roundtable. America is facing an unprecedented crisis at the border, he said. The sheer volume of family units crossing the border has overwhelmed ICEs limited resources. Due to the lack of space in detention facilities, 126,000 illegal aliens were released into the United States since the end of last year, he said. When your system is packed, when you cannot get another person in, when every one of your detention areas is teeming, and you have to let people go into a country, they cant take them, Trump told Sheriff Robinson, referring to ICE. They go back to Mexico, and Mexico will bring them back to their country. From NTD News. Fernando Marez-Carreas is accused of assaulting the mother of his children and threatened to kill one of them before abducting them. (St. Charles Police Department) Two Missing Missouri Children Found Safe but Father Still at Large Two missing Missouri children who were abducted by their father, triggering an Amber Alert, have been found safe, authorities said. The St. Charles Police Department issued the alert on April 5 for Fernando Marez, 3, and Alexia Marez, 1. Police said they were abducted by Fernando Marez-Carreas, 24. Marez-Carreas assaulted the mother of the children and threatened to kill one of them before leaving the city with another Hispanic man and woman. Later on Friday, the children were found safe in Fairmont City, Illinois, after being dropped off at the citys police station by an unknown woman. UPDATE: Fernando Marez and Alexia Marez have been located in Fairmount City, IL. We are in the process of reuniting the Posted by St. Charles Police Department on Friday, April 5, 2019 We dont know at this point what her relationship is to him, the father or the mother, St. Charles Police Lt. Tom Wilkison told Fox 2. The children were being reunited with their mother. Officers were still searching for Marez-Carreas, who was described as standing 57, wearing a blue T-shirt, black vest, dark blue jeans, and Champion shoes. He has tattoos of the childrens names on his arms and was driving a tan, 4-door SUV with a Missouri or Illinois license plate that includes the sequence E15. This investigation is very much ongoing, we certainly want to talk about the incident that transpired today and find out everything that happened, Lt. Wilkison told Fox 2. Right now everyone has an overwhelming sense of relief that the kids were found so quickly and they are unharmed thats the main thing they are okay. Parental Kidnapping According to the Polly Klaas Foundation, approximately 200,000 children are kidnapped each year by a family member. Child custody experts say that people kidnap their own children to force a reconciliation or continued interaction with the other, left-behind parent; to spite or punish the other parent; or from fear of losing custody or visitation rights. In rare cases, the kidnapping may occur to protect a child from a parent who is believed to be abusing the child. Common warnings signs include the other parent threatening abduction, suspected abuse, or paranoid delusion. Kidnapping The number of reported missing children significantly decreased in recent years, according to a report by the Department of Justice (pdf) in 2017. Reported missing children dropped from 6.5 per 1,000 children in 1999 to 3.1 per 1,000 in 2013. Missing children typically fall into five categories: kidnapped by a family member, abducted by a nonfamily perpetrator, runaways, those who got lost, stranded, or injured, or those who went missing due to benign reasons, such as misunderstandings, according to the report. Department of Justice researchers said in a separate report (pdf) published in 2016 that there were an estimated 105 children nationwide that were victims of stereotypical kidnappings, a number that was virtually the same as 1997. Most kidnappings involved the use of force or threats, and about three in five victims were sexually assaulted, abused, or exploited, the researchers said. Stereotypical kidnappings are defined as abductions in which a slight acquaintance or stranger moves a child at least 20 feet or holds the child at least 1 hour. Most victims were girls aged 12 to 17 and most perpetrators were men aged 18 to 35. From NTD News Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with government officials the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on Aug. 4, 2018. (Miraflores Palace/Handout via Reuters) US Adds Oil-Sector Firms, Ships to Venezuela Sanctions List WASHINGTONThe United States on Friday, April 5, added two companies involved in shipping oil from Venezuela to Cuba, along with nearly three dozen ships, to a financial sanctions list aimed at increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down and turn over power to the opposition. A Treasury Department statement announcing the designation identified one of the companies as Ballito Bay Shipping Inc., based in Monrovia, Liberia. It is the registered owner of the Despina Andrianna, which has been used in recent weeks to ship Venezuelan crude to Cuba. The other company is ProPer Management Inc., which is based in Greece and is the operator of the Despina Andrianna, the Treasury said. Cuba is a major importer of crude oil from Venezuela and, in exchange, sends political advisers, intelligence and military officials and medical professionals who help the Maduro government stay in power, the Treasury said. The Treasurys action prohibits any U.S. citizen or entity from transactions involving the companies, which is intended to reduce their access to the global financial system. The Treasury also listed 34 ships that it said are assets of the Venezuelan state-owned oil company known by its initials as PdVSA. The United States and about 50 other countries say Maduros re-election last year was not legitimate and have recognized the head of the National Assembly as the interim president of Venezuela. The United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry in January to cut off the governments most important source of revenue. 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/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool, File) US Wont Seek Death Penalty After Boy Found Dead at Compound ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.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. The case is scheduled to go to trial next year #fox5atl https://t.co/rArL74Z8aQ FOX 5 Atlanta (@FOX5Atlanta) April 4, 2019 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 on April 3 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 boys father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, who also was arrested at the compound, was not charged in his sons 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 groups attorneys say the five are innocent of the charges. Federal prosecutor George Kraehe said in court Wednesday that prosecutors were still reviewing cellphone records and thousands of emails for any additional evidence. The case is scheduled to go to trial next year. The group had traveled in late 2017 from Georgia to New Mexico, where they built their compound in an area dotted with some of the regions signature earthship self-built homes. The groups makeshift settlement had consisted of a camping trailer wedged into the desert and surrounded by stacked tires before authorities raided it and found 11 hungry children, guns and ammunition, a firing range. They also found the remains of 3-year-old Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj. By Mary Hudetz There's something strange afoot at the Southern Poverty Law Center, one of the nation's richest civil and human rights charities. In March, the center abruptly fired legendary co-founder Morris Dees. Dees' biography was quickly scrubbed from the center's website, and the SPLC announced this week that Karen Baynes-Dunning would serve as interim president and CEO, giving the civil rights organization its first black female leader. In confirming Dees' departure, then-President Richard Cohen emphasized the center's values of "truth, justice, equity, and inclusion," and he said vaguely, "When one of our own fails to meet those standards, no matter his or her role in the organization, we take it seriously and must take appropriate action." Subsequent news reports pointed to allegations of racial discrimination and sexual harassment inside an organization that had raised hundreds of millions of dollars from donors to fight just that type of injustice. Dees has said little about why he was shown the door after 48 years at the organization he had come to define. But to those of us familiar with the SPLC and its inner workings, the allegations swirling around the latest drama were familiar. The question isn't what went wrong at the SPLC; it is why it took so long for the rest of the country to learn what local reporters already knew. It will probably take a federal investigation to fully unravel this Deep South mystery and provide a credible, long-term fix. More than two decades ago, I was managing editor of the Montgomery Advertiser, which was located one block from the SPLC in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. I proposed an investigation into the organization after ongoing complaints from former SPLC staffers, who came and went with regularity but always seemed to tell the same story. Only the names and faces changed. The SPLC, they said, was not what it appeared to be. Many urged the newspaper to take a look. We were, at the time, anything but adversaries with the center. Like other media outlets, we generally parroted SPLC news releases. We also became friends with SPLC staffers, occasionally attending the center's parties. Some of my reporters dated staffers at the center. That relationship, however, suddenly soured when reporters Dan Morse and Greg Jaffe (both of whom now work for The Washington Post) began making serious inquiries about the SPLC's finances and the treatment of black employees. SPLC leaders threatened legal action on several occasions and at one point openly attacked the newspaper's investigation in a mass mailing to Montgomery lawyers and judges. Then they slammed the door. "Accommodating your charade of objectivity simply takes too much of our time," center co-founder Joseph Levin wrote the Advertiser in 1993. "Our patience in this matter is exhausted, and we will not respond to further inquiries of any sort." In February 1994, after three years of research, the Advertiser published an eight-part series titled "Rising Fortunes: Morris Dees and the Southern Poverty Law Center" that found a litany of problems and questionable practices at the SPLC, including a deeply troubled history with its relatively few black employees, some of whom reported hearing the use of racial slurs by the organization's staff and others who "likened the center to a plantation"; misleading donors with aggressive direct-mail tactics; exaggerating its accomplishments; spending most of its money not on programs but on raising more money; and paying its top staffers (including Dees and Cohen) lavish salaries. Dees and Cohen vigorously denied its findings. And the SPLC mounted an aggressive campaign against the series when it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize - it was a 1995 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism. And yet, based on the details of Dees' ouster, the problems we identified 25 years ago do not appear to have been resolved. And yet, a few days after Dees was canned, a friend sent me a recent mail solicitation from the SPLC touting Dees' accomplishments and asking donors to "let Morris and his colleagues know you care" not only by donating but by using the donor's own "first-class stamp so more of your contribution goes to the SPLC." Cohen, before he announced his own departure, said the center would bring in well-regarded lawyer Tina Tchen to conduct an investigation. It's too late for that. The IRS, which grants the SPLC tax-exempt status, and the civil rights division of the Justice Department would be the best bets to really figure out what's up at the organization. Any investigation should take a close look at the SPLC's finances. It should look at what the center has told donors in its mail solicitations over the years. And it should take a close look at how that donor money has been spent. Investigators should also look at how SPLC staffers have been treated over the years. Where was the center's board when this mistreatment was going on? And why did no one step up sooner? The feds owe that to the young progressives who work at the SPLC. And they certainly owe that to the donors who have put their own first-class stamps on the checks they mailed to Montgomery. - - - Tharpe is a retired journalist who lives in Atlanta and a former managing editor of the Montgomery Advertiser. This appeared in Saturday's Washington Post. - - - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sent an unmistakable signal to all who hoped he would be moved by the international backlash against his brutal treatment of human rights activists, journalists and other perceived opponents. With the trial of 11 women's rights advocates still in progress, his security forces rounded up 12 of their supporters, most of whom were detained Thursday. That included two U.S. citizens, in what can only be interpreted as a deliberate provocation. The crown prince is telling the world - and in particular, the U.S. Congress - that objections to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and to the torture of women seeking the right to drive, have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe that's because the response has lacked both a practical punch and the support of President Donald Trump. The new arrests targeted writers, journalists and academics who have supported reforms or had ties to the women on trial. One of the dual U.S.-Saudi nationals, Salah al-Haidar, is the son of Aziza al-Yousef, a renowned women's rights activist who, along with at least a dozen others, was arrested last year. The other is a writer and physician, Bader al-Ibrahim. The detained also include a pregnant woman, writer Khadijah al-Harbi, and Anas al-Mazroui, a university lecturer whose apparent offense was to mention the names of some of the jailed women during a panel discussion at a book fair. Yousef and two other women were provisionally released last week, and there were reports that the other women might also be freed. Instead, the regime has chosen to double down on its repression. The new detainees, unlike those already on trial, are not famous activists or prominent on social media. They posed no political threat to the regime. The only conceivable purpose of their detention is to deter Saudi and international support for the female activists - who have sought such modest reforms as allowing women to travel without the permission of a male relative. In targeting U.S. citizens, Mohammed bin Salman may also have been responding to Congress. On Thursday, the House passed a resolution, already approved by the Senate, mandating an end to U.S. involvement in the Yemen civil war. The aim of stripping support for Saudi and allied forces is correct: The intervention has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe, and U.N. investigators have documented likely war crimes by Saudi bombers using U.S.-supplied munitions. But other than infuriating the crown prince, the measure, which is subject to veto by Trump, is likely to have no practical effect. Mohammed bin Salman has yet to suffer any tangible sanction for his human rights abuses, even though they exceed anything seen in Saudi Arabia for decades. Senate Republicans have held up legislation that would mandate punishment for the murder of Khashoggi. That, along with kid-glove treatment from Trump, has emboldened the regime. Trump has frequently bragged about his record of freeing Americans unjustly imprisoned abroad. But he had nothing to say about the arrest of the two Saudi Americans. As he did in the case of Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia's 33-year-old ruler is making the president of the United States look timid and weak. [April 05, 2019] Czech Animation, VFX & Games Report 2019: $163 Million Industry Strategies, Trends & Opportunities 2018-2020 DUBLIN, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Czech Animation, VFX & Games Industry: Strategies, Trends & Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Czech VFX and post-production industries have benefited from the country's film incentive program, which continues to lure major film and TV projects. Prague-based Universal Production Partners (UPP) is the country's leading post-production and VFX house. UPP has handled VFX services for shows such as Tyrant, The Musketeers, Marco Polo, Gods of Egypt and The Walk. Other studios such as Progressive FX have recently worked on productions such as Admiral and Best Offer. Animation studio Maur Film co-produced the experimental short Superbia, and The Tree by Lucie Sunkova. Sunkova's productions are based on a unique paint-on-glass technique, which is very labor intensive. Recent popular animation productions include Zoo Story by Veronika Zacharova, Happy End by Jan Saska, Jan Balej's Little From the Fish Shop. The Czech animation industry and television channels are dominated by American cartoons. This dominance has been a feature since the Disney productions, came to the Czech Republic. Disney films still have a dominant position in Czech children's culture. Consequently, locally produced Czech animation seems to be affected by the impact of external media markets and subsequent media saturation. American animated films have global reach as against European animation that always appeared somewhat independent and perhaps unconventional due to its thought-provoking content. Czech animation explores themes and contains sub-texts relative to national and political commentaries, which do not translate as readily to a global audience. The total value of the Czech games industry was US$ 163 million in 201 and is projected to reach US$ 197 million by 2020. Mobile & hand-held games are the fastest growing segment, followed by Console games. The PC games segment is the slowest growing segment. Key Topics Covered: European Animation Industry DEMAND FOR TV CONTENT Feature Film Industry in Europe MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING Trends in Europe COLLABORATION AMONG EUROPEAN STUDIOS DRIVERS FOR SUCCESS ANIMATION COST STRUCTURES IN EUROPE Animation Movie Budgets in Europe Strategies and Models for Animation financing in Europe ANIMATION FUNDING AGENCIES CENTRALISED ANIMATION FUNDING AGENCIES IN EUROPE Television Series Development in Europe PITCHING TELEVISION SERIES TO BROADCASTERS Copyright Chain in Europe Co-Production Strategies in Europe CONTRACTUAL ISSUES KEY RIGHTS IN CO-PRODUCTION AGREEMENTS CO-PRODUCTIONS AND OUTSOURCING Distribution Strategies in Europe PRODUCER-DISTRIBUTOR CO-FINANCING PATTERNS 3D Market in Europe ADVANTAGES OF 3D DISADVANTAGES OF 3D Industry Constraints and Challenges Market size of European Animation, VFX & Games industry Animation Content demand by TV Channels in Europe European Animation & VFX industry Market Size European Games industry Market Size Animation, VFX & Games Industry in Czech Republic Industry evolution and key Animation Productions SUCCESSFUL CZECH ANIMATIONS Animation Film market in Czech Republic Recent Movie Trends in Czech Republic Key Animation Production Companies in Czech Republic Industry Drivers, Challenges & Opportunities Strategies for Animation Studios in Czech Republic Animation Funding in Czech Republic Value of Animation Industry in the Czech Republic Size of Animation Industry in Czech Republic Key statistics about Animation industry in Czech Republic Games Industry in Czech Republic KEY TRENDS IN THE CZECH VIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY VIDEO GAME BUSINESS MODELS IN CZECH REPUBLIC ONLINE VIDEO GAMING BUSINESS MODELS IN CZECH REPUBLIC Key Opportunities & Strategies for Czech Video Games Industry Video Games Market Segments MOBILE VIDEO GAMES SEGMENTS & GENRES Czech Video Games Market Size & Opportunity Companies Mentioned Disney Maur Film Sunkova For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vk6r6j/czech_animation?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com 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/czech-animation-vfx--games-report-2019-163-million-industry-strategies-trends--opportunities-2018-2020-300825411.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] About one year after students across America walked out of school to protest gun violence, the Connecticut Supreme Court dealt a stunning blow to the gun industry by ruling that families of those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School could proceed with a lawsuit against Remington, the company that made the gun used to kill their loved ones. The families argue that Remington violated Connecticuts unfair trade practices act with an unlawful marketing campaign to sell civilians assault weapons the company promoted for offensive, military-style missions, lauding their military-proven performance and touting them as the ultimate combat weapons system. It remains to be seen whether a jury will ultimately agree that such ads helped prompt the Sandy Hook shooter to use the weapon for the purpose it was designed for killing large numbers of people in a short amount of time. But, crucially, the decision means the families can have their day in court and a chance to persuade a jury. Thats how our civil justice system works when it comes to unscrupulous marketing whether its guns or tobacco and drug companies lying about whether cigarettes or opioids are addictive. Given the toll of gun violence in America nearly 40,000 deaths and more than 100,000 non-fatal shootings per year scrutiny of gun industry advertising and the role it plays in fueling that violence is welcome. And its not without precedent. During the 1990s, as the industry promoted irresponsible and dangerous conduct that put kids at risk, academics and advocates petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to intervene. One egregious ad from Beretta that caught their ire depicted an unlocked pistol on a bedside table, next to a photo of a mom and two kids, and urged gun buyers to Tip the odds in your favor. Other similar ads also depicted unlocked guns in the nightstand, despite the clear danger to children when loaded guns are left unattended. The complaints to the FTC got the industrys attention and curbed the most egregious ads promoting irresponsible gun storage. But questionable advertising tactics continue today, and before the Connecticut Supreme Courts decision, the industry showed all signs of believing it could operate with impunity. Besides selling the tacti-cool vision of civilians aping military combat techniques, the industry touts guns as the simple and only solution for safety in a dangerous world. These ads suggest that if someone just buys the right gun and ammo, she can protect herself and her family, at home or on the go, just as well as an army ranger or experienced police officer. Notably absent from gun industry ads is any information about the challenges of using a gun for self-defense under the stressful conditions of armed confrontation challenges that can lead even trained law enforcement in gunfights to miss their mark more than 80 percent of the time. And nowhere to be found in gun industry ads are acknowledgments of well-established social science showing that the presence of a gun in the home is associated with significantly increased risks of suicide, intimate partner homicide and unintentional shooting. Omitting this data from advertisements promotes the industrys bottom line, which depends on convincing more people to buy and carry guns, and to believe that firearms in the home make it more safe, not less. That social science disproves the industrys big lie is evidently not enough. A generation ago more than half of all Americans believed having a gun in the home made it less safe, but today more than 60 percent of Americans believe guns make a home safer twice as many as think they increase risk. Parallel to the misinformation campaign it wages with misleading ads are the gun industrys efforts to block research that shows the truth about gun violence. After a landmark 1993 study found that having a handgun in the home tripled the risk that someone would be killed there, the gun lobby scrambled to scuttle further research and convinced Congress to enact restrictions on gun research that have blocked federal research for more than two decades. Fortunately, an unprecedented coalition of doctors and public health experts has teamed up this year in a concerted push to provide meaningful federal support for gun violence research. And the state Supreme Court decision opened the door to using our civil justice system to police the worst abuses in firearm marketing and the most deceptive gun advertisements. The gun lobbys survival rides on promoting the illusion that our safety depends on carrying guns wherever we go, and keeping unlocked, loaded guns at the ready in our homes. Now, regulators and victims of gun violence have a tool to hold gun companies accountable when they promote those myths through unethical, illegal advertising. Its time to hold the gun industry accountable for its lies. Adam Skaggs is chief counsel at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which urged the Connecticut Supreme Court to allow the families false advertising claims to proceed. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andrei Krutskikh (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 11:56 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8732334d2 3 Opinion cyberattacks,cybersecurity,Russia,US,US-presidential-election-2016,bilateral-relations Free Against the backdrop of the habitual even ritual anti-Russia propaganda, some voices of reason have been heard lately among American experts. Of particular interest in this regard is the recent article by the Daily Beast titled This Hotline Could Keep the United States and Russia from Cyberwar. No doubt, for the professionals who have closely followed the development of the situation this publication will hardly be an eye-opener. What is important is that the article openly admits that the absence of a depoliticized expert dialogue between Russia and the US on international information security is not only a road to nowhere but also a dangerous course fraught with further misunderstanding and a risk of a large-scale conflict. Those are not emotional conclusions, but rather plain facts cited by American security officials who have formerly worked or still work at the administration, overseeing the issues of cybersecurity, i.e. by those who know the situation on the ground and, by virtue of their occupation, are bound to be utterly pragmatic. If security officials and the expert community in the US actually share this opinion, this is the case when it is hard to argue with the colleagues, even though they are on the other side of the fence. Six years ago, in 2013, we managed to reach agreement on establishing a direct line of communication between Russia and the US in the event of cyberincidents. Basically, the system was modelled on a similar mechanism that had been in place during the Cold War for dealing with traditional military incidents and enables a prompt information exchange at all levels from institutional to political. Since its establishment, the communication channel has been used, and more than once. In fact, during the Barack Obama administration, we maintained a vibrant dialogue on cyberissues both at the routine technical level and in the format of full-fledged consultations. Physical meetings of experts enabling them to engage in direct discussions on emerging issues were held. Even a special high-level bilateral working group was established under the Russian-American Presidential Commission. As for the operation of the hotlines, the most vivid example is the address of the American side during the US presidential campaign in 2016, in which the US expressed concerns over the intrusion into its electronic infrastructure. Our national coordination center for computer incidents, which is in charge of the line, as early as last December announced its readiness to reveal the content of the correspondence to the general public, subject to the consent of the American side. We sent the relevant proposal to Washington through diplomatic channels early this year. The response was in the negative. The Russian Foreign Ministrys spokesperson offered an exhaustive explanation on the issue at her briefing last week. For my part, I can only add to this that our proposal to publish the above-mentioned correspondence was an unprecedented step, an example of true transparency, which our partners tend to invoke so often. Russia has nothing to fear nor do we have anything to conceal. We are ready to open the correspondence for examination by the general public both in Russia and the US, the mass media and experts, so that they could draw their own conclusions on what really happened. But at the moment, we cannot publish this data because of the refusal of the American side. The pretext for the refusal was the so-called sensitivity of the data. It is highly unlikely, however, that any information that is more sensitive for the US than for Russia could be found there. Frankly speaking, this approach rather shows that they are unsure of their position, since it would be much harder to disseminate information accusing Russia of having a hand in cyberintrusions if true facts were made public. However this is not the end of this absurd story. We decided to directly address the US audience about the Moscow view on the situation around the hotlines and proposed a number of leading US mass media outlets to publish this article. First, these media outlets showed interest in the matter, asked us for the details and claimed that they were ready to publish the article. However, then they apparently got a stop light and refused, giving no explanation. They got cold feet maybe. This is a matter of emotion while we want to be pragmatic. I once again agree with our US colleagues (Michael Daniel, Chris Painter and Luke Dembosky), whose opinions were referred to in the article, that it is not enough just to set up emergency hotlines. For them to work effectively there should be a dialogue between those who maintain their day-to-day operation as well as a broader conversation on issues related to international information security. However, this issue is beyond routine politics, mutual poking or any subjective factors. Today, just as 50 years ago, we talk about preventing a cyberincident from escalating into a full-scale military conflict between Russia and the US. If the established emergency hotlines bolstered with dialogue between experts stall for political reasons, we will face the risk of another Cuban Missile Crisis, only this time it will be triggered by information and communication technologies, not warheads, and events will unfold in a matter of minutes, leaving little time for both sides to make their decisions. It sounds like a science-fiction film, but actually it has long been our reality. I want to believe that the US recognizes this as well as Russia does. At least, the opinions expressed by the US experts provide us with reasons for hope. We also seek the same openness, democracy and constructive dialogue as we cooperate with the US on cyberissues at multilateral fora. This year, two dedicated negotiating mechanisms are expected to be established to deal with international information security: the Open-ended Working Group, which all the United Nations member states can join, and the Group of Governmental Experts. It is interesting to note that even though the first one is being established on Russias initiative, and the other, de jure, on Americas; in fact, both groups were first proposed and sponsored by Russia, while Western countries were skeptical about the UN track and took every opportunity to criticize it. We can only hope that our partners common sense prevails and they will take advantage of this window of opportunity before it closes. We stand ready to engage in the dialogue. *** The writer is Russian ambassador at large and special presidential representative for international cooperation in information security. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 09:04 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8731837a7 1 Editorial #Editorial,Yogyakarta,intolerance,discrimination,Muslim,village,Bantul,Chinese-Indonesians,discriminative-bylaw Free Another village in Yogyakarta, once seen as a beacon of tolerance and diversity, has grabbed national headlines yet again for the wrong reasons. In December last year, the villagers of Purbayan in Kotagede cut off the top of a wooden cross on a Christian mans grave, saying the religious symbol was not welcome in the village. Last week, it was revealed that officials in Karet village, Pleret subdistrict, Bantul, had issued a regulation banning non-Muslims from residing or owning land in the village. The regulation, which has since been revoked, is unquestionably unconstitutional. Indonesia does not belong to any particular ethnicity or religious community, and there is no legislation stating only people of a certain faith can own land. We applaud the locals for swiftly revoking the policy, but questions linger over why such a discriminatory regulation was formulated in the first place. Is it unique to the Special Region of Yogyakarta? Or is it a sign of the times? The policy was brought to light when 42-year-old artist Slamet Jumiarto wanted to move into his rented house in the village. An unaware Slamet, who is Roman Catholic, went to the head of the local neighborhood unit (RT) to report that he was moving in and to hand over copies of his family card, ID and marriage certificate. He was then told he could not live in the village because he was not a Muslim. It did not take long before Slamets complaint went viral, and that is because for many of us what happened to him is just not normal. Anyone should be able to move to or own land in any place they like as long as it is legal to do so and they have acquired all the legal permits. But, is that really the case? The reality is that Yogyakarta, a de facto sultanate, still bans Indonesians of Chinese descent from owning land. Last year, the Yogyakarta District Court rejected a second petition to cancel the policy, enacted in 1975. If they can live in Yogyakarta why are they not allowed to own land? Outside Yogyakarta, the idea of living in a Muslim-only community has also piqued the interest of many Muslims in Greater Jakarta. In recent years, Muslim-only housing complexes have proliferated in Jakartas satellite cities. For property companies, such a trend is good business. And private entities can legally choose who they want to do business with. Thus, this exclusivism trend has not stirred much controversy, though it was criticized by some people who believe that the rise of gated Muslim, Christian or Chinese communities is a setback for Indonesias pluralism. Indonesians have long bragged about being a friendly and diverse nation as clearly stated in its founding motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). Indonesia should be a place where everyone, regardless of their faith, is welcome, and where discriminatory policies are not. [April 05, 2019] Finland Animation, VFX & Games Industry Report 2019: $322 Million Strategies, Trends & Opportunities Report 2019 DUBLIN, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Finland Animation, VFX & Games Industry: Strategies, Trends & Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The animation industry in Finland is vibrant with several active smaller production companies and independent filmmakers, many combining the production of independent as well as commissioned productions. Finnish animation industry has adopted new digital animation technologies and the industry's output is diverse with productions targeted at television, cinema, games, mobile phones and the internet. There is a wide spectrum of animation makers, studios and projects which form part of the Finnish animation industry. Half of the work force work in mid-large size animation studios and the rest of the half work with small animation companies or on a freelance basis. There are numerous active game production companies and independent filmmakers, who combine producing independent films and commissioned work. Several animators are actively working on collaborations with international co-productions. Finnish animation has many talented young artists with several animation students graduating from the art academies every year. The Finnish animation industry has several animation productions in production and development. The industry is actively exploiting animation IP across games, books, toys, soft drinks, apparel, and educational applications, which is opening up new global audiences and markets. The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has established Finnanimation, a non-profit association formed by Finnish animation producers in 2005 which carries out various promotional and cultural export activities globally. Finnanimation, the network of Finnish animation prodcers, has played a key role in spreading the awareness of Finnish animation globally over the last ten years including Mifa, Asia TV Forum (Singapore), Rio Content Market, Kidscreen and Sichuan TV Festival. The total value of the Finnish games industry was US$ 266 million in 2017 and is projected to reach US$ 322 million by 2020. Mobile & hand-held games are the fastest growing segment, followed by Console games. The PC games segment is the slowest growing segment. Key Topics Covered: European Animation Industry DEMAND FOR TV CONTENT Feature Film Industry in Europe MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING Trends in Europe COLLABORATION AMONG EUROPEAN STUDIOS DRIVERS FOR SUCCESS ANIMATION COST STRUCTURES IN EUROPE Animation Movie Budgets in Europe Strategies and Models for Animation financing in Europe ANIMATION FUNDING AGENCIES CENTRALISED ANIMATION FUNDING AGENCIES IN EUROPE Television Series Development in Europe PITCHING TELEVISION SERIES TO BROADCASTERS Copyright Chain in Europe Co-Production Strategies in Europe CONTRACTUAL ISSUES KEY RIGHTS IN CO-PRODUCTION AGREEMENTS CO-PRODUCTIONS AND OUTSOURCING Distribution Strategies in Europe PRODUCER-DISTRIBUTOR CO-FINANCING PATTERNS 3D Market in Europe ADVANTAGES OF 3D DISADVANTAGES OF 3D Industry Constraints and Challenges Market size of European Animation, VFX & Games industry Animation Content demand by TV Channels in Europe European Animation & VFX industry Market Size European Games industry Market Size Animation, VFX & Games industry in Finland Recent Movie Trends in Finland Industry evolution and key Animation productions Globally successful Finnish animations Government Support Games Industry in Finland KEY TRENDS IN THE FINNISH VIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY VIDEO GAME BUSINESS MODELS IN FINLAND ONLINE VIDEO GAMING BUSINESS MODELS IN FINLAND Key Opportunities & Strategies for Finnish Video Games Industry Video Games Market Segments MOBILE VIDEO GAMES SEGMENTS & GENRES Finnish Video Games Market Size & Opportunity For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xhvf3w/finland?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com 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/finland-animation-vfx--games-industry-report-2019-322-million-strategies-trends--opportunities-report-2019-300825467.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marisna Yulianti and Michelle Dian Lestari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 What is feminism? How does feminism fare in Indonesia? Does it contradict religious and cultural teachings in Indonesia? What impact does it have on Indonesian women? These questions keep cropping up every time the word feminism is uttered. In fact, many Indonesians, especially women, still believe that feminism destroys the traditional teachings of culture and religion, that it is a concept of the Western world hell-bent on corrupting Indonesian women and turn them against their men. In reality, feminist values are alive and well, and have had an impact on the lives of Indonesian women regardless of whether the actors claim to be feminist or not. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Dinard, France Sat, April 6, 2019 19:19 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87319503d 2 People Amal-Clooney,George-Clooney,human-rights,human-rights-activists,press-freedom Free Prominent human rights lawyer Amal Clooney said it had "never been more dangerous to report the news" on Friday as she was appointed special envoy for media freedom by the British government. Clooney has been tasked with heading a new panel of legal experts who will advise the British government on how to encourage other countries to promote transparency and protect media workers. "We are here because it's never been more dangerous to report the news," Clooney told a press conference on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Dinard, northern France. "According to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, in the last five years, we've seen the highest number of journalists imprisoned since their records began over three decades ago," she added. Clooney said her legal panel could propose reforms to repressive laws in countries and she raised the idea of sanctions that could be used on regimes "that have abused journalists." Read also: Actor George Clooney calls for boycott of Brunei-owned hotels Her experience defending journalists in countries such a Egypt and Myanmar "has shown me how easily vague laws and corrupt courts can be used to silence dissent and muzzle the media." In December last year, Clooney blasted US President Donald Trump for giving a "green light" to regimes to persecute journalists through his anti-press rhetoric. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Friday that "democratic countries need to stand together to make it an international taboo of the highest order to order the arrest or detain journalists for doing their job." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France Sat, April 6, 2019 06:05 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873182278 2 Environment cats,animals,Science Free 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 recognize 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. Read also: So why are cats scared of cucumbers? 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." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suci Haryati (The Jakarta Post) Sweden Sat, April 6, 2019 Digital anthropologist, ethnographer and author Crystal Abidin is well-known for her research on influencers and internet celebrities, but she has no plan to become one. Crystal has been doing extensive research on influencers, internet celebrities and microcelebrities, which landed her on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia last year and Pacific Standard 30 Top Thinkers Under 30 lists. Its not a nine-to-five career. Its not a career where you can walk out of your office and think this is the end of my working day, she told The Jakarta Post at her office at Jonkoping University in Sweden, where she is undertaking several research projects. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tom Westbrook (Reuters) Sydney, Australia Sat, April 6, 2019 09:16 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8731844f3 2 Science & Tech Facebook,fake-news,Australia,tech-companies,Mark-Zuckerberg Free Social media giant Facebook Inc said on Friday it would strengthen measures to fight fake news in Australia and briefly block foreigners from buying political advertisements in the lead-up to a national election due in a few weeks. The move comes with the company - and its peers around the world - under growing pressure to rid their platforms of misinformation after Russia allegedly used Facebook to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In Australia, it is not clear which, if any, foreigners had sought to buy campaign ads, but the government warned in 2017 of Chinese interference attempts and said in February a foreign government had hacked parliament's computer network. Facebook's move also comes as its market power and social influence faces greater scrutiny, particularly in the wake of the mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand which was broadcast live on one of the U.S. firm's platforms. Facebook said its new controls on Australian political advertising would take effect as soon as the vote was called, which is expected to happen in the next few days. Foreigners would be forbidden from buying advertising mentioning political parties, slogans and logos, Mia Garlick, Facebook's director of policy for Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement. To fight so-called fake news and misinformation, the U.S. firm would launch a fact-checking service in Australia in partnership with French news agency Agence France-Presse, she added. It would also remove fake accounts and make sensational stories less prominent in users' newsfeeds. Australia's major political parties, which between them are expected to spend millions of dollars buying Facebook ads during the campaign, had no comment on the company's announcement on Friday. Read also: Facebook seeks tab to promote 'high quality news' Global Problem Policing social media content has become a massive global problem, with no template for consistently preventing fake news online or eliminating it. Andrea Carson, a political scientist specialising in media and communications at La Trobe University in Melbourne, said Facebook faced tighter regulation in the future. "There's a climate for change," she said. Fierce internet disinformation battles have gripped countries such as Brazil and Malaysia ahead of elections. Authorities in Indonesia and the European Union, which are due to hold polls, have also warned of the threat of fake news, while in India, Facebook has ramped up efforts to block fake accounts. The market dominance of Facebook and of Alphabet Inc's Google has also drawn the attention of Australia's competition regulator, which is pushing for greater scrutiny of their power and influence, something the firms are resisting. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 21:34 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873196980 4 Health hearing-loss,HearingProblems,WHO,health Free Hearing loss in Indonesia rarely draws attention despite the fact that there are 150,000 cases each year in the country. Hearing loss is most common among older people, affecting 4 percent of seniors. Such hearing loss is usually called degenerative hearing loss as it is mostly caused by the degeneration of cells in the cochlea (part of the inner ear involved in hearing). Although degenerative hearing loss commonly happens to those over the age of 60, there are many behaviors that can lead to premature organ damage, posing the threat to younger people. We have to pay attention to disruptors to hearing organs such as exposure to loud sounds, infection and earwax abundance that are often found in school children, Ali Ghufron Mukti of the Health Ministry said at the commemoration of World Ear and Hearing Health Day in Jakarta on Wednesday as quoted by Antara. The most common reckless behavior dangerous to human ears is listening to music through earphones for too long at a high volume, said Ali. For example, if we listen to music at 90 decibels, we can only safely listen to it for a maximum of two hours. If the music is too loud, [for instance] 120 decibels, it should not be listened to for more than 10 seconds. A safe volume is below 80 decibels. Earwax and dirt can also pose a threat to young peoples hearing, Ali said. He appealed that school children should be guided to take care of their hearing. Read also: How to wear earphones without damaging your hearing According to a quick survey by the eye department at the University of Indonesia's school of medicine, in several schools in six cities in Indonesia the prevalence of ear clogging by earwax is 30 to 50 percent. The clog can cause hearing problems, which will then disturb their learning process, Ali said. He underlined the importance of clean living and early detection of hearing disruption. The World Health Organization predicted that 5.3 percent of the global population, which equals 360 million people, have hearing problems. It was estimated that more than 9 million Indonesians were among them, according to Ali. (gis/mut) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 12:14 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87318e871 1 Art & Culture Jakarta-City-Philharmonic,Jakarta-Arts-Council,classical-music,music Free The Jakarta City Philharmonic (JCP) has kicked off its 2019 concert season with "Brahmsiade", featuring two pieces by 19th-century German composer Johannes Brahms and Indonesia's Matius Shan Boone, one of the nation's leading composers today. The orchestra's 19th concert was held on Wednesday, April 3, at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Central Jakarta. Classical music enthusiasts highly welcomed "Brahmsiade", which saw 1,555 online ticket bookings over three days, although the venue could accommodate only 1,200 people. A long queue started forming hours before the performance for the limited offline tickets. Principal conductor Budi Utomo Prabowo leads the Jakarta City Philharmonic in "Brahmsiade", the orchestra's opening concert for the 2019 season. (JCP/Eva Tobing) We never thought it would be this packed, music committee chairman Anto Hoed of the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ) said on Wednesday at a press conference held at the venue. It can be said that public enthusiasm for attending classical music [performances] is improving. The DKJ formed the JCP in 2016, in cooperation with the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf). Anto also expressed hope that classical music performances would grow as a tourism attraction for the nation's capital. I think its time for the Pemda [provincial administration] to take over the JCP," he told Antara news agency, adding that audience numbers at its concerts had increased over the last three years. Read also: A night at the opera: Jakarta Philharmonic takes a stroll down early 20th century Italy lane In a surprising turn of events, the JCP performed Brahms String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18 outside the concert hall before the scheduled performance. The concert was led by JCP principal conductor Budi Utomo Prabowo and featured guest conductor Kevin Atmadja, performing Brahms Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102 and Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, and Matius Three Images of Homeland Sea. The Brahms Double Concerto featured violinist Danny Artyasanto and cellist Dani Kurnia Ramadhan. Violinist Danny Artyasanto (left), cellist Dani Kurnia Ramadhan (center) and conductor Budi Utomo Prabowo (right) perform 'Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102' by Johannes Brahms. (JCP/Eva Tobing) People were afraid to compose symphonies after [Ludwig van] Beethoven, as he always created something new and original. Composers [then] were expected to come up with something new while upholding tradition. Brahms was seen as one of the successful composers, said Budi. He added that Brahms was deemed unique for his complex pieces. Hopefully the audience can listen and absorb the compositions, Budi said. Budi said the Brahms pieces were not selected for any particular reason, although the date of the concert marked the 122nd anniversary of the composers death. Guest conductor Kevin Atmadja wields his baton during the Jakarta City Philharmonic's "Brahmsiade" concert on April 3 at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta. (JCP/Eva Tobing) For Adi Setiadi Nugraha, a fan of the orchestra, "Brahmsiade" offered something new. I find todays [musical] theme difficult, as I dont really understand classical music, but it gives me a new perspective. It appears that the genre is very broad, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Miwa Suzuki (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan Sat, April 6, 2019 13:23 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87318f22b 2 People Akihito,Naruhito,Japan,japanese-emperor,enthronement Free The abdication of Japan's outgoing Emperor Akihito and the enthronement of his son Naruhito will be solemn, ritual-bound affairs complete with sumptuous clothing and sacred paraphernalia. Here are some of the key elements of the garb and gear that will be seen during the enthronement of the new emperor and subsequent key succession events. - The new emperor's clothes - For his enthronement, the new emperor will wear an outfit in the "sokutai" or ceremonial style. The outfit is now rarely seen and is dominated by a voluminous draped brown-gold outer robe with long, wide sleeves and a cinched waist. Only the emperor wears this colour, with other royals sporting black, red, blue or other colours depending on their rank. Royal attire often includes motifs of birds, as they were considered divine envoys in ancient times and the emperor's outer garment is decorated with a mythological Chinese phoenix, believed to symbolise the arrival of peace. During the ceremony, the emperor and other male royals will carry a "shaku" or sceptre -- a narrow plain wooden plate not unlike a large shoehorn. In the past, royals would sometimes attach "cheat sheets" to the back of the shaku to help guide them through complex rituals, and it can also be an indicator of their attentiveness. "It would be obvious to people around you if your mind is wandering or disorderly because the shaku would start to slant to the side," said Tomitaro Hashimoto, assistant professor of Shinto studies at Reitaku University. But the crowning glory of the emperor's outfit is the kanmuri hat, which consists of a simple flat black base and a towering black tail at the back that extends upright 60 centimeters (about 24 inches). Read also: Japan reveals new 'era' name ahead of Akihito's abdication - Fit for an Empress - Incoming empress Masako will wear an elaborate outfit commonly known as "junihitoe" or many-layered robe. "The outfits called 'sokutai' (for men) and 'junihitoe' (for women) date back to the Heian Era," regarded as a golden period in Japanese culture, said Keizo Suzuki, head of a kimono museum on the outskirts of Tokyo. There is no set rule on the number of layers, though outgoing Empress Michiko wore nine robes during her husband's enthronement. Masako is likely to choose her own colours but similar motifs to those donned by Michiko in 1989. Michiko's outfit was dominated by a rich red robe, its sleeves and bottom visible underneath multiple layers of varying lengths, topped by a cream overcoat with light purple lapels and patterning. Masako's hair will be sculpted into a style that sweeps up and out to the sides with a long ponytail extending from the back and a large golden hairpiece pinned above her forehead. The elaborate traditional outfit, which can be hard to walk in because of its weight, is rarely seen outside imperial rituals and weddings. - The sacred treasures - A key ritual in the enthronement process is the handover of the "three sacred treasures" -- imperial regalia said to date back more than a millenium and have been bequeathed to the imperial line by the sun goddess Amaterasu. The treasures are the "Yata no Kagami", a mirror, "Kusanagi no Tsurugi", a sword, and the "Yasakani no Magatama", an unspecified jewel. The possession of the "three sacred treasures" is considered crucial evidence of an emperor's legitimacy, but there are no photos and even the emperor cannot see them. "We do not know exactly what they are like," said Eiichi Miyashiro, a senior journalist at the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and royal expert. The treasures will be passed over in a ceremony held on May 1, which the new emperor attends in Western-style clothes and is off-limits for female royals. During the ceremony, a replica sword and the original jewel will be handed over, wrapped in cloth. Both are kept at the palace, along with a replica mirror not used in the ceremony. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 7, 2019 00:19 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873198894 4 Parents e-books,books,#book,parents,children,parenting Free E-books are the latest best-sellers as they are cheap and need zero shelf space compared to print books. According to Pew Research Center, the number of Americans reading e-books has increased from 17 percent in 2011 to 28 percent in 2014. Comparable numbers for toddlers do not exist yet. Tiffanzy Munzer, a fellow in development behavioral pediatrics at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital, estimates that 30 percent of kids use e-books at least once a week. But what do toddlers engage more with reading on paper or on a screen? Together with her colleagues Munzer conducted a study, published in the journal Pediatrics, to examine a childs interaction with their parents when reading print books instead of electronic versions. Our goal with some of the kinds of findings in the study is not to make things harder for parents, but to help them focus on activities that spark interactions with their children where they feel that back-and-forth is really easy, Munzer told ABC News. Up to 37 pairs of parents read three different stories from the Little Critter series to their 2- to 3-year-olds on three book formats for five minutes: an electronic tablet with visual and sound effects, an electronic tablet without enhanced effects, and a print book with illustrations. The number and kinds of interactions between parents and their kids were also videotaped and coded in a lab. Read also: Books and millennials: Do we still read for leisure? It turned out that print books led to greater engagement between parents and toddlers and stimulated dialogue. By asking questions, parents telling what they see on a page or encouraging their kids to point out objects the interaction increased. Also, reading aloud from a print book turned out to be faster than reading an e-book and children made more non-verbal signs of bonding. Using an e-book led to more statements about how to use it like swiping to the next page. The print book is really the gold standard in eliciting positive interactions between parents and their children, Dr. Munzer said. Possible explanations for this behavior could be distractions, such as buttons to press, as well as the automated replacement of the variety of sounds and explanations that parents would otherwise provide themselves. However, Munzer added that parents know their children well and have to make it come alive for their child to create that magic. (sop/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yulia Savitri, Markus Makur, Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Palembang, East Manggarai and Surakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 08:21 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8731832e6 1 Politics 2019-elections,2019GeneralElections,supernatural,magic,ritual,#2019GeneralElections Free Legislative candidates are resorting to the supernatural ahead of Aprils election, with many visiting the graves of respected figures or praying to the ancestors in traditional rituals. Several legislative candidates running in Palembang, South Sumatra, have visited the grave of renowned local cleric Ki Marogan, as well as the graves of members of the Sriwijaya Kingdoms royalty on Siguntang Hill. Among those seeking the blessings of the deceased was Golkar Party legislative candidate Anita Noeringhati, who said she visited Ki Marogans grave to pay her respects. Many graves in Palembang were historic sites, she said. [During the visit] an ustaz [Islamic teacher] guided me in how to pray properly, Anita told The Jakarta Post recently, adding that she visited the graves regularly, even before the campaign season. She said apart from praying for success in her provincial legislative council race, she also prayed for the clerics and for a peaceful Indonesia. According to Ismail of the Kiai Muara Ogan (Ki Marogan) Foundation, legislative candidates also visited cemeteries in other regions of the country such as Lampung and Jakarta. They typically visited in groups, he said. They do not explicitly say they come as legislative candidates, but they pray for victory [in their legislative races], said Ismail. The caretaker of King Segentar Alams grave on Siguntang Hill in Palembang, Yadi, told a similar story. According to Yadi, most visitors did not openly declare their true intentions or identity, but he recognized them as legislative candidates nonetheless. They usually come in groups, not just to the kings grave but also to the graves of the commander and the princess, he told the Post. The local culture and tourism agency said the graves were important heritage sites. Siguntang Hill, on which at least seven tombs of the Sriwijaya Kingdoms royalty are preserved, is the highest peak in Palembang and is believed to have served as a place of worship for members of the royal family in the past. In Surakarta, Central Java, the grave of Ki Gede Sala, who is considered the founder of Sala, a former name for the city, is among the most popular destinations visited by legislative candidates. For many officials it has become a place to seek blessings. During an election, even more people, mostly candidates, visit the grave to pray to the deceased and seek clues on how to win their races, cemetery caretaker Joko Saputro Adi said, adding that Friday, or Kliwon according to the Javanese calendar, was the most popular day for legislative candidates and officials to visit. Ki Gede Sala was one of the most influential religious figures in the countrys history and introduced Islam to Central Java. Another popular site in the city is the grave of former authoritarian president Suharto in Karanganyar. I admired Pak Harto. I think political rituals like this are acceptable, legislative candidate Sutopo said. Another legislative candidate, Hartono, denied the candidates actions were heretical, contrary to what many conservative Muslims might say. Our visits [to graveyards] does not mean we dont believe in God. This is what Javanese people call effort. We still leave the rest to God, he said. Candidates in East Manggarai, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, have even conducted traditional rituals to bring good luck and blessings. Fransiskus Yosef Andi Syukur said he performed the Teing Hang ritual on Thursday night, which involved preparing offerings for the ancestors and asking them to secure victory. We can fight and win through the spirits of our ancestors. I have become part of the Manggarai people and tradition, so [the ritual] is necessary, he told the Post. Local traditional leaders, who lead the ritual, are believed to be able to predict the results of the election through signs shown by a white chicken prepared as an offering, as explained by traditional leaders Fransiskus Ndolu, Damianus Tarung, Petrus Ngempeng and Aloisius. The leaders then share the signs with the candidate and provide insights. If the signs are good, well encourage them to work hard in the campaign. If they are bad, well discourage the candidate because the ancestors do not appear to give their blessings, the leaders said. Presenting the insignia to the ambassador at a ceremony held in Hanoi, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga spoke highly of Vardanyans efforts, as the first Armenian Ambassador to Vietnam, in bolstering the bilateral relations built on trust and mutual understanding. Nga added that the two countries cooperation has been deepened in various spheres, including economy, trade, science-technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges. The Armenian diplomat has paid due attention to and worked with the Vietnam-Armenia Friendship Association to organise external activities and celebrations of the countries major events, she added. For her part, Vardanyan thanked the VUFO and the Vietnam-Armenia Friendship Association for their support for the Embassy of Armenia in Vietnam to arrange activities which helped foster the traditional bilateral friendship and multifaceted cooperation, particularly people-to-people diplomacy. Recalling notable achievements of the bilateral friendship and cooperation over the years, the diplomat voiced her hope that the Armenia-Vietnam relations will continue to thrive in the coming time. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kiki Siregar (Agence France-Presse) Sragen, Central Java Sat, April 6, 2019 11:11 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873187bda 2 Politics #Indonesia,#2019PresidentialElection,Jokowi,housewives,selfie,campaign Free Tears stream down Lilis Hastirini's mascara-smudged face after she waited hours to snap a selfie with Indonesia's president, only to be thwarted by a crush of other female fans with the same idea. It is a take-no-prisoners battle on the election trail in this selfie-mad nation, where few shots count more than a close up with "everyman" leader Joko Widodo, a former furniture salesman who rose from a riverside slum to high office. Hastirini was among some 10,000 other desperate housewives, mostly aged between 20 and 50, who braved searing heat as they screamed and jostled, pushing past security guards to reach Widodo at an event in Sragen on Java island this week. "I'm sad, I couldn't get a picture with him," the 37-year-old told AFP as she sobbed and wailed. "He seems like such a nice person, kind of fatherly." The lanky, heavy-metal music-loving 57-year-old, best known as Jokowi, seems happy to oblige housewives and other key voters -- including millenials who account for about one-third of the electorate -- as he fights to keep a wide lead in the race for the presidency on April 17. Some 192 million Indonesians are set to cast a ballot in the world's third-biggest democracy, with a record 245,000 candidates vying for positions from the presidency and parliamentary seats all the way down to local council jobs. And garnering support on social media is essential. Indonesia is one of Instagram and Facebook's biggest markets globally, with some 62 million and 130 million users, respectively. Jokowi's sole rival is Prabowo Subianto, a retired military general and son-in-law of the late dictator Suharto, who has ditched his trademark suit and tie for a campaign-casual khaki safari suit with sunglasses. Prabowo, as he is known, is also trying to win over women voters and fans online, balancing his strongman image with an Instagram account of him and his cuddly cat, Bobby. The 67-year-old and vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno -- a youthful 49-year-old business magnate -- have generated online fan clubs including the Housewives Party in Support of Prabowo-Sandiaga, the Militant Housewives' Force and even the Voluptuous Housewives Who Fight for Prabowo-Sandi. Both candidates are regularly mobbed by adoring female fans -- though Jokowi appears more at home performing in front of the crowds. Back in Sragen, Hastirini almost reached Jokowi as he was exiting the arena when someone stepped on her seven-year-old daughter's foot. In leaping to help her little girl, she had missed her moment with Jokowi. Also empty-handed was high school teacher Mariana Wahyu, who said she never bothered to get a selfie with her-then neighbour Jokowi back when he was mayor of Solo city. "O Allah, had I known then that he would become president, I would have taken a lot of pictures with him," she said in Central Java's Sukoharjo city. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 17:30 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873193348 4 City MRT,MRT-Jakarta,public-transportation,passengers,jakarta,Jakarta-traffic,tourism,jakarta-tourism Free PT MRT Jakarta, the operator of the countrys first subway system, is formulating a scheme with the Jakarta administration to fine passengers who avoid paying the round-trip fare. Following the official launch of MRT Jakarta last month, enthusiasm remains high among residents to try out the service, which spans 15.7 kilometers from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. However, the unexpected influx of passengers led to an error in the tap-enabled ticketing system, which the company blamed on commuters who did not pay for the full fare. MRT Jakarta corporate secretary Muhammad Kamaluddin said many passengers trying out the MRT rode the route from Lebak Bulus to Hotel Indonesia and back again multiple times without paying the additional fare and following the proper tapping procedure. This led to a system failure at the tapping gate, blocking passengers from leaving the station. As reported, the MRT fare is determined by distance and based on the station at which passengers get on and get off. Under the scheme, passengers pay a minimum of Rp 3,000 (2 US cents), which then increases Rp 1,000 per station. This means that the maximum fare would be Rp 14,000 for passengers who pass all 13 stations. MRT Jakarta is providing a 50 percent discount for the entire month of April. In order to prevent disturbances in the payment system, Kamaluddin said the company was in talks with the city administration to impose fines on passengers who did not tap in or out accordingly. We are still in discussion on the fine of Rp 14,000, he said on Thursday as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com. The company also plans to impose fines on passengers who do not disembark at their destination using a single-trip card. MRT Jakarta president director William Sahbandar welcomed the enthusiasm of passengers. We open our doors for all people in Indonesia to try out the MRT. Instead of going abroad to try an MRT, just go to Jakarta, he said on Friday as reported by kompas.com. Still, he urged passengers to follow ticketing regulations to fully enjoy the service. William said one passenger who failed to follow ticketing procedures could ruin the experience for other commuters, because every time a tapping gate is unable to read a card, it needs to be reset. The system can break down the more it encounters errors, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jerome Cartillier with Said Betanzos in Mexicali (Agence France-Presse) Calexico, United States Sat, April 6, 2019 09:09 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873183853 2 World #USA,#Immigration,Donald-Trump,closure,Mexico,border Free US President Donald Trump visited the Mexican border on Friday to deliver a message to would-be illegal immigrants and asylum seekers: don't bother coming. "The system is full and we can't take you anymore... Our country is full," he said at a meeting with border patrol officers and other officials in Calexico, California. "So turn around, that's the way it is." Shortly after, Trump visited a section of recently refurbished border wall -- something he wants extended across far more of the US-Mexico frontier -- and said illegal immigrants had previously been "pouring" in. The California trip followed a retreat from earlier threats to close the border, which had sparked fears of serious economic damage. Nevertheless, Trump sees his campaign against a "crisis" on the border as key to his 2020 reelection bid, and his time in Calexico was meant to keep that message in the headlines. Numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America have risen sharply, although there are enormous political divides on whether this constitutes the "national emergency" that Trump has declared. Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for the president in Mexicali, the town on the Mexican side of the frontier. Waving US and Mexican flags, the protesters carried signs with messages such as "Stop separating families" and "If you build the wall, my generation will tear it down." On the US side, dozens of people lined the road that Trump's motorcade took, demonstrating support for his policies. "Build the wall," said one placard. Before leaving Washington earlier Friday, Trump said that his previous threats to shut down the border had been successful in persuading Mexican authorities to clamp down by stopping migrants on their journey north. "Mexico, I have to say, has been very, very good... over the last four days since I talked about shutting down the border," he said. 'Stay calm' Trump reiterated that actually closing the border is not currently in the cards, but said he will instead impose 25 percent tariffs on auto imports from Mexico if illegal migration and drug smuggling are not controlled. Trump also said he could still order the border closed later. "I may shut it down at some point but I'd rather do tariffs," he said. While sounding tough, Trump's surprise shift this week to tariffs from the previous threat to close the border is a major climb down. For days, the White House had been signaling that he was serious about the threat and there was even speculation that he might announce a closing during his Calexico trip. However, the idea caused alarm among economists and Congress, including in Trump's Republican Party. Mexico is the third-largest US trading partner and any hold-ups at border crossings would have an immediate impact on trade. The tariffs idea is also causing confusion. On Thursday, Trump indicated there would be a one-year deadline for Mexico to improve the situation before tariffs kicked in. However, it was not clear if he meant that both for the drug smuggling and migration, or whether he wanted the migration issue resolved immediately. On Friday, the timing was no clearer. But he seemed to suggest that he might seek to punish Mexico at any time he thought the southern neighbor was not doing enough. "We're going to shut (the border) down if we have to. We going to tariff the cars, Mexico, if we have to," he said. It was also unclear how such tariffs would fit into the countries' deeply intertwined trading relationship, which is governed by NAFTA, a free trade accord also including Canada that is due to be replaced by an updated version called the USMCA. Leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November after more than a year of negotiations. Trump said Friday that his tariffs would "supersede USMCA. It's a great deal, and it's very good for Mexico. But this will supersede USMCA." In Mexico City, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged investors to "stay calm." "Our relationship with the government of the United States is very good," he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Sat, April 6 2019 Another village in Yogyakarta, once seen as a beacon of tolerance and diversity, has grabbed national headlines get again for the wrong reasons. In December last year, the villagers of Purbayan in Kotagede cut off the top of a wooden cross on a Christian mans grave, saying the religious symbol was not welcome in the village. Last week, it was revealed that officials in Karet village, Pleret subdistrict, Bantul, had issued a regulation banning non-Muslims from residing or owning land in the village. The regulation, which has since been revoked, is unquestionably unconstitutional. Indonesia does not belong to any particular ethnicity or religious community, and there is no legislation stating only people of a certain faith can own land. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 12:56 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87318f003 1 Politics 2019-elections,2019GeneralElections,voting-day,KPU Free With the concurrent presidential and legislative elections only days away, here is all you need to know to exercise your right to vote for the countrys leaders and representatives for the next five years. When is it? Election day for domestic voters is on Wednesday, April 17 and the polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 1 p.m. Voters who arrive at the polling station before 1 p.m. are guaranteed the opportunity to vote, including after the polls close. Election day falls just before Easter weekend, with Good Friday falling on April 19 this year. General Elections Commission (KPU) branches in Christian-majority regions have expressed concern that the timing of election day will make it harder for the commission to reach its target voter turnout of 77.5 percent. We urge all residents of NTT [East Nusa Tenggara] to vote first on April 17 before starting the Easter holiday, NTT KPU head Ulbadus Gogi said recently as quoted by Antara. Overseas voters, meanwhile, will cast their votes between April 8 and 14, depending on the country. Their votes will remain uncounted until the polls close on April 17. Where can you vote? The KPU officially finalized the final voter list (DPT) for the elections in December with 192,838,520 people on the voter rolls. The 192.8 million consists of 190.8 million domestic voters and 2 million overseas voters, an increase of about 2 million from the final voter list of the 2014 general election. There will be 809,500 polling stations across 34 provinces with an additional 783 overseas polling stations located in 130 Indonesian embassies and consulates around the world. Voters can check which polling station they are registered with by accessing the KPUs website infopemilu.kpu.go.id (https://infopemilu.kpu.go.id/pilpres2019/pemilih/cari-pemilih) and entering their full name and identity card number. Voters are also able to cast their vote at polling stations other than the ones they are registered with by reporting to the local KPU office and requesting an A5 form. This must be done at least 30 days before election day. Citizens aged 17 and above who are not registered on the DPT can still vote as long as they can produce their e-ID card at a polling station. These voters will be added to the special voter list and will be allowed to vote between 12 and 1 p.m. on voting day, provided that the polling station has enough ballots left. Overseas voters have three different voting methods available: visiting a polling station, voting by mail or casting their votes at roving ballot or drop boxes. Such boxes will be distributed at locations where many Indonesian citizens gather, such as factories. Who will you be able to vote for? The simultaneous elections mean that voters will have five separate ballots to complete in the voting booth: one for the presidential and vice-presidential election, one for the House of Representatives, one for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), one for the provincial-level Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) and one for the regency or municipal-level DPRD. Jakarta residents will only vote for the provincial-level council because the capital city does not have a regency or municipal-level council. These changes, however, depend on which polling station the voter casts their vote at. Voters will receive all five ballots if they are voting at the polling station where they are registered. According to the final regulation issued by the KPU, voters who vote outside their registered electoral district will only be able to vote in the presidential election. Overseas voters, meanwhile, will only receive two ballots, regardless of where they are voting: one for the presidential elections and one for the House. All 2 million overseas voters are counted as members of the Jakarta II electoral district that also includes Central Jakarta and South Jakarta. There are seven House seats up for grabs in the district, with several high-profile names contesting the area, including former Peoples Consultative Assembly speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) executive Eriko Sotarduga and Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) notable Tsamara Amany. How will the votes be counted? The votes will be counted in the following order: presidential ballots, House ballots, DPD ballots, provincial-level DPRD ballots and finally regency or municipal-level DPRD ballots. Vote-counting will commence after polls close and all voters at polling stations have cast their ballots. According to the 2017 General Elections Law, votes must be counted on the same day that they are cast. Vote-counting simulations organized by the KPU in Bogor, West Java and Tangerang, Banten last year were completed by 11:45 p.m. After the votes are counted at each polling station, they will be recapitulated at the district, regency, provincial and national level. The KPU targets to complete the official nationwide vote count five days after the election at the latest. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin James Kon (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network) Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Sat, April 6, 2019 18:06 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873194a35 2 SE Asia #Brunei,#environment,forest-fires,bushfire,moonson-rains Free The Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) issued a statement yesterday thanking the Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd for contributing 20 boxes of mineral water to the personnel of the Jerudong Fire Station. On behalf of the Fire and Rescue Department, the Commanding Officer of the Operation Branch F conveys his gratitude and thanks to Brunei Gas Carriers Managing Director John Douglas Cook, as well as his staff, for the contribution, said the statement. Firefighters from the Operation Branch F at the Jerudong and Pengkalan Batu fire stations have been handling 57 reports of forest and bush fires since early March, as Brunei Darussalam enters the second phase of the northeast monsoon season with very limited rainfall. Apart from renewed warnings on open burning, leaving campfires unattended and tossing lit cigarette butts, the FRD also reminds members of the public to slow down when driving by areas that are affected by forest fire, as the smoke can reduce visibility. To report cases of open burning, contact 995 or 123. To report vandalism or theft of fire hydrants, contact 993. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Patpicha Tanakasempipat (Reuters) Bangkok Sat, April 6, 2019 13:31 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87318fb8c 2 SE Asia #Thailand,#politics,Politician,sedition,charge,junta-government Free The leader of a new party that has challenged Thailand's military government was charged on Saturday with sedition, the latest legal action facing the rising star after a disputed March election. The sedition charge, which was filed by the junta, was the second criminal case opened against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 40, since he formed the progressive, youth-oriented Future Forward Party last year. The 2015 case resurfaced after the Future Forward Party made a surprisingly strong showing in the March 24 election, coming in third with 6.2 million votes. It was still uncertain which party could form a government after the election, the first since a 2014 army coup. Final results may not be clear for weeks. Future Forward has joined an opposition "democratic front" alliance that will try to form a government and block junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha from staying in power. Police told Reuters the complaint dates back to 2015, when Thanathorn, who was running his family's auto parts empire at the time, allegedly "provided assistance" to a leader of protesters against the 2014 military coup who violated a junta ban on gatherings of more than five people. As he left the police station, Thanathorn said the charges were politically motivated and questioned the timing: "Why does this come a week after the election?" "We believe in our innocence," he told reporters, declining to comment further on the case until he submits written testimony to police, which is due by May 15. "This isn't about me. This is about everyone who fights for justice," he told a sea of supporters outside. They handed him flowers and cheered loudly as he emerged from the station, chanting "Thanathorn, keep going!" Many wore orange clothing - the party's colour - and held up signs with "#SaveThanathorn", which is also a trending hashtag on Twitter. Embassy representatives from the European Union, Germany and other countries were at the scene for observation. Thanathorn is accused of breaking article 116 of the Thai criminal code, the equivalent of sedition; article 189, for assisting others who committed a serious crime; and article 215, for an assembly of more than 10 people. He could face up to nine years in prison if found guilty. He will be tried in a military court. According to electoral law, a criminal conviction could spell electoral disqualification for Thanathorn, who has looked set to become a member of parliament. Thanathorn also faces a separate cybercrime charge over a speech he made on Facebook criticizing the junta in July. Prosecutors will decide on April 26 whether to put him on trial for the cybercrime charge. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 18:33 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873194cd7 4 News Lombok-earthquake,Lombok,tourism,tourists,Indonesia,West-Nusa-Tenggara Free The Indonesia Tour and Travel Agency Association (ASITA) has ensured the public that Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is safe to visit after a series of earthquakes caused a sharp decline in tourist arrivals. The most recent data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) shows that international tourist visits to NTB in January and February had decreased 38.14 percent from the same period last year. According to Dewantoro Umbu Joka, head of ASITAs NTB branch, a similar decline occurred with domestic tourists. International tourists are still wondering whether Lombok is safe to visit. Its not easy to persuade people to come here, he said as quoted by KompasTravel on Monday. Dewantoro also asked the government to reduce the fare for domestic flights so that local tourists would pick Lombok as their holiday destination. Read also: Lombok tourism taking baby steps toward recovery after earthquake Separately, ASITAs NTB spokesman, Supratman Samsi, said the association fully acknowledged the declining number of visitors to Lombok. Its a written fact that we cannot deny. This decline is due to the low season as well as the after effects of the earthquakes, Supratman said. He added that the rising cost of domestic flights had also contributed to the declining number of domestic visitors. We are expecting domestic tourists to come, but at the same time, ticket prices are increasing; it will be more difficult for them to purchase plane tickets, he said. (dpk/mut) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 6, 2019 17:10 983 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873193305 4 News Lombok,tourism,travel Free Amid several long weekends and other holidays in the first quarter of 2019, when people are expected to travel out of town, Lombok island in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) does not seem to be a favorite destination at the moment. Head of the Lombok Tourism Agency, Lalu Moh Faozal, told Tempo.co https://bisnis.tempo.co/read/1191594/tiket-pesawat-domestik-mahal-wisatawan-ke-lombok-turun-drastis) that the number of domestic tourists to Lombok had decreased significantly in the first two months of 2019. Compared to the same period last year, the number is 40 percent lower. The year-on-year count is decreasing, [and] there are many things that have caused the lower number of [domestic] tourists, said Faozal on Tuesday. He went on to say that skyrocketing ticket prices played a significant role in the decreasing number of domestic tourists. Plane ticket prices from Jakarta to Lombok had increased 50 percent. Read also: Lombok tourism yet to bounce back after earthquake Less frequent flights to Lombok International Airport, especially from Jakarta, has also contributed to the decreasing number. There used to be up to 12 inbound flight daily from Jakarta. However, since January, there were only eight arrivals from Jakarta. As a result, hotel occupancy has also been affected. Faozal said in January, hotel occupancy in Lombok only reached 20 percent. It indicates a significant loss compared to the occupancy rate in the same period last year, which was 40 percent. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) noted there had also been a 15.46 percent decrease in the number of domestic flight passengers in February 2019. According to BPS, the number of air travel passengers in February stood at 5.6 million people. The number dropped significantly compared to January, which reached 6.6 million people, BPS head Suharyanto said on Monday. (gis/mut) Ad Investing Trends Crisis Of Low Supply, High Demand Means Big Opportunity Right now helium is one of world's best investments. It's Earth's most nonrenewable resource and it's fast running out. That's a crisis because helium is a critical in medical diagnostics, military weapons, and semiconductors, which are the chips that run all the 21st century's gadgets, appliances, and vehicles. The ninth New Venture Competition will have business students from Central Michigan University and Michigan Technological University compete for funding for prospective businesses. The event will take place inside several areas on CMUs campus between 9:30 a.m. and past 6 p.m. on April 12. The schedule of events and locations are as follows: 9:30 a.m. Welcome in the French Auditorium 10 a.m. Round One of Pitch Competition within the Education and Human Services classrooms 11 a.m. lunch within the Education and Human Services classrooms 11:45 a.m. Keynote speaker in the French Auditorium 1 p.m. Round Two of Pitch Competition within the Education and Human Services classrooms 4 p.m. Final Pitch Competition in the French Auditorium 6 p.m. Strolling dinner and Awards Ceremony in the John G. Kulhavi Event Center Atrium The annual event brings in students from both CMU and Michigan Tech to compete for $100,000 in funding to jump start their small business prospects, according to Jessica Meyer, communications specialist for the competition. Our goal for the competition is to promote a transformational experience for the students involved, she said. Its a real experience, as they have to go out and do the actual work to start those businesses. The 35 businesses in the competition cover a wide variety of goods and services, including teaching people about homebrewing their own beers, cannabis-infused gourmet foods, multicultural hair and beauty products and fishing equipment, among several others. The teams will be judged by several panels of industry professionals. There are separate panels for each part of the competition, including the first and second rounds, pitch competition, specialty awards, the final round and several others. Each team has a mentor who helps them form their business plan and provide insight as industry professionals. Some of the mentors include retired Isabella Bank CEO Rick Barz, Incuba8 Founder and Chief Visionary Officer Caryn Schick and TCR CEO David Ladner. The keynote speaker for the event will be former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who is planned to speak about innovation and entrepreneurship in Michigan, according to Ari Harris, Assistant Director of University Communications at CMU. The university hosts 12 mandatory workshops throughout the year leading up to the competition, Meyer said. At the workshops, the teams learn what they need to know about starting a business. To ensure a spot in the competition, the teams submitted executive summaries and financial information to the competition officials, Meyer said. At the day of the competition, they apply what theyve learned and show how they will pursue business in the future, she said. There is also a Make-A-Pitch event held in December where companies pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. That event solidifies who is interested in pursuing business opportunities in the future, according to Meyer. Of the businesses involved in the competition over the years, 28 are still going today, Meyer said. The event was the idea of Charles Crespy, Dean Emeritus for the College of Business Administration who retired in September, according to Bruce Marble, Executive Director of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship. Crespy decided that there needed to be a business planning competition as an evolution of the entrepreneurial programs at the university. He ended up hiring Deb Zelner to help him form both the competition and improve the entrepreneurial program within the university, Over the years, the program has included more than just a regular small business, according to Marble. For 19 years, we had a major that started as a small business-type major, because we had people who came from family businesses, he said. Over the years, it has encompassed startups and social ventures as well as small businesses. For the second year, Michigan Tech got involved with the competition because of an idea for a mix of startup businesses that could result of the combination of the two student bodies. This did not pan out due to problems with distance, according to Marble. Michigan Tech is still invited to be a part of the completion every year. Last year, there was a joint CMU/Michigan Tech team, bring a late fruition to the concept of a collaboration between the schools. Being Polite: Army to teach Patong tuk-tuk, taxi drivers manners after vicious beating of tourists PHUKET: Royal Thai Army soldiers based in Phuket will call in tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Patong for an attitude adjustment briefing after two tourists were viciously beaten in the tourism town last week. tourismviolencetransportpatongSafetymilitarypolice By Tanyaluk Sakoot Saturday 6 April 2019, 09:00AM Army personnel speaks with tuk-tuk drivers on Patongs beachfront road. Photo: The Phuket News / file The training session, politely called public transport training for drivers tut-tuk, taxi and motorbike taxi as the better service, is being orchestrated by the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). In the attack at about 11pm last Thursday (Mar 28), six public transport drivers comprising taxi drivers, tuk-tuk drivers and at least one motorcycle taxi driver beat two male tourists from the UAE to the ground in the middle of Pracha Nukroh Rd in front of Malin Plaza in Patong. The drivers proceeded to kick the tourists including repeated kicks to the head while they were on the ground, in full view of any other tourists shopping and dining at the popular market. Parts of the vicious beating were recorded by a bystander. In the video recording, a womans voice can be heard screaming for the attackers to stop. Her pleas were ignored. However, PLTO Chief Banyat Kantha told The Phuket News this week that the attitude training was already planned before the violent attack. Mr Banyat, who as PLTO Chief is responsible for issuing licences to all public transport drivers on the island, refused to confirm or deny whether any action by his office was being taken to prevent another vicious attack on tourists again, despite the six suspects already being arrested and charged and currently being held behind bars on remand pending trial for affray causing bodily harm. We set up this training for public transport drivers (of note, all public transport in Phuket is owned and operated by private companies and operators) before this incident, he said. Their behaviour needed to be improved anyway, he added. Yet, exactly what will be taught at the training and how, will be left up to the military, Mr Banyat confirmed. I dont have the details of this training for now. I have to talk with military officials about it, he said on Tuesday (Apr 2). Lt Col Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the Royal Thai Armys 25th Military Circle, which is based in Phuket, was polite in explaining his role. This training is the PLTOs job to do, but they dont have many officers so we are happy to support them in doing their job, he said. Regarding the usual behaviour of Phukets public transport drivers, Col Santi agreed with Mr Banyat. The behaviour needs to be improved for better service, he said. Our main purpose is to protect our tourism. We will cover the issues of law enforcement, public transport drivers licenses, parking spaces, being service-oriented when serving tourists and not extorting them, and so on, Col Santi explained. I expect about 100 drivers to take part in the training, which will be held before the Songkran holidays, he added. The training might take two or three days, but that is up to the PLTO, he said. Everything we do is to prevent cheating or extortion in the tourism industry. We do this to protect the tourism industry of the nation, Col Santi said. All six suspects arrested for the attack have been refused bail and are being held in remand, Patong Police Chief Col Anotai Jindamanee confirmed. Five suspects are being held at Phuket Provincial Prison right now. The other one suspect is not over 20 years old. He will be handed over to the Phuket Juvenile and Family Court today, Col Anotai said on Tuesday (Apr 2). They all have already been charged with affray causing bodily harm by attacking two tourists, Col Anotai confirmed. However, police have yet to conclude their investigation, he added. We have yet to complete our questioning of six other witnesses, so we requested that the suspects be held at Phuket Provincial Prison for 12 days, from March 30 to April 10. They have been refused bail while the investigation is in process. If police granted them bail, then the suspects might flee the charges, he said. Phuket Immigration have already taken statements from the tourists involved, Col Anotai explained. And Phuket Immigration led the tourists in identifying the suspects, he added. The tourists departed Phuket last Friday (Mar 29), the day after the attack. They returned home on a flight back to Dubai on Emirates Airline Flight EK 2593 on March 29. They thanked everyone involved in arresting all the suspects, Col Anotai said. Col Anotai identified the tourists attacked as Khalil Humaid Obid Ali Al Al Kaabi, 38, and Abdulla Humaid Obid Ali Al Kaabi, 35. I dont know who started the fight first. We are still questioning the people involved now, but the tourists also fought back, Col Anotai explained. (See story here.) Most private hospitals overcharging THAILAND: The Commerce Ministry has found that more than half of private hospitals overcharge for medicines and medical services. health By Bangkok Post Saturday 6 April 2019, 02:15PM The Commerce Ministry says prices are 30-300% above production cost. Whichai Phochanakij, Director-General of the Internal Trade Department, who chaired a meeting of the working group tasked with studying the production cost of medicines and medical services, said 295 of a total of 353 private hospitals in Thailand had submitted production cost information for their medicines and medical services to the working group as of Thursday. That leaves 58 private hospitals that have yet to provide any information to the panel, mostly smaller hospitals. The government set an April 4 deadline for all private hospitals, regardless of size, to submit the data or face penalties under the 1999 Prices of Goods and Services Act. According to the act, those that refuse to supply information to the regulator violate Section 18 and are subject to up to three months in jail, a fine of up to 5,000 baht or both. Mr Whichai said the group studied the production costs of 10,146 items covering medicines, medical supplies and medical services, comparing them with appropriate cost structures available from a variety of sources, including importers, wholesalers, big drugstores, manufacturers, the Office of Insurance Commission, the Thai Life Assurance Association, the Thai General Insurance Association and the Comptroller-General's Department. Of the private hospitals that overcharge, the overcharge rate ranges from 30% to 300% above actual production costs. Mr Whichai said that once information is filed by all private hospitals and a cost structure analysis is conducted, the working group will propose solutions to the subcommittee handling supervisory measures for medicines, medical supplies and medical services, chaired by commerce Permanent Secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit. Once endorsed by the subcommittee, the solutions will be submitted to the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services, chaired by the Commerce Minister, to approve the measures. Initially approved measures will be announced on the Internal Trade Department's website. Information on medicines, medical supplies and medical services from each private hospital will also be disclosed on the website. Mr Whichai said the Internal Trade Department will later call a meeting with private hospitals that exaggerate the prices of their medicines, medical supplies and services and ask them to adjust prices to align with production costs. If they refuse to lower the charges, the department will ask for cooperation from patients or those who are affected by the overpricing to file complaints with the department so that state units can proceed with legal action. Read the original story here. Royal Coronation sacred water drawing ceremony takes place at Wat Chalong PHUKET: Sacred water was drawn from the well at Wat Chalong, officially called Wat Chaiyathararam, today (Apr 6) as part of the Royal Coronation ceremonies that took place nationwide. culture By The Phuket News Saturday 6 April 2019, 04:06PM Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion. Photo: PR Dept Officials and hundreds of people were present for the occasion, marking Phukets contribution to the ceremonies being held across the country today as sacred water is drawn from 108 locations, with the water to be used as part of the blessing ceremonies for the Royal Coronation of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun next month. At 11:52am, Governor Phakaphong led the ceremony by drawing water from the well and pouring it into a five-litre golden bowl called a Kan Sakon. The Kan Sakon lid was then closed and covered with a blessed white cloth tied with a white ribbon. The water was then carried by procession to Wat Prathong in Thalang. The water will stay at Wat Prathong and blessing ceremonies will begin at 3pm on Monday (Apr 8). The mass prayers and water blessing ceremonies will continue there until 1pm on Tuesday (April 9). During the ceremonies, the Governor will decant water from the Kan Sakon into a Kan Tor a royal ceramic urn handmade especially for the Royal Coronation of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. At 5pm Tuesday, the Governor and his entourage and police escort will depart the temple by motorcade. Governor Phakaphong and his police escort must travel with the water all the way to Royal Palace in Bangkok. From there the water from Phuket along with all the tributes of sacred water collected nationwide will be sanctified at Wat Suthat in the capital on April 18, for use in the Royal Coronation ceremonies to follow. (See story here.) Safety at Sea: Galileo launches new initiative for Phukets marine industry PHUKET: Galileo Maritime Academy and the Thai Yachting Business Association (TYBA), in conjunction with The Phuket News and Live 89.5 radio, has launched a marine safety training campaign for all crew of vessels engaged in the Thai marine tourism industry. marineSafetytransporttourism By The Phuket News Saturday 6 April 2019, 02:03PM Galileo has based the training program on the widely accepted international standards developed over the last 10 years by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) known as MGN 280, explained Anthony Gould, Chairman and Director of Galileo. The IMO and MCA standards were designed for captains and crew of vessels under 24 meters in length engaged in commercial tourism, work boats and pilot boats, and is currently used in many countries, he said. Starting this month will be regular radio broadcasts on Live 89.5 of daily tips and advice for all crew and yacht operators covering fire prevention and fire-fighting, personal safety and care of the marine environment, survival skills in an emergency, first aid and being a first responder, crowd management and crisis handling skills, collision regulations and basic navigation, voyage and weather planning, seamanship and heavy weather handling, safety equipment and VHF radio communication. There will also be regular articles and coverage of the training program as it progresses in The Phuket News special column on Safety at Sea. The campaign will initially continue for three months. The objective of this campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of professional standards of training to improve the safety record of Phukets marine industry and to promote quality training that will give guests and crew greater confidence that they can be safer in their work and leisure, Mr Gould said. As a result we believe that charter companies, hotels and tour operators will be able to promote that their marine operations are compliant with best international standards and are a safer experience for their tourist guests. The Galileo Maritime Academy training program for captains and crew of these vessels will be delivered in both Thai and English language at economical group rates. The program will be broken down into segments of knowledge and practical skills to fit in with the requirements of working crew so that marine operations are not disrupted, Mr Gould noted. Galileo will provide the instructors, facilities and equipment at their training centre at Yacht Haven Marina and in some cases the theory classes can be held in client hotels and company facilities, he added. Phuket is fast becoming an international maritime training destination. In the first quarter of 2019 Galileo has seen a truly international spread of students from the superyacht and commercial shipping industry visiting Phuket to obtain MCA certification at the maritime training centre at Yacht Haven Marina. In all, 51% of these students have been entry-level crew looking to start their careers on superyachts and 49% have been experienced captains and crew carrying out STCW refresher courses and advanced proficiency training in Medical Care, Survival Craft and Rescue Boats, Advanced Fire Fighting, Approved Marine Engine Courses, Efficient Deckhand and Fast Rescue Boat courses all under MCA certification, Mr Gould explained. The UK has consistently been the largest source of students by nationality as is Europe generally, next is Asia and then Australia and USA, Canada and South Africa, he noted. Serene cuisine at SALA Phuket I count myself, like many of you reading this article, as extremely fortunate and perhaps slightly privileged to be able to say I am a resident of Phuket. Dining By Chris Watson Saturday 6 April 2019, 10:00AM Blessed with a climate which is never really too hot (with the exception of our current year), a winter akin to a British summer (when somewhat amusingly many Phuketians reach for their woollen jumpers) and a general avoidance of the tropical storms which batter other Asian countries, this is, for me, a paradise. One of my many reasons for choosing this as home was undoubtedly the array of dining options, from deeply delicious and value-for-money street food to the ever-increasing number of upscale restaurants offering high-level products imaginatively combined to provide world-class dining. There is also a plethora of uber-luxe resorts located, inevitably, by the sea, some cliffside, others beachside, but all offering spectacular vistas. Without exception, they all provide a wonderful dining experience and service which can now rival that of anywhere in the world. In Phuket, I believe we are at a tipping point. With new six-star hotels entering the market, innovative concepts in dining and the arrival of the Michelin Guide, many are competing for the holy grail of a Michelin star. Phuket has truly become a gastronomic location. I thought I knew most fine establishments that fit into the above category as I regularly cross the North/South divide and am frequently a victim of the no-end-in-sight traffic jams at Chalong Circle. But, perhaps not. When invited to visit SALA Phuket, I must sheepishly admit that I did have to check it out on the net to ascertain the journey time. Discovering its location in Mai Khao, I steeled myself for the congestion and set off. SALA is located at the end of a rather charming dimly-lit lane. Turning into the entrance, signage discreet, one has the impression of arriving at a private residence, with little visible normal hotel indicators. The arrival is enhanced by the tranquil, almost zen-like pond and walkway I pass before I arrive at the brightly-illuminated reception counter where I am directed towards the beach and my venue for dinner. As I meander towards the restaurant, the atmosphere created by the subdued pathway only heightens my anticipation. I am greeted by Basil, who is much younger, more debonair and clearly more professional than his Torquay namesake. Rounding the corner, the setting is truly stunning. The restaurant is colonially furnished and boasts spectacular seashore views. There are even a couple of salas on the beach, perfect for that all-important popping of the question. The restaurant is on two levels, the upper largely devoted to those couples seeking a veritable intimate experience and offering yet even more panoramic vistas. I plum for the lower level and am introduced to Khun Suthisa, who informs me I can refer to her as Khun Nan. The menus are truly tempting. With choices of Thai set menus, an extensive Thai and Western a la carte and intimate dining options for two, I am spoilt for choice. The Chef, Tony, a fellow Brit, has worked in Thailand for a number of years and encouraged me to experience his signature dishes of Poo Nim Tod Yum Mamuang (soft-shell crab), twice-cooked crispy pork belly and harissa-spiced lamb cutlets it would be churlish not to. Whilst Khun Nan takes care of me with a creamy lobster bisque and a couple of crunchy crab cakes, Tony prepares his specialties. The lightly tempura-battered soft-shell crab is deliciously crisp and moist and comes with a chili and lime dressing, the perfect foil to accentuate the sweetness of the crab meat. This is followed by the pork belly. Normally a very English dish, this is served with a nod to Asia, accompanied with wok-fried morning glory and roasted pumpkin puree, and surrounded by a fragrant thyme gravy. This is topped off with a tasty apple and ginger marmalade that perfectly complements the rich pork. Whilst almost full, I manage to find room for the lamb cutlets, delicately spiced with harissa, chargrilled on the outside but remaining tender and pink inside and served with an unusual orange and pistachio couscous and a chermoula dressing of herbs and garlic. Thank you, Chef Tony! Khun Nan insists that I try a dessert before I leave and I choose the decadent chocolate molten lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream on the side and a ribbon of slightly bitter raspberry coulis that perfectly cuts through the richness of the fondant. Thank you, Khun Nan! I began this article by commenting on the multitude of super deluxe hotels and cosmopolitan restaurants available in Phuket, but for that truly special celebration, SALA Phuket has it all. Be it a special anniversary, a milestone birthday, that evening for asking Will you?, call Basil, book a beach villa and head to SALA Phuket for the night. www.salahospitality.com/phuket info@salaphuket.com +66-76-338-888 Chris is a former Michelin Guide Inspector who, following an international career in hospitality spanning 30 years in both the Middle East and Asia, has now settled in Thailand and contributes a monthly restaurant column. NEW YORKRay Dalio, the billionaire founder of the worlds biggest hedge fund, said he believes flaws in American capitalism have created destructive and self-reinforcing gaps in education, social mobility, assets and income and the result could be another revolution. Writing in a new essay, the Bridgewater Associates co-chair points to statistics showing the bottom 60 per cent of income-earners in the U.S. keep falling further behind the top 40 per cent. One example: Those in the upper group have on average 10 times more wealth than the rest, up from six times in 1980. Another: Health among the poor is declining overall and American men earning the least probably will die 10 years earlier than those making the most. While Dalio, 69, previously has focused on inequality and warned about the dangers of populism, his 18-page treatise goes into more detail about the existential threats they present to American society. He cites a weaker economy, the loss of competitiveness relative to rival nations and a high risk of bad conflict. Disparity in wealth, especially when accompanied by disparity in values, leads to increasing conflict and, in the government, that manifests itself in the form of populism of the left and populism of the right and often in revolutions of one sort or another, Dalio writes. Drawing on data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the World Economic Forum and Gallup Inc., he paints a picture of capitalism in crisis: Wages for most Americans have been stagnant for decades, those who grow up in the middle class increasingly earn less than their parents and the income gap between the richest and poorest is as wide as ever. Wealth increasingly determines the quality of education kids receive and systemic failings at schools in poor neighbourhoods are the equivalent of child abuse. Americans who earn less being in worse health and dying earlier has direct consequences for the economy. These unacceptable outcomes arent due to either a) evil rich people doing bad things to poor people or b) lazy poor people and bureaucratic inefficiencies, as much as they are due to how the capitalist system is now working, Dalio says. The solution, he argues, lies in better leadership at the top of the country; treating the wealth and income gap as a national emergency; a bipartisan commission to re-engineer the economic system; more accountability, presumably for elected officials; minimum standards for health care and education; some redistributive taxes on the wealthy; and more coordination of monetary and fiscal policy to stimulate growth. One question is how many people on the political left or right are open to policy prescriptions from one of the wealthiest Americans. Thanks to Bridgewaters asset base and investing success over time, Dalio has a fortune the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates at $16.9 billion (U.S.). On Friday in a separate statement, Dalio Philanthropies and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced a partnership to improve public education and economic opportunity in the state, focusing on impoverished communities with a high concentration of youth. The partnership hopes to raise $300 million over five years: $100 million from the state will be matched by $100 million from Dalio Philanthropies, which is the largest known donation to the state in its history, according to the statement. Another $100 million will come from other philanthropists and business leaders. HALIFAXSarah Baddeley disagreed with the five-word message that appeared on a Dartmouth billboard last summer and wanted to do something about it. The message was posted on Windmill Rd. in August 2018 by the B.C.-based group We Need a Law, which campaigns for federal restrictions on abortions. Canada has no abortion laws, the sign said, directing people to the groups website and toll-free phone number. As a lawyer and womens rights advocate, Baddeley said she knew the claim to be false, but suspected it was misleading for others. The billboard motivated her to launch a counterpoint project. We knew that abortion was regulated, Baddeley said, speaking for herself and the team at the Halifax branch of the Womens Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), a group she co-chairs. But she said many people she works with through LEAF dont know exactly what the law says about abortion or where to find accurate information. So, research lawyers at LEAF compiled the details of provincial, federal and international laws that together shape the way Nova Scotians access abortions. The 17-page Access to Choice guide will launch on Monday, with hard copies available through LEAF and a digital document posted to the organizations website. The guide gives a brief overview of Supreme Court of Canada precedent, dating back to the landmark 1988 Morgentaler case that decriminalized abortion. It also points to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international human rights law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Canada ratified in 1981. Baddeley said understanding abortion rights and regulations can be difficult because of the intersection of criminal laws which are under federal jurisdiction and health laws which are provincial. So, we are kind of piecing together that network for people in order to alleviate that confusion, she said. LEAFs guide highlights the policies and procedures in Nova Scotia, as regulated by the Department of Health and Wellness. According to Baddeley, abortion access is increasingly being treated as a health issue and it is a health issue, which is why LEAF focuses its advocacy on the provincial health-care system. Theres some really wonderful supportive advocates out there and weve actually made some massive progress in the last few years in particular, Baddeley said. In 2017, the provincial Liberals eliminated the need for a physician referral for surgical abortions and started covering the cost of the abortion pill, although some advocates say it is still difficult to access. Baddeley said access to ultrasounds which are used to date a pregnancy before an abortion can proceed also remains a barrier. Until recently, there were no ultrasound machines in Nova Scotia dedicated to dating pregnancies for the purposes of an abortion, and when one was purchased through a fundraising campaign, it wasnt put into use. Health Minister Randy Delorey told the Star that his department has been working on that issue. The last time I looked in on that there was some training going on to complete that training, so they could make use of the ultrasound directly within the clinic. He added that the department is monitoring the elimination of physician referrals and the use of the abortion pill. In the case of abortion, we made those changes with referrals and access to the drug to improve access, so we obviously have to monitor that for a little bit of time to assess to see if weve actually seen an improvement in access and the delivery of services in the province, Delorey said. Baddeley said that while gaps in abortion access remain, there are many more rights and resources available to women now than in the recent past. We think thats something to take a step back and celebrate for a minute, she said. LEAF is hosting an event on Monday to mark the launch of Access to Choice. Read more about: If youve ever wondered if you can find great bottles for $10 or less, the answer is yes. You just need to know which ones to buy. I drove that point home in January when I discovered a $7.95 gem of a red wine called 2017 Toro Bravo, a Tempranillo-Merlot blend from Spain (LCBO 635755). I gave that wine 96 pointsthe highest score Id given a wine under $10. It was a brand new General List item at the LCBO. Now it sells out as fast at it hits shelves. But the 2017 Toro Bravo is not the only serious bargain on shelves. Before I name names, its important to know we shouldnt have to spend a fortune for a decent drop these days. Not in todays fiercely competitive wine market. Sure, theres a time to drop serious coin on a crazy special bottle, but thats not every day. The reason Im able to bring bargain bottles to your attention is because I factor in price when I score. A $10 Californian Cabernet is not the same thing as a $100 one. So they shouldnt be judged by the same yardstick. The same holds true for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Spanish red blends and all the rest. Comparing apples to apples is the fairest approach, which my scoring reflects. Sure, it requires me to taste broadly and regularly at both the high and low ends of the price spectrum, but thats the only way to do this job properly. Otherwise its too easy to overlook inexpensive wines entirely or be forced to give them low scores, which is unfair and a huge disservice to wine drinkers. In short, price matters. Unfortunately, wine prices in Ontario are already quite high relative to many other places. The LCBO only lists three dry wines in 750mL bottles under $8, according to the list they shared with me March 14. And of those three, Id only recommend the 2017 Toro Bravo. Id certainly like to see more dry wines under $8 in this market that offer decent value for money, wouldnt you? The LCBOs selection of wine broadens in the $8 to $9 price bracket. So I focused my tasting there for this column and found the 2016 Castano Monastrell from Yecla, Spain (LCBO 635771 $8.95 in stores and online). Monastrell is one of Spains most planted grape varieties, producing a full-bodied but juicy style of dry red wine. And this particular bottle is a fine example. A cool powdery scent laced with blueberries leads to a robust hit of dry, muscular flavour thats beefy and structured. Grilled meat and juicy black raspberry flavours dominate but are scored with charcoal and tobacco. This is a savoury wine with a firm structure and bitter tug of black olive and chalk on the finish. For $8.95, this wine offers outstanding value for money. I score it 92 points. Fans of crisp, dry whites will find joy in the 2018 Robertson Winery Chenin Blanc from South Africa (LCBO 495507 $8.25 in stores and online). I recommended the 2016 vintage of this wine a year ago, when it was only available by the case and onlinescoring it 94 points. Now the wine is a General List item, is on the 2018 vintage, and is still a total steal. It starts with barely there aromas of grapefruit oil and wet stones. Then it enters beam-like and bright. The expression is lean and elegant, silky and seamless, delicate and demure, with coy suggestions of struck steel, grapefruit zest, and crushed stone swirling around in each sip. This wine drinks like a wine worth twice the price and is certainly worthy of 94 points. Another noteworthy wine in the $8 to $9 bracket is 2018 Frontera After Midnight Dark, a red blend from Chile (LCBO 553917 $8.95 in stores and online). This wine tastes a lot like Apothic Red from California (LCBO 234369 $16.95 in stores and online), the bestselling 750mL red in Ontario and in Canada, but costs about half the price. Like Apothic Red, which tastes the same vintage to vintage, 2018 Frontera After Midnight is a full-bodied, sweet-centred blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. The only difference is Apothic Red includes Zinfandel in the mix. Both wines offer tonnes of dark fruit imbued with creamy chocolate, vanilla and spice from oakwith a smooth mouthfeel and no bitterness, tannic tug or alcoholic burn. With 13 g/L of residual sugar, 2018 Frontera After Midnight is not dry. But it is slightly drier than Apothic Red with its 17 g/L. And the fruit-alcohol-tannin-acid balance of both bottles create the impression of a dry wine to those not used to drinking wines with little residual sugar. In short, those who like Apothic Red will almost certainly like this wine a lot. Score: 88 Fans of polished, restrained styles of Chardonnay with judicious use of oak should appreciate the 2017 Cesari Adesso Chardonnay from Veneto, Italy (LCBO 572461 $8.75 in stores and online). It shines a pretty shade of pale ash blonde, glints with gold inflections, and exudes feathery aromas of salted lemon zest and buttered popcorn. Then, a swift, cool attack of creamy-tart lemon curd flavour follows with a touch of sea salt on the finish. Smart buy, which I score 91. Heres to great value wines that dont cost a fortune. For a few weeks, it was the biggest mystery at city hall, triggering playful public appeals for help. The observation deck of the CN Tower in Tiny Town TO the miniature model of the citys downtown core that draws 100,000 visitors a year was missing. So was the antenna. Had someone taken them? It wouldnt be the first time a tourist walked off with a piece of Tiny Town it used to happen so often that for a time, touching the tiny CN Tower would trigger an alarm. A Plexiglas perimeter was installed to help protect the city from looting some people, it seems, just cant resist trying to make off with little handmade pieces of Toronto. The citys planning department tweeted for help. Hours later a CTV reporter and cameraman showed up and while shooting close-ups of the miniature, discovered the observation deck wedged between buildings on Front St. The antenna was resting along fake Bay St. A little girl visiting city hall, with keen eyes and wee fingers, agreed to burrow under the model city which is built on tables resting on castors so it can be broken up into sections and moved around and popped out close enough to rescue the pieces from the streets without further damaging Tiny Town. Her tiny hands were perfect for plucking the pieces out safely, said Carolyn Humphreys, a program manager in Torontos planning division and caretaker of the model town. Its not known whether the observation tower and antenna fell off or were knocked off, but the incident highlighted a sad truth about Tiny Town TO. Read more: Torontos major transit projects where theyre at and what Doug Ford might do to them City staff thought the Scarborough extension could cost $900 million more than the public pricetag but didnt tell council before it voted Ottawa pledges $1.3 billion for Toronto Community Housing repairs On display for 30 years, the town without pesky people, taxes or traffic jams, is 1,000 buildings out of date and needs to be replaced. Over the years, the model has been updated sporadically but not comprehensively. It was built really as a planning tool. We never imagined it as a tourist attraction, said Humphreys, who began working at the city at about the same time the model town was finished. And yet the three-dimensional, topographical scale model in the rotunda of city hall continues to hold interest, even among crowds equipped with smartphones connecting them to infinite visual possibilities. It took 4,000 hours of work, according to creator Rollo Myers, now manager of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. It cost $128,000 to build, according to a news release from 1990. The estimated cost of replacing it today is about $200,000, Humphreys said. Funds have not yet been allocated for the project and the city is looking for a partner in Tiny Towns redevelopment. Humphreys is thinking big: something that perhaps incorporates augmented and virtual reality technologies and has an online life as well as a physical presence at city hall. Shes also thinking small perhaps the parts can be built on trays that can be brought to community meetings where new developments are being discussed. Developers could bring mock-ups of their projects to the meeting and situate them in the miniature neighbourhoods, so residents could gain a better understanding of what is being proposed. The 3D physical model really sticks with some people. Not everybody can think in 3D or on paper, said Humphreys. Its no easy feat to make a model city to scale, according to civil engineer and modelling expert David MacLean, a member of the team behind Our Home and Miniature Land, a collection of miniature Canadian cities being painstakingly built by hand in Mississauga as part of an attraction expected to open in Toronto in 2020. What parts of the city do you include? What parts do you leave out? Thats the first challenge, said MacLean. Finding the right tools and people with the right skill set is another one. Even today, most miniatures are made by hand although 3D printers and laser engravers are also used and working to scale means working with pictures and maps and building plans. Human fascination with miniatures goes back to antiquity, according to MacLean, and they seem to be having a moment worldwide. Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg opened in 2001 and is now the most popular attraction in Germany, with 17 million visitors to date. Grand Maket Russia in St. Petersburg features Russia in miniature and quickly became one the citys most popular attractions after opening in 2012. There are mini worlds in Lyon, The Hague and Vienna and plans for miniature worlds in Korea and Japan, according to Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer, founder of Our Home and Miniature Land. Its a global trend that I believe is here to stay and become a mainstay in the attractions markets, said Brenninkmeijer. Tiny Town TO is not nearly as detailed. While each building was handmade in the shape of the actual footprint of the structures they represent, they lack some of the specifics including, for example, steeples on all the churches. Theres no TTC buses on streets or boats floating in the harbour. Heritage buildings are pink and some of the citys more iconic buildings are easy to recognize, but neighbourhoods are made up of little houses that call to mind Monopoly hotels. When you can see your whole city, I would see that as a really powerful psychological experience, says Sally Augustin, a practising environmental design psychologist and principal at the firm Design with Science, in Illinois. There is something called place attachment people attach to their home cities. They link their emotions to things that happened in those cities. If you have the opportunity to look out over that area, you might be reminded of positive links to your city. Looking down over the city could also create new and positive associations, Augustin said. Youd see the street grid in a whole new way, because usually youre in the street grid, maybe dodging trash cans and bicycles, and you dont see the orderliness of it. She compared the view to the view from a hot-air balloon, or a low-flying plane. Youre getting this unique experience, an opportunity to understand your city comprehensively at no risk to you. Models can help people better understand how to navigate the city, and could even serve to encourage tourism, Augustin believes. You could send your miniature Toronto to New York City to encourage people to visit Toronto, she said. MacLean agrees. While Our Home and Miniature Land is not yet up and running, they have had people through to look at the work in progress, who have been inspired to take a trip, based on the pretty buildings in miniature. Weve had that happen a few times, said Maclean. Its a four-dimensional tourism ad. A 31-year-old Toronto woman was struck and killed after exiting her car on Hwy. 401 following a collision late Friday night. Around 11:15 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision in the westbound express lanes of Hwy. 401 between McCowan and Markham Rds., OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said. Police believe a car struck another vehicle that was hauling a trailer, the trailer became detached and then the car struck the vehicle for a second time before both came to a halt. One person from each vehicle got out to speak with tow truck drivers that had been called to the scene when the woman attempted to cross from the express lanes to the collector lanes. While crossing she was struck by a vehicle travelling westbound. She died at the scene. Schmidt said police do not yet know why the woman was attempting to cross the highway and they are investigating the factors leading up to her death. This is something that is obviously concerning for us as people are outside dealing with the collision ... which was relatively minor, and sadly now a 31-year-old woman is dead because she tried to cross the highway, Schmidt said in a video on Twitter. Express and collector lanes were both closed following the incident but have since reopened. Schmidt noted that several vehicles drove through the closures police set up around the scene of the incident while the investigation took place. He urged drivers to exercise caution when driving at night and to obey all road closures. When drivers speed through road closures, theyre putting everyone at the scene in danger, particularly emergency responders, Schmidt said. That could have very, very easily been a tragic repeat of what happened just moments earlier when the pedestrian was struck, he continued. When youre out on the highway, you are vulnerable, you have no place to go ... Were put at risk by drivers who think they can go through a closure. When the highway is closed, the highway is closed, he said. Please slow down, move over, be aware of your surroundings and understand were out there this is our office and we want to get home safely as well. Anyone with information or dash cam footage of the incident is urged to contact Toronto OPP at 416-235-4981. BERLINEuropean investigators are digging deeper into possible links between far-right ideologues and the suspected New Zealand mosque attacker, who sent at least two donations to an anti-Muslim group with branches around Europe. The probes currently concentrate on any money trails leading back to the suspect, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, who was charged Friday in New Zealand with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder in the March 15 bloodshed at two mosques in Christchurch. But it also reflects wider examinations into a new crop of far-right groups whose rise has paralleled the increasing use of anti-immigrant fears to buoy right-wing political parties in the West. Among the groups most adept at stitching together the various strands of nativist anger and suspicion is the French-rooted Identitarian Movement, which promotes an alarmist message that Muslim migrants will one day overrun Western culture. The Identitarian Movement apparently echoed Tarrants anger toward Muslim migrants, and is now at the centre of international investigations as authorities try to piece together the elements that shaped Tarrants views. A spokesperson for the French wing of the Identitarian Movement told The Washington Post on Thursday that the suspect, Tarrant, had sent an unsolicited donation of about $1,200 in September 2017. Read more: Police: Man who died backed New Zealand mosque killings New Zealand launches bill to ban guns used in mosque massacres Its not just about Quebec: Bill 21 helps prompt anti-hate task force in Calgary That is the second European group to acknowledge receiving money from the suspected attacker. Last month, Austrian authorities raided the home of an Identitarian-linked leader, Martin Sellner, who was given a donation of nearly $1,700 (U.S.) by Tarrant more than a year ago. In Germany, meanwhile, officials said they were pursuing their own probes into other possible ties between Tarrant and German extremists. In New Zealand, police are looking into possible ties between Tarrant and a Ukranian-born man, Troy Dubovskiy, 54, who apparently killed himself March 27 during a standoff with authorities. Police say a search of Dubovskiys home near Christchurch uncovered firearms, ammunition and violent extremist content. It remains unclear, however, if Dubovskiy and Tarrant had any direct contact. But Tarrants world increasingly appears informed by Identitarian influence. In Germany, Austria and France, the groups reach has so far been amplified by links to members of right-wing parties, established academic associations and other groups. The Identitarian followers are careful to not publicly condone the use of violence. Its views, though, are all about a looming clash of cultures and religion with only one winner possible. One of the dangers of this ideology is that it creates an imminent threat from the outside: a coming war if we dont do anything about it, said Austrian right-wing extremism researcher Julia Ebner, with the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue. A violent escalation is part of their ideology. After arriving in Austria at the end of November from Central Europe, Tarrant travelled about 1,200 miles in a rental car on a weeklong road trip. A key question whether he used his travels to make contact with anti-Muslim extremists in Europe remains unknown. A direct link may not have been necessary to influence Tarrants thinking. Identitarian movement members such as Sellner have aimed to win a battle for minds. They give frequent interviews, upload professionally produced videos to YouTube and have friends in powerful positions. Two European security officials said that Sellners network has links to the far-right Freedom Party in Austria and its German equivalent, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). One of the movements German leading figures, for instance, works for an AfD member of parliament. In Austria, the Freedom Party which controls the Interior Ministry has publicly vowed to confront extremist ideologies. But the Interior Ministrys past decisions raise concerns about such promises. In Feb. 28, 2018, Austrian police raided the countrys domestic intelligence agency, the BVT. Two European security officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to journalists say that highly classified documents seized during the raid included details on Sellners direct or indirect links to members of the Freedom Party. This previously unreported detail comes at a time as the party has gone on a public campaign to deny any links to Sellners group. A spokesperson for the office of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz did not respond to questions about the February 2018 raid. Sellner acknowledged that the groups ideas may shape policies of Austrian far-right politicians, but he denied direct ties to any political party. We dont have any connections to them, he said. But experts believe overlap is inevitable by the way the group recruits: mainly targeting young academics and other politically active figures instead of violent extremists. One recruitment priority for the Identitarian Movement was the German military university, even though the Military Counterintelligence Service stopped those efforts. In 2017, Sellner was among a group of far-right activists who chartered a ship to defend Europe from an influx of migrants across the Mediterranean Sea. Sellner, who has acknowledged that he participated in neo-Nazi activities when he was younger, said his goal now is to stop what he fears is an Islamization in Europe. He uses scaremongering phrases such as mass immigration and population replacement a reference to the title of a 2012 book by right-wing French polemicist Renaud Camus, The Great Replacement. In his book, Camus writes that Europes white majority may eventually be replaced by immigrants from North Africa and elsewhere. In Tarrants manifesto written before the attacks, the 28-year-old repeatedly cites the Great Replacement theory. For many years I had been hearing and reading of the invasion of France by nonwhites, many of these rumours and stories I believed to be exaggerations, Tarrant wrote. But once I arrived in France, I found the stories not only to be true, but profoundly understated, he continued. For Jean-Yves Camus, a French scholar researching the European far right, it was important not to draw too many specific conclusions from Tarrants European travels. He came to Europe, he perceived that Europe was in a state of advanced decadence, said Camus, who is not related to the author of The Great Replacement. He was inspired by what he saw, but that doesnt mean he was inspired directly by those he met. The Identitarian Movement in its present form originated in France nearly 15 years ago, said Romain Espino, a spokesperson for Generation Identitaire, the name of the French branch. In terms of the way we work, each country is independent, he said. But the French movement, he acknowledged, has significant contacts with others in Italy, Germany and especially Austria, the home of Sellner. Espino noted that he had seen Sellner on a number of occasions, including during a protest in Vienna and at the 2018 summer university hosted by Generation Identitaire. These events which bring together movement members from across Europe have occurred annually for the past 15 years, Espino said. Sellner acknowledged that the United States was distinct from Europe, but he praised Trump for his clear border control policy and antiglobalist agenda of national identity, as well as his national economic policy. In countries where Christian identity is part of mainstream politics, such as Germany and Austria, the group has doubled down on its emphasis on a conflict of cultures and religions. In more multicultural places, such as Britain, the messaging has been very different. There, they stayed away from anything that emphasizes race and ethnicity. Instead, they built their messaging around Muslim grooming gangs, for instance. They know where the grievances lie, said Ebner, the researcher. To gain access to right-wing extremist circles online and offline, Ebner has adopted false identities a number of times. In October 2017, she attended an Identitarian Movement launch meetup in South London, with Martin Sellner and his American then-girlfriend and now-fiancee, Brittany Pettibone, among about two dozen attendees. Other members had travelled from France and Denmark, Ebner recalled. Its clear from their training camps and militarized language that they prepare for a potentially violent scenario, even though they would never publicly condone violence, she said. Once Ebner went public with her 2017 experience and other related research, she started receiving death threats, she said. MATARARA, Mozambique - It began with a farmer who wanted to see how his neighbours had weathered a deadly cyclone. It has turned into an extraordinary grassroots relief operation that has helped thousands in rural Mozambique. Helicopters land in the farmhouses driveway. Aid workers in matching T-shirts sleep in tents in the front yard and on the roof. And hundreds of local subsistence farmers whose lives were swept away by the floods drop by to collect the food and supplies to start again. Weve been at it for ... three weeks? Ive lost track of time, the farmhouses sole resident in normal times, mango farmer Gilles van de Wall, told The Associated Press after another frenetic day. Potluck reigns. Visitors bring beer and bottled water to stock a straining refrigerator. Dogs, at least one cat and a caged grey parrot have adapted to the crowd. New people arriving? Just budge over. Prepare to be utterly disappointed, one recent nights impromptu cook for the crowd of volunteers declared. Cyclone Idai hit this part of rural Mozambique particularly hard, with torrential rains draining down from the nearby mountains that separate the country from Zimbabwe. Rivers burst their banks leaving corn stalks hanging from electrical wires. The floodwaters made the farmhouse and surrounding buildings an island. Even before the waters drained, van de Wall began a rescue operation for families nearby, then a much wider area, he said. Soon, some 600 people were sheltering at the farm. Then 1,000. The first night he didnt get much sleep because all the children were crying, he said. Then more food arrived to ease their hunger pangs. Word got out among fellow large-scale commercial farmers. Friends from the nearby city of Chimoio brought the first supplies. Then others came from Mozambiques capital, Maputo, 1,100 kilometres (680 miles) to the south. People started driving up from South Africa, even farther away. Meanwhile, workers at the farm were reporting distress in communities across the crocodile-inhabited Lecito River behind the farm. Remote by road a 150-kilometre (93-mile) drive and yet just a kilometre (mile) across the water, the communities were judged to be in critical need of help, van de Wall said. The opening of the road some five days after the cyclone helped to reach them. The arrival of helicopters helped even more. Tons of food, shelter and utensils, mostly from donations, were flown in. If youre the first people to reach them, its indescribable, van de Wall said of the desperation of families surrounded by flooded fields. The emergency assistance worked well enough that people on the other side of the river are living on their own destroyed plots, not in camps, a key factor in avoiding the spread of disease, he said. Scores of thousands of people displaced by the cyclone across central Mozambique are now huddling in shelters, often with poor water and sanitation, and a deadly cholera outbreak has been declared. Eventually, word about the homegrown relief operation filtered out to aid groups hurriedly trying set up operations in the cyclone-hit region while roads were repaired and waters drained. Many needed somewhere to sleep, eat and get marginally clean. Hundreds of people have stayed here, van de Wall said. There were 30 to 35 a night last week. Before that, 10 to 20. Before that, it was me and my neighbours. And like clockwork, every time they ran short of something, it would turn up, he said. The farmhouse relief effort was so desperate to fly supplies to inaccessible areas that when the governor visited they commandeered his helicopter to deliver food, van de Wall later told visitors at the nightly briefing around a bonfire in a wheelbarrow. A few were nervous that the governor would finish his speech and want to fly away before they returned the aircraft, he said. Then the briefing turned to the daily report: 11,000 kilograms (24,000 pounds) of rice distributed on Thursday across the river. More than 2 tons of supplies delivered on this side. Its an amazing operation youve put together, a member of a visiting international medical team told the group. Seventeen-year-old Pieter Botha, the son of the farmhouses owner, Kobus, has watched the organized chaos since arriving a week after the cyclone from Maputo to help out, and who had been loading helicopters that day. Everyone here is strangers, he said as people wandered in and out the front door or held planning meetings on the lawn. Everyone who arrived just wanted to help. Its a very friendly environment. Its fun. The aim has been to provide nearby subsistence farmers with a months worth of food until Mozambiques government and the United Nations World Food Program could get longer term relief deliveries up and running, Botha said. The cyclone wiped out crops that were just weeks away from harvesting, so most families will need nearly a years supply of food, aid workers say. The makeshift rescue effort has helped almost 9,000 people so far, Botha said. Its on the board! he insisted, gesturing to a whiteboard propped near the porch, scrawled with a rough map of villages and the numbers of residents. The relief effort appeared to be working. Dozens of Mozambican women gathered nearby for boxes marked with the logo of USAID that contained cooking pots. Everything was washed away, one waiting woman, Rosita Cuanda, said. The goats, the chickens, the house. We were left with nothing. Van de Walls farmhouse has been the central point of help for community members, she said. With the aid distributed they have been able to feed their families, she said, counting off 10 relatives of her own, but shyly saying she could not remember her age. Her family had a long-standing relationship with van de Wall because they help to harvest his mangoes, Cuanda said: We know him well. Hundreds of strangers brought together by disaster now do, too. MEXICO CITY - A massive blackout struck across the Yucatan Peninsula on Friday, affecting a three-state region that is home to several million people, well-travelled Mayan ruins and popular beach resorts such as Cancun and Tulum. Quintana Roo state Police Chief Alberto Capella said in the afternoon via Twitter that nearly the entire state was affected and that the outage apparently extended into the peninsulas other two states. Two hours later he tweeted that power had been restored in most municipalities in Quintana Roo. The Federal Electricity Commission reported that the failure was caused by a brushfire unrelated to the technical operations of the commission. It posted video online of hard-hatted workers walking among scorched, smoking terrain beneath high-voltage transmission lines and said that we are working to re-establish service to the affected users. Quintana Roos Public Safety Department said authorities were trying to avoid traffic congestion. RIO DE JANEIRO - A ferryboat collided with a bridge pillar in Brazils Amazon region Saturday, causing the spans central roadway to plunge into the Moju River along two cars and cutting a highway to one of the countrys busiest ports, authorities said. Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho told reporters that witnesses reported seeing the two small cars fall into the water during the accident on a highway leading to the port city of Belem, the state capital. It was unknown how many people were in the cars, and fire department scuba divers were searching the river. The state government said the five crew members on the ferry survived, but it had no information about any victims as about 650 feet (200 metres) of the half-mile (860-meter) bridge collapsed. This is a sad day with this regrettable episode, Barbalho said in an initial statement. Right now our priority is to speed up the search for the victims and give total support to their families. Local media reported that a January inspection of the bridge found corrosion problems on the pillars. At the time, the government didnt think the problem was serious enough to close the span, but did request funds for emergency measures, the reports said. The structure is part of a complex of bridges that span a labyrinth of rivers at the mouth of the Amazon river basin to provide a road connection between many rural cities and the state capital. The state government said it would install ramps and have barges ferry cars from one end of the broken bridge to the other while the span is rebuilt. The governor estimated repairs and new safety measures would cost $25 million and take about year. Barbalho also said officials would install buffers and warning signs on the pillars of other bridges in the complex. In 2014, a boat collided with a pillar of another bridge in the same bridge complex, causing about 160 feet (50 metres) of the span to collapse. Civil police were investigating Saturdays accident and looking into whether the ferry was officially registered. WASHINGTONFor President Donald Trump, a threat is frequently his first impulse. He is forceful, declarative and speaks with unvarnished conviction. He has made the theme of promises made, promises kept the anthem of his re-election effort. But his threats often remain just that. The most recent example was when Trump backed down from a vow to close the border with Mexico, instead saying he would give one of the United States most essential trading partners a year to deal with the migrant crisis. This came only a day after he had threatened to act if Congress did not bend to his will on the issue. The price of Mexican avocados spiked, but the government of Mexico seemed unmoved. (Trump has warned Mexico of an impending border closing at least three times before, in October, November and December.) On Friday, before leaving for a trip to the border town of Calexico, California, Trump suggested that his threat against Mexico was still in his holster. I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point, but Id rather do tariffs, he said. Here is a look at some of Trumps more high-profile threats. Closing the border with Mexico In retreating from his threat to close the border, Trump was withdrawing the warning he issued strongly last week. But on Friday, he offered another one. He said the trade deal that the United States had reached with Mexico and Canada, known as the USMCA, would not apply if Mexico does not stop Central American migrants from illegally entering the United States. If for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from, the U.S. will be forced to Tariff at 25% all cars made in Mexico and shipped over the Border to us. If that doesnt work, which it will, I will close the Border, Trump wrote on Twitter. Read more: Mexico says it wont react to Trump threats over border Editorial | Donald Trumps threats of violence cross a crucial line Pelosi says Trump threats have no place in Congress This will supersede USMCA, Trump added. He also threatened an economic penalty on Mexico for the 500 Billion Dollars in illegal DRUGS that are shipped and smuggled through Mexico and across our Southern Border. Congress has not yet voted on the trade deal. If it does approve the pact and the president tried to unilaterally abrogate selective provisions of the agreement it would provoke numerous legal challenges, as well as an uproar from foreign leaders and members of Congress. A bullhorn to Russia The president warned Russia in March to get out of Venezuela after Moscow dispatched military personnel to the country and offered to send the government of President Nicolas Maduro shipments of food and medicine. He has consistently said that Maduro must step down and has strongly suggested that U.S. military intervention was on the table. He also urged the Venezuelan military to rebel. None of those threats have been effective. Trump has accused the Russian government of bolstering Maduro while the United States has been rallying support behind Juan Guaido, the opposition leader. While the United States issued another round of sanctions and visa restrictions in March, Russia has shown no outward signs of backing down, and Maduro has refused Trumps calls that he resign. Telling General Motors to reopen a plant, or else Trump has frequently threatened companies, particularly if they were moving jobs overseas. He has directed some of his sharpest language toward General Motors and its CEO, Mary Barra. He has demanded that GM reopen a plant in Lordstown, Ohio, that the company said it closed because consumer demand had shifted from the smaller vehicles produced at the plant. He had earlier threatened to cut subsidies for the company and to recoup federal money it had received from the bailout at the height of the financial crisis of 2008. The company has not acceded to his demands, and so far has not suffered any penalty from the government. Threats against the media Beyond regular Twitter posts denouncing the fake news, Trump has also threatened to take regulatory and legal actions against news outlets and television programs. In October 2017, Trump suggested he would revoke NBCs broadcast license after the network published a report he objected to only to be indirectly refuted days later by Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who said that his agency does not have the authority to revoke a license of a broadcast station based on the content. Nonetheless, Trump revived the threat in September 2018. One program on the network in particular has drawn the presidents ire: Saturday Night Live, which Trump has said should be tested in courts, investigated by the FCC or rather vaguely should be looked into. In the fall, after the White House suspended the credentials of Jim Acosta, chief White House correspondent for CNN, Trump threatened retaliation against other reporters if they did not treat the White House with respect. Acostas press badge was restored, and no other White House reporters have had their credentials suspended since. Trying to overturn a constitutional right Trump also threatened in 2018 to end birthright citizenship, a constitutional guarantee that could be undone only by amending the Constitution. In an interview with Axios at the time, the president called the concept ridiculous and said it has to end. After strong pushback from within his party former Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., House speaker at the time, said the president obviously could not terminate a constitutional right by executive order Trump retreated. California on his mind The liberal state has drawn Trumps displeasure and Twitter threats several times during his presidency. In November, Trump blamed wildfires ravaging California on what he deemed gross mismanagement of the forests, warning the state to remedy now, or no more Fed payments! (The criticism was misleading, as the majority of Californias forests are federally managed, and the causes of wildfires are complicated and include climate change.) Two months later, in January, Trump said state officials had not made adequate remedy and reissued his threat, Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The state scrambled to make sense of Trumps renewed threat, and lawmakers from both parties criticized the move. A month later, a spokesman for FEMA told BuzzFeed it had never received a directive. The agency continued to provide assistance to residents affected by the fire. On the same day Trump delivered his second warning, FEMA extended the deadline for California residents to apply for disaster assistance to Feb. 15. (It had been Jan. 31.) Federal cost-sharing for debris removal actually increased to 90 per cent from 75 per cent, and the agency provided more than $347 million in grants and loans to affected residents. A veiled warning to James Comey After he fired former FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, Trump urged him to think twice about speaking with reporters and referred to secret recordings of their conversations. James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Trump wrote on Twitter. For weeks, Trump and his aides refused to confirm or deny the existence of such recordings or to clarify if he was simply rebutting Comeys claims that he had been asked by the president to pledge his loyalty. Comey testified before Congress in June 2017, telling lawmakers, Lordy, I hope there are tapes. Trump then cleared it up himself on Twitter, denying that he had taped Comey in the first place: I have no idea whether there are tapes or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings. Read more about: PODGORICA, Montenegro - It all started with a video posted on social media: a secret recording from 2016 that appears to show a well-known local tycoon hand over an envelope containing bundles of cash to a party associate of Montenegros long-standing leader. The prominent businessman, a former close friend and confidant of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, released the video late last year in retaliation for charges filed against him for fraud and money laundering, which have prompted him to flee to London to avoid prosecution. The tycoon, Dusko Knezevic, also gradually released a series of documents accusing the president and his ruling party of corruption, cronyism and abuse of office, claiming he has cashed in millions of dollars to Djukanovic and his ruling party so the authorities turn a blind eye to his shady business dealings. The Envelope Affair has triggered weeks of anti-Djukanovic protests, demanding the resignation of one of Europes longest-lasting leaders after his almost 30 years in power. The anti-government demonstrations came as similar protests were taking place in neighbouring Serbia and Albania where demonstrators are also seeking the ousters of leaders whom they accuse of autocratic rule and corruption despite their proclaimed bids to take their countries into the European Union. The almost simultaneous eruption of strong anti-government movements in the region has prompted talk of a Balkan Spring, in reference to a wave of protests and revolutions across the Arab world in 2010. While none of the protests so far have managed to unseat Balkan leaders, they have encouraged civic resistance and shaken their firm grip on power and the support they have been receiving in the West. In Montenegro, Djukanovic has long faced accusations of corruption and links to organized crime. The recent video was seen as the most serious blow to his so-far unchallenged rule. In an interview with The Associated Press, Djukanovic denied the accusations, saying that pro-Russia opposition parties and foreign factors are behind the protests even though they are formally led by civic groups. Djukanovic suggested the protests are aimed at unseating pro-EU leaders and turning the Balkans away from the West in favour of closer ties with Russia. I think that (throughout the Balkans) this basically is not a spring movement, but rather a bleak autumn movement, he said. We are talking here about attempts to stop the Balkans from joining the EU. Montenegrin protest organizers insisted the demonstrations represent a genuine civic movement without any foreign or opposition party influence. Their weekly rallies have drawn thousands of people in the biggest such gatherings in years. The trigger was that envelope which was given by a businessman who belonged to the heart of the regime to the former Podgorica mayor, with the intention to bribe voters in 2016 parliamentary election, said Dzemal Perovic, an organizer of protests in the Montenegrin capital. Our goal is the change of the regime, he said. A peaceful transition from a corrupt regime that has been in power for 30 years and which has won elections through bribery and rigging. Since coming to power in late 1980s, Milo the Czar as hes commonly called in Montenegro has been calling the shots as president, prime minister or party leader thanks to his switching between posts. But he has also been a key Western ally in countering Russian influence in the region and previously for splitting from former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the wars of the 1990s. In Serbia, populist President Aleksandar Vucic has also portrayed himself as a pro-European leader while facing accusations of curbing democratic and media freedoms at home. Political tensions soared last month when protesters burst into the state TV building angry over the stations reporting that they view as biased. The incidents were the first in months of peaceful marches throughout the country that started after thugs beat up an opposition politician in November. The demonstrators are demanding Vucics resignation, free elections and media, and more democracy. They plan a major rally next week in Belgrade to press for their demands. Vucic too has sought to downplay the protests as an attempt by the opposition to seize power by force while pro-government media have blasted opposition leaders as foreign stooges. Albanian opposition parties have returned to the streets since mid-February calling for the governments resignation and an early election. There, the centre-right opposition accuses the leftist Socialist Party government of Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption and links to organized crime, which the government denies. Those protests have been violent, with Albanian opposition supporters repeatedly trying to enter the parliament or government buildings in Tirana and police using tear gas and water cannons to stave them off. The common characteristics of all those protests are that people are dissatisfied with the long-standing and corrupt regimes, the anger which has accumulated for years, if not decades, Montenegrin political analyst Stevo Muk said. ___ Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania and Predrag Milic in Podgorica, contributed to this report. PARIS - A dwindling number of protesters marched through the streets of France for the yellow vest movements 21st straight weekend of demonstrations Saturday, with thousands of people crisscrossing Paris and a group that briefly invaded the busy beltway around the city making their presence known. Riot police rounded up the protesters on the beltway and fired a round of tear gas on the street above, apparently to stop others from entering a ramp onto the road. At another of Saturdays numerous protests around the country, police fired tear gas in Rouen, in Normandy, in a showdown with protesters after fires were set in garbage cans and elsewhere. The Interior Ministry counted 22,300 participants nationwide and 3,500 in Paris, French media reported. Those were the lowest numbers since the yellow vest protests started on Nov. 17. The movement routinely contests the governments protest attendance figures. We will continue until victory. We give up nothing, because today, nothing has been obtained, Agnes Berger, a protester from Saint Cloud, west of Paris, said. We still have a corrupt system, an elite that governs against the people. The number of people taking part in the yellow vest demonstrations has been falling since the first protests over fuel hikes drew hundreds of thousands of people. But the leaderless grassroots movement for social and economic justice continues to pose a challenge for French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron organized a national debate, started in January, to respond to concerns about sinking living standards, stagnant wages and high unemployment aired at the demonstrations. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is to provide an initial recap Monday, before addressing parliament. Proposals growing out of the numerous meetings were expected later. Most yellow vest protesters are skeptical, and increasingly determined. Jeremy Gibon, from the suburb of Le Mesnil-Amelot, called Saturday for a radical solution that creates a new system. Its a war of attrition, Gibon said. We feel if we make everything fall, we can rebuild something....It will be for us. Youll see. The movement got its name because protesters wear the fluorescent safety vests motorists are required to carry in France. The vests initially symbolized frustration over fuel tax increases Macron ordered and since withdrew as a disincentive to drivers, an action intended to curb climate change. The movements demands have since multiplied to include, for instance, a peoples referendum and restoration of a wealth tax, with increasing buying power a bottom line. Paris police, meanwhile, have fine-tuned their strategy to make officers more mobile and more proactive in countering rowdy protesters. A new police chief was appointed. Last month, rioters set life-threatening fires, ransacked luxury stores and rioted around Champs-Elysees Avenue, famed for its high-end shops. The Champs-Elysees has since been declared off-limits to protesters. One prominent figure in the movement, Eric Drouet, was among a half-dozen protesters stopped in the prohibited area and issued a fine he plans to contest, Drouets lawyer, Kheops Lara, told French television channel LCI. In Paris, protesters marched on Saturday from the Place de la Republique in the east to the business district, La Defence, on the capitals western edge. The finishing point was chosen because of its significance in the world of finance, Drouet said. The yellow vest movement hasnt stopped at all, Drouet told LCI. Meanwhile, Frances constitutional Council vetoed on Thursday a measure backed by Macrons government to prevent violence during protests. The law was not proposed as an outgrowth of the yellow vest protests. The constitutional Council struck down provisions authorizing regional prefects to ban people from demonstrations if theyre considered a serious threat to public order. The council ruled that would give authorities excessive latitude and infringe on freedom of expression. But it approved other parts of the law not yet in force. One broadens the circumstances under which police can search protesters bags and vehicles. The other makes it a crime for protesters to conceal their faces, with convictions punishable by up to one year in prison and a 15,000-euro ($17,000) fine. ___ Chris Den Hond and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report. DINARD, France - The Latest on the meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers: (all times local): 3:55 p.m. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations have revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East after wrapping up a two-day meeting in France. The ministers concluded the meeting in the seaside resort of Dinard on Saturday by issuing mildly worded joint commitments on a range of issues. Their statement cited fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger post-conflict roles in maintaining peace, and engaging with countries in Africas troubled Sahel region to combat drug and migrant trafficking. A European Union official had expressed regret the diplomats joint statement contained what she considered to be several glaring omissions, including no reference to a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and no mention of the U.N. Security Councils resolution in favour of the Iran nuclear deal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to press ahead of the documents formal announcement. The G-7 countries are the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. By Thomas Adamson ___ 11:55 a.m. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies are wrapping up a two-day meeting in the French seaside resort of Dinard where they hope to seal joint commitments on a range of global challenges and lay the groundwork for Augusts G-7 summit in Biarritz. Diplomats from G-7 countries which includes the U.S., France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. want a joint statement by Saturday on the fight against trafficking drugs, arms and migrants in Africas troubled Sahel region, fighting cybercrime and stopping sexual violence against women in conflict zones, especially in Africa. But U.S. officials said that points of discord will also be discussed. Washington seems to be at odds with Italy over its stance on Venezuela and Chinas trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. TEHRAN, Iran - Irans top leader has warned visiting Iraqi prime minister about a lengthy presence of U.S. forces in Irans neighbouring Arab country. The website of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday quotes him as telling Adel Abdul-Mahdi that Iraqs government should take measures to remove American forces quickly. He says the longer the U.S. forces are there, the more difficult it will be to remove them. Some 5,200 troops are stationed in Iraq as part of a security agreement with the Iraqi government to advise, assist and support the countrys troops in the fight against the Islamic State. Tehran sees the U.S. military presence at its doorstep in Iraq as a threat one that could also undermine Irans influence over Baghdad. BEIRUT - Islamic State militants attempted to break out of a detention facility in northeastern Syria but U.S.-backed Syrian fighters successfully restored calm, activists and the U.S-led coalition said Saturday. Few details emerged about what transpired a day earlier in the detention facility in the town of Derik, in the Kurdish-administered northeastern Syria. Activists from the Rojava Information Center said local anti-terror forces were deployed Friday around the building and on its roof after the attempted prison break. The activist-run media platform said warplanes flew over the facility. Col. Scott Rawlinson, coalition spokesman, said all detainees were accounted for after the Syrian Democratic Forces peacefully dealt with the incident. He said coalition forces supported the SDF with aerial observation but provided no further details. SDF officials had no immediate comments. The Kurdish-led SDF is holding hundreds of foreign IS militants in facilities around areas they control in northeast Syria. Many more local suspects are detained separately. It was not clear if the attempted break-out was among foreign or local detainees. Families of the detainees are held in crammed displaced peoples camps in northern Syria, where living and security conditions have been precarious. Officials from the Kurdish-administered areas have said keeping the hundreds of foreign militants and their families is a burden that they cant handle on their own. The officials and the coalition have asked home countries to repatriate their nationals an issue that has triggered a debate in many European countries who cite security concerns. The SDF understand well the threat posed by Daesh and are performing commendably in maintaining the security of the detainees in their custody, Rawlinson said, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym. After years of battling the militants, the SDF declared military victory against IS last month after recapturing the last speck of land they controlled in Syria, near the border with Iraq. TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas legislators passed a measure Friday that would require abortion providers to tell patients who are taking medication to terminate their pregnancies that the process can be reversed after they take the first of two pills. Abortion opponents contend the bill ensures that women who harbour doubts about ending their pregnancies will learn of a safe procedure for reversing a medication abortion. Abortion rights supporters contend that its based on junk science and the state would force doctors to provide dubious information to their patients. The action in Kansas comes after other states, including Kentucky and Mississippi, have moved to ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected , as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Kansans for Life, the states most influential anti-abortion group, has long favoured an incremental approach and restrictions that it believes will survive court challenges. The Republican-controlled Kansas House approved the abortion reversal bill on an 85-35 vote, and the GOP-dominated Senate passed it on a 26-11 vote. The measure goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, a strong abortion rights supporter. Kelly staff would not say whether she will veto the bill, but she told reporters last month, Im not sure thats based on science. Supporters appear to have the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a veto. Medication abortions using Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, are the most common way of terminating a pregnancy in Kansas, accounting for nearly 60% of the total, according to statistics from the state health department. Supporters of the bill argue that a medication abortion can be safely reversed if a doctor gives a woman a dose of progesterone, a hormone, before she takes the second abortion pill. They base their arguments on a 2018 study led by an anti-abortion doctor and medical school professor in California and note that progesterone has been used for decades to prevent miscarriages. This simply gives a woman more information about what she can do to save her unborn child, said state Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, a Kansas City-area Republican. The bills opponents have said that while progesterone has been used to prevent miscarriages, its use for reversing a medical abortion hasnt been adequately tested. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has disputed the usefulness of the procedure . It is not appropriate for the Legislature to practice medicine or mandate how a physician practices medicine, said Sen. Barbara Bollier, a Kansas City-area Democrat and retired anesthesiologist. Under the bill, an abortion clinic would have a display a sign with the abortion reversal notice, and the physician would have to tell a patient in writing that a medication abortion can be reversed. A clinic that failed to post a sign could be fined $10,000, and a doctor who failed to notify a patient could be charged with a misdemeanour for a first office and a felony for a second. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . SAN FRANCISCO - A tech entrepreneur and his wife have made a very Silicon Valley donation to his San Francisco alma mater $25 million, mostly in cryptocurrency. The gift from Chris Larsen, founder of cryptocurrency company Ripple, and his wife Lyna Lam, to San Francisco State University is already giving officials an education in digital financial services. Venesia Thompson-Ramsay, interim vice-president for university advancement, said Friday the November donation came in as about 56 million XRP one of thousands of digital-only currencies. Its value has fluctuated since then. Larsen, who donated $3 million in cash, has guaranteed his alma mater he will make up the difference until the school has the promised $25 million. This was a learning process for all of us because we never had to deal with any cryptocurrency before, Thompson-Ramsay said. But this will be the norm in 15, 20 years and this gift is allowing us to be part of this cutting-edge, new economy. Because of financial regulations, Thompson-Ramsay said the university is slowly liquidating the digital money. So far, it has $7.5 million in its bank account from cryptocurrency exchanges. The donation will pay for an endowed chair in financial technology and another in entrepreneurship and fund the Lam-Larsen Fund for Global Innovation, which will support students studying cryptocurrency and other digital financial services Larsen graduated from the College of Business. His sisters-in-law and several other relatives also attended the university. His San Francisco-based company last year announced plans to donate $50 million to 17 universities around the world to further the study of digital finances. SF State said it plans to name the Universitys College of Business the Lam Family College of Business, pending approval from the California State University Board of Trustees. STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. - The Latest on Georgia standoff that left three dead, two officers hurt (all times local): 12:05 p.m. Police are identifying a teenage boy, his pregnant mom and the gunman they say killed them both and wounded two police officers before turning a gun on himself. Henry County police Capt. Joey Smith on Friday identified the victims as 16-year-old Arkeyvion White and his mother, Sandra White, who was more than eight months pregnant. Police identified the gunman as 47-year-old Anthony Tony Bailey of Atlanta. The standoff began Thursday morning, when two Georgia police officers were shot and wounded. Police say the two officers were responding to a domestic disturbance when they came under fire by Bailey, who then barricaded himself inside the house. A standoff ensued for the next 15 hours before police forced their way into the house and found the bodies before dawn Friday morning. ___ Authorities in Georgia say a standoff that began when two officers were shot and wounded has ended with a 16-year-old boy and a pregnant woman killed by a gunman who then killed himself. Henry County police tell news outlets two officers responding to a domestic disturbance Thursday morning were shot and wounded by the gunman, who then barricaded himself inside the home in McDonough, which is outside Atlanta. A standoff ensued and lasted until early Friday. Police Capt. Joey Smith says the officers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and he doesnt believe they shot the man. COLUMBIA, S.C. - Ernest F. Fritz Hollings, the silver-haired Democrat who helped shepherd South Carolina through desegregation as governor and went on to serve six terms in the U.S. Senate, has died. He was 97. Family spokesman Andy Brack, who also served at times for Hollings as spokesman during his Senate career, said Hollings died early Saturday at his home on the Isle of Palms. Hollings, whose long and colorful political career included an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, retired from the Senate in 2005, one of the last of the larger-than-life Democrats who once dominated politics in the South. He had served 38 years and two months, making him the eighth longest-serving senator in U.S. history. Nevertheless, Hollings remained the junior senator from South Carolina for most of his term. The senior senator was Strom Thurmond, first elected in 1954. He retired in January 2003 at age 100 as the longest-serving senator in history. In his final Senate speech in 2004, Hollings lamented that lawmakers came to spend much of their time raising money for the next election, calling money the main culprit, the cancer on the body politic. We dont have time for each other, we dont have time for constituents except for the givers. ... Were in real, real trouble. Hollings was a sharp-tongued orator whose rhetorical flourishes in the deep accent of his home state enlivened many a Washington debate, but his influence in Washington never reached the levels he hoped. He sometimes blamed that failure on his background, rising to power as he did in the South in the 1950s as the region bubbled with anger over segregation. However, South Carolina largely avoided the racial violence that afflicted some other Deep South states during the turbulent 1960s. Hollings campaigned against desegregation when running for governor in 1958. He built a national reputation as a moderate when, in his farewell address as governor, he pleaded with the legislature to peacefully accept integration of public schools and the admission of the first black student to Clemson University. This General Assembly must make clear South Carolinas choice, a government of laws rather than a government of men, he told lawmakers. Shortly afterward, Clemson was peacefully integrated. In his 2008 autobiography, Making Government Work, Hollings wrote that in the 1950s no issue dominated South Carolina more than race and that he worked for a balanced approach. I was Mister-In-Between. The governor had to appear to be in charge; yet the realities were not on his side, he wrote. I returned to my basic precept ... the safety of the people is the supreme law. I was determined to keep the peace and avoid bloodshed. In the Senate, Hollings gained a reputation as a skilled insider with keen intellectual powers. He chaired the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and held seats on the Appropriations and Budget committees. But his sharp tongue and sharper wit sometimes got him in trouble. He once called Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, D-Ohio, the senator from the Bnai Brith and in 1983 referred to the presidential campaign supporters of former Sen. Alan Cranston, D-California, as wetbacks. Hollings began his quest for the presidency in April 1983 but dropped out the following March after dismal showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Early in his Senate career, he built a record as a hawk and lobbied hard for military dollars for South Carolina, one of the poorest states in the union. Hollings originally supported American involvement in Vietnam, but his views changed over the years as it became clear there would be no American victory. Hollings, who made three trips to the war zone, said he learned a lesson there. Its a mistake to try to build and destroy a nation at the same time, he wrote in his autobiography, warning that America is now repeating the same wrongheaded strategy in Iraq. Despite his changed views, Hollings remained a strong supporter of national defence which he saw as the main business of government. In 1969 he drew national attention when he exposed hunger in his own state by touring several cities, helping lay the groundwork for the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, feeding program. A year later, his views drew wider currency with the publication of his first book The Case Against Hunger. In 1982, Hollings proposed an across-the-board federal spending freeze to cut the deficit, a proposal that was a cornerstone of his failed presidential bid. He helped create the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and write the National Coastal Zone Management Act. Hollings also attached his name to the Gramm-Rudman bill aimed at balancing the federal budget. Hollings angered many of his constituents in 1991 when he opposed the congressional resolution authorizing President George Bush to use force against Iraq. In his later years, port security was one of his main concerns. As he prepared to leave office, he told The Associated Press: People ask you your legacy or your most embarrassing moment. I never, ever lived that way. ... Im not trying to get remembered. He kept busy after the Senate helping the Medical University of South Carolina raise money for the cancer centre which bears his name and lecturing at the new Charleston School of Law. Hollings one political defeat came in 1962 when he lost in a primary to Sen. Olin Johnston. After Johnston died, Hollings won a special election in 1966 and went to the Senate at age 44, winning the first of his six full terms two years later. Ernest Frederick Hollings was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on Jan. 1, 1922. His father was a paper products dealer but the family business went broke during the Depression. Hollings graduated from The Citadel, the states military college in Charleston, in 1942. He immediately entered the Army and was decorated for his service during World War II. Back home, he earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1947. The next year, he was elected to the state House at age 26. He was elected lieutenant governor six years later and governor in 1958 at age 36. As governor, he actively lured business, helped balance the budget for the first time since Reconstruction and improved public education. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available. He is survived by four children. His wife, Peatsy, died in 2012. ___ Former Associated Press Writer Bruce Smith contributed to this story. FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The Alaska Journal of Commerce recently announced its picks for Top 40 Under 40, among them a Fairbanks woman cooking up the job training scene in Fairbanks. Danielle Flaherty, 36, manages Stones Throw, a culinary training program at Bread Line Inc. The chef instructor was one of three Fairbanks residents named one of the Top 40 Under 40. Recipients are nominated for the award, and then chosen by a committee based on two main criteria: accomplishments in their field of expertise and community involvement. Stones Throw is a 12-week culinary training program that provides career development through technical skills, food safety training and life skills. Or, as Flaherty puts it, Life skills through the culinary lens. More than just kitchen operations, Stones Throw teaches adults who are re-entering the work force accountability, personal responsibility, attendance, punctuality and the importance of taking feedback. When to just say yes chef and walk away, Flaherty explained. Flaherty grew up in Anchorage and first moved to Fairbanks to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks, eventually receiving a culinary degree through the Community and Technical College. To follow up on her degree and utilize her passion for Alaskan agriculture, Flaherty did an internship with UAFs Cooperative Extension Service, developing recipes for Alaskas Farm to School program. She worked with schools and child care facilities to help develop recipes appropriate for federal lunches while using Alaskan food. My first foray into how food can really be empowering, she recalled. Chef is not the first moniker Flaherty would bestow upon herself, saying culinary educator is more accurate, but she will graciously accept the title. And education is what fuels her drive. Flahertys dream is to provide culinary education to rural Alaska, For school cooks or for communities looking to use food that they can grow ... learn how to safely process and preserve, or working with traditional foods, she said. Flaherty takes other opportunities to teach as well, including her popular summer series, Chef at the Market. Her desire to teach in is appropriately described by Flahertys view that cooking is about so much more than food. Its about community, its about connection, and to share a meal together is something that brings people together. Finding a healthy, supportive community is one of Flahertys tips for people going through rough patches. She teaches her job trainees how to set goals and find people who believe in you. And for those who want to be a better chef, Flahertys advice is pretty straightforward. Dont be afraid to fail epically. ___ Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com PORTLAND, Maine - Foreign trade is one of the topics on the minds of U.S. and Canadian lobstermen gathering in Maines largest city. Fishermen from both countries seek the valuable crustaceans in the cold Atlantic Oceanic, and meet every year to discuss the state of the industry. The theme of the Canadian/U.S. Lobstermens Town Meeting on Saturday was, Two Nations, Two Fisheries: Shared Challenges, Shared Opportunities. The University of Maine Lobster Institute was hosting the event that attracts lobstermen, dealers, processors, scientists and others from both countries. Chinese tariffs serve as a backdrop for the meeting. Canada has advantages over the U.S. in the lobster export market because of a deal it brokered with the European Union. Canadian exporters also dont face the same Chinese tariffs as Americans. HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticuts medical examiner is seeking to exhume two female bodies found after the 1944 Hartford circus fire in an attempt to identify at least one of them. Chief State Medical Examiner James Gill told The Hartford Courant he is hoping modern DNA testing can put a name to unidentified remains buried under markers as 2109 and 4512, the case numbers assigned by the Hartford County Coroner in the aftermath of the fire. Hartford States Attorney Gail Hardy filed a motion Friday on Gills behalf for a court order to allow the bodies to be exhumed. Grace Fifield, of Newport, Vermont, is among those who were listed as missing after the July 6, 1944, fire at Ringling Brothers Circus, which killed 168 people and left 682 injured. Her granddaughter, Sandra Sumrow, has provided a DNA sample to assist in the investigation. We have seen this in recent mass disasters, including 9-11, in which most of the identifications were done by DNA, Gill told The Courant. Therefore, when we heard from a family member of one of the missing victims from the circus fire, we realized that we now may have the tools to answer this question for them and provide closure. Gill said he is hoping to obtain viable DNA samples from the remains, either through teeth or their femur bones, which are most likely to have survived 75 years in the ground, to compare with Sumrows. He said he also may submit the DNA profiles he obtains to the many private genealogy database companies to see if some anyone trying to trace their familys history might be a relative. Sumrow, who now lives in North Carolina, told the Courant her mother, who has since passed away, always held out hope that the then 47-year-old Fifield survived the fire. My mom wondered if, silly me, she had found another life elsewhere and was still alive, but Im sure thats not the case, she said. It was very difficult for her because she had no closure. Fifield is one of five people still listed as missing from the circus fire. There are two children on the list, Raymond Erickson and Judy Norris, who were both 6 years old. Norris attended the circus with her twin sister Agnes and their parents, who were identified among the dead. Erickson apparently survived the fire, but went missing after being brought to a local hospital, where his socks were later found. Five bodies were never identified. Those, which include the two Gill wants to exhume, are buried in a cemetery on the Hartford-Windsor town line. Former President Barack Obama said Saturday that he is concerned about rigidity among some liberal Democrats who take aim at others in the party for straying from purity on the issues. His remarks come amid an internal debate in the party over the most effective path to take in challenging President Donald Trump for the White House in 2020. Democrats recaptured the House in November in large part due to a surge of liberal energy. But as some have embraced sweeping proposals such as Medicare-for-all and the Green New Deal plan to combat climate change, others have balked, arguing that the party should take a more centrist approach. At a town-hall-style event hosted by the Obama Foundation in Berlin, the former president was asked about the art of compromise. He told the crowd of mostly young people that, in politics as well as in the civic arena, you have to recognize that the way weve structured democracy requires you to take into account people who dont agree with you. One of the things I do worry about sometimes among progressives in the United States maybe its true here as well is a certain kind of rigidity, where we say, Oh, Im sorry. This is how its going to be, Obama said. He lamented that Democrats sometimes create whats called a circular firing squad, where you start shooting at your allies because one of them is straying from purity on the issues. Read more: Obama tells young Europeans to foster reasoned online debate Trumps battle with Obamacare moves to the courts Republicans maintain that they are working on a plan to replace Obamacare When that happens, typically the overall effort and movement weakens ... You cant set up a system in which you dont compromise on anything. But you also cant operate in a system where you compromise on everything; everythings up for grabs. That requires a certain amount of internal reflection and deliberations, he said. Obama told the crowd that, while his signature domestic achievement the 2010 Affordable Care Act did not contain everything he wanted, he viewed its passage as a success. That was not the ideal health-care program that I wanted to set up. Its what I could get at the time, and if I could establish the principle that everybody gets health care and get 20 million people more health care even if 10 million still hadnt gotten it thats what Im going to do now, he said. SALT LAKE CITY - The Latest on a conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah (all times local): 3:35 p.m. A leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is reiterating the faiths belief that marriage should be reserved for relationships between a man and a woman, while suggesting that gay members can still find a place in the religion. Neil L. Andersen spoke Saturday during a church conference in Salt Lake City about the importance the faiths belief about marriage and states that a persons God-given gender is an essential part of a persons eternal identity. He acknowledged that not all church members fit within the proclamations boundaries. The faith this week repealed policies that banned baptisms for children of gay parents while clarifying the religions doctrinal opposition to same-sex relationships wasnt changing. ___ 11:35 a.m. A leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a plea for members to openly discuss their faith with others in ways that feels normal and natural and embrace the proselytizing component of the faith. Dieter Uchtdorf (OOkt-dorf) said Saturday during a church conference in Salt Lake City that church members can share their faith through an act of kindness or by posting testimonials on social media. Uchtdorf encouraged members to talk about the new shortened Sunday worship schedule, from three hours to two, or explain the faiths push for use of the full name that emphasizes the faiths belief it is the Church of Jesus Christ. The religion is trying to end the use of previously accepted shorthand names Mormon and LDS. Uchtdorf is a longtime a member of a top governing panel called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ___ 10:35 a.m. A leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is urging members to root their families in the teachings of Christ to prepare their children for a world with rampant immorality and addictive pornography. The comments were made by Ulisses Soares during the opening session of a twice-annual church conference in Salt Lake City. Soares is a member of a top governing panel called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Brazilian-born Soares is one of the newest members of the Quorum of the Twelve. He was selected for the important panel a year ago. Church members are bracing for more changes during the weekend conference because President Russell M. Nelson is expected to speak during the conference. He leads the faith that counts 16 million members worldwide. ___ 12:05 a.m. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are preparing for more changes as they gather in Utah for a twice-yearly conference to hear from the faiths top leaders. Church President Russell M. Nelson has implemented a host of changes in his first year at the helm, including the surprising repeal Thursday of policies that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and labeled people in same-sex marriages as sinners eligible for expulsion. The two-day conference begins Saturday in Salt Lake City. It brings nearly 100,000 people to watch five sessions in person and millions more watch live broadcasts and livestreams. The 94-year-old Nelson ascended to the presidency in January 2018 after nearly three decades in a governing body that helps the president lead the faith. Hold it up to the light at a certain angle and the mess our prime minister finds himself in today seems like the most Canadian of scandals a terrible, perhaps even politically lethal outcome borne of ridiculously benign intentions all around. Justin Trudeau, his handlers will assure you, was thinking only to protect Canadian jobs. And his now ostracized former attorney general and justice minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould, was thinking only of prosecutorial independence. And if trust broke down in the admittedly grey area between jobs and justice, well, thats really just a formatting error, many would argue. Once the dust settles on the slow-motion SNC-Lavalin affair, the lesson here involves fixing the format break apart the two-hatted position of AG and JM into separate jobs and voila, no more grey area. But that rose-coloured version of the Liberal governments slow-motion winter of discontent is finding few buyers. Instead, a bigger problem now is taking hold the weakening of the prime ministers personal political brand, a fact sealed this week by the expulsions from the Liberal caucus of both Wilson-Raybould and colleague Jane Philpott, the former health minister and Treasury Board president. The sunny ways that personified Trudeaus ascent to power with the promise of openness, transparency and a new day for women and Indigenous peoples have been sunny-waylaid. Full stop. Read more: Opinion | Heather Scoffield: Justin Trudeau is tampering with Canadas brand Opinion: Justin Trudeaus arrogant reframing of the truth Opinion | Rosie DiManno: The Liberals have abandoned their moral principles and its Justin Trudeaus fault In the words of veteran political pollster Angus Reid, That lustre, that sheen is simply gone now. It has left Trudeau badly wounded. The damage is undeniable. And it cuts to the heart of his political brand. We are not going to see him popping up in random wedding photos this summer, embraced by the smiling couple. All that is over. Reid and five other political analysts from across Canada spoke to the Star this week attempting to measure the political damage. Their verdicts range from bad to severe to potentially lethal. Said Reid: People keep asking me, Is that it for Trudeau? Is he finished? The answer is an absolute no. Canadian political history is filled with examples of remarkable political comebacks. But as we head toward the election this fall, it is clear to me that things will turn dark. The damage to Trudeau is serious; we are seeing a polarization underway as intense as anything Ive seen in 40 years, with a core conservative constituency deeply committed to unseating this government. I anticipate at some point, as the Liberals regroup, we will see an apology from the prime minister. We screwed up. But were going to do better. But beyond that, the effort will include hard attacks on the alternative for most Canadians, (Conservative Leader) Andrew Scheer is still an unknown and he will be portrayed in the most negative ways possible. Perhaps the most interesting question will be whether millennial voters will finally claim their power at the ballot box. For the most part, Trudeau still has them in his camp but can they mobilize the vote? Millennials might ultimately hold the key to survival for this government. The issue cuts closer to home for Simon Fraser University political science professor Mark Pickup, as uncertainty hovers over the Wilson-Rayboulds riding of Vancouver Granville. Is Trudeaus supposed nemesis likely to run as an independent? Is she likely to be courted by rival parties? I hesitate to say how deeply this has damaged the Trudeau government because this is one of those issues where the public is having to learn a fair bit to really get it. Prior to this, how many Canadians were really that clear on what the role of the attorney general is in relation to the cabinet, and what is regarded as acceptable pressure versus unacceptable? So it leaves people somewhat confused. And that in turn opens up the range of reactions that we are seeing: some people seeing it as the prime minister intervening where he shouldnt be, others seeing it as penalizing someone just for doing their job. And for others besides its a gender issue or diversity issue. One thing I think people do get is that for Trudeau it is a live-by-the-sword, die-by-the-sword situation. When you base your popularity on the ideals of a gender-balanced cabinet and new, more transparent ways of governing, then of course when this is revealed it has a bigger impact. The extreme comparison but also the obvious one is Donald Trump. Scandals dont hurt this American president because he didnt brand himself as open and honest. He branded himself as anti-elite and that doesnt require him to be squeaky clean. And he isnt. And yet here with the SNC-Lavalin affair, Trudeau is feeling the pain of something that is far less obvious. Precisely because it cuts against what he represented to voters. Brendan Boyd, a professor of public policy at Albertas MacEwan University, said hes heard American colleagues describe the SNC-Lavalin affair as quaint compared to the daily chaos south of the border, where Trump subjected his own former attorney general Jeff Sessions to a barrage of public ridicule before firing him last November. But the reality is that were going through such an emotional, angry period in Alberta politics that it flattens out nuance with a get-them-out-of-here mindset. And as we move into our own provincial election, the UCP (United Conservative Party) is working to lump NDP Premier Rachel Notley in with Trudeau and shes trying to distance herself from Ottawa because both parties understand any kind of association with Trudeau at this point will do damage. Prof. Kathy Brock of the School of Policy Studies at Queens University sees two dimensions of uniquely Canadian angles embedded within the SNC-Lavalin affair. First, it needs to be said Canadians tend to beat ourselves up on these issues because we do have higher expectations of our politicians and we have an innate sense of fairness, Brock said. The second dimension that I view as uniquely Canadians is when an Indigenous woman holding one of the highest offices in the country for the first time is fired and then expelled from the party for what many would characterize as whistle-blowing. It mobilizes people particularly when it comes from a government that held itself up as a friend to the Indigenous community. Obviously with the expulsions from the party, the political logic is to do this in April and turn the page. The Liberal machinery is counting on voters having a short memory, so that the issue will fade by the time the election rolls around, when it wont feel so sharp and so poignant as to dissuade voters, said Brock. So there is brand damage here including personal damage to the prime minister and his staff and advisers, who have handled it quite poorly. Its the reason it has gotten traction and is playing so large. Its fascinating watching this play out. Dr. Christine de Clercy, an associate professor of political science at Western University, offers this caveat the perceived damage to the Trudeau brand may in fact be less than it seems. What the prime minister actually campaigned on was help for the middle class and more transparency and arguably, you could actually say that a lot of Trudeaus troubles came out of the fact that he actually was transparent he actually allowed Jody Wilson-Raybould to speak publicly, in an almost unprecedented way. Bringing about a new era with Indigenous people, bringing women into the centre of power these were dimensions of his platform. But they werent the only dimensions. And its not clear to me that these dimensions are sacrificed as a consequence of whats happened here, said de Clercy. Yes, they might be banged up a little bit. But is this going to be the defining failure of the Trudeau brand. I dont think so. But a lot of that depends on how his team regroups and moves forward. Joseph Garcea, a professor with the University of Saskatchewans Graduate School of Public Policy, likens the competing narratives the collective truth of Wilson-Raybould and Philpott versus that of the Prime Ministers Office as a riddle voters wont easily, or perhaps ever, unscramble. Are these Joans of Arc or Benedict Arnolds? That is the debate. And even Joan of Arc, for all her courage, some lauded her, others burned her, said Garcea. I think different parts of Canada are likely to process the question differently. And I think, as the Liberals struggle to regain a foothold, theyre going to have to worry about what I call the Ouija Effect, where they step into the voting booth undecided and then theirhands move in one direction or another. Whenever theres a sense theres something really wrong with a party it makes it easier for voters in that situation. And right now, theres just a lot flying around that seems likely to have people move their hands towards the Conservatives or the NDP. Read more about: This week, Doug Ford did what no parent or politician should ever do to students who look to adults for leadership: He diminished and disrespected them. More than a teachable moment, Ford gave high-school students a life lesson in how Ontarios Government for the People treats young people. On Thursday, more than 100,000 students walked out of schools across the province, not to cut class but to protest class cuts. They rallied against $851 million in foregone funding, which will force students into larger classes as thousands of teaching positions are eliminated by late 2022 supplemented by more online courses than anywhere else in North America. How did our premier answer their legitimate protest? He borrowed from the Donald Trump playbook: badmouth your critics, and smear those who serve the public. This is about the union bosses telling the teachers and the students what to do, Ford announced in the legislature before the protests had even begun. Thats what the union bosses are doing right now. Its absolutely shameful that theyre using our students as a bunch of pawns. Read more: He wants resilience? Well show him resilience: Teen organizers of Ontarios student walkout on why theyre fighting Fords education cuts Ontario government to cut 3,475 teaching positions, provincial memos say Ontario students walk out of class to protest Fords education cuts and the premier says theyre being used as pawns On the radio that afternoon, he went further, blaming union thugs for the protests. Calling elected union leaders bosses is a common put-down among people who wilfully distort the democratic process by which teachers and other union members elect their leaders in secret ballots. Bosses is bad enough, but thugs a word that refers to violent criminality? Yes, teachers unions are perfectly capable of using students as pawns, as they have in pointless strikes during past contract negotiations you can look up the criticisms in previous columns. In truth, virtually all strikes by public sector unions exercising their constitutionally protected rights unavoidably use some members of the public as pawns. But there are no negotiations now, and no strikes underway. Only Fords runaway rhetoric. Thursdays protests were organized solely by high school leaders who rallied their fellow students of their own volition, spreading the word in person, on social media and via mass media. There are no credible reports of teachers leading the charge, of their unions secretly fomenting rebellion, of parents exhorting their kids to skip school. Politicians tell tall tales all the time. They exaggerate to the media, they misrepresent to the opposition, they overpromise to voters. But we are grown-ups. We are trained to take it. Whats unprecedented is for an elected premier making it up while taking down young people for merely standing up for what they believe in. Perhaps the premier believes he has a good case for replacing in-class teachers with computer screens for remote learning. Possibly he can explain why he never disclosed this hidden agenda in last years election campaign, nor consulted parents or teachers when he sought public input this year. More probably, he cannot bring himself to tell the truth: That he overpromised on tax cuts and so must now under-deliver on services, shortchanging our students who must now pay the price to the tune of $851 million and 3,475 lost teaching positions by late 2022. In fact, his government is raising average class sizes in high school from 22 to 28 students forcing school boards to eliminate special classes with low enrolments, and pushing enrolment in core subjects to as high as 40 students. But Ford shamelessly recasts these cutbacks as improvements. We will have the lowest class size in the entire country, our premier proclaimed with Trumpian certainty in the legislature. Where are the numbers to back that up that unsupported claim? Confidential, according to Kayla Iafelice, a spokesperson for Education Minister Lisa Thompson. Cant tell you. And yet British Columbias government website notes its average class size is 22.9 for grades 8 to 12. Albertas government website shows an average of 23.2 students for grades 10 to 12. How would these numbers put Ontario in the forefront in future? Ah, but there is one area in which this province will lead Canada and the continent: Fords Government for the People is taking people out of the classroom. As my colleague Kristin Rushowy has reported, Ontarios plan to impose four mandatory online credits is without equal. Online learning has its place, especially when supplementing (not replacing) teachers, but where is the evidence to show that Ontario is adopting best practices rather than cheapest practices? Far from cutting edge, cutting back teachers while adding computer screens will cause us to lose our edge. Ford owes it to all Ontarians, parents and students, teachers and voters, to level with them about how he will remake the education system. And to do so with insightful answers, not inciteful rhetoric. Rather than berating teachers and belittling students, why not level with them? Instead of insulting the intelligence of parents and voters, why not share the statistical evidence? Talk is cheap. But cheap shots only devalue his office. Teachers unions know enough not to wait for Ford to withdraw his words. But students deserve better from our premier. It behooves him to stop belittling young people merely because he has a bigger megaphone. He should talk to students instead of talking past them. Starting with an apology a precedent worthy of our premier. Read more about: VANCOUVERPremier John Horgan says British Columbia, as the countrys gateway to Asia, is bearing the brunt of the impact of Canadas tense relationship with China over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Speaking at the Council of Forest Industries convention in Vancouver Friday, Horgan described Mengs arrest as profoundly regrettable, but adds extradition treaties are extradition treaties and he doesnt think the federal government had any other option. Meng was arrested in Vancouver in December on a request from the United States, which wants her extradited to face charges including conspiracy, fraud and obstruction. Horgan says the province does have an option, and thats to continue to be aggressive and forward-looking when it comes to trade with Asia. He says its a critically important market and boosting innovation in export products will be a ticket to success, adding that the province has an opportunity to grow the market for engineered wood products. B.C. does billions in trade with China and Horgan says hes confident that relationship remains in good shape. Read more: Chinese complaint to third canola firm not a new escalation, says minister Major canola exporter to China says finding new markets not easy Huawei may be awakening Canadians to real threats of the world, says former spymaster Read more about: BROUGHTON ARCHIPELAGO, B.C.Alex Mortons boat radio crackles as it picks up a stray transmission. Youve got one coming in Not the good kind. On this afternoon in early March, the marine biologist is speeding toward a fish farm in the Broughton Archipelago, a group of remote islands and sheltered inlets on Vancouver Islands eastern shore. This is ground zero in a protracted battle over B.C.s salmon farms. Morton gazes out at the ocean around her. Shes pretty sure the warning came from a fish farm worker and shes pretty sure its about her. The self-described activist has spent decades fighting to expose the risk fish farms pose to the environment. She makes this trip several times a week, dipping a net into the water just outside the pens teeming with farmed salmon, gathering samples of dead tissue. Here, farmed fish swim in the same water as wild salmon, and Morton believes the farms are breeding grounds for dangerous pathogens that could be killing marine life. They are viral factories, she says. Morton is testing for the highly contagious Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) because the government wont. Fisheries and Oceans Canada allows farms to transfer salmon from land-based hatcheries to ocean pens without testing for the virus. Morton and the Namgis First Nation, based on a small island off the east coast of Vancouver Island, challenged the federal governments approach to PRV in court. In February, a federal court judge struck down the governments no-testing policy, giving Fisheries and Oceans Canada often called the Department of Fisheries and Oceans or DFO four months to reconsider its PRV policy. It now has two months to comply. Though the science on PRV is still being debated, the judge reinforced the importance of the precautionary principle: when there is uncertainty, policy-makers should err on the side of caution in order to protect the environment. The stakes are high; even scientists on Canadas east coast are watching how this plays out. They know what happens when the federal government mismanages wild fish stocks. In 1992, the Atlantic cod fishery a key economic driver for the region was shut down after decades of overfishing. Authorities determined that, since 1962, cod stocks had dropped by about 93 per cent. Some scientists had warned in years prior that wild fish were in trouble, but few predicted such a devastating loss. Scientists cant have perfect knowledge of the ocean, warned Boris Worm, a research professor in marine biology at Dalhousie University. History can repeat itself. Some observers worry the department could be making the same mistake with PRV and B.C.s salmon stocks. Court records and government documents show the DFO has repeatedly downplayed research that the highly contagious virus could threaten B.C.s wild salmon. Morton has spent years fighting to get the DFO to recognize the threat. The 61-year-old didnt start her career studying salmon; it was B.C.s iconic orcas that first drew her to the Broughton Archipelago back in the 1970s. However, she came to realize that the biggest threat to the orcas was the loss of their primary food source: salmon. And one of the biggest threat to salmon, she fears, is PRV. PRV is the sword that either the industry is going to die on or the wild fish are going to die on, she said. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Jonathan Wilkinson said the department is committed to a renewed approach to the aquaculture industry prioritizing the precautionary principle. His mandate as fisheries minister, after all, is first and foremost about conservation. However, he argued it is too early for the department to commit to testing farmed salmon for PRV. The February court decision did not order the DFO to test for PRV, only to reconsider its policy in light of the virus risk to wild salmon. We are certainly looking at all of the available science, he told the Star in a phone interview. The virus attacks the red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout a salmons body. In Norway, the worlds largest producer of farmed salmon, its widely accepted that PRV can cause a sometimes fatal disease in farmed Atlantic salmon. PRV infection is ubiquitous among farmed salmon in B.C. as well. Last year Morton visited 23 different fish farms; about 70 per cent of the samples came back positive for PRV, she said. But scientists who study the virus in B.C. are divided on whether it poses a threat to wild fish here. Some say the PRV found off B.C.s coast is less harmful than the virus in Norwegian waters, potentially due to genetic differences. The fish farm industry has maintained the virus is naturally occurring in B.C. and is nothing to worry about. Its just not making fish sick, said Shawn Hall, a spokesperson for the BC Salmon Farmers Association. Some government scientists agree it doesnt seem to be a major threat. We dont see the disease or outright disease signs as they see in Norway, said Kyle Garver, who leads the DFOs virology research program. Garver and his colleagues have exposed Atlantic salmon and two species of Pacific salmon to the PRV thats found in B.C. waters during multiple laboratory trials. None developed any major signs of disease, he said, only mild inflammation. More recently, a joint UBC and DFO trial found the respiratory systems of Atlantic salmon were unaffected by PRV. Garver said they got the same results from a similar trial with juvenile sockeye, which has not yet been published. Its this research the DFO cites to defend its PRV policy. Two studies have connected the virus with fish diseases in B.C. But court records and government documents previously released under Access to Information laws reveal the DFO has a pattern of downplaying this research. By law, the department can only allow farms to transfer fish into the ocean if they are free from any disease or disease agent that could be harmful to wild fish. Sitting in his shared office at the DFOs Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, Emiliano Di Ciccos exasperation with the department is clear. The fish pathologist is employed by the non-profit Pacific Salmon Foundation but works with DFO scientists as part a Strategic Salmon Health Initiative. He moved from Italy to B.C. five years ago to study salmon health. I didnt know how much politics there was involved in what I was about to do, he said. Di Cicco and a DFO scientist have published two studies that show PRV in B.C. may cause diseases in salmon. One study diagnosed Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) the same problematic disease found in Norway for the first time at an Atlantic salmon farm in B.C. But internal government emails show the DFO welcomed industry input on how and when the study would be announced. The department then tweaked the news release in an attempt to accommodate concerns from industry and other government scientists. Its unclear exactly what changes industry wanted, but the official release called Di Ciccos findings a potential diagnosis a qualifier that wasnt in an early draft of the DFOs media strategy. We didnt agree with it, Di Cicco said about the change. Di Ciccos other study found PRV is associated with a different disease in farmed Chinook, a Pacific salmon species. When the virus thrives in Chinook, it causes red blood cells to explode and may lead to first anemia and then jaundice. Neither this study nor the HSMI study were done in controlled laboratory trials, but Di Cicco is confident there is a strong link between PRV and both diseases. It walks like a duck, it sounds like a duck, it probably is a duck, he said. In reaction to the Chinook research, the DFO ordered a so-called rapid science response, a five-page document that raised numerous issues with Di Ciccos study and ultimately advised there was no need to change the departments scientific perspective on PRV. A rapid science response is not considered authoritative, peer-reviewed scientific advice. These documents are intended to help the department keep track of their early discussions about changes in science. But court records show a senior DFO official sent an internal email reconfirming the departments policy of not testing for PRV based partially on that advice. The whole process obviously is concerning, Di Cicco said. Not only did the rapid response ignore a huge part of the study, Di Cicco said, he didnt know it was taking place and wasnt given the chance to respond to any of the issues raised. More recently, Di Cicco said, it was odd that he wasnt invited to participate in a three-day meeting in Vancouver in January, where more than 30 scientists gathered to consider whether PRV poses a risk to Fraser River sockeye. According to the DFO, those scientists concluded PRV poses a minimal risk. Di Cicco said there are still too many unknowns to make such a definitive statement. What he can say is the outlook for a sick fish in the open ocean is grim. When you are a wild fish out there and you have to fight every day to survive, youre not going to last very long, he said. Minister Wilkinson rejected the notion that the DFO is turning a blind eye to the risks of PRV and fish farms more broadly. He said the department is looking into aquaculture technologies that could help reduce the environmental impact of fish farms and is developing a new set of regulations for the industry. At the same time, the department has made investments to restore salmon habitat and lowered certain fishing quotas. The minister, though, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the industry. B.C. is the fourth largest producer of farmed salmon in the world, and the industry provides about 7,000 jobs, according to the BC Salmon Farmers Association. And as demand grows, these farmed salmon could be a sustainable alternative to wild fish, Wilkinson said. Globally, salmon consumption has tripled since the 1980s, according to the World Wildlife Fund. We need to ... address the concerns people have been raising in ways that allow us to progress forward from an economic perspective, Wilkinson said. However, in December the B.C. government which has authority over where fish farms anchor to the sea floor announced an agreement with First Nations that will see most farms leave the Broughton Archipelago by 2022. By 2023, any remaining farms will require First Nations consent. The dozens of fish farms outside the archipelago are unaffected. In the meantime, Broughton-area First Nations have the authority to test for PRV before the farms transfer salmon into ocean pens yet the department wont let them use a DFO lab to do it. Wilkinson said its not feasible because the work would take too much of the scientists time. Namgis First Nation Chief Don Svanvik argued that using the DFOs lab would be the most efficient and cost-effective option. The reluctance for things just makes one suspicious, Svanvik said. Back in early March, Svanvik slowly navigated his flat-bottomed boat out of the small Alert Bay harbour before setting off toward the mouth of the Gwani River (Nimpkish River) on Vancouver Island. He stopped the motor where the river merges with the sea. In just a few months, members of his community will gather on this spot, fishing net in hand, as the salmon make the journey upriver to spawn. For at least three decades, the Namgis voluntarily stopped fishing at the river in an effort to relieve pressure on struggling stocks. That meant Svanviks children didnt have the same opportunity to practice their culture when they were young that he did. This is a treasure, and you know we want it to get back to where it was, he said. Salmon have supported the Namgis people since time immemorial. The fish farms may not be the only threat to these wild fish but they are part of the problem, Svanvik said. And the only way to guarantee they arent pushing wild salmon stocks over the edge is to get them out of the water. When we lose the opportunities to fish were also losing that part of our tradition and our culture, he said. Were people of the sea; were salmon people. Read more about: VANCOUVERThe Cree MP hanging his hat on Indigenous rights legislation in his final months in Ottawa told the Star hes amazed to see supportive rallies happening in Vancouver and across the country Saturday. More than 200 Vancouverites rallied in the rain Saturday afternoon in downtown Vancouver, part of a national day of action supporting Romeo Saganashs Bill C-262. Indigenous rights are human rights, said event organizer Jodi Spargur, founder of the interfaith group Healing at the Wounding Place and a leader in the Baptist denomination. We need to remind ourselves of the importance of this moment. She said time is running out for Bill C-262 and called on the Senate to pass it quickly before an election is called. Saganashs legislation would see Canada ensure all future legislation would be measured against the countrys commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Im enjoying seeing these rallies across the country and so much pressure coming from the public, Saganash told the Star in a phone interview from his northern Quebec riding, because its hard to convince this many people throughout the country. Im amazed by all the people supporting my bill. Canadians just want to do something about reconciliation, because theres been enough talking. Although the New Democrat MPs bill garnered Liberal support in the House of Commons, its since stalled in the Senate as an election looms before Oct. 21. Several speakers spoke about the at least 1,200 missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls across the country, many from B.C. Others talked about the genocidal legacy of residential schools. Several churches sponsored the Vancouver rally, as denominations that ran most of the residential schools Catholic, Anglican, United and Presbyterian are all in support Bill C-262. Saturdays speakers also represented the Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities. The legislation will be the final parliamentary act for Saganash, who has represented the Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou riding since 2011 but wont be running for re-election. He is one of a growing number of New Democrats leaving the political ring. (This bill) has been my basic objective legislatively, he told the Star. Before I won in 2011, I told the late Jack Layton Id try to do two mandates and try to achieve the two most important things to me: to be able to speak my language in Parliament our democratic institution and, secondly, this bill. Honestly, eight years in Ottawa is enough for me, otherwise you go insane. The bill is at its second reading, but Senate Conservatives have put on the brakes over concerns about its impacts, particularly if it enshrines UNDRIPs requirement that states obtain Indigenous peoples free, prior and informed consent for resource projects affecting them. I support the UNDRIP in its entirety, with the exception of the word that gives me heartburn, which is consent, said Senator Scott Tannas in committee on Tuesday. If it turns out that consent equals a veto or anything approaching a veto for Indigenous people over activities and projects affecting their traditional lands We would then need to consider the enormous ramifications to our country. We would need to consider if Canadians are aware of and understand and support such a thing, and it would be reckless to do anything other than that. And in the event his signature legislation dies on the Senate floor, Saganash feels hes left a legacy and that the bill will be back in future sessions. I think people will pick it up from where we have left it, he said. Ill leave it to others. Read more about: WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking out three months after a foundation decided to rescind an honorary award for working to free hostages, is accusing "pressure applied by the media" for the rebuff. In two interviews Friday, Pompeo criticized the decision by the James Foley Legacy Foundation, named after an American journalist who was beheaded in 2014 by Islamic State militants in Syria. Pompeo was notified mid-November that he would receive the foundation's Hostage Advocate Award in recognition of the Trump administration's priority in freeing Americans imprisoned abroad, an honor bestowed in a gala dinner Tuesday night at the National Press Club. But on Jan. 11, Pompeo was informed that the foundation had withdrawn the award and the dinner invitation. The award was instead given to Brett McGurk, who negotiated the release of four Americans from Iran in 2016, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. "We ultimately decided we could not present the award as planned due to the dramatic change in circumstances when the Administration did not press for genuine accountability from the Saudi government for the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the Foley Foundation said. Pompeo, however, repeatedly insisted that the award was taken away from him and the State Department because of a potential boycott by some media sponsors at the dinner, where tables cost from $5,000 to $50,000 each. "This is not partisan," Pompeo said in an interview on "Fox and Friends" about the work of getting Americans out of foreign prisons. "And yet, it sounds like some in the media who were underwriting this event, sponsors for the event, said, 'If Pompeo is there, we won't be.' " In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on the Fox Business Network, Pompeo said he regretted that "there was pressure applied by the media for that award to be withdrawn." The foundation said Pompeo is mistaken and that it respects his and the State Department's efforts to free Americans unjustly imprisoned abroad. "Our decision had nothing to do with whether we received media pressure," the foundation's statement said. "In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad, the protection of free speech and promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle." Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributing columnist, was killed Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The Saudis, after initially insisting that he left the building unharmed, eventually admitted that government agents had killed him. The government is trying 11 suspects in a secret proceeding in Riyadh. Though the CIA has moderate to high confidence that Khashoggi was killed on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the White House and Pompeo have withheld judgment, saying they are still investigating. Two weeks after Khashoggi was killed, President Donald Trump sent Pompeo to Riyadh, where he was photographed smiling and shaking hands with the crown prince. Pompeo wrote a letter to James Foley's mother, Diane, expressing regret that he would not be able to accept the award on behalf of the State Department. "How sad is it that base politics and hatred have been allowed to creep into even this sphere of our national activity?" he wrote in the letter, which was first published by the Washington Examiner and confirmed by the State Department. "The safe recovery of Americans held hostage overseas should be beyond politics and must enjoy the support of all Americans. I regret that pressure of such a cynical and abominable nature was brought to bear on you and John." Pompeo also alluded to a decision by the Obama administration to give Iran $400 million to settle a lawsuit it expected to lose, paid in cash at the time the Americans were freed and the Iran nuclear deal took effect. "This work has been accomplished without the concessions that only encourage more hostage-taking by the kidnappers and terrorists," he wrote. Families of Americans held prisoner abroad have praised the Trump administration's special envoy for hostage affairs - a position created by President Barack Obama and bolstered under Trump. Despite the tiff over the award, Pompeo said he "loves" the Foley family; the Foley Foundation praised Pompeo. "We thank Secretary Pompeo for his extraordinary efforts to bring Americans home and are grateful for all that he and this administration have accomplished to prioritize the return of our citizens," the foundation said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Income Tax department has barred directors as well as those who have invested in unlisted companies from filing ITR forms Sahaj and Sugam in a bid to clamp down on shell companies and check the routing of black money. According to the new tax return forms for Assessment Year 2019-20 notified by the I-T department, the directors in both listed and unlisted companies will be required to file their returns in ITR-2 in which they will have to disclose details of Director Identification Number (DIN), Permanent Account Number (PAN), equity holding along with the names of the companies. Similarly, investors in unlisted equity shares too will have to give details, like acquisition cost, sale consideration, date of purchase/sale, of holding of such shares at any time during the previous year. READ | Income Tax Returns forms for Year 2019-20 released, here's all you need to know ITR-1 or Sahaj can now only be filed by resident individuals having a total income of up to Rs 50 lakh, from salaries, one house property, other sources (interest), and agricultural income up to Rs 5,000; excluding those who are directors or have invested in unlisted companies. Sugam or ITR-4 will be filed by individuals, HUFs and firms with a total income of up to Rs 50 lakh under the presumptive income scheme from business and profession, provided the assessee is neither a director nor have invested in any unlisted company. This stipulation, according to tax experts, is aimed at tightening the noose on unlisted companies appointing dummy directors and use shell companies to round trip black money. As regards ITR-6, which is filed by the companies, the new forms provide for a separate column for Startups. They will have to provide details regarding recognition by the Department of Industrial (DPIIT), investors, the issue price of shares and funds received. Unlisted companies filing ITR-6 too will have to provide details of investors, their residential status in India, PAN, date of allotment, number of shares held, issue price per share and amount invested. Foreign companies will now have to provide details of the immediate and ultimate parent company while filing ITR. Among other things, assessees having agricultural income and filing ITR-2 will have to provide extensive details, including measurement of the land in an acre, the name of the district along with pin code in which the land is located, whether it is owned or held on lease and whether irrigated or rain-fed. The I-T department has also added columns for additional details in Schedule FA which deals with disclosure regarding foreign assets and income from any source outside India. The assessees would now have to also disclose details of foreign custodial accounts, foreign equity and debt, and foreign cash value insurance or annuity contract, along with details of overseas bank accounts. Persons filing ITR-2 and having income from the residential property would have to furnish details of the tenant and his PAN or TAN (Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number). Those giving donations and claiming tax deductions will be required to provide name, address, PAN of the donee along with the cash component. Among other things, businesses filing tax returns ITR-3, 4 and 6 will have to furnish details of annual value of supplies and turnover under Goods and Services Tax. These could be used for data analysis by matching with GST returns. Last year businesses filing ITR-4 were required to show GST details along with GST identification number (GSTIN). This has now been extended to those filing ITR-3 and 6. "The new ITR forms underline the government's stated objective of increasing the tax net and reducing the possibility of tax evasion. Taxpayers need to be very careful this time and will need to collate additional details/ reporting requirements well in advance this year, in order to be able to fulfil the reporting requirements prescribed in new ITR forms," Nangia Advisors (Andersen Global) Director Shailesh Kumar said. Kumar further said a self-declaration on the residential status of an individual is not any more sufficient and I-T department now wants individuals to report their number of days spent in India and outside India. "We also expect greater automated scrutiny of ITRs, based on extensive data/ details required and furnished in ITRs," he added. EY India Partner Amarpal Chadha said, "The tax return forms released for the tax year 2018-19 have clearly tried to bring more transparency through disclosures for globally mobile employees, who avail relief under tax treaty". During a meeting with Minister-President of Wallonia region Willy Borsus, the visiting NA Chairwoman affirmed that ties between Belgium, Wallonia and Vietnam are growing, evidenced by visits by Vietnamese high-ranking leaders. She also lauded head Wallonia-Brussels delegation in Vietnam and President of the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions in Vietnam Anne Lange for her activities in Vietnam. The top legislator informed the host that during her meetings with leaders of the Belgian Senate and the Chamber of Representatives, both sides were satisfied about bilateral ties and wished to boost cooperation between localities and regions as well as facilitate the exchange of visits between both sides. She thanked Wallonia for being one of the first three regions to submit a document to the government expressing support for the signing of the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA). Ngan took the occasion to invite the host to visit Vietnam to study the prospects of partnership between Wallonia and Vietnamese localities such as Dien Bien, Da Nang and Vinh Long. Borsus, for his part, said both sides have reinforced collaboration in several areas over the past years, including in agriculture. He reaffirmed his support for the signing of the EVFTA and IPA and thanked the NA Chairwoman for speaking highly of Wallonias role in Vietnam. The host also accepted the invitation to visit Vietnam to enhance bilateral ties in a range of areas, especially in tourism. Leaders of Da Nang, Dien Bien and Vinh Long also took the occasion to introduce the potential of coordination in tourism, services, education-training, logistics and high-tech agriculture. Earlier the same day, Ngan visited the Medisoft company specialising in manufacturing respiratory and cardiovascular diagnosis equipment and the Gembloux Agro-Biotech under the University of Liege. Parvez Sultan By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi met with Delhi unit chief Sheila Dikshit and AICC in-charge PC Chacko on Saturday to discuss the possibilities of entering an alliance with the AAP. This was Dikshit's fourth meeting with Rahul in last four weeks. A senior Delhi leader said Rahul urged them to be prepared to contest the parliamentary elections in Delhi in coalition with the AAP. "Rahul had earlier told the state leadership that he would let them know his opinion pertaining to alliance. He called Dikshit and Chacko on Saturday to convey his decision," the leader said. Leaders close to Dikshit said she was visibly upset after the meeting, adding that the party is on the verge of sealing a pact with the AAP. "The discussion is revolving around seat sharing formula in Delhi. The AAP is insisting on a tie-up in Haryana. The formula of 4:3 (Four AAP and three Congress) for Delhi is broadly accepted. However, discussion for Haryana will first take place in the working committee meeting," said a senior Delhi Congress leader. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Later, Dikshit met Chacko in the afternoon at her residence and held a closed door meeting. Though Dikshit acknowledged the two meetings, the Congress veteran said she was not aware of any development on seat sharing. "I don't know about discussion on seat sharing. They (central leaders) will take a decision. I am neither concerned nor aware of the development. Whatever is to happen, will happen. I hope an announcement will come in a day or two." Chacko is in contact with AAP leader Sanjay Singh and the two are said to have held several rounds of talks in the matter. The suspense over a Congress-AAP tie-up is continuing for the last four weeks. The Congress leaders had said talks are likely to resume on Sunday after senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad returns to Delhi from Kashmir. Azad and senior leader Ahmed Patel is negotiating with the AAP leadership a possible alliance in Delhi and Haryana. "Both AAP and Congress don't want to leave seats with sizeable minority and Dalit votes like Chandni Chowk, east, and northeast Delhi. So, the deadlock persists," said another state Congress leader. Welcome to The Trek Collective. A blog dedicated to all the Star Trek things there are. See posts for the latest news, schedule pages for latest releases, the Trek Collective Lists sub-site for product guides, and explore the site for more. This site uses affiliate marketing links, and cookies; see the About page for further details. U Mahesh By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As many as 28,123 voters have decided not to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after they allege that both the State and the Central governments failed to address their issues. These voters are the slum dwellers settled on land parcels owned by the Central government under the Secunderabad Assembly constituency whose slums were not regularised. Accusing the State for not paying heed to their long-standing demands of exchange of lands from the Central government and failing to set up basic facilities, these voters will boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha polls on April 11 by staying from casting their vote. The sulking 28,123 voters are feeling cheated by the State government and feel that they are being used as voting machines who is not coming forward to solve their long-pending issues with the Centre. It may be noted that the Supreme Court recently issued orders to remove all those living in houses constructed illegally on lands owned by the Central government in the Cantonment Assembly constituency, from the Cantonment Board electoral list but not from the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The State government has already implemented the Apex Courts orders. Thousands of families residing in the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly segment, have been living for decades on these lands. The slum-dwelling voters have alleged that the Telangana government has failed to give them land in exchange of where they are currently residing or relocate them by inclusion into the States flagship programme of double bedroom housing with all due property rights. M Srinivas, a resident of Gunrock, alleged, In every elections, the State government utilises the slum dwellers to increase their voting percentage. He recalled how at the time of 2018 Assembly polls, candidates of all parties promised those residing on Centre-owned lands that they will be rehabilitated in the double bedroom flats. Even after five years, the State has failed to rehabilitate us. Since they could not even be bothered about us slum dwellers, we decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections. Srinivas further alleged that although the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has made statements during poll campaigns that he is aware of the struggles of those living on Centre-owned lands, and has still failed to resolve the concomitant issues of thousands of families in the last five years of him being in power. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. S.M. writes: I tried to buy Bitcoin using my online account with First Direct, which is part of HSBC. Not only was the transaction declined, but the bank froze all my online payments and insisted I had to phone them instead. I was then told I could make online payments again, but only to previously existing accounts. So, is it illegal to buy Bitcoin? Concern: Bank staff did not want to facilitate the purchase of medicinal cannabis No, it is not illegal to buy Bitcoin. You were told more than once by First Direct that it would not make the payment you requested and that this was for your own protection. But as you have told me and the bank, you have more than 3 million in assets and were only switching 1,000 into Bitcoin, so you hardly needed protecting. What then was the reason for First Direct's refusal to let you spend your own money as you wish? When I discussed this with you and the bank, the answer gradually became clear. The account to which you were sending your 1,000 was flagged as suspicious on the bank's systems, which is why the transfer was blocked and you were questioned. You explained that you are in your 60s and your wife is in her 70s and ill. Here is the problem. You were honest enough to explain that you were going to buy medicinal cannabis online from a dealer who would only accept Bitcoin as payment, presumably because it would be hard for the authorities to trace. You let matters lie for a week and then tried again, giving a different reason for the deal. But the bank again turned you down, repeating that this was for your own protection. Frankly, I think it was more for the bank's protection. Without intending it, you had put the bank in the position of being a potential money launderer, handling funds for your drug deal. I am not making any judgment on the uses or misuses of cannabis, but I can understand completely that if your cannabis was intercepted in the post, and you told the police that HSBC knew all about the deal, then that would cause the bank more than a little embarrassment. Officials were reluctant to talk about this. Eventually they told me: 'We take the financial security of our customers extremely seriously and have advanced safeguards in place to deter and detect financial crime.' A bank spokesman added: 'We fully appreciate Mr M's position, but we also cannot knowingly facilitate any activity which is potentially illegal.' Your honesty means the bank will be watching for unusual transactions, but I am sure that after a while you will find that normal services are resumed. Probably after bank staff have stopped grinning at the fact that you and your wife have a joint account. You can escape tax on your pension lump sum G.H. writes: I have deferred my state pension as I am still working but will retire shortly. In the tax year 2019-20, my income will be below the tax threshold, so I will pay no tax. When I claim my state pension, even with my other income, I will still be below the tax threshold. I was told I would only pay tax on my state pension lump sum if my total income is above the threshold in the year claimed. So, I was alarmed last Sunday to read in your column about a gentleman who had to pay tax on his lump sum. Worried: G.H. was alarmed to read last week in Tony's column about a gentleman who had to pay tax on his lump sum The lump sum is taxable when you stop deferring your state pension and begin to claim it, but this only applies as long as your other income makes you a taxpayer. You can even claim the state pension but postpone the lump sum until the following tax year. This means that if your income drops and you become a non-taxpayer, the lump sum escapes tax. What went wrong for the reader whose letter we published last week was that he received his lump sum in a year when he had still been earning. He was therefore a taxpayer, so the lump sum was quite correctly taxable. WE'RE WATCHING YOU: Loan note duo shut down in land scandal I wrote last week about the risks involved in investing in unregulated loan notes or IOUs issued by Certain Bridge Limited, headed by Gary Hall, and promoted by a separate company, ASP Consulting, which is run by Abdool Saleem Peerbux. Now I can reveal that by an almost X-Files coincidence, companies that had been headed by Gary Hall and Abdool Saleem Peerbux ended up in the High Court on the same day, before the same judge, and with the same result they were shut down. That was in January 2010, when the Insolvency Service won court orders to wind up nine companies it had investigated, all of them 'part of a land-banking scheme', officials said. At the time, land-banking investment schemes were a scandal. Companies bought fields without planning permission and then sold house-size plots at vastly inflated prices, often with false claims that planning consent was just around the corner. Hall had been a director of four of the nine companies. Peerbux was a director of one. Hall's lawyers say his four companies never dealt with the public, but provided land for others to sell on. In a remarkably worded statement, they told me: 'These sales were not WEAPONS or DANGEROUS materials or PROTECTED wild animals, it was Cheshire and Lancashire LAND. What these purchasing companies did with their purchases was their business.' So why did the court close down all four companies? Equally remarkably, Hall says the Insolvency Service lied: 'The statements made under oath were riddled with perjured statements which included downright lies, untruths, falsehoods and manipulated events bearing no resemblance to true facts.' Nonetheless, the four companies committed a string of offences while Hall was a director. Every one failed to file accounts at Companies House or to give details of its owners. Although legally responsible for the running of the companies, Hall says he relied on someone else. Similarly, Peerbux now says that although he was a director of Impact Marketing.com Limited, and described himself in official documents as a 'property broker and land portfolio manager', he also left responsibility for the company to someone else. Peerbux was also behind a company called Prime Acquisitions Resources. I warned in 2010 that it was marketing a dubious scheme that offered an estimated 15 per cent yield and 50 per cent capital gains, all through growing rice in Sierra Leone. Although Peerbux sold the scheme, it was run by a Cheshire property developer, Robert McKendrick. Four weeks ago I reported that McKendrick has now been jailed for six months for contempt of court after trying to sidestep an order to repay investors more than 15 million. Lawyers for Peerbux told me Prime Acquisitions Resources was dissolved because overheads and expenses became too high against revenue. In fact, it failed to ever file any accounts and was compulsorily struck off in 2013. When I raised questions about claims made by his current company ASP Consulting, Peerbux took down its website. His lawyers refused to discuss this because, they said, Peerbux is seeking approval as a representative of a firm licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator refuses to comment, but has said that any firm that appoints a representative takes full responsibility for seeing that they stick to the rules and must be able to prove that they carry out close monitoring. Holidaymakers are set to shed pounds from their wallets on their next trip abroad owing to a string of currency rip-offs. Travellers' budgets will be squeezed most if they swap currency at the airport, spend using bank cards, press the wrong buttons at a foreign cash machine or swap leftover holiday money at the wrong bureau. The Mail on Sunday explains four currency traps that put the 'con' into 'conversion'. Rip-off: Psychologists say you're more likely to press the button on the right. If you do, you'll be falling for one of the sneakiest holiday money cons 1. PREPARE FOR A RIP-OFF JUST BEFORE TAKE-OFF Swapping pounds for euros, dollars or pesos is a transaction often left to the last minute. Airport-based foreign exchange bureaux rely on forgetful or time-poor travellers using 'dead time' after clearing security to buy holiday money. The poor exchange rate on offer can cost the price of a family meal out. Andrew Hagger, of financial research company MoneyComms, says: 'Don't assume your bank will offer you a good deal. Cheaper options include Debenhams, Asda, Sainsbury's Bank, Tesco and Post Office online.' WHAT TO DO: While there is no single best place to buy currency there is one to avoid and that is the airport. Find the best-value bureau near to where you live or work or which can deliver for free before your departure date. Consider using websites such as TravelMoneyMax and CompareHolidayMoney. Hagger adds: 'Heavily advertised 'commission free' deals tend to sting you on the exchange rate. Most top currency providers haven't charged commission for years it's the exchange rate that is key.' Customers who are late ordering currency can still secure a better rate by using the airport's online click and collect option, even if there are only a few hours left before take-off. Order online for a better rate than the walk-up price and select to collect the money airside after passing through security. 2. THE WRONG CARD MEANS OVERSPENDING Spending overseas with a credit or debit card often means both a poor exchange rate and fees of around 3 per cent each time they are used. Cash withdrawal fees from an ATM are also 1.39 on average for debit and credit cards, on top of conversion fees. Specialist credit cards or prepaid cards which are topped-up and converted to different currencies before leaving home offer superior exchange rates and zero fees when used abroad. Three separate transactions of 50 abroad on a typical bank card are likely to cost several pounds more than on a prepaid card. Many prepaid cards now allow customers to hold multiple currencies on one card. They intuitively choose which balance to deduct from when used in different countries. WHAT TO DO: Apply for a card that does not penalise you abroad, and which offers a competitive exchange rate. These include Halifax Clarity, Barclaycard Platinum Cashback Plus, Tandem and Santander Zero. Prepaid cards to consider include WeSwap, FairFX and Caxton FX. Alternatively open a travel-friendly account with companies such as Transferwise and Monzo. Their debit cards allow fee-free spending abroad at competitive exchange rates. New applicants will need to leave themselves time to open a new account or receive a new card in the post. Anyone pressed for time can get a Travelex Money Card in-store, along with a PIN code, so it is ready to use straightaway. Then compare cards after returning home from holiday to see if it is worth switching to a new card for future trips. Visit comparison websites such as MoneySuperMarket to find prepaid cards for travel. 3. CONFUSION AT THE CASHPOINT Have you ever felt under pressure to withdraw money quickly from an ATM abroad, while a long queue of customers tap their feet behind you? This pressure intensifies when faced with a confusing array of words about currency conversion options. Some overseas cashpoint operators exploit this by inviting customers to convert into 'home currency'. Sounds tempting but it is rarely a good idea because the exchange rates are poor. Even worse, if you agree to currency conversion on a pre-loaded travel card, money has effectively been exchanged twice first when it was loaded on to the card and instantly converted, then a second time when you press the button opting to convert to home currency again. WHAT TO DO: The aim is to be charged in local currency euros in Europe and dollars in the United States. Most often the right action will be to hit the button on the left with the word 'no' or the command 'without conversion'. Psychologists say people trust a proposed action on the right of a screen, which is why the most expensive option is usually placed there. Similarly, people under pressure to complete their transaction are also more likely to press a positive 'yes' command for their currency than a negative 'no'. So when it comes to cashpoints abroad it is best to resist those natural impulses. Similar to the cashpoint sting, cafes, shops and hotels might offer a conversion to the familiarity of pounds sterling. It is known as dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Ian Strafford-Taylor, of currency conversion company FairFX, says: 'Always choose to pay in local currency.' He adds: 'If you are billed in pounds, refuse it. Write 'DCC rejected' on the receipt and insist on being charged in local currency, which you are entitled to do.' 4. WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER CURRENCY Million of pounds worth of surplus foreign cash is left sitting in drawers and cupboards of family homes, which is money wasted. But those who do convert currency back to pounds can be stung by poor rates. Some companies also sell 'buy-back guarantees' for up to 5, promising to buy leftover holiday money at the same rate it was sold. But this fee can swallow any benefit from a superior exchange rate if the sum being exchanged is only small. WHAT TO DO: Before purchasing a buy-back guarantee consider how much cash you are likely to bring home. These guarantees are better value for customers who want to exchange large sums of cash. Relying more on cards than cash for spending will help avoid the buy-back burden upon returning home. If coming back to the UK with notes of a foreign denomination is unavoidable, visit websites such as CompareHolidayMoney and Money.co.uk for a list of competitive buy back rates. Options currently include high street brand Eurochange and Debenhams. Foreign currency can also be donated to charity. Many Post Office branches have collection boxes for spare change with money going to the Children in Need charity. M&S bureaux de change also keep 'Change4Change' collection boxes in store. Money is donated to charity Breast Cancer Now. Private equity management does not have a particularly good reputation, given its ruthless pursuit of profits often at the expense of people's jobs. But it is an image Colm Walsh wants to dispel. Walsh, part of the investment team that manages the 600 million private equity trust ICG Enterprise, believes private equity is often a force for good, enabling companies not listed on the stock market to access finance that enables them to expand and in time become more profitable. 'As an industry, we are not good at articulating what we do,' says Walsh. 'As a result, there is a lot of negativity about us being asset strippers. But that is not what we are all about. 'We are interested in investing in cash generative businesses often companies that are not that exciting from the outside and quite defensive and then at some stage exiting, hopefully making a gain on our investments in the process. Good for the business and good for our shareholders.' The trust is one of a number of funds run by Intermediate Capital Group, a FTSE 250-listed company that manages assets of 35 billion across equities, private equity and credit. Its performance record is more than respectable with shareholder returns over the past five years of 63 per cent, in excess of the 34 per cent gain registered by the FTSE All-Share Index. Typically, the trust's approach is to invest in private businesses via private equity funds managed by specialists such as TDR Capital (UK based), New York-based Leeds Equity Partners, PAI Partners and Advent International. The funds target the companies they want to invest in. ICG Enterprise then often supports this indirect fund investment with a direct stake in the business themselves. So through TDR, it owns a slice of successful health and leisure business David Lloyd while via Leeds, it has a holding in Endeavour, an operator of private schools in the United States. It also has separate stakes in both businesses. 'David Lloyd is a business in growth mode,' says Walsh. 'It is expanding operations across Europe and is thriving on the back of a boom in good health.' He adds: 'Endeavour is benefiting from the growth in private pre-school education in the US. Both businesses are resilient, are growing as a result of demographic change, and are capable of expanding through economic cycles. They are also not start-ups which means the risk of failure is lower than say in a venture capital fund.' The big profits, as far as ICG Enterprise shareholders are concerned, come when the trust can realise some of its investments, maybe as a result of a business either seeking a listing on the stock market or being sold. Potential investors need to be aware of two other key facts. First, the trust pays a quarterly dividend, equivalent to a modest annual income of 2.5 per cent. Secondly, the trust's shares are currently trading at a sizeable 17 per cent discount to the value of the underlying assets, a reflection of the fact that private equity is seen as a risky asset class. The trust's ongoing annual charge is 1.4 per cent and its board is chaired by Jeremy Tigue, former manager of the world's oldest investment trust Foreign & Colonial. When launched in 1981, the trust was known as F&C Enterprise before F&C's venture capital arm was bought out by management and it was rebranded Graphite Enterprise. Graphite the wider business was then bought by ICG in late 2015, resulting in the trust being renamed ICG Enterprise. Sir Philip Green is seeking to slash his annual contributions into the Arcadia staff pension fund by half, according to reports. The tycoon is said to be preparing to halve payments into the fund to 25million a year as he presses ahead with a major cost-cutting drive that will involve a raft of store closures. Any such move on his part would spark outrage after he came under heavy fire for his treatment of the BHS pension fund which led to calls for him to be stripped of his knighthood. Sir Philip Green, pictured with model Kate Moss, is said to be preparing to halve payments into the the Arcadia staff pension fund by half as he presses ahead with a major cost-cutting drive In 2016, a year after 67-year-old Green had sold BHS to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell, it crashed into administration, leaving 11,000 staff jobless and a 571million black hole in the company's retirement fund. Green's latest retail troubles have sparked concerns over the future of Arcadia's pension scheme. The deficit in the fund is thought to have swelled to as much as 550million. Arcadia owns Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge and Wallis and has 570 stores and hundreds of concessions, employing 18,000 staff. Following pressure from MPs, in 2017 Green (pictured with model Kate Moss) agreed to make a yearly payment of 50million in order to make good the shortfall. But he is now set to row back on this pledge by slashing contributions to 25million, according to Sky News. The Pensions Regulator is in talks with the pension fund trustees, who have a duty to protect the staff and pensioners. Frank Field MP, chairman of the work and pensions committee, said: 'When things are going well, Sir Philip Green and his family take mega-dividends out of the company; when things are not going well, the workers have to pay.' Green is understood to be planning a controversial insolvency procedure called a company voluntary agreement which will allow Arcadia to secure rent reductions from landlords and shut stores. Some of its brands, such as Topshop and Miss Selfridge, have struggled to attract younger shoppers in recent years as fashionistas flock online to the likes of Asos and Boohoo. Topshop and Topman ran up a loss of nearly 10.9million in the year to August 2017, down from a profit of 59million a year earlier. One source said: 'With the company's current financial structure, it would be lucky to stay solvent for a couple of years.' It has been tumultuous time for Green, who has recently come under fire amid allegations of sexism, racism and bullying towards staff, all of which he denies. One of Sir Philip's closest business associates, Baroness Brady, resigned as chairman of Arcadia's parent company Taveta in the wake of the allegations. Calls for him to be stripped of his knighthood began after he sold BHS to Chappell for just 1 in 2015. Green injected 363million into BHS's pension fund in 2017, and has always denied he was at fault for the chain's downfall. He said last year: 'Oh, I'm sorry I was able to write a cheque for 363million and carry on living a normal life. 'I believe I behaved properly, like I said I would.' Arcadia, Green and The Pensions Regulator declined to comment. Review: Persimmon is desperate to retain a place in the Help To Buy scheme Persimmon has launched an independent review of its business as it battles to improve customer service and retain a place in the taxpayer-funded Help To Buy scheme. Britain's second-biggest housebuilder, which raked in 1billion in profit last year amid stinging criticism over fat-cat pay and shoddy workmanship, said the review would be chaired by Stephanie Barwise QC and be ready later this year. The move comes after Persimmon pledged to improve customer service following a warning from the Government that it could lose its prized place in the Help To Buy loan scheme. Anger at the housebuilder has been compounded because of the record profits it has made, which critics claim are largely off the back of the taxpayer-funded scheme. Chairman Roger Devlin said: 'Our objective is clear: we must ensure that all our customers are provided with the care, service and high-quality homes that they rightfully expect.' By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of heavy hailstorms for the 24 hours over North coastal Andhra Pradesh. According to the IMD, showers with gusty winds are probable in the coastal part of the State due to a cyclonic circulation of winds moving across north Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Places such as Kaviti, Ichchapuram, and Kanchali mandals of Srikakulam district received thundershowers with gusty winds, which resulted in a dip in daytime temperature by 2 to 3 degree Celsius in the coastal region, Godavari, and East Godavari districts on Friday. The highest recorded temperature on the day was 41 degree Celsius in Anantapur while Kadapa, Kurnool, and Nandyal experienced the highest temperature of 40 degree Celsius. The warning stated that winds are strong and hailstorms are likely in 24 hours in North coastal part of the State. An activist investor is locked in a race against time to convince Barclays' investors that he should be given a seat on the bank's board. Edward Bramson, who is stalking the banking giant through his firm Sherborne Investors, has so far failed to produce a detailed plan to win shareholder support ahead of the Barclays' annual meeting next month. Voting on his proposal started more than two weeks ago. He now has until the end of this month to convince 75 per cent of shareholders to back his plan. Race against time: Edward Bramson is stalking the bank through his firm Sherborne Investors Bramson raised money from investors to buy a 5.5 per cent stake in Barclays before his approach a year ago. But he is still working on a fully detailed proposal on how he intends to fix the bank. Sources have told The Mail on Sunday the delay is partly due to the complexity of banking regulations, which make it difficult to cut costs while meeting stringent demands from watchdogs. Shareholders have until April 30 to vote on whether Bramson should be a director, which would give him influence over the bank's strategy. The results will be announced at the shareholder meeting on May 2. It is thought Bramson could make a public statement to shareholders as soon as this week. The proposal is expected to focus on his plan for the investment bank division. But it is understood that he also has ideas for other parts of Barclays. He has been meeting some of the bank's largest shareholders in private. It is thought Bramson could muster 15 per cent of shareholders to vote for his proposal. This would be a significant revolt against Barclays' management but far short of the support he needs to secure a seat at the table. Analysts have pointed to Barclays' US-dominant shareholder register as a point in favour of Bramson, who is based in New York. Sixty per cent of Barclays' shareholders are based in the US, with 11 per cent in the UK and 8.6 per cent in Qatar. City insiders said US investors were less likely to hold a sentimental attachment to Barclays' investment bank, which has a long-held ambition to become a 'universal bank' dominant in both investment and retail banking, on both sides of the Atlantic. Bramson's main pitch has been to US funds such as Dodge and Cox, which has a 3.7 per cent stake in Barclays, and Capital Group, which holds a 6 per cent stake. Barclays previously considered reducing its reliance on its investment bank. But he was ousted in 2015 for trying to shrink the investment banking arm and switch the focus more firmly towards retail banking. Investment banker Jes Staley, who spent more than 30 years at JP Morgan, was then appointed CEO to hone the investment bank. He has recently defended its status as an important institution in British finance. He has reduced its operating expenses by around 7 per cent since 2015. But the division is still regarded as inefficient. Its costs hoover up 75 per cent of its income, making it the most inefficient division in Barclays. Such figures provide ammunition for Bramson, who is unlikely to walk away from his campaign even if he loses the vote on May 2. Barclays and Sherborne declined to comment. Details from Sherborne's prospectus demonstrate how Barclays differs from Bramson's previous investments, in part due to the external pressures on the bank. On launching its fund, Sherborne said the average target share price rise after 12 months represented 78 per cent of the total eventual change in price of the investment. Since Sherborne bought shares last year, Barclays' share price has fallen 26 per cent, in some part due to fears of a No Deal Brexit. Domino's Pizza has been too confrontational with its biggest franchisees, says one of its major investors. The spat started last year when powerful franchisees claimed they were not receiving a big enough slice of the delivery firm's profits leading to them threatening to halt new store openings. Philip Macartney, at Columbia Threadneedle, a top ten shareholder, said: 'I have concerns with the way [Domino's] has dealt with that relationship. It's become adversarial between the franchisees and the company. It was a failing not to understand the franchisees' concerns and pressures. Wanting a bigger slice of the action: The spat started last year when powerful franchisees claimed they were not receiving a big enough slice of the delivery firm's profits 'Now the horse has bolted and they are chasing their tails.' The fund manager also turned his ire on the franchisees, claiming they had been 'over-earning a few years ago'. He added: 'When you look at franchisees across the globe, UK franchisees are making the highest level of profits.' Domino's share price has fallen 36 per cent since June. The board which faces angry shareholders at their annual meeting a week on Thursday is seeking a replacement for chief executive David Wild who lost three finance chiefs in as many years. Macartney tips the operations director. He said: 'I've been very impressed with Scott Bush. He has gone from bike rider to franchise owner to operations director.' A Dominos spokesperson said: 'We have an open and ongoing dialogue with our franchisees and are actively exploring win-win solutions, which will incentivise growth and benefit them, the plc and most importantly, customers. 'Such solutions will always be balanced with the interests of shareholders but we are working directly with franchisees to move forward together as soon as possible.' Shilajit Mitra By Express News Service My heart goes out to Anil George. For the third time this year, he appears in a film that on account of his flowing beard and beady grey eyes parades him as the face of Muslim villainy. He was there in Uri, in Manikarnika, and now he turns up in Romeo Akbar Walter, as a Pakistani warlord humbugged by John Abrahams Indian spy. Tum koi jasoos toh nahi? he enquires of John in their first meeting: a crude bit of dramatic irony that packs zero comic punch. One of the films few subthemes is the prejudicial treatment of servicemen a bold call for a film that casts actors by the hook of their nose. Set during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, RAW finds John in le Carre territory. He plays or at least starts off as Rehmatullah Romeo Ali, an Indian mole smuggled into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. This is Raazi bleached of both smarts and pulse. Theres none of that tip-toeing suspense of Meghna Gulzars measured storytelling, or the innate resonance of Alia Bhatts evocative acting. ALSO READ: 'Romeo Akbar Walter' director Robbie Grewal says role of spy is duty over morals In fact, the only time this dreary marriage between Robbie Grewals tackless direction and John Abrahams sleepwalking persona makes complete sense, is in a much-delayed scene. It takes place inside a barbed military hideout, where Khudabaksh (Sikander Kher), a suspicious Pakistani colonel, puts Romeo (under the alias of Akbar Malik) through a polygraph test. Even in his bloodied state, Romeo passes the test easily without blowing his cover an implausible scene by any measure but sold effectively here by John, an actor so emotionally inert he can trump any lie detector. Sikander, for his part, gnaws hard on the Urdu lines (the film is heady with phrases like watan parasti and ghere talukat) but he looks too much like a North Indian cop to suggest a suave Pakistani officer. Among others, theres Jackie Shroff in the role of RAW chief Srikanth Rai, a shifty old man in waistcoats with a bizarre obsession for horses. He speaks in equine metaphors, has framed pictures of stallions in his drawing room, and works out cross-border transmissions in just a glance (making Morse code seem more like horse code). ALSO READ: 'Romeo Akbar Walter' celebrates unnoticed people, says Mouni Roy Its Srikanth who trains Romeo and sends him into enemy territory, marshalling a long chain of pawns leading back to the Delhi headquarters. Raghubir Yadav plays a limping snitch in charge of Romeos safehouse, a spy-fiction cliche saved by Yadavs dexterous stillness of craft. Theres one more cliche Mouni Roy as an Indian diplomat-cum-undercover spy who exists solely to lift the romantic track Jee Len De (a chorus I found myself singing back to the films 144-minute runtime), and yet another in the form of actor Alka Amin, as Romeos widowed mother. Throughout RAW, theres talk about the importance of subtlety in espionage arts. Srikanth, for one, urges his recruits to read between the lines. This advice is contradicted by the films callously campy treatment, complete with a loud background score and overblown colour grade: theres an early visual of Romeo standing against a setting sun, with the sky in a triband of orange, white and green. Now, what exactly could that mean ALSO READ: John Abraham to star in Rensil DSilvas biker flick I sat up for a few minutes near the end. For a brief moment, RAW cranes its neck into the murky politics of covert operations. Theres a climactic twist thats dispelled too quickly for the buildup (my theory is that the makers wanted to hold off for longer, but were scared off by the communal implications of the scene). Several such compromises run through the script. Purportedly based on a real man, the film has little interest in truthfully engaging with its subject, clearly driven by the singular ambition of cashing in on patriot season. The title is the biggest decoy. Theres little research in RAW, and nothing worth the analysis. By IANS MUMBAI: A group of 11 tribal students including four girls from Adivasi Ashram Schools in Maharashtra will embark on an expedition to scale Mt. Everest on Sunday, an official said here on Saturday. Trained by experts to tackle the tough and cold mountainous terrain and genetically gifted with grit and agility, these 11 students will take up the challenge under the state's 'Mission Shaurya - 2019'. Chief Secretary U.P.S. Madan, Tribal Department Principal Secretary Manisha Verma and other top dignitaries gave them a formal flag-off on Friday evening. The 11-member team comprises seven boys - Munna Dhikar, Shivcharan Bhilavekar, Sugriv Mande, Ketan Jadhav, Anil Kunde, Manohar Hilim, Suraj Aade. The four girls are Hemlata Gaikwad, Chandrakala Gavit, Antubai Kotnake and Sushma More, all of whom hail from the remotest and backward tribal hamlets in Amravati, Chandrapur, Yavatmal, Palghar, Nashik and Dhule. Their long and rigorous selection process started in August 2018 at the Gyan Bharti Skill Development Centre, Wardha, where 203 students with a good physique and an adventurous aptitude were trained in basic climbing skills. From them 132 attended a second training camp at Bhongir in Hyderabad to learn rapelling and rock-climbing, out of which 41 were sent on a four-week sojourn to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling for high altitude acclimatisation and learning essential survival techniques in the snowy heights. The 30 who cleared this level were sent to Sikkim for three weeks of intensive training with the Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure & Eco-Tourism to learn resilience, rescue tactics and camaraderie while summiting the 19,500 feet tall Mt. Lako Kang. The 18 who made it through this were sent for a tough 12 days of training in minus 35 degrees temperatures to Stok Kangri peak in Leh-Ladakh from which the final 11 were selected for the ultimate challenge of attempting Mt. Everest. This is the second time tribal students from Maharashtra will embark on a mission to conquer the world's highest peak in Nepal. In May 2018, five tribal students from Chandrapure created history when they peaked Mt. Everest and planted the Indian Tricolour there. Madan said the initiative helps empower the tribal community which would result in immense social gains in the future and wished the 11 youngsters success in their endeavour. Verma said 'Mission Shaurya' aims to instil a belief in one's self and create a positive passion among the tribal children to dream big, boldly seize opportunities and serve the community and nation at large. GREENFIELD CENTER The Lake Desolation Fire Department, which in recent years had been reduced to nothing more than a social club, is officially dissolving. Greenfield Fire District Chief Jay Ellsworth said the station in a remote corner of Saratoga County, originally established to extinguish fires for summer residents along the lake, has been inoperable for years. "They never had their own fire district," Ellsworth said. "They never had any gear, any air packs they didn't have much of anything" beyond a pickup truck. Ellsworth said the volunteer department had folded for "lack of participation." He said there was never a gap in coverage to the lake because his Middle Grove Fire Company, one of four all-volunteer stations that he oversees, has been responsible for covering the lake area for years. According to a Saratogian article published in 2008, the Lake Desolation Fire Company was formed in 1946 after a camp burned down because the fire company could not get to the scene in a timely manner. "Our purpose is to keep a truck on top of the hill," said Mark Gauthier, Lake Desolation fire department president, told the newspaper then. "It takes about 20 minutes for the Middle Grove fire department to come up." He also said that the unofficial station crew, which Gauthier said had a chainsaw, was to save lives and let Middle Grove Department save the building. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Ellsworth, who said his all-volunteer stations field 1,500 calls a year, said the fire house is selling its property and liquidating its assets. "It's in the hands of the lawyers," Ellsworth said. "Where the money is goes, I'm not quite sure." Supreme Court papers filed in Saratoga County in January show that attorney David Pentkowski is handling the matter. When the Times Union reached out to his firm, Pentkowski, Pastore and Freestone, the person who answered the phone said Pentkowski would not comment. By PTI MUMBAI: Veteran BJP leader L K Advani's assertion that his party did not consider political adversaries as anti-national was "timely", Congress leader Sam Pitroda said here Friday. He also drew parallels between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at an event organised by the All India Professionals Congress, the technocrat-turned-politician also said there was "something wrong" with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) though he could not point it out. "I think what he has said is very timely and important," he said to a question about Advani's statement in a blog Thursday. "He said two things - first nation, then party, then self. Modi today is all about self-promotion. Two, he said if somebody disagrees with us, doesn't mean they are anti-national. I respect that, I agree with him. I thank him for saying this at the right time. That is a leader," Pitroda said. Taking potshots at Modi, he said there were similarities between him and Donald Trump. "Both leaders are saying the enemy is at the border. Here it is Pakistan and Muslims. There it is Mexicans and immigrants. Both leaders are saying nobody (else) knows anything. (In India Modi is saying) Congress didn't do anything, (Trump is saying) Democrats didn't do anything. (Trump said) Hillary Clinton was corrupt, (Modi says) Rahul Gandhi is corrupt," Pitroda said. Recalling a meeting with former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pitroda said he was "spontaneous", did not have to make an effort to be amicable and was a good human being. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE "That's what India's PM has to be," he added. To another question, Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, said something was wrong with EVMs. "I can't put my finger on it and say this is it. One is (possibility of) tampering of the electronic, other is supply chain, where it is stored, who keeps track of it, how do you count it. No one in the world is using electronic machines the way we use. Everyone has said there is no trust. The US, Germans, nobody trusts but we do," he said. The coming election was the "most important election in modern history of India", he said. "Like Rahul Gandhi has been saying, India's soul, future, the idea of India is at stake. We believed in truth, trust, love, inclusion, non-violence, democracy, freedom. All of these are being challenged today," he said. He also alleged that Indian media has been bought, and unlike in the US, "institutions have been captured systematically" in India. BLOOMINGDALE State Police still haven't closed the case of a 75-year-old northern New York woman who's been missing for nearly two decades. Harriet Olsen was last seen at her Fletcher Farm Road residence in Bloomingdale, Franklin County just north of Saranac Lake on June 24, 2000. Her husband, Henry, reported her missing after dinner. He told troopers the couple had eaten together at 5:30 p.m., then he went outside to the garage for less than an hour and Harriet was gone when he came back inside. Henry searched the house, alerted neighbors and called his daughter, who told him to call 911, troopers said. More for you What to do when a loved one goes missing The State Police said they searched every home within a 2 mile radius of the Olsen's house but found nothing. Interviews with neighbors, hospitals, taxi services, and bus lines also failed to dig up leads. Extensive searches over the next two weeks by State Police, as well as state forest rangers and environmental conservation police, also came up empty. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Olsen was described as 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, with short gray hair and glasses, and in fairly good physical health. But she was believed to be suffering from Alzheimer's. Troopers said it was normal for her to take short walks and she left no messages indicating her intentions or destination. Anyone with information is asked to call the State Police at 518-897-2000. SARATOGA SPRINGS - Tracts of trailer parks, a tent colony for the homeless and impoverished children aren't images most people would associate with the state's fastest growing county. But while Saratoga County might be better known for luxury estates and thoroughbred racing, it also ranks third in gap between rich and poor. That's the finding of the Economic Policy Institute in Washington D.C., a nonprofit and nonpartisan think tank focused on economic policy affecting low- and middle-income workers. It places Saratoga County behind New York City and Westchester County statewide. Of the 3,061 counties it ranked nationally, the think tank puts Saratoga County at 28th in income inequality, squeezed between such places as San Francisco and Los Angeles. The July 2018 figures used in its "The New Gilded Age" study says the county's top 1 percent earns $2.55 million a year compared to the average income of the 99 percent at $56,124 annually. That means the average income is about 45 times less than that of the top 1 percent in Saratoga County. Nationwide, EPI said, to be considered in the top 1 percent one must have an income of $421,926. But the average one-percenter has an income of $1.31 million, the group indicated. Saratoga County's one-percenters average double that income. Ron Deutsch, executive director for the Fiscal Policy Institute, said the imbalance is particularly stark in Saratoga Springs. "Saratoga is quickly becoming a city of have and have nots," Deutsch said. Gordon Boyd, president of the Mercy House of Saratoga, which when built will accommodate dozens of adults who can't find affordable living quarters, echoed that sentiment. "Saratoga is a contradiction," he said. "It's a seasonal tourist destination with a mix of hospitality businesses that the tourist demand; but the people who work in those businesses, the restaurants and hotels, have to commute in 25 miles." While some may look to the city and county for solutions, the Rev. Peter Cook, executive director of the New York State Council of Churches, who has joined with advocates for the poor throughout the state and Saratoga Springs, said the state could and should do more to bridge the gap. "County governments are limited to raise property taxes," said Cook, who headed up the New Hope for all of New York Budget campaign that traveled throughout the state with that message. "They have to figure out other ways to raise revenue as the state flatlines or shrinks their allocation." Cook, Deutsch and their coalition were pressing state officials, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, to alleviate income inequality and the childhood poverty by increasing funds to programs that support education, health care and other services by imposing a 1.5 percent tax on those who earn $5 million or more. "In some areas of the state, 50 percent of our children live below the poverty line," Cook said. "Our faith tells us a measure of our faithfulness is evaluated on how we treat our children. It's appalling when we have more billionaires in this state than in any other state in the union ... that we can have poverty levels at that height for children is really wrong. It's just wrong." But the state 2019 budget did not reflect Cook and Deutsch's concerns. "We are a bit disappointed by the budget," Deutsch said. "Obviously there are some good things in the budget, but for our campaign, we wanted to see a much larger investment in programs and services for lower income New Yorkers. They were largely ignored in this budget." In Saratoga County, with a population hovering at about 229,800, it's unclear how many people have adjusted gross incomes above $5 million. The Internal Revenue Service, however, notes that in 2016 a quarter of the income tax filers in Saratoga County had incomes greater than $100,000, while half of the county's tax filers had adjusted gross incomes of $50,000 or less. In addition to raising taxes on those who earn $5 million or more, Cook and his coalition were also calling out the 2 percent tax cap as a failure as it forces austerity on counties, towns, cities and schools. "This whole property tax cap is kind of a gimmick because it does not address the reason we have higher property taxes," he said. "We could be addressing that problem if the state picked up more of its responsibility." Back in Saratoga County, Clifton Park Supervisor and chair of the county's Economic Development Committee Phil Barrett said the state should do more by lifting the burden of unfunded mandates that cost ($63.2 million) more than the county takes in on property taxes ($60.6 million). Regardless, he said the county helps its residents prosper by continuing to hold down property taxes. "The county has done a great deal of lessening the financial impact of businesses and residents within the county with low taxations. We are among the lowest taxed county or the lowest taxed county in the state, and we do not over-regulate," Barrett said. "We are already promoting an environment in Saratoga County that helps with any issues regarding economic inequality. High taxes and overregulation are what lead to economic inequality." Halfmoon Supervisor and the county Board of Supervisors Chair Kevin Tollisen said the county also helps by offering training to the unemployed so they can sharpen their skillset. "We work to help everyone that has the desire to maximize their potential (to) do so in Saratoga County," Tollisen said. "The county is also efficient in administering federal, state, and local social services programs to those who need them. Our diverse county allows people in rural and urban communities to excel in their chosen careers in a variety of important and impactful industries." He concluded that the county is "the best place to live, work and raise a family." Yet income inequality persists and those who aid the poor say it presents itself most visibly in Saratoga Springs as homelessness. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. In Saratoga Springs, Boyd said there are people living in their cars and many more, on the streets. There is also a sprinkling of tents that homeless people have erected in the woods near the Saratoga Springs train station. Shelters of Saratoga Executive Director Karen Gregory said Code Blue, the city's winter homeless shelter, is running at capacity every night with an average of 60 people. Another 33 sleep at its year-round sober shelter. She said families, which her agency does not serve, typically are housed in motels and hotels. CAPTAIN Community Human Services, which is based in Clifton Park and Glenville, houses homeless school-age youth (ages 13 to 17) in its emergency shelter in Malta. It identified 664 homeless children (kindergarten to grade 12) in Saratoga County in the 2017-18 school year. Of those, CAPTAIN has housed 98. Andy Gilpin, CAPTAIN's associate executive director, said he has seen an increase in poverty and homelessness in the last three years. "It's not just youth," Gilpin said. "There are veterans and victims of domestic violence." Gilpin is optimistic as several affordable housing complexes are being built in Saratoga Springs, including the Intrada, which will go up next to the train station. The Rev. Joseph Cleveland, minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga Springs, said it's necessary. He gets at least one call a month from someone who needs help paying rent. Often, he receives several requests. "If I haven't gotten a call in four or five weeks that means I'm going to get a call that week on rent," Cleveland said. "If it's not that, it's transportation issues. Since you can't afford to live in the town, you have to depend on a car. And if your car breaks down, you don't have the means to repair it or buy another one." Deutsch, who said that the top 1 percent get a third of all the income in the state, pointed out that many Saratoga County residents on tight budgets often move to one of the county's many trailer parks. A look at the website www.mobilehome.net shows that Saratoga County hosts 122 of the state's total 723 trailer parks, more than any other county. "Trailer parks are Saratoga's affordable housing," Deutsch said. Disparities can also be seen in the schools, where nearly every district tracked by the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES has seen an uptick in students eligible for free or reduced lunches. In Saratoga Springs, 22 percent of school-age children are eligible. Eight years ago, it was 14 percent. In Mechanicville, 40 percent are eligible for free and reduced lunches. Eight years ago, it was 32 percent. The numbers on that measure of childhood poverty are even greater in the rural reaches of the county. In Corinth, 49 percent are eligible for free and reduced lunches, while at Hadley-Luzerne School district (partly in Warren County), 51 percent of students are eligible. Cook said that the state budget is a moral document, and as such, it should address income inequality by lifting up those with less. "A moral budget, according to our faith, gives a lot more preference to the poor and disenfranchised than is currently the case," Cook said. "That is the lens that we need to be asking if this budget is a moral budget. Instead, this (state) budget tends to favor the needs of the very rich at the expense of poor people, people who are not able to fully participate in this economy. Our faith calls us to share more of God's abundance with everyone instead of engaging in this vision of austerity that suggests there are very few resources and those resources need to flow more to those who already have plenty." The Economic Policy Institute concludes that the problems wrought by income inequality affect every corner of the country. It also underscores what Cook says, that policies at the top are needed to address the disparities. "The abundant fruits of workers' labors should be spread much more widely than they are now," the study's authors wrote. "In short, making America great is about making the economy serve the lives of the many, not the narrow interests of the gilded few." New York Former Rep. Anthony Weiner was ordered Friday to register as a sex offender as he nears the end of a 21-month prison sentence for having illicit online contact with a 15-year-old girl. A New York City judge designated Weiner a Level 1 offender under the state's version of what's known as Megan's Law, meaning that he is thought to have a low risk of reoffending. Weiner, a once-rising star in the Democratic Party who served nearly 12 years in Congress, has been living in a halfway house since February after serving most of his sentence at a prison in Massachusetts. He's due to be released May 14 but still faces three years of court supervision. Weiner, 54, must register for a minimum of 20 years. He is required to verify his address every year, notify the state within 10 days of moving and visit a police station every three years to have a new picture taken. Because of his low-level designation, Weiner's information won't show up in the state's online sex offender registry but will be available via a toll-free telephone number. Weiner didn't attend Friday's court hearing. Weiner pleaded guilty in May 2017 to transferring obscene material to a minor. Prosecutors said he had a series of sexually explicit Skype and Snapchat exchanges with a North Carolina high school student and encouraged the teen to strip naked and touch herself sexually. At his sentencing, Weiner said he'd been a "very sick man for a very long time" and said he had a sex addiction. Weiner's lawyer said the former lawmaker likely exchanged thousands of messages with hundreds of women over the years and was communicating with up to 19 women when he encountered the teenager. It wasn't the first time Weiner had been caught acting inappropriately. After sending a lewd picture of himself to a college student in 2011, Weiner claimed his account had been hacked, then admitted online interactions with at least six other women while married to top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Weiner resigned from Congress, only to try for a political comeback with a run for New York City mayor in 2013. Then came the revelation that Weiner had used the alias "Carlos Danger" to send explicit photos to at least one woman after resigning from Congress. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Weiner received less than 5% of the Democratic primary vote. Abedin filed for divorce from Weiner in 2017. But the two, who have a young son together, later agreed to discontinue the case in order to negotiate their separation privately. The investigation into Weiner's contact with the 15-year-old roiled the 2016 presidential campaign because emails Clinton had sent to Abedin were found on a laptop computer FBI agents seized from him. That led then-FBI Director James Comey to announce just days before the election that that agency was reopening its investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state. Days later, Comey said nothing in the new emails changed his view that Clinton could not be charged with a crime. Nevertheless, Clinton felt damage was done and said Comey shared blame for her loss to Republican candidate Donald Trump. Comey has said he made the announcement because he feared the news would leak, and he didn't want it to appear that the FBI was covering anything up. More than 600,000 people go missing in the United States every year, according to FBI data. Most are found safe within hours or days but, for thousands of families, their loved one has yet to come home. No one should live in fear of the unknown whether it be a natural disaster, terror attack or a missing person but it does not hurt to be prepared. [April 05, 2019] Global Building Automation System Market Forecast to 2024 - Favorable Government Initiatives and Incentives & Advancement of Building Technologies and Automation With Data Analytics DUBLIN, April 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Building Automation System Market by Communication Technology, Offering, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The BAS market is expected to grow from USD 75.0 billion in 2019 to USD 121.5 billion by 2024-growing 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. Security and access control systems to hold the 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 a 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 energysavings 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. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in BAS Market 4.2 BAS Market, By Offering and Region 4.3 BAS Market, By Application 4.4 BAS Market in APAC, By Offering and Country 4.5 Geographic Analysis 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Value Chain Analysis 5.3 Market Dynamics 5.3.1 Drivers 5.3.1.1 High Focus on Designing and Establishing Energy-Efficient and Eco-Friendly Buildings and Several Benefits of BAS 5.3.1.2 Rise in Adoption of Automated Security Systems in Buildings 5.3.1.3 Rapid Penetration of IoT in Building Automation Systems 5.3.1.4 Development of Wireless Protocols and Wireless Sensor Network Technology for BAS 5.3.1.5 Rapid Infrastructure Growth in Developing Nations 5.3.2 Restraints 5.3.2.1 False Notion About Installation Cost of BAS 5.3.2.2 Technical Difficulties and Dearth of Skilled Experts 5.3.3 Opportunities 5.3.3.1 Favorable Government Initiatives and Incentives 5.3.3.2 Advancement of Building Technologies and Automation With Data Analytics 5.3.4 Challenges 5.3.4.1 Presence of Different Communication Protocols 6 Building Automation System Market, By Communication Technology 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Trends in BAS Market 6.3 Communication Technology 6.3.1 Wireless Technologies 6.3.1.1 Zigbee 6.3.1.2 Enocean 6.3.1.3 Z-Wave 6.3.1.4 Wi-Fi 6.3.1.5 Bluetooth 6.3.1.6 Thread 6.3.1.7 Infrared 6.3.2 Wired Technologies 6.3.2.1 Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) 6.3.2.2 KNX 6.3.2.3 Lonworks 6.3.2.4 Building Automation and Control Network (BACNet) 6.3.2.5 Modbus 7 Building Automation System Market, By Offering 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Facility Management Systems 7.2.1 Lighting Control Systems 7.2.1.1 Occupancy Sensors 7.2.1.2 Daylight Sensors 7.2.1.3 Relays 7.2.1.4 Timers 7.2.1.5 Dimming Actuators 7.2.1.6 Switch Actuators 7.2.1.7 Blind/Shutter Actuators 7.2.1.8 Transmitters 7.2.1.9 Receivers 7.2.2 HVAC Control Systems 7.2.2.1 Sensors 7.2.2.2 Smart Thermostats 7.2.2.3 Control Valves 7.2.2.3.1 Two-Way Valves 7.2.2.3.2 Three-Way Valves 7.2.2.4 Heating and Cooling Coils 7.2.2.5 Dampers 7.2.2.5.1 Low-Leakage Dampers 7.2.2.5.2 Parallel and Opposed Blade Dampers 7.2.2.5.3 Round Dampers 7.2.2.6 Actuators 7.2.2.6.1 Hydraulic Actuators 7.2.2.6.2 Pneumatic Actuators 7.2.2.6.3 Electric Actuators 7.2.2.7 Pumps and Fans 7.2.2.8 Smart Vents 7.3 Security and Access Control Systems 7.3.1 Video Surveillance Systems 7.3.1.1 Hardware 7.3.1.1.1 Cameras 7.3.1.1.2 Monitors 7.3.1.1.3 Storage Systems 7.3.1.1.4 Accessories 7.3.1.2 Software/Video Analytics 7.3.1.3 Services 7.3.2 Biometric Systems 7.4 Fire Protection Systems 7.4.1 Sensors and Detectors 7.4.1.1 Smoke Detectors 7.4.1.2 Flame Detectors 7.4.1.3 Others 7.4.2 Fire Sprinklers 7.4.3 Fire Alarms 7.4.4 Emergency Lighting, Voice Evacuation, and Public Alert Devices 7.5 Building Energy Management Software 7.6 BAS Services 7.6.1 Installation and Maintenance 7.6.2 Training 7.7 Others 8 Building Automation System Market, By Application 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Residential Applications 8.2.1 Diy Home Automation 8.3 Commercial Applications 8.3.1 Office Buildings 8.3.2 Retail and Public Assembly Buildings 8.3.3 Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities 8.3.4 Airports and Railway Stations 8.4 Industrial Application 9 Building Automation System Market, By Region 9.1 Introduction 9.2 North America 9.2.1 US 9.2.2 Canada 9.2.3 Mexico 9.3 Europe 9.3.1 UK 9.3.2 Germany 9.3.3 France 9.3.4 Italy 9.3.5 Rest of Europe 9.4 Asia Pacific 9.4.1 China 9.4.2 Japan 9.4.3 India 9.4.4 South Korea 9.4.5 Rest of APAC 9.5 Rest of the World 9.5.1 South America 9.5.2 Middle East and Africa 10 Competitive Landscape 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Market Player Ranking Analysis 10.3 Competitive Leadership Mapping 10.3.1 Visionary Leaders 10.3.2 Dynamic Differentiators 10.3.3 Innovators 10.3.4 Emerging Companies 10.4 Competitive Benchmarking 10.4.1 Strength of Product Portfolio (25 Companies) 10.4.2 Business Strategy Excellence (25) Companies 10.5 Competitive Scenario 10.5.1 Product Launches and Developments 10.5.2 Partnerships, Collaborations, Contracts, and Agreements 10.5.3 Mergers and Acquisitions 10.5.4 Expansions 11 Company Profiles ABB Ltd. Beckhoff Automation GmbH Buildingiq Control4 Crestron Electronics, Inc. Delta Controls Distech Controls General Electric Hitachi, Ltd. Honeywell International Hubbell Inc. Ingersoll-Rand PLC Johnson Controls International Legrand SA Lennox International Lutron Electronics Co. Robert Bosch GmbH Schneider Electric Siemens AG United Technologies Corp. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/48r29w/global_building?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-building-automation-system-market-forecast-to-2024---favorable-government-initiatives-and-incentives--advancement-of-building-technologies-and-automation-with-data-analytics-300825499.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2019] VisualOn Raises the Bar with Pioneering New Features for its Streaming Media Player Solutions at NAB Show 2019 NAB Show 2019 (Booth #SU11410)--VisualOn Inc., the industry-proven video stream solution provider, will showcase how its advanced all-in-one streaming media solutions are addressing the limitations of current streaming services across different platforms at the NAB Show 2019. The company is helping major streaming service providers enhance their competitive profile with new features and functionality for connected client devices and will have several available as live, hands-on demonstrations shown for the first time. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190405005492/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) Demonstration highlights: UHD Picture-in-Picture on Android (News - Alert) TV: Most Android TV platforms max out the native hardware decoding capability when playing UHD/4K, making Picture-in-Picture (PiP) impossible. The company has enhanced its VisualOn (News - Alert) Media Platform (VMP) with an innovative way to enable smooth, flawless PiP capability for up to three SD streams in Android TV, which can be synchronized with the main UHD/4K stream to provide unique viewer experiences. In collaboration with Harmonic (News - Alert), the first-time demonstration will show how it addresses the Android TV limitations using streams provided by Harmonic along with VMP's unique stream synchronization technology. "Harmonic is happy to collaborate with VisualOn in bringing multiple decoded streams to the 4K Android TV environment, enabling picture-in-picture for the first time," commented Harmonic's Thierry Fautier, VP Video Strategy. "This is a critical step toward bringing Android TV on par with the second screen experience." Adaptive Night Vision: VisualOn hs developed an innovative method for increasing contrast and brightness on any screen, allowing low-light or dark scenes to display more clearly for a superior viewing experience. CMAF Low Latency: The VMP leverages low latency technologies for the best user experience in all major streaming formats. Low latency is supported for DASH/HLS on iOS, Android and HTML5 (Safari/Chrome) for fMP4 and Transport Stream. VisualOn will show CMAF low latency live stream playback in real-world conditions. The VMP leverages low latency technologies for the best user experience in all major streaming formats. Low latency is supported for DASH/HLS on iOS, Android and HTML5 (Safari/Chrome) for fMP4 and Transport Stream. VisualOn will show CMAF low latency live stream playback in real-world conditions. 3D Modeling: VisualOn will show a video gallery page with cover thumbnails shown as 3D photos. By clicking the video thumbnail, it will open up a video player and play the selected video. This provides a unique, customizable experience to differentiate your service. "At VisualOn, we are proud of our long history of helping many of the top global video services to build, optimize and operate their platforms, and we look forward to establishing new connections during NAB 2019," said Michael Jones, SVP and Head of Business Development at VisualOn. VisualOn's executives will present in following NAB sessions to discuss streaming media industry trends: Quality of Experience Drives Customer Adoption - April 9th, 2:40 - 3:00 PM, CM|IP Presentation Theater, South Upper Hall (SU11621) Christophe Coquerel, Head of EMEA Application Engineering, will explain why delivering advanced technologies, like low latency, has little value if users suffer buffering issues. He will present key challenges and potential solutions to enable the most reliable and stable video delivery. How Can Big Data and Analytics Improve the TV Experience?- April 10th, 12:00 - 12:40 PM, CM|IP Debate Theater, South Upper Hall (SU10114) Michael Jones, SVP and Head of Business Development, will discuss the fundamental opportunities and challenges that operators from all spheres need to understand as TV is tailored for the individual. The panel will debate the best practices for FTA and pay-TV operators to rethink their technology and processes, along with a new set of skills, in order to gain benefits from big data and analytics. For more information or to schedule a meeting with VisualOn, visit the website here. About VisualOn: VisualOn is a pioneer in video software technology, with many years of experience working with the world's top device makers and streaming video service providers. The company's vast trove of patented technologies and team of multimedia experts are trusted by the world's top media and tech companies to bring their video content to connected screens with high quality and availability, wide compatibility, differentiated features and functionalities and shortened time-to-market. VisualOn is a private company founded in 2003, with headquarters in Silicon Valley, with global offices in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany and Serbia. For more information, please visit us at www.visualon.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190405005492/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2019] WIRECARD AG 96 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 96 Hours Remain; Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit against Wirecard AG - WCAGY, WRCDF Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with large financial interests that they have only until April 9, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Wirecard AG (OTC: WCAGY, WRCDF). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's securities between April 7, 2016 and February 1, 2019. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Wirecard and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/otc-wcagy/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by April 9, 2019. About the Lawsuit On February 1, 2019, media sources reported that an external investigation by the Company into activities in its Singapore office had uncovered evidence of "serious offences of forgery and/or of falsification of accounts[that] may have been carried out to conceal other misdeeds, such as cheating, criminal breach of trust, corruption and/or money laundering." On this news, the price of Wirecard's shares plummeted. The case is Dalpoggetto v. Wirecard AG, 19-cv-986 About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190405005472/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2019] DAVITA INVESTIGATION INITIATED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of DaVita Inc. - DVA Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA). On December 25, 2016, an article by the New York Times highlighted the relationship between the American Kidney Fund ("AKF"), a charity that helps patients pay for kidney dialysis, and its largest donors, including DaVita, suggesting that the AKF had denied charitable premium assistance ("CPA") to patients of dialysis companies who did not donate to it. Then, on January 6, 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Company had received subpoenas from federal prosecutors seeking "the production of information related to charitable premium assistance" in connection with its ties to the AKF. On February 1, 2017, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Company alleging that it made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose its scheme to steer patients into unneeded insurance plans in order to maximize profits, using the AKF to facilitate the impoper practices. Recently, the court presiding over the case denied the Company's motion to dismiss, allowing the case to move forward. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether DaVita's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to DaVita's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of DaVita shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-dva/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190405005470/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] With a huge range of low-level customizations alongside excellent speeds and streaming support, Hide.me is a very appealing service. While it could be daunting for those newer to VPN, it's a good choice, and its free version is one of the best out there. With a huge range of low-level customizations alongside excellent speeds and streaming support, Hide.me is a very appealing service. While it could be daunting for those newer to VPN, it's a good choice, and its free version is one of the best out there. Hide.me has been in the game since way back in 2011, owned by Malaysian company eVenture Ltd, and in that time it's built up a name for itself as a configurable, reliable VPN. With 2,000 servers in a healthy 75 locations, it's got a decent spread, and while it can't compete with the likes of ExpressVPN's 3,000+ and NordVPN's 5,000+, it should offer a good range of servers to pick from. Most interesting is Hide.me's wide range of configurable options. Ranging from plenty of protocols (including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther and SSTP) to more niche features like port forwarding, and protection from DNS, IP and IPv6 leaks, there's a lot here to get stuck into if you know what you're doing. Hide.me also supports plenty of platforms including Android, iOS, Linux, routers and Smart TVs, all alongside Windows and MacOS, naturally. A neat introduction to Hide.me's abilities is its excellent free VPN, which offers much of the premium product's features while limiting users to 10GB of data a month and a small selection of 5 servers. In our full Hide.me review, we'll be running down exactly what the provider does right, what it could improve upon, and whether it's worth considering for you. Hide.me on paper Number of servers: 2,000+ Number of countries: 75 Platforms supported: Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPhone, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Routers, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Blackberry Simultaneous connections: 10 Split tunneling: Yes Kill switch: Yes Supported protocols: OpenVPN UDP & TCP, WireGuard, IKEv2, SoftEther, SSTP Country of registration: Malaysia Support: 24/7 live chat, ticket, email, knowledgebase, community (Image credit: Hide.me) Hide.me price: how much is it, and is there a Hide.me free trial? Hide.me's 1-month plan predictably works out the most expensive, at $12.95 per month. The provider does occasionally offer VPN deals, however, and at the time of writing there's a cheap monthly VPN offer for just $7.95. Sign up for a year, and you'll see that price drop to $4.99 a month, for a total of $59.95 billed yearly. The 2-year plan offers even better value, at just $2.96 a month, totalling $79.95. Again, this appears to be a deal, so these prices are subject to change. Comparatively, then, Hide.me seems fairly affordable, but isn't exactly the cheapest VPN on offer. Providers like Surfshark and Private Internet Access offer similar plans for less than $2.50 a month, and certain deals often drop that even lower. You can pay through PayPal, credit card, Bitcoin and a number of other options, and you'll also be covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee should you not enjoy the software. Hide.me has an ace up its sleeve, however, with its potent free plan. Offering all the features of the paid app, you'll be able to use Hide.me free forever. The only restrictions are a 10GB per month data limit (not huge in the grand scheme), and a limited selection of servers in the US, Canada, The Netherlands, and Germany. Some users might lament the lack of a UK location, but only paying customers can route through a British server. Overall, if you manage to find a Hide.me deal on offer, it offers decent value, but outside of this it's decidedly mid-range in terms of cost. How private is Hide.me, and does it keep logs? Strong claims from Hide.me here, with a 'no logging, ever' policy. It also has a fairly comprehensive Privacy Policy, which outlines that it doesn't collect session logs, your browsing, or any other identifiable information about you. Hide.me also never stores 'VPN connection logs and timestamps that match your incoming and outgoing IP address or session duration.' To facilitate the free version, Hide.me does keep a log of bandwidth usage, but without any other information this isn't really of any concern. You'll also have to hand over your email on sign up, but almost every VPN provider requires this. Something nice to see is that Hide.me claims to have undergone a 'comprehensive audit', but in reality this is from 2015 and there's no report of the audit available to read. It's impressive that Hide.me was clued into the importance of audits this early, but to be relevant, we'd like to see a nice fresh one, accompanied by a proper report. (Image credit: Hide.me) How fast is Hide.me? Beyond privacy, speed is most people's primary concern when it comes to choosing a VPN and thankfully Hide.me performed very well in our testing. When using the tried-and-tested OpenVPN protocol, Hide.me delivered impressive speeds of up to 390Mbps on our 1Gbps line. In fact, the only provider that outdid Hide.me when using OpenVPN was ProtonVPN, with speeds of up to 500Mbps. Hide.me has a feature called VPN Bolt, and in a single test we saw speeds creep well above 400Mbps. We can't say for sure this was anything to do with the Bolt feature, but either way, this is a seriously nippy service. Switch over to WireGuard and things get even better. On the same 1Gbps line, we saw speeds of up to 780Mbps, which is right up there with the best of them. While super fast VPN services like CyberGhost and NordVPN can hit almost 900Mbps, Hide.me certainly isn't going to be slowing you down especially if you're using a regular domestic Internet connection of around 100Mbps. How good is Hide.me for streaming? Hide.me certainly promises a lot when it comes to unblocking websites, but we always take these kinds of claims with a pinch of salt and test them out ourselves. In previous testing, Hide.me hasn't been the best as a streaming VPN, but this time round it really improved. First up, Netflix. When tested on both US and UK servers, we were able to watch exclusive content, which is better than many rivals, especially since Netflix upped its VPN blocking game. Amazon Prime Video was also effectively unblocked, as well as Disney+ and YouTube a full house then, and an excellent performance. It's worth noting that when accessing these sites we did have some loading hangs where we were left waiting for a page to load for a up to a minute. However, this wasn't regular, and once pages loaded, we could stream in HD like normal. So, while that small issue makes it tricky to recommend Hide.me as the very best Netflix VPN, it's powerful and is better than much of the competition. (Image credit: Hide.me) How good are Hide.me's desktop apps? When first opened, Hide.me's desktop app is fairly simple and intuitive to use. There's a big button which invites you to connect to the recommended server, but a single click takes you to a server list. Plus, at all times you'll be able to see your current IP address and location. In the Locations menu, you'll get plenty of information about the servers including ping, and for some countries you'll be able to toggle a drop-down menu that shows individual cities. A streaming tab within the Locations menu delivers what you'd expect the best servers for streaming on certain services, although they're sorted by location and not streaming service. Multihop is another neat feature. By using this, you can route through two servers, meaning that if one is compromised, you'll still be protected by the other. In practice, this is actually more effective than, say, NordVPN's, due to the fact you'll be able to connect to any two servers, not pick from a predetermined list (Image credit: Hide.me) Open up the Settings menu and things start to get really interesting, though. Autoconnect is present, which makes sure Hide.me activates as soon as you boot up your machine, and you can choose to connect to either your last used location, or the 'best'. You'll also get a kill switch to protect you if your connection drops. As an aside, in light testing, the kill switch worked very well, but when we put it under pressure by closing the OpenVPN.exe process. In every test the kill switch blocked our traffic its main task but reconnecting after terminating the process proved problematic, and it took us around 10 minutes to get back online. It's worth noting that while this is annoying, the kill switch never exposed us, and the tests we undertook are very unlikely to ever occur in real life. The range of protocols is impressive (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther, SSTP), and there's tons of configuration available within these, like IKEv2's stealth mode, whether you tunnel using IPv4 or IPv6, and even more. That 'best' location we just mentioned that's normally just dictated by the VPN, but Hide.me allows to define what's best for you, whether that's closest in terms of distance, lowest load, or lowest ping. Split tunneling support is present, of course, which allows certain apps to use the VPN and other to ignore it. And, the kill switch is more powerful than just about any. Rather than just cutting your connection until you reconnect, you can set it to run custom scripts when the connection fails, which could be to automatically close another app, for instance. The scripts can even be run as an administrator. All in all, there's a ton here for experts to get stuck into, but while these menus might be intimidating to newbies, even if you just connect to the recommended server and shut the app every time, there's a lot to like. How good are Hide.me's mobile apps? Naturally, Hide.me's iOS VPN app isn't as powerful as its desktop brethren, but it's hardly basic. You'll get a nice simple connect button, and you'll be able to sort the server list by ping or name more than many others can claim. You'll also get a Favorites option, and a search box for easy server finding. You'll also get support for IKEv2, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP and WireGuard, an autoconnect feature which you can choose to fire up when connecting to unknown Wi-Fi or mobile data networks. There's also a kill switch, and you'll even be able to choose a custom DNS server, should you have the inclination to. All in all, it's seriously powerful for an iOS offering, and much better than many out there. Hide.me's Android VPN is even better, with all the aforementioned features, and is very similar in appearance great if you use both. You'll also get split tunneling; the ability to allow your device to access other devices that are connected to your network. 'IKEv2 Alternative Configurator' is also included, to help connections should the regular IKEv2 protocol fail. While all this might be overkill for the general user, that doesn't really matter. Just like the desktop versions, it's all tucked away in a Settings menu that you never have to touch, but having the possibility is something we really like. (Image credit: Hide.me) Hide.me: Final verdict Hide.me will undoubtedly appeal to users that appreciate low-level customization, and it delivers a huge amount of features rarely seen in any other VPN services. However, for the greenest of VPN users, although these settings might be hidden away in menus, having access to all of these complex options could seem intimidating. But, while it lacks a little bit of polish compared to the most premium providers, Hide.me's streaming prowess, searing connection speeds and excellent functionality make it a real contender for expert users and its free plan is definitely worth checking out, too. Siddhanta Mishra By Express News Service GHAZIABAD: Thousands thronged the streets of Old Ghaziabad on Friday, mostly Congress workers but curious onlookers were no less. Starting her three-hour road show from Ghanta Ghar on GT Road, Priyanka smiled and waved to the crowds amid loud slogans of Chowkidaar Chor Hai and Congress Ko Lana Hai, Desh Bachana Hai as her cavalcade moved forward slowly. Senior citizen Prem Mehta looked on eagerly for the Congress star campaigner to arrive at the starting point. I am here just to see Priyankaji in person. I have seen her on posters and TV, but today we heard that she is coming to the city... So, I arrived here. The cavalcade snaked through the narrow Ramte Ram Road with rows of shops of plastic and wood furniture on both sides to moved towards the Congress district office. Band groups belting out remixes of popular Hindi songs all along the way. Local residents gave a warm welcome to Priyanka, who took selfies on phones of whoever could get near to her car. We were waiting for her for past two hours. I am extremely happy that I got to get a selfie with her. I will definitely vote for her. She came over and asked about health and sanitation. We have a big problem of garbage... The street remains very dirty and muck in the drain gets clogged, which cause an overflow of dirty water, said Kajal Vashne, a student. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Women formed a huge section of the crowd. They were seen enthusiastically standing on their balconies on each floor and waving to Priyanka, who waved back to them. Priyankaji threw a garland at me. I was so excited because I was waiving the loudest, and she saw me especially in the crowd, said a beaming woman. SPG personnel and the police had a tough time to keep the crowd at a safe distance from the Congress general secretary. So, will the visit boost the electoral prospect of Congress candidate Dolly Sharma? I have been here in this market for almost 15 years now. This is a big crowd. Who I vote for is a different matter, but I wanted to see her. The BJP is strong here. It will be a tough competition between the two parties, asserted Rakesh Kumar Aggarwal, a hardware store owner. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Though AMD has kept rather silent about its upcoming Zen 2-based EPYC Rome server processors, that hasn't prevented speculation about their capabilities. For example, while AMD has said that a single EPYC Rome processor could deliver up to 128 PCIe lanes, the company hasn't stated how many lanes two processors could deliver in a dual-socket server. According to ServeTheHome.com, there's a distinct possibility EPYC could feature up to 162 PCIe 4.0 lanes in a dual-socket configuration, which is 82 more lanes than Intel's dual-socket Cascade Lake Xeon servers. That even beats Intel's latest 56-core 112-thread Platinum 9200-series processors, which expose 80 PCIe lanes per dual-socket server. Photo (Image credit: ServeTheHome) Patrick Kennedy at ServeTheHome, a publication focused on high-performance computing, and RetiredEngineer on Twitter have both concluded that two Rome CPUs could support 160 PCIe 4.0 lanes. Kennedy even expects there will be an additional PCIe lane per CPU (meaning 129 in a single socket), bringing the total number of lanes in a dual-socket server up to 162, but with the caveat that this additional lane per socket could only be used for the baseboard management controller (or BMC), a vital component of server motherboards. RetiredEngineer also theorizes that Rome could even deliver up to 190 lanes (plus two BMC lanes), though ServeTheHome states it is not aware of plans to expose that many lanes. ServeTheHome speculates these additional PCIe lanes could also help AMD's GPU business because GPUs consume 16 PCIe lanes apiece. AMD has not commented on the veracity of these theories, but a representative speaking to ServeTheHome was apparently "not overly excited" about the publication's article. If @RetiredEngineer and ServeTheHome did their math correctly, then Intel has even more serious competition than AMD has let on. Intel's latest flagship Cascade Lake architecture, despite having up to 56 cores thanks to a dual-die design like AMD's Multi-Chip Module approach, will face significant challenges against Rome. The new Rome processors have eight more cores, a newer 7nm node from TSMC, likely a lower price tag and power consumption, and perhaps significantly more PCIe lanes. Though AMD faces an uphill battle for the server market, Rome's hardware advantages against Xeon will surely entice some data centers, especially those eager for more PCIe lanes. Trump's approval rating above 50 percent in Kansas, Missouri KANSAS CITY, MO. (KCTV) --- A majority of registered voters polled in Missouri and Kansas support President Donald Trump, the latest Morning Consult poll shows. Trump is approved by 52 percent of respondents in both Kansas and Missouri. His net approval rating in Kansas is eight points, while it is seven points in Missouri. Okay, a 50/50 rating isn't exactly a love-fest but it's higher than anywhere else in the nation. Take a look: Paralyzed shooting victim now charged with murder KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A man paralyzed from the chest down in a 2013 shooting is accused of killing the man suspected of shooting him. Bryant E. Robinson, 24, of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged in Jackson County Court with accessory second-degree murder, two counts of accessory armed action and one count of accessory first-degree assault. Authorities are calling this one aand while we can understand (but never condone) this payback . . . It's an indication of old school grudges impacting the local crime scene. Read more: Get a birds-eye view of the cranes and the crews dismantling the Verruckt water slide at Schlitterbahn water park, in Kansas City, Kan., where a 10-year-old boy was killed in 2016. Less than two months until Memorial Day weekend, often the opening days of the commercial pool and water park season in Kansas City, Schlitterbahn remains quiet about its plans for its business in Wyandotte County. The deadline set by the Tripartite Council of Ministers for member States of three regional economic blocs to sign and ratify the tripartite free trade area lapses this month. So far only four countries in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) tripartite bloc have both signed and ratified the agreement. These are Kenya, Egypt, South Africa and Uganda. A total of 22 out of 26 countries have signed the agreement. Delegates attending the seventh Extraordinary meeting of the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee that opened in Lusaka on 3 April 2019, were informed that eight of the 19 countries that had ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement were Tripartite Member/Partner States. The AfCFTA attained the requisite 22 ratifications for entry into force on Monday this week when The Gambia received parliamentary approval. All 22 countries must deposit their instruments of ratification with the African Union Commission Chairperson before the Agreement can enter into force. Zambias Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Hon. Christopher Yaluma who opened the meeting said it was time for the remaining countries to sign the tripartite given that is was supposed to the building bloc to the continental FTA. I cannot overemphasize the absolute importance of all of us ratifying the Tripartite Agreement so that it enters into force immediately, he said. After years of negotiation, the Tripartite FTA is ready for implementation. It is very much a low hanging fruit. Currently, 93% of the work on Rules of Origin has been completed, providing the basis for trade to begin. In addition, the legal texts have been concluded and adopted. The minister noted that most of the member/partners states of the tripartite were already using the existing COMESA or SADC free trade area agreements meaning they were ready. He called on member States to the ratify the agreement within the period remaining before the tripartite ministers deadline. Pressing Issues The extra ordinary IC meeting was convened to deal mainly with pressing administration and financial management issues while at same time receive updates on regional integration programme matters. It was attended by Permanent/Principal Secretariats from the ministries that coordinate COMESA activities in Member States whose recommendations will be tabled before the Extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting on Friday this week. In her statement, Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe said, since she assumed office last year, she has identified areas for immediate change at COMESA Secretariat aimed at strengthening service delivery to stakeholders. The need to have fast and better responsiveness to the needs of Member States, addressing inadequate resourcing through the development of a strategic resource mobilization plan, addressing the organizational structure of the Secretariat for enhanced performance, she said. My goal is to shift focus of COMESA Policy Organs engagement from administrative to programnme implementation issues. It is only through programme implementation that we shall be able to create jobs and improve the standard of living and quality of life of our people. The IC observed a moment of silence for one of their departed member, Ambassador Julius Onen, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade in Uganda who passed away last month as well as the victims of the fatal Ethiopian Airlines Flight and to those who died after Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique and parts of Malawi and Zimbabwe. VFS Global is the first and only multi-national company to achieve EBRS rating in the United Arab Emirates (TRAVPR.COM) UK - April 5th, 2019 - VFS Global wins the coveted Dubai Quality Global Award (DQGA) and achieves 5 Star Rating in the Emirates Business Rating Scheme (EBRS) VFS Global is the first and only multi-national company to achieve EBRS rating in the United Arab Emirates VFS Global, the worlds largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions worldwide, is proud to announce it has received two very prestigious awards Dubai Quality Global Award (DQGA)and a 5 Star Rating in the Emirates Business Rating Scheme (EBRS) at the prestigious 25th Annual Business Excellence Awards. Both the awards were presented under the Service Sector category. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the 25th Annual Business Excellence Awards were hosted by the Department of Economic Development (DED), Dubai. His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum bestowed the Dubai Quality Global Award (DQGA) for Service Sector on Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, at the awards ceremony.Her Excellency Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi,Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing and the Director General of the Prime Ministers Office of UAE awarded the CEO of VFS Global Group for achieving 5 Star Rating in the Emirates Business Rating Scheme (EBRS). The EBRS and DQGA awards are based on the European Foundation for Quality Management - Business Excellence program. Zubin Karkaria, CEO of VFS Global Group, said, I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive these two very prestigious awards on behalf of VFS Global from His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Her Excellency Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi. At VFS Global, we are focused on continuously raising the bars of customer experience and overall business excellence. This dual recognition is a testament to our commitment to deliver seamless, secure and innovative customer-centric services, and to our general commitment to business excellence. As a global company, we have had the opportunity to leverage on the experience, cultures, and uniqueness of our employees across global markets to deliver impactful services for our customers and for society in general. Dubai Quality Award was launched in 1994 and recently it has earned global recognition making it Dubai Quality Global Award. VFS Global was assessed as a winner based on the RADAR Assessment and Management evaluation method which assesses each company on nine criteria viz. Leadership, Strategy, People, Partnership & Resources, Processes, Products & Services, People Results, Customer Results, Society Results and Business Results. Emirates Business Rating Scheme has been recently launched by the Dubai Economy in partnership with the Prime Ministers Office and Business Excellence Department to enhance the overall service levels across the Emirates. Under the Emirates Business Rating Scheme, the main criteria for assessment includes Strategic Alignment, Customer Insight, Services, Service Channels, Customer Experience, Service Efficiency & Innovation, People and Technology. Committed to continuous improvement and closing the capability gap, earlier in March 2019, VFS Global has also been appraised at the CMMI Maturity Level 3 for CMMI Service Excellence by KPMG. An appraisal at maturity level 3 indicates that an organisations processes are well characterized, understood, and are described in standards, procedures, tools and methods. The organisation's set of standard processes, which is the basis for maturity level 3, is established and improved over time. Adding to the list of accolades, VFS Global recently achieved the PCMM Level 5 rating appraisal. The rating was awarded within two and a half years after being appraised at PCMM Level 3 (People Capability Maturity Model) in mid 2016. VFS Global is the only visa services company to have achieved a People Capability Maturity Model (PCMM) rating. The appraisal is a validation of VFS Globals long-standing commitment to continuous business excellence adopted by a strong global workforce of 10,000 employees spread across 144 countries in five continents. About VFS Global VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. VFS Global, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, has a Swiss parentage and is a portfolio company of EQT, a leading global private equity firm headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. With 3,031 Application Centres, operations in 144 countries across five continents and over 193 million applications processed as on 28 February 2019, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 63 client governments. ### By PTI NEW DELHI: The Election Commission Friday decided to consult its legal experts before taking a final decision on whether to restrain the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till the Lok Sabha polls are over. "The matter is now in the Supreme Court where it is listed for April 8. Since the EC has been made a party, the commission will discuss the situation with its legal experts on the way forward," a functionary explained. Sources said there is a strong view in the EC that it should not restrain the release of the biopic on the prime minister and should leave it to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take a call on the issue. Opposition parties, including the Congress, had alleged that the film will give undue advantage to the BJP in electioneering and its release should be delayed till the polls are over. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE 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 an even playing field for all parties and candidates, came into force on March 10 when the elections were announced. 'PM Narendra Modi' is scheduled to be released on April 11, film's producer Sandip Singh announced on Twitter Friday. A functionary cited at least two Supreme Court rulings about movies. In one of the rulings, the Supreme Court had directed the West Bengal government to ensure satirical film 'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' is screened without obstruction. The movie was critical of the state chief minister. "We also have to see the latest Delhi High court ruling which said the biopic screening should be decided by the EC," he said, adding that the model code is silent on films and it was a grey area. He said the EC has to keep the court verdicts in mind. The commission had earlier sent a notice to the makers of the film following a meeting with a Congress delegation, which sought a ban on its release ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. On Monday, the Bombay High Court disposed of a plea filed by a petitioner against the release of the biopic. The court had said that the EC will deal with the issue. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is learnt to have sought a factual report from poll authorities in Maharashtra on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Wardha following a complaint from the Congress. The Congress Friday moved the EC against Modi's speech in Wardha city in which he said the opposition party was "scared" to field its leaders from constituencies where majority dominates, alleging that the comments were "hateful and divisive". "A factual report has been sought from the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra," a source said Friday. A delegation of Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Randeep Surjewala made five representations to the Election Commission (EC). In the representations, the party sought action against the prime minister's alleged "divisive" speech and BJP chief Amit Shah's "non-disclosure" of liabilities in his election affidavit. It also complained regarding "cash for votes conspiracy" in Arunachal Pradesh, "conspiracy to illegally tamper" with EVMs in tribal areas, especially in Palghar, Maharashtra, and sought immediate transfer of the Joint Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Deven Bharti. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Complaining against the prime minister's speech in Wardha, the Congress alleged that Modi made some "hateful, vile and divisive" remarks against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. "The prime minister through his speech tried to spread hate for electoral gains which is a serious violation of the Representation of People Act," Singhvi told reporters outside the EC office. The party claimed that this was the "fourth brazen violation" by Modi in the last three weeks since the model code of conduct came into force. "The only available remedy compatible with the principle of zero-tolerance towards allegations of corrupt practices is the disqualification of the candidates who try to create a divide between different classes of the citizens of India regardless of the stature or position of that candidate," the Congress said in its memorandum to the EC. "We hope that the EC treats this situation with the gravity it deserves. This is not a candidate who will be silenced by a simple censure," the party said. The Congress, in another memorandum, also urged the commission for urgent and necessary intervention against alleged "deliberate, corrupt and wilful non-disclosure of liabilities" by Shah in his affidavit for the 2019 general elections. The EC must take immediate note of this and initiate appropriate proceedings to disqualify Shah from contesting the upcoming elections, the party urged the EC. It also called for initiating proceedings against the BJP chief for filing a "false affidavit". The Congress also complained against a "cash for votes conspiracy", alleging that on April 3, a midnight raid on the convoy of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Prema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and BJP Arunachal president Tapir Gao had found Rs 1.8 crore in stacks of hard cash in brazen violation of the model code of conduct. The party also demanded Deven Bharti's transfer on the grounds that she has been posted in Mumbai for nearly four years and has not been transferred in complete violation of the commission's instructions. The Congress requested that EC officials deployed in Gujarat be reviewed, especially in the Dholka constituency where it alleged that the potential for tampering and manipulation is particularly acute. The party also complained to the EC alleging that the BJP has hatched a "well-planned conspiracy to manipulate and illegally tamper" with EVMs in tribal areas, especially in Palghar, Maharashtra as well as other constituencies. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 5 The industrial units falling in red category have refused to switch over to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from coal and wood, citing high cost. The cost of CNG is over 2.5 times higher than the pet coke widely used by the industrial units here. A kilogram of pet coke, costing Rs 16, gives calorific value of about 8200 kcal/kg. On the other hand, the same quantity of CNG costs Rs 42 while giving calorific value of about 8,350. The red category comprises such industries which cause either air or water pollution or both. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) keeps a watch on such industrial units. The city has over 100 dyeing units, rice mills, units engaged in moulding of mild steel and many others which fall in this category. An industrialist, CL Maheshwari, said, When compared to commercial LPG, CNG seems to be economical, so this can be used by hotels and restaurants. The Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC), which has laid a network of over 16,000-km long gas pipeline and set up 233 CNG stations, is currently laying CNG pipeline, sanctioned under a Central government-funded project. It is employing sophisticated Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) process to lay pipes. It is best suited for densely populated areas as this procedure for laying pipeline is carried out quickly economically and without impacting the environment. Satyen Trivedi, technical manager of the GSPC, said the CNG was best suited for industries as they need not store fuel as now in the case of coal. They can utilise it as much required through piped supply and meter would be available to show their usage. Meanwhile, industrial pollution has already reached alarming proportions. For instance, Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a reputed research institute with focus on water supply and sewerage disposal, had shelved its proposed plan for the cleaning of the Tung dhab drain and converting its surrounding into a green space after its environmental engineers found it carrying alarmingly high effluent level last April. Focal Point Industries Association (FPIA) chairman Kamal Dalmia said a delegation of the GGL had held a meeting with local industrialists over two years ago. The then visiting official delegates had announced that the cost of CNG fuel would drastically come down as the country would import it from Russia via pipeline through Iran and Pakistan. However, it seemed to be a distant proposition as nothing concrete has been done on the ground. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Kaveesha Kohli Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 5 The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has handed over most of the documents related to Neha Shorees murder to the SIT, Ropar Inspector General V Neeraja, who is heading the SIT, has said. The police are looking into the details of Shorees work at the FDA, including with whom and what she was currently working on. They are also collecting all of her past work. The FDA is also expected to provide details of the number of times Balwinder Singh, the accused, had re-applied for the licence and who had rejected his applications. We received most of the documents from the FDA this morning, Neeraja said. Pardeep Kumar Mattu, State Drug Controller-cum-Joint Commissioner, FDA, refused to comment on the exchange of documents with the SIT. Mattu also clarified that after the death of Balwinders father in 2009, he could have received his fathers licence as his heir if he had applied within three months. Balwinder instead applied for a new licence using his wifes name, Darshan Kaur, sometime in April 2009. The application for the licence was rejected by Shoree and was deemed unfit. Mattu said it was common practice not to award the licence to someone when it was clear that they were applying in their wife or sons name. I dont think he applied for the licence again after this, but we cant be sure because he could have applied using someone elses name, he said. Neeraja said even though Balwinders phone number was found saved on Nehas phone, there was no contact between the two. According to her, contact through WhatsApp or any other app which does not get accounted for in the call details records (CDR), is far-fetched. Nehas father, Capt KK Shoree, too, has ruled out the possibility of contact between the two. The number must have been saved from an earlier time or someone must have sent it to her, he said. Neeraja said the police were undertaking an extensive exercise of going through all records, especially since there were allegations of the involvement of the drug mafia. We are looking into whether anyone whom Neha was working with had contacted the accused. If there is a mafia, we need to see who all comprise it, she said. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Kaveesha Kohli Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 5 The Chandigarh airport is now equipped to manage more international flights, but you wont be flying to new destinations abroad just yet. At present, the airport has flights to just two international destinations Dubai and Sharjah. According to Sunil Dutt, CEO of the Chandigarh airport, at present, there are no plans to start new international flights from the airport. So far, he has not been contacted by any airlines expressing interest in connecting the city to foreign destinations. The main step that we have taken in order to equip the airport for international flights is extending the length of the runway from 9,000 ft to 10,400 ft. The airport will also be operational 24x7 from April 10, he said. The number of flights has already gone up to 38 from the existing 34 and flights will also start operating at night, with the last flight coming in from Bengaluru at 11.35 pm, beginning April 30. The Indian Air Force is installing the CAT ILS-III at the airport. The system, which is expected to be put into place by September or October this year, will enable flights to land safely even in case of low visibility. At present, the visibility requirement is around 1,200 m, but once the system is put in place, it will only be 350 m, said Dutt. According to ASSOCHAM secretary general Uday Kumar Varma, international flights will help the city attract large-scale private sector investment, spur job creation in IT and biotech industries and provide access to strong consumption markets in northern India. It will help establish the UT as a preferred MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) destination for hosting seminars, conventions, trade shows/festivals, thereby promoting growth of the tourism and hospitality industry, he said. According to Subhash Goyal, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), international flights operating from Chandigarh will be a gateway to Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. Rasheed Kidwai Rasheed Kidwai Senior Journalist & Author Abig change is taking place within the Congress organisation, indicating that regardless of the outcome of the General Election, the Grand Old Party will not be the same again. Being true to his words spoken as the vice president of the party at Jaipur in January 2014, Rahul Gandhi has started acting as a judge for all, enforcing accountability at all levels of the party hierarchy. In Maharashtra, for instance, he has given former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan charge of the Pune Lok Sabha seat, while Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Balasaheb Thorat have been entrusted with the Aurangabad and Shirdi parliamentary seats, respectively. The task before Chavan-Patil-Thorat is to ensure that Congress nominees from these three seats win by a comfortable margin. Rahul has also succeeded in pushing many high and mighty into the electoral fray, a feat that was not achieved by predecessor Sonia Gandhi. Digvijaya Singh (Bhopal), Sushilkumar Shinde (Solapur), Paresh Dhanani (Amreli), Salman Khurshid (Farrukhabad), Meira Kumar (Sasaram) and Pawan Kumar Bansal (Chandigarh) are examples of senior leaders directed by the Congress president to prove their mettle in the electoral fray. There are indications that Jyotiraditya Scindia may be asked to contest from Gwalior instead of Guna. Gwalior, considered a pocket borough of the Scindia family, is currently held by the BJP. The manifesto preparations have been exceptional; Rahul is said to have consulted a number of apolitical persons, many having domain expertise. This was refreshing as in the past, some in-house wordsmiths like Pranab Mukherjee, Jairam Ramesh and Mani Shankar Aiyar used to recycle and repackage old party documents with new catch phrases and wordplay. The 2019 manifesto has been an accomplishment of sorts, drawing attention from all and earning praise from critics and foes too. Rahuls move to contest from Wayanad has rattled the Left, which was increasingly placing itself as an informal guru to the Congress president. The informal influence of Sitaram Yechury on 10 Janpath and 12 Tughlaq Crescent had assumed legendary proportions in Congress circles. There was no dearth of middle-rung Congress leaders lamenting the Yechury factor in the Congress thinking. In a single stroke, Rahul has put an end to this lethal whisper campaign. A lot has been written about Wayanad being the tri-junction of three states Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Rahuls reported move to flee from Amethi. His presence is set to influence the partys fortunes in these three states as the BJP is short of a towering leader from any of these states. During campaigning, Rahul is set to make full use of the Somalia reference made by PM Narendra Modi in May 2016. Modi had said at an Assembly election rally in Kerala that the infant mortality rate among the Scheduled Tribe community in Kerala was worse than Somalias. Many Malayali Twitter users had responded with hashtag #PoMoneModi (Go Off Modi), while terming his remarks as baseless. Two years later, when tragedy struck Kerala, flood relief to the coastal state was the bare minimum. Importantly, the Prime Minister was not proactive in taking the characteristic lead in relief and rehabilitation work. The Amethi story is complex. Given the caste considerations, it will not be easy to defeat Rahul when he is backed by the BSP-SP combine. The transfer of BSP-SP voters to the BJP will neither be easy nor automatic regardless of Rahuls own personal standing among the voters. It must be remembered that these voters did not shift to the BJP when the Modi tsunami had hit Uttar Pradesh in 2014. The AICC chief has some surprise in store for PM Modi in Varanasi. A search is on for a joint Opposition candidate from the temple town. In Rahuls scheme of things, if Modi is forced to spend a few days in his parliamentary constituency, the combined Opposition will gain from the absence of the BJPs star campaigner in other parts of the country. Unlike 2014, there have not been significant desertions from the party except for a lowly Tom Vaddakan. Rahuls handling of disquiet within the Congress has been firm yet accommodating. Some of his close associates like Jitin Prasada, Priya Dutt and Milind Deora were upset. Rahul acted swiftly and prevented them from switching sides or sitting at home during the crucial polls. At another level, he has been on the lookout to bring home the likes of Shatrughan Sinha, Manish Khanduri and others from the BJP ranks. His choice of actress Urmila Matondkar generated a lot of interest as film actors entering politics often indicate which way the wind is blowing. Sinha has been a good weathercock and a politician among politicians. If Rahul translates his January 2014 Jaipur plenary speech into action, a numbers of rootless wonders who have been banking on loyalty and sycophancy to grab posts will be the worst losers. For Rahul, such a course will fulfil an unfinished agenda he has inherited from Rajiv Gandhi. During the Congress centennial in 1985, 41-year-old Rajiv, his Mr Clean image still unscathed in popular perception, had hit out at party power brokers before a gathering at Mumbais Brabourne Stadium. Brokers of power and influence who dispense patronage to convert a mass movement into a feudal oligarchy, he had said, thrive by invoking slogans of caste and religion and by enmeshing the living body of the Congress. Rajiv had appointed Arjun Singh as the vice president to cleanse the Congress, but the move didnt bring about the changes he wanted. The present-day Congress, too, doesnt lack leaders who want a Rahul-led party to taste every electoral success but wish he would fail in his efforts to cleanse the party. They dont want him to act as a judge for all but as an advocate of identity politics, promoting talent only with the tags of caste, sub-caste and religion attached. Rajesh Ramachandran Rajesh Ramachandran From the turn of the 20th century, the Left was the only ideological and political entity that could run on its own idealistic steam to compete with, contest and at times even outperform the Gandhian democratic mainstream. Even when the Communist Party of India collaborated with the British to betray the 1942 Quit India movement, the party could spin a web of excuses of socialist internationalism and the global fight against fascism to awkwardly justify its gross lack of understanding of the colonial reality. The party still captured the imagination of the youth because it represented their impatience for radical change and instilled in them the spirit of the French Revolution. The Indian feudal structure, meticulously measured, organised and strengthened by the British colonial administrators, had to be broken down and now. The Gandhian incrementalist reform was too slow for these revolutionaries of Telangana and Punnapra-Vayalar, who genuinely believed in the bloody overthrow of an oppressive feudal order. Ironically, most of the first-generation Indian communist leaders like P Sundarayya and EMS Namboodiripad were Gandhians-turned-revolutionaries. Their misplaced trust in the Russian or Chinese communist leadership apart, they were individuals who genuinely brought about transformative social change in their spheres of activity. The Telangana and the Kerala Left movements did change the lives of lakhs of people. And when in power, these first-generation communists did use the legislative process in the best traditions of parliamentary democracy to give land to tillers and rights to workers. But their successors are in an existential crisis. They are either unable or unfit to explain their partys raison detre. And they stooped to the level of the worst unnamed trolls when the Malayalam mouthpiece of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in its editorial termed Rahul Gandhi Pappu. Rahul, to his credit, after filing his nomination from Wayanad in Kerala, told reporters that he would not respond to attacks from the CPM. But that did not deter the CPM state party chief or the Chief Minister from spewing venom at Rahul. Now, why is the CPM, the so-called bulwark of secularism and the vanguard in the fight against the BJP, behaving exactly like the BJP? Well, Rahuls candidature from Wayanad is an eye-opener. It tells us a lot about the Congress and also the Left. First of all, it means that the Congress and its leadership are the best practitioners of power politics, completely devoid of all fraternal or ideological baggage when it comes to supreme self-interest. Amethi was getting shaky and Rahul Gandhi had to seek a secure second seat and Wayanad was probably the best choice with its Christian and Muslim voters rooting for the Congress. The Left, particularly the CPI, had helped Indira Gandhi wrest power from the Syndicate during the Congress split in the 1960s. The CPI became an official ally of the Congress all through the 1970s till the Emergency excesses made the communists cringe. By then it was very late. Soon the CPI got emaciated and the CPM became the bigger Left party. But the CPM-led Left, too, helped the Congress grab power in 2004. Till the Indo-US nuclear deal did them part. But the unkindest cut of all was the Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance that broke the 35-year spell of the Left rule in West Bengal in 2011. The Left rulers were getting unpopular after firing at the peasants of Nandigram, protests for the Singur land and the brutal murder of a Muslim youth, Rizwanur Rahman. Yet, the Left believed that it would continue to win if the Opposition of West Bengal that is, the Trinamool Congress and the Congress fought separately. But sensing the mood of the people, these two came together to throw out one of the most inefficient governments in India, one that did precious little for the poor, Dalits and the minorities. The Sachar Committee had concluded earlier that the Muslims of West Bengal were the worst off among Indian Muslims. So, the Congress had taken every opportunity to decimate the Left and occupy its electoral space, comprising the poor and the minorities. Despite his talk of tackling the BJP as his prime opponent, Rahuls southern foray is a clear attempt to maximise the seats from a state which traditionally has a strong Congress base. The CPM had played a dubious game to push a section of the Hindu voters into the waiting laps of the saffron parivar by taking a stridently anti-devout stand on the Sabarimala issue. Even the Kerala High Court had accused the government of double standards because in a Church case, the same government had consistently refused to implement the Supreme Court order. The CPMs attempts to polarise the Kerala society, to push the devout away from the Congress into the BJP corner and to grab minority votes seem to have got scuttled with Rahuls entry. In Bengal earlier, and now in Kerala, the Left has become an election-winning machinery, always eyeing the Opposition votes, splitting the Opposition and playing minority politics by leaning on the most corrupt religious elements. Otherwise, why would the Bengal state unit of the CPM blame its then general secretary Prakash Karat for the partys loss in the state? Refusing to acknowledge all that was wrong in the states developmental politics, the Bengal unit bemoaned the Trinamool-Congress alliance, as if it is the Oppositions duty to keep the ruling party afloat! Worse is the case with the Kerala Left, which now forgets all political etiquette to call Rahul names. It is not Rahuls job to ensure the Lefts victory in Kerala. Nor is it BJPs role to cut the Congress votes to keep the Left in power. Manipulative politics can only go so far, after that it is a political partys capability to transform the society which keeps it relevant. Meanwhile, a question remains unanswered: if the Lefts sole raison detre is to keep the Congress in power in Delhi, why have a separate existence at all? Why not merge the party with the Congress? After all, the Congress will get some good musclemen in Kerala and spokesmen adept at sophistry in Delhi. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala is confident that his party would make a clean sweep and win all 10 parliamentary seats in the state. He is convinced that the Congress would not be able to retain the lone Rohtak seat it won in 2014 and the INLD, too, would lose Sirsa and Hisar. The Tribune reporter Sushil Manav interviewed Barala on his partys strategy for the 2019 elections. Excerpts: The BJP was never a big force in the state till 2014 when the party won seven out of 10 seats riding the Modi wave. What do you think are your partys prospects for the 2019 poll? It is very clear from the mood of the people in Haryana that they have made up their mind to give the BJP all the seats this time. The Congress managed to win the Rohtak seat last time. But this time, the sitting MP from there, Deepender Hooda, will not be able to save his seat. Similarly, the INLD won Hisar and Sirsa last time. But this time, the BJP will win these two seats also. What makes you so confident that you will win? Why do you think people will vote for your party? People are with the BJP because of its performance and also because they think that only the BJP government can ensure internal and external security for the country. Ever since the BJP government has come to power at the Centre, several schemes have been launched for the poor PM Jan Dhan Yojna, PM Ujjwala Yojna, Ayushmaan Bharat, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna just to name a few. These have benefitted crores of families across the country. The Balakot airstrike after the Pulwama attack has reassured the people of this country that only the BJP government can provide internal and external security to the country. As far as Haryana is concerned, Chief Minister ML Khattar has provided transparent governance to the people. The Haryana Congress recently conducted Parivartan Yatra on a bus across the state. Rahul Gandhi also rode the bus for a day and got a good response from the people. Congress leaders claim their party will stage a comeback. Your response? What parivartan (change) will the Congress bring? In fact, the BJP government has changed the way the government used to be run during the Congress regime. The popularity of Congress among the people can be gauged from the fact that one of the biggest leaders of the party, Randeep Surjewala, who is considered close to Rahul Gandhi, could barely save his security deposit in the Jind bypoll. The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has emerged as a new political force in Haryana. Do you think it will pose any challenge to you? The JJP is an offshoot of the INLD. Only the name has changed. The leaders are the same and the partys strength has been depleted by half. In the Jind bypoll, they fielded a member of the Chautala clan and still he could not win the election. The JJP will not be able to open its account in the parliamentary poll. Your own party MP from Kurukshetra, Raj Kumar Saini, has floated the Loktantra Suraksha Party and is contesting in alliance with the BSP. Do you think he will harm BJPs poll prospects? People are with the BJP because of the partys ideology and Prime Minister Narendra Modis personality. They want to see Modi as PM again. Hence, they are not going to vote for a party that does not have any base. The Opposition parties allege that post Pulwama, the BJP is trying to cash in on the martyrdom of soldiers. Your take? The Congress has never respected martyrs. The Congress has been speaking the same language that Pakistan is speaking. Both of them are being seen on the same page on this issue. People of the country will give a befitting reply to the Congress for this. When will the BJP announce its candidates for Haryana? The announcement is to be made by the central leadership of our party. One can hope that the list will be out anytime this week. By PTI MUMBAI: Describing himself as a "mard" from Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Friday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he did not heed criticism from "every Tom, Dick and Harry". Addressing a poll rally at Shevgaon in Ahmednagar constituency, Pawar said Modi used to "hurl abuse" at the Nehru-Gandhi family earlier, and now Pawar was his target. "I am getting free publicity. Am I some ordinary man then? I come from the soil Shivaji Maharaj was born in. Hence I do not pay heed to criticism by any such `lungya-sungya' (Marathi equivalent of `every Tom, Dick and Harry')," Pawar said, canvassing for party candidate Sangram Jagtap. Speaking at a rally in Gondia Wednesday, Modi had said NCP leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". He was apparently referring to jailed corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar. Before that, at a rally in Wardha Monday, Modi had said that Pawar was losing grip on the NCP. Pawar alleged that the prime minister spent Rs 18 crore for performing 'jal pujan' of the Shivaji memorial off the Mumbai coast, "but the government which is ruling in the name of Shivaji Maharaj did not lay even a single brick for the memorial". More money was spent on the publicity of the Statue of Unity in Gujarat than on its construction, the NCP chief claimed. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE He also alleged that Modi made 92 foreign visits in 55 months, costing the exchequer Rs 2,021 crore. The former Union minister also took potshots at Modi over demonetisation, unemployment and `failure' to bring back black money stashed abroad. On the Rafale fighter jet deal, the former Defence minister said its price per aircraft soared from Rs 350 crore during the UPA regime to Rs 1,660 crore now. "There is something fishy in it," he added. The Modi government politicised the release of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan after he was caught by the neighbouring country's forces following an aerial engagement on February 27, he said. "Abhinandan was released as per Geneva Conventions. But the issue was politicised, saying he could be brought back only due to the 56-inch chest leadership (of Modi)," Pawar said. "Why haven't you ensured the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav with this 56-inch chest?" asked Pawar. Jadhav, former Navy officer, is on death row in Pakistan after he was charged there with espionage. Later, Pawar took to Twitter to say that "The Modi government earlier abused the Gandhi family, later they abused Nehru too. Now they have turned to me. "But I am a `mard' (man) from Maharashtra and I am not afraid of any lungyasungya," he tweeted. uttara@tribuneindia.com Ananya Panda Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 6 Coalition talks between Congress and the Aam Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Haryana for the Lok Sabha elections may have made little headway despite months of back and forth, but Jannayak Janata Party hopes things would get better. JJP, a breakaway party from Indian National Lok Dal, has been asking for a respectable deal with the two parties, its own differences with the Congress notwithstanding. The party, led by Dushyant Chautala, faces its first election since its leaders announced they were breaking away from the INLD. Sources told the Tribune that AAP was willing to part with four seats each for the Congress and the JJP in Haryana agreeing to settle with rest two parliamentary segments. The party believes this arrangement in Haryana will help it corner 50 per cent of the states total vote share, sources say. Talks between the Congress and the AAP are primarily at the central leadership levelstate leaders, especially from the Congress, are reportedly not keen on such an alliance and, should such an alliance indeed be forged, are believed sceptical about its survival. Delhis Congress unit certainly appears dividedthe faction that AICC general secretary in charge of Delhi PC Chacko and former union minister Ajay Maken back are pushing hard for an alliance, while the one that Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit heads is resolutely opposed, primarily keeping in mind next years assembly elections. Likewise, the idea of such an alliance appears to holds little appeal for Congress partys Haryana unit. We have conveyed our sentiment (to AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana Ghulam Nabi Azad) that theres no need for any alliance. We can win all seats in Haryana. We have conveyed this to the Congress Committee on Alliances. Negotiations are on for aligning (with AAP) in Delhi, but were strong here, Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar told the Tribune, although he quickly added that his party would willingly follow the partys final decision. Tanwar was vague when asked about what he thought of an alliance with JJP, a party whose ties with the Congress are complicated. To the question, he said that there was no formal proposal yet and that the Congress was currently drawing up shortlists for Lok Sabha elections, which he said would be announced in the next few days. Any alliance in the state could impact Haryana Assembly elections, also due later this year. Meanwhile, as elections draw close the parties are taking no chances. Their potential nominees already have swung into election mode, reaching out to voters through ground-level campaigning. AAP sources claim that alliance talks now have Delhi voters confused, because "anti-BJP voters" are unable to make up their minds. The final word on the alliance will come from Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is believed to be carefully weighing his options. He is believed to have discussed the potential of a Congress-AAP alliance at a meeting with Delhi leaders on Saturday. editorial@tribune.com Parveen Arora Tribune News Service Karnal, April 5 More than 400 farmers on Friday stopped officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) from sealing Piccadilly sugar mill in the districts Bhadson village. The HSPCBs action was in compliance with the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The farmers staged a dharna at the gate of the mill and stopped HSPCB officials from leaving the premises till they agreed to fulfil the demand for giving the mill relaxation for a month. On Tuesday, the HSPCB had sealed the distillery inside the mill. It had also sealed the mill, but after a protest by farmers, it opened the mill on the condition that the mill would meet the norms till Friday. The mill was already violating NGT norms, but none of the officials took action. The HSPCB has thought of initiating action when the crushing season is at its peak. All we are demanding is a month so that farmers can sell their produce as a large quantity of sugarcane is yet to be harvested. If the mill is sealed, farmers will incur losses, said Rampal Chahal, president, Ganna Sangharsh Samiti, Bhadson. Farmers had already paid the labour cost for harvesting and clearing of sugarcane, he said, adding that neither the mill authorities nor HSPCB officials were considerate towards farmers plight. Nirmal Kashyap, regional officer, HSPCB, said: We have clear directions from the NGT as well as from the HSPCB chairman to close the mill. The decision to close the mill was taken on a complaint by local residents. We are concerned about farmers interest, but we cannot do anything. After a three-hour meeting with Deputy Commissioner Vinay Partap Singh, farmers lifted the dharna late in the evening on the assurance that the matter would be resolved soon. The government has been apprised of the ground situation. Several farmers will be affected if the mill is sealed. The HSPCB has been told about the livelihood concerns of farmers and the likely breach of peace. Farmers have been requested to maintain peace. The matter will be resolved in a few days, the DC said. editorial@tribune.com Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Hisar, April 5 To quell resentment among farmers, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said the entire mustard produce will be procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The Centre has agreed to purchase 40 per cent of the produce, while the state government will procure the remaining stock, he said at a vikas sankalp rally in the districts Kaimari village on Friday. The BJP government, the Chief Minister said, ensured 100 per cent procurement of all crops at the profitable MSP. The BJP has protected the interests of farmers by implementing pro-farmer decisions such as crop insurance scheme. Compare this with the UPA governments performance. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda failed to get Swaminathan Commission recommendations implemented when he was heading the Sub-group of Chief Ministers, Khattar said. He further said his government had ushered in transparency in governance, which was evident from sifarish-free government jobs. If there is any laxity in governance, we are committed to improving and making amends. The Chief Minister lashed out at the Congress for coming out with a manifesto that promised to repeal the sedition law. The BJP will never let this happen. Do you want people trying to split the country be given immunity to do so? We cannot let such persons go scot-free, he added. State BJP president Subhash Barala, who was also present at the rally, said: Opposition parties are unable to stand the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But people are committed to make Modi Prime Minister again. Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu, Hisar MLA Kamal Gupta, Nalwa MLA Ranbir Gangwa and Confed chairman Capt Bhupinder. Farmers protest non-procurement Mahendragarh: Farmers on Friday organised a demonstration by closing the main gate of the local grain market and raised slogans against the district authorities for non-procurement of mustard. Mustard is not being procured in the Mahendragarh grain market for the past three days while the district authorities are making tall claims of buying every seed of the produce. Our mustard is lying at the market but no official is coming to procure it, said a protesting farmer, adding that they had to hold the protest to attract the attention of the state government towards their plight.He said farmers had also called on the Mahendragarh SDM and requested him to get the procurement initiated, but to no avail. TNS editorial@tribune.com Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, April 5 BJP MP from Hamirpur and a scion of the Dhumal family Anurag Singh Thakur (44) is the richest among four sitting MPs in the state. According to a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), the annual income of businessman-cum-social activist Anurag is more Rs 49.30 lakh while his assets are worth Rs 4.65 crore. Anurag, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, had also served as the BCCI president and the HPCA president. However, he was removed from the post by the Supreme Court in 2017 for not complying with its orders with regard to the implementation of the Lodha committee reforms. Anurag is contesting from Hamirpur for the fourth time and has never suffered defeat in the elections so far. The next richest in line is veteran leader and Kangra MP Shanta Kumar (84). His annual income is Rs 18.60 lakh and possesses assets worth Rs 1.98 crore, says the report, a copy of which is available with The Tribune. A two-time Chief Minister, Shanta Kumar is a writer, social worker and hotelier. He will not be contesting the Lok Sabha elections this time and BJP ticket from Kangra has been given to his confidant and Gaddi leader from Dharamsala Kishan Kapoor. He is also a Cabinet minister. Dr OP Bhureta, state coordinator for the ADR and NEW, said the report had been formulated on the basis of affidavits submitted by the state MPs to the Election Commission of India in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The income, profession and educational details of each MP had been analysed in the report. Voters should know their MPs they have elected or are going to elect. They should be aware whether the leaders they are going to choose can protect their interests in Parliament, said Dr Bhureta. Shimla (reserved) MP Virender Kashyap (68) is the third richest with the annual income Rs 9.31 lakh and assets worth Rs 52.28 lakh. The annual income of Mandi MP Ramswaroop Sharma (60) is Rs 4.96 lakh while he possesses assets worth Rs 1.01 crore. As far as educational qualifications are concerned, Dalit leader Virender Kashyap is the only postgraduate among four MPs. Both Shanta Kumar and Anurag Thakur are graduates while Ramswaroop is matriculate, says the report. On professional front, Ramswaroop and Virender Kashyap call them agriculturalists while Shanta Kumar and Anurag Thakur describe themselves as businessman-cum-social activist, the report adds. Contesting for fourth time editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Kullu, April 5 Forest and Transport Minister Govind Thakur on Friday said even after joining the BJP before the Assembly elections in 2017, Power Minister Anil Sharma was yet to adopt the culture of the party. Addressing mediapersons here, the Forest Minister said being a minister in the BJP Cabinet, Anil should work for the welfare of the party and canvass for Mandi candidate Ramswaroop Sharma. He said the party high command would soon decide further course of action depending upon Anil Sharmas stand.The minister said the BJP had won all 10 seats in Mandi district during the Assembly elections because of the strong cadre of the party. There was no role of former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram in the partys win. He said Sukh Ram had left the Congress and floated his party. Later, he again went back to the Congress fold and then to the BJP during the Assembly elections, as he was aware that the Congress would not win. He said Aya Ram, Gaya Ram would not affect the BJPs stature or its cadre. The Forest Minister said the BJP would secure victory on the basis of works done during its tenure. Govind Thakur said former employees of Kullu had also extended their support to the BJP. He said the BJP governments at the Centre and the state had always worked for the betterment for employees and pensioners. The minister claimed that it would be a one-sided fight in Mandi as the Congress was yet to start its campaign. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 5 The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former Himachal IGP Zahur Haidar Zaidi in the custodial death of a man accused of gang-raping a minor girl at Kotkhai in 2017. A Bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, however, said it would deal with the issue of transferring the trial from a court in HP to Delhi at a later stage. The top court had earlier granted interim him bail to Zaidi for a week. He had moved the Supreme Court in March last year against a state High Court order denying bail to him in the case. He had challenged the January 19, 2018 order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Justice Sandeep Sharma of the high court had dismissed Zaidis bail plea, saying it would not be appropriate to release him on bail at this stage. The alleged crime too was of serious nature and a detailed investigation was required in the case, it had noted. Zaidi had contended that several months had passed since his arrest and the high court had taken a very strict view. Zaidi and seven others were arrested in the custodial death case of Suraj, who was found dead in the Kotkhai police station on July 18, 2017. The CBI has already filed the charge-sheet against the accused. A 16-year-old girl had gone missing in the Kotkhai area on July 4 and her body was found from the Halaila forests on July 6. The post mortem report confirmed rape and murder and a case was registered, and amid huge public outcry an SIT, headed by Zaidi was constituted. The SIT arrested six people, one of whom died in the police station, following which the high court handed over the investigations of both the cases to the CBI on July 19, 2017. Custodial death is a heinous crime and the person involved in crime how highly placed he may be, needs to be dealt with severely. As such, present being a case of custodial death, same needs to be viewed more seriously than a murder case. Honble apex court in a catena of judgments especially has termed custodial deaths to be worst kind of crime in a civil society governed by rule of law, the high court had noted. The apex court had in November last year sought responses from Zaidi, DSP (Theog) Manoj Joshi and six other Himachal policemen on the CBIs plea to shift the trial against them from a court in Shimla to a Delhi court. The agency had said that Zaidi being the former IGP may influence the witnesses in the case and, moreover, other accused are also policemen. The CBI had told the court that though the charge sheet had been filed, the trial in the case has not seen the light of the day and hence, the case be transferred to a Delhi court for expeditious disposal. The SC had suggested that let the trial continue in a Shimla court and, in the meantime, it would grant bail to the former IGP and restrain him from going to HP except for attending the proceedings. The timeline July 4, 2017: Gudiya (name changed) goes missing in the Halaila area of Kotkhai July 6: Her body found in Halaila forests July 9: Police constitute SIT under IG (south) S Zahur Zaidi July 13: The police claim breakthrough, arrest six July 19: Suraj, one of the accused arrested by the SIT, dies in police custody July 22: CBI takes over investigation August 29: CBI arrests IG Zaidi, seven other cops in custodial death case March 28, 2018: HC summons CBI director April 14: CBI arrests key suspect in rape and murder case editorial@tribune.com Sumit Hakhoo Tribune News Service Jammu, April 5 With just days left for polling in the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary seat, arch-rivals BJP and Congress are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to voters in this politically significant Lok Sabha seat in the state. It will witness polling on April 11 in the first phase of the elections for the six seats of Parliament in J&K. With the Congress forging a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC) and the PDP not fielding any candidate to consolidate secular forces aimed at stopping the spilt of Muslim votes, the election has turned into a battle between Modi popularity and opposition unity. Although campaigning is subdued in urban areas and towns, political parties are mostly concentrating on rural areas. The BJP has started a strenuous campaign in the Hindu-dominated segments in Jammu, seeking voters for Modi again. The Congress and its partner NC are focusing on two border districts of Poonch and Rajouri having sizable Muslim voters, highlighting the failure of the ruling NDA government. As per senior leaders, there is an anti-incumbency factor against Jugal Kishore Sharma. Although the BJP has got a shot in the arm after senior Congress leader Sham Lal Sharma quit the Congress and joined the saffron party recently, the seat is likely to witness a close contest. There are 1,98,3136 eligible voters, of whom 95,2339 are women and 1,030,797 males. About 24 candidates are left in the fray. The constituency has traditionally remained a stronghold of the Congress. It covers four districts Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch, consisting of 20 Assembly segments and sharing an active Line of Control (LoC) and International Border with Pakistan. Thousands of voters are living in the direct line of fire of the Pakistani army. The Jammu-Poonch seat was won by the BJPs Jugal Kishore Sharma in 2014 who was again given mandate. A two-time MLA from the Nagrota constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had taken a huge lead in 10 out of the total 13 border Assembly constituencies. The Congress has fielded former minister and senior leader Raman Bhalla. Bhalla is a two-time MLA from the Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment in Jammu. He is a former minister and had held several important portfolios. The only credible opposition both parties face is from Choudhary Lal Singh, a rebel BJP and Congress leader who is fighting on the platform of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan. Lal Singh has remained Member of Parliament from the Congress ticket on the Kathua-Udhampur-Doda seat in 2004 and 2009. He joined the BJP in 2014 and resigned from the BJP after the Rasana rape and murder case in Kathua after the CBI probe was rejected by the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Apart from basic developmental issues, cross-border shelling, inadequate bunkers for people and issues of West Pakistan and PoK refugees are likely to influence voters here. Electoral history In 2014, BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma won by 2,57,280 votes. He defeated two-time Congress MP (2004, 2009) Madan Lal Sharma. Jugal got 6,19,995 votes, Madan Lal got 3,62,715. PDPs Yash Pal Sharma had secured 1,68,554 votes In 2009, even after the Amarnath land agitation, Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma defeated BJP candidate Lila Karan Sharma by 12,1373 votes. Sharma had secured 382,305 votes and Leela Karan 260,932 votes Madan Lal had won the seat in the 2004 election, defeating BJP rival Nirmal Singh by 17,568 votes. While Lal had secured 31,9994 votes, Singh finished second with 30,2426 votes The BJP won the seat twice in 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha elections represented by Vishno Dutt Sharma Constituency profile Four Assembly segments Samba, RS Pura, Raipur Domana, Chamb are reserved for the Scheduled Castes. There are significant Scheduled Tribes voters in Rajouri, Darhal, Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch-Haveli. Other segments are Vijaypur, Bishnah, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu East, Jammu West, Suchetgarh, Nagrota, Marh, Akhnoor and Nowshera. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, April 5 BJP candidate from the Srinagar constituency Khalid Jehangir on Friday said coalition compulsions affected the plans to resettle displaced Pandits in the Valley when Mehbooba Mufti was heading the PDP-BJP alliance government in the state. Jehangir said there were interruptions which did not allow the BJP to resettle 3.50 lakh Hindus back in their homeland. It was a coalition government and the BJP was not running the state government on its own. Several plans have been introduced for resettlement and we hope that in the next five years things will be better, said Jehangir, who along with BJP candidate from Anantnag Sofi Yousuf, is campaigning in Jammu. The leaders said their visit was an outreach programme to meet militancy-displaced people who have been living away from their homeland since 1990. The time has come to teach those politicians a lesson who befooled people of J&K, especially Kashmiris for decades. Efforts should be made to bridge the divide, said Jehangir. Speaking on the occasion, Yousuf said migrants were an important part of Kashmirs society and every effort should be made to bring them back. I have met hundreds of Pandits in Jammu and it is a matter of concern that the previous governments have failed to bring them back to the Valley. The BJP is committed to their safe and honourable return, said Yousuf. editorial@tribune.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, April 5 The state administration has ordered a probe into the violence at Srinagars Central Jail on Thursday evening. The police have registered a case and taken up investigation. The probe is being conducted by Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhary. Clashes and stone-throwing rocked Central Jail, Srinagar, on Thursday evening after inmates protested the move of the jail authorities to shift them. The police said the inmates went on a rampage, vandalised property and set the jail mess, a canteen and portion of the main gate on fire with an aim to escape. Two inmates were injured in the overnight clashes that triggered fresh tension in the city. The authorities imposed restrictions in the volatile old city on Friday and suspended the mobile internet. Officials said the trouble started around 9 pm on Thursday when the jail authorities tried to shift some of the inmates to other barracks due to some renovation work. The inmates resisted as they feared they might be shifted to jails outside the Valley. This triggered violence, a police officer said. For the whole night, we did not enter the barrack premises, he said. A spokesman for the Srinagar district administration said the inmates damaged property, including vital infrastructure and surveillance equipment, and attempted to break open the jail gates. The situation turned volatile as the inmates used inflammables to attack and damage the security grid of the jail. More than 400 inmates from 10 barracks in the central area of the jail broke open the internal gates and gathered to carry out damage to the entry and exit points in an attempt to escape, the spokesman said. He said the inmates used LPG cylinders from the common mess to trigger four blasts near the gate. They also resorted to stone-throwing, he added. Fire tenders were pressed into action to contain the fire. The firefighting operation continued for five hours. Senior civil and police officers are closely monitoring the situation. The authorities on Friday morning constituted a dozen teams of the security and civil administration officers and moved inside. Meanwhile, the government is further examining the matter. Locals said they heard loud sounds during the night. We dont know exactly what happened inside the jail, but we heard massive blasts during the night, which triggered panic, said a local. As news of clashes spread this morning, the families of many inmates gathered outside the jail. The authorities imposed restrictions in the city to ensure the situation did not turn bad. A large deployment of security forces was made in the old city. Clashes trigger tension shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com Mumbai, April 6 The release date of PM Narendra Modi has been set for April 11, when the Lok Sabha elections begin, the makers announced on Friday. Producer Anand Pandit says the team of "PM Narendra Modi" is planning to release the film in 38 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE. "PM Narendra Modi's life has great interest not just among Indian audiences but also cinema-goers across the world. We plan to release the film not just in the country but in at least 38 countries," Pandit, one of the producers and distributors of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a statement. "The film will release in 1700 screens in India and we plan to release it in about 600 screens overseas," he added. PM Narendra Modi' is officially releasing on April 11, 2019, tweeted producer Sandip Ssingh, along with the film's poster. The announcement comes just a day after the film's makers deferred its release from April 5, following the Supreme Court's decision to set the date to hear a plea seeking to block the movie's release, for April 8. Thank you everyone for your support. Heres the date when our film #PMNarendraModi will be releasing. 11th April. Jai hind pic.twitter.com/rY08rUhv7W Omung Kumar B (@OmungKumar) 5 April 2019 Thank you to each and every one of you for your blessings, love and support. Thank you to the Indian Judiciary. We hope you like the film and that it inspires you all! #PMNarendraModi Jai Hind @OmungKumar @sandip_Ssingh @sureshoberoi @anandpandit63 @TSeries pic.twitter.com/ogAKP1jG77 Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) 5 April 2019 Actor Vivek Anand Oberoi, who plays the titular role in the film, tweeted: "Thank you to each and every one of you for your blessings, love and support. Thank you to the Indian judiciary. We hope you like the film and that it inspires you all! Jai Hind." Directed by Omung Kumar, the film narrates the story of Modi from his humble beginnings to becoming the Prime Minister. Earlier, Ssingh and other makers of 'PM Narendra Modi' received flak for planning to release the movie on April 12, just a day after the first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections. Its release date was then preponed to April 5. However, a plea by Aman Panwar, a Congress spokesman, contends that the release of the Modi biopic ahead of the election would disturb the level playing field. IANS RTHK: EU urges Libyan strongman to halt his advance EU foreign ministers on Saturday upped pressure on Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar to halt his offensive on Tripoli, urging the strongman to commit to a political solution. Khalifa's dramatic bid to take Tripoli came as a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers was being held in northern France with the club issuing a statement on Friday urging an immediate halt to "all military activity and movements toward Tripoli". Several European ministers on Saturday warned Haftar not to countenance any further military action, saying that this could destroy a UN-backed peace process. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the Tripoli operations as "untimely initiatives" that could further destabilise Libya. "There is a fundamental principle in Libya. There will be no military victory. The solution can only be a political solution," he added. He said that France and Italy, the two European powers with the most influence in north Africa, were "on the same wavelength". "It is important that all of the international community takes the same line," Le Drian added. Experts say Haftar had had backing from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as France, which is seen as his closest ally in Europe. Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said the G7 statement, which was also echoed by the UN Security Council, showed that the international community was not prepared to tolerate military action. "We think the military initiatives are not the best ones to grant peaceful developments in Libya and a constructive path forward for stabilising the country," he said. Asked if sanctions could be imposed against Haftar were he to fail to comply with the demands of the international community, he replied: "We have stated quite clearly what our position is and we very much hope that he (Haftar) will take it into consideration. If this will not happen, then we can see what can next be done." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there should be pressure on all the actors in Libya "especially general Haftar". He said it was important to "make sure that there is no further military escalation". The growing international pressure on Haftar came as fresh fighting flared on Saturday south of Tripoli between the pro-government forces and Haftar's troops. On Friday Haftar's forces were pushed back from a key checkpoint west of the capital, less than 24 hours after seizing it during the lightning offensive towards Tripoli. Despite the flare-up, UN envoy Ghassan Salame insisted on Saturday that talks planned to be held next week in Libya would go ahead. Le Drian expressed particular frustration over the escalation given that Haftar and the head of the Tripoli-based government, Fayez al-Sarraj, had come to agreements earlier this year in talks in Abu Dhabi. "They need now to overcome their past differences in the interest of the Libyan people. The Libyan people have had enough of this violence," the French minister said. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-04-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. NDO/VNA National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan concluded her working visit to the European Parliament and left Brussels, Belgium, for Doha, Qatar, on April 6 morning (local time) to attend the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU -140) and related meetings. By Express News Service The Congress party seems to have gone politically bankrupt; it has nothing to talk about but criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aligned, as it has, with anti-India forces, says Union Minister of law and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP candidate from Patna Sahib. Excerpts from his interview with Rajesh Kumar Thakur: Your government at the Centre faces sharp criticism on its failure to create jobs. How far is it justified? It is far from the truth. You can counter facts, not lies. Over one crore new jobs have been created through entrepreneurship, and by filling earmarked vacancies. The opposition has nothing to show on this count versus what NDA has done in just five years as opposed to its 60. Today, over 14 lakh youth get financial support under the PM Mudra Scheme and more than 6.5 lakh youth have jobs in 268 new IT companies. In Bihar alone, 11 BPOs have been set up at Patna, Muzaffarpur and Gaya, in which 2,210 youths are employed. What difference can you claim between India of 2019 and India of 1990? The years before NDA were periods of scams. Today India is skilling and confident, whether in science, defence, space, economy or human development. Today, the world listens to us. Earlier, we listened to the world. Then India was demoralised; today, India has the guts to claim its space. Then, India was practising mass defecation; today 5.5 lakh villages have 10 crore toilets built under the Swacch Bharat Yojana, the PMs revolutionary step, which today China is emulating. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE To sum up: Congress stands for Corruption, Compromise, Concessions. BJP is Bharatiya Jan ka Pride and NDA is short for National Development Assured. This poll is about mature vs immature, hope vs regret. Choice is yours. Has acceptance of NDA, especially BJP, in electoral preferences in south India increased, including Kerala, where Congress president Rahul Gandhi is trying to consolidate? Rahul Gandhi, by opting for Wayanad in Kerala, has shown himself up as an escapist with no regard to nationalism, or vision to make the nation vibrant. He says his is a gesture to show that India is one. Have there ever been two Indias? He is, in fact, playing with the political culture of South India, sensing imminent defeat in Amethi. The NDA remains the only hope for Indians, whether in the south, north, or the Middle-East. When the masses come alive, politicians like Rahul Gandhi or any other, get kicked out. Tour across South India, including Kerala, and you will find out how the BJP has gained mass acceptance and is emerging as a strong alternative to non-BJP governments. In Tamil Nadu, there are today several parties ready to accept us as valued allies. The Congress has offered a lot of sops in its poll manifesto, including Rs 72,000 per year to the poorest. How do you take all this? You have to see the Congress manifesto in a larger perspective. Its a document to break India. It is a conspiracy to weaken the morale of Indias armed forces by proposing a review of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). The promise to provide Rs 72,000 is nothing but a lie and designed to lure and befool the people. They have questioned the air strike, surgical strike and the Rafale deal. As far as Rahul Gandhis promises are concerned, his political maturity has now become a laughing stock globally from his twinkling eye in Parliament and his promise of producing gold from potatoes. His only support that remains is his sister Priyanka. He has become a liability to his own party, which lacks the guts to challenge family dominance the same as it is with the RJD in Bihar. What would be the contribution of Bihars NDA to your national tally? Bihar will set a new narrative with a clean sweep of 40 seats. Wheres the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance)? The NDA in Bihar has set a new benchmark for development in a successful alliance between Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. Its about development vs opportunism. As MP-in-contest from Patna Sahib, how do you see the legacy of Shatrughan Sinha, the preceding BJP candidate? Apparently, voters want more development. They are not dissatisfied with works done by the state and the Centre but they deserve more facilities like educational institutions, business points, areas wise development, transportation and modern civic amenities. I aspire to make Patna Sahib a model constituency since I am a son of the soil. How will the election pan out for the NDA? Historic and world-rocking together! On May 23, nationalism will win, while politics of appeasements will be doomed forever. There is no alternative to the NDA. We will win 400 seats. Its Modi hai toh mumkin hai. (With Modi, anything is possible). shalender@tribune.com Mona In 1994, when Romy Gill stepped in to UK as a newlywed, little did she know what lay in store. The charm of a new place, new life, wore off in a week, and she started missing her home, friends and most of all, food. Fast forward to 2013; she has got the coveted Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the hospitality industry! Sipping chai in Chandigarh on Thursday morning on her way to explore Himalayan food trail, full of guileless charm and enthusiasm like that of a child, she exclaims, "Who thought a girl from a small town could be honoured by the Queen!" So humble is her family, calling Rurka Kalan, Jalandhar, home, that she didn't even tell them. "I like it when they know from people that their little girl is winning laurels," she smiles. Success story Back to her culinary journey; while she has all respect for the curry houses of England, this was not the food she had grown up eating. "I missed my food and that I had no interest in cooking whatsoever growing up, so in a foreign land I started from a scratch." That she's a self-taught chef and got her restaurant Romy's Kitchen and the attention it got, she considers a feat. "There were three obstacles that I had to majorly cross I was in a small town, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, I was woman and I was brown." In fact, when she started, all she wanted was to cook for herself and as she grew confident, she cooked for her friends; the encouraging response led to Romy's Kitchen. "When I decided to turn professional, people were waiting for me to fail," she says with a glint in her eye. Golden formula Six years on, she has a staff of ten, mostly British youngsters, who lend her a hand. And her signature style is... Panch Phoran Masala. "I am way more Bengali than Punjaban for my growing up happened in Burnpur, West Bengal, where my father was posted," says the chef, who loves this traditional mix of fennel seeds, black mustard, nigella seeds, golden fenugreek and cumin seeds. Also that she loves street food, she makes it a lot in her restaurant she makes samosa chaat, jhaal muri and phuchka, Bengali-style bhel and golgappas, respectively. From the country that she calls home now, she has picked up venison, wild boar and octopus, and cooks them in her own style. "I make venison curry with dal and rice, wild boar in Rajasthani style, laal maas, and tamarind octopus, which enjoy quite a fan-following." Marathon route When not cooking or experimenting in kitchen, Romy loves to run. With four full and 14 half-marathons to her credit, she raises money for different charities, including Nishkam SWAT, which feeds the homeless. While cooking demonstrations with chefs across the world is what she enjoys, her next is London marathon in mid-April and an intended series on 'langar'. "Welfare of all, regardless of one's religious, social or economic background, should be considered supreme." mona@tribunemail.com editorial@tribune.com Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 5 A day after a Nepalese servant decamped with a car and valuables from the house of an industrialist, Navneet Gupta, at Tagore Nagar, the owner today returned from Dubai. Mahinder, brother-in-law of the house owner, said the servant had stolen about Rs 8 lakh in cash and gold ornaments worth several lakhs. The total loss was estimated between Rs 40 and Rs 50 lakh. "We have submitted to the police a list of the stolen items. The stolen ornaments include two gold sets, one diamond set, pairs of bangles and a pair of bracelet. It is just an estimated figure of our loss," said Mahinder. Sources said servant Krishan had served noodles laced with sedatives to the other servant, Raju, before committing the theft. It is suspected that Krishan was accompanied by some other persons. "Krishan went upstairs and broke the door of the main bedroom where the safe containing cash and valuables was lying. He took the keys from the drawer and opened the safe. It seemed the servant, who was employed just four days ago, knew the place where the safe and the keys were lying. On Thursday morning around 5.30 am, a Polo car was seen going out of Tagore Nagar. It is suspected that the servant committed the theft around 9 pm on Wednesday night," said Mahinder. pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, April 6 A Delhi court on Saturday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on plea of Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, alleging the agency of politicising the case by leaking the chargesheet copy to the media. The agency, on the other hand, sought an inquiry as to how the copy of the chargesheet was leaked to the media and asked for issuance of notice to a news organisation asking to explain how they accessed the document. Special judge Arvind Kumar issued notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michels plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the ED and that even though the court has not taken cognisance over the documents filed before it, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the chargesheet. The court will take up the matter of leaking of the chargesheet copy on April 11. The court also issued summons to Michels business partner and middleman David Nigel John Syms as accused in the case. Syms, named as accused in the chargesheet, will have to appear before court on May 9. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Washington, April 6 The arrest of Indians trying to sneak into America has dropped by a whopping 56 per cent due to the construction of a concrete wall along the US-Mexico border in California, a top official has told President Donald Trump. The Trump administration is building a wall along the southern Mexico border to prevent the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. Felix Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the Del Rio Sector, told Trump during a round-table in California on Friday that the border wall in his sector was constructed in eight months from February to October. The President visited the Del Rio Sector to have a first- hand inspection of the wall. Chavez said illegal entries decreased by 75 per cent. "As soon as it was completed, we started measuring and we started monitoring its effectiveness. So for the first quarter of FY19, we have had many, many efficiencies noted. "Central American people that used to get arrested right through that area decreased by 86 per cent. India nationals -- this sector was leading the country with India national apprehensions for like two or three years. The wall goes up; it drops by 56 per cent," Chavez said. He said that for border patrol agents, a border wall system works. "The use of force incidents -- which are more important to me than anything because it's assaults and incidents that directly affect our border patrol agents doing the job on the border -- they dropped by 65 per cent in those two miles of 30-foot border wall. So the border wall works for us. "We need the border barrier. We need to provide the requirements that meet our need. In this case, for us, it's 30-feet high. That's what we ask for and that's what was provided," the top US official said. Trump said he expect to have close to 400 miles (643 kms) of border wall within about two years. "That's a lot. Four hundred miles will cover most of it," he said. Asserting that there is indeed an emergency on the southern border, Trump said the United States had more than 70,000 illegal migrants rush its border. "They rush our border. And we have military and these are great military people. These are people that are strong and solid and love our country. But they can't act the way they would under other conditions and there's not a lot they can do, but they've been doing it anyway. And we're going to bring up some more military," he said. The border crisis, Trump said, is a direct result of the obstruction by Democrats in Congress. He said that the walls have resulted in a decline in illegal immigrants. In February, Trump declared national emergency to unlock billions of dollars of federal money to construct the wall along the US-Mexico border, saying the move was essential to prevent America from the invasion of illegal immigrants. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 6 The BJP on Saturday hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on its senior leader LK Advani. After External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who asked Rahul to mind his language while referring to Advani, her Cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal also hits out at the Congress chief. Goyal said it was sad that someone who hopes to be the Prime Minister of the country had no control over his vaani (voice). His remarks have revealed two faces of the Congress. They say something and do something else, he said. Goyal said senior leaders Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi will continue to guide the BJP to take it to the next level Invoking Chandikadas Amritrao Deshmukh, also known as Nanaji Deshmukh, who retired from active politics to take up social work, he said the BJP had leaders like him to look up to and it was sad that the Congress could not instil even basic courtesy in its leaders like Rahul Gandhi, who publicly tore up a document cleared by its very own Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. Thats the kind of respect they have for their seniors, Goyal said. Addressing a press conference, Goyal also dug out unfulfilled promises made by the Congress party in its past manifestos to claim that the promises made by the Opposition party in its 2019 pre-poll deceleration will never be fulfilled. It is a bundle of lies, he said, referring to the Congress manifesto. Earlier in the day, Sushma Swaraj said Congress presidents words have hurt the party and added that the veteran BJP leader was like a father figure. Rahulji - Advani ji is our father figure. Your words have hurt us deeply. Please try to maintain some decorum of your speech, she tweeted, both in English as well as Hindi, a day after Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Narendra Modi for humiliating LK Advani BJP leaders also sought to remind the treatment meted by the Congress to its senior leaders PV Narsimha Rao and Sitaram Kesri. Speaking at a rally, Gandhi said the BJP talks of Hinduism. In Hinduism, the guru is supreme. It talks of guru-shishya tradition. Who is Modis guru? Advani. Modi just kicked Advani out Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati has said that veteran LK Advani blog was a reality check admonition on the functioning of the BJP/Modi govt on the partys foundation day. BJP patriarch LK Advanis reality check admonition on the functioning of the BJP/Modi govt on the partys foundation day is a serious no-confidence against them besides a fervent appeal to the people that this despotic/anti-people Modi Govt is unworthy of returning back to power, she tweeted The BJP is observing its foundation day today. Meanwhile, the BJP ally Shiv Sena has questioned the timing of Advanis blog, asking why the veteran remained silent for past five years. amansharma@tribunemail.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 6 Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) G Satheesh Reddy on Saturday said it was feasible to target multiple satellites (of the enemy) by having multiple weapon launches, and added that India has technology to hit at targets that are 1,000 km in space. In other words the current demonstrated prowess of hitting at satellite some 300 km above the earth can be extended. Addressing a press conference following a permission to do so from the Election Commission, the DRDO Chairman said, Hit to kill was achieved against live satellite with an accuracy with less than 10 centimetre. This is on par with the best reported world wide. India had conducted its ASAT test on February 27. On being asked if multiple satellites can be hit, Dr Reddy said, It depends how many are we tracking and it would require multiple launches. Its feasible. The fear from the debris generated is not much, he said. The first 10 days are critical and those have passed off. The entire debris will decay in 45 days, he said when asked about the apprehension expressed by NASA about the debris. We dont need more tests in this orbit (some 300 km above the earth) to prove it again, Reddy said. The guidance and control algorithm has been developed to do interception at 1,000 km above the earth. This can cover almost all low earth orbit, including those orbits used by military satellites, Reddy added. Notably, China has done ASAT tests at some 800 km in space. On Indias test, he said a three-stage interceptor with two-stage solid fuel propellant was used. The accuracy has to be very high and satellite is moving at 10 km per second. All critical technologies for the ASAT test were developed indigenously. About 90 per cent is local, some 150 scientists worked around the clock and some 2,000 components were sourced from 50 private industry. Discussion started on the ASAT test in 2014 and development started in 2016, Reddy said. In the past in 2012, the then chairman of DRDO, VK Saraswat, had said technology for the ASAT can be proved. This morning, there was a meeting with eminent scientists of the country to inform them about the ASAT test done on February 27. The low earth orbit some 300 to 600 kms above earthis one of tiers of space satellites and usually has the spy and military satellites. The next upper tier some 800-1,200 km above the earthhas tracking satellites that study geo-spatial and marine life. The next upper tier 20,000 km above has the satellites which provide GPS signals. The highest tiersome 36,000 km above has the communication satellites. So far, technology is hindered and no missile fired from ground can travel beyond the first two tiers and no missile can be fired from an existing space-based platform. amansharma@tribunemail.com Chennai, April 5 Indian Union Muslim League on Saturday took strong objection over the tweet posted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said it had filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the matter. IUML filed a complaint today with Election Commission against the malicious tweet of Yogi Adityanath that Muslim League is a virus. IUML does not need a certificate about its nationalist or patriotic credentials from any quarters, including Yogi Adityanath, IUML national general Secretary P K Kunhalikutty said in a statement. The IUML is a recognised party in Kerala and has a long history of upholding the secular democratic ethos of our Constitution, he said. The agenda of creating divisive politics by these forces in this country would not succeed as the people are determined to expose these forces and their game plans through the mighty force of the ballot paper, Kunhalikutty said. He claimed that the entire country recognised and appreciated the IUML leadership for upholding the secular fabric and communal harmony of the country. Today, faced with several of their own senior leaders coming out together to expose BJPs dangerous and devious designs, to cause tensions in the country, the frustrated and discredited elements like Yogi are trying to malign our progressive political forces, the IUML leader said. Stating that Adityanaths statement was highly objectionable and illegal,Kunhalikutty said IUML has urged the Election Commission to take appropriate action against such forces who are out to tarnish the image and secular credentials of IUML. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had tweeted that the Muslim League is a virus and the Congress was affected by it. Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he cannot survive and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Think, if they win what will happen? This virus will spread in the entire nation, Adityanath had tweeted. ? Chowkidar Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 5, 2019 He also brought in the 1857 movement for freedom and its hero Mangal Pandey. In 1857, entire country fought against Britishers with Mangal Pandey, then this Muslim League virus came and spread in such a way that the country was divided, he said. The same threat is looming over the country again. Green flags are once again furled. Congress is suffering from Muslim league virus,remain alert, another of his tweets had said. PTI shalender@tribune.com Pune, April 5 Congress president Rahul Gandhi today reiterated his love for PM Narendra Modi and also berated him for humiliating BJP veteran LK Advani. Interacting with students in Pune, Gandhi said he loves Modi, but begets anger from the latter. I love PM Modi. Genuinely, I have no hatred or anger towards the man, but he (Modi) has anger towards me, he said. I genuinely do not have anger towards him, he said. Addressing a poll rally at Chandrapur later, Gandhi said Modi had humiliated Advani, adding disrespecting ones guru was not Hindu culture. Gandhis swipe at Modi over the treatment meted out to Advani follows the BJP patriarchs blog published yesterday where he said his party never considered political adversaries as anti-national. The BJP talks of Hinduism. In Hinduism, guru is supreme. It talks of guru-shishya tradition. Who is Modis guru? Advani. Modi just kicked Advani out (joota marke stage se utara), Gandhi said. The remark was a veiled reference to Advani not getting the Lok Sabha poll ticket from Gandhinagar, from where the BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah instead. During his interaction with students, Gandhi said his partys manifesto was an expression of the people of India and ruled out burdening the middle class to fund the anti-poverty scheme Nyunatam Aay Yojana (Nyay). The Opposition party has said if voted to power, it will give Rs 72,000 per year as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, a move Gandhi has termed a surgical strike on poverty. Targeting industrialist Anil Ambani over the Rafale offset contract, he said, A person who is not able to make even paper planes bagged the biggest defence contract with Rs 30,000 crore going directly to him. The entire budget of MNERGA scheme was given to a single person. Gandhi said the Congress poll manifesto was given the final shape after consulting all stakeholders. The middle class will not be taxed and income tax will not be increased to implement the Nyay scheme, he said. PTI shalender@tribune.com Tribune News Service Lucknow, April 5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked Opposition parties for being soft on terror, thus compromising on nation security. He alleged when India killed terrorists inside Pakistan some people in India were upset. They want to be heroes in Pakistan, he said. Addressing election rallies at Amroha and Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh, the PM said there was a wave for a mazboot (strong) government. Targeting the earlier Congress, SP and BSP governments, Modi said during their time, terror blasts were a common feature be it Lucknow, Bholenaths city of Varanasi, Ram Lallas birthplace of Ayodhya or CRPF camp in Rampur that claimed lives of the innocent. The culprits of those attacks were tracked down by investigative agencies, but they were often released by the bua-babua (read Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) governments due to vote bank politics. Comparing their rule with his five-year tenure, Modi said the chowkidar the people have placed in Delhi promises to trace such culprits from the depths of the earth and severely punish them. At Saharanpur, without naming the Congress candidate Imran Masood, Modi said while some speak of boti-boti (chopping into pieces), he was concerned about the security and dignity of beti-beti (daughters). It may be recalled that during the 2014 election Masood had reportedly threatened to chop Narendra Modi into pieces. Describing the mahagatbandhan as mahamilawat, the PM singled out RLD president and Muzaffarnagar candidate Ajit Singh, accusing him for standing with those who instigated Muzaffarnagar riots. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Islamabad, April 6 Pakistan has said that it will not accept the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution in Kashmir, saying it would be a violation of UN resolutions. The Article 370 is a "temporary provision" with respect to Jammu and Kashmir and restricts the applicability of various provisions of the Constitution by "curtailing" the power of Parliament to make laws on subjects which fall under the Union and Concurrent lists. Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal, while addressing the media in Islamabad on Friday, made the comments on the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, saying it will be in violation of the UN resolutions. "The abrogation of Article 370 of Indian constitution is violation of UN resolutions. We will not accept it under any circumstances and the Kashmiris will also not accept it, he said. Senior BJP leaders have repeatedly emphasised the party's commitment to abrogate Article 370 from the state. According to media reports, BJP President Amit Shah said it remains committal to remove the Article from the state but their lack of majority in Rajya Sabha is the reason why it has not been done so far. Shah's comments were met with some sharp criticism from political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said when the country got independence, a Constitution was created in which certain provisions were kept by which the state's identity could be safeguarded. "It included Article 370 and Article 35A. Unfortunately, some of our leaders made Article 370 hollow for their personal gains," he said. His father and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah had said that the relationship between New Delhi and the state will be over if Article 370 is repealed. PTI Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: The autobiography of RJD chief and former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, titled "Gopalganj to Raisina-My Political Journey', has triggered a political storm in Bihar after he compared CM Nitish Kumar to a monkey in the book. The foreword of the autobiography, which will be released soon, has been written by Sonia Gandhi. The line which appears in Chapter 11 of the book has angered the JD(U) and other leaders of the NDA. Reacting to the remark, senior JD(U) leader Ashok Chaudhary said the book reflected the political culture of the RJD and its leaders like Lalu, who had never used decent language with anyone. KC Tyagi of the JD(U) also condemned the comparison, saying, "It shows how Yadav has become sick in his thought." Deputy CM of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi said the book was nothing but a bundle of lies. On the other hand, Prem Chandra Mishra, a senior leader of the Bihar unit of the Congress, said, "Whatever may be the type of language used, Nitish Kumar has proved himself as the most unreliable politician". Lalu's second son and former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said the word 'bandar' has been used in the book for Nitish on the basis of his political flip-flops from one alliance to another. In the book, co-authored by former journalist Nalin Verma, Lalu also said that Nitish wanted to return to the Mahagatbandhan within six months of rejoining the NDA in Bihar and had sent an emissary Prashant Kishore to meet him. Lalu claims in the book that Kishore had tried several times to facilitate Nitish's return to the Mahagatbandhan but the RJD refused to accommodate him back in the fold. Lalu said he told Kishore that Nitish had lost all credibility and the door was shut for his return. Kishore, however, rubbished the revelations as 'bogus' and 'bullshit'. The book is coming out soon after Nitish revealed in a TV interview that Lalu is in constant touch with politicians through the telephone from prison after being convicted in connection with the fodder scam. In Bihar, attacking and mocking political opponents in books is not a new practice. Recently, deputy CM of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi had also published a book titled "Lalu-Leela" on the fodder scam in which Lalu was convicted. Prior to this, Modi had also authored a book titled "Chara-Chor: Khazana Chor" much to the discomfiture of Lalu's family. In response to the book by Modi, Tejashwi had announced that he would author a book called "Nitish-Modi Leela", which is yet to be published. amansharma@tribunemail.com Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Sangrur, April 6 The division among Punjab Congress leaders on caste lines has sharpened further after the announcement of three more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. The leaders belonging to Mazhabi Sikh and Balmiki communities have accused the party of ignoring them and taking care of only Ramdasia community. There are four reserved seats in Punjab Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib and Faridkot. But the Punjab Congress has not given even a single seat to Mazhabi Sikh and Balmiki community despite the fact that of the 32 per cent Scheduled Caste population in state, 20 per cent are from these two communities, said Poonam Kangra, who had applied for Congress ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib. She is state general secretary of Punjab Youth Congress and women wing, besides a member of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee. Around 40 candidates from both Mazhabi Sikh and Balmiki communities had applied from the four seats, but the party has not found even a single eligible candidate. If Congress really wants the welfare of our community, we are even ready to contest from general seats because we do not want to change any SC candidate from any other seat, she said. After the announcement of candidates today, Poonam Kangra also presided over a meeting of the community members at Sangrur and decided to take up the matter with party president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in New Delhi. Dr Amar Singh lost last assembly election from Raikot and now party has given him Fatehgarh Sahib ticket. What is his contribution? Party leaders are surprised over his nomination. I and my supporters would oppose him, she said. Dalit Welfare Sangthan Punjab president Darshan Singh Kangra and other leaders of the Sangthan alleged that some leaders of Punjab are misguiding their seniors and its injustice with their community. We do not have a minister from our community and now Congress has insulted us further. Next week, we have called a state-level meeting at Sangrur and will announce our future course of action, said Darshan Kangra. Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar did not attend calls on his mobile phone for a comment. editorial@tribune.com Gurdaspur, April 5 The 16-year wait to cast her vote in Indias General Election is almost over and Tahira Maqbool, who came from Pakistan in 2003 when she got married to an Indian citizen, is counting each day. The 37-year-old will exercise her right to franchise in the 2019 Lok Sabha from the Gurdaspur constituency, which goes to the polls on May 12. Its a moment that has been 16 years in the making, said Tahira, who will be voting in a parliamentary election for the first time in her life. I could never vote in Pakistan due to its rigid and inconsiderate government policies. This ended in India after a long wait of 13 years when I first cast my vote in the Punjab Assembly elections in 2017. Now, I will exercise my franchise for the first time in the parliamentary elections, an excited Tahira said. This is my right, I will definitely cast my vote for the candidate who is capable of taking India to greater heights, she added. Tahira came to India from Faisalabad in Pakistan in December 2003 and settled in Qadian, a small town in Gurdaspur district, after getting married to Indian resident Maqbool Ahmad, a writer by profession. Now an Indian citizen, she remembers vividly the many difficulties she faced after she got married. I got an Indian visa after almost eight months and it was later extended 13 times in 13 years. It was a big challenge as I had to follow many restrictions, including limited access to cities and taking permission to go up to Amritsar, the mother of three said. Tahira took an oath of loyalty to the Indian Constitution and completed all legal formalities in 2011. It was not until April 2016, five years later, that she was enrolled as a voter after getting Indian citizenship. Its been a tumultuous time, said her husband. Relations between the two countries nosedived after the 2001 attack on Parliament. Maqbool couldnt go to Pakistan to marry her and Tahira couldnt come here either. It was only in 2003 that Tahira got an Indian visa and the couple got married. Voting is a big moment for Tahira and for her husband too. Finally, the time has come. After 16 years of waiting, I will go to a polling station with my wife to vote in the worlds biggest election, said Maqbool. He appealed to the Union Government to relax norms so Pakistani women married to Indian citizens dont have to wait for so long to get citizenship. PTI uttara@tribuneindia.com Chandigarh, April 6 Aam Aadmi Party announced candidates for Patiala and Ferozepur seats on Saturday for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Nina Mittal (47), the party's trade wing chief, is the party's candidate from Patiala, a press release said. Harjinder Singh Kaka, a 48-year-old farmer, will contest from Ferozepur. Mittal, an alumna of Punjabi Univeristy, is a social worker from Rajpura. Kaka is from Talwandi Bhai area. AAP has already announced candidates from eight parliamentary seats. It has yet to announce contestants from Bathinda, Khadoor Sahib and Ludhiana. Punjab has total 13 Lok Sabha seats. The seven-phased Lok Sabha polls will be held from April 11 to May 19. Punjab will vote in a single phase on May 19. Votes will be counted on May 23. PTI editorial@tribune.com Amritsar, April 5 Of the eight Congress MLAs, only Sunil Dutti attended the maiden press interaction of MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, who has again been nominated as Congress candidate from Amritsar for the ensuing Parliamentary elections. However, rural wing president Bhawantpal Singh Sachar was conspicuous by his absence despite the fact that the programme was scheduled at Congress (rural) office. Similarly, partys urban president Jatinder Sonia too could not attend the programme. Accompanied by former urban president Jugal Kishore and councillor Vikas Soni, the sitting MP didnt forget to recall the names of each and every MLA for their support. He admitted to have faced opposition from within the party, yet he viewed that the party awarded him another chance keeping in view his achievements during the short tenure. He whiled away to justify the absence of Cabinet ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, OP Soni and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria. They were busy with their prior commitments, but I spoke to them. I am in regular touch with Sidhu and Soni. Similar regard is for our minister Sarkaria, he said. TNS editorial@tribune.com Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 5 Commemorating the centenary of Mahatma Gandhis protest against the Rowlatt Act, the National Martyrs Memorial Committee, Jalandhar, has planned to take out a rally from the Colonial House, which was the official residence of General Reginald Dyer in Jalandhar Cantonment tomorrow. The rally, which will have representation of ex-servicemen, college principals and students, will move on bikes, cars and buses towards Jallianwala Bagh. The rally would reach Jallianwala Bagh in the afternoon, ahead of the centenary of the massacre falling next week. It was from this house of General Dyer on the Mall Road that he had moved towards Jallianwala Bagh with his troops, arms and ammunition on April 13, 1919, the massacre day. Anoop Watts, president of the committee, says, Earlier, this house had his old plate too, which has now been removed. Madhusudan Sharma, general secretary, says, Just two days before the massacre, Gen Dyer had held a meeting with the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab Michael O Dwyer, who had stayed in the same house. Members of the committee shared their knowledge from the books that they have read, General Dyer is learnt to have come here only a year before the massacre as a temporary Brigadier General of the 45th Infantry Brigade. A silver oak tree that he had planted here still stands. He used to frequent to the Officers Club, Jullundur Gymkhana Club, here riding a horse or camel. Says Watts, We have planned an event at Jallianwala Bagh wherein few persons from the families of the victims of the massacre would be honoured. Former minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Shahi Imam of Punjab Habib-ur-Rehman and former minister Darbari Lal will be among the dignitaries present. sanjiv@tribunemail.com TODAY the Indian nation will make its united protest against the passing of the more important of the Rowlatt Bills into law. Individuals, political bodies, public meetings of citizens held in particular areas, the Press and, last but not least, non-official members of the Indian Legislative Council and of some of the Provincial Councils have already made the protest on their own account. Today all these more or less isolated activities will be collected together and as far as possible made into a whole. All who have hitherto taken part in the protest have done in a more or less representative capacity. Except for the not too many public meetings that have been held to discuss the measure, the actual protest has been confined to a large but still limited section of the community. The wider and more important section has, indeed, throughout been behind their representatives, strengthening them with their strength and supporting them with all the moral sympathy and fervour of which they were capable but they have had no opportunity so far, as they could not possibly have, of actively demonstrating their opposition. It is for the two-fold purpose of affording them this opportunity and of bringing the scattered elements of opposition in different parts of the country to a common focus that Mr. Gandhi has devised the scheme of protest that is to be brought into operation today. Two things were clearly essential for the purpose. One was that a particular day should be set apart for the common protest of the whole country; the other was that the form of protest should be such that a very large proportion of the people might take an active part. Public meetings held on one and the same day at very nearly the same hour, at which more or less identical resolutions should be passed, were, of course, an essential and indispensable part of the programme. singhking99@yahoo.com Vaibhav Sharma Smartphone makers have been grappling with a dilemma for a while now how to make the screens bigger while further reducing the size of the phones? They began by eliminating the bezel around the display but things such as a front-facing camera needed to be accommodated, hence the notch was introduced. But how to go further, and eliminate the notch too? The manufacturers have found the answer in foldable smartphones. Companies like Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi have all showcased their take on foldable smartphones, and some interesting devices are likely to hit the market in a few months. In fact, 2019 could well turn out to be the year of foldable phone/tablet hybrid. The Technology The traditional smartphone display used a liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, built around a glass base. The modern organic light-emitting diode displays (OLED), however, do not rely on backlight to light up each pixel is capable of emitting light, and thats why these displays have better contrast and deeper blacks as well. With foldable displays, the manufacturers have started printing the OLED screen technology on a thin layer of plastic that could be moulded into various forms without breaking. Apples iPhone X is actually an example of the foldable display; the fold, though, is not visible to the user. The display extends right to the bottom, and the remaining portion is bent behind it. The foldable smartphones are taking this concept to the next level with the display tolerance that can endure thousands of such folds. However, this nascent technology is not without its challenges. The plastic displays are more prone to scratches than glass. Besides, no one really knows how the display will hold up in the real world. Whats Apple thinking? Apple had filed patents for foldable smartphones in 2014, 2016 and 2017 but, in keeping with its normal practice, theres no information on when these phones would hit the market. Google, on the other hand, announced in 2018 that Android would get the native support for foldable displays. It has even published documentation to help app developers get their apps ready to adapt to this new paradigm. The functionality would be an advanced version of what we had seen in Nokia Communicator devices such as E90. Royole Flexpai The only foldable smartphone currently on sale comes from a startup based out of Fremont, California. Announced in October 2018, it is also one of the cheapest of the lot with the 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant costing Rs 90,857. It features a form factor somewhat similar to the Mate X; however, it does not look as polished and the screen doesnt fold flush. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC ensures that the hardware isnt a slouch, although the companys Water OS that runs atop Android 9.0 is a little round around the edges. No official sales channels have been announced for India so far. Coming Soon Samsung Galaxy Fold One of the most anticipated devices of the year, the Galaxy Fold is slated to go on sale from April 26, though in select markets. It involves the use of two displays, a smaller 4.6" screen as its cover, and a bigger 7.3" screen when it opened up. The bigger screen makes you feel as if youre holding a mini tablet. It also packs a mindboggling six cameras a triple camera system, similar to that of Galaxy S10, a front-facing 10-megapixel shooter, and two cameras that are only accessible in tablet mode. As a result, this state-of-the-art device is priced at a steep Rs 136492. The release date or India specific pricing has not been announced yet, but Samsung has confirmed that it would be available in India. Motorola & Xiaomi While nothing has been officially announced yet, Motorolas (now owned by Lenovo) take on a foldable smartphone may be the most interesting. The company is planning to relaunch the iconic Moto Razr, but with the insides being all display this time. A design patent filed by Motorola in 2017 demonstrates this modern twist to the old-school classic. Unlike other players who are trying to bring the tablet experience to the phone, Motorola just wants to make small clamshell phones cool again. Xiaomi has teased its foldable smartphone on social media, without officially unveiling it. The design is similar to the Mate X, because the screen folds outward. But instead of folding back in half, the Xiaomis design folds the display from both sides. This gives users an edge-to-edge display while using it in phone mode, which would not be possible with the Mate X. Hauwei Mate X Announced soon after the Galaxy Fold, Huaweis version of the foldable smartphone managed to garner even greater critical acclaim, thanks to its polished looks. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the Mate X folds outward. This allows Huawei to make the device thinner, as it only needs to house a single screen that has a 6.6" viewing area when closed, or an 8" panel when you flip it open. Another advantage of this setup is the cameras that are located at the back; they can work for selfies as well, with the folded half of the screen acting as the mirror. The downside to this form factor is that the display is always exposed, and hence risks picking up micro scratches every time its laid down. The Mate X has a Kirin 980 processor and a pair of batteries that combine to give it 4500 mAh of battery life. At Rs 179,232, it will be even more expensive than the Galaxy Fold when it is launched sometime in the middle of 2019. The device is expected to hit the Indian shores but no India-centric pricing has been announced by the company. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Kuldeep Chauhan All trash and junk produced in Shimla for treatment goes to the waste-to-energy plant at Bhariyal, located in the periphery of Shimla city. But even after two years, the waste-to-energy treatment plant is yet to generate energy from the plant. The private firm which had set up the plant is yet to install the gas generating machines at the site, said sources in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), which signed the MoU with the company to run the plant. SMC did not spend a penny on the plant and the entire cost of the project (Rs 42 crore) was borne by the company. Heaps of waste The plant was set up at Bhariyal after the National Green Tribunal pulled up the SMC and the State Pollution Control Board for their failure to check environmental pollution created by untreated garbage in and around the capital city. NGT is still monitoring the operation of the plant, sources said. It is not only Shimla city alone that disposes its waste at Bhariyal, even Solan and Theog towns dispose of the garbage here daily. In all, these three civic bodies are disposing about 80 to 90 tonnes of garbage daily at the plant, sources said. Out of this, about 70 tonnes comes from Shimla, while the rest comes from these two towns. Locals a harried lot The plant has come as a major irritant for locals staying near the site. They complained that the state pollution regulator and SMC have made their life miserable by setting up a plant near their village. The SMC had promised them that it would redesign the landfill site, but there has been no respite from the stench that the site generates. Shimla Mayor Kusum Sadret visited the site last year. Villagers in the vicinity told her that they inhale nothing but stench from the decomposed mountain of waste piled up at the site. Rains only add to their miseries, they said. Not only this, visitors coming from Shimla to the Jubbarhatti airport, brave the stench while crossing the Bhariyal site every day. The company has spent about Rs 42 crore on the waste-to-energy plant, but is yet to generate green energy from the site, as the SMC is yet to redesign the landfill site. The company rushed into running the plant by getting old gas-generating machineries from Delhi in August 2017, which failed to function properly, due to which the problem arose, sources said. Produces RDF and sells it to Ambuja Cement plant The plant, however, produces the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from waste. The old machines have failed to generate the targeted 1.5 MW of green energy from RDF, the state pollution regulator revealed during a recent inspection of the plant. The green energy was to be sold to the State Electricity Board and the revenue, so earned, would have gone to the company, sources in SMC said. The regulator has served notices to the SMC and the company for not running the plant properly. The SMC has been asked to redesign the landfill site to prevent leakages and breeding of flies and mosquitoes, said a senior environment engineer in the State Pollution Control Board. SMC officials said the company got four gasification machines from Germany. It is selling the RDF to the Ambuja Cement plant, which uses RDF as fuel in its plant, they said. The Mayor said: SMC sprays disinfectants at the site to stop breeding of flies and mosquitoes. The company has been asked to run the plant properly. The SMC is redesigning the landfill site and the process is on. About the plant sanjiv@tribunemail.com San Francicso, April 5 With Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos agreeing to a divorce settlement today, his ex-wife, MacKenzie Bezos, is set to own about four per cent of the companys common stock, a stake worth roughly $36 billion. In a tweet, MacKenzie Bezos said she would keep 25 per cent of the couples Amazon stock, which should give her a four per cent stake in the company, CNN reported. Happy to be giving him all of my interests in the Washington Post, Blue Origin (private space company) and 75 per cent of our Amazon stock plus voting control of my shares, she tweeted. Replying to his ex-wife, Jeff Bazos tweeted that he was grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process. If MacKenzie Bezos decides to sell her shares in Amazon, the buyer will have to enter into an agreement with Jeff Bezos to grant him the rights to vote those shares, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the report said. The pair first announced plans to separate in January following reports of Jeff Bezos cheating on his wife, claims that he denied later. The net worth of Jeff Bezos after Amazon took off is estimated to be around $150 billion. IANS MacKenzie worlds 3rd-richest woman pardeepdhull@gmail.com United Nations, April 6 Seven human rights and press freedom groups are urging the United States, Britain and France to speak out publicly about the trial in Saudi Arabia of 11 people charged in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi which their diplomats are attending. The groups said in letters to foreign ministers of the three countries obtained Friday that providing information and much-needed transparency would enable some scrutiny of the fairness of the trial. In addition to reinforcing the fair trial rights of the accused persons, the groups said making information public would guard against potential scapegoating of some individuals. They also said that transparency around the trial can work to guarantee that the court proceedings do not cover up the alleged involvement of the Saudi leadership. A global outcry was sparked by Khashoggis grisly killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October by Saudi agents, in an operation directed by former top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Last week, the independent UN human rights expert on extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, who is leading a human rights investigation into Khashoggis killing, denounced the shrouded trial and called on the kingdom to identify the defendants. She also warned that the five permanent UN Security Council nations invited to attend some court hearings the US, Britain, France, Russia and China risk being participants in a potential miscarriage of justice and could be complicit if the trials turn out to involve violations of human rights law. The seven groups urged the US, Britain and France to press the Saudis to allow observers from the UN human rights office and international human rights and media organizations to attend the trial. They did not write to or make similar requests of the Russians and Chinese. But they did say: Concerned governments should take the necessary steps to ensure that they do not provide cover for what could be a sham trial. Doing so would also run the risk of enabling authorities in Riyadh to find a set of individuals guilty, without due process, while whitewashing the possible involvement of the highest levels of the Saudi government, the rights and media groups said. The seven groups are Amnesty International, Article 19, Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, PEN America and Reporters Without Borders. AP Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service ITANAGAR: Sukur Ali aka Milan, a 26-year-old daily wager, is contesting the Parliamentary elections from Assams Dhubri constituency to develop his Modati village. His rivals include the states richest candidate, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal of minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). Ajmal has assets worth Rs.75 crore and he is also the Dhubri MP. Ali said Rs.30,000 is all that he has in his hand to go to polls. He owns a plot of land whose worth is around Rs.2 lakh. He ekes out a living by toiling as a boatman and daily wager. The Class XII-passed Ali, who is a bachelor, alleged Ajmal had won the 2014 elections by hoodwinking the people of Dhubri. He (Ajmal) had begged for votes in the last elections promising to build roads and bridges. However, he did neither visit our areas nor did anything for us in the past five years, Ali alleged, adding, As my village is under-developed, I decided to contest the polls and develop it. I want to develop the whole of Dhubri. Asked if he can defeat a biggie like Ajmal, a confident Ali said nothing is impossible if someone has the blessings of Allah. Only a poor understands the plight of the poor. People living across villages in Dhubri district are poor. They have already started giving their support and blessings to me, Ali claimed. He is taking the help of social media to reach out to the voters. I am visiting the houses of voters on foot as I dont own a car. I am also taking the help of social media to reach out them, he added. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Washington, April 6 US President Donald Trump paid a visit to the US-Mexico border on Friday, following a week of confusing comments over whether he'd shut it down. The President stopped in Calexico, California, on Friday afternoon to tour replacement border fencing and participate in a border security roundtable. According to the Arizona Republic, the two-mile stretch replacement barrier he'll see was authorised prior to when he came into office, but a plaque on the bollards calls it "the first section of President Trump's border wall." During the roundtable, Trump said the immigration system is full, regardless of whether the individuals seeking to come into the US are seeking asylum or not, CNN reported. "The system is full. We can't take you anymore. Whether it's asylum. Whether it's anything you want. It's illegal immigration," Trump said. "Can't take you anymore ... I'm sorry. So turn around. That's the way it is." He also repeated his claim asylum seekers were perpetrating a hoax on the US. "They have lawyers greeting them. They read what the lawyer tells them to read. They're gang members and they say 'I fear for my life,'" he said. "They're the ones who are causing fear for life. It's a scam, OK? It's a scam. It's a hoax. I know about hoaxes. I just went through a hoax," Trump said to laughter in the room. "So our system is full. We're not taking them anymore." The visit follows a series of threats Trump made calling for Mexico and Congress to shape up or face the closure of the southern border. The initial threat Trump issued last week was that he'd close down the southern border within a week if Mexico didn't increase migrant apprehensions on its southern border, where Central American migrants seeking to move northward may eventually try to illegally enter the US. The threat then evolved earlier this week when Trump began to push the responsibility from Mexico to Congress, after the White House began to claim that Mexico was doing more to stop border crossings and shifting its one-week ultimatum to an indefinite deadline. But by Thursday, Trump's demand morphed into a tariff threat. He said he'd give Mexico a one-year warning and potentially implement a 25 per cent auto tariff if the country didn't stop the flow of illicit drugs being smuggled into the US. The tariffs, he suggested, would make a border closure unnecessary. "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 per cent, will be massive." Despite the clear pivot, Trump said on Friday ahead of his California departure that he "never changed his mind" about his threat to close the southern border. "I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point, but I'd rather do tariffs," Trump told reporters. "The tariffs will work just like they've worked with steel," he said. The auto tariff, he added, "supersedes" the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. The President also said he's "looking at an economic penalty on all the drugs that are coming in through the southern border and killing our people." However, further details on the potential economic penalties or the auto tariffs have yet to be announced by the Trump administration. Trump, during Friday's roundtable on the border, called his one-year warning on a southern US border closure "fake news." IANS A FORMER United States soldier was among two Morvant men who were robbed and shot dead when The way in which the Omicron variant slipped into the country emphasises why it is better to Manish Anand By Express News Service MUZAFFARNAGAR: Lush green wheat crops standing alongside sugarcane fields mark the rural landscape of western parts of Uttar Pradesh. Blessed with extensive irrigation network and fertile land, farmers in the region are seen as more affluent than their counterparts in other parts of the state. But notwithstanding the scenario, farmers stressed income is a huge debating point, though hectic electioneering has tended to push the issue of agrarian distress to the backburner for now. However, caste the all-pervading, all-consuming factor has come to the fore as the single issue that would decide the polls. A cross section of farmers across the region Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Kairana and Saharanpur made it abundantly clear that agrarian distress is an issue of discourse, but not that big to galvanise the farming community to influence their individual voting choices. None of the promises to implement the Swaminathan Commission report, including minimum support prices (MSP), have been implemented. Union Minister Rajnath Singh, in the run-up to the 2014 polls, had promised to increase support prices of sugarcane by 50 per cent, but it wasnt fulfilled, noted Jaiveer Singh, a Jat in Kutba village in Muzaffarnagar, from where the incumbent MP Sanjeev Balyan hails. However, he added, Farmers arent a voting block, as they are flocking to candidates on caste lines and issues not related to agriculture. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE The farmers said they face a number of problems in realising a good price for sugarcane sold to sugar mills. UPs sugar minister Suresh Rana hails from the region. Yet, we dont get support in paperwork, while our gain is just about Rs 50 a quintal after factoring in all costs. But farmers are looking at larger issues, including an effective government at the Centre, when it comes to making electoral choices, Shekhar Pundir, a Rajput of Sisouli village in Kairana Parliamentary constituency, said. The announcement of directly crediting Rs 6,000 annually in three installments of Rs 2,000 each by the incumbent NDA government, with an eye on the polls, has fuelled animated discussions amongst the farming community. My family is fully dependent on agriculture and in times of reduced income, Rs 6,000 is an insult to us. It (NDA) could have raised minimum support price (MSP) by 50 per cent, as advocated by experts, Mukul Sharma, a Muzaffarnagar resident, said. Rajat Balyan, a young Jat and millennial voter retorted, This government announced it will spend Rs 75,000 crore annually for farmers. Its a measure not undertaken by any previous dispensation. Should the government not undertake other activities like development projects and only dispense cash to people? Balyan said. Despite the agrarian woes that farmers are confronted with, the common discussion thread among them appeared to be caste when it comes to voting choices. Asked which way their support would go, a cross-section of farmers unhesitatingly claimed that at the end of the day, caste will supersede the real issues. Agrarian distress isnt a legacy of this government. It has been there for decades. People have a tendency to condemn the incumbent government on the eve of elections. But at the time of casting their votes, they follow caste affiliations, Lalit Kumar. a resident of Sisouli village in Muzaffarnagar said. TROY, N.Y. Justin Mann of Schenectady pleaded guilty on Friday afternoon in Rensselaer County Court, to four counts of second-degree murder. Mann will be sentenced to 25 years to life on each count and those counts will run concurrently to one another. The murder counts stem from a quadruple homicide in a Lansingburgh apartment in December of 2017. The bodies of Shanta Myers, 36, her two children, Jeremiah Myers, 11, and Shanise Myers, 5, and Brandi Mells, 22, were found in a basement apartment at 158 2nd Ave. on a Tuesday afternoon by a property manager, who was responding to a call asking him to check on the tenants in that apartment. At the time, then-police Chief John Tedesco described it as the most troubling homicide case he had seen in more than four decades as a cop. After being in this business for nearly 42 years, I can say I have never seen savagery like this, said Tedesco. Only a person of savagery would do something like this. Manns co-defendant, James White, awaits trial which is set to commence on April 29, 2019 in Rensselaer County Court. Prior to their arrests in connection with this case, according to state prison records, Mann served nearly three years on a first-degree robbery conviction in the New York City borough of Queens and was released on parole June 1, 2017. White had served about a decade in prison on a 1999 manslaughter conviction, but records indicate he was not on parole at the time of his arrest. Deputy President William Ruto has led a host of Jubilee politicians to congratulate Wiper party's Julius Mawathe and David Ochieng of Movement for Democracy Growth for winning the Embakasi South and Ugenya constituencies by-elections respectively. Mawathe and Ochieng whitewashed Irshad Sumra and Christopher Karan of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in the Embakasi South and Ugenya contests in that order. READ ALSO: ODM's Irshad Sumra concedes defeat in Embakasi South by-election In a tweet seen by TUKO.co.ke on Saturday, April 6, Ruto said the two deserved victories reflected the will of the voters and not politicians agenda, wittingly mocking ODM for losing the contests perceived to be a litmus test for the Raila Odinga's led party. According to the DP, the wins by candidates from ODM's rival parties represented the voices of majority ordinary Kenyans. READ ALSO: Moses Kuria asks Raila to be his running mate after ODM's humiliation in Embakasi South, Ugenya by-elections "The hustler nation has spoken. The people have spoken. Glory by to the Almighty God," read Ruto's tweet. The deputy president's sentiments were echoed by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who said Ochieng and Mawathe won because they represented the interests of the people and not selfish political pursuits. "The people of Ugenya have demonstrated humility, hard work and service to humanity matters more than empty rhetoric and riddles," Murkomen tweeted. Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa insinuated ODM's loss was due to lack of development agenda. Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot said ODM failed to present its agenda and focused on tainting Ruto's reputation hence the loss. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenyans insist 'Huduma Namba' is Satanic- TUKO TV Source: Tuko News - The deputy president said the Opposition should focus on uniting its parties before advising Jubilee - He observed the Opposition had failed in its role of keeping government in check - According to Ruto, Jubilee was organised and Opposition chiefs did not have moral authority to guide it on how to lead Deputy President William Ruto has hit out at the Opposition saying the faction is disorganised and cannot advise the ruling Jubilee party on how to run the country. The DP observed the Opposition had failed to put its house in order and it was ironical for leaders from the outfit to consistently point out the governments failure in the name of fighting corruption. READ ALSO: DP Ruto congratulates Ugenya, Embakasi South by-elections winners, says hustlers spoke William Ruto with a section of Jubilee MPs. The DP said the Opposition was disorganised and could not advise Jubilee on how to lead a country. Photo: William Ruto/Facebook. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: ODM admits Ugenya, Embakasi South by-elections were tough following huge loss Speaking on Friday, April 5, in Isiolo county, the DP said the Raila Odinga led unit had failed in its role to keep the government on check and had no moral authority to lecture the leading party on how to run the countrys affairs. I want to urge all Jubilee leaders not to be distracted by people who have failed to do their job in the first place. Utterances of some leaders on the fight on graft are shallow and baseless. Investigative and prosecution matters alongside judicial issues should be left to relevant institutions, said Ruto. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the operations of the Opposition saying its duty was to keep the government on check and not drive agendas that would divide the country as some leaders were already doing. Opposition leaders dont have moral authority to counsel Jubilee on leadership at a time their house is unstable. They need to fix the small matter of putting their parties together before trying to lecture a national party, he said. The fight on graft has ignited friction between Rutos and Railas allies occasioning to heated verbal exchanges in public functions. The DP referred to the Opposition as "a bunch of political brokers" who were not in touch with struggles of ordinary Kenyans. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenyans insist 'Huduma Namba' is Satanic- TUKO TV Source: Tuko Express News Service LUCKNOW/ITANAGAR: Raising the BJPs campaign pitch in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sought to the turn the tables on the Congress over the hate debate. Reminding the people of Saharanpur of the infamous boti-boti (cut into small pieces) jibe of Congress candidate Imran Masood, he accused the Grand Old Party of patronising such elements who openly threatened to cut people into pieces. The Opposition threatens us with boti-boti (cutting into pieces) and we talk of ensuring honour and safety of beti-beti (daughters), he said. The PM was referring to Masoods hate speech in the run-up to 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he was jailed for using objectionable language against Modi, then Gujarat CM and BJPs prime ministerial candidate. In Amroha, the Prime Minister played the nationalism card and accused the Opposition of having a single point agenda of Modi hatao. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Bua and Babua (BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav) treated terrorists with kid gloves for the sake of votes. They used to set the perpetrators of terror attacks free, he claimed. Mamata, Shah spar on NRC, Citizenship Bill West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused PM Modi of fooling the people of Assam by doling out the twin lollipops of National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Not just the Muslims, some 22 lakh Hindus were left out of the NRC. We are fighting to get their names included in the list. No political party supported them but we were always with them, she said at a rally in Dhubri. Some 350 km east of Dhubri, in Jagiroad, BJP president Amit Shah said, The Congress had encouraged infiltration of immigrants. Give us 5 more years, we will make sure that even birds from Bangladesh dont fly into Assam. By Online Desk Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who had recently quit the BJP, on Saturday officially joined Congress during a function in the party headquarters in New Delhi. Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala were present in the function. He earlier tweeted: "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on April 6, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas (Foundation Day) of the BJP. ALSO READ: Shatrughan's wife Poonam Sinha to contest against Rajnath Singh in Lucknow "I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru and guide LK Advani." Sinha is a sitting Member of Parliament from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, where the Congress is an alliance with the RJD. Sinha had on March 31 said he decided to go with the Congress as it was a national party in the "true sense" and family friend Lalu Prasad also advised him to do so. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE He said leaders such as Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, among others, wanted him to join their respective parties, but he had made it clear that whatever be the situation, the constituency he would be contesting in the Lok Sabha polls would be Patna Sahib. The actor-turned-politician, who has been criticising the Modi government for long, said it was "painful" for him to leave the BJP with which he has had such a long association, but was disturbed at the treatment meted out by the party to stalwarts such as L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha. (With inputs from IANS) Occupation authorities in Donetsk provided an opportunity for Coordinator of the Humanitarian Working Group at the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), OSCE Ambassador Toni Frisch, to visit only one third of Ukrainian hostages, whose names were included on the list with a request to visit them Ukraine's representative in the Humanitarian Working Group, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Herashchenko, wrote this on her Facebook page on Saturday. "In general, he was provided with an opportunity to see only one third of those whose names were on our list with a request to visit them," Herashchenko wrote. She added that according to preliminary information, Tony Frish visited occupied territories in Donetsk, met with four military hostages, who had been detained for more than four years despite the efforts of the Ukrainian side. iy The Ukraine-EU mini-summit, which was held Brussels with the participation of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and leaders of the European Union, is a signal of support for Ukraines European integration aspirations ahead of the March 31 presidential elections. President Poroshenko told this to journalists in Brussels on March 20 before the meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. Id like to thank the leadership of the European Union, since the mini-summit, which is held today [March 20] is a unique in its format. Since Ukraine has never met simultaneously with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament, vice-presidents, members of the European Commission, with whom we have a very dense agenda, said Poroshenko. He also stressed that the mini-summit was held ten days before the presidential election in Ukraine. This is an absolutely clear format of support. Not just the support for Poroshenko, but the support for Ukraine, our European aspirations. Ukraine now needs this support. The time is crucial for Ukraines future. Either Ukraine continues its development along with its own Ukrainian path, continues the integration into the EU and NATO, putting on the agenda the issue on complying with the criteria of its future membership, or a possible reversal is not ruled out, Poroshenko stressed. iy Global contest announced by the World Future Council, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), with the support of the Office of the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Youth Policy Labs. Hamburg/New York- On the eve of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum and the 140th IPU Assembly, the World Future Council, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the support of the Office of the United Nations Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Youth Policy Labs, have kicked off a global call for nominations to identify and honour the worlds most successful policies enabling youth empowerment. Every year, the most visionary policies tackling humankinds most pressing challenges are celebrated through the Future Policy Award (FPA) , the only global award that recognises policies for the benefit of present and future generations. The World Future Council has awarded this annual prize since 2010 in partnership with UN agencies and the IPU. Recognising that youth empowerment is critical to achieve the Agenda 2030 and address key sustainable development and justice challenges, the Future Policy Award 2019 will put the spotlight on policies that empower young people through decent and sustainable jobs as well as civic and political participation for sustainable development and peace. Youth empowerment: key to achieving a fairer, more just and sustainable future Today, there are 1.8 billion young people - the largest generation the world has ever seen. The majority of them live in the so-called developing world. They are almost three times as likely as adults to be unemployed. Yet young people embody the potential of a society and play a crucial role as key architects of the future of their families, communities and countries. Young people are on the frontlines of political and social change and have the power to renew cultures as well as maintain important traditions. With the multiple global challenges we face climate change, unsustainable food systems, dramatic loss of biodiversity, water scarcity, growing inequalities, conflicts and much more - it is absolutely critical that youth empowerment is promoted and supported through inclusive, effective, inspiring and innovative laws and policies that promote their rights and speed up common action. It is also vital that youth voices are heard and that they meaningfully participate in the design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of such laws and policies for example, through parliaments, civil society organizations, and other formal and informal means. The award will highlight proven policies that effectively promote and scale up local, national and international youth empowerment solutions. We seek policies that advance the economic empowerment of young women and men in decent and sustainable jobs, for instance, youth skills development programmes that pave the way for youth to build the green economy we need. It also encompasses youth entrepreneurship or programmes targeting particularly marginalized groups including women. We also seek inspiring policy and legislative frameworks that enable much more civic engagement and political participation of youth. This includes, for instance, policies that promote enhanced youth representation in politics and decision-making, and enable the integration of youth at all levels of governance. Representatives of international organizations, academia, non-governmental organizations, parliaments, government agencies, and others have until the 26th April to nominate exemplary policies through the online form (available in English, at http://bit.do/eNoZb) or with a word version of the form (available on request, in English, French and Spanish, at: fpa@worldfuturecouncil.org). Winners will be selected by a high-level jury of experts and announced in October 2019 at an award ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia, during the 141st IPU Assembly. For further information, please visit: https://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/p/2019-empowering-youth/. Youth at a crossroads Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator and Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group says: Youth are powerful agents of change, driving important conversations and actions today on critical issues like climate change, peace building, and social entrepreneurship. In recognition of this role, UNDP supports initiatives globally that recognize, promote, and support youth leadership, expanding civic space for youth and encouraging youth-led innovation. At a time when world youth population is bigger than ever before, only 2.2 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide are under 30 years of age. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the youth political deficit. Representation is a source of strength. Laws and policies that empower youth and better include them in decision making results in better outcomes for people of all ages and future generations. This Future Policy Award is a timely opportunity to share and celebrate laws and policies that have proved successful. I call on you all to nominate your experiences not only for a chance to win the Award itself, but to inspire further action around the globe, underlines Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the IPU. This years Future Policy Award will celebrate proven solutions that make youth empowerment a reality. The World Future Council is determined to work with its partners in order to identify and share the best policies for advancing decent and sustainable jobs and civic and political participation in the interest of sustainable development and peace. It is critical that we learn from policies that are already making an impact, says Alexandra Wandel, Executive Director of the World Future Council. In the world there are 1.8 billion young people, the largest generation ever. Most of them live in developing countries where they tend to make up a large proportion of the population. This reason should be enough to understand the crucial importance of effective youth policies to promote young peoples meaningful political and civic engagement, as well as their economic empowerment and access to decent and green jobs, says Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, United Nations Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth. The winners of the 2019 Future Policy Award will be celebrated at a high-level award ceremony at IPUs 141st General Assembly in Belgrade (Serbia) in October 2019, convened by the World Future Council in partnership with IPU and UNDP, with the support of the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, the ILO, the Michael Otto Foundation, the Jua Foundation and Youth Policy Labs. The Award Ceremony typically brings together more than 200 decision-makers, including heads of state, ministers, permanent representatives, parliamentarians, youth, heads of international organisations and leading civil society organisations from across the world. Follow the 2019 Future Policy Award on Twitter with #FuturePolicyAward and #FPA2019 CONVENING PARTNERS The World Future Council The World Future Council brings the interests of future generations to the centre of law and policy making. The Council consists of 50 eminent global change-makers from governments, parliaments, the arts, civil society, academia and business. Together they form a voice for the rights of future generations. The Council addresses challenges to our common future and identifies and promotes effective legislative and policy solutions among decision makers. www.worldfuturecouncil.org The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the world's organisation of parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organisation, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, IPU comprises 178 national parliaments and 12 associate members. It empowers youth by supporting parliaments to better provide access to youth to political decision-making, and include a youth perspective in legislation and policies. We build capacities of young MPs and provide platforms for them to coordinate actions at the global, regional and national levels. We also monitor youth representation in parliaments and issue policy and legislative guidance to boost it. https://www.ipu.org/ The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP recognizes, supports and promotes the role of young women and men as agents of change and has implemented its first-ever UNDP Youth Global Programme since 2016. https://www.undp.org SUPPORTING PARTNERS UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth The Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth serves as a global advocate for addressing the needs and rights of young people, as well as for bringing the United Nations closer to them. The Envoy's Office is part of the United Nations Secretariat and supports multi-stakeholder partnerships related to the United Nations system-wide action plan on youth and to youth volunteer initiatives. The office also promotes the empowerment and foster the leadership of youth at the national, regional, and global levels, including through exploring and encourages mechanisms for young peoples participation in the work of the United Nations and in political and economic processes with a special focus on the most marginalized and vulnerable youth. The UN Envoy on Youth works on realizing the Youth2030: The United Nations Strategy on youth. https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/ The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency for the world of work. It sets international labour standards, promotes rights at work and encourages decent employment opportunities, the enhancement of social protection and the strengthening of dialogue on work-related issues. The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice. The only tripartite U.N. agency, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men. www.ilo.org Youth Policy Labs Youth Policy Labs is the leading global think-tank specifically focusing on youth and is hosted by the Berlin-based NGO Demokratie & Dialog e.V. We operate at the junction of research and journalism, producing high-quality and well-researched knowledge with the aim of improving public policies that affect the lives of young people. We champion the development of youth policies, promote young people as researchers, facilitate international discussion on youth policies, and advocate for stronger coherence within the United Nations and donor agencies on youth rights, policies and programmes. Our team is made up of youth policy experts, youth researchers, and young journalists. Our publications are published under Youth Policy Press, a global publishing house on youth issues. http://www.youthpolicy.org/ With special thanks to the Michael Otto Foundation and the Jua Foundation. For media queries: World Future Council- Samia Kassid, Senior Project Manager, The Rights of Children and Youth, Tel: +49 (0)40 307 09 14 18, email: samia.kassid@worldfuturecouncil.org; media@worldfuturecouncil.org Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)- Thomas Fitzsimons, Director of Communications, Tel: +41 (0)79 854 31 53, email: tf@ipu.org United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)- Sangita Khadka, Communications Specialist, Tel.: +1 212 906 5043 email: Sangita.khadka@undp.org ; noella.richard@undp.org UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, strongly rejects the widespread allegations against its workforce in a recent press article, which risks jeopardizing the future of refugees in dire need of resettlement. UNHCR is one of the biggest and most operational UN agencies, working in 138 countries and serving 68.5 million people. The overwhelmingly majority of our 16,000 personnel are deeply committed professionals, many of whom are working in difficult environments, sometimes risking their own safety. As with other organizations, we are not immune to risk or failure on the part of individuals. This is why we have a solid safeguarding structure, which has been further strengthened in the last two years, and which we continuously seek to improve. We are fully committed to ensuring the integrity of our programmes. Our workforce is also systematically reminded of the obligation to abide by the highest standards of conduct and to make sure that all their actions are free of any consideration of personal gain. Every report or allegation of fraud, corruption or retaliation against refugees by UNHCR personnel or those working for our partners, is thoroughly assessed and, if substantiated, results in disciplinary sanctions, including summary dismissal from the organization. Investigations at UNHCR on possible misconduct by our workforce are carried out by the Inspector Generals Office (IGO), which is an independent oversight body. It consists of expert investigators, with a strong background in law enforcement, military, war crimes tribunals or people who occupied similar functions in private companies and other international organizations. In recent years, additional investigators were recruited and some stationed in Nairobi, Pretoria and Bangkok enabling them to deploy rapidly and to have a better understanding of local contexts and issues. UNHCR disciplinary measures have been reinforced, with a 60% rise in the number of disciplinary actions taken by the High Commissioner between 2017 and 2018. Referrals to national authorities are undertaken systematically in cases involving conduct that may amount to criminal conduct and waivers of immunity facilitated. In addition, we have significantly strengthened our risk management capacity and skills in the past two years. We now have a solid network of some 300 risk officers, focal points and managers in our field operations and at HQ to help ensure that risks are properly identified and managed, that the integrity of our programmes is further enhanced and that the risk culture is reinforced across the organization. The prevention of fraud, including identity fraud, is key to ensuring the integrity of our resettlement programme. This is why we use biometrics in registration, including iris scans and fingerprints, in the majority of refugee operations where we operate, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. Biometric registration makes theft of identity virtually impossible and biometric screening of refugees is done at various stages of the resettlement process, including right before departure. In other places, such as Libya and Yemen, where security conditions do not allow us to deploy such a tool, we take all possible preventive measures related to fraud. We are acutely aware that refugees are at times approached by people trying to defraud them. For example, reports and investigations have found multiple occasions where people pose as UNHCR officials, using fake ID cards and claiming that they can influence the resettlement process. While it is impossible for UNHCR to root out ground level imposters, we have taken renewed action to raise awareness among refugees, help them recognize and report fraudsters, reminding them that all services provided by UNHCR and its partners are free. Resettlement is highly sought after by refugees. UNHCR considered 1.2 million people to have resettlement needs in 2018 alone, while less than 60,000 people were resettled last year. In 2019, those needs further increased. The fact that the needs for resettlement are far greater than the places available is a factor that weighs heavily in favor of those wishing to exploit desperate refugees, many of whom have lived many years in refugee camps, with no foreseeable end to their plight in sight for themselves or their children. UNHCR strives to ensure that refugees have proper means to provide feedback. This is essential to ensure their protection and the very reason why we completed last year a survey across 41 countries. We are using the information on the communication systems most commonly used by our beneficiaries such as complaint boxes, hotlines, emails, social media and face to face interaction and existing challenges to strengthen these mechanisms. In Kenya, for instance, refugees can report misconduct of any staff member of UNHCR, a partner or a contractor by email ([email protected] or [email protected]), by filling in a webform (www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php), by using complaints boxes that are available at all UNHCR offices or by calling our toll-free local Helpline (800720063). UNHCR recognizes its responsibility to protect refugees, particularly those who come forward and cooperate with an investigation to root out misconduct. Significant attention has been devoted to strengthening measures to protect witnesses and people of concern who cooperate with an IGO investigation and these efforts are continuing. We have put a specific protocol in place, with steps taken during the investigation phase, including in the conduct of interviews, the anonymization of testimony and redaction of investigative findings and reports. When it comes to our own staff being targeted, our record is clear: If a staff member is found to have retaliated against another member of our workforce for reporting wrongdoing, it leads to dismissal. We have a robust policy to protect staff members that are retaliated against. In September 2018, we issued a new policy on Protection against Retaliation, which now includes our affiliate workforce, expands the scope of the activities considered as protected and extends the timeline to report. It also provides interim measures to safeguard the interests of the complainant and strengthens corrective measures. We also launched a confidential independent helpline available to all colleagues who wish to report misconduct or obtain advice on what to do when in doubt. This helpline is managed by an external provider and is available 24/7 by phone, through a web form and an app. It offers the possibility to report in complete anonymity. We are committed to eradicating misconduct from our organization. If we receive pertinent information concerning alleged fraud, corruption or misconduct by a member of our workforce, we take action, and if the allegations are substantiated, act to end such inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour. UNHCR encourages anyone, including refugees and journalists, with information about suspected fraud or other wrongdoing to contact its Inspector Generals Office without delay at http://www.unhcr.org/inspector-generals-office.html. ENDS Rights activists checked the availability of 34 Ukrainian sites from 10 different Crimean providers in nine settlements across the peninsula. Occupation authorities in the illegally annexed Crimea are massively blocking Ukrainian websites, among them 12 news outlets and two social networks, say monitoring data compiled by Crimean Human Rights Group. The survey was held in February-March this year. Human rights activists checked the availability of 34 Ukrainian sites from 10 different Crimean providers in nine settlements across the peninsula. The monitoring showed that 12 sites from the general list have been blocked by all 10 providers. The most situation is worst in the city of Simferopol. The local provider "Mechta" has blocked 31 of the 34 sites covered by the monitoring. Read alsoNATO package to support Ukraine in Black Sea contains confidential provisions Klimkin It is noted that only a few sites are blocked with in line with the requirements of Russia's watchdog Roskomnadzor. It's either a failure to connect to the site or an "Error 403". At the same time, providers in Crimea are blocking even those sites that are not listed in the register of those banned in Russia, since the legislation of the Russian Federation has no grounds for restricting access to such resources. The blocking of the Ukrainian media in Crimea, combined with the incitement of hatred toward Ukrainians, allow for a more effective influence on the minds of young people of draft age. Militarization of people's minds, incitement of hatred, and blocking alternative sources of information is used by the Russian Federation for committing a war crime conscription of residents of Crimea to army ranks by the occupying authorities, as well as promoting voluntary acts of joining the army of the occupants. The unreasonable restriction of access to information is a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights, human rights activists say. As UNIAN reported earlier, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people said that the Russian authorities are counting on another referendum on the status of the occupied Crimea, which, according to the Russian Federation, will help to finally legitimize the annexation of the Ukrainian Peninsula. That is why there Russia has been actively resettling Russians from mainland to Crimea in parallel lines with forcing Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars to leave the peninsula. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has been holding regular military exercises on the peninsula. A group of warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet returned to its base in Sevastopol after conducting missile fire drills in the Black Sea, Radio Liberty reports. "In addition to the missile boats Ivanovets and R-60, which directly carried out live fire drills, 14 surface ships and support vessels of the Black Sea Fleet returned to their permanent deployment sites. The latter took part in closing off the test site to ensure the safety of civilian shipping," reads the RFE/RL report. Read alsoTwelve Ukrainian websites completely blocked in occupied Crimea The press service of the Black Sea Fleet did not officially announce the training exercise. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has been holding regular military exercises on the peninsula. The General Staff of Ukraine calls illegal such actions by the Russian military in Crimea. ODIHR's press service urged the head of the European Parliament's delegation to the election to tone down the delegation's contribution to a joint press release by removing wording about "the ongoing Russia-waged war against Ukraine" and replacing it with a reference to "the ongoing conflict in the east." The European Parliament has accused the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) of whitewashing a press release about the Ukrainian presidential election by watering down critical wording about Russia, according to a sternly worded letter seen by RFE/RL. The letter, dated April 4 and signed by two senior members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on behalf of the European Parliament, describes "an unprecedented and unacceptable incident" involving the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR), which monitors elections, RFE/RL reports. According to the letter, ODIHR's press service urged the head of the European Parliament's delegation to the March 31 election, Polish MEP Dariusz Rosati, to tone down the delegation's contribution to a joint press release by removing wording about "the ongoing Russia-waged war against Ukraine" and replacing it with a reference to "the ongoing conflict in the east." "Rosati made it clear that he understood the constraints faced by the OSCE...but stressed he would not depart from his original text," the letter said. "He therefore agreed that the European Parliament would not be quoted at all in the joint press release prepared by the ODIHR." Despite reassurances from ODIHR, it said, copies of a joint press statement with the "unacceptable" watered-down wording were made available throughout the joint press conference by the monitors in Kyiv on April 1 and were "distributed to the numerous journalists present." Read alsoOSCE coordinator visits Ukrainian hostages in Donetsk (Photo) The letter was addressed to Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the director of ODIHR in Warsaw. It was signed by British Labour Party MEP Linda McAvan, who chairs the European Parliament's Development Committee, and German center-right MEP David McAllister, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee. The "issue at stake is extremely serious. It infringes on the right of the European Parliament, as an independent and sovereign international organization, to express its own views on a specific topic," the letter said. It asked ODIHR to provide an explanation ahead of the April 21 runoff vote between incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Reached by telephone on April 5, ODIHR spokesman Thomas Rymer told RFE/RL the organization would respond directly to the European Parliament, saying that "the proper way is to respond to their concerns directly to them." Read alsoUkraine elections keep getting better: U.S. officials assess first round of presidential vote "As I understand we've received the letter, and in any case with any partner organization of course we would send a reply and we would...work with them," Rymer said. He did not comment on the substance of the accusation. The perpetrator had been calling in social networks for altering the borders and constitutional order of Ukraine and popularized the DPR and LPR terrorist organizations. In Ukraine's Odesa region, law enforcement officials have exposed an anti-Ukrainian online propagandist, the press service of the SBU Security Service office in Odesa region has told UNIAN. The man acted in the interests of the aggressor state, it is reported. It was established that the perpetrator had been posting information on his personal accounts in social networks calling for altering the state border and the constitutional system of Ukraine. Read alsoHead of Russian news agency's office in Ukraine goes on trial for treason media He also popularized the DPR and LPR terrorist organizations. The detainee had received texts for publication from Russian propaganda internet publications and pro-militant websites run by the illegal armed groups. During the authorized investigative actions, SBU operatives found in the perpetrator's apartment computer equipment and mobile devices with materials confirming illegal activities. The man was charged under Part 1 of Art. 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine with infringement on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. The investigation is underway. Russian and pro-militant media have been spinning reports showing Frisch "warmly embracing" local "puppet occupation authorities," which sparked outrage among former hostages and families of those still held in captivity. Coordinator of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Toni Frisch has traveled to Donetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine's Donbas occupied by Russian proxy forces amid the ongoing hybrid war, where he was able to see part of Ukrainian nationals militants had been holding hostage. A preliminary report by Vice Parliament Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko, who is also Ukraine's humanitarian envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas settlement in Minsk, says Frisch was only allowed to meet four troops who had been held in captivity for more than four years already, as well as two illegally imprisoned civilians. According to preliminary information, Toni Frisch never met with other hostages, to whom the Ukrainian delegation in Minsk insisted that he be allowed access, including Stanislav Aseyev. In general, he was only allowed to meet only a third of those who we insisted he surely visit. At all recent meetings in Minsk, the Ukrainian side sharply raised the issue of bans on phone calls and the actual ban on written correspondence, Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. Read alsoOSCE spots Russia's brand new military equipment in occupied Donbas Also, she commented on the format of Frisch's communication with representatives of Donetsk occupation authorities. According to the MP, Russian and pro-militant media have been spinning reports showing Frisch "warmly embracing" local "puppet occupation authorities," which sparked outrage among former hostages and families of those still held in captivity. I understand the emotions of hostages' relatives and we've freed, and I also believe that the declared impartiality and equidistance of the OSCE representatives requires that their public behavior around the illegal "authorities in Donbas be more restrained," she wrote. "We will definitely focus on this issue in Minsk, the parliamentarian wrote. Ukrainian troops spotted the militant's "ridiculous attempts" to bypass Ukrainian positions from the flank. A soldier of the 100th separate motorized rifle brigade of the Russian occupation forces was detained in Donbas as he was attempting to carry out his mission to commit acts of sabotage in the rear of the Ukrainian forces defending the lines in Kurakhivsky direction, the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters reported. The saboteur was detained at around 3:00 overnight Saturday. "The saboteur who was sporting a civilian outfit turned out to be a private of the 3rd battalion of the 100th separate motorized rifle brigade, Andrei B. The troops who were carrying out their combat mission spotted the ridiculous attempts of the militant to bypass our defense lines from the flank," the statement reads. Read alsoOne soldier killed in action in Ukraine's Donbas in sniper fire It is noted that after he was arrested, the militant provided the necessary information to the JF intelligence. As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 5, Ukrainian military captured a militant of the Russian occupation forces from the same 100th separate motorized rifle brigade. Also, Russian-occupation forces carried out armed provocations with the use of grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns in the area of Shyrokyne, Starohnativka, and Opytne. Donbas invaders on April 6 fired at the positions of the Ukrainian troops seven times, including twice with the use of weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements, according to the Joint Forces Operation HQ. Also, Russian-occupation forces fired at positions of JF units using arms installed on infantry fighting vehicles, as well as grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms. Read alsoOSCE coordinator visits Ukrainian hostages in Donetsk (Photo) In the area of responsibility of the operational-tactical grouping "Skhid" [East], the enemy six times fired at Ukrainian strongholds: from 120mm mortars -- near the village of Pavlopil; from weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, as well as large-caliber machine guns -- near the village of Pisky; from heavy grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns -- near the village of Shyrokyne; from anti-tank grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns -- near the village of Opytne; from anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms -- in the area of Starohnativka and from anti-tank missile launchers -- near Avdiyivka. The Joint Forces returned fire. Enemy losses are being specified. As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 5, the occupiers violated ceasefire 17 times in the Joint Forces Operation zone, with one Ukrainian defender reported as killed in action and another two injured. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: With the advent of pious days Chaitra Navratri the SP-BSP-RLD alliance partners are all set to sound their poll bugle officially from Deoband on Sunday, just four days ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11. The Muslim-dominated area is one of the five assembly segments of the Saharanpur parliamentary constituency in western UP, with the four others being Behat, Saharanpur, Saharanpur Dehat and Rampur Maniharan. The western UP seats will go to the polls in the first three phases on April 11, 18 and 23. While UP CM Yogi Adityanath had also chosen Saharanpurs most revered shrine of Shakumbhari Devi to launch BJPs high voltage campaign a fortnight back, the choice of Deoband by the grand alliance will take the voters back to the days of Mandal and Kamandal politics of UP. However, the Congress is yet to cut a space out for itself. The alliances choice to open its campaign from Deoband offers a peek into its strategy in western UP. The BJP had swept all 14 seats in the region in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Deoband, apart from being the seat of Darul Uloom, Asias biggest seminary of Islamic education, had also hogged the limelight for the 2017 caste clashes and emergence of the Bhim Army in the last two years. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE BSP chief Mayawati, who agreed to stitch an alliance with arch-rival Samajwadi Party, in UP, forgetting all the past bitterness, did not wait for an auspicious day to kickstart her partys campaign which was launched in Odisha last week. On the contrary, Akhilesh has been going slow and silently following his strategy of last years bypolls not to convene big rallies to avoid polarisation of voters in the region. This polarisation had led to the opposition's decimation in the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 Assembly elections. Muslims along with Dalits and OBCs make a respectable chunk of alliance voters. Deoband could be the best venue to convey the message to Muslims which are dominant here, says a senior SP leader. Moreover, Shabbirpur village, which was rocked by the Dalit-Thakur caste conflagration in 2017, is also located in the constituency. Thus an appeal of alliance from Deoband would hit its vote bank straightaway, adds the SP leader. Political pundits, however, believe that the presence of Mayawati in Saharanpur will leave a long-lasting impact on Dalits of this region. The rally has been planned at the fag end of the campaign in the first phase so that its impact remains fresh in voters minds, says a senior BSP leader, seeking anonymity. The Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad's closeness to the Congresss Saharanpur candidate Imran Masood and Priyanka Gandhis recent visit to him in Meerut hospital had unnerved Mayawati. The BSP chief, in fact, has always condemned the Bhim Army chief as a BJP agent. However, despite the long-standing wrangling between Mayawati and Azad, the latter has declared his support to the alliance. Moreover, it is also a battle of survival for Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary and their success entirely depends on the revival of the winning equation of Muslims and Jats which was badly hit after the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013. Deoband is strategically situated close to the Jat-dominated belt of Meerut, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat. In all, the alliance has chalked out a campaign plan comprising 11 joint rallies throughout the state across the seven phases of the elections. The SP and BSP, which announced an alliance in January, will field 37 and 38 seats respectively. The RLD, which is also a part of the alliance, will fight from three seats. By IANS NEW DELHI: Producer Anand Pandit says the team of "PM Narendra Modi" is planning to release the film in 38 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE. Directed by Omung Kumar, the film narrates the story of Modi from his humble beginnings to becoming the Prime Minister of India. "PM Narendra Modi's life has great interest not just among Indian audiences but also cinema-goers across the world. We plan to release the film not just in the country but in at least 38 countries," Pandit, one of the producers and distributors of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a statement. "The film will release in 1700 screens in India and we plan to release it in about 600 screens overseas," he added. The release date of "PM Narendra Modi" has been set for April 11, when the Lok Sabha elections begin, the makers announced on Friday. It will be available in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. The team is planning to release it on the same day in other countries as well. Earlier, the makers of "PM Narendra Modi" received flak for planning to release the movie on April 12. Its release date was then changed to April 5. The film's makers later deferred its release from April 5, following the Supreme Court's decision to set the date to hear a plea seeking to block the movie's release, for April 8. Pandit said: "Now there should be no doubt on what the film is. It is a cinematic product. Those who have questioned the film and asked for a ban on it are the ones who have tried to stifle freedom of expression. "Isn't it hypocritical that the very people who criticise when other films are banned are now calling for a ban on 'PM Narendra Modi'?" However, a plea by Aman Panwar, a Congress spokesman, contends that the release of the Modi biopic ahead of the election would disturb the level playing field. Dismissing the criticism against the film as being propaganda, Pandit said: "This is a film that is inspiring and at the same time entertaining. Those who are calling it agenda-driven haven't even seen the film. "We have not made this film to glorify the Prime Minister or counter the questions raised by the opposition parties. We have focused on his journey instead of getting into hardcore politics." Conversion of Grade II-listed barristers' chambers into extension to neighbouring Apex Temple Court hotel, resulting in the creation of 20 bedrooms, bar, and restaurant. (@FahadShabbir) DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 06th Apr, 2019) A Dubai-based school has partnered with Dubai Cares, raising funds to help build a school in Senegal. The Repton School Dubai successfully raised a total of AED142,000 to further support education programs for underprivileged children in rural Senegal. The initiative, in association with Dubai Cares, is part of the Adopt a School programme that focuses on enriching the lives of children in developing countries by providing access to quality Primary education. An official cheque handover ceremony was held at Repton School Dubai in the presence of the pupils, David Cook, Headmaster; Michaela Barber, Head of Junior School; Holly Tighe, Student Council Coordinator of Repton and Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares. Through this initiative, Repton School will fund the construction of a two-classroom community-based school in Senegal, providing education for 60 children during the day and 60 adults in the evening in a rural community. Pupils from the Junior Schools Student Council along with parents have independently raised a generous amount of AED142,000 through various fundraising events such as national day stall, winter fayre, Emirati Childrens Day and a dirham makes a difference campaign. A team of 15 people from the Repton community will also be travelling to Senegal in October 2019 to begin building the foundations of the projects first phase. Tariq Al Gurg said, "We are grateful to Repton School for its generous contribution and commitment to Dubai Cares. I had the privilege to visit the school and interact with the students and witness their clarity of thought and energy, which I highly appreciate and admire. It's obvious that they feel very committed towards supporting children and young people in other parts of the world who face challenges that stand in their way to have access to quality education." Commenting on the school's achievement, David Cook said, "We are delighted to join hands with Dubai Cares on their noble mission of making education accessible to the underprivileged communities in Senegal. Basic quality education is essential in enabling children to become active participants of the society in which they live and in guaranteeing them a decent standard of living. We hope this contribution will help build a brighter future and make a significant difference to the lives of underprivileged children and adults who face many challenges." (@ChaudhryMAli88) ISLAMABAD, Apr 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Apr, 2019 ) :Kerry Logistics Network Limited of Singapore and Laotian Sitthi Logistics Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishment of a joint venture todevelop a dry port in the Vientiane Logistics Park in Laos. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone,as the guest of honour. The move is part of Kerry Logistics' development strategy to seek accelerated growth in ASEAN by developing an integrated Greater Mekong Region platform covering Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, said a message received here. The dry port would be developed over an area of around 35 hectares, to be developed in phases for the transfer of cargoes at Vientiane, which connects the railway lines between China and Thailand from Kunming to Bangkok. The dry port is not only expected to help attract investment to Vientiane and its surrounding areas, but also turn the city into a major economic hub along the Belt and Road trade routes. George Yeo, Chairman of Kerry Logistics, said, "We at Kerry Logistics are proud to play arole in the development of Laos and what will become an important economic corridor between China and Southeast Asia. We are fortunate to have in Sitthi Logistics a strong local partner. Together with Sitthi Logistics, we will work hard to make the dry port project a success and an asset to the Laotian economy." Under the MoU, Kerry Logistics will provide management expertise, while Sitthi Logistics will provide local support. The facilities will allow the logistics industry to transport goods by road and rail and create an efficient logistics system to accommodate a range of industries and facilitate distribution along the economic corridor between China and Thailand. To enable the Laotian economy to benefit from the Kunming-Bangkok rail and to fully utilise the plentiful resources and labour in Laos, the Lao government is introducing economic incentives and conducive regulations for the building of an efficient logistics centre in Vientiane. In 2018, Kerry Logistics completed the first phase of the inland port in Mandalay and the inland port in Yangon.With stronger growth anticipated to persist in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia and India, Kerry Logistics will continue to leverage its established network in Asia to take advantage of the booming intra-Asia trade and maintain its business growth in Asia. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a meeting with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany Andreas Michaelis, and the sides discussed issues related to the situation in Syria, Middle East settlement, Libya and North Korea, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2019) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a meeting with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany Andreas Michaelis, and the sides discussed issues related to the situation in Syria, middle East settlement, Libya and North Korea, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. According to the statement, the consultations took place on Friday in Berlin. "The sides discussed in detail issues related to maintaining the central role of the United Nations in international relations and issues related to reforming the organization. The regional files of the Security Council's agenda Syria, the Middle East settlement, Libya, Yemen, North Korea and others were discussed in detail," the statement said. According to the ministry, the consultations confirmed the mutual interest in the dialogue on main issues, taking into account Germany's non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Fawaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: In the first election rally in Srinagar city, National Conference president and sitting MP Farooq Abdullah on Sunday demanded United Nations probe into Indian Air Force (IAF) claim of shooting down a Pakistan F-16 aircraft on February 27. The NC held a poll rally at Gindun Park, Rajbagh in uptown Srinagar. It was the first election rally by a political party in Srinagar. About 300-500 NC workers participated in the rally, attended by all top NC leaders, including its president Farooq Abdullah, and vice president Omar. ALSO READ | PM took credit for Balakot air strike, can he even hold a rifle, asks Rahul While addressing the party workers, Omar raised questions on Indian claim of conducting air strikes in Balakot and shooting down of F-16 by an Indian fighter jet. PM Narendra Modi sent three jets at 3 am of February 26 for three seconds and they only managed to bomb trees in Balakot. Now, Pakistan is seeking compensation for the loss of its trees, he said. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Abdullah said BJP chief Amit Shah is claiming that IAF bombed JeM camps and killed 300 terrorists. But where are the bodies? Even killing of two people makes news. Why there was no cry over killings of 300 people in the Indian air strike, he said. Referring to IAF claim that its Mig-21 Bison shot down F-16 during a dogfight on February 27, Abdullah said, They claim of shooting down F-16 but we have not seen it. Yes, but we saw our own jet coming crushing down along with his pilot. It was shown on television. Dam said ties between Vietnam and the IAEA have been growing in recent years via technical cooperation projects, including developing nuclear infrastructure in healthcare, agriculture, industry, environmental protection, food security, and climate change response. According to him, the IAEA contributed to raising the capacity of building Vietnams legal documents in the fields of nuclear energy, radiation, and nuclear safety management. Mokhtar herself also assisted Vietnams medical establishments in using nuclear technology in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The host wished that the IAEA and Mokhtar would continue supporting Vietnam in registering new technical cooperation projects, personnel training, and building a nuclear science and technology research centre. The IAEA Deputy General Director, for her part, said Vietnam is the first country she chose to visit after assuming the position. Lauding Vietnams achievements in adopting nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, she said she hopes to learn about the countrys nuclear technology application in socio-economic sectors during her visit. During the stay, she visited several research and medical establishments using nuclear technology. She also held working sessions with the Ministry of Science and Technology as well as the Ministry of Health to discuss specific technical cooperation activities in the near future. By PTI NEW DELHI: United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday launched an offensive on the Modi government, saying people are being taught a new definition of patriotism while those not accepting diversity are being called patriots. Speaking at an event here, Gandhi alleged the current government was not ready to respect dissent, and said when there are attacks on people who stick to their faith, this government turns away. "Today, we are being taught new definition of patriotism while those not accepting diversity are being called patriots," Gandhi said. She said the country's soul is being crushed through well-planned conspiracy, which is a matter of concern. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Gandhi also alleged that the BJP-led government was not ready to fulfil its duty of enforcing rule of law in the country. On the Congress's poll promises, Gandhi said if the party comes to power, a system will be developed to monitor their implementations. "I have no doubts about the promises we have made. After our government is formed, a system will be in place to monitor their implementation," she said. The Bishop of Kakamega has challenged communication coordinators of various Kenyan Dioceses to embrace and promote the reading culture in the country by forming small book clubs, groups for book reviews and reading in parishes and Small Christian Communities. Rose Achiego - Nairobi, Kenya Bishop urges improvement in the reading culture Addressing diocesan coordinators, radio managers and print editors at the JJ McCarthy Spiritual Centre in Nairobi, this week, Bishop Joseph Obanyi who is also the Bishop-Chair of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission for Social Communications, observed that Kenyans have a poor reading culture. He said there is the need for communications offices in the dioceses, through the coordination of the national office, to teach the love for literature in the people. Kenyans have a poor reading culture. Help them to embrace reading of books. Many of them just read social media, which does not have rich content. Form groups and motivate people to read, to have a basis of discussion on well-thought issues. Bishop Obanyi said. Extend training to more dioceses Bishop Obanyi thanked the National Office lead by Br. Elias Mokua SJ, for piloting the training of parish communication agents in seven Kenyan dioceses as a way of building a strong Catholic Communication News Network. The Bishop said the training exercise should be extended to more dioceses. I thank the Commission for Social Communication for empowering parishes and small Christian Communities by training parish communication agents who are now helping our radios and print in content generation and giving people information that enriches them spiritually, he said. Use social media for evangelisation Bishop Obanyi further told participants to boost the growth of the Church by being relevant in using the tools of social media for evangelisation. He urged them to highlight sensitive issues affecting the Church objectively without shying away from telling the truth. Bishop Obanyi encouraged participants to highlight social issues in the community like the importance of child protection in order to bring about change and healing to society. KCCB General Secretary, Fr. Daniel Rono and Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Communication Department Coordinator, Fr. Andrew Kaufa, also graced the meeting that brought together over 30 communicators from the various dioceses and media houses. Xenophobia in South Africa has caused victims and continues to create social tension in the run-up to Presidential elections in May 2019. By Linda Bordoni In South Africa, xenophobic violence has erupted yet again, in a cycle that is being fueled by an election campaign in which politicians are ramping up anti-immigrant rhetoric in a country where foreigners are easy targets. Presidential and administrative elections are scheduled for 8 May. Unconfirmed reports said that two people were killed last week when Malawians, living among South Africans in a squatter camp on the outskirts of Durban were attacked by their neighbors. Violence against Mozambican migrants in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra has led to a total shutdown of the area, with community members accusing city authorities of failing to stop the mushrooming of illegal structures in the area. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for law enforcement agents to identify and prosecute those involved in the attacks on foreign nationals. His statement came as Pope Francis, during his apostolic visit to Morocco, issued a passionate plea for host countries to treat immigrants with humanity. Sheila Pires is a journalist, host and producer for Radio Veritas in Johannesburg. She told Linda Bordoni that the flare up of xenophobic violence is connected to the electoral campaign and has its roots in corruption. Listen to the interview with Sheila Pires Whenever we have elections in South Africa, populist talk gets loud, Sheila Pires said. Lately, she added, the issues of land re-distribution and the right to government housing for poor South Africans has sparked xenophobic violence. She explained that in settlements like Alexandra, in Johannesburg, where there have always been large numbers of foreigners, mostly from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, corruption poisons relationships and prevents peaceful cohabitation. Because, she said, you have corrupt officials who instead of respecting official waiting lists and allotting the houses to those who have a right to them, they sell the RDP homes to those who can afford to buy them. In many cases, she explained, the new owners are foreign nationals who can afford to buy because they have set up shops or found employment. This, Sheila said, fuels anger and xenophobia on the part of locals. Divisive electoral campaign Sheila also speaks of populist electoral campaigns in which hate speech and unsubstantial promises have the power to sway a largely poor population in dire need of healthcare, education and employment. She recalled that South Africa is a young country in the sense that it has enjoyed democracy only for the past 25 years and said that the nation still has a long way to go in order to be able to offer a system in which all have access to justice and equality. Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada (RTSNV), the local affiliate of the national nonprofit Rebuilding Together, will celebrate National Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 27. In celebration of RTSNVs silver anniversary, 33 teams comprised of approximately 1,000 volunteers will revitalize 21 homes in Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. The home modifications will be completed at no cost to recipients. Our clients often live with limited resources and are forced to choose between food and needed medicine over critical home repairs, said Bob Cleveland, RTSNV Executive Director. Thats why National Rebuilding Day is so important to us it provides us the opportunity to transform the lives of our neighbors in need by relieving them of the costs and concerns related to the everyday health and safety of their homes. The homes selected by RTSNV will receive critical repairs as well as maintenance work. Critical repairs include: installation of new plumbing and HVAC systems; roof repair; water heater INSERT ment; ADA modifications such as grab bars, safety rails and other accessibility adjustments; and other major home rehabilitation work. Maintenance work completed by volunteer teams on National Rebuilding Day includes exterior painting, xeriscaping, property clean up, debris removal and other minor repairs. RTSNV was founded in 1994 and is one of 132 Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country. Since that time, the nonprofit has renovated 7,800 homes in Southern Nevada, equating to a total of 468 city blocks. In addition, RTSNV has reinvigorated dozens of nonprofit facilities and community spaces, including Shade Tree, Easter Seals, Transition Services Inc., Girl Scouts, and Boys and Girls Club. Those making repairs to the 21 homes include volunteer teams from Wells Fargo; North Las Vegas Fire Department; Mortenson-McCarthy; Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican; Southwest Gas; The PENTA Building Group; CBRE Las Vegas; The Raymond Group; University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV); Keller Williams Realty; NV Energy; United States Air Force (USAF); Sherwin Williams; Aqua Plumbing LLC; Capital One; Stewart Title; Vegas Homes Realty; KHS&S Contractors; JPMorgan Chase; Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (GLVAR); KVVU-TV FOX 5; F.E.I. Construction; Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP); Mission Support; Team Rubicon; Sunburst Shutters; Nevada State Bank; MGM Resorts International; KB Home; Arizona Pipeline; Northern Pipeline; Gonzales Team; and Pepperdine Las Vegas Waves. April is National Rebuilding Month, Rebuilding Togethers month-long call to service, which concludes on National Rebuilding Day. Throughout the month, more than 33,000 volunteers will come together to complete more than 1,000 rebuild projects across the country. The H'Lang settlement village in Krong Pa District of the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. It is part of the province's programme to provide stable residence and livelihoods for the free migrants.-VNA/VNS Photo Hoai Nam However, this spontaneous internal migration has threatened the regions fragile ecology, posed risks to social order in the security-sensitive region and strained the budgets of already cash-strapped local governments who have to provide livable conditions for the migrants. According to official statistics, in 2005-17, the Central Highlands, comprising Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces, with a total area of 54,600sq.m and a sparse natural population of merely six million received nearly 220,000 migrants. Twenty years ago, several Mong ethnic minority people left their ancestral homes in the northern mountainous region and settled down in several sub-areas of Lieng Sronh Commune in Dam Rong District of Lam Dong, setting up their own village and clearing 700ha of forest to start farming. All the Mong villages are surrounded by forestland with no asphalt roads in or out, making healthcare and education a headache for not only the villagers but also the local government. In addition, the land they settled on is part of an area under the supervision of the Se-re-pok protection forest management board, further complicating their legal status and residence. Since 2000, Dak Lak has seen waves of migration from the north. Due to a lack of awareness, cultural traditions and low usage of birth control amongst the ethnic minority people, many of the migrants families are large, with many children. Sinh Hi Cha and Sung Thi Co in Cu Pui Commune have been married for 14 years and have seven children, but since they are all females, the couple felt they need to continue until they have a son to carry on the familys name. The high birth rate coupled with instable means of livelihoods has trapped many migrant households in a cycle of poverty and hunger, while they also lack access to basic services like education and healthcare due to their isolated status. Le Quang Dan, deputy head of Dak Nongs agriculture department, said free migrants have led to the emergence of land disputes and rampant deforestation. The migrants suffer many disadvantages. Since they dont have residence status, an absolute requirement to grant healthcare and basic social protection policies, we cant help them even if we really want to, Le Quang Dan said. Cil Ha Drang, deputy chair of ethnic minority affairs of Lam Dong Province Peoples Council, said unplanned migration, especially the large-scale movements in the Central Highlands, throws local governments planning into disarray. Le Van Son, head of the Department for Economic Cooperation and Rural Development, said uncontrolled free migration has resulted in frictions with the native populace. There have been reports of violence and unlawful detentions and resistance against authorities, turning the region into a volatile environment in terms of social order, especially in this border region with critical defence importance. Criminal elements have also taken advantage of the free migration to spread anti-State propaganda and incite subversive movements, hampering the development of the Central Highlands region, Son said. Fait accompli However, now that the Mongs settlement has become a fait accompli, authorities have decided to best accommodate these unplanned arrivals. In Lam Dong Province, for example, leaders met with residents to listen to their needs and concerns, but poverty continues to haunt them as their economy remains focused on simple agriculture. With bumper crops, we make do, but most villagers are still so poor and in dire need of assistance from the State, Ma Seo Chang, the de facto villagers head told Cong an Nhan dan(Peoples Police) newspaper. In Lieng Sronh Village, some 110 households arrived from the northern provinces of Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Dien Bien and Lai Chau in 2002-15. Thanks to support from the districts government and the migrants efforts, hunger is no longer an issue with most of the households having some land they can work on. Lam Dong Province, in 2005-17, reported that free migrants to the locality reached nearly 7,200, mostly from the northern region and taking roots in geographically isolated forest areas inside Di Linh, Dam Rong and Bao Lam districts. But thanks to its soil and climate conditions, Dak Nong Province has proved the most favourable destination in Central Highlands. The spontaneous migrants living scattered across the upland locality number 174,000, nearly a third of its total current population 646,000 by the end of 2017, according to Le Quang Dan, deputy head of the provincial agriculture department. Le Van Son, head of the Department for Economic Cooperation and Rural Development, said the trend of migration to the Central Highlands region seems to have wound down a bit in recent years but remains a complex issue. The migration takes place throughout the year, but most frequently during the time before and after the Lunar New Year celebration, Son said. Migrants usually come in small groups, at first just to visit or live for a short time with their relatives who have relocated there previously and then eventually moved there along with their family, he said, adding that they usually form groups of the same tribe or family. Giang A Chu, deputy chair of National Assemblys Ethnic Minority Council, said the five provinces have approved 42 settlement programmes for more than 16,000 households. So far, the provinces have reserved some 17,000ha of land for production purposes for migrant families from its land fund, which have been expanded with the return of State-owned land from State farming and forest enterprises. Chu said proposals have been made so that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment would continue to afford flexible budget allocation to the Central Highlands provinces so their settlement programmes could work as intended. He also urged the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Justice to fast-track identity verification of free migrants in the Central Highlands and quickly issue ID numbers, temporary or permanent residence statuses and recognise the long-standing spontaneous migrants settlement areas as residential areas, which would make them eligible for social protection benefits. The signing ceremony between IFC and University of Medicine Pham Ngoc Thach today As part of the agreement, Ho Chi Minh Citys medical university has appointed IFC as the lead advisor to design a public-private partnership (PPP) transaction for a training and outpatient centre on its premises. The facility, which will comprise of a human capital training centre, a polyclinic, and a day care centre, is likely to serve around 300,000 patients a year. While the private partner will be responsible for the construction of the facilities, the clinical operations and training will be delivered by the university, and both sides will jointly operate the facilities. In partnership with Hungary, over the next six months, IFC will undertake due diligence and prepare a transaction structure report with available options in line with international practices and Vietnams applicable laws and regulations. The public competitive tender will follow in late 2019 and the bid award is likely to be announced in mid-2020. Ho Chi Minh Citys healthcare needs are critical due to rapid urbanisation and a growing population. However, we cannot cater to these needs effectively and timely by relying solely on the public budget, said Dr Ngo Minh Xuan, rector of University of Medicine Pham Ngoc Thach. We are certain that IFCs support will help crowd in private investors to deliver the best possible solutions efficiently and transparently. One of the fastest growing cities in Asia, Ho Chi Minh City is the countrys economic and financial hub and home to over 10 million inhabitants. However, rapid economic growth and urbanisation have increased demand for the citys healthcare services, with more than 30 million outpatient visits and treatments in 2018, accounting for a quarter of the total number of visits nationwide. We are happy to help University of Medicine Pham Ngoc Thach to attract private investment to bolster its education and healthcare services, said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR. With extensive global experience and expertise in PPP advisory work, IFC is well-positioned to assist the university and Ho Chi Minh City to develop projects that support its priorities across the infrastructure and social sectors. This will save public resources and expand the citys access to quality services. Through financing and advisory services, IFC has been helping national and municipal governments attract qualified private sector partners for over 60 years. Over the last decade, IFCs PPP Transaction Advisory team has generated nearly $22 billion in private investment in infrastructure in developing countries, and supported governments in improving essential services such as power, transportation, healthcare, water, and sanitation for 98 million people. By PTI WARDHA: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of hogging credit for the Balakot air strike, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday dared him to hold a rifle "for just five minutes" or travel alone in a bus in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a poll rally here, Gandhi said the only thing "chowkidar" Modi did was to ensure "his boss" industrialist Anil Ambani got the Rafale fighter jet contract. The Congress believes in uniting people while the BJP divides people, he said. It was the Air Force personnel who displayed real valour by carrying out the air strike in Pakistan, he said. The Indian Air Force carried out strikes on terrorist camps in Balakot in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF men were killed. "(But) the prime minister says he did it. You (Modi) did it? Could you please show (us) how to hold a rifle? Hold a rifle, the way our CRPF men do, for just five minutes." FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE "Or travel in a bus alone in Jammu and Kashmir. Show us. You did the air strike? What did you do? The Air Force carried out the bombing," Gandhi said. "It is Narendra Modi who did it (the air strike). He did it sitting on Race Course Road (now Lok Kalyan Marg, where the prime minister's official residence is located)," Gandhi said. The Congress leader also said that Modi had promised to create two crore jobs a year and deposit Rs 15 lakh in each person's bank account in 2014. Referring to Modi's rally in Wardha on Monday, Gandhi said, "A few days ago, he was here. Did he talk about employment? Did he apologise for not keeping the promises?" Demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as introduced by the Modi government hurt the economy, Gandhi said. "Did he apologise for the closure of factories here after demonetisation and GST implementation?" asked the Congress chief. Unlike the BJP, the Congress does not want "two Indias", one of the rich and the other of poor farmers and labourers, he said. "We want one India. There should be justice for everyone, farmers, the youth, small traders and others. There should be a place for big industrialists too," he added. Ex-air force pilots Pascal Fauret (right) and Bruno Odos (center) were jailed for six years each. (Photo: AFP/GERARD JULIEN) Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos had fled the Dominican Republic following a raid on the private jet they were to fly to Saint-Tropez, southern France, but were re-arrested in France in November 2015. In what has become known as the "Air Cocaine" case, Fauret and Odos were accused along with seven other defendants of trying to smuggle 680km (1,500 pounds) of the drug out of the country. Two were acquitted following a seven-week trial. Ringleader Ali Bouchareb was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while his right-hand man, Frank Colin, got 12 years. Only Bouchareb was held in detention during the trial while the other eight had been granted bail. Colin was the only defendant who had admitted to taking part in the smuggling operation but claimed he was in fact an "infiltrated agent". Dominican police found the drugs packed into 26 suitcases onboard a Falcon 50 jet as it was about to fly from the Dominican beach resort of Punta Cana to Saint-Tropez in March 2013. While out on bail, Fauret and Odos managed to flee the Dominican Republic to French territory in the Caribbean in mysterious circumstances, but were re-arrested upon their return to the French mainland in November 2015. They, along with two passengers, were found guilty in absentia and sentenced to 20 years in jail for drug-trafficking in the Dominican Republic in 2015. On Friday, five French magistrates deliberated for 11 hours before handing down their verdict. "It's a scandal! It's political! There is no justice..." screamed people close to the defendants as the verdict was announced. Former customs agent Francois-Xavier Manchet was sentenced to five years in jail and barred from working again as a civil servant. 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. At least seven policemen and three civilians were killed Saturday in a series of attacks in Afghanistan, officials said. In the eastern Ghazni province, Taliban insurgents killed three policemen in attacks on security checkpoints, according to provincial police chief spokesman Ahmad Khan Serat. Associated Press reported the Taliban claimed responsibility. At least four policemen were killed when the Taliban stormed a security checkpoint in the northern Sari Pul province, provincial council leader Mohammad Noor Rahmani said. Two explosions in Jalalabad, in the eastern Nangarhar province, claimed the lives of at least three civilians, said Attahullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor. No groups claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nangarhar and Sari Pul. Islamic State established a presence in Nangarhar in 2015. Fighting among militant groups has intensified in recent weeks amid ongoing peace negotiations, as have clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces. U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad lobbied in Kabul earlier this week for talks that would include leading Afghan figures, government officials, the Taliban and other opposition representatives. Khalilzad said progress was made during several rounds of negotiations with the Taliban last month in Qatar. Despite the ongoing talks, the Taliban continue to attack Afghan forces and refuse to talk directly with the Afghan government, maintaining it is merely a puppet of the U.S. Also on Saturday, Pope Francis blamed the U.S. and Europe for fueling the conflict in Afghanistan, as well as those in Syria and Yemen, by selling weapons in war zones. The pope told students and teachers at Milan's San Carlo Institute there are so many wars in the world because "the rich Europe and America sell weapons ... used to kill children and kill people." He added: "A country that produces and sells weapons has on its conscience the death of every child and destruction of each family." Giving himself credit for tough diplomacy, President Donald Trump is describing a burst of activity by Mexican authorities to keep Central American migrants from getting to the U.S. border. Thats an apparent mirage as Trump retreats from his latest threat to seal off the U.S. from Mexico. Trump was wrong when he said last week that Mexico was doing NOTHING about migrants coming north. Mexico markedly tightened migration controls during the Obama administration and detained more than 30,000 foreigners in the first three months of this year. And its not evident now that Mexico has suddenly cracked down as a result of his threat, apprehending everybody and making absolutely terrific progress in just a matter of days, as Trump put it Friday. Mexicos apprehensions of foreigners have not surged. During his visit to the border in Southern California Friday, Trump denounced a landmark immigration case he blamed on Judge Flores, whoever you may be. The case in question was named for Jenny Flores, a migrant teenager from El Salvador in the 1980s, not a judge. Trumps recent statements on border matters and how they compare with the facts: Mexico Trump, on why he is pulling back on sealing the border imminently: Because Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days. Theyre apprehending everybody. Yesterday they apprehended 1,400 people. The day before was 1,000. And if they apprehend people at their southern border where they dont have to walk through, thats a big home run. We can handle it from there. Its really good. ... Mexico, for the last four days, its never happened like that in 35 years. remarks to reporters Friday. Trump: Mexico has brought people back, theyve told people you cant come in. And thats happened really, theyve done, as I understand it, over 1,000 today, over 1,000 people yesterday, over 1,000 people the day before that. Before that they never did anything. remarks to reporters Thursday. The facts: This depiction of Mexico going from strikeout to home run is inaccurate at both ends. Mexico reports that its interception and detention of migrants from the south are about average in recent months. Over the first three days of April, it apprehended 1,259 foreigners not 1,000 or more a day, as Trump claimed. There is no very substantive change, Mexicos foreign secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, said this week. There has not been a drastic change. I dont know what (Trump) was referring to, he added. Mexico is requiring migrants to register with authorities, but thats been the case since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office Dec. 1, Ebrard said. What Mexico is doing as far as the review of the southern border well, its the same thing it has been doing since this government began. On Thursday, Mexicos ambassador to the U.S., Martha Barcena, told The Associated Press her country is working to make its own border more orderly but migration will never be stopped. Mexico took a substantial step in 2014, implementing a Southern Border Plan that established checkpoints and raids to discourage migrants from riding trains or buses from Guatemala. Its detention of foreigners, almost all Central Americans, surged to 198,141 over the next year, from 127,149. Last year, it detained 138,612. The White House has refused to substantiate Trumps claim about Mexicos migrant apprehensions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday credited Mexico with the will to help stem migration, but he did not cite results. Even as Trump claimed a Mexican crackdown, Pompeo said the U.S. needs to see action from Mexico, telling Fox News that its one thing to talk about it. Trump has abandoned his vow to shut the border imminently. He now says that if Mexico does not continue cooperating on migrants, he will try to put heavy duties on autos from Mexico and revive his border-closure threat if that doesnt work. The Flores settlement Trump: The Flores decision is a disaster, I have to tell you. Judge Flores, whoever you may be, that decision is a disaster for our country, a disaster. remarks at a meeting with local officials in Southern California. The facts: Theres no Judge Flores involved. Jenny Flores , a 15-year-old El Salvador native, was held in what her advocates said were substandard conditions, contending she was strip-searched in custody and housed with men. They launched a class-action lawsuit on behalf of migrant children in the country illegally. Her mother was a housekeeper in the U.S. who feared deportation if she picked up her daughter. The case worked its way to the Supreme Court, which sided with the government and against the girls advocates. But the case gave rise to an agreement in 1997 setting conditions for the detention of migrant children and the codifying of those conditions in law a decade later. It generally bars the government from keeping children in immigration detention for more than 20 days and guides how they are to be treated. The United Nations reports armed men killed dozens of civilians and displaced thousands during increasingly violent and frequent attacks last month in the Diffa region in southeastern Niger. The Diffa region, which borders Nigeria and Chad, is home to more than 200,000 internally displaced people and refugees victimized by the Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria. U.N. officials say the spike in violence and displacement is related to increased activity by Boko Haram or Boko Haram-affiliated armed groups in the Lake Chad Basin. They report 88 civilians were killed last month alone, compared to a total of 107 civilian deaths during all of 2018. Spokesman for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Jens Laerke told VOA the dramatic jump in the number of attacks and civilian deaths seems to indicate a shift in tactics by these armed groups. He said very vulnerable civilians appear to be deliberately targeted. So, it is not only armed men fighting armed men. It is also armed men fighting civilians, families, women and children. So, that is, of course, very disturbing. Some of those who have been targeted in these attacks in March were already displaced people and some were already refugees, Laerke said. The United Nations reported 21 attacks carried out in March forced nearly 18,500 people to flee their homes. It said they have joined the already heavily populated settlements of internally displaced people and refugees in the urban center of Diffa and surrounding areas. Despite the increased violence in the region, Laerke said there will be no break in the U.N.s humanitarian operations. He said aid workers will continue to assist the desperate people. He said a recent assessment mission shows people are in critical need of water and sanitation, shelter, food and household items. He said the needs are there and the will to help is there. Unfortunately, he noted the money needed to provide this aid is not there. He said the International community has contributed less than three percent of the U.N.s $383 million appeal for humanitarian operations in Niger this year. Cameroon has deployed troops to crack down on protesters calling for the release from jail of 150 opposition party members, including their leader Maurice Kamto, who says he won the October presidential election, not long-serving President Paul Biya. Kamto has been in jail for more than two months and his supporters say he should be unconditionally released. It was a quiet but tense Saturday morning in some neighborhoods of Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, as residents went about their daily activities, watched by combat-ready police. Half a dozen officers have been deployed around the headquarters of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party of Kamto, who remains in jail and insists he won the presidential election on Oct. 7, even though official results give a decisive victory to incumbent Biya. Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji said security forces are there to protect the population from the opposition political party that he said wants to see the country in chaos. He said even though President Biya has kept Cameroon democratic and peaceful, with freedoms and liberties, authorities will not accept protests carried out in disrespect of the law and they will not tolerate those who want to use violence to make their voices heard. He said Cameroonians are peace-loving people who reject the violence some opposition parties want to bring. Nji said Saturday the government banned protests organized by the opposition MRC party until April 13 because the action is provocative and intended to create an uprising in a country that already has Boko Haram terrorism to contend with on its northern border with Nigeria. He pointed out that Cameroon also has suffered from carnage that has spilled over from the neighboring Central African Republic on its eastern border and has had to deal with the separatist crisis that killed at least 1,000 people in the English-speaking regions of the bilingual country that also has French as its official language. Nji said April 6, which the MRC chose for its protests, remains a painful day for Cameroonians because it is the anniversary of a 1984 coup attempt to oust Biya from power. He said he has instructed all 10 regional governors to arrest anyone who protests. MRC Party Secretary General Christopher Ndong says members are mobilized and ready to demonstrate their support for jailed members of their party and Kamto, who claims his victory was stolen by Biya. "Do you expect us to fold our hands and stand. Professor Maurice Kamto won the 2018 presidential election and the president that was supposed to be [in power] was the one caught and locked up. The government does not want him to take over power. Our liberties are infringed, our right to freedom of speech infringed. It is not because the government is clamping down on us that will make the population fear," Ndong said. The protesters had asked for authorization to march and asked the government to solve the crisis in the English-speaking regions that has gone on for three years. Pierre Hubert Mbida of the Cameroon Citizenship Movement said by refusing to authorize the protest and deploying security forces to clamp down on protesters, Cameroon is simply confirming that it disrespects people's rights and freedoms. He said the Cameroon government is abusing public liberties and people's freedoms and expresses joy only when its supporters sing praises about its management of public affairs, governance and its long serving leader Biya. He said it is funny that when people go to the streets to complain that they lack water to drink, they are described as unpatriotic citizens who are a menace to public order. He said it is intolerable that for quite some time now, Cameroon has continued to recruit soldiers to protect its leaders. Biya, who has led Cameroon for 36 years, won 71.3 percent of the vote, far ahead of Kamto's 14.2 percent, according to official results of the Oct. 7 poll. Police arrested Kamto and his supporters more than two months ago after days of peaceful protests turned violent in Yaounde and three other cities. Kamto is charged with sedition, insurrection and inciting violence in Cameroon and its embassies, including in Paris and Berlin. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said Saturday. The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of its worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power. Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP. "At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul. Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira lost 30 percent of its value. Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later president. In Istanbul, CHP candidate Imamoglu and the AKP's Binali Yildirim both declared victory when preliminary results showed them in a dead heat. The AKP later appealed, saying it had found irregularities in tens of thousands of votes. Imamoglu's party said Saturday that he was still ahead by close to 18,000 votes with half of the recount completed. He has said he expects the recount to be finished by the end of the weekend, but the AKP could appeal again to the Supreme Electoral Council. Celik said the AKP would still control districts and municipal councils in both of the key cities even if it lost the mayoral races. But he said the party would not deliberately block opposition mayors' agendas. Erdogan, in power for 16 years, fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey in which he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation's survival. Right-wing populist parties are gearing up to campaign for European Parliament elections next month, but policy differences and the Brexit drama threaten their dream to "unite the right." Many fear the May 26 vote will be a wake-up call for Brussels on the reality that Europe's anti-immigration and blood-and-soil patriotic forces have moved from the fringes to the mainstream. Once considered outsiders, they could now end up with one-fifth or more of the seats, allowing them to shift the tone of political discourse and make a claim for legitimacy. Key players are Marine Le Pen's National Rally (NR) in France and the Italian League of Matteo Salvini, who is hosting a meeting of like-minded right-wing groups in Milan on Monday. In the EU's top economy, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the biggest opposition party by railing against Chancellor Angela Merkel and her 2015 decision to allow a mass influx of asylum seekers. The AfD launched its election program in the southwestern city of Offenburg on Saturday, calling for "a Europe of fatherlands" and opposing the EU's immigration, financial and climate policies. "This European campaign is a campaign about identity," said party co-leader Alexander Gauland. "The European Union is not a state. It doesn't need a parliament," he added. Despite financial scandals, the AfD has the support of 10 percent of voters, according to opinion polls, with its popularity highest in the former East Germany. Meeting in Milan On Monday in Milan, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Salvini will follow up and gather allies from across Europe to try to lay the foundations for a future hard-right grouping in the now 751-member European Parliament. Salvini and Le Pen also agreed to call another meeting in May, after they met in Paris on Friday, a NR source said. "The leaders are considering a common manifesto to close the electoral campaign and announce the start of a new Europe," said a spokesman for Salvini. So far, Europe's right-wing nationalists have been divided into three blocs and a tangled web of alliances in the legislature that moves between seats in Brussels and the French city of Strasbourg. They are the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group, which includes the RN and League; the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR); and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD). The dream of Salvini and of Steve Bannon, the former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump has been to unite the disparate patriotic forces and form a federation of nationalist parties. But so far such efforts have met with only limited success, in part because the parties' nationalist focus runs counter to a multinational approach. Divided on key issues Another problem for the groups has been that, despite their shared dislike for immigration, multiculturalism, the left and the EU, they remain divided on other key issues. On economic policy, the AfD and their Scandinavian allies tend to believe in the market economy, while the French RN favors a more protectionist and statist approach. While Italy's League, Poland's PiS and Hungary's Fidesz highlight Europe's Christian cultural roots, the RN has shied away from taking a similar stance in a country where the majority is in favor of secularism. And even on immigration, Salvini's League favors an EU-wide redistribution of asylum seekers while others demand an outright stop to immigration. On relations with Russia, Salvini has praised President Vladimir Putin, a view not shared by Poland's governing party. 'Patriotic alliance'? The AfD's top candidate, Joerg Meuthen, said he expects big gains for nationalist parties but that they will have trouble forming a "patriotic alliance" with a common agenda. There are also strategic deliberations. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has voiced admiration for Salvini but was considered unlikely to come to the Milan meeting, given his Fidesz party still belongs to the center-right European People's Party (EPP) group, despite its temporary suspension. Meanwhile, most parties have also toned down their anti-EU rhetoric as the Brexit debacle has made the prospect of leaving the bloc look far less appealing. Le Pen renounced a "Frexit" after the 2017 presidential election and her disastrous debates against Emmanuel Macron, while Germany's AfD has downgraded a "Dexit" scenario to a "last resort." Still, the potential of the far-right must not be underestimated, said Sven Hutten, political scientist at Berlin's Free University. He warned that such groups target "15 to 30 percent of the population" and that at the moment "the populist right is fighting for unity and to build a single bloc." By PTI NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed confidence that his government will get a massive mandate from the people as there is a "pro-incumbency wave" in the country. He hit out at the Congress for its promises on national security and asked that if it suits the party to "ridicule" the Army in such a way. Modi also slammed the Congress for proposing to repeal the sedition law in its manifesto, saying the party that booked 6,000 people under the law in Tamil Nadu for protesting against a nuclear plant is now preaching the world. "Do you (the Congress) want that talk of the disintegration of the country be strengthened," he said in an interview to ABP News. He also attacked the Congress for its alliance with the National Conference, saying, "(NC leader) Omar Abdullah says that there should be two prime ministers in the country. Now the Congress party has to give an answer that your partner is saying that. What is your stand?" Asked about the challenge of securing more seats than last time, Modi said, "I am not seeing anti-incumbency in this election. For the first time, I see that there is a pro-incumbency wave in the country." FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE To another question, he said the BJP and its allies will get a massive mandate from the people. On Congress chief Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad in Kerala apart from his traditional seat of Amethi, Modi said it was up to the Congress to decide where he contests from. "We have not started this discussion. The media had raised the issue that Amethi is now difficult for him. There is a discussion that why he had to run away from Amethi, and the BJP has the right to discuss that," Modi said. In a bid to increase renewable energy use in Europe, the European Commission adopted a new regulatory framework in June 2018. With the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) the European Union applied new criteria March 13 for crops used for the production of biofuels: They must be sustainable and not cause deforestation through indirect land use change. According to the EU, palm oil has been associated with the highest level of deforestation of any crop from 2008 to 2015, thereby deeming one of Indonesias biggest export commodities unsustainable. As a result the EU will begin a gradual reduction of palm oil imports from Indonesia in January 2024. The chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association, Joko Supriyono, questions the criteria set by the EU for palm oil. They mentioned ILUC (Indirect Land Use Change) and palm oil has high ILUC-risk. From our point of view, their methodology to determine that is unclear. We believe the regulation is discriminatory, he told VOA last week. Bring the issue to WTO The Indonesian government agrees with the associations concern. The Indonesian Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Darmin Nasution, says that the regulation will have a negative impact for the export of crude palm oil (CPO) from Indonesia to the EU. This is a discriminatory act, if they want to test it, lets test (the regulation) together. We will bring this to the WTO. So its clear, whether their action is fair or this is simply protectionism thats concealed with different accusations, he said in a statement. The EU is Indonesias second biggest export market for CPO after India. Data from the Indonesian Palm Oil Association recorded 4.78 million tons of CPO exported to the EU last year. Supriyono said for biofuel purposes alone, the country exported around 800,000 tons in 2018. Although Indonesian market share in the EU is quite large, Supriyono says it is not about how much palm oil Indonesia sends to Europe. Our biggest concern is because the European market has become a reference for other countries. We are worried of the effect after, because the EU bans our palm oil, then other countries will follow suit. Its the negative image, he explained. The EU has a two-month comment period during which the European Parliament and the European Council can express an objection to the new directive. Supriyono said the Indonesian government will file a complaint to the WTO if the regulation is passed and published at the Official Journal of the European Union. In a statement, the EU said that their doors will always be open for a frank discussion with the Indonesian government and other stakeholders. We also expect that the establishment of a joint working group between the EU and relevant ASEAN Member States to address issues relating to palm oil will serve as another avenue for discussion, the EU said. Indonesia has few bargaining chips Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, the Indonesian coordinating minister of maritime affairs, says Indonesia must be firm. The Indonesian government is threatening to boycott products from the EU in retaliation for the palm oil restrictions. There are a lot of European Union products that we need. With our 55 million people in the middle class and 269 million people of the total population, the market is huge, he said adding that the palm industry plays a significant role in the Indonesian economy. Nevertheless, Enny Sri Hartati, the director of Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), says the issue will not be solved by threats. She believes that the right way to dismiss any accusations about Indonesian palm oil is by proving them wrong. Use supporting data, to counter the accusation. For example, the industry players have obtained the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate. Fighting it with retaliation will not benefit anyone. Even if Indonesia boycotts products, will the accusation stop? she told VOA. Hartati mentions that the issue with the EU directive is only biofuel, while the uses of derivatives of palm oil are very diverse, including in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. Our limitation all this while is we cant develop the diversification of palm oil. Our market is only the traditional market for CPO. And that makes our bargaining position weak, she added. She believes that the government must create policies to give more incentives for the industry to diversify. Ongoing CEPA negotiation Indonesia and the EU are currently negotiating the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a process that began in July 2016. The seventh round of negotiations took place in Brussels last March. Supriyono said the latest development on palm oil will impact the CEPA discussion. We are talking about an industry that has a significant contribution for Indonesia. Because of palm oil, our trade with Europe is a surplus. This becomes a consideration for our government, that the trade negotiation should be able to increase our export, he said. Supriyono said the palm oil discussion is one of the reasons why the conclusion of the trade agreement has been delayed for the past two years. Rick Eppenbaugh thought he had seen it all. He served in the Marines and now works with troubled teens. However, nothing prepared him for the flood that invaded his life, engulfing his home and everything around it near Pacific Junction, Iowa. Ive always been a pretty hardcore guy, being in the military and working with street kids. Thats what I do. (I) was kind of a street kid myself. I was a pretty tough guy, but this is hard to take, pretty hard to take. Many homes are unlivable in the U.S. Midwest, especially those located within a few kilometers of a stream or river. Eppenbaugh said last summer was unusually wet and a March storm, combined with fluctuating temperatures, caused the winter snow to quickly melt and overwhelm the levees, flooding roads, farmland and homes. WATCH: Water Came up Fast, Destroyed Iowa Dream Home Evacuation by boat Eppenbaugh was surprised the water rose so quickly. There was water over the road already in half an hour from when the levy breached. It covered a mile, a mile and a half, flooded all (the) fields, flooded the interstate, Eppenbaugh said. He, his wife and five dogs were eventually evacuated by boat, but they had to leave his wifes two beloved horses behind. They were standing out front when we got in that boat and motored away. No ones seen them alive or dead, Eppenbaugh said. The family is temporarily living in a home in Omaha owned by Eppenbaughs boss. However, the farm dogs are cooped up in the house and unused to living in the city, and Eppenbaugh is anxious to start rebuilding his house. Water rose high On his second trip home after the flood, he and two friends, with a borrowed rowboat, slowly made their way across what looks like a lake. The only sign that they are actually over flooded farmland are the corn stalks that occasionally poke out of the water. He had always dreamed of owning a home in the countryside. He realized that dream six years ago when his children were grown and had their own homes. He and his wife bought a farmhouse built in 1924, just a 30 minute drive from the city of Omaha. I used to just sit out here at night. Stars were real bright. Dogs are running around, Eppenbaugh said. The water had receded enough that Eppenbaughs home looked like it was on an island. From the waterlines seen inside the walls of the house, the water rose to about 30 centimeters below the ceiling. Everything on his first floor had been underwater. His refrigerator was now on its side. Precious family photos were wet and ruined. Until you start looking, you dont really even know what youve lost, Eppenbaugh said, as he looked around to see what he could salvage. He said he will have to replace his floors, walls and he hopes the foundation is still good. All the money we put in this place in the last six years is just wasted, he said. Its so overwhelming Eppenbaugh calmly looked around, but did not reflect the shock he had been experiencing since the flood. Ive been crying for two weeks. Trust me, its not that calm of a deal. Its just its so overwhelming. After picking up a few things, Eppenbaugh had to walk and row away, until the water receded. No one in the area had flood insurance. He said its too expensive. Eppenbaugh estimated it may take up to a year to rebuild his home piece by piece. Its pretty overwhelming. You just kind of feel numb. For the past three years, Kurdish musician Gani Mirzo has dedicated his life to one mission: helping children in his native Syria overcome the effects of war. Syrias devastating civil war that has raged since 2011 has taken its toll on civilians, particularly children. According U.N. childrens agency (UNICEF), an estimated 2.6 million children remain displaced inside Syria, while about 2.5 million children are living as refugees in neighboring countries. More than 5.5 million children in Syria still require some form of humanitarian assistance, U.N. officials say. Syria never forgotten Mirzo, 50, has been living in Spain for 26 years, where he has gained recognition for his unique fusion of flamenco and traditional Kurdish music. But his personal achievements in Spain didnt make him forget people in his home country. I visited a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq in 2013 and witnessed the dire conditions in which refugees and especially children lived, Mirzo told VOA. From that moment, I wanted to do something to help children there and in Syria as well. After I returned to Barcelona, I began working on an album dedicated to the children at that refugee camp, he said. Mirzo said his album, Domiz Camp, was inspired by the name of the refugee camp in Iraq. The revenue from the album went to Syrian children and refugee families. That, however, was not enough for Mirzo. He wanted to do something more sustainable to help Syrian children. In 2016, he traveled to Syria to assess the situation for himself. By going there, I learned new things beyond what I was hearing in the news, he said. This war has far more devastating effects on people than what you could possibly know by watching from abroad. WATCH: Musician Brings Donated Instruments to Syrian Kids He then returned to Spain with the desire to do something for the Syrian children. I wanted to send music instruments to kids in Syria, because when I was there I saw how children in Syria had nothing to develop their skills and talents, Mirzo said. Musicians Without Borders One of the groups that stepped in to help Mirzo was Musicians Without Borders, an international organization that promotes peace through music in conflict zones. When I contacted them and told them about my plans, there were like people are sending bombs and weapons to Syria, but you have decided to send music instruments. And so they happily agreed to donate instruments. Im so grateful to them, he said. Mirzo hopes his efforts give back some sense of normalcy to children affected by Syrias conflict. Syrian children should be distracted from the horrors of this war. Playing music is a great way for that purpose, he said. The Syrian musician has so far been able to deliver 250 donated instruments to children in northeastern Syria. The collection varies from eastern instruments, such as the oud, to western ones like cellos and saxophones. The initiative attracted others who want to get involved with the project. Many people from inside Syria contacted me and offered to volunteer in the project, Mirzo said. Hopefully it will encourage others to do similar things in their respective fields, he added. Mirzo believes that his activities and visits to Syria have also helped him remain creative and original as a musician. But these efforts have also allowed me to grow as a human being, Mirzo said. At the final press conference marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a question was raised as to whether NATO was partly responsible for current tensions with Moscow, because it has expanded right up to the borders of Russia and whether it was a good idea to publicly advertise open invitations to Georgia and Ukraine to join the alliance. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General since October 2014, responded by saying: Just the idea that it is a provocation against Russia that Georgia aspires for membership, or that Ukraine does the same, is really, really dangerous. As soon as you accept that thats a provocation against Russia, you accept that Russia has the right to decide what neighbors can do, he said, adding that doing so equates accepting a world order where big powers can decide what neighbors can or cannot do, which will then lead to re-establishing the whole idea of spheres of influence. The Cold War-era Warsaw Pact, where Central and Eastern European nations were subjected to Soviet Unions guidelines and dictates, is widely seen as an example and demonstration of spheres of influence at work. Stoltenberg, who twice had served as Norwegian prime minister before assuming the leadership role at NATO, spoke of his and his countrys experience. Describing his native land as another small country bordering Russia, Stoltenberg said: I'm very glad that back in 1949 when we joined NATO, the United States and the United Kingdom and the other founding members of NATO never accepted (the notion) that the Soviet Union could decide what Norway could (or could not) do. Earlier in the week, in a speech delivered at the North Atlantic Council, the principal political decision-making body within NATO, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo marked the 70th anniversary of NATO by recalling his own personal experience. As a young armor officer a couple decades back, I patrolled the border between then-East Germany and West Germany. I know the nature of the regimes that want to undermine what it is we're here to talk about today." Pompeo reiterated in his speech that NATOs success lies in deterrence, democratic underpinnings and collective defense commitment. Two years ago, the United States Senate voted overwhelmingly in support of Montenegros membership in NATO; it is now reviewing North Macedonias bid. Speaking on the growing size of NATO, Stoltenberg noted that the enlargement is not NATO moving east, instead, he pointed out, it is due to Central and Eastern European nations wish - often determination to seek membership in the alliance. Daniel S. Hamilton, a transatlantic relations expert at Johns Hopkins University, told VOA that over the years indeed the last seven decades NATO has demonstrated a sort of a magnetic quality. In February of this year, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko described pursuing membership in NATO and the European Union as a strategic mission and amended his countrys constitution to the effect that Ukraine may one day become a member of these organizations. Meanwhile, Georgia, another country often described as situated on Russias doorstep, is acknowledged as one of the alliances closest partners. Observers have noted Georgias significant contribution in support of NATOs war effort in Afghanistan as an unambiguous sign of its commitment to the organization and existing member states. Ultimately, Georgia and Ukraine are independent sovereign nations which have the sovereign right to choose their own paths, said NATOs secretary general. Nicaragua on Friday released another 50 people jailed for protesting against President Daniel Ortegas government, bringing the number freed since late February to about 200 in a unilateral action separate from a broader deal covering hundreds considered political prisoners. However charges were not dropped against the demonstrators, who were accused of disrupting the public order and attacking the peace in Nicaragua. Instead they were for the most part transferred to a form of house arrest, short of the unrestricted freedom that the opposition has demanded in negotiations with government representatives. Being at home I feel free, said freed student protester Franklin Rodrigo Artola Garcia. I feel happy to be with my mother, with my father, all my family. ... And I am going to remain in the fight because Nicaragua must be free and it has to be 100 percent pure, zero corruption, zero murderers. Opponents: hundreds more held Opponents of Ortega have said more than 640 people were being held for political reasons, jailed in protests that broke out a year ago against the government. Ortega officials say the actual number is far smaller. Luis Alvarado, alternative representative from Nicaragua to the Organization of American States, said the prisoner releases are proof of the commitment of the state and government of Nicaragua with the agreements reached so far in the talks. Documents signed in the recent talks between the government and the Civic Alliance opposition coalition call for the International Committee of the Red Cross to propose an updated list of prisoners who should be freed by mid-May. Fridays released caught both the ICRC and the opposition by surprise. The ICRC is not involved in the liberation ... announced today, said Alberto Cabezas, a Mexico-based spokesman for the organization. Azahalea Solis, a leader of the Civic Alliance and negotiator at the talks, said Thursday had her group received a reconciled list of people considered political prisoners. We were not advised about Fridays releases, Solis said. We had agreed to implement the exit of the prisoners according to what was agreed with the government and the Red Cross. She added that the unexpected releases create confusion because now we will have to review all the lists again. Diverse list According to a list provided by the Interior Ministry, those freed include students, farmworkers and professionals arrested for taking part in the protests, which erupted last April over a social security reform and broadened to demand Ortega leave office. They were released to families in the capital, Managua, and other cities. Those who are seated at the negotiating table, may they continue to be firm on the issues they are raising and demanding, said Jeffry Ortega, another student released Friday. And may the president cease the repression and let things be as they were before. The ministry did not specify whether all 50 were among those deemed political prisoners by the opposition. Solis said not all of those released were under house arrest, and some had different legal status and some left jail without documents. Complete accounting needed In Washington, Joel Hernandez, rapporteur on the rights of persons deprived of liberty for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, called for a complete accounting of those arrested that is agreed upon by all parties. The commission believes that the release process must be ordered, expedited, transparent and offering certainty on the legal status of those freed, Hernandez said. The releases came two days after the conclusion of negotiations between the government and the opposition where Ortegas representatives committed to complete release by mid-May of protesters, some of whom have been behind bars for nearly a year. The government also agreed to the nullification of trials, convictions and outstanding arrest warrants. We continue to work to reach consensus and agreements on the matters of truth, justice, reparation and no-repetition, as well as ... democracy and electoral reforms that constitute the basis for holding elections according to the constitution of Nicaragua, said Alvarado, the Nicaraguan envoy to the OAS. Saturday march not authorized Also Friday, police announced that an opposition march called for Saturday would not be authorized. The government imposed a de facto ban last year that essentially quashed all anti-government demonstrations, though some smaller ones have been seen recently since the talks began. A police statement acknowledged that protest is constitutionally protected but said National Blue and White Unity, a coalition to which the Civic Alliance belongs, does not have legitimacy to hold gatherings and was involved in serious disturbances of public order in previous weeks. The coalition later dropped its plan for a march, which it had said earlier that it called in the context of an agreement during the talks that the government would commit to restoring freedoms of the media, expression and public mobilization. The Civic Alliance has said that 779 people were arrested because of the protests, while a truth commission formed by the government says there were 261. Ortega officials have accused protesters of being coup-plotters and terrorists bent on toppling his government. According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, at least 325 people died in the unrest, 2,000 more were wounded and at least 52,000 fled the country for exile. VOA's Asad Hassan and Ayaz Gul contributed to this story. Prominent opposition parties in Pakistan have demanded a debate in Parliament over the possible reinstatement of military courts and have called for them to be disbanded, deeming them "illegal" and "unconstitutional." The courts' two-year term ended Sunday and the government reportedly is considering a two-year extension, arguing they have been effective in prosecuting terror suspects. Farhat Ullah Babar, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), however, said his party believes there is no longer a need for military courts in Pakistan and their existence is unconstitutional. "We simply say no to military courts. There has been a decline in terrorism in the country and we need to know why do we still want military courts," Babar told VOA. "They are a violation of our constitution. ... PPP wants the Parliament to be taken into consideration and confidence to have a debate about why the government is willing to reinstate the military courts," he added. Khaqan Abbassi, Pakistan's former prime minister and a key member of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) party, which was in power before the current government, also spoke against military courts while talking to reporters last week. "If the government wants an extension to the military courts, it will have to take the opposition parties in confidence," Abbassi said, meaning it would have to take up the issue with them. Action plan The military courts were reinstated in 2015 under the National Action Plan, or NAP. The plan, aimed at addressing growing militancy, was a response to a 2014 terrorist attack on an army public school in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. More than 200 people, including 151 civilians, were killed and 200 others wounded. The Pakistani Taliban, a U.S.-designated terror group, claimed responsibility. The justification for military tribunals at the time was to expedite the trials of suspects arrested on terrorism charges and to provide protection to witnesses who hesitated to testify in civil courts, fearing retaliation from militant groups. Now, four years later, concerns over the legality and the need for these tribunals are being raised, as Prime Minister Imran Khan's government consults different opposition parties to push for legislation to extend the courts for another two years. In order for the courts to resume their work, both the lower and upper houses of Parliament would have to vote for a constitutional amendment. They extended the courts once for two years in 2017. Mehdi Hassan, a Pakistan-based human rights activist and political analyst, believes the security situation has improved, comparing the situation to what it was in 2014. Hassan says there is no longer a need for military courts. "The opposition has taken a stand and they believe the circumstances have changed regarding terrorism in Pakistan. When the military courts were formed, the country was facing an immense terrorism threat, but that is not the case anymore," Hassan told VOA. Other analysts, who are advocating for the courts, charge they have been effective and a good alternative to the slower civil courts. "There is friction between government and opposition parties. They should put aside their differences and come to a consensus regarding the military courts because it is for the betterment of the country. This is in the interest of the country that we need to have military courts for the next few years," Muhammad Ali Ihsaan, a former military official and a defense analyst, said. "We are not part of a developed world. Our problems are different, and we are at the forefront of the war against terror," he added. Secrecy concerns Rights groups and experts have raised concerns over the secret nature and operations of these courts, with some labeling them as a parallel judiciary. "There is no doubt about complications regarding the military courts and the way they operate. If the government wants to reinstate these courts, it should [do so through appealing to the will of the people]," Hassan said. "In 2015, the whole nation was in shock after the school massacre and politicians felt compelled to pass the amendment to allow military tribunals to work," Shama Junejo, a rights activist who opposes these courts, told VOA. Earlier this year, a global watchdog for justice called on Pakistan not to use military courts to try civilians for terrorism-related offenses, saying that doing so amounted to rights violations. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said in January that military tribunals have committed serious fair trial violations. In a statement, the ICJ listed "serious fair trials violations in the operation of military courts, including: denial of the right to counsel of choice; failure to disclose the charges against the accused; denial of a public hearing; a very high number of convictions more than 97 percent based on "confessions" without adequate safeguards against torture and ill treatment." Military's defense Pakistan's military says the courts have been effective in the war against terror in the country. Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan's military spokesperson, said in January that the courts were still needed. "Military courts instilled fear in terrorists, and a remarkable decline in terrorism-related incidents was seen after the military courts [were established], he told ARY News, a Pakistani news channel. The exact number of these courts in the country is still not known, but according to local media reports, several such courts had remained active in the past four years, including three in Punjab, two in Sindh, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Balochistan province. According to the Pakistani military, the federal government referred 717 cases to these courts over the past four years. The courts handled 546 cases and handed over death sentences to 310 suspects. An Indonesian hostage held by Muslim militants in the southern Philippines swam his way to freedom, but another drowned, and a Malaysian was shot in the back while escaping, officials said Saturday. The two Indonesians and the Malaysian separately escaped while Philippine marines were attempting to rescue them on Simusa island in southern Sulu province in the last two days, regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said. Three hostages in custody The dramatic escapes leave at least three more hostages in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf, which is blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organization because of its brutal history of bombings, ransom kidnappings, extortion and beheadings. The remaining captives include a Dutch bird watcher, Elwold Horn, who was kidnapped by the militants in 2012, and two Filipinos. One of the Indonesians, Heri Ardiansyah, was plucked from the waters by marines on board a gunboat while they recovered the body of his companion, Hariadin, who drowned. The marines gunned down three Abu Sayyaf captors who were trying to chase the two Indonesians at sea, military officials said. The Malaysian, who was identified by the military as Jari Bin Abudullah, was shot by the militants when he ran away Thursday as marines tried to rescue him and engaged his captors in a gunbattle. Government forces surrounded Simusa island, where a small community thrives near mangroves, to hunt down the remaining Abu Sayyaf gunmen. The Malaysian was airlifted to Zamboanga city, where he was in critical condition in a hospital, military officials said. Abducted last December The three hostages were kidnapped off Malaysias Sabah state on Borneo island last December and taken by speedboat to Sulu, the predominantly Muslim and poverty-wracked province where a few hundred Abu Sayyaf have survived in the jungles despite frequent military offensives. Army troops on Friday clashed with about 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Sulus mountainous Patikul town in a fierce but brief gunbattle that left three soldiers and four militants dead and several wounded on both sides, the military said. The rebels belong to an Abu Sayyaf faction led by commander Hajan Sawadjaan and aligned with the Islamic State group. Sawadjaan is the main suspect in the bombing of a Roman Catholic cathedral during a Mass that killed 23 mostly churchgoers and two suspected suicide attackers on Jan. 27 in Sulus capital town of Jolo. Thousands of Sudanese protesters clashed with security forces outside President Omar al-Bashir's residence in central Khartoum on Saturday in what appeared to be the biggest demonstration in months of protest against his 30-year rule, witnesses said. Across the River Nile in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, which also saw protests into the evening, one civilian died from injuries suffered during "rioting," and other civilians and police officers were wounded, state news agency SUNA said, citing police reports. The victim was a laboratory doctor, according to a statement from an opposition doctors committee. Medical staff have played a prominent role in the protests, in which dozens of people have been killed over the past 3 months. Security forces fired tear gas at protesters in Omdurman and at stone-throwing demonstrators near Bashir's residence, who had responded to a call by activists trying to increase pressure on Bashir to step down. They waved Sudanese flags and chanted slogans demanding "freedom, peace and justice" as they gathered outside the gates of the compound, guarded by army soldiers, that also houses the defense ministry, army command and security headquarters. By the evening, the clashes subsided as security forces pulled back, allowing the thousands still gathered to remain outside the compound. Witnesses said young demonstrators sang nationalist songs and danced for joy. Some said they would stay until Bashir stepped down. Praise for security forces Information Minister Hassan Ismail, who also serves as the government spokesman, praised security forces for the manner in which they handled the protests and said the government remained committed to dialogue to resolve the crisis. "The approach followed by government apparatus was met with satisfaction from citizens," Ismail said in a statement. "Sudanese blood is the most precious thing we need to preserve." Bashir has refused to step down, saying his opponents need to seek power through the ballot box. "Today, we won and we are confident that the regime will fall," said Mohamed Saleh, a 63-year-old university professor who estimated the crowd to be at more than 100,000 people. An independent estimate for the number of protesters was not available. But witnesses said the protest appeared to be larger than previous ones. "There are crowds as far as the eye can see," one witness told Reuters. Anniversary Sudanese activists, apparently emboldened by the success of similar but much larger protests in Algeria that forced ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down, called Saturday's protests to mark the anniversary of the 1985 coup that forced then-President Jaafar Nimeiri to step down following mass protests against his rule. The demonstrators said they wanted to deliver a message to the country's armed forces to side with them in trying to push Bashir out of power. Sudanese say the armed forces had in the past backed popular protests against autocratic rulers, including the 1985 move against Nimeiri. Nimeiri's downfall paved the way for national elections and a civilian government, which Bashir ousted in an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989. Bashir had since run and was elected president in repeated elections that his critics say were neither fair nor free. Price increases, cash shortages Representing the most sustained challenge to Bashir since he took power in 1989, the wave of protests that began on Dec. 19 were triggered by price rises and cash shortages but have evolved into demonstrations against his long rule. In February, Bashir declared a state of emergency in the country of 40 million and sacked his government and state governors in a series of moves aimed at tightening his control. Bashir is wanted by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes while trying to put down an armed uprising in the country's western Darfur region since 2003. Sudan denies committing any war crimes. Iranian authorities have ordered the evacuation of six more towns in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, which is widely inundated with floods, state TV reported Saturday. Gholamreza Shariati, the provincial governor, told state TV that rescue teams are taking residents to nearby shelters, including three army barracks. Evacuation orders came as a new round of rain and floods is expected. Shariati said emergency discharges from dams and reservoirs were adding to the high floodwaters, but such measures were essential to prevent the dams from overflowing or catastrophic breaches, with river waters continuing to rise upstream from the province. Young men were asked to remain behind to help with rescue operations. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told state TV that about 400,000 people are at risk out of the provinces population of 5 million. Eleven towns and scores of villages have been evacuated. There have been no evacuation orders for major cities, including the provinces capital of Ahvaz, which has 1.7 million residents. There have been no reports of damage to the provinces petroleum facilities, which account for roughly 80 percent of Irans oil production. Authorities have put the number of dead at 70 people, as major flooding has hit the western half of the country, after years of drought. Besides heavy rains, heavy damage from the floods has been blamed on widespread disregard for safety regulations in building and road constructions near rivers. Many of the thousands of Sudanese demonstrators marching in Khartoum Saturday reached the countrys military's headquarters for the first time since deadly anti-government protests erupted nearly four months ago. After protesters began rallying on the streets of the capital city Khartoum, many heeded a call by organizers to converge on the military's headquarters, located near the residence of President Omar al-Bashir. Protesters also reached the army's building in the east central Sudanese city of Madani, witnesses told AFP. The protests began on December 19, with demonstrators accusing Bashir's government of economic mismanagement that has sparked skyrocketing food prices, and fuel and foreign currency shortages. Bashir imposed a nationwide state of emergency on February 22 in an attempt to suppress the protests after an initial crackdown failed. The government said weeks ago that 31 people had been killed, but the group Physicians for Human Rights estimates the death toll is at least 60. The government continues to enforce tough measures that have resulted in the arrests of protesters, opposition leaders and journalists. Since the state of emergency took effect, protests have largely been confined to Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman. But on Saturday organizers called for more rallies and a march on the military's headquarters. The protest movement was first spearheaded by the Sudanese Professionals Association but later won the support of several political parties, including the main opposition party, the National Umma Party. Protest organizers chose April 6 for nationwide rallies because it was on that date in 1985 when a military uprising led to the overthrow of the government of President Jaafar Nimeiri in a bloodless coup. After an elected government was in place for a few years, Bashir, a career army officer, toppled the leadership in a 1989 coup with the support of Islamist hardliners. By IANS PANAJI: Separated due to visa-related discrepancies from her 11-year-old daughter who is currently under care of temporary guardians in Goa, a 42-year-old Polish single mother stranded in Thailand, has now reached out to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter for help in desperation. Marta Kotlarska, a Polish artist and photographer who is on a multiple entry B-2 business visa to India, was turned away from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, after she returned from Sri Lanka on March 24. Kotlarska said that she was blacklisted by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, for overstaying "due to a misunderstanding", but added that she had paid the requisite fines prescribed by law. She had left for Sri Lanka a few days earlier from Goa, because she was about to exceed her 180-day limit of stay in India and visa renewal norms required for foreign nationals to formally re-enter the country. "On my way back from Sri Lanka, at the Bengaluru airport, to my utmost shock, I was refused entry to India and had to fly to Bangkok. I had to fly to a destination where I knew someone and could solve my problem and plead to the Indian Embassy," Kotlarska said over phone from Thailand, where she is currently stranded. In her desperation to unite with her daughter, who is currently being looked after by the parents of a classmate in North Goa, Kotlarska has now reached out to Sushma Swaraj for help. "Respected @SushmaSwaraj I beg of you my 11-year-old daughter is separated from me as I was refused entry to India. Please request MHA Foreign division to treat my case as a priority since minor child is (in) India, where she studies without her mother," Kotlarska tweeted. respected @SushmaSwaraj i beg you for help to reunite with my 11 year old daughther and let her finish her education in peace @MEAIndia i was refused reentry to india aftershort trip. she is in india where she has school https://t.co/zLz7M2NRxd Marta Kotlarska (@KotlarskaMarta) April 6, 2019 Kotlarska arrived in Goa from Warsaw in September 2018 to work on a photography project to capture Goan culture and bridge the inter-generational gap between the young and old in the coastal state. She registered her daughter with the FRRO in Panaji, in October 2018. Kotlarska is desperate to re-unite with her daughter, who has been away from her mother for more than a week now. The mother said that Sushma Swaraj is "my only hope for now, because the authorities do not seem to be taking note of the fact that I am separated from my daughter, who is all on her own now and I fear for her". She also requested "dear @HMOIndia I beg you to treat my case as priority since minor girl child is involved, I'm separated from her and her school ends end of June". She has also begged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help. "Respected @narendramodi I beg you for your help. please request officials in MHA Foreign division to treat my case as priority since minor is involved and her education is at stake." A new survey shows that less than half of Americans support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an alliance originally designed to provide collective security against the Soviet Union, but now focused on Russia and non-state actors such as the Taliban and the Islamic State group. The YouGov survey, released to commemorate the 70th anniversary of NATO, found that only 44 percent of Americans support the United States place in the agreement. That was down 3 percentage points from when the survey was conducted in 2017. The poll also surveyed other NATO countries and found that support for the alliance had decreased significantly in the past two years among key European allies. Support for NATO dropped in Britain from 73 percent to 59 percent, in Germany from 68 percent to 54 percent, and in France from 54 percent to 39 percent. YouGov said there is a generational divide in the United States over support for NATO, with 56 percent of the Baby Boomer generation, who grew up at the beginning of the Cold War, believing that the treaty continues to serve an important role in defending Western nations. Only 35 percent of Millennials and 33 percent of Generation X members support U.S. participation in the alliance. There is also a political divide, according to the survey, with 60 percent of Democrats in the United States agreeing the alliance serves an important role, while only 38 percent of Republicans believe the same. YouGov contacted more than 1,200 U.S. adults for the survey, which was conducted online, as well as more than 1,000 adults in several European countries. NATO was formed to be an alliance of Western nations that would balance the military power of the Soviet Union and its allies in Eastern Europe. After the former Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, some experts questioned what part the alliance would play in international security, but the return of Russian assertiveness under President Vladimir Putin has partly changed that. NATO has expanded to include countries that were once part of the Soviet bloc, and has also added countries that are further away, such as Turkey and Greece. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the group, saying many NATO members do not spend enough on defense to fully meet their commitments under the agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered a government study into the country's role in Rwanda before and during its 1994 genocide. Rwanda is this weekend marking the 25th anniversary of the start of the ethnic slaughter of some 800,000 people, mainly ethnic Tutsis. As Rwanda prepares to observe the 25th anniversary of the 1994 genocide where more than 800,000 people were killed, Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James Musoni, said it is important for Zimbabweans to work together to bring peace and prosperity to the country. Addressing journalists while participating in a national cleanup campaign in the capital, Harare, Friday, Musoni warned against deep-seated hatred among people, which he said was what triggered the genocide in Rwanda. What we learnt as a people and as a country you need unity. You need unity, you have to have a shared vision and a shared purpose to be able to develop your country and I know the people of Zimbabwe, the government, the president, they are trying to promote this, said Ambassador Musoni. Musoni applauded his fellow citizens for embracing unity and the realization that they had to work together for the country to move forward and progress. The ambassador said although Zimbabwe cannot follow all of Rwanda's achievements, it is important to develop love, transparency, and mutual encouragement in order to create confidence in the well-being of all people. Rwanda will mark the 25th anniversary of the massacres on Sunday and in Zimbabwe which also commemorates the event at the Arrupe Jesusit University in Harare next Friday. The genocide in Rwanda hits close to home for many Zimbabweans, who survived Gukurahundi in the early 1980s in the Matabeleland and Midland provinces. An estimated 20,000 civilians were reportedly murdered in the provinces but unlike in Rwanda, Zimbabwe has yet fully accounted for the atrocities, or pushed for the arrest of those suspected of committing the atrocities, or offering compensations to those affected. The chairman of the Platform for Youth Development Board, Owen Dhliwayo, told Studio 7 he was pleased to see the countrys president Emmerson Mnangagwa, adopting some of the lessons from Rwanda that bring peace and unity of purpose, such as the National Clean Up Campaign which has been held in Zimbabwe for several months. However, he challenged Mnangagwa and his government to go even further and face the issue of Gukurahundi head on, so as to fully bring about the peace and reconciliation that Rwanda and other countries are enjoying. So if he (President Mnangagwa) is following the Rwandan example of cleaning up the streets, why then does he not also follow Rwanda in acknowledging that something bad happened in his country, that does not sit well with its citizens, said Dhliwayo. To address the atrocities that took place, in January, President Mnangagwa signed the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill (NPRC) into law, but many question how effective it will be. While some applauded Rwandas efforts to bring peace, others, however, like independent political analyst Masimba Kuchera took aim at the countrys president Paul Kagame, whom he said is oppressing opposition parties and members. The cleanup campaign that Ambassador Musoni participated in was led by the mayor of Harare, Hebert Gomba, who said he was pleased that residents have taken up the monthly exercise of cleaning the city streets, adding that it has reduced the tension in the city. Left to right: Timothy Simons, Ron Cephas Jones. Photo: Getty Images More casting for Hulus TV adaptation of John Greens debut novel Looking for Alaska has been announced. Timothy Simons and Ron Cephas Jones will join leads Kristine Froseth and Charlie Plummer (who play Alaska and Miles, a.k.a. Pudge, respectively) in the eight-episode limited series. Veeps Timothy Simons will play the Eagle, who is described as stern and humorless, a far cry from Simonss current Veep character Jonah, a sleazy White House employee turned disastrous presidential candidate. The Eagle (caw, caw!) will warn Miles against following in his fathers prankster footsteps. Ron Cephas Jones of This Is Us fame will play Dr. Hyde, an ancient, one-lunged history of religion teacher, who sounds like he could have a movie all on his own (what he lacks in lungs, he makes up for in wisdom). Finally, some adults to monitor these angsty teens. By ANI RAMPUR: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan said that people like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh who are occupying "constitutional posts are criminals". While he called Yogi a murderer, he called Kalyan Singh a criminal, who was convicted by the Supreme Court for a day. Referring to Adityanath, Khan said, "You are the so-called flag-bearer of Dharma and the priest of Gorakhnath Temple, but you are also a murderer of a Yadav policeman." He further said that people "sitting on constitutional chairs are all criminals". READ| Case registered against SP leader Azam Khan for provocative speech "You made Kalyan Singh a Governor who was convicted for a day by the Supreme Court. When you make a criminal a Governor, he will commit crime again in front of the Election Commission," charged Azam Khan even as he slammed the EC as biased. "Yogi said 'Modi ki fauj hai', Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also said the same thing but EC did nothing. No action against Kalyan Singh either. But when I said we will shed the last drop of our blood to protect our borders, EC stopped me from speaking. What justice is this?" said Khan addressing a public gathering here on Friday. He said that the Muslim population of India is worried and the United Nations is doing nothing. "The second largest population of the country is worried, I am not being allowed to speak. Where is the United Nations? I refuse to recognise the UN now on," he said. A case has been registered against Khan on Tuesday for allegedly making provocative remarks against four senior district officials after a complaint was filed by Congress leader Faisal Khan Lala. Khan is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The state will go to polls in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. By IANS NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Saturday barred publishing of political advertisements in print media on polling day and the day before in all seven phases of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls unless the contents of such advertisements are pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). The poll panel said the direction was issued in exercise of its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution in order to ensure "no untoward incident takes place because of any inflammatory, misleading or hate advertisement". It said that instances of advertisements of "offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to the notice of the Commission in the past" and that such advertisements in the last stage of the election "vitiate the entire election process". "The affected candidates and parties will not have any opportunity of providing clarification/rebuttal in such a scenario," it said. Electronic media is already barred from broadcasting election publicity material during the last 48 hours before conclusion of polling. Nachiketa Mittal By Shouldnt vice chancellors have institutional integrity and show commitment to national law universities (NLUs)? This issue needs close attention because the trend over the last one decade shows that some of the professors of law who have been elevated and appointed as vice chancellors of NLUs, perhaps do not confirm to the value system of institutional integrity and commitment. This compels us to think whether we should really judge law professors on such parameters when they take up administrative roles like the vice chancellor. Is it fair for a vice chancellor, once appointed for a term of five years, to resign in less than even half of the term and seek a similar appointment in another university? Some may argue that you cannot stop anyone from applying for a position as long as a candidate is eligible. The proposition is quite plausible. But what about the leadership commitment expected from the person in the seat of a vice chancellor? These vital questions are ignored in the legal academia, especially in NLUs. To address this issue, a peek into the recent trends in NLUs is necessary. The founding vice chancellor of the Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad appointed in March 2017, resigned in less than two years. He took over as the vice chancellor of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Visakhapatnam in December 2018. The present and founding vice chancellor of NLU, Nagpur resigned in less than two years from the vice chancellorship of National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam. He was appointed as the vice chancellor in Assam in October 2014 amidst administrative crisis in the campus and after the university functioned for five months without a head. However, he resigned mid-term in June 2016 and joined NLU, Nagpur. The present and founding vice chancellor of Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur, was appointed as the director of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal in February 2006, but he resigned and joined as the vice chancellor of the National Law University in Lucknow in January 2008. The founding vice chancellor of NLU Odisha resigned in two years 10 months when he was appointed as the vice chancellor of NALSAR, Hyderabad. The second vice chancellor of NLU Odisha also resigned in less than a year and took up the vice chancellorship in Pondicherry University. The serving vice chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, served as the vice chancellor of Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur from 2010-2011 and migrated to RGNUL as the vice chancellor in February 2011. In all the above examples, the individuals did not complete their full term. This trend shows that they are on a quest for something better. Is it about heading a university which is ranked better or a university close to their hometowns? Or maybe, the vice chancellors sometimes, are not able to withstand the internal administrative challenges in one university and thus, want to migrate to another. The reasons could be many. It can also be argued that some law professors use their first-time appointment as the vice chancellor of one university as a gateway to an equivalent position in a university better placed for various reasons. It has virtually become a relay race of the vice chancellors. Such practices raise genuine concerns about institutional interest. If vice chancellors use these high offices of public importance for mere personal growth, how can we raise a set of committed law teachers? Would it not amount to compromising institutional interest for personal gains? Wouldnt the university and the student community ultimately suffer because of frequent change of guard? On one hand, it could be debated whether such a practise is greed-based or need-based. On the other hand, it also cannot be denied that an elevation to such high offices comes with a greater responsibility, which at times, demands that an individual sacrifices his/her personal desires of looking out for greener pastures. One way to remedy the situation could be to reduce the term of the vice chancellorship from five years to three years. This may perhaps create a pressure on the incumbent to serve for at least such a short term before looking for the next role. Another way could be to debar vice chancellors who look for similar positions before serving at least three years. And thirdly, the search committee or the selection committee for the vice chancellors in NLUs may simply not select candidates who have not served more than half the term. These solutions can possibly be utilised in the case of NLUs in Raipur, Patna, Kolkata, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar and Delhi which either have a vacancy or are shortly going to have one. There can be more creative ways to handle this situation by upholding a foundational argument that a leadership role comes with an inherent call for personal sacrifices. Integrity to the institution and commitment to the student community shall not be allowed to be compromised for mere personal growth. For the top management, the universitys success and excellence shall remain the top priority. Nachiketa Mittal Assistant Professor of Law, National Law University Odisha Email: mittal.nachiketa@gmail.com Thats a special thing about Howard everybody here is so socially active and concerned about civic change, in the same way, he said. So people coming together to actually make that happen, its not unusual for Howard. But to actually have those changes implemented . . . is refreshing, to see that it just wasnt all for nothing. By establishing state-level processes for review and approval of conversions of colleges, it adds a check into the process, said Shireman, a former deputy undersecretary at the Education Department under President Barack Obama. In the Argosy situation, it either would have been stopped because of the conflicts and lack of clarity about who would be running the school, or there would have had to be some changes in the way they were managing it. Marylands Department of Health said anyone who might have been at an office building at 4000 Old Court Rd. in Pikesville between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday may have been exposed. In the court of public opinion this innocent 10-year-old was deemed guilty and criminalized. . . . We owe it to the young victim of this crime to hold the people who hurt him accountable, Racines statement said. We also owe it to the 10-year-old who was incorrectly identified as an armed robber to set the record straight. On March 24, officers responded to the Islamic Society of Germantown mosque in the 19000 block of Blunt Road in Germantown for a report of a suspicious situation, police said. Witnesses saw a vehicle circling the parking lot before the driver exited and used a brick to vandalize another vehicle in the lot, police said. The driver then struck another car while driving away from the scene. Jackson A. Cosko, 27, of the District, admitted on Friday to doxing the senators after he became angry about being fired by one senator and then grew angry at other senators as he watched the hearing that addressed sexual assault allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh, his plea agreement shows. According to police, they also charged Taha with destruction of property in a March 24 incident in which a motorist got out of a vehicle at the Islamic Society of Germantown mosque on Blunt Road and vandalized another vehicle with a brick. The motorist drove away after striking another parked vehicle, the police said. What I want to say to Ashantis family is, its all right. I went through that. Many of us have gone through that, she said. But at the end of the day, you need to know that we stand by you. We want you to reach out to us so we can give Ashanti her closure, the day when we celebrate her life. Anusha Ravi By Express News Service MANGALURU: It is not jobs, economy or farmer issues that voters in Dakshina Kannada are worried about. The Hindutva hotbed, has largely bought into the idea that nationalism and national security are the agendas that matter this election season. From Mangaluru city to the interior villages of Malekudiyas in Belthangady, people are barely familiar with Rafale deal but are aware of the Pulwama attack and the ensuing Balakot air strikes. For the third time in a row, BJP has fielded Nalin Kumar Kateel, who has represented the constituency since 2009, when the first-ever election was held. The Congress, in its grand plans of appealing to the Hindutva narrative, has fielded Mithun Rai a popular youth leader and a debutante. However, voters of the constituency seem to be keen on voting for a Prime Minister directly and not an MP. The MP, for most voters is just a means of ensuring that the party they prefer, comes back to power. The governments responsibility is to take care of the country and I am sure Modi will do it well, said Gayatri Virupaksha, a 33-year-old homemaker from Ontigatte, Moodabidri, who believes nationalism is equal to voting for the BJP. She, along with two dozen women in her village, roll beedies to make extra money and elections are a hot topic at their common work centres. These women are paid between Rs 160 - Rs 170 for every 1,000 tobacco rolls they produce. In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP had swept seven out of the eight seats, with the only exception of Mangaluru, where Congress UT Khader won. Last years fervour seems to be continuing this year also. Three out of the eight assembly constituencies - Mangaluru city north, Mangaluru city south and Mangaluru - are business centres that suffered setbacks after demonetisation and faced difficulties with the introduction of the GST. Voters agree that demonetisation hurt them but the memories of its impact have now faded. We all felt a pinch but now things are back to normal. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE It is time to think of the future. Strong leadership at the Centre matters. It cant be a mixture of leaders pulling each other in different directions, said Uday M, a small trader in Mangalore City North. He claims to be a fan of Congress Mithun Rai but is inclined to vote for the BJP so Narendra Modi can come back as the PM. The minorities in Dakshina Kannada are a worried lot. With Congress also fielding a man with rightist leanings, minorities cant help but feel that their interests are under-represented. Our MP has never visited this village, not even when he was invited to take part in our Urus (celebrations held in the local mosque every three years). For him, neither do we exist, nor do our votes matter, rued Ibrahim Abdul Ahmed, a 65-year-old resident of Amblamogru village in Ullal. Congress candidate Rai does not instil any confidence in Ahmed either. In this Muslim majority village, voters hope to consolidate in favour of SDPI candidate Elyas Muhammed Thumbe. As much as we speak of voting for SDPI, Muslims wont consolidate because they know Elyas wont become MP. They would have preferred to transfer their votes to the Congress but Rai is no different from Kateel when it comes to their ideology, said Abdus Rehman, a taxi driver from Mangaluru city. The Malekudiya villages in Belthangady face electricity and connectivity issues. Interior villages, cut off from the luxury of technology, are still struggling for basics like roads but the popularity of Modi is unquestionable. Is there an alternative? We might as well vote for someone who can use another term and perhaps is able to help us, said Krishnappa Malekudi, a resident of Malige Bailu in the forests of Belthangady. While Mangaluru boasts of the highest number of medical colleges and a flourishing real estate, people in the surrounding villages are compelled to work at beedi, brick-making and food packaging factories. Finding jobs is a difficult task with some settling for jobs as house maids, despite holding a degree. But GMU authorities worked with Interpol to determine that Darwich was planning to return to Fairfax County, leading them to put out five felony warrants for his arrest. Darwich is being held in the county jail on $100,000 bond. Barbara Lipska, director of the Human Brain Collection Core at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md., says its important to study brains from people of diverse backgrounds because most of the genetic information collected so far has been from people of European heritage. We know that there are differences in the frequencies of certain genetic mutations in people of different races. Research suggests that neuropsychiatric diseases occur 20 percent more often in African Americans than in people of European descent, and some of that may be due to specific genetic risk factors. Lieber is launching an initiative to study these genetic differences in African Americans. New York state has been particularly hard hit, with 259 confirmed cases in Brooklyn and Queens since October, many of them in the Orthodox Jewish community. According to the states Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the outbreak began after an unvaccinated child acquired measles on a visit to Israel, where there has also been an outbreak of the disease. Foxx has been harshly criticized since her office dismissed the charge against Smollett after she recused herself from the case, and there have been calls for her to step down. But on Saturday Foxx vowed to finish her term, which ends next year, and signaled that she plans to run for reelection. I want to remind her of Ethiopia. To fulfill his expansionist and fascistic ambitions, Benito Mussolini was determined to conquer Ethiopia by any means. Mussolinis generals, including the brutal Rodolfo Graziani, intended to colonize the country with or without the Ethiopians. Their genocidal campaign is a dark chapter in Ethiopian history. Uncountable Ethiopian civilians were killed simply for being found in the only homeland they had and knew. By Express News Service BENGALURU: How well is the Congress-JDS dosti doing? Since they formed the coalition government in the state last year, leaders of both parties have not stopped talking about how strong the bond between the two parties is. While the bond lasted through all the trials and tribulations that the BJP put them through, it seems to be stretched thin when it comes to the Lok Sabha elections and not even HD Deve Gowda or Rahul Gandhis pleas for unity seem to be working. Though the coalition partners have a pre-poll alliance to take on their common foe BJP, the disagreements at the local level show the disconnect between the state leaders bonhomie and ground reality. TNIE did a reality check. Everything seems calm on the surface. For instance, in Tumakuru, district in-charge minister and Congress leader G Parameshwara has left no stone unturned in campaigning for JDS supremo Deve Gowda. He even shared a stage with arch-rival Sudhakar Lal, former JDS MLA. Lal had defeated Parameshwara in 2013 and yet now both talk of unity. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Dig a little deeper and you will see a contrasting picture. The two Congress biggies of Tumakuru, Kyatsandra Rajanna and SP Muddahanume Gowda, are yet to show up to campaign for Deve Gowda. Muddahanume Gowda even signed up to contest against the former PM before he was convinced to back down. In Mandya, where CM Kumaraswamys son Nikhil is battling Sumalatha, wife of late actor-politician Ambareesh, Congress leaders have made it a point to join Nikhil as he crisscrossed Mandya, asking for votes at rallies and road-shows. Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar has also joined the campaign, but conspicuous in their absence are three former Congress MLAs - Cheluvaraya Swamy, Narendra Swamy and R Bandisiddegowda. ALSO READ| Will Congress-JD(S) coalitions joint manifesto in Karnataka see light of day? Their absence must have kicked up a minor storm because they were addressed by Shivakumar and when they did not listen to him, were given a dressing down by party leader Siddaramaiah recently. In Hassan, while the local top brass is present to cheer and campaign for Deve Gowdas grandson Prajwal, trouble seems to be brewing in the lower ranks. In Bangalore Rural, JDS MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy is playing her part by campaigning for Congress candidate DK Suresh when he visited Ramanagaram on Tuesday. At the same time, Kumaraswamy was out campaigning for Congress leader Eshwar Khandre in Bidar. Elsewhere in Bijapur or Uttara Kannada, JDS candidates have been left to fend for themselves. When asked about the sulking leaders of Mandya and Tumakuru, state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, We are campaigning together for 90% of the time but in the remaining 10% there are problems and we are working them out. In order to send out a strong message, Gundu Rao said, From April 5, both Gowda and Siddaramaiah will campaign together across Karnataka. For too long, many NATO members have operated under the belief that the United States will protect them. They have not adequately invested in defense spending for years. Recently, they have increased their defense spending. But how many years will it take for them to achieve the level of preparedness they should have had all along? Some NATO members have participated in conflicts, but there is a difference between distant, regional, low-intensity conflicts and a major war with a powerful enemy at their border. Unfortunately, we lack answers about the U.S. Postal Services progress in implementing the new requirements. Weve already hit deadlines prescribed under the law without any indication that the requirements have been achieved. By the end of last year, the law required the Postal Service to have advance electronic data on 100 percent of packages from China and 70 percent of packages overall. The Department of Homeland Security and the Postal Service should have already provided Congress a joint strategic plan that outlines specific performance measures for collecting this data. But there is no public indication that either of these deadlines were met, even as foreign fentanyl continues to drive tragic overdose deaths. One reason for that shift was the appeal of Mr. Zelensky. A Russian speaker, he has promised to negotiate with Mr. Putin about ending the five-year-old war in eastern Ukraine while continuing the countrys pro-Western orientation. Its not at all clear that he would be competent at those difficult tasks, or able to deliver on his promise to tackle corruption and instill the rule of law. The actor has done a good deal of business with one of Ukraines most notorious oligarchs, who moved to Israel after being implicated in a major banking scandal. Singapores proposal is perilous in itself, especially because it could force social media sites to develop new software that might not be confined to one tiny country alone. But the trend of anti-misinformation laws Russia passed one last month is also a reminder that nations friendlier to free speech should take care not to tread on their citizens rights as they struggle to grapple with online falsehoods. That includes Australia, which recently rammed through a law criminalizing the circulation of abhorrent violent material, along with Britain, which is considering its own rules against harmful content. And it includes, of course, the United States, where next week lawmakers will question technology executives over the spread of white nationalism on their platforms. Ms. Yousef and two other women were provisionally released last week, and there were reports that the other women might also be freed. Instead, the regime has chosen to double down on its repression. The new detainees, unlike those already on trial, are not famous activists or prominent on social media. They posed no political threat to the regime. The only conceivable purpose of their detention is to deter Saudi and international support for the female activists who have sought such modest reforms as allowing women to travel without the permission of a male relative. Dees has said little about why he was shown the door after 48 years at the organization he had come to define. But to those of us familiar with the SPLC and its inner workings, the allegations swirling around the latest drama were familiar. The question isnt what went wrong at the SPLC; it is why it took so long for the rest of the country to learn what local reporters already knew. It will probably take a federal investigation to fully unravel this deep-South mystery and provide a credible, long-term fix. In fairness, its possible that even without the churchs fancy legal footwork, Maryland courts would disallow any such lookback windows that would enable victims to file suits for abuse they suffered many years or decades earlier. Courts in quite a few states prohibit retroactive changes to statutes of limitations. And though about a dozen states have enacted such measures, usually in response to the ongoing scandal involving the church, in several cases they have done so with asterisks for example, by allowing lawsuits targeting abusers themselves but not organizations (such as the Catholic Church or the Boy Scouts of America, which has had its own similar problems) that supervised or even shielded abusers. While it is accurate that our foundation intended to present our hostage freedom award to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and we extended the invitation to him on Nov. 19, 2018, we ultimately decided we could not present the award as planned because of the dramatic change in circumstances when the Trump administration did not press for genuine accountability from the Saudi government for the brutal murder of Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi. We communicated the reason for this decision to the secretarys team on Jan. 11. One of the nations geographic advantages tens of thousands of miles of coastline and inland waterways has been minimized by making it off-limits to foreign competition in transportation. This increases transportation costs, which ripple through the production process as a significant portion of the costs of goods. Because of the Jones Acts costly mandates, less cargo is shipped by water, merchant mariners have fewer jobs, and more cargo is carried by truck, rail and air, which are more environmentally damaging than water transportation. Two of Americas most congested highways, Interstate 95 and Interstate 5, are along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, respectively. Yet the amount of cargo shipped by water along the coasts and on the Great Lakes is about half the volume of 1960. Since then, railroad freight volume has increased about 50 percent, and volume by intercity trucks responsible for more than 75 percent of federal highway maintenance costs has increased more than 200 percent. So Mr. Cains political fealty to Mr. Trump is ironclad stronger, certainly, than his expertise in economics or financial markets, usual qualifications for the Fed Board of Governors. For example, Mr. Cain in 2012 called for a return to a gold-linked dollar, writing: Gold is kryptonite to big-spending politicians. It is to the moochers and looters in government what sunlight and garlic are to vampires. Even unembellished by demagogic rhetoric, Mr. Cains idea contradicts the consensus among economic professionals that the gold standard under which the Fed would agree to exchange some of its gold for paper dollars at a fixed rate is destructive and outmoded. It would limit the Feds ability to expand the money supply to fight recessions, with potentially catastrophic results. Many blame the gold standard of the 1930s for deepening the Great Depression. Deba Prasad Dash By Express News Service MALKANGIRI: WARY of the Bengali community shifting its loyalty to the BJP this time, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday played the Bengali card to shore up the electoral fortunes of BJDs Nabarangpur Lok Sabha candidate Ramesh Chandra Majhi and Malkangiri Assembly segment candidate Mukund Sodi. The Bengali settler community constitutes a major chunk of the electorate here. Addressing a huge gathering at the mini stadium in Maoist fortress Kalimela, Naveen - accompanied by former minister Arabinda Dhali - called upon the Bengali community to vote for the BJD, and not BJP. Attacking leaders of the national party, the BJD supremo said they only come to Odisha during the elections. They have never come during natural calamities that hit the State time and again. These tall leaders of the BJP are now promising the moon to the voters, just to seek votes. I want to ask the BJPs Central leaders whose interest are they serving by permitting the Polavaram project, scrapping of KBK Yojana and discontinuing scholarship for poor SC and ST students, the Chief Minister said. Without naming anyone, Naveen said the BJP leaders are shedding crocodile tears for the State with the elections just a week away. On the other hand, he has always been with them and would always remain so, he said. Bless me. Cast your vote in favour of conch symbol. Cast it twice, one for the BJD MLA candidate and another for the MP candidate, he requested them. Naveen assured to sort out problems faced by the Bengali community. He also addressed a public gathering at Maithili, a part of Chitrakonda Assembly segment, and sought support for party candidate Purna Chandra Baka and Lok Sabha candidate Ramesh Chandra Majhi. Dhali also assured the settlers that BJD is committed to protecting their interest. Naveen Patnaik has been protecting you ever since you started living here as Indian citizens and will continue to do so, he said. Malkangiri Assembly constituency where BJDs Mukund Sodi is pitted against Aditya Madhi of BJP and Mala Madhi of Congress, is home to 85,000 registered Bengali-speaking voters spread across about 171 villages. Earlier when the BJD gave ticket to Sodi by replacing incumbent Manas Madkami, the Bengali voters came out in the open against Dhali, who is the chairman of the State Seeds Corporation. They had alleged that conspiracy was being hatched by Dhali against the legislator despite the fact that the constituency had witnessed development during Madkamis tenure. Majhi, Sodi as well as Madkami were also present at the Kalimela meeting. But, which one of them is capable of elevating the dialogue, of inspiring citizens to look beyond their immediate needs to something that unites all? Were not only physical beings with basic needs; were also soul-filled and spiritually yearning for something greater than ourselves. It is to the latter that our next president should focus some of his or her attention, because we are entering a new age without much guidance. Whether Buttigieg is rising because he is gay or despite it, and whether he should be celebrated as a symbol or viewed no differently from anyone else, depends on perspective. From Buttigiegs perspective, the best evidence of progress is not that an openly gay person is running for president, but that some wonder why anyone is talking about his sexuality at all. In on-air remarks last month, Fox News Channel host Jeanine Pirro suggested that Omars wearing of a hijab could be indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution. The comments prompted a public outcry as well as a condemnation from Fox News Channel; Pirro returned to her show last week after an apparent two-week suspension. His remarks come amid an internal debate in the party over the most effective path to take in challenging President Trump for the White House in 2020. Democrats recaptured the House in November in large part due to a surge of liberal energy. But as some have embraced sweeping proposals such as Medicare-for-all and the Green New Deal plan to combat climate change, others have balked, arguing that the party should take a more centrist approach. Republicans believe that we must never ignore the vile poison of anti-Semitism. We do. All of us, Trump said. The president had previously sparked widespread condemnation after declaring that there were some very fine people on both sides of the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, at which neo-Nazis had shouted, Jews will not replace us. Id ask my grandmother questions: Did Adam and Eve come before the dinosaurs? Where do women come into play? Why doesnt anyone of the people in the Bible look like us? If Jesus is real, why do we never see him? Zainul Ansari was killed on a fall day last year, when a religious procession in Sitamarhi during a Hindu festival turned violent. The crowd which police estimated numbered a few thousand clashed with the procession as it tried to detour into a Muslim neighborhood. A rumor that Muslims had thrown stones at the procession had enraged the crowd. The 82-year-old was on his way home when he came upon the mob, who beat him with sticks and then set him on fire. In the category for international competitors and two Vietnamese teams, the organising board presented 101 medals and 14 prizes for individuals, with 52 medals for the Junior group for eighth and ninth graders (9 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze medals), and 49 medals for the Senior group for 10th graders (8 gold, 15 silver and 26 bronze medals). The two Vietnamese teams brought home a total of 23 gold medals. The Chinese team were the champions in the Junior group while the Indonesia team came first in the Senior group. In the category for domestic competitors, a total of 300 medals and 16 prizes were presented, and the Hai Phong team won the team titles of both the Junior and Senior groups. This year, the three-day competition has attracted more than 600 students from 14 countries and territories, including Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Nepal, the Philippines, Hungary, Iran, Myanmar, Poland, Spain, Taiwan (China), Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and host Vietnam. English is the official language of the contest. Vaishali Vijaykumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: An exhilarating aroma, creamy golden brown froth, a fulsome nutty flavour and a lingering, slightly sharp aftertaste thats how a steaming cup of Indian filter coffee comes on to your senses. But how often do we think about the process that goes behind this heady beverage the kind of beans, the right degree of roasting and grinding, the correct temperature for brewing before it nourishes your weary soul. Roast, Brew and You a two-month-old Instagram page managed by Madurai-based software engineer, Viggnesh V takes you on a whistlestop tour of the brews which he experiments at home. If the brew is connected to a variety available at a particular coffee estate, then he writes about the place what theyve got, and why coffee plantation is important to their livelihood. Viggnesh also works as a coffee consultant and brew crafter. He conducts coffee-tasting and brewing workshops in the city. He also helps certain cafes in Chennai improvise their beverage menu.Back in the 60s and 70s, my grandfather never bought coffee with chicory. He used to go to India Coffee House, get some beans, roasted them himself, ground and prepared his cup of coffee. But, he wasnt happy with the taste in the later stages of life. So, I bought a filter coffee blend machine for him in 2012,and he fell in love with his coffee again. This made me wonder how each variety tasted different considering the beans were all similar in colour, says Viggnesh, who has been working with coffee beans and brewing methods for around three years. Crop to cup After extensive research about coffee plantations in India, Viggnesh visited coffee estates during the harvest season November to January for arabica variety from, and December to April for robusta from. He spoke to farmers and producers about the methods of growing coffee. I started brewing coffee with just water roughly four years back. Gradually I got an idea of what coffee note meant, what grind size would do to coffee, how roasting pressure and duration would determine the taste. I also started travelling as part of my job to the US, Cambodia and Denmark, and tasted some of the best coffees from around the world, he shares. Viggnesh recently tried coffee from Africa. He hopes to sample coffee from Yemen, which is considered to have some of the best coffees in the world. Ive also tried Icelands capital Reykjaviks coffee. Roasteries there source coffee beans from Bolivia. There are three levels of roasting light, medium and high. Here it does not cross light and thats rare. Denmark has Coffee Collective where direct trade is practiced where farmers are paid 10 to 20 times the money for the produce. The market is transparent, so people can taste fresh coffee directly from farms. Cambodian coffee and the ones in the US are good too, he says. In India he often visits coffee estates at Perumalmalai, Yercaud, Kodaikannal, Chikmagalur, Araku Valley and Nilgiris. The coffee from Meghalaya and Nagaland is good, but not recognised. Know your bean In an effort to educate coffee lovers to all forms and types of coffee, Viggnesh conducts workshops. Coffee cupping or tasting is the practice of observing the taste and aroma of the drink. As a general practice, the farmer passes on the produce of the year to roasters. After roasting, they cup them and understand various factors like uniformity, acidity, body, flavour, notes and balance, based on which scores are given to rate the quality. A coffee that scores above 80 per cent is called speciality coffee. Tasting sessions are not to score, but to understand the underlying flavours and taste note thats present in it, he says. Meanwhile, brewing sessions expose people to different methods to brew coffee beans. Theres espresso, aeropress, vacuum siphon and other methods. If a cold brew is prepared using espresso then it will not taste good, says Viggnesh, who has 10 brewing machines and small coffee equipment. The manual espresso machine is his favourite. Caffeine experiments Viggnesh spends two-three hours a day with his brewing machines. On weekends, he spends almost the whole day. I cup different coffees using different brewing methods. For instance, cold brew takes close to four hours. The water slowly drips to beds of coffee beans each of different grind size resulting in a different set of flavour. I do my groundwork before suggesting a bean to a restaurant. Sometimes it requires spending an entire day, he says. This passion has opened his palette to a variety of coffees available in the market. A person from Mylapore would prefer filter coffee without chicory for the price of an espresso. Theres more to coffee than its bitter taste. If people become ambassadors of change, then we can all have good coffee. My initiative Madras Coffee Movement is a cause for a good cup of coffee, he says. He came to Europe, he perceived that Europe was in a state of advanced decadence, said Camus, who is not related to the author of The Great Replacement. He was inspired by what he saw, but that doesnt mean he was inspired directly by those he met. After meeting with the Tripoli governments president, Sarraj, Salame said in a tweet, I want to reassure the Libyans that the UN will not leave them by themselves & will stay in Libya, working toward a political solution, silencing the guns & a peaceful political understanding btwn the various parties. Regardless of whether the resolution becomes U.S. law or not, Saudi Arabia will continue to lead the effort to restore the legitimate government of Yemen and to counter the expansionist designs of Iran, the official said. We have resolved to defend our nation and the region, even if we have to do so with our bare hands. Most ships, ones not owned by Cuba or Venezuela, are like Uber drivers, Dallen said. The computer says, Heres the closest ship, and you book it. In the future, anybody who goes to Venezuela to pick up or drop off oil, or goes to Cuba, is going to be wary that theyre going to be sanctioned. By Express News Service DINDIGUL/THENI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that Stalin was aspiring to become the chief minister and his only qualification was that he is the son of DMK leader Karunanidhi. But I became CM due to my hard work.He was campaigning for AIADMKs Nilakottai by-election candidate S Thenmozhi and Dindigul Lok Sabha candidate K Jothimuthu at Batlagundu in Dindigul here on Friday. He said, Both Stalin and I had been members of the assembly. I was a farmer and rose to my present position through my hard work. However, DMK president Stalin is dreaming to achieve the post with the only qualification that he is late DMK leader Karunanidhis son.He said that in AIADMK, the cadre and the people were the leaders and the party worked only for the welfare of the people. But DMK only focusses on preventing welfare schemes from reaching people, he said. Criticising DMKs manifesto, Palaniswami said the DMK leader had not even realised that its a Lok Sabha poll and released a manifesto that is fit only for assembly election. The CM alleged that Stalin was busy conducting Kangaroo courts for his party members as they often engage in quarrels in hotels. In Theni district, the CM said that Nobel prize for telling lies should be bestowed on DMK president MK Stalin as he was creating confusion among the people. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE During his campaign for AIADMK candidates for Theni parliamentary constituency P Ravindranath Kumar and for Andipatti Assembly constituency Logirajan, the CM addressed people at Andipatti, Kanavilakku, Kandamanur and Chinnamanur. DMK had assured the people that they would give land free of cost to poor farmers, but they failed to honour their promise. They are creating confusion among the innocent people and spreading lies, he said. He asserted that since the AIADMK government was in power in the State, it could fulfil the demands of the people. Palaniswami urged the people to teach the opposition group a lesson. The State is facing by-election due to the betrayal of some persons, he said and termed the Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan as an imported candidate, who could do nothing for the welfare of the people. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was able enough to safeguard the people and He should be elected for the safety of the country. Palaniswami said his government would take steps to increase the water level in Mullaipperiyar dam to 152 feet. As suggested by a committee comprising retired engineers, steps would be taken to divert water by erecting check dams to benefit the farmers and the public. As many as 3,000 tanks and ooranis were desilted in different parts of the State so far to enhance the water capacity. The government will take steps to supply water from Kullappakoundanpatti to 152 villages after laying pipelines. The government has decided to establish a primary health centre in Kanniyappapillaipatti and adequate steps will be taken to give patta for the residents of Valiparai near Varusanadu, he said. Three more teen girls have been charged after an all-girl gang bashed a McDonald's worker and medical receptionist during a violent rampage in Cockburn on Monday afternoon. The girls allegedly attacked people inside a medical centre. Credit:9 News Perth The girls, aged between 12 and 15, allegedly assaulted eight people at several outlets at the Gateway Shopping Centre. Police spokeswoman Susan Usher said eight girls were now facing charges over the violent spree, which left shoppers and shop owners traumatised. On Saturday, police charged a girl, 13, from Hamilton Hill, a 15-year-old girl from Girrawheen and 14-year-old girl from Yangebup with assault and stealing among a string of other offences. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is likely to wait another week before firing the starter's gun on the election campaign, giving MPs more time to gauge community reaction to the federal budget and sharpen their political strategy. While Mr Morrison could still move to call the election this Sunday, sources say next weekend has firmed as the preferred timing, opening up May 18 as the probable polling day, with May 25 a wildcard option that has been actively considered. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is leaning towards a later election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Prime Minister has been fielding a range of opinions about the timing, with some Coalition figures favouring an earlier date while others have advised that later is better. Speculation was initially rife that the campaign would kick off this weekend, with a five-week race to a May 11 election. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: External Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj trained her guns at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for doubting if any terrorist had been killed in the strikes conducted by the Indian Air Force in Balakot, Pakistan. Swaraj slammed the TRS chief for believing Pakistans claims and questioned if he was worth the peoples mandate. Swaraj made these statements while campaigning for G Kishan Reddy and N Ramchander Rao, the partys candidates from Secunderabad and Malkajgiri respectively. Speaking in the presence of senior party leaders Bandaru Dattatreya and K Laxman, Swaraj said that the Balakot air strikes were a targeted and precise attack on terrorist camps in Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that terrorists were indeed killed in the attacks. The nation has congratulated our brave armed forces, she explained, adding that as many as 17 countries had supported the strikes, admitting that they were preemptive in nature. The Union minister said that she was astonished that people like KCR were claiming no terrorists had been killed. She wanted to know how the Chief Minister could take Pakistans side on the matter. When a person chooses to believe statements of Pakistani leaders over Indian leaders, I want to know if such a person can be worth your vote? Can he be of any value to the people? she queried, eliciting responses like shame and no from the partys supporters. Swaraj said that such strikes could have been in the countrys interest had they been done after the 26/11 terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008. If the Indian government (UPA) had wanted, it could have cornered Pakistan internationally by taking other countries into confidence. But that opportunity was wasted. Instead, the government wrote to Pakistan, asking it to act against terrorists, she said. By Express News Service ADILABAD/NALGONDA: Taking strong exception to TRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressing doubts over surgical strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Goshamahal BJP MLA T Raja Singh accused the former of insulting armed force by questioning the authenticity of the strikes.Did Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar tell KCR that no surgical strike had taken place and the armed forces were lying. I request the youth to collect Rs 10 each from every citizen and take KCR to the place where the surgical strikes were conducted, he said. Speaking at a roadshow in Adilabad here on Friday, the controversial BJP legislator said by questioning the surgical strike, KCR has not only demoralised the armed forces, but also hurt the sentiments of people of the nation. I also doubt the claims of KCR that similar surgical strikes were conducted during UPA government. No one will believe that Congress government had conducted surgical strikes, he said. KCR stands for cheap politics. Always lies and misleads people. He had not kept a single promise he had made. Raja Singh also addressed roadshows in Neeradigonda, Echoda and Adilabad towns. Religious identify In another meeting held in Nalgonda, Raja Singh asked why Chandrasekhar Rao is repeatedly claiming to be a Hindu.Claiming that Rao is asserting his religious identify due to his close association with the AIMIM, Raja Singh said that KCR does not know what he says. A person will become worse if the people around him are bad, he said referring to Raos association with AIMIM leaders Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi. Tell us you are part of them but dont mislead us, Singh said while claiming that yagas that KCR had performed are for his own benefit and not that of people or the State. By PTI WASHINGTON: The arrest of Indians trying to sneak into America has dropped by a whopping 56 per cent due to the construction of a concrete wall along the US-Mexico border in California, a top official has told President Donald Trump. The Trump administration is building a wall along the southern Mexico border to prevent the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. Felix Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the Del Rio Sector, told Trump during a round-table in California on Friday that the border wall in his sector was constructed in eight months from February to October. The President visited the Del Rio Sector to have a first- hand inspection of the wall. Chavez said illegal entries decreased by 75 per cent. ALSO READ | Pentagon authorizes USD 1 billion for Donald Trump's border wall "As soon as it was completed, we started measuring and we started monitoring its effectiveness. So for the first quarter of FY19, we have had many, many efficiencies noted. "Central American people that used to get arrested right through that area decreased by 86 per cent. India nationals -- this sector was leading the country with India national apprehensions for like two or three years. The wall goes up; it drops by 56 per cent," Chavez said. He said that for border patrol agents, a border wall system works. "The use of force incidents -- which are more important to me than anything because it's assaults and incidents that directly affect our border patrol agents doing the job on the border -- they dropped by 65 per cent in those two miles of 30-foot border wall. So the border wall works for us. "We need the border barrier. We need to provide the requirements that meet our need. In this case, for us, it's 30 feet high. That's what we ask for and that's what was provided," the top US official said. Trump said he expect to have close to 400 miles (643 kms) of border wall within about two years. "That's a lot. Four hundred miles will cover most of it," he said. Asserting that there is indeed an emergency on the southern border, Trump said the United States had more than 70,000 illegal migrants rush its border. ALSO READ | 'Will shut Mexico border if it does not halt illegal immigration' "They rush our border. And we have military and these are great military people. These are people that are strong and solid and love our country. But they can't act the way they would under other conditions and there's not a lot they can do, but they've been doing it anyway. And we're going to bring up some more military," he said. The border crisis, Trump said, is a direct result of the obstruction by Democrats in Congress. He said that the walls have resulted in a decline in illegal immigrants. In February, Trump declared national emergency to unlock billions of dollars of federal money to construct the wall along the US-Mexico border, saying the move was essential to prevent America from the invasion of illegal immigrants. By PTI KHARTOUM: Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators marched in Khartoum Saturday, many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly protests against President Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, witnesses said. Chanting "One Army, One People," the protesters rallied in the capital's streets, following a call by organisers to march on the army headquarters. Protests have rocked the east African country since December, with angry crowds accusing Bashir's government of mismanaging the economy that has led to soaring food prices and regular shortages of fuel and foreign currency. On February 22, the veteran leader imposed a nationwide state of emergency to quell the protests after an initial crackdown failed to rein in protesters. Since the emergency rule came into effect, protests have been largely confined to the capital and its twin city of Omdurman, but organisers had called for widespread rallies and a march on the army headquarters on Saturday. April 6 was chosen for the nationwide rallies as it was the day of a 1985 uprising that toppled the then regime of president Jaafar Nimeiri. Before the demonstrations began, security forces deployed in large numbers in key Khartoum squares and in Omdurman, across the Nile. "There's a heavy security deployment where the protesters were to gather for the march, but they still came out and are chanting anti-government slogans," a witness told AFP without revealing his name for security reasons. Witnesses said plainclothes security agents were preventing even passers-by from reaching downtown areas. Shops and markets in downtown Khartoum were ordered shut before the march by security agents, according to onlookers. "Those walking in groups were immediately detained or asked to return to their homes by security forces," another onlooker said. In recent days, activists have been circulating leaflets urging residents to participate in Saturday's march, several residents said. The protest movement was initially led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, but later several political parties including the main opposition National Umma Party threw their support behind it. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three-decade rule. The veteran leader has remained defiant, however, and has introduced tough measures that have seen protesters, opposition leaders, activists and journalists arrested. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence so far, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51 including children and medics. For the first time in over 50 years, the major Holy Week liturgies will be celebrated in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, this year, thanks to a new apostolate of the Institute of Christ the King. The church of St Joseph, located at 5310 in Hammond, Indiana, will hold the ceremonies of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and of course Easter Sunday. The following schedule has been announced on the churchs Facebook page ; further information is available at the website of the Northwest Indiana Latin Mass Community High Mass with Blessing of Palms and Procession, 11:00 a.m.High Mass at 7:00 p.m., with Adoration until Midnight.Stations of the Cross, 8:00 a.m.; Mass of the Pre-Sanctified, 6:00 p.m.Blessing of Easter baskets and food, 7:15 p.m.; Easter Vigil 9:00 p.m.High Mass, 11:00 a.m. BRIDGEPORT A local woman was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to helping her husband stab a neighbor to death. Martha Galati, 41, of Freemont Street, pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine to the reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter as she was about to go to trial for murder. Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin sentenced Galati to 20 years, suspended after she serves 12 years in prison and followed by five years of probation. A plea made under the Alford Doctrine means Galati doesnt admit her guilt but concedes she could be found guilty of the crime if she went to trial. Senior Assistant States Attorney Marc Durso told the judge that Galati and her husband, Jeremy Burke, stabbed 50-year-old Carlos Ribot 14 times in the victims apartment in the Fairbridge Commons on April 30, 2017. Burke is awaiting trial. The prosecutor said Galati and Burke, who also lived in the apartment building and had a previous dispute with Ribot, burst into Ribots apartment and in front of the victims girlfriend began beating Ribot with a flashlight. Police said Burke then yelled to Galati to get him a knife. She came back with a paring knife and he yelled at her to get him a bigger one, police said. Police said Burke began stabbing Ribot and then asked Galati if she wanted him to kill Ribot, police said. Durso said when officers arrived Burke was sitting on top of Ribot, who was lying in a pool of blood. He said Galati had blood on her pants and her forehead. Durso said the witness told police Galati had also stabbed the victim. STAMFORD A Norwalk bank robber and his experienced accomplice from Stamford both pleaded guilty this week to a string of bank robberies. Joseph Boccuzzi, 36, of Norwalk, appeared in court Thursday and pleaded guilty to committing a total of four bank robberies a repeat, twofer bank robbery in Stamford as well as bank robberies in Norwalk and Wilton in late 2016 and early 2017. His bank robbing mentor and inspiration according to what Boccuzzi told police Spero Moschos, 37, pleaded guilty the day before to conspiracy to commit two bank robberies with his pal Boccuzzi. Moschos, of Stamford, made the pleas under the Alford Doctrine, meaning he disagreed with the states facts of the case, but realized if he went to trial he would probably be convicted. On Thursday during his court hearing, Boccuzzi almost did not get through his guilty pleas to the four robberies, as well as a charge of second-degree larceny, after he hedged on the question of whether he was satisfied with the representation of his public defender Howard Ehring. But Judge Gary White shut Boccuzzi down and told him Ehring had done a fantastic job for him. The judge said he would be happy to take the pleas back and send Boccuzzis case to trial. If found guilty Boccuzzi could have been sentenced to much more time behind bars. White told him in no uncertain terms that after pulling off four bank robberies, the seven-year jail sentence he was about to accept was pretty light and he was thinking of lengthening it. When White asked him if he was pleading guilty because he was guilty, Boccuzzi said, Yes, your honor. According to the prosecutor on the case, Assistant States Attorney Michelle Manning, Boccuzzi fully confessed to all of the robberies, including Moschos involvement in them. Ehring pointed out that while Boccuzzi is getting seven years in jail and seven years special parole for four robberies, Moschos was sentenced to five years behind bars and eight years special parole simply for sitting in the get-away car when Boccuzzi pulled off two of the heists. According to his arrest affidavit, Moschos, who in 2009 pleaded guilty to 12 bank robberies and after being released from prison landed a job with the City of Stamfords Highway Department, pressured Boccuzzi into a repeat robbery of a bank in Stamfords Springdale neighborhood to get a cut of the proceeds. He sent Boccuzzi to First County Bank on Hope Street three times on Feb. 3, 2017 after Boccuzzi already had hit the bank months earlier but Boccuzzi turned back each time because there were too many people in the facility to successfully pull off a heist, according to the court document. After the third time, Boccuzzi went into the bank wearing a Scream mask and walked up to a teller and said, Trick or Treat. The teller gave him $12,000 in cash. Police said Moschos was paid with cash and bundles of heroin for his bank robbing advice and being a lookout to at least two bank robberies. Moschos attorney, Mike Riley, decline to comment. Boccuzzi will be sentenced officially on June 6. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com STAMFORD Residents of Springdale and the South End may want to clear their schedules for Monday night if they want a say in development proposals before the Zoning Board. The board is slated to take up a packed agenda including two South End proposals from Building and Land Technology and a proposal from former-Mayor Mike Pavias development company to put up a small apartment building on Hope Street. The meeting is slated for 7 p.m. in the Government Centers fourth-floor cafeteria. Most of the night will likely be dedicated to BLTs joint application with telecommunications giant Charter Communications to expand the companys now burgeoning 15-story HQ. Charter wants a second building, this one nine stories, and a three-story block to connect the two. After a scolding Planning Board letter and pressure from the Zoning Board, Charter revamped its building design to praise, but will likely see pushback from Zoning Board members over plans to buy out of an earlier requirement that the buildings parking garage contain 500 spots for train commuters. The building is connected to the platform of the Stamford Transportation Center and is blocks from the center itself. At the last meeting, BLT Chief Operating Officer Ted Ferrarone told the board it had nothing to worry about if it allows the 500-space reduction for $6.6 million, saying there is unused supply in nearby garages. BLTs attorney William Hennessy said the company would like to use some of that money to to help commuters find a place to stay which will likely cause a stir among Zoning Board members seeking as much money for area improvements as possible. Monday will be third public comment period on the Charter application and the first on another BLT pitch. The builder will also pose plans for two buildings on the southern edge of the South Ends Harbor Point, each with 180 units in a 15-story outcrop above a multi-story base. Plans call for building on two roughly 1.3-acre vacant blocks on the southernmost edge of the neighborhood on either side of Harbor Point Road, where it hits Pacific Street and Dyke Lane. BLTs application as proposed may have an uphill battle, though the city has already granted a general approval when it approved Harbor Point for buildings of that size on those blocks. The developer again plans to use foam-like facade material that it has on nearly all its other South End buildings, which Zoning Board members increasingly decry and the Land Use Bureau has targeted in new urban design guidelines. The company also seeks approval of a zoning mandate buyout that builders make 10 percent of all units in large complexes affordable. Then theres former-Mayor Pavias pitch for 15 apartment units on Hope Street. Though small compared to BLTs massive builds, the project has already prompted a Springdale Facebook furor with dozens of comments denouncing it. The proposal, already recommended by the Planning Board, calls for the demolition of a two-story 1917 building at 916 Hope St. that housed Computer Tech Express and Denis & Glorias Hair Studio. Residents there decry the idea of added traffic and the loss of the building. There will be a public comment period opened for the Springdale project as well as the other two proposals. barry.lytton@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2263; @bglytton Some plays offer roles that serious actors can inhabit, body and soul. Proof earned a Pulitzer Prize, the Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award, and it has generated a reputation as a play that actors love to perform. Four actors with extensive resumes in theater, film and television will be delving into a family drama, a mystery and a deep psychological study, in the Hudson Stages production of Proof running through mid-April in Armonk, N.Y. Its one of those perfectly constructed plays. Kind of old-fashioned, but a very solid play with four excellently drawn characters. And a beautiful story, said Olivia Sklar, a co-founder of the Hudson Stage. The play tells the story of a brilliant math professor suffering from a severe mental decline, and his two daughters. John Wojda, who recently appeared on Broadway and is an Obie Award winner, plays the part of the stricken math professor. One of the themes of the play is the fine line between madness and genius, said Sklar, Hes fantastic in the role, hes just so moving. Very endearing. We really feel for him. Jenna Krasowski plays his daughter, Catherine, in a role that aspiring actresses often use for auditions and scene studies. Its a real tour de force. I see a great future for this actor. Soulful, smart, quick, and takes a lot of risks, said Sklar, a producer of the current production. Overall, the four actors work in intimate dramatic piece that is enhanced by the confines of a small theater. The energy between the four of them is contagious. Theyre in sync, and they play together very well. Its so well-rounded, said the producer. You dont have to know math at all to appreciate it. And its kind of a mystery, too. Whos telling the truth? Its about madness, and genius, and then trust. Broadway World, a Website dedicated to the performing arts around the region, ran a review of Proof that called it a compelling production. More Information "Proof" Whippoorwill Theatre, Kent Place, North Castle Public Library, Armonk, N.Y. $40 general admission; $35 for seniors and students www.hudsonstage.com Saturday, April 6 at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. See More Collapse The show is directed by Dan Foster, one of the co-founders of the Hudson Stage in 1999 who has a number of off-Broadway directing credits on his resume. Sklar said the mission of the Hudson Stage was to put on high-quality productions without high prices. Thats the thing about Hudson Stage: its off-Broadway quality, but at more affordable pricing, she said. The nonprofit theater organization has performing at Whippoorwill Hall Theatre at North Castle Library in Armonk in recent years. For more information, visit www.hudson stage.com. WESTPORT While running in the Democratic Primary for state Treasurer last year, Greenwich resident Dita Bhargava asked her son Alec Pelletier how he wanted her to address his struggle with addiction should the topic arise on the campaign trail. Would you be asking me this question if I had cancer? You need to be honest. You need to get out there. You need to bring people to the table. We need to be treated like any other person suffering from any other disease because people continue to die, Bhargava remembers Alec said. That conversation with Alec was one of the last Bhargava said she had with him because shortly after Alec relapsed and on July 13, his 26th birthday, Alec died of a Fentanyl overdose. Bhargava did not win the primary, but has continued her civic engagement in Alecs name as a local representative of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the devastation caused by addiction. Over 72,000 people are dying each year because of opioids, Bhargava said at a roundtable discussion on opioids with state and federal politicians in Westport Town Hall Friday morning, where she called for increased funding and action to address the crisis. Congressman Jim Himes and Senator Richard Blumenthal joined the roundtable and agreed the federal government should put more resources toward addressing the opioid epidemic. The federal government has in some ways failed to realize what its involvement should be. It has to provide more than money. It has to provide leadership, Blumenthal said. Blumenthal decried the draconian cuts to veterans programs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, all of which he said are working to combat the opioid epidemic. More Americans are lost to opioid overdoses each year than were lost in the Vietnam War, Himes said, noting the majority of Fentanyl is manufactured in China, with some made in Mexico and transported across the border. Opioids frequently make their way into the U.S. through the U.S. Postal Service or other private mail carriers such as FedEx, Himes, adding the federal government should provide these agencies with resources to stop the drugs before they arrive at peoples homes. The Westport police has seen an increase in narcotics shipped to places in town and the force is changing its mentality to recognize opioid addiction as a disease rather than a crime, Lt. Eric Woods said. The Westport police does not want to arrest our way out of the crisis, Woods added. At the state level the trajectory of the opioid epidemic will shift when opioid addiction is seen as a disease, State Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-98 said. In the legislature, comprehensive legislation is in process to address the opioid crisis through programs and funding for early intervention, various treatment modalities and recovery and support resources, State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-136 said. I am stuck on the fact that theres incredible social stigma, State Senator Tony Hwang, R-28 said, encouraging schools to discuss the epidemic. We need to teach our children coping mechanisms, State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-133, said, adding the legislature should fund education for young children about how to manage anxiety and pain so they have the tools to cope without opioids when theyre older. Stamford based company Purdue Pharma is the architect of the opioid epidemic and should be held accountable in court, Fernando Alvarex, who made headlines in June for placing an 800-pound heroin spoon sculpture in front of Purdue Pharmas Stamford offices to protest the manufacturing of OxyContin, said when the discussion was opened to the broader public. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 WESTPORT If The Grapevine was a wine, co-owner Joe Annunziata would describe it as a nebbiolo, an old-school Italian wine that is soft and looks almost fruity but is bold, dry and rustic. The space seems to be symbolic of that. The new wine store, which opened April 4 at 345 Main St., is industrial-like. Its structural rustic trusses, drop-lights and wood floors are met with a bright and open space, equipped with a young staff and a large express check-out. The location was formerly occupied by Crossroads Ace Hardware, which closed last May after 27 years in business. Co-owner Seth Hittman said the influence for the newly designed shop is where the old-world meets the new. Annunziata, who describes himself as a wine geek, has a background in wine. He has worked in the industry in both Fairfield and Westport, and said he is taking his experience and adding a twist, focusing on customer service. The Grapevine will have an email system that caters to a customers taste. It will also feature a delivery service and wine cellar filling and upkeep. Annunziata noted that wines stuffy culture can get intimidating to customers, and said his mission is to educate people about them and push for natural wines that are sustainable without many additives. Theres nothing on the wine bottle except the name, Annunziata said, so, its important that we kind of educate ourselves on the winemaking process and whats actually in the bottle so we can relay that to our customers. Although you can find big brands on their shelves, eventually, Annunziata would like the store to specialize in small-batch wine. The reason? Westport, he said, is lacking what every major city like New York City has: a good wine shop that represents independent vineyards and small production wines. The wine store will have its official grand opening on May 4, taking advantage of Cinco de Mayo weekend. It will be accompanied by tequila tasting and Los Poblanos food truck from Norwalk. Looking forward, the duo along with the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, and will be partnering on several events like Fashionably Westport, the Fine Arts Festival and Westoberfest. Hittman said he hopes the wine store will inspire the revival of Westports downtown and hopes more business do the same. I believe in it, Hittman said, its history and its future. mfespinal10@gmail.com Nature Trail Could life as we know it exist on planet Venus? Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Egypt Foreign Minister Shoukry said that Egypt supports reaching political solutions in Libya and putting an end to military actions In a press conference with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on all parties involved in the recent military escalation in Libya to put an end to recent hostilities and start a dialogue with no preconditions. Meanwhile, Shoukry said that Egypt supports reaching political solutions in Libya and putting an end to military action in order to allow for the holding of elections. Shoukry also spoke about the importance of unifying the military institution in Libya and preserving state institutions, calling for the Libyan parties to work with the UN special envoy to the country. Shoukry and Lavrov had held talks earlier on Saturday where they discussed a number of regional crises and bilateral issues. Earlier in the day, Lavrov met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi where they discussed the recent development in the Middle East as well as bilateral relations. In the press conference, Lavrov explained that Russia has already made contact with all parties involved in Libya in order to reach a solution to the current crisis and put a limit to military actions. On Thursday, the troops of Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar launched a military operation, declaring that the mission aims to capture the capital Tripoli in the west of the country. "Egypt and Russia are working together for a peaceful settlement for Middle East crises," Lavrov said. On bilateral relations, Lavrov said that direct Russian flights between Cairo and Moscow, which have been suspended by Moscow since November 2016, will return as soon as possible. He discussed concluding the work of Russian security specialists in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh airports. The Russian foreign minister also revealed that Russia's President Vladimir Putin and President El-Sisi will meet in Sochi later this year. Lavrov also praised the positive improvements in cooperation between Egypt and Russia in the commercial, technological and economic fields. Lavrov is set to meet with Ahmed Abul-Gheit, the current secretary-general of the League of Arab States, during his visit to Cairo. In an interview with Al-Ahram daily newspaper conducted shortly before his visit, Lavrov discussed several regional issues, at the top of which are the situation in Syria and the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Lavrov expressed his relief that several Arab countries have begun to resume diplomatic, commercial and economic relations with Damascus. On US president Donald Trumps decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over Syrias Golan Heights, Lavrov said that the move was "destroying all the efforts to solve the Middle East conflict." "The US recognition of the Golan Heights as part of Israel is a clear violation of the UN charter, international laws and principles, and a number of UN Security Council resolutions," he said, adding that this decision is also a clear violation of the land for peace principle that was agreed upon in the Madrid peace conference in 1991 under the sponsorship of Russia and the US. Concerning the rumoured "deal of the century" on a new Israeli-Palestinian peace process supported by President Trump's administration, Lavrov said that the US has not shared with Russia the details of the deal. "The rumours say that this suggested deal may lead to peace between Arabs and Israel outside the internationally recognised legal frameworks to reach a settlement. We are sure that this will lead to a dead end," he said, adding that no settlement will be reached without a two-state solution. Concerning the Palestinian-Israeli talks, Lavrov said that Russian President Putin suggested in fall 2016 hosting a peace summit in Moscow with no pre-conditions. "We are still ready to host the leaders of Palestine and Israel in Moscow, we think that these high-level talks may provide an exit in the current crisis," he said. The Russian foreign minister also praised Egypts role in the Palestinian reconciliation process, saying that the end of the Palestinian split is an important condition for the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli settlement talks. Lavrov also highlighted that Moscow hosted this year a meeting between different Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, in an effort to end the Palestinian split. Upon concluding his Cairo visit, Lavrov will head to Amman, Jordan, according to the Russian foreign ministry. Search Keywords: Short link: Seven women who said Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them decades ago and then labeled them liars by denying it have settled defamation lawsuits against the imprisoned actor. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2018, file photo, Bill Cosby arrives for a sentencing hearing following his sexual assault conviction at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown Pa. Court filings on Friday, April 5, 2019, showed that Cosby has agreed to settle lawsuits in a Massachusetts case filed by seven women who said he defamed them when he accused them of lying about sexual misconduct allegations. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Seven women who said Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them decades ago and then labeled them liars by denying it have settled defamation lawsuits against the imprisoned actor. Court documents filed Friday in Springfield, Massachusetts, show a settlement has been reached since Cosby went to prison last fall in a separate Pennsylvania sex assault case. Cosby, 81, is serving a three- to 10-year prison sentence. FILE - In this June 22, 2015 file photo, Tamara Green speaks to the media after a hearing at U.S. District Court, in Springfield, Mass. Court documents filed Friday, April 5, 2019 say Bill Cosby has agreed to settle lawsuits filed by seven women, including Green, who say he defamed them when he accused them of lying about sexual misconduct allegations. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, said Cosby did not authorize the settlement reached between the women and American International Group Inc., and "vehemently denies the allegations." "Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone. He is not paying anything to anyone, and he is still pursuing his counterclaims. AIG decided to settle these cases, without the knowledge, permission and/or consent of Mr. Cosby," Wyatt said in a statement. Courts had ruled that AIG had to pay for Cosby to defend the defamation lawsuits as part of his coverage. Cosby had homeowners and other coverage through AIG. The judge overseeing the defamation case in Massachusetts must still approve the settlement. The terms were not disclosed in the filings Friday. A message left with AIG's corporate press office was not immediately returned late Friday. The plaintiffs are among the dozens of women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. They include Tamara Green, Barbara Bowman and Therese Serignese. Cosby, in a 2006 deposition, acknowledged giving Serignese quaaludes that made her "high" before a sexual encounter in Las Vegas in 1976, when she was 19. Some of that deposition testimony was aired in his criminal case. "I don't think he has much to contest the cases with, given his conviction," said Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson. "I don't know how much resources (he has left). It probably makes sense for both sides to resolve it." 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. Joseph Cammarata, an attorney who represents the women, told The Associated Press on Friday that "each plaintiff is satisfied with the settlement." He declined to comment further. However, he warned in a status report also filed Friday that his clients would seek to depose Cosby and gather other documents and evidence if Cosby does not drop counterclaims that accuse the women of harming his reputation through their accusations. Wyatt said that Cosby still intends to pursue those claims. Cosby's wife, Camille, had been ordered to give a deposition in the defamation case in 2016, after a heated fight over her testimony. Lawyers for the Cosbys tried to quash her subpoena to testify, saying she didn't have any relevant information on the women's claims and that any marital conversations she had with her husband of 50 years were confidential. The judge agreed that marital conversations were private, but the women's lawyers noted she also served as his business manager throughout their long marriage. The case had largely been put on hold amid the Pennsylvania criminal case, which involved charges that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted a woman at his home in 2004. The first trial ended in a deadlock in 2017, but a second jury convicted Cosby last year. Cosby is appealing the conviction. He is being held at a state prison in Montgomery County, outside of Philadelphia. DINARD, France - Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges but was shaken by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. DINARD, France - Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations revealed stark divergences in views on the Middle East on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that opened with the goal of finding common ground on contentious global challenges but was shaken by the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The diplomats in attendance projected a united front while walking side-by-side along a seaside promenade before they released the agreement from their two-day meeting in Dinard. The agreement included mildly worded joint commitments on issues such as fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger peacemaking roles, and engaging with countries in Africa's Sahel region to combat migrant trafficking. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini arrives on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) But what was omitted from the G-7's positions said as much as what was included. The differences could set the stage for tensions at an August summit of the leaders of the G-7 advanced economies the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. A European Union official expressed "regret" the document had what she considered to be several glaring omissions that conflicted with non-negotiable positions of the EU. They included "no reference to a two-state solution" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and "no mention" of the U.N. Security Council resolution in favour of the Iran nuclear deal, she said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to the news media, said the language used to described the G-7's deep concern over Iran's "continuing support for terrorist organizations and armed militias" was not language EU members tend to use. Four of the G-7 nations are in the European Union. French police officers on horses patrol on the beach during the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) The foreign ministers' joint statement itself acknowledged "clear differences" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after "an exchange of views." The agreement included an initiative to help countries share best practices on encouraging responsible online behaviour. Also, the group pledged to encourage the creation of funds to help survivors of sexual violence in danger spots, and to encourage Sahel countries to take steps to end trafficking. It also reaffirmed the G-7's "commitment to a rules-based international order." Discord is becoming a theme for the group. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Britain's Director General for Political Affairs at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Richard Moore, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini walk for a group photo on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) Last June, U.S. President Donald Trump roiled the G-7 meeting in Charlevoix, Que., by first agreeing to a group statement on trade, then withdrawing support from it and sending a string of negative tweets about the summit and its host, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On Saturday in Dinard, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland tweeted a photo of herself and her counterparts from Germany, France and Japan. "Many of today's greatest challenges are global and they can only be solved when we work together. That is why Canada stands united with its German, French, and Japanese friends," Freeland wrote, adding the hashtag #AllianceofMultilaterists. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Britain's Director General for Political Affairs at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Richard Moore, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini walk for a group photo on the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (AP Photo/David Vincent) British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was also missing from the final group photo after attending Friday's session. This, combined with Pompeo's absence, raised questions about the G-7's relevance. U.S. officials acknowledged points of discord at the talks hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drain. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, who went in Pompeo's stead, said Washington would use the G-7 forum to galvanize support for Venezuela's opposition leader, Juan Guaido, whose claim to the presidency is backed by the U.S. and about 50 other countries. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland attend a working session during the second day of a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G7 meeting is focus on cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. (Stephane Mate/Pool photo via AP) But the meeting failed to change the position of Italy, the sole G-7 member state not to back Guaido. 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. "We spoke about it. The Italian position on Venezuela is pretty clear," said Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero. "It is an extremely difficult situation, especially in light of the humanitarian emergency that weighs the most in our hearts." Guaido has set out to topple the socialist administration of President Nicolas Maduro amid deepening unrest in the country, which has been plagued by nearly a month of power outages. Italy also has irked EU and U.S. allies by becoming the first G-7 member to sign up to a Chinese plan to build a Silk Road-style global trade network, the Belt and Road Initiative. Any reference to the contentious trillion-dollar plan was missing in Saturday's texts. ___ Trisha Thomas and Masha Macpherson contributed to this report. NEW YORK A federal judge ordered Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to meet over the next two weeks to settle their dispute over the Tesla CEOs use of Twitter. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. NEW YORK A federal judge ordered Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to meet over the next two weeks to settle their dispute over the Tesla CEOs use of Twitter. The SEC had asked the U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan on Thursday to hold Musk in contempt of its settlement with Tesla over his Feb. 19 tweet claiming the automaker would deliver 500,000 electric vehicles this year. The agency said the tweet was misleading and violated the terms of a securities fraud agreement that required Musk to get pre-approval for company news posted on his social media accounts. Tesla has admitted to the agency that it did not do so for the Feb. 19 tweet. Musk corrected himself hours after his initial tweet to say the companys pace of production would amount to half a million vehicles over a 12-month span but that Tesla would produce 400,000 vehicles in 2019. Thursdays court hearing came a day after Tesla revealed disappointing delivery figures to investors that at least one analyst said may undercut his case. The company announced Wednesday that it would deliver 360,000 to 400,000 vehicles this year. That further undermines "a key tenet of CEO Elon Musks legal defence against the SEC," JPMorgan Chase said in an analyst note Thursday. "The now-clear incongruence of CEO outlook statements with official company guidance may hurt the perception of management commentary, eroding investor confidence and potentially placing additional pressure on the shares," the note said. Nathan said she had "serious concerns" that no matter how she ruled, there would not be a resolution to the underlying dispute and that both sides should "take a deep breath" and attempt to "work it out." "Put your reasonableness pants on," Nathan urged. The SEC and Musk should submit a joint letter in two weeks, confirming that they had met for at least an hour, she said. "Its not a game," Nathan said, referring to the settlement agreement that had been approved by the court. "Contempt of court is serious business... The SEC carries a serious burden here," Nathan said. If the SEC and Musk cannot come to an agreement and Nathan rules that Musk is guilty of violating his settlement with the SEC, the judge could add to the US$20 million fine he already paid or take other punitive actions. If he violated the agreement again, Musk should face an even heftier fine, SEC lawyer Cheryl Crumpton said. "We would be seeking additional remedies to prevent future violations," she said. The potential financial penalties should take Musks wealth into consideration. "Tesla conduct is also troubling to the SEC," Crumpton said. The company was supposed to implement a mandatory pre-approval process, but that doesnt appear to have been done, she said. "They are apparently fine with Mr. Musk making up his own procedure," Crumpton said. "Tesla still seems unwilling to exercise any meaningful control over the conduct of its CEO." The SEC is "evaluating" the companys conduct, she said. Musk, who was wearing a dark suit and tie, took notes and nodded in agreement as his lawyer argued that the disputed tweet did not violate the settlement agreement and that the SEC was offering shifting explanations of what would. The companys stock price did not move after the initial tweet or the second clarification, Musks defence counsel John Hueston told the judge. "The market gave its judgment that it was immaterial," Hueston said. "Mr. Musk acted in good faith." "There is clearly not a clear enough standard... for contempt," Hueston said. The pre-approval process is a "murky policy." Musk issued a brief statement after the hearing. 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 have great respect for Judge Nathan, and Im pleased with her decision today," Musk said in a statement. "The tweet in question was true, immaterial to shareholders and in no way a violation of my agreement with the SEC. 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 order capped off a contentious week for Tesla, after the company told investors deliveries fell sharply in the first quarter of the year, according to its announcement Wednesday evening, prompting the companys stock to fall more than eight per cent on Thursday. It bounced back two per cent on Friday. The companys first-quarter delivery figure of 63,000 vehicles was 31 per cent less than in the final three months of 2018. Tesla cited a "massive increase in deliveries in Europe and China" and chalked the delivery troubles up to "many challenges encountered for the first time" in a statement detailing its first-quarter production and deliveries. Tesla warned not to view vehicle deliveries as a reflection of its broader financial picture; its quarterly earnings remained unreported. The company warned its finances would take a hit amid the delivery challenges and price changes. Washington Post MONTREAL - Hundreds of taxis converged on downtown Montreal today, blocking major arteries to protest the government's deregulation of their industry. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Quebec taxi drivers protest against new legislation to deregulate the industry Friday, April 5, 2019 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz MONTREAL - Hundreds of taxis converged on downtown Montreal today, blocking major arteries to protest the government's deregulation of their industry. They say proposed reforms to make room for ride-hailing services will drive many of them into bankruptcy. The drivers from Montreal and other parts of Quebec gathered in front of Transport Department offices, parking their cabs in the middle of the street for hours. Some set protest signs on fire. 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. Abdallah Homsy, an industry spokesman who travelled to Montreal from Quebec City Friday, said attempts to discuss the proposed changes with the office of Transport Minister Francois Bonnardel have been fruitless. The drivers say the planned elimination of taxi permits, which at one point sold for as much as $200,000 each, will lead to financial ruin for many of them. The government has said it will pay $500 million in compensation, but the drivers say that would not cover their losses. Premier Francois Legault said the province's taxi system needs to evolve. He said the compensation offered amounts to roughly $70,000 per permit, which is more than some drivers paid and less than others. "That is why we would like to sit down with representatives of the drivers and permit-holders to negotiate an agreement so no driver is left in a situation, for example, of bankruptcy," Legault told reporters in Repentigny, Que. Homsy said drivers would rather keep working as before, not be reduced to taking government compensation. He said it is the ride-hailing service Uber that should be paying to enter the field. "The premier's job is to go get money from Uber, not from taxpayers to pay us," Homsy said. Antoni Robak was a husband, father, and a man of great faith, whose life took him from the confines of Poland under communist rule to a stint in an Italian refugee camp to Winnipeg, before his untimely death this year at the age of 58. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Antoni Robak was a husband, father, and a man of great faith, whose life took him from the confines of Poland under communist rule to a stint in an Italian refugee camp to Winnipeg, before his untimely death this year at the age of 58. He was an easy-going soul with simple tastes and interests who considered spending time with the people he loved, the most important thing in life. Robak was born on Dec. 22, 1960, in Leki Gorne, a village in the Polish Peoples Republic, which at the time was under the control of the Soviet Union. He was the second of five children. In Grade 8, he met the love of his life, and future wife, Janina. While he didnt make the best first impression on her, he eventually won her over and the two became childhood sweethearts. "You know, at the beginning, I didnt like him," Janina said with a laugh. "But then slowly I realized he was a very good person with a very good heart and a good head on his shoulders. He was very caring and he was a people person. He would do anything for you that you would ask for." In 1984, when Janina was 24, she got the opportunity to immigrate to Canada, where one of her sisters had relocated. At that time, due to the restrictions placed on citizens by the communist regime, it was difficult to leave Poland. When Robak realized the love of his life was moving across the world, he took action: he signed up for a religious pilgrimage to Italy to meet the Pope, broke away from the group and escaped to an Italian refugee camp, then followed her to Canada. Robak spent six months living at the refugee camp before the Canadian government agreed to sponsor him to relocate to Winnipeg, where Janina had settled. The two were married in 1986, and had three children, Chris, Matt and Nicole. "When I was growing up, I remember asking: how did you guys meet and how did you get to Canada? I remember being shocked because it was a pretty drastic action," Chris said. "He was a great dad. He was the kind of guy who taught us never to shy away from a problem. He was an easy-going guy. You can also tell he had a sense of mischief. I think the story about him following my mom to Canada attests to that." Robak got an education in Winnipeg and became a certified and accomplished millwright technician. In his spare time, he liked to keep busy by tinkering with salvaged items and listening to old-school country music or classic rock. Two things Robak felt were important in life were his connection to family and his faith as a devout Roman Catholic, both of which he tried to pass on to his children. "Faith was very important to us, and still is. We made sure the kids were brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. (Robak) also wanted to make sure that the kids knew who their grandparents were, so every few years, we planned a trip to Poland," Janina said. "So most of our trips were to Poland to visit family, because he said as long as our parents were alive, we should be going to spend time with them. Thats how family-oriented he was." Roughly two years ago, Robak got word from his doctor that he needed to go in for testing. That led to a long odyssey, with many twists and turns, which eventually led to a diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer. He was given roughly 18 months to live. His family asked him if there were any bucket list things he wanted to do, such as travelling, while he still could, but Robak wanted nothing more than to spend time with his family. "It didnt matter how you spent that time, he was just into the simple things, even when he was going through cancer. We would go fishing, or go shoot an old shotgun down in a quarry, then stop by a casino and drop $20 in a slot machine," Chris said. "Hed just sit down and crank the volume on the machine so it was the noisiest thing in the area. He said he liked the dinging bells and whistles. It was never about making money and it was never more than $20. "He just wanted to enjoy the simple things with family for as long as he could. Maybe thats because he took such a crazy adventure when he was younger. Maybe he got that all out of his system." He died holding the hands of his family during the evening of Jan. 13, 2019, at the Health Sciences Centre. He was 58 years old. During his final months and days, Robak leaned on his faith and asked his family to make sure they take care of his mother, who survived him. "He relied very much on his faith. He never lost faith. He was hoping that hell get cured even when it was not good. Towards the end, we would pray together holding hands, hoping for him to get better, but it wasnt meant to be," Janina said. "He was the guy that was all for the family... He was a very loving person, very caring. He would do anything he could to make everyone happy." ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe A Hadashville man is seeking restitution after a company accidentally cut a three-kilometre-long swath through his forested property, knocking down a fence line and thousands of trees. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Hadashville man is seeking restitution after a company accidentally cut a three-kilometre-long swath through his forested property, knocking down a fence line and thousands of trees. Jason Van Damme, pictured with his dog, discovered the damage Wednesday. (Supplied) Jason Van Damme said it was feeding time for his cattle Wednesday when he went to inspect why they hadn't come into the yard. He found the livestock behind a barn, looking spooked at a yellow skidder in the distance that was knocking down forest. "They were all lined up looking at this crazy guy smashing down all the fencing and trees," he told the Free Press in an interview. Van Damme ran "about half a mile" before he caught up to the man and screamed at him to stop. "I asked why he did it, and he said he was looking at my trees," Van Damme said. When Van Damme contacted the man's employer, Kurian Forest Products Ltd. in Elma, about 80 km east of Winnipeg, he said the company owner admitted it was "my guy" and "my machine." Jason Van Damme discovered on Wednesday that someone had mistakenly bulldozed thousands of trees on his property near Hadashville, east of Winnipeg. (Supplied) "He said, 'I didn't mean to come onto your property.' I said, 'It's not that you came onto my property. It's that you destroyed my property.'" Logging company owner Harry Proceviat visited Van Damme at his home Friday to discuss the matter. Hadashville is about 20 km south of Elma. Van Damme said his property is a 160-acre hobby farm where he keeps a menagerie of animals. In addition to 15 cattle, he has three horses, goats, pigs, rabbits, pet dogs, and 26 wild turkeys. He called it an "all-natural sanctuary," made up of natural pastures and forest. The forest is a mix of birch, poplar and pines. The yellow skidder (a heavy machine used for logging) also knocked down prized stands of diamond willows. "I've never taken a single tree down on my property," said Van Damme, who has lived there nine years. The skidder cut through the centre and zig-zagged around the land. "He was making roads out of my property that he was going to log." "He was making roads out of my property that he was going to log." Jason Van Damme The skidder also destroyed perhaps a kilometre of new five-wire fencing put up a couple of years ago using pressure-treated posts, Van Damme said. "It just (crushed) them like matchsticks." Messages left by the Free Press at Kurian Forest Products were not returned. 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. From his Friday meeting with Proceviat, Van Damme said he learned the skidder operator had been dropped off at the wrong location. "He definitely apologized. He took responsibility," Van Damme said, adding Proceviat said he would be contacting his insurance company to assess the damage. Van Damme said he still has to document the damage, including getting a drone to show aerial shots of the downed trees. He said it's hard to assess the loss: "(Proceviat) values trees differently than me." The forestry company's skidder cut through the centre and zig-zagged around the land. "He was making roads out of my property that he was going to log," said Van Damme. (Supplied) "Oh, my goodness!" said Patricia Pohrebniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Forestry Association, when informed about the situation. Pohrebniuk said she's heard of instances where a contractor overshot the boundaries of a parcel of land being cleared but never where the wrong property was deforested. "What you'd have to do is try to determine the volume of wood and equate that into a dollar figure," she said, but the valuation will be likely be different between the contractor, for whom it is a commodity, and the land owner. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand said hell try to halt the Manitoba-Minnesota power line if the federal Liberals issue an approval, putting the multimillion-dollar Hydro project in jeopardy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand said hell try to halt the Manitoba-Minnesota power line if the federal Liberals issue an approval, putting the multimillion-dollar Hydro project in jeopardy. "I will do everything in my power to protect the Metis nation and that includes using injunctions," Chartrand told the Free Press. Hes asking the federal cabinet to reject the project next month. Last year, the Manitoba government reneged on a 2014 deal that would have given the federation $67.5-million in exchange for not contesting the project during its assessment process. The National Energy Board approved the project last November, but had used the federations testimony from before Premier Brian Pallister changed tack last March, which Chartrand said means the project is proceeding without proper consent. "We have already put Canada on notice, if they are, in any way, to issue a licence without this matter being cleared," he said. "We will take the federal government to court the next day, if they ever do that." On Thursday, the Pallister government announced it had approved an environmental licence for the Hydro line to Minnesota, which now only needs approval of the federal cabinet. Ottawa has promised to issue that decision by May 16. The 500-kilovolt power has been in the works for five years, and is expected to displace carbon emissions while bringing in millions to provincial coffers. Hydro has crafted an "accelerated construction schedule" in the hope of bringing the line into service by June 2020. Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires said the province has had "extensive conversations" with the federation about the transmission project, as well as 15 other First Nations groups in Manitoba and Ontario. Chartrand said hes willing to put a halt to that process, claiming Pallister "backstabbed" the Metis. The premier has said it was inappropriate for the federation to suspend the rights of future generations of Metis in exchange for "persuasion money," an argument Chartrand rejects. "The Metis nation will continue to live in Manitoba for another thousand years and this premier will be gone, to Costa Rica or somewhere else, and leaving a mess behind for all of us to clean up," he said. In February, Ottawa extended its consultations with Indigenous people surrounding the project. Chartrand said those talks should wrap up in April and have been much more attentive than reviews led by provincial bodies, "like night and day." The transmission line follows the traditional homeland of the Red River Colony. A 2016 Supreme Court case ruled that Metis can file land claims. If the federation launches the first of such claims, it would likely delay the transmission project for years. "I think Canada has an obligation to protect the constitution and protect Metis citizens," Chartrand 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. He also believes Manitoba ministers are in a conflict of interest over whether to approve the project, given that its unclear why the provincial cabinet cancelled the agreement with the MMF The province awaits final approval from the federal Liberals, who have slammed the Pallister government over its spat with the federation, suggesting it had affected federal consultations. "Unfortunately, Manitoba has consistently put this process in jeopardy," wrote Vanessa Adams, a spokeswoman for Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi. She accused Manitoba of "flip-flopping on climate action and threatening reconciliation with Indigenous peoples." Pallister has said Ottawa has unfairly imposed its carbon tax on Manitoba. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Amid recent deadly conflicts between Pakistan and India in the disputed Kashmir region, tensions are heating up locally over a movie. Some members of the Pakistani community in Winnipeg say Hotel Mumbais portrayal of attackers incites hatred toward Muslims and Pakistan. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Amid recent deadly conflicts between Pakistan and India in the disputed Kashmir region, tensions are heating up locally over a movie. Some members of the Pakistani community in Winnipeg say Hotel Mumbais portrayal of attackers incites hatred toward Muslims and Pakistan. "I thought it was going to be just like a normal movie, not about demonizing one religion and one country," said Rashid Ahmed, a Pakistani-Canadian and Muslim who saw Hotel Mumbai with his wife last weekend. On Nov. 26, 2008, in Mumbai, India, terrorists from Pakistan laid siege to a dozen locations, leaving 174 people dead, including nine attackers, and wounding more than 300. One of the targets was the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where most of the film takes place. In it, the attackers, who are members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamist militia, are never identified, but their anti-India sentiments are made clear. The intense, two-hour on-screen film was rated R in the U.S. and 14A in Winnipeg. At a recent screening at a city theatre, there were audible gasps from moviegoers. Ahmed said the movie vilifies Muslims and Pakistan and he considered complaining about it to the Manitoba Film Classification Board until he realized the board no longer exists. In July, the province delegated authority to classify all movies shown in Manitoba to Consumer Protection B.C. Community members considered organizing protests outside the theatre but didnt want to publicize the film without explaining why they oppose it, said Ahmed, a University of Manitoba nursing professor and epidemiologist. They say it paints Muslims as terrorists, and could trigger Islamophobic attacks such as last months massacre at two mosques in New Zealand, where the movie was pulled from theatres. "Why show something that maybe triggers a white supremacist or someone?" said Masroor Khan, president of the Pakistan Trade and Cultural Association of Manitoba. He said hes concerned for the safety of the 70 or so people who pray five times a day at the Grand Mosque on Waverley Street, with as many as 500 showing up for Friday evening prayers. "There are people in every society who have extreme approaches," Khan said. Radical thinking can come from someone who was born and raised in Canada just as it can from someone who immigrated, he said. "Im not worried about good people" seeing Hotel Mumbai, Ahmed said. "Im worried about the bad people." And with confrontation between India and Pakistan reaching the boiling point recently, hes worried the tension is starting to spill over here with those trying to create division on social media. 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. "We shouldnt bring those politics here," Ahmed said. Pakistan and India traded fire in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir this week, leaving seven people dead. The fatalities were some of the highest since tensions flared between the nuclear-armed nations after a suicide bombing killed 40 Indian troops in Indian-administered Kashmir in February. In Winnipeg, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs "are very good friends here," Ahmed said. "We organize joint parties here. We want to preserve that." carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca In 1997, two Winnipeg police officers sought an elder's advice on how to reach out to the citys Indigenous population and improve community relations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In 1997, two Winnipeg police officers sought an elder's advice on how to reach out to the citys Indigenous population and improve community relations. The era had seen seen the rise of the citys first organized Indigenous street gangs, and police were anxious to build relationships in the North End where much of the drug-related violence played out. Art Shofley met with Consts. Willy Ducharme and Rick Kosowan. He told them about the Indigenous social and governance system, and described the function of the bear clan as protectors, hunters and peacekeepers before European contact. He told them the bear clan also provided food to ensure no one went hungry. The conversation led to the first annual Winnipeg Police Service North End Spring Feast. On Friday, uniformed police officers greeted everyone who walked into R.B. Russell Vocational School for the noon feast with a welcome word, holding open doors with friendly smiles. To the sound of a powwow drum, the 23rd annual event began with dignitaries including Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee, WPS Chief Danny Smyth, Bear Clan Patrol executive director James Favel being led into the crowded gym by Indigenous veterans in a formal grand entry. Indigenous elder Madeline Mousseau offered a prayer and a message about the importance of people working together to serve the community. Officers, meanwhile, hurried to set up a half-dozen extra tables to accommodate the crowd. More than 600 people watched the procession and listened to opening remarks before dozens police officers and cadets filed in from the school kitchen bearing trays loaded with beef stew and bannock. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kylee Choken with the William Whyte School pow wow club performs the traditional shawl dance along with other members of the club in the gymnasium at the Annual Winnipeg Police North District Spring Feast. Children from William Whyte School performed Indigenous hoop dances as police served the crowd. "Police came all week and cut up all the vegetables and meat and put this together with our culinary staff," said Joyce Wong, acting principal of R.B. Russell. They were back early Friday morning to help the school's culinary arts students cook. "I got invited through the resources centre at Dufferin (apartment) Tower," said Crystal Maytwayashing, 41, adding such community outreach events give police a chance to show they serve all people. "I think this is important for the youth, for them to learn not to get into trouble with the law and to learn theres good protection out there for people." A class from Luxton School attended with thank-you letters for the police chief, constables, elders and others in the community. 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. Luxton teacher Robert Schultz said students composed, typed and presented the letters as a civics lesson about the good will relationships create in a community. A sample letter handed out Friday was addressed to a "respected elder" from Travis B. It focused on the virtue of humility. "I live on Inkster Boulevard and I feel safe and respected when I am in my neighbourhood," Travis wrote. "I wrote this letter in your honour." For years, the Winnipeg Indian and Metis Friendship Centre served as the backdrop for the feast. The centre was closed last summer, and R.B. Russell stepped up to fill the void. The spring feast continues to enhance the relationship between the city's police and Indigenous community, the WPS said in a media statement. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca There is a sign making the rounds on social media that reads, You know its time for a change when children act like leaders and leaders act like children. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion There is a sign making the rounds on social media that reads, "You know its time for a change when children act like leaders and leaders act like children." In a long string of recent childish behaviours from leaders, the one exception was Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand. She won public admiration for her response to the mass shootings in Christchurch, even from countries where female political leadership is a rarity. Countries like Canada, in fact. While we celebrate our own Nellie McClung and the other four women who won the "Persons" case, there are far too few women in politics. Whats more, most women who are in politics still seem to hit the glass ceiling when it comes to the top roles. So as Arderns picture was cast on the side of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, headscarf and hug, I thought of another oilpatch thousands of kilometres away where Rachel Notley is trying to become the first re-elected female premier in Canadian history. In 2018, it didnt turn out so well for Kathleen Wynne and the people of Ontario. Wynnes Liberals were not only erased at the polls, but the combination of anti-Wynne sentiment and stay-at-home voters meant Doug Ford was elected premier instead. It will take the province at least a generation to repair the damage Ford has already done, especially on environmental issues. Thats a generation we dont have, as the slide toward 2 C global warming continues. It was a replay (on a smaller scale, with fewer tweets) of what happened in the last U.S. presidential election. Hillary Clinton would have been the first female president in that country, but similar attitudes (and perhaps a bit of Russian meddling) put Donald Trump in the Oval Office instead, with much worse consequences for the planet and for Americas role in global affairs. Yet when you consider that men (of all colours) inflict military, economic and sexual violence on victims everywhere every day, and that none of the high-profile shooters who have killed children in schools or people at prayer have been female, it is hard not to wonder whether female leaders would do things differently than their male counterparts. At the very least, women in political leadership deserve to be judged for their character and competence, and not ruled out simply because of their gender. So, while I have frequently criticized Rachel Notley for her decisions as premier, she has brought a new and different tone to politics in Alberta a place that previously had one-party rule for longer than anywhere except the Soviet Union, with about as little social tolerance for dissent. In 2015, Albertans not only elected a woman as premier, but one leading an NDP government, and (contrary to predictions) their world did not come to an end. For the record, Notley is tough and smart, driven by a concern for her constituents and not pulled along by the ideological golden nose ring that her Opposition counterparts (such as Jason Kenney) wear so proudly. Like many leaders before her, however, she is unfortunately still addicted to doing lines of pipe, instead of finding other and more sustainable ways to make Alberta great again. But I remember the days of the Heritage Fund, those billions of dollars squirrelled away to ensure Albertas future, even occasionally paying dividends. As a native Albertan, living elsewhere for most of my life, I was envious of those who still lived in the Land of No PST. For years, however, money that should have helped build that fund has been squandered. It could have been used to transition the province away from being a one-cow operation, but it wasnt. There was no vision at all, as the old white guys in leadership instead wallowed in their bank vaults like Scrooge McDuck. It was the One Party that made those choices, pulled along by its own nose by financial interests from offshore. It had no concern for future generations in a pirate economy, focused on plundering public resources for private profit, how could there be? 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. Certainly, Alberta politics and this election campaign have been marred by the kind of juvenile behaviour that the social media sign deplores. Canada needs leaders like Jacinda Ardern, including female ones, but we dont need to import them from New Zealand. I am not saying Notley should win re-election in Alberta because she is a woman, however. That would demean the significant contributions she and her government have made to the province and to Canada in the past four years. But I am saying that, in 2019, she certainly should not lose the election because she is a woman. If the misogynists join forces again with the people who dont vote, it would mean the dinosaurs still rule the Alberta badlands after all. And, just like in Ontario and the United States, that could spell disaster for everyone. Peter Denton is a sustainability activist, author and consultant. Heres the most important reason Premier Brian Pallister is right to challenge the federal carbon tax in court: he could win. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Heres the most important reason Premier Brian Pallister is right to challenge the federal carbon tax in court: he could win. The challenge comes at a poignant moment. This month, Manitobans began paying the federal carbon tax that adds 4.4 cents per litre to the price of gasoline and 6.4 cents per litre to diesel. Even before that price spike, the carbon tax has been unpopular in Manitoba. Ottawas carbon tax isnt just unpopular its facing challenges across Canada. New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan are also going to court. Depending on the outcome of this months Alberta election, that province may follow. Even amid the uncertainty of a courtroom proceeding, the provinces prospects are good. First, theres Manitobas legal analysis. Law professor Brian Schwartz provided an independent opinion suggesting the province could challenge the federal carbon tax by demonstrating its own environmental policies are effective. Pallister specifically cited this option when he announced his court challenge. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation intervened in the Saskatchewan carbon tax challenge on Feb. 13, and is also intervening in the Ontario carbon tax challenge on April 15 and consulting with lawyers regarding the possibility of intervening in the New Brunswick and Manitoba challenges. Here are our legal arguments: First, carbon taxes dont help the environment. This argument might seem unusual, since, legally speaking, the question is whether Ottawa can impose its carbon tax, not whether it works. However, federal lawyers are leaning on the track record of British Columbias carbon tax in their arguments. One piece of B.C.s experience really matters here: despite a decade of paying a carbon tax, B.C.s emissions have gone up in five of the past six years. Theres more than a reasonable doubt that carbon taxes decrease emissions Second, we argue a carbon tax is a tax. That may seem obvious, but federal lawyers like to call the carbon tax a carbon levy, fee or, the latest federal invention, "a price on pollution" anything but a tax. Heres the problem: the carbon tax does not meet the definition of a fee or levy as outlined in the case Westbank First Nation v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority. Fees and levies are specific charges subject to specific regulations to address specific costs. Ottawas carbon tax simply flows into the treasury rebates or any other uses of the money are not directly or legally related to the carbon tax. In short, if it looks like a tax and it quacks like a tax, its a tax. Third, Ottawas carbon tax legislation runs afoul of a fundamental democratic principle: no taxation without representation. The Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act doesnt specify who should pay the tax, what it applies to, where it should be applied or how high the tax should be set. All of those basic elements are relegated to regulation and delegated to the prime minister and cabinet. 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 other words, the prime minister can raise and expand the carbon tax without a vote in Parliament. Thats unconstitutional. Only Parliament has the right to impose a tax, and elected officials must take responsibility for taxes by voting. Ottawas carbon tax entirely evades this basic element of responsible government by calling the carbon tax a fee or levy. Its as if Ottawa believes the American Revolution could have been avoided if only the Tea Act had imposed a tea fee instead of a tea tax. Pallister is right to represent the will of Manitobans by challenging the federal carbon tax. Its unfair for Ottawa to force Manitobans to pay a carbon tax that wont work. But Pallister is also right because Manitoba has a strong legal case to strike down the carbon tax in the courts. Todd MacKay is Prairie director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. WASHINGTON - Former Vice-President Joe Biden on Friday made light of his recent controversy about crossing physical boundaries with women, and he signalled in a resolute speech to union activists that's he's ready to run for president as a moderate Democrat in party that has been drifting left. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON - Former Vice-President Joe Biden on Friday made light of his recent controversy about crossing physical boundaries with women, and he signalled in a resolute speech to union activists that's he's ready to run for president as a moderate Democrat in party that has been drifting left. Biden, 76, opened his speech to a conference of electrical workers joking that he had "permission" to hug the union leader who introduced him. He later repeated the quip about a boy he invited up on stage. The remarks won cheers from the overwhelmingly male audience, but angered some of the activist women Biden has sought to convince he "gets" their concerns about his famously touchy-feely, and some say dated, style. FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2012, photo, then-Vice President Joe Biden visits with patrons over lunch at Cruisers Diner in Seaman, Ohio. Biden buddied up with bikers, posed for countless pictures at a pizza place and downed an ice cream cone at a Dairy Queen over the weekend as he toured Ohio. Biden loves Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) During his speech at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference and afterward to reporters, Biden defended his focus on the "personal connection" in politics. "I'm sorry I didn't understand more. I'm not sorry for any of my intentions," he told reporters. "I'm not sorry for anything I've ever done -- I've never been disrespectful, intentionally, to a man or a woman." Biden all but declared he intended to join the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, telling reporters he's "putting everything together, man." He noted his lawyers had warned him to speak carefully about his intentions but said he expected to "be standing before you all relatively soon." He also suggested his strategy. In a nostalgia-soaked speech, Biden made clear he would position himself outside the progressive wing of the party and seek support from traditional Democrats and the working-class voters who backed Donald Trump in 2016. Biden said criticism of his bipartisan leanings was coming from the "far left" and reupped his appeal for compromise a sometimes unpopular view in the Trump-era. He bemoaned modern politics that's "gotten so damn elitist." "The vast majority of the members of the Democratic party are still basically liberal to moderate Democrats in the traditional sense," Biden said. As to where he falls on ideological lines, he said, "I'm an Obama-Biden Democrat, man. And I'm proud of it." Former Vice President Joe Biden hugs International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Lonnie Stephenson as he arrives to speak at IBEW's construction and maintenance conference in Washington, Friday, April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) But signs of changes in the party have been evident in recent complaints about Biden's history of publicly affectionate behaviour with women. Nevada politician Lucy Flores said she was uncomfortable when Biden kissed her on the back of the head backstage at a 2014 campaign event. Her account was countered by scores of women from prominent lawmakers to former staffers who praised him as a warm, affectionate person and a supportive boss. But several other women have also come forward to recount their own awkward interactions with him. Flores panned Biden's remarks Friday, tweeting: "To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have." Ultra Violet, a women's rights group that initially urged Biden to do better, also reacted sharply: "Joe Biden's 'jokes' were shameful, and not how a so-called 'champion of women' should act," the group posted on Twitter. "He sent a very clear signal to women today - he just doesn't respect them." Biden did say the controversy "is going to have to change somewhat how I campaign." That controversy aside, Biden's address seemed intended to highlight how he could win back white, blue-collar workers like those who supported Trump in 2016. He seemed to criticize his own party for walking away from the demographic. He recounted a time when, he said, the dignity of teachers, sanitation and electrical line workers was treasured and the nation felt it had a common purpose. Saying his father, a salesman, told him to respect everyone, Biden alluded to various "sophisticated friends" who don't get the significance of treating blue-collar labourers as equals. "All you're looking for is to be treated fairly, with respect, with some dignity," Biden said. "Because you matter." Biden also noted he'd gotten criticism from the left for saying Democrats should work with Republicans to get things done, and in defending President Barack Obama's signature law, the Affordable Care Act, which some Democratic presidential aspirants want to replace with a single-payer health care system. "We need to build on it," Biden said of the law. "What we can't do is blow it up." Shortly after Biden was finished speaking, Trump hit back. "I've employed thousands of Electrical Workers," the president tweeted as his plane flew toward the Mexican border with California. "They will be voting for me!" However, the IBEW endorsed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016. Biden's advisers had signalled ahead of the speech that he was not going to mention the physical-touching controversy. But he attempted to defuse it by embracing the union's male president and kidding about it. While that may have landed with a thud to some outside the room, the labour leaders rose to their feet and applauded. The criticism of Biden's form of affection is a symptom of what ails not just politics but American life, said Denise Johnson, an attendee from Mechanicsville, Maryland. "He's a warm and affectionate person. He's sincere and he speaks from his heart," said Johnson, who works for the IBEW in Washington. "But in the society we live, we're losing that warmth. We need to get it back. This could actually rally for him." Friday was the second time in two days that President Trump attacked Biden on Twitter. Despite more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct, on Thursday the president posted a doctored version of a cellphone video Biden released addressing the controversy over his touching. In Trump's version, a Biden avatar approaches Biden from behind and appears to grab his shoulders. Trump has denied the allegations of sexual misconduct, and on Friday he told reporters he saw no reason to avoid going after Biden on the issue. "Yeah, I think I'm a very good messenger and people got a kick out of it," Trump 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. None of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates commented on Biden's appearance. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, when asked after an event thanking small donors if she had ever felt uncomfortable around Biden, said, "I've said all I'm going to say about Joe Biden." ___ Riccardi reported from Denver. AP writer Alexandra Jaffe in Waterloo, Iowa, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Thomas Beaumont at http://twitter.com/tombeaumont . Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/4/2019 (983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A demographic shift has left the Spanish countryside with hundreds of ghost villages, telling tales of people like Gustavo Iglesias. Iglesias, like others in the hamlet of Acorrada in the northern Spanish region of Galicia, moved to a larger town for work, leaving behind a village with six grey-stone houses and two horreos, or grain stores, overlooking a lush valley. His family had lived there for generations, growing wheat and tending to cows, but by the time his father died about 30 years ago, it had emptied out, abandoned and left to crumble. Now, the 57-year-old who works as a port policeman in Burela, a fishing town on the Galician coast has joined with other owners to put the hamlet up for sale, trying to give it a new life. The asking price? Just 85,000 euros, or US$96,000. "Id like someone to buy it and do it up so that it continues to have a life," Iglesias said. Spains countryside is dotted with hamlets like Iglesiass that are being sold after their owners abandoned them. For the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who made the reversal of rural depopulation a key policy issue when he came to power last year, such efforts can help stem rural desertification before it tips into crisis territory. "We need to be aware of the demographic winter that threatens a large part of our territory," he said at a recent forum. Adventurous foreigners and enterprising Spaniards are starting to be seen as part of the solution as they buy some of the hamlets, taking advantage of bargain prices. Aldeas Abandonadas, an estate agency specializing in such sales, last year sold about 40 villages, with foreign buyers accounting for 90 per cent of the transactions. "People are coming from all over the world to buy," said Pepe Rodil, a manager at the agency, who pointed to the areas famous food octopus, scallops and clams, as well as chorizo in cider and heavy winter bean broths with chorizo and pork as a draw for potential buyers of hamlets like Iglesiass. There are about 1,500 abandoned hamlets in Spain, said Elvira Fafian, the founder of Aldeas Abandonadas. An increasing number of them are being put on the block since local councils require owners to maintain their properties, which many cant afford to do. The ghost-village phenomenon is likely to grow, she said. While urbanization is emptying rural areas across large swathes of Europe, the trend is dramatic in Spain. About 53 per cent of Spain has a population density of fewer than 12.5 inhabitants per square kilometre among the worst rates in western Europe. Spains fertility rate of 1.3 per cent in 2017 was the second-lowest in the European Union, after Malta, and the gap in the country between urban and rural births is one of the widest in the EU. A lack of young people means the population isnt replenished, while the regions also lose the entrepreneurs who might have generated employment and driven the local economy. A recent European Commission report highlights depopulation in rural areas and the pressure on Spains cities among issues of concern. Madrid, Barcelona and the string of smaller cities along Spains sun-soaked Mediterranean coast dont yet face the challenges of pollution, traffic congestion and strain on infrastructure seen in mega-cities, but theyre sure to surface in the future. 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. Tiny steps are already underway to reverse that process. Increasing the reach of broadband internet that allows people to work from home is one measure being studied. Providing incentives for people to move into rural areas is another. In Asturias and Galicia, the local government partly funds the restoration of roofs on traditional houses. The private-sector effort may come from people like Alberto Hidalgo, an advertising and fashion photographer from Madrid who bought an 86-acre hamlet in northern Spain for 120,000 euros through Aldeas Abandonadas. On a balmy day in February, he was meeting a pair of local architects to discuss how to convert the place into a spa retreat. Hidalgo and his makeup-artist girlfriend had effectively bought their own valley, whose steep banks are covered with oak, chestnut and eucalyptus trees. The main house sits on the knoll surrounded by stone buildings that they plan to convert into accommodation. Below, an apple orchard tumbles down toward a brook, and in the distance, the murmur of a small waterfall complements the lowing of grazing cows. Whether its a desire to preserve Spains cultural history or because technology now makes it possible to work from anywhere, people are starting to trickle back. Persuading people to move back in significant numbers, though, may be too ambitious, said Luis Antonio Saez, a professor in applied economics at the University of Zaragoza. The best that Spain can hope for is to stem the bleeding. "Bit by bit, what well see is a certain restructuring, rather than a repopulation," Saez said. Bloomberg Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). Page Content The State Bar of Wisconsin is a mandatory professional association, created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, for all attorneys who hold a Wisconsin law license. With more than 25,000 members, the State Bar aids the courts in improving the administration of justice, provides continuing legal education and other services for its members, supports the education of law students, and educates the public about the legal system. The State Bar of Wisconsin also provides public services, including attorney referrals, public education and reduced-fee legal assistance for low-income state residents. Although it was created by the Supreme Court, the State Bar is not a state agency and its operations are not supported with tax revenues. Instead, the private association is supported by member dues and earned revenues (e.g., from the sale of books, legal seminars, and other products). The State Bar does not license or discipline attorneys. These and related activities are administered by separate state agencies. Admission to Practice The Wisconsin Supreme Court requires lawyers to be admitted to practice by the court and to join the State Bar of Wisconsin as a condition of practicing law in the state. Lawyers seeking to practice law in Wisconsin must go through the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), an 11-member board appointed by the supreme court. BBE evaluates the skills, character, and fitness of lawyers, and also writes and grades the Wisconsin Bar Examination. Visit the BBE website to find information regarding the admission to practice law, and applications. Continuing Education In general, active member lawyers who were admitted to practice law in Wisconsin are required to comply with the 30-hour Wisconsin mandatory continuing legal education (CLE) requirements for each two-year reporting period. There are some exceptions for newly admitted attorneys and emeritus members. Visit the BBE website for details on the CLE requirements. In-House Counsel Registration In addition, attorneys licensed in other states that are not admitted to practice law in Wisconsin and are in-house counsel must register with the BBE within 60 after the commencement of employment as a lawyer in this state. Visit the BBE website to learn about these registration requirements. Pro Hac Vice Non-member attorneys can appear and participate in a particular action or proceeding in association with an active member of the State Bar of Wisconsin after filing the required pro hac vice application and application fee with the State Bar of Wisconsin. Other requirements for pro hac vice admission are governed by Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules and certain Wisconsin Circuit Court Local Rules. File application for pro hac vice admission. Visit the Wisconsin Court System website for more information on pro hac vice requirements. Procedure to Regain Admission after a Voluntary Resignation To regain admission after resignation, a member must contact the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The following companies are subsidiares of American Tower: 10 Presidential Way Associates LLC, 3267351 Nova Scotia Company, 3286208 Nova Scotia Company, 3298099 Nova Scotia Company, 52 Eighty LLC, 52 Eighty Partners LLC, 52 Eighty Tower Partners I LLC, ACC Tower Sub LLC, AT Kenya C.V., AT Netherlands C.V., AT Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT Sao Paulo C.V., AT Sher Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT South America C.V., ATC Africa Holding B.V., ATC Africa Shared Services (Pty) Ltd, ATC Antennas Holding LLC, ATC Antennas LLC, ATC Argentina C.V., ATC Argentina Cooperatief U.A., ATC Argentina Holding LLC, ATC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ATC Atlantic C.V., ATC Atlantic II B.V., ATC Atlantic III B.V., ATC Backhaul LLC, ATC Brasil Servicos de Conectividades Ltda., ATC Brazil Holding LLC, ATC Brazil I LLC, ATC Brazil II LLC, ATC Burkina Faso S.A., ATC CSR Foundation India, ATC Chile Holding LLC, ATC Colombia B.V., ATC Colombia Holding I LLC, ATC Colombia Holding LLC, ATC Colombia I LLC, ATC EH GmbH & Co. KG, ATC Ecuador Holding LLC, ATC Edge LLC, ATC Ethiopia Infrastructure Development Private Limited Company, ATC Europe B.V., ATC Europe LLC, ATC European Holdings Inc., ATC Fibra de Colombia S.A.S., ATC France Cooperatief U.A., ATC France Holding II SAS, ATC France Holding SAS, ATC France Reseaux SAS, ATC France SAS, ATC France Services SAS, ATC GP GmbH, ATC Germany Holdings GmbH, ATC Germany Services GmbH, ATC Ghana ServiceCo Limited, ATC Global Employment B.V., ATC Heston B.V., ATC Holding Fibra Mexico S. de R.L. DE C.V., ATC IP LLC, ATC India Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Indoor DAS Holding LLC, ATC Indoor DAS LLC, ATC International Cooperatief U.A., ATC International Financing B.V., ATC International Financing II B.V., ATC International Financing II Holding LLC, ATC International Holding Corp., ATC Iris I LLC, ATC Kenya Operations Limited, ATC Kenya Services Limited, ATC Latin America S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., ATC MIP III REIT Iron Holdings LLC, ATC Managed Sites Holding LLC, ATC Managed Sites LLC, ATC MexHold LLC, ATC Mexico Holding LLC, ATC Niger Wireless Infrastructure S.A., ATC Nigeria C.V., ATC Nigeria Cooperatief U.A., ATC Nigeria Holding LLC, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited, ATC On Air + LLC, ATC Operations LLC, ATC Outdoor DAS LLC, ATC Paraguay Holding LLC, ATC Paraguay S.R.L., ATC Peru Holding LLC, ATC Polska sp. z o.o., ATC Ponderosa B-I LLC, ATC Ponderosa B-II LLC, ATC Ponderosa K LLC, ATC Ponderosa K-R LLC, ATC Sequoia LLC, ATC Sitios Infraco S.A.S., ATC Sitios de Chile S.A., ATC Sitios de Colombia S.A.S., ATC Sitios del Peru S.R.L., ATC South Africa Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, ATC South Africa Services Pty Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure (Pty) Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure II (Pty) Ltd, ATC South America Holding LLC, ATC South LLC, ATC Spain LLC, ATC TRS I LLC, ATC TRS II LLC, ATC TRS III LLC, ATC TRS IV LLC, ATC Tanzania Holding LLC, ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Tower (Ghana) Limited, ATC Tower Services LLC, ATC Uganda Limited, ATC Uganda ServiceCo (SMC) Limited, ATC Watertown LLC, ATC WiFi LLC, ATS-Needham LLC, ActiveX Telebroadband Services Private Limited, Adquisiciones y Proyectos Inalambricos S. de R. L. de C.V., Agile Airband Ohio LLC, Agile Connect LLC, Agile IWG Holdings LLC, Agile Network Builders LLC, Agile Networks Indiana LLC, Agile Networks Site Development LLC, Agile Towers LLC, Alternative Networking LLC, American Tower Asset Sub II LLC, American Tower Asset Sub LLC, American Tower Charitable Foundation Inc., American Tower Delaware Corporation, American Tower Depositor Sub LLC, American Tower Guarantor Sub LLC, American Tower Holding Sub II LLC, American Tower Holding Sub LLC, American Tower International Holding I LLC, American Tower International Holding II LLC, American Tower International Inc., American Tower Investments LLC, American Tower LLC, American Tower Management LLC, American Tower Mauritius, American Tower Servicios Fibra S. de R.L. de C.V., American Tower Tanzania Operations Limited, American Tower do Brasil - Cessao de Infraestruturas Ltda., American Tower do Brasil Communicacao Multimidia Ltda., American Towers LLC, BR Towers, Blue Sky Towers Pty Ltd, Blue Transfer Sociedad Anonima, Broadcast Towers LLC, CNC2 Associates LLC, California Tower Inc., Cell Site NewCo II LLC, Cell Tower Lease Acquisition LLC, Central States Tower Holdings LLC, Colo ATL LLC, Colo Atl, Communications Properties Inc., Comunicaciones y Consumos S.A., Connectivity Infrastructure Services Limited, DCS Tower Sub LLC, Eaton, Eaton Towers (Lilongwe) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana (M) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana Limited, Eaton Towers Holdings Limited, Eaton Towers Kenya Limited, Eaton Towers Limited, Eaton Towers Niger S.A., Eaton Towers Uganda Limited, Essar Telecom Infrastructure, Eure-et-Loir Reseaux Mobiles SAS, GTP Acquisition Partners I LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners II LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners III LLC, GTP Costa Rica Finance LLC, GTP Infrastructure I LLC, GTP Infrastructure II LLC, GTP Infrastructure III LLC, GTP Investments LLC, GTP LATAM Holdings B.V., GTP LatAm Holdings Cooperatieve U.A., GTP Operations CR S.R.L., GTP South Acquisitions II LLC, GTP Structures I LLC, GTP Structures II LLC, GTP TRS I LLC, GTP Torres CR S.R.L., GTP Towers I LLC, GTP Towers II LLC, GTP Towers III LLC, GTP Towers IV LLC, GTP Towers IX LLC, GTP Towers V LLC, GTP Towers VII LLC, GTP Towers VIII LLC, GTPI HoldCo LLC, Ghana Tower InterCo B.V., Global Tower Assets III LLC, Global Tower Assets LLC, Global Tower Holdings LLC, Global Tower LLC, Global Tower Partners, Global Tower Services LLC, Gondola Tower Holdings LLC, Grain HoldCo LLC, Grain HoldCo Parent LLC, GrainComm I LLC, GrainComm II LLC, GrainComm III LLC, GrainComm LLC, GrainComm Marketing LLC, GrainComm V LLC, Haysville Towers LLC, IW Equipment LLC, IWD Equipment LLC, IWG Holdings LLC, IWG II Holdings LLC, IWG II LLC, IWG Miami LLC, IWG Towers Assets I LLC, IWG Towers Assets II LLC, IWG-TLA Australia Pty Ltd., IWG-TLA Canada Corp., IWG-TLA Encanto 1 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 3 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto LLC, IWG-TLA Holdings LLC, IWG-TLA Media 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Media LLC, IWG-TLA Telecom LLC, IWL-TLA Telecom 2 LLC, Idaho Tower Company LLC, InSite (BCEC) LLC, InSite (MBTA) LLC, InSite Borrower LLC, InSite Co-Issuer Corp., InSite Guarantor LLC, InSite Hawaii LLC, InSite Issuer LLC, InSite Licensing LLC, InSite Towers Development 2 LLC, InSite Towers Development LLC, InSite Towers International 2 LLC, InSite Towers International Development LLC, InSite Towers International LLC, InSite Towers LLC, InSite Towers of Puerto Rico LLC, InSite Wireless Development LLC, InSite Wireless Group, InSite Wireless Group LLC, Insite Wireless LLC, Invisible IWG Holdings LLC, Invisible Towers LLC, JT Communications LLC, LAP Inmobiliaria Limitada, LAP Inmobiliaria S.R.L., LL B Sheet 1 LLC, Lap do Brasil Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, Lease Advisors-AU PTY LTD, Loxel SAS, MATC Digital S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Infraestructura S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., MC New Macland Properties LLC, MCSU Properties LLC, MHB Tower Rentals of America LLC, MIP III Iron Holdings LLC, MIP III U.S. Iron LLC, Microwave Inc., Municipal Bay LLC, Municipal-Bay Holdings LLC, New Towers LLC, PCS Structures Towers LLC, R-CAL I LLC, RSA Media Inc., Repeater Communications Group I LLC, Repeater Communications Group II LLC, Repeater Communications Group III LLC, Repeater Communications Group IV LLC, Repeater Communications Group LLC, Repeater Communications Group V LLC, Repeater Communications Group VI LLC, Repeater Communications Group of New York LLC, Repeater IWG Holdings LLC, Richland Towers LLC, Signum/IWG Tower Corp., Southeast Network Access Point LLC, SpectraSite Communications, SpectraSite Communications LLC, SpectraSite LLC, T8 Ulysses Site Management LLC, TLA PR-1 LLC, TLA PR-2 LLC, Telecom Lease Advisors Management 2 LLC, Tower Management Inc., Towers of America L.L.L.P., Transcend Infrastructure Holdings Pte. Ltd., Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines) Inc., Turris Sites Development Corp., Turris Sites IWG Corp, Tysons II DAS LLC, UNIsite, Uganda Tower Interco B.V., Ulysses Asset Sub I LLC, Ulysses Asset Sub II LLC, UniSite LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint FL Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint NE Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint PA Tower Venture LLC, Vangard Wireless LLC, Verus Management One LLC, Viom Networks, and Virdi IWG Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. The following companies are subsidiares of Moody's: Administracion de Calificadoras S.A. de C.V., BlackBox Logic, Bureau van Dijk EP DMCC, Bureau van Dijk Editions Electroniques S.A.S., Bureau van Dijk Editions Electroniques SRL, Bureau van Dijk Editions Electroniques Sarl, Bureau van Dijk Edizioni Elettroniche S.p.a, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing AB, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing ApS, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing B.V., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Beijing Co. Ltd., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing GmbH, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Hong Kong Limited, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Inc., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing K.K., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing LLC, Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Ltd., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Pte. Ltd., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Pty. Ltd., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing S.A. de C.V., Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing Unipessoal Lda., Bureau van Dijk Electroniq Publishing S.A. (Pty) Ltd, Bureau van Dijk Publicaciones Electronicas S.A., Bureau van Dijk Publicacao Eletronica Ltda., DVBS Inc., Equilibrium (Chile) Holding SpA, Ethical Investment Research Services (EIRIS) Limited, Fermat International SA, Four Twenty Seven, Four Twenty Seven France SAS, Four Twenty Seven Inc., GGYAXIS Inc., Gilliland Gold Young Consulting Inc., ICRA Lanka Limited, ICRA Limited, ICRA Nepal Limited, ICRA Online Limited, KIS Pricing Inc., Korea Investors Service, Korea Investors Service Inc., Lewtan Technologies Inc., MIS Asset Holdings Inc., MIS Quality Management Corp., MIS Support Center Private Limited, MIS Support Services CR Sociedad de Responsabilidad Ltda., Midroog Ltd., Moody's (China) Limited, Moody's (Japan) K.K., Moody's (UK) Limited, Moody's America Latina Ltda., Moody's Analytics (DIFC) Limited, Moody's Analytics (India) Private Limited, Moody's Analytics (Malaysia) Sdn.Bhd., Moody's Analytics (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Moody's Analytics Australia Pty. Ltd., Moody's Analytics Canada Inc., Moody's Analytics Czech Republic s.r.o., Moody's Analytics Deutschland GmbH, Moody's Analytics Global Education (Canada) Inc., Moody's Analytics Holdings (UK) Limited, Moody's Analytics Hong Kong Ltd., Moody's Analytics International Licensing Gmbh, Moody's Analytics Ireland Limited, Moody's Analytics Japan K.K., Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services (Jersey) Limited, Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services Holdings (Mauritius) Limited, Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services Research (Mauritius) Limited, Moody's Analytics Korea Co. Ltd, Moody's Analytics SAS, Moody's Analytics Singapore Pte Ltd., Moody's Analytics Technical Services (Hong Kong) Ltd., Moody's Analytics Technical Services (UK) Limited, Moody's Analytics UK Limited, Moody's Analytics do Brazil Solucoes para Gerenciamento de Risco de Credito Ltda, Moody's Asia Pacific Limited, Moody's Asia-Pacific Group (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Moody's Canada Inc., Moody's Canada LP, Moody's China (B.V.I.) Limited, Moody's Company Holdings (BVI) I Limited, Moody's Company Hong Kong Limited, Moody's Credit Ratings (China) Limited, Moody's Deutschland GmbH, Moody's EMEA Financing (Cyprus) Limited, Moody's EMEA Holdings Limited, Moody's Eastern Europe LLC, Moody's Equilibrium I (BVI) Holding Corporation, Moody's Equilibrium II (BVI) Holding Corporation, Moody's Finance (BVI) Limited, Moody's Financing (BVI) Limited, Moody's Financing (Cyprus) Limited, Moody's France SAS, Moody's Group (BVI) Limited, Moody's Group (Holdings) Unlimited, Moody's Group Australia Pty Ltd, Moody's Group Cyprus Limited, Moody's Group Deutschland GmbH, Moody's Group Finance Limited, Moody's Group France SAS, Moody's Group Holdings (BVI) Limited, Moody's Group Japan G.K., Moody's Group NL B.V., Moody's Group UK Limited, Moody's Holdings (B.V.I.) Limited, Moody's Holdings Limited, Moody's Holdings NL B.V., Moody's Indonesia (B.V.I) Limited, Moody's Information Consulting (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Moody's International (UK) Limited, Moody's International Holdings (Cyprus) Limited, Moody's Investment Company India Private Limited, Moody's Investors Service (BVI) Limited, Moody's Investors Service (Beijing) Ltd., Moody's Investors Service (Korea) Inc., Moody's Investors Service (Nordics) AB, Moody's Investors Service Cyprus Limited, Moody's Investors Service EMEA Limited, Moody's Investors Service Espana S.A., Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Limited, Moody's Investors Service India Private Limited, Moody's Investors Service Limited, Moody's Investors Service Middle East Limited, Moody's Investors Service Pty Limited, Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd., Moody's Investors Service South Africa (Pty) Limited, Moody's Israel Holdings Inc., Moody's Italia S.r.l., Moody's Latin America Agente de Calificacion de Riesgo S.A., Moody's Latin America Holding Corp., Moody's Lithuania UAB, Moody's Local PA Calificadora de Riesgo S.A., Moody's Local PE Clasificadora de Riesgo S.A, Moody's Mauritius Holdings Limited, Moody's Risk Assessments Limited, Moody's SF Japan K.K., Moody's Shared Services India Private Limited, Moody's Shared Services UK Limited, Moody's Singapore Pte Ltd, Moody's South Africa (B.V.I.) Ltd., Moody's de Mexico S.A. de C.V. I.C.V, Moodys Advisors Inc., Moodys Analytics Inc., Moodys Analytics Knowledge Services Solutions (US) Inc., Moodys Analytics Solutions LLC, Moodys Assurance Company Inc., Moodys Assureco Inc., Moodys Capital Markets Research Inc., Moodys Group Holdings Inc., Moodys Holdings LLC, Moodys International LLC, Moodys Investors Service Inc., Moodys Overseas Holdings Inc., Moodys Risk Assessments Holdings LLC, Moodys Risk Assessments Inc., Moodys Shared Services Inc., Nile 1 Limited, Nile 2 Limited, Nile 3 Limited, Nile 4 Limited, Nile 5 Limited, Omega Performance, Omega Performance Corp./S.C.C. A Rendement Omega, Omega Performance Corporation, Omega Performance Corporation Pty. Limited, Omega Performance NZ Limited, Omega Performance Pte. Ltd., PT ICRA Indonesia, Pragati Development Consulting Services Limited, RBA International, Reis, Reis Inc., Reis Services LLC, Risk First (Holdings) Limited, Risk First (IP) Limited, Risk First Enterprise Limited, Risk First Group Limited, Risk First Inc., Risk First Limited, Risk First Management Services Limited, Skyval Holdings LLP, Skyval Limited, The Moodys Foundation, Vigeo, Vigeo Belgium NV, Vigeo Eiris, Vigeo Eiris Canada Inc., Vigeo Eiris Chile SpA, Vigeo Eiris Hong Kong Limited, Vigeo Eiris USA LLC, Vigeo Group, Vigeo Italia S.r.l, Yellow Maple Holding B.V., Yellow Maple I B.V., Yellow Maple II B.V., and Zephus Ltd.. Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More Chief Executive Carrie Lam today commended the winners of the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019 for their outstanding inventions and applications. Speaking at the event, Mrs Lam said information and communications technology is a core component in many smart city applications. She encouraged the winners to continue their commitment to innovation and technology excellence and create a better future for the community. Mrs Lam also said the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will be the perfect place for innovators to turn their data and ideas into products and services. We have put in place various support schemes for our young entrepreneurs. Just last month, the Guangdong Province announced that they would offer young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macau the same training, capital and rental support as those available to Guangdong young people. The Chief Executive presented the Award of the Year to Redspots Creative (Hong Kong) Co Ltd, while Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang presented prizes to the winners of the eight award categories. Click here for details. The following companies are subsidiares of Boston Scientific: 34 Biomedical Merger Corp., 9357-1867 Quebec Inc., Acurate Industria e Comercio Ltda., Advanced Bionics, Advanced Stent Technologies, American Medical Systems, American Medical Systems Europe B.V., Apama Medical, Apama Medical Inc., Asthmatx, Atritech, Augmenix, Augmenix Inc., Augmenix K.K., BSC International Medical Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BSC Medical Device Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BTG, BTG Australasia Pty Ltd, BTG Europe B.V., BTG IM Holdings Ltd., BTG International (Holdings) Limited, BTG International Asia Limited, BTG International Canada Inc., BTG International Germany GmbH, BTG International Healthcare Inc., BTG International Healthcare LLC, BTG International Healthcare Limited, BTG International Inc., BTG International Limited, BTG Limited, BTG Management Services Limited, BTG Medikal Limited Sirketi, Bard Electrophysiology, Barosense, Biocompatibles Inc., Biocompatibles International Limited, Biocompatibles UK Limited, Boston Scientific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Boston Scientific (South Africa) Proprietary Limited, Boston Scientific (Thailand) Ltd., Boston Scientific (UK) Limited, Boston Scientific AG, Boston Scientific Argentina S.A., Boston Scientific Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Boston Scientific Benelux NV, Boston Scientific Canada Limited, Boston Scientific Ceska republika s.r.o., Boston Scientific Chile SpA, Boston Scientific Colombia Limitada, Boston Scientific Comercial de Costa Rica BSCR S.R.L., Boston Scientific Far East B.V., Boston Scientific Gesellschaft m.b.H., Boston Scientific Group plc, Boston Scientific Hellas S.A., Boston Scientific Hong Kong Limited, Boston Scientific Iberica S.A., Boston Scientific India Private Limited, Boston Scientific International B.V., Boston Scientific International Finance Limited, Boston Scientific International S.A., Boston Scientific Israel Ltd., Boston Scientific Japan K.K., Boston Scientific Korea Co. Ltd., Boston Scientific Lebanon SAL, Boston Scientific Limited, Boston Scientific Ltd., Boston Scientific Medical Device, Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, Boston Scientific Middle East FZ-LLC, Boston Scientific Middle East SAL, Boston Scientific Nederland B.V., Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Boston Scientific New Zealand Limited, Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Boston Scientific Peru S.A.C., Boston Scientific Philippines Inc., Boston Scientific Polska Sp. z o.o., Boston Scientific Portugal - Dispositivos Medicos Lda, Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, Boston Scientific Romania S.R.L., Boston Scientific S.A.S., Boston Scientific S.p.A., Boston Scientific Scimed, Boston Scientific Scimed Inc., Boston Scientific Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific TIP Gerecleri Limited Sirketi, Boston Scientific Technology & Engineering Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific Uruguay S.A., Boston Scientific Vietnam Company Limited, Boston Scientific de Costa Rica S.R.L., Boston Scientific de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Boston Scientific del Caribe Inc., Boston Scientific do Brasil Ltda., Bravo Bidco Limited, BridgePoint Medical, Cameron Health, Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., Cardiac Pathways Corp, Catheter Innovations, Claret Medical, Claret Medical Inc., Cosman Medical, Cosman Medical LLC, CryoCor, Cryterion Medical, Cryterion Medical Inc., Cryterion Medical Ireland Limited, EKOS LLC, EMcision, EMcision International Inc., EP Technologies, EP Technologies Inc., Electron Acquisition Corporation, EndoChoice, EndoChoice Holdings Inc., EndoChoice Inc., EndoChoice Innovation Center Ltd., EndoChoice Israel Ltd., Endotex, Enteric Medical Technologies, Galil Medical Inc., Galil Medical Ltd., Galil Medical UK Limited, Guidant, Guidant Delaware Holding Corporation, Guidant Europe NV, Guidant Puerto Rico B.V., Hong Kong Medtech Trading Limited, Intelect Medical, Millipede, Millipede Inc., NXT Merger Corp., Notebook Merger Sub Ltd., Novate Medical Limited, NxThera, NxThera Inc., PT Boston Scientific Indonesia, PneumRx GmbH, PneumRx LLC, PneumRx Liimited, Protherics Medicines Development B.V., Protherics Medicines Development Limited, Protherics UK Limited, Provensis Limited, RMI Acquisition Corp., Remon Medical Technologies, Rhythmia Medical, Robert S. Smith M.D. Inc., Roxwood Medical Inc., SNS Merger Corp, Sadra Medical, Sadra Medical Inc., Securus Medical Group, Securus Medical Group Inc., Special K Merger Corp., StarMedTec, Stream Enterprises LLC, Symetis, Symetis SA, Target Therapeutics, Target Therapeutics Inc., The LumenR Tissue Retractor System, Veniti, Veniti Inc., VertiFlex, Vertiflex Inc., Vessix Vascular, Xlumena, Zuma Investment Pty Ltd, iogyn, nVision Medical, and nVision Medical Corporation. There is not enough analysis data for Carlton Investments. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Carlton Investments has received 19 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Carlton Investments has received 9 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Carlton Investments has received 67.86% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Carlton Investments and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CIN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CIN will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Parkland Corporation operates as a marketer, distributor, and refiner of fuel and petroleum products in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canada, International, USA, Supply, and Corporate segments. The Canada segment supplies and supports a coast-to-coast network of 1,860 retail gas stations under the Ultramar, Esso, Fas Gas Plus, Chevron, Pioneer, and Race Trac as well as operates convenience stores under the On the Run/MarchA Express brand. Additionally it offers bulk fuel, bulk and cylinder exchange propane, heating oil, lubricants, and other related products and services to commercial, industrial, and residential customers in various industries, such as oil and gas, construction, mining, forestry, fishing, and transportation under the Ultramar, Bluewave Energy, Pipeline Commercial, Chevron, Columbia Fuels, and Sparlings Propane brands. The International segment operates retail service stations under the Esso, Shell, and Sol brands; and delivers and supplies gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, propane, and lubricants to customers in various sectors, including power, oil and gas, and mining. The USA segment operates a network of gas stations; and delivers bulk fuel, lubricants, and other related products and services under the Farstad Oil, Rhinehart Oil, Tropic Oil, Superpumper, Harts, and On the Run brands. The Supply segment manufactures transportation fuels; transports, stores, and markets fuels, crude oil, and liquid petroleum gases; and manufactures and sells aviation fuel to airlines. This segment also engages in the wholesale, supply, and distribution business. The company was formerly known as Parkland Fuel Corporation and changed its name to Parkland Corporation in May 2020. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Curzon Energy. 4.7 Community Rank Outperform Votes Curzon Energy has received 36 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Curzon Energy has received 16 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Curzon Energy has received 69.23% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Curzon Energy and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CZN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CZN 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 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. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG provides commercial real estate and public investment finance products. Its commercial real estate financing activities include financing instruments, such as financing investment projects, development finance, cross-border portfolio financing, investment bridge finance facilities, standby/backup facilities, and derivatives. The company primarily finances offices, retail, and logistic real estate companies, as well as residential properties targeting real estate companies, institutional investors, real estate funds, and medium-sized and regionally orientated clients. It is also involved in the public investment financing activities, such as financing for public sector facilities, municipal and residential buildings, utilities, infrastructure, medical and geriatric care facilities, and administration and insurance facilities. In addition, the company operates a digital platform for public sector borrowers and institutional investors under the CAPVERIANT name. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG has offices in four locations in Eschborn, DAsseldorf, Hamburg, and Berlin in Germany; and five locations in London, Madrid, Paris, Stockholm, and New York City. The company was formerly known as Hypo Real Estate Bank AG and changed its name to Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG in June 2009. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG is headquartered in Garching, Germany. Read More Village Farms International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes greenhouse-grown tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers in North America. It operates through three segments: Produce Business, Energy Business, and Cannabis and Hemp Business. The company also owns and operates a 7.0 megawatt power plant that generates and sells electricity to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority; and produces and supplies cannabis products. It markets and distributes its products under the Village Farms brand name to retail supermarkets and fresh food distribution companies, as well as products produced under exclusive arrangements with other greenhouse producers. The company was formerly known as Village Farms Canada Inc. and changed its name to Village Farms International, Inc. in December 2009. Village Farms International, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Delta, Canada. Read More Grizzly Discoveries Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. It primarily explores for gold, copper, silver, and cobalt deposits. It holds interests in Greenwood Project covering approximately 180,000 contiguous acres; and 100% interests in Robocop property comprising of five mineral claims that covers an area of 5,863 acres located in southeastern British Columbia. The company was formerly known as Grizzly Diamonds Ltd. and changed its name to Grizzly Discoveries Inc. in January 2010. Grizzly Discoveries Inc. was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More 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. There is not enough analysis data for Hudson's Bay. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Hudson's Bay has received 521 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Hudson's Bay has received 295 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Hudson's Bay has received 63.85% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Hudson's Bay and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HBC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HBC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Invesco High Income Trust II is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets. The fund seeks to invest in securities rated between BB and C by Standard and Poor's. It seeks to maintain an average duration of around three to four years for its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Inde. It was formerly known as Invesco Van Kampen High Income Trust II. Invesco High Income Trust II was formed on April 28, 1989 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More iShares S&P SmallCap 600 ETF's stock was trading at $62.31 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IJR shares have increased by 76.5% and is now trading at $109.98. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. DEUTZ Aktiengesellschaft engages in the development, production, distribution, and servicing of diesel and gas engines in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and the Americas. It operates through three segments: DEUTZ Compact Engines, DEUTZ Customized Solutions, and Other. The DEUTZ Compact Engines segment provides liquid-cooled engines with capacities of up to 8 liters. The DEUTZ Customized Solutions segment offers air-cooled drives and liquid-cooled engines with a capacity exceeding 8 liters. This segment also supplies reconditioned exchange engines and parts. The Other segment is involved in manufacturing electric and hybrid drive systems for marine applications under the Torqeedo brand, and battery management hardware and software products, as well as focuses on the electrification of drive systems and electric-powered watercraft. It also offers maintenance and repair services for engines. The company's products are used in various applications, such as construction equipment, agricultural machinery, lifting and material handling equipment, ground support equipment, stationary equipment, commercial vehicles, rail vehicles, boats, and other applications. DEUTZ Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Cologne, Germany. Read More McEwen Mining Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and silver. It also explores for copper deposits. The company owns 100% interests in the El Gallo and Fenix projects located in Mexico; and the Black Fox Mine and Stock Mill, Grey Fox, and Froome and Tamarack properties in Canada. It also owns interests in the Fuller, Davidson-Tisdale, Buffalo Ankerite, and Paymaster exploration properties located in Canada; and a 49% interest in the San Jose mine located in Argentina. In addition, the company owns 100% interests in the Gold Bar and Tonkin properties located in Eureka County, Nevada; and interests in the Los Azules copper project located in the cordilleran region in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The company was formerly known as US Gold Corporation and changed its name to McEwen Mining Inc. in January 2012. McEwen Mining Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Melrose Industries PLC engages in the aerospace, automotive, powder metallurgy, air management, and other industrial businesses in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, North America, and internationally. Its Aerospace segment provides airframe and engine structures, and electrical interconnection systems for the aerospace industry in civil airframe and defense platforms. The company's Automotive segment designs, develops, manufactures, and integrates driveline technologies; and epowertrains and intelligent all-wheel drive systems. Its Powder Metallurgy segment offers precision automotive components and components for industrial and consumer applications; metal powder for powder metallurgy; and additive manufacturing parts for prototypes. The company's Nortek Air Management segment manufactures and sells ventilation products for the professional remodeling and replacement, residential new construction, and consumer DIY markets. This segment also manufactures and sells split-system and packaged air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, air handlers, and parts for the residential replacement and new construction markets; and custom designed and engineered products and systems for non-residential applications. Its Other Industrial segment provides turbo generators, transformers, and switchgears; develops and manufactures security, home automation, and access control technologies for the residential and commercial markets; and designs, manufactures, and distributes ergonomic products for use in a various working, learning, and healthcare environments. The company was formerly known as New Melrose Industries PLC and changed its name to Melrose Industries PLC in November 2015. Melrose Industries PLC was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, TXF LLC, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut. North American Construction Group Ltd. provides mining and heavy construction services to the resource development and industrial construction sectors in Canada and the United States The company's Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services. Its Equipment Maintenance Services division provides fuel and lube servicing, portable steaming, equipment inspections, parts and component supply, major overhauls and equipment refurbishment, onsite haul truck brake testing, onsite maintenance support, under carriage rebuild, machining, hose manufacturing, and technical support services, as well as welding, fabrication/repairs, weld certification, and inspection services. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a heavy equipment fleet of 626 units. The company was formerly known as North American Energy Partners Inc. and changed its name to North American Construction Group Ltd. in April 2018. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Acheson, Canada. Read More Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund operates as closed-end management investment company. Its investment strategy is to seek high total return. The firm will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in high yield debt securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, which include securities that are rated below investment grade by a rating agency or are unrated debt securities determined to be of comparable quality by the fund's investment manager. The company was founded on July 28, 2003 and is headquartered in New York, NY. 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.. 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 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 John Wood Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides consulting, project management, and engineering solutions to energy and built environment worldwide. It operates through four segments: Asset Solutions Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia; Assets Solutions Americas; Technical Consulting Solutions; and Investment Services. The company offers operations solutions, including maintenance, modifications, commissioning and decommissioning, and aftermarket services, as well as industrial services, such as painting, insulation, scaffolding, rope access, E&I, asbestos removal, and civil and earthworks services; engineering, procurement, and construction management; plant operations and life extension; technology solutions; supervision and management services; fabrication and inspection services; and construction and field services. It also provides environment and infrastructure solutions comprising environmental studies and compliance, environmental remediation, public infrastructure, and geotechnical and materials services; clean energy solutions; mine planning and design, mineral processing and metallurgy, mineral resources and project assessment services; and automation and control solutions, such as asset protection and facility and process automation solutions, as well as simulation, learning, and virtual systems. In addition, the company offers subsea and export systems, including subsea, umbilical, riser, and flowline design, as well as planning, design, and development of marine terminals and pipelines; and hull and marine services. It serves oil and gas, infrastructure, industrial and manufacturing, mining, power, and government sectors. John Wood Group PLC was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Aberdeen, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group: 360 Connect S.A., [email protected] Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U. Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V.. The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited. HAMILTON, N.Y. - Leon Panetta gave a speech at Colgate University Friday night in honor of Colgate's 200th year. Panetta has held a number of titles throughout his career including Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, served in Congress for 16 years, and led the CIA from 2009 until 2011. Panetta is also a co-founder of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. Panetta addressed the Colgate community as a part of the Kerschner Family Series Global Leadership at Colgate, which is a program at Colgate. Many students were in attendance for Panetta's speech. He gave some life advice to the college students. "Be accountable for your actions, be ethical in your behavior, respect the diversity in your life, and grow in knowledge and wisdom," Panetta said. One student calling Panetta unifying. "He [Panetta] was certainly unifying, talking about our love for America," Anthony Palazzola, Colgate Freshman said. "I didn't see him in that moment as a democrat, I saw him as a likewise citizen and a likewise American." Panetta's visit was a part of a weekend-long celebration for Colgate's 200th year. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Food Finders Food Bank needs your help! With summer right around the corner, the need for volunteers is higher than ever. Food Finders provides food for people in need and its goal is to educate, advocate and address food insecurity in the 16 counties it serves in north central Indiana. The food bank in Lafayette is in particular need of more volunteers because many of them are Purdue students who will be gone for the summer. With higher demand, more volunteers are crucial to helping clients. The Chief Operating Officer said you will love volunteering at Food Finders. "There's something for everyone," said Kier Crites. "So if you are kind of an introvert and stay behind the scenes we have plenty of jobs for that, but if you really like also working with people and having that direct interaction we have too." To volunteer click here or you can call 765-471-0062. The politicians have shown the direction, they have been here, they had an appreciation of the destruction that has happened in this part of Zimbabwe and what now need to follow is rehabilitation programme, which is multi-faceted. CHRA has always been accountable to its partners and all its project funds have been audited. Thirdly, Mfundo Mlilo resigned from the association as of the March 1 2019 and his personal life, social and political activities have nothing to do with CHRA. Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in cities across Algeria yesterday, the seventh successive Friday of mass anti-government protests. The demonstration was the first to be held after the announcement of President Abdelaziz Bouteflikas resignation on Tuesday and the initiation of a military-backed transition process safeguarding the regime, minus its figurehead. Varying media reports indicate that the demonstrations were as large as or larger than the previous week. Hundreds of thousands filled the streets of the major cities of the capital Algiers, Bejaia, Oran, Tizi Ouzou, and others across the country. Tens of thousands were pictured protesting in Guelma, a city of only slightly more than 100,000 people. A protest yesterday in Bejaia The protesters chants were directed against the fraudulent transition announced by General Ahmed Gaid Salah, the chief of staff of the armed forces, and key powerbroker in the country, last Sunday. Salah called for Bouteflika to resign or be declared medically unfit to rule according to Article 102 of the countrys constitution. On Tuesday night, Bouteflikas office released a resignation letter, and the Constitutional Council formally acknowledged Bouteflikas resignation the following day. The escalation of protests yesterday make clear that popular opposition is directed not merely at Bouteflika, who was largely incapacitated for the past five years, but the entire regime and the conditions of growing social inequality, poverty and exploitation over which it has presided for decades. The slogans reported by news outlets were You are all going to resign! and The people are mobilizing for the fall of the regime! According to Tout sur lAlgerie (TSA), they also chanted The people want a hospital and We will never forgive you for the boys who drowned, a reference to the untold number of young people who have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. Under the terms of Article 102, the interim president is a close Bouteflika ally, Abdelkader Bensalah, speaker of the house for 16 years. The next elections, due to be held in 90 days, are to be overseen by Tayeb Belaiz, a government minister for the last six years who was named by Bouteflika to head the Constitutional Council. Protesters also opposed the intervention of General Salah and the military, chanting Gaid Salah, the people are not fooled. Banners and home-made signs visible on images of the protests in the capital published on social media read: Gaid Salah, let the people decide on its own destiny, A general will never submit, not even to the facts, and No repeat of the Egyptian scenarioa reference to the Egyptian militarys coup in 2013 to crush the revolutionary uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak in 2011. The militarys official organ El Djaich released a statement yesterday threatening any opposition to its interests. It declared that the proposition in question [Article 102] provides a solution inscribed in the constitution, permitting Algeria to traverse the present conjuncture in security and thus avoid harmful downfalls. It declares that the armys proposal has been favourably received by the population, and warns certain parties who attempt to slur the credibility and the image of the military institution. The military moved yesterday to extend its control over the state apparatus. Afthmane Tartag, a former general who had been appointed by Bouteflika to head the countrys intelligence agency, the Direction of Security Services (DSS) in 2015, was removed. The DSS was moved directly under the control of the military and Salah, who also occupies the defense ministry. TSA reported that the heads of the interior and exterior branches of the DSS were likely to be replaced, as well as the head of the national police. While these actions take place amidst a bitter internecine struggle within the regime and the ruling class, they are directed above all at preparing mass repression against the developing movement in the working class. Every faction of the political establishment, including those parties claiming to support the mass demonstrations, is hostile to the basic strivings for social equality and democratic rights of workers and young people. On Tuesday, Ali Benflis, the former prime minister under Bouteflika and current leader of the Talaie El Hurriyet party, which has organized multiple meetings of oppositional parties over the past month claiming to support the protests, appealed to the military to intervene. Faced with the most imminent dangers that the extra-constitutional forces are weighing on the very existence of the national state, the only obstacle was our armed forces, supported on their side by the Algerian people. He called for the neutralization of these extra-constitutional forces whose scorched-earth policy has never been so perceptible and visible. The Workers Party (PT) of Louisa Hanoune, which has collaborated with the regime for decades, has criticized the military-backed transition process, issuing warnings that it threatens to provoke an explosion among workers, and that some form of democratic fig-leaf must be provided. The PT issued a statement on April 3 following the announcement of Bouteflikas resignation, warning that the resolution of the crisis could come only by means of credible and transparent institutions, produced through the exercise of the sovereignty of the people via a national and sovereign constituent assembly. Any such body would be nothing more than a fig leaf for the continued rule of the capitalist elite over the country, and the continued exploitation and impoverishment of the working class. This is made very clear by the experience of Tunisia, where the ruling class introduced a Constituent Assembly in order to dissipate the mass revolutionary struggles that forced out Ben Ali in 2011. Today the country is ruled by an equally authoritarian regime. Such a path would inevitably provoke further opposition in the working class, which the regime is preparing to suppress with military bloodshed. This underscores the necessity for the working class to draw the political lessons of the events from 2011 on. Despite fighting heroically and bringing down the Mubarak regime, the working class of Egypt was blocked from taking power in its own hands and was politically subordinated to different bourgeois parties. Responsibility for this lies in large part with the Revolutionary Socialists party, which used left phraseology to while promoting different bourgeois factions at different stages of eventsinitially claiming the military-led government that followed the fall of Mubarak would initiate democratic reforms, then supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in 2012, and then, in 2013, promoting bourgeois allies of the military as it prepared and carried out its coup. The ongoing movement of the Algerian working class against the military-backed regime is part of a renewed eruption of working-class struggle around the world. The way forward for the working class in Algeria lies in the fight to overthrow the capitalist system, take power into its own hands and extend its revolutionary struggle internationally. Steelworker Edwin Fleming, 49, of Schererville, Indiana was killed on Tuesday while working at ArcelorMittals Indiana Harbor plant in East Chicago, Indiana. Fleming was operating a railroad engine, which struck a railcar on the adjacent track in the No. 7 blast furnace raw materials yard. He left behind his wife, daughter, son, young granddaughter and his dog. His niece wrote after his passing on Facebook, This is SO hard to process. Im so sad and angry and I cannot stop crying. My Uncle Flem gained his wings yesterday after being fatally injured on the job. He was an amazing husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He worked hard and he loved his family SO much!! He had the biggest smile and heart, he was kind, and he could make anyone laugh. I hate that this has happened to him and my family. When he died, Fleming had worked for ArcelorMittal for 17 years. His death is the 392nd to occur at the mill, which has operated since 1902. It was first operated by Inland Steel until it was acquired in 1998 by ArcelorMittal. Flemings is the third death at the plant in the past 25 months, preceded by Alfredo Cardena, who died in a buggy accident at the No. 3 Continuous Annealing Line in December 2017, and Willie Batteast who was killed in a crane accident in March 2017. In another recent disaster at the mill, a worker was injured in an explosion in November 2018. An investigation into Flemings death is reportedly being conducted by ArcelorMittal, the United Steelworkers union (USW) and other outside agencies who are not named in the press. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has not listed an open case for the incident on its website. The last OSHA inspection at the facility took place on March 26 after a complaint was filed for safety reasons (the case remains open). OSHA has not updated its fatality reports since February 18. Any investigation into the incident by the companywhose cost-cutting practices have led to the deaths of workersor its lackeys in the USW, will result in a whitewash. OSHA, while ostensibly an organization to regulate health and safety practices in workplaces in the US, will also do nothing to uncover the true cause of death, or find a solution to the safety problems facing workers at the plant. The role of the USW and OSHA in covering up the real causes behind worker deaths in the steel mills has countless examples, one being the attempt to cover up the death of 31-year-old Jon Arizzola, a father of two, who was killed at US Steel Gary Works in September 2016. His widow, Whitney Arizzola, was forced to subpoena documents from US Steel after her husbands death, the investigation into which resulted in slap-on-the-wrist fines, which the company was allowed to contest. The USW has pushed through numerous concession contracts that have significantly reduced the living standards of steelworkers. Workers have been laid off, lost wages and benefits, suffered from improper job training, and have been forced to work overtime in conditions in which safety measures have been drastically undermined in order to make sure that the companies remain competitive in the global market. Most recently, workers at ArcelorMittal and US Steel in the United States were forced to accept a deal that included a pitiful 14 percent wage increase over four years, a slap in the face to many workers, who suffered financial difficulties after being forced by the union and company to take a three-year wage freeze, as a result of the ratification of the sellout 2015 contracts. The contracts were pushed through last November after the union refused to carry out a strike after workers both at ArcelorMittal and US Steel voted unanimously to take such action. The USW kept rank-and-file steel workers in the dark about contract negotiations from beginning to end. The USW has long been involved in joint labor-management environmental, health and safety committees at the two steelmakers, in which union officials and corporate management work hand-in-hand to cut back on health and safety protections for workers and suppress opposition by workers to unsafe practices. In order to justify the sacrifices that it forces workers to take, the union uses nationalism to pit workers in the US against workers in other countries. USW International president and AFL-CIO vice president Leo Gerardwho earns a six-figure salary in addition to income from Wall Street investmentshas appeared on television numerous times to slander Chinese workers as the enemy of the working class, and has been one of the most vocal supporters of US President Donald Trumps reactionary America First economic campaign, which has resulted in the layoffs of thousands of workers since his inauguration in 2017. In reality, the corporate ruling elite and the trade unions are the enemies of workers worldwidenot their brother workers abroad who are being exploited by the same corporations. ArcelorMittal reported gross annual profit of $9.79 billion in 2018, well above its total of $8 billion in 2017 and more than three times the profits earned in 2015. CEO Lakshmi Mittal owns personal net wealth of $13.8 billion. With this amount of money flowing into its corporate coffers there is no reason that workers should face any health and safety risks at its plants and mines around the world. Instead, essential safety protections are being stripped away at the cost of workers lives in order to further enrich executives and stockholders. For the truth to be revealed about the death of Edwin Fleming an independent rank-and-file investigation is needed. This will require the organization of rank-and-file committees to oversee all safety measures in every mill. There is plenty of money to address safety issues as well as other concerns such as declining wages and benefits, lack of leisure time to spend with family and friends, healthcare and other important matters. But the USW has proven incapable of putting up a fight for the most basic demands. Instead, it has demonstrated that it is an instrument of the corporations and the big business Democratic and Republican parties. Workers around the world are waking up to the reality that they cannot live under capitalism. From the striking maquiladora workers on the US-Mexico border, to the yellow vest protesters in France, striking teachers in the US, Latin America and Africa, and steelworkers, autoworkers and logistics workers coming into struggle worldwide, there is a growing mood of resistance. In order to unite these struggles workers must reject the nationalism of trade unions like the USW. The fight for the basic needs of workers requires forming rank-and-file committees with a socialist and internationalist perspective, aimed at ending capitalist rule and reorganizing economic life globally on the basis of production for social need, not private profit. The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) condemns the stepped-up preparations to expel Julian Assange from Londons Ecuadorian embassy and to force him into the custody of the British police. WikiLeaks reported yesterday that it had received information, from a source in the Ecuadorian state, that Assanges eviction from the building, where he sought asylum in 2012, would occur within hours or days. Assange has committed no crime. He has been the victim of an illegal US-led conspiracy aimed at abrogating his democratic rights and silencing him. Governments are persecuting the highly principled journalist because of his crucial role in WikiLeaks historic exposures of war crimes, diplomatic intrigues and mass surveillance operations. If evicted from the embassy, Assange will face immediate arrest by British authorities on trumped-up bail charges. The sole purpose of a British detention of Assange would be to facilitate extradition proceedings to the US, where he would likely face bogus espionage or conspiracy charges, on the basis of WikiLeaks lawful publishing activities, carrying a potential sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The legal travesty of what is being prepared has been demonstrated by the Trump administrations jailing of Chelsea Manning, the courageous whistleblower who leaked the US armys Iraq and Afghan war logs and hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks in 2010. The jailing of Manning, in a desperate attempt to force her to give perjured testimony against the WikiLeaks founder, indicates that the US case against Assange cannot withstand serious judicial scrutiny. Manning has, with immense courage and at great personal cost, refused to comply with this legal travesty. Assanges plight is an indictment of successive Australian governments and every parliamentary party. Beginning with the Greens-backed Labor government of Julia Gillard, no government has taken a single step to protect Assange, an Australian citizen. Instead they have actively participated in Washingtons illegal campaign against him. A host of organisations, including the corporate media, the Greens, the unions and the pseudo-left, who once hailed the WikiLeaks founder as a hero, have abandoned him, as they line up with the escalating drive to war and authoritarianism. The SEP will stand candidates in the upcoming 2019 federal election. At the centre of its election campaign will be the SEPs defence of the democratic right to freedom of speech, freedom to access information, and our opposition to all government and media censorship. We encourage and urge every worker, student and young person who agrees with these principles to join with the SEP in demanding that the Morrison government immediately fulfil its undeniable responsibility to protect Assange, an Australian citizen and journalist. The Australian government must use its legal discretion and diplomatic powers to compel the British government to allow him to leave the UK, and return to Australia, with a transparent guarantee against extradition to the US. Government has gazetted the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency Bill (HB 2, 2019) which seeks to establish a one-stop shop for investors. The Bill was published in yesterdays Government Gazette and is part of Governments efforts to create an investor-friendly environment. According to the Memorandum, Clause 3 and 4 of the Bill say the role of the agency will be to facilitate entry of investment projects. (The Bill seeks to) Establish the Agency, give it a corporate status and sets out the functions and powers of the Agency respectively. The primary function of the Agency is to facilitate entry and implementation of investment projects, as well as to coordinate investment programmes and strategies, read part of the Bill. The Bill also provides for organisations that would constitute the Agency. Clause 5 (a) establishes a one-stop shop investment centre which shall have representatives of entities that play a role in the licensing, establishment and operationalisation of investments. These entities are the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the Environmental Management Agency, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the National Social Security Authority, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the State Enterprises Restructuring Agency and specialised investment units and other relevant line ministries. (b) Provides for the secondment of officials from line ministries and statutory agencies to the authority, further reads provisions of the Bill. The Bill also establishes a board that shall control the Agency including and appointment of a chief executive officer and other staff of the Agency. Under clause 10, the Bill enjoins investors to conform to local legislation. Clause 11 specifies that investors are free to invest in any sector save for those that are reserved for locals, reads the Bill. Clause 12 and 13 provides that; (a) foreign investors should be treated the same way as local investors; (b) foreign investors from all countries be treated in the same way. Clause 14 permits investors to employ key personnel of their choice and that they can be foreigners. Clause 16 guarantees that the property of investors would not be expropriated. Where it is expropriated for a public purpose, the expropriation should be done in accordance with the law, in a non-discriminatory manner and a payment of effective compensation in a freely cover-title currency, reads the Bill. Clause 18 of the Bill also provides for the free inward and outward transfer of investors funds and lays out circumstances under which such transfers may be delayed. Such circumstances include instances where there is need to protect the creditors of an investor and in order to assist financial regulators or law enforcement. The Bill also empowers the agency to cancel an investors licence if it was obtained fraudulently, transfers the licence without authority or failure to implement approved activity within agreed time frames. The agency is also empowered, in consultation with the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to offer incentives to investors under Clause 29. Clause 37 also provides for dispute resolution mechanisms whenever they arise. President Mnangagwa has emphasised Governments commitment to creating an enabling environment for both investors and the establishment of ZIDA is part of the ongoing reforms. Governments move to establish the Agency follows President Mnangagwas visit to Rwanda last year where he was impressed by the strides made by the Central African country since the 1994 genocide. During his visit he met with members of the Rwandan Development Board. Major fires continue to hit Dhaka, Bangladeshs capital, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Late last week 26 office workers were killed and at least 70 others were injured in a fire at FR Tower, a 23-storey building in an upmarket commercial district of the city. Two days later another fire razed to the ground about 300 small shops in a market district in the citys north. This week three more fires were reported in Dhaka. On Wednesday night blazes occurred at the Salauddin Specialised Hospital at Wari and the Tropical Tower at Paltan, both in the citys south, and early on Thursday morning a fire gutted 25 small shops in a row of 1,300. Although no casualties were reported, poor building standards and fire safety, along with inadequate emergency services, have made the city a death trap for its residents. Successive Bangladeshi governments have claimed they will crack down on safety and building-code violations, without any real changes being implemented because planning, construction and safety regulations are all subordinated to the drive for profit. The FR Tower blaze occurred on March 28. Nineteen bodies were found inside the building and several other people died attempting to escape from the multi-storey building using computer leads and other cables as ropes. The fire was only brought under control after four hours by 22 firefighting units, backed by army, navy and air force personnel and equipment. Air force helicopters were used to drop water on the building. As is common in most Dhaka buildings, there were no water sprinklers installed in the multi-storey building. Dhaka Fire Department spokesperson Shajahan Sikder told the BBC that there was a lack of fire safety equipment inside the building and that fire escapes on a number of floors were locked. With no proper exits, victims were seen shouting for help from windows. The FR Tower, which was built before 2006, did not have a single fire-protected staircase and the main staircase was filled with choking smoke. Office workers able to reach the top of the building were rescued by air force helicopters. According to news reports, the Bangladesh fire department had sent two letters in the last two years highlighting the dangerous lack of safety in the building. S.M.H.I. Faruque, who owned the land on which the FR Tower was located, and Tasvir Ul Islam, one of the owners of the illegally constructed top floors of the building, were arrested on March 30 and were to be held for seven days for questioning. Abdul Beaten, a police official, accused the two men of being responsible for deaths of many through negligence and indifference. He said that they treated the FR Tower as a money-making factory. Such statements are designed to stem public outrage over disasters, but invariably no action is taken to prevent them in the future. Authorities knew the multi-storey block was unsafe. The tower building, in fact, was supposed to be just 18-storeys high but was illegally extended to 23 floors. FR Towers faulty construction, illegal extension, lack of emergency exits, insufficient smoke detectors and absence of firefighting equipment are typical of most buildings in Dhaka. The Awami League-led governments response to the FR Tower blaze was completely cynical. As with previous tragedies, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced various cosmetic measures, including increased building inspections by fire-fighting services. Two days after the FR Tower blaze, on March 30, fire gutted hundreds of small shops at the Gulshan DNCC Market. Two years ago, in 2017, another fire destroyed the busy market place, forcing traders to take out expensive loans to rebuild their shops. Yet, no serious safety measures were implemented. One fire victim, Jahirul Islam, told media: I recently took out a loan of 500,000 taka (about $US6,000) and stocked new products in the shop. Everything I worked for was turned into ashes today. The government has offered a pittance of 10,000 taka to each affected trader and 20 kilograms of rice to impacted market labourers. Hundreds of residents have been killed in Dhaka and other Bangladesh cities by building fires in recent years. So frequent are these disasters that the Daily Star anxiously headlined its lead story on March 29 as The City That Burns. Earlier this year, on February 21, 78 people were killed by a massive chemical fire and explosion in the city, and nine others died in a fire in a slum in the coastal city Chittagong. On March 2, a fire broke out in Churihatta in Chowk bazaar at a scrap metal shop. A gas cylinder exploded, leaving three workers with burns to 30 percent of their bodies. On the same day, 50 homes in a slum were incinerated by a fire which began in a pile of rubber. Three days later, a fire broke out in a tyre warehouse in old Dhakas Nawabpur area, followed by a fire in a slum in Nakhaopara which needed eight units to bring it under control. On March 11, more than 50 shops were destroyed in a fire at a market in Moheshkhali Upazila, Coxs Bazar. The worst factory fire in the countrys history occurred in 2012 when the eight-storey Tazreen garment factory on the outskirts of Dhaka was gutted by a devastating blaze. At least 117 workers were confirmed dead and over 200 were injured. While this list is long, the Daily Star noted that only 1 percent of fires are ever reported in the media. In fact, according to Fire Department statistics, an average of 43 fires requiring firefighters has occurred every single day over the last three years. Dhaka city is sitting on a time bomb. A survey by the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters in 2017 revealed how vulnerable the city is to fire. The survey investigated basic fire-safety measures including: Does the building have firefighting equipment? Is it heavily populated? Does it have emergency exits? Have practice evacuation drills been established? Is there any chance of an electrical fire? Is there an underground water reservoir? The overwhelming majority of 3,786 establishments surveyed were regarded as highly dangerous. Only 129 buildings were not classified as Risky or Extremely Risky. Major AKM Shakil Newaz, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters operations director, said that the survey included schools, colleges, universities, hotels, banks, hospitals, media houses and shopping markets in Dhaka city and that the results were frightening. A key factor in the lack of basic building safety is that the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) only came into effect in 2006. All the buildings constructed prior to that year have no real fire protection. While successive Awami League and Bangladesh National Party (BNP) governments are politically responsible for lack of fire safety, the real cause of these tragedies lies in the capitalist system and the drive for profit by local and foreign investors at the expense of the health and lives of workers. In a conference call with Wall Street firms in April of 2017, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg lauded the Federal Aviation Administration's streamlined certification process for enabling the aircraft manufacturer to rush its new 737 Max model into service. Thats helping us more efficiently work through certification on some of our new model aircraft such as the Max as its going through flight test and entering into service, Muilenburg told the financial analysts. So were already seeing some benefits there of some of the work thats being done with the FAA. Four months later, the first 737 Max 8 commercial jet was brought into service. Since then it has become the giant aircraft makers' best-selling plane, accounting for 30 percent of its profits, which grew 24 percent in 2018 to $10.5 billion. It is this aircraft that crashed in Indonesia in October of 2018 and on March 10 of this year in Ethiopia, killing all passengers and crew on board, a combined total of 346 people. In both cases, investigators have identified an automated system designed to counter the plane's tendency to stall, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), as a key factor in the fatal crashes. Muilenbergs touting of the gutting of serious government oversight points to the systemic subordination of safety concerns to profit and market share and the transformation of regulatory agencies into rubber stamps for the major corporations. CNN reported Muilenburgs remarks on Thursday, the same day that the Ethiopian Transport Ministry released the results of its preliminary investigation into the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 just six minutes after takeoff from the airport in Addis Ababa. As in the Lion Air disaster just five months before, which crashed just 13 minutes after takeoff, the plane repeatedly pitched downward and the pilots were unable to regain control. The Ethiopian report, based on information from the recovered flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, as well as communications between the pilots and air traffic controllers, contradicted attempts by Boeing and some media commentators to imply that pilot error, not design flaws or faulty equipment and software, was responsible for the disaster. It concluded that just a minute into the flight, one of two angle of attack sensors on the plane began emitting false readings, triggering the MCAS anti-stall mechanism and forcing down the nose of the aircraft. Particularly damning for Boeing and the FAA was its finding that the pilots followed the emergency procedures provided by Boeing to counter such a development and manually stabilize the aircraft, but were unable to regain control of the plane. This shattered the claims made by both Boeing and the FAA after the Ethiopian crash that the steps provided to pilots to overcome such an emergency and manually fly the plane were simple and easy to carry out, and their suggestions that the Flight 302 pilots had failed to follow the prescribed emergency procedures. The preliminary report issued by the Transport Ministrys Accident Investigation Bureau explained that the pilots disengaged MCAS, but the plane continued repeatedly to pitch downward despite their efforts to manually raise the nose. It further concluded that the manual control in the cockpit designed to lift or lower the nose, called the manual trim, failed to work. The Initial Findings state, in part: After the autopilot disengaged, the DFDR (digital flight data recorder) recorded an automatic aircraft nose down trim command four times without pilots input. The crew confirmed that the manual trim operation was not working It was at this point, some four minutes into the flight, and only then that the pilots reengaged MCAS, presumably in a desperate, last ditch attempt to save the plane. In the event, MCAS forced the nose down at a 40 degree angle, leading the plane to plunge to earth at an impact speed of 575 miles per hour. The reports Safety Recommendations unambiguously place the onus for the disaster on Boeing and US regulators and imply that a far more serious and thorough examination is needed than the software patch on which Boeing is working before there is any return to service by the 737 Max. Since repetitive un-commanded aircraft nose down conditions are noticed in this preliminary investigation, it is recommended that the aircraft flight control system related to flight controllability shall be reviewed by the manufacturer. 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 the release of the aircraft to operations. This evaluation was underscored by Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges at a press conference in Thursday. She said, The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft. Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the American Airlines pilots union and 737 pilot, was quoted Friday in the New York Times as saying: The captain was not able to recover the aircraft with the procedures he was trained on and told by Boeing. Speaking of the MCAS system, he continued, It was too aggressive. They left the pilot with no ability to gain control of the aircraft if it went to the full limit. Muilenburg, in a statement Thursday following the release of the Ethiopian report, acknowledged for the first time that faulty sensor data and MCAS played a role in the crash of Flight 302. However, the company and the FAA are planning only to add a software patch to MCAS that will prevent the system from being triggered by only one, instead of both sensors, and moderate the aggressiveness of its downward push of the nose. However, virtually nothing is being said about the highly unusual design that allowed MCAS to be triggered by only one sensor in the first place. The standard design for systems that are critical to the safety of a commercial aircraft has always included some form of redundancy, so that the malfunction of a single sensor does not lead to disaster. Why the 737 Max was designed without such redundancy for the critical MCAS function, and why no change was made after the Indonesian crash last October, has not been explained. Even as Muilenburg and Boeing reaffirmed the fundamental safety of the 737 Max, the company announced Thursday that it had discovered another problem requiring an additional software patch, further delaying the implementation of changes to the MCAS system. While a company spokesman called the new problem relatively minor, the Washington Post cited two officials with knowledge of the investigation as saying the new problem related to software affecting flight control hardware and was there classified as critical to flight safety. The author also recommends: Why arent Boeing executives being prosecuted for the 737 Max 8 crashes? [4 April 2019] The signing of a possible trade deal between the US and China has been pushed back following the failure of top-level negotiators to reach agreement in talks held in Washington this week. There was speculation that a meeting between US President Trump and Chinas chief trade negotiator Vice Premier Liu He held at the White House on Thursday could have resulted in the announcement of a meeting between Trump and Chinas President Xi Jinping to sign off on a deal. But Trump emerged from the meeting to tell reporters that it would take at least four weeks to reach an agreement as he declined to set a date for a summit with Xi. With one eye firmly on the stock market, which has risen in recent weeks on the prospect of a deal, Trump continued to express optimism saying though there was some way to go the two sides remained very close. But he indicated that the main sticking points remained intellectual property rights, tariffs and the enforcement mechanisms for any agreement. From the outset these issues have been at the heart of the negotiations. There has been little comment from the Chinese aside from a statement by Liu through the official Chinese news agency Xinhua that he hoped the negotiations would be completed as quickly as possible and that trade relations between the two counties would develop in a healthy and stable way. According to the report, he said the two sides had reached a new consensus in such important issues as the text. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who heads the US side, said there were major, major issues left. But then, in keeping with Trumps upbeat tone, he added: Were certainly making more progress than we would have thought when we started. Eswar Prasad, a former IMF China expert and now senior professor of trade at Cornell University, told the Financial Times: The optimism about the prospect for a deal has run into the harsher reality that a gulf still exists between the two sides on a range of key issues. The question of tariffs is bound up with the enforcement of any agreement. The US position is that the tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods should be retained, at least in part, and then only rolled back as it determines that China is abiding by the deal. Furthermore. Washington should have the right to impose new tariffs if it deems China is not acting in accordance with the agreement and that China not impose any tariffs in response to US measures. The Chinese position is that any enforcement mechanisms must be determined on a two-way basis. According to some reports on the discussions, China may go as far as accepting the right of the US to reimpose tariffs if it feels it is not satisfied but it is not prepared to accept a position where Beijing is banned from any retaliation. The widely held view in Chinese ruling circles, and more broadly, is that this would be tantamount to a 21st century version of the unequal treaties imposed by the imperialist powers in the 19th and 20th centuries. The issues range from whether or not existing tariffs will be rolled back to whether enforcement mechanisms will be mutual and reciprocal. China is clearly not willing to condone a deal in which review and enforcement mechanisms, alone with potential retaliatory measures, are mostly one-sided and not reciprocal, Prasad said. Trump is under pressure from two sides. On the one hand, he wants to announce an agreement in order to boost his prospects for the 2020 election. And in the shorter term he is aware that having stoked the markets with talk of prospects for a great deal, any failure could lead to financial turbulence. At the same time he is under pressure from forces within the Republican Party who are ready to denounce any agreement that does not represent a major push against Chinas economic advancement which they regard as a threat to American economic and even military dominance. In a tweet on Thursday, Florida Senator Mario Rubio tweeted that agreement must have real enforcement mechanisms. Rubio, one of the main anti-China hawks within the Republican party, has called for the US to retain tariffs that are aimed at Chinas plan for industrial and technical development under its Made in China 2025 program. Irrespective of any deal, all of those industries should be the subject either of tariffs of flat-out prohibitions, he said. The Democrats are ready to denounce any deal with China that does not meet their demands for action aimed at enforcing far-reaching changes in the Chinese economy. Commenting on the latest round of talks, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who sits on the Finance Committee said: I want to see the details of any agreement and how we are going to enforce it to make sure there are long-lasting structural changes that will really stop Chinas cheating. His remarks were echoed by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Finance Committee, who said Trump should not settle for a short-term political deal that doesnt include real, enforceable ways to hold China accountable. Any deal that did not address the core trade-cheating by Chinatheft of intellectual property, forced tech transfer and state-owned enterprises would be a loser. In an interview with the business channel CNBC, the chief economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Laurence Boone, said that even if a deal were made the tension between the US and China would continue and the conflict over intellectual property and technology transfers was not going to be solved in a couple of months. And after the US had finished with China the US would turn to Europe, she said. The US is insisting that an agreement struck between European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Trump last July to negotiate a trade agreement includes agriculture, while the Europeans have maintained from the outset that agriculture is off the table. Boone said that with the US undermining the multilateral rules-based system on trade, we have just injected a massive dose of uncertainty in the world that will stay with us for a long time. Defenders of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gathered outside the Ecuadorian embassy in central London yesterday, after a warning that he faces eviction from the building where he sought political asylum in 2012 within hours to days. An advertising truck displaying a billboard with photos of Assange and Chelsea Manning with US flag gags across their mouths and the words #Freespeech ... except for war crimes was briefly parked in front of the embassy but was told to move on by police. The truck continued to circle past the embassy at regular intervals. Scores of journalists and photographers lined the street opposite the embassy. The press, lined up outside the Ecuadorean embassy Ecuadors foreign ministry declared that it doesnt comment on rumours, theories or conjectures that dont have any documented backing. Later, a senior Ecuadorian official claimed no decision had been made. Interviews at the Ecuadorian embassy, April 5, 2019 A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said, Its obviously a matter for the Ecuadorian government. Youll know that there has been official contact between the UK government and the Ecuadorian government for a period of time now to try to seek a resolution to this. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said with undisguised cynicism that Assange is a free man and can leave that embassy whenever he wants to, so we want the situation resolved as quickly as possible. Asked whether he thought Assange would leave, Hunt replied, Thats up to him. A statement from Londons Metropolitan Police force showed Assange is not a free man and that very little is up to him. It said there is an active warrant for Assanges arrest and that they are obliged to execute that warrant should he leave the embassy. What they dont say is that the trumped-up minor bail charges Assange is accused of are effectively null and void, given that he forfeited the bail money and has been illegally detained since 2012far surpass any sentence he might receive. Kayesem Once the warrant is executed Assange would be thrown into jail as proceedings for his extradition to the United States are expedited where he would be hauled before a secret grand jury hearing over WikiLeaks exposure of mass civilian casualties and extrajudicial assassinations in Iraq and Afghanistan and US diplomatic intrigues affecting virtually every country in the world. Assange faces possible conspiracy or espionage charges carrying a sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty. Emmy Butlin Emmy Butlin of the Julian Assange Defence Committee said, I am very grateful to WSWS readers for their continuous support and I appeal to you to please get behind this international movement in freeing Julian Assange and supporting him in this dreadful time when he is facing possible expulsion. He was protected by the Ecuadorian government for a very long time, but the government has changed and his political asylum is under threat. Were very concerned that if this expulsion goes ahead he will then arrested by the UK government. He will be put incommunicado without bail in a British prison pending a possible bail violation court hearing. But the moment that he is under police custody here in the UK the United States will unseal the charges that they have laid against him produced by the Wikileaks grand jury in America. We are very concerned because we, in the last few weeks, we know that Chelsea Manning, an alleged Wikileaks source, has been imprisoned as a strategy to force her to speak against Julian Assange in the grand jury. Theyve got espionage charges against Julian over publications that revealed war crimes. The publications go back to 2010. The pressure they have being applying over the years to various countries including the UK to hand over Julian Assange is immense and increasing. We are facing a crisis and I appeal to you to stand in solidarity with Julian Assange. Clara Campos Clara Campos of the defence Campaign added, This is a message for the WSWS. We are here today to support Mr. Assange because there have been a lot of rumours. Mr. Moreno, the president of Ecuador is holding hands with the US. He has threatened to get him out of the embassy. Clara explained the dirty dealings surrounding Moreno, who is embroiled in charges of fraud, corruption and perjury and that he now accuses Assange of hacking his emails and mobile phone and passing information to an opposition politician. Moreno ordered Assanges internet access to be shut down in March last year and his right to receive visitors severely curtailed. He was forced to keep silent on all political issues, including his own plight, or face his right to asylum being reversed. Clara added, The only good thing is that Julian is an Ecuadorian citizen and it will not be so easy for Mr. Moreno, as Wikileaks legal representatives will bitterly contest the validity of any possible extradition. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (popularly known as AMLO) has proposed education legislation that preserves the framework of compulsory teachers evaluations and school privatizations introduced under the previous right-wing government of Enrique Pena Nieto. During last years presidential campaign, AMLO explicitly campaigned on the promise of repealing the 2013 education legislation. These reforms attempt to scapegoat teachers for the lack of basic school infrastructure and students social and economic conditions that make it challengingand sometimes nearly impossibleto teach in a classroom. The proposal by AMLOs party, the Movement for National Regeneration (Morena), retains the main features of the previous legislation. Teachers will still be subject to standardized testing that will determine whether they are hired or promoted. Meanwhile, the countrys crumbling schools and the entrenched poverty that plagues half of the population will remain intact. While teachers will supposedly no longer be fired for low test scores, this can be reversed either by AMLO or by future administrations. Right-wing politicians and commentators have celebrated Morenas proposal because it facilitates mass layoffs, weakens job security for teachers and opens the door of the lucrative education market to private investors. Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) representative Cynthia Lopez Castro, a member of the Chamber of Deputies education committee, boasted that Morenas legislation is 80 percent the same as the reform passed by former PRI president Pena Nieto. Mexicos main business paper, El Financiero, wrote, Morena had to swallow all their words and bluster about the badly called structural reform, punitive, privatizing, passed by the mafia in power to perpetuate their domination, etc. Their own deputies, in the committees, voted in favor of the legislation, except for three that belong to the [teachers union] CNTE. During the past five years, teachers have been at the forefront of the class struggle in Mexico. In opposition to the right-wing Pact for Mexico reforms, teachers have organized numerous strikes and demonstrations, including a national march by 100,000 teachers last June, railroad blockages in January over unpaid salaries and benefits, and a highway blockade in Nochixtlan, Oaxaca that was violently assaulted by federal police in 2016. For the past two weeks, teachers have blocked access to the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, effectively preventing deputies from discussing the legislation. Concerned that an open confrontation with the teachers would irreparably damage the partys left facade, the leader of Morena in the House has postponed discussion on the education bill. These capitalist politicians, with the assistance of the unions, hope to bide their time and work behind the backs of teachers to present the same proposal with a few superficial changes. AMLO has repudiated all of his major campaign promises after just four months in office. Even before his inauguration, he had backtracked his vows to undo Mexican oil privatizations and withdraw the military from domestic security operations. Instead, his administration has scrambled to end the maquiladora strikes in Matamoros, created a new 60,000-member National Guard and enforced Trumps assault against immigrants. AMLO has slandered striking teachers who are fighting for public education as conservative, claiming that their actions have nothing to do with left-wing politics. After more than six years of struggle, teachers must draw a balance sheet of their own experiences and the role played by the CNTE, which has worked to tie teachers to futile appeals to the political establishment that only serve to demoralize and isolate them. On the eve of last Julys presidential elections, the CNTE called off an indefinite strike and urged teachers to direct their actions towards the election of AMLO, whom the union painted as a friend of the workers. This political trap has now been exposed through Morenas adoption of the very legislation that teachers have fought against tooth and nail for years. The CNTEs support for AMLO has only served to politically disarm broad sections of workers, who are now being fed the lie that their class enemy can be pressured to act on their behalf. For all its radicalism, the CNTE bases itself on the capitalist system and opposes a united struggle by the working class to take political power. They scramble from one intervention to the next, without a perspective of the broader forces that are the source of the attacks against public education. Their semi-anarchistic methods take the militancy and anger of teachers and channel them into dead ends. The CNTE is not fighting for the fundamental right of every child in Mexico to a free, high quality education. Instead, the CNTE leadership has stated that their main opposition to the reform is based on who controls school resources and the appointment of teachers, the union or the government. The CNTEs perspective is a gift to the ruling class. It allows the politicians and the media to paint the legislation as a progressive way to free schools from the entitled and corrupt teachers. Meanwhile, none of the fundamental political issues are discussed, least of all by the CNTE. The allies of the more than two million teachers in Mexico are not AMLO and Morena, but their fellow educators internationally. On every continent, educators have been engaged in a global struggle against government austerity and levels of social inequality not seen since the 1920s. In every country, teachers confront the same problems and the same enemies: attacks against their living and working conditions, claims that there is no money for social services, and a union apparatus that works to tie them to one or another section of the ruling elite. The greatest source of strength for teachers is to unite internationally, on the basis of an uncompromising anti-capitalist perspective, to fight to guarantee the social rights of all workers and their families. The following statement was distributed Saturday by the SEP-Canada at a Toronto demonstration of thousands of Ontario educators protesting cuts to public education. Teachers, students, and other workers will protest in their thousands today against the vicious austerity measures that Doug Fords right-wing populist government is imposing on Ontarios public education system. The Progressive Conservatives are cutting thousands of teaching positions, increasing class sizes, decimating support services for children with additional needs, gutting financial support for university and college students (OSAP), slashing funds for much-needed school repairs, and making regressive changes to the school curriculum. The outrage felt towards this attack, which was also expressed on Thursday when thousands of students walked out at over 700 schools across the province, is entirely justified and welcome. But workers and young people must face some hard truths if their struggle is to be successful. First, the Liberals, New Democratic Party, and trade unions have themselves been complicit in the imposition of decades of austerity and the evisceration of worker rights. Second, workers and young people are engaged not merely in a fight against the Trump wannabe Doug Ford or Ontarios Progressive Conservative government. In fighting to defend public education, they are challenging the austerity agenda and predatory interests of the entire Canadian ruling elite. It follows from this that a new strategy is requireda strategy based on the mobilization of the independent class strength of the working class in Ontario, across Canada, and internationally for the socialist reorganization of socioeconomic life. The unions who have called todays protest, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, the other Ontario teacher unions, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, are bitterly hostile to mobilizing the working class in a political struggle against the destruction of education, and the Ford government. They all have long records of collaborating intimately with the former Ontario Liberal government to suppress strikes by workers, including teachers, ram through austerity budgets, and gut workplace benefits. From the unions standpoint, todays protest is a cynical manoeuvre aimed at associating themselves with the growing anger and opposition to Ford, so they can divert it into futile appeals to the government, and bring it under the wing of the pro-austerity Liberals and NDP. No one should be fooled by this stunt. Since Doug Ford came to power with the full support of big business last June, he has slashed welfare and overtime pay, rolled back a modest minimum wage increase, laid the groundwork for cutting billions from education and healthcare, criminalized a strike by university teachers assistants and an impending strike by power workers, and threatened to outlaw teacher job action against his education reform. The unions, led by the Ontario Federation of Labour, have not lifted a finger to oppose these draconian attacks. Instead, the OFL website counsels patience and, in doing so, makes clear that the unions are adamantly opposed to mobilizing the working class to bring down the Ford government. Visitors to the OFL website are greeted by a countdown clock informing them that if workers just wait a little over three years, they will get the chance to elect a progressive government at the next provincial election in 2022, i.e. another right-wing, capitalist government led by either the NDP or Liberals. The unions determination to prevent a working-class challenge to the class war assault of big business and its political hirelings has a long pedigree in Ontario. During the 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of workers were mobilized against the hard-right Common Sense Revolution of the last provincial Tory government, the unions shut the movement down, so as to prevent it escaping their control and threatening the legitimacyi.e. continued existenceof Mike Harriss government. The intervening years saw the teachers unions, Unifor, and others openly align themselves with the big-business Liberal governments of Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne, which savaged public spending, imposed pay cuts on teachers, healthcare workers, and other public servants, and handed over billions to the corporate elite through tax cuts and subsidies. At the federal level, the unions have been equally complicit in enforcing pro-austerity, pro-war policies. In 2015, they shamelessly promoted Justin Trudeau and the Liberals as a progressive alternative to Stephen Harper, with their Anybody but Conservative campaign. Unifor and the Canadian Labour Congress have developed the most intimate ties with a federal government in decades, even as the Liberals have expanded Canadian imperialisms involvement in US military strategic offensives around the world, including against Russia, China and Venezuela, set a course to hike military spending by more than 70 percent by 2026, cooperated with the Trump administration in its anti-immigrant witch-hunt, given the national-security apparatus new surveillance powers, and bludgeoned workers with back-to-work laws or the threat of them, including criminalizing last years postal strike. The anti-worker policies pursued by Ford and Trudeau are being replicated by their bourgeois counterparts in every country. In the United States, Trump openly appeals to fascistic forces, and right-wing extremist parties are on the rise throughout Europe. In France, President Emmanuel Macron has deployed the army with orders authorizing them to fire on Yellow Vest protesters, whose anger has been fuelled by the vast growth of social inequality. In response, the working class is emerging as a global force of struggle. In Matamoros, Mexico, 70,000 workers rebelled against the pro-employer trade unions in a massive strike earlier this year, and appealed for support from workers in the US and internationally. In Europe, in addition to the Yellow Vests, there have been mass strikes by teachers, educators, and other sections of workers in Germany, Belgium, Eastern Europe, and Portugal. A central feature of all of these struggles, as well as the revolutionary mobilization in Algeria, is that they are developing in oppositionand increasingly in an explicit rebellion againstthe pro-capitalist trade union apparatuses and their allies in the establishment left parties. The unions virulently oppose the development of a globally unified working-class movement, and instead systematically work to divide workers, including by spewing out filthy chauvinist propaganda. Since GM announced the closure of its Oshawa auto plant last November, Unifor has sought to divide autoworkers along national lines. While opposing any job action against GM, Unifor in the name of defending Canadian jobs has mounted a racist boycott campaign targeting Mexican workers. This included dressing someone up in stereotypical Mexican clothing at a Canadian flag-waving rally in Windsor. Teachers, workers, and young people must advance their own initiatives, based on the understanding that their struggle must consciously orientate to joining forces with the growing international working-class offensive. If public education from kindergarten to university is to be defended, workers and students must launch a political struggle independently of the unions and in opposition to the entire political establishment, including the Liberals and NDP. They must organize their own committees of struggle in schools, universities, factories, other workplaces, and residential neighbourhoods to coordinate protests and strikes, and begin preparations for a political general strike to bring down the Ford Conservative and Trudeau Liberal governments. Above all, they must adopt a socialist-internationalist perspective to realize the demands of working people for quality education, decent well-paying jobs and other social rightsthe fight for a workers government committed to placing the central economic levers of society under the democratic control of working people so they can be used to meet social needs, not serve personal enrichment. The opening shot of American director Jordan Peeles latest film Us tells the audience a good deal about what it can anticipate over the next two hours. An old television set broadcasts news of the Hands Across America event, a 1986 benefit campaign in which people held hands across the country to raise money to fight hunger and homelessness. The television is flanked by VHS copies of The Goonies and Nightmare on Elm Street. Hands Across America was a semi-officially sponsored stunt that did absolutely nothing to end hunger and homelessness, but the more than six million participants no doubt acted sincerely. Among other things, Peele (Get Out), one assumes, is making a cheap jibe, pouring cold water on the possibility of any sort of solidarity across racial and ethnic lines. Us A low social and cultural threshold has been established at the start, so one can expect Us to be equal parts nostalgiaespecially for the horror movies of the 1980sand perhaps a superficially ironic take on the present day. The girl reflected on the television screen, a young Adelaide (Madison Curry), is then shown with her parents as they try to enjoy the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park on a dark California night. Adelaide becomes separated from her parents in the carnivalesque atmosphere and finds herself in a house of mirrors, where she is confronted by what appears to be her double. What follows is unclear, but the girl leaves the encounter unable to speak. Lupita Nyong'o, Evan Alex and Shahadi Wright Joseph in Us Years later, an older Adelaide (Lupita Nyongo), now the mother of two kids of her own, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), is vacationing with her husband, Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke). Their summer home is near a lake and not far from the beach where Adelaide had her traumatic experience as a child. The family takes a brief sojourn to that beach, where they meet their friends, the Tyler family (played by Tim Heidecker and Elizabeth Moss, and twins Cali and Noelle Sheldon). On an otherwise uneventful day, Jason sees a man in a red jumpsuit with a pair of scissors and blood dripping down his hands. He neglects to tell anyone about that. Evan Alex in Us Later that night, as Adelaides family prepares for bed, the power goes out in their house. On the porch, a family of four, all in red jumpsuits and holding hands, stands silently. They appear to be the original family members exact doubles. The doppelgangers forcibly enter the home and take Adelaide and her family hostage, initiating a full night of torture and terror. The Tyler family, it turns out, also has a family of doubles stalking them, as presumably does everyone else in America. The title of the film leads one to imagine that it refers to the U.S., or the United States, and that Peele is offering a commentary on our current social reality. But what commentary precisely? The doppelgangers, a sort of mute, mole people, have also been interpreted as stand-ins for the lower classes in American society. We have been told Peele is making an insightful commentary on class-ism and so on. Such praise is seriously misguided and betrayed by the actual film itself, a collection of half-baked ideas that never make it past the drawing board. Us revels in sadistic violence, while at the same trying to inject humor that seems forced and out of place. The more one actually thinks about the plot of Us, the more questions are raised about the weak script and its unsubtle execution. The twist at the end can be seen coming from a mile away and we are left with a horror film that is oddly dull and conventional. The element of social commentary emerges, for example, when the family turns on the television news to find out that the doppelgangers, or the Tethered as they call themselves, are attacking the rest of the world and beginning to link hands in a disturbing, but never explained, echo of the aforementioned Hands Across America. How America, the most heavily armed population on Earth, is unable to resist a group of incoherent maniacs wielding only scissors, is never explained. Later on in the film, we learn that the Tethered were part of a government plot. To what end exactly? Perhaps Peele and his supporters would remind us this is just a horror film, Its just meant to be campy fun, and, anyway, What did you expect? Such views are nothing new, of course, but the problem is they are mobilized to defend a film that also aspires to be taken for serious social critique, which Us is not. The filmmakers want to have it both ways. They have an empty product to sell, so they promote its threadbare political themes to impress the reviewers, who will in turn deceive the public about how said product is legitimate and even critical culture. However, the mindless violence in Us undercuts this. We, or the more racialist-minded members of the audience, are apparently meant to applaud (or accept) the slaughter of the white Tyler family and root for the black Wilson family. This all takes place accompanied by a soundtrack featuring the Beach Boys and N.W.A.. We have seen this sort of humor in the horror genre before, but here it is especially tedious and not very insightful. The characters are never fleshed out, so why should we be bothered by their bloody fate? Explaining the serious side of his film, Peele told an audience at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival earlier this year, We are in a time where we fear the other, whether its the mysterious invader who might kill us or take our jobs, or the faction that doesnt live near us that votes differently than we did. Maybe the evil is us. Maybe the monster that were looking at has our face. How helpful is this? Does Peele, already a multi-millionaire, really believe any of it? The director told Vanity Fair, Hands Across America was this idea of American optimism and hope, and Ronald Reagan-style-we-can-get-things-done-if-we-just-hold-hands. Its a great gesturebut you cant actually cure hunger and all that. Peele takes it for granted that Vanity Fair s upper middle class readers will agree with this expression of impotence and pessimism, which for the most part they will. Peele went on in the same interview to make ahistorical and lazy comments typical of todays racialists and identity politics enthusiasts: We live in a country that is about every man is created equal, and [yet] its built on the backs of genocide. Its built on bloody soil. In the very DNA of this country, there are great ideas, and there are the worst horrors that humans can create. Genocide, rape, slavery. So I feel like if Im going to accept the privilege I have as a modern American with opportunity, I have to take on some of that guilt of the sins. Perhaps the kindest thing that can be said about Jordan Peele is that he at least knows something about filmmaking technique. But is technique really what is most lacking at present in Hollywood filmmaking? The actors do the best they can, especially Lupita Nyongo. The soundtrack, the editing and so on are competently done. The problem is the direction and the lack of imagination and important ideas. It is true that the horror genre has never been one prone to realism or good taste. However, in the best examples of the past, there was a connection to what scared audiences inside theatres and outside of them, and not just a superficial one at that. Despite all the supernatural and irrational elements on display, there is always the sense in a good horror film that what is happening on screen can actually happen in real life, if not worse. This makes Us, with its real but unexplored and implausible themes of societal violence and government conspiracy, all the more poor and unserious. Rapes, murders, beatings, stabbings, mutilations and arson are rampant. Pleas for help, scrawled in blood, stain the walls from prisoners held in solitary confinement. Fifteen suicides have been recorded in the last 15 months. This is not the description of a torture chamber in el-Sisis Egypt or Bin Salmans Saudi Arabia. Nor is it about the abuse of detainees at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay or a CIA black site. These are the nightmare conditions in the Alabama state-run prison system, described in a Justice Department report released this week. They constitute a gross violation of the US Constitutions Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. More than 2,000 photos of abuse in one Alabama prison given to the media by the Southern Poverty Law Center in advance of the reports release depict the gruesome reality of the conditions detailed in hundreds of interviews with prisoners and their families conducted by federal investigators over more than two years. While particularly horrific, such conditions are by no means unique. They are repeated in different forms in the prisons of every state, county and city across the United States. More than 2.3 million people are packed like cattle into Americas overflowing system of state and federal prisons, local jails and immigration detention camps. Including those on probation or parole, nearly seven million Americans are caught up in what is absurdly called the criminal justice system. The US accounts for more than one-quarter of the worlds incarcerated population. For every 100,000 residents, there are 698 people in detention. More than 540,000 of those held in jail on any given day have not been convicted of any crime. Many are kept in detention simply because they are too poor pay to pay the median bail of $10,000. Another half a million, one in five inmates, are serving long prison sentences for nonviolent drug convictions. Researchers estimate that 61,000 prisoners are held in solitary confinement on any given day, a form of incarceration that the UN has declared to be tantamount to torture. At least 4,000 of those held in complete isolation from the outside world suffer from severe mental illness. Confinement to these living coffins is known to drive prisoners to suicide. While debtors prisons are officially outlawed, poor workers are routinely held for their debts. A mother in Indiana was detained for three days in February in a squalid jail alongside convicts because of an unpaid ambulance bill, which she had never received in the mail. Such stories are common. Under the Trump administration, extending the policies developed by Obama, the federal government is waging a war on immigrants, holding thousands of men, women and children in degrading conditions. Some 77,000 people were detained in February for seeking to cross the southern border. Immigrant workers are being hunted down and arrested in their homes and at their work places. The cruelty of the American government was on full display this week when 280 undocumented workers were detained by federal agents in Allen, Texas. It was the largest such raid in more than a decade. Then there is the unending wave of police killings, with more than 1,000 people shot, tased or beaten to death every year on the streets of American cities. Criminal charges for police killings are rare and convictions almost unheard of. Cops are given a green light to kill, maim and brutalize with impunity. With boundless hypocrisy, Democrats and Republicans proclaim their outrage over alleged human rights violations in whatever country the American ruling class is targeting for regime change or invasion. They proclaim one of the most cruel and unequal societies in the world, where the three richest Americans control more wealth than the bottom half of the population, to be a beacon of democracy to the world. If the conditions that exist in US prisons were exposed in Russia or China, there would be a hue and cry in the press and the halls of Congress for economic sanctions and humanitarian military intervention that would resound in the media. Fifty years ago, a report such as that exposing the conditions in Alabama prisons would have been met, even within sections of the political and media establishment, with shock and demands for action, but today it passes with barely a murmur. The Democratic Party is silent because it is complicit in the vast retrogression in conditions in US prisons. President Bill Clinton signed the legislation that paved the way for a historic increase in the prison population. The Democrats oversee a prison system in California that was found by the Supreme Court in 2011 to be cruel and unusual and in violation of the Constitution. The upper-middle class, self-obsessed layers in and around the Democratic Party are disinterested. The promoters of the #MeToo campaign in the media and academia have nothing to say about sexual violence in American prisons, nor about the violence inflicted on immigrants fleeing to the United States. The media has made as little as possible of the report, with no coverage on the major nightly news programs. As with the photos of abuse at Abu Ghraib and the Senate report on CIA torture, there has been an effort to suppress information of what is happening in Alabama. The New York Times and other media outlets have chosen not to publish most of the photos documenting abuse and death. In the end, this is their state. The conditions of American prisons, and the overall apparatus of violence, is a noxious expression of the reality of American democracy. The state apparatus will be utilized in the suppression of social and political opposition to the demands of finance capital. It is the real face of American capitalism. Pogrom-style racist clashes occurred in Torre Maura, a suburb of the Italian capital of Rome on Tuesday. Several Sinti and Roma families were driven out of the impoverished district. The fascists from CasaPound, who led the action, feel able to act with such aggression because they have backing from the government and state apparatus. On the afternoon of April 2, several Sinti and Roma families were transferred into city accommodations in Torre Maura. The fascists agitated against this, managing to mobilise some of the most backward local residents. Along with CasaPound with its leader Mauro Antonini, other right-wing extremist groups like Forza Nuova took part. For several hours, they ran riot on the streets. The Nazis rallied until late into the evening, supported by a handful of backward residents, in front of the accommodation where 65 Sinti and Roma, including children, were being housed. They shouted Fuori fuori! (out!) and insulted and intimidated anyone who appeared at the entrance or in the yard of the accommodation. Rubbish bins were overturned and set alight, while a car belonging to the cooperative that works in the accommodation was set ablaze. Racist slogans were sprayed on the wall in front of the house, including that f***ing apes should be burned alive. When a volunteer sought to enter the house with a box of sandwiches, the mob tore the box from him, threw it to the ground, and trampled the sandwiches. The siege lasted late into the evening. In the darkness, the assailants set off an explosive device in the yard, but luckily nobody was injured. The fascists repeatedly sought to incite the situation further, but the group barely grew in size. Instead, residents turned away in disgust. These people here are organising the war among the poor, commented an elderly woman. After a crisis meeting, the Rome city authorities decided to relocate the Roma families. As the last buses bearing the citys logo departed from the house, the fascists broke out in jubilation, kicking the vehicles, in which children were seated. Several videos show a mob subsequently extending their arms in a fascist salute and bellowing the national anthem. The district mayor of the suburb, Roberto Romanella (Five Star Movement), encouraged the fascists by stating at a press conference that a serious mistake had been made which cannot be repeated. Romes mayor, Virginia Raggi (Five Star Movement), hypocritically condemned the racist hatred being whipped up by right-wing extremists. In reality, her party bears responsibility for the rise of the fascists. With the Lega, the Five Star Movement forms Italys coalition government, whose policies are determined by Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of the Lega. Hardly a day passes without Salvini agitating against refugees and Roma. At his initiative, the Italian government has closed the countrys ports to refugee rescue ships, condemning thousands of people to drown in the Mediterranean. The Salvini decree has also condemned tens of thousands of refugees within Italy to illegality. Refugee aid workers and sea rescuers are being sentenced to years in prison. As a coalition partner, the Five Star Movement also bears responsibility for these policies. The Five Star Movement emerged from last years parliamentary elections as the largest party, with 33 percent of the vote. It concluded a coalition agreement with the far-right Lega, which had secured half as many votes (17.4 percent). The Five Star Movement thus helped the Lega obtain power and ensures it has a parliamentary majority for its reactionary policies. These policies play into the hands of the fascists, who feel emboldened. By contrast, they enjoy little support among the population. At the beginning of March, hundreds of thousands protested in Milan against racism. The fascists know full well that their crimes are tolerated by the highest levels of the state and government. The government systematically incites right-wing extremist sentiments, and sets precedents that only encourage the fascists. For example, Salvini ordered the house arrest of Riace mayor Dominico Lucano, who had sought to prevent his small town from dying out by resettling immigrants there. All foreign residents in Riace were deported. It is also noteworthy that the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, recently spoke positively of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The member of Silvio Berlusconis Forza Italia told a radio interview that the fascist Duce accomplished positive things. In addition to his negative acts, which included his conduct of the war and introduction of anti-Semitic laws, Mussolini managed to build infrastructure, bridges, roads, and sport parks for our country, claimed Tajani. One cant claim that he did nothing, he added. The subsequent outrage expressed by other European Parliament deputies cannot conceal the fact that the European Union (EU) and the governments of its member states, led by Germany, are responsible for the reemergence of pogroms in Europe. The EUs refugee policy is no less brutal than that of the coalition in Rome. Only last week, the EU brought to an end its Operation Sofia (Eunavfor Med) in the Mediterranean. At the same time, the EU cooperates closely with the Libyan coast guard, which has established conditions akin to hell on earth for refugees. An indication of the EUs despicable policies was given by the order from the Maltese government a few days ago for the army to storm a rescue ship. Thousands of students across Ontario walked out of their classes at 1:15 p.m. Thursday to protest the cuts to public education budgets being imposed by the provinces right-wing Progressive Conservative government. The initiative was organized independently by students themselves, using the #StudentsSayNo hashtag on social media. In the little more than a week since high school student Natalie Moore called for the protest, students from more than 700 schools from all parts of the province signed up to take part. Students on the walkout from Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School in Toronto Ford contemptuously dismissed the protests as a stunt by the teacher union bosses. In reality, these unions, which have a decades-long record of suppressing strikes, agreeing to wage freezes and acquiescing to budget cuts, had nothing to do with the protests. The rallies demonstrated the widespread opposition in the working class to Fords reactionary agenda, including the rollback of a modest minimum wage increase, billions in spending cuts to health care and other social services, the gutting of financial support for university and college students, and tax handouts to the super rich and big business. They attracted the support of parents and public sector workers. A section of the student protest The World Socialist Web Site spoke to participants at Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton (BM/TM) Catholic Secondary School in Toronto. Asked why she was participating in the walkout, Kathleen said, Our sign says: I should be studying, instead Im here protesting this sh*t. Were here because we dont want mandatory e-learning, we dont want bigger class sizes, we dont want any of the budget cuts, we dont want the money thats supposed to go towards our education to go towards horses [funding for horse tracks and gambling casinos]. This is not supposed to happen, this is supposed to make our education better and make this province better. So were protesting because we dont want this stuff to happen, period. Alyssa added, We want real teachers. We all learn at different paces. This isnt supposed to be, Oh, everyone learns the same [way]. It used to be like that and it wasnt good. It didnt work. We want it to work for us. Referring to the impact on her personally, Alyssa added, I wanted to become a teacher. Now, Im not sure that will be possible. Gillian commented, There are already a lot of kids all getting supervision from one teacher, if you make it [class sizes] bigger, how is any student going to learn? Emily said: Were protesting the new changes, we should not be having them. More hours of online school, kids dont know how to learn from online school. They need to ask, they need to be there in person, they dont get those kinds of things. And he [Ford] wants to make a longer [school] day until 5 p.m., with more courses. It doesnt benefit anyone, you dont learn just because there are more courses. You need to learn within a certain time, you cant just push it all on students at once. Other students explained how the schools special high skilled majors (SHSM) program was at risk due to Fords cuts. Its for special high skilled majors in the arts and culture, automotive, construction and business. And they teach us about what we can do in the future and how we get into those trades, explained one student. Asked if the program could continue after the cuts, the students answered, Not one bit. Kasandra commented, This is an arts school. If you cut the arts program its not going to be an arts school anymore. What is the point in that? What is BM/TM, well still have our students, but what are we going to have? A mother attended the rally with her 11-month-old and 5-year-old children. Its pretty horrifying seeing the things that Doug Ford is doing to this province in general, and especially to the students. He seems to be targeting the students, and I mean Ive got a five-year-old, Ive got an 11-month-old, and Im pretty scared about their future and also just the future for everybody, she told us. David, who works in the neighborhood, attended the rally to show his support. Im a public sector worker and I am afraid my job is going to get cut, he said. For me, its a matter of trying to stop the cuts, tax the rich, tax the corporations, raise the minimum wage. Protesters noted the widespread support enjoyed by the students and the impact the walkout was having. People can see us everywhere, theyre watching, said Gillian. Kasandra added, Its not just students, its parents, families, teachers, everyone knows. Asked who their allies were, a group of students spontaneously responded, Teachers. Motorists passing by the rally honked their horns in support. Its great because it makes sure that we know were not the only ones who are upset about this, said Kathleen. It shows that other people that arent students or teachers are seeing the changes that are happening in our society and really want to make a change for it too. There was a broad understanding among the students that they were up against an all-out assault by the ruling elite. All students declared their readiness to continue the struggle and participate in future protests. Kathleen explained how she followed the criminalization of the strike by 3,000 teaching assistants at York University by the Ford government last year. Gillian added on the same topic, That just shows that theyre scared to have us say what we want, to say what is right. We are going to say what is right whether it looks good or bad on you. It needs to be said. Students also explained that the initiative for the walkout came from them. Some of us saw it on the internet, social media, Instagram, and then we started sharing it on our stories and it just spread like wildfire, explained Kathleen, referring to the #StudentsSayNo hashtag. Our reporter asked Kathleen what she thought of the remarks of Education Minister Lisa Thompson, who cynically said that the larger class sizes and budget cuts would improve student resiliency for post-secondary education and the employment market. Kathleen answered, That made me so angry, because her kids went to private school or were home schooled, they didnt have to experience public schools. Juliette took up the issue of the contempt shown by the political establishment towards young people protesting. We are young but we are here to show that we are more than capable of teaching and expressing ourselves, she said. Kasandra added, This hurts us. Cuts hurt kids. Cuts hurt teachers. Were risking teachers careers and everything and students education for what? We are the future. Give us what we need! We call upon the government to urgently convene a cost-of-living forum in which government, business and workers and consumers will be represented. It must be remembered that not all consumers are workers, so the unemployed consumer must have a seat at the table as well, he added. At a staged media event in Calexico, California on the US-Mexico border, President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his intention to build a border wall, defended his declaration of a national emergency to bypass Congress in funding the reactionary project, said he would deploy more troops to militarize the region, and called the attempts of refugees from Central America to gain asylum in the US a scam. They always say, Oh, I fear for my life, he said contemptuously. These are gang members Its a hoax and I know a thing or two about hoaxes. Flouting international asylum law, he declared, The system is full. When its full, its full. You cant take them. A 30-minute live-streamed roundtable discussion with immigration officials at the El Centro border patrol station was an exercise in fascistic immigrant-bashing. Trump lavished praise on the Border Patrol, largely composed of extreme-right uniformed thugs, while denouncing judges who to any degree upheld due process rights for immigrants. In attendance was Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, the commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers, Todd Semonite, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, Brandon Judd, and several other national and local law enforcement and immigration officials. Also present were Republican congressmen and senators from California. The event reflected the isolated and hated character of Trump and the border officials. They would not dare hold such a discussion in a more public forum, opting instead for what seemed to be the drab basement of a regional border patrol station. The small audience was entirely composed of hand-picked border patrol agents, who were celebrated as the tip of the spear on the front lines of the nations defense in the face of an invasion by Central American workers. General Semonite summed up the theme of patriot warriors holding off the invading hoards, declaring, Its important to talk about service to nation and protecting this country. They [the border patrol agents] protect America from within. He promised that the army would operate on US soil to erect another 450 miles of border fencing by the end of 2020. According to press reports, more than 100 people in the town of Calexico protested Trumps visit. Protestors called their march the Binational March of Unity, and sympathizers on the Mexicali side of the border took pictures and greeted the protestors through gaps in the bollard fencing of the border wall. Protests also accompanied Trump upon his arrival in Los Angeles for a fund-raising event Friday night. A March survey by the Pew research center reported that a majority of Americans, 59 percent, view immigration positively, versus 34 percent who view it as a burden. Trumps border visit took place amidst an ever escalating crackdown on undocumented immigrants. On Wednesday morning, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided an electronics manufacturing firm in Allen, Texas, arresting some 280 undocumented workers. The Texas raid followed a similar raid by ICE agents of meat packing plants in Ohio last year, leading to the arrest of 146 immigrant workers. At Arizona State University earlier this week, two students were charged with misdemeanors for disrupting a campus presentation by the Border Patrol. The students denounced the border cops, calling them the murder patrol and an extension of the KKK before leaving the venue. The university administration said the arrests were necessary in light of Trumps threat to withhold federal funding from campuses that fail to protect free speech. In February of this year, 77,000 people were detained attempting to cross the southern border, the most in any month since 2009. Most of those detained were from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, including many unaccompanied minors. The administration is insisting there is a border emergency in order to justify an expansion of the already extensive network of immigrant prisons and detention centers, including facilities that house tens of thousands of immigrant children. These attacks are being carried out with the complicity of the Democratic party. At the El Centro event, Trump remarked that the Democrats have provided him with all the funding hes requested, with the exception of the border wall itself. He singled out for praise former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, who deployed national guard troops to assist at the border before he left office. Trump also offered praise for Mexico which, under the presidency of Andres Manual Lopez Obrador (AMLO), has acted as an auxiliary agent of the US Border Patrol. The countrys Remain in Mexico policy has forced asylum seekers to stay in Mexico until their cases can be heard. This ensures that they remain in squalid conditions for months or even years, thus acting as a deterrent against future asylum seekers. This followed Trumps threats to close the border or impose tariffs against auto products from Mexico unless the government of AMLO halted the flow of Central American immigrants through Mexico to the US border. Following WikiLeaks warning yesterday that Julian Assange faced imminent eviction from Ecuadors London embassy, widespread opposition has emerged to the illegal plans to terminate his political asylum. Julian Assange Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, issued a statement calling upon the Ecuadorian government of President Lenin Moreno to abstain from expelling Mr. Assange or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum. Melzer warned that if Assange was removed from the embassy, he was likely to be arrested by British authorities and extradited to the United States, adding, Such a response could expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Senior Ecuadorian officials have sought to deflect any questions about WikiLeaks claims that a high-level source within the countrys state apparatus indicated that Assanges expulsion from the embassy building would take place within hours or days. Outside the Ecuadorian embassy Friday, the countrys ambassador to Britain, Jaime Marchan, told the press that there was no change in the Senor Julian Assange situation and that he was offended by reports to the contrary. Marchan, who has played a central role in creating a hostile environment for Assange within the embassy, was then asked, Is he going to be released in the next couple of hours? He responded, We are definitely not going to comment on that. The countrys foreign minister, Jose Valencia, declared on Twitter that WikiLeaks statements were unfounded and that his government would not be giving a running commentary on rumours that it found insulting. Valencia then effectively confirmed WikiLeaks warning, stating, Diplomatic asylum is a sovereign power of a state which has the right to grant or withdraw it unilaterally when it considers it justified. The suggestion that political asylum can be granted and withdrawn, based on political expediency and the immediate interests of national governments, makes a mockery of international law. Political asylum is either inviolable, or it does not exist at all. Assanges status as a political refugee has been repeatedly confirmed by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and other international rights organisations. Valencia pathetically added that any decisions taken by his government would be carried out in a sovereign manner independent of other countries. The foreign ministers claims notwithstanding, world public opinion already recognises that the Moreno regime is operating as a vassal of the US government. Within Ecuador, the government enjoys an approval rating of less than 20 percent and is seen by the bulk of the population as a corrupt lackey of American imperialism. The pretext for the attempt to evict Assange from the embassy is universally viewed as a monumental fraud. The Ecuadorian government has, over the past week, made entirely unsubstantiated claims that the leaking of Morenos iPhone and Gmail data to an opposition lawmaker last February was the product of a conspiracy hatched by Assange and WikiLeaks. They are well aware that the release of the material, and related documents, which implicate the regime in corruption, bribery and perjury, had nothing to do with Assange, whose internet access and communications were cut off by the Ecuadorian government in March, 2018. The evasive and duplicitous comments of senior Ecuadorian officials result from the fact that they, along with their co-conspirators in the US and British governments, are engaged in a sordid task. They are seeking to present their plans to illegally abrogate the political asylum of a journalist and publisher, whose only crime has been to expose the predatory wars, diplomatic intrigues and mass surveillance operations of the major powers, as a legitimate and proper exercise. WikiLeaks has further exposed the backroom machinations aimed at forcing Assange from the embassy, publishing earlier today what it stated was the summary of a press strategy agreed upon by the Ecuadorian and British governments. Under the secret deal, the British government would take the lead following Assanges eviction. The Ecuadorian regime would state that Assange had broken the asylum terms contained in an illegal protocol it issued last October, banning him from making any political statements, including about his own plight. The British government would then declare that it would not allow the Trump administration to kill Assange in the event of his extradition to the US and would posture as a defender of due process. Ecuador would present this as a concession and say that the initial granting of asylum to the WikiLeaks founder was only aimed at preventing him from facing the death penalty. The agreement resembles nothing so much as a deal between criminal gangs, to carry out an extrajudicial kidnapping operation in violation of all national and international laws. Any measures along these lines will be opposed by millions of workers and young people. An attempt to extradite Assange to the US would rightly be viewed by the worlds population as illegal and illegitimate. It would be bitterly contested in the courts by WikiLeaks internationally-renowned legal team. Last year, US prosecutors revealed, apparently by mistake, that they had already filed charges against Assange, likely over WikiLeaks 2010 publication of the US armys Iraq and Afghan war logs and hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables, revealing war crimes and diplomatic intrigues on a global scale. The Trump administration, however, has signalled that it does not have a case for Assanges prosecution that could withstand judicial scrutiny under British, US or international law, setting the stage for a protracted legal and political battle over any extradition request. For the past three weeks, the US government has held Chelsea Manning, who leaked the 2010 documents to WikiLeaks, to try and force her to give perjured testimony against Assange. The courageous whistleblower has refused to participate in this legal travesty. The widespread support for Assange and Manning among workers, students and young people stands in stark contrast to the silence of all of the official political parties in the United States, Britain and Australia. Jeremy Corbyn, who, prior to becoming leader of the British Labour Party, claimed to defend Assange, has said nothing about the stepped-up assault on the WikiLeaks founder. In Australia, the Liberal-National government of Scott Morrison, the Labor Party opposition, the Greens and the trade unions have remained silent, in line with the protracted collaboration of the entire political establishment in the US-led vendetta against Assange, who is an Australian citizen. This demonstrates that a movement to free Assange and Manning must come from the working class, not the capitalist parties that are engaged in online censorship, an accelerating drive to war and the evisceration of democratic rights. Workers must be made aware that the mass social and political struggles they are entering, are inseparable from the defence of courageous journalists and whistleblowers, who are being persecuted in order to establish a precedent for the suppression of all opposition to militarism, austerity and dictatorship. The WSWS and the Socialist Equality Parties (SEP) around the world are committed to playing a central role in this crucial fight. The SEP in Britain has called for maximum participation in protests organised outside Ecuadors London Embassy. The Australian SEP has today issued a statement, reiterating its demand that the Australian government fulfil its responsibilities to Assange and compel the British government to allow him to leave the country, and return to Australia, with a guarantee against extradition to the US. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Egypts Dabaa nuclear plant, security in the Middle East, and combating terrorism during a meeting in Cairo, a statement by Egypts presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady read. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Chief of General Intelligence Abbas Kamel, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov. During the meeting, Sisi affirmed Egypt's efforts to consolidate its partnership with Russia in the economic, commercial and industrial fields. "This was reflected while discussing a number of crucial projects, such as the project of the Dabaa nuclear station, the Russian industrial zone at the Suez Canal axis, and cooperation in the development of [Egypts] railway system," the statement read. Moscow and Cairo signed an agreement in 2015 for Russia to build a nuclear power plant in Egypt, with Russia extending a loan to Egypt to cover the cost of construction. The president also discussed the resumption of air traffic between Russian cities and the cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, calling on Russian officials to end the flight suspension soon. Russia suspended air traffic with Egypt in October 2015 after the crash of a Russian passenger flight from Egypts popular tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, which killed all 224 people on board. However, flights were resumed from and to the capital Cairo in April 2018, ending a more than two-and-a-half-year suspension. The Russian foreign minister affirmed his country's commitment towards development projects in Egypt in accordance with a comprehensive strategic partnership signed between the two countries last October. Lavrov also stressed that the relevant authorities in Russia are considering various measures necessary to resume air traffic between Russia and the cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. On security and the fight against terrorism, the two sides discussed ways to enhance joint bilateral efforts to combat terrorism. The president discussed Egypts vision in this regard and stressed the seriousness of the issue of some countries supporting terrorist groups. The two sides also discussed the prospects for cooperation in Africa in light of Egypt's current chairmanship of the African Union. Speaking about the Palestinian crisis, the Egyptian president reiterated that Egypt supports a two-state solution in accordance with international accords, which is the best solution for achieving peace and calm in the Middle East. Regarding the situation in Libya, the president stressed the necessity of urgent action and the concerted efforts of the international community to stop the deterioration of the situation. The statement said that the president is continuing to work and coordinate with Russia to reach a political settlement in Syria and prevent terrorist movement to other regions. The Russian FM affirmed his country's appreciation for Egypts efforts on all issues in the region, expressing Russias keenness to reach political solutions to these various issues, which will contribute to restoring security and stability to the Middle East. Search Keywords: Short link: (Newser) Ugandan officials are negotiating for the release of a California woman and a local tour driver who were kidnapped at gunpoint in a wildlife park on Tuesday. The search has widened as well, CBS reports. Kimberly Sue Endicott and Jean-Paul Mirgene Remezo were taken by four men in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of $500,000. They've been using Endicott's phone in the negotiations, and she's been on the call at least daily to show that she's alive. The park is on the border with the Congo, and the border has been sealed, police said. Endicott, 56, is an esthetician in Costa Mesa, friends told ABC7, and had been looking forward to the safari. "One of her big dreams was to go see the gorillas," a neighbor said. Four other tourists in her group were left unharmed. (Read more Uganda stories.) (Newser) Lil Nas X seems to be asking, Am I country enough now? The Atlanta hip-hop artist just released a remix of his rappy cowboy song "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus as guest vocalistafter Billboard kicked the original Cyrus-less version off its country chart, the New York Times reports. Billboard's explanation, in part: The song "does not embrace enough elements of today's country music to chart in its current version." Billboard also said it factors in radio airplay, and while the first "Old Town Road" killed it online, country stations gave it little rotation. Now, Billboard's rejection is sparking a debate about country music's murky boundaries and the possibility that Lil Nas X got booted because he is black. story continues below "They said there were compositional problems," says a former Nashville record executive, "because they didnt know how to justify it any other way without sounding completely racist." Others note there's a long history of segregation around country music, including the early separation of black southern songs from hillbilly music (the Guardian) and the Grammys refusing to accept Beyonce's country R&B tune "Daddy Lessons" in the country categories in 2016 (the Daily Beast). Not to mention that Lil Nas X, 19, ducked Nashville's gatekeepers and posted his song online, per NPR. For now, "Old Town Road" remains off the country chart and sits at 15 on Billboard's Hot 100. "The song is country trap," the hip-hop artist tells Time. "It's not one, it's not the other. It's both. It should be on both." (Read more music stories.) Human remains have been found at the Oregon home of Dennis Day, one of the original Disney Mouseketeers, who has been missing since last July. On Thursday, April 4, 2019, the Medford Assault and Death Investigation Unit (MADIU) was contacted by the Phoenix Police Department after human remains were discovered at 510 Pine Street in Phoenix, Oregon, Captain Tim Fox, a spokesperson for the Oregon State Police, said in a statement to TheWrap on Saturday. The statement continued: Oregon State Police investigators were assigned to lead the death investigation and are being assisted by the Jackson County District Attorneys Office, Jackson County Sheriffs Office, Medford Police Department, and the Oregon State Police Forensics Lab. At this time, the human remains have not been identified and the investigation is ongoing. Also Read: Original Disney Mouseketeer Dennis Day Has Been Missing Since July Day, 76, was cast as one of the original Mouseketeers in Disneys The Mickey Mouse Club in 1955 at the age of 12. He stayed on the program for two seasons before exiting in 1957. The former child star was reported missing last summer by his longtime partner Ernie Caswell, who suffers from dementia-related memory problems. He was last seen in his driveway, saying he was going to visit friends. His car was found along the Oregon coast with two people inside who had no connection to Day, but police say there were no signs of foul play, according to USA Today. Ernie was in the hospital at that time, and he realized Dennis hadnt come to visit him in a few weeks, Days sister Nelda Adkins told Dateline in February. So he had someone from the hospital call the police and report Dennis as missing. Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2019 (Photos) I keep the file on my desk all the time, Lt. Jeff Price of the Phoenix Police Department told a local NBC affiliate in January, waiting for that one call to come in. Hes not the type of person who would just disappear. Especially with his significant other being in the hospital he was very dedicated to him, Days niece Denise Norris told Dateline. We are worried. [We] just need answers. We love him. Were just kind of lost with what to do, or how to find him. Read original story Body Found at Home of Missing Disney Mouseketeer Dennis Day At TheWrap (Newser) Two college students scammed Apple out of $900,000 by sending fake iPhones to the company for repair under warranty, federal complaints say. The company realized many of the thousands of phones were counterfeit but still returned almost 1,500 genuine replacements to the students, NBC News reports. The phones sent in would not power on, which the government said was the key to the scam, "as the phone will not be able to be immediately examined or repaired by Apple technicians." One of the Oregon students said an associate in China sent him 20 to 30 iPhones at a time, with instructions to submit them to Apple for warranty repairs. After receiving replacements, the student sent them to China to be sold. story continues below The associate made payments to the student's mother in China, and she deposited the money in a bank account the student could access in the US. Quan Jiang and Yangyang Zhou, who were on student visas at the time, say they didn't know the phones were fakes, per court filings. "With respect to Mr. Zhou, the government has the case completely wrong," his lawyer said. But the filings also say that Quan Jiang explained how the scheme worked to an investigator, NPR reports. He used fake and nonsense names, once putting "Apache Helicopter" as the name on a claim that succeeded in getting a new phone. Both men face fines and prison time if convicted. (Read more iPhone stories.) An American tourist and her tour guide were kidnapped by armed men in the African nation of Uganda and are being held for ransom, PEOPLE confirms. Kimberly Endicott was on an evening game drive through Ugandas Queen Elizabeth National Park Tuesday when armed gunmen jumped on her vehicle, Uganda police announced in a press release obtained by PEOPLE. At gunpoint, the men kidnapped Endicott and her guide Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo, who was behind the wheel, and fled the scene. An elderly couple who was also in the vehicle were able to escape and contact the camp manager to report what had happened. The kidnappers used Endicotts cell phone to demand $500,000. The ransom is believed to be the motive for the kidnapping. Authorities say they have no plan to pay the ransom. The U.S. Embassy in Kampala is working with Ugandan authorities to recover Endicott and Remezo. Endicott, who is in her 50s, is from Costa Mesa, California. She has a daughter and granddaughter who also live in California, a friend told local station TKLA. She always dreamed of going to Africa to see gorillas on safari. 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. I know she was planning this trip for a while, because its something that shes always wanted to do, Pam Lopez told the station in a phone interview. This was always a big trip she wanted to take. Lopez said Endicott had been documenting her trip on social media. 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. All exit areas on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been closed. Endicott, her guide and her abductors are believed to be trapped somewhere within polices search area, Uganda Deputy Police Spokeswoman Polly Namaye said in the press release. Australias federal government is to provide a $17.1 million (A$24 million) subsidy to Disney to shoot a currently untitled Marvel movie at Fox Studios Australia. Disney took ownership of the Sydney studios last month as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Australia also offers location incentive schemes, known as offsets, that are directly linked to the amount of production spending in the country. The film will also be able to claim the 16.5% location offset. The Australian governments location incentive increases the existing location offset rate from 16.5% to 30% for eligible large budget international productions that are successful through the application process, according to Federal Minister for Communications and the Arts, Mitch Fifield and the New South Wales state governments Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin. Related stories Box Office: 'Avengers: Endgame' Headed for Epic $200-$250 Million Domestic Launch Women Directors Make Strides, but Studios Are Still Lagging on Gender Parity Harwin said that the film will additionally be able to tap into the $7.1 million (A$10 million) per year Made in NSW fund which is intended to support the attraction to NSW of significant international screen projects. The amount going from the NSW fund to the new film was not specified. Neither Disney nor the Australian authorities would confirm the title of the film they are proposing to subsidize, describing it only as a major new Marvel Studios movie, and a big-budget superhero film. Australian Media have speculated that it is Shang Chi, recently pitched as Marvels first superhero movie with an Asian protagonist. Marvel last month announced that Destin David Cretton would be the films director and that Dave Callaham is currently writing the script. Adding the direct federal subsidy and the location offset implies $38 million of national government finance for the film. The top-up from NSW would likely lift that above $40 million. Story continues Both federal and state governments explain their spending by pointing to the positive impact on their economies, jobs and film industries. If the aggregate federal subsidies equate to 30% of local production spend, the film should be expected to spend $131 million in Australia. Fifield offered a somewhat lower figure. Securing this latest production will bring over A$150 million (US$107 million) of new international investment, create 4,700 new Australian jobs and use the services of around 1,200 local businesses, he said. Harwin said the production is expected to spend more than A$100 million ($71.2 million) in NSW alone. The film needs a large workforce of highly specialized special effects technicians and will also require sophisticated stunts, all of which NSWs incredibly skilled and experienced screen industry can deliver, Harwin said, adding that it will also enhance the profile of NSW as a place to do business. The weakness of the Australian dollar against the U.S. currency has helped defray some of the high costs of shooting in Australia, but many in the Australian industry do not believe that a cheap currency is enough. One production executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, last month told Variety: Hollywood studios production departments simply no longer consider any foreign location unless it offers a rebate, even if it is directly comparable in terms of cost. Earlier this week some in the Australian industry expressed disappointment that the federal governments annual budget, announced Tuesday, did not institutionalize an increase in the offset mechanism from 16.5% to 30%. But they were relieved that the national government made reassurances that it would continue to provide direct subsidies. Marvels Thor: Ragnarok, previously shot at the Village Roadshow Studios in Queensland. So too did, Warners Aquaman and San Andreas and Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Sonys Peter Rabbit and Foxs Alien: Covenant shot at the Fox facilities in Sydney. Marvel Studios thanks the Australian and NSW Governments and is thrilled to be returning to Australia to work with the talented and highly skilled Australian crew, stunt performers and actors together with the thousands of small businesses across Australia that supply world class equipment, goods, facilities and services to large budget productions said David Grant, VP of Marvel Studios. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Several animal experts have visited Overtoun Bridge looking for answers and have come away with nothing conclusive Its a mystery that has plagued the superstitious town of Dumbarton, Scotland, since the 1950s: why do dogs jump from Overtoun Bridge? According to The New York Times, numerous dogs reportedly up to 600 canines have inexplicable thrown themselves from Overtoun, which has earned the name Dog Suicide Bridge, and dozens have died from the subsequent fall to the rocks below. Numerous explanations have been offered over the decades for why the bridge has seemingly compelled dogs to jump down into the gorge it covers. People in Dumbarton are very superstitious, Alastair Dutton, a Dumbarton resident told The New York Times. We grew up playing in the Overtoun grounds, and we believe in ghosts here because weve all seen or felt spirits up here. Several locals told the paper that they believe ghosts are responsible for the bridges infamy, while others suggested it could be a thin place a location where Celtic Christians believe heaven and Earth overlap, reports The Guardian. According to Atlas Obscura, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sent experts to the area in search for answers, but they didnt come away with anything conclusive. Those who dont believe in a supernatural explanation, suspect small mammals, like minks, mark the rocks below the bridge and that this enticing scent, mixed with the bridges high, walls which prevent dogs from seeing the drop, could be sending dogs over the edge. An animal behaviorist named David Sands, who also investigated the bridge in search of answers, believes this is the likely explanation behind the structures grim reputation, though he admitted Overtoun made him feel strange, reports The Telegraph. Even with the bridges history, and the mystery that surrounds it, dog owners continue to walk the bridge with their canines, and most make it across without issue. The family of Rupert Murdoch became so divided over the sale of key 21st Century Fox film and TV assets to Disney that papers were drawn up for the mogul and his son and successor, Lachlan, to buy out the stock of siblings James, Elisabeth and Prudence, the New York Times reported Wednesday. The deal fell through late last year after Lachlan Murdoch got cold feet over the financial cost, the paper reported.Thats just one of the many revelations in a lengthy expose in the Times, titled How Rupert Murdochs Empire of Influence Remade the World.Also Read: Sean Hannity Needles 'Lowlife' Alec Baldwin: 'Becoming More and More Unhinged'Here are some of the other noteworthy revelations in the story, reported over six months by Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg.1\. Rupert Murdoch has long ties to Jared Kushner and Ivanka TrumpThe mogul and his then-wife Wendi took Kushner and Ivanka Trump on vacation on Murdochs yacht in the Caribbean, the Times reported, and Kushner helped Murdoch find a decorator for his new apartment following their divorce in 2013. In addition, Ivanka Trump was one of five people named to oversee the $300 million trust for Murdochs two daughters with Wendi (she stepped down from that role in 2016).2\. Before he landed the Republican nomination in 2016, Murdoch called Trump an idiotCiting three people close to the mogul, the Times reported that Rupert Murdoch referred to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump as a [expletive] idiot until he secured the Republican nomination and won the backing of the Murdoch (as well as the Fox News empire). Through a spokeswoman, Murdoch denied to the Times that he ever used this phrase.Also Read: Laura Ingraham Boycott: After a Year, Ratings Are Up But Ad Time Is Still Way Down3\. James Murdochs wife tried to broker a meeting between Rupert and Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaignJames Murdochs more liberal-leaning wife, Kathryn, tried to arrange a meeting between Hillary Clinton and her father-in-law during the 2016 campaign in hopes he would consider an endorsement or neutrality, the Times reported. But Murdoch himself had reached out to the Democratic nominee, who the paper said declined his invitation to meet.4\. The News of the World hacking scandal opened family riftsThe phone-hacking scandal involving British newspapers owned by the Murdochs opened new rifts among the dueling Murdoch siblings. According to the Times, James Murdoch questioned his fathers mental health to some members of the News Corp. board because he felt Rupert wanted him to cover up the scandal. In addition, four individuals told the Times that his older sister Elisabeth who had mostly removed herself from the family business at that point urged her father to fire James and replace him with her. (Her spokesperson denied this.)Also Read: Rupert Murdoch and News Corp Push for Google's Breakup5\. James Murdoch considered CBS News boss David Rhodes to replace Roger AilesWhen Roger Ailes was ousted as head of Fox News in 2016 in the wake of sexual harassment accusations, James Murdoch considered hiring then-CBS News president David Rhodes an idea that both Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch rejected, the Times wrote.6\. James Murdoch pressed his dad to issue company statement after Trumps Muslim travel banIn the early days of the Trump presidency, the more politically moderate James Murdoch pressed his father and brother to issue a companywide memo in support of diversity and immigration following the executive order banning immigration from several Muslim-majority nations: We deeply value diversity and believe immigration is an essential part of Americas strength. James had wanted a stronger statement opposing Trumps policy and reassuring the companys Muslim employees, and individuals close to him told the Times that securing approval for even the more tepid statement was like pulling teeth.7\. Lachlan Murdoch threatened to walk out over Disney dealFavored son Lachlan Murdoch opposed Disneys acquisition of most of Foxs film and TV assets, which has left him with a much smaller media empire to run. Why the [expletive] would I want to run this company? he said privately, according to the Times.His opposition was so strong that according to three unnamed individuals, during a dinner meeting in fall 2017 he threatened to never speak to his father again if he went through with the deal: If you take one more call on this deal, you will not have a son! (Representatives for Murdoch and Lachlan denied that he made these threats.)8\. James Murdoch really wanted a job at DisneyJames Murdoch saw the Disney deal as a possible escape route for him especially since longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger had not lined up a successor and his father had installed Lachlan above him in the Fox hierarchy. But Murdoch assured Iger that James future at the new company would not be part of the deal negotiations, the Times reported, and three individuals said that James decided this winter not to join the newly combined Disney-Fox operation.9\. Rupert Murdoch nearly died on Lachlans yacht last yearThe Times suggested that Rupert Murdochs hospitalization following a fall on Lachlans yacht was far more serious that previously reported, and that the mogul appeared to be so close to death that his wife, the model Jerry Hall, summoned his children to say their goodbyes.10\. Lachlan Murdoch privately backed Tucker Carlsons anti-immigrant rhetoricWhen Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson sparked an advertiser boycott for an on-air statement that immigration makes our country poorer and dirtier and more divided, Lachlan Murdoch sent the host personal text messages of support, the Times reported. 11\. Former Fox News boss Bill Shine tried to sway network coverage after joining the White House Days after former Fox News boss Bill Shine joined the Trump White House as deputy chief of staff for communications, the Times reported, he called the Fox News control room to change an onscreen chyron about Ivanka Trump that he considered unflattering, according to a source inside Fox, who says his request was denied. 12\. Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch almost bought out James and his sisters shares in the family business last year Seeing no future at both Fox and Disney late last year, James Murdoch proposed that his father and brother James buy out his stock in the family business. His sisters Elisabeth and Prudence also joined the deal so that Rupert and James could jointly own the company. Documents were drawn up, according to the Times, but Lachlan backed out of the deal in late 2018, telling the paper through a spokesman that the idea wasnt financially feasible. Read original story Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch Nearly Bought Out Siblings Fox Stock and Other Shockers From NY Times Expose At TheWrap The family of Rupert Murdoch became so divided over the sale of key 21st Century Fox film and TV assets to Disney that papers were drawn up for the mogul and his son and successor, Lachlan, to buy out the stock of siblings James, Elisabeth and Prudence, the New York Times reported Wednesday. The deal fell through late last year after Lachlan Murdoch got cold feet over the financial cost, the paper reported. Thats just one of the many revelations in a lengthy expose in the Times, titled How Rupert Murdochs Empire of Influence Remade the World. Also Read: Sean Hannity Needles 'Lowlife' Alec Baldwin: 'Becoming More and More Unhinged' Here are some of the other noteworthy revelations in the story, reported over six months by Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg. 1. Rupert Murdoch has long ties to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump The mogul and his then-wife Wendi took Kushner and Ivanka Trump on vacation on Murdochs yacht in the Caribbean, the Times reported, and Kushner helped Murdoch find a decorator for his new apartment following their divorce in 2013. In addition, Ivanka Trump was one of five people named to oversee the $300 million trust for Murdochs two daughters with Wendi (she stepped down from that role in 2016). 2. Before he landed the Republican nomination in 2016, Murdoch called Trump an idiot Citing three people close to the mogul, the Times reported that Rupert Murdoch referred to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump as a [expletive] idiot until he secured the Republican nomination and won the backing of the Murdoch (as well as the Fox News empire). Through a spokeswoman, Murdoch denied to the Times that he ever used this phrase. Also Read: Laura Ingraham Boycott: After a Year, Ratings Are Up But Ad Time Is Still Way Down 3. James Murdochs wife tried to broker a meeting between Rupert and Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign James Murdochs more liberal-leaning wife, Kathryn, tried to arrange a meeting between Hillary Clinton and her father-in-law during the 2016 campaign in hopes he would consider an endorsement or neutrality, the Times reported. But Murdoch himself had reached out to the Democratic nominee, who the paper said declined his invitation to meet. Story continues 4. The News of the World hacking scandal opened family rifts The phone-hacking scandal involving British newspapers owned by the Murdochs opened new rifts among the dueling Murdoch siblings. According to the Times, James Murdoch questioned his fathers mental health to some members of the News Corp. board because he felt Rupert wanted him to cover up the scandal. In addition, four individuals told the Times that his older sister Elisabeth who had mostly removed herself from the family business at that point urged her father to fire James and replace him with her. (Her spokesperson denied this.) Also Read: Rupert Murdoch and News Corp Push for Google's Breakup 5. James Murdoch considered CBS News boss David Rhodes to replace Roger Ailes When Roger Ailes was ousted as head of Fox News in 2016 in the wake of sexual harassment accusations, James Murdoch considered hiring then-CBS News president David Rhodes an idea that both Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch rejected, the Times wrote. 6. James Murdoch pressed his dad to issue company statement after Trumps Muslim travel ban In the early days of the Trump presidency, the more politically moderate James Murdoch pressed his father and brother to issue a companywide memo in support of diversity and immigration following the executive order banning immigration from several Muslim-majority nations: We deeply value diversity and believe immigration is an essential part of Americas strength. James had wanted a stronger statement opposing Trumps policy and reassuring the companys Muslim employees, and individuals close to him told the Times that securing approval for even the more tepid statement was like pulling teeth. 7. Lachlan Murdoch threatened to walk out over Disney deal Favored son Lachlan Murdoch opposed Disneys acquisition of most of Foxs film and TV assets, which has left him with a much smaller media empire to run. Why the [expletive] would I want to run this company? he said privately, according to the Times. His opposition was so strong that according to three unnamed individuals, during a dinner meeting in fall 2017 he threatened to never speak to his father again if he went through with the deal: If you take one more call on this deal, you will not have a son! (Representatives for Murdoch and Lachlan denied that he made these threats.) 8. James Murdoch really wanted a job at Disney James Murdoch saw the Disney deal as a possible escape route for him especially since longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger had not lined up a successor and his father had installed Lachlan above him in the Fox hierarchy. But Murdoch assured Iger that James future at the new company would not be part of the deal negotiations, the Times reported, and three individuals said that James decided this winter not to join the newly combined Disney-Fox operation. 9. Rupert Murdoch nearly died on Lachlans yacht last year The Times suggested that Rupert Murdochs hospitalization following a fall on Lachlans yacht was far more serious that previously reported, and that the mogul appeared to be so close to death that his wife, the model Jerry Hall, summoned his children to say their goodbyes. 10. Lachlan Murdoch privately backed Tucker Carlsons anti-immigrant rhetoric When Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson sparked an advertiser boycott for an on-air statement that immigration makes our country poorer and dirtier and more divided, Lachlan Murdoch sent the host personal text messages of support, the Times reported. 11. Former Fox News boss Bill Shine tried to sway network coverage after joining the White House Days after former Fox News boss Bill Shine joined the Trump White House as deputy chief of staff for communications, the Times reported, he called the Fox News control room to change an onscreen chyron about Ivanka Trump that he considered unflattering, according to a source inside Fox, who says his request was denied. 12. Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch almost bought out James and his sisters shares in the family business last year Seeing no future at both Fox and Disney late last year, James Murdoch proposed that his father and brother James buy out his stock in the family business. His sisters Elisabeth and Prudence also joined the deal so that Rupert and James could jointly own the company. Documents were drawn up, according to the Times, but Lachlan backed out of the deal in late 2018, telling the paper through a spokesman that the idea wasnt financially feasible. Read original story Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch Nearly Bought Out Siblings Fox Stock and Other Shockers From NY Times Expose At TheWrap Michael Cohen is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence on May 6th. He really doesnt want to. On Thursday, lawyers for President Trumps former lawyer and fixer sent a letter to congressional Democrats explaining that Cohen has conveniently discovered a trove of new documents that his team believes have significant value to the various congressional oversight and investigation committees. Cohen would love to give the documents to Democrats. He really would. But he thinks itd probably be best if he didnt go to prison so he could help sort through the 14 million previously seized files he was apparently just recently given access to. There is no doubt that Mr. Cohens testimony, both public and private, has contributed substantially, with documents and other evidence, to triggering additional areas for investigation by law enforcement authorities and the Congress, his lawyers wrote. He has done so despite intense personal pressures and stresses he faces for himself and his family. However, with 30 days left before he surrenders to prison, time is no longer a luxury he is capable of. Related stories Trump Takes Credit for Obama's Border Wall Roger Stone Goes After Deceased First Lady in Defense of Trump The letter asks Democrats to convince federal prosecutors that Cohens sentence be substantially postponed so that he can be readily available to Congress and to prosecutors conducting these investigations. The lawyers also suggested that such cooperation could potentially result Cohens sentence being reduced. Michael Cohen's attorneys just sent a letter to Congress stating that he recently accessed one of his hard drive containing 14 million important files, "which consist of emails, voice recordings, images and attachments from Mr. Cohen's computers and phones." pic.twitter.com/2yDjKHzvUF Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) April 4, 2019 In December, Cohen was sentenced to 36 months in prison for what Judge William Pauley described as a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct, including arranging payments to silence women who allegedly had affairs with Trump. Cohen will also be serving time for lying to Congress about the extent of the Trump Organizations plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, which were ultimately revealed to have extended well into the 2016 campaign. In February, Cohen testified before multiple congressional committees. During his testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which was made public, Cohen painted a damning picture of the presidents character. He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat, Cohen said. Story continues Cohen also explained during his testimony that Trump directed him to make the aforementioned hush money payments prior to the 2016 election, which constituted a violation of federal campaign finance law. Cohens lawyers portrayed their client as a victim of the presidents corruption in their letter to congressional Democrats Thursday night, writing that its not fair that Cohen is going to prison for conduct almost all of which was for the benefit of Mr. Trump personally and indeed directed by him. The letter was sent only to congressional Democrats, the lawyers write, because they didnt think Republicans would be interested. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mom Gets Life Sentence, Plus Extra 52 to 104 Years, for Murdering Teen Daughter With Boyfriend Mom Gets Life Sentence, Plus Extra 52 to 104 Years, for Murder of Teen Daughter With Boyfriend On Friday, a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, judge sentenced Sara Packer, the adoptive mother of 14-year-old Grace Packer, to life in prison plus an extra 52 to 104 years, according to The Morning Call. Packer pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for her role in the 2016 rape, torture, murder, and dismemberment of her teenage daughter, which she planned and executed with her boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan. Packer was sentenced to life as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, according to WFMX. Sullivan, 46, also pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, rape of a child and other charges. He was sentenced to death yesterday, with Judge Diane Gibbons telling him, You have no soul. At Packers sentencing, WFMX reports, Judge Diane Gibbons spoke for almost an hour, saying Sara Packer was no mother. WFMX also reports that Judge Gibbons said Grace will stay with her forever, and that Gibbons hopes Packer will enjoy the state penitentiary for the rest of her life. The Washington Post reports that the judge also told Packer, You like rape. You like murder. Thats a fact. Sara Packer and Jacob Sullivan | AP/REX/Shutterstock (2) Packer and Sullivan reportedly plotted Graces rape and murder for months. Packer said she stood by watching as her boyfriend sexually assaulted and later murdered her daughter. Sullivan told investigators the brutal incident began when he and Packer drove Grace to a rented home in Richland Township on July 8, 2016. There, Sullivan recalled, he punched Grace in the face, splitting her lip. RELATED: Man Gets Death for Rape, Murder of Girlfriends Teen Daughter in Front of Her Sullivan and Packer gave Grace an overdose of pills before binding and gagging her, leaving her to die in the sweltering attic but somehow Grace survived the night and escaped some of her bindings. But the following day, the couple returned to finish the job. Sullivan placed Grace in a chokehold and suffocated her, Packer said in court last week. The couple preserved Graces body in cat litter for three months before ultimately dismembering her and discarding her body in a remote Pennsylvania location, where it was later found by hunters, according to the Morning Call. Story continues Unfortunately, Grace Packer was a disposable child to these people, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said previously, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Who will now speak for Grace Packer? We will. At Packers sentencing, Bucks County Judge Diane E. Gibbons told the 44-year-old mother that she was evil, the Morning Call reports: Evil recognizes evil. This is what happens when two evil people with similar evil interests get together. People like Grace Packer die. After the sentencing, District Attorney Matt Weintraub reportedly asked lawmakers to pass Graces Law, a new law for child protections. Graces memory will no longer be bound to that of these two predators. She is free, Weintraub said, according to the Washington Post. PEOPLEs calls to the office of the District Attorney were not immediately returned. Nurse Adopts Baby Girl Whose Parents Didn't Visit Her in the Hospital for 5 Months When no one visited a baby girl at the hospital after she was born, a nurse stepped in to help and fulfilled her dream of becoming a parent in the process. Liz Smith, the director of nursing at Franciscan Childrens Hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts, had always dreamed of being a mother, she explained to Today. And back in 2016, after going through a breakup, she tried other means of getting pregnant, including in vitro fertilization and sperm donation, but nothing seemed to work. At that point, she had begun to lose hope. Becoming a nurse was easy, but becoming a mom was not, she said of her hopes of becoming a parent. I put it in the back of my mind and got busy with work as I always do. But shortly after joining Franciscan Childrens in her hometown of Boston, she met a young patient who was in need of help. I came out of the medical unit one day and in the stroller was this beautiful little girl, Smith said. I said to the nurse, Who is this beautiful little angel?' The baby girl, named Gisele, was on the verge of being placed into foster care when her parents stopped visiting her at the hospital. After seeing this baby, who was in need of someone to provide love and affection, Smith decided she would be the one to give it to her. Smith would take Gisele home and help her through cocaine and heroin withdrawal, two narcotics she was exposed to while in the womb. Shed also feed her through a gastrostomy tube 16 hours a day. Liz Smith and Gisele | NBC After fostering her for weeks, Smith felt an inseparable attachment to the girl she was raising. One night she was hooked up to the feed and the thought went into my head of losing her, she told Today. It made me sick to my stomach. Then, nine months after Smith began fostering Gisele, the state ended the birth parents parental rights. RELATED ARTICLE: Mom Learns Her 2 Adopted Kids Are Biological Siblings: They Were Meant to Find Each Other It hit me, all of a sudden, that my life had changed, my dream was coming true, Smith said. But [also] that somebody else was losing her and that was really hard, because it wasnt intentional. Story continues That opened up the opportunity for Smith to become Giseles legal mother, and when her birth parents failed to appeal the states ruling four weeks later, she was free to move ahead with adoption proceedings. RELATED VIDEO: Mom Creates Emotional Video for Infant Son She Placed for Adoption: Hell Always Know I Loved Him The day I got the phone call with the adoption date, Smith recalled, was the day that I was jumping up and down. Smith made the adoption official in October 2018. Today, Gisele is 2 years old, and still uses a supplemental feeding tube, according to the Washington Post, who first reported the story. But thanks to Smiths love and care, she is all smiles and couldnt be happier. Her new favorite song is You Are My Sunshine, Smith told the newspaper. And every time she sings it, I think to myself, You have no idea. Westglades Middle School A middle school student who attends classes right next door to Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School is in fear for his life after a plot to kill him was revealed over a game of Fortnite. According to a letter sent to school officials, and obtained by The Blast, a 13-year-old student named Spencer, was made aware that another student threatened to bring a gun to school and shoot him. The boy allegedly confided in a third student, who admitted his plan during an online session of the video game, Fortnite. In the video, later uploaded to the boys YouTube account, he asks for secrecy about his plan, because he fears he will get in trouble if anyone finds out hes brought a weapon to school. Weve obtained a copy of the threat, which has been removed from social media. In the clip, you can hear one student talk about killing another student at the school. Yelp The school involved, which all boys attend, is Westglades Middle School in Parkland, FL. The school sits on the lot next to Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High, the location of the deadly 2018 school shooting. Were told Spencers family alerted school authorities of the situation and investigators from the Broward County Sheriffs Department spoke to several people involved, including the victim of the threat. But, were told the school deemed it a low level threat, after questioning the student . In the scathing letter, sent by the family to the administration at Westglades, Spencers attorney scolds officials for not removing a potential danger. The family also accuses the school of interrogating Spencer, in an attempt to whitewash an obvious threat. Attorney Bradford Cohen, who sent the legal threat, warns the school that he will be holding the school responsible for any harm that may come to Spencer as a result of their poor handling of the situation. He writes, The only thing low level here is the incompetence of a school with how to deal with students posting threats on social media in the aftermath of a horrible tragedy. Calls to Westglades Middle School and the Broward County Sheriffs Office were not returned by time of publish. The post Parkland, Florida Middle School Student Receives Death Threat During Fortnite Session; School Accused of Not Protecting Kid appeared first on The Blast. 2ND UPDATE, 9:07 PM: Bill Cosby is blasting the insurance company that made a settlement in the long-running defamation case against him. He issued this statement tonight through his publicist: AIG showed that theyre a part of the corruption against me, by paying off these distractors, without my knowledge, without my permission and without my consent. AIGs egregious behavior will be frowned upon by their many customers. They have proven that they do not have the best interest of their clients in mind, which will cause them to lose an overwhelming amount of business. I, [Bill Cosby], will never settle any defamation claim, I will continue to pursue my counterclaims, and I will not relinquish AIG from its responsibility in defending my defamation claims. Thats why I paid my premiums on time and I never let my policy lapse. AIGs settlement of these claims in Massachusetts makes them look corrupt and it exposes my innocence. Thank you very much. Related stories Louisa Moritz Dies: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' Actress, Bill Cosby Accuser Was 72 UPDATE, 2:42 PM: Looks like Bill Cosby hasnt settled a long running defamation lawsuit with seven women after all. Imprisoned after being found guilty last year of the 2004 sexual assault of then Temple University employee Andrea Constead, the much accused man once known as Americas Dad took aim at his insurance company and the plaintiffs on Friday. Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone, a representative for The Cosby Show creator said late Friday. He is not paying anything to anyone, and he is still pursuing his counterclaims. AIG decided to settle these cases, without the knowledge, permission and/or consent of Mr. Cosby. Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits and he maintains his innocence, the rep added. More than 50 women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Cosby occurring over several decades. Story continues PREVIOUS, 12:59 PM: The attorney for seven women who filed a civil lawsuit against Bill Cosby claiming the disgraced comic icon defamed them after they came forward with allegations he sexually assaulted them filed paperwork in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts saying they have reached a settlement deal. Plaintiffs claims against Defendant William H. Cosby, Jr. have been settled, a status report dated Friday said (read it here). Each Plaintiff is satisfied with the settlement. Contemporaneously with this Report, Plaintiffs are filing a Motion for Entry of Order Dismissing Claims as Settled. The original lawsuit by the women Tamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis, Louisa Moritz and Angela Leslie was filed in 2014 but had been put on hold while Cosby was the subject of a criminal trial in Pennsylvania. In September, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years after he was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault against former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. Cosby is in prison while that case is on appeal. One of the woman, Moritz, an actress who appeared in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Love, American Style and Match Game, died in January. Cosby had countersued in 2015, claiming defamation and that the suit scotched deals he had made with Netflix and NBC. Those counterclaims were not part of the settlement agreement noted today, according to the plaintiffs attorney Joseph Cammarata. He wrote Friday that several motions were planned if that part of the case moves forward. The anticipated motions include, but are not limited to: (1) a motion for summary judgment as to all Counterclaims against Counterdefendant Therese Serignese on the ground that Mr. Cosby cannot establish that Ms. Serignese made a false statement with actual malice, he wrote. The lawyer also promised a motion for summary judgment as to all Counterclaims against Counterdefendant Louisa Moritz, on the ground that she is deceased; (3) a motion for judgment on the pleadings as to the non-defamation Counterclaims, on the ground that they are duplicative of the defamation Counterclaims; and, (4) a motion for judgment on the pleadings as to Mr. Cosbys requests for punitive damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fees, on the ground that the Counterclaims do not support these forms of relief, in part or in whole. Cosby also faces an October 2019 trial date in Santa Monica over an alleged 1974 sexual assault against then 15-year old Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Suspect Arrested in Killings of 4 People Inside North Dakota Business Suspect Arrested in Killings of 4 People Inside N.D. Business A 44-year-old North Dakota man was charged with four counts of murder Thursday in the death of four people whose bodies were found Monday inside a Mandan business. The Mandan Police Department responded to a 911 call on Monday and discovered the bodies of three men and one woman inside RJR Maintenance & Management, a property management company. They suffered stab wounds and/or gun shot wounds, Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler said during a press conference Thursday night. In the days following the discovery, investigators asked the public to call a hotline with any information related to the case. As calls came in, law enforcement watched hours of surveillance video and quickly identified the suspects vehicle and began searching. On Thursday, the suspects vehicle was spotted in neighboring Washburn, where he was stopped for a traffic violation, Ziegler said. Chad Isaak | AP/REX/Shutterstock 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. A warrant was issued and law enforcement discovered evidence on the suspect and in the vehicle, Zeigler said during the press conference. Police arrested Chad Isaak, from Washburn, North Dakota. He was charged with four counts of felony murder, police said. It was unclear when he would make a first appearance in front of a judge, and it was unclear whether he obtained an attorney. RELATED: Victims Killed at North Dakota Business Identified, but Suspect Remains at Large During the press conference, Zeigler confirmed Isaak was a tenant at a property managed by the management company, but he wouldnt release any additional connections between the suspect and the crime scene. At the present time, a motive for the crime is unknown, Zeigler said. Law enforcement released the identities of the four people. They are RJR co-owner Robert Fakler, 52; employee Adam Fuehrer, 42; and married co-workers William Cobb, 50, and Lois Cobb, 45. It was not immediately clear if Isaak has entered a plea or retained a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. (Newser) A woman who told police that an Egyptian man had tried to kidnap her daughter from a West Virginia shopping mall was jailed Friday after the accusation unraveled, a police detective said. The charge capped a sensational tale of a mother using a gun to thwart a brazen abduction attempt that quickly fell apart amid inconsistencies. Santana Renee Adams initially told police that a man grabbed her 5-year-old daughter by the hair inside a clothing store Monday and tried to pull her away but stopped when Adams produced a gun, authorities said. A criminal complaint went into further detail, describing a frightening scene where a Middle Eastern man dragged the girl by the hair as she dropped to the floor. But the story started to crumble when no witnesses could be found and mall surveillance video didn't match the woman's original statement. story continues below Upon additional questioning, authorities said, Adams began changing her account. She later told investigators she may have overreacted and misinterpreted the man's intentions. Police said he may have simply been patting the girl on the head. On Thursday, authorities announced they were dropping charges against Mohamed Fathy Hussein Zayan, a 54-year-old engineer from Alexandria, Egypt, who was in the area for work. Barboursville Police Detective Greg Lucas said Adams was charged with falsely reporting an emergency incident, a misdemeanor that carries up to six months in jail and a $500 fine. The 24-year-old Adams turned herself in about 2pm Friday and was jailed after a magistrate judge set bail at $20,000. Back at the police station, Lucas had a moment to reflect: "It has been a long and sleepless week." (Read more West Virginia stories.) Longtime Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett is opening up about her life and time with the former first family, including the painful campaign moment when Michelle Obama broke down in tears over being portrayed in the media as an angry black woman. According to Jarretts Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward, out now, this is a stereotype that she has also faced long before she was the target of a racist tweet by Roseanne Barr. [I had to] work twice as hard, be twice as good, and be three times as lucky [as my white peers], writes Jarrett, 62, who followed President Barack Obama from the campaign trail to the White House. In the book, the longtime advocate for gender and racial equality recounts her struggles as a black woman in America. Jarrett was born in Iran her parents moved there after her father, a doctor, couldnt find a job practicing medicine in Americas racially segregated hospitals but Jarrett grew up in Chicago and went on to practice law. While raising her daughter, Laura, now 36 and a trained lawyer and CNN correspondent, the single mom became a successful business woman, chaired multiple boards and was deputy chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Looking back on those years when I was a young working mom, I wish I had not defined success as achieving the mighty juggle with flawless perfection, Jarrett writes. I wish I had understood that hard work doesnt always prevent failures, and that my failures do not define me. Rather my missteps often teach valuable lessons, and provide the resilience to bounce back stronger. RELATED: What to Know About Valerie Jarrett Valerie Jarrett (left) with her daughter, Laura | Teresa Kroeger/Getty It was in the Chicago mayors office in 1991, that Jarrett interviewed Mrs. Obama (then Michelle Robinson) for a job, which led to her longtime friendship with the couple and her journey to the upper echelon of American politics. And I will tell you, [Michelle and Barack] are the same in terms of their core values, their commitment to public service, Jarrett recalled in a 2016 interview on The Real. Story continues Since the end of President Obamas term, Jarrett has remained heavily involved in their work. She is now a senior adviser to the Obama Foundation and a senior distinguished fellow at the University of Chicago Law School. Here are highlights from her memoir, which conspicuously does not discuss Barrs racist attack last year that led to the canceling of Barrs ABC series. (Last July, asked about Barr, Jarrett quipped: Roseanne who?) The Day 5-Year-Old Jarrett Hit the Hired Help The former White House official writes that, by the time she was almost 5 years old, shed begun to internalize the mores of Irans caste system. Upset at Saroya, a servant in her parents house, Jarrett writes that her mother was horrified to walk into the house one afternoon to see me giving Saroya a swift kick, as hard as I could. Her parents had never accepted these customs and found Jarretts behavior unacceptable, especially because theyd come to Iran to escape segregation themselves, according to her book. That night, Jarretts mother told her father: I think its time for us to leave Iran. The First Time Jarrett Was Called the N-Word Jarrett was 10 years old when she was first called the incendiary racial slur by a friend shed made at an all-girls sleep-away camp in Michigan, she writes. You know, I thought you were a n when I first met you, Jarrett recalls the girl saying. Im really sorry. Jarretts face turned bright red. She imagined saying, Oh, but I am! and being beaten up like she had been by another group of girls, she writes. Instead, she mumbled a response and never told anyone what happened. Years later, after Bar compared her to an ape on Twitter, Jarrett had a different reaction. First of all, I think we have to turn it into a teaching moment. Im fine, Jarrett said during a town hall on MSNBC called Everyday Racism in America. Im worried about all the people out there who dont have a circle of friends and followers coming to their defense, Jarrett said. RELATED: Michelle Obama Struggled to Keep Up with the Pace as First Lady Viking President Obama Doesnt Sweat The worst moment of the campaign, Jarrett writes of Obamas historic run for president in 2008, was when he arrived late for a television debate on an Illinois public television station, WTTW. The cameras had already panned across the seat of candidates (with one empty chair) and the moderator, Phil Ponce, had announced a 60-second break when Obama finally walked in, according to Jarretts book. (I could have killed him, she writes.) If you were to ask Michelle or me what was the worst moment of the campaign, that would have been it, Jarrett explains. But the candidate himself was oblivious. He missed the mounting stress as the minutes counted down. He wasnt in the room to watch his empty chair as the credits began to roll. When we fussed at him later, he shrugged and said if he had been late, he would have explained he had a good excuse: he was doing his job in Springfield for his constituents. And that was the difference between us: He simply doesnt sweat. We do. The President Used to Tease Jarrett About Her Menopause When Jarrett would experiences menopausal hot flashes while riding with the president, he would make sure to turn on the air conditioner and give her his handkerchief without saying a word or even looking in my direction, she writes. Other times, he would tease her in good-natured way that only a man who knows you well, like a brother, has permission to do. If anyone could tease Jarrett, it was Obama. Their friendship has been almost been almost 30 years in the making. The president has said shes his best friend, CBS News Norah ODonnell, who profiled Jarrett for 60 Minutes two years ago, has said. RELATED VIDEO: Michelle Obamas Becoming Could Be the Most Popular Memoir Ever The Moment Mrs. Obama Broke Down in Tears In the early days of the Obamas first presidential campaign, Jarrett writes that the soon-to-be first lady was filled with anxiety over a comment shed made on stage (For the first time in my adult lifetime, Im really proud of my country), which was taken out of context. Though Mrs. Obama was an esteemed lawyer, Jarrett writes that she was not yet comfortable on the campaign trail and was quickly portrayed as an angry black woman. Jarrett recalls that everything came to a head when Mrs. Obama and her team reviewed a taping of a speech shed just given. When it was over, there was complete silence, Jarrett writes. The words in her speech werent angry, but her demeanor made them seem as if she was. She started to cry, while I held her hand; seeing her like that made me want to wrap her in a blanket and take her somewhere safe. The former aide continues: Michelle turned to us and said, Why didnt you tell me? and she was right. We had done her a great disservice. We all knew what she was trying to say and what a message of hope and optimism she wanted to deliver, and we had simply counted on the audience seeing that as well. In November, while on the final episode of WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens, the former first lady addressed the angry black woman stereotype and how she was raising her daughters, Malia and Sasha, to advocate for themselves. What my parents did was that they saw that flame in me, and they kept it lit, Mrs. Obama said. So, right now, I think I want to fan their flames I want to get them used to maybe overstepping a little bit cause sometimes with women you dont step up enough. You dont use your voice enough because youre told youre mouthy or youre bossy or be quiet or thats not cute. Mrs. Obama said she was ready to see her bold vision for her daughters and young women everywhere put into words and action. I want to practice boldness, and then we can bring it back, you know? Apple employee detained by US border agents over his iPhone and laptop speaks out (ABC News) Apple employee detained by US border agents over his iPhone and laptop speaks out originally appeared on abcnews.go.com When Apple employee Andreas Gal returns from an international trip, he said he's usually on his way home within minutes. But when he arrived at San Francisco International Airport last November, he was detained for an hour by three armed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, who demanded access to his iPhone XS and MacBook Pro laptop, he said. "They insisted on searching the contents of my cell phone and my laptop that were issued to me by Apple," Gal told ABC News. "Which put me in a difficult situation because I signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) for those devices. They are owned by Apple and they contain proprietary information from Apple." (MORE: The FBI and the IPhone: How Apple's Security Features Have Locked Investigators Out) The border patrol agents asked about Gal's work at his former employer, Mozilla the company which makes the Firefox internet browser as well as his current work at Apple and his business trip to Sweden, Gal said. I was subject to an unlawful border search and together with the @ACLU Im filing a civil rights complaint against @CBP https://t.co/6Mp08ffdMm andreasgal (@andreasgal) April 2, 2019 "They wanted to see my itinerary on my smartphone. I offered to email them my itinerary and they insisted on seeing it on my smartphone. This was very alarming for me. These are not regular consumer devices. These are special devices used by Apple software and hardware engineers," Gal said. Apple declined to comment for this story. (MORE: ICE arrests more than 280 people in massive workplace raid) Story continues "That seemed to aggravate these customs agents and they started getting very upset with me and they said they had the right to access my devices and I had to turn over my passport," Gal said. "I told them I wanted to talk to an attorney and my employer so I could understand my responsibilities with regard to this NDA." The agents threatened to criminally charge Gal under accusations that he was in violation of U.S. Code 111, he said. That section of federal law relates to assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain government agents. Gals detention and alleged threats by the CBP agents, resulted in a civil rights complaint filed on March 28 by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU) of Northern California against the United States. The complaint alleges that the search of Gal's possessions violated the Fourth and First Amendments, which protects U.S. citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures and protects free speech. PHOTO: Andreas Gal's boarding pass for a March 16, 2019 flight from Copenhagen to San Francisco is marked for secondary screening. (Courtesy Andreas Gal) In the 10 years prior to becoming a citizen, Gal said he made about 100 international trips, all without incident. "They told me at the border, even as a U.S. citizen, I don't have any rights to an attorney," Gal, who became a U.S. citizen three years ago, said. "I told them I wanted to speak to an attorney. Then they said they would keep my devices and I said I don't consent to it but I would comply." "I think by me resisting their unlawful demands, I think at some point they saw there's nothing further they can do or say to change my mind and then they decided to let me go," he said. He said in the end he was able to keep his devices and never unlocked them for the agents or handed over his passwords. As Gal was leaving, the CBP agents confiscated his Global Entry card and revoked his status. Global Entry is a program administered by CBP which allows pre-screened, low-risk international travelers to skip security lines upon arrival in the U.S. On his next return from Europe, Gal noticed the code "SSSS" on his boarding pass, indicating a secondary security screening. Prior to the November incident, Gal was never subject to a secondary screening in any of his border crossings back into the U.S., he said. A spokesperson from CBP told ABC News in an email that they could not comment on Gals situation as it is currently under investigation. "However, in general, all travelers arriving to the U.S. are subject to CBP inspection. This inspection may include electronic devices such as computers, disks, drives, tapes, mobile phones and other communication devices, cameras, music and other media players and any other electronic or digital devices," the spokesperson wrote, in part. The CBP spokesperson also said that travelers who do not provide the items requested by their agents may result in the detention and/or seizure of the electronic device. Between 2016 and 2017, CBP had a 59% jump in the number of searches of electronic devices, according to the agencys data. "Approximately 0.007 percent of arriving international travelers processed by CBP officers (more than 397 million) had their electronic devices searched (more than 29,200). In FY16, 0.005 percent of arriving international travelers (more than 390 million) had their electronic devices searched (more than 18,400)," a CBP spokesperson wrote in an email. One of the reasons Gal said he filed the complaint was to find out why he was flagged for detention. "Why me? I'm a boring, middle-aged white male software executive. I'm very average. It's not something I would have expected to experience, to get yelled at by three armed men just because I return home," Gal said. Gal charged that his stop by CBP agents may be because of his work at Mozilla and the company's views on opposing the governments warrantless mass surveillance. (MORE: US Customs and Border Protection detain 9-year-old US citizen for 32 hours without her parents at border) "In the past two years I've been very outspoken on the Trump administration's policies on social media, particularly with respect to Customs and Border Protection and immigration," said Gal. The ACLU complaint states that such searches may unlawfully curb the behavior of citizens like Gal. "Furthermore, singling out a traveler for invasive questioning and search on the basis of his avowed political viewpoints threatens to chill the traveling public from exercising their First Amendment rights publicly as well, the complaint read, in part. Those who expect to travel internationally may self-censor what they say in public, knowing that CBP officers might target those with disfavored political viewpoints for questioning and searches at the border that go beyond immigration or customs matters." Gal said the experience invoked a fear of traveling. "It was a very alarming experience for me," he told ABC News. "There's no such thing as a cursory inspection of the contents of your cell phoneThis is essentially my entire life for the last 10 to 15 years I'm carrying with me on my cell phone. And CBP seems to believe without a court-issued warrant they can inspect the last 10 to 15 years of my life just because I'm travelling internationally." Gal had also alerted his Congresswoman, Jackie Speier, about the incident. Speier contacted CBP about the situation and the agency stood by their inspection of Gal, according to a letter whose contents were shared with ABC News. "If being searched and threatened with criminal prosecution by three armed men for an hour and denied access to a lawyer and then having your Global Entry card and status taken is an inspection without incident I dont want to know what an 'inspection WITH incident' looks like," Gal wrote in a text message to ABC News. Before Timmothy Pitzen case, an eerily similar crime fooled a family originally appeared on abcnews.go.com When it was revealed that a man claiming to be a missing teen was neither him nor a teen, it was shocking that such a deception could be considered. But, a similar situation happened before. Though the details in the case of Brian Michael Rini, the 23-year-old man from Ohio who claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen, boy a who went missing when he was 6 years old and would now be 14, are still being worked through, there is another infamous case of a young man pretending to be a teen. PHOTO: Frederic Bourdin, 31, is pictured in a courtroom in France, Sept. 15, 2005. (Jean-louis Duzert/AFP/Getty Images, FILE) It was 1994 when 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay disappeared in Texas. The lives of the Barclay family were turned upside down when three years later, they found out that a boy claiming to be their son was discovered in Spain. The boy was, in fact, a 23-year-old French man named Frederic Bourdin, who, in his lifetime, has professed to allegedly adopt hundreds of other false identities. In the case where Bourdin alleged was Barclay, he ended up traveling to Texas and living with the missing boy's family for five months before a private investigator determined through DNA testing that he was not the missing child in spite of early contradictions, like him having a French accent and brown eyes rather than Nicholas' blue eyes. According to an interview that Bourdin gave to The New Yorker in 2008, he found Barclay's identity by calling the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and giving a physical description of himself which an operator said sounded similar to that of the missing boy. Shortly after being discovered, Bourdin pleaded guilty to perjury and lying on a passport application. He was sentenced to just under six years in prison, according to court documents. Those court documents also list 10 aliases for Bourdin from his other schemes. Bourdin's case, which was later the subject of a 2012 documentary "The Imposter," is one of the very few cases where someone who asserts that they are a missing child and leads to a criminal charge. Story continues Most recently, the case of Rini telling FBI agents that he was Pitzen. PHOTO: An undated handout photo made available on April 5, 2019, by Belmont Correctional Institution, Ohio, shows Brian Michael Rini. (Belmont Correctional Institution/EPA via Shutterstock) Angeline Hartmann, the communications director at the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children, called the Bourdin case an outlier and noted that while the details of the Rini case are still being determined, the fact that it seems that the two individuals Bourdin and Rini appeared to intentionally lie about their identities was horrible. Both situations, its just heartbreaking to think about what these families have gone through, Hartmann told ABC News. (MORE: FBI says that the person claiming to be missing teen Timmothy Pitzen is not him) Rather than having many cases where individuals intentionally lie about their identities, she said that its more common to have people genuinely believe that they might be a missing person, and later have that either proven or disproven. Our experience has been that people have come forward when they dont know who they are and they say, I think I might be the missing child, and they might be wrong, she said. One successful case that Hartmann pointed to was that of Carlina White, a woman who was kidnapped from a Harlem hospital as a newborn only to discover later that the woman who raised her was not her biological mother. PHOTO: Carlina White, kidnapped from Harlem Hospital in 1987, is shown in this Jan. 19, 2011, photo. (Julia Xanthos/New York Daily News via Getty Images, FILE) It wasnt until White was 23 years old when she looked through photos on the centers website and found a picture of a newborn that looked like her own daughter. White called up the Center's hotline and said that she might be the missing child. (MORE: Police Hunt Woman Who Raised Kidnapped Carlina White) That happens often," Hartmann said of cases where people call into the hotline thinking they may be a missing child. Sometimes they're right and sometimes they're wrong, but this is unique, she said of Rinis case. According to Ben Glassman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Rini "had actually on two prior occasions claimed to be a victim of juvenile sex trafficking." In those cases, which took place in northern Ohio on dates that were not publicly released Rini's identity was determined when his fingerprints were tested by authorities, Glassman said. 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) In this week's case, Rini refused to give his fingerprints to law enforcement officials, but he did allow them to swab him for DNA testing. "I think there were suspicions relatively quickly, if for no other reason than he declined to be fingerprinted," Glassman said at a news conference Friday. Glassman said that on multiple occasions Rini had identified himself as Pitzen to FBI agents after the agents had identified themselves. After the DNA test was completed and the results confirmed Rini's true identity, an FBI agent reminded him that it was a crime to lie to a federal agent, and read him his Miranda rights. "Nevertheless, he again said that he was Timmothy Pitzen," Glassman said, noting that agents "confronted him with the DNA results and at that point, the person stated immediately that he was not Timmothy Pitzen." PHOTO: Brian Rini is pictured in an undated handout photo provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in Cincinnati. (Hamilton County Sheriff) Rini now faces a federal criminal charge for lying to a federal agent, which is punishable with up to eight years in prison. Glassman noted the possible sentence is a reflection of the fact that Rini is accused of "lying about a material matter that involves the sex trafficking of children." For their part, relatives of Pitzen gave a statement Thursday after the DNA test made it clear he was not a match. Before Rinis charges were announced, they expressed their disappointment and their empathy for Rini. "We hope that everyone will join us in praying for the young man," Pitzen's aunt Kara Jacobs said. When Henry Winkler returns to HBO on Sunday as the acting teacher Gene Cousineau in the dark comedy series Barry, he will have his dyslexia to thank. Well, maybe not directly. But the actor, now 73, sees his lifelong learning challenge as something thats inspired him to achieve so much. I might be successful because I am dyslexic, Winkler says. If I was not dyslexic, and I did not have to fight all the time to figure out another way to do [things], I might not be sitting [here today]. Growing up, adults often thought that he was stupid, he recalls. When you have a learning challenge, you dont know why you cant figure it out, he says. Education was so important to my parents. When I didnt do well, I was an embarrassment to them. He stresses that learning challenges, whether dyslexia or something else, present themselves differently for everyone. Sometimes when I read, I fall asleep within four minutes, he says. Math, you literally cannot compute. Spelling, cannot sound the word out. When it came to pursuing a career in acting, Winkler faced constant hurdles. I learned through my ears. I would read the script out loud over and over again. I was embarrassed a lot, because I could not read and act at the same time, so I just improvised. Henry Winkler leaves 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' at the Ed Sullivan Theater on April 2, 2019 in New York City. (Photo: James Devaney/GC Images) Thats exactly what he did for his audition at Yale, when found himself rewriting Shakespeare, and just kind of making it up as he went along. Somehow, I got in, he says. When you want something badly enough, you figure out how to negotiate your own challenge to make it work. Winkler soon went to New York and did commercials, saving just enough money to head to California for a month. Within two weeks, he got his first big break, in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Two weeks after, that I auditioned for Happy Days, which of course he got, with the role that would make him an icon: the Fonz. For the next 10 yearsmy job was to be confident. As the Fonz, I was everybody I dreamt of being but wasnt, he says of the super-cool, leather-jacket wearing 1950s greaser. Now, with his role on Barry, he says, I am getting to be the actor I dreamt of being when I was 27, when I got the Fonz. Story continues Winkler would not find out until age 31 that his learning issue actually had a name: dyslexia. It made me angry, he admits. All that humiliation was for nothing. Henry Winkler as Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli of "Happy Days" in 1984. (AP Photo/File) Years later, he was able to turn that simmering anger into power for other children who struggled with similar issues, by penning a book series for children, about a character named Hank Zipzer, with his writing partner Lin Oliver. He says he began hearing right away from children who wondered how he understood them so well. I just know, at 73, what it is to be that 8-year-old who struggled to figure it out, he says. Outside of my family, I am the proudest of those books, bar none, no matter what else I have accomplished, he says. And Ive had a pretty unbelievable life, that I was told Id never have. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. (Adds quotes, details) ANKARA, April 4 (Reuters) - Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems, which has raised tensions with Washington, is a "done deal" and cannot be canceled, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday. The United States and Turkey have been at loggerheads over Ankara's decision to purchase the S-400s, which are not compatible with NATO systems. Washington has warned that going forward with the deal could result in U.S. sanctions. Washington has urged Turkey to purchase Raytheon Co Patriot defense systems instead of the S-400s, but Ankara has said that, even though it would like to make such a deal, it would only be possible if the right terms were agreed upon. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of a visit to the United States, Cavusoglu said Turkey would like to purchase the Patriot systems, but it would not back out of its deal with Russia. "We have told them I don't know how many months ago or years ago that it's a done deal, so we cannot cancel it," Cavusoglu said. He said Turkey had received a new offer for the Patriot systems from the United States, which included prices and delivery dates, but added that they would negotiate. However, Cavusoglu said the United States could not guarantee it would be able to sell the Patriot systems to Ankara due to an impasse in the U.S. Congress. "The real problem is this: even today, the United States cannot give guarantees about selling the Patriots to Turkey. Can they give them tomorrow? They cant guarantee it. Then who will meet my needs?" he said. On Wednesday, Cavusoglu said Turkey had proposed forming a working group with the U.S. administration to ensure that the S-400 poses no threat to U.S. or NATO military equipment. He added that both the administration and Turkey should explain to the Congress why Turkey bought the S-400s. Cavusoglu also said Turkey's relations with Russia were not an alternative to its alliances with NATO or its partnerships and ambitions with the European Union. "We made our choice a long time ago, and now we need to have good relations with everybody and we have to balance that," he said. "We don't have to choose between this and that, but we have already made out decision and became a NATO ally." (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; editing by John Stonestreet and Tom Brown) Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - Eleven out of 14 armed groups that signed last month's peace deal in Central African Republic (CAR) have demanded that Prime Minister Firmin Ngrebada step down, according to a statement seen by AFP Tuesday. "Firmin Ngrebada is no longer credible, he is therefore no longer our discussion partner for pursuing the process and must be replaced as prime minister," they said. Armed groups in the peace deal are attending a followup meeting in Addis Ababa under the aegis of the African Union. Their statement, which was dated Monday, called for the formation of a "government of national unity" and for "direct talks" with President Faustin-Archange Touadera. The peace deal was signed in the CAR capital Bangui on February 6 after it had been concluded in negotiations in Sudan. The pact -- the eighth since 2012 in the conflict-wracked, impoverished state -- brought together the CAR government and 14 armed groups who control most of the country. The agreement called for a series of confidence-building measures, such as establishing joint patrols and the creation of a truth and justice commission within 90 days. - 'Inclusive' - Under the peace accord's provisions, Touadera agreed to form an "inclusive" government. But within weeks, the deal was under strain -- five militia groups either pulled out of the new government or rejected its makeup. Ministers in sensitive key posts all kept their jobs, while six of the 14 armed groups obtained no post at all. CAR has been struggling to recover from the bloodletting that erupted when former president Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown in 2013 by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. Former colonial ruler France intervened militarily under a UN mandate, pushing the Seleka from power, and a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSCA, was established to help restore stability. Despite the elections in 2016 that brought Touadera to power, the country remains convulsed by violence. Story continues Armed groups, typically claiming to defend an ethnic or religious group, control about 80 percent of the CAR, often fighting over access to the country's mineral wealth. The conflict has left thousands dead and forced a quarter of the population of 4.5 million from their homes. The new statement said the Khartoum agreement was "still valid" but the government that followed it was "stillborn". Its 11 signatories include two out of the three biggest ex-Seleka groups -- the Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC) and the Patriotic Movement for Central Africa (MPC). The other ex-Seleka major group, the Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central Africa (FPRC), led by Noureddine Adam, did not sign the statement. Two groups from the so-called anti-balaka movement, which emerged to fight the Seleka, also did not put their names to the communique. In Addis Ababa, the UA's commissioner for peace and security, Smail Chergui, who is also chief mediator in the follow-up meeting, tweeted on Tuesday that he had met with Ngrebada "to exchange views on opportunities for fast tracking implementation of the #RCA Peace Agreement". 63-year-old man dies after allegedly being punched by Mexican actor Pablo Lyle originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A 63-year-old man died at a Miami hospital on Thursday just days after he was allegedly punched in the face by a Mexican celebrity during a road rage incident, officials said. The incident happened Sunday evening, according to the Miami Police Department. Pablo Lyle, a 32-year-old Mexican actor who was visiting Miami, was on his way to the Miami International Airport with his family when the car he was traveling in cut off another vehicle on the Dolphin Expressway. When the two vehicles came to a stop at a traffic light, the driver of the other vehicle, identified as Juan Ricardo Hernandez, got out and banged on the window of Lyle's car while shouting and swearing, a witness told police. Two other witnesses told police they saw Lyle punch Hernandez, who was knocked unconscious. Lyle then ran back to his vehicle and urged the driver to take off, a witness told police. (MORE: Man arrested in road rage killing of 10-year-old girl) Police said Hernandez suffered a fracture to the right side of his skull, which caused internal bleeding. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Lyle and the driver surrendered to police a couple hours later after dropping Lyle's family off at the Miami International Airport. In his sworn statement to police, Lyle admitted to punching Hernandez one time before the man dropped to the ground. Lyle told police that he feared for the safety of his family, including his son who was sitting in the backseat of their vehicle. Lyle told police that he believed Hernandez was going to strike first because the man put his hands up when Lyle confronted him. (MORE: Suspected drunk driver hits, kills baby in shopping cart) Lyle was arrested early Monday morning and later appeared in Miami-Dade County court. He faces one count of felony battery and was released after posting $5,000 bond. He was allowed to return to Mexico, according to court records. Hernandez died at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami on Thursday, a hospital spokesperson told ABC News. Police said they are now investigating the case as a homicide. Attorney information for Lyle was not available. Algiers (AFP) - For weeks, expat Algerians have been streaming home, some just for the weekend, to play their part in the historic changes sweeping the country. "I took unpaid leave to come and march in Algeria, to be here physically," said Chahrazade Kaci, who arrived back from London just days before president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in the face of huge protests. "It's a duty," said Kaci, 52, who has spent almost half her life in the British capital since going into exile at the height of Algeria's 1990s civil war. Sports shoes on her feet and an Algerian flag draped over her shoulders, she held aloft a sign in English: "Call to all Algerians living abroad -- return home and support our citizens in their struggle to build the 2nd republic." Kaci was one of many returnees among the immense crowd that filled the streets of Algiers on Friday, the first mass demonstration since Bouteflika announced on Tuesday he was stepping down after two decades in power. Flying in from Europe, the Gulf and North America, some have used up annual leave or taken extra time off work to take part. "Since February 22, I haven't been able to sleep," Kaci said, referring to the day of the first mass protests against Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term in office. "I'm addicted to the internet, I follow developments 24 hours a day and I don't miss anything on social media," Kaci said. She was joined in the crowd by her former husband Salah Allali, who had flown in from Qatar, while her daughter Nada, who was born in Britain, and nephew Yazi Nait-Ladjemil had both come from London to take part in the protest. Kaci herself arrived back in Algiers the previous Friday and "joined the march right from the airport", she said. Following Bouteflika's resignation, protestors are now pressing on with calls for sweeping reforms and the departure of key figures in the 82-year-old's entourage. Story continues Bouteflika's departure was "just the beginning," Kaci said. "Still to come is the departure of the rest of the 'gang' and the building of a second republic." Protestors say they want to see the resignations of the powerful "3B" -- Senate speaker Abdelkader Bensalah, head of the constitutional council Tayeb Belaiz and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. - Return and 'rebirth' - Born in Algiers, Kaci studied marine biology, but like many Algerians, left the country when it plunged in the early 1990s into a decade-long civil war that left at least 200,000 people dead. Back in Algiers, returned expats say they are surprised by the country's new-found freedom of speech and the strong presence of women at the vast, largely peaceful marches. Kheira, 65, also took unpaid leave from her job as a teacher in Montreal to take part in "these historic marches". She had moved to Canada in 2000, to be reunited with her children after sending them there at the height of the civil war. "My children have everything there, but they are ready to come work and invest in their country," she said. Former trade unionist Salah Allali, who also sought refuge in Britain in the 1990s, took an extra week of holiday without pay to be able to head home. "The regime must understand that this revolution must end with its departure," he said. Yazid Nait-Ladjemil, who has lived in London for the past two years, took part in several demonstrations organised by Algerians in the British capital, but also returned home to play a role in the protests on the ground. He said he would not rule out a return to his country. "It's a rebirth -- before, (Algeria) was a bit depressing," he said. The demonstrations "give me a sense of hope." Dinard (France) (AFP) - Prominent human rights lawyer Amal Clooney said it had "never been more dangerous to report the news" on Friday as she was appointed special envoy for media freedom by the British government. Clooney has been tasked with heading a new panel of legal experts who will advise the British government on how to encourage other countries to promote transparency and protect media workers. "We are here because it's never been more dangerous to report the news," Clooney told a press conference on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Dinard, northern France. "According to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, in the last five years, we've seen the highest number of journalists imprisoned since their records began over three decades ago," she added. Clooney said her legal panel could propose reforms to repressive laws in countries and she raised the idea of sanctions that could be used on regimes "that have abused journalists." Her experience defending journalists in countries such a Egypt and Myanmar "has shown me how easily vague laws and corrupt courts can be used to silence dissent and muzzle the media." In December last year, Clooney blasted US President Donald Trump for giving a "green light" to regimes to persecute journalists through his anti-press rhetoric. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Friday that "democratic countries need to stand together to make it an international taboo of the highest order to order the arrest or detain journalists for doing their job." (Newser) A North Dakota man charged Friday with killing four people at a business that manages the mobile home park where he lives tried to avoid detection by picking up shell casings, changing his clothing, and cleaning a knife and gun with bleach, according to court documents. Court documents allege that after shooting and stabbing the victims, Chad Isaak, 44, took one of the company's vehicles to drive about one block, then walked to his own truck parked less than a mile away at a McDonald's, per the AP. Authorities traced his steps with help from surveillance video at businesses along the route, the documents say. The affidavit and complaint filed Friday offer the most details yet on a mystery that has gripped the area since authorities found the bodies of four people Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, a town of 22,000 near the capital of Bismarck. story continues below A judge set bond for Isaak at $1 million after a hearing where Morton County Assistant State's Attorney Gabrielle Goter argued that the killings "show a level of preplanning and a level of intent to disguise his actions" that suggested that witnesses could be at risk if he is freed. "It appears that RJR was targeted," said Goter. Isaak's attorney requested $100,000 cash bond, citing "zero criminal history." Isaak, a chiropractor and Navy veteran, faces four counts of murder and other charges. The victims were RJR co-owner Robert Fakler, 52; employee Adam Fuehrer, 42; and married co-workers Lois Cobb, 45, and William Cobb, 50. Fakler had multiple stab wounds. Isaak appeared in court Friday in a black-and-white striped jail uniform and showed no emotion. He spoke only to say, "Yes, sir," when the judge asked him whether he understood the charges. (Read more North Dakota stories.) WASHINGTON (AP) In countless conversations over the past year, former Vice President Joe Biden, his advisers and his broad network of friends and family have openly discussed the vulnerabilities he would face if he ran for president. A voting record that is sometimes at odds with the Democratic Party's leftward shift. His age. And the affectionate brand of politics that has made him beloved by many Democrats and a target of Republicans for years. What Biden likely didn't expect was to be confronting those issues so fully before even launching a campaign. But the vacuum Biden has created by repeatedly pushing back a final decision about a 2020 bid has increasingly been filled with missteps and controversy, most recently the women who say his behavior made them uneasy. As a result, Biden would enter the race as something of a paradox, a popular, deeply experienced front-runner but also a flawed candidate whose weaknesses are on full display. "He has considerable assets, but the downside of 45 years of experience and relationships is 45 years of experience and relationships," said David Axelrod, a longtime political adviser to President Barack Obama. On Friday, Biden will make his first public appearance since several women began recounting their experiences with him. The first was Nevada politician Lucy Flores, who said she was uncomfortable when Biden kissed her on the back of the head backstage at a 2014 campaign event. Her account was countered by scores of women from prominent lawmakers to former Biden staffers who praised him as a warm, affectionate person and a supportive boss. It's unclear whether he will address the situation in his remarks to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He said in acellphone video released Wednesdaythat he understood "social norms have begun to change" and "the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset." Story continues Biden allies insist the eruption has done little to slow down planning for a 2020 campaign. Barring the unforeseen, he is expected to announce his candidacy, perhaps online, after Easter and immediately embark on a trip to early voting caucus and primary states. Those stops would be followed by a ceremonial kickoff. Advisers say they are working to build out a robust campaign staff, including operatives in Iowa and South Carolina, states that are seen as key to his path to the nomination. Women are being considered for key roles, including senior strategist and deputy campaign manager, according to advisers, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the planning publicly. Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens, has long been one of his most trusted political confidantes. His daughter, 37-year-old Ashley Biden, who has largely kept a low profile during her father's political career, may also take on a more prominent role. She has quit her job as a social worker, fueling speculation. But the past few weeks have laid bare the challenges Biden would face. Some women's groups have balked at his attempts to apologize for his role overseeing the Senate hearings in which Anita Hill accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. UltraViolet, the women's advocacy organization, said its message to Biden was "Do better. Do better for women." Biden was also broadly panned following reports that he was considering asking 2018 Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a 45-year-old African American woman, to be his running mate during the Democratic primaries. Abrams herself brushed back the speculation by saying she thought a woman or a minority would be the Democratic Party nominee in 2020. Speaking to MSNBC on Thursday, Abrams offered support for Biden and said Democrats shouldn't "have perfection as a litmus test." But in a sign of the volatility that could be ahead for the Democratic field, Abrams said she doesn't expect to decide whether to launch a presidential bid of her own until the fall, just months before primary voting begins. The rush of attention on Biden's behavior with women has been particularly intense, raising questions about whether his hugs and shoulder squeezes are simply out of a different era or a new front in the MeToo movement that has put a spotlight on the actions of powerful men. "It feels so much like some of the other Me Too stuff that's been floating around, that I'm afraid he might get tarred with that brush whether or not it's really warranted," said Mike Waggoner, a 70-year-old Democrat from Waterloo, Iowa. "This is such a sensitive area and an important area, I'm afraid it could just take him out." As the scrutiny has intensified, Biden has kept the counsel of a small group of advisers who have been with him for years. The team appeared to respond slowly to Flores' assertions, first releasing a brief statement from a spokesman, then a longer statement from Biden himself about 36 hours later. Four more days passed before the former vice president's video response was released. "It is a really difficult period before you announce when you are nonetheless a target," Axelrod said. "You're not wholly in a position to respond and yet you have to, and so that may account for the halting way in which this unfolded." ___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. AP writer Alexandra Jaffe in Waterloo, Iowa, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Julie Pace athttp://twitter.com/jpaceDCand Thomas Beaumont athttp://twitter.com/tombeaumont Washington (AFP) - Democrat Joe Biden, who signaled Friday he was on the cusp of announcing a presidential bid, brushed off allegations of inappropriate conduct with women by joking about hugging in his first public appearance since the accusations broke. The former vice president said he was "very close" to revealing his 2020 plans, and that he and his team were busy "putting everything together." But the will-he-or-won't-he campaign game by the 76-year-old, who is his party's frontrunner in opinion polls despite not officially joining the race, has been clouded by allegations about his behavior with women. Over the past week, Biden has been accused of inappropriately touching women or making them feel uncomfortable with his affection. That was "never my intention," he said at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference in Washington, as he sought, unsuccessfully, to defuse the turmoil. He added that while he "wouldn't be surprised" if more women came forward with similar claims, "I've had hundreds and hundreds of people contact me -- who I don't know -- and say the exact opposite." But while he sought to move past the controversy, the veteran politician made an awkward joke about the situation. After embracing union chief Lonnie Stephenson, Biden turned to the crowd and said "I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie." The overwhelmingly male audience laughed. Further into his speech, he brought young children onstage and repeated a similar joke, before adding: "Everyone knows I like kids more than people." - No outright apology - Biden has said that in his constant effort to make "a human connection," he shakes hands, hugs voters, and sometimes grasps their shoulders in moments of compassion or good will. That behavior has sparked criticism from his own party and its increasingly diverse base, with some saying he is out of step with changing social norms. Story continues Biden addressed the concerns, saying he would likely adjust how he campaigns should he enter the race. But he stopped short of an outright apology to those who have found fault with his actions. "I'm sorry I didn't understand more," Biden told reporters. "I'm not sorry for any of my intentions. I'm not sorry for anything that I've ever done. I've never been disrespectful intentionally, to a man or a woman." After the remarks, two women who had recounted their uncomfortable encounters with Biden made clear they remained troubled. "To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have," tweeted Lucy Flores of Nevada. The former state legislator has accused Biden of smelling her hair and then kissing her head at a 2014 rally when she ran for lieutenant governor. Amy Lappos of Connecticut, who recounted this week that Biden rubbed noses with her, told The Washington Post that the candidate-in-waiting's joke "is a clear indication Biden doesn't get it and doesn't take the voice of the women who have come forward seriously." The fact Biden joked about consent from a child "adds a new level of creepy and gross," she added. - 'Threat to himself' - Biden released a video Wednesday in which he pledged to "be more mindful" about people's personal space going forward. President Donald Trump, who himself has faced accusations of sexual misconduct, was quick to mock Biden on Twitter, dismissing him as a potential challenger in 2020. "I don't see Joe Biden as a threat," Trump told reporters Friday. "I think he's only a threat to himself." Trump later posted what appeared to be a goading tweet just as the Democrat concluded his speech. "I've employed thousands of Electrical Workers. They will be voting for me!" Trump tweeted. In his address, Biden stressed his traditional themes of solidarity, union strength and his family's blue-collar roots. "This country was not built by Wall Street bankers and CEOs and hedge fund managers," Biden said. "It was built by the great American middle class," and the group that forged the country's middle class was "unions," he added. Biden's tactile politics are not the only concern raised by his decades of experience in public life. He faces renewed focus on how, as chairman of a Senate committee, he handled the 1991 hearings featuring Anita Hill, a former aide to then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, whom she accused of sexual harassment. Biden is also under scrutiny for supporting 1990s tough-on-crime legislation that helped create a mass incarceration crisis that disproportionately affected black Americans. President Trump has repeatedly praised the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, often touting the trade deal as one of his administrations major accomplishments. But the trade deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement is not yet a sure thing. Lawmakers in all three countries need to ratify the deal. This week Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican cars or close the border if the country does not crack down on migrants and drugs entering the United States. The president acknowledged concerns about what the move would mean for USMCA on Friday morning. This will supersede USMCA. USMCA is a great deal and its very good for Mexico, but this will supersede USMCA, he said. Plus, some lawmakers including Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) worry Canada wont approve the deal if the U.S. does not lift tariffs on steel and aluminum. Weve gotta get rid of the tariffs or nothings going to happen, said Grassley. You gotta get something done in Canada before June, or theyre going to adjourn and youre not going to get anything until after their election -- then how do you know what youre going to get? You dont have an agreement if you dont get all three countries. The trade deal also faces an uncertain future in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about labor, environmental and enforcement provisions in the trade agreement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Politico before the House takes action, she wants to see Mexico pass and implement labor law reforms. Ill tell you one thing. Its a great deal. If they dont pass it, its purely political, Trump said on Thursday. United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is consistently talking to lawmakers to address their concerns and answer questions about the deal. I dont know of a day that goes by that Im not working on USCMA At a US Chamber of Commerce event this week, the National Economic Council director, Larry Kudlow, urged the business community to help the administration get the deal across the finish line. Story continues I believe USMCA will contribute to growth, said Kudlow. Business groups have already been working to convince lawmakers to support the deal. The Business Roundtable has called on Congress to approve USMCA before the end of the year. The US Chamber of Commerce announced the USMCA Coalition, made up of more than 200 businesses and associations, to advocate for the trade deal. The Pass USCMA Coalition also launched earlier this year, with the sole goal of pushing for USMCA passage. We see ourselves complementing the other folks that are out there, said Rick Dearborn, the Pass USMCA executive director. Dearborn previously served as deputy chief of staff to President Trump. Former Democratic Congressman Joe Crowley, and former Commerce Secretary Gary Locke serve as co-chairs of the coalition. Pass USMCA is made up of dozens of businesses, trade associations and advocacy groups -- including Dow, the National Association of Manufacturers, Dominos and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Dearborn said the lobbying effort as constant. I dont know of a day that goes by that Im not working on USMCA, said Dearborn. Dearborn said his goal is to educate lawmakers many of whom have never voted on a major trade deal. Going up on the Hill, trying to provide really good straightforward facts and figures and data about what the agreement means and what its going to mean for the workers back in their districts and state and the economy, said Dearborn. The Pass USMCA Coalition has also launched advertising campaigns in support of the deal. Full fighting force of the North American labor movement While the business community rallies support for the deal, the USMCA faces opposition from labor groups. "The fact that the business community is investing so much money in a campaign to get the new NAFTA ratified quickly and with minimal scrutiny says at least two things. First, that this deal isnt a radical change from the current NAFTA. Second, they dont want the deals flaws, including rules that favor Big Pharma and Big Data companies over working families, to become well-known, said AFL-CIO trade specialist Celeste Drake, in a statement to Yahoo Finance. Dearborn told Yahoo Finance he thinks the new trade agreement is good for organized labor. Whether youre a union member or not, your options and your opportunity are exponentially greater underneath this deal, said Dearborn. The AFL-CIO disagrees. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has threatened the full fighting force of the North American labor movement if the Trump administration does not add stronger labor and enforcement provisions to the deal. With the changes we are calling for, this deal has the potential to be an improvement over the original NAFTA. But if members of Congress bend to the will of these pro-USMCA coalitions, they will give away a historic chance to demonstrate that they stand with working families, said Drake. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday. The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power. Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP. "At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul. Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira lost 30 percent of its value. Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later president. In Istanbul, CHP candidate Imamoglu and the AKP's Binali Yildirim both declared victory when preliminary results showed them in a dead heat. The AKP later appealed saying it had found irregularities in tens of thousands of votes. Imamoglu's party said on Saturday he was still ahead by close to 18,000 votes with half of the recount completed. He has said he expects the recount to be finished by the end of the weekend, but the AKP could still appeal again to the Supreme Electoral Council. Celik said the AKP would still control districts and municipal councils in both of the key cities even if they lost the mayor's offices. But he said the party would not deliberately block opposition mayor's agendas. Erdogan, in power for 16 years, fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey where he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation's survival. BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - The families of murdered Slovak and Maltese journalists on Friday backed Romania's former chief anti-graft prosecutor's bid to become the EU's first fraud prosecutor - against the wishes of her country's government. The EU wants to set up the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) next year to tackle graft, VAT fraud and other crimes involving the bloc's multi-billion-euro joint budget, and Laura Codruta Kovesi is a frontrunner for the job. During Kovesi's five-year tenure as head of Romania's DNA anti-corruption office, conviction rates for political graft jumped, drawing praise from the European Union, civil society groups and investors. But her EPPO bid is opposed by Romania's ruling Social Democrats, who forced her out of the DNA last year. Kovesi is backed by the European Parliament, while France's candidate Jean-Francois Bohnert has already been named the preferred candidate of the Council of EU member states. In an open letter to the EU Council on Friday, the families of murdered journalists Jan Kuciak, from Slovakia, and Malta's Daphne Caruana Galizia urged member states to choose the Romanian. They called her "the bravest and most distinguished candidate ... who has shown herself willing to bring charges forward when all other institutions within a member state have failed to act. "...A collapse in the rule of law in our countries (...) led to the murders of our family members (...). De facto immunity from prosecution emboldened their murderers, who operated complex cross-border rackets that should fall under the EPPO's mandate." Caruana Galizia, who penned an anti-corruption blog, was killed by a car bomb near the Maltese capital Valletta in October 2017 - a murder that raised questions about the rule of law on the Mediterranean island. Three men suspected of having been commissioned to carry out the killing have been arrested. They have pleaded not guilty. Kuciak reported on fraud cases involving politically connected businessmen before he was found shot dead at home with his fiancee in February 2018. The murders, for which five people have been charged, stoked public anger over perceived corruption in Slovakia. (Reporting By Tatiana Jancarikova; editing by John Stonestreet) Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty Images WASHINGTON Amid intensifying warnings about foreign spies and criminals infiltrating new 5G networks and the military supply chain, the Pentagon has been considering publicly releasing a blacklist of companies it believes could pose risks to its weapons based on using risky suppliers. The Defense Department is considering a long-debated proposal for publicly blackballing companies with risky supply chains, multiple sources in government and the private sector told Yahoo News. However, the sources cautioned that the blacklist, at least as discussed, isnt likely to be implemented anytime soon, given the difficulties of enforcing it with an interconnected global military supply chain estimated at some $100 billion. "The Department of Defense continually reviews and assesses various supply chain risk factors when deciding what courses of action to take in defense of our national security, wrote Lt Col Mike Andrews, a department spokesman, in an email to Yahoo News. The Department of Defense continues to work through the interagency process to communicate on such matters with other Federal agencies, Congress, and industry for improved protection across the National Security Innovation Base." The proposed blacklist comes as the U.S. government has doubled down in recent months on what it regards as a growing threat of foreign adversaries spying on private sector companies important to infrastructure and defense. One of the main concerns of the Trump administration has been about Chinas growing dominance in 5G, the next generation of mobile communications, which will allow for lightning-fast downloads and futuristic smart cities. China, officials say, is the primary threat and they point to a growing list of indictments for industrial espionage and theft of trade secrets from the Department of Justice that illustrates that reality. Supply chain cannot be that fuzzy word were uncomfortable with, said Bill Evanina, acting director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, speaking in Washington at an event earlier this month. The mistakes weve made for decades have to be fixed. Story continues Trying to guard the supply chain is no easy task. At Lockheed Martin, one of the Pentagons largest contractors, there are over 20,000 different companies in the supply chain, according to James Connelly, the companys vice president and chief information security officer, speaking at the same event. The threats appear to be growing as defense companies increasingly rely on a complex network of suppliers for both hardware and software. Last week, for example, Vices Motherboard reported that sophisticated hackers used Taiwanese technology company ASUSs software to push malicious security updates to thousands of its customers computers last year. In January, the Justice Department indicted Huawei for stealing data from T-Mobile, and in 2018, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warned that Russian hackers were targeting suppliers for energy utility companies to access and surveil the industrial control systems. A staff member of Huawei uses her mobile phone at the Huawei Digital Transformation Showcase in Shenzhen, in China's Guangdong province, on March 6, 2019. (Photo: Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images) The administration appears to be making a concerted effort to focus on supply-chain issues. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has designated April National Supply Chain Integrity Month, and the Department of Homeland Security in November formed a Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force. Also, a new Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Council will meet for the first time this month. But blacklisting a company because of its supply-chain risks may prove to be difficult to implement. Although such a blacklist might be helpful for counterintelligence, naming and shaming U.S. companies will open up the government to lawsuits. An alleged offender determined to make a sale could disappear and reappear under a slightly different name months later, said one senior national security official. But for companies operating in a global marketplace, the process for engaging with the Pentagon on mitigating supply-chain risks can be opaque. Since 2015, the Pentagon has reserved the power to block companies from getting military contracts based on what it deems a supply chain risk without providing transparency on how companies can allay those concerns. For the government, whose national security officials see security threats around every corner, the black box strategy makes sense as a way to avoid tipping off the adversary on how to evade scrutiny. However, it has made life difficult for the many companies hoping to do legitimate business around the world. In some ways, the desire to come up with a blacklist of companies with supply risks mirrors the White Houses approach to 5G. Although the issue of commercial 5G is distinct from that of the supply chain blacklist, which would be limited to Pentagon contractors, securing future networks and ensuring the supply chain for U.S. weapons are linked. Both efforts have required a broad but still undefined strategy beyond bans and blacklists, say officials, who acknowledge there are few easy solutions. The Trump White House has reportedly planned to place a ban on Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE for their 5G development, but no executive order has been issued. More recently, senior U.S. national security officials have insisted that the Trump White House strategy on defending future 5G networks is country and company agnostic. Meanwhile, rolling back Chinas 5G dominance may prove difficult. Huawei and ZTE have already made deals with countries around the world to implement 5G technology for cheaper costs and with better technology and key allies like the United Kingdom and Germany dont appear to be onboard with the White Houses approach. ZTE's company logo displayed on a smartphone. (Photo: Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Although the U.Ks National Cyber Security Centre declared Huawei products insecure and open to possible vulnerabilities, the U.K. government has not come down hard against working with Huawei on 5G. German officials have also expressed public hesitation about banning Huawei from German networks. Upal Basu, of NGP Capital, the investing arm backed by Nokia that has invested in companies in the United States and China, says the focus should be on the United States working to maintain its own advantage in 5G instead of focusing on Huawei. Huawei, he argues, has become a scapegoat due to its murky connections to the Chinese government. Our desire is that this network rolls out quickly and the policy does not slow this down, he told Yahoo News. The United States can try to impose requirements on allies that thou shalt not use Huawei, he said, but its hard to convince other countries of that position amid the ongoing trade war with China and the competitive package Huawei is offering. Instead, he argues, the United States should invest in its own 5G networks. The resistance to an outright ban on Chinese companies and 5G may be making an impact on U.S. strategy. It seems they are getting cold feet, said retired Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, a former National Security Council official focused on 5G and emerging threats. There is no agreement within the White House on how to deal with the 5G issue, said James Lewis, the director of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Just that Huawei is a risk that we need to do something about. The barriers to coming up with a solution to supply-chain security could prove similar to what happened with 5G: Bans and blacklists sound like easy fixes, but they end up being complex to implement and politically sensitive. Instead, top intelligence officials have been forced to turn to the private sector, where the vulnerable underbelly of government security is located. I hear CEOs say, Hey, we have the best cyber program, said Evanina, the FBI official. What about [human resources], your procurement and acquisition folks? Thats your weakest link ... how much [counterintelligence] training do they get? _____ Read more from Yahoo News: By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK, April 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The lakefront Minnesota city of Duluth has some of the coldest temperatures outside Alaska in the United States, and gets more than seven feet (2 m) of snow each winter on average. But Harvard professor Jesse Keenan thinks the frigid city may eventually prove an appealing relocation destination for Florida residents, as climate change brings increasingly unbearable heat to already warm parts of the United States. "If you're Florida ... (the predictions) should be quite unnerving," the expert in climate adaptation and design said in a telephone interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation. As climate change brings more stifling summers, worse flooding from storms and rising sea level, crueler droughts and ever-longer allergy seasons, what Americans consider a nice place to live may shift, along with Americans themselves. Some of the changes won't be by choice, scientists warn. As many as 13 million Americans could be displaced by rising seas alone by 2100, 6 million of them in Florida, according to estimates published in 2017 in the journal Nature Climate Change. That, planners say, presents an opportunity for cities such as Duluth and New York's Buffalo, which are already launching efforts to rebrand themselves as destinations of the future in a climate-changed world. DISBELIEF When Duluth's mayor, Emily Larson, first heard of Keenan's proposition that her city of 86,000 could be one of the best choices for climate migrants, her reaction was "astonishment," she said. But Keenan sees some northern Rust Belt cities - which stretch from the Midwest to parts of the Northeast - as natural destinations in a hotter world. The Rust Belt lost jobs and population starting in the 1950s as industries moved overseas, and some of its cities still have more buildings and infrastructure than they can use. Duluth, for instance, was planned for a population of 120,000 people - something it has yet to achieve. Story continues To show how an underutilized city such as Duluth might be repurposed, Keenan has created computer renderings of what it might look like if it becomes a major draw for climate migrants. One rendering shows downtown Duluth with new structures - represented by gray blocks wedged amid historic landmark buildings - that could help accommodate tens of thousands of new residents fleeing climate pressures. Zack Filipovich, a Duluth city councilor, worries what that influx would mean for his city's downtown ensemble of government buildings, designed about a century ago by prominent architect Daniel Burnham and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Utilitarian housing for new arrivals could cause the city to "lose some of our charm," he said in a telephone interview - though he said he still sees benefits from the city having a larger population. In Buffalo, another city Keenan considers promising for climate migrants, under-used roads and public transport testify to the city's more populous heyday as a steel powerhouse. It, like Duluth, nestles along the Great Lakes, which contain 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater, a significant attraction in a potentially hotter world. Both cities also are healthcare hubs and have nearby major economic centers - Minneapolis for Duluth and Toronto for Buffalo, Keenan said. A woman and dog walk in the snow during a winter storm in Buffalo, New York, U.S., January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario PROMOTION PUSH Buffalo's mayor began publicly talking about the city's future potential earlier this year. "Based on scientific research, we know that Buffalo will be a climate refuge city for centuries to come," he said in a February speech. Brendan Mehaffy, executive director of the mayor's office of strategic planning, said top city officials had been briefed to talk positively about the city's potential appeal in a climate-changed world. Buffalo often "takes the shots" for its reputation for heavy snow, he added. A 1977 blizzard saw parts of the city buried under 30 feet of cement-like snow. But predictions of more clement weather could change that. "Our climate ... will be different in 20 to 30 years' time and could be very beneficial for certain types of businesses and certain types of lifestyle," he said. Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, co-author of a government report on the impacts of climate by region in the United States, said the report offered hints about areas that may become climate sweetspots. The National Climate Assessment, published last year, warned of growing water scarcity in large swathes of the southwest and the northwest, more people exposed to illnesses such as Lyme disease in the southeast, flooding in the northeast, and declining harvests in the Midwest as temperatures rise. Coastal and island communities also could suffer higher storm surges and heavier precipitation, it said. "To look for places that are potential climate havens, we have to look for locations where key resources, such as water, will not be short in the future and where extremes are not already overwhelming," Hayhoe said. SPACE TO SPARE Cincinnati is another city identified as likely to escape the most extreme climate stresses the National Climate Assessment describes - and it is already looking to promote its unique attributes. One sections of the city's 2018 green plan boasts the title: "Climate Haven" and suggests the city "leverage climate resilience to attract new business and residents." That plan to welcome Americans displaced by extreme weather grew in part from the realization that thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana and Florida in 2005, had relocated to Ohio, said Oliver Kroner, sustainability coordinator for the city. Cincinnati's green plan notes that Ohio faces fewer climate-related threats than all but a handful of other U.S. states and is therefore "well suited to serve as a climate haven." It speaks of the importance of offering affordable housing and emphasizes the "economic opportunities if Cincinnati is prepared to market itself" to businesses seeking to set up outside disaster-prone areas. Like Buffalo, Cincinnati's metropolitan area was built for more people than its nearly 300,000 residents, Kroner said. Its population has declined by about 40 percent from a 1950 peak, largely due to falling demand for manufacturing workers, according to the Cincinnati Museum Center. There are up to 40,000 vacant housing units across the wider county, Kroner added. "We're interested in returning to the economic strength that we have had in the past," he said. DUST BOWL REDUX? But not all cities that have looked into becoming climate havens think constructing a tailor-made plan for climate migrants makes sense. In Portland, municipal chief sustainability officer Michele Crim said authorities decided to keep tabs on climate migration starting about a decade ago. Oregon's largest city, which has 630,000 residents, has been identified by experts as a likely climate refuge, and has partnered with universities to explore the idea. But researchers concluded climate migrants in the fast-growing Pacific Northwest would be "noise lost in other migration," Crim said. The region is already experiencing strong growth, in part because of rising economic opportunities, with Portland projected to add 260,000 new residents between 2010 and 2035. Geographer Robert McLeman, who has studied the 1930s Dust Bowl migration, which saw 2.5 million people flee drought-stricken U.S. Plains states, said more urban planners need to begin preparing for waves of climate migrants. But potential refuge cities may struggle to build costly infrastructure, such as water treatment plants and gas and electricity supplies, without a large enough tax base ahead of time to pay for them, said the associate professor of environmental migration at Canada's Wilfrid Laurier University. And with researchers predicting that nearly 2 million residents of Florida's Miami-Dade County could face coastal flooding by 2100, McLeman said the scale of needed preparations is daunting. "If a city the size of Miami has to be relocated, heaven help the United States," he said. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo @sebastienmalo, Editing by Laurie Goering. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers climate change, humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate) (Newser) Ecuador has denied a claim by WikiLeaks that Julian Assange is about to be expelled from the country's embassy in London. WikiLeaks had tweeted Friday that its founder would be kicked out of the embassy within "hours to days." Late Friday, NBC reports, Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Assange and WikiLeaks have shown "ingratitude and disrespect" toward the country that has sheltered him by giving credence to rumors that he would be turned over to British authorities. Assange has been holed up in the embassy since 2012. Britain's foreign secretary said Friday that Assange is "a free man, he can leave that embassy whenever he wants to," but Assange seems unlikely to fall for that: Britain also has said he'll be arrested on a charge of skipping bail. story continues below Police were stationed outside the London embassy after WikiLeaks' tweet, per the Hill. Officers confirmed to reporters that they'll arrest Assange if he leaves diplomatic soil. He also could be extradicted to the US over WikiLeaks' publication of classified military and diplomatic cables. Ecuador has protected him from those fates, and pointed out in the statement that it "has made significant expenditures to pay for his stay." In return for helping WikiLeaks, the country said it has "endured its rudeness." (Read more Julian Assange stories.) A section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Credit: Chess Ocampo/Shutterstock.com A section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Credit: Chess Ocampo/Shutterstock.com The Democratic-led House of Representatives sued the Trump administration on Friday over the presidents plan to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year in order to secure billions of dollars in funding for the wall, a move that Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, immediately decried as usurping the Houses spending powers. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, says the Trump administration initially sought $5 billion from Congress to deliver on the presidents campaign promise to build a border wall. When he didnt get his way, the House argues, the administration went ahead and announced it would spend federal dollars on wall construction anyway. In doing so, the Administration flouted fundamental separation-of-powers principles and usurped for itself legislative power specifically vested by the Constitution in Congress, the complaint said. Even the monarchs of England long ago lost the power to raise and spend money without the approval of Parliament. Several agency heads and their departments are named as defendants in the suit. Defendants include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Trumps emergency declaration is facing several other legal challenges, including one from a coalition of state attorneys general. The group of states, led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, claims the administration is unlawfully diverting funds that would have been dedicated to law enforcement, drug interdiction, and military construction projects. Read the lawsuit: Read more: Third Federal Judge Strikes Down Citizenship Question on US Census Judges Have No Inherent Power to Disclose Grand Jury Records: DC Circuit Barr Eyes Ex-White House Lawyer for Top Justice Department Post Tehran (AFP) - Iranian authorities ordered the evacuation of six cities along the Karkheh river in southwestern Khuzestan province on Saturday after more rain sparked fears of new flooding, state news agency IRNA said. Six cities alongside Karkheh river in southwestern Iran "must be evacuated as soon as possible," Khuzestan governor Gholamreza Shariati told IRNA. The oil-rich province of Khuzestan has an extensive range of dams, which have swelled upstream due to fresh downpours. The floodwater's intensity has forced authorities to open emergency discharges at Karkheh dam, one of the largest in the area, thus sparking fears of fresh flooding. The situation appears to be "critical", he said. "We advise all women and children to be evacuated to shelters and youngsters to remain and help," he added. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned that up to 400,000 people in Khuzestan could be exposed to the floods, IRNA reported. Iran, a usually arid country, has been hit by unprecedented flooding across most of the country since mid-March with 70 people killed, according to the country's emergency services. Heavy rain was forecast for Saturday in Khuzestan. The country's northeast was swamped on March 19 before the west and southwest of the country were inundated on March 25, killing a total of 45 people. On April 1 the west and southwest were again swamped by floods when heavy rains returned to the area. The government said the flooding had damaged nearly 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) of roads, or 36 percent of the country's entire network. The worst hit in the latest deluge was Lorestan Province where in some cities whole neighbourhoods were washed away and many villages are still cut off. Fourteen deaths have been reported from Lorestan so far. Tripoli (AFP) - The sudden offensive against Tripoli by Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has taken pro-government forces and the international community by surprise. But is he really capable of seizing the Libyan capital? - Why the lightning assault? - Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army launched the assault on Thursday as UN 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 believes that "a national conference is a forum in which all the actors must... show they are willing to accept his absolute supremacy," said Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow at The Hague-based Clingendael Institute. The offensive came weeks after Haftar and key rival Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads the Tripoli-based UN-backed Government of National Accord, met in Abu Dhabi in February to discuss the creation of a new government in which he would be represented. "Because the new government negotiated at Abu Dhabi was not revealed, Haftar felt that Tripoli players had not submitted enough to him ahead of the national conference," added Harchaoui. "So he chose military force to change the facts on the ground." Analysts also believe Haftar wants to affirm his military clout after launching successful operations in the east and the south of the country -- spurred by the fact that the international community failed to react to those past offensives. He has been encouraged by "the silence of the international community during the previous operations, especially in the south" where he struck tribal alliances, said Tarek Megerisi, an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Timing the assault to coincide with Guterres's visit was an act of defiance. "Haftar made major mistakes. He underestimated the reaction of the foreign powers, being even so daring as to choose the day (Guterres) arrived in Tripoli to order the invasion," said Libyan analyst Kaouthar Hassan. Story continues - Is he capable of seizing Tripoli? - Analysts believe that Haftar over-estimates the strength of his LNA. They say the controversial field marshal, who backs an administration rival to the GNA based in eastern Libya, was counting on a quick collapse of Tripoli militias. But pro-GNA reinforcements from around Tripoli rushed to assist in driving back his forces. Haftar's first setback took place when he seized control of a key checkpoint known as "Bridge 27" less than 30 kilometres (18.5 miles) west of Tripoli. Pro-government forces from the coastal town of Zawiya battled them, retook the base and captured more than 100 of Haftar's men. "Haftar is not capable of waging the battle for Tripoli," said Libyan analyst Farhat Asseid. "He has already faced a moral setback when he hastily decided to attack the checkpoint near Tripoli," he said. Megerisi agreed. "Haftar is not as strong as he appears and cannot in the end deliver stability to Libya," he said. Powerful armed groups from Libya's western city of Misrata have also said they were ready to halt Haftar's "cursed advance". "The Misrata militias are more important (in numbers) than Haftar's forces," said Ali Bensaad, an expert on Libya and professor at the French Institute of Geopolitics. - Is the LNA a real army? - The self-styled LNA is Soviet-trained and made up of former officers from the Libyan army, militiamen, fighters from allied tribes and Salafists. "Despite the effective branding, Haftar is not actually in control of an army in the traditional sense of the term," said Megerisi. "The LNA is a shaky alliance between various militias of tribal, religious and local interests around a core of more traditional forces who themselves are highly compromised by Salafist components." "From an institutional and historical point of view... it is impossible for now to affirm that Haftar was right to present his coalition as a real army with a relatively clear discipline and a clear chain of command," said Harchaoui. For Libyan university professor Ahmad al-Messalati, Haftar "is capable of taking Tripoli but only on one condition", if he manages to form "strong and efficient alliances with certain armed groups" in Tripoli to ensure his forces can enter the capital without bloodshed. In this Feb. 20, 2015, file photo, Alaska Cannabis Club CEO Charlo Greene prepares to roll a joint at the medical marijuana dispensary in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File) Cannabis companies are facing another tax year bogged down by IRS limitations that designate them as drug traffickers and single them out for special treatment. It's crippling to businesses, Michael Raisch, CFO of Colorado-based LivWell Enlightened Health, told Yahoo Finance. It really doesn't allow for the sustainability of these businesses. It's really that onerous. It's just devastating. Raisch said LivWell had been audited by the IRS four years in a row, yet audits are far less of a concern than the tax codes 208(e) limitation that prevents cannabis businesses from filing like the majority of American companies. Added to frustration are banking restrictions that leave no choice for many cannabis business but to pay Uncle Sam in cash. The struggle that cannabis businesses face is that because marijuana is still a Schedule I drug its subject to Internal Revenue Code 280(e), said Dani Espinda, a Washington state CPA who advises cannabis companies. Marijuana businesses are considered to be trafficking in a Schedule I drug, and as long as they're trafficking they cannot take their ordinary and necessary business deductions. Rule 208(e) applies to plant-touching businesses those that grow, process, handle and sell cannabis-containing products as opposed to companies that manufacture and sell peripheral products like processing equipment, vape pens, and other paraphernalia. In this Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, photograph, LivWell store manager Carlyssa Scanlon shows off some of the products available in the marijuana line marketed by rapper Snoop Dogg in one of the marijuana chain's outlets south of downtown Denver. LivWell grows the Snoop pot alongside many other strains on its menu. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Specifically, the rule states that no deductions are allowed for any amount paid or incurred in carrying on any trade or business, if the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances. The only solution to the 280(e) conundrum is to change the law, Raisch said. Cannabis companies and their lobbies are trying to do just that. A renewed push for Congress to adopt the STATES Act Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act was reintroduced Thursday and has bipartisan support from Republicans and Democrats. Story continues Essentially it says if you're in a state where cannabis is a legal substance, and it's a regulated industry, and you are a company that is in good standing with the regulators, then for you in that state it's not a violation of the Controlled substance Act, Raisch explained. A world of tax issues Under the tax code, cannabis businesses are permitted to deduct costs associated with producing their products, though thats where the typical businesses advantages end. That leaves retailers and integrated businesses (those that are involved in multiple steps in the supply and distribution chain) at a disadvantage, compared with growers, Raisch said. If you are an integrated company like we are, or if you are a retail company ... you have a whole bunch of other costs that are not deductible. For example, the rent for my store, the labor for the people who work for me, the cost of their insurance benefits, the 401(K) benefit that I match for those people, none of that's deductible, Reich explained, adding that accounting and marketing costs are also off limits. Everything you can think of thats outside production and manufacturing costs would not be deductible under the IRSs interpretation of 280(e), Reich said. Kyle Sherman, founder and CEO of Flowhub, creates point-of-sale software for cannabis dispensaries. From a tax perspective there isnt too much discrimination for us as a tech company, Sherman said. Our customers are plant-touching and the folks who are plant-touching have a world of tax issues. The essence of the American dream is essentially ruined for them because of 280(e) they find their margins are compressed significantly. Could weed businesses benefit from Trumps tax law? According to Espinada, despite 280(e), the tax code does leave some room for pass-through filers to take advantage of cannabis-related deductions, though she cautions not all tax practitioners agree. Business owners of pass-through entities account for business taxes on their individual returns, rather than on business returns. For the ones that filed as pass-throughs, this is where it gets sticky, Espinada said, explaining that practitioners are divided over the issue. Theres been a bifurcation in how people are filing. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at an event marking the 6-month anniversary of the package of changes to the tax code he signed into law, at the White House in Washington, U.S. June 29, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law in December 2017 by President Donald Trump, QBID or Qualified Business Income Deductions, became effective for the first time in the 2018 tax year. With some limitations, the new rule allows pass-through filers to take a deduction equal to 20% of qualified business income earned from the relevant business. Generally, the deduction is available to individual filers who report income from sole proprietorships on Schedule C, shareholders in S corporations, and members in partnerships, including LLCs. The bifurcation, Espinda said, is based on how practitioners interpret QBID. On one side of the camp, because it's deemed a deduction, many practitioners are saying 280(e) simply states that there's no deduction and or credit allowed, she said. Then you get people on the other side of the camp that say, well this isn't a deduction in the business, this is a deduction on the individual return. We believe that this is okay, Espinda said. Where I think it may be risky taking this deduction on the individual return is because it remains to be seen whether or not the IRS will take a look at the origin of that income and deem it to be trafficking. In response to Yahoo Finances question asking whether Section 208(e) will prevent pass-through filers from deducting cannabis business-related expenses, the IRS declined to comment. Asked about its position on whether corporate and individual tax filers may deduct investment losses for stock purchases in cannabis industry companies, a spokesman for the IRS told Yahoo Finance that the Department was checking into the issue and would respond back if it found any information. Theres really no clear guidance on what to do with that, Espinda said about investors in cannabis companies. So we've been treating that capital gain as a regular capital gain or loss. Espinda said shes explaining the current risks to her clients and advising those who take a pass-through deduction to account for a future tax liability should the IRS rule that cannabis-related deductions are not permitted. We're not obviously able to take losses at the business level on because of 280(e), but for an investor ... when they have sold their stock or membership interest, were not putting any limitations on those capital losses, or gains. Raisch said that Congresss adoption of the STATES Act would mean more opportunities for cannabis companies to participate in the American economy and more opportunities for those businesses to create jobs. Alexis Keenan is a former litigation attorney and previously produced live news for CNN. Follow Alexis on Twitter at @alexiskweed. More from Alexis: Facebook faces potentially dramatic consequences after HUD lawsuit Stormy Danielss lawyer could face uphill battle in Nike extortion case Boeing could face absolutely devastating economic impact after crash Casablanca (Morocco) (AFP) - Dozens of activists linked to the Hirak protest movement that rocked northern Morocco in 2016 and 2017 had prison sentences of up to 20 years upheld by a court of appeal on Friday. The ruling against the 42 protesters in the western city of Casablanca was met with cries of "corrupt state" from relatives. The Al-Hirak al-Shaabi, or "Popular Movement", protests took hold in the country's marginalised Rif region in October 2016. The social unrest was sparked by the death of a fisherman and escalated into a wave of demonstrations demanding more development in the neglected region and railing against corruption and unemployment. Authorities accused the activists of having separatist aims. The sentences were first handed down in June last year, prompting further demonstrations calling for the group's release, backed by human rights organisation such as Amnesty and Human Rights Watch. "There is no hope... this trial has been unfair since the start and that is how it has ended," said defence lawyer Souad Brahma. The movement's leader Nasser Zefzafi and three others received prison terms of 20 years for threatening the security of the state. Other sentences also confirmed on appeal ranged from one to 15 years. Eleven others were pardoned last year by King Mohammed VI. Journalist Hamid el Mahdaoui was sentenced to three years for failing to tell police he had been offered weapons during the protests -- what he called an "imaginary crime". "It's an injustice," his wife told AFP. Zefzafi, 39, emerged as the face of the movement as a result of his rallying speeches, accusing the authorities of corruption. Amnesty International has said the activist was held in solitary confinement and subjected to "conditions tantamount to torture". He boycotted the appeal proceedings along with 37 other defendants, after denouncing the first case as a "political trial". Story continues In response to criticism, the Moroccan authorities have insisted the judicial process has followed international standards. The 2016 and 2017 protests led to clashes between police and demonstrators, leaving people injured on both sides. More than 600 security forces personnel were wounded and seven million dirhams ($730,000) of damage caused, according to Moroccan authorities. Around 450 people were arrested. "It's the politics of fear, that has been operating for some time already, telling everyone who has demands that it's better to stay quiet," said left-wing politician Nabila Mounib of Friday's ruling. Defence lawyer Mohamed Aghennaj suggested the defendants could appeal the decision. JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank if re-elected, a dramatic policy shift apparently aimed at rallying his nationalist base in the final stretch of the tight race. Netanyahu has promoted Jewish settlement expansion in his four terms as prime minister, but until now refrained from presenting a detailed vision for the West Bank, seen by the Palestinians as the heartland of a future state. An Israeli annexation of large parts of the West Bank is bound to snuff out any last flicker of hope for an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of a Palestinian state on lands Israel captured in 1967. A so-called two-state solution has long been the preferred option of most of the international community. However, intermittent U.S. mediation between Israelis and Palestinians ran aground after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital early in his term. The Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, suspended contact with the U.S. More recently, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967. The move was viewed in Israel as a political gift by Trump to Netanyahu who is being challenged by former military chief Benny Gantz. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on Netanyahu's statement. Polls have indicated a close race, though Netanyahu's Likud Party is expected to have a better chance than Gantz's Blue and White slate to form a ruling coalition. Polls forecast more than 60 out of 120 parliament seats for the Likud and smaller right-wing and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties On Saturday, Netanyahu gave an interview to Israel's Channel 12 TV at the top of the prime-time newscast. Netanyahu portrayed the U.S. policy shifts on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as his achievements, saying he had managed to persuade Trump to take these steps. Story continues Netanyahu pledged that he would not dismantle a single Jewish settlement and that Israel would retain control of the territory west of the Jordan River the West Bank. More than 600,000 Israelis now live on war-won lands, two-thirds in the West Bank. The interviewer asked why he hadn't annexed some of the larger settlements during his current term. "The question you are asking is an interesting question, whether we will move to the next stage and the answer is yes," he said, adding that the next term in office would be fateful. "We will move to the next stage, the imposing of Israeli sovereignty." "I will impose sovereignty, but I will not distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said. "From my perspective, any point of settlement is Israeli, and we have responsibility, as the Israeli government. I will not uproot anyone, and I will not transfer sovereignty to the Palestinians." In any partition deal, the more isolated Jewish settlements would likely have to be uprooted to create a viable Palestinian state. Saeb Erekat, a veteran former Palestinian negotiator, said he held the international community, especially the Trump administration, responsible for Israel's policies. "Israel will continue to brazenly violate international law for as long as the international community will continue to reward Israel with impunity, particularly with the Trump administration's support and endorsement of Israel's violation of the national and human rights of the people of Palestine," he said in a statement. ___ Associated Press Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Warsaw (AFP) - A coalition of Polish opposition parties on Saturday launched its campaign for May's European elections by warning that the governing eurosceptic PiS party could drive the country out of the European Union. The PiS government has stoked tensions with the EU by introducing a string of controversial judicial reforms that Brussels says pose a threat to judicial independence, the rule of law and ultimately to democracy. Warsaw has since backed out of some of the controversial legislation, but the opposition is still concerned that the PiS government's clash with Brussels could pave the way to a "Polexit". "Either (we have) a strong, prosperous, democratic Poland in a strong Europe or what we have today -- a party state -- on the way to leaving the European Union," said Grzegorz Schetyna, leader of the liberal Civic Platform (PO), the largest of five opposition parties in the European Coalition (KE). "Either a Poland that is one of the leaders of the West, or Poland a drifting to the East," he said at a convention in Warsaw launching the coalition's campaign ahead of the European vote to be held May 26 in Poland. Poles are overwhelmingly EU-enthusiastic, with nearly 90 percent backing membership of the bloc that has given the country billions of euros in subsidies, turbo-charging its economic development. Although the PiS has never called for Poland to leave the EU, it is pushing for a more decentralised bloc. The elections to the European Parliament will be a key test for all EU governments and especially so in Poland, where a general election is expected later this year. Schetyna also laid out a series spending promises including higher spending on health and education and financial support for young employees. He further vowed to combat Poland's problems with smog by limiting coal use. The populist PiS has focused its campaign on bread-and-butter issues like expanding its already generous social spending measures by vowing to increase a child allowance it launched after taking office in late 2015. Story continues It made good on promises to boost pension benefits for seniors on Friday by voting through an extra annual payment. The party also promised no income tax for employees under 26 years of age and lower income tax for pensioners. An IBRIS poll published Friday put the PiS ahead with 39 percent compared to 36.5 percent support for the European Coalition. Powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has long been a fierce critic of the strong brand of EU federalism championed by EU powerhouses Germany and France. He is among a growing number of populist leaders in the EU advocating a reform agenda for the bloc that favours national sovereignty over federalism. President Donald Trump and Joe Biden both treated questions about the former vice presidents conduct around women as a joking matter in separate remarks Friday. After several women came forward to say that Biden had made them uncomfortable by doing things like touching their hair during public appearances, Trump tweeted a doctored video showing Biden massaging his own shoulders. Asked about it on Friday morning as he prepared to leave for California, the president defended the tweet, arguing that it was light-hearted. Lets see what happens. But people got a kick, Trump told reporters. Weve got to sort of smile a little bit, right? Hours later, Biden himself joked about the subject, noting as he spoke on stage before the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that he had briefly hugged a man who introduced him. By the way, he gave me permission to hug him, Biden said. He also hugged the male union president, Lonnie R. Stephenson, cracking, I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie. Both Trump and Biden have faced questions about their behavior around women, although for very different behavior. During the 2016 campaign, at least 18 women accused Trump of sexual harassment or misconduct, alleging everything from unwanted kissing to walking through womens dressing rooms at the Miss USA pageant to putting his hand up their skirts. In remarks caught on tape during an Access Hollywood filming he said that as a celebrity he could grab women by the genitals. Trump called his accusers liars and threatened to sue them, although he apologized for the Access Hollywood remarks, calling them locker room talk. He did not sue the women and, in fact, faces a lawsuit for defamation from former The Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos for calling her a liar. In recent days, Biden has faced criticism over his tendency to touch and hug women during public events. On Thursday, he posted a video online in which he said he would be much more mindful when interacting with people. Story continues Social norms have begun to change, theyve shifted. And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset, he said in the video. And I get it. I hear what theyre saying. Ill be much more mindful, thats my responsibility and Ill meet it. But Ill always believe that governing is about connecting with people. That wont change, but Ill be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space, and thats a good thing. Read More: Joe Biden and the Hard Choices for Democrats in 2020 The first woman to make allegations against Biden, former Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores, tweeted on Friday afternoon that Bidens jokes at the IBEW event prove that he hasnt reflected. Its clear @JoeBiden hasnt reflected at all on how his inappropriate and unsolicited touching made women feel uncomfortable, Flores tweeted. To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have. Its clear @JoeBiden hasnt reflected at all on how his inappropriate and unsolicited touching made women feel uncomfortable. To make light of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to have. Lucy Flores (@LucyFlores) April 5, 2019 Pressed by a reporter whether he was a good messenger for criticism of Trump on his treatment of women, the president said he was. Yeah, I think Im a very good messenger, and people got a kick out of it, he said. Hes going through a situation. (Newser) The case of a missing Mouseketeer may be breaking wide open. Law enforcement agencies began searching the Oregon home of former child actor Dennis Day on Thursday and found a body there the next day, the Medford Mail Tribune reports. It remains unidentified, but could be a big development in a case that appeared stagnant for months. The 76-year-old was reported missing last July by husband Ernest Caswell, who lives in assisted care and suffers from memory problems. That hampered the case, Lt. Jeff Price tells Fox News, as did the couple's reclusive lifestyle: "They didnt leave the house," he says. "...They werent social and if you saw the house you would see that they didnt leave the house. It's in very bad shapevery, very poor shape." story continues below Possible developments also appeared to founder. Day left his dog with a friend before vanishing, which seemed unusual for him, but police said no more about it. Day's car turned up 200 miles away with two people who said Day let them use it, but a search of the vehicle turned up nothing. An initial search of the couple's rural home in Phoenix, Oregon, fared no better. Some suspicion has fallen on Day's roommate, who had his bank card, but Day's bank account appears untouched, per USA Today. Even Day's family only learned of the disappearance in December after his nephew saw it on the news. A Mouseketeer in the 1950s, Day was once one of the most famous child actors on American television. (See who Day apparently accused of assaulting him.) Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) said Friday that if he is elected president in 2020 he would sign legislation that would create a commission to explore the payment of reparations to African Americans. Following his remarks at Al Sharptons National Action Network Conference, Sanders was asked whether he would support a bill, introduced by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas), that would form a commission to study the institution of American slavery and devise a plan to compensate living descendants of slaves. If the House and the Senate pass that bill, of course I would sign it. There needs to be a study. But I think what we need to do is to pay real attention to the most distressed communities in America, Sanders said. The bill, which was dubbed H.R. 40 in a nod to the governments promised provision of 40 acres and a mule to newly freed slaves after the Civil War, has already received the backing of a host of 2020 Democratic hopefuls, including Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former representative Beto ORourke of Texas, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. In short, the Commission aims to study the impact of slavery and continuing discrimination against African-Americans, resulting directly and indirectly from slavery to segregation to the desegregation process and the present day, Jackson Lee said in a statement announcing the bills introduction in January. The commission would also make recommendations concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long delayed process of atonement for slavery. Sanders has proven more hesitant to embrace reparations than many of his primary opponents and recently said direct payments to the descendants of slaves would not be the best way to help distressed communities. I think what we have got to do is pay attention to distressed communities black communities, Latino communities, and white communities. And as president, I pledge to do that, Sanders said in interview on ABCs The View. More from National Review Dakar (AFP) - Senegal's prime minister on Saturday announced that President Macky Sall had instructed him to launch reforms that will include the scrapping of his own job. The reforms would include "the suppression of the intermediary level of prime minister", said Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, who Sall had just reappointed to the post. The aim is to bring the administration closer to the people to speed up reforms so they had more impact, said Dionne, speaking from the presidential palace, as Sall moves Senegal, which has been seen as a democratic model in Africa, towards a more presidential system under a programme of ambitious reforms. Dionne was also named as secretary general of the Republic, according to a presidential decree read out on national television. Once the prime minister's post has disappeared, Dionne said he would continue in this second role. "The idea is to reduce the bottlenecks so that information can be circulated more easily," and to allow the reforms to have "more impact on the people", Dionne said in his televised comments. The outgoing secretary general, Maxime Jean Simon Ndiaye, also explained the changes live on television. President Sall, he said, had "judged it appropriate to reconsider the intermediary level" of the function of prime minister. He wanted, as president, to be in direct contact with the administrative levels of government applying the law, said Ndiaye. - Infrastructure projects - Sall, 57, took office this week for his second term as president after comfortably winning re-election. He garnered 58 percent of the vote, 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 of voting on February 24. But that was after the authorities prevented several opposition candidates from standing for misuse of public funds, including Karim Wade, the son of presidential predecessor Abdoulaye Wade (2000-12), as well as popular Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall. Story continues The opposition, outraged by these disqualifications, has so far shown no sign of wanting to grasp any olive branch Sall might extend. For his second term in office, Sall has said he wants to help young people find training and jobs and to promote "the entrepreneurial spirit and new technologies". He has also promised to commit to "public policies favouring women and girls", ensure "decent housing" for all and "safeguard the environment". Sall's re-election also promises a major public works initiative including a new international airport, a new town outside Dakar and a regional fast trains system. A self-proclaimed social liberal -- despite a flirtation with Maoism in his youth -- Sall has described, in his autobiography published last November, a slow, steady rise from a modest background all the way to the top, despite a stint in the political wilderness. But critics argue that such single-mindedness has made Sall willing to bend the rules to get what he wants. There was no immediate opposition reaction to the announcement of the suppression of the prime ministerial post. The Hague (AFP) - Climate marchers handed in a lawsuit to Shell's headquarters in the Netherlands on Friday aimed at forcing the oil giant to meet targets in the Paris accord. Dozens of chanting activists went to the Anglo-Dutch firm's base in The Hague, where they delivered a legal summons with a court date set for April 17. Shell greeted the protesters with coffee from an electric drinks van. It said that while it "shares concerns about the climate" it "believes in a solution outside the courtroom." "This is a unique case," Roger Cox, lawyer for Dutch climate group Milieudefensie, told AFP. "We are taking Shell to court because it's not keeping to the aims of the Paris climate agreements. This way we are trying to prevent huge damage." The environmental groups say some 17,200 people have registered as co-complainants in the case, which Cox said would be the first of its kind. Other groups involved in the case include ActionAid Netherlands, Both Ends, Fossielvrij NL, Greenpeace NL and Young Friends of the Earth NL. The protesters carried banners with slogans such as "We Shell overcome -- eventually" and red posters saying "Shell is as green as this poster." They also mounted a giant version of the summmons with the signatures of the thousands of plaintiffs at Shell's headquarters near the city centre. Shell Netherlands CEO Marjan van Loon addressed the protesters outside the building, saying that fighting climate change was a "team sport" , the company said in a Twitter post with a photo. "I would like to answer every finger, whether it is a index finger or a middle finger, with an outstretched hand," it quoted her as saying. - 'Expose Shell' - In a summary of the 250-page document handed over to Shell, the groups said that under Dutch law Shell was unlawfully endangering peoples' lives by not acting to prevent global warming. Story continues "Internal and external documents show that Shell has known about climate change at least since the 1950s and has been aware of its large-scale and serious consequences at least since 1986," it said. "Although Shell knew, it has not taken any serious steps to minimise its share in climate change," the document added. Cox said that unlike previous cases which sought financial compensation for the effects of climate change, this one involves asking the judge to order Shell to ensure its activities have zero percent carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Shell is responsible for 1.7 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions between 1988-2015, according to a peer-reviewed study of the 100 most polluting companies released two years ago. It is also among five oil and gas majors that have spent more than $1 billion on lobbying against climate legislation since the Paris deal. Shell's plans for tackling climate change are "not consistent with the Paris goals", said Harjeet Singh, who heads global climate activities at ActionAid. "We need to expose Shell on this and in fact what it has been doing all this while is hiding and distorting facts and lobbying against climate policy," Singh told AFP. Climate change is a pressing issue in the Netherlands, where at least a third of the country lies below sea level. The Dutch government was ordered by a court last year to slash greenhouse gases by at least 25 percent by 2020, following a legal challenge by another environmental group. Thousands of Dutch students have rallied in Amsterdam and The Hague in recent weeks, urging the government to take action, with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte meeting the group's leaders. By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - Federal and state officials in Louisiana are investigating suspicious fires that destroyed three predominantly black churches in 10 days in one mostly rural parish, authorities said on Saturday. Investigators have not concluded whether the three fires at Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of New Orleans, were connected, said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Fire Marshall's Office. They also have not determined whether the blazes, which occurred between March 26 and Thursday, were intentionally set, she said in an email. At a news conference on Thursday, State Fire Marshall Butch Browning was asked if investigators were treating the fires as potential hate crimes. "If the hate crime definition was violated, we will certainly vet those things out," Browning said. The number of hate crimes in the United States increased 17 percent in 2017, the third consecutive year such attacks rose, according to FBI data released last fall. Investigators probing the St. Landry Parish fires were awaiting lab results but view the three blazes as "suspicious," Browning said at the news conference. Without giving details, he said certain "patterns" had been discovered, but that it was too early to say whether a single individual had started the fires. "There certainly is commonality and whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we don't know," Browning said. The fires destroyed St. Mary Baptist Church in the community of Port Barre, and Greater Union Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, the parish seat. The FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have joined in the investigation, Browning said. Investigators have concluded that a fourth fire last Sunday, more than 200 miles outside St. Landry Parish at a predominantly white church in Vivian in northwest Louisiana, was intentionally set, state fire officials said in a statement. Story continues That fire, inside the sanctuary at Vivian United Pentecostal Church, was relatively small and burned itself out. No one has been arrested in connection with any of the church fires, which have not resulted in any injuries, officials said. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Tom Brown) Geneva (AFP) - Switzerland said Friday it had agreed to represent US interests in crisis-hit Venezuela, after Washington withdrew all its diplomatic personnel last month, though it said Caracas still needed to approve the arrangement. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and US Ambassador Edward McMullen signed the agreement in Bern Friday, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The move comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced in January that he was cutting off diplomatic relations with Washington after US President Donald Trump recognised opposition head Juan Guaido as the country's interim leader. The last US diplomatic staff were withdrawn from the country last month. Cassis had first discussed the issue with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton when he visited Washington in February, the statement said. The US government officially asked the Swiss foreign ministry to take over the so-called "protective power mandate" in Venezuela in mid-March, it added. "The mandate offers Switzerland the opportunity to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions between the two countries and thus to play a constructive role in regional stability," the statement said. The foreign ministry said it would likely mainly assure US consular services in Venezuela. Caracas "will now closely examine Switzerland's assumption of this mandate," it said, adding that it was ready to assume its new duties as soon as Venezuela gave its stamp of approval. Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela's acute economic problems, but Guaido says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault. The US, which has not ruled out military intervention to oust Maduro, is among some 50 countries that have recognised Guaido as Venezuela's leader. Switzerland, renowned for its neutrality, already represents the diplomatic interests of a range of countries in similarly difficult situations. The wealthy Alpine nation represents US interests in Iran. It also represents Russian interests in Georgia and vice-versa, Iranian interests in Saudi Arabia and vice-versa, and Iranian interests in Egypt. And until 2015, it represented US interests in Cuba and Cuban interests in the US. Tesla(TSLA) 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. "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. "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 on CNBC's "The Exchange" on Thursday. "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. Watch: What investors should watch ahead of Musk's faceoff with the SEC KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Thousands of Sudanese protesters clashed with security forces outside President Omar al-Bashir's residence in central Khartoum on Saturday in what appeared to be the biggest demonstration in months of protests against his 30-year rule, witnesses said. Across the River Nile in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, which also saw protests into the evening, one civilian died from injuries sustained during "rioting" and other civilians and police officers were wounded, state news agency SUNA said, citing police reports. The victim was a laboratory doctor, according to a statement from an opposition doctors' committee. Medical staff have played a prominent role in the protests, in which dozens of people have been killed over the past three-and-a-half months. Security forces fired tear gas at protesters in Omdurman and at stone-throwing demonstrators near Bashir's residence, who had responded to a call by activists trying to increase pressure on Bashir to step down. They waved Sudanese flags and chanted slogans demanding "freedom, peace and justice" as they gathered outside the gates of the compound, guarded by soldiers, that also houses the defense ministry, army command and security headquarters. By the evening, the clashes subsided as security forces pulled back, allowing the thousands still gathered to remain outside the compound. Witnesses said young demonstrators sang nationalist songs and danced for joy. Some said they would stay until Bashir stepped down. Information Minister Hassan Ismail, who also serves as the government spokesman, praised security forces for the way they handled the protests and said the government remained committed to dialogue to resolve the crisis. "The approach followed by government apparatus was met with satisfaction from citizens," Ismail said in a statement. "Sudanese blood is the most precious thing we need to preserve". Bashir has refused to step down, saying his opponents need to seek power through the ballot box. "Today, we won and we are confident that the regime will fall," said Mohamed Saleh, a 63-year-old university professor who estimated the crowd to be at more than 100,000 people. An independent estimate for the number of protesters was not immediately available. But witnesses said the protest appeared to be larger than previous ones. "There are crowds as far as the eye can see," one witness told Reuters. ANNIVERSARY Sudanese activists, apparently emboldened by the success of similar but much larger protests in Algeria that forced ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down, called Saturday's demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the 1985 coup that forced then President Jaafar Nimeiri to step down following mass protests against his rule. The demonstrators said they wanted to deliver a message to the country's armed forces to side with them in trying to push Bashir out of power. Sudanese activists say the armed forces had in the past backed popular protests against autocratic rulers, including their move against Nimeiri 34 years ago. Nimeiri's downfall paved the way for national elections and a civilian government that Bashir ousted in an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989. Bashir was since elected president in elections his critics say were neither fair nor free. The wave of protests that began on Dec. 19 were triggered by price rises and cash shortages but have become the most sustained challenge to his long rule. In February, Bashir declared a state of emergency in the country of 40 million, and sacked his government and state governors. Bashir is wanted by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes while trying to put down an armed uprising in the country's western Darfur region since 2003. Sudan denies war crimes were committed. (Reporting by Reuters staff; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Helen Popper, Alexandra Hudson and Daniel Wallis) Calexico (United States) (AFP) - US President Donald Trump visited the Mexican border on Friday to deliver a message to would-be illegal immigrants and asylum seekers: don't bother coming. "The system is full and we can't take you anymore... Our country is full," he said at a meeting with border patrol officers and other officials in Calexico, California. "So turn around, that's the way it is." Shortly after, Trump visited a section of recently refurbished border wall -- something he wants extended across far more of the US-Mexico frontier -- and said illegal immigrants had previously been "pouring" in. The California trip followed a retreat from earlier threats to close the border, which had sparked fears of serious economic damage. Nevertheless, Trump sees his campaign against a "crisis" on the border as key to his 2020 reelection bid, and his time in Calexico was meant to keep that message in the headlines. Numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America have risen sharply, although there are enormous political divides on whether this constitutes the "national emergency" that Trump has declared. Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for the president in Mexicali, the town on the Mexican side of the frontier. Waving US and Mexican flags, the protesters carried signs with messages such as "Stop separating families" and "If you build the wall, my generation will tear it down." On the US side, dozens of people lined the road that Trump's motorcade took, demonstrating support for his policies. "Build the wall," said one placard. Before leaving Washington earlier Friday, Trump said that his previous threats to shut down the border had been successful in persuading Mexican authorities to clamp down by stopping migrants on their journey north. "Mexico, I have to say, has been very, very good... over the last four days since I talked about shutting down the border," he said. Story continues - 'Stay calm' - Trump reiterated that actually closing the border is not currently in the cards, but said he will instead impose 25 percent tariffs on auto imports from Mexico if illegal migration and drug smuggling are not controlled. Trump also said he could still order the border closed later. "I may shut it down at some point but I'd rather do tariffs," he said. While sounding tough, Trump's surprise shift this week to tariffs from the previous threat to close the border is a major climb down. For days, the White House had been signaling that he was serious about the threat and there was even speculation that he might announce a closing during his Calexico trip. However, the idea caused alarm among economists and Congress, including in Trump's Republican Party. Mexico is the third-largest US trading partner and any hold-ups at border crossings would have an immediate impact on trade. The tariffs idea is also causing confusion. On Thursday, Trump indicated there would be a one-year deadline for Mexico to improve the situation before tariffs kicked in. However, it was not clear if he meant that both for the drug smuggling and migration, or whether he wanted the migration issue resolved immediately. On Friday, the timing was no clearer. But he seemed to suggest that he might seek to punish Mexico at any time he thought the southern neighbor was not doing enough. "We're going to shut (the border) down if we have to. We going to tariff the cars, Mexico, if we have to," he said. It was also unclear how such tariffs would fit into the countries' deeply intertwined trading relationship, which is governed by NAFTA, a free trade accord also including Canada that is due to be replaced by an updated version called the USMCA. Leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November after more than a year of negotiations. Trump said Friday that his tariffs would "supersede USMCA. It's a great deal, and it's very good for Mexico. But this will supersede USMCA." In Mexico City, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged investors to "stay calm." "Our relationship with the government of the United States is very good," he said. burs-sms/wd PHOENIX (AP) The White House has touted a two-mile stretch of fencing President Donald Trump is visiting Friday as the first section of his proposed border wall to be built. In reality, the newly fortified structure commemorated with a plaque bearing his name and those of top immigration and homeland security officials was a long-planned replacement for an old barrier. It is one of a handful of projects that total $1 billion to replace existing barriers and build new ones across the border. As Trump promotes his signature campaign promise as the solution to the recent surge of migrant families crossing the border, here are questions and answers about the various barriers along the border and those that are in the works. WHAT'S ALREADY THERE? The southern border is nearly 2,000 miles long and already has about 650 miles of different types of barriers, including short vehicle barricades and tall, steel fences that go up to 30 feet high. Most of the fencing was built during the administration of George W. Bush, and there have been updates and maintenance throughout other administrations. WHAT HAS TRUMP DONE? Trump has yet to complete any new mileage of fencing or other barriers anywhere on the border. His administration has only replaced existing fencing, including the section he is touring Friday. Construction for that small chunk of fencing cost about $18 million, began in February 2018 and was completed in October. Plans to replace that fence date back to 2009, during the beginning of former President Barack Obama's tenure. Contractors have been doing site and preparation work for 13 miles of barriers in the Rio Grande Valley that will be Trump's first new fencing. The administration said construction could begin as early as this week. The administration is also in the process of replacing 14 miles of fencing around San Diego. "The wall is under construction, by the way, large sections. We're going to be meeting, I think on Friday, at a piece of the wall that we've completed, a big piece, a lot of it's being built right now," he told reporters Thursday. "It's moving along very nicely. But we need the wall." Story continues WHAT ABOUT THOSE PROTOTYPES? Early in his term, Trump called for prototypes of border walls that were built in the San Diego area at a cost of about $300,000 to $500,000 each. Eight prototypes went up, and Trump traveled to the border to inspect them last year. But they were demolished in February. The nearly $3 billion that Congress provided for barriers during the first half of Trump's term requires the money be spent on designs that were in place before May 2017, which meant the prototypes couldn't be used. The prototypes became a spectacle at various times since Trump took office, drawing tourists, protesters and artists who projected light shows on the walls from Mexico. WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY? Trump shut down the federal government for more than a month the longest shutdown in U.S. history and later declared a national emergency to free up billions of dollars to build his wall. Congress had voted to block the emergency declaration but Trump vetoed the measure. Several organizations brought lawsuits over the declaration, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats also planned on suing to prevent Trump from "stealing" money from federal programs and diverting the money to build a wall. But the national emergency money has not yet been spent in part because the government has to first spend existing border wall funding. A lawsuit could eventually derail the plan. Still, various plans for more border barriers are moving along. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security requested that the defense department build 57 miles of 18-foot fencing near Yuma, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, which have seen enormous increases in the number of border crossers, especially families. (Newser) Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings, the silver-haired Democrat who helped shepherd South Carolina through desegregation as governor and went on to serve six terms in the US Senate, has died, the AP reports. He was 97. A spokesman said Hollings died at his home on the Isle of Palms early Saturday. Hollings, whose long and colorful political career included an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, retired from the Senate in 2005, one of the last of the larger-than-life Democrats who dominated politics in the South. He had served 38 years and two months, making him the eighth longest-serving senator in US history. Nevertheless, Hollings remained the junior senator from South Carolina for most of his term. story continues below In his final Senate speech, made in 2004, Hollings lamented that lawmakers came to spend much of their time raising money for the next election, calling money "the main culprit, the cancer on the body politic." Hollings was a sharp-tongued orator whose rhetorical flourishes in the deep accent of his home state enlivened many a Washington debate, but his influence in Washington never reached the levels he hoped. He sometimes blamed that failure on his background, rising to power as he did in the South in the 1950s as the region bubbled with anger over segregation. Hollings campaigned against desegregation when running for governor in 1958 and later pleaded with the legislature to peacefully accept integration of public schools and the admission of the first black student to Clemson University. Shortly afterward, Clemson was peacefully integrated. (Read more obituary stories.) By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - The United Nations is determined to hold Libya's national conference on possible elections on time despite eastern forces' advance on the capital Tripoli in an escalation of the conflict, a senior U.N. envoy said on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers warned eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar to halt his thrust on Tripoli, menacing the internationally recognized government based there, or face possible international action. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) said on Friday its forces had advanced into the capital's southern outskirts and taken its former international airport. Its spokesman Ahmed Mismari said 14 LNA troops had been killed so far The offensive by the LNA, which is allied to a parallel administration based in the main eastern city of Benghazi, intensifies a power struggle that has fractured the oil-producing country since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. The United Nations aims to stage a conference in the southwestern town of Ghadames on April 14-16 to weigh elections as a way out of the country's prolonged factional anarchy, which has seen Islamist militants establish a toehold in some areas. Ghassan Salame, the U.N. special envoy to Libya, said he was striving to prevent the new crisis from getting out of control. "We have worked for one year for this national conference, we wont give up this political work quickly," he said. We know that holding the conference in this difficult time of escalation and fighting is a difficult matter. But we are determined to hold it on time unless compelling circumstances force us not to, he told reporters in Tripoli. The Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, who relies on various armed groups, said Haftar's move was a coup. "He (Haftar) will find in us only steadfastness and strength from all those are coming from all over the country to defend Libyans' dream of a civil sovereign state," he said in a televised speech. At a G7 meeting in France, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he and his counterparts had agreed they must exert pressure on those responsible for the upsurge of fighting in Libya, especially Haftar. Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said the G7 statement "should be seen as an appeal to General Haftar to consider with a sense of responsibility peaceful solutions for stabilizing Libya under the UN umbrella." Russia also called for restraint, saying Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Haftar that Moscow continues to insist on a political solution to "disputed issues" in Libya. Haftar told Bogdanov about what he described as efforts to fight terrorists in Libya, including near Tripoli, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. CRUCIBLE OF INSTABILITY The United Nations wants to find agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the protracted instability in Libya, an important oil exporter and transit point for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara with the objective of reaching Europe across the Mediterranean Sea to the north. In Cairo on Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the crisis could not be settled by military means, though insecurity in Libya had long been a source of worry. At a news conference alongside Shoukry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow wanted all political forces in Libya to strike an agreement in support of peace and warned against foreign meddling there. There were no reports of significant fighting on Saturday. Haftar's LNA said on Saturday its positions were attacked in an air strike south of Tripoli but there were no casualties. Haftar, 75, who casts himself as a foe of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new dictator in the mould of Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres his offensive would continue until terrorism was defeated. A former officer in Gaddafi's army, Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as a bulwark against Islamists and have supported him militarily, according to U.N. reports. The UAE, however, joined Western countries in expressing its deep concern about the fighting. In the past, Haftar has struck deals with armed factions outside Tripoli to advance his forces. But gaining control of Tripoli - the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government - would be far more complicated. Armed groups allied to the Tripoli government have moved more machinegun-mounted pickup trucks from Misrata to Tripoli to defend it against Haftar's forces. The city is known for a spirit of resisting "old regime" figures, developed during 2011 when pro-Gaddafi forces besieged it for three months. The LNA says it has 85,000 men but this includes soldiers paid by the central government that it hopes to inherit. Its elite force, Saiqa (Lightning), numbers some 3,500, while Haftars sons also have well-equipped troops, LNA sources say. In 2014, he assembled former Gaddafi soldiers and in a three-year battle seized Benghazi. This year, he took control of Libya's south with its oilfields. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Ulf Laessing in Cairo, John Irish in Dinard, France, Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow, Michael Georgy in Dubai and Giselda Vagnoni in Rome; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alexandra Hudson) CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Rival political factions took to the streets across Venezuela on Saturday in a mounting struggle for control of the crisis-wracked nation, where U.S.- backed opposition leader Juan Guaido is attempting to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro. It was the first march Guaido has led since Maduro loyalists stripped him of legal protections he's granted as a congressman, opening a path to prosecute and possibly arrest him for allegedly violating the constitution. The rallies also follow crippling power failures that left most of the country scrambling in the dark for days and without running water or phone service, which Maduro blamed on "terrorists" acts launched by political opponents. Speaking before several thousand people who packed a broad Caracas avenue, Guaido urged them to stay united and to keep up pressure until Maduro leaves power. "Something is evident today," Guaido said. "Venezuela is not afraid and continues taking the streets until we achieve freedom." Guaido tried to channel Venezuelans' ire by calling crowds in the capital to march to the headquarters of the national power utility, Corpoelec. His supporters said the blackout is another failure of the socialist government. "This regime has made big mistakes," said Beatriz Cisneros, a 62, critical of Venezuela's deteriorated petroleum industry, its broken educational system and hospitals that fail to provide basic care. "We're fighting for Venezuela to have liberty." Many opposition supporters marched along a sunny main avenue carrying Venezuelan flags. A nun draped the national colors around her shoulders. Another protester carried a sign listing the lack of power, water and other basic services, along with the slogan: "Don't get used to it." Across the country in Maracaibo, the hub of Venezuela's once-thriving oil production, members of the National Guard fired tear gas at anti-government protesters, causing some injuries, local media reported. The area has been among those hardest hit by blackouts over the past two years. Story continues Meanwhile, large crowds of Maduro backers, many dressed in bright red and gathered in the center of Caracas, waved flags and danced to blasting music as they marched to the presidential palace. Maduro made a new call for dialogue toward reaching peace in Venezuela with help from the fellow Latin American countries, including Mexico and Uruguay. But he also against accused his opponents inside Venezuela of staging attacks and said they should stop. "Do you believe that through terrorism you will achieve political power?" Maduro said. "Never! Not with electric terrorism, not with political terrorism, not with mercenary terrorism. No!" Guaido, 35, rose from relative obscurity in January when he was named head of Venezuela's opposition-dominated National Assembly and said he was assuming presidential powers to force Maduro from power. He says Maduro is illegitimate due to allegedly fraudulent elections last year. He has gained support from Washington and roughly 50 nations, but he has yet to budge Maduro, who maintains control over the government and military and is backed by foreign allies including China, Cuba and Russia. Washington on Friday added to pressure on Maduro by imposing financial sanctions on two companies involved in shipping oil from Venezuela to Cuba, along with nearly three dozen ships. Maduro blames the recent blackouts on U.S. "cyber-attacks" as part of a coup attempt to topple his government. Guaido, meanwhile, has come under increasing pressure from Maduro's government, which recently jailed his chief of staff and has taken legal actions that could lead to his own arrest, though the administration of President Donald Trump has warned of a strong response if the opposition leader is harmed. Socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello told reporters on Saturday that the authorities acted in accordance with the laws in taking the legal action against Guaido. Cabello also dismissed the new sanctions, saying the United States has to resort to such measures because "it has no more arguments." Amid several thousand Maduro supporters was Ana Margarita Urbina, 57, who wore a bright red shirt, the color of Venezuela's socialist party, saying she marched to defend the country she said is under threat from the imperialist United States. "We're on a mission," said Urbina. "We have a common cause. Our country is our mother." ___ Associated Press writers Christopher Torchia and Fabiola Sanchez contributed to this report. This week in photos: April 4 At theatre Vincenzo Bellini Cibo Nostrum 2019, the second day of the great feast of Italian cuisine to celebrate the culture of food and wine on April 01, 2019 in Catania, Italy. Organized by the Italian Cooks Federation, the 30th National Congress is held in Catania on 31 March, 1, 2 April 2019. (Photo from Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images) This week, as Venezuelans prepared for 30 days of power rationing, the United States backtracked on a threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, the first 10 of Ontarios legal cannabis stores opened, prompting enthusiasts to line up outside of storefronts and along sidewalks in cities across the province, including Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston. In Los Angeles, fans of rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle left tributes at the scene of his murder on March 31. Combined with a sacred gathering of Italian chefs and a mind-bending art installation at the Louvre Museum, its been quite a week for photos. Let us know which ones are your favourites in the comments. By Alistair Smout and Jan Strupczewski LONDON/BRUSSELS, April 5 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote to European Council President Donald Tusk on Friday asking for a delay of Brexit until up to June 30, but said she still hopes to get Britain out of the EU earlier to avoid it participating in European elections. Britain is now due to leave the EU in a week, but May has been forced to seek more time after Britain's divided parliament failed to approve a withdrawal agreement. "The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019," May said in the letter. Such a long extension means Britain would be required to hold elections for the European parliament. May said Britain would prepare for such an election, but she still hoped that an agreement would be reached sooner, allowing the extension to be ended early. "The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European Parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible," she said. The chairman of European Union leaders, Donald Tusk, is likely to offer Britain a flexible extension of the date of its departure from the EU of up to one year, with the possibility of leaving sooner, a senior EU official said. The official said the option could be presented to May at the EU summit on Brexit on April 10 in Brussels. "The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension. I would call it a 'flextension'," the official said. "We could give the UK a year-long extension, automatically terminated once the Withdrawal Agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons," the official said. "And even if this were not possible, then the UK would still have enough time to rethink its Brexit strategy. A short extension if possible, and a long one if necessary. It seems to be a good scenario for both sides, as it gives the UK all the necessary flexibility, while avoiding the need to meet every few weeks to further discuss Brexit extensions." Story continues Britain's exit from the EU, nearly three years since the country voted to leave the bloc, is now in doubt because the British parliament cannot decide what exit terms it wants. May offered to quit to get her deal passed but it was defeated for a third time last Friday, the day Britain was originally due to leave the EU. She is now in talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way out of the deadlock, but it is not clear if they can find a solution in the next few days. European officials say a request for an extension would have to be backed by sound arguments why the EU should grant it. "If we are not able to understand the reason why the UK is asking for an extension, we cannot give a positive answer," French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told reporters in Bucharest, when asked about the possible 12-month extension. (Reporting By Jan Strupczewski, Gabriela Baczynska, Francesco Guarascio, Alistair Smout and Michael Holden, Writing by Peter Graff, Editing by Angus MacSwan) (Newser) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank if re-elected, a dramatic policy shift apparently aimed at rallying his nationalist base in the final stretch of the tight race, the AP reports. Netanyahu has promoted Jewish settlement expansion in his four terms as prime minister, but until now refrained from presenting a detailed vision for the West Bank, seen by the Palestinians as the heartland of a future state. An Israeli annexation of large parts of the West Bank is bound to snuff out any last flicker of hope for an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of a Palestinian state on lands Israel captured in 1967. story continues below A so-called two-state solution has long been the preferred option of most of the international community. However, intermittent US mediation between Israelis and Palestinians ran aground after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital early in his term. The Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, suspended contact with the US. More recently, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967. Netanyahu's settlement plan might also distract from a possible looming indictment on fraud and bribery charges, per Bloomberg. Polls have indicated a close race. (Read more Israel and Palestinians stories.) CAIRO - Sources close to the administration of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are looking to US President Donald Trump to endorse moves in Cairos parliament allowing the former field marshal to run for two further presidential terms after his current mandate ends in 2022. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The measure potentially extends Sisis term through 2034, with the additional six-year stints aimed at ensuring continuity at the top of the countrys power structure. Sisi and Trump at a summit in Riyadh (Photo: Reuters ) On April 9, Sisi heads to Washington, where he will meet with Trump to cement Egypts longstanding role as a lynchpin of regional stability, according to a White House statement issued on Friday. We know Trump operates according to pragmatic logic, and he is betting on the survival of the Sisi regime to achieve his interests in the Middle East, Mahmoud Abhosh El Shahin, an analyst at the Giddar Center in Cairo, told The Media Line. Egypts regional position in the formation of an alliance with Saudi Arabia against Iranian influence and in supporting peace consultations between Israelis and Palestinians means Trump will accept these amendments, El Shahin said. Plans for extending el-Sisis term formally unveiled in court last December have not changed the Trump Administrations 2020 budget of $1.3 billion in military assistance for Egypt. Last week, Egypts parliament organized a series of social dialogue sessions aimed at demonstrating support for the proposed amendments, which include provisions to preserve the militarys role in governance, give the presidency expanded legislative powers by creating an upper chamber whose members will be appointed by the head of state, and more executive control over the judiciary. President el-Sisi was supported by the public in last years election and was able to stabilize the country, Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal said. We should give him the chance to complete his development programs and continue the fight against the terrorist organizations threatening Egypt. A Sisi election poster in Cairo (Photo: AP) An overwhelming majority in the lower house agreed. Of 596 representatives, 485 backed the amendments in principle last month. Even members of the houses Human Rights Committee have called for quashing dissent over the proposed measures by, inter alia, revoking the citizenship of activists who express opposition in Washington, Brussels and other Western capitals. Petitions were filed last week with the attorney-generals office demanding that exiled artists Amr Waked and Khaled Abu El Naga be tried for treason after criticizing the regime from abroad. At the same time, Abdel Aal has tried to maintain the appearance of open discussion on his own efforts to reverse key provisions of the 2014 Egyptian constitution. Those provisions give at least on paper the impression that the country has embarked on a roadmap to democracy in the wake of the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak and the 2013 protests and military intervention that ousted Mohammed Morsi. A healthy community allows multiple opinions,Abdel Aal said during Saturdays televised dialogue session. We must bear with all opinions, as long as they do not affect the security of the country, the law or the constitution. But there may yet be some limited changes to the amendments due to specific objections emanating from inside the parliamentary chamber, where many deputies oppose a 25% quota of seats for women and question of the need for a revived upper house. Slots earmarked for women, Christians and people with disabilities have been a key component of the administrations inclusionary efforts, which people here believe is either a genuine presidential concern or merely a public relations effort aimed at Washington. This quota for womens seats contradicts Article 53 of the constitution, which states that all citizens are equal and there is no discrimination, independent MP Mustafa Bakri told the Al Ahram Weekly. Before 2013, we had a second house, the Shura Council, which we abolished because it was costly and toothless.So why create another expensive chamber now, with symbolic rubber-stamping powers? Protests in Tahrir Square in Cairo in 2011 Liberal opponents of the term-extensions for Sisi and the consolidation of legally enshrined military guidance for Egypts government are questioning how much the authorities will tolerate dissent before the amendments are brought to the public in a referendum expected to be held before Ramadan begins on May 6. A US diplomatic source told The Media Line that he had already seen a document issued by Egypts National Committee for Elections detailing requirements for international observers to monitor the balloting. Mohammed Anwar Sadat, a nephew of assassinated president Anwar Sadat and a leader of the liberal Reform and Development Party, said he hoped that he and others would not be hindered in expressing their views. God willing, there will be a referendum with clear guarantees and criteria, and we will be able to participate and come out to say our opinion, which is no to constitutional amendments, he said. Sadat was speaking on the sidelines of a news conference held in Cairo on Wednesday by a coalition of opposition leaders called the Civil Democratic Movement CDM, where he, together with CDM spokesman Magdi Abdel-Hamid, characterized the amendments as an attempt to demolish liberties, democracy and the existence of a civil state. With the country going to the polls next week, experts warn it is vulnerable to the kind of foreign hacks and cyber campaigns that have disrupted the political process in other countries. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter 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. Benjamin Netanyahu on the campaign trail (Photo: AP) Campaigning had just started to ramp up in January when the director of the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic 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. A cyber security conference in Israel (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) 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 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. Archive: Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman addresses a cyber conference at Tel Aviv University (Photo: Moti Kimchi) 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 Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point. 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." Prof. Karine Nahon (Photo: Adi Cohen Zedek) 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." A Scottish "Holocaust heroine" and quiet champion of educating girls helped save many Jews in Hungary before dying herself in a Nazi concentration camp, according to a new book. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Jane Haining, who cared for hundreds of Jewish girls at the Scottish Mission School in Budapest during World War Two, died at Auschwitz camp after the Nazis invaded Hungary in 1944. Jane Haining Author Mary Miller said Haining was "an ordinary person who became extraordinary" through her love and courage. "She was an independent woman and kept an independent spirit throughout all the awful things that were later to happen," Miller told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Born into a humble farming family in Dumfries in 1897, Haining studied business and became "an early career girl". In 1932, she moved to Hungary to work as a matron at the school, which educated Christian and Jewish children together to foster mutual respect. "They were part of that whole movement to give girls a good education," Miller said. Pressure on the school grew rapidly as Jewish refugees poured into Budapest, fleeing persecution elsewhere in Europe. Jews at the train station near Auschwitz (Photo: AFP) As anti-semitism intensified, the Scottish Mission, which oversaw the school, organised courses in practical subjects to help Jews emigrate and get jobs abroad. Haining helped women secure work as domestic servants in Britain under the programme. Following the outbreak of war in 1939, Haining refused her employers' orders to return to Britain. "She said that if these girls needed me in good times, they need me much more in bad times," Miller said. By then, most of the school's 400 pupils were Jewish, and many of the boarders Haining cared for were orphans. Auschwitz (Photo: AP) In one letter, Haining wrote: "What a ghastly feeling it must be to know that no one wants you ... We have been enabled ... to provide an oasis in a troubled world." She described how one Jewish mother of twins, who approached her for help, broke down in her office in desperation. "(She) was at the stage when she was thinking of adding some poison to their food and ending it all," Haining wrote. The school attracted attention for speaking out repeatedly against anti-semitism, according to Miller's book "Jane Haining - A Life of Love and Courage". Children in Auschwitz From 1943, Miller said the Mission helped many people, including former pupils, to escape transportation to Nazi death camps, hiding them in cellars or getting them to safe houses. Haining was arrested by the Nazis in April 1944. A former pupil who saw her taken away said her last words to the sobbing children were: "Don't worry, I'll be back by lunch". She died in Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland two months later, aged 47. Haining was awarded a Hero of the Holocaust medal by the British government in 2010. "She 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,'" Miller said. "Jane Haining reminds us that there is always something we can do." South Africa will recall its ambassador to Israel in protest of government policies. The country's representative also said that the recall is part of the lowering of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Israel will also not station an ambassador in South Africa. Dozens of activists protested outside the offices of Taglit-Birthright in New York claiming that the organization "ignores the occupation." Birthright brings young Jews to Israel for a 10 day trip. BUCHAREST - The United States on Friday condemned the vandalising of a Jewish cemetery in Romania's eastern town of Husi, where 73 tombstones were found destroyed by unidentified perpetrators, and urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice. The case follows an attack last year on Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's memorial home in north Romania's Sighet - painted with anti-Semitic fluorescent pink graffiti which led to the rapid arrest of the perpetrator, a 37-year-old man. "The destruction of dozens of Jewish graves is not only an attack against the Jewish community, but also an attack against the diversity of the entire Romanian society," the U.S. embassy said in a statement. "We stand together with the Jewish families whose loved ones' graves were desecrated and call for those responsible for this attack to be brought to justice," it said. Husi mayor Ioan Ciupilan, told local paper Vremea Noua after he visited the place he felt sorry about the incident, adding: "over the past 60 years no one has heard of a similar deed." WASHINGTON - The United States is expected to designate Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization, three U.S. officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labeled another country's military a terrorist group. The decision, which critics warn could open U.S. military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad, is expected to be announced by the U.S. State Department, perhaps as early as Monday, the officials said. It has been rumored for years. The Pentagon declined comment and referred queries to the State Department. The State Department and White House also declined to comment. In response, Iran said that it would consider classifying the US military as a terrorist organization. DUBAI - President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for Iran and neighbouring Iraq to expand their gas and electricity dealings and boost bilateral trade to $20 billion, state TV reported, despite difficulties caused by U.S. sanctions against Tehran. "The plans to export electricity and gas and hopefully oil continue and we are ready to expand these contacts not only for the two countries but also for other countries in the region," Rouhani said after a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, in remarks carried by state television. In March, the United States granted Iraq a 90-day waiver exempting it from sanctions to buy energy from Iran, the latest extension allowing Baghdad to keep purchasing electricity from its neighbour. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Israeli TV that he intends to annex the West Bank following the elections. Asked why he had not annexed the major settlement blocs until now, Netanyahu replied: "Who said we will not? It is under discussion and I will ensure that we are in charge on the ground. You ask if we will move to the next phase, the answer is yes, we will impose sovereignty. Egypt Tourism Minister Rania El-Mashat travelled on Friday to Jordan to participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, set to be held on Saturday and Sunday. In pre-departure statements, the minister stressed the importance of the tourism ministry's participation in the forum out of its keenness on shedding light on Egypt's potential in the tourism domain. The World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa will convene over 1,000 key leaders from government, business and civil society at the Dead Sea, Jordan, to enable collaboration on the most pressing challenges facing the region. With the full support and presence of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, the meeting will provide a collaborative platform for generating progress on the regional agenda for inclusive growth, social advancement, and sustainable development. Leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Levant and North Africa, as well as key international stakeholders from the United States, Europe, East Africa and other regions, will address the transformational imperatives facing the region. Search Keywords: Short link: Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here HURLEY Rep. Beth Meyers, D-Bayfield, has scheduled a listening session in Iron County later this month, allowing constituents to provide feedback on Gov. Tony Evers proposed budget. Budget listening sessions are extremely helpful in helping me to hear directly from constituents. Ive always said my most important job is to listen to the people I represent, so I am excited to hold these meetings and to hear directly from the residents of northern Wisconsin, Meyers said in a statement. The listening session will take place from 10 a.m. to noon April 17, in the main meeting room of the Iron County courthouse. Meyers represents the 74th Assembly District which includes Bayfield, Ashland, Iron and Price counties; as well as parts of Sawyer, Douglas and Vilas counties. The Red Cliff, Bad River and Lac du Flambeau tribal reservations are also in the district. Today Windy with a few showers early then clear overnight. Low around 45F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Windy with a few showers early then clear overnight. Low around 45F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Sunny. High 63F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. An Army personnel was shot dead by terrorists on Saturday in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Army personnel, identified as Mohd Rafeeq Yatoo, was shot at and critically injured by terrorists in Warpora area of Sopore town in the district. He was immediately being taken to a local hospital for treatment but he succumbed to his injuries on the way. According to the locals, he was an Indian Army personnel who was on leave. He was at his home when he was shot. Sources said that he was working with the Armys Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI ) division. The terrorists attacked his house at about 5.25 pm firing indiscriminately as a result of which he was severely wounded. He was posted in Baramulla and was a jawan of the 52 Rashtriya Rifles (RR). The Jammu and Kashmir Police said that he was fired at from a point-blank range. A team of security forces have been sent to the site of the incident. Meanwhile, a team of the Army, the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Special Operation Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to nab the terrorists. There have been no reports on the details of the terrorists yet. This is a developing story. More details are awaited. Patna: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will declare the results of the Bihar Board Class 10 or Matric exam any time now. Candidates can view their scores at biharboard.ac.in, biharboard.bih.nic.in, biharboardonline.in/Result, bsebinteredu.in. and examresults.net. More than 16 lakh candidates appeared for Bihar Class 10 examinations, which were conducted from February 21 to 28, 2019. Latest update: Bihar Board Class 10 Result 2019 announced How to check Bihar BSEB Class 10 Result 2019: 1. Visit either one of the following websites: biharboardonline.in/Result bsebinteredu.in. examresults.net biharboard.ac.in biharboard.bih.nic.in 2. Candidates need to enter Roll Code and Roll Number or Student Name. 3. Click on the search button. 4. On the fresh page, look for your Roll Number, Name and Father's Name. On the right side, click on 'Get Result'. 5. The marks sheet will be displayed on the screen. Check Bihar BSEB Class 10 Result 2019 via SMS To check BSER Matric Result 2019 : SMS - BSEBROLLNUMBER - Send it to 56263 This year, students will get the opportunity to download a softcopy or PDF copy of their scorecard. The Bihar Board already declared the Intermediate or Class 12 examination results last week. Bihar Intermediate examination or Class 12 results witnessed a pass percentage of 79.76 per cent, up from 52.71 per cent last year. Girls have topped the science and arts stream of the Bihar Intermediate examination (Class 12). New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government has renamed Chennai Central railway station as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central railway station. Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, in a notification issued by the state government, said that the name of the railway station would be changed with effect from April 5. The name of Chennai Central railway station, situated in Chennai, Chennai district, Tamil Nadu, shall be changed as per the following schedule, from the date of issuance of this notification, read the notification. A month ago, while addressing an AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance election rally in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the century-old railway station would be renamed after the late AIADMK founder MGR, also a former Tamil Nadu chief minister. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami later thanked PM Modi for deciding to rename the railway station and said that the state cabinet had in September 2018 unanimously resolved to recommend to the Centre to rename the station as 'Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M G Ramachandran Railway Station' in memory of MGR. Palaniswami termed PM Modi's announcement a "great honour" and "befitting tribute to the great leader." "On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I express my heartfelt thanks to you for the announcement," he said. The chief minister recalled that M G Ramachandran was honoured with the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to public service in 1988. (With PTI inputs) Hooghly: Fire spread in an area in West Bengal's Hooghly district after a garbage dump in Dalda factory maidan was set ablaze, news ANI reports. The incident happened in the early hours of Saturday. Fire engines have reached the spot and fire-fighting operations are currently underway. Hooghly: Fire spread in an area after garbage dump in 'Dalda factory maidan' was set ablaze. Fire-fighting operations underway. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/PZtHcBKjfa ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2019 There are no reports of any injuries or casualties yet. More details are awaited. New Delhi: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mission Shakti announcement, DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy on Saturday said that India chose a much lower orbit for Mission Shakti to avoid debris threat to global space assets: He hailed the successful test of the anti-satellite missile (A-SAT) and said that space has gained importance in the military domain. Addressing the media on Mission Shakti in Delhi, he said, "Space has gained importance in the military domain. When a country like India has done an exercise like this and shown the capability of interception of a target, you have shown the capability for such operations. The best way of defence is to have deterrence." Reddy further said that the country has shown ground-based direct hit deterrence capability which also works for the defence. "Debris will decay in a few weeks. Debris won't cause a problem to any existing space assets. We have some amount of mechanism to look at these objects. In fact, our radars have picked up the debris immediately after the test also," he added. His statement comes amid criticisms from NASA regarding the safety concerns of the Mission Shakti and also less than a week ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Responding to former union minister P Chidambaram's remark on Mission Shakti, the DRDO chief said, "Mission of this nature after a test is conducted can't be kept secret. The satellite is tracked by many stations across the world. All necessary permissions were taken." Chidambaram had called the Modi government 'foolish' for making such disclosure and 'betray' a defence secret. Slamming the announcement, the former finance minister had tweeted, "The capability to shoot down a satellite has existed for many years. A wise government will keep the capability secret. Only a foolish government will disclose it and betray a defence secret." Hyderabad: India has achieved success in getting Pakistan isolated even among Islamic countries in the aftermath of the terror attacks, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Friday. Swaraj was addressing a meeting organised in support of the BJP's candidate in the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, N Ramachandra Rao. "We achieved success in isolating Pakistan even among Islamic countries in the world," she said in Hindi. Swaraj recalled how India was invited to the inaugural conference of the OIC countries in 1969 but could not attend the proceedings due to pressure put by Pakistan. She added that India attended the OIC's 50th anniversary meet in March even though Pakistan tried to get Swaraj 'disinvited'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made relations with Islamic countries so strong and this is the benefit of his foreign visits, she asserted. Mumbai: A group of 11 tribal students including four girls from Adivasi Ashram Schools in Maharashtra will embark on an expedition to scale Mount Everest on Sunday, an official said here on Saturday. Trained by experts to tackle the tough and cold mountainous terrain and genetically gifted with grit and agility, these 11 students will take up the challenge under the state`s `Mission Shaurya - 2019`. Chief Secretary UPS Madan, Tribal Department Principal Secretary Manisha Verma and other top dignitaries gave them a formal flag-off on Friday evening. The 11-member team comprises seven boys - Munna Dhikar, Shivcharan Bhilavekar, Sugriv Mande, Ketan Jadhav, Anil Kunde, Manohar Hilim, Suraj Aade. The four girls are Hemlata Gaikwad, Chandrakala Gavit, Antubai Kotnake and Sushma More, all of whom hail from the remotest and backward tribal hamlets in Amravati, Chandrapur, Yavatmal, Palghar, Nashik and Dhule. Their long and rigorous selection process started in August 2018 at the Gyan Bharti Skill Development Centre, Wardha, where 203 students with a good physique and an adventurous aptitude were trained in basic climbing skills. From them, 132 attended a second training camp at Bhongir in Hyderabad to learn rappelling and rock-climbing, out of which 41 were sent on a four-week sojourn to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling for high altitude acclimatisation and learning essential survival techniques in the snowy heights. The 30 who cleared this level were sent to Sikkim for three weeks of intensive training with the Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure & Eco-Tourism to learn resilience, rescue tactics and camaraderie while summiting the 19,500 feet tall Mt. Lako Kang. The 18 who made it through this were sent for a tough 12 days of training in minus 35 degrees temperatures to Stok Kangri peak in Leh-Ladakh from which the final 11 were selected for the ultimate challenge of attempting Mt. Everest. This is the second time tribal students from Maharashtra will embark on a mission to conquer the world`s highest peak in Nepal. In May 2018, five tribal students from Chandrapur created history when they peaked Mount Everest and planted the Indian Tricolour there. Madan said the initiative helps empower the tribal community which would result in immense social gains in the future and wished the 11 youngsters success in their endeavour. Verma said `Mission Shaurya` aims to instil a belief in one`s self and create a positive passion among the tribal children to dream big, boldly seize opportunities and serve the community and nation at large. Vadodara: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday slammed Pakistan for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil despite India providing it evidence several times. Sitharaman told reporters here that Pakistan did not want to eliminate terror. "Pakistan is interested in promoting terrorism. It does not want to eliminate terrorism," the senior BJP leader said when asked about Pakistan stonewalling dossiers on terrorists supplied by India. "Not just this government, but even earlier governments have given dossier after dossier, evidence after evidence but Pakistan has done nothing on them," she said. Talking about the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, she said even the first court in the neighbouring country had not completed the job of trying the accused. Claiming that only the Narendra Modi government could give a befitting reply to terrorists, she said opposition parties were insulting soldiers by questioning the February 26 air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. The air strikes were carried out after the JeM terror outfit claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred. She said the morale of the armed forces was high and people's support had raised their motivation level even further. On a query on the Rafale fighter jet purchase in which the Congress has alleged irregularities, Sitharaman said the deal followed laid down norms and was made in the national interest. "Bofors was a scam. Not Rafale. Rafale will bring back the Modi government to build a new India and stamp out corruption," she claimed. Srinagar: Two terrorists have been gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Imam Sahib area of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district. The area was cordoned off. Visuals: Two terrorists killed in exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in Imam Sahib area of Shopian district. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/s7l5vnifMS ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 Counter-insurgency units of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and special operations group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police jointly conducted the search operation in an orchard area in Parguchi village. "Hiding militants fired at the security forces triggering a brief gun battle in which both militants were killed," an officer said. "Exact identity and affiliation of the slain militants are being ascertained," he added. (With inputs from IANS)) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested one more key conspirator who is accused of providing logistic support to all terrorists who attacked the CRPF Group Centre in Lethpora of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The accused Syed Hilal Andrabi is an active Over Ground Worker of proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and also a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF Group centre, Lethpora before the terrorist attack. The terrorist attack was carried out in the intervening night of December 30-31, 2017, by three terrorists of JeM. Andrabi is a resident of Pulwama's Ratnipora. With the arrest of Andrabi, a total number of arrested in this case has risen to four. Three accused has already been arrested for being a part of the conspiracy for this attack including Fayaz Ahmad Magrey, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and Nisar Ahmed Tantray. The CRPF Group Centre in Lethpora was attacked by three terrorists and NIA was given the responsibility to probe this attack, which had claimed the lives of five CRPF personnel. The probe by NIA had revealed that the cowardly attack was carried by Jaish terrorists. The three terrorists involved in the attack were identified as Fardeen Ahmed, Manzoor Baba and Abdul Shakoor. Last week, NIA had arrested absconding JeM terrorist Tantray as soon as landed at Delhi airport after being deported from UAE. Nisar, a resident of Tral in Pulwama, was involved in a fidayeen attack on the CRPF Group Centre. He had fled away to UAE on February 1, 2019, after one of his associates was arrested by NIA. Nisar was produced before the NIA court for police remand. He is the younger brother of Noor Tantray, the JeM commander who was killed by security forces in an encounter at Pulwama on December 26, 2017. The three terrorists were killed by security forces after the attack. Fardeen and Manzoor were resident of Pulwama, while Abdul Shakoor was a Pakistani national. The mastermind of this attack was Faiyaz Ahmed from Pulwama. He was arrested by NIA on February 4, 2019. According to NIA sources, Faiyaz was an overground worker of Jaish and he had provided shelter to the terrorists who carried out the Lethpora attack. Besides this, Faiyaz also provided all kind of logistic support to the three terrorists. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will stitch an alliance with the Congress in Delhi only if Rahul Gandhi's party agrees to fight the Lok Sabha poll jointly in Haryana and Chandigarh too, sources said on Saturday. According to them, as another pre-condition for firming up an alliance, the AAP has asked the Congress to openly declare its support to full statehood for Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai held a meeting over the issue Saturday and they were in agreement over the two pre-conditions set for an alliance with the Congress, a source said. "An alliance with the Congress is possible only if the party agrees to do it for 10 seats in Haryana, seven seats in Delhi and the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Also, the party should also openly declare support to full statehood for Delhi if it wants to forge an alliance with the AAP," the source said. The AAP has reportedly conveyed to the Congress that it would support the grand old party in Chandigarh only if it gets to contest three seats in Haryana, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Karnal. "The party wanted to included Punjab in the pre-conditions for an alliance, but that was left out considering Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's rigid stance," the source said. Meanwhile, amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday discussed the issue again with senior party leaders from the city. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Gandhi's residence. 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. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party is likely to release its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on April 25, according to sources in the party. Polling for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held in the sixth phase on May 12. The manifesto, which will list out its agenda for the general elections, will focus on its endeavour to get full statehood for Delhi, a source said. The document has been prepared by a seven-member team headed by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The ruling AAP in the national capital is fighting the Lok Sabha elections on the agenda of granting full statehood to Delhi. The Congress, with whom the AAP is yet to forge an alliance in the national capital, has already released its manifesto which promises full statehood to Puducherry but has no mention of Delhi on the issue. The BJP is likely to release its manifesto on April 8. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to release its election manifesto Shapath Patra on Monday, April 8, just three days before the first phase of the Lok Sabha poll on April 11. Development, nationalism and Hindutva are likely to be the top points in the poll promise document. The manifesto which has been named as `Shapath Patra` will not just include the promises but also the works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government. The logic behind it is that the government has done a lot of work like Mudra, Ujjawala which was not even promised in 2014," a source told news agency ANI. This year, the party's poll slogan will be "Strong India, Capable India". Amid pressure from the Opposition, the manifesto is also likely to detail on job creation and steps taken towards employment generation in the last five years. Keeping in view its the core voter base, the party will continue its poll promises on Ram Temple, the source added. Special corridors for Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura and cleaning of several rivers apart from Ganga will also be discussed. Doubling farmer`s income by 2022 and continuing "tough stance" on terrorism will be other points in the manifesto, something the party has already been talking about. Earlier reports suggested that the BJP will release the manifesto on Sunday, April 7. However, the source said that the party considers April 8 auspicious, and hence likely to release it on Monday. Top party leaders, including PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and others are expected to be present at the release event. BJP's 20-member manifesto committee is headed by Singh and includes Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as members. The panel has 15 sub-committees, which has already submitted their inputs. The party has also gathered suggestions from citizens through boxes on the 300-plus video raths that crisscrossed through the country and feedback received through other means such as emails and public meeting-level consultations in all states, reported news agency PTI. In 2014, BJP had released its manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' on the first day of the nine-phased Lok Sabha poll, April 7. However, this time the Election Commission directed that no party can release its manifesto within 48 hours of polling. The party had also gathered suggestions from citizens through boxes on the 300-plus video raths that crisscrossed through the country and feedback received through other means such as emails and public meeting-level consultations in all states. Meanwhile, BJP's women's wing demanded 15 per cent reservation for women in the council of ministers and 33 per cent reservation in commissions working for the protection of constitutional rights, besides tax rebates to boost employment of women. The wing, in its suggestion for the manifesto, asked for increase exemption limit from payment of GST to Rs 50 lakh for women-led businesses and tax incentives to industries where women comprise 50 per cent of the total workforce. The Congress has already released its manifesto on April 2. Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Congress and said that its allies want two prime ministers - one in Delhi and the other one in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a rally in Nanded, Maharashtra, PM Modi said, "Congress and its allies want two PMs, one in Delhi, another in J&K." He said that the present situation of Congress is just like the sinking ship Titanic. "Whoever was sitting with Congress in the ship, are either sinking or trying to save themselves by running away," he added. The Prime Minister, who was in Maharashtra today for poll campaigning, will visit West Bengal, Tripura and Manipur on Sunday. He will address public meetings at Rash Mela Maidan in Bengal's Cooch Behar, at Girls School Ground in Tripura's Udaipur and another one in Manipur's Imphal. Agartala: The Tripura unit of the Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, seeking the immediate arrest of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for allegedly spreading communal hatred in the state. Tripura Pradesh Congress vice-president Tapas Dey filed the complaint on Friday with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti, accusing Deb of repeatedly making false statements with "a motive to divide communities in the state into the lines of caste, creed and religion". Dey also called for the chief minister's immediate arrest. The office of the CEO has confirmed receiving the complaint against the chief minister. "Our party has urged the CEO to register an FIR against Deb for his immediate detention to judicial custody," another state Congress leader said. Dey also claimed that BJP activists were threatening voters to not go to the polling stations and were attacking Congress workers and candidates. Despite repeated complaints to police, no action has been taken, he added. When contacted, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya cited an earlier slogan raised by AICC member and former acting president of the Tripura Pradesh Congress, Deb Burman. Bhattacharya alleged that the slogan -- "Poila Jati, Ulo Party (caste is first and then political parties)" -- in indigenous Kokbarak language had communal overtones. "This phrase raised by Deb Burman had communal hints. Let EC investigate the truth, and then everything would be clear to the people," he told PTI. In Tripura, there are 23 tribal communities, together constituting one third of the state's population. Srinagar: BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday launched an attack on Congress saying that the party's manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha election has been made to gather votes of the separatists of Jammu and Kashmir. It has no vision for India, he added. Madhav further said that the manifesto has been framed only aiming for vote-bank. "It appears as if this manifesto has been made to gather votes of the separatists of J&K. There is no all India vision in it. It is a manifesto made for vote-bank only," the BJP leader said while addressing election rallies in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. Madhav, during his address, also sought people's cooperation in wiping out terrorism from the state. Asking to support the party candidate Jugal Kishore from the Jammu parliamentary constituency, he added, "Where there is the terror, there can never be peace". Meanwhile, the saffron party celebrated its foundation day at BJP's headquarters in Jammu where state BJP chief Ravinder Raina alleged that leaders of opposition parties were "traitors". "One is shocked over their election manifestos and it seems that the documents are prepared in Pakistan," he alleged. On April 2, the Congress released its manifesto - 'Congress will deliver' - at the party's Akbar Road headquarters in Delhi. The manifesto laid thrust on job creation and strengthening the education and health sectors besides charting a roadmap to boost economic growth. It had a separate budget for the welfare of the farmers. (With inputs from ANI and PTI) Kannauj: Samajwadi Party leader and parliamentarian Dimple Yadav will file her nomination on Saturday from here. She is seeking re-election from the Kannauj parliamentary seat and is the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party candidate. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will be accompanying his wife Dimple Yadav, who was first elected from Kannauj in 2012 in the bypolls. The Yadav couple accompanied by politician-actress Jaya Bachchan has already left for Kannauj from Lucknow. They were headed down the Expressway, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said. There will be a roadshow around after they reach the party office here ahead of the filing of nominations, he added. Polling for the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat will be held in the fourth phase on April 29. New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday barred parties, candidates and others from publishing political advertisements on polling day and a day prior to it in each of the seven phases of Lok Sabha polls unless their contents are pre-certified by screening committees. The Commission used its constitutional powers to take the decision. The EC had taken such a decision for the first time in 2015 Bihar polls. Its proposal to ban political advertisements on election day and a day before is pending with the law ministry for years. The poll panel said Saturday that instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to its notice in the past. "Such advertisements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process. The affected candidates and parties will not have any opportunity of providing clarification/rebuttal in such a scenario," it said. The EC order said that to ensure that no untoward incident takes place because of any inflammatory or hate advertisements, it is using its constitutional powers to direct that "no political party or candidate or any other organization or person" will publish any advertisement in the print media on the day and one day prior to poll day in all the phases, unless the contents are pre-certified by screening committees. As of now, only electronic media is barred from showing election publicity material during the last 48 hours before conclusion of polling. In 2016, the EC had urged the government to amend electoral law to bar political advertisements in newspapers 48 hours before the day of polling on the lines of the restriction on electronic media. The move had come in the wake of poll panel using its constitutional powers to ban such newspaper advertisements on a case-by-case basis during the Bihar assembly election in October-November of 2015. Former Indian Army Vice Chief, Lt. General (Retired) Sarath Chand on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He joined the BJP in the national capital at the party headquarters in the presence of Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. He served as the vice chief of Army staff from January 13, 2017, till May 31, 2018, until his retirement. Chand, who hails from Kerala's Kottarakkara, is the second Malayali after Lt Gen Philip Campose to hold the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff. On June 1979, he was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles and has held an active combat leadership role. Chand has also served as Colonel of the Regiment of Garhwal Rifles. He has also served in the United Nations mission in Somalia. He assumed the office of VCOAS after General Bipin Rawat was promoted to Chief of Army Staff (COAS). An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he also attended the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Army War College, Mhow and a National Defence College, New Delhi. In his career spanning 38 years, Chand has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (2006), the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2014), the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2016) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2018). When the second coalition government in the history of Indian politics was formed with Prime Minister VP Singh in 1989, there were hopes that its outcome will be different from the Janata Party-led coalition that was formed in 1977. Alas, the fate of the two governments turned out to be not too different from each other. The VP Singh led government that was formed in 1989 after a five-party National Front national coalition joined hands with other smaller parties to stitch an alliance at the Centre. The Janata Dal, of which VP Singh was a part of, had bagged 143 of the 244 seats it had contested on while the Bharatiya Janata Party which had given support to the alliance had won 85 seats. Also Read: History of Lok Sabha elections During the time when VP Singh was the prime minister, Janata Dal succeeded in securing wins in Assembly elections in Haryana, Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the party was in a coalition in Rajasthan and Kerala. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party was solidifying its presence as a Hindu organisation laying focus on its demand for construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Since 1984, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had been holding Rath Yatras seeking the support of the Hindus to press for the permission to pray at the 'disputed' site. Subsequently in 1986, the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi ordered that the gates of the structure be unlocked and Hindus too got the opportunity to pray there on a regular basis as opposed to an annual puja that was allowed earlier. VHP was also permitted to lay the foundation stone at the disputed site leading way to the communal tension that ensued in the following years. Driving home its agenda of supporting the Hindus, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by LK Advani threw its weight behind the Ayodhya campaign. The party had the demand in the election manifesto and once they won over 80 seats, Advani and embarked on a "rath yatra" to motivate Hindus to pray at the Ram janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site. Trouble brewed for the VP Singh government when he and Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav stopped Advani's yatra and arrested him alleging that the BJP leader was flaring up emotions which may lead to communal violence. After his arrest, the Bharatiya Janata Party pulled out its support from the government and forced VP Singh to resign. Soon after his resignation, Chandra Shekhar along with 64 of his supporters broke away from the Janata Dal, formed the Samajwadi Janata Party (Socialist) and staked claim to form the government with outside support of the Congress. His government, too, however, just lasted for a few months as Congress pulled out its support and Chandra Shekhar had to step down. The 1991 election was mainly fought between Congress (I), Bharatiya Janata Party and National Front. In a polarising environment, Rajiv Gandhi projected Congress as the only party which could bring unity and stability to India. The Congress campaigned for bringing the country's ailing economy under control through progressive liberalisation, the process of which his government had initiated when it was in power. The Bharatiya Janata Party, led by its chief Lal Krishna Advani, meanwhile advocated a deregulated economy based on self-reliance. The votes for the first phase were polled 20 May 1991. However, just on the next day while Rajiv Gandhi was on a campaign trail, he was assassinated at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. A woman from the crowd gathered to meet the former PM and as she bent down to touch his feet, she detonated an explosives-laden belt killing Rajiv Gandhi along with at least 25 others. Rahul Gandhi performing the last rites of his father and Rajiv Gandhi (Photo: inc.in) Voting in the following phases were postponed and later held on 12 and 15 June. When the results were announced, none of the parties won absolute majority. The Congress though emerged as the largest party winning 232 of the 487 seats it contested on. It was reported that in the 211 constituencies in which voting was held before the assassination, Congress could not perform well. However, in the two phases held later, the party made a comeback and became the largest party in the House yet again. It gained the maximum number of 38 seats in Maharashtra, 25 in Andhra Pradesh, 23 in Karnataka, 27 in Madhya Pradesh, 28 in Tamil Nadu and 13 in Odisha and Rajasthan each. It failed to make a mark in the Hindi heartland, winning just 1 seat in Bihar and 5 in Uttar Pradesh. CONGRESS BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY STATES SEATS STATES SEATS ANDHRA PRADESH 25 ANDHRA PRADESH - 1 1 ARUNACHAL PRADESH 2 ASSAM- 2 2 ASSAM 8 BIHAR - 5 5 BIHAR 1 GUJARAT - 20 20 GOA 2 HIMACHAL PRADESH - 2 2 GUJARAT 5 KARNATAKA - 4 4 HARYANA 9 MADHYA PRADESH - 12 12 HIMACHAL PRADESH 2 MAHARASHTRA - 5 5 KARNATAKA 23 RAJASTHAN - 12 12 KERALA 13 UTTAR PRADESH - 51 51 MADHYA PRADESH 27 DAMAN & DIU - 1 1 MAHARASHTRA 38 NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OFDELHI - 5 5 MANIPUR 1 MEGHALAYA 2 MIZORAM 1 ORISSA 13 RAJASTHAN 13 TAMIL NADU 28 TRIPURA 2 UTTAR PRADESH 5 WEST BENGAL 5 ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS 1 CHANDIGARH 1 DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI 1 NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI 2 LAKSHADWEEP 1 PONDICHERRY 1 TOTAL 232 120 Having gained from the momentum over the Rath yatras, the BJP became the second largest party with 120 seats. Of the 468 seats it contested on, it won its maximum number of 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in Gujarat and 12 in Madhya Pradesh. Both the communist parties which were part of the National Front coalition, the CPI won 14 of the 42 seats it contested on while the CPM won 35 of the 60 seats it contested on. The Janata Dal bagged 59 of the 308 it has nominated its candidates for making big gains in the Hindi belt. It won 31 seats in Bihar and 22 in Uttar Pradesh along with 6 in Odisha. Among the other parties which participated in the election, Indian Congress (Socialist) won one seat and Janata Party won 5 of the 349 seats it contested on. Of the 8668 candidates who had contested the election, 1822 were from national parties, 490 from state parties and 842 from unrecognised parties. A massive 5514 Independents also took part in the poll process of whom just one candidate won. The election witnessed approximately 53 per cent of voter turnout, the lowest ever in parliamentary elections held till 1991. Though the Congress was in minority, it bagged the support of other parties and PV Narasimha Rao took oath as the Prime Minister on 21 June. 'Mandal-Kamandal' politics The 1991 elections were known as the 'Mandal-Mandir' 'Mandal-Kamandal' elections as the main focus of the parties was on the Mandal Commission and Ram Mandir issue. The Mandal Commission traces back its origins in January 1979 when the then prime minister Morarji Desai appointed Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal to head the Second Backward Class Commission. By the time Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal submitted his report in 1980, Morarji Desai was no longer the prime minister and his successor Indira Gandhi gave extensions to the report but did not act on it. Then came VP Singh, who in August 1990 implemented the recommendations of the Mandal Commission as per which the Other Backward Classes were also (OBC) included in the reservation and a quota of 27 per cent was assigned for them in higher education and jobs. Photo source: NCERT book (How newspapers covered implementation of Mandal Commission report) "It is certainly true that reservation for OBCs will cause a lot of heart burning to others. But should the mere fact of this heart burning be allowed to operate as a moral veto against social reform. When the higher castes constituting less than 20% of the countrys population subjected the rest to all manner of social injustice, it must have caused a lot of heart burning to the lower castes. But now that the lower castes are asking for a modest share of the national cake of power and prestige, a chorus of alarm is being raised on the plea that this will cause heart burning to the ruling elite. Of all the specious arguments advanced against reservations for backward classes, there is none which beats this one about heart- burning in sheer sophistry," the report had said. As expected, the implementation of the report had led to several protests across the country, barring the South, with many students in and around Delhi even setting themselves on fire. The fire ignited with the reservation issue as well as the sensitive Ram mandir issue, were the two main focus points which defined the elections of 1991. KOLKATA: In a strongly-worded letter to the Election Commission of India, West Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday questioned the decision to transfer Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh ahead of the Lok Sabha Election 2019. In a major shakeup within the state police establishment, the EC on Friday night removed Sharma and Singh in view of the poll preparedness. Reacting to the transfers, Banerjee questioned the poll body's biased nature and termed its decision arbitrary. The letter is expected to reach the Election Commission on Saturday. EC's move came days after state BJP leaders alleged that free and fair elections would not be possible in West Bengal under the officers. Both Sharma and Singh were spotted at Banerjee's dharna in February 2019 to protest CBI's action against the then Kolkata police commissioner in connection with its probe in the Saradha scam. The commission appointed Dr Rajesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Pollution Control Board, as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner, while Natarajan Ramesh Babu, ADG and IGP, Operations, will be the Bidhannagar police commissioner. In a notice to West Bengal Chief Secretary Malay Dey, the EC directed immediate implementation of the orders and sought a compliance report in respect to the joining of the transferred officers within 24 hours. The commission also directed that the present incumbent officers being shifted should not be involved by the state government in any election-related duty. The EC also named Avannu Ravindranath, DC (Airport Division) of Bidhannagar, as the new superintendent of police (SP) of Birbhum and appointed Srihari Pandey, DC KAP, 3rd Battalion, as the SP of Diamond Harbour. Sources say Tokyo prosecutors have obtained email correspondence showing how part of the funds Nissan paid to a dealership in Oman were allegedly channeled to former chairman Carlos Ghosn. Prosecutors arrested Ghosn for the fourth time on Thursday on suspicion of aggravated breach of trust. They allege that Ghosn caused Nissan losses worth more than 5 million dollars through the payments to the Omani dealership. Prosecutor suspect Ghosn siphoned off part of the payments through an account belonging to a dummy company in Lebanon. Sources say prosecutors have obtained email records of the money trail. They say the records show that about 27 million dollars were transferred from the account to a US-based investment-related firm run by Ghosn's son, and about 8 million dollars to a company represented by Ghosn's wife. Prosecutors are said to have obtained the email records from Nissan, which is cooperating with the investigation. Ghosn is reportedly denying the allegations. New Delhi, Apr 4 (PTI) A total of 80 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel cast their ballot under the service voter category from a border location in Arunachal Pradesh, a senior official said Saturday. The troops voted for their respective constituencies in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh among few others, from the Animal Training School of the frontier guarding force in Lohitpur on Friday, he said. This is the first case of service voters exercising their franchise in this northeastern border state in 2019. These postal ballots will now be sent to their respective constituencies for counting on May 23. "The first service vote in Arunachal Pradesh was cast by Deputy Inspector General Sudhakar Natarajan. A total of 80 personnel voted. "Other units of the force in the state and other far-flung areas are undertaking the same process," an Indo-Tibetan Border Police force spokesperson said. Personnel of the armed forces, armed police forces and state police personnel deployed outside their constituencies are considered as service voters. Diplomats and other support staff serving in embassies are also service voters. The Election Commission had said in February that there was a substantial increase in the number of service voters in the country enrolled ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as compared to 2014. A total of 16,62,993 service personnel have been enrolled as service electors in the country in the electoral roll for 2019 polls, it had said. The seven phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 11 and end on May 19. Just five days to go for the first phase of Lok Sabha Election 2019, the poll campaign battle heated up on the ground. From candidates' nomination to special election manifestos, parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo the electorate. Amid all this, the Election Commission and I-T Department continued its crackdown on poll-related illegal activities. Nearly 90 crore voters will elect will the representatives from 543 Lok Sabha constituencies the upcoming polls which will be held in seven phases on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. The results will be announced on May 23. The Bharatiya Janata Party is observing it's Foundation Day on Saturday. The party was formed on April 6, 1980. Here are the top developments on Saturday, April 6 Thank you for joining us. Do come back again on Sunday (April 7) for live updates of Lok Sabha election. * Election Commission has said BJP MP Babul Supriyo's song against which TMC had objected won't be allowed to play. The song was being used by BJP in various parts of Bengal without permission. The song will have to be withdrawn: West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer * Villagers from Manoharpur in Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituency have decided to boycott polls over 'no development', say, "There are many issues relating to electricity, water and roads. No politician has visited the village to address our issues. We need written assurance else we won't vote." Villagers from Manoharpur in Saharanpur LS constituency have decided to boycott polls over 'no development', say,"There are many issues relating to electricity,water & roads. No politician has visited the village to address our issues.We need written assurance else we won't vote" pic.twitter.com/VdZpuFcFBo ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 6, 2019 * Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu holds a public rally in Guntur. Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu holds public rally in Guntur. pic.twitter.com/PZh7cxJde9 ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 * BJP's Suresh Nakhua has filed a criminal complaint against Congress' Urmila Matondkar, states, "She has hurt religious sentiments of Hindus by calling 'Hinduism the most violent religion in the world' on a TV show". He also named Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a journalist in the complaint. * Former vice Army chief Sarath Chand joins BJP, terms party as the first choice for 'Fauji' * It appears as if this manifesto has been made to gather votes of the separatists of J&K. There is no all India vision in it. It is a manifesto made for vote-bank only: BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav in Jammu Read full report * Migration is not an issue here. When there are no employment opportunities here people will have to go out to work & also for better education. In the coming time, our focus will be on creating employment opportunities here: Begum Tabassum Hasan, MP Kairana Lok Sabha constituency * Jana Sena candidate from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat, JD Lakshminarayana, releases manifesto on bond paper. He says, "I signed on bond paper which features party manifesto for Visakhapatnam. Voters can drag me to court if I fail to fulfil the promises. Our party has such guts." Andhra Pradesh: JD Lakshminarayana,Jana Sena candidate from Visakhapatnam LS seat,releases manifesto on bond paper; says."I signed on bond paper which features party manifesto for Visakhapatnam. Voters can drag me to court if I fail to fulfil the promises.Our party has such guts" pic.twitter.com/7D3xxN2JhQ ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 * I did not take the decision to leave BJP overnight. I've was in the party for 25 years. I saw that this (BJP) govt was a one-man show and two men army, it had turned autocratic, says Shatrughan Sinha after joining Congress * Congress and parties supporting it are fighting polls to loot people's money, we're contesting polls to make effective use of every single rupee. They're fighting polls to weaken security forces of country and we're contesting polls to make them self-reliant: PM Modi in Chhattisgarh's Balod * Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu speaking at TDP's manifesto release: "Manifestos have become a farce nowadays. Some parties claim that they'll do many things, they don't even know intricacies. But we have a clear vision. We have fulfilled many promises, more than the said ones." * Shatrughan Sinha makes faux pas just after joining Congress, calls Shakti Singh Gohil 'BJP's backbone': Read * "When China tried to forcefully enter India's borders and threaten our security in Doklam, the government under the leadership of Modi ji displayed strong will power and our soldiers gave China a befitting reply. For the first time China was forced to retreat," says UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Hojai, Assam. * Congress member Shatrughan Sinha on being asked if his wife Poonam will contest from Lucknow against HM Rajnath Singh, he said, "Kuch bhi ho sakta hai (Anything can happen)." * Actually Congress and BJD use the poor for politics. This is the reason a large part of India including Odisha was under immense poverty for so many decades, this situation was then misused by Maoists: PM Modi at Odisha's Sonepur. * Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, party chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife, files nomination from Kannauj. "The victory margin will be huge since there is an alliance between SP-BSP. BJP did not fulfil its promises and now to divert attention, BJP is using the security forces. It has been a failed government," says Dimple. Akhilesh Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav, Jaya Bachchan and BSP's SC Mishra present with her. *PM Modi to address a public meeting in Odisha's Sonepur shortly. PM Shri @narendramodi will shortly address a public meeting in Sonepur, Odisha. Watch LIVE at https://t.co/7BYqqmdOkY #IndiaWantsModiAgain pic.twitter.com/tJgSi0yA4O BJP LIVE (@BJPLive) April 6, 2019 * Shatrughan Sinha quits BJP, joins Congress ahead of Lok Sabha election 2019 Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress. Read here * BJP flag is flying proudly in regions where it was unimaginable at one point of time. BJP is the biggest democratic organization in the world. We are now a strong option to Congress and other parties which were formed from within Congress: PM Modi * BJP is a party built on the hard work of its members. There are parties built with money and there are parties built with sweat and toil: PM Modi at Odisha * People of Odisha have to decide on what kind of government they want - the one focusing on growth and nation or a family-ruled party: PM Modi. * PM Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Sundergarh, Odisha BJDs misrule in Odisha is ending. BJP has peoples blessings. Watch from Sundargarh. https://t.co/GVKWxZ8VL4 Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 * Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh to file his nomination from Begusarai today. He'll later address a public meet GD College in Begusarai * BJP President Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad Gujarat: BJP President Amit Shah holds a road show in Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/8bJtE9Fi1s ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 * Delhi Congress Chief Sheila Dikshit, state incharge PC Chacko and other Delhi Congress leaders reach Rahul Gandhi's residence. * On BJP's Foundation Day, PM Modi and Amit Shah's message to party workers: Read 39 years ago on this day, @BJP4India was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become Indias preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Partys Foundation Day. pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 The @BJP4India stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a Party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the Party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 I am confident that the entire family of @BJP4India Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our Party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots has been done and we want to do much more for the country. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 pic.twitter.com/784aaoBBeK Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 6, 2019 * "We wanted to release the film on April 5 but some people put us in so many difficulties that we couldn't do it. We are working hard to get the film released on April 11, we have to go to the Supreme Court on Monday,' Vivek Oberoi on his film 'PM Narendra Modi'. * The Aam Aadmi Party is likely to release its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on April 25. The manifesto, which will list out its agenda for the general elections, will focus on its endeavour to get full statehood for Delhi, a source said. Read more * Ahead of polls, Hyderabad police has seized Rs 9.45 crore cash, freebies worth Rs 3.73 lakh, Rs 9.15 lakh worth gold, 135 litres of liquor, 40 kg cannabis and 11 bags of gutkha this month. * Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold public ralles in Maharashtra's Nanded, Odisha's Sundergarh and Sonepur, and Chhattisgarh's Balod. PM's schedule: 10:00 am: Odisha's Sundargarh 12:30 pm: Odisha's Sonepur 1:30: Chhattisgarh's Balod 6:00 pm: Maharashtra's Nanded * BJP national president Amit Shah, who is contesting the polls from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, will embark on a two-day roadshow covering areas in western Ahmedabad. * Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and senior BJP leaders to attend partys Vijay Sankalp Samabesh at Ambapua Vivek Vihar in Odisha's Berhampur. * Congress chief Rahul Gandhi address rallies in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, Almora and Pauri Garhwal. Rahul's schedule: 11:00 am: Public Meeting at G.I.N.T.I Ground, Srinagar, District Pauri Garhwal 1:30 pm: Public Meeting at Simkony/SSJ Ground, District Almora 3:30 pm: Public Meeting at Pantdeep Ground, District Haridwar * BSP supremo Mayawati to campaign in Uttarakhand's Roorkee and Rudrapur. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a liar, while addressing a gathering of MNS workers at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The MNS chief appreciated veteran leader LK Advani and referred to him as the person who made the party stand on its feet. He lamented that he has been deprived of becoming the prime minister. He said that PM Modi didn't take a single press conference during the last five years, adding that though the public gave a majority but he misused it. Thackeray addressed an election rally, on the occasion of Marathi New Year, 'Gudi Padwa', in favour of the Congress-NCP candidate. He also drew a parallel between the "acche din" promise and a similar slogan given by the then US President Franklin Roosevelt and by German dictator Adolf Hitler. "Traits of Modi and Hitler are similar. The then US president Franklin Roosevelt had also said that good days would come. Even Hitler had said the same. And now Modi is also talking about 'acche din'," he said. He accused PM Modi of wasting the huge mandate he had won in 2014 and spent the last five years in changing names of the schemes that were launched by the previous Congress regime. The MNS chief further said that the importance of Congress is realised only when the party is not in power. "What (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi has said is right. PM Modi has taught us a lot. We abuse the Congress when it is in power," he said. Thackeray, who used to praise PM Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat has turned his fierce critic. Speaking on this, Thackeray said, "People ask me why did I support the PM earlier and now I criticise him. My explanation is that since the man (PM Modi) has changed so did my stand," he said. Further attacking the prime minister, Thackeray said even when he goes to meet his mother, he takes photographers along. He added that if PM Modi returns to power again, holding of elections will stop and democratic rights will be taken away. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal, Tripura and Manipur on Sunday to carry out campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. He will first visit West Bengal and address a public meeting at Rash Mela Maidan near Madan Mohan Mandir in Cooch Behar. The Prime Minister will then visit Tripura's Udaipur and address a public gathering at Girls School Ground. In the afternoon, PM Modi will address a public meeting in Manipur's Imphal. Here's PM Modi's schedule for Sunday (April 7): * Public meeting at 10 am at Rash Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar (West Bengal). * Public meeting at 12 noon at Girls School Ground in Udaipur (Tripura). * Public meeting at 2 pm in Imphal (Manipur). CHENNAI: Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, DMK supremo MK Stalin on Saturday alleged that voters are fed up of NDA government in the centre and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. I have campaigned in nearly 30 parliamentary constituencies till now. I have sensed public mood, they are fed up of Modi in Centre and Edappadi K. Palaniswami government in state and people want to put a full stop to these governments, he told ANI. Stalin further alleged that the Modi was making false poll promises after being rattled by the Congress party's manifesto. Raking the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) issue, Stalin assured voters that test would be scrapped. The AIADMK regime did not "stop" NEET's implementation in the state and still has claimed in its manifesto that it was for exempting Tamil Nadu students from the exam, he said. "The Congress party in its manifesto has assured that NEET will be dispensed with and made it clear that only state governments had rights on this matter. "I am happy and proud that Rahul Gandhi has seconded Kalaignar's (late patriarch M Karunanidhi) slogan of autonomy for states in his party manifesto and I would like to thank him for that," the DMK chief said. Meanwhile Palaniswami hit out at Stalin for his "negative campaign" targeting AIADMK and NDA leaders, saying no welfare activities were taken up by the opposition party while in power. AIADMK is leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state with its other constituents being BJP, DMDK and PMK among others, while DMK is heading the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) whose constituents include Congress and the Left parties. Election to 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu is scheduled on April 18. New Delhi: Amid continued uncertainty over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday discussed the issue with senior party leaders of the city again. Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit PC Chacko, and some other senior leaders were present at the meeting held in Rahul's residence, a source said. According to sources, Delhi Congress leaders told Rahul about the party's prospects in Delhi in this Lok Sabha poll and if the party goes for a pre-poll alliance with the AAP what effects it may have, given that Assembly elections in the national capital are scheduled in 2020. A Congress leader, who was present in the meeting, claimed that an alliance with the AAP was "almost certain" and now the two sides need to sit together to fine-tune the seat-sharing formula. Sources said that Dikshit, who has been opposed to tying up with the AAP in Delhi, was "upset" although she has chosen to go by the party high command's diktat. Chacko visited the Delhi Congress president at her residence after the meeting with Gandhi, following which the two leaders avoided media queries on the alliance. Asked about her two meetings on the day, Dikshit told PTI, "Leaders visit me often." A senior Congress leader said the party high command was in favour of the alliance with the AAP if the grand old party was given New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi seats to contest. However, the AAP sources asserted that there will be no alliance unless the Congress agrees to fight the Lok Sabha poll jointly in Haryana and Chandigarh too, besides openly declaring its support to full statehood for Delhi. Chacko has been in discussion with AAP leader Sanjay Singh and the two have held several rounds of talks over the issue. These discussions mark a fresh round of talks between the Congress and AAP leaders after renewed efforts by some opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar who urged both the parties forge an alliance in Delhi. New Delhi: Soon after joining Congress, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, made a faux pas when he referred to senior party leader Shaktisinh Gohil as the 'backbone' of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While addressing the media after formally joining the grand old party, Sinha said, "Shaktisinh Gohil ji (Bihar Congress in-charge) has been the backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat." He realised his mistake after he was prompted by Congress leaders and others present at the press conference. Going into a damage control mode, Sinha said it can happen as he is new to the Congress party. "I think you all are mature enough to understand it wasn't deliberate," Sinha told the press. #WATCH: Shatrughan Sinha after joining Congress says, 'Shakti Singh Gohil ji (Bihar Congress In-charge) has been backbone of BJP in Bihar and in Gujarat,' corrects himself later. pic.twitter.com/ktaMjkkgSW ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2019 Sinha joined Congress in the presence of party General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala. In a series of tweets, Sinha said that he's leaving BJP with a "heavy heart and immense pain." "It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP," he tweeted. It's with a heavy heart and immense pain that I finally bid adieu to my old party, for reasons best known to all of us, on 6th April, which also happens to be the Sansthapna Diwas of BJP. I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 "I don't hold any ill will for our people as they were like my family and I was groomed in this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru and guide, Sri LK Advani," he added. this party with the guidance and blessings of the stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh, late and great PM #atalbiharivajpayee and of course, our friend philosopher, ultimate leader, guru & guide, Sri. L.K #Advani. I would like to include some of those who've not lived up Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 Sinha, who's been criticising the present BJP leadership for long, also said, "I would like to include some of those who've not lived up to the expectations, to those who are responsible for the injustice and for turning Lok Shahi into Tana Shahi. I forgive and forget at this juncture. The differences I have with some of the present people and policies of the party, leave me with no option but to part ways with it." to the expectations, to those who are responsible for the injustice and for turning Lok Shahi into Tana Shahi. I forgive and forget at this juncture. The differences I have with some of the present people and policies of the party, leave me with no option but to part ways with it Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 For the Congress party, he tweeted: . I'm hopeful that the Grand Old National Party which I'm stepping into, will provide me with opportunities to serve our people, society and nation in terms of unity, prosperity, progress, development, and glory. This is a party of great nation builders and luminaries like Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and many others. Under the present President of Congress the very dynamic, able, tried, tested and successful face of today and tomorrow's India, @RahulGandhi, I hope, wish and pray that I'm heading into a better direction. Long live democracy and the Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 .....Congress party, along with the alliance of Lalu and Tejasvi's RJD. Long live our great India. Jai Hind. Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 6, 2019 The Congress is likely to field Sinha from Patna Sahib against BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. On BJP ticket too, Sinha fought from Patna Sahib. Hoshangabad: Three people were charred to death and 25 others injured in a fire which engulfed 30 villages in and around Madhya Pradesh's Hoshangabad district after it was fanned by a sudden gust of wind, police said on Saturday. The fire, which began on Friday evening, was put out on Saturday morning, by which time it had caused deaths and injuries and damaged crops over several acres, an official said. "Stubble was being burnt in some fields at around 7:30 pm on Friday. The fire spread due to a gust of wind and soon engulfed 30 villages. Twenty-four fire tenders from different places were deployed to put out the blaze. Wheat has been destroyed over several acres," said Inspector Ashish Singh Pawar of Kotwali police station. "Dilip Choura (28), Amit Choura (32) and Shyam Choura (age not known) of Panjarakala area were charred to death. Twenty-five people have received burn injuries, and the condition of one of them is serious. He has been admitted to a hospital in neighbouring Bhopal," Singh added. The administration has announced financial help of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs two lakh to the seriously injured, and Rs 59,000 to others who are injured, officials said. "The fire has destroyed crops in Badodiyakala, Nimsaria and Panjrakalan villages of the district. A loss assessment exercise has been undertaken to fix compensation," officials said. DIAVATA: Greek police fired teargas on Saturday as angry migrants hoping to travel to northern Europe hurled stones and bottles after being barred from reaching a nearby border crossing, witnesses said. Spurred by a false rumour about border openings that spread on social media, hundreds of migrants and refugees arrived and pitched tents on Thursday in a field next to the Diavata migrant camp near Greece`s border with North Macedonia. There were dozens of tents in the field on Saturday and riot police formed a cordon to block an access route, parking 20 buses to stop the migrants from leaving the field. Authorities also sent buses to take people back to housing settlements. At about midday, riot police fired teargas at dozens of people -- some carrying children -- who hurled stones and bottles as they tried to break through the police cordon and reach the main road leading to the border. "We don`t want to fight with the Greek police," said 36-year old Yaser, a Syrian refugee, sitting on a blanket with his baby son in his arms. "We want to go to Europe, we don`t want to stay in Greece," he told Reuters through an interpreter. His 26-year old wife Fatemeh, who was carrying their six-month old baby, said the family was determined to stay at the makeshift camp. "We will stay here until the borders open, we don`t have any other choice," she said, standing close to where the clashes took place. 'FEEDING THEM LIES' The scuffles lasted for several hours and thick plumes of smoke rose over the fields as police fired flares to disperse the crowds and angry migrants started small fires. Most people refused to leave the site despite calls by ministers to return to accommodation centres and warnings that onward travel would be impossible. A few were persuaded to board the buses and officials said they hoped everyone would leave voluntarily by Sunday. Migration Ministry coordinator for northern Greece Nikos Ragkos said two buses for migrants had already left Diavata. They had travelled to the area due to false reports of plans for an organised movement to cross Greece`s border with Albania in early April. The rumours quickly went viral on social media. In neighbouring Turkey, nearly 1,200 migrants heading toward the border with Greece following false rumours that Ankara had opened its frontier were detained on Friday, Turkish media said. Jana Frey, country director for the International Rescue Committee Greece, said the unrest highlighted "the amount of false information being presented to asylum seekers and refugees." "IRC staff have received reports of refugees who are being lured to the border by smugglers, who are feeding them lies about the border to Europe opening up," she said. Tens of thousands of refugees and migrants, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, are stuck in Greece from when Balkan countries shut their borders in 2016, closing the main passage towards northern Europe. In 2016, thousands of people had camped for months in another field in Idomeni, on the border with Macedonia. Greek authorities eventually cleared that makeshift camp out. Washington: The cooperation of NASA with ISRO remains intact, chief of the US space agency James Bridenstine has said, days after he criticised India and termed its anti-satellite weapon test a "terrible thing" for creating about 400 pieces of orbital debris. In a letter to ISRO Chairman K Sivan, NASA Administrator Bridenstine said "based on the guidance received from the White House", he looks forward continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human space flights. "As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working Group, US India Earth Science Working Group, and the Heliophysics Working Group," Bridenstine said. In his letter, Bridenstine says he recently wrote to ISRO about the suspension of cooperation on human space flight. "Recently, we sent you a letter indicating a suspension of activities under the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group," he wrote. From the April 4 letter, it appears that after the White House weighing in, the cooperation remains intact. The letter comes days after the NASA chief in a town hall meeting criticised India's anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test because of the debris it generated in the space and its potential threat to the International Space Station. "The anti-satellite weapons test by India last week has resulted in about 400 pieces of orbital debris," he said on April 1, adding "that is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the International Space Station". "As we made clear, space debris is a serious issue for the United States. As it is a growing threat, it is the responsibility of all nations who operate in space," Bridenstine said in his letter, a copy of which has been seen by PTI. "We will continue to monitor the remaining debris from your test as it relates to the safety of our human spaceflight activities especially at the International Space Station," wrote the NASA Administration, according to the letter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on March 27 that India had 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 anti-satellite missile (ASAT) capabilities. ISTANBUL: The last commercial passenger flight took off from Istanbul`s Ataturk airport on Saturday and convoys of trucks ferried thousands of tonnes of equipment across the city to a giant new airport which Turkey plans to make the biggest in the world. The mammoth transfer between the two hubs, described by Turkish authorities as unprecedented in scale and speed, was already largely complete a little more than 24 hours after it began before dawn on Friday. The new Istanbul Airport, costing some $8 billion and one of several mega-projects championed by President Tayyip Erdogan, will initially be able to handle 90 million passengers a year, close to the world`s largest existing airport capacity. Authorities plan to expand that capacity to expand to 200 million. Overnight hundreds of trucks carried equipment such as aircraft-towing vehicles and security sensors from Ataturk, on the shores of the Sea of Marmara, 20 miles (30 km) north to the new airport by the Black Sea. By early Saturday more than 90 percent of the move was complete, Turkish Airlines executive Yahya Ustun said. Overnight the final commercial passenger flight from Ataturk took off for Singapore, a departure which Transport Minister Mehmet Turhan described as historic. "I am glad to send you off as the last commercial passengers of Ataturk Airport," he said moments before the plane took off at 2.44, am (2344 GMT). "Upon your return, you will land in Istanbul Airport, a monument of victory, the world`s biggest airport." The new airport, which was formally opened nearly six months ago but which has been handling less than 20 flights a day, inaugurated its new chapter on Saturday afternoon with a domestic flight taking off for the capital Ankara. New Delhi: Pakistan has opened one of its 11 air routes for west-bound flights from India and Air India has started using it, said a senior government official Saturday. "Pakistan has been opening its airspace in tranches. On Thursday, it opened one of the 11 routes for west-bound flights. Therefore, airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it," he said. Even though the route P518 was opened on Thursday evening, American airline company United Airlines announced on Friday its flight connecting Newark and Delhi has been suspended for two weeks. Pakistan had kept its airspace fully closed after an Indian Air Force strike on a terror camp in Balakot on February 26. However, Pakistan on March 27, opened its airspace for all flights except for Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur. "Since the route P518, that has been opened, passes over south Pakistan, the air travel time for west-bound flights from Delhi will not decrease substantially," the official clarified. Since February 26, many foreign airlines have suspended their Delhi-bound flights as it was commercially unviable for them to take a longer route through Mumbai airspace. The operating cost for Air India, which flies to destinations in Europe and the US, has increased significantly as it had to take longer routes due to closure of Pakistani airspace. The Delhi-Washington and Delhi-Chicago flights of the national carrier had been making a stop at Mumbai and Vienna for refuelling and change of crew. Air India on March 15 requested its "inactive" crew members to "immediately" join work as the airline had been forced to cancel and reroute a number of US and Europe-bound flights due to closure of Pakistani airspace. The airline had on March 14 announced it would combine the Mumbai-New York flight with its Mumbai-Newark flight from March 16 to May 31. On March 13, it announced the suspension of flights on the Delhi-Madrid and Delhi-Birmingham routes from March 16 "till further notice" due to "operational reasons". Since Pakistan's airspace closure, the airfare on many routes have gone up significantly, including Delhi-Kabul, Delhi-Moscow, Delhi-Tehran and Delhi-Astana. An Afghanistan government official told Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola on April 3, at a public event in New Delhi, that the ticket price on Delhi-Kabul route and Kabul-Delhi route, which is usually around USD 300, has increased to around USD 700. The Afghan official said two Indian airline companies ? Air India and SpiceJet ? have already stopped their Delhi-Kabul flights due to Pakistan airspace closure. A US Navy sailor shot and wounded a female member of the service during a domestic incident at a sprawling Virginia base on Friday before security officers fatally shot the suspect, officials said. The man shot the woman several times in a parking lot at Naval Air Station Oceana at around 6:45 am EDT (1045 GMT), said Chad Vincelette, commanding officer of the naval air base. He described the incident as an "isolated domestic shooting." Neither was identified. "There clearly is some kind of relationship, but I don`t know what it is," Jeff Hood, a Navy spokesman, told Reuters. Oceana, the main base for naval jet fighters on the U.S. East Coast, declared a lockdown shortly after 7 am EDT (1100 GMT) after a report of shots fired. It returned to normal operations nearly an hour later. The suspect, armed with a handgun, was spotted by base security officers, and shot and killed, Vincelette said. The motive for the shooting was unknown and under investigation. The base has a "no weapons policy," Vincelette said, that prohibits the carrying or possession of weapons. Officials often conduct random inspections for prohibited items. "How the sailor was able to get a weapon on base is part of the ongoing investigation," he said. The victim suffered nonlife-threatening wounds and was transported to Virginia Beach General Hospital, Vincelette said. A hospital representative declined to comment on her condition. About 10,500 active Navy personnel are stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. There are also about 10,000 family members and 4,500 civilian personnel at the base. Related Macron appoints researchers to evaluate role of France in Rwandan genocide Twenty-five years ago, Tasian Nkundiye murdered his neighbor with a machete. The 43-year-old Hutu and a few other men from his Rwandan village chopped the Tutsi man to pieces one horrific slaying during a 100-day genocide that killed an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and the Hutus who tried to protect them. Nkundiye was convicted of the killing and other crimes and spent eight years in prison. Today he lives nearby the widow of the man he killed. And somehow they are friends their children and grandchildren play and share lunch together, their cows graze in the same field. I am very grateful to her, Nkundiye, now 68, said of the widow, 58-year-old Laurencia Mukalemera. Ever since I apologized to her after prison life, confessing to my crimes and asking her for forgiveness, she has accepted me. I even leave my children with her when I am away. A quarter century after the 1994 genocide that killed 75% of the countrys ethnic Tutsis, Rwanda has six reconciliation villages like Mbyo, where genocide survivors and perpetrators live alongside each other. Convicted killers re-integrate into society by publicly apologizing for their crimes. Survivors profess forgiveness. The villages are showpieces of President Paul Kagames policy of ethnic reconciliation, although some critics say the communities are forced and the reconciliation is artificial. About 3,000 victims and perpetrators live in the villages established by Prison Fellowship Rwanda, a Christian organization, and funded by the U.S. government, the United Nations and other donors to promote healing in Rwanda from the gaping wounds left by the genocide. Those in the villages also get help with housing and school fees. Rwandas genocide was ignited on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital, Kigali, killing the Rwandan leader, a Hutu. Rwandas Tutsi minority was blamed for the crash, igniting a killing spree of revenge attacks targeting Tutsis across the country of 12 million people. Jannette Mukabyagaju remembers the words of her father when the family heard the news that the presidents plane had been shot down. We are now finished, he said. That is the last time I saw my father. He died with the rest of the family members the following days, Mukabyagaju, a Tutsi survivor, who is now 42, told The Associated Press. In the family of eight children, only Mukabyagaju, one sister and a brother survived. Shrill broadcasts in the government media incited the killings, portraying Tutsis as dangerous, bent on dominating Hutus. During the genocide, political and military leaders also encouraged rape to further destroy the Tutsi ethnic group, which today makes up just 14% of the population. Mukabyagajus family lived in Muhanga, a village near a military barracks attached to the presidents office in the capital, Kigali. The presidential guards from the military zone descended on the village, accusing all Tutsis, including children, of being behind the death of their president, she recalls. It was useless to tell militiamen the children didnt have any idea about the presidents death, said Mukabyagaju, who was 17 at the time. But as you know, during the genocide, all sense had gone. Disguising herself, Mukabyagaju managed to escape to a church in the nearby village of Kabgayi that gave refuge to thousands seeking protection. The Tutsis working at the church helped us with food, but soon they, too, were killed by the militia, she said. For two months she hid in and around the church until the Rwanda Patriotic Front, a rebel group headed by Kagame, seized power, forcing out the Hutu extremists and bringing an end to the genocide. Mukabyagaju said she asks herself why she survived. I believe it was Gods mercy that I didnt die, she said. I have decided to let anger go and forgive all people, including those who killed my family. Today Mukabyagaju lives in Mbyo, where 54 families of genocide survivors and perpetrators live side by side among the villages green fields. Rwandas dark past is contradicted by the peals of laughter of children descended from both sides of the killing, playing and going to school together. We are grateful by the fact that Rwandans are united today, said Frederick Kazigwemu, another convict released after serving nine years in prison for genocide crimes, including murdering a neighboring family. Seeking forgiveness from a family where you killed relatives is an act of courage. But after turning your heart to God, this was possible, said Kazigwemu, who today is Mbyos village leader. Not all Rwandans think reconciliation has succeeded. Sam Nshimirimana, a Rwandan genocide expert and survivor, said forgiveness would be more meaningful if it were initiated by the survivors and perpetrators themselves and not promoted by the government or charitable organizations. The government tells perpetrators that once they apologize to the victims, they will be released from prison, he told the AP. Obviously, they apologize in order to be released. This is an artificial apology. At the same time, many survivors forgive because they are poor and need shelters or school fees, Nshimirimana said. Ethnic reconciliation is a cornerstone of the rule of Kagame, Rwandas de facto leader since the genocide ended in 1994 and the countrys president since 2000, who is credited with bringing Rwanda stability, economic growth, improved health and education. Kagame also has pushed to have more women in political office and 64% of the representatives in Rwandas parliament are women, the highest percentage of any country in the world. In the early 2000s, Kagames government enacted the laws that allowed those convicted of genocide crimes to walk out of prison if they apologized to survivors and sought their forgiveness. Both Nkundiye and Kizigwemu were released from prison under this arrangement. However, Kagames critics charge that he is intolerant of criticism and his government is repressive, jailing opposition leaders. Some opponents say that Rwandas reconciliation is forced. In Mbyo, however, it is hard to argue that the community is artificial. What we did was horrible, said Nkundiye, who remains haunted by memories of the screams of helpless women and children and the sight of Tutsi men throwing themselves into rivers to drown rather than be chopped to death by machetes. As for Mukalemera, the widow of the man he killed, I didnt know that it was Nkundiye who killed my husband. He came and told me he did it and showed me where my husbands body was buried. When he confessed and apologized, I forgave him. She hugged Ndundiye in greeting as they met to discuss the upcoming planting season. I found I could not live with anger forever, she said. Search Keywords: Short link: Africa is a beautiful continent of 54 countries. However, tourists harbour conflicting thoughts about touring African countries. Thi... Africa is a beautiful continent of 54 countries. However, tourists harbour conflicting thoughts about touring African countries. This uncertainty is caused by factors like social instability, war, famine which render some African regions unsafe for touring. Our focus will be spotlighted on ten of the safest African countries tourists can freely visit and enjoy: Morocco The northern country of Morocco is easily one of the most beautiful countries to tour in Africa. Morocco is a safe and stable country. Some interesting regions to visit in Morocco are Rabat, Meknes and the medieval town of Marrakesh which has been named to the African Capital of Culture 2020. The official spoken languages of Morocco are Moroccan Arabic, and Berber while the foreign languages common in the country are French, English and Spanish. Kenya Kenya is an East African country famous for its wildlife reserves and coffee. The official languages spoken are English and Swahili. Tourists can visit places like the Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru, and the countrys capital state, Nairobi. Mauritius Mauritius an Indian Ocean Island located in East Africa with a population of 1.3 million people. Tourism forms a huge part of the countrys economy and tourists flock the beautiful island on a regular basis. Tourists will be treated to sights of waterfalls, rainforests, lagoons and beaches. They will be able to also enjoy activities such as hiking trails, scuba diving and wildlife sighting. The capital city Port Louis is an added bonus for tourists to visit where they can visit places like the Eureka Plantation and the Champs de Mars horse track. There isnt an official language in Mauritius as the citizens speak English, Mauritian-Creole, French and ethnic languages like Tamil and Urdu. Ghana The West African country of Ghana is a great tourist option. Ghana is famous for its secluded beaches and rich culture. As a tourist, you would want to tour towns like Kumasi, Cape Coast and its capital city, Accra. Ghanaians are hospitable and tourists will be wowed by sights such as the Kakum National Park, colonial buildings, native shrines known as posubans and secluded beaches found in Busua and Cape Coast. The official language of Ghana is English. Residents and citizens also speak Ghanaian pidgin English and native languages like Faa and Ewe. If youre uncertain about touring Ghana, heres one additional information to consider: Ghana has been heralded as the next big tourist destination in whats called The Year of Return, a project that Hollywood celebrities such as Idris Elba and Naomi Campbell are a part of. Senegal Senegal is a francophone West African country considered formerly as the Paris of Africa. Senegal is rich in both traditional and French culture. The country is famous for its nightlife featuring music and dancing. Senegals capital is Dakar and its official language is French and Senegal. Locals also speak native dialects such as Wolof. Medina, an ancient district and Musee Theodore Monod, are examples of tourist sites found in Dakar. Senegal is also home to lovely beaches. Eygpt Egypt is a country of an ancient civilisation with tourism as one of its biggest sources of national income. This is for good reason because Egypt is a country of ancient history of which sites like the Pyramids of Giza, and the Nile form part of. The officially spoken language in the country is modern standard Arabic. Tourists will have an abundance of tourists sites like the Egyptian Museum, the Karnak, the Valley of Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, Mount Sinai, Cairo Tower etc. Egypts capital city is Cairo. Seychelles If you love the beach then Seychelles is the perfect place for you. Located off East Africa, Seychelles is an archipelago of about 115 islands. Its capital city is called Victoria. Unlike other African countries on this list, tourism forms the most important nongovernment related sector of the country. Aldabra, Assumption Island, and North Island, Seychelles are examples of islands in Seychelles. Ethiopia Ethiopia is home to archaeological findings dating back 3 million years ago. Aksum, the ruins of an ancient city, Lalibela and castles are just a few examples of its numerous tourist sights, all with stories attached to them. Amharic is the official language of the country. Botswana Botswana is a country located in southern Africa and home to the Kalahari Desert. English is the official language of the country in addition to Tswana, a native language spoken by locals. Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, and Central Kalahari Game Reserve are examples of tourist sights to visit. Botswanas capital state is Gaborone. Namibia Namibia has been referred to as Africa for beginners. Located in southwestern Africa, Namibia is known for the Namib Desert with remarkable dead tree valleys along its Atlantic Coast. The official languages spoken in the country are English and German. At least 50 members of the civilian joint task force (CJTF) were killed on Tuesday by bandits in Zamfara state. Sanusi Rikiji, spe... At least 50 members of the civilian joint task force (CJTF) were killed on Tuesday by bandits in Zamfara state. Sanusi Rikiji, speaker of the state house assembly, made this known on Friday during a condolence visit to Kaura Namoda emirate. The speaker attributed the incident to a confrontation between members of the CJTF and the bandits in a community in Kaura Namoda local government area of the state. Rakiji, who led the state government delegation on the visit, decried the worsening security situation in the state. We were told that the members of civilian JTF had mobilised people from Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda local government area and confronted the bandits in the forest, which led to the killing of over 50 persons, including members of CJTF, he said. Their duty is to support security personnel to carry out operations, not to lead operations. Only security agents have the right to organise operation to confront bandits. The speaker described the move by the members of the CJTF to confront the bandits as unprofessional as they were not trained to do so. This is the directive from Governor Abdulaziz Yari that CJTF members should not confront bandits again; let them cooperate with the security personnel, Rakiji said. We have already received the list of the number of the deceased and other affected victims from the local government chairman, with the aim to assist them. Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, on Saturday raised the alarm over the latest move by the State G... Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, on Saturday raised the alarm over the latest move by the State Governor, Yahaya Bello, ahead of the states governorship election. Melaye said Bello requested a N30bn loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. In a tweet, the controversial lawmaker alleged that the loan was meant to prosecute the governors second term campaign. He, however, cautioned the countrys apex bank against granting the loan to the governor, who he described as squandermania. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State requesting N30bn from CBN. I have written the CBN Governor not to release the money to the squandermania, akotileta Gov. A new study has shown that even light-to-moderate consumption of alcoholic drink increases blood pressure and the chances of having a st... A new study has shown that even light-to-moderate consumption of alcoholic drink increases blood pressure and the chances of having a stroke. Published in the Lancet medical journal, the study contradicts previous findings that suggest moderate drinking could prevent health diseases. Researchers from Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the University of Oxford followed the effects of alcohol on stroke in 500,000 Chinese people for 10 years. The researchers said Chinese formed the study group because of their distinct gene combination which reduces their alcohol tolerance level. This genetic variant can make consuming alcoholic drink an unpleasant experience and lead to flushing. The scientists were able to study the impact of alcohol on people drawn from health, lifestyle and genetic data. The study found that some didnt drink because of their genetic mutation, while female-participants drank little despite their genetic variance. The men on average drank four drinks a day and were at a far higher risk of suffering high blood pressure and strokes. At the end, the study revealed that one glass of alcoholic drink a day increased stroke risk by 10 per cent to 15 per cent and that four drinks a day increased the risk of having a stroke by 35 per cent. It means no matter the type of alcoholic drink you reach for, dont expect it to protect you from stroke or other disease. For the purposes of the study, one drink was a small glass of wine, a bottle of beer, or a single measure of spirits. Zhengming Chen, co-author of the study, said in a press release that there are no protective effects of moderate alcohol intake against stroke. Even moderate alcohol consumption increases the chances of having a stroke. Although many leading scientists agreed with the studys findings, Stephen Burgees, a researcher at the University of Cambridge noted the study was limited to Chinese and focused on spirits, beer and not wine. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, thanked His Majesty, King Abdallah Bin Hussein of Jordan, for the special invitation to partici... President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, thanked His Majesty, King Abdallah Bin Hussein of Jordan, for the special invitation to participate in the Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference (World Economic Forum). On Friday Buhari arrived city of Amman in Jordan, to participate in the Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference (World Economic Forum). Here is full text of President Buharis speech Permit me to start by thanking His Majesty, King Abdallah Bin Hussein of Jordan, for the special invitation to speak to you briefly at this event. 2. I also want to congratulate the World Economic Forum for organizing this forum with the theme of Building New Platforms of Cooperation. 3. In this digital age where physical borders no longer exist to protect even the most secured nations, the only way to overcome predatory and divisionary forces is for all well-meaning nations to work together for the greater good of mankind. 4. Simply put, cooperation amongst sovereign nations is no longer a choice. It is an absolute necessity. 5. In the last ten years, the world as we knew it has completely changed. 6. We have seen and experienced significant shifts on many fronts. In Technology; Population and Migration; Trade and Geopolitics; Climate change; and many more. 7. For some nations, these trends have had positive impacts. But of course, we have also seen the negative and destructive outcomes of these trends in other countries. 8. It is my view, that no region of the world has felt the full impact of these dramatic shifts and shocks like the Middle East and Africa North and Sub-Sahara. 9. On one hand, our region is blessed with a very young, vibrant, enterprising and dynamic population. We also have valuable natural resources that are the envy of many nations. 10. These assets and endowments contributed to our region experiencing some of the highest economic growth rates in the world. 11. On the other hand, however, we have also been hosts to some of the deadliest conflicts in recent history. The deaths, damage and destruction caused by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, ISIS and Boko Haram over the last ten years will take decades to repair. 12. By the special grace of God, today, most of these terrorist organizations have been significantly degraded. The world came together to achieve this. Now, we are faced with the task of rebuilding. 13. It is at this point that we must ask ourselves how we, as a region, got to this point. The answer, at least in the case of Nigeria, is the lack of social and economic inclusion. 14. As Nigeria celebrated being the largest economy in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Nigerians were migrating in droves through harsh desert conditions and across treacherous seas to seek what they believe would be a better life in Europe. 15. Ladies and gentlemen, I strongly believe that the lack of social and economic inclusion was the root cause of many challenges we are experiencing. 16. Today, our population is one hundred and ninety million people. By 2050, it is estimated that we hit three hundred and ninety million making us the third most populous country in the world. This means we must start working now to ensure this population is productively engaged. 17. In the last four years, we focused on security while implementing inclusive policies. 18. On the security front, we made significant gains in fighting Boko Haram. We have recaptured all territories held by Boko Haram in 2014. We have liberated thousands of Nigerians held against their will. 19. Today, I am pleased to say no territory in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is held or controlled by Boko Haram. 20. We are extremely grateful to the many countries that have stood with Nigeria to confront this global scourge and in particular, the Kingdom of Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty, the King. 21. Furthermore, our economic diversification and social inclusion policies are also yielding positive results. Our country has now returned to the path of growth. We are making gains in the ease of doing business indices. 22. A key driver for growth is the agricultural sector where we aggressively pushed agricultural policies that empowered millions of our rural citizens. 23. In the spirit of Building New Platforms of Cooperation, we partnered with the Kingdom of Morocco to domesticate fertilizer production in Nigeria and revive over two million tons of abandoned fertilizer blending plant capacity. 24. The outcome is we created tens of thousands of jobs in agriculture, logistics, manufacturing and retail sectors. We are able to achieve moderate growth. But it was inclusive. 25. Nigeria is now at a new dawn and embarking on a new development trajectory. We are determined to industrialise Nigeria leveraging our comparative advantage. 26. We recognize the private sector as the engine of growth and a veritable partner in our economic agenda. The Middle East is a natural partner. 27. Africa and the Middle East must, therefore, focus on policies that will deliver shared economic prosperity for all our citizens. On trade and investments for example, we can do more. Africa represents only five per cent of Jordans trade with the world. But we have the resources, the people and the markets to do more. 28. Opportunities exist in key job-creating sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Tourism, ICT, Infrastructure as well as Textile and garmenting to mention a few. 29. Our new, inclusive and diversified Nigeria is definitely open for business. Our population, resources, policies and programs make it the most attractive investment destination in Africa. 30. As friends and allies, we must therefore cooperate and leverage on our relative strengths. We must remain open to Building New Platforms of Cooperation. 31. As we deliberate over the next two days, I would ask all leaders present to reflect on our collective experiences. We must identify how we can work together. 32. Today, we are living in a new world. 33. In this new world without borders, my personal view is stability and sustainability can only be achieved through inclusive economic growth, and enhanced cooperation amongst nations. Walter Onnoghen, embattled chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), did not deliver his resignation letter in person, according to NAN. Rec... Walter Onnoghen, embattled chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), did not deliver his resignation letter in person, according to NAN. Recall that we had reported that Onnoghen tendered his resignation on Thursday. Quoting sources, NAN said the letter was submitted to Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, by some judges of the supreme court. The agency said the letter got to Aso Rock at the time the president had departed the country to participate in the World Economic Forum holding in Jordan. NJC had recommended Onnoghen for compulsory retirement after deliberating on a petition by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which alleged financial impropriety, infidelity to the constitution and other economic and financial crimes related laws. Onnoghen, who denied all allegations, is also undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) . He has closed his defence at the CCT and the tribunal is expected to give its judgment at its next sitting on April 15. Onnoghen, 69, was born in Kruiku town, Biase local government area of Cross River state. He got his Law degree from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1977 before his BL certificate at the Nigerian Law School in 1978. He started his career as a Pupil State Counsel at the Lagos state ministry of justice in 1979, after which he ventured into private practice. He was billed to resign on December 22, 2020, upon the attainment of the age of 70. Walter Onnoghen is the first chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to be thrown into a dock labeled defendant box. The exalted seat of the... Walter Onnoghen is the first chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to be thrown into a dock labeled defendant box. The exalted seat of the CJN makes it almost impossible to see the other side of the judicial process. Weeks before the commencement of his trial over alleged false assets declaration, a civil society group, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI), had launched a legal move to remove Onnoghen. Less than 24 hours after the report, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) announced that it had received a petition written against the then CJN. Subsequently, charges were filed against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) eventually recommended Onnoghen, who had since been on suspension, for compulsory retirement. Here is a timeline of how events unfolded around the CJN who has now tendered his resignation. October 10, 2016: NJC recommended Onnoghen as CJN to President Muhammadu Buhari. November 11, 2016: Being the most senior at the supreme court after the retirement of Mohammed Mahmud, Onnoghen took over the leadership of the judiciary in acting capacity. February 7, 2017: Acting President Yemi Osinbajo transmitted Onnoghens name to the senate for confirmation as substantive CJN. February 28, 2017: Civil rights activists and groups alleged that there were plots to deny Onnoghen position of CJN. March 1, 2017: Senate screened and confirmed Onnoghen. March 7, 2017: Onnoghen was sworn in by Acting President Osinbajo. WHEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN January 7, 2019: Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI), a civil society group, petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), listing a number of allegations against Onnoghen notably false declaration of assets. January 12, 2019: The CCB announced that it had filed a six-count charge against Onnoghen at the CCT. January 14, 2019: Onnoghen absent as his trial commenced at CCT . January 15, 2019: The National Industrial Court in Abuja gave an order restraining police from arresting Onnoghen. January 16, 2019: Osinbajo said President Buhari did not know about plan to arraign Onnoghen. Federal government asked the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to freeze five bank accounts belonging to Onnoghen. January 21, 2019: The industrial court in Abuja reinforced its order restraining the continuation of the trial of Onnoghen. January 22, 2019: Again, Onnoghen was absent at the CCT trial. The federal government asked Onnoghen to step aside from office January 25, 2019: Onnoghen was suspended and replaced by Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad January 26, 2019: The United States issued a statement on Onnoghens suspension. January 28, 2019: Police sealed off Onnoghens office CCT adjourned Onnoghens trial indefinitely Senate challenged Onnoghens suspension at the supreme court The attorney-general of the federation (AGF) sent criminal allegations against Onnoghen to NJC January 29, 2019: Onnoghen sued federal government over suspension. January 30, 2019: Onnoghen lost bid to stop CCT trial. February 4, 2019: CCT chairman accused Onnoghens lawyer of delaying trial. February 7, 2019: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) traced lawyers $30,000 payment to Onnoghens account. February 11, 2019: NJC asked Onnoghen to respond to a petition EFCC written against him. February 13, 2019: CCT ordered Onnoghens arrest. February 15, 2019: Onnoghen finally appeared at CCT and pleaded not guilty. March 17, 2019: EFCC raided Onnoghens farm, taking custody of some vital documents March 18, 2019: Onnoghnen said his asset declaration forms were tampered with. March 21, 2019: A witness from the CCB said Onnoghens asset forms havent been verified since 2016. The federal government closed case against Onnoghen March 29, 2019: CCT dismissed a no-case application brought before it by Onnoghen. April 1, 2019: Onnoghen opened defence at CCT. April 3, 2019: Onnoghen closed defence at CCT. EFCC detailed criminal allegations against Onnoghen before the NJC Onnoghen said he never took bribe NJC recommended Onnoghen for retirement The Lagos state police command says it has arrested two persons over the death of Stephen Urueye, a medical officer at the Lagos Unive... The Lagos state police command says it has arrested two persons over the death of Stephen Urueye, a medical officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba. Urueye, who graduated from the University of Lagos on Tuesday, was stabbed to death near LUTH on Thursday. His assailants were said to have seized his personal belongings after inflicting him with serious injuries. Elkana Bala, public relations officer (PRO) of the command, said two suspects identified as Gbadebo Jimoh and Malik Adeboye, were arrested on Friday. He said men of the Itire division of the command arrested the duo and that they had been transferred to the state criminal investigation department, Yaba, for further interrogation. Medical students of UNILAG had staged a protest on Friday, lamenting the high rate of insecurity and calling on the school authorities to act. Meanwhile, the management of LUTH has called for calm. Kelechi Otuneme, public relations officer of LUTH, said all efforts to resuscitate Urueye both at the accident and emergency ward and later at the intensive care unit failed. Members of top management and Specialist Consultants, including the Chief Medical Director were on the ground till late this morning when he passed on, he said in a statement. The matter has since been reported to the police and investigation is ongoing. We implore all staff to be calm and refrain from speculative or inflammatory comments or statements and go about their lawful duties as investigation continues. Our heart goes out to his family, colleagues, friends and the LUTH community as we pray that God will comfort us all on this time of great mourning. Egypt has put up for sale international bonds at a value of 2 billion in two tranches, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement Friday. The statement noted that Egypt issued 6-year bonds worth 750 million, maturing on April 11, 2025 in addition to 12-year bonds at a value of 1.25 billion, maturing on April 11, 2031. There is an increasing demand for Egypt's international bonds, the statement said, noting that Cairo receives about 9 billion worth of offers for the six- and 12-year euro-denominated bonds, representing more than four times of the bonds' value. Search Keywords: Short link: People with special needs or the differently abled now no longer have to sit and watch other people dance without joining in. They can experience the joy of dancing after one choreographer and performer, Shaimaa Shoukri, decided to make it possible for them to learn how to dance in classes organised by the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF) in Studio Emadeddin, a contemporary dance workshop in Downtown Cairo. I am very happy with the classes. The good spirit here, the degree of fitness you reach and the new ideas you learn are what I like the most. I have learned to take initiatives and to turn daily movements into new movements with my body, comments Ahmed Magdi, 34, one of the participants. He is the first wheelchair user to participate in the contemporary dance sessions and has been attending events at D-CAF for four years. He found out about the classes through the Al-Hassan Foundation for Differently Abled Integration. It is a new experience for me. Before attending the classes, there were things I would watch others do that I did not understand. It has really made a difference to me. The most important thing I have learned here is communication with others; unlike social media, communication dance involves communication without words and communication through movement, says Ahmed Mukhtar, 40, also from the Al-Hassan Foundation. For example, if someone smiles at you in the street, this could have a positive effect on your mood, he adds, commenting that it was this sort of non-verbal communication he had been able to appreciate more through dance. I found out about the workshop through the D-CAF Facebook page. I had been following all the events for wheelchair users, and when I saw this event I decided to join in since I also work as a sculptor and that also involves dealing with mass and space. In dance, a person becomes like a mass surrounded by space. The classes also inspired me to come up with future projects. The lessons are more than great. We really need them. I like the spirit of collectiveness and tolerance very much, which has also helped me, comments Ayman Farghali, an artist who attends the lessons. According to Shoukri, it was D-CAF manager Reem Allam who had the idea of organising the special dancing class and inviting her to run it. This was after she had earlier taken part with a visiting Dutch choreographer in a D-CAF event. Shoukri started dancing at the age of eight and took ballet classes and classical dance until she was 18. She attended a three-year programme at the Cairo Opera Houses Creativity Centre under the artistic direction of dancer Walid Awni. Then she joined a four-year programme at the Studio Emadeddin. She took a year of training for dance teaching at a programme called Seeds, a co-operation programme between the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Ezzat Ezzat Studio. She also studied visual arts and theatre at the American University in Cairo. Starting in 2008, she has been working as a choreographer, performer and trainer. Shoukrys workshop is open to students from all backgrounds, whether regular or with special needs and whether professional dancers or amateurs. It is basically a lab more than a training course. It is an exploration process; we initiate ideas together through concepts of exploration. It is not just me showing them movements, as much as opening doors to explore how the body can move, depending on what kind of limitations we have because we all have physical limitations whether they are labeled as disabilities or not. We all have a level or a range of possibilities and a range of non-possibilities. Then we seek a space or comfort zone where we can move in a way that is comfortable and where we can challenge ourselves a bit and where we can explore new areas, she said, adding that these concepts were common to all the workshops she organises. Her dance classes at the Studio Emadeddin originated from contemporary dance. We work with the anatomy of our bodies and how we can explore our bodies and how we can interact with each other through exploration, she said. For example, a session might focus on thinking about the skeleton, joints, bodies in space and how they can move and how the movement could be a form of expression of a state, an idea, an emotion, rather than a choreographic dance that is simply learned. The present one is the first workshop of its kind in Egypt, and at present is a short one lasting just three days over a two-week period. For Shoukri, training the students is a source of joy. When I am facilitating a workshop, it is a very rewarding experience for me and very inspiring. It is beautiful because everyone comes with the intention of being open, of sharing, of working together, of listening to each other, so it is very fulfilling, she said. However, she would like to see the facilities adapted to become more welcoming for students with different abilities, in terms of having slopes for wheelchairs, for example. She would also like to see similar classes organised in the future. She is ready to work with governmental organisations or others that share her values. I work in a project-based way, and if someone proposes a project and I find it interesting, I will try to do it. I evaluate the feasibility of my doing it, and if it is possible I will if the goal of the project goes along with what I believe in, that is, she said. In the future, I plan to do more of the same, if it is possible to continue working in sharing performing, teaching and choreographing. People join her classes through announcements on the studio Facebook page or other social media platforms. The conditions depend on the workshop concerned: some are for professional dancers, some for amateurs, some for women only, some for people with different abilities and some for children. It depends on the workshop who it is tailored for, she said. I would like to see music used in the classes, Magdi commented of his experience. Mukhtar agreed, adding that quiet music with a quiet rhythm could help people relax and use their imagination more. He was looking forward to participating in future lessons. I think that the workshops should prepare the students to take part in a show, Farghali commented. He planned to attend once a month and get ready for a show at a future dance festival. I would like to see shows organised by Egyptian trainers at competitions on the international level, he added. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Dancing the barriers away Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- Two days after prosecutors in Chicago unexpectedly dropped all charges against Jussie Smollett, city officials gave the "Empire" actor a week to pay back $130,000 used to investigate a hate crime in January that officials said was bogus. Smollett missed the deadline, and the city threatened a lawsuit on Thursday. A day later, a lawyer for the actor responded by saying Smollett "will not be intimidated into paying the demanded sum." "Mr. Smollett vehemently denies making any false statement to the City of Chicago, or to any individuals investigating" the alleged attack, attorney Mark Geragos said in a statement addressed to Chicago's Department of Law on Friday. "All criminal charges against Mr. Smollett from this incident have been dismissed and his record has been sealed. Thus, your claim that Mr. Smollett filed a false police report and orchestrated his own attack is false and defamatory." Geragos' letter followed a statement from Bill McCaffrey, a Department of Law spokesperson, issued Thursday night that said: "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 Country." The lawsuit would be filed "in the near future" and the city "will pursue the full measure of damages allowed under the ordinance," McCaffrey concluded. Chicago asked Smollett, against whom 16 felony charges had been filed, for an "immediate payment" of $130,106.15 "in an attempt to resolve this matter without further legal action," according to a letter obtained last week by ABC News. The letter asked for the payment within seven days and said additional fines were possible. Geragos' statement accuses the city of Chicago of making threats in "bad faith" against his client and says filing a lawsuit against Smollett requesting repayment is "unconstitutional," an erroneous attempt "to try to get a second bite at the apple once charges against a criminal defendant have been dismissed." Smollett, who insists he's been "truthful and consistent on every single level since day one," was released after forfeiting $10,000 -- 10% of his $100,000 bond -- and performing a few hours of community service. Joe Magats, the first assistant state attorney in Illinois, told ABC Chicago station WLS, "We stand behind the investigation and the facts revealed," and, "We believe he did what he was charged with doing," and, "This was not an exoneration. To say that he was exonerated by us or anyone is not true." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said dropping the charges against Smollett "is without a doubt a whitewash of justice." A federal investigation into a threatening letter investigators say was part of the hoax is still underway. "Empire" is produced by 21st Century Fox, now part of the Walt Disney Co., also the parent company of ABC News. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Too often those in power lump thousands of years of Middle Eastern religion and culture into monolithic entities to be feared or persecuted. But at least one government institution is doing exactly the opposite. For Nowruz, the Persian New Year, the Library of Congress has released a digital collection of its rare Persian-language manuscripts, an archive spanning 700 years. This free resource opens windows on diverse religious, national, linguistic, and cultural traditions, most, but not all, Islamic, yet all different from each other in complex and striking ways. We nowadays are programmed to think Persia equates with Iran, but when you look at this it is a multiregional collection, says a Library specialist in its African and Middle Eastern Division, Hirad Dinavari. Many contributed to it. Some were Indian, some were Turkic, Central Asian. The deep, cosmopolitan archive, as Atlas Obscuras Jonathan Carey writes, consists of a relatively small number of manuscriptsonly 155. That may not seem particularly significant given the enormity of some other online collections. But its quality and variety mark it as especially valuable, representative of much larger bodies of work in the arts, sciences, religion, and philosophy, dating back to the 13th century and spanning regions from India to Central Asia and the Caucuses, in addition to the native Persian speaking lands of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the LoC notes. Prominently represented are works like the epic poem of pre-Islamic Persia, the Shahnamah, likened to the Iliad or the Odyssey, writes Carey, as well as written accounts of the life of Shah Jahan, the 17th-century Mughal emperor who oversaw construction of the Taj Mahal. The Library points out the archive includes the most beloved poems of the Persian poets Saadi, Hafez, Rumi and Jami, along with the works of the poet Nizami Ganjavi. Some readers might be surprised at the pictorial opulence of so many Islamic texts, with their colorful, stylized battle scenes and groupings of human figures. Islamic art is typically thought of as iconoclastic, but as in Christian Europe and North America, certain sects have fought others over this interpretation (including over depictions of the Prophet Mohammad). This is not to say that the iconoclasts deserve less attention. Much medieval and early modern Islamic art uses intricate patterns, designs, and calligraphy while scrupulously avoiding likenesses of humans and animals. It is deeply moving in its own way, rigorously detailed and passionately executed, full of mathematical and aesthetic ideas about shape, proportion, color, and line that have inspired artists around the world for centuries. The page from a lavishly illuminated Quran, above, circa 1708, offers such an example, written in Arabic with an interlinear Persian translation. There are religious texts from other faiths, like the Psalms in Hebrew with Persian translation, there are scientific texts and maps: the Rare Persian-Language Manuscript Collection covers a lot of historical ground, as has Persian language and culture from the 10th century to the present, the Library writes. Such a rich tradition deserves careful study and appreciation. Begin an education in Persian manuscript history here. via Atlas Obscura Related Content: 15,000 Colorful Images of Persian Manuscripts Now Online, Courtesy of the British Library The Complex Geometry of Islamic Art & Design: A Short Introduction 800 Illuminated Medieval Manuscripts Are Now Online: Browse & Download Them Courtesy of the British Library and Bibliotheque Nationale de France 800+ Treasured Medieval Manuscripts to Be Digitized by Cambridge & Heidelberg Universities Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness BeautyCon NYC, the annual celebrity-led beauty convention, is back for its fifth year at Javtis Centre. Expect beauty freebies from your favorite brands, influencer meet and greets, thought-provoking panel discussions, and, most importantly, Cardi B. The glamorous two-day event has always attracted top influencers. Last year, guests included Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Zendaya, and the event raked in more than $10 million dollars from approximately 15,000 guests. So it can get a little intense. PAPER Editor-in-Chief Drew Elliott will be this year's host, moderating talks that range from beauty bias in media to Insta-activism. The biggest attraction, however, seems to be Cardi B, who is slated for a special 45-minute panel discussion. There's also going to be some other major appearances by the likes of Regina Hall, Issa Rae, and Amanda Steele. If you're trying to get in on the first day, however, expect chaos. We recommend coming in early to beat the queues and so you have the time to do a quick skim of all the brands. Naturally, you may not be able to see it all, especially if you're only making the trip for a single day or a few hours. Here are PAPER's picks of what not to miss: BeautyCon OGs This first panel is moderated by YouTuber/socialite Gigi Gorgeous, including guests Amanda Steele, Angel Merino, and Raye Boyce. Together the three will discuss how social media has transformed since its initial boom, and how influencers and businesses need to re-brand themselves to stay relevant. When: Saturday, 12:10 pm to 12:40 pm I Deserve to be Seen: Beauty Bias & Representation Despite some definite progress, beauty has historically not been the most inclusive or diverse industry. In fact, studies suggest that 70 percent of women don't see themselves represented in the media. Watch Former Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Elaine Welteroth lead a powerful panel consisting of Nabela Noor, Julee Wilson, and Amanda Cadenet as they take on issues like diversity in beauty, and breaking stereotypes. When: Saturday, 1:40 pm to 2:10 pm Black Girl Magic on the Big Screen by presented by Universal's Little This has to be one of the biggest celebrity moment of the event this year. With Issa Rae, Regina Hall, and Marsai Martin in attendance, the discussion will focus on the three stars and their highly anticipated film Little. When: Saturday, 3:15 pm to 3:45 pm Fighting the Fear of Being Yourself This no moderator discussion will feature Yara Shahidi and Noor Tagouri in a candid discussion on everything from misrepresentation in media to expression of cultures and self through beauty and style. When: Saturday, 4:15 pm to 4:45 pm Insta-Activism What used to be a resource to share images, has now morphed into a platform for raising awareness about social and political issues. Catch activists Adam Eli, Blair Imani, and DeRay McKesson in conversation to document this slow shift within social media and how it has impacted the world. When: Sunday, 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm Fireside Chat: Making Money Moves Kind of an obvious one here, and this is probably what you really came for. The incredible rapper will be on live chatting about everything from beauty, body image, to finances. When: Sunday, 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm BeautyCon NYC returns on April 6th and 7th 2019 at Javits Centre in New York. Request tickets here. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it is confident that by the year 2030, the country would have fully met targets for Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3). SDG 3 seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Touting the achievements of health authorities in Ghana over the years, the Director General (DG) of GHS, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, said minimal cases of measles had been recorded in Ghana since 2003. He said measles had gradually become rare medical cases for new doctors on housemanship due to the successful immunisation, which the GHS had taken seriously over the years. Breakthroughs in eradication of diseases Dr Asare, who was speaking at the launch of a five-day leadership training programme for immunisation supply chain managers in Accra last week revealed that neonatal tetanus had since 2011 been completely eliminated. Ghana had also not recorded cases of Poliomyelitis and Meningitis since 2008 and 2012, respectively. There had been significant reduction in cases of pneumonia and diarrhea while the Service had strengthened health systems through the provision of basic logistics and equipment, thus contributing to the reduction of under-five mortality. The training programme was organised by Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) in partnership with United Parcel Services (UPS) and was to provide participants with requisite skills and competencies to enable them to effectively fulfil their roles. It was to improve skills in people management, communication, project management, problem-solving and personal/professional development and provide specific people management skills instructions. Dr Nsiah Asare said vaccines, in general, were encouraging healthy lives for all worldwide. The Director-General said the institute was putting up measures and efforts until all vaccine-related illnesses were eradicated. We want to touch every child everywhere in Ghana to achieve this, he noted. Medical drone technology to be launched on April 24 The GHS boss announced that on April 24, the Service would launch the biggest medical drone distribution centre in Ghana. Together with government, well make sure that we use the drones to deliver the vaccines to the underserved and also very hard to reach areas in small quantities so that they dont get expired. They will also get the right quantities at the right time, he added. Mr Magloire Achidi, Supply Chain Consultant of GAVI admitted that Ghanas health system was one of the richest health systems in the region, adding that from the last statistics mentioned, the GDP coverage according to the WHO/UNICEF estimate was up to 99 percent. This is by far the coverage of many countries in Europe and America so that demonstrates the willingness, enthusiasm and professionalism of you people who are doing that and supporting this course, he noted. Source: The Finder Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Zambian President Edgar Lungu has warned that his government will not hesitate to close the country's two biggest public universities known for unruly conduct by students each time they have a grievance. The government will deal sternly with unruly students at both Copperbelt University (CBU) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) who were in the habit of damaging public property whenever aggrieved, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation quoted Lungu as saying on Wednesday. The Zambian leader, who was touring refurbished hostels at the Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practice in Kitwe city on the Copperbelt Province, said the government will now have to put its foot down even it means closing down the two public universities, the state broadcaster reported. Last year, a female student at UNZA died due to suffocation while another one was injured as police fired teargas in student hostels following riots. On Monday, CBU students rioted and damaged public properties after the management decided to prevent some of them who have not fully paid their fees from sitting for examinations. 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 Centre for European Studies (CES) of the College of Humanities, University of Ghana held its 8th Lecture Series on Friday 5th April 2019 at the Bank of Ghana Auditorium of the Department of Economics. The event, which was chaired by Her Excellency Ambassador Alicia Rico, Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, was under the theme Gender Issues in Europe: Lessons for Ghana. It was attended by over 1,000 participants comprising students, gender advocates, womens groups, civil society leaders, EU-Ambassadors, representatives from the EU-Delegation in Ghana, ministers of state, and media practitioners. Her Excellency Diana Acconcia, Head of the EU-Delegation in Ghana was the Special Guest of Honour. Welcoming guests and participants to the event, Prof Ransford Gyampo, Director of the CES noted that gender inequality remains one of the major setbacks to African development. Even though several interventions have been implemented since the Beijing Conference, Prof Gyampo opined that the battle to empower women and to achieve gender equality in many developing countries in Africa and for that matter, Ghana, appear to have been fought and lost. In the metropolitan and cosmopolitan cities where education seems to have thrived, the issue of gender inequality, according to the CES Director, seem not to be prevalent as several career and women elite are found in abundance carrying out work activities bordering on their daily professional lives. However, in the hinterlands of many African countries, he argued that there are several gender issues that present monumental challenge to the quest to achieve gender equality. Indeed, the biggest challenge for women today is that they do the biggest burden of unpaid work, such as going through the stresses of pregnancy, childbearing, caring for children, caring for the elderly, and household work. Yet they are also disempowered and relegated to the background when it comes to critical issues of decision making, development and governance. He stated that CES research on challenges confronting women points to the fact that, the situation in Europe is quite better than it is in Africa, and for that matter Ghana. He expressed the hope for an insightful lecture that presents lessons to address gender challenges in Ghana. He thanked the EU-Delegation for their partnership and support of CES activities. The Chairperson and Special Guest of Honour took turns to commend the CES for its zeal and enthusiasm in promoting European Studies in Ghana. They both pledged their unflinching support for the Centre. The Chairperson noted that women all over the world have challenges that confront them. However, how these challenges are tackled and the seriousness attached to the problem by policymakers shows the difference between what pertains in Europe and other continents, particularly Africa. She thanked the CES again for the opportunity to chair the event and wish participants fruitful discussions. Presenting the lecture, Mrs Joana Opare, Executive Director of the Gender Planning Consult noted that gender equality is one of the fundamental values of the European Union (EU). The EU is dedicated not only to defending this right but also to promoting gender equality within the Member States and across the world. The crucial significance of gender in EU development policies, according to her, is recognized in various policy documents. Mrs Opare stated that the EU Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality (2016-2019)" highlights as one of its five thematic priority areas, the promotion of gender equality and womens rights across the world. She outlined several interventions in Europe to empower women including work-life balance for working parents that makes a case for flexible working arrangement and family-related leave for women; the introduction of an action plan to tackle gender pay gaps; introducing the Spotlight Initiative to tackle gender-based violence; committing funds to support activities targeted at improving gender equality and promoting girls and womens empowerment; adopting the Gender Equality and Womens Empowerment through EU External Relations action plan that focusses on four pivotal areas as follows: - Ensuring girls and womens physical and psychological integrity - Promoting the economic and social rights/empowerment of girls and women - Strengthening girls and womens voice and participation - Shifting the European Commission services and the European External Action Services institutional culture to more effectively deliver on EU commitments Highlighting some of the challenges confronting women in Africa and Ghana, Mrs Opare pointed to the low income earning status; poor education; marginalization in decision making; poor health conditions and teenage pregnancy; and gender-based violence as the key gender issues that must be tackled effectively in the quest to empower women in Ghana and other developing countries. In her view, Ghana and other African countries, in their quest for women empowerment, may learn some lessons from Europe by taking a cue from the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP II, 2016 2020) which aims to place gender equality and empowerment of women and girls at the heart of EU external actions with a focus on: - Mandatory Implementation of Action Plan through: (i) Political and Policy dialogue with government and key actors; (ii) Coordination with member states; (iii) Specific projects and call for proposals; (iv) Budget Support; (v) Management and leadership to ensure adequate human and financial resources dedicated to achieving the GAP II objectives. - Mandatory Gender Analysis at the correct level of intervention and context-specific at sector, project or national levels. - Promoting the equal participation of men and women in social, economic and political life, and supporting equality of opportunity, and the participation and political representation of women. - Encouraging the adoption of specific positive measures in favour of women such as: (i) participation in national and local politics; (ii) support for womens organisations; (iii) access to basic social services, especially to education and training, health care and family planning; (iv) access to productive resources, especially to land and credit and to labour market; and (v) taking specific account of women in emergency aid and rehabilitation programmes. - Supporting the implementation of the National Employment Policy. - Supporting the Ghana Skills Development Initiative -Third Phase (GSDI III). Following the presentation, participants engaged in extensive discussion about the issues raised. They highlighted the challenges confronting women in Africa and Ghana; questioned the political will in addressing the challenges; and the preparedness as well as commitment of women to fight and wage a sustained battle for their empowerment. Participants were of the view that even though lessons for women empowerment abound in Europe, women must form a constituency to demand their rightful place in society as the battle for their empowerment cannot be won on a silver platter in a society where male chauvinism seems deeply ingrained in the psyche of the entire citizenry. In her closing remarks, the Chairperson thanked the presenter and participants for the insightful discourse and expressed the hope that policymakers would act on the policy brief that would be circulated by the CES after the lecture. He commended the CES for hosting the event, which he described as very timely. 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 First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has unveiled the 2019 edition of the Silk Road Language and Art Exhibition. The exhibition carries forward Chinese art and culture, introduces foreign arts, and promotes international cultural exchanges. Ancient and modern Chinese artworks and written languages were displayed inside the famous Confucius Institute Hall at the University of Ghana (UG) on Saturday, April 6, 2019. The exhibition is being organised by Greenhouse International Development Ghana Limited, a Chinese group, and it seeks to, among other things, promote cultural exchanges between Ghanaians and Chinese, as well promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese arts and language. A delegation of Chinese artists from the Chinese Behavioural Law Society spearheaded the paintings and drawings during the opening ceremony of the exhibition. There were also charity activities undertaken by Chinese, coinciding with the exhibition. Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Akufo-Addo thanked the Chinese society in Ghana for this "wonderful and delightful art exhibition." The first lady spoke about her remarkable impression with Chinese artistic works when she visited China along with her husband in September 2018. She traced the history of art in Ghana to ancient times, recounting how it has evolved over the years. She underscored that each country should treasure its cultural inheritance and learn from the cultures of others. In July 1960, Ghana and China officially established diplomatic ties. Since then, according to Ghana's Ambassador to China, Edward Boateng, the Sino-Ghana relationship has remained solid and mutually beneficial. Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Shi Ting Wang, in a statement, indicated that "Chinese painting is a concrete embodiment of Chinese cultural tradition for thousands of years and reflects the Chinese understanding of nature, society and philosophical of the artists." According to him, "It (painting) not only enjoys a long history but also has a unique style. Different from Western painting, Chinese painting seeks for the significance behind the paintings rather than the shape itself." He added that there are mainly three categories in Chinese painting, namely landscape painting, figure painting, and flower-and-bird painting. The ambassador explained that "they reflect the relations between people and the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, which complement with each other and constitute the universe as a whole." Along the ancient Silk Road, he said, the skills and spirits of Chinese art spread, merge and develop with other civilizations. He added that "in the new age with the increasing exchanges between China, Ghana and the world by the Belt and Road, Chinese traditional culture is not only the basis for artistic creation but also the platform for cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. 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 Rebecca Foundation has received GH 100,000 support from Greenhouse International Development Ghana Limited, a Chinese group. The donation was made on Saturday, April 6 at the launch of the 2019 Silk Road Language & Art Exhibition at the Confucius Institute, University of Ghana (UG). It was made possible through the sale of paintings of six Chinese artists from the Chinese Behavioural Law Society. A total of GH180,000 was realised from the sale of the paintings, with the remaining GH 80,000 expected to go into other benevolent projects in Ghana. The Silk Road Language & Art Exhibition seeks to promote cultural exchange between Ghana and China. Ghana happens to be one of the first countries in Africa where the Silk Road Language & Art Exhibition is taking place. Mrs Akufo-Addo, who received the donation on behalf of her foundation after helping to present certificates to the artists, thanked the society for the kind gesture. 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 Cabinet has given approval for the Ministry of Communications to migrate all public sector workers to the .gov.gh dedicated government of Ghana domain for official business. Consequently, the government has introduced a new measure banning all public officials from using their private emails for transacting official duties. The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful made this known on Friday at Aburi at the opening session of the National Cyber Security Technical Working Group first retreat for 2019. The move, she said was to help safeguard the critical infrastructure of government against cyber attacks. According to her, the state has realized that the use of private emails like Yahoo and Gmail do not create the impression of seriousness in running state duties. The Minister also indicated that the use of private emails exposes the entire critical information resources of the country to cyber crimes, noting the need to protect the public information ecosystem. She indicated that workers at some departments and ministries including the Ministry of Communications have already started using public emails. By the end of 2019, she warned that sanctions would be applied against officials who use private emails for transacting national duties, noting that the use of private emails for official duties was unacceptable. She said Ghana falls in the top ten users of social media on the globe thus making the country exposed to cyber attacks. It is unacceptable that a government official will be sending an official message with the use of his or her private email and this is not done anywhere in the world she noted. The Minister revealed that the President has directed the Ministry to implement all the regulations on Cybercrime and related offences in order to make the safer digital Ghana campaign a success. We are determined to ensure that critical state infrastructure is protected regardless of the little funds we have as an institution The programme is expected to be executed by the National Cybersecurity Secretariat and the Ghana Domain Registry with oversight supervision from the Ministry. The two days workshop by the committee is to give an opportunity to members to review the progress of work on the cybersecurity bill. Representatives of major state institutions like the Attorney Generals Department, Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Armed fForces (GAF), National Communications Authority (NCA), Defense Intelligence (DI), among others, are taking part in the retreat. 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 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, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, in his office yesterday. The two held closed discussions which centred 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. Hon. 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: 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 Member of Parliament(MP) for New Juaben North and Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Nana Adjei Boateng has appealed to Ghanaians to offer the needed sacrifice for national development. He said sometimes challenges in life were taken for granted, although they were meant to strengthen and toughen people for more challenging missions ahead of them. The Member of Parliament made the remarks at the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Bethel Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Effiduase near Koforidua on the theme, Making disciples of all nations-50 years of evangelism. He commended the Presbyterian Church for their enormous contribution towards the development of education, health and the continued prayer for the country. He indicated that the relationship between government and the religious bodies was cherished and asked for their continuous prayers and support for the development of the nation. The Koforidua District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Dr Kofi Amfo-Akonnor called on churches to exhibit some responsibility in their dealings to lead and give direction to the nation and politicians. If the church, which has a responsibility to provide leadership for the country fails, then it has failed the nation and God he emphasized. Rev. Amfo-Akonnor said Ghana needed serious minded people who were trained, moulded for building a nation and capable of bringing the country to where God wanted it to be. 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 Ghana will, on April 8, join the rest of the world to commemorate the 2019 World Health Day, which will focus on the critical role of primary healthcare and the impact made towards ensuring universal healthcare. It is on the theme: Universal Health Coverage with the objective to improving understanding of Universal Health Coverage and the importance of primary healthcare. This years campaign will also spur action from individuals, policy-makers, and health-care workers to make universal health coverage a reality. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), primary healthcare was about caring for people and helping them to improve their health or maintain their well-being, rather than just treating a single disease or condition. A campaign document by the WHO ahead of the commemoration called on countries to adopt a cost-effective and equitable way of delivering health services. It said health workers had a crucial role to play in educating patients on how to take care of their health and advocate for patients needs. It said individuals and communities must have access to high-quality health services to take care of their own health and that of their families to make the health for all a reality. 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 Holidays are great. Planning them makes us happy, taking them may lower our risk of heart attack and depression. When we get back to work, we may be more engaged and more creative. But how long should we go for? And is it possible that an economic concept called the bliss point could be applied to determine the perfect length for the holiday you have in mind, whether its partying in Vegas or camping in the mountains? Too much of a good thing? The concept of a bliss point has two different but related meanings. In the food industry, it means identifying the perfect combinations of salt, sugar and fat to include in products so that consumers love them and find them hard to resist. But its also an economic concept that refers to the level of consumption at which we are most satisfied; the peak beyond which any further consumption makes us less satisfied. With food, distinct flavours tend to overwhelm the brain, which can dampen our desire for more, something known as sensory-specific satiety. When it comes to music, weve all ruined our favourite songs by listening to them too much, changing the way our brains react to them. So how does it work when it comes to taking a holiday? Many of us have experienced that point at which even though weve had a great time were ready to go home. Is it possible that, even relaxing on the beach or exploring exciting new places, we can have too much of a good thing? Why dopamine is key We cant be sure, but psychologists suggest dopamine, a pleasure neurochemical in the brain that is released in response to rewarding human activities, plays a role. Rewarding activities could include actions that are biologically significant such as eating and sex, as well as stimuli like money, gambling or being in love. Dopamine is known to produce a feel-good state. And according to Peter Vuust, professor of neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark, exploring a new place spikes dopamine levels because it often challenges us to adapt to new environments, cultures and routines. The more complex an experience is, the more likely it is that we will get dopamine-soaked satisfaction, he says. If the experience is one-dimensional, you get tired of it very quickly. But if its varied and challenging, it will keep on being interesting. And the bliss point will be delayed. He explains that our anticipation of pleasurable experiences increases dopamine levels. So too does familiarity going back to a hotel or place you loved before, for example but over-familiarity reduces enjoyment as we become bored. Novelty is nice Theres limited research on the subject. Jeroen Nawijn, a senior lecturer and researcher at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, says most research on holiday happiness his included has explored short trips of no more than a couple of weeks, because there are limited datasets to study. His study on the moods of 481 tourists in the Netherlands, most of whom were on trips of 17 or fewer days, found no evidence of the bliss point. I dont think people will reach the bliss point on relatively short vacations, says Nawijn. But he believes it could definitely happen on longer trips. There are a few theories for why this might be the case. The first goes that we simply get bored, just like when we listen to songs on repeat too many times. One study found that between one-third and just under half of our holiday happiness boost comes from novelty or a sense that stimuli are new and different from daily life. On longer trips, theres more time for us to become accustomed to surrounding stimuli, especially if we stay in one destination and do similar activities say, at a vacation resort. Then again, people can simply vary holiday activities to prevent tedium. It is possible to enjoy a vacation for several weeks if we have the freedom and means to choose what we do, says Nawijn. Pick your environment Another important factor could be the environment in which we take our holidays. City breaks, for instance, can be exhilarating. But crowding, noise and night-time lights, which can affect our sleep, may cause physical and emotional stress and anxiety. The constant stimuli in cities can overload our senses and stress us out, says Jessica de Bloom, a researcher at the Universities of Tampere and Groningen in Finland and the Netherlands. Know yourself The good news, though, is that there are potentially plenty of ways to postpone the bliss point, even though we dont know exactly when it occurs. Planning where you go, what activities you do and with whom, is one way to figure out your individual bliss point. Ondrej Mitas, an emotion researcher at Breda University, believes that we all subconsciously accommodate our bliss points by booking the kinds of holidays and activities we think we will like for the amount of time we think we would prefer. Thats why family and group holidays, which combine the desires of multiple people, might have shorter bliss points, since we cant prioritise our individual needs, he says. But Mitas says the lost autonomy could be outweighed by building strong social relationships with the holiday groups, which research shows are significant predictors of happiness. In which case, he says, the bliss point may be prolonged. The problem is that most of us are probably getting our happiness predictions wrong, adds Mitas, since studies conclude that we are not very good at forecasting how decisions make us feel. It will take deep reflection, trial and error to know what makes us happy and for how long, which is the key to delaying the vacation bliss point. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Tarkwa-Nsuaem constituency branch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suspended indefinitely four members with effect from April 5, 2019. The suspended members are; Mr Kofi Nimako Dankwa, Mr. Stephen Quaicoe, Mr. Abubakari Sadick Osman and Mr Stephen Amoah. This was contained in a News statement issued and signed by the constituency secretary, Mr. Benjamin Kessie and copied to the Ghana News Agency. "The suspension of the four is based on incontrovertible misconduct procedurally unravelled and as recommended by the appropriate organ and adopted by the party they had to be suspended", the statement said. It further ordered the affected persons to hand over party property in their possession to the party secretariat and stay away from all legitimate party activities. The statement also asked all party persons, political actors and the general public to cease to accord the aforementioned any such right from henceforth. 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 YUMBE The persistent water crisis faced by refugees from South Sudan in Bidi Bidi Refugee settlement in Yumbe District, where people are surviving on a 20 litre-jerrican of water per household per day, could soon come to an end with the intervention of Coca Cola. The donation of a water plant worth 100,000 Euros (UGX418.5m) by United Bottling Company of Equatorial Coca Cola in South Sudan is to construct two water pumping stations that will supply water to village 9 and 10 with a population of about 6,500 people. During the launch of the water plants on Thursday, April 4, Mr. Mark Hoodgendam, the general manager UBC Equatorial South Sudan Coca Cola, said since independent Coca Cola has been supporting South Sudanese both in the country and those living abroad. He prays that peace comes to South Sudan so that the refugees can return home to live in harmony. At the event, Ms. Sheila Akullu, the United Nation High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) WASH officer, said the plants will address the challenge of access to clean water by providing at least 20 litres per day per person to the worst affected two villages. She said access to clean water in village 9 and 10 was low compared to other settlements because of lack of a sustainable water system. Ms. Oliver Tabu, 25, a resident of Village 9, said some people utilize 20 litres per day per household because they would move 4-5 kilometres distance to get water from other settlements. Because of water scarcity people long distance from village 9 and 10 to villages like 5, 6, and others to look for water and sometimes they can only get 20 litres for the family per day, Ms. Tabu said. Ms. Betty Lagwen, 26, a resident of Village 9, said they always spend more than four hours looking for water in about 4 kilometres from other villages and at time forced to dig into the sand along the valley to get water for drinking and cooking leave alone bathing and washing items. She said her family is surviving on five jerricans of 20 litres of water weekly. To make matters worse, Ms. Lagwen said that some people defecate on the sand where they would dig for water which led to common diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid in villages9 and 10. Rose, a resident of Village 9, noted that sometimes children hardly eat their first meal at 3 pm when there isnt water for cooking especially when the reservoirs are empty of water which are routinely filled up by water bowser trucks. However, with the donation made by the UBC Equatorial South Sudan Coca Cola, Mr. Rogers Mugenyi, the Emergency Water Officer of Water Mission Uganda, said Village 9 and 10 will then be able to provide 20 litres of water per person per day upon completion. He confirmed that Village 9 and 10 compared to all other settlements at Bidi Bidi had water stress because they were relying on water trucking that was expensive and very unsustainable. Water bowser trucks collect water from a very far distance and fill up the temporary tanks and it is treated before supplying. And the beneficiaries may go up to six hours waiting for water every day and thats why UNHCR and Coca Cola invited Water Mission to construct a sustainable water system, Mr. Mugenyi said. He noted the two motorized systems in the settlement will be able to supply water in a radius of 9 Kilometers across the crisis areas and will address the persisting water crisis in the settlements. Mr. Mugenyi said the development which is at 50 percent nearing completion are expected to start operating in May this year when constructing a pipeline that will help to distribute water from the pumps to the beneficiaries are completed. Ms. Maureen Kyomuhendo, the Public Affairs and Communications Manager of Coca Cola Beverages Africa in Uganda, said women suffer most because of the bear the task of looking for the wellbeing of the house including access to water for the families. She thanked Equatorial Coca Cola of Sudan Sudan and UNHCR for working together with Coca Cola in Uganda in an ongoing project to provide clean water to the refugees and safe water to communities facing water crisis across the region. According to Ms. Acacio Jafar Juliao, the Head of Sub Office of the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR in Yumbe currently refugees access to water is at 16 Litres per person per day, which he says is above the emergency threshold by a litre. Ms. Acacio said providing water to refugees above the emergency standard is an indicator of improvement showing that persistent water crisis in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement will soon be eliminated. Bidi Bidi refugee settlement measuring about 240,000 square kilometres has a population of about 206,000 to 207,000 refugees and it is one of the biggest refugee settlements in Uganda. Related 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 Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Parliament directs government with number of recommendations [06/April/2019] SANAA, April 6 (Saba) - The Parliament on Saturday held its second session for the first half-year for the 14th annual session, under the chairmanship of its Speaker Yahya al-Ra'i, in the presence of the Minister of State for Parliamentary and Shura Council Affairs Dr. Ali Abdullah Abu Hleika. At this session, the Council reviewed the names of members of the Joint Governmental Parliamentary Committee charged with following up the implementation of the following recommendations: 1. High prices of foodstuffs and medicines. 2- The Government's plan to meet the requirements of citizens during the holy month of Ramadan including foodstuffs. 3 - High prices of oil derivatives and also provide the parliament with images of import contracts and prices of stock exchanges related to this. 4 - Measures taken by the government to combat the spread of epidemics, especially the cholera epidemic and swine flu. 5. Continuing provision of domestic gas, improving the distribution mechanism for citizens and maintenance of gas cylinders. 6- The size of the foreign aid of food and medicines arriving in Yemen and the extent of its safety and the fairness of its distribution to its beneficiaries. 7. Actions taken by the Government regarding traffic disruptions. 8. Payment of salaries of State employees. The parliament listened to a memorandum submitted by a number of its members addressed to the Speaker of parliament regarding the setting up of an urgent questioning session for the Minister of Higher Education and his deputy to consider the constitutional and legal violations which were deliberately not implemented in regard to admission of displaced students from Hodeidah University to Sanaa University and violations committed by the President of Sanaa University. On the other hand, the parliament listened to the recommendations contained in the report of the Committee on Trade and Industry on consumer protection proposed to the Council to bind the Government to follow them, as follows: 1. Accelerate the implementation of the Consumer Protection Law and its activation. 2. The necessity of responding to and interacting by the competent authorities and judicial authorities with the Yemen Association for Consumer Protection (YACP) when reporting any violations based on article 44 of Law No. (46) for the year 2008 regarding consumer protection. 3. Re-establish the necessary government support for Yemen Association for Consumer Protection, which was suspended in 2014 in order to fulfill its duty. 4 Combat the phenomenon of the spread of expired food commodities counterfeit counterfeit medicines that are expired and on a continuous basis. 5.Prevent the importation of any goods such as clothes, cosmetics, building materials, sanitary materials, car spare parts, library supplies, school supplies and other goods that do not meet the standards and quality. 6. Put an end to the phenomenon of the spread of prohibited and internationally prohibited pesticides and stand firmly in front of the expansion of the trade of deadly pesticides with emphasis on the need to raise awareness of the seller and the farmer t over dangers of the use of these pesticides and their impact on the health and safety of consumers and the surrounding environment. 7. Intensify awareness programs on consumer rights through various media, social media, schools, mosque preachers and other available means. 8. To stop the use of antibiotics and growth stimulants in poultry farms because they have a negative impact on the health of the immune system of the consumer. 9. To find a rapid treatment for the spread and circulation of more than (6) million household gas cylinders or more unusable and out of readiness for years. 10. Allocation of gas filling stations to vehicles and obliged their owners to provide security and safety tools such as fire extinguisher and others. 11. The speed of issuing the drug and pharmacy law to regulate medicine and punish smugglers and forgers. 12. Activation of the Pesticide Law and the Pesticide Registration Committee and selecting the best competencies and specialties for the membership of this committee from the representative bodies and not registering any pesticides except after the field experiments, in addition activation of the residual effect laboratory test for the pesticides. 13. The speed of the work of a network or a mechanism for coordination between the Supreme Commission for Drug, from on a hand and Customs and Security authorities on the other hand, for the passage of official medicines and the seizure of those who violate them. 14. To activate and support the pharmaceutical control laboratory. 15- Focusing on providing the Supreme Commission of drug with cadres qualified scientifically in the field of medicine. 16. Activate the role of the Ministry of Public Health and Population represented by the General Administration of Preventive and Treatment Nutrition. 17. The government should coordinate with international organizations working in the field of food and drug assistance while buying aid from producers, manufacturers and domestic importers of food and pharmaceutical goods to ensure quality and validity. In this regard, the parliament charged the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Abdullah Abdul-Numan to brief the Minister of Industry and Trade on the recommendations of the parliament. The parliament had started its session by reviewing the minutes of its previous meeting and approved them, and will continue its work on Sunday, God willing. AA Saba New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- The Top key vendors in Barium Fluoride Market include are Solvay ,GFS Chemicals ,International Crystal Laboratories ,All-Chemie ,Barium & Chemicals ,Wego Chemical & Mineral ,Alfa Chemical ,Super Conductor Materials ,Jay Intermediates Trend Insight Report - Request Free PDF Sample Copy of Barium Fluoride Market at https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/24767 Apart from this, the valuable document weighs upon the performance of the industry on the basis of a product service, end-use, geography and end customer. The industry experts have left no stone unturned to identify the major factors influencing the development rate of the Barium Fluoride industry including various opportunities and gaps. A thorough analysis of the micro markets with regards to the growth trends in each category makes the overall study interesting. When studying the micro markets the researchers also dig deep into their future prospect and contribution to the Barium Fluoride industry. A high focus is maintained on factors such as demand and supply, production capacity, supply chain management, distribution channel, product application and performance across different countries. The report not only offers hard to find facts about the trends and innovation driving the current and future of Barium Fluoride business, but also provides insights into competitive development such as acquisition and mergers, joint ventures, product launches and technology advancements. A quick look at the industry trends and opportunities The researchers find out why sales of Barium Fluoride are projected to surge in the coming years. The study covers the trends that will strongly favor the industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025. Besides this, the study uncovers important facts associated with lucrative growth and opportunities that lie ahead for the Barium Fluoride industry. #This Reports Includes Segmental analysis, Regional analysis, Research Methodology, Competitive Landscape, Learn how to build the strategy and business case to implement Order Here@ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/checkout/24767 On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, and market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into - Ammonium - Hydrogen Fluoride - Calcium Fluoride - Sodium Fluoride - Sulphur Hexafluoride - Others On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including - Aluminum Metallurgy - Optical Material - Oil Refining - Spectroscopic Components - Pharmaceuticals - Food - Others Region wise performance of the Barium Fluoride industry This report studies the global Barium Fluoride Market status and forecast, categorizes the global Barium Fluoride Market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America). Key points from TOC 7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Barium Fluoride Business 7.1 Solvay 7.1.1 Solvay Barium Fluoride Production Sites and Area Served 7.1.2 Barium Fluoride Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.1.3 Solvay Barium Fluoride Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.2 GFS Chemicals 7.2.1 GFS Chemicals Barium Fluoride Production Sites and Area Served 7.2.2 Barium Fluoride Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.2.3 GFS Chemicals Barium Fluoride Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.3 International Crystal Laboratories 7.3.1 International Crystal Laboratories Barium Fluoride Production Sites and Area Served 7.3.2 Barium Fluoride Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.3.3 International Crystal Laboratories Barium Fluoride Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.4 All-Chemie 7.4.1 All-Chemie Barium Fluoride Production Sites and Area Served 7.4.2 Barium Fluoride Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.4.3 All-Chemie Barium Fluoride Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.4.4 Main Business and Markets Served Continue.. Browse Full RD with TOC of This Report @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/24767/barium-fluoride-market This Barium Fluoride Market report holds answers to some important questions like: - What is the size of occupied by the prominent leaders for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? What will be the share and the growth rate of the Barium Fluoride Market during the forecast period? - What are the future prospects for the Barium Fluoride industry in the coming years? - Which trends are likely to contribute to the development rate of the industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? - What are the future prospects of the Barium Fluoride industry for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? - Which countries are expected to grow at the fastest rate? - Which factors have attributed to an increased sale worldwide? - What is the present status of competitive development? People also viewed:- Barium Salt Market Insights - Global Analysis and Forecast by 2025@ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/14727/barium-salt-market Barium Bromide Market Insights - Global Analysis and Forecast by 2025@ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/9751/barium-bromide-market About Market Growth Insight Market Growth Insight is a one stop solution for market research reports in various business categories. We are serving 100+ clients with 10000+ diverse industry reports and our reports are developed to simplify strategic decision making, on the basis of comprehensive and in-depth significant information, established through wide ranging analysis and latest industry trends. We are striving to provide the best customer friendly services and appropriate business information to accomplish your ideas. Contact 502, Sai Radhe, Kennedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune 411 001, Maharashtra, India Contact No- + 91 8956 049 020 Sales@marketgrowthinsight.com Website- https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com Follow Us:- LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- MEA & Latin America to emerge attractive for cement & mortar testing equipment APEJ secures top market position, says FMI research. Increasing demand for process automation across industries is primarily fueling the adoption of cement and mortar testing equipment in construction industry. Poised to see just-under 5% yearly growth in the revenue, the global market for cement and mortar testing equipment is likely to cross the value of US$ 550 million in 2019. Developing Asian Economies Remain the Hotbed of Opportunities With more than 1/3rd share of the total market revenue, APEJ remains the most lucrative region for cement and mortar testing equipment manufacturers and distributors. Although an important market for cement and mortar testing equipment penetration, Europe is likely to demonstrate steady year on year revenue growth in 2019 and ahead. Whereas developing regions such as Latin America and MEA are poised to display promising performance in coming years - says a newly released market research intelligence study by Future Market Insights. "China, India, and Singapore are serving a vital role in boosting the growth of cement and mortar testing equipment market across Asian region," says a senior market research professional at the company. Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8147 Manufacturers to Discover High Potential Opportunities in R&D Sector Accounting for around half the market value share, on-site material testing has been the largest area for adoption of cement and mortar testing equipment. However, the report prompts at a rapidly emerging opportunity for manufacturers in the R&D sector. Looking at the rate of revenue generation emerging in R&D sector, it is more likely that research and training laboratories would register relatively higher demand for cement and mortar testing equipment in coming years, according to the report. Tightening Regulatory Standards for Construction Materials Push Market Growth Product type assessment of the cement and mortar testing equipment landscape reaffirms continued dominance of compression machines, followed by tensile testing machines. The analyst explains, "A growing number of strict regulatory standards emerging for quality testing of construction materials including cement and mortar is subsequently creating a positive outlook for further penetration of cement and mortar testing equipment. With growing significance and criticality of adoption of appropriate material testing equipment across the construction industry, compression machines and tensile testing machines are expected for higher growth over other equipment types". The machine type analysis of global cement and mortar testing market reveals that lightweight, easy-to-transport, and low maintenance portable cement and mortar testing equipment is currently accounting for over 60% share in the global market value, followed by stationary cement and mortar testing equipment. Key Insights Drawn from Competitive Landscape Analysis R&D of advanced technology based testing equipment is likely to help manufacturers enhance their existing portfolio of offerings. Long-term contractual distribution partnerships with regionally or globally leading distributors are expected to strengthen distribution networks of leading market companies. Digital testing equipment offering additional features such as digital data recording, and increased automation of equipment delivering higher level accuracy are likely to remain on the radar of key players. The top 10 ranking players in cement and mortar testing equipment market account for around 45% share of the total market revenue, leaving the competitive landscape fragmented. The global cement and mortar testing equipment market report offers thorough profiles of leading companies with an objective to shed light on their key strategic developments in recent years. If You Have Any Query, Ask The Analyst @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-the-analyst/rep-gb-8147 Some of the players covered in cement and mortar testing report include Humboldt Mfg. Co., NL Scientific Instruments SDN BHD, Controls S.p.A., ELE International, EIE Instruments, Accro-Tech Scientific Industries, Cement Test Equipment, Aimil Ltd., Qualitest International Inc., and Matest. In an effort to address a longstanding challenge of the lack of skill to efficiently and accurately operate cement and mortar testing equipment, Controls Group one of the leading suppliers of material testing equipment recently organized a training session for consumer companies, on the details of operating cement and mortar testing compression machines, in Italy. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Global Check-in Counters 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 Check-in Counters Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Alstef , Baker Bellfield , C.C.M. Srl , Evans Airport Solutions, Fema Airport , Intos , Las-1 Company Ltd. , Materna Information And Communications , Shanghai Haobo Aviation Equipment, Ulma Handling Systems & Usm Airportsystems Ag . Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1291878-global-check-in-counters-market-2 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. The Check-in Counters market was valued at Million US$ in 2017 and is projected to reach Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Check-in Counters. Check-in Counters Market Overview: If you are involved in the Check-in Counters 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 Check-in, Boarding, Information & Customs, , Boarding Counter, Check-in Counter & Other 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. Check-in Counters 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. You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1291878-global-check-in-counters-market-2 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: , Boarding Counter, Check-in Counter & Other Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Check-in, Boarding, Information & Customs Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Alstef , Baker Bellfield , C.C.M. Srl , Evans Airport Solutions, Fema Airport , Intos , Las-1 Company Ltd. , Materna Information And Communications , Shanghai Haobo Aviation Equipment, Ulma Handling Systems & Usm Airportsystems Ag 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 Check-in Counters 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) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1291878-global-check-in-counters-market-2 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 Check-in Counters 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 Check-in Counters market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1291878 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Check-in Counters market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Check-in Counters market, Applications [Check-in, Boarding, Information & Customs], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Other Regions & 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, Other Regions & 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 Check-in Counters 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 York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- A recent assessment study of the global Fully Dental Articulator market brings in the best of both qualitative as well as quantitative research techniques to analyze the competitive landscape for the forecast period 2019 to 2026. The study also focuses on the major driving forces and the restrains shaping the progress of the industry across different regions. The report entails both, investigative and discovery research methods to examine the performance of the prominent market players and their winning strategies to stay ahead in the competition. The SWOT analysis carried out during the study sheds light on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats encountered by the prominent vendors. Expert insights on past, present and future trends covered by the study further aims to provide clarity on the future prospects of the industry. The major players covered in this Fully Dental Articulator report are Whip Mix, Lingchen Dental, SMEDENT, SAM-Dental Home, Nissin Dental, KaVo. Dental, Shofu, Amann Girrbach, Keystone Industries, Dentatus Free Fully Dental Articulator sample copy of report in PDF format available on demand @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33592 The global healthcare industry has been heavily influenced by changing lifestyles and global mortality rates in the past few decades. Innovations in the field of medicines and treatments have become necessary following the increasing threats from exposure to bacteria, viruses, and the urgency to look for solutions to such issues in uncharted territory. The medical industry is buzzing with new drugs and equipment that promises to simplify human existence. It is continuously working to offer more affordable solutions to patients. The pharmaceutical industry is primarily affected by the disease prevalence, affordability, and accessibility of the drugs, compliance with government policies and tax regulations and identifies the most effective medicines and treatment for diseases that affect a particular region. Most important types of Fully Dental Articulator products covered in this report are: - Ordinary Articulators - Ceramic Articulators Most widely used downstream fields of Fully Dental Articulator market covered in this report are: - Hospitals - Dental Clnics The recent trends in the industry are indicative of the impact of the ever-growing needs of the consumers, which has led to the broadening of the scope of research and development. Medical technology is a booming industry engaged in enhancing medical equipment to incorporate easier diagnosis and treatment methods. Pharmaceutical giants are researching numerous drugs to provide medical aid that is accessible to their wide-ranging consumer base. These companies dominate the global market owing to such extensive studies and products that comply with international health standards. This research aims to assist investors in making well-informed decisions. Ask for discount on Fully Dental Articulator market report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/33592 Scope Of The Report: This extensive analysis sheds light on an array of intangible aspects connected with the business such as important definitions, end use and total revenue garnered across different regions. The researcher has taken a conscious effort to get a closer look at some of the top performers of the Fully Dental Articulator industry. Other essential aspects evaluated during research include import and export, demand and supply, distribution channel, gross margin and supply chain management. To add more credibility to the research the study examines the winning strategies adopted by the prominent vendors to maintain competitive edge worldwide. Vital statistics on the business performance is projected using self-explanatory resources charts, tables and graphic images. Geographically, this report studies the key regions, focuses on product sales, value, market share and growth opportunity in these regions, covering: - United States - Europe - China - Japan - Southeast Asia - India 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 In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Fully Dental Articulator are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2026 Order Now (Customized report delivered as per your specific requirement)@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33592 The study objectives of this Fully Dental Articulator report are: # To analyze and study the global Fully Dental Articulator sales, value, status (2018-2026) and forecast (2018-2026); # To analyze the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, # to study the sales, value and market share of top players in these regions. #Focuses on the key Fully Dental Articulator players, to study the sales, value, market share and development plans in future. #Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. #To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. #To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. #To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. #To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. # To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the 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 Fully Dental Articulator Market Overview 1.1 Fully Dental Articulator Definition 1.2 Global Fully Dental Articulator Market Size Status and Outlook (2013-2026) 1.3 Global Fully Dental Articulator Market Size Comparison by Region (2013-2026) 1.4 Global Fully Dental Articulator Market Size Comparison by Type (2013-2026) 1.5 Global Fully Dental Articulator Market Size Comparison by Application (2013-2026) 1.6 Global Fully Dental Articulator Market Size Comparison by Sales Channel (2013-2026) 1.7 Fully Dental Articulator Market Dynamics 1.7.1 Market Drivers/Opportunities 1.7.2 Market Challenges/Risks 1.7.3 Market News (Mergers/Acquisitions/ Expansion) Chapter 2 Fully Dental Articulator Market Segment Analysis by Player 2.1 Global Fully Dental Articulator Sales and Market Share by Player (2018-2026) 2.2 Global Fully Dental Articulator Revenue and Market Share by Player (2018-2026) 2.3 Global Fully Dental Articulator Average Price by Player (2018-2026) 2.4 Players Competition Situation & Trends 2.5 Conclusion of Segment by Player Continued. Browse complete Fully Dental Articulator report description And Full TOC @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/fully-dental-articulator-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 Stephen Maturen/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A 55-year-old New York man has been arrested and charged with threatening to murder Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar. Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., of Addison, New York, may face 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine, or both, U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement on Friday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey is handling the case. The arrest stems from a March 21 phone call received by one of Omar's staffers in which a man later identified as Carlineo allegedly said, "Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her -- she's a [expletive] terrorist. Ill put a bullet in her [expletive] skull. The threatening call was referred to Capitol Police, who investigated in coordination with the FBI. Carlineo appeared in court on Friday and is being held pending a detention hearing on April 10, according to a statement from the Justice Department. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- The latest report on the Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals market closely surveys, examines and offers vital statistics on the Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals market for the forecast period 2018 - 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. The major players covered in this Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals report are BASF SE, Koninklijke DSM NV, Nestle S.A., PepsiCo, Archer Daniels Midland, Arla Foods, Danone, Herbalife, Nature's Sunshine Products, Kellogg Company Free Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals sample copy of report in PDF format available on demand @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33659 Most important types of Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals products covered in this report are: - Carotenoids - Food Fiber - Fatty Acids - Soy Phytoestrogens - Natural Phenolic Most widely used downstream fields of Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals market covered in this report are: - Household - Hospital - Athletes - Other 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 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals 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. Ask for discount on Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals market report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/33659 Understanding the Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals market size The size of the Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals 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 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals report. Knowing the trends influencing the Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals 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. Geographically, this report studies the key regions, focuses on product sales, value, market share and growth opportunity in these regions, covering: - United States - Europe - China - Japan - Southeast Asia - India 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 In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2026 Order Now (Customized report delivered as per your specific requirement)@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33659 The study objectives of this Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals report are: # To analyze and study the global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals sales, value, status (2018-2026) and forecast (2018-2026); # To analyze the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, # to study the sales, value and market share of top players in these regions. #Focuses on the key Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals players, to study the sales, value, market share and development plans in future. #Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. #To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. #To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. #To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. #To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. # To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the 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 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Overview 1.1 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Definition 1.2 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Size Status and Outlook (2013-2026) 1.3 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Size Comparison by Region (2013-2026) 1.4 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Size Comparison by Type (2013-2026) 1.5 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Size Comparison by Application (2013-2026) 1.6 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Size Comparison by Sales Channel (2013-2026) 1.7 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Dynamics 1.7.1 Market Drivers/Opportunities 1.7.2 Market Challenges/Risks 1.7.3 Market News (Mergers/Acquisitions/ Expansion) Chapter 2 Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Market Segment Analysis by Player 2.1 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Sales and Market Share by Player (2018-2026) 2.2 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Revenue and Market Share by Player (2018-2026) 2.3 Global Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals Average Price by Player (2018-2026) 2.4 Players Competition Situation & Trends 2.5 Conclusion of Segment by Player Continued. Browse complete Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals report description And Full TOC @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/functional-foods-nutraceuticals-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 Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- Introduction: Mustard plant is native to Asia and is one of the widely cultivated crop across the globe. Mustard seeds are used as a major spice in Asia and are rich in phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Mustard seeds are high in essential oil and are great source of plant sterols such as brassicasterol, campesterol, sitosterol, avenasterol, and stigmasterol. The global mustard seeds market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years mainly attributed to increasing application of mustard seeds in food and beverages industry, pharmaceutical industry, personal care and cosmetic industry and others. Mustard plant belongs to family Brassicaceae which also includes other crop such as, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and broccoli. Mustard plant is a winter crop and require temperate climate for its growth and is among the third leading source of vegetable oil after palm and soybean oil as per the data revealed by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX). Mustard Seed Market Segmentation Global mustard seed market is segmented into product type, application, sales channels and region. On the basis of product type the global mustard seed market is segmented into, white/yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds and sarepta mustard seeds. The sarepta mustard seeds segment is further sub-segmented into, brown and oriental mustard seeds. Oriental mustard seeds are darker in color in comparison to the yellow mustard seeds mainly due to its high content of phenolic compounds. White or yellow mustard seeds have the least pungent taste while black mustard seeds are the most pungent mustard seeds. By application the global mustard seeds market is segmented into, industrial application, commercial application and Household. Industrial application of mustard seeds includes its use in food and beverages, cosmetic and personal care and other applications. Food and beverages segment is the dominant application segment in the overall mustard seeds market attributable to its widespread use as a condiment. Mustard oil extracted from mustard seeds is widely used across Asian countries. Mustard seeds are also used in salad dressing in countries such as U.S., Canada and other European countries. Apart from this application of mustard seeds in cosmetic is widespread wherein mustard seeds are used as a natural scrub, hydrating agent, age defying agent and aids in hair growth, thus contributing towards revenue generation in the overall mustard seeds market. On the basis of sales channel the global mustard seeds market is segmented into, direct and indirect sales channels. Indirect sales channels are further sub-segmented into hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, e-commerce and other retail formats. On the basis of region the global mustard seed market is segmented into, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, CIS & Russia, and Middle East and Africa. Europe is the largest market for mustard seed globally attributable to increasing demand for mustard oil and mustard paste in cooking across the regions. Europe and Asia Pacific is the largest producer of mustard seeds globally thus contributing towards their overall revenue contribution in the global mustard seeds market. Apart from this Canada is also one of the leading producer of mustard seeds globally. Request Free Sample Report@ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1279 Mustard Seed Market Global Market Trends and Market Drivers: The growth of mustard seed market across the globe is expected to depict significant growth in the overall market owing to increasing demand for mustard seeds in cooking and as a substitute for other oils such as sunflower oil and other oils in the market. Mustards seeds are essential source of essential vitamins including, B-complex vitamins such as folates, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitaminB-6 and pantothenic acid thus, increasing the synthesis of enzymes needed for functioning of nervous system and help in regulation of body metabolism. Furthermore, oil extracted from mustard seeds is traditionally being used to relive muscle pain, arthritis pain, for cancer risk prevention, asthma and several other body ailments thus contributing towards mustard seeds market growth over the forecast period. Mustard Seed Market Key Players: Variety of Mustard Seed have been introduced by the manufacturers and some of the global market players manufacturing mustard seed market include; McCormick & Company, Inc., The Tracklement Company Ltd., Kaveri Seeds, Sakai Spice (Canada) Corp, Megha Corporation, Organic Products India, Sun Impex and others. Regional analysis for Mustard Seed Market includes: North America Mustard Seed Market U.S. Canada Latin America Mustard Seed Market Brazil Mexico Argentina Chile Peru Rest of Latin America Europe Mustard Seed Market EU 4 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) U.K. BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg) NORDIC (Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden) Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Czech Rep., etc.) Rest of Europe CIS & Russia Mustard Seed Market Japan Mustard Seed Market APEJ Mustard Seed Market Greater China India S. Korea ASEAN Countries Rest of APEJ Middle East & Africa Mustard Seed Market GCC Countries Turkey Iran Israel South Africa Rest of MEA Key Data Points Covered in the Report Some of the key data points covered in our report include: An overview of the market, including background and evolution Macroeconomic factors affecting the market and its potential Market dynamics, such as drivers, challenges, and trends Detailed value chain analysis of the market The cost structure of the products and segments covered in the study In-depth pricing analysis, by key product segments, regions and by major market participants Analysis of supply and demand, such as top producing and consuming geographies, imports/exports, and overall trade scenario Analysis of the market structure, including a tier-wise categorization of key market participants Competitive landscape of the market, including detailed profiles of the top players in this market Request/View TOC@ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1279 This analytical research study imparts an all-inclusive assessment on the market, while propounding historical intelligence, actionable insights, and industry-validated & statistically-upheld market forecast. Verified and suitable set of assumptions and methodology has been leveraged for developing this comprehensive study. Information and analysis on key market segments incorporated in the report has been delivered in weighted chapters. A thorough analysis has been offered by the report on Market Dynamics Market Size Market Segments Demand & Supply Trends Current Issues and Challenges Companies and Competitor Landscape Value Chain Technology Regional Segments Analyzed Include North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa) Compilation of authentic and first-hand intelligence, insights offered in the report are based on quantitative and qualitative assessment by leading industry experts, and inputs from opinion leaders & industry participants around the value chain. Growth determinants, macroeconomic indicators, and parent market trends have been scrutinized and delivered, coupled with the market attractiveness for each market segment encompassed. Qualitative impact of growth influencers on the market segments across regions has also been mapped by the report. Highlights from the Report Elaborated scenario of the parent market Transformations in the market dynamics Detailed segmentation of the target market Historical, current and forecast market size based on value and volume Latest industry developments and trends Competition landscape Strategies adopted by the market players and product developments made Potential and niche segments, along with their regional analysis Unbiased analysis on performance of the market Up-to-date and must-have intelligence for the market players to enhance and sustain their competitiveness Report Analysis@ https://www.factmr.com/report/1279/mustard-seed-market 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/ Blog: https://factmrblog.com/ Read Industry News at - http://theguardiantribune.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Global Help Desk Outsourcing Market Size, Status and Forecast 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 Help Desk Outsourcing Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are CSC, HCL Technologies, HP Enterprise Services, IBM, Qcom Outsourcing & Wipro. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1291098-global-help-desk-outsourcing-market-1 Helpdesk outsourcing refers to the process of engaging an external resource or service provider to provide technical support to employees and manage the same. It has gained in popularity over the past few years as firms are seeking to minimize in-house expenses. Apart from the inherent cost advantages, it can aid in enhancing the productivity within a short time because of a well-trained and continuously monitored workforce. Scalability in terms of handling of calls can also be ensured. These services are also providing a competitive edge to the SMBs that do not have the resources to build and maintain a technical help desk. Helpdesk outsourcing is the process of the business engaging resources outside the company to manage customer service and technical assistance support for their customers. Outsourcing helps the organization to decrease the operational cost and to reach maximum end users. Factors such as consumerization of IT drive the growth of the market. Several MNCs as well as SMEs are outsourcing their help desk services to reduce the overall TCO. Help desk outsourcing services are being increasingly adopted by organizations with the rise in the mobile workforce and the adoption of the BYOD culture. In 2017, the global Help Desk Outsourcing market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2018-2025. Help Desk Outsourcing Market Overview: If you are involved in the Help Desk Outsourcing 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 Large Enterprises & Small and Medium Enterprises, , Outsourced Level 1 and Level 2 Support Services & Outsourced Technical Helpdesk Support Services 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. Help Desk Outsourcing 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. You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1291098-global-help-desk-outsourcing-market-1 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: , Outsourced Level 1 and Level 2 Support Services & Outsourced Technical Helpdesk Support Services Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Large Enterprises & Small and Medium Enterprises Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are CSC, HCL Technologies, HP Enterprise Services, IBM, Qcom Outsourcing & Wipro 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 Help Desk Outsourcing 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) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1291098-global-help-desk-outsourcing-market-1 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 Help Desk Outsourcing 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 Help Desk Outsourcing market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1291098 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Help Desk Outsourcing market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Help Desk Outsourcing market, Applications [Large Enterprises & Small and Medium Enterprises], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India; 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 ], 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 Help Desk Outsourcing 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 York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- A new market assessment report on IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market provides a comprehensive overview of IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. The analytical study is proposed to provide immense clarity on the market size, share and growth rate across different regions. The profound knowledge and extensive examination of the trends from the yesteryear and future aims at offering the stakeholders, product owners, and marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026. Request for FREE Sample Copy of IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/21033 Scope of the Report: This industry assessment for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026 incorporates projections pertaining to the investment feasibility, gross margin, profits, consumption volume, production capability and major market vendors. Likewise, statistics associated with the competitive landscape, shifting consumer behaviour and spending power is showcased and well-explained with the help of treasured resources such as charts, graphs and graphic images, which can be easily incorporated in the business or corporate presentations. Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: ABB, Eaton (Bussmann), Siemens, Legrand, Hager (EFEN), GE, Rittal, Littelfuse, Mersen (Mingrong), Chint, Socomec, Apator, Wohner, ETI, Pronutec, Jean Muller, SIBA GmbH Market split by Type, can be divided into: - Switch-fuse Disconnector - Fuse-switch Disconnector - Fuse Holder Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Industrial & Machinery - Buildings - Energy & Utilities - Information Technology - Other Subject matter experts conducting the study also take a closer look at the products at their development stage and in the pipeline to help business owners conclude on the business strategies that can lower their cost and promise great returns or profits. Strong emphasis on new launches, acquisition and mergers, collaboration, import and export status and supply chain management empowers the business evangelists, manufacturers and business owners build a robust strategy when it comes to making an investment. Buy IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder Market Report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/21033 Estimating the potential size of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user customers. Data on the entire size of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry for a specific product or service. Exploring growth rate over a period Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service. Grow with the trend The IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder helps product owners learn how certain trends will shape the growth of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry over a long term. The study closely looks at the historical price pattern of various products and services and empowers entrepreneurs to form the right opinion about the future trends. Accordingly, business owners will be able to decide their course of action and make a wise decision. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated growth rate and market share and size of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026? - What are the driving forces in the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026? - Who are the prominent market players and how have they gained a competitive edge over other competitors? - What are the market trends influencing the progress of the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder industry worldwide? - What are the major challenges and threats restricting the progress of the industry? - What opportunities does the market hold for the prominent market players? Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/iec-ferrule-type-fuseblocks-and-holder-market There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder market. Chapter 1 covers the IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2019 and 2026; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2019 and 2026; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of IEC Ferrule Type - Fuseblocks and Holder, for the period 2019- 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 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Global Cyber security as a Service Market Report 2018 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 Cyber security as a Service Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Symantec, MCAFEE, Trend Micro, Cisco, Fortinet, Panda Security, Ciphercloud, Zscaler, Alert Logic, Radware, Armor, AT&T, BAE Systems, Capgemini, Choice CyberSecurity, Transputec, BlackStratus, FireEye, LookingGlass, Optiv & TCS. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1447268-global-cyber-security-as-a-service-market Cyber security as a Service Market Overview: If you are involved in the Cyber security as a Service 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 IT and Telecom, Retail, BFSI, Healthcare, Defense/Government, , Enterprise Security, Endpoint Security, Cloud Security & Network Security 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. Cyber security as a Service 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. You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1447268-global-cyber-security-as-a-service-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: , Enterprise Security, Endpoint Security, Cloud Security & Network Security Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: IT and Telecom, Retail, BFSI, Healthcare, Defense/Government Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Symantec, MCAFEE, Trend Micro, Cisco, Fortinet, Panda Security, Ciphercloud, Zscaler, Alert Logic, Radware, Armor, AT&T, BAE Systems, Capgemini, Choice CyberSecurity, Transputec, BlackStratus, FireEye, LookingGlass, Optiv & TCS 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 Cyber security as a Service 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) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1447268-global-cyber-security-as-a-service-market 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 Cyber security as a Service 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 Cyber security as a Service Market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1447268 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Cyber security as a Service market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Cyber security as a Service market, Applications [IT and Telecom, Retail, BFSI, Healthcare, Defense/Government], Market Segment by Regions North America Country (United States, Canada), South America, Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea), Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy) & Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC); 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[North America Country (United States, Canada), South America, Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea), Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy) & Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC) ], 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 Cyber security as a Service 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]. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Lubricants are organic substances that are used to reduce friction and heat between moving surfaces that are in mutual contact. Lubricants prevent corrosion; reduce contamination; protect seal; transmit power; and control temperature. The lubricants are available in various forms such as liquid, solid, semi-solid, and gaseous. The global lubricants market has been segmented in terms of type, product, and application. Based on product, the lubricants market has been classified into mineral, synthetic, and semi-synthetic. The mineral segment dominated the market in 2017. Mineral lubricants are employed to lubricate internal combustion engines of vehicles and other machines. They are made from naturally occurring crude oil, which is refined and processed to remove waxes and impurities. Mineral lubricants are composed of hydrocarbons and contain nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen compounds that cause irregular lubricity in engines. Synthetic lubricants generally provide less friction and are more stable. They last longer than mineral-based lubricants. Synthetic lubricants maintain their viscosity at high temperatures and over a long period of time. This prevents engine wear, and allows lubricants to stick to engine parts more effectively. It also protects the engine from dry starts. Based on product, the market has been divided into automotive oils, industrial oils, hydraulic oils, process oils, metalworking fluids, and greases & others. The automotive oils segment can be further sub-segmented into engine oils and transmission oils. Synthetic-based automotive oils offer better oxidation, thermal stability, volatility, as well as higher saturation levels than that of mineral-based automotive oils. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lubricants-market.html Based on region, the global lubricants market has been segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific dominated the global lubricants market in 2017. It was followed by Europe. Rise in production capacity of synthetic lubricants, especially in China, ASEAN, and South Korea, is a major factor expected to drive the lubricants market in Asia Pacific during the forecast period. Demand for lubricants in the U.S. is anticipated to rise moderately due to the increase in government spending to curtail emissions, increase in consumer preference of high-quality lubricants, and constant research on automation technologies in the field of blended lubricants in the country. Increase in demand for synthetic and semi-synthetic lubricants and rise in demand for food-grade industrial lubricants are likely to fuel the market in Europe during the forecast period. The market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is estimated to expand significantly in the near future. Growth in investments by various automakers and strong investment in the industrial sector in Mexico, South Africa, and Brazil are driving the lubricants market in these countries. The report analyzes and forecasts the lubricants market at the global and regional levels. The market has been projected in terms of volume (kilo tons) and value (US$ Mn) for the period from 2018 to 2026. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global lubricants market. It also covers the anticipated impact of these drivers and restraints on the demand for lubricants during the forecast period. The report highlights opportunities in the lubricants market at the global and regional levels. The report comprises detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global lubricants market. The Porter's Five Forces model for the lubricants market has also been included to help understand the competition landscape of the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein type, product, and application segments have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness. These segments have been analyzed based on the present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for lubricants in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers individual type, product, and application segments of the market in every region. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=156 The study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global lubricants market. Key players profiled in the report are Royal Dutch Shell Plc., Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., PetroChina Company Limited, Total Group, China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group), JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., FUCHS, Gulf Oil Marine Ltd., BP plc., Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Chevron Corporation, and ExxonMobil Corporation. These players account for major share of the global lubricants market. Brand promotions and launch of new products are likely to increase sales of lubricants in the next few years. Market leaders are striving to adopt measures such as strategic pricing and product improvement to increase their market share. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- The recent report, Mobile Water Treatment market fundamentally discovers insights that enable stakeholders, business owners and field marketing executives to make effective investment decisions driven by facts rather than guesswork. The study aims at listening, analyzing and delivering actionable data on the competitive landscape to meet the unique requirements of the companies and individuals operating in the Mobile Water Treatment market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. Request for FREE Sample Copy of Mobile Water Treatment Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/13128 Scope of the Report: The research methodologies used for evaluating the Mobile Water Treatment market are inventive and also provides enough evidence on the demand and supply status, production capability, import and export, supply chain management and investment feasibility. The investigative approach applied for the extensive analysis of the sale, gross margin and profit generated by the industry are presented through resources including tables, charts, and graphic images. Importantly, these resources can be easily integrated or used for preparing business or corporate presentations. Market Segment by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies: GE Water, Evoqua Water, Veolia, Degremont, Pall Corporation, Ovivo, Pureflow, AVANTech, Crossbow, MPW, Lenntech, Ecolutia, Orenco, Osmoflo, Septech, GETECH Industries, Aqualyng Market split by Type, can be divided into: - Membrane Mobile Water Treatment - Resin Mobile Water Treatment - Filtration Mobile Water Treatment Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Power & Energy - Construction - Agriculture - Chemicals - Mining & Minerals - Municipal - Other Buy Mobile Water Treatment Market Research Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/13128 Major Regions play vital role in Mobile Water Treatment market are: - North America - Europe - China - Japan - Southeast Asia - India Estimating the potential size of the Mobile Water Treatment industry: Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Mobile Water Treatment industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user customers. Data on the entire size of the Mobile Water Treatment market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Mobile Water Treatment industry for a specific product or service. 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 Mobile Water Treatment 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 Mobile Water Treatment market The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated growth rate of the Mobile Water Treatment market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026? What will be the market share and size of the industry during the estimated period? - What are prime factors expected to drive the Mobile Water Treatment industry for the estimated period? - What are the major market leaders and what has been their winning strategy for success so far? - What are the significant trends shaping the growth prospects of the Mobile Water Treatment market? - What are the key challenges expected to restrict the progress of the industry for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? - What the opportunities product owners can bank on to generate high profits? Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/mobile-water-treatment-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 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Moisture curing adhesives are viscous adhesives that consist of non-volatile urethane prepolymers, which require moisture to trigger the curing reaction. Moisture curing adhesives range from hard to flexible depending upon their formulation. Single component moisture curing polyurethane hot melts have been developed in the recent past, which combine the initial strength of hot melts with the improved heat resistance of moisture curing adhesives. Moisture curing adhesives can be used interchangeably with glue, cement, or paste, and bind two surfaces or things together and resists their separation. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/moisture-curing-adhesives-market.html Automotive and construction are major end-user industries for the moisture cure adhesives market, as moisture cure adhesives have several advantages over conventional adhesives. Application of moisture curing adhesives in automotive components and parts as lightweight materials is projected to drive the market. Demand for lightweight materials is increasing due to the rising interest for lightweight vehicles. Lightweight materials covered with moisture curing cements are utilized to fabricate glass fiber fortified composites and carbon fiber composites. The F1 automakers are focusing on improvement of lightweight materials and smaller vehicle structure to achieve enhanced performance. Raising environmental regulations and concerns regarding the usage of urethane adhesives are restraining the market. Manufacturers are currently engaged in development of bio-based options for dampness-based urethane glues. Based of application, the moisture curing adhesives market can be segmented into construction, automotive, wood working, textile, and others. A major application for moisture curing adhesives is the installation of windshields in automobiles and bonding of plastic window panes to an aluminum ship structure. Moisture curing polyurethanes have been widely employed in the adhesive and coating industries. Moisture curing adhesives are used for wood coatings in construction and manufacturing activities. Transparent coating materials impart a natural look to wood in terms of texture, grain, and color. In terms of chemistry, the moisture curing adhesives market can be segmented into polyurethane, silicone, cyanoacrylate, and polyolefin. Polyurethane chemistry is a prominent segment of the moisture curing adhesives market, as it is cost-effective, and adheres to a wide range of substrates such as metal, synthetic resin, ceramic, mineral fibers, rigid foams, and cemented materials. Polyurethane has high load bearing capacity, it experiences a change in shape under a heavy load; however, it returns to original shape when the load is removed. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=33932 In terms of geography, the moisture curing adhesives market is segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is a leading market for moisture curing adhesives for the last few decades. Expansion of the construction sector and wood coating sector is expected to drive the market. Rise in demand for automobiles and increasing environmental concerns are predicted to be crucial factors that are likely to boost the market. Expansion of the automotive industry in Europe is likely to boost the demand for moisture curing adhesive products, as the automotive industry is a major manufacturer of automotive and its spare parts. Therefore, Europe is expected to witness a steady demand for moisture curing adhesives during the forecast period. The market in Asia Pacific is estimated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. The major industries operating in the region include automotive, construction & housing, coatings, and electrical & electronics. The global market for moisture curing adhesives is led by key players such as, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), H.B. Fuller (U.S.), 3M Company (U.S.), and Sika AG (Switzerland). Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Nasal steroids are medicines that mainly contain corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of the body. Nasal steroids are used to provide relief to the inflamed areas of the nose. Based on drug type, the global nasal steroid market can be segmented into beclomethasone, budesonide, fluticasone, triamcinolone, and others. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nasal-steroid-market.html The fluticasone drug segment is likely to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period, as the drugs have high anti-inflammatory and vasoconstriction effect, which effectively helps in treating the symptoms of nose infection as compared to other drug types. In terms of indication, the global nasal steroid market can be classified into sinus congestion, mucus production, nasal swelling, and allergic rhinitis. The allergic rhinitis segment is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period, as a large number of patients is prone to viral and bacterial infection. Based on distribution channel, the global nasal steroid market can be divided into hospital pharmacies, medical stores, and others. The medical stores segment is likely to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period as most of the drugs preferred by doctors to treat nose infection are available over-the-counter and can be bought without prescription in medical stores. Increase in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis, along with inflammation of the nose, especially among elderly people, is a major factor fueling the global nasal steroid market. Moreover, according to the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, prevalence of allergic rhinitis in the age group of 6 to 7 years in places such as Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. is increasing and is projected to drive the nasal steroid market during the forecast period. However, certain side effects associated with the drugs such as nosebleed, sore throat, cough, nose dryness, etc. are likely to hamper the nasal steroid market in the next few years. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=43403 In terms of region, the global nasal steroid market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global market. It is projected to account for a significant share of the global market during the forecast period due to rise in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in the region. Additionally, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, every year, approximately 30 to 60 million people in the U.S. are affected with allergic rhinitis. In Europe, according to a report of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published in 2017, almost 100 million people in Europe suffer from allergic rhinitis and the disease is increasing among the geriatric population. Moreover, according to a survey report of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) for the adult population in Europe, it was found that the overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 21% among all the respiration diseases and it is a factor projected to propel the nasal steroid market in the region during the forecast period. Environmental factors such as air pollution and rise in the prevalence of various infections in countries such as India and China are likely to fuel the nasal steroid market in Asia Pacific during the forecast period. Rise in the prevalence of various nose infections in Central Africa and increase in awareness regarding the effect of allergic rhinitis among children are anticipated to augment the nasal steroid market in Middle East & Africa during the forecast period. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=43403 Key players operating in the global nasal steroids market are Innovus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, AstraZeneca, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. among others. 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 Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- 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 Harrisburg, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the Plastic Caps market and contains qualitative and quantitative insights, historical and forecasted data, competitor and regional analysis from 2014 to 2025. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications. Request a Free Sample Report before Purchase: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/04041175272/global-plastic-caps-market-research-report-2019/inquiry?source=releasewire&Mode=11 The report covers the profiles of major players in the global Plastic Caps market such as: Closure Systems International, Bericap, Berry Plastics Corporation, ALPLA, Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise, Silgan Plastics, Crown, Global Closure Systems, AptarGroup, Oriental Containers, Mold-Rite Plastics, Blackhawk Molding, Mocap, Zijing Enterprise, Jinfu, Zhuhai Zhongfu Enterprise. Plastic Caps Market, by Types: PP Caps PE Caps Other Materials Plastic Caps Market, by Applications: Beverage Industry Pharmaceutical Industry Personal Care Products Others Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa. Several important Key questions answer covered in this Plastic Caps market research report: - What is status of Plastic Caps Market? -This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, Prospect, Growth trend, Sales by regions, manufacturers, types and applications. - What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth? - What is Plastic Caps Market forecasts (2019-2025)? Considering Sales, Revenue, Growth rate, Price and Trends for Regions, Types and Applications? - Who Are Plastic Caps Market Key Manufacturers? - What will be the market size and the growth rate in 2025? -What are the key factors driving the global Plastic Caps market? - What are the key outcomes of the distinct analysis of the world Plastic Caps Market-Analysis done by considering prime elements? Browse Full Report: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/04041175272/global-plastic-caps-market-research-report-2019?source=releasewire&Mode=11 The research includes historic data from 2014 to 2018 and forecasts until 2025 which makes the reports an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs. The study comprises a mix of data pertaining to the key restraints, drivers, competitive landscape, regulatory forces, key strategies implemented by the key players, and opportunities, expected to have a profound impact on the scope of growth of the market. A detailed analysis of these factors allows the report to present a reliable forecast regarding the future growth dynamics of the Plastic Caps market. About MarketInsightsReports MarketInsightsReports provides syndicated Market research reports to industries, organizations or even individuals with an aim of helping them in their decision making process. MarketInsightsReports 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. Contact US: Irfan Tamboli (Head of Sales) Market Insights Reports Phone: + 1704 266 3234 | Mob: +91-750-707-8687 sales@marketinsightsreports.com | irfan@marketinsightsreports.com New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- The latest report Polyamide 6,6 Market discusses everything a business owner needs to know about the Polyamide 6,6 market for the forecast period, 2019 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 for Sample Copy of Polyamide 6,6 Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33525 Scope of the Report: The research methodologies used for evaluating the Polyamide 6,6 market are inventive and also provides enough evidence on the demand and supply status, production capability, import and export, supply chain management and investment feasibility. The investigative approach applied for the extensive analysis of the sale, gross margin and profit generated by the industry are presented through resources including tables, charts, and graphic images. Importantly, these resources can be easily integrated or used for preparing business or corporate presentations. Major Players in Polyamide 6,6 market are: Invista, Ascend, Solvay, BASF, Asahi Kasei, Dupont, Radici Group, Shenma, Hua Yang Market split by Type, can be divided into: - PA66-Plastic - PA66-Fiber Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Automotive - Textiles and Carpet - Electrical and Electronics - Machinery - Other Buy Polyamide 6,6 Market Research Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33525 The market intelligence study for the Polyamide 6,6 market further provides an inside-out overview of necessary aspects associated with the product classification, important definitions, major orders and other industry-centric parameters. An underlying part of the study also maps the important factors associated with the recent events such as mergers and acquisition, collaboration and new product launches. In addition, the research lays down a robust groundwork for obtaining a vast amount of information that potential customers can use to increase their profits and reduce costs. The inclusion of data on market segmentation by type, application, and geography offers clarity presents an analytical picture of, what manufacturers are aiming for. Extensive data on market segmentation: The Polyamide 6,6 report divides the market of potential buyers into different groups, or segments/sub segments, based on various characteristics. The segments and sub segments identified contain buyer who are expected to respond or react similarly to certain products and services. The report further finds out consumers who share traits including similar expectations, interests, geography and needs. The segmentation sheds light on how some customers are likely to purchase a product or service than others to enable marketers allocate their focus as well as resource. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated growth rate of the Polyamide 6,6 market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026? What will be the market share and size of the industry during the estimated period? - What are prime factors expected to drive the Polyamide 6,6 industry for the estimated period? - What are the major market leaders and what has been their winning strategy for success so far? - What are the significant trends shaping the growth prospects of the Polyamide 6,6 market? - What are the key challenges expected to restrict the progress of the industry for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? - What the opportunities product owners can bank on to generate high profits? Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/polyamide-66-market There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the global Polyamide 6,6 market. - 1 Polyamide 6,6 Market Overview - 2 Global Polyamide 6,6 Market Competition by Manufacturers - 3 Global Polyamide 6,6 Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2019) - 4 Global Polyamide 6,6 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2019) - 5 Global Polyamide 6,6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type - 6 Global Polyamide 6,6 Market Analysis by Application - 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 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2019 -- Somatotropin is a type of drug used as a medication against the growth and regeneration among humans and also stimulates cell reproduction. Deficiency of growth hormones is rising across the globe. Advancements in technology including development of recombinant human growth hormone by the major players is boosting the growth of the somatotropin market. Moreover, the leading companies are focusing on raising production capacity in order to increase supply in rural areas. Somatropin is a recombinant form of growth hormone and is provided only as a prescription drug for the treatment of adult growth hormone and disorders related to child growth. In the U.S., it is only available at a pharmacy store on physician's prescription. Physicians in the U.S. have begun to prescribe somatotropin to older patients for some growth defects, but not to healthy individuals. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/somatotropin-market.html The global somatotropin drugs market can be segmented based on product type, application, route of administration, and distribution channel. In terms of product type, the global market can be bifurcated into powder and solvent. Based on application, the global somatotropin drug market can be classified into Turner's syndrome, growth hormone deficiency, Prader-Willi syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency, idiopathic short stature, small for gestational age, and others. The growth hormone deficiency segment is expected to witness strong growth during the forecast period. Pituitary tumors, metabolic abnormalities, and skeletal abnormalities are the primary causes of growth hormone deficiency. Adults with growth hormone deficiency are also increasingly taking growth hormone injections, as these protect them from increased muscle mass, fractures, and also reduce the risk of heart diseases. In terms of route of administration, the global somatotropin drug market can be categorized into intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous. The subcutaneous segment is likely to witness substantial growth during the forecast period owing to significant rise in growth rates and low incidence of antibody development. Moreover, subcutaneous route is highly preferred for chronic growth hormone therapy. Based on distribution channel, the global market can be divided into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, online pharmacies, and clinics. Hospital pharmacies is likely to be the largest distribution channel segment of the global somatotropin market. This is attributed to high cost of human growth hormone drugs. Moreover, high investment in the development of advanced health care centers and hospitals by governments in various countries drives the distribution of growth hormone drugs through hospital pharmacies. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=43445 Geographically, the somatotropin drug market can be segmented into five major regions: North America, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. North America is the leading market for somatotropin drug in terms of revenue, followed by Europe. The U.S. held the largest share of the market in North America. Asia Pacific and Latin America are emerging markets and are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. High growth rates in these regions are attributable to increase in number of people having growth hormone deficiency. The somatotropin drug market in countries such as China, India, and Brazil is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to increase in awareness among the population about growth hormone deficiency treatment. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=43445 Major players operating in the global somatotropin drug market include Merck KGaA, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, Anhui Anke Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Ipsen S.A., GeneScience Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Roche Holdings, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, and Biopartners GmbH. 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 Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2019 -- According to a new market research report "Transaction Monitoring Market by Component, Application Area (AML, FDP, Compliance Management, and Customer Identity Management), Function, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the transaction monitoring market size is expected to grow from USD 8.3 billion in 2018 to USD 16.8 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.1% during the forecast period. The key factors expected to drive the transaction monitoring market include organizations' need to manage KYC compliance, mitigate money laundering and CTF activities, and comply with stringent regulations. This model helps SMEs avoid the costs associated with hardware, software, storage, and technical staff. The cloud-based platform offers a unified way in the form of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based security services to secure business applications. It is also beneficial for organizations with strict budgets for security investments. Browse and in-depth TOC on "Transaction Monitoring Market" 76 Tables 40 - Figures 152 - Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=97024680 The solution segment to hold a higher market share in 2018 The transaction monitoring solution providers have added a layer to the existing financial security of organizations by offering the transaction monitoring solution. The transaction monitoring solution is a cloud-based and on-premises solution that monitors financial transactions in real time to identify suspicious transactions. The solution can be integrated with other financial security solutions such as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Fraud Detection and Prevention (FDP). The increasing financial crimes, such as financial terrorism, money laundering, corruption; and the rising pressure from stringent regulations and laws have triggered the solution segment to garner more revenue during the forecast period. The cloud deployment mode is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period The transaction monitoring market by deployment mode has been segmented into on-premises and cloud. Cloud deployment is the fastest-growing deployment mode in the transaction monitoring market. Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SMEs), in particular, have implemented the cloud deployment mode, as it enables them to focus on their core competencies, rather than investing their capital on network infrastructure. Organizations can avoid the costs related to hardware, software, storage, and technical staff by using cloud-based transaction monitoring solution. The security of financial transactions is the biggest priority, as it is the primary target of criminals. The cloud-based platform offers a unified way in the form of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based transaction monitoring services to secure financial transactions and assist organizations in complying with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other data protection regulations, thus benefitting enterprises with tight budgets for security investments. The cloud-based transaction monitoring solution is easy to maintain and upgrade; as a result, it is driving the growth of the cloud deployment mode. North America to account for the largest market size during the forecast period North America is expected to account for the largest market size in the overall transaction monitoring market during the forecast period. The increase in the number of financial crimes; and reforms in regulatory compliances are some of the factors driving the adoption of transaction monitoring solution and services. The presence of many transaction monitoring vendors and the widespread awareness of transaction monitoring solution and services are expected to account for the region's highest market share during the forecast period. Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=97024680 The transaction monitoring market comprises major solution providers, such as NICE (Israel), Oracle (US), FICO (US), BAE Systems (UK), Fiserv (US), SAS (US), Experian (Ireland), FIS (US), ACI Worldwide (US), Refinitiv (UK), Software AG (Germany), ComplyAdvantage (US), Infrasoft Technologies (India), ACTICO (Germany), ComplianceWise (Netherlands), EastNets (UAE), Bottomline (US), Beam Solutions (US), IdentityMind (US), and CaseWare (Canada). The research study includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the transaction monitoring market, along with their company profiles, recent developments, and key market strategies. 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 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com B2B and B2C services The new fully integrated portfolio, to be announced at Seatrade Cruise Global, includes services for B2B and B2C such as branding, media relations, digital and social media, cruise line and travel agent engagement, research, reputation management and crisis communications. New programming is also geared toward cruise passenger conversion programs for cruise destinations and hospitality industry training on the benefits of the cruise industry to local economies. Seasoned leader Finns Cruise Marketing Services is led by Virginia Sheridan, a managing partner in the firms Travel & Lifestyle group, supported by a team of cruise industry experts across the agencys global network. Sheridan, based in New York and South Florida, has been involved in the cruise industry for more than 25 years, having worked with teams on clients such as Cunard, Cruise Lines International Association, Crystal Cruises and Starboard Cruise Services, the largest provider of cruise ship retail. 'The cruise industry is the fastest-growing category in leisure travel, and with our practice areas deep expertise in this sector, we saw an important opportunity to expand our depth and breadth of expertise by offering customized B2B and B2C services to this ever-growing, popular segment,' Sheridan said. Team of 70 She added: 'FINNs 70 travel and lifestyle professionals across three continents are well positioned to elevate the benefits of cruising to consumers, promote ports of call, offer destination training, develop partnerships that drive marketing initiatives, provide digital and social insight research, and raise the profile of cruise-related services and products.' In the Philippines, its Globe Telecom is rolling out the nation's 5G network in partnership with Huawei. In Malaysia, the country's leading communications and digital services company Maxis signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to cooperate and accelerate 5G development. The trend is particularly clear in Southeast Asia, where even U.S. allies are racing ahead to partner with Huawei and launch 5G networks in the coming years. The United States is acknowledging that many countries are not heeding warnings about the possible security risks in allowing Chinese tech giant Huawei to build the next generation of high-speech wireless networks known as 5G. This week, six former top U.S. military officials, including two who were commanders for the U.S. Pacific Command, issued a blunt warning of a future where a Chinese-developed 5G network could be widely adopted among American allies. "There is reason for concern that in the future the U.S. will not be able to use networks that rely on Chinese technology for military operations in the territories of traditional U.S. allies or emerging partners in Europe, Asia and beyond," said the former military leaders in a statement. "The immense bandwidth and access potential inherent in commercial 5G systems means effective military operations in the future could benefit from military data being pushed over these networks," they added. And U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned some European countries could soon find themselves cut off from U.S. intelligence and other critical information if they continue to cultivate relationships with Chinese technology firms. "We've done our risk analysis," Pompeo said, following a NATO ministerial meeting in Washington. "We have now shared that with our NATO partners, with countries all around the world. We've made clear that if the risk exceeds the threshold for the United States, we simply won't be able to share that information any longer." For U.S. officials, the threat posed by a Chinese-built communication network could not be clearer. "Huawei is not a state-owned enterprise. But Huawei is a Chinese company and what we do know is several things. One, broadly speaking, Chinese companies will respond to requests for demands from the Chinese government. Telecommunications is a vital part of national backbones. It has military security implications. It has financial and economic implications," said Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow of Washington-based Heritage Foundation. Cheap, Fast, Secure? Huawei insists that it would not turn information over to Chinese authorities if they demanded it, but few outside analysts believe any Chinese company would stand up the country's authoritarian government. U.S. officials are even more direct. "What we do is in our national interests, we see with companies like Huawei that are supported, if not directed, by central authorities in China. We see challenges and potential threats to the sanctity, the security of our systems in our networks, and the best we can do with our friends and partners and allies, is to share our information, share our experience," Patrick Murphy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told VOA at a recent seminar at the U.S. Institute of Peace. That message clearly has had a mixed reception, especially after years when the United States' vast electronic eavesdropping capabilities have drawn criticism. Richard Kramer, founder of Arete, a technology research firm based in London, said leaks from U.S. security agencies in recent years have revealed close cooperation between the federal government and U.S. telecoms and tech firms around intelligence gathering. The U.S. position, he said, seems to be: "We don't want China to spy on us, but we want to be able to spy on them." Will Pressure Backfire? Even in countries where there are open political concerns over the growing power of Chinese influence, too much U.S. pressure could backfire, said Anthony Nelson, Director of the East Asia and Pacific practice at the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global business strategy firm. "Southeast Asian countries that are looking to balance their military relationships with the U.S. and China are not motivated by Washington's security concerns, with the notable exception of Vietnam," Nelson said. Vietnam has had tensions with China in recent years over disputed territory and trade issues. Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S., Ha Kim Ngoc, told VOA that all companies operating in the country need to respect Vietnam's sovereignty. "We have one principle: They need to respect our sovereignty, national sovereignty," said the ambassador at the recent USIP event. Press Release April 6, 2019 ANGARA CITES GUMACA'S POTENTIAL AS INT'L SEAPORT Reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara said the government must harness the potential of a coastal town in Quezon province as an international seaport to attract investments that will create massive employment opportunities not just for the province, but for the entire CALABARZON region. With its strategic location, Angara said the municipality of Gumaca in southern Quezon could position itself as an important gateway to Asia in the South China Sea, locally known as West Philippine Sea. "Gumaca should take advantage of its location and become an important economic center outside Metro Manila," Angara said, as he was scheduled to campaign in the coastal town which is 139 kilometers away from Manila. "Its potential to generate employment for the locals and create immense economic opportunities for the entire region should not be overlooked," added the lawmaker from Aurora, who is running under the platform "Alagang Angara." Angara said he fully supports the plan of the Gumaca municipal government to build the Quezon International Seaport within a 300-hectare reclamation property, which is envisioned as a launching pad of all future delivery, transfers, import and export of both raw materials and finished products. "If this ambitious project pushes through, it will bring new jobs and economic opportunities not just for the people of Quezon province, but the entire CALABARZON region," Angara said. Pending the construction of the seaport, Angara said the country is missing an opportunity to tap into a huge maritime trade in South China Sea, which carries an estimated one-third of global shipping. In 2016, it was estimated that $3.37 trillion in world trade passed through South China Sea whose waters are particularly critical for China, South Korea and Japan, all of which rely on the Strait of Malacca, which connects the South China Sea and, by extension, the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean. Angara lamented that despite its strategic location, the Philippines is not even among the top 10 exporters in the world in terms of product value. Angara is a known advocate for the creation of quality jobs for Filipinos to prevent them from leaving the country to work abroad. He is the sponsor of Republic Act 10691 or the law strengthening the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), which serves as a venue for Filipinos to explore employment opportunities. The law provides for the establishment of PESO, an office under the Department of Labor and Employment, in every province, city and municipality in the country. Just recently, Angara urged the government to look for ways to attract investments that will create higher-paying jobs to encourage Filipinos to stay and work in the country. The government, he said, may consider launching a new "Made-in-the-Philippines" campaign, which would make use of the country's unique competitive advantage in the services sector, which in 2018 posted the highest share in the country's gross domestic product or GDP at 56.2 percent. Fellow senators defend Sen. Bam's role in free college law Several senators came out to defend the important role of re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino in the passage of the free college law. Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Joel Villanueva and Franklin Drilon all stressed the importance of Sen. Bam's hard work in passing the landmark that is being enjoyed by millions of Filipino students. It was Sen. Lacson who first recognized Sen. Bam's work via a tweet, saying the young senator should be given credit for the passage of the free college law as he was the one who defended it from the thorough questioning of his fellow senators. In an interview, Sen. Lacson lauded Sen. Bam for his determination in passing the Free College Law as its principal sponsor. "Kapag napag-uusapan ang libreng matrikula sa kolehiyo, ang unang naiisip ko, si Senador Bam Aquino. Alam kong siya ang nagtiyagang itulak ito sa Senado bilang author at principal sponsor ng Free Tuition Law," Sen. Lacson said. Sen. Drilon, for his part, said Sen. Bam was instrumental in making the free college law a reality to give the country's youth a chance at a bright future. "He's a man who is sincerely concerned for our welfare- especially sa future ng kabataan," said Sen. Drilon, who also recognized Sen. Bam as a dependable ally of the Filipino people in the Senate. Sen. Villanueva also recognized Sen. Bam's determination in pushing for the passage of the free college law. Sa pagsusulong po ng Free Tuition Law, naging major major kasangga po natin si Senator Bam Aquino," said Sen. Villanueva, adding that Sen. Bam deserves a second term in the Senate. "Palaging handang magsilbi sa bayan. Iyan po si Senator Bam Aquino. Ibalik po natin siya sa Senado," added Sen. Villanueva. If re-elected, Sen. Bam has committed to push for the enactment of his Trabaho Center Bill, which seeks to address the problems of jobs mismatch and unemployment in the country. The bill seeks to establish "Trabaho Centers" or Job Placement Offices (JPOs) in public high schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs) to address the skills mismatch and ensure employability of students upon graduation. Press Release April 6, 2019 De Lima welcomes SC ruling for release of drug war records Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has welcomed the ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) ordering the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to furnish petitioners copies of previously withheld police documents related to the government's drug war. De Lima, the staunchest critic of the Duterte administration's war on drugs, said she considers the High Court's ruling as a welcome development in ensuring accountability for all the killings promoted by the government. "We regard this ruling as an important progress, albeit small, to achieve justice for 'tokhang' victims and their families left behind. This will allow for scrutiny of documents recording the thousands of deaths that occurred during police operations in the drug war," she said. Last April 2, SC Spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka announced that the High Tribunal ordered the OSG to submit the police documents on the 20,000 or more killings linked to the government's anti-drug campaign, with copies furnishing the petitioners. The petitioners were the Center for International Law (Centerlaw), a rights advocacy group, and the Free Legal Assistance Group, which represents alleged victims of the drug war led by Sister Ma. Juanita Dano. The SC en banc reportedly voted unanimously to deny Solicitor General Jose Calida's motion for reconsideration (MR) to avoid submitting the documents to third parties and keep them only between the government and the Court. Note that while Calida already submitted the said documents exclusive for the eyes of magistrates after an earlier SC ruling, he had refused to furnish copies to FLAG and Centerlaw, citing national security concerns. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, said it should be easy for Calida to release the documents "if the government has nothing to hide." "There is nothing wrong with transparency when we talk about human lives. We need to expose the truth behind Duterte's murderous drug war which worsens the climate of fear and impunity in the Philippines," she said. "Ngayon na ang hatol ay nanggaling na sa katas-taasang hukuman, wala ka nang dahilan para hindi isumite ang kopya ng mga dokumento, Mr. Calida. Tama na ang pagpapalusot niyo para lang pagtakpan ang patayan sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte!" she added. The Duterte administration only recognized 5,000 of the reported 20,000 or more cases of killings that were caused by police operations, with most of the victims coming from poor families. De Lima is the first to call for a Senate inquiry and later, an independent fact-finding commission to investigate cases of extrajudicial and summary killings in the country, which earned her the President's ire and eventually led to her incarceration for trumped-up drug charges. Press Release April 6, 2019 Duterte's withdrawal from ICC to favor China - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called the Philippines' unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a "self-serving" act that would weaken the Filipinos' defense against foreign aggression and state-led abuses. De Lima, a human rights and social justice champion, lamented that more than Mr. Duterte, the country's unilateral withdrawal from ICC would greatly benefit foreign aggressors, especially China, to the detriment of the Philippines' interests and security. "Duterte's withdrawal from the Rome Statute becomes nothing more than a self-serving act that also favored his Chinese patron, with the Philippines as the major loser," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 494. "Because as sure as anything, Duterte will continue to commit crimes against humanity on his countrymen, and China will continue to commit acts of aggression against Filipino fisherfolks beyond March 17, 2019. The Philippines has just been stripped naked of ICC protection from both," she added. The Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect last March 17, which means that any future act of aggression by foreign countries and crimes against humanity committed by Duterte after March 17, 2019 can no longer be raised by the Philippines to the ICC. Additionally, the ICC can only investigate summary executions carried out by policemen and vigilantes, upon Duterte's directive, from June 30, 2016 to March 16, 2019 due to the said withdrawal. Before March 17, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, along with a group of local fishermen, were able to file a communication before the ICC against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials for crimes committed in the disputed South China Sea (SCS). While she lauded the move, De Lima was concerned that "China's acts of aggression complained of in Del Rosario's and Morales's ICC communication definitely will not be the last to be committed by a foreign country or leader against the Philippines and Filipino citizens." De Lima said she is also alarmed that Duterte's unilateral withdrawal from the country's membership to the Rome Statute without the Senate's concurrence might also prompt him to eventually withdraw from other significant treaties should issues affecting him arise. "Another point. With the now emboldened President Duterte, whose unilateral act of withdrawing sans Senate concurrence was left unchecked by the Supreme Court, what would prevent him now from likewise withdrawing, whimsically and capriciously as he did as to the Rome Statute, from other major treaties like the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty?" she asked. "In short, the grievously ill-advised and arbitrary unilateral withdrawal from the Rome Statute was a colossal blunder," she added. In 2018, De Lima sought the Supreme Court's (SC) approval to allow her to personally appear and argue on the petition that she and her colleagues filed challenging the Philippines' unilateral decision to withdraw from the ICC. However, the SC junked the minority senators' motion to allow De Lima to argue for the position of non-withdrawal from the Rome Statute, maintaining that the case will not be prejudiced if a lawyer other than De Lima argued their petition before the Court. During the oral argument in the said case, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio told Solicitor General Jose Calida that the Philippines might find itself in a very difficult situation since it would be without recourse to the ICC from acts of aggression of a foreign power upon its withdrawal from the Rome Statute. Press Release April 6, 2019 De Lima bewails continued killings in PH Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has bewailed the continued spate of killings in the country, the recent of which include 14 farmers purportedly killed in an anti-criminality campaign at the hands of state authorities in Negros Oriental last March 30. De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said the recent killings highlighted the reigning culture of violence and abuses in the country tolerated and encouraged by Mr. Duterte and his allies. "Mula Kidapawan, hanggang sa Sagay, at kamakailan lamang sa mga siyudad at munisipyo sa Negros Oriental, ang mga kaso ng pagpatay sa ating mga magsasaka ay maituturing na natin bilang kalunos-lunos na kalagayan ng Pilipinas ngayon sa ilalim ng marahas na rehimeng Duterte," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 499. "Araw-araw na patayan, malawakan at walang tigil na karahasan - mula sa mga makikipot na eskinita't pasilyo ng mga lunsod at kabayanan, hanggang sa mga malalawak na patag at mga bukid ng kanayunan. Ito ang panibagong kaayusan ng ating lipunan. Nakalulungkot. Nakasusuklam. Nakagagalit," she added. Last March 30, law enforcement authorities launched a joint operation against illegal firearms targeting suspected communist rebels where they allegedly served 36 search warrants to individuals from different municipalities of Negros Oriental. The joint military and police operations in the different municipalities of Negros Oriental led to the death of 14 persons accused by the authorities to be supporters and members of the New People's Army. Witnesses and family members of the slain victims however likened the killings of the farmers to "tokhang" style executions where authorities stuck with their "nanlaban" narrative even though suspects who were killed were helpless and unarmed. Slamming police's oft-repeated "nanlaban" narrative to defend state-led killings, the former justice secretary pointed out that the farmers fought not with the police but fought for their own rights and legitimate interests. "The decades-long struggle for genuine agrarian reform has continued to fail our farmers and their families. [T]his predicament forces our farmers to take it upon themselves the fight for their own rights and legitimate interests, resorting to dialogues and protest actions to demonstrate the continued injustices and government neglect," she said. "Totoo nga sigurong sila'y 'nanlaban'. Nanlaban para sa kanilang karapatan. Nanlaban para sa kinabukasan ng kani-kanilang kabuhayan at mga pamilya. At nanlaban sa mapang-api at mapang-abusong sistemang pinapairal sa kasalukuyang administrasyon," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol lamented that instead of addressing their needs, the government reciprocated the victims' cries for help with "bullets, assaults, and other forms of harassment [t]o the detriment of their own lives, limbs and dignity." De Lima, former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, said the recent killings should prompt the Filipino citizens to tirelessly demand for accountability for all the killings perpetrated by state authorities under the directive of Mr. Duterte. To allegedly give way to an impartial investigation into operations across the province, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Director Raul Tacaca and three other police chiefs have been reportedly ordered relieved by PNP chief Oscar Albayalde. Press Release April 6, 2019 GORDON HITS CHINA, SAYS : YOU ARE NOT A FRIEND Amid the presence of Chinese vessels in waters off Pag-asa Island, Senator Richard J. Gordon hits out at China, saying its actions do not demonstrate the actions of a friend. "If we do not have a strong Navy, if we do not have a strong Army, we will be pushed around by other countries. Dapat malakas ang Armed Forces natin para igalang tayo ng China. Sabi ng China kaibigan natin sila, pero a friend does not send hundreds of army, hundreds of navy, does not send hundreds of vessels to harrass our fishermen in our territory. I'm glad that Sec. Locsin (Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin) already filed a diplomatic protest. " he said during the Commemoration of the 77th Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week held at Fort Bonifacio last Friday. The senator was the guest of honor and speaker at the said event. His father, former Olongapo City Mayor James Leonard Tagle Gordon, was given a post-humous award as one of the heroes of World War II. He was assigned as a junior officer under the Intelligence Staff engaged in intelligence gathering and monitoring the Province of Zambales. He had the rank of a first lieutenant and joined the resistance on November 1, 1943. Gordon pointed out that he fought to have 13 percent of the proceeds from TRAIN 1 allocated for the military, on top of the budget from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, to ensure that soldiers will not go to war without the proper equipment. "It is the military's duty to protect the integrity of our territory and to protect our country but they would not be capable of doing that without the right equipment. Let us remind our leaders to learn from history. We should follow Japan's motto - Enrich the country, strengthen the military," he said. About 275 Chinese vessels were spotted near and around Pag-asa, which China calls Zhongye, from January to March this year, according to the Philippine military. China said the vessels are civilian ships, mostly fishing boats. The Department of Foreign Affairs said a diplomatic protest against China's massive presence in Pag-asa was filed last March 29. Press Release April 6, 2019 Pimentel files bill seeking to prohibit hospitals, funeral parlors from withholding Muslim cadavers Senator Koko Pimentel III has filed a bill seeking to prohibit hospitals, medical clinics, funeral parlors, morgues and other similar facilities from withholding Muslim cadavers on the grounds of nonpayment of hospital bills, medical expenses or other fees. According to Pimentel, Muslim burial rites are done within a 24-hour period. The practice, he said, is rooted in the Muslim belief that the soul of the diseased is disturbed if its body is not laid to rest in the ground before the next call of prayer. He said he filed the bill in recognition of the right of the Muslims to bury their dead in accordance with their religious customs and beliefs. Under the bill, hospitals, clinics, funeral parlors, morgues or similar facilities shall release the cadaver of a Muslim to his or her relatives for burial within 24 hours from expiration or death upon the execution of a promissory note, secured by either a mortgage or a guarantee of a co-maker to cover the unpaid obligation. Relatives could secure a guarantee letter from the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) or Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) if the deceased was a member of the afore-mentioned institutions. In case the deceased was indigent, a promissory note could also be secured from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The corresponding certificate of death and other documents required for claiming social security shall be promptly issued by the concerned institution. Any officer of employee of the hospital, clinic, funeral parlor, morgue or similar facilities who violates the provision of the Act faces a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months or both at the discretion of the court. Press Release April 6, 2019 'Amidst global shortage, local sand must be for PH housing, infra' Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Senate probe into the "poaching or export of sand and other landfill materials" should cover not only the reported sand dredging in Batangas "but similar cases in other parts of the country." Recto said he will a file resolution that will inquire into the sand extraction attempt of a Chinese-manned dredging ship off the coast of Lobo, Batangas, and "if this incident is happening in other areas as well." "Have we become a land reclamation material supplier? Are we exporting our sand?" Recto said. "If our mountains have been flattened and transported ship by ship to reclaim islands, some of which are within our territory, then that is land transfer of the worst kind," Recto said. Recto said if reports are true that the Chinese ship was dredging sand for use in the building of Hong Kong airport's third runway, "then it is our second contribution to the project - the first being the P700 million that Filipino travellers pay a year for the expansion of the Hong Kong airport." "It is in the fine print of a round-trip plane ticket to Hong Kong. Nasa ticket 'yan. You pay 90 Hong Kong dollars as Hong Kong airport construction fee," Recto said. Given the global shortage of sand and rising local demand for the construction material, Recto said it is time for government to review existing policies on sand and gravel quarrying, transport and sale. "There are many provinces in the country that are sand and gravel poor. Kaya tumataas ang home construction cost kasi minsan binabarko pa ang mga ito from one province to another. Many government road projects have been delayed by the lack of gravel and aggregates," Recto said. "Six million units ang housing shortage natin. These can't be wiped out without sand. Sa farm roads pa lang, mga 15,000 kilometers remain to be paved, and these require gravel. Domestic construction is a P2.4 trillion a year industry, all dependent on sand, gravel and aggregates. This is the big picture," he said. "Sand is in high demand worldwide. According to the United Nations, sand and gravel account for 85 percent of everything mined worldwide annually. And China, which accounts for half of the global demand, is like a huge sand-and-gravel suction machine," he said. Recto said the high demand for sand has given birth to "sand mafia" in many parts of the world, "and possibly, there are local groups here which are trafficking that sellable commodity." "Under the radar lang at hindi napapansin kasi buhangin at graba lang. Hindi ginto, hindi nickel. Ang tingin ng mga tao, marami 'yan at hindi nauubos. But that belief is wrong. These are not infinite materials," he said. "Global gravel extraction is at a volume twice than what all the rivers can yield. Vietnam's domestic demand for sand exceeds the country's total reserves. Many beaches in other countries have been stripped bare of sand. Strip mining also happens in coastal areas. Dapat huwag mangyari dito yan," he said. "Dito sa atin, kailangan magkaroon tayo ng imbentaryo at mahusay na policy ukol sa resources na ito. Maaring magsimula sa isang no export policy," he said. "Murugesh takes the executive post from his previous role as the Vice Chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies," said the representative body in a statement. Bengaluru: The Indian IT industry's apex body Nassccom on Friday said WNS Global Services' Chief Executive Keshav Murugesh will be its new Chairman for the fiscal 2019-20. Global software services' Chief Operating Officer U.B. Pravin Rao will be the new Vice Chairman of Nasscom for FY20. Murugesh succeeded Wipro board member and Chief Strategy Officer Rishad Premji, who was the apex body's Chairman for fiscal 2018-19. Rishad is the eldest son of Wipro Chairman and billionaire Azim H. Premji. "It was a honour to be Nasscom Chairman when the software industry is at the cusp of a digitally transformed industry with opportunities to leverage," said Murugesh in a statement on the occasion. The new Chairman said he would work with the industry verticals and pursue endeavours to foster development in national and international arenas. "It was a privilege to work with Nasscom, align with the industry and help curate it's future course," said Rishad on the occasion. Sharing her thoughts on the occasion, Nasscom President Debjani Ghosh said Murugesh is an accomplished leader and his experience in the multi-billion dollar global industry speaks for itself. "With a clear perspective and contemporary outlook towards the industry, Murugesh is the right leader to drive the sector with developments and constant innovation," said Ghosh. Keeping in line with the changing industry landscape, the focus of the new executive council will be on "Think Digital, Think India" by driving attention towards embracing new technologies, skilling and reskilling and keeping pace with global digital transformation. Another area of attention will be evangelizing open innovation and facilitating the global movement of talent and help the industry enter newer geographies and domains, the statement added. Shylocks continue to drive women borrowers to their graves by Sandran Rubatheesan More than a million families are in deep debt, having borrowed at loan shark rates from microfinance companies. Many have committed suicide. In one instance, a Batticaloa family headed by a woman, who had borrowed heavily from multiple lenders, was guided by local government officials to get out of the debt hole. Local officials advised her to borrow from the state-owned Samurdhi Bank. The woman borrowed Rs 475,000, and was able to settle some 12 outstanding loans taken from various companies. Her borrowings are also used to cover daily expenses and she has no income. So, she borrowed again, and had told the loan officer who came to collect weekly payments that she would end her life. There are thousands of desperate women like her who have borrowed from unregulated micro lenders and are unable to pay. The decision by the government to write off micro finance loans in 12 districts, is little relief to many families. For millions, the cycle of borrowing and debt, and more borrowing to debt, continues. Kaudulle Jayatissa, the president of Progressive Agrarian Association, a grassroots community organisation in the south, says the government decision to write off a select number families as recommended by micro finance companies is a sham. The decision had an election agenda. According to our data, more than 2.4 million families headed by women are struggling with debt, but only 45,139 families were selected. This created more problems as many assumed that the government is going to write off their loans, Mr Jayatissa told the Sunday Times. He said at least 170 suicides related to micro finance loans had been reported. Most suicides were in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Ampara districts. He fears the number is much higher because some tragedies are not reported. Graphic Courtesy: Sunday Times, Sri Lanka Malathy Manoharan, a field researcher of community based organisation, Social Architects, of Akkarapattu in Ampara, said writing off loans is minor relief. Malathy Manoharan, a field researcher of community based organisation, Social Architects, of Akkarapattu in Ampara, said writing off loans is minor relief. Many of the weekly loans were converted into monthly loans. In fact many institutions significantly reduced issuing loans and visiting residences after dark. However, nothing changed in the condition of the affected families, Mrs Manoharan said. Social Architects is engaged in raising awareness in remote villages. Mrs Manoharan expressed concerns on how families were selected for relief based on the non payment of installments on loans three months in a row before June last year. She said local government officials such as Grama Sevakas should have been involved to identify deserving families. Non payment for three consecutive months is not reasonable given that credit officers would have forced families to somehow pay at least one month in between. Some families moved to other areas fearing verbal abuse and intimidation by credit officers, who routinely visited their residences, Mrs Manoharan said, while relating an incident where a woman had to hide in a domestic well to avoid officers from a loan shark company. Considering the severity of debt accumulated by vulnerable families, particularly families headed by women deeply affected by the worst drought in decades, the government decided to grant relief last year. Following Cabinet approval in August last year, 45,139 women headed households from 12 districts were identified and the Treasury agreed to pay Rs 1.25 billion to micro finance institutions in six phases over the next three years. An initial Rs 209 million was paid early this year. The capital is written off by the Treasury, but the interest on loans have to be borne by the enders. As requested by the Treasury, the registered micro finance companies and institutions registered under the Lanka Micro Finance Practitioners Association (LMFPA) were asked to compile details of borrowers who obtained loans of up to Rs 100,000 and failed to pay monthly installments for three consecutive months since June last year. The Treasury also imposed an interest cap of 35 percent a year for all micro finance loans. A study by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Treasury revealed that some micro finance companies charged over 200 percent interest. For example, the leaflet of a micro finance company promised an instant loan of Rs 20,000 for repayment at Rs 400 per day over 60 days. This has become a major social issue as a consequence of failing to address the urgent needs of the community following the end of the conflict 10 years ago, said T. Saravanapavan, the mayor of Batticaloa Municipal Council. The council passed a resolution last year to stop micro lending by unregulated credit companies within the municipality limits. Mayor Saravanapavan also added that these micro finance companies are trying to lure more borrowers to achieve their monthly, or weekly targets. Thats why we are focused on community awareness campaigns in remote villages which are targeted by these companies, he said. LMFPA, an organisation of 38 registered micro finance companies called for strict regulation as many unregistered companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) entered into the industry with attractive financial loan schemes. LMFPA introduced a code of conduct for lenders last year. The president of LMFPA, Anil Atapattu, said some profit driven ventures under the cover of micro finance institutions was the reason that poor families fell into a debt trap. Micro finance was meant to alleviate poverty in rural areas and empower locals in the first place. Profitability comes second. The minimum profitability was required to maintain the sustainability of those institutions. However, profit-driven ventures caused this scenario today, he said. Mr Atapattu said that the Micro Finance Act 2016 has to be amended to ensure best practices are maintained as the current act is focused on deposit taking companies. Micro finance companies have begun to register with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Secretariat of NGOs. Being smart with money The lack of financial literacy is the main reason that people end up on the streets demanding government intervention after they fall prey to dubious financial institutions and financial scams, a financial professional says. In a public lecture on What is financial literacy and why it is important? at the Centre for Banking Studies of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on Thursday, Ravi Abeysuriya, advocacy chair and director of CFA Society Sri Lanka, discussed ways to achieve financial independence. Sri Lankas financial literacy rate is below that of countries in the region, he says. He also pointed out that loan shark micro finance companies have had a huge adverse impact on families in rural villages. When people face financial stress, their immediate reaction is to look for more money. They dont understand that the root cause of their problem is low financial literacy, he told to a packed audience on how they can improve their lifestyles by understanding needs and wants. The seminar also discussed the need to cultivate proper financial planning before saving, or investing. Free guides on financial literacy are available for download at www.cfasrilanka.lk Please tell me whether you have any moral right to be in Parliament today. Following letter sent by the author to R. Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance by V. Anandasangaree I had been patiently waiting without making any comments on a number of matters relating to you and to our people. I hasten to write this letter to you to advise you to save your prestige which directly affect our people also. I hope you will agree with me that we have many things in common. We belong to the same ethnic group, speak the same language, profess the Hindu religion and had been in the same political party. I was a founder member of the TULF but you joined in 1977. This is my 49th year in the TULF. But you deserted the TULF at the most crucial time in 2004 and contested the 2004 General Election on the symbol of the Federal party The House. As far as I am aware the Federal party was virtually defunct after it merged with the All Ceylon Tamil Congress to form the TULF. But according to Mrs. Amirthalingham, the secretary general of the TULF Mr. Amirthalingham had the registration of the Federal Party in force, to prevent anyone misusing the name and symbol of the party, which was fully committed to Non-Violence. The renowned pro LTTE Journalist Mr. Dharmaratnam Sivaram, popularly known as Taraki had very clearly said, revival of the Federal Party was only on paper. You were trying your best to take the TULF as the political wing of the LTTE to which I disagreed and offered to nominate all our candidates from the LTTE with the view to bring them to the Democratic fold. Being dissatisfied with my suggestion, you quit the TULF without informing anyone and contested on the symbol The House of the Federal Party, registration of which was maneuvered by Mavai Senathirajah. Due to your desertion, we had no option other than to contest as independent candidates. After handing over your nomination to the Returning Officer you made a public announcement to say that you have handed over the nomination on behalf of the LTTE. Subsequently your team visited Vanni and with the full participation of S.P. Thamizhchelvan, the head of LTTEs political section, you drafted the election manifesto acknowledging LTTE as the National Leaders and also Sole Representatives of the Tamil people. Those who were accusing me from various countries that I ran away with the symbol Rising Sun should note that it was not I but it was Sampanthan who buried the Rising Sun symbol. You know very well as to how you won the 22 seats in 2004. Is it not true that Mr. Mavai Senathirajah lost his seat in the morning and got declared elected in the evening? One candidate polled more than 115,000 votes unheard of in the history of Sri Lankan elections. Candidates from rival political parties were not allowed to get involved in any kind of canvassing including paid advertisements. With all these weak points all the 22 of you comfortably sat and voted during the full term of six years. I need to tell you that your election was a fraudulent one, so with many others also. You have no moral right even to step into Parliament. You have already declared that you were contesting on behalf of the LTTE. As such all those elected from your list at that election are candidates from the LTTE. I like to point out that you have deliberately deprived the LTTE of returning to the democratic fold when all of them were ready to contest under one banner and one symbol Rising Sun. It was a herculean task for those members of various organizations who toiled hard and brought all parties under one banner. Your foolish decision not allowing the team to go ahead with their program, resulted in the war extending for a period of 5 years from 2004 to 2009. The total result is several thousands of valuable lives lost and several thousand disabled for which you are answerable. Please tell me whether you have any moral right to be in Parliament today. In my opinion whatever assistance Financial or otherwise you get as reward, will one day be surcharged on the Ministers if a radical group comes to power. If you have any prestige to save, please dont accept any gift from the cabinet which in the opinion of the public is unjustifiable, unwanted and foolish. V. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8dda5b0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8d8fe50)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8dda5b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8d8fe50)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8dd9ec0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8d8fe50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8d8fe50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8485188)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe8c5bd30)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe8c5bd30)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8daf778)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8dd6258)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8daf778)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8dd6258)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe8c9e1d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8dd6258)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8dd6258)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe84842f0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe8daf7d8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe8daf7d8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 For the Week of April 8, 2019 Are Haley and Tripp treating Claire unfairly? Should Jack stay away from all three of them? And should Will stay away from anyone, so as not to spread his Greek curse? Let's discuss it all in this week's Two Scoops. My family does a March Madness bracket every year. I never win, but I watch lots of ESPN the twenty minutes before I fill out my bracket. The thing I hear over and over again is that it's all about matchups. Well, this week, I'd argue the same can be said about DAYS. Let's start with matchups I totally love. First up is Abe and Jack. Yes, sir, James Reynolds. Yes. Sir. Every time DAYS gives this man a monologue, I wonder why he isn't used more. I adore Abe. James is at least 80 percent of the reason why. Seeing him go toe-to-toe with the consistently awesome Matt Ashford is DAYS at its best. I can't urge the writers enough to leave Matt out of the kiddie pool and put him back in scenes with James (and Missy Reeves...always Missy Reeves!) Abe gave Jack the reality check most of us fans have been screaming at our TVs for months. This impostor isn't our Jack. And, sure, Jennifer, J.J., and Abigail can say it all they want. But they have more skin in that game. That's not to say Abe doesn't, but his life can go on just fine with or without Jack in it. (And from the sound of it, his beer fridge actually benefits from Jack's absence!) Abe is a step removed, which gives him a little more objectivity and -- most importantly -- leaves Eve with no history to throw in Abe's face the way she can with Jennifer and J.J. I loved it. I cheered when it happened. I want more of it. So, where does that leave Eve? Unlike Jack, I'm actually for Eve to have scenes with the younger set. Specifically, when she's playing a mother figure to a troubled mini-Eve. That brings me to my next awesome match -- Eve and Claire. That heartbreaking scene on Monday between Olivia Rose Keegan and Kassie DePaiva was outstanding. Their talk about Claire's lack of self-confidence was beautiful and the exact example of where this storyline should have gone. Claire could have been a solid cautionary tale for what happens when a young person bases their self-worth on likes and views from total strangers. Think that doesn't happen in real life? Think again. There are children committing suicide because of catfishing schemes and online bullying. For a brief, beautiful scene, this storyline moved from superficial into something truly real. Eve spoke all kinds of truth when telling Claire how horribly Tripp was treating her and that she deserves something better. When Eve turned back and saw Claire in tears because she was all alone, I wanted to go through the TV and hold her myself. Maybe it's the mom in me, but my heart broke for kids who have to grow up in the digital age now. I'm so glad Eve came back and held a sobbing Claire. Oh, Mama Kas! Hold me, too! Sob! The third awesome match on my list is Victor and Maggie. I'm putting this down as a warning because if DAYS is even toying with the idea of breaking up Magic, I want to go on record that I'm against it! The next good match is Gabi and Wilson. This is a two-for deal because we got the tender scenes with Gabi and Will along with the snarky scenes with Gabi and Sonny. I adore Gabi being there for Will, questioning him on whether or not he is eating enough. And then there's Sonny, who is possibly the only one who can thread that needle between calling Gabi out and supporting her. She'll need a sounding board if she goes through with Brady's plan regarding Stefan. This sets Sonny up nicely. I'll welcome this trio anytime. Speaking of Stefan, he and Brandon Barash are a definite match. Tyler Christopher did a superb job with -- quite frankly -- a horrible storyline that sabotaged this character. But Brandon is a fresh new start with a fresh new storyline. Shirtless Stefan brings breakfast and roses. The takeaway here is NuStefan wears pants when greeting women! Better! This week, we saw Nadia Bjorlin and Brandon have awesome friend chemistry, too. At first, I really wanted Stefan and Chloe to be more than friends, but her serving as his confidante wouldn't be terrible. "The dude doth protest" line was adorable. She'd definitely be the angel on his shoulder. That would leave Gabi as the devil, which I'm not so sure I hate either. I need to see more of Stefan/Gabi -- and preferably in something other than a scene consisting of: "You like me, like me!" "No, I don't! You've got cooties!" We got it. Brandon and Camila Banus are capable of more. Let's get to it. Speaking of getting to it, Ciara and Ben need a new scene. I adore this match. I'm 1000 percent convinced their chemistry started that cabin fire. But, lordy, they're starting to get repetitive. I almost wished Ben had been sent away so Ciara would tag along with him. I like her much more as the danger-loving, adventure-craving, hard-loving daughter of Bo Brady. Anything we can do to get Ciara Alice in that space is A-Okay with me. But on the other side of Salem, some matches are very, very tough to watch. Eve and Jack show up around Salem with the same unbearable annoyance of Mr. Greetinnnnnnngs the Birdwatcher from a few years ago. Where's Sami and a river when you need her? That storyline isn't hurting for maddening pairs, as the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Dalton pairing is dancing on my last nerve too. We've well established that Tripp sucks as a boyfriend, but telling Claire she can't come back to her own home earns him a Daniel Jonas level of irritation, circa Danicole. Sure, he'll possibly throw her some love kernels as long as she behaves and goes along with what he determines is right. Ugh, you know it's bad when I say listen to Eve, but listen to Eve, Claire! As for Haley...um...I'm starting to wonder if she's kind of a huge, ginormous jerk. What's happening to her is awful, no doubt. (See previous statement about Eve and Jack.) But -- but -- this week, she told Tripp that no one has ever done anything nice for her. Excuse me, Hales? No, babe. No. J.J. took you in and offered to marry you. Claire gave you her man and her ring. Ciara kept quiet about your hideout. I'm pretty sure Justin represented you for free. She seemed pretty with it when she gave Melinda the well-deserved stank face scolding. If J.J. hadn't offered to marry her, I think I'd feel different. But Haley picked Tripp for her own personal love-life reasons. Yet she's acting like she had no other options. Is this girl that void of self-awareness? Or is there something more here? I honestly don't know. LOOSE ENDS I have to admire Kate. Unlike the men in this town (ahem, Brady and Stefan), she's wasn't born into a job. So, she's got to put on her power heels and go demand things. I'd rather see her resurrect Basic Black or Countess W, but at least she's out there, working her connections. It's all about networking, right? Hope reopened the case of the first Ciara fire because a crazy lady rocking and singing to a blanket proclaimed her innocence. That checks out. Brady gave Gabi the scheme he tried to pull on Eve, since that worked out so well for him. Does Brady realize how long it will take for her to implement all three steps of this plan? He's got to realize that no other man -- even Stefan -- proposes to women with the frequency Brady does. Anyway, this is all so Brady can play the good guy, which could also be accomplished if Brady actually went back to being a good guy. Oh, well, a girl can dream. Rafe flew to California and back in less than twenty-four hours to check out Jordan's claim of a baby -- which, sorry, Hope, was the absolutely right thing to do. Jordan kidnapped Charlotte a few weeks ago. Once she started talking about another child, Rafe had to take it seriously. But Rafe better do a DNA test on that baby before bringing him anywhere near Songbird McCookoo. Rafe, of all people, should know that birth certificates can be forged, since he forged baby Grace's. More... could Ted be the father of Jordan's baby? Is Jordan possibly Ted's wife who was "killed" in a car accident? I'm keeping an eye out to see if that kid starts talking with an accent and shamelessly hitting on married women while also brilliantly putting the legal smackdown on Eve. People are scrambling to see why Will fainted, since the obvious soap answer -- pregnancy -- doesn't apply here. I have low expectations for this curse storyline. That's probably a good thing. Why isn't Melinda helping Haley now? She's out of the mayoral race. She's no longer the D.A. Melinda's still a lawyer, right? HOT: Eve is a wretched mother, crap sister, and corrupt campaign manager. There's nothing to like about this putrid human. But Kassie DePaiva?! That woman is a godsend. Her performances are so on point that I'm actively rooting for Eve to get some sort of second act because I need to see what this thespian goddess will do next. NOT: I'm really torn. I don't know which scene I want to see again less -- Brady vs. Eric or Hope vs Rafe. If you need me, I'll be making one of those paper chains to mark when Nicole comes back. She can settle this stupid bro score, give her old friend Rafe a reality check, and then meet me for drinks! #hurrybackNicole LINE OF THE WEEK: Victor: "He's Will. You know how overly dramatic he gets." Maggie: "Was he overdramatic when he died?!" Maggie putting Victor in his place is never not welcome. RANDOM THOUGHTS "Stefano DiMera's bastard son" seems a bit repetitive, no? Once again, Claire wears a dress I wish I could pull off. Alas, there are two decades telling me I can't. How did Ben get a permit for a gun? Like, really, how? Stefan signs a lot of things without reading them. That's got to come back and haunt him eventually. Is Jack even a resident of Salem? He doesn't have a permanent address. I'm pretty sure he does still have a death certificate on file. Though the Salem records department has got to be pretty adapt in voiding those things. I almost choked on my water when Brady scoffed at how fast Stefan moved Chloe and her kids into his house. Um, there's a cabin and a severely neglected hardware store in Canada that would like to have a word with you, Freddie...er...Brady. Ben's new house is like a real-life photo hunt game. That place is full of fun random stuff! I like how J.J. put the lighter in a plastic bag after he handpicked it out of Claire's jewelry box and carried it out of the loft. Way to preserve evidence there, big guy. Monday's episode, led by Kassie and Olivia's blockbuster scenes, was a treat of a show! I chuckled when Sonny asked Gabi for some frankincense. I'm always up for some Cin romance. And when Jordan launched into the creepy lullaby? Chills. MonDAYS: You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll swoon. You'll probably sleep with the lights on. Good stuff! Rex (to Will, who's surrounding by uninvited family): "How you doing?" Will: "Well, I'm not lonely." Ha! Will has jokes! Someone get this guy back at the Spectator so he can comment on this downer of an election storyline. I'm going to save us all some time, Rafe. Just put "John" on that birth certificate. Nowadays, the answer is always John. For the Week of April 8, 2019 Does it feel like Shiloh is being set up to kick off a whodunit murder mystery? Trouble is afoot at Dawn of Day, but across town, Ava is preparing for an epic showdown with a one-handed phantom, while Lulu is taking time off to regroup in Paris. Things are changing behind the scenes and on our screens, so it time to turn and face the strange. If I were to pick theme music for Shank these days, I'd select the ominous beats of Jaws because it's starting to look like death is stalking him. Someone is going to kill Shiloh, it's just a matter of when and who. The hidden cameras, the nervous way that several women act around Shiloh, the fact that some have clearly and very publicly expressed a burning desire to kill the *ahem* mesmerizing cult leader, and the revelation that he is the keeper of everyone's deepest and darkest secrets. So many motives, so many possible suspects. I really hope that I'm right, and we will, in fact, get a real mystery. One where the writers already know who the murderer is, but we don't. One where our soap scribes plant clues along the way that allow us to play a nail-biting game of Whodunit as a suspenseful buildup reaches a spectacular big finale where the crime solver (likely anyone except Jordan) gives us that Hercule Poirot moment where everything -- including all those critically important clues that were dropped -- is spelled out to a room full of suspects, including the killer. It's been ages since I've seen a good mystery on a soap. Some of the best spirited debates that I've had with other fans of the show were about who killed Luis Alcazar, and the identity of the Text Message killer -- ironically, another Alcazar. People love unravelling a mystery and playing armchair detective, and soap operas can be the perfect vehicle to satisfy that desire with a little creativity and a good villain that everyone wants to see dead. I don't want to know who the killer is, and I don't want anyone else to know. Film several endings, so even the "killer" doesn't know who it is until the audience finds out. And most importantly, make the killer someone of consequence. It can be a justified homicide in the end, but make it matter, so that viewers are left saying, "Wow! I did not see that coming. Not. At. All." Like I said, Shank's situation at DOD is a perfect setup for a really good murder mystery. Folks, Kristina is a coward. A yellow-bellied, chicken-livered, spineless, little weasel who should be disowned by her family when they find out that she didn't even have the cojones to ante up own deep, dark, scandalous secret to join Shiloh's band of merry sycophants. No, she sold out one of her loved ones. With family members like that, who needs enemies? Certainly not anyone in Kristina's family, that's for sure. Shiloh should take note; Kristina's loyalty is a fickle thing. And what did Kristina get in exchange for selling out a loved one? Did she get any show of good faith from Shiloh by being offered so much as a slightly guilty secret? Nope, she got a bill for $10,000, so that she can take the next step. As she herself said, Shank mentioned nothing about this small fortune prior to asking her for the key to her destruction, or in Kristina's case, another's destruction. Most people would take a moment at that point to question why Shank would neglect to mention such a large sum of money if that was one of the requirements to join the elite Trust. Only a con man or someone with an incredibly poor memory would fail to mention that, and Shiloh doesn't strike me as the absentminded sort. Kristina didn't even bat an eye. She raced over to Charlie's Pub and asked Julian to front her $10,000. Let that sink in for a moment. $10,000. 00. From Julian. The man that Kristina insisted was the devil incarnate. The scum of the earth. And he actually gave it to her. When this is all done, Kristina better never ever say an unkind word about Julian again. I realize that some will say that Julian shouldn't have given Kristina the money, but I disagree. She's an adult and an employee. I doubt that he would have given Kristina the money if he didn't trust her to repay it, and I also doubt that he would have given her the money if he'd had an inkling that it would drag her deeper into danger. He trusts her judgment -- fool -- and Kristina knew that. That is why she went to him. Well, that and because she knew that Julian's love for Alexis, and Sam, would make him more apt to help Kristina. Kristina could give Shiloh lessons on manipulation, which illustrates just how strange things have gotten. Kristina should be smarter than this. She really should be. That brings me to Sam, who is vexing me to no end these days. I couldn't believe that Jason, of all people, had to rein her in when it comes to Danny. I never thought that I'd see the day where Sam is more of a danger to her son that Jason is. That's when I realized that Sam is starting to fall for Shank's nonsense because it was clear that Sam honestly didn't think that the guy that she needs to rescue Kristina from might put Danny at risk. Has Sam not picked up on the young mothers and children that Willow said Shiloh likes to surround himself with? Speaking of which, where exactly is Shank keeping those mommies and kiddies because, other than one pregnant teenager, I haven't seen any suggestion that Shiloh is fixated on children. Moving on, I don't think that Sam is attracted to Shank. At least, I hope not because Sam is supposed to be an expert con artist, and Shiloh is creepy, smarmy, and a borderline stalker. Most of Shank's philosophies can be found on the slips of paper found in fortune cookies, so there is really no reason for Sam to fall for any of Shank's platitudes. The fact that there are moments when she appears to be under his spell baffles me because, like I said, Shiloh isn't even that good. I was also a bit taken aback by Sam's audacity at volunteering Grandma Monica, who also runs a hospital, to babysit the kids while Sam infiltrates the cult. What about taking some of your millions in the bank and hiring a nanny to care for the kids while you work? That's what most working parents do. If Sam is going to be working like this, she should invest in proper childcare instead of depending on others to pick up the slack for free. Also, the last time that I checked, Scout has a father who might like to spend some time with his daughter so that she can perhaps spend some time with her dying brother. Even if Drew doesn't want to take Scout, Sam should at least consider calling dad before grandma. Unfortunately, it does appear that Oscar's end is nigh. Or is it? I can't forget that he had that experimental treatment, and there's been lots of talk about how the tumor might change Oscar's personality. A part of me wonders if Oscar will wake up from his coma, cured and vastly different. It's possible, but the bittersweet scenes at the footbridge seemed so very final to me. It really was as if Oscar was saying goodbye not just to Josslyn, but to the audience, as well. Next week should tell us, but the fact that Jordan clearly needs a new kidney combined with Oscar's grim prognosis point to this storyline getting a lot sadder in the days ahead. I've read comments suggesting that Oscar couldn't possibly be a kidney donor because of his cancer, but if that cancer didn't spread to his kidneys, and if the treatment that he received was localized strictly to the tumor, then it is feasible that he could donate a kidney to Jordan. It's a soap opera, so there is some wiggle room. Now, time to talk about Michelle Stafford's exit. I. Am. Stunned. I'm not one to get mad at actors for making career choices. It's their life, not mine. They have to do what is best for them and their families. I wouldn't want a bunch of strangers weighing in about where I should and shouldn't work, so I'm certainly not going to do that to someone. I wish Ms. Stafford all the best and much success. That said, what about Nina? To me, it seemed like they were setting Willow up to be Nina's long-lost daughter. Each time that I see Willow these days, I check for that dang half-heart necklace, that's how certain I am that they are mother and daughter. The friction between them, Willow's low opinion of Nina's parenting style, and Willow's sparse family tree all pointed to a big reveal down the pike, but what now? Will that be scrapped? I really hope not because I like Willow, and she's going to need her mother soon when she finds out that her son died a few hours after leaving the hospital. Then there is Valentin and his horrible secret. That needs to come out. Will the writers use that as a reason to drive Nina out of town? Those scenes when Nina learns how Valentin deceived her must be with Michelle Stafford. I've been waiting for that confrontation from the day that it was revealed that Valentin and Sasha had been in cahoots. It wouldn't be fair to any other actress to have to step into the role before those scenes play out. Of course, they must recast. Nina has so much more story to tell. Some have suggested that GH hire Gina Tognoni, but I doubt that she would want to fill another role being vacated by Michelle. Also, I would prefer Gina as a Hayden Barnes recast far more than as Nina Clay. Nina leaving town for a bit to find herself would make sense, then she could return a whole new person -- literally. Lulu leaving town does not make sense. Not at all. If you have kids, you know that it's not that easy to pull your kids out of school at the last moment then jet off to Europe for an extended vacation. Well, okay, if you are rich, it might be, but even then, I'm pretty sure you are still legally required to make certain that your child's educational needs are met. Heck, I had to provide a doctor's excuse if my kids missed more than two consecutive days. It also didn't make sense for Dante to return only to leave the way that he did. Why didn't Dante sit down and have a real talk with Lulu like he did with Anna? That would have made sense, and it would have made his decision for him to seek treatment feel like a family decision. Then, Lulu packing up Rocco to live in Wales, while Dante undergoes deprogramming treatment at a nearby facility, would have made absolute sense. Instead, a brainwashed Dante is off in Wales while his traumatized wife is in Paris. How does any of that help a family heal? I feel like Emme Rylan is paying an unfair price for her ex-costar's choices. I don't blame Dominic Zamprogna; I blame the powers that be. They should be invested in the stars on the show, not the ones who have left. Obviously, Dante is still needed, so it's time to recast if Dominic isn't available. I know that some feel that Scoops Falconeri (credit for nickname to Scrimmage) has become a useless character, and while I do agree the investigative journalist thing was silly, I did enjoy Lulu when she was running the Haunted Star. Lulu needs to get back to her roots, not take a trip overseas. Frankly, Laura is the last person who should be giving anyone, especially her daughter, marriage advice, given Laura's situation with Kevin. And Lucy, like a shark scenting blood in the water, is right there, ready to devour Kevin once again. There was a time that I absolutely loved Kevin and Lucy together. They were fun and quirky, and they made their dysfunction work. However, I got tired of Lucy waxing poetic about her "Doc" one minute then hopping into the sack with Scott the next. Like Kevin, there came a point when enough was enough. I applauded Kevin for finally getting off that old rickety merry-go-round of adultery and moving on. I was thrilled when he found romance with Laura because I felt that they had each found someone who put them first after years of being stuck with spouses who had consistently put their own needs ahead of everyone else. As far as I'm concerned, Lucy lost her chance for a relationship with Kevin after the fourth or fifth time that Kevin forgave her for cheating on him with Scott. If anyone should appreciate the definition of insanity, it's Kevin, which is why he ultimately ended his marriage to Lucy. I don't blame Lucy for hoping that this time things might be different, because she and Kevin do have a lot of history, and she's single right now. I imagine that she's quite lonely, and Kevin is a sweet guy. And, despite his stupid decision to try to rehabilitate his brother, he is also a genuinely well-meaning person. There's a reason that women have fallen in love with Kevin, including his current wife. Laura is upset, and even though Kevin was wrong to keep Ryan a secret from everyone -- not just his wife -- I do believe that Laura understands why he did it. It wasn't about not trusting Laura. He was right. Laura would have insisted that Kevin turn Ryan over to the authorities. I am certain that Laura will forgive her husband, and Kevin will happily go back to her. Kevin was very clear to Lucy when he told her that he loved his wife. He clearly wants to save his marriage, which is why he agreed to move into a furnished condo that was for sale. He doesn't want to put down any roots because his roots are at home with Laura. Although a part of me couldn't help but wonder if Ava might suggest to Laura that they work together to set a trap for Ryan, who everyone knows is still very much alive and minus one right hand. I'm all for girl power, and I would love to see Ava and Laura work together. Maybe that will help Laura heal a bit and give Ava cover for a justified homicide when she kills Ryan once and for all. Finally, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, General Hospital celebrated its 56th anniversary, and they took the opportunity to pay homage to Gail Baldwin, who was portrayed by the lovely and elegant Susan Brown. Everyone loved Gail, and I was no exception. In fact, Gail is one of the reasons that I started to like Monica. Back in those days, Monica had been a lot like a young Carly, so the end always justified the means to her. Monica was selfish, manipulative, and vindictive. When Gail found out about the "affair" between her husband and her teenage foster daughter, Monica was painted as a Lolita who had taken advantage of a gullible man. It was a very different time, and it was incredibly easy to believe the worst about Monica. I didn't blame Gail for feeling betrayed and angry by what Monica had done. However, that was only the beginning of the story because, through Gail, who was a psychiatrist, after all, we started to understand things from Monica's perspective. Here was this young orphaned girl who had found a mother figure that she had absolutely adored and respected. This wonderful woman opened her heart and her home to Monica when no one else had even given her a glance, and everything was perfect. Except that it wasn't, because there was a viper in their midst who had filled Monica's head with sweet little lies, manipulating her desire to be loved and accepted, then warned her that she would end up back in the orphanage if Gail were to ever find out. As a young viewer, that story was profoundly important because it showed me how insidious a sexual predator could be. By the end of that storyline, I understood that Monica had been a victim in every sense of the word and that the trauma of that event had shaped who she became. I recall how much I had loved Gail for embracing Monica as a daughter in the end and that their bond had been strengthened by the nightmare. It was a beautiful moment. In those days, it seemed that soaps tackled important social issues in a way that resonated more deeply. It was seldom a peripheral character that was impacted by horrible personal traumas, but rather, core characters. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't hear more about Monica's relationship with Gail. Instead, the writers focused on rehashing the Lesley/Monica rivalry. Did we really need to hear Lesley call Monica a "slut"? It wasn't funny, and it made Lesley look petty and a little bit like a mean girl. The scavenger hunt seemed a little odd, too. I know it was meant to serve as a vehicle to reflect on the poignant moments from the past that highlighted the best of GH's 56 years, but they could have achieved that just fine, and squeezed in a few more clips, by having Gail's loved ones share those stories with each other as a group standing around rather than scampering through the hospital like kids on an Easter egg hunt. I don't want to make it sound like I hated the episode, because that is far from the truth. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I got all weepy from the moment that they said, "For Gail!" in unison until Franco sprinkled glitter on Scott. Seeing the Stone Cates plaque prominently displayed by the main staircase and hearing Scott talk about his relationships with both Lee and Gail were touching tributes. But the gut-punch was the end, when Scott walked over to the wall of remembrance, removed the black cloth from Gail's photo, then had his own private moment. It was perfect. Even now, my eyes are filled with tears as I type this. There was real love in that scene, and Scott honors Lee and Gail's legacy by continuing to grow as a character all these years later. I've seen some pushback on message boards and social media suggesting that GH was a bit tone deaf this week by having Franco -- a man who put a rapist directly in Michael's path and who drugged Sam then manipulated her naked body to make it appear that he had sexually assaulted her -- have a talk about the birds and the bees with Cam. Franco is definitely guilty of each and every one of those things, and numerous heinous murders. But it was also determined by respected doctors and the legal system that Franco was not responsible for his actions because of a brain tumor. I will admit that it's a pretty lame excuse that likely wouldn't work in real life, and I didn't like Franco much back then, but that is what was written, and I try to keep an open mind. I didn't warm to Franco for a long time. Much like Franco's recovery, it was a journey. My forgiveness happened slowly, as his cognitive abilities improved along with his understanding of his actions. To me, it seemed that he showed genuine remorse for the things that he did, he's tried to make amends as best as he can, and there's an ongoing effort on his part to be a better person. He may not always succeed, but he tries. I don't think that it was tone deaf for a stepfather to talk his stepson about respecting women. It was a good talk, and it let Cam know -- whether he acknowledges it or not -- that there is an adult male who wants to help him and be there for him. That's more than I can say for Lucky, who broke that promise to Cam years ago. Has Franco been redeemed? I think so. He hasn't committed any murders, and he was going to therapy until Ryan messed with him. I like Roger Howarth, so perhaps I'm predisposed to forgive him, but there have been characters that I've never liked that I concede have found redemption. Luke Spencer springs immediately to mind. For me, it's not a prerequisite to like a character in order to acknowledge their redemption. It just helps speed the process. Random observations I understand why poor Josslyn had to frantically look about to figure out which footbridge she was on. They do all truly look alike in soap land. Did I miss something? Lesley told Monica that they both ended up with the men that they were meant to; Monica with Alan, and Lesley with Rick. Except, that's not what happened. Rick left town with Ginny, and when he returned, he was killed in the attic by Scott (rewrite) when Laura was flooded with repressed memories of another murder in the attic the afternoon that she caught Rick with a lover. Thank you, writers, for sparing the viewers from having to watch Maxie shoot down Chet. I love this guy. He's handsome and hard-working, and he's overcome tremendous challenges -- being related to Amy. Please, cast him a love interest! The soap opera geek in me loves it when I hear references to my beloved All My Children and One Life to Live, so I chuckled when Margaux expressed a preference for Pine Valley over Llanview, and Kevin referenced his colleague, Marty Saybrooke. You'd think that being mayor would have its perks, but poor Laura had to pay $250,000 for Kevin's $150,000 bail, at least according to the receipt that she was emailed. Reader feedback I wish the writers wouldn't make Kristina so stupid. She is too old and experienced too much to be written as a naive dummy. Sonny actually asked her a great question when he asked, "Don't you want to be more than a follower?" For a moment it seemed like it registered. -- JDF I loved that Felicia, and especially Mac held Kevin's feet to the fire over his reckless decision to hide Ryan's survival from the authorities AND from his former victims, while secretly treating him, and for his responsibility in the deaths and assaults of his brother's latest victims. Their forgiveness won't be forthcoming anytime soon, and rightfully so! -- Scrimmage I love Valentin, but I also think the writers are doing his character a disservice with the Sasha story right now. He is smart and could be more of a Scorpio type rather than a scoundrel. He can emote so many feelings without saying a word! -- lovethosedimples Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to email me or leave a comment below. Take care and happy viewing, Liz Masters Indonesia's desperate housewives chase selfies on election trail Sragen, Indonesia, April 6 (AFP) Apr 06, 2019 Tears stream down Lilis Hastirini's mascara-smudged face after she waited hours to snap a selfie with Indonesia's president, only to be thwarted by a crush of other female fans with the same idea. It is a take-no-prisoners battle on the election trail in this selfie-mad nation, where few shots count more than a close up with "everyman" leader Joko Widodo, a former furniture salesman who rose from a riverside slum to high office. Hastirini was among some 10,000 other desperate housewives, mostly aged between 20 and 50, who braved searing heat as they screamed and jostled, pushing past security guards to reach Widodo at an event in Sragen on Java island this week. "I'm sad, I couldn't get a picture with him," the 37-year-old told AFP as she sobbed and wailed. "He seems like such a nice person, kind of fatherly." The lanky, heavy-metal music-loving 57-year-old, best known as Jokowi, seems happy to oblige housewives and other key voters -- including millenials who account for about one-third of the electorate -- as he fights to keep a wide lead in the race for the presidency on April 17. Some 192 million Indonesians are set to cast a ballot in the world's third-biggest democracy, with a record 245,000 candidates vying for positions from the presidency and parliamentary seats all the way down to local council jobs. And garnering support on social media is essential. Indonesia is one of Instagram and Facebook's biggest markets globally, with some 62 million and 130 million users, respectively. Jokowi's sole rival is Prabowo Subianto, a retired military general and son-in-law of the late dictator Suharto, who has ditched his trademark suit and tie for a campaign-casual khaki safari suit with sunglasses. Prabowo, as he is known, is also trying to win over women voters and fans online, balancing his strongman image with an Instagram account of him and his cuddly cat, Bobby. The 67-year-old and vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno -- a youthful 49-year-old business magnate -- have generated online fan clubs including the Housewives Party in Support of Prabowo-Sandiaga, the Militant Housewives' Force and even the Voluptuous Housewives Who Fight for Prabowo-Sandi. Both candidates are regularly mobbed by adoring female fans -- though Jokowi appears more at home performing in front of the crowds. Back in Sragen, Hastirini almost reached Jokowi as he was exiting the arena when someone stepped on her seven-year-old daughter's foot. In leaping to help her little girl, she had missed her moment with Jokowi. Also empty-handed was high school teacher Mariana Wahyu, who said she never bothered to get a selfie with her-then neighbour Jokowi back when he was mayor of Solo city. "O Allah, had I known then that he would become president, I would have taken a lot of pictures with him," she said in Central Java's Sukoharjo city. rws-dsa/pb/rox/fox Tens of thousands protest climate change in Switzerland Geneva, April 6 (AFP) Apr 06, 2019 Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in several Swiss cities against climate change, the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS reported. Around 50,000 marched in all, the news agency report estimated, including 15,000 in Zurich and up to nine thousand in the capital Berne and in Lausanne. "It's about knowing if finally we want to listen to the voice of science," high school student Jan Burckhardt told ATS. "Save the climate please: it's the last time we ask politely," read one of the placards at the Lausanne demonstration, an AFP photographer saw. The marches were organised by an alliance of activist groups in Switzerland, including Greenpeace, Swiss Youth for Climate and green groups. "We don't want to stop our movement as long as our claims have not been heard, as long as we have not obtained concrete results," said Laurane Conod, one of the organisers of a smaller march in Geneva. The climate change protests in Switzerland were in part inspired by the teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who started weekly school strikes calling for policy change on the climate issue. Debris from anti-satellite test no danger to ISS, India says New Delhi, April 6 (AFP) Apr 06, 2019 India insisted Saturday that debris from its anti-satellite missile test was not a danger to the International Space Station, in a rebuff to criticism from the US space agency. India has been on the defensive following the March 27 test that NASA branded a "terrible thing" that had created new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. "The mission had been designed in a away that debris decays very fast and that minimal debris goes up," G. Satheesh Reddy, head of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation told reporters. "There was a risk for 10 days and we have crossed that period," he told a press conference. "As per our simulations, there were no possibilities of hitting the International Space Station with debris from the satellite," he added. NASA chief Jim Bridenstine last week condemned India's destruction of the satellite as a "terrible thing" that created 400 pieces of orbital debris, or "space junk". The danger from "space junk" is not that it falls to Earth but that it collides with orbiting satellites. Even the smallest piece of debris travelling at great speeds can put a satellite out of action. The Indian satellite was destroyed at a relatively low altitude of 300 kilometers (180 miles), 120 kilometres below the ISS and most orbiting satellites. Bridenstine and other space experts also said the risk from the Indian debris would dissipate as much of it would burn up as it entered the atmosphere. The US military tracks objects in space to predict the collision risk for the ISS and satellites. They are currently tracking 23,000 objects larger than 10 centimeters. These includes about 10,000 pieces of space debris, of which nearly 3,000 were created by a Chinese anti-satellite test. India has hailed the test as a sign that it is a space power. Only the United States, Russia and China had previously carried out successful anti-satellite missile strikes in space. Netanyahu pledges to annex West Bank settlements after vote Jerusalem, April 6 (AFP) Apr 06, 2019 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the upcoming general election. "I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don't distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements," he said in an interview to Channel 12 television. Settlements built on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are deemed illegal by the international community and their ongoing construction is seen as a major barrier to peace. Annexation could prove to be the death knell for the two-state solution. Netanyahu's annexation remark comes just three days before the April 9 general election and could be seen as an appeal to rightwing voters who don't believe in the feasibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. In an interview broadcast Friday, Netanyahu said he told US President Donald Trump he would not remove settlements or people as part of a future American peace plan. "I said there shouldn't be the removal of even one settlement" from the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 13 television. Washington is expected to unveil proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace sometime after Tuesday's Israeli election in which Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term. The Israeli prime minister was asked if he was familiar with the details of the US plan, replying he knew "what should be in it." Along with settlements, "our ongoing control of all the territory west of the Jordan" River was a further condition set by the Israeli premier for any US-led peace initiative. Netanyahu said he informed Trump not "even one person" would be evicted from a settlement More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements as part of its military occupation of the territory, while a further 200,000 live in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty. While Netanyahu has a close relationship with the US president, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut off relations with Washington after Trump declared the disputed city of Jerusalem Israel's capital in December 2017. The Palestinians say the US government's pro-Israel bias meant it could no longer lead peace negotiations between them and Israel, while US officials argue their plan will be fair. Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have been at a standstill since 2014, when a drive for a deal by Barack Obama's administration collapsed. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. It was a terrible situation when I joined. But my tenure as a CM helped me to remain confident and I knew that we would find ways Prime Minister Narendra Modis poll trail across the country assures him that the wave in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party is bigger this time around. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan, the sister publication of Hindustan Times, Modi said: The BJP will get more numbers than earlier and it is going to be a full majority government. Modi spoke on a range of topics, from the NDAs rule to Opposition strategy to hard-state issues like terror and national security. With Lok Sabha elections around the corner, PM Modi said the last five years had been satisfactory and extremely good. He said these years boosted his belief that there was no reason why India should not remain in the category of fast developing countries. It was a terrible situation when I joined. But my tenure as a CM helped me to remain confident and I knew that we would find ways, he said. Speaking about the promises fulfilled that were made during 2014 campaign, he said if everything was completed, the world would come to a halt. He is also happy with the outcome of Demonetisation. The policy might not suit political arithmetic but had to be done in national interest. It resulted in the recovery of Rs 1,30,000 crore, which has been taxed. Properties worth Rs 50,00 were seized. Nearly 3,38,000 shell companies have been identified and deregistered. Its due to demonetisation that tax compliance has almost doubled, he added, pointing out the positive outcomes of that controversial decision. He said the Opposition would not be able to make capital out of demonetisation these elections, just as it had failed in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh state elections. On employment: Employment generation and its data came in the limelight this year. Responding to what the government is doing to generate more jobs, PM Modi said, For many years, we have been doing a sample survey and on its basis, a minimum assumption is made. For example, lets take roads earlier roads were constructed, but in the last five years, construction of roads has doubled. Similarly, the work in railways has doubled, electrification of rail routes has gone up three times. Has all this been possible without employment? On Pulwama terror attack: Modi said the attack has proved Indias stand that Pakistan was in the business of exporting terror to India and now the world was with the country in its fight against terror. He said there was a time when only Russia was standing with India, while the rest of the world was backing Pakistan. But after five years, only China is with Pakistan and rest of the world with India. Responding to a question on whether there was a possibility of a dialogue with Pakistan, Modi said, When I was not even the Prime Minister, I had not taken the oath then, I had called the Prime Minister of Pakistan to attend the oath ceremony, only for the sake of our country... I had given the message that yes, we will go to a decisive stage. After that I went to Lahore. He asserted he was the one who went ahead on the path of friendship but is also fully prepared to tackle any hostility. On the failure of the BJP-PDP alliance: Modi said the BJPs decision to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the partys mahamilawat. Speaking about the BJP-PDP alliance, he said when the 2014 general election results were announced, no one had absolute majority and BJP thought the National Conference (NC) and PDP would join hands. The PDP had won 28 seats; BJP won 25 and the NC had 15, with Congress coming last with 12 seats in the 87-member state Assembly. At that time Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was there. People of the state spoke to him. We openly said that we are two poles. In a way it was our mahamilawat. Because we had to form a government under democratic compulsions, we started working under the minimum common program. Mufti Saheb was experienced ... so there were no problems, he told Hindustan. Soon after Sayeeds death, differences began cropping up between BJP and the PDP and after three months, Mehbooba Mufti was sworn in as the Chief Minister. PM Modi said Mehbooba had party compulsions and wasnt ready to take responsibility. After the government was formed, BJP wanted to conduct local elections, but Mehbooba Mufti wasnt ready and said there would be bloodshed. The BJP left the alliance when Mehbooba did not conduct the elections, he said. We focused on development. We have already said that whatever mahamilawat is visible today was our mahamilawat and whatever political damage it could do, it did, he asserted. On June 19, 2018, Mehbooba Mufti resigned as the CM of Jammu and Kashmir after BJP pulled out of the alliance with PDP and state reverted to Governors rule. On the mud flying these elections: On politicians using increasingly abusive language, Modi said: I dont believe this has happened overnight. Look at the language of the people who give lessons on the use of graceful language. Look at the kind of reports media files when Parliament is in session. They call the house a battlefield. What will you say to comments of Sonia Gandhi who called (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajypayee a traitor and Modi a maut ka saudagar (merchant of death). He said this kind of language has become fashionable and is used to give lessons on the use of courteous language. On Congress manifesto: Modi said since Nehrus time, Congress has claimed poverty eradication was their goal. The poverty agenda was used by Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi. This slogan has been used for five generations, Modi told Hindustan. Modi compared the party with the main protagonist in the movie, Ghajini, who had short-time amnesia. They do not remember the promises they made in previous elections. On artistes boycotting BJP: Commenting on a section of intellectuals who have decided not to vote for BJP, Modi said he did not know who those people were, but there was definitely a section which got the best of everything under previous governments. On Kashmir security: The Centre has taken effective measures against Maoists in the north-east but questions rise why it could not be effective in Kashmir. Responding to the, Modi clarified that it was a 40-year-old problem and there have been interruptions. But there are a few districts in Jammu, Ladakh and Srinagar where the condition is not good, he said. On Rafale: Modi said there was nothing controversial about the Rafale deal. If the media of this country is unbiased, then it is its responsibility to question the Congress on the issue of national security. The leader of the 125-year-old Congress speaks without any proof or basis. The Supreme Court has said it and so have the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), the French Parliament, the French President, the company, and the Indian government and the Indian Parliament. But he (Rahul Gandhi) is levelling allegations and smirking, Modi added. English05/04/2019 ZDRALE: SCIENTIFIC ANALYSES OF NATO BOMBING TO BE CONTINUED ISTOCNO SARAJEVO, April 5 /SRNA/ - The Serbian Intellectual Forum /SIF/ says that scientific and expert analyses of consequences of the NATO bombing with depleted uranium ammunition on the population need to be continued, and one of the modalities of future actions is a roundtable that will be held on Saturday in Istocno Sarajevo, renown surgeon Slavko Zdrale told SRNA on Friday. Zdrale says the roundtable, to which neurosurgeon Danica Grujicic has also been invited, should provide guidelines for further institutional actions towards shedding the light on the horrific NATO crime against the Serbian people, prevention and protection of citizens health. The organizer of the roundtable, the SIF, invited renowned experts from Serbia and Republika Srpska who will pay particular attention to the Sarajevo-Romanija region which NATO bombed with depleted uranium ammunition, said Slavko Zdrale, who is a university professor and the former director of the Kasidno Hospital. In addition to Grujicic, who is included in research that is being conducted in Serbia with the aim of making public the consequences of the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, organizers also expect diplomat Vladislav Jovanovic, and retired General Slobodan Petkovic, who is an expert in nuclear, biological and chemical devices. Jovanovic and Petkovic, together with the director of the Oncology Institute of Serbia, Slobodan Cikaric, published a book titled Crimes in War, Genocide in Peace, where they explained political events from that period, the bombing and the use of depleted uranium, and negative consequences on the health of the population in areas of Serbia bombed by depleted uranium shells, Zdrale said. According to Zdrale, a certain number of journalists who investigated the consequences of the NATO bombing in Serbia and Republika Srpska are included in the organization of the roundtable, among whom are Slavica Jovanovic, Nedeljko Zelenovic, Zoran Zuza and others. Zdrale says he started dealing with this problem in 2000, together with his colleagues in the Kasindo Hospital, Trifko Guzina, Milan Pejic, Sonja Divljan- Savic and others, and that they discovered that malignant diseases were on the rise in the Sarajevo-Romanija region in the period 1996-2000. Unfortunately, we cannot arrive at exact data due to great migrations of the population and the tragic exodus of Sarajevo Serbs. During that time our three hospitals were closed, so that the Kasindo Clinical Center in Srpsko Sarajevo was our base in researching the phenomena of cancer occurrence. Data we arrived at was shocking and devastating, Zdrale warned. According to him, cancer incidence in 2002, compared to the year 1995, was four times greater and the number of deaths was more than doubled. He added that the data was presented by the media and at expert meetings to both the domestic and foreign public with the aim of pointing to horrors produced by the use of arms and ammunition that are banned by international conventions. Particularly worrying data pertained to Serbs who lived in Hadzici Municipality and who were forced to move to Bratunac since the incidence of cancer deaths was 10 times higher among them than among the local population of Bratunac. Zdrale reminded of the case of Republika Srpska Army soldier Zeljko Samardzic, a young man who during the war was on the Serbian front line in Borije which was intensively bombed by NATO at the beginning of 1995. Many of his comrades were killed then. We concluded that Samardzic was a victim of effects of depleted uranium, not only during the bombing of Borije but was also directly exposed to radioactive effects of shells fired at radars on Mount Jahorina due to the wind rose. Having in mind that we conducted thorough researches, we saw that soldiers of western powers who took part in the Gulf War, where also depleted uranium ammunition was used, had similar symptoms, Zdrale said. According to him, the Institute of Nuclear Science in Vinca confirmed that Zeljko was exposed to radiation. Six of 14 Zeljkos comrades contracted cancer and five died of cancer, Zdrale said. This result of the research was confirmed also from Italy whose soldiers after serving in south Serbia, that is, in Kossovo, suddenly started getting sick and dying, and the Oncology Institute in Milan determined that those soldiers died from effects of depleted uranium. Because of all of this, we in the SIF are firmly convinced that it is necessary to continue conducting scientific and expert analyses of consequences of effects of depleted uranium on the population which was exposed to unheard of NATO repression. One of the modalities of our future work is certainly the already mentioned roundtable, Zdrale told SRNA. The then Srpsko Sarajevo, Vogosca, Hadzici, arms and ammunition warehouse in Zunovnica, arms and ammunition warehouse in Jahorinski Potok near Pale, front lines of Republika Srpska Army on Gavrica Hill, military warehouses in Topliko, in Lukavica, Cajnice, the radar system on Mount Jahorina, communications centers on Mounts Kozara and Ozren, in Veliki Zep, barracks in Kalinovik, Han Pijesak, as well as Serbian front lines all over the Sarajevo-Romanija region were bombed the most in 1995. On Saturday, a roundtable will be held in Istocno Sarajevo on explosions of depleted uranium during the NATO bombing of Republika Srpska in 1995 a possible cause of the constant rise of incidence of malignant diseases among the population of the Sarajevo-Romanija region. The roundtable will be held in the Istocno Sarajevo city hall at noon. /en/sg Kieran Amos. WARWICKSHIRE County Council has, this week, welcomed its new Chief Fire Officer, Kieran Amos. Kieran formally took on the role succeeding Andy Hickmott who retired after 30 years service. Kieran was formerly the Assistant Chief Fire Officer for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and brings with him over 29 years experience in a range of roles, from the then Surrey Fire Brigade, before rising through the ranks and being seconded into the New Dimension Programme, where he supported the development and roll-out of Fire and Rescue Services National Resilience capabilities. He was then seconded back as the national CBRN Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM) lead. In this capacity, he was also the national Military Technical Response Force liaison and involved in the FRS national preparation and delivery arrangements of the London 2012 Torch Relay and Olympic Games. Kieran became the first JESIP (Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles) senior user for fire and rescue services and then moved to West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, initially as an Area Manager, then subsequently as West Sussex County Council Director of Operations and Assistant Chief Fire Officer, with responsibilities for all aspects of Prevention, Protection and Response. Talking about the appointment, Chief Executive for Warwickshire County Council, Monica Fogarty said: I am pleased to welcome Kieran to Warwickshire. He is a well-respected and experienced fire and rescue professional, and brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience and operational leadership. I have no doubt Kieran is the right Chief Fire Officer to take Warwickshire's Fire and Rescue Service from strength to strength. Abuse of orphans happens in most care-homes locally and abroad By Jayampathy Jayasinghe View(s): View(s): In Sri Lanka and in most developed countries in the world the stories one hears at orphanages on neglect and abuse, including physical, verbal and sexual abuse of orphans by those who are entrusted to look after them is shocking, said the former President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, chief Guest at the Orphan Care launch held at the BMICH recently. She said in western countries however they are more liberal to talk about it and investigate such abuses. Even in Sri Lanka such abuses happen in a big way in governmental and non -governmental organisations. Even where finances are concerned managers of such care homes are not transparent enough on monies spent on the welfare of children. The former President said the joy of being a child is one of the most beautiful things in ones life but a child to be happy should be free from hunger and from disease and should be enveloped in an atmosphere of care and love. She said orphans are the children who do not have parents for whatever reason and belong to an exceptional category who cannot enjoy the joys of childhood. The Orphan Care Trust and the Amana Bank have taken care of the responsibility of providing for the large number of adult orphans which is most praiseworthy. Skills training of orphans will help them to launch into adulthood to integrate into society. The Minister of Women Affairs and Child Affairs and Development of Dry Zones, Chandrani Bandara said that a child protection programme has been developed to minimise child abuse and social issues from data collected from various sources now available at all the Divisional Secretariats in the country, She said the Department of Probation and Child Care operates both at national and village level with much dedication to ensure the safety of children. My ministry is responsible for children up to 18 years of age to ensure their rights and are working to create a friendly and safe environment for them. Childrens homes scattered in the island that comes under the purview of Probation and Child Care is provided with vocational training and efforts are been taken to reintegrate children into society after they reach 18 years of age. The government is encouraging private public partnership and I am happy to note that Amana Bank has stepped into the issue of orphan children above 18 years of age irrespective of religion and race to promote reconciliation efforts of the government, she said. Chairman, Amana Bank, Osman Kassim said that there are more than 14,000 orphans in Sri Lanka that they belonged to different religions, caste and race. Serving orphans is one of the great qualities of any human being. A scheme has been launched by the Amana Bank to help orphans when they reach 18 years of age to integrate in the society. Meanwhile the Amana Banks Orphans Care aims to address a very important unattended need of orphan children once they reach the age of 18 when orphans are compelled to leave institutional care. Orphan Care is established as an independent trust under the auspices of Amana Bank which was launched at the BMICH under the patronage of the former President Ms. Kumaratunga, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister Ms. Bandara, CEO of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, Anman Sejiny, Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, diplomats, donors, customers and well-wishers. The Orphan Care Trust will be administered by a team of trustees including the Chairman of the Trust, Ruzly Hussain; Amana Bank Chairman Mr. Kassim; K.R. Ravindran, former Rotary International President; Rohan Tudawe, Chairman of Tudawe Brothers; Sharad Amalean, Co-founder MAS Holdings; Tyeab Akbarally, Senior Director, Akbar Brothers; Harsha Amarasekera, Presidents Counsel and Chairman CTC Holdings; Jazri Magdon Ismail, President AAT and Mohamed Azmeer, CEO of Amana Bank. Ageing students in free education View(s): In January this year, university students from South Asian countries gathered in Colombo. Once a year they gather in a city of a South Asian country to participate at their South Asian Economics Students Meet an annual conference and get-together of Economics undergraduates in the region. This year the event was held in Colombo throughout a week, and was attended by 80 students and their professors from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan as well as about 120 university students from Sri Lanka. The South Asian Economics Students Meet is one of the few regional forums, if not the only one, which has managed to survive and thrive since its inception in 2004. In a region where differences and conflicts overwhelm integration and cooperation, many regional forums emerged but did not survive or thrive. It is not surprising that, South Asia has been considered the least-integrated region in the world. But the South Asian Economics Students Meet has continued to grow planting seeds of integration in the hearts of budding economists in the region. Sri Lankas older students I take up the above incident for todays discussion not to talk about the event per se. It has always been a gathering for university undergrads to interact, to expose themselves and to learn from each other an opportunity that we never thought of 25 years ago. They used to compare and contrast about their own strengths and weaknesses too as a learning outcome of the gathering. While there were many great things for Sri Lankan students to be proud of themselves, they were really embarrassed to find out one thing: Sri Lankan university students are at least three years older than their counterparts from other South Asian countries! By international standards which is practiced even in other South Asian countries, students enter the university at 18 and, become graduates at 21 or 22 years. In Sri Lanka, students enter the university at age 21 or 22 years. After spending three to four years in the university, provided that the academic year is not disrupted, they become graduates at around 25 years. Causes of the delay The delay is not at one point, but throughout the whole study period beginning from Grade 1 in the school. A child who is admitted to Grade 1, sits for the GCE (O/L) examination a year later than a student sitting for a comparable examination abroad such as Edexcel or Cambridge examinations in the UK. Then the same student in the Sri Lankan study stream is sitting GCE (A/L) examination one more year later; this results in two years of delay. Finally, the student enters a state university with another delay of one to two years. By this time the student is already three years behind an international student who started education at the same age. Within the university too, the issues of the academic year which is often longer than the calendar year, adds up to the delay. And, there are other disruptions too which would effectively drag the study period of an average university student further. Exclusive minority Many students do not get adequate qualifications at the GCE (A/L) examination to enter a state university at once. Since there is intense competition and that competition has been growing over the years, many students fail to enter the university at their first attempt. This would add another year of delay to the ageing students in our free education system. As of now, there are more than 300,000 students taking the GCE (A/L) examination, and out of them more than 150,000 pass it. The state universities can accommodate only about 30,000 students, leaving behind about 120,000 four-times the number of students who get admitted . As many are competing to enter this group of exclusive minority, it is quite possible that many failed not just the first attempt, but all the attempts. This is why even with the highest A-grades for all the subjects, the university entrance has now become increasingly uncertain. The more the students trying for A-grades, the greater will be the intense competition. Freedom of education One important thing that Sri Lankan undergrads are proud of themselves in the midst of their counterparts from other South Asian countries is the free education system they enjoy in Sri Lanka. A sample of our university student population consists of students from all types of backgrounds regardless of the differences. As far as free education at university level is concerned, however, we are talking about only the free education of an exclusive minority group comprising 30,000 only! Many of the others who were left behind dont have free education, neither the freedom of education. Is education free? During the time of my postgraduate studies in Europe, when I told my foreign classmates that in Sri Lanka we have free education, I remember some of them raised their eyebrows. It was not because it was such an admirable thing, but because they didnt quite understand it. They asked me: what do you mean by free education? Education has a cost, and somebody has to pay for it. Education is not a free good in economic sense. The only difference is that in free education the one who receives it does not pay for it. Its cost has been transferred to a third party who pays for the cost of education. Getting late to work It is clear now a Sri Lankan youth starts working late, compared to their counterparts in other countries an economic problem that required correction at policy level. When a Sri Lankan graduate starts to work at around 25 years of age, assuming he or she gets a job immediately; by that time, a graduate from another country who started education at the same age at Grade 1, has already been working with at least three more years of working experience. While our graduates are getting ready for work, for some of them, they are already over-aged for some of the jobs. Some of the good years of the working age have been wasted in the schools and universities as well as during transitions from one level to the other. People who are getting delayed to enter the labour force of the country are in the economically inactive category. All students at working age are in the economically inactive category; they are dependents! If the retirement age is the same as in other countries, then the duration that a Sri Lankan employee is working, is shorter too. After leaving the labour force, they again enter into economically inactive category and become dependent. In fact, during this global ageing era it is customary that many countries extend the retirement age too. It allows a nation to get older people to work more contributing to the economy on the one hand, and to reduce the dependency ratio in relieving the economic burden of the ageing population on the other hand. Politically correct In spite of all the above negative economic implications of getting late, the country can postpone unemployment because we keep our children long years in schools and universities. Therefore, whatever the economic implications of getting late, it is politically correct. If the economy is not expanding enough, job creation is slow and there will be more people getting accumulated into the labour force and become unemployed. Among various tactics that we can follow, keeping people a longer period in student category is one of them too. The world is, however, moving in a different direction. There are various attempts by universities and colleges in the world to make the learning process quicker and the transition times shorter. (The writer is a Professor of Economics at the University of Colombo and can be reached at sirimal@econ.cmb.ac.lk) Being honest View(s): When the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Director-General Sarath Jayamanne, and a Government delegation recently visited Bhutan for an anti-corruption conference, they met the countrys Prime Minister. As tradition requires and as a token of friendship in meetings of this nature, the delegation presented the Prime Minister with a souvenir. The PM looked at us (with concern) and said, If I accept this I would be charged with accepting a bribe, recalled Mr. Jayamanne, speaking at a recent panel discussion on Integrity vs Corruption at the monthly meeting of the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC) held at the Kingsbury Colombo hotel. We were embarrassed by the response. However, the PM said that such gifts can be entered in a register and placed in a special room in his office for such gifts. These cannot be removed or taken home by anyone, he said. Mr. Jayamanne was illustrating how a small country like Bhutan taught them a lesson on how to deal with bribery and corruption which plague Sri Lanka. According to experts, corruption increases poverty by decreasing the total GDP available for distribution; reduces spending power and affects the poor who are unable to pay bribes on demand, and thereby denied basic justice. The STBC event came on the back of the launch of the Governments 5-year National Action Plan to combat bribery and corruption. Despite, tough laws to deal with bribery and corruption, corruption is ingrained in Sri Lankan society particularly in public institutions and often in revenue-generating institutions like the Customs for example. According to the last 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI), Sri Lanka has been placed at 89th position, slightly better than being placed at 91 in 2017. Still, in the region, Sri Lanka lags behind Bhutan (25th) and India (78th). The best measurement of integrity and honesty is displaying honesty in private, not merely in public. Your actions in private are the best form of honesty, not merely displaying these actions in public, says Mr. Jayamanne. As I reflected on corruption, bribery, honesty and integrity and watched Kussi Amma Sera and her bosom pals, Serapina and Mabel Rasthiyadu, once again, engaged in a heated conversation under the Margosa tree on the crippling power cuts, the phone rang. It was my jolly-mood economist friend, Sammiya (short for Samson) on the line and wanting to, ironically discuss bribery and corruption issues. I say...I saw the picture in the Business Times last week showing a discussion on anti-bribery and anti-corruption which are serious issues in society today, he said. Continuing, he explained how during his walks at the Weli Park at Nugegoda, friends related tales of widespread corruption in state institutions. I was told of how at a certain municipality, bribes have to be paid at every point to get a job done or a project approved. Bribery is rampant. In another instance, a bribe of Rs. 100,000 was sought by some policemen to release a suspect caught with a few ounces of heroin. These are just a few instances. Bribery reeks from top to bottom in all spheres, be it political or public institutions. But only the sprats are caught while the big fellows go scot-free, he said. Absolutely, apart from the recent detection of the Presidents Chief of Staff on corruption charges, only Grama Sevakas or policemen are taken to task for small offences, I said. The conversation then continued on different areas like the power cuts, corruption in the energy sector which is one of the reasons why Sri Lanka has been caught napping with a power crisis and how the crisis is affecting small shops and small businesses. Integrity, according to Wikipedia, is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of ones actions. While Sri Lanka has climbed a few, good steps up the ladder of integrity, as per the global TI index, this is not good enough and a concerted Government effort is required to go after the big boys and white-collar criminals. At the STBC discussion, TI Sri Lanka Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere explained that his organisation is launching a corporate reporting assessment of listed companies in the Colombo stock market to see the extent to which companies have anti-corruption and anti-bribery policies. This is a very good move as corruption is also rampant in sections of the private sector, in particular in the pump-and-dump era in the stock market. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced action against powerful businessman Dr. Sena Yaddehige for alleged insider dealing. In anti-corruption law, the giver and the receiver are both liable of committing an offence. While the Government has so far dealt with corruption through law enforcement (prosecuting the crooks), the new Action Plan puts a lot of emphasis on creating awareness on this scourge in society and prevention. How far the plan would work, particularly during an election year when corruption and dishonesty will be at play, remains to be seen. As the words dishonesty, corruption and integrity rang in my ears, I was distracted by Kussi Amma Sera and her friends, demonstratively, discussing the power crisis. Balanna Akka.thavama podi minisun-ge viduliya vitharai kapanne. Kolombata kiri, apita kekiri (Look, its still the small man who is affected by power cuts. Colombo is having milk and we are having kekiri), said Serapina. Minissu harima tharahen inne. Ada anduva chandayak thibboth..paradina-wa (People are very angry. If the Government holds an election today, they will lose), said an agitated Mabel Rasthiyadu. At that moment, I switched off from their conversation to put the final touches to todays discussion on honesty, integrity and good governance. For that matter, the energy crisis has become a shouting match between all stakeholders former power and energy ministers accusing current ministers of not doing their job, officials blaming each other and unions threatening to strike. Watching these antics in public, it never fails to amaze me how Sri Lankans have been suckered into voting these politicians into power, over and over again, despite failing poorly in their performance and promises. PS With the long vacation next week owing to the Avurudu holidays, Kussi Amma Sera and her friends will also make their way to their respective villages for an extended vacation. Missing will be their thoughts and ideas for this column. Any ideas from readers, please? Celebrating International Water Day View(s): The International Water Day which fell on March 24 was marked by the Sunil Gamage Foundation along with Tsukuba Technical Promotions (Pvt) Ltd, an agency which trains and provides opportunities for local youth to obtain much needed technical knowledge and practical experience while working in Japanese organisations in Japan. The two organisations undertook a CSR project clearing and cleaning the waters of the Dikkowita Fisheries Harbour. Over 80 past and present students of Tsukuba took part in this CSR project done under the guidance of Sunil Gamage, former Sri Lanka Consul General for Japan and the patron of the Sunil Gamage Foundation. IMF facility for Sri Lanka remains unchanged By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has given an assurance to Sri Lanka that the Extended Fund Facility arrangement of around US$1.5 billion will remain unchanged, as approved in June 2016, IMF official sources said. The lending agency has arrived at this decision despite the setback in the Governments commitment towards economic reforms during the 52-day political instability in the country. Government authorities requested to extend the EFF arrangement for an additional year, until early June 2020, to allow more time for the completion of the economic reform agenda, IMF Sri Lanka mission chief Manuela Goretti told the Business Times. The IMF team reached understandings at the staff level with the Sri Lankan authorities last February on the request, which will be considered by the IMF Executive Board in May, together with the request to complete the fifth EFF review, she said. Following the IMF team visit to Colombo last February, the authorities have been taking steps to complete all the pending actions for the fifth review, including submission to Parliament of the 2019 budget. As planned, the Board is expected to consider Sri Lankas request for completion of the fifth review next month, after the IMF-WB Spring Meetings which will begin in Washington tomorrow (Monday), she revealed in an e mail response. A total of about $500 million remains to be disbursed under the EFF arrangement, she disclosed. Subject to the IMF Boards approval of the extension request, this is expected to be spread evenly into three tranches, over three reviews. Accordingly, the amount of the next tranche for the completion of the fifth review is expected to be about $165 million. The tranches for the sixth and seventh EFF reviews will be comparable in size and are expected to be disbursed in late 2019 and early 2020, subject to the completion of the respective reviews, she confirmed. The US dollar amount of each tranche will be determined based on the value of the IMFs SDR (Special Drawing Rights) at the time of IMF Board approval of the disbursement, she added. Keep your entrepreneurship ideas simple and work together, says Dr. Wijay By Alvin Sallay View(s): View(s): Keep your million-dollar idea, which will transform the world, simple. This is the sage advice Dr. Bandula Wijay, one of Sri Lankas most eminent inventors of medical devices, had to offer aspiring students from the Universities of Moratuwa and the Colombo Medical College hell-bent on becoming the new wave of entrepreneurs. With stars in their eyes, they listened to Dr. Wijay, the keynote speaker at Tech Talk, the flagship event of the Computer Society of Sri Lanka, in Colombo. Usually this is held only for its membership, but with Dr. Wijay making one of his trips to his roots from his home in Houston, US it was felt the opportunity should not be missed to get some words of advice from him. Prabath Wickramaratne, President of the Computer Society, introduced his guest from the US as an inventor, engineer, scientist, educator and entrepreneur. The list goes on and Mr.Wickramaratne said he had to cut short his introduction due to time restraints and the fact that most of the audience was keen to listen to what Dr. Wijay, the entrepreneur, had to say. If you want to be successful and build a company, then your idea does not have to be complicated. Just look at two of the biggest companies today, Amazon and Uber, for instance. Amazon sells somebody elses products. Uber does not own a single car. Yet both are among the biggest companies in the world today, Dr. Wijay pointed out. If Houston, ever really did say we have a problem in the medical field, then the man they would have to would have been Dr. Wijay. An expert in the field of cardiovascular device development, the serial entrepreneur has developed a number of medical devices used commonly today in heart surgery. His inventions are used in balloon angioplasty in high-risk patients, he has worked in developing angiography catheters, cardiac output measurement catheters and localised drug infusion devices. He was also the pioneer of the present-day vascular stents. The heart is not the only area he has focused on, he has also developed devices used for female sterilisation procedures and a whole host of medical treatment concepts at an adjunct facility in bio-engineering at the University of Houston. With more than 30 medical devices patented and founder of four medical device companies since 1984, Dr. Wijay is well-qualified to talk to the audience littered with young minds all wanting to know how to turn an idea into a commercial hit. The best (way) to go ahead is to find a solution so simple for a need that is so severe. For this, you have to identify the problem. So, the problem is to identify the problem, Dr. Wijay says. An old-boy of Mahinda College, Dr. Wijay struck the jackpot when he created, or streamlined the balloon angioplasty and pioneered vascular stents. From the days when bypass surgery involved sawing open your rib cage to get to your heart, now all a patient had to undergo was mild discomfort in undergoing angioplasty and where he or she can leave hospital after an overnight stay. You need vision, inspiration, an idea and creativity, offers Dr. Wijay. He points out, quite rightly that people who dont have a vision are blind. We also need an innovative culture. In the ancient days, Sri Lanka had one of the most innovative cultures but down the years we have lost it. I blame the British for that. We became servants. To have an innovative culture we need to have an education system where deductive and critical thinking are the norm as this will increase our ability to solve a problem. But most important of all is that as a nation, we need to learn to collaborate. In the US it is not a problem. Doctors and engineers will collaborate on one problem. People of many backgrounds come together for the common good. But here in Sri Lanka, they will want money if they give any advice. We have to eliminate boundaries. There should be no lines where you say you are an engineer so you dont know anything about the medical field. People from different backgrounds have to come together to provide the solution, Dr. Wijay added. His words seemed a panacea for this countrys ills. Lion Brewery says cheers to tax cuts By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s): The Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC saw its volume bouncing back with better tax policies, after the unfair tax hike it faced four years ago. The company is just recovering from the 40 per cent volume drop it saw during 2015 onwards when beer excise duties were increased 70 per cent. In both mild and strong beers, prices were adjusted in November 2017 to reflect the then excise tax structure. However, with the March 2019 budget, prices once again moved upward somewhat as beer taxes were increased by 12.5 per cent. The conservative and impractical way of approaching taxation for alcohol by the government resulting in price hikes didnt only harm the company bottom line, but affected consumers at large as they shifted to hard alcohol both legal and illegal. Lion Brewery CEO, Suresh Shah agrees noting that consumers will seek other avenues when policies on orthodox approaches are imposed on clamping down the industry. In an interview with the Business Times, he noted that there are many other better ways to look at regulating alcohol. In a 64,000 km landmass that is Sri Lanka, there are only 28,000 licenced liquor stores.So on average one liquor store serves 22 km. Its a given that no one will go 22 km to find alcohol. What eventually happens is that they turn to illicit alcohol, he noted. The companys volumes have been backed by the increase in tourism numbers, apart from the change in taxation. Now Lion Brewery exports two containers a day and has 23 export markets. Mr. Shah noted that despite the volumes returning, the companys bottle to can composition wont change significantly. Nor will they look at immediate expansion.Depending on the demand we will increase capacity as we go along, Mr. Shah said explaining that this year will be a year of consolidation for the company. He also stressed that investment has to be backed by consistent policy. Policies must create an environment to invest. A company will invest if it gets a return. He further noted that now investment is not backed by consistent policy which is why there is not much economic growth. He also said the notion that the government is helping the private sector is not true. Its actually about assisting the private sector to help the country by creating jobs, new investments, etc. In this light policy should revolve around ease of doing business for the private sector and reducing their cost of capital -all the while getting them into a positive cycle circle, he added. He credits the efforts in getting the Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) through. We are a small economy. There is only so much we can expand. We need to take our businesses overseas. They need to go beyond our shores. So tools like the FTAs to India, China, etc help immensely. He further noted that from a 21 million people market to a 1.3 billion people market through the Indian FTA will open unimaginable opportunities. The Government should re-focus its entire approach to trade. The thinking is good but the implementation is slow. And the liberalisation process is slow mostly owing to politics. Mr. Shah highlighted the importance of encouraging firms to export while facilitating the ease of doing business in this country. He also added the public sector needs a wakeup call and must shift its focus from regulating to facilitating. They must appreciate the role played by economic growth in improving the lives of people. He noted that Sri Lanka doesnt have strong institutions that safeguard and serve people and other institutions at large. Politicians too take advantage of the lack of strong institutions to bully the private sector. He added that the private sector needs to be more united in order to battle these issues. We are 22 km away from what will be the worlds second largest economy, we have the busiest sea lane 10 nautical miles from our southern border, we have fertile land and we are a tourism haven. We have so much potential to grow and I hope that potential is realised sooner rather than later. Sea energy idea ignored by Governments since 80s By Alvin Sallay View(s): View(s): The current power crisis could have been averted if politicians had implemented a cheap and cost-effective method to harness wave power from the seas surrounding the island, according to hotelier-turned-inventor Duncan Wickramasinghe. Mr. Wickramasinghe, in an interview with the Business Times on Friday, charged successive governments with turning a blind eye to proposals brought by him over the years to turn sea energy into electricity his first proposal being made in 1979 when Sri Lanka suffered its first power cuts. At the time, I made an initial proposal after being struck by the fact that even massive ships bob up-and-down on the sea because of waves. If a 100,000 tonne ship could be lifted by waves, I realised even back then how much of energy there must be in the sea, Mr. Wickramasinghe harked back. But a proposal I made to a number of governments from both parties, the Rajapaksas as well as the UNP fell on deaf ears. I even approached Arthur C. Clarke with my idea but nothing came out of that too, related Mr. Wickramasinghe. His idea, put simply, was to build a structure comprising of movable arms attached to a wheel which in turn would be connected to a dynamo. When the waves hit the movable arms it would move up-and down turning the wheel and generating energy. The up-and down movement creates mechanical energy which can be turned into a source of power which is not only eco-friendly but totally renewable and sustainable. I approached the people in power on many occasions. I wrote letters to then Minister of Power and Energy, Karu Jayasuriya but did not get any response. A few years later I wrote to the Rajapaksas, Mahinda and Gotabaya, and even met Lalith Weeratunga, but again got no response. They all said to wait. Im still waiting. If these Governments had taken action back then, the people of this country would not have to undergo the hardships they are facing today due to the power cuts, declared Mr. Wickramasinghe. He was struck with his brainwave back in 1979, when as a former employee of the Hotel InterContinental, Mr. Wickramasinghe was present one day when the late Lalith Athulathmudali had arrived for a press conference at the hotel. We had to keep the doors of the hall open as it was so hot. The hall overlooked the sea and it was then I was struck by this idea watching a ship move up-and-down due to the wave movement. Many countries already use marine power generated by waves. Around 12 per cent of the electricity generated by the national grid in Spain comes from the sea. In Portugal it is about 13 per cent and Ireland 11 per cent. Even India is harnessing power from the sea. Why cant Sri Lanka, an island nation follow suit, asks Mr. WickramasingHe. The lights go out in his home at Mattakkuliya as he answers the same question with his next breath. It is because our politicians have vested interests. There is money to be made from using coal and hydropower to generate electricity. Even in the West, the large oil industry and coal industry plays a huge role in clamping down on the development of wave energy. Mr. Wickramasinghe said he could solve the current power crisis within three months and challenged the current Government to prove they have the needs of the community at heart. All I need is one million rupees held by a trustee, and a small team of people. I need one electrical engineer, a civil engineer, a mechanical engineer, a couple of welders, masons and carpenters and I will build a plant capable of generating 50 KWH to the national grid. Sri Lanka is fortunate in having seas suitable for generating maximum power, according to Mr. Wickramasinghe. We are surrounded by a golu muhuda or dumb sea. Unlike in other parts of the world, our seas are not rough and we have six waves per minute. Every wave generates 50 horsepower. If we have a buoy with eight arms, that translates into 400HP. If we build a float with 20 buoys, that will mean 8,000HP. And this is per wave. You multiply this by six six waves per minute and you get 48,000HP per minute or 800 HP per second. This is enough to run a 300MV generator, he explained. Sri Lankas annual consumption of electricity is 12.67 million KWH, something which could be provided easily from wave power, says Mr. Wickramasinghe. We need people with vision to implement a solution which will provide electricity round the clock irrespective of outside conditions like drought. If we implement this solution it will also be a barrier to sea erosion and enhance marine life around our shores. I first came up with this idea in 1979. Over the last 40 years I have been studying this and refining my idea. Im still waiting for the government of the day to take it up and implement it. If it is done, we will not have to suffer power cuts anymore, Mr. Wickramasinge added. SEC files action against powerful businessman Dr. Sena Yaddehige View(s): Powerful businessman Dr. Sena Yaddehige has been charged with insider dealing by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) in a case filed on March 7 before the Fort Magistrates Court. The SEC said in a media statement on Sunday that the charge pertained to dealing in the shares of Kegalle Plantations PLC (KGAL) listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, being the Chairman of the company, just before a Rs 45 dividend was declared by KGAL on July 10, 2015. This is in breach of Section 32 of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Act No. 36 of 1987 (as amended). The SEC also cited Subramanium Thinamany as a defendant in this case for aiding and abetting Dr. Yaddehige to commit the offence of insider dealing. Dr. Yaddehige is also chairman of Richard Peiris Group. The SEC said the Magistrate having heard the submissions of Sudarshana De Silva, Deputy Solicitor General of the Attorney Generals Department who appeared for the SEC, issued summons on Dr. Yaddehige and Mr. Thinamany to appear before the Magistrate last Thursday (March 28). On that day Mr. Thinamany appeared before the Magistrate while the Attorney-at-Law who represented Dr. Yaddehige took notice of the next date Dr. Yaddehige was required to appear before the Magistrate. Meanwhile, March 21, an order was sought from the Court of Appeal by Dr. Yaddehige in the writ application filed by him against the SEC, to stay the proceedings of the Magistrates Court. Ms. Shaheeda Barrie, Senior State Counsel of the Attorney Generals Department making submissions on behalf of the SEC objected to Dr. Yaddehiges request. Upon hearing the submissions of both parties the Court of Appeal bench comprising Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Justice Mahinda Samayawardane refused to grant the interim relief sought by Dr. Yaddehige. Budget 2019 sails through comfortably enough By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s): Budget 2019, the 1st Budget of the United National Front (UNF) Government that came into being after the collapse of the Unity Government with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) last year, was passed by a comfortable majority of 45 votes in Parliament on Friday (5). The vote on the Third Reading held on Friday evening. after 25 days of debate, saw 119 MPs in favour of the Budget, while 74 opposed it. The UNF, together with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) voted in favour, while the Joint Opposition, the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) voted against. Many SLFP MPs affiliated to President Maithripala Sirisena were absent at the time of the vote. They had decided to abstain from voting, following a meeting held earlier in the day. The Supplementary Estimates of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development and the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government were also passed on Friday, immediately after the vote on the Third Reading. The Expenditure Heads of these Ministries had earlier been defeated in the House. When the two Expenditure Heads were taken, the TNA informed Parliament that it would abstain from voting for the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government. Nevertheless, the Expenditure Heads were passed. All the talk in the days prior to Fridays vote, about the JO and SLFP managing to spring a surprise and defeat the Budget, together with some defections from the UNF, turned out to be mere wishful thinking on the part of some JO MPs. SLFP support to defeat the Budget was always doubtful, given its decision to abstain from voting on the Second Reading, while the likelihood of defections from the UNF was even more remote. The end proved to be predictably anticlimactic. Friday was the last of 19 days allotted to the Committee Stage debate of the Budget, and saw the Expenditure Head of the Ministry of Finance being debated. The debate saw a heated exchange between Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena, after the latter accused the Minister of misleading Parliament regarding the Budget. Mr Gunawardena also claimed that the Finance Ministrys Senior Advisor Mano Tittawella, had overstepped his authority by instructing Sri Lankas Permanent Representative in Geneva to co-sponsor the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution on Sri Lanka. Mr Samaraweera insisted Mr Tittawella was an honest and capable official and was only carrying out his duties as Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms, which oversees the implementation of the UNHRC Resolution. Mr Gunawardena was clearly irritated by the Finance Ministers interruptions during his speech, and the exchange of words continued for some time. Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa drew contrasts between the 1st Budget presented by the Government, after it was elected to power, and the latest one. The Government claimed at the time that theirs was a Saradiel Budget that took from the rich and gave to the poor. Yet, in reality, the Government takes from both the rich and the poor. The poor, in fact, get nothing. Mr Rajapaksa also poked fun at the Governments handling of the current power crisis by referring to a widely shared joke on social media, comparing the works of author Martin Wickramasinghe to the Governments projects and the current power crisis. The Government has launched a project called Gamperaliya, but it seems, it is currently reading Karuwalagedara, he quipped. The Opposition Leader urged the Government to be mindful when imposing power-cuts, noting that small industrialists, especially, were struggling due to the current power crisis. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, meanwhile, stated that the Government will gradually lift restrictions imposed on duty-free vehicles for State employees. Accordingly, from June 1, Letters of Credit can be opened on vehicle permits issued before September 30, 2018, while all restrictions will be lifted in stages by October 1. On Thursday, during the debate on the Expenditure Head of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment, all of which come under the President, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran questioned the rationale behind the mammoth budgetary allocations made for the Ministry of Defence. He noted that even 10 years after the civil war ended, the allocations for the Defence Ministry keep growing each year. Recurrent expenditure is there but, if proper demobilisation and demilitarisation had been done in keeping with the actual needs of the country, this colossal allocation for the Ministry need not be made, he said. He also drew attention to the continuing issue of private lands being occupied by the military. Mr Sumanthiran acknowledged that a fair amount of land had been released, but stated that, even after 10 long years, substantial swaths of lands are being held by the Army, Navy, Air Force and even the Police. The TNA MP also disputed the claim by security agencies that they had returned more than 90% of land to private ownership. We have asked for details to ascertain their veracity, but have still not been given them, he observed, asking the Government to expedite the process of handing the lands back. Joining the debate, President Maithripala Sirisena said he would take steps to significantly transform the Police into a more efficient force. He told Parliament there were about 85,000 Police personnel currently, including the Special Task Force (STF). While these agencies are performing a commendable service in combating drugs, they are hampered by the lack of technical equipment required for drug detection efforts, he pointed out. The President said the Government had taken measures to purchase high-tech drug detection equipment to help in anti-drug operations. Parliament will reconvene at 1 pm on May 7. House echoes to foul exchanges The public image of MPs took a battering from the disgraceful scenes witnessed in the House during the 52-day political crisis last year. Certain Parliamentarians seem completely oblivious to this however, as seen by the way they engaged in verbal insults using obscene language during the debate this week, even ignoring warnings that children were in the public gallery. UPFA MP Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva and State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake got into an ugly verbal spat over the sale of MPs duty-free vehicle permits during the debate on the Expenditure Heads of the Ministry of Justice and Prison Reforms and the Ministry of Public Administration and Disaster Management, on Monday. The spat had obscene references made by both MPs, with MP De Silva using a vulgar term to refer to Mr Ramanayake, for which he was censured by the Chair. Mr De Silva later withdrew the comment. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later expressed his regret and displeasure over the damage done to the reputation of Parliament by the two MPs using abusive language. He asked all MPs to behave responsibly and exemplarily, while ensuring the prestige of Parliament, and not resort to indecent and offensive language. The Speakers appeals went unheeded, as on Friday, when another argument erupted between State Minister Ramanayake and UPFA MP Nimal Lanza. Mr Lanza used vulgar and sexually demeaning language to refer to the State Minister, alleging that he was also to blame for the current plight of ETI depositors. Mr Ramanayake shot back, repeating an earlier allegation that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Mr Lanzas home hurriedly when he was President, to protect him when the STF carried out a drug raid on Mr Lanzas home in Negombo. UNP MP Velu Kumar, who was chairing the House at the time, repeatedly urged the MPs to be mindful of their language, but in vain. At the end of Mr Lanzas speech, he ordered that all unparliamentary language be expunged from the Hansard. CC considers three nominees for post of CJ View(s): The Constitutional Council will decide on a new Chief Justice from three names submitted by President Maithripala Sirisena. The names to be recommended in that order are Justice Buveneka Aluvihare, Justice Sisira de Abrew and Jayantha Jayasuriya, the present Attorney General. The present Chief Justice, Nalin Perera, will retire on April 29. A ceremonial farewell was accorded to him on Friday. The Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts, District Courts, Magistrates Courts judges, Attorney General Jayasuriya, representatives of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and lawyers were present at the ceremony. The CC is not expected to meet until after the National New Year. The CC Chairman, Karu Jayasuriya, is now on a visit to West Asai. He left on Friday night after his customary dinner to all MPs when Parliament concluded the third reading of the budget debate. Justice Aluvihare is the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court followed by Justice Sisira de Abrew. Both Justice Aluvihare and Jayantha Jayasuriya joined the Attorney Generals Department together. Political swipes as Sirisena sits on Salleys chair Last Monday, President Maithripala Sirisena opened a shopping complex in Rajagiriya and later walked into the Western Province Governors office located in the same building. Sitting on Governor Azath Salleys chair, he remarked it was comfortable and even good for him. He looked around and asked whether there was a log book. He wanted to make some comments and sign it, no doubt an honour for Mr. Salley. After all, these are days when politicians are being honoured. One of those present said that Mr. Salley was fully supportive of the President. Among those present were Western Province Chief Minister Isuru Devapriya and Colombo district Parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala. Mr. Sumpathipala chipped into say he (the Govenor) was like those of the Pohottuwa a reference to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. Another voice was heard to say all are supportive of the Phohottuwa. Nothing of that sort here, exhorted Mr. Salley. But President Sirisena thought otherwise. He said yes, yes, there is some line like that going on. One of Mr. Salleys aides, meanwhile, brought in some sheets of blank paper in the absence of a log book. The President said it was the first time he was going to make an entry on a sheet of paper. Mr. Salley handed over a pen and the president made an entry on it. When he reached the end of his writing, he realised that the ink was green. The President again remarked, You have kept a green pen purposely and this, too, may be having some motive. At the end of it, Mr. Salley handed over the green pen to the President to be taken away. But, on second thoughts he inquired whether he could send him a blue pen. Send me a mixed coloured pen mix green, blue and red, a remark with a political connotation with elections pending. Northern Governor wants to know who drafted 2015 UNHRC resolution Northern Province Governor Suren Raghavan, who was part of the government delegation to Geneva, has invoked the Right to Information Act to find out as to who was responsible for the UN Resolution 30/1 which was passed in 2015 soon after the new government took office and was co-sponsored by Sri Lanka with other western countries led by the United States. This was after he failed to get a proper response from the Foreign Ministry as to who was responsible for drafting the original text of the resolution. Governor Raghavan told the media in Jaffna last week that he was still awaiting a response to the RTI application filed to the Ministry though he wanted to have the information before he left. The contents of this years resolution were based on the original text of UN Resolution 30/1 and the government secured two more years for implementation of the steps agreed upon. Rupavahini apologises to PM for poor coverage The National television Rupavahini has apologized to the Prime Ministers Office over the inadequate coverage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at an event held at Independence Square. The event titled April Pledge was part of a major campaign against narcotics. The event, in which President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and other cabinet ministers took part, was shown live on Rupavahini. But, the Prime Ministers Office was not happy on how the cameras focused on Mr Wickremesinghe. Some of the officials brought this to the attention of the Prime Minister himself. In turn, the issue was taken up by the Prime Ministers office with a Rupavahini official who reportedly apologised about the poor coverage of the PM at the event. President prepares for New Year pilgrimage President Maithripala Sirisena is planning a trip abroad during the National New Year holiday season. Sources close to him said it was a private visit, a pilgrimage, but declined to reveal the destination. Sampanthan back in CC despite Rajapaksa objection Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan has returned as a member of the Constitutional Council. At Fridays CC meeting chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuruya, his name was proposed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa proposed the name of Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). Mr. Rajapaksa pointed out that the TNA was part of the government and hence Mr. Sampanthan could not be a member. However, later Premier Wickremesinghe had persuaded Mr. Devananda to withdraw his candidature. War crimes probe: NYT exposes US double standard It was the United States that spearheaded a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva to probe alleged human rights violations during the end of the separatist war and set up an international tribunal to probe alleged war crimes. What about the alleged violations of human rights and crimes committed by the US troops in Afghanistan? This is what a New York Times report had to say: The United States has revoked the visa of the International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor because of her attempts to investigate allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan, including any that may have been committed by American forces. The visa revocation confirmed on Friday by the office of the chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and the State Department in Washington was assailed by rights advocates as unprecedented interference by the United States into the workings of the court, established nearly two decades ago to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Ms. Bensouda, a Gambian lawyer for the court, which is based in The Hague, formally requested an investigation more than a year ago into war crimes in Afghanistan. The inquiry would mostly focus on large-scale crimes against civilians attributed to the Taliban and Afghan government forces. But it would also examine alleged C.I.A. and American military abuse in detention centers in Afghanistan in 2003 and 2004, and at sites in Poland, Lithuania and Romania, putting the court directly at odds with the United States. What is bad for the goose, it seems, is not bad for the gander. Talk of double standards and here is a solid case. Says Budget is not important but Aandu Virodhi or anti-Govt. campaign after Avurudu Prime Minister seeks more non-Cabinet rank ministers Gotabaya hands in papers to renounce US citizenship in Washington D.C. The jet-black Russian Mi-17 VIP helicopter with a satellite phone and television among on board systems glistened in the hot sunlight as it touched down, raising a cloud of dust at the Asgiriya grounds in Kandy last Monday. President Maithripala Sirisena alighted. He was rather early. It was for the colourful ceremony where the United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and Minister Sajith Premadasa received a title of honour Sasana Deepa Abhimani Sri Lanka Janaranjana. The silver scroll containing the testament was handed to him by the Most Venerable Thibotuwawe Sri Siddharatha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter during an event televised countrywide. Accompanying President Sirisena were Public Administration and Disaster Management Minister Ranjit Madduma Bandara and Krishantha Prasad Cooray, a confidant and one of Presidents advisors. Cooray, Chairman of Lake House as well as Hotel Developers Ltd., the owning company of Colombo Hilton, suggested that Sirisena springs a surprise by visiting Minister Malik Samarawickreme at his Kandy residence in Sirimalwatte, just past Tennekumbura bridge and clock tower. Cooray has endeavoured to repair ruptured relations between the President and International Trade Minister Samarawickrema and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera since the political turmoil began in October last year. This is particularly with Samaraweera, who likened Sirisena during that period to a member of the stray canine breed. As required by law Sirisena had brought the Central Bank back under the Finance Ministry. It was earlier under the Prime Minister. The SriLankan Airlines came thereafter. They have now established close rapport. The two ministers had travelled together from Colombo to Kandy by road. When Mahinda Rajapaksa took over as Prime Minister on October 26 last year a move declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court after the dissolution of Parliament Wasantha P. Ramanayake was appointed as the new Chairman of Lake House. However, President Sirisena prevailed on Rajapaksa not to make any change at Hotel Developers Ltd. Rajapaksa had nominated Gamini Abeyratne, often referred to as Taxi Abey. Cooray was being driven to Kandy when he was interrupted by a telephone call. It was President Sirisena asking him to return so they may travel together in the Air Force VIP helicopter from Colombo. When President Sirisena was driven to Samarawickremas picturesque house overlooking the Mahaweli River, it was not only Samaraweera, as Cooray thought, who would be there. Just two or three minutes before they turned up, Premier Wickremesinghe had arrived there. He had in fact told Samarawickrema earlier to arrange lunch for him and was sipping a drink. He had flown in another Air Force VIP helicopter from Hambantota. When Sirisena and the duo entered the Samarawickrema residence, there was shock all-round. I was pleasantly surprised to see President Sirisena walking in, declared Minister Samarawickrema to the Sunday Times. It is only then that Sirisena saw the Prime Minister seated. Cooray was unaware of his presence, too. Thereafter, Sirisena and the duo remained there for about ten minutes. He politely turned down Samarawickremas request to join them for lunch. After an exchange of courtesies, he had a cup of tea and left with the politician and the state media boss. No sooner had they left, Premier Wickremesinghe asked Minister Samarawickrema whether he knew the President was coming. He replied he did not expect the President and he had turned up all of a sudden. Sirisena and party later sat down for lunch at the Presidents House in Kandy. Live coverage for Sajith There were some significant nuances in President Sirisenas role and in Premadasas crowning of a title of honour by the Most Venerable Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter. In the past weeks, Premadasa has made his presence felt at several public functions attended by Sirisena and they have been videoed and photographed together. Before leaving Colombo, President Sirisena had ordered the state broadcaster, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) to provide live coverage of the event. This is notwithstanding protocol considerations. In terms of that, Premadasa is only a Cabinet Minister and the Deputy Leader of the UNP and is thus not eligible to receive live television coverage. Even if a very high fee was to be paid, it would have still required approval at the highest levels since it involved state policy. In marked contrast, Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, also received an award from Most Venerable Thibottuwawe Sri Siddharatha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter on March 19. His title was Sasana Keerthi Shri Deshabhimani. He had previously won honours of Vishva Keerthi Shri Lanka Janaranjana and Saarartha Darshi Janatha Nayakafrom the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya. There was no live SLRC coverage for his event, though the Speaker, according to the Sri Lanka Constitution, is third in the protocol table after the President and the Prime Minister, If President Sirisena sat on Premadasas left and Premier Wickremesinghe on his right clasping their hands in worship, they were not there for Speaker Jayasuriya. There was only his son-in-law Minister Navin Dissanayake, the UNPs national organiser seated behind. Also present at Premadasas event were self-acclaimed frontliners who back former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate. They popped their heads from the back rows as cameras clicked and television cameras rolled. Coming from a most venerated sect of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, it is noteworthy that the sect conferred honours on both Speaker Jayasuriya and Minister Sajith Premadasa. One event followed another in just ten days. Why then is the attention and emphasis on Premadasa more than it was for Speaker Jayasuriya? In simple terms, for UNP leader Wickremesinghe, who aspires to be his partys presidential candidate, Premadasa could be his running mate or the Prime Ministerial candidate. That way, he seeks to take at least a part of the heat off from dissidents within his own party to foist Premadasa as presidential candidate an issue which would be of concern even for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and its allies. It is President Sirisenas own action to promote Premadasa that raises issues. He has confessed publicly last year that he offered the post of Prime Minister to Premadasa on two different occasions. They were spurned by Premadasa. During the 51-day political turmoil, Premadasa publicly vowed to back Wickremesinghe and wait his turn. Firstly, for President Sirisena, have the new interactions with Premadasa and the evolving circumstances, changed his stance? With his known and increased antipathy towards Wickremesinghe, does the President believe he could wean away a section of the UNP under Premadasas leadership? In the event of a difficult situation, does he, therefore, believe he, too, could (together with his divided Sri Lanka Freedom Party) support Premadasa? These are among the many questions that arise. Secondly, what would all this mean for Premadasa? He has already won a political acronym Miniha Aasai Bayai or meaning The man loves it but is frightened. That he has remained largely a conformist other than the occasional critical rhetoric and his reported vacillation to take decisions earned him that sobriquet. During two different cabinet meetings in recent years, he threatened to quit against decisions taken but sheepishly fell in line later. Yet, Premadasa continues to harness Sirisenas goodwill with open arms. He also has considerable backing in the south and is popular there. He is an excellent orator, too. Thus, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe are cashing in on the honouring of Premadasa for different reasons. Just this week, one of two ministers who are very close allies of Premier Wickremesinghe expressed serious concerns over developments within the party. In what seemed an unusual move, one of them conveyed the concerns to a prominent opposition personality with whom he maintained very close relations. He said that moves were under way to prevent Wickremesinghe from becoming the presidential candidate. The opposition personality who has his own plate full, one source said, only made the point that why cant you settle your issues peacefully? It is this backdrop that has triggered both speculation and specific activity by different political parties represented in Parliament. One is the oft repeated call to President Sirisena from certain SLFPers to allow them to take cabinet portfolios in the United National Front (UNF) government. He has stood firm and declared he will not allow that to happen. They have been having backchannel talks with the UNF leadership for a long period now. At least, for a couple of them, a crossover will be inevitable sooner than later. Likelihood of early Parliamentary elections Another move that has gained some traction is the proposed 20th Amendment, fronted by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a passive ally of the UNF. The JVP is backing the UNF together with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). In fact, a UNP lawyer and one from the TNA are credited with formulating the draft marketed by the JVP. A section is busy offering changes to the 20A draft. One is to make provision to give 12 more bonus seats for the winning party to ensure a majority. There is at present a bonus seat of one from each district totalling 22. The idea behind this dialogue is to abolish the executive presidency and go immediately for a parliamentary election. One of the fine threads running through all this is significant to allow the incumbent Executive President to continue to function as a ceremonial (non-executive) President for three years. That underscores the fact that even President Sirisenas own position is taken into consideration. A close presidential ally, who interacts with the JVP, has made this possible. It has also been suggested that the elections should be conducted under the existing proportional representation system since introducing another mode would be time consuming. There are still doubts whether the current move would materialise in the light of reservations expressed by representatives of key parties. Yet, these behind-the-scenes initiatives only make clear how unstable and worrying the countrys political situation has turned out to be. This is on top of the prolonged power cuts, causing a severe blow to the people, ahead of the National New Year season. There are now threats of water cuts. It behoves on the UNF government to find long-term remedies before making glorious pledges of turning Colombo into a major economic hub in the future. Many political leaders have only been advertising coming attractions. Most have not arrived. They are blaming the previous administration for all the evils heaped on the people. The fact that the people outvoted the previous administration for its failures is lost on the government leaders. Sirisenas campaign President Sirisena feels that these are largely the responsibilities of the UNF government. He has, therefore, laid emphasis on his own programmes, ahead of the presidential election in seven months. He has commendably mobilised the Police to go after drug lords in a campaign to prevent abuse. This is highly laudable since the Police Department, which was under the UNF for four long years, was unable to come up with such a campaign or fight mounting crime. The two ministers in charge of Law and Order, one after another, failed miserably in this sphere. President Sirisena has still to be mindful of the pitfalls in the anti-drugs campaign. Some have already begun likening it to the mid-1960s when the then Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake launched his campaign to increase paddy production. It grew not in the paddy fields, but on paper, in official statistics that were put out. Similarly, the vast drug hauls claimed to be discovered have to be watched to determine whether they are true. An authoritative Police official, who did not wish to be identified, said that a stock of 500 kilogrammes of cocaine thrown overboard from a ship raised questions since there was no convincing evidence. President Sirisena also referred to the throwing at a public event. Also, relations are sour with countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from where drug lords are being repatriated. So much so, there has been no official intimation from the UAE that the persons arrested in the drug bust in Dubai were being sent back to Colombo. It is no secret that the rupture has been caused by the alleged unprofessional conduct of teams that went from Colombo to probe the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) MiG-27 fighter jet scandal. This has become much worse than the procurement of the aircraft itself though the authorities have remained stoically silent. Can the anti-drugs drive coupled together with a few other initiatives hold Sirisena in good stead as a presidential candidate? Foremost in answering the question is how he would contest, only as SLFP candidate or together with the backing of the SLPP allies. If it is from the SLFP, there is no gainsaying he would have to first settle mounting issues within. That is not easy. Other than a few, there is a dividing line among its parliamentarians. One section wants to go with the UNF and another with the SLPP. Nevertheless, he has insisted that the partys organisers should ensure a larg turnout for the SLFPs May Day rally at the Miriswatte grounds in Gampaha. He met them on Tuesday. He said those responsible for the electorates of Kegalle and Kurunegala should ensure there were at least thousand taking part from each area. Others have been told that they should muster crowds that are 500 strong from each electorate. The prospects of the SLPP and its allies backing Sirisena as their presidential candidate are now nil. It threatened to widen after Sirisena on Thursday urged his SLFP parliamentarians to refrain from voting during the third reading or the final vote on the budget. Unlike the previous voting for the second reading where some opposed it, SLFP parliamentarians were not present in the chamber. They had all fallen in line with Sirisenas directive. The third reading of the budget for 2019 was passed with a majority of 45 votes on Friday with 119 members voting in favour and 74 against. At voting time, the notable absentees were a section of the UPFA faction known to be supporting President Sirsena. But, six of them Piyasena Gamage, A.H.M.Fowzie, Lakshman Seneviratne, Wijith Wijayamuni Zosya, Manusha Nanayakkara and Indika Bandaranayake voted in support of the Budget. They had crossed over to the government benches earlier. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in his concluding remarks said the 25-day debate included heated arguments at times. The final days debate too, though largely confined to matters concerning the countrys economy, suddenly appeared to shift focus with UPFA member Nimal Lanza and State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake trading allegations against each other. The ugly remarks prompted Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to request the Speaker to remove the school children from the Gallery. It was done. The next parliamentary sessions are to be held on May 7. Last Tuesdays much awaited SLFP parliamentary group meeting with Sirisena in the chair, was to decide on the party stance on the final voting of the budget. But it was an anti-climax. Yet, it highlighted the divisions within and was a pointer to the direction in which the party is headed. President Sirisena noted, We cannot abstain during the second reading and support it at the final stage. Backing him were Sarath Amunugama and Mahinda Samarasinghe, two former ministers who are strongly in favour of patching up differences with the UNF. Both opined that Sirisena should send out a clear message. Those who were in favour of voting against the budget included Dayasiri Jayasekera (SLFP General Secretary), Nimal Siripala de Silva (SLFP Senior Deputy Leader), Mahinda Amaraweera and Thilanga Sumathipala. There was a heated exchange when Sumathipala continued to insist that the party should vote against the budget. Sirisena was stern in his tone when he asked are you telling me to stop the move to abstain? Nishantha Muthuhettigama (UPFA Galle District), who had voted against the budget in the second reading said he had not been aware of the partys thinking. This time, he said, he would refrain from voting in keeping with the Presidents move. Conspicuous by his absence was political broker S.B. Dissanayake, who was go-between in talks earlier between Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa. A formal decision, President Sirisena said, would be announced at a joint meeting of the SLFP-SLPP parliamentary group. He said he would explain at this meeting the reasons why such a decision was being taken. The joint meeting took place in the parliamentary complex on Thursday, but there was no discussion on the subject of the final voting in the budget. Post-Avurudu political battle President Sirisena said that the budget was not an all-important matter. What was more important was the Aandu Virodhi Satana or the fight against the (UNF) government. He said all of them (meaning the SLFP and the SLPP with its allies) should be prepared for it. Once the Avurudhu season is over, there is a big fight waiting to be carried out jointly. Siyalu Balavega or all forces will have to get together, he declared. Parliamentarian Dullas Allahapperuma, who led the SLPP at the talks with the SLFP delegation, made a few attempts to draw Sirisenas attention to the final voting in the budget. He was, however, not successful and Sirisena continued with his speech. Sirisena then made some critical comments on the UNF. He said UNF Lands Minister Gayantha Karunatilleke had presented a Cabinet Memorandum. He had sought to block off different plots of coconut land and hand them over to those wanting to set up export processing zones. The President said he had objected to it. Thereafter, he had learnt that even without Cabinet approval such lands had been Gazetted to be distributed. He had taken the matter up and raised strong objections. The move had come at a time when coconut prices were high. Moreover, even if new coconut plantations were opened up, it would have taken years for the trees to grow and bear fruit. SLFP General Secrertary Dayasiri Jayasekera suggested that the lands ministry secretary be expelled. Mahinda Amaraweera countered the argument and said the secretary was a good person and was not at fault. Most Joint Opposition members who took part in the discussion were surprised Sirisena did not make any mention of how the SLFP and the SLPP should vote and had dismissed the budget as not very important. As is clear, he played the issue of voting close to his chest. When opposition parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardena met him at ceremonies connected with the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Jayawardenapura University at the BMICH last Tuesday, he raised a question. Sirisena replied that a decision on the budget vote has not yet been finalised. He told me the decision would be taken on Friday morning, Gunawardena told the Sunday Times. Another aside on the UNF came when Sirisena attended a ceremony at Torrington Square to mark Bakmaha Divuruma a campaign to eradicate the drugs menace. He told confidants that Premier Wickremesinghe had given him a list of names of parliamentarians who should be sworn in as Non-Cabinet Ministers. That had included onetime military strongman Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. Wickremesinghe had met him to raise issue over the matter after Tuesdays weekly cabinet meeting had ended. He had pointed out to the Premier that no one had spoken to him on this matter earlier. There the issue ended. Such appointments, no doubt, would invite strong public criticism since the exercise is more intended to provide offices and perks for those concerned ahead of the presidential election. The SLFP parliamentarians abstentions bring to the fore the question of a common alliance with the SLPP and its allies. The SLPPs nominal leader G.L. Peiris, only days earlier, set a benchmark for the SLFP vote against the budget and prove to us that you are opposed to the UNP. Thus, there are doubts whether the next round of talks will take place as scheduled on April 10. Even if the talks take place, there would now be debates on the basis on which an alliance could be formed. Gotabaya Rajapaksas candidacy One fact that is clear is that Maithripala Sirisena will not be the presidential candidate of the SLPP and its allies. Nor will he qualify as a leader of the alliance or be empowered to decide on a symbol for the election, said a high ranking SLPP source. This will mean that he would remain only a leader of a constituent partner of the alliance. Hence, the question is whether Sirisena would wish to remain just a small player in the proposed alliance as SLPP partner. There was also news on the choice of the SLPP and its allies of their presidential candidate, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Contrary to earlier claims at the highest levels in the Opposition, Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not hand in his papers for the renunciation of his United States citizenship in Colombo. This is despite his calling at the United States Embassy in Colombo on March 6 to discuss the matter. Instead, he took his papers with him and handed them over in Washington D.C. This is what the State Department website has to say on the relinquishment of US citizenship: A person wishing to renounce his or her U.S. citizenship must voluntarily and with intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship: 1. appear in person before a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer, 2. in a foreign country at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate; and 3. sign an oath of renunciation Renunciations abroad that do not meet the conditions described above have no legal effect. Because of the provisions of Section 349(a)(5), U.S. citizens can only renounce their citizenship in person, and therefore cannot do so by mail, electronically, or through agents. In fact, U.S. courts have held certain attempts to renounce U.S. citizenship to be ineffective on a variety of grounds, as discussed below. A reason given for his move, though unfounded, is fears of local political interference in the process, a source claimed. The Sunday Times learnt that last minute advice from his US lawyers also prompted the move though Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been keeping it a top secret. As reported in these columns, his immediate family members have all extended their blessings during a dinner. The dilemma for the SLPP and its allies is their inability to make a formal announcement of their candidate until the former Defence Secretarys US citizenship renunciation is complete. Otherwise, in effect, they would be nominating a foreign national. Until yesterday, the source said, there has been no adverse response over Gotabaya Rajapaksas documents. Among matters to be given consideration before the application is accepted is a determination by US authorities of certainty of an applicant receiving citizenship in another country. A Sri Lanka immigration official, commenting on the subject, said, When you become a citizen of another country, your Sri Lankan citizenship lapses automatically. In case, a person revokes his or her citizenship; he or she would have to make an application to regain the lost Sri Lankan citizenship. After the forms are submitted, there will be an interview process. It would take around one and a half months to complete it. However, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has dual citizenship and he will become a Sri Lankan citizen after his US citizenship is renounced. Basil Rajapaksa, the architect of the SLPP, convened parliamentarians of his party for a meeting at their headquarters in Battaramulla this week. They were briefed on the current political situation and on plans for the presidential election campaign. Earlier, during informal meetings with their de facto party leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa, groups of MPs cautioned over the formation of the alliance. There was also a handful in favour on the grounds it will ensure SLFP support. The move not to go ahead with an alliance is in the light of what SLPP leaders call the SLFPs inability to take a political decision to oppose the budget, which they say, is a clear indication that the SLFP is not serious. Similarly, the SLFP could take other political decisions that will run counter to our policies, lamented a senior SLPPer. However, the SLPP mood is to go ahead with the talks until it reaches a dead-end. This is to avoid accusations that it was the SLPP which scuttled the talks. In the light of this, the SLPPs bargaining position will become even harder. Now that the budget has been passed, the Avurudu season, one that is more difficult to the people than for years before, will take over. As it ends, the billion-dollar question is whether Sirisenas Aandu Virodi Satana or the struggle against the (UNF) government could begin or President Sirisena will move in a different political direction. Either way for him, in the coming weeks, the political challenges are enormous, if not gruelling. The answers lie in the coming seven months before the presidential election. The great Bak Maha promise farce View(s): On a scorching hot April morn, three days after April Fools Day, The President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker and a whole host of government members of Parliament assembled at Independence Square to swear a solemn oath before the nation and before television cameras in a propaganda exercise which may have cost millions of taxpayers money, not to mention the unseen cost in lost man hours. The auspicious time to take that oath in Sinhala was between 8.30 and 8.32 am. For the Tamils, it was between 8.32 and 8.34 am. Gathered around the political chieftains were the commanders of the Tri Forces and the Police IGP, together with members of the assembled public. At that same auspicious moment, akin to where millions of Sinhalese and Hindus light the traditional oil lamp and unite as one to herald the New Year when the Sun transits from the constellation of Pisces to Aries, millions of Lankans were asked to stop their stride in their pedestrian walk to work, stop their cars in their drive to office to take the same oath the President, in his new role as Lankas macho messiah, had pronounced fit for the nation to take in his new found mission to be the Duterte of Lanka against drugs after his brief visit to the Philippines this January. Already on April Fools Day, he had declared his war against drugs. Commendable. President Maithripala Sirisena said that the consumption of narcotics can be completely eradicated as per the measures taken by the tri-forces, police, and Special Task Force personnel. The President made these remarks, wearing a face mask to prevent him from accidentally sniffing cocaine, following the disposing of the 769 kilograms of cocaine which were seized during the last three years. He also noted that the state-of-the-art equipment used in detecting narcotics will be imported from US and Israel since Sri Lanka was lacking such equipment at present. Mr. Sirisena further said that there are nearly 150,000 people who consume narcotics in the country and measures would be taken to set-up rehabilitation centres for these people. The President stressed that a broad programme to apprehend drug dealers and individuals who are involved in transporting narcotics, will be implemented following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Good. Better late than never. Even if it is after four years in office. But why the need for this national oath he urged all of Lanka to take and why Ranil and his cabinet followed their shepherd even as he led them over the cliff? And what was this oath, the President took at Independence Square on April 3rd, the same site where on that January 9th in 2015 he stood before a Supreme Court Judge and, after taking his oath of office as president, solemnly took the oath to hold the high office of president only for one term and no more and leave it when his term expired back to his Polonnaruwa grassroots and be content in ploughing with his buffalos the fertile fields that contribute to the grain bowl of Lanka, once famed as the granary of the East? The mission was to eradicate the drug menace. Governors, Chief Ministers as well as Presidential Secretary Udaya R. Senevirathne, and secretaries to ministers, and other senior government officials, chiefs of security forces, and the Inspector General of Police were gathered at the event. The public attended the ceremony in large numbers. The gathering made a pledge to commit themselves to make the country free of illicit drugs for the sake of the future generation, to successfully conduct and to accomplish the drug prevention programme and to take steps to shun drugs as an individual, and to dedicate with a utmost contribution for the great collective efforts to free the Sri Lankan public from drug menace. This event was live-streamed through electronic media, and it was simultaneously telecast to institutions, public offices, schools and the general public. The President believes that the national task of building a prosperous Sri Lanka by freeing the country from drug trafficking, and the task should be continued with a community attitude change and with active participation of the family unit and the society. The new programme of the Bakmaha Divuruma, national pledge against drugs, was organised by President Sirisena for a new approach to create a drug-free country. His intention is to obtain the cooperation of all sections for the success of the programme. Good, Welcome. But what was the oath he, the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker and a whole host of angels in the House took? What was the oath he asked others to take? Was it the Sinhala oath or the Tamil oath, though no auspicious time was given to the Burgher community to make their pledge in English? For starters, read for yourself the 160-odd word vow in English issued by the presidential Secretariat: April Pledge for a Drug Free Country In an era where our motherland is bestowed with a pure national cultural identity and being respected locally and internationally fulfilling the aspirations of millions of citizens, illegal drug trafficking is spreading like an epidemic and devouring the nation. It is an established truism that this menace which is presently spreading throughout the country, is raising its head darkening the future protection of Sri Lankan children and exerting pressure on the community life as a whole. In order to make the National Programme on Drug Prevention aiming at the creation of a Drug Free Country a success, I affirm/take oath, commencing today with determination, to abstain from using drugs, and to take action to save my kith and kin who are already being victimized/not being victimized by drugs and to fulfil with maximum dedication and integrity the great collective duty assigned to me in order to save all Sri Lankan Community from drugs. And read the sinhale version. After the preamble of how pure Lankas culture has been god knows from where the script writer got that notion, perhaps from the Mahawamsa which proudly spells out the illustrious lineage of the Sinhala race as having been the descendents of a vagabond prince born out of incest, condemned to exile by a father born out of bestiality the oath to be taken is to refrain from taking any intoxicants. Notice the difference? Why two versions of a solemn oath to be taken by one common people of the land? Is it that the English speaking elite in his cabinet of ministers may readily swear against drugs and wholeheartedly promise to refrain from smoking even the odd joint of grass or sniff cocaine dust up their nostrils or inject themselves heroin, but may pause when it comes to making avowals of refraining from alcohol for all time and lift their hands to being card carrying members of the Temperance Movement? Evidently its another presidential cock-up committed by the advisers that surround the president in his presidential cockpit. Is it easily digestible sweet curd for the English speaking Colombo elite to swear to and bitter gourd for the Sinhala and Tamil village yokels to swallow? But apart from that, the question also arises, why this oath had to be taken and forced down the throats of the masses at great public expense. Was there any real need for it? Especially when it has been the habit and practice of all Sinhala Buddhists to swear by the five precepts, morning, noon and night? Maithripala Sirisena maybe the President of Lanka but he is certainly not Maithree Budun come before his time to ask the people of Lanka to take a solemn 175-word oath to refrain from taking any intoxicant when every peel of the temple bell rings out the fifth precept in 9 words in Pali Sura meraya majjapama dattana vera mani shikkapadam samadiyami day in and night out as it had done for centuries, tolling the five precepts that predates the Buddha who only endorsed it as an essential discipline to attain ultimate bliss. Millions would have been spent to host this farce at Independence Square to boost the image and ego of one man with the Prime Minister and his cabinet sheepishly following their alien leader. But whilst the public may grudge their money being wasted on such a farcical display of politicians taking the solemn oath to observe the fifth precept, they would not have harboured one chip of resentment if these politicians, these representative had taken a solemn oath that day to observe the second precept Adinna dhana veramani sikkha padam samadiyami, I shall refrain from stealing. And a billion bucks more to confirm it, if they also took the oath to observe the fourth precept Musavada veramani sikkha padam samadiyami, I shall not lie. SUNDAY PUNCH ODE Sway My Love Your Sensuous Soul By Don Manu Sway, my love, your sensuous soul; Sway to the rhythms my pipes now toll; Sway in rapture in serpent trance Before my soul, my love, now dance Spring, uncoil, from your casket loom Entice me with your forbidden bloom Feed me the fruit, feed slice by slice Let me devour its seed, its spice: And with your sultry sway caress And my throbbing noon time sun embrace, And show me how through pleasures pain Losing innocence, I an Eden gain; Bared nude in an animal state Where are the joys that Heaven await; In blazoned glare how can I find Mystic truths of the veiled divine: But a discreet fig leafed clove incites To probe the mystery hidden from sight And provokes within my bones tonight Ardours from zones concealed from light: So sway sensuous to my pounding beat Awake, arouse this intense heat And to my flute, to my thumping drum Sweet Lady lets to music strum. Remove the ribbons of masks you wear, Shed its skins, leave your shoulders bare; Loosen your knot, let fall your hair; Tease with your tress, tempt me to dare To traverse untrodden virgin lair; pon your altar make me fall in prayer. And now that dress, no, take your time; Each divine moment must be sublime; Hold on, swirl round, Ill drink the wine Matured in your sensuous shrine, Sweet nectar sucked from salty brine; Each sip renews a fresh divine: Incarnate Beauty now undressed I feel within my passions pressed: And urge to spurt whats long suppressed, Encapsuled joys that time compressed: Ah, yes, the beatitudes that await The stoic penance of pilgrimage; When, arriving at the Elysian gate, In frenzied bliss I the eternal slake. And then my flute blows forth its charms And dissolves my soul in fires, and balms, Distilling storms and heralding calms, I am transported to heavens arms: Where I, on the plains of ecstasy, Live out and sweat my fantasy: Where entwined in exquisite throes Transcend sunsets of earthly shores. Who will be the first to swing? Sunday Punch 2 President has date in mind and is busy preparing death list Whist the country suffers in darkness and sweats it out with the ongoing power cuts, it may be of some comfort to some to know that President Sirisena has not been idle but has been busy burning the midnight oil preparing the death list of those he wishes to hang. Eager to portray himself as The Terminator to reintroduce the death penalty in practice, a practice that five presidents before him shunned to follow, Sirisena has chosen instead to go off the beaten track in the footsteps of Philippines Duterte, whom he met on his visit to that archipelago this January and returned home armed with greater resolve to establish a macho image as a man with a backbone. Two years into his presidency he was to remark in public that many perceived him as a man spineless but that he will soon prove his vertebra. In the last lap of his presidency, he seems to have discovered its existence and now seems to be hell bent on stringing some death row inmates to prove its existence in his anatomy. In February, he announced that there will be the first public execution within two months of a drug dealer; that before the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. Last week he announced that he had already fixed a date and probably an auspicious time as well to carry out judicial murder with presidential assent. And this week, he also announced that he was busy preparing his own death list, Duterte style. One problem that may have seemed to beset him in his choice of whom to hang first may also have dawned in the distant horizon and surfed to the shore when a well-known drug dealer Welle Sudas appeal to the Appeal Court again his death sentence was dismissed by the Appeal Court on Friday. The Court of Appeal confirmed the death sentence imposed by the High Court on Gampola Widanelage Samantha Kumara, alias Wele Suda in 2015. The bench comprising Justices Achala Wengapulli and Deepali Wijesundara dismissed the appeal filed on behalf of the convict. High Court Judge Preethi Padman Surasena on October 14, 2015 sentenced Wele Suda to death after he was found guilty of charges of possessing 7.05 grams of heroin in Mount Lavinia in 2008. But if he is granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, he may not be in the picture. What a pity. He would have done nicely, notorious as he is. Alas, some other sod will have to be found instead. One problem, though. No hangman has still been recruited, even though over seventy have applied for the job, a stumbling block perhaps being that the qualifications demanded to occupy the post to kill another man also demand that one must be educationally qualified more than some parliamentarians and must have an impeccable moral character. Perhaps that may well be sorted out this week. Well, if not, to prove the mettle in the man, there is always ones own self to do the job. For there is no extent to which one will go to, to prove ones libido and show the nation that he has not lost his mojo, is there? Addressing Parliament in February, he announced there will be a hanging in Lanka, the first to be done after Maru Sira was hanged in 1976, 42 years ago. Now with all systems in place, it seems the nation can welcome the New Year not to the caw of the koha but to the last squeaks of a human gasping for air with neck throttled in a Sirisena designer noose. Navins reply to tea land deal: None of our business Even as Geof Aloysius walked free from his remand cell after being released on bail for his alleged role in the bond scam, this Thursday in Parliament, Minister of Plantation rose to answer a question posed to him after last weeks Sunday Punch exposure of the seemingly dubious handover of a 450 acre state owned tea estate to Geoff Aloysius and son Arjun on a thirty-year lease until 2046 for a monthly rent of Rs. 8,000. This is his reply: The issue about the Tea estate given to Aloysius has been raised several times. Geoffrey Aloysius father formed the Mathurata Plantation company in 1991. In 2016 the Mahathudugala estate was suffering losses upto Rs 24 million . The Mathurata Plantation company and the Serendib company did a business of carbonic tea. Gefforey George Aloysius at this point had joint as a partner of the Serendib company. The Mahathudugala estate has 252 Ha. Only one of the bungalows of the estate had been leased out for the use of the Manager. The rest of the estate was under the plantation company. The agreement was under the plantation company and the JEDB. All the government dealings were between the JEDB and Mathurata plantations. Therefore, this is a sub-lease. Mathurata has given a sub-lease to Serendib. Therefore the government is not involved. During my period the sub lease system has been scrapped. The Serendib has agreed to pay the lease money to the Mahathudugala estate. Therefore this is a private transaction between two companies and the government is not involved in it. However further questions remain to be answered. First: When did Mathurata Plantations sub lease the estate to Aloysius Serendib company? The date mentioned is September 26th 2015 just three weeks after Navin Dissanayakake was appointed as the Minister. Second: It is generally a standard clause in lease agreements that the demised premises will not be sub let to anyone without the express written consent of the landlord. If it was a private land owned by the Minister, it is no ones right or business to question. But in this case, it is state owned land belonging to the people of this country in the custody of the Plantation Ministry. Is the Minister saying that for nearly four years he was unaware that such a valuable 450 acre estate had been sub let to another? Third: Is the Minister also implying it is not the business of the government to monitor the progress of state owned tea land tea being a traditional foreign exchange money spinner and looks askance to whatever dealings the tenant enters into with another party, even in breach of the original lease agreement? Mr. Dissanayakes brief answer in Parliament raises more questions. And the owners of the land, namely, the people of Lanka, deserve a better answer than for the minister to merely say this is a private transaction between two companies and the government is not involved in it. Power mafias send millions of Lankans into blackout View(s): Sri Lankas power sector is in an infernal, politicised mess and there is no light at the end of the tunnel for the foreseeable future. The result of this chaos is the collective public discomfort caused by hours of curtailed electricitysomething that experts had repeatedly warned would happen by this year. The fundamental issue appears to be the prevalence of various mafias pushing different power generation agendas for pecuniary benefit. Thus, there is the coal mafia, the LNG mafia, the mini hydro mafia, the independent power producer (IPP) mafia, the one-time wind mafia, the solar power mafia and just about any other mafia in between. Attempts by one or another of these interest groups to get a power generation project going are invariably cobbled by, again, one or another of these interest groups. Either that or the tender processes are blatantly compromised. The Ceylon Electricity Board had been in negotiations with Indian authorities over the proposed Sampur coal power plant since 2006. Nine long years of arduous discussion later, just when all aspects the joint venture agreement were settled and tenders were about to be floated, the environmental lobby got through to the political leadership which decided there would be no more coal in Sri Lanka. While the CEB and some power sector experts argue vehemently that this was serious error in judgement, there is no gainsaying that coal plants are mostly on the way out globally. And that they are environmentally damaging. A cursory appraisal of the problems arising from the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai makes this manifestly clear. The project, being Chinese, did not engender much confidence to begin with. Then came the frequent breakdowns. Now, in both the first and second units, the flue-gas desulphurisation components that remove acid gas (sulphur dioxide) have been broken for months. Not only have local communities been exposed to coal dust and fly ash, studies have found that the dust travels all the way to Puttalam and the fly ash to Colombo and Central highlands. Holding no water is the CEBs argument that the worst air quality in Sri Lanka is in Colombo and that, therefore, any demand to abandon coal power plants must necessarily be coupled with a debate on whether motor vehicle use must also be curtailed. No coal is clean coal, even if Japanese technology is procured (the popular argument being that it would be better than the Chinese one). And just last month, Japans own Environment Minister announced that he would in principle oppose any new plans to build or expand coal-fired power stations. According to Bloomberg New Energy Outlook 2018, the world energy mix in 2038 will be just 18 percent coal with the major portion going to wind, solar and hydro. The European Union will be coal-free by 2030, though Germany will reach this milestone in 2038. Even Australia, which mines coal, no longer builds new coal power plants and is replacing old ones with renewables. It was President Maithripala Sirisenaon occasion, an avowed environmentalistwho decided coal was out and announced that LNG was the future. So the CEB prepared for a 300 megawatt combined cycle power plant that would be converted fully to LNG within a stipulated time period. Thats where the tender controversies started. One party, who claimed their company was the most qualified to execute the project, said their bid was disqualified merely because the authorities used a computer that did not have software to open some documents brought on their (companys) pen drive! That is the ludicrous levels to which complex tender processes have fallen in this country. There were other issues. And, predictably, the tender ended up in court. There is still no 300mw LNG power plant up and running in Kerawalapitiya. But allegations of bid-rigging are rife in the power sector, with many complaining that a CEB-affiliated power company is routinely favoured. Accusations against the authorities are not limited to fixing tenders. The CEB engineers are purported to be supporting fossil fuels and expensive private supplies from independent power producers. And neither the political leadership of the Power and Energy Ministry nor its successive secretaries have engendered confidence among the public that they are truthfully looking after the peoples interest without personal agendas. The truth is, the Ministry corridors are teeming with lobbyists all the time. Then there is the matter of geopolitical interests; and of government-to-government deals that just are not ideal. Because China got an LNG plant in Hambantota, Japan and India are jointly canvassing for another. And South Korea has slipped in with another unsolicited offer which the Government has decided to open up for a Swiss Challenge despite vehement opposition from even the CEB. What happened to open, transparent international tenders? The Korean company is offering a free floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) provided Sri Lanka buys gas from it for the next twenty yearsand pays for the whole stock, regardless of whether or not it is used. If that doesnt sound questionable on the mere face of it, its hard to say what does. LNG or FSRU procurement does not need to go to a Swiss Challenge at all. Power sector machinations are bizarre and entirely vulnerable to criticism. Everything is deeply politicized and this would explain why the industry watched with trepidation when the incumbent minister was appointed in December. Complicating matters is the fractious relationship between the regulator, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, and the CEBparticularly its influential engineers. When the PUCSL went to court this week saying the ongoing power interruptions were introduced without prior notice or permission from the regulator, the complaint reached President Sirisena (who, incidentally, has now reversed his no-coal policy and has ordered the PUCSL to do as the CEB wants). He declared at the Cabinet meeting that he was angry about the regulator regulating and wanted a key official removed. As if the country does not already have enough personality clashes. The sum of all this horseplay is that the people have no electricity. Apart from procuring emergency power cue the IPP mafia and CEB engineer mafia there does not seem to be sustainable action forthcoming in the immediate future. The PUCSL has not approved the CEBs long-term generation plan due to contentions over the price of coal listed in that document. It did sanction a plan which gave higher priority to gas. The utility isnt budging on that. Neither is the PUCSL. KohoKoho heralds all you need to know about Avurudu By Tera Jayewardene and Oshani Alwis With countdowns to auspicious times and titbits on ancient traditions, the app is a top favourite among Lankans living abroad and a great way for todays youth to connect with our local customs, says the team behind the venture View(s): View(s): Its two minutes to an auspicious time (nekatha) and you are dashing from the TV room to the kitchen, trying to time everything correctly according to the TV countdown. This is a scene often enacted in many Sri Lankan homes during the Avurudu season. KohoKoho developed by SurfEdge is an app that can save you much hassle and has the potential to modernise how we celebrate Avurudu. Unlike other Avurudu apps you find in Play Store, Kohokoho does not just list out nekath times, rather it has a countdown to it. It connects Sri Lankans around the globe in celebrating Avurudu as one unified community, and that is what makes it truly unique. Most youths dont know about nekath times and Avurudu as a whole, so this app plays an important part in reaffirming traditions among todays youth. Also the reason behind the nekath is also given briefly, so anyone who doesnt know about our traditions can learn about it, says Chamath Palihawadana, one of the developers of KohoKoho app. Chamath, along with Adhisha Gammanpila and Janith Gamage form the core team behind the app. In 2014, just after leaving school they launched SurfEdge, a tech company with the motto Making Life Smarter. In addition, Rivisha Siriwardana assisted in preparing the detailed content and Chamodi Waidyathilaka in creating artwork and graphics for the app. The social media promotion on the app was handled by Youtubers Banu Athuraliya and Chanux Bro. When we think about Avurudu, the Asian koel (Koha) is one of the first symbols that comes to mind. Its loud calls can be heard throughout the Avurudu season. KohoKoho got its name from the Koha, which is a staple in the app, with the main logo being a Koha, curiously coloured red. The illustration of the red Koha is present in every graphic. During Avurudu the sound of the Koha is the natural signature of the event, says Adhisha. When the app is opened or a nekatha approaches, they are indicated by the call of the koha, adds Chamath. KohoKoho app is partnered with PickMe, CIB, Bear Appeal, 99x Technology and ShoutOUT. One thing that makes this app special is that none of the partner advertisements is heavily pushed on the app. Users dont have to skip videos or get put off by the ads. Instead SurfEdge works with the brands personally and incorporates ads into the graphics itself. For example, the PickMe logo on an auto rickshaw appears in one of the graphics. Last year with the updated features of Smart Compass and Trilingual Support, the app received more than 10,000 downloads, a big improvement from 2017 where it was just 200 downloads of the app which then only had basic functions. The Smart Compass helps you to find the correct direction for each nekatha. The app is available in all three languages-Sinhala, Tamil and English. The developing team also has been receiving a positive response from the Sri Lankan Diaspora in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Middle East during the Avurudu season. The KohoKoho app tops the charts in the App Store around Avurudu time as the app most downloaded and was awarded Second Place under the Sri Lankan Android App of the Year at the Google IO Extended Sri Lanka 2018. User friendliness, stability and the speed of the app are key aspects that the developers have paid close attention to and prioritised. The KohoKoho app can be downloaded from Google Play Store and App Store. The app is fully responsive with devices in a wide range, including smartphones and smartwatches. Visit the http://www.sundaytimes.lk/190407/ to learn more about Kohokoho or download it in the App or Google Play Store. Riding the waves towards empowerment in Arugam Bay Joshua Surendraraj chats with a founding member of the first female surf club - the Arugam Bay Girls Surf Club on inspiring women to take up a male dominated sport View(s): View(s): Its about breaking barriers and community norms by enabling surfing to become a more culturally accepted and recognized sport for Sri Lankan women. This is simply the vision of the Arugam Bay Girls Surf club. The club which was founded in 2018, is the first female surf club in Sri Lanka that seeks to empower women through surfing. We got the chance to speak with Tiffany Carothers, one of its founding members. Tiffany had been in the country since 2015 and had been conducting the Girls Make Waves surf lessons on a weekly basis in Arugam Bay. Through this, for the first time, women had the chance to learn the sport in a safe space. Hailing from a surf community, these girls are easily drawn to the sport. But continuing it was not an option for many of them. Back on land, they had to fight against societys expectations. In fact as Tiffany recalls, some girls had to stop surfing. Thus, apart from a few exceptions, surfing remained a mans domain in Sri Lanka, till recently. In 2017, Tiffany met Martina Burtscher, who was in Arugam Bay to conduct research on the potential of surfing for womens empowerment. Through Tiffany, she met several girls from Arugam Bay. By sharing their experiences and hearing the stories of other female surfers from Sri Lanka, Tiffany and Martina felt inspired to push womens surfing to the next level. The pair founded the club in August, last year with the intention of promoting surfing as a culturally accepted sport, empowering women, whilst also creating a safe space for them to learn to surf. Currently the club has 17 members ranging in age from 11 to 40 years all of whom are from the village in Arugam Bay. Their journey thus far has not been an easy one, and the freedom to surf has been hard won, Tiffany tells us. She points out that this stems from the community being uncomfortable with the idea of women being involved in a male-dominated sport. She recalls instances where some of the girls had their families questioning them on why they werent in their homes working where they belonged. The girls also had to deal with the negative comments from the villagers, who scoffed at the idea of a female surfer. The club also had to face challenges internally, which was particularly in the form of its members having to overcome their fear of the ocean first. Many of them lost family members in the tsunami, and it took alot for them to just even go out into the ocean, she recalls. Progress was gradual, and they would work on small but significant steps like learning to swim or submerging their heads under water. Some had to be pushed on boards to catch waves. But within the last six months, Tiffany tells us many of them have begun to catch their own waves. Their skills are improving and love for surfing is only growing. In terms of making the club official, the support of the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka gave them the confidence and backbone to come forward and start a club. Tiffany also commends the clubs facilitators Amanda Prifti and Martina Burtscher, who worked tediously to develop their constitution and help get the club initiated. The Surfing Federation was wonderful and met with us, helping us to understand the process and what was needed to become a club and to be registered as the first female surf club under them, she recalls. She adds that it has been refreshing to have the support of media organizations, social media platforms and encouragement from other women surfers after the many years of negative feedback. The club has also received the support from Australian Aid and Skills for Inclusive Growth, and will soon begin a new project to train members for the benefit of using surfing in tourism. This will consist of more training, from swimming, surfing, to teaching, language classes, and becoming ISA certified. Tiffany also shares that while many of them surf during the week when they have time, they would like to participate in future competitions and use their surfing skills for an income. We hope to represent Sri Lanka in the Olympics as the female surf team, and well continue to surf because we love it. In the meantime though, their main goal is to inspire women of all ages, both in Sri Lanka and all over the world, to find the joy in surfing and be outside, enjoying nature and the amazing ocean. For more information check their Facebook page www.facebook.com/abaygirlssurfclub/ iStock(KIGALI, Rwanda) -- Remembrance ceremonies began around the world this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. For nearly 100 days in 1994, the Hutu majority in this small central African nation launched a purge against the Tutsi minority. The violence began after a plane carrying Rwandas Hutu president, Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down by unknown assassins. Violence spread rapidly across the country. The number of those who perished in the mayhem is estimated to be more than 800,000, according to the United Nations. Thousands more were maimed and injured. The ruling Hutu majority at the time was held responsible for organizing the call for mass murder of its fellow citizens, using radio stations to spread the word. Philip Gourevitch, a journalist who reported on the genocide, wrote, The entire Hutu population was called upon to kill the entire Tutsi population. Hutus turned on their neighbors with machetes and knifes, and corpses by the thousands were dumped in rivers or left in mass graves. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said this week that these 100 days were some of the darkest chapters in recent human history, and warned that current trends towards xenophobia and racism are danger signs. "Wherever they occur, hate speech and incitement to violence should be identified, confronted and stopped to prevent them leading, as they have in the past, to hate crimes and genocide," Guterres said. "This is the best way to honor those who lost their lives so tragically in Rwanda 25 years ago." Visitors to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, now flock to a somber museum dedicated to genocide where photos and videos of the terror that swept through Rwanda are shown alongside testimonies from survivors. Thousands of visitors each week come to pay their respects to the 250,000 who are buried on the grounds, and honor the memory of the hundreds of thousands of others killed. But on another quiet street of the city, work continues for the Rwanda Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit (GFTU). Formed in 2007, this team of local and international investigators continues to probe the origins of the genocide and works to bring surviving perpetrators to justice. Many high-profile cases were prosecuted at the U.N.-supported International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which was based in Tanzania but closed in 2015. Others suspected of involvement were tried in Rwandan courts. According to the Rwandan National Public Prosecution Authority, nearly 2 million people were charged -- with two-thirds of them convicted. Yet, many key suspects are still on the run, according to the GFTU. They are reportedly hiding in Europe and other African countries. One of the alleged financiers of the attack was recently spotted in Kenya. The U.N., the U.S. and former colonial power Belgium were heavily criticized for doing too little too late to stop the genocide. U.N. peacekeeping troops were not authorized to fully intervene in preventing the bloodshed. In April 2000, on the sixth anniversary of the genocide, the U.N. Security Council publicly admitted that the U.N. should accept some blame for failing to prevent what happened. Former President Bill Clinton has called the failure to intervene in Rwanda one of his biggest regrets. "I do feel a lifetime responsibility," he told ABC News in 2008, while on a trip to the country. In further interviews in 2013, Clinton said he believes that had the U.S. intervened, even marginally, at the beginning of the genocide, at least 300,000 people might have been saved. Rwanda, under President Paul Kagame, has been working on national reconciliation. Kagame, a Tutsi, led fighters in 1994 that ended the fighting. He has been president of the country since 2000. When the Tutsis regained control of Rwanda after the genocide, a large-scale exodus of Hutus to neighboring countries began. Many eventually returned. Many did face some sort of justice, which has brought some measure of reconciliation. Now Hutus and Tutsis live side by side in peaceful coexistence, but memories of the genocide are always present. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Drought worsens lives of 117,000 people across island View(s): More than 117,000 people from 33,775 Sri Lankan families across the island are once again facing the double whammy of debilitating drought and the lack of water for drinking, livestock, and cultivation as of this month. The numbers of people suffering from the drought has been rising since January. Many small tanks and reservoirs have dried up despite the reasonable rains during the monsoon, according to the Department of Meteorology. The worst drought hit regions are Puttalam, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Gampaha, Matara, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. According to the Disaster Management Center (DMC), some 117,378 people from 33,775 families are suffering. The Ministry of Disaster Management, via its arm the DMC, has allocated Rs 6.65 million for the affected families. Meanwhile, 300 water tankers and 4,471 water tanks have been distributed across 13 districts, so far. This came in the wake of a renewed heat index advisory issued by the Department of Meteorology this week forecasting severe heat until April 15. In Puttalam, 8 of 16 divisions are suffering without water. Dankotuwa, Aarachchikattuwa, Mundalama, Pallama, Mahawewa, Naththandiya and Nawagathhena divisions have 8,000 the highest number affected. The District Secretary N H M Chitrananda said water collection points have been set up. We have not begun issuing dry rations, but we are monitoring the conditions. Mr Chitrananda added the heat wave arrived unusually early. Puttalams coconut yields have also declined. According to the District Secretary, many plantation owners have complained that the heat was to blame. The Jaffna District Secretary, N Vedanayahan, told the Sunday Times that usually the drought is experienced by the end of April following the Sinhala and Tamil new year festivities. Neduntivu, Kayts, Delft, Maruthankerni and Karainagar are provided with drinking water points for the people. We have taken adequate steps to provide drinking water to the northern islands where it has become a major issue during the drought, he said. At least 50 non-irrigation category tanks were renovated by the District Secretariat to store rain water for livestock, and farming. According to Mr Vedanayahan, the department has taken steps to implement an ambitious water project called Aarumugam Plan to use rain water stored in the Vadamarachchi lagoon. Dr Shiromani Jayawardena, the deputy director for Research and Climate Change at the Department of Meteorology, predicts higher temperatures by 2050. She has been studying the weather patterns of Sri Lanka over the years. There is no predominant wind now, but a very calm one. The high humidity makes people uncomfortable and they continuously sweat, said Dr Jayawardena explaining why many feel that their body temperature is higher compared with the environment. According to Dr Jayawardenas study of Sri Lankas weather patterns over the years, two weather scenarios emerged based on emissions of greenhouse gas. In a moderate emissions scenario, the maximum temperature will increase from 1 to 1.6 degrees Celsius, whereas with high emissions, it would rise from 1.6-2.5 degrees by 2050. Usually, by the third week of March, thundershowers were likely but it was not to be. The National Water Supply and Drainage Board issued a notice this week urging the public to use water wisely. A joint bulletin by the World Food Programme and Ministry of Public Administration and Disaster Management, titled Climate and Food Security Monitoring, shows that the current reservoir water level is 65%, and that more water is needed for a successful Yala season. Heat-related risks rise The Department of Meteorology has issued a severe heat index advisory for the Northwestern Province and the districts of Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Hambantota and Monaragala, warning that the human body temperature may spike up to 42 centigrade as the sun will be moving directly overhead Sri Lanka until April 15. The heat is expected to increase from 32-41 centigrade and people are being advised to watch out for heat cramps and heat exhaustion. There is also the risk of heat stroke. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, advised those working outdoors to stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade whenever possible. The elderly and children may suffer bouts of heat exhaustion and should limit strenuous outdoor activities. Govt. turns blind eye to power of cinema tourism By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s): It would take only a few simple steps to turn Sri Lanka into a global film destination. The result would be jobs, technology and knowledge transfer, as well as millions of dollars in revenue. But the Government isnt having it. For years, industry leaders have canvassed politicians to introduce incentives and to actively promote Sri Lanka to foreign film production companies. Once the war ended, the future seemed promising. So they formed the International Film Producers Association (FPA). They even drafted proposals and presented them on a platter to policy and decision makers. In 2016, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a committee to make recommendations. Among its members were renowned filmmakers Chandran Rutnam and Prasanna Vithanage. They proposed a 30 percent tax rebate for foreign companies wishing to make films in Sri Lanka. The benefit would be granted after an audit of their bills. It must be in the Prime Ministers cupboard, Mr Vithanage said of their report, this week. It contained many other proposals but there was no progress beyond verbal undertakings. Sandya Salgado, Director and Business Strategist at the production company Film Island, is on a team leading the campaign to promote filmmaking and film tourism in Sri Lanka. After months of futile attempts, the frustration is showing. The production of foreign films earned the country around US$15mn last year. We can multiply it hundredfold if we just have our house in order, Mrs Salgado said. But the authorities are impervious to entreaties. Only the Sri Lanka Tourist Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has grasped the potential and offered assistance. Neither the National Film Corporation (NFC) nor the Ministry of Culture showed interest. Cinema tourism is a lucrative proposition the country should take serious note of, she said. It is about marketing Sri Lanka, it is about nation branding and about positioning us as a potential shooting destination. Look at mileage New Zealand suddenly got after Lord of the Rings. Theres no gainsaying that Sri Lanka is an ideal location. The weather is fair and various landscapes can be reached within a few hours of travel on what is an increasingly good road network. In India, if you want to go to a good location, you often have to fly or take a very long trip, Mr Rutnam said. They also have different States with their own sets of rules and regulations. We dont have that. We dont have as much red tape and we have people with good technical knowledge whove worked on international pictures. Mrs Salgado thinks, however, that everything must be further simplified to reduce time-wasting for filmmakers. Ideally, it should be the NFC or equivalent body that must take leadership of making this endeavour worthwhile for the country. Policies and processes have to come into place to position and package the country as a viable destination. None of that is being done. Cinema comes under one Minister, she said. The National Film Corporation comes under another Minister. The Tourist Board comes under another Minister. Its like it is nobodys business. As a result, nobody cares. But this is clean money, dollars. And there are peripheral services that also benefit. Some of these are the hotel, transport and travel industry. There are local sectors like art people, designers, equipment providers, food suppliers and so on. And knowledge exchange includes new techniques in filmmaking and marketing. But, politically, nobody seems to care or understand. Harsha de Silva, when he was Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, took a brief interest resulting in the SLTPB getting involved through his intervention. Since then the industry has struggled to get even their budget proposals introduced. They cannot do this on their own. Even if we ram our heads on the wall and encourage filmmakers to come to Sri Lanka, we, as a group of individuals cant do much because they have expectations. The systems and processes are not in place here. Among these expectations are incentives and rebates. For instance, Malaysia offers a 30 percent tax rebate known as the Film in Malaysia Incentive provided foreign companies undertaking feature production spend a minimum of US$1.6mn; and television series spend a minimum of approximately US$125,000 per broadcast hour. At least 30 percent of the production crew must be Malaysian and they must take on a minimum number of interns who will gain training and experience. We are not giving anything, Mrs Salgado said. We dont have to give rebates in cash as other countries do, if our economy is not doing well. We can give so much in kind. For instance, if a big crew of 150 is coming, we could waive visa fees. Colossal amounts are paid to various locations. Discounts could be offered for these. And Im speaking of massive film productions. The local companies do what they can. For instance, Mrs Salgados company is negotiating with a famous Indian filmmaker and is hopeful that more business from South Asia will follow if they seal the deal. At the moment, Indian producers are flocking in numbers to Fiji. Bollywood is across the Palk Strait, she said. They are spending billions on film. Just a fraction of that would make our lives so much better. Mr Rutnam, who has seen it all, is still fighting the good fight even though in the last 50 years, we have never ever promoted ourselves properly. We do not know what were doing, he asserted. Were not making use of iconic assets and situations that we have. Bridge on the River Kwai was one of the greatest pictures ever made and it was filmed in Kitulgala. What do we show people for it? Mr Rutnam asked. We show them holes in a rock and say thats where the film was made! We should have built the bridge! This would have spawned various businesses around it, he said. That is how film sets become tourist destinations. There is also nothing to see at the sites where Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was filmed. Mr Rutnam worked on that movie with Steven Spielberg. Dont these people understand the power of cinema? he asked. And answered it himself: They dont. Priyanga T Kumarasinghe is the owner of Crew for Shoots and FPA President. He urges the Government to introduce a streamlined method and system of foreign filmmaking in Sri Lanka. Such a move would also circumvent the type of confusion that occurred in Kandy recently when two overseas participants of a Belgian TV production were accused of participating in a gay marriage in traditional Sri Lankan attire. Mr Kumarasinghes company has handled multiple commercials productions in Sri Lanka. And he sees interesting opportunities. For example, we are currently doing a commercial for Pakistan, but the entire team, including models, director, producer, everybody is from India, he said. Even though relations between the two nations are fraught, citizens are good friends. Pakistanis are not allowed to go to India to film, and Indians are not allowed to go to Pakistan to film, he continued. Most Pakistani advertisements are done by Indians. If we catch this particular Asian market alone, our economy will be so much better. You dont have to look far, Mr Kumarasinghe reiterated. Indias advertising and film industry is the largest in the world. But, like Sri Lankans, they like incentives and discounts. If the Government floats an acceptable policy, this market share could be exploited effectively. Like the others, Mr Vithanage espoused a central body with one-window to get permission. He also called for guidelines. The benefits will be immense if the Government grabs the opportunity. When that will happen, however, is anybodys guess. Navys largest vessel to arrive in May View(s): The latest addition to the Sri Lankan Navy fleet set sail to Colombo from Honolulu in Hawaii last week. The P-626 vessel is a gift from the United States. Named USCG Sherman, the high endurance cutter was once used by the US Coast Guard (USCG). The vessel, which also has a helicopter deck and a hangar to store a naval helicopter, is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka in the second week of May, Navy Spokesman Isuru Suriyabandara said. When commissioned, the vessel will be the largest in the SLN fleet. The picture shows the vessel in Honolulu, before it began its journey to Sri Lanka. UAE assures deportation of Madush By Ranjith Padmasiri View(s): View(s): The Sri Lankan government has received an assurance from the United Arab Emirates government that it would deport underworld gang member Madush Lakshitha alias Makandure Madhush now in its custody, a senior official said. Solicitor General Dappula de Livera told the Sunday Times that Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana and he met UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash in Abu Dhabi and the assurance came after they made the point that Madush was wanted in Sri Lanka for a series of criminal cases. Mr. Marapana and Mr. de Livera who were sent by President Maithripala Sirisena to secure the deportation of Madush had pointed out that Madush had travelled under a false name to the UAE after obtaining a forged identity card, forged passport and a forged visa thereby violating UAE laws. He had travelled under the name of Aranga Warnakulasuriya in 2015 to the UAE and had obtained a resident visa under the false name. Also handed over to the Abu Dhabi minister was a dossier of the cases, for which Madush was wanted. The cases and allegations included 10 murders, three attempted murders, three robberies, two cases of illegal possession of weapons and 18 cases of conspiracy to murder. Four open warrants have been issued by Sri Lankan courts and one Red Notice by the Interpol. However, there were no cases related to narcotic offences. Coffee Rooms: Theres so much more to just sipping a coffee By Ruqyyaha Deane View(s): View(s): Located at No. 548, Nawala Road, Rajagiriya, theres more to the Coffee Rooms than meets the eye. Only when you enter the cafe do you realise how different it is from your usual run-of-the-mill coffee shop. As their slogan aptly puts it, A space to Meet, Lounge, Work and Play the Coffee Room is a spacious area that surprisingly ties together a setting for a relaxing meet up of friends, a workspace for the driven as well as an entertaining zone for kids with their play area. The downstair area is aesthetically decorated to suit the comfortable coffee shop atmosphere, with its vintage brick walls and vinyl stickers. A narrow stairway outside leads towards the interesting space designated for work and play. It is rare to find a location that can fit a childs need as well as an adults without one heavily out-weighing the other. Coffee Rooms presents a safe adventure for the kids to enjoy while parents can grab that well deserved break and enjoy a cup of coffee and some food. Having only opened last year, Coffee Rooms is not only versatile in terms of space but in their menu as well. Apart from the typical coffee choices and bites to eat, the coffee shop also offers dinner menu options such as Pulled Shitake mushroom burgers, Prawns on skewers and cheesy pasta always a crowd favourite. For drinks, there is a choice of Frappes, milkshakes and juices to choose from. For the ones with a sweet tooth, they have a variety of cupcakes, cinnamon rolls and chocolate mousse. Check them out on their Instagram page: coffeeroomssrilanka, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coffeeroomssrilanka/ or call them on 011 5 115757. Pad Women the all-female business easing period poverty in Sri Lanka By Smriti Daniel View(s): View(s): COLOMBO, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Every 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 neighbourhood 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 neighbourhood 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 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. 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. 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, said 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. 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 UNICEF and the government found more than half had to miss school when they had their period. Another UN 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. Women activists protest torture and imprisonment under repressive regimes By Thalif Deen View(s): View(s): UNITED NATIONS (IPS) Faced with an uneven battle against right wing nationalist governments, repressive regimes and extremist groups, scores of civil society organisations (CSOs) are gearing themselves to fight back. Expressing grave concern over a widespread crackdown on activists, 118 leading CSOs, scholars and womens groups focusing largely on the rights of women in predominantly Muslim countries joined hands last week to co-sign a letter of protest to 48 leaders of Muslim-majority countries. The letter seeks support for equality of women, condemns the torture of women human rights defenders and calls for the immediate release of those detained in Saudi Arabia and Iran. Spearheaded by Equality Now and Musawah, the letter says they are particularly alarmed at the imprisonment in Saudi Arabia of numerous womens rights activists, including Loujain Al-Hathloul, Hatoon Al-Fassi, Aziza Al-Yousef, Eman Al-Nafjan, Nouf Abdelaziz, Samar Badawi, Nassima Al-Sadah, Amal Al-Harbi, and Shadan Al-Anezi. The Saudi government has accused the women of coordinated activities to undermine the security, stability and natural unity of the kingdom. According to Saudi law, the women could face up to 20 years in prison or sentenced to death. The recipients of the letter include 48 presidents, reigning monarchs and heads of government of Iraq, Chad, Kuwait, Bahrain, Nigeria, Sudan, Iran, the Maldives, Niger, Tunisia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, among others. The letter says: We write as over 100 womens rights and human rights organisations and activists from the Muslim world, who are deeply concerned over the crackdown on womens rights activists in some countries. We respectfully request leaders of the Muslim world to raise their voices to support equality for women, to recognise the critical role that womens rights defenders play in this regard, and to condemn the imprisonment and torture of women human rights defenders. The activists say they are also extremely troubled by the egregious treatment of womens rights activists in Iran, including internationally renowned lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has reportedly been sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes, and Narges Mohammadi, sentenced in 2016 to 16 years in prison. The 118 activists who signed the letter are from CSOs in Algeria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Indonesia, India, Canada, Pakistan, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Mali and Somalia, among others. The role of CSOs in fighting back repression and human rights violations will be one of the primary issues on the agenda of the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) event scheduled to take place in Belgrade from April 8 to 12. The theme of this years ICSW is The Power of Togetherness focusing on harnessing collective action to respond to rights restrictions and rightwing globalism. Yasmeen Hassan, Global Director of Equality Now, a CSO which advocates the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls worldwide, said: It is disheartening to see how low down the rank Muslim countries come in the UNs global Gender Inequality Index She said the arrests, imprisonment and alleged torture of womens rights activists in Iran and Saudi Arabia should be condemned by all Muslim States. We cannot achieve peace, prosperity, and progress without committing to equality for women and girls, and taking active steps to make this a reality, declared Hassan. Zainah Anwar, Executive Director of Musawah, a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim world, said: It is high time Muslim leaders speak out about equality and justice being Islamic values, support womens rights groups in their countries, and take action to end laws, policies and practices made in the name of Islam that continue to discriminate against women until today. If Muslim countries had been true to the teachings of Islam that granted women rights considered revolutionary 1,400 years ago, she said, the Muslim world today would be at the forefront of the womens movement, instead of at the bottom of all gender equality surveys. Asked for an update, Tara Carey of Equality Now, told IPS: It is extremely disappointing that the womens rights activists still detained in Saudi Arabia have not been freed from prison following Wednesdays court hearing We call for their immediate, unconditional release, with all charges against them dropped, and for the Saudi authorities to ensure an impartial and independent investigation into allegations of torture. She said defending womens rights is not a crime and these women should never have been imprisoned in the first place. Meanwhile, addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva last September, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the recent crackdown on peaceful human rights defenders, especially defenders of womens equality and womens rights, in Saudi Arabia was deeply disturbing. Samar Badawi and Nassima Al-Sadah were, according to our sources, arrested on July 30, 2018 and have been held incommunicado since then. The prosecutors recommendation of the death penalty for Israa al-Ghomgham, reportedly on charges related to participation in protests, is of serious concern. These and other arbitrary arrests of peaceful activists for the collective good sharply contradict the spirit of the countrys proclaimed new reforms. We call on the authorities to release all individuals detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms, she said, as she singled out more than 45 countries for human rights violations. (The writer can be contacted at thalifdeen@ips.org) Iran orders new evacuations amid fresh flood fears Tehran, April 6 (AFP) Apr 06, 2019 Iranian authorities ordered the evacuation of six cities along the Karkheh river in southwestern Khuzestan province on Saturday after more rain sparked fears of new flooding, state news agency IRNA said. Six cities alongside Karkheh river in southwestern Iran "must be evacuated as soon as possible," Khuzestan governor Gholamreza Shariati told IRNA. The oil-rich province of Khuzestan has an extensive range of dams, which have swelled upstream due to fresh downpours. The floodwater's intensity has forced authorities to open emergency discharges at Karkheh dam, one of the largest in the area, thus sparking fears of fresh flooding. The situation appears to be "critical", he said. "We advise all women and children to be evacuated to shelters and youngsters to remain and help," he added. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned that up to 400,000 people in Khuzestan could be exposed to the floods, IRNA reported. Iran, a usually arid country, has been hit by unprecedented flooding across most of the country since mid-March with 70 people killed, according to the country's emergency services. Heavy rain was forecast for Saturday in Khuzestan. The country's northeast was swamped on March 19 before the west and southwest of the country were inundated on March 25, killing a total of 45 people. On April 1 the west and southwest were again swamped by floods when heavy rains returned to the area. The government said the flooding had damaged nearly 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) of roads, or 36 percent of the country's entire network. The worst hit in the latest deluge was Lorestan Province where in some cities whole neighbourhoods were washed away and many villages are still cut off. Fourteen deaths have been reported from Lorestan so far. Sothebys The world learned recently that another heirloom tiara from a former royal family is hitting the sale room this year. Heres a closer look at the tiara in question: a diamond sparkler from the collection of the last German crown princess. Sothebys The kokoshnik-style tiara was made around 1903, and although it is unsigned, it has often been attributed to Faberge. (A similar Faberge tiara was included in Geoffrey Munns landmark tiara tome.) The lot notes from Sothebys describe this tiara as set with three circular-cut diamonds framed with stylised laurels within an arched surround of lattice work design joined with rose diamond quatrefoils. Sothebys The tiara features three distinctive circular elements set in the middle of the tiaras lattice and quatrefoil design. The lot notes indicate that the central element is definitely detachable, but it does not specify whether the smaller two elements can be removed. (The lot notes also reveal that six small diamonds are missing from the diadem.) Philip de Laszlos portrait of Crown Princess Cecilie, ca. 1908 (Wikimedia Commons) The tiara was one of the wedding presents given to Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin when she married Crown Prince Wilhelm, son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, in June 1905. The sparkler was a gift from Cecilies Russian relatives her mother was the fascinating Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, a granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I. Anastasia herself may have had a hand in selecting the tiara; Faberge was her favorite jewelry firm, and the lot notes for the tiara state that correspondence between the jeweller and [Anastasia] herself, mentioning a diamond tiara, exists. Crown Princess Cecilie was photographed wearing the tiara, but it was her daughter, Princess Cecilie, who perhaps made the most significant appearance in the diadem. After the end of World War II, the younger Cecilie fell in love with an American designer named Clyde Harris. He was one of the Monuments Men, the group of American soldiers tasked with recovering priceless works of art that had gone missing during the war. Harris, who hailed from Amarillo, Texas, was sent to Wolfsgarten Castle to investigate the famous theft of the Hessian royal jewels. During that investigation, he met Cecilie. After a lengthy correspondence, the couple decided to marry. The wedding took place in June 1949 at Hohenzollern Castle. The wedding guest list was populated by both royals and Texans, including the mayor of Amarillo and the editor of the Amarillo News-Globe. The American press reported on all the details, including Cecilies attire: A peaked diamond tiara glittered on the brides head, holding the plain tulle veil her sister-in-law brought her from London. The tiara had belonged to her mothers mother, a grand duchess of Russia. (Perhaps that last detail helps confirm Anastasias central role in the tiaras creation and acquisition? Mr. Harris and his new bride settled after their wedding in Amarillo, where they later welcomed a daughter, Kira Alexandrine Harris. (Her names paid tribute to Cecilies sister-in-law, Princess Kira, and her aunt, Queen Alexandrine of Denmark.) Cecilie even became an American citizen. Sadly, Clyde and Cecilies happiness was short-lived. Clyde died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1958. He was only 59. Cecilie lived until 1975, dying on a trip to her native Germany. Sothebys The lot notes for the sale of Princess Cecilies wedding tiara do not indicate the identity of the seller. Instead, they merely explain that it was inherited by a family member after the death of Crown Princess Cecilie in 1954. The tiara will be auctioned in Geneva on May 14. It is currently expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000. 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 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. MLIBA An elderly man collapsed and later died while undergoing a verification process of ghost elderly beneficiaries for social grants. The unfortunate scenario, which was witnessed by other elderly people, unfolded last Friday at the Mliba Police Station. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the incident. About a month ago, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister requested that all beneficiaries of the social grants should register at their pay points. In an earlier interview with our sister publication, the Times of Swaziland, the DPM said this was aimed at verifying if the elders were indeed still alive. On the Friday, it is said that Silwane Mathalithi Maziya collapsed after filling in a declaration form. An impeccable source said Maziya was then transported to Dvokolwako Health Centre in a police van where he was certified dead on arrival. In an interview, Maziyas second born child, Mavela Maziya, alleged that their father would not have died had he had not travelled to the pay point. We are not blaming government entirely because he was a sickly person. However, the travelling could have contributed to his death, Mavela said. kidney Detailing his fathers health condition, Mavela mentioned that Mathalithi had been diagnosed with kidney problems. He mentioned that doctors had inserted a tube in his fathers body which helped restore urine flow. He had to carefully carry around the bag (container). He was also expected to empty it once it was full of urine, said Mavela, who was in the company of his younger brother, Wandile. Scientifically, the process of using the tubes is known as ureteral senting which helps restore the urine flow through blocked ureters and returns the kidney to normal function. Ureters are long, narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. This information was sourced from www.raidologyinfo.org Interjecting, Wandile opined that the bumpy bus ride to the registration point could have aggravated their fathers sickness. The reason we are saying this is because he was energetic and looked healthy the morning he left. He was also fine the previous day. We were shocked to get a call from one of our uncles that our father was in hospital, he said. Asked about the distance to the police station from their homestead, Mavela estimated that it was around 16 kilometres. travelled However, this journalist noted that he travelled 13 kilometres from the police station to the homestead. This was after setting the mileage (odometer) in the vehicle he was travelling in. Following their parents untimely death, Mavela suggested that the registration or verification should be conducted at schools close to the elderly people. Besides utilising the schools, most areas have care-points they can be advised to go there. The elderly people do not need to travel long distances, he said. On another note, Mavela announced that their father was expected to be buried tomorrow morning. About Maziya, the second-born said he was an ex-miner who returned home after falling sick. He mentioned that their father was survived by two wives and a total of 17 children. The DPM, Themba Masuku, passed condolences to the Maziya family, saying that they had lost an asset. He explained that the elderly were national assets because of the wealth of knowledge they possess. In March, Masuku issued a stern directive that elderly grants would not be released to relatives of beneficiaries unless they provide proof of residence. Order It is worth noting that the DPM issued out this order after Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg stated during his budget speech on February 27 that government would undertake an exercise to verify qualifying recipients and reduce the cost of distributing the grants. He said this would result in increased grants for each qualified recipient. As it stands, the government has allocated an amount of E702 million for the Deputy Prime Ministers Office in order to continue the social protection improvements for emaSwati. There are exactly eight requirements which were presented by the DPM, all of which are ways to curb the issue of beneficiaries who received money undeservingly. It is worth noting that there are relatives of the beneficiaries who collect the monies on behalf of the elderly, regardless of the fact that they (elderly) are deceased. The DPM mentioned that relatives will be stopped from getting grants without explaining where the rightful beneficiaries lived. Masuku said they would then visit the beneficiaries for verification purposes. relatives The relatives who get the grants on the elderly peoples behalf should note that social workers will then follow up to ensure that those who the money is taken for are still alive. This will come about in that the relative who took the money will be accompanied to see the elderly at home or at the hospital, Masuku said. Another requirement announced by Masuku was that in the case of the elderly, who would not be in the kingdom to visit relatives in other countries, their grant would not be released until he or she returned and reported their return to their chief. Those who received elderly grants were also requested to indicate their proof of existence to circumvent the issue of people withdrawing elderly grants illegally. Furthermore, Masuku highlighted that the system which proves the existence of the elderly would begin to be implemented after the grant release which would be disseminated in the print and broadcasting media of the country. police Masuku stipulated that those who were not able to go to their constituencies were freely welcomed to come to the DPMs offices or at the police stations nearer to them to update their proof of existence. Those who got their grants from the bank were also requested to show up at their constituencies to indicate that they were still alive. Masuku stated that if they did not do so, the office of the DPM would stop the grants until the beneficiaries came and updated to ensure that they were still alive. He warned people not to be enticed into withdrawing monies of the elderly who had passed on. Masuku said they should be mindful of the countrys economy and those who deserved to get the money. The DPM highlighted that this exercise was as per the finance ministers directive during the budget speech that there should be collaboration to fill the gap where the grants were being misused. KAKHUPHUKA A man and woman face trial for the gruesome murder of a former police officer, who was burnt to death in his Honda Fit sedan. The incident, which happened at KaKhuphuka, outside Mliba on March 17, 2019 has left the community reeling in shock. The two suspects, Sindiswa Mtsetfwa (20) of Mpaka and Menzi Matibuko (23) of Hlane are allegedly lovers. They were arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and handed over to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). Deputy Police Information and Communication Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the arrest but said details were treated with confidentiality as they formed part of the investigation and evidence to be brought before court. Mnguni said the murder was under active investigation by the Lukhozi Serious Crimes Unit.Sources revealed that besides the aggravated murder, the two were being investigated for robbery, as a motive behind the murder. Charred Police had to apply forensic testing to connect the charred remains of the man using underwear collected from his family, as his personal ID and drivers licence were all smouldered by the flames. There was evidence that the car had been doused with petrol before being set alight. Mkhabela was based at the Matsapha Police Academy when he retired on medical grounds in 2014. One of the suspects, Sindiswa, is said to be a relative of the deceased. The circumstances that placed him at KaKhuphuka on March 17 could not be confirmed and are yet to be heard in court. However, the community was convinced that the incident had all the trappings of a premeditated murder, judging from the incidents that occurred. On the fateful day, the lull that characterised the village was broken suddenly, with an explosion a few yards outside the royal kraal. A community member Lungile Nyambi said it was about 3am on Sunday morning when the explosion was heard. She said she had received a phone call from a woman who stayed at the royal kraal, informing her that there was a burning car. Damaged Since it was dark, I was afraid to go out to investigate until police came to my home and picked me up, saying they wanted members of the community to come and witness what had happened. I went there only to find that the car had been extensively damaged and there was a badly burnt body of a human being in the back seat, behind the drivers seat. It was said that Mkhabelas skull had exploded due to the intense flames and his hands and feet were reduced to skeletons. Only the middle part of his body had not been extensively burnt. Police took pictures of the incident, but the fire had already died down. They later took the human remains away, only to come back a few days later with two suspects - a woman and a man. Nyambi said the police had asked a few senior community members, herself included, to be present when the two were being asked questions. They showed the police where the deceaseds clothes had been dumped in a bushy area not too far from the burning car. They also showed the police where they had thrown his phone as well as the SIM cards. However, police looked all over and could not find the SIM cards, she said. Committal The suspects appeared at the Manzini Magistrates Court last Saturday where they were remanded to next Wednesday pending their committal to the High Court for setting of a trial date. The United Kingdoms Competitions and Markets Authority has opened an investigation into the fairness of different aspects of online services for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems. Its an investigation in its very earliest stages, meaning that the authority is currently calling for responses from the public to gather more information on things like auto-renewing memberships, store refund policies, and each service's terms and conditions. And, for some of the companies named, the investigation comes shortly after other government bodies have voiced concerns over the legalities of restrictive refund policies and other online services. The CMA, meanwhile, says that its investigation arose from concerns over whether some of the practices surrounding PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo's online services are strictly legal. The authority plans to examine if contract terms for each are fair (do the companies terms give them wide discretion to change the quality of the deal, for example, by reducing the number of games included or increasing the price?), how easy it is to cancel or refund a purchase, and the fairness and transparency of auto-renewing subscriptions. The authority notes that it is still in the fact-finding stage and that it has "not reached a view as to whether or not the companies have broken consumer protection law" at this point. A handful of other regulators across the globe have launched similar investigations in the past, particularly over refund policies deemed to be on the wrong side of consumer protection laws. The German Consumer Protection Authority has previously accused Nintendo of violating the EUs Consumer Rights Direction by enforcing an all sales are final rule on digital eShop purchases and preorders. Last year, both Nintendo and Sony were named by the Norwegian Consumer Council (alongside Steam and EA Origin) for violating EU consumer protection laws that ensure EU customers can withdraw from a refund or purchase within 14 days as well. For what its worth, Sony has just recently altered PlayStation's refund policies, though the changes only affect customers in the United States. Under the new rules that went live earlier this week, PlayStation users can receive refunds on digital content (including pre-orders) with 14 days of purchase, but only if that content was never downloaded to a system. Singapore and Malaysia reached an agreement to end their months-long airspace dispute, the transport ministers of the two neighboring countries said in a joint statement on Saturday. Under the deal, Singapore will halt instrument landing system procedures at its Seletar Airport, while Malaysia will open up a restricted area near the countries\ border. "Singapore will withdraw the Instrument Landing System procedures for Seletar Airport and Malaysia will indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang," the statement of Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapore\s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said. This will allow Malaysia Airlines\ subsidiary Firefly to start operations at Seletar Airport this month, the statement said. Media reports said the airline postponed its plans to fly out of Seletar Airport last year due to the dispute. In December, Malaysia said it wanted to take back control of airspace managed by the city-state since 1974, as Singapore\s new instrument landing system at its small Seletar airport involved a flight path over Malaysian airspace. The ministers also said in the joint statement that the two countries have set up a committee to review the 1974 airspace agreement. Singapore was once part of Malaysia but they separated acrimoniously in 1965, clouding diplomatic and economic dealings for years. In another dispute, the sides previously agreed to the establishment of a working group to discuss issues around port limits after Singapore protested in December about Malaysia\s plan to extend the limits of a port, saying it encroached on its territorial waters. SOURCE: REUTERS Thousands of people marched through the streets of the Honduran capital Friday night demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and an investigation of him and his family. The protestors, from the so-called Movimiento Indignados (Indignant Movement) and numbering around 5,000 according to reporters, shouted "get out J.O.H.," as they marched to the public prosecutor\s office. "We demand the immediate removal of Juan Orlando Hernandez from the post he is currently usurping, as well as an urgent investigation of him and his family circle and political associates," the movement said in a statement. It alleged Hernandez has links to people accused of corruption and drug trafficking, including his brother Antonio Hernandez, a former lawmaker who was arrested in Miami, Florida on November 23 and is accused of "large-scale drug trafficking." President Hernandez has said he was shocked by his brother\s arrest but that nobody was above the law. The opposition says Hernandez, a conservative backed by the United States, was illegitimately re-elected in a November 2017 vote marred by delays and alleged fraud. The "indignados" have made a return to the streets after their 2015 demonstrations against Hernandez, who was accused of illegally using government money for the 2013 presidential election that he won. Hernandez admitted his conservative ruling National Party had accepted $94,000 that had been misappropriated from social security funds but said the funds had been used without his knowledge. The opposition however charged that more than $300 million was skimmed from the poverty-stricken country\s public health system. Honduras is plagued by endemic corruption and gangs that control drug trafficking and organized crime. This phenomenon has caused a wave of illegal immigration to the United States, notably by minors who fear being forced into gang enrollment. SOURCE: AFP Al Tijaria, the commercial real estate development company, will be launching its debut residential project Symphony Tower, a 351-unit property located within the Diplomatic Area in the heart of Bahrain's capital Manama, at the upcoming Gulf Property Show. A leading industry event for the Northern Gulf region, Gulf Property Show is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, from April 23 to 25 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. The event takes place alongside two other major exhibitions Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo - thus ensuring the continued success of the biggest integrated business-to-business showcase for the construction, interiors and property sectors in the Northern Gulf. Al Tijaria CEO Fawaz Ebrahim said: "The Gulf Property Show is Bahrains leading real estate event. It is the kingdoms no.1 event for the sector and the perfect stage for Al Tijaria to launch our next marquee development in Bahrain." "Our Symphony Tower apartments are on schedule to be delivered to investors by December this year," stated Ebrahim. Symphony Tower is located in the Diplomatic Area in the heart of Manamas skyline scaling 46 floors with 351 stunning and spacious apartments that include a variety of amenities minutes away from the major retail and shopping centers of Moda Mall, The Avenues and Bahrain Bay, stated Ibrahim. The tower is 10 minutes away from the Bahrain International Airport and 15 minutes away from King Fahad Causeway, he added. Al Tijaria will also be launching the biggest residential resort in the island of Dilmunia. The Dilmunia Project is a planned residential resort situated, covering an area of 30,700 sq m containing 16 villas and 14 houses in addition to buildings that contain 351 luxurious flats. All of the properties are designed to give wonderful views overlooking the sea and the wide green lands. The first phase of the project is expected to launch this year. "Al Tijaria are establishing themselves as a major developer in Bahrain. Their participation at the Gulf Property Show is a vote of confidence not just in the Show but the real estate sector in Bahrain," said Jubran Abdulrahman, the managing director of organisers HCE. The Gulf Property Show carries the strategic organizational support of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of Bahrain (Rera), Survey and Land Regulatory Bureau (SLRB), Urban Planning and Development Authority of Bahrain and Bahrain Property Developers Association (BaPDA).-TradeArabia News Service Asian Paints, one of the top ten coatings companies in the world, has unveiled a new brand identity for its operations in Bahrain. The newly unveiled brand, Asian Paints Berger delivers a new positioning, The Colour of Tomorrow integrating the principles of Innovation, Inspiration and Partnership in its product offerings and relationships with channel partners and end-users. The Colour of Tomorrow concept symbolises a bold new commitment to Bahrain that factors in the Arabian Gulfs differentiating geographical and environmental characteristics, said a statement from conmpany. The new positioning also references, the regions and Bahrains values and distinctive cultural richness. Underpinning the new logo and identity are three core values: cutting-edge innovation in product offerings, inspirational marketing, and true partnerships driving its retail strategies. The new concept places customer interests and preferences at the core of its corporate philosophy and marketing strategy. On the new branding, Amit Bose, General Manager for Berger Paints Bahrain, said: "Our new positioning, The Colour of Tomorrow, symbolises an organisation that truly understands the many shades and facets of our customers." "As one of the largest coatings companies in the world, we are constantly repositioning ourselves in true partnership with our distributors and consumers. In the journey ahead, Asian Paints Berger is committed to staying true to the three core pillars of our new identity: Innovation, Inspiration and Partnership" he stated. Exemplifying its commitment to innovation, Asian Paints Berger has additionally announced the launch of Royale Atmos Health Shield a ground-breaking technologically advanced product that kills more than 99% bacteria on walls in less than two hours and refreshes indoor air quality by removing harmful pollutants such as formaldehyde emitted by furniture, air fresheners, cooking gas and other sources. The product additionally improves the overall painting experience by incorporating activated charcoal meshes which absorb unpleasant smells andadding mild fragrance and splatter-free features, said Bose. The company also unveiled an inspiration-filled colour trend book for 2019 designed to ignite consumers creative imaginings, encouraging them to express themselves through a rich palette of colours, he stated. The brand makeover represents a new milestone in Asian Paints Bergers four-decade presence in the Arabian region with a customer base distributed across Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Yemen, alongside Bahrain. Over the years, the company has consistently innovated its offerings by introducing definitive products such as Royale, Weathercoat, Royale Play, Tuff, Select and Superflat gaining brand preference amongst its stakeholders, he added. A signature feature of the companys market positioning is its Decor Lounges dedicated stores where consumers are encouraged to explore the world of paints and colour in an authentic setting. In line with the rebranding, these stores will also undergo a facelift. Moodboards recreating the Colours of Arabia will introduce customers to shades that particularly resonate with Bahrain and the Arabian region. According to Bose, the Asian Paints Berger is the fastest growing company in the GCC with manufacturing facility in Oman & UAE apart from Bahrain. Berger Paints Bahrain, which started its operations in the kingdom in 1981, has been at the forefront of the coatings industry, he stated. With its established presence in retail markets, strong B2B products and solutions portfolio, the company has been at the forefront of the coatings industry in Bahrain, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabia is set to build Air War Center at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, reported SPA. The foundation stone was laid by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence during his visit to the Air Base. The Crown Prince was briefed on the facility and its advanced capabilities to train air and technical crews in a similar reality to modern warfare, stated the report. The new facility will contribute to the development and modernization of combat plans against potential threats, developing and evaluating air force capabilities, standardizing combat concepts and doctrines and testing and evaluating systems and weapons and their effectiveness and impact. The Air War Center will support the combat readiness of the Air Force, carry out joint and mixed exercises with brotherly and friendly countries, as well as training in an advanced electronic warfare environment, to use and evaluate effective combat tactics by enabling Air Force specialists to read the results in a reality similar to the reality of real battles, said the SPA report. The facility will house the headquarters of the centre besides hangars for aircraft maintenance, technical staff offices, ground equipment warehouse, service facilities, sun umbrellas for 24 planes, parking lots for planes, side walkways and e-war field, it added. National flag carrier Turkish Airlines bid an emotional farewell to the Ataturk Airport with the launch of its last passenger flight - the Singapore-bound TK54 - from the transfer hub and home of its growth for the last 86 years. The Turkish Airlines flight, which concluded the successful adventure of the global carrier on Ataturk Airport, was met with great interest of the passengers. TK54 Istanbul - Singapore flight, operated with TC-JJY tail coded aircraft with 319 passengers and 18 cabin crew, has already become a memorable milestone in the history of Turkish Airlines. Sharing his views about the last flight from the Ataturk Airport, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, M. Ilker Ayc said: "As we bid farewell to the place that has been our home for the last 86 years, we send off our passengers on our Singapore flight from this special facility for the last time. They say that some places gain a voice of their own over time." "This is exactly what we feel as we stand in Ataturk Airport today. As we experience these moments full of emotion, our singular comfort is that we will host our passengers in a state of the art facility from now and with that opportunity we will experience the unstoppable rise of our brand," stated Ayci. Besides that, Turkish Airlines passed almost 24 hour mark of its moving process. Turkish Airlines move to its new home Istanbul Airport which is the biggest airport project of the world, will continue in the following hours, said the flag carrier in its statement. Unique in the global aviation history, the moving operation will take 45 hours in total and it will be concluded on April 6 Saturday night at 23:59. The Airline had earlier announced that both Ataturk Airport and Istanbul Airport would remain closed between 2am and 2pm for the suiccessful take off of the last flight - TK54 flight from Ataturk Airport. Operations with the Great Move will begin with the Ankara flight of the national flag carrier, which will depart from Istanbul Airport on April 6 at 14pm. Following that, the flights from Istanbul Airport will be increased in stages according to a set plan, it added.-TradeArabia News Service In Moscow, the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkmenistan, Sergey Lavrov and Rashid Meredov, signed an intergovernmental agreement on ensuring information security. Commenting on the outcomes of the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, Lavrov said that he and the Turkmen Foreign Minister signed an intergovernmental agreement in ensuring international information security between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan, and that this is the first such agreement between Russia and a Central Asian country. Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Russia and Turkmenistan have common views regarding the assessment of major threats in the field of international information security. They include using information and communication technologies to carry out acts aggression, violation of sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of states, to interfere in their internal affairs, causing economic damage, for terrorist and other criminal purposes, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The agreement provides for establishment of a direct dialogue between relevant departments of the two countries on the entire spectrum of international issues relating to information security as well as conducting comprehensive bilateral inter-agency consultations on a regular basis. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Science has largely focused on creating machines visible to our eyes. Today, research in DNA nanomachines is booming thanks to the immense potential the field holds for human society. The technology focuses on building DNA-sized machines capable of doing things that are impossible with the normal machines we are accustomed to. For instance, researchers have succeeded in creating DNA nanomachines that are capable of fighting cancer at a cellular level. Ultimate nanomachines DNA is essentially built from an alphabet of just four nucleic acids. However, this simplicity has not stopped it from becoming the foundation for all life on Earth. When scientists discovered that DNA sequences could be used to form logical circuits for developing nanoelectronic applications, interest in the field of DNA nanomachines grew. As such, the technology has become the basis for a whole new breed of robots ones that can function on a nanoscale, several times smaller than bacteria. Building DNA nanomachines involves two critical areas, design and movement. When it comes to design, many scientists have adopted a technique called DNA origami. [It is] similar to the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into decorative or representational forms that is used by nanotechnology researchers to fold DNA strands into something resembling a programmable pegboard on which different nanocomponents can be attached, according to Nanowerk. DNA origami allows researchers to develop complex DNA nanomachines by combining multiple basic shapes. Scientists have succeeded in using the design technique to build structures at the scale of organelles and viruses. At present, DNA origami enables the creation of nanostructure with arbitrary patterns and shapes on a less than 100-nanometer scale. As to the movement of DNA nanomachines, researchers have developed a magnetic control system to move these nanobots around at high speeds without sacrificing accuracy. At the Ohio State University, Carlos Castro, Ratnasingham Sooryakumar, and their colleagues have created such a system that cuts back the response time of DNA nanomachines from several minutes to under a second. We had discovered a way to harness the power of magnetic forces to probe the microscopic world a hidden world of astounding complexity But we wanted to transition from the micro-world to the nano-world. This led to the collaboration with Dr. Castro. The challenges were to shrink the functionality of our particles a thousand-fold, couple them to precise locations on the moving parts of the machines and incorporate fluorescent molecules as beacons to monitor the machines as they moved, Ratnasingham Sooryakumar, professor of physics, said in a statement (OSU). Treating cancer A team of scientists from ITMO University in Russia together with other international colleagues has proposed using DNA nanomachines to cure cancer. The idea is to interact with the targeted RNA and then bind, unfold, and cleave them. Testing the nanomachines has yielded positive results as the targeted RNA were broken down with a high level of efficiency. The researchers also discovered that DNA nanomachines are capable of inhibiting the growth of malignant cells. The existing gene therapy agents are aimed at suppressing the expression of oncological markers. In the research in question, the scientists focused on the messenger RNA of vital genes, and the oncological marker was used as an activator. This makes it possible to apply the DNA nanomachine in treating any kind of cancer by using new DNA oncomarkers for activating the breaking down of targeted molecules, according to Eurekalert. Scientists hope that their DNA nanomachines can one day make the treatment of oncological diseases more effective. For now, the team is focusing on improving the technology and studying the stability of DNA machines in cells. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly email China has reportedly cloned a police dog in hopes that it will take less time to train the animal. The 3-month-old puppy, Kunxun, has been cloned from a 7-year-old sniffer named Huahuangma. The Ministry of Public Service recognized the sniffer as a meritorious dog in 2016 due to its contribution in murder cases. Cloning Kunxun Kunxun was cloned by the Yunnan Agricultural University and Sinogene Biotechnology Company with assistance from the Ministry of Public Security. Born in December last year, the cloned dog is now undergoing training for its role in the police force. Researchers believe that Kunxun will inherit the sleuthing genes of Huahuangma, which has been nicknamed the Sherlock Holmes of police dogs. Zhao Jianping, the Deputy General Manager of the company, stated that they will soon start volume production of such dogs since these animals will require less training time and have a lower dropout rate. Training a regular dog usually takes up to 5 years and costs around US$75,000. Tests show that Kunxun and Huahuangma are a 99.9 percent DNA match, and the clone-pup has already outperformed other traditionally bred wolf dogs on several tests. Kunxun will now begin training in drug detection and crowd control, and is expected to be a full-fledged police dog at 10 months, according to Live Science. The cost of cloning Kunxun was not revealed, but is said to be very high as of now. China is also building a repository of cells of other high-performance police dogs that it hopes to clone in the future. However, it is not the first country to use cloned dogs in its police force. Back in 2008, South Korea started using six cloned dogs to patrol its streets. In the U.S., dogs are deemed to be mature enough for police training when they are between 12 and 15 months. They usually work for about six years and retire at the age of 10. A famous cloned dog in the U.S. police force is Trakr, a German Shepherd that was responsible for discovering the last remaining survivor of the September 11 World Trade Center attack. Pet cloning China is also seeing a big demand for pet cloning. Owners worried about their pets death are consulting cloning services and ensuring that the necessary genetic material is saved so that the animal can be recreated when the original one dies. Sinogene is Chinas first biotech company to provide pet cloning services and was in the news last year when it cloned a beagle. CEO Mi Jidong says that more people want their pets to live longer with them. Seeing the tremendous business opportunity, the company plans on expanding services to include gene editing so that unwanted characteristics of the pets can be removed from their cloned versions. Sinogenes success is an example of the rapid success of Chinas biotech companies. A big reason for this is that Chinese biotech firms face less regulatory pressures than companies in the West. Though the Chinese government does have a strict set of rules concerning cloning and gene editing, no explicit law against animal cloning exists. On the government side, the image of this cloning industry is very high-tech, and definitely is very supportive of those high-tech industries because of their high profit margin, Tin-Lap Lee, an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said to Reuters. Last year, a Chinese scientist claimed to have gene edited two baby girls in a bid to prevent them from inheriting HIV from their parents. Earlier this year, a laboratory in Shanghai announced that it had created the worlds first monkey clones. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly email When Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced that he had edited the genes of two baby girls to help them avoid inheriting HIV, the scientific community was aghast. Reports suggest that the gene editing might have modified the brains of the gene-edited girls, even giving them enhanced abilities. Even though He may have done the experiment with good intentions, the fact that he played with the lives of the two children without properly accounting for the consequences horrified scientists. He was soon placed under house arrest by the Chinese government. The gene-edited girls may have enhanced brains He Jiankui edited a gene called CCR5 that encodes a protein that allows the HIV virus to enter cells. However, CCR5 is also linked to brain functions. A study on mice has shown that altering CCR5 led the creatures to develop improved memory and cognition. This raises the question as to whether it is possible that the girls might experience similar mental improvements. The answer is likely yes, it did affect their brains. The simplest interpretation is that those mutations will probably have an impact on cognitive function in the twins, Alcino J. Silva, a neurobiologist at the University of California, said to Express. He goes on to say that exactly how the twins will be affected is unpredictable, and therefore, it should never have been done. Many believe that He Jiankui may have chosen to edit CCR5 to target brain functions while using HIV prevention as a mere excuse. Some also say that the Chinese government, despite their claims of non-involvement, may have had a hand in Hes experiment. The allegation is strengthened by the fact that Hes study was sponsored by government sources like the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its unlikely that He acted alone I hope the ongoing investigation addresses the institutional issues that culminated in the affair. Otherwise, it would leave open the possibility of similar scandals, Lei Ruipeng, executive director of the Centre for Bioethics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, said in a statement (Stat News). If the girls do grow up to be super-smart, experts feel that the demand for CCR5 editing might actually soar in China as parents approach gene-editing services for improving their childrens chances of academic success. This will essentially open up a Pandoras Box as far as the ethics of gene editing is concerned. Some fear that the communist government might be tempted to use the discovery to experiment on children to create a superior race of Chinese people loyal to the state. Caution against gene editing Following He Jiankuis gene editing scandal, a group of more than 15 leading scientists has asked for strong rules against the misuse of gene editing. The group includes two discoverers of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Feng Zhang. We call for a global moratorium on all clinical uses of human germline editing that is, changing heritable DNA (in sperm, eggs, or embryos) to make genetically modified children. By global moratorium, we do not mean a permanent ban Rather, we call for the establishment of an international framework in which nations, while retaining the right to make their own decisions, voluntarily commit to not approve any use of clinical germline editing unless certain conditions are met, the scientists said in a statement (Nature). The scientists made it clear that their call for a moratorium does not seek to prevent germline editing for research uses or to treat diseases. At present, 30 countries across the world have laws that ban germline editing either directly or indirectly. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook By WestKyStar & City of Paducah Apr. 05, 2019 | 09:49 PM | PADUCAH Planning Director Tammara Tracy says, There are some great opportunities in this pool of properties for those willing to invest time, energy, and/or money. The market for housing under $199K is hot which means a good quality home can be a great money maker. I want to emphasize that homes are the objective. We want new homes on vacant lots and existing properties to be rehabilitated. This helps neighborhoods, surrounding property owners, and the city in general to be full and active." Tracy adds, "The City owns these properties for a variety of reasons: donations, death of the owner with no heirs, or code enforcement action due to a dilapidated building which has since been removed." All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked Sealed Bid with the address of the property on the outside. If interested in submitting a sealed proposal for more than one property, a separate written offer must be submitted for each property. Proposals can be mailed to the following address: City of Paducah Planning Department City Hall P.O. Box 2267 Paducah, KY 42002-2267 Proposals will be opened April 29 at 4:15 pm in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The City of Paducah reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted. The lot dimensions, zoning information, and an aerial map of each piece of property are available on the Citys website at http://www.paducahky.gov/city-surplus-property. Also, there is a form on that page that must be submitted with each property proposal. Evaluation of the bids will be based upon the following considerations equally: priority to adjoining property owner; priority to owner occupancy; level of investment; Comprehensive Plan compliance (highest & best use); and the bid amount. To be considered for these properties, bidders must be current on City taxes and have no existing liens on any property currently owned in the City of Paducah. Proposals must include at a minimum the following information: Purchase price offer for the property (minimum offer considered is $325) Intended use of the property Detailed construction or rehabilitation plans. All changes and improvements necessary both to meet code requirements as well as to provide for the intended use must be specified and detailed Estimated firm timeline indicating the duration of the project from start to finish Proof of financial ability to complete the project in an amount matching the estimated costs. Proof must be in the form of a letter of credit, loan commitment, proof of cash on hand, or some other proof of financial ability acceptable to the City. Grants or special financing must be listed but cannot count toward financial ability unless a copy of the award notice or other acceptable guarantee is provided. For additional information, please call the Paducah Planning Department at 270-444-8690. As you drive around Paducah, look for the blue and orange signs highlighting properties owned by the City of Paducah that are available for purchase. The City is accepting sealed bid proposals until 4 pm on Monday, April 29 for the purchase and transfer of 30 city-owned properties located in seven different neighborhoods. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 05, 2019 | 06:35 PM | PADUCAH The city of Paducah is selling some surplus property.In a city press release, they say sealed bids will be accepted on 30 parcels of land until 4:00 pm on April 29. The properties are in seven different neighborhoods.Blue and orange signs have been placed on each property to share information on how to get involved in the bidding process (see accompanying photo).Planning Director Tammara Tracy says, There are some great opportunities in this pool of properties for those willing to invest time, energy, and/or money. The market for housing under $199K is hot, which means a good quality home can be a great money maker."She stressed that homes are their objective for selling the properties."We want new homes on vacant lots and existing properties to be rehabilitated. This helps neighborhoods, surrounding property owners, and the city in general to be full and active," Tracy said.She said there are a variety of reasons why the city owns these properties: donations, death of the owner with no heirs, or code enforcement action due a dilapidated building which has since been removed.All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked "Sealed Bid" with the address of the property on the outside. If someone is interested in submitting a sealed proposal for more than one property, they must be done separately.Proposals can be mailed to:City of Paducah Planning DepartmentCity HallP.O. Box 2267Paducah, KY 42002-2267Proposals will be opened April 29 at 4:15 pm in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The City of Paducah reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted.The lot dimensions, zoning information, and an aerial map of each piece of property are available on the Citys website at http://www.paducahky.gov/city-surplus-property (see link below). Also, there is a form on that page that must be submitted with each property proposal.Evaluation of the bids will be based upon the following considerations equally: priority to adjoining property owner; priority to owner occupancy; level of investment; Comprehensive Plan compliance (highest & best use); and the bid amount.To be considered for these properties, bidders must be current on their city taxes and have no existing liens on any property currently owned in the city.Proposals must include at a minimum the following information: Purchase price offer for the property (minimum offer considered is $325); Intended use of the property; Detailed construction or rehabilitation plans. All changes and improvements necessary both to meet code requirements as well as to provide for the intended use must be specified and detailed; Estimated firm timeline indicating the duration of the project from start to finish; and Proof of financial ability to complete the project in an amount matching the estimated costs. Proof must be in the form of a letter of credit, loan commitment, proof of cash on hand, or some other proof of financial ability acceptable to the City. Grants or special financing must be listed but cannot count toward financial ability unless a copy of the award notice or other acceptable guarantee is provided.For additional information, please call the Paducah Planning Department at 270-444-8690. On the Net: One new death reported in Graves County By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 05, 2019 | 11:01 PM | GRAVES COUNTY According to the Graves County Sheriff's Department, 17-year-old Troy Austin Smith-Brown was reported missing on Friday by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Troy Austin Smith-Brown is described as white, 6'0", 170 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen on KY 1710 in Southern Graves County at the home of his paternal grandmother on Wednesday, April 3rd. Cabinet workers are concerned for his safety and health. Sheriff's deputies checked numerous locations in Graves County and were unable to locate him. Troy is known to spend time in the Sedalia and Dublin communities of Graves County. Anyone with information about Troy is asked to contact the Graves County Sheriff's Department, or you local law enforcement agency. UPDATE:The Graves County Sheriff's Department is reporting that the missing teen, 17-year-old Troy Austin Smith-Brown has been found, and is safe.They would like to thank all that helped with this situation.ORIGINAL STORY:The public's help is requested in locating a missing Graves County teen. In the US, more than 45% of those age 18 or over are single, with the number in China about 15% (200 million people). The increase in singles is expected to have enormous consequences on housing, healthcare, population levels and consumer habits. For Ashley Gray, a 26-year-old web developer living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, her best time is in the evening, after a long and tiring day at work and when she is alone. "I will cook my own dinner I can eat whatever I want, and I will go to the gym, then get beers and watch my favorite shows on Netflix," said Gray, who has been single for about five years after breaking up with her college boyfriend. "Or I can choose to hang out with my friends." She said she likes to be free to go with the flow and be responsible only for herself, and not having to compromise. "I just feel like I'm happier and more myself [when I'm alone]," Gray said, adding she's also busy trying to advance her career, so she doesn't want to spend extra time on taking care of a partner or children if she gets into a relationship or gets married. "So, I think I won't get married until I'm 33," Gray said. Like Gray, more women and men in the US are single more than 45 percent of all Americans age 18 or older, the US Census Bureau reported in 2017 and the number of single households around the world also is increasing. Singles make up about 14.6 percent about 200 million of China's population, the largest singles population in the world, People's Daily reported. Sweden has the highest rate of people staying single, 51 percent of all households, according to 2017 data from the European Union's Eurostat. Sweden is followed by Denmark, Finland and Germany, which all have more than 40 percent one-person households. The never-married population age 16 years and over in England and Wales increased by 3.9 million from 2002 to 2017, while the number of married people increased only by 1.2 million during the same period, UK Census reported. Factors contributing to the rise of one-person households include new views on marriage, high levels of divorce, increased education that leads to more employment and better-paying career opportunities, and increased longevity and improved health at older ages. The growth of one-person households could have numerous consequences for society, ranging from housing and health care to the fertility rate and consumption patterns, say experts. New view of marriage In the US, one major reason for staying single is that marriage isn't viewed as it once was, and the age at which one gets married is also rising, the Census report shows. More than half of the participants in a nationally representative sample (55 percent) said that getting married was not an important criterion for becoming an adult, according to the Census report. The same percentage also said that having a child was not an important milestone of adulthood. "Decades ago, people often waited (or tried to wait) until marrying before having kids, having sex, or buying a home," Bella DePaulo, a social scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told China Daily in an email. "Now those possibilities are readily available outside of marriage." The author of Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored said at the same time, people start to see the positive aspects of living single, such as being free to pursue their passions, enjoying solitude and putting the people they care most about at the center of their lives, instead of a romantic partner. Other factors contributing to the rise of one-person households include high levels of divorce, increased education that leads to more employment and better-paying career opportunities, and increased longevity and improved health at older ages. As of 2017, the average age of a first marriage for women was about 27.5, while it was 29.5 for men. Demographers estimate that about 80 percent of Americans will marry at some point in their lives. That's a lot lower than the 95 percent who married in the 1950s and 1960s, and it may drop somewhat more, according to Stephanie Coontz, a marriage historian and author of Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. "But it doesn't mean marriage is dead. It just means that marriage is no longer the only place where people make all their major financial and personal decisions, or incur obligations to others," Coontz said. "First of all, I haven't met my Mr. Right. Also, I'm extremely responsible with my own finances I have to pay my rent and my student loans every month," said Michelle Yu, a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, who just started her first job at a publishing company in Los Angeles. Yu has been single for more than four years. "So, if my partner also has a ton of student loans or is in a bad financial situation, I'd rather be alone," said Yu. "Now, I can well manage my own money and I'm saving the down payment for buying an apartment in my neighborhood. I like to do that on my own pace." Yu said she has two very good friends who are single. "We hang out together every weekend, and I enjoy being with my friends more than going on a date with someone I just met that's why I think I will be not actively looking for a relationship in the next few years," she added. Coontz said one reason people are waiting longer to get married is because more of them, especially women, are going to college. Even after graduation, most people want to wait until they have paid off at least a good portion of their college debt and acquired a steady job, she said. Two earners are increasingly necessary for people to establish a middle-class lifestyle, so most individuals want to make sure that they and their partner have decent earnings prospects. "Another part of the answer is that our expectations of marriage especially women's expectations are much higher than in the past, and their options outside marriage are greater," said Coontz. "So, they can be more 'picky' about their mates, and they can afford to wait until they find one who suits them." She said women, and men too, want someone who can earn a decent salary, but many women now rank other factors higher, such as willingness to share housework and child care. Coontz said that the increasing inequality in society means that many low-income individuals male or female aren't seen as good marriage prospects. "Often, couples who are for each other will cohabit in order to save money or explore their relationship more," she said. "But they hesitate to marry until they feel they have enough economic security to relieve them of the chronic stress that undermines relationships." As women are becoming more self-reliant, the gap between their pay and men's has been decreasing over the past century. According to a journal published last year by sociologists Daniel Schneider, Kristen Harknett and Matthew Stimpson, the decline of marriage rates is related to both men's declining economic resources and the rising rate of incarceration. According to data released by the US Federal Bureau of Prisons last year, 93 percent of inmates in the US are men. The nation's incarceration rate peaked at 1,000 inmates per 100,000 adults during the three-year period between 2006 and 2008; the number was 310 in 1980. When men are confined to jail or prison, or when a criminal record trails them following their release, they may become less attractive candidates for marriage. A 2018 study conducted by the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, based on an analysis of 13,429 responses on Reddit, a popular social media website in the US, shows that the most frequent reasons that men indicated for being single included poor looks, low self-esteem and confidence, low effort, not interested in relationships, no available women and poor flirting skills. "To be honest, sometimes I do get lonely, but it's never strong enough to make me think I wish I had someone," said Martin West, a 34-year-old self-employed small business owner in New York. "I do enjoy relationships, but being single has some perks that a relationship can't give you so much disposable income, so much freedom in every aspect, no conflict or drama." West said he has been single for more than eight years, and so far, he's still enjoying it. "And I've been through bad relationships they are horrible." He said his lifestyle is healthier when he is single, and he is also more focused on his own business than when in a relationship. "But if I meet the right girl, then sure I'll lay my cards on the table and go all in," West added. Just as West indicated, more studies now show that single people are becoming healthier, both mentally and physically. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Women's Health found that unmarried women are living healthier than ever before. They had lower body mass indices, waist sizes and risks related to smoking and alcohol, compared with married individuals. "A bad marriage is actually a health risk people who are unhappily married have higher blood pressure and lower immune systems than happily married or single people," Coontz said. She said that now that people are living alone longer and learning how to care for themselves instead of depending on a partner, they are practicing healthier lifestyles. "For example, unmarried men used to dramatically be less healthy than married men, but recently they have come close to closing the gap," she said. DePaulo said that in the US, there's also a lot of research showing that single people are more social than married people. "They participate more in the events in their cities and towns, and do more to stay in touch with, and exchange help with, their parents, siblings, friends, colleagues and neighbors," she added. The internet also allows single people to stay connected with others even when they are home alone, DePaulo said. Household impact As recently as 1940, 61 percent of single-person households consisted of renters, but today owners are in the majority, with the 2013 American Housing Survey reporting that 54 percent of single-person households were owner-occupied. According to the survey, between 2003 and 2013, owners accounted for 55 percent of the growth in single-person households. And among single-person households led by someone under the age of 45, two thirds are renters, but among single-person households with someone over the age of 65, owners are a 70 percent majority. Single-person households tend to spend more on housing than others, and these households may prefer to rent rather than buy houses. And even if they do buy a house, the preference is for multifamily homes rather than single-family ones, according to Deloitte senior US economist Daniel Bachman. That may influence the structure of the housing market, which is still recovering from the impact of the recession of 2008 and recent changes in housing finance, Bachman wrote in an article. "We know that multifamily construction recovered more quickly than single-family construction and remains relatively strong," Bachman told China Daily. "This may be because of greater demand for smaller housing units." He said it also may be due to financial limits (mortgages for single-family homes have become harder to obtain) or because of greater demand for living in central cities, where people are more likely to live in multifamily buildings. A 2018 study by the real estate listings site Zillow indicates that single women can afford to purchase only 39 percent of US homes on the market, but they are buying them at a rate that far exceeds that of single men, who are able to purchase more than half of the homes currently for sale. "The housing market will need to make lots of changes to accommodate the growing number of single people, especially the single women who are buying a lot of homes," said DePaulo. "Some will want small places, such as studios or one-bedroom places, though others will want an extra bedroom for a study or for guests." "In a situation of rising income inequality, the ability of affluent two-earner couples to outbid single people for homes is a real problem," said Coontz, adding that it's exacerbated in America by the extremely uneven quality of local schools, so that people get into bidding wars over homes in good school districts. "We have to think through our housing policies, zoning laws and social investments to find better ways to produce affordable housing (for singles)," she added. A rise in single-person households may aid labor market mobility, according to Bachman. With fewer attachments to property and free of marital burdens, these individuals may be more open to shifting cities for jobs, which could make the labor market more mobile. US fertility rate falling At the same time, single-person households will have to cope with lower availability of informal personal care from partners, Bachman wrote. Such nonmarket production (as economists would define it) may need to be replaced by purchased personal care services, especially health and nursing care, which could significantly impact the healthcare industry. In 2017, the fertility rate in the US hit a historic low, data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year shows. The number of births in the US dropped by 2 percent between 2016 and 2017, to 60.2 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. It's the lowest the rate has been in 30 years. "Fertility rates are falling, and lifelong childlessness is on the rise, but most women continue to have at least one child, even if they do not marry," Coontz said. She added that obviously it's hard to raise a child on one's own, without a partner or a supportive kinship group, and it's especially difficult when money and time are scarce. "But this is an issue that societies have to face head-on instead of wishing it would go away," she said. "Marriage-promotion efforts have been singularly ineffective all around the world where they have been tried." Coontz said it's important that government provides a safety net for all children. DePaulo said the increase in the number of single households has implications for all aspects of society, and more things will need to change as the single population continues to grow. For example, she cited how food is sold. "Supermarkets can't just offer big family-sized packages of things," she said, and prices on things also need to be fair so "single people should not be charged more per person than couples are''. "The way we value other people also has to change," DePaulo added. (Souce: China Daily)